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Swine Hits Temple

That's right: swine flu has hit Temple.

You've heard that it has been spreading in church, and that even other local Philly colleges have had reported cases for more than a month, like LaSalle U, West Chester, and Villanova.

Now, Temple has been put into the doctor's waiting room due to recent outbreaks of swine.

Unfortunately for college students, the most severe cases of H1N1 flu are happening to relatively young, healthy adults.

But fortunately for PA, the state received some of the first doses of a vaccination!

We are reminding all students to take precautions to help avoid H1N1.

H1N1, an influenza virus believed to have come from pigs, first appeared in Americans in April 2009, and later became classified as potential pandemic June 2000 by the World Health Organization.

Symptoms include

• Fever


• Cough


• sore throat


• runny or stuffy nose


• body aches


• headache


• chills and fatigue


• Severe illnesses and even death

To avoid the spread:

• Sneeze and cough into fabric, such as the arm of a sleeve


• Wash your hands and do not touch your eyes, nose or mouth


• Isolate yourself if you have a fever and do not go to class


• Get vaccinated for the flu , which can be done at Health Services later next month

A new Voice of Campus Media

Although Temple’s newest student newspaper has not yet met the presses, “The New Voice, New Letter,” is throwing color onto the typical black-and white palette of traditional newspapers by emphasizing African-American issues in Temple’s community.

According to its mission statement, the newspaper is “dedicated to acknowledging the achievements, talents, and creativity of African-Americans in the Temple University community,” as well as proliferating black issues that might otherwise be ignored by other campus media. Brittany Lewis, the newspaper’s founder, hopes to “make the paper last,” by making black issues its primary focus, as well as expanding coverage of news from other ethnicities and topics that concern the general public.

“It's more than an African-American paper. It'll grow bigger,” said the sophomore Broadcast

Telecommunications and Mass Media (BTTM) and African-American studies double major. She also minors in English. “A black newspaper on campus will let a group of students relate to a lot more issues.”

During this past summer while reading Jet Magazine, Lewis realized that black issues often remain disregarded around campus, and that Temple’s campus needed a publication to encompass the concerns that minorities often face.

“I’ve always read a lot of ebony magazines that targeted to African-Americans, because there are a lot of issues that we can relate to more than other types of media,” she said.

As of now, Lewis is the only journalism major in her staff of nearly thirty, but she anticipates that a hodgepodge of writers will contribute to her paper's success.

“College students know how to write, and we want the mix,” she said, and added that she is also recruiting writers from the Temple Association of Black Journalists (TUBJ).

Senior sports and recreation management and marketing double major Nadia Bosket, one of two Vice- Presidents for The New Voice, said that both Drexel and Rutgers have been running black-oriented newspaper for years, and Temple’s time for a similar news outlet is long overdue.

“It will help students be more aware about issues in the black community. Not everyone knows what’s always going on with us, and it will be a great way to inform the community,” she said.

The planned 8-10 page newspaper will be published every other month, beginning in late October, Lewis plans, and will launch a Web site after the paper is officially recognized. In addition, the paper will cover a slew of black topics such as health, politics, upcoming events, trends, local and national black news, and more.

Although the newspaper won’t be officially recognized as a Temple organization until October 2nd, Lewis has acquired nearly everything that is necessary to become official, including various sponsors, an executive board of nine, and is pending the copyright of a logo.

Many campus organizations and faculty also have her support, including Temple’s Journalism Department Chairman Andrew Mendelson, the TABJ, and George Miller III, a writer for Philadelphia Weekly and the professor of an entrepreneurial journalism class.

“There are plenty of opportunities for students to have a voice, and they recognized an opportunity to have a voice.” Miller said of The New Voice. “It’s fantastic, as long as it doesn’t become something of a dividing line, it’s great.”

But some students disagree with the idea of a black newspaper, and feel that isolating an ethnicity as the foundation of a media outlet will only perpetuate a more fierce segregation of race within the Temple community and beyond.

“As a tour guide, I have experience working with people from all over and I really know that we are a really diverse school, but I don't see the need for a paper like that. It’s not that it's a bad thing, but I don't think that it should be geared just to a specific race,” said Caucasian junior Strategic and Organizational Communication major Andrew Agren. “I just think that if we had a purely white newspaper, people, and minorities especially, would complain.”

But others argue that the paper isn’t a negative backlash towards whites, but instead a step forward for blacks. Black junior journalism major Kimberley Richards, president of the TABJ, refuted that the paper will be an addition to what makes Temple a unique institution.
“We are definitely excited about the newspaper and definitely want to work with them. It would be a great way to provide culture to the school, which is a lot of what Temple is about,” she said.

Others seem to be on the fence about a newspaper that emphasizes predominately-black issues.

"I don’t feel too strong about an African-American themed newspaper, I suppose. But a paper like that would give those people a huge voice,” said Caucasian senior Religion major Katie Ryan.

Still, the general atmosphere around campus seems in support of ‘a new voice’ on campus.

“I think Temple is a very diversified school and I don't see many problems with that. It would be a very good thing to students,” said Yuqi Gi, an Asian second year PhD. Finance Major.

“There's black, white, brown, every kind of person from around the country, around the world here. It's definitely diverse and kind of overwhelming at first,” said Portia Lewis, a black freshman BFA major, “but I came to this school for the diversity. A newspaper like that would be great for everybody.”

“Sometimes I feel like the Asians are like ruling the campus, honestly, probably because there aren’t that many Latino students so I get mistaken for being Asian all the time. I wouldn’t be surprised if Asians ran their own newspaper. A black newspaper seems cool, too, I guess,” said Latin senior engineering major Fredy Barrera.

More than anything, Lewis aspires to contextualize news targeted towards the black community, but that will attract everyone.

“I always get, ‘Why a black newspaper?’ and you know most things are written about Caucasians. We’ll include things that anyone can pick-up and read and relate to.”

Matt Petrillo can be reached at MattP @temple.edu.

You Fire Me, I'll Sue You

Danny Brant, a 25-year-old gay man who

prefers to wear women's clothing, is suing

his previous job because he believes he was

discriminated against.

Days before Daniel Brant’s employment at the Chop Shop had been terminated in early August 2008, the 25-year-old hair stylist filed a federal discrimination suit against the salon, alleging that its

owner, Kathy Thomas, enforced “discriminatory employment practices.”

Brant, who worked at the Chop Shop on Temple’s campus, described himself as nothing more than a feminine gay male who expresses who he is through his fashion, and often dons in women’s attire, which he feels more comfortable in.

“I’m not a drag queen. I’m not trying to be portrayed as a girl. But I like to wear what I think I look good in,” he said.

After his hours were slashed from five days a week to one and his skills restricted to service only female clients, Brant felt that a manager had been treating him unfairly because of his “flamboyant mannerisms” and unusual style of clothing. His lawyer, Susan Wexler, described his complaint as a gender stereotype due to currently no federal legislation that protects sexual orientation in the work place.

"They said the Temple students didn't want to come to me. The fact that she was using that more or less as a scapegoat, to me, if I was a Temple student, I would be really offended."

Thomas opened a Chop Shop on Temple’s campus in 2002 for its students during the fall and spring semesters. It closes during the summer, however, so Thomas said that she spreads her Temple employees out to her two other salons on South Street and in Manyunk.

“During the summer, our hours are always cut. Everyone knows it, because it happens every summer," she said.

She hired Brant in late February 2008 and reduced his shifts from five days a week to one in May that same year due to the summer schedule and because “he was the last to be hired, so he worked the least amount of days.”

But Brant felt victimized, and credits reduced hours had been to his gender and “his failure to conform to stereotypes regarding how males should appear and behave,” according to the suit.

“If I had gone to work in a pair of men's cargo shorts that were maybe baggy and hanging off my butt, that would have been fine...but the fact that I wore clothing typically by a woman, it was a problem."

Although Thomas said that she was told that Brant often dressed inappropriately, she insists that his termination had little to do with his style, sexuality or gender.

"I hired him knowing him knowing he was a cross-dresser, knowing he was a gay fellow dressing as a woman," she said.

She added that it’s difficult to find a good stylus and that Brant did his job well, but after a manager at her South Street location heard Brant referring a client to another salon, Thomas felt that firing him was necessary.

“That I won't stand for. I'm running a small business. I had to fire him."

Brant rebutted the confrontation, however, and said he referred a client to another salon because the Chop Shop South Street location did not offer waxing, a service that a client requested. He said that he did work another salon while at the Chop Shop, but only to supplement his income after having his shifts diminished. He added Both salons had been aware about his employment with each other, which resulted in no conflict of interest, he said.

Thomas said that his legal actions are not only illegitimate, but are “undermining gay rights.”

Brant argues, however, that his allegations have nothing to do with gay rights but fully about self expression.

“If there is anything that the cosmetology industry tries to promote, it's personal freedom of expression,” he said. “This is about personal rights."

Ismoke

does anyone else find this painful to watch??

You Can Put the Blame on Me

Temple is celebrating its 125th birthday, but the city’s largest university can’t afford a party. In fact, some students are debating whether to go back next semester after a likely 45 percent increase in tuition.

Notorious Indian-giver State representative and Temple Law alum John Taylor (R-Phila.) warned his alma mater’s Health System not to close its Northeastern Hospital, or else: He would respond by chopping $175 million in state funding for TU, potentially resulting in a $5,000 increase in yearly tuition per student.

But the hospital lost more than $6 million last fiscal year, could lose more than double that figure this coming year, and decided to close the hopsital, despite political threats.

"Now their day of reckoning has arrived. If they want to act like an arrogant private institution, then they're going to be treated by this Commonwealth like an arrogant private institution," says Taylor.

As a result, Temple students might now face a spike in tuition, and feel that Taylor had no right to punish the them, because they were not apart of the decision to close Northeastern.

To spread awareness, they created a twitter, blog, and Facebook Group to promote a rally at Temple's Student Center at 2PM yesterday that protested the unfair tuition increase.

Although the group gained more than 300 members by the time of the rally, less than a dozen students showed up, excluding the groups own creator. The Cherry And What? described the event as such:

Once again the youth proves to be completely unreliable when it comes to political activity.

Still, the media arrived on the scene, and proved that they'll let just about anyone can be on TV.


Even me...the awkward guy with the schoolbag in the beginning! But they didn't include a lot things I said, for instance, that for being a Temple Alum, Taylor is a douche-bag. His illegitimate reason to withdraw necessary funds from Temple is an outright abuse of power that is destroying PA's educational institutions and punishing the wrong people: its students.

I'm going to be a Resident Assistant beginning this coming fall semester, where my lovely days will be spent by helping freshman students transition into the real word, and make sure they do it without killing themselves. But on top of a hectic schedule, towering homework, and other responsiblities, these kids now encountered yet another burden: their thinning piggy-banks.

After four years of school, an extra $5,000 a year equates to (no, duh) $20,000--which is more than the current amount of tuition (an average of $12,000 for in-state students). That means that compared to last year's graduating seniors, incoming freshman will pay for 5-years worth of education, but only receive four. Taylor uses the closing of the hospital as an excuse to victimize a school because it's an easy target because of its location; and no one will really take a school like Temple seriously if it remains drastically underfunded in the heart of the city's ghetto.

Taylor's actions are not saving our state the $175 million that he hopes to take away from us, but are instead taking advantage of students and misplacing our educational welfare. This will, in turn, cause destructive social implications that will ripple and cause further economic chaos. According to its 125 facts, Temple University's annual spending accounts for 30,000 jobs in the Delaware Valley, generates $2.7 billion for the Delaware Valley each year, and is the third largest private employer in the city of Philadelphia. As if our city isn't crumbling enough during the economy, there is no doubt that the entire city will feel Taylor's selfish and immature decision if not alloted its annual appropriation.

But that doesn't mean Temple is not to blame. An adjunct briefly attended the rally, insisted that he remained anonymous, and commented that Temple's department heads are paid six-digit figures, while the university is still negotiating contracts for the adjuncts. Administrators need to step up and represent the Temple community as it has for the past 125 years: with a commitment of quality education as its foremost concern to its students.

Just as the students demanded at the protest, Temple and Taylor should cooperate with each other and raise their voices, and not our debt.

[audio http://www.supload.com/sound_confirm.php?get=744485311.wma]

Starving for Work

On the scene: Nutter-led rally Friday, July 31st, 2009 at 9:10 am posted by Matt Petrillo categories News, State Politicians Screwing Philly, State Politics, The Budget,The End of Days, The Mayor, the budget crisis Photo | Matt Petrillo Controller candidate Al Schmidt objects to Nutter's position, and came out to tell people so. Mayor Nutter led a rally in the City Hall courtyard calling on state legislators to approve two measures — allowing the city to raise its sales tax temporarily by one percent, and allowing it to reform its pension payments — that would enable Philadelphia to meet its budget goals without draconian cuts. Dozens of city workers, protesters and (not thatmany) other supporters gathered before the 2 p.m. meeting, to which Nutter arrived a fashionable 20 minutes late. "Philadelphia is about to get in a lot of trouble," commented one woman as he approached the mic. The entire audience then began to chant, "No more budget cuts! No more budget cuts ... " to which the mayor replied, "I agree with you!" He began his speech by noting the social, political and economic significance of Philadelphia: "This is the birth place of freedom, liberty and democracy!" He then got down to business, saying that he is not asking for a penny from the state, but instead, for it to approve the two provisions to his budget plan. "We cannot run a government solely on hope," he said. "We need money!" A Nutter Tax Increase? Al Schmidt, a candidate for city controller, disagrees with Nutter and believes that the mayor has betrayed the public's trust. "Philadelphia has the highest taxes and the highest debt [of] any other city in the nation. [Nutter] is borrowing more and more money, and still saying we don't have enough. It's bologna," Schmidt said, while supporters at his side held signs for his campaign. Nutter said that without his plan, the city will face dire consequences, including reducing trash pick-up from once a week to twice a month (eliminating 350 street worker positions); a reduction of 972 police officers; the closing of fire stations (eliminating nearly 200 positions), two Health Centers (resulting in a loss of 112 positions); all branch and regional libraries (eliminating 490 positions); recreation centers, parks and numerous department agencies. This would have an accumulated total of approximately 3,000 eliminated positions. "This doesn't have to happen," he reassured the public. "I'm not asking for a handout. I'm asking for a hand." The audience clapped for the mayor after he finished his speech, but people seemed baffled by the situation. "We need the schools! We need to help our children! What is going on with this city?" a woman declared after the applause. "Believe it or not," a man replied, "it's really up to the governor."

Gnome Watch 2009: Cheesesteak wars and a bite-size virtual tour

Monday, July 27th, 2009 at 3:57 pm

posted by Matt Petrillo

categories Philaphemera, Things We See

gnome, wit' whiz

Before Sunday, I thought the historic Battle of the Cheesesteak between Philly’s most iconic South Philly eateries would forever split the city.

And then that Roaming Gnomecame to town. Surely if he were spotted visiting the Philadelphia Zoo, Art Museum, Boat House Row, Reading Terminal and many other tourist spots around the city during his stay, then he would a) have to gobble down a cheesesteak and b) choose between Pat’s or Geno's.

But he didn’t. I mean, he ate a South Philly cheesesteak — two, in fact. But not from Pat’s or Geno’s.

Instead, the Gnome ate at Cosmi’s Deli (Eighth and Dickinson streets), which had been recommended to him while he visited South Street’s Magic Gardens. While most places know beforehand that the Gnome and his entourage of two are coming for a visit, the folks at Cosmi’s had no idea. Luckily, owner Michael Seccia happened to be in the shop to welcome the lawn embellishment. He gave the Gnome and his posse some brief history about Philly, snapped some pictures, and even admitted, “I feel like I’m in greatness more so than with the President of the United States.

Seccia believes that his cheesesteaks won over Pat’s and Geno’s because “everything is fresh, on the spot. You know, we don’t have things pre-cooked or waiting for you. Everything is made to order for you.”

His customers agree. Logan Britt, 20, was visiting Philly with a group of friends from Greenville, N.C., and saw the Gnome stuffing his face outside Cosmi's. Ecstatic, she ran toward him, camera in hand. “ Y’all picked the right place for a cheesesteak!” she told the Gnome and his crew. “I’ve been here for two days and I can really tell why Philly won — I wish the Gnome would come to Greeneville!”

Aside from Cosmi's, the Gnome's favorite place may well have been the Art Museum. After running up the steps like Rocky, he shouted, “I love this city!” Us, too.

Now, watch an audio slideshow showcasing all the places the Gnome has roamed (also on the list: Eastern State Penitentiary, McGillin's Old Ale House and the National Constitution Center):

Show her you love her... with Burger King

Inexpensive dates are always extra impressive when it’s a do-it-yourself thing, like cooking dinner for your sweetheart. Unfortunately, I’m no cook at all.

But I do know how to order from fast food!

Erik Trinindad’s instructional blog, Fancy Fast Food, shows how to easily cook an attractive and fancy-looking meal for the price of fast food. Literally.

What might be an awesome Top Chef episode (which premieres August 26th, by the way), he manipulate the looks of regular fast food meals with a 5 star appeal, giving it an “extreme makeover” of deliciousness. But don’t be fooled that it’s any better for you however, as his tagline admits, “Yeah, it’s still bad for you, but see how good it can look!”

In these economic times, who wouldn’t be impressed with steak & potatoes? Just don’t tell anyone it’s from McDonald’s.

Tubing down Broadstreet

If there is one thing Philly should consider in their budget, it's to have a giant water slide down Broad Street!

Who's with me?!?

Do me, Sotomayor !

Judge Sonia Sotomayor will, no doubt, be the sexiest Supreme Court Justice since its birth, and senators cannot get enough of her. During her continuing confirmation hearings, the men (and even some women) try sweet-talking the hot Latina with cheesy pick-up lines. Our own Arlen Specter told her that she shows, "intellect humor, charm, pride, and modesty."

You sly-dog, you!




And that's what happens when a lady steps in a room full of old wrinkly male testosterone.

In other political news,

Governor Rendell has finally figured out a scheme to pay for the budget and even give loans up to $15,000 with no interest to Pennsylvanians who qualify: selling official statues of....

himself!This is how big my penis is!

In a time when we thought nothing could get worse with the closing of pools and libraries, enormous job losses, and a proposed increase in personal income taxes, Ed's fat new ego glorifies himself as our economic savior:

"Most of those state workers -- I've arranged for them to get a $15,000 loan with no interest, so if they're paying off $6,000 worth of credit debt at 14 percent, they should put a statue of me up on their mantel place," he told WTAETV.

He later defended that he was only “kidding” about the self-statue statement. But as much as I want this video to convince me that he was serious, I at least realize that it’s not the right time to joke about how people should appreciate him more during budget cuts and tax increases. And it was a bad joke, anyway.

Happy Cow Appreciation Day!

Stop by any Chik-fil-A tomorrow, July 10, look like a cow, and get a free meal.

I If you don’t have a cow costume (I don’t know why anyone wouldn’t!) Chik-fil-A has provided a starter kit that the pro-cow can download, print, and cut to make your own costume!

And if your costume is really nifty, send in your picture and you just might win free chicken for a year!

GET OUTTAA THE WAAAYYYYY!!

You better buckle up when driving in Philly

Allstate is rewarding America’s most improved driving city with free gas, and Philadelphia doesn’t even come close.

Yesterday, the insurance company released its fifth annual "Allstate America's Best Drivers Report,” which ranks the car collision frequency of our nation’s 200 largest cities.

And Philadelphia placed nearly dead last.

The City of Brotherly Love holds the title as the city with the sixth highest accident-frequency among residents, and more than doubles that of Phoenix, Houston, and even New York in collision likelihood.

Damn.

Smokin

Medical Marijuana Stories, PLUS Rally for HB 1393 This Saturday

Thursday, July 9th, 2009 at 11:10 am

posted by Matt Petrillo

categories News, State Politics, protest

Irvin Rosenfeld smokes marijuana ten times a day, but he doesn’t get high.

The Virginia stockbroker suffers from a rare condition that causes bone tumors to grow sporadically, often into the muscle and veins, which could potentially kill him. But it hasn’t — in fact, he has’t had a tumor for 33 years — and Rosenfeld credits medical marijuana, supplied directly by the National Institutes of Health. He’s America’s longest-surviving federal cannabis patient.

“Smoking is the only way to really get the medicine. The cannabis is the best thing that worked for me,” he says.

Every 25 days, he picks up a tin of 300 pre-rolled marijuana cigarettes. The “marijuanettes” are grown under NIH contract by the University of Mississippi. Scientists believe he doesn’t get high because his cannabinoid receptors, which include millions of tiny fibers spread throughout humans’ bodies that allow us to ‘get high,’ are deformed.

Rosenfeld fights for the legalization of medical cannabis for patients not as fortunate as himself. “When you have a disorder, it sucks,” he says. “I was lucky enough that I was able to discover the right medicine for me. I just can’t sit back and not try to help others.”

Others are joining him. A candlelight vigil for patients who have died waiting for medical marijuana will be held this Saturday, July 11 at the Independence Mall visitor center. The vigil will also serve as a rally for HB1393, a bill that would create Pennsylvania’s first legalized medical marijuana program. It will be from 8:30 to 10 p.m.

Introduced by State Representative Mark B. Cohen (D-Philadelphia) and endorsed by the National Lawyers Guild Philadelphia Chapter, the bill has been referred to the House Health and Human Services Committee with public hearings expected this summer.

Rep. Cohen believes that, aside from helping suffering patients, legalizing medical marijuana could increase the state’s revenue by at least $25 million in taxes. If the bill passes, PA could become the 14th state to allow medical marijuana.

Under HB 1393, Pennsylvanians would not only be permitted to be prescribed medical cannabis, but also grow it. This would be of particular interest to Bradley D. Walter, a Scranton native and HIV patient. Walter, who now lives in Florida, uses marijuana to ease the side effects of his antiviral medication, which are, on some days “debilitating,” he says. He takes it in the form of Marinol, a synthetic THC pill.

“The pills are the only medication I found that allows me to live a normal life,” he says, “and removes most of my side effects,” which include intense stomach pains, extreme hunger and nausea.

But at $60 a pill, Marinol costs him an astronomical $1,297 a month. He suggests that for a few bucks, he could grow marijuana in his basement and eliminate a lot of his costs.

He continues to fight for access to the whole-plant cannabis, and will fly in from Florida to testify at Pennsylvania’s public hearings this summer.