❒ Volume15 - Issue 2 - February 2011

INsIdE❒ Email: spectrum@cob.edu.bs

■ NissanElectric Car pg. 10

■ BooklessLibrary pg. 2

■ Next GenHandheld Consolespg. 7

■ RememberingDr. Bethel pg.12

COB pays tribute to Dr. Keva Bethel

Dr. Keva Bethel was one of the most inspirational Bahamian educators. She taught modern languages at the presti-gious Government High School from 1959-1975, when she transferred to The College of The Bahamas. Dr. Bethelserved as Chair of Humanities, Academic Dean, and Vice-Principal before attaining her doctorate and beingappointed Principal of the College in 1982. When COB became in independent instituion in 1995, she became thefirst President, a position she served in until her retirement in 1998. Dr. Bethel was named President Emerita in 2005.

Mor

ning

has

beo

ken

Lik

e th

e fir

st m

orni

ng B

lack

bird

ha

spo-

ken

Lik

e th

e fir

st b

ird

Pra

ise

fot

the

sing

ing

Pra

ise

fot

the

mor

ning

Pra

ise

for

them

spr

ingi

ng F

resh

from

the

wor

d

I vow

to thee my country, all earthly things above,

entire and whole and perfect, the service of m

y love: The

love that asks no question, the love that stands the test,T

hat lays upon the alter the dearest and the best

18th August 1935 - 15th February 2011

2 The Spectrum - February 2011

Effective February 28, The College was expectedto begin offering library services from the newHarry C. Moore Library. They proceeded to clearthe path toward the library the previous week.

Hopefully, access to books will be normalized bythen because for most of the semester, there havebeen no books in the Library!

Finding a consensus as to whether or not this hasbeen hindering students with research in their class-es has been difficult. some argue that as long asthere is EbscoHost, students can complete theirgiven assignments. Besides, one student points outthat most of the books are more than five years old,which makes them less than viable resources.Another factor which may be making this book-lesssituation easier to bear is the fact that students couldstill request books at 11am and 3pm, Mondaythrough Friday.

The current process for obtaining a library bookinvolved giving the book’s call number to a librari-an, who would then assign a “runner” to get the par-ticular book from the new library (or where thebooks were being stored). The process would take atleast a day for the book, if found, to be given to the

Librarian for processing. Access Librarian Catharine Archer commented,

“as far as I’ve observed, the students don’t seem toobothered by the lack of books. They take advantageof the request system and they take full advantage ofthe electronic avenues available to them.”

However, several students have been disheartenedby the difficulty in access to books. shavadoGibson, CIs/Education major and COBUs repre-sentative said, “The lack of books in the Library is adamper on students, because they are not able tohave access to different books that they need forresearch.” Gibson went on to say, “Personally, I feelif C.O.B was not finished with the new library thenthey shouldn’t have moved the books there becauseit’s a hindrance to students and makes it harder forthem to prepare for their courses.”

History and Geography Education major,Kendelynn Pennerman, felt the process of borrow-ing a book was stressful as one doesn’t even know ifthe book will be found. “COB was in need of morebooks that would enhance research before this cur-rent situation, so now, it is worst,” she said.Pennerman continued on to say, “I’ve recently hadto go to the library near to Government House to doresearch instead of having the ability to use my ownfacility at C.O.B. It’s a terrible inconvenience!”

so here’s to hoping that library services resumesmoothly and access to books is more liberatedsooner in the semester than later.

News

Books, books, my kingdom for some books!

For the past several weeks, therehas been a major inconvenience athand. Lack of water supply in manybathroom facilities around the campusof The College of The Bahamas hasbeen a persistent problem as recent asFebruary 9th. As of late, Bathroomamenities in the A, E, G, and s Blockshave been restored, while restrooms inthe T Block continue to be non-func-tional.

Mia Charlow, a sophomore inPrimary Ed, noted, “something as sim-ple as having water to wash one’shands has been consistently wishy-washy since last semester within TheMichael Eldon Building, and theamenities in the s Block, which arealmost always locked for some rea-son”. Amy Collins, an Art Education major

in her junior year, commented that“having running water at her schoolwas so important that it if water wasunavailable for a specific day, thenclasses would be cancelled for thatentire day as well.” she continued,“Therefore, why doesn’t COB take theavailability of water in bathroom serv-ices as seriously?”

spanish Ed major, AbigailArmbrister opines after experiencingthe lack of water in the Library bath-rooms that “the situation with thebathrooms is absolutely terrible!” shewent on to say about not being able towash one’s hands, “This is definitelynot healthy and can cause illnesses.It’s inhumane.”

Non-working bathroom facilitiesdefinitely do not improve the generaloutlook of The College of TheBahamas in the opinions of its stu-dents, and neither does it paint a pic-

ture of progression as The Collegeendeavors to attain University status.

What’s worst, remarks some stu-dents, is that “when one has to relievethemselves and there is not enoughwater to flush the toilets, it is absolute-ly embarrassing to have to leave one’swaste products there for others to see.And to add insult to injury, mosttimes, there is no water for them towash their hands, neither is there handsanitizers for them to be able tocleanse themselves in the least waypossible.” some bathrooms have been servicedsince then and optimistically, we canall hope that persistent issues withbathroom amenities will become amere distant memory soon. Until then,to be on the safe side, if you’ve gotwater or any other substance thatneeds relieving – try not to rest all ofyour eggs in COB’s baskets becauseyou never know when any given bath-room facility may be out-of-order!

Bathroom Woes❚ by Dawn Alexis McKenzie

Staff Writer

❚ by R. Machelle Major & Dawn Alexis McKenzie

Staff Writers

■ The completed foyer of the new Harry C.Moore Library. Library services were transferedto the new main campus library location as ofFebruary 28.

(photo by Alicia Cartwright)

■ How inviting does this bathroommake you feel? The S-block bath-room was recently re-opened afterbeing out of commission since lastsemester

(photo by Alicia Cartwright)

3The Spectrum - February 2011NewsCOBUS MOVING 

FORWARD

Earlier this year, The Endowment for the Performing Arts of TheBahamas made a $25,000 contribution to the Winston SaundersMemorial Endowment at COB. The Winston Saunders MemorialEndowment supports the continued development of the arts andplays a key role in cultivating the country’s creative genius.

The endowment funds an annual bursary to a student enrolled in thebaccalaureate English Studies programme at The College and whohas distinguished him or herself in an artistic endeavour.

The $25,000.00 gift brings the total for the Winston SaundersEndowment fund to over $75,000. The interest earned from the fundsin the endowment provides an annual bursary in perpetuity for a stu-dent of The College.

English major, Deon Simms, is the first beneficiary of the bursary. Withan indubitable commitment to Bahamian music and theatre over theyears, Simms is an ideal selection.

From left are: Chair, School of English Studies, Dr. Marjorie Brooks-Jones; Mr. Deon Simms, English major and bursary recipient;Endowment for the Performing Arts members Mrs. Christiane Oakes,Mr. Terry North and Mrs. Ruth Cleare; Dr. Gail Saunders, widow of thelate Winston Saunders; College President Dr. Betsy V. Boze; Lady JoanFoulkes, Patron of the Endowment for the Performing Arts; Mr.Emmanuel Mosko, Chairman of the Endowment; Endowment mem-bers, Mr. Antonius Roberts, Mrs. Deborah Lotmore and Mrs. DawnDavies; Mr. Je’Rome Miller, artist and Mrs. Marina Knowles, mother ofCOB bursary recipient Mr. Deon Simms.

Winston Saunders Memorial

Endowment

The 2010-2011 administration ofCOBUs wishes to extend best wishes forthe semester to our students, faculty andstaff of The College of The Bahamas.COBUs has been active within the colle-giate community during the last semesterand this semester promises to be even bet-ter than the last. The 2010-2011 adminis-tration opened the fall semester with a'Back to school' treat event where dessertswere handed out to over 1,000 students.That event was a success because hard-working COB students indeed have asweet tooth!

Another event where COBUs repre-sented our students was the NationalYouth March. COBUs executives alongwith students marched in a full rotationfrom Clifford Park, passing along BlueHill Road and returning to the park. Wewish to inform The College's populacethat for our participation in this event,The College of The Bahamas received theaward for 'Most Enthusiasm'.

While last semester was indeed event-filled and filled with much success, it isunfortunate that we announce the resigna-tion of Mr. Kenson st. Remy, senator forChemistry, Environmental and Lifescience. Though unfortunate, we doexpress sincere thanks for the formersenator’s contribution. Yet with the lostof one, it is of great esteem that we wel-

come the official appointment ofCOBUs’s very first senator for theUniversity of West Indies, Ms. KarineMacVean. Also appointed was Mr.Pasquin Rahming, as the senator for theschool of Mathematics, Physics andTechnology. With the new addition wehope for even greater success.

This COBUs administration will alsocontinue its work by staying committedto its platform and goals; to serve stu-dents better, advocate for student’s rightsand fostering a better relationship withstudents and the college community atlarge. As a part of our ongoing agenda toadvocate for students rights, we are con-tinuing to address ongoing concerns suchas the present situation with the library,class cancellations, additional classes, fac-ulty and staff professionalism towardsstudents, wireless Internet connection andthe condition of some classrooms.

We would also like to take this oppor-tunity to thank all students who have par-ticipated in our events and supported usduring the past semester and we look for-ward to your continued support as weserve you. Keep your eyes open forannouncements of upcoming events likethe Miss COB pageant, Conference ofYouth Leaders (COYL), and the annualCOBUs Nominations & Elections. Theseelections are an excellent opportunity for

❚ by Dauran McNeil & DeAndra Cartwright

COBUS

students to get involved, make a differ-ence, experience various leadership roles,and serve others while advocating for stu-dents’ rights. so we invite all interestedstudents to sign up for executive or leg-islative positions in COBUs.

COBUs also encourages all students

to make their voices heard by visitingyour respective school senators and alsoto stay in touch with COBUs throughFacebook, your student e-mail accountand visiting the COBUs website atwww.COBUsBahamas.com for informa-tion and the latest news.

■ COBUS working during the 2010 fall semester.(photo collage courtesy of COBUS)

4 The Spectrum - February 2011

EdiTOrial TEaMWriTErS aNd CONTriBuTErS

Editor in Chief . . . . .Reva devi, PUBA

Production Manager .Travis Cartwright-Carroll, ENG

Staff Writers....... Alicia Cartwright, ENGR

R. Machelle Major, PSY

Bradley Worrell, ENG

dawn Alexis-McKenzie, EdUSports Editor.............. Erin Knowles, EDU

Cartoonist. . . s.A. Hanna, ENG

Photographers.....Alicia Cartwright, ENGR

FaCulTy adviSOr

Vanessa L. Clarke

spectrumThe

s-3 Art BlockThe College/University of The Bahamas

Oakes Field CampusTel: (242) 302-4483 Fax (242) 302-4539

Email The Spectrum at: spectrum@cob.edu.bs

Team

The views expressed in the Opinions section are not those of the

S pectrum Newspaper or The Col lege of The Bahamas.

Opinions

Am I My Brother’s Keeper?

It is 2011 and I am amazed that no onemade a fuss about the record number of sui-cides that occurred within our bejewelednation last year. Our country has livedthrough some particularly low economicperiods and while our standards of living mayhave greatly declined, the fact remained thatwe lived. so while many blame the decliningeconomic situation for the overwhelmingfeelings of despair that must have taken holdof those who chose to end their lives – I dis-agree!

Yes it may have been a contributing fac-tor, but in my humble opinion, it is becauseof the Bahamas’ growing indifferencetowards those whose life circumstances areless than ideal. Many of us become soinvolved in our own problems that we forgetto take notice of those around us, whichplays a major role in the proliferation of thisphenomenon. It is this ever-deepening self-ish behavior that is tying the nooses and cut-ting the wrists of our loved ones. We see theirobvious cries for help, but we downplay themas cries for attention.

My fellow believers and Bahamians,

there are people in our midst who are hurting:people to whom life is happening too quick-ly and they find themselves completely over-whelmed by it. These are people who youcatch the bus with and these are the peoplewho sit next to you in your classes or atwork. Pain and depression are much likeAIds. There is no “face”; they don’t alwaysmope about, they are not all poorly clad,they don’t all cry endlessly. But they ALLshow that they are hurting in some ways, andsometimes a phrase as simple as “I see youand you matter” may stay the tying of theknots and the picking up of the razors. Itdoesn’t take a whole lot to help someone outof despair – in fact all it takes is a willingheart and a patient ear.

I know this month’s column is not rifewith spiritual terminologies and biblical ref-erences, but I’ve been thinking lately thatthe world is not devoid of such things –church people do that all the time. What theworld needs are believers who are prepared topractically apply the teachings and imitatethe lifestyle of Jesus.

❚ by R.Michelle Major

Staff Writer

Believe it or not, but there was once atime newspapers were popular; this wasof course a while ago somewhere in thelate 90's or as my wife likes to refer to itas "in the year King Uzziah died".

Although some social analysis will tellyou otherwise, the eventual death of thenewspaper (and journalism for that mat-ter) has little to do with media housesbeing unable to keep up with technology,although we must commend ZNs foralways keeping their technology no fur-ther than 26 years behind industry stan-dard.

The issue is perceived journalisticintegrity and ethics or the lack thereof.Well dear spectrum reader (all one ofyou), this paper is as ethical as it gets.We cannot be bought by anyone; ourvirtue is not for sale, notwithstandingthat last term we may have leased it for abit, but no more. Just because we have anad from Lugio Pizzaria and Tennis Court,does not mean that we will not report thehard hitting news, particularly when its apublic concern and directly effects theCollege community. This is why ourJanuary issue our lead story was "LugioPizza delivers on deliciousness:Competition driven mad with envy".

Proof enough I think, but a strong senseof ethics I fear may only resolve half theproblem; what about integrity? The otherissue is the fact that the newspaper indus-try is built on the premise of speculativefiction. What is speculative fiction? Wellit is easiest if I give you an example. It isassumed that in the next two weeks some-one will be killed, they will probably diein a non affluent neighborhood, etc, etc.so, based on these common facts, insteadof writing a brand new story every timesomeone dies, we have a standard tem-plate that can simply be filled out withthe relevant information.

eg. Circle where appl icable

On (insert date) a (young, old) man was

(shot, shot by police, found in the bush)

in the (Pinewood Gardens, Bain Town,

Freeport) area multiple times until he

died. The man, (Kevin, Nardo, Something

Ethnic) was a (black, brown, mauve)

complexion and (police suspect, onlook-

ers suggest) that the death is (drug,

domestic, bunberrist)-related. The author-

ities are following several leads…

And that works. You know it does,you've seen that exact story a thousandtimes. It only becomes problematic whenapplied to other areas of the news. Takefor example a news story I wrote andreprinted every other month for the past 4years.

Bay Street closed today due to raging,

rapist mermaids. The capital's main thor-

oughfair today fell victim to a suspicious

group of mermaids. Onlookers watched in

horror as buildings on the water's edge

were gutted by merciless mermaids,

destroying everything in their path. The

police force stood helpless as they tried to

contain the mermaids and protect the his-

toric buildings of Old Nassau, but were

impotent as no water was available to

restrain the merefolk.

Now for the 20 something times I’veprinted that, no one ever noticed it sittingthere on page 2 as a filler, but as a jour-nalist I’m aware of the concept of specu-lative fiction. Its only a matter of timebefore such an event happens, and when itdoes, the story is already ready, and whatdo you know, Bay street caught on fireand all I had to do was switch out mer-maids for fire and an automatic front pagestory, but people don't like speculativefiction.

They hate it when you have two ver-sions of the same paper written the nightbefore an election so that you can be thefirst one to drop the scoop, they hate itwhen you accuse the wrong person of rapeon the front page and then give a half aparagraph apology in a box under an addfor “half off all Benjamin Moore nonlatex paint". And they really hate it whenyou report that a member of their familyhas died because you're a vulture too con-sumed on moving units to ever checkyour facts or practice investigative jour-nalism. I'll admit that as student writermy research often doesn't pass 3wikipedia pages, but recently it seemsthat I’m doing 3 times as much foot workas some folks.

Humor Column

Speculative Fictionby S.A. Hanna

5The Spectrum - February 2011Entertainment

‘Black swan’, directed by darrenAronofsky, is a drama, fantasy, thrillerstarring Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis andVincent Cassel. In this film, Nina(Natalie Portman), a ballet dancer, receivethe roles of the white swan and her eviltwin the black swan in the ballet 'swanLake'. Nina is perfect for the part of thewhite swan; however, she finds the role ofthe black swan quite difficult. In herattempt to perfect the role, she begins toexhibit psychological problems. Ninaloses sense of reality, rebelling againsther obsessive mother and fantasizing alesbian scenario with her co-worker andsubstitute, Lily (Mila Kunis).

The part of Nina can be seen asPortman’s best performance, winning hera 2010 Critic’s Choice award, a BAFTAaward, and a Golden Globe, all for BestActress. As the character loses her senseof reality, the film becomes somewhatconfusing, intriguing the audience exten-sively. There isn’t much dialogue, butinstead lots of emotion and body lan-guage. A viewer actually feels as if he/sheis watching a ballet, but without theimpending comatose state.

This film is like watching real art,depending heavily on the body languageof the actors, especially that of Portman.depicting how pressure on a perfectionistcan break the person, bringing forth

insanity, and how it is not worth it evenif at the end, the performance is actuallyperfect. I must say that overall it wasquite different (compared to most moviesreleased last year), exciting and very muchworth the watch.

Movie Review

Black Swan

by Alicia Cartwright

■ BlackSwan movie poster(Courtesy of Fox Searchlight

Pictures, Protozoa Pictures and

Phoenix Pictures, in association with

Cross Creek Pictures.)

Literary Expressions

Addressed constantlyby politicianswho undress usdetest usdo anything todefy usdeny usfreedom of speechif it’s against themjust menmakingsuper human promisesdismissedafter electedneglectedYoungsters infectedPLP!FNM!too young to votebut look at themfollowers of Christie and Ingraham

at tenCause my mom ismy dad isborn thisrallied togethercrowd filled with mirthbrain deadfrom birththey knowno betterTrained to keep quietgovernment knows bestbut the country’sstill a messTake a chancethink...

Then speakThen Vote

Polls Now Open

by Tia Clarke

Campus Car✝❂❂nsby S.A. Hanna

■ The thriller,BlackSwan willleave viewersb r e a t h l e s s .(Courtesy of Fox

S e a r c h l i g h t

Pictures, Protozoa

Pictures and

Phoenix Pictures,

in association

with Cross Creek

Pictures.)

6 The Spectrum - February 2011 Entertainment

7The Spectrum - February 2011EntertainmentGamer Review:

❚ by Travis Cartwright-Carroll

Production Manager

If you haven’t heard yet, both sony andNintendo have begun preparations torelease newer versions of the PsP and ds.The sony NGP (Next Generation Portable)and the Nintendo 3ds (which is slated forrelease on March 27th this year) are pavingthe way for a market of video games.

The NGP is sony’s answer to

Nintendo’s continually family friendly dssystems. Whereas Nintendo has won thewar of PsP vs ds, sony hopes that theNGP will move leaps and bounds beyondthe 3ds. The NGP’s most notable additionis the touch screen on top of the device anda touch pad on the bottom. In addition toall the original features of the PsP, theNGP will feature two cameras in the frontand back of the system. Like the 3ds,sony is only adding to the already solidpowerhouse that is the PsP. Perhaps thebiggest claim is that of the little device’sgraphics, which are being sold as Ps3 cal-iber.

Only time will tell however, if the sys-tem is as powerful and capable as the Ps3.No release date has been set and only a fewgames are rumored to be in the works.Here’s hoping to something magical.

Nintendo, on the other hand, is hopingto maintain the popularity and diversity ofwhat the ds has come to establish.Whereas the PsP focuses on hardcoregamers and had very little quality games upfor purchase, the ds prided itself onattracting causal gamers to its mega libraryof original and already classic titles.

The 3ds has improved graphics,sound, user interface, wi-fi and software.Its defining feature is the addition of 3dgames without using those funky glasses.IGN reports that the 3d can be turned onor off with the push of a button (a feature

that will no doubt help those who cannotsee 3d images). The device will launch for$249.99 with games such as The Legendof Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Metal Gearsolid 3, Kid Icarus and super streetFighter 3d to be released throughout theyear. That’s quite an impressive library oflaunch games for any console.

Gaming on the Go

With the iPad gaining success as agaming device, sony and Nintendo have tocompete for gamers’ hard-earned dollars.Where Apple’s games are $15 at most,sony and Nintendo’s games will remain at$30-50. Who will win the next generationwar? does it even matter? Will we be ableto afford these consoles? Why am I askingrhetorical questions? Find out next timeon…The Gamer Review: struggle forIdentity.

■ Preview of the Nintendo 3DS, set

to be released on March 27th.

(courtesy of IGN.com)

Next Gen Handheld

Consoles!!!

■ The new user interface for the Sony Next Generation Portable (NGP),

release date yet to be announced. (courtesy of IGN.com)

Guidelines for

College Students

Calling all COB students!!!! Whyexactly are you here at The College ofThe Bahamas? Is it because you havenothing else to do and imagined thatCOB would be a good investment of yourtime? No, wait; maybe you’re herebecause COB is a stepping stone to asuperior and more efficient university. Orthe reason could be that you’re generallyhere to get the best education that youcan possibly attain as high school adoles-cents often regurgitate about their plansfor the future. The aforementioned ques-tion is a very essential one to considerand may even require some time for self-examination and meditation on yourgoals. Perhaps the following illustration

will help!Whatever your motive is for being

enrolled in The College of The Bahamas,ask yourselves this question: What is thequality of my exertion in classes whileI’m attending COB? subsequently, askyourselves a more imperative question:does my labour reflect that of an ant or asloth? Why do I solicit you to ask your-selves these questions? Well considerfirstly the vast difference between a slothand an ant and you’re guaranteed to seethe significance of how we all can gleanfrom nature.

The first distinction between the ant andthe sloth is seen in their work ethics.Ants are industrious creatures thattediously toil 24/7, while the slothspends most of its day sleeping.secondly, the ant masters the art of timemanagement as it can always be seen car-

rying, loading and unloading food or sim-ply performing mundane errands quickly,always stopping for a few seconds tomake sure that its companions are on theright tract. The sloth, on the other hand,seems to have no concern for time – as itexecutes tasks at its own lethargic pace.Lastly, ants are shrewd in the way thatthey proactively prepare for potentiallydire circumstances. It is no surprise to seeants carrying tons of food, sometimeseight times their own weight, to a safeshelter, whereas a sloth passively seeksto attain only its “wants” at the particu-lar moment of need.

However, there is a very valuable lessonthat we can learn from the sloth. Unlikethe ant that toils laboriously, the slotheasily comprehends the need for relax-ation. The simple reality is that everyone

needs a break from timeto time. In fact, oneJunior affirmed theimportance of this partic-ularly since she is inCOB for “twenty fourhours per week and canonly spare a minimum oftwo hours a day for relax-ation aside from trying toget eight hours of sleep”.

so, how do these com-parisons benefit you?Well, in harmony withthe examples, here aresome tips to surviving

COB from college success gurus:

1. don’t procrastinate. The commonlure for students attending College is toput their work off for another day; naive-ly thinking that since they have more freetime than that of six hour school days.This may be true but time is swift andunforgiving and once it has past – onecan find him or herself in a stressful stateof overload with assignments, home-work, etc .

2. Be proactive. don’t wait for others totell you when, how, and what you shouldand should not do. Take the initiative.

3. Expect the unexpected. Just like theants, we should constantly try to beshrewd, always preparing in advance fortomorrows uncertainty.

❚ by Dawn Alexis McKenzie

Staff Writer

■ Working together can create exciting possibil-ities. (courtesy of cob.edu.bs)

8 The Spectrum - February 2011 Features

How To Lose An Ex

We’veall had rela-

tionships that ended badly. And we’ve allhad exes that didn’t know when to stopcalling. And I know we’ve all had exeswho stalked us for eleven months until Ifinally slapped a restraining order on her…Well, maybe not all of us. Nevertheless,the steps toward a healthy breakup areimportant.

The first step to losing your formersignificant other is to actually breakup.This is often the most difficult step; it maynever seem the right time but the sooneryou do it the better. don't worry aboutsomeone's feelings being hurt; it’sinevitable in these situations. The impor-tant thing is to be truthful about why youfeel the relationship should end.

That means that you also need to knowwhy the relationship won't work; so beforeyou start that fire at the edge of that bridge,make a list of the good and bad, even if it'sonly a mental one. dr. dennis Neder, indiscovery Health's article, When is it timeto leave the relationship? suggests thatonce the relationship is no longer mutual-ly beneficial, it's time to move on. Nowthat you've separated from the person andleft them crying in the food court with twotickets to Just Go With It, comes stepnumber two. When you reach home, atsome point you're going to realize thatyour house is a lot quieter without yourphone constantly ringing and all theannoying Facebook pings, pops and ran-dom How in Love are You? quizzes onyour wall. It is at this point you may betempted to text, email, call, or run over tothat person's house and beg their forgive-ness.

don't. According to HelpGuide.org, "breakups

hurt" because they're a loss of so manythings from commitments, shared dreamsand the relationship:"A breakup or divorce launches us intouncharted territory. Everything is disrupted:your routine and responsibilities, yourhome, your relationships with extendedfamily and friends, and even your identity.A breakup brings uncertainty about thefuture." so it's expected that it becomes afrightening experience. This is where youneed to go back over the reasons that you

broke up with them, but you also need todeal with a crucial step - space.

Even if you and your ex paramour wereonly together for three weeks, that’s threeweeks of history and breaking up withthem isn't going to make them any lessattractive or any less of an excellent con-versationist. It may be impossible to avoidthe person altogether, but keep any interac-tions with the person short and polite.don’t flirt, this is important while theymay not see the breakup as permanent.Any flirtation between the two of you maybe read as hope of reconciliation, and itisn't helpful to either party to string thatperson along. space isn't always as obvi-ous, as sometimes it’s mental. Is yourroom covered with nostalgic memorabiliafrom this person? It may help to put awaythe stuffed animal that you both won at thecarnival last year. You may not be able tothrow it away, but you don't need constantreminders of what use to be. step three; dosomething productive with your life.Remember friends? All the people that youabandoned to spend all your free time withthat person? This may be problematic forsome as RelationshipExpert.co.uk postu-lates that, "When you have been in a rela-tionship, it is likely that you will havelots of friends in common. When you thenbreak up, it can be awkward. don't dragthird parties in and force them to choosesides.” It may be incredibly difficult whenyou and your ex both share the same hangout spots and friends, but RelationshipExpert suggest planning a outing withfriends in a new locale, "If your friends areworth having they too will be willing tomake the effort," they say.

Besides hanging out with some bud-dies, do whatever it was you did before youmet that person. Find a hobby, volunteer,get a job as your parents constantly keepsuggesting. The important thing is tooccupy yourself mentally and socially withsomething besides the past. The final, butmost crucial step is to deal with your emo-tions, responsibly. This should actually bethe second step because it is integral inmaking the other steps work out. Whetheryou're mad at your ex for cheating on youor depressed because they left the countryand you can't handle long distance relation-ships, it is important to deal with thoseemotions, not just repress them. Its okay

to be angry, (don’t burn down houses or listen to any Jasmine sullivan albums) talkwith a friend about it. If you miss your ex, don't just go and replaced them with anoth-er vice. HelpGuide.org suggest talking with someone you trust about it. In their words,“it’s normal to…feel many conflicting emotions, including anger, resentment, sadness,relief, fear, and confusion… While these emotions will often be painful, trying to sup-press or ignore them will only prolong the grieving process.”

Trip MHEC T-Block CHMI dormitory

1 6:30 p.m. 6:45 p.m. 7:00 p.m. 7:15 p.m.

2 8:30 p.m. 8:45 p.m. 9:00 p.m. 9:15 p.m.

3 10:00 p.m. 10:15 p.m. 10:30 p.m. 10:45 p.m.

COB Evening Dorm Shuttle Schedule

■ Relationships can be difficult, It’s important to know when to let go.(photos courtesy of cob.edu.bs)

❚ by S.A. Hanna

Cartoonist

9The Spectrum - February 2011BusinessTips on How to Write a

Resume from the Owl of

PurdueA résumé is meant to be a “brief docu-

ment that summarizes your education,employment history, and experiences thatare relevant to your qualifications for aparticular job”. Because your résumé issupposed to get you an interview andhopefully a job offer, your résumé must beuser-centered and persuasive.

The general-purpose résumé usuallycontains four sections: Contact,Education, Experience, and Honors,Activities, and Outreach.

The Contact information S ection

The contact section of your résumésimply lists the information at the top ofthe page: your full name; your e-mailaddress; your permanent address; yourlocal or campus address (if applicable);your phone number(s); your webaddress/URL; and your fax number, etc.

Employers will probably look first andlast at your contact information section,so it's well worth your time to make thissection easy-to-read and appealing to theeye. Whatever design choices you make,try to coordinate them with the rest ofyour résumé.

The Education S ection

An education section highlights yourrelevant schooling and academic training.If you have substantial work experience,this section may be very brief, simplylisting the information below. If you are acurrently enrolled college student or arecent graduate, however, you may want tobuild this section substantially.

The education section usually includesinformation about: schools you haveattended such as universities and 4-yearcolleges, junior and community colleges,as well as professional and technicalschools (rarely high schools, unless some-how relevant), the location of schools,date of graduation, actual or anticipated,degree(s) earned, grade point average(GPA) if over 3.0.

Education sections, like experiencesections, are usually placed in the middleof a résumé, somewhere between theobjective statement and the honors andactivities section.

If your educational background is yourstrongest qualification or may help yourrésumé "stand out," then you'll probablywant to put it near the top. Especially ifyou are a recent graduate, this section maybe a major focus for recruiters. On theother hand, if your experience sections arestronger, then you'll probably want tomove your education section below them.

The Experience S ection

This section emphasizes your past andpresent employment and/or your participa-tion in relevant activities. sometimes thissection goes under other names such asWork Experience, ProfessionalExperience, Work History, Field Work,Volunteer Work, or Relevant Experience.You can have more than one of these in agiven résumé.

Usually, résumé experience sectionsmove from most recent to oldest experi-ence. But with a tailored résumé, you maywant to note important and applicableexperience first, thus not following achronological order. Feel free to customizeyour headings for this section, especiallyif you are writing a tailored résumé. Forexample, if the job ad calls for someonewith editorial experience, you may want tocreate a section with the heading "EditorialExperience."

The usual content for an experiencesection includes company or organization,its location, your position title, dates ofemployment or involvement, and descrip-tions of responsibilities and duties.

However, you need not put all thisinformation in this order. For example, ifyou wish to emphasize the jobs you heldrather than the place of employment, youmay want to list position titles first. Also,it is often much easier to read if the datesare aligned all the way on the right sidemargins. This way, it is easier to navigatethrough which experiences have been themost recent.

some college students may not have alot of experience that pertains directly tothe job/intern position/graduate school towhich they are applying. don't panic! Inthese cases, setting up experience sectionswith two

Continued on page 10

10 The Spectrum - February 2011 BusinessNissan's Electric Car a Trendsetter

Nissan's Leaf plug-in electric hatchback isan endearing car for people who don't mindmetering their mileage, planning ahead andsometimes tapping the electricity at afriend's home while sharing dinner.

The first all-electric car offered in theUnited states by a mainstream auto manu-facturer since the early days of the automo-bile, the new-for-2011 Leaf has seats forfive, a roomy, straightforward interior and a

surprisingly solid, stable feel.Best of all for consumers who worry

about the nation's oil consumption and theenvironment, the Leaf is rated at 99 milesper gallon of gasoline equivalent by the fed-eral government for combined city andhighway driving.

This equivalent is based on a U.s.Environmental Protection Agency formulathat seeks to translate a full charge of theLeaf's 24-kilowatt lithium ion battery packover seven hours at 240-volts into a com-parison with a conventional, gasoline-pow-ered car.

simply stated, the Leaf's mileage rating— which amounts to 106 mpg in city driv-ing and 92 mpg on the highway — is, byfar, the top mileage rating for any majorbrand consumer vehicle. By comparison,the highest ranked mainstream, mid-size carto this point was the was the gasoline-elec-tric hybrid Toyota Prius with a federal gov-ernment rating of 51 mpg in city driving

and 48 mpg on the highway.The 2011 Prius can operate for short dis-

tances on electric power, but the on-boardelectric motor mostly supplements the car'sfour-cylinder gasoline engine.

The gasoline savings that the Leaf pro-vides come at a luxury-car-like purchaseprice. starting manufacturer's suggestedretail price, including destination charge,for the 2011 Leaf is $33,600.

It's true that some states offer incentivesand rebates for this new electric car. And a

taxpayer can claim a $7,500 federal taxcredit for purchasing a Leaf, so the fullprice may be offset by lowering a buyer'sInternal Revenue service tax bill.

Another all-electric car, the Tesla roadster,also has the $7,500 federal tax credit but isa high-priced, two-seat sporty model thathas a starting retail price of more than$100,000. And Chevrolet's upcoming 2011Volt car, with on-board electric power plusgasoline engine, has a starting retail priceof $41,000. Toyota's Prius has a startingMsRP, including destination charge, ofjust over $22,000.

The test Leaf handled in a stable, solidway — more like a regular car than Iexpected. There was no lightweight, golf-cart feel. At more than 3,300 pounds, theLeaf tester had substantial heft and typicalsafety features like air bags.

Also impressive is how the weight is dis-tributed in the Leaf. In some gas-electrichybrids, the weight of the engine under the

❚ by Ann M. Job

Associated Press

hood competes with the weight of the bat-tery pack that's typically under or aft ofthe rear seats. This can unsettle the sus-pension and create a sensation that thevehicle is carrying around three big guysin the back.

There was none of this in the Leaf.Without the engine heft in front, theLeaf's weight felt better balanced. The carwas nimble and fit easily into parkingspaces.

The 80-kilowatt AC electric motor gen-erates 107 horsepower, more than thePrius.

Torque is an impressive 207 foot-pounds, and since it's all electric, it comeson fast, smoothly and steadily. I beateveryone away from stoplights — and instealthy silence.

The steering is electric, but it didn't havetoo much of an artificial feeling.It was thebrake pedal that took a bit of getting usedto; it managed the regenerative brakes andstopped the car in the process. The Leafgear shifter also isn't a lever as much as itis a squat blob in the center console.

seats have a decidedly thick foam feel,and the steeply raked windshield anduncluttered dashboard layout help give anairy, spaceship feel to the front seats.

Fit and finish on the test car was excel-lent. Nissan says the maximum feasiblerange for the fully charged leaf is about

130 miles; I never matched that with nor-mal driving. Normally, Nissan says, ittakes seven hours to fully charge the carwith a 240-volt system.

I didn't have the 240-volt charge systemfor the test drive. I also didn't have theoptional quick charge port, which allowsfor the battery to charge to 80 percent ofcapacity in a half hour.

so, I plugged the Leaf into a regular,120-volt electric outlet in my garage,using a large, brick-like portable powerconverter, a thick, orange cord and a gas-dispenser-like connection that pluggedinto the front of the car, above thebumper. With 40 miles left, I'd plug it inovernight. By morning, the Leaf wouldbe 90 percent charged.

All too aware of the limited range andthe fact that there was only one othercompatible charging station in my area, Iwatched the mileage like a hawk. Iplanned combined trips so I wouldn't needto sit at home and wait for the car torecharge.

One busy day, I asked a friend if I couldplug in at her home while we ate dinner,because I worried about running low onpower. But then I realized I didn't have thecord with me, and she admitted later shewouldn't be thrilled to power up my caron a regular basis, adding to her electricbill.

■ Are you willing to drive electric? Are you even ready for it? Nissan’s little

beauty dares to assume you will. (courtesy of carsession.com)

subcategories (responsibilities andskills learned) can help communicateskills learned that are applicable tofuture positions. While you may not think that theretail work you perform carries muchvalue, the skills you're learning trans-fer and apply to a number of posi-tions in a wide variety of organiza-tions.

Honors and activi ties S ection

This section highlights the rele-vant activities you have beeninvolved with and the honors youhave received. You also want to com-municate how these activities andhonors might make you an asset tothe organization.

An honors and activities sectionmight include academic awards andscholarships; membership in cam-pus, national, or international organi-

zations; leadership positions held incampus, national, or internationalorganizations; university and commu-nity service positions; work-relatedawards or honors; or date of award ordates of involvement in an activity.

since this section is usually thelast one on the résumé, you caninclude as many or as few honors andactivities as space permits.

select and include only your mostrelevant experiences based upon yourcareer goals and the qualificationsdesired by the company. since readersare most likely to read informationcloser to the top of the page, placeyour most impressive experiencesfirst.

Resume from page 9

11The Spectrum - February 2011

C. O. B. U. s. – is the acronym for theCollege of The Bahamas Union of students. Assuch, a student union should direct the socialand organizational activities of the studentbody. The purpose of these organizations is torepresent ‘students’ both within the institutionand externally, including on local and nationalissues. They are also responsible for providinga wide array of services to students. studentscan get involved in its management throughnumerous and varied committees, councils andgeneral meetings, or become one of its electedofficers.

In keeping with the above stated definition; inpreparation for your existing Executive Boardto take office, training aboard was organizedand subsequently supported and financed bythe College. All in an effort to make you andyour support team equipped for the awesometask ahead.

As the President we hold you accountable!The President of COBUs also sits on theCouncil of The College of The Bahamas, whichkeeps you aware of what administration isdoing or not doing, and how this affects ‘we thestudents’.

Additionally, the other members of yourboard were voted in and by a democraticprocess they too are obligated to ‘we the stu-dents’.

As a result of your ‘election be default’ nocommitments were presented up front to thestudent body, but there were and remain manyissues that students face on a daily basis fromsemester to semester.

We write to request that you address the stu-dent population within the next seven (7) daysupon receipt of this letter. As ‘we the students’,must be brought up-to-date as to what you andyour board have done for us! This is impera-tive, as parties have started campaigning for theupcoming election. There appears to be majorscandals that implicate your administration andpossibly these ‘Presidential’.

C. O. B. U. s. has been appointed to repre-sents ‘us’!

‘We the students’ demand to know:-

- What has the current C.O.B.U.s. adminis-tration done since taking office?

- Why hasn’t the library been opened, aspromised?

- How much longer will we have to park ourcars at ‘additional’ risk outside the campusgates due to a lack of parking spaces? The col-lege has almost 5,000 students and less than1,000 parking spots between all of its campus-

es – What are we to do with our cars when wearrive to campus? Having a car is a necessitynot a luxury in The Bahamas!

- What has happened to the ‘tuck shop’? Wasthis not owned and operated by

C. O.B. U.s.?- Rapes, theft, robbery, physical attacks and

fights are rampant on campus – where is thesecurity and who are we holding accountablefor these incidences?

- Why are there no water fountains availablefor students?

- What is being done about the shortage ofcomputers available for students’ use?

- Each computer lab as almost 25% of theircomputers not working – What is being done toaddress this, as every student is mandated topay a technology fee for inadequate facilities?

- How is it that a non-nursing student canattend the college pregnant and a studentenrolled in the school of nursing ‘cannot’?

- When will there be assigned parking fornursing students at the nursing school atPrincess Margaret Hospital.

- What is being done about the structure ofBAdM 300 on the Nassau Campus – especial-ly in light of the high failure rate? Also, espe-cially seeing that Freeport campus does notexperience the same difficulty. Is the curricu-lum the same?

- When will the lights installed in the park-ing lot be ‘operational’?

- C. O. B. U. s. has held several dances andcharged a cover fee – Where has that moneygone?

- Why do C. I. s. majors have to wait one totwo years for some courses to be answered?

- What is the $50.00 student activity fee for?- Where is the insurance card that should

come with the medical insurance - we arerequired to pay?

Mr. President, you and your administrationhave been ‘formally’ invited to IndependencePark or the basketball court area to address theconcerns stated in this letter. Kindly communi-cate the scheduled meeting time for this ‘con-versation with the students’, via various meansof communication (i.e. facebook, cob emailaddresses, flyers around campus and generalannouncements in all classes). We look forwardto hearing from you!

We the students Follow-up Letter

We write this letter in follow-up to our letterdated February 10th, 2011, as our request stat-ed therein as yet to be fulfilled by you and yourteam.

The Constitution by which you are governedmandates that you should without force updatethe student population on all matters that per-

tain to them. Our request is in addition to yourlegislative mandate and yet we still see noregard from you (COBUs) in this matter.

Once again you are being asked to provide aresponse with 7 days to the entire student body.Upon failure to provide same, we will carry ourconcerns to the various media houses through-out the wider community. We further advise ifyour response to these request appears vague,we are prepared to escalate our concerns asnecessary.

COBUs ResponseWhat has COBUs done? Your COBUs 2010-2011 has achieved a

number of accomplishments and a detailedview

of this can be found on the C.O.B.U.s. web-site at www.cobusbahamas.com or on the

Facebook page by searching COBUs. • Opening of Library COBUs has been informed that due to a num-

ber of issues, the opening of the library was delayed but it is expected to open March 1

2011. • Parking This is an urban campus and as such, space is

limited. The institution is strapped for parking spaces. COBUs has advocated for

more parking spaces for students and to date: - Parking is available at the Portia smith

Building after 4:00p.m. -There was an introduction of an additional

portion of T-Block Lot for parking. We continue to advocate for more parking

options. • Tuck shop The Tuck shop was mismanaged however it

is under new management with more control. • Crime COBUs cannot be held accountable for the

lack of security but we continue to advocate for more security. We wish to encourage stu-

dents to be more aware of their surroundings while adhering to the personal security sug-

gestions. COBUs encourages students who experience problems to report it to COBUs. • Water Fountains There are water fountains located throughout

the campus however there is a need for more of these. COBUs has taken the inacces-

sibility of water into account and plans to bring up the matter with administration to

supply water coolers about campus. Until this is tabled, students can approach several cam-

pus locations where you can purchase bottled drinking water. • shortage of Computers With the opening of Harry C. Moore library,

it is expected to have more computers available to students. In the meantime, stu-

dents are encouraged to utilize their personal

computers. COBUs is continuing to advocatefor more computers to facilitate the needs

of students. • Nursing Criteria At this time, we were told that this particular

school has additional criteria to fulfill before being allowed entrance. COBUs was

not aware of this particular concern and we will look further into the matter. • Parking at Nursing CampusThere is assigned parking, however in rela-

tion to the student number, COBUs acknowledges that this is indeed a problem.

We are currently addressing this and how the number of available spots can be increased. • Parking Lot Lights COBUs has brought this matter to the atten-

tion of the security department who are following up. • dance Money The money has been submitted to the

COBUs revenue account which is channeledback

to the students through funding of events, stu-dent initiatives and to several charities. If

students wish to view the COBUs revenueaccounts, you are invited to collect a copy

from your COBUs representative. • Availability of classes At every opportunity where courses are not

offered when needed, COBUs makes sure those courses are offered the following

semester. If this was not the case with a student, you are asked to bring these to COBUs’

attention at the earliest opportunity. • $50 fee Please see below for the breakdown supplied

to COBUs by the COB VP of Finance for the year 2009-2010 which was the most

recent data available to us. This matter isalways

under constant review and questioning byyour COBUs board.

PROCEEds = $512,592From this: PEER TUTORs=$19,581 CAM-

PUs LIFE=$154,463 sPECTRUM=$10,336WELLNEss PROGRAM*=$196,747.20COBUs=$24,612 ECTRICI-TY**=$148,468.39

This adds up to $554,207.59 * Revenue deducted as it is applicable to out-

side users and employees. 20% has been allocated to athletics ** Represents 80% of the electricity with

20% being allocated to UTEB• Insurance Cards Campus Life is responsible for this and we

ask that individual students contact that department to inquire about the availability of

the cards.

We the Students Letter to COBUS

12 The Spectrum - February 2011

Remembering Dr. Keva Bethel

■ Dr. Bethel pictured with Sean Bastian (left) and Greg Harshaw

(right) at the Keva Bethel Basketball Classic. (courtesy of

cob.edu.bs)

■ Dr. Keva Bethel at the Doctor’s Hospital Dr. Meyer Rassin Foundation

scholarship presentation in 2009. (courtesy of Bahamaislandinfo.com)

■ (photo above) Dr. Bethel at dinner. (photo top right) Dr. Bethel

giving a speech at the Bahamas Business Outlook Conference in

2009. (photos courtesy of nicobethel.net)