Today I attended the scholarship awarding banquet. I am one of the scholarship recipients. I received the Faculty Scholarship, which awards me $500.00 prorated for 2 semesters. Might not sound much. But here in another country, every dollar, or should I say, every cent counts.

I am very grateful that I have been chosen as the recipient. Back home, I wasn’t really financially aware. My school was paid by my parents. I had allowances. I eat enough, sometimes more than I should have. I have a warm home. I have every facility I need to suceed through high school.

But as the Law of Marginal Utility stated, I probably began to take those comfort for granted. Now that I am in America, especially with the currency going badly, I realized that my father worked two jobs to support me, my big brother, and my little sister.

I’ve had a lot of support since I arrived here. When I found out that the state of Minnesota has eliminated the non-resident tuition, I was very happy. That was already a major reduced tuition for me. Here, I was also supported by my relatives: uncles, aunts, and grandparents. Not to mention all the faculties who probably contributed a LOT for my scholarships.

I would like to thank every one that has supported me throughout. I promise that I will keep working hard. Hence, I hope I will be able to give back to those who need help too.

And one of the most useful thing I got tonight was knowing that I don’t struggle alone. Listening to other students’ stories, I realize, again, that mine is by far not even close as bad as theirs. So I shouldn’t whine. I won’t whine anymore! And if I eventually do, I will still get back up and finish what I have to finish.

Again, thank you for the scholarship. Thank you. Thank you!!!!

The article below was taken from Universitas Gajah Mada website.

BEM SI Deklarasikan “Sumpah Mahasiswa Indonesia”

Yogya, KU

Puluhan mahasiswa yang berasal dari berbagai perguruan tinggi di seluruh Indonesia pada hari Selasa, (28/10) berkumpul di Bundaran UGM mendeklarasikan “Sumpah Mahasiswa Indonesia” yang bertepatan dengan momentum peringatan 80 tahun Sumpah Pemuda.

Dalam deklarasi sumpah mahasiswa indonesia yang dibacakan oleh Presiden Mahasiswa UGM, Budiyanto, menegaskan bahwa mahasiswa akan terus berjuang dan berkarya untuk menggapai Indonmesia yang berdaulat dan sejahtera.

“Kami Putra dan Putri Indonesia, Bersumpah untuk terus berjuang dan berkarya dengan segala daya demi terciptanya Indonesia berdaulat dan sejahtera sebagai bakti kami pada negeri,” ucap Budiyanto dalam membacakan sumpah mahasiswa indonesia yang diikuti oleh seluruh mahasiswa yang tergabung dalam aliansi Badan Eksekutif Mahasiswa Seluruh Indonesia (BEM-SI).

Pembacaan Deklarasi Sumpah Mahasiswa Indonesia ini sebagai puncak dari acara Konferensi Mahasiswa Indonesia (KMI) yang berlangsung antara 23 hingga 28 Oktober di Bulak Sumur UGM yang diinisiasi oleh BEM KM UGM. Dalam acara ini, mahasiswa membahas berbagai bidang kehidupan yang menjadi persoalan kebangsaan. Curah gagasan ini kemudian dikonstruksi dan dimanifestasikan dalam bentuk sumpah mahasiswa Indonesia.

Aksi deklarasi yang dimulai dengan menyanyikan lagu Indonesia Raya ini diisi dengan penyampaian orasi dari perwakilan BEM yang berasala dari beberapa perguruan tinggi. Saat pembacaan deklarasi, seluruh mahasiswa saling menggandengkan tangan serta mengepalkan tangan ke atas sebagai bentuk jalinan kebersamaan untuk terus berjuang, berkontribusi dan berperan aktif untuk meneruskan estafet perjuangan bangsa mewujudkan kedaulatan dan kesejahteraan bangsa.

Dijelaskan oleh Budiyanto, Sumpah Mahasiswa ini merupakan sebuah komitmen mahasiswa untuk memberikan kontribusi maksimal dalam melanjutkan estafet perjuangan. Menurut pandangannya, kemandegan pembangunan yang mensejahterakan rakyat saat ini harus dijawab dengan aksi-aksi nyata dan kontrukstif demi menyelamatkan bangsa di masa depan. (Humas UGM/Gusti Grehenson)

Pertama
Kami poetera dan poeteri indonesia, mengakoe bertoempah darah jang satoe, tanah Indonesia.
Kedoea
Kami poetera dan poeteri indonesia, mengakoe berbangsa jang satoe, bangsa Indonesia.
Ketiga
Kami poetera dan poeteri indonesia, mendjoendjoeng bahasa persatoean, bahasa Indonesia.

In English:

Firstly
We the sons and daughters of Indonesia, acknowledge one motherland, Indonesia.
Secondly
We the sons and daughters of Indonesia, acknowledge one nation, the nation of Indonesia.
Thirdly
We the sons and daughters of Indonesia, respect the language of unity, Indonesian.

(Taken from Wikipedia. ^^)

The new Youth Pledge will be announced within a few hours. Below is a news taken from Kompas newspaper:

Sumpah Mahasiswa Dikumandangkan dari Yogyakarta

KOMPAS/PRIYOMBODO

Mahasiswa Sekolah Tinggi Filsafat Driyarkara melakukan aksi teatrikal untuk memperingati Sumpah Pemuda di Museum Sumpah Pemuda, Jakarta, Senin (27/10). Mereka mengusung tema “Pemuda sebagai Gerakan Pemersatu” pada peringatan 80 tahun Sumpah Pemuda yang diperingati hari ini, Selasa (28 Oktober).

/

Selasa, 28 Oktober 2008 | 05:50 WIB

BERSAMAAN dengan peringatan Hari Sumpah Pemuda, Badan Eksekutif Mahasiswa atau BEM Seluruh Indonesia akan mendeklarasikan Sumpah Mahasiswa di Yogyakarta, Selasa (28/10). Sumpah mahasiswa ini merupakan komitmen mahasiswa untuk berjuang dan berkarya demi terciptanya Indonesia yang berdaulat dan sejahtera.

Koordinator Pusat BEM SI Budiyanto mengatakan, Sumpah Mahasiswa tersebut disepakati oleh sekitar 80 BEM perguruan tinggi dari seluruh Indonesia. Sumpah tersebut merupakan lanjutan perjuangan Sumpah Pemuda 1928 dan Sumpah Palapa. Kedua sumpah tersebut juga berisi perjuangan untuk mencapai persatuan dan kedaulatan bangsa.

“Sumpah Mahasiswa ini setidaknya bisa menjadi semacam aturan bagi kami sendiri, terutama bila nanti sudah menjadi pemimpin bangsa,” kata Budiyanto yang juga sebagai Presiden Mahasiswa UGM di Yogyakarta, Senin (27/10).

Rencananya, pendeklarasian Sumpah Mahasiswa akan berlangsung di Bundaran Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) bersama sekitar 50 mahasiswa yang masih mengikuti konferensi sampai hari terakhir.

“Beberapa perwakilan BEM perguruan tinggi yang berasal dari jauh sudah pulang duluan karena sudah memasuki masa ujian,” katanya.

Menurut Budiyanto, sumpah ini muncul dari hasil Konferensi Mahasiswa Indonesia (KMI) yang berlangsung selama empat hari sebelumnya. Dalam rapat itu, sekitar 100 mahasiswa yang terbagi dalam 10 komisi merumuskan permasalahan bangsa dari berbagai bidang. Hasil rapat antarkomisi BEM Seluruh Indonesia itu menyimpulkan bahwa kepemimpinan nasional yang lemah telah membuat kedaulatan dan kesejahteraan bangsa tidak tercipta.

“Kami mendambakan pemimpin nasional yang berpihak pada rakyat, bukan pemimpin yang justru lebih mementingkan keperluan partainya,” kata Humas BEM Seluruh Indonesia Eka Nugraha. Eka mengatakan, Sumpah Mahasiswa ini tidak terbatas pada pemilihan umum (Pemilu) 2009 saja. Sumpah ini ditargetkan baru efektif pada tahun 2025.

“Pada saat itu, kami proyeksikan kami yang sekarang ini mahasiswa sudah punya kesempatan di dalam dunia politik. Sumpah ini adalah ikatan bagi kami saat itu,” kata Mahasiswa Fakultas Teknik Jurusan Teknik Elektro UGM itu.

Ketua BEM Universitas Mataram, Hijrah mengungkapkan, keikutsertaannya dalam organisasi kepemudaan didorong oleh panggilan moral untuk mewujudkan kesejahteraan rakyat di daerahnya dan Indonesia pada umumnya. Motivasi ini timbul karena sejak kecil dia kerap mendengar keluhan orang tentang kondisi negara yang tidak mampu menyejahterakan rakyatnya.

“Mau tak mau, saya merasa terpanggil,” kata mahasiswa Fakultas Keguruan dan Ilmu Kependidikan itu.

Irene Sarwindaningrum

LOL. It’s only four/five days since my post that rambles about student activism in Indonesia was posted. I was just reading Kompas newspaper, and I found this one article. The title in English reads : Executive Student Bodies in Indonesia Will Renew the Youth Pledge.

 

Gerakan Mahasiswa

BEM Seluruh Indonesia Akan Perbarui Sumpah Pemuda

Jumat, 24 Oktober 2008 | 01:05 WIB

Yogyakarta, Kompas - Badan Eksekutif Mahasiswa Seluruh Indonesia menyelenggarakan Konferensi Mahasiswa Indonesia guna memperbarui Sumpah Pemuda 1928. Kongres yang berlangsung di Yogyakarta, 23-28 Oktober, ini diikuti perwakilan mahasiswa dari setidaknya 80 perguruan tinggi dari seluruh Indonesia.

Koordinator Pusat Badan Eksekutif Mahasiswa (BEM) Seluruh Indonesia, Budiyanto, mengatakan, Sumpah Pemuda perbaruan akan berisi pernyataan sikap dan komitmen mahasiswa terhadap berbagai persoalan bangsa, terutama kepemimpinan nasional. Detail Sumpah Pemuda perbaruan yang dideklarasikan 28 Oktober akan dibahas selama konferensi.

”Puluhan tahun Indonesia merdeka, tetapi tidak ada pemimpin yang benar-benar mampu menyatukan semua elemen bangsa dan mengatasi persoalan di Indonesia,” katanya di sela-sela diskusi pembuka konferensi Secangkir Kopi untuk Bangsaku di Yogyakarta, Kamis (23/10).

Menurut Budiyanto, Sumpah Pemuda 1928 masih relevan, tetapi diperlukan cara pandang baru, yaitu cara pandang yang lebih jauh ke depan menghadapi persoalan bangsa. Dalam konferensi dirumuskan langkah mahasiswa secara konkret dan detail.

Selain itu, kata Budiyanto, Sumpah Pemuda perbaruan bertujuan mengingatkan kembali kaum muda Indonesia akan komitmen pendiri bangsa. Sumpah Pemuda perbaruan diharapkan mampu menjadi tonggak bersatunya kembali kaum muda untuk mencapai tujuan bangsa sebagaimana terdapat dalam Undang- Undang Dasar 1945. ”Esensi yang kami usung tetap sama, yaitu bersatu nusa, bangsa, dan bahasa,” tuturnya.

Dalam konferensi itu juga akan dibahas Tujuh Gugatan (Tugu) Rakyat yang disampaikan melalui deklarasi dan aksi simpatik.

Mantan Ketua Mahkamah Konstitusi Jimly Asshiddiqie dalam diskusi mengatakan, persatuan pelajar dan mahasiswa sangat penting dalam menghadapi berbagai persoalan bangsa. Pemuda juga harus sadar, persatuan yang dimaksudkan bukanlah keseragaman yang mematikan keberagaman. ”Misalnya bahasa Indonesia sebagai bahasa persatuan bukan berarti sebagai satu-satunya bahasa yang diakui bangsa dan negara,” katanya.

Menurut Jimly, Sumpah Pemuda menunjukkan peran penting pemuda dalam mewujudkan persatuan dan kesatuan.

Dari Yogyakarta, Rektor Universitas Paramadina Anies Baswedan juga menyatakan, bangsa Indonesia, khususnya generasi muda, harus lebih optimistis menatap masa depan negeri ini. Bangsa Indonesia lebih banyak bersikap pesimistis terhadap kondisi negara. Gejala pesimistis terlihat setelah 10 tahun pascareformasi 1998.

Ia mengemukakan itu dalam sarasehan Menuju Indonesia Mulia yang merupakan rangkaian peringatan 100 tahun Kongres I Boedi Oetomo di Aula Budi Utomo, SMA Negeri 11 Yogyakarta, Rabu malam. (eng/ire)

Well, I hope everything will go smoothly. Let us bring our motherland back together in unity and move forward to a brighter future!!!!

Should’ve posted this yesterday but I was too tired. LOL. So, yeah! MSCSA General Assembly ended on Sunday, Otober 19, 2008, on 3:20 PM. It was intense!!!!

The day started when I woke up late. LOL. But breakfast was 8:30-9:30, so it was a little bit later. But I needed to pack all my things because We’re checking out from the hotel room early to avoid last minute rush. After packing was done, Me and myfriends got breakfast right before the General Assembly summit started.

In the summit meeting, we pretty much talked about the constitutions. The main topic is whether MSCSA wanted to continue its membership with USSA. After listening in to some people talking, the main concern of joining USSA is that USSA has affiliations with organizations unrelated to higher education. Therefore, there is a chance of diverting attention from what should be the focus of USSA: higher education. These issues cover, for example, lower tuition rates and transfer process.

A lot of discussions and debates happened. The motion to continue membership was amended and re-amended more than three times. Two hours into the before-lunch session, the decision hasn’t been made. Finally, an hour after lunch, it was passed. MSCSA will continue membership with USSA, although with a condition that USSA maintain membership fee of $100/campus, which brings the fee to $4600.

The next part of the meeting primarily talked about the platform document, the working guidelines of MSCSA. This document contains what MSCSA supports and what MSCSA does not support.

During that last 2 hours, a lot of articles were amended. None of them effect me myself but one: Article III, section A, number 22.

It reads: [MSCSA supports] The elimination of all non-resident tuition rates. Further, MSCSA supports making any student that completed 3
years of high school in Minnesota and meets all other eligibility requirements eligible for all forms of financial aid.

The part in bold was implemented state-wide, starting last year. It allows me to have a tuition equal to resident tuition, even though I am not a resident. 20 minutes before the meeting was scheduled to end, somebody made a motion to strike (delete) that part.

Unfortunately, I was in the restroom at that time… When I got back into the hall, the voting was just going to take place. I guess a lot of discussions were made because there was a motion to move to the previous question (meaning the discussion is taking too long and we decided to proceed to voting right away).

It was intense for me while I was holding my ’paddle’, which read a big red NAY for opposing to strike the sentence. LOL. It took a roll call to decide. And the result: THE MOTION WASN’T PASSED!!!! Meaning, my tuition will still be low. ^^

Well, tha GA has ended. It was a fun and great new experience for me. Today will be a new day. A new week. A MONDAY!!!! Have a great week, everyone!!!!

Three days have gone by. Today is very interesting. Today is the excalation day before the summit of general assembly tomorrow, which will decide the direction in which MSCSA will take.

The only workshop session of the day, and the last session of the whole event, is about the history of American student associations. The presenter is Angus Johnston, a historian and used-to-be student activist. His website is: Student Activism.

So, this is the history as I understand it.

The student organizations started appearing around 1960. At that time, students attended college not because of the classes, but because of the ‘extracurricular activities’. This behaviour is so violent that the school administrations struggle to keep the students from ruling the campuses. They try to find a way to wrestle thepower from students.

After World War 2 ended, the GI bill was implemented, which allows veterans who came back from the war to go back to school and finish their education. Up to that time, college is only for rich and elite kids. These veterans, having fought in the pacific for years, were forced to submit to ridiculous rules like wearing freshmen beanies.

In 1971, the voting age in the US was lowered from 21 to 18, making college students an adult. As an adult, they feel the need to build up resistance against the school administration. This is the initial form of student organizations: resistance.

One example that is Mr. johnston’s favorite was told by Beth Bailey in her book:Sex in The Heartland. In this book, Beth bailey told of the panty raids.

During those days, there were no co-ed dorms. Men and women live separately like aliens from mars and venus. Therefore, the men likes to strom the women’s dorm in large numbers to look for panties and bras, and then ran out and wave them around like a trophy.

One day, the dean heard that there will be a panty raid in the women’s dorm so he brought the faculties and barred the door of women’s dorms. Then, he told the dorm occupants “Don’t worry. The teachers are here. You’re safe.We won’t let the men in.” It turned out that the women supported the men and throw eggs at the teachers. They refuse to submit to the college’s rule. In Johnston’s words, they want to do it in such a large number that the rule cannot expell them all. For once, the day is theirs.

According to Mr. Honston, history of student activism pretty much died in 1980 after The Kent State Shooting at the University of Texas. In fact, he said that people has been asking them where the heck student activism is all this time?

Well, It’s still around. It just changed the form of student activism. In February, when Waller County in Texas, a primarily rural county about 60 miles outside Houston, made the decision to offer only one early voting location:  at the County Courthouse in Hempstead, TX, the county seat, students from Prairie View A&M University marched down to register to vote (see this link:Prairie View A&M march). Now is that student actvism or what?

Well, I got curious and I googled student activism in Indonesia and this is what I’ve found:Gerakan Mahasiswa Indonesia. Ok… It’s wikipedia. But why did the history stopped in 1998? Well, it doesn’t stop at 1998. There are still student activism out there. it’s just that it’s too embarassing to report.

Going to local newspaper, this is what I found: Mahasiswa UIM Tawuran. Now is that embarassing or what?

Anyways, the main topic of the day is whether or not MSCSA will continue its membership with USSA (United States Student Association. For the past year, MSCSA has been a ‘trial’ member. Now that a year has gone, some students say that MSCSA should not continue its membership. Part of the concernis that USSA deal with matters that doesn’t have anything to do with higher education, and therefore, can divert attention from the main problem of higher education in the US.

So, the president of USSA gave a talk and there was a QnA session. A lot of questions were asked and I think the students still feel a strong emotion against joining USSA. I imagine tonight there will be a lot of discussions in the hallways tonight. But tomorrow, in the General Assembly, the voting will take place.

Gosh… student activism is awesome in US. They are involved in politics and supports the country a lot. I hope Indonesia is like that. It is unlucky that I haven’t gone home for more than  a year now…

Anyways, I will report the result tonight, and maybe post some pictures after I got home.

Well, the second day of GA went well, except that I found out that I have to eat ‘bunny food’ for appetizer in EVERY meals!!! LOL. Well, not exactly ‘bunny food’. It’s Cesar salad. But even you get bored aftetr eating Cesar salad for three straight meals. Oh well, lets go back to the main point : the GA.

The 1st workshop I attended today is about Citizen Journalism.According to the presenter, citizen journalism is when people are not just the audience, but they share news with each other, especially underreported news. This journalism can be in any form: writing, photograph, or audio or video recording, and it doesn’t have to be in broadcast quality, as long as the content can still be understood by theaudience.

One advantage of this is, of course, that underreported news is also covered, while the attention of the main mass media is attracted to ‘the big news’. And these news are reported without media filtering and doesn’t follow any script or agenda. It just happened spontaneously. BANG! Just like that. Factual and objective.

However, we also have to be careful because when we broadcast (i.e. upload in youtube or show it to friends), we are considered like the mass media and therefore, we must hold accountable. Others, we can’t invade people’s provacy. It is still an interesting concept though, and I got the presenter’s name card coz I think Century Times, my college’s student newspaper, would really love to have a workshop like that.

THe second workshop was about the changing Minnesota. The presenter was Mr. Tom Gillaspy, a state demographer for department of administration. He showed us statistic on population growth, age distributions, and work opening prospects for current college students in Minnesota.

He also told some scary facts and challenges that college students will face in the next 3 decades, such as:

• rising health care and related costs
• underfunded promises (like social security)
• infrastructure rebuilding (you remember 35W bridge that collapsed in downtown Twin Cities)
• rebuilding financial structures and paying debts

And he said that these challenges will be met against a background of slowing labor force growth & loss of workers in key professions. THis is because the ‘baby boomers’ that are born in 1950 (?) after the WW2 is now getting old and entering retirement age. But this also means that job prospects for college students will be great. There will be more job openings as those older generations go into retirement. I am so excited! LOL

Third workshop i attended was kinda awkward for me. The title of “Equality, Safety, and Changing Minds” was interesting to me. But I didn’t read the content description, which actually explains that this workshop is about GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender) issues. Itntalked about how to create a save environmetn for talking about GLBT issues.

I was actually amazed that this is a great issue around campus as a lot of students from other colleges joined the discussion. It also made me remember that Century College’s only club about GLBT, the Q&S club, is like on the verge of dying. I’ve only seen Courtney in there, managing it alone. It’s funny because I am supposed to be in Diversity Committee on campus and it covers GLBT issues too.

Next, I went to a session about personal growth. It talks mostly about overcoming adversities and challenges in your life, and how to live ‘happily’. It’s not really interesting to me so I’ll leave it alone.

In the last session, I was pulled in by Pam, my Student Senate VP, to go to Civic Engangement workshop that talks about GOTV (Get Out The Vote). This year, Minnesota is big in getting college age people to vote. The reason is because the rate of voters from this age groups has been the lowest in all group ages.

This was even made to be the main topic for lunch keynote speaker. Secretary of State Mark Ritchie came and talked about voter registrations on campuses. Century was second place in getting the most new voter registrations and pledges, behind Inver Hills.

But anyways, it really amazed me how people are very excited to getting out the vote here in the US. In my country, even the politicians say “lets not vote”. I saw that a couple months ago in Indonesia’s local newspaper. It really saddened me. The Indonesia’s election is in 2009, and you’re telling people not to vote? No wonder Indonesia is so ‘bobrok’!

I wish college students back home are more active in politics. Well, they are. but what I want is not like the one hapeniong currently, people go out into the streets, shouting and yelling, fight with each other, throwing stones…. That’s democracy? I call that war…

Anyway, after all those workshops, there was a talent show kinda thing. I challenge Vue, a senator who came with us from Century, to do a “poetry slam”. So he did a poem aboutleadership and I did a poem about “I am an engineering, hug me”. The idea actually came from my cousin at Virginia Tech. (Thanks, yo!^^). Surprisingly, it went really well. And in the end, one weird guy actually ran to me and hugged me. LOL

This is what the poem is really like. I’m not sure whether it’s the same as the one I recited, coz I did some on-the-spot improvisation. I warn you, though, that this is kinda R-rated, coz that’s what stand-up poem is in the US. ^^

I’m an engineer, hug me
Coz if it hadn’t been for me, you wouldn’t have had a car
Coz if it hadn’t been for me, you wouldn’t have had a cell phone
Coz if it hadn’t been for me, you wouldn’t have had a computer
Coz if it hadn’t been for me, the Statue of Liberty would crumble

By now, my friend would be calling me to have a peek on my lab report
By now, my mum would be calling me to ask whether I’ve finished my homework
By now, I should be asking myself “what am I doing here at GA while I have 3 assignments due Monday and a lab report due Tuesday!”
But I don’t care, because I know a lot

I can understand the world in many ways
When you hear uh-uh, you call it S*X
When I hear uh-uh, I call it integral 3x (it looks similar when you write it in bold letters. LOL)
I even understand why the chicken cross the road!
Fellas say why!
Fellas say why!
Fellas say why! (the audiences were supposed to shout ‘WHY?!’, and they did)

I don’t know (this made the audiences ROFL)
I don’t know about a lot of things
I don’t know about a lot of things even though I study twelve hours a day
I don’t know about a lot of things even though Minnesota provides me with the best education I can possibly have
I don’t know about a lot of things even though my parents will be paying 40-grants a year of tuition to support my education (this is just to mention about high tuition rate issue, which is BIG in MSCSA)

But that’s OK, because I am not an engineer yet
That’s why I want to be an engineer
So hug me
because I want to make the world a better place to live.

Done. ^^ So, good night, guys!!!! I am off to bed!!! Zzzzz……

Politic has been getting interesting lately. The reason is because the US presidential election is coming in about 3 weeks. I can’t wait to see how it goes and who will win.

Yesterday (Wednesday), I watched the 3rd and last presidential debate. It was John McCain’s last chance to make his stand directly against Barack Obama. Now, just because Obama had 4 years of Indonesia education, doesn’t mean I favor Obama to McCain. I don’t understand most of the issues myself.

But after focusing to take notes for my sociology assignment about the debate, I understand about one thing : their tax cut plans. I used to think that “they’re both giving tax cuts, so what’s the difference. Well, there are differences. Obama is planning to give the tax cut to people in middle class. John McCain is planning to give the tax cuts to corporations.

John McCain’s reason is because corporations are shipping jobs oversesas, mainly China, because tax is too high in he US.If they are given tax cuts, they will want to stay in US and provide more jobs for the people.

Obama wants to give tax cut to middle class because, well, they need the money for health care, school/college tuition, etc.

That much I understand. However, Mr. Nelson, my sociology teacher, said that tax cut is not the problem. Whoever you give the tax cut to, if it does end up in increasing amount of money in the middle class’ pocket, what will they do with it? SHOP SHOP SHOP!!!!

The issue is not in the high tax rate or low income. It is in the ideology of how we live. Like in previous assignment, I stated that consumerism has become the “way of life” for Americans. And like my roommate, X, said, they can’t survive if they keep living like this. Interesting, huh?

Now, done with national politics. I’m now lying in bed at St. Paul/Minneapolis Airport Hilton Hotel. I am attending MSCSA (Minnesota State Colleges Student Association) General Assembly with the my college’s, Century College, student senate members.

Today is mostly leadership workshops. I went to three of them. The first is about networking, presented by our own student senate advisor, Mr. Rick Nelson. He told us some tips for successful leadership:

• promise what you can deliver, and deliver more than you promise
• you do not demand respect. You earn it.

This one he said when warning Dr. O’Brien, our college president, that in MnSCU policy, there is a rule that college president can be employed WITHOUT GETTING PAID. Therefore, you have to be respectful if you want to get paid. ^^

• Dreams, Visions, Goals (realistic!)
• There is no generation gap, only communication gap.
• ASK! How can you get what you want if you don’t ask.
• Listen, look, learn.
• If it is to be, it’s up to ME

And he also gave a funny example of the benefit he get from networking. He said that in a month, he attended the super bowl, the opening ceremony of Special Olympic, and 3 other events I can’t remember without paying a single dollar because he got connections. Hmm… Interesting.

The second workshop I went to was Campus Issues Roundtable. It wasn’t acctually a workshop, but a discussion about issues in Minnesota college campuses. We discused a lot, i.e. smoking ban in campuses, day care, academic support, student involvement, parking, food service, etc.

Third one was about parliamentar Procedure. The procedure used currently in Minnesota is the Robert’s Rule. This workshop explains the basic of the rule, such as how to make a motion, the proper way of discussions and debates, logical preceeding, etc.

This workshop opened my eyes that my sudent senate has been doing the wrong thing this whole time!! LOL. For example, when a motion was made, it has to be seconded. The person giving the ’second’ doesn’t mean s/he supports the motion, but supports that the motion should be discussed. And that’s what we’ve been misunderstanding. We think that seconding means s/he supports the motion.

Still confused? Lets say, I made a motion to order pizza. And then, my friend, Jake, seconded the motion. It doesn’t mean that he agreed that we should order pizza, but agree that we should discuss whether to buy pizza or not, why and why not buy pizza.

After all the workshops, we had dinner. The dinner was turkey melt with salad appetizer and ice cream for the dessert. It was YUMMY!!!! Well, it’s Hilton. But I think that Indonesian hotels are still better. We have MUCH MUCH bigger pools and brighter ballrooms.

Oh well. I got to stay here for free. So why complain? LOL. So, I’m going to sleep now. A lot of things going on tomorrow. I’ll write some more tomorrow. For the time being, have a good night! ^^

This article was taken from New York Times.

The current amount of the U.S. national debt is shown on the National Debt Clock in New York, Thursday, Oct. 9, 2008. In a sign of the times, the National Debt Clock has run out of digits to record the growing figure. As a short-term fix, the digital dollar sign on the billboard-style clock near Times Square has been switched to a figure _ the “1″ in $10 trillion. It’s marking the federal government’s current debt at about $10.2 trillion. (AP Photos/Bebeto Matthews)

Debt clock draws confused looks, anger or nothing