The Connecticut Budget Dilemma (journalism)

Conn. — As Connecticut Residents may know our newly elected governor Dannel P. Malloy, has some big plans for the Nutmeg State. One hot topic is the state budget and what is going one with that. Over the next two years Malloy is going to attempt to get $2 billion in savings to balance the state’s budget.

According to Malloy’s senior advisor, Ron Occhiogrosso, $1 billion in saving is the ultimate goal for the budget. In order to balance the budget Malloy wants to increase taxes on income, sales, gasoline, cigarettes and alcohol. Malloy doesn’t seem to feel apologetic toward the proposed tax increases. In fact Malloy said, “It’s what’s right for my state, Connecticut would not be Connecticut if we cut $3.5 billion out of the budget. We are a strong, generous, hopeful people. We’d be taking $800 million out of education. You can’t do that in this state. You’d have to gouge the Medicaid system. You’d have to close 25 percent of the nursing homes. What do you do with people?”

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Many Connecticut residents are very worried about what would happen if this proposed budget were actually to be passed. “The economy is still in bad shape. People still don’t have jobs and people still have families to take care of. Things are just going from bad to worse in this world…” said James Greene, a resident of Southington. What Greene said is true, many people are still struggling in this economy and things aren’t exactly looking up yet. Many if not most of Connecticut’s residents are truly hoping that the budget won’t be passed. Another Connecticut resident adds, “What positive outcomes will there be? Who is truly benefiting from this silly budget idea? I feel like this is just another downward spiral for our country. What’s next, Malloy taking money from our hard earned paychecks…?”

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Recycling (for journalism)

Where Are The Recycling Bins at LCNE?

Southington Conn. -- When a prospective student comes to Lincoln College of New England, they may first notice all of the nature surrounding the college campus from the mountainous views to the trees and pond in the front, it is just breathtaking. LCNE looks like a quaint school that really values the environment, but one thing that may be overlooked is the fact that there are no recycling bins.

As a student takes a tour of the dorms they may notice that the only kind of place to put recyclables would be the trash, outside of the dorm complex, Palmisano, there are two very large dumpsters where all the trash and recyclables are places at the end of each day. In this day and age many people are very environmentally conscious so it is very surprising that it appears no one has made any kind of effort to place recycling receptacles around the campus. One residential student said that she tried to start recycling in the dorm last semester but the rest of the dorm mates didn’t like the idea and she also said that even the floors RA shunned her idea.

           

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This semester Ellie, a residential student at LCNE has recently started to collect empty plastic bottles and metal cans in her room, so that she can eventually recycle them. She said that her roommates are open to the idea, which she is happy about since last semester recycling had been an issue in the same dorm. Ellie said that she plans to take the bottles and cans to the grocery store down the road at the end of every week and put them in the bottle and can return. Putting them in the return will also give the college student some extra cash for food [since there are no food services at this campus]. Ellie said, “Just me doing this little bit recycling isn’t going to do much, but I feel like it could be a step in the right direction.”

            Ellie is right, recycling bottles and cans seems to be just the smallest effort that could be done here but it is a step in the right direction and seemingly more of an effort that the school has been doing thus far.             

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1st NYC trip of 2011

My boyfriend, Nikko, lived in NYC for quite some time and most of his family still lives there. We are also lucky enough to live about two hours away from NYC so we go there quite frequently. NY is pretty overwhelming at first and i will never get used to taking the subways (i have to beg Nikko to take the taxi haha) but he has been going with me to new york basically since the second week that we started dating so i have been going for about a year now. Every time i go i find something different and love when i recognize something from my last visit. New York is such a fascinating place full of noise, people (often crazy people haha), culture, trash, and fashion. I love New York!

                                                  Beatles Billboard!! Gotta love the Beatles :)

 

It happened to be Fashion week when we went,

Unfortunately we didn't plan ahead to go to a show :( 

A taxi ride near times square!

Starbucks... my addiction!

Jamba Juice! I had it once in San Francisco, I highly recommend trying it!

Review of: Miss Dior Chérie Eau de Parfum Spray

Hey Guys! I recently was given this Dior Perfume for my one year anniversary with my boyfriend, Nikko. I LOVE this perfume. It is soo girly and fun. I would recommend this perfume to anyone who loves a nice girly scent. One thing is, i felt that it is a bit heavy so i wouldn't spray too much since it could overwhelm you and also smell VERY strong to nearby people. But overall this is one of my absolute favorite perfumes. Love love love it ;) 

                                                                                         Four out of Five stars

Elegant, exuberant, luscious—the Dior spirit in a modern couture fragrance. A blend of classic chic and sophistication, with a touch of irreverence, this scent has a personality all its own. Discover the notes.... Top notes: green tangerine, strawberry leaves.

 Heart notes: violet, pink jasmine, caramelized popcorn, strawberry sorbet.

 Base notes: fresh patchouli, crystalline musk -Nordstrom.com

Dior 'Miss Dior Chérie' Eau de Parfum Spray available for purchase at Nordstrom $77.00-$98.00

Geese invade School in the Dead of Winter

Southington Conn. -- -- Wild Canadian Geese have flocked the campus of Lincoln College of New England (formerly Briarwood). Students have been puzzled by the sudden increase in geese and their “droppings” since the weather is still extremely cold and hasn’t been showing any signs of warming up in the near future. 

Commuters and residents alike have been concerned with the accumulation of goose droppings. “When I was walking back to my dorm, I almost stepped on some of the goose poop!” Marieme Ngom, a resident of the college, exclaimed. The evidence that the birds are at the college is clear, and officials have yet to say what they plan to do for the clean-up and removal of the droppings. This however is a main concern brought to the public’s attention by numerous students.

Jessica Sabatasso had a rather entertaining story about an encounter she had with a particular goose, “I was walking back to my dorm and there were a bunch of geese blocking the sidewalk.  They wouldn’t move” she reported, “I started to stomp at them, well; it was more of a shuffle stomp. Anyways, so I was stomping and most of the geese moved, except one, so I chased it, and it ran, squawking the whole way, angrily. Then it edged closer to the curb and its flipper slipped and he fell off the curb. He then squawked, chased and snapped at me then walked away.”

“They are cute to look at but their feces are… well abundant” said Rebecca Okraska, who also witnessed Sabatasso’s goose incident. Most students agree that the geese are more of an annoyance than something cute to look at. But nonetheless the geese are back from the south and it doesn’t look like they have any indication of going back soon. 

-Elyse Theroux