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Mar 14, 2012

Life sentence at 16

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Corey Hollinger was convicted in May 1987 for the murder of Albert Swalm in Lebanon Township, PA.  Hollinger was 16 and his brother Tracy was 14 when a home burglary turned to murder.  Both pleaded guilty to murder and were sentenced as adults.  Corey received a life sentence with no chance of parole for first degree murder.  Tracy was sentenced 12 to 60 for third-degree murder but has the possibility of parole.

The Hollinger boys had a rough life growing up and a history of committing crimes at a young age.  While in prison, Corey survived the Camp Hill prison riots and found faith in God to overcome his drug addiction in 1990.

Corey has had time to reflect on his actions in the past.  He takes responsibility for his actions, but he believes he has been punished for the crime he committed as a child and could be a productive part of society if he were released from this life sentence.  Corey does not feel entitled to the possibility of parole but believes that youth sentenced to life does not give them the chance to ever turn their life around.

After reading this article, I Googled Corey Hollinger and found a picture of him and his prison address.  I’ve written him a letter and if he responds, I will take the time to know him because his past is behind him.   He still seems to have a bright out-look on life knowing he most likely will never leave the prison complex and that is remarkable in itself.

I hope his faith in God remains strong.

~P.

Filed Under: College, Juvenile Life Sentences, Professional Writing Class · Tagged: , , , , ,
Mar 10, 2012

Not upset, just surprised

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Would you say York County PA is a conservative area?  What about York College Campus?

Should a campus newspaper worry if an article is too controversal for print?  Is there such a thing as news that is too controversal to share with the public?

I have many questions suddenly, that I had never given thought to before.  When I began researching a sexual fetish involving balloons for a final paper in writing course, I never expected it to be so damn interesting.  I wanted to share with YCP the opportunity to follow along in my research and even become a part of it, if they find balloons stimulating.  The faculty at YCP did not enter my mind because I don’t write for the faculty, I write for my fellow students.

This is my first response from one of the editors concerning the preview article about balloon fetishists:

“I believe I’m talking to Dr. Zerbe tomorrow about a whole bunch of things, so as long as he says it’s okay, the balloon one should be good to go too. I’ll keep you posted.  -Leah”

And the response I received today:

“Dr. Zerbe, Stephen and I, we decided to publish the balloon article online but not in the print version. The only reason I really didn’t want to publish it in the print issue is just because York is a somewhat conservative area, and a small but significant portion of the readers of the print edition are the Deans and administration. I just don’t think it’s appropriate for that audience. However, I think that it is much better suited to the online issue, and you’ll get much more of a response online especially when we can link it directly to your blog.  I hope that’s okay! I think it’s going to give you a much better response, anyway.  -Leah”

This is my response to the email and I CC’d it to the other editor and Dr. Zerbe, the professor who advises us news reporters:

Leah,

When I submitted this random piece for an article, I did so never giving it thought that the content would be a problem.  This is a topic I am researching for a final paper in writing and just thought it would be cool to share in this research.  I did not know if anyone that reads The Spartan would answer the questions, but I think you should keep this in mind, anyone can have a fetish regardless of their profession.  This college does not strike me as conservative because I am also involved with LLAMBDA and know that it is widely accepted by most everyone on campus.  I can honestly say I have never heard of or seen any type of prejudice at YCP.

This has actually turned out to be even more interesting to me that it won’t make the college printed paper because there is suddenly a concern of who might be offended.  If that were really a true concern, then the articles written for the Spartan in the past would not have covered abortion, smoking, gay rights, etc.  I am not against my article going into the online edition.  My only concern is the “online edition” will now be the dumping grounds for anything even slightly controversial, like balloon fetishist.  If we want fellow students to pick up the copies that are printed we have to have content that they want to bother reading.  Otherwise, let’s just skip printing anything and focus all our attention online.

I appreciate the consideration by yourself, Dr. Zerbe, and Stephen but I will voice my disappointment that this is found to be too controversial to print.  My final paper may very well go deeper into this fetish that anyone has ever gone before.  To me that is ground-breaking and news-worthy.

Sincerely,

Pattie Crider

Filed Under: Balloons, College, Professional Writing Class, York College Spartan · Tagged: , , ,
Mar 10, 2012

2012-03-03 to Today Round the World

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In six days—Country and number of visits      C@@L!

Country

Views
                                                                      United States 2,456
     Germany 527
     United Kingdom 400
     Canada 201
     Japan 199
     Netherlands 134
     Australia 124
     Switzerland 74
     Italy 72
     Spain 66
     Russian Federation 64
     Poland 63
     Argentina 60
     France 56
     Sweden 52
     Austria 49
     Brazil 49
     Belgium 46
     Hungary 41
     Czech Republic 31
     Mexico 28
     Thailand 26
     Israel 23
     Greece 22
     Denmark 16
     Norway 16
     India 14
     Singapore 14
     New Zealand 13
     Malta 10
     Chile 8
     Malaysia 8
     Bahamas 7
     Republic of Korea 7
     Hong Kong 6
     Indonesia 6
     South Africa 5
     Ukraine 5
     Portugal 5
     Croatia 4
     Saudi Arabia 4
     Ireland 4
     Luxembourg 4
     Philippines 4
     Romania 4
     Viet Nam 3
     Brunei Darussalam 3
     Morocco 3
     Venezuela 3
     Slovenia 3
     Taiwan 3
     Mozambique 3
     Iceland 2
     Cyprus 2
     Slovakia 2
     Turkey 2
     Finland 2
     El Salvador 2
     Lithuania 1
     Pakistan 1
     Uruguay 1

 

Filed Under: Professional Writing Class · Tagged: ,
Mar 8, 2012

Lush Rimbaugh

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Everyone has heard of Sandra Fluke campaigning about birth control and Limbaugh calling her names and basically not having the ability to think before he speaks.  Can you believe that guy?  How dare he insult and make fun of this law student?  Rush Limbaugh is a real Jhole.

Did he apologize?  Yes….was it sincere?  Doubtful.  He apologized because it was expected of him.  The publicity he has received since calling Fluke a slut and prostitute has been enormous.  Stating that Fluke should put videos up of her making use of the birth control was for attention.  I just rolled my eyes while fat boys lips continued down that poorly chosen path.

He is loud, looks like whale blubber and obnoxious.  How does his wife stand him?

I don’t listen to LushRimble because, what comes out of his mouth would never come out of mine.

Fluke has a point.  Birth control is expensive.  I agree, but what about all the other available birth control methods that are out there?  Shouldn’t Fluke want her sexual partner to use a condom?  Protecting herself not only from pregnancy but STDs as well?

I find it hard to believe the students can’t get their hands on condoms somewhere on their campus.  I know at York College of PA, many of the clubs hand out free condoms to get the word out about untimely pregnancies and diseases.

Maybe Fluke has been with the same partner for years.  In that case, why not an IUD?  I had one inserted and it’s good for five years.  If I remember correctly, it cost $800 for the piece of plastic and a doctor to put it up in there.

There are many ways to keep from getting pregnant.  The best way is to keep your pants on.

~P.

Filed Under: College · Tagged: , ,
Mar 8, 2012

Maggie Koerth-Baker at YCP

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Attention Professional Writing Majors

The 2012 Writer-In-Resident is Maggie Koerth-Baker.  Koerth-Baker is the science editor of BoingBoing.net, a science and technology based blogsite.  Her work has been published in print and online by National Geographic, Discover, Reader’s Digest and Scientific American.  Her book, Before the Lights Go Out: Conquering the Energy Crisis Before It Conquers Us, is now available at Amazon.com.

There are two events scheduled during Koerth-Baker’s visit.  On Thursday March 29, at 7:30 PM in the DeMeester Recital Hall (in Wolf Hall) there will be a public reading and a question and answer session.  Her book will also be available for purchase and signing following the session.

The second event is the annual Writer’s Workshop with the Writer-in-Resident.  Eighteen participants will be accepted for the workshop on Saturday, March 31, from 8:00 AM to 1:30 PM, breakfast and lunch are included.  To register for this workshop with Koerth-Baker, see Ms. Deb Staley in Humanities room 161.  A deposit of $10 is required, but will be reimbursed when you attend the workshop.

Filed Under: College, York College Spartan · Tagged: , , , ,
Mar 8, 2012

PA Crime Victims website

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Pattie Crider

Writing 202

Website Critique

March 8, 2012

The Pennsylvania Crime Victims (PCV) website was designed for a female victim of crime in PA.  PCV is maintained by the Commonwealth of PA and presented the message, “Anyone can be a victim.”  PCV focused on the rights of victims in PA and the importance of having a place of understanding on the Internet to cope.  Unlike most government run websites, the PCV first link on the home page is written for victims by victims of crime.

The PCV website is a credible source of information as it comes directly from the government.  The web-designer did an excellent job of organizing the layout of the website.  The home page is well-organized and has a clean, uncluttered look with a nice color contrast of tan and purple.  The subtle color choices work well and give a calm, serene look to the pages on the website.  Also on the home page is an escape button if a reader must exit the site quickly.  This escape button automatically redirects the page to Google.com.

There are nine pages underneath the home page link:

  • How the Crime May Affect You
  • Your Rights as a Crime Victim
  • Available Services
  • Find Help in Your County
  • The Criminal and Juvenile Justice Systems
  • Notifications About Offenders (Including PA SAVIN)
  • Financial Assistance
  • Empowering the Victim
  • Feedback

Each of these links will direct the reader to more links that fall under the relevant page.  I’ve chosen four of the nine pages that are not self-explanatory by their title.

The links under the title direct a reader to pages that are well-written and easy to understand.  The emotional appeal of the website is on the victim.   For a victim to make use of the website; it must be written in a language that any PA citizen can comprehend.  The information is concise and offers understanding to the victim, tips on coping, and answers to frequently asked questions.

The links under this title explains the terminology and how or who to reach to receive the available programs.  The number of programs is extensive but the website uses informal language to get the message to their reader.  This will appeal to the reader as an emotional connection can be made with the text.   Also on this page are victim’s first-hand accounts of crimes committed against them.  Including this type of information on the website is evidence that PA does care about its citizen’s well-being.

The creator of this website really had the victim in mind when designing this site.  A victim of a crime may just need a clearer understanding of the court system process in order to get through the process of testifying and eventually healing from a traumatic crime.

The links from this page are a wealth of information for a victim of abuse.  The safety planning page lists the steps necessary to flee from an abuser and the domestic violence page would be very helpful to victim of spousal abuse.

The Pennsylvania Crime Victims website format was easy to navigate, the hyperlinks were all functioning correctly, the accessible information was all relevant to the website, and there were no noticeable grammatical errors.  The over-all effectiveness in assisting the target audience of women in PA was excellent.  PA placed the victim first and put all the information needed for their safety and recovery conveniently on the commonwealth’s website.

For more information on the PA Crime Victims website please click this link for the home page: http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pcv_home/14554

Stay safe,

~P.

Filed Under: College, Professional Writing Class · Tagged: , , ,
Mar 6, 2012

Transcending: Reflections of Crime Victims

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Story of Lynn Shiner of Harrisburg PA whose ex-husband’s murdered their children on Christmas Eve in 1994.  I had to read this article and reflect.  The reflections I had combined with my current situation…. hell it scared the shit out of me to be honest with you.  ~P.

Transcending: Reflections of Crime Victims.

Everyone should read this story.  It’s one of those “unthinkables” that actually happened.

 

Filed Under: Blogs I reblog, College, Divorce, Professional Writing Class · Tagged: , ,
Mar 5, 2012

Rape suspect released on $1 bail – The York Daily Record

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Come on York, PA……The courthouse always has time for my contempt charges!!!  Why can’t they find time for a rape suspects hearing?!  ~P.

Rape suspect released on $1 bail – The York Daily Record.

Filed Under: Local and Worldwide News · Tagged: , , ,
Mar 2, 2012

You know you are a looner when:

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You know you are a looner when:

  1. Car lot balloons are more interesting than the new cars.
  2. You dream about the Goodyear Blimp.  In color.
  3. Foil balloons ruin an occasion.
  4. The box of latex gloves under the sink isn’t really for cleaning.
  5. Non-lubricated condoms are preferred.
  6. Balloon shards cover your carpet like spent rounds.
  7. Balloons are hidden between the mattress and box spring.
  8. You know what the real differences between balloons.
  9. You match your wardrobe to the balloon color you blow up each morning.
  10. You cannot resist the urge to take balloons home after someone throws a party.

Ok, so I’m just kidding around!  LOL

~P.

Write in the comments your ideas for knowing when you are a looner!

Filed Under: Balloons, College, Professional Writing Class · Tagged: ,
Feb 29, 2012

To Write Love on Her Arms

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Jamie Tworkowski

Choose not to be alone.

Jamie Tworkowski spoke on campus about his non-profit movement known as “To Write Love on Her Arms” (TWLOHA) and just for kicks, he brought along his friend and musician Anthony Raneri of Bayside.  The tickets were a twofer; something you get two at once, Jamie and Anthony appearing on one stage.

If you went to the presentation, you know exactly what TWLOHA is and if you didn’t go, read the previous issue of The Spartan.  What I want to write about is Mr. Tworkowski as an individual.

If I had to describe Tworkowski with one word it would be “cool.” He is so cool you want to know him.  He came in and spilled his guts about his life. Carefree, surfer dude type of guy. He had a nice job with a big racing company and he quit to raise awareness of depression, suicide, self injury, addiction, and all the “stuff” people are afraid to talk about. Twork (my nickname for him) said, “People need other people to help us carry the weight of life.”

Twork was a guy that made the audience think “slacker.”  He admitted he was a slacker and was amazed himself when he landed a dream job with Quicksilver followed by Hurley.   He experienced two life changing events.  A friend, Renee needed support while she came down from drug use.  Twork recorded five days with her in written form.  Following her admittance to rehab, Twork shared his story about just being there for her as a friend.  He also had an associate at work commit suicide and this prompted him to make a difference in people’s lives.  Twork is one hell of a guy and brutally honest.  He said, “People are afraid of what response we are met with when we talk about stuff.  Suicide prevention is in knowing others are out there that care.”

These were wise words for a college drop-out, surfer dude.  He dressed to blend in on campus and I estimate he is in his early thirties now.  While he didn’t encourage dropping out of college, he did open my eyes at how much of an impact this dorky guy had through the internet.  I don’t think Twork would mind if I called him dorky.  He seemed to know he is goofy and it is a very charming trait for someone who has taken up public speaking.  Twork made the sound-system squeal, he didn’t pay much attention to his surroundings and I noticed his habit of taking the lid off his water and putting it back on without taking a sip.  A nervous reaction I suppose.  He also would go off on a tangent and forget what he was talking about.  I’m not sure how he manages to squeeze so much humor into such a sad topic but dude pulled it off.  Twork is just an average joe who was there for a friend in need and kicked off what has become a world-wide support system.  He believes, “you are born to be known and your uniqueness is priceless.”  His message is of hope and that help is real and I believed in his message.  Everyone in the room believed in his message and that is why he is successful as what he does.

Filed Under: College, York College Spartan · Tagged: , , , , , , , ,
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