Around the world during this very
second, countries are coming together and joining the Nairobi UN Environment Programme (UNEP) in an effort to decrease the
effects of pollution and the
deterioration of the environment.
Their answer to global climate change? Mass tree
planting. Inspiration from Nobel Peace prize winner Laureate Wangari began
the idea for the project that has countries like Ethiopia and Mexico with
the largest number of tree planting, 700 million and 217 million planted
trees in all.
Other countries also participating in “new lush forest
projects,” according to an AFP article, include Brazil with 16 million,
Myanmar with 20 million, Turkey with 150 million, Kenya with 100 million and
Cuba with 96.5 million.
Mass tree planting will help absorb carbon that is
released and trapped in heat by human actions, which is a cause of climate
change.
Bush
wants more war money
President Bush asked
Democrats for more money to fund the Iraq war again today,
despite being denied by congressional leaders already.
Bush wants the money "without strings and without
delay" and he wants it before the Christmas holidays.
According the the Associated Press, Democrats have said
that they plan to sit on President Bush's $196 billion request
for war spending until next year.
"The American people expect us to work together to
support our troops," said President Bush after meeting with
military leaders at the Pentagon. "They do not want disputes in
Washington to undermine our troops in Iraq just as they're
seeing clear signs of success."
Defense Secretary Robert Gates has ordered the Army and
Marine Corps to begin planning for a series of expected
cutbacks, including civilian layoffs, termination of contracts,
and reduced operations at bases.
Both the Democrats and the Pentagon agree that the
military has until about March before it runs out of money.
ARTS & ENTERAINMENT
Music
will fill the coming weeks as students perform
end-of-the-semester recitals in everything from percussion to
voice. Casey Bolduc gives you the rundown on where to hear
it.
PROFS INTO PEOPLE
Traveling to places that include Belgium to
Japan, this faculty member never leaves home without her camera
in tow. Everywhere she goes whether it's on the field or on a
trip this Cynthia Arman loves
photography.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Distracted drivers cause thousands of accidents daily
Information was unearthed from the Network Employers for Traffic Safety
(NETS) that revealed what people are really doing behind the vehicle of
their car. A survey was conducted to find out just how many people are
multi-tasking behind the wheel.
32 percent of drivers responded to the survey saying that they read while
driving! The study didn't account whether the reading was of a map or
perhaps a novel, but according to a recent study at Virginia Tech's
Transportation institute it doesn't matter. Your chances of getting
into an accident are 3.4 times greater when you're reading.
70 percent of surveyed drivers eat behind the wheel. Habits
requiring multiple steps and/or involving several glances away from the road
up the chances for danger by two to three times.
Behind the wheel "primpers," the drivers you see combing their hair or
applying make up consist of 18 percent of the surveyed respondents.
These drivers are at the same risk of causing an accident as those who
prepare for work while driving, reading notes or checking their phone.
51 percent of drivers use their cell phone while driving and whether a hand
held phone is used or a hands free system makes no difference.
Psychologists at the University of Utah say that drivers who talk on cell
phones are as bad as drunks behind the wheel. Using a phone increases your chances of being in an
accident fourfold according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Distracted driving accounts for 4,000 to 8,000 accidents per day in the
United States according to the Department of Transportation.
THE EXCHANGE: WHO WE ARE
The
Exchange is a student-produced newspaper
that appears weekly. This week's
managing editor
is Renee Hamann.
* Or, as Kenny Chesney tells
us, "next thing you know your 'better half'/Of fifty years is there
in bed/And you're praying God takes you instead./Trust me friend, a
hundred years goes faster than you think."
Report from Thursday's
game:
Dave Vishniac reported on
Thursday night's game where the women's
team beat previously undefeated Seattle Pacific. The
Ravens are their way to a number of records in the Saturday
match against Tampa University. "I definitely see [Franklin
Pierce] winning," the championship match, said Seattle Pacific's
coach, after their 2-0 loss to the Ravens.
New Tuesday: Sistuhs, the Black Student
Alliance, and the Gay Straight Alliance
recently hosted the AIDS
Memorial Quilt in Pierce Hall.
New Tuesday: With
300 choir volunteers, the annual
performance of "The Messiah" packed the
field house and had travelers from as far as Vermont to participate in the
show.
Nearly 200 students turned
out for the naughty word spelling bee, which was hosted
by Bill Beardslee, better known as the campus chaplain. Watch the slideshow
by Chris Potter.
A
new campus village projectis being launched and the University will
survey students, faculty, staff, and Rindge residents to find
out what they want the village to be.
Eleven students visited
Fenway Park on November 28
to speak with members of the Red Sox administration who
gave encouragement to those seeking a career in the field.
SAAC brings school-wide Beirut
tournament to Franklin Pierce through Gatorfest, using lemon-lime Gatorade.
All university
community members welcome.
Are you a registered voter?
See what Pierce students Zach Weight, Catie Reilly, Josh
Brown, Sean Doyle and Ashley Saari have to say about voting in
presidential and local elections.
News Briefs:
The Empty Bowls event made $1800 Wednesday
Nov. 28, exceeding last year's initial-day total of $1000. Organizers are hoping to exceed last year's grand total
of $2100 that was achieved by additional sales at the library.
They plan to continue selling the bowls through the Thoreau
Gallery during the art fair.
In other news briefs
from around campus:
Important dates, upcoming events and some tough losses for
Franklin Pierce sports teams - as well as one win streak that's
still unbroken.
EDITORIALS
Tom Cooper examines how much
students spend on unlimited meal plans and has a few ideas
on how it
needs to be changed.
Hilary delaBruere set's the record straight
when it comes to family
values and Craig
Romney'sviews.
"After graduation I am planning on moving to California and work
full-time while also taking graduate classes at night". Find
what else Karli-Mae Ferris plans on doing after graduation.
HEALTH AWARENESS
Tips to reduce Christmas season stress
Now that Thanksgiving is over, it's time to focus on
the next stressful holiday. With shopping lists, holiday parties and
having all of your relatives in one place, arming yourself with
anti-stress tips can be the best way to soar into January with minimal
damage.
The first important stress deterrent is to know your
limits. Financially, this means setting spending limits on gifts and
sticking to them. Overspending adds stress to the holiday season and
through the next year, which is spent trying to pay off those high
holiday bills.
A second tip is to be assertive. If invitations are
piling up, plan ahead. Decide which gatherings are most important and
which can be missed. Again, stick to those plans and communicate them
with friends and family ahead of time.
Finally, let deep-seeded grudges take a back seat
during the holidays. The America Psychological Association Help Center
suggests avoiding the person if you see them at gatherings and to avoid
making any issue with him or her. However, this does not mean to pretend
all is well. This allows you to "feel true to yourself" while decreasing
stress.
Apply these tips during your holiday break and breathe
easy. January will sail in smoothly as soon as the holiday hype has
passed, but this year expect to be happier with the results.
WEEKEND'S BEST BETS
Friday
night at Harlow’s Pub in Peterborough you can see the
blue grass band
Hot Day At The Zoo.
An
Open Mic night will be
held at The Power Station in Troy, 267 North Main Street, on
Saturday at 7 p.m.
The 6th
annual Monadnock Festival of Trees
is this Thursday through Friday at the Peterborough
Historical Society in the heart of downtown Peterborough.
Visit
peterboroughgardenclub.org
for more information.
“Christmas
in the Newport Mansions” is this Saturday from 10
a.m. until 8:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the info desk
in the campus center. For more information contact Jacki
Alessio at ext. 4309 or
cab@franklinpierce.edu.
The 34th annual performance of George
Frideric Handel's "The Messiah" will take place in the Field
House on Saturday, Dec. 1, at 8 p.m. Come witness a chorus
of over 250 people (staff, students, faculty, alumni and
townspeople) accompanied by a semi-professional baroque
orchestra conducted by Professor David Brandes. For more
info contact David Brandes at
Brandede@FranklinPierce.edu or Paul Scharfenberger at
Scharfpe@FranklinPierce.edu.
Bush
wants more war money
Information was unearthed from the Network Employers for Traffic Safety
(NETS) that revealed what people are really doing behind the vehicle of
their car. A survey was conducted to find out just how many people are
multi-tasking behind the wheel. 
