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Transcript of The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009
1/20
Read more on Pages 16 & 17
Vol.82, No.14/1.21.09/Free
Senior lacrosse goalie
Jason Lashomb
convinced businesses to
donate money to the local
Make-A-Wish for every save
he makes this season.
Merciad
e paid
advertisement
inserted in this
issue does not
necessarily
represent the
views of the staff
of e Merciad
or Mercyhurst
College.
Send
questions and
comments to
editormerciad
@mercyhurst.edu.
IRELAND
Dungarvan
From Erie to Eire,
Mercyhurstbranches out
Saving goals
to help kids
College plans branch campus in Ireland
Read more on Page 4
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NEWSPage 2 January 21, 2009
Gamble doesnt gamble with colleges endowment
With this years downturn in the
economy, Mercyhurst College is doing its
best to help students keep the financial
worries at bay.
We strongly believe students should
be able to continue their education basedon their ability, not on their ability to
pay, Mercyhurst College President Dr.
Thomas Gamble said. Its a commitment
to make this possible.
Around 150 students did not return
to Mercyhurst this fall, a slightly larger
number than normal, Gamble said.
We had to make several adjustments
in this years budget because more
students were unable to return due to
financial reasons, he said.However, winter enrollment was
strong.
He said he believes the economy
affected the affordability or perceived
affordability of Mercyhurst.
One of the things we are trying to do
is to put the word out about the many
sources of financial aid the school is
trying to make available. Gamble said.
The Board of Directors passed a
request to set aside a $750,000 reserve
fund to help students in financial need.
This request came at the heels of
the decrease in the endowment funddo to the economy. The endowment
fund, comparable to a trust fund for the
college, is comprised of donations and
contributions made to Mercyhurst.
A certain portion of the endowment
fund is distributed to the operating
budget for additional financial aid and
scholarship for students, Gamble said.
When the endowment goes down, like
it has after the recent downturn in the
economy, there is an impact on howmuch can be distributed.
Vice President of Advancement Dr.
David Livingston said the effects of the
economy have not had drastic results on
the fund.
In terms of our overall budget, the
endowment spending represents about
one percent of our overall budget..., he
said. The economic downturn hurts us
less than schools with large endowments
like Harvard and Yale who are impacted
much more.
Gamble also said the school is more
than able to make up for the loss byrelying on other sources of financial
aid money such as the $750,000 reserve
fund and the institutional budget, which
has a large portion dedicated to helping
students.
Still, Gamble and Livingston are
spending much of their weeks traveling
the country fundraising.
In addition to frequent trips to
Cleveland, Buffalo and Pittsburgh,
Gamble and Livingston travel to Chicago,D.C., Florida, California, Texas and
Boston to meet with past and perspective
donors and alums.
We remind them about the
Mercyhurst story and about the benefits
theyve gained from their education at
Mercyhurst, Gamble said. We ask
them to give back and help out especially
in these difficult times.
Gamble and Livingston agree
fundraising has gone well. Mercyhurst
raised $2.9 million this fiscal year,
compared to just more than $1 million
at the same time last year. Last year theyraised just more than $2.4 million total.
Dr. Livingston and I are on track
to have the best fundraising year at
Mercyhurst, Gamble said.
In addition to meeting with perspective
donors, Livingston said the school has
increased its phone-a-thon efforts and
has applied for more grants.
We were and still are concerned
about the effects of the economy on
our students and their parents abilityto pay, Gamble said. We are focused
on this issue and are doing our best to
make sure students are here due to their
abilities not their abilities to pay.
By Casey Greene
Editor-in-chief
Dr. Gerard
Tobin and
members of
the Mercy-
hurst College
community
donated blood
on Thursday,
Jan. 15, in the
Herrmann
Student Union.Tyler Stauffer photos
Hurst students donate blood to save lives in Erie
College confi dent after downturn in economy
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NEWS Page 3January 21, 2009
Taste or Waist 2009 shows healthy way
Mercyhurst Colleges 3rd
annual Taste or Waist 2009
took place in the Herrmann
Student Union on Wednesday,
Jan. 14, where over 130 people
attended.
Although there was not the
same rush there was last year,Professor Tim Harvey, who
directed the event, said the
flow was steadier.
Students in Harveys nutrition
class were challenged to make
different dishes twice, substitut-
ing healthier ingredients in the
second variation.
Visitors were asked to
say which dish tasted better.
(The healthier choices for eachdish are listed in the box on the
page.)
Some of the dishes included
stir fry, sloppy joes, buffalo wing
dip, pepperoni bread, taco dip,
chili, apple pie, Philadelphia
chocolate swirl cheese cake and
red velvet cake.
Participants enjoyed the tast-
ing with half being completely
consumed, Harvey said.
Senior Craig van Tassel said
the benefits to participating in
Taste or Waist are A healthier
lifestyle; health and wellness tothe community, one step at a
time.
Van Tassel and his partner
senior Haley Brochu prepared
chili.
Junior Maria Sanita said she
learned how to make healthy
meals healthier, along with her
partner, junior Sara Pati, who
made stir fry.
Junior Meghan Dwyer, whoprepared cheese cake for the
event, said, Some desserts will
never be really healthy, even if
there is a lot less fat, there are
still a lot of bad things [in the
recipes].
Taste or Waist raised $125 for
the Mercy Center for Women
and received enough canned
goods to fill a large box of
donations, according to Betsy
Frank in Human Resources.
They all commented on
how great everything tasted and
everyone loved the variety ofthe dishes, Frank said.
Almost 50 percent of the
tasters said the healthier dish
tasted better.
Harvey said that just shows
That you can substitute health-
ier ingredients and many times
not change the taste, texture,
smell, or visual appeal.
To learn about future Taste
or Waists or other healthyevents, contact Betsy Frank in
Human Resources, extension
2279 or Harvey, extension 3372.
By Alaina RydzewskiStaff writer
Seniors Haley Brochu and Craig van Tassel cooked chili
together for this years Taste or Waist event.
Alaina Rydzewski photo
Buffalo Wing Dip
A (Unhealthy) 57%
B (Healthy) 43%
Taste or Waist January 2009 Results:
Veggie Pizza
A (Healthy) 55%
B (Unhealthy) 45%
Taco Dip
A (Unhealthy) 63%
B (Healthy) 37%
Pepperoni Bread
A (Healthy) 50%
B (Unhealthy) 50%
Chili
A (Healthy) 64%
B (Unhealthy) 36%
Chicken Tortellini Soup
A (Unhealthy) 46%
B (Healthy) 54%
Corn ChowderA (Unhealthy) 80%
B (Healthy) 20%
Parsnip Soup
A (Unhealthy) 61%B (Healthy)39%
Crock Pot Lasagna
A (Unhealthy) 63%
B (Healthy)37%
Stir Fry
A (Unhealthy) 72%
B (Healthy)28%
Sloppy Joes
A (Healthy) 62%
B (Unhealthy)38%
Chicken Marsala
A (Unhealthy) 37%B (Healthy) 63%
Apple Pie
A (Unhealthy) 35%
B (Healthy)65%
Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake
A (Unhealthy)61%
B (Healthy)39%
Red Velvet Cake
A (Unhealthy) 41%
B (Healthy) 59%
Rhubarb Cake
A (Unhealthy) 53%
B (Healthy)47%
Pumpkin Roll
A (Unhealthy)58%
B (Healthy)42%
Total: Healthy Choices 47% Unhealthy Choices 53%Various dishes prepared by students from Professor Tim
Harveys nutrition class for Taste or Waist 2009.
Alaina Rydzewski photos
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NEWSPage 4 January 21, 2009
For the first time in the
colleges history, students at
Mercyhurst College celebrated
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
with a break from classes.
Activities on and off campus
were planned for the whole day,including the 6th Annual Martin
Luther King Jr. (MLK) Break-
fast, the 23rd Annual Memo-
rial March and the 4th Annual
MLK Reflection Reception.
Although many students
attended these events, there
were many other activities
students could choose to par-
ticipate in, including sleeping
in, relaxing, hanging out with
friends, working out at the gym,
volunteering or catching up on
homework, to name a few.
[I] slept until noon then
studied for my senior seminar
presentation, senior Andrea
Villela said.
Sophomore James Davis said
he Started a new job at PJs
Car Audio installing remote
starts and stereos.
Junior Jacquelynne Brown
had a busy schedule.
I went to the gym, had a
meeting to plan Spring Fest and
Spring Formal, went to Star-
bucks, had a couple meetings
for MSG Events and then went
on a date, Brown said.
Unlike Brown, there were
students who preferred to use
MLK Jr. Day as a breather.
I went to the doctor to
get a green cast on my arm
because of some bruised
MP joints, freshman Adam
Hausmann said.
Junior Jacqueline Phillips,
Volunteered because thats
what Obama called on America
to do.
Sophomores Michael Waid
and Gerald Anderson caught
up on their sleep, worked out
and volunteered at Gliding
Stars to help kids learn how to
ice skate.
No matter what students
chose to do with their break
from classes, it seems most
used it wisely to help some-
onebe it another person or
themselves, which is what King
and Obama suggested.
By Alaina RydzewskiStaff writer
Students and faculty help themselves to
breakfast at the Mercyhurst College Heritage Room
on Monday.
Scoot Williams photos
Mercyhurst
communityenjoys breakfrom classes
on MLK Day
Eries sister city Dungarvan,
Ireland, soon will be home to a
new Mercyhurst College campus.
According to MercyhurstCollege President Dr. Thomas
Gamble, the first Mercyhurst
students will arrive for classes in
spring 2010.
Gamble said the new campus is
part of the colleges strategic plan
to increase students international
exposure.
Students are in Europe; theyre
in the European Union and they
can go anywhere there, he said
Dr. David Livingston, vice
president of advancement, and
Dr. Heidi Hosey, director of
international education, returned
this week from a trip to Ireland
where they met with officials and
worked on details of the campus.
Dungarvan is a beautiful
coastal town right on the ocean,
Livingston said. It has great res-
taurants, a cinema that plays six
movies, and beaches all within
walking distance.
Before the college makes plans
to build in Ireland, Mercyhurst
professors will teach core classes
in Dungarvans new community
center.
The college will lease town-
houses from a local hotel to house
students.
The townhouses, each com-
plete with a kitchen, living roomand small backyard, will house
four to five students each.
The hotel will provide access
to a swimming pool and workout
facilities.
Freshman Stephen Donohoe,
whose hometown is approxi-
mately 60 miles from Dungarvan,
said he is excited for students to
experience the culture in Ireland.
Its a great opportunity for American professors and stu-
dents to experience a different
culture, as many students I know
have never had the opportu-
nity to travel outside America or
Canada, Donohoe said. Theres
so much students and professors
alike could learn from spending
a term there. They would have to
get used to the fact of not finding
a Wendys or McDonalds on every
corner.
Dungarvan is located approxi-
mately an hour away from Cork,
Irelands second largest city.
Donohoe said Cork, home to
University College Cork, is a stu-
dent hotspot, with great bars and
clubs as well as traditional Irish
tourist spots.
Theres a good possibilityId study abroad if there was a
campus there as long as it wasnt
too expensive. At this point, Id
probably be more likely to go
through the Mercyhurst campus
because being on my own is really
scary right now. Being able to go
with my friends and take classes
with professors I know would
make it easier, freshman Kelly
Wilson said.Mercyhurst alumni John Melody
and John Deasy have played major
roles in bringing Mercyhurst to
Ireland. Melody now works in
the development office. Deasy is
a member of the Irish Parliament
and helped set up meetings and
pushed the Irish government to
assist the new campus financially,
according to Gamble.
Livingston said students willonly have to pay modest fees,
such as travel expenses, but these
costs have not been set.
I studied in South America
for a term when I was an under-
graduate, Livingston said. It
had a huge impact on my life. I
completely believe in students
spending time in other countries
and other cultures... The campus
in Ireland is a way to do it inex-pensively.
By JoEllen MarshManaging editor
Mercyhurst
goes Irish
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NEWS Page 5January 21, 2009
Fiesta
Friday$5 for two tacos, rice,
drink, chips and salsa
from El Canelo
Bring cash or your
Campus cash of Laker
Loot!
Friday, Jan. 30
at 12:15p.m.
Senior Gift Committee
members and representatives
Amber Carruba, Zach Pekor, Vicky Fleisner, Casey
Greene, Dan Piechocki, Jenna Golden, Kristin Tedesco
Natural Science:
Allyson LaCovey
Julissa ArmstrongJohn McCellan
Jackie McLean
Kaitlyn Hoover
School Chairs and Fund Raisers
Arts and
Humanities:
Elise Zigrossi
Social Science:
Liz Gutoskey
Stephanie Wilkens
Ryan McCartney
Behavioral Scienc-
es and Education:
Lauren Weisser
Katie Wootton
Steering Committee
Chair: Hilary Hancock
Seniors interested in donating or getting involved should contact
any of the students above.
Adviser: Cathy Anderson
The new dorm wont be the only
change for the incoming freshmen
in the fall of 2009.
A new program will replace
Freshman Year Initiative (FYI) atMercyhurst College.
The FYI class underwent
changes, because the college is
looking for a better way to engage
the students, Vice President of
Student Life Dr. Gerard Tobin
said. While many changes are
being made, some of the events
from this years FYI will remain
the same. There will continue to
be a service project for the fresh-men to participate in during move-
in weekend.
The introduction to the schools
mission, history and student
activities continues to be a part
of the students first weekend on
campus.
Instead of having events only
on the weekend, there will be
activities throughout the first week.
Next years freshmen will move inon Saturday, Aug. 29.
The events for the freshmen
begin that evening and go through
the following Friday. This will be
known as Welcome Week.
Welcome Week includes resi-
dence hall meetings that integrate
student activities and allows them
to be introduced in smaller groups,
Tobin said.
The meetings are meant to
better engage students in life out-
side of classes, Tobin said.
The new freshman dorm, which
houses a little more than half of
the incoming students, will be a
good place for the residence hall
meetings, because it has many
common places to meet, Tobin
said. The biggest change will be
the actual class that is replacing the
FYI class.
Freshmen will register for one
out of the four seminar classes
available. This will be a four-credit
class and lasts the duration of the
trimester.
The seminar classes fulfills a
core requirement and includes
normal class work including exams
and papers, as well as a requirementfor the students to be involved in a
film series and the reading and dis-
cussion of an assigned book.
The proposed classes are
Citizenship and Social Change;
Enduring Questions; Introduction
to Sustainability Studies; and The
Sacred and the Beautiful.
The class meets three times a
week. Two times a week the class
will meet in sections that consistof 75 to 90 students; once a week
the class convenes in a smaller
group of students.
Each seminar class will be team
taught by three faculty members.
One professor will teach at a
time, but all three will be present
during the class period.
The faculty is made up of pro-
fessors from different departments
that teach core subjects.The goal for the seminar classes
is to get some of our best faculty
to engage students in what they
know best, Vice President for
Academic Affairs Dr. Phillip Bel-
fiore said.
The class will expose students
early to some really interesting
learning experiences and some
really good teachers, Tobin said.
The new seminar class will
engage students in life inside of
class, which is critical to student
success, Tobin said. The more
quickly you become connected, the
more apt you are to be happy.
There will be a meeting at the
end of this week with all faculty
members who will tentatively teach
a seminar class to finalize the sub-
jects and professors for the fresh-
man seminar classes next fall.
By Kelly Luoma
Staff writer
No more FYI
for Class of 13
Business and
Communication:
Becky Hohman
Haylie Starin
Heather Schwager
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FEATURESPage 6 January 21, 2009
Lunch $ 5
Dinner $ 5.5011:30 a.m -8 p.m.
Lunch $ 5Dinner $ 5.50
Broccoli & Cheddar Bites
6 Sub $4 Combo $512 Sub $5.75 Combo $6.75
Make any sub a wrap for
no extra charge!
Wrap Combo- Veggie $5
Other Wraps $4
M
T
W
TH
F
S
Southwest Burger
Breakfast Sandwich
Sizzle Salad
Taco Salad
Goulash
Laker Burger
M
T
W
TH
F
S
Chicken Parm w/ Pasta
Philly Wrap
Gen Tsos Chix or Tofu
Pierogies
Buffalo Popcorn Chicken
Chicken Bacon Swiss
S Potato Bowl
Lunch $ 5
Dinner $ 5.50
Hurst renowned for archaeology
Mercyhurst Colleges Archaeology and AnthropologyDepartment is often referred to
as the best in North America.This is because of the hands
on experience [the program]
offersit has labs where studentscan examine fossils, hands on
experiences out in the fieldand exposure to internationallyknown professors, ProfessorJeff Illingworth said.
The groundwork for theprogram started in 1990. Archaeology officially became
a major in 1991 and has beensteadily increasing in popularitysince.
It is a major that is consistent
nationwideat Mercyhurst notthe most popular but its up there,
with 30 to 40 students in eachclass, Illingworth said.
Mercyhurst has superior
equipment and methodologiesstudents cannot be exposed toanywhere else. Archaeology is a
combination of several differentfields of study, as some studentshave already found out.
I really like history and science,
so archaeology seemed like thebest choice, senior Randy Tucker
said.In order to major in archaeology
it is beneficial to enjoy history, and
although not required, it makesclasses more interesting.
Ive always been interested in
the past and relations to peoplein the pastits also appealingto work outside and not in a
cubicle, junior Zoey Aldermansaid.
Senior Kristin Starke also loveshistory. She wants to help writehistory and put more women in
history. Archaeology offers a wide
range of jobs for those with
an undergraduate or graduatedegree in it. Most students goon to pursue a graduate degree,
which is imperative for a long
term investment in the career,Illingworth said.
As for undergraduate jobs,Illingworth said there arenumerous options, including
contract archaeology, doingwork for construction companies,being employed with the federal
or state governments in relationto parks or reserves, or evenmuseum work.
By Alaina Rydzewski
Staff writer
Want to tell someone you
love them onValentines Day?
Put an ad in
e Merciad!
$3 for 25 words
All Valentines messages
and money can be brought
to the mailroom and
addressed to e Merciad.
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009
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FEATURES Page 7January 21, 2009
Erie is a city that has a lot of
interesting sightseeing opportu-
nities.
The bay front, Presque Isle
and Waldameer Park are only
some of places to go when visit-
ing Erie.
While most sightseeingactivities are reserved for warm
summer weather, the Erie Mari-
time Museum and the U.S. Brig
Niagara are fascinating exhibits
to visit, even during the frigid
winter weather.
Mercyhurst College senior
Stephanie Wilkens is an enthusi-
astic volunteer tour guide at the
museum and ship.
I started volunteering therelast December. I had to do ser-
vice learning hours, and I heard
horror stories about the Boys and
Girls Club, and I went through
the packet and saw the Erie Mar-
itime Museum was there. I had
always had an interest in the navy
and history. I knew that if I did
anything with history I would be
happy, Wilkens said.
I have learned so much there.I think that understanding more
about Oliver Hazard Perry has
meant the most to me. He, as
well as the brig, is my favorite
part about Erie, Wilkens said.
In the 1813 Battle of Lake
Erie, Perry took over command
of the Brig Niagara and won at
age 28.
I love to go to Presque Isle
and look at the monument. Ialways take pictures whenever
I go to the monument or the
museum and even though the
pictures are always of the same
thing, I feel that the pictures just
get better every time, Wilkens
said.
Mercyhurst professors have
strengthened Wilkens interest in
the Niagara.
Dr. Allan Belovarac, profes-
sor in the Mercyhurst College
History Department and a com-
mander in the U.S. Navy Reserve,
talks about the ship in his history
classes.
Dr. Belovarac also increased
my interest with the ship from
his stories from working on it and
his historical knowledge of the
ship. Before his class, I watched
the History Channel and read
about it, but hearing one of hislectures about the Brig and the
Battle of Lake Erie is the best,
Wilkens said.
Bill Welch, an instructor in the
Intelligence Studies Department,
has also been a very active volun-
teer in the past.
Talking to Mr. Welch about
the ship is always a great conver-
sation. He gave me a picture of
the ship that was the only eyewit-ness rendering of it. Its amazing!
He also gave me a nail from the
Brig. It is definitely one of those
things that you look at and go
Wow! Wilkens said.
Welch has had connections to
the ship for years.
I have been involved with
the Brig Niagara since 1983. I
had been interested in the ship
since I was a 10-year-old boy, andmaintained that interest over the
years, Welch said.
Most recently, I was president
of the Flagship Niagara League,
the organization that supports
the museum and ship. For one
summer, I was a volunteer sailor.
Ive been a guide at the ship and
museum. Ive also been the gift
shop manager and the newsletter
editor, he said.He stepped down as president
because of time issues.
Regardless of their position at
the Niagara, Wilkens and Welch
have fond memories and fun sto-
ries to go along with their time
spent there.
Ive met a lot of people at
the Brig through my tours from
all over the world. I love being
able to experience the ship with
them. Every time I give a tour
and get on the ship its amazing.
My favorite is to see a surprised
face on a visitor, like wow, can
you believe they lived on this?
Its such a great place to visit,
Wilkens said.I also love talking on my
tours about how lucky Perry was
that always gets a surprised
face. Also, terms that we use
today that were used for slang
is something always fun to talk
about, Wilkens said.
Welch and Belovarac were vol-
unteer sailors on the ship when it
sailed in 1991.
One of the best summers ofmy life was the one I spent as a
volunteer sailor, Welch said. I
did so many cool things on the
ship, got to know some very
interesting people and learned
from the inside what it is like to
be a tall ship sailor.
Wilkens hopes to be a volun-
teer sailor one summer.
The sailors are really interest-
ing people. They really love what
they do and you can tell. The
same can be said for the guides.
I cant wait to do a day sail,
Wilkens said.
What started out as a service
learning experience has had a
positive impact on Wilkens thatshe will remember for years to
come.
I have a reputation on the
cross country team for giving
fun facts from the Brig and
always finding a way to bring
up the Brig in conversation. I
have even received awards for
it. I am the cross country 2008
miss Brig Niagara. Wilkens
said.My room is plastered with
the posters from there as well, so
that just supports their point even
more. Plus, I wear my dont give
up the ship shirt and fleece and
carry a Brig Niagara bag all the
time, Wilkens said.
For more information on the
Erie Maritime Museum and the
Brig Niagara, visit brigniagara.
org.
By Emily GrabowskiContributing writer
Touring Erie, learning history
Senior Stephanie Wilkens stands in the rigging of a U.S. Brig
Niagara at the Erie Maritime Museum.
Contributed photo
Its an exciting day
for the nation as a new
era begins with the
Obama administration.
Chris Sands,
freshman
It was exciting...atime of change. Sara
Pierce, sophomore
I watched Obamas
oath and speech and
they sounded good
although a little long.
Overall I liked what
he had to say...I was
impressed. NadineBeres, junior
He [Obama] did a
good job, it was all the
usual circumstance; a
bit overdone, but I still
enjoyed his speech.
Haley Martens,
senior
I really liked Obamas
inaugural address. It
set an appropriate
tone striking the
balance between
his independent
achievements and
what he hopes America
will achieve. Nick
Gutowski, senior
I liked how they
had different people
speak and incorporated
different aspects
of culture into the
Inauguration. James
Davis, sophomore
Studentsreact to
inauguration
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FEATURESPage 8 January 21, 2009
Alumnus Miller believes home sweet Hurst
I vividly remember sitting
on a bench in front of the Hirt
building in the spring of 2005,
after I had completed the last
final exam of my undergraduate
career and looking out at the
campus.
The moment seemed pregnantwith importance as those sorts
of moments usually do. For the
past four years, Mercyhurst was
home.
And it was a great home. It
gave me wonderful memories
and treasured relationships
I knew Id take with me for
the rest of my life. But still,
the moment was tinged with
sadness. While I was excited about
what my future would hold,
one thing seemed certain:
Mercyhurst wasnt going to be
home much longer. At least
it wouldnt be home for me.
I graduated that spring with my
degree in Religious Studies, and
Id come back in the fall for a
quick student teaching before
Id finish my Social Studies
Education Certificate.
The year after graduation I
saw a lot of job hunting and
You, Me, and Dupree-esque
languishing.
However, I finally landed agreat job (here is the surprise
twist) with my religion degree!
While everyone expected
Id get a teaching job first, I
ended up taking over the Youth
Ministry program at St. Jude
Church a little over two years
ago.
I took the passion for social
justice instilled in me during my
time at Mercyhurst to my job.My youth group and I regularly
work with the Erie City Mission
and our local chapter of Habitat
for Humanity.
Weve held a Dance for
Darfur at the mall and raised
over $2,000 for the UNs work
in Sudan as well as two charity
Dodge ball Tournaments (with
the third coming up in a couple
of months) garnering just under
$1,000 for local charities.
Mercyhurst taught me the
importance and joy of being a
life long learner.
A little over a year ago, I spent
two weeks in England (with atiny jaunt to Scotland).
While there, I learned a few
very important lessons.
First, there is absolutely
nothing cuter in this world than
a girl with an English accent.
Trust me on this.
Second, I can die fulfilled
now that Ive walked across the
zebra crossing at Abbey Road.
It was a religious experience.
Third, it is more fun to say
holiday than vacation.
Seriously. Try it.
I could go on-and-on, butits enough to say its been an
interesting and exciting few
years since graduation.
Mercyhurst prepared me well
for the world outside its walls,
and I have never been part of
an institution--before or since,
academically or professionally--
of which I was more proud.
While I was right about that
moment in front of Hurt three
years ago being important, I was
wrong about one thing.
It turns out Mercyhurst is
still home, even if Ive movedaway. It always will be.
By Michael MillerContributing writer
Miller with best friend Carly Chlebus in an England phone
booth.
Contributed photo
Mercyhurst alumnus Michael Miller still thinks of Erie as home.Contributed photo
Want to be an aerobics,
pilates or spin instructor?The Mercyhurst Athletic Center
needs you!If interested, contact Coach Herman at extension 3329
or visit him at the MAC.
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009
9/20
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 9January 21, 2009
HOUSES FOR RENT
Johnson & JohnsonProperties
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814-860-8817
PAC to play The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
If youve seen the poster ortrailer for the film The Boy inthe Striped Pajamas, you may
feel like you have a pretty goodidea of what the movie will beabout.
A large barbed wire fenceseparates a well-dressed boyfrom another whose head is
shaved and who wears the blackand white stripes of prisonclothing.
The two youths cannot beany older than eight, so theimmediate thought is that the
second boy is Jewish, and thatthis is a Holocaust film.
This notion would be accurate,
but only generally speaking,
in the way that attending auniversity is about attaining a
degree and starting a career.
The thoughts and emotionsof those involved, the actualsubstance of the subject, is
glossed over. This is more than just a
Holocaust film.
What sets it apart is the factits shot from the mind set of achild.
It is made evident that asmuch as we struggle today asadults to understand how such a
genocide was possible, it wouldhave been nearly impossible fora child to comprehend it at the
time.However, we are able to see
more clearly and more simply
through the lens of a childs eye,no matter how grand the scale
or how blurry the picture maybe. It reminds me of a lyricfrom a band I like called Bears.
In the song You Can Tell,Charlie McArthur sings, Youmust wonder whats going
through my mind besides thealphabet, counting to six, andprehistoric timesAdjusting to
having to think about more than
myself is not so simple for me,and I know you can tell.
The mind is active, even in achild who cannot count all theway to ten.
We pass down simplisticanswers to questions like, Whyare the workers on the farm
wearing striped pajamas? inan effort to somehow maintaininnocence or quell curiosity,
but we end up just fanning theflames.
And on some level, we know
were doing it.We arent surprised when the
German adults give these overlysimplistic answers to the boy,only to see him run off to the
fence to find out for himself. We know its only a matter
of time before he discovers the
truth. Its this delayed reaction,this subconscious understandingthat allows us to emotionally
invest ourselves in a film like
this.Adjusting to being forced to
think about more than yourselfisnt so simple, but when we do, we can appreciate things for
what they are.The Boy in the Striped
Pajamas will be playing at the
Mary DAngelo PerformingArts Center Wednesday, Jan. 28,at 2:15 and 8:00 p.m.
Tickets are free for Mercyhurststudents with student ID (oneticket per ID).
By Mason Lorek
Staff writer
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas will play at the Mary
DAngelo Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, Jan. 28, at
2:15 and 8 p.m as part of the Guelcher Film Series.
pac.mercyhurst.edu
Petition asks Obama to name secretary of arts
Newly sworn in President ofthe United States Barack Obamahas already admitted to an ambi-
tious plan for his first 100 daysin office.
Some of his most press-
ing tasks include closing theprison at Guantanamo, restart-ing a faltering economy, avert-
ing multiple worldwide crisesand restoring the reputation of
America worldwide.Those in the arts community
nationwide have an additionalproposal for Obama: create a
new cabinet position, secretaryof the arts.
The grass roots, petition-
based movement was suppos-edly started by Quincy Jones,the 75-year-old African-Ameri-
can musician and producer whogoes by the sobriquet Q.
Jones is well-known for pro-ducing Michael Jacksons album
Thriller and producing andconducting the charity song
We Are the World. As of Tuesday night, more
than 161,000 signatures havebeen added.
Additionally, a number ofFacebook groups are dedicatedto the cause.
Signees are allowed to add written comments beside theirsignature.
Many posters complain that
other countries have Ministersof Culture and the Arts.
One early signee wrote, Thearts elevate the human spirit togreat heights. They are a true
impression of the artists soul. They are certainly God-givengifts to make this world a more
beautiful place. Another later signee wrote,
The arts are the expression of
a societys soul.
Another signer also wrote,Arts play a large role in the
development of each and everyperson on this earth. Without
proper funding, live perfor-mance will go silent.
Some signees signed andproposed particular candidates.
Nominated names include trum-peter and composer WyntonMarsalis and Jones himself.
Obama clearly appears to bean advocate of the arts.
During his inaugural ceremo-
nies, he seemed contemplative
and meditative during Air andSimple Gifts, a John Williams
piece composed for the occa-sion and performed by cellistYo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perl-
man, pianist Gabriela Monteroand clarinetist Anthony McGill.
Obama commissioned poet
Elizabeth Alexander to recite apoem written in commemora-tion of his historic inaugura-
tion.
He became the fourth presi-dent to name a poet to read at
an inauguration, following thelead of John F. Kennedy, who
tapped Robert Frost. The present American poet
laurete is Californian Kay Ryan.For those interested in sign-
ing, the petition to name a Secre-tary of the Arts has been posted
online at www.petitiononline.com/esnyc/petition.html.
By Kyle King
A & E editor
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 10 January 21, 2009
It would be an understatement
to simply say I like music.
As the proud owner of aniTunes library spanning 304.3
days, I honestly do not know what
my life would be like without it.
Almost three years ago, I found
something that would not only
aid, but also feed my music
obsession.
One day, as I was surfing the
Internet trying to find some
new music, I came across Aware
Records, an independent recordcompany based in Evanston, Ill.
Awares mission as a record
label is simply to find the best
unsigned artists and bands in the
country. As an independent label,
Awares approach to marketing
has always been grass roots and
word-of-mouth.
Aware made its name in
the music business releasing
compilation CDs in the 1990s.
Some of their early findsincluded John Mayer, Train, Five
For Fighting, Vertical Horizon,
Matchbox 20, Hootie and the
Blowfish, Better Than Ezra,
Edwin McCain and The Verve
Pipe.
Aware now has a separate
management team, A Square,
with a stable of recording artists
as clientele, including The Fray
and Liz Phair.
In 1994, one year after itscreation, Aware founder Gregg
Latterman started the Aware
Rep Program as a way to involve
music fans in the industry.
There are approximately 900
reps across the U.S. and Canada,
located in both major and minor
markets. The varied locations
of reps help Aware immensely
with marketing projects. These
projects are usually for non-
Aware artists and
include posting
flyers, handing
out samplers and
promoting at
competing shows.
In the past, Aware has done
projects for
Coldplay, Jason
Mraz, Tyrone
Wells and James
Morrison.
Being an Aware
Rep is pretty
amazing. Reps are
involved in nearly
every stage of artistdevelopment, from promoting
shows and handing out samplers
to hosting CD listening parties
and attending free concerts.
I have been an Aware Rep
since March 2006 and I love
every minute of it.
I have had the opportunity to
promote bands at huge concerts
(including free tickets!), sell
merchandise at shows, meet and
befriend amazing musicians and,
best of all, watch unknown artists
become respected in the music
industry.
Some bands I have worked
with include The Working
Title, Five for Fighting and TheHeyday. These are just a few of
the lesser-known bands who are
affiliated with Aware.
Bigger names such as John
Mayer, The Fray and Motion
City Soundtrack are also part of
Aware Records.
Reps usually receive advance
copies of albums by these artists.
Aside from the free swag and
other perks of being a rep, myfavorite part is connecting with
reps across the country, finding
out about other new bands
through them and watching the
independent music industry
grow, one band at a time.
For more information about
Aware Records or to inquire
about becoming an Aware Rep,
you can visit their Web site,
www.awaremusic.com.
By Casey Harvilla
Contributing writer
Hurst sophomore works as Aware music rep
Aware Records made its name in the music business releasing compilation
CDs in the 1990s and now has contracts through Columbia Records with
artists such as Five For Fighting, John Mayer, Mat Kearney and Train.
awarerecords.com
Forsthoefel appears in Dalai Lama Renaissance
Mercyhurst Colleges Religious
Studies Department Chair Dr.
Thomas Forsthoefel appears in
this weeks Guelcher Film Series
documentary, Dalai Lama
Renaissance.
Forsthoefel will introduce the
film along with director Khashyar
Darvich and field questions for
Darvich after both sessions.
Dalai Lama Renaissance
centers around a group of 40
innovative thinkers, including art-
ists, scholars, physicists, astrono-
mers, business leaders, doctors
and authors.
The group was invited by the
Dalai Lama of Tibet in 1999
to participate in a week-long
summit focusing on how to solve
the new millenniums most chal-
lenging problems and most grip-ping crises.
The Wakan Foundation for the
Arts had a five-person crew film
more than 140 hours of footage
of the event, which they turned
into a full-length documentary.
Harrison Ford provided nar-
ration of the weeks events,
beginning with the groups trav-
els through India and arrival in
Dharamsala, the Lamas home.
Also captured were feuds
between featured participants
and so-called silent observers.
By the close of the summit, the
group achieved a measure of
synthesis.
The groups resolution resulted
in the Lama considering their
proposal to universally boycott
Chinese goods.
Forsthoefel went on the trip as
an observer and participated insmall group breakout sessions.
I had a very good friend,
Wayne Teasdale, with whom I
shared similar experiences and
valuestravels to India, staying
at the ashram of the late Benedic-
tine monk, Bede Griffiths, and an
appreciation for the importance
and need for interfaith dialogue.
He was a leading organizer of
the conference and invited me to
join, Forsthoefel said.
There was actually some ten-
sion at the conference because
of the two-tiered approach [of
participants and observers],
which seemed a bit hierarchical
and lacking some spontaneity.
But the tension itself was, in the
end, good, as it provoked insight
and clarity and appreciation,
Forsthoefel said.
Forsthoefel was not workingon a project at the time, but later
completed Soulsong, a book
on models of holiness, and used
the Dalai Lamas example to illus-
trate the Holiness of Calm and
the path to meditation.
His latest book, The Dalai
Lama: The Essential Writings,
was released last year and is a
compilation of His Holiness the
Dalai Lamas most important and
effective writings.
Forsthoefel plans to use the
book in his Buddhism courses at
Mercyhurst.
Its odd to say that I met the
Dalai Lama, because I did not
enjoy formal introductions or
simple conversation, Forsthoefel
said. However, at the end of the
conference, he received each of
us personally, offering a blessing
to us in the form of a kata, silkscarf. I must admit I did feel that
I received a blessing, some grace
from a holy presence. And that
was special and mysterious, and I
think has had an impact on me.
Darvich is currently touring
the Northeast region promoting
Dalai Lama Renaissance.
The film has taken home a
myriad of awards and praise,
including 12 wins at film festivals
worldwide and eight other offi-
cial selections.
The film plays at the Mary
DAngelo Performing Arts
Center Wednesday, Jan. 21, at
2:15 and 8 p.m.
Tickets are $4 for students, $5
for adults and free to students
with Mercyhurst ID.
By Kyle King
A & E editor
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 11January 21, 2009
The Mercyhurst College
Cummings Gallery is currently
housing a display entitled
Celebrate Dance, which
exhibits works that show the
essence of dance captured in
art.
Michael Fuhrman and John
Vanco worked as curators for
this special exhibit.
Fuhrman is a Mercyhurst
dance alumnus who now directs
the Mary DAngelo PAC, and
Vanco is the director of the Erie
Art Museum.
The gallery reception for
Celebrate Dance was held on
Thursday, Jan. 15, from 7 to 9
p.m. This reception involved an
array of refreshments as well as
the opportunity to view the art.
The collection includes works
by Erie artists Art Becker, Ed
Bernik, Mark Fainstein, Rick
Klein, Brad Lethaby and Vance
Lupher, who also arranged and
installed the exhibit.
Works are included from the
collection of Tauna Hunter,Dance Department Chair at
Mercyhurst College, as well as
from Mark Santillano, assistant
professor of dance and co-
director of modern dance
company SoMar Dance Works,
which is pictured in several of
the displayed photographs.
In addition, Art Therapy
professor Cathlyn Hahn also
loaned images for the galleryexhibit.
Celebrate Dance consists
primarily of photography, as well
as a few paintings, lithographs
and sculptures.
Many of the photographs
picture alumni and current
students of the Dance
Department, especially in
the work of Rick Klein,
who is frequently hired as a
photographer for the Mercyhurst
dancers. The Mercyhurst Liturgical
Dance Ensemble and SoMar
Dance Works, which include
Mercyhurst student dancers,
were featured within these
photographs.
Although most of the works
capture moments from ballet
and modern dance, and not
other forms, still a good deal
of variety is present within the
display.
Some pieces show standardstage shots, while others were
taken from backstage.
Some artists made use of
blurred images and silhouettes,
while others went for a more
straightforward depiction of the
dancers.
A few images capture only the
feet of the dancers, while most
include the whole scene of the
dance.
Other artists
played withperspective even
further, such as in
an image by Vance
Lupher in which
the dancer appears
to be swimming or
leaping out of the
canvas.
The settings of
the images vary as
well, with dance
shown in scenes
ranging from the
standard stage or
a photography
backdrop to the
sands of Presque
Isle.
The paintings
in the collection
are especiallynoticeable, because
of their minority among the
many photographs, and in some
cases because of their large
size.Ballerina Tauna Hunter by
Andrew Burton pictures the
Dance Chair in her former days
as a ballet dancer, and Dying
Swan by Brad Lethaby depicts
the classic scene of the dying
swan, a solo originally danced by
famous ballerina Anna Pavlova
in the 19th century.
Sophomore Laura McCarty
said of the exhibit, The art
work was very expressive.
The art was visually
appealing, sophomore graphic
design major Samantha Williams
said.
The Cummings Art Gallery
is open for viewing Tuesday
through Sunday 2 to 5 p.m. and
Thursday 7 to 9 p.m.
Celebrate Dance openedThursday, Jan. 8.
The display will be open
through Sunday, Feb. 1.
By Sarah MastrocolaStaff Writer
Celebrate Dance exhibit opens in Cummings
Celebrate Dance includes both paintings and photography. The exhibit
premiered Thursday, Jan. 15, and runs through Sunday, Feb. 1.
Sarah Mastrocola photo
FastballOur Misunderstanding
Del Amitri Roll on Me
DOWNLOAD
Where did Fastball go after 1997 without
ever knowing the way? Since All the Pain
Money Can Buy sold more than a million
copies, they tumbled, much like the elderly
couple about whom The Way was written.
Speaking of 90s one-hit wonders, even
the most discerning listeners would
have problems naming this Scottishband, formed in 1980, as the authors of
this song, also on their latest CD, Hatful of Rain.
The ThornsLong Sweet Summer NightFor those of you needing a pick-me-up
from depressing wintry weather, check
out this acoustic trio featuring Shawn
Mullins, most known for Lullaby, Mat-
thew Sweet and Pete Droge. The supergroup released
only one CD, back in 2003. Also check out No Blue
Sky and Dragonfly.
Sophomore Ryan Lanzel looks at photography from the
Celebrate Dance exhibit at Cummings Gallery. Performing
Arts Center director Michael Fuhrman and Erie Art Museum
director John Vanco served as guest curators for the exhibit.
Scoot Williams photo
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009
12/20
OPINIONPage 12 January 21, 2009The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the v iews of Mercyhurst College, the staff of The Merciad
or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be e-mailed to [email protected].
Inbox:Where
readers sharetheir thoughts.
The
Our world is in crisis.
I have written many articles
about the problems our society
is facing and how we shouldapproach and handle them.
There are so many things
causing anxiety to the point
of collapsing. Alternative:
Go to The Cornerstone on
Wednesday nights.
Dont worry. I am 21 years
old and I am allowed to be
there. But let me tell you,
there is not a problem in the
world on Wednesday nightsat Mercyhurst.
Sitting around with your clos-
est friends, knowing how diffi-
cult it would be to spend more
than 10 dollars the entire night
is just the start of it.
Walking downstairs to the
dance floor is probably one
of the most intensely fun and
exciting things awaiting most
patrons. You see people you
never expect, dancing in ways
you didnt even think possible.
Letting loose of all the weeks
stressors, people get so funky
with their dance moves you
cannot help
but smile
the entire
time. Whenhits like
Thr i l le r
or a classic
from high
school like
Air Force
O n e s
comes on,
the crowd
of slightly-
intoxicatedp e o p l e
scream like
theyve just
all won a mil-
lion dollars.
There is one group of people
I love to reference and write
about in particular, and that
is my roommates. Living in
such close quarters with so
many girls (seven not includ-
ing me) we tend to have some
hilarious stories.
But more than anything,
when I turn the last corner of
the staircase and hit the dance
floor on a Wednesday night, I
am positive I will see one of my
fantastic roommates breaking it
down so hard sweat has slicked
back her previously beautiful
hair. Or, someones pants rip
from dancing at 150 percent.
Why is it so fun?
It is completely out of
our school persona. We are
all studious, responsible and
put-together girls. And really,
we only hang out with each
other anyway.
Maybe because of the
sweat issue.
But I assure you, for one night
a week, we are not worried about
money, the future, job opportu-
nities or how our time together
is quickly dwindling.
We arent worried the econ-
omy is failing or how older
generations are constantly talk-
ing about how ridiculous our
generation is becoming. For that
night, and that night only, we are
only making sure of one thing:We are making fools of our-
selves and loving it. It makes a
wonderful Thursday morning to
discuss how ridiculous the night
before was.
We all take turns shower-
ing and putting ourselves back
together so we can carry on
with our week. But those nights
are something I know you have
all encountered.I missed out on those nights
for a long time and encour-
age you all to let loose and
embrace them.
Because, even though you
may wish you didnt get kicked
out of the bathroom after
having a heart to heart with
your roommate for two hours,
you wont ever regret the night
or the memory.
For someone who brags so
openly about her uniqueness,
you sure do adhere to the ever-
popular, ever-unoriginal prin-
ciple of conforming to non-
conformity.
I, as a Merciad reader, expect
to read more in a college news-papers Arts and Entertainment
section than a self-righteous
rant from one of its staff writ-
ers (Hazel Jennings makes A
& E New Years resolutions,
Vol. 82, No. 12).
Instead of alienating your
readers by bragging about your-
self, Ms. Jennings, why dont you
try actually writing about the
cultural topics you claim to care
about so much?
Heres a news flash for you,
Merciad staff: People want
to read about things with sub-stance, things they can relate to.
Audiences typically dont
want to be ostracized by some
elitist braggart of a columnist
who blabs about how great she
is for nearly 500 words.
I anticipate your criticism and
would like
to make
it known
that I do,
i n d e e d ,
appreciate
s a r c a s m
as muchas the
next thick-
rimmed glasses-wearing, indie
rock-listening young adult.
You write with a relatively
amusing amount of flair, Ill
give you that. However, if you
want people actually to enjoy
reading your stuff keep your
ego in check.
Kryssy Smith
The article was obviously a
satiric jab at people who hold
themselves to a ridiculous
standard of underground
culture pretension.
Im sorry you felt alienated,
because you failed to recognize
a humor piece.
At least you have your thick-
rimmed glasses and indie-
rock to make you an authority
on nonconformity.
By Hazel JenningsContributing writer
Mercyhurst students posing during a night off from term stress and studyingHeather Donovan photo
Students cure crises with nights out
Jennings resolutionsget feedback Hazelfi res back
By JordanZangaroStaff writer
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OPINION Page 13January 21, 2009
@mercyhurst.edu
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newsmerciad
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entertainmentmerciad
photomerciad
photomerciad
admerciad
copymerciad
apasto22
wwelch
bsheridan
The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of MercyhurstCollege. It is published throughout the school year, with the exception offinals weeks. Our office is in Hirt, Room 120B. Our telephone number is (814)
824-2376.
The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signedand names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the
letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Lettersare due Mondays. by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit
letters to box PH 485 or via e-mail at [email protected].
If you dont want it printed . . . dont let it happen.Editors
Casey Greene
JoEllen Marsh
Amanda Valauri
Javi Cubillos
Heather Donovan
Brad MoehringerSam Sellinger
Kyle King
Scoot Williams
Tyler Stauffer
Caitlin Bly
Gretchen Yori
Ashley Pastor
Bill Welch
Brian Sheridan
Positions
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Managing Editor
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A&E
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General Assignment
Adviser
Adviser
Only in the land of the free did
Americans have the opportunityto vote for an old white guy ora young black guy in the recent
presidential election.Never have Americans had
such a distinction in color and
age to choose from. We weretruly blessed with choice.
Could anyone 200 years ago
imagine we would have theoption to either keep spendingnearly a trillion dollars a year
maintaining troops in 140countries around the world, orbringing them home from Iraq
so we would only have them in
139 countries?Oh man, I bet 200 years
ago, no one would have ever
thought, if we ever allowed thegovernment to take 50 percentof our paychecks through one
form or another of taxes, wecould decide which class ofpeople should get some of
it back. We also had the unique
opportunity to vote
for a man who reallyunderstands economics.
This one was a win-win.
Obama understandsderegulation caused ourproblems; had the government
just regulated the banks moreafter it forced them to makeloans to unqualified debtors,
the housing market would havebeen fine. McCain understoodyou cant promote a free-market
system without catching the bigboys when they fall.
Even further, Americans had
the opportunity to vote for acandidate that would solve alltheir problems.
Whether it was the old whitefart or the young black stud, nolonger did Americans have to
crumble from the burden ofself-reliance and responsibility.No longer do we have the moral
obligation to take care of ourneighbors directly, for we cando it through an impersonal
government institution.No longer will we have to
worry about our neighbors
getting ahead, for we can sit onthe couch and let them get taxedto death while they try.
Both the old white guy andthe young black man have plansto solve our problems.
So dont worry.Stop trying to figure out how
to live within your means. Stop
working so hard to pay yourbills. Stop worrying.
Go buy some cool stuff on
your credit card.Quit your job and stop
paying the mortgage. When
you cant pay your credit cardsand/or housing payments, Big
Brother will be there to makesure the lenders dont suffer theconsequences of lending to you.
Dont feel bad.Itll just mean a little higher tax
to pay for more bailouts, maybe
a little less freedom and possiblya little more governmentcontrol of our lives. But, thats
a small price to pay to protectthe American tradition ofsecurity first.
With this kind of prospectfor hope, no matter who won,I think Americans can officially
say it really doesnt matter if thepresident is black or white.
By Thomas Kubica
Contributing writer
Israel really needs to leavePalestine alone. Think about it,
if you were surroundedby people you hate, you would want to shoot
rockets at them as well.Hopefully, the Obama
administration brings
change when dealing
with Israel. Just becausethe Palestinians are
viewed as inferior does not meanthey are and shouldnt be treatedas such.
The Obama administrationshould take note of the previouspresidents administration.
After WWII, the Jews cameand took over their so-calledhomeland. The Palestinian
people were ruthlessly shut-
out. Now where should they
go? The Israelis will continueto blow things up in Gaza as
long as they have the support ofthe U.S.
Israel needs to learn WWII isnt a justification for
bombing everyonethey think is a harm
to them.If they keep this up mentality
it will lead to their end, and
because of all the people who have vested interests inthe situation, the world as we
know it.
Also, being a mediator, not a
antagonist of the Palestinians,
will lead to less resentmentfrom the Middle East towards
the U.S.The U.S. treating Israel like the
child that can do nothing wrongis, in itself, wrong. The new
administrationneeds to viewIsrael, as it
is, an overlya g g r e s s i v enation, which
feels no military
boundaries. The Obama
administration can change this. The Palestinians should
continue as is; this situation is
attracting attention to the MiddleEast, and making people thinkIsrael may just be using WWII
and the U.S. as a shield for theircrimes against humanity.
Blowing up the U.N. office is
a perfect example.
Israel really needs toleave Palestine alone.
Seth Halllam
Hoping for a new approachObama in the Middle East
Making distinctions beyond color
By SethHallamStaff writer
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OPINIONPage 14 January 21, 2009
Our nations first blackpresident was sworn intooffice yesterday. Jan. 20,2009, was not only a his-torical moment our childrenwill surely ask about but the
start of a new era.
The now former Presi-dent Bush will be vacatingthe White House, but anunlucky village will be get-ting their idiot back.
The ancient Mayan calen-dar predicts the end of the world at 2012, a dauntingthought considering the
new year. We dont knowwhats uglier, apocalypsetheories or the people whobelieve them.
Please e-mail any suggestions to
The GB&U is a compilation of
student opinions.
Its clearly a coincidenceMartin Luther King Jr.s birthday
and national celebration werethe day before President BarackObama was inaugurated.
While this may be true, I feelwe are overlooking some equalimportance national holidays.
Thinking about current eventsin our nation, I feel like we needto draw attention to equally
important national holidays.Our nation is seeing big
changes, but what about
our veterans?
Veterans of wars we study inhistory textbooks and veterans
of our current war are arguablyequally significant as a civilrights leaders bir thday.
Without belittling theimportance of Martin LutherKing Jr. Day, I think it is
important to not forget our vets.They symbolize a commitmentto our daily freedoms and safety
just as MLK symbolizes equalityamong races.
I realize and acknowledge
MLKs symbolic significance, yetwe are valuing the achievementsof one man versus the
contributions an entire sectorof our society.
Why is MLK day celebrated
on the day of his birth? Asnational holidays go, the only
other birthday we celebrate inthat fashion is Christmas.
(Feb. 16, is WashingtonsBirthday as written in the
United States Code, butnation wide it is celebrated asPresidents Day.)
Are we holding MLK insuch high esteem that not onlyis he more important than our
veterans, but he is on the same
level as Jesus Christ?
By Amanda Valauri
News Editor
College students shouldread more.
I know that sounds utterlyridiculous and you might wantto throw your heaviest text
book at me right now, but letme explain. With all of theassignments, papers, research
and tests constantly runningour lives, it is important todo something for our own
personal entertainment.Of course, there are always
the options of hanging out with
friends, working out, watching
movies and frequenting the
local bars.
But why not stay in fromthe cold and curl up with agreat book?
I am in no way encouragingyou to neglect the assignmentsfrom your professors; I am only
presenting an alternative wayto spend the leisure time youdo have.
A book can be somethingyou carry with you and whenthe opportunity presents itself
you can dive into the story as anescape from everyday life.
Opportunistic times include:
waiting for the bus, in betweenclasses, traveling or somethingto help pass the time while
biking your daily miles at the
gym. I can bet we have all been
in the situation where waitingfor something or someone canseem like a boring eternity.
If you had a good book Iam sure you would be thankfulfor the extra time to get a few
pages read.Currently, my friends and I are
reading the Twilight series and
while some of us have finishedthe four books and others arejust beginning the exciting story,
it has given us something totalk about.
Passing books from friend to
friend and recommending themto each other can be fun and a way to share something other
than the latest gossip.
By Hayley OHare
Contributing writer
So the picture staring back atme of a wide-grinned, brightred face with a feather attached
to their head is apparently thecause of some controversy.
I dont see why though, I
mean its just a cartoon, cartoonscouldnt possibly represent any-thing derogatory or defaming.
Its not as if those cartoonsdepicting Asians with squintyeyes and a long braid in their
hair are really all racist.I mean thats what Asians
generally look like. But Ameri-
can Indian cartoons, what harmcould those have?
Its just a mascot and symbol
of a sports team. I dont thinkIndians should be offended
because Im not offended, by
the Patriots mascot and I con-
sider myself patriotic.I think all the American Indi-
ans want is money; I mean theywait this whole time to complainabout mascots when they didntsay anything when they were
first introduced. Who cares ifthey were introduced during atime when there was a lot of
racism and nobody cared whatthey thought anyway?
I mean were not racist now
so whats the problem?
Do any of the above sen-tences make sense to any of
you? I would hope they wouldsound incredibly stupid toeveryone but sadly, these are
some of the reasons I get as to why American Indian mascotsarent racist.
Trust me, there are manymore reasons fans and non-fans alike defend the use of
American Indian mascots. As I
try to appeal to peoples reason
Im met with claims and verypoor, erroneous excuses as to
why these mascots are not a bigdeal.
I know I cant make anyonefeel a certain way; but how
can some of us not put our-selves in the shoes of thosewere mocking?
Some people just dont get itand continue on with claims like,It wouldnt bother me if there
were a team called the Chicago
Whities/Negroes/Beaners, Ithink itd be funny.
Just because youre notoffended, doesnt mean some-thing isnt offensive.
And the poor excuses youcome up with to avoid changingyour attitude is one of the most
pathetic ways to hide the factyou care little about the feel-ings of others or worse, are in
fact, racist.
By RhondaMarableStaff writer
Holiday
equality
Escaping a daily droneAn out-of-the-ordinary pastime
Mascots causing concern forethnic group representation
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SPORTSPage 16 January 21,
The bruises, aches and pains senior
goalie Jason Lashomb will feel on thelacrosse field this season will now beaccompanied by a sound Cha-ching.
This season Lashomb decided to usehis All-American talent to help makethe dreams of children come true. The
goaltender from Rush, N.Y., created aprogram through the local Make-A-WishFoundation called Saves for Kids.
The idea behind the program is simple:Lashomb wants to find local companiesand individuals willing to donate money
based on the number of saves he makesthis coming season.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation, forthose who dont know, is an organizationthat grants terminally ill children the wishof their choice.
Over the summer, I started thinkingof ways I could take my success andchannel it into something that would
benefit others, Lashomb said. Savesfor Kids is a way for me to use my talentin order to benefit a part of a young, sick
childs life.
Lashomb began by working withseveral members of Mercyhursts athletic
administration and Steve Zinram, whoin charge of Alumni Donations andDevelopment, as well as Jan Stork, a
local representative of the Make-A-WishFoundation. Together they brainstormed ways to use his
talent to benefitothers andSaves for Kids
was born.As an
education major,
I really wantedto gear thistoward children,
and I think theMake-A-Wish Foundation was a greatavenue for that, Lashomb said.
Lashomb said he believes childrenshould never have to worry about the
next form of treatment theyre going to
have, what pills to take next or suffer in
anyway.He went on to explain he will do
whatever it takes to raise money to help
children forget about those worries forat least awhile.
Other Mercyhurst students appreciate
Lashombs efforts.These children go through so much at
such a young age that they deserve all the
happiness we can give them in their shor tperiod of time with us, senior JennaBarone said. If Mercyhurst College can
give them one truly amazing day throughthe Make-a-wish Foundation, it can givea child the hope and inspiration to live
each day to its fullest.Lashomb doesnt plan on doing this
alone. He has asked teammates find
companies and individuals in Erie and intheir hometowns that would be willing toparticipate in the program. Lashombs
goal is to try and get small amounts ofmoney from a large amount of people.
His teammates are happy to help.
Its cool to have a teammate who isgoing out and extending what we doon the lacrosse field to help out the less
fortunate in the community, seniormidfielder Mike Bartlett said.
Senior defender Tom Eighmey isntsurprised to hear about Lashombs Savesfor Kids.
Jason is an outstanding lacrosse
player, but even more important, is heis an outstanding person, Eighmeysaid. Jason always looks to give back
to anybody ande v e r y b o d y that he can. I
think that this
Saves for Kidsprogram is a
great idea.There are two
ways to donate
to Saves forKids, Lashomb
explained. The first is a per save
amount, which means the company orindividual can agree on an amount to payfor each save Lashomb makes during the
season. Companies or individuals can
also agree to simply give a donation tothe cause.
All the money raised will go directly to
the local Make-A-Wish Foundation ofGreater Pennsylvania to sponsor a childswish.
The average wish costs around $3,500,
and Lashomb is still looking for sponsorsto participate in his Saves for Kids
program.I feel very grateful and fortunate
for what I have in my life, Lashomb
said. To be able to give just a little bitback by playing the sport I love is trulywhat I hope I can accomplish with this
program.Senior Margaux Valenti said she is
impressed with Lashombs dedication.
I think it is absolutely wonderful
that an athlete is getting involved withthe community on a personal level, shesaid. It is truly a beautiful initiative on
his part.All the money donated through Saves
for Kids is tax-deductible and signing
up requires only a few minutes to fill out
a form. As of right now, Lashomb said he
has many individuals lined up to donatemoney. However, the only companycurrently on board is PAETEC, a
communications company in RochesterN.Y. who has donated $500.
Anyone interested in participating in
Saves for Kids and helping Lashombmake a childs dream come true cancontact him at [email protected]
for a donation form.
Lacrosse goaltender Saves for Kids
Jason Lashomb dedicates seasons saves to Make-A-WishBy Brad Moehringer
Sports editor
To be able to give just alittle bit back by playing thesport I love is truly what Ihope I can accomplish with
this program.Jason Lashomb
Senior goaltender Jason Lashomb is teaming up with the local Make-A-Wish
Foundation to help terminally ill children in the Erie community.
Scoot Williams photo
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SPORTS Page 17January 21, 2009
Lashomb uses talent in the goal to benefi t others
Senior lacrosse goalie Jason Lashomb isusing his talent in the net to
benefit terminally ill children. Lashomb, in
partnership with the local Make-A-Wish
Foundation, is finding sponsors to donate
money to the organization for every save
he makes this season. If
interested, contact Lashomb at jlasho40@
mercyhurst.edu for a donation form.
Photos by Scoot Williams
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SPORTS Page 19January 21, 2009
Mens basketball cools down after sizzling start
The Mercyhurst College
mens basketball team cooled
off quickly after a smoking hot
start earlier this season.
The Lakers, who started
off the season on an 11 game
winning streak, have lost
three of their last four games,
including two losses on their
home court. This cold streak
comes at a pivotal point of the
season, the Pennsylvania State
Athletic Conference (PSAC)
regular season.
The Lakers are now 0-2 in
the PSAC with losses to
Slippery Rock University
and Indiana University of
Pennsylvania.
A lack of rebounding in the
Slippery Rock game led to the
loss, as the Lakers were out
rebounded 41 to 27.
During the IUP game there
was a clear lack of offense, as
the Lakers were held without a
basket for just under 10 minutes
in the second half.
These two events proved
to be the key in the respective
games. Possibly even worse
news is the Lakers were held
to a season low of 53 points by
Slippery Rock.
The Lakers set the season
low to 48 against IUP during
the next game. While this might
sound like bad news, the Lakers
have a chance to bounce back
with a win coming up this
week against cross town rival
Edinboro University.
The Lakers will be looking to
get into their previous form and
get back to their old winning
ways. The Lakers are 12-3 on
the season.
By Gary Coad
Staff writer
The friendly confines of the
Mercyhurst College Ice Center seem
to be just what the mens hockey team
needed to get back on track.
After getting swept last weekend by
Atlantic Hockey foe Army, the Lakers
returned home for another pair of
conference games against Sacred Heart
on Jan. 16 and Jan. 17.
Friday nights game was a defensivebattle with plenty of hard hitting
and physical play to keep the fans
entertained.
Sophomore Scott Pitt started the
scoring for the Lakers in the first period
off a pass from senior Matt Pierce.
Sophomore Jeff Terminisi picked up
an assist on the goal.
The score remained 1-0 until the
second period when junior Chris Risi
lit the lamp thanks to assists fromsenior Brett Robinson and sophomore
goaltender Ryan Zapolski.
Two goals was all the offensive
support Zapolski needed as he made 30
saves and was just 53 seconds short of a
shutout, but still picked up the win.
Saturday nights game was a one sided
affair headlined by sophomore Steve
Cameron.
Cameron picked apart the Sacred
Heart defense and found the back of
the net four consecutive times.
Cameron leads the Lakers with 15
goals and 16 assists on the season.
Sophomore Mike Gurtler added two
goals and, sophomore Scott Pitt cappedoff the scoring with his tenth goal of
the season to defeat the Pioneers 7-0.
Zapolski got the nod on Saturday
in goal, and he was solid once again
securing his seventh win of the season
and first shutout of the year.
Mercyhurst now stands at 9-12-2
overall and 7-6-2 in the conference.
The Lakers continue their nine-game
home stand this weekend with a pair
of games against the University of
Connecticut Huskies.
Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
for Friday and Saturday games at the
Mercyhurst College Ice Center.
By Brad Moehringer
Sports editor
Cameron helps mens hockey get back on track
Junior Chris Risi scores a goal against Sacred Heart at the mens hockey
game this past weekend.
Scoot Williams photo
Sophomore goalkeeper Ryan Zapolski protects the puck behind the net
against Sacred Heart this past weekend.
Scoot Williams photo
Page 20Junior Neil Graham (24) levels a
Sacred Heart Pioneer on Jan. 16.
k S
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Scoot Williams photo
Caption on page 19
Laker Sports
Punishingthe Pioneers
Lakers take two from Sacred Heart