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Transcript of The Merciad, March 12, 2008
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 12, 2008
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Mercyhurst College President Dr. Thomas Gamble(left) announced plans on Monday that will take theschool into the next five years. Among his ideas are
a new 318-room residence hall and a new academicbuilding to house the schools intelligence programand business department. Both buildings are plannedfor construction within the next year. The initiativealso calls for recruitment of faculty with the help ofnewly appointed provost Dr. James Adovasio. Theproject will push the college into a $55 million debt.
| Joshua Wilwohl reports on page 3
Hur$tsfuture
President announces $32M expansion
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NEWSPAGE 2 March 12, 2008
Armingpolice
3-part safety series
This week: PoliceFormer Northern IllinoisUniversity graduate student
Steven Kazmierczak shot
dead five students in less thantwo minutes on Feb. 14 in the
universitys Cole Hall. It took
campus police under 30 seconds
to respond.
If an incident such as a
shooter were to occur on the
Mercyhurst College campus,
the schools police and safety
officers would have nothing to
protect themselves with since
they do not carry firearms, said
Rodger Gregorich, Mercyhursts
police and safety director.
Erie Bureau of Police
Captain D.J. Fuhrman said if
such an incident would occur at
Mercyhurst College, it would take
minutes for officer response.
If we had an active shooter
on campus the first unit
would be no more than fiveminutes, he said.
Fuhrman said once four
units were on scene of theincident, they would not need to
wait for the special weapons and
tactics team and would move in
on a subject.
The first four responding
officers proceed to where the
shooter is and we will move on
them, he said. For example,
if we get a call of shots fired
in Old Main, we will move to
where the gun shots are being
fired.
He said, however, Erie police
would rely on campus police and
safety during the incident.
We would work with safety
officers because they have
knowledge of the buildings, he
said.
Gregorich said if a call of an
active shooter came through hisoffice, he would call all officers
to assist in securing the scene
but would be hesitant in sendingin his officers unarmed.
Our officers, as it is now,
are told if there is an armed
individual, they should do what
they can, he said. But they
should not put themselves
in a position where they are
in danger of being seriously
injured or killed.
Mercyhurst is the only
college in the Erie area whose
officers are not armed.
Gregorich said his officers
would help secure the scene, but
Erie police would take control
of the area.
Once a confirmed call
is reported, the dispatcher
would inform all personnel and
immediately call Erie police, he
said.Please see School on Page 6
& safetyBy Joshua WilwohlEditor-in-chief
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More buildings, more faculty
and more students is the drive
behind Mercyhurst Colleges new
$32 million expansion plan. It
will also mean more debt.
Dr. Thomas Gamble, the
colleges president, announcedMonday the schools strategic
initiative for the next five years.
This plan is about Mercyhurst
students, he said. Its about the
growth and excellence of the
college.
Gamble outlined his proposal
to more than 150 faculty mem-
bers, administrators and students
in the Mary DAngelo Perform-
ing Arts Center.He said the price tag of $32
million comprises $25 million
from a bond issue, while the
remaining $7 million will come
from donations, such as those
made by the board of trustees.
The $25 million, according to
Gamble, will push the schools
debt close to $55 million. He said
the schools current long-term
debt is around $30 million.Gamble said the college plans
to pay back the debt annually over
a 25-year period with the schools
$100 million-a-year revenue.
He said the plan calls for con-
struction of a 318-room, $14
million residence hall and a $10
to $12 million academic building
that will house the intelligence
program and business school on
the Erie campus.
We want to move into com-
petitive intelligence for business
and the ability to provide the
good reputation of the intel-
ligence program, he said.
The location of the residence
hall will be east of Tullio Field.
Mercy apartments and McAu-
ley Hall are overcrowded, Gam-
ble said. To decrease the density
of students, we want to provide
another residence hall.
Construction for the residence
hall will start in June, according
to the colleges Associate Vice
President of Administration
Tyrone Moore.
Warde townhouses will be de-molished to make way for the new
academic building, which will be
located west of the bookstore.
Gamble said there are open
upperclassman apartments that
will make up for the space lost
by the Warde townhouses.
There is still space available
in Briggs Avenue apartments
and the new residence hall will
provide additional housing as
well, he said.
Gamble also said freshmen
and upperclassmen could be liv-
ing together in the new residence
building.
There are no real plans laid
out yet, he said.
Construction for the academic
building is expected to start over
the next two years.
Students reacted to the an-
nounced plans by saying the con-
struction of new buildings on the
Erie campus is not needed.
If they are using money to
take nice housing down, why
not invest it into fixing up the
older housing, said junior JennaBarone. We spend two to three
years in the apartments and only
one in the dorms.
Sophomore Jen Mihu shares
Barones opinion.
It is not necessary to spend
that much money on stuff we
dont need. They just renovated
the suites, she said. We dont
need huge projects that raise
tuition and put the school further
into debt.
Mercyhurst North East, ac-
cording to Gamble, will see
$500,000 in renovations to the
First National Bank building,
purchased by the school in 2006.
A residence hall will also be
constructed on the North East
campus, north of the current
residence building.
Other initiatives of Gambles
plan include recruiting top-notch
faculty with the help of newly
appointed provost Dr. James
Adovasio.
(Adovasio will) work with the
leadership of the faculty senate
to make substantial progress inthe quality of faculty work life
with an eye toward improving
the opportunities available to
them for excellent teaching and
advising, to remain in active
and fruitful dialogue with their
disciplines, for high quality fac-
ulty-student relationships and for
student research, Gamble said
during his speech.
Mercyhurst faculty member
Dr. Richard ODell, a professor
of education, said this project
is one that could launch Mercy-
hurst into another division of
learning.
This has been in the plans for
years now, he said. This was
discussed when Gamble came
on board and its great that he
wants to see the campus grow
and upgrade.
ODell said the addition of
new buildings will help relieve
the stress caused by the lack of
classroom and residential space.
We need more physical
space, said ODell. We are
maxed out right now and need toconcentrate on growing.
Gamble said his plan is to
provide the best education pos-
sible to Mercyhurst students.
Were more expensive than
most public schools, so in order
to provide the premium for
students to pay, we must pro-
vide more than an education,
he said.
Gamble emphasized that this
plan is Mercyhursts most ambi-
tious project in its history and
said he hopes to see an increase
in students on the campuses.
I see this as being a school
of 5,000 kids, he said. Erie
campus will increase by 200 to
300 students, while North East
will increase by 400 to 500 stu-
dents and West will increase by
100 students.
PAGE 3NEWSMarch 12, 2008
The new residence hall will be located east of Tullio Field on the Mercyhurst College Erie campus. It is a 318-room structurethat will cost $14 million.
Contributed photo
College plans $32M expansionBy Joshua WilwohlEditor-in-chief
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PAGE 4 NEWS March 12, 2008
Coach Carter inspires Hurst students
As the inspiration behind
the 2005 film, Coach Carter,
famed high school basketball
coach Ken Carter brought his
message of accountabilit y,
integrity, teamwork and leader-
ship to Mercyhurst College onMonday night.
His lecture, What you see is
what you get: How to visualize
and reach your goals, was fea-
tured by the Mercyhurst Student
Governments (MSG) Speaker
Series.
Carters honest, straightfor-
ward delivery makes him a
sought-after personality in the
academic, business and sportsworlds.
He uses real-life examples and
a caring approach to energize
individuals toward their highest
potential.
Monday, after making a grand
entrance that included jock-
jams style music blaring and
t-shirts flying into the audience,
Carter began his speech saying,
This presentation is like a wom-ans dress; long enough to cover
the basics but short enough to
keep yall interested.
His entrance grabbed the
attention of the already enthu-
siastic audience.
Carter was at Mercyhurst to,
as he said, validate everyones
ability to be successful.
Senior Matt Ferris was sur-
prised by Carter even before thepresentation started.
I was sitting in the front row
of the back section and he told
me I needed to move to the
front because it would be good
for me, said Ferris. So I moved
to the front. Little did I know
he was going to make me stand-
up in the middle of his lecture
and call me an investment
banker.
A mens basketball coach
Richmond High in California,
Carter almost single-handedly
turned around the school, physi-
cally and mentally cleaning up its
trash, graffiti and drug dealers in
two years.
Junior Joanna Sanzo had seen
the movie and was interested in
seeing the real deal.
When I was in high schoolmy entire basketball team went
together to see it, said Sanzo.
He is a realistic and inspira-
tional person; I was excited to
be able to hear him.
Carter described Richmond as
the roughest city in the state
of Cal ifornia. More specifically,
he told the audience that only
50 percent of the students at
Richmond High would graduate,and were 80 times more likely to
go to jail.
Carter stressed the impor-
tance of having goals, and said
You are 10 times more likely
to achieve a goal if you write
it down.
He said that goals were merely
ideas with a deadline. He stressed
that no one should go to sleep
without having tomorrow onpaper.
Carter made his players at
Richmond write down goals
everyday in order to be suc-
cessful members of the team
and society.
Through his own life experi-
ence, Carter was able to push his
basketball team to realize their
potential.
He had each player sign a
contract; everything that they
would abide by in order to be a
member of the team.
The contract included crucial
rules of conduct: treat others
with respect; shun drugs and
alcohol; sit in the front of class
and participate; wear a suit and
tie on game day and maintain a
minimum of a 2.3 GPA.
However not all of the players
lived up to the contract.
The undefeated team was
locked out of the gym, for-
feiting six games in their 13-0
season.
Carter stressed his message
that the team needed to work
into way out of the situation
which they had gotten them-
selves.
If you dont put anythinginto it, you wont get anything
out of it, Carter said to his
players. Once you experience
failure, you will be able to face
the next with enthusiasm.
Carter in closing his lecture
had the entire audience stand
up, put their hands above their
heads, put their right hand
on their heart and spin in a
circle.The confused audience did so
with whispers and smiles.
Now yall can leave this
lecture saying Coach Carter
made me stand up, put my
hands in the air, touched my
heart and turned me around,
said Carter.
Junior Emily Donovan thor-
oughly enjoyed her Carter expe-
rience.It was definitely worth it.
He was all over the place and
unpredictable and had a valu-
able message. By far one of the
best speakers I have seen here,
Donovan said.
Carter also discussed the film
based on his coaching saying,
I was on the set everyday of
filming. The movie was 98.5
percent accurate. Samuel Jack-
son hit every one of his lines
and everyone elses.
The PAC was captivated by
the charismatic, small-town
bred coach that could turn a
seemingly hopeless inner-city
high school into an inspiration
for so many people across the
U.S.
In attendance to the lec-
ture were members of the
Erie community.
Children from the Boys and
Girls Club of Erie were present,
and the adult chaperone club
was given a signed basketball
from Carter as well as a $500
donation from his foundation
to aid in supporting future
endeavors.
Carter said he will open a
charter school in Dallas, TX.
The school will feature 12-hour
school days in order to keep chil-
dren learning and growing at their
fullest potential.
The school will require the
parents of the students to attend
school on every Saturday.
Carter describes the goal of
the school to produce students
who will be able to be as suc-
cessful as possible.
He wants to instill the same
kind of inspiration and drive
to these students as he was able
to do for those at Richmond
High.
Carter will also air a TV
series on MTV in the near
future.
By Ashley PastorStaff writer
Coach Ken Carter brought his message of hope and enthu-
siasm to Mercyhurst College on Monday night in the PAC.
msstate.edu
The man behind the film spoke to students about the importance of striving for a personal best
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PAGE 5NEWSMarch 12, 2008
Recently the Pride of Pennsyl-
vania ROTC Battalion conducted
CWST, which stands for combat
water survival training.
G iven the t e r r a in the
current Iraq and Afghanistan
wars are being fought, one
might consider the training
unnecessary but there have
actually been a surprising numberof drowning deaths recently
due to a lack of water survival
training.
Water deaths can occur when
combat vehicles overturn or
when soldiers simply do not
know how to swim.
The goal of the training
is to familiarize soldiers with
swimming and plunging into
water while encumbered with
the equipment typically carried
by any soldier.
This can include but is notlimited to the uniform, boots,
ballistics vest, helmet, M-4 rifle,
rucksack and a variety of other
items generally employed by
soldiers in combat.
The added weight of the
water that inevitably occu-
pies these items has proven
to be a deadly force which
soldiers can succumb.
Cadets practiced swimming,treading water, diving and
shedding with various amounts
of equipment to better learn
how to deal with a combat water
situation.
The training begins with a 10-
minute swim and water tread and
culminates with a three-meter
blindfolded drop into the deep
end of the Penn State Behrend
pool.
By Jeff Allen
Contributing writer
ROTC goesfor a swim
Hurst summercourses heat up
It is hard to imagine now, butsummer is not far away. Sunshine
and warm weather are on their
way and for some students,
summer classes are right around
the corner.
Students can begin reg-
is ter ing for summer ses -
s ion courses on Apr i l 1 .
This summer the school will
offer new course options and
will bring back past benefits ofprevious summer sessions.
Music appreciation, social
ethics and human resource man-
agement will all be offered online
this summer. This is the first year
Mercyhurst will provide online
courses.
Associate Vice President of
Academic Affairs Mary Brecken-
ridge said, This helps students
who have to work or want to gohome for summer but still want
to take classes.
Breckenridge said she is eager
to see success with the online
courses.
If it is a success we may offer
more online courses next year,
she said.
The college offered a three-
week pre-summer session for
the first time last summer and isoffering one again this summer.
Were excited about the pre-
summer session, said Breck-
enridge. We are offering more
courses in this session than we
did last year and we hope to have
better enrollment.
Students taking the pre-
summer session can earn three
credits in three weeks, said
Breckenridge.
The college will also offer
a six-and-a-half week session
during which students can earn
up to six credits as well as a nine-
week session with the opportu-nity to earn nine credits. Courses
running nine weeks only meet
once a week.
Breckenridge said most
summer courses fall into the
common core and distribu-
tion core but several major
courses will be offered in larger
departments such as education
and business. Course offerings
are currently listed on WebAd-visor.
Mercyhurst only allows stu-
dents to take up to six credits
from another school during the
summer, said Breckenridge.
If students chose to stay on
campus, they can take many
more credits.
Sam Barlekoff, a graduate
assistant in the Office of Resi-
dence Life, said plans have notbeen made yet for summer hous-
ing. While it is not definite, Bar-
lekoff said students usually begin
moving into summer housing the
week after graduation, which is
May 18 this year.
Students usually have to
move into temporary housing
for a week or two while apart-
ments are being cleaned, said
Barlekoff. They sometimeshave to do this again at the end
of summer.
Barlekoff said summer hous-
ing has been assigned to the
middle and lower end of Briggs
Avenue in past years but may also
be on Lewis if necessary.
Students pay $60 a week
for campus housing, but the
cost is usually less for students
working on campus, he said.
Although summer courses will
cost the same as classes taken
during the regular academic
year, students will be exempt
from paying additional fees suchas those for computers and
building assessment, Brecken-
ridge said.
Breckenridge said students
should meet with their aca-
demic advisors to plan their
summer session. According to
the summer session Web site,
courses must be approved by an
advisor before a student is able
to register.Students are able to register
starting April 1, said Brecken-
ridge. They should meet with
their advisors before they register
for courses.
Breckenridge said students
are able to schedule online for
summer courses, something
they were not able to do last
year.
If students are not able to meetwith their advisors or decide to
take part in summer sessions
after they have returned home,
they should contact Andrea
Barnett.
Andrea is part student aca-
demic support and can help
students register for summer
courses, said Breckenridge.
The pre-summer session
begins on May 20 and runs untilJune 10 with exams being held
on June 12. The six-and-a-half
week session begins on June 16,
ends on July 29 with exams on
July 31 and Aug. 1. The nine-
week summer session runs from
June 1 to July 27 with exams on
Aug. 3.
For more information, go to
the summer session Web site at
summer.mercyhurst.edu.
By Casey GreeneManaging editor
ROTC cadets practice combat water survival with equipment.
Contributed photo
Online classes offered for the first time
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NEWSPAGE 6 March 12, 2008
Continued from Page 2
We would also send a timely
text message out to students
and staff and implement the
Mercyhurst College emergency
response plan.
The colleges emergency
response plan is a 91-page
booklet outlining certain
scenarios that could occur on
campus such as an explosion, abomb threat, a civil disturbance,
a data security breach and a
campus shooting.
The college updates the plan
every year, with the most recent
update starting six months ago,
according to Gregorich.
If something happened,
weve got our response protocol
outlined in the emergency
response plan, he said.Gregorich said Mercyhursts
police and safety officers are
sworn officers who have more
than 10 times the amount of
required hours needed for
training an officer to carry a
firearm.
Our police officers have
municipal police required 740
hours of academy training, he
said.
Pennsylvania State
Police recently released the
Pennsylvania College Campus
Security Assessment Report that
outlines suggestions for campuslaw enforcement since the
Virginia Tech tragedy on April
16, 2007, when student Seung-
Hui Cho killed 32 people and
wounded 25 before shooting
himself.
The 17-page document
states private college security
forces should consider Act
235, lethal weapons training
certification, as a requirementfor employment to allow
security personnel to stop an
armed individual on campus.
Presently, private college
security forces do not possess
the use of force options or
authority necessary to stop an
armed individual, nor do they
have the capacity to defend
themselves against an armed
assailant, states the document.
The report also suggests
background checks on all
employees of the college
and security swipe entrances
on academic and residentialbuildings. Mercyhurst has
both of these features, the
latter, however, does not apply
to upperclassman residential
buildings or townhouses on
Briggs and Lewis avenues or
Wayne and 41st streets.
I personally believe that
the sworn officers of this
department should be armed,
said Gregorich. However, theultimate decision lies with the
presidents office and board of
trustees.
Mercyhurst College
President Dr. Thomas Gamble
said the college is safe without
arming police and safety
officers.
The most important thing
in terms of safety is outreach,
he said. Young people and guns
are not a great mixture.
Gamble said Mercyhurst
needs to work toward alternative
methods of safety.
We need to rely onpsychological and spiritual
counseling, he said.
My personal preference is
to have a culture and campus
climate that doesnt make us feel
it is necessary to arm police and
safety.
Gregorich said his
department looks to present
information on arming police
and safety officers to the boardof trustees in the near future.
Those who make the
decisions still believe Mercyhurst
police and safety officers dont
need to be armed, he said.
Its still their decision, but its
our responsibility to provide
them with accurate information
they need to make the correct
decision.
Fuhrman, the Erie police
captain, said he considers
Mercyhurst a safe campus.
The kind of calls we get
through the Mercyhurst campus
is from neighbors about qualityof life issues such as loud parties
on 38th Street, he said.
Weve received few calls to
the campus over the past few
years.
Gerry Tobin, Mercyhursts
vice president of student life,
said the college plans to look
into the possibility of arming
police and safety officers.
Given the climate ofthe culture, I think its a good
question to ask and I think its
a timely opportunity to discuss,
he said.
School has no plans to arm officers
Students can learn to sober
up this week as the Mercyhurst
College Office of the Herrmann
Student Union kicks off its an-
nual Alcohol Awareness Week.
The office, in conjunction with
the Division of Student Life,
Mercyhurst Student Government
and the Student Activities Coun-cil presents a week-long series
of events that began March 10
to teach students about alcohol
abuse and prevention.
Sarah Allen, director of the
student union and student ac-
tivities, said the events will give
students some practical, but very
entertaining alternatives to alco-
hol-intensive partying.
Throughout the week stu-
dents have the opportunity to
pledge to makesafe and healthychoices regarding the use of
alcohol.
Students will receive an Al-
cohol Awareness Wrist Band,
Drinking & Driving Calculator
and Wallet Card.
Students can sign the pledge in
the student union from 11 a.m.
to 3 p.m.
Also this week, students got
the chance to drive both soberand drunk in the PEER Aware
III stimulator on Tuesday af-
ternoon.
Allen said the simulator is an
actual vehicle with the simula-
tor attached that will take the
students into a world where they
can physically see, feel and expe-
rience the dangers of drinking
and driving.
Students are not just shown
the dangers of these factors,
but are shown the outcomes ofdrinking and driving incidences.
This simulator will allow
students to drive sober and
then intoxicated.
The levels of intoxication are
based on gender, body type and
drinks per hour.
Allen believes that the PEERS
Aware III stimulator will help
students make smart decisions
about drinking and driving.Our hope is that students
that participate in the simulation
will be impacted by the results of
driving intoxicated (simulated)
and then will make better deci-
sions in the future said Allen.
On Tuesday night the movie
Spin the Bottle was shown in
Taylor Little Theatre.
The movie critiqued the glam-
orization of excessive drinking
and high-risk behaviors.
The week will be concludedwith two SAC events on Friday
and Saturday nights.
Fridays event is comedic hyp-
notist Blaze who will enlist
student participation in his illu-
minating program at Taylor Little
Theatre at 9 p.m.
Saturdays event is A St. Pad-
dys Casino Night, featuring
casino-style games, food and
prizes, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. inthe Student Union.
Among the prizes are an iPod
Touch, digital camera and a
laptop.
Allen believes alcohol aware-
ness week will help student
deal with alcohol in a safer and
healthier way.
The Division of Student Life
hopes that students will make
healthy decisions with regard
to alcohol.
This week is intended toprovide students with informa-
tion regarding alcohol use and
abuse, said Allen.
There are many services on
campus to help students who
have problems with alcohol
or need help dealing with love
ones who have issues with al-
cohol.
One of those services is the
alcohol support group LetsTalk about Drinking.
The group meets weekly and
is based on the 12 step model.
This is a supportive group of stu-
dents, who are dealing with alco-
hol issues themselves, with their
family, or with their friends.
For more information, call
Fr. Jim Piszker at ext. 2467 or
Justin Ross at ext. 3374 for more
details.
By Sarah GerardContributing writer
Alcohol Awareness Week helps students sober up
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NEWS PAGE 7March 12, 2008
Mercyhurst College YoungDemocrats will host an event
to give students and faculty achance to experience our govern-ment firsthand.
The debate will held in theTaylor Little Theater on March19 at 8:30 p.m.
Mike Waltner, Kyle Foust, TomMyers, and Kathy Dahlkemperare the current Democratic
candidates representing the ThirdCongressional District of Erieand will debate at the Thrusday
night event.Western vice-president of the
College Democratic Federationjunior Timothy Knecht said heis excited to host the event on
campus and share the experience
with the local community.Along with Mercyhurst, invita-
tions to the event have been sentto Gannon University and PennState Behrend.
Knecht said he believes it isimportant to get a first-hand senseof what a debate is like and learn
about the issues that will have atremendous impact on the Eriearea.
Junior Rachel Evangelista
said she sees the event as anopportunity to get involved and
hear what local representativeshave to say.
It seems with the hustle
and bust le of c lasses and
college life you lose a sense ofthings that are happening outside
of school, said Evangelista.Speaking with the candidatesand having a chance to ask
pertinent questions about issuesthat hit close to home will be atremendous help when it comes
time to cast my vote.Knecht agrees.This is very beneficial to stu-
dents who want to get involved
in shaping our future, he said. The debate will start with
a brief introduction of eachcandidate followed by a 10-minute open floor where each
speaker can address the audience
on their positions, their platformand what changes they will bring
to the Erie area.After the candidates speak to
the audience, there will be a brief
intermission where students andfaculty are able to write downquestions for the candidates to
have answered in the proceedingquestion-and-answer portion ofthe event.
Following the discussion there
will be a reception with refresh-ments for audience members.
The candidates will stay afterto answer any further questionsabout their campaigns and meet
students.
Sophomore Josh Nordin saidhe would like to see this type of
awareness for all political parties;not just Democrats.
There will be tables set up
with pins and bumper stickersfor each candidate, as well as per-sonal campaign information.
This debate is free and open tothe public. For more information,contact Knecht at tknech21@
mercyhurst.edu.
By Tim HuckoContributing writer
Erie Democrats debate Hurst students
Symes digs up lifetime of achivement
Mercyhurst Colleges Dr.
Steven Symes, an applied foren-sic science professor, managedto dig up more than just bones
throughout his career.Symes has made great accom-
plishments within his field of
study, the most notable beingthe Thomas Dale Stewart0Award for lifetime achieve-
ment. The Physical Anthropol-
ogy Section of the American
Academy of Forensic Sciencespresented the award to Symes onFeb. 20 during an annual meeting
in Washington, D.C.Symes has never missed an
attendance at any of the com-mittee meetings for the awardsince 1981.
He said he was honored by
the award because he had aprofessor at the University ofTennessee who won the award
as well. Symes said to win thisaward means much to himbecause he was able to follow in
his professors footsteps.
Symes has contributed many
notable accompl ishmentsto the f i e ld of for ens i canthropology.
He is an expert in the area oftraumatized bones, has writtenmore than 50 publications, has
presented to many respectedpeers in his field at confer-ences and has released a book,
The Analysis of Burned
Human Remains, which heco-edited.
In addition to all of thesethings Symes also provides tes-timony in court on a number of
criminal cases, in many differentcountries, such as Mexico, Peruand Kosovo.
Providing testimony is some-thing Symes notes as one of thebiggest accomplishments in his
career.He said that he has to testify
to tell the story of what really
happened, and to enlighten thejury with enough facts to makean educated verdict.
Symes ambitious nature hasallowed him to produce a largeamount of work in a broad and
popular area.Symes has been a fulltime
professor at Mercyhurst for
five years, but previously taughtat the University of Tennessee.
Symes Mercyhurst expier-
ence has allowed him to teachundergraduates for the firsttime.
He said he enjoys the friendlyatmosphere and the support thatthe administration provides him,
both in teaching and traveling
to lecture.Symes also works with his
students to research currentdevelopments in forensic sci-ence.
He said he values the workhis graduate students do to helphim, such as laying out bones
to study.Symes also works with spe-
cialized undergrads as well. He
even allows students to travelwith him to lectures.
For students interested in
pursing their own research inthe field of forensics, Symes hassome advice.
It is a very popular field,which many are interested in, soyou have to work hard and be
the best if you want to make animpact, he said.
By Julie HranicaStaff writer
Mercyhurst Colleges Dr. Steven Symes is an applied foren-
sic science professor and an expert in the area of trauma-
tized bones.
Contributed photo
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PAGE 8 NEWS March 12, 2008
Digesting the college diet
Mercyhurst College biochem-
istry students are beginning to
learn first-hand the complica-
tions involved with celiac diseaseand how it relates directly to
college students.
A person suffering with celiac
disease will have a toxic reaction
to any food items that contain
gluten, such as wheat, barley, rye
and oats.
Dr. Melissa Barranger-Mathys
is excited about an upcoming
project called, Gliadin Con-
tent in the College Diet, beingconducted by her biochemistry
II class.
Barranger-Mathys said the pro-
cedure will test food for gliadin,
the protein that causes anyone
with celiac disease to have an
allergic reaction, in which they
cannot absorb the nutrients of
food.
I know there are several stu-
dents with the disease and manymore that know someone with
it, said Barranger-Mathys.
According to a recent study
from the University of Maryland,
celiac disease affects one in 133
people in America.
The digestive disease damages
the small intestines and interferes
with absorption of nutrients
from food.
The list of symptoms is lengthyand diverse, ranging from chron-
ic iron deficiency anemia and
gastrointestinal complaints, to
pre-menstrual syndrome and
sleeping disorders, among many
others.
Celiac disease is often undiag-
nosed or misdiagnosed, and can
lead to symptoms and signs of
nutritional, vitamin and mineral
deficiencies.
The good news is celiac is
treatable when patients eliminate
glucose from their diets.
However if left untreated,
which it often is, the disease may
cause malnutrition, osteoporosis
and cancers of the intestines.
Since this disease affects manypeople and often goes untreat-
ed and misdiagnosed, raising
awareness about the disease is
prudent.
The project began with a labo-
ratory experiment in biochem-
istry II.
Students determined that
wheatgrass seeds contain glia-
din.
Barranger-Mathys said thatstudents continue to exceed
expectations.
The most remarkable result
was the 99 percent cost savings,
said Barranger-Mathys.
Ordinarily one chemistry kit to
test food for glucose costs $750,
and only three or four food items
can be tested.
After the lab was over, we
estimated that if we repeated thelab but used kits it would cost
$48,000, said Barranger-Mathys.
We did it for about $450.
Barranger-Mathys students du-
plicated the kits themselves and
ordered directly from a chemical
manufacturer, after researching
and establishing a protocol.
Junior Katy Sherloch, double
majoring in forensics and chem-
istry, said the project was differ-ent than other lab experiments.
The project our biochemistry
class conducted was different,
she said. We researched celiac
disease and tested for gluten and
created our own experiment to
determine if gluten is present in
wheat grass.
Senior biochemistry major
Jenee VanDeVelde will attend
graduate school in the fall to
study the field of dietetics.
She plans to do her thesis on
the project and wants to have
student input.
By doing the project, we hope
to be able to determine a wide va-riety of foods that are gluten-free
from a variety of sources such
as restaurants and grocery store
items, said VanDeVelde.
Some food items are clearly
labeled gluten-free, but still may
still contain unseen traces of
glucose.
Senior Erin McCray will help
with the project.
This project gives the ability
to test the actual food to make
sure its glucose-free, said Mc-
Cray. Even if the food says glu-
ten-free sometimes its not.
Sherloch, like VanDeVelde
and McCray, is interested inproviding celiac patients with a
better understanding of what
they can eat.
More food products are be-
ing advertised as gluten-free,
but to increase the knowledge
about the wide-spread use of
wheat and other foods that con-
tain gluten, the project will give
those with celiac disease a better
understanding about what they
can and cannot eat, said Sher-
loch.
The chemistry students invite
others to participate and deter-
mine what food items should
be tested.Barranger-Mathys pointed out
that many sources can test the
food, but Biochemistry II will
do it for free.
We would like input from the
students as to what food items
we should test, Barranger-Ma-
thys explained.
An information session will be
held March 19 in the Zurn 314
at 4 p.m.
By Carla HartStaff writer
Biochemistry students to conduct exeriments to investigate celiac disease
Senior biochemistry major Erin McCray conducts for lab expirement to delve deeper into
knowing which foods will cause allergic reactions to people with celiac disease.
Contributed photo
-
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PAGE 9FEATURESMarch 12, 2008
THE LAKER
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Saturday & Sunday Closed
It has been more than a decade
since the last movie, but the
sound of a whip cracking and the
word archaeology still brings to
mind the same name.
Indiana Jones is a movie fran-
chise that is more than 20 years
old but still one of the mostpopular action and adventure
flicks in history.
The third sequel, filmed recently
and near release, will be based on
a movie done years ago.
Rambo and Rocky Balboa
have both had movies based on
productions produced over a
decade ago.
Freshman Jake Monroe is
excited for the release of thenew movie.
Its a classic for the genre;
everyone knows what it is, he
said. I think its beginning to
become a trend to make sequels
for the old movies. Rocky did it
and so did Rambo.
Lines are drawn that separate
the good Dr. Jones and his allies
from the Nazi enemies that are
bent on world domination.
The stereotypical story of theoutnumbered and outgunned
good guys prevailing because
of intelligence and luck is some-
thing that will keep an audience
watching and waiting for more.
Steven Spielberg has chosen
to keep the plot a secret from
the rest of the world, which
will bring in a curious audience
as well.
Now 20 years after the lastmovie was released, fans eagerly
wait for May 2008 when the new
movie Indiana Jones and the
Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
hits theaters.
This movie will bring back
Harrison Ford as Jones and will
have actor Shea LaBeouf as
Mutt Williams, Jones new side-
kick.
The movies are fun and Har-rison Ford is an awesome actor,
said freshman Cait Nicka. I
grew up on it, and everyone
knows that its going to be
good.
With trailers for the movie
beginning to appear in theaters
around the country, it can be
assumed that all the Indiana
Jones fans will be going toward
the same place on May18.
Harrison Ford joins cast and production members on set.
images.starpulse.com
Indiana Jones whipsback to the big screen
By Chris JamesStaff writer
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 12, 2008
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FEATURESPAGE 10 March 12, 2008
You open an Internet browser
to search the Web.
Which search engine do you
choose?
Google?
Yahoo?
Or another one of the dozens
of browsers available?
No doubt each of these pro-
vide reliable and plentiful search
results to the benefit of the
people who browse, but what
if there was a search engine
that benefited a greater cause
while still providing the proven
results of todays most popular
engines?
Thats where GoodSearch ispaving the way toward a chari-
table way of searching the Web.
By using GoodSearch as a
preferred method of Internet
browsing, users in turn support
a cause close to their hearts.
Founded by Ken and JJ Ram-
berg in 2005 and powered by
Yahoo!, GoodSearch works just
like any other search engine.
The difference is that users can
choose from the nearly 55,000
causes, schools and nonprofits
that GoodSearch sponsors, and
the company will donate 50
percent of its revenues to the
charities chosen by the users.
The money that is donated
comes largely from the adver-
tisers that are affiliated with
GoodSearch.
With all of the causes to sup-
port, each person can find one
they care for.
And since it often seems
impossible that even the small-
est people can help, this is the
perfect way to do just that.
Why not raise money for the
charities that mean the most toyou by doing something that
you already do everyday-search
the web.
So instead of logging on to the
trusted Google or Yahoo! next
time the Internet pops up, go
to GoodSearch and make your
searching worthwhile.
GoodSearch keeps on givingBy Jen GildeaFeatures editor
St. Paddys Day right around the cornerBy Shannon KelleyStaff writer
Parades, drinking and green
shirts make up many college
students favorite holiday,
St. Patricks Day.
With the holiday falling on aMonday this year, many students
are trying to figure out their
Paddy Day plans.
It sucks that its on a Monday
because we have c lasses
and stuff, said senior Ryan
Nealon.
With so many s tudents
holding ties to Cleveland,
many return home for the
day and attend the citys
popular parade.
With the timing however,
some students will plan to go
out that night.
I think my friends and I are
just going to go out Monday
because we all have classes,
and the bars will probably have
good specials, said senior Kris-tin Drake.
Sophomore Nicole McIntyre
has more than one reason to
celebrate the holiday.
My birthday is March 16,
she said. So I get to celebrate
for two days instead of one.
St. Patrick is said to have
rid Ireland of snakes, later
becoming a saint for it.
According to history the
channel.com, March 17 is said
to have been the day St. Patrick
died.
The holiday came to America
with the Irish immigrants, who
began to publicly observe the
day, holding the first St. Patricks
Day parade in New York City
in 1766.Irish families take the fun
holiday pretty seriously, which
usually starts out with church,
then par ades and ea t ing
cabbage and corned beef
around a family table.
Families meet at Irish heritage
clubs, family bars and houses,
where live entertainment takes
center stage.
From Irish dancers, Irish
rock bands and folk music, the
day is filled with Irish pride for
many.
College students have always
been drawn to the day not in
particular for the historical
factor, but that it is a fun-filled
day of drinking green beer
and eating corn beef sand-wiches.
Although it is an Irish holiday,
everyone can be Irish on St.
Patricks Day.
So whether you plan on
going to a parade, grabbing a
Reuben or going out for the
night, be safe and remember
to say cheers to good old St.
Patrick: A saint to every college
student.
Four-leaf clovers are said
to be lucky to those who
find them, especially acci-
dentally. These tiny clo-
vers are a popular symbol
used to represnt the St.
Patricks Day celebrations.
http://www.abcteach.com
GoodSearch is an alternative to online search engines such as Google and Yahoo. A
benefit of choosing this Web browser allows its users to designate charities to which
GoodSearch will donate 50 percent of its revenue.
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-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 12, 2008
11/24
Project Runways popularity
and fan base over its four-year
lifespan seems to be getting
larger and larger each year.
Reality television indeed has
its pitfalls, but sometimes the
genre can serve to demonstrate
an undeniable truth.
Viewers of Project Runway
clearly can see the fashion indus-
try is much more than glamour
and fluff.
Designing, styling, modeling
and sewing are all work - and
art-based work at that.
Critics do not care if designers
spend 18-plus hours hemming a
dress or selecting a correlating
fabric.In the end this is what makes
the fashion industry cut-throat,
yet exciting.
Project Runway is the epitome
of the previously mentioned
concept.
The competition starts with
15 designers who are selected
based upon personality and their
portfolios, among other criteria.
Each week the three regularjudges, Heidi Klum, Michael
Kors and Nina Garcia, are
accompanied by a guest judge.
The designers are given a new
and interesting challenge weekly,
which progressively become
more complex as the season
unfolds.
I n o n e i n s t a n c e t h e
contestants could only allocate
fabric and material resourcesfrom the Hersheys store in
Manhattan.
The winner of Project Runway
receives a spread in Elle Maga-
zine, $100,000 to start their own
line, a chance to offer their line
exclusivly on bluefly.com and a
new Saturn Azura.
This seasons cast was very
dynamic, diverse and enter-
taining.
Typically as the competi-
tion winds down, the last two
designers left standing have achance to show their collections
during fashion week at Bryant
Park.
This year the stakes were bit
higher, as they gave four design-
ers a chance to compete at Bryant
Park.
In the end, only three designers
would be selected to debut their
collections at fashion week in
New York.The winner and fan-favorite of
this season was Christian Siriano
who, at 21, was the youngest
contestant.
Other finalists included Rami
and Jillian Lewis, who both
showed their collections at
Bryant Park and were judged.
S ir iano s co l lect ion was
very much European-couture
inspired.I was originally inspired by
18th-century Spanish paintings.
Then it evolved organically into
a world of hard versus soft and
dark versus romance, Siriano
stated in an interview following
his win.
Mercyhurst College fash-
ion merchandising students
juniFrankie Stubber and junior
Caroline Boyce followed the
show and both said they felt that
Christians clothing was not very
accessible to the ready-to-wearmarket.
I thought Christians line was
not salable and would not easily
translate into ready-to-wear for
the typical consumer, which
is where the money lies in the
industry, Stubber said.
Boyce said she felt similarly
adding that she preferred another
contestant named Rami, who
throughout the show was noto-rious for his eloquent draping
techniques.
Boyce also noted that Ramis
line was not only more chic but
also more colorful and fun.
Overall Sirianos collection was
praised by all four judges, includ-
ing special guest judge Victoria
Beckham.
Siriano stated in the begin-
ning of the competition that hewould love to dress Beckham and
Britney Spears, whom he sympa-
thizes with in her plight against
the harsh public eye.
Project Runway is now look-
ing for new contestants for their
next season.
It is said that next years show
is scheduled to have unexpected
twists and turns that the average
viewer will not expect.
PAGE 11FEATURESMarch 12, 2008
By Sandy WatroStaff writer
Project Runway has fierce finale
Season 4 winner Christian Siriano stands in the work room with a few of his looks.
rvanews.comHeidi Klum and Siriano
bravotv.com
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 12, 2008
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PAGE 12 FEATURES
Food FixWithMegI
ERI
Get to know...
Jimmy Mason
Corned Beef & Cabbage
Directions
Ingredients
The Sandbars gaming area includes darts and pool tables.
Contributed photo
March 12, 2008
By Shelley TurkStaff writer
St. Pats at The Sandbar
Since spring break is over and
senioritis is starting to kick in,
look toward The Sandbar Draft
House and Grille to keep yourspirits high throughout this
snowy month.
The Sandbar is located at the
corner of 8th Street and Penin-
sula Drive and is sure to treat you
and your friends to the sights and
sounds of the beach.
The restaurant opened in Janu-
ary and is located close to Pr-
esque Isle.
This hot-spot will be greatafter a day at the beach or just
as a place to hang out in the
evening.
Owners Gary Miller and Bob
Bachmaier have renovated the
restaurant for comfortable din-
ing, drinking and gaming, which
includes pool tables, darts and
about eight televisions for sports
action.
The menu features appetizersranging in price from $3.99 to
$6.99, salads including the Pr-
esque Isle Beach House Salad
priced at $6.99 and a selection
of soups.
Sandwiches include the Eries
Favorite Philly with fries priced
at $6.99 and burgers start at
$6.59.
Sandbar also has specialty
barbecue items and about 14 dif-ferent flavors of wings priced at
$8.19 for a bakers dozen.
On Wednesdays join The Sand-
bar and its staff for live karaoke
in the evening and on Thursdays
for ladies night events.
Starting this Friday through
Monday The Sandbar will cel-
ebrate St. Patricks Day with
select specials at the bar, which
is fully stocked and includes 30different draft beers at a time,
depending on season.
The bar area is clean and has
dining seats for appetizers when
customers are with friends.
Anyone under the age of 21
must be accompanied by an adult
after 9 p.m. and always remember
to designate a driver.
Happy St. Patricks Day and
check out The Sandbar DraftHouse and Grille as your next I
Heart Erie experience.
St. Patricks Day is right around
the corner and an essential meal
to eat on this holiday, besides
Kegs and Eggs, is corned beef
and cabbage.
St. Patricks Day would not be
the same without it.
The best thing about this meal
is the fact that it requires so little
time and effort to make.
This makes it great not only for
the holiday but also for days that
you are busy with classes.
It makes the apartment smell
great and is ready for you when
you come home.
If you plan to make this meal
for a crowd you can get a larger
corned beef brisket and add a
few more vegetables, just make
sure that you cook it for an hour
per pound of meat.
Leftovers can be sliced up to
make great sandwiches in the
following days.
-Meghan Dolney
1.) Put the corned beef brisket in a large pot orcrock pot and cover with water. Add the spicepacket that comes with the corned beef. Coverthe pot and bring it to a boil, then reduce theheat.
2.) Cook the corned beef for an hour per pound.So for a 3-pound brisket, cook for 3 hours.
3.) Add the potatoes and carrots and cook untilthey are tender. Then add the cabbage and cookfor an additional 15 minutes.
4.) Remove the brisket from the pot and let itsit for about 15 minutes to cool before slicingand serving. Also, remove the vegetables fromthe pot and serve.
3 lbs. corned beef brisket10 red potatoes, whole5 carrots, peeled and sliced1 head of cabbage, cut into wedges
Name: Jimmy MasonYear: Senior
Major: Fashion MerchandisingHometown: Ellwood City, Pa.Favorite thing about Mercyhurst: The friends
that Ive madeLeast favorite thing: The weatherCampus activities: Designing clothes at the fash-
ion lab, lunch dates at the Laker, hanging out withfriends
Other interests: Shopping, having fun on State St.,and going dancing
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 12, 2008
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Mercyhurst continues to throw
extraordinary opportunities our way when the amazing Live
from NYs 92nd Street Y seriescontinues with Richard Sonnen-feldt, the chief interpreter for
the American prosecution at theNuremberg trails, at the TaylorLittle Theatre of Mercyhurst
College on Thursday, March 13at 8 p.m.
The Holocaust is a horrifying,
yet crucial, topic of history about which everyone has learned,but this conversation will teach
and reveal something new toeveryone.
Sonnenfeldt will highlight
many of his lifes adventures,from his childhood in Germanyto his participation in the libera-
tion of Dachau to being namedchief American interpreter at the
Nuremberg trials at age 22.
In later life, he became aprincipal developer of colortelevision, computers and the
technology for the first moonlanding.
Sonnefeldt will also discussstartling new information aboutNazi war criminals and the ori-gins and development of the
Holocaust.Founded in 1874 by a group of
visionary Jewish leaders, the 92nd
Street Y has grown into a wide-ranging cultural and communitycenter serving people of all races,
faiths and backgrounds.
Now in its fourth year, the92nd Street Ys mission is to
enrich the lives of the over300,000 people who visit eachyear, both in person and through
Live from NYs 92nd Street Y.This program uses satellite
technology to simultaneously
broadcast the Ys renownededucational and cultural pro-gramming to community orga-
nizations across America.
The Live from NYs 92ndStreet Y series is free for mem-bers of the Mercyhurst College
and the Temple Anshe Hesed
community.There is limited seating and
tickets will be given out on a first
come, first serve basis.
PAGE 13ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT tHeBuZz
MARCH 12. Comedy.Chr is Rock. SenecaEvents Center.
MARCH 12. GutterTwins (Greg Dulli, MarkLanegan). BeachlandBallroom, Cleveland.
MARCH 14. Yellowcard(acoustic), MxPx, PlayRadio Play. House ofBlues, Cleveland.
MARCH 14. B.B. King. Warner Theatre, Erie.$66, $51.
MARCH 14. Joel Osteen:
A Night of Hope. MellonArena, Pittsburgh.
MARCH 14. RelientK, New Found Glory.St. Vincent College,Latrobe.
MARCH 15. MannheimSteamroller. Warner The-atre, Erie.
MARCH 15. Stone PonyBand, Festivus. House ofBlues, Cleveland.
MARCH 15. Bon Jovi,Daughtry. Mellon Arena,Pittsburgh.
MARCH 15. K.D. Lang.Center for the Arts, Uni- versity of Buffalo, Buf-falo.
MARCH 18. Erie Broad- way Series. MichaelFlatleys Lord of theDance.
Courtesy of Goerie.com
Are you interested in writingfor the Arts and
Entertainment section?
Do you enjoy music, art,and dance?
Please contact Nicole Cerilli at
March 12, 2008
On a day that everyone claimsto be Irish, on an Irish college
campus, celebrate an early St.Patricks Day the right way withamazing Irish music, delicious
food provided by Molly Bran-nigans, and Irelands numberone recording artist, Tommy
Fleming.Eric Clapton praised Fleming,
saying, The best I have ever
heard, bar none.Performing traditional and
contemporary classics with a
twist, Fleming draws emotionto a song and can truly delivera vocal performance second-to
-none.A toe-tapping band will also
be backing him up, making thisshow one not to be forgotten.
After being discovered andforming his own bad, Tommy
Fleming started to pack pubsand clubs all over Ireland withdevoted fans who appreciated
his passion for music.Flemings lively spirit and love
for music has not always been a
road easily traveled, though.In October of 1998, one of
Flemings tours was tragically cut
short by a serious car accident,which left Tommy with a brokenneck and immobilized, a subject
which Tommy is not comfortabletalking about.
Im just grateful to be alive
and back to full health, he said.I just dont think its healthyto dwell on these things, youre
much better to move on.Because of his full schedule of
sold out shows, it is an unbeliev-
able privilege, and not one togo unnoticed, to have booked
Tommy Flemingthree daysbefore St. Patricks Day.
Dont miss the amazingchance to meet Fleming afterthe show.
This combination of music,food and friends will make for a
St. Pattys day to remember.Tommy Flemming will take
the stage at the PAC just threedays before the holiday on Friday,March 14 at 8 p.m.
Tickets will be sold for $10with a Mercyhurst ID.
By Jordan Zangaro
Contributing writer
PAC has Pot OGold in Tommy Flemming
By Jordan ZangaroContributing writer
Live from NYs 92nd Street Y series continues
Photo courtesy of http://tommyflemming.net
Tommy Fleming will perform at Mercyhurst three days
before St. Patricks Day.
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 12, 2008
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPAGE 14 March 12, 2008
The Metropolitan Opera:
Live in High Definition con-
tinues its unique and astonishing
display of breathtaking operas
and groundbreaking perfor-
mances.
The next showing to grace
the PAC as a part of this excit-
ing experiment will be Peter
Grimes.
Tenor Anthony Dean Griffey
takes on the complex title role.
Riveting Patricia Racette plays
Ellen Orford, the woman who
refuses to abandon him. Featur-
ing what may be 20th-centuryoperas most impressive tenor
role, Peter Grimes,will be an
engrossing and haunting theatri-
cal journey.
More than 800,000 people at-
tend performances at the Metro-
politan Opera during the season,
and now millions more through-
out the world can experience the
most creative and talented artists
to step foot on the stage.
With the amazing Live in
High Definition experiment, 10
cameras are strategically placed
all over The Met. Audiences all
over the globe can witness not
only the performances from afront-row view, but behind-the-
scenes footage such as technical
operations, arrivals, make-up
applications and even personal
interviews with the performers.
Dont miss out.
In the show, Peter Grimes is
questioned at an inquest over
the death of his apprentice.
The townsfolk make it clear
they think Grimes is guilty and
deserving of punishment.
Although the coroner, Mr.
Swallow, determines the boys
death to be accidental and clears
Grimes without a proper trial,
he advises Grimes not to getanother apprentice.
As the court is cleared, the
schoolmistress attempts to com-
fort Grimes as he rages against
what he sees at the Borough
communitys unwillingness to
give him a second chance.
Grimes claims to be in des-
perate need of help to fish,
and his friend, the apothecary
Ned Keene, finds him a new
apprentice from the workhouse.
Nobody will volunteer to fetch
the boy, until Ellen offers.
When Ellen brings the ap-
prentice to Grimes at the pub
that evening, he immediatelysets off to his hut, despite the
fact that the Borough is weath-
ering an ominous storm. Peter
Grimes is under investigation
for unthinkable transgressions,
yet Benjamin Brittens probing
exploration of the nature of
guilt and judgment implicates an
entire fishing village.
The show will take place at the
PAC Saturday, March 15 at 1:30
p.m. Tickets will are available
at the box office for $15 with a
student ID.
By Jordan Zangaro
Contributing writer
Metropolitan Opera: Live in High Definition presents Peter Grimes
The Art Therapy Senior Seminar students are
displaying their art work in the Cummings Art Gallery
in the Mary DAngelo Performing Arts Center.
The instructor of the seminar, Cathlyn Hahn, said
her art work is self as an art therapist.
Each student used a variety of media with text to
describe their work.
Scoot Williams photo
Scoot Williams photo
Scoot Williams photo
Art Therapy work on display in Cummings Art Gallery
Scoot Williams photo
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 12, 2008
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PAGE 15ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTMarch 12, 2008
Say Anything made a name
for themselves with their debut
two-disc album Is a Real Boy
in 2006.
On Oct. 23, 2007, the band
released its much anticipated
sophomore album on J Records
(Sony BMG Music Group) In
Defense of the Genre.Much like Is a Real Boy,
Genre is a double album,
featuring 27 mind-bending, bi-
polar-infused tracks, courtesy of
lead vocalist Max Bemis hectic
lifestyle.
The album follows Bemis
life on the road with the band.
He focuses most prominently
on how he and the band are
forced to cope with his psycho-
logical condition.
The song styles and arrange-ment of the songs on the album
are mirror images of the lyrics
Bemis penned so brilliantly,
eclectic, diverse and utterly
original.
Each song explores a differ-
ent genre while maintaining the
trademark Say Anything energy
and style.
No two tracks on this album
seem to fit with one another,as if Bemis and company de-
cided to put them on the album
chronologically as they were
written.
The album definitely gives the
average listener an insight into
the troubled world of extreme
bipolar disorder.
Just as important as Bemis is,
the rest of the band serves as
the backbone and the trademark
sound of Say Anything.
The sextet includes Bemis,drummer Colby Linder, guitar-
ists Alex Kent, Jake Turner and
Jeff Turner and keyboardist
Parker Case.
The band hails from south-
ern California, but has a sound
similar to that of bands from
the Midwest.
Their incorporation of east
coast punk, jazz, blues and clas-
sic rock influences give them aunique sound that manages to
bring fans from across genres.
The list of guest vocalists
is that worked on the album
is staggering: Pete Yorn, Anna
Waronker (formerly of That
Dog), Adam Lazzara, Fred
Mascherino, Anthony Raneri,
Hayley Williams, Caithlin De
Marrais, Chris Carraba (of
Dashboard Confessional), Mi-
chael Auerbach, Casey Prest-
wood, Trevor Keith, ChrisConley (of Saves the Day),
Gerard Way (of My Chemical
Romance), Joshua Sultan, Matt
Skiba, Laura Kirsch, Jordan
Pundik, Chad Gilbert, Aaron
Gillespie (of The Underoath),
Andy Jackson, Anthony Green
and Kenny Vasoli (of The
Starting Line) share their vocal
talents on the album.
DJ Swamp lends his turntableproficiency to the album on the
song No Soul.
In Defense of the Genre
shares a common theme with
Is A Real Boy: sex.
Bemis writes provocative,
occasionally over-detailed ac-
counts of his cavalier lifestyle
on the road over the course of
both albums.
The first single off the dou-
ble-album, Baby Girl, Im
a Blur, sounds nothing likeprevious Say Anything singles
(Alive with the Glory of Love,
Wow, I Can Get Sexual
Too).
Baby Girl is a more dance-
and pop-oriented song with
heavy bass, drums, and synthe-
sizers.
The song also features a hard
rock style guitar solo to tie the
song together and fade out. The second song slated to
be released as a single, Shiksa
(Girlfriend), is an eclectic mix
of various styles of pop and
rock.
Vocal harmonies and soaring
synth and guitar riffs flood the
song with a radio-friendly vibe
that inspires even the most
rhythmically challenged indi-
viduals to get up and dance.
By Greg SummyStaff writer
Such a Grand Defense releases sophomore album
Its been just over two weeks
since the Academy Awards, but
Im still riding that Oscar high
thanks to Glen Hansard and
Marketa Irglova winning Best
Song. Man, I loved that little
movie that could, as Once
has come to be known.
Though, at this point I thinkthe entire Western Hemisphere,
or at least everyone in my apart-
ment knows my fondness for
the movie.
But Im supposed to move on
and write an article about a dif-
ferent movie so as a final tribute,
I think I know what will get me
over the hump.
I believe its only fitting that
in honor of an Irish film that Igive out one last award, this time
Irishman of the Year, to one
Robbie Kennerney. Cheers mate;
youll never walk alone.
Now, on to my next assign-
ment. If anyone was on cloud
nine with me, come down fast
because todays film is far from
uplifting.
Roger Ebert, or Ebs, as I ad-
dress him casually because in my
head were close, says that when
most people watch documenta-
ries, they finish feeling like the di-
rector did not do a good enough
job showing both sides.
I tend to agree and on more
than just documentaries. When something contro-
versial is brought up, humans
tend to pay closer attention to
the things they may potentially
disagree with so as to prepare
themselves in some way to form
a rebuttal, and in Tony Kayes
film Lake of Fire, he gives
us the granddaddy of them all:
Abortion.
In this documentary however,I felt that regardless of where
you stand on the issue, the cases
for both sides are made so effec-
tively that its difficult to deter-
mine what Kaye himself believes.
The film is graphic and, at times,
almost impossible to watch, butthe very nature of the film makes
it hard to ignore.
Featuring commentary by
Noam Chomsky, Alan Der-
showitz, Nat Hentoff, and an
account of Norma McCorvey,
the anonymous Jane Roe inthe 73 Supreme Court decision
Roe vs. Wade, the film shows
complexity of the issue and the
legal tightrope that is walked
every day by people who are
nothing if not passionate about
their beliefs.Lake of Fire will be shown
Wednesday, March 12 at 2 p.m.
and 8 p.m. in the Performing
Arts Center. Tickets are free for
Mercyhurst students with ID.
By Mason Lorek
Staff writer
PAC presents film Lake of Fire
Lake of Fire is a documentary which examines the controversies of abortion.
PAC photo
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 12, 2008
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PAGE 16 OPINION
The Good
Kudos to groundskeep-ers for maintaining thesidewalks over the week-end.
With the new changes inthe near future, look for-ward to more parking.
The Bad
Ice storms and blizzardswrecked Erie in less thana week, leading to brokenice scrapers and nasty road
conditions.
The green grass we onceknew will be brown mudpuddles once the snowthaws.
Say good-bye to the Warde Townhouses tomake way for new struc-tures on campus.
The Ugly
The build-up of snowin all of the parking lotsis frustrating because welose even more spots ininclement weather.
Did anyone else notice
the giant flock of seagulls(no, not the 80s band) onMonday? Did a bread truckget buried in one of thehuge snow drifts?
Please e-mail any suggetions to
The GB&U is a compilation of
student opinions.
The Good,the Bad &
the Ugly
March 12, 2008
A few weeks ago in one ofmy communication classes,we were discussing the changes
in American culture over thelast decade or two and howfast-paced lifestyles and packed
schedules have become thenorm of our everyday lives.
Children no longer spend
their time reading, playingoutside or doing other kidactivities.
Instead they go from school,to afterschool programs, to
club meetings, to athleticpractices.It seems parents have
taken on the role as schedule
coordinators and chauffeurs. This habit of constant
running around then continues
into high school and college.Students not only complete
their school work, but also try
to juggle one or more jobs,
join clubs, run for leadershippositions, take on intern-
ships and pack something intopractically every moment ofeveryday.
Once college is over, thehabit is then transferredinto the next generation of
children as those people begin
to have families of their own.It seems that our culture
has become so obsessed
with career success andprogress that we now startpreparing children at a
ridiculously young age byenrolling them into programsthat will benefit them in the
future. What happened to the idea
of just letting kids be kids and
spending time with families?When I was brought up, yes,
I had a busy schedule.
It was busy with gymnas-tics practices, making dressesout of leaves, playing the role
of a weatherwoman with mysisters in our makeshift newsstation and doing things with
my family.My parents taught me values
that I would need later on
in life through their actions,and of course many long lec-tures, not by making me join
the future leaders of Americabefore I could walk.
I think the worst practice inwhich our society can partici-pate is to continue to force ouryoungest generation to start
growing up too quickly.They are going to be burnt
out by the time they are ready
to begin their careers.
By MichelleLaSlavicStaff writer
American lifestyle
needs speedbumpMaybe it is me or perhaps it is
simply the excessively loud stu-dents who are still freshly moti- vated to be at the library on a
Sunday afternoon. The library, like the gym, is
usually more crowded at the
beginning of the term whenstudents are still provoked tostudy and leave the confines of
their apartments. There is a degree of eti-
quette that students need to
be reminded of to use in thelibrary.
As a regular at the library, I
have made several observations within the first week of the
term.Largely related to the level ofnoise, if the music on your MP3is loud enough that someone
can hear you from the oppositeside of the room, despite theuse of headphones, please do
not get snippy when the bravestudent next to you requests youturn down the noise; not every-
one prefers beat your mother
music while reading for class.Sitting at a computer in the
Great Room, hoping to crankout a paper, I was constantlyinterrupted by the students
doing a group paper on my left who cared to leave their cellphones on vibrate to designate
the receipt of a text message. To the gaggle of freshmen
who wear the Ugg boots anddrag their heels through theGreat Room, please learn how
to walk.If you must talk, conduct
yourselves in a designated area.
To the ambassadors, I under-stand the need to display thelibrary and other areas desig-
nated for studying.The library, however, is sup-
posed to be a quiet environment
and the lead-around of prospec-tive students does not help withyour explanation for what the
library can be used.To the LECOM students who
refuse to use their own library
but rather take up room in oursand make ridiculously unfunnyjokes about physiology that,
despite your attempts to whis-per, we can still hear you.Being the last term of the
year, many students are tryingto finish work before gradua-tion and summer endeavors.
The library is generally theplace of silence where we canconcentrate and conduct aca-
demic work.If I wanted to work in an
area with excessive noise then Iwould do my work at the Stu-dent Union at lunch or in theMAC during volleyball practice.
Please be respectful of yournoise level and of people inthe library actually trying to get
work completed.
By Ellen
KoenigStaff writer
Tone it down in library
If youve heard it once, youveheard it a million times: Patienceis a virtue.
And so it is.I am putting forth a challenge,
though.
For just one week, try being a
little more patient with people. You may not realize it, but
take one person with whom
youve given up patience andput yourself in his or her shoesfor just a moment.
This person may be tryingyour patience because he or sheis anxious due to a patience-
related issue.
Perhaps this person, who we
will call Mary, is annoying you. There may be something
bigger in her life that she has
chosen not to share.Maybe Mary is waiting on
test results from the doctor,
ones that have the potential tochange her life.
What if Mary is waiting to
hear whether or not her finan-
cial aid has been approved?
Perhaps a loved one is fight-ing for our country.
Or maybe it is a family prob-
lem.Think above and beyond the
immediate situation and give a
little more patience.If you were in her shoes,
would you want someone to
give up patience on you?
Find time for patience of others livesBy MerissaFrankOpinion editor
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8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 12, 2008
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After weeks off of writing
for the paper, I had numerous
pieces of work to publish in this
weeks issue.
An apology for past arti-
cles being overly critical and
arrogant, as well as a dream
manifesto that put forth a soft
call for people to wake up.
Then I realized none of this
would really be listened to as too
broad of a stroke was taken.
So here it is.This is my call to the Intelli-
gence Studies Department and
the rest of the Mercyhurst Col-
lege population.
My call is for those of this
population to do their job,
investigate 9-11.
I just want any one to
prove to me that the 9-11
Commission is either free of
error or adequate to be passedas truth.
I have no real set belief in
this matter but seeing how it is
perhaps one of the most
influential events in my lifetime.
and yours, we question.
I ask all students to do their
own independent research
with no real alignment to the
outcome of your findings.
It is my belief that a debatewill be needed here on campus
in which numerous individuals
who take on this investigation
can come to logical conclusions
on what really happened that
fateful day.
As you can see, this article
will not address any of my per-
sonal beliefs or directions as to
how one should approach this
research.
I provide you with no sources
but as we all know that money
controls time and reality it is
important to look at unbiased
sources as I am sure we have
all been taught to do through
annotated bibliographies.
Let us be scholarly in our
approach and humble in our
conclusions, for truth is as
fragile as the lives we live.
We are told we live in a
free society where personal
liberty is a necessity.
A call to be a responsible
citizen or employee is no longer
a faint ideal but a vital obligation
to our nation and neighbors.I hope this call is neither too
late nor too quiet, for history
and reality both depend on the
way in which we the people
steer our perceptions.
Do not operate with cogni-
tive dissonance or self-justifica-
tion because those are learned
fallacies of thought that we
must overcome to realize we all
make mistakes.I am hopeful these 400 words
can be listened to and acted
upon, for thousands of more
words shall follow.
Who would have ever thought
in Great Britain in 1776 that
America would one day go on
to be the worlds super power?
With our short history as an
established country, the world
knows Americans as the most
prideful humans.
This could be because of
Americas vast range of beauti-
ful land.
Others take pride in a strongglobal economy that allows
most Americans to exist far
above the worlds standard of
living.
Some would say America is
great due to the diversity of
our citizen ranks regardless of
race, religion or creed.
The ability of man to pursue
the American dream regardless
of background is truly remark-
able.
Many take pride in our free-
dom and well-established gov-
ernment that even with its
flaws can stand as a beacon of
democracy for the world.
Many men proudly grab their
hearts when they see the Amer-
ican flag because of brave citi-
zens who have fought for our
country. After all, without the veter-
ans this land would have never
been able to protect its consti-
tution.
America has seen rough
times as nation such as the Civil
War, Great Depression, attack
on Pearl Harbor, civil rights
battle, international conflicts
and the terrorism attacks of
Sept. 11, 2001.
There are also several divides
among our citizens, ranging
from political view to race and
even religion.
However the key to our suc-
cess as a nation is our ability
to stand not as individuals but
rather Americans.
In times of crisis, we have
been able to put our differ-
ences aside and come togetheras one nation.
So let us not forget what
aspects make Americans dif-
ferent from every other nation
in the world, deep pride in our
great land.
As we look for new leader-
ship in Washington in 2008
remember these elements and
ensure that the candidate has
the ability to continue to makeour country great.
Do not look for political
affiliation, rather for one who
sets out to do what those who
originally came to the American
colonies for, to deliver prosper-
ity to the next generations.
Be a proud American. The
reason to do this is to lay a
foundation for your personal
achievements. We, as Americans, should
seek to be patriotic everyday as
opposed to national holidays or
times of crisis.
As members of a democratic
society, Americans truly con-
trol their own destinies.
So take pride and look to
make your role in our society
one that is a patron of Ameri-
can affluence.
OPINION PAGE 17March 12, 2008
Roommates Wanted
3928 Lake Pleasant
3-bedroom house
2 bedrooms open June 1, for a 12-monthlease
All appliances, including washer, dryer,dishwasher.
New furnace, windows, central air
Male Intel student in house now
Rent: $350/month plus 1/3 utilities
Call JonDays: 899-7602 x 314
Cell: 881-2087
By JerrodMarkleStaff writer
By BillSwaffordStaff writer
Americans: Control
your own destinies
Intel may want to
investigate 9/11Commision Report
Take a Facebook
break and catch
up on news thatisnt featured on
your Mini-Feed.
merciad.
mercyhurst.edu
-
8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 12, 2008
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According to Dictionary.com,beauty is the quality present in athing or person that gives intense
pleasure or deep satisfaction tothe mind. Even though this maybe the case, our definition of
beauty has been blown way outof proportion over the years.
Ill admit it. I am a little
obsessed with staying in shapeand how I look, but frankly Ido not know many girls my age
who arent. I feel that being thinmakes me more attractive tothe opposite sex. Many people,
including myself, workout most when they feel they consumedtoo much at a meal or over the
weekend. We all find that the Rec
Center on campus is filled with
tons of people after the holi-days too, when everyone tendsto overeat. I think being thin is
something that everyone wantsto achieve. Being an appealingperson in todays society more
often than not means beingsuper skinny. In the world thatwe live in today, thinness equals
attractiveness, but why? I feelthat society and the media havea lot to do with this obsession,
along with some other contrib-uting factors.
Striving to be thin is mostprevalent in the teenage years
I believe, because everyonesmain goal is to