Compiled by the Retriever Weekly Features Staff

Virgo- Your new mattress pad is a big improvement. Unfortunately, it will do nothing to help with the nightmares.

 

Libra- The future is looking especially bright for your horrible social anxiety.

 

Scorpio- You’ll be pleasantly surprised by the amount of pictures in your textbooks this year.

 

Sagittarius- You get the feeling that you and your new roommate will get along this semester, but you can’t help feeling a little uneasy about the winky face at the end of every text.

 

Capricorn- The winter break has allowed you to escape the taint of the occult that nearly destroyed you last semester. But for how long?

 

Aquarius- The start of a semester is the perfect opportunity for you to reinvent yourself. Consider a face tattoo.

 

Pisces- Project confidence to your new acquaintances by referring to yourself only in third-person.

 

Aries- You’ll feel disoriented and a little nauseous this week, but that’s normal after time travel. Welcome to the future, pilgrim.

 

Taurus- You’ll never have to deal with the frustration of parking again after your car is stolen.

 

Gemini- The hottie who sits next to you will be enough motivation to get yourself to class, but not enough for you to actually pass.

 

Cancer- Your new roommate is a moaner. Enjoy that.
Leo- The last owner of your anatomy textbook was a skilled artist, but their obsession with one organ in particular will be both distracting and a little unnerving.

Popularity rises but FAA continues to regulate

Drone technologies are becoming more prominent in politics and on college campuses leading UMBC to develop specific UAV policies.

Once ruled by birds and then by planes, the sky’s latest addition includes drones, also known as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

While these aircraft may lack a pilot physically aboard the vehicle, a trained team on the ground controls the UAV through a variety of sophisticated radar systems, image sensors and a network of cameras depicting locations and flight conditions.

Moreover, drone operations have become key national security projects as they precipitate concerns for civilian privacy.

A BBC News article reports that drone use under President Obama’s administration is more than double that employed during President George W. Bush’s time in office, illustrating the technology’s achieved eminence.

While the United States government is currently the principle drone proprietor, these technological advancements have also earned recognition on numerous American college campuses.

In 2009, the University of North Dakota was the first college in the country to institute an unmanned aerial systems major. Kansas State University Salina, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Indiana State University are also following suit by introducing UAV or UAS (unmanned aircraft systems) majors to their aeronautical science programs.

“Just about anything you do with aviation today, you can do with unmanned aerial vehicles in the future,” said Andrew R. Lacher in a New York Times article. Lacher is a researcher affiliated with the Mitre Corporation, a non-profit organization assisting with the government’s UAV programs.

With drone technology amplifying into a “rising new frontier of aviation” according to Lacher, UMBC has also found it necessary to develop policies regarding drone usage for research.

UMBC’s main campus location is categorized as a Class B airspace due to the campus’s vicinity to a major airport, according to a correspondence from the UMBC Office of Research Protections and Compliance.

Additionally, UMBC’s closeness to Washington D.C. poses further flight restrictions and security concerns.

Recognizing such problematic constraints for research institutions, the Federal Aviation Administration is considering public safety, air traffic and the necessity of continual drone research as they detail vigilant UAV flight policies.

“Currently, UMBC is unable to permit the operation of any UAS/UAV/drone on campus and UMBC cannot host research using UAS flight,” reports the UMBC Office of Research Protections and Compliance.

To maintain the university’s dedication to progressive research, collaborative efforts with affiliates including the University of Maryland Unmanned Aircraft Systems Test Site and the Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership (MAAP) are underway to provide researchers with access to UAS approved flight sites and resources.

In consideration of students’ privacy, the UMBC Office of Research Protections and Compliance stated, “UMBC is currently examining these issues, as we want to provide a safe environment for our students, faculty and staff that is conducive to learning, living and working.”

No sign of adoption anytime soon

The mobile payments landscape is not looking good at UMBC as services like Apple Pay and Google Wallet continue to grow in adoption rate.

Forget the bulky wallet and stack of credit cards. Mobile payment technology now makes it easier for users to pay for items with a simple scan of their smartphone.

The partnership between UMBC and PNC Bank provides students with an opportunity to manage their money while on campus.

The ATMs located on campus, the nearby PNC branches and the virtual wallet option ensures students have sufficient resources to easily control their bank accounts.

PNC has embraced Near Field Communication technology, which enables data from a smartphone to be transferred when in close proximity of a platform.

Near Field Communication–enabled smartphones can use platforms like Apple Pay or Google Wallet, allowing users to pay for their purchases simply by hovering their smartphone above a payWave terminal.

Many questions still surround the security of mobile payments and its vulnerabilities to possible hackers. Apple Pay requires identification from the user by requiring a fingerprint or password before completing each transaction.

Apple Pay, which officially released in October 2014, vows to end the days of searching for your wallet and the moments spent finding your card. Anywhere Apple Pay is accepted, both Google Wallet and Softcard are accepted as well.

With PNC now offering NFC payments at select locations, many students may be curiously waiting for this technology to reach the UMBC campus. Paying for lunch at Chick-fil-A or buying a refreshment at Starbucks would become an even quicker task, requiring students to simply scan their iPhone or other smartphone.

Unfortunately, providing students with this convenience would come at a high cost for the university. Near Field Communication technology requires a special platform to receive the information to allow the data to be transferred from a device.

For students to use Apple Pay through PNC bank accounts, an installation of payWave terminals would be required at locations around the UMBC campus.

Another problem with the implementation of mobile payments around campus is the compatibility of devices that accept Apple Pay and Google Wallet.

Cliff Coleman, computer sales manager from the UMBC bookstore, said, “The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, the iPad Air 2, the iPad Mini 3 and the Apple Watch are the only devices currently with the Apple Pay technology.”

Google Wallet is blocked on Verizon and is not integrated with as many banks as Apple Pay.

This poses a problem for students using smartphones from providers other than Apple and running older operating systems unsupported by Apple Pay.

Mobile payments are slowly taking off, providing a quicker and more convenient transaction process for customers. Students will have to continue to wait until they are adopted at campus locations.

 

https://www.apple.com/iphone-6/apple-pay/

http://highedwebtech.com/2014/10/27/campus-ready-apple-pay/

International students will find cheaper off-campus housing

When it comes to finding a place to live year-round, it is more affordable to live off-campus. UMBC offers on campus housing, but international students look elsewhere.

For the majority of students, going home for the holidays is a relatively inexpensive trip. However for many international students this is not the case. Whether it is for financial, academic or work-related reasons, there are a good number of international students who need 12-month housing, and living off-campus is the most economically sound option.

In fact, it may be best that UMBC does not heavily advertise its 12-month on-campus housing plan. It is common knowledge among UMBC students that live in the dorms, let alone the apartments, that on-campus housing can be quite costly. Especially since it is also mandatory to have a meal plan if one is staying in the dorms.

This meal requirement is not pinned onto on-campus apartment residents, and UMBC does offer 12-month housing via Walker Apartments.

Students also have the option of getting 9-month housing in any of the apartments or Potomac Hall and some parts of Harbor Hall, then applying for summer housing in the Terrace apartments. While this option may work for some, it ultimately seems too costly and complicated.

As a Maryland resident, these expenses can seem pretty crazy, and without scholarships, the college loans can get to be pretty steep. Now imagine the expenses for an international student — even more crazy.

On average, the cost of living in a dorm with continuous occupancy (9-month housing) and the minimum meal plan is approximately $1170 per month. The cost of living in the apartments, which all offer 9-month housing, but do not require a meal plan averages at about $775 per month.

Going off campus, the prices get much more reasonable. Off-campus housing near UMBC can vary from $250 to $600 per month. According to the United States Department of Agriculture’s Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, the average monthly cost of food per person is $302.

Not only does off-campus housing give international students more choices, it is obviously much cheaper. Furthermore, a large number of off-campus housing can be found near or on the UMBC shuttle bus route, which is free for students.

There are also many grocery stores and shopping centers located on the UMBC bus routes. From Giant on Wilkens Avenue to the Walmart in Arbutus to the Dollar Tree less than 2 miles from campus, there are affordable grocery options within close proximity.

According to UMBC’s English Language Institute’s (ELI) website, “many ELI students live off campus in the neighborhoods around UMBC.”

Nonetheless, one of the perks of being a college student is having the option to devour down True Grits, and during intense and busy semesters, this can be a very appealing perk. If students wish, they can purchase a meal plan which range from $221 to $2093.

Jaelyn Bos, a sophomore majoring in environmental science, said, “I think UMBC should work with international students to ensure that they are supported year round.”

Even if on-campus 12 month housing is an unaffordable option, UMBC should make sure that international students have choices that fall within their means. UMBC already offers this resource through off-campus housing websites, but more could be done to let people know about the service.

International students have the options of on- or off-campus 12-month housing. With the current costs for on-campus housing, a year round plan would be overly expensive compared to sharing off-campus housing that falls on the UMBC bus route with other UMBC students.

Compiled by the Retriever Weekly News Staff

January 8

Theft From Buildings – AOK Library

January 15

Destruction of Property – Hilltop Circle

January 21

Destruction of Property – Golf Driving Range

January 21

Theft from Buildings – The RAC

Compiled by the Retriever Weekly News Staff

Jan. 19 The Baltimore City Police Department reported two separate shooting incidents on Monday. A woman was reported with critical leg wounds in East Baltimore’s Darley Park area, while two individuals were shot in West Baltimore’s Edgewood neighborhood.

Jan. 20 A Baltimore County 911 operator resigned following repeated police union criticisms of her comments on police racial profiling. 32-year old Kelli Murray, an African-American, had posted on Facebook expressing fears for her son’s safety around police, according to the Baltimore Sun.

Jan. 21 The Baltimore City Police Department announced former Anne Arundel County police chief Kevin Davis’s hiring as deputy commissioner. Davis will be one of three deputy commissioners directly under BCPD Commissioner Anthony B. Watts.

Jan. 22 Police arrested the owner of a prominent Baltimore diner in a federal sting operation involving cocaine possession. Anthony Vasiliades, owner of the Sip & Bite Diner in Canton, allegedly conspired to acquire and sell at least 500 grams of cocaine.

Jan. 23 The Baltimore Ravens announced their intentions to release veteran defensive tackle Terrence Cody, who is now under investigation for animal cruelty. The is reportedly aware of an ongoing investigation surrounding the death of Cody’s dog.

Jan. 24 The Baltimore Health Department announced an investigation into a possible measles case in a 1-year old boy. If verified, it would be the first case of measles in Baltimore in a decade.

Jan. 25 Four children were hospitalized after falling through a frozen pond at a Baltimore County high school. Two of the children were listed as being in critical condition, while the other two were listed as being in serious condition.

 

United States

U.S. President Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union address before Congress on Tuesday, Jan. 22. During his address, he focused on ideas to support American middle-class workers and families; among other things, he proposed more affordable childcare for middle- and low-income families, universal free community college and legislation for a raised minimum wage. Obama also highlighted American diplomatic efforts against Russia and the end to the U.S.-Cuba trade embargo, while urging Congress for legislation to address cyber-security and climate change.

 

Yemen

Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi and his cabinet resigned on Thursday, Jan. 22 in the wake of a takeover of the capital city of Sanaa by Shiite Houthi militants. The country has been divided by violent tensions between the Houthis, who control much of Yemen’s northern half, and Sunni militants pushing for secession in the south. Also in the mix are the Sunni-dominated Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), Al-Qaeda’s affiliate branch in the region who also oppose the Houthis. The collapse of the government has incited fears of a full-scale civil war in Yemen, as well as damage to the U.S. counterrorism campaign in the region, among U.S. foreign policy officials.

 

France

Violent attacks against French Muslims have increased dramatically in the aftermath of the attack on the satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo’s headquarters by radical Islamic terrorists. At the time of this publication, the National Observatory Against Islamophobia had reported 128 recorded attacks against French Muslims between the attack on Charlie Hebdo and Jan. 20. This number, however, only takes into account incidents reported to law enforcement, and also excludes as-of-yet unverified numbers from Paris.

[Sources:  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/firebombs-and-pigs-heads-thrown-into-mosques-as-antimuslim-attacks-increase-after-paris-shootings-9977423.html

http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2015/1/23/france-sees-increase-in-antimuslim-attacks.html

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/01/25/after-charlie-hebdo-attacks-french-muslims-face-increased-threats.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/aden-ports-reopened-but-rebels-still-outside-presidential-palace-and-residence/2015/01/22/d3563d88-a1ba-11e4-91fc-7dff95a14458_story.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/23/world/middleeast/yemen-houthi-crisis-sana.html?_r=0

http://www.npr.org/2015/01/20/378680818/transcript-president-obamas-state-of-the-union-address]