61 15 4132 https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/850949dcc5ae3d68a24fc4f5837a6fde.pdf e45074777a47c8bc7fc2c13ae11e3088 PDF Text Text bloomsburg FAIR pOLISH ROOM PAGE 9 RUGBY PAGE 16 PAGE 12 The I SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW Democratic vice presidential candidate stops by WB BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon News Editor On Thursday, September 24, approximately 500 people gathered in Nesbitt Park, Wilkes-Barre, to welcome Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden. In attendance were numerous elected city officials, war veterans and parents with young children in strollers or peering over the top of the crowd on their fathers’ shoulders. Children and adults alike held signs supporting Barack Obama and Biden and expressing their hope for change throughout the nation. Members of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) and the Laborers’ International Union of North America (LiUNA) also represented their groups and came with signs and shirts to show their support for the Democratic ticket. “It’s very important that we get the vote out here in November. Senator McCain’s plan does not affect Wilkes-Barre in a positive way, it affects it in a negative way. We need people in Washington who are going to fight for cities like Wilkes-Barre...” said Leighton, who addressed the crowd and officially began the rally. “We saw what happened in the city of Wilkes-Barre with Wilkes University’s Sidhu School of Business recently established an exchange relationship with Punjabi University in Patiala, Punjab, India, that requires Indian students enrolled in the program to eventually attend and graduate from Wilkes University’s Issue 4 Texting dangers lead to nationwide bans BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon News Editor come to Wilkes. Assistant professor of business Dr. Jennifer Edmonds explained, “Last year we went to have face-to-face contact with the faculty to be sure that [the students] would be taught similarly to how we would conduct a classroom... It’s like a long-distance On Monday, September 15, the Westchester County Board of Legislature voted unanimously to ban reading and sending text messages while driving the streets of Westchester, New York. The law will be in effect in March 2009 and any driver caught texting will be fined $150. From New York to California, many municipalities and even states across the nation are taking steps to ban the use of handheld devices while driving cars, trucks and trains. The act of making a phone call, or trying to type a text message while paying attention to the road or tracks, is creating many dangerous and even fatal situations across the nation. According to Jennifer Steinhauer and Laura M. Holson, authors of “As Text Messages Fly, Danger Lurks,” in response to the investigation into a deadly crash between a commuter-train and a freight-train in Los Angeles earlier in the month, “The California Public Utilities Commission announced an emergency measure… temporarily banning the use of all mobile devices by anyone at the controls of a moving train.” It is alleged that the engineer of the commuter-train was sending and receiving text messages moments before the commutertrain collided with the freight-train, resulting in 25 deaths and over 100 injuries. Passengers and drivers are not the only ones at risk when they are texting. According to Local6.com, 14-year-old Christopher Cepeda died Monday, September 22, after stepping into the path of a 1998 Buick in Davenport, Fla. Cepeda had his head down See PUNJABI page 4 See TEXTING page 5 The Beacon/Jenna Stephens Senator Joe Biden (D-Del.) addresses a crowd of approximately 500 Obama supporters and volunteers at Nesbitt Park in Wilkes-Barre last Thursday. a Republican leading this country, nothing got done. Nothing came out of Washington to help small cities like Wilkes-Barre and Scranton... We need leadership that will not forget about Main Streets and cities like Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. We need lead- See BIDEN page 2 Business faculty strengthen ties to Punjabi University BY CATHRYN FREAR Beacon Asst. News Editor Volume 61 Master’s of Business Administration program. In an effort to encourage cross-cultural awareness among the students and faculty alike, business department faculty members are heading across the world to gain insight into Indian customs and learning styles as well as to offer helpful insights to the Indian students who will eventually ONTHEWEB www.wilkesbeacon.com beaconarchives. wilkes.edu INDEX News ............... 1-5 Opinion........... 6-8 Lifestyles ....... 9-11 A&E ............ 12-15 Sports .......... 16-20 Established 1936 w· > · > PA Newspaper · .· ·.. · Association Member . . ·. · �NEWS kerry dy kenne page 3 SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 BIDEN from FRONT PAGE ership that will help us grow and continue to grow.” With chants of “You fired up?” “Ready to go!” Mark Murphy, a field organizer with the Campaign for Change, reminded the crowd that Pa. is the most important state in this election and told them that “the keys to victory are in your hands right here today.” Community member and grassroots Obama volunteer JoAnne McDade introduced Biden after speaking to the crowd about the hardships she has witnessed her neighborhood endure over the past eight years. She spoke about looking forward to tax cuts, universal health care and help with her children’s college tuition if Obama and Biden are elected. “I look forward to unity... My work with this campaign has been a gift to me. It’s opened my eyes to all members of my community. No one’s an age, no one’s a gender, no one’s a race and no one’s a skin color. We’re all Americans with hopes, dreams and a hunger for change,” said McDade. Biden, who was raised in Scranton, thanked Wilkes-Barre for welcoming him and began to speak of the many changes he and Obama have promised to bring to the nation. While construction vehicles and city workers continued work on the riverfront project on the opposite side of the Susquehanna River, Biden spoke of ending the war, earning back the respect of foreign countries, and Obama’s ideas for the Wall St. bailout. “If Wall St. investors are going to get help, then Main Street has to get help,” Biden said Obama had planned to say to the president on Thursday afternoon. According to Biden, McCain’s plans for bailing out Wall St. last Wednesday did not address or include any positive changes for middle class families. Biden also told the crowd that they need to elect Obama because America needs a president who understands smaller cities and BEACON 130 S. River St, First Floor, Conyngham Hall Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 PHONE: (570) 408-5903 EMAIL: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com how to define the middle class. On energy, Biden told the crowd that he and Obama will create 5 million “green” jobs at home and CONTACT INFORMATION: nicole.frail@wilkes.edu amy.fusco@wilkes.edu cathryn.frear@wilkes.edu wilkesbeacon.news@gmail.com 2 nurses because the demand for them is so high due to the number of veterans with brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder re- 30 years and has worked closely with him in the past, but “we need more than a good soldier. We need a wise leader to take us through these times.” “A lot of politicians talk about reaching across the aisle, but yesterday [Wednesday] Barack Obama... picked up the phone and called John McCain. He said... John we’ve got to work together on this. Let’s get this thing fixed now and we could argue later about what caused this crisis.’ He actually, unlike all the rest of the people talking, has demonstrated and has The Beacon/Jenna Stephens changed the tone. turning home from He will prepare the change the the war. tone in Washington. Ladies and Obama and gentlemen, this is what we mean Biden also want by leadership,” said Biden. to help students Aaron McCurty, a sociology mawho volunteer jor at Luzerne County Community frequently pay for College in Nanticoke, attended the college tuition. rally on Thursday and is satisfied “Imagine a coun- with Obama’s choice of Biden as try where everyone his running mate. “Obama will who qualifies to go bring common sense change that to college, can af- transcends the average politics ford to go to col- of Washington and the White lege,” said Biden. House… If there’s any absence of “The hallmark of experience Obama has, Joe Biden The Beacon/Jenna Stephens the Northeast has makes up for that, especially with been that we have foreign policies.” eventually “breathe clean air and always volunteered. Ladies and “I would not have joined this drink clean water” again. Besides gentlemen, imagine a nation where ticket unless I believed that Barack new green factory and construc- public service is really rewarded.” Obama would be the bridge betion jobs, Biden also said that Biden mentioned he has been tween what we imagined and what he wants to see more psychiatric friends with John McCain for over we can do,” said Biden. Editorial Staff 2008-09 Editor-in-Chief: Carlton Holmes Opinion Editor: Gino Troiani Managing Editor: Andrew Seaman Lifestyles Editor: Christa Sgobba Design Chief: Alison Woody A/E Editor: Alyssa Benner Advertising Manager: Zavaskas Sports Editor: Alissa Lindner TheChristine Beacon/Jenna Stephens News Editor: Nicole Frail Photo Editor: Jenna Stephens Advisor: Dr. Andrea Breemer Frantz Meet our business managers... Michle Flannery & Christine Zavaskas �SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 NEWS Kennedy visits area and weighs in on presidential race No other family is more closely linked to politics in the United States than the Kennedys. On Saturday, September 27, Kerry Kennedy, daughter of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy was in Lackawanna County to articulate her support for Senator Barack Obama at a canvass kickoff event at the Scranton Obama headquarters. Kennedy took some time to talk to The Beacon about the election and her candidate of choice. The Beacon: What brings you to northeastern Pennsylvania today? Kerry Kennedy:Well, I was here to campaign for Barack Obama and Joe Biden for the next president of the United States. You know, Pennsylvania is key to this election and Lackawanna County, in particular, is key to Pennsylvania. The Obama campaign has put enormous effort into Pennsylvania. It’s the biggest grassroots effort in Pennsylvania’s history. We’ve opened up 78 offices across the state and held over 4,500 events organized by MyBarackObama.com since June 1. As a result, Democrat voter registrations lead Republican registrations by over 1.1 million. That’s twice as much as we had in 2004.” The Beacon: How much time have you and your family spent on the road for Senator Obama? Kennedy:Well, I am thrilled about this because I was in Lackawanna County in Scranton and Dunmore today. In the last few weeks, my brother Max Kennedy has been here, my mother Ethel Kennedy has been here, my sister Kathleen Kennedy Townsend has been here, my brother Bobby Kennedy has been here. So this is sort of our home away from home. Of course Lackawanna County has always been important to my family. President Kennedy spoke here at the Sons of St. Patrick in 1960. My father, Robert Kennedy, spoke at the Sons of St. Patrick in 1964. It is sort of our home away from home. The Beacon: Do you know if the Obama campaign is worried about losing the Irish Catholic vote at all? Kennedy: Well, I think that the campaign is making an enormous effort in Scranton and their response has been very strong. I think it is very strong because people see that Obama and Biden will deliver real change by ending the politics and policies that are rigged against everyday people. They will end the Bush policy of showering the big corporations with tax giveaways and instead they will cut taxes for 95 percent of working families and penalize companies that ship American jobs overseas. The Beacon: For your purposes and your fight [as a human rights advocate], what do you believe Senator Obama brings to the fight for human rights over Senator McCain? Kennedy: The two biggest disasters facing the United States at the moment are wholly made and constructed by George Bush and people like John McCain, who have supported him 90 percent of the time. And those are the war in Iraq and the economic disaster. We would not be facing problems with either of those if Barack Obama were president. Why? Because Obama was always against the war in Iraq, McCain/Bush were for it. We have now lost over 4,000 American lives, countless Iraqi lives. We have diverted attention from the real terrorism threat, which is the al-Qaeda, which has been able to rebuild in Afghanistan. And it has cost billions of dollars. Meanwhile on the home front, on the economic front, why do we have this disaster? It is quite simple. We have this disaster because of the failure of the federal government to do its job of regulating the banking industry. Why? Because the Republicans, George Bush, and John McCain’s entire life has been against government regulation, and because the SEC [Security and Exchange Commission] failed to regulate the banking industry. They were allowed to go off and package these insecure loans and mortgages and that is why we have this disaster today that threatens peoples ability to pay for their houses, the capacity to secure new loans for new cars and to secure new loans for small businesses. And we and our grandchildren are going to be paying for this. I think people understand what the stakes are in this election and they want to have a change. The Beacon: You are pleased with Senator Joe Biden as Senator Obama’s running mate then? Kennedy: Yes, exactly, and I think it’s interesting you asked about the Catholic issue. We have, for the first time, two vice presidential candidates, both of whom were baptized Catholics. Both say their faith is important to their outlook and their public service. In Barack Obama we have a presidential candidate who in his stump speech calls on us to look to our ‘better angels.’ So there is a lot of faith in this campaign. On the other end, Sarah Palin, I think raises eyebrows and questions when she asks that people pray that the war in Iraq and the Alaska oil pipeline are ‘missions from God’. The Beacon: If you had a chance to talk to the people who supported Senator Hillary Clinton and now support Senator McCain because of the outcome of the primaries, what would you say? Kennedy: What I would say to them is just what Hillary Clinton said to everybody at the convention, which is, ‘You weren’t supporting me because of me. You were supporting me because of the issues that I stand for: economic justice in this country, ensuring that we have a strong economy and that people can keep their houses and that their small businesses can expand and that there is health care for everyone. And if those are the issues that you care about, then you need to vote for Barack Obama. Don’t take this personally, there is too much at stake. We are talking about our future and our children’s future and our grandchildren’s future.’ I think that is what I would say, and I think it is just so apparent that John McCain is so completely out of touch with the reality of working Americans. This is a man who owns eight houses, owns eleven cars, his wife owns her own private jet. This guy has no clue what it means to be a working American and to be struggling with these issues. Literally, when they asked his wife, ‘How many houses do you have,’ she couldn’t answer the question. When they Courtesy of www.lmc.edu BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon Managing Editor 3 asked him, ‘How many cars do you have,’ he couldn’t answer the question. This is not your typical American family and it’s clear that they don’t know what it means to be struggling in this country.” The Beacon: So you think that Senators Obama and Biden are in tune to the American public then? Kennedy: Senator Obama has one house and one car. Sen. Biden grew up partly in Pennsylvania and then in Delaware and has working class roots, and that is who he is and that is who he is all about. But more importantly than where they came from is what they stand for and what they are working on today and their vision for what America will be under their administration. The Beacon: Is there anything else that you would like to add? Kennedy: I think we’re blessed to be living in a country born of revolution where institutions are capable of change because of citizen activism...We fail to participate in its political process at our peril and everyone needs to register and vote. �SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon Managing Editor Election Update On Friday, September 26, Sen. Barack Obama, D-IL, and Sen. John McCain, R-AZ, met for the first time to debate their much talked about policies. The event was held at Ole Miss, the University of Mississippi, and was moderated by Jim Lehrer, the host of PBS’s NewsHour. Throughout the night the candidates sparred over several topics including the economy and their foreign policies. Overall, there was no clear winner of the debate. Each candidate played it safe by promoting their policies and platforms; however, there were some winners in individual categories. In theatrics Obama won with a few points. He looked at the camera, not Jim Lehrer or the audience. Obama attempted to speak to McCain, even though McCain did not acknowledge Obama throughout the debate. McCain PUNJABI from FRONT PAGE relationship. Sometimes you just have to go see them.” And they did. Several Wilkes professors even teach classes for the duration of the stay to become more in touch with the students and to prepare them for what it would be like in an American classroom. The Punjabi students will be heading to Wilkes and taking two intensive business classes over spring break. Edmonds said, “Since they’re coming, you need to meet them [beforehand]...and that helps with any nerves about teaching an all-foreign class.” The Sidhu school faculty and administration helped to design the program based on the value of mentoring at all levels. For example, each Wilkes professor is paired with a Punjabi professor. They correspond through e-mail and discuss class criteria - such as syllabi, student progress, etc. - and are even starting to get to know each other on a more personal level. “Now when we e-mail it’s less [just professional]. You now start to say things like ‘Oh, how is your son doing?’ So it becomes more comfortable now that you’ve met them,” said Edmonds. Nicole Redmond, who is the recruitment retention coordinator for the business school, was sent for the purpose of implementing some of our business school’s administration. She said, “I went to be more involved with accommodations such as the application process, their transition, housing - basically to NEWS also seemed to have picked the wrong tie for television. The lines caused a moire effect, meaning that his tie had a blur on it when the camera was on him. Theatrics may seem like an odd and unimportant category to start with, but it is actually an incredibly powerful factor. In the first of four presidential debates in 1960 those people who had television sets pronounced John F. Kennedy the winner, for those who listened to the debate on radio Richard Nixon was their choice for victor. Why? On television Kennedy just looked better. Kennedy was tan from campaigning in California while Nixon was pale from an injury that he has suffered. Nixon was also wearing an ill-fitting shirt, which caused him to sweat, and on top of that, Nixon refused to wear makeup. make sure everything went smoothly and that they are comfortable.” Dr. Troy Adair helped to set up technology and train the technical personnel. He most recently set up Skype - a telephone-like call program that uses a personal computer, a mic, and a web cam to have visual conversations with the Punjabi counterparts. Eventually, the goal is to have the Wilkes professors classrooms set up so that they can be teaching in a classroom here and be seen in a classroom at Punjabi. Dr. Anthony Liuzzo, professor of business, who is also working closely with the department on the project, is excited about the impact this will have on Wilkes University as it is viewed by the world. “This broadens our educational reach. Wilkes University’s reputation is helped significantly by this extension to an international basis.” According to Liuzzo, it won’t be too long before the students are not just taking a couple of quick classes, but will be fulltime earning their credits with Wilkes professors and students on the Wilkes-Barre campus. “Thirty-four Indian students...are taking three semesters [at Punjabi] and then coming to Wilkes and will take two semesters here and then they...will graduate with everyone else.” For Wilkes faculty, visiting India has also helped to assure that everything will go according to plan. “I’m usually a worrier, but I’m resting easy that this will go smoothly in their hands,” Liuzzo said. 4 So, theatrics and presentation makes a huge difference in the outcome. For overall content I would have to say it was a draw. Neither candidate came out and blew away the other with information and facts. It would be surprising if either candidate saw any boosts in the polls from the actual debate. Argumentation is another area that would be almost impossible to call. Obama was more forceful at directing his comments to McCain and when Obama saw that McCain and him were just going back and forth he would notion to Lehrer to move ahead. However, McCain was the person who brought up the most emotional appeals. Even though these appeals lack substance they always seem effective. McCain does have one area to work on, during one part of the debate when he was vis- ibly annoyed he began to stutter. The Obama campaign could possibly try and use this in the upcoming debate to get McCain to ‘trip up.’ Overall there really could not be a winner declared in this debate. This is unfortunate because unlike past debates these are not as regulated, meaning the candidate’s lists of demands are not as long. However, it should be mentioned that Jim Lehrer was an excellent moderator. He attempted to get the candidates to talk to one another and would try to put all of their answers into perspective with relevant follow-ups. On Tuesday, October 2, the vice presidential candidates for both tickets will debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. There are also two additional presidential debates scheduled for next month. FUTURISTIC INNOVATIVE GRAPHICS ~ ~8f41k sc1t:BBN, pf1..1°f66R. SCRIIN PRINTING ildBROZDIRY pROMUfJONAL rrei ---·- -&tilfllll//r ... Cl.TEEi ] ·___'KES--.EAJIBE CJIOSS Flll!IM . . ·m 1:tHUIA BEVER The Beacon Archives / Nick Zmijewski �NEWS SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 TEXTING from FRONT PAGE and was text messaging when the group he was with stopped at the corner to cross the street. Not realizing his friends had stopped, Cepeda kept walking and was struck by the oncoming car. “The act of texting automatically removes 10 I.Q. points,” Paul Saffo, a technology trend forecaster in Silicon Valley, told the New York Times. “The truth of the matter is there are hobbies that are incompatible. You don’t want to do mushroom-hunting and bird-watching at the same time, and it is the same with texting and other activities. We have all seen people walk into parking meters or walk into traffic and seem startled by oncoming cars.” Artin Chaklader, senior psychology major at Wilkes University, is working on a capstone project dealing with claims similar to Saffo’s. “My research right now is showing those same results. If you think about it, while texting you are using your vision and hand motor coordination which is seriously limiting your attention on things around you.” “I have other studies that are telling me texting while driving is significantly worse than drunk driving. The only argument against is multi-tasking, but in reality text messaging in itself is a multiple task so it is even harder to do other tasks around you,” added Chaklader. According to the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA), states are slowly beginning to create laws that limit the use of handheld mobile devices for making phone calls and text messaging. California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Washington, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands have enacted laws that prohibit drivers from using cell phones to make calls. Alaska, Louisiana, Minnesota, New Jersey and Washington have banned text messaging for all drivers operating motor vehicles. GHSA states that Pennsylvania has collected crash data pertaining to the idea of banning the use of mobile devices while driving, but the state has yet to pass an official bill. Instead, Pa jurisdictions and municipalities can create their own ordinances. As of September 2007, Carbondale drivers caught talking on the phone have been handed $75 fines by local police. “In June, 75 billion text messages were sent in the United States, compared with 7.2 billion in June 2005, according to CTIA the Wireless Association, the leading industry trade group,” said Steinhauer. 5 The Beacon/Jenna Stephens A Wilkes student texts while crossing South Street outside of the Student Center. As text messaging popularity continues to grow across generations and around the world, the dangers connected to it are expected to also increase. Wilkes-Barre does not currently have a ban against text messaging while driving, but the state is working to create one that will affect all Pa communities. “Certainly the issue of text messaging has come to center stage in recent weeks, with lots of national interest and concern… Right now, the PA State Legislature is considering a bill that would ban 16 and 17 year olds form using handheld cell phones, Blackberries, or using text messaging,” said Dr. Robert Bohlander, professor of psychology at Wilkes University. “The ongoing list of automobile and other accidents related to text messaging, cell phone use, or other distracting activities reminds us that our technological advances can easily outstrip human information processing capabilities. Where we cannot discipline ourselves in the potentially dangerous use of available technology, the government feels compelled to step in and put restrictions on our behavior, for our own safety.” According to the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s website, House Bill 1827 was submitted stating “…no driver shall operate any moving vehicle on a highway of this Commonwealth, which shall include Federal, State and municipal highways, while using a handheld mobile telephone.” The bill was referred to Transportation on September 11, 2007, where it remains today. Bar11es & Noble Will<es Bool<Store 7South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 1.8701.....,. 570.208.4-700 ~wilke.s.bncollege.com Wl1at's l1ap1>e11h1g at yo111· booksto1·e tl1is '\\ eek! 7 Li,re "F'r ee" l\1l11sic E, ery·, · ed11esday Nig 1t a11d 111ost Friday's witl1 a 2596 disc ot111t 011 ru1vtl1in.g vot1 pl1rcl1ase fro111 tl1e c afe d11IiI1g tl1e 111t1si act. 01>e11 Mic Nigl1t fo1· Poet1-y & Aco11stie Mt1sic Tttesc < )r fT'om 7:00pm - 8:30pm Tl1is, 7ed11esd, )' ,iv-e ha, e Ea111onn Garaglity liv~e at 6:30pm Frida) Nigh Li,re IVI11sic with 'Tltree I111aginary Boys'' at 7:30pm • "Little Ei11ste·11''' tllis \Veek dt1rin.g o 1r \\reek~y Satul'dey 111or11iI1g story til11e at 11: • 'N e,,v 111 Offill Biogra1Jl1v" Book Cl,, b Ivlo11claj fro111 6: 30-7: 3op111 �The Federal Reserve deception and greed: Page 8 Opinion CONTACT INFORMATION: gino.troiani@wilkes.edu lauren.salem@wilkes.edu wilkesbeacon.oped@gmail.com Obesity now a taxable offense in Alabama BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD The state of Alabama has announced a new plan, which requires all employees to be annually screened for obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high glucose levels. Employees found in violation of any of specified size and levels will be forced to pay an additional $25 a month ($300 per year) for health insurance beginning in 2011. Currently, single workers pay nothing; family plans run $180 a month. According to the Los Angels Times, the new requirements will affect “…more than 37,000 people employed by the state.” Recently, The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that Alabama is the second heaviest state in the nation with a 30% obesity rate, just behind Mississippi. After paying around 1.2 billion in medical charges last year, the state is trying to kill two birds with one stone. Obesity, and medical fees. Webster’s Dictionary definition ‘obese’ as: “Grossly fat or overweight,” but who is to decide what ‘grossly fat’ actually is? Employees will be given a Body Mass Index (BMI) tests to determine if they are obese. The BMI examines height in relation to weight on both males and females to calculate the amount of body fat on an individual. In addition, Alabama state officials are offering employees discounts to specific health facilities such as the YMCA and Weight Watchers, as encouragement to adopt a wellness program. If they do not provide evidence that they are making an effort to loose weight, they will be taxed. The Beacon contends that if a state taxes employees who are obese, shouldn’t it also tax employees who appear excessively underweight? Vegetarian Diet Info states that individuals who are underweight have a higher risk of anemia, bone loss, nutrient deficiency, heart irregularities, amenorrhea (loss of periods in women) and osteoporosis in later life. It would be unfair to charge one group and not the other. But why stop there? What about taxing those folks who have previously battled cancer? Better yet, how about those who are simply genetically predisposed to cancer based on family history? Obviously, those folks pose a possible drain on health funds. Another factor to consider are the effects that prescription drugs and medications may cause. Charlene Laino, former editor of the New York Times Syndicate Health News Service, stated that experts estimate that at least 50 common medications possess the potential to cause weight gain. Some of which include, Paxil, Zoloft, Nexium, and Diabinese. And what is to become of money that Alabama has the potential to generate? If 30% of 37,000 employees are charged a fee of $25 a month, the state will collect roughly $333,000 each year in Percent of Obese (BMI ~ 30) In U.S . .Adults 2006, m ........ ,,;,I"" 6 Point 1 More than 37,000 employees in Alabama will pay an additional $25 a month ($300 a year) for heath insurance in 2011. - Point 2 generated revenue. That money can easily be applied to the rising costs of health insurance. So far Alabama is the only state to impose such a fee on state employees, but each state does have the power to enact the tax. While we encourage healthy and active lifestyles, when it comes to charging people who are obese more for health insurance--which the state has agreed to provide--we feel that it is both excessive and discriminatory. If the states are going to reconsider their health insurance regulations and guidelines, then they should take into consideration all aspects of physical and mental health, not just the obvious ones that seem to be costing them additional money. To pick and choose with respect to health risks unfairly singles people out. - If a state taxes emplyees who are obese, should it also tax employees who appear excessively underweight? Point 3 - The state should take all aspects of physicaland mental health into consideration when changing their health insurance regulations and not just the obvious ones that seem to be costing them additional money. �OPINION SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 7 The Angry Rant: The Bloomsburg Fair (...and why it’s awful) BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Staff writer Well, it’s September again. In this area, that means one thing: the Bloomsburg Fair. Of course, it also means football season, baseball playoff fever, the start of the new seasons for television shows, and perhaps, above all others, the birthday of Keanu Reeves. To me, the above are all far more important than the Bloomsburg Fair. Especially Keanu Reeves’ birthday. For the uninformed out there, do yourself a favor and rent Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure. You’d swear you were watching the secondcoming of Marlon Brando. (Maybe only if you’re high. Which is recommended.) The Bloomsburg Fair, which has been a tradition in the area for over 150 years, is essentially Mardi Gras for fat people. You don’t get beads for showing your goods; you get funnel cakes and meat on a stick. The fair isn’t anything to scoff at, however, as it boats some of the white-trashiest attractions this side of Tennessee. (Was that a dig at Tennessee? You bet.) The attractions include, but are not limited to: a demolition derby, livestock displays, and gigantic pumpkins that are probably nothing more than the lead singer of Blues Traveler covered in orange felt. But the biggest attraction (besides the world’s smallest horse) has got to be the fair’s grandstand concert series, which boasts such high-profile acts like Bucky Covington (who I assume is a rabbit or something), Kellie Pickler and Lady Antebellum (who sound like a comedy duo from the 40s), and Three Days Grace (No joke here. Except for their music - Hi-yo.) When I was in high school, I had friends that would miss two or three days so they could go to the fair, and some schools would even have days off so the students had the option to go to the fair, which is ridiculous. A day off so you can go to the fair? Really? Why don’t we start dishing out days off so everybody can walk in a cloud of stink all day? Because that is essentially what you’re doing. In other words, I don’t care for the Bloomsburg Fair. Quite frankly, I never have. I’m from the area, so very early in my life I was taught to both respect and fear the fair. I get the respect part; I mean, the fair is old and it’s practically an institution in the area, but fear? I never understood that part… oh wait, that’s right. Carnies. Honestly, though, the fair is overrated. It’s a fine time and everything, but it certainly isn’t worthy of multiple visits for the following reasons: 1. It has a demolition derby. Which is a spelling bee for stupid people. 2. The biggest musical act this year is a band by the name of Sugarland, who had to cancel their gig because the lead singer got sick. Or they realized it was a state fair, and they are a professional musical act. One of the two. And finally… 3. You can’t walk 10 feet without stepping in feces. Most of it human. The Beac on/Alyssa Be nner In addition, this past week, the great Paul Newman left us at the age of 83. He was truly one of the greats, and he will be missed. Do yourself a favor and celebrate his life by watching Cool Hand Luke with a salad topped in some delicious Newman’s Own Salad Dressing. Ciao. Courtesy of mediaroom.visitpa.com YOURMIES RE: to ‘Escalator Madness’ I am writing in response to the editorial “The Angry Rant: Escalator Madness,” written by Tim Seigfried. I was very disturbed and quite offended actually about this “Rant.” The whole idea of this article just seems a bit ridiculous to me. People take the escalator because they don’t/can’t take the stairs. I rather enjoy riding up the escalator and tend to stay to one side for those like you who are too impatient to ride along with the rest of us and feel the need to walk up. Furthermore, your “ageist” comments about elderly people taking the escalator was shocking, to say the least. I, as well as I’m sure many of us, have grandparents who are a little slow moving, or even use a cane to walk. My grandmother enjoys her trips to the mall and sometimes takes the C a r - escalator because the elevators are very far out her way. The fact that their “shuffling” off of the escalator is apparently too much for you to deal with shows how much patience you have which is about zero, I would say. Why don’t you just knock them over and break their hip (again) so you won’t have to wait the extra minute to get where you are going? Here’s a thought: Tim, use the stairs! Diana Wright senior biology major I 'i ·L r1 - 1 .. t' -~-~-- • ......... \ '\ ~~ f 'I ~~ #o -.~ ")~ i l / I ~ ---+ \ . ~- -... . 1 -- Cartoon by: Jenna Stephens �SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 OPINION Deception and greed: the Federal Reserve Part 1 of a 2-part series BY GINO TROIANI Beacon Op-Ed Editor This is the first in a two part series on the Federal Reserve. Keep in mind that if no one ever spoke up or questioned the affairs of the government, we would still be under British rule. In 1816 Thomas Jefferson said, “If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.” In order to understand Jefferson’s warning, it is important to first understand the past of the United States banking systems. A brief history of the United States banking system. U.S. History.org states that Alexander Hamilton and George Washington created the first central bank in 1791 with a goal to unify the nation’s currency to pay off the debt from the Revolutionary War. The result was known as “The First Bank of the United States.” However, just twenty years after its construction, Congress, which feared the power of the central bank, voted to abandon the bank and its charter. The second national bank was formed just a few years later in 1816, after Congress and President James Madison realized that it would be far too difficult to fund another war without the help of a strong central bank. This second effort was very similar to the first national bank, but much larger. However, many citizens, politicians and businessmen criticized the bank calling it ‘unconstitutional.’ According to Andrew Glass in an article published in Politico, by the time he reached office, President Andrew Jackson strongly opposed the concept of a national bank arguing it was an, “elitist institution tied to Eastern commercial interests.” He successfully dismantled the bank by not renewing its charter after it expired in 1836. What is the Federal Reserve (Fed)? According to the Federal Reserve’s website, the Fed is an “independent entity...composed basically of a central, governmental agency--the Board of Governors-in Washington, D.C., and twelve regional Federal Reserve Banks, located in major cities throughout the nation.” However, it is about as federal as Fed-Ex, meaning that the government has no control or regulation over its affairs. If we look closely, it is clear this directly violates article 1 Section 8, clause 5 of the U.S. Constitution, which reads, “Congress shall have the power to... coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and fix the standard of weights and measures...” The Federal Reserve’s main obligations include, conducting monetary policy, setting reserve requirements (the amount of money that banks must hold in reserve against deposits made), setting margin requirements which limit the amount of money an investor can borrow to purchase securities, and setting the borrowing rate, or interest rate at which money is lent. The Federal Reserve is considered to be the bank for all banks. The Federal Reserve’s web site outlines that its seven members of the Board of Governors are appointed to 14-year terms by the U.S. President and confirmed by the Senate. There is also a Chairman and Vice Chairman who are appointed by the President for a term of four years, with the possibility of re-appointment. How and why the Fed was formed. After the financial panic of 1907, which involved runs on many banks across the nation, J.P. Morgan received direct governmental funding which he used to act as a central bank to help bail out failing institutions. He literally had the power to pick and choose which banks remained and which were allowed to collapse. As a result, in 1908, Congress created the National Monetary Commis- sion in an effort to stabilize and strengthen the banking industry, headed by Senator Nelson W. Aldrich from Rhode Island. In November 1910, Senator Aldrich invited an elite group of bankers and financial scholars to attend a meeting on Jekyll Island just off the coast of Georgia. In the book entitled “The Creature from Jekyll Island,” author G. Edward Griffin explains that the committee included: “1. Nelson W. Aldrich, Republican “Whip” in the Senate, Chairman of the National Monetary Commission, business associate of J.P. Morgan, father-in-law to John D. Rockefeller, Jr.; 2. Abraham Piatt Andrew, Assistant Secretary of the United States Treasury; 3. Frank A. Vanderlip, President of the National City Bank of New York, the most powerful of the banks at that time, representing William Rockefeller and the international investment banking house of Kuhn, Loeb & Company; 4. Henry P. Davison, senior partner of the J.P. Morgan Company; 5. Charles D. Norton, president of J.P. Morgan’s First National Bank of New York; 6. Benjamin Strong, head of J.P. Morgan’s Bankers Trust Company; 7. Paul M. Warburg, a partner in Kuhn, Loeb & Company, a representative of the Rothschild banking dynasty in England and France, and brother to Max Warburg who was head of the Warburg banking consortium in Germany and the Netherlands.” (Griffin, Chapter 1) The goal of those in attendance at the meeting was to construct a piece of legislation that would create a third national banking system. Keep in mind that both J.P. Morgan and Co. and Paul M. Warburg and associates had close ties with the Rothschild’s Bank of England. Morgan, Rockefeller, and Warburg favored a central banking system, because they wanted cheap credit, and an inflated money supply to expand their empires. The final version of what they created was a piece of legislation named “The Aldrich Plan.” According to Bernard Shull, author of The Fourth Branch, the plan outlined a regionally partitioned central banking organization owned by member banks. Complete with fifteen districts where branches would be established. They would be run by regional associations through boards of directors elected by the member banks in each district. Its authorities included providing emergency loans to member banks, the power to create money to provide as elastic currency, and the power to act as the “fiscal agency of the United States.” In essence, the Federal Reserve could create money and loan it to the government with interest. Using tax revenue, the government would then pay off the debt and its interest. In response, many Democrats and progressive Republicans saw the organization as a private monopoly, and an unfair way to manipulate the market. In an effort to pass legislation that allowed the use of “elastic currency,” President Wilson strongly encouraged Virginia Senator Carter Glass and Professor H. Parker Willis to analyze and redraft the Aldrich Plan. It was completed by the beginning of May 1913. After a few minor changes, the legislation was pushed through the two houses during the winter holidays when many representatives were home with their families. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s web page states that the act, “Provided for the establishment of Federal Reserve Banks, to furnish an elastic currency, to afford means of rediscounting commercial paper, to establish a more effective supervision of banking in the United States, and for other purposes.” On December 23, 1913, President Woodrow Wilson signed what is known as the Federal Reserve Act. Next Week: The role of the Federal Reserve in the current economic crisis. 8 Beacon Poll Results: The following are results of a poll that The Beacon conducted online this past week. The poll was unscientific, and does not claim to reflect the overall attitudes of students on campus. The Beacon asked: Should scientists continue to experiment with the LHC device? • Yes - 30% • No - 60% • Depends - 10% Next Week’s question: Should Alabama have the right to tax state workers for being obese? • Yes • No • Depends Visit www.wilkesbeacon. com to cast your vote. Results will be published online at wilkesbeacon.com Speak Up! It’s Your Right! The Beacon wants your opinion. Concact us at WilkesBeacon.OpEd @Gmail.com with your Name, Major, Year, and Opinion! The Beacon reserves the right to edit submitted pieces for space and content. �Self defense workshop PAGE 11 li ostyllos SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 CONTACT INFORMATION: christa.sgobba@wilkes.edu leeann.searfoss@wilkes.edu wilkesbeacon.lifestyles@gmail.com 9 Library’s Polish Room bids all: Witamy w Polsce BY CHRISTA SGOBBA Beacon Lifestyles Editor Tucked into a corner of the Farley Library is a place so removed from the harsh fluorescent lighting and stiff-backed chairs of the rest of the building that it feels like a different world. While that little room may not take you out of this world, a glance inside it will transport you halfway around it. Located on the second floor of the library is a room that evokes the history and culture of Poland. Called the Polish Room, it contains a reading and reference space filled with Polish books, paintings, sculptures, maps, and traditional clothing. Formed in 1950 by the Wilkes College Polish Room Committee, the room offers students a way to experience a different culture or to learn more about their own heritage. Brian Sacolic, reference librarian at the Farley Library, believes that the Polish Room offers students an educational tool that transcends the classroom experience. “I think with the current emphasis on globalization, it gives details and information that you just may not get in a classroom,” he said. “You can see costumes, original paintings. A room like that just gives you a real feel for Polish culture.” While Sacolic added that the library also houses other collection rooms, such the Norman Mailer Room, the Eleanor Farley Room, and Wilkes University Archives, he admits that the Polish Room is “one of the more interesting ones.” In particular, he The Beacon/Jenna Stephens noted that one piece of art from the room, “The Mask of Jesus,” which was created by Polish artist W.T. Benda, has attracted interest from scholars from around the world. Entering the Polish Room invokes the feel of traditional Poland. A large, rectangular rug of brightly woven red and gold covers the gray slate floor. The room contains custom-made, wooden furniture in the style of Zakopane, a city in the Tatra Mountains of Poland. Oil paintings of famous Poles accent the walls, which are also brightened by richly-colored tapestries. “All of the furniture has been hand-carved in pine,” said Jule Wnorowski, the treasurer of the Polish Room Committee. “The room itself brings an authentic air of old Poland here.” The concept for such a room began in the late 1940s, when Dr. Eugene S. Farley, the president of then Wilkes College, invited all of the ethnic groups in the valley to establish nationality rooms in the library. The Polish-Americans in the area were the only group to take advantage of the offer. Over the years, the committee has emphasized community involvement to spread Polish culture. It sponsored Polish lectures, held folk art displays, and participated in choral concerts. It established a scholarship foundation, and continues to award one scholarship each year to a Wilkes student of Polish descent. One of the main goals of the Polish Room is to preserve Polish culture and promote a greater understanding of it to a younger generation. “One of the things we really tried to do is to have people take pride in their background. And they have to learn enough about it first of all-who the great musicians were, the great scientists,” said Wnorowski. “It’s something about culture and tradition, and you lose that over time. Growing up Polish for Wnorowski was more than just an ethnicity, it was a way of life. From a very young age, she was exposed to Polish tradition by her mother, Jule Znaniecki, a charter member of the Wilkes College Polish Room Committee. She counts her exposure to Polish music as a defining point of growing up Polish. “Music was part of my life from a very, very early age. The Poles love music, and we had a piano. Ready or not, we all had to learn how to play, whether we were good at it or not,” she said. “But later on, it was wonderful, because I so much learned to enjoy all sorts of music, particularly classical, and appreciate the Polish artists and musicians. Committee president Bernadine Tarasek echoes the belief that growing up Polish was a way of life. Raised mainly by The Beacon/Jenna Stephens her grandparents, who emigrated The Polish Room contains Polish artwork, including from Poland in the 1880s, Tarasek paintings, tapestries, carvings, and handmade dolls. grew up practicing every part of her culture. us meaning in life. And family traditions “I went through the hard times, Polish and our own personal history do that for school, Polish church, everything was Pol- us.” ish for me,” she said. “I still lean towards According to Sacolic, Wilkes students it. You kept your Polish descent then; you may not be able to reap the full benefits of just didn’t rebel against it. And we were the Polish Room because they may not be proud.” aware of it. Occasionally, curious students Tarasek recalls sitting on her grandparents’ have stumbled across the room, and interporch as a young girl, and hearing them tell ested in what they saw, have asked him to her stories about her family in Polish. unlock it for them so they can have a thor“Now that I remember, they were inter- ough look around. esting, and I wish I could do it again,” she “I don’t think too many students are aware said. “But the days are gone. I really didn’t of it right now,” he said. “But hopefully, the appreciate it too much then, but now I do.” word will get out.” In order to keep the Polish traditions In order to familiarize more students with alive in the younger generation, Commit- the room, the Committee will be on hand tee member Helen Grebski believes they at the Open House, which will be held on should expose themselves to the culture of October 4. Members of the Polish Room their heritage. Committee will be available in the Polish “It’s a discovery thing, it’s wanting to find Room from 11:00 to 3:00 to answer any more,” she said. “In today’s society, we’re questions or give further information. looking for family, we’re looking for roots, and we’re looking for something that gives �LIFESTYLES 10 SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 Campus meditation options aim to relieve student stress BY RACHEL CANNULI Beacon Correspondent As students try to become comfortable in their classes, get to know their peers, and to cope with the pressures of bill paying, apartment or dorm living, time management, and academics, some sort of release from stress is necessary. Wilkes University’s answer to the challenge of stress is meditation. Not many students or faculty members know that the campus offers two forms of meditation. Last spring, the labyrinth circle located behind Evans and Conyngham Halls was finished to encourage Wilkes community members to walk and simultaneously unwind. The other alternative is a weekly meditation class led by two faculty members, Philosophy professor Dr. Linda Paul and English professor Mischelle Anthony. The meditation sessions take place every Wednesday at 5 p.m. on the first floor of Kirby. But what exactly is meditation and why do people do it? According to WebMD.com, “Meditation is the practice of focusing your attention to help you feel calm and give you a clear awareness about your life.” Meditation can also alleviate an ample range of mental and physical problems. Paul explained that meditation can aid an individual by “reducing the stress response in the body, lowering blood pressure, and many more, including changing the structure of the brain if one practices long enough.” Both Paul and Anthony are long-time practitioners of meditation. While there are numerous methods of meditation, Anthony and Paul teach mindful meditation. “Mindfulness is a non-religious meditation that focuses on the breath and makes you aware of what is in front of you,” said Anthony. She continued to explain that this type of meditation is very relaxing and releases stress. The meditation session is held on the first floor of Kirby Hall. Each session draws about 16 people who sit in two rows that are 10 seats long. They sit back to back so participants don’ t feel as though other people are watching them. For 25 minutes, in silence, students and faculty sit focused on their breath. “In and out,” Anthony repeated every so often so that participants would not lose their focus. The goal of staying focused on your breath is to make you feel as though you have control over your life and to feel at peace with yourself. Once the time is up, you should feel refreshed and level headed. The Beacon/Jenna Stephens Freshman Carolyn Ryan Walking through the labyrinth can be a mediation aid. attended the session and enjoys the relaxing feeling sity held a fall equinox labyrinth walk that meditation brings with it. “Meditation is celebrated the fall equinox and focused on something new [for me] that expands the peace in the world. The walk also brought mind and relieves stress,” she said. attention to labyrinth for meditation. Ryan also finds the people who attend Patty Gilmour, who arranged the walk the sessions to be very welcoming. She enexplained, “The winding towards the cencouraged anyone interested in meditation ter and out again [of the labyrinth] is an aid to try it out. to meditation and losing oneself in walking The labyrinth, which is the circle of the winding path with no agenda is quietstones in the green way on the north side of ing and brings a sense of peace.” Breiseth Hall, serves as a center for mediThe labyrinth is available at all times for tation. students or faculty. On September 22, 2008, Wilkes Univer- CHANGEABLE SK. ES LLC. Student Housing for the 21st Century -4p~o,-.lft:li' " , , •: 200 South Franklin Street Ov~ ,,,_.-.' ' ' ' ' ..:::o,, , DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE LIBRARY! ·· Out of 7 apartments, only 3 are left: 2 Four Bedroom Apartments 1 Two Bedroom Apartment Ready for the beginning of the SPRING semester! ACT NO~ BEFORE THEY'RE GO.N E! 1 TotaHy Restored by ,c hangeable Skies LLC. ,CONT.ACT: e-1 Henry wH - m. enryDO@comcast.net www.changeab eskies.com 215-768-4619 �LIFESTYLES SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 11 Martial arts veteran shows students basics of self-defense BY BETHANY YAMRICK Beacon Correspondent While most aspects of living on your own for the first time are exhilarating, anxiety for personal security and safety does occasionally creep in for some college students. In order to partially alleviate that fear, Dr. Ed Schicatano, associate professor of psychology, offered a self defense seminar to teach basic skills to students so they could learn how to defend themselves in high-risk situations. “In dangerous situations you have to injure the person. Some people don’t know they can,” Schicatano said. “What they need to realize is anyone can hurt anyone if they hit the right target.” The September 25 class was a 90-minute workshop held as part of the “Into the Streets” program focused mainly on prevention and what is known as target focus training. Schicatano offers the classes once a semester and is sponsored by the psychology club and women’s studies program. Schicatano’s class teaches only the basics of self defense, but the concepts taught are enough for anyone to be able to apply. Mainly women showed up for class, which is normal for self defense basic level classes. However, according to Schicatano, workshops such as these may be useful to everyone and can teach solid principles to apply in case of a violent assault. The focus of the workshop was less about teaching techniques but more philosophy. The idea is to strike the attacker in a vulnerable area. It is easier to re- member the concept and make it instinctual to strike these areas than it is to recall specific moves All photos The Beacon/Lauren Biernacki Several Wilkes students competed to become the school’s very first mascot-the Colonel. Only three were chosen. Junior English and communications major David Lewis, junior biochemistry major Jason Woloski, and junior education major Emilee Strubeck are all the new Colonel. Each worked through tiring auditions to be chosen as the new face of Wilkes University. Because of their active school spirit, The Beacon sat down with each student to ask them some questions as our Students of the Week. BY LEANN SEARFOSS Beacon Asst. Lifestyles Editor Lewis The Beacon: when under high-pressure situations. At the beginning of the seminar, Schicatano handed out safety tips and a list of prevention skills. The program first teaches confidence and knowledge, but then moves onto memorable effective philosophies. He noted that with simple techniques such as aiming for the eyes, any person of any gender, age, or body type, can accomplish this. Schicatano has been doing martial arts for eight years and is now a second-degree black belt. He has been teaching it for three years on the Wilkes campus, as well as the Penn State Wilkes-Barre campus and the local YMCA. “I would do it more often if I knew more people would come,” said Schicatano. Student Garrett Scharder, who has taken martial arts and self-defense classes for 13 years, says the basis of any self-defense class is to nullify the situation before it elevates. “The greatest form of self defense is not having to defend yourself,” said Scharder. “With all I have learned, I haven’t had to use it ever.” Before fighting, there is what is referred to as the ABC’s of self-defense: awareness, boundaries, a n d combat. If students ever see an opportunity to run away, they should take it. “It is about harnessing the adrenaline and fear within the individual,” said Scharder. The main concept of self defense is to train your brain how to function in Where do you see yourself in ten years? Strubeck:I hope to have traveled and seen a lot of the world, and also have a job in an elementary school. And because I’ll be a teacher, I hope to marry rich. Lewis: I see myself submerged in deep layers of the rain forest, living wild and wearing nothing but leaves. Woloski: Following medical school and residency, I hope to establish my own practice as a family physician, settle down, and start a family. Strubeck The Beacon: Describe yourself in three words. Strubeck: enthusi- what is know as your low brain moments, when scared or under pressure. Self-defense classes put you in a situation to practice it, memorize how you function in this state, and apply what you were taught. “People react, they become serious only after a tragedy happens,” Schicatano said. “I wish they would be serious about these things before they occur.” The class also builds confidence with easy but effective, commonsense skills. “You shouldn’t have to be scared to walk somewhere,” said Scharder. astic, compassionate, fun Lewis: purple, itinerant, love-doctor Woloski: ambitious, entertaining, and caring The Beacon: Finish this sentence: My friends would be surprised to know I... Strubeck: finished a paper on Tuesday when it wasn’t due until Thursday. Lewis: I once saved an elderly woman from certain death. Woloski: did a toe-touch and cartwheel in my Colonel audition. Woloski �cusses s i d y d Kenne Kerry Catholic Now Being PAGE 14 CONTACT INFORMATION: alyssa.benner@wilkes.edu yoh.delossantosmaria@wilkes.edu amanda.gunther@wilkes.edu wilkesbeacon.ae@gmail.com SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 12 Bloomsburg Fair celebrates 154 years of frivolity BY ALYSSA BENNER & CATHRYN FREAR Beacon A&E Editor & Correspondent “Just plain fun” for four dollars? It’s no wonder the Bloomsburg Fair is celebrating its 154th year. From a distance the Bloomsburg Fair could be a snapshot of the original ••••••••• •• “agricultural” fair it began as in 1855. The illuminated Ferris wheel, candy-striped food stands, and thousands of excited fair-goers conjure images of days gone by. David Millard, director of arts and crafts and the historic area at the Bloomsburg Fair, has been exceptionally busy this year. He has also served on a board composed of 13 members since 1995. Growing up two doors from the fair entrance, Millard began attending at 10-years old. “We still maintain our mission. It [the Bloomsburg Fair] is a display venue. Livestock, arts and crafts, flower displays, all those types of things,” Millard said. Bill Laubach, of Mifflinville, PA, has been coming to the fair for 60 years. Though the modern fair offers a lot, he’s still a little wistful for a few of the old attractions. “There used to be car races on the midway when I was y o u n g e r. ” Laubach said, “I loved that.” The midway car races may have faded out of the Bloomsburg Fair, but the current entertainment leaves no one out. Familiar fair staples such as petting zoos featuring over-sized elk and a live musician singing in an overlapping, intertwining Willie NelsonJohnny Cash voice attracted many. A 12act “freak show” and SHAM-WOW demonstration also drewlarge crowds. •• •• •• •• •• SAUSAGE •••••• At the 230-acre fair the various exhibits include but are not limited to a demolition derby, figure 8 racing, free style motocross, horse racing, tractor and truck pulls, live- stock and a horse and pony pull. According to Millard, “Exhibits of needlecraft, paintings, photography, hobby displays, anything you collect you can submit those items for display. In arts and crafts we have around 3,000 items that are displayed by about 1,000 different individuals.” Yet, without a doubt, food is the biggest people pleaser at the Bloomsburg Fair. Diane Snyder from Fernville has worked at Hewlett’s sausage stand for 52 years. Her father worked for the original owner when it was just one modest stand. When the owner decided to expand and incorporate another stand Snyder’s father had his doubts. Fifty-two years later Hewlett’s offers five stands across the length of the fair. Snyder said, “…The people and the atmosphere [make it my favorite]. People even come here from New Jersey and every year they claim my sausages are why they keep coming back.” Mary Grega of Berwick, PA says of her favorite food, “Have you ever tried Berrigan’s hoagies? I will give up, and did give up today, bonus pay for a Berrigan’s hoagie.” Grega has been a regular at the Bloomsburg Fair for 36 years. Entrance to the fair was ten cents in 1855 when Franklin Pierce was the fourteenth President of the United States. Now, in its 154th year, the Bloomsburg Fair has succeeded in maintaining its original mission. All Photos The Beacon/Alyssa Benner �SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT VPA offers William Inge’s Pulitzer winner “Picnic” BY YOHANNA DE LOS SANTOS M. Beacon Asst. A&E Editor The play “Picnic” by William Inge came to life on the stage of the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Visual and Performing Arts last week with four performances from September 25-28 and was directed by assistant professor of visual and performing arts Naomi Baker. “Picnic” was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1953 is set in a small Kansas town as community members converge for the annual Labor Day picnic. The script is an example of early American realism, and was a little controversial for its time because women were less given to leave assured wealth to be with someone who couldn’t offer them as much, a social question posed in the plot when a stranger arrives in town just in time to turn the heads of local women at the community outing. “I think every character in the show finds out something about themselves that they never realized before, and that is always fun to discover,” said junior theater major Jessica Lech, who played the character of Millie. Junior theater major Lou Gerstle added, “It’s different because it’s realism. [With] most other things you are allowed to detach [and] things are accepted for what they are. But with [‘Picnic’] you are trying to be as representative to true life as possible.” Baker found what she was looking to offer both Wilkes students and audiences in “Picnic.” “I was looking for a show that had more women than men. I wasn’t looking for a feminist play; it’s certainly not a feminist play. It was written by a man, and it definitely does not break any of the social norms as far as a women’s plays in society from the 1950s. The second thing is that I was looking for a play in the realistic style so that our students would have the opportunity to work in that style,” she said. The fact that the play is a Pulitzer Prize winner was not among the criteria for the selection of the play; however, it affirmed the play’s quality and social significance. Because the play is based in realism, the actors had to learn how to communicate differently in order to catch the attention of the audience, and put extra effort into showing their emotions. “We really... try every year do different styles...so our students learn how to act and create different styles of theater. I like the play a whole lot, which is also important when you chose a play,” said Baker. “I discovered that I have the ability to act in musicals and in straight shows, so it was a big confidence booster,” said Lech. The cast included David J. Pascoe (Hal); Ashley Firestine (Mrs. Potts); Jessica Lech (Millie); John Layton (Bomber); Katrina Zbegner (Madge); MaryCate Morrison (Flo Owens); Greta Kleckner (Rosemary Sidney); Lou Gerstle (Alan Seymour); Tara Contrera (Irma Kronkite); Cassandra Colwell (Christine Schoenwalder); and Casey Thomas (Howard Bevans). But at Wilkes, learning lines and staging isn’t the only responsibility cast members have to produce a show. “They help also to build the set, or make the costumes, to manage props; they all do all of it,” said Baker. The set was designed by Theresa Fallon and offered a very realistic tone to the play. “The scenery was very well done and it enhanced that show,” said Hadden Height, NJ resident and audience member Steve Dagrosa. Royalties are also to be paid, “We pay a certain amount of money per night for the privilege of performing the play, unless we write it ourselves” said Baker. Students received scripts in the sum- r - 13 mer and auditioned for roles as soon as school began this fall. “[Students] had three months to read the play, but about a day, maybe a little longer than a day, to read through the parts of the play that we were going to do for the auditions. The auditions took about three hours... and then I posted my cast list...and we started rehearsals the next day,” said Baker. The students had to adjust to an intensive rehearsal schedule of at least three hours a day, five or six days a week for about a total of four weeks. The second night of the show was better attended than the first, and the audience seemed to enjoy the show. “It was good and it was also funny,” said Michael DeStefano a 19-year old resident of Sullivan County, NY, who was there to see his girlfriend perform. Some of Baker’s previous directorial efforts include: “As you Like It”; “Sweet Charity”; “Bad Boy” (the musical) and next semester she will direct “Pride and Prejudice” at the end of the year. The plays are chosen by Baker, Fallon, and Joe Dawson. - - - - - - - - - - - - Ma1·tz Trailways Student Discount Pro:ram 7 Save 25% on Martz Full-Fare Bus Tickets I B1·ing this coupon to Mat·tz T1·ailways I 46 Public Square Wilkes-Ba1•r,e a.long with your College ID I. to receive a I i FREE 1 year ~Ie1nbership ($20 Value) BIRTHDAY BONANZA Martz is celebrating its ow111100th Bi1rth day by offering you a IFRIEIETICKET ON YOUR BIRTHD,AY lO EITHER ATlANTIC CHY ,QR NEW YORK CITY! Stop by to team more. ASK ABOUT OUR OTHER SPECIALS: • PHILA.DELPHIA PARTY-Of-2· SPECIAIL • NYC IPARTY OF 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8 - the bigger your potty, the mo.re you s,ave! ,. NYC SHOPPEIRS SPECIAL - Wednesdays and Saturdays • ATILANTIC cm 7 DAYS A WEEK - Amazing Casino Rebates[ FLYING O,U T OF' NYC OR .P HIi.LY? Photo courtesy of Naomi Baker Sets and costumes for “Picnic” were purposefully designed to offer a sense of realism and reflect a small Knasas town in the 1950’s. · IL ET MARTZ DO· THE DRIVING FOR YOU! We offo;r dai y service o NYC nd Philly, and th , .aiirports ,ne jus a short hop ai ay. ,rnnz lllbl:11111} ~ _ · J661'ormore ~ . �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 Meet the Author: Kerry Kennedy Being Catholic Now Kennedy was in Wilkes-Barre this weekend to campaign for Senator Barack Obama, and took a few minutes to disBY ANDREW SEAMAN cuss her book with The Beacon. Beacon Managing Editor “What I found through writing the book and talking to people from a wide range of political perspectives and wide In an ever-changing world where does faith fit in? range of perspectives…is that everybody has an argument Perhaps you are Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or with the church--everyone,” said Kenendy. Catholic and have begun to question Kennedy says that she is proud of her what it means to be faithful. Catholic faith. “I’ve been blessed to see Kerry Kennedy, daughter of the late Catholic activists on the cutting edge Senator Robert Kenedy, grew up in a of social change in countries across devout Irish Catholic household, and the world…So my sense of justice, my her upbringing amidst both church sense of public service, of commitment and a high-profile political family to economic, social and racial justice, later spurred her to consider the issue are all part of my Catholic faith. of faith and its role in modern society. “On the other hand, all too often I PH.')\11:-...lr-. t A'\IERI<. A"!'S ·1 ALK ABol I' (;11.1\~•..t,E l'l l'UE C'IIl R( II Thus, for her new book, Being Cathowould pick up the newspaper and read \'iD Tllf Qt }.ST JOR 1\-IEA~I"!",,;(, lic Now: Prominent Americans Talk about the bishops’ failure in the pedoabout Change in the Church and the phile scandals to hold themselves acQuest for Meaning, the author spoke countable for their failure to protect inwith 37 Americans to offer various nocent children…I was for eight years views on Catholicism today. Some of in a northern Virginia parish where her interviews include Speaker of the they did not allow girls to be altar House Nancy Pelosi, blogger Andrew servers, and this was very disturbing to Sullivan, journalist Cokie Roberts, me. I found in talking to many of my Cardinal Theodore Edgar and actor friends and colleagues that they have Photo Courtesy Random House Martin Sheen. Being Catholic Now 14 issues with the church’s conduct or some of the things that seem to be at odds with their own personal moral compass,” she said. Kennedy said that author Peggy Noonan said it best, “God does not want us to be intellectual slaves.” Kennedy added that Jesus Christ even disagreed with the Jewish elders as to what it means to believe in God. Kennedy noted that one important thing she found during her interviews for her book is how much she laughed. Kennedy related several of the funniest stories that struck her during the research process for the book. “Nancy Pelosi...said that her mother always wanted her to be a nun, and I said, ‘Did you want to be a nun?’ She said, ‘No I wanted to be a priest, because priests have all the power.’ And [actress] Susan Sarandon tells a very funny story of being seven-years-old...her aunt gave her glow-in-the-dark rosary beads, which she did not know were glow-in-thedark. So when she went to bed that night, she turned off the lights, got under her covers and pulled them out to say the rosary. They start to glow, and she thought, ‘Oh my God, I’m going to see visions.’” Kennedy is also the author of Speak Truth to Power: Human Rights Defenders Who Are Changing Our World and established the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Center for Human Rights in l988. �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 15 Kudracross BY CHRIS KUDRAK AND DEVIN KING Beacon Correspondents The Sw!ms Where: The Bog When: Oct. 2, 10 p.m. Oktoberfest Where: Lionshead Brewery When: Oct. 3, 5-11 p.m. Oct. 4, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Satisfaction Rolling Stones Tribute Where: Kirby Center When: Oct. 4, 8 p.m. cost: $24 Chicago Where: Kirby Center When: Oct. 3, 8 p.m. Answers from last week’s puzzle 1 A 13 2 R 3 M B E E L A N 16 36 E e T 0 1 s 11 A R L A A B W 0 35 E 55 S L 62 T A D V A E D H E H 39 12 M N E D L E R A N E A S y p 0 A N K Across 1 Enormous 5 Discontinue 9 Diamonds and rubies 13 Run of the mill 15 The Wise Men 16 Uttered by mouth 17 Firma start 18 Farm unit 19 Ship of Columbus 20 Advocate of a candidate 22 Liveliness 23 Common contraction 24 Corporate VIP 26 Before Funeral 29 Ocular covering 32 Former U.S. airline, for short 35 Impressively grand 36 to have telephoned someone 37 Show on TV 38 Synonymous 43 Acquire 44 Yours and mine 45 Small amount 46 Horse food 47 Saddens 50 American flag maker 51 And so forth, for short 52 Carry 54 57 62 63 64 66 67 68 69 70 71 Adventure story Tenderness Breathing organ Metric prefix Cattle breed Europe/Asia border Happily ___ after Greeting Evaluate Attractive Depend on Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 21 25 26 27 28 30 31 32 33 34 39 40 41 42 48 49 51 53 54 55 56 58 59 60 61 65 Pizza ____ Applies Expert Bluetooth headset Mr. ____ pants Keen sense of what to say Shrek species Loud Big-nosed Muppet PA great lake Stands guard Strip of wood Phelps activity English for uno Blade Side Measure mass Sleep disorder Childs name for a cat Eliminate mistakes Local area network, for short Socially forbidden Droops as a fading flower Surface measurements Overwhelming defeat Dessert treats Time units, abbr. 747, for example Hypothesis Animal pouch Patriotic bird Mormon state Bad-mouth Luminous radiation Annoying insect V Show off muscles Look or stare at ____ and void Bean variety �CONTACT INFORMATION: alissa.lindner@wilkes.edu daniel.kautz@wilkes.edu SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 wilkesbeacon.sports@gmail.com Wilkes students participate on local rugby team BY ANTHONY DORUNDA Beacon Staff Writer Long before the football that we know today, the game with the colossal, fast athletes jacked out of their mind that bend and bang their bodies in ways that should not be legal, there was rugby. Or as what Wilkes-Barre Scranton’s team President Tim Pearage calls it, “The game they play in heaven.” The men that played the sport were just that, men. Running full speed directly at one another just like in football except for one little difference: they didn’t wear pads. They ran around helter-skelter roughhousing each other for 80 minutes with no mercy, and then would make friends with them over a few drinks afterwards. Without knowing the game, the average spectator might liken it to a more organized version of kill the man with the ball than an actual structured sport. The object is much like that of football; you must cross the other team’s goal line to score points. You can also perform a drop-kick (think Doug Flutie for the Patriots) which is when a player drops the ball on the ground and kicks it through the goalposts on the first bounce, for three points. And that’s about where the similarities end. First off, there are no breaks or injury time-outs; actually there are no timeouts period. If you get hurt, you have one min- ute to decide whether or not you want play through the pain, or go out and have someone come in for you. It’s forty minutes of constant sprinting up, down, and diagonally across the field, much like soccer just carrying a ball. Each team has 15 players which consists of 8 forwards (they do all the dirty work and try to gain possession of the ball), six backs and one halfback, who is the middle man. His job is to get the ball from the forwards to the backs and let them earn their lunch money. Getting the ball downfield is a little bit unusual compared to what casual football fans are used to. One way is to continually kick the ball downfield and try falling on it to get better position. A little unorthodox but that’s what the game is. The more conventional way is to repeatedly toss the ball either laterally or backwards to a teammate all the way down the field and keep running around to try and avoid being tackled until you score. It sort of looks like the infamous California-Stanford play. The one where the band stormed the field causing a ruckus that allowed California to score the game-winning touchdown? That’s much of what this is, without the tuba player. It’s a constant barrage of laterals and tosses with players scrambling all over the field trying to score. It’s chaos, but it’s beautiful chaos. In a nutshell, that’s Rugby. There are also different formations for after you score. 16 Photo Courtesy of Matthew Crouse The rugby team battles on the field during a previous game. Wilkes University students play for the local Scranton Wilkes-Barre Breakers. The Wilkes-Barre area has planted its seed in the sport with a team of their own, the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Breakers. The team has been dominating the field and upheld a strong tradition for 35 years, participating in the Eastern Pennsylvania Rugby Union, where they play teams from Harrisburg, Philadelphia, and Bethlehem to name a few. They have also traveled to places such as New Orleans, Florida, Savannah, Georgia, and Toronto. Some Wilkes students are active members of the team. One of these is Pharmacy P4 student Matthew Crouse. Crouse has been playing for the Breakers for four years. “I was looking for something to stay competitive and active while in school,” Crouse said. “A friend of mine was playing and got me to go to practice and I immediately knew it was something I was going to like.” Being a Pharmacy P4 student, Crouse doesn’t have a whole bunch of time to mess around, so only having practice twice a week really helps out. “It’s a little difficult because I’m on my clerkship rotations so I drive up once a week and then drive back down to my roPhoto Courtesy of Matthew Crouse tation site that night,” Crouse said. The Scranton Wilkes-Barre Breakers line up for a team shot. The team practices in You would think it might take a toll, Kirby Park behind the pavillion. but Crouse believes it’s worth it because he “loves playing the game.” But flying around the field looking to take somebody’s head off is not all the game is about. As Crouse says, the best part is “going to the after party at their sponsor’s Riverside Cafe. We get together and hang out with our teammates and have a drink with the team we were trying to crush earlier.” That’s probably not something you would hear after a football game. This weekend, the team was off to a 1-1 start, and continuing to improve. For the rest of the season, Pearage had this to offer, “Our team will finish either first or second this year in our division. The last time we finished first was in ‘95 and ‘96.” Confidence is key, as well as numbers. The team is always looking for students who want to get involved in the game and learn how to play some rugby. No experience whatsoever is needed so if you’re interested, the time to come watch is definitely this Saturday, October 4. The team is celebrating its 35th Anniversary and players from the past are all coming in to play a “friendly” match. New players are always welcome, and just think of it this way: Rugby is a sport in which players can physically hit somebody; it’s perfectly legal. �SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 SPORTS 17 FOOTBALL from PAGE 20 -ing Newport’s three yard line, Harry Reese punched in Wilkes’ second touchdown on a rush which gave the Colonels a comfortable 17-3 lead. The Captains responded with an effective two minute drill. Running back Tunde Ogun capped off a 95-yard drive with a rushing touchdown making the score 17-10. Both teams opened the second half with three-and-out drives. On Newport’s second drive, Wilkes was called for roughing the passer after forcing the Captains to punt. The penalty gave Newport a fresh set of downs. Moments later, Ogun fumbled in the endzone but saw the ball recovered by Newport’s Mario Barnes for a touchdown. Quarterback MattLong ran around the right side of the Newport offensive line after a fake field goal and dove over the pylon for a successful two-point conversion. The score capped off an impressive drive that consumed eight minutes of clock. Wilkes’ next possession was perhaps the most pivotal of the game. Johnson completed a 40-yard touchdown pass that was called back on an offensive interference penalty. The Colonels were penalized 15 yards, and both their drive and great scoring FIELD HOCKEY from PAGE 20 Wright’s goal would prove to be all Wilkes would need to defeat DeSales; however Koncelik scored her ninth goal of season with under a minute left in the game. Davenport stopped all three shots she faced to record the team’s sixth shutout of the season. Davenport has started for the Lady Colonels in all six shutouts. The Lady Colonels have shut out six of their nine opponents. Team defense has been clicking on all cylinders this year with Saturday being no exception. “The defense played really well together [Saturday]. Kerry Battersby had an amazing game, she stopped a lot of dangerous offensive breakaways in the center of the field. DeSales had a few scoring opportunities that were all denied by Linsday Davenport, she has been playing really well in the cage. I am really happy with the way our defense has been playing,” Myers said. Despite a perfect record thus far, Myers explained number in the win column is not the most important aspect of the season. “I am very happy with our team’s record; however, it is not our focus. We need to take every day and work to prepare for our next opponent. Every game is crucial, every practice is important. We need to focus on what we need to change to get better for the next game. We still have a lot of work to do,” Myers explained. Koncelik’s offensive presence has been The Beacon / Gino Troiani Jamar Beverly breaks a tackle for the Colonels in the third quarter. Wilkes opens MAC play next weekend in their homecoming match against Lebanon Valley. chance were over. The drive ended in a punt as the game entered the fourth quarter. After a series of failed drives from both sides, the Colonels had possession with about seven minutes remaining. The offense began to roll off a couple solid runs by Reese. Wilkes would drive 67 yards over one of the key factors to the Lady Colonels success this season. Four of her goals have proven to be the game winning and Koncelik’s nine goals ties her combined total from her first three years of play with the team. “In every game this year Alyssa [Koncelik] has been a key component to our scoring opportunities. She has very good ball control and is smart in the circle. She has worked hard to improve her elimination skills and it really shows in her play,” Myers said. Koncelik attributes her success to the skill of her teammates. “Even though I am credited with the goal, it is often the result of a pass from one of my teammates. We all work well together and just want to score, no matter who it is,” Koncelik explained. The Lady Colonels historic record will be challenged again this week hosting Freedom Conference opponent FDU-Florham Thursday October 2 at 4:00p.m. For Homecoming Weekend on Saturday October 4, the team could face their toughest challenge yet, hosting the 8-1 Elizabethtown College Blue Jays, who are ranked 15th in the region. Their only loss was to King’s College. “To beat teams like FDU and Elizabethtown we need everyone to give 100% for 70 minutes. We need to focus on support around the ball and quick shots in the circle,” Myers said. “This is something we are going to stress in practice everyday.” five and a half minutes, resulting in a dramatic field goal from Chris Horn that gave the Colonels a 20-18 edge with under two minutes remaining. When asked what was going through his head while leading the Colonels on their last drive of the game, quarterback Rob Johnson responded that he “tried to handle the ball intelligently. The important thing in that situation is to not panic.” Newport showed no signs of panic as they responded with what would turn out to be the game wining field goal. Ogun and Long directed a drive that would stretch 42 yards and last a little over a minute, and Jay Graham connected on his 31 yard attempt with ten seconds remaining. The Colonels were unable to score with such little time remaining, and ended up losing 21-20. Newport and Wilkes both had over 350 total yards of offense, with Newport rushing for 240 and Wilkes passing for 263. When asked how their tough non-conference schedule has prepared them for MAC conference play beginning next weekend, the coach responded that they were “very well prepared.” He continued, saying that “We’re very close to being very good […] Our team has shown great character, but we need to learn how to close out some games.” The Colonels’ next game is this Saturday, October 4, 2008 for their homecoming match against Lebanon Valley College. Great Food . Great Friends. Great Fun. bare restaurant Conveniently located in N. Wilkes-Barre Take N Main to Elm, Turn Right at the Saloon �SPORTS SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 18 RINKSIDE REPORT BLOG Pens have a competitor in Sheahan Defenseman looking to stick with Penguins BY MICHAEL CIGNOLI Beacon Staff Writer When Penguins’ defenseman Brock Sheahan finished his college career at the University of Notre Dame, he signed a tryout contract with the Albany River Rats. “I went to Albany just to get experience. It was an opportunity to maybe get some ice time and maybe play,” he said. Although he didn’t see any game action, he still got the experience. Sheahan joined the River Rats in the middle of their first-round playoff series against the Philadelphia Phantoms. In game five, Sheahan’s second with the team, he witnessed the longest game in American Hockey League history. “That was a crazy game to watch,” Sheahan said. “It was actually starting to get a little boring there in the fourth or fifth overtime, just hoping someone would score.” Ryan Potulny of the Phantoms was that someone, scoring at the 2:58 mark of quintuple overtime, giving his team a 3-2 vic- tory. Philadelphia would go on to eliminate the River Rats in seven games, ending Sheahan’s tenure in Albany. Sheahan signed an AHL contract with the Penguins in August and finds himself in a very much open battle for a roster spot on Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s blueline. Injuries to defensemen Ryan Whitney and Sergei Gonchar in Pittsburgh have opened up roster spots in Wilkes-Barre. Players who might have been sent to the AHL if the Gonchar and Whitney weren’t injured, like Alex Goligoski, are still in Pittsburgh. “Reid Cashman, Brock Sheahan, and Elgin Reid all have a greater opportunity because two guys have gone down in our organization,” said head coach Dan Bylsma, who also added that Sheahan has shown him a lot in training camp. “[Sheahan] reads the rush well … he’s also shown a competitive level that I really like seeing. College kids, junior kids coming to the next level there’s always a question mark. What’s going to be their puck toughness? What’s going to be their battle level? He battled tonight hard. The Beacon/Michael Cignoli He was in the mix in puck battles… he was standing up for his goalie, pushing guys out of there.” Sheahan said that part of his game is to “do everything possible on the ice to help the team win hockey games.” So far, he’s shown that he can play in all situations. Sheahan appeared in both games against the Binghamton Senators this past weekend, spending time on the penalty kill and power play. On Saturday night, he made a perfect pass to set up Dustin Jeffrey’s gamewinning goal. Sheahan knows that the transition from college hockey to the pros is not an easy one, but he wants to stick in the American Hockey League. To do so, he is willing to listen to the advice offered to him by Bylsma and assistant coach Todd Reirden. “I just have to show that I can learn quickly, adapt from the college game to this level, take in everything the coaching staff says,” Sheahan practices during training camp on Tuesday, September 23. Sheahan explained. s c3 "E3 LIV'E:!S - c5I. E! P c1s 1- - - 1E ra: ■ r ■ w =-• a ■ p1 ·I 't •• 1• - ■-ath 1·- er-state B ood Bl. IP llasma1. · ,c_ 6 16 5 c .a e .· ~ · .•· e ·7 • e .s -lB a 1e., Pa 1C a 570 - 823-,4 119 _, �SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 Women’s Soccer Recap SPORTS 19 BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Editor-in-Chief The Lady Colonels opened Freedom conference play with a huge 2-0 shutout over MAC defending champions, the Manhanttanville Lady Valiants on September The win moves the Lady Colonels record to 4-5-1 and the Lady Valiants dropped to 3-7. “I think (Saturday’s) game was a huge confidence booster because of the fact it was our first conference game; especially for the freshman, the win gives them hope for the rest of the season,” said junior Ashley Deemie. Of the 15 players who took the field for the Lady Colonels, six were freshman and all got valuable playing time. Besides the young players and the solid defense that held the Lady Valiants to just three unsuccessful goal attempts, Sophomore Taryn Hallowell is the true headline of the game. Hallowell scored, in less than two minutes, back-to-back goals late in the first half. With 34:51 remaining, she scored off an assist from freshman teammate Allyssa Kelley. After spliting the defense at the 36:07 mark, sophomore Alison Weidman hooked up with Hallowell for another goal to give the Lady Colonels a 2-0 lead entering the half. “Manhattanville is a good team and I thought in the first half, we were able to get behind them for scoring opporttunities,” said seventh year head coach John Sumoski. “ I think we out-matched them speed wise and tired out there defensive backs in the first half. And our defenders played well.” Saturday’s win erases a brutal four-game stretch for the Lady Colonels where the team lost three and ended regulation in a tie with Lebanon Valley on Tuesday September 16. Sumoski stated that the time spent in practice this week will be devoted to fixing things the Colonels have done wrong previously so they can return to the .500 mark. The Lady Colonels return to Ralston Field tomorrow to face Susquehanna at 4:30 pm. The Beacon/ Gino Troiani Lady Colonels win MAC opener Members of the Women’s Soccer team congratulate Number 2 Taryn Hallowell after she scored two goals under two minutes apart. Men’s Soccer Recap BY ALISSA LINDNER BeaconSports Editor The following is a recap of Wilkes men’s soccer from the past week. The team was in action twice this week taking on Baptist Bible on Thursday, September 25 and then hosting Manhattanville on Sunday, September 28. The Colonels dominated Baptist Bible as five different players scored and senior TJ Baloga made three saves as the team defeated the Defenders 5-0. Junior Bret Osswald opened the scoring for Wilkes just over nine minutes into the game. Junior Arthur Jankowski was credited with an assist on Osswald’s goal. Sophomore Rusty Helwig scored Wilkes’ second goal and sophomore Ryan Phillips scored the next just under 60 minutes into Football L 20-21 Christopher Newport Field Hockey W 1-0 @ Scranton W 2-0 @ DeSales The Beacon/ Lauren Biernacki the game. Freshman Sean Lucey posted an assist on Phillips goal before scoring the fourth goal for the Colonels. Freshman Ed Zulkoski assisted on Lucey’s goal and freshman Matt LaRocca rounded out the scoring for Wilkes, scoring with just under six minutes left in the game. The Colonels then took on Manhattanville in the rain on Sunday afternoon. The first goal of the day was scored by junior Sean Vona on a penalty kick. Helwig scored his second goal of the week and junior Greg Miller finished off the scoring for Wilkes. The Colonels will be in action this week visiting Susquehanna University on Wednesday October 1 and then hosting Delaware Valley for Homecoming on Saturday Number 17 Patrick McDonald chases after the ball during Sunday’s game against Manhattanville. The Colonels won the game 3-0. October 4 at 11:00a.m. Men's Soccer W 5-0 @ Bapist Bible W 3-0 Manhattanville Women's Soccer W 2-0 Manhattanville Women's Tennis W 9-0 FDU Florham 6-0 Singles 3-0 Doubles Volleyball W 3-2 King’s Elizabethtown Tourney Overall 1-3 Men's Tennis DNP DNP �SPORTS SEPTEMBER 30, 2008 20 Football loses heartbreaker to Christopher Newport 21-20 home loss drops non-conference record to 0-3 on the season The Beacon / Gino Troiani BY DANIEL KAUTZ and-out as well. Wilkes’ second possession completion, a move which helped to ener- On their first play, Johnson hit Prushinski Beacon Asst. Sports Editor started well until later in the drive, when gize their offense. The Captains would rush with a screen pass for a 64-yard touchdown The Wilkes University football team lost Johnson hit wide receiver Jason Prushinski for 19 additional yards and opt for a field down the left sideline that brought the Wila heartbreaker to Christopher Newport at for six yards before Newport’s defensive goal after the Wilkes defense stopped them kes crowd to life. After stopping Newport’s Ralston Field on Saturday, September 27, back Ryan Wever forced a fumble on a hard on third and goal. next drive, the Colonels tacked on three falling 21-20 in its home openmore points on a Chris er. Horn field goal from 42 The loss dropped Wilkes’ reyards out. cord to 0-3 in non-conference Newport began a lengthy play. The mark is a poor indidrive that would run over cator of their performance, acfive minutes off the clock cording to Coach Frank Shepat the start of the second CAK.T~CN1UC~ tock. quarter. Using several dif“We scheduled high-caliber ferent runners out of the teams to face this year, and in backfield, the Captains two of the three matches we rushed for 43 yards bewere leading in the fourth quarfore a 12 yard sack by Harter. Our level of play has been rison caused the drive to stall. high,” Sheptock said, “but not Wilkes fans couldn’t believe the scoreboard at the end of Saturday’s game, which the Colonels lost on a last Newport attempted a 38 yard high enough to overcome some minute field goal to visiting Christopher Newport. field goal but missed wide left, foolish penalties.” keeping the score 10-3. The Colonels elected to receive after win- tackle. Wever recovered the ball a moment The Colonels would respond on their Wilkes wasted no time in responding after ning the coin toss, setting up their first drive later, effectively ending the Colonels drive. Newport took the lead by the score of 3-0. next drive, with Johnson passing for 72 that ended in a three-and-out. Newport On third and 13 on their own 33 yard Darrius Harrison returned Newport’s kick- yards to multiple receivers. After reachfollowed suit, handing Wilkes the ball af- line, Newport quarterback Matt Long found off 24 yards to Wilkes’ 36 yard line, giving See FOOTBALL ter their opening drive resulted in a three- Tony Spradlin downfield for a 49-yard the Colonels decent opening field position. WILKES u•1r£6BIT'I ,-, ,-, . ,-, I_I I_I · I_I Field hockey’s historic streak continues on PAGE 17 Women storm Scranton and DeSales to improve to 9-0 BY ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Sports Editor The Lady Colonels field hockey team improved its perfect record over the past week as the women defeated the University of Scranton in overtime on Thursday, September 25, and then posted their first conference win of the season Saturday, September 27, while visiting DeSales University. The Lady Colonels have extended the best streak in the history of the program to nine games. Senior forward Alyssa Koncelik has maintained a strong offensive presence. In six straight games, she has totaled eight goals including the game-winning goal in 30 Donate blood at the Red Cross Blood Drive from 10:00a.m. to 4:00p.m. in the ballroom of the Student Union Building. overtime against Scranton. The Lady Colonels’ first game of the week proved to be another battle until the end. At the end of regulation, the game was tied at zero. Although their first two games of the season went into overtime, the Lady Colonels had failed to score in the sudden death periods and instead played 100 minutes before winning both games by penalty strokes. This time it took the Lady Colonels one minute and 16 seconds into sudden death to secure the win. Koncelik scored after receiving a cross pass from junior midfield Brittney Sines. That goal would be Koncelik’s eighth goal of the season. 1 Go watch guest speaker Martin Eberhard at the Dorothy Dixon Darte Center at 7:30p.m. Eberhard is the co-founder and CEO of Tesla Motors and is this year‛s Kirby Lecturer. Wilkes almost doubled the number of penalty corners from Scranton 14-8 including the one in overtime in which Koncelik’s goal and dominated the Royals in shots 125. Freshman goalkeeper remained strong in net for the Lady Colonels, posting four saves. Kristina Goetz posted seven saves for the Royals. Despite the win in Scranton, head coach Sara Myers believes the team could have performed better had they played more as a unit. “In our game against Scranton we needed to play more together, individually we did some nice things but in order to beat a strong team we need to connect more and support 2 Tune into the Vice Presidential Debate from Washington University. Check your local listings for times and channels. each other better,” Myers explained. Freedom Conference play for the Lady Colonels opened on Saturday, September 27, as the team traveled to DeSales University in Center Valley, PA. The game would remain scoreless through the first period. Davenport posted two saves for Wilkes in the first period while the Lady Colonel offense took four shots. Senior midfield Diana Wright ended the drought of goals in regulation when she scored a goal just over seven minutes into the second half. Sines and junior defender Amanda Tilley were credited with assists on the goal. See FIELD HOCKEY on PAGE 17 3 Enjoy the musical “Chicago” at the Kirby Center on Public Square. The show starts at 8:00p.m. and tickets range from $26.50 to $54.00. 4 Attend the Homecoming Games! Men‛s soccer starts at 11:00 a.m. and field hockey follows at 12:00 p.m. Football kicks off at 1:00 p.m. and Women‛s Soccer starts at 2:30 p.m. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon 2008 September 30th Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 September 30 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/3a441a68cc93f7de2adbf40a88d1c7bf.pdf 10432f30080f4f92dfc722a85638c8c5 PDF Text Text "DOOMSDAY MACHINE" MASCOT AUDITIONS PAGE6 PARTY ON THE SQUARE PAGE9 PAGE 12 The I SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW Volume 61 Issue 3 Incident during sprinkler installation causes flood damage Bed bug outbreak BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon Managing Editor at Wilkes dorm On Friday, September 19, several residents in University Towers woke to find their apartments waterlogged and their possessions damaged by a leaking pipe on the eighth floor. “We have workmen working from the people who are installing the fire sprinkler system in the building as part of the fire protection upgrade. They were working in room 870 and they were installing the part of the piping in the closet where the heat pump is,” said Paul Kaspriskie, project manager for Wilkes University. According to Kaspriski, the person working in apartment 870 dropped a pipe on a series of tubing that connects the water line to the heat pump. The water, which was under pressure, burst from one of the pipes until they were able to shut it off. Amber Kaminski, a senior nursing student, lives two floors below 870, the room where the incident occurred. “I just woke up around 8:30 a.m. and it sounded like it was raining in our living room. So I got up and checked it out and there was... water coming from the ceiling - everywhere,” she said. She added that, “It sounded like somebody BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon Managing Editor The Beacon/Jenna Stephens A facilities employee cleans access water from a Towers’ apartment floor after a pipe burst and flooded rooms on six floors. was taking a shower, but I went and checked “My roommate and I actually heard the it out and it was coming from the room with water coming down in their room and tried the air conditioner and the heater.” knocking on their door but they were at Lisa Bova, a sophomore psychology and class. One of the RAs let us in, and we went pre-med major, and her roommate came to the aid of their neighbors. See SPRINKLERS page 2 Health & Wellness Services to move to Passan Hall BY AMY FUSCO Beacon Asst. News Editor & CATHRYN FREAR Beacon Correspondent As the weather begins to cool down, the number of students waylaid by colds and viruses will undoubtedly increase. To prepare, it’s important for students to know where they can go for cold medications-and as of winter break, that place will be new. Health & Wellness Services will move to in Passan Hall on Franklin Street across from the Martz Gym. The services, previously located in Evans Hall, operate under the Student Affairs umbrella. Passan Hall already houses Residence Life and the Student Affairs offices, so adding Health & Wellness Services will make it a more cohesive area. Residence Life will move to the third floor during fall break. After this, construction and upgrades for Health & Wellness Ser- ONTHEWEB www.wilkesbeacon.com beaconarchives. wilkes.edu INDEX News ............... 1-5 Opinion........... 6-8 vices will be completed for the first floor in time for the offices to move to Passan Hall during winter break this year. The main reason for Health & Wellness Services to move into the first floor of Passan is that the gurney will not fit into the elevator. Other benefits of the move include ambulance access and having a parking lot, See HEALTH page 5 Lifestyles ....... 9-11 A&E ............ 12-15 Sports .......... 16-20 Recently some Wilkes University residents have learned to take the old cliche, “Don’t let the bed bugs bite,” as gospel. Brenda Stanley, director of residence life at Wilkes University, confirmed an outbreak of Cimex lectularius, or bed bugs, in one of the University’s residence halls. “The Office of Residence Life can confirm a report of bedbugs in one of our residence halls,” said Stanley. Out of respect for the residents in the hall, Stanley did not want to name the location. “All the students in the residence hall were notified of the situation in a timely manner. Students were reassigned to temporary housing while pest control professionals (Terminix) treated the building,” said Stanley. However this is not an isolated incident. Reports of bed bugs have been coming in from colleges across the country. According to BedBugCentral.com, “Bed bugs have made a recent resurgence all across the United States as well as worldwide and are now being found in high-end hotels, apartment complexes, hospitals and even college residence halls.” Jeff White, a research entomologist for BedBugCentral.com, said that one of the problems is that people believe that bed bugs are a myth. “When in truth and reality they are insects that do infect structures. They usually live in association with sleeping areas, although that’s not definitive…which could be beds See BUGS page 4 Established 1936 w· > · > PA Newspaper · .· .· · Association Member . . ·. · �BED BUGS ONTINUED PAGE4 SPRINKLERS from FRONT PAGE in and put trashcans and bowls [under the leaks] to try and catch the water,” she said. Bova added, “It was literally raining in their room. The only room that did not get damaged in their apartment was the bedroom. The living room, bathroom, kitchen, and all the closets suffered water damage.” Bova’s roommate, Casey Marks, had already gone to class and was alerted to the situation when the Office of Residence Life called her. “I panicked and then checked my text messages from my roommates saying that there was a minor leak in the ceiling in my bedroom and it wasn’t too bad but that there were some rooms that it literally had been raining in,” said Marks, a sophomore pharmacy major. Marks added, “I saw the apartment next to ours and part of the ceiling was peeling back and water was still coming in pretty steadily into their bathroom and closet. I didn’t see any of the other rooms NEWS SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 though. The damage in my room was very minor with the wall and part of the carpet getting a little wet.” Kaspriskie said that the damage spanned the length of six floors and caused varying degrees of damage. He said the damage, “went down to the third floor...it was all the 70s... [Apartment] 370, I think, didn’t receive anything or minimal. Then in the 90s, which are adjacent to that, starting with [apartment] 790... and going down to the third floor. The one wall just got wet, a little bit. That was actually common to the 70 wall.” According to Kaspriskie there was “very, very minimal damage to the walls and ceilings. There will be some work that needs to be done, but not a heck of a lot.” Kaminski said that as of 3 p.m. on Friday she did not hear anything about leaving her apartment. She did say that the Office of Residence Life was going to be bringing in a cleaning crew over the weekend. Kaminski added that she was very happy with how everything was handled, including the replacement of her possessions. “Yeah, they are really good with that. They are going around to each room asking if anything got ruined,” said Kaminski. Bova added that the only problem she had was with communication from Wilkes officials. “If that was my apartment and water was leaking in like that, I would have wanted to be contacted as soon as the pipe got struck on the 8th floor,” she said. “That’s people’s personal belongings and some things can’t be replaced. If my roommate and I or the RA didn’t hear the water leaking in my neighbors apartment, a lot more of their stuff would have gotten ruined.” Kaspriskie said, “...obviously we compiled a list of what they have come up with now as far as damages go. And they [the contractor] will reimburse them full for any damages received as a result of the leak.” According to Kaspriskie, this is not the first time this same incident occurred. “Exactly the same thing hap- CONTACT INFORMATION: nicole.frail@wilkes.edu amy.fusco@wilkes.edu wilkesbeacon.news@gmail.com 2 pened in the summertime. Of course it wasn’t as bad because the place was not occupied,” he said. “Going forward, to prevent this from happening again, what I’ve asked the contractor to do now is construct a wooden cover that they would place over those pipes that go to the heat pump... and they will just place that cover over those pipes before they work in that closet,” added Kaspriskie. The contractor installing the pipes was G.C. Fire Protection and according to Kaspriskie, the contractor’s The Beacon/Jenna Stephens insurance will pay for Buckets catch water leaking from the ceilall damages. ing of apartment 670. Brenda Stanley, ditire building. Facilities was able rector of the office of residence to respond quickly with a cleaning life, added “We did not have to service to remove the excess wadisplace any residents. The ex- ter. We will assess further damges tent of the water leakage was (if any) on Monday to allow the small enough to be contained to cleaning service to complete their a few apartments and not the en- work.” Breaking alcohol-related laws leads to sanctions by police, university BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon News Editor During the 2007-08 school year, 66 Wilkes University students were disciplined for off campus behavior by Student Affairs. According to Dr. Paul Adams, vice president of Student Affairs, approximately 90 percent of those cases were alcohol-related. While on-campus students generally respond to Residence Life and off-campus to Student Affairs if they have been found to have participated in an illegal activity, all university students must first face local law enforcement. Once the police or courts are finished, if the university has learned of the incident or if the student has been identified as a member of the Wilkes community, the student is then further reprimanded by the university. “The university can take disciplinary action based on the handbook, which says that basically you can’t break the liquor laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylva- BEACON 130 S. River St, First Floor, Conyngham Hall Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 PHONE: (570) 408-5903 EMAIL: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com nia and that you are a representative of the institution,” said Barbara King, dean of Student Affairs. “While we try and standardize our processes to be fair, you have to realize that every incident is its own situation and is judged on its own merits. While we try to remain consistent, we also reserve the right to judicate situations based on individual circumstances and recognizing that there’s a full range of things to go wrong, from somebody who may be found underage drinking to someone who is supplying minors or someone who has a DUI or has caused damaged or hurt someone. There’s a whole spectrum of severity,” said Adams. Sanctions issued by the university may include monetary fines, probation and the requirement of off campus assessments of the student’s alcohol use. Offenders are also required to participate in an Alcohol Education program and their parents may also be contacted. “The university says that it ex- pects that students will, at the end of their education, express actions that reflect ethical reasoning and civic responsibility. So I think that’s why we’re concerned when young people have violated the laws of the Commonwealth or have behaved publicly in a way that doesn’t reflect well on the university or on them or their fellow students,” said Adams. The handbook states that the sanctions given to students who See ALCOHOL page 4 Editorial Staff 2008-09 Editor-in-Chief: Carlton Holmes Opinion Editor: Gino Troiani Managing Editor: Andrew Seaman Lifestyles Editor: Christa Sgobba Design Chief: Alison Woody A/E Editor: Alyssa Benner Advertising Manager: Zavaskas Sports Editor: Alissa Lindner TheChristine Beacon/Jenna Stephens News Editor: Nicole Frail Photo Editor: Jenna Stephens Advisor: Dr. Andrea Breemer Frantz Alison Woody Design Chief �NEWS SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 3 Presidential candidates on the economic crisis BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon Managing Editor Political Analysis Troopergate, race, Iraq, and the cost of a gallon of gasoline all took a backseat among voters’ chief concerns, as Wall Street and the Nasdaq looked like Disney’s latest rollercoaster thrill-a-second attraction last week, and citizens became acutely aware of just how fragile their retirement nest eggs might actually be. As of Sunday, September 21, the Bush administration had proposed a buy-out plan that would allow the federal government to purchase $700 billion in foreclosed housing, believed to be one of the main causes for Wall Street’s current troubles. The New York Times reported that the plan was receiving bipartisan support from Capitol Hill and the Secretary of Treasury, Henry Paulson said that the plan had to work. TheTimes also acknowledged that this government bailout would bring the national debt to $11.3 trillion. The current economic crisis has placed the presidential candidates’ economic plans under an even more powerful spotlight. The economy also recalls a campaign mantra from B i l l Clinton’s first election. “It’s the economy, stupid.” The phrase was originally penned by James Carville, a famed Democratic strategist and Clinton advisor. During the 2008 presidential election that slogan has morphed into the popular “It’s still the economy, stupid,” meaning that the main issue to talk about in this election is the economy. Poll after poll shows that Americans care about the economy more than any other campaign issue, and according to GALLUP, Sen. Barack Obama, D-IL, is seeing a slight surge in numbers because of the current economic climate. However, in another GALLUP poll Obama leads Sen. John McCain, R-AZ, by only 1% when people were asked who could do a better job handling the current economic problem. Thus, the economy is the center of all politics and life. The economy is best viewed a wave with highs and lows, and like everything the two major political parties have different ways to handle it. Republicans, most but not all, tend to move towards a hands-off approach when it comes to the economy. They believe that the economy should be allowed to go through its cycle with as little interference as possible. The Republican party tends not to like legislation that gives the government control over economic matters like a minimum wage. Democrats, most but not all, tend to go in the other direction - a handson policy. This approached is based on the belief that the market can be manipulated through legislation and dif- Sen. John McCain, R-AZ ferent programs. The difference between the hands-on and hands-off approach is also one of the fundamental differences between the two parties. Currently the United States economy is in what many would call a bear market, which means that things have not been going well. The proposed government bailout would bring the government further and further into the inner workings of Wall Street. Although this may not be the approach the Bush administration would like, officials consider this to be their only option. According to statements from Obama and his representatives he supports the proposed actions of the Bush administration even though he has not truly come out with a concrete plan. However, Obama has said that he believes the country needs strong leadership and cooperation during these tough economic times. During a recent speech in Wisconsin, McCain said the government should “get back to its core business of responsibly managing our money supply and inflation.” McCain has come out against many parts of the Bush administration’s plans but said that he would listen to any suggestions proposed by the administration and members of Congress. McCain seems to be playing to his Republican base during this crisis. By sticking to the idea that the economy will work itself out will ring in the ears of many conservative voters. McCain is considered a maver- ick by many in the Republican base, which is why he has been taking a much more conservative stance than he normally would. Obama’s cooperation with the bipartisan movement is also helping him in the polls. His cooperation with the Bush administration and Congress seems to be playing in the minds of voters as a willingness to cross party lines for the best of the country. For now the economy seems to be helping Obama, but with an economic climate that can change from day-to-day. And with the first presidential debate less than a week away, Obama and McCain will have an opportunity to debate about various issues; however, the economy is expected to take a back seat. This week’s debate is on foreign affairs and national security. Originally the debate was scheduled to be about the economy and public policy, but Obama requested a change of topic.McCain will have an opportunity to debate about various issues; however the economy is expected to take a back seat. The debate is on foreign affairs and national s e c u r i t y. Originally the debate was schedu l e d to be about t h e economy and public policy, but Obama requested a change of topic. Sen. Barack Obama, D-IL �NEWS SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 BUGS from FRONT PAGE or couches, depending on where people are sleeping,” said White. He added that bed bugs must be transferred from one carrier to another. “Meaning, you can’t get them walking down the street or taking your dog for a walk or anything like that,” he says. “You either have to go visit someone who has a bed bug infestation or somebody that had had them on them and they walk off while they are there.” White describes bed bug adults as “small, about a quarter inch long, reddish brown insects.” “They feed on blood…and they come out from where they are hiding - they hide in cracks and crevices and different places - they come out while you are sleeping, at night, and feed on blood,” says White. For those who may have been bitten by bed bugs, White offers some words of comfort by explaining that there is not relation between bed bugs and disease. White says that one of the most effective treatments against bed bugs is education. Stanley says that the students and parents impacted by the bed bug outbreak at the resi- dence hall was sent literature on bed bugs and the October edition of their parent newsletter will also include information on the subject. How does a student know if they have bed bugs? “If someone has a series of bites on their body, typically on the chest/torso or leg/foot region, they should visit our Health and Wellness Office, located on the first floor of Evans Hall. The bites would have not pattern (random) and may appear to look like mosquito bites. A professional can determine if in fact, they are bedbug bites,” says Stanley. White added that these bites tend to appear in rows or clusters. White says that “it’s just being aware and knowing what to do and what not to do and when you think you may have a problem reporting it to your university housing as fast as possible.” Stanley says that if an infestation is confirmed or suspected, the office of residence life has a set process to follow. “Terminix has a standing contract with the University and so they are called to do an assessment to determine if in fact the sus- Images Courtesy of Cornell University Cimex lectularius, or bed bugs, burrow in mattresses and come out at night to feed on human blood. pected report is true. If they find bedbugs, to ensure their chemical treatments were we immediately begin a process of treatment effective,” she says. Stanley also added that it is important as recommended by Terminix to remedy the situation in a timely and efficient manner. to note that, “Bed bugs should not be asThe typical response is a high intense steam sociated with a hygiene or cleanliness treatment, coupled with a chemical spray and issue.” None of the residents who were impowder in the affected areas. Following the first treatment, Terminix schedules five addi- pacted by the bed bug outbreak were tional weekly check-ups to the affected areas available for comment. ALCOHOL C-HANIGEABLE SKII ES LLC. Student Housing .for the 21st Century 1 Two Bedroom Aparbnem Ready for the beginning at the .SPRING semester! ACT NOW~ BEFORE T HE'rR.E GO E!, Totally Restored by Changeable -SkiesLLC_ CONIACT: Bi I Henry willm11n. · emyOtJ@corocas.t.net 215-768-46,' '9 www.cha gealllesllies.com 4 from PAGE 2 have broken the law or violated the guidelines for student conduct are issued in addition to law enforcement penalties “in an effort to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of all members of the community, as well as the violator of the regulations,” but many Wilkes students don’t believe that the university should be able to issue further sanctions, especially if the alcohol violation has occurred off campus or in a different city altogether. “I think that you should only be subjected to police penalties, especially if the problem didn’t occur on Wilkes soil. For example, if I was caught driving drunk across town… The penalties are high enough for dealing with that. I’d already be facing at least a year without my license, probably more... plus fines and jail time. Wilkes students should only be subjected to Wilkes rules and regulations while at Wilkes,” said sophomore Matt Duffy, secondary education and history major. “There are occasions though when people get identified as Wilkes students and when that happens, it’s a negative perception on all of the students, so we step in in those circumstances,” said Adams. “Most schools hold students responsible for their behavior off campus.” “I do see where the school is coming from with [a student] representing Wilkes, but I just can’t completely agree with them. If you are on campus I can see how you are as a representative of Wilkes, so if underage drinking or an incident happens because someone is drunk on campus then the school should step in along with the police. If the situation occurs far from Wilkes campus then I think that the police has the authority to do what they wish and the school doesn’t need to step in,” said Josh Hamilton, senior psychology major. Robyn Snyder, senior accounting major, disagreed. “I think that Wilkes does have a responsibility to punish the students as well as the police. When students get into trouble and the news covers the incident and says it’s a Wilkes student then it makes the school look bad. And the school has the responsibility to show people that they have steps to take to punish the students and also offer them help if they need it.” Adams said, “There are consequences for your behavior, but those consequences are designed hopefully to make people reflective so their future isn’t impacted.” Many colleges and universities across the nation have begun to speak in favor of the Amethyst Initiative, which suggests that the drinking age should be changed to 18 so binge drinking would occur less frequently on college campuses. Wilkes’ position on this initiative has yet been finalized. Thenot Beacon Archives / Nick Zmijewski �NEWS SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 HEALTH from FRONT PAGE since the expansion of the greenway took away the original parking lot next to Evans. “[Passan Hall is] closer to the [Henry Student Center], the hub of student activities, so it is also more convenient,” explained Diane O’Brien, director of Health & Wellness Services. Mark Allen, dean of Student Affairs, agreed that the move will be more convenient for everyone. It will be significantly more accessible for the Martz Gym and any athletes who may become injured. Brenda Stanley, director of Residence Life, stated, “We are in direct respect to the Athletic Department.” “The design of the offices [on the third floor] will allow for better communication in general. There is a commons area; it’s easier to tell where you need to be going when you walk in, and it’s easier for us to see who is coming in and direct traffic,” explained Stanley. As far as problems for anyone being inconvenienced, Allen said, “Much of it [the move] was done with students in mind. I asked students about their feelings and one of the reasons [for the move] was to assure confidentiality with the utilization of counseling and the location is still very accessible. Also, parking is much better for emergency situations.” Along with moving Health & Wellness Services, slight organizational restructuring will occur. There is no longer a coordinator of Campus Counseling; however, Wilkes will offer two full-time campus counselors, Melissa Gaudio and Susan Biskup. Additionally, there will be a consultant psychologist who will be on call and attend monthly meetings with the campus counselors. “We don’t know what to expect [in relation to the move], but we are excited,” stated O’Brien. “Passan Hall has better accessibility [than Evans Hall] and it’s a little bit bigger. The first floor fits our needs better than the third floor,” she added. “We are very excited about moving and having a chance to organize everything,” said Gail Holby, coordinator of Health & Wellness. But she added, “I think the students from Evans Hall are going to miss us.” Resident Assistants have already been informed of the move. It will be announced on the Wilkes Today page and pamphlets will be spread around campus once the move is complete to increase awareness of all students. Round !Pi,i::s 12' Medi , P'izza 16·"" I.qr:; Pizza t 2 ~ Pan Pizza, 120ut Tiray 'Willi ~Cut BFoccoli. CW: 10 C!J. ·T:ray 10 Cm Tray SG Notes September 17, 2008 Treasurer’s Report All College: $22,240.00 General: $9,333.85 Special Projects: $3,500.00 Spirit: $2,000.00 Leadership: $3,744.59 Conferences: $12,500.00 Start-Up: $1,200.00 -Homecoming- rough budget was shown for activities and such. Planning is still underway and a finalized budget will be shown this week. -Rock wall training October 9 Old Business Students for Environmental Sustainability (SES) Club Step Club now WUSA Club Day allocation $2,760 Club Reports The following clubs presented updates on their events. Programming Board New Business -Acceptance of position- sophomore student accepted position on SG. -Undergraduate Leadership Conferencemotion passed to send one student government representative to the conference, costing $75.00. -Multicultural Student Coalition- Liaison, an elected executive member, will represent the coalition at SG meetings. -Miniature War Gaming Club- requested to become a recognized club on campus. Discussion and name recommended to change it to Strategic Gaming Club. PI_ZZA. " WINOIJ RJ8 • 1ALAINI ri d ic.iUan R.e !iULarCut 5 W~-H'• rn: ~ · .JOEtutNorl!ha, --- ff.st 825-5166 I 825--9)3,,. Hot Cold DeliM.e'h [mlirut MGa!ball w/ Ch~5l.:l Tu.Illa & Chr: ·~ H :lllll & -bee:se Che:eseStei!k: Chieken Parm1 i "a Cl~'b Siu.b Can. B con Cheese Tmkq· &. Checs,c Sa a· :e RoBst Beef & Cheese Gri1le.d Cmcbm Ch±clren Cheese Steak !BuJllido Ohic'ken C.'S ffpUf'$' To.s ed w/ MOJ'il.- lihun l l AM - I I .PM F'ri S111f ll A..M - 12: 10AM' Sun 12 PM lJ - M Events Party on the Square Council of Clubs September 23 11-1pm Fall Elections September 22-24 Council of Clubs September 23 11:30am Homecoming September 29-October 4 * At 7:30 p.m., a motion was made to adjourn the SG meeting. The motion was approved. SG meetings are open to all students. They are held every Wednesday in the Miller Conference room on the second floor of the HSC. f':r ied Mu~btroo:m Fried Rav ·oli (6) MozzareU~. Slim (5) Mlim Taco ('I 2) ini Potato Pancalb:s 02) Jiatfapeno Po e:rs. (6 French · ri . C b.ee s.e Fries Onio ltm.g . hiclou N11ggGts Bread Sti.d b ~ Toss~d wl una. iP.a:sm w/ Ohe e Crispy Chlckr:m Chld:-en C esair ree AN D Va · Pa ing AND C hrok,en C Ches Steak S-m" Ve Giiilled. Ch-,cken Crispy· Chiclc:n 1 A..n.1:ip - to C- esa-r C ef'Saila.d Ore~k Calimmia Cbees · Steak -e: Tml!a:y· Club Tlmll y Delli.ve.r y Sp edahl 2 Ltrg-e Pi~ • ., i .95 2 Snml!l Pizzas 13,.95 AI _-e_Uvery S,p ec:ials ajo r Crr ·· ·it Cards Accepted - EEDEUV RYJOAILL -S tateh Wirn!g _& Su.bf: 3 for $-15..91 �Gardasil: page 8 Opinion SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 CONTACT INFORMATION: Gino.Troiani@wilkes.edu Lauren.Salem@wilkes.edu wilkesbeacon.oped@gmail.com Risk taking essential to human advancement 6 Why the ‘doomsday machine’ is worth the chance BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD If life were a comic book, the machine would be portrayed either as the monstrous invention of mad men--hulking, impenetrable, set to destroy the earth. Or, as the long-sought key to understanding humankind’s origins--a great turning point in humanity, a beacon of light peeking through the shadows. But the final chapter that determines the Large Hadron Collider’s (LHC) place in history has yet to be written, so its character is still a question mark. And what we don’t know or can’t predict often scares us. The LHC is located inside a 17mile long circular tunnel beneath Geneva, Switzerland; it is considered to be one of the world’s largest machines. Many people have also speculated that the LHC has the possibility to claim the title of the world’s deadliest machine. According to the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the creator and operator of the LHC, the machine is the world’s most powerful particle accelerator. The LHC completes one task; “high-energy protons in two counter-rotating beams will be smashed together in a search for signatures of super symmetry, dark matter and the origins of mass.” For those of us who are not physicists, this all boils down to smashing bundles of protons against each other at really high speeds in order to see what happens. But some scientists and nonscientists alike have a case of the jitters about smashing protons. What will happen? Could such experiments cause damage? Will hurling protons at each other at such a rate cause some sort of rip in the time-space continuum? Will their collision create a black hole on earth?These and other speculations have alarmed many; however, though we know some tions like the American Physical Society (APS) concur with CERN that there are minimal risks associated with the experiments conducted by the LHC. © CERN/A. Saba An inside view of the “Large Hadron Collider.” will view the LHC’s operation as an unnecessary human safety risk, the fear of the unknown should not keep humankind from exploring and asking questions. The main critics of the LHC argue that CERN cannot accurately predict what will happen when particles begin colliding. Some say that effects can produce doomsday results, which is where LHC’s nickname, “the doomsday machine,” comes from. CERN representatives have already addressed all of these safety concerns through w i d e spread media statements and publications. Even outside organiza- A report from the APS notes, “… there is nothing to fear from particles created at the LHC. In fact, collisions just like those the LHC will make have been produced by cosmic rays bombarding the earth throughout its existence. It would take about 100,000 LHC experiments to match the number of cosmic ray events that have already occurred. We can rest assured that our planet will not be affected by the four experiments about to be conducted in Geneva.” Some critics have also spread a rumor that the LHC may create a black hole or antimatter capable of destroying the earth. Steven Hawking, one of the world’s most famous and influential physicists, told the BBC that this claim is erroneous. “The world will not come to an end when the LHC turns on. The LHC is absolutely safe. If the collisions in the LHC produced a micro black hole and this is unlikely - it would just evaporate away again, producing a correctoristic pattern of particles,” said Hawking. Hawking added that the chance of the LHC producing a black hole is less than 1%. In addition, some religious groups argue that using the LHC is akin to “playing God.” In fact, the entire project’s objective has been criticized as purposefully working to disprove the existence of a god. The same might have been said for many other important scientific advancements for humankind. Space travel, Darwin’s theory of evolution, and various medical breakthroughs have all been resisted by religious officials who feared that the faithful may be led to question an all-powerful god if other explanations for human life and sustainability could be offered the public. However, such an argument not only limits human advancement but undercuts the foundation of faith. Those who will choose to believe in a god will do so, regardless of other explanations. Point 1 - The LHC, a powerful particle accelorator, has the possiblity to be destructive, but there is great potential to futher scientific reseasrch. Point 2 - The American Physical Society says there is a minimal chance the LHC could destory the Earth because it would take 100,000 LHC experiments to match the number of cosmic ray events that have already occurred. Point 3 - By not turning the LHC on, humanity would miss out on the great innovations this expierment has to offer. © CERN/A. Saba �SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 OPINION 7 The Angry Rant: Let’s Get Parked! BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Staff Writer Courtesy of Valhallatorrent.org Webster’s dictionary defines the word irony as “the use of words to express something other than, and especially the opposite of, the literal meaning” and “a usually humorous or sardonic literary style or form characterized by irony c: an ironic expression or utterance.” It is also worth noting that Alanis Morissette’s song “Ironic” contains no such examples of irony, which, in and of itself, could be considered irony. But, we’ll just forget that because she’s Canadian. And if there’s one thing that I don’t need, it’s a cleverly crafted song by a Canuck. But I digress. The topic of this week’s rant is not Alanis Morissette and her seemingly forever greasy hair. It’s about something far more sinister, far more rage inducing: The ironically named Wilkes-Barre Parking Enforcement. Ironic because, while they are enforcing the parking regulations of downtown Wilkes-Barre, they themselves frequently violate those very same rules while making things very unsafe for commuters. On any given day, one can see these public servants slowly driving around downtown Wilkes-Barre on an endless quest to seek and destroy the wallets (and eventually the psyche) of any poor soul who didn’t adequately fund their meter. In reality, I have no problem with local law enforcement penalizing those who violate the sacred trust of the parking meter. Let’s face facts. It’s arguably more important than the Bill of Rights. Free speech is important and all, but I need someplace to right lane will be blocked in several spots park on Wednesday morning. Without that, due to moving vans, construction vehicles, or other cars that are dropping people off. my friends, we would have chaos. So it’s only natural for Parking EnforceAnyhow, the parking debacle that is Wilkes-Barre is the result of what happens when ment to double park in the left lane in order limited parking spaces meets increased de- to give out tickets to those who are in violamand brought on by college students. The tion of the parking meter. Listen, you idiots, lack of adequate on-campus parking for it’s a one-way street, not a slalom. You’re Wilkes students (We can’t figure out a better blocking the street, and making things unsystem for divvying out the parking passes? safe. It’s not bad enough that you intentionally How does a resident get a better shot at getting a permit than a commuter? Let’s think drive up and down the streets where college about that for a moment.), has only exac- students are parked and take advantage of erbated the situation, leaving fewer spots the fact that they have classes, but you sit on their meters until the time runs out. available for more people. How do I know this? Because I see you But my problem isn’t with the suits at our fine university, it is with the Wilkes-Barre do it all the time. Meanwhile, there are cars double-parked on Public Square evParking Enforcement, who are actually doery day, but nothing ever happens ing more harm than good in their jihadto them, does it? like quest to hand out a $25.00 ticket. Imagine you’re a poor college The problem isn’t that they give out student who has to decide whether an absurd number of tickets; it’s how to pay a parking ticket or to buy they do it. They drive around in gas. The rub is that the ticket their jeeps and wait for meters will increase in 72 hours if to run out. Trust me, they do it’s not paid. How awesome this. I’ve seen it, as have is that? Word to the wise: countless others. They will don’t get a ticket on a Monliterally wait for five minday if you don’t utes for a meter to run out get paid until so they can get their fix. Friday. If that’s not enough, they But I guess also deem it necessary to that’s all we can double park on Franklin Street expect from the while they write up the tickets! “parking police,” Franklin is a cluster-screw of right? I mean, you’re all just a street; it’s a one-way, two-lane guys who couldn’t make it street that has meter parking on the as cops, aren’t you? The left side, and on the busiest hours draw of giving people of the day, it’s a safe bet that the ci.burbank.html Safety of Irradiated Foods Questioned BY GINO TROIANI Beacon Op-Ed Editor In the 1920s, a French scientist discovered that the shelf life of food could be extended if it were irradiated. Irradiation essentially means to purposefully expose materials to low doses of radiation. After many years, this technology was adopted by the United States during World War II when government officials needed to consider alternative ways to preserve food for troops. According to Wenonah Hauter executive director of “Food & Water Watch,” irradiation occurs when “astronomically powerful blasts of X-rays, electron beams, and gamma rays are used to kill bacteria, to extend shelf life of food by delaying ripening and spoiling, and to eradicate fruit flies and other invasive pests.” Or in other words, it is a way to control the amount of radiation the food absorbs. The process is viewed as a easy way to prevent bacterial outbreaks such E. Coli and also terminate parasites. After sponsoring a series of tests on various types of food, in 1963, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finally approved the irradiation of wheats and flours. Post 1986, numerous foods have also been approved such as herbs and spices, pork, poultry, red meat, and fruits and vegetables. Naturally, the thought of blasting food with potentially harmful X-rays, electron beams, and gamma rays has raised a few eyebrows. So far, the FDA has reported that food irradiation is completely safe, and has been adopted by over 37 countries worldwide, some of which have been using the technique for decades. However, the FDA has been wrong before. Hauter explains that eating irradiated foods will not cause you to “sprout a sixth finger,” but it does create change to the food’s composition. According to the “Public Citizen,” a national non-profit public interest group, startling results have been recorded as far back as 1968, which show that when irradiated foods are fed to animals, side effects may include: internal bleeding, fetal deaths, embryonic deaths, mutations, vitamin E deficiencies, and so on. Here is an excerpt from the Public Citizen’s findings highlighted in a 1968 article by A.T. Spiher titled, “Food irradiation: An FDA report,” “A careful analysis by FDA of all [Army] data present (including 31 looseleaf notebooks of animal feeding test results) showed significant adverse effects produced in animals fed irradiated food... What were these adverse effects?... A decrease of 20.7 percent in surviving weaned rats... A 32.3 percent decrease in surviving progeny of dogs... Dogs weighing 11.3 percent less than animals on the control diets... Carcinomas of the pituitary gland, a par- tickets must have been too great to avoid. Does it give you goosebumps knowing that you just took some poor kid’s gas money for the week? I bet the actual police don’t even respect you guys. You’re like the Jermaine Jackson of public servants in Wilkes-Barre. Even though Michael is the crazy one, everyone scatters when you show up. O.K., parking police, I’m going to help you repair your image. Seeing as how my tax dollars directly fund your little campaign, I think I’m more than entitled to tell you how to do your job. First: don’t double park when you’re giving out tickets. The roads are congested enough without having to dodge your cars. Instead, park your car at the end of the block and walk down the street. Of course, that means you need to be a little more active and you actually have to interact with the people you’re ticketing, but that’s part of the game, I guess. Second: Stop targeting college students. There are lots of streets in Wilkes-Barre that I’m sure are teeming with cars that have expired meters. Go and throw a few tickets on there every now and again. I can’t blame you for it, really, because all college students are the same to you. Kids with no respect for authority, green hair and nose rings. But then again, you did go to college in the early 20s, so I can’t fault you too much for that. And finally…get a real job. Thank you and good morning. ticularly disturbing finding since this is an extremely rare type of malignant tumor.” In addition, the “Center for Food Safety” also wrote a letter to the FDA in 2003, strongly encouraging officials to “reconsider the safety of all of its past approvals of food irradiation.” What to do? Let’s be honest. Chances are that you have probably already eaten irradiated food in some form during the course of your life, whether you knew it or not. If you are worried about health risks, it is easy to avoid purchasing them, because the FDA now requires food to be properly labeled if it was irradiated. The fact is that a large majority would agree that the FDA is both understaffed, and under-funded. But the FDA needs to address the health findings above, and reconsider the irradiation of all foods. This type of technology cannot be used until long-term test results confirm that food irradiation is 100% safe. No Questions. �OPINION SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 Researchers reconsider Gardasil vaccine BY LAUREN SALEM Beacon Ast. Op-Ed Editor Each year in the United States 3,700 women die from cervical cancer and 9,710 more women develop cervical cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But in the past two years, medical professionals have advocated widely for a vaccine that they have claimed could lower those startling numbers: the Gardasil vaccine. “I chose to get my daughter vaccinated because I want her to be one less woman affected by cervical cancer,” a mother says in a Gardasil commercial as she sits down beside her daughter on the couch smiling. In 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved and reported Gardasil to be “the first Cartoon by: Gino Troiani ........ YOUR Dear Editor: (Yes) I believe that President Gilmour should sign the Amethyst Initiative for Wilkes University. I don’t say this so I can freely go and binge around campus, I grew out of that last year after realizing that it really isn’t worth the risk. Frankly, drinking parties aren’t that fun. You have to watch for any authority or enforcement figure during and after the party. The music is always too loud, playing the same boring junk that you can hear on today’s popular modern vaccine developed to prevent cervical cancer, precancerous genital lesions and genital warts due to human papillomavirus (HPV) types 6, 11, 16, and 18.” HPV infects about 6.2 million Americans a year, which makes it the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. The FDA reports that the Gardasil vaccine “is effective against HPV types 16 and 18, which cause approximately 70 percent of cervical cancers and against HPV types 6 and 11, which cause approximately 90 percent of genital warts.” The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices advises that girls between the ages of 11 and 12 get vaccinated before they become sexually active; so many state legislators are introducing legislation that many require, fund, or educate the public about the HPV vaccine. According to The National Conference of State Legislatures, 17 states have enacted this legislation. Michigan and Ohio were the first states to introduce legislation that requires the HPV vaccine for girls entering sixth grade, but it was not enacted in either state. Texas was the first state to enact a mandate requiring the HPV vaccine for school entry (with some ♦ LLllm exceptions) by executive order. that have occurred following vacLegislators in Texas passed H.B. cination do not necessarily mean 1098 to override the executive or- they are causally related.” der and the governor withheld his According to the FDA, Merck veto, according to The National & Co., Inc, conducted four studies Conference of State Legislatures. on 21,000 women between In 2007, Virginia legislators also t h e ages of 16 and passed a school vaccine require- 26 by giving them ment, which is currently in the either the vaccine process of being removed. or placebo to see m .co how Gardasil affected Charlotte J. Haug, M.D. s b we different age groups. RePh. D., stated in the e fre sults show that Gardasil “was New England Journal of Medicine that nearly 100 percent effective in “we lack sufficient preventing precancerous cervical evidence of an effective lesion, precancerous vaginal and vaccine against cervical cancer” vulvar lesions, and genital warts and that “the overall effect of the caused by infection with the HPV vaccines on cervical cancer re- types against which the vaccine is mains unknown… How can poli- directed,” but “the study period cymakers make rational choices was not long enough for cervical about the introduction of medi- cancer to develop.” cal interventions that might do It is unclear whether or not Gargood in the future, but for which dasil prevents cervical cancer, evidence is insufficient, especially but the FDA believes it is highly since we will not know for many likely. years whether the intervention Enough research has not been will work or-in the worst case-do conducted to show what long-term harm?” side effects Gardasil may cause or On August 20, 2008, ABC re- whether or not the serous side efported on “World News with fects reported on ABC were even Charles Gibson” that the HPV caused by the Gardasil vaccine. vaccine potentially caused a seMany state legislatures are still ries of serious side effects includ- processing legislation that would ing 78 outbreaks of genital warts, require girls to be vaccinated for 18 deaths, and 6 cases of Guil- school entrance. Some of which lain-Barre Syndrome (which can include the District of Columbia, cause paralysis). Out of roughly Georgia, Illinois, and Kentucky. 8 million girls who have been vacMost states would allow parcinated, 9,000 of them reported ents to op-out their daughters that they had serious side effects from being vaccinated, but a vacshortly after their shots. Dr Rich- cine should not be mandatory for ard Haupt, the executive director school entrance if examinations of Merck Research Laboratories, have not proven it to be completestated, “these reports of conditions ly safe and effective at all.” : Amethyst Initiative radio stations. That and the rooms or buildings that the party happen to be in... Well, let’s just say that I feel sorry for the housekeeping staff, unless those in the football house actually clean the building. I’m not afraid to admit that I have been to parties in the past. I’m also not afraid to say that I haven’t been to one for quite some time. Instead, I spend my weekends not only working on homework, but I have a few hobbies that do require time. I’ve also managed to find a good group of people that I can tell real understandable jokes to and have a good time without getting in trouble. Yes some of them are 21, but to them drinking is pointless, or for a reserved occasion. I, for one, would like to see what happens if the drinking age is lowered to 18. I will also take the opportunity to take advantage of this law, but I won’t spend all my money or waste my time and life away like so many other people. Instead of so many who drink X number of beers, and Y number of jungle juice drinks, and play Z games of beer pong. No, I would rather sit at my computer and talk to my friends online, or hang out with my local friends with a glass of red wine. Unfortunately I can see the college scene turn into the high school scene. With the drinking age lowered, the threshold could bring the binge drinking down to a lower age. Mark Simmons Sophomore Electrical Engineering 8 Beacon Poll Results: The following are results of a poll that The Beacon conducted online this past week. The poll was unscientific, and does not claim to reflect the overall attitudes of students on campus. The Beacon asked: Should the United States ban direct to customer advertising of prescription drugs? • Yes - 97% • No - 2% • Depends - 1% Next Week’s question: Should scientists continue to experiment with the “LHC” device? • Yes • No • Depends Visit www.wilkesbeacon. com to cast your vote. Results will be published online at wilkesbeacon.com Speak Up! It’s Your Right! The Beacon wants your opinion. Concact us at WilkesBeacon.OpEd @Gmail.com with your Name, Major, Year, and Opinion! The Beacon reserves the right to edit submitted pieces for space and content. �Global Scholars Mentoring PAGE 11 li ostyllos SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 CONTACT INFORMATION: christa.sgobba@wilkes.edu leeann.searfoss@wilkes.edu wilkesbeacon.lifestyles@gmail.com 9 Students audition to become the big blue face of Wilkes BY BETHANY YAMRICK Beacon Correspondent The face of Wilkes has changed. Now it’s big and blue. With the celebration of Wilkes University’s 75th birthday, it seemed an appropriate year to roll out a whole new element to school spirit: a redesign of the school’s mascot. The new mascot is the first lifesized official mascot played by students in costume. Tryouts for this position were held September 16 and 17. Students came to tryouts prepared, with props, resumes, and creative routines that varied from athletic to serious to funny. The routines were performed during the open 30-second freestyle at tryouts. “We did that intentionally to see how creative and how much thought they gave to what they wanted to show us,” said judge and coordinator Christine Tondrick. The students who tried out are already widely involved at Wilkes, and wanted to give back while having fun, Tondrick explained. “They were all very good in very different ways, so our decision will be difficult. Everybody brings something new to the table,” said Marketing Communication graduate assistant Shannon Curtin at the judging. The new Colonel mascot costume was unveiled at recent Club Day activities. “This was an unveiling, but not a formal introduction. The unveiling was just an introduction to his look,” said Tondrick. “There has been 100 percent positive support for a reintroduction of a mascot into the campus community and we have received nothing but positive feedback.” The students who will become the mascot will be chosen based on performances at tryouts, and from their callbacks. The callbacks, which were held on September 18 and 19, involved testing interaction with people while in the new Colonel costume. There will be up to three students chosen to attend mascot boot camp, where they will learn how to bring their own personalities to t h e mascot while creating a brand that is seamless no matter who is in the costume. Requirements included good academic standing, and proof they have held leadership roles in the past. There will be $3,000 s c h o l arships awarded to the three who take on the position as mascot, which will be an entire year position. The job of mascot will be full time from October 1 to September 30 of 2009. The goal is to elevate school spirit. The mascot will be a symbol of the University and what it stands for, as well as recognized in the community. The mascot will work with coaches to enhance the cheerleadThe Beacon/Bethany Yamrick ing routine. “ W e ’ r e Judges watch and deliberate at the first Wilkes’ Colonel mascot tryouts. very excited, Three students will be chosen to play the Colonel. especially prospective students. Since Wilkes didn’t since they can come to practice with us and really have a mascot character at that time, can work with our routines. We have never campus officials realized it was necessary had that before,” said cheerleader Tanya to start thinking about one. Feiertag. “With expanding the ad campaign they The mascot will be present at least one saw an opportunity to establish an official home event for every sports team, and some mascot for the first time. We saw how a other events such as play-offs. There will mascot could change the face of the cambe three students playing the mascot be- pus,” said Tondrick. cause he will be requested at many events There was much thought and hard work for hours at a time. This leads to opportu- put into the redesign, from his props to atnity for a handler, which is someone who tire to color of his face. Comments were accompanies the mascot to act as the voice, made on the face color being scary and “like and relieves the mascot when the student a Smurf,” according to communications gets tired. major Sara Cosgrove. This was a decision “The three students will work collectively by the design committee, to be sensitive to as a team and when they are trained, they racial diversity. Several mascot programs will better know how they can work togeth- from around the country were looked at to er,” said Tondrick. consider the redesign of the colonel. The process of redesign for the mascot The next step is familiarity, creating a actually began two years ago. It originated brand and making sure he is likable, which as part of the new ad campaign launched will be accomplished by the level of enerin 2006, to highlight the personal attention gy the mascot has and his introduction at students receive at Wilkes University. events. Furthermore Tondrick hopes that The partner behind the remodel is a mar- “he will introduce new ideas and traditions keting team in Philadelphia, called 160ov- to be involved in.” erb90. When marketing representatives As one of the students trying out said, “I offered ideas, one focused on a new mas- think it will bring back the spirit of going to cot hand delivering acceptance letters to the games.” �LIFESTYLES 10 SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 Serving to learn/learning to serve BY LEEANN SEARFOSS Beacon Asst. Lifestyles Editor Presumably, serving others shouldn’t be something students have to learn. It should be as natural as breathing. But many schools are formalizing service learning as a part of their curricula and even high school and college graduation requirements. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, service learning is defined as “a method under which students learn and develop through active participation…that meet actual community needs.” While not yet a requirement at Wilkes University, many academic programs integrate service learning as part of the curriculum. “Service learning is occurring all across campus. We just don’t know where it’s occurring,’” said Megan Boone, Wilkes’s director of Community Service. While many courses are not directly referring to their out-of-classroom experiences as ‘service learning’, there is one professor in particular who is. Dr. Jennifer Thomas, assistant professor of psychology, has implemented service learning into her curriculum. Thomas’ Adolescent Psychology class has been asked to participate in a community service program in accordance with the Lands at Hillside Farms. Each student from the course who participates will be matched with students from a local high school. The groups will then have particular projects to work together and complete before the end of the semester. “I wanted to help students see that what we are learning in class is related to real life. Also, I want my students to have a greater understanding of the community that they live in. I want them to feel more socially responsible and give a greater sense of civic duty,” stated Thomas. Over the course of the semester, the PSY 222 course will be working directly with Lake-Lehman High School to improve the Lands at Hillside Farms. The class will meet with their high school students a total of five times to get to know one another and work out their proposed problem. “Hillside Farms has a lot of longstanding projects. These projects need a large group of people, as well as make an impact on the organization. We want students to make the connections with what they are learning in class,” said Boone. Eleven students from the Adolescent Psychology course will participate in Service Learning. Last Wednesday the group met to do a team-building exercise in the UCOM. “We had a lot of fun. This is definitely worth while. We get out of the classroom and get a more hands-on approach,” said junior Rich Pellegrini. While Adolescent Psychology is one area where service learning is being implemented this semester, it is not the only one. According to Danielle Kern, an Americorps Vista coordinator in the Community Service office, many courses use service learning. “We want to start institutionalizing service learning across Wilkes. Just getting into the classrooms and seeing how passionate the community here at Wilkes is about it is great. It really is a good opportunity for all of our students,” said Kern. Thomas, Boone, and Kern, are prepared to implement service learning into more of her courses in the upcoming semesters. “I want to implement it more in many of my classes. Students could be placed in day care centers, nursing homes or women’s shelters to become more aware and make more curriculum connections,” said Thomas. Heuristic Pro (ontu. v ) The Beacon/Lauren Biernacki Dr. Jennifer Thomas instructs her adolescent psychology class. Members of the class will participate in service learning. \\ l1at's. l1appe.11i11g at J 0111 b ,o okstot'•e tl11s. ,vee·k ! Li,re -F1·ee - ·111sic E ·e ..-~. ·\ T,ed11es <la, Nigl1t Rll.d 1nost F1·1d;[ .. .·s witl1 2 ... o{. discot1nt on an tl itlg you pnr hase fronl the cafe during tl e 1nusic art'. Tllis , ,. ·e,cb1esd.a - vve l1a·, e Keith Z. Ii,. e at ·. 3op111 F1i .a N1gl1t Li,.e i\ . usi l\r].tl1 dant Burk,e · t · ' · p111 • At1tl1or Sig11i11g· Ci11d - F orii1ger < .l1tl10,r of .: n ~e,acl1ery & Deceit Tl ·1.1rsd.c) <t 11 :0 ,0 a111 • Sibli1igs ,viii b · h ·tl1en1e f. 1" . ·ur , ,v •, l""ly Sc tt1rd 1 Ill r11i1 ti111e at 11 : 00clll • 'N , --- ' Book 111b M 11d.< J,'"' c .· · 30 · op111 a J. :to1 ·'"' �SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 LIFESTYLES 11 New mentor program to aid underrepresented students BY CHRISTA SGOBBA and first-generation college students, two Ice said the Center for Global Beacon Lifestyles Editor groups which have traditionally struggled. Education is looking for current The college transition can be difficult for By instituting a program like this, Dr. God- students to help get the program anyone but the lack of a knowledgeable love Fonjweng, Director of Global Edu- off the ground. support system can make the change even cation and Diversity, believes that it will Along with building studentcontribute to increasing diversity, and the faculty relationships, the proharder. So in order to help students adjust, Wil- acceptance of diversity, on the Wilkes cam- gram also intends to pair incomkes University is developing a program that pus. ing students with established Another goal of the program is to expose students to create a peer-to-peer brings that assistance right to campus. The Center for Global Education and Di- the students to faculty members. According mentorship. versity is putting together a Global Scholars to Ice, the benefit of this is to familiarize “One of the reasons why we are program, a mentoring program that targets students with professors’ research, and also targeting marginalized students high-achieving incoming students from un- make them feel more comfortable to ask is that they often times don’t derrepresented groups. According to Bran- questions if they do not have other people to look for in understand something. don Ice, the associate director for Global their classes,” Ice said. “So what He hopes to have the program running we want to do is, connect those Education and Diversity, this includes students from a minority background or those sometime this semester, or in January, at the students so they can see familiar latest. who are first-generation college students. faces or feel more comfortable “ We ’ r e with sometrying to one who develop a It’s awfully lonely in a classroom, and being asked to speak on behalf has lived mentoring through of your whole group is an issue underrepresented students face. program this expeBrandon Ice, associate director of Global Affairs and Diversity where we rience beexpose them fore.” to things AccordFonjweng had first-hand experience of ing to Fonjweng, the program is they may not have been exposed to before,” he said. “We develop relationships that the benefits of close faculty-student interac- looking for mentors who will be Photo courtesy of Brandon Ice may not be part of everyone’s experiences. tion. As an undergraduate, Fonjweng took available to talk with the students Students sign a wall in the Student Center by writing part in a “take your professor to lunch” about their classroom experiences Really, it’s a form of life coaching.” messages in their native language. Activities such as Arriving at a predominantly white cam- program. At lunch with his chemistry pro- and any other issues they are havthis work to promote diversity on campus, a major pus can be difficult for minority students, fessor, Fonjweng said there was a give- ing adjusting to the campus. If goal of the Global Scholars mentoring program. so the program is developing ways to help and-take discussion where each learned a they share a major, the mentor the transition. Talking with someone who little more about the unique experiences can also help with tutoring. He or lems that some of our students have who shares similar experiences and a common and backgrounds of the other. she also can pass on experiences regarding are first generation,” Ice said. “It can be After the lunch, Fonjweng and his pro- what to expect for a certain class, or what a listening ear, consoling, empathizing, background can be a way to ease new stufessor developed a close working relation- activities would be beneficial to them. dents into college life. just someone who can relate to and share “It’s awfully lonely in a classroom, and ship. His professor even started a collection However, even if they don’t share a major, experiences.” being asked to speak on behalf of your among the faculty to purchase Fonjweng an the mentors can work on building personal The program aims to focus especially whole group is an issue that underrepre- airplane ticket so he could attend his sister’s relationship with their partners. on the sciences, and the trips that are sented students face,” Ice said. “There’s an wedding in Cameroon. Ice believes that mentoring transcends the in the developmental stage reflect that. “Sometimes students look at professors classroom and focuses more on sharing life Possible trips include excursions to the overall assumption that people know everything coming into the room or share the like they are of something out of this world, experiences. pharmaceutical company Merck & Co., but when you create an environment where same background, and that’s not the case.” “It might not to be ‘I can answer two plus Inc., Boston, Philadelphia, and New The program’s goal is to increase reten- students can interact with their professors, two’ or to know what quantum physics are York City. tion rates and graduation rates for minority they feel more comfortable,” he said. about, but it can be dealing with life prob- BY BETHANY YAMRICK Beacon Correspondent As co-captain of the equestrian club, Jessica Ashford is involved in one of the more under-acknowledged clubs on Wilkes’ campus. “We are little and not many people on campus and involved with the school know about us, but I believe we are helping Wilkes and putting the school’s name out there,” Ashford said. However, the club is deftly leaping high fences by co-hosting a show with ESU in Briarwood, New Jersey, on September 27. There will be 80 riders present at various riding levels from regional schools. Because of her leadership to the club, The Beacon has chosen Ashford as its Student of the Week. The Beacon: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Ashford: In ten years I see myself worki ng as a pharmacist at a children’s hospital, and still competitively riding horses. The Beacon: Describe yourself in three words. Ashford: Fun, determined, and spontane ous. The Beacon: Finish this sentence. “My friends would be surprised to know that I…” Ashford: I love everything Harry Potter. Photo courtesy of Beacon archives �s Connect s m a i l l i h Lisa W rowd wit C r e t n e Kirby C Dead PAGE 13 CONTACT INFORMATION: alyssa.benner@wilkes.edu yoh.delossantosmaria@wilkes.edu amanda.gunther@wilkes.edu SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 wilkesbeacon.ae@gmail.com Party on the Square draws 1,400 to downtown BY YOHANNA DE LOS SANTOS M. & CATHRYN FREAR Beacon Asst. A/E Editor & Correspondent The city of Wilkes-Barre, Diversity Partnership, Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry and participating schools, welcomed back the students of the area with the 5th annual Party on the Square held last Thursday. An estimated 1,400 students from all local colleges enjoyed food, music, and games all in the name of deepening college-community relations. The State Police Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement was also out in force for the event and made 14 arrests for underage alcohol possession and consumption. In addition, two local bars were cited for serving to minors. The purpose of Party on the Square is to integrate the student population into the community and motivate them to enjoy WilkesBarre as their home away from home. Administrative coordinator for Wilkes-Barre, Bridget Giunta, said, “It’s a welcome event for students in the area to downtown Wilkes-Barre.” Also, Party on the Square has become an annual celebration of the revitalization of downtown since businesses can directly connect with students and have a better sense for how to reach a target market. “We always try to reach out to new businesses of the area to give them the opportunity [to connect with] the college community,” said Giunta. Rachel Pugh, general manager of The Weekender, expressed similar excitement about the event. “We have been sponsors of Party on the Square for five years now, and this is the fifth anniversary so we are proud of being part of the event again this year.” The Weekender played an important role when it came to advertising the party. The weekly publication designed a college oriented issue, wrote stories on college radio stations along with an i n s i d e story about the event. Their main job as promoters of the event was to invite the students to see what Wilkes-Barre is doing for the college students. “We encouraged the entire community to come, and that’s where we step in,” said Pugh. At 5 p.m. students from Wilkes University, King’s College, Misericordia University, Penn State Wilkes-Barre, and Luzerne County Community College headed downtown to enjoy a variety of activities. Some of the highlights and surprises in- cluded: Sartorio and Sons Barber Shop providing “party-goers” with free haircuts and 89.1 WSFX, LCCC’s radio station, offered giveaways ranging from CD flipping to free T-shirts to getting and giving free hugs. “We had about 1,400 students at last night’s event, which was an increase. Each 12 year we see an increase from the year prior so that is right on target,” said Giunta. She added that the goal for the 5th Party on the Square was met in terms of attendance, and “We also increased the participation from the business community as well,” said Giunta. Both live and recorded music entertained the crowds. Junior English major Sarah Hartman said, “I really enjoy the music. So far it’s been things that I listen to on my own.” Though most of the students just went to have a good time with their friends. Junior computer science major Frank Kopyta said, “I am an RA on campus and want to get students involved more in activities, so I brought a small group of my residents with me.” On the other hand, pharmaceutical science major and freshman Peter Bush said, “I’m here for the student discount tickets for buses to New York.” The scavenger hunt was a new activity introduced to the party. “Basically, there are going to be different things at different booths in which the students have to go to the booths and obtain that item. There is a point system, so depending of the points that you have as a team or as individuals there are different prizes,” said Pugh in addition, the mechanical bull was pretty popular among students. As the evening came to a close, people and mascots danced to local a 80s cover band, M-80, and watch a King’s student win the Domino’s sponsored pizza-eating contest. Top: Party on the Square attendant rides mechanical bull on Thursday evening. Bottom: Nate Myotte of GO GO Gadjet plays their last set at Party on the Square The Beacon/Jenna Stepens �SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13 British medium helps crowd connect with dead BY AMANDA GUNTHER Beacon Asst. A/E Editor williamsmedium.com f : lisa Both the living and the dead gathered in the Kirby Center for the Performing Arts on Monday, September 15, to see and speak with Lisa Williams, a famous medium and clairvoyant. The lights dimmed and overwhelming applause echoed throughout the theater shortly after 8 p.m. as Williams entered the stage. The room was filled with skeptics and devoted fans Graham’s case, down to the nickname she gave her father. While some incidents were very emotional, others were quite comical. In one case, a man’s deceased mother was scolding him for always being late. People in the audience raised their hand if they believed all of the clues fit the description of someone they knew. She called on people to narrow it down as she received more information and vibes from the spirits. Sometimes dozens of individuals felt as though a spirit could be connected with son, which Williams explained was normal. Sometimes more than one spirit could join in order to convey similar things to their loved ones in the audience. Many people had high hopes for coming in contact with their loved ones. Lynn Mullery of Plymouth wore her father-in-law’s wedding band, hoping that bringing something of his would help to connect with him. After the show members of Lisa’s Fan Club lined up in the lobby to chat and get autographs and pictures. “I think it is a great thing to make someone feel at ease with their loved ones,” said audience member Lisa Harkins of Drums. Fans were ecstatic when Williams emerged from backstage. Although questions were left unanswered for some, many others were content after Williams helped them gain closure with their loved ones. Williams is a British medium famous for her work with communicating with the dead. She first realized she had this gift when she was a young girl and thought it was normal that she could see dead people. When she realized that not everyone had the ability to do what she could do, she hid her ability from her peers for fear of becoming an outcast. As she grew older she came to the conclusion that what she had was truly a gift. “Slowly I learned to embrace it,” Williams said, when she was explaining her ability to the audience. She now uses her gift to help people work with their deceased loved ones and resolve conflict and provide closure. Williams travels to different venues to reach out to her fans. Her Lifetime show, “Lisa Williams: Life Among the Dead,” explores her daily routine of helping individuals comunicated with the dead. Lisa Williams, host of: “Lisa Williams: Life Among the Dead”, presented at Kirby Center on September 15. Great Food . Great Friends. Great Fun. sy o u r te re o to c t o Ph alike, all curious as to what the evening would bring. Throughout the show, Williams was able to reach out to a number of individuals in the audience, helping them to communicate with dead friends and family members. As a spirit would come to her, she most often began with a name. Once she learned more about the spirit, she would add both physical and personality characteristics. Tears streamed down faces as people watched Williams uncover memories and bring closure to some families. Lisa was able to communicate with Exeter resident, Mari Beth Graham’s deceased father. “What she was saying was so dead on, it was unbelievable,” said Graham. Williams was able to pinpoint very specific details in them, while o t h e r times it was immediately directed specifically at one particular person. Eventually Williams narrowed it down to one audience member and began to ask questions of both the spirit and person, making connections to establish more specific details from both individuals. Some were able to come in contact with just one deceased family member, while others connected with aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents and children. Messages ranged from a simple “hello”, to apologies and specific instructions. In some cases, all of the characteristics and messages from one scenario matched the exact characteristics for more than one per- Conveniently located in N. Wilkes-Barre Take N Main to Elm, Turn Right at the Saloon �SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Play review: Evita at the Wilkes-Barre Little Theater BY CHRISTA SGOBBA Beacon Lifestyles Editor A two-and-a-half hour musical about the history of the government of a South American country doesn’t sound too riveting. But if you add in illicit sex and governmental corruption, both under the glamorous backdrop of 1940s show business, then the picture just may become a little more compelling. All of those facets come together in the musical Evita, a play written by Tim Rice and composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber in the 1970s. It tells the story of Eva Peron, an illegitimate child turned film starlet who became the notorious First Lady of Argentina in the World War II years. The musical kicked off the 86-year-anniversary of the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre. On the September 20 show, 165 people filled the theatre to watch the legendary story of Argentina come to Wilkes-Barre. Evita began on a haunting note, with Argentine peasants mournfully circling the coffin of Eva Peron (played by Nicole Rasmus). As the people of Argentina lament the death of their First Lady, the narrator, Che (Dave Baloga), sings cynically to the audience that her death is “our funeral too.” Everything after that is a flashback. We meet Eva as a precocious fifteen-year-old from the wrong side of town, who latches herself onto tango singer Augustin Magaldi (Doug Hertel). With him, she escapes to Buenos Aires to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. One of the most comical parts of the musical was the number “Goodnight and Thank You,” which chronicled Eva’s self-promoting stream of lovers after she arrived in the city. Man after man emerged from a literal revolving door on stage, leaving a long line of rejected lovers listening to Eva half-heartedly explain to each, “Oh, but it’s sad when a love affair dies.” The strength of this rendition of Evita was its number of extras on cast. With nearly 50 women, men, and children to play the people of Argentina, the play was able to replicate the energy and passion of Eva’s supporters, the working class. This was especially noticeable in “A New Argentina,” in which Eva wins the people to her side to back her latest beau, military man Juan Peron (Joe Sheridan), and their quest to take over the country. The enthusiasm and sheer number of the extras made the mob-like speech scenes believable, and gave the audience a sense of how one woman could take a country by playing a crowd. Another noteworthy song included the classic “Don’t Cry 14 for Me Argentina.” With this strong song, Rasmus did an excellent job of keeping her voice powerful without oversinging or screaming the words. She is believable as a woman imploring her people to overlook her youthful indiscretions and to take her seriously in her plight to help them. The second act of the play takes the audience through the pinnacle of the Peron years. The audience watches Eva jet off to Europe, to show the riches of Argentina to the countries devastated by World War II. Then, she brings that philanthropy home with “And the Money Kept Rolling In (And Out),” in which Eva sets up a foundation to aid the poor and possibly to pad the Perons’ own Swiss bank account. The play ends when Eva’s plan to run for Vice President is thwarted by her sickness which will later kill her. It culminates with a montage from the earlier songs that traces the path of Eva’s life, from wily seductress to First Lady to virtual saint of the people. Just as the play began, it also ends on an eerie note. With the lights dimmed and Eva’s coffin only visible, Che’s voiceover hauntingly informs the audience that while money was raised to build a spectacular tomb, it couldn’t be used. After her death, Eva’s body went missing for 17 years. �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 ~~~~~~~~~~:.. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Son of Rambow Where: Kirby Center ~ When: Sept. 24, 7:30 p.m. ~ ~ ~ ~ NEPA Philarmonic-Transatlantic Passages-Masterworks I ~ Where: Kirby Center ~ When: Sept. 27, 7:00 p.m. ~ ~ ~ ~ Fall Classic & Carnival BMX ~ Double Points Race and Open House ~ Where: Hazleton City View BMX ~ track ~ When: Sept. 28, 12:00 p.m.- 6 p.m. ~ ~ ~ Keller Williams ~ Where: Sherman Theatre ~ When: Sept. 28, 8:00 p.m. ~ Cost: $21.00 ~ 111e11t1e11Ts or TIii W■■IC •••••••• •••••••• •••••••• ,.-;;~~~~~~~~~~ Across 1 Hugger’s need 5 Begin 10 Brillo ______ 13 Page electronically 14 Completely opposite 15 Coldplay song, “____ La Vida” 16 Kent partner 17 SI unit for ohm 18 Imitated 19 Professor’s duty 21 Infinite 23 Egyptian king, for short 24 Visualize 25 Without presence of another 28 Burial Ground 33 Bronze medal place 34 Possessive pronoun ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 15 Kudracross BY CHRIS KUDRAK AND DEVIN KING Beacon Correspondents ~ 62 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 44 45 46 47 51 55 56 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 Down 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Most common word Low tides Biblical verb Tapered prop Grief European currency Alicia Keys song Course summary Individual Boston clock reading Asian ethnic group Those who personally sacrifice Legally bonded Jacob’s sibling Barbecuer’s need Dormant Speech impediment To rotate Hot and iced ____ Dance type Printed material mistakes Pull abruptly Competent Study activity Food list Ghosts Dalmation Large book Cheers choice Be furious 9 10 11 12 15 20 22 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 34 37 38 40 41 43 44 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 57 Convey Water transporter Birds in Latin Moms and _____ Car parker New Year word Bambi, for example Cooks by slow boiling Expression of dismay Defamation Complete disorder Slender swimmers Basic beliefs Horned animal Sanna county New York state _____ way Take away from Campus social organization Without difficulty Close by Reduction in pace Pirate walk ways Liquify by warmth Largest continent Carepnter’s tool Active Stereo opposite Mental conception Liveliness Student work station Billboard category �Rinkside Report CONTACT INFORMATION: alissa.lindner@wilkes.edu daniel.kautz@wilkes.edu PAGE 18 SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 wilkesbeacon.sports@gmail.com 16 Volleyball women set to take on King’s this week Lady Colonels now 1-1 in conference play BY ANTHONY DORUNDA Beacon Staff Writer In their last three appearances on the court, the Wilkes University women’s volleyball team has begun to prove its hard work is paying off by coming out on top in two conference matches against Manhattanville and Lycoming. “Wilkes volleyball showed up to play,” said junior Julie Page. “We are not only going to have to maintain the skills that we have but improve overall as a team to make it to the top.” The Lady Colonels certainly showed up to shut down the Valiants of Manhattanville 3-0 in their Freedom Conference opener. Wilkes held the Valiants to a .010 hitting percentage while dominating in nearly every facet of the game. Marissa Harrison and Katherine Harrington were the stars of the game, combining for 19 of Wilkes’s 33 kills. Harrison also led the charge with a team-high four service aces. After not playing as well as they expected in the non-league Scranton Invitational, the Lady Colonels stormed into the home of the Little League World Series and pounded the host Lady Warriors of Lycoming College, 3-1. Harrington led the way, picking up her first volleyball version of a double-double, scoring 12 kills and 16 digs. Page also had a quality night of her own with 11 kills and only four errors. Sophomore Libero Allison Kelleher pitched in with a team high 24 digs. Harrison and freshman Katelyn McGurk each broke the 20 dig barrier for the first time this year with 23 and 21 digs respectively. The Lady Colonels then traveled to Center Valley, Pennsylvania where they took on conference favorite DeSales in a tough league matchup. The Bulldogs proved why they were the preseason favorites, overwhelming the Colonels in straight sets. DeSales played nearly perfect committing only eight errors the whole night with a .324 hitting percentage. “We need to work on consistency all around,” explained Page. “defense specifically; reading the other team and getting to our positions to play the ball.” The loss dropped the Colonels to 1-1 in Freedom Conference play. Tonight, the Lady Colonels face off with crosstown rival King’s in a crucial mid-season matchup. The last time the two teams met, King’s had home court advantage and escaped with a closer-than-what-meets- BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Editor-in-Chief When head coach Frank Sheptock designed this year’s schedule for the Colonels, he wasn’t interested in booking mediocre programs for his team to demolish for the sake of a pretty record. Sheptock wanted the big dogs. That’s why for the non-conference portion of the Colonels schedule, he scheduled regionally-ranked teams, No. 8 Muhlenberg College and No. 24 Montclair State University. The Colonels barely lost both games on the road and have one more chance at a win over a non-conference opponent before MAC play begins on October 4. This time, the Colonels are at home versus Christopher Newport University (0-1), a Virginia program that reached the national tournament last year. “I have a philosophy where I like to schedule high ranked teams because it’s about the challenge,” Sheptock said. “We are a young football team (but non-conference games) demonstrate what we are capable of.” Last week, the Colonels had a bye week and the emphasis during practice has been remaining poised during critical situations and executing in the red zone; which is logical being that the Colonels led 21-20 entering the fourth quarter against Muhlenberg but lost 34-21. And against Montlcair State, the team had offensive possession for over 38 minutes but lost 13-6. Their points came off two field goals by freshman kicker Chris Horn. “We’re doing everything right until the last play or last minute or second of the half,” said senior wide receiver Jason Prushinski. “But again, we are experiencing this early so that we can correct our mistakes. Prushinski leads the team in reception yards (56.5 per game) and touchdowns (2). The Colonels might be able to find their niche offensively against Christopher Newport since the Captains have allowed 406 total yards, 337 of those were rushing. Lead running back Jamar Beverly, who averages 59.5 rushing yards per game, should play a major role against the Captains. The Colonels have used two quarterbacks this season. Junior quarterback Rob Johnson. He averages 109 passing yards per game. Freshman Ryan Cushman averages 26 yards per pass and according to his teammates, he is not afraid to scramble out of the pocket to pick up the first down. The Colonels defense will have to shut down junior running back Tunde Ogun. He rushed for 89 yards against Salisbury as the team posted 170 rushing yards total while using four different ball carriers. The Captains junior quarterback, Matt Long, finished 6-15, with two interceptions for 127 passing yards total. The Colonels allow 218.5 passing yards per game. “We are playing these teams that are nationally ranked, top-ten even, and we should be winning the game,” Prushinski said. “Progress is definitely showing in practice and in the games, even though the record doesn’t show it.” Kickoff is scheduled for 1pm. (At Right) Number 36 Joshua Williams catches the ball during practice on Wednesday September 17 at Ralston Field. the-eye 3 to 1 match victory. The loss has no effect on the team and as Kelleher said, “We have a big advantage going into the King’s game because we’ve played them before and we know what to expect. We’ve also improved as a team since we last played them. Not to mention we’re hungry for a win and it’s Kings. That is enough to get us pumped up to dominate.” The question is which Wilkes team will show up for the much anticipated city match--the one that thoroughly embarrassed Lycoming and Manhattanville? Or the one that came out flat against DeSales? If it’s as good as anticipated, we could be in for one for the ages in the Marts Center. The only way to know is to show up for the opening serve tonight at 7 p.m. Colonels will host the Captains in home-opener The Beacon/Gino Troiani �SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 SPORTS 17 Women’s tennis still on top after four matches BY GINO TROIANI Beacon OpEd Editor The Wilkes women’s tennis team entered the season under much pressure to perform at a high level. Mainly because they are the defending conference champions. Last week, the women had their work cut out for them but made a statement when they competed in three important matches, Lebanon Valley on Wednesday, Eastern on Saturday and Lycoming on Sunday. Led by Michelle Knight, Xiaoqiao Zhang, and Alison McDonald, all three dominated in their singles matches against a solid Lebanon Valley, helping the team win with a 5 - 4 victory over the Dutchmen, setting the pace for the rest of the week. The Lady Colonels went 6-0 in singles and 3-0 in doubles on both Saturday and Sunday, rolling over their opponents with ease. So far, the girls are on fire, posting a record of 4-0 in team play, and have racked up an impressive thirty two victories and only four losses this season. “I think that if we continue to work hard, FIELD HOCKEY from PAGE 20 Despite a close game on Thursday evening, Myers feels the historic Keystone game was a much better performance and displayed the progress the team has made since the beginning of the year. With only five goals scored against and 26 goals scored for, the forwards, defense and goalkeepers have obviously dominated their opponents in the respective zones; however the midfield is not to be forgotten as they are key to fast transitions from the defensive zone to offensive zone. “I think our mids are our most consistent players and although mids might not always get a lot of goals they set up our team so well and its a hard position to play because your all offense and your all defense and your running so much the entire game but they’ve been consistent for 70 minutes every game we’ve had and I think that really sets us apart,” Myers said. Minix, who is third on the team in scoring with three goals and one assist, believes much of the forwards success comes from communication on the field and repetition in practice. “We [the forwards] all work really well together and we all want each other to score and we all want to score. We do repetitive drills until it works,” Minix explained. and play like we have been, we should have no problem making it to nationals again,” said Junior Xiaoqiao Zhang. Indeed, with seasoned coach Chris Leicht at the helm back for his sixth season, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they kept the momentum rolling and defended their title. Leicht said, ““I am glad we won this close match. We will use this as a spring board as we enter our tough conference matches.” The Lady Colonels’ next two games are against FDU and Manhattanville on Thursday September 25 and Tuesday September 30. Both of which should be easy wins for the women. The only team that may pose a problem to Wilkes in the next couple of weeks is the undefeated, Misericordia Lady Cougars. But if the girls keep up the level of play that they have exhibited in their first four games, they should have no problem generating yet another victory. (At Right) Junior Xiaoqiao Zhang prepares for the ball during Wednesday’s match against Lebanon Valley. Senoir captain and defender Kerry Battersby believes the team has had an obviously awesome start to the season and one of the keys to the defense’s success has been working out problems from previous years. Battersby said, “All three of our goalies are really good and we worked out a lot of kinks from last year. We [the defenders] work really well together. With two games this week including a conference game against DeSales and eight Freedom Conference games in their final twelve games of the season, the pressure is on for the team to not become comfortable in their current play. “September is all about getting people in the right positions and fixing our mistakes and working on the little things to be ready for October. I think every game we have gotten better at the little things so hopefully that will carry into October and help us against our conference schedule,” Myers said. Battersby added, “Our motto is never be satisfied, so I think the three of us [captains] are all on the same page that we never want to give up. We just try to be silent examples, always push ourselves on the field and we push each other.” The Lady Colonels will be back on the road this week, traveling up 81 north to visit the University of Scranton on Thursday September 25 and then opening their conference play against DeSales University on Saturday September 27. The Beacon/Gino Troiani SCRIIN PRINTING E M 8 R 0 Z DI R Y ... -.··1 pROM(JfZONAi lfli ··.·..· U'llCA TEEi ]N 'Wm...KES---l!liRQE JCHUSS FBl!IM HDJ. 'i REDEEM EH NEAi m -crsl AND Ill.RI.I IEVEIU!G - �SPORTS SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 18 RINKSIDE REPORT WBS Penguins coverage and analysis BY MICHAEL CIGNOLI Beacon Staff Writer Four months ago, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins had their backs to the wall. Trailing the Portland Pirates 3 games to 2 in the Eastern Conference finals, the Penguins needed a win at home in Game 6 to keep their Calder Cup dreams alive. After a scoreless opening frame, Portland dominated the second period, scoring three goals during a span of 5:33 to take a 3-0 lead. The last goal came with just thirtythree seconds to play in the period. “When Portland went up 3-0 it was tough, because we kept fighting and fighting and nothing was coming up,” said Rob Tonnesen, a 2008 Wilkes graduate and Penguins fan who attended the game. Throughout the season, the Penguins had not relied on their offense to win games. Despite winning the American Hockey League’s East Division, Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton (223) scored the third fewest goals out of any team that qualified for the AHL playoffs. At the time of Portland’s third goal, the Penguins had scored only once in the last 113:07 they played. Mike McKenna, who replaced the injured Jean-Sebastian Aubin as Portland’s goalie in Game 3, had turned away everything the Penguins threw at him. Tonnesen added, “Seeing the time just melt away in the second period, I felt like there was nothing we could do in order to get one past McKenna.” Then, with only twelve ticks left on the clock, Connor James took a drop pass from Alex Goligoski and snapped a shot past McKenna to put the home team on the scoreboard. The comeback was on. Chris Minard scored twice in the third period, setting the stage for one of the most dramatic overtimes in the team’s nine-year history. It was a do-or-die situation in its purest form; if the Penguins didn’t score the next goal, they would be eliminated. They needed a hero. They found one. Only twenty seconds into the extra session, James rushed in on the Portland de- fense and roofed a shot over McKenna’s glove, capping the Penguins’ comeback and forcing a winner-take-all game seven. Aubin returned to the Portland net in the final game, but it didn’t matter. The Penguins rode the momentum of their win the night before to a 3-2 win. Former Pirate Tim Brent scored the game-winner, breaking a 2-2 tie with just thirty seconds to play in the third period, sending the Penguins into the Calder Cup Finals for the third time in team history. Despite their heroic comeback against Portland, the Penguins could not tame their next opponent, the Chicago Wolves. Chicago won the first three games of the series, putting the Penguins in a hole that they could not crawl out of. Despite winning games four and five at home, Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton ultimately fell in six games. While last season’s team may not have lived happily ever after, the next chapter in Penguins history begins on September 23, when the team opens training camp. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton will play four preseason games in preparation for the regular s season home opener on Wednesday, October 8 against Hershey. It’s going to be difficult for this season’s team to top the performance of the team that came within two wins of capturing the Calder Cup. But if last season’s squad taught fans anything, it has to be that nothing is impossible. WBS Penguins Preseason Schedule Friday, September 26 Penguins @ Binghamton, 7:05 PM Saturday, September 27 Penguins vs. Binghamton, 7:05 PM Friday, October 3 Penguins vs. Hershey, 7:05 PM Saturday, October 4 Penguins @ Hershey, 7:00 PM For additional coverage during the week, check www.wilkesbeacon.com. c3 "E3 LIV'E:!S - c5I. E! P c1s 1- - - 1E ra: ■ r ■ w =-• a ■ p1 ·I 't •• 1• - ■-ath 1·- er-state B ood Bl. IP llasma1. · ,c_ 6 16 5 c .a e .·. ~ · .•· e · ·7 • e .s -lB a 1e., Pa 1C a 570 - 823-,4 119 _, �SPORTS SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 19 Men’s soccer loses 6-0 to Dickinson Return to Ralston Field spoiled after impressive road trip BY DANIEL KAUTZ Beacon Asst. Sports Editor After winning two straight road games over Widener and regionally-ranked Muhlenberg by scores of 2-0, the Wilkes University men’s soccer team had high hopes as it returned home to face Dickinson at Ralston Field on Wednesday, September 17. Those hopes were dashed, however, as the Colonels were routed by a score of 6-0. Both teams fought hard throughout the beginning portion of the game, with neither side able to score. Dickinson’s John Freed eventually broke the scoreless affair, putting the ball in the net off of a cross from Taylor Ferry with just under two minutes to play. “We played at least evenly with another regionally ranked team in the opening 43 minutes, forcing them to clear two balls off of their end-line,” said head coach Philip Wingert after the game. “We were able to do this with two starters sidelined with injury for the match. After analyzing the goals allowed, we can learn from those opportunities and continue to solidify our team defense,” he continued. Both teams took just four shots in the first half. The second half saw the Dickinson Red Devils break open the game. Not a minute after senior goalkeeper TJ Baloga made a save for Wilkes in the opening moments of the half, Dickinson’s Ben GemberlingJohnson was able to find the back of the net for their second goal. They were also able to score again two minutes later, this time on a shot from Zach Pritchard off of an linquish. The Colonels threatened Dickinson multiple times but were never able to break through; sophomore forward Ryan Phillips had the best opportunity to score when he The Beacon / Gino Troiani Despite playing Dickinson tough in the first half, the Colonels found themselves on the wrong end of a 6-0 decision at Ralston Field on Wednesday, September 17. assist from Thomas Parkinson. The three goals, all coming within five minutes of actual game time, allowed Dickinson to take a comfortable lead that it would never re- shot on an empty net from within the penalty box in the first half. The shot attempt was blocked by a Dickinson defender, however. Matt Edgar, Dale Rodman, and Mike Montross would later add goals of their own to help the Red Devil’s win the game by the score of 6-0. “In the first half we were the better team but allowed a goal late in the half. In the opening two minutes of the second half, we allowed Dickinson a very ‘soft’ goal, putting them up 2-0. As a result they had a two goal lead in a game and a high energy level at that time,” said Wingert. “We, on the other hand, had played very well but [lost our energy after falling behind]. We were unable to establish an intensity level to match Dickinson in the second half,” concluded the coach. The Colonels’ loss was unfortunate considering the impressive road wins they had strung together before their game against Dickinson. Said Wingert, “[When we played Muhlenberg] we played off of each other’s intensity and energy, capitalizing on our scoring opportunities. In the Widener match we created the most scoring opportunities of all of our matches to that point. In both matches the team defense bent, but never allowed an opponent to break through.” “I think in order to improve we simply need to learn how to play better for an entire game instead of just one half,” said junior defender Keith Gardiner. Lady Colonel’s soccer ties Lebanon Valley 1-1 The Lady Colonels played Lebanon Valley College to a 1-1 tie in a double overtime game on Tuesday, September 16, at Annville. After falling behind 1-0 just four minutes into the game on a goal from Lebanon Valley’s Lauren King, the Wilkes University women’s soccer team clamped down on defense. Freshmen forward Katy Fissel scored for Wilkes in the game’s 62nd minute to tie the game. The Lady Colonels out-shot Lebanon Valley 13-8 and had four more shots on goal Football Men's Soccer Women's Tennis Volleyball L 6-0 Dickinson L 1-0 @ Elizabethtown w 5-1 LVC W 3-1 @ Lycoming L 3-1 @ DeSales BY DANIEL KAUTZ Beacon Asst. Sports Editor DNP Field Hockey W 2-0 Gwynedd Mercy W 8-1 Keystone Women's Soccer T1-1 LVC L 1-0@ NYU than their opponent. Lebanon Valley had just two shots on goal the entire game. “We played hard for each other after the first 20 minutes or so. The effort put us in a position to win and I was pleased with our ball movement at times. We will work on the discipline in our style but we made progress today,” said head coach John Su- Doubles: 2-1 Singles: 3-0 Men's Tennis Muhlenberg Tournament Singles: 2-4 Doubles: 2-1 moski. The Lady Colonels (3-4-1) next play Manhattanville this Sunday at Ralston Field in an important Freedom Conference match. The game begins a stretch of four straight at home that the women can use to help build on their record. Cross Country Cougar Classic: Women-7th Men-9th �SPORTS SEPTEMBER 23, 2008 Field Hockey continues domination of opponents 20 Team remains undefeated after 7 BY ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Sports Editor goal of the game and junior Brittney Sines would score the final goal of the game just past the 60 minute mark. Freshman goalkeeper Lindsey Davenport continued to perform strong as stopping the two shots she faced from the Knights. The Lady Colonels returned home Thursday after four straight away games as Gwynedd Mercy visited from Gwynedd Township, PA. Senior Devon McKay scored first for the Colonels, connecting on stopped the three shots she faced from the Griffins. Saturday’s game against Keystone College proved to be historic for the Lady Colonels as the team easily defeated the Giants 8-1 in front of 120 people at Ralston Field. Eleven different players recorded points for Wilkes and freshman goalkeeper Caitlyn Jordan recieved her first collegiate start in goal for the Colonels. Minix was first to score for Wilkes as she for the Colonels. Sines was credited with an assist on Keegan’s goal. When you’re hot, you’re hot and that’s Keystone’s only goal of the game was exactly the word to describe the Lady scored 31 minutes in; however the goal Colonels field hockey team. was scored on a mistake by Wilkes. FreshThe forwards have worked together for man Alyssa Davis attempted to block Keya combined 26 goals on the season while stone’s shot but the ball deflected backthe defense and goalkeepers have allowed wards into the cage. Nicole Macedonio just five goals in the cage. The midfield was credited with the goal for the Giants. has consistently transitioned the ball from The Lady Colonels would dominate one end of the field to the other throughout the second half again scoring four goals. the season. Oh yeah and, Koncelik would open the the team is also undefeatsecond half scoring as she ed seven games into the scored her second goal of season, making the 2008 the game and team high season the best start in seventh goal of the season team history. on a pass from Gina Elmy. The Lady Colonels McKay would score the were in action this week next two goals for Wilwith three games in seven kes. Elmy was credited days. On Monday Sepwith her second assist of tember 15 the team travthe game on McKay’s eled to Arcadia Univerfirst goal and senior Disity in Glenside, PA, and ana Wright assisted on the then hosted Gwynedd other. Freshman Lindsey Mercy on Thursday SepRaleigh would round out tember 18 and Keystone the scoring for Wilkes College on Saturday finishing on a pass from September 20. sophomore Angela PassaThe team easily demonte with seven minutes feated Arcadia 5-0 as five left in the game. different players scored The seventh straight win for the Colonels. Senior for the Colonels marks the forward Alyssa Koncelik best start in school history was the only goal scorer for the field hockey team. of the first half when she Head coach Sara Myers The Beacon/Jenna Stephens connected on an unasis pleased with the perforNumber 23 Amanda Peters battles a Keystone defender for the ball during Saturday’s game at Ralston Field. Wilkes sisted shot 22 minutes mance of the whole team went on to win the game 8-1. The team will be away this week and returns home Thursday October 2 when they host into game. thus far. Despite a tiring FDU-Florham at 4:00p.m. Junior Jennifer Keegan schedule this week, she was the first to score in the second half, an unassisted shot 16 minutes into the game. finished on a pass from Peters just under believes the team is conditioned enough posting a goal 12 minutes in the half Koncelik scored her fifth goal of the season nine minutes into the game. Koncelik was where fatigue never became an issue for and Wilkes never looked back. Kon- on a pass from freshman Amanda Peters next to connect for Wilkes as she pushed in Wilkes. celik forced a penalty shot shortly after and secured the win for the Lady Colonels a pass from Minix. Koncelik’s goal would Keegan’s goal in which junior defender in the second half. prove to be the game winning goal. See FIELD HOCKEY Amanda Tilley connected on. Freshman The team posted their fourth shutout of Keegan and sophomore Alyson Paulauson PAGE 17 Chelsea Minix scored the Colonels fourth the season and third straight as Davenport kas would round out the first half scoring Take the drive and visit the Bloomsburg Fair now until Saturday. The gates open at 7:00a.m. and close at 9:00p.m. Visit Cold Stone Creamery in Moosic and buy an ice cream from 6:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. 25% of all profits will be donated to the Salvation Army. Enjoy the production of “Picnic” at 8:00p.m. in the Dorothy Dixon Darte Center put on by Wilkes‛ Department of Theater and Performing Arts. Attend the Global Partners Mixer from 7:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. in the Miller Room. The event is free and sponsored by Diversity Affairs. It‛s that time of year again! Go to the Gravestone Theatrical Haunted House in Plains, PA from 7:00p.m. to 11:00p.m. Admission is $10. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon 2008 September 23rd Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 September 23 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/6032835c7ddfbe8ebd07d224ae948c57.pdf 7ce11ae9fcf8fc0d8ef6f4f3cc3d9b4a PDF Text Text LAST COMIC STANDING COLONELS FEEL LOSS PAGE 13 PAGE 16 RESEARCH "'~--..CONFERENCE PAGE 11 The I SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW Volume 61 Issue 1 Hoffman named director of financial aid Club launches to promote environmental sustainability BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon News Editor On Monday, September 29, Pamela Hoffman will take over as Wilkes University’s director of financial aid. Hoffman will be the third person in three years to accept the position, and previously served as the university’s Director of the Student Service Center. (SSC) Prior to Hoffman, the position of financial aid director had seen two departures since 2007. In November 2006, Leo J. Danylak began his work with the university, but departed from the position in August 2007 after unnamed allegations were brought to the Wilkes administration’s attention. This past July, Donna Cerza resigned from the same position. While serving as SSC Director, Hoffman worked directly alongside Ron Laszewski, who served as de facto director of financial aid since July. Laszewski, a member of a consulting firm called Financial Aid Services, added a “level of expertise” to financial aid, said Michael Frantz, vice president of enrollment services. “The [decision to take the position] came of its kind in the United States. HHMI’s grant program is enhancing science education for students at all levels, from the earliest grades through advanced training.” Because the biology department at Wilkes emphasizes the importance of undergraduate research and mentoring, it topped other stiff competitors for the grant money. “It’s a testament to where we’ve come over the last several years and a lot of it has to do with the research activities of facul- BY DANIELLE HRITZAK Beacon Asst. News Editor With the national push for environmental sensitivity on college campuses, a few Wilkes students have asked an important question: after we “go green,” how do we stay that way? Last week, SG approved a new club organized to enhance awareness and sustainability of environmental initiatives. The Students for Environmental Sustainability (SES) club, initiated by junior Sarah DeCesaris, will work to promote student awareness and environmental activism on campus. So what exactly does ‘sustainability’ mean in the context of the environment? Sustainability is defined as being able to maintain a certain level or state. In the area of conservation and education efforts, the club will focus on programs and initiatives that will continue indefinitely.These include recycling, reusing, salvaging, and promoting natural or easily biodegradable materials. The possibilities are endless and the SES club aims to help educate students on the issues. DeCesaris kick-started the program with the help of its current faculty advisor, Dr. Marleen Troy, chair and associate professor of environmental engineering. DeCesaris was surprised to notice that no club at Wilkes University focused on environmental See GRANT page 3 See CLUB page 5 The Beacon/Jenna Stephens Pamela Hoffman will begin her role as financial aid director on September 29. She will be working from her home in Lancaster throughout the week. about through creative discussion with Mike Frantz,” Hoffman explained. “It just kind of came up as an idea…” “[The staff] talked very openly about the desire to maintain continuity and build the processes for an effective financial aid of- fice and she’s already very much proven capable of that,” said Frantz. “This is a way to make sure that the progress made is continued and improved.” See HOFFMAN page 4 $1 million HHMI grant fuels change for biology program BY AMY FUSCO Beacon Asst. News Editor In 1989, the Barenaked Ladies band dreamed about the many ways they’d use the money, “If I had a million dollars.” The song became an instant hit; maybe because it appealed to listeners’ fantasies about what they’d do with such a windfall. But Wilkes University’s biology department doesn’t have to listen to the song and ponder how they’d finish the phrase any longer. In the spring of 2008, Wilkes University’s biology department accepted a $1 million grant from the prominent Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) for its work and programs. Along with Wilkes, approximately 200 state and private colleges nationwide were invited to apply for the substantive grants. The applications were then analyzed in two rounds; one for research schools, the second round for undergraduate institutions. According to its website, HHMI is “the largest privately funded education initiative ONTHEWEB www.wilkesbeacon.com beaconarchives. wilkes.edu INDEX News ............... 1-5 Opinion........... 6-8 Lifestyles ....... 9-11 A&E ............ 12-15 Sports .......... 16-20 Established 1936 w· > · > PA Newspaper · · ·· · Association Member . · . ·. ·· �MIITTUI tOlONll Page 3 NEWS SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 CONTACT INFORMATION: nicole.frail@wilkes.edu amy.fusco@wilkes.edu danielle.hritzak@wilkes.edu wilkesbeacon.news@gmail.com 2 Fenner Farm evolves from many types of investment BY DANIELLE HRITZAK Beacon Asst. News Editor In order to reap what you sow, there’s an investment. In the case of the Fenner Farm, located at the Lands at Hillside Farms in the Back Mountain, this investment was financial, intellectual, and physical. According to Dr. Ellen Flint, a founding director of Fenner Farm, Wilkes initially invested $3,500 to start the SPIN farm. This sum excluded the cost of the seeds. Flint noted that most of the equipment for the farm was either donated or loaned to Wilkes. What wasn’t covered was paid for by proceeds from the May 2008 SPIN Farming Workshop. Student farmers this summer were paid anywhere from $8.50$10.00 per hour depending on their level of skill and expertise of each position, and the salaries were made possible by a mentoring grant. Flint added that Wilkes will profit from gaining national and international recognition and break even in the first year, which in turn means that a modest profit should be made by the following year in order to fund future salaries for student farmers. Hillside Farms has also allowed Fenner Farm to sell its produce in the dairy store located on the farm. On October Farms t Hillside a s d n a L The 4, Hillside will host a “farm day” and has offered Wilkes its own produce stand at the celebration free of charge. The intellectual investment in the farm came in the way of problem-solving and tracking a mystery. Fenner Farm, was originally planted last spring and located on the corner of South River and Ross Streets. But when the newly planted seedlings slowed and prematurely stopped growing, workers knew they had a problem. “There seemed to be a low phosphorous content when we first tested the soil,” said Flint. According to Flint, staffers noticed that there was not enough organic compost at first, but brought in new compost which tested fine the second time around. While the new compost allowed planting, the plants were still not developing properly. Farmers knew they had to relocate the farm until the issue with the soil was solved. Therefore, Fenner Farm found its new home approximately seven miles from campus on the Lands at Hillside Farms in the Back Mountain area. Hillside Farms is a historic family farm, BEAC ON Wilkes-Barre, 18766 130 S.PA River St, First Floor, Conyngham Hall Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 PHONE: (570) 408-5903 EMAIL: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com known for its dairy production and award-winning draft horses and cattle. The farm now serves as a historic working farm and tourism destination. Quick action allowed the plants to be moved to an acre of the Hillside Farms land behind the dairy. This time the seedlings were able to germinate properly and some produce is already being harvested. Samples of the soil from the original farm site along Ross Street have been sent off to a lab in Maine that works primarily on agricultural issues. Flint, among others, is awaiting test results to find the exact cause of the WilkesBarre site soil problem. She believes they may know the results in the coming weeks. But no farm succeeds without a great deal of sweat equity, which in this case comes from its student farmers. “A huge component of our [Hillside’s] mission is agri-education, so whenever we get a chance to educate, it is mission-consistent,” said Chet Mozloon, exec- utive director of the Lands at Hill- Exeter and Something Special in Kingston are also among those side Farms. Christine Dougherty, supervis- that have promised to purchase ing farmer at Hillside, said she en- Fenner Farm produce with addijoys hosting the relocated Fenner tional orders already in place for Farm on the Back Mountain land. next year. The future of Fenner Farm looks She also noted that Hillside offers plenty of land in perpetuity so that promising. Not only will crops Wilkes students may benefit from eventually come home to be grown the mentoring and the training on campus, but Flint explained that Wilkes will also remain at Hillside gained from internships. “The most interesting part [of Farms. According to Flint, the farming] is watching the crop idea now is to plant cover crops on sprout and grow as time passes campus to increase soil nutrients, and then eating the food,” said especially nitrogen. Later this seWilkes sophomore Jason Brady, mester, student workers will turn who worked on the farm this sum- the cover crops into the soil. Flint concluded, “The closer one mer. The crops that Fenner Farm pro- is to the Earth, the greater respect duces include: tomatoes, cherry one has for all living things. It’s tomatoes, potatoes, dill, cilantro, a wealth of wonderful opportunibasil, swiss chard, turnips, squash ties.” hens and beans. a Step n n e /J Sodexho food services will use The Beacon the produce in Wilkes University’s cafeteria. Gricos Catering in Editorial Staff 2008-09 Editor-in-Chief: Carlton Holmes Opinion Editor: Gino Troiani Managing Editor: Andrew Seaman Lifestyles Editor: Christa Sgobba Design Chief: Alison Woody A/E Editor: Alyssa Benner Advertising Manager: Zavaskas Sports Editor: Alissa Lindner TheChristine Beacon/Jenna Stephens News Editor: Nicole Frail Photo Editor: Jenna Stephens Advisor: Dr. Andrea Breemer Frantz Meet our editors... Carlton Holmes & Andrew Seaman �SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 GRANT from FRONT PAGE ty and students, which is a very important characteristic...and of course, the success of our students after they leave here,” said Dr. Michael Steele, an author of the grant proposal and professor and chair of the biology department. “They [HHMI] are really interested in investing in the basic science education with the goal of promoting and developing more scientists and medical doctors,” Steele added. The Swarthmore, Franklin & Marshall and Bryn Mawr colleges in Pennsylvania also received grants averaging $1 million. “[The grant] speaks highly of their [biology department’s] track record, their teamwork and rigor of their research with the students, and their mentoring track record is really central,” explained Dr. Dale Bruns, Dean of the College of Science and Engineering. “The funds help reinvigorate the interdisciplinary aspect that we try to NEWS achieve,” he added. The grant allows students to experience graduate work in an undergraduate school. Bruns emphasized he is very proud to be a part of it. “I think it’s a great opportunity for the biology department to expand on what they already do,” said Andrew Julian, senior biology student at Wilkes. “They have a lot of diverse majors and help out with some of the students who will eventually go to [medical] school and professional schools,” he added. “The department has new initiatives to increase the quantitative and mathematical skills of biology majors,” explained Steele. Additionally, the HHMI grant has allowed the department to hire five additional students for summer research, which adds to the eight positions already in place. Furthermore, there is now funding for research travel and seminars for students and faculty. Other plans for the grant money include new curricular developments. The biology faculty wants to create new courses, requirements and opportunities for the students. The Director of Mathematical/Biology Center in the University of Tennessee, which is funded by the National Science Foundation, will be a consultant to the Wilkes biology faculty to help develop its curriculum. According to Steele, new faculty members will also be hired within the next few years. They will conduct research and also teach a course or two. The grant allows the faculty to create courses that purposefully link the various fields of science and math. One major component of the new curriculum will be the HHMI Superlab concept. The Superlab is “designed to give sophomore students intensive laboratory experiences at the end of their sophomore year. It will be a week long, intensive lab investigation, which allows them to hone their research skills,” said Steele. Lastly, further development of pre-college 3 and outreach programs will result from the grant. Currently, Women Empowered By Science (WEBS), led by biology education specialist Debra Chapman, is a program for middle school aged women who have an interest in the sciences. “There’s a lot of mentoring opportunities within this program. The kind of interaction you see between the college students and these young women is just outstanding,” Chapman stated. The grant will allow the program to extend to two semesters and also provide a two week science summer camp for the young women. Steele explained that the program will “make a significant attempt to involve young Latino women in the program.” “The grant is such a widely recognized achievement outside the sciences that it really sheds positive light on the entire Wilkes institution,” said Steele. Wilkes welcomes new face as first official mascot BY GINO TROIANI Beacon Op-Ed Editor On September 4, Wilkes University introduced the community to the the Colonel, the first official life sized mascot in the university’s 75 year history. The idea to introduce an official mascot arose soon after Wilkes hired 160over90, a branding firm from Philadelphia, to improve their marketing campaigns. According to Christine Tondrick, associate director of Marketing Communications at Wilkes University, 160over90 wanted to “involve the university’s mascot to deliver acceptance letters at the students home, or to attend their graduation.” However, the university did not have an official mascot at the time; therefore, 160over90’s ideas were not possible. “We started to developed a program, and hired a company to produce a costume,” said Tondrick. “We also asked student leaders on campus to be involved in that process.” The press release issued by the university explained, “The Colonel has been the symbol for Wilkes University since 1947 but there has never been an official life sized mascot.” After eight months of work, Wilkes unveiled its newest face of school spirit at this year’s Club Day. The new Colonel was complete with an colonial style, three-corner hat, a bulging upper body and pale blue face. After the introduction of the Colonel at the public event, there appeared to be a mixed reaction from the crowd. “To put things nicely, he is just plain creepy,” said sophomore nursing major Sar- ah Walker. “If they’re trying to scare people, they are doing a good job.” Junior mathematics major Katrina Bullock agreed. “His blue face is scary,” she said. “Much better than the old mascot, but I’m still not sure why they went with the blue face. I really like the jacket and the belt. They worked in the yellow accents well,” said Steve Thomas, senior mechanical engineering major. Regardless, in an effort to promote the new mascot, the Colonel has been featured on the Wilkes home page, which explains in detail about his unveiling and background. In a couple of unique ploys, a YOUtube video was also posted to spoof infamous Big Foot footage. The Colonel has also his own Facebook page on which he has already racked up over 140 fans. “The purpose is that it gets people talking about Wilkes, The Beacon/Jenna Stephens who maybe never heard of the On Club Day, the new Colonel, the first official life-sized mascot, was introduced to the Wilkes university before,” explained community. Colonel mascot auditions are scheduled for September 16 and 17. Tondrick. “The Colonel symbolizes Hate him or love him, the Colonel is here our philosophy of personal attention both the Wilkes spirit of what it means to ‘Be a on campus and in the community.” to stay. With the help of a mascot, Wilkes Colonel’ and brings a new level of school Wilkes will sponsor a competition among may now be able to accomplish its goal of pride and sense of tradition to the Univer- students to take on the role of Colonel for solidifying an iconic image for Wilkes Unisity,” said Paul Adams, Vice President for the academic year. Officials say they plan to versity, which will play an important role Student Affairs at Wilkes. “Our mascot will hire three students and offer $3,000 scholar- in both the marketing campaign and around be more than just a cheerleader at athletic ships and a free trip to mascot boot camp at campus. events, providing another outlet to promote the University of Delaware in October. �SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 HOFFMAN from FRONT PAGE Hoffman, who has been a member of the Wilkes community since summer 2006, had originally decided to resign from her current position at the end of September to be closer to family. While Wilkes allowed her to live in University Towers, her family and home were still in Lancaster. “We presented an opportunity to Pam. She thought about it for a few days very seriously and decided that it fit what she was looking for long-term, given some of the criteria she had for employment,” said Frantz. As director of financial aid, Hoffman will carry out two main responsibilities: she will act as the compliance officer for the university on the federal, state and institutional levels and will also be responsible for the “effective utilization of our systems and processes,” explained Frantz. Hoffman will see that loans are certified and students will receive their aid in a timely manner. She will also communicate changes in aid packages and programs to students and parents and keep the financial aid area of the Wilkes website current and active. Hoffman hopes to make the transition from director of SSC to director of financial aid with little trouble. She is familiar with all of the improvements made in the system and online over the past year, but there are many changes and updates occurring frequently in what Hoffman calls “a constantly evolving profession.” “There’s always something to learn. I’ve never run into a financial aid person who says they know everything,” she said. While the responsibilities of financial aid director have not changed, Hoffman will take an nontraditional route in maintaining the position - she will do most of her work from her NEWS home in Lancaster. “My staff and students can easily get hold of me. We haven’t done anything like this before so it’s certainly a new way of looking at the job,” she said. “We haven’t decided exactly how many days a week at this point, but certainly we have to evaluate how things are working both for the SSC, for the students receiving financial aid and for her,” said Frantz. “Obviously, I wouldn’t enter into this if I didn’t have a high degree of confidence that there will not be a loss of service to anybody because of this.” Frantz mentioned that with technology like web cams on computers, anyone anywhere can be face-to-face if need be. Hoffman will also be equipped with a Wilkes phone number and access to the necessary systems from her home. “Right now, I think it’s going to be beneficial to the students and we might have to work harder as a team to fill the need that might be there, but we’re hopeful that it’ll work out,” said Annmarie Carey, SSC service associate. Service associate Karen Atiyeh agreed and stated that she finds comfort knowing associates could go to Hoffman with any question and she would have a solution or answer for them. “We’re glad she’s staying [at Wilkes], that’s for sure.” Frantz also believes that Hoffman was the correct choice. “I have every confidence in the world that this is very positive for our students, for the SSC and for the community at large. It may be viewed as a bit non-traditional, but the flip side of it is that we chose the best person by far out of the pool of applicants to fill this position.” After a three week trip to Europe at the end of the month, Hoffman will assume 4 The Beacon/Jenna Stephens Student Service Center service associates are pleased with Pamela Hoffman’s appointment to finacial aid director and are looking forward to working with Janine Becker, SSC director as of September 23. her new role as financial aid director. Goals for the upcoming months include an upgrade to the MyWilkes portal of a Financial Aid tab and being able to speak with a student who calls and say, “It’s all taken care of.” When Hoffman had originally intended to resign as SSC director before the semester, an application process promptly began to fill the position. Janine Becker will begin the position of SSC director on September 23. “I am very excited about coming to Wilkes. Ever since I attended Wilkes as a grad student, I have loved the campus. The improvements made recently are terrific and Wilkes plays a big role in the revitalization of the downtown area. I look forward to being a part of the Wilkes community and the downtown area every day,” said Becker, who is currently working on her PhD in higher education administration at Marywood. Discovery partners with grad college for instructional media program BY CATHRYN FREAR Beacon Correspondent t Courtesy Mass Communications “Discovery” may be just around the corner for many would-be graduate students at Wilkes University. The university’s College of Graduate and Professional Studies has recently partnered with Discovery Company to offer a unique low-residence graduate program focused on technology. Through the Discovery-Wilkes partnership, the university has launched an online masters degree program in instructional media. According to Assistant Dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies, William Jones, instructional media includes “all kinds of media available for utilization in education over a digital network…like the Internet.” Through the program, future or current educators across the globe will have the option to earn a degree from Wilkes in the ever-growing field of digital learning, an area of increasing YouTube and Facebook gaining in popularinternational popularity. According to Dean of the College of ity and use, the field of education is forced to Graduate and Professional Studies, Mi- take itself to the next level, too. Some education majors chael Speziale, two-fifths looking to take their degrees of the students currently to the next level say they are enrolled in the program excited about the opportunity are from Canada and 18 Wilkes and Discovery are proU.S. states outside of viding. Amber Gill, a junior Pennsylvania. Notably, elementary education major, the Discovery Company said, “When they put the aris not working with any WI l{.f S ticle up on the web over the other schools. RepresenL.J!i!.l 'l'~R~I l'I' summer, I read it and my imtatives forged the relationmediate reaction was, ‘That is ship with Wilkes through what I want to do!’” a former co-worker of Not only will Wilkes stuSpeziale. dents be working with the parent company “The online format demands students to that owns such premier education stations communicate digitally and makes the stuas The Discovery Channel, The Learning dents more agile to communicate in the Channel and The Science Channel, but they digital world. The way people create media also have access to the most experienced is evolving,” said Jones. With digital technology and websites like professors in the field. Kathy Schrock, known to Wilkes educators for her expertise in the teaching and use of instructional media, said, “My course, ‘Web-Based Tools for Educators’ will provide instruction, practice, and practical ideas for enhancing collaboration and provides teachers with a tool set for designing curriculum and enhancing student assessment...” Skeptics say that classroom education cannot be replaced. However, proponents of online instructional delivery note that it is not really a replacement as much as an enhancement to keep up with the future of education. Kristine Pruett, Director of Graduate Education, said, “Education majors now and in the future are and will be engaged and embedded in the digital world. It will undoubtedly continue to grow.” The Beacon Archives / Nick Zmijewski �SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 CLUB NEWS SG Notes September 10, 2008 from FRONT PAGE Ithaca College in 2007. Feeling that Wilkes was left out, she began to put together a club that would center in on just that. How is this club any different from other environmental clubs that Wilkes already has? The Environmental Club, also advised by Troy, is a recreational club that does outdoor trips such as canoeing and camping which allow students to become familiar with nature and its surroundings. The Air & Waste Management Association is geared towards career and professional development involving mostly environmental engineering or earth science majors who participate in professional and service activities, according to advisor Dr. Prahlad Murthy. The SES club has plans to foster environmental awareness among students, faculty and eventually the whole community. DeCesaris said that members believe they can help educate students while simultaneously sustaining environmental health. One project in the works might be termed a sort of “swap meet.” The idea is that students may donate items such as clothing, shoes, books, notebooks, binders, artwork, blankets, purses, etc., that they might oth- 5 erwise throw away. Students in search of such items may then take them instead of purchasing new items. If a person donates and sees something else they like, then they take it. According to DeCesaris, the trade is not only restricted to those who donate; anyone can come and look for something they may need or just come browse. The project reflects the fundamental idea of what it is to actually recycle. It’s affordable and a way to get rid of or gain common items. The SES Club also plans to play an active role in Wilkes University’s Fenner Farm. Working with the university and other clubs is a goal of SES members. According to Jeff Neimiec, SES club vice president, members are willing and hoping to work with other organizations around campus to provide helpful tips on how to become more environmentally sustainable. “We really want to spread awareness,” said DeCesaris, “because this is something [students] are going to be seeing everywhere soon. In their [future] jobs and as [they] expand and grow and leave Wilkes, sustainability will follow them.” Treasurer’s Report All College: $25,000.00 General: $9,330.85 Special Projects: $3,500.00 Spirit: $2,000.00 Leadership: $3,744.59 Conferences: $12,500.00 Start-Up: $1,500.00 Club Reports The following clubs preesented updates on their events. Programming Board New Business · Students for Environmental Sustainability (SES) Club- discussion of its recognition as a club on campus. SG members debated whether SES should join the Environmental Club, but the distinction came down to a matter of recreational versus sustainability approaches. SG members voted in favor of SES club status. · Step Club- although constitutional changes are still needed, the motion was passed to approve the Wilkes University Steppa Association. · Club Day Allocation- motion passed to reimburse $2,760 to Student Development for the Club Day event. Homecoming- Homecoming events will take place the week of September 29. Activities are being planned. Old Business · Provost Dr. Reynold Verret and Vice President for Finance Operations Petra Carver Q & A · Rock wall training Events Fall Elections September 22-24 Council of Clubs September 23 11:30 a.m. * At 7:30 p.m., a motion was made to adjourn the SG meeting. The motion was approved. SG meetings are open to all students. They are held every Wednesday in the Miller Conference room on the second floor of the HSC. �In Vitro Fertilization: Page 8 Opinion \= = SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 = = = CONTACT INFORMATION: gino.troiani@wilkes.edu lauren.salem@wilkes.edu wilkesbeacon.oped@gmail.com ~~ Pharmaceutical ads can lead to harmful self-diagnoses ---;::::::====' according to Death by Prescription by Ray D. Strand. Before the patient even stepped into the doctor’s office, the sympathetic advertisement of an animated bouncy ball A rain cloud hovers over a frowning has already convinced the patient that he or bouncy ball which represents the 20 mil- she suffers from depression and they need lion Americans affected with depression, Zoloft to cure it. according to makers of Zoloft, The Food and Drug Administraa prescription drug detion (FDA) charged drug compasigned to combat depresnies with “violations including sion’s sympomitting or minimizing drug toms. Zoloft risks, exaggerating the efis one of fectiveness of a drug, promany selecmoting unapproved uses for tive serotonin a drug, making false reuptake inhibclaims that a drug itor (SSRI) drugs is superior to anwidely marketed in the other, promoting US through the maindrugs wich are stream media. still experimenAs the ad continues, tal, using inconthe ball moves across the sistent or incorrect television screen, looking labeling information, down at the ground and feeling and giving misleading or “the weight of sadness” as the cloud folfalse information to doctors,” accordlows the poor ball wherever it goes. “You ing to a Consumer Reports analysis of the feel exhausted, hopeless, and anxious. FDA regulatory letters from 1997 to 2002. Whatever you do, you feel lonely and An analysis of television ads conducted by don’t enjoy the things you once loved,” an Frosch DL, Krueger PM, Hornik RC et. al, announcer explains while a blue bird ap- found that prescription drug advertisements proaches the ball. Things didn’t “feel like focus on images of happiness, a regain of they used to” until the ball took Zoloft and control over life, and social approval to now it’s happier than ever. hook people in. It is difficult for the docDirect-to-Customer (DTC) advertising tor to evaluate the patient’s symptoms and of pharmaceutical drugs was once regulat- prescribe accurately when the patient lists ed due to aggressive advertising, but now off all the symptoms they heard on the comDTC advertising has increased since the mercial. 1990s at a rate of around 30 percent comCanada is one of many countries that propounded annually, according to Heath Care hibit DTC advertising of prescription drugs in the New Millennium by Ian Morrison. to prevent inappropriate medicine On September 2, 2008, the Washington use that could harm patients. Post reported that in 2006, U.S. pharAccording to an article by maceutical companies spent about CUPE, the Canadian Union of $5 billion on consumer marketing Public Employees, “Prescription campaigns, which is only perdrugs are not like most consummitted in the United States and er products. They can cause New Zealand. The pharmaceuserious harm, even death. tical industry has become one of Moreover, a seriously ill person the largest growing industries in the has much more to lose from false United States even though costumers advertising than someone buying can’t buy these drugs without a a computer or a haircut.” CUPE is telefordpct.nhs doctor’s prescription. currently fighting to strengthen the A doctor’s prescription isn’t DTC advertising limits, because difficult to get, because all a patient has to drug and media companies are pushing the do is ask for something like Zoloft and 70 Canadian law by showing US ads on cable percent of the time a doctor will prescribe television and in magazines that appear the exact medication the patient asked for, in Canada. The US prescribed 3.4 billion BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD prescriptions in 2003, while Canada only prescribed 361 million prescriptions, which shows that the United States is over-medicated by about 3.1 billion prescriptions, according to a chart from the Pfizer drug company. DTC advertisements are not educational ads because they’re aimed at increasing sales, so they have to be persuasive rather than educational. In the United States, the average number of prescriptions per person was 7.3 in 1992, which increased to 10.4 in 2000, according to Mike Fillon in Ephedra: Fact or Fiction. Pharmaceutical companies see that DTC advertising works because there was an increase in demand, especially towards the more expensive medications, which are the ones most heavily advertised. The drugs that are advertised directly to customers are usually new drugs, which haven’t been tested as thoroughly as already existing drugs, so little is known about the rare or long-term side effects. The Federal Patented Medicine Prices Review Board says that “only 15 percent of new drugs are significantly better than existing medications.” According to a case study conducted by Graham DJ, Campen D, Hui R et al, Vioxx, a heavily-advertised arthritis drug, “caused around 115,000 heart attacks and thousands of deaths in the U.S.” Based on market research, about four in ten prescriptions for Vioxx were encouraged by advertising. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published a study in 1998 that showed that 106,000 people die each year in American hospitals from medication side effects. The evidence suggests DTC advertising of prescription drugs has potential to mislead American consumers and also encourage self-diagnoses that can be harmful. Because the information in advertisements is purposefully designed to persuade rather than inform, consumers may be persuaded they have all or many of the the symptoms described, when if fact, that may not be the case. If doctors do not carefully question patients’ claims and require close, personal observation of symptoms, the result could be increased American dependence on drugs that are either inappropriate or potentially harmful to the patient. According to CUPE, “Advertising of medicine turns normal life into a medical problem” and these ads “aim to convince people that they have 6 Point 1 - Pharmacutical companies spend large amounts of money on DTC advertising even though a doctor’s perscription is needed to buy perscription drugs. Point 2 - Doctors will perscribe what their patients ask for 70 percent of the time, because the patients are convinced by DTC ads that they need a certain drug. Point 3 - Since DTC ads are misleading, consumers put their heath at risk when they listen to these ads, which is why DTC ads should be banned in the United States. Graphics by: Lauren Salem �SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Staff Writer OPINION 7 The Angry Rant: Escalator Madness “An escalator can never break. It can only become stairs. You would never see an ‘Escalator Temporarily Out of Order’ sign, just ‘Escalator: Temporarily Stairs. Sorry for the convenience.’” -Mitch Hedberg Ah, escalators. The lazy man’s staircase. The mover of those who wish to not use their legs. The answer to the question that I’m pretty sure was asked by someone: “Hey man, how can I get there with less effort?” The escalator was invented in 1859 by Nathan Ames, a Massachusetts man who I assume was lazy. I bet he was so lazy that he, in a quest to become even lazier, put massive effort into finding out ways that he could fulfill his lifelong dream of becoming the laziest man alive. That, boys and girls, is what we call “irony.” The escalator, despite the fact that it makes our lives easier, is actually one of the most maddening devices ever created. Maybe it’s just me (it most likely is), but I hate the escalator because of what it does to those who step upon it. As far as I’m concerned, it is an instrument of Satan, a purveyor of evil, and most importantly, something which angers me. And thus, this week’s angry rant. Let me tell you why I hate the escalator: First, it makes people lazy. How many times have you found yourself on an escalator, and you’re in a hurry, and the moment your foot hits the first step, you freeze and let it take you the rest of the way? Even though the escalator will take longer than taking the stairs, you don’t mind, because, why should you? You’re on the magical escalator that will take you to the enchanted land of the second floor! The escalator is not a ride. Do you see a man in a red vest collecting tickets or checking for hand stamps? Is there a pretty lady in a skirt checking to see if you want your Bloody Mary topped off or a fresh bag of peanuts? NO! Of course not. Why? Because this isn’t Six Flags Over Wilkes-Barre, genius. It’s a staircase that moves. When you get on an escalator, you need to move with it, the same as those walkways in the airports. They are there to help you get from point A to point B in less time, and the only way that is accomplished is if you move with it. It defeats the purpose if you just stand there. I can’t count the amount of times that I’ve been behind an elderly person who slowly shuffles on and off the escalator, despite the fact that they have a cane or some other debilitating weakness. Listen, I know you’re old, and I don’t mean to be ageist, but let’s face facts, it might be time to hang it up, folks. You’re not as young as you used to be, and you’re running a risk of breaking your hip (again). Think about it: if you’re disabled to the point where it becomes difficult to use the stairs, then you may want to rethink the escalator, you know, seeing as how it’s a staircase with sharp teeth that moves A staircase is stationary, and if that presents a problem, then perhaps you shouldn’t be hopping onto the escalator, which requires a certain amount of coordination to step on and off. But really, folks, if you can’t use the steps, then stay off the escalator. It’s like being unable to juggle, but trying to do it for the first time, except you’re juggling chainsaws, while you’re standing on a sheet of ice, while hungry tigers with crossbows encircle you. Stick to the elevator, please. It’s safe, and there isn’t a complicated dismount. Third, there is a trend of people wanting to carry on conversations while standing in the same exact spot that the escalator dumps out onto. Ever been in that situation? You’re moving down the escalator, with a handful of people behind you, and instead of an easy exit, you have to dodge the three chatty Kathys that decided to talk about last night’s episode of “Sex and the City.” Excuse me, but can you please take your game of bridge elsewhere? The bottom of the escalator isn’t a social hall; it’s designed so that people can exit in a safe and efficient manner, and we can’t do that if people stop at the bottom to finalize their dinner plans. Take your conversation to a bar. At least there you can babble endlessly while you’re putting down couple of highballs. And finally, a broken down escalator is just as useful as a working escalator. If you see that an escalator isn’t working, then guess what - You treat it like it’s a set of stairs. Oh, what’s that? You’ve forgotten what stairs are? Shocking. A while back, I was walking behind a group of college students who were heading for the escalator, and when they arrived at it and saw that it wasn’t on, they preceded to look at each other for a few minutes until one of them had the bright idea to actually WALK up the steps. Give that guy a medal. But these are college students we are talking about. Young, educated (unless they went to King’s*) college students who couldn’t figure out if the thing would burst into flames if they dared to set foot on it. (*O.K. Kings, sorry for the dig, but seriously, your teams called “The Monarchs.” Do I need to go any further? What is that, a butterfly? Or is it like the government? Either way, don’t mess with the Colonels. Even though we do have the word “colon” right in there. That’s right, a poop joke. ) So, in an effort to curtail the use of escalators (or to at least get people to actually use their legs while on them), I’ve compiled a list of slogans to help curb their use. “Yes, this escalator makes your butt look fat.” “Remember all those escalator stabbings last month? They never caught that guy, did they?” “Escalators: The Modern Day Bathhouse” “Al Qaeda Approved.” And finally: “Escalators: Slightly worse than Deliverance.” Good night everybody! that most of the instructors have not been expressing these virtues. There is no ‘step-by-step’ interaction; it’s more of an “Okay. So here’s your information, syllabus, and workload… now, let’s begin a powerpoint presentation.” Regardless, that we are now college students, but at least have a more organized plan of action. And you make it all seem like a piece of cake wearing these white coats with honor and whatnot. All I see is lab coats. I, for one, am completely lost in the fundamentals of this semester itself. We are told, “Oh, there is such a shortage in nurses today.” Well, forgive me for saying this, but I blame it on the disorganization of the program and the rush. Two days ago, when I went to the bookstore to pick up my books I was about to leave when the lady at the counter said, “Wait! That box says ‘1 of 2’.” I was in total shock. To open my books and look at the workload that is ahead is sickening. I counted 14 items; fourteen items all in relation to nursing courses. Oh, and to find out that book no. 15 was on back order. Pure vomit. The syllabi state roughly thirteen chapters of God-knows-what to read--just within the first-to-second week--plus the student nursing handbook. And to top it all off, we get assignments to make drug cards and so and so. This continues for a good length of time, possibly till the point of a hopeful graduation. Forgive me for being so straightforward, but to copy massive amounts of information onto an index card (regardless of its size) is already time-consuming. You all wonder why we are “overwhelmed” and “shocked”. Well, to be perfectly honest, what emotion would you like us to exert? Happiness that we could save lives? Or happiness for us to do the messyclean-up? Because, I would love to know. I cannot be the only one who is irritated with the current situation. I have talked to a good majority of nursing majors all of different class statuses. Ideally, they have responded to how poor instruction the nursing depart- ment displays. I, for one, can say that maybe this journal entry is vital to us. Because, surely I am evaluating myself wondering if nursing is the route I should take. I do not think I can hear the quotations and phrases: “I know this is all overwhelming. It’s a great profession. You’ll make it. Just keep trying. etc.” For me to deprecate and view the nursing program in this utter disgust is something I hope you will take into consideration; and if not, that’s fine. You can consider this a “common criticism”--since that’s how a good majority of the nursing faculty and staff live their lives while instructing the future nurses. So, that’s my “feelings and concerns” on my wonderful future ahead…if I get there. I wish the best of luck to my friends and the future nurses who make it to their final year. YourVoices Nursing program not what student anticipated Dear Editor: My opinion? Does it even matter at this point? Well, since you insist, here’s my voice: Honestly, starting from day one in the nursing program it has been oh-so “overwhelming”-and that is day one of taking anatomy and physiology at Wilkes University-from not being formally told what a lab practical was, poor direction in the lab setting, and heartless professors. And I have made it thus far, but now, I feel as if we are all bombarded with so much weight on our shoulders. When we were given the email for the sophomore nursing orientation in Breisth, I for one could only hear the negative:” No: flip flops, earrings, perfumes, makeup, fail, fail, fail.” I see no positive reinforcement at all; and this is sad to see that since nurses are supposingly compassionarte and caring, Matthew E. Vital Sophomore nursing major �SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 OPINION 8 IVF success: sperm competition may be key What is being done to boost success rates? ino Tr o ian i America. According to Drs. Janier delBarco, and Trillo & Michael H. Ferkinthis, the meadow vole or field mouse is significant because if it detects other males in the area where it is having intercourse, it will produce much more sperm than if other males were not present. A similar pattern is found amongst earthworms. The male end of an earthworm will produce three times as much sperm when having intercourse with a non-virgin than with a virgin. By: G There have been numerous studies on both human and animal sexual behavior to help understand the fertilization process, and how to stimulate the production of large amounts of healthier sperm. One of the most common areas of study is sperm competition. According to author G.A. Parker, if more than one male’s sperm occupies the same female, sperm competition will occur. Based on certain circumstances and situations, males in various species have been known to tailor their ejaculations so that they can compete with other males. Think of it as a lottery. The more tickets you buy, the greater your chance of winning. First off, take into consideration the meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus), which is a small rodent that can be found in North Cartoon By: Gino Troiani www.sandomenico.org The Beacon Poll Question This weeks question: phic This week I wanted to get down and dirty with one of my favorite topics - sex. Human in vitro fertilization or (IVF) was developed in the United Kingdom by Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards in the 1970s. Together, they were able to successfully fertilize human egg cells with sperm outside of a woman’s uterus to create an embryo, resulting in the birth of Louise Brown on July 25, 1978. Their research suddenly gave hope to many infertile couples, and today there have been over three million IVF births worldwide. There are numerous variables that factor into the IVF success rates, such as age, physical state of the uterus, and health of the sperm; according to the Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago, the average pregnancy success rate for a woman under 35 is in the fifty percent range. If the procedure is a failure after the first attempt, it is not uncommon for couples to re-try. The problem is that the average cost for IVF is $12,000 per cycle, according to a recent story on MS- NBC, making it financially impossible for many couples to afford a second procedure, particularly if standard health insurance policies will not cover it. Gra BY GINO TROIANI Beacon Op-Ed Editor Why? The worm knows that he is competing with other males, so it will do anything in its power to ensure a successful pregnancy. Although unknown, scientists believe that earthworms can distinguish between virgins and non-virgins through a specific scent. So do humans tailor their ejaculations when faced with competition? Possibly. Experiments pertaining to human sexuality are often hard to conduct because there are practical and ethical issues. However, based on the information above, scientists suggest that men who ejaculate while watching pornographic material tend to produce healthier sperm than those who do not. Also, it is inferred that men who are shown images of a women with two men tend to produce healthier sperm that those who are not. Although much research still needs to be conducted, the information collected in similar experiments may one day revolutionize the procedures and effectiveness of IVF, and prove higher success rates for infertile couples around the world. This research is both crucial and necessary in improving the ability of childbirth. I applaud the efforts of the scientists who have devoted so much time and effort towards a noble cause. Should the United States ban direct to customer advertising of prescription drugs? • Yes • No • Depends www.telfordpct.nhs Last weeks question... Should Wilkes President Gilmour sign the Amethyst Initiative? Results: • • • Yes - 63% No - 37% Depends - 0% Courtesy Marketing Comm. �Easy ways to save at the pump PAGE 10 li ostyllos SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 CONTACT INFORMATION: christa.sgobba@wilkes.edu leeann.searfoss@wilkes.edu wilkesbeacon.lifestyles@gmail.com 9 Future educators engage on issue of suicide BY LEEANN SEARFOSS Beacon Asst. Lifestyles Editor The photo on the overhead was graphic and stunned the audience to silence. The picture, taken by I. Russell Sorgi, a photographer for The Buffalo Courier Express, depicted a young woman jumping off the ledge of a building. “All we get is a snapshot--a snapshot of people, who they are, and how they feel,” said Dr. J.J. Rasimas M.D., Ph.D., and leading authority on the phenomenology of suicide. Rasimas’ lecture “Suicide: Public Health Challenges and Opportunities,” was held in the Henry Student Center Ballroom on September 11. The lecture was part of the Issues in Education Series, first initiated by Drs. Robert and Judith Gardner. They created the series of lectures to inform students, specifically education majors, on public, health, and social issues they are likely to face in the classroom. “Every once in a while we invite guest speakers who have insights about education, and we make those lectures available to everyone on campus, with a primary focus on education students,” stated Dr. Ju- dith Gardner. Rasimas spoke about how he reached his current practice, the Office of the Clinical Director at the National Institute of Health. Rasimas’ medical focus has transitioned through his move from the Mayo Clinic to the National Institute of Mental Health. “It was during medical school that I transitioned over from thinking about oncology to being interested in mental health. I thought going into medicine meant making people’s lives better. I met a lot of people who were really sick but still had great lives and vice versa, people who weren’t really sick but had miserable lives. Psychiatry offered a chance to investigate that,” said Rasimas. The lecture offered statistics of suicide, as well as risk facts, detection, and resources for both those afflicted by suicide and those who are confronted with it. Rasimas took the time to point out the risks of suicide and the common signs seen in and around college campuses, especially with the recent tragic events at Virginia Tech and other institutions. According to the research conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health, risk factors for suicide, especially in college-aged individuals, The Beacon/Lauren Biernacki Dr. J.J. Rasimas addresses the Wilkes community about the risks, signs, and symptons of suicide. The lecture was held in the Student Center Ballroom. include attempts, intent, impulsive choices, drug and alcohol users, and past suicide exposure. “College is an in-between existence. It is a time when young people float between dependency and autonomy and individualism and community,” said Rasimas during his lecture. The lecture concluded with Rasimas offering a few words for future educators, current educators, and students alike. “Stay. Listen to them. That’s all we can do,”stated Rasimas. The Issues in Education Series will continue with a new lecture on October 7 in conjunction with the Anti-Defamation League and the Jewish Community Center. The lecture will be accompanied by a workshop on anti-bullying and several corresponding multicultural issues. Suicide expert offers insights in Issues in Education Series BY LEEANN SEARFOSS Beacon Asst. Lifestyles Editor According to Margarita Tratakovsky, the National Institute of Health reports that “75 percent of all individuals with an anxiety disorder will show symptoms before the age of 22.” Last Thursday, renowned suicide and mental health expert, Dr. J.J. Rasimas, offered a lecture, “Suicide: Public Health Challenges and Opportunities,” as part of the Issues in Education series. Rasimas is a graduate of Wyoming Seminary College Preparatory School in Kingston, PA, as well as the University of Scranton and Penn State University. Rasimas agreed to sit down and speak with The Beacon to offer some insights into his dedication to educating on the issue of suicide. The Beacon: Because of your obvious professional background, you make a perfect fit for this lecture series. What is problems that are already addressable. your purpose with today’s The Beacon: Since talk? your main outreach this Rasimas: The more we afternoon is collegehave stories that really aged students, are there freighten us about what any specific things happens on college camyoung people can do to puses--places like Viraddress such a devasginia Tech--where mental tating topic when they health issues go unnoticed, are either approached the need to do outreach to or have these feelings individuals in similar situthemselves? ations becomes critical. Rasimas: I know This is an opportunity that just talking about to come and talk about the problem for half an Photo courtesy of some of the problems ashour or so is not going http://wyomingseminary.edu Photo courtesy of sociated with research and to change all the colwww.wyomingseminary.edu lege policies that make also point out some of the Dr. J.J. Rasimas things we are not doing as it difficult to get people well as we could about making help into treatment and care. We don’t available to those who are in distress. It’s help for reasons of stigma or rules of friendan opportunity to enhance awareness to the ship. But still, silence is the most danger- ous of any response that we could possibly have. The silence or lack of a relationship could be the missing link. The thing that keeps people in the world is relationships. It’s what we’re here for. We are not here to be islands in and of ourselves. The Beacon: Are there any thoughts or advice you would like to leave your college audience? Rasimas: I would want you all to question why there is an illness that kills more people your age than every other major medical illness out there. This has not been on the radar or the front pages and our resources are not going towards it. If I were you, I would want to know why. As you move on after college, you should have people look at your age group and say, “How much do you really care about us being alive?” Because if you make it through this time period, you are the leaders for the next generation. �LIFESTYLES 10 SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 Gas prices have you bent out of shape? Six easy steps to help you save money BY GINO TROIANI Beacon Op-Ed Editor Despite a recent slight decline in gas prices, an August CNN/Opinion Research poll determined that “Seventy-five percent of respondents said that the price at the pump is a ‘financial hardship.’” All most consumers can do is watch helplessly while oil compa- nies suck up loose change like a high-powered Shop-vac. According to Matt Ruch a freshman commuter at Wilkes, “Gas prices are pretty bad.” Between commuting from Dallas, and family obligations, Ruch explained that he spends roughly “a $100 a week.” Sophomore James Histed, shared similar feelings. “Because of gas prices, I can’t even make the trip home anymore on the weekends to visit my family. In fact, I can’t make any trips,” he said. “It is ridiculous.” If you are angry, or simply wondering where the money will come from to fill the tank this week, here are a few tips for how to save and keep your gas gauge on full. The Beacon/Jenna Stephens 1. Find the cheapest station in town. Gas stations that pump the fuel for you, or that double as a service station often charge more. 2.Remember the key to finding cheaper gas: Location location location... Stations located by major highways often charge more for fuel because drivers are likely to pay more for convenience. 3.Time your fill-ups. Wednesdays are often the best time to buy gas because stations tend to hike prices for the weekend. 4.Don’t get burned. Before a hot day, it is important to buy in the morning when the ground is still cool. The reason is that the gas will be denser. Pumps charge by the volume of gas, not density, so when the air is cool, there are fewer fumes, and drivers can put more gas into the tank. 5. Good aerodynamics help with mileage. If possible, empty your roof rack and fill your tires to an appropriate level. Also, s The Beacon/Jenna Stephens driving with the windows down around town, and using the air conditioner while on the highway will reduce wind resistance, saving you money. 6. Drive smart. The faster and more aggressively you drive, the more gas you will guzzle. Arriving five minutes early might end up costing you countless dollars in the long run. c:l"E3 Li'V'E3S - c l ·. E! p clS E ,a ■ r ■ il c:a I nter-state B 0 10 d e ·. ·· A. . e 1C a -570 ,c l T CJ , c:1y_ a ■ p1 't C. 2~=-""""i!:::~ 6 1 6 5 c .,a I · 1 • • ■"Wth ~ 8t. IP a .s ma ln 1c _ . i lkes-lB arre. P ,a 823-,4 1 9 1 �SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 LIFESTYLES 11 Research conference brings scientific, cultural growth ing the local bus stop. By practicing their Spanish, they were able to converse with local vendors at marketplaces and restaurants, which gave them a more authentic experiJuniors Jay Shah and Neil Kocher learned ence in Mexico. a little more about the professional science “Speaking Spanish can open doors you community when they presented their rewouldn’t have otherwise,” said Terzaghi. search at an international convention. “By speaking Spanish we were able to take Then, when they took the local bus back a local bus and travel the way Mexicans to their hostel in the heart of Merida, Mexitravel. If we didn’t, we would have to take co, they learned a little more about authenone of those tourist buses, and they go flytic Mexican culture as well. ing by all the local villages.” Shah and Kocher, both biology majors One of the different things about Mexico, with pre-med concentrations, presented the students found, was the way that locals their research on rice genomics at the annueat. Unlike Americans, who Kocher said, al meeting of the American Society of Plant “live to eat,” Mexicans seem to eat for enBiologists in Merida from June 25 to July 3. ergy. This international convention drew science “They’re very busy,” said Kocher. “The professionals, graduate students, and underfood down there, rice and beans and differgraduates from places all over the world, ent kinds of tortillas, it’s including England, Spain, Argentina, and all carbohydrates packed Australia. for energy. And it was “It’s great to be able to go and very useful when we were present our research at an intrekking around.” ternational conference with the After the conference world’s top scientists presentconcluded, the students ing,” said Kocher. “Going there and Terzaghi decided and listening to their work, you to stay another day to pick up a lot. All these different visit the Mayan ruins of personalities, different styles, Chichen Itza. They also and different ways of thinking witnessed Mayan ballet, definitely broaden your scope of a traditional indigenous a scientific education.” dance, and bought souveTheir research project began Photo courtesy of Neil Kocher nir handmade hammocks, in the spring of 2007, when Dr. William Terzaghi took a re- While presenting their research at the American Society of Plant Biologists conference in Merida, Mexico over the for which the Yucatan area search sabbatical at Yale Univer- summer, Neil Kocher, left, and Jay Shah took time to tour the sites in Mexico, such as the ruins of Chichen Itza. is known. hostel. For only $10 a night, the hostel was Despite the spartan accommodations and sity. Over the summer, he and several Yale and humans. At the conference, Kocher and Shah pre- a cheap alternative to the $130-a-night price lack of air conditioning at the hostel, Shah students and professors began studying the and Kocher believe they received the more DNA sequence of rice plants and the role of sented their findings during the day dedicat- tag of the hotel. “It was a fantastic experience,” said Shah. authentic Mexican experience with their antisense transcripts in light-regulated path- ed to undergraduate research presentations. ways. In the fall, Terzaghi brought the proj- They also left up their poster so other scien- “When you stay in a hostel, you see all trip to the conference. “Let’s face it, you don’t come down to ect back to Wilkes, where Shah, Kocher, tists could ask questions during the remain- these different people. There were people from France, English families, and students Mexico to get your air conditioning and ing days. and senior Naseem Mian joined the team. “There were a lot of graduate and post- doing research from all over.” satellite television,” said Kocher. “You go When the project began, the rice genome In order to get to the hotel, they needed to there to see the culture. That’s half the exhad only been sequenced for a year, so the doctorates presenting their posters, and as goal of the research was try to find out what an undergraduate to get into an international walk a mile through Merida before reach- perience.” BY CHRISTA SGOBBA Beacon Lifestyles Editor Photo courtesy of Christa Sgobba parts of the genome were actually being used. “It turned out that there were a lot of surprises,” said Terzaghi. “All kinds of what we thought were the rules were being broken.” Previous theory held that only one strand of the two-stranded DNA was used. Instead, the researchers found that copies are made of both the top strand and the bottom strand, which, according to Terzaghi, is true for close to 10 percent of the genes, both for rice plants conference to present with them, it’s pretty significant,” Shah said. While Shah and Kocher both agree they learned a lot from the conference, they also acknowledge that their experience in downtown Merida taught them about cultural differences. Unlike the majority of the presenters who stayed in a swanky hotel located near the conference, Kocher, Shah, and Terzaghi chose to stay in a youth Over the summer, biology majors Neil Kocher and Jay Shah traveled to Merida, Mexico to present their research on rice genomics at the American Society of Plant Biologists annual conference. Kocher and Shah, with their professor, Dr. William Terzaghi, studied the DNA sequence of rice plants and the role of antisense transcripts in lightregulated pathways. Prior to their presentation in Merida, Shah and Kocher previously presented at the Pennsylvania Academy of Science and the Wilkes Undergraduate Research SymKocher posium. Because of their active role in the science research community, The Beacon has chosen Shah and Kocher as its Students of the Week. \The Beacon: Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Shah: Practicing a medical rotation someplace, I’m not sure where. Kocher: Hopefully the same. Shah Emergency medicine is my primary interest tentatively. The Beacon: Describe yourself in three words. Shah: Diligent, quirky, and dete mined. Kocher: Adaptable, salubrious, and energetic. The Beacon: Finish the sentence: “My friends would be surprised to know that I…” Shah: …can ride a horse. Kocher: …will actually succeed in life and get into medical school.. �U ArtsYO moves niverse CONTACT INFORMATION: alyssa.benner@wilkes.edu yoh.delossantosmaria@wilkes.edu amanda.gunther@wilkes.edu SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 wilkesbeacon.ae@gmail.com Recycled percussion rocks campus BY AMANDA GUNTHER Beacon Asst. A&E Editor The stage of the student Henry Center was transformed into a heap of trash cans, buckets and ladders. The four-man rock band, Recycled Percussion, took over the ballroom in the Henry Student Center on Wednesday, September 10 in a rousing show hosted by the Wilkes University Programming Board. As the stage lit up in blues and reds and the first song began blasting through the speakers, students were stunned at the musical sounds emanating from these “junk” items. Recycled Percussion is a “Junk Rock” band inspired by New York City “bucket drummers”. “We wanted to take their sound and electrify it,” said Todd Griffin, the band’s DJ. The band consists of Justin Spencer (lead drum), Ryan Vezina (lead drum), Todd Griffin (DJ) and Jim Magoon (electric guitar). The group was formed 14 years ago as an idea for their high school talent show. Ever since then, the New Hampshire based band’s popularity has grown and the mem- bers started their nationwide tour six years ago. Last week’s concert was their second appearance at Wilkes University since fall of 2006. The concert began thirty minutes late at 8:30. When the lights went down, Wilkes students filled the floor in front of the stage. The sounds of electric guitars, plastic drums, and aluminum symbols could be heard from the streets below. While some of the songs were originals from the band, others consisted of their instruments and popular rock hits mixed by Griffin. “It was different because not a lot of bands are solely instrumental like that,” said Matthew Miller, a sophomore mechanical engineering major. Midway through the perf o r- mance one of the two lead drummers, Justin Spencer, did his notorious beat box, starting it off with a scandalous moaning introduction. Students cheered as Justin beat boxed his way into the hearts of many of the young ladies up front. Toward the end of the concert the band got involved with the crowd and had conversations with the students from the stage. “I’ve never been to a concert where they were really personal with the audience like that,” said sophomore engineering manage- 12 ment major Thomas Markley. To add to the unexpected nature of the show, lead drummers Spencer and Vezina, brought out ladders to climb up and drum down. The crowd watched in amazement lin. Band members made themselves available for autographs and pictures and took their time interacting with their fans, which they find to be an import part about being musicians. According to Griffin, “My favorite part about performing is knowing that I can hopefully make at least one person in the crowd forget about everything else that is going on in their life and enjoy that moment.” After the show the crew quickly cleaned off the stage, packed their instruments onto the bus and headed for their next destination - Illinois. Left: Ryan Vezina beating on the “junk” drums at Wednesday night’s performance. Center: Vezina and Justin Spencer utilize ladders to create gravity defying drum solos. a s Spencer’s drumstick broke and Griffin tossed him another without missing a beat. The concert finale was a montage of the band’s instrumentals and songs from famous artists from Green Day to Led Zeppe- Right: Spencer rocking out at the ballroom on the 2nd floor of Henry Student Center The Beacon/ All Photos Jenna Stephens �SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13 Last Comic Standing tour stops at F.M. Kirby Center Q & A with two of the four season six finalists BY ALYSSA BENNER Beacon A & E Editor Whether they are class clowns or wry social critics...one thing is for sure: when one comic is left standing, the rest of us are rolling on the floor laughing. The Beacon recently caught up with Jeff Dye and Marcus from the “Last Comic Live Tour”. They were two of the four finalists of the popular television challenge who traveled in what can only be assumed to be a hilarious tour bus from the Pabst Theatre in Milwaukee to the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre on Thursday, September 18. Serious matters such as ass-less chaps, sombreros, and one-named bandits were among the important issues in our interview with these t w o f u n n y guys. The Beacon: So, Jeff, what sparked your interest in comedy? Jeff Dye: Well, I was always like the class clown guy. It’s always kind of been what I’m actually good at. Then I realized it could be a job so that’s why I like it. The Beacon: Marcus, on the tour I noticed you are the only one-named bandit, why is this? Marcus: Ha ha. Well, when you reach that sort of level of fame, ya know, Elvis, Pink, you say one name and everyone knows. I figure I’d just beat people to the punch, just one name. Easy to remember, why not? The Beacon: Jeff, when did you start performing? Dye: I’m always kind of performing. I mean, I’ve done acting and theatre. I would run for class office and stuff like that in school just to be in front of everybody and be able to make them laugh and goof off. But as far as stand-up as a job, three years ago. The Beacon: Any other comics you go see or you’re really into? Marcus: It was fun. It was a big learning experience. You don’t realize how big it is until people see you on the street and say, ‘Oh! Oh, I remember when you did that one part in that one show.’ It’s really awesome. Now, with the tour we get to see the faces of the people who watched the show; it’s sort of a remarkable thing. Dye: I loved it; I had a lot of good times. I got to meet one of my heroes and become friends with him, Shawn Collins. The Beacon: Jeff, do you have a bunch of groupies now that you were on the show? Dye: Yea, I’m a huge fan of Brian Regan. The Beacon: Oh, I just watched his special! Hilarious! Dye: Yeah, and Harland Williams and Daniel Tosh. Those are like my top three. My all-time favorites. The Beacon: What’s the coolest place you’ve ever performed? Dye: Doing the Montreal ‘Just for Laughs Festival’ is probably my favorite thing that I’ve done just because, like, so many comics are in one spot. It’s like an honor to be a part of it. Marcus: Other than the show in front of millions of people? Cus’ that was pretty rad. I’ve been able to do a lot of cool stuff since that’s been really neat. I just got to go home and record a brand new comedy special. We did it in a 1,000 seat theatre and slid it out. Ya’ know, one of my buddies, Wolf from American Gladiator, came out and hosted it. It was cool to do something like that. The Beacon: Wow, that’s the big time. Speaking of big time how was your time on Last Comic Standing? Dye: Yeah, hundreds of groupies, haha. No, not groupies, just fans. The Beacon: Marcus, how important is laughter to you? Would you say it keeps you young at heart? Marcus: Oh I don’t know…how many times does my heart laugh? I enjoy doing my job. We have a great time. Ya know, all of us sitting around, b.s.’ing and laughing with each other. It’s a fun time. What’s cool is that I’m surrounded by really cool, creative people that keep me on my toes. The Beacon: O.K., the most important question of them all: what are you currently wearing? Dye: Umm, assless chaps and a sombrero. All funny people wear assless chaps and sombreros…all the time. Marcus: …Well we all wear ass-less chaps. That’s all we wore in the house. Yeah, put that. Last Comic Standing was all about ass-less chaps. You can tell everyone in Wilkes-Barre that’s what we’re bringing, just ass-less chaps. ••• • • • • • • • • • •• Who: The winner and finalists of NBC’s Last Comic Standing will appear at the F.M. Kirby Center during their world tour. The performers will be: Jeff Dye, Louis Ramey, Jim Tavaré, Marcus, and the show’s winner Iliza Schlesinger. When: DATE: Thursday, 2008 September 18, TIME: 7:30 p.m. Where: The F.M. Kirby Center on Public Square in Wilkes-Barre. ADDRESS: 71 Public Square Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 BOX OFFICE: (570) 826-1100 • • • • • • • • • • �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 14 JJ Abrams adds true fringe to FOX fall season BY KENNY BROWN Beacon Correspondent Rings movies (Denethor, the Steward of Gondor) takes on the persona of mad scientist, Dr. Walter Bishop, with just the right edge that avoids campiness and what appears the utmost of ease. Incredibly believable in the part, Noble pulls viewers in immediately with his eerie quirks as well as his ability to deftly capture ‘the moment’ in a scene. His portrayal of the doctor not only convincingly depicts a crazy side, but also the brain underneath that used to prevail. Though he has not had many major jobs outside of Lord of the Rings, he is stunning in this Abrams project and could easily turn every critics’ (and viewers’) head. Not only does Noble make an outstanding loony scientist, but Joshua Jackson (Dawson’s Creek) also returns to the small screen. After Creek ended in 2003, Jackson had not done many well recognized pieces of work. With his return, he shows that he can take on a serious, adult role and do it justice. So far, Fringe is a well acted, well directed, and beautifully written show. There is science fiction, action, comedy, subtle romance, and the occasional matter destroying toxin to keep viewers satisfied. Although it is not really the best show for families, it is a great way to spend an hour on Tuesday nights in the dorm after you’ve finished your work. Turn your TV to FOX at 9, you will not be disappointed with life on the Fringe. I predict a long run on FOX that will create cult fanatics, and quite possibly make it this season’s great gamble. Abrams is known for his ability to write smash hits. But this is no formula series. It is not only his ability to write In a perfect world, television shows have deep, underlying storylines that only someone like JJ Abrams (Lost, Cloverfield) can write. Luckily, viewers were given yet another taste of that television utopia this week. When Abrams’s new sci-fi series, Fringe, premiered, not many knew what to expect, but millions were hopeful. With instant television hits under his belt like Lost and Alias, many viewers were hoping for the best, but dreading the small chance of what looked like could be a complete rip off of another FOX hit, The X Files. Not unlike The X-Files, Fringe centers on female FBI agent, Olivia Dunham (Anna Torv). In light of a lot of strange phenomena, Dunham must befriend a scientist, Dr. Walter Bishop (John Noble) who may be able to help her. The twist, however is that Bishop is not a regular man of science, but in fact was institutionalized for the past 14 years, due to mental issues. This could pose a problem for the relentless federal agent, so she also enlists the help of Bishop’s son, Peter (Joshua Jackson). Lately, the FOX network has been pumping out some short-run disasters. But with Fringe in its fall lineup, network execs can expect to have Abrams around for quite some time. Photo courtesy of Fringetelevision.com intricate storylines with webs of intertwined relationships that makes Fringe such a catch; it is the acting that also feeds the flames. John Noble, well known for his role in the Lord of the Bai 11 . s & N obl .·Will~ . s Booksto1 ,. 7 South . n S · · t~ Wilk · .. ar , P · 1870, ...., 570,.208. 700 ""' 'Wll What' · happe1 · 1 . at } o Li " . ·- 'Fi ·~ - 0 o J\ll 11 - ic E dis u 11 t n 1r ho· ~, 'lA .cl11 ., -da ~ 10 r, 11 1 ~ .t , -n oll , .i · om kst· .· ·e thi · ·-_- eel ! · · a11cl nio - t lf Fl i da \\ itl1 a 1 tr · 1i W d te da,• · l,e Mu ·c witl Paul Ma1•tin i11 011r c~1.£", r1t 6: ,iOpn1 n 11:)'" 011. tl1e -·•Qllll re'~Tl11irsdc ) fro1 1 5:00-9:OOJJI1 • . l1ircl F1•icl ~' ·. rt\\," .alk ,.-,; itl1 r. H · u~v F Su itl . r . :oop111 • .·. -I It -•r . i I Ii I l ' . : rv ._, --F ] . . .' l l . r . ' '"Tl l D a h an ,d Procl,a1i1·atio11 of G. 11 . ·1 crti: 11 ... •• T]1t rscL.-, n. o (. 11 c·.· ~- 1 i (. · c·l1tl1or of ·Rad'i. al Cartogr(Jphy ,,,Sah11·clc·V n.t 1: oop1n " i11 · ·1 1r "di11 ·:-ttir , i11 1 · di1 o ·.·:-tt r v 1) ,¥11 k ,di110s<- 11rs <- _ o 11 '\"J e ·kl~ Snh1r 1. y 111 ,111i11g star) ti1ne ·~t 11: o _.·111 • 1 : · ~ • ~ 1 , . · ·_ �SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 15 Arts YOUniverse moves downtown f in 2005. Godwin says of the Irem Temple Mosque, “It’s sort of like having a carrot dangling in front of your nose; it gives more Arts YOUniverse, located across the street from Breiseth incentive.” To celebrate the move, Arts YOUniverse hosted Hall at 156 South Franklin, is packing up and heading for an Almost Fall Folk Festival last Saturday, September 6. “The Almost-Fall Folk Festival is a celebration of the an alternate universe--one that resides a few blocks north at move and life in general,” said Godwin. The celebration First United Methodist Church on North Franklin Street. included five regional artArts YOUniverse ists that range from a fourhas been considered piece folk band to a onea next-door neighwoman storyteller. bor to Wilkes since Godwin’s exuberant 2005 when it moved outlook on the move is reinto the Mary Stegfl ected by Julie Benjamin, maier mansion, prethe coordinator of Ruth’s viously owned and Place, a homeless shelter operated by the Red for women, which is curCross next door to rently housed in the First Weckesser Hall. United Methodist Church The latest move but will be moving to the will take place from Salvation Army gymnanow into October, sium. according to KathBenjamin stated, “We leen Godwin, the hope that they have a Executive Director successful move and we of Arts YOUniverse. are grateful to Salvation Arts YOUniverse Army for letting us move is a community arts Ruth’s place there.” co-op that features Godwin has many ideas everything from for activities at the new dance and yoga leslocation, including a sons, to gallery space “pay-per-pew” program. for local artists, This would allow local and from a unique, businesses to “buy” a pew eclectic gift shop to for a small monthly fee. a reading library. It Eventually employees is the brainchild of of that certain business Godwin who built would have a place to the space in an effort go and eat on their lunch to invigorate the lobreak. cal arts community. ArtsYOUniverse would The move is provide daily entertainlargely based on ment from local performthe need for more ers that wanted to share room and access to The Beacon/ Jenna Stephens their work. the church’s theater and full-size kitchen. First United Methodist Church new location for Arts YOUniverse Political science student, Adam Szumski, is enthuRising costs and de- 47 North Franklin Street Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 siastic about the programs clining membership offered at the new location. caused the Methodist Church to close its doors this summer “It would be great to have a place to go off campus that and put the historic 122-year old building up for sale. I could share my music and not feel any pressure to be Godwin’s ultimate goal is to move directly across North great,” said Szumski. “Just to play and be listened to would Franklin Street to the Irem Temple Mosque, which has a be nice.” full Broadway sized stage. Also, an historic structure, the Irem Temple Mosque was built in 1907 and was acquired by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Redevelopment Corporation BY ALYSSA BENNER Beacon A&E Editor NBC’s Last Comic Standing Where: Kirby Center When: Sept. 18, 7:30 p.m. Third Friday Art Walk Where: Downtown Wilkes-Barre When: Sept. 19, 5-8 p.m. Le Grande Cirque Where: Wachovia Arena When: Sept. 19-20, 7:30 p.m. Sept. 21, 2:00 p.m. Hi Lites Motor Club Car Cruise Where: Wegmans Food market When: Sept. 20, 4-7 p.m. Young Livers with Rob, Lately and The Tiny Heart Band Where: Cafe Metro When: Sept. 22, 7:00 p.m. Attention all crossword lovers: Due to our crossword guru’s overly busy schedule, there will not be Kudracross this week. It will return next week as usual. �Cross Country pg. 18 CONTACT INFORMATION: alissa.lindner@wilkes.edu daniel.kautz@wilkes.edu SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 wilkesbeacon.sports@gmail.com 16 Missed opportunities haunt Colonels in loss to Montclair Courtesy of Sports Information Director, Craig Merriman Despite running 40 more plays on offense, the Colonels shot themselves in the foot in a 13-6 loss to Montclair State in Montclair, New Jersey. Wilkes beat the Red Hawks in nearly every statistical category except the most important one: points scored. Wilkes controlled the tempo on offense, holding the ball for nearly 40 minutes and running 75 plays, but was unable to punch the ball in for a touchdown. Freshman kicker Chris Horn provided the only scoring for the Colonels, connecting on a career-long 41-yard field goal in the second quarter followed by a 37-yarder in the third. The Colonels had plenty of chances, fumbling a fake field goal attempt inside the Red Hawk 20-yard line as well as dropping a pass in the end zone. Facing a third-and-four from the 10-yard line, Wilkes quarterback Rob Johnson found a wide open receiver, but a dropped pass forced the Colonels to fourth down. Wilkes lined up for a 27 yard field goal attempt, but holder Jason Prushinski picked up the snap and ran towards the right sideline, passing the first down marker, but turned the ball over on a fumble. Wilkes started the drive at its own 27yard line and marched 63 yards, using nearly eight minutes of clock but came away empty handed. “Today was really frustrating,” head coach Frank Sheptock said. “We aren’t good enough yet to get over our mistakes and unfortunately they caused us a couple of chances to score.” On the Colonels’ next possession a low snap on a punt attempt forced punter Mario Della Fortuna to try to run for a first down, but he was stopped short as Wilkes turned the ball over on downs early in the second quarter. The Red Hawks took little time in taking advantage of the miscue, taking just three plays to go 33 yards for their first touchdown of the day. Montclair running back Jeff Bliss ran through the middle nearly untouched for 24 yards to give the Red Hawks the lead. The Colonels responded on their next possession, taking over at their own 34yard line with 7:16 to go in the half. Facing a third-and-11 play at the Montclair 45, an unsportsmanlike penalty on the Red Hawks gave Wilkes a first down on the 30-yard line. Freshman quarterback Ryan Cushman scampered 14 yards on a third down play, but fell three yards short of a first down before Horn kicked his first field goal of the day - a 41 yard line drive that just cleared the crossbar. “I was very pleased all around with our kicking game,” Sheptock said. “Minus a few bad snaps here and there, I thought we did very well on our special teams.” Wilkes had a chance to take the lead going into the locker room at the half, but was not able to punch the ball in at the goal line as time expired. Their final drive of the half started at the Montclair 35-yard line with 3:15 to go in the second quarter. A 15yard completion from Cushman to Jordan D’Emilio gave the Colonels a first down on the Red Hawk 15 yard line before Cushman completed an 11-yard pass to senior Gennaro Zangardi at the 1-yard line with 18 seconds to play. On first-and-goal, Cushman ran a quarterback sneak that fell short, but the Colonels were unable to lineup on time to spike the ball before time ran out in the first half. “We were just unorganized. We have a lot of new people doing a lot of different things and it showed today,” Sheptock said. Horn made it a one-point game with 10:08 to play in the third quarter on his 37-yard field goal. It took the Red Hawks just two plays to make it 13-6 when quarterback Tom Fischer found Jeff Papcun for a 73-yard completion, putting Montclair on the Wilkes one-yard line. Bliss ran the ball up the middle for the score before kicker Marco Capozzoli’s point after attempt was wide right. The Colonels threatened late in the third quarter, driving to Montclair’s 32-yard line before an interception at the goal line gave the Red Hawks the ball with 13:20 to play. Wilkes’ final drive lasted nearly nine minutes and consisted of 18 plays, but it stalled on the Red Hawk 20-yard line as the offense was unable to convert a fourth-andthree play. “We are trying to get our kids to buy into the little things and believe in the system but its hard when you are 0-2,” Sheptock said. “The schedule I put before them, I did it for a purpose. I wanted to get ready for the MAC and I think games like this help us.” Offensively, 10 different players ran the ball for the Colonels with Jamar Beverly leading the way with 53 yards on 17 carries. Cushman finished the day with 43 yards on eight carries. As a team Wilkes had 282 yards of total offense that included 165 yards rushing and 117 yards passing. Johnson was 6-of-15 for 91 yards, while Cushman had 26 yards passing, completing two of seven attempts. The Colonels will enjoy a week off before they host Christopher Newport in the home opener on Sept. 27 on Ralston Field. The Beacon/ Jenna Stephens Intramural Schedule Fall 2008 Flag Football - deadline extended Softball - deadline extended Billiards - September 19 deadline Indoor Soccer - October 10 deadline Walleyball - October 10 deadline Tournaments: Dodgeball - October 3 deadline The women’s tennis team opened the season at Ralston Field on Saturday September 13. In the Freedom Conference match, the Colonels defeated Alvernia College 9-0. To sign up go to the MyWilkes portal. My Wilkes-> On Campus-> Wilkes Athletics �SPORTS SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 17 Athlete of the Week: Lindsey Davenport BY ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Sports Editor Lindsey Davenport, freshman goalkeeper of the Lady Colonel field hockey team, has played the sport since she was in the 5th grade. But regardless of her long-time love affair with the field, she didn’t know what to expect from college competition. Turns out, that in her first collegiate field hockey challenges, the young keeper has shown mature leadership. The Lady Colonels won their first four games of the season and Davenport was an impact player in each. The freshman from Dallas, PA posted 22 saves in the first four games as the Lady Colonels remain undefeated for the 2008 season. Davenport was named Freedom Conference Goalkeeper of the Week after her performances the first week of the season. The goalkeeper played a major role in the first two games of the season as the Lady Colonels won the games in penalty strokes. Davenport allowed only one stroke past her in the two games. The Lady Colonels beat both Moravian College on August 30 and Susquehanna University on September 3 in penalty strokes. She held Susquehanna scoreless throughout regulation and two sudden death overtimes. “Looking at her, you would never know program and when I was watching her play “I was very proud of the way she handled in high school I knew if she chose Wilkes she was a freshman in the cage. She really herself. She made some amazing saves and she would make an immediate impact for stepped it up,” Myers said even during the game, not talking about us,” Myers explained. For Davenport, she still wants to concenovertime she really led our defense well and Myers also said Davenport has given the trate on improving her own game despite kept the intensity level up,” Davenport’s players on the field more confidence. She her recent success. head coach Sara Myers said. “I just want to do well for my team,” she recalled a scenario when defensive back For Davenport, when facing opposition, Amanda Tilley carried the ball from one end said. “The better I do, the more I challenge she tries to clear her mind and focus on the to another and scored in the Cabrini game. my teammates and make them better playstroke. She noted the practice she received That’s something Myers does not believe ers.” has helped her ability to stop strokes. would have happened if the field players did “I have tough competition when practic- not have confidence in their goalkeeper. The Beacon/ Gino Troiani ing against our own strokers so it gives me confidence when facing other teams,” Davenport explained. Davenport held Cabrini College to one goal on Tuesday, September 9 and posted another shutout in the Marywood University game on Saturday, September 13. Davenport was the starting goalkeeper for the Dallas High School varsity field hockey teams in 9, 10, and 12 grade. After battling back from an injury her junior year, Davenport led her team to the district champiPhoto Courtesy of Kristen Davidson onship and semi-state finalist and was subsequently named First Team All-state her senior year. Myers believes one of Davenport’s strengths is the high school progam she came from in Dallas. Freshman goalkeeper Lindsey Davenport practices at Ralston Field. She has been “She comes from a very solid high school the starting goalie for all four of the games and has recorded 22 saves on the season. Serv1ng1Full !Menu 250 Bottled Beers untill 1 AM! 101 Martinis Live E11tertainme11i1: 50 Draft Beers Never a Coverl xt :UbfGr offus news! Weekday H ,a pp,y H,o ~r 5-7PM Appe izers . Over 45 Draft Beers . House Win,e s -_ . 2 lf,f!Xt ARENA to, 3G364now&, r.ec:eivea FREE ppetize I Wednesday-Si nday 4 pm - 2 ,a m 380 Coal street, Wilkes BaNe 970-SS:29 - ease D -:nk Re.spansib y., Arena Bar and Gn--il will ncrt se.arve a.1cohn1 to anyone under I.he age of 21 , 1 Bette·r Beer• Better Food• Betl:er· Bar 'WWW. a r ,e n a bar.a n dg ri H .•c om �SPORTS SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 Cross country program makes strides BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Editor-in-Chief During the spring semester of 2008, Nick Wadas scrambled around campus, posting flyers everywhere in an attempt to revive the men and women’s cross country program that had been extinct for 16 years. Despite the stress of jumpstarting a dead program, Wadas was successful. Five runners showed up for the initial practice on August 18 and the numbers have improved ever since. To date, he has a full-fledged roster consisting of 10 male and seven female runners. But many would assume that the inaugural season for the Colonels will be a disaster. The already established programs with experienced runners and top recruits may graciously sprint ahead, leaving the Colonels to feel the breeze beneath their tanktops and small shorts as they finish toward the bottom of the stat sheet. “I think what they’re showing right now, a month later, will be a totally different team,” said the 26 year old head coach. “We may not win no championship, but they’re definitely going to have huge im- provements.” Both the men and women teams finished among the top-ten this weekend at Cedar Crest College in Allentown. The men’s team finished ninth out of 13 with sophomore Phat Nguyen leading the way for the Colonels. He placed 36th out of 118 runners with a time of 33:02.8. Senior Michael Griesemer finished second for the Colonels and 51st overall at the 35:44.7 mark. Sophomore Edward Penetar from Cabrini College led all runners, finishing in 26.54.9. The male race consists of an eightmile course. In the female competition, freshman Michelle Wakeley placed eighth overall for the Colonels with her time of 21.36.5. Seventeen minuites later, freshman Amelia Farnham sprinted across the finish line which made her the eleventh placer overall. The Lady Colonels finished 7th out of tweleve. The female race was a five mile run. “The whole team progressed from last week to this point and if we are able to continue to do that, then we should be able to be competitive,” said Wadas, the former assistant coach at the cross country program 18 The Beacon/ Gino Troiani at Misericordia. He left the Cougars in 2007 because he felt it was time to lead his own pack of runners. Wadas plans to make the practices harder in the upcoming weeks for the sake of speeding up the growing process being that his team is relatively inexperienced. They’ve been running sprints at about “75 percent” around the city and Wadas will increase the level of intensity. “We all are progressing; our times are getting faster and we are getting in shape,” said Darin Dolan, who’s currently completing his master’s degree in Marketing. “The thing is that we are a first-year team, so we all are just starting to know each other. Once we know each other, we will be a better team because we The Colonels cross country team practices outside will start pushing each other.” the Martz Gym in preparation for the Cedar Crest College Invitational. The women finished 7th and the men finishd 5th in Saturday’s competition. CHANGEABLE SK. ES LLC. Student Housing for the 21st Century 200 Sourl h Franiklini Street 41o~ - -,._,e~ • ~ , . "1:i,T ,~. .-4p.ObO 'l°'1 DIRECTLY ACRO-S S FROM THE LIBRARY! 'I/ ' Out of 7 apartments, only 3 are left: 2 Four Bedroom Apartments 1 TWo Bedroo1 m Ap,a rtment Ready for the beginning of the SPRING semester! ACT NOW, BEFORE THEY'RE G·O NE! ~otaHy Restored by ,c hangeable Skies LLC. C ON"fACT: 1 www.changeab eskies.com 1 e- I Henry will -am henryO~omcast.net 215-768-4619 �SPORTS SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 Lady Colonels soccer falls to visiting Moravian, 2-0 BY DANIEL KAUTZ half was denied by Moravian goalkeeper the middle of the box. The Lady Colonels Beacon Asst. Sports Editor Mikki Ruvolis, who made a brilliant div- were unable to capitalize, however, as the Despite relying on seven freshmen start- ing stop on freshman midfielder Lindsaw resulting shot wound up wide left. Katelyn ers, the Wilkes University women’s soccer Rowland’s low shot with ten minutes left to Killea of Moravian responded with a shot team was able to silence many critics after play. The two teams would play out the rest on goal six minutes later, but found her shot scooped up by Shetler. starting the season with a respectable 3-3 of the half aggressively but fail to score. record. The Lady Colonels were unable to defeat visiting Moravian College on September 13, however, losing a tough game by the score of 2-0. The opening of the first half saw both teams trade relentless attacks on goal. Moravian failed to take advantage of a great scoring opportunity at the thirty one minute mark, when a scramble in front of the goal drew freshmen goalkeeper Sarah Shetler out of the net. Fortunately for the Lady Colonels, the ball was successfully cleared by sophomore midfielder Alison Weidman and junior midfielder Ashley Deemie. Wilkes would respond on the other end of the field moments later, as Weidman and sophomore midfielder Taryn Hallowell worked together to send a shot wide right. Freshman forward Katy Fissel would add The Beacon / Jenna Stephens a shot of her own soon after, just missing a goal as the ball rolled into the side net- Freshmen Katy Fissel tangles with two Moravian midfielders during Saturday’s match, ting. Moravian’s Tracy Fitzpatrick stirred a 2-0 loss to Moravian at Ralston Field. Moravian would score the first goal of the The second half saw a renewed intensity the crowd at the twenty minute mark as her shot on goal landed on the netting behind from both sides in an effort to break the contest not a minute later though, as Terri the top crossbar, leading many to mistak- stalemate. At the thirty six minute mark, Roberts scored a dramatic header while siWeidman led a breakaway down the right multaneously falling into the net with sevenly assume she had scored. Wilkes’ best chance to score in the first side of the field before launching a cross to eral other players. Moravian gave Wilkes another scare immediately afterwards, as Tracy Fitzpatrick sent a soft grounder wide right of the goal after finding herself one on one with Shetler. The Lady Colonels refused to be discouraged after falling behind, showing great determination in several scoring chances. A strike from Fissel deflected off of a defender in front of the goal, and a long feed from sophomore defender Casandra Valentin to Weidman resulted in a save from Moravian’s keeper. Wilkes would regret failing to score on those two occasions, as Fitzpatrick would later head Moravian’s second goal into the net off of a corner kick from Roberts. Wilkes had a couple more opportunities to score on shots from Hallowell and freshman defender Megan Clementson, but could not find the back of the net. When asked after the game to describe the situation that allowed Moravian to score its first goal, Wilkes coach John Sumoski responded by deeming it a “good play with a great finish. We have a young defense that will make an occasional mistake, but they’re working very hard and improving with every game,” he stated. Said Hallowell after the game, “It was unfortunate that we let up goals on two set pieces, because I felt that both teams were evenly matched during the game; we can move ahead, though, knowing that we played very well.” Men’s soccer team wins two straight on the road BY DANIEL KAUTZ Beacon Asst. Sports Editor The following is a recap of last week’s games played by the men’s varsity soccer team. September 10, W 2-0 @ Muhlenberg Junior forward Bret Osswald and sophomore forward Ryan Phillips both scored goals in Wilkes’ win over Muhlenberg last Wednesday. Muhlenberg took 19 total shots, but was held scoreless by senior goalkeeper TJ Baloga and his nine saves. The Colonels took only seven shots, but were fortunate in having two of them find the back of the net. The win helped Wilkes improve its record to 2-2 on the season. September 13, W 2-0 @ Widener Osswald scored fifteen minutes into regulation against Widener on a cross from junior defender Troy Gibson, staking Wilkes to an early 1-0 lead. Junior forward Greg Miller would pad Wilkes’ lead soon after the start of the second half, scoring on an assist from freshmen midfielder Ed Zulkoski. Baloga recorded his second straight shutout and third of the season, making four saves against Widener. Both teams took ten shots during the game. The win was Wilkes’ second straight on the road and helped elevate their record to 3-2. Their next game is at home against Dickinson on Wednesday, September 17, at 4 P.M. The Colonels then find themselves hitting the road again, with a Saturday trip to Elizabethtown on the schedule. Football Men's Soccer Cross Country Volleyball L 13-6 @ Montclair State W 2-0@ Muhlenberg W 2-0 @Widener Men- 7th Women-9th W 3-0 Manhattanville Field Hockey W 2-1 @ Cabrini W 4-0 @ Marywood Women's Soccer L 3-0 @ Scranton L 2-0 Moravian Women's Tennis W 9-0 Alvernia Doubles: 3-0 Singles: 6-0 19 Scranton Tournament: L 3-1 Muhlenberg L 3-0 Oneonta State L 3-0 Ramapo L 3-1 Muhlenberg �SPORTS SEPTEMBER 16, 2008 Field hockey remains undefeated 4 games into season 20 Lady Colonels win games against Cabrini and Marywood BY ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Sports Editor The Lady Colonels field hockey team added another two games to the win column after defeating both Cabrini College, 2-1, and Marywood University, 4-0, on the road. Junior Amanda Tilley was first to score for the Colonels. She connected on a shot eight minutes into the game. Freshman Chelsea Minx scored the eventual game winner shortly after Tilley’s first half goal and the Lady Colonels never looked back. With approximately six minutes left in first half, Cabrini came within one when Lauren Alessi scored; however the Cavaliers never connected again. Freshman goalkeeper Lindsey Davenport remained strong in the cage for the Colonels by posting nine saves in the game. Head Coach Sara Myers was impressed with the Colonels effort Tuesday evening as several key players missed the game due to illness or evening classes. Some players who may not have had the opportunity to play prior to the Cabrini game were given a chance to do so and performed well Myers said. “We had a lot of different players playing different and new positions to adjust to those who weren’t able to make the game and the exciting thing for me was that you couldn’t tell that people were playing in the wrong spot and you couldn’t tell we were missing key players for us because a lot of people stepped up and played a great game,” Myers said. “It showed we have a lot of depth on the team and that we have a lot of heart and I think that’s really important.” The Colonels next traveled up 81 North to visit Marywood University on Saturday September 13. Wilkes dominated the first half of play scoring three goals to the Pacers zero. Senior forward Alyssa Koncelik scored the first goal and sophomore 16 Audition to be the new Colonel mascot from 11:00a.m. to 5:00p.m. at the UCOM. Auditions will also be held on Wednesday at the same time. Alyson Paulauskas scored the following two. Koncelik scored the final goal of the game shortly into the second half. Davenport remained strong in net for the Colonels, stopping all four of Marywood’s shots. During the closing ten minutes of the game, freshman goalkeeper Julienne Hanley replaced Davenport. All the Lady Colonels field players received playing time during the game against the Pacers, which is something rare for the large team of 23 field players. “An exciting thing about today was all the field players went in. We have a huge team so it’s really hard to get everyone into a game but the best part was when everyone was in we still had control of the ball,” Myers said. The team also overcame an obstacle partially caused by the heavy rain Friday September 12. “I think coming into today’s game we had high expectations as to what we could do today and there were some obstacles, like the field, that I think held us back in the first couple minutes of the game but once we got the hang of it and played through I thought we stepped up to the ball and made a lot of great things happen on the field,” Myers explained. Despite the success of the field hockey team thus far, it is important for them to continue to improve and not become comfortable with their current play. “Our motto is to never be satisfied and I think that’s something that we are really working on through the month of September, to never be satisfied with a win and never be satisfied with two wins. It’s never enough so we are hoping that that carries over into all of our upcoming games,” Myers said. Team captain Brittany Sines believes go- ing undefeated in the first four games of the season is great for the team, especially since the team has never won four straight games; however Sines referred to the team motto for the future. “It’s a great thing [going undefeated]. It makes us never want to settle. We want to go 5-0 and then 6-0,” Sines said. Being a captain, Sines tries to set an example for the team in an effort to challenge everyone not to become comfortable in their current playing ability. “I try as hard as I can in practice and games. I try to set an example for other teammates,” Sines commented. The Lady Colonels are busy in action this week visiting Arcadia on Monday September 15 and then hosting Gwynedd Mercy Thursday September 18 at 4:00p.m. and Keystone College on Saturday September 20 at 1:00p.m. The Beacon/ Alissa Lindner Number 16 Kim Baldino and number 13 Lindsey Raleigh stand in defense as Marywood smacks the ball from the sideline at Saturday’s game against the Pacers. 17 Enjoy coffee hour for the Center for Global Education and Diversity at the Savitz Multicultural Lounge in the Student Center at 3:00p.m. every Wednesday. 18 19 Go to Party on the Square from 5:00p.m. to 9:00p.m. on Wilkes Barre‛s Public Square. Free food, live music and lots of pirizes! Join in on the 3rd Friday Art Walk touring galleries and exhibits throughout downtown Wilkes-Barre. Visit artsyouniverse.com for more info. 20 Attend Le Grand Cirque in the Wachovia Arena. Tickets range from $35 to $55 and the show starts at 7:30p.m. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon 2008 September 16th Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 September 16 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/7c480d30cf118e06f8e768972a43a406.pdf 310979f646722996723e61873ffd918e PDF Text Text The Times Leader gets a new mural PAGE 12 Collegefreshman & binge drinking PAGE9 OLYMPIC AGE SCANDAL PAGES The I SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW Volume 61 Issue 1 GreenPrint policy limits student paper use on campus Center for BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon News Editor Global Education This summer, Wilkes University took another step toward environmental awareness and Diversity and resource conservation by limiting the number of pages students are allowed to opens print on campus for free. According to the GreenPrint Policy, effective since May 14, 2008, the policy establishes a per-student printing quota of 550 pieces of paper that “works to reduce excessive printing practices on campus in ways that align with broader campus-wide initiatives aimed at making Wilkes a more environmentally responsible community.” Through GreenPrint, Wilkes is aiming to reduce the university’s carbon footprint. According to Mike Salem, Chief Information Officer of Information Technology (IT) Services, a study of campus printing was conducted during Fall 2007. “A year and a half ago, there was an instructional technology committee where the idea for [limiting paper use] came up. They asked us to do some investigation and we did… We started monitoring the prints and collecting statistics,” said Salem. The study indicated that 85 percent of students print less than 500 pages per semester, while 15 percent of students account for 50% of all usage. BY AMY FUSCO Beacon Asst. News Editor The Beacon/Jenna Stephens The Farley Library is one of many locations on campus where students can print pages for ten cents each and check their remaining balance. The first 550 pages are free. Unused prints will not carry over for students to use next semester. Students are allocated $55 worth of prints of the balance on a student’s account can be per semester. At ten cents per page, each seen in the upper right hand corner of the student is now allowed 500 prints, plus an monitor after logging onto the majority of additional 50 for any mistakes or technical computers on campus. Ten cents for each difficulties, such as paper jams, accidental See GREENPRINT page 4 reprints and issues with toner. A countdown Merriman assumes new post as Sports Information Director BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Editor-in-Chief Wilkes athletic director Addy Malatesta launched the replacement search for a new sports information director in April after John Seitzinger resigned for a job with the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The athletic department posted the job opening and all candidates were “outstand- ing” according to Malatesta’s standards. In June 2008, she pulled 34-year-old Craig Merriman from Texas A&M Corpus Cristi to serve as the new Sports Information Director (SID) for all varsity sports. “We were hopeful to attract a sports information director that had a number of years of experience,” Malatesta said. “Because John was a season veteran, and well re- ONTHEWEB www.wilkesbeacon.com beaconarchives. wilkes.edu INDEX News ............... 1-5 Opinion........... 6-8 spected in the conference, we knew he was going to leave a void. So I think when we were searching, we weren’t going to try and look for someone who was just starting off in the field. And with Craig’s credentials, he came highly recommended to us. I think we made a very good choice with him.” Merriman began his career as an assistant See SID page 18 Lifestyles ....... 9-11 A&E ............ 12-15 Sports .......... 16-20 The former prime minister of India, Indira Gandhi once said, “You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.” By opening a new space on campus dedicated to diversity and study abroad, Wilkes is seeking to shake hands with the world. Students and faculty members now have a one-stop place to learn about diversity and global education through the new Center for Global Education and Diversity located at the Max Roth building on the corner of South and South Franklin Streets. An inauguration for the Center will take place September 12 beginning with a celebration of cultural heritage flags in the Henry Student Center at 1 p.m. and ending with a reception at the Max Roth building at 5 p.m. “We are in the process of refining our mission and our goals, but the mission partly includes bringing all of the services and programming that we provide for global education and diversity under the same roof,” said Dr. Maria Suarez, the interim special assistant to the president for Diversity and Global Education. The idea for the center came about from recommendations made by the Diversity Task Force which studied the university’s strengths and weaknesses in addressing diversity needs. The Board of Trustees approved the proposal for the center last spring. See CENTER page 2 Established 1936 w· > · > PA Newspaper · .· ·· · Association Member . . ·. ·· �PAGE 3 CENTER from FRONT PAGE NEWS SEPTEMBER which involves an international student and a domestic student teaming up to converse for a few hours a week. She is looking forward to the cultural exchanges between the students. In addition to the Intensive English Program, an immigration specialist is staffed at the center. “I help students from overseas with their immigration issues. I also help faculty members get 9, 2008 assistant director of International Student and Faculty Services. Dr. Godlove Fonjweng, director of Global Education, explained that the center will aim to make the university like a home to the international students and help them succeed in the academic environment here. The center is also here for students who wish to study overseas. “One of the key elements is to CONTACT INFORMATION: nicole.frail@wilkes.edu amy.fusco@wilkes.edu danielle.hritzak@wilkes.edu wilkesbeacon.news@gmail.com of courses that students need to create a globalized environment,” Fonjweng stated. He is looking forward to faculty developing courses related to globalization. Georgia Costalas, assistant director for Global Education explains that the “Center oversees the programming of activities throughout the year which provide opportunities for members of the “One part of our mission is educating the population about really all that Wilkes has in terms of the increasing diversity and valuing everyone,” said Brandon Ice, Associate Director of Diversity Initiatives. The center offers training for student groups, advising and will help students transition into the Wilkes environment. The center will also provide support in case of incidents that might happen on campus involving discrimination of any kind. He explained that diversity is a broad topic; it includes race, gender, class, sexual orientation and religion, etc. One major component of the center is its Intensive Greece English Program (IEP), • which is run by Kimberly •• •• TIN AMERICA • • • Niezgoda. International China •• students are taught English Dominican Republic 30 hours a week and there are five levels of it. This year, approximately 40 new international students were admitted directly into the Kenya program when they were Saudi Arabia accepted at Wilkes. An activity that The Beacon/Alison Woody Niezgoda would like temporary worker visas for being incorporate globalization into the community to learn about differto see grow is the a professor or a researcher in an- curriculum; one of our main tasks ent issues [with diversity], but also conversation other country,” explained Marcie is to work with Student Affairs to provide opportunities for groups p a r t n e r , Riebe, immigration specialist and ensure that we get the right kinds to get together to enjoy ac- The Beacon/Amy Fusco BEAC ON Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 130 S. River St, First Floor, Conyngham Hall Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 PHONE: (570) 408-5903 EMAIL: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com Editorial Staff 2008-09 Editor-in-Chief: Carlton Holmes Opinion Editor: Gino Troiani Managing Editor: Andrew Seaman Lifestyles Editor: Christa Sgobba Design Chief: Alison Woody A/E Editor: Alyssa Benner Advertising Manager: Zavaskas Sports Editor: Alissa Lindner TheChristine Beacon/Jenna Stephens News Editor: Nicole Frail Photo Editor: Jenna Stephens Advisor: Dr. Andrea Breemer Frantz 2 tivities.” Programs that are already underway include the Global Partners Program that is looking for American students to join with international students to learn about each other’s language and culture and Global Families Program, in which a domestic family can host an international student to better learn about different cultures. Jennifer Jones, a sophomore at Wilkes, is a student volunteer at the Center’s office. She said, she “love[s] to help out the staff members and [she] feel[s] very comfortable in the center’s atmosphere.” The Center for Global Education and Diversity has a variety of multicultural events planned for the year, including a coffee hour, every Wednesday from 3-5pm that is open to anyone on campus. The Inauguration program and a listing of other activities and events can be found in a booklet of events at the center. In the near future, there will be a logo competition for students to create a logo for the center; prizes will be awarded. I �SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon Managing Editor Summer ‘08 Political Analysis The conventions are over, the vice presidential candidates have been chosen, and now the election has reached the home stretch. Fewer than 60 days separate either Illinois Sen. Barack Obama or Arizona Sen. John McCain from what is arguably the most powerful position in the world. Since the 2007/2008 school year ended in May there have been many developments in the presidential election worth revisiting to kick off the fall semester’s ongoing analysis. Saturday, June 7, 2008: Surrounded by the marble columns of the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-NY, officially bowed out from the presidential race. In front of thousands of supporters and her family, Clinton threw her support behind her Democratic opponent, Sen. Barack Obama. “I endorse him and throw my full support behind him and I ask all of you to join me in working as hard for Barack Obama as you have for me,” said Clinton. Clinton had been a frontrunner for the Democratic nomination and handily won Pennsylvania’s primary last spring. Thursday, July 24, 2008: Sen. Barack Obama addressed over 200,000 people in front of the Victory Column in Berlin, Germany. Obama’s stop in Germany was just one of several that drew huge crowds on a seven-nation tour through the Middle East and Europe. Obama came under fire from Sen. John McCain, his Republican opponent, for the trip, but while in London, Obama defended his decision to campaign abroad. “This was important for me not only to try to highlight or amplify how the international situation affects our economy back home but also hopefully to give people at home and also leaders abroad some sense of where an Obama administration might take our foreign policy,” Obama said. Saturday, August 16, 2008: Both presidential candidates appeared with Rick Warren, pastor of the large and influential Saddleback Church, to answer questions about their stance on various issues. Saddleback NEWS Church is considered a “megachurch” with approximately 23,000 members, and is located in Lake Forest, California. Many eyes were on both candidates during the question and answer session. Sen. Barack Obama worked to woo conservative Christian voters and to fight an underground movement to paint him as Muslim. Sen. John McCain needed to solidify himself with evangelical leaders who reluctantly endorsed him because of his “maverick” ways. Media pundits and political analysts called McCain’s performance with Warren superior and more popular with viewer’s than Obama’s. Saturday, August 23, 2008: Sen. Barack Obama announced that he would welcome Sen. Joe Biden, D-DE, to join him on the Democratic ticket in November. Biden, a 35-year veteran of the Senate, was born in Scranton, PA and moved to Delaware when he was 10 years old. Biden brings some characteristics to the Democratic ticket that Obama lacked, including foreign policy experience. The choice was praised by most Democrats but criticized by many Republicans. Ben Porritt, spokesman for Sen. John McCain, said, “Biden has denounced Barack Obama’s poor foreign policy judgment and has strongly argued in his own words what Americans are quickly realizing that Barack Obama is not ready to be president.” Monday, August 25 to Thursday, August 28, 2008: The Democratic National Convention was held in Denver, Colorado. During the four-night event the Democratic Party put on what seemed more like a rock concert than a political convention. Noteworthy speakers at the convention included Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Sen. Joe Biden and Sen. Barack Obama. Obama’s speech at Denver’s Invesco Field, home of the Denver Broncos, was meant to emulate John F. Kenndy’s acceptance speech almost forty years ago. In his speech Obama put forth what many people were waiting for - a blueprint for an Obama administration. According to Nielsen, the official television rating system, 38.4 million people watched Obama accept his party’s nomina- 3 Speakers at the convention included fortion. Friday, August 29, 2008: After keeping mer New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a tight lid on who his choice would be for a Gov. Mike Huckabee, Cindy McCain, Laurunning mate, Sen. John McCain rocked the ra Bush, President George W. Bush, Palin political world by choosing Sarah Palin, a and McCain. Nielsen said that 38.9 million people first term Alaskan governor. Palin brings many things to the Republi- watched McCain accept his party’s nominacan ticket. For one, the gun shooting, NRA, tion, which is slightly more than the numfar right conservative helps solidify Mc- ber that watched Obama accept his nominaCain with the party’s base, which views tion. Looking Ahead: On September 26, 2008, him as a “maverick.” Palin may also woo some former Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton the first presidential debate will be held at supporters who are reluctant to support Sen. the University of Mississippi. The debate will focus on issues pertaining to foreign Barack Obama. During a campaign stop in Dayton, Ohio, affairs and national security. On October 2, McCain said that he chose Palin for many 2008 the Vice Presidential debate between reasons, but he believes “she’s got the grit, Sen. Joe Biden and Gov. Sarah Palin will be integrity, and good sense and fierce devo- held at Washington University in St. Louis. tion to the common good that is exactly Biden is expected to bury Palin in foreign policy experience; however, after a fiery acwhat we need in Washington today.” Since McCain’s announcement a lot of at- ceptance speech at the RNC, Democrats are tention has been brought to McCain’s vet- watching Palin much more closely. Expect all four candidates to spend time in ting process, as the two had met and spoken only briefly twice before the nomination. Pennsylvania. The state, along with Ohio, In addition, news that Palin was under in- Florida, Minnesota, Iowa, New Mexico, vestigation for corruption in Alaska and and Montana are all deemed “in play,” by that her 17-year-old, unmarried daughter analysts and the cumulative electoral votes was pregnant caused analysts to speculate will be considered essential for a win. on the impact both pieces of information might have on the campaign. McCain campaign spokespeople said that they knew of both situations before the announcement was made. Monday, September 1 to Thursday, September 4, 2008: The Republican National Convention was held in Minneapolis-St.Paul, MN, after a one-day postponement due to Hurricane Gustav. Republicans felt that this would be the wrong time for a political event. During the convention, Republican speakers went after Democratic challenger Sen. Barack Obama, highlighting specifically his inexperience. The attacks against Sen. John McCain’s running mate, Gov. Sarah Palin, for the same issue were redirected at Obama by saying that Palin at least has executive experience as View our menu online at www.corkdining.com mayor and governor. 463 Madison Street Wilkes-Barre 270.3818 �SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 GREENPRINT from FRONT PAGE page printed after 550 will be charged to the accounts at the end of the semester. Each student will start the spring semester with 550 prints as unused pages will not carry over. Faculty and staff do not face GreenPrint limitations. According to the second issue of the IT newsletter, the GreenPrint policy can save Wilkes 500,000 pages per year. The environmental impact the policy can have may result in saving 59 trees, lowering the carbon footprint of the university by 18,500lbs. Each student can find out how many trees they’ve used and other environmental facts pertaining to their own printing throughout the course of the semester by clicking in the yellow tracker box on campus computers. “I suspect that there will be some savings in paper and toner expenses with the reduction in print,” added Salem. “I applaud the University’s effort to reduce its carbon footprint and deliver on some of the environmental objectives outlined in the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment that our president has signed. However, I’m not sure the university has thoroughly examined the consequences for both students and faculty,” said Dr. Sid Halsor, professor of geology. “For instance, I frequently use lecture slides and I urge my students to access a slide file prior to the lecture and print them out (handout mode, 3 slides per page) and bring the handout to lecture. My students need to build notes around the slides and this format allows that to happen. At three pages per lecture and three lectures per week this translates into over 125 sheets of paper or about 23 percent of a student’s allocation. And this is just lecture notes for one class and does not include research paper and homework assignments…” For courses that require the printing of Power Point slides or notes for each class meeting, such as Halsor’s, Salem recommends that students print on both sides of each piece of paper, which would use only one of the 550 pages allotted. Printers in all Open Access Labs, the Nursing lab in University Towers, and numerous rooms in SLC are able to print on both the back and front of papers. Open Access Labs include the library, Student Center, Breiseth second floor and the SLC lobby. “I think most students will be fine. I think the idea of a limitation is a little scary for NEWS 4 needed and submitting assignments electronically when the option is available. Turning off graphics in Web browsers and printing nine slides on each page of Power Point notes can also save paper. Saving documents that may need to be printed at a later date may also be useful for students, but Salem cautions that students should use their home drive (H: drive) or portable hard-drives instead of leaving emails or assignments in their Wilkes inboxes online. Student inboxes can store up to 70megabytes, but large attachments and mismanagement of Sent and Deleted folders can quickly fill up available space. Previously, a student could not send emails when storage reached 60MB and could not send or receive when the account reached full capacity. IT has recently changed the storage thresholds on student email accounts: a send block will occur at 70MB but students will - 85% of Wilkes students print less than 500 pages be able to keep receiving mail even at per semester full capacity. “There is another option for students - 15% of Wilkes students account for 50% of all and that’s to use Outlook Express. printing paper usage on campus What this does is it takes the mail out - Wilkes will save 500,000 pages of paper per year of your mailbox and brings it down to your computer; therefore, you don’t with GreenPrint. Fifty-nine trees will be saved and have the mail stored in your mailbox the university will lower its carbon footprint by anymore so you don’t have the quota problem,” said Salem. “In your com18,500lbs. puter, you can keep as much mail as - Each student is allowed 550 free prints. Each you want forever. The only drawback additional print costs 10 cents and will be added to is that if you go to a lab and you get on to the student accounts at the end of the semester. portal and you click on - Saving documents until printing is necessary, email, any email you brought down to your turning off graphics in Web browsers and printing computer you can’t see on both sides of the paper can save students paper. anymore unless you’re on your [personal] computer.” Outlook Express is part of the Microsoft Office Suite. A limited number of Microsoft Office Suite 2007 for PC and 2008 for Mac is available for $9.99 to Wilkes students with ID at Barnes & Noble downtown. With the GreenPrint policy in place, Wilkes joins universities such The Beacon/Alison Woody as Penn State, Temple, Having been approached by numerous “I think the 550 sheets of paper allocation and Carnegie Mellon with student print students who had concerns regarding the will create a hardship for many students and quotas. Penn State offers 110 pages to new printing policy, P1 pharmacy student I would urge the university to review the their students at five cents per page while Charles Siarkowski spoke for his class- policy and look for creative ways to allevi- Carnegie Mellon offers 800 pages, also at five cents per page. mates at a Student Government meeting on ate the hardship,” said Halsor. More information about the GreenAugust 27. Aside from using both sides of the paper Print policy can be found on the MyWil“We have fewer resources to work with… when printing, GreenPrint conservation kes portal. If the student does have something in their hints also include only printing what is truly students and it automatically causes them to panic… Statistically, they predict that it shouldn’t affect a lot of students,” said Dr. Ebonie Stringer, assistant professor of sociology. Stringer has made the printing of Power Point slides optional for students this semester, but still requires a hardcopy of any term papers instead of electronically submissions through email or MyWilkes. “People have different versions of word processing programs, so unless it’s a PDF file, I can’t guarantee that I can open it… There are 82 people in Soc 101, times five [pages] maximum for the main paper. I have to have hardcopies to provide easy feedback for students,” she added. email or hard-drive that they need, they are going to have to print it out eventually,” said Siarkowski. “It seems like we might need more than [the additional] 50, but we won’t know until the end of the semester. Just because we have 550 to use, doesn’t mean we have to use it… “ Siarkowski added, “Do we have the technology to back this stuff up? I watched Captain Planet as much as any other kid growing up and going green is a good idea, but what happens if I have 10 assignments due and I have to put off sending one until the day it’s due and the portal is down or the internet isn’t working? I feel much safer having that assignment in my hand as a hard copy.” The Beacon Archives / Nick Zmijewski �NEWS SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 5 SG Notes September 3, 2008 Treasurer’s Report All College: $45,000.00 General: $9,330.85 Special Projects: $3,500.00 Spirit: $2,000.00 Leadership: $3,744.59 Conferences: $12,500.00 Start-Up: $1,500.00 Club Reports The following clubs presented updates on their events. Programming Board New Business · Dr. Reynold Verret and Petra Carver Q&A- SG members were able to speak with the guests about the printing issue and Wilkes University “Going Green” policies. · Students for Environmental Sustainability (SES) Club- A student presented the idea for this club to SG. The decision on whether it will be a club is in process. The announcement will be made in the next two weeks. · Step Club- wants to change the name of it. It will be called Wilkes University Step Association. Process will be complete in the next two weeks. · Rock Wall Training- discussion of SG members, among other members of the Wilkes community, being trained. · Fall Elections- Signatures September 8th through the 19th; Elections September 22nd through the 24th. · Homecoming- date is the week of September 29th. Activities are being planned. The Homecoming Dance is October 3rd. Old Business Going Green SG Table Events Club Day September 4th 11-1pm * At 8 p.m., a motion was made to adjourn the SG meeting. The motion was approved. The Beacon/Jenna Stephens SG meetings are open to all students. They are held every Wednesday in the Miller Conference room on the second floor of the HSC. On Friday, September 5, the building that was previously a home to Rodano’s Pizza was demolished. It was located on 155 North Main Street. The new Rodano’s will be on Public Square and owner Frank Rodano will be employing 25 to 30 new people. Having once been a hot spot for the community, people can still enjoy Rodano’s atmosphere in its new location. s c3 "E3 LIV'E!S - D c5I. E! 1E ra ■ P c3.s 1--- r ■ lll =-• -■ p 1 't • ·I 1• - ■-ath nter-state Blood Bl. IP llasma1 ln,c_ 6 16 5 c ,a e · ~ · .•· e ,7 ke,s -lB a 1e., Pa 1C a -570 - 823-,4 119 _, �The Angry Rant: Hollister PAGE 7 Opinion SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 CONTACT INFORMATION: gino.troiani@wilkes.edu lauren.salem@wilkes.edu wilkesbeacon.oped@gmail.com Amethyst Initiative rallies to lower drinking age to 18 BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD In July 2008, Jon McCardell, former president of Middlebury University, along with presidents and chancellors of other colleges and universities launched the Amethyst Initiative, a push to raise awareness of binge drinking among young people and debate the current drinking age. In 1984, Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act. The law penalized states 10% of their federal highway funds if they set a drinking age below 21. After nearly 25 years, the law is finally being reconsidered. Since July 2008, over 120 prominent collegiate officials have signed the Amethyst Initiative. Some notable supporters include presidents at Duke, Dartmouth, John Hopkins, and Ohio State. Regional signatories include President Rev. Thomas O’Hara at King’s College, President Joseph Brosnan at Delaware Valley College, and President L. Jay Lemons at Susquehanna University. Those who have signed the initiative emphasize that the goal is not to just lowering the drinking age to 18. “They feel...if it were decriminalized so to speak, that there would be students who would be less apt to overindulge,” explained Paul Adams, Vice President of Wilkes University Student Affairs. Those who have signed on to the Amethyst Initiative argue that the current drinking age encourages “a culture of dangerous, clandestine ‘binge-drinking’ often conducted off-campus.” Thus, if students are compelled to be secretive, get fake IDs and also travel off-campus, the health and legal risks increase dramatically. The campus leaders who champion the Amethyst Initiative argue for a “robust” public discussion about alcohol education and legal drinking age. Indeed, underage drinking is the elephant in the room at most colleges. At the undergraduate level, the vast majority of most campuses are comprised of students under 21 years old. Thus, most schools have no choice but to take an abstinence-only approach to alcohol education. Talking about and to students who break the law as well as endanger themselves and others is a tough issue to tackle publicly. But who can blame them? How are college officials effectively to teach/promote safe drinking habits to students, the majority of whom are underage? The truth is the current age is simply not working. Too many times we read the tragic stories of college students who literally “drink themselves to death.” According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, an average of 1,700 people ages 1824 will die this year due to alcohol related injuries. But could these deaths be prevented if institutions could more effectively educate and promote safe drinking habits? Wilkes University President Tim Gilmour seems to think so. “...This idea that absolutely not drinking as the only solution is just not practical...What it is, is knowing what your limits are, and behaving responsibly around those limits.” Naturally, supporters have encountered some push back from various organizations. “To put things politely, [the Amethyst Initiative proposal is] horse manure,” said David Muldhum of Mothers against Drunk Driving (M.A.D.D.). According to M.A.D.D. an estimated 25,000 lives have been saved by the 21 Minimum Legal Drinking Age passed in 1984. However, The Beacon found that the downward trend in alcohol related traffic fatalities actually began in the 1960s, just as states were lowering their drinking ages. In addition, statistics that claim a downward trend in traffic fatalities cannot exclusively point to alcohol and the higher legal drinking age as the sole cause. These numbers do not take into consideration issues such as the technological advancements in the medical field, communication and response time improvements, and vehicle safety standards as part of the broader story. The power to lower the drinking age lies within the states, but it is unlikely that any state would risk 10% of its highway funds to do so. The only realistic solution would be if the federal government repealed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act so that states would still receive the total amount of highway funds. Then states would be able to reasonably consider all issues and facts and make a decision appropriate for constituents. At the age of 18, American men and women are allowed to vote, sign contracts, and die for the country, but are still unable to have a beer. If the government says that 18 is a legal adult on most other fronts, then why not alcohol consumption? What is known for sure is that Wilkes has yet to sign the initiative, but President Gilmour and his cabinet are in the process of formulating an official stance. We applaud the goal of current signatories to encourage robust discussion-the issues at stake are cultural, political, and economic and are certainly complex. They demand public attention and those who have signed the Amethyst Initiative have taken a brave lead in spurring that discussion forward. 6 Point 1 - Over 120 College and University officials have joined to debate the current drinking age. Wilkes is in the process of making a final decision. Point 2 - The National Minimum Drinking Age Act would penalize states 10% of highway funds if drinking age is lower than 21. Point 3 - We applaud the goal of current signotories to encourage robust discussion. The Beacon/Gino Troiani �OPINION SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 7 The Angry Rant: Hating Hollister BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Staff Writer Courtesy of Valhallatorrent.org Note: This rant was originally going to be about the election; about how our country will make history in November. With the Democratic National Convention two weeks ago and the Republican National Convention last week, it seemed I was spoiled with a glut of important topics to talk about, including, but not limited to: Does Obama’s skin color matter? (It doesn’t), Does anyone care that Sarah Palin’s daughter is pregnant? (Nope), Is free health care a good idea (Nah), Will John McCain really follow Bin Laden to the gates of hell? (Probably not, but that would be totally cool), and finally, Did Juno deserve an Academy Award (You all know the answer to that.) My editors were thrilled that I was apparently trying to make difference, and in the midst of such a crucial election, I felt it was my duty as an educated individual to do all that I can to influence the students at this fine university. Then I realized something: I’m not even registered to vote! Why should I care that Obama didn’t pick a female for his VP or if that old guy wants to give Texas back to Mexico, or some crap like that. No way, this week, I’ve got bigger fish to fry. Hollister, I hate you. You, along with your cronies over at Abercrombie and Fitch (technically, they’re your parent company, but who cares) are the bane of my existence. Yes, I realize that it’s trivial to be upset by a company that manufactures poor quality clothing at the low, low cost of a full tank of gas, but still. You fight your battles, I’ll fight mine. W h y the ire, Hollister? Perhaps it’s the fact that your clothes are built for 160 pound “men” who have moppy hair and a penchant for calling each other “brosef.” Seriously, have you ever tried to shop there? An extra-large is really a large, a large is a women’s small, and a small, well, let’s just say that you have to go two stores down to the Baby Gap if you want to find someone comparable to that. Also, your logo is a seagull. Your graphic representation is a bird that flies around barges and eats garbage all day. You’ve effectively chosen the pigeon of the sea to be your mascot. Canada has a better symbol. Yes, a maple leaf trumps your bird. Just think about that. I f that weren’t enough, maybe my anger comes from the fact that you don’t have clearly marked sections in your store. There are sections marked “dudes” and “bettys”, which I am to assume is some secret surfer (see also: hippie) code for “male” and “female”, but how am I to know that? While your PR department was busy handing out that memo, I suppose I was too busy not being a complete douche somewhere. Can I say douche? I can? Awesome. Anyhow, what happens if you’re a dude Cartoon by: Gino Troiani named Betty? Then where do you go? Of course, if you do have the misfortune of being a dude named Betty, then you probably have bigger challenges than navigating in a Hollister, but I digress. Or, maybe I hate you because I can’t walk past the entrance of one of your stores without seeing a 15-foot picture of a guy whose junk is hanging out. Not that I’m looking for that thing, mind you, but it’s hard to miss, even for a blind person who has just been gouged in the eyes repeatedly with a branding iron. But really, is that necessary? Is that supposed to lure me into your store so I can buy a bottle of $35 cologne that’s been so cleverly named “Jake?” Good name, Hollister. Was “Toolbag” already taken? Honestly, I’m afraid that if I take one step closer to your store, Chris Hansen of Dateline NBC is going to step out, ask me what I’m doing there, then proceed to question why I was “just stopping by” with a case of Mike’s Hard Lemonade and a webcam. That’s what we call “entrapment,” Hollister. You should know better. Perhaps my ire comes from the unnecessarily loud music that blasts throughout the speakers, making it nearly impossible to hear the employees,which, isn’t that big of a deal, because, let’s face facts: If they are working at a Hollister, they don’t really have anything intelligent to say, do they? I mean, anything beyond the realm of “Hey, is this leather bracelet on sale?” is probably too much for these geniuses. If the loud music (usually Maroon 5 or James Blunt) isn’t grating enough for your senses, then get ready for the acrid smell of the aforementioned cologne that is being pumped through the vents like it’s a deadly toxin in an episode of “24.” I swear every one of your stores smells worse than a prostitute convention after the fifth round of vodka martinis and Vicodins have been served. But, really, Hollister, I just hate you because your clothes are awful, and you want to get everyone to conform to the same stereotype of tribal tattoos, pastel shirts and pre-ripped jeans. Essentially, you’re cranking out thousands of people who look just like Spencer from The Hills. Am I jealous? Nope. I’ll stick with my cargo shorts and Led Zeppelin shirt. And I’ll be just fine. �OPINION SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 8 IOC investigation into age fraud necessary Age minimums in place for a reason BY LAUREN SALEM Beacon Asst. Op-Ed Editor According to an August 14 article, “The Medal Machine is Cranking,” in Time magazine, “On the eve of the Olympics, Huang Yubin, head coach of China’s gymnastics squad, said he would ‘jump off the highest building’ if his team won only one gold.” Huang may have backed away from the ledge when his team won China gold in individual and team, but the outcome of an ongoing investigation ordered by the International Olympic Committee might push him over the edge. China’s star player in the Olympic gymnastic games, He Kexin, won gold medals in both team and individual events, but suspicions about her underage status may spoil China’s victory. If the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirms that He was only 14 during the Olympic year, the Chinese phenom could be stripped of her medals. Primary documents issued by the General Administration of Sport of China suggest evidence that He was indeed underage, which means that China may get the gold only for ‘age falsification’. In 1981, the minimum age requirements for international gymnastics competition were increased from 15 to 16 to protect the mental and physical health of the competitors. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Yang Yun, a Chinese gymnast, w o n (but did not deserve) the bronze medal in the uneven bars competition, because she was underage. According to Yang’s passport, she was born on December 24, 1984 and was turning 16 the year of the Olympic games, but local registries, athletic records, and news articles prior to the Olympics said she was 14. Yang later confessed in a television interview that she Photos edited by: Gino Troiani was only 14 at the time of the Olympics and that she and her coaches lied about her age. According to an August 22 TimesOnline article, “international Olympic Committee Launches Probe...” Mike Walker, a computer security expert, triggered the investigation after he found two Excel spreadsheets on the Chinese government’s official sports website that stated He Kexin’s birth date was January 1, 1994, which makes her only 14. “These documents existed, on a state-wide website, and now they don’t exist, and this change has taken place recently,” Walker said. “I was interested because these were documents that no-one could find.” Walker told The Times that he wasn’t a sports fan, “but decided to investigate the issues to determine if the Chinese authorities were lying.” The China Daily article “Uneven-bars queen the new star in town” dated May 23, 2008, showed that He was 14, but was then mysteriously updated changing only her age. Another article written in 2007 by Xinhua referred to He as 13 years old. An official gymnastics roster dated January 27, 2006 published by the Chengdu government for its City Games, a competition in which He competed, shows that He’s birth date is January 1, 1994. Based evidence offered through these and other sources, it seems unlikely He Kexin is 16; therefore, she was not eligible to compete in the Olympics. By competing in The Beacon Poll Question This weeks question: the O l y m pics, she has cheated other eligible gymnasts out of the medals they earned. The ages of two other Chinese gymnasts, Jiang Yuyuan and Yang Yilin, are also questionable, but there is less evidence that supports media conjecture. He Kexin won the gold on the uneven bar finals even though both He and US gymnast Nastia Liukin scored a 16.725. Unlike in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, dual medals are no longer given to two gymnasts who have earned equal scores and a tiebreaker determines who wins gold and silver. According to The New York Times, “In the tie-breaking formula, He was given the gold medal because she had a lower average of deductions. The margin was a whisper-thin 0.033 points.” Perhaps the larger issue is why adults associated with international gymnastics competition actively appear to break the rules. Raising the age minimum to 16 was designed to protect exploitation of young athletes and is a noble goal. In gymnastics in particular, very young children run great physical and emotional risks as they face the pressure of world attention. It is unlikely that underaged athletes could or would initiate age deception without adult guidance. If He is, in fact, guilty of competing while under age, she should be made an example and lose her medals. However, the greater challenge is to find appropriate punishment for coach- es, government officials and parental figures, all of whom should certainly know better. The International Olympic Committee needs to take this investigation seriously if future Olympic competition is to remain fair for all. Should Wilkes President Gilmour sign the Amethyst Initiative? • Yes • No • Depends Even though Chana’s he Kexin and the United State’s Nastia Liuken tied in this years Olympic games, Kexin was awarded the gold medal. Above: He Kexin competes in the the uneven bars final. To left: The United States Nastia Liukin performs her balance beam routine. Speak Up! It’s Your Right! The Beacon wants your opinion. Concact us at: TheBeacon.OpEd @Gmail.com with your Name, Major, and Opinion! The Beacon reserves the right to edit submitted pieces for space and content. �Fenner Farms fresh produce at Wilkes PAGE 11 li ostyllos SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 CONTACT INFORMATION: christa.sgobba@wilkes.edu leeann.searfoss@wilkes.edu wilkesbeacon.lifestyles@gmail.com College freshmen take a shot at binge drinking BY CHRISTA SGOBBA Beacon Lifestyles Editor After spending four years at Wilkes University, Brian McCormick has attended enough parties to recognize the common denominator that fuels a noteworthy bash. According to McCormick, that fuel is alcohol. And there’s a lot of it guzzled down. “There were lots of house parties with lots and lots of alcohol,” said McCormick, who graduated in May of 2008 with a degree in business administration. “There were just a lot of people coming together for these parties and just drinking like crazy.” Binge drinking is not new to college campuses, but the intensity with which students engage in it is growing sharply. According to a 2007 report by The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University titled “Wasting the Best and the Brightest: Substance Abuse at America’s Colleges and Universities,” the percentage of students who reported binge drinking remained at 40 percent from 1993 to 2005. However, from 1993 to 2001, the proportion of students who reported drinking to get drunk rose more than 20 percent. The proportion of those who engaged in binge drinking frequently rose 16 percent. The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines binge drinking as consuming five or more drinks in a twohour period for males, and four or more drinks for females. According to McCormick, many students at Wilkes, especially freshmen, blow past that benchmark each night. “The freshmen act pretty crazy,” said McCormick. “If they knew a lot of people there, they’d do pretty much anything. I’ve seen someone jump off a roof onto a car.” Susan Biskup, a counselor at the Wilkes Counseling Center, believes that the peer and social pressures new freshmen face in the transition to college can contribute to their decisions to binge drink. “We can attribute some of it to our culture. The media, liquor stores, bars, and alcoholic beverage companies make drinking seem fun and attractive,” she said. “Also, college students are curious, and want to know what it is like to drink alcohol if they have not experienced it before.” Drinking past the point of tipsy was commonplace at the parties McCormick attended. He described drinking habits as varying from person to person, with some drinking only socially, while others “got completely wasted every night.” “Probably at every party I’ve been at, I’ve seen someone there passed out from drinking,” he said. From his experience over the years, McCormick has noticed that freshmen seem to make up the majority of those overindulging. He attributes this to the change in lifestyle from high school to college, as well as the desire to fit in with the upperclassmen. “I’d say by the time we were seniors, we weren’t completely crazy or out of control,” he said. “But it’s a new experience for the freshmen. They’re meeting a lot of new people, and they want to show off.” Gerry Rebo, the manager of Public Safety, agrees that the pressure of fitting in with the upperclassmen fuels freshmen binge drinking. “I think that freshmen have a ‘live-up-to’ feeling. They want to live up to what the juniors and seniors are doing in regards to drinking,” he said. “They get swayed by peer pressure, but they have to learn to take responsibility for themselves.” It takes only one episode of binge drinking to become acquainted with some of the results. Common short-term effects include nausea, vomiting, shakiness, memory loss, and hangovers. Long-term effects consist of physical and psychological dependence on alcohol, damage to the brain and liver, and sexual dysfunction. Biskup also notes that binge drinking can impair judgment, leaving students more vulnerable to sexual assault when under the influence of alcohol. “An example would be taking a ride home with someone you don’t know, or going to a dorm room with someone that you don’t have a sense of their trustworthiness,” she said. “Because of this impaired judgment, a student who has been drinking heavily is less likely to protect themselves from sexual assault.” Besides the physical consequences, students can also face legal sanctions for their bouts of underage drinking. Over the past few years, the numbers of alcohol-related offenses at Wilkes have remained nearly steady. In 2006, the most recent year statistics were available, Wilkes reported 94 alcohol-related offenses, included liquor law violations, drunkenness, and disorderly conduct. According Rebo, the city of Wilkes-Barre 9 has already issued several alcohol-related arrests and citations during the first week of classes. Besides possible criminal repercussions, University sanctions include fines, terminations, or suspensions, depending on the severity and number of the offenses. Last year, McCormick, who was 21, attended a party where some revelers were cited for underage drinking. “Every year there would be a few busts,” he said. “I know people in my class who have gotten underages, or multiple underages, and some who lost their licenses and couldn’t drive for a year. They had to go to court and pay a bunch of fines.” However, if the drinking age were lowered to 18, as advocated by over 100 college presidents who comprise the Amethyst Initiative, students would no longer face legal repercussions for drinking under the age of 21. While lowering the drinking age would cut down on underage alcohol violations on college campuses, many at Wilkes aren’t convinced it would curb the binge-drinking problem. Biskup believes that preventive programming and continued, constant enforcement of the law on campus would be a better solution than lowering the drinking age. “I have a hard time wrapping my head around such an idea,” Biskup said. “The brain formation of many of our students at the age of 18 is such that they are capable of high risk or impulsive behavior without the impairment of judgment that occurs when drinking.” According to Rebo, lowering the drinking age to 18 “would make drinking on campus out of hand.” Instead, students need to redefine the belief that alcohol must be present in order to have fun. “The problem is that students think it’s their right to drink and to party. They can still have fun, but alcohol doesn’t need to be involved,” he said. “They need to know that drinking under the age of 21 is a violation. It’s not OK just because you’re a University student.” Photo courtesy of Christa Sgobba �LIFESTYLES 10 SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 Dorm decorating without breaking the bank BY BETHANY YAMRICK Beacon Correspondent For most resident college students, the dorm functions as bedroom, study, hang out, and center of life. So, aesthetically, it should not reflect a prison cell. Decorating your space can make you feel at home and can create an inviting area for new friends. And it doesn’t have to be expensive. Since college students are basically broke, decorating should not take away from the budget for books, tuition, and meals. Here are some simple ways to Th e Be ac on /Je nn aS tep he ns jazz up your space while still being aware of the cost. -Color scheme is first and foremost. The base color can derive from your comforter, accented with throw pillows. Matching sheets, towels, rugs, lamps, bins, and accessories are an easy way to keep the necessities for your room functional and fashionable. Many department stores have established base themes, making it easy to buy in one shot, with colors that go well with items from different stores. -Cleaning products such as Febreze and Lysol are your friends. With a little cleaning, your nice-smelling room will be more inviting. And choosing darker rugs can show less dirt. -Extra seats such as the old-fashioned bean bag chairs would be useful. Also trendy this year are saucer chairs. Freshman Sara Cosgrove said they are “comfy and R .. s il. 2 · edi · 16"" Lq~ 12 ~ .Pa .P Ow· Ori "na[ ri Regiula.r C ut 'Wb.i ' Cut B'rocooli C'w: Tray Tay Tray l Sara Cosgrove, a freshman, shows off her new saucer chair. The Beacon/Bethany Yamrick ne Mo.zzar-. . Mjn-T ini Po o ll'IEZA. " ·. -i iaim . 1 Scavo said, “I took pieces from my room to make my dorm feel more like home.” Personalize your area, but also remember that you share it with another person, so it is important your roommate’s voice is not overshadowed by your designs. Try picking one color and both branching from there. Make those items that already match a common theme or color, a n d build off that. Have fun with it and make sure it reflects you. fold flat, so if you want to get rid of them you can just shove them somewhere.” -Organization is key to having an appealing, clutter-free thinking zone. A solution is plastic storage bins for under the bed. The biggest variety and best prices were available locally at Target. Other cheap finds include milk crates and wire box shelving. -Most importantly, think outside the box. When school shopping, Cosgrove said she “waited for stuff to go on sale and shopped around.” Ross Dress for Less had the cheapest bedding, Office Max the cheapest lamps and rugs, and the Bon Ton had sheets and towels on sale. Thrift stores always have unique finds. -Wall art is a must. Hanging up posters, pictures, tapestries, and other items make a large difference fast. There are corkboards dry erase boards, chalkboards, and French memo boards. To help personalize her room, Maria J sta - SA~~ T . & Chr:¢.s.~ Hillltl!& Ch.e e Club S'!!b . ·he .· e teil .. · ru 5) ('12 . , .s .1.2) (6 . . ch. zzlsphza ~ j· 0n'l,V'iib!.li- "'~ S~· Ni tm.1Jton st 825,- . 66 1 ,'7 Hot De:liMeh M:e.w~ w/ Ch ·- -~ o R~r.i,· ··n JJ .· PM SiAil: l. - . . - . . . .AAf - SUJ!I 2 hidc. . Bread. S'tlcks w/ ~ w/Thn , A_nitip:. to . C · sar C ef · ,l ad 1 ClUpy Chldr:n Chlc ·armd "__ Ort:e C Ttl:likc:y . · Clil.Gcs,c R ·· t Beef & Cb.eese g . J.ls 2 2 . S 3.9S r l led h~cken Crispy Chld, n Cali onw:1J Che · · Steak De.l ivery · Mtx & · · · '!1 �SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 LIFESTYLES 11 Organic produce makes its way into Wilkes’ cafeteria BY LEEANN SEARFOSS Beacon Asst. Lifestyles Editor The craze of “going green” has officially swept the nation. We are told to recycle, use products free of chemicals, and turn off the lights and water when they’re not in use, all in the hopes of gaining energy and extending the lifespan of products. Now, Wilkes University is following suit. In accordance with the Lands at Hillside Farms, Wilkes has created an urban entrepreneurial farm. Fenner Farm, once housed on the corner of South River and Ross Street, was developed by students to grow produce and become a learning tool about agriculture. “Hillside Farms really enjoys the relationship we have with Wilkes University and Fenner Farm,” said Christine Doherty, Agriculture Educator for the Lands at Hillside Farms. After a breakdown in soil deposits, Fenner Farm was relocated to the Lands at Hillside Farms in Back Mountain. “We are not sure what happened with the soil at Fenner Farm. We are looking into it,” said Andrew Pressman, farmer for Hillside Farms. Covering several thousand feet, Fenner Farm is home to crops such as arugula, tomatoes, and lettuce. The produce cultivated at the Farm may not be of interest to many college-aged students, but it is affecting the way they eat at the cafeteria. According to Michael Raub, the Retail Manager of dining services at Wilkes, “Wilkes offers organic options for healthier choices of the students, offering as much as they can.” The food grown at Hillside Farm is 100 percent organic. Then, the produce is bought by Sodexo, the operators of the Wilkes dining services. The food grown by Wilkes students out at Fenner Farm, with the assistance of the Lands at Hillside Farms, is coming back full circle to The Beacon/Jenna Stephens the students. “This is a chance for young people to do lots of things: eat local, eat healthy, and be more nutritious with their eating habits,” stated Doherty. Sodexo’s involvement in the buying and re-shelving of the food grown at Fenner Farm was the brain child of Executive Chef Brad Geiser. “When we found out that Wilkes’ Fenner Farm was in existence, we jumped on it. This is a way to help us and help you at the same time,” said Geiser. The Beac on/C Geiser outlines the importance of hrist a Sg eating locally-grown food and, in obba turn, sustaining culture and local agriculture. “We are basically helping the local society,” said Geiser. Geiser has bought many of the crops pro- “greenduced at Fenner Farm, including herbs, er” campus. vegetables, tomatoes, potatoes, and basil. Along with importAlong with Wilkes’ and Sodexo’s involve- ing organic food from Fenner ment with Fenner Farm, they are also buy- Farms and local farms in the surrounding ing locally-grown produce, such as apples, areas, dining services is integrating recy- ents,” pears, mushrooms, and spinach. clable and biodegradable utensils, packag- said Raub. “Sisco, our [the cafeteria’s] operator, buys ing, cups, plates, containers, napkins, just to “Salads, sandwichlots of organic or locally-produced food. name a few. es, and wraps are on a weekly If it’s available, we buy it,” stated Chef “We have moved to a brown paper wrap- rotation in the cooler by the register.” Geiser. Not only has Wilkes University opted to per for most sandwiches instead of a hinged Sodexo has been trying to incorporate bagasse container, saving approximately bring as many environmentally-friendly oporganic food and eco-friendly options into 10 full-size trash bags per day from Rifkin tions to its student, but even the transportamany aspects of their dining facilities, in- from going to landfills,” stated Raub. tion of the food is becoming eco-friendly. cluding Wilkes’ Henry Student Center Din“The trucks that bring the produce run Rikin is also the home of new displays of ing Hall. Henry’s Dining Hall uses organic several “green” options for students. New on bio-diesel fuel. Even the tractors that fruits and vegetables on fruit stations and shelving can be seen holding an array of or- plow the crops are run on bio-diesel,” said salad bars, as well as in Rikin Cafe. Both ganic snack options, as well as green clean- Geiser. Henry’s and Rifkin Cafe; serve Fair-Trade ing supplies. These snacks include jams, Wilkes is working on many more topics to organic coffee by Green Mountain Coffee energy bars, and beverages. move towards a “greener” campus, includRoasters. “Beginning this fall, we will be starting the ing composting food waste, and encourag“Organic food tastes better and looks bet- ‘Fresh Food Market,’ featuring grab-and-go ing recycling at all retail facilities for custer,” said Raub. foods with one of the following: organic, lo- tomer use. Organic food is not the only way Wil- cally grown, sustainable, or natural ingredikes’ dining services are working towards a While most students declare a major by the end of their sophomore year, Jason Brady decided to create one. After becoming involved with the Fenner Farm project in the spring of 2008, Brady, a sophomore, started the process of creating his own major, Sustainable Farming, which focuses on Permaculture. While Brady will be taking earth and environmental science courses, he will also have to take business classes and doing several internships and participating in farming workshops. Brady is looking to intern at the White Earth Reservation, a Native American reservation in Minnesota. The Beacon sat down with Brady to ask him our three candid questions as Student of the Week. The Beacon: Where do you see yourself in ten years? Brady: In ten years I’ll be riding an elephant in Thailand. The Beacon: Describe yourself in three words. Brady: I refuse to describe myself in three words. The Beacon: Finish this sentence: My friends would be surprised to know… Brady: …that I can do a back flip! The Beacon/LeeAnn Searfoss �Movie Review: Hamlet 2 & Tropic Thunder CONTACT INFORMATION: alyssa.benner@wilkes.edu yoh.delossantosmaria@wilkes.edu amanda.gunther@wilkes.edu PAGE 14 SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 wilkesbeacon.ae@gmail.com Leadership Wilkes-Barre mural brightens downtown BY ALYSSA BENNER Beacon A&E Editor Returning students may have noticed a new splash of color in the downtown. Last month a community mural was unveiled on the large face of the Times Leader building, located at 15 N. Main Street. Leadership Wilkes-Barre, located at 2 Public Square in Wilkes-Barre, assembled a ten member group of local business employees to spearhead the ambitious project. “We originally started thinking small like on the side of Lowe’s and it kind of just blossomed,” said MaryLee Klemish, a member of the group that worked on the mural. “We’re hoping that it generates talk, because now we’ve shown a way that people can do it with the community.” The competition for design ended March 15 and the painting began in April. The design features a variety of images that reflect the history, culture, and physical features of Wilkes-Barre and the Wyoming Valley. The mural was up by the end of August. Other than the ten group members originally assigned to the project, volunteers were huge factors in making the mural happen. “We did have people come in from all walks of life and all different organizations and all different ages. We had a girl scout troop come in, we had kids from a softball team come in, we had kids who just happened to be going to the movies come in,” says Klemish. The mural in its entirety can be seen where Coal Street meets Wilkes-Barre Boulevard. Melissa Rovinski, a customer service representative at Solid Cactus, in the Jewelcor Center at 100 North Wilkes-Barre Blvd., sees the mural everyday on her lunch break. Rovinski says, “It’s actually really nice to see something that captures the essence of Wilkes-Barre everyday.” Leadership Wilkes-Barre puts together a new class of local business and community members each year. The aim for each class is to, “Create and implement group projects that address needs in the commu- 12 nity,” according to the Leadership WilkesBarre website. Leadership Wilkes-Barre also offers a variety of classes that bring together local college students (Collegiate Leadership Wilkes-Barre) and high school students (Junior Leadership Wilkes-Barre). Ashley Filipek, an English major with a women’s studies minor said, “If I knew a project like this was going on, I would most definitely get involved. Because it’s all volunteers, I don’t need a background in art to be part of something big.” The Beacon/Jenna Stephens Helen Farr Sloan tribute focus of new Sordoni exhibit Sordoni celebrates 35 years of art education BY YOHANNA DE LOS SANTOS M. Beacon Asst. A&E Editor “Remembering Helen: The Sordoni Art Gallery at Thirty-five” is the name of the current exhibit held at the Sordoni Art Gallery in commemoration of its 35 years. The exhibit pays tribute to Helen Farr Sloan, a prominent artist of the 20th century and also member of the Advisory Commission of the Sordoni Art Gallery. “Remem- bering Helen” will be open to the public until Sunday, October 5. The works offered in the exhibit pay tribute to the memory of the famed artist by displaying works she donated as well as those of others who were inspired by Sloan and made gifts to the gallery. “We thought it was [appropriate] to do the exhibition under her name because she passed away in 2005,” said DeBalko. Helen Farr was born in New York in 1911. In 1927, Farr joined the New York Students Art League where she met John Sloan who soon became her mentor, friend, and eventually her husband 17 years later. Her work was varied in medium and style. Sloan experimented in etching and lithography as well as produced oil painting and served as a set designer for theater. “She was a very charming, lovely woman and incredibly knowledgeable, certainly of the arts. [Sloan was] very talented in her own right as well as being married to an incredibly talented, well-known artist, John Sloan,” said Virginia Davis, Commissio member and Chair of the Advisory Board of the gallery. See HELEN Page 13 �SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 ARTS 13 HELEN inspire some critical thinking and we can do that because we are an educational institution.” DeBalko said that the Wilkes art gallery was established in 1973 by former state senator and philanthropist Andrew J. Sordoni. His long-time relationship to Wilkes and role as leader in the community was the reason he decided to establish the gallery at the university. DeBalko said, “He was... a long-time friend of the university and his son, Andrew Sordoni, is a current advisee of the [gallery].” This year marks the gallery’s 35th birthday. The Sordoni Art Gallery is opened to the public on a daily schedule from 12:00-4:30. “You can come in anytime, no appointment. Even if you have five minutes you can just stop and take a look,” said DeBalko. Mechanical Engineering major and sophomore Mitchell Robinson said, “I think it’s good to come in and look at different art work.” from PAGE 12 “I don’t know that I really can describe her as an artist. I saw very few pieces of her work. But they can be viewed. Our collection has one in the show currently,” said Davis. “I think her work speaks for herself, just very very talented. [There were] not too many female artists in her era, so it’s quite a credit to her to be so recognized,” added Davis. In her later years, Sloan became known as much for her philanthropy and teaching as her art. She served as a noted patron for the arts in Delaware. Sloan was also a part of the Wilkes family, “She had been on our advisory council when she became ill, and because of the distance she was unable to attend the meetings, but was an honorary member,” said Davis. “It was a huge honor to have her name on the list of advisory members” added Davis. The whole purpose of each exhibit at the Sordoni Art Gallery is to reach and educate Wilkes community members. “We really try to care for the students,” said Brittany Kramer DeBalko, Assistant Director of the Sordoni Art Gallery. “[The art pieces] are to Helen Farr Sloan Standing Before a painting by John Sloan, c.1975 image courtesy of the Helen Farr Sloan Library, Delaware Art Museum FUTURISTIC INNOVATIVE GRAPHICS / tofJ•h ·. f--_- --_ ~~p.ef N p R1°18SR! SCRIIN PRINTING I - B R O Z DI fi. Y - ~~ 1 pROM(lfJONAL trli -_HT.Eli!] -_ 11_KES--El!IIBE ·cnoss FD - -- . REDEEMEB -- - �SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Movie Review: Fall flicks for wayward college students BY KENNY BROWN Beacon Correspondent It’s that time of year when college students around the nation are settling in and actively searching for things to do with their weekends. So, with perfect timing comes that splash of filthy college flicks aimed at all bored boarders. No, in this review you won’t be hearing Heath Ledger cackling as the Joker, Angelina Jolie has put the gun away, and Harrison Ford can finally resume his game of shuffleboard. On the contrary, this fall students who need a break from thinking are treated to “brain break” theater. Reigning high and mighty as the victor among movies targeting the college and high school age audiences is Tropic Thunder, a DreamWorks Pictures comedy, directed by Ben Stiller. When production on a blockbuster film begins to go to the dogs the director Damien Cockburn (Steve Coogan) decides to save the movie and his butt by taking the problematic cast on a weekend outing to build better group strength. The only problem is that this outing takes place in Vietnam in the middle of guerrilla country. When things are clearly not as they should be, Tugg Speedman (Ben Stiller), decides to break away from his fellow cast members and continue his preparation for the movie. In light of this, things turn for the worse and his colleagues must attempt to rescue him from his own stupidity. Tropic Thunder seems to be the turning point after a string of bad movies. This R Rated Action/Comedy keeps the audience on the edge of their seats with laughter thanks to a very well written script, a great comedic acting troupe consisting of Ben Stiller (Night at the Museum), Robert Downey Jr (Iron Man), Jack Black (Be Kind Rewind), Steve Coogan (Hamlet 2) and Jay Baruchel (Knocked Up). It also offers random factors of obscurity thrown all throughout the film. Overall, Tropic Thunder is an hour and forty five minute journey easily worth your three bucks and time. If anything viewers will wish there was a sequel coming soon. From the writers of Team America, World Police, and South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut comes another comedy with Steve Coogan called Hamlet 2. When drama teacher Dana Marschz (Coogan) is given yet another bad review from the school newspaper, his job appears to 14 be hanging on the edge. But in what seems to be a gift from God, his drama class for the semester is completely filled, compared to his usual two person roster. However, it is not filled by thespians but by a group of kids which Marschz describes as the “kind of people from Dangerous Minds.” As class moves on things seem to be coming together for the drama coach, until he finds out that his class is being canceled due to cut backs in the budget. Spurred to action, Marschz writes a sequel to Shakespeare’s Hamlet. In essence Hamlet 2 is a typical college aimed comedy, with filthy jokes, profane language and drug use. It is nothing special with its slow build up and a seen-itheard-it-all-before story line. Yet, Hamlet 2 is more than just a comedy. It is a shout to the arts departments in high schools and colleges across the country, and a poke in the ribs through not-so-subtle humor at the public school system tendency to cut the arts before anything else. In the end Tropic Thunder takes the top spot with Hamlet 2 right behind, attempting to get a few laughs and send a message. Either movie you decide to see will be worth it, but it all depends on the type of comedy you like. So before you go to the movies this Friday weigh the pros and cons and choose wisely. And I leave you with this word of advice: Make sure to avoid at all costs the true catastrophe of the season, Disaster Movie (not even good enough for review space). The Beacon/Jenna Stephens Ba1·11es & Noble ,\7ill~es Booksto1·e 7 South Main Street, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18 701 ~ 570. 2 08 .4 70 o ~ wilkes. bnco llege .com \\ l1at's l1appe11i11g at )ro111· booksto1·e tl1is \\reel~! 1\1 tts i c Eve i■y l 7e cl 11 es clay N igl1 t a 11d 1110 st Fr id ay's '\t\l"' ith a 25% discount on anyihing you purchase fro1n the cafe during the n1usic act. Live "Fi■e e" 1\ Tllis , 1vech1esda~f Li,,e JONCASEYat 6:oop111 Friday Nigl1t Live M11sic \ \ri.tl1 ''Sparrowsong'' at 7: 3op111 1 • .i\t1tl1or Sig11i11gs: Gene Gomolka author of Coal Crackers Son -' Thursday at 11:00 an1 & Jack Harris author of Beyo11d.lv.ly Wildest Drea11is -' Saturday at 1:00pm • 'Bisct1it that cute little puppy is coming to our \t\,..eekly Saturday 1norning story thne at 11:o oan1 �SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK f ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 15 KUDRACROSS BY CHRIS KUDRAK AND DEVIN KING Beacon Staff Writers NEPA Skatepark Alliance 1st Annual SK8tacular Festival Where: Ashley Fireman’s park in Ashley, PA No Simple Highway Photos from Jim Gavenus Where: LCCC 2nd Floor Campus Center Nanticoke, PA When: Sept. 5- Oct. 17 Goldfrapp Where: Radio City Music Hall When: Sept. 12, 8 p.m. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Where: Music Box Player 196 Hughes St. Swoyersville, PA When: Sept. 12-14, 18-21, 25-28 Across 1 Sept follower 4 Home of “60 Minutes” 7 McCain opponent 9 Spy agency abbr. 10 Offensive word masker 12 Paranormal ability 13 Impatient 14 “Here and ____” 16 Active substance of Tylenol 19 Santa Claus Tracker 20 Class of Antidepressant 21 Marching insect 23 Georgia invader 27 30 32 33 34 36 37 39 40 41 43 44 46 50 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Part of window Untruthful person Sink to lower level Day before a holiday Common ocular infection Past tense of eat Tropical fruit Face-painting band’s bassist Jolie companion Constant demand Research Animal Function of shank Information booth Uncertainty Snow house Foot-operated lever Official Language of Laos Racy radio host NY time zone Tongue sensation Inquire 17th Greek letter Down 1 Large Mass of water 2 Networking Supplier 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 15 17 18 21 22 24 25 26 27 28 34 35 38 40 42 45 46 47 Thin Candle Chowder ingredient Where it all started “I haven’t ___ you in awhile” Hillbilly restroom End of prayer ____ of sweat Formal dance Robbery Rear animal appendage Golf score “Float like a butterfly…” Taker Eagle activity Very small amount Imitated A big rig Strong 2004 Hurricane To put off Besides Gadget To abandon Preserves dinosaurs bones Thumps on head Where pottery is fired Necessity for tin man �Men’s & Women’s Soccer Recaps PAGE 19 CONTACT INFORMATION: alissa.lindner@wilkes.edu daniel.kautz@wilkes.edu wilkesbeacon.sports@gmail.com ' 16 Colonels fall short against No. 8 Muhlenburg Prushinski finishes game with 7 catches and 2 TDs Courtesy of the Sports Informatio Director, Craig Merriman After struggling early offensively, the Wilkes Colonels scored 14 second half points to eventually take a 21-20 advantage, but No. 8 Muhlenberg scored backto-back touchdowns to take a 34-21 win. The Colonels first possession saw Wilkes go three-and-out, going seven yards – all on the ground. The Mules took an early 7-0 lead on their opening drive, going five plays, 56 yards, capped off by a 14-yard pass from quarterback Eric Santagato to John DeLuca. Santagato finished the game with 308 yards passing, completing 18-of-26 passes to go along with two touchdowns. On Muhlenberg’s second possession, Kevin Gerhart forced a fumble on a carry by Codie Bender where Darnell Corbin recovered at their own 46-yard line. The Colonels took advantage taking just two plays to reach the end zone, highlighted by a 40-yard run by Jamar Beverly. Christopher Horn’s extra point tied the game at seven with 5:56 to go in the first quarter. The Mules would answer on their next possession, going eight plays, 26 yards capped off with a 32-yard field goal by Michael Katz to give Muhlenberg a 10-7 advantage. After holding the Colonels to just four yards on the following possession, the Mule offense chewed up the clock once again to take a 17-7 advantage after going 13 plays, 87 yards in just over five minutes. They would go into the half with a 10-point advantage. In the second half, the Colonels were able to move the ball offensively, opening the third quarter with a nine-play, 60-yard scoring drive to pull within three. Wilkes quarterback Rob Johnson completed five passes on the drive, including a 19-yard touchdown strike to Jason Prushinski. Johnson was 14-of-33 for 127 yards and two touchdowns. Coming into the season, Johnson threw just 19 career passes. Muhlenberg took a 20-17 lead after Katz made his second field goal of the game, this time from 27 yards out with 2:49 to go in the third quarter. The Colonels answered with a 12-play drive that went down to Muhlenberg’s 29 yard line, but a fourth and 15 screen pass to Gennaro Zangardi fell a yard short as Wilkes turned the ball over on downs. The Colonel defense held the Mules to a three-and-out before the offense proceeded to drive 39 yards over nine plays in just over three minutes to take a 21-20 lead. Johnson found Prushinksi in the back of the endzone once again on a 19-yard strike with just over nine minutes to play. The wide receiver would finish with seven catches for 77 yards and two touchdowns on the night. “To be leading the No. 8 team in the country with nine minutes to play really says a lot about our team,” Sheptock said. “We showed a lot of character to come back from 10 points down and eventually take the lead.” The Mules would take the lead for good on their next possession, driving 58 yards in nine plays capped off with a 32-yard touchdown pass from Santagato to Phil Cresta with 6:48 to go. They would eventually score again with 4:18 to go on a five-yard run by DeLuca. “I was pleased with our effort today. We made some mistakes, but we scratched and clawed our way back. I think it was a good learning experience for this young team,” Sheptock said. The Colonels will remain on the road next weekend when they head to Montclair, N.J. to face Montclair State at 1 p.m. Women’s volleyball opens at King’s tournament BY ANTHONY DORUNDA Beacon Correspondent The enthusiastic Lady Colonels volleyball team opened up the 2008 campaign on August 29-30 at the King’s College Tournament. Wilkes lost a heartbreaker to Misericordia in five games before upending Marywood three games to one. Sophomore Marissa Harrison led the way for the Colonels with a combined 22 kills and 27 digs while “fab frosh”, Kate McGurk, finished with 13 kills and 36 digs in the two games. Each year college coaches search far and wide to find the best players; players they think can push their respective teams over the edge and position them on the cusp of big things. That is no different with this year’s Wilkes volleyball team. Head coach Alicia Orlowski nearly doubled the size of the team by adding five top notch freshmen from all over Pennsylvania and New York to the already young Lady Colonels squad. Now, some may wonder what the purpose of bringing in so many freshmen is with a great core group of returning players, but sports fans know that competition breeds excellence. So adding this group of energized freshman to a team that is already up and coming can only make everyone else better. “Having a larger team means more competition in practice,” stated coach Orlowski. “And with more competition, the level of play from everyone increases because no one wants to lose their spot.” In order to work as a finely oiled machine, the team has to perform together and play as one, which can be an extremely tough obstacle for a young squad. Chemistry between players is of the utmost importance for all athletic teams and volleyball is no exception to the rule. See VOLLEYBALL on PAGE 18 The Beacon/Gino Troiani Number 13 Marissa Harrison and Number 24 Julie Page battle on the court at the King’s Tournament August 29-30. �SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 SPORTS W-B/S Pioneers look to Wilkes students, alumni for spark BY AMANDA GUNTHER Beacon Asst. A & E Editor The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pioneers opened many opportunities for numerous Wilkes University students in the 2008 season. From the playing the field to cheering on the sidelines and in the stands, Wilkes students were encouraged to get involved. The Pioneers are an Arena Football League 2 (afl2) team based in the WilkesBarre/Scranton area. afl2 is considered the third division of professional football (NFL being the first, afl1 the second). The regular season begins in March and runs through August. Home games take place at the Wachovia Arena in Wilkes-Barre. At these games the Pioneers promo, dance, and stunt teams perform and get the crowd involved in half-time events on and off the field. The players are from colleges all across the country including local schools such as Wilkes. 2008 Wilkes graduate Jason Acquaye, also known as “Big J”, began his professional football career this season with the Pioneers. He got involved through the defensive coordinator of the Pioneers, Jake for away games. Overall, the sumGrande, who also graduated from mer season went well for the Wilkes in 2008. Pioneers, who finished According to Acquaye, with a 15-3 record, being part of the putting the team team consisted two games of Monday short of the through championFriday ship. The practices team lost at that prehome in the pared them semi-finals for Satur34-30 to the day games. Te n n e s s e e W h i l e Valley Visome of pers on Authe games gust 9. took place Acaquaye in the Waplans to try chovia out for some Arena, the afl teams in team also 2008-09, but traveled acknowlto Illinois, edged, “If Iowa, Flor- Photo Courtesy of Kristen Davidson none of that ida, New Hampshire Davidson and the other cheerleaders practice over the pans out, I’ll continue to and Ohio summer for an upcoming Pioneers games. 17 play for (the Pioneers) again this season.” The 2008 season was also the first for a new cheerleading stunt team. Pioneers owners decided it would be a good idea to start these performances after watching the stunt team of the Philadelphia Soul, an af1 team. Although the team started off relatively small, it grew by word of mouth as the Wilkes cheerleaders got involved. “We all recruited people that were in our stunt group that we were used to working with,” said Kristen Davidson, a junior at Wilkes. Before the team was finalized, participants had to perform for the owners in order to secure a spot at the games. Being part of the stunt team consisted of two practices a week and performing at home games. Since it was the first year and more or less a trial run, the cheerleaders had the opportunity to experiment with different stunts that they normally didn’t do. According to Davidson, “Since we had no rules and regulations, the sky was the limit.” �SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 SPORTS 18 SID from FRONT PAGE Photo Courtesy of Marketing Comm. S.I.D. in 1998 at Texas A&M Kingsville, his alma mater. In 2003, he became head S.I.D. at Corpus Cristi. It was a steamy Texas afternoon in the middle of May when Merriman heard the ring on his two year old black Sprint cell phone. He flipped it open to an unfamiliar number that read 570… Merriman immediately got excited because on the other end, Malatesta, men’s soccer coach Phil Wingert and field hockey coach Sarah Meyers greeted him. With the phone hugging his right ear, he walked out of his office at Corpus Cristi, hopped into his electric blue Ford Focus and completed the interview en route to the San Antonio Airport. “I had two thought processes in the fact that ok: I think it would be a no-brainer for me to get the job; because I had ten years of experience,” Merriman said while twiddling a badge rubber band as he rocked back and forth on the leather chair in his office located in the Martz Gym. “But on the other hand, I thought they wouldn’t want to hire me because I came from a division 1 school and they didn’t want a quote, unquote, big timer. Luckily, they offered me the job.” Merriman’s first day of work at Wilkes was July 10. Merriman is responsible for submitting game coverage on Wilkes athletic website, completing media guides for nearly all 16 varsity sports and serves as a liaison for the local media; and that’s a small fraction of Merriman’s duties. A typical work week for Merriman involves approximately 70 hours of labor. “I normally try to come in at 8:30am to check emails, answer those that need to be,” said Merriman. “Depending on if I’m working on a project, I try to work on that. Ten out of 10 times, you have eight things going on at once.” Merriman’s office is located on the first floor of the Marts Center. His assistants include Andy Sekula, who will be completing graduate school in May 2009 and senior intern Kathy Dalton. And although Merriman is approximately 1,786 miles away from Texas, he’s found a home at Wilkes. “I’m very happy to be here,” said Merriman with a smile. “I love the coaches and love the people I work with.” New Sports Information Director Craig Merriman joined the Colonel staff in July. VOLLEYBALL from PAGE 16 Sophomore Libero Allie Kelleher said, “There was a lot to learn since we are so young, but it was not hard at all to come together as a team. We all meshed together greatly and I feel as though this season could be very successful.” To make the transition from the high school to the collegiate level easier, the upperclasswomen have been welcoming the freshman with open arms and making them feel as though as they are part of something bigger than all of them individually. Freshman Kate McGurk, when asked about the transition, stated that it “would have been difficult if not for the great support from everyone on the team. The team has gelled greatly and we all expect a successful season.” Gelling is just what they did coming out on day two of the tournament clicking on all cylinders in the first game; pummeling Mount St. Mary’s three games to none. They may have used up all that energy however as they came up a little short falling three games to one versus the Lady Monarchs of King’s College. Harrison again led the way with a combined 23 kills Photo Courtesy Marketing Comm and junior JulieofPage chipped in with 12 kills of her own. The stellar play from Harrison also led to her being named to the all tournament team. The Lady Colonels then laced it up and slid into spandex Wednesday night for their home-opener against Susquehanna University. The Lady Colonels fought hard but came out on the losing end dropping all three games, dipping their record to 2-3. Senior Katherine Harrington and Harrison each led the team with six kills and McGurk was the stopper defensively, registering nine digs. “We dug ourselves into too deep of a hole and we just couldn’t get out of it,” said Orlowski. “At times we looked very good. We just need to use this as a building block, learn from our mistakes, and continue to get better.” With a very optimistic and buoyant team at her disposal, Orlowski should have no problem with her players wanting to improve. They take the court again tonight when they open up their Freedom Conference slate hosting the Manhattanville College Valiants. EA.A - U If inte rest pl as in w ricing 3 · - Sam · S Set.. att nd an applicarti on ~ssio n on Wed o r Fri 6am If 1nter13st:tl in W'O rk~n !) . m 9p . Mon pl a - att nd an applic~Mon ~ io n n Fri.., Wed o r Fri 6 .- m Shift rimes are approx 'matef no appo. fl1nMi'nf 0 necessary far app.Jicaticm .sessifJns EiQ E/AA 220] ARMSTRONG ROAD IP ITTSTO N, IPA 118&::m �SPORTS SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 19 Second half surge guides Wilkes past Ursinus BY DANIEL KAUTZ Beacon Asst. Sports Editor Following an impressive 11-6-2 overall record in their 2007 season, the expectations for the Wilkes University men's soccer team were high coming into this year. The fans that showed up for their home opener against Ursinus on August 29 were not disappointed, as the Colonels secured their first win of the season by a score of 3-0. The first half opened with constant attacks from the Colonels, as they dominated possession of the ball through strong midfield play and defensive stops. Roughly fifteen minutes into the first half, a foul call questioned by the Wilkes' fans in attendance let Ursinus' Ted Hooven take a free kick that sailed just right of the goal. The Colonel's nearly responded with a goal of theirs two minutes later, when a wide cross resulted in a scramble in front of the goal and a wide shot attempt. Wilkes would have another chance to score at the twenty four minute mark when sophomore forward Ryan Phillips lifted a kick wide right while tangling with a defender. When the referee signaled the end of the first half, however, the Colonels had no goals to show for their efforts despite having controlled the ball for the majority of the time. The start of the second half would see them break the game wide open. Thirty seconds after the sound of the opening whistle, junior forward Greg Miller scored the game's first goal on a cross from junior midfielder Jonathan Kushner. This would prove to be very important according to the team's head coach, Philip Wingert. "We made no specific adjustments after the first half," said Wingert after the game, "but once the team got the first goal, the players relaxed a bit and let the game come to them instead of forcing the action." After a spirited counterattack from Ursinus was quelled by Wilkes, Miller punched his team's second goal through the top left comer ofUrsinus' net four minutes later at 40:51. An Ursinus foul soon after awarded the Colonel's Brett Osswald a penalty kick, an opportunity he took advantage of to score and help put Wilkes up 3-0. The three goals, scored within seven minutes of each other at the start of the second half, helped the Colonel's hold on to an easy win over Ursinus for the rest of the way. "Giving up a goal that quickly into the second half unsettled the Ursinus defense and [allowed us] to capitalize two more times before Ursinus was able to reorganize," said Wingert. Wilkes finished the game with a total of 17 shots, nine of which were on goal and put great pressure on Ursinus. The win provided the Colonel's a quick start out of the gate in the tough Freedom Conference. "[Winning our home opener] felt amazing," said Ryan Phillips. "It was a great way for us to start the 2008 season." Varsity woIDen's soccer off to 2-2 start BY DANIEL KAUTZ Beacon Asst. Sports Editor August 30- Wilkes 4, Clarkson 0 The Wilkes University women's soccer team won its first game of the season 4-0 over Clarkson in Canton, New York. Despite starting seven freshmen, the Lady Colonels struck quickly when freshmen forward Katy Fissel scored the first Wilkes goal just three minutes into regulation. Senior forward Jess Gannon added another goal just a minute later, and the rout was on. Gannon and junior midfielder Julissa Reed later added two more goals, helping the Lady Colonels start the season with a 1-0 record. August 31- St. Lawrence 3, Wilkes 2 The Lady Colonels suffered a heartbreaking loss to St. Lawrence, allowing three second-half goals after jumping out to a 2-0 lead. Jess Gannon scored her third goal of the season just eight minutes into the contest, thanks to an assist from sophomore midfielder Alison Weidman. Julissa Reed FOOTBALL L 34-21@ MUHLENBERG FIELD HOCKEY W 4-3 VS. MORAVIAN W 1-0@ SUSQUEHANNA later scored Wilkes' second goal on an assist from Gannon. Despite their excellent start, they were unable to hold back St. Lawrence, who scored two goals on comer kicks from Elene Rogers. Krista Newton scored the goal in the 89th minute that would eventually seal the win for St. Lawrence. Sept. 3- (No. 2) Messiah 9, Wilkes 0 The Beacon / Lauren Biernacki Nationally-ranked Messiah proved to be a very tough opponent when Wilkes traveled to Grantham last weekend. Messiah took 16 shots on goal, as opposed to five by the Lady Colonels. September 6- Wilkes 4, Marywood 1 Playing on a field water-logged by Tropical Storm Hanna, the Lady Colonels handed Marywood its first loss of the season by a score of 4-1. Sophomore midfielder Taryn Hallowell scored three goals and recorded an assist, helping power Wilkes past the memory of its loss to Messiah three days earlier. September 7- Wilkes 1, Smith 0 The Lady Colonels were forced to play Smith on Misericordia University's turf field due to the weekend rain, but did not allow themselves to be distracted. Julissa Reed scored her fourth goal of the season in the first half of regulation, and the defense held on to help improve Wilkes' record to 3-2. Sophomore Alison Weidman battles with Smith defenders as Wilkes wins 1-0 on Sunday September 7. MEN’s SOCCER W 3-0 VS. URSINUS L 2-0 VS. ARCADIA L 3-1 @ MESSIAH WOMEN'S SOCCER W 4-0 VS. CLARKSON L 3-2 ST. LAWRENCE L 9-0 @ MESSIAH W 4-1 VS. MARYWOOD CROSS COUNTRY NEPA CLASSIC: MEN-8TH WOMEN-DNQ URSINUS INVITATIONAL: MEN- 7TH, 222 POINTS WOMEN- 5TH, 134 VOLLEYBALL KINGS TOURNAMENT: L 3-2 VS. MISERICORDIA W 3-1 MARYWOOD W 3-0 MT. ST. MARY'S L 3-1 KING'S L 3-0 SUSQUEHANNA �SPORTS SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 20 Field hockey survives sudden death twice to open season 2-0 BY ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Sports Editor After suffering a preseason loss to Division II Philly U the Lady Colonel field hockey team roared back going 2-0 in their first regular season games. Both games were won by penalty strokes after the score remained tied post-regulation and two sudden death periods. The Lady Colonels opened the season at home against Moravian College on Saturday August 30. Wilkes was first to strike when senior Devon McKay scored just over two minutes into the game. Senior Alyssa Koncelik was credited with an assist on McKay’s goal. The Greyhounds came back to score the next three goals and put Moravian up 3-1. Vita Ranella, Becky Renaldo, and Kayla Carson all scored for Moravian. Junior Jen Keegan brought Wilkes within one when she took a pass from freshman Lindsey Raleigh late in the second half. Koncelik would score the game-tying goal shortly after sending the game into overtime. Freshman goalkeeper Lindsey Davenport was strong in net for the Lady Colonels and the Wilkes offense dominated the two overtime periods; however the team was unable to connect for the game winner sending the game into penalty strokes. McKay, junior Brittany Sines and sophomore Alyson Paulauskas all scored for Wilkes in the penalty strokes as Davenport rejected the Greyhounds attempts. Wilkes won the game by a score of 4-3. “We started the game off strong but were unable to finish for awhile. Once we got the second goal we wouldn’t settle until we won,” team captain senior Diana Wright explained. Wilkes traveled to Susquehanna University for its second game of the season on Wednesday September 3. Davenport remained strong in net for the Colonels stopping all seven of the Crusaders shots. After two scoreless halves and two sudden death overtimes the game was battled The Beacon/Gino Troiani Number 24 Alyson Paulauskas battles for the ball against Moravian during their home opener Saturday August 30. The team won their first two games by penalty strokes after remaining tied through regulation and two sudden death overtimes out again in penalty strokes. McKay was once again successful in her attempt; however, Susquehanna would tie the score at one when Jenelle Anthony scored. Sines would also score on her second penalty stroke of the season followed by successful attempts from freshman Alyssa Davis and Paulauskas. Davenport blocked Susquehanna’s attempts. The 4-1 advantage in penalty strokes was enough to give Wilkes the 1-0 win for their first road victory of the season. Head coach Sara Myers explained the effort the Lady Colonels put forth in their first two games was key to their wins. She added that any time games head into sudden death it becomes very mental and you have to play with the “never give up” attitude. “The way we handled ourselves and playing 100% the whole game really says a lot about our team,” Myers said. With their first two games lasting 100 minutes a piece, the long games are bound to take a toll on the team; however, Wright feels differently. “I thought we were conditioned. Obviously we were tired by the end, but we were able to battle back after playing Moravian. We all just kept going for the win,” Wright said. With a freshman goalkeeper and others playing the field, the Lady Colonel freshmen have made their presence known. Myers explained, “The freshman are fitting really well into the program. A lot of them are impact players for us this year.” “Each year we [the returning players] wonder how the freshman will fit in. The freshman this year have come in, fitting in well and made an immediate impact,” Wright added. Starting off the season with two wins has set a positive tone for the rest of the season. “I’m really happy with our first two wins. I think we have a lot of work to do in the next couple games, we have some tough opponents coming up but starting off with two wins is a very positive tone that we want to start with this year,” Myers said. The Lady Colonels will be in action this Tuesday, September 9, at Cabrini College and again Saturday, September 13, at Marywood. '91b1Ja1n>Dlaml<lkl>tlBA,~ 9 Beyond the Wall poster sale in the 1st Floor of the Henry Student Center from 10:00a.m. to 6:00p.m. Wilkes University Programming Board is hosting Recycled Percussion in the ballroom of the Henry Student Center at 8:00 p.m. Visit the Farmers Market for fresh produce and food in Public Square starting at 10:15a.m. Visit Movies 14 and catch a new release such as “Burn After Reading,” directed by Coen brothers and “Righteous Kill,” featuring DeNiro and Pacino Sign up for intramurals by visiting the MyWilkes portal. MyWilkes-> On Campus-> Wilkes Athletics � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon 2008 September 9th Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 September 9 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/fe5f4fe3f880a74fb73ac437ad865d98.pdf 1d425915dd0f308aaeebeae1352478fe PDF Text Text Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA The THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW MAY 1, 2007 In This Issue... Page 6 ••••••••• Page 9 Rosenn lecture focuses on the Sudan crisis BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon Asst. News Editor Film can do many things. It can make you cry, laugh, scream in terror and think. A good film will make you do all four, and the audience of the 26th Annual Max Rosenn Lecture saw such a film Sunday evening. In an unusual move for the annual lecture, the evening included both the screening of an award-winning film, God Grew Tired of Us and lectures delivered by two individuals associated with it, director Christopher Dillon Quinn, and one of the subjects of the film, John Bul Dau. The film won two awards at the Sundance Film Festival. The movie focuses on three “Lost Boys” of Sudan, their escape from a civil war and their relocation in the United States. Dau was one of the “lost boys.” The film, which was screened before the lecture, depicted the compelling story of the Lost Boys who fled their homes when the northern Sudanese government tried to kill them. The group of 27,000 fled to neighboring Ethiopia and arrived emaciated and near death. The group’s stay in Ethiopia was short; they were then forced to flee again when civil war broke out there. The group, reduced by starvation, drowning See ROSENN page The Beacon/Cara Koster Christopher Dillon Quinn, lecturer of the 26th annual Max Rosenn Lecture, stands with one of The Lost Boys of Sudan, John Dau (left). Dau is featured in the movie that was screened at the lecture, God Grew Tired of Us. 4 Text notification • • • • • • • • • system planned BY MARK CONGDON JR. Beacon Staff Writer Retention rate of diverse students dips BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon Staff Writer The Virginia Tech massacre caught the country by surprise, though it appears that even local universities were already in discussions about how to best inform campus constituents about emergencies using the latest technologies. Before the Virginia Tech tragedy, Wilkes University officials were already investigating how best to inform students and faculty in the event of an emergency. Thus, Public Safety officials acknowledge that they are now in the process of implementing a phone-based, text messaging notification system for both communication and emergency purposes weeks ahead of the nationwide trend in reaction to the tragedy. Wilkes students, faculty and staff should be able to enroll next week, said Christopher Bailey, Director of Campus Support Services. “A few News................................1-5 departments have been investigating a text based messaging system, Opinion.............................6-8 both for emergency and non-emergency communications, for the past Features.........................9-11 year or so. Page 13 Inside: Arts & Entertainment....12-15 Sports...........................16-20 Volume 59 Issue 21 www.wilkesbeacon.com See TEXT page 4 Twenty-three full- and part-time students of culturally diverse and international backgrounds chose not to return to Wilkes University at the end of the fall semester in December 2006. According to Brian Bogert, Assistant Director for Institutional Research, those 23 students accounted for a combined 12.2% of the university’s multicultural students. Mark Allen, Dean of Student Affairs, noted that there could be a number of reasons for the retention drop-off among minority students. “Regardless of ethnicity, the reason why a student would leave would be a lack of academic success, changes in financial circumstances or they just don’t care for the environment,” he said. Homesickness may also play a key role, according to Alberto Prado, Interim Director of the Multicultural Student Coalition (MSC). Along with the Diversity Ambassadors, the Indian Culture Association and the Islamic Interest Society, MSC has sponsored a number of events this year to See RETENTION page 2 �NEWS MAY 1, 2007 RETENTION from FRONT PAGE try to help students feel more at home and accepted among the Wilkes community. Even though events are scheduled, and multicultural and ethnic clubs and organizations are offered on campus, some note that students don’t appear to utilize what’s available to them. Yohanna De Los Santos, a transfer student from the Dominican Republic, admitted that she noticed the missing students on campus when she returned for the spring semester and considered applying to different schools for the upcoming 2007-08 year. “I thought of applying somewhere else like New York or Miami, you know, like a big city where it’s more diverse with different people,” the sophomore said. Having never heard of groups like MSC, she wasn’t aware that there were places she could go to feel closer to home while she worked on adapting to an incredibly dif- SG Notes At the April 25, 2007 Student Government (SG) meeting: Treasurer’s Report The remaining SG funds exist in the following lines: All College: $2,406.21 General: $4,034.73 Special Projects: $131 Spirit: $3,405.15 Leadership: $4,540 Conferences: $7,469.10 Start-up: $3,200 New Business Matt Brown accepted his position as SG President, Sherri Homanko accepted her position as Off Campus Council President and Kate Baas accepted her position as Inter Residence Hall Council President. The next SG meeting will be managed by both the current president, Jenna Strzelecki and incoming president, Matt Brown. ferent culture and school. Though there may be many explanations as to why the number of ethnic students attending Wilkes University has fallen off, Allen said that it’s difficult to pinpoint one specific reason. “In what we’ve looked at between semesters in terms of students leaving, we’ve not been able to identify any single factor that’s raised a flag that says we really need to focus and do a better job on this particular aspect in order to improve retention,” he said. If a student doesn’t inform the university that they don’t plan on returning for the upcoming semester, then there is no way of identifying the cause for why he/she has left. If a student formally withdraws from the school, then there is an exit process so that they can provide a reason for leaving. It is still unclear whether the percentage of ethnic or diverse students who left Wilkes mid-year will affect the decisions of minority students to come to the university next year. In response to this, Charles Siarkowski and Andy York presented a song that they wrote to commemorate the SG’s year. Emerging Leaders asked for a donation to clean up Charles Street Park and hold a grand re-opening. The total project cost is $605 and the request was for $300. The money will go to food, cooking, ice and serving utensils for the re-opening. The money will also go towards the revitalization with the purchase of paint, flowers and mulch. SG allocated the $300 to Emerging Leaders with a vote of 34 for, 0 against and 5 abstaining. A tentative SG budget was presented with four clubs taken off of the budget for next year because of concerns that they do not help all the students or that they did not hand in the proper forms in time. The clubs excluded from the budget include: Concert and Lecture, Crew Club, Speech and Debate and Lacrosse. Allen said that the university is always interested in building a more diverse population. “The Diversity Task Force is taking the lead role in identifying a lot of issues on campus so we can see where we can do a better job, not just with students from underrepresented populations but also from the staff and faculty standpoint so we can have a more healthy population with respect to diversity,” said Allen. The Diversity Task Force was formed at the end of the first semester and is comprised of faculty, staff, students, Board of Trustees members and community members. The group is engaged in evaluating Diversity Survey results as well as interviewing constituent groups about their perspectives on needs in the diversity arena at Wilkes. Prado noted that once finals are over and the stress of the semester is lifted, the student leaders of MSC, Diversity Ambassadors and other organizations will meet to make plans that will hopefully draw more students of every culture together for the fall semester. Jonathan McClave presented a proposal to buy their own tables for casino night. They will be personalized with Wilkes logos and the total project will cost $15,067.80 to $15,567.80. It will take seven casino nights to pay for the purchase and passed with a vote of 36 in favor and 1 opposed. There was a presentation to trade in SG’s current vans and purchase two used models. The money will come out of the buffer fund. The vans are 2007 Chevy Uplanders with an extended wheel base. The vans will seat seven and have dual climate control. The purchase will cost $39,998 and passed with 31 in favor, 4 opposed and 2 abstained. 2 Leaving Town Student Goverment Notes Summer Renovations Rosenn Lecture 2007 2 2 3 4 A,.,,.~~ Ir..,·'.·,, :,;; .. Tiny wooden crosses adorn the lawn across from Kirby Hall with an “Our Future?” banner hanging in the background. The display sponsored by S.A.V.E brings attention to endangered species. B E ACON Serving the community through fair and accurate reporting while supporting the views and opinions of our readers. Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief: Curran Dobson Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com News Editor: Nick Podolak Email: news.beacon@gmail.com Op/Ed Editor: Kristyn Ostman Email: thebeacon.oped@gmail.com Features Editor: Nora Jurasits Email: thebeaconfeatures@gmail.com A&E Editor: Stephanie Debalko Email: thebeaconae@gmail.com Sports Editor: Ariel Cohen Email: beaconsports@gmail.com Photo Editor: Nick Zmijewski Advertising Managers: Stephanie Yachim Dana Zlotucha Email: thebeacon.ads@gmail.com Advisor: Dr. Andrea Breemer Frantz Established in 1936 PA Newspaper Association Member Printed on Mondays during the academic school year. 130 S. River St. First Floor, Conyngham Hall, Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 (570) 408-5903 -141/K[S UN/V[RSITY- '.~ .-±~~~-.;~ The Beacon/ Cara Koster ~i!. :~~~. wilkesbeacon@gmail.com www.wilkesbeacon.com �NEWS MAY 1, 2007 3 University Towers to undergo renovations for ‘life safety’ BY NICK PODOLAK Beacon News Editor Several renovations for life safety will take place over the summer at University Towers on South Main, including new fire suppression systems, smoke detectors, a clean-down of the elevators and an upgrade in the voice data system. “Our engineers are working on the specifications and final documentation of the life safety issues, and have completed the specifications for the voice data upgrade,” said John Pesta, Director of Capital Projects. The building, which was constructed in 1977, does not have any detectors according to Pesta. Just last semester, a student became incapacitated due to smoke inhalation after she left something cooking on the stove and it caught fire. Public Safety officers had to step in and pull the student from the smoke-filled room. “Early intervention in a fire is the best. When you’re able to quickly contain and put out a fire prior to the fire department arriving on the scene, you’re ahead of the game,” said Chris Bailey, Director of Campus Support Operations. The Beacon/Cara Koster A fire extinguisher stands next to of fire hose in University Towers on South Main Steet. Renovations for the summer will include a new sprinkler system, smoke detectors and an elevator clean-up. Though residents have long complained that the elevators in University Towers are painstakingly slow, it is still uncertain whether or not a full upgrade will be completed by the end of the summer. “A full upgrade would digitize the elevators, increasing the speed,” Pesta said. “But that depends on if it fits in the budget or not. That’s a pretty big chunk of work to try and do all in one summer.” Due to the renovations, however, political science major Karyn Perestam was informed by Residence Life that all oncampus students living in the Towers must not only vacate their apartments for the summer, but move out all of their furniture as well. “This is a huge burden placed on students who thought they were moving into apartments, which would allow them to avoid the annoyance of moving in and out of a dorm every year,” Perestam said. However, a contract that on-campus students must sign clearly states that students must vacate the University Residence Hall within 24 hours after his/her final examination or within 24 hours after the termination of the residence hall contract. Director of Residence Life Brenda Stanely explained, “The terms of this contract have not changed since the apartment-style living environment was introduced at Wilkes and so we are unclear as to why students living at University Towers would think differently,” she said. “On campus students that reside in University Towers sign the same contract as on-campus students that reside in any of our other residence hall and mansions.” Aside from the life safety renovations, one of the biggest changes students will notice upon return is that they will have access to the campus networks, giving them access to the H-drive without having to make a secure link from off-campus to on-campus. “You could use any campus service as if you were sitting on the campus,” said Chief Officer of Informational Technology Services Mike Salem. “We’re making it just like any other dorm.” S E X U A L A S S A U L T: PREVENT IT FROM HAPPENING TO YOU 5 WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR RISK When you go to a party, go with a group of friends. Arrive together; check in with each other and leave together. Don’t be isolated with someone you don’t know or trust. Trust your instincts. If a situation feels unsafe or uncomfortable, it probably isn’t the best place to be. Don’t feel obligated to do anything you don’t want to. “I don’t want to” is always a good enough reason not to do something. Practive safe drinking. Don’t leave your beverage unattended, pay attention to your drInk while it’s being prepared and don’t accept drinks from someone you don’t know well. Make sure your cell phone is with you and charged. Know what parts of campus are well lIt and where people hang out. Use a campus shuttle at night and carry cab money when you go out. IN AMERICA. 1 IN 6 WOMEN AND 1 IN 33 MEN HAVE BEEN SEXUALLY ASSAULTED -Sponsored By Health Services Rape Abuse & Incest National Network <www.rainn.org> �MAY 1, 2007 NEWS 4 ROSENN from FRONT PAGE and war, was left with less than half of the original boys, bringing their numbers to about 12,000. The boys charted their journey to Kenya where they established the Kakuma Refugee Camp in 1992. The Lost Boys formed their own village until the United States agreed to place them in homes and jobs in this country. The movie then begins with the story of John Bul Dau who learned he would be moving to Syracuse, New York. The film followed him and other Lost Boys as they travelled across Africa, Europe and the Atlantic until they reached New York City. The boys then separated and went to either Pittsburgh or Syracuse. The film touched everyone in the audience with its comical elements, including scenes about the boys not knowing how to use things that we take for granted, like a light switch. The boys were given assistance for three months until their visas and Social Security cards were taken care of and then began looking for a job. The film also shows the culture shock the boys experienced, especially because they lacked the interaction they had previously in the camp and because they were alone for long periods of time. There was enough pressure on them to drive one of the boys insane. The community’s reaction to the boys was also depicted. Store owners asked that they didn’t enter their store in large numbers. Neighbors asked them not to sit or dance outside under the tree near their apartment like The Beacon/Cara Koster Wilkes University President Joseph E. (Tim) Gilmour introduced Christopher Dillon Quinn, award-winning director of God Grew Tired of Us, and John Bul Dau, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, at the annual Max Rosenn Lecture Series Sunday, April 29th, at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center. Dau was featured in Quinn’s film, and the film was showed to the audience prior to both Quinn and Dau speaking. Quinn stressed the importance of the United States’ involvement in the crisis in Sudan, while Dau spoke to the audience about the power of perseverance. they did back in Kenya. The film ends with the Lost Boys either working on graduating from college or trying to get their families to come to the US. Dau was someone who worked and put his education on hold to bring his family to the US and the film showed the reunion. The film did not have a definite ending, because the Lost Boys of Sudan’s future is still in question. Many are still in Kenya or are afraid to go back to Kenya in fear that they will be shot or burned along with their village. When the lights came up on the packed Darte Center, many in the audience were wiping their eyes while offering a standing ovation. Quinn began his part of the lecture by making the format very conversational. Neither man stood behind the podium and instead walked around the stage. Quinn spoke about his inspiration for the film, which started in seventh grade when he learned about the holocaust. “I always remember in seventh grade saying ‘well at least that will never happen again.’ And for me Africa is not only something that is in turmoil but is also something that is being ignored.” Quinn also told the story about how hard it was making the film. He had to call around and ask for donations until he finally called enough “friends of friends” to get a screening in Los Angeles where Brad Pitt was in the audience, who decided he wanted to be part of the project. The floor was then turned to Dau who spoke about his experience and his progress. Currently, he has worked to raise $400,000 to build a clinic in his village in Africa, which was completed the day after the lecture, April 30. He also talked about the future of Sudan which, according to him, lies in the hands of the United States, beause “the U.N. is not doing its job.” Dau also talked about what he saw in America that could be improved. One thing he mentioned was how students need to persevere. “You are not getting good grades or your mom is not buying jeans or computer games, it’s not a big problem. All you have to do is persevere.” Dau said that is the key to success. After the speakers concluded, the audience was invited to the lobby for a reception where they could purchase Dau’s memoirs and meet the speakers. The gentlemen were immediately swarmed by people who were fascinated by their stories and experience. This lecture is named for the Honorable Judge Max Rosenn who passed away last year. The Beacon corrections In The Beacon’s April 24 article “Brown wins SG Presidential post with 30% of student vote,” the winners of Inter Residence Hall Council (IRHC) President and Off Campus Council (OCC) President were misprinted as Student Government (SG) Vice President and other positions. For clarification, Kate Baas will be the president of IRHC and Sherri Homanko will be president of OCC. Last week, the photo of the SG presidential candidates was printed as being taken by Andrew Seaman. This photo should have been credited to Kathy Dalton. The Beacon/Cara Koster John Bul Dau signed a copy of his book, God Grew Tired of Us, during the meet and greet after the 26th annual Max Rosenn Lecture. Dau is one of the Lost Boys of Sudan whose story is told in the film of the same name as his book. Dau moved to Syracuse, New York with the help of the United States and worked in order to bring his family to the US as well. The film was showed at the lecture and depicted the reunion between Dau and his family. The Beacon strives for accuracy and good sourcing in all of its stories and regrets the errors in the past issue. Editors are grateful for readers who take the time to point out inaccuracies. Andrea Breemer-Frantz, Faculty Advisor Curran Dobson, Editor-in-Chief �NEWS MAY 1, 2007 TEXT from FRONT PAGE We plan to deploy an enhanced system that will provide both text as well as voice alerts. This system will also allow us to utilize the phones currently located within our classrooms in addition to enrolled cell phones. This would allow us to reach students and faculty while they are in class where they may have switched off or otherwise silenced their cell phones…The phone and cell phone alert system will have an initial cost of $3,500 plus the cost of minutes which are purchased in blocks of 400 minutes for $500,” said Bailey. Bailey added that there are two ways students, faculty and staff can sign up. “There will be two avenues to enroll in this service; a primary method as well as a back-up. The primary method will be a web-based form where community members will provide their last name, their WIN and their phone number. Due to possible technical issues with a large number of individuals trying to access this web form, we will also allow individuals to enroll by sending the same information via email to a specific address; MIDNIGHT MADNESS A large cheese pizza + an 8pc Breadsticks , CinnaStix or Cheesybread $9.99 +TAX VALID 12AM-CLOSE Expires 5/31/076 IMM I most likely safety@wilkes.edu but I will have to confirm this address,” stated Bailey. Danielle Capone, freshman nursing major, believes that this is a great idea for the university. “Considering how safety is more important now than ever before, I believe that this system should protect our campus community if something tragic like the shootings at Virginia Tech ever happen here,” she said. Jack Chielli, Executive Director of Marketing Communications, said that the university has other safety features for back-up. “All of the current safety procedures are still in place. These include 14 professional public safety officers who are trained in 5 emergency response procedures and are mobile on bikes. We can visit very building on our campus within 10 to 15 minutes to lock them down in emergencies. We also have 40 to 50 emergency phones on campus that directly hook into the public safety office which is in constant contact with the police department. Email and other notifications are also available to us and will be employed in the case of an emergency,” said Chielli. Chielli added that some of the disadvantages of the proposed addition of text and e-messaging are that, “Some students and faculty will not have their cell phones on or will not opt in to the program. We have to have back up measures in place to reach those individuals.” Brooke Barney, freshman elementary !ALERT! Wilkes-Barre ROWNIE Buy a large pizza at regular price and get a 1 Ope order of our new warm brownies FREE Expires 10/8/06 ITV education major, feels that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. “With any safety system there are drawbacks, but it seems like this phone-based system has more positives than negatives. That’s why we have other safety procedures in place. It’s not perfect, but I believe that it’s better than what we currently have. I feel safe at Wilkes already, but I know that this will help me feel even safer,” noted Barney. Chielli encouraged students to take safety precautions when necessary. “I think it is important to stress that the safety of our campus is everyone’s responsibility. The best way to stay safe is to look out for each other. Also, we should use this opportunity to stress ways to prevent the more common threats to students. These can be greatly reduced by conducting oneself in a responsible manner - only drink responsibly and never drink and drive; always know who you are letting into your dorm; never leave the door to the dorm building propped open; do not walk on campus alone late at night; call security whenever you see or hear something suspicious; and take care of each other. No security system, no matter how good or costly, can guarantee there will not be a crime,” said Chielli. I 570-829-2900 154 s. Pennsylvania Ave Sun-Thur 11 am-2am Fri & Sat 11 am-4am �Opinion MAY 1, 2007 6 Too much focus on VT killer 7 8 Senior reflection Cronyism poses a challenge at all levels of government Student govenment policies leave room for corruption candid as possible, given that this is a much smaller scale than a national election where one must vote with only as much information as is available by a single day. BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD Do we ever really trust our government? All politicians lie--that’s the old adage--but we still hold elections and hope for the best. Wilkes University’s Student Government (SG) is no exception to the rule. SG members have promoted . .. worthy causes, ... . . ·. .· ... . represented on important issues, (9!!,._,r,,.. .- ,. and also made mis:-. takes. Scandal and redemption are mere inches apart. But while the Recently, it was Wilkes SG constitution has reported that newly been adequately followed, it still elected SG President, Matthew seems strange that the election Brown, was involved in contro- was not postponed. In national versy because he allegedly lied to elections, this is much more difobtain information from a local ficult, but the story broke just as business. While the exact details elections were opening online and of the case remain slightly cloudy, it easily could have been changed, the case occurred just before cam- especially since the candidate puswide elections for SG Execu- could have potentially been distive Board positions. Brown was qualified after the fact. At least evaluated by his peers in an SG three students approaced Beacon hearing, allowed to remain on SG staff members and said that know and continue his quest for the po- they would have voted differently. sition. He was elected to the top Since we have the unique ability to post days later. prevent such scenes by postponing The scenario is one for which elections or rerunning elections, no federal government candidate since we are on a small and prifor office could ever hope: evalu- vate scale, our SG should consider ation by peers and friends who such options in order to take into determine your fate and a general account a possible change in the election in which the majority of sentiment of the student body tothe voting body is unaware of the ward a candidate. news until after casting their balThe greatest conflict of interlots. Some students expressed est is that our constitution suptheir displeasure with having the ports the entire SG membership elections open before the news to determine the fate of a fellow was available. Many even admit- member. Aside from the potential ted they would have changed their for peer pressure, there are few votes. It should be the primary checks and balances built into the goal of our government to be as system to ensure accountability -• 7 Angry Rant among representatives. When Hillary Clinton voted for the war in Iraq, it left a mark on her reputation that she is still trying to shake from the minds of future voters while she campaigns for the Democratic presidential nomination. In SG, no member need be concerned with a damaged reputation for helping a friend. In fact, such loyalty is usually rewarded socially. As representatives, the default is simply to use one’s best judgment, which is complicated by peer pressure and friendships on a small college campus. A Sight for Sore Eyes Aleksander Lapinski Many positions in the university have a code of conduct. Some faculty advisors for clubs and teams warn their students not to have compromising photos of themselves on Facebook or MySpace as a way to keep respectable appearances. When someone slips up, it has resulted in losing a position or leaving a team. Why should our government be different? To Brown’s credit, he has offered a full acknowledgment and apology for his actions. Such public mea culpas require fortitude and leadership. It is unlikely that SG members will be asked to account for their votes, however. We must set a standard against cronyism and peer pressure and develop standards with actual consequences. Without them, we leave ourselves open to unethical behavior running rampant. It is not only about being honest and open to the student body, but also about the public appearance of the entire university. Beacon Poll Results The following are results of a poll that The Beacon conducted online this past week. The poll was unscientific, and does not claim to reflect the overall attitudes of students on campus. Results are based on 42 responses. The Beacon asked: What are your summer plans? • • • • • • • • • • Work -55% Travel -16% Spend time at the beach -15% Take summer classes -8% Volunteer -2% Nothing special -2% Sleep -2% Visit old friends -0% See summer blockbusters -0% Other -0% �OPINION MAY 1, 2007 7 Should NBC and other networks have focused on Cho? BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon Asst. News Editor What else can I say about the tragedy that occurred at Virginia Tech? I am sure I could go on and on about gun control laws and how good/bad they are but what will that really accomplish in the long run? However, I feel the need to write about this topic because something bothered me today as I walked past the news organizations in New York City on Saturday. They were still talking about what happened. It is not that I expect to never hear of this again. It is just a question of where do audiences draw the line of what we need or want to know? The responsibility for determining what constitutes news generally should fall to the trained gatekeepers at the news organizations, but too often it falls into the hands of the company’s CEOs. This is because the companies are still pursuing the act of scooping other news organizations and unfortunately it can’t be done accurately. However the companies still believe that this model equals big money, because to change the model successfully to a more community minded one, all news organizations must act together and in harmony. Currently all news organizations grab at whatever information is available and shootings. The package contained writings and disturbing video in which Cho made his case for how and why he felt compelled to visit such violence on the beautiful campus. At times during the video, Cho raves about the injustices visited upon him. At others, he brandishes weapons and looks menacing. violence. What should have happened is this: In news accounts of the shooting, news organizations should have offered an account of what happened but not focused too much on the killer. Instead, more focus on the victims might help to prevent copycat events. By showing the images of Cho holding guns and reading his manifesto, other people will see this and think, “I can be famous, too.” News organizations need ask themselves, “Why are we giving this to the public and what will this do to the community?” Once this happens, these organizations may earn the respect of the community again and the news they report will be even more accurate. And yes, the unwanted materials like the pictures of the gunman reading his manifesto will surface through the internet, but the number of people viewing the material will decrease tremendously. News organizations need to simply ask, “If we put this out to the public, what is going to happen?” The responsibility for determining what constitutes news generally should fall to the trained gatekeepers at the news organizations, but too often it falls into the hands of the company’s CEOs. regurgitate it to you, the audience. The ideal model should operate as one that has the community’s best interests that guide such choices. In general, news organizations need to more carefully screen news items and check their prominence before presenting it to their audience. Take the package of information created by the shooter, Mr. Cho, that he mailed to NBC apparently between his first and last That package should not have been given to every single news company in the world. It should have been examined and given directly to the police involved in the ongoing investigation. Nothing in that package was necessary for the public to see. However, the news organizations contended that it did have relevance and importance for audiences wanting to better understand the madness that had spurred Cho to such The Angry Rant: Stupid People T B TIM SEIGFRIED BY Beacon Asst. Sports Editor B Let’s face it: people are stupid. In a society that exists in a world of logic and a reason, we are hard pressed to find much m of either one. In other words, common sense isn’t that common. c Case in point: I was at Wal-Mart at one in i the morning a few weeks ago, and as I was w walking in the main entrance I passed a young y mother pushing her one-year-old son in i the shopping cart. I’ll let you think on that for a moment. It was after midnight, and this genius had h infant awake and at Wal-Mart. Not only her that, t but after she wheeled him out the front door, d she started to light a cigarette not six inches i from the child’s head! Question: When they were accepting enrollments e in “Good Parenting” classes, were w you sick that day or were you too bbusy getting your current boyfriend’s name ttattooed on your neck? Not only that, but parents in general seem cconfounded by how to take care of their kids, especially the screaming and crying ones. Nothing is more annoying than when a screaming child is left to scream while the parent just stands there like nothing is going on. As far as the younger generation is concerned, how is it that 17- and 18-yearolds are allowed to parade around wearing virtually nothing? Do the parents who raised these kids have any ideas what their daughters or sons are wearing? I was at the library some time ago and saw two girls whose shorts began and ended somewhere around their waist. If that’s not bad enough, these same girls have the audacity and gall to get defensive when comments are made about how they dress. Mind you, these are the same people who put provocative pictures of themselves on websites like MySpace and Facebook, and are somehow surprised when the emails from 35-year-old men start pouring in. “But I’m just expressing myself and my womanhood! I am not a whore!” That may be true, but as the great Dave Chappelle once said: “You’re not a whore… but you’re wearing a whore’s uniform, and that is confusing.” The lack of common sense isn’t an affliction that we normal people own; it also affects celebrities. Case in point: Sheryl Crow. Ms. Crow is one of a recent slew of celebrities who have joined the cause to combat global warming. Now I’m all for famous people using their star power to draw attention to a cause, and global warming is no exception, but what she is proposing might be one of the worst ideas in the history of bad ideas: One square. That’s the idea. Just one square of toilet paper per bathroom visit. Really, I didn’t make that up. Apparently, she feels that the excess waste of paper products can be cut down if, as a society, can ban together and use just one square per visit. Really? One square? I don’t know about anyone else, but after I down a delicious meal that consists of surf and turf, I’m willing to bet that I’m going to be needing more than one square of toilet paper. Ok, time for the lighting round: Graphic by Kristyn Ostman Cell phones: People’s habits concerningg cell phones have become increasingly poor. If you’re in a crowded waiting room, thenn perhaps you should turn your phone onn vibrate so no one can hear “Baby Got Back”” every time your phone rings. Bad drivers: When did turn signals becomee a thing of the past? Nothing is worse thann when you’re heading down the turnpike andd some fool cuts in front of you without usingg any sort of signal. Self checkout: If you can’t operate a computer, then you shouldn’t be usingg the self checkout, what with all the fancyy gizmos and servos. Poor grammar: Like, it’s really annoying,, when, like, people don’t know how to like,, speak, and everything, right? It’s like, soo bad when someone can’t complete andd entire sentence without, like, saying like,, like, every other word. It like, drives mee crazy. One more thing: People who are needlessly critical aboutt every little thing…and irony. Have a great summer. �MAY 1, 2007 OPINION 8 Be every color that you are: a senior’s farewell BY KRISTYN OSTMAN Beacon Opinion Editor It is a bittersweet fact that for many of us college is ending. Some have more schooling to look forward to. Others have jobs or prospects… Then there are people like me. The proud, the few…the absolutely terrified. It’s not that I haven’t any thoughts about my future; I have plenty and even a few possible jobs. The sad fact is that my only definite plans are to move back home and watch Spanish telenovelas until I am fluent. A lot of people tell me that it’s okay. Everyone moves home and has that uneasy feeling in the pit of their stomachs. But it’s cool, kiddo. You’ll get a job soon enough and, ya’ know, continue working for the next 40+ years. Okay, I get it that being nervous about my uncertain fate is nothing new. Everyone goes through that post-college malaise. Sadly, I have little advice for anyone other than to offer my understanding and a possible seat beside me during Corazon Salvaje. The most frustrating thing is that floating along the river of uncertainty is as much the learning experience as the past four years. I suppose that the only shred of advice I can offer is to be open to change. Whether it’s changing your plans, your mind, or your clothes, just try to allow room for yourself to grow. As much as everyone has grown through the course of college, it never truly stops. If my first job turns out to be in an environment I don’t like or not exactly what I want to do, I hope I have the courage to nior, was the issue of marriage. It seems like everyone I know is either engaged or planning on it soon. Recently, some divorce lawyers reported that the number one cause of divorce boils down to: “We got married too Courtesy of http://unet.ollusa.edu quit and go somewhere else. Lots of people get stuck in their comfort zones because random career changes make them feel like a flighty college student. Don’t worry about it. Go out and make sure you are who you want to be. Something else I thought was still a long way off, but that came up as I became a se- young.” Please think about that before the wedding. Sure, I’m not one to talk, as the idea of getting married before the age of 27 makes me uncomfortable, to say the least. But this is the time people change and it’s still okay. Give yourself the room to change and then make sure that the new you still fits with your other half. Sure, it sounds nice to say that we should all be willing to go out there and embrace our dreams. I know I must sound like a cheesy poster about grad school or going abroad, but it’s the best advice that few people actually follow. We kind of get stuck in the daily routine of work, school, or in some cases unemployment. It happens. Try to not be satisfied with everything, strive for more, the majority of goals are not unattainable (I say “most” as I have finally come to terms with the fact that I will never be Mrs. Richard Dean Anderson.) My high school history teacher once said to us, this is the only country that guarantees you the right to try to be happy. Go forth and pursue happiness however you can and whatever that means. Without getting overly nostalgic, I would like to say that the past years have been fantastic. Even the really awful parts. At the same time, I’m ready to be done. Granted, I have no job and my parents still wait up for me even though I am approaching age 22. But at least I have a car and that puts me at slightly cooler than the 14-year olds I will be buying beer for as a side business. While it still saddens and frightens me that nothing seems stable or constant right now, I’m kind of glad for that. Sometimes things need to get shaken up so everything can fall into place. Ivy League no guarantee of success for college grads of the Emerson Electric, Inc. He’s pursuing his MBA from Wilkes and is off to a tremendous start in a career that he seems set As the semester comes to an end, we all to excel in for many years. Coming out of look forward to catching up with friends high school, Mike also considered attendfrom our hometowns and high schools. ing a number of While some of those friends schools with namay have also wound up at Wiltional prestige inkes, many others moved on to cluding Rochester, other colleges and universities, Just because a school requires high SATs or sends tons of kids overseas to study isn’t a Johns Hopkins, each with its own unique profile Lehigh and Laand mission. When we’re catchguarantee that an alumnus will become a success in the working world. fayette. Yet after ing up with the old crowd, some attending Wilkes, of our friends will begin talking Mike is taking off about the schools they attend in his career and and the excellent level of educadoing just as well tion they are receiving there. In my research for this op-ed, I decided success in the working world. as graduates from many of those other inAt the tail end of Christmas break, I caught to question the people who are often at The responses received lined up perfectly stitutions. up with an old friend of mine who’s now in So when you get together with friends her second year at the University of Roches- the forefront of promoting their schools’ with my long-standing belief that a student imagesadmissions directors. I chose six can excel at whatever school they choose-and family and the topic of your education ter. One of the first things we discussed was schools in Pennsylvania that are of similar be it a nationally-known scientifi c institute comes up, don’t forget to give Wilkes a nod that Rochester had recently been named one size to Wilkes, and e-mailed the admissions or a locally-based liberal arts school. As of endorsement. The opportunity is here for of 25 “new Ivies” by Newsweek- schools directors at each institution, asking, “Do proof of my theory, I offer the case of my each of us to follow a similar path to Mike’s that receive strong consideration from apyou believe a school’s academic reputation good friend Mike Liberski. A 2004 graduate and succeed at whatever we intend to do, plicants who normally look toward the Ivy and prestige leads to a better education for of Wilkes with a degree in mechanical enjust as it would be at nearly any other instiLeague schools. students?” While I only received two regineering, Mike is now employed by an intution of higher learning. During our conversation, I began to wonder how people at schools like that viewed sponses, those gentlemen stressed that an ternational company with local roots, InterWilkes and our academic programs. More individual can get a quality educational ex- Metro Industries, Incorporated., a division BY GERARD HETMAN Beacon Correspondent importantly, I wondered if graduates from a small, regional school like Wilkes would face a disadvantage if applying for jobs and other opportunities against applicants from a more nationally-known institution. perience at nearly any college or university- small or large, local or national in scale. Just because a school requires high SATs or sends tons of kids overseas to study isn’t a guarantee that an alumnus will become a �FEATURES Baja car Poli-palooza MAY 1, 2007 10 11 9 Wilkes walks for a cure 24-hour Relay for Life event at Ralston Field brings students together From 5 p.m. on April 27 until 5 p.m. on April 28, Wilkes University held its first Relay for Life event at Ralston Field. Team members walked around the track in shifts to keep at least one participant from each team on the track at all times. Students and sponsors purchased luminaries in honor of relatives who have been affected by cancer. Some of the luminaries were placed around the track, and others were used to spell out “hope” on the bleachers around the field. Junior Blaine Madara, above right, read a poem to his aunt and grandmother, who are both cancer survivors. Many teams stayed overnight, opting to pitch tents for shelter. Other team members stayed for a while after or before their allotted walking time, socializing with other teams, partaking in karaoke, listening to music, and playing soccer and whiffle ball on the adjacent soccer field. Photos:The Beacon/Nick Zmijewski �FEATURES 10 MAY 1, 2007 Baja team places in Florida competition Society of Automotive Engineers students build all-terrain car BY MEGAN KRISANDA Beacon Asst. Features Editor The Beacon/Nick Zmijewski Four wheels and a team of dedicated engineering students from the Wilkes’ Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) brought success home after a competition in Florida. At the University of Florida on April 13-16, 75 teams from all over the nation competed in designing and building 4-wheeled all-terrain Baja cars that were tested in a variety of events. Wilkes’ SAE placed 3rd in the Mud Bog competition and 30th in the overall competition. Acceleration, strength, water maneuverability, suspension and land maneuverability were among the criteria that were tested. Paul Benulis, team captain and sophomore mechanical engineering major, saw the competition as both exhilarating and challenging. “It was fun just watching the car competing because we worked so hard to get it there. Mud bog was tough. We watched a lot of cars get stuck when were we in line, but our car did great. When we received the trophy at the awards banquet on Sunday, I think we surprised a lot of people,” he said. During the endurance race, the car had a close call after taking a turn too fast and hitting a tree. Luckily no one was hurt in the crash and the car was towed and fixed very quickly. “I hit the tree at top speed and I was fine. After it hit, the car spun around and slid about 20 feet down the track, but it’s fun and would’ve been great to watch,” said Benulis. Benulis addsed that the team used a safety harness belt system, helmet, neck collar and wrist straps in order to prevent any injuries. Mary Opalka, sophomore mechanical engineering major and Baja team member, was in charge of the cost and design reports that each team had to Wilkes students who are a part of the SAE organization travelled to Florida in April to comsubmit in order to gain points for the total score. She was surprised at the pete in the Baja car competition. The team placed 3rd in the Mud Bog competition and 30th in the overall competition. size of the competition. “The competition was so much bigger than I had expected; there were over 70 teams that attended, but it wasn’t just them, they also brought spectators. One team had almost 20 members, most of whom were just there to watch. It was astounding,” said Opalka. Opalka is the only female member of Wilkes Baja team, but noted that a team from Alabama was entirely female. There were opporunities to meet other teams in between technical inspections. “We met the most people through the borrowing and lending of tools. You had to bring all yours with you, but of course you forget something,” said Opalka. Designing and crafting the vehicle to meet competition requirements was a long process but enjoyable, said Benulis. As captain, his responsibilities included purchasing parts, tools, safety gear and anything else needed throughout the year. “Specifically, I built body panels, floatation, water propulsion fenders and safety equipment mounts. I kept a close eye on the rules and design requirements to make sure what we were doing was right,” said Benulis. Benulis added that the team learned a lot from the national competition. Members of the team learned they were able to successfully compete with the best schoolsl. Mr. Mitch Adams served as technical advisor and “helped out the students in every way,” said Benulis. Both Benulis and Opalka are excited for next year’s competition and are close to finishing the final design of the new vehicle. “We worked great together under pressure. All my expectations were exceeded at the competition and I am proud of our team and am proud to represent the Wilkes Engineering program,” said Benulis. The Beacon/Nick Zmijewski Members of the Baja team continue to work on the car in a room near the machine shop in the basement of Stark Learning Center. Some members are also working with technical advisor Mitch Adams to design a car for next year’s competition �FEATURES 11 Photos:The Beacon/Nicole Frail MAY 1, 2007 The League of Woman Voters and Zebra Communications sponsored Poli-palooza as a way to encourage youg people to vote. Communication studies professor Jane Elmes-Crahall served as keynote speaker at the event. Students who attended were given the opportunity to register to vote. AS A COLLEGE GRAD , YOU MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR 2007 FJ CRUISER 2007 RAV4 2007 CAMRY HYBRID 2007 YARIS ANY NEW TOYOTA OF YOUR CHOICE* WWW.WINAYARISONLINE.COM† *NOT ALL CUSTOMERS WILL QUALIFY. CUSTOMERS RECEIVE $400 FROM TOYOTA TOWARDS LEASING OR FINANCING THE PURCHASE OF NEW UNTITLED TOYOTA MODELS THROUGH PARTICIPATING TOYOTA DEALERS AND TOYOTA FINANCIAL SERVICES. SEE DEALER OR VISIT WWW.TOYOTAFINANCIAL.COM/FINANCE FOR DETAILS. COLLEGE GRADUATE PROGRAM IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE OR TERMINATION AT ANY TIME. †NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY. MAKING A PURCHASE DOES NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. TO ENTER YOU MUST BE A LEGAL U.S. RESIDENT AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD AND YOU MUST HAVE A VALID DRIVER’S LICENSE. VISIT YOUR PARTICIPATING TOYOTA DEALER OR WINAYARISONLINE.COM FOR COMPLETE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS AND SWEEPSTAKES RULES. �A&E MAY 1, 2007 12 CD Review Summer Movies Crossword This Week in History 13 14 15 15 Q&A with Giovanni of APhilharmonic Perfect Stranger Wilkes chorus joins Ribisi forcesand withcrew NEPA symphony. Beethoven’s No. 9 Symphony, dated 1824, was the composer’s final complete symphony and composed when he was completely deaf. It has since become one of the best known pieces of classical music of all time, and one that many musi- magnitude there are undoubtedly multiple challenges as well as benefits. With respect to working with a professional orchestra Thomas acknowledged that the greatest challenge is “reaching the high artistic level that the Philharmonic ex- seem just as psyched about it as I am is absolutely priceless.” Of course, Taber-Miller is not without After experiencing rock show benefits some apprehension about performing with for both SPAFapalooza and Get Loud for the Philharmonic. “Having the opportuLupus, students may find themselves in the nity to work and perform with Maestro mood for a different musical enjoyLoh is, well, exciting and somewhat ment experience. intimidating all at the same time. It is Luckily, Friday, May 4 and Saturday challenging to join so many individuMay 5 will offer an escape back to als together, especially because we all classical music as the Wilkes Universihave our various interpretations of the ty Chorus will be one of several choral piece, but that’s half the fun. That’s groups joining forces with the Norththe point of participating in an event eastern Pennsylvania Philharmonic in like this- watching a bunch of people a performance of Beethoven’s Symcome together to perform an absophony No. 9. lutely tremendous piece and perform Wilkes University Chorus, as well it well,” she said. as the College Misericordia Choral As the members of the Wilkes chorus Society, and the Bloomsburg Univerready themselves for a once in a lifesity Concert Choir, will have the optime performance opportunity, what portunity to sing this famous piece Giovanni can their audience expectElaine from such with the Northeastern Pennsylvania Ribisi an interesting orchestralGoldsmith and choral Philharmonic and the Choral Society performance? Taber-Miller promised of Northeast Pennsylvania, thanks in “a lot of sound! There’s a ton of us up large part to the coordination efforts there, plus the NEPA Philharmonic.” of Wilkes University’s own Dr. Steven And Thomas concurred, Thomas. The Beacon/Nick Zmijewski “Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 is one Dr. Thomas, the Director of Choral The Wilkes University Chorus, seen here rehearsing with director Dr. Steven Thomas, will be of the great masterworks of western Activities and the Coordinator of Mu- performing with the NEPA Philharmonic, along with other area choirs this weekend. music. Hearing it live is an experience sic at Wilkes is also the Chorus Master not to be missed!” for this performance. As Chorus MasFriday’s performance will be held at ter, Thomas is responsible for a variety cians hold dear. pects.” However, the Wilkes singers have the Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre, while of activities including recruiting the parCombine the performance of a well-loved been working on this piece since the be- Saturday’s performance will occur at the ticipating choirs, organizing the rehearsal piece of music with the opportunity to ginning of the spring semester and Thomas Scranton Cultural Center. Both perforschedule and serving as a liaison between work with the Pennsylvania Philharmonic insisted they are “ready to put on a great mances will begin at 8:00 p.m. and ticket the singers and the performance’s conduc- and the event takes on an even greater im- performance.” prices range from $18-$55 dollars. Students tor Lawrence Loh, the Music Director of portance to the participants, both students Kaitlin Taber-Miller, a senior musical will receive a 50% discount. Tickets are the Philharmonic. According to Thomas, and faculty alike. As Thomas noted, “It is theatre major who serves as both manager available from the Philharmonic website at “Each of the participating choirs prepared a terrific and rare opportunity for college of the chorus and the president of the cho- www.nephaphil.org or from Philharmonic the work separately, and then I and Maestro singers to be able to perform with a pro- ral club, has her own reasons to be excited box office at 457-8301. Interested parties Loh worked with the combined choirs to fessional orchestra of this caliber and I’m about the upcoming performance. “I’ve are encouraged to buy tickets early. Both create a unified conception of the piece.” very happy to have been able to provide grown up listening to this piece,” said shows are anticipated to sell out. More inThe performance includes the notable that experience for my students.” And, as Taber-Miller, “and having the opportunity formation about the concert is available at work of Ludwig Van Beethoven’s 9th can be expected with a performance of this to perform it with other individuals who http://www.nepaphil.org. BY SHANNON CURTIN Beacon Staff Writer Schedule of Events Tuesday, May 1 - Jazz Orchestra Concert in the Darte Center at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 2 - Tibetan Monk will be talking in SLC at 7 p.m. Thursday, May 3 - Comic Book Club unveiling in the Old Bookstore at 11 a.m. Friday, May 4 - Northeaster PA Philharmonic at the Kirby Center ay 8 p.m. - Lewis and Clarke and Strand of Oaks performing at Café Metropolis at 8 p.m. - Chorus Concert: Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in the Kirby Center at 8 p.m. Center at 1 p.m. - Urban Cowboy at the Kirby Center at 9 p.m. - Slightly Askew, Aww James and Backflip Journeyman performing at Café Metropolis at 8 p.m. - Chorus Concert: Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony in the Kirby Center at 8 p.m. Saturday, May 5 - Flute Ensemble concert in the Darte Sunday, May 6 - Live to Laugh event at ArtsYouniverse at 2 p.m. - The Independents and the Von Horribles performing at Backstage Enterprises at 6 p.m. - The Slackers, the Phenomenauts and the Menzingers performing at Café Metropolis at 7 p.m. Monday, May 7 - Karaoke with Scott Stevens at Slainte �MAY 1, 2007 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13 CD Review: Bucky Covington BY STEPHANIE DEBALKO Beacon A&E Editor Kellie Pickler, Josh Gracin and Carrie Underwood have all enjoyed a great deal of success in the country music industry after stints on the FOX series American Idol. With his first full-length, self-titled album, it seems like Bucky Covington is trying to get a piece of that action as well. Covington’s current single, “A Different World,” has already experienced some radio airplay, as anyone purchasing the album can plainly see. And yes folks, in case there was any doubt, “He’s the Bucky you’ve seen on national television!” Apparently there has been some past confusion, and media execs felt it necessary to inform potential buyers via the cover. Uttering the name “Bucky” amongst a group of friends usually causes at least a few snickers. And maybe he isn’t the next Alan Jackson, but there are many people (including one editor) who actually enjoyed his Idol performances and are rooting for this album to be decent. The verdict? Overall, without really lis- tening to the lyrics, the songs are pretty catchy tune, its sentiment is quite strange. catchy and could easily hold their own on Covington basically waxes poetic about country radio. And Covington definitely the good old days, where pregnant mothhas a certain tone to his voice that lends ers drank and smoked and kids didn’t wear well to the style of today’s country mu- seatbelts or bicycle helmets. That may explain why his sic. Unfortunately, parents named him though, he really Bucky. seems to be prone And the cynics to clichés. in this town who “American Frican’t wait to break day Night,” a song free probably dedicated to the won’t appreciate Friday night foot“Hometown,” in ball game, is laden which the chorus with them. “I’ll declares, “Lord, I Walk” is not much hope Heaven’s a better, as it delot like my homescribes the plight town.” Again, this of a girlfriend who song also pays decided to walk homage to those home after a fight The Beacon/Nick Zmijewski clichés of which and ended up injured and-surprisingly- unable to walk. Covington (or his songwriters) are so inAnd he really seems to be a fan of the credibly fond. The most radio-worthy of the bunch Pledge of Allegiance, which is mentioned might just be “Ain’t No Thing” or “It’s in at least two different songs. While “A Different World” is certainly a Good To Be Us.” Both songs are fast and punchy and are lacking the feeling of forced sentiment some of the other songs have. Based on title alone, one would probably expect “The Bible and the Belt” to be, if not the worst, then at least the strangest song on the album. In actuality, it’s one of best offerings Covington makes here, and is definitely worth a second listen. Even though plenty of the lyrics on this album are a bit corny, it’s hard to ignore Covington’s talent. In fact, it’s his voice and authenticity on most songs that make up for the clichés sprinkled across the board. One has to hand it to Covington for finding his niche in the music industry. Country is definitely the genre for him, and the grittiness that often shines through in his voice hints at some potential for future success, when he is better able to develop his personal style. Considering this is really his first attempt at defining himself musically, Covington could have done a lot worse. Grade: B- � 0dVdbc�k�!��& FT�WPeT�P�fX]]Ta� �FT[[��PRcdP[[h�cWaTT�fX]]Tab�� CWT�Ë�]P[�e^cT�^]�cWT�<hFX[ZTb�[^V^�fPb�^_cX^]��!�� CWT�^eTafWT[\X]V�RW^XRT�U^a�bXcT�[Ph^dc�fPb�^_cX^]��"� 9d]X^a�<^aVP]�:dW]b�fX]b�cWT�X?^S �fWXRW��^U�R^dabT��bWTÃ[[�Ë�[[�fXcW�b^]Vb�PR`dXaTS�[TVP[[h��aXVWc.�� CWP]Zb�c^�P[[�cW^bT�fW^�e^cTS� 6^�c^�\hfX[ZTb�fX[ZTb�TSd�c^�eXTf�cWT�fX]]X]V�STbXV]b�P]S�c^�[TPa]�\^aT�PQ^dc�cWT�<hFX[ZTb�_^acP[� �14 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Top 10 can’t-miss summer 2007 movies Lupus Benefit Show 1 M 13 A 10 N 2 E M 3 p u R 10 11 12 A s s E s K y I 10 L 30 A C ""p 0 A L T 0 4$ p L E A B 08 s w The Beacon/Nick Zmijewski Sound the Alarm, Enbloc and Last Conviction all performed at the Lupus Benefit show, Friday, April 27, where proceeds went to the Lupus Foundation. 71 T 0 N D dc o Photo courtesy of www.iwatchstuff.com A T on television show, this o n e promises big budgets, big explosions, big robots and tons of computer generated mayhem. The Simpsons Movie - Besides a short 30-second teaser trailer, nothing is known about this long awaited jump from small screen to the theater for America’s favorite animated family. The suspense is unbearable. The Bourne Ultimatum- As Jason Bourne (Matt Damon), the super-spy who can do anything except remember his own name, digs deeper into the Treadstone project, a government spy training program that may hold the secret to his identity, he finds himself the target of a deadly assassin (Edgar Ramirez). If the gun fights, fist fights and car chases of the first two installments of the series are any sort of indication for what number three has in store, this one should leave all espionage/adventure/action fans’ heads spinning (and maybe bleeding). 0 s se c logspot.com U.S. military begins to bring civilians back to “safe” sectors of the island, while they mop up any problems outside the designated living areas. But, wouldn’t you just know it, the virus still lives, and quicker than you can yell “Aim For The Brain!” the nightmare begins all over again. Pirates Of The Carribean: At World’s End - In an alliance formed at the conclusion of Dead Man’s Chest, Will (Orlando Bloom), Elizabeth (Keira Knightly) and Capt. Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush) go in search of Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp), attempting to rescue him from the diabolical, squid faced Davey Jones (Bill Nighy). Oceans 13 - Danny Ocean (George Clooney) and his gang return to Las Vegas to pull yet another high-profile score. Working for their old nemesis, casino tycoon Terry Benedict (Andy Garcia), the crew plans to take down a rival casino owner, played by Al Pacino. Hostel II - A group of young female college students backpacking through Europe are lured into a hostel by a mysterious young man, where they are promptly mutilated by sickos and sadists. Hey, that sounds a lot like the first Hostel! Live Free or Die Hard- Det. John Maclane (Bruce Willis) returns to take on a group of internet based terrorists who are attempting to destroy the computer and technological mainframe that supports the U.S. economy. Some people would attempt to discretely deal with a situation of this magnitude, but Maclane has his own brand of dealing with those who threaten our country: shooting people, jumping away from explosions in slow-motion and spouting one liners. AWESOME! Transformers - Giant robots from outer space bring their war to Earth. Based on the 1980s l a st k.b ac eb It’s almost summertime! And we all know what that means: Fun, sun and huge box office blockbusters. Unfortunately, The Beacon won’t be publishing again until September, so we can’t tell you which films to see, which to skip, and which ones to wait until they come out on DVD. However, in order to help you make informed summer movie selections, here’s a quick overview of this summer’s can’t miss flick picks. The Condemned- It’s The Most Dangerous Game meets Survivor as professional wrestler “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and a cast of other very large scary men, play a group of 10 death row convicts forced to battle to the death on a remote island in front of a live audience viewing via the internet. Ten will fight. Nine will die. One will walk away a free man. (Our money is on the former heavyweight champ.) Spiderman III - Old Spidey is back and this time he faces his greatest challenge yet. As Peter Parker’s (Toby Maguire) struggle to find a peaceful balance between his life as mild-mannered photojournalist and web-slinging superhero seems to be coming to an end, his world is turned upside down when he comes in contact a strange black substance from another world. While dealing with the substance’s ability to bring out his dark side, Spiderman must face three new enemies: New Golin (James Franco), The Sandman (Thomas Haden Church) and the long-awaited Venom (Topher Grace). 28 Weeks Later - Six months after the rage virus decimated England, the horrible disease and its victims have been all but eliminated from the face of the Earth. In an attempt to repopulate the island, the Photo courtesy of m BY MIKE WILLIAMS Beacon Staff Writer MAY 1, 2007 A Answers 5.1 T E L A T N A �Kudracross BY CHRISTOPHER KUDRAK Beacon Correspondent 1 5 8 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 24 25 28 31 33 36 38 39 41 43 44 45 47 48 50 52 53 55 59 62 63 66 67 68 MAY 1, 2007 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 15 ACROSS High plateau Mom’s partner Having a likeness to something Electric current units Frosty Hospital workers Builder’s fastener Not he Crew boats Ceramic square Fix up DNA sequence Squid secretion Cooking abbreviation Internet Annoyances Insecure Beer vessel Happy hour establishments By mouth 4840 square yards Completely Head towards Robert Frost, for example Prom transportation, for short X Appeals Spreads Abet Confucian principle Technique Certificate for graduation Preakness stakes, for example C2H6 H.S. exam Adam’s son Playground equipment 69 70 71 72 73 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 15 21 23 25 26 27 29 30 32 33 34 35 37 40 42 46 49 50 51 54 56 Caustic substance Italian car At the present Crew necessity Italian volcano DOWN Large ray Postal service foe Overflow Unconscious Neglected Advil target Pigments Mannerisms Compel Wood for baseball bats Tennis unit Orbiting research facility, for short Bright sign “My country ___ of thee” Throw Fortunetelling card Emulate Gretzky Egyptian gateway Large decorative vase Sacred song Large, heavy motorcycle Tenth letter of the Greek alphabet Intestinal bacteria Midas’ undoing Wilkes to graduates Seventh letter for the Greek alpha bet False statement Miner’s find Penny-pinching Peruvian currency “Nuevo ____” Attack by airplanes with machinegun fire Imitates Behavior pattern 57 58 59 60 61 63 64 65 Arctic, for example Fourth letter of the Greek alpha-bet Actor _____ Carvey Norway’s largest city Yucatan Indian New York time (abbr.) II Concealed Answers 4.23 ...M "E "A "R R A C 0 G R E T E N s E This Week In History BY MICHAEL GIONFRIDDO Beacon Correspondent Brought to you by the History Club. April 30 1945: Holed up in a bunker under his headquarters in Berlin, Adolf Hitler commits suicide by swallowing a cyanide capsule and shooting himself in the head. Soon after, Germany unconditionally surrendered to the Allied forces, ending Hitler’s dreams of a “1,000-year” Reich. May 1 1898: At Manila Bay in the Philippines, the U.S. Asiatic Squadron destroys the Spanish Pacific fleet in the first battle of the Spanish-American War. Nearly 400 Spanish sailors were killed and 10 Spanish warships wrecked or captured at the cost of only six Americans wounded. May 2 1933: Although accounts of an aquatic beast living in Scotland’s Loch Ness date back 1,500 years, the modern legend of the Loch Ness Monster is born when a sight- ing makes local news on May 2, 1933. The newspaper Inverness Courier related an account of a local couple who claimed to have seen “an enormous animal rolling and plunging on the surface.” The story of the “monster” (a moniker chosen by the Courier editor) became a media phenomenon, with London newspapers sending correspondents to Scotland and a circus offering a 20,000 pound sterling reward for capture of the beast. May 3 1952: A ski-modified U.S. Air Force C-47 piloted by Lieutenant Colonel Joseph O. Fletcher of Oklahoma and Lieutenant Colonel William P. Benedict of California becomes the first aircraft to land on the North Pole. A moment later, Fletcher climbed out of the plane and walked to the exact geographic North Pole, probably the first person in history to do so. May 4 1979: Margaret Thatcher, leader of the Conservative Party, is sworn in as Britain’s first female prime minister. The Oxford-educated chemist and lawyer was sworn in the day after the Conservatives won a 44-seat majority in general parliamentary elections. May 5 1821: Napoleon Bonaparte, the former French ruler who once ruled an empire that stretched across Europe, dies as a British prisoner on the remote island of Saint Helena in the southern Atlantic Ocean. May 6 1937: The airship Hindenburg, the largest dirigible ever built and the pride of Nazi Germany, bursts into flames upon touching its mooring mast in Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 36 passengers and crewmembers. Note: All information is provided by the History Channel and can be found at http://www.history.com/tdih.do Picture courtesy www.lochnessaccommodation.co.uk. �SPORTS 16 MAY 1, 2007 Cumberland Apartments Brand new luxury construction in an historic landmark building - 48 Efficiency Apartments $475./mo.* - 12 Efficiency Suites $675./mo.* *double occupancy add $150./mo. - Brand New Construction - Kitchen with appliances - Full Bath with shower - Secure Entry - Elevator - Laundry - Wi-Fi Internet - Free Water, Sewer, Trash Cumberland Apartments 17 West Ross Street Wilkes Barre, PA 18702 570-687-2220 www.cumberlandliving.com �MAY 1, 2007 SPORTS Team addresses issue of public communication on Facebook BY ADRIENNE RICHARDS Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor In February 2004, cyber communities were revolutionized by two Harvard sophomores, Mark Zuckerberg and Chris Hughes, who brought to life the world of Facebook. On April 19, 2007 Ashli Rentzel, a member of the Wilkes women’s soccer team, was dismissed for material she posted on Facebook. Eighty-five percent of college students have a Facebook profile, and nationwide the line between appropriate and inappropriate material has become blurred as employers, professors, coaches, and other authorities have acknowledged that they not only scan Facebook posts, but make judgments about the content they view. Should there be an ethical standard Wilkes athletes have to meet? Head women’s soccer coach John Sumoski adopted the “no alcohol policy” for his team in spring 2005. But the “dry” policy was just the beginning for an overall public behavior standard set for women’s soccer players, a team that has maintained the highest grade point average among athletic teams at Wilkes. During the fall 2006 season Sumoski sent an e-mail to his players recommending they delete any “questionable material” from their profiles. Questionable material included references to alcohol use and abuse, sexually explicit references, foul language and provocative photographs. The second e-mail was sent in January directed to specific individuals who had not yet complied with Sumoski’s request. The third, and final e-mail, was sent in mid-April explaining that the material gave the team a bad name and was inappropriate. “I sent an e-mail in the fall and then I talked to the captains and said, ‘I would like you to go on Facebook and MySpace and talk to the individuals who are in jeopardy of getting in trouble,’” said Sumoski. “I was concerned about any inappropriate stuff that could possibly give our team a bad name.” On top of a dry season, members of the women’s soccer team co-creates a team policy, collectively, at the beginning of each season. They are required to sign the contract in agreement. Attendance, study hours, drug use, and foul language are among the issues addressed in the team team policies. As well, they have a team vision, “to be a cohesive, emotionally intelligent, and nationally ranked NCAA Division III women’s soccer program.” “On our team we believe in accountability, not just in athletics. Each player is held responsible and told upfront the team policy that we developed as a team,” said team captain Briana Bertoni. “We developed our policy as a team, every part, even the consequences. We agree to these standards to make us a better team.” It should be understood that Rentzel was not excused from the team because of Facebook alone. There were compounding variables that led to her dismissal. Rentzel’s exit took place just three days before the team’s spring game day causing mixed emotions among players. Sophomore Lauren Cirilli commented, “I was upset and shocked and don’t understand why it was done. I didn’t comply [with] or meet some of the deadlines.” Regardless of the exact reason for Rentzel leaving the team the issue of information an athlete has on Facebook continues to be a struggle between player and coach. Athletes walk a fine line as key figures representing the university. Prospective athletes 17 who check team rosters and then search players’ names on Facebook and MySpace are not the only ones searching. “There are employers out there hiring D1 and D3 athletes and [they] now have the ability to go on to cyber communities and google someone’s name and an array of information comes forward. Everyone needs to be forewarned, not just student athletes,” said Addy Malatesta, Director of Athletics. Malatesta added that Wilkes athletes have an obligation to their teammates who do not support this particular behavior or do not want to be represented in such a way. “Taking that negative representation and expanding it creates dissension on teams. When it goes public you have an obligation to NCAA, future employers, alums, teammates, and the institution,” she said. Wilkes athletics representatives and members of the Student Life and Media (SLAM) committee are working together to review the guidelines for student conduct and address the issue of policy on cyber communities. “This is part of college life, but it does have effects in the long run,” Rentzel said. “I learned my lesson.” Changes in store for Wilkes football schedule BY GERARD HETMAN Beacon Staff Writer As fans of the Wilkes University football program begin discussing the team’s outlook for the 2007 season, they may be quite surprised at the slate of opponents that are set to challenge the Colonels as they set out to repeat as Middle Atlantic Conference champions and make their third straight trip to the NCAA playoffs. Due to the off season exit of Juniata College, Moravian College and Susquehanna University from the MAC, each of the 8 teams left in the league needed to schedule 3 non-conference games to start their season. Wilkes will open their season with 3 non-conference games, all at home, against teams from the New Jersey Athletic Conference- William Paterson, Montclair State and Rowan. Following the Rowan game, the Colonels will enjoy a bye week before traveling to Lebanon Valley to begin competition against each of the 7 other MAC football programs. Entering his 12th season at the helm of the Colonels, head coach Frank Sheptock views the new schedule as an excellent opportunity to continue to build Wilkes football on a regional and national scale. “As our program continues to develop, we look to challenge our players to rise to those expectations,” Sheptock said of the quality of opponents on this year’s schedule. “New The Beacon/Todd Weibel Al Karaffa runs downs the field last season, but changes in the schedule will change what teams he and the rest of the team will face in the fall. Jersey is a prime recruiting ground for us, season-ending spot in week 10. The Colo- regular season finale. “I’m good friends and the ability to play more teams from that nels will also be tested late in the season as with a lot of those guys- many of us started area will be of great benefit to us in recruit- they close out their schedule against Dela- to play more last year, and I’ll look forward ing.” ware Valley and Widener, who have each to our game against them,” Signora says of the match up with Widener. Wilkes fans who have followed the team been highly successful in recent seasons. While the road to defending the conferduring the past several years will see two When asked, many Wilkes players are familiar names a bit earlier in the schedule looking forward to this year’s schedule. “A ence championship and returning to the this season. The Colonels have been elimi- rivalry is still a rivalry, no matter when it’s NCAA playoffs will be more challenging nated from the NCAA playoffs each of the played,” offensive lineman Mark Liberski this season, Wilkes players and coaches bepast two seasons by Rowan University, one said of the Mayor’s Cup game. “The inten- lieve they are up to the challenge. And with six home games on the slate for 2007, the of the nation’s premiere programs at the Di- sity will defiantly still be there.” vision III level. This season, Rowan joins Other players are also looking forward to schedule also offers an outstanding opporthe schedule in week 3 as a non-conference the later weeks of the schedule. Fullback tunity for fans to catch some great action opponent. In addition, the annual Mayor’s Paul Signora has numerous classmates from at Ralston Field. So make sure to swing by Cup game between Wilkes and rival King’s high school who are playing for Widener, and catch a game at Ralston- you certainly College moves to week 7 from its normal and is exited to match up with them in the won’t be disappointed. �SPORTS 18 MAY 1, 2007 Commentary GAME OF THE WEEK New York Mets v. Arizona Diamondbacks National League hopefuls square off in the West Double Take BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor The New York Mets have their work cut out for them this season. Coming off a season in which they were 97-65 and the heavy favorites to win the National League pennant, the Metropolitans have come into the current season with similar hopes. Those hopes were dashed, however, as the NL East rival Atlanta Braves have proven to be a tougher opponent than originally thought, and subsequently have risen to the top of the division. Things are only going to get more difficult for the Mets, however, as the young Florida Marlins and resurgent Philadelphia Phillies are making runs toward the top. One of the biggest liabilities for the Mets this season has been pitching, as their top gun, Pedro Martinez, will be sidelined for most of the first part of the season as he recovers from shoulder surgery. That leaves the brunt of the responsibility on Tom Glavine, the 41-year old veteran, to lead the pitching staff throughout the season. Glavine is backed by veteran Orlando “El Duque” Hernandez, as well as youngsters John Maine and Oliver Perez. Maine has been stellar so far in this young season, going 3-0 with an ERA of 1.71. Perez, on the other hand, has been good, but not great, posting a 2-2 record with and ERA of 3.86. The biggest problem of Perez this season has been his inability to locate fl1AffiOfl0 BACHS,. the plate, often walking several batters a game. On the other side of the ball, the Mets have much less to worry about, as their offense is one of the most dynamic on all of baseball. One of the reasons for that, of course, is leadoff hitter Jose Reyes, considered by most to be the most exciting player in the game. In 21 games, Reyes has 5 triples and 13 stolen bases, both tops in the National League. The middle of the lineup is home to Carlos Beltran, Carlos Delgado, and David Wright, one of the best 3-4-5 tandems in baseball. One of the biggest surprises for the Mets this year is the offensive contribution of 40year old Moises Alou, an off-season pickup to fill a void in the outfield. Alou is leading the team in batting average with .397, and is contributing with 2 homeruns and 11 RBIs. The Mets are certainly going to need their offense as they head to Arizona for a four game series. The Diamondbacks, considered early contenders to win the NL West, have not lived up to the expectations, as they are currently third in their division. A main reason for their success is a strong pitching staff that includes 2006 Cy Young winner Brandon Webb and multiple Cy Young winner and veteran pitcher Randy Johnson. Johnson, acquired in a trade from the New York Yankees, struggled in his first start this season, giving up six earned runs in five innings of work. Webb has faired much better, going 1-1 with a 3.60 ERA and 34 strikeouts in five starts this season. The pitching of the D’Backs is solid, with veterans Doug Davis (2-2, 2.79) and Livan Hernandez (2-1, 3.94) rounding out the rotation, but their real talent lies in their young offense. They are led by the offensive catalyst Eric Byrnes, whose blend of power and speed makes him a great addition to an offense. Along with Byrnes, the infield duo of Orlando Hudson and Stephen Drew combine to form a great offensive and defensive combo for the club. Steph examines the stats that truly matter... BY STEPHANIE DEBALKO Beacon A&E Editor Offensively, the Diamondbacks don’t win games with their power numbers, but more with speed and timely hitting, both of which they will need in taking on the power heavy New York Mets. Arizona’s strength lies in its pitching staff, but don’t count out the young offense, who can do a lot to disrupt opposing pitchers. The Pick: Game 1: New York 4, Arizona 2 Game 2: Arizona 9, New York 3 Game 3: Arizona 3, New York 0 Game 4: New York 8, Arizona 7 Probable Starters (as of 4/29) 5/03 Tom Glavine (3-1, 2.80 ERA) vs Edgar Gonzalez (1-2, 4.45 ERA) 5/04 John Maine (3-0, 1.71) vs Randy Johnson (0-1, 10.80 ERA) 5/05 Orlando Hernandez (2-1, 2.53 ERA) vs Brandon Webb (1-1, 3.60 ERA) 5/06 Mike Pelfrey (0-2, 7.90 ERA) vs Livan Hernandez (2-1, 3.94 ERA) I really don’t understand how they name baseball teams. Ordinarily, I couldn’t care less about the inner-workings of “baseball society” or whatever you want to call it. But when I have to analyze the Game of the Week using my spectacular problemsolving skills, these inner-workings directly affect my life. Ok, so I get where they got the Diamondbacks from-it’s Arizona and there are snakes there I guess. But the New York Mets? What the heck is that about? Don’t get me wrong, I love New York, but I’m thoroughly irritated by their choice of team name in this instance. So, for the purposes of this, my last Double Take, I am going to rename the Mets the Loch Ness Monsters and the Diamondbacks will be the Sasquatches. How could I possibly pit two amazingly fascinating creatures against one another and expect one of them to win, you ask? Well, I admit it won’t be easy, but we’re going to try. While the Sasquatches would have the on-land advantage, with the added benefit of being able to see over trees and stuff, I think the Loch Ness Monsters might end up taking it all in this case. Think about it-they have the opportunity to escape into the deep, murky waters and emerge when they so choose. And come on, the Sasquatches aren’t going to be able to swim that fast, what with all that fur weighing them down. It pains me to have to choose between these two marvelous mystical (and real) creatures, but I think the Loch Ness Monsters are going to win. So that means I think the Mets will win. But if they don’t at least their competitors (the Sasquatches) are a worthy match. �SPORTS MAY 1, 2007 SOFTBALL from PAGE 20 will we get them in? Because in the playoffs every team goes up a notch so you have to take advantage of everything that you can possibly get,” said Matthews. As the second seed in the playoffs, the Lady Colonels will maintain home field advantage until the championship round which could be a repeat of last season as the Lady Monarchs stand atop of the conference with an 11-1 record. The Lady Colonels finished with a solid 9-1 record at home this season making it tough on opponents to snatch a win in their backyard. If the Lady Colonels sweep Drew University in their last contest, 19 they will be at home against FDU in the first round this Friday. Now is the time for the players to put on their hard hats, because it’s time for battle with the seniors leading the pack. “As a senior, my ultimate goal is to win another championship; however, for now I just take it one game at a time,” said Agresti. It’s playoff time, softball fans, and the Lady Colonels are back again for another date with the Freedom Conference Playoffs. The playoffs will begin Friday at 11 AM, and Saturday at 9AM at Ralston Field. The Beacon/Todd Weibel A Wilkes baseball player slides safely into second base in a game against Scranton.. The Colonels won the games 8-2 and 15-4 to advance to the Freedom Conference Championships, which begin on Saturday. WEEKEND RECAPS Golf The Wilkes University golf team sits in sixth-place after the opening 27 holes of the 54hole Freedom Conference Championship being held at Shawnee-on-the-Delaware Golf Club. The Colonels finished the day with a team score of 507. Scranton holds the lead after the opening day with a team score of 473. FDU-Florham is just one stroke behind at 474, while King’s is third with a 492. Men’s Tennis The Wilkes University men’s tennis team saw their season come to a close on Saturday as all of their players were eliminated from the MASCAC Individual Championships being hosted at the Ralston Complex and Kirby Park. The Beacon/Todd Weibel Wilkes senior Laurie Agresti is 30 strikeouts shy of becoming the fifth player in Division III history to reach the 1000 strikeout mark. “She is one of the best D-3 pitchers in the area and probably one of the best D-3 players in the country and she is on a level all by herself,” said softball head coach Frank Matthews. 23 The combined number of runs scored by the Colonels’ baseball team in the twin bill against Scranton. Men’s Baseball Wilkes University needed just one win during Saturday’s Freedom Conference baseball doubleheader against the University of Scranton to clinch a conference playoff berth. Instead, the Colonels won both ends of the twinbill by scores of 8-2 and 15-4. The two wins improved Wilkes to 20-10 overall and 10-8 in the conference and secured the number-four seed for the upcoming playoffs that will be held from May 4-6 in Quakertown. Scranton saw their records fall to 12-22 overall and 5-11 in the conference. NUMBERS OF THE WEEK 6 Place that the golf team was in after the first 27 holes of the championships. 970 Number of strikeouts for senior softball pitcher, Laurie Agresti as the team heads into the playoffs. 8 Total wins for the men’s tennis team this season before they were eliminated in the playoffs. �Sports MAY 1, 2007 Preview of the Week: Freedom Conference playoffs 20 Lady Colonels softball back for another playoff run BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Asst. Sports Editor When there are no more regular season games remaining on the schedule, you know what time it is. Some teams experience the excitement of advancing to the postseason, but for others, it’s time to clean out the lockers. It’s playoff time, ladies and gentleman, and now it’s all about having the heart to separate the wheat from the chaff. As for the 2ndseeded Lady Colonels softball team, this Friday marks the beginning of the postseason. Tighten your seatbelts, because it’s going to be a wild ride as the Lady Colonels look to become Freedom Conference champions for a second consecutive season. In the Lady Colonels playoff run last year, they swept through Lycoming in the first round beating the Lady Warriors 3-0. Freshman Samantha Evanich, also known as last season’s playoff MVP, led the way for the Lady Colonels with solid allowing only four hits from 25 batters. Evanich also posted 7 K’s on the team’s way to face cross town rival King’s College in the second round. As teams advance, the games are supposed to get tougher. But for the Lady Colonels last year, that wasn’t the case. Wilkes smacked the lady Monarchs 7-1 at Ralston Field to secure a spot in the championship round. Centerfielder Nadine Taylor led the team piling up 2 RBIs on 3 hits, and also managed to step on home base twice for the Lady Colonels. Laurie Agresti led Wilkes on the mound with a monstrous 11 strikeouts, and frustrated a determined Lady Monarch team by giving up only 3 hits throughout the entire seven innings. After taking a beating from the Lady Colonels, King’s regained its composure and won a 6-3 matchup with FDU just to lose it again in the championship round against the Lady Colonels. The reigning champs came out victorious by a small margin beating the Lady Monarchs 4-3. Head Coach Frank Matthews led his troops to the promised land last season, and afterward received Freedom Conference Coach of the Year for his efforts. Matthews will look to coach the Lady Colonels to another championship, and would truly cherish holding up that championship trophy, but he realizes that winning involves having an effective strategy. “We have to maintain our pitching, because we have been getting excellent pitching, and our defense has been playing well. The key to the playoffs is going to be when we get runners in scoring position, See BASEBALL page 19 The Beacon/Todd Weibel Last season’s Freedom Conference Tournament MVP Samantha Evanich will look to help guide her team to another championhip. ._. · Campus Calendar, *Women’s softball Freedom Conference Championships, Ralston Field - 11:00 AM *Alumni Event, RiverCrest Golf Club - 6:00 Tuesday 5/1 *Men’s baseball vs. PSU PM *Chorus Concert, Kirby Berks - 2:00 PM *2007 Pennsylvania Center for the PerformPartners in the Arts ing Arts - 8:00 PM Grant Program, HSC Saturday 5/5 Ballroom - 6:00 PM *Jazz Orchestra Con- *Finals *Women’s softball Freecert, DDD - 7:30 PM dom Conference Championships, Ralston Field Wednesday 5/2 *Tibetan Monk speaker, - 9:00 AM *Flute Ensemble ConSLC - 7:00 PM cert, DDD - 1:00 PM *Chorus Concert, ScranThursday 5/3 ton Cultural Center *No events scheduled 8:00 PM Friday 5/4 Sunday 5/6 *Finals All Week: *Wilkes University Faculty Exhibition, Sordoni Art Gallery *Finals Find this Picture on Campus and... WIN CASH Monday 5/7 *Finals Tuesday 5/8 *Finals Wednesday 5/9 *Finals Thursday 5/10 *Finals Friday 5/11 *Little Women: The Musical, DDD - 7:00 AM Saturday 5/12 *2007 Academic Awards Ceremony, HSC Ballroom - 6:00 PM *Parlor Games, DDD 8:00 PM This photo was taken somewhere on Wilkes University’s campus. When you find it, email us the answer at: wilkesbeacon@gmail. com. Be sure to put “Campus Picture” as the subject heading, as well as your name, phone number, and either campus mailbox or mailing address in the body text. A random winner will be picked from the correct responses and will receive a $10 cash prize courtesy of the Programming W ILKES UNIVERSITY PROGRAMMING BOARD Board. - Congratulations to Pat Nardone who correctly identified last week’s photo which was of a plaque outside of Stark closest to Evan Hall. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon 2008 May 1st Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 May 1 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/81eb06432625f7d478e72bc0e7ad2a77.pdf f4ebffda6e81d52f9fc530ffd83f61ab PDF Text Text Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA The THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW FEBRUARY A PRIL 29, 2008 5, 2008 In This Issue... Top IO Ways to Get Your DreamJob! Page 9 FeVvtCl Le co w,eot LCl IA.S Funkmaster Flex mixer flames out Shocker Squad Wins 3rd Straight Championship Page 19 r Inside News................................1-5 Opinion.............................6-8 Lifestyles.........................9-11 Arts & Entertainment....12-15 Sports...........................16-20 Issue 22 13 Disc jockey never scheduled, say representatives BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Sports Editor Two months of promoting a college mixer headlining the notorious disc jockey, Funkmaster Flex, turned to questions of fraud when the party was cancelled at the last minute this weekend and a Multicultural Student Coalition (MSC) organizer came under scrutiny for allegedly forging the entertainer’s name on a contract. Because the matter is currently under investigation and is a disciplinary issue, the student’s name will not be released by Student Affairs. “The Student Affairs office has had preliminary discussion with the principals involved in the event. Beginning Monday, we’ll be investigating the situation in more detail and take appropriate action as is required,” said Paul Adams, Vice President of Student Affairs. According to MSC representatives, Flex, along with his crew, was scheduled to entertain students in the Marts Gym on Saturday, April 26, as a “personal favor” because he is “a close friend” of the brother of See FLEX page 3 Page 15 Volume 60 www.wilkesbeacon.com Courtesy www.FunkmasterFlex.com After two months of preparation and promotion, Wilkes University students were shocked and disappointed when news broke that DJ Funkmaster Flex’s agreement to perform at Wilkes was fraudulent. SPIN Farm takes root on Ross and River Streets BY NICHOLAS PODOLAK Beacon Editor-in-Chief & NICOLE FRAIL Beacon Asst. News Editor It looked like a scene from the movie Tremors: long cylindrical mounds of dirt mysteriously stopping at the corner of Ross and River Streets on the lot where Brown’s deli used to sit. However, 30 foot man-eating graboids have been ruled out as the perpetrators. The mounds are the result of an organic community vegetable plot under the supervision of Dr. Ellen Flint, Lee Pressman and Andy Rhinehardt, agronomy specialists from the National Center for Appropriate Technology, who have made good use of the land left over from the demolition of the abandoned deli this winter. “We did the tilling and made the beds on Sunday, and it was pretty amazing to see the community members come out and ask what was going on,” said Pressman. According to Dr. Marleen Troy, chair of the Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences Department, the committee for the SHE Building was influenced by SPIN farms on various green campuses, such as Dickinson’s, when they were touring school grounds in search of features for the proposed “green” science building. “Fenner Farm,” as it will be called in honor of Mr. George Fenner, Esq., an avid gardener whose vegetable garden once spread across the greenway to the Stark Learning Center, utilizes a new method of gardening called SPIN (Small Plot Intensive); a relatively new, inexpensive type of farming that makes it possible to earn an income from plots of land under an acre in size, including front and back yards. SPIN sells specialty howto packets online for anyone who is interested in organizing their own sub-farm. “We feel it would be a great honor to Mr. Fenner and his great contributions to Wilkes,” said Flint, Coordinator of the Undergraduate Experience. As a handheld earthway seeder carefully sowed the land, traces of arugula started to peek through the soil, stretching for sunlight. Wilkes faculty including Troy, Shelley Pearce, Director of the Wilkes Music Conservatory and Sharon Bower, Associate Professor of Art were all on hand to help place floating row covers over the plot, which act as miniature greenhouses to help keep in sunlight as well as moisture. “It’s all very kind of low tech,” Flint said. “I like to be outdoors; I like to garden. It’s an opportunity to learn, and the rewards in the end are delicious,” added Bower. A summer internship to work on the farm has been proposed and is still waiting grant approval from the mentoring task force. The proposed internship would pay $8.50-10.50 an hour for four to six positions. “There seems to be a great deal of interest about the project, and I know the commit- See SPIN page 3 �NEWS APRIL 29, 2008 2 Flex continued SPIN continued Stewards of the Earth 3 3 4 Rossenn Lecture welcomes renowned paleoanthropologist BY MEGAN KRISANDA Beacon Staff Writer The 27th Annual Max Rosenn Lecture Series welcomes Richard Leakey as guest speaker on May 4 at 7:30p.m. in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center. Leakey is a paleoanthropolgist, activist and conservationist with a significant amount of experience in field research and is credited with changing the notions of evolution and the origins of human beings. Leakey will be addressing climate change in his lecture, “Humanity: The Past and Future of Climate Change.” “He understands the climate shift and its impact on humanity and the global perspective,” said Dr. James Merryman, Professor of Sociology and Anthropology. In the 1950s, Leakey and his family discovered 3 million year old remains of the earliest human ancestors at Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania which defined Africa as the origin of human kind. “His family, particularly his father and mother, were the primary figures in the second half of the 20th century, who really pin pointed human origins in East Africa. He was very much a part of that upbringing. And then he went on to do a lot of discoveries. With his knowledge of human evolution and geology he has a good position to talk about these major changes,” said Merryman. Both Leakey and Merryman share related interests in the field of anthropology. Merryman has always been highly influenced by Leakey and his family with their work in the field. Merryman conducted research in Kenya for his dissertation. His research in Kenya was affiliated with the Kenya Museums with Leakey serving as the director of the National Museums of Kenya (NMK). “I knew these people, I knew their work. I know of them much better than they know of me. It very exciting and it felt like an extreme privilege to be working under his umbrella,” said Merryman. The Rosenn Committee is responsible for Leakey serving as the guest speaker for the lecture series. An invitationonly reception and dinner will be held prior to the lecture and a reception following the lecture is open to the public. The reception following the lecture will be in the upper lobby of the Darte Center including coffee, tea and dessert according to Rebecca Van Jura, director of special events. Courtesy of Marketing Communications Richard Leaky, paleoanthropolgist, activist and conservationist will be speaking at this year’s Rossen Lecture on May 4 at 7:30. BEACON Serving the community through fair and accurate reporting while supporting the views and opinions of our readers. Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief: Nick Podolak Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com Managing Editor: Alison Woody Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com News Editor: Andrew Seaman Email: news.beacon@gmail.com Op/Ed Editor: Mark Congdon Jr. Email: thebeacon.oped@gmail.com Lifestyles Editor: Christa Sgobba Email: beacon.lifestyles@gmail.com A&E Editor: Marissa Phillips Email: thebeaconae@gmail.com Sports Editor: Carlton Holmes Email: beaconsports@gmail.com Photo Editor: Cara Koster Advertising Managers: Stephanie Yachim Dana Zlotucha Email: thebeacon.ads@gmail.com Advisor: Dr. Andrea Breemer Frantz Established in 1936 PA Newspaper Association Member Printed on Tuesdays during the academic school year. The Beacon/Jenna Stephens The second annual Relay For Life at Wilkes University was held on April 26 and 27. According to Andy Julian, Relay for Life’s co-chairman, the event raised over $18,000 for the American Cancer Society to help fund cancer research. 130 S. River St. First Floor, Conyngham Hall, Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 (570) 408-5903 wilkesbeacon@gmail.com www.wilkesbeacon.com �NEWS APRIL 29, 2008 3 (BELOW) Pressman, Rhinehart and Troy use earthway seeders to secure the floating row covers above Fenner Farm’s crops. Students and faculty will take care of the farm over the summer, weeding, watering and picking the vegetables and herbs they grow. Students, faculty and staff that are interested in taking part in the miniature farm are welcome to attend a workshop on SPIN farming on May 19 and 20. A grant to pay students for their work is being discussed. The Beacon / Gino Troiani The Beacon / Gino Troiani (ABOVE) Dr. Marleen Troy looks on as Lee Pressman and Andy Rhinehardt from the National Center of Appropriate Technology build floating row covers over the plot. The row covers will act like miniature greenhouses to help keep the soils moist and the sunlight in. Vegetables and herbs such as squash, arugala, tomatoes, zucchini, chard, basil and corriander will be planted in Fenner Farm and eventually sold to Wilkes students and the surrounding community. SPIN from FRONT PAGE tee is giving it very serious consideration,” said Flint. Even though the grant is still under consideration, students like Natalie Harvey and Rachel Curtis have been helping faculty members prepare the farm grounds for free. “I hope that the garden will create a bridge that spans across the various departments of the university. I think it is a great opportunity for everyone to come together and partake in such a great activity,” said Harvey, sophomore pharmaceutical science major. “Too many people in our society lack an understanding of where food comes from, and the work required to grow and harvest crops. As we move into a time when food prices are rising and crop lands are becoming scarce, it is important to educate people about the importance of sustainable, local farming,” said Curtis, sophomore biochemistry major. All of the harvest will be washed, bundled and packaged in the Fenner Hall kitchen and sold to students and the community from a stand nearby, as it is done at the local Farmer’s Market on Public Square. Flint is even in talks with Sodexho food services to possibly use the garden’s harvest in the FLEX from FRONT PAGE Christian Tavarez who is a first year member of MSC. Over 689 Facebook invitations were sent, six colleges were asked to join, banners were displayed and flyers were distributed encouraging participation in the Relay-for-Life fundraiser. But the event was abruptly cancelled when representatives of Funk Master Flex called university officials to ask about promoting the event when Flex would be in Atlanta and the Wilkes event was not on his calendar at all. It is university policy to require all outside speakers and entertainers to sign an official contract for services. “On behalf of the executive board of MSC, we would like to personally apologize for any disappointments or negative feelings that resulted from the cancellation of the event,” cafeteria. “We need to sit down and see what their needs are and see if our production could meet their needs,” she said. A workshop on SPIN farming will be held on May 19 and 20 that includes lectures from people all around the country, including an educator from Sydney, Australia. Students, faculty, and staff are all encouraged to participate in the event. “We’re hoping to create and enhance the community spirit that is already here, but perhaps provide another focal point for activity and gathering,” Flint said. “We hope in the future that this will be a model for urban farming in the community, and we do said Valerie Martinez, student president of MSC. “Formal apologies will be sent to those who helped organize the event, all schools invited, Wilkes University and the surrounding community.” Dr. Maria Suarez, Special Assistant to the President for Diversity and Community Relations, emphasized that Flex had nothing to do with the cancellation, but would not comment further on the student involved. She also noted that the “mixer” will be rescheduled for next semester. All further efforts to speak with MSC representatives were denied pending the outcome of the investigation. plan to hold additional workshops for community members.” “Everybody’s excited. We’ve got a great core group of people and it will hopefully attract more,” said Troy. 0 Listen to this story and more at wilkesbeaf:on.com/podcasts No more contacts. No glasses? NO WORRIES! Butler Eyecare has special Student Pricing! 20% discount on Fran1es $49 eye exams 822-8727 yecare for everyone www .butlereyecare.com 34 S. Main St. Across from SUBWAY �NEWS APRIL 29, 2008 4 Stewards of the Earth How clean is the W-B air we breathe? The Susquehanna River and water quality BY AMY FUSCO Beacon Staff Writer The environmental awareness stories, “Stewards of the Earth,” on this page were the result of a semester-long advanced news writing project that investigated challenges to the Wilkes-Barre community. Podcasts of some of the interviews will also be posted at www.wilkesbeacon.com. According to scorecard.org, “Luzerne County has 60-70% chemical air releases, making it one of the dirtiest and worst counties in the U.S.” This environmental fact was one of many offered in environmentally-friendly chalk thought bubbles on the sidewalks of Wilkes University campus last week. The thought bubbles were part of a larger effort production of coal mining rose from 11 million tons of anthracite coal in 1860 to 90 million tons in 1914. Even though coal production largely ceased in the area in the 1950s, the mercury, carbon dioxide, and other air chemical releases from the mines continue impact the air quality. Sabrina Hannon, a sophomore English major, commented, “We [Luzerne County] were so big on the coal mining and the coal dust puts stuff into the air which isn’t chemical, but once you burn it, I guess that can be chemical.” The student perspectives offered in the surveys offered insights into environmental awareness as well as some misconcep- “Luzerne County has 60-70% chemical air releases, making it one of the dirtiest and worst counties in the U.S.” - Scorecard.org t o encourage community conversation about environmental issues. A n d conversation did happen. “I think [the chalk thought bubbles] are very informative and they give us very good tips about how small changes or throwing that extra person in your car can really help the environment if it becomes a nationwide trend,” said Gabrielle Lamb, the Wilkes Student Development Coordinator. In addition to the chalk bubbles, a student survey of approximately 120 people offered insight to a variety of perspectives on the air quality in Wilkes-Barre. T.J. Dennis, a survey participant in Dr. Debra Chapman’s Biology 105 class, stated that in this small city there are “many cars, many people and not much mass transportation.” Other Wilkes students feel differently. “[Air] pollutants are usually indicated as low; the city is not that big and there are no big factories, as far as I know,” commented Felixa Wingen, an English major from the same biology class. Although most of the big factories have disappeared, Wilkes-Barre air quality is still affected by the coal mining era of Luzerne County. According to the website for the Wilkes-Barre police department, the tions. In addition, student engagement on the environmental issues is key to permanent, positive change. Dr. Marleen Troy, Department Chair of Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, said, “Whatever our actions are today, look at how they are impacting the future generations.” Blake Mackesy, the Assistant Director of the Learning Center in University College agreed with Troy and commented, “I think it’s very true…it’s a very important message that we need to pass on not only amongst the adults but to our children.” “Most people are completely unaware of what’s going on around them, like the chemicals in the air that are coming out of their car,” said Frank Velez, junior biology major. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, “if 190,000 car owners started to get regular tune-ups, they will keep some 90 million pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.” BY KACI MUIR Beacon Correspondent “What does combined sewage overflow mean to all life in and around the Susquehanna River?” This question, which was posed last week in a chalk thought bubble, and was inspired by Wilkes Univeristy Environmental and Earth Science Professor, Dr. Sid Halsor. The answer of course, was left to the Wilkes community to decide. Philip Ruthkosky, the Associate Dean of Student Development, in discussing the reactions of the chalk thought bubbles said, “Anything that was going to increase awareness and get students engaged and thinking about these issues is a positive thing. I’m sure when they read them, there might be some questions, but I know it is part of the project to help them get those answers.” The answers begin with the Federal Clean Water Act of 1972. The act first proposed better treatment of the Susquehanna River in order to eliminate run-off and contamination, while coinciding with the development of wetlands to reduce flooding and also provide water for areas undergoing drought. According to Dr. Kenneth Klemow, Wilkes University Biology Professor, “Wetlands reduce the chance for erosion, […] purify groundwater by trapping sediments and […] filter harmful chemicals from the water.” Chemicals including run-off from acid mine drainage and combined sewage overflow are key factors to the contamination of the river. Gus Beil, junior history and philosophy major said, “The Susquehanna is pretty disgusting as I have gone on many walks. The natural tap water is just horrible.” Beil suggested that in order for students to become more aware of their local environment, an initiator would need to propose environmental applications on campus, connecting to Ruthkosky and his view of students’ justifications in not being aware. “It might be that students have so much going on […] some of them may feel that they have no more time to give,” said Ruthkosky. Currently, the Wilkes clubs and organizations web site lists over 100 clubs in which students can participate-four that focus on environmental causes. But, in addition to being active on campus, students may also hold part-time jobs, have a family, or have a double or triple major that consumes most of their time. At the end of the day, what students seem to want the most is an easy alternative to environmental advances. As Wilkes continues to move forward in its plans for sustainability, Ruthkosky noted, “We are taking steps in the right direction. The more activities you give [students] the more awareness they have and more opt they are to get involved.” The Beacon Archives / Nick Zmijewski �s ····- - ·- ·····- ••H, ___ L~cense-State Board of Aoc:ountmlcy Aerou11tant APRIL 29, 2008 AL VlOLATlO X I • - .- UNV I X' ,, ' represeflt good moral ..cter. Boardmay refuse issue lion Arcbi1~ ['a Arc,itect Registration ~ iiicerue - Arthitoo~ ·"Oard .•.~n~i011al · .~er. 4-S Yms c~•fi£l~V~ ltWrk e51per1ence, X ' ·titw of good X ' rr.i, ,M vtlm~ B1chelor s or Mm;ter's 1 .on Board may l:lcensurelc -·~ · R1il mmdaiury back,ground. m1~1oner I D1chelor 1s Degree I Nurse I)egrM from approved. Li(loose - State Bofild of - J ~ ~~ol ~c•- eu.'I ml us0to ;, nunmg program NEWS l.a,wEnforcement ioFUU HIV'iail. ~hm,aowr wuraaoo A~ust ][]egree - . Paid Advertisement Provided by the PA Liquor Control Board Engineer to I oard of Pharmaei5t 1. ffl:!lS& ,, Pharmacy x· ·x IM~t Jepmsnt good mom & ,eharaetw.Bo.ard,may 1armac:1st .wm "rOd~ Worker Mater·; Desree Teucber Bacne~or;s][]~ leading LiceDs~ - SwteDep~lme.nl, to M~r,sm Eq1frvruency. PMs Lic~1se - S~teBomd o, SCH!ial Wark Examiners of Edueanmi X X X X refuse toin. lkensure/ceniacarion IMust represent good mo1ll character. Board mey refuse t,o issue litensure/eertification IEail mandilory bac~_gmund, ch~ksi denied employment 5 �Opinion Senior’s send off Here’s to You The Angry Rant APRIL 29, 2008 7 7 8 6 No more excuses: Students had up close view of politics BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD This week, students are packing up their belongings and saying goodbye to Wilkes for the summer. Some are getting their caps and gowns ready to walk across the stage and step into the “real world.” But a week ago, the campus was still buzzing and felt like the semester was anything but over. For the past month students at Wilkes University had a front row seat to the election process of the United States of America. This process is truly unique to the form of democracy carved out by America, and for a month the Wilkes community lived in a political laboratory. Wilkes community members saw the candidates, learned where they stood on issues, and hopefully made a decision reflective of their true desires for national leadership. But could any of this have happened without good leadership right here at home? We thought it would be appropriate to begin this editorial by acknowledging some Wilkes University officials for their efforts to bring the world to our doorstep. Specifically Jack Chielli and his team in Marketing Communications, members of the administration, and the personnel in facilities, expended a great deal of energy and time this spring to bring the candidates and their surrogates to Wilkes. In a short period of time, former first daughter Chelsea Clinton, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., actor they support. Dave Sborz said he was voting for Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY; Patrick Austin said he was voting for Obama; while Raquel Whebby said that she was undecided. Smith probed each person and asked why he was voting a certain The Beacon/Jenna Stephens & Gino Troiani Both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton made a campaign stop in Wilkes-Barre during the frenzied bid for PA voters. Sean Astin and Former President Bill Clinton stumped their way through our buildings at Wilkes, bringing with them national attention. Most recently Harry Smith, anchor of the Early Show on CBS, hosted his show from the Henry Student Center. He spent time asking three Wilkes students some questions about the candidates way or in Raquel’s case, if she was leaning in any certain direction. Smith said he chose Wilkes when representatives from his show were here with Obama earlier in the month and he had a chance to see a little bit of campus. “We needed to be here geographically… but I didn’t want to be in Scranton. I wanted to be someplace else. So I thought, ‘what a perfect place,’” he said. Smith seemed to understand that the youth vote will be a force in the 2008 election and the candidates and their advisors should start listening to the demographic to ensure a victory. Too long have young voters been apathetic to the political process, giving their elders the power to govern absolutely. For many years prior, students and young adults used the excuse that they did not know enough about the voting process to pick a candidate, but that can no longer be used as a pretext. Most collegeaged people can simply go to the different candidates web pages and see where they stand on the issues. Or for the incredibly lazy people who do not want to make more than one stop on the Information Super Highway, they can go to a non-partisan youth voting site that gives you a cheat sheet for all of the candidates and issues. We urge all young voters to get out to the polling places in November, whether you are Republican or Democrat, and cast your ballot, because your vote is your voice. We also applaud Wilkes University for the opportunity its leadership gave students to participate in the unique and special process that is politics. When cruelty becomes ‘artistic statement’ BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor Dogs are man’s best friend, right? Well, apparently Guillermo Vargas disagrees. He is an “artist” whose “art” is comprised of chaining a stray dog to the wall inside of a gallery and starving it to death. According to the Daily Targum, Vargas’ exhibit was a “tribute to a Nicaraguan burglar who was killed in Costa Rica by two guard dogs.” Others say that the exhibit was supposed to be a comment on human starvation. Aside from the obvious question of why pay tribute to a burglar, this form of “art” raises serious ethical concerns. Regardless of the meaning behind the public act, calling it art is disgusting. Pet owners who starve their animals are turned in for animal abuse. But somehow for art’s sake we suspend our laws? Worse than Vargas is Adel Abdessemed, another “artist” who killed six animals by beating them with a hammer and videotaped it. He cut the video into clips projected them for viewers in San Francisco to witness. If you think that killing animals is as far as people will go for the sake of “art,” try watching someone die as part of an art exhibit or someone undergo self-induced abortions. That is exactly what Aliza Shvarts and Gregor Schneider are trying to put on display. Shvarts is a senior art major at Yale who artificially inseminated herself and induced miscarriages by taking drugs which she claims were herbal. According to Yale Daily News, Shvarts’s purpose is to “spark conversation and debate on the relationship between art and the human body.” My question is, what could possibly make miscarriages, something so traumatizing to the people who actually go through them, art? Then there is Schneider who wants to put on display, as TimesOnline puts it, “someone whose dying hours will be spent in an art gallery with the public admiring the way the light plays on the flesh of a person gasping for the last breath.” All of these examples of “public art” are disturbing, to say the least. How can anyone find the death of animals, people, and fetuses to be art? It makes me wonder what people can get away with if they call what they are doing art. My question is where do we draw the line between art and crime? (Continued on page 8) Beacon Poll Results The following are results of a poll that The Beacon conducted online this past week. The poll was unscientific, and does not claim to reflect the overall attitudes of students on campus. Results are based on 67 responses. The Beacon asked: Who do you want to be the vice-presidential candidate for the Democratic party? • Barack Obama - 39% • Hillary Clinton - 7% • Bill Richardson - 6% • Al Gore - 9% • John Kerry - 1% • Nancy Pelosi- 9% • Oprah- 15% • John Edwards- 1% • Joe Biden - 4% • Other - 7% Next Week’s question: Who do you want to be the vice-presidential candidate for the Republican party? • Condoleezza Rice • Mike Huckabee • Rudy Giuliani • Chuck Norris • Mitt Romney • Kay Bailey Hutchison • Sean Hannity • Newt Gingrich • Ron Paul • Other Visit www.wilkesbeacon. com to cast your vote. Results will be published online at wilkesbeacon.com. �OPINION APRIL 29, 2008 Getting out of the comfort zone: a senior’s send-off BY MARK CONGDON JR. Beacon Opinion Editor It’s hard to believe that this is the last issue of The Beacon for the 2007-2008 school year, and with that my last article of my college career as well. It’s shocking how fast time goes by. I still remember moving into Slocum Hall my freshman year for the learning community I was in four years ago. I vividly recall during the luncheon the university had for incoming freshman, the President of Wilkes, Dr. Tim Gilmour, said to the freshmen, “Enjoy your years here at Wilkes because they will go by very fast, and these years could be some of the best years of your lives.” I was sitting with my parents and I remember thinking, “Yeah, O.K. Four years is a long time away and I couldn’t even foresee what lay immediately ahead.” I didn’t want to think about graduation. I was way too nervous about fitting in, making friends, being away from home for the first time and the hard college classes that my high school teachers warned about. But, as a graduating senior and looking back on what the President said, he was right. My time at Wilkes went by extremely quickly and my years here have been some of the best of my life. But college can’t last forever and this amazing experience must come to a close to make way for bigger and better things. Now, I’m not going to go on an on about my personal, physical, social and academic growth during the past four years, but I would like to offer some insight that has helped me find success, make lasting friendships, and get the full spectrum of the college experience at Wilkes University. Be yourself & get involved: I’m the first in my family to graduate high school and attend college. Needless to say I was very scared coming to Wilkes because no one in my immediate family could offer advice on what to expect and no one could really console my fears. The only advice my parents gave me was to be safe, have fun, and don’t forget who you are and where you came from. Though my parents couldn’t provide me insight into the expectations of the academics of college, their advice about being myself was always in the back of my mind and has helped from the beginning. I knew that in order to make friends and get the full college experience I needed to become involved with extracurricular activities. So my freshman year I ran for freshman class representative and won. I also joined other clubs my freshman year like the Multicultural Student Coalition club and co-founded the College Republicans club with two upper classmen. Additionally, 7 during my sophomore year I became a where I came from. It’s important to realize granted. Take advantage of the opportunities Diversity Ambassador and co-founded that not everyone has the same beliefs or at your fingertips. Moreover, try not to the Free-Spirit: Gay & Straight Alliance. I ideas as you and even if you disagree with burn any bridges while here. If you mess also become involved with activities in my someone, you must respect their views. up, apologize and admit when you’re major, communication studies, like speech Wilkes is gradually becoming more wrong. Take responsibility. If someone and debate team, Zebra Communications, diverse, and I encourage all to try to get a does something that makes you angry or and The Beacon the past two years. better understanding of a range of cultures. backstabs you, be the bigger person and do The experiences I had during my four By respecting other’s cultures and meeting what’s right. Revenge doesn’t help anyone. years at Wilkes allowed me to meet new new people from diverse backgrounds, Though your years at Wilkes may seem people and make lasting relationships. you could gain many friends; I know I did. like they will last forever, everything does, Participating in By learning eventually, come to an end. Stay positive, extracurricular about and have faith and remember everything happens activities also experiencing for a reason. College can be tough at times allowed me to other cultures, with academics and trying to maintain a develop my I also was certain social image or status. But don’t leadership skills. able to better give up and lose yourself in the process. COMFORT ZONE Through trial and Get involved and take advantage of what appreciate and error, I learned a lot respect my Wilkes has to offer. Get out of your zone, about myself and b a c k g r o u n d and remember to always be respectful of others. and heritage. yourself and others. Remember that your I encourage all By interacting days at Wilkes are limited. Don’t take them underclassman to with diverse for granted and appreciate every moment take advantage of people, you you have in your classes, and with your the opportunities are also better friends. Time goes by quickly and it only that Wilkes is offering. These opportunities prepared for the world outside of Wilkes goes faster as you grow and develop. What will assist you in not only developing you University. you do in college will be the foundation for academically, social, or personally, but they your future. What you do or don’t do will Don’t take time or others for granted: will help you to discover what you want to The action or inaction you take during cause a ripple effect for the rest of your do with your life after college. I figured out your undergraduate career at Wilkes is the life. So remember to enjoy life, be positive, that I want to be a teacher and eventually a foundation of your future and happiness. be yourself and reach your full potential. I guidance counselor. I firmly believe that if I Don’t take the time you have here for know I did. didn’t get involved like I did, it would have taken me longer to figure out what I want to do with my life. Try new things and get out of your comfort zone: BY GINO TROIANI In high school I was very shy, quiet, and Staff Writer/Photographer introverted. But in college, I’m the exact opposite. I’m outgoing, talkative, and extroverted. How was I able to change? I tried new things and got out of my comfort zone. At Wilkes I have had experiences that would never have happened had I not taken some risks, or had I been too worried about what others thought of me. I’ve eaten food that I never would have dreamed of trying, ) -~ like sushi or cow heart, something I needed lb .l~I to eat when I was competing in Wilkes’s 111.lP..CI Fear Factor. I even went on spontaneous Cf11cKf}l road trips to Philadelphia and the beach. ThNII Certain classes also helped me develop like ?77 dance and theater. Regardless of what type of personality you have, I encourage all to think outside of the box and try new things. Try not to care what others think of you because that only holds you back. Be yourself, be real and get Drawing By: Matt Vital out of your zone. Be respectful of yourself and others: They said there is no such thing as a dumb question. Well, they were wrong. Another important thing I learned and There’s one of you in every class, and because of this we spend countless hours realized while at Wilkes is to respect yourself listening to your mindless nonsense. Here’s a question. How did you get into and others. I learned that by being true to college? Keep on keeping on! myself, I was respecting who I was and - ttt lll • Here’s to you... Stupid question asker! -~ -~ ... u �APRIL 29, 2008 OPINION The Angry Rant: Movies I hate 8 ity to write something other than romantic comedies. Despite the abomination that is known as Vanilla Sky, I was willing to give him a pass when I learned that he was filming an ensemble film with Orlando Bloom, Kirsten Dunst and Susan Sarandon. I was sadly disappointed. Not only is Elizabethtown a schmaltzy, by-the-numbers film (A big-shot returns to his roots and finds love. How original.), but it has the distinction of offering one of the most boring on-screen romances ever committed to celluloid. I know it’s hard to grasp the thought or Orlando Bloom being anything less than exuberant, but he manages to pull it off with flying colors in this gem, and ends up drowning the normally charismatic Kirsten Dunst in his wake. Long story short: Don’t visit Elizabethtown. It’s long, it’s boring, and it might just make you question your purpose in life. Punch Drunk Love- Another big director, another boring love story. Paul Thomas Anderson, best known for Boogie Nights and Magnolia (both worth the price of admission), crafted a romantic comedy of sorts, casting the normally screwbally Adam Sandler in the lead. The result? A well-meaning, nicely crafted failure of a film. Maybe it was Adam Sandler, maybe it was the pace of the story, but this movie just doesn’t do anything for me. No thanks, but I don’t want to watch Adam Sandler on valium, even if it does mean he is less annoying. Clerks- I expect to take some heat for this one. I never understood the fascination with Kevin Smith. His movies are a series of vulgar jokes and admittedly witty dialogue, but something about his work seems very pretentious. His first film, Clerks, which was filmed on a shoestring budget, is widely regarded as one of the great independent films of its day. Really? I saw this movie and was spectacularly underwhelmed. It has a certain amount of charm to it, but it just isn’t that good. I give Kevin Smith all the credit in the world, but he has yet to have any sort of success outside of his View Askew characters, and the follow up to this film, Clerks 2, was an even bigger abomination than the first. The first film was coated in charm, the second was coated in dollar signs. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: Ah yes, the remake. Hollywood’s crutch. On rare occasions, the remake can manage to be successful, but more often than not, they are nothing more than retreads that were better the first time around. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a remake of the classic starring Gene Wilder as the titular character, is a failure of monumental proportions. Despite the fact that CATCF is called a “reimagining” of the source material, there is no getting past the fact that Tim Burton (who is now 2 for 2 with crappy remakes, the other being Planet of the Apes), took a classic film and ruined it. Gene Wilder defined Willy Wonka. Johnny Depp makes Wonka look like a pedophile. Meet the Fockers: The sequel to the highly successful (and funny) Meet the Parents does little than to recycle all of the same jokes that were funny the first time around. Here’s the formula for both movies: Someone gets introduced to someone else, hilarity ensues. Sounds easy, right? Meet the Parents did everything right, the jokes were absurd, but not too absurd. Meet the Fockers goes far past absurdity to the point where you think you’re watching a Will Ferrell movie. For my money, this movie marked the middle point in the downfall of Stiller’s career. He made a name for himself in There’s Something About Mary, would go on to write and direct Zoolander before starring alongside Gene Hackman in The Royal Tenenbaums. Then it all went bad. He would go on to star in Duplex, Along Came Polly, Starsky and Hutch, Envy, Dodgeball, Meet the Fockers, Night at the Museum and The Heartbreak Kid. Out of those movies, only two (Polly and Museum) are remotely watchable. He also seems to be afflicted with Tom Cruise syndrome, meaning you can describe several of his characters in one sentence, kind of like you could with most Tom Cruise movies (What’s that one where he played the cocky, young guy?) In Stiller’s case, he seems to play the uptight, tightly wound guy. Every time. Come on Ben, you’re better than this, Paul Walker has shown more range. Leaving Las Vegas: Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good movie, but it resulted in Nicolas Cage winning the Oscar for Best Actor, which I maintain spawned Snake Eyes, Windtalkers, The Wicker Man, Ghost Rider, and Next. Star Wars: Episodes 1 - 3: While the first three Star Wars films (or would it be the last three?) were awesome, George Lucas screwed the pooch this time around. Maybe it was the two decades in between the last Star Wars movie he directed, but I get the impression that George got lost somewhere along the way. The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones were plagued by the same problems: Bad dialogue, and a main character who couldn’t act. Revenge of the Sith was solid, but it was too little too late. The only redeeming quality of these movies was that we got to see Yoda in a lightsabre fight. True greatness. Tenacious D: The Pick of Destiny- Jack Black is funny. This movie is not. Pirates of the Caribbean 3- The first Pirates movie was a revelation. It made Johnny Depp into a househould name again, and we all got to see who Keira Knightly was. Pirates 2 was good, but unspectacular. Pirates 3 was just a mess. It was too long, and the story got tangled up in itself, and by this point, everyone learned what they knew all along: Orlando Bloom can’t carry a movie. So what have we learned today? We learned that movies with a lot of buzz and big stars can be big flops. But most importantly, we learned that Juno still blows. Have a great summer. Art money for their work. Not only did Vargas get away with it…he was asked to repeat his installation again. Shvarts is abusing her constitutional right to do whatever she wants to do with her body. She is making light out of a serious decision that is made by many women who are involuntarily put in the same position Shvarts put herself in repeatedly. Schneider wants to make death, which is seen as undignified and wants to “restore its grace.” While Schneider would only use a person in his display on a volunteer basis, it still seems barbaric. While it would be simple to just dismiss these people and take away their chances of displaying the works of violence that they call art, it would be nearly impossible due to the sketchy laws that there are for art. The First Amendment covers art, but not every extensively. Basically, the rule is that it must be within the standards of decency, respect, and morals. My question is; how are any of these people abiding by these standards? Killing animals is morally corrupt and illegal. I doubt that anyone would find multiple artificial inseminations and pregnancy terminations would be considered morally right by any person’s standards. Is it even possible to watch someone die in good conscience? It would benefit artist and audiences alike to set stricter laws to govern art work. I understand that part of creating great art work could be the shock value. But the shock value could be reached without harming people, animals, or oneself. If anything that a person wishes to display would be considered illegal without being videotaped or shown in a gallery, it shouldn’t be able to be considered art. Rightfully those acts should be punished, not praised! It is scary to think of what other sick minds could be cooking up as a new work of art. Abortion, animal cruelty and death on display are already taken, what will some deranged “artist” get way with next? The government needs to do something before someone comes up with something to challenge the already present laws…like so many others who have already gotten away with it. Courtesy of Valhallatorrent.org BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor Oh, Juno, you rascal. Not only did you make a heap of money and garner a ton of awards and nominations during your theatrical run, but you also managed to be number one on the DVD and rental charts last week, which can only mean two things: Either I bought a ton of copies and destroyed them so as to prevent the masses from falling into your trap of “witty” dialogue, or the populace just wanted to waste $20. There can be no other alternative. There is no way that people bought this movie because they wanted to watch it. But, then again, people are stupid, so I guess anything is possible. In honor of Juno being released on DVD (for those who don’t know my feelings on that gem, allow me to fill you in: I hate it. It’s overrated, overwritten, and it’s the kind of bandwagon movie that has a shiny cover, but very little else. It was very generously nominated during Oscar season--Best picture? Please.), I thought it would be fitting to end the year with a rant on other movies that I hate. Without further adieu… Elizabethtown- When Almost Famous came out, I was convinced that Cameron Crowe was about to hit his career stride. It was four years since Jerry Maguire was released, and Crowe displayed his abil- from PAGE 6 All of these examples of “public art” are disturbing, to say the least. How can anyone find the death of animals, people, and fetuses to be art? It makes me wonder what people can get away with if they call what they are doing art. My question is where do we draw the line between art and crime? People, like Michael Vick, abuse animals, go to jail and pay heavy fines. Abdessemed and Vargas can abuse animals and as long as they have the label “ART” on it and not only get away with it, but probably receive �LIFESTYLES APRIL 29, 2008 Student of the Week 10 Senior anxiety 11 9 Top 10 ways to land your dream job after graduation BY CHRISTA SGOBBA Beacon Lifestyles Editor sexily you may dance, or how studly you may be. Just use your Wilkes e-mail address. You’ve tossed your graduation cap in the air, and have your diploma firmly grasped in your hand. You have finally completed your college education. Now what? For many seniors, the path after graduation is a little murky. They have their degree in hand, but a big, resounding question mark regarding where it’s going to take them. Since the majority of college seniors wouldn’t dream of sticking themselves with any old job, The Beacon has put together a top 10 list of ways to get on track for that perfect job. 3. When you’re going to an interview, look like you are going to an interview. Even if you’re applying for a job that’s pretty casual, suits are still required dress for interviews. That means dress pants and a jacket for men, and dress pants or a skirt with pantyhose and close-toed shoes for women. Avoid heavy makeup, excessive jewelry, exposed skin, and make sure you take out any facial piercings, with the exception of earlobes. Personal hygiene is also very important. Come to an interview freshly showered, but avoid drowning yourself in perfume or cologne. If you’re a smoker, don’t smoke in the car before the interview. “A lot of recruiters told us they were offended by the smell of smoke when someone came into the room,” said Mulvey. “It can make a negative first impression.” 1. Don’t overload your resumé with unnecessary fillers. The resumé introduces you to the company for which you are interviewing, so you want to make a good first impression. Keep it clear and concise, and make sure it contains only pertinent information. Your potential employers probably aren’t going to care if you were captain of your bowling team in high school. According to Lisa Mulvey, a career consultant at Career Services, including high school information is irrelevant. However, another mistake Mulvey sees is resumés that skimp on important details. For this reason, students should skip the Microsoft Resumé Wizard, and instead craft one by hand. “We see missing information like dates they were employed places, or they forget to include accurate descriptions of responsibilities or accomplishments at internships or jobs,” said Mulvey. 2. Keep your resumé professional. Once you get the hard part of the resumé down, you don’t want to screw it up with something as simple as your contact information. You may have fun e-mail addresses that you use with your friends that may reference questionable activities or hobbies of yours, but don’t use them on your resume. “These are true e-mail addresses that I’ve seen people use on their resumes-‘Sexy Dancer’ and ‘Hot Italian Stud,’” said Mulvey. “Unless you’re applying for a job in this type of field, you want to use a plain e-mail address.” Your employers don’t want to know how 4. Don’t be struck silent at the interview... According to Jenn Radogna, the recruiting manager for Enterprise Rent-a-Car in Easton, one of the best ways to stand out during an interview is to ask knowledgeable questions about the company, and be able to answer questions about yourself. A new trend in interviewing is to ask behavioral questions, like “How do you react when your group doesn’t listen to you?” Answers to these can be difficult to come up with off the top of your head, so Mulvey suggests practicing with potential questions before the interview. 5. …But don’t run your mouth either. Honesty may be the best policy, but brutal honesty probably isn’t going to win you the job. If your interviewer asks you a question about how you see your future with the company, don’t tell them you see it as a jumping-off point to the bigger and brighter. “The biggest mistake I’ve seen is telling the interviewer that they are interested in their company just to gain experience, but their real goal is to work somewhere else,” said Radogna. “This will always be a deal breaker, since the interviewer is most likely looking for a long-term candidate.” 6. Build a network, and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. Most of the time, the really great jobs out there aren’t the ones that run in the classifieds section of your local newspaper. People find out about those unlisted jobs by word of mouth through their network. You can build your network through your part-time job, internship, or volunteer work. Whatever you’re doing, you should be building connections and letting people know that you’re looking for a job. “Join professional organizations in your field, go to conferences, really get out there and talk to people,” said Mulvey. “You want to keep in touch with people, and really leave your internship on a high note.” 7. Start looking for a job as soon as possible. It can be tempting to put off the job search in favor of some summer fun, but since the average graduate takes six months to find a job, it’s not something you want to put on hold for too long. Especially when your student loan bills come rolling in. If you’re not sure what exactly it is you want to do with your degree, Mulvey suggests looking to the internships you completed to find out what appeals to you about them. Find a part-time job and do some community service to continually expand your arsenal of skills. “The longer you take to start looking, the harder it’s going to be to explain to employers why you waited so long,” she said. 8. Understand that the path to your dream job may include a lot of coffee runs. As qualified as you may be, it’s very unlikely that the boss of your favorite Fortune 500 company is going to step aside to let you take over the reigns. You’re going to have to work your way up from something. “You’re going to have to pay your dues first, in whatever field you’re going into,” said Mulvey. “You may have to start in an entry-level position and wait until that opportunity presents itself.” According to Radogna, at Enterprise, all promotions are filled by employees who already work there. In order to optimize your chances for a promotion, Radogna suggests displaying a positive attitude, showing curiosity regarding the company, and avoiding complaints about coworkers or management, even in prior jobs. 9. Be proactive in your job search. Mulvey says that many college graduates think that having a degree is enough to ensure them a job. They simply post their resumes on Monster.com, and wait for the job offers to come flooding in. “You’ve got to be really aggressive,” she said. “Once you graduate, looking for a job should be your full-time job. And that means spending seven hours a day looking for jobs, networking, sending out resumés, following up on leads, or going to job fairs.” Mulvey points out that when you graduate, you’re not the only one competing for that job. You’re going to be up against all the graduates from the local colleges and universities, as well as people already in the workforce, so you’re really going to have to make yourself stand out. 10. Know that you never have to be stuck in a dead-end job. If that job that you were super psyched for right after college turns out to be a fizzler, you don’t have to resign yourself to a life of monotony. Instead, you should look to see if it’s the place you can’t stand, or the actual job you’re doing. Mulvey suggests looking into other opportunities at companies you like, or researching lateral moves to other companies where you will be doing a similar job. She also points out that if you’re serious about moving up and getting the best job, you may have to expand your horizons to outside the Wyoming Valley. “Don’t stay in a job if you’re unhappy,” she said. “Life’s too short to be unhappy with where you work.” All photos The Beacon/Christa Sgobba �LIFESTYLES 10 APRIL 29, 2008 Student of the Week: Madeline Alves BY MATTHEW GOGAS Beacon Staff Writer After taking last year off, Maddy Alves returned to Wilkes University as a sophmore this year with renewed motivation. Although she is an English major, Alves has been involved since early in her high school caeer with Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE), a national organization that connects businesses with community outreach. Currently Alves is the president of the organization, which has had a significant impact on the community. On May 11, members of SIFE will be leaving to attend a national competition in Chicago. Because of her leadership with this organization, The Beacon has chosen Alves as this week’s Student of the Week. The Beacon: Why did you get involved with SIFE? Alves: Some organizations, you don’t get to see people face to face and work in person with the people you are going to help. I have found that a lot of charitable organizations are like that. With SIFE, we have had 2,400 impacts. That means people we have worked with one-on-one and you get to look at them and see that we have made a difference in their lives. We have one girl that was very standoff-ish when we started the REACH program and now she has attached herself to us. She talks about going to college, she says it’s really hard but she is going to try. To see a young person like that pull a complete 180 is rewarding. The Beacon: What are some of the projects? Alves: Well there’s the Wilkes University Entrepreneurial Experience, we call it WUEE. It’s a competition where we get to work with high school students and teach them how to prepare business presentations. There’s one day when they come to campus and they actually present for investors. In the past we’ve had alumni come in and professors on campus. That sort of thing. Then we have the personal finance series, we do REACH, and we did secret shopper with the Small Business Development Center. The Beacon: Tell us about the National Competition that SIFE is attending. Alves: Nationals is an experience. You think because it’s a business event it’s very serious, but no. There are balloon hats, . · . R "Live Acoustic Music" Wednesday, April 30th 6 :30-8 :30pm Tl--lE IN I . ·. . men on stilts, and one representative from each team has to dance across a stage with a sign...The following day the actual competition starts. Teams are organized into different leagues and a certain number of people from each league advance to the next round. It’s a great feeling though to be up there sharing what you’re doing, knowing that you made a difference and that everyone else in the room knows how hard it is because Courtesy Madeline Alves they’re doing it too. Pictured are members of the SIFE team (l-r) Madeleine Alves, Jared Lyman, Andrea Smallacombe, Ashley Deemie, The Beacon: What do Tracy Garcia, John Botch, Beth Horn, Katie Gallagher, you plan to do when you Casey Kopko, Anastasia Genelow, LaChanda Davis, Walgraduate? ter Peseski. Not pictured are Danielle Namiotka, Marissa Alves: The plan as Treanor, Kristal Hernandez. of today is to start the management training program at Barnes job opportunity. I have also been looking at and Noble where I work...I could become Sara Lawerence to get my Master’s degree a department manager or a store manager. in Creative Writing, or going to London for So, potentially that could be a wonderful the hell of it. OurAfter . . ''Th.Jee Imaginary Boys'' Friday, May 2nd 7 :30-10 :30pm Live New Musician in Cafe' llclp ·v sma · d y n up to ~ · · In nt 665 onL ! .· k :a 1 (570 823- , 9' Dorit forget to s,ell yollI' textbooks brl any time at the bookstore! May 2nd thru May 9th Justgo to: "'U-BFREE" t ·· �APRIL 29, 2008 LIFESTYLES 11 Real-world stresses worry seniors approaching graduation BY LAUREN SALEM Beacon Staff Writer For many new college graduates, the papers and exams may be finished, but the stress is far from over. “It’s kind of all up in the air right now what I’m going to be definitely doing,” said Laura Weidner, a senior majoring in business administration. “I think that’s what scares me the most.” Many graduating seniors like Weidner experience anxiety about the uncertainty of their life after college. Although Weidner has made plans to go right to graduate school, she is now uncertain about whether she would go to if she were offered a decent job opportunity after finishing her internship. “I’m not the kind of person who would sit back and watch it slip away,” Weidner said. “If I get wrapped up in a job after graduation and I push grad school off, and it was a goal of mine to have my master’s degree, that’s when I would probably be frustrated.” Weidner wants to become a financial analyst or planner within the next ten years to build up to her “ultimate dream,” which is to become president or vice president of a company. After graduation, she plans to work for an insurance firm to gain experience and learn how to get clients, keep clients, and work with other people in this field. “Just the work hopefully speaks for itself,” Weidner said. “The clients that I have, the insurance that I’ve sold, the more that I’ve done, hopefully, will give me something to go on as far as a higher end job.” Weidner learned from a friend who works in the field that the job she wants is “extremely stressful,” and hopes that she will have a different experience. She said that handling people’s finances is an “all-onyou type deal” and if she doesn’t build up enough clients by a certain deadline she’ll be fired. Weidner believes that working in a fast-paced atmosphere will keep her moving forward, despite the stresses involved. “A lot of things are destined to change as far as when I get there to see what it’s all about,” Weidner said. “Maybe I’ll go and do something totally different and branch away from financing. It’s a plan for me right now so I’m going to stick with it.” For some students, the anxiety about finding a desirable steady job and making a sufficient amount of money still continues to be a concern. “Finding a career is still an issue,” said John Cohen, who graduated from Wilkes in 2007. “I know 100 percent what I do and do not want to do for a living. The hard thing is that all the careers available fall in the gray area, except for opening up my own business.” Before graduating, Cohen, who majored in business and minored in entrepreneurship, was concerned with what type of job he could get and how he would earn money and find a suitable career. “A lot for job opportunities are lose-lose situations, because you are either making a ton of money but [are] working 60 hours “Working in customer service, I had to a week, or making no money and not going anywhere career-wise,” Cohen said. “I deal with clients in difficult situations alam all about my own business because of most daily,” Girardi said. “It prepared me my experience, knowledge, education, and and gave me skills on how to deal with difficult situations.” mindset.” After Girardi graduated, it took two After graduating, Cohen went on months to find her first proabout six interviews and found fessional job. She a job within a week. For the was hired as a past five years, he has customer service worked for indepenphone representadent contractors tive for a Health and is currentInsurance Comly workpany, where she ing with a The Beac was responsible for contractor on/C hrist answering various in New Jersey a Sg obba questions or issues where he does interior and on client’s insurance exterior painting. Cohen is coverage. Before she started, also in the beginning stages she believed that the work would of opening up a general conbe challenging, she’d have to work struction business, but is lacklong hours, and that the business ing overhead and capital, busienvironment would be professionness materials, and exposure to al. customers. “My perceptions were very close to What students worry about before what I experienced,” Girardi said. “Althey graduate and what recent graduthough the work is challenging, as you ates are concerned with will become learn more, it becomes easier.” less of a concern in after they estabGirardi worked her way up through Merlish a steady job. Renea Girardi, a graduate of 1997, majored in business ad- rill Lynch by showing that she was a team ministration when she was at Wilkes Uni- player and was willing to take on additional versity, and has worked her way up the job responsibilities. “You have to always be prepared to take chain. She has worked for Merrill Lynch for eight years and is a project analyst a different direction,” Girardi said. “Purwhere she is responsible for working on en- sue something you have interest in, because hancements for the monthly statements that then you will enjoy going to work every day.” clients receive. • What do you do to prepare for your final exams? “I just review all my notes. I don’t watch television, and I listen to music.” Frantzddyn Pamphile sophomore, nursing major “I sleep and study to be honest with you, nothing special.” Matthew Duffy freshman, history mojor “I’m a yoga instructor, so I do lots of yoga and try to keep up with my notes and a healthy lifestyle... So just taking care of myself all around and trying not to stress out. I guess that’s key.” Amanda Derr senior, biochemistry major “I usually just study the night before the test and the morning of. I cram. I’m a crammer and a procrastinator.” Adam Penberthy senior, history major All Photos The Beacon/Matthew Gogas �A&E Silversun Pickups Crossword/Website Female Comedians APRIL 29, 2008 13 14 15 Going out with a bang Greatest action scenes of all time BY MIKE WILLIAMS Beacon Staff Writer Well folks, it’s that time again. Summer’s almost here, and you know what that means: Blockbuster season. Unfortunately, The Beacon won’t be able to serve your movie needs until it returns in the fall. So, until then, you’re on your own. However, as one final offering, The Beacon would like to offer a countdown of some of the best action sequences of all time, sure to whet your appetite for action and get you ready for all the big budget blockbusters we’re going to miss this summer. So, without further ado, this reviewer, as well as The Beacon, is….going out with a bang. They Live - Back alley brawl When out of luck drifter Nada (“Rowdy” Roddy Piper) finds a pair of sunglasses that allow him to see that the world is actually being quietly invaded by bug eyed aliens disguised as humans, he is left with two options, “Kick a** and chew bubble gum.” And he’s all out of bubble gum. Still, violently exterminating spacemen can be a tiresome and lonely job, so when Piper tries to force a skeptical friend (Keith David) to try on the shades and join his crusade, the two throw down in what is probably the greatest fist fight ever captured on film. Dirty, gritty, mean and, luckily for viewers, over seven minutes long, this one is absolutely unforgettable. Heat - The heist In the film that makes every red blooded male think, at least for a little while, “Damn, I really want to rob something,” a group of professional thieves looking for one big final score, plan a heist on a busy LA bank. Unfortunately, the LAPD have different plans. After an intense robbery scene, the suit-clad, automatic rifle carrying bank robbers move into the streets only to be met by an army of cops. What ensues is a crash-bang, run and gun shoot out that will have audiences on the edge of their seat Desperado - Getting the band back together Vigilante El Mariachi, Antonio Banderas wages war on the drug cartel responsible for his girlfriend’s death. However, when it comes to the final showdown with the entire cartel, our hero realizes that he needs more fire power than his trademark guitar case full of guns can hold. One phone call later, and the band is ready to play, and what beautiful music they make, as El’s bandmates show up to even up the odds with their tricked out, rapid firing, rocket launching guitar cases in tow. Escape From L.A. - Gunfight at the Happy Palace Kurt Russell. Convicts. Hang-gliders. Machine-guns. Disneyland. ‘Nuff said. The Way Of The Gun - The drop off When two small-time crooks (Ryan Phillippe and Benicio Del Toro) decide to abduct the surrogate mother of a corrupt millionaire, the kidnappers find themselves in over their heads, as their captive goes into labor during a high stakes shoot out over their ransom in a filthy Mexican brothel. 7 ft. tall pain machine The Russian (Kevin Nash), which throws his quiet night at home out the window, and our hero through a wall, as the Russian doles out one of film’s greatest smackdowns, using everything but the kitchen sink (he prefers to use the bathroom toilet.) The Wild Bunch - The final showdown Action fans everywhere can thank director Sam Peckinpah, and this film, for ushering in a new era of action and violence with this 1969 western, in which a gang of aging outlaws take on a crooked Mexican general and his men in a bloody shoot out in which 90,000 rounds were fired, more than were discharged during Mexican Revolution . as Elvis impersonators? Watching Costner’s villain taking on a swat team single handedly set to the soundtrack of Elvis’s “My Way” and automatic gunfire. Dressed like an Elvis impersonator. Awesome! Commando - Matrix vs. Bennett Before Arnold Schwarzenegger ran CA, he entertained us by killing people on film. In what may be his greatest scene ever, the Governator defeats his rival by running him through with a length of pipe, pinning him to a boiler, and as vapor pours from the pipe jutting from his slain enemy’s chest, Arnie quips, “let off some steam, Bennett.” God bless America. 3000 Miles To Graceland - Murphy’s last stand What could be better than Kurt Russell and Kevin Costner robbing a casino dressed Spanish club salsa lessons Kill Bill - Crazy 88 fight After waking up from a bullet induced four year coma The Bride (Uma Thurman), is looking forward to catching up with her old co-worker, O-Ren Ishii. But before these two can have a go, The Bride must go through Ishii’s bodyguards The Crazy 88 (not really 88 of them, it just sounds cool), in a flurry of sword swingin’, black and white bloodshed, all culminating in an epic samurai cat fight between The Bride and her rival. The Punisher - The Russian comes a’knockin’ When The Punisher (Thomas Jane) takes a much deserved evening Beacon/Cara Koster off from his busy schedule of killing bad guys, all is On April 25 the Spanish club, along with La Nota House of Dance presented a night of entertaingoing well until he gets an ment in the ballroom with performances, free Salsa lessons, and refreshments. The event was open unexpected visit from the to all and well-attended. �APRIL 29, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13 You should know…The Silversun Pickups BY NICK PODOLAK Beacon Editor in Chief I overheard the Silversun Pickups’ hit “Lazy Eye” playing in the background on VH1 one morning while eating breakfast, and immediately left my cereal to get soggy as I couldn’t help but watch the rest of the video. “What a great song!” I thought. It was quite surprising, then, that not even the most obnoxious of my music aficionado friends have ever heard of them. And despite the fact that its debut album, Carnavas, was released in July of 2006, it is still pumping out hits in hopes of being “discovered.” Now if you’ve heard anything by the Smashing Pumpkins, Carnavas should sound familiar. The similarities are uncanny: both the Smashing Pumpkins and Silversun Pickups begin with an “S” and a “P,” have a nice blend of male and female vocals, and have a gloomy, synthesizer-distorted sound. Still, the L.A.-based Pickups are perkier than the Pumpkins, and as one reviewer for Rolling Stone put it, “[The Pickups are] what the Pumpkins would have sounded like if they drove their ice cream truck out West.” For me, the CD really takes off on the second track with “Well Thought out Twinkles,” an instant hit which could have easily appeared on 1993’s Siamese Dream. “Checkered Floor” is an unpredictable, fever dream of a song that starts off slow and melodic before taking off into a radio-friendly rock song and finally mellowing out again. “Little Lovers So Polite” puts listeners onto a turbulent ride with its buzzing, bi-plane like synths over pounding guitars. “Folding up the skyline/agreeing on a steep decline/can’t control this airplane/being caught is just the same,” sings vocalist Brian Aubert as the song ends in a long stretch of mind-massaging synthesizers. Chewing gum is recommended, just in case your ears pop. But “Lazy Eye” is the breadwinner of the album; the band’s 1979, if not better. Unfortunately, Aubert turns what was a great song into an unlistenable hunk of noise as he starts retching towards the song’s end for no apparent reason. Way to go, Aubert. Perhaps this is what kept “Lazy Eye” from being a radio staple. The Pickups’ music has been featured in shows such as The O.C. and in Pontiac car commercials. And the video for “Little Lovers So Polite,” directed by Joaquin Phoenix, was just released in the first quarter of 2008. Though Carnavas is nothing groundbreaking, it is better than anything the Pumpkins have put out since 1995s Melloncollie and the Infinite Sadness, and that’s saying something. GRADE: BTo listen to some samples of the Silversun Pickups’ music, visit www.wilkesbeacon. com. Schedule of Events STUDE~ FOR THE 2Ist CENTURY CAll: BILL HENRY at 215-111-4619 OR CHECK THE WEB SrT1E FOR INFORMATION Tuesday, April 29 - Jazz concert at the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center at 8 p.m. - Karaoke at the Woodlands at 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 30 - OurAfter performing at Barnes and Noble College Bookstore - M-80 performing at the Woodlands at 10 p.m. Thursday, May 1 - The Backyardigans Live! The Tale of the Mighty Knights at the Kirby Center for the Performing Arts at 4 p.m. - Go Go Gadjet performing at Mohegan Sun - I Am The Avalanche, Dr. Manhattan, The Early Birds and Static Radio NJ performing at Cafe Metro at 7 p.m. - Comedy Night at Donahue’s at 10 p.m. Friday, May 2 - Finals Begin - First Friday at Test Pattern at 6 p.m. - Lisa Lampanelli at the Kirby Center at 8 p.m. - Dowtown Harvest performing at the Jazz Cafe - Trylogy performing at the Woodlands at 9 p.m. Saturday, May 3 - Tigers Jaw, Ends with Disaster, Livingston and the Minor White performing at Caf&eacute; Metro at 8 p.m. - No Regrets and Far From Honored performing at Test Pattern - Northeastern Pa. Philharmonic at the Kirby Center at 8 p.m. - Seductive Boogie at the Woodlands at 9 p.m. - Strawberry Jam performing at the Jazz Cafe - Trylogy performing at the Woodlands at 10 p.m. Sunday, May 4 - 27th Annual Max Rosenn Lecture Series: Richard Leakey at the Darte Center at 7:30 p.m. �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 14 Kudracross BY CHRISTOPHER KUDRAK Beacon Staff Writer 1 6 10 14 15 16 17 19 20 21 23 24 26 28 33 34 35 36 40 41 44 45 47 48 49 51 53 57 58 59 61 65 67 70 71 72 73 74 75 ACROSS Like a child Cooking measurement Out yonder Sleep disorder Expect and desire Sad Large edible fruit Musical closing Cabin type A pier Black gold Race segment UK part No longer successful Pasture land Audible comeback Iron in the rough Make into law Throat clearing sound Entwine Cart without sides Red ____ BB gun Metal food container Angel instrument Fishing necessity Qualified Devices that receive stimuli Freud topic Float like a butterfly boxer Adhesive material Daughters of Zeus Elevate Pizza cheese Handbag Luminous glow Fix a computer Ocular woe Without a date Extra 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18 22 25 27 28 29 30 31 32 37 38 39 42 43 46 50 52 53 54 55 56 60 62 63 64 66 68 69 Someecards.com BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor Facebook is possibly the biggest source of procrastination for college students. The application for Bumper Stickers has probably doubled the amount of time we waste on Facebook…since there are always ‘server busy’ errors and the user uploaded sticker number in the thousands! But, I’m not reviewing Facebook! If you are a Bumper Sticker enthusiast, like so many others, you should be familiar with the stickers that are black and one other color DOWN Deviate from stable flight October birthstone “Do___others” Require Rinse ones throat Article in constant use Overconfident Ghost #2, for example Alphabet start Noah’s problem Video companion Domain Open grassland Leg joint Unpolluted Peaceful protestor Don Flu feeling Storehouse Baseball highlights UN goal Middle east ethnic group Astronomer ____ Sagan Keyboard activity “_____ of tears” Inexplicable occurrence Tree anchor Shakespeare productions Ornamental fruits Epsom varieties Poet T.S. _____ Neat Water faucet “Extraordinary” singers “Better than _____” Diffuse gradually Napoleon’s island of exile Inebriated speech mistake Golfer’s prop Zig follower Bronze, for example APRIL 29, 2008 Answer 4/22 Answers 4/29 I would like to thank everybody who enjoyed my crossword puzzles over the past two years. I truly enjoyed making them and receiving feedback, both positive and negative. I would like to dedicate the Kudracross to my grandfather whose love of crosswords inspired me to enjoy them as well. I would also like to thank all those who helped me to create the crossword by providing input and quality control. Thank you once again and have a good summer. - Christopher Kudrak and has a witty, hilarious, sarcastic or thought provoking phrase accompanied by a simple old-fashioned picture. For example: one has a picture of two women climbing a hill and it says “If you ever disappeared while hiking, I’d remain with the search party until it started raining.” Surprisingly these entertaining bumper stickers did not originate on Facebook…nor are they really bumper stickers. They are actually e-cards and they come from Someecards.com, “e-cards for when you care enough to hit send.” While it’s not often that people, other than our mothers, send e-cards these are fun to browse through. With thousands to read through, it’s easy to find just what you are looking for. You can browse by most popular, newest or by occasion which according to the site range from “important to utterly pointless.” The site is not intended for viewers under the age of 18 according to the makers, with good reason. Some depict explicit sayings, but I have yet to come across vulgar pictures. This site is suggested to be used to send e-cards to “friends, family, co-workers, loved ones, liked ones and anyone else with fingers.” Above anything else, this site is bound to make you laugh. With a seemingly never ending supply of e-cards to read through and send in obnoxious numbers to others, it will keep you nearly endlessly entertained. I give this site an SWF for Sarcasm and Wit at it’s Finest. �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 15 APRIL 29, 2008 Baby Mama features female comedians in leading role BY ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Asst. A & E Editor “I just don’t like your uterus.” “Kate, I want you to put your baby inside me.” “I want to put my baby inside you.” “Can I just spray a little Pam down in that area before the baby comes out?” These are just some of the humorous lines from the newly released comedy Baby Mama, starring female comedians Tine Fey and Amy Poehler. Both Fey and Poehler are Saturday Night Live alums and have been pioneers in the female comedian scene. However, one male columnist for Vanity Fair magazine believes women do not need to be funny and in many cases are not funny. From his January 2007 article entitled “Why Women Aren’t Funny,” Christopher Hitchens explains women do not have a need to impress men because women naturally appeal to men. Hitchens adds, “Men will laugh at almost anything, often precisely because it is-or they are-extremely stupid. Women aren’t like that.” While Hitchens may not feel women are funny in social settings, he does give credit to the impressive female comedians out there; however, he explains most good female comedians are “hefty, or dykey or Jewish.” Fey and Poehler prove Mr. Hitchens wrong in the hilarous new comedy Baby Mama. Sigourney Weaver, also a leading character in Baby CUMB Mama told Hollywood Today, “It’s so great to have these very pretty, very funny women driving the story.” To set the scene, Fey plays Kate, a successful vice president of an organic health food organization. At 37, Kate, still single, decides she wants a child but quickly learns her chances of becoming pregnant are one in a million. Photo courtesy lareausisters.blogspot.com Enter an upscale surrogate mother clinic, run by Weaver’s character. Fey is put in touch with Poehler’s character, Angie, a working class, mannerless woman who along with her “husband” are in search of some extra cash. The chemistry between Kate and Angie fills the theater with laughter throughout the entire movie. With twists and turns, which in some ways are a little predictable, Baby Mama is definitely a comedy all ages will enjoy. Baby Mama is one of the first comedies where two women are standing tall and holding their own. The movie does also feature Steve Martin as Kate’s boss; however the Martin’s role is so small the comedic aspects could go unnoticed to Angie crazy comebacks to Kate’s criticisms and questions. So then why has it taken female comedians so long to hold a movie on their own? Jim Carrey, Adam Sandler, Steve Martin and many other male comedians have been starring in comedic movies with women playing a very limited role. Pete Phillips, a 2005 graduate of King’s College feels that both Fey and Poehler are making strides for female comedians. He believes in a lot of cases, women act funny in movies versus actual comedic work. “I think it’s a good thing. Both [Fey and Poehler] have repore on Saturday Night Live with ‘Weekend Upbeat’ and they took it to the big screen. They tell a story, instead of making fun of the dude,” Phillips said. As of Sunday, Baby Mama grossed $18.3 million dollars since opening on the 25th of April. Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, a comedy starring males was second in the box office race with $14.5 million. Looks like the female comedians are finally getting the praise they deserve. LAND • Private bath with shower • Free Internet access • Laundry • Free off-street parking • Free water, sewer, & trash. • Secure entry/ Remote access-buzz in • Fully-equipped granite kitchen • Cable TV 17 West Ross Street Wilkes-Barre, PA www.cumberlandliving.com 570-687-2220 �SPORTS 16 APRIL 29, 2008 Commentary G AME OF THE WEEK MLB: San Francisco Giants v. Philadelphia Phillies Double Take Giants head to Philly for Aaron Rowand’s return Steph examines BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor In 2007, the Philadelphia Phillies did something they haven’t done since 1993: Go to the postseason. They did so in an unlikely fashion, as they fielded a record 27 pitchers over the course of the season, as numerous injuries plagued both their rotation and offense. While their pitching staff was patchwork for much of the season, their offense, built with power and speed, suffered numerous setbacks as Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Shane Victorino all landed on the disabled list. Despite their absence, the team still stuck together and succeeded, as great leadership and a strong clubhouse allowed them to get through the tougher parts of the season. One such leader on the team was centerfielder Aaron Rowand, who left via free agency in the offseason, landing with the San Francisco Giants. Rowand was a key part of the team, hitting for a career high in home runs (27) and RBIs (89) and providing the young players with a winning attitude and postseason experience. Rowand, who was acquired in a trade from the Chicago White Sox, became an instant hero in Philadelphia after he made a spectacular face-first catch while crashing into the outfield wall. That play immediately drew the respect of the Philly fans, who accepted Rowand as one of their own. This weekend will mark Rowand’s first visit to Philadelphia since last season as the Giants head to the City of Brotherly Love for a three game series starting May 2. The Giants have struggled early on in the season, as their starting pitching has been lackluster, especially Barry Zito, who is 0-5 in his first five starts with an ERA of 5.61. The rest of the starting rotation, including Matt Cain (0-2, 5.27) and Kevin Correia (1-3, 4.21) aren’t faring much better, however the youngster Tim Lincecum (4-0, 1.23) is proving to be the real deal in his second season. The pitching isn’t their only problem this season, as their offensive production has been one of the worst in the National League, having scored just 74 runs in 24 games. The few bright spots in their lineup have come from Rowand (.314, 1 HR, 9 RBI), catcher Bengie Molina (.313, 4, 16) and left fielder Fred Lewis (.312, 1 HR, 13 runs). The offense is going to need to pick it up if they want to have a chance at the playoffs this season, but first they will need to get by the Philadelphia Phillies, who have one of the best offenses in the National League. The Phillies, however, are doing something they weren’t able to do last year: pitch. In 2007, the Phillies pitching staff finished the season with a 4.73 ERA, which was 13 out of 16 in the NL, and it was the highest of all the playoff teams last season. This season, the starting rotation has been solid, but the real success for the pitching staff has come from their bullpen, which is currently tops in the NL with a 2.65 ERA in 74.2 innings pitched. The best performers out of the bullpen have been newcomer Chad Durbin (17.1 IP, 1.56), setup man J.C. Romero (11.1 IP, 10 K, 0.00 ERA) and closing pitcher Brad Lidge (6 saves in 6 chances, 0.00 ERA), who appears to have regained his form after starting the season on the disabled list. The starting rotation has been solid as well, with Cole Hamels (2-3, 2.75) and Brett Myers (2-1, 4.78) leading a staff that consists of veterans Jamie Moyer (1-1, 4.05), Adam Eaton (0-0, 5.08) and youngster Kyle Kendrick (1-2, 5.59). While Moyer and Eaton are keeping the Philles in the games, Kendrick has yet to find the rhythm that made him so effective in 2007. the stats that truly matter... BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor Despite the fact that the trio isn’t blowing away opposing hitters, the Phillies are 9-6 over their 15 starts, due in part to an offense that is leading the NL in home runs, even though Jimmy Rollins is on the disabled list and slugger Ryan Howard is struggling. The success of the lineup is attributed to Chase Utley (.368, 10, 21) and Pat Burrell (.354, 8, 25), who are elevating the team with their power and clutch hitting, while outfielder Jayson Werth (.313, 5, 11) and catcher Chris Coste (.406, 2, 7) are providing additional support. While the Giants are in the middle of rebuilding their team, the Phillies are past the rebuilding stage and are fielding a team that is built to win games. If the Giants want to have a chance during this series, they are going to need to score early and often against the offense of the Phillies. In the end, however, the pitching for the Phillies, combined with their potent offense is going to be too much for the Giants to handle. The Pick: Game 1: Correia vs. Kendrick Philadelphia Phillies: 7 San Francisco Giants: 4 Game 2: Zito vs. Myers Philadelphia Phillies: 12 San Francisco Giants: 4 Game 3: Cain vs. Hamels Philadelphia Phillies: 8 San Francisco Giants: 2 Peanuts, Cracker Jacks, and doctors with heart stopping good looks. Obviously, I am writing about baseball this week. It’s was double header with the Philadelphia Phillies pitted against the San Francisco Giants and the Seattle Mariners battling it out against the New York Yankees, but Tim Seigfried, in his infitie wisdom, changed it at the last minute. Whatever you say, Tim, I’m doing the doubleheader! The Phillies v. the Giants is a battle of the names. According to my search…and the squiggly red line under it in Microsoft Word, Phillies is not a word! I don’t like the fact that they chose to make up their own word to title their team. I also think that the whole alliteration thing they have going on is lame. The Giants are not much better. They have a stolen name. There are the New York Giants in football. Apparently the Giants, the baseball ones, used to be located in New York as well. According to my extensive research…on wikipedia.org, the football Giants came first. So who do I pick to win, name thieves or lame name maker uppers? I guess I have to give it to the Phillies, they may be boring but at least they didn’t steal their name. As for the Seattle Mariners and the New York Yankees, I’m going to choose the winner based on location. The Yankees are based in New York. Obviously. New York is home to the Naked Cowboy, MTV, and New York…that crazy chick from the first and second season of “Flavor of Love.” Seattle is the home of Seattle Grace Hospital, you know from “Grey’s Anatomy?” Seattle is also the home of Dr. McDreamy and Dr. McSteamy! Hands down Seattle Mariners are going to win. As you know the looks of actors who don’t actually live in Seattle and play sexy doctors on TV are generally the deciding factors in baseball games. So, what did we learn this week? New York needs to find some doctors that will cause heart palpitations and the Giants need to find a non-plagiarized name. �SPORTS APRIL 29, 2008 17 Softball falters in playoff race Lady Colonels drop deciding 2-game series with King’s BY GERRARD HETMAN Beacon Asst. Sports Editor Coming into Saturday’s regular season finale, Wilkes Coach Frank Matthews knew his team would need a bit of luck to sneak into the Freedom Conference playoff picture. Unfortunately for the Lady Colonels, all of the luck on the day belonged to the team in the other dugout at the Ralston Field Complex. Behind solid hitting in the first innings of both games, the Lady Monarchs of King’s College captured both ends of a doubleheader with Wilkes on Saturday afternoon. King’s took the first game by a score of 6-3, while also picking up a 5-3 win in the nightcap. The wins helped the Lady Monarchs secure a Freedom Conference playoff berth, while the Lady Colonels were eliminated from the conference playoff picture with the losses. “There’s not much to say about it- we needed the first game, and King’s came out swinging much better than we did” Wilkes head coach Frank Matthews said afterward. “We went cold down the stretch.” The first game of the afternoon would see the teams tied at 2 runs each after 2 innings, with King’s scoring twice in the opening inning, while Wilkes responded with two runs of their own in the second. King’s was able to pick up two runs in both the third and fourth innings to gain the decisive advantage. Kelsey Shreaves picked up the complete-game win, while Lindsay Behrenshausen took the loss for the Lady Colonels. In the second game, King’s picked up a quick two-run advantage, with the runs coming on a homerun by Lindsey Hoerner in the top of the first. Wilkes responded by grabbing three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, including two on a single by Sarah Miller. However, the Lady Monarchs would score three more runs to pull away and complete the sweep on the afternoon. Saturday’s doubleheader also served as senior day for the three senior members of the squad- Miller, Plavchak and Alex Ingram. While the senior trio cannot lead the team any further they will be able to look back with fondness on a four-year stretch that included three straight trips to the conference playoffs from 2005-07, including a Freedom Conference Championship and NCAA playoff berth in 2006. “It’s disappointing to see the year end like this, but it’s been a great ride along the way” Ingram said after the games. “All three of us seniors have had a blast with everyone on the team, and I’m sure none of us would trade it for anything.” The Beacon/Jenna Stephens “It’s going to be tough not playing in the league tournament next weekend, but all of our girls played tremendous this season and Junior Kathy Dalton attempts to run-out a throw have nothing to be ashamed of” Matthrew added. “We’re certainly going to miss our seniors.” to first base. 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Pa ··ng AND 1 006 ·i o t for S1uc1en1cs Al[ Vamfies, Chiclc:en Caesm Grilled Ch~cken C.dspy Chlcll.:-cn Ca.l ifomia Che.· - Steak Plains - . 1iliffry. Only 8H-SOIJ. A~lip · to C' esar C ef'S lad Gn:ek Chees Steak Ve · e Tmk-cy C~ub Ttma �18 SPORTS APRIL 29, 2008 Football faces challenging slate in 2008 Colonels add two new opponents and night game to schedule positives in the contest for the Colonels pro- BY GERARD HETMAN Asst. Sports Editor For the second straight year, the Colonels will begin their season with three straight non-conference contests before beginning Middle Atlantic Conference play. In order to secure three non-conference opponents for those games, head coach Frank Sheptock and his staff turned a potential roadblock into a brilliant solution for their scheduling woes. Last season all three of the Colonels’ non-conference opponents came from the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) - a league that expanded its football membership this off-season, taking away many available non-conference dates for member schools. While Wilkes did manage to keep its scheduled game in week two with NJAC member Montclair State, Sheptock was able to successfully search both near and far to fill out the remaining two spots on the 2008 lineup. Wilkes will open its season on the road at Muhlenburg College on Saturday, September 6 at 7 p.m. The evening start time will be a first in the history of the Colonels football program, and will also pair up the Colonels with a familiar opponent, as the team has scrimmaged Muhlenburg in preseason camp for each of the past 11 years. In 2007 the Mules opened the season on an 11-0 run that included an NCAA playoff win and Centennial Conference championship before falling in the second round of the national playoffs. While it’s certain to be a huge challenge, Sheptock sees many gram. “Muhlenburg is an outstanding academic institution that also features an excellent football program, and those are the teams we look for in our scheduling process,” Sheptock said of the move. “The game is very close for us in terms of travel, and also gives us a strong presence in the Lehigh Valley, which is a recruiting hotbed for our program.” After traveling to face Montclair State in week two, the Colonels will enjoy a bye week before their home opener against the Captains of Christopher Newport in week three. While the Virginia-based school has only been playing football since 2001, Christopher Newport has qualified for the NCAA playoffs five times in that span, and faced a shared issue with the Colonels when a team featured on both squad’s 2007 schedules- NJAC member Rowan University- became unavailable for 2008. Fortunately for both schools, the opportunity presented itself to schedule each other and resolved the problem. Wilkes will begin MAC play on October 4 by hosting Lebanon Valley at the Ralston Field Complex. After a stretch of games that includes homecoming and the annual Mayor’s Cup game against rival King’s College, the team will close out the regular season with a trip to defending MAC champion Widener on November 15. While the MAC schedule combined with the nonconference lineup promises to challenge the Colonels to their limit, many players are looking for- The Beacon/Gino Troiani Wilkes freshman Alan Frost, shown here during pratice last season. The Colonels head into this season with two new opponents on the schedule. ward to the contests. “All of the players want to keep our program at a high level, and that means we need to play some of the best schools around,” said defensive lineman Matt Archey, who will be a senior next fall. “We’re all looking forward to it.” Whiteout expected at Wachovia for Calder Cup BY MIKE CIGNOLI Beacon Correspondent Residents of Northeast Pennsylvania have been blessed with fantastic weather for the better part of the past few weeks. But the forecast is about to change. At the Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, whiteout conditions are expected. We’re not talking about a blizzard. No, the whiteout is much more than a snowstorm. Imagine 8,000 people all donned in white, shaking white pom-poms, and chanting Let’s Go Pens!” at the same time. That’s a typical Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins playoff game for you. The Penguins finished third in the American Hockey League in attendance this season, averaging 7,667 fans per home game. An already difficult arena for a road team to play in doesn’t get any easier when the “Whiteout Warriors” emerge from hiberna- tion come playoff time. “During the playoffs, there’s so much more energy,” notes Penguins season-ticket holder and Wilkes first-year student Alison Kasper. “It’s just louder and more intense than the regular season. Spring is the best time of the year to be a Penguins fan.” When you pair the ice’s natural white surface with a capacity crowd clad from head to toe in white, the building is transformed into an Antarctica of sorts ¬- the perfect habitat for a Penguin. It’s home ice advantage on steroids. And the Penguins take full advantage of it. The Penguins opened up the 2008 Calder Cup Playoffs with a first-round, best-of-seven series against the Hershey Bears. WilkesBarre/Scranton played games 1 and 4 in Chocolatetown, scoring two goals in each game and splitting decisions with the Bears. Games 2, 3, and 5 were played at the Wachovia Arena at Casey Plaza. The Penguins won all three games, scoring a combined eighteen goals. Hershey melted under pressure in Game 5 on Friday night. The Penguins scored seven times, including four unanswered tallies in the third period, to close out the series and eliminate the Bears from playoff contention. Tim Brent scored a goal and added three assists, while rookie defenseman Alex Goligoski scored a pair of powerplay goals and added an assist. Luca Caputi, playing in just his second professional game, had a goal and set up fifteen-year veteran Dennis Bonvie’s goal in the final minute of the third period. With their victory on Friday night, the Penguins advanced to the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs. The Penguins will open up the East Division Finals at home on Thursday night against the winner of the series between the Philadelphia Phantoms and Albany River Rats. And you can bet that the whiteout will be in full force. �SPORTS APRIL 29, 2008 Shocker Squad completes 3-peat in intramural finals BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Sports Editor It is likely that the Shocker Squad championship legacy will come to a close. Seven of their eight players will graduate in May and Thursday night, they certainly played as though it was their last game on the floor together. With numerous lead changes between the closing minutes of the first half until midway through the second, the Shockers managed to pull away en route to a 51-41 win over The Dudes. “The second half we turned up the intensity and started helping each other more on defense,” said captain Phil Sampona. “They also had trouble with the full court pressure we applied.” The Dudes went on a couple of scoring runs and had chances to close the deficit during the second half but they could not slow the Shockers down easy task. 19 Over the past four years, the Shockers have only two losses. They have lost once in the championship round of their inaugural season to Phil Coffee’s team and one of the Shockers players, Jake Williams played for the team winning team. Last year, they had a regular season loss to team Adam Dick. “We’re definitely proud to have only two losses in the past four years,” said senior Anthony Piscitelli. “Our wins never came from one individual but they came from playing as a team. People know who we are and I think it’s safe to say they we are the best intramural team to walk through Wilkes University.” There is a lot of open white space around the Marts Gynasium where the championship banners are displayed. Maybe their jerseys will be retired one day. The Beacon/Gino Troiani The lone returner for the Shocker Squad, Matt Renzi (junior), flies over freshman Alan Frost en route to a one-handed power layup. Wilkes student-athletes to intern with 2008 Olympics BY ALISON WOODY Beacon Managing Editor Every four years, the summer Olympic games hold the world’s attention to see who takes home the gold. And while they may not bring home the gold for Wilkes, two student-athletes will serve as interns for this most important international sporting event. Xiaoqiao Zhang, a sophomore standout MAC tennis player, and Alyssa Koncelik, a junior field hockey attacker, are both communication studies majors. Zhang will be located in China, her home country, working for CCTV (the largest news station in the country) as a reporter for the Olympics. Koncelik will move to Colorado Springs, and intern with the broadcasting department of the official United States Olympic Committee. Zhang, whose mother will be an Olympic torch bearer and whose friends will also be competing, said, “I’m just so excited about 6 this because it is really big for my country and I am proud that I can be a part of [the Olympics].” Last summer, Zhang worked at CCTV’s sports channel and got to interview members of the Philadelphia Eagles and the New England Patriots. “This is like a rehire for me… I’m really happy that my internship place was happy with my work,” she said. Koncelik, who first heard about the internship through a professor, went through a rigorous interview process to work at the Olympic training center in Colorado. “For my internship, I will be working in the broadcasting department. Some of my job duties will entail compiling footage, editing, assisting in writing, shooting, producing, going out on video shoots, and setting up and breaking down field shoots,” said Koncelik. Not only is she packing up and moving to an unknown state by herself, but Koncelik will have to assimilate to a new professional culture and roommate, which can be more of a challenge than the actual internship. Koncelik said, “This summer, I hope to gain a whole new experience both in enhancing my education on broadcasting along with experiencing life in a whole new way... I get to go to a different state and meet new people along with doing what I love the most.” Both students are proud to be representing Wilkes on a national and international level. Zhang said, “I was so proud that I could get this job, and at the same time, so proud that I can do something for my country.” “I think this internship is going to be an amazing experience,” Koncelik added. The Beacon/Gino Troiani Xiaoqiao Zhang poses during her internship with the Patriots. The Beacon/Gino Troiani Alyssa Koncelik hustling for the ball a field hockey game. NUMBERS OF THE WEEK 4 Number of wins this season Home runs in the baseball team’s for the Lady Colonels lacrosse 14-1 victory over Baptist Bible team- the highest number since College on Wednesday. the program began in 2003. 3 Number of hits and RBIs by senior Sarah Miller in the softball team’s doubleheader verses King’s College on Saturday. 13 Ranking in the Atlantic South Regon for the women’s tennis team, who will advance to the NCAA playoffs on May 2. �Sports APRIL 29, 2008 Colonels popped in final games of series Sweep by DeSales eliminates team from playoffs BY NICK PODOLAK Beacon Editor-in-Chief The Colonels didn’t exactly envision their season coming down to having to take two out of three from DeSales to sneak into the Freedom Conference playoffs. However, they took a step in the right direction with an exciting 75 victory over the Bulldogs at Artillery Park on Friday afternoon. “We really needed to win at home to start the series,” said senior Kyle Follweiler following Friday’s game. “Now all we gotta do is take one from down there, and we’re in.” Follweiler finished the day with a pair of hits and two RBI But despite the good start, the Colonels punched out early from Butz Field in Center Valley on Saturday, managing only two hits in a 3-2 loss to the ‘Dogs before dropping the nightcap, 4-3. The loss eliminated the defending conference champs from playoff contention. “We just didn’t bring our bats. Their pitchers kept us off balance,” said senior Brad Woznisky. “We got guys in scoring position; we just couldn’t bring them in.” In Friday’s game, Tom Buckler pitched seven strong innings for the Colonels, fanning 12 and giving up just four runs in a game where neither team could hold the lead until the Blue and Gold got a big insurance run from Wozinsky in the eighth inning. Mike McAndrew started things off with a walk, stole second, and then advanced to third on a weak ground out by Follweiler to the second baseman. Realizing the importance of the game, his teammates mobbed him for making a productive out as if he’d just hit a home run. Corey Helfrich followed with a deep sac fly to right field, allowing McAndrew to score the go-ahead run with the Colonels now leading 6-5. Chris Mayerski’s single put runners on the corners as Woznisky lined a frozen rope off of the third baseman’s mitt and down the left field line, putting the Colonels up 7-5. Anthony “Ant Man” Giufridda picked up the win in relief of Buckler. The Colonels end their season at 8-10 in conference play. “Every game, we went out and played as hard as we could,” Woznisky added. “We just came up a few games short this year.” 20 G1 Player McAndrew Follweiler Helfrich Mayerski Woznisky Dengler Garofoli Sisko Clocker Miller Wetzel Buckler Giuffrida AB 2 5 4 5 4 4 5 3 1 0 4 0 0 Player McAndrew Follweiler Helfrich Mayerski Woznisky Dengler Garofoli Sisko Wetzel AB 3 3 2 1 3 3 3 3 3 R H RBI 3 1 0 0 2 2 1 1 2 1 4 0 0 1 1 1 3 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 G2 R 0 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 H 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 RBI 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 G3 The Beacon/Allison Roth Tom Buckler delivers against DeSales Friday afternoon at Artillery Park. The sophomore was effective, throwing seven solid innings with 12 strikeouts. Player McAndrew Follweiler Helfrich Mayerski Dengler Garofoli Miller Wetzel Brennan Padams AB 3 3 4 2 2 3 3 2 1 2 Men’s tennis wins first ever Freedom Conference title R H RBI 1 2 0 0 2 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 Colonels earn an automatic bid into the NCAA division III tournament COURTESY OF SPORTS INFORMATION Second-seeded Wilkes University claimed their first Freedom Conference men’s tennis championship on Sunday afternoon with a 5-3 victory over top seeded FDU-Florham. Wilkes, which improved to 152 overall, earned the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA Division III Championship which will take place May 2-4. FDU took a 2-1 lead after the doubles matches. At first doubles, the FDU team of Adam Geiger and Jason Thalmann defeated the Wilkes pair of Kyle Ungvarsky and Chris Cozzillio by an 8-2 score. Alex Bruin and John Zalesky from FDU won at second doubles position over Wes McCollum and Jon Rohrbach 8-2. Wilkes came back at the third doubles position as the tandem of Josh Gardner and Brian Fanelli won over Joe Li and Wes Harnett by the score of 8-0. The singles matches were all extremely competitive. Wilkes struck first as second singles player Ungvarsky defeated Thalmann by a 6-2, 6-4 score. With the match now tied, the Colonels’ Cozzillio would give the team its first lead with a close 7-5, 7-6 decision over Bruin. The Devils would tie the score at 3 with a win at sixth singles by Harnett, when Fanelli was forced to retire. Wilkes would grab the lead for good when senior captain Gardner won a close three set match over Zalesky 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. Finally, Rohrbach clinched the win with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3 decision over Li at fourth singles. The Beacon/Gino Troiani Wilkes freshman Jon Rohrbach takes a shot during match against FDU-Florham. Rohrbach won his singles match 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon 2008 April 29th Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 April 29 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/51b06d76e4c4db79338c20dd31e2937c.pdf 08b78365bc832512feeea1784ed3719b PDF Text Text Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA The THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW FEBRUARY A PRIL 22, 2008 5, 2008 In This Issue... Autism Awareness Weekend Page 9 LOCAL BAND SPOTLIGHT: ON THE ROAD TO PLAYOFFS ... , Page 20 Inside News................................1-5 Opinion.............................6-8 Lifestyles.........................9-11 Arts & Entertainment....12-15 Sports...........................16-20 Issue 21 13 Bill Clinton speaks at Wilkes before primary Only the second president to speak at university BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor President Bill Clinton spoke to a thin crowd of approximately 300 on Saturday, April 19, at the Wilkes University Arnaud C. Marts Center gymnasium on behalf of his wife, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY. President Clinton’s stop at Wilkes is his second to Wilkes-Barre in a month; he spoke at Coughlin High School in March. Congressman Paul Kanjorski, D-PA, who supports the New York Senator’s candidacy, introduced the president. Speaking fondly about the levee system located along the Susquehanna River, Kanjorski noted how instrumental President Clinton was in its creation. “… It would not have happened without this president,” said Kanjorski. When President Clinton took the stage he began his address by thanking several people. Angela (Alex) Wood, President of the Political Science Club at Wilkes University, was one of the people President Clinton thanked. See CLINTON page 5 Page 12 Volume 60 www.wilkesbeacon.com The Beacon/Gino Troiani President Clinton works the crowd of people along the rope line in the Marts Center gymnasium. Clinton spoke briefly about why his wife should be the next president of the United States and was then off to his next campaign visit. Committee decides not to fund enhancements Departments must go without additional resources for now BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor As part of the budget process for the 2009 fiscal year, each department forwards a list of enhancement requests for the coming school year. The requests can range from new support for existing programs or initiatives, new equipment, or new projects. This year, however, none of the enhancements were approved, except one for the Information Technology (IT) department to build a new computer lab. “Part of the budget process is to ask every department if they have any enhancement requests, and they can submit them along with their regular budget,” said Petra Carver, Vice President of Finance and Support Operations. According to Carver, an enhancement is something new and not currently included on their budget. According to documents from the budget committee titled “Summary of Budget Enhancements,” enhancement requests reached $1,047,492 for this year. The requests included projects from all different parts of the institution. The size of the various requests varies significantly. From the listing of Social Sciences, for example, is a small request for $40 for postage and shipping. From the College of Science and Engineering there is a request of $53,555 for various things including ABET, which is the Engineering accreditation. From the chemistry department there is a request of $11,837 for things such as the implementation of a three-year program to replace equipment that is used on a daily basis. According to Carver, the enhancements are “whatever they would like to submit for the budget committee to consider. The budget committee reviews and then depending on availability of funding we would prioritize.” Mike Frantz, Vice President for Enrollment and Marketing, echoed this. “It depends on available funds in any given year. I don’t know that there has ever been a year that I’ve been here that we were able to fund every request,” said Frantz. Carver said that the committee did not approve any this year except for “one big one.” She added that, “We did not approve any of the departmental ones that were submitted. What we did approve was an additional computer classroom, because both the IT committee and the budget committee felt that there is a need for additional computer enhanced space, because it is kind of tight…and that left nothing over for other enhancements.” There is hope, however, that additional enhancements will be approved, but there are a few possibilities. “It could go both ways…we have to have a balanced budget…meaning we can’t spend more than we take in on the revenue side. Should we See BUDGET page 5 �NEWS APRIL 22, 2008 2 William Kennedy SG Notes Clinton continued 3 4 5 Farley Library institutes “Forgiveness Month” to reclaim overdue materials BY AMY FUSCO Beacon Staff Writer dent at Wilkes, checks out books on several occasions and has rented a few DVDs from Farley Library and is responsible enough to always bring the materials back, meaning no fines. As to whether “Forgiveness Month” will be beneficial to the community, Cortright said, “probably, if they [people with overdue materials], are hesitant to deal with the fine or if having the money to pay the fine is an issue.” The fine for overdue books is ten cents per day after the due date and one dollar a day for DVDs. Although it is not a high fine, it adds up after several days of being overdue. The librarians have witnessed fines up to $50.00. “We hate to fine the students because money is tight, but we do have to enforce the policy,” Selecky commented. Even if the DVDs or books are damaged, the library is still asking for them back. “The books that are checked out tend to be useful, popular subject books, so we will have to replace them anyway…we have to take out book money to buy lost books, so there’s less money for new books,” said Sacolic. “We are given a finite amount of money, so we would much rather use the money to buy new books than older books,” Selecky added. Occasionally, transfer students forget to return books after they leave Wilkes University. Furthermore, returning a book or library material may slip from faculty members’ minds since they are able to check them out for a whole semester. “We hope it’s very positive…it is forgiveness of fines…We hope that the faculty and Wilkes community responds to us,” said Sacolic. In the past, the library observed a fair amount of return. LIBRARY HOURS The Farley Library has recently commenced a “Forgiveness Month” for Wilkes University students, faculty and alumni. For an entire month, people can return their overdue library materials, which includes books, DVDs and other resources without penalty. The forgiveness initiative began April 16 and will last through May 16. When people return materials, whether six months or six years overdue, no questions will be asked. Additionally, returns are only accepted if the materials were overdue before April 16. “Our library, like all libraries, has problems with materials being returned on time,” said Brian Sacolic, reference librarian and co-director. “Forgiveness Month” is not unique to the Wilkes community, he explained, but it is a product of a problem that comes with the library profession. Typically called “Book Amnesty,” public libraries tend to do it more than academic libraries. “We just decided it was time to do it again in an effort to get our books back,” commented Heidi Selecky, co-director of the library. “Part of this has to do with an inventory of various parts of the library sometime in the near future. It won’t be complete unless we get the books back,” she added. Forgiving fines is not an annual occurrence at the Farley Library, but happens every three or four years. Sacolic explained that it is frustrating to students and others who go upstairs with the book call number and cannot find the book because someone did not return it. It is the students’, faculty members’ and alumni’s responsibility to return the library materials on time, which will avoid any fines and keeps both sides content. Kyle Cortright, a pharmacy stu- day Monday-Thurs 8 AM-11:45PM Friday 8AM-5PM Saturday 11AM-6PM Sunday 11AM-11:45PM BEACON Serving the community through fair and accurate reporting while supporting the views and opinions of our readers. Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief: Nick Podolak Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com Managing Editor: Alison Woody Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com News Editor: Andrew Seaman Email: news.beacon@gmail.com Op/Ed Editor: Mark Congdon Jr. Email: thebeacon.oped@gmail.com Lifestyles Editor: Christa Sgobba Email: beacon.lifestyles@gmail.com A&E Editor: Marissa Phillips Email: thebeaconae@gmail.com Sports Editor: Carlton Holmes Email: beaconsports@gmail.com Photo Editor: Cara Koster Advertising Managers: Stephanie Yachim Dana Zlotucha Email: thebeacon.ads@gmail.com Advisor: Dr. Andrea Breemer Frantz Established in 1936 PA Newspaper Association Member Printed on Tuesdays during the academic school year. The Beacon / Gino Troiani “Forgiveness Month” at the Farley Library began April 16 and will continue until May 16. Students and faculty members with overdue library materials are urged to return them between these dates so they will not be charged with fines. Although fines for overdue books are only ten cents a day and one dollar a day for DVDs, Farley librarians have seen fines add up to $50.00 in the past. 130 S. River St. First Floor, Conyngham Hall, Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 (570) 408-5903 wilkesbeacon@gmail.com www.wilkesbeacon.com �APRIL 22, 2008 NEWS 3 William Kennedy to serve on Creative Writing advisory board Pulitzer Prize winner takes seat and visits campus next June BY MEGAN KRISANDA Beacon Staff Writer Another Pulitzer Prize winner makes his way onto the Creative Writing Masters Program’s advisory board. A master of almost every genre of writing, William Kennedy, will be contributing new ideas to the program. Kennedy is a close personal friend of the late Norman Mailer, who served on the advisory board until his death in November. The advisory board searched for a replacement with equal stature according to director of the Creative Writing Masters Program, Dr. Bonnie Culver. “He’s a major national contemporary author and we spoke with him about the program and asked if he would give us the same advice and attention that Norman always had,” said Culver. Kennedy will serve on the board immediately, but will not make his first campus visit until June of 2009. Board members of the program attend campus during the time of residency on a rotating basis delivering special readings, handing out awards and serving as keynote speakers according to Culver. Kennedy won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel “Ironweed” which he converted into a screenplay. The movie version starred Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson, both nominated for academy awards for their leading roles. He was born in 1928 in Albany New York and pursued a career in journalism until 1959 when he decided to pursue a full-time career in fiction writing. “Kennedy writes in many genres, such as fiction, nonfiction, screenplays, stage plays. So, our program offers tracks in five areas, the only area I think he hasn’t done yet is poetry. But he is quite accomplished in those areas,” said Dr. J. Michael Lennon, advisory board member. Kennedy is the head of the New York State Writer’s Institute in Albany. The institute’s aim is “ to enhance and celebrate literature, writing, and performance, and to recognize the position of writers as a community within the larger community”, according to their website www.albany.edu/writers-inst. The institute offers writing programs, film series, summer writing programs, young writers programs, writing and theatre workshops, and a writing online program. “He is a major figure in the American literary scene. I think he’s one of the most important American novelists alive today. I think we’re very fortunate he has agreed to serve on our advisory board,” said Lennon. “He’s right in the middle of the creative writing game. He has significant accomplishments and we choose him to be the lead speaker at the Mailer memorial at Carnegie Hall last week because we knew he had great teamwork ignition and he did a fabulous job,” added Lennon. Lennon is responsible for the addition of Kennedy to the writing program. Lennon has known Kennedy for many years through Normal Mailer. “Kennedy has been involved with the Norman Mailer Society and of course Wilkes University is deeply involved with the Mailer Society because Wilkes students go there every conference and give dramatic readings,” said Lennon. Lennon and Culver were looking for someone who could help advise the program and Kennedy fit their idea of a candidate for the open seat. “His has a strong reputation as well as a tie to Norman Mailer, the society and to creative writing. He was interested in advising us on how the program might be run and might be improved,” said Lennon. Photo Courtesy of www.upress.state.ms.us Pulitzer Prize winner William Kennedy will join the Creative Writing advisory board next summer. Kennedy started his career as a journalist, but began a full-time career writing fiction in 1959. Aside from fiction, Kennedy also writes nonfiction, screen plays and stage plays. Kennedy’s Ironweed (1983) won the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction. Elementary students partcipating in Wilkes’ Women Empowered By Science (WEBS) program race handcrafted solar cars on the greenway, Tuesday April 15. A second solar car event was held at Kirby Park on Friday, April 18, in honor of Earth Day. Students from area schools will also be on campus Friday, April 25, for the biology department’s annual Adventures in Science. Perfect for Graduation Virtually every four-year college, medical school and law school can be ordered. Personalization is available. Allow 10-14 days delivery. EGLOMISE Starting at $]6.75 0 Items Include: Paperweight, Framed Pen & Ink Picture Mini Desk Box, Clock, Notecards Pen & Ink Mirror, and more... B .( ~ Sinc,1887 artik~~~~ 141 South Main St. Wilkes-Barre 570 823-7111 www.bartikowsky.com The Beacon/Gino Troiani / J ~ ----- .,,,,,,./~ 0 0 �APRIL 22, 2008 SG Notes April 16, 2008 NEWS Treasurer’s Report All College: $4,135 General: $4,008 Special Projects: $2,150 Spirit: $1,560 Leadership: $4,550 Conferences: $6,051 Start-Up: $1,200 4 games and some equipment. There was much discussion over the team’s constitution and whether or not the money could be used for equipment. After the motion was approved by the board, SG President Matt Brown vetoed the action of the board. After a failed attempt to overturn the veto, SG members decided to grant the lacrosse club its fund request without the equipment. • Faculty/Staff Choice Awards - Several faculty and staff positions were named for the awards. The nominations were narrowed down to five and was voted on in in the presidential election survey sent to students. Old Business ICA Fund Request Zebra Donation OCC’s Block Party Club Reports The following clubs presented updates on their events: Programming Board New Business • Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) fund request - Several members of SIFE came to SG and asked for a fund request of $4,000. The money will be used to pay for their trip to Chicago to attend the national competition, in which they will compete. The organization has already done extensive fundraising for the trip. This was approved by SG. • APhA Donation Request - asked SG for approximately $1000 to help make a larger donation on behalf of their 5K. SG decided to grant them $500 to their project. • Lacrosse fund request - The Lacrosse Club asked for $1,773 to pay for Events Relay For Life - April 26 and 27, on the greenway Commuter Council Trip to NYC - April 26 IRHC’s Study Break Party - May 4,HSC first floor lounge * At 8 p.m., a motion was made to adjourn the SG meeting. The motion was approved. (SG meetings are open to all students. They are held every Wednesday in the Miller Conference room on the second floor of the HSC.) DRINICINe UAIIIT! Compare your habits to those below to gage how appropriately you use alcohol. It is not necessary for a person to have every symptom to frt these categories. A Social Drinker Typically: - Drinks slowly - Knows when to stop drinking - Eats before or while drinking - Never drives after drinking - Respects nondrinkers HE IN RS A Problem Drinker Typically: - Drinks to get drunk - Tries to solve problems by drinking - Experiences changes in personality - Drinks when he/she should not (before class/work) - Harms himself/herself/family/friends/strangers An Alcoholic Typically: I t '! .· k .(570 ' 823- ' 9 i - Spends lots of time thinking about drinking and planning where and when to get the next drink - Keeps bottles hidden - Loses awareness of the amount consumed - Denies drinking - Drinks alone & before facing stressful situations - May have "blackouts" - Provided By Health Services - http:llwww.acha.org �APRIL 22, 2008 CLINTON from FRONT PAGE “I have…played a role in the set up of the events as well as getting the word out about them. Campaign stops tend to be very last minute, and you usually get confirmation about the event 48 hours before the event, if you’re lucky,” said Wood. She added, “It can be rather hectic, but it’s great. I love it. When [Clinton] thanked me in his speech, I was totally blown away…. It’s amazing to be able to do something you love, and get recognized by someone that you admire. I feel so blessed and so lucky.” As for the rest of his speech, the former president kept things brief, only about 13 minutes. He included many themes touched on in previous speeches as well as the one delivered last month at Coughlin High School rally. One point he raised was the fact that Sen. Barack Obama, S-Ill., does not take money from oil companies. Clinton says this is because it is illegal to take their money. He noted that Sen. Obama’s claim that he doesn’t take the money is akin to someone saying, “I don’t rob banks, vote for me.” Another point he emphasized was that while his wife has been “outspent” in the some states, she manages to win them, or in his words, “She won anyway.” Referencing his own experience, President Clinton talked about the economy and providing jobs to those unemployeed. Then after talking briefly about some other points, NEWS President Clinton made one final plea for everyone in the audience to vote and he was off to his next campaign stop. 5 “On Wednesday night’s debate we all saw who should be the next president of the United States. With your help on Tuesday she will win and it will be a very different world,” said President Clinton. Wood said that she was happy with the turn out, but admitted it was thin. “I think the crowd was [thin] for several reasons. The first being the time of day and the day of the week. Many students, and people for that matter, sleep in on Saturday and asking them to be up and at the door at 7 a.m. can be hard.” She added, “Another reason, I think, is that because we have had so many political events, especially in the past three weeks, many students may have already attended an event and therefore, may have decided not to attend this one. The last reason is the short notice.” As the Pennsylvania primary looms this week, President Clinton’s stop at Wilkes signaled the end-run efforts of both candidates. Sens. Clinton and Obama both have scheduled stops in Scranton over the next few days. Sen. Obama will also bring Sen. Bob Casey, D-PA, and Caroline Kennedy as his guests. President Clinton is the second president in Wilkes’ 74-year history to make a visit to campus. The first was President Nixon in the early 1970s after the flood of Hurricane Agnes to discuss funding for the college. The Beacon/Gino Troiani Three young girls applaud President Clinton during his speech at Wilkes University on April 19. The youngsters were just three of the approximately 300 people who attended the former president’s speech in the school’s gymnasium. For Pennsylvania primary election results, please check www.wilkesbeacon.com on Tuesday night, April 22. BUDGET from FRONT PAGE have a revenue windfall, meaning enrollment exceeds what we have budgeted or we have some additional revenue that is not included in the current budget, then we can go back to enhancement requests and distribute some of the extra revenue to these enhancements,” said Carver. On the other side, “Should we have a revenue short fall, we will have to go back and take another look at what we will need to eliminate. So, it goes both ways,” added Carver. Currently it is unclear whether the budget will experience windfall or shortfall, meaning the budget is still a work in progress. No more contacts. No glasses? NO WORRIES! Butler Eyecare has special Student Pricing! 20% discount on Frames $49 eye exams The Beacon/Cara Koster Rob Tonnesen, Rob Donahue and Dave Sborz stand in front of the C-SPAN bus during its visit to Wilkes University on April 19. Students had the chance to upload videos that they created in the bus’ portable yecare for everyone studio to YouTube. Students were asked about their thoughts on the issues in this election. www .butlereyecare.com 822-8727 34 S. Main St. Across from SUBWAY �Opinion Angry Rant Here’s to You Analog TV APRIL 22, 2008 7 7 8 6 School violence indicates need for character education BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD kindness, generosity, courage, freedom, equality, and respect.” The goal of character education is to “raise children to become morally responsible, self-disciplined citizens. Problem solving, decision making, and conflict resolution are important parts of developing moral character. Through role playing and discussions, students can see that their decisions affect other people and things.” Character education could also decrease bullying in schools and According to a recent article on lead to a learning environment USAToday.com, an art teacher in in which students feel safe, wela Baltimore school district was come and respected. This type of attacked by one of her students safe and valued atmosphere could after she told the student to sit also encourage students to do betdown and behave. Someone from ter academically. the class recorded a video on their Biskup added, “Ensuring student cell phone and posted it on the insafety in school is a crucial matter, ternet. The teacher, Jolita Berry, but it is one that cannot simply be now says she is afraid to go back resolved by installing more metal to the classroom. detectors and doling out different Unfortunately, this disturbing forms of punishment. We violence--and students’ apparneed to effectively address ent attitudes that real violence the root causes of these “Character education...is proven to reduce aggressive behavior, in- violent behaviors-why chilin the classroom is actually a form of entertainment--is not an crease self-control, increase children’s ability to tolerate frustration and dren are bringing weapons increase effective conflict-resolution strategies.” anomaly. In Waycross, Georto school or committing gia, a group of approximately acts of aggression.” Susan Biskup, Wilkes University Campus Counselor six to nine third-graders plotted Though it should be the to hurt their teacher after she responsibility of parents scolded a student for standing to foster character in their on a chair. WSBTV.com, the lo- home and at school about social Susan Biskup, Wilkes Universi- child, social circumstances such cal ABC News affiliate out of At- responsibility? ty Campus Counselor who taught as divorce, economic need to work lanta, Georgia, recently reported A potential solution was offered character education in schools multiple jobs to pay the bills and that the students were caught after by Maryland State Schools Su- before coming to Wilkes Univer- resulting lack of supervision often a pupil told a teacher that one of perintendent, Nancy S. Grasmick. sity, believes schools should in- limit parent-child contact hours. their classmates brought a knife to She called for “increased charac- corporate character education into As a result, in many cases, the job school. ter education, community partner- the curriculum because it works. simply is being left to peers, media Waycross Police Chief Tony ships and parental responsibility.” “Character education teaches messages, and formal education. Tanner said, “The scheme inThough some parents may teach The Beacon staff agrees with students emotional literacy, selfvolved a division of roles. One Grasmick that character education control, social competence, posi- values many are not or can not, child’s job was to cover windows and other security steps are neces- tive peer relations and interper- and as a result, individual students’ so no one could see outside. One sary not only for the safety of the sonal problem-solving skills. It disruptive behavior adversely imwas assigned to clean up the blood teachers and students, but also has is proven to reduce aggressive pacts peers. Thus, teachers spend after the attack.” the potential to enhance the learn- behavior, increase self-control, valuable class time trying to solve WSBTV.com went on to report ing environment. Since students increase children’s ability to toler- disputes and conflicts. that, “Police seized a broken steak are influenced greatly by what ate frustration and increase effec“Though parents, guardians or knife, handcuffs, duct tape, elec- they are taught at a young age, tive conflict-resolution strategies. caretakers are the first teachers trical and transparent tape, rib- character education should first be There are curricula developed and of children, they are not always bons and a crystal paperweight taught in elementary schools and implemented in some schools at the most informed teachers,” acfrom the students, who apparently continue to be taught throughout the present time... it is necessary knowledged Biskup. “Through intended to use them against the the duration of high school. to amend the public school code lack of parenting education and teacher.” The Association for Supervi- to mandate the implementation of sometimes their own hurtful past These incidents are admittedly sion and Curriculum Develop- behavioral modification programs experiences, parents sometimes extreme examples, but reports ment defines character education in all public schools to be adminis- do not know how to be effective, of violence in schools are on the as, “teaching children about basic tered by the department of educa- loving, nurturing parents. rise and indicate myriad issues human values including honesty, tion in grades k-12,” said Biskup. In order to enhance the learning environment and safety of schools, A Sight for Sore Eyes: By Aleksander Lapinski other steps should be taken. Police ot offi oJ cers and metal detectors should be placed in schools in order to try bt to to detect and deter weapons and bad behavior. Additionally, menbi toring programs with teachers and to RAM~ school officials as well as peer SC OUG Hey» Aww mentoring programs should also m be utilized. bt for communities. First, if third graders are organizing gang-like plots of violence, communities are challenged to look inward to examine how and why such behavior has emerged. Where are children learning that violence is the solution to anger? Additionally, if the first response among children who observe such behavior in the classroom is to grab the cell, record the incident, and post it to YouTube, what are young people learning at Beacon Poll Results The following are results of a poll that The Beacon conducted online this past week. The poll was unscientific, and does not claim to reflect the overall attitudes of students on campus. Results are based on 31 responses. The Beacon asked: What’s your favorite springtime activity? • Tanning on the campus greenway - 0% • Frisbee - 6% • Flying a kite - 0% • Horseshoes - 0% • Wiffleball - 3% • Skipping class- 52% • Walking or Running outside - 19% • Eating ice cream or Rita’s Italian Ice- 13% • Picnic in the park - 6% • Other - 0% Next Week’s Question: Who do you want to be the vice-presidential candidate for the Democratic party? • • • • • • • • • • Barack Obama Hillary Clinton Bill Richardson Al Gore John Kerry Nancy Pelosi Oprah John Edwards Joe Biden Other Visit www.wilkesbeacon. com to cast your vote. Results will be published in next week’s issue of The Beacon. �APRIL 22, 2008 OPINION 7 The Angry Rant: Smoking is for losers BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor Ah, cigarettes. Man’s gift to the masses. The little cancer stick that could. The bar of tar. The purveyor of many a case of bad breath and a nagging cough, leading to many spoiled nights in the back of a car at a place that is known as “Makeout Point.” The life of the tobacco industry has been an interesting one. In the 50s, everybody smoked. Literally. Doctors, lawyers, garbage men. Everybody. As time passed, cigarettes began to lose steam (or smoke, as it were) until it culminated into a civil lawsuit that cost the tobacco industry over $200 billion, which pretty much confirmed what we already knew: cigarettes are bad. I know what you’re thinking. It was shocking to me, too. I mean, how could cigarettes be bad for you? Some of our most beloved entertainers smoked! Johnny Carson, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr. liked to light them up every now and again, and it’s not like they died from complications related to emphysema or throat cancer or anything. These days, cigarettes are a pariah of the public, and the television shows and the movie studios took notice, all but eliminating casual smoking on camera in their productions, avoiding harsher ratings and protests from the anti-smoking groups. While Hollywood seems to be cleaning up its act, the same cannot be said for our nation’s teenagers. While the smoking rate among teenagers is on a steady decline, I can’t help but feel that not enough is being done to curb this problem. Case in point: A few weeks ago I was outside of the Mall at Steamtown, and there was a gaggle of teenagers smoking, despite the fact that none of them were over the age of 16 or possessed a valid driver’s license. To say that I was appalled is an understatement. Maybe I’m just getting old, or maybe I never understood why a 15year-old needs to smoke (too much stress? I guess the last episode of The Hills was really upsetting), but the sight of a group of kids smoking was just infuriating. Why is it that teenagers feel the need to smoke? Is it some sort of initiation to high school freshman? Do kids need to have a black lung to graduate these days? It’s not like cigarettes have a good taste or anything. In fact, one could argue that smoking a cigarette is akin to having a bonfire set on your tongue that consists of human hair and poop. Seriously, does anyone light up for the first time and say “Wow, this is delicious; I could see doing this for the next 20 years, while dropping a small fortune and effectively cutting 30 years off of my life! Awesome!” No. They don’t. That would be ridiculous. weeks ago. A family came into a restaurant; an older man, a younger woman and a baby who was no more than 16-months-old. It times. Maybe I’m wrong here (I’m not), but if you’re smoking in front of an infant, then you’re no better than someone who drives drunk with children in the car. A child cannot voluntarily unbuckle themselves from their car seat to get away from their chain-smoking mother, who is probably too busy looking at her dye-job in the mirror while talking on her cell phone to her bouncer boyfriend, debating with him about whether or not to get another tattoo of Bret Michaels. The moral of the story is this: Kids, don’t smoke. You literally have no reason to. It doesn’t make you look cool. In fact, it makes you look minature versions of Burgess Meredith from Rocky. Do you want to look like that guy? A short, haunchy man with pastey-white skin and a voice that sounds like a rusty chainsaw? Do you want to look like that guy? I didn’t think so. So instead, why don’t you spend your precious allowance on the Juno soundtrack. At least it’s a little more intelligent. Photo design created by Gino Troiani This looks just as stupid as when you do it! The problem I have with the whole situation is that kids can smoke all they want in public; however, no one ever does anything about it. If you get caught consuming alcohol while under the age of 21, then you could get into some trouble with the law. Why aren’t cigarettes viewed in the same light? How can these babies smoke on the sidewalk in plain view of police officers and not be punished or reprimanded? Do I need to tell you that two of leading causes of death in this country is heart disease and cancer? And guess what? They are both linked to smoking. This country needs to pull its head out of the sand here, and take a look at the bigger problems. Everyone wants to complain about illegal immigration, or abortion, or this or that, but it seems that smoking is never given enough attention. Smoking is a proven killer, whether it’s first hand or second, but yet there are no laws to prevent people from doing it illegally. Here is what I propose: If you can’t buy cigarettes, then you can’t smoke them either. That means that all those kids who like to smoke with their little friends should get punished, or fined, or something. Furthermore, if you are of the legal age to smoke, then you shouldn’t be allowed to smoke in the presence of those who can’t smoke. Which means that you can’t smoke in front of your four-year-old kid who is sitting across from you in the smoking section of a restaurant. Honestly, I witnessed this travesty a few wasn’t bad enough that they were letting the baby drink soda, but the man decided to smoke right in front of the kid. Several Here’s to you... Mr. Foreign lotion salesman! BY GINO TROIANI Staff Writer/Photographer Drawing By: Zac Wilson With such persuasive lines as, “Let me show you something amazing,” and “One minute of your day can change the rest of your life” how could anyone turn down your free lotion samples? I envy you because you are the hustler of all hustlers. Your crafty marketing schemes have led you to prey on unsuspecting women in malls all around the U.S. Keep on keeping on! �APRIL 22, 2008 OPINION Rules of engagement ignored in Haditha case BY LAUREN SALEM Beacon Staff Writer On March 28, the US military dropped all charges against Stephen Tatum, a marine, who was involved in the civilian killings in Haditha, Iraq, on November 19, 2005. Tatum was charged with “two counts of involuntary manslaughter, of unarmed children, reckless endangerment and aggravated assault” according to the BBC News. Spokespeople for the Marine Corps said that they dropped all charges “in order to continue to pursue the truth-seeking process into the Haditha incident.” “I’m not satisfied with the outcome because the punishments don’t come close to the crimes committed in Haditha,” Abdul Rahman Al-Mashhadani, a member of the Hammurabi Human Rights Organization, said in the Frontline feature “Rules of Engagement.” “We expected that the soldiers would be exonerated. I thought the soldiers would be let off or...claim insanity.” According to official reports of the incident in question, after a roadside bombing, U.S. marines were told to clear all the houses around the area. Tatum claimed during his trial that he was told by his squad leader to treat the houses as hostile, according to the Frontline report. Tatum said that he heard shots had been fired before he en- tered the house, so he threw a grenade into the room he thought the shots were coming from. “The grenade just went off, dust was in the air, smoke was in the air, couldn’t really make out much more than targets,” Tatum said. As a result three men, two women, and a child, all unarmed innocent victims, died, because Tatum failed to positively identify them. Rules of engagement require that soldiers must positively identify enemies before firing. According to Gary Solis, Adjunct Professor at Georgetown Law School; Marine (Ret.), ‘positive identification’ means simply that: “Before you can fire on an individual, you must positively identify that individual as representing a threat to you or your fellow Marines or soldiers.” Tatum proceeded into a second house using the same procedure and never took more than two to three steps into any of the rooms, which resulted in the death of five more children and two more women, according to the Frontline story. Tatum said he did not see the women and children and only fired because he was coming to the aid of a fellow marine who was all ready shooting. The prosecution argued during the trial that the marines should not have used aggressive house-clearing tactics and they presented evidence that there was enough light for soldiers to identify the women and children before shooting. “I’m not comfortable with the fact that women and children died that day,” Tatum said in his Frontline interview. I know I might have had a part in it. I don’t know if my rounds impacted anybody. That is a burden I will have to bear.” Tatum should have received some form of punishment, because it was clear that he was not following the “rules of engagement,” one of which includes positive identification. The rules of engagement entitle every solider the right to defend themselves against threats, but also tells them when and against who they can use deadly forces against. If the military and government courts choose not to prosecute soldiers who violate such important and long-standing rules, the United States could face a military that runs amok. Defense of the nation is about discipline and following orders, both of which seemed, at least in the moment at Haditha, absent. Based on the evidence, this was not a situation that required deadly force and maybe Tatum would have realized that if he actually looked at the people he was about to kill. The courts and military personnel need to carefully examine the potential fall-out from a decision to drop the charges in this case. Make way for all-digital format 8 What do you think? - ■ The Beacon wants your voice to be heard. Your Voices is the opportunity for students to voice their concerns. If you want your voice to be heard, please contact The Beacon with the following information: 1 Contact information including your email address and a phone number where you can be reached 2 Your name, major, and year 3 Your opinion thebeacon.oped@ gmail.com The Beacon reserves the right to edit submitted pieces for space and content. Analog television goes the way of the dinosaurs BY GINO TROIANI Beacon Staff Writer/Photographer I remember the good old days as a young boy sitting around my parent’s blocky old television set with rabbit ears topped off by long strands of tin foil rolled up reaching towards the ceiling. Since the early 1920s, analog transmissions have been, and still are, the industry standard for broadcasting. But, as of February 17, 2009, all broadcasters will be mandated to shut down analog broadcasts and switch to a digital format. Why is this happening? In 2005, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) designed the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act, which laid the guidelines for the switch from analog to digital transmissions. The transition will be most beneficial to first responders who use radio signals to communicate with each other. Once analog television broadcasts are terminated, previously used airspace will be auctioned The switch will not impact these off, and available for many viewers. Those directly affected will first responders. This is key, be people who rely on free broadcasts because not only will it add to received through an antenna and an anaopen airwaves and cut down on log television set. communication overloads, but also For those who still rely the ability to transon analog broadcasts, mit over higher there are a few options and more powerout to help compensate ful frequencies for the switch. will be available. First, analog television This could help owners can buy the contremendously in verter box, which is exthe case of a catapected to run anywhere strophic event, and from $50 to $70. The could very well box will act as a medium end up saving hubetween the antenna and man lives. Courtesy of television, converting the In addition to telstarlogistics.typepad.com digital signals to an analog freeing up airspace, format. HDTV viewers will The second option is that be able to enjoy a broadcast with enhanced audio and video viewers can go out and buy a digital television set, which will automatically be comquality. According to MSNBC, an estimated 85% patible with digital signals. A third option is to obtain a membership of Americans pay for their television programming via cable or satellite providers. with a cable or satellite provider. And last but not least, viewers could sit back and do absolutely nothing at all. Also according to MSNBC, there are an estimated 15 million households that still use analog transmissions, so to help relieve these people of the financial burden, between January 1 and March 31 2009, the NTIA will be distributing up to two $40 coupons per household that can be used for the purchasing of converter boxes. Citizens are able to obtain these coupons by calling 888 DTV 2009, or going to DTV.gov. Although many people are upset about the conversion, in time it will prove to be a wise decision by the NTIA. As a former volunteer firefighter, I know how important and crucial communication between first responders can be. When the coupon is used, the consumer should only have to pay between $10 and $30 for a conversion box, a small price to pay for free television broadcasting. In addition, analog television sets will most likely become extinct in the near future. If and when this happens, there will no longer be a need for the analog conversion boxes. �LIFESTYLES APRIL 22, 2008 Real Conversations 10 Student of the Week 11 9 Autism Awareness Weekend involves family, community BY CHRISTA SGOBBA Beacon Lifestyles Editor Like many little girls, six-year-old Deanna Capece loves to color, play with her dollhouse, and watch the latest Disney movies. But unlike most of those girls, Deanna would have difficulty telling you any of this. Deanna, a kindergarten student at Tamaqua Elementary School, suffers from autism spectrum disorder, a diagnosis that encompasses a group of neurodevelopmental disorders that cause substantial impairments in social interaction and communication. As a result, Deanna’s speech and nonverbal communication with others is limited. “Looking at her, you would never think that there was anything wrong with her,” said her mother, Gloria Capece, a psychology major at Wilkes University. “She has issues with communication and eye contact. She talks to me more than she does with anyone, but that’s probably because I’m her mother.” Since the 1990s, autism diagnoses in the United States have increased rapidly. According to the Autism Society of America, autism has increased 172 percent during the 1990s, compared with a disabil- ities increase of only 16 percent. Currently, one out of every 150 children born in the U.S. will be diagnosed with autism. In order to raise community awareness for the growing number of cases, April has been designated as Autism Awareness Month. Autism organizations and support groups nationally and locally have been hosting events this month to bring about greater community involvement. The Autism Coalition of Luzerne County will be sponsoring its first annual Autism Awareness Weekend from April 25-26. A candlelight vigil will be held at the Luzerne County Courthouse on April 25 at 6:00 p.m. The next morning, an Autism Awareness Walk will take place at the Forty a sibling support program,” said Koretz. The children who were diagnosed in the 1990s spike are now entering their teen years, bringing about a whole new set of needs for the affected population. Before, autism support was focused on young children and their educational needs in the classroom. Now, organizations such as the Autism Coalition are looking to implement programs that can ease the transition from childhood to adulthood, whether it is by providing services that can allow more independent living or help with jobs. “Currently, a lot of support exists until they graduate high school, with many students not graduating until they are 21. After Deanna. In school, Deanna attends a regular-education kindergarten classroom in the morning with the help of an aide, and an autistic support program in the afternoon. She receives speech and occupational therapy during the school day. Outside of school, she has Therapeutic Staff Support, where the TSS worker comes to her home or within the community to help her one-onone. Capece also enrolled her daughter in a swimming program for aquatic therapy, and is looking to find a dance program for her. Within community programs, Capece says that sometimes instructors are a little shaky with autistic children because they don’t entirely understand what the disorder entails. “I found that some of the instrucThey think if your child is acting up in a store, then it’s necessarily a tors were a little put off,” she said. say they’re not scared, but bad child...If people are aware of the extremes, it makes things a lot “They’ll you can tell they’re standoffish. easier, not just for yourself, but for your child. Especially my daughter, she can tell when they’re like this.” Gloria Capece , psychology major The sharp spike in the number of autism cases makes it especially Fort Recreation Complex, with registration that, there is a definite lack of support ser- important for the community to understand beginning at 8:30 a.m. There will also be vices,” said Rebecca Mehnert, a professor the disease, since it is becoming more and children’s activities, a silent auction, and at Wilkes who is also a Behavior Specialist more prevalent in all areas. “The community needs to understand and tables set up with information from various Consultant and a Mental Health Evaluator mental health agencies. at Children’s Service Center in Wilkes- talk about autism,” said Koretz. “Many of “It’s an opportunity for families to come Barre. “At this time, the Bureau of Autism these kids are nonverbal, they have extreme together and support each other,” said Tara Services is focusing their efforts on devel- sensory reactions, and limited social interKoretz of the Autism Coalition. “The goal oping programs to assist adults with autism, actions. It’s harder to interact with them, of this is to raise awareness and money including providing assistance as young because they look very typical, and it’s not for the cause. We hope to make it a yearly adults transition from school to work or col- until you talk to them that you see something is not right.” event.” lege or other programs.” Capece believes that better community According to Koretz, all of the money Locally, the Autism Coalition works to raised from the silent auction and registra- bring about those changes in the area. The awareness is necessary because some comtion for the walk will be used to support the only organization like it in Luzerne County, munity members may demonstrate a lack programs in the area for children and adults it joins together community resources that of understanding when confronted with the with autism. can offer more help and support for the behaviors of an autistic child. “They think if your child is acting up in a The money raised from Autism Aware- community members affected by autism. ness Weekend will provide the startup costs “It’s a grassroots program that can help store, then it’s necessarily a bad child. It’s for a new program that will aid families promote ongoing progress,” explained Ko- very frustrating sometimes. My daughter’s with autistic children as they enter young retz. “We work together to come up with gotten a lot better at this, but when she’s adulthood. ideas for more programs. We help more of throwing herself on the floor and flipping “We’re raising money in the hope of the community as a whole, not just one spe- out, people kind of look at you like ‘why can’t you control your child?’” she said. “If creating another program for children and cific family.” adults with autism, like a more transitional Capece, whose daughter was diagnosed people are aware of the extremes, it makes not just program to help autistic children out of when she was just over three years old, things a lot easier, for yourself, but for high school, and has utilized the programs available your in her area for child.” �LIFESTYLES 10 APRIL 22, 2008 Real Conversations bring real issues to the forefront BY LAUREN SALEM Beacon Staff Writer Students voiced their opinions about social economic discrimination in Real Conversations on April 15, an event hosted by Dr. Ebonie Stringer, an assistant sociology professor. “This is a good topic to start on because so many students deal with economic issues,” Stringer said. “As a matter of fact, one might argue that the economic strain of being a college student is one of the top issues that students are dealing with.” Richard Czyzyk, a graduate assistant, developed Real Conversations, which is a series of monthly events at which students can engage in meaningful conversations about thought-provoking topics of their choice. This discussion design encourages students to use language they’re most comfortable with to talk about issues facing their campus or the nation, in a safe environment. The Center for Global Education and Diversity also helped develop the program, along with support from Dr. Maria Suarez, Dr. Ellen Flint, and Brenda Stanley. “[Students] needed an outlet to speak,” Czyzyk said. “We wanted to provide an environment that was safe and protective, where they didn’t have to fear being ridiculed or laughed at, or physically attacked.” The program was created to get students to step out of their comfort zones and ask questions about current issues in the world. The conversation was mostly generated by students, but Stringer started the discussion with an introduction on social economic discrimination. “It’s hard to wrap your brain around it, but our economy is suffering, and because of that the gap between the classes is increasing which is apparent everywhere,” said Valerie Martinez, a junior political science major. “This is certainly a problem that concerns the institutional body of Wilkes University because we all pay Wilkes for something or get paid by Wilkes for something, so we have economic ties.” The conversation was well-structured and included one-on-one talking along with group discussion, which was informal and comfortable, according to Amber Kozo, a freshman psychology and criminology ma- jor. “I think the real conversation event allowed students with different opinion[s] on a topic [to] speak their mind and help broaden the knowledge of those in the room,” Kozo said. “It brought together different people on campus who may not have ever met otherwise.” At the pilot meeting, 22 students attended and said that they would The Beacon/Cara Koster like to have future conversations about racial Dr. Ebonie Stringer facilitated a Real Conversations event discrimination, college about economic discrimination on April 15. The series of social grouping, the monthly conversation are meant to provide a place for stunegative and positive dents to talk about important issues in a safe environment. aspects of virtual communities (Facebook and Myspace), the in their home communities,” Czyzyk said. presidential race, gender equality, religious “They have to prepare for a global economy tolerance, the digital age, sexism, and col- in order to be successful and we want them lege student & social implications. to start thinking about multiple perspectives “The world that they [students] enter into and providing them these outlets will be a when they graduate isn’t just going to be great opportunity for that.” "Live Acoustic Music" Wednesday. April 23rd 6 :30-8 :30pm Aaron Mc Curdy "Steve Beisser" Friday, A ptil 25th 7 :30-10 :30pm Live New Musician in Cafe' Dorit forget to s,ell yollI' textbooks brl any ·· time at the booksto.re~ We wiD. be on campus du.ring the week of exams for buyback! CA + BILL HENRY at 215-?6H619 0R CHECK THE WEB S.11iE OR IN FORMATION 1 Justgo to: "u-BFREE" �APRIL 22, 2008 LIFESTYLES BY MATTHEW GOGAS Beacon Staff Writer procedures, and confusing traditions, which allow for a more dynamic learning expeonly become more frustrating for people rience. I knew that by getting involved in who do not speak English. I witnessed first such a school, my comments and concerns hand how nurses and physicians have treat- would be taken more seriously and have ed Vietnamese immigrants. They can be more influence than going to other more unprofessional, careless, and inappropriate established schools. I know that decisions in failing to honor their promises to provide made because of my class will affect the future of graduating Wilkes pharmacists. quality patient care. For example, the Vietnamese elderly use The Beacon: Explain this volunteer traditional creams and lotions that have program that you are involved in. scents unfamiliar to health care Nguyen: The volunteer proprofessionals of the Western gram in Binghamton, New world. As a result, physiYork, has many services. cians and nurses would Since the new immiassume that these pagrants are not accustients are unkempt tomed to life in the and unsanitary. They United States and do would then speak to not speak English, these patients from they need help with the hallway or use many things. We sticks to perform help with all facets physical examinaof everyday living: tions. The patient explaining cultural was left feeling inhudifferences, translating man and unfit to be in paperwork for health the presence of the docinsurance claims, accomtor. To make things worse, panying patients to physieven the pharmacists treated them with indifference. Con- Photo courtesy Oanh Nguyen cian visits, and even getting a prescription refilled sequently, so many of these Vietnamese immigrants would take their at the local pharmacy. As a pharmacist, I medications incorrectly and were discour- will have that much more knowledge to imaged from obtaining further medical assis- part on the community, hopefully making life easier for a few more people. tance and advice. I wanted to become a pharmacist to serve The Beacon: Why did you decide to volas a communicational bridge between the health care system and patients. I chose to unteer? Nguyen: Volunteering was not a hard attend Wilkes because its pharmacy program was still developing, which would decision. I was once an immigrant to this 11 Student of the Week: Oanh Nguyen Oanh Nguyen is a first-generation Vietnamese immigrant currently in her fourth year of pharmacy school. Though she is extremely busy, she still finds time to help out in the community. Nguyen volunteers as a translator for new Vietnamese immigrants trying to establish themselves in the local community in her hometown of Binghamton, New York. Here at Wilkes, she decided that she wanted to continue helping others by taking an independent study class while she volunteers at a local clinic helping less fortunate people receive free medical care. In addition to volunteering, Nguyen also helped organize drives to raise funds for the community and obtain supplies for the clinic. Because of the volunteer work she does for Vietnamese immigrants in her hometown and for the people here in the Wilkes community, The Beacon has chosen Nguyen as its Student of the Week. The Beacon: Why did you decide to come to Wilkes? Nguyen: My decision in coming to Wilkes dates back to when I was child. Initially, I made the decision of becoming a pharmacist at the age ten years old when I first came to the United States. With my unique background, I have seen through fresh eyes how healthcare can affect people’s lives, especially those who are new to this country. The healthcare system is a mystery for the general public with its convoluted language, extensive country and also needed help. I was fortunate enough to learn English and advance in society. I remember how hard acclimating to society was. Volunteer work is a rewarding experience because I know that I am offering a helping hand that no one did for our family. The Beacon: What do you plan to do after graduating? Do you plan to do more volunteer work in the future? Nguyen: The program is experiencing new changes to the population. We have a decreasing number of actual immigrants to the area; however, new complex issues have arisen. These issues include alcoholism and drug addiction. Therefore, the program needs a different type of volunteer because solely time and effort is not sufficient. Last year, I decided go to the University of Utah School of Alcoholism and other Drug Dependencies. Not only did I learn about addiction to drugs, but I also realized that addiction is much more complicated than it seems. Addiction can arise from not only poor choices but also genetic predisposition and just plain unfortunate circumstances. I also learned a lot about myself on this trip. I learned how obsession could be a form of addiction and that blaming yourself or others is not a healthy way to deal with addiction. Blame is an active way to ignore a difficult situation. The only real method to deal with addiction is to accept it and actively pursue those steps towards resolving the true problem at hand. Hopefully, when I graduate, I can return to New York to start a service to help as many people as I can find those steps. Are you voting in the April 22 primary? “Yes I am, because I think voting is essential. I think everybody should vote. You actually get to voice your own opinion for something.” Ryan Holmes junior, English major “Yes because I think that we have a voice and people forget that we have a voice…” Ashley Yob sophomore, psychology major “No, I’m not planning to vote. The reason being I really don’t follow politics, and I don’t believe I should have a vote on something I have no idea about.” Joshua Pauling junior, nursing major “Yes, I’m planning to vote because it’s my first opportunity to do so.” Katie DeBias junior, education major All photos The Beacon/Matthew Gogas �A&E APRIL 22, 2008 Emo violence abroad Crossword/Website River Grille 13 14 15 LOCAL BAND SPOTLIGHT: The Big Green ' BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon Asst. News Editor Three years after competing in a local high school talent show, The BIG Green has switched gears, battling area bands of all genres for prizes as big as a stage on the 2008 Van’s Warped Tour. Inspired by the Disney movie, The BIG Green, the ska band frequently plays at Cafe Metropolis. After a few member changes and a self-described unforgettable “crappy” band trip, The BIG Green has settled down and formed a stable fan base in WilkesBarre. The Beacon recently sat down with Pat Zeigler, sophomore communications major, and Matt Duffy, undeclared freshman, to speak about a band that was formed in order to get into ska shows for free and has since become something that all six members of The Big Green are passionate about. The Beacon: How would you describe your music? Zeigler: I would describe us like… Thanksgiving dinner. It’s just a lot of different stuff coming together, but ska is definitely the mashed potatoes for our dinner because it’s our common ground. Everything we do is based off of ska, but we have a huge punk influence and we’re all secretly emo fans deep down. We all enjoy metal, hip hop, rap, and reggae. The Beacon:: Who are the other members and what do they play? Zeigler: Tim Bendick is our drummer. Mike Galli plays sax. Duffy is rhythm guitar, if you want to get technical. Rick Berry is bass and Billy Barnes is lead guitar. And I’m trombone. The Beacon:Tell me about your first show. Zeigler: It was the Dallas High School talent show almost three years ago. The Beacon:Did you win? Zeigler: I don’t remember. Duffy: We had fun. That’s all that matters. Zeigler: We made fools of ourselves and just had fun. That’s basically what we do. The Beacon:Have you won any other contests or shows? Duffy: Second place is our forte. We never quite move up but we don’t suck completely, so we’re always right in the middle. Zeigler: We’re usually always second place and I think we’re really cool with that because if someone was like “Yeah, we got first!” we’d be those guys that go, “Well first is the worst and second is the best!” The Beacon:What is the biggest show you’ve played? Zeigler: The Toasters; it was absolutely incredible… Duffy: I think another big highlight for me was the first Metro show ever. We might not have played as well as we do now - like we were terrible - but I just loved it. It was like a dream come true, almost. I always wanted to play in Metro and we finally did and it was awesome. Zeigler: Bigger Thomas was a big show, too. And they actually liked us. The Beacon: Are you currently working on any projects? Zeigler: Right now we’re kind of taking a hiatus to get new stuff together, but we have some shows coming up… The Beacon: What makes your band We’re also working on trying to get in unique? to play at some colleges next fall. Zeigler: We all basically write and sing Duffy: I want to play at Wilkes really all of the songs. Photo courtesy The BIG Green bad. Duffy: It’s not one person. We don’t Zeigler: We’re trying to finalize a really have a leader. That’s something a The Big Green competed for a spot on the Vans Warped Tour on April 19. Here [left to little different about our band, you know? right] Pat Zeigler, Mike Galli, Tim Bendik, Matt Duffy and Rick Berry perform at the CD. Right now it’s all up in the air because we don’t have money. We’re Usually bands have a set leader, but we Sherman Theater. Missing from the picture is guitarist Billy Barnes. broke musicians. definitely don’t. Zeigler: When we’re onstage we all talk, we all lead songs, even Bendik on the The Beacon: What do you want the Wilkes community and your fans to know about drums. you? Duffy: It has its ups and downs, though, but that just comes with the territory of Duffy: That we’re single. sharing responsibility. Zeigler: And that we like to have a good time. We’re always down to play; we’ll play anything. We love to play music and get together and hang out. Basically, that’s all we The Beacon: What would you say are your greatest influences? want to do: play music for people, even for people that aren’t into ska. I think most people Duffy: It changes every week. I’ll find a new band that I love and listen to them all never give it a chance. the time. Duffy: I’ve had people come up to me at shows before and say, “I’ve never listened to Zeigler: Old Catch 22, Suicide Machines, Op Ivy, Rancid. We all love The Slackers ska before, but I liked you guys.” And that’s what keeps me going. and The Toasters and we take tips from them... We always try to break down and bring Zeigler: We’re just trying to represent the genre in this area and give it a good run... in horn parts and bring in really strong powerful music. Sometimes I think we may Basically, we’re ready and willing. even be inspired by Streetlight Manifesto. �APRIL 22, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13 Emo culture endures violence abroad BY MARISSA PHILLIPS Beacon A&E Editor The emo subculture just never seems to win. In terms of subculture satire, emo is the losing party, always the brunt of the jokes. In terms of subculture warfare, emo kids are struggling in a battle that seems almost surreal. As absurd as it may sound, subculture war isn’t just some notion reserved for song lyrics and periodic music venue scuffles. Recently and pretty close to home, problems have reached newsworthy proportions. In the passing months Mexico has seen an anti-emo movement that’s grown to significant proportions and resulted in multiple acts of violence. According to Rolling Stone magazine, “...800 young people came to the city of Queretaro with the sole purpose of finding emo kids to beat up,” News of the violence has made it into numerous other news sources outside of Mexico, such as TIME magazine and L.A. Weekly. Log onto Youtube.com and you can even find footage of mobs attacking their victims and chanting “Death to Emos.” For those who may not be entirely wellversed on what emo is, it is a subculture, comparable to punk or goth, in that it extends from a particular musical preference. While emo is a genre of music, there is also a fashion style and value ideology that is usually associated with the subculture. Although, as with any subculture, it is impossible and unfair to place a set of stereotypical standards, a general description of the subculture offered by laweekly. com notes, “They are drawn to the music of bands such as Dashboard Confessional, Hawthorne Heights and Alesana. They like the style - shaggy bangs, skintight jeans, studded belts...and the loose ideology of getting ‘emotional.’”. One of the key issues that led to the attack on the emo subcultre is the fact that popular TV host Kristoff, of the Mexican channel Telehit, went off on an anti-emo rant on television, calling emo kids “idiotic” and attacking their subculture and lifestyle (mtv.com). Although the host attempted to dismiss his statements as a joke after the attacks, the damage was already done. After the incident in Queretaro, more violence occurred, with emo kids as their vic- tims. In response to the violence, emo kids organized a non-violent march in protest, but despite well-intentioned efforts, that eventually turned violent as well. There may not be a large-scale anti-emo movement in the U.S., Although the U.S. but the subculture still suffers from a heavy amount of critihasn’t seen any cism, as seen in this picture from duckduckrevolution.com grand-scale anti-emo Whether or not the events in Mexico dimovement compararectly effect the U.S., the incidents certainly ble to Mexico, it can’t exactly be said that demonstrate subculture disdain to an exemo kids are accepted with open arms. Fortreme. Although there may not be an antimer Wilkes student, Andrew Pryor stated emo movement resulting in large-scale acts that in the U.S. “Emo kids are viewed as the of violence, it’s impossible to determine annoying trend jumpers.” He explained that when a long-running joke can turn ugly. he could imagine events similar to the ones Former King’s student, Pete Phillips, exin Mexico “happening among the more implains that he doesn’t rule out the possibility mature scene kids.” of confl icts to increase in the US in the near A search of the world wide web bears a future. “People in America wouldn’t let that slew of anti-emo games, songs, blogs, and get that far on a grand scale because parents articles. Go to Newgrounds.com and you’ll find the game “Kill the Emo,” and look up are ridiculously overprotective. But if you “emo” on popular site, urban dictionary.com ask me if something like that can happen ten and one of the listed definitions is, “Some- years from now. Based on current events…I think grand scale violence is on it’s way to thing all stereotypes agree on they hate.” becoming more prevalent.” C uh M : · ttin.g? ··ir · ay Party? Offtce Meeting? oo·t hal Pa · - y? T . e answ r to all£ es Qu1znos~Q ! 72 South . , ain St. MM.. OAS Wfil . e~ Bar e o _· l"S, · onday-Thull"sday IO ·- -8 n iday · Sa · · day 10an1.-JOpm -_·. ndayl2p -Gp , (570) 208-SUBS Z : OS C . T a ~ - NG ·. t ·ays ..t ·t·· g _· I9.99 Call or details. �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 14 67 BY CHRISTOPHER KUDRAK Beacon Staff Writer 1 5 9 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 23 24 25 26 27 29 32 34 35 36 38 39 41 42 44 45 46 47 49 50 51 54 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 ACROSS 70’s Hairstyle Furniture accumulation Hoard Back end Catch sight of Pluto’s number Europe volcano Summit Red headed orphan Controversial energy source Campfire remains Mr.’s mate Happiness Conjunction Large pond bird Intense anger Billiard stick Pottery fragment Musician ____ Charles Failure Possessive pronoun Stirred to action Squeeze by Comply Ace possibility Bill & ___’s Excellent Adventure Charged particles Star Wars character ____ Solo Like a fox Roman god of the sun Sheep cry Made too easy Acid in a protein Las Vegas lake As well Tortilla dip Lima country Messy person Hit with ones leg Dance movement :, .... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 21 22 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 36 37 40 43 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 Variety DOWN Amphitheater Unborn child Cattle or Dude Freud stage Leave Computer operators Fight Young child Large jungle snake Like most toothpaste Domini preceder Mix He opposite Australia flightless bird Partly open Spelling contest Farm structures Peddlers item Monopoly piece Autumn tool Hurricane center Cola type Like some cars Front part of the leg Allow Reading or B&O, for example Star Wars Character Obi____ Kenobi Hardy ____ Bank robbery, for example A.K.A. Clay Sight, for example Bowling term Famous outlaw “____ the Kid” Greek fabulist Sun-dried brick house Persian Gulf country Wretchedly bad Little demons Encounter Quickly Inquire We-6 ciU Off tM, we,e,£ Perezhilton.com BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor If you’re like me you love to keep up with what’s going on with all of the celebrities. Well, I get all of my information from PerezHilton.com, Hollywood’s most-hated website. It’s probably Hollywood’s most-hated website because it exposes drug problems, flopped records, plummeting careers, and ugly fashion choices. With celebrities described as being “gay, gay, gay,” “shiteous,” “icky icky poo,” and “yummy yummy screw,” no one can top Perez’s way of insulting everyone. He also throws in random news bits that are interesting or bizarre and labels them “News of the Weak.” Well, you’re probably wondering who is this Perez Hilton guy, anyway? His real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. He got the name Perez Hilton as a play on Paris Hilton, of course. He claims that they are friends and the name is all in fun. Originally he began his career as an actor and got into media relations for GLADD and started blogging from there. I 2 M A 13 E X s T s p 0 A 8 L L R ID C L A IB C Answers 4/14 Kudracross APRIL 22, 2008 T E E 02 N ~s T s E s s 0 A V E N T E w p E N 0 s T E y 85 E Since then he has taken pride in outing gay celebrities and telling the truth about others. Perez not only blogs, but he is also launching a radio show in early May. He acts as a celebrity news correspondent for MTV’s TRL and he has his own show on VH1 called “What Perez Sez.” He never posts information before he is sure about it, so you know what you’re reading is true. He posts pictures and videos that will be sure to make you laugh…or at least smile. I give Perezhilton.com an F... for Fabulous! �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 15 Dinner Review: River Grille BY ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Asst. A&E Editor With the summer heat fast approaching, a relaxing dinner on the patio after a long day of work can be just the fix. But where, locally, can diners go for an affordable meal while still enjoying the outdoor atmosphere? River Grille, which opened approximately two months ago, is just that, affordable with the luxury of outdoor dining. Located at 670 North River Street in the Waterfront Business Complex, the River Grille varies from affordable prices for burgers and sandwiches to more costly pasta and meat entrees. The casual fare and burgers menu ranges from $7.00 for a “half pound Angus” burger to $10.00 for a sampler, which includes mozzarella half moons, zucchini fries and shrimp. All burgers are served with fries and a pickle. The pricier entrees range from a grilled chicken dish for $13.00 to a 10 oz. Angus filet mignon for $28.00. Entrees are served with either soup or salad and the appropriate sides. Hoping to dine outdoors on a warm Friday evening, my guests and I arrived at River Grille at approximately 6:00 p.m. Unfortunately, the outdoor patio was filled with guests enjoying the Happy Hour specials. Already hungry, we opted for a table indoors. The atmosphere of River Grille is casual. Some fellow CUMB APRIL 22, 2008 The Beacon/Alissaa Lindner diners appeared to have come straight from office while jeans and a nice top were certainly also appropriate. The actual dining room felt private, offering a great option for a summer date. The outdoor patio and bar seemed more playful, definitely a place to meet old friends to catch up. Our server was very prompt in bringing our drinks and warm Italian bread with an oil and herb dipping sauce. My guests decided to split the Maryland crab cakes as an appetizer and we all chose meals from the casual fare menu, as we are college students on a budget. The Maryland crab cakes for $9 were a bit pricey, and deceiving. Although delicious and full of flavorful crab, the appetizer is one 4oz. crab cake. At almost $10, despite The River Grille is located in the Waterfront Business good flavor, the crab cake was not worth the money. Complex on North River Street. Our meals arrived approximately 20 minutes after placing spring season was evident in the juicy tomato and crispy the order. Each was sizzling hot and presented very neatly onion served on the burger. on white plates. The other guest chose the sampler, which offered chicken I chose the BBQ cheddar burger, which comes topped tenders, onion rings, shrimp, mozzarella half moons and with cheddar, BBQ sauce, bacon and onions. The burger zucchini fries. For $10 the sampler was small; however was served on a large Kaiser roll and grilled to medium- each option was full of flavor. well perfection. The BBQ sauce was a bit spicy but not unAt approximately $40 for three meals, tax and tip, River bearable and fries are always the perfect side to a burger. Grille offers affordable prices for casual dining. The atmoOne of my guests also opted for a burger, choosing the sphere is more appropriate for a date night; however, those half pound Angus. Her burger, grilled to medium and wishing to dine with friends may enjoy the outdoor patio. served on a Kaiser roll with lettuce, tomato and onion was Grade: A“perfect,” in her own words. The delicious produce of the LAND • Private bath with shower • Free Internet access • Laundry • Free off-street parking • Free water, sewer, & trash. • Secure entry/ Remote access-buzz in • Fully-equipped granite kitchen • Cable TV 17 West Ross Street Wilkes-Barre, PA www.cumberlandliving.com 570-687-2220 �SPORTS 16 APRIL 22, 2008 Commentary G AME OF THE WEEK MLB: Atlanta Braves v New York Mets NL East rivalry heads to Queens BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor For 11 years, there was only one team to beat in the National League East: the Atlanta Braves. During that stretch, they went to the World Series five times while winning one, in what is accepted as one of the greatest stretches of success in baseball history. That run ended in 2006, however, as the New York Mets easily won the division, becoming, almost overnight, the future of the NL East. Now, one season after both teams failed to make the playoffs, all bets are off. The Atlanta Braves let long-time centerfielder Andruw Jones walk in the off-season, opting instead for an outfield that consists of Matt Diaz, veteran Mark Kotsay (.220, 1 HR, 3 RBI) and future star Jeff Francoeur (.281, 3, 12). They bolstered their starting rotation by bringing back Tom Glavine (0-1, 2.38), who spent his formative years in Atlanta before spending five years with the Mets. Glavine, who brings two Cy Young awards and 300 wins to the team, will join ace Tim Hudson (2-1, 3.38) and future Hall-of-Famer John Smoltz (2-0, 0.82) in one of the more formidable rotations in the National League. On the offensive side of the ball, the Braves find themselves busting at the seams with youthful talent, including catcher Brian McCann (.271, 3, 9) shortstop Yunel Escobar (.345, 3, 11) and second baseman Kelly Johnson (.261, 1, 4), who join the veteran switch-hitting tandem of Chipper Jones (.404, 2, 11) and Mark Teixeira (.204, 2, 6). Double Take Steph examines the stats that truly matter... BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor While the Braves are packed with veteran leadership and young stars, the one problem that has arose with the team has been in their bullpen, as Peter Moylan and Rafael Soriano have landed on the disabled list, joining fellow reliever Mike Gonzalez, who is currently recovering from Tommy John surgery. While many have predicted the Braves to be a contender in the division this year, they first need to get by their stiff competition in the form of the New York Mets, who made the biggest splash of the off-season when they acquired pitcher Johan Santana from the Minnesota Twins. His help is needed on the Mets, who are still trying to forget last season, when they memorably blew a seven game lead with 17 games left to play to lose the division to the Philadelphia Phillies. Santana (1-2, 3.05), a two-time Cy Young winner, makes an already solid pitching staff even better, as he leads a young staff that consists of John Maine (1-1, 3.78), Oliver Perez (1-0, 3.38) and Mike Pelfrey (2-0, 1.50). The Mets are currently without veteran ace Pedro Martinez, who injured himself during his first start of the season and will be out until at least the middle of May. While the starting rotation for the Mets is a major strength, their bullpen will need to remain healthy if they want to be effective in September. Led by veteran closer Billy Wagner (2 saves), the bullpen consists of setup men Aaron Heilman (9.2 IP, 5.59) and Pedro Feliciano (3.1 IP, 5 K), as well as sinkerballer Joe Smith (6.2 IP, 1.35) and the hard throwing Duaner Sanchez (1.0 IP, 1 K), who is back after missing the entire 2007 season due to injuries. The lineup, which is as potent as ever, is anchored by rising star David Wright (.313, 4, 15), who is turning into one of the best third basemen in the game, while his partner on the left side of the infield, shortstop Jose Reyes (.292, 7 runs, 1 SB), is looking to rebound after a tumultuous 2007 campaign where he hit .251 after the All Star break. The slugging due of centerfielder Carlos Beltran (.289, 1, 7) and first baseman Carlos Delgado (.245, 1, 5) round out the offense, although the newcomers Ryan Church (.340, 2, 9) and Angel Pagan (.348, 9 runs, 10 RBI) have made a splash in the young season, helping to offset the absence of injured veteran outfielder Moises Alou. The Mets and the Braves have had their fair share of memorable games over the years, and this series should prove to be no different. The veteran pitching of the Braves is deeper than the young guns of the Mets, although Johan Santana is the most proven arm of the two teams. Although the Braves’ offense has a slight edge, the series is going to come down to relief pitching, where the Mets’ late-inning arms will make the bigger difference. The Pick: Game 1: Jurrjens vs. Pelfrey New York Mets: 6 Atlanta Braves: 2 Game 2: Hudson vs. Maine New York Mets: 3 Atlanta Braves: 2 Game 3: Smoltz vs. Figueroa Atlanta Braves: 6 New York Mets: 3 This week we’ve got the New York Mets vs. the Atlanta Braves. I can’t compare these to animals. Making fun of uniforms and color has been done. This time, I thought of three things that come to mind when I think “Mets” and three things that remind me of “Braves.” Clearly, that would be the most accurate way to choose a winner. First, for the Mets would be “metrosexuals.” Basically, they dress better and use more hair products than the average woman. They are feminine, yet manly, they have got to be ready to take on anything with the strength of a man and a woman. Next, is the “Met,” that museum in New York City. It’s huge and the stuff inside is worth a lot of money. Last, I’ve got the Metro, the subway system in Washington D.C. It’s confusing, it’s dirty, but it’s fast. If the Mets are well dressed, manly, worth a lot of money, confusing, dirty, and fast… they are sure to chase away the Braves. The Braves bring to mind a song by the Olsen Twins called “Bravery.” Yes, I used to watch Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen videos with my cousin. She was Ashley, I was Mary-Kate. Mary-Kate grew up to be a creeper. Judge me all you’d like. Anyway, “Bravery” is about not being afraid of rollercoasters and shots and monsters under the bed. I’m pretty sure that if the Braves can man up to the monsters under the bed, they can take on the Metrosexuals. Next, is possibly the best movie ever, The Brave Little Toaster You can’t beat a movie in which the heroes are used appliances, led by the bravest of all, Toaster. Finally, just the word brave. If you are brave, you definitely aren’t afraid of the Mets. So, who’s the winner? Well, my silly little analysis one would guess the Mets will win. I didn’t have much to say about the Braves. Contrary to what you may think, the Braves are going to win. After all, this is the land of the free and the home of the Braves. �SPORTS APRIL 22, 2008 17 PAID ADVERTISEMENT VOTE for BARACK OBAMA TUESDAY, APRIL 22 POLLS ARE OPEN FROM 7 A.M. – 8 P.M. TO F I N D O U T M O R E PA . B A R AC KO B A M A .CO M PA@BARACKOBAMA.COM | 1-866-675-2008 press 4 | TEXT PAVOTE to 62262 First-time voters and people voting in a new place must show ID. Any of the following photo IDs are acceptable (does not need to have an address): PA driver's license, student ID, employee ID, any ID issued by the U.S. Government or non-photo ID (needs an address that matches your voter registration) such as: voter registration card, current utility bill, current bank statement, or paycheck PAID FOR BY OBAMA FOR AMERICA �18 SPORTS Will Formula 1 return to America? Announcement expected on future of U.S. Grand Prix BY GERRARD HETMAN Beacon Asst. Sports Editor For many American sports fans, the international motor racing series known as Formula 1 is often overlooked in favor of American-based series such as NASCAR and the newly-formed IndyCar series. Pitting the world’s top drivers and racing teams against each other on an international tour, Formula 1 has traditionally struggled to gain widespread acceptance in America, despite holding races in the US for many years. In the coming weeks, however, an announcement on the series’ future in America is expected that could affect it’s popularity with Americans for years to come. For the first time since 1999, the Formula 1 calendar dose not include a grand prix race in the United States in its 2008 lineup. From 2000 through 2007, the series was an annual visitor at the fabled Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), often considered to be the cathedral of American motor sports. However, the race- known as the United States Grand Prix (USGP) - was not scheduled for 2008 after IMS owner Tony George and Formula 1 CEO Bernie Ecclestone failed to reach an agreement on extending the contract for the event beyond 2007. Ecclestone, who is known for making inflammatory statements in the world press, expressed no sorrow over the departure of Indianapolis from the F1 schedule. However, the loss of the race ignited a firestorm of complaints from racing teams, sponsors, and car manufacturers- many of whom were furious that their names and products would lose exposure in the huge American consumer market. Since then, many of the teams and sponsors have demanded that the series return to the United States, with Indianapolis being the only venue in America capable of hosting an F1 race without extensive modifications. Media reports have suggested that George and IMS administrators are exploring options to bring F1 back to Indianapolis as soon as possible- perhaps as early as 2009, when the venue will celebrate it’s 100th anniversary. “It’s hard to judge from the outside, but certainly there’s been more buzz about the United States Grand Prix coming back than there has been on other recent occasions when a Grand Prix has been dropped” said Keith Collantine, editor and publisher of the blog f1fanatic.co.uk. “There are strong rumors that the car manufacturers and many sponsors were unhappy at the race being dropped.” A major key to the return of the series to Indianapolis is finding a title sponsor for the race to help pay the exorbitant licensing fees demanded by Ecclestone’s administration. According to press reports, IMS officials have hired a sports marketing firm to help secure a title sponsor in order to put forth a proposal to bring F1 back to the world-famous venue. Before coming to Indianapolis, F1 had been a regular visitor to American tracks. The series held a grand prix at Watkins Glen , NY from 1961 through 1980, while also racing on temporary tracks built on city streets in Long Beach, Detroit, Dallas, Las Vegas and Phoenix in the years during and after the Watkins Glen races. F1 pulled out of the US after the last of three unpopular races in Phoenix in 1991, but appeared to find a solid home at Indianapolis. The first F1 race at the track in 2000 drew over 200,000 s p e c t a t o r s , and the 2007 USGP saw rookie sensation Lewis Hamilton score his second straight career win. However, Indianapolis has also endured criticism after several races failed to meet fans e x p e c tations. Most notable among these was the 2005 USGP, when only six cars started the race after most of the teams withdrew over safety concerns with the tires they were running on. While Indianapolis seems a logical choice, the possibility remains that F1 could return to America at a different venue in 2009 and beyond. Ecclestone is keen to feature venues that promote glitz and glamour, and has long suggested the possibility of a race on the streets of a major city, such as Las Vegas or New York. Other purpose-built tracks that feature a road course layout, such as Road America in Wisconsin or Laguna Seca in California, have also been suggested by fans and commentators. However, some of these tracks are in remote locations that create logistical difficulties, and may also require millions of dollars worth of modifications to make the tracks compliant with guidelines for hosting Formula 1 races. Formula 1 officials normally announce the F 1 schedule for the following season towards the end of the summer months, with many races being secured under contract well before the announcement. As the 2008 season races on, teams, drivers, sponsors, and fans alike anxiously await an announcement to see if F1 will return to Indianapolis- or any other venue in the United States- in 2009. With Formula 1 expanding into new markets in Asia and the Middle East, some question if a United States Grand Prix is still relevant for the commercial success of the sport. However, many fans and experts believe F1 can succeed in the United States with a little give and take. “I do think the United States Grand Prix can become a regular fixture - after all, it was from 1959-91 and in 1982 alone there were three Grands Prix in America.” Collantine added. “ Ecclestone needs to treat Americ a as a special case and realize a world championship must have a round in the United States - even if he only makes, say, $2 million per year out of it instead of five.” Will F1 make a grand American comeback in 2009? For t h e sport’s dedicated fan base, it’s time to wait and see. APRIL 22, 2008 Golf team headed to playoffs BY ANTHONY DORUNDA Beacon Staff Writer In the shuffle of the other spring sports here on campus, the Wilkes University golf team has the possibility of going unrecognized for their hard work. However, the 2008 squad has been quietly fashioning a tremendous year on the fairways and is unlikely to remain anonymous for the rest of the season. The team came into last Thursday’s prestigious Susquehanna Invitational with an overall record of 6-1 in tri and quad matches. The lone loss stemmed from a single, questionable stroke to the pre-season conference favorite Devils from FDU-Florham. While the team came up short at the invitational, finishing in 16th place overall, the golfers are optimistic about the rest of the season which includes the upcoming Freedom Conference Championships later this week. “Overall, we did a fair job. We could have done better, we just didn’t get the breaks today,” offered assistant coach Guy Rothrie. “It was the team’s first time playing on the course and there were a couple of tough holes and some tight fairways we had to squeeze the ball onto. The local golfers had a much better knowledge and feel for the course, but we missed some easy putts that beat us up a little in the end.” Sophomore Sean Madden, who carded the low round of the tournament for the Colonels with an 83, echoed Rothrie’s statement, “We did all right, but we missed some easy shots.” Madden added, “[The team] played respectable, but we definitely could have done a bit better.” A tribute to the team’s success this season can be credited to a trip they took to the Peach State during spring break. They also got some added help from one of the local pro golfers from the area. “It was amazing,” acknowledged Madden. “We got to golf for six straight days and relax with the team. It was a big advantage for us as we got to work on our game and become more comfortable with our swing a couple of weeks before we could get outside back at home.” “It kick-started the season and got us going early,” offered Rothrie. “Spending a week together really helped out team chemistry and I think it prepared us for the season.” See GOLF page 19 �SPORTS APRIL 22, 2008 Colonels advance to Freedom Finals COURTESY OF SPORTS INFORMATION The second-seeded Wilkes University men’s tennis team defeated third-seeded Manhattanville College 5-1 on Saturday afternoon at the Ralston Complex in the semifinals of the Freedom Conference team playoffs. The win improved the Colonels to 14-2 overall, while the Valiants saw their overall record fall to 9-6. With the win, the Colonels advance to the Freedom Conference championship game, where they will play top-seeded FDU Florham in hopes of winning their first ever conference crown. Needing only five team points to advance, Wilkes took the early lead by winning two out of the three doubles matches. The Valiants received their only team point at first doubles, as Julian Oribe and Allen Cheon defeated Kyle Ungvarsky and Chris Cozzillio by an 8-5 count. However, the Colonels would have control the rest of the way, by winning five straight matches. Wes McCollum and Jon Rohrbach earned a 9-8 (11-9) victory over Lance Dorfi and Kevin Lyons at second doubles, while Josh Gardner and Brian Fanelli handled Gabriel Mallen and Tim Crakes 8-2 at third doubles. Heading into singles competition, Wilkes needed three points to seal the win. Ungvarsky got the Colonels one of those points at second singles, defeating Dorfi 6-2, 6-3. Cozzillio would beat Cheon in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4 at third singles, and Gardner would win at fifth singles over Crakes, 6-1, 6-1 to earn Wilkes the trip to the finals. Matches between McCollum and Oribe at first singles, Rohrbach and Lyons at fourth singles, and Fanelli and Mallen at sixth singles were unfinished due to the outcome of the match already being decided. GOLF from PAGE 18 How far has that team chemistry evolved? We will find out later this week on Saturday when the Freedom Conference championships tee off. At the play-offs the Colonels will get another crack at heavily favored FDU. “Our goal is to win the conference and qualify for Nationals,” said Madden. It sounds like a good plan, but winning the conference is not an easy feat, as the last conference championship for the Colonels came in 1979. “We are pretty confident,” said Madden. “As long as we stay focused and play like we know we are capable, we should be all right.” Baseball from PAGE 20 little flat in the second game,” said Garofoli. “Woz pitched a hell of a game but the bats didn’t do it for him today.” The Aggies 2-1 series win over the Colonels puts them in second place with an 7-6 conference record while the Colonels are 67. The Colonels are home against Baptiste Bible tomorrow at 4pm. On Friday, they play the initial game of a three-game series with the DeSales Bulldog at home before going on the road Saturday for the final two games. 16 Number of season wins for the Lady Colonels tennis team following their playoff win on Saturday. 19 The Beacon/Jenna Stephens Wilkes freshman Wes McCollum takes a swing during a match on April 19 against Manhattanville College. McCollum won his doubles match 9-8. Wilkes would go on to defeat Manhattanville by a score of 5-1. “DODGING FOR DOLLARS” Freedom Standings 1. Manhattanville 9-4 2. Delaware Valley 7-6 3. DeSales 8-7 4. Arcadia 8-7 5. King’s 7-8 6. Wilkes 6-7 7. FDU-Florham 5-11 The Beacon/Gino Troiani The Dodging For Dollars tournament was held to benefit Candy’s Place, a treatment and therapy oasis located in Forty Fort, PA. Over $1,200.00 was raised. NUMBERS OF THE WEEK 3 Home runs in the first game of the Colonels baseball doubleheader versus Delaware Valley in Saturday’s 9-2 Wilkes victory. 35 Total number of goals scored in the Lady Colonels shootout loss to Manhattanville in Women’s Lacrosse on Wednesday afternoon. 4 Hits by Gina Stefanelil in the softball team’s two-game sweep of Susquehanna on Wednesday afternoon including a grand slam homerun. �Sports APRIL 22, 2008 . - . . - . 20 ' -. . - ,.. • "I == - :;;;;--=----. - -- . :.. r _.t. .. I • ~ * .. '"' .. --- I • .. -.- r._ back into the playoffs,” said 13th year head coach Joe Folek. “Because once you get in, you can make some noise. That’s our goal and we can still do that.” As for sneaking into the playoffs at the fourth spot, the Colonels are two games behind Arcadia and that’s only because the Knights played two more games than the Colonels. Had Wilkes won both games against the Aggies, they would be sitting in second place. During the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader, the Colonels posted a six-run rally in the fifth inning after already holding a 3to zero thanks to a two-run homer by senior Kyle Follweiler and a single homer by senior Brad Woznisky in the third. A single grounded to left field by Follweiler helped start the rally and senior Corey Helfrich followed with a ground hit to right leaving runners on both first and second base. Woznisky’s double to right field sent Follweiler to homeplate and Helfrich to third. Later, sophomore Randy Dengler’s singled to right resulted in two RBI’s. And the Kingston Army trucks felt all of Bill Sisko’s solo shot with one out on the board. The Aggies sat gullible pitcher, Dan Metague, and the inning ended on an Eric Wetzel strike out and a Mike Andrews ground-out to third-base. Helfrich pitched six innings, faced 27 batters, gave up one run on five hits while striking out four. The Colonels needed a similar rally in the second game but to no avail. Woznisky surrendered a two-run homer to left center in the first and third innings which left See Baseball page 19 - . ' ., II" - - ., - - - - - --- 'I ~ Colonels split with Delaware Valley BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Sports Editor An eight-run blowout by Delaware Valley Friday night left fire in the bellies of the Colonels for Saturday’s doubleheader against the Delaware Valley Aggies. The Colonels smoked the Aggies in the first game 9-2 but in the second game the bats fell asleep resulting in a 4-2 loss that left Wilkes in sixth place for the conference playoff race. The bright side to this year’s playoff picture is there is only a three-game difference between Manhattanville (the number one seed) and the Colonels with five conference games remaining on both teams schedule. This means the Colonels still have a shot at home-field advantage throughout the postseason. “We still control our own destiny. If we win out, we can get -- ,..,.. - •• ~ • ~ • • The Beacon/Jenna Stephens the Colonels playing catch-up for the duration of the contest but to no avail. “We couldn’t get the big hit when we needed it and unfortunately we have to settle for a split,” said Folek. The team’s best chance came in the third with one out on the board but Garofoli’s hit into a double play left three stranded. “It’s seems like we came out a Intramural B-Ball Final Four Shocker Squad Finals The Dudes April 23 April 24 8:30 PM April 23 l Dandies Jaytorade � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon 2008 April 22nd Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 April 22 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/729e68c5919a0db708aa1d13ebcbc6e1.pdf 8a893f7bbaa77ef3e1c3bace8a9a3c8a PDF Text Text Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA The THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW FEBRUARY A PRIL 15, 2008 5, 2008 In This Issue... www.wilkesbeacon.com Volume 60 Issue 20 13 Wilkes to raise tuition and housing by 4.5% Increase lowest projected among regional colleges Page 10-11 Page 13 NBA FOUR WAY BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor Wilkes University will raise its tuition by 4.5 percent for the 2008-2009 school year. According to Petra Carver, Vice President for Finance at Wilkes, this tuition increase is the lowest compared with other area institutions. “We are actually the lowest of all the regional schools, as far as I know. The information I have is that they are between 5.5 and 9.9 percent,” said Carver. Carver said that many things are taken into consideration when considering a tuition increase. “Part of it has to do with improving our infrastructure, meeting all of our cost applications, and if there is anything special that we need to do to enhance learning or enhance the environment. So all that flows into decision making because when all is said and done we need to come to a balanced budget,” said Carver. All pending and existing university projects are set forth in the document. According to Carver, Wilkes has put in a lot of money into the upgrade of University Towers and significant changes to the Henry Student Center (HSC). Last year many changes were planned for the HSC, however, many of them did not become a reality. Carver said that the funds allocated for the HSC will go towards the general building maintenance along with some changes to the dining facilities. See TUITION page 2 IT updates include mandatory password changes BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon Asst. News Editor Page 16 r Inside News................................1-5 Opinion.............................6-8 Lifestyles.........................9-11 Arts & Entertainment....12-15 Sports...........................16-20 The Beacon/Gino Troiani Students can expect to pay more when they return to school next year for both housing and tuition. Both will increase by 4.5 percent. By April 1, students were expected to have their housing deposits in to the UCOM along with their $100 deposit. Faculty and staff salaries will also increase by 3.25 percent. Last month, the Information Technology (IT) Committee approved a revised security policy that requires all Wilkes University users to change their passwords every 180 days. On Tuesday, April 22, this policy will go into effect and all passwords that have not recently been altered will expire. According to Mike Salem, Chief Information Officer of IT Services, the new policy will be enforced in an attempt to increase online security. The passwords that Wilkes students, faculty and staff use on a daily basis to log onto computers are the same passwords they use for email and MyWilkes access. Salem confirmed that recent incidents concerning hacking have influenced the decision to revise the policy. Salem said that if a hacker is patient, has the free time and is determined to get a user’s password, it’s difficult to stop them. “The people who are looking to get your password will first look around [your surroundings] to see if they can find it. They do some shoulder surfing to try to look at you while you’re logging in to see if they can pick up the keystrokes. Another way is that there could be a program on the computer to capture the keystrokes and pick it up,” explained Salem. Creating new passwords across campus will not only protect users’ Wilkes-related information, but may also serve to protect their personal information at home or at work. According to Salem, changing your password every once in a while may also prevent an online hacker from getting personal information through fake emails from real companies, such as a variety of banks, Amazon or Ebay. In addition to changing passwords every 180 days, the revised policy will now keep a record of password history by tracking the past five passwords users have used. This will require users to create complex or creative passwords, which will confuse a hacker expecting to find a “new” password with limited variation. “This makes you start from square one if you’re a hacker,” said Salem. “And the second reason behind [the password changes] is that if somebody already has your password, then they will no longer have it.” While the new policy is designed to increase the security of Wilkes users’ information, not all users are warming up to it. “I don’t like the changing of our passwords at all. It’s even worse that there’s a five pass- See IT page 3 �NEWS APRIL 15, 2008 TUITION from FRONT PAGE “We had some really good discussion about enhancements and which we could do. We couldn’t do many. On the capital side it was very interesting to come to conclusion on which projects we should or shouldn’t do,” said Carver. She also said there is some money set aside for the planning of the new Science, Health, and Engineering building to be constructed as a new part of Stark Learning Center. Carver said the planning for next year’s budget starts early in the school year. “We start the initial budget cycling in October. That’s when we start gathering information, building assumptions... you know a lot of pieces flow into the budget [including] enrollment information, financial aid discount information, salary information, general expenditures, [and] capital projects,” added Carver. According to Carver, all departments also have a chance to request enhancements and additions to the budget, which creates the initial draft of the budget. Among budget items that will be increasing include housing at 4.5 percent, faculty and staff salaries which will increase by 3.25 per- 2 cent. Some students have suggestions for the administration regarding tuition and rate increases. Jessica McMahon, sophomore English and history double major, said, “I understand the need for a raise in tuition, based solely around our economy and constantly rising prices on materials. Education, however, is the one thing within our society that we are told we must attain in order to be successful. I would like to see Wilkes to be able to offer a guaranteed tuition rate, which would remain the same during the student’s time at Wilkes.” She added that, “If an increase in tuition were to occur, I would like to see it affecting only incoming students; rather than students who had looked at the school and were quoted a lower tuition rate.” BY ALISON WOODY Beacon News Editor On April 4, Wilkes University students got the chance to present research projects that they had conceived and executed during the 2nd Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium. Now, it is the faculty’s turn. Through a combined effort of the Joint Urban Studies Center and seven local colleges, including Wilkes University, King’s College, Misericordia University, Keystone College, Penn State Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County Community College and the University of Scranton, this will be the first year of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Faculty Research Symposium. According to a press release from the Joint Urban Studies Center (JUSC), a collaborative applied research center, the purpose for this event is to “bring together faculty from… institutions who are engaged in research that is based on or relevant to urban areas, broadly defined, or whose research draws on Northeastern PA for data, information or inspiration.” Thomas Baldino, professor of political science and the JUSC Academic Advisory Council Chari- Perfect for Graduation TRUTHS Virtually every four-year college, medical school and law school can be ordered. Personalization is available. Allow 10-1 4 days delivery. Studies of suicide victims in the general population show that about 1/5 of such victims are alcoholics - Provided By Health Services http://www.acha .org EGLOMISE Starting at $J6. 75 Items Include: Paperweight, Framed Pen & Ink Picture Mini D esk Box, Clock, Notecards Pen & Ink Mirror, and more... B 3 4 5 Research symposium held at Wilkes BOOZE 40% of all traffic fatalities are alcohol related IT updates continued Beacon News Briefs Beacon election analysis Sinre1887 artik9~~, 141 South J\1ain St. Wilkes-Barre 570 823- 7111 www.bartikowsky.com man, said, “The symposium was proposed as a vehicle to bring the faculty at all the participating colleges and universities together… Faculty from a wide range of disciplines will present their research; history, psychology, sociology, political science, business, pharmacy, environmental engineering, and education, to name a few.” Some examples of research that will be presented include methods or treatments in area hospitals and a study of acid mine run-off into the Susquehanna River. The symposium will be held Friday, April 18 from 10 A.M. until 3 P.M. in the Henry Student Center. The conference is free of charge and will also have a complimentary lunch buffet. w WILKES UN I VERSITY B EA CON Serving the community through fair and accurate reporting while supporting the views and opinions of our readers. Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief: Nick Podolak Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com Managing Editor: Alison Woody Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com News Editor: Andrew Seaman Email: news.beacon@gmail.com Op/Ed Editor: Mark Congdon Jr. Email: thebeacon.oped@gmail.com Lifestyles Editor: Christa Sgobba Email: beacon.lifestyles@gmail.com A&E Editor: Marissa Phillips Email: thebeaconae@gmail.com Sports Editor: Carlton Holmes Email: beaconsports@gmail.com Photo Editor: Cara Koster Advertising Managers: Stephanie Yachim Dana Zlotucha Email: thebeacon.ads@gmail.com Advisor: Dr. Andrea Breemer Frantz Established in 1936 PA Newspaper Association Member Printed on Tuesdays during the academic school year. 130 S. River St. First Floor, Conyngham Hall, Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 (570) 408-5903 wilkesbeacon@gmail.com www.wilkesbeacon.com �NEWS APRIL 15, 2008 IT 3 from FRONT PAGE word memory, so that makes it harder to create new ones. I wouldn’t mind if we changed it every year, but every 180 days may become annoying,” said Josh Hamilton, junior psychology major. When changing passwords, IT recommends that each password is complex, made of a combination of letters and numbers. IT is also enforcing a “log-in lockout,” which is designed to lock a user’s account if they fail to type in their password correctly five times in a row. The account will go into lockdown for fifteen minutes and then users will be able to try again. In addition to mandatory password changes, IT is also planning on upgrading Microsoft Office software on campus computers. Microsoft Office 2003, which is currently installed on all campus computers, will eventually be replaced by Microsoft Office 2007, an enhanced program that has been “redesigned to make your work easier, faster, and more efficient,” according to Microsoft’s website. “We want to have a transitional period. We want to carry it so that you have 2003 and 2007 on the machine so that if you The Beacon / Jenna Stephens According to IT Services, changing your password every 180 days may limit account hacking in the forms of email fraud and even shoulder surfing. don’t have what you need, you could go either way. Even some of the faculty aren’t quite ready to switch just yet,” said Salem. Salem suggests that this idea may lead to a successful adjustment as there are many · T DE~H U I G FORTH differences between the 2003 and 2007 softwares. While Microsoft Office’s website provides visual demos and guides to help confused users find their favorite tools in new menus and also to aid them in learn- ing new tools such as “Ribbon” in Microsoft Word 2007, Salem feels that having both the old and new versions on a single computer will allow Wilkes users to compare the software for themselves while they explore and learn the ins and outs of the new program. According to Salem, the mini macs on campus may be “challenged to support both versions of the software,” but iMacs should be able to run both. In order for this option to be available on student computers in open access labs, IT is contemplating swapping the mini macs in the computer labs for iMacs located elsewhere across campus. A decision to rotate the computers on campus should be made in the coming weeks. If IT is unable to make the trade between the mini macs and the iMacs, Office 2007 will simply replace 2003 on all computers without the proposed transitional period. Salem also added that he does not believe that the theft of the mini mac from the Farley library in December has influenced the decision to move the larger iMacs into popular student areas. G listen to this story and more at wllkesbeacon.com/podcasts IN ma ,· d y.. th! n .. I .P. CAll: Bl LL ti EN Y at 2.15-768-4619 0R ( HE(jK TIHE WEB SITIE FOR INFO 1 I nt 665 .(570) 823- .1 · 9 C · . "] fo �APRIL 15, 2008 Beacon News Briefs NEWS 4 Local, National, and International News Snippets Local WILKES UNIVERSITY - C-SPAN and YouTube will visit Wilkes University on Saturday, April 19, from 12:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. Students and the general public will have a chance to take a tour of CSPAN’s mobile production studio, learn about internship opportunities and tape personal videos for YouTube. trol was suspended without pay. Franklin’s fellow patrolman who took the picture was demoted. The two say that they took the picture as a joke. They said that they were disease connected to the Malt-O-Meal cereals. The cereals recalled by Malt-O-Meal are puffed wheat or puffed rice. Officials say that anyone who has consumed these items WILKES-BARRE - On Sunday, April 6, several locations around Wilkes-Barre were spray painted with the letters “DVN.” Some of the places that were damaged by the vandals included Wilkes-Barre Memorial Stadium, Kistler Elementary and several private homes. Police do not know what “DVN” stands for, however, they are looking to see if connection exists between this vandalism spree and the vandalism that occurred at Congregation Ohav Zedek two weeks ago. distance from the Compton/Woodley Airport. International BAGHDAD - An Apache helicopter owned by the U.S. government destroyed one of its own vehicles in Baghdad on April 12. After seeing several militants placing roadside bombs along a road, the helicopter fired at them. The second fire missed its target and crashed into the U.S. vehicle. Two U.S. soldiers and three Iraqi civilians were injured. PORT-AU-PRINCE, Hait - Trying to end days of deadly protest and looting caused by high food cost, the Hatian government voted to oust its current Prime Minister, Jacques Edouard Alexis. Rene Preval, President of Haiti, will pick a new prime minister soon and has begun cutting the cost of food, by marking down rice 15%. PHILADELPHIA - After an unsuccessful tongue-in-cheek presidential campaign, Steven Colbert, host of The PARIS - Several locations around Colbert Report, will start a week of Photo Courtesy of C-SPAN the globe saw protests over the arbroadcasts from Philadelphia. Colbert will broadcast from the University of C-SPAN and YouTube will be stopping by Wilkes University on April 19 to talk about their cam- rival and relay of the Olympic torch. The torch was extinguished Pennsylvania and feature such guests paign coverage and will allow students to record their own message to be put on their website. as Governor Ed Rendell. Advertisements have referencing something they saw on a Com- and experience symptoms like nausea and at least five times on its way through Paris. The protest over the flame has vomiting should contact their physician. already started for the broadcast including: edy Central program. been mostly convened by pro-Tibet or“Philadelphia, you’re about to get a new brothWASHINGTON - Malt-O-Meal recalled LOS ANGELES - Four people were se- ganizations. The protests have caused er to love. No tongue.” two of its popular breakfast cereals last riously injured when a two-engine plane several changes in the flame’s course, week, because of possible salmonella con- crashed into two homes near Los Angeles which angered many onlookers and proNational SANDUSKY, OH - After being pictured in a tamination. The federal Food and Drug Ad- on Saturday, April 12. The plane’s engine testors. Ku Klux Klan costume while on duty on Janu- ministration said that it knows of 23 people crashed into one home, while a wing crashed ary 20, Craig Franklin of Ohio’s Highway Pa- in 14 states that have been affected by the into a second. The crash occurred a short SG Notes April 9, 2008 Treasurer’s Report All College: $4,225.22 General: $4,398 Special Projects: $2,260 Spirit: $1,560 Leadership: $4,550 Conferences: $6,051 Start-Up: $1,200 Club Reports The following clubs presented updates on their events. Programming Board Campus Democrats Money Matters New Business Indian Cultural Associaton (ICA) fund request - asked SG for approximately $500 to help pay expenses for their events. Zebra Communication donation request - Zebra Communications asked for a donation from SG to help with its dodgeball tournament to fundraise for Candy’s Place. SG agreed to donate $100 to the event with the stipulation that the money cannot be used to form an SG team. Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) fund request - Several members of SIFE came to SG and asked for a fund request of $4,000. The money will be used to pay for their trip to Chicago to attend the national competition, in which they will compete. The organization has already done extensive fundraising for the trip. * Lacrosse fund request - The Lacrosse Club asked for $1,773 to pay for games and some equipment. There was much discussion over the team’s constitution and whether or not the money could be used for equipment. * Faculty/Staff Choice Awards - Several faculty and staff positions were named for the awards. The nominations continue until next week and will then be narrowed down to a list of five and then voted on. Anyone with a nomination is encouraged to attend the next SG meeting. * Old Business SAM Fund Request Relay For Life Donation Member of the Month Presidential Nominations Events Trivia Night - April 17, HSC first floor lounge Presidential Elections - April 17 until April 20 IRHC’s Study Break Party - May 4,HSC first floor lounge *Final decisions will be made next week. (SG meetings are open to all students. They are held every Wednesday in the Miller Conference room on the second floor of the HSC.) �NEWS APRIL 15, 2008 News Analysis: Beacon Election Update 5 Making sense of the election, candidates and issues former president he said, “Hillary called me and said, ‘I misstated it, you said I misstated it, but you’ve got to let me handle it because you don’t remember it, either.’” It is unknown what damage the Bosnia comments have done to the Clinton cam- ment. The latest Public Policy Polling survey released shows Clinton leading Obama, 46% to 43%, with 11% unsure whom they will vote for. Earlier this month Clinton had a On March 17, Presidential candidate Sen. substantive lead over Obama, but since the Hillary Clinton, D-NY, told an audience Illinois senator has stepped up about her trip to Bosnia as first his campaign in the state the lady, “I remember landing under numbers are starting to turn in sniper fire. There was supposed his favor. to be some kind of greeting cerObama supporters have been emony at the airport, but instead calling on Clinton to bow out of we just ran with our heads down the race, saying that she cannot to get into the vehicles to get to obtain the number of delegates our base.” needed to win the nomination. Video later emerged of Clinton Clinton says that she is not pulllanding with her daughter, Cheling out of the race, because she sea, in Bosnia casually walking to may not be able to reach the their vehicles with several memnumber of delegates needed to bers of the media, and stopping win the nomination, but neither to greet a young girl who recited can he. a poem to Clinton. Obama is still ahead of Clinton Later, Clinton recanted her in delegates with 1,631 to her statement saying that she “mis1,488. To win the Democratic spoke,” and the media fury over nomination a candidate needs her statement eventually died 2,024 delegates, but at this point down. many strategists are saying that However, Clinton’s husband, neither Obama nor Clinton will former President Bill Clinton be able to reach that number. brought up the Bosnia trip last This means that the decision week, “…Hillary, one time late may come down to Superdelat night when she was exhausted, egates deciding who will be the misstated and immediately apoloDemocratic nominee; however, gized for it, what happened to her the Democratic National Comin Bosnia in 1995. Did you all see mittee wants to avoid this at all that? Oh, they blew it up.” The Beacon / Gino Troiani all costs, because such a move However, Sen. Clinton menOn Friday, April 11, Sean Astin stopped at Wilkes University to speak in support of Presidential candidate takes the power of choosing the tioned her Bosnia trip on several Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY. Astin is best known for his roles in movies such as The Goonies, Rudy and The nominee away from the people, occasions and the famed March Lord of the Rings Trilogy. which could cause some back17 speech occurred in the mornpaign, especially in Pennsylvania, where lash from people within the party leading to ing, not late at night as was suggested. These to guns or religion or antipathy to people the primary is almost a week away. fewer votes cast in November. comments are making many people ask, who aren’t like them or anti-immigrant senBut Sen. Clinton has gone on the offenMeanwhile, on the Republican side of the why bring this all up again and lie about it? timent or anti-trade sentiment as a way to sive, challenging her opponent, Sen. Barack election, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., the It seems as though Clinton has also asked explain their frustrations.” Obama, D-Ill., over some comments he presumptive Republican nominee seems to herself this, and in a speech given by the Clinton and McCain were quick to conmade about demn Obama for his statements. “My op- be trying to stay out of the negative spotlight P e n n s y l v a - ponent said that the people of Pennsylvania by taking only little jabs at both Obama and nians. Accord- who face hard times are bitter. Well that’s Clinton. ing to the Huff- not my experience. As I travel around PennThe focus on McCain for now is who will ington Post, sylvania. I meet people who are resilient, be his vice presidential running mate. Many Obama said, optimistic and positive who are rolling up names have been thrown into consideration “You go into their sleeves,” said Clinton. “Pennsylva- and McCain himself has said that he has a some of these nians don’t need a president who looks list of about 20 names to think over. Howsmall towns in down on them. They need a president who ever, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Butler Eyecare has special Pennsylvania, stands up for them, who fights hard for your the most talked about candidate, said that Student Pricing! and like a lot future, your jobs, your families.” she is not interested in the job. of small towns McCain is currently on a hybrid biograObama allegedly made the comments at a in the Midwest, fundraising event in San Francisco at which phy and campaign tour. Northeastern Pennthe jobs have he talked about people in Pennsylvania and sylvania does not appear right now to be on been gone now the Midwest who lost their jobs under the the schedule; however, with the primary on for 25 years Clinton and Bush administrations. On Sun- April 22, residents can expect to see more and nothing’s day, he acknowledged he had chosen his stops from both Clinton and Obama. 34 S. Main St. yecare for everyone replaced them. words poorly, but did not back off his arguBY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor No more contacts. No glasses? NO WORRIES! 20% discount on Frames $49 eye exa1ns 822-8727 www.butlereyecare.com Across from SUBWAY And they fell through the Clinton administration, and the Bush administration, and each successive administration has said that somehow these communities are gonna regenerate and they have not. And it’s not surprising then they get bitter, they cling �Opinion Angry Rant Gender Gap in College Your Voices APRIL 15, 2008 Abstinence-only education doesn’t work 6 Study finds 1 in 4 teenage girls have an STD BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD Shocking government research on teenage girls and sexually transmitted diseases uncovered an unanticipated problem; one in four teenage girls in America has a sexually transmitted disease (STD). According to a March 11 CNN. com article, at least one in four teenage girls nationwide has a sexually transmitted disease, or more than three million teens according to a recent governmental study done by the federal Center for Disease Control and Prevention. This was a first study of its kind. The study was conducted with 838 teenage females who participated in a 2003-2004 government health survey. The article reported that the, “teens were tested for four infections: human papillomavirus, or HPV, which can cause cervical cancer and affected 18 percent of girls studied; chlamydia, which affected 4 percent; trichomoniasis, 2.5 percent; and herpes simplex virus, 2 percent.” Given the findings, the nation needs to ask several important questions: First, what are teenagers learning in public schools that educate them about the risks of unprotected sexual activity? Second, why is the STD rate among teenage girls so high? And finally what can be done to decrease if not eliminate this growing problem? k W(. 1le.i \.Jo.:.t o..,;~ro..J.o....._ tih +t--~\c."'\qo..,-r tk + I P\ ~Cr ~r ....J 1':\e.t So\Jere,~....\'f ~ -.. 0\<,1(,- 0l,A.tl.~ }- ..1v.H~ ~k \l~o.. '"'-"-<-\._ ow e.J. h l...t. ..-.,i.,,-\- ho,- Th- -6 c) in that year alone. The NCAE’s website added that the Title V program for abstinence only education requires the states to fund programs that, teach that “abstinence from sexual activity is the only certain way to avoid outof-wedlock pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and other associated health problems; teaches that a mutually faithful monogamous relationship in the context of marriage is the expected standard of human sexual activity; teaches that sexual activity outside the context of marriage is likely to have harmful psychological and physical effects; and teaches that bearing children out-of-wedlock is likely to have harmful consequences for the child, the child’s parents and society.” Now the abstinence argument is not in and of itself the problem. Technically, yes, if you avoid having sex, you are also going to avoid STDs. That logic is sound. But the abstinence only programs cannot educate teens about other precautions they can take in case they do opt to have sex, and herein lies the problem. Because the government exclusively supports abstinence only programs, it could send mixed messages to teens. By teaching that abstinence outside of marriage is the only acceptable way to protect yourself from contacting STDs or unwanted pregnancies, it can suggest that there is no al- ) Beacon Poll Results ternative way to protect yourself if teens do have sex. Though abstinence only education may seem like it would work in reducing sexual activity in teens, numerous studies have found otherwise. One of these studies was done in 2005 by Dr. Marcia Johnson for the Earl Carl Institute for Legal and Social Policy, Inc. The study found that, “comprehensive sexual education programs as opposed to abstinence only programs are more effective in reducing ‘risky’ behavior in young people.” Based on these studies and reports, we contend that abstinence only education isn’t effective enough in preventing STDs among teens and needs to be changed. The federal government should fund abstinence-plus programs. Abstinence-plus programs promote abstinence as the safest option but also encourage the use of condoms and other contraception for sexually active teens. Dr. Johnson also found in her study that, “programs that include information about abstinence as well as the use of contraceptives can successfully delay the onset of sex and increase the use of condoms among sexually active teens.” By moving from an abstinence only to an abstinence plus educational appeal, Americans can hopefully get a handle on the growing problem of teens and STDs. A Sight for Sore Eyes: By Aleksander Lapinski \o.1. ...1 Let’s answer the second question first: the STD rate is so high because, quite simply, teens are having sex. But it’s the way that this answer combines with the answer to the first question that gets us into trouble. Teenagers are learning that they have few, if any options, because of an abstinence only stance by the federal government. Currently, the federal government exclusively funds abstinence-only sex education. Abstinence only education emphasizes that abstaining from sex before marriage is the best and only way to maintain health and restricts information about other prevention strategies such as condom use or birth control. According to the National Coalition for Abstinence Education’s (NCAE) website, “As part of the Welfare Reform act of 1996, Congress authorized $50 million of federal funds annually for five years to be provided to the states in the form of block grants to promote abstinence until marriage. When combined with required state matching funds of $3 for every $4 federal dollars, $437 million will be available to support the abstinence message during the duration of the program.” The New York Times reported in July 2007 that the federal government spent $176 million in programs that support abstinence only education in public schools 7 8 8 The following are results of a poll that The Beacon conducted online this past week. The poll was unscientific, and does not claim to reflect the overall attitudes of students on campus. Results are based on 34 responses. The Beacon asked: Where would you like to see Wilkes go in the next 75 years? • Free parking and more parking available - 15% • New library and books - 24% • Expanded and solidified arts programs - 9% • New sidewalks - 0% • An entire campus that’s environmentally friendly - 12% • Chain restaurants and stores on campus - 9% • Grocery store on campus - 3% • The most advanced technology available to all students - 9% • Nationally renowned ath letic teams - 0% • Nationally renowned aca demic programs - 21% Next Week’s Question: What’s your favorite springtime activity? • Frisbee • Flying a kite • Horseshoes • Wiffleball • Skipping class • Walking or Running outside • Eating ice cream or Rita’s Italian Ice • Picnic in the park • Other Visit www.wilkesbeacon. com to cast your vote. Results will be published in next week’s issue of The Beacon. �APRIL 15, 2008 OPINION 7 The Angry Rant: Guntastic in general, and it’s something that we can can be solved by using simple common only hope to curb in the immediate future. sense: Don’t let ex-cons buy guns, don’t let Having said that: Guns are not the those with mental disorders buy guns, don’t problem. sell an AK-47 at a gun show, and, most It’s become a popular stance to take importantly, Don’t let children have access On April 5, one of the great movie stars and Americans of our time left us. Charlton today, as politicians, pundits and laypeople to guns! How many deaths could have been Heston, the square-jawed actor best known become more and more convinced that a for his performances in some of the more ban on guns is indeed the answer to stop the prevented if a parent would have used more epic movies ever made; you know, back violence that is overwhelming our country common sense in storing their firearms? Quite a few, I imagine. It’s the little things when movies could actually be called everyday. While stricter gun control is needed, in life that make the difference everyday. epic, unlike today’s debacles like Troy or Kingdom of Heaven. He was a man’s man an outright ban on all firearms is not the Common sense can go a long way if people know how to use it. in an era when leading men were actually answer. To quote a slogan from the NRA, “If Furthermore, I’d like to address those men (I’m looking at you, Orlando Bloom). He is best known for his roles in the original guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have who blame guns on the school shootings. The shootings at Columbine and Virginia Planet of the Apes, in which he uttered the guns.” Truer words have never been spoken. In Tech were tragic on an enormous level. But infamous, “damn dirty ape” line, and for his roles in Soylent Green (“It’s people!”), other words, if every law-abiding citizen those tragedies weren’t caused because of Ben-Hur (for which he won the Oscar for who has never committed a crime in their the availability of firearms; they happened Best Actor) and The Ten Commandments, entire life has to give up their firearms that because the perpetrators were mentally while actively supporting the Civil Rights they only use for the occasional round of disturbed people who were ignored by target practice, in hopes that they will never everyone around them. The parents of Eric Movement. But in 1998, Heston’s acting career took actually have to use it at against a human Harris and Dylan Klebold were ignorant to a backseat while he presided over the target has to give up their guns…then only the fact that their children were planning National Rifle Association as its president the law-breaking, societal outcasts who do this, even though both Harris and Klebold until 2003, simultaneously bringing a not respect nor regard the welfare or lives of made journals and video diaries of their famous face and recognition to the NRA, others are going to have guns, which, guess planning of the massacre at Columbine. It while promoting the right to bear arms as it what? They will use to commit crimes! That is worth noting that the firearms were not is what’s happening now. Nothing is going purchased legally. is protected in the Second Amendment. guns.away from Seung-Hui Cho, the shooter at Virginia I want to preface the following with this: to change if no one can have Stay the What needs to happen is Zeppelin, that this country Tech, purchased the firearms legally; Shootings and crimes that are caused due Sanjaya! to the use of guns are tragic, just like all needs to start being a little more selective however, he did not disclose his prior other crimes are tragic. The rise of school about who can purchase guns, while problems with mental health, which could shootings in this country makes me cringe, cracking down on those who can get guns prevent one from purchasing a firearm. In addition, Cho was also displaying erratic the same as anyone with a pulse. It’s a illegally. When you think about it, the problem behavior, which was noticed prior to the disturbing trend, along with school violence shootings. Again, the shootings at those schools are tragic and completely senseless, just like every other school shooting. I’m not taking anything away from the pain and suffering that is felt by the victims and their friends and families, but the killers were so committed to the act that a ban on firearms wouldn’t BY GINO TROIANI have prevented them from happening. Staff Writer/Photographer Those kids would have found out a way to procure a firearm, believe me. It’s not hard to get a gun. There isn’t a secret black market that you need to be a member of if you want to get your hands on a TEC-9 with the serial numbers scratched off. All three of the shooters were exhibiting signs of anti-social tendencies. Would an intervention have prevented the shootings? Drawing By: Matt Vital Perhaps. Perhaps not. We’ll never know. The wing on the back of your ‘94 Neon really compliments both its primer gray color, But what we do know is that both of these and the huge decal that displays the word NEON across your windshield. But you’re tragedies were the result of the illegal and proud, in fact you’re so proud that you even went as far as installing a performance otherwise murky ability to obtain a firearm. exhaust that sounds like a dying bumble bee so that everyone knows how cool your car In all fairness, not one of these kids should really is. Keep on keeping on! have had a gun. It’s that simple. BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor Here’s to you... Mr. Annoying exhaust guy! Not every shooting that occurs in a school is as black-and-white as Columbine or Virginia Tech. Sometimes there aren’t any warnings or signs that could cause concern. Sometimes these things just happen. It’s unfortunate, but it’s true. What we need to do as a country is not ban guns altogether, but take more effective steps towards limiting access to those who shouldn’t have guns. Is it going to be completely effective? Of course not. Someone is going to get their hands on a gun, just like someone is going to drive under the influence of alcohol - it’s illegal, and we have safeguards in place to prevent it from happening, but it’s not going to be completely eradicated. And to the politicians: Stop using guns as a platform for your candidacies. You know as well as anyone else what the real problems are, but you’re not willing to address them (in other words, the stupid parents didn’t do their jobs). Instead, you attack an ancillary problem that is appealing to the masses because they are too stupid to realize how pointless a ban on firearms would be. This is an issue that crops up every so often, usually after a shooting occurs in a public place, and the same old song and dance starts up yet again, as the solution to everyone’s problem seems to be that guns need to be taken away. Usually, the proponents of these movements are the ones who say that the Second Amendment was created in a different time and that the meaning can’t be applied to this day and age. However, those same people will go ahead and use the First Amendment as a blanket rule to burn a flag on the steps of a courthouse. To the public: use your heads. The right to bear arms is a perfect example of how fear can cause those to think irrationally or out of haste. Every problem has a solution when you look past the obvious. Courtesy 2snaps.tv The late Charlton Heston fighting for our Second Amendment rights. �OPINION APRIL 15, 2008 Gender gap factors into college acceptances 8 Less qualified young men accepted to balance the class BY LAUREN SALEM Beacon Staff Writer The competition for acceptance into many private colleges in the United States among future female freshman has become intense over the past few years and will only get worse. Currently, a girl has to be more than just the high school class president, captain of the cheerleading team, and a community service leader combined in order to get wait listed at some of the nation’s most selective colleges. Add advanced placement courses, top SAT scores, and extracurricular activities, and she might be accepted. According to a recent study, admissions officers across the country are accepting boys with lower credentials instead of girls with higher credentials in order to close the campus gender gap. The practice is illegal and places unfair expectations on girls. According to TIME magazine, 58% of undergraduates nationally are female, which will increase to 60% over the next few years. The declining number of freshman boys accepted to college has caused some admissions officers to fudge by placing lower expectations on boys, so they can close the gender gap. The usually highly selective private colleges that engage in the practice, do so because they want to meet the needs of their institution, Fall Enrollment by Gender one of which As of official cen su s date is usually to 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 ensure that the freshman class Undergraduate Students Male Ful~ti 111 e 888 9 19 924 974 1,044 is not 70-30 feFemale Ful~time 897 977 ~ ~ ~ male. A freshTota l --------1,1§_§ ------1J1§§_ _____2_QJQ ______lJ__1_Q ~ man class that Male Part-time 138 100 W7 97 122 is 70 percent ·113 Female Part-time 132 112 138 104 female makes Tota l 270 212 220 235 226 the school look First-Professio nal Students less attractive 100 105 Male F ul~ti 111 e 91 97 97 Female Full-time 172 178 H5 167 169 to other male Tota l 263 275 272 267 274 and female apMale Part-time 2 0 0 0 plicants, but not _ _ _1 ___ 2 ___ 1 ___ 1 _ _ _1 Fema le Part-time much can be Tota l 2 4 done to control Graduate Students who applies to Male F ul~ti 111 e 52 38 63 75 102 what colleges Female Full-time 57 58 94 98 113 Tota l 109 96 157 H3 215 without discriminating. Male Part-time 616 598 596 653 728 Female Part-time ____..1,_lli -----1.lfil -----1,1§§_ -----1&§. ----1..§§Q In 2001, the Tota l ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ University of Total University Georgia was Male FulHime 1,031 1,054 1,084 i,-149 1,25 1 sued for vioFemale Ful~time ______LlI§ -----1..lli _____.1,_fil -----1.dQi ------1.Mll Tota l -----1,§Q lating Title VI ~ ~ ~ ~ (racial equalMale Part-time 755 700 703 750 850 Female Part-time ity) and Title IX ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Tota l ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ (gender equality) by intention- Though universities and colleges across the nation are struggling to ally discrimi- strike a balance between male and female undergraduate students, to nating against date, Wilkes doesn’t appear to have this problem. (graphic taken from the 2007-2008 Wilkes University’s Fact Book) Your Voices To Wilkes University students & staff, Dear Editor: Do educated people realize that the manner with which a candidate runs their campaign is representative of their basic, true character? If they’ve done it to others, they will do it to you! As when Hillary ran for Senator of New York. She promised the unemployed, despondent people of Western New York, that Sherri Homanko she would bring to their area: economic Off Campus Council President growth, 200,000 jobs, tax breaks for colP.S. If anyone is interested in joining the lege tuition and long-term care. She failed Off Campus Council (OCC) for next year, to fulfill these promises to her “own” peoassisting with Block Party, or has any com- ple. When asked why these vows never achieved, she stated that she “thought” Al ments or suggestions, please e-mail: Gore would win the presidency-her standard diversion from a direct question. Why Sherri.homanko@wilkes.edu or didn’t she say: “I lied?” she recently promoffcampuscouncil@hotmail.com ised in Youngstown, Ohio, she would bring 5 million jobs to America. What is she “assuming” this time? Hillary constantly demeans Obama; implies he’s just “words”, but she has forgotten her own empty “words”. America does not need another represenI would personally like to thank everyone who had helped with or attended Block Party over the past weekend. With over 850 students present throughout the day, I would like to consider the Off Campus Council’s Block Party 2008 a huge success. tative in the White House practicing subterfuge then saying: “I lied.” How soon we forget! No self-respecting woman would tolerate such humiliation and embarrassment from her husband, in view of the entire world! Only one with an extremely selfish, egotistic, conceited personal goal in mind. Obama runs on decent, respectable campaign on important issues; yet has to constantly divert in order to defend himself against Hillary’s and Bill’s disparagement and deceitfulness. Obama’s camp hasn’t once mentioned “Monica,” “Linda,” or “I lied,” yet Bill speaks malevolently of Obama; therefore manifesting his own impeccability. Obama is cognizant of all walks of life; intelligent, tactful, diplomatic, truthful, of respectable character, and isn’t trying to fulfill an egotistic, fantasy dream of getting into history books. Beguiling manipulators such as Hillary are not worthy of decent citizen’s vote. Mrs. Brenda Reuter Brodheadsville, PA three white women based on race and gender, according to an article posted by The Weekly Standard. In an attempt to boost the number of undergraduate black males, the university rejected the women and placed stricter requirements on women and other races. The courts agreed with the women after they argued that if they had been black men they would have been accepted. So what is the cost of an attractive campus? About 3,000 wait list and rejection letters sent out to students, most of which are female, from Kenyon College, one of many schools fighting to resist the growing gender gap. Jennifer Delahunty Britz, the dean of admissions at Kenyon College, wrote an editorial called, “To All the Girls I’ve Rejected,” printed in the New York Times, which stated that applying to college is a “…complicated and prolonged dance that begins early, and for young women, there is little margin for error…” Delahunty and 10 other admissions officers sat around a table gulping coffee and looking over applications, when they came across an extraordinary application from a 17-year-old girl in Kentucky. The girl had taken six advanced placement courses, did 300 hours of community service, and was “the leader/president/editor/captain/lead actress in every activity in her school,” among other things. After all that, she was waitlisted because her test scores were only average. “We had to have a debate before we decided to swallow the middling scores and write “admit” next to her name,” Delahunty wrote in her op-ed. “Had she been a male applicant, there would have been little, if any, hesitation to admit.” When admissions officers use affirmative action to increase the number of boys on campus, it communicates a disturbing message to boys who will be applying to colleges in the future: you won’t have to work as hard as the girl sitting next to you in your high school English class to be accepted into college. This is just a set-up for failure that will increase the number of boys that dropout of college, because they aren’t prepared for what comes along with that acceptance letter they didn’t deserve. Acceptance into college should not be based on gender, but on who will be the most likely students to succeed in the future. �LIFESTYLES APRIL 15, 2008 Student of the Week: Adam Burke BY CHRISTA SGOBBA Beacon Lifestyles Editor According to Adam Burke, there’s no greater feeling than performing in front of a crowd and listening to them sing along to the songs he wrote. And Burke has lots of experience behind the microphone in front of a crowd. When he was a high school sophomore, he started his first band, The Muckrakers, known as TMR. While he started out singing vocals, he soon realized he wanted to discover more about music, so he decided to learn to play the guitar. Now a sophomore double major in history and psychology at Wilkes, Burke plays guitar and sings in his current band, Pluto Was a Planet, and performs acoustic solos. Both the band and his solo performances allow for different means of self-expression, with the former having more of a heavier alternative feel, and the latter as more alternative acoustic rock. On Wednesday April 16, Burke will perform for the third time at Barnes & Noble in downtown Wilkes-Barre. Upcoming solo performances at the bookstore also include May 7 and August 22, and he and his band are attempting to book a show at Cafe Metro. Because of his dedication to his music and to the Wilkes community through his psychology tutoring for University College, The Beacon has chosen Burke as its Student of the Week. The Beacon: When did you first become interested in music? Burke: I started a ska/punk band when I was a sophomore in high school. That was my first band, and it was also before I played guitar. I sang in this band, and eventually started playing guitar and did rhythm for a few songs. I wrote poetry and songs for years before that, but never had any place to apply the work. Pennsylvania Road Trip 10-11 9 to you moving away for college, and coping quietly with what you know is right around the corner. It is more upbeat, and the lyrics are made to joke at the fear I had of losing someone important to me. “Father Said” is about a time when I asked my father for advice with women, and he just laughed and said, “Get used to it. There’s not much you can do.” It’s my reminder to myself that I should heed the opinions and ideas of those who I know have been in my position before. The Beacon: Where do you get your inspiration for the songs you write? Burke: My inspiration for my The Beacon: Explain the music comes from a lot of things. musical sound of your band. I really like to write outside when Burke: My sound is completeit’s nice, or I like to drive out to the ly different depending on who I middle of nowhere and sit on the am playing with. The band has trunk of my car. My grandparents a heavier alternative sound, have a house in Cape May, New whereas my acoustic songs Jersey, and I always make sure I get a chance to go to the beach Courtesy of Adam Burke are made more for my personal expression. There are to think and write. I’ll admit, I write primarily about girls, but I pull my a lot of things that I can’t do without the moods, feelings, and rhythms from my envi- band, so even songs that I play solo and in ronment. The two songs that I am definitely the band sound totally different dependmost proud of are “Beantown” and “Father ing on who’s playing. I would describe my Said”. “Beantown” is about someone close music as alternative acoustic rock, with the band songs being alternative. The Beacon: How does it feel after playing to a packed house? Burke: Playing and seeing a good crowd is awesome. There’s no greater feeling than seeing people singing along with songs you wrote. The crowds are great, and they will come up to you and shake your hand. It’s really a great feeling to feel accepted by everyone like that. I really can’t thank them enough for their support. The Beacon: What’s the hardest part of juggling being a student and a musician? Burke: The hardest part of juggling school and music is this. It is a lot easier to pick up a guitar than it is to pick up a book. I definitely enjoy playing more than I enjoy working on school, but both are things that I love, and both will eventually pay off. Knowing when to put down the guitar and crack a book is the hardest part of juggling the two. The Beacon: What do you hope to do after you graduate? Burke: When I graduate, I hope to go into the Peace Corps. I want to do it right when I graduate, so there are no excuses as to why I didn’t. After that, who knows. If I land a nice job I’ll take it. If I don’t feel done with school, I want to go to grad school for one of my two majors, history or psychology. Product Review: HeadBlade Shaver The Beacon tests the bald man’s best friend BY NICK PODOLAK Beacon Editor-in-Chief There comes a time in every man’s life when he looks in the mirror and says, “Man, I’m getting old.” For some, this disturbing discov-hairy occurs sooner than for others. Whether it’s a receding hairline, widow’s peak, or skullet that forces an individual to wear a baseball cap ‘year round, shaving one’s head suddenly becomes the most favorable option. I happen to be one of these individuals, and while some may argue that my thinning hair gives me a distinguished look, I had the urge to shave it all off after my friends persuaded me that I had the “perfect head” for it. I was reluctant at first. I mean, shaving your head is not just something you do for fun; it’s a bold move. Secondly, I get enough nicks on my face and neck when shaving with a disposable razor, the last thing I need is tissue-covered cuts all over my melon. Then a friend told me about the HeadBlade. The HeadBlade is a device specifically designed for shaving one’s head, and could best be described as a Micromachine of sorts with a triple blade at the front (think of a lawnmower for your head). In fact, it was one of TIME magazine’s “Best Ten Designs of 2000.” After buzzing my hair to a short stubble with an electric trimmer, I lathered it up and slid the device onto my middle finger as directed, leading with the blade and making sure the HeadBlade’s wheels were planted firmly on my scalp. Instead of pulling the device, as you would with a handheld razor, you push it, and after one vertical swipe, I was sold. No nicks. No discomfort. Just cool liquid smooth. The best advantage the HeadBlade has to offer is that you don’t need someone else’s assistance when shaving hard-to-reach places such as the back of your head and neck, though I would recommend the use of a mirror to make sure no spots are missed. However, it is awkward using the HeadBlade behind the ears. At that point, I had to resort to the Gillette Mach 3 to ensure a close shave. Furthermore, the blade often gets clogged with hair, and needs to be washed off vigorously. Fortunately, HeadBlade is compatible with Gillette Atra, Shick Ultrex, and Super II blade cartridges. It may take a couple of shaves to get used to, but once you have HeadBlade down pat, you may never go back to using a handheld razor again. And be sure to apply a cool balm afterwards to resist burning and irritation. The cost of the HeadBlade runs about $12 and can be found at most local drug stores or pharmacies. So happy shaving, and remember…chicks dig the bald guy! Photo courtesy of Headblade.com �LIFESTYLES 10 APRIL, 15 2008 APRIL, 15 2008 LIFESTYLES A trip through the strange, scenic, and scary back roads of Pennsylvania BY CHRISTINE ZAVASKAS Beacon Asst. Lifestyles Editor dently owned restaurants, and charming bed and breakfasts that lie off the beaten path. Throughout his unique travels, Tettemer has found a plethora of interesting places that he recommends to students looking for an interesting way to spend a weekend. Ah, spring. The season for love, flowers, and one of the greatest American traditions… road trips! Although one of the most frequent complaints by Wilkes students seems to be Cherry Springs State Park that there is nothing to do in the area, for those One natural site that Tettemer strongly recwho are willing to venture off the highway a bit there are actually plenty of hidden attrac- ommends visiting is Cherry Springs State tions and natural wonders in Pennsylvania Park. According to this park’s website, (http:// www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks /Parks/cherwell worth an afternoon or overnight trip. Few people know the concealed marvels rysprings.aspx) it is Pennsylvania’s first official Dark Sky of the Keystone State better than Ed Park and one of Tettemer, curator, writer, and photogthe best places rapher for The Shunpiker’s Guide, a along the east publication with a name requiring coast for stargazsome explanation. ing. The park According to Tettemer, “It’s owes its excepvery simple, a shunpiker shuns tionally dark the turnpikes.” skies to its high Tettemer’s job involves taking YOUR #1 SOUHCiE FORSCREEN PRI ING EM BROJ DERY, elevation, small a week every month .A.iN · PROto journey OTIONAL fTE _S FOR BUSINl~SSE-Si. TAURANT · l:iOUEGES1MIil Glil SCHOO.LS. surrounding to aPERFECI different regionlffiS, of Penne. C'AMD !RR1 ALL BRAI\IDS AND ST'l'LES Of l - SWEA:fSif :fS GOJ.JF --~ towns, and the UNIFOR.M Si.PL..explore US,A DE VAmEfl' sylvania and and the OFPROMO'liU)Jf ITEM.i S1JOH AS P . ,IMUGS, MOUSEPA!il~ COOLl3RS, KE'l 'CHAI S, AND ·RE. precautions the hidden landmarks, indepen- 4 T- S H I R S. COM G~ PRICES AND A .DWU:DSEAI ART Sl'AAF. 570.823.9272 EW LOCATION 146 Sourth nyl .· ni · Ave. acrass fromHoly Redeemer·N1g Schoel n r Domino' ' nd Corb_B·. _rag_ park takes to keep all light at a minimum. “You can see so many stars! The sky almost gets red at night with the amount of stars. It’s unbelievable, and you can see Andromeda with the naked eye. There are all these astronomers that show up with enormous telescopes and they have big star parties there…It’s unbelievable, it looks like a Steven Spielberg movie,” says Tettemer. Camping is available inside the park on a first come, first served basis from April 11 until December 14, and according the website www.mapquest.com, the park is only approximately a three-hour drive from campus. One important tip is to check the lunar calendar and plan a visit for the dark of the moon, when the stars will be the most visible. HIBYBERNI AN HOUSE JACK KEHOE Seven Tubs Nature Area For those who want to visit a unique park that is closer to Wilkes, Dr. Sid Halsor a Professor of Environmental Engineering and Earth Science, recommends the Seven Tubs Nature Area. Located just a few minutes from campus, Halsor uses the park as a geological laboratory for three of the classes he teaches. “Its claim to fame is that right along the base of the stream; it’s called Wheelbarrow Run. There are a series of fairly deep, what we call potholes. They’re excavation holes in the base of the stream channel. The stream comes down and it flows down through a narrow slot in the bedrock, so the water flows pretty quickly and then it gets into these pothole areas and it swirls like a whirlpool,” says Halsor. Hiking trails and beautiful scenery abound as well according to Halsor, who was also on the committee which helped create this county park. “Swimming is not allowed there because it’s, we thought, too dangerous…There are plenty of access points where you can get cooled off and just put your feet in the water… The water is always really clean and clear and it’s fed by groundwater, so it’s very appealing during a hot summer day,” says Halsor. Archbald Pothole Approximately 45 minutes from Wilkes is another geologic pothole of note, but one which was formed under different circumstances. Kristin Klimchak, a P1 pharmacy student, cording to Tettemer, it looks a bit creepy. For says about the Archbald Pothole, “It’s noth- the complete story of what inspired this town ing but a big narrow hole in the ground and to play host to such a creation, Tettemer sugeverybody thinks it’s so fascinating because it gests walking across the street to the local was made by a glacier.” Historical Society, or there is also the option This may not sound like a particularly in- of checking out Danny’s Boulevard Drive-In, teresting place to visit, but the site has con- a restaurant from the 1950s which still serves siderable geologic significance. According to burgers to customers seated at a quaint lunch the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation counter. and Natural Resources website (http://www. dcnr.state.pa.us/), the Archbald Pothole was formed about 15,000 years ago by a glacier. The 38 feet deep hole was created by melt water on top of a glacier which fell hundreds of feet down through a crack in the ice with enough force that over time, it created the huge pothole in solid rock. Today the pothole is the main feature of a 150-acre state park called…. Hibernian House Tavern "Live Acoustic Music" you guessed it, Archbald Pothole State Park. Wednesday, For April the 16th road tripper whose thirst for the 6strange :30-8 :30pm is still not quenched, Tettemer notes Adam Whistler’s Mother Statue that Bm·ke not far from this eccentric statue is the Natural wonders are not Pennsylvania’s Hibernian House Tavern, a bar that was once Fridayowned Ar1 Walk" only attractions. There are also"Th:u:u plenty and operated by the leader of the Molly Friday, April 18th of odd, manmade landmarks. Upon Maguires, Jack Kehoe. 5:00-8 :0Opm driving into the town of Ashland, “The Molly Maguires was this band of Irish Jody Hadsall PA, the unsuspecting traveler may be union guys who were activists during the coal a little surprised to find a large stat- miners’ struggle with the coal companies back Dorit forget the to sellmid yoUI'1800s… textbooks bad anyKehoe was one of the ue, possibly resembling their time at theinbookstore! We 'Witt be onJack cam.pus durinp;leaders the week ofand examsheforand buyback! grandmother, glaring some of the others guys down upon them from were brought to trial, run through a kangaroo atop a hill. court, hung in Pottsville….His great Uearenowa Justand go were t.o: "U?BFREE" “I pulled into grandson still runs the tavern and inside is "•Don'ait fostop get wlight, Jack Kehoe’s cell door and this big concrete looked up, anchor that was shackled to his ankle when he ;:I ~:..:IC!!f, ~ . ~"""' and there on was in jail,” says Tettemer. a hill was the world’s Gravity Hill/ Jean Bonnet Tavern only three If a giant statue honoring mothers and a d i m e n - tavern using jail cell decor is still not strange sional rep- enough, consider a longer trip to perhaps one lica of the of the most puzzling places that Tettemer recp a i n t i n g ommends, Gravity Hill. Although this attrac“ W h i s - tion is almost a four-hour drive from campus tler’s Mother. It’s a really famous old-time according to www.mapquest.com, the mystery painting of this stern-looking woman in a seems to be well worth the trip. rocking chair…She’s looking down over the According to the website www.gravityhill. town scowling and it says in foot high letters com set up by the Bedford County Visitor’s carved in granite underneath her, ‘MOTHER’ Bureau, “Gravity Hill is a phenomenon. Cars and then it says, ‘A mother is the holiest thing roll uphill and water flows the wrong way. alive,’” says Tettemer. It’s a place where gravity has gone haywire. This statue, which was erected in 1937 by There is no fee to venture onto Gravity Hill. It the Ashland Boys Association, was meant to is, quite simply, a road in a remote corner of honor all mothers in Pennsylvania, but ac- Bedford County.” The website offers no explanation for these occurrences, but Tettemer attests, “I went there and in fact, you put your car into neutral and you will start drifting uphill. We got out and we spilled some water out of a water bottle and it ran uphill. We put a ball down and it started rolling uphill. I thought I was going nuts.” According to Tettemer, the place can be a little hard to find, but the website offers great directions and also a few reminders on Gravity Hill etiquette, such as being sure to check the rearview mirror before you put your car in neutral, and not turning your car around in someone’s yard. If an eight hour drive roundtrip is too much for one day, those who are not afraid of an otherworldly encounter could stay at the nearby Jean Bonnet Tavern, recommended by Tettemer. According to the tavern’s website (jeanbonnettavern.com) it was built in 1762 and is on the National Registry of Historic Places. With a building that is nearly 250 years old, more than a few guests and workers at the tavern have claimed to have ghostly experiences there. “I got there and my door was open, and then I went outside and when I went back to my room the door was closed and locked. I went down to get it opened and they came back to open it for me and the door was wide open. Freaky stuff happens,” says Tettemer. Rooms at the Jean Bonnet Tavern run from $85.00-$120.00 per night and include a full breakfast. More information is available on the website along with a picture taken at the tavern in which some see a ghostly image. Tunkhannock Viaduct As for those road trippers who have no desire to spend quite so much money on gas, there is still the chance to see what was once described as the eighth wonder of the world, according to an article entitled “Lackawanna Intends Going Ahead with Improvements” published in the Scranton Times on November 8, 1915. Andrew Franko, a senior history major, says about the Tunkhannock (Nicholson) Viaduct, “It’s just amazing. It’s a train bridge that goes across a valley from one mountain to the other. It’s huge.” According to www.northeastpennsylvania.com, this behemoth concrete railroad bridge spans 2,375 feet in length and crosses the valley at a height of 300 feet above the bedrock. It is the largest poured concrete bridge in the world and at the time of its construction, the most expensive railroad bridge ever built according to the Pennsylvania State Website (http://www. pa.gov/portal/server.pt). While visiting any of the other previously mentioned places can serve as the basis for a great road trip, there are also plenty of other attractions waiting to be discovered by those who want to look for them. For those who are more inclined to explore, 11 Tettemer has some suggestions as to how he goes about finding the “hidden gems” of Pennsylvania, “When I talk about shunpiking, I have a couple rules. Number one rule, no four lane roads whatsoever. Every road must be two lanes. The other rule is if you see smoke in the distance, stop because it probably means somebody’s cooking barbeque and that’s always a good thing, and no chains. So, no Holiday Inns, no Denny’s, and no Ruby Tuesdays,” says Tettemer. One thing he says to do is ask the locals where the best places to eat and stay are, and if they give the name of a chain establishment, to keep on asking. According to Tettemer, if you do this, “You’ll find that you’ll eat really well, sleep in great places filled with stories, and you’ll meet people who you’ll never forget because they have such great tales for you. They’ll make you feel so welcome, no matter how old All Photos The Beacon/Christine Zavaskas �A&E APRIL 15, 2008 Funkmaster Flex Poetry Crossword/Website Nightlife Review: Colosseum Nightclub BY ALISON WOODY Beacon Managing Editor New York City is filled with nightclubs and bars that almost always assure a good time. However, with over 120 miles separating Wilkes University and the “city that never sleeps,” getting there for a night of fun is often difficult for students. That is why Colosseum Nightclub, located only 20 miles away on Adams Avenue in Scranton, is the perfect alternative. Located next to the Hilton, and surrounded by other local bars, Colosseum has taken Northeast PA nightlife to the next level. The nightclub opened on March 15 and is operated by three experienced owners including Rob Dale, a veteran to the entertainment industry who has been a DJ for over 20 years. My friends and I decided to give Colosseum a try this past Saturday night. We arrived to an overwhelming number of people just trying to get through the doors. The line moved quickly to the register, though, where we each coughed up an $8 cover charge and prayed the place would be worth the price. In true New York fashion, there was a strict dress code. This became apparent when almost every girl was in her finest dress and some guys actually took the time to put on a suit. Big, manly security teams were also stationed at every corner. Upon first entering Colosseum, patrons are greeted by a house DJ located in “The Lounge”. This area of the nightclub has one bar area with numerous flat screen televisions, as well as a huge seating arrangement including velour couches. While meant to act as a place to relax, we found that “The Lounge” could actually be a nightclub in and of itself since people were dancing on tables and getting extremely rowdy. “The Lounge” is centered in between two narrow hallways that lead to the dance floor, which, by the way, are not suitable for a nightclub hosting as many people as Colosseum has in mind. Not only did it take me about five minutes to get through the crowd, but along the way I was pushed and shoved into walls and other people. While I would expect a horde of people such as this on the dance floor, I don’t expect it on my way to it. Once through the swarm of people, you are welcomed into a huge room, which is more specifically the nightclub portion of Colosseum. The circular dance floor is in the middle of the room, surrounded by bars and accentuated with the infamous disco ball and Grecian columns. On one side of the dance floor is a large bar area that extends down the entire side of the room. There were anywhere between three and five bartenders stationed there throughout the night. This equated to very efficient service, especially for how busy the club was. While prices are a bit higher than what you would pay at any other local bar, that is to be expected for a nightclub modeled after the upscale atmosphere of those in New York City. On the other side of the dance floor is another lounge area, as well as the DJ booth. With a state of the art sound system, Colosseum has already hosted some of the hottest DJs in the country, including Jonathan Peters and Denny Tsettos. Radio station 97.1 BHT also broadcasts live from the club on weekends. Colosseum has a VIP room, priced at about $500 for the entire night, which can fit about 25 people. With your own cocktail waitress and separate section of the nightclub, it may be a perfect spot to celebrate a 21st birthday or any other type of special occasion. The nightclub also offers a light menu and bottle service. Overall, my experience was exactly was I expected. I anticipated a packed crowd, great music to dance to and expensive drinks. While I realize not everyone will love a nightclub inspired by New York City, Colosseum gets an “A” from me because it is the first club to successfully bring something different to this region. So long roadtrips, hello Colosseum! 13 14 15 �APRIL 15, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13 Funkmaster Flex to perform for MSC fundraiser BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Sports Editor The Multicultural Ctudent Coalition(MSC) has coordinated, arguably, the most anticipated event during Relay for Life weekend by hiring world-renowned radio personality/DJ Funkmaster Flex to perform in the Marts Gymnasium on April 26. High profiled entertainers are difficult to book to such a low-key area such as the Northeastern Pennsylvania region, but Christian Tavarez, freshman member of MSC, has a brother who is a close friend of Flex and persuaded him to perform. “We didn’t have any problems (getting Flex to perform),” said Tavarez. “We just talked him into it and he said yes. He’s a real good guy.” Accompanied by his entourage, Flex will be scratching and mixing it up for all college students interested in attending the party, not just Wilkes University students. Members of Flex’s crew will also be on the turn tables while others will rock the party from the microphone. Schools that have received invitations to join the party include Lafayette, Keystone, Montclair State (NJ), University of Baltimore, Lackawanna and Luzerne County. More schools will be asked to join prior to party time. Also, 689 facebook requests were sent and more than 300 have accepted already according to student president of MSC, Valerie Martinez. “What I’m looking forward to is high attendance and I’m hoping that all the other institutions will be able to exchange conversations to help build friendships with the other students,” said Martinez. Last year MSC donated $500 and participated in the walk that took place on the track around the football field for Relay for Life. This year, the walk overlaps the MSC fashion show which will be held in Weckesser from 7-9 p.m. Rather than dismissing their involvement with Relay for Life, MSC decided to throw a bash that hosts America’s number one radio personality to help raise funds for the cancer society. During his shows, aired from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m. Monday-Thursday, Flex reaches over 2 million listeners per week according to his biography posted on hot97.com. Flex is the founder of Team Baurtwell, a custom car-show organization that tours worldwide. Members include, Mariah Carey, Shaquille O’Neal, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Danica Patrick, Manny Ramirez and many others. “Funkmaster Flex has enormous presence with today’s most desirable target audience,” according to his biography. “When he plays a record, it becomes a hit. When he sponsors an event, it sets attendance records.” Except this time, MSC is sponsoring and they are hoping to fill the Marts Gym to capacity at a reasonable price. Wilkes students will be charged $1. All other college students will be charged $2. Photo Courtexy of wordpress.com CUMB LAND • Private bath with shower • Free Internet access • Laundry • Free off-street parking • Free water, sewer, & trash. • Secure entry/ Remote access-buzz in • Fully-equipped granite kitchen • Cable TV 17 West Ross Street Wilkes-Barre, PA www.cumberlandliving.com 570-687-2220 �14 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 15, 2008 Wilkes-Barre poetry scene flourishes Although it is debatable, it might be the case that society is beginning to retire the notion of the obligatorily starving artist, honing his or her craft estranged from the rest of the world. Art has always been something that you either get or you don’t, but as of late, and specifically in this area, it seems that more and more people are becoming active in and more accepting of artistic endeavors. And although poets seem to be the artists given the worst rap in terms of being misunderstood, Wilkes-Barre and its surrounding areas are turning out to be quite rich in poetry. Take just this month’s schedule as an indication of the number of active poets we have within this area: on April 5 there was a Tazed Monkey poetry night at Donahue’s; poet Barbara Barbara DeCesare will be on the Wilkes campus on April 15; on April 18 there will be a three-poet reading at Paper Kite Press; The Manuscript will then be holding an open poetry reading on April 24, with a subsequent unveiling of the new issue on April 29; and on April 30, Dr. Mischelle Anthony will host an open reading which will showcase the work of her Advanced Poetry Workshop class. In addition, creative writing faculty member, Jim Warner, regularly holds open mic readings at both Wilkes-Barre Barnes and Noble locations. Whew! For a small area, there is a somewhat surprising, but bustling poetry scene. This is perhaps due in part to the open nature of these events. “It’s very lively and conducive to a creative environment,” said junior English major, Jason Sutton. Take for example, Tazed Poetry nights, held at the bar Donahue’s on the first Saturday of every month. Located in the back of a low-key dive bar, poets and audience members sit back with their drinks in a dimly lit room and start the reading whenever everyone seems about ready. Although there are featured readers from time to time, the readings are basically open to just about anyone who chooses to sign up. The result is an interesting mix, consisting of published poets reading beside college students, construction workers, school teachers, and just about anyone willing to share their thoughts and words with the crowd. However, one criticism Sutton has about the area’s poetry scene is that, “It would work better if it wasn’t so insulated with- in itself.” But he noted the literary groups and circles are able to continue to grow because of their openness to newcomers, and the diversity of the opportunities and resources available. Jim Warner’s readings are offered in a sort of laid back atmosphere. Some of his past readings in Barnes and Noble have been not exclusively poetry readings, but an open mic night with varied talent. Poets were interwoven between musicians, playing to a crowd spanning a wide age range, with college students as well as parents along with their young children. It is also important to note the numerous avenues existing in the area for poets to become published. Both Wilkes University and King’s College publish their own literary magazines, Paper Kite Press and Etruscan Press publish entire poetic works, and Antenna, out of Scranton, is a small literary ‘zine that can Juniors Jason Sutton and Brad Defrain look at a past issue of the The Manuscript and discuss be picked up at local music venues. their favorite submissions. Sutton, an English major, has had numerous pieces of work pubThe availability of actual methods lished in the The Manuscript throughout the years. of publication work to encourage script which, although historically produced 2007’s Manuscript because of the art inwriters to keep active at their craft. by primarily English majors, is beginning to tensity.” There are also opportunities on the Wil- attract those from outside disciplines. ConAlthough Wilkes-Barre is comparakes campus that serve as means of attract- sidering a recent redesign of the book, more tively small, the number of opportunities ing new poets. Anthony’s Advanced Poetry readership has been attracted. Editor-in-chief it offers to poets, young and old alike, is Workshop includes English majors, as well of the book, Kacy Muir, explained, “I think like that of a bigger city. as theater and communications majors, some more people have heard about it since spring of whom are new to poetry. While the general creative writing course that the university offers to undergraduates does Tuesday April 15 -Wilkes will host a blood drive at the Henry Student Center as part of the Drive of 5 to Save Lives with offer poetry, it just serves other local colleges. as an introduction, while -Poet Barbara DeCesare will read at the Kirby Hall salon at 7:00pm. The event is free. Anthony’s class teaches -Paul Taylor Dance Company will perform at the F.M. Kirby Center at 7:30 p.m. the student to experiment Wednesday April 16 with different subjects, -”Before the Devil Knows Your Dead” will show at the F.M. Kirby Center at 1:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Thursday April 17 new voices, and new -Hot Buttered Rum will perform at 8:00 p.m. at the River Street Jazz Cafe. The Trevor MacDonald Band will open. forms. Regardless of the -Comedy Night at Donahue’s Pub. Event begins at 10:00 p.m. poetry background each Friday April 18 particular student had -Goodbye Soundscape, The Cordova Academy Glee Club and Writing January will play at Cafe Metropolis at 8:00 p.m. from the outset, students -Tigers Jaw, Das Black Milk, Midnight Railroad Carpet Flyers CD release at 8:00 p.m. at the Test Pattern work together in the class Concert Hall in Scranton. through weekly open -New York poets ICE, Jane Ormerod and Brant Lyon will read from a book they recently collaborated on at Paper Kite workshops, to break down Press in Kingston. The event starts at 8:30 p.m. and a book signing will follow. each person’s poem, pin- -River Street Jazz Cafe will host Cabinet’s CD release party at 10:00 p.m. pointing strengths as well Saturday April 19 -”Dodging for Dollars,” a dodge ball tournament to benefit Candy’s Place will be held in the UCOM at 11:00 a.m. as weaknesses. The stu- -Captain We’re Sinking, Falling Over Failure, The Loyal, and Thesis Statement will play at Cafe Metropolis dents will then showcase at 8:00 p.m. their work to anyone on -Ricky Skaggs and Bruce Hornsby will perform with Kentucky Thunder at 8:00 p.m. at the F.M. Kirby Center. the campus who wishes to Sunday April 20 attend their reading at the -The IRHC will host a Scavenger Hunt behind Evans Hall. The event starts at 4:00 p.m. and prizes will be rewarded. -Led Phish will perform at the River Street Jazz Cafe. end of the month. Monday April 21 There is also the Manu- -An Albatross, Monotonix from Isreal, and YGGR will play at Cafe Metropolis at 7:00 p.m. The Beacon/Marissa Phillips BY MARISSA PHILLIPS Beacon A&E Editor Schedule of Events �15 Kudracross BY CHRISTOPHER KUDRAK Beacon Staff Writer ACROSS 1 Sail support 5 “I___return” MacArthur 10 KO count 13 Montreal baseball player 14 Crippling disease 15 “You ___ My Sunshine” 16 Shotgun target 18 Way out 19 Edit for content 20 Atomic and fusion 22 Inquire 23 Small boy 25 Tattered cloth 26 AM noisemaker 29 Computer woe 33 Imitator 37 Girl partner 38 Mash setting 39 Killer whale 40 Public transportation type 41 Skinny 42 Restraining rope 44 New York clock setting 45 Daily Planet reporter 46 Game of chance 47 Thaw 49 Santa employee 51 Bovine mouthful 52 Fashionable resort 55 Transporting 60 Tests the flavor 62 Balanced 63 Without guidance 65 Negative prefix 66 Roof projections 67 First bet 68 Company amount APRIL 15, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 69 70 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 17 18 21 24 27 28 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 43 45 48 50 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 61 64 Completely exhausted Fence part DOWN Islamic holy city Wheel shafts Discipline a child physically Child play things Corkscrew shape Farm animal Out of the wind, nautically Sphinx body Isolationist DeVito sitcom Huron’s neighbor New Jersey basketball team Completely opposite Asian food wrap Torture device Tapped gently Awaken Fortune teller Region Singe Actor _____ Azaria Opinion survey Popular cookie Jazz type EST part Sanctified Aromatic wood Most adorable Office papers Court recorder, for short Rats and locusts Property owned Copper coin Affirm Vegas rival Low tide Bestowed Direct insult Animal abode E "s M B E D . . . .. , 1T ,,uA L A R R 0 s E N E N 0 C 21 R E S H ",._ S I "r H E "D ",.. 'T "s □ C 16 A R T "A • I N 3+ 46c 8 E D E <Ml S L "L R E 0 E u R A V B A R E A N D 311 M A T E A S E T N I 31 U NE 3ll O D A O E "'A V I V L A T E - - RI I I 0 N R A M U U P " "'R "A R 0 N '( "' F E Id C E A K E s I 71 L ., s .,L T T 0 Answers 4/08 Hulu.com BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor This website title sounds like some sort of quirky, time killer website. It is not. Fortunately, it is a website that shows full episodes and clips of recent TV shows and shows from way back and some full movies. So, if you miss your favorite show, chances are you will find the full episode on Hulu.com. You might wonder how a website can post so many shows without breaking any laws…there are several sites that do this illegally. Since March 2007 Hulu has taken the legal route in providing full episodes and movies online. Hulu has partnerships with over 50 television providers such as Fox, NBC, Sony, Warner Bros. and Lionsgate. The site is supported by ads placed on the site so users can watch the episodes and movies for free anytime. Some of the shows that there are full episodes for are 24, Dirt, Family Guy, House, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, My Name is Earl, Top Chef, The Simpsons and The Office. Some of the old favorites that are on the site are The A-Team, The Addams Family, Charlie’s Angels, Fame, and Doogie Howser M.D. I know that the whole R "'c G E "H E R 10 E O 41 ■ "'c . CLUE ~~ l'IIT N I-- .. R A ETAL 10 O E ATOM E 16 NS R UDE "'c A (1 18 62A "R M ~ l "LURK IS s 0 u B "C F .,'I t"• .,. ,. series of Dirt is on Hulu and I’m sure there are a more full seasons if you look through them. This is good if you haven’t watched the show and feel like you’ve missed something. Full movies that are included on the site are The Big Lebowski, Dude Where’s My Car, Fever Pitch, Some Like it Hot, Requiem for a Dream and October Sky. Okay, so the full movies choices aren’t that great…but it’s better than going to Blockbuster and wasting your money on a movie that will probably suck anyway. The full television show episodes make this website worth the time. For those days when you just don’t feel like leaving your…desk, there is Hulu. The videos show in a media player and you can make them full screen. If you want to watch videos with certain ratings sometimes you have to create a free account and sign in to view them. The videos are listed alphabetically by either TV or movies. Full episodes have a little symbol next to them and the rest are clips. I give this website a GP for Great Potential! �SPORTS 16 APRIL 15, 2008 Commentary G AME OF THE WEEK Four teams vie for final two playoff spots BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor After six months of games, thousands of points, hundreds of rebounds and countless injuries, the NBA season is finally coming to a close as the remainder of the bubble teams make one more push for the final playoff spots. In the Eastern Conference, seven of the eight seeds have already been filled, with the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons leading the pack. Joining them are the Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards, Toronto Raptors, and the Philadelphia 76ers. With only one playoff spot left, it’s going to come down to the Atlanta Hawks or the Indiana Pacers, both of whom need to win the remainder of their games to give themselves the best shot. Atlanta Hawks vs. Miami Heat The Hawks should win this game easily, as the Miami Heat have been one of the worst teams in the NBA this season, only two years removed from their last championship. With Shaquille O’Neal no longer with the team, the Heat have served mostly as a stepping stone for opposing teams who need to get a win. In order for the game against the Heat to make a difference, the Hawks to first play the Magic before finishing off their season with Miami. Dispatching the Miami Heat shouldn’t prove to be too difficult for the Hawks, but a significant playoff run is nothing more than a pipe dream, as they will likely face the Boston Celtics in the first round. The pick: Atlanta Hawks: 91 Miami Heat: 85 New York Knicks vs. Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers find themselves in similar situation, as they finish off their season against the New York Knicks, who have been the ire of fans all season long, due to poor play and poor personnel decisions. The road to the Knicks isn’t going to be easy, as they take on the playoff bound Washington Wizards in their next-to-last contest. The Pacers should easily win over the Knicks, but in order to for them to make the playoffs, they are going to need help from around the league in order to make up the gap in the standings to catch the Hawks. The pick: Indiana Pacers: 96 New York Knicks: 94 In the Western Conference, things are a bit closer. The New Orleans Hornets, the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Antonio Spurs are all separated by less than a game in the standings, while there is less than a five-game gap between the rest of the teams, which include the Utah Jazz, Houston Rockets, Phoenix Suns and the Dallas Mavericks. The final spot is going to be a toss up between the Denver Nuggets and the Golden State Warriors; two teams that are going to score early and often. Memphis Grizzlies vs. Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets finish off their season against the Memphis Grizzlies, who will provide nothing more than background noise as they languish near the bottom of the standings. The Nuggets, who scored 168 points in an earlier game this season, will have no problem getting past the Grizzlies, who have let opponents score over 106 points in games this season. Despite their lack of defense, the Nuggets have the combination of Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony to lead the offense, which will easily trump the opposing Grizzlies. The pick: Denver Nuggets: 122 Memphis Grizzlies: 96 Seattle SuperSonics vs. Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are going to have a similarly easy time in their final game of the season as they take on the Seattle SuperSonics, whose only bright spot in an otherwise depressing season has been the emergence of Kevin Durant, who has lead the team in points, blocks and steals. He will serve as the only significant roadblock to Golden State as they make their final grasp at the playoffs. The Warriors should make quick work of the SuperSonics, as their dominant offense will take full advantage of Seattle’s poor defense. Despite a win against Seattle, Golden State is going to need help in order to reach the playoffs, as Denver has a one-game edge in the standings for the final spot. The pick: Golden State Warriors: 132 Seattle SuperSonics: 91 Double Take Steph examines the stats that truly matter... BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor Normally, I have to choose one winner between two teams. Occasionally, I pick two. This week, I have to pick four. I hate you, Tim Seigfried. For the first game, I had to pick between the Seattle SuperSonics and the Golden State Warriors. On one hand we have a beloved video game and on the other we have a killer song. Sonic the Hedgehog was my favorite Sega video game. How can you deny that little blue, speedy animal? But, I do love “The Warrior” by Scandal. You can’t beat lyrics like, “break out of captivity and follow me stereo jungle child.” These warriors are not only playing against Sonic, they are playing against SUPERsonics. They can probably move pretty fast and trying to beat several of them sounds hard. Normally I would pick the Supersonics to take this one since the only thing better than Sonic would be Supersonic. But, I mean come on, warriors have guns! Sorry Sonic, The Warriors are going to take this one. The Memphis Grizzlies vs the Denver Nuggets is a no brainer. There is no way a chicken nugget can beat a big ol’ bear. The Atlanta Hawks have no chance in beating the Heat. Hawks are generally found in North America…this leads me to believe that they can’t withstand high temperatures and you know what they say “If you can’t stand the Heat get off the court…” or something like that! I asked a friend what the hell a “knick” is, the answer I got was “a giant basketball that waves.” And apparently, a pacer is a horse of some sort. The Pacers would win because there is no way a giant waving basketball is going to make it into the hoop. For real though, “Knicks” is short for knickerbockers which also won’t win. A pair of shorts has no athletic ability! Sega game characters, pants and some big birds do not prevail this week and it’s iffy on whether a processed food product or a big big ol’ bear is going to win. In the end you’ve got to know that “heart to heart you’ll win if you survive” The Warriors…and according to me no one will survive the Warriors! �APRIL 15, 2008 SPORTS 17 DeSales sweeps Wilkes in softball doubleheader Gina Stefanelli hits a pair of solo homeruns in two losses COURTESY OF JOHN SEITZINGER Sports Information Director Wilkes University and DeSales University played a Freedom Conference doubleheader on Saturday afternoon, with the home team winning both contests. The Bulldogs won the first game by a score of 7-2, before taking the nightcap 9-1. The Lady Colonels saw their overall record drop to 17-11 and conference mark fall to 3-5. DeSales watched their record advance to 15-7 overall and 7-1 in the conference. Wilkes’ struggled to get going offensively, as the team only recorded five hits. Melisa Bracone had two of those hits, including a solo homerun in the fourth inning. Gina Stefanelli also had a solo homerun in the fourth inning to plate the only two runs for the Lady Colonels. Lindsay Behrenshausen suffered the loss after giving up 13 hits and five earned runs in six innings of work. Maddie Roxandich, Kyra Monarek, Amanda Kensecki, Jen Lococo, Kelly Mo- PIZZA llomull'iM 12~Pm.a I~' La(ac Pim 12" Pan Pizza ran, and Jamie Pfitzenmayer all had two hits apiece to pace the DeSales attack. Kristen Cybularz pitched four innings, giving up three hits and two runs in the victory. Larissa Tenley pitched three innings while giving up two hits and striking out two batters to earn the save. Stefanelli scored the only Lady Colonel run in game number two, with her second solo homerun on the day. Kathy Dalton’s double and Kerry Finnerty’s single were the only other two Wilkes’ hits. Maureen Pelot took the loss after giving up eight hits and seven earned runs in three innings pitched. Kensecki had three hits, three runs batted in, and two runs scored. Monarek had one hit, one run batted in, and two runs scored. Lococo earned the victory after pitching five innings, giving up three hits, one earned run, one walk, and striking out two batters. The Lady Colonels softball team was swept by DeSales University on April 12 by scores of 7-2 and 9-1. The Beacon Archives llPPETIZERS Frlod Mushroom8 Pried Rnio]i (6) MnzmnllaStiab(S) Mlm 'D.col (12) Mini Potato Pam::abB (12) �SPORTS 18 APRIL 15, 2008 Wilkes downs Misericordia and Manhattanville The Beacon/Gino Troiani Wilkes freshman Wes McCollum returns a volley during Saturday’s match against Manhattanville. McCollum lost a singles match against Manhattanville’s Julian Oribe, but would later triumph in a doubles match with freshman Jon Rohrbach. The Colonels are 12-2 overall with a 4-1 record in conference play. COURTESY OF JOHN SEITZINGER Sports Information Director Wilkes University gutted out a tough 5-4 Freedom Conference victory over Manhattanville College on Saturday afternoon at the Ralston Complex. The win improved the Colonels to 12-2 overall and 4-1 in the conference, while the Valiants saw their record fall to 8-4 overall and 3-2 in conference play. Wilkes took the early lead by winning two out of the three doubles matches. Kyle Ungvarsky and Chris Cozzillio were 8-5 winners over Julian Oribe and Allen Cheon, while Wes McCollum and Jon Rohrbach earned an 8-3 victory over Lance Dorfi and Kevin Lyons. Brian Fanelli and Tom Miller came close to completing the sweep for the Colonels, but suffered a 9-8 (8-6) defeat at the hands of Gabriel Mallen and Tim Crakes. The Valiants’ Oribe was able to defeat McCollum by a score of 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 at first singles. Dorfi earned another point for Manhattanville at second singles, coming from behind to defeat Wilkes’ Ungvarsky 5-7, 61, 6-3. Cozzillio, Rohrbach, and Fanelli would seal the victory for the Colonel, with each winning in straight sets in third, fourth, and fifth singles, respectively. Cozzillio defeated Cheon 6-0, 6-3, Rohrbach defeated Lyons 64, 6-4, and Fanelli took care of Crakes by a score of 6-3, 6-3. Manhattanville’s Mallen earned the final point for his squad, defeating Miller by a count of 6-1, 6-2. On April 10, Wilkes University continued their impressive men’s tennis season by downing Misericordia University, 8-1 in a non-conference match on Thursday afternoon at the Ralston Complex. The win improved the Colonels to 11-2 overall, while the Cougars saw their record fall to 1-10. Wilkes swept all three doubles matches to take control early. Kyle Ungvarsky and Chris Cozzillio were 8-0 winners over Frank Nutt and Brett Ford. Wes McCollum and Jon Rohrbach earned an 8-3 victory over Ryan Calby and Matt Hornak. Brian Fanelli and Tom Miller capped the sweep by scoring an 8-4 verdict over Justin Muthler and Matt Hopkins. McCollum opened singles play with a 60, 6-0 win over Nutt. Ungvarsky followed with a 6-1, 6-0 victory over Calby that gave the Colonels a 5-0 lead and secured the team win. Cozzillio topped Muthler at the third singles position, 6-1, 6-1, and Rohrbach defeated Hornak, 6-1, 6-2 at number-four to up the lead to 7-0. Fanelli would score a 62, 6-1 victory over Hopkins at number-five for the Colonels, before Misericordia got their only point in the final singles match when Ford had a 6-1, 0-1 lead over Miller before Miller was forced to retire. Wilkes defeats Arcadia 13-11 in women’s lacrosse COURTESY OF JOHN SEITZINGER Sports Information Director Wilkes University held Arcadia University to only three second-half goals to secure a come-frombehind victory on Saturday afternoon at the Ralston Complex to earn their first Middle Atlantic Conference win on the season. The victory enabled the Lady Colonels to even their overall record to 5-5 and see their conference mark move to 1-3. The Knights dropped to 4-8 overall and 0-5 in conference play with the loss. Six different players scored for Wilkes, including Casandra Valentin whose free-position goal with 6:20 remaining turned out to be the eventual game-winner. Ashley Leggio paced the Lady Colonel attack with five goals and two assists, Brittney Hodnik had two goals and three assists, and Chelsea Weinstein had three tallies. Justine Leggio chipped in with a goal and an assist, and Melissa Polchinski added one goal of her own. Jamie Stevenson scored five times to lead the Arcadia offensive attack. Jenni Groves had one goal and dished out three helpers, Erin Cunningham had a goal and an assist, and Jakki Timony, Jill Hersh, Janelle Jablonski, and Melanie Mark each had a goal apiece. Shannon Bustin had one assist for the Knights as well. Wilkes goalkeeper Stacy Fimmano had an outstanding day between the pipes, finishing the game with 17 saves. Michelle Leone was credited with 13 saves in goal for Arcadia. Remaining Schedule Monday, April 14 @ Misericordia...7:00p.m. Wednesday, April 16 @ Manhattanville...4:00p.m. Saturday, April 19 @ Messiah...1:00p.m. (RIGHT) Sophomore laxer Ashley Leggio looks for an open pass as she’s pursued by a salavating defense. The Beacon/Gino Troiani Leggio’s five goals and two assists help in first MAC win of the year �SPORTS APRIL 15, 2008 19 Athletic department hosts annual Charity Challenge BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Sports Editor medical equipment. After each team completes all courses, strength and conditioning coach, Keith Klahold, who also serves as the coordinator of the Colonel Charity Challenge, goes home and tallies the scores. Afterwards, the winners names are posted inside the weight room. “It’s a lot of work at first, but to see everybody here having a good time, it’s always worth it,” said Klahold. beverages were served to help keep the athletes going. “I was getting exhausted just watching the students,” said Sherry Clements, a representative of the Children’s Miracle Network, as she sat in her comfortable chair inside the concession area. “Just the truck pull alone...I’m like, ‘I can’t believe they’re doing that.’” The Colonel Charity Challenge has been a four-year tradition at Wilkes University. To enter, each student donates $10, and the proceeds go to Over 50 Colonel athletes seemed immune to the chilly wind this Sunday afternoon when they gathered to compete in the annual Charity Challenge. Wilkes coaches also attended the challenge to serve as keepers of the obstacle courses. Members of lacrosse, men’s/ women’s basketball, volleyball, field hockey, football and men’s/women’s soccer teams sectioned themselves into small teams and went headto-head on nine different obstacle courses. Courses included the sand bag run, tire flip, relay, medicine ball throw, and Hummer pull. In the latter challenge students pulled a Hummer with from a rope for a certain distance to see which team could reach the designated spot in the fastest time. Three categories were The Beacon/Gino Troiani made available A member of team Jerry Crooney’s attempts to flip over a for the athletes large tire during Sunday’s Charity Challenge. Teams repreto sign up. All senting various clubs from the student body participated. male, all-female and co-ed teams were established. High the Children’s Miracle Network. protein/carb meals like cheeseburgers and The Beacon/Gino Troiani Sophomore volleyball server, LeeAnn Searfoss hustles her way through the agility rope The Miracle Network then uses the money to purchase medical equipment to benefit the Janet Weis Children’s Hospital in Danville, Geisinger Wilkes-Barre/Wyoming Valley, Moutaintop Clinic and the Scranton Clinic. “We appreciate it so much, and the money that (Wilkes) brings in is unbelievable,” said Clements. “It’s amazing to see what college students can get together and do. Even for an organization like ours.” Clements also noted that money raised from the Charity Challenge enables the network to buy at least one article of Wilkes splits golf tri-match with FDU and Scranton COURTESY OF JOHN SEITZINGER Sports Information Director The Wilkes University golf team saw their record move to 3-1 after splitting a tri-match with the University of Scranton and FDU-Florham on Friday afternoon at the par 71 Glenmaura National Golf Club. FDU-Florham came in with the low team total for the day with 321 strokes. The Colonels finished just one shot back of the Devils with a total of 322, while the Royals finished four shots back with a total of 325. Wilkes’ Carmen Winters tied for medalist honors on the day by firing a round of 75. Sean Madden carded a 79 for the Colonels, while Mike Turano’s 81 and Jamie Montville’s 87 rounded out the scoring to post the team’s final total. Pat Walsh had a 76 and Greg Stockley carded a 79 to lead FDU-Florham. Mike Soukup shot an 81 and Conor Walsh scored an 85 to earn the victory for the Devils. Scranton’s Brad Sparks had the other low round on the day by shooting a 75. Jeff Slivinski was next with a 78, followed by Chris Mefford with an 85, and Sean Moroney with an 87. The Beacon/Gino Troiani Senior Megan Cannon stretches her arms to catch a spiral in the multi-sport obstacle. Team Bunjay dominates Intramural Basketball at Wilkes BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Sports Editor This week, the intramural basketball season comes to a close and it’s been an exciting season . Shocker Squad remains undefeated in the western conference after posting two consecutive championship seasons. The Dream Team is on fire with their four game winning streak as they lead the eastern conference with a 5-1 record. The Dandies are a full game behind the Dream Team and have been playing well as of late. The playoffs begin tomorrow so make sure you find a nice spot on the gym floor to sit and catch the action. Both number one seeds from each conference get a bye during the first round while the others grind it out for a chance to compete in the second round held on Thursday April 17th. All games are played in the Ucomm. �Sports APRIL 15, 2008 Buckler, Follweiler lead Wilkes to win over Moravian 20 Colonels win fourth straight to improve to 14-9 overall The Beacon/Allison Roth Senior Kyle Follweiler rounds the bases after ripping one over the fence in right field. He leads the team with a .439 batting average. COURTESY OF JOHN SEITZINGER Sports Information Director Tom Buckler pitched five solid innings and Kyle Follweiler cracked four hits and drove in five runs to lead Wilkes University to a 14-5 non-conference baseball victory over Moravian College on Thursday afternoon at Artillery Park. The Colonels won their fourth consecutive game to improve their overall record to 14-9. Moravian saw their overall mark slip to 11-14. Buckler allowed only four hits and one unearned run to even his mound record at 2-2. The sophomore struck out eight and walked only one. Matthew Swartz allowed five runs in three innings with five strikeouts for Moravian. The loss dropped Swartz to 1-3 on the season. Follweiler had a double and homerun among his four hits and also scored three times. Geoff Miller, who homered, Brad Woznisky, who had a double and triple, and Mike McAndrew, who doubled, had two hits apiece for the Colonels. Wilkes also received a solo homer from Chris Mayerski. Brad Bodine had two doubles among his three hits to lead Moravian at the plate. Kevin Gambrino had a homerun and single, while Scott Brady drove in a pair of runs with a double for the Greyhounds. UPDATE The Colonels went on he road for a non-conference game against Widener Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. The Widener Pioneers held the Colonels to five runs while scoring 13 of their own. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon 2008 April 15th Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 April 15 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/0ffc194a9a798c75ae488b01ce3d0252.pdf d95605e58a8cd6b51400f69659a07671 PDF Text Text Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA The THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW FEBRUARY A PRIL 8, 2008 5, 2008 www.wilkesbeacon.com Volume 60 Issue 19 13 In This Issue... di) Pit ~ nt Page 9 J u,c.c..t.hc.a.Jr. -Li.lt.c., "Hau. Page 12 GAME OF The Beacon/Jenna Stephens Campaign visits make WB center of political world BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor On Tuesday, April 1, two campaign buses rolled into Wilkes-Barre, making the city the center of the political world. Senators Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Barack Obama, D-Ill., held town hall meetings at two rival schools within Wilkes-Barre. Obama stopped at Wilkes University’s Arnaud C. Marts Center, while Clinton spoke less than a mile away at the King’s College Scandlon Physical Education Center a few hours apart. At 11:45 a.m. Obama greeted the more than 1,500 people that had gathered in the gymnasium, many of whom waited hours through rain showers to get a seat. A large group of Wilkes students, who were able to obtain tickets, were admitted to the meeting with Obama. “I am very excited. I think its an amazing thing to happen. Especially that Hillary is a block away,” said Angela (Alex) Wood, a senior political science major. During the two-hour wait inside the gymnasium, chants of “Obama 0-8” and “Yes we can!” began enlivening the crowd. Lisa Fireman, a local Obama volunteer from Shick- Page 16 Inside News................................1-5 Opinion.............................6-8 Lifestyles.........................9-11 Arts & Entertainment....12-15 Sports...........................16-20 The Beacon/Jenna Stephens shinny, introduced the senator and explained how she became involved in his campaign. With the American flag as his backdrop, Obama discussed why he was running for president and also explained what his plans were for the country. Obama opened his speech by telling the crowd that he decided to run for president not because it was something he wanted for himself, but rather because of “the urgency of Now,” a phrase coined by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at the height of the civil rights movement. He told the crowd that under the current administration and in the current Washington D.C. setting, “Your voice is not being heard,” and promised that his goal was to wake up every morning in the White House thinking about the voices and faces of the people he has met on the campaign trail. Obama discussed many issues during his speech, but he never talked about his democratic rival, Hillary Clinton. He did talk about Senator John McCain, R-Ari., who he said should be admired for his military service, but only offered four more years of George W. Bush’s policies. Obama said that McCain has only offered to sit back and watch while tens of thousands of people lose their home. Obama opened the floor to questions after his speech, and fielded questions about his health care plan, the war in Iraq, and the price of fuel. The Illinois senator’s health care plan is one (ABOVE) A panoramic view of Obama’s town hall meeting. (LEFT and RIGHT) Obama and Clinton spoke to the crowds who came to show their support at Wilkes University and King’s College on April 1. area where he differs from his democratic rival. Obama believes that if health insurance is made affordable, everyone will want to be covered, which would drive down the premiums associated with health care. The crowd also applauded the senator’s plan for energy independence. He said that he would take incentives away from the oil companies and give them to the businesses that create jobs within the U.S., especially to those that create jobs associated with green energy. Obama’s last question came from a second grade student named Michael Lacole, who asked how he could run for president. Obama emphasized to the boy that he needs “to do very well in school,” and that he must “listen to everything his grandmother tells him to do.” Lacole’s grandmother was seated next to the boy and Obama’s response was met with appreciative laughter and applause. Obama continued by advising Lacole to not to play video games, “go to college...and get a job helping other people, because if you help people, they may look at you and think, ‘That guy See TOWN HALL page 4 The Beacon/Gino Troiani �NEWS APRIL 8, 2008 2 Congregation Ohav Zedek Campaign stops French Major Droppef Novak speaks at Wilkes 3 4 5 5 Norman Mailer remembered by Wilkes at Carnegie Hall BY MEGAN KRISANDA Beacon Staff Writer Norman Mailer will be remembered not only for his contribution to the literary world but also as a key influence at Wilkes University. A celebration of Mailer’s life and work will be held on Wednesday, April 9th at 4 P.M. at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The memorial is sponsored by Random House and family of Mailer. The memorial is open to the general public. Some Wilkes faculty, students and alumni are making the trip to New York to join in the celebration of Mailer’s life. Bonnie Culver, director of the Creative Writing graduate program and J. Michael Lennon, Vice President of Academic Affairs and Professor of English, will be attending the memorial. Mailer became chair of the advisory board for the Creative Writing program in 2006, but had been an active member during the development of the program in 2003. Lennon knew Mailer for many years and with the help of Culver, wrote Mailer a letter asking to be a part of the advisory board. In the letter, Lennon asked Mailer to come speak at Wilkes and offer insight into the new program. “He gave the program credibility. He was an extremely wellknown author and won all the well known literary prizes. He also consulted with us. We showed him the curriculum, and he was the one who wondered why you needed a bachelor’s degree to be admitted to a master’s program when the big credential was if you could write,” said Lennon. The program dropped the requirement of a bachelor’s degree to become accepted. Mailer emphasized the prospective student’s talent rather than if they held any type of degree. Culver explained, “We are not an English degree and that’s the distinction. If we were an English program, we would require a bachelor’s in English because that’s the traditional way of doing that. But, Norman said it’s about writing and talent and if you demonstrate that in your writing sample then why do you need a degree?” Several people in the creative writing program do not have a degree, however they have been writing for many years and have shown a great deal of talent. There is criteria each student must meet, but it differs from the traditional way of being accepted into a college program. Mailer is known for being provocative in his writing and expressed a great sense of range with his work. “His work ranged in style and content. There wasn’t much he wasn’t interested in. I think his journalist work and non-fiction work is incredibly powerful,” said Culver. Mailer has authored 40 books and received the Pulitzer Prize for The Executioner’s Son. He died in New York City at the age of 84. For more information on the Mailer’s life and the memorial, visit www.normanmailersociety.com. “He was one of the founders of the new journalism. He really changed the shape of how journalism is written in this country. It became more first person narratives and more participant-observer narratives. A lot of journalists, non-fiction writers, memoir writers credit Mailer with being the writer who showed them a new way to write non-fiction,” said Lennon. Norman Mailer (1923 - 2007) Courtesy http://rosenblumtv.wordpress.com/2007/09/06/ BEACON Serving the community through fair and accurate reporting while supporting the views and opinions of our readers. 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River St. First Floor, Conyngham Hall, Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 (570) 408-5903 The Beacon/Cara Koster wilkesbeacon@gmail.com www.wilkesbeacon.com �NEWS APRIL 8, 2008 3 Admitted 18-year-old “Nazi” follower charged with vandalism of synagogue BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor On Thursday, April 3, community leaders held a public ceremony at the Ohav Zedek synagogue to mark the removal of several pieces of graffiti that stained the front of the building. At the cleansing ceremony, officials announced that an arrest had been made for the crime. Police allege that 18-yearold Wyoming Valley West student Nora Rynkeiwicz of Factoryville perpetrated the crime. Another person whose name has not been released because she is a minor, has also been implicated. Rynkeiwicz, who allegedly considers herself a “Nazi” follower, was arrested after a $5,000 reward was offered for tips leading to the vandals’ arrest. The FBI assisted the Wilkes-Barre Police Department in the investigation of this hate crime. The Beacon/Gino Troiani T lE R .· IN 4T-SHIRTS.COM YOUR#1 SOllROE FOR SG'REEN PR N1l'l N~ E BROJDiERY1 ' D PRO OTIONAL ITEMS ?ERFECI FOR BUSINl~SE RBS,TAURANT ~DllEGES.1 llll - Gtt SCH ClS. WE. CARRY AJ..L. BRANDS AND Sll'LES O TEE ' S'WEAJTSHIIITTi GO P FITS. ll UNIFORMS. - -, A DE: VARI~ OF PilW 0'1i OJ\! · ITE! Afi , rtUGS, 0LJSe!i1'ADS COOLERS, KEYCtiAI S, .AI\ID. . fillE. W PRICES AND A .OWi D6EAB ART S1AAF. 1 m a · d y.. ·· n . ~ . nt ~· 665 (570 82 ' - ,1 L ! In . , ... 9 570.823.9272 EWLOCATION 14& Sour · crass ro:m N n __ r Domin _ I I .· n . eme ,_b · ool �APRIL 8, 2008 NEWS 4 The Beacon/Andrew Seaman The Beacon/Jenna Stephens TOWN HALL from FRONT PAGE might make a good president some day.’” Obama’s visit ended with him going into the crowd shaking hands and talking with the people in attendance. Later that day, about three hours after Obama first spoke at Wilkes, the crowd inside King’s College gymnasium became electric as Hillary Clinton took center stage. Luzerne County Commissioner Maryanne C. Petrilla and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell introduced the presidential hopeful to the 3,000 cheering supporters who rang out with deafening chants of “Hillary.” Clinton wasted no time in attacking her Democratic opponent. The Beacon/Gino Troiani “There are reports, I think, Senator Obama said a few days ago that this campaign could be compared to the Bataan death march, or he said it was like a movie that had gone on too long. Well, we haven’t even gotten to the part that includes Pennsylvania,” said Clinton. Clinton also mentioned her family ties to the area, which included her father living in the Scranton area and her family owning a house by Lake Winola. Clinton has said on many occasions that Scranton is like a second home to her. She said in response to calls for her to withdraw from the race, “They don’t know that my father and my father’s family are from right here in Northeastern Pennsylvania and we don’t quit.” The Beacon/Jenna Stephens Clinton talked about many issues during her town hall meeting. Most statements were met with a round of applause and some standing ovations. One point that Clinton, like Obama, made was that she would create more jobs by giving incentives to companies that would make green products or renewable energy materials. Clinton also talked about her universal health care plan, which would require everyone to be covered under some type of health insurance. Clinton said that she would use the Congressional health care plan to cover those who could not afford healthcare coverage. Clinton’s husband, former President Bill Clinton, made a stop in Scranton on Wednes- The Beacon/Gino Troiani day, April 2 for a private function held at Scranton Mayor Chris Doherty’s home, and their daughter Chelsea was at Bucknell and Bloomsburg Universities in Pennsylvania. Clinton continues to maintain a substantive lead over Obama in Pennsylvania, and there are unconfirmed reports that say Clinton will make another stop in Wilkes-Barre before the April 22 primary. For more pictures and videos please log on to www.wilkesbeacon.com. �APRIL 8, 2008 NEWS Trustees drop french major Novak speaks at Wilkes 5 BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon Asst. News Editor ment. We haven’t been able to offer it for quite some time. Now it’s official,” said Fields. “The reality of foreign language On Friday, April 4, Wilkes University’s programs in higher ed is that, as a whole, Board of Trustees granted approval to re- they’re slowly disappearing, which is remove the French major of the Foreign Lan- grettable in America.” Though the major will no longer be ofguages program. The Curriculum Committee and the Academic Planning Committee fered, Wilkes will continue to offer Elemenhad also previously approved the call for tary French I and II (FR 101, 102) to students who may be interested in filling their elimination of the degree. According to Dr. Darin Fields, Dean of Area I distribution requirements or learning the College of Arts, Humanities and Social the basics. Fields also said that if a signifiSciences, the decision to drop the program cant number of students express interest in taking upper level French courses at Wilwas “regrettable,” but necessary. “We have had neither the full-time faculty kes, the university may be able to offer the nor available adjuncts to deliver upper level courses in the future. This is good news for Wilkes students courses in French since 1998 or ‘99, but the major has stayed on the books because of who still hold an interest in learning more joint initiatives with King’s [College]… We about the French language, culture and lithaven’t had any French majors in the pro- erature, such as Joseph Stoffey, freshman psychology major. gram for over four years,” said Fields. “I’m definitely genuinely interested in Aside from the lack of a full faculty for a French program, Fields also noted that learning the language. The first time I took student interest hasn’t been strong in recent it in high school, I only wanted to take it beyears. This semester alone, a combined cause nearly everybody was taking Spanish total of 25 students are in both Elementary and I wanted to go against the grain, but I started to really like it. My goal is to be able French I and II. The elimination of the French major will to speak it fluently, partially because I’d also serve to update the Foreign Languages enjoy being bilingual for all of the perks it and Literatures section of the Undergradu- entails, and partially because fluently-spoate Bulletin. Since the Bulletin’s purpose ken French sounds fun to speak; all of the is to serve as an accurate reflection of the words seem to ‘flow’ together,” said Stofuniversity’s offerings, a formal presentation fey, who is currently enrolled in Elementary and approval by the Board was necessary to French II. While there has been unofficial, nonremove the program from its pages. An updated and accurate bulletin will aid Wilkes substantive discussion concerning ideas of in the renewal of accreditation by Middle developing courses or programs in foreign languages that are common today, such as States in upcoming years. “It’s regrettable that we won’t be able to Chinese or Arabic, Spanish will remain offer French, but it’s not a new develop- the only foreign language major offered through Wilkes for the time being. Focus has currently been placed on solidifying the Spanish program and possibly converting a visiting Virtually every four-year college, medical position into a tenure position in school and law school can be ordered. the future. Personalization is available. “The Spanish major is not in any Allow 10-14 days delivery. way affected by this. The elimination of the French major should EGLOMISE not be seen as posing a warning or threat to Spanish; Spanish is Starting at healthy, it’s fine. The reality is that we just had to take [French] out of the bulletin,” said Fields. Items Include: Perfect for Graduation $]6.75 Paperweight, Framed Pen & Ink Picture Mini Desk Box, Clock, Notecards Pen & Ink Mirror, and more... B Smrel887 artik~~fe, 141 South Main St. Wilkes-Barre 570 823-7111 www.bartikowsky.com The Beacon/Cara Koster Robert Novak, newspaper columnist and television commentator, spoke at Wilkes University on Tuesday, April 1. Novak gave “a timely overview of the 2008 presidential election.” Sens. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and Barack Obama’s, D-Ill., campaign stops in Wilkes-Barre highlighted Novak’s visit. Before his lecture, Novak participated in a question and answer session with a small group of Wilkes University students and then had dinner with them and several other members of the Wilkes community. A.S.B. Podcast @ WilkesBeacon.com �Opinion The Angry Rant Spitzer & prostitution Here’s to You APRIL 8, 2008 7 8 8 6 Part II: Remember when: looking back on 75 years BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD was built in 1982. 8. THE AGNES FLOOD (1972) When the levee along the Susquehanna River broke in June 1972 following the torrential downpours brought about by Hurricane Agnes, what resulted was one of the worst natural disasters in United States history. Overlook- the University; it signaled substantive growth. Along with the significant athletic facility advancements that came with the construction of the Marts Center in February, and the Munson Fieldhouse at Ralston Field, Wilkes was granted University status in December, though many sources point to 1990 as the year in which the status became official. University status is connected with, Courtesy of the 1969 Beacon among other things, the annual number of graduate degrees awarded, and Wilkes’s commitment to graduate education was growing at this time. The University welcomed a multimillion dollar gift from Mrs. Geraldine Nesbitt Orr, which launched housing over 400 students. This, accompanied with the transforming of the former Chako’s bowling Last week The Beacon introalley and Call Center to the Uniduced the first part of its top ten versity Center On Main (UCOM), picks for most memorable people officially moved the Wilkes into and events through Wilkes Unithe downtown and changed the versity’s 75 years. University’s physical presence in With the help of Dr. Harold Cox, the city and its boundaries. FiProfessor Emeritus of History and nally, Wilkes and King’s opened a University Archivist; Dr. James joint college bookstore in a Barnes Rodechko, Professor Emeritus & Noble on Main Street just off of History; Dr. Bradford KinPublic Square. ney, Professor of CommuniDID YOU KNOW? cation Studies, and Dr. Brian Before Wilkes purchased Capin Redmond, Professor of EnHall in 1969, the building bevironmental Engineering and longed to the United Mine WorkEarth Science the following ers’ Union and housed the office five highlights reflect the latter of August J. Lippi, head of the half of that A-list. union who was indicted and sent 6. THE GOLD MACHINE to jail after The Knox Mine DisasBetween 1965 and 1969, the ter. When the telephone company Blue and Gold gridders, recame in to install the new phone garded as The Gold Machine, system, they had the longest active winning found the old Courtesy of the 1969 Beacon streak in the country by winsystem had ning 33 straight games over the capabilfour seasons. ity to supply After losing a close one to a 40 story ofUpsala in the third game of the fice building! ‘65 season by a score of 26-20, Conyngham Hall had a fi re back in 1968. As it turns Rollie Schmidt’s team reboundout, every ed with a 34-0 shallacking of Ursiing the Wyoming Valley from West room in Capin nus the following week. From that was bugged point on until the end of the sea- Side Technical school in Pringle, the only light seen in the pitchso that Lippi son, the lowest number of points black night was cast from the occould listen accumulated by the team was 30, casional boat gliding throughout in to what the beating the following opponents downtown. Surprisingly, Wilkes was The Gold Machine Union on their schedule by scores of 34re-opened the following Monday saying. 12, 30-20, 30-12, 37-7. QUOTABLE The unbelieveable run continued for night classes after the river had the Nesbitt College of Pharmacy, subsided. To illustrate how high a Ph.D. program. In addition to “I remember the time the school until they lost in 1969, and earned the water level reached at Wilkes, academic program growth, the was immediately closed because a the Gold Machine national recogRodechko described a scene on the campus developed a new concleaning woman had accidentally nition and winning the Lambert fi rst fl oor of Capin Hall in which struction plan that included a discovered a bomb in the baseTrophy. an offi ce desk, nearly submerged, 900 foot greenway in the center ment of Pickering Hall (called in 7. CONYNGHAM HALL had papers and pens remaining of campus (known as the Fenner my day “The New Men’s Hall”) BURNS (1968) on top of it untouched. The WilQuadrangle). Redmond said, “IdeThe bomb was connected to a Around 3:00 a.m. on Decemkes gymnasium fl oor was warped, ally, a university has many differwatch and the cleaning woman’s ber 28, 1968, a fire broke out in the basement of Conygham Hall- resembling an electrocardiogram, ent kinds of programs. It reflects broom broke the crystal stopping the first building donated to the and the books from the library had a greater diversity in the kinds of the watch from moving. The University in 1937 - and spread to be shipped to Harrisburg to be programs and courses that are be- school was immediately roped off and a bomb squad from Harthroughout the third floor. Despite placed in ovens to dry. But with ing offered.” hard work, the campus was fully 10. WILKES UNIVERSITY risburg was flown up to handle 75 Wilkes-Barre fire fighters on ready for classes quickly, and stuMOVES TO MAIN STREET the bomb. No cars, movement nor the scene, the 100-year-old builddents, faculty and staff helped lead (2005-06) classes in the immediate area were ing could not be saved as it burned the way for “life after Agnes.” On June 27, 2006, the school allowed to move. The squad took to the ground. 9. UNIVERSITY STATUS reached a purchasing agreement the bomb away and destroyed it I The front facade--the only remAND GROWTH (late 1980s with University Towers on S. would guess.” - Communications nant of the building--consisted of through 1990s) Main Street for $8.4 million and Professor Dr. Bradford Kinney. four pillars and was preserved for Courtesy of the 1969 Beacon 1989 was an important year for Wilkes became a tenant of the city, years until Evans Hall dormitory Beacon Poll Results The following are results of a poll that The Beacon conducted online this past week. The poll was unscientific, and does not claim to reflect the overall attitudes of students on campus. Results are based on 24 responses. The Beacon asked: Who do you think will win the NCAA basketball championship? • UNC-33% • UCLA-4% • Memphis-29% • Davidson-4% • Kansas-29% Next Week’s Question: Where would you like to see Wilkes go in the next 75 years? • Free parking and more parking available • New library and books • Expanded and solidified arts programs • New sidewalks • An entire campus that’s environmentally friendly • Chain restaurants and stores on campus • Grocery store on campus • The most advanced technology available to all students • Nationally renowned athletic teams • Nationally renowned academic programs Visit www.wilkesbeacon. com to cast your vote. Results will be published in next week’s issue of The Beacon. �APRIL 8, 2008 OPINION BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor Lee Cook sing “Eight Days a Week” as a don’t care for her. She sucks. She hasn’t been country song? I can’t be alone in this. There relevant since the early 90s. Also, did you has to be some sort of rule issued to prevent hear her rendition of “American Pie”? Way this from happening again, and not just with to ruin an American Classic, Madge. While respect to The Beatles. I’m talking about you’re at it, why not ruin baseball and apple The Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd, Queen, pies? Believe me, I’m sure you can find a The Who and Led Zeppelin. way. Buy the Yankees and re-name them These are some of the greatest musical “The Madge-Eyes” and start a campaign acts of all-time, and they deserve far to add cherry tomatoes and raisins to apple more than to be on some glorified karaoke pies nationwide. You’ve already started the contest. Their albums still hold up after annoying trend of celebrity “religions,” so more than three decades, and they run maybe you and Dane Cook could join forces circles around “artists” like Miley Cyrus, to create some sort of super-annoying cult Daughtry and Buckcherry. Pick up a copy of completely talentless people. of Led Zeppelin IV or Abbey Road and just Okay, back to the rant. listen. What are you listening to? My point is, just stay away from the Great Music.Not some tracks classic music, because there will that were thrown together in be, I swear to God, retribution if a studio by some producer any of those punks ruins “Stairway who thinks he knows to Heaven.” what a hit sounds like. Speaking of American Idol, the American Idol has no sad truth is that reality shows are business ruining classic still (unfortunately) popular. songs at the expense of Over the course of the precious ratings. last decade, the reality Here’s a novel idea: show, as we know it, ruin songs that are already has simultaneously terrible! Anything from been one of the most Maroon 5’s catalog is innovative, yet mindsufficient. Or Green numbingly repetitive Day. Or Matchbox 20. Stay away from the staples of primetime Zeppelin, Sanjaya! Or Madonna. Yes, I television. While The Angry Rant: Really Real Reality Seven years ago, a show by the name of Pop Idol debuted in the United Kingdom, and after some considerable success, it was quickly exported over The Pond, where it was then called American Idol. The show, for those who have been living under a rock, is a singing talent competition for which average, every day people can audition in hopes of taking home the big prize of fame and a record contract. The show caught fire here, and has since been a perennial ratings monster. It has consistently pumped out a stream of stars over the years, and even the audition episodes are funnier than most “comedies” these days (Wait, you mean to tell me that Owen Wilson plays a bodyguard to a group of nerds? This is the best thing to happen to American comedy since Abrahams and the Zuckers!). But I can’t help but feel offended by the decision to have this year’s contestants sing songs written by Paul McCartney and John Lennon for two weeks in a row. Granted, these are two of the best songwriters in the history of modern music, and they were the foundation of one of the greatest bands of our time, but was it really necessary to have their songs mangled for two weeks? Was it not painful enough to hear Kristy Courtesy of my-muski.com 7 the genre has been around for quite some time, it didn’t become the monster hit until Survivor aired in 2000. Since then, we’ve all been treated to a steady stream of bad knock-offs, which are hitting new lows, with more and more spawning every single day. If it’s not a contest to see who can win the heart of a wealthy oil baron, it’s probably about showbiz moms and their undeniable passion to turn their daughters into head cases with eating disorders. The biggest purveyor of these crimes against humanity is the sub-genre that is the “reality dating show,” which has somehow managed to survive, despite such blows to its usually classy and critically acclaimed track record (note the sarcasm). With a resume that includes such winners as Flavor of Love, I Love New York, Paradise Hotel, and Sex With Random Strangers on Camera For Limited Fame and a Guest Spot on Blind Date (that last one is made up, but you really thought it was a show for a second, didn’t you?) at the end of the day, our society is going to look back on this era and shake its head at the parade of gold-digging harpies and bleach blonde sex-pots who do nothing more than drink, fight, and say things like “I’m the classiest [insert derogatory female euphemism] in this entire house!” Ah, reality. If only I could meet a girl like that. Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy revolutionizing medical field BY GINO TROIANI Beacon Staff Writer/Photographer Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HBOT) is the medical use of pure oxygen at a higher than atmospheric pressure. Its concept is simple. Increased pressure enables higher amounts of oxygen to enter the blood stream, therefore, jumpstarting the healing process. Red blood cells are the most common type of blood cell in the human body. They are responsible for delivering oxygen from the lungs to the rest of the body via the blood stream. In many cases, increased oxygen can be key to many recovery processes. According to Michael Neumeister, M.D. in a recent article entitled “Hyperbaric Baric Oxygen Therapy” published in 2005, the first hyperbaric chambers date back to the late 1600’s. These chambers were used in the treatment of ailments such as inflammations, scurvy, arthritis, and rickets, but due to a lack of technology, minimal effectiveness was recorded. Still, throughout the years, many scientists kept playing with the idea, hoping one day for a medical breakthrough. That breakthrough came in the early 1900’s when Dr. Orville Cunningham discovered that patients with cardio vascular disorders improved significantly when moved to lower altitudes with denser air. With this finding, Cunningham took it upon himself to design a modern electric hyperbaric chamber, standing eight feet in diameter and thirty feet long. Cunningham used his chamber to treat multiple patients who suffered from the Spanish flu, and experienced tremendous results. However, because of the great depression in the 1930’s, he was no longer able to continue his research. In the 1970’s, similar chambers were designed and used by the armed forces to treat many diving and decompression illnesses such as the bends and caisson disease, suffered by Navy and Air force soldiers. Today these illnesses only represent three percent of all of the total uses for HBOT. In the last thirty-five years curiosity has led many doctors and scientists to conducted experiments on the effectiveness of hyperbaric therapy. Many studies have proven to show significant recovery increases in head injuries, myasthenia gravis, myocardial infraction, free skin graphs, sudden deafness, burns, glaucoma, leg ulcers, heart attacks, strokes, cerebral palsy, and carbon monoxide poisoning. HBOT is also commonly used to help treat autism. In 1991 the National Board of Diving and Hyperbaric Medical Technology (NBDHMT) introduced a standard certification program for all hyperbaric technicians. In typical HBOT, patients usually attend multiple treatments lasting thirty minutes to an hour. There are two types of chambers, monoplace, which hold one person at a time, and multiplace, which can hold multiple people at a time. The chamber is filled with pure oxygen usually compressed to around two times the normal atmospheric pressure. Because the oxygen is pressurized, it allows the patient to inhale roughly ten times their regular amount. The increased oxygen raises tissue oxygen levels, which is scientifically proven to stimulate the healing process. Because HBOT is still rare, it can range anywhere from $110 to $810 per treatment, and is not covered by most insurance companies. So if HBOT is so effective, why is it not used more often in the medical field? In an article published by Elmer M. Cranton, M.D. in 2001, he states that, “Doctors are rarely taught about hyperbaric oxygen therapy in medical school and therefore most do not know about it.” He also goes on to say that only around twenty medical schools in the United States have actual hyperbaric facilities. Although HBOT is not widely accepted in the medical community, the NBDHMT has reported that the field of hyperbaric medicine has experienced a large jump in both popularity and growth in the last ten years, and is expected to keep rising. If your looking to get your hands on your own inflatable hyperbaric chamber, they usually run anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000. Personally, I feel that HBOT will play an important role in the medical field in the near future. It is a brilliant technological advance, which I feel does not get recognition it deserves by the medical community. As doctors and scientists continue to conduct research on HBOT and prove its effectiveness, I feel that it will become standard procedure for many cases. It is an amazing thing to think about all of the patients and family members who will get the second chance that they deserve that might not have not been offered to them in the past. �APRIL 8, 2008 OPINION 8 Why did Elliot Spitzer resign, anyway? Here’s to you... Mr. World of Warcraft player! Ame ..~\.. h,,..fer---L~ ,.,;I\ J.,,r) ",\. ·,s f . . G.L,h ! t k•.+ tl,l Jr.p ~ .. o.,l 1 ~~""f•('o,.ry \ . i ..., ....,. ::r S., f oto-h,\ \ie.....J.. ~ r ~+ f .....-+~ i., f t••~f . . . .-~ ,~ /'\(Ji r 0 eif •..AJ.. .\,., ~.. k h.. kJ. i "' A Sight for Sore Eyes: By Aleksander Lapinski BY ANDEE SCARANTINO with Craig’s List and people soliciting via legalized? Well, for starters, the world Beacon Staff Writer the popular classified ads. However, experts would be a much safer place. Take a look at A few weeks ago, former governor of say that under the federal Communications Nevada, that has already started to experiNew York, Elliot Spitzer, resigned when Decency Act of 1996, the ads are legal and ment. Prostitutes are subjected to routine his involvement in a high-priced prostitu- web site owners are exempt from respon- STD tests, and monthly HIV testing. tion ring was discovered. According to The sibility for content posted by users. Hence, The sex industry in Switzerland brought New York Times, this made Spitzer New Craig’s List won lawsuits on this issue. So an immense amount of revenue into the York’s first governor since 1973 to do such basically, it’s legal to post an ad that says country. Things in Switzerland ran very a thing. Spitzer was elected into office by a “let me sit on your face for $20,” even smoothly until recently, when illegal trade landslide. though the actual act is not legal. of prostitutes from Eastern Europe began. Spitzer’s whole M.O. was to bring back In the end, though, the “oldest profes- When legal, money from the industry funethics to New York government. Hence, sion,” is, in fact, illegal in the United States. neled right back into the government. something of this magnitude put a major But much like the prohibition of alcohol all Where does the money from all of the ildamper on his platform, building to his ul- those decades ago, just because it’s illegal, legal prostitution in the United States go? timate resignation. Frankly, though, When people are arrested or I don’t know why he still isn’t in discovered, money funnels into office. It seems like the entire state Prostitution should be legal. It has been proven the legal system. Before being of New York is happy that he’s out; arrested, a portion of that money people in my office, people on the successful to legalize in many parts of the world. probably drains into the sale of streets, and even David Letterman. illegal drugs. Regardless, the ilHow does whom Spitzer sleeps legal trade perpetuates violence with have anything to do with how in America. doesn’t make the market dry up. Indeed, he runs the state of New York? We tend to want what we can’t have. Let’s go back for a moment to the issues consumers appear to remain abundant. And There are ways for the United States to fix of prostitution. Is it a problem in New York? with demand still high, providers can still the problem of prostitution. We can follow The answer is yes, though most prostitutes make money. Britain’s example, and make it legal, except But its illegal status ensures that prosti- for street-walking prostitutes. Or, perhaps do not bring in several thousand dollars in revenue from one quickie. Prostitution is tution rings exist and some sell underage we should follow the maverick example of very prominent in the Big Apple, and while girls. There are women being smuggled into the Netherlands in the year 2000, and deit is the world’s oldest profession, it has the country illegally. Violence results from velop something such as the notorious Red worked its way into many mainstream areas this practice, and because most of this hap- Light District. pens off the record and under the table, the like Craig’s List. According to “I Amsterdam,” the public According to a 2007 September article in government turns what I call a “naive eye.” information site for the city, “the police What would happen if prostitution were and the urban district council (Building and The New York Times, there were problems Housing Inspectorate) are the main bodies responsible for enforcing the various laws and stipulations, though sometimes the Health & Safety Inspectorate or Tax Administration are also brought in. Inspections are regularly held to assure that illegal or BY GINO TROIANI under-age prostitutes are not working in the Staff Writer/Photographer establishments.” The posted article adds, “The GG&GD (Municipal Health Services) plays a large role in supplying prostitutes with information and care. They provide regular surgeries, projects for various target groups and a free or low-cost clinic for sexually transmitted diseases. A number of smaller organizations, such as the Prostitutes’ Union, also provides information and support to prostitutes on all issues and problems. Simply put, if we legalize it, we can regulate it. Keeping it illegal is only furthering the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, violence, trade of under-age girls (and some males) for sex. Money from prostitution is not funneling into the economy, but rather into more illegal practices that cause vioDrawing by: Aleksander Lapinski lence. Yet, Elliot Spitzer resigned because he For eight hours every day you sit in front of a computer staring at a screen of indecided to have sex with a prostitute, and tense smiting and battle strategy. Sure, your lack of exercise and communication got caught. has had a major impact on your hygiene and social life, but nothing is going to But get off of your church pews, America. hinder the quest of leveling up your warrior to 70. Keep on keeping on! ~;t ~ The family values you hold near and dear, “Puritan residue,” are leading to corruption and violence in this great nation. We could take a firm grip on the prostitution industry. We could make it, if not safe, then far safer than it is today. But no, instead we mock, criticize, publicly bash, and humiliate a man who otherwise has done nothing to deserve the loss of his position in this society. Maybe everyone should take a look around and rethink their status here. Maybe Spitzer shouldn’t be America’s grand example. Ok, he’s a bad husband. He joins scores of other politicians on that front. He’s a hypocrite. Again, he joins scores of other politicians on that front. But his idea to clean up government...still a pretty good one and he’d be still working on it were Americans not so stuck in some sort of Scarlet Letter vortex. Bottom line: Elliot Spitzer resigned because of Puritan America. Congratulations. While so many stand atop soap boxes and preach values, ethics, etc, some of you are probably wishing you could afford what Spitzer did. Second bottom line: Prostitution should be legal. It has been proven successful to legalize in many parts of the world. It would be successful here, as well. Take all of that as you will. Fin. �LIFESTYLES APRIL 8, 2008 Student of the Week Take Back the Night 10 11 9 Student volunteers work to influence the vote BY CHRISTINE ZAVASKAS Beacon Asst. Lifestyles Editor establish phone banks. Sborz feels that students are especially effective campaign volunteers, particularly when speaking to other students. “We felt it was important to volunteer and to donate our services so that we can encourage students on a student-to-student basis to register to vote, to understand the issues, and not be afraid to come over to the table and talk to us, unlike if it was somebody else from the campaign,” said Sborz While overall Sborz enjoys volunteering, The 2008 Presidential primary season seems to have taken over most of the nation, and college campuses are no exception. Not only do the Democratic candidates find collegiate locations attractive places for a rally or town hall meeting, but campuses have also become connected to the campaigns through the efforts of many students who volunteer for the candidates. According to Frank Rothman, spokesperson for Senator Hillary FOR ~ Clinton’s CamHILLARY! paign, the number and role of student volunteers for Clinton is significant. “We’ve had an outpouring of support from colleges in the area, as well as from young votAll photos The Beacon/Matthew Gogas ers… I know the campaign office David Sborz talks to fellow student volunteer, Angela Wood, just opened a cou- at the opening of Clinton’s campaign headquarters in Wilkesple of days ago and Barre. I’ve seen a lot of young voters in here already making calls, he does note that at times it can be diffiheading out to campuses, and talking to cult. people,” said Rothman. “It takes a lot of time. First and foremost, One student that Rothman may have we’re students and there’s a lot of time you observed hard at work is David Sborz, a have to give to your academics, so somejunior criminology and political science times the volunteering kind of gets to you. major. Sborz is a member of the Political The other thing I do not like is canvassScience Club, which together with College ing. I choose not to do it anymore because Democrats, has worked to help connect you can get very negative responses from Wilkes University with both Democratic people... Especially when you knock on the campaigns. door of a person who is absolutely not for “Right now, I’m actually volunteering your candidate,” said Sborz. for the Obama campaign, however HillSome may find it surprising that Sborz’s ary Clinton is going to open an office on primary goal as a volunteer is not to influWednesday and we’re also going down ence people to vote a certain way, but inthere... Only just to keep it fair and bal- stead just to cast an educated vote. anced for the school, so it doesn’t look like “I think it means more to me to get more we’re endorsing one candidate over the students involved in the process. I think other,” said Sborz. that’s an encouraging sign about this camSborz, who volunteers about five hours paign, especially on the Democratic side, per week, has been doing a large variety is that we’re getting students excited to of things to help out the Obama campaign. continue in the process or get themselves In addition to working to create a link be- involved in the process for the first time. tween Wilkes’ student supporters and the That’s my big push,” said Sborz. campaign, he has also helped register stuOther student volunteers are motivated to dents to vote, distributed signs, and helped take time out of their busy schedules to vol- unteer for a campaign based on their strong belief in a candidate. Michele Fine, a science major at Luzerne County Community College, began volunteering for the Clinton campaign last month, after being a supporter of the candidate for several years. “I want to help Hillary make history. I think it’s very important to get the word out at this day and time that there are so many things that Hillary can do for us to make us better and stronger as a country,” said Fine. However, Fine admits that as a student who also works, it is hard to find time to help out with the campaign. She notes that good time management is what allows her to volunteer approximately four hours a week. Her tasks have included helping with voter registration and making phone calls. As far as training that she received from the Clinton campaign, Fine said, “I know if you want to do phone calls, they ask you to come in and go over some points and ideas and ways to make the calls, how to go out and on college campuses a priority... Here in the state of Pennsylvania we have about 50 active chapters of Student for Obama... It’s a unique opportunity for people to really see democracy in action.” One student who has taken advantage of this opportunity is Wesley Evans, a freshman chemical engineering major at Penn State University’s Wilkes-Barre campus. Evans volunteers approximately 27 hours a week as a local call center manager for Obama’s campaign. His duties include making phone calls, meeting with other volunteers, and helping with data entry. Although this is the first election he is volunteering in, he does not think it will be his last. “I plan to do this for the rest of my life. After this campaign is over, the one person I work with runs for stuff in Plymouth, and I already told him, ‘Hey man, I’m here.’ It’s hard, it’s stressful at times when the polls aren’t looking good, but generally there’s nothing else you can do that makes you feel more important,” said Evans. The time he has spent volunteering has also been a learning experience for Evans, who feels that he discovered he shared a lot of common ground with people who were very different from him in terms of demographics. He also said, “I’ve learned that despite my cynicism for America and the way things have gone in the past eight years... there are so many people out there that if you give them the chance they will help.” Evans recommends the experience of volunteering for a campaign to any student, as does Sborz. Michele Fine, a student at Luzerne County Community College, “I think the experivolunteers for Clinton’s campaign approximately four hours a ence is unbelievable, week. regardless of if you talk to the people and tell them about some ever practice in politics or ever get involved of her plans. So, you might call it training.” in the political process beyond this point... The Obama campaign also recognizes You’re dealing with people all the time, the importance of student volunteers to the you’re working the phones, you’re learning organization, you’re learning structure, and campaign. According to Debbie Mesloh, spokes- you’re learning leadership. I think these are woman for the Obama Campaign, “They all important attributes that everyone should (student volunteers) play a crucial role. have regardless of what job they choose to From the very beginning of Senator go into,” said Sborz. Obama’s campaign he has made organizing �LIFESTYLES 10 APRIL 8, 2008 Student of the Week: Jeffrey Niemiec all the time on weekends. We would leave on Friday and come back on Sunday. We would see speeches constantly on Saturday and Sunday. I started to love it and understand a lot about it and coming in as a freshman I knew the most about it and we didn’t have a really developed team, the kids just voted me president because I knew the most about and could help them out. BY MATTHEW GOGAS Beacon Staff Writer When Jeffrey Niemiec was young, he dreamed of building roller coasters. So when he started at Wilkes University, he decided to study mechanical engineering to make his life-long dream a reality. Niemiec, a sophomore, joined the Speech and Debate team. Now president of the club, The Beacon: Tell us about the upcoming trip to Austin to Jeff traveled to Austin, Texas last weekend with the rest of the team to compete in a national speech and debate tourna- compete nationally. Niemiec: We are going to be at the University of Texas ment. Because of his work in the mechanical engineering department and on the Speech and Debate Team, The Bea- in Austin competing. In speech and debate there are three different types of nationals. One is invitational and two you con chose Jeff as its Student of the Week. have to qualify for. This is the best national. This is the The Beacon: Why did you decide to join the Speech and highest tier national tournament. We start competing on Saturday and then continue on Sunday and Monday. We fly Debate Team? Niemiec: Speaking ability is something that can be used back Tuesday. Last year I think there were 82 schools comregardless of what profession. It’s pretty important. I actu- peting, so this is the best event in speech and debate. ally have an issue. I am a fast talker and I’m attempting The Beacon: Have you established friendships with any to fix that problem, so the Speech and Debate Team has helped me. It’s really helped me slow down like having to of the Speech and Debate Team members? Niemiec: Oh yes, definitely yes. Both Alyssa and Raquel practice constantly. I’m mainly there to slow down. I know I’m going to talk to after college I know. We spend The Beacon: How did you become the president of the a continuous 72 hours together six times a semester, so we have become really good friends. Speech and Debate Team? Niemiec: Well I did it in high school and my sister actuThe Beacon: How do you feel about your time here at ally went here when I was in high school. She was on the Speech and Debate Team also and I went around with her Wilkes University? Courtesy of Dan Broyles Jeff Niemiec, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, prepares for his speech at a debate tournament. Niemiec: I know for a fact that I am much happier with Wilkes because of the Speech and Debate Team. I found my niche here which is the speech team. We have the whole bottom floor of Capin Hall. We call it the batcave and I’m down there for like six hours a day just working on speech stuff or homework. If I didn’t have that niche, I don’t think I would be as happy. "Live Acoustic Music" Wednesday Night A pri1 9th from 6 :30-8 :30pm Paul l\'1artin "Signer Songwriter" Bring your student ID the night of the p erfor- mance and get 25% off your cafe order. . "Stozy time with ~ Winnie the Pooh" ~ Sa.turoa.y, April 12th Live Music FromN ew York City Friday, April 11th 7:30 -10:30pm -~-~~ Sara Wendt & Jen Elliot -~..: - TUDE - 11 :00-12 :00 orit forget to sell yolll' textbooks brl any ime at the bookstore! We will be on cam du.ring the week of exams for buyback.! CAll: BILL HENRY at 2.15-161--4619 ES S.rTE FOR IN FORMATION 0R C:HE<lK THE 1 �APRIL 8, 2008 LIFESTYLES 11 Take Back the Night brings to light issues of violence BY CHRISTA SGOBBA Beacon Lifestyles Editor By the time girls reach 18 years old, one out of every four will be a victim of sexual violence. For boys, the number is one out of every six. These statistics, given by Pat Rushton, the outreach manager of the Wilkes-Barre Victims Resource Center, show the prevalence of sexual violence in current society. On Wednesday, April 16, the Victims Resource Center will be holding its annual Take Back the Night Rally, a gathering that encourages women, men, and children to band together to raise awareness of violence of any kind. The rally is held during Sexual Assault Awareness month, a dedication designed to not only boost community awareness of sexual violence, but also to work towards its prevention on both national and local levels. More specifically, the rally will occur during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, which starts the week of April 13 and was first dedicated in 1981 by Ronald Reagan. “The rally is important because it raises awareness in the community about victimization and the rights of those victims,” said Rushton. “It takes place during National Victims’ Rights Week, a time set aside to build public awareness of the challenges victims face, their rights, and the resources available to them.” The Take Back the Night Rally has been hosted in Wilkes-Barre for nearly 20 years, and has experienced a spike in participation over the last few years because of college students’ attendance. Held in the Henry Student Center last year, the rally drew over 100 people and became standing-room only. This year, the rally will be held in Public Courtesy of Pat Rushton Square. Starting at 5:30 P.M., students and community members will first gather at either Wilkes or Kings College, and will meet up in the Square by 6:00 P.M. “There will usually be around 200 to 300 people at the rally, and since it’s in a larger venue, we expect to have a lot more people there,” said Megan Boone, the coordinator of student development at Wilkes. “There will be Misiericordia University students coming down, community members, high school students from the local schools, and members of local agencies will be sending representatives as well.” At the Square, crime victims will share their personal stories publicly, and give the audience a first-hand account of what it felt like to live through a crime, and the challenges that continue to remain. Courtesy of Pat Rushton According to Boone, hearing these Volunteers display the Clothesline Project at the Take Back the Night Rally last year. From stories can open up dialogue about left: Karen Lindsay, Victims Resource Center; Rodel Dunn, Victims Resource Center; crime, and help victims feel comfortValerie Martinez, Wilkes University, Tammi Burke, Victims Resource Center; Gretchen able enough to report their own atYeninas, Wilkes University advising coordinator and vice president of Victims Resource tacks. Center Board of Directors. “Being at the rally and hearing the survivors speak can be really challengthe Victims Resource Center. with the Clothesline Project. This program, ing, but also very empowering,” she said. “These T-shirts used by the women who which was started at the Victims Resource “It’s not kept in the dark, and it’s not a se- have been involved in the Victims Resource Center, allows men who were victims of cret anymore. When secrets are kept out in Center are used as a canvas where they can sexual assault to express their victimization the open, they become less powerful.” express their victimization of a certain through artwork on bed sheets. Before the actual rally, representatives crime, how they survived it, and how they The Shoe Project is a display of all differof the Victims Resource Center will be at feel about it today,” said Rushton. ent kinds of shoes, from childhood school the Student Center handing out pamphlets Started years ago in Cape Cod, the shoes to more sophisticated stilettos, which and brochures giving information on sexual Clothesline Project was developed to bring victims may have worn when they were atviolence and ways to avoid victimization. to light the issue of sexual violence. Be- tacked. Attached to these shoes are the stoSeveral of their projects will also be on dis- fore, women were expected to keep it quiet ries of the victims. play. and to avoid mentioning it in public. “The shoes represent the time in their The Clothesline Project will feature deco“At one time, women who were vic- life when the victimization occurred,” said rated T-shirts from individuals who utilized tims of sexual violence were told by their Rushton. “For example, a shoe that reprefamilies that they shouldn’t sents what a college student may wear can air their dirty laundry in pub- represent a date rape. The Shoe Project lic,” said Rushton. “But then helps us put ourselves in the shoes of a rape women started saying, ‘we’re victim.” being victimized,’ and people Boone believes that Take Back the Night needed to start knowing what is an important event for the entire comwas happening.” munity, not only crime victims, because it Other projects include shows the members that there are resourcBlowing in the Wind and the es available to them if they ever become Shoe Project. Blowing in the personally affected by a crime. Bringing Wind gives male victims the to light awareness of sexual violence also chance to express their feel- shows the community it is a problem that ings on victimization, just is taken seriously by law enforcement and like women were able to do community organizations. “It shows the community that certain Students from Wilkes Uni- things will not be tolerated. We recognize versity and King’s College, that situations happen, and as a commualong with community mem- nity, we won’t tolerate them,” said Boone. bers, listen to speakers share “It shows that we will take back the night, their stories at the Take Back and take back our courage, and fight for our the Night Rally last year. rights as citizens.” �A&E APRIL 8, 2008 Indian Dinner Kudracross Revolver DVD 13 14 15 “Sweetheart Like You” brings new audiences to Sordoni The Beacon/Gino Troiani The Beacon/Gino Troiani The Beacon/Gino Troiani BY ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Asst. A&E Editor Cory Cut Throat. Zombetty. Vikki Sin. Mean Kristeen. These are all names of female members of the Coal City Rollers, a local roller derby team and the subjects of photographer, Michael Poster. Poster’s photographs are currently displayed at the Sordoni Art Gallery in an exhibit entitled “Sweetheart Like You” derived from Bob Dylan’s 1983 album “Infidels.” The photographs will be on display until May 4, in the gallery located in Stark Learning Center on South River Street. A local photographer from Montrose, PA, Poster attended the Philadelphia College of Art in the late sixties. His interest in the Coal City Rollers was sparked after hearing about the team in an article. Roller derby as a sport was high in popularity during the 1940s. “Sweetheart Like You” opened Sunday, March 30, in an opening which Ronald Bernier, the Sordoni director, described as more like a “party” than a traditional galley opening. He added that this can sometimes be intimidating to those who are novices in the field of art. People who ordinarily would not visit a gallery opening stopped by to see Poster’s work on March 30th. Members of the Coal City Rollers, their families and friends all attended an opening full of music from different eras and photography. The photographs bring a different audience to the gallery. Bernier explained the exhibit “isn’t the traditional high art painting on the walls.” In turn, people feel more comfortable viewing photographs versus sculptures and paintings in a museum-like setting. Already Bernier has seen an increase in the number of students visiting Sordoni. An entire class visited the exhibit the first week “Sweetheart Like You” was open. Poster’s photographs capture not necessarily the action on the rink, but the “unscripted and un-posed” moments of the women on the team, Bernier explained. The photographs attempt to capture the bonds and friendships developing on the sidelines. Bernier also said the photographs break through the traditional stereotypes of women on a roller derby team. Roller derby has become a hobby for these women who, in many cases, have professional careers with families of their own. Mean Kristeen and Vikki Sin are two examples of “stage names” these women had adapted for the Coal City Rollers. The women use these aggressive names to adopt a persona while in roller derbies. In many ways, photography is an art everyone can participate in, which may attribute to people feeling more comfortable with the current Sordoni exhibit versus those in the past. From cell phones to digital cameras, photography is accessible to everyone, Bernier explained. In a personal statement by Michael Poster from October 2007, he said, “I look for the moment that expresses something relevant about the women in front of the camera. By isolating a specific, incidental event from the activity on the skating rink I record what might otherwise go unnoticed. With luck, the collected result of these efforts is a coherent description of this remarkable group of young women.” The statement describes exactly what Poster aims to capture in his photographs of the Coal City Rollers and can be found in a pamphlet handed out at the Sordoni Art Gallery exhibit. Bernier hopes the new crowd “Sweetheart Like You” brings to the gallery will also feel less intimidating visiting future exhibits at Sordoni. Hopefully, people will enjoy this exhibit and visit again. The lives of the women on the Coal City Rollers can possibly best be described by the lyrics from Bob Dylan’s song, “Sweetheart Like You.” ”You know, a woman like you should be at home, that’s where you belong, watching out for someone who loves you true, who would never do you wrong. Just how much abuse will you be able to take? Well, there’s no way to tell by that first kiss. What’s a sweetheart like you doin’ in a dump like this?” The Sordoni Art Gallery is open seven days a week from 12:00pm to 4:30pm. Admission is free. Appointments can also be set up. Please call the Sordoni Art Gallery at 4084325 for more information. In the photography collection,“Sweetheart Like You,” photography Michael Poster chronicles the lives of local roller derby girls off of the rink. �APRIL 8, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13 A taste of Indian culture makes its way west BY MARISSA PHILLIPS Beacon A&E Editor On April 17 Wilkes University community members will get a taste of India, in terms of both food and culture. Dr. Marcia Farrell, in conjunction with the English department, has planned an Indian dinner along with pannel discussion with scholars on Indian literature and art in order to inform students and faculty about various aspects of Indian culture, as well as educate students on the various creative avenues that can be pursued after college. Farrell is currently teaching an Indian literature seminar and planned the event primarily to coincide with the class, but also for the general student body. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m., with a traditional Indian dinner, and at 7:30 p.m. in Kirby 305, the event will continue with the panel dicussion and Q&A session. After the Q&A, refreshments with be served, such as chai tea, sesame cookies, and Indian rice pudding. Although the dinner is specifically for the literature class, the panel discussion and refreshments follow- ing are open to the public. The panel discussion with feature three scholars, Dr. Amardeep Singh, Dr. Elizabeth Stone, and Richard Stone. Singh is an assistant professor at Lehigh University who will be speaking about Indian literature. Singh may discuss prominent Indian author, Tagore, although may also touch upon concepts such as “hybridity,” which coincide with the teachings within the class. Kacy Muir, a senior in the class, explained that she expects it to be a successful event that will “expand upon our understanding of Indian culture through both the speakers and the food.” Dr. Elizabeth Stone is a freelance writer for the Metropolitan Museum of Art and has participated in archeological digs in India, including a notable excavation sponsored by a German museum that paved the way for American archeologists to be allowed in India. Richard Stone, Elizabeth’s husband, is a curator at the Met and his work involves authenticating ancient art. Elizabeth Stone will discuss how the first paper she ever wrote for the Met led into her professional archeology career, and Richard Stone will CUMB be discussing the process of authenticating ancient work. Farrell came across the scholars in different ways. She attended a conference with Singh years ago, and explained his work with Indian literature as “interesting and groundbreaking.” Elizabeth and Richard Stone, one the other hand, were referred to Farrell by one of her students, Geoff Forman, who is related to them. Farrell explained that when she found out about their work she realized it would be interesting to present to students, especially since Elizabeth Stone is a freelance writer working at an art museum and “is bridging writing with artistic research.” Farrell explained that “the idea is to introduce any students that would be interested in English and art and that there are a variety of ways to get careers in these sort of special, artistic fields.” Farrell wishes to show students with unique interests that there are methods to attain actual careers out of Photo www.writespirit.net one’s interests. One of the topics of discussion during the event will be the influential Indian author, RabindranathTagore. LAND • Private bath with shower • Free Internet access • Laundry • Free off-street parking • Free water, sewer, & trash. • Secure entry/ Remote access-buzz in • Fully-equipped granite kitchen • Cable TV 17 West Ross Street Wilkes-Barre, PA www.cumberlandliving.com 570-687-2220 �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Kudracross BY CHRISTOPHER KUDRAK Beacon Staff Writer 1 6 9 13 14 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 26 31 32 33 35 39 40 42 43 45 46 47 49 51 55 56 57 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 ACROSS Enclose snugly Pirate affirmative E=MC2 part Sun related Pros partner List ending abbr. Got up Impolite Crossword component Not edited for inappropriate material Disdain Young bear Collection of useful numbers First-year student Negative prefix Prowl Molecule component Prospector “Heat of the moment” musi cians Autumn beverage Musical closing Eighth letter of the Greek alphabet Hand over Tel follower Jurassic or Paleozoic Mimic Weight for exercise Beverage holder Common cookie Law maker Ambiance Cosmetics brand Unpredicted ending Type of ski lift Zeus’ wife Yard barrier Castle material? "? .... 70 71 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 15 21 25 26 27 28 29 30 34 36 37 38 41 44 48 50 51 52 53 54 58 59 60 61 62 Elongated fish Steals DOWN Brother of Jacob Poetic AM hours Group united for a common reason Freedom from difficulty Saturate Like circus performers BYOB part Concluded Pencil type Earth supporter Cooking method Rain and snow Automobile type Poisonous plant Huckleberry Finn character Plane and level Expedite PA port city Tony Hawks specialty Points of leaf attachment Aloe, for example Exploding star Amend Dancing party Romulus (twin brother) “Roses _____ red” Islam deity Raise to higher level Crew crafts Caribbean retreat Showed again, as on TV Anti-flood barrier Cheney’s predecessor Territory Honky ________ _____ upon a midnight dreary…. Sandwich breads /Je,6 c,'U o/ ti,,,, t,/u,i Have you ever seen or heard of the “The Landlord?” You know that video with Will Ferrell and the adorable little girl? Surprisingly, that one is not a YouTube video…well it is but that is not where the internet phenomenon originated. FunnyOrDie.com is the home to “The Landlord” and a variety of other hilarious videos. FunnyOrDie.com features many videos starring celebrities and some non-celebrities. Eva Longoria “sex tape,” Jeremy Piven, Brooke Shields playing a gangster soccer mom, a Fergie spelling bee, and Michael Cera being fired APRIL 8, 2008 2 13 17 :JD r1.I ao Gl GZ 71 1 2 l B E T H A C R 1T R H I A L N T 0 N A Answers 4/1/2008 14 G$ R E L 58 G R E a~ E V E L E T E 98 s N R 5 E N C E 5 T A R FunnyOrDie.com BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor from “Knocked Up” are just a few of the celebrity cameos on the website. You can search the videos by keyword, recently added, most viewed, most favorited, highest rated, most buzz, chosen ones, immortals, and NSFW. For those who are not cyber savvy, NSFW means not safe for work. The NSFW contains classics such as “99 Words for Boobs.” Just kidding, about labeling it a classic…the video actually exists. The rankings for videos from highest to lowest go; chosen ones, immortals, walking tall, kinda cute, uh-oh, and the crypt. “The Landlord” is obviously a chosen one. I would avoid searching by rank if you are at work or in the library because some raunchy videos do come up in those categories. There is a channel labeled clean comedy if you are worried about something inappropriate popping up on your screen. It is much easier to find the videos that you are looking for on this website as opposed to YouTube but it only contains funny videos. If funny videos are what you are looking for, this site it perfect for that. I give this website an HAY for Humorous Alternative to YouTube. �15 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT APRIL 8, 2008 New DVD: Revolver BY MIKE WILLIAMS Beacon Staff Writer Ten years ago, Guy Ritchie introduced us to a new breed of crime film when he gave us the gritty, fast paced, multi-plotlined London caper comedy Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. Fans were hooked. Then, two years later, he reloaded and came back with another cinematic bull’s eye, with another frenetic, darkly comedic, cockney slang spewing, action comedy in the form of Snatch. It seemed like Ritchie could do no wrong and the next big thing in Hollywood would be a guy from across the pond; then he met Madonna and has been firing blanks ever since, including their 2002 project Swept Away which swept the Razzies, the polar opposite of an oscar, earning an award for Worst Actress: Madonna, Worst Director: Ritchie and Worst Picture. It seemed as though we had lost Guy for good. Then in 2005, fans everywhere rejoiced when they saw that Ritchie was once again doing what he does best, making movies sans Madonna, and teaming up with Lock, Stock and Snatch alumni Jason Statham (Crank) along with several big time stars for this side of the Atlantic to yet again deliver on a crime caper to remember. This was going to be awesome. This was going to be the Guy Ritchie that we had waited for years to return. This was never going to be released in America… Finally, three years after its European release, Revolver has hit the States, released directly to DVD, a disappointment to those who hoped to see it on the big screen, but an overall relief for those who have waited years to see whether or not Ritchie has still got it. But was it worth the wait? Well, that’s a tough one to answer. Upon renting Guy’s latest, if you’re expecting to see another film in the vein of Snatch and Lock, Stock you very well may be disappointed, because besides the presence of Statham, Revolver bares little resemblance. However, if you’re willing to try new things and don’t mind following a plot that’ll have you hitting the rewind button more than once, that it’s worth a shot. Rather than another crime caper, Ritchie has opted to try something different. Very different. A warped mash up of elements from his previous films mixed with a bit of Fight Club, Boondock Saints and Kill Bill, Revolver is a fast paced, color coded psychological thriller that follows Jake Green (Statham), a severely claustrophobic profesA drastic departure from his earlier films, Ritchie cannot sional gambler/con man as he returns to his life after serving be blamed for trying something new; however, those desa seven year prison sentence. Upon his release he goes out perately hoping to see the fast talking, slick suited gangto confront his old nemesis, casino owner and crime lord ster flick that Ritchie fans have been waiting for almost Mr. Macha (Ray Liotta, Goodfellas). After their encounter, nine years may come off feeling slightly disappointed. If in which Green swindles Macha out of a fortune in a game you can handle a movie that guarantees a bit of a mind of chance, Green’s life begins to swirl dangerously out of bender, filled with more plot twists and flashbacks that control, as Macha put’s out a hit on Jake to stop the chance most human brains can possibly handle in one sitting than of any future embarrassments and Jake is approached by Revolver is worth watching…several times. two mysterious loan sharks Zach(Vincent Pastore; The SoGrade: B-….we think. pranos) and Avi (Andre Benjamin; Idlewild) who claim that Graphic courtesy vision.cs.princeton.edu they alone can save Jake, from all the dangers that await him, both external and internal. All Jake has to do is whatever they say. Tuesday, April 8 - Nursing Fair at the Marts Gym at 10:30 a.m. From this point on, the - Zolof the Rock and Roll Destroyer, Mercy Mercedes, The Casting Out and A con is on. As Zach and Avi beGolden Era performing at Cafe Metropolis at 6:30 p.m. gin to bleed Jake dry, they as- Open Mic Night at Fuse at 9 p.m. Wednesday, April 9 sist him in running a series of - I’m Not There playing at the Kirby Center at 1 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. scams to ruin Macha, ripping Thursday, April 10 him off and setting all his en- Visual and Performing Arts Department presenting Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” at the Darte Center at 8 p.m. emies against him, including - Pancake Brothers Comedy Improv at Test Pattern at 8 p.m. the mysterious underworld - Comedy at Donahue’s at 10 p.m. kingpin Mr. Gold. As the story Friday, April 11 - Sordoni Art Gallery Spring Bus Tour to Philadelphia unfolds, it becomes clear that - Poetry Reading at Arena Hub Plaza Barnes and Noble at 7 p.m. everything is rather unclear, - George Wesley performing at the Jazz Cafe who is conning who, is Jake - One Night of Queen at the Kirby Center at 8 p.m. - Jack’s Mannequin Concert at the Kingston Armory at 8 p.m. mentally stable and who will - Johnny Action Figure, Adam Nixon and Paul Rogai performing at Test Pattern be left standing when this huat 8 p.m. man game of chess is finished. - Visual and Performing Arts Department presenting Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” at the Darte Center at 8 p.m. To find out, you’ll have to see - The Altercation Magazine Comedy Tour: featuring JT Habersaat, Duncan it yourself. Wilder, Richie Stratton, Chris Cubas and Ruby Collins at Cafe All in all, especially for Metropolis at 9 p.m. Saturday, April 12 Ritchie fans, Revolver is worth - Block Party beginning at 11 a.m. the rental fee. And for anyone - Northeastern Pennsylvnia Philharmonic performing at the Kirby Center at 8 p.m. who wants to fully understand - Visual and Performing Arts Department presenting Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” at the Darte Center at 8 p.m. the film, it might merit watch- The Minor White, And the Moneynotes and Drink Up Buttercup performing at ing two or three more times, Test Pattern at 8 p.m. as the plot has the tendency to - Matt Pond Pa, Strand of Oaks and the New Motels performing at Cafe Metropolis at 8 p.m. become so choppy and convo- These Elk Forever and TBA performing at Donahue’s 8 p.m. luted that there are times the Sunday, April 13 viewer might feel as though - Visual and Performing Arts Department presenting Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” at the Darte Center at 2 p.m. they are being conned themselves. No more contacts. No glasses? It’s Possible! NO WORRIES! THIS SUMMER, EARN CREDITS AND SAVE MONEY! Butler Eyecare has special Student Pricing! Transferable Credits • Affordable Tuition • Online Classes 20% discount on Frames $49 eye exams Choose from three sessions 822-8727 yecare for everyone www .butlereyecare.com Schedule of Events 34 S. Main St. Across from SUBWAY Summer I Term: May 12 – June 26 Mid-Summer Term: June 2 – July 23 Summer II Term: July 7 – August 20 The Path to Possibilities ™ �SPORTS 16 APRIL 8, 2008 Commentary G AME OF THE WEEK New York Yankees v. Boston Red Sox Take Long-time rivalry gets off to an early start Double Steph examines BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor It’s April again, and that means only one thing: Baseball season. As America’s pastime resumes from its seasonal hiatus, the usual suspects are emerging from the pack with the long range goal of taking part in the Fall Classic. Like every other season, the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees are going to lead the American League East, as their large payrolls and legendary rivalry take center stage. The rivalry gets off to a quick start this season, as the Yankees head to Fenway Park in Boston for a three game series that starts on Friday, April 11. Last season, the New York Yankees struggled mightily out of the box, going 914, landing at the bottom of the American League East. The Bronx Bombers would eventually right the ship, thanks to some great hitting by MVP Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod) and some timely pitching newcomer Joba Chamberlain. The Yankees would finish with a 94-68 record en route to a Wild Card berth, making it the 13th consecutive year that they’ve made the playoffs. Their postseason troubles would continue, however, as they lost in four games to the Cleveland Indians. In the off-season, the Yankees brought back veterans Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte, while inking A-Rod to a 10-year contract. Despite being unable to land ace pitcher Johan Santana in the offseason, the Yankees are still heading into this season with a solid starting staff, which is similar to last season. Veterans Chien-Ming Wang (19-7, 3.70) Mike Mussina (11-10, 5.15) and Pettitte (15-9, 4.05) join youngster Ian Kennedy (10, 1.89) and phenom Phillip Hughes (5-3, 4.46), with Chamberlain (1 save, 0.38) and Rivera (30 saves, 3.15 ERA) finishing up things in the bullpen. With A-Rod (.314, 54 HR, 156 RBI) back in the lineup, this team is going to beat up on a lot of teams with the likes of veterans Derek Jeter (.322, 109 runs) and Bobby Abreu (.283, 103 RBI), slugger Hideki Matsui (.285, 25 HR) and second baseman Robinson Cano (.306, 97 RBI) swinging the bats. The most important move for the team, however, may very well be the departure of long-time manager Joe Torre, who was replaced by former Yankee and 2006 Manager of the Year, Joe Girardi. While it is still too early to tell whether or not Girardi will have an impact, the Yankees are going to be put to the test early, as they battle long-time rival and reigning World Series champions, the Boston Red Sox. After dispatching the Colorado Rockies in a four-game sweep last October, the Red Sox make quick decisions to resign veterans Curt Schilling and Mike Lowell, who were key components to their success last season. While the Red Sox were also heavily involved in the sweepstakes to land Johan Santana, they opted to keep their young talent, opting for a core that includes the likes of Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester and Jacoby Ellsbury. That core gives the Red Sox high expectations heading into this season, as the team roster is nearly identical to last year. However, injuries to pitchers Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling have left the team without their two aces, leaving Japanese import Daisuke Matsuzaka (15-12, 4.40), rookie Clay Buchholz (3-1, 1.59), 2007 Game 4 World Series winner Jon Lester (4-0,4.57) and knuckleballer Tim Wakefield (17-12, 4.76) to stymie the opposing bats. At the back end of the pitching staff, The Red Sox have Jonathan Papelbon (37 saves, 1.85) will be closing out the games, with Hideki Okajima (5 saves, 2.22) pulling 8th inning duty. Like last season, The Red Sox are going to score a lot of runs, with a lineup that consists of 2007 Rookie of the Year Dustin Pedroia (.317, 86 runs), rookie Jacoby Ells- bury (.353, 3 HR), 2007 World Series MVP Mike Lowell (.324, 120 RBI), and perennial sluggers David Ortiz (.332, 35 HR, 117 RBI) and Manny Ramirez (.296. 20 HR). The American League East is going to be another slugfest this season, and these two teams are going to be atop the division yet again. Despite the lineups of these two powerhouses, the game is going to come down to pitching, and early on this season, the Red Sox have the slight edge. While the Yankees rotation is solid, the Red Sox are younger, and as they proved last season, they have the ability to pitch in the big games. The Pick: Game 1: Red Sox 4, Yankees 2 Game 2: Red Sox 8, Yankees 5 Game 3: Yankees 8, Red Sox 2 the stats that truly matter... BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor Leggings, Justin Timberlake, and that stupid “JAGER BOMBS” YouTube video.... you know how sometimes you hate something or someone just because they are so popular? Well, this week I am supposed to choose between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox. I am totally giving this one to the Boston Red Sox for the very reason that the Yankees are overrated. Whenever I see a person wearing a Yankees shirt, I think nothing of it. Whenever I see a person wearing a Yankees shirt, hat, socks, armband and various other fan merchandise I want to laugh. I’ve seen a few Boston Red Sox shirts in my day, but never fans that are so over the top as Yankee fans. What is it about these New York Yankees? Are they the best team? Do they win all of the time? Well, I can’t answer any of these questions because I just don’t know. What I do know is that any team that has become such a big cultural phenomenon needs to be brought down a notch. I mean, I feel badly for the other not as popular teams. The Yankees are like the queen bee. All of the other teams aspire to be like Yankees. They had Billy Crystal play for them! They are a big deal. But like the movie, Mean Girls, it has come time to overthrow the queen bee and open up the playing field for someone else to rule supreme. The Red Sox will obviously be the Lindsay Lohan of the league and take the queen bee crown. Unfortunately in that movie, Lindsay Lohan’s character also loses the title…but it’s a moral ending, so it is all good. They are better off being her character and not her in real life, train wreck. I do realize that many people are probably offended at this point. I would just like to take a moment to note that I don’t hate the Yankees. I actually don’t feel anything toward them. But, I still feel like there should be a different team that I hear about all of the time and not just the damned Yankees. �SPORTS APRIL 8, 2008 Men’s tennis tops Arcadia 8-1 in conference match 17 victor over Blankenship at fourth singles to make it 6-1. Gardner then topped Alex Schindenes, 6-0, 6-0 at the fifth position and Fanelli Wilkes University won all three doubles gained a 6-1, 6-1 victory over Catalano at the matches on their way to an 8-1 Freedom sixth spot to give Wilkes the 8-1 win. Conference men’s tennis win at Arcadia University on Saturday afternoon. The win improved the Colonels to 9-2 overall and 3-1 in Singles: the conference, while the Knights fell to 1-4 Tim Fitzgerald (A) def. Wes McColoverall and 1-3 in conference action. Kyle Ungvarsky and Chris Cozzillio began lum, 6-0, 6-3; Kyle Ungvarsky (W) the doubles sweep with an 8-6 win over Tim def. Danny Ly, 6-1, 6-2; Chris CozzilFitzgerald and Bart Blankenship. Wes Mc- lio (W) def. Adrell Dalsan, 6-0, 6-3; Collum and Jon Rohrbach followed with an Jon Rohrbach (W) def. Bart Blanken8-1 victory over Danny and Adrell Dalsan. ship, 6-2, 6-1; Josh Gardner (W) Alex Josh Gardner and Brian Fanelli would give the Colonels a 3-0 lead heading into singles Schindenes, 6-0, 6-0; Brian Fanelli play with a win over Mike Catalano and (W) def. Mike Catalano, 6-1, 6-1. James Liu, 8-0. Fitzgerald picked up the lone point of the day for Arcadia with a 6-0, 6-3 win over Doubles: Ungvarsky/Cozzillio (W) McCollum at first singles. But, the Colonels def. Fitzgerald/Blankenship, 8-6; Mcwould win the final five singles matches to Collum/Rohrbach (W) def. Ly/Dalsan, earn the team win. 8-1; Gardner/Fanelli (W) def. CatalaUngvarsky knocked off Ly, 6-1, 6-2 at the no/James Liu, 8-0. The Beacon/Alison Roth second spot and Cozzillio scored a 6-0, 6-3 Junior Kyle Ungvarsky and freshman Chris Cozzillio are 11-1 in doubles competivictory over Dalsan to give Wilkes an insurtion. Their lone loss was to Jason Thalmann and Adam Geiger of FDU-Florham. mountable 5-1 lead. Rohrbach was a 6-2, 6-1 COURTESY OF JOHN SEITZINGER Sports Information Director -. -lub -----..-..... ting? ---- -----·-· ay . ar y? OfDc Meeting:? oo · ball P r ? to a Th 1 72 South · ain St. ii es-Barre . or ,. · o :u.da. 1ur sd y lOaJD-8 n11 ida.y ·.. Sa .rday 10a1n-JOpm Sundayl2_pJD- p01 . = 1 (570) 208-SUBS 1 �SPORTS 18 APRIL 8, 2008 Lady Colonels fall to Elizbethtown; rout Alvernia Wilkes lacrosse team remains winless in conference play Courtesy of Sports Information Elizabethtown College raced out to a ten goal lead at halftime and never looked back in posting a 21-6 Middle Atlantic Conference women’s lacrosse win over Wilkes University on Saturday afternoon at the Ralston Complex. The victory enabled the Blue Jays to up their overall record to 5-3 and their conference mark to 2-1. Wilkes slipped to 4-4 overall and 0-2 in conference play with the loss. Ten different Elizabethtown players tallied goals, including Anna Ford, who had five tallies. Megan Byrnes added four goals and two assists, while Danielle Schaffer had three goals. Ashley Mogle contributed one goal and four assists and Kelsea Kozak and Katie Foley had one goal and three assists each. Justine Leggio scored three times to lead the Wilkes offensive attack. Ashley Leggio chipped in with two goals and four assists, while Brittney Hodnik had one goal and one assist. Jenn Hawkins and Becca Watkins combined to make six saves while splitting time in goal for Elizabethtown. Wilkes goalkeeper Stacy Fimmano finished the afternoon with 13 stops. On April 3, Wilkes University jumped out to a 13-4 lead at halftime and never looked back in scoring a 19-8 non-conference women’s lacrosse victory over Alvernia College on Thursday afternoon at the Ralston Complex. The Lady Colonels improved to 4-3 overall with the win as they prepare to host MAC foe Elizabethtown College on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. Alvernia saw their overall record slip to 1-6. Wilkes was led offensively by Ashley Leggio’s eight goals and four assists. Justine Leggio was next with five goals and one helper. Brittney Hodnik added one goal and four assists. Chelsea Weinstein and Melissa Polchinski chipped in with two goals each for the Lady Colonels, while Jennifer Powell had one tally. Felicia Sippel had three goals and two assists and McKenna Shafer scored three times to lead Alvernia. Katie O’Brien connected for two goals for the Crusaders, while Tara Walls had one assist. Stacy Fimmano picked up the win in goal for Wilkes after registering 17 saves. Janelle Fulmer played the first half in goal for Alvernia and came up with five stops. Amanda Odenwalt played the second in goal for the Crusaders and was credited with seven saves. Intramural B-Ball Schedule 4/9/08 8:00 pm The Dandies v. Shocker Squad Team Braj v. Skillz That Killz 9:00pm Team Bunjay v. Franklin Street Elite Dream Team v. Jordan’s Jumpers 10:00 pm The Dudes v. Jaytorade Reverse Chicken Fighters v. Team Testa Team Adam Dick v. Polish Rifles Photo Credit Beacon Archives Two Wilkes University lacrosse players take part in a game during last season. The Lady Colonels are 4-4 overall with an 0-2 record in conference play after a 21-6 loss to Elizabethtown on April 5. Standings Eastern Conference 1. Dream Team, 3-1 2. The Dandies, 3-1 3. Reverse Chicken Fighters, 3-1 4. Team Bunjay, 2-2 5. The Dudes, 2-2 6. Team Adam Dick, 1-3 7. Team Braj, 0-4 Western Conference 1. Shocker Squad, 4-0 2. Jaytorade, 3-1 3. Jordan’s Jumpers, 3-1 4. Franklin Street Elite, 1-3 5. Skillz That Killz, 1-3 6. Team Testa, 1-3 7. Polish Rifles, 1-3 HANGOVER CLUES Remember never to take ac etam in op hen (the medicine found in Tylenol) before you go to bed It's metabolized by the liver just like alcohol, & combining them can cause serious liver damage. lbuprof en and other_ anti-inflammatories are not as threatening to the liver, but using them to excess could cause gastric problems. To be safe, wait until alcohol has cleared your system before taking any medication 1or your hangover. - Provided By Health Services http:/lwww.factsontap.org �SPORTS APRIL 8, 2008 19 Reality Baseball Chmiel begins first full season with Baltimore farm team BY NICK PODOLAK Beacon Editor-In-Chief Typically, fantasy baseball is for those who have retired from the game early on, or want a distraction from work behind a desk. Whether they suffered a horrific hamstring injury while attempting to beat out an infield single, or maybe they just weren’t good enough to advance past Little League, fantasy baseball keeps fans of all ages connected to the game they love as they battle friends and family in a quest for ultimate baseball knowledge bragging rights and Peter Gammons-like status. But for Wilkes accounting major and Pittston Area graduate Paul Chmiel, fantasy baseball means someday breaking into the Major Leagues. The Beacon’s Nick Podolak caught up with Chmiel, drafted in the twenty-second round by the Baltimore Orioles in 2005, as he begins his first full season in June as a professional first baseman with the Aberdeen IronBirds in Aberdeen, Maryland. The Beacon: This will be your first full season with Aberdeen? Chmiel: Yeah. Last year, I had some unfortunate events. I suffered a herniated disk in my lower back and that took up a good portion of the year. Deep cortisone injections into my spine freed me of my pain, and after the second one of those, I was good enough to play. using an aluminum bat to a wooden stick? Chmiel: I’d have to say it honestly wasn’t that big of a deal because with several teams I played on in the past, especially the Moosic Mets, half of the tournaments were exclusively wooden bats only, so it wasn’t that big of a deal. The Beacon: Describe your first hit. Chmiel: It was in Burlington North Carolina against the Burlington Indians, about a mid-high fastball in my third game. I lined a singled back up the middle. It was a big thrill, my first hit ever, and I got to keep the ball. The Beacon: First homer? Chmiel: Oh, that’s a good one. It was against the Johnson City Cardinals. It was a game-winning homer. It wasn’t a walk-off, but I hit a deep fly ball to left center, and I didn’t know the ball was out, because I had never hit a home run before playing with the Orioles. Sure enough, it went out. And it’s a really good feeling, walking down the third base line and being mobbed by your teammates at the plate. The Beacon: Have you had the chance to meet any Major League players? Chmiel: Melvin Mora was here (spring training in Sarasota) for a couple days last year. He actually bought Chinese food for the entire team. Everyone that was out here, every player, he ordered Chinese for everybody. It was really nice to have that. The Beacon: How difficult is it making the adjustment from high school and American Legion talent to professional opposition? Chmiel: It was very difficult for me to adjust to the off-speed pitches--the sliders, the curveballs, and change-ups, especially. With fastballs, seeing guys throw to the mid-to-upper 90’s, that’s tough, but they can only throw so hard. The Beacon: Do you have your own personalized signature? Chmiel: Yeah, I got a pretty good one… it’s nothing spectacular. I was told to have loopy things stand out with the P and the L in my first name and then C and the L in my last name. I make them noticeable and when I’m all finished I usually put my number inside the P. The Beacon: Was it hard adjusting from The Beacon: Who is your favorite major league team? Chmiel: I may get in trouble for saying this, but I’ve been a long-time Phillies fan. The Beacon: Favorite player? Chmiel: I always loved Ken Griffey, Jr. When I was growing up, he was one of the most popular players with the Mariners and I tried to swing like him; I tried to do everything like he did. I even wore my hat backwards. The Beacon: Do you take classes while you’re in Florida? Chmiel: Yes, what I do is go to school when I’m home in January and February, and when I leave in March I complete assignments online, having the same deadlines as all of the other students, and I take the tests online, too. I take three classes now, and when I come back in the fall I take a full semester. My teachers have been extremely helpful. The Beacon: Do you ever get homesick when you’re away? Chmiel: Oh, yeah. Absolutely. I would much rather be home, right now, than down here. I mean, it’s hard to believe. I’m in Sarasota, Florida, five minutes away from one of the nicest beaches in the entire United States, but I’d much rather be back at home bowling on Friday nights at Elko’s bowling lanes with my dad. Due to unfavorable weather conditions on Saturday (4/5), the Colonels home contest against King’s College was cancelled. The game was postponed to Sunday (4/6) at 1pm. Therefore, The Beacon was unable to cover the doubleheader due to press time. However, the Colonels lost the first game to the Monarchs 2-1 and won the second 1-0 in an extra inning. For complete coverage of Sunday’s match-up visit wilkes.edu/athletics. The Beacon/Alison Roth Freshman Woody Covington catches one down the third base line. Paul Chmiel I I * 6’5, 200 pounds I * Bats right, throws left I* Drafted in the 22nd round by the Baltimore Orioles I I* Began playing in 2005 for Orioles affiliate team, Aberdeen Ironbirds I * 2005- Games (24), AB (75), R I(13), H (15), HR (2), RBI (10), Batting AVG. (.200) I I* 2006- Games (44), AB (161), R (17), H (46), HR (2), RBI (28), Batting AVG. (.286) I I* 2007- Games (18), AB (64), R (11), H (19), HR (3). RBI (12), Batting I AVG. (297) L -----Freedom Standings 1. DeSales, 5-3 2. FDU-Florham, 4-3 3. Manhattanville, 3-3 4. Arcadia, 3-3 5. King’s, 5-5 6. Wilkes, 3-5 7. Del. Val., 2-3 I I I I I I I I I I I I I .I �Sports APRIL 8, 2008 20 Softball earns critical split with FDU Colonels and Devils pull even in playoff race BY GERARD HETMAN Beacon Asst. Sports Editor While the Wilkes University softball team was unable to get a leg up on a key conference opponent in conference action this weekend, the team did remain neck-and-neck with the rival in question in the ongoing race for the conference playoffs. After posting a 4-1 win in the first game of a doubleheader at the Ralston Complex, the Lady Colonels dropped the night cap of their matchup with the Devils of FDUFlorham by a score of 10-8. The split puts Wilkes and FDU-Florham at identical overall records of 15-7, while both teams now sit at 3-3 in MAC Freedom Conference play. Coming into the game riding a four-game winning streak in nonconfernece matchups earlier in the week against Baptist Bible and Lycoming, the Lady Colonels found an offensive groove as seven different players picked up hits in the first game, including a homerun by MeLisa Bracone. Lyndsey Behrenshausen pitched a complete game to earn the pitching victory for the Colonels. The second game of the day would serve as an offensive showcase, as both squads pounded out double-digit hits in the matchup. FDU would pick up four runs off of two homeruns in the sixth inning to erase a one-run deficit en route to the 10-8 win. The Lady Colonels suffered the loss despite out-hitting their opponents 11 to 10 in the shootout. “It was definitely a hitter’s day out there,” Wilkes head coach Frank Matthews said of the second game of the afternoon. “Both teams were clicking offensively, and they brought in a few more runs than we did.” “It’s tough to lose a game when your team hit so well, but we split with a very good opponent today and kept even with them in the standings,” Lady Colonels Junior Kathy Dalton said after the doubleheader. “We’re still neck-and -neck with them in the playoff race, and we’ll only go forward The Beacon/Gino Troiani Freedom Standings from here.” The scoring output in the second contest was in contrast to the first game of the day, in which FDU left 12 runners stranded on base en route to its defeat. “Our team really dodged a bullet with that many runners left out there.” Matthews added. “I’m happy we were able to keep them in check and away from home plate.” The Lady Colonels will play two nonconference doubleheaders against William Paterson University on Sunday and at Misericordia University on Wednesday before returning to Freedom Conference play at DeSales Saturday afternoon at 1PM. 1. DeSales, 5-1 2. FDU-Florham, 3-3 3. Wilkes, 3-3 4. Arcadia, 1-1 5. Del. Val., 1-1 6. Manhattanville, 1-3 7. King’s, 0-2 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon 2008 April 8th Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 April 8 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/e7bb34fa61df04541c0f88789230369a.pdf 924ebefbbc628ca52d5d479136847769 PDF Text Text Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA The THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW FEBRUARY A PRIL 1, 2008 5, 2008 In This Issue... Volume 60 www.wilkesbeacon.com Issue 18 13 Obama holds town hall meeting at WU Tuesday Democratic nominees put Wilkes-Barre in national spotlight BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor Wilkes University will host Illinois Senator Barack Obama on Tuesday, April 1 at a “Road to Change” town hall meeting. The meeting will take place in the Arnaud C. Marts Center at 11:45 a.m. and doors will open at 9:45 a.m. New York Senator Hillary Clinton, Obama’s opponent for the Democratic nomination, will also be in town at King’s College William S. Scandlon Physical Education Center. Her speech will begin at 2:30 p.m. and doors will open at 12:30 p.m. Both stops are part of tours through Pennsylvania by the candidates. “Wilkes-Barre will be the focus of the nation on Tuesday,” said Wilkes University president Tim Gilmour. “Wilkes University is proud to host Senator Obama at this pivotal point in the Pennsylvania primary race. This is a wonderful educational opportunity because our students get to see the political process first-hand.” Students who want tickets to the event can get free tickets on the first floor of the Henry Student Center between 10 a.m. and noon Monday, March 31. Those Page 10 Humanitarian Week See OBAMA page 2 Computer science department proposes curriculum revisions Page 15 Gaming, Media Design track encourages interdisciplinary cooperation BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon Asst. News Editor Wilkes v. Arcadia At a time when technological advancements are almost constant, colleges across the nation are challenged as they attempt to maintain upto-date computer science programs. On Thursday, April 3, a proposal by the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science will be presented to faculty members concerning the revision of Wilkes’ Computer Information Systems (CIS) and computer science curriculum. Page 18 “We want to make the computer science and CIS [tracks] more student-friendly, more enticing to students. One way we’re going to do that in the computer science program is we are goNews................................1-5 ing to offer two tracks: a standard, traditional Opinion.............................6-8 computer science track and a Gaming and MeLifestyles.........................9-11 dia Design track,” explained Dr. V. Ming Lew, Arts & Entertainment....12-15 Sports...........................16-20 chair of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science. If approved, this will be the \. first major revision of the department’s curricu- , Inside lum in approximately five years. According to Dr. Matt Zukoski, associate professor of computer science, the idea of developing a Gaming and Media Design track came with the realization that there is currently a significant demand for gaming programmers and media designers in what has become a $10 billion industry. “We’re adding two new gaming courses, so there will be an Introductory and an Advanced Gaming course. With these two courses, we won’t have a student who will be ready to write a complete game, but it will better prepare them to get a job in the gaming industry as a designer or a programmer,” said Zukoski. “We’ll have students developing some games on a small scale and, initially, they’ll probably just be for the PCs… but ultimately, we’d like to show them how to develop games for Wii, X-Box and Playstation.” While schools across the country such as Southern New Hampshire University and New Jersey’s Science and Technology University have recently developed concentrations and majors with goals similar to Wilkes, Lew said that cooperation with Wilkes’ Integrative Media (IM) department will make the new track unique. “The integrated media comes in when you start talking about animation; you have to have some notion about perspective, shape and shadowing. There’s an artistic side to it, but then it has to translate over to the programming side. You know what something is supposed to look like, but how do you get the program to do it?” said Lew. “IM and computer science naturally blend.” 3D Game Development (CS 368) will be one of the courses offered to IM and computer science majors interested in working together in the new concentration. Interdisciplinary cooperation is also currently in place between the Jay S. Sidhu School of Business and Leadership and the CIS program. Students who are involved in these programs learn how to use computers to conduct business. See GAMING page 4 �NEWS MARCH 18, 2008 2 Novak lecture continued SG election results Obama visit continued 3 4 5 Stachacz second candidate chosen for Dean of Library Services position BY MEGAN KRISANDA Beacon Staff Writer The Farley Library will soon welcome fresh leadership and the prospects of modern renovations. Beginning July 1, John Stachacz will serve as the new Dean of Library Services. As the Wilkes campus grows and library services across the nation evolve, many have argued that the Farley library has lagged dramatically behind the more technologically advanced buildings that surround it. However, Stachacz’s expertise in renovation and his experience understanding the needs of a modern library are two of the main reasons why he was chosen as the new Dean of Library Services. “He has deep experience. He has been working in libraries for decades. More specifically, he was at Dickinson College when they went through a massive renovation of their library. He was actually head of the library at that time. He has a lot of experience in facility renovation, in terms of the library,” said Darin Fields, Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences. As Dean of Library Services, Stachacz will be responsible for directing the library functions of the university and overseeing the planning and modernization of the library. Stachacz will also participate in the academic leadership and collaborate with the provost and deans for the advancement of academic programs. Currently, Stachacz serves as the Director of Library Services at the University of Indiana at Kokomo. Stachacz also presides over the Indiana Cooperative Library Services Authority (INCOLSA). During his time at Kokomo, Stachacz was responsible for a revitalization of their library including increasing the activity of the library and recentering it within the institution. “He presented a lot of evidence of his excellent work he had done there. His experience is relevant to what our library needs. When he came to campus, he had a very clear sense as to what some of the needs and solutions were. He had a positive rapport with the library staff and with everyone he met with so that made him a very attractive candidate,” said Fields. The search for a candidate to fill the position began last year. Dr. Fred Sullivan, professor of mathematics and computer science, served as chair to the committee during the initial search. However, the first search failed due to a chosen candidate changing his mind on the position. In August 2007, a second search committee was formed with Fields serving as chair of the committee. The second search committee worked closely with a search firm in order to gain resources and develop prospects for the position. Along with the search firm, the committee released an advertisement for the position. “We had about three or four prospects over the fall semester. We brought two of them to campus and Dr. Stachacz was the finalist and he was the one we recommended,” said Fields. Stachacz holds a masters degree in Library Science from the University of Kentucky. He also earned a bachelors and masters degree in geography at the University of New Mexico and University of Kentucky. Stachacz is a member of the American Library Association, Association of College and Research Libraries, and serves on the board of the Academic Libraries of Indiana and Kokomo Literacy Coalition. “John Stachacz’s experience will allow us to rethink our library in light of the evolving role of academic libraries,” said Provost Reynold C. Verret. SG Notes, March 26, 2008 New Business Elections Announced- Election winners were posted outside the SG office. ASME Fun Request- The American Society of Mechanical Engineers were granted a fund request to hold their annual car show that has proven successful in the past. Wilkes Association of Musicians Club Recognition- SG decided not to offer the WAMC club status. Some members felt the club did not have a clear enough focus and decided that the idea needed to develop more. Tom Bigler Journalism Conference Donation- SG donated $640 to the Communication Studies Department to buy t-shirts for their upcoming Tom Bigler Journalism Conference. Society for Advancement of Management Fund Request- SG heard from SAM members regarding their national competition in Arlington, VA. This is a two-week process and action will be decided next week. Spring Fling Budget - The budget for Spring Fling was presented to SG. First Week of Presidential Nominations - SG Members Jeffery Bauman and Carl Santana were nominated and accepted the nomination for SG President. Courtesy of John Stachacz John Stachacz’s responsibilites as Dean of Library Services will begin July 1. BEACON Serving the community through fair and accurate reporting while supporting the views and opinions of our readers. Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief: Nick Podolak Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com Managing Editor: Alison Woody Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com News Editor: Andrew Seaman Email: news.beacon@gmail.com Op/Ed Editor: Mark Congdon Jr. Email: thebeacon.oped@gmail.com Lifestyles Editor: Christa Sgobba Email: beacon.lifestyles@gmail.com A&E Editor: Marissa Phillips Email: thebeaconae@gmail.com Sports Editor: Carlton Holmes Email: beaconsports@gmail.com Photo Editor: Cara Koster Advertising Managers: Stephanie Yachim Dana Zlotucha Email: thebeacon.ads@gmail.com Advisor: Dr. Andrea Breemer Frantz Established in 1936 PA Newspaper Association Member Printed on Tuesdays during the academic school 130 S. River St. First Floor, Conyngham Hall, Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 (570) 408-5903 wilkesbeacon@gmail.com www.wilkesbeacon. �NEWS APRIL 1, 2008 Robert Novak to present Allan P. Kirby Lecture 3 Lecture focuses on 2008 presidential race and hot button issues BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor Courtesy Marketing Communications Refl.ect and Relax DayD ThUI'Sday) Marclt 20th 11 :00-1 :OOPM Get a Complimentary chair mu$ age · from Ailno sphere Salon and Day Spa I[ while you wait to get your . Live Acoustic Music by "Jay Luke" Wednesday, March 19th 6 :30-8 :30pm «Angelic Me$$ age» read by Angela DeMuro '1 G.ear~~ Spring Sale! Come viit the fun colored Uearenowa Justgo to: "»'BFREE-'' Gear t-shirt table on sale now! Womans 'pink' & st. Patty s Dly 'ween" · tees for only $12.99 regul.arfy $19.98! · · Mens grey & na1,,1 tees for on.lJ $9 .99 regularly $14.98 Robert Novak, veteran journalist, and keynote speaker for the Allan P. Kirby Lecture Series, recently sat down with The Beacon to offer some insights into his take on the 2008 race for the Presidency and preview his appearance at Wilkes. The lecture is slated for 7:30 p.m. in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, April 1. His lecture will offer an analysis of the 2008 presidential election, and discuss the implications of the ongoing Democratic race between New York Senator Hillary Clinton and Illinois Senator Barack Obama. The 77-year old Novak began his career in journalism after his service in the Korean War. He started with the Associated Press (AP) and in 1957, the AP transferred him to Washington, D.C. where he began covering Congress. In 1963, Novak began writing the political column “Inside Report,” and quickly established himself as a formidable conservative political commentator. He was a founding commentator for CNN and hosted The Novak Zone, served as the co-host of Crossfire, was co-executive producer of the public affairs program, The Capital Gang. In 2003, Novak made headlines by identifying Valerie Plame by name as a CIA operative, based on information he had received by “senior administration officials” touching off an extensive investigation and widespread discussion about First Amendment privilege. The visits to Wilkes-Barre by both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama earlier in the day, serve as the perfect backdrop for Novak’s lecture at Wilkes. Novak acknowledged that the Democratic race is interesting, “Because this is clearly a great year for the Democrats. All the indicators point to a Democratic victory and maybe a massive Democratic victory and certainly substantial gains in the Senate and some gains in the House.” He added, “All the polls indicate that if you give [the people] the choice between a Democratic president and a Republican president, the Democrats win overwhelmingly. But when you put names into the brackets, instead of just Democrat or Republican, McCain is running competitively with both Senator Clinton and Senator Obama.” This shift in the polls, Novak said, shows that, “there are some problems with both Clinton [and] Obama, which are created by the contest between them that has run lon- ger than anybody anticipated… The great hope of the Republicans [is] that they will continue this increasingly bitter contest as long as possible to Senator McCain’s benefit.” However, Novak believes that even if the Democrats continue to fight among themselves, McCain still has a battle to fight. “I don’t think anything will hand a Republican the White House this year, because the Republican party is in bad shape and the economy is looking worse all the time. So it won’t hand it to him. I think it will give him a chance to win the election, which he wouldn’t have otherwise,” he said. According to Novak, the Democrats have the added struggle of a Catch-22. “A lot of people say that the racial gap is so bad that if Senator Clinton is nominated, and it appears that she has stolen the nomination from Obama, that there will be a real stay-at-home vote by the African American population,” Novak stated. He added, “The other side of the coin is, is there going to be a backlash against Senator Obama? Right now, with the problems [caused by] the statements made by his former minister and indeed some of the statements by his wife, I think there is a problem of some racial backlash against him. So there are a lot of complicated factors involved there.” But after over a decade of solid Republican control in Washington, Novak noted that the party is currently under great pressure for what it has not managed to accomplish in that time. “The Republicans have really squandered their mandate. Twelve years in control of Congress, eight years in control of the presidency, most of the last generation, and really [they] have not done a very good job on a lot of issues,” said Novak. But while the issue may be a very different one for Democrats, the question of the vice presidential nominee is largely a nonissue for McCain, the Republican party’s apparent nominee. Novak said that he is not very concerned with the Republicans’ vice presidential choice. “I don’t think vice presidential candidates mean much, even in this election. I’ve been at it for fifty years and the only one that [has] won an election was Lyndon Johnson in 1960, under very special circumstances. None of them ever lost an election for anybody. So I think it’s a story everyone likes to talk about. People are interested in it, but it doesn’t make much difference,” he said. As for possible vice presidential nominees, Novak said, “I’ve thrown out all See NOVAK page 5 �APRIL 1, 2008 GAMING from FRONT PAGE “Whenever you have the ability to take different groups of students and put them together, especially juniors and seniors, they really learn from each other… You get to see how different parts of the process work when you’re in a group like that as opposed to just doing programming or IM. You end up being more able to get out and work in the real world because you’re not in a small box, but you’re interacting with other people with different skills,” said Dr. Anthony Kapolka, associate professor of computer science. Alongside faculty, students are also eagerly awaiting the proposal’s approval, confident that the addition of the Gaming and Media Design track will attract positive attention. “A lot of the students who are really interested in computers are the people who use computers and play games. The next step after playing games is to make them. The gaming industry is huge now and it’s only going to get bigger,” said Simon Elmir, junior mathematics and electrical engineering major. While having an interest in playing video games will aid students taking courses within the new track, Zukoski hinted that an interest in mathematics may also prove to be helpful. “[Developing games] is not an easy thing. You’re dealing with physics, gravity and collisions. There’s a lot of calculus involved to do those things, a lot of math and physics. Students sometimes talk about how they like to NEWS play games, but creating them is another story.” In addition to the formation of the new track, the classic computer science track will also undergo changes if faculty members vote in favor of the proposal. In order to add the new gaming courses, Machine Language (CS 230) will be dropped and courses currently part of the “first two years experience” will be consolidated and reorganized. “In the first two years, the first four computer courses have been changed around… In our mind, that’s as important, if not more important, than the gaming track,” added Kapolka. “Nationally, we’ve seen a dip in computer science enrollments and with our school’s size, we happen to see those trends becoming much more prominent… We’re trying to address the trends that we’ve seen here over the past couple of years,” said Lew. Kyle Hatcher, junior computer science major, is confident that the new track has the potential to attract more students with interests in learning more about the games they play and the computers they use on a daily basis. “I was kind of surprised when I got here and realized that they didn’t have [those courses] as part of the curriculum because gaming is really a big thing with computer science and programmers.” According to Zukoski and Lew, topics courses related to gaming and media design offered in the past filled quickly and parents of prospective students who tour 4 The Beacon / Jenna Stephens Frank Kopyta, sophomore computer science and IM double major, works on an assignment in a Computer Data Structures class. Students like Kopyta with interests in both game programming and media design will benefit from the creation of a new track and restructuring of the program’s core curriculum. the campus and attend open houses are already inquiring about the new track. “This can’t hurt us; it can only help,” said Zukoski. The department is not seeking any additional programs, software, faculty or computers at this time, but will continue to update the tools used and courses offered in hopes of keeping the programs “organic,” said Lew. The proposal for the revision of the curriculum has previously been approved by the Curriculum Committee and now faces a formal faculty vote. If approved, the current curriculum will be adjusted for the fall semester. General Board Election Results S IOR N E S RS O I N President- Jill Kalariya JU The Beacon / Jenna Stephens Jack Welsch, Vice President of Product Development at InterMetro, spoke to students, faculty and staff about the subject of product development from a business perspective on Tuesday, March 25. Welsch also discussed what he believes motivates customers to buy the products that his company develops. InterMetro Industries Corporation is based in Wilkes-Barre and is a large division of the Tools and Storage group of Emerson Electric. Emerson Electric attributes its success to its core competency in developing superior, awardwinning products and getting them to market, fast. Welsch has been granted more than 25 U.S. patents, and he has spoken at also served as adjunct faculty at Lehigh University. President- David Sborz Vice-President- Jeffrey Bauman Secretary- Kathy Dalton Treasurer- Tanya Feiretag Representatives- John Botch, Andy Julian, Carl Santana, John Edler (WI), Sherri Homanko (WI), John Luff (WI) Vice-President- Lacee Wagaman Secretary- Jake Reichert Treasurer- Justin Balint Representatives- Nick Koch, Ashley Palkovic, Maria Rinaldo, Charles Siorkowsk, Katie White, Jason Woloski H SOP S RE O M O President- Ben Beidel Vice-President- Megan Dickinson Secretary- Jess Gen Treasurer- Laura Perkins Representatives- Christina D’Ippolito, Katie Gallagher, Stephen Nathan Grouver, Konstantina Papa Thomas, Katherine Munchel, Derek Nye �APRIL 1, 2008 NOVAK from PAGE 3 sorts of names… Rob Portman of Ohio… I’ve even thrown out Condoleezza Rice’s name… so if I throw out all of these vice presidential names, one of them is going to be right and I am going to look good.” But Novak did talk about what he thinks McCain should look for in a vice presidential nominee. “I think what McCain is looking for is somebody who looks a lot younger than he does, because he is old… They need somebody that is twenty-years or so younger. Secondly, it’s got to be a conservative, and that’s not hard either… and I think they are looking for somebody who is probably adapted in the field of economics… but they would like somebody that wouldn’t make a fool out of themselves in the debate,” he stated. As far as campaign issues go, Novak thought the debate on immigration is far too overrated and candidates squander their NEWS time talking about it. “After [Mitt Romney] got surprised by Huckabee in Iowa, he was convinced that immigration was the key to beating McCain… It didn’t help Romney much… So I think it is an overblown issue. It is also an issue that the Democrats can’t make much hay on, because they are bitterly divided on it. They are trying very hard to keep their very important Hispanic base. Both parties are split on the issue and I don’t think it is a very good campaign issue.” Novak also added some advice to journalism students who attend his lecture. He said the most crucial thing for a young journalist to do is, “… read the newspapers. I suppose if you get all your news off the computer… that’s ok. I think holding the paper in your hand and going through it is more important. But you really have to keep informed. I just find a lot of journalism students think they’re going to get their information by osmosis or something.” The Allan P. Kirby Lecture is free and open to the public. 5 The Beacon / Cara Koster The Indian Cultural Association hosted an “Indian Treat Sale” on Thursday, March 27, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Henry Student Center. Attendees enjoyed delicious Indian snacks and Chai tea. OBAMA from PAGE 1 unable to get tickets there can go to Obama headquarters in Midtown Village on Main Street. For Obama’s stop at Wilkes, all ticketed guests must pass through security and metal detectors. Guests are asked to limit personal belongings, and should know that no signs or banners are allowed. But cameras and cell phones are permitted. There will also be some interruptions to Wilkes operations in conjunction with Obama’s stop. According to Christine Tondrick, “The Barnum and Marts Center lots will be closed from 10 p.m. Monday through 4 p.m. Tuesday. Anyone affected by the lot restrictions may park in the South Main Street garage. The university asks for your patience and understanding as parking accessibility on Tuesday is expected to be limited.” Tondrick also says that “Barnum Place will be closed by Wilkes-Barre Police at 8 a.m. Additional street closings may be necessary and will be announced as soon as possible.” The Marts Center and fitness center will also be closed as of 9:30 p.m. on Monday, March 31 through 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1. The Recreation and Athletic Center in UCOM and the YMCA fitness facilities are available to students and staff free of charge. For continuing coverage of Obama’s and Clinton’s visit to WilkesBarre on Tuesday please stay tuned to www.wilkesbeacon.com.and cell phones are permitted. There will also be some interruptions to Wilkes operations in conjunction with Obama’s stop. According to Christine Tondrick, “The Barnum and Marts Center lots will be closed from 10 p.m. Monday through 4 p.m. Tuesday. Anyone affected by the lot restrictions may park in the South Main Street garage. The university asks for your patience and understanding as parking accessibility on Tuesday is expected to be limited.” Tondrick also says that “Barnum Place will be closed by Wilkes-Barre Police at 8 a.m. Additional street closings may be necessary and will be announced as soon as possible.” The Beacon / Andrew Seaman The Marts Center and fitness center will also be closed as of 9:30 p.m. Former President Bill Clinton spoke at Coughlin High School in Wilkes-Barre on Wednesday, March on Monday, March 31 through 4 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1. The Recre19 in support of his wife’s, New York Senator Hillary Clinton’s, candidacy for the White House. Clin- ation and Athletic Center in UCOM and the YMCA fitness facilities are ton was due to arrive at 3:45 p.m., but due to other stops in the area, was delayed over an hour. The available to students and staff free of charge. rally was held in the school’s gymnasium, where supporters flooded the bleachers. Wilkes-Barre MayFor continuing coverage of Obama’s and Clinton’s visit to Wilkesor Tom Leighton and U.S. Congressman Paul Kanjorski also spoke at the rally. Barre on Tuesday please stay tuned to www.wilkesbeacon.com. �Opinion Your Voices Cafeteria etiquette Vandalism APRIL 1, 2008 7 8 8 6 Remember when: looking back on 75 years of education BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD The 1963 doo-wop smash by The Earls, “Remember Then,” is probably a familiar tune to the Wilkes professors who were consulted for this article. Though, they probably never gave thought to the day when they would actually have to go back and do it. In light of Wilkes University’s 75th anniversary over the next academic year, The Beacon, in consultation with Dr. Harold Cox, Professor Emeritus of History and University Archivist; Dr. James Rodechko, Professor Emeritus of History; Dr. Bradford Kinney, Professor of Communication Studies, and Dr. Brian Redmond, professor of Enviromental Engineering and Earth Science, compiled a list of the top 10 events and people who have influenced Wilkes University most during its 75 years. This week, The Beacon offers Part I of “Remember when...” which examines the first five most memorable people and moments in Wilkes University’s history. Next week, we will offer the final five and ask readers to submit their own most memorable moments in history. The following have been pulled from historical atlases, newspaper archives, and favorite old professors who are still hanging around to share their stories from the days of old. The Beacon’s Top Ten most significant moments in Wilkes University’s history: 1. THE DAVIS REPORT Before Wilkes was the Blue and Gold, it was the Blue and Orange. Yes, that’s correct. Feeling the effects of The Great Depression with an oversized faculty and a drop in student enrollment, Bucknell University, located in Lewisburg Pennsylvania, was in search of a site to establish a satellite school for its survival. Frank G. Davis, Chairman of the Bucknell Education Department at the time, was involved in a state-wide study to find the best possible location to set up shop. He chose WilkesBarre. Davis proposed the idea to Bucknell president Homer Rainey in March 1933, and in September of that year Bucknell University Junior College (BUJC) opened its doors as a two-year institution in Wilkes-Barre, PA. “Without the Davis report, there would have been no Bucknell Junior College. And without a Bucknell Junior College, there probably would have never been a Wilkes or an equivalent thereof,” said school archivist Dr. Harold Cox. 2. DR. FARLEY’S ARRIVAL (March, 1936) The first three years at the institution were a struggle, to say the least. The entire school was located in an abandoned business school, which was a three story brick building located at what is now the Park and Lock South at 29-31 Northampton Street, directly across from the Y.M.C.A. The lone building contained a 500-seat auditorium and administrative offices on the first floor, a small library and classrooms on the second, and laboratories on the third floor. The school’s director quickly departed after it fell into a $20,000 hole, leaving the new president in Lewisburg, Arnaud Marts, to search for someone to direct the Wilkes-Barre campus. He found his man in Eugene Sheddon Farley, a towering graduate of Pennsylvania State University, who was a football letterman and AllAmerican in lacrosse. Within five years of serving LEFT: Wilkes University’s as the instituhumble beginnings took place tion’s director, in an abandoned Wilkes- Farley secured Barre business school, located (in order) some of on what is now the Park and the downtown’s Lock directly across the street from the Y.M.C.A. on Northampton Street. A decade later, the facility was used by King’s College. RIGHT: WilkesBarre was the perfect place to host an Army Airforce pre-flight school, which boosted male attendance during World War II. Conyngham Hall was the first building deeded to the Wilkes back in 1937 by Bertha Conyngham. Sadly, it burned to the ground in 1968. LOOK HOW WE’VE EVOLVED... 1934-1935 1936-1947 most prominent and beautiful mansions to become part of the campus. Those buildings remain and are now called Conyngham Hall, Chase Hall, Weckesser, and Kirby Hall. The abandoned business school in the Park and Lock became the birthplace of King’s College a decade later. President Farley’s tenure was colored with numerous advances and successes including establishing new curricula, hiring dozens of faculty members, and helping the school into more financial stability. 3. FLYBOYS TO THE RESCUE (1945) BUJC had seen peak numbers in 1939 and 1940, but the following year the bottom dropped out on the male attendance figures as the United States entered World War II after the attacks on Pearl Harbor. “The place was ready to close for all practical purposes,” Cox said. “Farley wasn’t about to let that happen.” The president marched down to Washington D.C. to lobby for financial help, and he got his answer two weeks later. Government entities showed interest in establishing an aviation school in the Wilkes-Barre area, which would guarantee over 250 students at a time at BUJC. Farley welcomed the idea with open arms, and thus an Army Air Force pre-flight training program was established. The 6th Training Detachment (or Flyboys as they liked to be called) were housed in the Hotel Sterling and made good use of the Forty 1947-present �OPINION APRIL 1, 2008 continued from page 6 Fort airport, which could be reached by street car in those days. Enrollment jumped from 51 men and 86 women in 1944 to 643 men and 154 women in ‘46…amazing. 4. THE DEAN ARRIVES! (1946) In 1946, George F. Ralston stepped onto campus and quickly became the face of the university. He was--and still is--regarded as The Father of Wilkes Athletics for establishing the first sports program here in 1946. With his district southern drawl and a vice-like grip of a handshake, he served as the coach for the football, baseball, and basketball teams. In fact, in his first year coaching football, he led his team of hardened, sons of coalminers to an undefeated season, in which two of his players, John Florkiewicz and Gerrard Wasco, would go on to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He became the Dean of Student Life in 1960, but would still be seen at every home game, performing his legendary “G-O W-I-L-KE-S!” cheer. Ralston passed away last April, but his legacy will endure forever. “He’s the greatest man I’ve ever met,” said Cox, holding back tears. “He’s the only man I’ve ever cried for.” What do you think? -- 5. THE WILKES CHARTER (June 26, 1947) Ah, what’s in a name? In 1947, thanks to much growth and some continued stability, the school had outgrown its junior college status and was instituted as a private, fouryear, non-denominational, liberal arts college. But of course, at that point, the school needed a new name, and it got one... that lasted for only 30 days. After becoming a four year college, the school briefly went by the name Wyoming Valley College. This didn’t go over too well with the folks at Wyoming Seminary, a college preparatory high school across the river in Kingston. Leaders at Wyoming Seminary argued that the similarity between the names could cause confusion, and instead of getting involved in a heated argument, Trustees renamed the school Wilkes College. NEXT WEEK...memorable moments from the 1950s and forward in Wilkes University history. (RIGHT) These are rules students had to follow back in the 1936-1937 academic school year as seen in the first issue of the Bucknell Beacon. ■ The Beacon wants your voice to be heard. Your Voices is the opportunity for students to voice their concerns. If you want your voice to be heard, please contact The Beacon with the following information: 1 Contact information including your email address and a phone number where you can be reached 2 Your name, major, and year 3 Your opinion thebeacon.oped@ gmail.com The Beacon reserves the right to edit submitted pieces for space and content. 7 FRESHMAN RULES-19}6,19n Permanent Rules:· (1.) There shall he NO loitering on the first' floor. (2.) Freshmen shall keep the lounges in order at all times. {) .) Freshmen must speak courteously to ·sopho· mores and faculty members. (.•t) Freshmen will rise when approached by a far culty mcmhcr or visitors. ( s:) Freshmen will attend at least two home games in three sports, (6J Freshmen will ·observe nil rules of the house committee. Temporary Rules: ( 1.) Men will wear <links until Christmas ·recess. (2) Fir!-t week: a. Men and women will carry sulphur matchrs for sophomores. b. Women w1ii wear .no make-up. c. Mi:n and women will wear l.1rge cards l~aring thefr names, nick-names, and alm·a· m·ater. <l. .M~il wiil wi:ar plai11 l,Jui.? ur urange !,t raight tics. (j;) S«c·nd. week: a. Wom'.'Yt wilLw~r blue or . orange hair rihbons three ( .; ; ·inches wiue anci no make• up. h. Men wiiJ' wear. plain blue or ora~g~, strJight ties. ( 4.) Third wcc:b a. The Alma Mater will l)C known thorough; ly. h. . Freshmen will rfre ,vhen directly ap, proach:-d by sophomores in .the lounges. NOTE: Thc.<-e rule.,; are .to be enforced only within one hlock of the college huilding. · Your Voices To The Beacon Editorial Board: We applaud you for your recent article “America’s biggest threats: intolerance and hatred”. The Anti-Defamation League, the nation’s premier civil rights/human relations agency fighting anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, has worked for almost 100 years defending democratic ideals and protecting civil rights for all, including those in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. We, too, are concerned with the increase in bias-motivated youth violence, and we believe that anti-bullying, anti-bias and diversity programs will help provide students with an education in which social, ethical, and academic development are inseparable goals. Our No Place for Hate program creates safe, inclusive environments in schools by addressing the damaging effects of bias, bullying and name-calling. No Place for Hate provides teachers and students the tools to build learning communities in which everyone is accepted, differences are appreciated and celebrated, and all members are encouraged to succeed. No Place for Hate enables individuals to challenge racism, anti-Semitism, homophobia and all forms of bigotry in their communities and schools. It seeks to provide a model for responding to and preventing acts of hatred and for developing projects that enhance understanding of diverse groups. No Place for Hate strives to create more harmonious communities and classrooms by reducing bias and increasing an appreciation of the richness that diversity can bring. The Beacon staff recommends that schools “implement programs that deter bullying and promote a safe and accepting environment”. You cite Denver area public schools’ recent implementation of the No Place for Hate program. In fact, the No Place for Hate program has been used in schools across Pennsylvania and Delaware since 2001. With Governor Ed Rendell’s official endorsement of the program in the fall of 2006, more than 130 schools have registered to become No Place for Hate, with additional schools enrolling on a regular basis. It has been introduced in Montour, Monroe, and Lehigh counties, as well as 23 other counties across Pennsylvania and two in Delaware. We join with The Beacon Editorial Board in encouraging students, faculty and concerned community members to confront the challenges of bigotry and diversity headon by engaging various groups, including law enforcement, religious institutions, parents, teachers, school administrators, and civic groups; exploring programs such as A CAMPUS OF DIFFERENCE (TM); and challenging them to encourage K-12 schools to join No Place for Hate. Sincerely, Lisa Stewart Project Director, No Place for Hate, Anti-Defamation League, Eastern Pennsylvania/Delaware Region �APRIL 1, 2008 OPINION 8 Forgotten your table manners? Beacon Poll Results Cafeteria etiquette goes a long way during busy days BY GERARD HETMAN Beacon Asst. Sports Editor elevator sees, it’s more than natural for it to break down on occasion, but don’t you think a good deal of its problems may be caused or exacerbated by the punishment many students dish out to it? Having the elevator out of operation takes away the easy route up for all of us, but much more importantly it leaves those who physically can’t make it up the stairs in a difficult situation. I did not speak with any physically challenged members of the Wilkes community before writing this, but just imagine the dilemma they face when the elevator is out of service due to childish nonsense. The Beacon asked: Who would you pay $5,500 to spend an hour with? • Ashley Alexandra Dupre (aka Kristen)-11% • Brad Pitt-0% • Jesus Christ-59% • Christopher Walken-4% • Ghandi-4% • Helen Keller-2% • George Clooney-2% • Marilyn Monroe-1% • Angelina Jolie-11% • Other-7% The Beacon/Gino Troiani For nearly every Wilkes student, eating in the third floor cafeteria of the Henry Student Center is a key part of life on campus. While the number of visits to the cafeteria may vary among commuters, residents and off-campus students, one thing that is common among nearly every visitor is the desire for quick and efficient service among all diners. In my years at Wilkes, the vast majority of students have been well-behaved, polite, and courteous during my many visits to the cafe. However, a number of visitors seemingly always feel the need to cause delays and hassles for those of us who simply aim to enjoy our meal, catch up with friends, and pick up with the rest of our busy schedules. First, let’s look at one of the most important pieces of working machinery on campus- the HSC elevator. While the elevator is a major asset for nearly everyone on campus in reaching the upper two stories of the student center, it also Trash on the floor of the elevator in the SUB provides a vital link to the upper floors for those students and staff who face a daily We can all get a kick out of grabbing the battle with disabilities and mobility issues. door and keeping it from closing to accomAlso many students, staff, faculty, and visi- modate a friend, but is it really necessary tors use the elevator in taking essential ma- to have a full load of students jumping up terials to events and activities on the second and down on the ride up, or for passengers floor. to pull down part of the ceiling to put cookAccording to Campus Support Services, ies and other foods on top of the grating? the HSC elevator required service on 14 Not only does the interior damage cause separate occasions from March of 2007 headaches for maintenance personnel, but to March of 2008. Out of those calls, five it also puts passengers in danger of having were attributed to overloading or jumping the loosened ceiling fall down on subsein the elevator car, while one was attributed quent loads of riders- something that I’ve to vandalism. With the frequent use the experienced more than once in four years. The following are results of a poll that The Beacon conducted online this past week. The poll was unscientific, and does not claim to reflect the overall attitudes of students on campus. Results are based on 85 responses. Added to this are the carvings, writings, and inscriptions put into the panels containing the buttons and displays next to the door- is it really necessary to carry over such childish habits from high school years? In terms of etiquette in the cafeteria itself, nearly all students clean up after themselves when they leave, but a small number leave their tables a mess and sometimes don’t even take their glasses or trays to the proper area. It’s no secret that one of the most popular events at the cafeteria is wing night, and when large groups of diners leave their areas a mess, it prevents other groups coming in from using those areas. I often visit the late-night operation with six or seven of my friends, and we frequently have a hard time finding a table big enough for all of us. I must admit that the cafeteria staff closes some areas that hold larger tablessomething they should seriously consider changing- but it doesn’t help when they need to do plenty of unnecessary cleaning up after irresponsible customers. All of us can- and do- get caught up in having fun with our friends in the cafeteria, and in the process of going up and coming down from eating there. Make no mistake about it- the student center is there for our benefit, and the caf should be a place where we can kick back a bit and relax in the course of busy days. But in order for that to happen, and in order for the caf to operate at maximum efficiency, all of us who spend any amount of time there need to make sure we take care of the facilities we use there every day. It doesn’t take much- just some basic manners that you probably learnedand perhaps forgot- long ago. Next Week’s Question: Who do you think will win the NCAA basketball championship? • UNC • UCLA • Memphis • Davidson • Kansas Visit www.wilkesbeacon.com to cast your vote. Results will be published in next week’s issue of The Beacon. On Saturday, residents and members of a downtown Jewish synagogue discovered that religious intolerance and hate are still a problem in the community. Anti-Semitic graffiti defaced the front facade and side of the Ohav Zedek synagogue on South Franklin Street, an act of vandalism that investigators are calling a hate crime. Swastikas were spray painted in gold on the front doors and signs of the building. There was also a silver six-pointed star painted on a front door and the word “Jude,” or Jew in German, on another. The word “abshaum,” German for scum, was also painted on another door. This senseless act of hatred and vio- lence forces the community to recognize that racism and intolerance still exist in the world and even in our own neighborhood. It should also spur the Wilkes community, as good neighbors, to reaffirm our vigilance and watch for those who would target Ohav Zedek, or nearby neighbor Temple Israel, with hate. Anti-Semitic acts can never be tolerated. Wilkes University and the surrounding communities need to come together as leaders in education and hate crime prevention efforts. The Beacon/Jenna Stephens Local synagogue target of hate mongers �LIFESTYLES APRIL 1, 2008 Philosophy of Sport Student of the Week 10 11 9 SBDC gives interns a taste of the real business world BY WILFREDO MERCADO Beacon Correspondent Those who have dreamed of starting their own business, need look no further than next door for a nudge in the right direction. The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers the chance for students to get great hands on experience for a successful career without the need to go very far. Located right above the Barnes & Noble book store on Public Square, the SBDC allows for students to gain real life small business education, according to Ed Kowalcyk, the assistant director of the SBDC. “The Wilkes University Small Business Development Center is a non-profit agency which provides confidential business consulting services to clients in a five county territory including Luzerne, Columbia, Sullivan, Schuylkill, and Carbon counties,” said Kowalcyk. Graduate assistants and interns work with clients who have ideas or concepts about starting their own small business. “Our goal is to finish their business plan and then send them out to different sources for financing,” said Josh Savitski, a graduate assistant for the SBDC. Through this process, the client gets the aid necessary to start their business, and the student gains skills and experience. Savitski feels the program is a great place to establish a career in business. “Right now, I am comfortable editing business plans, researching industries, and creating graphics for business plans,” he said. “Last June, I was not comfortable doing so. In just 8 months, I feel very confident in every plan that I edit.” Other services offered through the SBDC include marketing, advertising, market analysis, computer applications, extensive research capabilities, environmental compliance assistance, energy efficiency evaluations and assistance, government contracting assistance, in-depth training seminars, and feasibility analysis. “These services are offered to both entrepreneurs who are interested in starting their own business and existing business owners who are interested in growing their small business,” added Kowalcyk. Graduates from Wilkes who interned with the SBDC have successfully started their own business. Last year’s Graduate Assistant, Rick Simon, has his own webbased business, gopoko.com. Similarly, this year’s graduate assistant, Savitski is looking to start his own business. He feels that he owes it all to the SBDC for giving him the working knowledge of what it takes to get a business off the ground. Sharon Castano, who is in charge of internships and freshmen student development, refers students to the SBDC who are interested in accounting, want to network or those who want to be entrepreneurs. She also recommends the program to those students who do not have transportation because of its convenient location within walking distance to campus on Public Square. Though it is not the sole reason to be a part of the program, Savitski admits that The Beacon/Jenna Stephens a wonderful perk Senior Danielle Mathieson interns at the Small Busness Defrom being a gradu- velopment Center, an organizaion that lends a hand to new ate assistant in this companies in our area. program is the tuition average, great interpersonal skills and must remission for his graduate program. “Graduate Assistants are required to work be comfortable working in a team environ17 hours per week at the Small business ment. “The SBDC gives students a chance to enDevelopment Center and in return, are paid a small stipend and are able to earn their hance the information learned in the classMasters in Business Administration degree room. It’s one thing to learn about a busifrom Wilkes University for almost no cost ness plan and another to actually work with to them, paying only technology fees out of one. It sounds redundant, I know, but it’s the truth. Joining the SBDC was a wonderpocket,” said Kowalcyk. He also warned that the graduate assis- ful choice,” said Savitski. tantship positions are highly competitive. Interested students must have a 3.0 GPA What is the best April Fool’s joke you’ve been part of? “Freshman year, my one friend used to always sleep until 11 a.m. and I’d wake him up for lunch. On April 1st he had this big paper due at 1 p.m., so I changed every clock in his room to 5 p.m...I had him going until he got online and went to the world clock.” Anthony Giuffrida senior, pre-medicine major “I’d probably say toilet papering a teacher’s room in high school.” Santino Ardo freshman, undeclared major “A really good family friend called me and told me his mom was pregnant, and she is forty-some years old and her youngest daughter is only two years younger than me...I called her and told her congratulations and she had no idea what I was talking about.” Jenn Prusjowski junior, P1 pharmacy major “I saran-wrapped someone’s car.” Anthony Dimarco junior, communication studies major The Beacon/Matthew Gogas �LIFESTYLES 10 APRIL 1, 2008 Philosophy of Sport explores current athletic controversies BY LAUREN SALEM Beacon Staff Writer What is the true price of winning in athletic competitions? Should performance-enhancing drugs like steroids be legalized in formal athletic contests? These are just two of many questions students explore and debate in the class, Philosophy of Sport. Visiting professor Dr. Mark Holowchak developed the Philosophy of Sport class year ago, but is teaching it in a new format for the first time this spring semester. Previously, he has taught the class at other institutions over the last 21 years. “My view of teaching is this: good teaching is like good cooking,” Holowchak said. “A chef, to create something special, has to take some chances sometimes. So, too with teaching.” The class meets every Tuesday and Thursday from 1:002:15 p.m. in the Darte Center where students play a weekly team game in the form of a philosophical debate. By the tenth week in the semester, each team will have competed in four games and have collected a number of wins and losses. The team with the most wins will receive the “Colonel’s Cup,” which is a bye to the final debate, while the remaining teams will engage in playoff games to determine who will compete against the winning team. “I feel that this is a very important course not just for athletics but more classes like this should be taught about other topics,” said Anthony Fortunato, a senior majoring in entrepreneurship. “I believe Dr. Holowchak is very good at making people feel like they can say whatever they want because it’s their opinion.” Holowchak has been a competitive athlete for over 20 years and has competed in power-lifting competitions and coached strength clubs or power-lifting teams at the University of Pittsburg, Eastern Michigan University, and Kutztown University. “I was the strongest man (drug-free) in Michigan in 1992,” Holowchak said. “Competitive sport has taught me that discipline, effort, and perseverance ulThe Beacon/Gino Troiani timately always pay off. My academic Students in the Philosophy of Sport engage in weekly debates on topics successes are the direct result of my athsuch as violence in sports, comparison of male and female athletes, and letic successes.” whether sports refl ect social mores and values. Holowchak has published more than 30 papers and several books about ethics, ancient philoso- of sport, violence in sports, rank comparison of male athletes versus female athletes, whether or not sport affects or phy, and social and political philosophy. “I’ve taken some philosophy classes before but I wanted merely reflects social mores and values, and whether or not to learn about something else,” said Nicholas Lutz, a senior sport is a species of art. “I became more aware of the pressure society puts on political science major. “Sports seemed like a very interesting topic because there are hot moral issues in sports right professional athletes,” said Ashley Yob, a sophomore psychology major. “It gave me a different outlook on sports as now.” The class explores issues and topics that are currently af- a whole and what goes on in professional sports that you fecting the world of sports. These include the definition may not realize.” - TUDE~H U I G FORTH IN I -P - CA + BILL HENRY at 215-?6H619 0R CHECK THE WEB S.11iE OR IN FORMATION 1 ·• v s! ·. n up _ nth! I nt 665 sma ,· d y.. -~ kr . (570) 823 - ' ', vc ' J In . , 9 t �LIFESTYLES APRIL 1, 2008 11 Student of the Week: Brad DeFrain BY MATTHEW GOGAS Beacon Staff Writer a huge fan of the internet or cars or iPods. I think technology strips us of our souls as human beings to make a long story short. DeFrain: My shoes have been to seven different countries. When I studied abroad it was a month long program where eighteen American students and I went and lived in six different cities in Germany with four different host families. I had a blast. Although Brad DeFrain just transferred to Wilkes University this semester, he has The Beacon: Tell us about the ESL proalready made his mark on the campus. A gram. friendly and charismatic junior, DeFrain has DeFrain: It stands for English as a Secbecome involved in the English as a Second ond Language. Here it’s located in HollenLanguage (ESL) program at Wilkes, where back Hall on [South] Franklin Street. We he works as a conversation partner for interbring in a lot of students from all over the national students. world. We bring in a lot of Chinese students Before coming to Wilkes, he attended The Beacon: What are and Saudi Arabian students to come here Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. your plans when you graduand study English for two and a half years Originally a German major there, he left to on a program that’s more or less the English ate? come to Wilkes UniDeFrain: I versity because it is haven’t quite figlocated much closer ured that out yet. to home. Upon trans- I guess the coolest thing you learn is that I am looking into ferring to Wilkes, he we’re more or less the same in a cosmic sense. graduate schools. changed his major to I am looking into sociology because he Brad DeFrain the University of enjoys working with Chicago for their Junior sociology major people, different lanMaster’s in sociolguages, and different ogy. I really want cultures. As a volunto get into a good language 101. The goal is to put them on a teer with the ESL program, DeFrain helps career working with people conversational level to get through college. to improve international students’ speak for the rest of my life. and become more comfortable with the The Beacon: What do you do there? English language. DeFrain: I do conversation partners, DeFrain has also made it a personal goal which means I get hooked up with one perto help international students assimilate betson for an hour a week to just sit down and ter to the campus. Aside from the internatalk with them about anything that comes tional students he has befriended, Brad has into our minds. We are just supposed to give also made many friends on campus in just them practice speaking English with a nahis short time here. Because of his deditive speaker. cation to helping the international student population at Wilkes, The Beacon has choThe Beacon: What do you feel you are sen DeFrain as our Student of the Week. learning from this experience? DeFrain: I’ve learned lots. Sometimes The Beacon: How does Wilkes differ they will teach you funny little things like from Calvin College? how to order food. I have learned about reliDeFrain: Well, there are a lot more elecgion--the religions they practice. I guess the tives for majors that are a lot more interestcoolest thing you learn is that we’re more or ing than Calvin College. Also, the campus is less the same in a cosmic sense. YOU : #1 SDUR1CE FOR SCREEN PRJ a lot smaller. There are smaller class sizes. The Beacon: How would your friends describe you? DeFrain: Old fashioned. I don’t use technology as much as everyone else. I’m not The Beacon: How did you decide to work for the ESL program? DeFrain: Well, my first major was German. I had the chance to go abroad a couple of times. I really enjoy working with culture and people and the whole nine yards as far as that goes. The Beacon: Explain your experiences studying abroad. Would you like to nominate someone for Student of the Week? Send an email to: beacon.lifestyles@gmail.com The Beacon/Marissa Phillips IRTS.COM 4 T - S The Beacon: Why did you choose sociology as a major? DeFrain: I became a sociology major because I thought that it would give me the opportunity to work with people. The Beacon/Marissa Phillips INGE BROJDERY1 .AND1PRO OTION!AL IT ?ERFECill' FOR EIUSINJH;SE RH!i,f.AURANT · ~01.l!EGES.1 .A.Nil - Gtt SCHOOLS, Wt. CARRY AJ..L BRUIJS. AND STYLES Of" TEE S'WEAJTSH JS GDJJP RTS. ll UNIFORMS. A DE: VAmE:'lr( OF PilW 0'11 • ·_ · ITE A-'S G , rtUGS, OUSEPcAD COOLER.S- KE'li'CttAI S, AI\ID. PRICES ANO AKNOW~D6EAI -Re. ART STMF. 570.823.9272 EWLOCATION 141 Sour acrass rum N n r Domino I I .- nl eeme..- Co b �A&E APRIL 1, 2008 Humanitarian Week Crossword Doomsday 13 14 15 Local talent spotlight: Dawud Anderson, a cut above BY MARISSA PHILLIPS Beacon A&E Editor Not many people can boast about a resume as extensive as Dawud Anderson’s. Anderson is a singer, actor, and a comedian. Yet what takes the lead role in his life is his career as a salon owner and stylist. Anderson grew up around the music business, so music has It’s a task to chronicle all of Anderson’s entertainment Just as Anderson’s music, comedy, and acting caendeavors, “Because I do a lot of other stuff, I just can’t reers are progressing, so is his salon career. In the tell you everything,” he explained, but another aspect of next few weeks, Anderson will open a new salon in his entertainment career is his acting. He began acting Wilkes-Barre, on South Main Street. His current sawhen in Maryland, but once he came to Pennsylvania lon has been open for nine months, but he felt that he he performed in his first musical, The Full needed an addition to better cater to college students Monty. Now he’s on his way to costar in an who can’t reach his salon in Plains. upcoming movie. He’s slated to be a serial Anderson explained that he’s sincerely interested in killer by day, singer at night, in a movie that serving every different type of customer needing hair will be shot in Scranton. care, regardless of nationality, type of hair, or finanDespite all of his roles as an entertainer, cial situation. He wants to offer equal opportunities Anderson devotes the majority of his time and reach out to every demographic. He plans to ofto his other passion--working with hair. fer discounts to students who show up with student He owns his own hair salon, where he is IDs, and work to serve women with problems such as head stylist, and even has his own hair care thinning hair and alopecia. He’s working to establish product line, Seba. his services in the area, and be seen as a hair care proJust as Anderson grew up surrounded by fessional who puts an emphasis on healthy hair. music, he was influenced to get into hair Some people aspire for a chance to pursue a life care while he was growing up as well. of entertainment. Some aim to serve more one-toWith a beautician and a barber in his family, eventually Anderson found his way into the stylist ranks as well. Anderson admitted that it was also “a good way to meet women.” He was trained at at Empire Beauty School and gained experience Anderson with his staff at Who’s Nex: Lauren Cephas, Victoria around the country Jones, and Chrisna Deliscart. in Philadelphia, Atlanta, and Washingbeen a part of his life from the beginning. Recently, he’s been ton D.C., among other places. taking his influences from musicians such as Prince, Bootsy Eventually, Anderson decided Collins, and Chubby Checker and has been working towards to open his own salon, Who’s recording a full-length funk album. His music is high energy, Nex. He also opened a salon which is heard on his first released single, “Don’t Stop.” He in Philadelphia, but eventuprovides the lead vocals and is looking for a rapper to collaboally decided to come to this area rate to finish the album. “because of the atmosphere and Incidentally, music was also the medium that helped Anderthe quietness, and for peace and Despite actively pursuing multiple other creative endeavers, such as son transition into comedy. Three years ago Anderson attendsecurity” and opened a salon in music, acting, and comedy, Anderson devotes the majority of his time ed what he thought was a talent show at Wise Crackers, only Plains. to hair styling and hair care. to discover he was onstage during an open-mic comedy night. Anderson finds a way to meld Despite the misunderstanding, Anderson stepped up and as he his creativity, and his various one through beauty and style consultation. Somehow explained, “I just started telling jokes with my musical instrucreative side projects with his salon. He refers to himAnderson manages to pursue all of the above in style. ments and the next time I brought my piano I played that and self as “The Hair Doctor” and offers downloads of his As a funk singer, actor, comedian, and salon owner, eventually I tried it without that and the rest is history.” Anmusic single online on his salon website, whosnex.com. Dawud Anderson makes appearances all around Wilderson now makes weekly appearances during comedy night Also, Anderson’s comedy usually includes numerous kes-Barre, striving to keep the community entertained at the downtown bar, Donahues, and occasionally makes apstories about his experiences with customers at his hair and their hair healthy. pearances with his act in Philadelphia. salon. Photos courtesy The Beacon/Marissa Phillips �APRIL 1, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13 Movie Review: Doomsday BY MIKE WILLIAMS Beacon Staff Writer There comes a time when everyone acknowledges, “Hey, I’d like to watch a movie.” It’s a fairly common occurrence for anyone with enough cash for a theater ticket or a DVD player. But what happens if, instead of watching one movie, you want to watch…oh…say, twelve movies? Unfortunately, few of us have the time, money or home entertainment equipment to accomplish this feat. Enter Doomsday… For the past eight years, writer/director Neil Marshall has been breathing a breath of fresh air into the lungs of Hollywood’s somewhat stagnant horror genre by pumping out such terrifying gems as 2002’s Dog Soldiers and 2005’s The Descent. With his latest release, Doomsday, Marshall delivers once again, with a slick, stylish tip of the hat to more cult favorites than you can shake a severed head at. Combining elements of cult classics such as Escape From New York, The Mad Max trilogy, The Warriors and 28 Days Later, while mixing in vibes of such blockbusters as Gladiator, Braveheart, Aliens, and Lord of the Rings. The end result is an action packed, gore splattered, darkly funny homage to the past 30-odd years of action/horror cinema. The story begins as the horrifying, flesheating Reaper virus infects England, forcing the English government to quarantine the disease in Scotland by resurrecting the legendary Hadrian’s Wall, which runs across the island nation coast to coast. As the rest of the country attempts to recover from the ordeal, those forsaken on the other side of the wall are left to die. Fast forward 30 years. As the world has turned its back on England for its treatment of the virus’s victims, the nation is plunged into a crippling depression, forcing thousands upon thousands of the unemployed into cramped, disease infested ghettos, which is the perfect breeding ground for a resurgence of the Reaper virus. Luckily for the U.K., there is one hope for salvation: a secret satellite has detected human movement in the quarantined city of Glasgow, suggesting that there may be some sort of cure lost somewhere in the hot zone, and that’s where the fun starts. With only two days until the virus once again sweeps across England, a crack team of special agents including stoic heroine Rhona Mitra (The Number 23), hard as nails marine sergeant Adrian Lester (The Day After Tomorrow) and scientists Sean Pertwee and Darren Morfitt (Dog Soldiers). Once inside the hot zone, the team finds that the survivors of the virus have divided themselves into two warring factions. The first, a medieval society, reigned by former government scientist Kane (Malcom MacDowell, Gangster No. 1). The other, a blood thirsty army of cannibalistic Scottish gutter-punks, led with a flare by the charismatically psychotic Sol (Craig Conway, The Descent). To give anything else about the plot away would be a disservice to fans. Staying consistent with his first two servings of splatter cinema, Marshall and company offer up gore galore. In its hour and forty five minute run time, Doomsday offers up some of the most stunning and shocking visuals to hit the screen in years including car chases, grisly sword fights, body barbeques and Sol’s big entrance, which, if it had to be compared to anything, would probably resemble what would happen if MonEvery ty Python decided to No more contacts. No glasses? NO WORRIES! Butler Eyecare has special Student Pricing! 20% discount on Frames $49 eye exams 822-8727 yecare for everyone www .butlereyecare.com 34 S. Main St. Across from SUBWAY attend Spring Break in hell. Intriguing, huh? Unfortunately, aside from the anatomically correct gore and loads of action, those hoping for more than blood splatters and explosions may be a little disappointed by the film’s lack of meaningful dialogue and somewhat underdeveloped characters, which is common for Marshall’s films. On the other hand, those fans who realize that a film like Doomsday is driven by the excitement and intensity of its scenes, the explosive action will more than make up for its short comings in other departments. When all is said and done, there are only two ways that audiences will receive Doomsday. Either they will love it, cheering on the carnage crazed characters as they rampage BOOZE TRUTHS time you drink alcohol. .. you kill 10,000 brain cells T:R."UE F Not el{actly. However, long-term, chronic drinking can cause permanent memory loss & brain damage . Almost 70% of people in treatment for alcohol-related problems suffer severe impairment of memory formation, abstract thinking, problem solving, and ability to concentrate. - Provided By Health Services http:/lwww.factsontap .org Courtesy www.impaawards.com through scene after bloody scene, or they will turn away in disgust halfway through for the exact same reasons. There is no middle ground on this one. Those looking for an award winning piece of cinema, head to Blockbuster. Most of this year’s Oscar winners are ready to rent. However, if you are the type who can appreciate a little (a lot) of blood, some bad language, and enough action to make an hour and forty five minutes feel like a thirty second roller coaster ride, Doomsday is the flick for you. Grade: B ** For video of political candidate visits to the Wilkes-Barre area go to the Wilkes Beacon website at www.wilkesbeacon.com** �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 14 Kudracross BY CHRISTOPHER KUDRAK Beacon Staff Writer ACROSS 1 Casino wagers 5 Increased 10 Away from shore 14 Hundred ____ Woods 15 Forested area 16 Call manually 17 Type of question 19 Do___others… 20 Fur scarf 21 Ump counterpart 22 Without detail 23 Winter Olympic event 28 Give cold shoulder 30 Overturn 31 Strip the skin off 32 Not outside 36 Nautical direction 37 Conclude 38 Ones equal 40 EPCOT local 43 Son of Isaac 44 No longer obedient 46 Religious ritual 47 Lopsided 53 Pass along a message 54 Mrs. Lennon 55 Promise to pay 58 Increased in size 59 63 64 65 66 67 68 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 18 22 24 25 26 27 28 29 33 34 35 37 Broadway performers, for example Equal UFO passenger Start of a children’s story Wimbledon units Black hole, for example Heavenly body DOWN Fish hook Sound rebound Financial officer Erector ____ Concur Large snow accumulations Medical professional, for short _____ Braun Neighbor of PA Mature Biblical mountain Dinning option “_____ came a spider…” Mine find Italian explorer Done in the presence of a king Rotate wildly Posterior legs Ancient Resort hotel Angel topper Classical vocal music Resists change Chair Blade side 39 41 APRIL 1, 2008 Feel sorry over Military group 42 45 47 48 49 50 51 Tuesday, April 1 52 - “Sweetheart Like You”; Roller Derby Portraits art exhibit at the Sordoni Art Gallery 56 - Film: Savages at the Kirby Center at 1 p.m. and 7 :30 p.m. - Barack Obama “Road to Change” bus tour rally; Wilkes University Marts Gym; 9:45a.m. doors open, 11:45a.m. speech 57 59 -Hillary Clinton, “Solutions for the Pennsylvania Economy” town hall meeting, Scandlon Gym, King’s College; 2:30 60 p.m. - The Allan P. Kirby Center Lecture Series in Free Enterprise and Entrepreneurship featuring Robert Novak in the Darte 61 62 Center at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 2 -Brown Bag Theatre: If Men Played Cards as Women Do performed at King’s College at 12 p.m. Thursday, April 3 -Pi Sigma Alpha hosting a lecture on illegal immigration from 11 a.m.-1 p.m., see Dr. Tom Baldino for more information -Employment Fair at the Wachovia Arena at 1 p.m. -Evening of Kander & Ebb theater capstone at 4 p.m. -Comedy Night at Donahues at 10 p.m. Friday, April 4 - First Friday at Test Pattern at 6 p.m. - Original members of Asia performing at the Kirby Cener at 8 p.m. - Fight Amputation, YGGR, Let Down and The Early Birds performing at Cafe Metropolis at 8 p.m. Saturday, April 5 - Springline Driver, Losing Caufield and Far From Honored performing at Test Pattern at 8 p.m. -Below Me, Shock Value, Under The Wave and Chemical Dependents performing at Cafe Metropolis at 8 p.m. -Bellydance Hafla event at Arts YOUniverse at 5 p.m. 66 -Spring Fling dinner dance at Waterfront Banquet & Convention Center at 6 p.m. M -Poetry Night at Donahues at 9 p.m. ~3 I Sunday, April 6 M s - Battle of the Rhymes at the River Street Jazz Cafe 6g Monday, April 7 s - Captain We’re Sinking, The Dinosores and Under the Wave performing at Test Pattern at 8 p.m. Answers 3/18 Schedule of Events ___ de guerre Wears away Compels Sensation sensor Slushy snow Fatigued responses Ridiculous Swindle Free Willy animal Computer worker Small amount Alcoholic beverage Tailor item Sin, _____, Tan N N T D L I B T A 0 IJ R s 0 p L E E p �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 15 APRIL 1, 2008 Humanitarian Weekend to raise awareness on world issues BY ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Assistant A&E Editor What do Wilkes community members know about the crisis in the African nation of Darfur? What sorts of challenges to refugees, displaced by war, environmental disaster, and famine face? Whom do the Keep a Child Alive and Heifer International organizations benefit? Wilkes in the World is sponsoring Humanitarian Weekend 2008 to try and help students, faculty and staff answer these and scores of other questions related to people in need across the globe. Humanitarian Weekend, April 1113, will also benefit four non-profit charitable organizations. The Wilkes in the World club aims to inform the campus about humanitarian issues around the world, according to Alyssa Ciesla, a junior sociology major and member of Wilkes in the World. This year the club has decided to focus its efforts on issues in Africa. Ciesla explained the money raised during Humanitarian Weekend will be split between four organizations: Save Darfur, American Care for Sudan, Keep a Child Alive, and Heifer International. Various activities will be held throughout the weekend that aim to educate and involve Wilkes community members. The kickoff event for Humanitarian Weekend will be a Create-a-thon held in the first floor student lounge in the Henry Student Center beginning at 10:00 a.m. on Friday, April 11. At the Create-a-thon guests are invited to create various crafts and paintings, which will be sold at a later event during the weekend. The event will run until 5:00 p.m. and tables explaining the four non-profit organizations will be set up, Ciesla said. On Saturday, April 12 a film festival will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the Kirby Salon. According to Ciesla, the film festival will feature various documentaries about the humanitarian issues in Africa. Immediately following the film festival, an open forum will be held where students and faculty can discuss and debate on various humanitarian issues, not only in Africa but around the world, Ciesla explained. The final day of Humanitarian Weekend 2008, Sunday April 13 will begin with a poetry reading at the Barnes and Noble bookstore on South Main Street. The creations made on Friday at the Create-a-thon will also be sold. A memorial service will be held at 6:00 p.m. at the Peace Pole in remembrance of those have suffered as a result of humanitarian crises. All events for Humanitarian Weekend 2008 are free to attend; however, donations are accepted throughout the weekend to benefit the four organizations. Wilkes University junior, Pete George, an engineering major, thought the idea for Humanitarian Weekend was good and would probably attend one of the events. “We don’t really have an idea of about the problems peo- CUMB LAND ple in other, less fortunate parts of the world have. I think it’s important to understand the problems that others are having and try to help,” George explained. • Private bath with shower • Free Internet access • Laundry • Free off-street parking • Free water, sewer, & trash. • Secure entry/ Remote access-buzz in • Fully-equipped granite kitchen • Cable TV 17 West Ross Street Wilkes-Barre, PA www.cumberlandliving.com 570-687-2220 �Wilkes posts a 7-2 win over Arcadia in baseball before falling 5-4 in game two Colonels run their record to 8-6 overall and 3-3 in conference play COURTESY JOHN SEITZINGER Wilkes University split a Freedom Conference baseball doubleheader at Arcadia University on Saturday afternoon, winning the opener 7-2, but dropped a 5-4 verdict in the nightcap. The split moves the Colonels to 8-6 overall and 3-3 in conference play as they prepare to host Keuka College in a non-conference doubleheader on Sunday at 1 p.m. at Artillery Park. Arcadia, who also fell 9-6 to the Colonels in game one of their three-game series on Friday, is now 5-13-1 overall and 3-3 in the conference. Corey Helfrich was outstanding in picking up the win in the opener for Wilkes. He tossed a complete game and allowed only four hits. Helfrich, who improved to 2-1 on the hill, The Beacon/Gino Troiani struck out 10 and gave up only a pair of seventh inning runs. Mike Ramsden (2-1) was tagged for six hits and four runs in six innings of work to take the loss for the Knights. Junior Andrew Garofoli catches one deep in left field during the Colonels home Mike McAndrew had three hits and drove in two runs to key Wilkes at the plate. Dwight game against Arcadia. Smith added two hits and two runs batted in for the Colonels, who scored three runs in the second inning to take the lead for good. A double by Arcadia’s Andy Bella was the only extra base hit of the game. John Curreri, Tim Smith and Austin Ley added a single apiece for the Knights. In game two, Ley’s one-out single in the bottom of the seventh inning scored Anthony Champi as Arcadia rallied for two runs in their last at-bat to notch the one-run victory. Steve Chobert (1-1) was the winner on the mound for the Knights, scattering five hits over seven innings. Brad Woznisky (0-2) allowed only eight hits but suffered the loss for the Colonels. Ley had a single and double and drove in a pair of runs for Arcadia. Bella also finished with a single and double and drove in one run. A triple by Ken Spangenberg and a double by Kevin Kolodgie were the other extra base hits for the Knights. Eric Wetzel, who doubled, and Billy Sisko had two hits each for Wilkes in the nightcap. The only other Colonels hit was a single by Helfrich. Wilkes splits softball twinbill with Arcadia Lady Colonels win opener 2-1 before dropping 1-0 decision in nightcap COURTESY JOHN SEITZINGER Sports Information Director Wilkes University and Arcadia University opened their Freedom Conference softball slates on Saturday afternoon by splitting a pair of games at the Ralston Complex. The Lady Colonels claimed a 2-1 win in the opener, while the Knights bounced back for a 1-0 victory in the nightcap. The split moves Wilkes to 9-5 overall, while Arcadia saw their record change to 6-6. In game one, Lindsay Behrenshausen fired a complete game four-hitter to up her pitching record to 5-2 for Wilkes. She struck out five and surrendered only a sixth-inning unearned run. Kiersten Hughes took the loss for Arcadia to slip to 3-3. She gave up only three hits and one earned run. The Lady Colonels got all of the offense they would need in the first inning when Gina Stefanelli drew a two-out walk and Melisa Bracone followed with her fifth homerun of the season to give her squad a 2-0 lead. Arcadia would trim the lead to 2-1 in the sixth inning. Brittni Holland reached on a one out error and Jaime Bee singled to put runners on first and second. After Virginia Buechel flew out, Kristen Burns singled to score Holland. However, Behrenshausen was able to strike out Diana Rufo to end the threat. Bracone had two of the three hits in the game for Wilkes. Stefanelli had the other hit for the Lady Colonels. Amanda Celentano had a double and Bee, Burns and Rufo had a single each for Arcadia. In game two, Arcadia’s Jessica DeFluri (1-1) tossed a shutout and allowed only four hits to lead her team to the win. Maureen Pelot, who gave up six hits and struck out eight in six and two-thirds innings, suffered the loss for Wilkes to fall to 1-2. The Knights scored the game’s only run in the third inning. Kim Servello singled and advanced to second on a one-out walk to Danielle Discher. A wild pitch allowed both runners to move up a base, before Holland’s infield single loaded the bags. Pelot was able to strike out Bee for the second out, but Buechel drew a walk to force homer Servello and give Arcadia the 1-0 win. Servello had two hits, while Holland, Buechel, Burns and Celentano had one hit each for Arcadia. Stefanelli, Kristy Ordile, Erin Plank and Sarah Elliott had the hits for Wilkes. Junior Colleen Labor gets in defensive position at first base during the Lady Colonels doubleheader against Scranton last Tuesday. Lady Colonels won both contests 3-2, 1311. Junior Kathy Dalton is playing outfield. The Beacon/Gino Troiani �SPORTS APRIL 1, 2008 17 Widener Nets 19-14 MAC Lacrosse Win Over Wilkes The Lady Colonels see their overall record move to 3-3 COURTESY OF JOHN SEITZINGER Sports Information Director Wilkes University began their 2008 Middle Atlantic Conference slate on Saturday afternoon by dropping a 19-14 verdict at Widener University. The Pride improved to 2-5 overall with the victory, while the Lady Colonels saw their overall record even at 3-3. Widener held a 40-27 advantage in shots and a 23-17 edge in ground balls, while Wilkes was able to secure a 20-15 edge in draw controls. Jill Cummings had eight saves in net for the Pride to garner the win in goal. Stacy Fimmano was credited with 17 saves in goal for the Lady Colonels. Jackie Elliott had six goals and one assist and Tara Krasley finished with five goals and one helper to key the Widener attack. Grace Cavanaugh added three goals, Amanda Wilson had two tallies and Rebecca Corrado, Kerri Schulz and Brittany Dippolito had one goal apiece for the Pride. Ashley Leggio was the leading scorer for Wilkes with six goals and one assist. Brittany Hodnik chipped in with three goals and two assists. Mellissa Polchinski added three goals and Justine Leggio contributing two goals and one helper. Freedom Conference Standings 1. Lycoming College 2-0 2. Widener University 1-0 3. King’s College 1-0 4. FDU University 1-0 5. Messiah College 0-0 6. Wilkes University 0-1 7. Elizabethtown College 0-1 8. Manhanttanville College 0-1 9. Arcadia University 0-2 Ashley Leggio is the second leading scorer with 41 points. Fried Mill hroo.-mSI Fried Ravioli · 6) R.mmdPit::s l.2 Mediwn Pilla 1 16"" Lqe Pizza l2 ~ ;m .Piizza Ou-Ori. Fried Slicili.am Re rnlar Cut 120Ut Tray 'Whi Cut Broe-coli. 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Chmclb:m Caesm Chees Steak Grilled Ch~cki:::n Ve tL Crispy Chicl:,c n TmkcyC~ub Cali.fomia ·Che · St:eak nma Plains - . 1iln-u7·Only 825- 5082 J ·1 Dailu 67 . -777? �SPORTS 18 APRIL 1, 2008 Commentary GAME OF THE WEEK NASCAR: Samsung 500 Double Take BY MARK CONGDON, JR. Beacon Opinion Editor In a year in which racing has seen many changes with drivers and sponsorships, one thing remains constant: NASCAR fans can’t seem to get enough of the sport. In fact, NASCAR.com recently reported that as of the Food City 500 race on March 23, the ratings for NASCAR races have increased from last year for all of the races except the rain-delay at California Speedway on February 25. The seventh race for the NASCAR Sprint Cup season, the Samsung 500, on Sunday, April 6 , at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, is expected to be another win for NASCAR ratings because it’s almost impossible to predict who will win the race. Last Season: Jeff Burton passed Matt Kenseth with one lap remaining in last year’s race. Mark Martin finished third and Jeff Gordon finished fourth. Gordon initially led the race for the first 153 laps, but then Dale Earnhardt Jr. took the lead at lap 154. The race consisted of many spins and crashes which caused many drivers to fall behind including Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson. In the past 12 races, Jeff Burton is the only NASCAR driver to win at this track twice--in 1997 and in 2007. All of the other winners have been different drivers who have posted only one win in that span. This has been one of the longest streaks for any NASCAR track. The Track: The track consists of 334 laps which equals 501 miles. When describing the difficulty of the track, Steve McCormick, NASCAR reporter and author of, “Ya Know? Stock Car Racing,” said that the, “Texas Motor Speedway is a 1.5 mile quadoval…In order to be fast, a driver needs a car that is handling well so they can carry that speed through the turns.” Top Fifteen Official Driver Standings as of Food City 500: In order to predict who may be the top performers for the Samsung 500, it is important to look at the driver standings in points. The following official standings were taken from NASCAR.com. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Kyle Busch with 782 points Greg Biffle with 752 points Kevin Harvick with 749 points Jeff Burton with 745 points Dale Earnhardt Jr. with 686 points Kasey Kahne with 674 points Tony Stewart with 656 points Ryan Newman with 635 points Clint Bowyer with 606 points Kurt Busch with 605 points Matt Kenseth with 604 points Martin Truex Jr. with 595 points Jimmie Johnson with 581 points Jeff Gordon with 574 points Denny Hamlin with 568 points Predictions: The only way to wage any sort of prediction is to juxtapose this year’s points and the entire NASCAR season to date against last year’s outcome of the race. As a result, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Jeff Burton will all be strong contenders for the The hot-headed young gun Kyle Busch zooms in a NASCAR Sprint Cup race. 2008 Samsung 500. Harvick is likely to make the top 5 because this is one of the tracks he shows particular skill with. Although he has struggled this year for a win, he is due, which can make a guy pretty aggressive on the track. Harvick knows the ins and outs of the Texas Motor speedway, and knows the fastest lanes to use and which ones will help him to a victory. He currently is also third in points and for the first five races, has been in the top five 40% of the time and top ten 80% of the time. Busch currently leads in points and of the first five races, has won one. He also has finished in the top five in three of the first fi ve races. races. These five These stats st are convincing and his driving record his driving record should hold up at this track. track. Though Though Samsung Samsung is one of the few tracks Gordon hasn’t Gordon hasn't won, won, he has proven himself here as a leader here as a leader in in the past. In last year’s race, for instance, he led the first 153 laps and ended up placing fourth. In the first five races of this year, Gordon is thirteenth in points and has placed in the top five twice. Earnhardt Jr. has been a leader throughout this season. He has won two of the first five races and has the fifth highest number of points. Earnhardt Jr. has also placed in the top five 60% of the time during the first five races of the 2008 season. Moreover, despite his wreck last year, he performed well and took the lead over Gordon at lap 154. Burton is also worth a mention as a top contender. He won last year and clearly has a read on the track as its only two-time winner. As of the Food City 500 race, Burton leads fourth in points and has won one race so far this year. He also has placed in the top five two times since Food City 500. Though stats may make it easier to determine who will win the race, history has shown that it has been unpredictable at times to determine the actual outcome for the Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. The Samsung 500 will go down on April 6 at 1:30 PM, on FOX. It will also be broadcast via Sirius Satellite Radio on the Performance Racing Network beginning at 1 p.m.. Note: At press time, Goody’s Cool Orange 500 at the Martinsville Speedway had yet to take place, and the analysis for the predictions is based on the first five races of the 2008 season. Steph examines the stats that truly matter... Nascar. If there is one “sport” that I don’t know a single thing about it is Nascar . When I was told the contest of the week was the Samsung 500, I had to look it up. I know a little bit about basketball, baseball, and soccer but nothing about auto racing. Anything I know, I learned from the movie Talladega Knights and I’m sure that Ricky Bobby isn’t a real racecar driver, though that would be more fun than just watching cars drive in circles for hours. I decided to resort to what any woman who is unaware of the nuances of the sport would do. I went on the website and looked for the hottest race car drivers. I decided to give you the guys who would be in the top five, in no particular order, if this race depended on physical appeal. First we have, Patrick Carpenter. Carpenter is sporting a red, one piece jump suit featuring the Budweiser logo. He looks like a young Patrick Dempsey and even shares the same first name. Next is Martin Truex, Jr. He has nice eyes and looks a little bit rowdy and he has some sexy scruffy facial hair. With the number 1 on his car, who can deny this guy is a winner? Aric Almirola is my next pick, mainly because he looks like a guy I work with and shares the same first name, if only it were spelled with an E and had a K tacked onto the end. My last two picks aren’t even all that attractive, but they stood out to me. Denny Hamlin jumped off the website page out of a sea of men because the box around his name is PURPLE as opposed to the black surrounded every other racecar driver. Any man secure enough to rock a purple box on a page full of black boxes is okay by me. Finally, there is Kyle Busch. He is nott hot by any means, but he exudes attitude. He looks like he couldn’t care less who wins so I’d say he’s going to be up there. Now that I’ve narrowed down the list of who should win this race thingy, I guess I have to come up with a winner. Based on the judge’s votes, Patrick Carpenter is the winner. *Insert Miss America Pageant Music Here.* �SPORTS APRIL 1, 2008 Veteran Sports Information Director to leave Wilkes 19 Seitzinger has accepted new position with PA state gaming board BY GERARD HETMAN Beacon Asst. Sports Editor Starting in mid-April, coaches, players, and staff associated with athletics at Wilkes University will need to adjust to operations without a familiar face at their games and matches. After more than a decade of working in the athletic department at Wilkes, Sports Information Director John Seitzinger recently announced that he is stepping down from his position to accept a new job as a Gaming Enforcement Agent with the Pennsylvania State Gaming Control Board. A native of Scranton, Seitzinger came to Wilkes in December of 1997, after spending seven years as sports information director at Marywood University in Scranton, while also having served as the head men’s tennis coach at the University of Scranton for seven seasons. Sietzinger’s new position will see him establish liaisons and working relationships with all levels of both law enforcement and casino management to ensure compliance with state regulations at casinos in the State of Pennsylvania. “I am excited about starting this new chapter in my life. My new position is go- ing to be both challenging and interesting” Seitzinger said recently. “I am really looking forward to getting started.” When asked about the benefits of his new position, Seitzinger noted the opportunity to work for the State of Pennsylvania as a major plus, along with a change in schedule that will allow him more time off from his job. “There are many benefits to the job, including the fact that it is a position with the State of Pennsylvania.” Seitzinger added. “The other benefit is the fact that the job is four days on and three days off consecutive each week. Being an SID we are used to working seven days a week. Now I will have three days off each week, which is a real benefit.” Seitzinger’s departure will require a major adjustment for other staff members in the Wilkes athletic department, many of whom have come to rely on his years of expertise in the sports information field when dealing with members of the media. “John has served as Wilkes’ liaison for sports information for every NCAA event, conference post season tournament and countless home athletic events.” Wilkes University athletic Director Addy Malatesta said recently when asked about Seitzinger’s time at Wilkes. “He also established a positive working relationship with the media whether it was promoting a feature story on a Wilkes team, a student athlete or a coach, filing a story or finding an extra seat in the press box on game day.” While Malatesta did not comment on a timetable or process to find a successor to Seitzinger, she was quick to praise his efforts in working with all personnel he has dealt with during his career at Wilkes. “We are grateful to John for his devotion to Wilkes athletics and wish him the best life has to offer as he pursues a new career path.” Malatesta added. “Most of all, I believe that John will be remembered for his efforts on behalf of the student athletes at Wilkes University, most of whom he knows by name.” While Seitzinger is eager to being work in his new job, he will certainly miss the people he has met and worked with during his time here at Wilkes. “This was definitely a difficult decision. I really enjoy the Sports Information profession and I know that there will be days when I certainly miss it.” What I will really miss is the day-to- day interaction with the people at Wilkes.” Seitzinger added about his change in jobs. “As I said to one of our alums the other day, I feel that Wilkes will always be a part of me and for that I am truly grateful. I know that I will not be a stranger at Wilkes, especially at sporting events. The only difference is that I will be there as a fan instead of a worker.” FDU-Florham pulls out 5-4 tennis win over Wilkes Colonels fall to 6-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play COURTESY OF JOHN SEITZINGER Sports Information Director FDU-Florham claimed a tough 5-4 win over Wilkes University in a Freedom Conference men’s tennis match on Saturday afternoon. The win improved the Devils to 4-4 overall and 2-0 in the conference, while the Colonels slipped to 6-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play. FDU-Florham took a 2-1 lead heading into singles player by winning two of the three doubles matches. Jason Thalmann and Adam Geiger scored an 8-6 win over Kyle Ungvarsky and Chris Cozzillio at number-one, and Alex Bruin and John Zalesky topped Wes McCollum and Jon Rohrbach, 8-5, at number-two to give the Devils two team points. Wilkes got their lone doubles victory at the third position when Josh Gardner and Brian Fanelli scored an 8-2 victory over Sid Dunn and John Gaw. McCollum tied the match at 2-2 with a relatively easy 6-0, 6-1 win over Geiger at first singles. Ungvarsky then copped a 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Thalmann at numbertwo to give Wilkes a 3-2 lead. FDU-Florham answered back with wins at the third and fourth positions. Bruin was a 6-2, 5-7, 7-6 (7-3) winner over Cozzillio at number-three and Joe Li topped Rohrbach, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 to give the Devils a 4-3 edge. After Wilkes tied the match at 4-4 thanks to Gardner’s 6-4, 6-4 win over Zalesky at number-five, Wes Harnett defeated Tom Miller, 6-1, 6-2 at number-six to give FDU-Florham the win. Freedom Conference Standings 1. Manhattanville 2-0 2. FDU-Florham 2-0 3. Wilkes 1-1 4. Arcadia 1-1 5. Delware Valley 0-0 6. King’s 0-2 7. DeSales 0-2 The Colonels are at home against DeSales tomorrow at 3:30 pm. The Beacon/Gino Troiani Freshman Chris Cozzillio is 9-2 on the season. On March 25th, he won in three sets against King’s College junior Blake Bonsor. �Sports APRIL 1, 2008 20 The Beacon/Gino Troiani Shocker Squad shoots to three-peat intramurals title BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Sports Editor For students who play basketball as hobby and are looking to compete in an organized season rather than occasional pick-up games, intramural season is like hoop heaven. Fourteen teams are split up into two conferences. There’s an East and West conference (not literally but an efficient way to sectionoff the playoff race) comprised of seven teams each. NCAA rules are applied including two 20-minute halves. Varsity basketball players serve as referees and are constanly screamed at by the players because they are caught between making the correct calls and letting the students play. A lot of sweat and tears are shed on the gymnasium floors of the UCOM. This year, The Shocker Squad has emerged as the team to watch, as it has managed to cruise its way to back-to-back titles. Its captain, Phil Sampona, senior business major, is a self-proclaimed competition freak. In fact, if he were on the verge of losing an intense game of Madden he would probably launch the controller to the point where his roommates/intramural teammates would ask “Dude, what are you doing?” But his dedication to winning has certainly rubbed off on his teammates. The Shockers have started the first week of intramurals with a 2-0 record and now they’re looking to complete a three-peat. Dressed in street clothes thanks to a knee injury prior to the Shocker Squad’s game against The Dream Team on March 27, Sampona knew his team needed a well-designed game plan against such a high caliber team. So, he scribbled plays on a notebook and met with each player before tip-off to inform them of their roles. “The first game, (on March 26th against The Dudes, Shockers won by 10) our offense was very stagnate,” said Sampona. “Our team wasn’t moving and we struggled against a team that wasn’t that good. I didn’t write up plays. They were quick hitters that worked every time we did it. It was a fluid offense and it was easy for them to learn. It was simple. It took me less than a minute to show them.” Though Sampona’s planning and strategizing sounds like March Madness coaching at its most intense, this is, indeed, Wilkes University intramural we’re talking about. Sampona might as well have a suit on, be surrounded by assistant coaches, and have Dick Vitale in the UCOM shouting, “Look at those Shockers, Baby!” Intramural basketball is that serious. The Shockers did, in fact, hold the Dream Team, a team comprised of five former basketball players, to only 27 points while they scored 35. Senior business major, Jake Williams, led the Shockers with roughly 14 points. Seniors Anthony Piscitelli, Rocky A’conti, Brad Woznisky, Anthony Fortunato, Paul Trovato and junior Matt Renzi all played well and chipped in on the offensive end. “I enjoy playing with my teammates,” said Sampona. “The biggest thing is that everyone knows their role on the team.” “We may not have the best players but we play as a team,” said D’Aconti. Last season the Shockers lost just one out of eight games using the same personnel minus one player who left the group to start his own team this year. During the 2006 season, the Shockers won all regular season contests including the playoffs with minor adjustments to the roster. Although intramural competition is not as respected as a varsity sports, to the students who play, it’s hoop heaven. It’s about beating your opponent so that you get a chance to walk through the cafeteria with a winning swagger. “Another reason why we’re so competitive: you don’t just win an intramural champion T-shirt, but you win the respect,” said D’Aconti. The Shockers will be in action tonight at 10:00 p.m. against Braj. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon 2008 April 1st Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 April 1 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/f0c64b2fe83d886e4fa7a9ba77f910a6.pdf dc1c8f438ef3a5b1b01f0687b45568e4 PDF Text Text Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA The THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW FEBRUARY M ARCH 18,5, 2008 2008 In This Issue... www.wilkesbeacon.com Volume 60 Issue 17 13 US Presidential race comes to Northeast PA Clinton campaign stops by Wilkes; Obama sets up shop Alternative Spring Break Trips BY ANDREW SEAMAN Page 9 1/!ao Hardware Bar Page 13 NBA Doubleheader Page 18 r Inside News................................1-5 Opinion.............................6-8 Lifestyles.........................9-11 Arts & Entertainment....12-15 Sports...........................16-20 Beacon News Editor The “Old Bookstore” in the Henry Student Center was filled to capacity when Chelsea Clinton, daughter of presidential hopeful New York Senator Hillary Clinton, made a stop at Wilkes University on Wednesday, March 12, to answer questions from students, faculty, staff and the public about her mother’s campaign. Meanwhile, only two blocks away supporters of Illinois Senator Barack Obama, Clinton’s rival for the Democratic presidential nomination, were busily setting up campaign headquarters for the area in Midtown Village. Chelsea did not mention the Illinois Senator in her hour-long question and answer session. But she did say that, in her opinion, her mother was the most viable candidate for the Democratic nomination. She was asked a series of questions from the audience, ranging in topics from the war in Iraq to the DREAM Act. Some audience members declined to ask a question, but showed their support for Hillary Clinton by The Beacon/Cara Koster telling Chelsea to “Go get them, kid!” Chelsea Clinton thanks the people who gathered for a question and answer session in the “Old Bookstore” at Wilkes University. She answered several questions about her mother, See PRESIDENT page 5 New York Senator Hillary Clinton, and the campaign’s stance on several issues. Three pharmacy faculty to leave Wilkes BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon Asst. News Editor At the end of the spring semester, the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy and Nursing at Wilkes University will lose three key faculty members in pharmacy. After finals, Dr. Sheila Kang, assistant professor of Pharmacy Practice, will move to Chicago with her husband, who recently finished his fellowship at Geisinger Medical Center in Gastroenterology. Kang is currently negotiating a position with a school in Chicago. Kang joined the Wilkes community in August 2005 and teaches the second half of the infectious diseases course. She also has an internal medicine clerkship rotation at Mercy Scranton Hospital. “It’s nice when you do a lot of mentoring and get to know [the students] as more than just students. Three years is definitely enough time to be able to develop a relationship with students in the class,” said Kang. “I have no idea what kind of program I’m going to end up at when I get to Chicago, but I think the students that we have here are very professional and very ma- ture. I think it’ll be hard to find students like this again.” “She has been a great advisor over the years and has always been there when I needed someone to talk to. It didn’t matter if it was about school or my personal life; she was always there with an open ear, and of course some helpful advice. Even just passing in the hallway, I always knew that I’d get a smile,” said Nicolas Fisher, P3 pharmacy student. Kang is the advisor to one-sixth of the pharmacy class of 2009. Her advisees called their team the Kangaroos. “The best way I can think of it is that it is almost like losing a parent. She’s always been there for our team, looking after us with a careful eye and making sure that we were getting through the program fine and taking time out from her busy schedule when we needed someone to talk to. And now that she’s leaving, it will be hard to get the same relationship with our new advisor,” said Fisher. In addition to Kang’s departure, on June 1, Dr. Nicole Culhane, associate professor of Phar- macy Practice, and Dr. Jim Culhane, associate professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, will begin new careers with the College of Notre Dame of Maryland (COND), which is located four miles north of downtown Baltimore. At COND, they will assist newly appointed Dean, Dr. Anne Y. F. Lin in the process of bringing the new School of Pharmacy to life. Lin was the founding chair of the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy and Nursing at Wilkes University. According to the COND website, the new School of Pharmacy “will be the first one established on the campus of a women’s college in the United States.” The school is currently seeking accredidation and hopes to welcome its first class in fall 2009. The Culhanes were on board when Wilkes began developing its own School of Pharmacy in August 1997. Nicole is currently a practicing clinical pharmacist at Nesbitt Memorial Medical Center and also helped develop a post-doctoral See PHARMACY page 5 �NEWS MARCH 18, 2008 2 Interfaith Coordinator Guardian Angels in W-B Presidential Campaign Pharmacy 3 4 5 5 Center for Global Education and Diversity announces location, goals BY MEGAN KRISANDA Beacon Staff Writer A new center that emphasizes international education and diversity is taking shape at Wilkes University. The Diversity Task Force proposed the idea of a Center for Global Education and Diversity to the Board of Directors in December 2007, and the Board unanimously approved its concept. Currently, an implementation committee is discussing the structure of the center, staffing in its first year, and budget issues. Dr. Maria Suarez, special assistant to the President, is spokeswoman for the center. A final proposal will be presented to the Board of Directors in April of 2008. University officials have housed the center on the third floor of Passan Hall. The center has two major related goals which include overseeing global initiatives at Wilkes and addressing needs to meet the growing diversity of the Wilkes community. “We hope to increase the number of Wilkes students who have experiences abroad--not only study abroad in the classical sense, which is a semester or longer, but it is also looking at shorter term experiences, a week or 10 days, a summer,” said Suarez. Suarez added that some of these experiences are already happening now. However, the goal is to increase the participants significantly. “Right now, about 3 percent [of Wilkes students] travel abroad, and we want to make that, within the next 10 years, 30 percent. It’s a very ambitious goal. But we feel that it’s important for our students to have an international experience...at least one... as they prepare for the global workforce,” said Suarez. This idea of increasing students’ experiences abroad in hopes to gain competence in dealing with the global environment is a national movement. “The other side of this center is providing support and resources for our faculty and bring a global perspective to what we do in the classroom, events, and speakers. In addition to that, there’s also a need to address support for our international students. Those numbers are growing and they contribute greatly to the education of everyone here. They bring very different perspectives to the campus and the classroom,” said Suarez. Embracing and supporting international students will also be a goal for the center. The center will serve as a gathering place for these students and any student interested in learning more about studying abroad and the opportunities available. Global education and diversity are interrelated said Suarez. “There is a very important relationship between the two. It is not only ethnic diversity. {Diversity] encompasses gender, political views, age, interests…We want to build a support structure and capacity to embrace all of the different groups that make up [the] Wilkes community,” said Suarez. Jasmine King, a freshman nursing major, is a diversity ambassador working part-time in Passan Hall. King, along with a number of other students will be trained in the near future to be a part of the Center. “I just feel like this center will be a great place to learn about other students and what they have to bring to Wilkes. Diversity is a great thing, and I think that we can all learn something new as well as teach others things that can benefit them in the future. Also, I just think that the Center for Global Education and Diversity will just be a fun and interesting experience,” said King. The center will be a space which will provide advice and resources. “This way it will be more of a cohesive approach to the development of our campus in terms of its growing diversity and how it embraces its community,” said Suarez. BEACON Serving the community through fair and accurate reporting while supporting the views and opinions of our readers. Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief: Nick Podolak Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com Managing Editor: Alison Woody Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com News Editor: Andrew Seaman Email: news.beacon@gmail.com Op/Ed Editor: Mark Congdon Jr. Email: thebeacon.oped@gmail.com Lifestyles Editor: Christa Sgobba Email: beacon.lifestyles@gmail.com A&E Editor: Marissa Phillips Email: thebeaconae@gmail.com Sports Editor: Carlton Holmes Email: beaconsports@gmail.com Photo Editor: Cara Koster Advertising Managers: Stephanie Yachim Dana Zlotucha Email: thebeacon.ads@gmail.com Advisor: Dr. Andrea Breemer Frantz Established in 1936 PA Newspaper Association Member Printed on Tuesdays during the academic school year. The Beacon/Andrew Seaman During the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Wilkes-Barre on Sunday, March 16, several bagpipers walked down Main St. Joining them in the parade were political candidates including Congressman Kanjorski and his opponent, Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta, Republican candidate for the 11th Congressional District. Onlookers lined the street to see several other organizations march. There largest group was “Parents in support of SDACT (Scranton Diocese Association of Catholic Teachers).” 130 S. River St. First Floor, Conyngham Hall, Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 (570) 408-5903 wilkesbeacon@gmail.com www.wilkesbeacon.com �NEWS MARCH 18, 2008 Theresa Monaco named new Interfaith Coordinator BY AMY FUSCO Beacon Staff Writer Wilkes University’s Student Development Office has announced that Theresa Monaco, former religion teacher in New York, has been hired as the new Interfaith Coordinator for campus. After a lengthy selection process, the Diocese of Scranton made the offer to Monaco. Though Wilkes is an independent institution, The Scranton Diocese funds the Interfaith Coordinator position and therefore runs the search. According to Philip Ruthkosky, the Associate Dean of Student Development, Wilkes will provide Monaco with an office and living accommodations. According to Monaco, after spending eight years at the high school level first working in the library and then as a teacher, she decided that she wanted to interact with a more mature group. She also wanted to become more involved exploring multiple faiths, rather than only the Catholic religion. She checked out the Wilkes website several times and chose to apply for the position. “She’s going to offer an office that is very conducive to students feeling free to just wander in and have candid conversations about faith, values, morals, whatever is on their mind,” stated Ruthkosky, after meeting with Monaco. “She will be another trustworthy mentor where students can go in and really have these open conversations,” he added. “[Monaco] has a really diverse background in various different fields where she’s done this kind of thing before and I think that will be a real benefit coming to the college,” said Gabrielle Lamb, the Student Development Coordinator. “I expect that she’ll put together a nice offering of programs to support the interfaith initiative on campus,” she added. “I feel that God is already working in the lives of the students and I want to encourage that development,” stated Monaco. She explained that in its mission statement Wilkes highlights the “constantly changing world” that we live in and the need for continuing learning so the students can survive in it. “I see that the spirituality aspect, a relationship with God, to be the piece that helps you manage the constantly changing world. Without that firm foundation, it becomes more difficult,” she said. Andy Curry, a senior mechanical engineering major and co-president of Christian Fellowship Club, is eager to begin working with Monaco. He has been involved since “God started CFC in February of 2006.” He explained that the previous Interfaith Coordinator, Angela Hermes, was a very active co-advisor for the group and anticipates the new coordinator to be similarly active. “We are excited to become involved with the new coordinator, Theresa, in establishing a respectful relationship between the Christian Fellowship Club and Interfaith… though we strongly differ from the doctrine of interfaith as a whole,” stated Curry. Curry also said that, “Much like she would expect from us, we expect Theresa to be supportive of pointing students to seek a life of purpose. Also, we expect her to be respectful of the student ministry emphasis on Christian Fellowship Club, but at the same time willing to offer fellowship and support.” Ann Hofmann, a sophomore pharmacy student, is also looking forward to speaking with the new Interfaith Coordinator. She feels that the previous coordinator was very good at answering questions and helped her 3 explore the different churches in the area. “I want her to somehow be involved in CFC and at least be able to make us aware of what is happening in the community [involving Christianity],” Hofmann stated. “I want to be a vessel for information about religion,” Monaco said. Students should be aware of her as a resource for finding out what is available in the area in reference to faith and religion, such as the locations of faithbased institutions and their schedules. Monaco said that she is very excited to be a part of what is going on at Wilkes and to meet new people. Her main focus now is “trying to see what it is that the students at Wilkes see as the need [in respect to their faiths].” Monaco is also excited about the community service programs she will be involved in. She has always wanted to have mission trips and believes that when people do community service “we get back more than we give.” Lamb said that she is happy to have a new member on the Student Development team, “Having an Interfaith Coordinator here just fits really nicely into the whole puzzle that is Student Development.” KR.eflect and Rel.ax DayD Thursday) March 20th 11 :00-1 :OOPM: Get a C:omplimentary chair mu:s age : from A1Jno phere Salon and Day Spa · IN while you wait to get your Live Acoustic Music by "Jay Luke" Wednesday, March 19th «Angelic Mess age» read by Angela DeMuro 6 :30-8 :30pm .-~Gear~~ Spring Sale! f1-'earen.owa I Jc p •·n •,11,, hr -·m In. - -1· , · -B r , · a 1 (570 82 ~ - . 9 ~ Int 665 d y.. ·sma ll_ll - ~+ ) Justgo t.o: "1,I'BFREE" Come visit the fun colored Gear t- shirt table on sale now! Womans 'pink'' & st. Patty s Day 'ween' tees for only $12.99 reguhrfy $19.98! l'r'ferl s gTey & navy tees for on:IJ $9 .99 regularly $14.98 �MARCH 18, 2008 PRESIDENT from FRONT PAGE However, the majority of the questions asked to Chelsea were not particularly biased. The first question came from a woman asking about Hillary Clinton’s stance on smoking. The woman said that in her opinion the federal government has ignored the poorer areas when it comes to anti-smoking legislation. Chelsea answered by explaining her mother’s health care plan, which requires people to have health care coverage. Hillary Clinton allows people to remain under their current carrier but will also open up care under the Congressional health plan. Chelsea said that this plan would help smokers because they will be able to get treatment, even if they have a previously diagnosed condition, and they cannot be turned away. She also explained that, in her opinion, the plan would force premiums down. The premium paid by patients under the health plan would be “a little less than three-percent” of their income. Many of the questions came from people who supported Hillary Clinton’s campaign; however, they still wanted to know more about her stance on specific issues. One Iraq War veteran asked Chelsea about her mother’s plans for returning veterans. Chelsea said that her mother wants to allow family members of returning veterans to take part in the Family Medical Leave Act, to take care of the returning veterans. Chelsea also said that her mother wants to make sure every veteran has health care. Another question for Chelsea came from a young man who sat behind her during the session. He asked why Chelsea’s mother voted for the DREAM Act, which he contended helps children of illegal immigrants obtain an education while putting them on the path towards citizenship. PHARMACY from FRONT PAGE pharmacy residency program with colleague Eric Wright. She was the recipient of The Outstanding Faculty Merit Award and the American Association of College of Pharmacy Teacher of the Year two times each. At COND, Nicole will act as the Director of Experiential Education in the Department of Pharmacy Practice. “I’ll miss a lot of things, especially my colleagues and students,” said Nicole. “I will always look back at my time at Wilkes with fondness and gratitude.” Caitlin Flaherty, P3 pharmacy student, will be affected by the Culhanes’ departure. “As my advisor, Dr. Nicole Culhane has of- NEWS The DREAM Act was created primarily as a way for children of illegal immigrants to gain citizenship, since there are currently no ways for a child brought into this country illegally, by his or her parents, to obtain citizenship. Currently, children of illegal immigrants must return to their native country and wait 10 years to re-enter the United States. This policy is true even if the child in question was primarily raised in the United States and has lived in the US 5 an and ask for pictures and autographs. Before the conclusion of the event Jef Bauman, Student Government Vice President, presented Chelsea with a tote bag filled with various Wilkes University items. “She expressed her gratitude for the care package and said that it was very considerate and let me know that she wouldn’t forget Wilkes,” said Bauman. Bauman said that, “Tuesday afternoon Margy [Sromovski] approached me about dent, also attended the session and said that, “I think the visits by candidates and their representatives are just great. There is no better way to get our students engaged in the electoral process and that is a key part of being a good citizen.” Currently, Gilmour said that there is no word on more candidates stopping by. “We have put out the word that we would like to host key candidates on campus. I am optimistic more will come.” The political invasion of Northeastern Pennsylvania (NEPA) kicked off with Senator Hillary Clinton’s visit to Scranton last week. Clinton’s family, the Rodhams, once owned a small summer cottage at Lake Winola. Clinton greeted supporters at a rally inside Scranton High School after eating pizza in Old Forge. On Saturday, Clinton topped off her week of face time with NEPA residents by marching in Scranton’s annual St. Patrick’s Day parade. Thanks to favorable weather conditions and the promise of her presence, crowds were record-breaking, topping 100,000. The Beacon/Gino Troiani Obama, who is the first candidate to open a campaign the Wyoming Students were headquarters able to sign in a book of conValley,to is be set sent to make a few stops inIllinois NEPA dolences to the Northern next week. So people far there is no word as to University. Five were killed when a whether Arkansas Senator Johnhall McCain has gunman burst into their lecture and rescheduled appearances, though most anticiThe Beacon/Jenna Stephens pate all remaining candidates will spend Obama supporters stand outside Illinois Senator Barack Obama’s campiagn head- a great deal of time in the state in coming quarters in Wilkes-Barre. The Obama headquarters is the first presidential candidate weeks. to set up shop in Wilkes-Barre. Videos@ for the majority of his or her life. This piece getting some stuff together for Chelsea from of legislation has been brought to Congress different offices in Student Development. several times and has failed every vote so Zena Miller, director of Campus Catering far. was the one who actually came to Margy Chelsea told the questioner, “I am proud about it.” of my mom for voting for [it]… I support He added that he “spoke with [Miller] that. I think we should be standing up for and… coordinated… the bag. In order [for children who have been raised as Ameri- Chelsea] to remember [her] visit to Wilkes, cans, [and] their right to live up to their God as well as give her something for the road given potential.” since she will be traveling across the state At the end of the event, people rushed all day, we had some snacks.” onto the stage to meet the 28-year-old womDr. Tim Gilmour, Wilkes University Presi- WilkesBeacon.com fered much guidance and is someone I admire. Dr. James Culhane is a great professor. He has always made class an enjoyable experience. It will be very difficult to replace such great professors and mentors.” Dr. Jim Culhane departs Wilkes to assume the role of Chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences at COND. During his time at Wilkes, he received multiple awards, including the Carpenter Outstanding Teacher Award for the 2007-2008 year and the American Association of College of Pharmacy Teacher of the Year award three times. “This is the job that I’ve always wanted to have… You start off in a position, you grow and develop professionally and personally, and you get to a point when you realize you’re ready for that next challenge and step,” he explained. “I’ve always thought that I would always like to be chair of a department like this. The opportunity came when Dr. Lin called me and asked if I would be interested… and I said ‘absolutely.’ It’s an exciting opportunity for me to do this.” “Wilkes University Pharmacy school will not be the same without the Drs. Culhane. I have learned so much from them throughout my years here. Not only have they taught me valuable knowledge about topics pharmacy related but have been very instrumental in motivating me to do better and always push to do better. I will miss them very much but wish them well with all of their future endeavors,” said Morgan Kuhns, P3 pharmacy student. Eryn Briggs, P3 pharmacy student, agreed. “I feel that the Culhanes will be two very difficult people to replace. I’ve learned things from both of them that I’ll carry with me throughout the rest of my professional career. Dr. [Jim] Culhane is one of the most engaging professors I’ve ever had, and I looked forward to classes in which he was going to be teaching in. “ With three members departing from the pharmacy faculty, Dr. Edward Foote, chair of Pharmacy Practice, and Dr. Arthur Kibbe, chair of Pharmaceutical Sciences, will have to work to fill the positions over the summer. Foote is currently recruiting for Kang’s position and has described the faculty members as being “very valuable” to the department. Human Resources will assist Kibbe in the search for someone to fill Jim’s position. “We wish them nothing but the best,” said Kibbe. �Opinion Angry Rant Parade Sex Trade MARCH 18, 2008 7 8 8 6 America’s biggest threats: intolerance & hatred BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD If asked what the most harmful threat facing the United States is today, most Americans might name the Iraq war, a troubled education system, the looming threat of recession and job loss, immigration, or perhaps terrorism. The answers to the question would be as varied as the American people themselves. But according to a March 10 CNN story, Oklahoma State Representative Sally Kerns believes that homosexuals are the biggest threat facing American society today. In a speech to members in her district she said, “I honestly think it’s [homosexuality] the biggest threat...that our nation has…Even more so than terrorists or Islam, which I think is a big threat.” She added that she isn’t gay bashing but, “according to God’s word, that is not the right kind of lifestyle. It has deadly consequences.” Kerns even added for good measure that the American education system is indoctrinating children as young as two years old into the gay lifestyle and, “The homosexual agenda is destroying our country.” Her comments have predictably caused harsh backlash from lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) organizations, allies and advocates. Most have called Kerns’s comments “hate speech.” Ultimately, what Kerns appears to want is an all-out war on the LGBT community, though she was somewhat vague about how such a war might be carried out. Regardless, any lesbian, gay, bi or transgendered individual, any ally, friend, or supportive relative would be considered “the enemy” in terms that Kerns has laid out. State Representative Kerns’s statements are particularly disturbing considering that there have been many incidents of hate violence against gay and transgender youth reported by the media. The Ventura County Star recently reported that on February 12, a 14-year old boy in California, who was bullied and taunted by his classmates, was gruesomely murdered at school by one of his peers because he was gay. Moreover, the South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported on February 23 that a 17-year old transgendered male was shot and killed, and police officials believe it may have been a result of a hate crime. These murders are only a few of the ones that have actually received attention. Who knows how many incidents of assault and bullying occur on a regular basis across this nation, all in the name of hatred and intolerance? Joe Solmonese, President of the Human Rights Campaign, recently said in response to Kerns’s comments, “The FBI’s most recent hate crimes report shows an increase in bias-motivated violence from the previous year. Hate crimes based on religion and sexual orientation are the second and third most prevalent, following only race in their frequency.” The Beacon staff believes that a federal law such as the Matthew Shepard Act needs to be passed by Congress to help combat and deter hate crimes against the LGBT community. Moreover, public schools need to implement programs that deter bullying and promote a safe and accepting environment. For example, The Denver Post reported on March 13 that Denver area public schools are implementing a new program, titled “No Place for Hate,” sponsored by the AntiDefamation League (ADL), which will allow Colorado schools to implement anti-bias programs and projects. The program will take one year for schools to complete the five steps needed to earn their designation as a “No Place for Hate” community. The five steps include: “1. Creating a coalition of administrators, teachers, staff, students, parents and community leaders to oversee the implementation of anti-bias programs and projects at the school. 2. Sign ADL’s “Resolution of Respect” and display it in the school. The resolution says, in part, that “I firmly believe that one person can make a difference and that no person can be an innocent bystander when it comes to opposing hate.” 3. Complete three or more activities listed in the ADL’s “Positive Impact!” Resource guide’s 101 Ways to Make a Positive Impact in your community. 4. Participate in one of ADL’s “A World of Difference” Institute training programs. 5. Complete and submit the “activities and fulfillment forms” to the ADL.” Once these steps are completed, that school will then become a “No place for Hate” campus. Other training programs include focus on face-to-face bullying, cyberbulling, and peer training, which provides students with the resources to design and lead interactive programs that contribute to “respectful, bias-free schools and communities.” If other programs similar to the “No Place for Hate” program are implemented at public schools, the likelihood that bias motivated hate crimes against those of different race, religion, sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity and social class would most likely decrease. More importantly, however, our elected leaders may have a better understanding of the need to be respectful, accepting and understanding of others and comments and attitudes like those made by Kerns could become a taboo of the past. If America is to become a country that is accepting and welcoming for all, we must change the environment in which our children are taught. We encourage all students, faculty, staff and Wilkes-Barre community members to contact their federal legislators and emphasize the need for the passage of the Matthew Shepard Act. On a local level, contact the school boards in Wilkes-Barre and surrounding communities and express the need for programs like Denver’s “No Place for Hate.” A federal law such as the Matthew Shepard Act and implementation of anti-bullying and antibias programs are a step in the right direction that will help build American communities to become a more accepting, more inclusive and more welcoming for all that could eliminate the detrimental threat of hatred. Beacon Poll Results The following are results of a poll that The Beacon conducted online this past week. The poll was unscientific, and does not claim to reflect the overall attitudes of students on campus. Results are based on 83 responses. The Beacon asked: What fashion trend from the past should be brought back? • The Mullet-13% • Platform Shoes-4% • Neon Spandex-11% • Tie-Dye-14% • Scrunchies-2% • Slap Bracelets-19% • Skinny Ties-8% • Poodle Skirts-5% • Muffs-12% • Other-11% Next Week’s Question: Who would you pay $5,500 to spend an hour with? • Ashley Alexandra Dupre (aka Kristen) • Brad Pitt • Jesus Christ • Christopher Walken • Ghandi • Helen Keller • George Clooney • Marilyn Monroe • Angelina Jolie • Other Visit www.wilkesbeacon. com to cast your vote. Results will be published in next week’s issue of The Beacon. A Sight for Sore Eyes: By Aleksander Lapinski �OPINION MARCH 18, 2008 7 The Angry Rant: Discipline your kids! BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor Remember high school? Remember when you would get a question wrong on a test, or when you would lose points on a project because you failed to follow instructions? Or when you were yelled at by the teacher because you weren’t listening? Or when you were made to sit in the hall because you were being disruptive? Those were all basic tenets of high school. It was essentially a four to six-year training program that got us ready for the “real world,” with a very clear message: you’re going to be punished if you mess up. Bad choices have consequences, whether it’s a demotion at work because you botched a report, or a jail sentence because you took out a row of mailboxes with your Jetta after a night of hookers and cocaine. There was a time when no one argued with it. If I got a bad grade on a test and was suspended, yelled at, etc., it was because I screwed up somewhere. On top of all that, I would probably be in trouble with my parents when I got home. That’s how it worked. As we were growing up, we could reasonably expect castigation from by at least two separate parties for mistakes. Being called out was part of what we could all expect when we were stupid, self-absorbed, or wrong-headed, and it was right. These days, though, teachers can’t discipline students or even give them bad grades without some parents calling up and complaining about it. I have several friends who teach at the high school level, and I hear horror stories about how parents call in and demand, not ask, demand, that a grade be changed or that the teacher shouldn’t yell at little Johnny because it’s embarrassing. For whatever reason, parents have stopped being parents. They no longer teach their kids to work for their success, they are instead teaching them that they are automatically entitled to everything, and that everyone else is wrong. For example: a month or so ago, there was a high school student from Ohio who decided, in true high school fashion, to play a prank on his principal. But instead of writing “Mr. Principal Sucks” on the bathroom stall, he decided to make a MySpace page about the principal, in which he put some unflattering and downright insulting information, including listing Hitler and Saddam Hussein as his heroes, and also mentioning that he enjoys having sexual relations with the students in his spare time. As a result, the student was expelled for the remainder of the school year for harassment, and rightfully so. But the parents of the student pitched a fit and fought the ruling, using the defense that it was only natural for students to disrespect their teachers outside of the classroom, and tried to get it dismissed because they contended that the school was in violation of the student’s free speech. Here’s the thing: Free speech isn’t the blanket law that most interpret it to be. If you make a public website that besmirches the reputation of someone with lies, you’re not protected. That’s called libel. What if I were to make a website that says that those parents enjoyed skinning babies and spitting on senior citizens? How would they react then? It’s free speech according to these two geniuses, so why not? Of course, the parents should know better; they are presumably full-grown adults who should have some sort of formal education, but who knows? They are clearly without any sort of internal barometer of how to discipline their kid, so I guess all bets are off. But really, how can the parents just let their kid do this without any repercussions? The kid got himself expelled from school, and all they can do is claim that their little angel’s free speech has been violated? Here’s a suggestion: Discipline your kid! So the next time this happens, you won’t have to drive 30 miles out of the way because the new school you’re sending your kid to doesn’t have bus service to your house. Honestly, what has happened to parents? It seems they are more concerned with being best friends with their kids, instead of being parents. As a result, you have a lot of kids walking around thinking that they can get away with anything because mommy and daddy are their buddies and they’ll understand. What is the root of this problem? Was there a secret meeting among parents and they just decided to vote on this? “Hey, let’s let our kids run around and do whatever they want!” It’s happening everywhere, too. Even the usually morally sound showbiz types are jumping on the bandwagon. Lindsay Lohan’s mother has a reality show with her other, younger daughter, in which she tries to become an actress/singer/whatever. Really? Is that the best idea? Of course, Dina Lohan’s excuse is that her daughter wants to be an actress. Fair enough. When I was seven, I wanted to fly. But my parents didn’t tie a bed sheet around my neck and throw me off the roof. They had more sense than that. It blows my mind that Dina Lohan wants to expose her other daughter to the same lifestyle that was the catalyst for her oldest daughter’s scrapes with the police and stints in rehab. Parents need to decide what’s best for their children, and that may mean making tough decisions when one of your kids gets busted for having blow in their car. These days parents are trying so hard to be best friends, managers, agents, and coaches instead of being parents. As an adult and as a parent, you have a responsibility to guide your children in the right direction on all levels. So allow me to offer some advice and words of wisdom to the kids: You’re Not Special. Remember that; it’s important. Until you find a way to differentiate yourself from the rest of the pack, you’re just another booger-eater who spends too much time playing World of Warcraft or checking your MySpace page. You may think you’re entitled to something, but in reality, no one is entitled to anything (see chart below). Everyone has to work for basic things like respect, money, accolades. High school is a gimme. It’s easy. In fact, it takes more effort to not graduate from high school. You have to earn what you get in this world, nothing is going to be given to you. You don’t know it now, but high school is a cake-walk. When you take your attitude into the real world, chances are that you’ll meet up with the harsh reality that you are a small fish in a very, very large pond that is populated with other fish that are smarter, faster, and stronger, because unlike you, they actually worked for everything they have. And those fish are going to chew you up and spit you out, and all that you’re going to have to say is “Do you want fries with that?” And to parents: Get tough and parent. When children do something wrong, make sure that they are aware of it. Don’t immediately defend them, because it’s setting a very bad precedent for the rest of their lives. If they failed a math test, it’s probably because they’re stupid or they didn’t try. Stop calling and complaining to everyone because you don’t want your precious demon seeds to be embarrassed when they are disciplined for talking on their cell phone during class. Discipline your kids; it will make the world a much better place for all of us. And you don’t have to be a genius to understand that. Sense of Entitlement Scale Cast of Dane Cook " Grey's Anatomy" High School Students AIDS/Cancer Curer Zero Entitlement Co1lege Graduate GuysWith Lip Rings FormerUS President I Tyra Bank$ Harvey Levin fromTM Z Reality Show Contestants High School Graduate Current US Inventor Of Sliced President B1·ead 16-year-old JohnasSalk genius ala Doogie Howser, M.D. Just as people become more and more entitled as they accomplish more, entitlement can also be taken away. For instance, Tyra Banks ranks on the low end of the scale because she went from smoking hot supermodel to nausea-inducing talk show host, whereas the great Jonas Salk ranks high on the scale due to his work with the polio vaccine. As you can see, kids don’t get their first sense of entitlement until they graduate from college. �OPINION MARCH 18, 2008 Child sex trade: The sad truth about Cambodia BY GINO TROIANI Staff Writer/Photographer The nation of Cambodia is located in Southeast Asia, just west of Vietnam. It is largely underdeveloped, poverty stricken, and lacks a strong central government. To support themeselves, many Cambodians live and work on farms, or in factories. In a nation where the average annual salary is around $350 a year, some citizens turn to illegal activities such as narcotics or the sex trade to make money. Brothels have been an easy way to generate revenue for Cambodian pimps since the early 1900’s. When the United Nations (UN) entered Cambodia, sending troops to supervise the country’s transition to the current democratic government, there was a large demand for prostitutes. Not long after the UN left, brothel owners discovered that they could market young girls to huge numbers of foreign clientele. Today the sex trade in Cambodia is one of the largest money making businesses in the nation. Out of an estimated 20,000 sex workers in Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, the aver- age age is around 15. According to the U.S. State Department, sex trafficking is becoming a bigger business worldwide than drug trafficking. This means that every day thousands of young girls and boys are bought and sold into slavery. The big question is, how do these young people find themselves as sex slaves? According to a recent MSNBC article, one of the most popular ways of recruiting is by promising young girls steady work and shelter, an appealing prospect for girls who hope to help their families with much needed income. When they agree, they are brought to the brothel and sold for money. Because many young women in Cambodia are homeless and uneducated, one can imagine how easy this type of recruiting is. It is also not uncommon for a struggling family to sell one of their own children into the sex trade. The article reported that one woman recalls being tricked and sold to a brothel by her newly wed husband for $200. The majority of brothels are usually filthy, run down shacks, that offer subhuman living conditions. Upon arrival, the young women are usually beaten, cadged and drugged. Dateline also reported that, it is also common for the pimps to show pornography to the youngest women, as “educational” background so they know how to service a paying customer. Because Cambodia is ravaged with HIV, AIDS, and numerous sexually transmitted diseases, it is considered good luck for a Cambodian man to have sex with a virgin. Because of this, it is not uncommon for the young girls to have their hymen re-stitched so that they can be sold as virgins more than once for a larger sum. Their ages range from 4 and up. CNN recently reported that, a young girl only fifteen who was recently rescued from a brothel testified that she had been “locked in a cage,” and forced to service at least fifteen customers a day. If she objected she was starved, and shocked with electric rods. She was also given a methamphetamine tablet several times a day to cloud her memory and keep her in an altered state. What is being done? There have been numerous efforts by both internal and external organizations to break up the sex trade in Cambodia, but the (LEFT) King’s College students walk alongside a float featuring a balloon arch rainbow. One student was dressed as a leprechaun and danced on the float. (BELOW) The King’s College mascot rides in the back of a security vehicle. 8 struggle is far from over. The Cambodian government has set up an anti-trafficking department, but it is poorly funded, and many of the enforcement officers partake in the illegal activity themselves, such as taking handouts and tipping off the brothel owners. For the girls who do find a way out of the sex trade, many of them turn to specialized shelters, which are dedicated to the rehabilitation of the young women. Here they receive both medical and psychological attention. The sad truth is that most of these girls die at a young age because of AIDS or other physical problems. Also a large number of the girls end up leaving and returning to a life of prostitution because it is the only thing they know. Most of these young women have been exploited and abused on a daily basis for the majority of their lives. They have been stripped of their basic human rights, and demoralized to the point where there is nothing left but an empty shell. The United States and other developed countries have a moral obligation to educate and hold Cambodia to ensuring basic human rights for all. Here’s to you... Mr. Over Competitive! BY GINO TROIANI Staff Writer/Photographer The Beacon/Andrew Seaman After much discussion at recent Student Government meetings, Wilkes decided not to place any floats in the Wilkes-Barre St. Patrick’s Day parade. However, during the parade King’s College was represented by several students and vehicles. Some carried flags, others walked alongside a The Beacon/Andrew Seaman float. Drawing By: Matt Vital To us, it’s a game of pick up basketball at your cousin’s bar mitzvah. But to you, it is as if the fate of the world rests upon this victory. We can always spot you out because while the rest of us are trying to have a good time, you’re the only one yelling, flailing your arms, and looking like a complete fool. But that doesn’t matter, because we all know you’re the best. Right? Keep on, keepin’ on! �LIFESTYLES MARCH 18, 2008 Student of the Week 10 Young Scholars 11 9 Alternative spring breakers volunteer across the globe BY LAUREN SALEM Beacon Staff Writer been under 9 feet of water, by mulching the pathways and filling ditches with clumps of mud and clay. “When we went to the St. Bernard ComFor some students at Wilkes University, spring break wasn’t a time to relax on the munity Center, that started to change our beach or catch up on extra sleep. Rather, it students’ lives and they could see the purprovided time for week-long excursions to pose of the alternative spring break trip,” help the less fortunate in places around the Boone said. On the second day of work, the group split world. More than 20 Wilkes students split up and up again and half the students went to Chilspent their spring break providing commu- dren’s Museum, while the other half went nity service to the St. Bernard’s community to help at the Animal Rescue New Orleans in New Orleans as well as the Succotz com- animal shelter. At the Children’s Museum, students munity in Belize. In each community, the helped kids volunteers heard inspirwith arts and ing stories from the peocrafts, face ple they were aiding. painting, and storytelling. New Orleans When they “I think the person that fi nished at affected us all the most the Children’s was a volunteer named Museum, they Steve,” said Kelly PatchCourtesy Kelly Patchell met up with ell, a junior psychology the group at the animal shelter. major involved in this year’s Alternative “In addition to our cleaning duties, we Spring Break, in the New Orleans Journal also pet the cats and took the dogs out for 2008. “This man was both the most insightwalks,” said Jen Smeraldo, a junior maful and inspirational man I’ve met.” joring in musical theater, in the blog New Steve, a cook at the St. Bernard CommuOrleans Journal 2008. “I wish I could take nity Center, was one of the many victims of every single cat and dog home.” Hurricane Katrina. Three years ago when Some of the cats and dogs picked up by the hurricane hit, Steve helped his sick wife, the animal shelter after Katrina hit were not whose heart was barely pumping, escape domesticated or needed socialization befrom the storm by pushing her wheelchair fore they could be adopted. Students also up into the attic. He told his wife that “they will get out worked with the St. Bernard Animal Shelof it together or not at all.” Steve’s house ter, which was operated by only two people, flooded in 14 feet of water, but they both and will be receiving money from a fundraiser Megan Boone is planning to set up survived the hurricane. “It takes a long time, but the people are in the future. This fundraiser so appreciative of students being there, be- will also give cause they keep coming back and the gov- money to the Bernard ernment does not,” said Megan Boone, the St. C o m m unity coordinator of Student Development. Center. After the students arrived in New Orleans, “Hearing they settled into a mansion on St. Charles that we’re the Street, which had only two bathrooms that heroes made had to be shared between 42 people. They the trip worthwere each given an army cot to sleep on said and an itchy prison blanket made out of “30 while,” Kaitlyn DeFapercent wool and 70 percent other fibers.” Even though the living accommodations cis, a freshman in were uncomfortable, Boone says it helped majoring nursing. “You bind the entire group emotionally. imagThe eleven students and two advisors who can’t ine what these went to New Orleans volunteered to distribpeople had to ute food and clothing to the residents of go though unthe St. Bernard’s Parish at the community center. On the first work day, they helped less you were Courtesy Barbara King make a new trail in the city park, which had there.” Belize Students who spent their alternative spring break in Belize also saw firsthand the difficulties facing a poverty-stricken community. “American tourists have given themselves a bad reputation which precedes them-having little respect for the local facilities and partying into all hours of the night,” said Dana Courtesy Amanda Kunkel Lehman, a senior Twenty students from Wilkes participated in alternative spring communication studbreak trips to New Orleans and Belize. They helped restore city ies major, in the Bepark trails and they volunteered at an animal shelter in New lize Journal 2008. “I, Orleans, and aided in building a library in Succotz, Belize. an alternative spring break participant, am not the typical tour- needed for mixing, and wiring with the rebar. ist.” “I have never experienced heat like we Ten Wilkes University students and two felt in Belize,” said Kaitlyn Taber-Miller, a advisors spent their spring break in San senior musical theatre major. “There were Ignacio, Belize, helping the community of moments where many of us experienced Succotz build a 12 X 30 library, which at nausea, headaches, and dizziness. It’s difthe time the group arrived had only a floor. fi cult to work in conditions like that.” On Within four days, the students were able to average, the daily temperatures in the rain lay nine rows of concrete block to create forest were above 90 degrees, and felt far the walls of the library without the aide of hotter because of the high humidity. a concrete mixer or any other modern techThe students also worked and interacted nological tools. with the children of Belize in after-school “The building is activities almost daily. actually also going to serve as a hurriAlan, a six-year-old boy, told junior comcane shelter and a traveling health clinic,” mnications and political science major Valsaid Amanda Kunkel, a junior elementary erie Martinez about life with his parents and education major. “Knowing that said that he does not have a curfew, because children will have a place to go his parents work until very late at night. after school to read and that Another boy she spoke with, Orvin, 12, said more people will be safe in he was joining the Belize Defense Force, the event of a hurribecause his mother would not be able to afcane is very comford for him to go to high school. forting to me.” Students were physically and emotionally Some of the challenged by hardships involved in undertasks students standing another culture as well as hardperformed while ships involved in manual labor. Martinez, constructing who is fl uent in Spanish, translated messagthe library es to help the students and Belize residents included communicate. concrete mix“The Belizean children truly touched me ing, mortarwith their curiosity for life, their mannering, carrying isms, and their thirst for interaction,” said blocks, laying Martinez. “They just reminded me of how blocks, sifting privileged we all are and how beautiful life sand, carrying truly is.” water, shoveling dirt and sand Dana Lehman and Justin Balint built a wall in Belize. �LIFESTYLES 10 MARCH 18, 2008 Student of the Week: Kaitlin Taber-Miller BY CHRISTINE ZAVASKAS Beacon Asst. Lifestyles Editor For Kaitlin Taber-Miller, a senior musical theatre major, spring break last year was not just a chance to catch up on sleep and homework, but an experience that changed her life. After serving as a coordinator for the Alternative Spring Break trip to New Orleans in 2007, Taber-Miller realized that she wanted to make her senior capstone project a script which would be written based on real interviews conducted with the survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Last August, she returned to the city and began work on her project. Now in the process of staging the script, entitled “Project New Orleans,” Taber-Miller has also been accepted to Teach for America, which she was inspired to apply for after seeing the inequality of education during her work in New Orleans. For her work to bring the plight of the victims of Hurricane Katrina to greater attention, The Beacon has chosen Taber-Miller as this week’s Student of the Week and sat down with her to hear more about her project. The Beacon: Why did you take on this senior capstone project? Taber-Miller: I had this concept about the United States…I knew that we had flaws as a nation, but I guess I didn’t understand exactly how flawed we were until I had gone down to New Orleans…I want to do this capstone because I was ignorant about how things were down there before I went. I came back and met all my friends, family, and peers and I was talking to them about how it was, and they had no idea…I wanted to change that, which is what inspired me going back, filming interviews, and then writing a script that will be presented in April. The Beacon: How did you arrange the interviews? Taber-Miller: Dr. Hebert-Leiter put me in contact with her sister, Dr. Hebert, who is a physician in New Orleans. She introduced me to a couple of people via email and gave me their phone numbers once she requested their permission. Then, Lisa Mulvey in Career Services also has a strong connection with New Orleans, so she helped me… Then the rest of the interviews, I literally would just walk up to people in New Orleans and say, “Hey, I’m here doing this thing from Wilkes University and would you please just give me a few minutes of your time and talk to me about your experiences with the hurricane?” The Beacon: How did people respond when you approached them? Taber-Miller: They responded in very different ways… One woman, we spoke with her, and I get a little upset about it. We asked her if she’d like to talk to us and she said, ‘No I can’t. I’ll cry. It just hurts too much...’ Then some people I went up to were like, ‘Yes! Please, please tell people about what’s going on down here. Please tell them that we feel like we’re ignored, like we’ve been forgotten about...’ When I tried to speak with the firefighter, I had to go back five and six times just to get him to speak with me…I kept saying to him, ‘I’m not here to point any fingers…I’m here to find out about what you experienced.’ The Beacon: What are Photo courtesy Taber-Miller your plans for the future? Taber-Miller: I know that eventually I would really like to end up in higher education, either working in service programs like alternative spring break or perhaps teaching about education in terms of what I learn with my experience in Teach for America. I definitely know that I would like to work in higher education, I would like to travel, and eventually I would like to have a family. “Project New Orleans” will be presented at the Black Box Theatre in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center on April 18 at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. and April 21 at 8 p.m. in the Henry Student Center Ballroom. Admission is free, but donations for the victims of Hurricane Katrina will be accepted. THE 4 , T-SHIR S. COM YOUR #1 S011JRCiE FOR S-OREEN P RUrlTI NGi E BROl DERY. .AN I I PRO OTIONAL ITEMS! -Rs-:· IN . '·. . -· l?ERFECili FOR BUSI ~SE ' IIBS,TAURANT · C:01..LIEGl~.!:_1 MID GH :SCHOOLS. W!CA!RRY. ALI!. BRHll!ISAND S1YLESO leE · SWEA:1&11 :rs GOJ.IP RTS, . DU · RMS~Pi . , A DE 'f/Affl!::il'Y' Ofl MOMOiFf ITEMS . AS . , IMUGS, MOUSEl?ADS, COOLERS KEYCttAJ S, AND .f.ifE. GREAll PRICES AND AKNO OGE.WE ART SIMF. 570.823.9272 EWLOCATION 146 SouUI Pe -.,1 .· nl · A .. · • across from Noly Redeemer Mig n · ·r Domino · nd Corb School a· ·rag I C p n n t · st . sma · d y+ ,n th! · In . 665 ·.· a . y .· vc . r 1k a I (570 8 3- . 9 ... �MARCH 18, 2008 LIFESTYLES 11 Young Scholars balance high school work, college demands BY CHRISTA SGOBBA Beacon Lifestyles Editor during the past six years in his English composition class. He believes it was a popular choice for Young Scholars because it prepares them for college writing at whatever school they would choose. “I think they want to be able to write the best paper possible by the time they actually begin college,” he said. “The students who I’ve had in the Young Scholars program all indicated that they were going off to college, and they have gone off to a variety of schools like Bucknell, Gettysburg, and Susquehanna, as well as Wilkes.” Grier, who taught high school for 30 years, says he is familiar with the differences in college and high school learning that initially can cause the Young Scholars challenges in adjusting to the work. “The interesting thing is that they are of course younger, and are not used to the give and take that exists in a college classroom that may not exist in high school classroom,” he said. “Some of them are a little timid at first about speaking up, saying things, but they get right into the swing of things. They fit in with the other students very well, and they are quite bright.” Other challenges that Young Scholars face include balancing college courses with their high school work. They need to find courses offered at times that would cause the least disruption to their high school day. Stueben says that most Young Scholars who take courses during the fall or spring semesters opt for the 8:00 or 9:00 a.m. classes so they can get back to their high When Julia Salem entered Wilkes University in the fall of 2007, she was already a step ahead of most of her freshman peers. She already had a semester’s worth of college credits under her belt. Salem, an 18-year-old with sophomore status, took college courses at Wilkes during her senior year at Crestwood High School under the Young Scholars Program. The program, which was developed in the 1980s, gives qualified high school students the opportunity to take college courses at a reduced tuition rate Students who participate in this program must not only rank in the top 20 percent of their classes, but they must also demonstrate characteristics that show their guidance counselors that they can balance the workload of college classes and high school responsibilities. “They’re the ones who are more active The Beacon/Christa Sgobba in high school and interact more with their This semester, over 80 students from local area schools are attending Wilkes Univerhigh school teachers and guidance counselsity as members of the Young Scholars program. Young Scholars can take up to two ors,” said Henry Steuben, the director for courses each semester for $70 each credit. Julia Salem, a dual business and Spanish the Center of Continued Learning, who is major, entered Wilkes with 12 credits during her time as a Young Scholar. also in charge of the Young Scholars program. “They’re a little more open, and are so they fit in. In fact, I’ve heard from a numHowever, Grier hasn’t seen grades give really wanting something more out of high ber of faculty if we hadn’t told them which his Young Scholars much of a problem. school.” ones were high school kids, they wouldn’t Out of all his Young Scholars, he never had Over 80 students from area high schools have known.” any withdraw from the course or do poorly. are currently taking courses at Wilkes this When Salem first started the Young Schol- While one or two initially had difficulties, semester. They represent schools includars program, she didn’t find it overwhelm- they brought their grades up after talking ing Crestwood, Dallas, Meyers, G.A.R., ingly challenging, but she did think that the through the problems with Grier. Coughlin, Wyoming Valley West, Ha“I never had a weak Young Scholar Stunover Area, and Holy Redeemer High dent. I don’t want to say they’re better than Schools. Wilkes students, I certainly don’t mean that, Young Scholars pay only $70 a credit but they are as good as an average Wilkes for their courses, and are allowed to The students who do have the desire to take college courses are student,” he said. “The students who come take two courses each semester. They here are very well prepared and appropriby and large a little more mature than their peers, so they fi t in. In can take any course as long as they ately fit into the classroom and the learning meet any prerequisites and have the fact, I’ve heard from a number of faculty if we hadn’t told them environment.” recommendation of their high school which ones were high school kids, they wouldn’t have known. Grier believes that the Young Scholguidance counselor. ars program is “tremendously beneficial” Salem, who took four classes at Wilto high school students. It gives collegeHenry Steuben kes in her senior year at Coughlin, bound high school students a sneak peek at Director of the Young Scholars Program chose introductory courses in English, their next four years, and cuts down on the history, and psychology. stress of worrying how they will adjust to “It’s good to get ahead and have college classes. these credits coming in,” said Salem. Salem believes that the Young Scholars “It actually helped me out because I’m a experience just felt different. program helped her not only adjust to colschool and miss the least amount of work double major in Spanish and business, so I “The teachers expect you to know what lege classes, but also gave her a head start can graduate on time because I got some of possible. Some who attend city high schools you’re doing, and they don’t tell you every to college life. take evening classes, and others enroll only the requirements out of the way.” little thing you need to know,” said Salem. “We knew how to write papers from the According to Steuben, the most popu- in summer courses. “And you have to study more for the tests.” English class, and we knew what college Despite the challenges, Stueben believes lar courses for the Young Scholars are According to Steuben, another challenge life would be like before we got there,” she COM101, HST101, and introductory cours- that the majority of Young Scholars adjust for Young Scholars is they have to keep said. “We knew where things were on camwell to college life. es in sociology and psychology. Some even “For the most part, they adjust very, very their grades up to a C or better for the course pus, that new students didn’t know. They come to Wilkes to take advanced calculus well,” he said. “The students who do have to count for credit. If they have below a C had to get their maps out, but we already classes. the desire to take college courses are by and average, they have to withdraw from the knew where things were.” J. Bartholomay Grier, an English professor large a little more mature than their peers, course. at Wilkes, taught around 25 Young Scholars �A&E Hardware Bar/Step Club Crossword/Website Movie Review MARCH 18, 2008 13 14 15 When the old beco01es new again Music's past heroes return to the spotlight BY MARK CONGDON Beacon Opinion Editor missing in today’s music!” Duttry added that, “I would go see the Spice Girls if they went on tour again. I saw the Spice Girls in 1998 at Montage Mountain, and it was a really great concert.” People Magazine reported in January that there are speculations that the New Kids on the Block will be reuniting. The group is best known for hits songs “Hangin’ Tough,” “You’ve Got it (The Right Stuff)” and “Step by Step.” The magazine even reported that the band has reactivated its website, and there’s even a new, never released song with a video posted on the band’s website, NKOTB.com. Gibson is one of the thousands of fans awaiting their return. She said that if they reunite and go on tour, “I would be the first person in line buying tickets for New Kids on the Block. I know all the songs and all the dances.” With popular musicians from the 80s and 90s currently reuniting, what is the attraction that draws their old fans base and even a new fan base to come out and support them? Susan Biskup, Wilkes University Campus Counselor, believes it’s the way music resonates with others. “Music gives people the feeling of being young again… When you put on music from your past, it can illicit the feelings and memories you had when you were younger,” stated Biskup. Gibson believes that, “Everyone wants to go back to when they were younger. I think it has a lot to do with the culture now. If you look at the movies and fashion, many of them represent that of the 80’s.” Biskup added, “If you’re a person in your twenties and have grown up with a Recently the music scene has seen a resurgence of 90s bands making new albums and positive experience and relationship with comeback tours. On Friday, Vanilla Ice performed at the new Hardware Bar in down- music and your parents, you are more likely to embrace their music along with town Wilkes-Barre and the Spice Girls just completed a world tour. your own.” This could help explain why The group Hanson has also been in the some songs and styles of music have tranConsidering that the Spice Girls are now spotlight over the past few years. They are scended from generation to generation. in their 30s, and most are married and have most known for their 1997 hit “MMMBop.” “It brings back youthful memories bechildren, their vocal and dancing ability According to Hanson.net, the Band’s web- cause that’s what I listened to when I was was shockingly good. One would have nev- site, the band will begin touring on April 9 kid…I think the fans come out to support er guessed that the Spice Girls were aging. in LaCrosse, Wisconsin. Hanson will even these musicians because it makes them In fact, they appeared to be in better shape be performing in Sayreville, New Jersey feel young again,” expressed Duttry. now than they did at the height of their ca- and Allentown, Pennsylvania on April 29 Biskup said, “Some songs today are rereers. and May 2. makes or remixes from the youth of babyGibson, enthusiastically summed up the Gibson noted that she will attend two of boomers and other generations which concert by saying that, “The Spice Girls their concerts this spring. “I love Hanson. allows today’s generations to enjoy the concert was an unforgettable pop culture I have seen them 12 times and am going music with them. The wonderful thing event that brought fun, passion, and love to see them again in April and May in Al- about music is that it brings people from back to the free-spirited fun-flowing pop lentown and Sayreville, New Jersey,” she all different backgrounds and perspectives music of the 1990’s, and demonstrated that said. together.” ‘Girl Power’ still lives on, something that’s Courtesy home.beaumontenterprise.com Everyone knows that the old favorites never fail to inspire audiences. American Idol regularly tests new talent by challenging with songs from decades past. Artists such as Led Zeppelin and Queen are the models for many new, young performers. But while Led Zeppelin and Queen won’t be coming back anytime soon, some former pop stars have decided that they’re not quite finished. Recently, there has been an explosion of bands and singers coming out of the shadows of the 80s and 90s and taking back the spotlight. The Spice Girls and Hanson are just a couple of these musicians returning to the spotlight and trying to recapture their audiences. And locally, in keeping with the trend, 90s pop star Vanilla Ice opened the new Hardware Bar in downtown Wilkes-Barre on March 13. The bar was standing room only. When he performed his hit song “Ice Ice Baby” from 1991, the crowd went wild, and for about three minutes, it seemed like it Wilkes-Barre had been transported back in time two decades. Vanilla Ice also performed some of his lesser known songs, and even offered his own twist on Bob Marley’s hit, “No Woman No Cry.” The Spice Girls also recently reunited and completed their world tour in Toronto, Canada on February 26. The band performed at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia on February 19. Everyone from the band, Baby Spice, Sporty Spice, Ginger Spice, Scary Spice, and Posh Spice was there, which wasn’t the case when they performed at Montage Mountain back in 1998. As the Spice Girls came onto the stage, the screaming and cheering crowd became hysterical. The band performed some new songs like “Headlines” and all of their hits including “Wannabe,” “Say You’ll be There,” “Stop” and “Spice Up Your Life.” The crowd was dancing and signing along like it was karaoke during the entire concert. Jamie Gibson, senior communication studies major, said, “It was really fun; it had a lot of energy, and made me want to dance and sing. I felt like a 13-year old girl. It brought back many memories and made me feel like a kid again.” Becca Duttry, senior psychology major agreed, “The Spice Girls were role models when I was growing up. A lot of girls looked up to them because they had diverse personalities, and almost any girl could, at least, relate to one of them.” �MARCH 18, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13 Nightlife Review: The Hardware Bar About a half an hour later, we were finally let in. Let me just say people were not too pleased to be standing outside in the cold, some of whom were left to freeze for more than an hour. The Hardware Bar, located at 12 South Main Street in Strike One. Once inside, the decor impressed me. Especially the huge wall Wilkes-Barre, had everything going for it before it even opened its doors. It is run by a successful owner who op- of liquor stacked behind the main bar. While the bar slightly reerates numerous other bars across Pennsylvania, it has a sembled Club Mardi Gras (the prior establishment located in great “Coyote Ugly” theme and, lastly, it is a fresh face in the same space), it had a different feel to it. There were three separate areas where patrons could buy a drink and a staff of a slow downtown nightlife. It had everything going for it, that is, until I actually friendly cocktail waitresses. This resulted in efficient service, which I deemed a positive on such a busy night. showed up. My main concern was the seating. As a female in extremely The Hardware Bar was supposed to open up at 7 p.m. on March 13 for “VIPs” who held tickets, but when my friend high heels, I found it terribly uncomfortable that there was not and I finally arrived about 7:15 we were already welcomed one place to sit in the entire room. I had to resort to sitting down in the bathroom. I understand that the majority of people come by a long line that stretched down the street. to a bar to dance and have fun, but every now and The Beacon/Cara Koster again one needs to take at least a five minute break. There was nowhere to do that here, unless, that is, you wanted to be surrounded by toilets. Strike Two. The music was playing and there was great energy from the crowd when five of the female bartenders jumped on the bar and attempted to do their best rendition of a “Coyote Ugly” dance. I’ve been to the real Coyote Ugly, both in New York City and Las Vegas, and I will be the first to admit that there is no true comparison. Ladies at the authentic bar work to empower the women in the crowd while still maintaining a sex appeal for the men. I honestly feel that for the girls of The Hardware Bar, it must have been a prerequisite to have had some experience dancing with a pole before. I love dancing just as much as the next person, but their routines were raunchy and way too oversexed for me. I noticed many of the female faces in the room turn Bartenders dance on the bar to entertain guests in a “Coyote Ugly” fashion. The dancing is provocative and may alienate to disgust when the girls started dancing, while all of the men, young and old alike, had their eyes glued to female customers. the bar. Now, I am not saying that these routines aren’t BY ALISON WOODY Beacon Managing Editor a great draw for a big crowd. However, I do feel that the bar should accommodate the likes of both genders. The Hardware Bar is truly a man’s bar. Strike Three. The alcohol prices were fairly reasonable. Three dollars a beer is what I would expect to pay almost anywhere else. However, The Hardware Bar was plastered with a ton of posters advertising their drink specials every night. Wednesday is called “Cheap Beer Night” with 25 cent drafts and upcoming events include a pajama party, bikini bingo and visits from Coral from MTV’s The Real World and Jess from VH1’s Rock of Love. The most expensive shot will cost patrons ten dollars. That will get you the liquor of your choice poured straight into your mouth, a seat in the barber chair on top of the bar, a male or female bartender straddling your lap and a belt spank on the behind. Lastly, The Hardware Bar’s management decided to engage the D-list celebrity, Vanilla Ice, as the entertainment for opening night. He may not be the best concert draw, but I would give anything to hear him sing “Ice, Ice Baby” up close and personal. His concert was exactly what I expected after seeing him on television shows such as VH1’s The Surreal Life. It was angry, had bad rapping and scary clowns, tons of swearing and it even had some unexpected female nudity. Overall, though, it was completely entertaining and totally crowd appealing. I feel the management picked the perfect first act and I applaud them for the live music groups they have coming up in the next few weeks. While I did give The Hardware Bar three strikes, it also had some attractive qualities to it. Even though I was initially turned off to a return visit, I will rate it a “C”. This is because I do believe it has the potential to completely revitalize the nightlife of downtown Wilkes-Barre and that is the most important factor of all. Sigma Kappa Tau features rhythmic stepping BY ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Asst. A&E Editor Outside the meeting of Sigma Kappa Tau, the rhythmic sounds of stomps and claps beg passersby to stop and listen. Those who do peek in, might soon find themselves moving unconsciously to the lively music and infectious beats. Sigma Kappa Tau, a new Wilkes step club, was recently granted official status by Student Government. The group’s founder and team captain Frantzddyn Pamphile Butler Eyecare has special explained that the club offers Student Pricing! a different style of movement from the traditional dance team or cheerleaders at Wilkes. 34 S. Main St. “It’s a motion Across from SUBWAY No more contacts. No glasses? NO WORRIES! 20% discount on Frames $49 eye exams 822-8727 yecare for everyone www .butlereyecare.com that you do to express yourself,” Pamphile said of Sigma Kappa Tau. Pamphile, a sophomore nursing major, initiated Sigma Kappa Tau after freshman students came to the university looking for another place to express themselves with movement. Having been on the step team throughout high school, Pamphile believed a step club at Wilkes would be the perfect fit. Sigma Kappa Tau performances offer a full body dance, including hand motions. Tracy Garcia, a sophomore accounting and business administration major, is a member of the step club and explained the difference in the style of dance. “It’s [Sigma Kappa Tau] something different on campus from the dance team and cheerleading. [Stepping is] a different type of motion to express your self,” Garcia explained. The faculty advisor to Sigma Kappa Tau is Brenda Stanley, Director of Residence Life at Wilkes. Pamphile said the step club currently includes 12 members; however, it is open to anyone and always looking for new members. “It’s [Sigma Kappa Tau] something new and different.” Garcia said. She added that the step club can be a way to meet new people on campus. According the constitution, Sigma Kappa Tau “means individually unique together complete. This shall be a team created for school spirit through expressive dance and steps.” The movements in the stepping are highly rhythm based. Pamphile explained step club performances will definitely begin in the Fall 2008 semester; however she hopes, with practice there may be performances before this semester is done. Sigma Kappa Tau plans to meet Tuesday evenings from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center. Anyone interested should contact Pamphile at frantzddyn.pamphile@wilkes.edu. �14 Kudracross BY CHRISTOPHER KUDRAK Beacon Staff Writer 1 6 10 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 26 30 31 32 33 35 39 41 43 44 46 47 49 50 51 54 56 57 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 ACROSS Religious robes Guitar ridge Campus building, for example Travel by walking Back end Random collection Starbucks offering Not difficult Arm bone Greek mathematician Eyed Cheers character Current styles Aroma Asia ethnic groups Evergreen fluid Act by gestures Suspects Concerning the nose Titanic’s nemesis Fertilizer ingredient Belief Electrified swimmers Equine pace Move slowly Call from the Titanic Sweet potatoes Spacecraft designation Forced government change Type of skirt Rear vehicle illumination “____the wild blue yonder” Long, easy stride To improvise One of the South Park four At all times “_____ truly” Absorbs Golf pegs ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 71 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 21 25 26 27 28 29 34 36 37 38 40 42 45 48 51 52 53 55 58 59 60 61 62 Land of Nod DOWN Festival Out yonder Campus military organization One and the other Beer glass Roaming livestock Let in again Effortlessness Secret rendezvous Something done when parents are away Type of wrench Type of paper Bank offerings Automobile part Babble on and on Eliminate from text Vegas rollers Dark cloud or black cat Uprisings Bystanders Singer songwriter _____ Barelilles Molecule component Allows List ending Political concern Prison fugitive Harry Potter and the _____ of Fire Out of proper order Spotted bean Drinks ready to be served Broadway happenings Presidential adviser Karl ___ Object of worship Elmer’s _____ Employ Cooking meas. MARCH 18, 2008 Answers 2.26 Retrojunk.com BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Assistant Opinion Editor Remember those toys you used to play with as a kid? How about the cheesyyet-catchy commercials that enticed you to want them? If so, get ready for a blast from the past on RetroJunk.com. This website compiles the greatest toys, commercials, people, public service announcements and TV shows from the 70s, 80s, and 90s that could inspire nostalgia in anyone who lived through any of those decades. I don’t remember much of the 80’s since I was born in 1987, but the artifacts from the 90’s definitely brought back childhood memories for me. When you click on the movies link, the website offers a list of movies from the era you choose and lists them by popularity. You can then read a summary, see a cast list, read memorable quotes, view still images and watch trailers. Site visitors can then read the comments left by other users relating the movie to their memories and even leave your own comments. The television section allows visitors to watch the introduction and see the end credits. It would be much improved if it offered full episodes but there are copyright laws against videos that are longer than 30 seconds. My favorite part of the site is the commercial section. Users can choose a category and see the commercials that fall under each. The most memorable ones I saw were Little Caesar’s “pizza pizza,” Pizza Hut’s Pizza Head, the infamous “He likes it, Hey Mikey,” and my personal favorite Teddy Ruxpen. The only down side to this site is the people section. The pages of many of the people listed are lacking the depth of information the website offers for others. The pages that are filled in offer quotes, biographies, photo gallery and roles played for each person. You can search people by profession or alphabetically. The people listed are actors, athletes, business people, criminals, directors, TV hosts, models, musicians, politicians and scientists. RetroJunk.com is easy to navigate and offers plenty of information on the shows, movies, toys and commercials mentioned. It definitely serves as a great way to waste time and it takes you back in time. I give this website an N for Non-stop Nostalgia. �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 15 Movie Review: There Will Be Blood BY MIKE WILLIAMS Beacon Staff Writer The way things are shaping up, it looks as though 2008 can forever be known, in movie terms at least, as the “Year of the Villain.” With many of this year’s highest award nods going to people like Johnny Depp for his portrayal of a bloodthirsty barber in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and Javier Bardem for his run as No Country For Old Men’s murderous Mexican hit man, Anton Chigurh. However, these fiendish characters aside, there is one cinema heavy that outweighs them all. In There Will Be Blood, the latest film from Paul Thomas Anderson (Magnolia), Daniel Day Lewis (Last of the Mohicans) turns in yet another jaw dropping performance as possibly the most ruthless character ever committed to film, Daniel Plainview. Lewis has an uncanny knack for portraying rogues and scoundrels. In fact, the worse they are, the more audiences become enamored with them. Just look at his turn as Bill the Butcher in Gangs of New York. Equally as evil, and equally as mustached, Plainview is every bit as captivating as the Butcher; however, he doesn’t stab as many people. (Hey, nobody’s perfect). Set in the American West, the film begins in 1898 and follows the life of Lewis’s character, Plainview, who begins as a simple silver miner before his life begins down its slippery slope of greed and deceit. Opening with Plainview working tediously in a dark mine shaft, the film holds the viewer in its intense grasp for over ten minutes before the first lines of dialogue are spoken. From this point on we watch as a simple, hard-working man is transformed by wealth, as Plainview strikes oil and creates his own drilling company. Along the way, Plainview adopts the orphaned, infant son of a deceased co-worker. However, what seemingly starts as an act of good will and humanity soon becomes yet another money making scheme, as Plainview uses his innocent son (newcomer Dillon Freasier) as a selling point, hoping to create a “family man” image for prospective clients. All is going well for Plainview and his son until they are approached by small town boy Paul Sunday (Paul Dano, Little Miss Sunshine), who tells Plainview of a town, Little Boston, Ca, where the oil is literally seeping through the cracks of the earth, and the land of the people living there can be taken cheap. After a quick negotiation for the whereabouts of this town, Plainview and son head off to Little Boston, where they swindle and smooth-talk their way into an incredibly lucrative land deal. However, Plainview finds himself opposed by the town’s fanatical preacher, Eli Sunday (also played by Dano), which creates a fierce rivalry that begins to build from the first time the two meet. From the moment the first oil derrick is constructed in the dry dusty landscape of Little Boston, the life of Daniel CUMB LAND MARCH 18, 2008 Photo Courtesy of blogs.indiewire.com Plainview transforms into an intense rollercoaster of deceit, death, greed and madness, as his wealth, mistrust and general disdain for all things living force him to alienate himself from every other aspect of his life other than his business, including his son and his long lost brother (Kevin J. O’Connor, The Mummy). In the end, the film boils down to an incredible character study of a good man driven to evil and madness by the stress of success, wealth, business and greed. Based on Upton Sinclair’s novel Oil, There Will Be Blood is an incredible piece of filmmaking. Not a single element falls short of breathtaking. From the cinematography and the score, which never fails to keep the audience on edge, to the awe inspiring performance of Daniel Day Lewis. The film will no doubt solidify his place as one of the greatest actors/artists of all time. A film such as this comes along once in a great while, so go see this film. Now. Grade: A+ • Private bath with shower • Free Internet access • Laundry • Free off-street parking • Free water, sewer, & trash. • Secure entry/ Remote access-buzz in • Fully-equipped granite kitchen • Cable TV 17 West Ross Street Wilkes-Barre, PA www.cumberlandliving.com 570-687-2220 �CHANGE THE WORLD REGISTER TO VOTE BY MARCH 24 IF YOU HAVEN’T REGISTERED TO VOTE YET, YOU HAVE UNTIL MARCH 24TH TO DO SO. t�:06�.645�#& REGISTERED AS A DEMOCRAT TO VOTE FOR BARACK OBAMA t�:06�/&&%�50�#&�18 YEARS OF AGE BY THE APRIL 22 PENNSYLVANIA DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY t�:063�3&(*453"5*0/�"11-*$"5*0/�.645�#&�RECEIVED OR POSTMARKED BY MARCH 24 t�:06�$"/�'*/%�"--�5)&�'03.4�"/%�*/'03."5*0/�:06�/&&%�50�3&(*45&3�"5� PA.BARACKOBAMA.COM OR BY CALLING 1-866-675-2008 OBAMA'08 WWW.BARACKOBAMA.COM VOTE IN THE PENNSYLVANIA PRIMARY ON APRIL 22 PAID FOR BY OBAMA FOR AMERICA QUESTIONS? NOT SURE IF YOU’RE REGISTERED? NEED YOUR POLLING LOCATION? VISIT PA.BARACKOBAMA.COM OR CALL 1-866-675-2008 �SPORTS MARCH 18, 2008 Club begins season with loss to Lafayette BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Sports Editor At the start of the spring semester, during training camp, coaches Matthew McCaffrey and Mike Fox set a goal for the lacrosse club this year to win three of its scheduled eight games. They aimed for that particular number due to the team’s struggle to win games in recent years. But senior captain Anthony Fortunato angrily intervened and set a goal of his own. “We’re going out there to win and go undefeated,” said Fortunato. “We’re not going to go and set a three game goal. That’s not a goal any team should ever set. We’re going out to win every single day and that’s what we’re going to do.” Unfortunately, the team lost its first game of the season 11-2 to Lafayette College, a team they have never played before, on February 24. But the bright side is the Colonels have seven games left to play which gives them the opportunity to accomplish the initial goal set by the coaches. The lacrosse club is currently playing its Spring Schedule 2/24 @ Lafayette College, Lost 11-2 fourth consecutive season after the sport just to name a few . (which was once a varsity sport) was The team ismandated to play at least eight banned from Wilkes University for 22 games to be eligible for playoff contention years due to budget cuts. but can also pick up teams outside of the 3/15 V. Millersville University, But with financial help from alumni and conference. Problem is, some non-conferPPD the Student Government, the lacrosse club ence do not foresee benefits from playing is back in business and will be looking to a club team like the Colonels. Therefore, post their most successful season since it’s difficult for the Colonels to schedule 3/16 V. Northhampton County 2004. enough games to reach the postseason. College The team has made quality adjustments If all scheduled games are played, look to their roster through recruiting and the for the Colonels to make a run for the postaddition of athletes who have played other season. 3/29 @ York College, 1pm sports on campus. According to the coaching staff, the 2008 team is solid compared to recent years. “Most of these kids had a 3/30 V. Bloomsburg, 4pm stick in their hand most of their lives,” said Fox. 4/5 @ Albright College/Kutz“It’s a different kind of sport,” said Fox. “It’s not as cut throat as a varsity sport town University, 1pm where we can say, ‘you need to be here all the time. It’s more of a relaxed atmosphere but we still expect a lot out of the players. 4/12 @ Penn College, 1pm The Colonels are part of the National College Lacrosse League and competes 4/13 @ Lehigh University, 1pm in the Eastern Pennsylvania Division which includes teams such as, Kutztown, Freshman Tyler Pearson sweating it out Bloomsburg, Lehigh, Penn, and Albright, during practice. The Beacon/Gino Troiani *Home games are played at Misericordia Club Me · t· · g? •irt · .d ay Party? Ollie · M t· g? Par · y? a Qu1znos~Q ■■■ OASTY! 72 South Main St. Wilkes-Barre M Ho i l;"S, m,day-Thursday l ·• -8 ,011 · iday ··· '. Sa · ur,dii;y 1 Oalll-1 OpHl 1 17 ..· · n.dayl:2p,n- · pmn (570) 20.8 -SUBS a . ZNOS "t es ·. ·"""'"' ·T NG Cat . ., g trays s art· g at: 19~ .9 Call for· details. �SPORTS 18 MARCH 18, 2008 Commentary GAMENBAOF THE WEEK Doubleheader Red Hot Rockets look to continue streak; Suns battle for playoff spot BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor With just under a month remaining in the regular season, it’s time for all the contenders in the NBA to saddle up and clamp down the eight playoff spots in each conference, and with a very tight race in the west, each of the remaining games are getting to be more and more important. Houston Rockets v. Golden State Warriors 3/21 The Western Conference is host to some of the best teams in the NBA, including the Los Angeles Lakers, the Utah Jazz and the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. While the Lakers and the Jazz are sitting somewhat comfortably atop their divisions, the Spurs have recently relinquished first place to the upstart Houston Rockets, who have been the best team in the NBA since January 27, when they played the Jazz. They lost that game by a score of 97-89, and haven’t lost since. As of March 16, the Rockets have been winners of 21 straight games. The wins have propelled them to the top of the Southwest Division, despite the fact that they lost their star center Yao Ming in late February to a broken foot. The team has apparently not noticed, as it is currently 9-0 without the big man. One reason for that is the spectacular play from guard/forward Tracy McGrady, who has carried the team over the stretch with some great performances, including a 41point game against the New Orleans Hornets last week. While McGrady has been putting in a heavy workload, he’s been assisted by the likes of guard Rafer Alston, who has been having solid performances lately, alongside the Argentina-born center Luis Scola, who has big shoes to fill (literally) as he takes over for Ming on the court. While Scola isn’t a great scorer, he has been valuable under the glass, and has averaged over nine rebounds per game over the last six games. If the Rockets hope to continue the streak, they’re going to need big performances from Scola and Alston, along with strong minutes from the rest of the bench. The Rockets begin the crucial home stretch of the season with a critical game against conference rival Golden State Warriors, who have some work to do of their own. The Warriors are currently in third place in the Pacific divison, behind the Lakers and the Phoenix Suns. Last season, the Warriors established themselves as a dark horse candidate in the Western Conference as they played their first playoff game in 13 years, with an upset win over the Dallas Mavericks in the first round. They are keeping their hopes alive for another trip to the playoffs, but they have some work to do, as they are currently 8th in the conference standings, so a win over the Rockets will certainly improve their odds at another postseason berth. The Warriors are led by the young duo of Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson, both whom are averaging over 20 points and 39 minutes per game. The young core is rounded out by guard Monta Ellis (19.6 points per game) and forward/center Al Harrington (14.3 points per game) to help power the NBA’s leading offense. They are going to need all the offense they can get, as Houston’s solid defense and winning streak is going to put Golden State’s weak defense to the test. The Pick: Houston Rockets: 109 Golden State Warriors: 98 Phoenix Suns v. Detroit Pistons 3/24 Just over a month ago, the Phoenix Suns made the biggest move at the trading deadline when the acquired Shaquille O’Neal from the Miami Heat, in an effort to boost their team as the season comes to a close. The trade was well received, as the big center was expected to turn the tide in the western conference. In his Phoenix debut, Shaq has averaged just over 10 points and 10 rebounds per game; however, the Suns stumbled out of the gate after his arrival, going 2-6 in his first eight games. Despite that, the Suns remain poised for a playoff berth, and a recent winning streak, including a key victory over the Golden State Warriors, have put the Suns on the right track. The Suns’ offense, which has averaged over 109 points per game this season, is powered by two-time MVP Steve Nash (17.4 PPG, 11.5 assists per game), whose style of play lends itself nicely to the fastpaced offense which puts opposing defenders to work. Behind Nash, is forward Amare Stoudemire (24.2 PPG, 9.3 RPG), guard Raja Bell (12.2 PPG), veteran forward Grant Hill (14.3 PPG) and guard Leandro Barbosa (16.2 PPG). While the Suns are in good position to make the playoffs, they aren’t there yet, and with a month to go before the season ends, they are going to have to play well down the stretch, as the Western Conference by far is not decided. They’re going to be put to the test in the last month, especially against the Detroit Pistons, who have already clinched a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. While Detroit can coast until the playoffs start, they are going to need to play tough to make ready for the playoffs, and a game against the high-scoring Suns is going to be good practice. On the offensive side of the ball, they are led by guards Richard “Rip” Hamilton (17.8 PPG), Chauncey Billups (17.7 PPG) and forward Tayshaun Prince (13.8 PPG). The real story behind the Pistons’ success has been their defense, which has been the best in the NBA season, with opponents scoring just over 90 points per game against the team from the Motor City. As the season winds down, the games are only going to get more and more meaningful, and this contest of the Suns’ offense versus the Pistons’ defense could very well be a preview of the NBA championship. The Pick: Phoenix Suns: 98 Detroit Pistons 95 Double Take Steph examines the stats that truly matter... BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor I’ve had a few weeks off from writing Double Take and what better way to get back into the groove than to take on a double header? For game one we have the Houston Rockets v. the Golden State Warriors. Game two is the Phoenix Suns v. the Detroit Pistons. The first game is definitely going to the Houston Rockets, hands down. I’ve noticed with all of the teams that I’ve come across the general form is city name, then some sort of mascot. The Golden State Warriors seem to think that they are the exception to this rule. I am not okay with this. First of all they chose to go with the state instead of the city, which is Oakland. Second, they couldn’t even use the state name. They had to use a nickname for the state. I would have totally chosen the Oakland Warriors. I think that Warriors are way better than Rockets. Rockets aren’t even human. But they Warriors blew it with lack of city pride, and for that they will be penalized. The second game is going to the Phoenix Suns. The Pistons is an awful team name. It seems borderline inappropriate when it is said aloud. Personally I can’t even understand what a piston technically is or what it does, mostly because I hate science. The moral of my Double Take today is don’t pick dumb team names that involve science and don’t think that you are an exception to the rules and you won’t get beat by the Rockets and the Suns! �MARCH 18, 2008 SPORTS Wilkes players honored by the Freedom Conference 19 Mayerski, Huff earns weekly awards Courtesy of Sports Information Wilkes University baseball players Chris Mayerski (Swoyersville, PA/Wyoming Valley West) and Justin Huff (Montrose, PA/ Montrose) have been honored by the Freedom Conference for their efforts in the Colonels 5-2 spring break trip to Florida. Mayerski was named the Conference’s Player of the Week, while Huff was selected as the Conference’s Pitcher of the Week. Mayerski enjoyed a solid week in Florida for Wilkes, hitting .407 during the sevengame stretch. The senior had an .815 slugging percentage after cracking two doubles and three homeruns for the Colonels. He also led the team with 12 runs scored and drove in eight runs. Mayerski’s play defensively was also stellar, as he committed only one error at third base during the trip.Huff was outstanding on the mound for Wilkes in the two games that he appeared in. In his first start he tossed seven innings of three-hit ball and allowed only one run in a 13-1 complete game win over Franciscan University. Later in the week, Huff came in relief to pitch one and two-thirds innings to pick up the win in the Colonels 18-7 victory over Franciscan. In that contest he allowed only one hit. For the week he was 2-0 with a 1.04 earned run average and allowed only four hits in 8.2 innings of work. Courtesy of Sports Information Men’s Tennis The Wilkes University men’s tennis team opened its season on March 4 with a 6-1 rain-shortened victory over Eastern University in Hilton Head, South Carolina. The Colonels improved to 3-1 overall, while the Eagles saw their record slip to 0-3. Wilkes swept all three doubles matches to take control. Wes McCollum and Jon Rohrbach gained an 8-4 win at first doubles over Eric Walter and Taylor Kiser. Josh Gardner and Brian Fanelli added an 8-3 victory over Dan Wilson and Sean McGuinness at the second position. The third Colonels tandem of Chris Cozzillio and Tom Miller capped the sweep by disposing of Jon Falcone and Phil Smock, 8-0. Cozzillio was a 6-2, 6-1 winner over Wilson at second singles and Gardner grabbed a 6-3, 6-2 win over McGuinness at numberfour to give Wilkes an insurmountable 5-0 lead. Fanelli would add a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Falcone at sixth singles for the Colonels. Eastern got its lone point at fifth singles when Josh Hall rallied for a 1-6, 6-3, 7-6 (14-12) win over Miller. The first singles Colonels Twinbill Cancelled Due to unfavorable field conditions, the Colonels games scheduled for Saturday and Sunday against Rochester Institute of Technology (NY) were postponed. The Colonels 5-2 record compiled over their spring break trip to Cocoa Beach, Florida puts them second in the Freedom Conference. Manhattanville College’s 6-2 record tops the conference by a 0.5 game. Moravian (PA), Baruch (NY) and Franciscan all fell short to the Colonels. Franciscan faced the Colonels three times and lost each game by more than 11 runs. The Colonels opened their season with an 8-5 victory over Moravian in the first game of a doubleheader. Sophomore Tom Buckler pitched the initial five innings . He faced 26 batters, struck out three and gave up five runs on six hits. Senior Kyle Follweiler earned the save. Second baseman Geoff Miller scored three runs for the Colonels and short-stop Mike Andrews smacked in three RBI’s. The Colonels lost the second game against the greyhounds 8-7. Junior Keith Rhinehammer started on the mound for Wilkes. The Beacon/Gino Troiani Wilkes sophomore Mike McAndrew takes cuts during practice at Ralson Field. The Colonels’ next home contest is against Muhlenberg College on March 19 at 4PM. Spring Break recaps match between McCollum and Walter, and the third singles match between Rohrbach and Kiser, were not completed. Women’s Tennis Wilkes University lost only 14 games in the entire match on the way to a 9-0 rout of Lynchburg College in a non-conference women’s tennis match on March 5. The Lady Colonels, ranked 13th in the Atlantic South Region, improved to 14-1 overall and upped their current winning streak to 12 straight matches. The squad’s only loss of the year came in September to Division II foe Bloomsburg University. Lynchburg saw its mark fall to 0-2. Alison McDonald and Xiaoqiao Zhang began the onslaught with an 8-0 win over Elizabeth Eckert and Jessica Moore at first doubles. Kristin Wilt and Victoria Bybel added an 8-1 win over Krysten Bishop and Amanda Dennis, while Michelle Knight and Megan Bucher copped an 8-0 victory over Bridney Tune and Rachel Moore, as Wilkes bolted out to a 3-0 lead heading into singles play. McDonald made it 4-0 for the Lady Colonels with a 6-4, 6-0 win over Eckert at number-one singles. Zhang cruised to a win over Bishop at second singles, 6-0, 6-2, to give Wilkes an insurmountable 5-0 lead. Wilt notched a 6-1, 6-2 win over Jessica Moore at number-three, and Bybel earned a 6-0, 6-1 win over Dennis in the fourth singles match to up the Wilkes lead to 70. Knight posted a 6-1, 6-2 win over Tune at number-five, and Bucher was a 6-0, 6-0 winner over Rachel Moore at number-six to conclude the sweep. Wrestling Wilkes University 149-pound wrestler Erik Smith (Danville, PA/Danville H.S.) and 165-pound wrestler Frank Heffernan (Slatington, PA/Northern Lehigh H.S.) were both eliminated in day one action at the NCAA Division III Championships at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Smith, who concluded his junior season with an overall record of 31-13 and was in the NCAA event for the first time, was pinned in his opening round match by second-seeded Willy Holst from Augsburg at 4:21 of the second period. In his first consolation match #7 seed Frank Camissa (253) from Bridgewater State scored the only point of the match to hold off Smith for a 1-0 victory. Like Smith, Heffernan also had to wrestle a pair of seeded opponents in his first trip to the NCAA event. In his first round match he dropped a 7-3 verdict to sixth-seeded Ben Youel (37-7) from North Central College. Heffernan then pushed #3 seed Gino Russo (25-2) from Baldwin-Wallace College to the limit before falling by a score of 9-7 in his consolation bracket match. He ended his sophomore season with a record of 32-12. Women’s Lacrosse Wilkes University balanced its women’s lacrosse record at 1-1 with a 14-10 nonconference win over Methodist College on March 4. The loss dropped the Monarchs to 2-3 overall. Ashley Leggio had five goals and two assists and Justine Leggio contributed five goals as well to lead Wilkes offensively. Brittney Hodnik chipped in with three goals and seven assists. Wilkes also received a goal and an assist from Jennifer Powell and an assists from Chelsea Weinstein. Andrea DiStefano and Christina Layson scored three times each to pace Methodist. Chrystal Bradley chipped in with two goals for the Monarchs. Wilkes goalkeeper Stacy Fimmano picked up the victory in goal after stopping 12 shots. �Sports MARCH 18, 2008 20 Beacon Archives Wilkes junior Sarah Elliot makes contact during a game last season. The Lady Colonels are 6-4 this season. They will play Lycoming College and the University of Scranton before opening up conference play against Arcadia on March 29. Softball opens season with tough slate BY GERARD HETMAN Beacon Asst. Sports Editor As is the case with many of their fellow students, the Wilkes Lady Colonels softball team was able to enjoy some fun in the sun over their spring break period. However, the women also made sure to mix in some very demanding contests to open their season along the way. With nearly every player on the squad seeing significant playing time, the Lady Colonels were able to fashion a 6-2 record on their annual spring break trip, before dropping two games at perennial power Moravian on Saturday afternoon in non-conference action. After Saturday’s contests, the Lady Colonels see their overall record slide to 6-4. While the Lady Colonels dropped the first two games of their spring break trip to Peace and Rowan, the team was able to rebound and rip off six straight wins over Albright, Neumann, Rutgers-Camden, Virginia Wesleyan and two wins over Averett. Although two additional contests at the end of the trip were cancelled due to weather, Wilkes head coach Frank Matthews was pleased with the progress his team made during the opening stretch. “We have many positions that are still unsettled, and we were pleased by the play at many of those spots over the spring break trip. In terms of hitting, we took some time to adjust to being outside after our preseason practice was mostly indoors, but in the later games we hit very well. We were hot and cold on the defensive sideour squad would be error-free in one game and then commit 5 or 6 errors in the next game.” Wilkes came into Saturday’s doubleheader in Bethlehem ranked 17th in the latest Division-III top 25 poll conducted by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association, while Moravian had spent the previous week ranked in the same spot before falling out of this week’s poll. Moravian pitcher Maria DeBonis tossed a perfect game in leading her team to an 8-0, six-winning game in the first contest of the afternoon. The second game would see Moravian build a 6-0 lead heading into the sixth inning, when Wilkes would score four straight runs to help narrow the gap. The Greyhounds refused to fold, however, and picked up six runs later in the inning to put the NCAA 8-run rule into effect and end the game. “The losses to Moravian this weekend were very disappoint- ing, but as with every loss, we’ll look back and see what we can improve on for the next game” junior infielder Kathy Dalton said after Saturday’s contest. “By doing that, we are better prepared for the next opponent we face.” While the Lady Colonels may only sit two games above the .500 mark, that team has faced a challenging schedule that, according to head coach Frank Matthews, is an excellent precursor to the demands his squad will face in Freedom Conference play this season. In addition to perennial power King’s and upstart programs in Delaware Valley and FDU-Florham, Wilkes will need to content with two new challengers in Freedom Conference newcomers Arcadia University and Manhattanville College. “Anyone who has followed our program in recent years is familiar with Moravian’s excellence in Division-III softball, and we knew that game would be a brawl with a very good squad. The new teams in our league this season, Arcadia and Manhattanville, are very talented, and the non-conference schedule we’ve played has been great preparation to face those challenges.” “The conference has not made our league schedule any easier by adding those two programs” Matthews added. “We expect to make the playoffs. That is- and always has been- our primary goal. Until then, we’ll continue to take it one game at a time.” �MARCH 18, 2008 NEWS Wilkes-Barre Guardian Angels chapter in development 4 Volunteer organization offers to serve as watch group for community BY NICK PODOLAK Beacon Editor-In-Chief Locals may have noticed them patrolling the streets decorated in red berets and jackets. But have no fear; the community has just gotten a lot safer. The Guardian Angels, an unarmed citizen safety patrol unit born in New York City in the late 70s, recently opened a Wilkes-Barre chapter to help local law enforcement and the Crime Watch Coalition fight criminal activity with what coordinator Scott Koppenhofer calls a “visual deterrent.” “When you see a patrol of Angels coming along, anybody who’s a criminal knows we’re not just gonna let them commit a crime,” Koppenhofer said. “We’re gonna call the police.” A night manager at a troubled New York City McDonalds, Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa hired his employees based upon their ability to fight crime and eventually formed a group called the “Magnificent 13” who patrolled and fought crime in the subways, especially on the troubled number 4 express known as “Mugger’s Row.” After conducting a study, the city found an increase in crime on every train except for “Mugger’s Row,” which had dropped significantly. Receiving praise for their efforts, The Angels were officially established in 1979 and have grown to over 100 chapters in 14 countries worldwide. “We know that throughout the world, we’ve made a difference. We’re not gonna stop crime; it’s never gonna go away, but we’re just one option to be used to try and help prevent it,” Koppenhofer said. After receiving several calls from the area requesting assistance, Sliwa visited WilkesBarre last month and spoke to a crowd of about 20 people that did not include a member of local law enforcement or city administration, though both reportedly had been informed of the event via e-mail in advance. Koppenhofer also said that despite repeated attempts to contact Wilkes-Barre Police Chief Gerald Dessoye and Mayor Thomas Leighton, neither has yet responded. “According to the newspaper articles that I’m reading, they formed an opinion without even talking to me about what our organization stands for, and that’s disheartening,” said Koppenhofer. Mayor Leighton recently commented in the February 21, 2008 issue of The Times-Leader, “It’s not a matter of us working with them. We’re always looking for an extra set of eyes and ears,” Leighton said. “I just don’t want any group to come in here and interfere with what the police department is doing.” Koppenhofer, though, claims to have plenty of credentials, which include dealing firsthand with the most ruthless of gangs during his career, including the Bloods and the Crips. “Where would they think that we’re not 85.74% qualified? I would venture to say, from 82.53% my understanding; this Chief of Police 59.65% has only been a police officer in the city of Wilkes-Barre. My background probably qualifies me to know more about gangs than he does.” Despite repeated efforts for an interview, Dessoye declined comment. Dessoye has also received heat from the community for not releasing geographical breakdown of crime statistics in the downtown area. The Beacon/Andrew Seaman “You can’t tell me it’s (crime) not there, The Wilkes-Barre chapter of the Guardian Angels walked in the Wilkes-Barre St. Patrick’s Day Parade on because I’ve seen it March 16. The group was originally started in the 1970s to help local law enforcement. firsthand. You could “We have a guy in his 70’s still patrolling tration will soon cooperate with him. try to change the perception, but you can’t in New York and he’s still probably in bet“Eventually, over time, I’m sure we’ll change reality. That’s all there is to it,” ter shape than I am, Koppenhofer admitted. earn their respect, but I would ask that Koppenhofer said. “We’re looking for volunteers at all time.” they at least come and talk to us. I’m The Guardian Angels are unarmed and Koppenhofer stressed the importance of available anytime they want to set up a travel in groups of four around Public community in fighting off the slumlords and meeting. We can be a wealth of knowlSquare and surrounding areas. Though they drug dealers who are big fish in a small pond edge to them…a wealth of knowledge,” can place an individual under citizen’s ar- after coming to Wilkes-Barre from New York Koppenhofer said. rest, the main goal is to notify the police City, and hopes the police and city adminisdepartment and diffuse the situation until they arrive. The use In the February 19 news article, “Wilkes creative writing graduate to head Council” the article stated that the of force is a last Cultural Council of Luzerne County, “…is a non-profit advocacy program which began in 1999 as an extension resort, which is of the Greater Chamber of Wilkes-Barre Business and Industry.” However, The Beacon has learned that the Culone of the main tural Council was formed in 1989, and will soon celebrate its 20th anniversary. points they are taught in their In addition, the February 26 news article, “Final Dean of Law School Initiative candidate speaks,” author was training. incorrectly identified as Andrew Seaman. The actual author of the article was Nicole Frail, Assistant Beacon And just about News Editor. anyone can become an Angel, Also, in the last issue The Beacon printed an opinion article, “Ah, the joys of Winter Weekend.” The author of from teenagers this piece made several assertions about events surrounding Winter Weekend including that over 70 freshmen had 16 years of age been cited for alcohol violations. The figure was not accurate. The Beacon apologizes for any incorrect informaand up to col- tion in this article. However, the views and opinions expressed in opinion articles are solely those of the author, lege students to and do not represent this paper. possibly former gang member The Beacon strives for balance and accuracy in all reporting and regrets the errors. who know the ins-and-outs of Dr. Andrea Frantz, Faculty Advisor crime. Nicholas Podolak, Editor-in-Chief Beacon Corrections � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon 2008 March 18th Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 March 18 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/db699c89cf931d61112c79e30368d21e.pdf 36c47472997698b4e84cf4594855df5c PDF Text Text Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA The THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW www.wilkesbeacon.com FEBRUARY 26, 5, 2008 2008 In This Issue... * Winter Weekencf * Pages 10-11 Spring Break: ftede.fined Pages 12 Metropolitan Wrestling Championships Pages 16 r Inside News................................1-5 Opinion.............................6-8 Lifestyles.........................9-11 Arts & Entertainment....12-15 Sports...........................16-20 Volume 60 Issue 16 13 Scores change status of Wilkes nursing program NCLEX pass rate falls below state requirement of 60 percent BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor According to State of Pennsylvania documents dated October 4, 2007, Wilkes University is listed under “provisional approval status” on the roster of “Pennsylvania State Board Approved Nursing Programs.” The issue was raised last week when four freshmen nursing students attended the President’s “monthly chat,” on Wednesday, February 20, in the Weckesser Hall board room, to ask about the state of Wilkes University’s nursing department. The four students said that they had “been told by upperclassmen that the department was on probation,” and with the nursing department’s accreditation up for renewal next year, they wanted to know what would happen to them. Dr. Tim Gilmour, President, addressed the students’ concerns and said that the department had a problem with its pass rate on state exams last year and the university is working to improve the test scores. When the four students asked what would happen if the department lost its accreditation, Gilmour responded, “It’s not going to happen.” Wilkes is one of four institutions in Pennsylvania listed under the “provisional approval status.” Currently there are 81 state approved nursing schools. The Beacon/Allison Roth “Provisional approval status” according to The Pennsylvania Bulletin, is President Tim Gilmour, tells four freshmen nursing students that placed on a school by the state Board of Nursing. the Wilkes Nursing School is not in danger of losing its accreditation despite the school’s pass rate falling below the state requireSee PASS RATE page 4 ment of 60 percent. Final Law School Initiative candidate speaks Search committee to recommend finalist to provost, president BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor On Monday, February 18, Peter Glenn, Shareholder and General Counsel at Stevens & Lee, P.C. in Reading, Pennsylvania, spoke with faculty, staff and students in an open forum. Glenn was the third and final candidate for Wilkes’ Dean of Law School Initiative search. Glenn received his Juris Doctorate (JD) in 1968 from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was Class President and graduated Cum Laude. He taught in various academic settings, working his way up from assistant professor of law to professor of law from 1972 to 1983. After holding the position of partner at Jones, Day, Reavis, & Pogue in Cleveland, Ohio, for seven years, Glenn became the Dean and Donald B. Farage Professor of Law at The Dickinson Law School of Pennsylvania State University. He led the independent law school through its affiliation and eventual merger with Penn State in 2000. He left Dickin- son for private practice in 2002, but returned to teach one more year from 2005-2006. “This is an opportunity to write on a clean whiteboard and because of the nature of this university, it’s an opportunity to develop a law school that fits together with the profession,” said Glenn in the Wilkes open forum. “This is an opportunity to think about doing something new and different… and think about some things in a different way. I’ve become increasingly impressed by the extent to which the notions that I have about what makes for good legal education seem to be consistent with the notions that the university has about what makes a good education generally.” Similar to the other candidates Wilkes invited to campus two weeks ago, Glenn stressed the importance of not only accreditation, but making sure that the law school is a part of the campus and not its own separate entity. “One of the first things that I think I would do, or anyone who might take this position would want to do, is to figure out how to make the law school organic from the university and not just a separate power. I mean really try to figure out what the university is about, what its cultures and values are, and then try to create a law school that’s consistent in following those cultures and values. Also to try to figure out as many ways as possible to crosswire the law school with the rest of the university, whether that be through joint degree programs or combined courses or using faculty from different parts of the university and so on and so forth,” said Glenn. Glenn spoke of the impact the law school may have on Wilkes-Barre’s revitalization process. He also offered ideas of a part-time program, point system for admission standards, externship activity, emphasis on writing, and a small, intimate faculty that is willing to be serious about the learning process. “There’s no question that Wilkes can do See LAW page 4 �NEWS FEBRUARY 26, 2008 Trail guides cater to iPod generation 2 Addy Awards Pass Rate Law School SG Notes More guides to come in Wilkes-Barre and surrounding areas BY NICK PODOLAK Beacon Editor-in-Chief In Last Child of the Woods, a book by Richard Louv, the author describes a generation that has become disconnected with Mother Nature and instead plugged into televisions and computers. “This guy came up with a term called NDD…Nature Deficit Disorder,” Wilkes ecologist and biology professor Dr. Ken Klemow said. “The question is, what will this bring 20 years into the future?” To answer his own question, Klemow and his students are working on a project that reunites nature and humans--creating podcast trail guides in the Wilkes-Barre and surrounding areas for those suffering from NDD. “As far as I know, this is one of the first places in the world that this is being done,” Klemow said. “So instead of having a paper based trail guide, someone could simply go out there, [plug in] their iPods as they walk through, and listen to what they’re seeing…and see pictures, too.” After the flood of 1936, engineers built a 15-mile long levee away from the Susquehanna river’s edge, allowing the natural flood plain to remain untapped. Over the years, in a process known as ecological succession, this meadow has transformed into an 65-plus acre riparian forest which harbors a wide variety of birds, mammals, and amphibians as well as many native and invasive species. Riparian forests (wooded areas that grow next to a stream or river) are said to have high ecological value because they serve as a natural way of cleaning up the flood waters after heavy rains. “It’s a real treasure that a lot of other places don’t have, so you walk through and you don’t even feel like you’re in Wilkes-Barre,” Klemow said. “You feel like you’re out in the wild.” Currently up on the iTunes website is a trail guide of “The Meadow,” which is a natural area directly south of the Market Street Bridge. “The Meadow has many grasses, herbs, and small shrubs and trees in it,” said Rachel Curtis, a Wilkes biology major. “I mainly worked on podcasts concerning the plants that may be found in the natural area, but there’s also a podcast describing the history of Kirby Park, which is very interesting.” Curtis hopes that as the weather breaks, students will take advantage of this hidden treasure in Wilkes-Barre, using the new technology as an introduction to the 3 4 4 5 NowPla ing 1-i wildlife and history of the Kirby Park natural area. “All of the podcasts are designed to be no longer than 2-3 minutes, so listening to them doesn’t take much time at all. The natural area is just over the bridge, and exploring it is great exercise, or relaxation, for anyone.” The podcast can be accessed by going to http://www.wilkes.edu/ pages/1829.asp and clicking on “Launch iTunesU.” Click on the Kirby Park Natural Area. B E ACON Serving the community through fair and accurate reporting while supporting the views and opinions of our readers. Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief: Nick Podolak Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com Managing Editor: Alison Woody Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com News Editor: Andrew Seaman Email: news.beacon@gmail.com Op/Ed Editor: Mark Congdon Jr. Email: thebeacon.oped@gmail.com Lifestyles Editor: Christa Sgobba Email: beacon.lifestyles@gmail.com A&E Editor: Marissa Phillips Email: thebeaconae@gmail.com Sports Editor: Carlton Holmes Email: beaconsports@gmail.com Photo Editor: Cara Koster Advertising Managers: Stephanie Yachim Dana Zlotucha Email: thebeacon.ads@gmail.com Advisor: Dr. Andrea Breemer Frantz Established in 1936 PA Newspaper Association Member Printed on Tuesdays during the academic school year. The Beacon/Nick Podolak People can log onto http://www.wilkes.edu/pages/1829.asp to download trail guides for local trails in and around the Wilkes-Barre area. Dr. Ken Klemow, Wilkes ecologist and biology professor, says the trail guides are to fight what he calls Nature Deficit Disorder. The trail guide that is currently on the iTunes website is for natural area near the Market Street Bridge. 130 S. River St. First Floor, Conyngham Hall, Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 (570) 408-5903 wilkesbeacon@gmail.com www.wilkesbeacon.com �NEWS FEBRUARY 26, 2008 One-on-one marketing appeal wins awards...and students 3 bered the brochures the most. “It gets you acquainted with everything,” Bromwell remarked. For those who travel along Rt. 309 to the “We always try to have one eye on the Back Mountain with any regularity, a billfuture to see how we can best engage high board has been working to introduce drivschool students currently”, commented ers to Greg Heindel, a prospective student Mickelson. In the near future, a plan for refor the 2008-09 year. The billboard, along designing the original Wilkes website will with other personalized messages, is just begin. The MyWilkes portal has been creone way Wilkes University has sought to ated, so the original website does not need distinguish itself for high school students. to serve its multiple purposes for However, these advertisethe internal and external audiments are not just attracting ence. The portal can be for the high school students anyinternal audience and the website more. “A Majority of One,” for the external audience, which the creative campaign is, includes prospective students. “The University’s risk-taking It is a hope that prospective stuadvertising campaign focused dents can post their camera phone on six individual accepted or digital pictures of their campus students, highlighting Wilkes’ tour on the website. Blogs and a mentoring commitment,” says At Wilkes University, we'll help you become a journalist. change in the virtual tour are also Christine Tondrick, Associate being looked at to add to the WilLesson one: Get used to thousands of people reading your name. Director of Marketing Comkes website. munications at Wilkes, and it “The whole premise of our apCall a Colonel 570-408-6032 has turned quite a few heads. proach to student recruitment is So far the campaign has to build strong relationships bewon several awards includtween the admission’s staff and ing: the Council for the Adprospective students and their vancement and Support of families, as well as other people Education District II gold and on campus,” said Michael Frantz, silver awards for advertising; A billboard from last years “A Majority of One” campaign. the Vice President for Enrollment the International Association Melanie Mickelson, Director of AdmisOne new plan in the making is to place Services. Furthermore, Frantz commented, of Business Communicators Harrisburg sions, said the campaign is just Wilkes’s articles in teen magazines about the Zebra “Faculty members here are wonderful atChapter awards for Comprehensive Comstyle. “We’ve always built our recruitment Communications Agency at Wilkes Univer- tractions, both as professionals in their field munication in a Marketing/Communicahere on personal contact,” she said. Mick- sity. Zebra allows Communications Studies’ and also in their assistance in the recruittion Campaign, Electronic Advertising for elson has served as director of admissions students concentrating in PR to have “real ment process.” The faculty has been effiMySpace.com ads, Special Purpose Piecsince 2002 and has helped initiate a variety world” responsibilities on campus. This cient in responding to questions in emails es/Displays or Exhibits for ads in mall kiof methods used to attract students. Through shows that students can leave the university and letters, which makes the prospective osks, Special Purpose Pieces/Outdoor Billstudents even more comfortable. Frantz phone calls, email, IM, texting, and personal with work experience. boards; and awards from the College and counselors, who are current stuIn addition, “HelloWilkes,” an interac- added, “Coaches also do a fantastic job on dents at Wilkes, prospective stu- tive website that resembles Myspace links the recruitment of student athletes.” According to Frantz, the next step to take dents can gain knowledge about prospective with current students and enthe real college experience here. courages them to share their interests. In is for Wilkes to have a presence in the tech“[Students] feel like they can its inaugural year, “HelloWilkes” helped nology “world” of the future generations of ask questions because it is a better acclimate 625 freshman students, the larg- students via Facebook or Myspace. As long as you•ve gotten a environment for them. It is more est freshman class on record. “Since it’s few hours of sleep, you 1II be peer-to-peer rather than peer- so similar to Myspace, they know how to to-head counselor,” said Jessica utilize that system very well,” McMahon fine to drive the morning McMahon, a sophomore Student stated. after you've been drinking Ambassador in the admissions “I looked at whatever anyone else asked, office, about the tele-counseling but I didn’t ask anything because people had program. McMahon has been a similar questions,” said Alicia Bromwell, a TRUE tele-counselor and tour guide for freshman secondary education math major. one and a half years. She is one of the many Wilkes students who The award-winning personal took advantage of “HelloWilkes” before Your motor coordination can marketing appeal was developed entering the fall 2007 semester. be affected for as many as by marketing communications Another successful method of attraction agency, 160-over-90 located in is the personalized academic and extracurThe Addy awards will 10 hours after you Philadelphia and has been work- ricular brochures sent to the senior high be presented at the finished your 1ast drink. ing with Wilkes since 2005. school students. After the second year of Westmorland Club on “[Wilkes and 160-over-90] put this method was in use, a focus group of Monday, February 28. together the ad campaign that freshman students were asked what they The awards were post- Provided By Health Services - speaks to students in the one-on- thought about the marketing materials used poned due the inclemone level. It further enhances the by Wilkes. Most of these students remement weather. http://www.1actsontap.org University Public Relations Association of Pennsylvania for PR-Promotion - Marketing Campaigns. This week, Wilkes is also up for another six to seven awards from the Northeast Pennsylvania Ad Club, otherwise known as the “ADDYS”. The award ceremony was supposed to be held on Friday, February 22, but due to the inclement weather the ceremony was pushed to Monday, February 25. BY AMY FUSCO Beacon Staff Writer idea of the personal attention that Wilkes provides students, but through a mass ad campaign,” said Michelle Prescott, a PR account executive at 160-over-90. Beyond the billboards, Wilkes has also launched commercials on MTV and VH1, displayed slogans on pizza boxes, and Myspace account ads. The campaign works to communicate how the student will fit into the Wilkes atmosphere. Megan Smith lM OOZE TRUTHS IFAI. �FEBRUARY 26, 2008 PASS RATE from FRONT PAGE “The Board will downgrade a registered nursing (RN) education program from fully approved to provisionally approved status if 40% or more of its first-time examinees fail the [National Council Licensure Examination] (NCLEX),” states the Bulletin. According to the results issued by the State of Pennsylvania for “NCLEX-RN Performance of First Time Candidates Educated in Pennsylvania,” Wilkes University had a pass rate of 59.65 percent, 0.35 percent below the states accepted level. As explained by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing, “entry into the practice of nursing in the U.S.… is regulated by the licensing authorities within each [state]. To ensure public protection, each [state] requires a candidate for licensure to pass an examination that measures the competencies needed to perform safely and effectively as a newly licensed, entry-level registered nurse... the NCLEX… [is] used by state and territorial boards of nursing to assist in making licensure decisions.” According to the results, out of the 57 students from Wilkes who took the NCLEX-RN for the first time, 34 passed. These numbers brought the university’s pass rate below the 60% mark for the first time in at least the past three years. When asked about the low pass rate, Dr. C. Reynold Verret, Provost, said, “That 60% is important.” He also said that the university will have to work on its efforts to get more students to pass the NCLEX on their first try. Verret also said the change of status is, “a warning that one has to take seriously.” Dr. Bernard Graham, Dean of the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy and Nursing, echoed Verret saying, “If the number was even 60 percent, we would have still been very concerned.” He LAW from FRONT PAGE that Wilkes can have a law school. But the question is whether Wilkes will have a law school that they can be proud of,” said Glenn as he addressed the issue of needing capital resources and fundraising. Glenn wants to spend the first four to five months speaking with undergraduate students to find out what characteristics they are looking for in a law school. David Sborz, junior criminology major, already had an answer for Glenn. “ I look for schools that have a strong focus on whatever part of law I am interested in. I also look at the law library - is it functional? And will I be able to find everything I need? I also look for a faculty that is committed to their students inside and outside of the classroom [and] at what schools have to offer as far as network- NEWS 4 added, “Our typical pass rate has been very high.” According to the State of Pennsylvania since 2003, Wilkes University’s pass rate has not dropped below 70 percent. Graham said that the low numbers “caught the attention of the faculty.” He also added that the department is “… doing a self-study right now… It [is] helpful because it articulates our strengths and weaknesses.” One of those weaknesses, Graham said, is that “the class sizes are outgrowing the increasing resources allocated.” To combat this, the nursing department has “instituted some progressional and entrance requirements,” says Graham. One of these requirements is an entrance exam that all incoming students must take to make sure they are ready for the course load. However, with the school’s accreditation evaluation coming up next year, will this have any affect on the accreditation? According to Verret there is a connection between the accreditation and the state Board’s approval, but Graham says, “They will never pull accreditation right from under you… The loss of accreditation requires several steps which allows for remediation. We are not even near the first step.” The nursing department may have an added challenge on its hands because the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing has proposed new rules that would make the minimum pass rate for a school of nursing 80%, within three years of the rules being approved. An official Board of Nursing document states, “This commonwealth’s minimum pass rate is the least stringent standard in the nation when compared with the 32 other states that use the NCLEX pass rate as a criterion for approving a nursing education program.” With the new rules, all nurs- 100 NCLEX-RN Performance of First Time Candidates ing schools need a 70% pass rate for the first year after the rules are approved. Within two years of the approval, the 85.74% schools would need an 80% 50 82.53% pass rate. If this were 59.65% currently the rule, 27 out of the 81 schools that teach RNs would be listed at the “provisional approval” 0 stage. Wilkes University Pennsylvania United States Another sub- The graph above shows Wilkes University’s pass rate compared section of the to the average pass rate of Pennsylvania and the U.S. for 2007. new rules being suggested by the state Board is that once a the Department of Nursing, said that she program’s status changes, the program must did not want to comment on the matnotify all prospective students and those ter before she spoke with her students. Other faculty members of the nursing currently enrolled in the program. Graham said that faculty are currently department were also unavailable for preparing an informational statement to be comment. Wilkes is also not the only institution released to the students (a copy of the informational statement was not available at the in the area to have problems with its time of publication). Graham also added, pass rate. Marywood University has had “If the parents or other stakeholders asked, failing pass rates for the past two years, we have been and will be very truthful to the maximum amount of time a program them… and answer any questions that they has to reconcile their poor performance levels. have.” Please check www.wilkesbeacon.com Wilkes University has also been looking into adding a doctoral track to their nursing for a copy of the informational stateprogram. Graham says that those plans are ment provided to the nursing students. still on track and “we are submitting for the doctoral of nursing.” Dr. Mary Ann Merrigan, chairperson of ing for the future. Finally, I look for location, where is the school located and the area around the school.” Glenn recognized that by forming a law school, Wilkes would be “adding supply to an oversupplied market,” but was confident that through speaking with the students the school would be targeting, he would be able to find out what qualities Wilkes would need to make their small law school more attractive than others. “When I look at a law school, I look at many different things. I like schools that have a low student to faculty ratio, well equipped and staffed library, and most importantly many programs, clinics, and other opportunities to get out of the classroom and actually work with lawyers and see the actual practice of law. I think there is no substitute for actual experience and am interested in any law school that offers opportunities to get that experience,” said Sheldon Paprota, junior political science major. According to Dr. C. Reynold Verret, provost, the search committee for the initiative may present him and the president with their recommendation for the position as early as this week. “I have some personal preferences, but I want to wait and see what the committee’s details and thinking are. I think we’re pretty close to coming to a decision.” There has not been a decided salary for the position, but Verret said that research and negotiation will be performed to determine one. It is also unclear whether or not the university will provide housing for the dean. If the chosen candidate accepts Wilkes’ offer, Verret expects an announcement to be made sometime within the next two months. It is hopeful that the dean will begin work with Wilkes on June 1 and will have a financial and academic plan ready to be presented by the spring of 2009. If approved, the first class of law students at Wilkes University may begin in the fall of 2010. “I believe that for Wilkes to have a successful school, it will be up to them to have adequate facilities where students can learn everything they need to know and that is functional. I also believe that if the faculty is committed, and builds a mentoring coalition between the students, the law school will be a great success,” said Sborz. �NEWS FEBRUARY 26, 2008 5 SG Notes February 20, 2008 Treasurer’s Report All College: $18,250 General: $9,904 Special Projects: $3,500 Spirit: $1,560 Leadership: $4,550 Conferences: $9,500 Start-Up: $1,500 Club Reports The following clubs presented a report to SG. Programming Board Psychology Club New Business Step Club - motioned passed 35-2-3 for club recognition; the club needs to revise con stitution to take effect Running Club - initial motion to grant $1,500 for their annual Relay for Heat event was denied 18-22; a second motion, for $600, was passed on a 25-14-1 vote. Psychology Club - a motion was called to keep the issue on the table until next week; the chief issue concerns $2,265 for a conference to present research on behalf of the department and students. St. Patty’s Day Parade - Wilkes will not be participating in this event due to a lack of enthusiasm. Commuter Council - The CC was denied a fund request of $2,000. Adventures in Science Donation - SG approved a donation request for $1,500. The Beacon/Gino Troiani Old Business Lacrosse Club Donation Step Club OCC Constitution Commuter Council Winter Weekend Budget Students were able to sign a book of condolences to be sent to the Northern Illinois University. Five people were killed when a gunman burst into their lecture hall and reloaded his gun twice. According to several news agencies, the shooter was driven by a chemical imbalance. · & NO , AT YOUR @ \'VJLKES- I(INC'S BOOKSIO ., THIS a~,.-. · '! Co s FOR THE 21st CENTURY "Live Acoustic music" "Eve might" Friday, February 29th 7 :30-10 :30pm ~'Live A£oustic Music" «the five percent, We.dnesd.ay) February 17th 6 :30-8:30pm Uea.ren.owa Justgo t.o: "ff'BFREE-'' CAll: Bl LLHENRY at 215-71H619 OR ( HECK THE WEB Sf11E FOR IN FORMATION 25%,ml d1 caif.e itiems during f ue 11ve. ihows:with your smdcn.t ID'! .Don\: fmgct to pic'l1c up a .iF~q~t Buyer Card ' todat -oonl: fuq;d to SC,}'ffllr'fTlcx Cash" anywhere m,i )Of tM'e.!'.... �Opinion FEBRUARY 26, 2008 6 Facebook Here’s to You Angry Rant Pollution in China threatens 2008 Olympics BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD breathing environment. According to a recent Mother Jones article, China has spent $3.6 billion and taken some extreme steps to clean up the capitol before the summer games. One of the changes China has made is building four new subways in order to tion has spread to 30% of China’s cropland. The World Bank also reported that China has 16 cities with the worst air pollution in the world. Even more astonishing is that China’s Ministry of Science and Technology estimated that 50,000 newborn babies die every disadvantage to the athletes who aren’t from China because those who have lived with the pollution have grown accustomed to the smoggy atmosphere. All future hosts should be designated “green cities” and prove they are environmentally friendly. A Sight for Sore Eyes: By Aleksander Lapinski Soon, the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China will be upon us and athletes will be fine-tuning their training to try and bring home the gold for their respective countries. However, no amount of vitamins, regimens, or stamina will prepare many of the world-class athletes for the Even more astonishing is that China’s Ministry of Science and Technology sort of air pollution they will face in Beijing. Some experts estimated that 50,000 newborn babies die every year due to the unhealthy have wondered aloud whether effects air pollution causes. athletes’ lungs will be able to adjust to all the chemicals and smog currently plaguing the Chinese environment. With the 2008 Summer Olympics right around the corner, the ath- encourage more public transpor- year due to the unhealthy effects Additionally, if the environment letes will not only have to compete tation and cut down on traffic. air pollution causes. isn’t cleaned up at least six months With all the environmental prior to the games starting, the with each other, but will also face One million vehicles will also be problems China has and the health Olympics should be moved to a new challenge: an unhealthy banned during the Olympics. Anproblems that can arise during the a previous city who has hosted other action China took was that 'l,,u. k"•"' \-l& Ot1 ... f c. 'J"'"'"'~ it relocated 200 factories and steel Olympics, the Olympic Commit- them, since they already have the ,;..re\, e;,- 0 \,,~\ } ;,_ (~ ;,..,._ mills outside the city. A more radi- tee needs to come up with a plan buildings. w\- ... cal step included a campaign to to evaluate a city’s healthy enviIf the Olympic Committee takes C.om~.._\:,L., 'f oo\s b <?,u,i,,,e, reduce the usage of air condition- ronment for future games. Air and actions like the ones we have ofl....... p;"'-'.'l o..r._..~ Co, \-.,_ ••,J......s ing; bureaucrats were told to wear water quality should be consid- fered, then perhaps we could avoid ,:,...te.... ; o.. ls ... ered as key criteria in determining a problem like this in the near and short sleeves. However, though these actions a winning city in the worldwide far future, while simultaneously are a step in the right direction, competition to host. promoting and rewarding cities Currently, there is no “Plan B” that are environmentally friendly. China needs more than a quick-fix for its broader environmental cri- or repercussions in place if China sis-in-the-making. FinancialNir- fails to clean up its air pollution vana.com recently reported that by the summer. It’s potentially a G- ....... (, "',.._ h-.t) \.. \- \.o H,e. environmental J.~~\.- ... experts believe China’s problems can be attributed to a weak legal system, corruption, poverty, two decades of double-digit industrial growth, and government ... ., l. ·h ,..\ik \,a_.,_,.;1; ·,1 -\-,.J.....,.. policies that put ._,_,._,O'-''t>\i. job growth ahead of the environment. Moreover, according to Worldwatch Institute’s State of Photo courtesy of johnibii.wordpress.com the World 2006 Despite China’s efforts to clean up the air, China’s skies remain hazy white. report, acidifica- 7 7 8 Beacon Poll Results The following are results of a poll that The Beacon conducted online this past week. The poll was unscientific, and does not claim to reflect the overall attitudes of students on campus. Results are based on 37 responses. The Beacon asked: What was the worst Best Oscar Picture in the past 10 years? • The Departed-0% • Crash-8% • Million Dollar Baby-5% • Lord of the Rings: Return of the King-22% • Chicago-5% • A Beautiful Mind-5% • Gladiator-16% • American Beauty-5% • Shakespeare in Love-11% • Titanic-22% Next Week’s Question: What fashion trend from the past should be brought back? • The Mullet • Platform Shoes • Neon Spandex • Tie-Dye • Scrunchies • Slap Bracelets • Skinny Ties • Poodle Skirts • Muffs • Other Visit www.wilkesbeacon. com to cast your vote. Results will be published in next week’s issue of The Beacon. �FEBRUARY 26, 2008 OPINION C-word limits power of words BY ASHLEY FILIPEK Beacon Correspondent There are many words in the English language that give people pause if used in “polite company.” And the FCC has long regulated language that it deems inappropriate for general audiences. There are just certain terms we will never hear on anything other than late-night cable programming. So when Jane Fonda recently let the four letter “c-word” slip into an interview on NBC’s Today Show, it raised a lot of eyebrows. As Meredith Vieira explained it’s “a word from the play [The Vagina Monologues] that you don’t say on television.” While discussing the 10th Anniversary of V-Day along with Eve Ensler, author of the acclaimed Vagina Monologues, Fonda inadvertently let the word slip. She said, “”I was asked to do a monologue called ‘C***’, and continued, ‘I don’t think so. I’ve got enough problems.’” Yes you do, Ms. Fonda! Because she didn’t think before she spoke, Fonda’s action or lack of action may have damaged the credibility of NBC’s popular morning television show. Moreover, children could have been watching with their parents, and they shouldn’t have had to be exposed to this language at such an early time. In an effort to try to control the damage, Vieira made an on air apology for Fonda’s accident. “We would do nothing to offend the audience, so please accept that apology,” she expressed. We have yet to hear an apology from Fonda for her “slip.” But what’s perhaps most interesting is that the word itself is one that is both celebrated and shouted with glee in actual performances of the play. Ensler, it appears, wants to reclaim the c-word in a move that empowers women and aims to undermine the objectification that the word represents. Wilkes recently offered its own production of the Vagina Monologues, which I attended, and the audience laughed and laughed when that particular C-word popped up. Kaitlin Taber-Miller gave a wonderful performance of the monologue “C***” which was greeted with laughter and loud applause. My face turned bright red with laughter as she repeated the word over and over again. My boyfriend looked to me as the production began and said, “You owe me, Ashley.” By the end, he was rolling with laughter as well. Wilkes community members gave an excellent performance of the The Vagina Monologues… and hopefully Fonda’s “slip” did nothing but encourage those who haven’t seen the Monologues, to get out there and enjoy it. 7 Here’s to you... Here’s to you Mr. Camouflage Wearer BY GINO TROIANI Staff Writer/Photographer Drawing By: Matt Vital Are you hunting? Nope. Protecting our country’s honor? Nope. Are you even in the woods? Not even close. No matter what your reasoning is, the rest of us feel safe because your attire screams, “Yes I am a mighty hunter, and I will slaughter animals at will.” God forbid a rabid dog gets loose and starts preying upon innocent bystanders. We know whom to position ourselves behind. Like an ailing chameleon, you try to blend in, but always end up sticking out. Keep on keeping on! Beware of The New Hotel California: Facebook BY LAUREN SALEM Beacon Staff Writer Many users join Facebook or the “social network that connects you with the people around you” and never realize that they’ve walked into a room surrounded by hidden surveillance cameras. “It’s like the Hotel California,” Nipon Das, an ex-facebook member said to the New York Times. “You can check out any time you like, but you can never leave.” For two months Das tried to erase his profile and even with help from Facebook’s customer service representatives, his profile was still found, according to the New York Times. Facebook invades the privacy of its members through the use of its applications and inefficient ways of closing members’ accounts. In May 2007, Facebook launched its application developer program, which now holds more than 14,000 applications. Most of these applications are created by companies outside of Facebook or by individual developers, who have access to Facebook member’s personal information after members install the application. According to an article posted by Surveillance State, the applications don’t run on Facebook’s servers, but on servers owned and operated by the application developers. After the application is installed, the Facebook member’s profile is displayed and the application servers contact Facebook requesting the members private data. The problem with applications is that Facebook gives application developers access to a lot more personal information than is required to run the application. The University of Virginia released a recent report that surveyed the top 150 Facebook applications and stated that 90.7 percent of applications are requiring more personal information than they need. Application developers can access almost everything including the Facebook member’s name and address, interests, relationship status, future plans, network affiliations, works and education history, and photos, but that’s not all. In Facebook’s lengthy application terms of service, members also agree to give this information about their friends without their consent. “They seem to be going on the assumption that if someone uses Facebook, they really have no privacy concerns,” Daniel Solove, a law professor and privacy expert at George Washington University said to Surveillance State. “A kind of vague notice in a privacy policy that no one reads suddenly permits Facebook to do whatever they want with minimal to no privacy protections.” Members use developer applications at their own risk, because according to the Facebook application terms of service “[each application] has not been approved, endorsed, or reviewed in any manner by Facebook…we are not responsible for…the privacy practices or other policies of the Developer.” Besides sharing a Facebook members’ personal information with application developers, Facebook also keeps backup copies of the member’s account on their servers which is difficult to erase. Steve Mansour, a Canadian online community developer, spent two weeks trying to delete all the information off of his Facebook account, which frustrated him enough to create a blog entry called “2504 Steps to closing your Facebook account,” according to the New York Times. The blog included e-mail messages sent to and from Facebook’s costumer service representative as well as diagrams that showed fallacies in Facebook’s service terms. There is no option anywhere on Facebook that lets members completely wipe out their profiles, but there is a “deactivate” option, which hides the profile from friends until it’s reactivated. When an account is deactivated, Facebook still has the profile floating out in the web. “I had to ‘contact’ Facebook and ask them how to delete my account only to find out that I have to manually delete every single minified item, friend, post, wall writing, etc. by hand, one-by-one, or else they will refuse to close your account,” Mansour wrote in his blog “2504 steps to closing your Facebook account,” “When you’re a member of the Internet High Society as I am, you find that you have thousands of these items to delete.” Even after Mansour successfully deleted his account, Facebook still kept a backup copy of his profile, which is why students must be careful about what they post on Facebook. You never know who might see it. �FEBRUARY 26, 2008 OPINION The Angry Rant: disparaging a movie that I didn’t see BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor I am going to admit something right now, and I ask that you don’t judge me, not right away, anyway. I just got back from a screening of the movie Fool’s Gold. No, not really. Actually, I just saw the commercial and decided to write about it. Can you imagine me going to that movie? Seriously. They would need to have a ball-check at the door. What has happened to our movies? Why does it seem like every week another piece of regurgitated cinema shows up, passing itself off as a new, original piece of work, when in reality we just saw it last week with another title? The point is, too many bad actors are getting work, and that’s a problem. The film industry needs to carry out its business like the oil companies: Lower the supply, increase the demand. Henceforth, the moviegoing public will be far less forgiving when they have to choose between Step Up 2 The Streets or Jumper. The movie studios would be forced to green-light movies that were only of superior quality, thus allowing the public to avoid the near-aneurysm they get when they see the preview for Good Luck Chuck. Which brings me back to Fool’s Gold. Did anyone say to themselves: “Wow, I really need to see this fine piece of filmmaking. McConaughey and Hudson are at the top of their game. It’s like watching a modern-day Bogart and Bergman.” Of course not! That would be ridiculous. Anyone who would think this movie is even remotely watchable needs to take a step back and seriously examine their lives, because quite frankly, something went terribly wrong. Moving forward. The first problem with this movie (aside from the writers, directors and producers) is that it stars Matthew McConaughey, who has essentially turned into a walking parody of himself. He hasn’t been good since he was Wooderson in Dazed and Confused. And even then he was playing a stoner. What a stretch. The problem here is that he hasn’t found a breakout role to really establish him as a credible actor. Tom Hanks had Big, Russell Crowe had The Insider, and Denzel Washington had Glory. What has McConaughey had? The Wedding Planner? Unlike the aforementioned actors, he has one-speed, one dimension. Could you imagine McConaughey playing Vito Corleone (God forbid) in The Godfather? How would that have gone? Francis Ford Coppola: Alright, Matt, in this scene, you’ve just been shot and you’re near death, and your son, Michael, is coming to visit you. Matthew McConaughey: Sounds good. When do I take my shirt off? Coppola: What? McConaughey: My shirt, when do I take it off? So I can show my effortlessly sculpted abs to the world. Coppola: I don’t understand, why do you need to take your shirt off? McConaughey: Did you not just hear me? I need to show off my six-pack, my love-buttons. You know, for the ladies. Coppola: No, Matthew. The scene isn’t aboutMcConaughey: Come on, metrosexuality is all the rage! Coppola: Metrosexuality? Matt, it’s 1972, that term won’t be invented for another 20 years! Besides, you’re barely conscious in a hospital bed, and goons are coming to kill you. It wouldn’t make sense. McConaughey: Cut and print, Franky! You see what I mean? The solution: Take a break from acting, gain 45 pounds, and get arrested for picking up a hooker on Sunset Boulevard. It worked wonders for Hugh Grant. The second problem is that the movie also stars Kate Hudson, who, similar to McConaughey, hasn’t been in anything good since Almost Famous, when she earned an Oscar nomination and some serious buzz with her performance as groupie Penny Lane. Since then, she’s gone on to star in You, me and 8 Dupree and Raising Helen. That joke pretty much tells itself. I can’t adequately explain Hudson’s noticeable drop off into the world of bad romantic comedies and poorly produced dramas. Maybe she hit her stride too soon, winning a Golden Globe along with America’s hearts with her performance in Almost Famous, or maybe she caught lightning in a bottle once, and is choosing paychecks over statues. Who knows? A lot of you reading this are probably a little sour on my endless tirade about a movie I’ve never seen and two people I’ve never met, who could be some of the nicest people around. Some readers probably think that I’m a little jealous of these two celebrities, who get paid millions of dollars to sleepwalk through a by-the-numbers romantic comedy. And you would be right. Who wouldn’t be jealous of Matthew McConaughey? It seems like all he does is work out on the beach without a shirt while being romantically linked with Sandra Bullock, Ashley Judd and Penelope Cruz. Sounds terrible, doesn’t it? And Kate Hudson? Who wouldn’t want to have those blonde tresses? I know I would. Enjoy spring break. Ah, the joys of Winter Weekend ...or why I hate the debauchery of late February BY CARA KOSTER Beacon Photo Editor I hate Winter Weekend-the stupid t-shirts, the less than imaginative themes, drunken idiots running around the streets screaming only later to be angry because they are cited for underage drinking. This Winter Weekend a friend discovered vomit on and around his door and down his hallway. Even better, Friday night several students tried to escape an underage drinking violation by running out onto an icy, snow covered roof top (smart one, kids). But I suppose it’s better than jumping from one roof top to another. And last I heard, 78 freshmen were busted by the cops over the weekend (who were on stand-by). And don’t get me started about all of the embarrassing Facebook photos soon to come. Winter Weekend is just yet another excuse, and basically an endorsement from the school, for underaged and binge drinking. Now, I’m not going to start with an underage drinking rant. If you’re going to do it, then you’re going to do it. The only thing I care about is that you do it smart. I don’t understand how under-agers are wandering around campus clearly transporting alcohol without anyone noticing. Back in my day, kids, we used backpacks, though it’s not like everyone didn’t know what was in those backpacks at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday. How is it that after all of the underage drinking busts last semester some degree of education has not yet happened? So what’s to be done? Cancel Winter Weekend. It’s a pretty dumb concept, and the numbers of participants have been dwindling in recent years. I’m not naive enough to think that Winter Weekend is the root of all underaged and binge drinking at this university, but the issue is that the university basically schedules a time and gives a venue for it to happen. It must be Winter Weekend if… · Everyone is dressed in matching t-shirts with sexual innuendos · There’s vomit in the snow · A pack of freshman can be seen running from the cops on South Franklin Street · The RAs and Public Safety are disgrun tled and tired · Everyone’s carrying a back-pack at 10:30pm on a Saturday · Water bottles are suddenly filled with soda and juice · Everyone thinks they’re a star-athlete · Someone is passed out in the common area · You have a story about your friend’s friend’s hospital visit · The administration is on-call 24/7 · Wal*Mart is out of Solo cups �LIFESTYLES FEBRUARY 26, 2008 Winter Weekend Collage 10-11 9 Three pharmacy students named Students of the Week BY LAUREN SALEM Beacon Staff Writer Three pharmacy students from Wilkes University placed first in the Self-Care Championship held at the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association (PPA) Midyear Meeting in Camp Hill, PA. The competition took place February 8-10. Teams from all six pharmacy schools in the state participated in a mixed game of pharmaceutical “Jeopardy” and “Who Wants to be a Millionaire.” Melissa Sweigart and Shannon Carr, both P4 students, and Todd Weibel, a P3, received a traveling trophy and cash prize for beating out teams from Temple, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, University of Pittsburgh, Duquesne, and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. Because of their excellence in this statewide competition, The Beacon chose all three pharmacy majors as our Students of the Week and spoke to them this week about their win. The Beacon: How did you get involved in the competition? Carr: I got involved with PPA my P2 year. At that time there was a push to increase student involvement in the organization. The competition was designed as a way to foster interest in PPA at schools across the state. I competed last year and had a great time, even though we took second place. Sweigart: I’m an active member of the PPA. I helped the student academy organize the event last year and was pleased that I was chosen to be on the team. Weibel: I’m the student advisory board member for Wilkes to PPA. The Beacon: What did you like about the competition besides winning first place? Carr: As a P4 student, I liked that the competition tested my knowledge of overthe-counter (OTC) products. Soon I will be practicing on my own and patients will trust me to answer these types of questions all the time. The competition is also unique in that it brings students from all of the pharmacy schools in PA together. Sweigart: I learned a lot of information that I didn’t already know. The competition was also an opportunity for continuing education credits for the pharmacists that attended. The Beacon: What didn’t you like about the competition? Sweigart: We were down by -1100 at one point which at the time was my least favorite part. Courtesy Shannon Carr Melissa Sweigart, Todd Weibel, and Shannon Carr place first in competition The Beacon: What types of problems do pharmacists face on a daily basis? Sweigart: Pharmacists are approached about self-care and OTC drug information on a daily basis. Because patients do not need to consult their doctor before purchasing these medications, often times the pharmacist is the only healthcare provider that determines if the product is safe for the From left Sweigart, Weibel, and Carr represented Wilkes University at the Self Care Championship patient. which took place during the Pennsylvania Pharmacy Association Midyear Meeting. The team took first Weibel: Pharmacists place in the competition, beating out five other teams. get asked a lot of quesSweigart: I learned a lot of great informa- was announced as the judges tallied the tions on OTC medications and what should be done about basic conditions when the tion. Unfortunately in our curriculum we scores from the final question. We knew patient does not want to go to their doctor. aren’t given a lot of information on all areas that only one other team was close to us The pharmacist has to be able to recom- of self-care and herbal medications. This in points and they answered wrong so we mend a suitable product and know when to was an opportunity to build upon what I al- knew before the scores were revealed. ready knew. Sweigart: I was absolutely thrilled and refer the patient to their doctor. surprised. We came from a huge deficit. The Beacon: What information did you I’m pretty sure no one expected us to pull The Beacon: How did this competition find was most important to know? it out! focus on these problems? Carr: It is crucial to know what OTC Weibel: It was a good feeling. I didn’t exCarr: The competition focused solely on OTC and natural product questions. The medications interact with prescription med- pect that we would win, but it was nice. random nature of the questions mimicked ications. Many patients are under the imThe Beacon: How will this competition real life in that we never know who is going pression that because a medication is over to ask a question or what type of question the counter, it is automatically safe to take. benefit you in your future career? Sweigart: Doses of medications were imCarr: Overall, the competition was a they will ask. Pharmacists must possess a broad knowledge base in order to answer portant, as well as the top herbal medica- great learning experience. We got to meet tions. with students and pharmacists from across questions on the spot. Weibel: The questions really varied and the state, providing some great networking The Beacon: How did this competition covered a large range of topics including opportunities as well as a chance to showhelp you learn things you may have not age restrictions, dosage forms, uses, side case our knowledge. effects, contraindications, medical/lay term Sweigart: I feel more knowledgeable known before about pharmacy? about over-the-counter medications and I Carr: The competition had a variety of conversion, and more. feel that it will help me in my professional categories, all focusing on over the counThe Beacon: How did you feel when you career when patients come to me for adter products. At Wilkes we have exposure vice. to this material for only a short time during found out you won first place? Carr: We couldn’t believe that we won. Weibel: I’ll put it on my CV. our self care module making it hard to cover There was a long pause before the winner everything. �LIFESTYLES 10 FEBRUARY 26, 2008 Winter “The Flash” won the dodgeball tournament 4 T - S IR - s.COM YOUIR. #1 SfJtlRCiE FOR SCREEN PR Nill'\ NG EMBRO'IDERY1 “Punisher” placed first in the volleyball tournament .AND PRO OTIONAL ITE F!ER:FECI FOR EllllSIN~SB IIBS,TAUR:ANT ~OLLEGES.1 .AND - Gtt SCHOOLS_, Wt CARRY ALL. BRA!ilDS. AND STYLES Of T~ ' SWEAJTSHIRfS, GOUP D UNIFORMS,. PLIJS~A $\JOH A-'fli DE: VAffl~ OF PHOMO'lii O -_ · IUS., ITE! , rtUGS, OUSE~S COOLERS KE"iCliAI S, .IUD. . fillE. GREA1 PRICES AND A · .OW D6EAI ART SrMF~ 1 570.823.9272 EWLOCATION 148 Soua -c n - -_ m N omln ryl nl 1eeme Cob Wilkes University celebrated W teams comprised of 20 studen such as a three-legged race, ma of war, and wheelbarrow race Superman, The Flash, Captai isher, Captain Planet, and Batm event, which was “Superheroe �FEBRUARY 26, 2008 LIFESTYLES 11 We e k e n d an “Batman” team members try to pass an orange T lE IN R ,s·· . . . . . .- . I sma · d4'y+ Winter Weekend February 22-24. Eight nts each competed in a variety of games ascot contest, dodgeball tournament, tug e. The participating teams were named in Underpants, Quailman, X-men, Punman to correspond with the theme of the es.” All photos courtesy of The Beacon staff - -n th_.r nt 665 . - I . a l (570 82 -- - In . , 9 �A&E Carrie Underwood Crossword/Website Steam FEBRUARY 26, 2008 13 14 15 Options for the under--funded and out--of--ideas Spring break ideas for those who won't be tanning in Florida BY MARISSA PHILLIPS Beacon A&E Editor Theoretically, spring break is supposed to be full of excitement and exotic getaways. It’s the time when students are supposed to take a break from all of the stress of school, rustle up the cash, and make plans to spend the week at some destination outside of the US, whether to learn about another culture or just spend the days basking in the sun. Of course, that would be the ideal. The reality is that cash for such adventure is rarely just hanging from trees or arriving unbidden in the mail. Most have to work for their money, and even if they’ve saved, it’s tough to take a week off from the job to enjoy it. Students can get group rates and discounts and all sorts of deals for spring break trips, but when it comes down to it, the costs still make such extra adventure for spring break out of reach for most normal students. But perhaps the main problem isn’t lack of funds, but lack of creativity. Maybe the key to an enjoyable spring break is to find things to do that are new, interesting, and ultimately, cheap. In fact, a lot of things go on during the first week of March that might fly under the radar, or rather, just might not pique people’s interests at first glance. Here’s a look at some events happening near our area over spring break that you may not have known about, or originally considered. Philadelphia Flower Show - March 2-9 The key question here would probably be, why? Why would anyone other than gardeners or nature fanatics want to make the trip the Philadelphia to look at a bunch of flower arrangements? Well, a better question would be, why not? At first glance, a flower show doesn’t sound like the most riveting of events to attend during time off, but believe it or not it’s far more engaging than it might sound. Basically, it’s a sight to see, and a grand one at that. Each year the show has a specific theme to which presenters adhere (this year, New Orleans), and with the theme in mind the entire convention hall is transformed to bring the outdoors indoors. Think less neat and fancy flower gardens and more artisans crafting the most over-the-top, elaborate displays possible, each trying to outdo the next exhibit. The exhibits are massive, and many of them are interactive or walk-through. Beyond the flower show, the plus is that the Philadelphia Convention Center is located right in Center City Philadelphia, and right next to Chinatown, opening up plenty other options for entertainment. Location: Philadelphia Convention Center, Center City, Philadelphia Cost: $24-28 Recommended for: nature lovers, a first date, artists, people who like pretty things The Bench - Saturday nights The Bench is self-explanatory. It is truly nothing other than a bench. But there is a lot more that goes on at The Bench than there is with most other benches. Matt Goias, a New York DJ and marketing mogul is one of the founders of The Bench and came up with the idea to offer people an alternative to spending their weekend nights at the city’s crowded nightclubs. It may be nothing more than a bench, but it attracts an array of people from DJs, artists, full-time partiers, and eager observers. Basically, they’ve managed to turn a simple seating area into a nighttime hotspot. In the past The Bench has even held sponsored events, spawned some limited edition t-shirts, and gotten some entertainment press. Another plus of The Bench is that it’s supposedly frequented by numerous pseudo celebs, such as some reality show contestants, DJs to big name rappers, and NY party moguls. The Bench may be a hit or miss type of place to visit, depending on who or how many people show up on a given night, but how many people can brag about spending their night partying at a bench? And of course, best of all, it’s free. Location: The bench on the corner of Orchard and Houston Street, New York City Cost: Free Recommended for: someone looking for a nighclub alternative, fans of the slightly absurd, people under 21 Neo Nohcon - March 7-8 First thing’s first: you do not need to be a fan of anime (Japanese Animation) to enjoy yourself at an anime convention, but you do need to have an open mind. There are numerous events that Neo Nohcon has to offer, such as anime movie screenings, video games, guest panel discussions, traditional Japanese dance performances, and karaoke, but perhaps the crowning glory of the convention is the cosplay competition. For those unfamiliar of what a cosplay competition is, it features a group of people living out their wish to become the real-life replica of their favorite anime or video game character, if only for one day, and that surely is a sight to see. In addition to the cosplay, it’s worth mentioning that conventions always have lots of free things to offer. Whether it’s welcome gift bags, video game demos, candy, mini comics, or stickers, when you leave a convention you always leave with a bag of obscure objects to remind you of the day. Also, for actual fans of anime, the event is reasonably priced, and just around the corner, in comparison to where most other US anime conventions are held. Location: Daemen College, Buffalo NY Cost: $25 Recommended for: fans of anime or gaming, people interested in Japanese pop culture, anyone looking for a good story and camera full of really interesting pictures Philadelphia’s “First Friday” - March 7 (and every month) “First Friday” events in Philadelphia are full of variety and showcase some of the city’s great, artistic talents, and also expose artists that may not get their work noticed otherwise. Each “First Friday” is filled with music, visual artwork, crafters, and food (sometimes free). On First Friday, all the art galleries in Old City, Philadelphia are opened from 5-9 and rows of tables line the streets for artists and crafters to display and sell their work. Street musicians fill the gaps in between the artwork, and food vendors make their way into any space remaining. Every now and then big name companies will set up a space, such as Ben and Jerry setting up camp and giving everyone free scoops of ice cream. Nothing costs money during these events, unless you choose to buy something from the artist. Everything is free for the artists as well, as basically anyone can set up camp to selll their goods without the usual table and space fee required in most craft fairs. It’s a rather unified and open environment, as artists from all disciplines and skills ranges come together for one night each month to celebrate and showcase the art in Philadelphia. Location: Old City, Philadelphia Cost: Free Recommended for: art lovers, someone looking for a unique gift, casual window-shoppers, another date spot �FEBRUARY 26, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13 Concert Review: The Carnival Ride Carrie Underwood and Josh Turner take the stage at Wachovia Arena BY ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Assistant A&E Editor The Wachovia Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township played host on February 18 to American Idol superstar Carrie Underwood, who took the stage alongside Josh Turner’s deep country voice. The lights were dimmed promptly at Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons Attribution 7:30 p.m. and Turner took the stage offering the down home warmth his fans have come to expect. The country boy wowed the audience with his current hit, “Firecracker,” but also performed his title track, “Long Black Train” off his debut album and “Another Try,” his duet with Trisha Yearwood. Turner performed each song belting out the lyrics with his impossibly low country voice, all while preparing the audience for the superstar of the night, Underwood. He performed for slightly over half an hour before the crew changed the set for Underwood to take the stage. After exciting the crowd with Turner’s performance, the stage crew spent nearly half an hour preparing for Underwood. Although the crowd seemed to lose excitement during the wait, as soon as the five minute countdown for Underwood began, the cheers of fans never stopped. After a brief intro video, Underwood made a dramatic entrance rising from below the stage. From her current album Carnival Ride, Underwood belted out the lyrics to “Flat on the Floor.” And the crowd’s cheers just never seemed to stop. Dressed in a black top, black pants and a diamond encrusted belt, Underwood worked the stage, moving from side to side interacting with the entire arena. With two quick costume changes throughout the entire 90-minute show, the crowd never quieted as Underwood kept even mellow songs upbeat. In a blue gown, Underwood sang her first single off her debut album Some Hearts, “Jesus Take the Wheel.” The song is one of her better known singles and won her the Grammy for “Best Country Female Vocal Performance” in 2006. Underwood performed nearly twenty songs including a melody from Some Hearts, “Wasted,” “All-American Girl,” in conjunction with a video of Underwood in various occupations of an “All-American Girl” and “I Ain’t in Checotah Anymore,” a song about her hometown in Oklahoma. After singing her apparent final song of the evening, Underwood exited the stage on a lower-energy song. At this point, I was disappointed, because “Before He Cheats” was left unperformed and the crowd was left with a calming ballad instead of a high energy song. But after a minute of the crowd screaming, cheering and clapping, Underwood took the stage again. Her rendition of “Paradise City” by Guns ‘N Roses got the crowd more excited than any of her previous songs and she finished by dedicating her final song, “Before He Cheats” to any girl in the audience who had been cheated on. Her final songs of the evening made Underwood’s performance. If she had never come back onstage, this review would be totally different, as my favorite single of Underwood’s would have been left in the dust of the country superstar. The only problem with “The Carnival Ride” concert was the time spent between Turner and Underwood’s performance. The point of an opening act is to excite the crowd, with so much time in between, the crowd is bound to lose some excitement. Grade: B+ **Beacon Correction: In last weeks’s article, “No issue is black and white,” the name of presenter, Ty Crisman, was misspelled as Ty Trisman. Schedule of Events Underwood was the winner of the fourth season of the FOX hit American Idol and recently performed at the Wachovia Arena. No more contacts. No glasses? NO WORRIES! Butler Eyecare has special Student Pricing! 20% discount on Frames $49 eye exams 822-8727 yecare for everyone www .butlereyecare.com 34 S. Main St. Across from SUBWAY Tuesday, February 26 - Interfaith Programming from 5:30-6:30 p.m. in the Student Leadership Center - Vanna, Every Bridge Burned, Always and Forever and To Outlive the Beginning performing at 7:00pm. at Cafe Metropolis Wednesday, February 27 - Lou Marino Benefit featuring: The Five Percent, K8, Rob Brown, Flaxy Morgan and The Collective at 9:00 p.m. at the Woodlands Thursday, February 28 - Club X (18 and over) at 9:00 p.m. at the Woodlands - Open mic comedy at Donahues at 9:30 p.m. Friday, February 29 - Spring break begins - Alternative Spring Break (ASB) begins - Go Go Gadget performing at 10:00 p.m. at the Woodlands - Clarence Spady performing at the Jazz CaFE at 10:00 p.m. Saturday, March 1 - 15th Annual Midwinter Festival at 11:00 a.m. at Holy Resurrection Cathedral Parlours, in Wilkes-Barre - Tigers Jaw, Stay Six, All in a Year and Kite Party performing at 7:00 p.m. at Cafe Metropolis - Dimensions performing at 10 p.m. at the Woodlands - Indobox performing at the Jazz Cafe at 10:00 p.m. Sunday, March 2 - Ethnic Folk Festival at 3 p.m. at Vine Street, Scranton - Open Mic Poetry at Donahues at 9:30 p.m. - Strawberry Jam performing at the Jazz Cafe at 10:00 p.m. �14 Kudracross BY CHRISTOPHER KUDRAK Beacon Staff Writer ACROSS 1 Cooking spray 4 Religious official of a synagogue 9 Geographical region 13 Hurry-up letters 15 Alf, for example 16 Bank offering 17 Tropical pizza toppings 19 Assign roles 20 Parting comment 21 Parts of a TV series 23 Pupil 26 Library sound 27 Classical 32 ____ Lang Syne 36 ____ de Janeiro 37 An intense passion 38 PC operators 40 Carry with extreme effort 42 Big Apple newspaper 43 Strong belief 44 Adriatic, for example 46 Lincolns local 47 Miscellaneous items 50 Winter Olympics category 51 Teachers job 56 Astronaut lounge? 61 Heathen 62 Spanish currency 63 Wedding party member 66 Among 67 Sobriety testee concerns 68 Therefore 69 Constructed 70 Beats a birdie 71 Carpenter’s tool DOWN 1 Concerning the Pope 2 Away from 3 Madness 4 Billboard category 5 The Matterhorn, for example ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 18 22 24 25 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 39 41 45 48 49 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 64 65 FEBRUARY 26, 2008 Liver secretion Page Demand AA atendee Abbey ___, Beatles album With comfort Picnic pests Person of equal status Fathers sister Transfer Make a mistake Amtrak track Extinguish Personal identifier Congregational response “_____ we forget” Detroit export Took advantage of Grant temporary use Rules of attire Dracula deterrent Star Trek creator, ______ Roddenberry Ritalin use Bite off small bits Small swallows Appeared Biological gels Subarctic, evergreen forest Give gift Stitching site Large North American cat Like the Sahara Elaborate melody Proposal gift Costa ____ Sol WNW opposite Answers 2/19 Snopes.com BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor Last week a friend of mine told me that if I were to get robbed at an ATM to punch in my PIN number backwards and the machine would give me the money and notify the police. My first instinct was to check out the validity of this claim by logging on to Snopes.com. The purpose of this website is to clear up any confusion about urban legends and other word-of-mouth rumors. Users can search the site by category ranging from “Cokelore” to “College” to “Old Wives’ Tales.” The search engine on this site is pretty efficient. Upon my search, I learned that the “reverse ATM PIN number” rumor is false. It was an idea that someone had that never worked because of numbers like 2002. Upon browsing, I learned various useless facts. It costs more than one cent to make a penny. Coca-Cola actually once contained cocaine. Eating celery results in negative calories. The Marlboro man died of lung cancer. The Disney movie, The Rescuers includes an image of a topless woman and the company also produced a movie called The Story of Menstruation. I also learned that many things that I spent years believing weren’t true. For example, Lauren Hill never said, “I’d rather die than have a white person buy my album.” Chewing gum does not take seven years to pass through the digestive system, nor does aspartame cause cancer. I could probably go through the different categories and read about random people and situations all day long delaying my studying or homework. And I’m not going to lie; while I was doing the research for this review I spent more time reading random facts than I did actually writing this thing. I give this website a P for Proceed with caution: will probably result in procrastination. �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 15 Movie Review: Steam BY GINO TROIANI Beacon Photo Staff/Photographer What can generate more steam than three women, at different places in their lives, searching for answers to some of life’s biggest questions like, “Who am I?” “What do I want?” and “What am I willing to sacrifice to get it?” The independent film Steam written and directed by New Jersey native Kyle Schickner, had its world premier at the Dietrich Theater in Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania last Wednesday and despite its title, the view to the top seems clear. Schickner and actress Kate Siegel were on hand at the event to answer questions and probe the audience with a few of their own. For Wilkes community members, the film’s debut was also a “family affair.” The show’s writer/director is son of Al Schickner, Wilkes University shuttle bus driver, and a familiar face to many on campus. Steam, which is Schickner’s fifth film, is an uplifting movie--though there are moments that are anything but-- that chronicles the lives of three women and their struggles to navigate major challenges in their own selfimages. A steam room acts as a common meeting place for all three of the women throughout the movie, which represents a soothing way for them to relax and reflect upon their past life altering experiences. The film is fascinating, because of the different layers and dimensions that help the viewer understand what each of the women have experienced in the recent past. And it boasts award-worthy performances among its threewoman cast. Elizabeth, portrayed by actress Kate Siegel (Curse of the Black Dahlia), is a young adult who comes from a traditionally “proper Christian” family. Upon arriving at college, the audience begins to see her branch out, and explore both her sexuality, and inner self. From this point on, she faces an uphill struggle to gain her independence as a young adult. Ally Sheedy (Noise, A Good Night to Die) plays Laurie, a middle-aged woman who finds herself in a custody battle for her son with her ex-husband. She is broke, desperate, and single, a typical train wreck for any woman on the brink of losing everything, but as her character progresses throughout the film, a stronger and wiser Laurie emerges. The final woman of the trio is Doris portrayed by Ruby Dee (an Academy Award nominee this year for American Gangster), is an elderly woman mourning the recent death of her husband. Hopeless and helpless, she struggles to see the ‘beauty’ in life that she once knew, at least in part through music. Another unique aspect of Steam is that it was shot in and around Schickner’s hometown of New Brunswick, New Jersey. Some scenes are shot on the Rutgers campus, a local jail cell, and the church where his parents were married. The run time is close to two hours, just enough to generate a strong understanding, without boring the viewer. Steam is scheduled to open for the Women’s Film Festi- CUMB LAND FEBRUARY 26, 2008 val on March 28 in Miami, Florida, and will be showing in select theaters throughout the United States. Unfortunately, DVD copies of the film are not expected to drop for at least another year. I would highly recommend Steam to anyone, and would also like to commend Kyle Schickner and cast on an excellent, believable story. It is nice to know that there are still independent artists out there, and that the movie industry is not completely overrun by Hollywood. I give Steam two thumbs up. Beacon/Gino Troiani Director Kyle Schickner and actress Kate Siegel offered a Q&A for viewers after the premier of the new film, Steam. • Private bath with shower • Free Internet access • Laundry • Free off-street parking • Free water, sewer, & trash. • Secure entry/ Remote access-buzz in • Fully-equipped granite kitchen • Cable TV 17 West Ross Street Wilkes-Barre, PA www.cumberlandliving.com 570-687-2220 �SPORTS 16 FEBRUARY 26, 2008 Metropolitan Championships Pizzarro, Feldman and Heffernan reached finals for Wilkes BY ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Asst. A&E Editor Statement issued prior to championships: Five nationally-ranked teams will be among the ten teams that will compete in for the Metropolitan Wrestling Conference Championships today inside the Wilkes University’s Marts Center. The Metropolitan Championships serves as a qualifier for the upcoming NCAA Division III Championships that will be held at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on March 7 and 8. The ten individual weight class winners, along with seven at-large selections that will be chosen by the coaches, will represent the conference at the NCAA Championships. Teams that are slated to participate include No. 14 New York University, No. 17 The College of New Jersey, No. 23 Wilkes, No. 25 York College and No. 30 King’s College. Centenary College, Elizabethtown College, Hunter College, the University of Scranton and Yeshiva College are also slated to wrestle in the event. The Colonel wrestling team hosted the Metropolitan Conference Championship Sunday February 24 in the Marts Gym. In his quarterfinals bout, at 125 lbs, Colonel junior Shaun Farnham, seeded fourth in the tournament, pinned Centenary College’s Dustin Overs 59 seconds into the first period. In the semi-finals bout, Farnham lost a close 3-2 decision to York College’s Kyle Flickinger, the first seed. Junior Josh Pauling, the fourth seed at 133 lbs, defeated New York University’s Thomas Masciale by an 11-4 major decision in the quarterfinals. Pauling lost his semi-finals bout to King’s College’s Dave Morgan, the first seed in the tournament. At 141 lbs Colonel freshman Brandon Prentice lost a close 4-2 decision to York’s Ryan Catton, the third seed in the tournament, in his quarterfinals bout. Wilkes junior Erik Smith entered the tournament as the second seed at 149 lbs. Smith would win his quarterfinals bout by a 9-3 decision over Centenary College’s David Alsieux. In the semifinals bout, the College of New Jersey’s John Barnett pinned Smith in a controversial finish. Smith was pinned in period 3 after being choked unconscious by Barnett. Barnett put Smith on his back. In an attempt to pin him, Barnett used force directly on Smith’s throat, knocking him unconscious. No penalty was called. Colonel senior Adam Penberthy, the fifth seed at 157 lbs lost a close 3-2 decision to the TCNJ’s Dan DiColo in his quarterfinals bout. At 165 lbs, Wilkes sophomore Frank Heffernan entered the tournament seeded second. Heffernan defeated the University of Scranton’s Steve Gray 6-0 in the quarterfinals. Heffernan then defeated York’s Brian Alwine 7-6 in the semi-finals. Wilkes freshman, Travis Davis, lost his quarterfinals bout to the third seed Naum Shuminov at 174 lbs. Shuminov pinned D a v i s in the sec- ond period. In the quarterfinals bout at 184 lbs, Colonel sophomore Devin Sassone-McHugh lost by technical fall in the third period to TCNJ’s Al Wonesh the second seed in the tournament. Colonel sophomore, Zach Pizarro, entered the tournament seeded first at 197 lbs. Pizzaro would win a 13-5 major decision over Centenary College’s Kaleb Wisner. In his semi-finals bout, Pizzaro defeated Deron Sharp of Elizabethtown College 8-5. At 285 lbs Wilkes sophomore Andrew Feldman, seeded second in the tournament, pinned his quarterfinals opponent, Centenary’s Adam Pearsall, in the first period. Feldman defeated his semi-finals opponent, TCNJ’s Steve Carbone 4-3 after scoring a takedown in 3rd period. As of press time, the Colonels entered the finals with three wrestlers, Heffernan at 165lbs, Pizarro at 197 lbs and Feldman at 285 lbs. Several other wrestlers were still in consolation wrestlebacks. Final results will be available later this evening at www.wilkesbeacon.com. Wilkes wrestlers getting busy on the mat hoping to reach the finals. Log on to wilkesbeacon.com for the postmatch coverage. The Beacon/Gino Troiani �SPORTS FEBRUARY 26, 2008 BASKETBALL “When we played at DeSales the first time, we were right in it until the end”, Gulla added. “If we play together, I think we have a shot to beat anybody.” from PAGE 20 Kresge led his team with 20 points on 8-13 shooting during their home loss against the Bulldogs on Jan. 16. The Colonels lost the rebounding battle 33 to 25 and only attempted 11 free throws while DeSales cashed in 14 of their 25 charity shots. The Colonels also struggled from behind the arc shooting only 17.6 percent hitting three of their 17 attempts. Sophomore Darnell Braswell led all scorers the second time around with 20 points. Ohlson finished with 10 points and 10 assists as the Bulldogs hit 61 percent of their total shot attempts. Junior Steve Kline was high-man for the Colonels with 14 points. Senior Matt Gould followed up with 12 points of his own. Gould, the lone senior on the Colonels roster, will be key for the Colonels during the playoffs simply because this will be his third trip to the postseason. The Colonels missed the playoffs last season. “DeSales has a senior post player and point guard who are both very solid, and some good players in between, but I like our chances,” Rickrode said of the playoff situation. “We’re not a senior-dominated team, but it’s a whole new season in the playoffs.” 17 Final Standings 1. DeSales, 9-3 2. Manhattanville, 9-3 3. King’s, 9-3 4. Wilkes, 7-5 5. Arcadia, 6-6 6. FDU-Florham, 2-10 7. Del. Val., 0-12 Log on to wilkesbeacon.com for post-game coverage of the Colonels game v. DeSales. The Beacon/Gino Troiani Wilkes University will be providing transportation to Center Valley, PA for the Colonels game against DeSales on Wednesday. The trip is approximately an hour and 30 minutes. Buses will leave around 6 PM. 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CriBpy Chi.den Tmki::y· Club Catif~ffllill Che Steak Ttma Plauu - Dl!!livffy Only 82-S-S0l-1 Ant'ip to C-aesar Dallu 67 777-7 �SPORTS 18 FEBRUARY 26, 2008 Commentary 2008 Philadelphia Phillies Preview 10 Reasons to feel good about the boys of summer BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor Last season, the Philadelphia Phillies accomplished something for the first time in over a decade: They made the playoffs. Not only did they win the National League East, but they did it after overcoming an 1114 start and a slew of injuries to key players including ace Cole Hamels, closer Brett Myers, veteran pitchers Jon Lieber and Freddy Garcia, relievers Ryan Madson and Tom Gordon, 2006 MVP Ryan Howard, right-fielder Shane Victorino, bench players Michael Bourn and Jayson Werth, and AllStar second-baseman Chase Utley. In other words, the Phillies fell on some hard times. But the ever-resilient boys from the City of Brotherly Love bounced back, posting a solid 17-11 record in September, including a 13-4 run in their last 17 games to overcome a seven game deficit, en route to unseating the reigning NL East Champion New York Mets. While their first postseason since the Clinton era was rather short-lived, it was a step in the right direction, as they’ll be heading into the 2008 seasons as the team to beat. Here are 10 reasons that I’m optimistic about the 2008 Philadelphia Phillies. Pat Burrell aka “The Mets Killer” - Despite his shortcomings in the field and on the basepaths, Pat Burrell was one of the best offensive performers during the second half of the season, where he hit .295 with 19 homeruns and 60 RBIs in an offense that was missing Chase Utley for nearly a month. On top of that, Burrell spent most of his career terrorizing the New York Mets, including 119 hits, 41 homeruns and 102 RBIs in 134 games. Brett to the Rescue - When Brett Myers moved to the bullpen last season, Phillies fans all gave a collective “What?” Turns out, it wasn’t a terrible decision, as he nailed down games with his fierce playing style and great talent. Now that Brad Lidge will be closing the door on the opponents, it gives Myers a chance to shine again in the rotation, joining ace Cole Hamels for one of the best 1-2 punches in the National League. MVP X 3? - Last season, the Phillies had the leading candidate for National League MVP on July 25 in Chase Utley until an errant pitch broke his right hand, sending him on the disabled list for nearly a month. He returned on August 27 in time for a key four-game series against the Mets, where he would go 3-5 including a homer and 2 RBIs. He would go on to hit .321 over the rest of the season with 5 homeruns, 21 RBIs, and 25 runs. Utley is one of the best pure hitters in the game, and his talent is limitless. Expect a lot from Utley in 2008 - Can the Phillies make it three MVPs in a row? Brad Lidge - Last season, the Phillies moved Brett Myers, their opening day starter, to the bullpen while Tom Gordon was dealing with injuries. Despite his success in the bullpen, Myers has the talent to be a dominant starter again. Enter closing pitcher Brad Lidge, who was acquired early in the off-season to strengthen the back end of the bullpen. Despite some rough seasons in 2006 and 2007, the Phillies are hoping that Lidge can return to his 2005 form, when he saved 42 games with an ERA of 2.29. Perhaps a change of scenery is what Lidge needed to cure his problems in Houston. His lifetime stats at Citizen’s Bank Park: 9 innings pitched, 6 saves, 1.00 ERA. Kyle Kendrick - After the Phillies lost Freddy Garcia for the season, they turned to Double-A pitcher Kyle Kendrick to be a temporary stop-gap until help could arrive. There was only one problem: Kyle didn’t want to be a temporary replacement. So he won, and won again...and won again. In fact, Kendrick pitched so well that he finished 4th in the National League Rookie of the Year voting, with a 10-4 record and a 3.87 ERA. Kendrick is slated to be in the starting rotation this year, and it will be worth watching how he follows up his successful rookie campaign. A Healthy Howard - When Ryan Howard won his MVP for his monstrous 2006 season, he spent most of his off-season accepting awards instead of working out - and it showed. The slugger started off slowly in 2007, and ended up with a stint on the disabled list. He bounced back nicely, hitting 47 homers and 136 RBIs in only 144 games. After a restful off-season and a better workout regiment, Howard is primed to recapture the stroke that turned him into one of the most feared hitters in baseball. Father Time - At age 44, veteran pitcher Jamie Moyer pitched the Phillies to a win in their last game of the year, as he dazzled the Washington Nationals with an 84 mph fastball and enough trickery to confuse any established hitter. Moyer proved to be a horse for the Phils in 2007, as he was the only pitcher to throw 200 innings as he avoided the disabled list. Moyer will be the oldest player in the majors at 45 in 2008, and it is his final year with the Phillies. Can the hometown hero overcome time in his final year with the Phillies? The Ace Has Arrived - In 2006, a lanky lefty named Cole Hamels made his Major League debut after he went 20 in Triple-A with 36 strikeouts, one walk and one earned run in 23 innings pitched, leaving him with a sparkling 0.36 ERA and on the fast track to the show. He didn’t disappoint in 2006, and a 15-5 season in 2007 proved that Hamels is the real deal. Despite some nagging injuries, Hamels was consistently solid throughout the season, including a complete game, 15 strikeout performance against the Cincinnati Reds on April 21. He would put the finishing touches on the season with a stellar performance against the Nationals during the last week of the season, pitching eight solid innings with no earned runs and 13 strikeouts. Jimmy Rollins - After boldly proclaiming that the Phillies were the team to beat in the NL East before the 2007 season, Rollins drew the ire of Mets fans before backing his words up with a great season that ended with an MVP and a Gold Glove. This season, Rollins predicted that the Phillies could win 100 games. Can the Phillies back him up? Momentum - The most important thing for the Phillies going into the 2008 season is this: For the first time since 1994, they are opening the season as the defending National League East Champions. Not the Mets, not the Braves. That should be more than enough motivation for the team to get over the hump and start the season off on the right foot. With a solid pitching rotation, a strong bullpen and the National League’s best offense, the Phillies could find themselves in the same position next season. 2008 Projected Leaders: AVG Chase Utley .328 HR Ryan Howard 54 RBI Ryan Howard 143 Runs Chase Utley 126 SB Shane Victorino 41 Wins Cole Hamels 14 Saves Brad Lidge 31 K Brett Myers 181 Projected Stats courtesy MLB.com �FEBRUARY 26, 2008 SPORTS 19 Softball players strategize for winning 2008 season BY NICK PODOLAK Beacon Editor-in-Chief Over the past four seasons, pitcher Laurie Agresti has greeted batters with three pitches: “good morning, good afternoon, and good night.” This year, however, the Wilkes University softball defense may have its work cut out for it. “We’re replacing literally the whole entire pitching staff,” said head coach Frank Matthews, referring to the loss of Agresti (1,002 career strikeouts) and Samantha Evanich (8 wins, 71 Ks last season). “We’re a little lean on experience, but we have some skills on the mound,” he said. The new-look rotation will feature senior Sarah Plavchak, juniors Maureen Pelot and Kaitlyn Kormanik, and freshman Lindsay Behrenshausen on the mound to put the ball in play. “With Agresti gone, that puts a lot of pressure on all of us,” Plavchak said. “She was really our only overpowering pitcher. All four of us must rely on getting the ball down and making opponents hit the ball, basically.” Eight position players will return from last year in a healthy line-up from top to bottom including sophomore slugger Gina Stefanelli (.350 average, 24 runs, 41 hits, 27 RBI, 7 homers), the scrappy Alex Ingram (21 runs, 9 stolen bases, 4 2B), and Erin Plank (.313 BA, 31 H, 7 2B). Stefanelli not only led the team in most offensive categories last season, but the league with the fewest strikeouts per plate appearance and the fewest number of errors among shortstops. “As a matter of fact, she was about fourth or fifth in the country at one time for her strikeout percentage,” Matthews said. Last year’s runners-up (24-13) to King’s, the Lady Colonels have a tough road ahead as they open their season in Virginia Beach and Salisbury, Maryland, playing ten games among nationally and regionally ranked teams before coming home to play Lycoming. “We’ve had a great pre-season and have an extraordinarily difficult schedule down south,” Matthews said. “So it’s going to be a very, very rough ten game start for us, but those first ten games are going to be very critical,” he said. Cool Fact:The Lady Colonels will play two games under the lights this season. March 25 versus Scranton in the nightcap of a double header and Baptist Bible on April 2 will both be illuminated by stadium lighting. Both games are slated for 6:00 p.m. The Beacon/Gino Troiani Wilkes senior Alex Ingram takes batting practice at the UCOM on on February 24. The Lady Colonels open up their season at the Virginia Wesleyan Tournament on Febraury 29. Lady Colonels drop season finale BY GERARD HETMAN Beacon Asst. Sports Editor The Beacon/Gino Troiani Wilkes senior Katie Cappelloni takes a hard fall during against King’s College on February 19. Wilkes finished their season with a 2-23 record after a tough loss against FDU-Florham on February 23. After picking up their first conference win of the season last Saturday, the Wilkes University Lady Colonels were hoping to end their season on a high note in their final game of the season at FDU-Florham. Unfortunately, the host Lady Devils were in no mood for an upset. FDU standout Danielle Michlovsky scored 33 points and the Lady Devils outscored Wilkes 17-0 in the first half, which set the pace to eventually hand Wilkes a 73-27 season-ending defeat in Madison, NJ on Saturday. The loss sees the Lady Colonels final record fall to 2-23 overall, 1-11 in Freedom Conference play. Both teams kept the score close to open the contest, as FDU held an 18-13 lead with just over 10 minutes to play in the opening half. However, the Devils then proceeded to take control of the game, as FDU embarked on a 17-0 run to set the half-time score at 35-13. Ashley Makarczyk knocked down a 3-point basket for Wilkes to start the second-half scoring, but the Lady Colonels would not get any closer as they were outscored 36-14 by FDU in the second period. “Every bucket seemed to fall for them today. We took a lot of good shots but they weren’t falling.” Wilkes head coach Rachel Emmerthal said after the game. Michlovsky posted a double-double by adding 13 rebounds to 33 points, which included a 13-for-17 shooting performance. Katie Cappelloni was the high scorer for Wilkes with 10 points in her final game as a Lady Colonel, over a third of all points on the board for Wilkes in the game. Sam Lynam and Macarczyk added seven and six points respectively. For the Lady Colonels, the loss marked the end of a trying season that saw the team lose several key performers before the start of the year and suffer through long stretches of missed time by its two seniors, Cappelloni and Lacey Andresen, because of injuries. “We had a very young team this year, and missing our senior leaders on the floor was tough for us, both in games and practices,” Emmerthal explained. “We will miss our two seniors very much. They did all they could for us this season. But we have a great amount of talent coming back, and they can definitely put it together out there.” “It’s been a tough year, but we’ve tried to push through,” Cappelloni said following the game. “I think these girls will definitely grow into their roles with the team and take the program to a higher level.” �Sports FEBRUARY 26, 2008 20 The Colonels Are In The Beacon/Gino Troiani Kresge’s 28 points helps Wilkes to their fourth playoff trip in five years BY GERARD HETMAN Beacon Asst. Sports Editor After slipping up in several chances to lock up a conference playoff berth in recent games, the Wilkes men’s basketball team knew the predicament they were in heading into Saturday’s game at FDU-Florham. Not only would they need to defeat the Devils, but they would also be watching the scoreboard because they needed Manhattanville to defeat visiting Arcadia in another conference contest , or else players would’ve been sitting in Rifkin sipping hot chocolate this week chatting about how they barely missed the playoffs. The Colonels contest finished four minutes earlier than the game in Purchase, NY. Afterwards, Wilkes parents anxiously whipped out their cell phones hoping to learn Arcadia lost to the third-seeded Valiants. Moments later, the Colonels and their fan base clapped to the sounds of good news as they gathered in the lobby after the game. As it would play out, luck and skill were both on their side. Therefore, the Colonels will be dancing their way to the postseason for the fourth time in five years. Tom Kresge posted a doubledouble with 28 points and 12 rebounds, Chris DeRojas fired in five 3-pointers, and the Colonels defeated FDU-Florham, 77-64, in Madison, NJ, on Saturday. Wilkes finished their season with an overall record of 13-11, while moving to 7-5 in conference play. Coupled with Arcadia’s loss, the win put the Colonels into the number four seed in the upcoming league playoffs, and the team will travel to top-seeded DeSales on Wednesday evening for an opening round game. “I don’t think there is an overlydominant team in the conference playoffs this year. Every team has had its ups and downs,” Wilkes head coach Jerry Rickrode said after Saturday’s win. “We played very well today in key areas where we were deficient in the past several days.” Saturday’s game would see both teams trading baskets and answering scoring runs by the other side to keep the score close. However, the Colonels were able to seize control of the contest by closing the first half on a 12-2 scoring run that gave Wilkes a 12-point halftime lead. Kresge, DeRojas, Anthony Gabriel and Steve Kline all contributed during the run before an FDU jumper at the buzzer set the half-time score at 37-25. FDU opened the second half with a basket from freshman center Ricky Fetske, who posted a double-double with 23 points and 11 rebounds. Still, the Devils would not be able to get the lead under 10 points again and Wilkes posted its playoff-clinching victory. “We came into the game knowing what we needed to do. We played as a complete team for the first time in a few games,” said Wilkes sophomore guard Chris Gulla. “We had a tough few days of practice, and it really paid off today.” While Wilkes will head to DeSales Wednesday evening, thirdseeded Manhattanville will travel to second-seeded King’s in the other first round match up. The winners of Wednesday’s games will meet Saturday afternoon at the campus of the highest remaining seed for the conference final, with the winner receives an automatic berth into the NCAA division III national tournament. As they meet the Bulldogs of DeSales University, the Colonels will be squaring off against the only conference opponent to defeat them twice this season- a 68-58 loss at the Martz Center, followed by a 71-61 defeat on the road on Feb. 2. DeSales is led by their senior tandem of center Phil Stricker and point guard Eddie Ohlson. Stricker leads the Bulldogs in both rebounds (168) and points per game (13.8), and will be a key challenge for the Colonels this week. See BBALL page 17 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon 2008 February 26th Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 February 26 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/1df2cb0d9af508b6c374647d0469d6ca.pdf 57b60aca2cc1bc1341318d3eb562ceb2 PDF Text Text Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA The THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW www.wilkesbeacon.com FEBRUARY 19, 5, 2008 2008 In This Issue... Students With Disabi Iities PAGE9 NEW MUSIC CLUB Volume 60 Issue 15 13 Wilkes hosts Dean of Law School Initiative candidates BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon Asst. News Editor Last week, Wilkes University invited two candidates for the Dean of Law School Initiative search to campus to speak with the dean’s council, the search committee, the provost, members of the president’s cabinet, members of the Board of Trustees and members of the Luzerne County Bar Association. Open forums were also held for interested faculty, staff and students. “We are considering the possibility of creating a law school, and there’s a whole bunch of unanswered questions before we go out and do it,” explained Dr. Paul Browne, Dean of the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership and chairperson of the search committee. “The university and the Board of Trustees believe that the only way we can come to a conclusion on that is to have someone who really knows the business come in and lead the final stage of development planning. If then under this person’s guidance we’re ready to move forward, our expectation would be that this person would become the founding dean of the school.” According to Browne, the search committee is looking for someone who knows how to determine if a law school is a good idea for Wilkes and who also has experience in planning, developing and launching a law school. On Tuesday, February 12, Wilkes welcomed Terrence L. Blackburn, professor of law at Michigan State University College of Law. Blackburn received his Juris Doctorate (JD) from Columbia University School of Law in 1973 and practiced law for 15 years prior The Beacon/Jenna Stephens Terrence L. Blackburn, candidate for the Dean of Law School Initiative, speaks to faculty, staff and students in an open forum Tuesday. See LAW page 4 PAGE IS VS. KING'S COLL GE PAGE 18 r Inside News................................1-5 Opinion.............................6-8 Lifestyles.........................9-11 Arts & Entertainment....12-15 Sports...........................16-20 \. Local entrepreneur set to revitalize WB nightlife BY ALISON WOODY Beacon Managing Editor With the recent closings of both Club Mardi Gras and Slainte’s, local college students and young professionals have been struggling to find a new location that will meet their nightlife requirements. Enter Ron Kamionka, a successful business leader who is known for revitalizing the areas where he chooses to locate his bars. As company president of Kamionka Entertainment Group, he oversees 14 nightclubs currently in central Pennsylvania. “We are in three different markets right now. However, we thought it was time to expand again,” said Kamionka, originally from nearby Mountaintop. “Realistically, we chose Wilkes-Barre as our next location because it is my hometown… I’ve been successful and I want to come in and help out.” Ironically, Kamionka chose the old location of Club Mardi Gras at 12 South Main Street to “be the catalyst” of a current five building business plan. The Hardware Bar, which will feature a “Coyote Ugly” type of atmosphere, is set to open Thursday, March 13--just in time for St. Patrick’s Day weekend. The Hardware Bar will be open every Wednesday thru Saturday from 8 p.m. until 2 a.m. and will also feature beer pong, flip cup, and pool tables. There will be a large selection of premium beers, which will be available every day for only $2. That deal should ring a bell with college students who are always looking to save a few pennies. Kamionka described his target audience as those 21-24 years of age and said that both Wilkes University and King’s College offer a “built-in core audience” that he believes to be vital for at least 25% of business. Mike Canzanella, a senior psychology major, said, “It’s not really about the girls dancing on top of the bar for me… I don’t care how hot they are or how many of them there are. If the beer is cheap, they have my business.” Kamionka has already booked three live entertainment acts for the first weekend at The Hardware Bar. Green Eggs will play on Friday, followed by Emily’s Toybox on Saturday. However, the most notable act coming to WilkesBarre will be Vanilla Ice, who is set to bring a large crowd at the Thursday grand opening. In addition to The Hardware Bar, Kamionka envisions a “strip mall of bars” for the downtown. He has purchased two more buildings at both 10 and 14 South Main Street and plans to make it into an entertainment complex. “My products are gauged at people having fun. I want to bring [Wilkes-Barre] to a different level. Nobody does it at the level we do,” exclaimed Kamionka. The second bar, preliminarily named The Main Street Saloon, will open around May or June and third will be in place by the end of 2008. While all three bars will operate separately, Kamionka explained that once inside one of the buildings, patrons will be able to move about freely among all three. See HARDWARE page 2 �NEWS FEBRUARY 19, 2008 HARDWARE from FRONT PAGE He also has plans for two more nightlife options in downtown Wilkes-Barre; however, they will be located away from this complex. Todd Vonderheid, President of the Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry, communicated excitement about the addition of The Hardware Bar to “the mix of destination and entertainment based establishments already in the downtown.” “Hardware Bar will be both a draw in its own right, as their business model is unique and tested in several other similar markets, and will be able to capture a good share of the patrons already working, living or playing in the downtown and the region,” Vonderheid said. But the Hardware Bar is likely to face some challenges, as have other new venues in the downtown. Kamionka acknowledged, “When you have a downtown area such as Wilkes-Barre, the only knowledge [citizens] have is of the past and they get a negative perception. But, we are more of a destination point and we want to make the downtown a viable option.” Vonderheid said, “Businesses, especially restaurants and night clubs close and start all the time. The good ones close and new ones open. If they are good they’ll be here for a long time and our knowledge of how the owners of The Hardware Bar operate gives us great confidence that they’ll be here for the long run.” He added, “Clearly, downtown Wilkes-Barre is changing for the better. Just come to the corner of South Main and Northampton Streets on a Friday or Saturday evening and you’ll see the activity, excitement and opportunities for even more.” Watch Beaco,n News on WILKESWORLD Channel15 Service Electric Cable & www.wilkesbea,con.com 2 Luzerne Cultural Council SG Notes Snow and Ice Election Update 3 3 4 5 Courtesy www.vanillaice.com (Above) Singer and reality TV star Vanilla Ice will be the opening act at the Wilkes-Barre Hardware Bar on March 13. (Right) The Hardware Bar will be located where the former Club Mardi Gras was located. Pictured right, from The Beacon archives, is the inside of Club Mardi Gras before its opening. Eventually the owner of The Hardware Bar hopes to move in up to four bars into downtown Wilkes-Barre. The Beacon/Nick Zimijewski B E ACON Serving the community through fair and accurate reporting while supporting the views and opinions of our readers. Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief: Nick Podolak Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com Managing Editor: Alison Woody Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com News Editor: Andrew Seaman Email: news.beacon@gmail.com Op/Ed Editor: Mark Congdon Jr. Email: thebeacon.oped@gmail.com Lifestyles Editor: Christa Sgobba Email: beacon.lifestyles@gmail.com A&E Editor: Marissa Phillips Email: thebeaconae@gmail.com Sports Editor: Carlton Holmes Email: beaconsports@gmail.com Photo Editor: Cara Koster Advertising Managers: Stephanie Yachim Dana Zlotucha Email: thebeacon.ads@gmail.com Advisor: Dr. Andrea Breemer Frantz Established in 1936 PA Newspaper Association Member Printed on Tuesdays during the academic school year. 130 S. River St. First Floor, Conyngham Hall, Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 (570) 408-5903 wilkesbeacon@gmail.com www.wilkesbeacon.com �FEBRUARY 19, 2008 Wilkes creative writing graduate to head Council 3 Burnside to fill newly created position BY MEGAN KRISANDA Beacon Staff Writer The Cultural Council of Luzerne County welcomes a new face to fill a brand new position to its organization. Mike Burnside will serve as the council’s very first executive director. Burnside is a native of the area and received his master’s degree in creative writing from Wilkes. Burnside is a published writer, photographer and the managing editor at WilkesBarre based Etruscan Press. He is also an active member of the community belonging to a number of regional organizations, including the Luzerne County Historical Society, the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor and the Great Valley Technology Alliance. The need for a full-time, paid executive director was essential said Shelley Pearce, Chairperson of the Cultural Council. “I, and the board, are all volunteers and it’s very difficult to run an operation without paid employees. When we received funding last year from the county, I then went out and got matching funding, corporate funding, and we had enough to hire an executive director,” said Pearce. One of the most important aspects of the executive director position is a sense of advocacy, explained Pearce. “Mike has a lot of published articles under his belt. He has been writing all his life and will be writing to our legislators and newspapers about the importance of the arts and the economic impact of the arts,” said Pearce. Burnside will also be responsible for implementing the “cultural plan” which included a study of the county by the Joint Urban Studies Center. This study gave recommendations as to how to move forward and elevate the level of arts and culture in the area. Burnside recognized the need for a high quality, readily-available exhibit space in the valley. “We’d like to find a place where there would be public access to the offices of the council and exhibit space where it can be used for exhibits the council sponsors, but also for organizations like the Wyoming Valley Art League,” said Burnside. The council is a non-profit arts advocacy program which began in 1999 as an extension of the Greater Chamber of WilkesBarre Business and Industry. The organization has existed through corporate donations, fundraising and several foundation grants. The “Miles of Mules Project” is one of the council’s most high profile endeavors. The council worked with three other arts organizations to place 300 life sized mules from the Wilkes-Barre area to New Hope, Pennsylvania. “This project was probably the most significant... we raised a lot of funds and we put 150 artists to work. And, we benefitted, I believe, 26 non-profit agencies through this fundraiser,” said Pearce. The council’s focus this year is the environment. “We want to highlight the environment through the arts,” said Pearce. The council will be providing kayak tours to islands on the Susquehanna River for artists to paint, sketch, and take photographs of the surroundings. There will be artist activities taking place at the river during the festival as well. Pearce adds the council will be looking for volunteers during these events and is hoping to add a student committee for the arts council in the future. SG Notes February 13, 2008 Treasurer’s Report All College: $21,250 General: $10,000 Special Projects: $3,500 Spirit: $2,000 Leadership: $4,550 Conferences: $9,500 Start-Up: $1,500 Rollover: $2,996 Club Reports The following clubs presented updates on their events. Programming Board Anime Club “We are collaborating with about eight environmental and wellness groups on the River Fest celebration on the weekend of June 21,” said Pearce. The council will also be providing a trip to the Roberson Museum in Binghamton, New York on May 30. “This trip will tour the exhibition called “Visions of the Susquehanna” which is a national exhibition of 200 years of paintings of the Susquehanna River. There is also a local arts exhibition in Binghamton at the Museum of Contemporary Works of the River, which we will Courtesy of Mike Burnside be touring as well,” Wilkes creative writing graduate, Mike Burnside, has been named said Pearce. In the fall, the executive director of the Luzerne County Cultural Council. The council will be executive director position is a newly created position for the having a juried ex- council. According to members of the council, Burnside will serve hibition entitled as an advocate for the council. ‘If you build it, they will come.’ I think the “Inspired by the challenges are to facilitate the development Susquehanna.” “I believe if we’re able to succeed in ex- of artists and not just visual arts, but all the panding art opportunities and making them cultural segments and then making it very more accessible and visible, it will be like, visible to the public,” said Burnside. request. Step Club - Students who would like to form a new club on campus, the Step Club, presented why they would like to be a club and also showed their skills to SG. * Off-Campus Council (OCC) Constitution - Due to a misplaced constitution, OCC created a new constitution and gave a copy to the board. * Commuter Council (CC) - A representative from the commuter council presented a fund request for the organization. The funds would go towards events and activities. SG representatives suggested that CC try to cut back on their request because in the past their events have not been successful at getting people to attend. * Winter Weekend Budget - Jef Bauman, SG Vice President, presented the budget for Winter Weekend. The event will cost about $3,000 and the amount is less than previous years. St. Patrick’s Day Parade Float - SG decided to table discussion about placing a float in the Wilkes-Barre St. Patrick’s Day Parade. * Old Business New Business SAE Mini Baja Lacrosse Club Donation - S.A.A.C. and the Lacrosse Club asked SG for $440 to give Chemistry Club away free pizzas and t-shirts during athletic events to build team spirit. SG granted the AFROTC Donation -H}LKES l/.\HERS/H'- * = action will be taken at the next SG meeting. �NEWS FEBRUARY 19, 2008 The Beacon/Gino Troiani Loren Prescott speaks to the attendees of an open forum on February 15. LAW from FRONT PAGE teaching. He served seven years as the dean of the law school at Michigan State and was the acting and founding dean of John Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University in New Jersey from 1997 to 1999. “I think law school education has a lot to offer these days. I am very intrigued by the vision that has evolved [at Wilkes] as to what a law school could be. And much of that dovetails with what I think law schools ought to be doing, which is more connection with the real world, more training people to be lawyers - to act like lawyers and not think like judges,” said Blackburn. “I think there’s an opportunity here to rethink legal education.” During the open forum, Blackburn stressed the importance of becoming American Bar Association (ABA) accredited, mentoring, developing a curriculum, and making the law school a real part of Wilkes. “I think one of the issues will be to make sure that from the beginning the law school is part of the university in much more than a name. It won’t happen by accident, because law students tend to be separate students. They think differently, they teach differently and they don’t play well with others,” said Blackburn. “Some things need to be done separately… [but] it’s something you have to work at.” Blackburn noted foreseeable challenges in the project such as finding the space for the building, finding enough students and attracting nontraditional students, but also stated that failure was not an option, especially when it comes to getting the school accreditation. On Friday, February 15, a second forum was held for candidate Loren Prescott, professor of law at Widener University School of Law. Prescott received his JD from Willamette University College of Law in 1984 and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in public administration at Pennsylvania State University. He practiced law for four years before becoming interested in teaching and 4 administration and served as vice dean at Widener 1996-2001 and again 2004-2007. He was involved with the redevelopment and re-accreditation of Widener’s law school. “I believe very strongly in the legal profession and legal education as an essential component in the ongoing process of producing the lawyers who are in the position to serve the general public. It’s a privilege to be in a situation where you can help people to understand their legal rights and help them pursue the dreams that you really need a lawyer’s help to do. I believe very strongly that legal education can be a significant advantage to the legal profession,” said Prescott. Prescott stressed the importance of paying attention to the needs of law students and referred to a recent report by the Carnegie Foundation (Education Lawyers: Preparation for the Profession of Law, 2007) on which Wilkes has based much of its search. “A brand new law school that is designed with the benefit of studying the Carnegie report and some of the really great work being done at other law schools… can form the creation of a law school that has the potential to serve as an illustration of a new model of legal education for the twenty-first century,” said Prescott. Building relationships, fundraising, mentoring and benefiting the community are all important factors that Prescott believes plays a role in the foundation of a budding law school. He discussed opening a clinic that provides law students the opportunity to practice law for those members of the community who cannot afford legal representation and also made mention of a curriculum that incorporates emphasis on ethics and writing in every course. Using the existing faculty at Wilkes to start up the potential law school and also creating joint programs with both the business (JDMBA) and pharmacy departments (JDPharmD) are among the many ideas that Prescott presented. Seeing that the school receives ADA accreditation and is able to be affordable to prospective students are on the top of Prescott’s list, as well. At the end of each forum, a feedback form was filled out by those in attendance. The forms will aid in the search committee’s discussion of each candidate’s strengths and weaknesses. Once a decision is made by the committee, the recommendation will be passed on to the Provost, the President and the Board of Trustees. A third candidate, Peter Glenn, will be on campus Monday, February 18. * Michele Flannery contributed to this article. Snow and ice disrupt classes and transportation The Beacon/Jenna Stephens A student walks to Conyngham Hall from the Stark Learning Center as sleet and freezing rain hit his umbrella. On Tuesday, February 12 up Students made a peace sign that was on display outside of to 6 inches of snow fell on the Breiseth Hall after the snow and ice fell on Tuesday Wilkes-Barre area. The snow caused many minor accidents and an accident that caused the Pennsylvania Turnpike north and southbound lanes to be closed for over an hour. As a result of the snow and ice, Wilkes University cancelled classes on Tuesday night and started school at noon on Wednesday. Students had to maneuver around icy spots and large puddles. Meteorologists are also saying that there could be another measurable snowfall in the forecast for Friday, February 22. The Beacon/Cara Koster �NEWS FEBRUARY 19, 2008 5 News Analysis: Beacon Election Update Making sense of the election, candidates and issues BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor After Tuesday’s primary in Wisconsin, all the presidential candidates will have 14-days to make strategic changes to their campaigns before the next major contests March 4 in Ohio, Rhode Island, Texas, and Vermont. Wisconsin offers 40 delegates up for grabs; however the March 4 date will add 265 to the mix. For the candidates, those 14 days can make or break chances to sit behind the desk at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. However, New York Senator Hillary Clinton is not waiting for the two-week long break to make changes. She recently brought Maggie Williams, her former White House Chief-of-staff, onto her campaign as its manager. According to many former Clinton advisors, Williams has a reputation for telling the truth, even when no one wants to hear it. Williams officially stepped into her role as campaign manager on February 10. She replaced long-time Clinton campaign companion Patti Solis Doyle. Many news agencies are characterizing the shake-up in the Clinton campaign as a cry for help, because the changes occurred after Clinton suffered some noteworthy losses in the last key primaries and caucuses. On the other side of the Democratic ticket, Illinois Senator Barack Obama is holding strong and has now officially taken the delegate lead from Clinton. Obama, who joyfully invokes his populist slogan, “Yes, we can!” at many rallies, has built what pundits are calling a considerable momentum, after sweeping the contests in the states that have followed Super Tuesday. However, the Illinois Senator has also made some changes--most notably in his stance on the war in Iraq. Originally Obama supported immediate withdrawal from Iraq, but now he is saying that he supports a withdrawal from Iraq that is structured in several phases. This change is most likely do to the reported “successes” that the “surge” in Iraq has had. Over the next two weeks, the Clinton and Obama camps will fight for some crucial votes. Obama will be able to survive some losses but it will be hard to tell if Clinton can sacrifice more delegates to Obama without losing her chances at the nomination. Arizona Senator John McCain is still looking like the favorite to win the Republican nomination. His only remaining challenger is Governor Mike Huckabee, who has fewer delegates than Mitt Romney, the candidate who is not even in the race anymore. Talk, however, could soon turn to the idea that John McCain may offer the vice presidency nomination to Mike Huckabee or Mitt Romney to balance out his ticket. McCain needs someone who would have the backing of the entire conservative base, something he doesn’t currently enjoy. This week’s Newsweek magazine lead story analyzes the challenge McCain faces with the conservative base in his own party. Romney could be McCain’s favorite as of right now, because just over the weekend Romney endorsed the Arizona Senator. Romney’s endorsement is the second largest endorsement McCain has received from a former candidate. The first one was from Rudy Giuliani after his withdrawal from the RACE race. As people look forward to the March and April contests, McCain will not have any trouble, but it will undoubtedly still be interesting between Clinton and Obama. That is why Pennsylvania can expect to see more of the candidates sooner than ever. Northeastern Pennsylvania has been extremely important, so going into April do not be surprised if you see Clinton or Obama making a stop in Scranton or Wilkes-Barre. The chances of some campaign stops are even made better by the fact that Pennsylvania’s primary is the only one slated for April. T lE STUDE~ FOR THE 21st CENTURY CAll: Bl LL HENRY at 21 5-71H619 OR ( HECK THE WEB Sf11E FOR IN FORMATION R .· IN elp •· ave lives! D a n up to ntc st t · _I 665 · R sma t d y.. noflth! ·m Inc. cy .· ve -B r :, a a I (570) 823- 1 9 �Opinion FEBRUARY 19, 2008 6 Angry Rant Recycle Here’s to You The value of having an early voice in politics BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD Thirty-eight states will have their delegates allocated to candidates before any Pennsylvanian has the opportunity to step into a voting booth on April 22. However, unlike previous years, there is a good chance that Pennsylvania’s primary will mean more than it has ever meant before. Nevertheless, though the tight race among Democrats may ensure a lively process late in the game this year, 2008 is arguably an exception to the rule: “the later you weigh in, the less it really matters.” So, we So why should Pennsylvania’s primary remain so late in the election season? The state’s primary is a relatively large one and is crucial to many campaigns. As Pennsylvanians, do we move the primary forward or leave it in the middle of April and hope that all elections will be like this one? Consulting the history books, Pennsylvania’s primary has never really meant this much since 1976 when then-presidential candidate Jimmy Carter took home the Democratic nomination after winning the Pennsylvania primary. In 2000 and 2004, the two more recent races, both nominations were largely locked-up by the time Pennsylvanians had a chance to weigh in. Despite the big delegate pay-off, if the candidates have already proven themselves in states such as New York, California, Texas, Ohio and Florida, the chances are that choices will be all but made before the middle of April, discouraging Pennsylvania voters from engaging fully in the primary process. So, we are suggesting that Pennsylvania moves its primary up and add itself to the list of states that vote on “Super Tuesday.” It is important to note that we are not calling for a national pri- mary day. Such a move would undermine the all-important faceto-face that happens if candidates are physically unable to campaign vigorously in each state. The existing staggered approach at least offers a chance for lesser-knowns to shake hands and fight for name recognition alongside the wellheeled and established party names. In Iowa and New Hampshire we see candidates do what they were born to do: knock on doors, work a crowd of people at a winter carnival, go to the town squares and But we would like to see Pennsylvanians’ votes mean something more than once every generation. So how is this done, why isn’t it done, and to whom do we go for a change? In all reality it is up to the individual states, but there is often a lot of pressure from the national parties that determine when the primary dates will be scheduled. The national committees see the primary process as a beautiful system of interlocking battles that are spaced perfectly apart towards the beginning of the race. They do not want to see that system disrupted, happens in late August, Floridians will have no representatives. While this ruling may eventually be overturned (mostly because it cancels out millions of votes), the warning still stands: mess with national scheduling, and pay the price. The idea of regional primaries has also been floated. Such a move would mean Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts would all have their primaries on one day. This idea usually fails because it would allow one candidate with a lot of support in those states to just focus on are suggesting that Pennsylvania moves its primary up and add those four and possibly take itself to the list of states that vote on “Super Tuesday.” home a considerable number of electoral votes. Thus, it would not be fair, paroffer good, old fashioned stump and if a state attempts to do so, it ticularly to less populated states, speeches, and hammer their signs could face sanctions that negate to create regional primaries. into people’s yards. If there were votes. It is relatively easy to change the Florida is a great example of primary date in a state, as is evia national primary day this would not happen. We would see visits this. Last year Floridians decided dent by Florida’s action this year, from the candidates throughout that they would prefer to make but states must be careful not to the country, but they would take more of a difference in the elec- create backlash from the national place in stadiums and amphithe- tion process, so lawmakers sched- committees. So, the earliest a state aters, not in town halls like those uled the state’s primary for Janu- could move its primary, without we see in Iowa and New Hamp- ary 29, before “Super Tuesday” on facing national sanction, could be February 5. shire. “Super Tuesday.” When the Democratic National A national primary day would So our suggestion to the Pennkeep Americans from seeing ex- Committee (DNC) received word sylvanian Republican and Demoactly how the candidates interact that Florida was scheduling its cratic Committees is to investigate with the public on a one-on-one primary in the middle of a very moving Pennsylvania to “Super basis, and would make it nearly important first round of prima- Tuesday.” The move would guarimpossible for the candidates with ries, the DNC stripped Florida of antee that PA voters’ choices mean less money to actually press the its delegates, which means that something. when the Democratic convention flesh. S1'e-lovu """ ...+ S~11.,\o>Je~ w,e. Sht-10•« ..,., .... -l- A Sight for Sore Eyes: By Aleksander Lapinski · .. 7 7 8 Beacon Poll Results The following are results of a poll that The Beacon conducted online this past week. The poll was unscientific, and does not claim to reflect the overall attitudes of students on campus. Results are based on 16 responses. The Beacon asked: What country would you want to study abroad in? • • • • • • • • • • Rosie O’Donnell & Don ald Trump-25% Miley Cyrus & R. Kelly0% Britney Spears & Dr. Phil-0% Michael Jackson & The Jonas Brothers-0% Pamela Anderson & Bill Gates-0% Mary-Kate Olsen & a Cheeseburger-25% Amy Winehouse & Prince William-13% Tom Cruise and Elisabeth Hasselbeck-0% Hugh Hefner & Betty White-38% Cher & Mitt Romney0% Next Week’s Question: What was the worst Best Oscar Picture in the past 10 years • The Departed • Crash • Million Dollar Baby • Lord of the Rings: Return of the King • Chicago • A Beautiful Mind • Gladiator • American Beauty • Shakespeare in Love • Titanic Visit www.wilkesbeacon. com to cast your vote. Results will be published in next week’s issue of The Beacon. �FEBRUARY 19, 2008 OPINION 7 The Angry Rant: Overrated movie? Juno’it! BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor Every once in a while, a film comes along that captures the hearts and minds of the country, hitting all the right notes as it rides a steady word-of-mouth campaign before turning itself into a full-on Titan at the box office. Sometimes, these movies are even able to impress even the most jaded movie critic, whose icy façade is cracked, if only for a moment, to revel in the beauty of a skillfully crafted film. Even rarer still, that movie is able to snag a much deserved Best Picture nomination; the ultimate prize for a movie worth its weight in Oscar gold. However, Juno is not one of those films. Don’t get me wrong, Juno is a fine little movie. It’s a solid 7 out of 10, a fun little romp that is enough to distract you for about two hours, but a nomination for Best Picture? Not so much. It’s like Natalie Portman: Cute and smart, but at the end of the day, just can’t compete with the likes of Scarlett Johansson. Here’s the story: Juno (Ellen Page) is pregnant at the hand of her friend Bleeker (Michael Cera), who is okay with Juno giving their baby away to a couple of yuppies (Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner), while her father (J.K. Simmons) and stepmother (Allison Janney) look on, armed with a steady dose of advice and humorous dialogue. All the while, some other stuff happens that Juno comments on like she just got finished watching a Kevin Smith movie (thank you to the three people who got that joke). That’s it. That’s the whole movie, a dark-horse indie film that becomes overly schmaltyz and gooey by the end, and you realize about a week later that you didn’t really enjoy it. It’s the opposite of a dumb comedy that gets better with time (Dumb and Dumber, for instance), because for a few days after you’ve seen it, you start to think about it more, and the flaws start to appear, until you realize that you liked the movie, but didn’t love it like you thought you did. One of the problems with Juno is that the dialogue is so painfully crafted that it loses its sense of realism. In the first 20 minutes, the audience is treated with such quotable quotes as: “Your eggo is preggo,” “Honest to blog?” and “I am for shiz up the spat.” The verbal assault tapers off after a while, but the entire film is so peppered with these confabulatory gems that it never allows the viewers to fully immerse themselves into a scene because it is so over-the-top and manufactured. I like dialogue to be smart and well-written, but Juno surpasses that more than any movie that I’ve seen in recent memory…and that’s not a good thing. Quantity does not equal quality. Another issue I have is that Juno is ostensibly an independent film, almost to the point where it becomes pretentious. It’s no secret that indie films are noticeably so, but nearly every aspect of Juno is coated in it. From the colored pencil opening credits, to the entire makeup of Juno’s bedroom, to the musical and film tastes of Juno and Jason Bateman’s character, all the way up to the end of the film when Juno and Bleeker sing, “Anyone Else But You” by The Moldy Peaches, who are, guess what? An indie band out of New York. Shocking. So... I liked the movie Juno. It’s a fun picture that makes you laugh. But that’s it. It isn’t worth any nominations that are combination of the words “best” and “picture,” nor is it worth a place on the Internet Movie Database’s Top 250 list, where it currently ranks at #135 (this will change by the time you read this), where it is ranked above such films as Gone With the Wind, Heat, and Dog Day Afternoon. Shameful. Okay, that’s it for Juno. Now onto the picks for the 2008 Oscars! In the interest of space, I’m only going to pick the major categories, because, quite honestly, does anyone really care who wins Best Costume Design in a Foreign Animated Short Film? Best Picture: No Country For Old Men-- A tale of blood, money and fate come together in this film set in 1980 Texas. This film is worth seeing not only because it’s great, but because of the great musical score. Best Director: Julian Schnabel for The Diving Bell and the Butterfly--A film about a man who is paralyzed after suffering a stroke. Wait, he is trapped in his own body and unable to move? This sounds just like that time I watched “Grey’s Anatomy.” (Side note: I don’t care for “Grey’s Anatomy”. So much so, that I refuse to devote an entire rant to it. It’s one of the most derivative shows of the last decade. The main character narrating the show as a hip soundtrack plays in the background while the young doctors get into all sorts of crazy hi-jinks? The show was light-years better when it was called “Scrubs.” Get lost, Dr. Grey; your show blows.) Best Actor: Daniel Day-Lewis for There Will Be Blood-- By far, this is the best single performance I have seen this year, and it easily ranks in the top 10 performances of all-time. Simply put, Daniel Day-Lewis is to acting as Oscar Meyer is to hot dogs. Best Actress: Julie Christie for Away From Her-- Christie’s performance as a woman who is suffering from Alzheimer’s is both heartbreaking and brave, and it makes you forget that she was in the train wreck known as Troy. Best Supporting Actor: Javier Bardem for No Country For Old Men-- His portrayal of the sociopath Anton Chigurh ranks as on of the greatest villains of all-time. Also, didn’t everyone have a friend in high school that looked just like Chigurh? You know, the guy who is a little too old to be in high school, but you hung out with him anyway because he had a mustache and could buy you beer, even though he probably killed a guy to get tickets to a Jefferson Airplane concert? Man, that guy was cool. Best Supporting Actress: Cate Blanchett in I’m Not There. In the film, Blanchett is one of six actors portraying Bob Dylan at various points in his career. Noticeably absent is scene where Bob has to avoid running into himself at “The Enchantment Under the Sea” dance after he and Doc Brown went back in time to stop Biff from getting the almanac and becoming a rich tyrant in the future. That’s it for me, I’m going to find myself a hip girl and see if she will carry my child in hopes of hilarity ensuing. My guess is that it ends in tears and pain. Happy Oscaring. Make an effort to recycle and it will make a difference BY MACKENSEY O’HARA Beacon Staff Writer Since I arrived at Wilkes as a freshman in August, the university has been increasingly making the effort to “go green” as the rest of the nation has been as well. Recycling has been something that I did regularly at home. We would collect paper, cardboard, and bottles and would take them all to the center every few weeks. This not only cut down immensely on our garbage amounts but you really do get a sense of accomplishment, a feeling that you are doing something good. When I first got on our campus and was walking around regularly, I noticed the containers specifically set out for papers, cardboard, and plastic items. These were set up in most all the buildings and outside in pathways where students walked frequently. As time went on, the bins started showing up in dorms and even more in the buildings. In my dorm alone we have bins on all three floors and they are really convenient. The problem is not the lack of recycling receptacles around our campus, but rather the lack of caring and interest by some students to make that very small extra effort to put, say, your Gatorade bottle in the plastics bin instead of the garbage can. It doesn’t even come down to there not being a bin nearby. Almost always, wherever I see a garbage can, I also see recycling bins right next to it, so it’s really convenient. When I see someone toss their halfeaten piece of pizza in the paper bin or see someone empty their binder of its paper into the garbage, it is aggravating. I’m not pointing the finger at everyone at Wilkes because there definitely are some who do care and do recycle. It’s the fact that a large number really do not care and do not recycle and this is extremely annoying to see when it’s something so elementary. The bins are right next to the garbage cans for a reason. The people who put them out there know that students, or anyone for that matter, are going to be a lot less likely to recycle if they have to hold onto the item and actually search for the proper bin. Recycling is one of the easiest things we can do to help our environment. It is even easier here in our situation because we don’t actually have to do most of the process of recycling. We just have to put the stuff in the bins; we don’t have to collect the bins, sort them, or take them anywhere. That’s all done for us. All that it will take to eliminate the bad habits in people and to erase the mindset that every bin is a garbage bin, is for people to care just a little, to pay attention to where they are putting something, and to make that tiny effort needed. It might not seem like a big deal if you recycle one bottle, but think if every single person on the campus recycled one bottle. That’s a lot! Also, by leaving legitimate garbage solely for the garbage cans, an enormous amount of extra, unnecessary work is erased for those who do have to take the recycling to a center. Just be aware of what you are throwing away, and where you are throwing it. I promise, it will make a difference and it’s not difficult at all. �FEBRUARY 19, 2008 OPINION I’m not giving my rags to the mechanic just yet... 8 ...and I’m not voting for Barack Obama BY ANDEE SCARANTINO Beacon Staff Writer I had a conversation with a friend the other day. He’s very religious. OK- he’s a religious leader. And I...I am not. Needless to say, we got into an argument that I did not want to be in, nor could I keep up with. So, I used my Andee-like wit to throw a statement at him that not only made me sound like a tortured genius with an I.Q. of 178, but also one that made me sound correct. “You really are in love with your wit, aren’t you?” he said. Then, he proceeded to tell me that despite my ability to articulate such statements, I really had no idea what I was talking about. He was right. Most of the time, when I haven’t a clue about the subject of my conversation, I just resort to my wit. People usually just think I am correct, and stop arguing with me. It works most of the time. It also works in churches where ministers stand and offer sermons to strengthen people’s faith. Faith in? I’m confused. Somehow, with their words ministers can move people, and make them believe their sermons and teachings are the truth. They inspire people to believe, believe in what, I don’t know. All of these things are good in their own right. It’s great that with our words, we can sometimes have that effect on people, but not when it comes to electing the next president of the United States of America. Barack Obama inspires the nation. That’s what I keep hearing anyway. Look at his campaign web site. Every single solitary section begins with something “witty” he has said. Apparently, his ability to inspire is causing some moderate conservatives to lean a little bit to the left, and listen to what he has to say. After all, he can “unify us,” and John McCain doesn’t want to kick the illegals out, so he’s bad. That’s the story I’m hearing. And those conservatives aren’t the only ones jumping on the Obama bandwagon. Democrats are starting to doubt Hillary Clinton, who has a definitive plan for action. Barack Obama has a dream. It’s everywhere, “The American Dream.” My generation wants to have its dream, and far too often, I hear people who have denied “The American Dream” ever existed, and who are now proudly referring themselves as “Obamicans,” a name Barack Obama is so proud of, he has used it in political speeches. Of course, despite the Obama rage, nobody is taking the time to realize that he is very much like me, great with words, all talk. The man is a young dreamer. First, (and least important, in my opinion) is the Iraq war. Obama has recently stated that he doesn’t have a time frame to withdraw the troops, despite his original plan. I wonder why? Perhaps it’s because he’s starting to see the reality that getting out of Iraq in the ideal sense is not feasible? Both Clinton and Obama have plans to withdraw troops, and I think America needs to realize it will happen, but it’s going to happen in its due time. We don’t even know half of the problems in Iraq currently. The media doesn’t tell us. Oh, but let’s not forget that Obama was never “for” the war. Right. Because he was on the Senate at the time and everything… Who knows how he would have voted? Obama has been compared with John F. Kennedy on countless occasions, sometimes by right-wing conservatives. We often forget in America, that JFK, had he finished his term, may not have been remembered quite the way he is today. We remember him because he was young, inspirational, and killed in public. We don’t remember him for other actions, however, like, oh I don’t know, almost blowing up the world in the Bay of Pigs situation? Second, and I find this to be most important, is the constant weakening of the middle class. Where did we go? I heard recently that a distant friend is voting for Obama because “the rich, intellectuals” are voting for him. Now, this girl is $100,000 in debt. She lives off of her more than generous parents. I wonder where she will be when she has to start fending for herself, and when she realizes that her class no longer exists, and that the $100K she spent for college isn’t doing her much good. A lot of that is the problem; parents with high credit card debt, just burying themselves financially to get their kids through college, all the while giving the kids the misconception that their families/the economy is perfectly fine. It isn’t. The Bush administration has virtually run it into the ground, and it is becoming nearly impossible to find jobs, particularly in Northeastern Pennsylvania. Unless your field is health care, you’re going to struggle. Hillary has a plan. She lists strengthening the middle class as one of her top priorities. She has worked actively on researching and improving this very problem. Obama has a dream. He lists his plans for reform, but never tells the American people if they’re feasible. He just “talks good.” Hillary also is planning to completely reform our private education system, making it easier for people to go to college. She lists this as a high priority. Obama just mentions the subject. He’s going to give each student a break of about $4,000. Thanks, Barack. Now I’m only $76,000 in debt. Thank God my field, unlike most others, doesn’t really require an advanced degree. I’m about $80,000 in debt, and I come from a poor family. I’m not going on spring break this year. I can’t afford it. I don’t have a gas credit card, or a “Daddy credit card.” I work at a bar, and make tips. I buy clothing once a year, if that. My mother had to cash in her retirement policy to give me money to move to NYC (which may last me three months, when I finally move. However, I have to go, because there are no jobs in my field in my area that I could make a living on, without working two extra jobs.) My stepfather was just laid off for a year and a half, lowering our household income to just over $30,000. When I applied for financial aid, I was denied once again, because we’re apparently “too rich.” If we didn’t have relatives die a few years ago and if we hadn’t paid off our mortgage ahead of time, we may very well be homeless today. Studies have shown when one family member that majorly contributes to the overall household income becomes unemployed, families rarely have enough money to sustain themselves for a few months following. Thank God for my dead relatives. I was once middle class, but my family, despite their college education, and their large vocabularies, their work ethic, and their nice-sized I.Q.s are quickly becoming “the working poor.” In a few years, we very well may be, because my mother and stepfather will lose their jobs so someone much younger can take them over for a lower wage; someone who has the energy to wait tables on weekends. We can always vote for John McCain. He’s under pressure about those illegals. I can’t wait to see the nation when we kick them out. Then all the McDonald’s workers can take the jobs in sweat shops, and those of us who are just getting our BAs can take them over! Nice. I’m not turning my rags into the mechanic just yet. I may need them to sew myself some clothing when we elect a nice, big, pompous, “great talker” to be the next president of the United States of America. You’re all blind. See you at the polls. Here’s to you... Mr. Facebook Stalker! BY GINO TROIANI Staff Writer/Photographer Drawing By: Matt Vital Here’s to you Mr. Facebook stalker! Your lack of confidence prevents you approaching real, live girls, so what’s the next best thing? Stalking! Why not? Whether someone changes their relationship status, or adds a new photo, you always know who, what, when, where, and why. Because of this we have cool labels like ‘creeper,’ and even cooler television shows such as “How to Catch a Predator.” One would think that you would try and hide what you’re doing, but no. You insist on only placing cute young girls on your top friends for the rest of us to gaze in envy. Keep on, keeping on! �LIFESTYLES FEBRUARY 19, 2008 Student of the Week 10 Adult Learners 11 9 DSS aids students with learning and physical challenges speech command computer programs and mobile organizer devices, but there is still plenty of For those who have ever doubted their opportunity for students ability to perform in everyday life, it would with disabilities. The be wise to ask the question that Mathew disability services do not Gold poses: “What would you do if you require extra fees for the knew you cannot fail?” He uses this quesstudent or their parents. tion as an example of his own inspiration to In fact, all disability serguide him to where he is today. vices can be used by any Gold is almost like any other college stustudent who may feel he dent here on campus. He lives in a dorm or she requires them. that makes him mostly independent from The DSS are constantly is parents. He attends classes, goes to ocmonitoring the progress casional parties and has an endless number of their students. Grades of friends. are being updated and But Gold also has several learning distheir performance is abilities, such as epilepsy, ADD, a mild case constantly being recordof cerebral palsy, stutter/hesitation, Artesia ed. Should there be a of the right ear canal (equivalent to putting noticeable a hand over decrease your ear), in the and has also sustained a There is no such thing as starting an assignment the day before it s t u d e n t ’s grades, few concus- is due, or cramming for an exam. It would be the end of me. The Beacon/Jenna Stephens counselsions along Matt Gold, a senior history major, has overcome many ors, such the way. Matthew Gold learning disabilities during his college career. His intrinsic as Sandra Despite the senior history major motivation, along with assistance from the University’s DisRendina, challenges, ability Support Services, helps him during his journey. will do her Gold has best to personally work with not want to keep going, but his parents have continuously “There is no such thing as starting an as- the student to get them back on track. “The never allowed him to be taken over; instead conquered year after year of college, he is anticipating his bachelor’s degree in history signment the day before it is due, or cram- usual academic performance from the stu- he should always overcome. When Gold in one more semester. Of course, the aid of ming for an exam; it would be the end of dents in this program are usually at the av- needed to undergo a series of surgeries for erage level, if not, above average. We try re- his hearing, his mother, Fran, was in charge the university’s Disability Support Services me,” he said. He explained that when his instructor as- ally hard to make sure that the student does of contacting all of his professors and ar(DSS), has played a leading role in Matt’s ranging accommodations for the days that signs a research paper, he must start imme- not fall behind for any reason.” academic success. Though the DSS does not work directly Gold would miss. DSS provides programs and accommo- diately in order to finish and pull together “Its better taking the road less traveled with the students to prepare them for the dations for students with learning disabili- his final paper. Because Gold suffers from several learn- workforce, there are other ways that help than go where the masses go,” advises ties. Sandra Rendina, the coordinator of academic services and DSS, describes the ing disabilities that interfere with his abil- train them. Sessions such as mock inter- Gold. He speaks directly to those potential program as an outlet where any student who ity to concentrate and hold a thought long views offered through career services can students who may feel that their disadvanmay have a disability, whether learning or enough to get it down on paper advanced help the students understand what to expect tage may stop them from making the deciphysical, can seek special services. Cur- technology has offered important outlets. In when hunting through the job market. Ren- sion to go to college. With his parents by his side, and DSS to rently, the DSS department has a total of 40 this case, “Technology is key,” says Gold’s dina communicates with the students and students utilizing the services. This allows mother, Fran Gold. “Matt can type, but it works with them to lead them in a profes- provide further aid, Gold is a prime example counselors such as Rendina the opportunity would take him too long. The Dragon Natu- sional direction in her own individual meet- of a Wilkes students who can and has found success in higher education, overcoming to work one on one with the students. Stu- rally Speaking 9 Preferred (DNS9) program ings. Rendina also explained that she has no- any potential challenges of a learning disdents, like Gold, who attempt to achieve a is 98 percent accurate. After you dictate ticed a drastic change with the parental ability. He could not be happier with the college degree with a learning disability, your papers, you go back and edit them.” This means that Gold can speak his involvement with the student’s journey help that Wilkes has provided to him. find this service extremely useful. “Wilkes has honed my skills. I am more Through the DSS department, students thoughts as they come clear in his mind, through their college career. She feels that with learning and physical challenges can and they are immediately scripted onto his the role of the parents has a great influence of a historian than I ever was,” said Gold. If triumphantly completing the last five request accommodations that would benefit computer. In addition, he also uses a Palm with the attitude of the student and their dethem in their academic studies. With proper Trio to help him store important dates, re- cision to make the effort to overcome their years of his college career is not enough, Gold plans to continue his education in forms and letters of approval from licensed minders, appointments, etc. As Mrs. Gold disability and get their education. This observation proves to be true with graduate school, but not before a well-dephysicians, the students can have their text explained, “These are good suggestions for books put on tape, have extended time for others to work ‘smarter’ not ‘harder’ pro- Gold and the inspiration that his parents served spring break in Punta Cana. have been to him. He explained that there tests, an in-class note taker or any other spe- vided they can afford it.” The reality is that not everyone can afford have been many times that he simply did cial service. BY WILFREDO MERCADO Beacon Correspondent “The instructors are great with the program and they are always willing to work with the students,” Rendina said. “There may be a time where a student may need extra time for tutoring, or special arrangements outside of class to take an examination, and the instructors are always there to help.” Other campus services, such as the Writing Center, which is available to anyone, are also a great help for students with disabilities. This particular campus service is extremely useful for a student like Gold who struggles with typing. Before his visit to the Writing Center, Gold has already been through several steps and preparations for an assignment. Unlike most of the self proclaimed procrastinators of school, Gold does not have the option of putting off his duties. �10 LIFESTYLES Student of the Week: Angela Wood BY MATTHEW GOGAS Beacon Staff Writer Known as “Alex” to her friends and professors, Angela Wood is just itching to make her mark on the legal world. But this young woman with seemingly so much clear focus on her post-Wilkes career still remembers her time as a freshman and the anxiety she felt about how her life would turn out. She is living proof of how four years of undergraduate school can shape and hone direction--sometimes in ways the student cannot anticipate. Wood, a political science major, was originally interested in criminal law, but through her college experiences with professors here, she now feels as though she wants to work in constitutional law. She is currently the secretary for the campaign committee for the Young Democrats of America. Young Democrats of America is one of the top ten largest interest groups that focuses on drawing in young voters. She is also vice chair of development for the college Caucus. This group includes 24 schools that are participating in college voter registration. Wood is also the president of the political science club here at Wilkes. Because of her leadership in a variety of roles at Wilkes that are designed to educate, particularly would-be voters, The Beacon has chosen Wood as its Student of the Week. Recently, The Beacon had the opportunity to sit down with Wood to learn more about her hopes for advancing political advancement on campus. The Beacon: Explain your role in the political science club. Wood: We took a break for a little while, but now that we have a lot more students that want to take an active part in the club, we are reviving it. The first thing we want to do is take a trip to Harrisburg where I know some state representatives personally and they said that they would help us out and get us an inside look [at government] that normally we wouldn’t [see]. We also want to get [Representatives] Carney and Kanjorski here to speak. We would love to have debates, but try and get the campus involved because the upcoming election is historic. We can really change the primary and the political science club wants to take a huge role. The Beacon: How do you feel about how Wilkes has suited your needs as you have been here? Wood: Well, I come from New York City so it’s a little different than Pennsylvania, but as corny as it sounds, I could not have asked for anything better. My professors have been more than amazing. Dr. Baldino never let me wander off. Dr. Kreider never accepted any of my garbage. I want to thank Dr. Miller for telling me I was wrong, which challenged me to prove that I was right. When somebody challenges you, that’s the best thing they can do. I can’t forget Dr. Garr, my advisor. I must have forgotten my pin at least a hundred times and he was always so sweet to give it to me. Oh, I did not enjoy passing Dr. Seeley’s ECON course, but I learned so much. FEBRUARY 19, 2008 The Beacon: Do you like the campus here? Wood: I love the small campus. Like I said, I couldn’t ask for anything more. My professors made my college experience. It’s going to be weird not having them around. The Beacon: So, you graduate this semester? Wood: Yeah, I’m going to law school next semester. It’s crazy. I feel like a freshmen and it’s the second week of school. The Beacon: Do you have anxiety about not being in college anymore? Wood: I don’t think its anxiety. I think it’s that I have come to know my professors and appreciate what they have added- the new insights they have given me. It’s weird. I have finally really gotten comfortable with all of them. The Beacon: So you hope to go to law school and practice constitutional law? Wood: Well, I would like to run for office. The Beacon: What would you want to be? Senator? Governor? Wood: I would love to be a Senator. Being a Governor would be awesome! It’s getting your hands dirty and being able to change the way people live their lives. A lot of people think that government can’t change anything, but from my experience, and I have been with campaigns and interning since I was in the eighth grade, they really do. You may not see it all the time, but when we can help somebody get social security or prevent someone from being convicted for the wrong reason, that is really where government comes in. I may be from New York, but I love it here. I love Pennsylvania and would love to be part of the government here. The Beacon: If you had your choice of law schools, which one would you attend? Wood: I think Penn State. I’m trying not to think about where actually I want to go until I get the letters. I am checking the mail everyday and it’s un-nerving. I had a dream the other night where law schools said no to me-law schools I didn’t even apply to. It’s really gotten under my skin, but I would love to go to Penn State. The Beacon/Cara Koster -=uve A£oustic Music" : ··. . We.dnesday night in our care! «Dealer In W:are{' . February 20th @ 6:30-8:30pm "Live Acoustic music" «Middleport Wednesday" Friday, November 22nd 7 :30-10 :30pm Justgo t.o: "ff'BFREE-'' ·.. during free 11ve. . owsw1thyow- smdent · '! .DO' ~ fmget to picl( up a .iF~qu.et!it Buyer Cam ' todar- �FEBRUARY 19, 2008 LIFESTYLES 11 Adult learners break ‘tunnel vision’ of student definition BY CHRISTA SGOBBA Beacon Lifestyles Editor Like many students, John Mazur is looking excitedly to his graduation in May of 2009. But unlike the majority of his fellow graduates, he doesn’t have to stress over the subsequent job search. After he receives his degree, he’ll still be retired. Mazur, 53, is one of the growing number of adults throughout the United States who have opted to go back to school to earn a degree. According to an article published in the Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration in 2003, adult students have increased 170 percent from 1970 to 2000, compared to a rise of only 41 percent for students aged 18 to 24. While the article states that about 42 percent of students at public and private institutions of higher learning are 25 years old or older, the percent of nontraditional students at Wilkes University reaches nowhere near that figure. During the fall semester, only 160 students out of a total enrollment of approximately 2,400 undergraduates were over 25 years old, coming out to 15 percent of the student population. “There aren’t really any programs designed specifically for part-time adult students. There just doesn’t exist any at Wilkes currently,” said Kathleen Houlihan, the director of graduate and part-time undergraduate enrollment. “Right now, their only option is to take what is offered to the traditional students and try to make it work.” There are no current programs geared specifically for part-time adult students, but Houlihan says that one is being developed. The Center for Continued Learning is beginning to work with the business de- partment faculty on a program for an accelerated bachelor’s degree in business administration. Other majors, like education, may follow. While the program remains in its developmental stage, Houlihan says the biggest complaint she hears from adult learners is the lack of flexibility regarding course times. “At Wilkes, you’ll hear students say there aren’t times that work for them,” she said. “It’s not like they wouldn’t come here if the programs were available, but a lot of them can’t come during the day.” Diana Krogulski, a 55-year-old communications major, started at Wilkes in the fall of 2006 after transferring from Luzerne County Community College. Because she needs to work nearly full-time, her choice of courses is limited to the few classes offered during the evenings. The Beacon/Allison Roth “It’s hard to make your schedule when you Nontraditional students like John Mazur are making up a growing number of the have to work so much,” she said. “You end student enrollment at schools across the nation. up taking classes in the evenings that may not have been your first choice. I can’t say a classroom,” she said. “They’re afraid can bring to the classroom. “The benefit for the traditional age stuI haven’t enjoyed the classes, but there may to see if they can handle the work itself. There’s some hesitancy about whether they dents is that they are going to have a difhave been ones I wanted to take more.” ferent perspective, which is really where Besides working outside the school, adult can keep up.” According to Houlihan, the majority of learning occurs,” she said. “If everyone’s students often have more on their plates coming from the same background, you’re than their not learning anything. But with more diver20-yearyou’re going to enhance your learning old classI want to get up and go already. Time’s burning away. sity, experience.” mates. Krogulski believes that the faculty, staff, M a n y I don’t have all these years that young people have. and students have been very respectful and juggle a Diana Krogulski accommodating since she started at Wilkes. full-time adult learner Her classmates seek her out as a confidant, job with tease her during classes, and send her text caring for messages over the breaks. children adult learners she works with have had While she is pleased with her education at and other family obligations. Krogulski, the mother of four children, some college experience in the past. Popu- Wilkes, Krogulski believes there are some took her first college class 30 years lar reasons for returning to school include changes that can me made to make the proago. After her first son was born, honing an edge for an increasingly compet- cess more conducive to adult learning. “Maybe they could offer more night classshe put her education on hold to itive job market or changing careers. “Some people have been working in a field es in our fields,” she suggested. “Sometimes raise her family. When her youngAlcohol, food, and est daughter entered high school, for a long time, and they just finally say, you have to wait two years to get that class non-alcoholic beverages she decided to go back to school ‘I’m done with it,’ or ‘I want a change,’” you need. I want to get up and go already. she said. “They want to do something else Time’s burning away. I don’t have all these to earn her degree. are all digested “My daughter kept encouraging with their lives, so they go back to school years that young people have.” Houlihan believes it is important for Wilme to go back,” she said. “When for that reason.” the same way Mazur, who started at Wilkes in the sum- kes not to lose sight of the important adult I started these classes in my 40’s, I was so intimidated by the students. mer of 2007, switched gears completely learner demographic. She said that while They were so witty and smart, and when he declared his major of internation- universities across the nation are seeing a al studies. Prior to that, he worked in the decrease in the number of traditional-age I was terrified.” electronics field in the Marines, and studied students, the number of older learners is risAccording to Houlihan, many of Jcohol is not digested like other foods electrical engineering on and off during the ing rapidly. the adult students she works with & beverages. It passes directly into But in order to start focusing on that are concerned with how they will 1970s and 1980s. the bloo dstremn through the tis sue “I have such an interest in what’s going bracket, Houlihan believes that Wilkes has fit into campus culture. She says that lines the stomach and small many of them worry if they can on in the world now,” he said. “I hope I can to see more than just the “tunnel vision” of intestine. its traditional-aged student enrollment. handle the workload, keep up in learn to understand it a little better.” While adult learners may worry about “We’re starting to break down some of class, and learn the technological - Provided By Health Services - aspects of college. fitting in with their twenty-year-old class- the barriers,” she said. “As soon as we get “Some of them are hesitant mates, Houlihan says that they shouldn’t them thinking along that wave, it’s going to http: /lwww.fac-tsontap.org about coming back and being in cut themselves short regarding what they enrich everyone’s experience.” OOZE TRUTHS �A&E Racial Comedy Crossword/Website New Music Community FEBRUARY 19, 2008 'II n' the "Led'' Out BY NICK PODOLAK Beacon Editor-In-Chief Ever wonder why you never hear of a successful Gun ‘N Roses tribute band? It’s because very few can duplicate the primal screams of front man Axl Rose that ensured the band so much widespread appeal. And the same holds true for rock ‘n roll god Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin fame…the vocals mean everything. Perhaps that’s what makes Michael Dougherty, lead singer of the premier Zeppelin tribute band in the Valley - Misty Mountain - so special… he’s got Plant down to a tee, and he’s only 18. It all started in the backwoods of Lake Lehman, where Dougherty and best friend Justin Mazer formed a rock ‘n roll band called Dirty Water. While playing a Zeppelin cover at Bart and Urby’s on South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre, Dougherty caught the attention of River Street Jazz Cafe general manager Tom Moran who said, “S***, he sounds like that guy from Zeppelin.” “I challenged them,” Moran said. “I said, ‘If you could learn 35 Led Zeppelin songs and prove to me that you could play ‘em, I’ll give you a night at the Jazz Cafe.’” Three weeks later, band members called Moran, recorded 15 songs, and got their show, now playing as Misty Mountain (derived from the song Misty Mountain Hop from “Led Zeppelin IV” or “Zoso.”) However, if Moran was going to successfully market the band (like he had with the likes of Trippin’ On Nothing and the Woody Browns Project), some crucial changes had to be made. Drummer Jordan Kravits and bassist Steve Cornia were replaced by well-known Pennsylvania artist George Wesley’s son, James, on drums and Ian McDougal on bass, both of whom are in their thirties. “It’s really comin’ along. I’m actually gonna try to market it in the summer and see how it does. The reaction you get here is incredible, so why not move it to another town?” said Moran. If you ever meet Dougherty, who bar backs at the Jazz Cafe, chances are the conversation won’t be very engaging. The dirty blond mop head is mopey, shy, and extremely mellow. But once he steps onstage, he undergoes a metamorphosis, suddenly transforming into “Bobby P,” rocking in skin tight jeans, brandishing a tambourine, and moving the crowd with his best impersonation of rock’s greatest front man, often breaking out into “B-B-B-B-Babys!” and “Oooh-Oooh!s,” which is no easy task as Doughery explains. “I really have to change my whole personality ‘cause I’m like kind of a shy person, and when I’m on stage I can be completely different,” Dougherty said. “I can be Robert Plant, I can woo the girls a little bit wearin’ the tight pants, so might as well be a little crazy on stage,” he said. Playing Zeppelin favorites such as “Dazed and Confused” and “Rock and Roll,” Misty Mountain often delves into lesser known gems as well, like the extraterrestrial “No Quarter.” In fact, the last time they played The Jazz Cafe, the quartet broke into an acoustic set with “Goin’ to California,” “Battle of Evermore,” and “Thank You,” which was highlighted by McDougal playing the mandolin, which sounds like a high pitched banjo, as heard in Rod Stewart’s “Maggie May.” “I think there’s a lot of promise for these kids,” Moran said. Though the band hopes to someday play at bigger venues such as Penn’s Peak, Dougherty and Mazer still record with Dirty Water, with new material to be released by Summer 2008. Misty Mountain’s next show is set for Sunday, April 20 (4.20) at The Jazz Cafe with the Phish cover band Trippin’ On Nothing. The event is being billed as “Led Phish.” Grace Notes: While Dougherty’s favorite album is Led Zeppelin I, his favorite song to perform live is “Immigrant Song” from Led Zeppelin III. 13 14 15 �FEBRUARY 19, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13 No issue is black and white Temple and NYU presenters discuss double-edged sword of racial humor BY MARISSA PHILLIPS Beacon A&E Editor No more contacts. No glasses? NO WORRIES! Butler Eyecare has special Student Pricing! 20% discount on Frames $49 eye exams 822-8727 yecare for everyone www .butlereyecare.com 34 S. Main St. Across from SUBWAY The Beacon/Jenna Stevens A lot of comedy is hit or miss. A well-timed joke with good execution can get a crowd of diverse people doubled over with laughter. However, when it comes to racial comedy, it’s not always so easy to determine the good jokes from the bad ones. While watching the comedy of well-known comedians such as Carlos Mencia, Dave Chappelle, or Chris Rock, viewers may end up asking questions such as, “Wait! Is it okay if I laugh?” or “Am I supposed to find this funny?” When it comes to jokes about race, there is a fine line between what is deemed comedic and what is deemed offensive, and it can often be hard to see where a particular comedian is coming from. In the opinion of Jason Sutton, junior English major, people tend to laugh at racial comedy because “racial humor is funny due to its taboo nature. The same way dirty sex jokes are funny. Or the way jokes with curses are funny in elementary school. The humor is based more on the shock value it causes than anything else.” Brandon Ice, who works in Student Affairs in Temple University, and Ty Trisman, an employee at New York University collaborated to create a program designed to inspire conversation about racial comedy and presented it to the Wilkes community on Sunday. Ice and Trisman have been doing the presentation since 2005 in an attempt to raise consciousness and awareness about the issues surrounding racial humor. They use the medium of comedy because it is something that many students are comfortable with, but, as Ice explained, he also “hopes everything we talk about can transfer to other issues so that we can pro- deem positive. vide some scope.” In their show, Ice described racial comedy is a double- they offer clips edged sword. He acknowledged that there by Jerry Owen, is a purpose and intent behind most of the a white comecomedy. It can serve to present relevant dian, which issues, and to act as a coping mechanism is seen less for the presenter as well as the audience. among those Yet, at the same time, racial humor causes who doing raa reinforcement of negative images and cial comedy. stereotypes. Despite the comedian’s inten- Ice explained tions, the fact that they do not offer a dis- that the strong claimer at the end, stating that their mate- point of his rial was either an exaggeration or a parody comedy and may cause the audience members to miss material is that the point. “his methods Because of that double-edged sword, Ice develop cred- Brandon Ice and Ty Trisman conducted a presention on Sunday, and Trisman do not judge the various co- ibility, and he discussing racial issues in comedy. The two used comedy clips and medians at face value. As Ice explained, can make the discussion to create a dialogue among the students. “We think comedians are modern day phi- same jokes losophers and have always been.” When anyone else can make.” Credibility, is of ences reach their own conclusions. “We comedians incorporate topics of race in course key in this aspect of comedy. Se- can’t tell you if its okay or not because it their material, “it supports the idea that nior Computer Science major, Mike Domi- depends on how you relate to the matethese are still issues America faces.” Of nic, explained that while he sometimes find rial,” said Ice. With their two-hour precourse, many times a comedian’s material humor in racial comedy, he does only “if sentation they will continue doing what can be misunderstood. it’s not made in bad taste. It’s funny when they can to get students to talk more about Ice referenced Dave Chappelle, whose they’re making fun of stereotypes and the and consider the various issues surroundshow has been deemed a “modern min- absurdity of it. I kind of find that funny, but ing racial comedy. Ice explained his and stral show” by some. Chappelle delivered sometimes people go over the line or don’t Ty’s main goal, saying “we just want to racial satire, but ultimately chose to step realize that they are in fact being very racist start dialogue. To get [students] talking with us and give them skills things to start down from his show because he felt like when they do it.” people were laughing at him instead of Ice and Trisman present the comedy and a dialogue with each other. with him. Issues such as this are of con- the issues, but ultimately they let the audicern to Ice and need to be discussed. Although Ice and Trisman resist making negative judgments about other comediTuesday, February 19 ans, their brand of - Karaoke at the Woodlands at 9 p.m. comedy employs racial Wednesday, February 20 humor they actually - Wilkes sexual assault program, location TBA, at 9 a.m. Schedule of Events - The Five Percent performing at the Woodlands at 11 p.m. Thursday, February 21 - Comedy Night at Donahues at 10 p.m. - Max and Ruby playing at the Kirby Center at 10 a.m. Friday, February 22 - Winter Weekend - VPA production “The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd” in the Darte Center at 8 p.m. - Jim Gaffigan performing at the Kirby Center at 8 p.m. - Generation Next performing at the Woodlands at 10 p.m. Saturday, February 23- Winter Weekend - VPA production “The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd” in the Darte Center at 8 p.m. - Generation Next performing at the Woodlands at 10 p.m. Sunday, February 24- Winter Weekend - VPA production “The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd” in the Darte Center at 2 p.m. - DJ Dallas at the Woodlands at 9 p.m. Monday, February 25 - Christian Fellowship Club “Winter Praise Night” in the SUB ballroom at 5 p.m. �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Kudracross BY CHRISTOPHER KUDRAK Beacon Staff Writer ACROSS 1 Hairless 5 Drivers License and others, for short 8 Attention-getter 12 Smell 13 Breakfast area 15 Fruit maturation process 16 Take out order 17 Dr. Pepper for example 18 Vote into office 19 Burglar accessory 21 Tangle 23 Type of tattoo 24 Windows graphic file 25 Pounds, for short 28 Fear of crowds 33 Frost covered 36 Hasten 37 Sickly 38 Increase of the earth’s temperature 41 Stares at 42 WSW opposite 43 Dedicated verse 44 For an instant 47 Lid 48 Musician ____ Paul 49 Main artery 54 Wagons pulled by horses 57 Assail vigorously 59 Above a whisper 61 Above 63 Proposal 64 Tailored 65 Greek flat bread 66 China sound 67 Tailor tools 68 Buddy 69 “Dark ___ of the Moon” :, .... 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 14 15 20 22 24 26 27 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 39 40 41 45 46 50 51 52 53 55 56 57 58 59 60 62 DOWN Mess up Admire Enter username Submerge under water Machu Picchu resident Open sesame object Roman sun god A heap of something Enchant Short amount of time, for short Alfred Nobel invention Buddhist fate Race one’s engine Sheep sound Wardrobe Milwaukee baseball team Excessive indulgence Droop Shockingly frightful Black gold A male Dish of many ingredients Domed domicile Prevent from moving Long ago “Night at the Museum” actor ___ Stiller Musician ____ DiFranco Greenwich Mean Time, for short Greek fabulist Sweet potato Death notices, for short Parts of circles Current style Figure of speech Repents Tally Second letter of the Greek alphabet Freud stage Poisonous snake Aloha gift Big shot We-6 ciU Off tM, we,e,£ FEBRUARY 19, 2008 1 ID T B 11 O 12 U 11 T 14 Fl 17 Wackyuses.com Answers 2/12/2008 14 I G 0 G2 B 65 S R A I V L A L y L E BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor I’ve finally decided to review a website that can actually be useful -- wackyuses.com. At first glance it is easy to doubt the quality of this website. Users who play the little video on the home page of the site will be greeted by a crazy guy, Joey Green, who has been featured on many well known talk shows. The video also features Wayne Brady, of “Whose Line is it Anyway” fame, with mustard on his chest, a maxi pad on his forehead and his feet in Jell-O; Rosie O’Donnell having her legs shaved with peanut butter; and Barbara Walters with a wet diaper on her head. But anyone who can get Babs to put a wet diaper on her head has got to win at least a little benefit of the doubt. This website is all about time-honored home remedies. Remove a lipstick stain from clothing by rubbing it with Smirnoff Vodka and throwing it into the wash. I would never think to use Listerine as a deodorant or Miracle Whip to soothe sunburn. Watching Rosie O’Donnell’s legs be covered in peanut butter was not only totally gross but totally legitimate. It actually works, as do all of the strange sorts of home remedies on this website. The scariest thing about this website would have to be all of the uses for Coca-Cola. People drink Coca-Cola everyday, but this website has so many harsh uses for the beverage it makes you wonder what soda does to your body. Coke can be used to remove stains from a toilet bowl, remove rust spots on a car bumper, clean corrosion from car batteries, loosen rusted bolts, clean tarnished pennies, kill slugs and snails, and strip paint off metal furniture. It ought to make the casual observer wonder what the beverage might do to stomach lining. It’s actually surprising to find so many strange tips on the website, but even more so when we learn that its creator, Joey Green, has written at least ten books with these tips in them. He said, “I wanted to know what else I could do with Coca-Cola besides drink it.” All of the claims that are made on the website have been personally tested by Green and actually sound like they work. I give this website a NDCA for Never Drinking Cola Again! �FEBRUARY 19, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 15 Photo Courtesy of Cody Null “We are trying to create a community so musicians know where other musicians are,” Null explained. Stan Bradley, also a freshman pre-pharmacy major, decided to join Null in his efforts to recruit other musicians upon hearing of the idea. “There is really no musical group I can think of except for orchestra or chorus, but that is not for everyone,” Bradley said. Together Null and Bradley have begun recruiting members through Today at Wilkes and so far approximately ten students have expressed interest. With a constitution drafted, the next step will be to go to Student Government (SG) to gain club status at Wilkes. According to the constitution, the music group, still unnamed, states the purpose “is to create a network of musicians in order to promote a friendly environment for any musician and to encourage the sharing of musical styles and talents with the student body.” Bradley, who plays a variety of instruments varying from the bass to general percussion, explained the group is not limited to any certain type of musical style. “We are hoping to bring together jazz, rock, anything that anyone wants to be a part of,” he said. The group is looking for musicians of all types. Null explained anyone from singers to drummers and guitarists are welcome to join. He wants to create place for musicians who play other than the traditional concert band instruments. Null envisions a musical community where Wilkes musicians can come together and play freely. c=.arad -> C 1 a an1'llb . _ ... ,. ,.-.A. E [Pr,,,I "'T~, - - -- - Photo Courtesy of Stan Bradley New music group aims to create artistic community BY ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Assistant A&E Editor Not into traditional concert band or orchestra? For musicians looking for a place to come together and play a variety of music, freshman Cody Null is putting the plan together. Null, a pre-pharmacy major, came to Wilkes University with approximately three years experience playing guitar. He immediately noticed that Wilkes lacked music ensemble opportunities for those students who were interested in playing but not into the traditional concert band or orchestra. Bradley encourages anyone who wants to play for their own enjoyment to join. Bradley summed the music group up best by explaining, “People getting together and playing what they want to play. They can set their own schedules, not someone unrelated to the group.” Bradley added that those best suited to the group will include, “Anyone who wants to play with other people and not be graded or be required to do anything outside of class for it. People who want to do it for fun and their own enjoyment.” Musicians interested in learning more about the newly created community for musicians at Wilkes, contact Cody Null at cody.null@wilkes.edu. NO NTI FOR SPRJ G 2 !J } · •nt ncy Ap . /mo . ... ,r:;:i - 1l .2 _J' - Fun B S; hen,,., CU lll"'"ll;;li V r Entrry to , Cum - e _l ·1 7 Wes W'~lk . ::s - IL ·und 1r y - IF h WVtrlW. C p .a .rtm1e '. ' 7-2220 ndl v n 1• • co .2 , �SPORTS 16 FEBRUARY 19, 2008 Commentary 2008 Major League Baseball preview BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor It’s the best time of year again: the warm air, the green grass, the smell of supple leather and dirt. It’s time for Spring Training. As we sit on the precipice of the 2008 baseball season, here are 10 teams you can look out for this year. Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox won their second World Series in four years last season, and are well on their way to making another run. The team is nearly identical to last year’s championship team, except for the loss of starting pitcher Curt Schilling, whose shoulder injury might have him sidelined for the entire season. Even without Schilling, the Sox have one of the best rotations in the American League with ace Josh Beckett, followed by Daisuke Matsuzaka, knuckle-baller Tim Wakefield and young hurlers Jon Lester and Clay Bucholz. The bullpen is still solid, with Jonathan Papelbon anchoring the back end. With a lineup that consists of a healthy David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez, this team is going to score a lot of runs. J.D. Drew should adjust to the A.L. in his second season, and it will be interesting to see how 2007 Rookie of the Year Dustin Pedroia fares, along with fellow youngster Jacoby Ellsbury, who spent the latter part of last season dazzling opponents. Kevin Youkilis is going to produce and play sterling defense, while Julio Lugo looks to bounce back in 2008. Mike Lowell, fresh off a World Series MVP and a new contract, is going to play a pivotal role in the clubhouse. New York Mets After a historic collapse in 2007, the Mets made some big moves in the off season to right the ship. The biggest move in all of baseball was the acquisition of pitcher and two-time Cy Young winner Johan Santana. He instantly makes the Mets better, but a bigger question is whether or not there will be any hangover from last season, in which the team blew a seven game lead with 17 games left to play. The rotation behind Santana includes Pedro Martinez, who bounced back nicely in limited playing time last season, followed by John Maine, Oliver Perez and Orlando Hernandez. It’s a solid rotation, but the biggest question is whether or not Pedro can stay healthy for an entire season. The Mets also have to worry about their Ten teams to watch in the new season bullpen, especially Billy Wagner, who lost some steam towards the end of last season. The Mets lineup has its question marks: Which Jose Reyes will show up? Can Carlos Delgado bounce back in his final year? Will Moises Alou stay healthy for an entire season? Detroit Tigers One of the bigger trades in the off season was between the Tigers and the Florida Marlins, which saw pitcher Dontrelle Willis and third baseman Miguel Cabrera head north to the Motor City. That trade gave the Tigers a solid rotation, and Cabrera is one more big bat in a lineup that already includes Magglio Ordonez, Curtis Granderson, Edgar Renteria, and Gary Sheffield. The Achilles’ Heel of the Tigers is the bullpen that includes aging closer Todd Jones, and fireballer Joel Zumaya is on the disabled list until at least the All Star break. In order for the Tigers to succeed, the starting rotation is going to need to carry the team until the bullpen can get on its feet. New York Yankees Despite a slow start in 2007, the Yankees challenged the Red Sox for the A.L. East title, but lost to Cleveland in the playoffs. The 2008 squad returns with most of the same key figures from 2007, including MVP Alex Rodriguez, team captain Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada. After failing to land Johan Santana, the Yankees are going to battle with Andy Petitte, ChienMing Wang, Philip Hughes, Mike Mussina and Ian Kennedy. The bullpen is anchored by Mariano Rivera and Joba Chamberlain, after a lights-out performance in 2007. Early struggles from Mussina, Kennedy or Hughes might see the arrival of Joba to the starting rotation. The biggest change for the Bronx Bombers wasn’t their players, but with their manager. Long-time Yankees manager Joe Torre went west to manage the Los Angeles Dodgers and was replaced by former Yankee and 2006 Manager of the Year (Florida Marlins) Joe Girardi. Will Girardi’s presence on the field make a difference in October? Will the team be affected by Andy Petitte’s recent admission to the usage of performance enhancing drugs? Philadelphia Phillies After a historic comeback to make the playoffs for the first time since 1993, the Phillies found themselves at the losing end of a sweep at the hands of the Colorado Rockies in the first round of the playoffs. The Phillies dealt early after the season and acquired closing pitcher Brad Lidge from the Houston Astros. Lidge’s arrival moves Brett Myers back to the starting rotation, where he will join the staff ace Cole Hamels, veteran Jamie Moyer, youngster Kyle Kendrick and Adam Eaton, who could find himself riding the pine if he doesn’t bounce back after a tumultuous 2007 campaign. The bullpen remains a strong suit for the Phillies, who will see J.C. Romero, Ryan Madson and Tom Gordon bridge the late innings of games. The lineup is potent as ever, despite the loss of Aaron Rowand. Newly acquired players Geoff Jenkins and Pedro Feliz will provide additional offense for the club, but the real question mark is whether or not the starting rotation will stay healthy. Seattle Mariners The trade to acquire ace Erik Bedard from the Baltimore Orioles gave the Mariners a deadly one-two punch at the top of the rotation of Bedard and young Felix Hernandez. A solid rotation and bullpen that is anchored by J.J. Putz, coupled with one of the games better offenses led by Ichiro Suzuki makes the Mariners a heavy favorite in the American League West. Chicago Cubs The Cubs made a strong surge after the break last season to win the National League Central division en route to getting swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NLDS. The Cubs made some nice moves over the winter, including signing right fielder Kosuke Fukudome of Japan, whose power from the left side of the plate balances an offense that includes Derrick Lee, Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez. With a strong rotation of Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly and Rich Hill, the Cubs should easily win the N.L. Central for the second straight season. Arizona Diamondbacks Despite being outscored by opponents in 2007, the D’Backs edged out the competition to win the N.L. West before losing in the National League Championship Series to the Colorado Rockies. In the off-season, Arizona traded for ace pitcher Dan Haren from the Oakland Athletics, giving the Diamondbacks the best rotation in the National League that includes Haren, Cy Young winner Brandon Webb and future Hall-of-Famer Randy Johnson. The big question mark here is whether or not Johnson can stay healthy. If so, the D’Backs will easily out pitch their competition. The lineup remains mostly the same with youngsters Stephen Drew and Chris Young at the helm, but still lacks a powerful bat in the middle of the lineup. Much like 2007, the D’Backs are going to outplay their opponents rather than outscore them. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim Despite a somewhat comfortable win in the A.L. West in 2006, the Angels saw their hopes evaporate as they were swept by the Boston Red Sox in the first round of the playoffs. This year’s squad is mostly the same, with the notable exception: the signing of centerfielder Torii Hunter, who will provide some additional offense behind Vladimir Guerrero. The Angels have another great pitching staff which includes John Lackey, Jered Weaver and newly acquired Jon Garland. The bullpen is as strong as ever, with closing pitcher Francisco Rodriguez looking to record at least 40 saves for the fourth straight season. Colorado Rockies Last season’s Cinderella team, the Colorado Rockies, are looking to make it another memorable season as they gear up to defend their National League title. Despite being swept in the World Series by Boston, the Rockies made an unprecedented run down the stretch last season by winning 14 of their last 15 games, including defeating the San Diego Padres in a thrilling one-game playoff that saw the Rockies score three runs off Padres’ closer Trevor Hoffman. Their offense includes MVP runner-up Matt Holliday, veteran Todd Helton, and budding stars Troy Tulowitski, Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe. Their rotation is filled with mostly unheard-ofs including Jeff Francis, Aaron Cook and Ubaldo Jimenez. The back end of the bullpen is filled with stoppers, including Brian Fuentes and Manny Corpas, whose strong 2007 earned him the closers role in 2008. This team certainly is strong, but was 2007 just a flash in the pan or the start of something special? Only time will tell. �SPORTS FEBRUARY 19, 2008 17 Just Do It: Men’s tennis readies for SC spring training BY NICK PODOLAK Beacon Editor and Chief The serene chirp of the robin red breast will soon be interrupted by loud grunts as the men’s tennis team gears up for its “official” 2008 season. “It’s a little bit different than all of the other sports, since we don’t technically even have a traditional season,” said head coach Chris Leicht, referring to the team’s three matches and two tournaments played in the fall. “I like to have a short fall season to get everybody out, get the freshmen integrated with the team, and kind of see where we’re at.” This year’s squad features a unique mix of under and upper classmen, with three freshmen playing key roles under the leadership of junior Kyle Ungvarsky, a firstteam All-Conference player who ranks among the elite in the Freedom Conference. “It’s always nice to have new faces,” Unvarsky said. “But these guys (the freshmen) could easily play at the DII, DI level. They don’t need much guidance. They just have the instincts,” he said. Wes McCollum (Harrisburg, PA/Central Dauphin), Jon Rohrbach (Muncy, PA/Muncy), and Chris Cozzillio (Harrisburg, PA/Trinity) will be the freshmen factoring in for the Blue and Gold…but don’t be fooled by their age. Cozzillio and Rohrbach, according to Leicht, are capable of delivering blistering serves in the 120 miles per hour range. Seniors Tom Miller, Josh Gardner, and freshman Brian Fanelli should also figure into the mix. “This is probably the deepest team I’ve had,” Leicht said. “We’ll be able to compete with anybody.” Currently practicing in the UCOM with the ball machine and playing sets of singles and doubles, the team will head to Hilton Head, South Carolina, for spring break to get some outdoor play against Lynchburg, Va. and Eastern before returning to play its first conference match in late March. “It’s kind of a warm-up for the regular season,” Leicht said. Under Leicht, the team has made the conference playoffs five straight seasons (winning its first ever playoff match in 2004), and went a school record 17-3 in 2005. However, coming off an 8-6 season, the coach has not set any significant goals. “I’m not a big goal guy,” he said. “All of the guys work extremely hard. I think we’re going to have a lot of success, but I wouldn’t say we have any set goals… just go out and compete.” The Colonels will open up this season on the heels of a successful 2007 campaign, when they went 8-6-0 en The Beacon/Gino Troiani route to a berth in the MASCAC Individual ChampionWilkes senior Josh Gardner takes practice swings at the UCOM ship. on February 15. The Colonels open their season at home on March 17 at 3:30 against Neumann College. Cl b M - ting? Bir - ay Par -y? Ol'Rce M . -et.· ng? Footbal P - r -_ ? he answer · o all these Q.·u1znos-~ OASTY! 72 South Main .S t. Wilkes-Barre ■■ _ ours Monday-Thur. da... 10aJH-8p1D -· riuy · _ a wrday lOam-IOpm ndayl2_p m-6pD1 - . _r (570) 20-8 -SUBS qu Q ·ion_- .... ZNOS CAT RING Cate ii• ,g t ays sta t·· gat _'19. 9 Call for de ails. �SPORTS 18 FEBRUARY 19, 2008 Wilkes vs. King’s Colonels fighting to ensure spot in the playoffs BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Sports Editor When the Colonels played King’s at home last year on Feb 13, they weren’t playing for much. The Colonels were a young and inexperienced bunch that was 2-10 in the conference. Their road loss to the Monarchs on Jan.10, 2007 sparked a seven game conference losing streak. And at no point during the season were they contending for the playoffs except for maybe the first couple of games of the conference play. Honestly, they were a hot mess. With nothing but pride on the line the second time against the Monarchs (a team that was already guaranteed a playoff spot), the Colonels won 66-58 at home in front of an estimated 600 feuding fans. The conference-winning Colonel football jocks that spanked the Monarchs in last year’s Mayors Cup, 28-7, got a chance to scream, “Just Like Football.” The only thing missing in that basketball game was confetti trickling down from the ceiling. Even though the Colonels were cleaning out their lockers immediately after the following game against FDU-Florham, they beat the cross-town rivals and ended their season on a high-note. This season, the Colonels are playing for the best possible seed in the postseason John Defeo Jr. Center 6-6, 230 lbs. 17 Blocks John Soboleski Sr. Center 6-6, 240 lbs. 171 Rebounds while playing to secure a shot to even play there. Had the Colonels won their home game against Arcadia three days ago, fans could’ve certainly counted them in the playoffs. But their losses to the Knights and Manhattanville last week set the Colonels back in the playoff race and opened the doors for a new team. Arcadia. “Our guys just didn’t show up,” said head coach Jerry Rickrode. “They seemed lethargic and they didn’t want to be out there. I tell the truth.” Therefore, the Colonels might want to beat King’s today at 8 p.m. if they want breathing room in those crowded playoff standings. The Monarchs have been on fire in February. They have won all five of games this month including a 29-point blowout against the second-seeded Manhattanville Valiants last Saturday. Their average margin of vic- tory from the past five games stands at 22.2 points per game. It’s going to be tough for the Colonels. Although the Colonels seemed somber after dropping their last two games, don’t count them out. In early January, the Colonels strolled down the street and beat Monarchs 8070 en route to their first conference win. Sophomore Tom Kresge led the Colonels with 21 points and freshman Chris DeRojas added 16 of his own. If you take a look at the box score, you would find that both teams ended with similar numbers. The Colonels finished shooting 2646 from the field while the Monarchs went 22-45. Wilkes cashed in 22 of their 26 free throw attempts and while the Monarchs went 22 for 28 from the stripe. Both teams had 11 assists. The Colonels threw the ball away 10 times to the Monarchs 13. Statistically, the game was pretty much even which means this time, rivals should witness another quality contest especially with a heated playoff race at stake. “King’s and Wilkes is always a big rivalry and it may be one of the best in D3 because Chris DeRojas Fr. Guard PPG. 14.4 55 3-Pointers Steve Kline Jr. Forward PPG. 12.5 14 Blocks Colonels V. Jamie Cousart Sr. Guard PPG, 14.8 96 Assists Chris Hacker Fr. Guard 2.4 RPG 34 Assists Matt Gould Sr. Guard 78 Assists 48 Steals the teams are so close (in location),” said former player and current assistant coach, Tyler Jenkins. “This game is a lot bigger because it’s of the playoff situation that goes with it. This game is all about placement and most of all, it’s all about pride. You don’t want to lose to King’s.” Once a year Wilkes gets the chance to beat the Monarchs at home, and if they win this year with what’s at stake, it’ll be o-so-sweet for the Colonels. Freedom Conference Standings 1. DeSales, 9-2 2. Manhattanville, 8-3 3. King’s, 7-3 4. Wilkes, 6-4 5. Arcadia, 5-5 6. FDU-Florham, 1-9 7. Del. Val., 0-10 Tom Kresge Soph. Forward PPG. 14.0 RPG. 6.2 Monarchs Kevin Conroy Fr. Forward 121 Points 53 Rebounds Vince Scalzo Sr. Forward 10.6 PPG 36 3-Pointers �FEBRUARY 19, 2008 SPORTS 19 Wilkes University grapplers upend rival King’s College COURTESY OF JOHN SEITZINGER Sports Information Director Wilkes University, ranked 23rd nationally, won seven of ten bouts en route to a 26-18 win over local rival and 30th-ranked King’s College on Friday night in the Marts Center. The Colonels conclude their dual match season with a record of 19-7-1, while King’s also ended their dual match season and sports an 8-11 mark. Both teams will be idle until next Sunday, February 24, when they compete in the Metropolitan Wrestling Conference Championships that are being hosted by Wilkes. The match started at 184 pounds and King’s Zach Martinez (14-11) got off to a fast start against Devin Sassone-McHugh (9-9). He scored a pair of takedowns and five back points in the opening period on his way to a 9-1 lead. Martinez would continue to add to his lead before pinning Sassone-McHugh with just 1.2 seconds left in the second period to give King’s a 6-0 lead. Wilkes’ Zach Pizarro (25-8) was impressive in his match at 197 pounds. Pizarro scored a takedown and two near-fall points in the first period to go on top of Zach Wilkinson (4-3), 4-0. Pizarro would add another takedown and three near-fall points in the second period to forge in front 9-0. After escaping to start the third period for a 10-0 lead, Pizarro snagged a riding point for an 11-0 major decision that pulled the Colonels within 6-4. At 285 pounds Wilkes’ Drew Feldman (15-9) scored the only points of the first period with a takedown to go in front 2-0 over Justin Bender (8-4). Bender would begin period two on bottom and escaped to trim the lead to 2-1. The score would stay that way until the opening seconds of the third when Feldman escaped after taking the down position for a 3-1 lead. That’s the way it would end and Wilkes had a 7-6 lead. Shaun Farnham (31-15) got out of the gate quickly at 125 pounds with a takedown and two near-fall points in the first period of his match against Rich Dorsey (10-11) for a 4-0 lead. Dorsey would get two points of his own with a takedown in the second period to cut the gap to 4-2. Farnham would then escape and earn another takedown for a 7-2 lead. Two more near-fall points gave the Wilkes grappler a 9-2 lead heading into the third period. Farnham chose the top position to start the third period and not only road Dorsey the entire period, but also scored three more near-fall points for a 13-2 major decision that upped the Colonels lead to 11-6. Defending NCAA Division III champion Dave Morgan (22-1) of King’s held a 2-1 lead over Josh Pauling (22-10) after one period. Morgan got a takedown with 12 seconds left in the opening period and Pauling immediately escaped. Morgan would up his advantage to 3-1 with an escape to begin the second period. Pauling selected the bottom position to start the third period and also gained an escape to pull within 3-2. However, Morgan would catch Pauling with less than a minute remaining and scored a fall at 6:35 to give King’s a 12-11 lead. At 141 pounds Wilkes’ Brandon Prentice (19-17) scored the only point of the first period when his opponent, Anthony Miele (15-16), was called for a technical violation. Prentice took the down position in the second period and scored a reversal for a 30 lead. Miele would then escape to trim the gap to 3-1, but Prentice got another takedown before the end of the period for a 5-1 lead. Miele got an escape with just over a minute left in the final period after opting for the bottom position to make it 5-2. Another takedown by Prentice with 20 seconds left gave him a 7-2 victory and put Wilkes ahead once again, 14-12. Wilkes’ Erik Smith (27-10) and King’s Frankie Davis (13-20) were scoreless through the first period of their match at 149 pounds. Smith gained the first advantage with a takedown with just over a minute to go in the second period for a 2-0 lead. Smith increased his lead to 3-0 with an escape point just four seconds into the third period, and neither wrestler was able to score again as Wilkes assumed a 17-12 lead. At 157 pounds the Colonels’ Adam Penberthy (24-16) and the Monarchs’ Taylor Green (9-7) wrestled to a 0-0 standoff after one period. Penberthy took the down position to begin the second stanza and needed only four seconds to escape and take a 10 lead. Penberthy followed that up with a takedown to increase his lead to 3-0 heading into the final period. Green chose to start the third period in the neutral position, but was unable to get on the scoreboard. Penberthy added a riding time point for a 4-0 win that increased the Wilkes lead to 20-12. With a chance to ice the team verdict Wilkes sent Frank Heffernan (29-9) to the mat at 165 pounds to take on Ryan Trees (0-13). Heffernan had two takedowns and four near-fall points in the first period alone as he opened up an 8-1 lead heading into the second stanza. Heffernan took the top position to start the second period and picked up two more near-fall points in the first 20 seconds for a 10-1 edge. Heffernan would secure three more near-fall points with 55 seconds to go in the period for a 13-1 lead. He rolled Trees to his back one more time, this time scoring the fall at 4:45 to give Wil- The Beacon/Gino Troliani Wilkes University junior Erik Smith grapples with a King’s College student during a match on February 15th at the Martz Gymnasium. Smith would go on to win the match by a score of 3-0. kes an insurmountable 26-12 lead. In the final match of the night King’s Mike Reilly (17-2) jumped out to a 12-0 lead over Travis Davis (2-10) after one period thanks to a takedown and four sets of near-fall points. Reilly took the bottom position in period two and gained a reversal before putting Davis on his back and scoring the pin with one second left to make the final score 26-18. Wrestling Results from from 02/15 Wilkes 26 King’s 18 184 – Zach Martinez pinned Devin Sassone-McHugh 197 – Zach Pizarro maj. dec. Zach Wilkinson 285 – Andrew Feldman dec. Justin Bender 125 – Shaun Farnham maj. dec. Richard Dorsey 133 – Dave Morgan pinned Josh Pauling 141 – Brandon Prentice dec. Anthony Miele 149 – Erik Smith dec. Frankie Davis 157 – Adam Penberthy dec. Taylor Green 165 – Frank Heffernan pinned Ryan Trees 174 – Mike Reilly pinned Travis Davis Wilkes’ wrestlers are in BOLD �Sports FEBRUARY 19, 2008 20 Lady Colonels earn first conference win Bates and O’Hara pour in 16 points each BY GERARD HETMAN Beacon Asst. Sports Editor Nearing the end of what has been a long and trying season, it would have been easy for the Wilkes women’s basketball team to lay down and simply hand over a win to the Lady Knights of Arcadia. Instead, the team pulled together and picked up a victory that they hope will springboard them to better times. Khadija Bates and Mackensey O’Hara each scored 16 points, Katie Cappelloni grabbed 9 rebounds, and the Lady Colonels held off Arcadia down the stretch to post their first conference win, 68-63, on Saturday afternoon at the Martz Center. The team sees its overall record improve to 2-21, while moving to 1-9 in Freedom Conference play. “The girls really worked hard for this one,” Wilkes head coach Rachel Emmerthal said following the win. “We had a great inside game today and that gave us a dimension we didn’t have working in many of out previous games.” The first half of the contest was a back-and-forth affair, with both teams putting together scoring runs at different times in the period. A key shift in momentum came with just under four minutes to play, as the Lady Colonels would embark on an 11-3 scoring run to send Wilkes into halftime with a 32-28 halftime lead. The lead changes and scoring spurts continued into the second period, with Arcadia eventually taking the lead for the final time, 56-55, with 4:27 remaining in the game. After Nichole Quick scored the go-ahead goal for Wilkes with 4:01 remaining, O’Hara would score five points down the stretch and Brittany Ely would knock down several free throws to ice the win. “We had a really good practice on Friday that helped us a lot today,” Bates added after the game. “Our team and the coaches have really made an effort to communicate much better recently, and I think it really paid off for us today. Perhaps the biggest difference for the Lady Colonels was the team’s ability to keep coming back and answering each scoring run made by Arcadia with a scoring streak of it’s own. Numerous games that ended with a loss for the Lady Colonels this season would see the team competitive early, then give up a big lead change that they would never recover from. In Saturday’s game, the Lady Colonels never let the score get out of hand, and at the end of they day they walked away with the victory. “We finally put together 40 complete minutes,” freshman guard Sam Lynam said afterward. “It feels great to win.” Conference Standings 1. DeSales, 10-1 2. FDU-Florham, 6-4 3. Del. Val., 6-4 4. King’s, 6-4 5. Arcadia, 4-6 6. Manhattanville, 3-8 7.Wilkes, 1-9 The Beacon/Allison Roth The Lady Colonels will face the Lady Monarchs today at 6 p.m. in the Marts Gymnasium.Wilkes will be looking to avenge its 71-43 loss to King’s on Jan. 8. Sophomore Ashley Makarczyk and freshman Brittany Ely led the team with nine points a piece. � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon 2008 February 19th Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 February 19 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/86eb57d206c7e3db58281bf49e04e9cb.pdf 5b8bda9ce34bf799f945970d1a8531ba PDF Text Text Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA The THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW FEBRUARY 12, 5, 2008 2008 In This Issue... Volume 60 www.wilkesbeacon.com Plans for ‘green’ building take center stage Issue 14 13 SLC likely to morph into new SHE building Page 9 Page 12 Penguins vs. Bruins Page 18 , Inside News................................1-5 Opinion.............................6-8 Lifestyles.........................9-11 Arts & Entertainment....12-15 Sports...........................16-20 BY MEGAN KRISANDA Beacon Staff Writer The year of the environment has dominated curricular and development conversations at Wilkes this year. And now, evolving plans for the university’s first environmentally ‘green’ building are calling for faculty, students and staff to weigh in on the process. Authorities acknowledge that initial planning has begun to add a Science, Health and Engineering (SHE) building to campus. The building is to act as a “living laboratory” for students, according to Dr. Kenneth Klemow, professor of biology and geoenvironmental science. “Students can conduct experiments on the building, monitor the use of electricity, production of water, the nature of gases coming out. Then students can try to manipulate certain things and create ‘what-if’ scenarios,” said Klemow. Klemow is part of a “programming team” involved in the early stages of planning the SHE building. “The team has evolved from an initial team we had over the summer in which we provided input to the consulting architects. We conducted a variety of site visits to different schools that have other green buildings on campus, or are planning them,” said Klemow. Currently, the team has offered presentations to the faculty of the departments that will be affected by the addition, such as Nesbitt School of Pharmacy and College of Science and Engineering. The location of SHE building has been widely discussed. Some suggested tearing down and replacing all of Stark Learning Center (SLC), expanding it, or replacing some sections and leaving others. While early discussions placed the building on the southern edge of The Beacon/Allison Roth campus, currently the focus is on centralizing its location in an effort to “showcase” the Students work in one of SLC’s aging laboratories. Once finished product. the SHE building is complete students will be able to See SHE page 3 monitor the building’s energy usage. Technology thefts reported in Library, Capin BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon Asst. News Editor Over the past two and a half months, three vital pieces of technology have been removed from Wilkes University’s campus. Between late November and mid January, two computers and one television were taken from the Farley Library and Capin Hall. On November 19, a mini-Mac located on the first floor of the library was reported missing by a library employee after the keyboard was discovered unplugged and the plastic encasement empty. According to Gerald Rebo, manager of public safety, the monitor was left behind and the remaining cords for the connection were stolen at a later time. “We never had a PC stolen before; it’s the first time. But of course, the smaller these things get, the easier they are to walk out with,” said Heidi Selecky, acting co-director of the Farley Library. “We were shocked to discover someone had gotten away with it.” Approximately two weeks later, a laptop was also taken from the library. According to Public Safety’s incident report, on December 4, a Wilkes student borrowed a laptop from the circulation desk at ap- proximately 11:00 a.m. The student was in possession of the laptop until around 9:30 p.m, when she left the library to get something to eat. The laptop was left in the media room, and when the student returned, it was gone. A library employee reported the laptop missing the following morning. “We’ve had the laptops for four or five years and this is the first one we’ve lost,” said Brian Sacolic, acting co-director of the Farley Library. While the mini-Mac removed from the library in November has not yet been replaced by IT, the student in possession of the laptop when it was taken will be responsible for replacing the missing computer. “The procedure is that they stop by the circulation desk, they sign a form, and they take their laptop. When you check out materials here at the library, you are responsible for them. The form the students sign, if you read the fine print, says ‘I will take full responsibility for the loss, damage, etc. of the laptop’… The student unfortunately will be responsible to recover the fair market price of the laptop. Fortunately, we did not have to charge her the full amount,” said Sacolic. The student who was in possession of the laptop when it was stolen declined to comment on the situation. It is assumed by library staff and Public Safety officials that the people who took both the mini-mac and the laptop left the building through the front doors. While those who work at the circulation desk are trained to watch for suspicious activity and the gates at the entrance of the library are operational and will detect those items that are tagged, Selecky acknowledged that, “Nothing is fool-proof.” In order to eliminate future thefts, Wilkes’ IT department is currently in the final stages of installing recording cameras in the library. While it’s currently unknown where the cameras will See THEFT page 3 �NEWS FEBRUARY 12, 2008 2 SHE building continued Political news analysis Beacon news briefs 3 4 5 Wilkes breaks internship records this semester with 141 and counting BY AMY FUSCO Beacon Staff Writer Whether it involves aiding in the production of original television programming, figuring out the latest trends in the market, or sitting in on legal proceedings, Wilkes students can be found everywhere learning firsthand the ins and outs of the fields they plan to enter. The number of student interns representing Wilkes University in the field has hit a record high this spring semester. According to Sharon Castano, the Internship and Freshmen Coordinator for Student Development, the average number of students who obtain an internship for the spring semester is 100. This semester, the number increased to 141 student interns, which more than doubled the number from last fall. “More students are signing up each day, so the number continues to grow,” Castano stated. There are 25 students each for both business and communication studies majors who are leading the pack in interns. Both mechanical engineering and psychology, are not far behind with 17 interns respectively. Other majors such as criminology and history also have students working for credit in their respective fields. “[Wilkes University’s] enrollment is increasing, so the number of students seeking internships will increase, too,” Castano commented. She also believes that the second annual internship fair held last October impacted the turn out of interns this semester. There were 45 companies at the fair, each collecting resumes and some even interviewing on the spot. About 140 students participated in the internship fair and it is anticipated that this number will also grow at next semester’s event already scheduled for October 23, 2008. In addition to the success of the internship fair, Castano believes that many students wait for the semester before they graduate to have an internship because they are trying to fulfill their major’s requirements. Furthermore, students will hear about other students’ experiences while interning in the fall semester, which will lead them to seek similar experiences. Dr. Deborah Tindell, an associate professor of psychology, is serving as an internship supervisor for two psychology major stu- dents this semester. She believes that with the spring semester, the timing works out for many students. She explained that the internship fair and the psychology department’s newsletter featuring an “Intern of the Month” section allow students to acknowledge that an internship program does exist at Wilkes University. “Part of it is by word-of-mouth and encouragement by faculty,” Tindell added. “[Through interning] I wanted to gain experience and apply the knowledge I’ve learned the last four years here at Wilkes,” said Christopher Borgna, a senior psychology major and neurosciences minor, who is interning at the NeuroSensory Center of Eastern Pennsylvania. He added, “It’s a lot easier setting up an internship at the fair because you are actually speaking to the people you may work with, which gives you the opportunity to better decide where you really would want to intern.” Marcus Magyar, a senior business administration major with a concentration in finance and a minor in economics, is interning with the online investment company, Scottrade, as a stockbroker intern. “I heard about the internships from Sharon Castano in the co-op education department. She knew I was looking for a finance concentrated internship,” explained Magyar. He believes that “the fair may have helped [increase the number of interns this semester] but it is a joint effort by all of Wilkes University professors and PPD programs, as they are always mentioning and encouraging opportunities to receive help from career services and the co-op offices.” Nicole Leader, a senior double major in sociology and political science, is interning at the Institute for Human Resources and Services Inc., a foster care/adoption agency located in Kingston. “I chose to intern in the spring due to the fact that I feel that my schedule, which is normally jam packed... would allow me more time to spend at an internship,” Leader states. For many students, it takes time and effort to plan for when they want to begin an internship. According to the Wilkes University website a good place to start looking for an internship is to, “talk to your advisor for specific details about the program,” and “consult with your advisor to decide if you are able to arrange a co-op or internship for your next semester.” BEACON Serving the community through fair and accurate reporting while supporting the views and opinions of our readers. Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief: Nick Podolak Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com Managing Editor: Alison Woody Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com News Editor: Andrew Seaman Email: news.beacon@gmail.com Op/Ed Editor: Mark Congdon Jr. Email: thebeacon.oped@gmail.com Lifestyles Editor: Christa Sgobba Email: beacon.lifestyles@gmail.com A&E Editor: Marissa Phillips Email: thebeaconae@gmail.com Sports Editor: Carlton Holmes Email: beaconsports@gmail.com Photo Editor: Cara Koster Advertising Managers: Stephanie Yachim Dana Zlotucha Email: thebeacon.ads@gmail.com Advisor: Dr. Andrea Breemer Frantz Established in 1936 PA Newspaper Association Member Printed on Tuesdays during the academic school year. Photo Courtesy Marketing Communications Thanks in part to growing enrollment, word of mouth and internship fairs, Wilkes University has broken its internship record with 141 students currently engaging internships. Wilkes hopes to continue breaking its internship records by holding another internship fair on October 23, 2008. Pictured here are many of the record class of interns who are placed in a wide variety of organizations and businesses in the region. 130 S. River St. First Floor, Conyngham Hall, Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 (570) 408-5903 wilkesbeacon@gmail.com www.wilkesbeacon.com �FEBRUARY 12, 2008 THEFT from FRONT PAGE it’s currently unknown where the cameras will be positioned, Sacolic expects to see several placed in the vicinity of the computers on the first floor. Rebo is hopeful that the cameras will be up by this summer. “There’s a difference between surveillance and recording. Surveillance implies that someone’s on the opposite end watching. That’s probably not going to be the case here,” said Sacolic. “We want to keep the security measures in place based on the situation. We could lock things down and have air-tight security, but then it’s a real hassle for the students to show off their bag and every other little thing… It’s a balance between user friendly atmosphere and attitude with proper security in place without taking heavy duty, drastic security measures.” “We want the students to feel welcome here, and secure,” added Selecky. The most recent technological theft occurred the weekend before the spring semester began. Between Thursday, January 10, and Friday, January 14, a Panasonic 42-inch screen television was stolen from Capin Hall, Room 102. The television was purchased by the history department and, according to Rebo, had not been secured. “We do have cameras in the rear of Capin for the greenway and I watched those tapes from the Thursday before to the Monday it was discovered. I watched those tapes and they didn’t go out the back way,” said Rebo. However, there are no cameras on the front porch of Capin. There are no leads or suspects in what Rebo is calling “crimes of opportunity.” Even though Wilkes University is a private institution, Farley Library is a public ac- 3 cess library and Capin Hall’s doors are not locked during class time. “We’re a public access library and we have a community situation. It could be that students have a lot of gear these days - laptops, cell phones, iPods - and if someone wanted to take advantage of that, it wouldn’t be a difficult thing to do,” said Sacolic. “I just want to stress to the students that they have to be conscientious… You don’t ever want to leave your laptop unattended or your equipment lying around.” Sacolic said that students are able to leave their belongings at the circulation desk if they have to leave the library for any reason and are planning to return. “It’s sorry to say, but whether it’s students or the public, people do steal. It’s a crime of opportunity… I think this university is going in the right direction with the technology. We’re going to have quite [a few] cameras on campus once we’re all done,” said Rebo. Camera installation is an ongoing project that may be complete within two years. Sacolic believes that the incidents with the mini-Mac and the laptop in the library may be coincidences. Rebo agrees; there is currently no evidence that any of the crimes, including the theft of the television in Capin, are linked. Though no witnesses to the events have come forward, Rebo stressed the importance of reporting any crimes seen on campus. “Theft is the number one crime on college campuses… Help we get from the students, faculty or staff [is vital]. If you see something, call. The greatest information we can get is from the students, faculty and staff.” Photo Courtesy Google Earth The highlighted portion of the Stark Learning Center is the portion that is being considered for renovation. The adaptations will be ‘green’ as part of the University’s effort to become more eco-friendly. The building will also be a living lab. Students will be able to monitor energy usage throughout the building. The design phase will take up to 24 months because of the intricate details involved with attaching the new additions to the old sections of Stark. SHE from FRONT PAGE continue into spring semester through early “What we’re going to do is to take down summer. part of Stark, the older part, the southern “The next step would be the design phase. and eastern parts. And we are going to add I don’t know when it will start, but it could another building to the northeastern corner take anywhere from 18-24 months to design of Stark. There is going to be some rear- this building. After that, we go through the rangement within the building. Nursing construction stage which could last anywill be coming in and joining us, and I think where from 12-24 months depending on Nursing will be thrilled because their facili- how intricate things are, and if what will be ties are distributed around campus,” said involved to connect the addition to Stark,” Klemow. said John Pesta, director of capital projects The building will be ‘green’ as part of and planning. the University’s effort to become more eco-friendly. The building is intended to become LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified. LEED is a national organization that reviews plans and implementation behind the construction of buildings and awards different levels of status depending on the ‘green’-ness of the facility. “We want to try and create a ITR-UEIFAL~ facility that minimizes both the energy footprint that the building will create and also the production The liver can break down alcohol at a of waste material. We are talking rate of about .5 oz per hour, which is about putting in a green roof. We about ½ the alcohol in an average would create roofs in which we grow plants on them. We could drink. Once in your system, nothing deploy certain technologies such can speed this rate. as solar panels to try to actually generate some electricity,” said - Provided By Health Services Klemow. The planning stage is likely to BOOZE TRUTHS Devouring a burger after drinking all night will help you sob er up. IL The Beacon/ Matt Gogas A student borrows a laptop from an employee at the circulation desk in the Farley Library. A laptop and a min-mac desktop computer were stolen from the library within two weeks of each other. IT has agreed to place security cameras in the library to prevent future thefts. The cameras should be installed in time for next school year. http:/lwww.factsontap.org �FEBRUARY 12, 2008 NEWS 4 News Analysis: Beacon Election Update Making sense of the election, candidates and issues BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor On Saturday, February 9, New York Senator Hillary Clinton appeared before a crowd looking defeated and tired after Illinois Senator Barack Obama was projected the winner in all of the states where a Democratic primary or caucus was held on that day. Obama’s most recent wins put him within 100 delegates of Clinton for the nomination. Recently, Obama’s burgeoning numbers at rallies, along with an uncanny ability to raise money, have helped him emerge as the party’s “best candidate” according to several news sources. Some pundits have noted that Obama inspires voters in a way they haven’t been since President John F. Kennedy. Clinton, meanwhile, holds wins in important high delegate states like California and New York, and remains solid in her appeal to middle-aged women. Most acknowledge that the decision for the party nominee will likely not come until the convention, which means that the state of Pennsylvania, previously almost discounted as too late in the primary process to matter (in April), is now likely to be important to both remaining Democratic candidates. On the Republican side of things Governor Mitt Romney withdrew from the race last week in a move that surprised some Key: Sen.Hillary Clinton Gov. Mike Huckabee Sen. John McCain Sen. Barack Obama Gov. Mitt Romney The Beacon/Andrew Seaman party faithful, Early in the week most news sources called McCain’s nomination “inevitable.”. However, as Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee proved on Saturday, it isn’t over yet. Huckabee won the majority of the states that held Republican contests on Saturday. This does not mean that he will pick up a lot of speed though. He still needs to win 90% of the remaining delegates to be the party’s nominee. The reason for Huckabee’s win could be explained as backlash from Romney’s exit from the race. Romney was widely hailed as the only viable “true” conservative because of his stance on abortion and illegal immigration. Now that he is out of the race those hardcore conservative voters look to the next best thing, Huckabee. McCain’s voting record dismays outspoken conservatives and media critics like Rush Limbaugh and Ann Coulter. They have predicted party defection if McCain gets the nod. McCain’s record offers evidence that he has reached out to Democrats and taken a less than hard-line conservative stance on issues such as immigration. Both Romney and McCain addressed the American Conservative Union’s CPAC conference last week. Romney was the favorite among this crowd, despite his unpopular announcement that he would be stepping back from his presidential bid in an effort to ensure a unified Republican party this summer. A few hours later McCain greeted the same crowd. His appearance was quite different from Romney’s, though. McCain was greeted with boos and Romney supporters remained in their seats with their arms folded in a show of solidarity. The race for the presidential nominations for both parties may be further complicated by the announcement last week that Independent, Ralph Nader, has again formed an exploratory committee to examine another bid for the presidency in November. Nader, known to many as the “spoiler” in 2000, could win independent voters that both McCain and Obama have relied upon heavily to date. So it is safe to say that this race is far from over. RACE Who’s won what? In the bid for the presidency in 2008, the primary and caucus season is now more than half finished. In The Beacon’s ongoing effort to educate Wilkes voters, the following is summary of the state standings and winners to date. Key: C = Clinton H = Huckabee R = Romney O = Obama M = McCain Alabama: H / O Alaska: R / O Arizona: M / C Arkansas: H / C California: M / C Colorado: R / O Connecticut: M / O Delaware: M / O District of Columbia: Feb. 12 Florida: M / C Georgia: H / O Hawaii: May 18 (R) / Feb. 18 (D) Idaho: May 27 (R) / O Illinois: M / O Indiana: May 6 Iowa: H / O Kansas: H / O Kentucky: May 20 Louisiana: H / O Maine: R / Feb. 10 (D) Maryland: Feb. 12 Massachusetts: R / C Michigan: R / C Minnesota: R / O Mississippi: March 11 Missouri: M / O Montana: R / June 3 (D) Nebraska: May 13 (R) / O Nevada: R / C New Hampshire: M / C New Jersey: M / C New Mexico: June 3 (R) / ? (D) New York: M / C North Carolina: May 6 North Dakota: R / O Ohio: March 4 Oklahoma: M / C Oregon: May 20 Pennsylvania: April 22 Rhode Island: March 4 South Carolina: M / O South Dakota: June 3 Tennessee: H / C Texas: March 4 Utah: R / O Vermont: March 4 Virginia: Feb. 12 Washington: M / O West Virginia: H / May 13 (D) Wisconsin: Feb. 19 Wyoming: R / Mar. 8 (D) �FEBRUARY 12, 2008 Beacon News Briefs NEWS 5 Local, National, and International News Snippets Local (WILKES-BARRE) Wilkes University’s Marketing Club is accepting cell phone donations in any condition for the “Donate-a-Phone” campaign. Donations can be dropped off in Breiseth 214 until mid-February. All donations will benefit the Domestic Violence Center. (HAZELTON) On Thursday, February 7, Mayor Lou Barletta announced that he is running for Congress. Barletta, who has received national attention due to his anti-illegal immigration approach, will run as a Republican in an effort to unseat 12-term Democratic Representative Paul Kanjorski. (DAUPHIN COUNTY) Louis DeNaples, owner of Mount Airy Casino Resort, pled not guilty to charges of four counts of perjury on Wednesday, February 6. DeNaples is charged with lying to Harrisburg officials about having ties to organized crime and the Pennsylvania State Gaming Board in order to receive a gaming license to open the resort. DeNaples was released on his own recognizance and is awaiting his preliminary hearing. National (LOS ANGELES) On Saturday, February 10, union leaders announced they may have reached a tentative three-year deal with production companies to bring the Hollywood writer’s strike closer to an end. With the possibility of the writers’ strike ending this week, new episodes of late night talk shows, prime-time dramas, and events like the Oscars will return. (HOUSTON) Plans to attach a $2 billion dollar European science laboratory to the International Space Station were delayed due to a health issue concerning one of the members of Atlantis’ crew. Due to privacy issues, the name of the astronaut and the extent of the health problem were not been disclosed. The chairman of NASA’s Space Management Team claim that the illness was not life threatening. (WASHINGTON) After a bipartisan vote of 354 to 58 on Thursday, February 7, the House approved legislation to create a federal list of 136 of the wealthiest colleges in the US in order to stabilize costs of college tuition instead of raising them. The bill will raise the Pell grant’s maximum amount from $5,800 to $9,000, a significant difference to needy students who apply for the award. International (TOKYO) When a Russian Air Force bomber violated Japanese air space on Saturday, February 10, Japan promptly launched 22 fighter jets and immediately contacted Moscow to protest. Three minutes after receiving warnings from the jets, the Russian Tupolev 95 left the air space. The Russian Air Force denied the incident. (LONDON) Late Saturday, February 10, a fire tore through Camden Market, the center of London’s alternative fashion scene and partially engulfed popular celebrity hot spot, Hawley Arms. More than 100 firefighters were on the scene to fight the blaze, but the cause of the flames at the tourist draw was still unknown Sunday morning. (BARINAS, Venezuela) On Saturday, February 10, President Hugo Chavez announced that Venezuelan authorities are preparing for the release of Gloria Polanco, Luis Eladio Perez and Orlando Beltran, three hostages who were kidnapped in 2001 by Columbian rebels. The hostages are in supposed good condition and their families, who turned to Chavez for help in their safe return, are looking forward to their return home. Because there is no guarantee or time limit for the release, a date has yet to be set by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia. FIIIIJ~•ellC INNOVATIVE �Opinion Juke Box Hero Here’s To You Angry Rant FEBRUARY 12, 2008 Kenya’s heartache is Wilkes’s challenge BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD Since December 27, 2007, Kenya has gone from one of the most stable, tourist rich countries on the African continent to one of the most violent and dangerous places in the world. On that date, Kenya held its presidential election, and the outcome returned President Mwai Kibaki to power. Kibaki is known to have little concern for those in his country who suffer any sort of hardship or problems. He won over the more powerful and younger candidate Raila Odinga. Odinga’s supporters insist that the election was rigged and is therefore invalid. They also would rather see their country destroyed than be turned over to the leadership of Kibaki. In outrage, teenagers armed with machetes, farmers armed with clubs, and others protested what they believed to be an unjust election and the promise of continued oppression. In one month, the death toll in the country has risen above 1,000, according to both BBC and Reuters reports. The United Nations reports that over one-half million people have been displaced and now face starvation and disease. So, what should Americans do about this? What actions can we take to help the citizens of Kenya? Frankly we don’t know. After long editorial staff discussions about what should happen, we could not come to an agreement. For us to say that the United States should just wait and see what happens seems too isolationist. The fact is, America’s action or inaction on any international crisis sends a signal to the rest of the world. And people are dying. It is irresponsible, perhaps even immoral, to stand by idly and say and do nothing. On the other hand, how do we know that forcing one plan of action onto the country is the right thing for that country’s own culture? If America weighs in on civil war, isn’t it likely to impose Amer- ican ideals and American culture upon a nation with its own unique cultural heritage and needs? Barring Nobel Peace Prizeworthy plans for specific change in Kenya, The Beacon staff has thought of some things that will make the Wilkes University student body more culturally aware overall. Education is, after all, the first step toward action. Suggestion #1: to Student Government. Please bring back Wilkes student free copies of the New York Times newspaper. We are guided by the words of Joseph Pulitzer: “Put [a newspaper] before them briefly so they will read it, clearly so they will appreciate it, picturesquely so they will remember it and, above all, accurately so they will be guided by its light.” While yes, students can learn about Kenya and other international challenges online, students also require the knowledge that a worldwide paper provides. The New York Times remains one of the most important sources of indepth analysis and international news coverage in the world, and students who have access to it have the opportunity to engage in class discussion and casual conversation about issues more far-reaching that parking problems at Wilkes. It is that simple. If students have the paper sitting by the door in the Henry Student Center, they might pick it up and find something that interests them. There is just something about having a newspaper of that caliber in front of you that makes you feel more connected to the outside world. Pennsylvania State University implemented a newspaper system for its students, and surveys show that over half of the student population said they believed the program contributed to their ability to have a conversation. In addition students read the paper four times per week. Suggestion #2: to all student organizations. Consider hosting as many diverse and culturallybased speakers as possible. If we can expose the student body to as many cultures as possible our student body cannot help but become more culturally aware. But of course, there is no guarantee that ‘if you build it, they will come.’ It is also up to the student body, faculty and staff to make an effort to attend such events and actively engage. We encourage everyone on campus to set a personal goal to attend two cultural events per semester. This weekend, for example, Wilkes hosted a Chinese New Year celebration in the Henry Student Center. While the event will occur shortly after this issue is put to bed, our hope is for a good turn out. Such events expose all students and faculty to people, customs and cultures different from their own. Suggestion #3: to university administrators. Advancing a campus in its world literacy requires commitment of resources. If this campus is to produce future problem solvers who can address conflicts like the current one in Kenya, we need to send students to conferences, offer a variety of study abroad opportunities and help students afford them, and we need to open all major speaking engagements such as the Outstanding Leaders Forum and the Rosenn Lecture to students free of charge. Suggestion #4 to all Wilkes community members. Cultivate 6 a climate of active listening and sensitivity on campus. One of the reasons that countries dissolve into violence and chaos is because communication channels break down. When they do, sensitivity to the plights of others evaporates. While we are powerless to manufacture a new and effective means by which factions in Kenya can better communicate, we are capable of building good models right here that may be useful down the line. On a very basic level, when you see another student in need, do not be afraid to lend them a hand. Maybe someday they will return the favor. Think about how you feel after someone, who does not expect anything in return, comes over to lend you a hand. It is like a natural high and you just feel good about people. So, our solution to the violence in Kenya is really no solution at all that will touch the country directly--at least not right away. While we do not advocate going into the country with force, or even simply dropping peacekeepers into the middle of the conflict, we leave the actual peace-brokering to ambassadors and NGOs with the sort of clout necessary to move change along quickly . Instead, we focus on a local solution that acknowledges we are the future and that Kenya’s current conflict will not be the last of its kind in our lifetime. Wilkes students, you are our solution. You are the best way to make a difference in the world. Become educated. Become informed. Acknowledge that it’s a big world out there and we may well be its future peace-makers. 9r"',J; c-e. ilc,.\c..s .. ,._.,,-;.__ ) f\ 1 ";:) ,,_.,,.,"? R ·,o+ Beacon Poll Results The following are results of a poll that The Beacon conducted online this past week. The poll was unscientific, and does not claim to reflect the overall attitudes of students on campus. Results are based on 35 responses. The Beacon asked: What country would you want to study abroad in? • • • • • • • • • • Greece-17% Japan-9% Peru-9% South Africa-0% China-9% New Zealand-22% Russia-0% Germany-13% France-4% Other-17% Next Week’s Question: If Cupid’s arrows had gone astray, who would be the worst Valentine’s couple ever? • • • • • • • • • • A Sight for Sore Eyes By Aleksander Lapinski 7 7 8 Rosie O’Donnell & Don ald Trump Miley Cyrus & R. Kelly Britney Spears & Dr. Phil Michael Jackson & The Jonas Brothers Pamela Anderson & Bill Gates Mary-Kate Olsen & a Cheeseburger Amy Winehouse & Prince William Tom Cruise and Elisabeth Hasselbeck Hugh Hefner & Betty White Cher & Mitt Romney Visit www.wilkesbeacon.com to cast your vote. Results will be published in next week’s issue of The Beacon. �OPINION FEBRUARY 12, 2008 7 “Jukebox Hero” anything but heroic to music lovers BY NICK PODOLAK Beacon Editor-in-Chief “You know, a bar offers all kinds of other things other than alcohol,” said Kurt Russell as Stuntman Mike in the 2007 flick Death Proof. “Women. Nacho Grande platters. The fellowship of some fascinating individuals...” I would like to add one more thing to the Stuntman’s list…the juke box. Originally a coin-operated phonograph in the 1920s, the jukebox gained massive popularity in the “Happy Days” generation of the 50s and 60s, spinning vinyl 45s on a bulky contraption that resembled a cross between R2D2 and a Cadillac. In the compact disc era, patrons could now flip between album sleeves and seek the track they wished to play by reading the listings on the back. But in this tinny-sounding era of digital music, where MP3s and illegal downloading are all the rage, the good ‘ol Rock O-las and Wurlitzers are being replaced by these wall-mounted sentries known as TouchTunes. TouchTunes is the first commercial digitaldownloading jukebox, released in 1998, and contains over two million licensed tracks from all major and independent labels in its digital library. Sounds almost too good to be true, right? Well, it most certainly is. After feeding a dollar into the machine, the customer is granted two plays, (one less than the standard jukebox allows) and instead of flipping through the albums, the customer must drag his or her finger down a scrollbar marked A-Z to find the first letter of the artist’s name. The only problem is, customers are only provided with one or two hits by each artist, and in order to search TouchTune’s vast library, they must feed another dollar into the machine. To further complicate things, there is the ever-so-annoying Play Now feature, which means that for another dollar, somebody can cut your songs off and start theirs. For example, let’s say I just dished out $10 worth of AC/DC, and some idiot comes along and selects the whole Alvin and the Chipmunks Christmas album. For an extra buck, the Chipmunks fan can hit “Play Now,” and I’ll be lucky if I hear two of my songs before the night’s end. It’s a money making scam that has made playing tunes on the juke a competition. The jukebox once gave a place character. People would actually go to a bar simply because it had a great jukebox, flipping through song after song only to find a gem to impress their friends (and clientele). Sadly, TouchTunes has ruined this whole musical experience, making it too expensive to be the “Jukebox Hero.” And where is the Led Zeppelin? “No Child Left Inside Fund” no solution to obesity issue BY MARK CONGDON JR. Beacon Opinion Editor How would American children feel if their government forced them to play outside? How would they feel if after a long day of school and work American children were penalized by the government for playing video games and watching TV? How might American parents feel if the federal government implemented a special tax on televisions and video games in order to deter obesity and force their children to engage in more physical activity? No, this is not the plot to a newly discovered George Orwell novel. According to a recent CNN.com article, a coalition of groups led by the Rio Grande chapter of the Sierra Club is lobbying the New Mexico legislature to pass a bill that would place a 1% sales tax on televisions, video games, and video game equipment. The tax revenue would be used for government sponsored outdoor education programs as a means of deterring children from sitting on the couch and to encourage them to be more athletic. The bill attempts to combat childhood obesity. Some argue that if cigarettes and alcohol are taxed in order to deter people from engaging in unhealthy, even self-destructive behavior, then why not do the same for television, video games and equipment; it’s only fair, right? Wrong. Taxing such items is likely to cause more of a financial burden on people who can afford it the least. Although it’s only a 1% tax, it adds up and money is tight. Moreover, the article reported that, “The tax could put New Mexico retailers at a disadvantage as they compete with online stores and retailers that offer downloadable games.” There are more prominent factors that contribute to obesity than children passively watching TV and playing video games. Irresponsible parenting and the lifestyles parents allow their kids to live are a big factor in the current obesity epidemic. The television and video game industries shouldn’t be punished for parents’ mistakes. Ultimately, while childhood obesity and resulting health problems such as juvenile diabetes are at an all-time high in American society, it’s important to remember that America as a whole has never been fatter. We often need look no further than the parents of the children for whom this initiative is proposed to understand that obesity is a family problem. According to a recent CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) report, 22 states reported a prevalence of adult obesity (which is considered equal to or greater than 30 BMI) in 20-25% of their population. As a child, I was obese, weighing around 155 pounds in the fifth grade. I didn’t play sports, not because I played video games or was lazy, but because I wasn’t good at them. I was constantly picked on and the bullying I endured caused me psychological problems during my elementary and middle school years. Because of these constant putdowns, I would eat food as a way to deal with my problems, and become even more overweight. The low self-esteem born of awkwardness and a lack of athletic aptitude led to the obesity. Or was it the other way around? Although I am healthy and in shape now, and could not care less what others think of me, having a tax like this wouldn’t have deterred me from watching TV or playing video games, and I wouldn’t have been any more motivated to play outside. What I needed was to adopt a more positive attitude. At the time, though, I didn’t feel as if I had a place to go to try to become more positive and deal with issues in ways other than eating food for comfort. If the government taxes its people who choose a sedintary lifestyle, what’s next? Putting a tax on puppies because their owner won’t pick up their droppings when they walk in public? Having a tax on these products and using the money to create outdoor social programs will not work, and there are other more effective solutions that could help combat childhood obesity that are already available at our disposal. Existing alternatives include increasing the amount of time school students spend in physical education, eliminating unhealthy junk foods and beverages in schools, and including a healthy lifestyle curriculum into public schools’ health program. More importantly however, there needs to be some type of an effective comfort zone space where students who struggle with their weight can go to get advice, be heard and get positive emotional encouragement and feedback, such as guidance counselors or school psychologist. If schools don’t have an effective guidance counseling program, that’s where the funds need to be redirected. Here’s to you... Mr. Really Loud Cell Phone Talker BY GINO TROIANI Staff Writer/Photographer Here’s to you Mr. Really Loud Cell Phone Talker. Comparable to William Hung, we don’t want to, but we can’t help but listen. No matter where you are, we can always pick you out in a crowd. While the rest of us are trying to mind our own business, you never seem to have a problem breaking that awkward silence. Of course no one cares about your aunt Ruth, girlfriend, or dog Fluffy, but we can always count on you to inform us. Keep on keeping on! ~ ~ ~ ( I i "' ~~ ~ - ""' \ ~ , '..1 ' Drawing By: Matt Vital �FEBRUARY 12, 2008 OPINION 8 The Angry Rant: No Voter, No Cry BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor It’s one of those years again. That’s right, a leap year. A year that is going to be so busy that we actually need another day added to our calendars in order to fit everything in. Regardless of what the scientific community tells you, leap years don’t exist to keep the calendars synchronized; instead, there is a far greater reason for the leap year: The Presidential Election. The genius who thought up the idea of the leap year did so in order to prevent us from losing a full day of our lives watching the election unfold on television, while we blissfully remain ignorant to the rest of the outside world. True story: A friend of mine actually missed the birth of his first child during the last election because he spent the entire night flipping back and forth between MSNBC and CNN, in a futile attempt to see which channel said the word “projected” more. To be fair, though, his kid was pretty unspectacular. I mean, he is almost four-yearsold and he can’t even ride a bike yet. Weak. Anyhow, now that Super Tuesday has come and gone, Americans are left with a limited selection of candidates from which to choose on the Presidential Menu. As the field diminishes with each passing day, options dwindle to nothing more than a garden salad and the smoked catfish. After everything unfolded last week, we were left with a clear front runner of the Republican party in John McCain, who proved that people over 70 really can live a normal life - not that there was really a debate over that. On the other side of the political spectrum, the Democratic party narrowed its choice to Hillary “My husband was President, so I have experience by proxy” Clinton, and Barack “Hussein” Obama. That’s actually his middle name, it’s not a joke. Others that suffered a crushing blow on Super Tuesday include Mitt Romney, who spent over $30 million out of his own pocket to finance his campaign before dropping out of the race. What a shame, now he is only worth $200 million. Former Senator John Edwards ran a solid campaign, but he was forgotten faster than a Jodie Foster movie. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee has made some headway during the primaries, but his campaign is all but a lost cause at this point, despite the fact that he had Chuck Norris as one of his main supporters. Many critics point to his foreign policy as his biggest weakness, but the truth is that his campaign slogan of “Chuck Norris IS the electoral college” turned a lot of people off after Norris would lie in wait outside of voting booths with the intent of roundhouse kicking anyone who voted for McCain. All joking aside, this election is vitally important to our nation, just like every election that preceded it. History could be made during this election, and with the impending recession looming around the corner, Americans have to be more involved in the process than ever. However, we all know what’s going to happen. There is going to be a large push for young voter turnout, akin to the “Vote or Die” campaign of 2004, and the same thing is going to happen: Nothing. Young people aren’t going to vote, just like the last election and the election before that. Consider this: In four years, most college students are going to be entering the workforce in some capacity. Isn’t it important to them (or yourself) what the state of the country is? How are taxes? What’s the unemployment rate? Will the draft be reinstated? (The answer to that is no, but you get the point.) One of my biggest pet peeves with people is when they complain when things don’t go their way, notwithstanding the fact that they did nothing to help their own cause. The same thing can be said with the voters in this country. The last time that we had a voter turnout of over 60% was in 1968. However, those same people who don’t vote will sit back and complain about the state of things. But here’s the thing: If you don’t vote, you forfeit the right to complain. It’s true, if you don’t participate in the political process, then why should you com- plain? No one goes into a restaurant and says “surprise me,” do they? That would be ridiculous. Classic excuses: But I don’t like any of the candidates. Last election, there were literally over ten people that you could have voted for. If you don’t care for the Republican or the Democratic nominee, then vote for someone else. At least your voice will be heard. But my vote doesn’t make a difference! True, one vote might not determine the election, but what if it did? That’s the power that voters have. But I’m too busy to pay attention to this stuff. sure you are. But you’re not too busy to browse YouTube for hours, watch wrestling on cable television, or stare at the walls of your apartment or dorm room and complain that there’s nothing to do in town. But don’t I have the right not to vote? I suppose you do, but non-voters don’t impact a vote. Voting is a right that is given to most, something that other countries are fighting and dying for on a daily basis. It’s a privilege more than anything else, and every single person in this country who is able to vote should be registered and in line come November. That’s it for this week, readers. And, as of last week, if you don’t agree with me, then you’re wrong. For the first time, young voters actually hold power BY LAUREN SALEM Beacon Staff Writer The last time this country has seen masses of young voters flocking to an election was in 1972, when the voting age was lowered to 18. Given the state of the nation at that point, there was certainly much for young people to care about and want to vote for (or against). But after that high point in 1972, voting trends suggest that most people under the age of 30 quickly lost interest in presidential elections. Analysts have chalked this up to many factors, but mostly disillusionment with national leadership. But at the turn of the millenium, some polls indicated that young people were again beginning to re-engage and pay closer attention. According to Time magazine, only 13% of voters 18-to-29-years-old paid attention to presidential campaigns in 2000, but that number increased to 42% in 2004, and has taken yet another leap to 74 % in 2008. In addition, 7 of 10 young voters said that they pay closer attention to the presidential race than celebrity news or sports. This year, presidential candidates have been working to woo young voters to caucuses and primaries through the use of new technologies provided by the internet as well as text messaging. Social networking and videos posted on YouTube have gotten young voters involved, which caused record-shattering youth turnouts in the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primaries. And somewhat unusual appeals have also surfaced. Amber Lee Ettinger, better known as “Obama Girl”, has emerged as a YouTube and music video sensation with her musical tributes to Barack Obama called “I’ve Got a Crush on Obama” and “Super Obama Girl.” On the Republican side, Mike Huckabee won Iowa, because of his “young evangelicals,” a part of his campaign called “Huck’s Army,” which netted 37 % of young voters. Young voters also helped John McCain win New Hampshire, and to some extent South Carolina. Exit polls from South Carolina and Iowa show that Obama received more than half of the youth vote, helping him to win both states. Last spring, Obama hired Hans Riemer, his youth vote director, which benefited Obama the most out of all the other candidates, according to an article posted by the Morris Daily Herald. While Obama may have been the first among this year’s candidates to reach out to young voters, others like Hillary Clinton quickly caught onto the trend and launched her “Students for Hillary” campaign at high schools and college campuses across California using her daughter, Chelsea, as the campaign’s icon. Analysts attribute Clinton’s strong showing on Super Tuesday, at least in part, to that effort. According to a recent article in The Buffalo News, David Burstein, who has recently released a documentary called “18 in ‘08” said, “What these technologies are doing is they’re giving young people an unprecedented amount of power and access to the political process.” While college students don’t regularly watch the news, or read the newspaper, their universal attachment to the internet ensures access to political appeals; they can catch a candidate’s speeches and debates on YouTube. They also share their thoughts through social networking groups on sites like Facebook and Myspace, which bring people together and ultimately can receive billions of hits per day. A study from last year at the Students’ Public Interest Research Group, which works to turn out votes nationwide among college students, found that sending a text message asking students to vote a day before an election resulted in a 4 % increase in student turnout at the polls. The tides appear to be turning, and just as Pennsylvania may matter in its primary to be held in April (at least on the Democratic side, as things are unlikely to shake out before then), young voters now appear to have a newfound power to sway the election. Pay attention. Ask questions about the issues that matter to you. Vote. This year, for a change, it appears it may make a difference. �LIFESTYLES FEBRUARY 12, 2008 Student of the Week 10 Tour of Africa 11 9 Valentine’s Day targets lovers...and wallets BY MARK CONGDON JR. Beacon Opinion Editor It’s that time of year again when love is in the air and in romance all things are possible. Yes, February 14, Valentine’s Day, happens this week. But how did this holiday get started and how is it observed today? According to the History Channel, there are many legends to how this love-fest all began. HistoryChannel.com notes that St. Valentine’s Day contains remnants of both ancient Roman and Christian traditions. One of the most popular legends is that St. Valentine was actually the first to send a ‘valentine’ greeting. It is believed that while he was imprisoned because he refused to worship the Roman Gods, he fell in love with a young woman who would visit him. It’s alleged that before his death, he wrote her a letter and signed it, “From your Valentine,” an expression that is still used today. While there is much folklore as to how and why Valentine’s Day began, and we may never know the complete truth behind this holiday, the legends paint Valentine’s character as a compassionate and romantic icon. His idealized character is celebrated to this day, and millions of people all around the world express their love and affection to their sweethearts with cards, candy and gifts. While, a popular American tradition, St. Valentine’s Day is not exclusive to the United States. Dr. Anne Heineman Batory, professor of marketing in the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership is spending the semester in the United Kingdom and has also ob- served cultural traditions for the holiday. “Valentine’s Day is a holiday here as well -- the red lights and decorations have been up since early January. As in the USA, it is a big evening for dinners at pubs and restaurants (second only to Mother’s Day). Flowers, always a big draw, are the gift of choice here. The flower markets are beautiful,” she said. Dr. Mary Beth Mullen, CSE Advising Coordinator for University College, explained that over the years, Valentine’s Day has changed since she was an undergraduate student. “When my husband and I started dating, it was 1975. We were in college, and if we went out to dinner it would be someplace inexpensive. We would also get each other a small gift because we were students without much money,” Mullen said. “Now, we still get each other something small but stay in. Having an evening of quiet relaxation by the fireplace at home is how we like to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Just spending time together is more important than going out,” stated Mullen. She added, “Today, I see numerous ads for diamonds and other jewelry; it’s just excess. But there are more non-tangible ways to show your sweetheart you love them. Now, it’s the bigger the gift, the more you love them, and it’s not right!” According to a recent Forbes.com article, the average Valentine’s Day consumer will spend approximately $120 on the holiday this year, up from last year’s average of $101. The article report- ed that in total, American citizens will spend around $16.9 billion on their lovers this year. Some of the biggest industries that profit financially from Valentine’s Day are those that sell jewelry, candy, greeting cards and flowers. In order to attract customers, Plumb Gold, a jewelry store located in the Wyoming Valley Mall, is having special promotions for the holiday for lovers, which The Beacon/Christine Zavaskas appear to be working. This Valentine’s Day, consumers will spend about $120 on Melissa Bacorn, the their loved ones, up from last year’s average of $101. store manto show your love in a more sentimental ager of Plumb Gold, said, way,” said Danielle Capone, sophomore “Valentine’s Day is one of nursing major. our biggest holidays…Love When Petrosky was asked what she is in the air, and it’s fun time planned to get her sweetheart, she replied, to work.” “I like to make my Valentine’s Day cards Valentine’s Day is an especially because I think it means a little more…I’m lucrative holiday for florists. Rick Berry, probably going to spend between $30 and the owner of McCarthy Flowers in down$40 to make a Valentine’s Day dinner.” town Wilkes-Barre, counts it as the biggest Capone said that she plans to get her darholiday for the shop. ling some “chocolates and a movie.” “It’s the largest holiday for us of the year, Regardless if St. Valentine’s Day has sales volume-wise. We’ve been here for 25 evolved over the years, one thing is still for years…our customers know about the qualsure, believes Capone. ity we provide,” said Berry. “This year sales “Valentine’s Day is a day that celebrates are up compared to years past…college stuthe love and appreciation you have for those dents have been coming in more.” you care about,” she said. “Whether you Many students appear to be enjoying the plan to spend your Valentine’s Day with romantic atmosphere that Valentine’s Day friends, family or your significant other, it’s brings with it. nice to go out of your way to do something Mandy Petrosky, sophomore integrated nice for someone you love.” media major, stated that she enjoys the holiday because, “I have a cute outfit picked out, and it’s the only time of the year when you can get the candy conversation hearts.” “Valentine’s Day is a special holiday because it’s one of the only times of the year when it’s acceptable to be a hopeless romantic…It’s kind of corny, but it’s fun The Beacon/Matt Gogas The Beacon/Christine Zavaskas �LIFESTYLES 10 FEBRUARY 12, 2008 Student of the Week: Mario DellaFortuna BY CHRISTINE ZAVASKAS Beacon Asst. Lifestyles Editor was the first thing my friend and I saw and we knew right away we wanted to do it. For one to four hours a week you will not find Mario DellaFortuna, a junior biology major with a minor in secondary education, playing sports, doing class work, or even spending time with his college friends. Instead, DellaFortuna is spending time with his “little brother,” James. DellaFortuna became a volunteer for the organization Big Brothers Big Sisters last October. According to the organization’s website, www.bbbs.org, “Big Brothers Big Sisters matches children ages 6 through 18 with mentors in professionally supported one-to-one relationships.” Volunteers then spend time with their “little” in order to provide an encouraging role model and friend. In addition to this community service, DellaFortuna is also a member of the football team, the Education Committee Chair for Tri Beta (the biology honor society), and a member of Education Club. For his dedication to being a positive role model, The Beacon has chosen DellaFortuna as this week’s Student of the Week. The Beacon sat down with him to find out more about his experiences as a “big brother.” The Beacon: How did you get involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters? DellaFortuna: For one of my classes, Multicultural Education, we were encouraged to do community service. There was this big list of topics. Big Brother Big Sisters The Beacon: Why did you pick that community service? DellaFortuna: I thought it would help me, because I want to be a teacher. Also, I grew up in a town that was similar to this. There were a lot of bad influences around, so I wanted to be a positive role model. Plus, my coach for football always stresses how he wants people to be part of the community and be those types of positive role models. The Beacon: What kind of activities do you do with your “little brother”? DellaFortuna: Last week, we actually went to the Penguins game. We’ve also played basketball and gone to the movies, stuff like that. because…I got him a basketball not even knowing that like a week earlier, his basketball had gotten run over by a car. So it worked out perfect and he was really happy. It was really nice. The Beacon: Since Big Brothers Big Sisters is all about being a positive role model, who is your role model? DellaFortuna: One of them was my high school biology teacher that I had my freshman year of high school. I always liked math and science better than English, and when I took biology with him as a freshman he just made it so fun. It really had an impact on me. He’s the reason I want to be a biology teacher, because I just want to have that impact on somebody else. The Beacon: What have you learned from this experience? DellaFortuna: I’ve learned skills that will help me deal with things when I become a teacher. Just talking with somebody younger than me on a regular, consistent basis helps me make sure I can connect with them. The Beacon: What is your most memorable moment with your “little brother”? DellaFortuna: For his birthday, I got him a gift and he was really happy. It was nice to see his expression Beacon/Matthew Gogas Courtesy Mario DellaFortuna IN I CAl!.l: Bl LL ti EN lY at 115-761-4619 OR CHICK iliHE WEB S:liliE FOR INFOHMA.110N ·n . I nt 665 .· sma · dty+ · ·nt J _ In . ' ·, (570 s2 · ,_ · 9 - t �FEBRUARY 12, 2008 LIFESTYLES 11 Summer African tour offers Wilkes community exotic experience The seats on the flight to East Africa are filling quickly, and only up to twenty-five people can experience the best trip of them all according to Dr. James Merryman, an anthropology professor at Wilkes University. Merryman hosted a question-answer session in the Miller Room of the Henry Student Center on February 5 about a special summer excursion to Tanzania and Zanzibar he is sponsoring. Tom Kisura, the owner of the tour company, Safari Dreams, was also on hand to answer questions. “I built this trip to Africa for all the people who hate packaged tours,” Merryman said. “It combines a classic big game safari and a vacation on an exotic Indian Ocean island paradise.” From August 4-16, Merryman will lead a trip to Tanzania and Zanzibar in the eastern part of the continent. The trip will cost $5,000 which includes all flights, camp reservations, and most meals. The plane will arrive at Dar os Salaam, where the group will spend the night before flying for five hours out to Solous, Tanzania. For four days, Safari Dreams will guide safaris by foot, car, and boat. “Few places allow people to walk on foot,” Kisura said. “Most tours are in the vehicles, but we will walk with a game scout [for protection].” “This [walking] safari allows an intimate impression of the African bush and wildlife, which is unforgettable and brings you, closest to pristine nature,” Merryman said. During the game drive, people will be able to stand in the Safari car and see diverse animals up close through the pop-up roof. People will also see hippopotamuses up close during the boat safari in Solous, which has Africa’s highest concentration of hippopotamus. “Africa has spectacular national parks and reserves where we saw hippopotamuses, giraffes, elephants, and big cats,” said Wilbur Hayes, who traveled with Merryman to Africa in 2002 and in 2006. “I was also paying attention to hyenas, jackals, crocodiles, storks, fish, eagles, mongooses, catfish, and even Army ants.” The tour continues from Solous to Ruaha where tour members will spend two days hiking and camping in the Ruaha National Park. They will camp in tented lodges that blend in to the wild, but will also be provided with comfortable accommodations like flushing toilets, showers, and sofas. The last few days of the trip will be spent at Zanzibar Island where participants will first stay in the Tembo Hotel, which is one of many old Arab buildings downtown in Stone Town. “Zanzibar is famous for its building decorations and magnificent coral and fish,” Kisura said. On the way to the white sand beaches on the east coast, people will be able to stop at Jozani Forest and view the rare endemic Red Colobus monkey. While at the beach, they can snorkel or scuba dive in the ocean. “The best part of the vis- Dr. James Merryman and a group of students pose in front of the it was having equator on a previous trip to Africa. a tour guide who could speak the local language and was “We share the earth with other cultures so it familiar with the area and local customs,” is important to be aware of how other peosaid Dr. Brian Redmond, an environmental ple live in different environments.” engineering and earth sciences professor. as an agricultural volunteer the first time he visited East Africa and was sent to the capital city of Nairobi where he helped set up small-scale dairy farms. This year marks the 40th anniversary of his first time in Africa, where he lived for twelve years and has lead many trips since then. During the first major drought in Kenya, which took place in the early 1970s, Merryman returned to Africa as a paid volunteer to start teaching. Because of the dry conditions, many people lost their camels, so he started an irrigated agricultural project. Camels and other dairy farm animals like cows and goats are important staples to the natives’ diets, which mostly consist of warm milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, and meat. “Everyone has to go there and see that once people could live and live relatively well on so little,” Merryman said. The average African family uses five gallons of water a day for drinking, cooking, and washing their hands five times a day. During the day, the women walk for miles to collect a pile of firewood and find water to fill up their hand-carved, wooden jugs that weight around 78 pounds and can carry five gallons of water. “Tribal cultures are very family and community oriented, which aren’t concepts that are alien to us, but it’s something that we’ve moved away from as we became more urbanized,” Merryman said. After Merryman married, he took his wife back to Africa, where she and another volunteer started the first girls’ high school in a Muslim area the size of Pennsylvania. The first year the two-room school opened, 30 girls attended. Every year more girls attended and more rooms were added on, until enrollment reached 240 students. Eventually, another school had to be built to contain the overflow. Boys and girls there are segregated not only in schools, but also during social activities like dances as well. The girls sing in All photos courtesy Dr. James Merryman BY LAUREN SALEM Beacon Staff Writer Wilkes professor offers glimpse into African culture BY LAUREN SALEM Beacon Staff Writer Hosting a 12-day trip to Africa is no big deal for anthropology professor Dr. James Merryman. After living there for 12 years, he has learned the intracies of the culture and finds great fulfillment in sharing it withstudents. Merryman worked for the Peace Corps the chorus while the boys dance in a circle. During the dance, the boys would step in the middle of the circle to try to show off, and the girls would make up songs to flatter the boys. “They can’t say you’re cute or a hunk,” Merryman said. “It has to be indirect, like ‘his grandfather has a thousand white camels and killed a hundred Ethiopians.’” “We found the culture fascinating and the people were welcoming and hospital,” Merryman said. In the 1980s, Merryman lived in Somalia and did Arab land-development work like deforestation and working with Ethiopian refugees. He did a socio-economic study of all the people who lived over a 400 mile stretch of land and assessed how they would be affected by the government building a large dam on the most important river in the country for hydropower and irrigation. “Just the music, spirituality, stories, cultural richness, and the diversity are wonderful gifts that shouldn’t be ignored,” Dr. Merryman said. “I liked it very much and my wife liked it, which is the reason why we kept going back.” �A&E Folk Arts YOUniverse Crossword/Website Strange Wilderness FEBRUARY 12, 2008 13 14 15 LOCAL BAND SPOTLIGHT: tigers jaw BY MARISSA PHILLIPS Beacon A&E Editor If you frequent music venues outside of the bar scene, it’s pretty impossible to miss Tigers Jaw. At any given time the band seems to always have an upcoming show in the area--and for good reason. Tigers Jaw offers a crowd-pleasing set each and every time its members take the stage. The band consists of Ben Walsh on guitar and vocals, Pat Brier on drums, Adam Milwee on guitar and vocals, Dennis Mishko on bass, and Brianna Collins on organ and vocals. Much of the music is somewhat mellow indie rock, but there’s such a great amount of energy put into the songs that by the end of a performance the crowd is pushing each other over just to sing along the lyrics right near the stage. Recently The Beacon caught up with members of the band to talk about changes the band has undergone and the experiences of a “teen heartthrob sensation.” The Beacon: How long have you been a band and how have things progressed since the start? Tigers Jaw: We started Tigers Jaw two years ago, and I think having so many lineup changes made it possible to keep trying new things. The Beacon: Who writes the majority of your songs and what do you usually put into your lyrics in terms of subject matter and experiences? Tigers Jaw: Ben and I write an equal amount of songs. Most of our songs are about girls and wrestling. The Beacon: Which one of your songs is your favorite, and tell us why. Tigers Jaw: I think all of our songs are equally terrible. The Beacon: What in the world is the Age of the Fall website you have as your band website on your Myspace page (www.myspace.com/tigersjaw)? Tigers Jaw: Age of the Fall is the best faction in professional wrestling today and everyone should know about them. The Beacon: Tell us about your favorite show you’ve played. Tigers Jaw: My favorite show was when Matt Walsh filled in on bass and put his cord through a flowerpot because he loves gardening so much. The Beacon: Sum up your band in simply three words. Tigers Jaw: Teen heartthrob sensation. The Beacon: What have been the lineup changes? Tigers Jaw: Mike from Captain, We’re Sinking! used to drum for us, as did Thomas from Louch when we went on tour last year. Ben also used to play drums, but after a few months moved to guitar and started writing a lot of our songs. Our friend Bob, who’s in Election Day now (www.myspace.com/electionday2) used to play bass, and our friend Dan played organ before Brianna joined. DJ Getz has been with us since we started though, and really does a lot to help us out. II - The Beacon: What’s the story behind the band name? Tigers Jaw: There isn’t much of a story really. “Tigers Jaw” comes from a Microphones song, and I like that it doesn’t have an apostrophe after “tigers” and that it isn’t capitalized. Sometimes not capitalizing the name makes us look sloppy though, so we’ll capitalize it for like...this interview. The Beacon: Describe what your first show was like. Tigers Jaw: Our first show was one that we put together with The Green Chair, My Dad is a Dinosaur, Kid Icarus, and Okay Paddy at a youth center in Scranton. We didn’t have a bassist then, and I know that there were not that many people at the show, but that’s all I really remember. The Beacon: And what are your live shows like nowadays? Tigers Jaw: Better than our first one...we’ve become good friends with Title Fight and Three Man Cannon, so we play a lot of our shows with them. They’re writing some of the best songs now, and I think we take away more from them than any other bands. Our friends from The Mother/Daughter Team, who broke up a few months ago, started a new band and we’re all looking forward to playing shows with them again. The Beacon: What projects are you currently working on? Tigers Jaw: Right now we have a full-length and a six song EP already recorded, and we’re working on releasing those with our friend Mark, who has been helping us out a great deal lately. We’re also going into a studio for the first time to record a full-length for Prison Jazz Records and a 7” for Flight Plan Records. The Beacon: How would you describe your music to someone who has never heard you before? Tigers Jaw: We sound exactly like Jewish War Veterans (www.myspace.com/jewishwarveterans) • Picture courtesy Tigers Jaw �FEBRUARY 12, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13 Arts YOUniverse seeks to expand for folk artists BY MARISSA PHILLIPS & Beacon A&E Editor ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Assistant A&E Editor Anyone who steps into Arts YOUniverse at 156 South Franklin Street can see that it’s expansive and accommodates many facets of the art world. From dance to painting, from sculpture to jewelry creation, founder Kathleen Godwin has effectively created a true arts mosiac all under one roof. However, Godwin is the first to acknowledge that while the former mansion does house a large cross section of the arts, it is not all encompassing. That is why Godwin has a new project in development stages. To put it simply, she “wants to have it all.” Godwin explained that she sees three types of art: fine art, healing art, and folk art. Despite the space provided by three floors of the mansion, Arts YOUniverse is basically limited to fine art because there is not enough space to include it all. Godwin’s next project is to accommodate folk artists and develop an entirely new location where she will offer a Folk Arts YOUniverse. Final plans have not been solidified, but Godwin is in the planning phase with the building owner of Randy’s Paint, located on South Main Street. They have discussed having two floors available for Godwin’s newest project where there will be available space for folk artists such as jewelers, wood carvers, weavers and potters to work on and sell their work. The main idea is to develop something like a “mart atmosphere.” The artists will have their work space but the areas will also be open for people to enter and shop, making it both a working and shopping environment. Godwin feels like folk art has a wider audience appeal than fine art and the new yoga and voice lessons to any type of building would painting. The fees for all classes vary be a successful by artist. endeavor. According to the Arts YOUniverse While Godwebsite, the collaboration of artists win continues was created because, “Shopping for to work out the the best artistic experience should be details with the as easy as shopping for the best shoes, business owner, or freshest groceries.” Arts YOUniher main converse is open to the public and features cern is to find activities for those of any age group. serious crafting The current Arts YOUniverse space and folk artists. serves its purpose for now; however, She currently has the addition of the new space at Rannumerous artists dy’s Paint on South Main Street may interested in the allow for Godwin to come closer to project, but she achieving her dream of having it all. feels that there need to be 50 artists for the Arts The Beacon/Gino Troiani YOUniverse off- Arts YOUniverse is located at 156 South Franklin Street, across from shoot to succeed. Breiseth Hall. It’s only the first of mutiple arts center that Godwin The current hopes to create in the community. Arts YOUniverse building has welcomed the public and local artists to its location in downtown Wilkes-Barre for approxiTuesday, February 12 mately two and a half years, - “Beyond the Wall” poster sale at 10 a.m. in the SUB according to artist Maria - The Passion of the Christ showing at 6:30 p.m. in the Henry Student Center Grand Ballroom Livrone. Her clay and - Every Avenue, Livingston, Automatic Loveletter and Black Tie Affair performing at 7 p.m. at glass-fused work is featured Cafe Metropolis in a studio entitled “Potter’s Eye.” Wednesday, February 13 Her work includes a range - Lemongelli performing at 10 p.m. at the Woodlands of brightly colored glass- Open Mic featuring Mike Vierling at the Jazz Cafe fused jewelry, from necklaces to earrings featured Thursday, February 14 in a gift shop. Livrone also - “Passion at the Mansion” (yoga, dance, and pottery) at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. at Arts YOUniverse teaches pottery classes at - Free Music Orchestra at the Jazz Cafe Arts YOUniverse. Livrone is not the only Friday, February 15 artist offering classes. Arts - Musical Theater production, “The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd” at 8 p.m. YOUniverse, offers various in the Darte Center classes ranging from dance, - Star 69 performing at 10 p.m. at the Woodlands - Zach Deputy performing at the Jazz Cafe No more contacts. No glasses? NO WORRIES! Butler Eyecare has special Student Pricing! 20% discount on Frames $49 eye exams 822-8727 yecare for everyone www.bu tlereyecare.com 34 S. Main St. Across from SUBWAY Schedule of Events Saturday, February 16 - Benevento-Russo Duo performing at the Jazz Cafe - Musical Theater production, “The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd” at 8 p.m. in the Darte Center - The Menzingers, Static Radio, Three Man Cannon and Young Hearts performing at 8 p.m. at Cafe Metropolis - Picture Perfect performing at 10 p.m. at the Woodlands Sunday, February 17 - Musical Theater production, “The Roar of the Greasepaint, the Smell of the Crowd” at 2 p.m. in the Darte Center - Trippin On Nothing performing at the Jazz Cafe Monday, February 18 - Lenten Prayer Service being held at 6:30 in the Student Development Leadership Room �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Kudracross BY CHRISTOPHER KUDRAK Beacon Staff Writer ACROSS 1 Heads that are better 4 Silenced 9 Approximately 14 Tombstone letters 15 Oklahoma Indian nation 16 Tenant contract 17 Dwight Eisenhower nickname 18 Massive 19 Inquired 20 Very small (prefix) 22 Get attention quietly 24 Schedule abbreviation 26 New York clock setting 27 Tarzan partner 30 EPA concern 31 Grassy field 32 Regretted 33 Prolonged hiatus 34 Wing like 35 Comic book creator _____ Lee 36 Band coming to Wilkes 4/11/08 42 Musician Tori ____ 43 Consumed 44 Fishing bait 45 Uncooked 46 It would contraction 47 Delay 48 Conceal from sight 50 Small Madagascan primate 54 Like a Rubik’s puzzle 57 South Beach local 61 In the past 62 Shout of approval 63 Steamed rice dish 64 Sick 65 Alarm 66 Slightly intoxicated 67 Soap ingredient 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 21 23 25 26 27 28 29 30 32 33 34 37 38 39 40 41 48 49 51 52 53 54 55 56 58 59 60 DOWN Clip the edges Collaborative website Oil countries grp. Type of cocktail? Canada neighbor Paving material Bacon sidekick Like the abyss Sorrowful exclamation Highest quality Acorn producer Take advantage of Bill & ___’s Excellent Adventure Comments Bayonet action Era Santa helper ______ Anne’s pretzels Nut type Adam’s home AKA Manatee Surge again Camel relative Slightly open Household servant Try Flanders first name Pipe bend Competent for something Bee abode Object of worship Slow communication method Hideous Acting part ABC rival Psychic Geller Happy hour establishment Half of VI Andes’ kin More in Spanish FEBRUARY 12, 2008 1D l 11 IZ 1~ 14 fEJ 86 Answers 2/05/08 14 Deadpeopleserver.com BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor Ever thought about a beloved, old TV show and wondered if your favorite character was still alive? Or have you read a great book by an author who hasn’t written in years and wondered if they were still kicking? Well, there is now a website that can answer these questions. Deadpeopleserver.com prides itself on not being the first to report a death, but on being the most accurate. Deadpeopleserver is a website dedicated to compiling information about dead political figures, authors, actors, singers, and other well known people. Each listing offers the date of birth, date of death, cause of death and a brief description of career highlights. For example the listing for Marilyn Monroe looks like this : “Marilyn Monroe (actress) -- Dead. Suicide or accidental overdose. Died August 5, 1962. Born June 1, 1926. Seven Year Itch, Some Like It Hot, famously sang “Happy Birthday” to President Kennedy, married to Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller.” If you think that a website dedicated to dead people can’t be entertaining, you’re wrong. Deadpeopleserver has a section dedicated to people who aren’t dead, just rumored to be dead. Take Jimmy Buffet’s listing which reads: “Not dead, just chillin.’” Also, there is a list of obituary cliches and examples from real obituaries of the celebrities. Bob Hope’s said, “Thanks for the memories…” Elvis Presley’s notes: “Elvis has left the building.” Frank Sinatra, even to the end, “Did it his way.” The only real problem I have with this site are that the search is kind of confusing. When you type in a name the search brings up random websites. I’d suggest searching by letter. Also, I am extremely creeped out by the section called “Spaced,” which is dedicated to celebrities whose ashes have been scattered in space. It’s just weird to know that there are people’s cremated ashes floating around in space. Otherwise, I find this website to be really interesting. Just randomly going through the years or searching by letter you can learn a lot about random people that you never knew. I give this site an M for Mighty Morbid. �FEBRUARY 12, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 15 Movie Review: Strange Wilderness C ra a m host Peter Gaulke (Steve Zahn of Saving Silverman) finds out that his program, which he took over for his late father, is losing it’s grip on its coveted 3 a.m. time slot, and that he has only two weeks to turn things around before going off the air for good, he and his best friend/soundman Fred (Allen Covert of Little Nicky) must come up with something, and quick. Luckily, an old friend of his father’s has just the right thing to save the show; a picture of Big Foot and a map leading to exactly where it was taken. So, rather than using their remaining time to produce some quality nature documentaries, they do the rational thing: pile their crew, which includes Kevin Heffernan (Super Troopers’ Farva), Justin Long (Live Free or Die Hard) and Jonah Hill (SuperBad), and head to South America to track down Sasquatch. As anticipated, wacky wilderness antics ensue. The cast, made up of familiar faces, guarantees to cause a few “Hey it’s that guy!”s from the audience, along with a good smattering of cameos, including Robert Patrick (Terminator II: Judgment Day) as a deranged jungle guide and Harry Hamlin (Clash of the Titans) as a smug rival nature show host, add up to create an entertaining eighty seven minutes. However, the abundant laughs never rise above the level of stoner humor and gross out sight gags (not that there is anything wrong that), such as scenes depicting a stolen nitrous oxide tank rupturing inside of a mobile home turning it into a rave on wheels or an enraged mother turkey latches itself to a certain part of a male crew members anatomy. Although it’s produced by the typically family friendly Adam Sandler, this one is definitely not Happy Gilmore. With almost every scene jam packed with drug use, bad language and nudity, the film certainly earns its R rating. Overall, though the comic offensiveness of the film may sometimes overpower the audience with lewdness, it’s still a very enjoyable film for anyone who can still appreciate some good, old fashioned American toilet humor. In true cult comedy fashion, this is a movie that audiences will either love or hate. There is no middle-ground. Just like almost every movie in this genre, Strange Wilderness is destined to follow the trail which was blazed by flicks such as Anchorman and Super Troopers, as it will be panned l>e 1 r ,..~,,_. - cl ) ,-, N'O FOR SP ~ ·--~-- . by critics and will probably do poorly at the box office; however, the work of Steve Zahn and the rest of the gang will finally be fully appreciated once it is released on DVD and takes its rightful place in the low-brow hall of fame. Grade: Now, C Give it a few months, B+ Photo courtesy photos.almosthuman.net BY MKE WILLIAMS Beacon Staff Writer There are some movies that when someone asks how they were you can answer emphatically: “It was great,” or “I want eight bucks and two hours of my life back.” When you can do this, the movie in question has either obviously succeeded or failed. However, every once in a while a movie hits the theaters that poses a predicament to anyone hoping to critique it. Every fiber of your inner movie critic screams out to let you know the film wasn’t “good.” But, it was funny enough that you just can’t bring yourself to say it was “bad.” But for movies such as this, more often than not, these are the films that find themselves with cult followings. Think about it. How many times do you hear somebody quote Citizen Kane (no offense to Orson Welles fanatics intended), and now think of how many times you’ve heard people quote Super Troopers. Strange, huh? So, in the vein of Half Baked, Grandma’s Boy, and Waiting, Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison production company brings you Strange Wilderness. When nature show NTI G 2008 I J } _' 8 · ·n · '17CyAp $475 . / · . cy . $87.SJ · .2 ho....., s CIILl lf""e Entry undry - '\l'V1-F r n· >e I. . __ es, . ~ll ke ·s ~· ·.. · .- 1ee 18702 570~· ,8 7-· ·20 vvw-w. c mb r1 ndliv~n · ..co �16 SPORTS FEBRUARY 12, 2008 Freedom Conference champs look to build upon 07’s success BY NICK PODOLAK Beacon Editor-in-Chief The Colonel’s Season Comes To An End With A 4-2 Loss To Elizabethtown At NCAA Regional. This cold headline lingered on the Wilkes website all off-season, a painful reminder of the baseball team’s quick two and out performance in regional play last May, due in part to costly errors and untimely hitting. However, with a promising pitching staff and the heart of last year’s lineup back for 2008, the 2007 Freedom Conference champs (24-12) seemed upbeat as pitchers and catchers reported for a workout last week; the only remnant of last season were the calluses on their hands. “We’re gonna take it one step at a time, get back into the playoffs, and hopefully make another run at the league,” said outfielder Kyle Follweiler. Senior Corey Helfrich will lead the rotation after a successful return from Tommy John surgery in ‘05. “Helfrick” picked up six wins and fanned 28, though he admitted it would be nice to lower his 6.54 ERA. “My ERA was nothing to shake a stick at, but I’d like to get it under three and a half,” he said. Brad Wozinski and Freedom Conference Tournament MVP Tom Buckler, who are both coming off outstanding performances in regionals, will help round out the rotation, while Follweiler will come in to close from the outfield when needed. “Despite the fact we probably could have won those two games because we pitched so well, we came up a little bit short. Hopefully, we’ll get an opportunity to avenge that,” said 2007 Freedom Conference Coach of the Year Joe Folek. Unfortunately, the Colonels will have to make due without catcher Matt LoPresto, first baseman Justin Popovich, and reliever John Milius-who are no longer eligible to play. “Those are big losses,” Folek said. “Matt, Justin, and John each filled a valuable role on the team, and did it very well. ‘Matty’ and ‘Pop’ especially had tremendous postseasons, so in order for us to be successful, somebody’s going to have to step up and fill those positions.” Enter “Mr. Versatility,” senior Chris Mayerski. “Mersk” (.302 average, 8 HR, 2 3B, 7 2B, 37 RBI) is capable of playing literally every position with grace, and while he still owns the hot corner, it’s a safe bet that he’ll be seeing some time behind the plate along with Andy Garafoli and Jordan Padams, as well as first base, where he’ll figure into the mix with Mike Brennan and Brad Wozinski. “Our four seniors, (Follweiler, Helfrich, Mayerski, and Wozinski) they’re going to be the keys to the season. And those four guys we’re going to put in as many positions as possible to help dictate the outcome The Beacon/Gino Troiani Wilkes senior Anthony Giufridda practices at the UCOM on February 9. The Colonels open up their season on March 1-8 in the Cocoa Expo tournament in Florida. The home opener is March 11 against FDU-Fordham. of the game,” Folek said. con keeps you updated on all of the latest The Colonels will head for Cocoa Beach news and developments to come out of the on March 2 for spring training as The Bea- Sunshine State. No. 19 Wilkes nips Elizabethtown in wrestling, 20-15 COURTESY OF JOHN SEITZINGER Sports Information Director The 19th-ranked Wilkes University wrestling team won the final two bouts to rally from a 15-11 deficit and score a 20-15 win over Elizabethtown College on Saturday afternoon. The win improved the Colonels to 18-7-1, while Elizabethtown saw their record fall to 5-9. Wilkes won the first two bouts to jump on top 7-0. Shaun Farnham scored a 4-0 win over Marty Harnish at 125 pounds, and Ryan Wilson followed with a 13-5 major decision of Jarrod Cawley at 133 pounds to provide the Colonels with the lead. Elizabethtown then won the next four bouts to go ahead. Drew Winegar was a 4-3 winner over Brandon Prentice at 141 pounds and Bud Croswell topped Erik Smith, 6-2, at 149 pounds to cut the Wilkes lead to 76. Jereme Heisey pulled out a 5-3 win over Adam Penberthy at 157 pounds and Mike Lussier was a 6-4 winner over James Histed at 165 pounds to give the Blue Jays a 12-7 lead. At 174 pounds Wilkes’ Frank Heffernan won by major decision, 10-2, over Paul Connor to make it 12-11. Elizabethtown’s Bill Meaney topped Shawn Bradley, 6-2, at 184 pounds to make it 15-11 in favor of the Blue Jays. Wilkes remained in contention when Zach Pizarro scored a 7-1 win over Josh Herbert at 197 pounds to cut the lead to 15-14. Then, Wrestling Results from from 02/09 125 – Shaun Farnham dec. Marty Harnish, 4-0 (3-0) 133 – Ryan Wilson maj. dec. Jarrod Cawley, 13-5 (7-0) 141 – Drew Winegar dec. Brandon Prentice, 4-3 (7-3) 149 – Bud Croswell dec. Erik Smith, 6-2 (7-6) 157 – Jereme Heisey dec. Adam Penberthy, 5-3 (7-9) 165 – Mike Lussier dec. James Histed, 6-4 (7-12) 174 – Frank Heffernan maj. dec. Paul Connor, 10-2 (11-12) 184 – Bill Meaney dec. Shawn Bradley, 6-2 (11-15) 197 – Zach Pizarro dec. Josh Herbert, 7-1 (14-15) 285 – Andrew Feldman pinned Mike Daub, 4:04 (20-15) Wilkes’ wrestlers are in BOLD in the final match of the day, the Colonels’ Andrew Feldman was able to pin Elizabethtown’s Mike Daub in 4:04 to give Wilkes the 20-15 victory. �SPORTS FEBRUARY 12, 2008 17 Women fall short in close contest BY GERARD HETMAN Beacon Asst. Sports Editor When the Wilkes University women’s basketball team returned to Freedom Conference action Saturday afternoon, they knew they needed to show improvement from the 47-point loss they suffered a week earlier at DeSales. While the effort from the Lady Colonels was much improved this time week, the team still found themselves searching for answers in its aftermath. Buoyed by 21 points from Moira Donohue, the Aggies of Delaware Valley College pulled away in the second half Saturday to post a 63-51 win over Wilkes. The Lady Colonels see their overall record slide to 1-20 overall. The team is still searching for its first conference victory after eight games. Despite Delaware Valley opening the game on a 122 run, the Lady Colonels remained poised and slowly chipped away at the lead. Brittany Ely scored five straight points before the intermission to set the score at 28-25, and Kajija Bates would score inside to open the second half and bring Wilkes within one. Delaware Valley refused to fold, however, and embarked on a 12-3 run that gave the Aggies a lead they would not relinquish. “We knew it would be a tough game coming in here,” Donohue said after the game. “We were coming off a rough loss, and with one of our best players out, our team knew Wilkes would give us a battle today.” Despite the big run, the Lady Colonels didn’t fold early in the second half. Erin Schneider knocked down a 3-pointer to pull Wilkes to within eight points of the Aggies with 9:56 left. However, Delaware Valley would take advantage of several Wilkes turnovers and grab several key rebounds in the ensuing minutes to pull away with the win. “We needed more intensity in the second half,” Lady Colonels sophomore Ashley Matcarczyk said of the team’s performance. “It was a great first period, but we need to put together a complete game to make real progress.” Despite enduring another painful defeat, Wilkes coach Rachel Emmerthal remained optimistic about her squad’s continuing development and maturity. “Our girls played with tremendous intensity today, particularly on the offensive glass,” Emmerthal said after the game. “We know we have a long way to go, but we’ve been making slow and steady improvement. The girls have kept working hard and making progress.” Katie Cappelloni led Wilkes with 12 points and seven rebounds, while Brittany Ely contributed nine points. The Lady Colonels will hit the road on Wednesday to take on Freedom Conference newcomer ManhattanThe Beacon/Matthew Gogas ville College on Wednesday night, before returning Freshman Brittany Ely pulls up for a jump shot against Aggies home to square off against Arcadia University in an- guard Brittany Battinieri. Ely finished with nine points, three other conference clash this Saturday at 1 PM. assists and three rebounds. Round.Pi~:s t2"'.M ediwn .Pi.zm 16·"" Lqe Pizza l 2 ~ran.Pizza 'Whit~ Cut Bmcoo.li. Cut icilum . t Tray 10 Cu1.Tn1.y 10 ·111tT:ray PIZZA • WINOa - - - 1.ALADIJ www..-jm.11zzl:sp'h.za..wm W ~ -B'a m,:~ . 'O.Etul ·NorlJulmyton.St•. 8.1:S,-51 titi I 8'25"563-7 Hot Deli Melt Ualiat'll M~tiba]l w/ Ch~-~ Tllfm. . Oh-ei:s ·.nWltl u & h . heese Steak . . .eese Chicken Plifffl(gia C1ub Sllb Tmlbcy· _·. Checs,c Can. B con Cheese Ro · t Beef&. 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Plains - DElivrry' Only 825- 5082 frioo Mus.mo~m Fried :RaVli.oli (6) Mo.zzareifa S'tiw .S) M1m Taco· (12) · ini Potato anru.cs. 02) JaJ~eno Po pers (5: F[e.nch ri Ch_ees.e F1l'i:es On~onRmg C.hiclcon Nuggcts 8) Bread Sticks Dallu 67 ' 777~ �SPORTS 18 FEBRUARY 12, 2008 Commentary GAME OF THE WEEK NHL: Black and Gold Special Pens, Bruins battle for conference standing Double Take BY KEVIN REED Beacon Correspondent The road to the NHL playoffs is 82 games long, but this time of year each game becomes increasingly magnified in its importance. Jockeying for position, each team wants not only to qualify for the playoffs but also to put themselves in the most optimal situation once they begin. Such is the stage for these two Eastern Conference foes as the Pittsburgh Penguins play host to the Boston Bruins. One major caveat of hockey in February is the inevitability of playing through injuries. Unfortunately, both teams are currently being forced to make due with depleted lineups. The Bruins come into this game with many of their offensive weapons on the shelf. Forwards Patrice Bergeron, Alexei Zhamnov, and Glen Murray are out of the lineup. Pittsburgh has been dealing with a rash of injuries, the most detrimental have been the high-ankle sprains of starting goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury and reigning league MVP and top scorer Sidney Crosby. Luckily, both teams have been supplemented with solid play from minor-league callups from Providence (Boston) and WilkesBarre/Scranton (Pittsburgh). The Penguins (30-19-5, 65pts, 2nd in Atlantic division, 5th in East) have been treading water in the standings since the injury of their captain, Sidney Crosby back on January 18. The team has been led offensively by second-year phenoms Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal as well as forwards Ryan Malone, Petr Sykora, and Erik Christensen. On the blueline, Sergei Gonchar, Ryan Whitney, and Darryl Sydor lead by example with a sufficient mix of solid defense, opportunistic offensive ability, and experience to anchor a young team such as the Penguins. The last line of defense belongs to the current starting netminder Ty Conklin. After beginning this season down the road at Wachovia Arena, Conklin has made been a savior for the Pens in goal since his call-up when Fleury went down with his injury in December, posting a 13-3-3 record and keeping the Penguins near the top of the Atlantic division. The Bruins (28-21-5, 61pts, 3rd in Northeast division, 7th in East) are hanging by a thread to one of the final spots in a very tightly packed Eastern Conference playoff race. The aforementioned Patrice Bergeron, the Bruins best offensive talent, is still out after remaining ill effects of a hit from behind by Philadelphia Flyers defenseman Randy Jones earlier this season. Therefore, the spotlight has been shined on forwards Marc Savard, Marco Sturm, and sophomore star Phil Kessel. The defensive corps is headed by the proverbial giant wearing #33, 6’9” 251 lb. Zdeno Chara. Not to mention being a stalwart against the opposition’s best offensive attack, he is fairly handy standing in front of the net on power plays by screening opposing goaltenders as well as being an intimidating force to anyone brave enough to drop the gloves with him. Veteran defensemen Andrew Ference and Aaron Ward add depth to their blueline. Backstopping the Bruins is all-star goaltender Tim Thomas, who is on pace for a 30-win season, which is quite a feat in this era of the NHL. The game-plan both teams decide to use will be fun to watch unfold. Expect the Bruins to send out Chara and Ference against Pittsburgh’s top scoring line of Malkin, Sykora, and Malone. The Penguins will most likely rely on solid defensive play by their 3rd and 4th lines as they do not possess a true “shutdown defenseman”. The closest entity they have for that role are young defensemen Brooks Orpik and Rob Scuderi, both of whom are still trimming flaws from their game. Steph examines the stats that truly matter... BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor Potential “X-factors” for this game could be two players short of the country’s legal drinking age. Boston boasts 19-year-old winger Milan Lucic, whose 6’4” frame and quick feet tend to put defenses on their heels more often than not. Yet another WilkesBarre/Scranton grad could help the parent Pens to victory, as 20-year-old defenseman Kris Letang’s smooth style of play gives Pittsburgh an extra offensive punch, especially on the power play. This game should not be a runaway on either side. The Bruins will try to play a good solid road game, take the crowd out of it early, and dictate the flow of play to their liking. Pittsburgh, on the other hand, will try to play responsible defense in front of Conklin and take advantage of turnovers in order to manufacture odd-man rushes and scoring chances the other way. Do not be surprised to see this match-up go into overtime or a shootout even though both teams will want to win in regulation time, assuring them two points in the standings while the other plays for another day. The Pick: Pittsburgh Penguins: 4 Boston Bruins: 2 The Boston Bruins v. The Pittsburg Penguins…what? I have never heard of those teams. In fact, I even doubted that they existed. After doing a little bit of research (I talked to my friend Jimmy - by the way, he is quite a character. He used to work for his Uncle Gary as a hot-tar roofer. He quit after a day because the fumes were making him hallucinate. He claims to have seen spoken to Patrick Stewart in a tar-induced trip. Too bad for him, I guess. William Shatner would have been better. Oops, it seems like I’m getting off track here. Back to the double take), I learned that these are both hockey teams. Hockey is a sport that I honestly know nothing about. Anything I might know, I learned on the TV show Full House because Uncle Joey played it. I also had to ask what a bruin is. Apparently a bruin is a bear, a European bear. This slightly peeves me; The Boston Bruins are trying to be European bears. This just feeds into the common idea that we, Americans, want to be just like Europeans. We are boosting their egos by trying to be like their bears. For the sake of alliteration, Boston could have just been The Boston Bears, Beavers or Beatles. This is America; they should be a bit more patriotic. And the Pittsburgh Penguins, when have you ever seen a penguin in the United States? Penguins in zoos don’t even count; real penguins are just chillin’ in the southern hemisphere. Why are teams having such a hard time finding American animals to be their mascots? I guess all the good ones are taken. There are already the Sharks, Islanders, Rangers and Avalanche in hockey and I guess they can’t steal names from other sports. I’d have to give this one to the Penguins. No one is getting a bigger head because of their mascot. They are also from Pennsylvania…I’ve got to support the home state and penguins are a lot cuter than bruins! �SPORTS FEBRUARY 12, 2008 19 Athlete of the Week: Katie Cappelloni BY GERARD HETMAN Beacon Asst. Sports Editor Whenever any athletic team is faced with adversity such as injuries and long losing streaks, the squad often searches for a player to rally around and work with to build for better times. In the case of the Wilkes University women’s basketball program, senior Katie Cappelloni has proven to be just that kind of leader. A four-year performer on the hardwood for the Lady Colonels, Cappelloni has excelled in leading a young Wilkes squad both on and off the court. Through Saturday’s contest against Delaware Valley, the Scranton native ranks first on the team in points per game (12.7), while ranking second in total points scored with 190. Cappelloni’s finest hour of the season came in a non-conference game on February 4 when she poured in a career-high 27 points in a non-conference contest versus Richard Stockton. Playing on a squad that features six freshmen and three sophomores, Cappelloni knew from the start of the campaign that she would be looked to by many players as a leader and role model. However, her experience became all the more vital when her fellow senior and close friend Lacey Andresen was lost for the season to a knee injury during a January 22 game against Manhattanville. The injury to Andresen came just a few games after Cappelloni returned to the lineup following recovery from a leg injury that caused her to miss multiple games earlier in the season. “It was tough for all of us to see Lacey go down, but especially for me after we had played together for our whole careers at Wilkes,” Cappelloni said. “Lacey has been here with us even after her injury and it’s still great to have her on the sidelines working along with our team.” 1 Number of regular season matches the Colonels wrestling squad has remaining. They take on King’s College this Friday in the Marts Gym at 7 p.m. “Katie has been an outstanding player for us in all aspects this season,” Wilkes head coach Rachel Emmerthal recently stated. “She’s brought one hundred percent to every game and every practice. Even when we’ve taken her out to give her a rest, she’ll be chomping at the bit to go right back in again.” While Cappelloni will not be able to enjoy a winning season or playoff trip in her final season on the court for the Lady Colonels, the senior sees a bright future ahead for her current teammates, and believes the squad has taken many steps forward a group this year. “We’re taking the rest of the season one game at a time, and we’re looking to improve in every game.” Cappelloni said. “We’ve got a young team this year, and I know these girls will grow up on the court more and more as they go along in their careers here.” Congratulations to Katie Cappelloni on being named Beacon Athlete of the Week! The Beacon/Matthew Gogas Senior basketball standout Katie Cappelloni reached a career milestone by scoring a career-high 27 points in a non-conference game versus Richard Stockton last week. SOFTBALL Cappelloni Season Stats Total points: 190 Rebounds per game: 5.4 3-point goals: 8 Free throw percentage: .651 Minutes played: 466 The Beacon/Gino Troiani Members of the Lady Colonels softball team participate in a youth softball clinic held by the team to benifit the program’s spring break trip. The clinic takes place at UCOM and is held through the weekend of Febuary 22-23. NUMBERS OF THE WEEK 26 Number of points scored by junior forward Steve Kline during the Colonels game against the Delaware Valley Aggies last Saturday. 26 is Kline’s career-high. 48 Number of rebounds collected by the Lady Colonels during Saturday’s game versus DelVal, the second highest total by the team this year. 61 was their season-high. 29.5 Average margin of victory for the Colonels basketball team last week in wins over Penn College and Delaware Valley. �Sports FEBRUARY 12, 2008 20 Colonels score triple digits in win over Aggies BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Sports Editor If Saturday’s game against Delaware Valley was any indication of how the Colonels will perform down the stretch, you’re looking at a team that will be granted home court advantage at least during the first round of the conference playoffs. The Colonels beat the brakes off the Aggies in an up-tempo contest 100-67, before an estimated 700 basketball fans in the Marts Gymnasium. Transition baskets and stingy defense were the key recipes for the Colonels who held the Aggies to just under 40 percent shooting and forced 18 turnovers while netting 60.7 percent from the field, their second highest shooting percentage of the season (The team’s season high was 65 percent against Manhattanville on1/22). The win improves the Colonels to 12-8 overall and 6-2 in the MAC Freedom conference which puts the team third behind DeSales University and Manhattanville College in the conference. The Colonels beat Manhattanville which puts Wilkes in control of the second seed currently. The only reason they trail Manhattanville is because the Valiants have played one more conference game than the Colonels. Both of the Colonels conference losses were to the DeSales Bulldogs. The sloppy Aggies are 2-19, 0-9 in the conference. Delware Valley was out-hustled throughout the entire contest. At halftime, the Colonels doubled the Aggies point total as the score stood 53- 26. If any adjustments were made to slow down the Colonels in the locker room, they certainly did not work. At one point during the second half, Del Val’s Brian Hilinski missed a wide open lay-up from the right side and Aggies head coach, Denny Surovec, smacked his teeth, flapped his arms and asked, “Are you kidding me?” Yes coach, the entire game was a joke. But that’s largely due to how well the Colonels have been playing at home recently. They have won three of their last four at home, winning each game by more than 20 points. “I know it’s a young bunch, but we’re catching on,” said head coach Jerry Rickrode. “We are not one of the more veteran teams (in the conference) but we can be dangerous.” Four Colonels reached doublefigures including junior forward Steve Kline who led all scorers with a career-high 26 points by connecting on nine of his 11 attempts in 25 minutes played. Sophomore Tom Kresge followed with 20 points and made all but one attempt. He went 8-9 from the floor. Both Kresge and Kline hit both of their attempts from behind the three-point line. As a team, the Colonels cashed in 10 of their 18 attempts from downtown including 8-14 in the first half. Junior guard Jason Seipt and senior forward Zack Van Dyke led the Aggies with 13 a piece. The Colonels have three games left to play before the Freedom Conference playoffs. They go on the road Wednesday to face Man- The Beacon/Matthew Gogas hattanville and come back home Saturday to face Arcadia University and King’s College next Tuesday. “We are in a strong position to make a run in the conference playoff,” said freshman guard Chris DeRojas, leader of the Colonels scoring attack with 14.7 points per game. “I think we’re ready.” Conference Standings 1. DeSales, 7-0 2. Manhattanville, 7-2 3. Wilkes, 6-2 4. King’s, 6-3 5. Arcadia, 3-5 6. FDU-Florham, 1-7 7. Del. Val., 0-9 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon 2008 February 12th Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 February 12 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University https://omeka.wilkes.edu/omeka/files/original/8ee826655d2b1e0b04e2726a73b6361c.pdf e486f84d72ba3f8f1968a12bb719a86a PDF Text Text Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA The THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW FEBRUARY 5, 2008 In This Issue... Winona LaDuke Page 9 www.wilkesbeacon.com Surge of internet activity causes outages nationwide BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor The build-up had worked. Hundreds of students, faculty and staff crowded into the Dorothy Dickson Darte (DDD) Center theater last week to participate in the nationwide effort to develop solutions to the worldwide environmental crisis born of greenhouse gas emissions. And when the appointed hour came, the screen remained blank. The nationwide webcast of the “2% Solution” turned out to be not so nationwide when many of the participating 1,750 locations could not access the program. According to a spokesperson at Focus the Nation headquarters, the problem was that so many people and institutions tried viewing the site at the same time that they were basically turned away by the computer. In a message sent to Wilkes University from Minna Brown, Focus the Nation organizer, she stated, “The downside of doing a live broadcast online on a hot topic like global warming solutions is that more people than even we expected wanted to view it.” , Inside News................................1-5 Opinion.............................6-8 Lifestyles.........................9-11 Arts & Entertainment....12-15 Sports...........................16-20 The Beacon/Andrew Seaman Dr. Prahlad Murthy, Lee Rinehart and Ed Shoener sit behind the table before the start of the webcast in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center. Search for Dean of Law School Initiative Intensifies BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon Asst. News Editor Page 16 Issue 13 Webcast problems plague would-be viewers See FOCUS page 4 Page 14 Volume 60 In approximately two weeks, Wilkes University plans to begin scheduling campus visits for finalists of the Dean of Law School Initiative Search, according to Dr. Reynold C. Verret, Provost. The search committee, comprised of eleven members, along with Verret and President Tim Gilmour, held neutral site interviews with candidates in New York City on January 19 after advertising the position and screening applications. The committee consists of chairperson Dr. Paul Browne, Dean of the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership; Dr. Vee Ming Lew, associate professor of math and computer Sciences; Dr. Mary McManus, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences; Dr. Anthony Liuzzo, Esq., professor of the Sidhu School of Business; Dr. Kyle Kreider, assistant professor of political science and pre-law advisor; Dr. Ellen Flint, professor of performing arts; Attorney Joseph Cosgrove; Attorney Marc Levey; Attorney Eugene Roth; and senior pre-law majors Dana Zlotucha and Justin Richards. Levey is a Wilkes alumnus, Cosgrove is a member of the Luzerne County Bar Association, and Roth is both an alumnus and a Board of Trustees member. The committee is also assisted by Dr. Theodore J. Marchese of Academic Search, Inc., a search firm located in Washington, D.C. Over the next two months, an undetermined number of candidates will be invited one at a time to the campus to speak with the search committee, the dean’s council, members of the president’s cabinet, the provost, members of the Board of Trustees, members of the Luzerne County Bar Association, faculty and students. “The search committee is pretty excited about the people that we’ve talked to. I think we have some prospects who would be a pretty good match for our needs and the expectations that we have,” said Browne. “At this point, we must protect the confidentiality of the candidates; thus, I cannot share names,” said Verret, who will be the hiring officer for the position. According to the prospectus for the Dean of Wilkes Law School Initiative, “[l]ate last spring [2007], after preliminary studies and consultations, the faculty and the trustees endorsed a recommendation from the Provost to move the law school initiative into a final phase.” The “final phase” essentially consists of three parts: a detailed academic plan, a financial plan and a dean to aid in the creation and presentation of both plans. “We’re looking for someone who can help the university re-examine all of the issues involved in the law school idea, who can bring professional experience of starting a law school, who knows the processes for accreditation… So we’re really looking for someone who has been in a law school or has run a law school before, but also who has creativity and energy,” said Browne. The prospectus also stresses the importance of being able to communicate, plan, budget and manage effectively and willingly embrace diversity. See LAW page 5 �NEWS FEBRUARY 5, 2008 2 Political news analysis February ice storm SG Notes 3 4 5 Lifesaving defibrillators purchased, to be installed Wilkes just became a little safer. The university recently purchased nine automated external defibrillators (AEDs). These devices are used to restore normal heart rhythm to patients in cardiac arrest, according to www.fda.gov. University officials had discussed adding the machines to campus for a few years and questioned where the devices would be placed and how many to purchase, according to Director of Health Services, Diane O’Brien. “I think now that we’re expanding and there’s a lot more buildings with big concentrated areas of people, we felt that it’s prob(RIGHT) Philips HeartStart Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) will soon be placed in popular areas of campus. According to heartstarthome.com, “Philips is the market leader in innovative defibrillation technology.” Once the cartridge handle is pulled, a calm voice guides the user through the process of analyzing the heart rhythm and decides whether an electric shock is necessary, making the AED easy to use for anyone. Not only is HeartStart designed to help the patient, but the user will also receive any additional aid needed. The AED adapts to your actions so if you’re moving quickly, the voice delivering will speed up with you. The slower you go, the more detailed the instructions become Awards Philips HeartStart Defibrillator has won date back to 1996 and include Fortune Magazine, “Best Products of the Year” (2004), Popular Science, “Best of What’s New” award (2003) and Medical Design Excellence Award (2003). ably time we made this purchase. It makes sense,” said O’Brien. In cases of sudden cardiac arrest an AED may save someone’s life. An AED is applied to the outside of the body and it analyzes the person’s heart rhythm and whether or not a shock is needed to restore a normal heart beat, according to www.fda.gov. “If you intervene with an electric shock delivered at the appropriate time, your chances of survival go up significantly within the first five minutes of a cardiac event,” said Chris Bailey, director of campus support services. Bailey is familiar with AEDs thanks to his part-time work as a paramedic in the Pittsburgh area before his career at Wilkes. Bailey says AEDs have always been a part of athletic programs since there is more potential of a cardiac event occurring. “There have been cases where a ball hits someone in the chest at the appropriate time, and there’s enough energy to disrupt the electrical circuitry of the heart,” said Bailey. Kammie Studley, head coach of women’s lacrosse, is trained to use an AED and is happy to hear about the addition of the life saving devices. “I think it’s really beneficial to have them on the field, because if an athlete gets hit in the chest you have those two minutes to save them. I think it’s one of the best things Wilkes could have done,” The Beacon/Andrew Seaman BY MEGAN KRISANDA Beacon Staff Writer AED AUT OMATIC EXTEftNAL DEFIBRILLATOR DEFIBRILLATOR said Studley. The AEDs will be placed throughout campus in public accessed buildings such as Stark Learning Center, UCOM, Henry Student Center, and other surrounding buildings. “Basically, they are going to be secured to a wall. You open the AED and turn it on and it talks you through the whole process. It is made for a ‘lay person,’ [though] certainly it will appear a lot less strange if you have taken a CPR test,” said O’Brien. The AEDs were part of the university’s budget and all nine devices totaled $15,000. The AEDs were purchased thorough Philips Medical, according to Petra Carver, Vice President of Finance and Support Operations. The devices have become more commonplace, appearing in airports, malls, and at sporting events. AED training has become a part of many CPR training sessions. Students or faculty interested in being trained to use these devices should contact Public Safety. “We have a community to protect, and when you need these devices, you need them close by and you need to be trained on how to use them. We want to give the right training and the right tools,” said Bailey. B EACON Serving the community through fair and accurate reporting while supporting the views and opinions of our readers. Editorial Staff Editor-in-Chief: Nick Podolak Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com Managing Editor: Alison Woody Email: wilkesbeacon@gmail.com News Editor: Andrew Seaman Email: news.beacon@gmail.com Op/Ed Editor: Mark Congdon Jr. Email: thebeacon.oped@gmail.com Lifestyles Editor: Christa Sgobba Email: beacon.lifestyles@gmail.com A&E Editor: Marissa Phillips Email: thebeaconae@gmail.com Sports Editor: Carlton Holmes Email: beaconsports@gmail.com Photo Editor: Cara Koster Advertising Managers: Stephanie Yachim Dana Zlotucha Email: thebeacon.ads@gmail.com Advisor: Dr. Andrea Breemer Frantz Established in 1936 PA Newspaper Association Member Printed on Tuesdays during the academic school year. ALARM WILL SOUND 130 S. River St. First Floor, Conyngham Hall, Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA 18766 (570) 408-5903 wilkesbeacon@gmail.com www.wilkesbeacon.com �FEBRUARY 5, 2008 NEWS 3 News Analysis: Beacon Election Update Making sense of the election, candidates and issues BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor When the Mamas and the Papas sang, “Monday Monday, so good to me/Monday mornin’, it was all I hoped it would be” they obviously weren’t singing to presidential candidates. Monday pales in comparison with the excitement, anticipation, and in some cases dread of “Super Tuesday.” That may be a slight exaggeration, but there is a lot riding on this election, and February 5, may be the day that decides who goes on and who is left in the dust. This Tuesday, February 5, is a big day for both parties, but maybe a little more for the Democrats. Over 50% of all of the Democratic party’s delegates will be awarded on Super Tuesday, while 41% of all Republican delegates will also be awarded. On Super Tuesday, 22 states go to the voting booths, and most national polls have the remaining Democratic candidates in a race that is simply too close to call. Following his wins in Florida and South Carolina, Senator John McCain has emerged as the Republican frontrunner, which is in complete contrast from where he was only a few weeks ago. Even McCain remarked on the Tonight Show that he “no longer has to carry his own bags.” Propelling McCain forward is his one-time rival, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani. Following his disappointing and distant third place finish in Florida, the state where he has spent so much time campaigning that some joked about his suntan, Giuliani saw the handwriting on the wall and dropped out of the race. He quickly endorsed McCain, alongside California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and even accompanied him on The Tonight Show. Despite McCain’s favorite son status, Governor Mike Huckabee and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney both campaigned actively last week. Romney scored a win in Maine on Saturday, with 52% of the vote and claimed that voters would see more of the same on Tuesday. As for the Democrats, the field is down to two, as Senator John Edwards bowed out of the race last week. Edwards has so far not endorsed any of the remaining candidates; however, has urged the remaining candidates to focus on poverty--his key campaign issue. Pundits agree that his influence in this area will likely spur the remaining candidates, New York Senator Hillary Clinton and Illinois Senator Barack Obama, to do so in an effort to swing Edwards supporters their direction and possibly win his endorsement. So what can everyone expect to happen on Tuesday? First, candidates are likely to hit issues relevant to the states at stake this week including health care, the mortgage crisis, gun control, and the war. Obama and Clinton can expect to take home most of their base states. For Clinton, this means those mostly northern states that do not have open primaries, meaning that the state does not let independent voters vote. Obama’s base states include southern states and some in the Midwest. Obama will also likely get a boost out of those states The Beacon/Andrew Seaman ABOVE: The dark shaded areas represent the states that will be voting on Super Tuesday. On that day over 50% of all the Democratic delegates will be awarded to the winning candidates, while 41% of all Republican delegates will be awarded to their winning candidates. RIGHT: A list of all the states participating in Super Tuesday. West Virginia and Montana are only voting on the Republican side of the ballot, while Idaho, Kansas and New Mexico are only voting on the Democratic candidates. As of right now the only Democratic candidates sill left in the race are: Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. Mike Gravel. The only Republicans left are: Sen. John McCain, Gov. Mitt Romney, Gov. Mike Huckabee and Rep. Ron Paul. that allow independent voters to vote in the primary. The bigger unknown for the Democrats on Super Tuesday are some key delegate states, like California or Georgia. This also holds true for the Republicans. California and Georgia are the prize. So what happens after Super Tuesday? Well, in the off chance there is not a clear nominee after Tuesday, there is “Fantastic Friday,” February 9. There will be two primaries and one caucus for each of the parties that should help separate the candidates from one another, and then for the Democrats the Maine caucus will be held the 10. ** * Super Tuesday States ** * Alabama primaries R 48 D 60 Alaska caucuses R 29 D 18 Arizona primaries R 53 D 67 Arkansas primaries R 34 D 47 California primaries R 173 D 441 Colorado caucuses R 46 D 71 Connecticut primaries R 30 D 61 Delaware primaries R 18 D 23 Georgia primaries R 72 D 104 Idaho caucuses D 23 Illinois primaries R 70 D 185 Kansas caucuses D 40 Massachusetts primaries R 43 D 121 Minnesota primaries R 41 D 88 Missouri primaries R 58 D 88 Montana caucuses R 25 New Jersey primaries R 52 D 127 New Mexico primary D 38 New York primaries R 101 D 280 North Dakota caucuses R 26 D 21 Oklahoma primaries R 41 D 47 Tennessee primaries R 55 D 85 Utah primaries R 36 D 85 West Virginia convention R 18 0 �FEBRUARY 5, 2008 NEWS 4 FOCUS from FRONT PAGE During the assembly at Wilkes University it was clear shortly after 8PM that something was wrong, when the webcast never showed up on the large projection screen. At that point Dr. Mike Case, Wilkes professor of environmental engineering and earth sciences and organizer of the event, made the announcement that they were not able to pick up the feed and had another plan. Case said that they were prepared for the prospect that technology might fail, and Dr. Ned Fetcher, Coordinator of the Institute for the Environment Science and Sustainability, who has been educating the faculty on global warming through a slideshow presentation, would provide the lecture to those assembled at the DDD. At that point several members of the audience were seen leaving the auditorium. However, many opted to stay to listen and discuss the issues at hand. Fetcher offered detailed scientific analysis of the causes of the earth’s warming trend and the impact such warming may have on a variety of issues such as climatological change. Garett Reiss Brennan, Director of Media & Public Relations for Focus the Nation, told The Beacon during the assembly, “It’s a small problem, it’s an unfortunate problem, but it’s a severe problem.” Brennan also said they were prepared for something like this, but nothing of this magnitude. After the event concluded the national organization, Focus the Nation apologized for the failure by posting, in large green and red letters, “Big Sorry! Too many hits on the ‘2% Solution.’ Some sites experienced technical difficulties. We truly regret the difficulties this has caused…” The apology was signed “The Focus the Nation Team,” however the apology was quickly taken down. The evening concluded as it was supposed to with a panel of experts offering their thoughts on the evening and then taking questions from the audience. The panel consisted of Dr. Prahlad Murthy, Wilkes professor of environmental engineering; Lee Rinehart, a sustainable agriculture program specialist; and Ed Shoener, an authority on the design and deployment of wind technology. In his address to the audience, Shoener challenged college students to take control now. While generations before have created the existing situation, Shoener suggested, the solutions needed to come from those who will be living with the mess. “This is going to be your problem...good luck.” The evening also began as normal with a welcome from Case and Dr. Tim Gilmour, Wilkes University President, who stressed the steps Wilkes is taking to be a green campus and a leader in environmental awareness in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Beacon/Andrew Seaman “The Focus the Nation event, is the Wilkes first public forum on global climate change… I hope it’s one of many,” Panel of experts address audience members on the issue of global warming as part of Focus the Nation last Wednesday. said Gilmour, hinting that there may be more events like Focus the Nation in the future. . E 0 S .A'.I YOUR -·lHIS "Live .AJ:ousti.c Music" We.Jnes:day night in our February 6t.h at 6 JO -8 :0 Opm care! Jay I.u:ke from ~•The :Mess" "Live Acoustic Music" Friday, February 8th 7 :30-10 :30pm Adam Burke Uearenowa The Beacon/Andrew Seaman Wilkes University was closed on February 1, due to an ice storm that moved across the area. The Henry Student Center parking lot was covered with about a half-inch of ice in the morning, which later turned to slush. Originally Wilkes was listed as a compressed schedule but was later changed to a closed status. Wilkes was one of over 200 schools, colleges and universities to either delay or cancel classes on Friday. Justgo to: '' U?BFREE" .·oJif ill cde i~ems during free live shows with yoW" s~tdent ID! ' .Do:n't ·fm,get to, pi't:lk up a Fn:1w:nt Buy:c~ C:ud · today! on" fo~d to s,e. mu''· �NEWS FEBRUARY 5, 2008 5 SG Notes January 30, 2008 Treasurer’s Report All College: $25,000 General: $10,000 Special Projects: $3,500 Spirit: $2,000 Leadership: $5,000 Conferences: $12,500 Start-Up: $1,500 Club Reports The following clubs presented updates on their events. Programming Board Spanish club Chemistry club Math/CS LAW from FRONT PAGE Responsibilities of the dean would include creating a “compelling, marketable vision for legal education,” developing a five-year financial and academic plan for the law school, assisting in the final decisions about the school and inevitably becoming and acting as the founding dean of the school if and when it is approved and launched. “We are on track in our plan for a law school that will distinguish Wilkes and address issues for legal education outlined in a recent report by the Carnegie Foundation (Education Lawyers: Preparation for the Profession of Law, 2007),” said Verret. Paying close attention to the Carnegie report, which addresses the criticisms of legal education, the prospectus states that Wilkes has the ability and opportunity to rise above any “inattentions,” such as practitioner concerns or ethics and civility within the pro- New Business New Members - The Faith Wyrda introduced as member of SG for the class of 2008. SAE mini baja fund request - Members of SAE came back for the second week seeking $3,702 to build a new car. After a discussion about fundraising, SG granted SAE $3,000. Chemistry Club - Representatives from the chemistry club came to SG asking for funds to travel to a convention for the second week. SG granted the full request of $3,000. However, if they receive a mentoring grant they must return the equal amount of money. AFROTC - Robert Bireley came to SG asking for funding for a conference in Colorado Springs for AFROTC. SG granted him his full request, paying for his flight, up to $450. Wristband allocation - OCC asked if SG would purchase an additional 400 wristbands for block party, but after discussion about a business class selling wristbands SG decided not to allocate the money for the wristbands. Food allocation for open forum - Next week there will be a forum instead of a meeting and all SG members must present for an hour. fession. “Wilkes has a concept of not creating what is being called a ‘me too’ law school, but one that has a distinctive curriculum. We’ll be perceived in the marketplace as innovative, so one of things that we’re looking for is someone willing to think outside of the box and willing to create the current model of law school education and has ideas of how to do it better,” said Browne. Following the success of Wilkes’ Graduate Teacher Education Program, the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership, and the Pharm.D. program, the Wilkes University Law School is expected to attract attention due to location and demographics. With the nearest Pennsylvania law schools in Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, it’s possible that 75-100 graduate students will enter the program in the first year. “We know that people in criminology, communications, sociology, psychology, political science and economics are all tracks that often have people who choose to go on to law school… Business, pharmacy, and nursing students may also find this possibility to be of interest,” Browne explained. “One of the things we would like to see is a stream of Wilkes students that go on to the law school.” With aid from the dean, Wilkes will also determine where the possible law school will be located. Browne stressed that it is important that they figure out approximately how many students they will be accommodating before they begin designing and constructing a building. The current plan for the building of the school is scaled on a minimal size. “The [early] studies done on a preliminary basis were to test the feasibility of running a small law school. As the dean comes in HIDDEN COSTS OF DRIVING UvlP.AJRED PANDORA ,7t r Customer Appreciation Event l~ February i ,a~C 8th 9th . & 'how Special: $75 ofPandoraJewel &Rece-fve a $25 gift card for anyfature purchase. · "Bfiltikows~ Jewelers 141 SouthMainSt Wilkes-Barre 570 823-7111 www. barlikowskyrom *Limitl per aistomer• WhileSL!JPlieslast Old Business Vagina Monologues donation Movie tickets purchased -WILKfS llNIVfRSITY- and leads us through the final stage of studies, there may be a determination that the school should be slightly or significantly larger, so how many students we expect to have are really critical issues for us to know before we make a commitment of what kind of a facility will be most appropriate.” If all goes according to plan, the dean of the law school will be chosen by this summer. The dean’s plan should be approved by spring of 2009 and the first class of law students at Wilkes University may begin their first semester in the fall of 2010. According to Browne, “a definite decision has not been made to start a law school,” but choosing a dean to lead the decisionmaking process brings the university one step closer to doing so. LOWER LEFT: The statue of the Authority of Law in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington D.C. An arrest for driving under the influence of a I coho I can be expensive. Costs include: paying the mini mum fines, penalty assessment, state restitution fund, alcohol education cl asses, j ai I fees, Ii cense reissue fee, attorney fees, and auto insurance increases. A DUI/DWI can cost between $7K-$11K. This total does not include loss of pay, personal injuries, medical costs, vehicle damage or penalties for causing a crash or a death. Provided By Health Services (The BACCHUS Netl\lo rk (2006). Just the Facts: Impaired Driving. [Bro ch u re].) http://bensguide.gpo.gov/3-5/symbols/print/aol.html �Opinion TMI Away Messages Here’s To You... Angry Rant FEBRUARY 5, 2008 Step Two: focus the university BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD global crisis. Focus the Nation encouraged participants to see Pennsylvania in a harsh, new light. Did you know that Pennsylvania produces 1% of the world’s heat-trapping gasses, which is more global warming pollution than 101 countries combined? Did you know that Pennsylvania is the third worst polluting state in the country, behind only Texas and California? With these shocking and disturb- 6 Another common sense action we can take is to keep all our apThis past week Wilkes Universipliances clean and running as efty was one of a thousand colleges ficiently as possible. On a monthly and universities across the nation basis, we should try to change the to participate in Focus the Nation, heating and air conditioning sysan environmental colloquium detem filters monthly, clean our dryer signed to educate contributors vent and hoses, and keep the coils about global warming and its imunder our refrigerators clean. pact. By sealing up the cracks in winNow, unfortunately, the national dows and doors in one’s home, webcast, “The 2% Solution,” met apartment, dorm room, and camwith an untimely (and major) pus buildings with weather stripglitch, which prevented Wilkes ping and caulking, heat and monUniversity students, faculty ey will both be saved. Not only and staff, nestled in their new, will cold February nights be made sustainable wood seats in the more comfortable by trapping Dorothy Dickson Darte Center heat indoors, but energy bills will from seeing the webcast at the be reduced. With technology conappointed time. However, a stantly improving, there are many link to the national broadcast appliances available that consumcan now be found at the website ers can purchase that are much www.earthdaytv.net. In addimore energy efficient. Buying tion, Wilkes faculty quickly ralproducts like these, will not only lied and turned the opportunity help to save the environment, but into an impromptu teaching also save money. moment for which many in the Those who are tired of the risaudience chose to stay. ing gas prices and feel the need Despite the problem with the to lose a few pounds, should try webcast itself, the planning and The Beacon/Matt Gogas walking instead of driving short excitement that went into the Wilkes University students become educated about global warming at distances. Cleanyourair.org reFocus the Nation event gar- the Green Fair that was held in the Henry Student Center on Thursday, ported, “You’ll save 1 pound of nered community and campus- January 31 during club hours. carbon dioxide for every mile wide support. Students, faculty, you DON’T drive.” Carpooling staff and community members and taking public transit can also participated in a variety of ways ing facts, sustained concern and hours a day consumers could save help cut down on air pollution. Of including class assignments and response needs to happen. course, the fringe benefit to this nearly $10 in the first year alone. discussions and participation in We applaud several important A second way to limit global strategy is that the stress of findthe Green Fair in the Henry Stu- initiatives Wilkes is currently tak- warming is to limit hot water us- ing a parking spot on campus will dent Center. As a result, Wilkes ing to assess its own energy con- age. Cool Pennsylvania reports, also be reduced. community members became bet- sumption and pollution levels. “Hot water accounts for 15% of Finally, support environmental ter educated about what steps we Last Wednesday evening, Presi- your utility bill…wash clothes in friendly legislation at both the fedcan take--both individually and dent Tim Gilmour noted that Wil- cold water, take shorter showers, eral and state levels. Vote for politinstitutionally-- to address this kes is currently engaging in such and fix leaking faucets.” ical candidates who care about the environment, and write letters to the editor of No V"\<>.~Gr your college and local w~ ... \newspapers that aim to educate the public and r <l,GO\<A jo influence legislators. I By taking these act,.. k.e ... tions as individuals and as a University, we can and will help Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, the United States, and the world become more environmentally A Sight for Sore Eyes By Aleksander Lapinski friendly. r self-assessment and the university’s ongoing plans to build a new, completely green health sciences building hold great promise. But we can do more... For example, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, we should always use compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) in desk lamps as opposed to incandescent lights because they give off 90% more heat than light. By switching bulbs on two lamps that burn four 7 7 8 Beacon Poll Results The following are results of a poll that The Beacon conducted online this past week. The poll was unscientific, and does not claim to reflect the overall attitudes of students on campus. Results are based on 35 responses. The Beacon asked: What was your favorite book series as a kid? • Harry Potter-17% • Goosebumps-17% • Hardy Boys-14% • Babysitters Club-11% • Bernstein Bears-11% • Calvin and Hobbes-3% • Captain Underpants-3% • Animorphs-3% • Boxcar Kids-7% • Other-14% Next Week’s Question: What country would you want to study abroad in? • • • • • • • • • • Greece Japan Peru South Africa China New Zealand Russia Germany France Other t Visit www.wilkesbeacon.com to cast your vote. Results will be published in next week’s issue of The Beacon. �FEBRUARY 5, 2008 OPINION 7 Too much information in online away messages BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon Asst. News Editor realized something: they had all moved past to keep themselves organized, but buy a supposed to be? And to whom? Either way, this is not the type of thing that simple “I’m not here, leave a message” bulletin board or a planner or write it down The function of away messages is supposed approach and now offered way too much on a loose piece of paper. Tiny little lists that should be in an away message in the to be simple: they’re meant to tell people information. that say “Work at 5, Homework, Bed” are first place. All we want to know is if you’re that you are away from your computer. Who needs to list out every single move straight and to the point, but some details there and when you might be back. Not However simple this idea may seem, people they’re going to make for the next two truly can be left out. how bad your day was and everything that have come up with truly complex ways of days? Location, times, who’s going to be While technical details can and should be went wrong and that you’ve locked yourself doing it over the years. with them, etc. Is that really necessary? cut from the messages, so should extremely in your bathroom and would like to be left You could put up the default message of Who really wants alone. If you don’t “I am away from my computer right now” to know that WilR,s TMI 4ever2008: .A.uto Response from Wilkes TMI 4e-..erXI03 (10:::8:42 am): long want to talk, don’t sign or you could personalize your own with you’re online. Or if you need going ~ay ... different font faces, colors, and symbols. to to talk to someone, go psychology Eng 101: 9am-9:50am Hist. 101: 10am -10:S0am You could include where you are or what at 10:00, then for it. It’s easier and PS 298: llam-11:S0am you’re doing or you could leave a phone English at 11:00, quicker than waiting Lunch with m y girl from 12pm -1 pm number where you can be reached. An away then for them to come to probably Work- study from 1pm -4pm message is essentially an online answering going to lunch you. G~1m : 4 :30pm -5: 30pm machine. Leave the message, you may get and ordering a Song lyrics, popular DinnEf@ 6pm a reply. quotes, and “Out to salad and a Cherry Busv dav. .. ca!! cell if u need me/© When AOL launched its instant Pepsi with Katie at dinner, call the cell” This is an example of an obnoxious TMI away message. messenger in May of 1997, away messages noon, then going are all cool and all were intended to be a quick and easy type to the gym around 1:00 to work serve their purpose, but when of answering service. That’s it. Nothing on your biceps and triceps, and you decide you want to confess more, nothing less. With a limit of 1,024 finally working from 5:00-10:00? Oh - and personal ones. Away messages are not your feelings or write about your day, start characters (including any unseen HTML then doing homework at 11:00 and going journals and they’re not blogs; therefore, a blog or start keeping a diary. Writing can markup), there’s not a whole lot more you to bed? The example might be slightly a message like the following really isn’t be therapeutic and empty notebooks allow could or should do with them. for more than 1,024 characters in any shape exaggerated, but it’s pretty close to some of necessary: But while in the midst of reading all of my the things I’ve seen recently. I understand “This life seems pointless. All it has or color that you want. And buy a planner buddies’ away messages the other night, I that people sometimes need to make lists been is misery to me. The day started off that breaks the days down into hours if you well, finding out that I’m being promoted truly need to know where you’re going to @ work to supervisor once I train the new be every second of the week. Lists make cashiers, but then I come home and find for boring reads, anyway. that the one person I thought I was close enough to be friends w/ forever apparently can just dispose of me like I’m nothing. I BY GINO TROIANI love life...not. So now I’m around being my Staff Writer/Photographer depressing self that I’ve been for the past 2 weeks. Maybe I’ll do some cleaning and ■ then sleep. Leave messages... don’t feel like talking on the phone and my texts for the month are kinda low right now. =(“ Unlike my last example, this is exactly The Beacon wants your voice to be what I found in an away message last heard. Your Voices is the opportunity week. My eyes nearly rolled out of my for students to voice their concerns. head when I read it. Since I know the user If you want your voice to be heard, and know what their personality is like, I please contact The Beacon with the immediately knew that they were simply following information: seeking attention. They want “that one person” to message them and tell them that 1 Contact information includit’s all okay. They want their other friends ing your email address and a to read it, respond sympathetically, and tell them that life’s worth living. phone number where you can This person wants to be rescued, in a be reached sense. But when I read something like this, 2 Your name, major, and year I’m always skeptical of if they actually need 3 Your opinion the help. It’s reminds me of The Boy Who Cried Wolf. How do you know when it’s Drawing By: Aleksander Lapinski real? Where do you draw that line between attention-craving and something serious? Here’s to you Mr. Socks-With-Sandals Guy! Always prepared for that freak summer Is there a real problem or do they just want chill, you somehow manage to defy conventional style while sporting those pasty white The Beacon reserves the right to edit a hug? Is it a real cry for help? socks. Are you lazy, unique, or fashion-challenged? We just don’t know. You prance submitted pieces for space and content. I don’t know the solution to this problem around with no shame, while the rest of us can’t help but wonder, “What the heck is he and I’m not in the position to suggest one, thinking?” Keep on keeping on! but I’m sure I’m not the only one who has run into this before. How sensitive are we Here’s to you... Mr. Socks-With-Sandals Guy What do you think? thebeacon.oped@ gmail.com �FEBRUARY 5, 2008 OPINION 8 The Angry Rant: America has gas BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor America. Say it again. America. The United States of America. Our past, our present, and our future. There is no doubt that America is one of the greatest countries on earth in terms of wealth and power. So why is it filled with the homeless from coast-to-coast? More to the point, why does the United States keep pumping money into foreign countries while our very own citizens die in the streets? How many billions of dollars have been shipped to the Middle East, South America or Africa in the form of foreign aid in an attempt to help a country or region get on its feet, even though the money changes very little over the long run? How much money has been raised to give to Africa to help stave off the AIDS epidemic, despite the fact that our own high school students are receiving an insufficient education on that very same topic? How much money has been given to American citizens in their time of need? For instance, how many have lost their homes because of rising interest rates on mortgages? To me, it seems that we are more than willing to sign a bill to send money everywhere else in the world, yet we are reticent to offer the same helping hand to the American people, when there are so many opportunities to do so. In other words, it’s high time for America to be a little selfish and give back to its own people. President Bush recently announced his grand idea for a tax break designed to provide most Americans anywhere from $600 to $1,200 in an attempt to stimulate the economy. While that idea is well and good, a onetime gift of $600 isn’t going to help the average citizen enough for the economy to turn itself around. It’s a quick fix that is going to have little to no effect, and the notion of the act itself is going to have more impact than the perceived financial boost. It is almost embarrassing that I am even writing something about this. This isn’t a holier-than-thou manifesto; it’s just a common sense approach to the state of things. Look at it this way: Running a country is just like running a business. You keep yourself in the black, and you keep your employees happy. You pay them well, give them good benefits and opportunities, and you keep the downsizing to a minimum. Too simple, right? Right now, the United States is a Fortune 500 company that is on its way down the corporate ladder because of faulty leader- ship and Congressional shortsightedness that dates back over two decades. And the employees are getting antsy. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I don’t much like paying over $3 for a gallon of gas, especially as a commuter who needs to travel over 20 miles one-way each day to school. I find myself dropping over $60 a week on gas, and let me tell you: it’s not much fun. But the government seems to be doing very little about it. So this is a problem. And with every problem, there is a solution. Here is mine: Congress passes a law that gives a separate government agency (FGOC - Federal Gas and Oil Commission) complete control over the regulation and price of gasoline and oil in this country. It does this to prevent the price of a gallon of gas from spiking fifty cents over the course of a month, especially during travel seasons and the winter (when people use more oil. What a coincidence). By doing this, it keeps the gas prices low, with limited price movement based on supply and demand, which will also drop because the FGOC is going to pour money into the oil companies to maintain the existing refineries while simultaneously building new ones so that the oil can be processed faster. Furthermore, this also allows the U.S. to safely and harmlessly drill for oil within its own borders, lessening the need for foreign oil. This also lowers the price of gas. All the while, there will be ongoing research into alternative fuel sources for the future. Abracadabra: There you have a reason- able solution to a problem that is getting increasingly worse. The oil companies can no longer hold the market for ransom, which means they are only making billions in profit every year instead of trillions. The gas prices stay low, and there is no longer a false sense of supply and demand due to the new refineries and domestic drilling. This cuts the price in half for most consumers, who will in turn have more money in the long run, meaning they can buy more houses, cars, land, etc, which will then stimulate the economy. Hooray, problem solved! America is awesome. For all the naysayers (and there are a lot of you) that think this can’t be done: why not? The government controls everything else, why not oil? Is there a better idea out there? It is completely reasonable for us to pay less money for gas, and for “Big Oil” to make a ridiculously large profit. So that’s my rant for the week. If you don’t agree with me…then I really don’t care, you’re wrong. BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor The dark can be a scary place. Young people are taught that they should be afraid of the monsters hiding under the bed or around dark corners. And even as adults, it’s tough to shake that quickening of the pulse when faced with the unknown in the dark. That is why I find it odd for a city like Wilkes-Barre to have so little light on the streets around the local college campuses. I noticed this when I was walking to the movies last year. Looking up and down Northampton Street I was amazed to not see any light provided by street lights. The only light was residual from the parking lot and the giant movies marquee. At the time, it disturbed me, but I eventually forgot about it. But I was reminded of my original feelings this year when I came out of my internship recently on South Franklin Street. Again, I was disturbed by the fact that there were very few lights on the street and the ones that were there provided very little illumination or none at all. For those who have been to State College, I look at that town as the ideal “college town.” The main street can provide a student with almost any necessity, whether in the afternoon or at night. But the nicest thing about the main street, and those surrounding it, is that the streets are bright on the darkest of nights. Those lights are inviting to the 20-yearolds, elderly, and middle-aged people who wish they were 20-year-olds again. Obviously State College is a much larger community than Wilkes-Barre, but I am not suggesting that they put a smoothie palace on every corner. What I am suggesting is to illuminate downtown and create a warm and inviting area at night. This will not only cause a surge in the number of students who head downtown on foot, but subsequently more businesses may move in because there will be the promise of sustainability. The city could always use the old “we don’t have the money” excuse, but I think it would be a wonderful idea for Wilkes University, King’s College, and Wilkes-Barre to purchase more lights jointly. Think about it. The city does not have to worry about the colleges going anywhere. The schools cannot just pick up and leave, nor would they want to. But the students can opt to attend school in cities that offer well-lit, inviting, safe downtowns. Why should students wander around in the dark? City and school officials should install more lights around the colleges and downtown, or they can expect to lose students and businesses as a result. All Photos: The Beacon/Stephanie Gerchman Wilkes-Barre, wake up and see the light �LIFESTYLES FEBRUARY 5, 2008 Student of the Week 10 ESL Partners 11 9 Activist brings experience to environmental crusade they asked me to do this research paper on it, and, being really nerdy, I said yes. Someone had to present it, so I presented it.” After she presented her paper at the UnitSince her teen years, Winona LaDuke ed Nations forum, LaDuke started working fought for the rights of her Native Ameriat the Navajo reservations. Her main job can people and lobbied for reform of enviwas to translate government documents. ronmental regulations. She wrote numerous Many Navajos on the reservations did not books and organized countless protests on speak English, but even the ones who did these issues. had difficulty understanding the governBut she still balks at being called an acment documents, which were written in a tivist. scientific vernacular. LaDuke believes that “I’m considered to be an activist, but I using that kind of language prohibited the consider myself to be more of a responsible residents from having clear knowledge of parent and a responsible human,” she said. what was happening in the uranium mines “We live in the richest and most powerful where they worked. country in the world, and that should have “We have an individual responsibility to certain responsibilities along with all those understand things, but we also have a rerights.” sponsibility to hold institutions accountable, LaDuke visited Wilkes University from not to get to the point where only they have January 29-31 as part of Focus the Nation, a full knowledge,” nationwide program aimed at teachLaDuke said. ing students the information, civic We live in the richest and most powerful country in “We’re talking responsibility, and leadership needed like the Middle to fight global warming. Along with the world, and that should have certain responsibilities Ages, where only a formal lecture to the community, along with all those rights. some people have LaDuke also met with students in Winona LaDuke the knowledge.” their classrooms and hosted an inLaDuke said formal question and answer session environmental and human rights activist that working on with students, faculty, and commuthe Navajo resernity members. At her informal discussion, LaDuke talk- own actions,” Bush said. “Her entire pre- vations was an epiphany for her. It made ed about civil responsibility, and the need sentation jumped into two words for me: her aware of the control corporations have over communities, especially ones where for Americans to become active participants common sense.” LaDuke, 48, grew up watching her An- English is not predominantly spoken. in their own lives. She said the duty of re“How could you make an informed decisponsible citizens is to learn what they can ishinaabekwe (Ojibwe) father and Jewish about where their water, food, and resourc- mother speak out on racial and environ- sion like that? How can you send a Navajo es come from and how that can affect their mental issues. She discovered her own down to an underground uranium mine passion for the issues as a high school stu- when there isn’t even a word in Navajo for well-being. dent arguing national energy policy on her radiation?” she asked. “How can you get Peter Bush, a informed consent?” debate team. freshman pharmaShe began testifying at hearings and conWhile studying at Harvard University, ceutical science LaDuke worked on researching the injus- ducting research on companies before they major, decidtices in Navajo uranium mines, where min- moved into communities. She organized ed to attend ers were exposed to unhealthy amounts of demonstrations in nuclear power plants L a D u k e ’s across the United States. radiation. discussion As a way for her message to reach a In 1977, LaDuke was asked to present session afher research at the first United Nations fo- greater number of people, LaDuke began ter seeing rum on the rights of indigenous people. At writing as a journalist on the issue of invideo 18 years old, LaDuke traveled to Geneva, formed consent. While writing for magaclips Switzerland, to represent indigenous people zines described as “politically progressive,” o f LaDuke discovered they weren’t covering throughout the Western hemisphere. “Indigenous people went to the United the kinds of issues she believed necessary. “I remember saying I wanted to write an Nations and said, ‘We believe that we have rights to determine our destiny, article on the Navajo uranium mines, and basic human rights to speak our they told me, ‘We covered Indian people language, not to be sent to board- last month,’” she said. “Do they have some ing school, not to have our land kind of quota, like Indian people get covtaken away, and not to have ered once a year?” After conducting research, organizing our economy controlled by Courtesy of Wilkes Univesityy someone else,”’ she said. “So protests, and writing articles, LaDuke deBY CHRISTA SGOBBA Beacon Lifestyles Editor her past lectures online. Interested in both her cultural and environmental work, Bush thought her take-charge, no-nonsense approach to these issues reflected his own beliefs. “For me it’s a moral issue, and it should be common sense,” he said. “We have to take an active part in it because it affects our lives and who we are.” Bush was hooked right from LaDuke’s opening when she likened personal responsibility for environmental issues to being a good parent. Just like parents want to know what additives are included in their children’s cereal, they should also question what chemicals are in their drinking water or their food. “I really loved how she immediately started talking about being a mother, about how we need to take responsibility for our The Beacon/Gino Troiani Winona LaDuke spoke with Wilkes community members from January 29-31. cided that her next form of action would be running for public office. In the 1996 and 2000 presidential elections, LaDuke ran as Ralph Nader’s vicepresidential running mate for the Green Party. “You don’t necessarily need to be in office for things to change, but you do need to engage,” she said. At her home on the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota, LaDuke devotes her time, energy, and skills to help better the quality of life. She describes the reservation as troubled, with two-thirds of the residents living below the poverty level, one-third afflicted with diabetes, and “arrest and abuse rates through the roof.” One of her main goals for the reservation is to make it more self-reliant. She encourages using wood from the abundant trees on the reservation for heat and energy, and growing food locally. Her latest project on the reservation was to revamp school lunches. Obesity is a big problem on the reservation, and the breakfasts and lunches filled with corn syrups, fats, and dyes students eat every day at school don’t help. LaDuke worked for federal grants and donations to serve organic, locally-grown food at the school. “We now serve a chili with locally-grown kidney beans, tomatoes, and buffalo meat,” she said. “We have to get these kids to decolonize their tastes. A corndog doesn’t have to be their future.” �LIFESTYLES 10 FEBRUARY 5, 2008 Student of the Week: Neil Kresge BY MATTHEW GOGAS Beacon Staff Writer In only his first year at Wilkes University, Neil Kresge has already made an impact on the campus, and it’s starting to look a little greener. Kresge recently served as a student coordinator and helped execute the Focus the Nation campaign alongside environmental science faculty and other staff members. Kresge, an earth and environmental sciences major (EES), also minors in political science and sees a logical connection between the two, as evidenced by the political, social, and scientific messages of the nationwide campaign to address global warming. A transfer student from the Pennsylvania College of Technology, Kresge left there nearly three years ago to take some time off to work. Recently, he decided to go back to school and chose Wilkes. Because of his active role in educating fellow students and Wilkes community members about environmental problems, The Beacon has chosen Neil Kresge as its Student of the Week. The Beacon: Why did you decide to come to Wilkes out of all the other schools you looked at? Kresge: I decided to come to Wilkes because they specifically tailored a program that let me major in environmental science while taking a political science minor. The Beacon: How do you feel about your work on the Focus the Nation campaign? Kresge: This is my first big rallying objective here at Wilkes. It kind of blends political activism with the growing science accomplishments Wilkes is making, so I feel like that’s a big one right off the bat. 500 students at the event. We had overflow in Stark 101. The Beacon: What are some other plans you would like to tackle? Kresge: Well, I would really like to get involved with more political activism and get Wilkes University signatures and emails to try and guide Governor Rendell towards his environmental plan that has been sitting on the back burner for about two years. So I think that is maybe going to be one of our next challenges to get legislation passed that is going to make quality of life better here in Pennsylvania. The Beacon: So Focus the Nation was one of your primary goals at Wilkes? Kresge: Well it’s not just the Focus the Nation as a specific event. It’s the whole idea of educating people on global climate change and just showing people that there’s ways to reduce their normal waste day in and day out. That’s going to help in the long run because this problem is going to impact our generation the hardest and our kids’ generation. The Beacon: Were you happy with the way Focus the Nation turned out? Kresge: I was. We probably had 400 to The Beacon: What do you want to do when you graduate? Kresge: Right now I am kind of in between. I’m thinking about graduate school. Either graduate school or I would like to get involved with activism. I want to apply science objectivity to policy, you know, political leadership in this country. Beacon/Matthew Gogas IE ST DE T IN . .·. Rs . . .· I I . P .· n CAU.: Bl LL ti EN lV at 115--761-4619 0R CHEOK iliHE WEB SIIIE FOR 1'111 POB:MA11ONI 1 'v t 665 sm a t dty nt ! ~- In . ve . 1:' 1kr . - ·a ·· , aU (570 · 823- ·_1- 9' 't �LIFESTYLES FEBRUARY 5, 2008 Students cross borders through conversation 11 Conversation partners needed for international students BY CHRISTINE ZAVASKAS Beacon Asst. Lifestyles Editor Mary Opalka, a junior mechanical engineering major, wanted to help her conversation partner from China learn more about American culture. So, she took her to WalMart. “She needed to get groceries... and she wants to learn about the culture, too. What’s more American than Wal-Mart? Sad, but true,” says Opalka. While a trip to Wal-Mart may or may not seem like an educational experience, Opalka is actually providing her partner, Jiajia Peng, with an invaluable opportunity to practice English with a native speaker. This is especially important to Peng, who just arrived in the country last month with plans to get a Masters degree in education. Peng, who is from Fujian, China, is a scholar in the Intensive English Program (IEP) which operates in Hollenback Hall. According to Kimberly Niezgoda, ESL Coordinator, this program functions separately from the rest of the University and provides 30 hours a week of English language instruction for international students who would like to eventually study at Wilkes or another American university. In addition to teaching these students English in a classroom setting, the IEP also coordinates the conversation partner program, which matches Wilkes University students who speak English with international students. The pairs then are asked to meet for at least an hour a week for a semester so that the international students can practice their It’s a big deal to them,” says Opalka. Unfortunately, only ten pairs of students this semester are currently engaging in this kind of language and cultural exchange with each other because of a lack of American volunteers. There are 22 international students that are still in need of partners. “They (international students) keep saying, ‘…Please find me a conversation partner!’ Eventually I wish I could pay people to do this, but the program is so new, that we just haven’t gotten to that point yet...If I could find a conversation partner for every student, then I’d be thrilled, but it hasn’t happened yet,” says Niezgoda. Vigen Kadysewski, who is from Yerevan, Armenia, and Archer Zhu from Tianjin, China, are both students still in need of conversation partners. Although Kadysewski and Zhu mostly want to have the opportunity to practice English with a native speaker, they also both spoke about wanting to share parts of their own culture with future partners. “If somebody was interested, I know most of the history of the Caucasus and Russia and Europe. So if somebody is interested in history, I am good at it. Also I can teach Russian,” says Kadysewski. Zhu also noted that he thinks the conversation partner program should be an exchange of knowledge and not just one way. “China is one of the oldest countries in the world, so we have lots of traditions. Also I am good at history, not only Chinese history, but also countries in Europe and America. So we could talk about these cultures…We should help each other,” said Zhu. Niezgoda provided some insight as to understanding why having a conversation partner is so valuable to an international student. “The example I tend to give is imagine if you went to Spain or Germany or another country. You have no family, no friends, and you’re Beijing Tianjin Fujian Yerevan trying to learn the language completely by yourself. How much would it mean to you to have someone from that country be willing to take an hour a week and spend time with you, just helping practice the language,” says Niezgoda. Felixa Wingen, a junior English major and secondary education minor, has volunteered to become a conversation partner this semester, and knows firsthand how hard it can be to transition to another country. Wingen, who is originally from Germany, says, “I know what it’s like to learn English, and how difficult it is. I can’t imagine trying to learn English if I was just surrounded by people who speak German all day. So I think it’s important to have the opportunity to speak to English speakers.” Wingen said that she would recommend becoming a conversation partner as a “cool” way to learn about another culture and help someone else at the same time. Opalka also recommends this program to other students and highlighted another benefit she has gotten from her partnership. “You make a new friend, too. She’s not just my conversation partner, we get along well… She didn’t know anyone when she came here, but she came here to study. That speaks severe dedication to me. I admire her,” says Opalka. Any student interested in becoming a conversation partner should send an email to kimberly.niezgoda@wilkes. edu. From left: Jiajia Peng, Archer Zhu, Vigen Kadysewski All photos The Beacon/Christine Zavaskas China new language skills and also to provide an opportunity for cultural exchange. Students participating in the program can meet whenever they choose, and there are no guidelines for what they have to talk about. They are not relegated to just conversing either. In the past Niezgoda noted that students have even gone bowling together and taught each other how to cook ethnic dishes. “It’s not so much about teaching and tutoring. It’s about getting a chance to share your culture and learn about somebody else’s culture…My international students, they have 30 hours a week of intensive English language instruction. By the time they get to the conversation partner, they just want to say, ‘Hey what’s up, how are you doing?’ and learn the way American students talk,” says Niezgoda. Peng, who is at level five (the highest level of English proficiency) in the IEP, has several things that she wants to share and learn through her conversation partner, “[I want to share] my culture, my language, and of course your culture and your language. Also, the knowledge and the different ways of your education system because I just came here and need to get used to your education style.” According to Opalka, Peng is not the only one learning something from the time they have spent together so far this semester. “[I’ve learned] a lot, actually. Chinese New Year is next week…It’s kind of a combination, from what she told me, between Christmas and New Year’s here because they get money from their elders. �A&E FEBRUARY 5, 2008 Rambo Dan Aykroyd Music Kudracross/Website 13 14 15 Visual and Performing Arts courses offer hands-on learning BY ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Assistant A&E Editor an interest in the arts through courses,” Dawson said. He added, “There has always been an interest in the arts because you could address history and culture from an arts perspective but students now seem to be interested in processes through self expression.” The performing arts, such as dance and theater, offer a kinesthetic or hands-on experience for students while the visual arts offers self expression through the use of materials. It is these aspects of the arts classes which attract students from a normal lecture style classroom. Wilkes offers a variety of art courses. Among the most popular, according to Sharon Bowar, an associate professor of Art, are Experiencing Art and Ceramics. “Our art courses provide a dynamic setting where students are immersed in creativity, communication, visual literacy, and develop a stronger sense of aesthetics, and social values,” Bowar explained. Bowar and Dawson agreed students will often take additional art classes once fulfilling their required credit hours, possibly even becoming an art minor during their time at Wilkes. Dawson explained, areas within art, such as painting and computer graphics offer a beginner level course but also a second level for those who wish to continue the development of their skills. Jean Adams, an adjunct art faculty member and the ceramics professor, believes one Photo Courtesy of Marketing Communications The Beacon/Cara Koster reason for the increased enrollment in ceWilkes University requires all students ramics is due to to complete three credits within the Visual the new facility and Performing Arts (VPA) department in in Bedford Hall order to graduate; however, over the past on River Street. few years, students are taking more than “It’s [the new the required single class within the defacility] quite partment. obvious on According to statistics from the Wilkes campus, a lot of University Fact Book provided by Joe people see it so Dawson, Chair of the Visual and Perall of a sudden forming Arts department, VPA course there is a betenrollments have steadily increased over ter understandthe past few years. Since the 2002-2003 ing that there school year, credit hours in the art coursis a ceramics es have increased nearly 300. The dance class on camcourses have also seen an increase of pus,” Adams about 300 credit hours, while theatre arts explained, “It’s courses increased 200 credit hours and [the new facilmusic courses increased about 100. ity] a room we Dawson explained the increase in credit built for a purhours within the department could be due pose.” to several factors, including increased Adams, who enrollment across the university and the has been teachcreation of new sections to already existing ceramics at ing courses. Wilkes for 22 Throughout Dawson’s time at Wilkes years explained there has always been steady interest in that for the cur- Students in the beginner ballet class practice their form in the classes with the arts department; however rent semester, a dance studio located in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center. recently students’ interests seem to have mester may be the dance recital at the end new section of ceramics was added. All changed. of the semester which features each level three sections of the course filled; howev“What’s different, I think, is traditionof the different dance forms. er, each class only allows for ten students ally students had an interest in the arts Although Wilkes does not offer a dance because of the limited pottery wheels and through clubs, and I think now they have major, Lawson is completing the program the need for hands-on instruction. through an independent study. Currently, As with the visual arts courses, she is the only dance major at Wilkes. the dance courses also offer difStudents who come to Wilkes with a sigferent levels of performance and nificant amount of dance experience can instruction. According to the enroll in higher levels of performance-oriWilkes website, DAN 100, Dance ented courses such as ballet, modern, tap Appreciation, is a beginner course and jazz with instructor permission acwhich introduces students to varicording to Dawson. ous forms of dance including He explained that the dance courses apballet, modern, jazz and theatripeal to students, specifically athletes, becal. However, each form can be cause each teaches agility through a kineslearned more extensively as four thetic experience. ability levels are offered. All the courses within the Visual and Kara Lawson, a senior dance Performing Arts department teach students major, explained the dance proa variety of skills they may not learn in a fessors make the courses, spetraditional lecture classroom. Dawson said cifically DAN 100, appealing to the courses within the department teach students by offering hands-on self expression and self discovery, kinlearning which gives you a taste esthetic knowledge and discipline along of all dance forms. with organizational skills. “The classes fill up particularly in the spring,” Lawson said. AddStudents work on the pottery wheels in the ceramics facility located in Bedford Hall on ing the appeal of the spring seSouth River Street. �FEBRUARY 5, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 13 Movie Review: Rambo BY MIKE WILLIAMS ever he wants. So, brace yourselves trash involved in the rescue. Without giving too of battle with grim realism, at some points Beacon Staff Writer talkers, because Stallone’s going to do it much away, rest assured that what follows making Saving Private Ryan look tame. In 2006, naysayers of the world united again…and this time it’s gonna hurt. One scene in particular, in which the Buris some of the most intense and powerful in order to pre-pan Sylvester Stallone’s Two decades after we last saw Rambo, scenes ever committed to film. mese military commits brutal atrocities sixth entry in the Rocky series, Rocky Bal- we catch back up with him, living a simple, against a war torn village, results in some Aside from the nostalgia of seeing Stalboa, criticizing everything from Stallone’s peaceful life working in Thailand. How- lone once again tie on the red bandana and of the most vicious and traumatic visuals age and physical ever, the fires of pick up his trusty trademark compound bow, ever in cinema history. After seeing this, appearance to war which have Rambo is a powder keg of a film, not only audiences will no doubt be squirming in the overall problaid dormant in for its scenes of intense action, but also for their seats, waiting for Rambo to do his ability the story, the mind of the its compelling story and acting. Most notething, and when he does, it’s a messy masbefore the poor grizzled Vietnam worthy is that of Stallone, who gives a powterpiece of blood and gore. ol’ Italian Stalveteran are once erhouse performance, portraying our hero Rated R for language and graphic scenes lion even got a again reignited, as a man who has absolutely nothing to live of war violence, Rambo is definitely not a chance to lace as a group of for, torn by his haunted past, iron will and film for the kids; however, if you do have up his gloves. Christian mis- unbreakable convictions. Still, once Rambo an age consisting of two digits, and are in F o r t u n a t e l y, sionaries, led by learns of the plight of the missionaries and the mood to see an action movie that will fans of the series Paul Shulze (Zo- he once again prepares for war, movie goers leave you breathless, then Stallone’s latgot a front row diac) and Julie will no doubt feel their adrenaline begin to est entry to the series is for you. So, in the seat to watch Benz (Jawbreak- kick in as the legendary action hero rides end, what’s the verdict? Do the doubters pessimists take a er), seek him out into battle, for what may be his final misand naysayers of Rambo have anything pounding as Stalto guide them sion. to back up their criticism? The Beacon lone served up a up-river into war But The Beacon would be negligent if it says no; they don’t have a leg to stand hell of a combo, torn Burma in or- didn’t underscore the action, which most on…probably missing an arm or two as delivering a film der to administer fans of the series have been foaming at the well…and a good chunk of torso. You can which not only aid to villagers, mouth for for nearly twenty years. The sethank Rambo for that. held the numwho, for over quences that Rambo has to offer are nothing Grade: A ber one spot for fifty years have short of breathtaking, showing the ferocity weeks, grossed suffered millions of dola vicious, lars, received tyrannirave reviews and cal rule by showed every- Photo Courtesy of moviesonline.ca the brutal Tuesday, February 5 one that even at 60-years old, Sylvester Burmese military. Now from here, - An Evening of Dubstep featuring: Conscious Pilot, Guerilla, Gaje and Kai lo at the River Stallone can still probably shatter faces if everything went smoothly, we St. Jazz Cafe like grandma’s good china. wouldn’t have much of a movie to Less than two years later, the doubters discuss; but, as expected, the misWednesday, February 6 have recovered from their beatings and sionaries are soon taken captive by - “Tune In” Game Show in the SUB at 9 p.m. have once again begun to criticize Stal- the sadistic local military unit. Upon lone for once again donning the headband receiving news of this, Rambo volThursday, February 7 in order to reprise another one of his leg- unteers his services to guide a team - The Breakfast featuring FMO performing at the River St. Jazz Cafe endary characters, John Rambo. But wait! of mercenaries back into Burma, in It’s been twenty years since Rambo III. order to rescue the surviving misFriday, February 8 He’s almost 62. How can he do it? Why sionaries. However, it isn’t long - NY Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs N.Y. trip at 2:30 p.m. would he do it? The answer is simple: before Rambo abandons his posi- Poetry reading at the Arena Hub Plaza Barnes & Noble at 7 p.m. He’s Sylvester Stallone. He’ll do what- tion as guide and becomes actively - The Towntown Harvest and Dirty Water performing at the River St. Jazz Cafe - Northeastern PA Philharmonic performing at the Kirby Center at 8 p.m. - Awkward Silence, Three Man Cannon and The Window Shoppers performing at Test Pattern at 8 p.m. Schedule of Events No more contacts. No glasses? NO WORRIES! Butler Eyecare has special Student Pricing! 20% discount on Frames $49 eye exams 822-8727 yecare for everyone www .butlereyecare.com 34 S. Main St. Across from SUBWAY Saturday, February 9 - Bigger Thomas, The Big Green, No Shirt No Shoes No Ska and Below Me performing at Cafe Metropolis at 8 p.m. - Earth Stood Still, Captain We’re Sinking and A Golden Era performing at Test Pattern at 8 p.m. - The Woody Brown Project and Post Junction performing at the River St. Jazz Cafe Sunday, February 10 - Motionless In White, Mayella Omerta and By All Means performing at Cafe Metropolis at 7 p.m. - Johnny Rapp’s Biodiesel performing at the River St. Jazz Cafe Monday, February 11 - American Red Cross Blood Drive in the SUB from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. �ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT 14 FEBRUARY 5, 2008 Local artists record Dan Aykroyd tribute CD BY MARISSA PHILLIPS Beacon A&E Editor He gained fame in the early years of Saturday Night Live and then made his mark in well-known films such as Ghostbusters, Coneheads, and Blues Brothers. But soon actor Dan Aykroyd will be making his mark in a local music compilation. What began as an idea pitched on a message board, the “Dan Aykroyd Music” compilation will be completed and released this March. The compilation is being put together by Scranton resident, Bobby Keller, who explained, “I was literally just bored one day and posted on the Prison Jazz message board that I was going to make a compilation CD about Dan Aykroyd, and literally the next day, Eric Schlittler of Kid Icarus had sent me a track for the CD. So, after that I felt obligated to actually finish the CD. It’s not making fun of Dan, but it’s not a real serious tribute album. It’s just fun.” The CD will consist of primarily indie-rock, although Keller has hopes of mixing in additional genres, specifically hardcore. “I wish there was a hardcore song, I may have to just record it myself,” said Keller. The bands currently involved in the project include: Kid Icarus, Strand of Oaks, My Dad is a Dinosaur, Amasa, The Green Chair, and These Elk Forever. Keller is still waiting on submissions from a few bands, such as Marshmallow Staircase, Kinderk*nts, and a possible track from Brian Langan of the Sw!ms. Every band has taken a different approach to the project. One of the darker tracks, by Strand of Oaks, is a song about Dan Aykroyd taking revenge on John Belushi’s drug dealer. There is also an Amasa cover of “Spies Like Us” and a Kid Icarus song in which the group actually sings Aykroyd’s biography. There was definite thought behind the songs featured on the CD, and as Schlittler explained, his band’s song isn’t just a random listing of Aykroyd’s movies, but rather, a way to reflect on Aykroyd’s past. “I’ve always been fascinated by an artist’s body of work. Not just the great things that they’ve accomplished but also the wrong turns or just plain mistakes that they make. With over 30 years worth of mov- ies under his belt, I thought it would be interesting to just sing every movie he has been in for the last 30 years and let people’s own memories sort of craft the feelings you might get from the track for you,” he said. Once the it is out, Keller plans to market and sell the CD through a Myspace page (www.myspace.com/danaykroydcompilation), which is currently up and contains some samples from the CD. Keller has no intention of making money off of the CD and will either sell it for a low price or give it away for free. Photos courtesy members.fortunecity.com, http://www.miamisunpost.com/ . ,. .lei ) Caamb or A. · _B ,ci .- -2 ncy Ap . /mo . * NO FOR SP NTI · G G 2008 ! I ,n · _J' ho....., - S r ·cure Enbry C mberl. 17 V\/es VVHke.·s und 1ry - '\ l\11 - i n V\/1 rn t, t r. S · vv r ,. Tr: h WWW. CU l ,p. s s ·t rreet 1 7 �15 Kudracross BY CHRISTOPHER KUDRAK Beacon Staff Writer 1 5 10 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 26 28 32 35 40 42 43 44 47 48 49 51 56 59 61 63 64 65 67 68 69 70 71 72 FEBRUARY 5, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ACROSS Musicians gear, for short Marks of a wound Greenish blue Tree anchor Ar Beethoven piece CIA agent Small tropical yellowish fruit Fix _____ County, heart of PA Dutch country Trysted Architectural device Unorthodox religious belief Trendy Looks at flirtatiously North pole employee Not mass produced Wilkes-Barre mine type Billy Joel instrument Sphinx is missing one Humans to linnaeus “Brave____World” Alpha’s opposite Beer vessel M.C.’s job 49 across contents Nervous sign Enterprise engine Electronic music Calcutta location Bird of peace Jurisdiction Fragrance Gets with great effort Campus VIP Number that makes a crowd Tenant payment 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 21 25 27 29 30 31 32 33 34 36 37 38 39 41 45 46 50 52 53 54 55 57 58 59 60 62 63 66 DOWN Give a weapon to Dough, dinero, etc Completely opposite Bad smell Epic adventure Destroy by pressure Quartz type Moon explorer Trap for small animals Capone weapon Fencing sword Fathers sister Hallucinatory sub stance Style and elegance Shed tears Immature insect Pride member Or follower Boil slowly Canyon sound Appear ominously Limelight Drink daintly Asian language family “____Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” Jazz musician Thelonious _____ Wise person Jose or Antonio Char the surface Non-powered aircraft Corkscrew Large farm Restaurant activity Backbone Bring about Number of deadly sins Exhaust Invention causer Prom partner Furious New York time (abbr.) Answers 1/29 10 14 p "E "C 0 "T H N s A 8 s ",.0 E L C "A H I 0 11 13 M I M 0 L E s C E L A T E "A "s "T . y A E R I L I N E 0 s E sl E A s T Lolcats.com BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor I have just discovered the world’s most obnoxious website. I always heard the stupid quotes but never really paid much attention until my sister sat laughing at her computer. When I ask her what is so funny, she responded, “LOLcats.” So, I went on lolcats.com and saw the wide variety of stupid pictures and videos. Let me just tell you that this website is an English major’s nightmare. The creators of this site take pictures of cats doing different things such as a cat in a truck that appears to be driving. They add stupid captions such as “Jebus, take the wheel!” That does not convey the spelling issues. Maybe the most popular Lolcat would be one of a cat smiling with a caption that says “Can I haz a cheezburger?” Not only is the spelling atrocious, the grammar is awful as well. I can’t tell if the creator of this website is seriously this in love with cats or is just trying to create a stupid funny website. I mean, I have a cat. I love her. She is cute. But, I don’t think that I would ever make a website about cats. I don’t understand where the language comes from or who would take the time to pose the cats according to what they want to write on the picture. I guess everyone gets bored every once in a while, perhaps this is how my sister stumbled on this site, or maybe it’s because of various other girls from her high school who have posted these stupid cat pictures on their Myspaces. Regardless, LOLcats is the worst website I have come across. I give LOLcats.com a C for “Can I haz a dik-shon-airy.” �16 SPORTS FEBRUARY 5, 2008 Daytona 500 offers race fans true taste for the season BY NICK PODOLAK Beacon Editor-in-Chief BY MARK CONGDON, JR. Beacon Opinion Editor Some say it’s not a sport. “How hard is it to drive around in a circle all day?” skeptics will say. Others claim it’s a redneck sport. “Dude, they gave away collectible buckets of NASCAR chicken at KFC.” Listen, the fact of the matter is…talk is cheap. According to USA Today, NASCAR is the nation’s second most watched sport. And while some sports fans would rather sit and watch paint dry, others are itching in anticipation for the SuperBowl of the NASCAR season-the Daytona 500- to scratch their need for speed. Along with the 2008 season come many changes and storylines. First, Sprint will replace Nextel as the cup sponsor, thus making it the Sprint Cup. And more races will start sooner, with 18 races in the 36-race schedule starting at two o’clock or earlier. Jonathan Lazarchick, senior criminology major, enthusiastically said, “It should be a good season. There’s a lot of competition and new sponsors, so the drivers will have to prove they’re worth the sponsorship.” But perhaps the biggest stories headlining the 2008 Sprint Cup focus on how Toyotas will fare after a disappointing performance last year, and how Dale Earnhardt Jr. will perform under his new team, Hendrick Motorsports. Just in case you were living under the hood of a car last October, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will no longer be driving the red number 8 for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated (DEI--his late father’s company), but rather the number 88 Mountain Dew Amp car for Hendrick Motorsports. “His father is rollin’ in his grave right now,” said mechanical engineering major Stan Shaffer. “I think he made a terrible decision. Hendrick is pretty boys racing in a man’s sport.” The move, though unexpected, was in no way surprising. The Intimidator’s second wife, Teresa, was handed DEI after her husband’s tragic death, and was accused of being too controlling, not supplying her Dale Jr. with the best motors available, etc. Now at Hendrick, Junior will have state-ofart equipment, joining the best drivers on the circuit, including last year’s Cup champion, Jimmy Johnson (33 Cup wins, 2 Cup championships) and Jeff Gordon (81 Cup wins, 4 Cup championships). Many see this year as a litmus test for “Little E” (17 Cup wins, 0 championships) to prove he is heir apparent of his father’s long-standing legacy. “I don’t think Junior’s as good a driver as his father, and I ing brand new Toyotas with attitude. With Kurt Busch and last season’s Rookie of the Year Denny Hamlin hitchin’ a ride with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), the team may have a threeheaded monster o n think this will prove it,” Shaffer said. But don’t, for a moment, think that this year’s Chase for the Cup will be comparable to a race between the turtle and the hare, for Tony Stewart and Co. will be creeping up in Hendrick’s rearview mirrors sport- their hands as far as arrogant person- alities are concerned, but quality drivers behind the wheel might equal a championship for JGR. “Toyota didn’t do anything last year,” Shaffer said. “They had a bunch of crap drivers, and had a negative advantage coming into the season. This year, you have top notch drivers, and it’s goi n g to be the biggest story this year at Daytona, to see how the Toyotas run.” Lazarchick explained, “What makes a great driver is the crew team, not just the driver. The driver is like the quarterback. They have to tell the crew what needs to be done to win the race. The pit-crew is like the offensive weapon, and has to make that driver better. They change the tires, fuel the car up and make sure the car doesn’t fail. They protect the driver to make sure they’re safe and that the car doesn’t malfunction. The spotter and crew chief are like the coach. They have the best view of the track and can tell the driver fall, while Frank Heffernan (174) earned a win by major decision. Shaun Farnham (125), Josh Pauling (133), Adam Penberthy (157), Shawn Bradley (184) and Chris Smith (197) added wins by decision for the Colonels. Wilkes claimed seven of the ten individual bouts in the victory over Princeton, including forfeit wins secured by Prentice (141), Smith (149) and Bradley (184). Penberthy (157) was a winner by fall and Ryan Wilson (133) scored a win by major decision. Heffernan (165) and Chris Smith (197) contributed wins by decision for Wilkes. Wilkes 42, Wagner -1 125 – Shaun Farnham (Wilkes) dec. Nicholas Keshecki, 5-2 (3-0) 133 – Josh Pauling (Wilkes) dec. Nick Boghos, 6-2 (6-0) 141 – Brandon Prentice (Wilkes) tech. fall Tyler Harmer, 17-2 (11-0) 149 – Erik Smith (Wilkes) pinned Patrick Larkin, 6:37 (17-0) 157 – Adam Penberthy (Wilkes) dec. Sean Quinn, 8-5 (-1 tm. pt.) (20-minus 1) 165 – James Histed (Wilkes) pinned Marco Tellerico, 2:50 (26-minus 1) 174 – Frank Heffernan (Wilkes) by major dec. Pete Morano, 11-1 (30-minus 1) 184 – Shawn Bradley (Wilkes) dec. Ed Broderick, 7-5 (33-minus 1) 197 – Chris Smith (Wilkes) dec. Anthony Interiano, 4-3 (36-minus 1) 285 – Andrew Feldman (Wilkes) pinned John Graeffe, 4:17 (42-minus 1) Wilkes 34, Princeton 16 125 – Tony Comunale (P) pinned Shaun where to go and what can help them on the track. The car is the offensive and defensive weapon. The car isn’t going to let another car pass them.” Whatever you do, don’t disparage NASCAR drivers’ athleticism. “To get in a car that is 200-250 degrees and physically work it…it’s not like your car at home. They just started having power steering. Imagine driving a car without power steering. Driving a car without power steering is hard as hell. They need to be physically fit, just like an athlete, a n d when it comes down to it, it takes brains,” Shaffer said. Lazarchick added, “Just because they might not throw a football or anything like that, the drivers train just as hard as any other athlete. People say that NASCAR isn’t a sport because all they do is drive around in circles. That’s like saying someone who runs track isn’t an athlete because they run around in circles…Drivers have to be able to maneuver around other cars that are going at speeds that are very fast. It takes much skill to be able to do that.” The Daytona 500 will go down on February 17 at 1:00, on FOX. Wrestlers Top Division I Foes: Wagner, Princeton COURTESY OF SPORTS MARKETING The nationally-ranked Wilkes University wrestling team picked up a pair of impressive wins over Division I opponents on Saturday afternoon at Franklin & Marshall College. The Colonels scored a 42-minus 1 win over Wagner College in their first match of the day, before disposing of Princeton University, 34-16 in their second match. The Colonels ran their overall dual match record to 17-6-1 with the two victories. Wilkes is currently ranked 19th in the latest NCAA Division III national poll. Erik Smith (149), James Histed (165) and Andrew Feldman (285) each picked up wins by fall against Wagner. Brandon Prentice (141) was a winner by technical Farnham, 4:11 (0-6) 133 – Ryan Wilson (W) by major dec. Robert Benitez, 14-2 (4-6) 141 – Brandon Prentice (W) by forfeit (10-6) 149 – Erik Smith (W) by forfeit (16-6) 157 – Adam Penberthy (W) pinned Matt Katz, 2:16 (22-6) 165 – Frank Heffernan (W) dec. Mike Alvarez, 9-2 (25-6) 174 – Travis Erdman (P) by major dec. Rich Pellegrini, 13-3 (25-10) 184 – Shawn Bradley (W) by forfeit (3110) 197 – Chris Smith (W) dec. Zack Morse, 6-4 (34-10) 285 – Sam Ritter (P) pinned Jake Weinrich, 6:13 (34-16) �SPORTS FEBRUARY 5, 2008 17 Women continue Freedom Conference struggles BY GERARD HETMAN Beacon Asst. Sports Editor In the seven-team race for the Freedom Conference playoffs, the hopes and dreams of the Wilkes University women’s basketball team were dealt several major blows this week. On the heels of a 67-53 loss to FDU-Florham on Wednesday night, the Lady Colonels allowed a season high in points scored while suffering a 93-46 loss at DeSales University on Saturday. The recent losses drop the Lady Colonels to an overall record of 118, while the team remains winless in Freedom Conference play after seven contests. The game also marked a sour homecoming for Wilkes head coach Rachel Emmerthal and assistant coach Kirby Lutz, both of whom enjoyed stellar playing careers on the hardwood at DeSales during their undergraduate years. The Lady Bulldogs took control of the game from the start as they opened play on an 11-0 run in the first half. Wilkes did mount a charge that was capped off at 19-6 by an Erin Schneider lay-up, but the home team refused to fold. Ripping off scoring runs of 11-0 and 14-0 later in the first period, DeSales crushed any hopes of a Lady Colonels rally and took a 51-15 lead into the halftime locker room. “I think we underestimated their ability to score quickly.” Lady Colonels forward Khadija Bates said of the game afterward. “They came out and scored early and we didn’t respond the way we needed to for us to stay in the game.” The Lady Colonels did narrow the margin of scoring in the second half, as the Bulldogs outpaced Wilkes by a mark of 42-31. Still, the damage had been done early, and DeSales was never seriously threatened en route to its’ fifth straight conference win. Schneider and Sam Lynam led Wilkes with nine points each, while both players grabbed four rebounds. After a non-conference home game with Richard Stockton College on Monday evening, the Lady Colonels will return to Freedom Conference action when they host Delaware Valley on Saturday at 1PM. The Lady Colonels game against the Lady Aggies features the “Think Pink” theme in an effort to fight the war against breast cancer. The Beacon/Jenna Stephens Brittany Ely controls the pace against the FDU Lady Devils last Wednesday. Qu1zno·s~Q M ••• TOASTY! 72 South Main St. ·likes-Barre Hours . onday- . 1.ur sday lOarn-8pn1 - iday . S•· urday 10am-1 0pH1. u , . -~ayl2.P -6pH1. 1 (570) 208-SUBS Cub M . .- .ting? Birt - day arty? Olllce Meeting? oo ball Pa 't y? The a !!ilW r · o al t qu -_ . ion.- -...... Z -_ OS c.· TE~-~-N G Cate· •· ·gt ays st:arting at: 1.999'9 Call for details9 �SPORTS 18 Commentary GAMENBAOF THE WEEK Doubleheader Battle of conference rivals as mid-season nears BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor New Orleans Hornets at Phoenix Suns (2/06) Two seasons ago, the New Orleans Hornets didn’t have a home. Displaced due to Hurricane Katrina, they spent most of 2005-2007 in Oklahoma City, where they struggled for two seasons with a 77-87 record and without any playoff hopes. Now they find themselves atop the Western Conference, keeping pace with such perennial powerhouses as the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks. Their success is the result of a solid core of young players, including 2006 Rookie of the Year Chris Paul, 20.6 points per game and 10.7 assists per game lead a team that includes center Tyson Chandler (12.1 PPG,12.4 RPG), forward David West (19.5 PPG, 9.3 RPG) and guard-forward Peja Stojakovic (15.2 PPG). While the Hornets are a relatively young team, they are playing with poise and confidence, as they are 12-2 in the month of January. They will need to ride that momentum for the rest of the season, as there is still plenty of time for their opponents to make up lost ground. The Hornets will have their work cut out for them, though, as they are up against the NBA’s best offense in the Phoenix Suns, who are averaging nearly 110 points per game this season, while holding their own in the Pacific division. At the offensive helm is Amare Stoudemire, whose 22.7 points per game lead the team, and Steve Nash, the two-time MVP who is one of the best players in the game today. Nash is putting up 17.4 points per game, along with a team leading 11.9 assists per game. The rest of this juggernaut of an offense is rounded out by guards Leandro Barbosa (16.6 PPG) and Raja Bell (12.3 PPG) along with forwards Shawn Marion (15.7 PPG, 9.9 RPG) and Grant Hill (15.2 PPG). The Suns’ Achilles Heel seems to be their defense, as they are averaging nearly 41 rebounds per game, ranking 24th out of 30 teams in the NBA. However, their offense is good enough to make up for any shortcomings in their defense, which has been unable to stop the Hornets this season. The Suns have faced off against New Orleans twice this season, including a downto-the-wire 101-98 loss in December, and a high-scoring 118-113 loss on January 5. Those two games will not soon be forgotten by the Suns, as they can extract some revenge during this go-round. The Pick: Phoenix Suns: 105 New Orleans Hornets: 97 Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers (2/05) How do you go from being the laughing stock of the NBA, a storied franchise that is a mockery of its former self to being the best team in the NBA in under a year? Ask the Boston Celtics. The Celtics, who own the NBA’s best record at 35-8, are just one season removed from a 24-58 record that had their loyal fans thinking: “Do I really need to root for a basketball team? I have the Red Sox and the Patriots, are the Celtics really that important to my well-being?” A few blockbuster trades later, and viola, the Celts are back on top while rolling over any team that gets in their way. Thanks to the skills of “The Big Three” of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, the boys from Beantown are comfortably gliding along in the Eastern Conference en route to their first playoff berth since the 2004-2005 season. Many thanks go to Kevin Garnett, who is leading the team with ferocity while scoring 19.2 points per game with a team-leading 9.9 rebounds per game. Right behind K.G. is the duo of Allen (18.0 PPG) and Pierce (20.1 PPG), who, along with Garnett, have averaged 37 minutes per game through 43 games. Rounding out their offense are guards Rajon Rondo (9.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG) and Eddie House (8.1 PPG), 2.3 RPG), center Kendrick Perkins (7.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG) and guardforward James Posey (7.3 PPG, 4.4 RBG). As the Celtics near the All-Star break, they can ill afford to ease up on the rest of the league, as their backups and role players will need to begin to step it up as the wear and tear of the season takes its toll on the starters. Before that happens, though, they will need to go through the defending Eastern Conference Champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are currently second place in their division, and looking for a push that will take them back to the finals. They are led by LeBron James, the wunderkind who is leading the NBA in scoring with 30 points per game, while making his own push to be the MVP. If James wants to live up to his early comparisons to Michael Jordan, he is going to have to step up and lead his young squad in the second half of the season, despite that he is scoring more than twice as many points as anyone else on the team on an offense that ranks 16th in the NBA in offense with 97.27 PPG. Besides James, the only constant offense has come from center Zydrunas Ilgauskas (13.7 PPG), guard Daniel Gibson (11.9 PPG) and forward Drew Gooden (11.5 PPG). If there is one thing that the Cavs have in their favor, it’s their ability to play defense. Cleveland has one of the best defenses in the NBA, averaging nearly 45 rebounds per game and eight steals per game. Their best chance to stay competitive with the Celtics is to outplay them on the defensive side of the ball, while supporting LeBron James under their basket. In the end, the Celtics’ offense is just too good, and will put this game out by the middle of the fourth quarter. The Pick: Boston Celtics: 94 Cleveland Cavaliers: 85 *Statistics are current through 1/30 FEBRUARY 5, 2008 Double Take Steph examines the stats that truly matter... BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor So, I am told that this week I am to write about a double header. Personally I think it would be a cool idea to make a double header with two teams playing against two other teams. For example, we could pit the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics against the New Orleans Hornets and the Phoenix Suns. That would be really interesting to watch. But I know that this is not the case, so I will just write about what it actually means. The first game is the Cleveland Cavaliers v. the Boston Celtics. When I hear the Cavaliers the first thing I think about is two of my friends who both have silver Cavaliers--Chevy Cavaliers, that is. Apparently, where I am from, the Cavalier is the car to have and frankly I am sick of hearing about them. Also, I really hate the song, “Cleveland Rocks” by Ian Hunter. It’s completely annoying. On the other hand, Boston is the home of many amazing things. The Dropkick Murphys, a Celtic punk band, is from Boston, which gives the city double points in my book. Two more reasons are that the gorgeous Matt Damon is from Boston and he stars in one of my favorite movies “The Departed” which is set in Boston. Hands down this game is going to the Boston Celtics. Next up is the New Orleans Hornets v. the Phoenix Suns. While I am a huge fan of the sun, and I’d like to see a little bit more of it this time of year, I’m going to have to give this one to New Orleans. New Orleans has been through a lot the past three years trying to rebuild after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Also, I’d have to say that Real World: New Orleans was my favorite season to date. There were some crazies on that one, and Real World has never even been in Phoenix. At the end of these two games, the cities with the better pop culture histories pull out on top. Sorry, Cleveland and Phoenix, maybe you should have thought about this before you went against New Orleans and Boston. �FEBRUARY 5, 2008 SPORTS Athlete of the Week: Chris DeRojas BY GERARD HETMAN Beacon Asst. Sports Editor When Wilkes men’s basketball coach Jerry Rickrode welcomed a young Chris DeRojas to his youth basketball camps, he saw a player whose skill level on the court was far above than that of his peers. Now, with DeRojas starring on that same court in a Colonels uniform, Rickrode sees the same things from his standout freshman on a daily basis. In only his first year of college basketball, DeRojas has established himself as one of the top players in the Freedom Conference this season. Through Saturday’s game at DeSales, the Kingston, PA native ranks second on the Colonels in scoring at 13.6 points per game, while also leading the squad in steals with 22. Appearing in every game this season, DeRojas has recently found his way into the starting lineup and has provided a huge scoring punch as the team progresses through conference play. Key examples of DeRojas’s explosiveness came early in conference play when he posted three straight 26-point scoring efforts in wins over Arcadia, Manhattanville and Delaware Valley. “It’s a great time playing here, especially with a great group of teammates.” DeRjoas said recently when asked about his standout rookie campaign. “Coach Rickrode told me during the recruiting process that I’d have a chance to play early, and I’ve tried to step up and do my best with that opportunity.” Although his emergence in a starring role may come as a surprise to some, DeRojas is no stranger to success. In his first two seasons of high school basketball he helped power his Bishop O’Reilly Queensmen to back-to-back state championships in 2004 and 2005. After graduating from O’Reilly as a member of the school’s last senior class before it was consolidated last summer, DeRojas knew he’d found a special place in Wilkes. “I really liked the school when I looked at it, and I’ve known [Rickrode] for a long time, so I was very happy here from the beginning.” DeRojas said. “So far, it’s been a great fit for me.” “We’ve seen Chris play at a high level of the local basketball scene for many years, and we knew what kind of a student-athlete we were getting when he decided to enroll at Wilkes,” Rickrode said recently. “He’s an excellent student of the game who has a high basketball IQ, and has certainly earned his role on the floor for us.” Rickrode reaches 300 wins BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Sports Editor He’s pushed dozens of young men to reach higher, hustle and box out. He’s seen amazing game winning shots, heroes emerge from the bench, and has screamed at many referees. And now, he’s seen his 300th win in his storied coaching career. After directing the men’s basketball team The Beacon/Jenna Stephens Head coach Jerry Rickrode, far left, barks out signals from the sideline during the Colonels home game against FDU-Florham last Wednesday. 19 The Beacon/Jenna Stephens Freshman Chris DeRojas focuses his attention down the court during the Colonels home game against FDU-Florham (NJ) last Wednesday. The Colonels won 79-54. from the head coach position for 16 consecutive seasons, Jerry Rickrode reached 300 career wins last Wednesday when the Colonels torched FDU-Florham (NJ) at home 79-54. It was a special day for Rickrode. Not only did the Colonels improve to 5-1 in the conference in a game in which every player touched the floor, but three students revealed a banner during the closing minutes of the game that read: “Rickrode’s 300th.” The assistant coaches tapped Rickrode on the shoulder to direct his attention to the student section where the fans were holding up the celebratory sign. Afterward, he gave the students a thumbs-up and blushed until his cheeks shined red. “Those guys are good fans,” said Rickrode. “I tried to keep a lid on the whole 300 thing. I didn’t talk much about it.” Rickrode remained cool throughout the entire contest but those fans certainly got him to crack a well-deserved smile. Rickrodes’ career record currently stands at 300-115 making him the most successful head coach in Colonels men’s basketball history. He began coaching at Wilkes during the 1991-92 season after serving as the assistant coach at Ithaca College. As head coach, Rickrode has led seven different Colonel teams to the Division III NCAA Tournament including the 1997-98 season where his team won the MAC title and advanced to the Final Four. Rickrode has also been named MiddleAtlantic Regional Coach of the Year for his efforts during the 2000-01, 1998-99, 199798 and 1995-96 seasons. He has also been named Freedom Conference Coach of the Year three times while claiming six of the previous 12 Freedom championships. Throughout his tenure, Rickrode has established an impeccable record. But if you ask him to describe how it feels to win 300 games, he’ll tell you, “It’s not that important to me.” “It’s about the ex-players and the current players. They won the 300 games. I just wanted to get to 5-1 in the conference. That’s what we tried to focus on.” Junior Steve Kline came out firing against FDU on behalf of Rickrode by scoring 18 points in the first half and ended up with a career high 25 points. “We all were aware that it was Rickrodes’ 300th and we wanted to take care of them (FDU) for him,” said Kline, the power forward from Bridgewater (NJ). “That’s a big milestone especially as a Division III coach, because it’s not like Division I where guys are there for a lifetime. In Division III, coaches aren’t there that long. Three hundred wins...he’s got a lot of pull. People know his name. He’s a big dog now.” Rickrode holds the Division III record for the fastest coach to reach 200 wins. He completed that task in just 249 games. �Sports FEBRUARY 12, 2008 20 Colonels score triple digits in win over Aggies BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Sports Editor If Saturday’s game against Delaware Valley was any indication of how the Colonels will perform down the stretch, you’re looking at a team that will be granted home court advantage at least during the first round of the conference playoffs. The Colonels beat the brakes off the Aggies in a highly up-tempo contest 100-67, in front of an estimated 700 basketball fans watching from the stands of the Marts Gymnasium. Transition baskets and stingy defense were the key recipes for the Colonels who held the Aggies to just under 40 percent shooting and forced 18 turnovers while netting 60.7 percent from the field, their second highest shooting percentage of the sea- son (The team’s season high was 65 percent against Manhattanville on1/22). That win improves the Colonels to 12-8 overall and 6-2 in the MAC Freedom conference which places the team third behind DeSales University and Manhattanville College. The Colonels beat Manhattanville which puts them in control of the second seed. The only reason they trail Manhattanville is because the Valiants played one more conference game than the Colonels. Both of the Colonels conference losses were to the DeSales Bulldogs. The sloppy Aggies are 2-19, 0-9 in the conference. Delware Valley was out-hustled throughout the entire contest. At halftime, the Colonels doubled the Aggies point total as the score stood 53-26. If any adjustments were made to slow down the Colonels in the locker room, they certainly did not work. At one point during the second half, DelVal’s Brian Hilinski missed a wide open lay-up from the right side and Aggies head coach, Denny Surovec, smacked his teeth, flapped his arms and asked, “Are you kidding me?” Yes coach, the entire game was a joke. But that’s largely due to how well the Colonels have been playing at home recently. They have won three of their last four at home, winning each game by more than 20 points. “I know it’s a young bunch, but we’re catching on,” said head coach Jerry Rickrode. “We are not one of the more veteran teams (in the conference) but we can be dangerous.” Four Colonels reached doublefigures including junior forward Steve Kline who led all scorers with a career-high 26 points by connecting on nine of his 11 attempts in 25 minutes played. Sophomore Tom Kresge followed with 20 points and made all but one attempt. He went 8-9 from the floor. Both Kresge and Kline hit both of their attempts from behind the three-point line. As a team, the Colonels cashed in 10 of their 18 attempts from downtown including 8-14 in the first half. Junior guard Jason Seipt and senior forward Zack Van Dyke led the Aggies with 13 apiece. The Colonels have three games left to play before the Freedom Conference playoffs. They go on the road Wednesday to face Man- The Beacon/Matthew Gogas hattanville and come back home Saturday to face Arcadia University and King’s College next Tuesday. “We are in a strong position to make a run in the conference playoff,” said freshman guard Chris DeRojas, leader of the Colonels scoring attack with 14.7 points per game. “I think we’re ready.” Conference Standings 1. DeSales, 7-2 2. Manhattanville, 7-2 3. Wilkes, 6-2 4. King’s, 6-3 5. Arcadia, 3-5 6. FDU-Florham, 1-7 7. Del. Val., 0-9 � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon Newspaper Collection, 1947-present Description An account of the resource <p>This is Wilkes University's <em>Beacon</em> Newspaper collection, 1947-present. We also have digitized copies of the <em>Beacon's</em> predecessors, <em>The Bucknell Bison Stampede</em>, 1934-1935 and <em>The Bucknell Beacon</em>, 1936-1947 June. It should be noted that Wilkes University does not have a complete set of issues for the Bucknell Bison Stampede and Bucknell Beacon. For researchers who are interested in seeing the complete issues for these publications, please contact <a href="https://researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua">Bucknell University's Special Collections Department</a>.</p> <p></p> <p>Missing Issues:</p> <p>1947 August 8th<br />1947 September 5th<br />1947 October 3rd<br />1947 October 17th<br />1947 October 31st<br />1947 November 21st<br />1947 December 19th<br />1948 September 9th<br />1950 April 28th<br />1953 April 10th<br />1962 February 2nd</p> Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource The Beacon staff is comprised of Wilkes University students who are advised by a full-time faculty member of the Communication Studies Department. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1934-present Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource Copyright of the Wilkes Beacons is retained by Wilkes University. Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Source A related resource from which the described resource is derived Professor Emeritus Harold Cox digitized the collection from 1934-1970 and created a <a href="https://beaconarchives2.wilkes.edu/">legacy website</a>. Digital Archives student John Jenkins digitized the collection from 1970-present. Special thanks goes to Communication Studies Professor Dr. Kalen Churcher, Editor-in-Chief Kirsten Peters, Beacon staff member, Emily Cherkauskas, and other Beacon staff for their help in acquiring digitized copies of the Beacons from 2006 onward. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Wilkes Beacon 2008 February 5th Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 2008 February 5 Format The file format, physical medium, or dimensions of the resource PDF Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Newspaper Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Communication Studies Department Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Wilkes University