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(11/07/12 11:00pm)
“Taken 2” is the ideal movie for action lovers and fans of the previous movie, “Taken.” Just like the first movie, it is fast-paced with no time wasted getting into the action. If your expectations are fighting, gunplay and more fighting, then you will not be disappointed. However, besides action, the movie has nothing else to
offer—which may or may not be a good thing, depending on your perspective.
Liam Neeson reprises his role as ex-CIA preventer Bryan Mills. Spoiler alert: someone gets taken. This time, it’s Mills and his ex-wife Lenore who have to be initially rescued by their daughter, Kim, the victim from the first film.
The movie starts off with the groundwork for the ensuing action. Lenore is single again, Kim is getting her driver’s license and, somewhere in an unknown village, a funeral is being held for the victims of Mills’ fury from the first movie.
The fun begins when Mills is on his way to Istanbul for a job. While there, his ex-wife and daughter show up for a surprise visit as part of a romantic scheme the daughter develops to get her parents back together. Unbeknownst to them, the father of the kidnappers from the first film is enraged that his sons were killed. When he discovers that the whole Mills family is in Istanbul, the story kicks into gear. In the last film Mills left a staggering body count in his mission to rescue his daughter, and the villain of “Taken 2”, Murad, remembers every one of them.
While Mills and Lenore are on date, Murad takes Mills and Lenore and threatens to kill them. Luckily for Mills, Kim stays behind at their hotel and is later called by Mills and informed of the situation.
Kim’s rescue of her parents is, for lack of a better term, really cool. Mills happens to have grenades in his briefcase and instructs his daughter, on the phone, to lob a grenade onto a rooftop. By hearing the explosion he is able to pinpoint his location relative to her and has her find him and bring him a gun. After the rescue, Mills promptly proceeds to take his kidnappers down permanently—which is a big chunk of the film.
“Taken 2” surpasses the first in the intensity of the action scenes. Bryan Mills rivals Jason Bourne’s hand-to-hand combat skills and is deadly with a gun.
The bad guys, however, were a bit disappointing. Besides Murad, the main villain, there was never the sense that any of the other bad guys were out for revenge. They seemed too calm around Mills, considering that he killed about a dozen of their comrades and family members. I expected Mills to at least be tortured. An eye for an eye, you know? They did, however, display some impressive martial arts skills to put Mills to the test. If you watch this movie for its action then you will be very satisfied.
The plot, however, is forgettable and simply an excuse to see Liam Neeson do what he does best. It does wrap up neatly with the romantic subplot working out in the end, although there is a moment in the movie in which Mills seems to lay out the plot for a “Taken 3” in a dialogue with Murad right before he kills him. The possibility of a third installment is thankfully open. “Taken 2” is a must-see for fans of “Taken” and of Liam Neeson in general.
(10/10/12 4:02pm)
Habitat for humanity is an international non-profit organization that describes itself as devoted to building simple, decent and affordable housing. Their goal is to fight poverty and their mission statement is seeking to put God’s love into action. Habitat for Humanity brings people together to build homes, communities and hope. They are a Christian faith-based housing ministry that works with local communities to build or reconstruct homes for the poor. These homes are built with volunteer labor and then sold at no-profit to the organization.
Macon has its own Habitat affiliate called Macon Area Habitat. It started as a Sunday school class at the Northminster Presbyterian Church and grew into a full affiliate of Habitat for Humanity. With a special bond to their Christian origin they work closely with local churches. They also work with the local neighborhoods and Mercer University to fulfill their mission of supporting the needy. Macon Area Habitat expands beyond house-building towards revitalization with house-building as the main focus of the program because there are many homes already built but left abandoned that could be revitalized and resold.
Currently Macon Area Habitat is working on a neighborhood called Lynmore Estates in south Macon in partnership with the Mercer Chapter of Habitat for Humanity which is separate but connected with Macon Area Habitat. Mercer’s chapter of Habitat for Humanity is one of more than 800 campus chapters all over the world. The Mercer Chapter built its first house in 1996 and has built houses almost every year since. The chapter has built a total of seven houses and with continued support plan on building more for the foreseeable future.
Other projects that Macon Area Habitat has running includes a car show in partnership with Mercer’s greek fraternity Alpha Tau Omega. Called the ATO Charity Car Show, they volunteer to raise money for Habitat for Humanity. ATO members are also volunteering with the Lynmore Estates project. According to Macon Area Habitat, this neighborhood has about 435 homes, and about 122 are abandoned. Macon Area Habitat for Humanity has so far raised $326,700 through its 2012 Priceless Gifts Campaign. Of those funds, $291,000 will be used to help pay for the construction costs of six new homes in Lynmore Estates with the overall aim of building 46 homes by 2014. This means a big job for ATO, Macon Area Habitat and the Mercer Chapter, but the rewards will be restored and new homes at a low cost to the neighborhood. Restoring these abandoned homes could bring new life and fight poverty in the neighborhood if they are successful. According to them, “This year will mark a fresh start for Mercer Habitat as we reorganize and concentrate on educating the campus about poverty, as well as providing financial and physical support for builds in Lynmore Estates. A core of interested students will provide innovative leadership for the chapter as we rethink our mission. Students at Mercer have always responded generously with their time to assist on builds.”
If you are interested in participating in the restoration of the Lynmore Estates neighborhood or you just believe in giving your time to help fight poverty you can email Macon Area Habitat at info@maconhabitat.org or visit their site at www.maconhabitat.org. Even though they are Christian faith-based organization they are willing to take in any volunteer regardless of faith.
(09/26/12 9:15pm)
In an effort to facilitate an understanding of the role of democracy in everyday life, Mercer’s Lyceum in partnership with the Brazil Institute at Mercer and Mercer on Mission presented a lecture on the subject of democracy in the nations of Brazil and South Africa in the McCorkle Music Hall. Four students who traveled to these nations as part of the Mercer on Mission program shared their experiences and insights about these countries. They discussed what they felt democracy meant within these countries and how people, specifically the poor and under-represented, were affected by institutions that appeared to fail them despite economic growth. There was a focus on how the poor lack benefits of a democratic system that Americans take for granted due to its democratic system.
The overall question that the panel of students sought to answer was whether disadvantaged people were able to participate within a democracy. Melissa Thompson, a junior Psychology major, and Joshua Soave, a political science sophomore, traveled to Rio De Janeiro in Brazil which currently has the 30th largest gross domestic product in the world and second largest in Brazil. However despite its wealth, Rio De Janeiro faces a large problem with poverty. Thompson described what she witnessed as, “a whole new world. It was very surreal. ” In her travels she said that, “I got to see exposed sewer systems, bad smells and as you climb higher and higher it gets worse and worse.” However, she describes interacting with the locals as a different experience, sharing a story involving two children. “I was holding their hands and these men approached me and were saying something to me. I couldn’t understand them but a translator later said, they are telling you that you are their new mother. It was amazing to see that they were so full of life and so happy,” said Thompson. The children lacked a stable household and for Thompson it was a unique and unforgettable experience. Soave, on the same trip, described the favelas as lacking, “electricity, clean water and played with kids,” like the ones Thompson talked about. He explains that a favel is the term for “shack” and they are situated on hills comparable to mountains. “Walls were built up to stop people from seeing them,” said Soave as the country prepared for the Brazil 2016 Olympics. This dismayed Soave and he said, “how do you define democracy? It’s more than just voting, it’s about inclusion in civil society.” The walls that he saw symbolized the rich part of Brazil attempting to exclude the poor from the benefits of democracy by going so far as to block the favelas from sight.
Dalton Turner, a political science junior, and Chase Williams, a political science senior, who both traveled to South Africa also witnessed the building of walls, literally and socially, and its effects on the society and democracy. Turner said that South Africa is plagued with, “a lot of corruption and misuse of funds,” he went on to say that, “it’s hard to think of voting when basic needs aren’t met like hunger.” Williams agreed and added that, “their ability to work with and benefit from democracy is inhibited by poverty.” At the end of the lecture the panel came to the conclusion that until basic needs were met and the governments of these nations worked to provide job training and facilitated cheap or even free transportation to people, the lives of the poor would be characterized by squalor.
(09/26/12 8:53pm)
The United States and most western states are some form of democracy with the U.S being a representative democracy also known as a Republic. What this means is that sovereignty is in the hand of its citizens and the government acquires its legitimacy from those citizens.
In a republic, a government must aim to meet the interests of the citizens whether they be economic, militaristic or social. It seems like a simple relationship. I vote for someone to represent my interests and he will go to congress and do exactly that but the reality is that it’s a very complicated system.
What happens when my perceptions about what would be in my best interests are wrong? On a micro-level I alone would bear the consequences of the choices I make but a government operates on a macro-level and the consequences of bad policies can wreak an entire nation. Case in point: the Soviet Union. Communism worked wonderfully for them didn’t it?
A Republic owes to its people a responsibility to meet the long-term interests of its citizens while maintaining some form of protection from bad interests that could damage the whole.
Representatives have a responsibility to shield the nation from the consequences of potentially devastating policies that, at the moment of voting, citizens may not realize are bad.This means that representatives in a government must be farsighted. But there lies the potential for representatives who know nothing about the issues they are supposed to make decisions about.
The representatives should place decision-making powers in the hands of those who are more knowledgeable and lack the need to pander for votes by not having to be elected.
Now the government would still be a republic with power rested firmly with the citizens, but the actual law and decision makers would be experts within the field that they are dealing with.
The government already kind of works this way with its various departments having some autonomy but the difference with a Technocracy is where the ultimate decision-making power lies.
In a Technocracy a council of generals would make all military decisions, a council of teachers would make all decisions related to education and a panel of scientists would make all decisions relating to financing of science projects and so on.
Cooperation would be necessary in deciding the budget of each council but for the most part nearly complete autonomy for each council.
A good example would be the Federal Reserve. It is a part of the government but it operates independently and its mandate comes from the 1913 Federal Reserve Act. A relationship of citizens electing representatives who in turn appoint experts to oversee the nation’s monetary policy.
This system in all area’s of life would be preferable because it ensures that politicians would not be using the military for their own agendas, it ensures that someone who never studied medicine is not making decisions about what is right or wrong for the female body and it ensures that someone who has never studied the environment can not pass a law denouncing climate change as a hoax.
Will all technocrats be right? Probably not, but I suspect that they would make relatively more right decisions. If you are wondering, these technocrats would be similar to the way the Federal Reserve operates in that the president appoints people to the board and they are confirmed by the Senate.
Eventually the president would become a figurehead and congress would become similar in function to the general assembly of the United Nations and the government, overall, would become much more efficient, in my opinion.
Comments on this opinion can be sent to salim.y.ali@live.mercer.edu
(09/12/12 4:00pm)
Mitt Romney’s Vice Presidential pick, Paul Ryan, was crucial in drafting the Republican Party’s budget proposal for 2012.
Paul Ryan is so important that the Path to Prosperity is also referred to as the Ryan plan.
The plan passed the U.S. House of Representatives due to almost full Republican support even though no Democrats voted for it.
The plan failed in the Senate because the Senate is under Democratic control. The plan was designed to change Medicare, Medicaid and repeal ObamaCare among other things. The changes to Medicare are all about privatization. This is a very important detail because it highlights what Republicans believe.
They believe that in many but not all industries, a private system would always yield better results than a government controlled system.
Better results would come in the form of lower prices and higher quality. The first proposed change to medicare would be to raise the age of eligibility in 2022 by two months per year until the age eligibility hit 67 in 2033.
After 2022 the program would also be replaced with a voucher system for buying private health insurance. The government would also create a Medicare exchange program which basically shows you which insurers are competing for vouchers.
There are more changes to the system but the voucher and exchange system is the most relevant.
Young people like you and I probably are not going to spend much time thinking about this Medicare, but what is important is the underlying principle behind the change.
On the surface it seems that this plan expands your options. Insurers would compete for your vouchers by offering better deals than their competition until they get to the point of offering the best deal they can possibly get away with.
I would really like to see this plan put into motion just to see if it works. Opponents of the plan say that in reality, the plan would actually raise costs by as much as $6,000.
The value of the voucher would be equivilant to the cost of the second cheapest plan available on the exchange. When comparing the costs of Medicare’s current form to the hypothetical cost if Ryan’s plan had been implemented, shows the cost is initially higher.
But it is an experiment worth pursuing because in any new market the first generation is always more expensive and more clunky. It is only over time that new ways to improve quality and lower costs are found.
The difference though, between a government-run program and a mostly privately run program is this: in an atmosphere where a company’s survival is based on its ability to adapt quickly to profit a private run business, changes and improvements will occur much more quickly than in a government-run system which could easily rely on accumulating debt and raising taxes to finance itself.
Comments on this opinion
can be sent to
salim.y.ali@live.mercer.edu
(04/25/12 7:32pm)
Equal pay for equal work is a policy that sounds fair and reasonable on the surface. I agree with the principle that men and women of all races should be paid the same wages for the same labor.
This pay should be equal to the value that the employers place on their labor.
Racism and sexism have no place in business. But there is a problem with such policies: that they could potentially have the opposite intended effect no matter how noble the intentions might be.
Milton Friedman, an economist, made a very reasonable argument against equal pay legislation.
He argued that if you look at employers who hire men over women they have their reasons.
These reasons might stem from sexist tendencies, or they may not.
But if the offended group offers to receive less in wages to do the same labor, then now the employer bears a cost for this discrimination which is the difference between what he would pay the man versus the woman.
The woman has a trump card to fight against discrimination which is that she can offer to work for less.
No matter how sexist and chauvinistic the employer might be, he will be forced to recalculate whether his outdated beliefs are worth the cost.
Now add equal pay for equal work legislation into the scenario. Now the woman has lost her trump card because the employer is forced to pay the same wage.
Now his sexism does not cost him anything and he is free to employ men over women without bearing the cost he would have absent the legislation.
So is it fair or right that women should willingly offer to be paid less and just accept it? No, but the ability to individually negotiate with employers is the best weapon anyone has against discrimination.
For this reason I agree with Milton Friedman, and that is what I would offer as the most effective solution, of all possible solutions, to this problem of discrimination against anyone no matter the race or gender.
I would also point out that people have a hard time ignoring the good intentions of policies in favor of looking at their actual effects.
To hear Friedman’s argument for yourself, go to Youtube.com and type “Milton Friedman equal pay for equal work.”
Comments, questions, inquiries or rebuttals to this opinion can be sent to salim.y.ali@mercercluster.com
(03/28/12 8:01pm)
As gas prices have been steadily rising some people have become agitated and are looking for someone to blame. Some blame the federal government because they believe that the president has influence over determining the outcome of tensions between Israel and Iran, whom they also blame for the increase in prices.
Some blame oil companies for being too greedy. They reason that because oil companies make a lot in profit they have a responsibility to provide lower prices to their customers.
Some blame speculators for artificially inflating prices based on fears around the world, most notably Iran.
Some would argue that developing nations have found a new appetite for rapid growth and have increased consumption of nonrenewable resources and tout this as one of the reasons why prices have grown.
But the only culprit is capitalism.
It is all capitalism’s fault for being so beautiful of an economic system. Capitalism is such a beautiful economic system because of its emphasis on efficiency and its incredible success rate at allowing those who control the means of production and resources to meet the demands of those with purchasing power.
The greatest tools you can wield are information, creativity and the courage and intelligence to use them effectively whether you are a buyer or seller.
Capitalism is completely amoral; it does not discriminate and is constantly evolving. It is currently the best economic system that humanity has to offer and proof is in its success relative to other systems.
You need only look to countries like the United States, China, Singapore and South Korea as examples of countries that have employed relatively free market policies and grew faster than those that did not.
So the reason capitalism is at fault is that because of its success there are always those with power who try to manipulate the system to their advantage. It could be politicians or it could be oligopolies.
What they all have in common is hubris. But to deal with this capitalism has a built in a self-correcting mechanism and there is why you see gas prices rising. Something is amiss and market forces are working overtime to correct it.
What this means is that no matter what gets done to it market forces will move in such a way as to correct whatever problem was created by moving towards equilibrium and consequently taking down the manipulators.
Inflation is one method and debt that grows faster than you can produce is another. The European Union was almost broken up because of sovereign debt and eventually the United States will face a crisis too, if changes aren’t made, because capitalism is not pro-American.
The result of manipulation will usually lead to the opposite effect of what was intended.
For example a government chooses to increase the standard of living by forcing wages above the equilibrium level. Companies that rely heavily on labor react by moving to cheaper countries.
Actually in this case someone’s standard of living did go up, just not the people the policymakers had in mind.
But the point is that you should always remember that the goal of capitalism is efficiency, and if prices are going up it’s because they need to be. Everything else is background noise.
If you want social good or want reduced prices your best option is to promote and continue to participate in free markets with less manipulation and let market forces work their magic.
Comments and rebuttals to this opinion can be sent to salim.y.ali@live.mercer.edu
(02/22/12 9:44pm)
A Career fair, sponsored by Mercer Career Services, was held on Feb. 15 in the University Center. The fair was open to all students and offered a variety of job and internship opportunities.
At the fair there were over 40 potential employers that covered a wide range of career opportunities for all students, from business majors to history majors.
Rooshi Patel, an Information Science and Technology major, was hoping to put himself out there and meet potential employers before graduation.
Patel said he was most interested in, “[Employers] like the FBI, Gulfstream, Verizon, Spherion and CNN.”
Patel suggested that students who attend the fair come prepared.
“[Students should wear] business attire and keep their resume updated. The employers may not remember your name but your resume should make a lasting impression. That’s probably the most important thing,” he said.
One booth at the fair was the DEA, which is the federal Drug Enforcement Agency. The DEA works with over 60 countries who themselves have their own versions of the DEA in the fight against illicit drugs. Other booths included Spherion, United States Air Force, Georgia Farm Bureau and CNN.
Students interested in international travel were able to meet and talk with DEA, Peace Corps, Air-force and the United States Army. However, most potential employers at the event were based out of Atlanta and middle-Georgia.
To get a sense of how the career requirements were different, the DEA agent said that they required a psychological physical and drug evaluation in addition to a college degree which was limited to technical, accounting, business and language degrees.
Spherion, a private company, took experience along with a degree and the spokesman for Spherion emphasized expanded job responsibilities beyond what your major might entail while the DEA would train you in everything you need to know to do the job.
Although a student with any major could find opportunities at the fair, those knowledgeable in technology and engineering were in high demand.
The most important qualities the Air Force said they were looking for were high moral and ethical standards, as well as a well-rounded person.
“Expect change and we will take you out of your comfort zone on purpose. We do this because we bring out qualities in future Airmen that they never knew they had,” explained the represenative for the Air Force.
Private industries like CNN and Spherion emphasized flexibility, experience and independence.
Independence and self-motivation seemed very important to CNN.
Overall people from any spectrum whether you are of high moral character or are self-motivated and independent can find potential job opportunities.
Career Services offers career guidance, job search assistance and graduate school search assistance.
For more information visit their website at http://studentaffairs.mercer.edu/careerservices or set up an appointment by calling 478-301-2863.
(02/09/12 12:10am)
Mercer University recently hosted a job search event for students who are looking for assistance in finding part-time or full-time work. There are two kinds of Mercer job seekers. One type is looking for part-time jobs during the semester or during the summer which will be called Type I, and the other is looking for a job after graduating which are considered Type II. Most students fall into one of these categories one time or another throughout their college years.At the event, various ways to discover availale jobs were discussed. The simplest and easiest method for finding a job for Type I students is to check Mercer’s website. Mercer’s students employee website is very benefitial and lists jobs that are available in addition to the hours of work they require. Another method of finding a job is by word of mouth. Asking other students or professors if they know of any openings somewhere helps many students find part-time or summer work. Advice for Type II students is to expand your reach and search to include places you haven’t searched before. Companies like Microsoft hire people from technical fields to marketing and law fields. The needs of the United Nations goes from lawyers to finance majors in addition to politics and language majors, as you might have originally thought, and there are many more organizations and companies like it.A good place to start a job search online is www.monster.com which allows you to quickly and easily find jobs in any city you like. If you are a business person then you should consider creating a linkedin profile. Linkedin.com is social networking site aimed at business professionals. By putting yourself out there you can facilitate an opportunity to network with other professionals.Linkedin also allows you to research companies and apply for jobs listings.A key part of your job search is crafting a good resume that not only tells a future employer who you are, but what you could be. Liz Ryan, a job search advisor writes, “A good resume has a Point on the Arrow - it tells the reader exactly where you’re headed, why you’ve chosen that path, and how your background equips you beautifully for the course you’ve set for yourself.” For more of her advice see www.practicaljobsearchadvice.blogspot.com.Two important things among others that Robert Half, another job search advisor, points out is that “there’s an opportunity for some creativity, but not for gimmicks.What works today is conservative style and a focus on key achievements - especially those that are of particular interest to the reader.” Half explains that you should “never take more than two lines to list hobbies, sports and social activities. When in doubt, leave them out.” For more tips on crafting the perfect resume, visit www.nhlink.net/employme/how.htm.A good resume has five key components according to Half. The first is a clearly stated, job objective. The second includes highlights of your qualifications. The third is a presentation of directly relevant skills and experience. The fourth is a chronological work history, and the last is a listing of relevant education and training. With a good, clear and organized resume a prospective employee has a better opportunity to be selected for an interview.Once a prospective employee is given an interview opportunity, they should show up well-prepared, professionally dressed and ready to answer and ask worthwhile questions.
(02/08/12 9:57pm)
Video gaming has been evolving and a new type of game has emerged. Moba, which stands for multi-player online battle arena, is a part of the particular game which is called Defense of the Ancients. This is the founding father of mobas. The game originally started off as an offshoot of a popular game called Warcraft, but has now developed its own distinct personality and fan base. But there is something very special about this game in that it does something that most games do not. First, I’ll explain what dota is. DotA 2 is a new game being developed and is currently in beta stage. The game is like an incredibly complex mix of chess and rock, paper, scissors. There are two teams of five on opposing sides of a map. Each team has two goals: to destroy the enemy base, while simultaneously protecting your own. Each player is assigned a hero with different skills, play styles and roles. Success in dota is in knowing your role, the role of your allies and that of your opponents. Beyond that you also need to know every inch of the map and how best to enhance and use your income in the game. This game is special because it has real life lessons to teach and, like globalization, is bringing people of different backgrounds together. Each time you play the game you will have a different experience. In some games there will be a leader among your team who carries the team to victory while other games may be completely dependent on teamwork.Your teammates could be Canadian one day and Chinese the next. The game puts you in different situations each time you play and forces you to adapt. You have to both be quick thinking and have long run structured planning. Some tactics include hit and run, gang attacks, also known as ganking, or a cooperation based defensive strategy. You have to know yourself as well as the people you play with. An experience that captures everything above was a game I played once with a couple of Russians. When I and the other American players realized they were Russians who couldn’t speak or understand any English there was a collective groan and annoyance because we knew our game just became a lot more difficult because communication is a big part of achieving victory. We needed to know that these Russians had our backs and they needed to know that we had theirs. So, one Russian teamed up with me, and the other teamed up with one of the other Americans playing the game.Without any verbal or typed communication we established some rules based on trust and the hope that the other player knew what they were doing.Simply by playing the game and sticking to our respective roles we came to understand each other, and we won the game. We congratulated the Russians and we assumed they congratulated us in Russian at the end of the game. I learned from that game that when people have mutual interests, even language isn’t a strong enough barrier to facilitate cooperation. Perhaps politicians should be locked in a room and forced to play dota? Comments about this opinion can be sent to salim.y.ali@live.mercer.edu.
(01/25/12 9:19pm)
Bioware, a company famous for its role playing games, has recently released a new PC game called Star Wars: The Old Republic. If you’ve ever dreamt of being Darth Maul or Han Solo, this game puts you in the driver’s seat of your own personal heroic story. For the past couple of weeks I was a Sith Warrior who was following the orders of my master Darth Baras while I was secretly plotting against him. There were points in the game where Darth Baras would ask me during cinematic conversations why I was so merciful to people he sent me out to “deal with.” My response was always something along of the lines of not seeing the need in killing them or that they may be a potential source of information. But my real reasoning was that I was slowly building allies or that they could be useful later on. It turned out to be the case, and a team of enemies I had spared later came in to help me fight a difficult enemy my master had sent me out to kill. After beating that enemy I made him swear loyalty to me, and I faked his death so that one day he would help me overthrow my master.
The point I’m trying to convey is that this game is an awesome simulation of character. Your choices have meaning and impact your story. For example as I was making a purely selfish choice, my companion asked me if this was the kind of man I wanted to be and it made me feel bad. Even though I knew it was just a game I felt as if I had to make things right with her, and just as in real life, all your choices are permanent and shape your character and how others respond to you. Life or death, good or evil, mercy or cruelty are all things that you have to think about with many of the choices in the game. Just as easily as someone you show kindness to may help you later on, they could also turn around and ambush you when you least expect it.
Star Wars: The Old Republic pushes the boundaries of what it means to be moral by testing you and allowing you to be as selfish or selfless as you want to be; appropriately, living with the consequences and the moral choices can get pretty deep. In the game, a sobbing woman begged me to find her teenage son. So I went off and I find him and it turned out he had been turned into a child soldier. My options were to kill him, bring him back to his mother or leave him alone. What I found strange was that the immoral decision was to return him to his grieving mother and the moral decision was to lie to her and tell her he was dead. Choices like that might make you stop and think for a while.
Other aspects of this game are that its a Massively Multi-player online game and that means you will play with other people cooperatively and play against members of the opposing faction. Visually it uses a stylized art theme which gives the game a cartoonish feel, which is in contrast to the style most games today use of being photo-realistic. The best part of the game, however, may be the music. A full orchestra and composers take the genius of John Williams original music to new levels. Each piece of music fits its environment. For example the dark and militaristic Sith Empire has a theme reminiscent of the Soviet Union’s national anthem while the Jedi Order has a peaceful-sounding vibe to it. In conclusion, if you are a fan of Star Wars and have always wanted to have a wookie best friend help you make life and death decisions, then this game was made for you.
(01/25/12 5:05am)
Stephen Colbert’s television show, the Colbert Report, has had the unintended consequence of educating myself and other young viewers about the intricacies of politics.
Stephen Colbert’s form of satire shines a spotlight on issues like the Citizen’s United case, showing the difference between a PAC and Super PAC and pointing out that each coming election is increasingly dominated and determined by money.
If we as citizens stop paying attention for just a moment you’ll find yourself living in a United States of America sponsored by (insert name of corporation here).
While Colbert is making fun of Republicans and Democrats he is alerting you to what they’re doing.
Are you aware that during Christmas the National Defense Authorization Act was passed with a section 1021 that can be and has been interpreted as allowing the military to hold people suspected of terrorism indefinitely without trial?
Remember how the constitution’s sixth amendment is supposed to guarantee the right to a fair and speedy trial by jury? Apparently there are some exceptions.
What about the Stop Online Piracy Act or SOPA for short. On the surface you might not think much about it but after reading it you’ll realize that this bill would make China blush.
It allows for censorship of the web by the government and by proxy private companies like the MPAA. The way this bill is worded can be interpreted that if someone posts a copyrighted song on YouTube then all of YouTube gets shutdown and the owner could be sued in court and that person could be charged with a felony.
This bill almost became law. So while comedians like Colbert and Jon Stewart are making comedy out of what the Congress and lobbyist’s do they are also showing you that as a citizen you need to be mindful and vigilant with what your elected representatives do with their time.
I used to think that politics was for grumpy old people but now it’s as much for the young because the laws that they pass will affect every part of your life and if you let them they’ll go from affecting your life to controlling it.
Comments about this piece can be sent to salim.y.ali@live.mercer.edu
(12/07/11 11:05pm)
The tradition of reserving a special day for giving thanks to good fortune, health and family has been around since before the founding of the United States of America and Canada. Students are taught from an early age in school that the holiday dates back to the 1600’s in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The pilgrims who had newly colonized the area were learning how to survive but the winter’s were harsh and they were finding it difficult to have enough food to survive through it. The nearby Wampanoag tribe gave seeds to the pilgrims and taught them how to fish thus giving the pilgrims hope. They came together in celebration and this became known as the first Thanksgiving. Some historians argue that the first celebration was actually in Saint Augustine, Florida by the Spanish in 1565 but the current national holiday of Thanksgiving is based on the feast held by the pilgrims and the Wampanoag
Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1789 when President George Washington declared it would be held on November 26. But it was not until the author of the nursery rhyme “Mary had a Little Lamb,” Sarah Josepha Hale, advocated for the holiday to be celebrated annually and with the help of President Abraham Lincoln who issued the Thanksgiving Proclamation achieved her goal of a holiday to bring the country together during the time of the civil war.
Part of the proclamation reads, “It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”(President Abraham Lincoln, Thanks Giving Proclamation)
The date of thanksgiving was to be set on the last Thursday of the month of November which stayed true to the original set by George Washington until it fell on November 30 during the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt.
The year was 1939 and retailers were not happy because they believed that they had lost an extra week that consumers could devote to shopping for Christmas. They encouraged President Roosevelt to move it up and his Thanksgiving Proclamation set it to November 23 but there were problems because it now meant that calenders were wrong and it caused a lot of rescheduling problems for Americans. Even football games had to be rescheduled so that they would fall on the holiday. It was such a national headache that opponents of the president declared the day Franksgiving and refused to change the date of thanksgiving from the original November 30 date. Only 23 states actually changed it to November 23.
The irony of the whole situation is that the retailers were wrong about consumers and having that extra week did not cause them to shop more like they hoped.
The next year President Roosevelt did the same thing but not all states went along so like 1939 there ended up being two holidays. To fix this messy situation, Congress passed a law in 1941 declaring that Thanksgiving would always be on the fourth Thursday of November. And that is the story of how Thanksgiving came to be.
(12/07/11 10:49pm)
The Center for the Teaching of America’s Western Foundations sponsored a lecture by the award-winning historian and author Dr. Gordon S. Wood.
The theme of the lecture was rebuilding democracy and is part of Mercer Lyceum which is the universities initiative on this theme.
Dr. Wood is Alva O. Way University Professor and Professor of History Emeritus at Brown University and the recipient of the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for History and the Ralph Waldo Emerson Prize for his book, The Radicalism of the American Revolution. He has written, co-written or edited 20 books on history over his career.
The lecture was focused on the founding fathers of the United States.
Dr. Wood said of current Americans that, “we have a special relationship with the founding fathers that’s unique.”
Dr. Wood discussed the different fathers and what they might have thought about today’s issues.
“What would Thomas Jefferson say about affirmative action?” said Dr. Wood as he discussed their views on slavery.
The consensus was that most were against but realized that slaves were too important to the emerging economy.
Dr. Wood said, “we Americans are destined to look back at our fathers,” and that “our founding fathers have become the gold standard of which current politicians are measured against.”
Dr. Wood was careful to emphasize that the founders had their flaws like anybody else.
“[The founders] are the product of peculiar circumstances, they wanted wealth, they wanted position and they believed the people were the source of their authority.”
The founders were elites but a different kind of elitism than that found across the sea in the United Kingdom. They believed, unlike their counterparts, they were representing their people’s interests.
Dr. Wood believes that the founders were a product of eighteenth century Anglo-Saxon enlightenment, who believed that, “politeness is the source of civility.”
Dr. Wood proposed the four stage theory developed by Adam Smith who is most famous for his book, The Wealth of Nations.
The first stage is the Age of Hunters, the second is the Age of Shepherds, the third is the Age of Agriculture and the last is the Age of Commerce. The purpose of the theory was to give substance to economic determinism and explain the emergence of commercial societies like Britain, France and the United States.
Next came the idea of the gentleman and the proper character of the gentleman which meant being reasonable, honorable and cosmopolitan among other things.
Gentlemen should also strive to be disinterested which meant being impartial like a judge is supposed to be. The Virginia Military Institute has its own version of the Code of the Gentleman which describes, among other things, how to treat a lady and refraining from visiting one while intoxicated and to be spartan in regards to wealth.
The lecture provided new insights into who the founders were and more about their legacy. For information about future lectures, visit www.foundationscentermu.com.
(11/17/11 12:52am)
Last week the Peace Corps celebrated their 50th anniversary. Peace Corps volunteers serve in over 75 countries.
The Cluster conducted an interview with Bryan Harden, a recent Mercer graduate who is currently serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Mongolia.
Harden: The Peace Corps was established in 1961 to promote world peace and friendship. As a part of that mission, the Peace Corps has three goals. First, help the people of interested countries in meeting their need for trained men and women. Second, help promote a better understanding of Americans on the part of the peoples served. Third, help promote a better understanding of other peoples on the part of Americans. I was sworn in as a Peace Corps Volunteer on August 19, 2011. I arrived to Mongolia on June 6th, which is when I became a Peace Corps Trainee. My first two and a half months were spent in Selenge aimag, Shaamar soum, which is in Central Mongolia about 15 miles from the Russian border.
Cluster: Where are you exactly?
Harden: I am now at my permanent site in Khovd Aimag, which is in Western Mongolia. I live in the Aimag Center, Hovd City.
Cluster: How many other people are with you?
Harden: I am an M22, which means I am a volunteer in the 22nd group in Mongolia. Originally, there were approximately 65 people in the M22 group. There are eight Volunteers in Khovd Aimag, six of us living in the Aimag Center. Currently, there are approximately 136 volunteers serving in Mongolia.
Cluster: What made you want to join the Peace Corps?
Harden: Fortunately, I was selected to be a part of a Mercer on Mission trip to South Africa in the summer of 2010. That trip helped me to realize how fortunate I have been throughout my life and I wanted to share that fortune with people around the world. I applied to be a Peace Corps Volunteer a few weeks after coming back from South Africa.
Cluster: What are you aspirations after Mongolia?
Harden: After Mongolia, I would like to pursue a Masters Degree in International Affairs.
Cluster: What was the process like for joining the Peace Corps? How long did it take? What kind of skills are they looking for?
Harden: I applied in the summer of 2010, and I received an invitation in March of 2011. After I completed the online application, I received a phone call to have an interview in Atlanta. At the end of that interview, I was nominated for a program in Eastern Europe. At this point, my main focus was completing the medical examination. The medical forms and required tests was where most of my time was spent. The Peace Corps wants to make sure that each volunteer is fit for service.
The skills that are needed vary across many fields. Currently, education, health and HIV/AIDS, business development, environment, youth development and agriculture are the work areas on which the Peace Corps focuses.
Cluster: What is the biggest change you’ve had to make in Mongolia? What can you live without and what do you miss most?
Harden: The most significant change that I’ve had to make in Mongolia is living alone in a country and not relying on English to communicate with the majority of people. Besides communicating with English teachers, I use Mongolian in all of my communications. Whether it’s purchasing freshly slaughtered meat or trying to find a ride to a nearby soum (small town in the countryside). Volunteers in Mongolia are always speaking the native tongue of Mongolia.
Cluster: What are the people like?
Harden: The Mongolian people have offered me a home for two years. I am extremely close with my host family, who I lived with for almost 3 months. Before being sworn in, volunteers have to go through a training called pre-service training. That training includes intense language courses taught my Mongolians and cultural lessons taught by the Peace Corps Staff. I felt very much at home at my training site and expect to visit my host family often. In Hovd, I have been greeted with the same open doors. Whether it’s a wedding ceremony or a hair cutting ceremony, the invitations are always offered and I am treated with the utmost respect.
(11/17/11 12:04am)
If you have not heard of it, The Princeton Review is a standardized test preparation company known for its college rankings.
They primarily help students prepare tests such as the the SAT and other aptitude tests such as Advanced Placement exams. They also give advice about college admissions and rank schools all over the world.
To do rankings, the company surveys students online with 80 questions that ask about the students, their activities and future career plans as well as their academics. They also try to get a picture of the student body and campus life.
Mercer’s Master of Business Administration program in the Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics has, for the fifth year in a row, been ranked fifth for the Greatest Opportunity for Women in the United States.
Their rankings are based on the percentage of female students (55% full-time and 65% part-time for the Macon campus), the percentage of female faculty (38%), the opinions of the students regarding academic resources and the level of support that women get in the program ranging from classes and coursework to case studies about women in business.
Support programs include peer tutoring, academic support programs and minority support groups.
According to a press release, “We are gratified to once again be ranked among the top business schools in the nation and for this recognition of our outstanding track record of, and commitment to, diversity,” said Dr. D. Scott Davis interim dean of the business school and senior vice provost for research and dean of graduate programs
“This recognition shows our commitment to individual attention, intellectual rigor and liberal learning are well regarded around the nation, as well as by our students and graduates.”
Mercer, overall, has also been listed by the Princeton Review as one of America’s best colleges for the 2011 year and is listed as one the best Southeastern Colleges for 2012.
Mercer’s Atlanta campus business school is also listed as one the best Southeastern business schools.
Mercer’s full time Master of Business Administrarion program is offered on the Atlanta campus while the part-time Master of Business Administrarion program is offered on both the Macon and Atlanta campus.
The business school also offers a Professional Master of Business Administration program, an Executive Master of Business Administration program and a Master of Accountancy program.
A quick look at Mercer’s Princeton review profile shows a 100% employment rate for graduates in the Southern region for Mercer’s Atlanta campus.
Graduates are expected an average starting salary of about $86,000.
For those interested in Mercers business graduate programs, learn more by visiting www.mercer.edu/business.
For more information about the Princeton Review, visit www.princetonreview.com.
(11/02/11 11:21pm)
On Oct. 19 the men’s soccer team tied the game against USC Upstate followed by a win on Oct. 22 against East Tennessee State. They followed these performances with another tie against Lipscomb on Oct. 27. This brings the team’s record to 7-6-3. Mercer’s next match is an away game against Duke University to complete their regular season. The first round of the A-Sun Tournament begins on Nov. 9. The Bears are 2-3-2 in conference play this year.
The scoreless home game against USC Upstate went into double overtime with a total of 110 minutes of game time. Even with a season high of 23 shots overall, the Bears were unable to get a goal in the net. Another season high for the game went to goal keeper Greg Ranhitsingh who made six saves.
On senior night, the Bears played a home game against ETSU that resulted in a 1-0 win for Mercer. It brought them to a tie at seventh place with ETSU in the Atlantic Sun Conference. The goal of the match was scored in the 79th minute by midfielder Carl-Oscar Andersson. Congratulations to the freshman midfielder for having scored his first goal of the season. His assist came from a pass by Matt Brazer.
Mercer’s second tie game was 1-1 road game against Lipscomb. Like the first game, this went into overtime with 110 minutes of total game time. One key difference is that Mercer was a man down. The first goal was scored by the opposing team in the 25th minute of the match. The rest of the first half stayed scoreless, but things turned around at the start of the second half when Ehjayson Henry sent a header to Ryan King who tied the game for the Bears with a shot past the goal keeper. In the 87th minute of the match, Josh Shutter received his second yellow card leaving the Bears a man down for the rest of the match.
Midfield player Will Betts leads the squad with five goals and two assists. He is followed by Josh Shutter and Ehjayson Henry with three goals.
As a team, the Bears outshine their opponent’s combined goals and shots. Mercer has outscored opponents 20-17. They have also outshot them 210-193. The majority of both goals and shots have been achieved in the second half of the games.
With 14 goals and 107 shots in their second half of games, Mercer shows that they are poised and hungry late in the match.
The first round of the Atlantic Sun Tournament will be held at Bear Field on Nov. 9. The semis and championships resume on Sunday, Nov. 13.
(11/02/11 9:52pm)
Ever dreamed of enjoying a beautiful sunset at Lake Atitlan while ordering your dinner in Spanish? How about getting to see the Table Mountain in Cape Town, South Africa?
This summer students will have a chance at that and more. Mercer on Mission is hosting six trips to different corners of the world.
Global health or finance students have the opportunity to go to Vadodara, India to be a part of their global health and microfinance program. Hosted by Dr. Monika Sawhney and Dr. Anitha Manohar, courses include special topics in community development and micro-finance. Students will also be able to directly participate through group projects.
In Cambodia those who travel as a part of Mercer on Mission will be able to work with several Non-Governmental Organizations working in rural areas in the poorest country in Southeast Asia. Students will be a part of a team consisting of medical, pharmacy, nursing and undergraduate students led by faculty of each discipline.
By traveling through Mercer on Mission, students are able to travel to rural locations as well as historic and cultural sites.
The mission is to learn and develop medical skills while helping the locals. Students will learn about the impact that economics, government policies and religion plays in health care. Courses include Health Systems and Policy as well as Global Health.
In Cape Town, South Africa those who travel will learn about the, “turbulent history of apartheid...think of context or the big picture, learn about the history of South Africa and the place of victims in South Africa such as women,” said Dr. Eimad Houry, professor of Political Science.
Those who participate will get to visit Robben Island, the prison where Nelson Mandela was held during the times of apartheid. Courses include the politics of developing countries as well as the literature of protest.
Dr. Houry and Dr. Mary Alice Morgan, professor and senior vice president for Service Learning, will be leading the trip to Cape Town, South Africa. Students will help write and produce a play that will be performed by local high school students.
Other countries available through Mercer of Mission trips include Kenya, Tanzania and Brazil. Mercer on Mission have traveled to some of these countries in the past with many of the faculty leading past trips.
Dr. Ha Van Vo, associate profesor, led a Vietnam trip in the past.
Dr. Vo has successfully engineered, patented and manufactured about 80 new prosthetics.
On this specific Mercer on Mission trip, students will be able to help a team administer the prosthetics to those in need in Vietnam. This gives participants an opportunity to do charity work and volunteer in hospitals.
Whether you are an engineering student, a medical student or are in the college of liberal arts you will have an opportunity to make an impact in the developing world.
A few tips for those interested. Do not use Firefox because, according to the faculty, there is a glitch that might result in your application never making it.
There is a $500 non-refundable deposit that goes towards the tuition payment. If your application is approved, you will be instructed to pay the fee upon acceptance into the program.
Get your passports and visas early and do not forget about vaccinations.
Dec. 15 is the deadline for applications for those interested in traveling. Contact Craig McMahan, university minister and dean of chapel with questions or for more information, including costs, visit www.mercer.edu/mom.
(10/20/11 12:23am)
For over 20 days, a movement that started in New York has spread to other parts of the country such as Washington, D.C.
It is not really clear what goal the movement seeks to see happen.
They’ve been called the Tea Party of the left.
They are being supported by democrats such as Nancy Pelosi, while being referred to as mobs by some republicans like Eric Cantor, who started out saying that he was “increasingly concerned about the growing mobs” when talking about these Wall Street protests.
The protesters have a clear message about dissatisfaction with the difference between rising incomes of the rich and the stagnating incomes of everyone else.
They also call themselves the 99 referring to the claim that the richest one percent controls the majority of the wealth.
The protesters see themselves as representatives of the working class who are losing wealth and purchasing power during the recession.
They are similar to the tea party protests with a few differences.
While the Tea Party’s anger was directed at the perceived encroachment of the federal government against states’ rights and what they considered to be massive overspending, the Occupy Wall Street movement is angry at banks and businesses that made profits, increased CEO salaries and increased consumer costs while failing to do what they were expected to do, which was to provide jobs.
OWS doesn’t seem to see it as the federal government’s fault, but instead see Wall Street as being plagued by greed and selfishness.
For more information you can visit their website at http://occupywallst.org/.
I think it would be a mistake for this movement to consider itself opposed to any other group.
I believe in the art of negotiation and compromise.
When you see an opponent as an enemy then compromise becomes much more difficult.
Like anything worth doing, the journey towards the goal of a strong united nation will be long, difficult and filled with mistakes.
We will question our leaders, ourselves and our past.
As long we believe the goal is within reach, then there’s no reason to stop trying and there’s no reason we should be divided amongst ourselves.
As strongly as we hold on to our own values and beliefs, we must also be willing to look at the values of those we consider to be opponents with an open and unbiased mind.
It is in this way that the truth of things can be discovered.
As for the future of this movement I think that it is about time they woke up.
Apathy is the ruin of nations and a democracy works best when its citizens are informed and motivated to participate in the system.
Tea Party conservatism or OWS liberalism, it doesn’t matter what you stand for so long as you stand for something.
We all have a vision of what the ideal world should look like, but it is through dialogue and action that we, as a society, can form a consensus about the direction that will be taken to create a better world than what was given to us.
Not everyone will be happy with the result, especially with the vast number of opinions and values.
But what matters is that all of our voices have been or can be heard and that we are willing to listen to our neighbors, foreign and domestic.
Comments, questions or rebuttals to this opinion can be sent to Salim.Y.Ali@live.
mercer.edu.
(10/19/11 11:34pm)
On Oct. 8 Quadworks hosted Bingo Night. There were plenty of prizes and one and a half hours worth of opportunities to win.
The prizes included 12 pack soda drinks, a case of Caprisun and snacks like Cheetos and Doritos to go with the drinks. There were also larger prizes such as water bottles and sunglassest. The big prize of the night was a $100 gift card.
There were over 60 people at the event and enough bingo cards to go around. The cool atmosphere would go from relaxed to tense in only a few moments based on how close people were getting to a chance at yelling bingo at the top of their lungs.
In some situations, it was not enough to simply yell when two people would win simultaneously and there was only one prize up for grabs. This led to sprints from table to prize with one person walking away a lucky winner while the other person, though disappointed would go back to their table hoping for another chance.
Each game lasted about ten minutes and the game night was an hour and half which means about nine games. Three prizes per game gave 27 chances to win a prize.
There were a variety of bingo games. The first type of bingo game began with the traditional bingo, one straight line to win.
Specialty bingo was another type plated. This consisted of winners needing a “U” shape. Nine box bingo was a type which was a 3 by 3 box. Then there was a T round and lastly black-box bingo which meant filling the whole box.
The winner of the black-box round got the $100 gift card while the second and third place got the standard prizes.
For each game that one person yelled Bingo you could hear at least a dozen other people around the cafe yell, “No!”
The rush to prizes by multiple winners always left the rest of the players laughing. For the whole night the most exciting game was blackout bingo. Next time there’s a bingo night some tips would be to sit close to the prizes and be prepared to yell at the top of your lungs.
QuadWorks will also be hosting an Improv Night in the Medical School Auditorium Oct. 25 at 8 p.m. This event is open to all students.
More student events are quickly approaching, such as Picture on the Patch to be held on Porter Patch Oct. 28 at 8 p.m. and Harvest Fest to be held in Greek Village Oct. 26 at 5 p.m.
Be sure to check your email for event updates from upcoming QuadWorks events.