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Knights’ Rugby to Host a Bullfight on Saturday

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Kyle McCormick

January 31, 2013

This Saturday, February 2nd, at 11AM, the UCF Men’s Rugby team will host a grudge match against the USF Bulls.  The game will be played on the grass practice field adjacent to the IM fields.

After going undefeated last semester and winning the State of Florida Tournament in the fall, UCF is aspiring to go on to the national competition. Team captain, Gerhard Veit, is confident and excited for the spring season to get underway. “USF always brings a good level of competition and we haven’t played for over a month so I can’t wait to play this out on Saturday,” Veit said.

Rugby is a game unknown to most Americans.  Similar to trying to explain the beauty of American football to a soccer-loyal foreigner in a mere paragraph, this brief synopsis only grazes the tip of the iceberg of the fast paced, brutal and exciting game of rugby.

Like most sports, the game consists of two teams being pitted head to head, 15 noggins per team. There are two units on each team, split into Forwards and Backs.  Points are gained by placing the ball in the other team’s tryzone (endzone), or kicking the ball through the posts placed similarly to field goal posts. No forward passes are allowed but forward kicking is. The game lasts 80 minutes with a 10-minute halftime.

“Even if people don’t know what is going on, it’ll be fun to watch 30 men beat the crap out of each other for over an hour. The most important rule is to root for the boys in Black and Gold,” Veit said.

There is no cost for admission and all are welcome to come out and cheer for the Knights to ‘beat the crap’ out of the Bulls.


Lifehouse Opens Universal Orlando Mardi Gras Concert Series

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Universal Studios Orlando kicks off its Spring Mardis Gras concert series with Lifehouse performing this Saturday, February 9, 2013 at 8:30 p.m.

Lifehouse comes to Universal


According to Universal Orlando, “Lifehouse have made soul-searching their calling card with songs like “Hanging By a Moment,” “You And Me,” “Whatever It Takes,” and “Halfway Gone.” Their music has been heard on TV in Grey’s Anatomy, One Tree Hill, and others, as well as the film, The Time Traveler’s Wife.”

Steve Miller band comes to Universal Mardi Gras Feb. 16 and then Boys Like Girls come Sunday Feb. 17. Click below for info on tickets, packages and annual passes to see the shows!

Marco Rubio Grabs Water, Takes Swig in SOTU Response

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Twitter is on fire with Sen. Marco Rubio after he grabbed an awkward swig of bottled water while giving his State of the Union response to President Barack Obama.

Like us to get news like this on your facebook feed!

Speak out below about what you think about the water break. Also watch KnightNews.com’s last interview with Rubio, where we asked him about Student Government officials hiding how they spend public money.

Stranded Cruise Ship Nightmare Expected to End Soon

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The Carnival Cruise ship, Triumph, that has been stranded at sea nearly a week is expected to dock tonight after being pulled in by four tug boats.

A fire broke out on the ship days ago, shutting down the engines and most of the electricity. Since then, over 4,000 passengers have been stranded aboard the ship.

“More than 3,000 passengers and 1,000 crew members living in squalid conditions since fire knocked out power on Sunday, CNN reports. “Tugboats towing crippled Carnival Triumph from Gulf of Mexico to Alabama port,” CNN says.

On board, passengers described to MSN news the overflowing toilets, sewage backed up in showers, scarce food and people getting sick, bringing the scene into sharper focus after a week at sea. What began as a four-day voyage in the Gulf of Mexico has turned into a vacation nightmare, not at all the luxury cruise touted in brochures, MSN news reports.

“The crippled Carnival cruise ship was moving again toward shore Thursday afternoon after a towline snapped, setting it adrift for a brief time,” MSN says.

Check back for more.

Free UCF Classifieds & Help Wanted

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Employers – Have an open position? Email sales@knightnews.com & we’ll post it for FREE (send job description, pay & how to apply)!

China Gourmet Food Driver – Posted 3/7/13

FT or PT Food Deliver Drivers Needed immediately
Where: A Chinese Restaurant near UCF between Dean Rd and University Blvd
Pay: $6/Hr + Tips
Please Call 407-672-0099 or 626-922-0682
Or email to yqtang@gmail.com

Total Quality Logistics Sales Associates – Posted 3/7/13

Total Quality Logistics (TQL) is the Nation’s 2nd Largest 3rd Party Logistics Provider. We are looking for entry-level sales associates to help grow our NEW Orlando office. We offer full benefits, competitive base salary plus commission, and a 6 month training program.

TQL was also recently ranked 74th Best Place to Work in the Nation!

If you are interested, please email Amanda Hughes at: ahughes@tql.com with a current resume.

Swim Kids Swim Instructor – Posted 3/7/13

SwimKids USA is now hiring SWIM INSTRUCTORS! We will train you, so you do not need to have prior experience teaching lessons. However, you must have be good with children, and must have basic knowledge of the swim strokes. FT/PT positions available. Pay Rate: $11 – $15 per hour.
Apply online: www.swimkidsusa.com

Sharks & Minnows Swim School – Updated 3/6/13

Swim Instructors - FT/PT $11-$14/hr

If you’re good come work with the BEST.  Will train. Apply online at: www.sharksandminnows.com or Fax (407)699-8103

Sales & Service/Admin Reps - Pay determined by qualifications

Premium Florida swim school seeks experienced Program Sales & Services employee.  Duties include, but are not limited to answering phones & engaging in consultative sales process, smart scheduling of classes statewide, and professionally handling parent concerns by educating them about the company’s philosophy & mission.

Due to the high profile of the school, this individual must be a self-starter who displays a professional and friendly demeanor. Position may be part time or full time, depending on experience and availability.

To be considered for this position, please submit your application on our website, and you may follow up with resume to info@sharksandminnows.com and include Program Sales & Services in the subject line, or fax to 407-699-8103.

 

Campus Bellhops – Posted 2/25/13
Campus Bellhops is an up-and-coming company that is serving on 55 college campuses from coast to coast and has recently come to UCF.  We are searching for student muscle to assist in moving days, whether it be dorms, apartments, houses, or storage.  We will be hiring roughly 40 male UCF students before the end of this Spring 2013 semester.  Bellhops will be paid a flat rate per move plus tips.
For more information on campus bellhops you can visit our website at: http://www.campusbellhops.com/ or e-mail the Campus Director at:  Breannnicola@knights.ucf.edu
Apply today at:  http://www.campusbellhops.com/join-us/
You can watch our commercial at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpH1Li3huho

Little Aquatics Swim Instructors - Posted 2/21/13

Little Aquatics is currently hiring experienced SWIM LESSON INSTRUCTORS for spring and summer swim lessons.  Must have experience teaching children to swim, be CPR and WSI Certified, be FUN, love kids and have reliable transportation.  Ability for flexible scheduling and great compensation.
Pay:  $15-$25 per hour depending on experience.
How to Apply:  Send your interest and experience to littleaquatics@gmail.com or call (407) 913 – SWIM.

Tutor Needed – Posted 2/20/13
Amazing, Fun & Effective Student Tutor wanted for a 29 yr old Autistic Adult!
Must be able to provide the following services:
· Reading & Comprehension Development
· Language art / communication skills
· The ability to build and increase Math aptitude
· Some Speech pathology
3 days a week for 1.5 hrs per day. Goals and lesson plans are a must. $12 per hour. Please email chitae01@gmail.com

 Network/Linux System Administrator – Posted 2/20/13
Atlantic.Net is currently seeking a Network / Linux SYSTEM Administrator in Orlando, Florida. The successful candidate will design, implement and administer enterprise systems; monitor and enhance system performance, and provide general support tools and systems integration.

The Network / SYSTEM Linux Administrator will also be responsible for collaborating with the Windows and Facilities Engineering Teams to deliver outstanding performance, uptime, and results for mission critical data center applications supporting Atlantic. Net’s hosting solutions including on-demand cloud computing, virtualization, and dedicated hosting solutions.

Primary Responsibilities:

· Plan and deploy operating systems, major hardware upgrades, and projects from concept to deployment.

· Maintain and monitor production systems to ensure optimal performance and uptime.

· Produce and analyze metrics for servers and storage to ensure uptime, enhance performance, and optimize resource allocation and utilization.

· Effectively communicate with IT staff and management at all levels.

· Manage infrastructure to support new and existing server installations, and software/build integration.

· Write necessary code while acting as a team leader in the implementation of related projects and tasks.

· Improve and implement project and process change to meet customer needs and exceed customer expectations.

· Collaborate effectively with first-line IT support staff, end users and other IT teams.

· Engineer, design and deploy high-availability and disaster recovery architectures.

· Deploy load balancing hardware, Cisco routers, switches, network security and firewalls.

If you would like to apply, send a cover letter and resume to: hr@atlantic.net. Be sure to include the title of the position for which you are applying. You will be contacted if further dialogue is needed

RoyaleUSA – Posted 2/11/13

RoyaleUSA is looking for Sales Associates to work in the Florida Mall, Full Time and Part Time available. Previous sales experience and/or speaking a second language is a plus.

How to apply: Call 800-956-0302 or email resume to csr@royale.co.il  www.royalusa.com
Employers – Have an open position? Email sales@knightnews.com & we’ll post it for FREE (send job description, pay & how to apply)!

Ban on Greek Activities Emails from Belinda Boston

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KnightNews.com has received its public records request for UCF Assistant Vice President Belinda Boston’s emails from Feb. 18 to Feb 21.

KnightNews.com filed the public records request to learn more about what went into the decision-making process to enact a ban on most Greek activities, as well as more on the series of secret meetings Boston and other UCF officials attended before enacting the ban.

KnightNews.com has several hundred emails to review. Refresh and check back for updates. New email subjects separated by a line.


Emails and documents of interest we have reviewed are being pasted below:



Click NEXT PAGE to continue reading.

Video of Casey Anthony Arriving in Tampa’s Federal Court for Bankruptcy Hearing

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Casey Anthony is back in court Monday morning for a bankruptcy hearing after being hidden from the public eye for more than a year.

Video shows Casey Anthony was swarmed by media Monday morning as she walked into a Tampa Federal court to participate in a hearing regarding her bankruptcy.

Anthony, 26, filed for bankruptcy in Florida in late January, claiming about $1,000 in assets and $792,000 in liabilities, Local 6 news reports. Court papers list Anthony as unemployed, with no recent income.

Move Over Cash, Hello Bitcoin

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Ever wanted to buy something discretely over the internet? At least in person you can pay with cash. But online, your options are a little more limited. You’d think someone would have found a way to solve this problem. And you’d be right.

Bitcoin is an online, digital currency that can be exchanged without using any personal information. Finally you can purchase something online without the whole world knowing. Is it too good to be true? I’ll let you judge for yourself.

Tell Me More

Bitcoins are generated & transferred using the bitcoin software. The software is open source which means anyone can download it, open the hood, see how it works, change it, and run it. Changes will be ignored if they conflict with the majority of people running the software. There are currently thousands of computers connected to the bitcoin network making sure new transactions are validated & recorded. They are also rewarded for their efforts with transaction fees and new bitcoins generated by the software about every 10 minutes.

New bitcoins will only be generated for about a century until the 21M limit is reached. The closer to the limit, the less & less new bitcoins are generated every 10 minutes. Currently, most transactions can be made for free. But the closer we get to that limit, the more transaction fees will increase.

To create a transaction, you need a bitcoin address.

What is a Bitcoin Address

A bitcoin address is kind of like an email address. Anyone can send bitcoins to your bitcoin address, but you need the password to spend them. The address is created from the password so you only really need access to the password. It is safe to give out your address because it can’t be reverse-engineered to get your password.

The easiest way to get a password is to use a website or download software to randomly generate one. By randomly creating one, no one will know you own the corresponding address unless you tell them. Some applications will store your password in a “wallet” for you so you don’t have to memorize long random letters & numbers.

Be very careful. If you lose or someone steals your password, your bitcoins will be gone forever. It is best to keep it in a safe place & very cautious of what websites you generate or keep them on. Some applications will even give you a printable version you can store in a safe.

How To Send Them

When you want to transfer a few coins, you just need the password, how many coins, and what address they are going to. The application you store your wallet with will broadcast this transaction information to the bitcoin network. The pending transaction will appear instantly & confirm in less than 10 minutes. But to be safe, you should probably wait an hour for large amounts.

To prevent fraud & keep accountability, every transaction is publicly available. Because anyone you give your address to can see how many bitcoins it holds, it is always best to create a new address for every transaction. Although everyone can see addressone gave addresstwo 5 bitcoins, because addresses are randomly generated, no one knows who owns what addresses.

How To Get Some

Although you can get bitcoins by downloading the software & helping the network, you need an extremely powerful computer. So instead of getting new bitcoins, it is usually easier to find someone willing to trade you something for them. Now you need to find an exchange.

There are several websites (coinbase & Mt. Gox) that will convert dollars to bitcoins for a small fee. First, you will need to link a bank account & transfer dollars to the exchange. It may take a few days for the money to be transferred. Once the exchange has received your dollars, you can place a bitcoin buy order.

If you feel uneasy about linking your bank account or pressed for time, there’s a website that will show you people in your area willing to exchange cash for coins. Most people won’t accept reversible forms of payment such as Paypal or credit cards for bitcoins because bitcoins are irreversible.

What Can I Do With Them

There are several companies that accept bitcoins for different goods & services, but most also accept dollars. The two most popular reasons to purchase bitcoins are for investment & black market activities.

Due to a maximum limit of total bitcoins, they are being used as a hedge against inflation. I wouldn’t commit my whole life savings, but it is always good to disversify.

With growing regulation from gambling to drugs, bitcoin has offered a way for people to get what they need with less risk. I don’t condone these actions, but bitcoin certainly provides a unique solution to circumventing the law.

How Safe Is It

Because of its decentralized nature, it would be very difficult to shutdown. Third party exchanges & online wallets have been compromised, but the core bitcoin network has not. The software is also open source so anyone can take a look for flaws. Although there is a core group of developers that make modifications to the software, they are not necessarily in charge or own it. And the changes they make can be ignored by a majority of the bitcoin network in case of mistakes or malicious intent.

Implications

As of writing this article, the bitcoin market cap is $450M with each bitcoin worth $42 and steadily rising. Bitcoin fills a niche that not much else can. But first, it will have to be thoroughly vetted. If bitcoin becomes popular enough, more competiting cryptocurrencies may emerge. Maybe the cryptocurrency without a hard supply limit is better suited. Finally, people will have a choice without having to change their residence.

Cryptocurrencies open the door to a lot of new possibilities. Ability to use the vending machine without having small bills or change. No more “$5 minimum credit card purchase” at the gas station. Easy way to tip or split a restaurant check with friends. No more account overdraft fees. Cheaper prices in general due to low transaction fees. No worry of being mugged for it or your card being skimmed. Play poker online without the risks of Black Friday. This is the future.


Sunshine Week: Why We Think Openness is so Important at UCF

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In 1787, a document was birthed in order to regulate a diversified nation; at the time, to only create a government that would not be able to rule tyrannically but instead, serve citizens rightfully. Today that document, known as the United States Constitution, contains important amendments and laws which aim at providing citizens with three things: Life, Liberty and a pursuit of happiness.

Each citizen of the United States of America is guaranteed certain freedoms–the right to bear arms, the right to a jury of peers and the right to a government that is fair and just, among many other things. However, standing up for these freedoms and all the others that every citizen of this nation has a right to has become increasingly difficult in today’s busy society, where it’s hard to gather enough support to fight to defend certain freedoms.

And so, from a local standpoint, there are freedoms granted by laws that have trickled down through the United States Constitution that are being impeded, right in front of your unsuspecting eyes.

GUILTY UNTIL PROVEN INNOCENT

The University of Central Florida employs its own court, for every student and organization enrolled on campus, to hold accountable those who UCF believes frayed from the rules of the school. This court, known as the Office of Student Conduct, however, does not follow the law of the land like courts of the United States do–instead, this court devises its own rules and regulations and operates in secrecy for matters of dealing with conduct.

In recent months, several fraternal organizations have been suspended by UCF for allegations relating to hazing. In the end, the entire Greek Life system at the school was shut down to deal with these issues. Without an initial hearing, without a charge, sometimes without sufficient evidence, these organizations have been ruled guilty until proven innocent and slapped with a sentence of suspension.

Due process, a right granted to every citizen of the United States, gives a person accused of a crime the legal rights owed to them: a speedy trial, trial by jury, presumption of innocence and an open proceeding–a right that protects against abuse and manipulation of cases by the prosecution.

ANONYMITY

A man walks out of his house to find police officers surrounding him. They cuff him, take him directly to the county jail and close the metal bars where the man sits for ten days. He receives no explanation other than a generalized statement as to why he was arrested and sentenced, without so much as a meeting with officials. And for ten days he sits in jail until an informal hearing, conducted in secrecy, notifies him that an anonymous letter sent to police says he assaulted someone–but police have never seen or met the accuser.

The anecdote above is a “real-world” situation construed to match the situation that faced UCF and a fraternity on campus late last semester.

The fraternity, Alpha Tau Omega, was suddenly suspended after an anti-hazing speaker, David Stollman, received an anonymous hazing tip that alleged the fraternity committed brutal acts of hazing. Without ever seeing the letter or meeting with the accuser, UCF suspended the fraternity and then conducted several secret hearings and decided the fraternity was guilty of hazing. The case was never turned over to police for a “constitutional” investigation, but merely ruled upon by a secret panel.

To this day, the anonymous hazing letter has been seen by no one except for the anti-hazing speaker, David Stollman, who refuses to release the email that sparked the fraternity’s suspension. While not condoning hazing in any form, every person, organization or student, should have a right to a public trial and a right to face the accuser–irrevocable rights granted by the United States Constitution.

In the end, the organization was reportedly not guilty of the allegations in the letter, but UCF has since deemed they were guilty of hazing for having too many study hours.

OPEN FOR INSPECTION

The United States government, from courts to elected officials, provides its citizens with a realm of “openness.” Meaning that records are available to any member of the public who seeks them, trials and court hearings are open for viewing and information about those elected by citizens is available–for scrutiny, accountability and even curiosity.

At the University of Central Florida, this is also the case for many things. Many records, such as contracts, employee information, and budgets are open for any member of the public to view, no questions asked. (Although, many times those in charge of the records do ask questions, which is a violation of the law). The same goes for meetings involving UCF officials, being required by the law to be open to any member of the public who wishes to attend.

But then there are the records and the meetings that are held secretly, away from the public eye which helps to ensure accountability and fairness.

Take again the example of the fraternal organizations who were suspended. Hearings which determine the fate of these organizations – discussing evidence, questioning witnesses and those involved – are held in secrecy. Thus, leaving the public unable to verify the legitimacy of those conducting the hearing and judging the outcome and ensuring abuse or manipulation is not committed. Because these processes are held out of the pubic eye, nothing can be considered trusted.

Now, not everything is entitled to be open; FERPA (The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act) is a federal law that protects privacy of student education records. In other words, it DOES NOT allow for any member of the public to view student records such as grades. The issue is, however, that a school such as UCF is taking advantage of a law in a way it was not intended, nor rightfully allowed.

Claiming that certain records or hearings are closed due to FERPA can not apply to organizations such as fraternities nor elected officials such as members of the student government, none of which relate to personal student records, according to first amendment experts.

DEFENDING RIGHTS

These rights granted to all citizens, including students, are part of a system devised to protect society against ruling dictators, unfair prosecutions and ensure every person is treated equally and fairly. While the mentioned situations do not account for a majority at a school of nearly 60,000, the rights are, nonetheless, are being hindered. And if it is happening to these groups, it can just as easily happen to you.

In the end, it is a simple matter of working to provide justice to those involved. Open government is good government and if it isn’t open, why not? What is there to hide?

To read more about Sunshine Week and the importance of having open access laws, click here.

Sources: UCF Wants Sigma Chi Fraternity Kicked Off for Years; AEPi Removed for a Year

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Sources are telling KnightNews.com that the UCF student conduct board has recommended that the Sigma Chi fraternity be suspended from campus until 2016. The board also recommended Alpha Epsilon Pi be suspended for a year, sources say.

During closed hearings, a UCF conduct board first decides whether the organization is in-violation or not in-violation. The conduct board then recommends a punishment to UCF if it finds that the organization is in-violation.

We are currently awaiting an official word from UCF.

KnightNews.com has obtained exclusive audio from the first part of the Sigma Chi hearing. Click the links below to listen to raw audio of that hearing.

Sigma Chi Audio 1

Sigma Chi Audio 2

Sigma Chi Audio 3

Sigma Chi Audio 4

Sigma Chi Audio 5

Continue to check back on this breaking news.

Rapidly Expanding Nutrition Chain, Total Nutrition, is Generating a lot of Buzz with Free Custom Meal Plans

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Now the closest nutrition store to campus, Total Nutrition isn’t your average supplement store.

“No other store does what we do in terms of personal customization for each customer, we recognize everyone is different and has different goals,” one of the owners Yash Vazirani said. “Instead of recommending short term diets, we help change our customers eating habits and create meal plans for them that not only allow them to eat healthier but save them lots of money as well.”

A meal replacement shake costs about $1, when normally the customer would be spending $4 to $7 to get a meal with that many nutrients and protein.

“Saving money in this economy is important to everyone, especially college students, and we are glad we can help,” Vazirani said.

According to Zach Krempler, the head manager and certified sports nutritionist at Total Nutrition UCF, the most popular item they have brought to the UCF and East Orlando market besides their Lean Active 7 protein is their “Alkalinity Fruits and Greens”.

Juicing, or blending fruits and vegetables together as a meal replacement, is catching on in the clean eating and healthy living culture. This product was specifically designed for these people and for people who don’t like to or don’t have the time to consume their recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables.

Mike Tibbetts, a Total Nutrition customer, said “I can’t bring a blender to class and pull carrots and broccoli out of my bag and blend a drink in the back of the room, so being able to get my daily servings in freeze dried powder form that I can take with me in a ziplock bag and mix with water is so clutch.”

Total Nutrition opened February 2nd in University Shoppes next to World of Beer and Anytime Fitness.

Total Nutrition offers a 10% discount for all UCF students and has even deviated from their regular franchise colors and painted the store Black and Gold to show support for the Knights community.

‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’ Trailer Debuts at MTV Music Awards

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The first trailer for the upcoming Hunger Games film “Catching Fire” was just released on Sunday during the MTV Movie Awards.

Following last year’s massive success with the highly-hyped film, The Hunger Games, the new trailer for the upcoming sequel comes just over a year since the first film’s release.

Catching Fire opens in theaters on November 22, 2013.

One Day More: Les Mis Flashmob hits UCF Student Union | Video

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If you were in the the UCF Student Union earlier today, a flash mob of students singing One Day More from Les Misérables probably caught you by surprise.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjpAhc32S3A

Check out the video of the surprise flash mob shared on YouTube by the Student Union’s Mike Kilbride, that now is becoming viral on Facebook as students share and talk about the flash mob.

New Smyrna Beach Balloon and Sky Fest | Photos

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The New Smyrna Beach Balloon and Sky Fest 2013 took place on April 5-7.

The event features many different shows by airplanes and balloons as well as rides, vendors and more! Check out photos from the event!

Photos by Jennifer Mitchell

Click here for more on the event.

FBI Holding Press Conference on Boston Bombings | Live Video

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The FBI is will hold a press conference at 5 p.m. regarding the Boston Marathon bombings.

Watch live below.

Watch live streaming video from necn_live at livestream.com

Boston Bombing Suspects’ Uncle Calls Them ‘Losers’| Raw Video

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Raw video of the suspected terrorists from the Boston Marathon bombings spoke out this morning, calling his newphews “losers” that brought shame not only to his entire family — but to the entire Chechen people. See the emotional video below, where he demands the surviving suspect turns himself in and asks for forgiveness.

Tweet to Win a Pair of Sunfest 2013 Tickets

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KnightNews.com is giving away (2) ONE-DAY PASSES to the SunFest Music Festival in South Florida to one winner!

SunFest is Florida’s largest waterfront music and art festival. The event is held annually in downtown West Palm Beach, Florida. This year, the festival takes places May 1-5.

Sponsored Advertisement – Story Continues Below

Here’s How To Enter:

1. Tweet this Story:
2.  (Tweets: @UCFKnightNews I want to win tickets to #Sunfest)
3. That’s it!


Contest Rules: Enter by 6 pm on Sunday (4/28/13). Contest open to UCF students and alumni. Contestants names will be submitted to Random.org to pick 1 winner. Winner to be announced no later than 4/30/13 and winner must pickup tickets in UCF area.

Twitter Rules: Only tweet once and one entry per person.


Like us or Follow to keep up with News and Giveaways!



Live Video Stream: Bill Clinton at UCF Graduation

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Former U.S. President Bill Clinton is speaking at UCF’s commencement ceremony on Thursday afternoon, marking his third visit to the school.

Clinton will address graduates of UCF’s College of Health and Public Affairs and the College of Medicine’s Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences. He will also receive and honorary degree from UCF during the ceremony which begins at 2:30 p.m.

Watch LIVE below beginning at 2:30 p.m.

Sponsored Advertisement – Story Continues Below


UCF GRADUATION LIVE STREAM (WHEN AVAILABLE):


For more on Clinton’s visit to UCF, click here.

Personality: Anjella Warnshuis’s Kindness and Creativity Shines Through Her Crafting

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Written by Jalish Dawes

Anjella Warnshuis sat in a leather- black office chair to knit a semi tank top at her desk. She occasionally finds time to work on small crafting projects.

“I am a craft addict,” Warnshuis said, who is an office manager for the African American Studies program and the Zora Neale Hurston Institute for the Documentary Studies.

Warnshuis has been crafting all her life. Warnshuis began drawing and coloring in elementary school. She was first exposed to sewing in high school.

“After taking two semester of sewing in high school, my mom bought me a sewing machine,” Warnshuis said. “She would buy me the most inexpensive fabrics. As a single mom, she did not have a supportive income, which is part of the reason why I have been always a crafty person because we were never rich.”

Warnshuis’s mother’s unsupportive income during her childhood led her to become a creative person.

“We did not buy Hallmark cards,” Warnshuis said. “We were not going to pay $3 to $4 when we could get computer paper and draw our own cards.”

Johanna Garnue, Warnshuis’s long time best friend, remembers her teenage-shocking experience when she visited Warnshuis’s bedroom for the first time. Garnue has known Warnshuis since the eighth grade.

“She had string-table over a long corner,” Garnue said. “She had a drawer full of fabric and a sewing machine in the corner. She had yarn hanging everywhere.”

Johanna remembered Warnshuis showing her unfinished crafting projects.

“Her room literally looked like a messy craft shop than a bedroom,” Garnue said. “I expected it to be more spacious.”

Garnue considered Warnshuis’s crafting hobby as peculiar for an average teenager.

“I will say definitely her room was not a typical girl’s room,” Garnue said. “It was like a workshop.”

Garnue remembered seeing teddy bears and craft items on her bed.

“She sewed shirts together,” Garnue said. “She sewed pillows together.”

Garnue does not visit Warnshuis’s house often.

“As an adult now, I have visited her house a couple of times,” Garnue said. “I do not come to her house a lot because she has two cats. I am allergic to cats.” Garnue, every so often, teases Warnshuis over her large amount of craft supplies at her house.

“I have told her in the past, if I cannot find what I need at a crafting store, like Jo-Anne’s Fabric and Crafting Store or Michaels,” Garnue said. “I am shopping at her place.”

Garnue felt Warnshuis’s crafting hobby has not changed that much over the years.

“All of her crafting stuff is consolidate into one room,” Garnue said.

Sharon Body, Warnshuis’ friend in the Colbourn Hall, feels her crafting bring sout her personality. Body has known Warnshuis at least for four years. They became friends while working in the same building.

Body says she thinks all the bright colors she uses in her crafting symbolizes her warmth and nurturing side. She has used her crafting supplies for Women Studies events in the past.

Winsome Newland, Warnshuis’s bible study leader, feels that Warnshuis is good at crafting. Newland also believes Warnshuis is a generous person in terms of making crafting items and giving them away to others.

“She will give her yarn to anybody,” Newland said. “She gives away good stuff. I am talking about she has quality yard, and she gives me some to try it.”

Newland does not give away her crafting supplies.

“I take much time to do it [crafting]; I only make stuff for me,” Newland said.

Newland feels Warnshuiss’ creative-personality shows in her creating crafting items.

“She is able to make a bunch of stuff out of absolutely nothing,” Newland said.

Newland is able to sum up Warnshuis’s personality in two words.

“The two words that comes to mind about Anjella is kindness and creativity,” Newland said.

Germayne Graham, the president of Black Faculty Staff Association at UCF, unknowingly agrees with all of Newland’s top word choices for Warnshuis’s personality. Graham has known Warnshuis for three to four years. Warnshuis was elected as event chairperson over the BFSA for this current academic semesters.

“She is very creative,” Graham said. “She comes up with new ideas.”

Graham appreciated Warnshuis’s personality while she was working as the event chairperson in the BFSA.

“She is very nice person to work with because she has a kind personality,” Graham said. “On top of that, she is self-sufficient. I love working with her.”

Anthony Major, the director of the African American Studies program, feels Warnshuis has a talent in event planning.

“She is good at maintaining the events for both the African American Studies program and the Zora Neale Hurston Institute for Documentary Studies, which is one of the reasons I thought she deserve to be promoted to another job title,” Major said. “I felt she deserved it and I also felt she deserved a raise because basically, she was doing the job of two people and doing it well.”

Major said Warnshuis occasionally got annoyed with people who asked her dumb questions about the African American Studies program.

Anjella Warnshuis may spend time knitting in her black office chair, but she knows her job is to strictly advise approximately 32 declared African American Studies minor students. She is responsible for completing the paperwork and budget for the Zora Neale Hurston Institute for Documentary Studies. She also is the lead event planner for the John T. Washington banquet every year for UCF.

Sequester Means Reduction in Funds for Students Who Receive Federal Aid for College

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Written by Jalish Dawes

If Congress does not come to agreement in the near future, the sequestration will affect the number of students receiving federal work-study positions, the federal supplemental educational opportunity grant recipients and loan borrowers.

The sequestration is a term from the Budget Control Act of 2011 that was passed in August of 2011 as an “across-the-aboard” Federal budget cut in both defense, domestic, and education in order to decrease the debt deficit. The sequestration became the law of the land because Congress and the Obama Administration did not come to an agreement within weeks before the March 1 deadline.

Mary McKinney, executive director of the student financial assistance, has commented about the sequestration impacting federal assistance programs, particularly the federal work- study program and the federal supplemental educational opportunity program.

“We are not reducing the amount per student because it is not a large amount,” McKinney said. “We are reducing the amount of students that will be able to serve.”

The sequestration has limited the funding for the FWS program. McKinney said approximately $138,000 will be reduced from the FSW program.

There are approximately 30 work-study position will no longer available for the 2013-2014 academic year due to sequester cuts on education. The annual award for 30 potential work
study students are $4,600.

Dayna Brooks is a four year- work-study students at the College of Science. Brooks is among one of 800 work-study students at UCF’s campus.

“If I was not a senior, I would be a little upset,” Brooks said. “I am not affected by the budget cut, but it makes me upset. I know that the future students who qualified for FWS will be affected because it is really hard to find a job.”

McKinney also mentioned the sequestration has reduced money from the FSEOG program.

McKinney said approximately $120,000 will be reduce from the FSEOG program. There are approximately 150 students will impacted by the sequester tax cut for the 2013- 2014 academic year. The annual award for 150 potential FSEO recipients are $800.

Amir Sadeghi, a senior in the philosophy bachelor’s degree program, is disappointed about the reduced amount of funding for potential FSEOG recipient.

“I think these social programs are affecting people in need,” Sadeghi said. “The middle and wealthy people are not being affected by these social cuts; it is the poor people.”

Andre Compagno, electric engineer major, strongly favor for additional help to be given out to students who do not have enough to pay for college.

“If they are not able to afford it, somebody should give them opportunity to help these students pay for college,” Compagno said.

After the sequester went into effect on March 1, the loan fees for Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized loan increased from 1.0 percent to 1.051 percent. David Bergeron, acting assistant secretary for Postsecondary Education, U.S. Department of Education, has sent an Electronic News Announcement letter to all the universities across the globe about the sequester changes in federal assistance programs.

“The loan fee on a loan for $5,500 will increase by $2.80 from $55.00 to $57.80,” Bergeron said.

Brooks is also a senior student majoring in the undergraduate interdisciplinary studies program, she feels the two loan increases are going to affect her last semester in college. I am going to pay more in college to balance out my country’s debt,” Brooks said. “I understand the reasons for the increase, but I am paying more in terms of tuition for being an out-state student.”

Sadeghi also has mixed feelings about the increase $ 2.80 charged to Direct Loan borrowers. Sadeghi has loans for his entire education at UCF because his parents are not able to pay for his tuition.

“I guess it is necessary neither Congress nor Barack Obama could not agree for the amount of spending,” Sadeghi said. “I do not like it, but it is a necessary measure to decrease the deficit.”

On the other hand, Malik Johnson, a freshman student majoring in computer science, is upset about Congress and Barack Obama’s decision to increase loan fees for Direct Subsidized Loans and Direct Unsubsidized Loans. He creates game tutorials for a YouTube channel and receives $20 every thousand viewers.

“I am not really happy,” Johnson said. “It is more money I will have to pay. I now have to put more effort in working harder to produce more money.”

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