the merciad, april 1, 2009

8/6/2019 The Merciad, April 1, 2009

1/20

Vol.82, No.17/4.1.09/Free

Read more on Page 2

erciadMcDonalds wins Hurst

food contract!

Mercyhurst College will switch food services in Sep-tember, awarding the entire food service contract to

McDonalds Restaurants Corporation,The Merciad has learned exclusively.

A source close to the topof the college administration toldThe Merciad that McDonalds hascreated a new College/Institu-tional Foods Division and hasselected Mercyhurst to be its

first endeavor in that market.They want to show the world

the things they can do for a col-lege and they like the idea of doingthis to Mercyhurst, the source said Tuesday.

One of the immediate impacts is that Mercy-hurst will now have a Chicken Tenders Bar andit will be open 22 hours a day. The source said

it will have to be closed from noon to 2p.m. each day so the McDonaldsstaff can reload the Chicken Ten-ders Production Device.

We explained that stu-dents like to eat at thosehours, but they thenknocked another $200,000

from the price. Tough to beat in these times, thesource told The Merciad.

As it is now planned, McDonalds will convert theEgan Dining Hall into a Fast Service Operations Area.Students will come in, order not only from a typical

McDonalds menu, but also from a Green McDonaldsmenu -- all food that is environemtnally approved

by the Green Foods Union (GFU). Everything willbe organic and grown within 10 miles of campus.

I f i t is not grown here, it will notbe served.

No orange juice,coffee, hot choco-

late or .. well, .. lotsof st uf f , the source quipped.

The Laker Inn will change, too. Nowit will be McLakers.

The McLakers will offer fast-cooked, wholesome food such asgrilled chicken, grilled burgers,

grilled sausage, grilled tofu

burgers and grilledpeppers. Waterwill be offered.

Its kind of alimited menu, but

we will save lots of money withthis, the administration source

said.

By R.U. Fauriahl

Contributing writer


2/20

NEWSPage 2 April 1, 2009

Two Hursts are joining forces to provide Mer-

cyhurst College students with the best possible on-

campus dining experiences.

Mercyhurst chose Parkhurst Dining Services to

provide the colleges food services beginning in fall

2009.

We chose Parkhurst because of their outstandingfood quality and emphasis on sustainability, Coordi-

nator of Student Life Joe Howard said. They really

emphasize healthy, fresh and locally grown foods.

Vice President of Student Life Dr. Gerry Tobin

said he was impressed with the freshness of the food

Parkhurst offers.

The meat is never frozen and many of the foods

are made from scratch, he said. This means there

will be less processed foods served.

Tobin and Howard emphasized the commitment

of Mercyhurst Student Government President Chris-tina Coovert and Senator Trey Zeluff, both seniors,

in choosing a food service provider.

Parkhurst had it all, Coovert said. The other

food service finalists had one aspect they did really

well, for example Chartwells had an appeal market-

ing program and AVIs values were very similar to

Mercyhursts and Sodexo had interesting plans for

renovations, but Parkhurst was able to bring it all.

Zeluff said Parkhurst made a proposal that rep-

resented a major change from our current services

while also being financially viable for the college andthe students.

In addition to many new additions and changes to

Mercyhurst dining, students also get an off-campus

bonus.

Students will receive a 20 percent discount at

both Erie Eatn Parks when they show their IDs,

Tobin said.

Many changes will take place on campus but some

things will stay the same, Tobin said.

Even though Parkhurst will replace Sodexo, stu-

dents will see many familiar faces working in dining

services, Tobin said.

While Sodexo is the food provider until July 27,

Howard said Parkhurst will soon begin working on

their plan for Mercyhursts dining services.

Still, Coovert is confident in the changes that will

take place.

Overall a lot of positive changes will be made

and I have a feeling students are going to be excited

about them going to eat on campus is something

students will look forward too, she said. Im jeal-

ous Im graduating and wont be around to enjoy it.

By Casey GreeneContributing writer

Mercyhurst chooses Parkhurst

The great thing is that Parkhursts food

actually looks like it does in the pictures,

Howard said.

Contributed photo

SUSHI BAR

No more driving to

Aoyama or Wegmans

- Parkhurst will bring

Sushi to Mercyhurst.

The company prepares

their sushi on-site in

order to guarantee

freshness and

quality. Maki rolls, temaki,

sushi and sashimi will

all be provided as part

of the Parkhursts sushi

selection. Students can

expect both raw and

cooked sushi and a

variety of options to

choose from.

Below are a few examples of the many new dining

features Parkhurst will bring to Mercyhurst

HEMISFLAVORS

Hemisflavors will help

Parkhurst introduce

students to authentic

world cuisine. The sta-

tion showcases a variety

of flavors and culinary

techniques from around

the globe. Parkhursts

executive chefs follow

authentic preparation

methods to create dishes

that maintain the integrity

the regions food. India,

Mexico, Greece and

Thailand are some

primary regions focused

on in Hemisflavors.

CREATION

STATIONParkhursts Creation

Station will give students

a chance to order custom

desserts. Howard com-

pared the station

to Cold Stone

Creamery. Parkhurst will

join Hersheys Ice Cream

to provide students with

premium hand-dipped ice

cream as well as

milkshakes, floats and

sundaes. Butterfinger,

Gummy Bears, M&Ms,

Nerds and marshmellows

are just some of the mix-

ins that will be available.


3/20

Find out which food service companyMercyhurst really chose.

Read more on Page 2

Whose cuisinereigned supreme?

April Fool!Just kidding! The staff of The Merciad wanted to have a

little fun. McDonalds is NOT the 2009 food serviceprovider. Read on to find out which company really is.

?


4/20

NEWSPage 4 April 1, 2009

It seems seniors are snoozing on the Class of

2009s senior gift fiesta.

While this years Senior Gift Steering

Committee predicted fund raising to be a fiesta,

its turned out to be a siesta.

The committee worked for almost a year to

develop, organize and implement this years gift.

In early fall, with the help of Mercyhurst

College President Dr. Thomas Gamble, the

committee was able to c h o o s e

the 2009

legacy gift:

a Mexican-

t h e m e drestaurant to

be located in

the bottom of the

Herrmann Student

Union.

Steering Committee

Chair, Hilary Hancock

expected fund raising

for such an exciting gift

to go smoothly, but she

said its been tough.We thought

Mercyhurst students would

be very enthusiastic about a

new restaurant as one of the most common

complaints on college campuses regards the

lack of food variety, Hancock said. The new

restaurant will hopefully lessen these complaints,

as it will bring change, a new place to eat, add a

larger selection of food and fresh, healthy food

at that.

While last years senior class raised morethan $20,000, this years fund raising has been

difficult.

The student support and enthusiasm the

Steering Committee anticipated has just not been

there, she said.

The 2009 Steering Committees ambitious goal

of $25,000 has recently been lowered in response

to the lack of senior donations.

The Steering Committee has decided, although

it would be great to raise $25,000 it is a little

out of reach for this year, Hancock said.

The new goal is $15,000 to $20,000. To date,

the Senior Class of 2009 has only donated

around $10,000.

Lauren Weisser, fundraiser for the education

department, said she believes the lack of support

is due to the economic situation.

The economic situation is terrible and people

feel they have already paid so much to go toschool here so I think that is making it challenging

for some students to be able to donate, Weisser

said.

Weisser said she believes students may

misunderstand the format of the new

dining area as well.

I think

people have

misunders tood

the layout and

concept of therestaurant,

she said. It

is not

going to

be a sit-down

restaurant but

rather something

like a Chipotle or

Moes. It will be a

made-to-order type of

place. So many of usdrive out to Moes so what

better than to have one on

campus.

Hancock also compared the new restaurant to

Moes, Chipotle and Baja Fresh.

Students will be able to walk up and choose

the fresh ingredients they would like in their

burrito, taco, rice bowl, etc., she said. All of the

food will be prepared in front of the students

and the restaurant will have a very interactive

atmosphere.Still, the Steering Committee is working hard

to continue raising funds. Recently donation

requests went out to parents and several events

are planned for the remainder of the year.

The Steering Committee hopes the Senior

Class of 2009 will step-up their enthusiasm and

help us reach our goal so we can leave behind

a legacy that all students will benefit from,

Hancock said. Come on, what senior would

not have wanted another place to eat on campus

during our four years?

By Casey Greene

Editor-in-chief

Seniors take siesta

on senior gift fiesta

Senior Gift CommitteeMembers

and Representatives

Members: Amber Carruba, Zach Pekor,

Vicky Fleisner, Casey Greene, Dan Piechocki,

Jenna Golden, Kristin Tedesco

Natural Science:

Allyson LaCovey

Julissa Armstrong

John McClellan

Alexis Dzubak

School Chairs and Fund Raisers

Arts & Humanities:

Sarah RossMarie Skidmore

Social Science:

Liz Gutoskey

Stephanie Wilkens

Ryan McCartney

Behavior Sciences

& Education:

Lauren Weisser

Katie Wootton

Steering CommitteeChair:

Hilary Hancock

Seniors interested in donatingor getting involved should

contact anyof the students above.

Adviser:Cathy Anderson

Stay Tuned!Now that Mercyhurst has chosen

Parkhurst as its food service provider,the Steering Committee will soon beannouncing exciting news about thisyears Mexican-themed restaurant.

Keep reading The Merciad to get

the latest news!

Business &

Communication

Haylie Starin

Heather Schwager

Becky Hohmann


5/20

Students worried about the

roommate battle for the big

room may find themselves

doing just the opposite in the

fall.

The new dorm construction

has opened up many options for

student housing on campus.

Triples in the Briggs and Lewis Avenue apartment buildings are

one of the changes. The two-

room apartments feature the

soon-to-be highly coveted small

room, which is for one person.

There are two cost options

for these apartments.

In option A, students equally

split housing charges of $1,722

per student per term.

In option B, the two studentssharing the big room pay $1,617

per student per term and the

student with their own room

pays $1,932 per term.

Decreased enrollment with

the poor economy to blame is

part of the reason for the new

housing policy.

Upperclassman housing was

filled to capacity for a number

of years and we were unable to

offer an alternate to traditional

quad housing, outside of the

townhouses, Associate Directorof Residence Life and Student

Conduct Alice Agnew said. As

the enrollment numbers have

changed and we see that triples

can be an option for many stu-

dents, we have chosen to make

that the standard option.

Agnew is confident that

students will be pleased with

the change.

The price for a triple hasgone down for the 2009-10 aca-

demic year. As a result I feel stu-

dents will be excited by the idea

of having more space to live, all

while paying only $100 more a

term for that space, she said.

A few years ago we had such

a demand for triple housing that

we had to turn people down, so

my experience shows me that

the student body has a history

of embracing the option when

it is offered.

Residence Life anticipatesa smooth transition to triples,

hoping the option is not too

attractive.

The only problem I could

foresee is that everyone will want

a triple and we still have other

options that will require our

students to remain in four, five

or six person groups in Wayne

Street, Duval Apartments or the

townhouses, Agnew said.The Lewis, E. 41st Street and

Warde Townhouses remain four,

five and six person housing.

The Wayne Street and Duval

Apartments remain quads.

Wayne is priced at $1,859 per

student per term and Duval at

$1,722 per student per term.

Students who planned to live

in a quad on Briggs or Lewis

Avenues still have that option.

These are priced at $1,617 per

student per term.

Students in search of room-

mates should attend the meet-

ing in Sullivan 2 at 8:30 p.m. on

Tuesday, April 14.

NEWS Page 5April 1, 2009

Big changes under way for Hurst housingBy Amanda Valauri

News editor

Global Issues Forum informsstudents about human rights

The Global Issues Forum at

Mercyhurst College sponsored a

Human Rights Watch luncheon

on Wednesday, March 25.

Anna Dolidze, the speaker,

gave firsthand accounts of

human rights conditions in

Uzbekistan, having returned

from a two-week research tripjust days before the luncheon.

One of the problems we

have in Erie is there is not

enough information about

whats going on in the world,

program coordinator Corinne

Egan said.

Dolidze and her husband

Irakli Kakabadze, both from

Georgia, spoke at Mercyhurst in

November about the conflict in

the Caucasus.

Dolidze and Kakabadze wereat Mercyhurst through the aus-

pices of Scholars At Risk, a pro-

gram at New York University

that helps professors and schol-

ars who have been exiled from

their home countries.

Dolidze has acted as a fellow

consultant for Human Rights

Watch in Uzbekistan since the

permanent researchers were

forced to evacuate.Child labor, religious persecu-

tion and the ejection of United

States human rights workers

from Uzbekistan are some of

the issues Dolidze discussed.

With the state of affairs and

the economy, these concerns are

legitimate for the United States,

Dolidze said.

Kakabadze spoke about

taking an educational and spiri-

tual-based response to terror-

ism.The biggest problem is ideo-

logical: Who wins the hearts and

minds of those Afghans and

Pakistanis? We are not reaching

them, Kakabadze said.

Kakabadze is a professor who

specializes in conflict resolution

at Cornell University and has

published many articles about

democratic reform.

Approximately 40 peopleattended the presentation, only

three of them students.

Egan hopes more students

come to future Global Issues

Forum luncheons.

Pakistani writer Arif Jamal

will speak at Mercyhurst on

April 30, and on May 7 Holo-

caust survivor Leo Bretholz will

speak about his memoir, Leap

Into Darkness.

By JoEllen Marsh

Managing editor

Mercyhurst Prep

Seeking a Speech& Debate Coach.

Should have experience incompetitive forensics, allclearances and willingness toaccompany students to area

meets.$750 plus expenses

Contact Margaret Aste

814-824-2323

1. Students select their roommatesfor the following year

2. Students pick up a housing packet

starting on Wednesday, April 1

3. The group of roommates submits

the completed housing packet

by Thursday, April 23

4. The group leader draws the lottery

ticket to determine the groups

place in the housing lottery

Procedure for the housingsign-up process:

MSG announces the

newly elected Executive Board

MSG President:

Dinorah Sanchez

MSG Vice President:

Santina Sgro

MSG Treasurer:

Adam Kostik

MSG Secretary:

Katlin Hess


6/20

NewsPage 6 April 1, 2009

Hurst student is target of lottery scheme

When it sounds too good to

be true, it is.A Mercyhurst College student

was mailed a letter saying she

won the lottery and received her

first payment of $4,970.

In the letter, G & F Financial

Group claimed the student had

won $450,000 as a result of

her number being drawn from

everyone with a telephone.

In the letter, the student was

instructed to use this money

to pay the taxes on the amount

she had won in the sum of

$3,490.

The student turned the letter

and check over to Police and

Safety because they questionedthe validity.

After researching the letter

and this type of scam, Police

and Safety found several docu-

ments confirming the lottery

fraud.

This lottery scheme is a new

kind of fraud. Its main goal

is to manipulate the banking

system.

Victims of the fraud deposit

the counterfeit check and the

bank pays it.

The fake company counts on

the bank clearing the victims

check before theirs bounces.

By the time the check is pro-cessed, the victim is liable for

the entire check amount.

While the student did not fall

victim to this lottery scheme,

Police and Safety wants to warn

students of the possible danger.

In hard economic times it

may be tempting to accept the

check, but do some research

before cashing it in. Its prob-

ably too good to be true.

By Amanda ValauriNews editor

Controlled Substance

Friday, March 27

Audrey Hirt

Academic Building

Unfounded

March 21 - 27 2009Mercyhurst College

Liquor Law Violation

Saturday, March 21

Lewis Avenue

College discipline

Weather pending: Erie climate impacts student conduct

The Police Log is a highly anticipated

part of each Merciad issue.

Readers may have noticed a lack in this

reporting over winter term.

This is not because students werent get-

ting into mischief.

Winter hibernation

Associate Director of Residence Lifeand Student Conduct Alice Agnew said

weather plays a part in the number of inci-

dent reports.

When its 12 degrees in the winter and

you get off the bus, you make a Beeline

for your apartments whereas in September

you may stop by at a party before heading

home, Agnew said.

Weather is only one of the factors for

the decrees in incident reports during

winter term.Officer Matthew Platz noted an increase

in experience among the RA staff as

another factor.

In my five years here I have seen

RA training improve greatly, Platz said.

They are definitely more prepared to

deal with incidents which may account

for why we are having so much less called

into us because they have taken care of

it.

Fall term freedomOn the flip side, fall term has the highest

number of incidents with 247 according to

Residence Life. Weather, again, is a factor

here.

In September we have incoming fresh-

men and returning sophomores who have

this new found freedom and with nice

weather we find a higher incident rate,

Agnew said.

Students transitioning out of their par-

ents house and out of the heavily moni-

tored freshman dorms take advantage of

their new freedoms in the first month of

school.

Working togetherNot all conduct incidents require help

from Police and Safety.

I think over the last couple of years

the RAs and the AD staff has handled a

lot of the incidents in house, Chief of

Mercyhurst College Police and Safety Ken

Sidun said. Our role is when the RAs and

ADs cant handle it they call us and we take

charge of that.

Residence Life and Police and Safety

both agree they mutually cooperate witheach other.

Its a good working relationship and

since Laura Zirkle came on board and

took over as director of res life it really has

improved a lot, Sidun said.

Senior residence assistant Ashley Piz-

zuto said, I think its a really strong rela-

tionship [between Res Life and Police and

Safety]. When Ive needed them they have

come right away and theyre always there

for us.Respect the badge

While Sidun and Platz agree Residence

Life, RAs in particular, is more self-suffi-

cient than ever, there are still times when

they are needed.

Sometimes we are one officer and ifyou walk into a building with five or six

unruly students that you realize that one

person is not going to be able to get them

to calm down. That might be a time we call

for assistance, Platz said. Most times our

badge and uniform mitigates the circum-

stance.

Agnew is the area director for the town-

houses. She, too finds the uniform helpful.

Sometimes events get to the level where

you want that person who looks more offi-cial, she said.

In incidents like felonies, misdemean-

ors, sexual and aggravated assaults, stab-

bings or physical injuries Police and

Safety must call the Erie Police Depart-

ment.Sidun explains the EPD interference is

not because of Hurst students.

Sometimes our interactions are not

with our students and it might be guests,

other college students or Erie residents and

that can escalate to the point where wed

want the City of Erie to come in and assist

us, he said.

Most of the problems on campus are

alcohol related and can be taken care of

without EPD assistance.Sidun and Platz both agree, for the

most part the students are respectful.

By Amanda Valauri

News editor

Contributed graph

This graph shows the number of incidents Police and Safety have responded to

with spikes during spring and fall.


7/20

FEATURES Page 7April 1, 2009

You are what you eat.

But no, seriously you are.

Ever wonder what you are

stuffing into your mouth on a

daily basis?

Do you know the process of

attaining that meat in the burger

you just inhaled?

Probably not, because most

of us do not think about those

issues when our stomachs are

growling so loud they take over

our thoughts.

The book Skinny Bitch

by Rory Freedman and Kim

Barnouin is a no-nonsense,

tough-love guide for savvy girls

who want to stop eating crap

and start looking fabulous.Skinny Bitch explores the

various processes through which

different foods are prepared and

opens your eyes to the world of

getting skinny.

The two women write about

the daily foods you are taking

in, and that you are not realizing

how bad they are for you.

They claim that if you want

to get skinny you have to startdoing something about it.

You need to realize what you

are eating and where it came

from.

These women are not afraid

to use the proper words to

finally tell you the truth about

what you are feeding yourself.

They write, If you cant take

one more day of self-loathing,

youre ready to hear the truth:

You cannot keep shoveling the

same crap into your mouth

every day and expect to lose

weight.

Senior Amanda Valauri, who

read the book, said, I liked

it but I felt like someone was

yelling at me to stop my bad

habits.

There is a common

misconception that Skinny

Bitch is all about deprivation.

Nothing could be further fromthe truth.

Skinny Bitch is the lifestyle

Freedman and Barnouin live,

and rest assured, they would

never maintain it if they felt

deprived.

Whether its shopping for

food, talking about food,

thinking about food, dreaming

about food, cooking food

or eating food, they cant getenough.

They devised the Skinny

Bitch plan so they could have

their cake and eat it too!

Senior Rainey Murdock ,a

fan of the book said, Skinny

Bitch is an extreme perspective,

but really makes you think about

what you eat and realize that

some choices we make are not

necessarily the best for us.

The women also offer ways to

avoid those detrimental foods

and offer recipes for breakfast,

lunch, dinner, dessert and snacks

at the end of the book.

It is a guide for the girls who

are serious about losing weight

and changing their lifestyles.

The book might make you

cringe after you realize what

farmers do to get the chicken

for your sandwich, but its

helpful in realizing just whatyoure eating in order to live a

healthier lifestyle.

Pick up on it today and start

getting skinny!

Remember, as the authors

note, A Skinny Bitch is someone

who enjoys food, eats well, and

loves her body as a result. It has

nothing to do with how much

you weigh or what size you

are! Skinny Bitches come in allbeautiful shapes and sizes!

By Caitlin BlyStaff writer

Skinny Bitch opens path to the skinny life

The authors of Skinny Bitch offer a serious, straight forward

and friendly approach to adopting a better lifestyle.

vegansocietynsw.com photo

Rookies and experts fool crowds big, small

Gullible people are everywhere, and on April Foolsday they are the prey for most of the jokes.

April Fools day is not an official holiday but it is a day

dedicated to making fools out of the unsuspecting.

Some of the best know pranks come from the people

you least expect them to.

Taco Bell pulled a notorious prank in 1996.

The fast food company took out a full-page

advertisement in The New York Times announcing

that they had purchased the Liberty Bell to reduce

the countrys debt and renamed it the Taco Liberty

Bell.

When asked about the sale, White House Press

Secretary Mike McCurry replied in jest that the Lincoln

Memorial had also been sold and would henceforth be

known as the Lincoln Mercury Memorial.

Another famous prank was pulled by a Dutchtelecaster in the 1950s when they announced that the

Tower of Pisa had fallen.

The television station was receiving distressed phone

calls the rest of the day asking if it was really true.

Mercyhurst College students are no exception to

April Fools pranks.

Every year students fall victim to their friends jokes

and hoaxes.

Freshman Brittany Campbell said, My Dad likes to

call me on April Fools Day and tell me that my Grandma

won the lottery and is giving all the money to me.

Freshman Marysa Casey admits to have been pranked

by her best friend.

I am deathly afraid of spiders. So being the comedian

[my bestfriend] is, he came to my home and gave me a

belated birthday present. Inside there was a clear plasticbox with at least 20 live spiders, she said.

Senior Brian McTear said he recalls pulling a prank on

his friend in an attempt to celebrate April Fools day.

I told my girlfriend that my spinal cord was crooked,

prohibiting me from ever playing basket ball again,

McTear said.

I continued the joke by telling her that I would

never be able to recover from this ailment and would

eventually die.

By Annaliese BrowningContributing writer


8/20

FEATURESPage 8 April 1, 2009

Lunch $ 5

Dinner $ 5.50 11:30 a.m. -8 p.m.

Lunch $ 5Dinner $ 5.50

Broccoli & Cheddar Bites

6 Sub $4 Combo $512 Sub $5.75 Combo $6.75

Make any sub a wrap for

no extra charge!

Wrap Combo- Veggie $5

Other Wraps $4

M

T

W

TH

F

S

Southwest Burger

Breakfast Sandwich

Sizzle Salad

Taco Salad

Goulash

Laker Burger

M

T

W

TH

F

S

Chicken Parm w/ Pasta

Philly Wrap

Gen Tsos Chix or Tofu

Pierogies

Buffalo Popcorn Chicken

Chicken Bacon Swiss

S Potato Bowl

Lunch $ 5

Dinner $ 5.50

Wellness Fair says farewell to unhealthy habits

Did you know that skipping breakfast can lead toovereating later in the day?

This was just one of the facts presented by the AnnualWellness Fair that took place March 27 in the StudentUnion in celebration of Womens History Month.

It was a great way for students to welcome spring,while learning all about healthy living.

Students from Active Minds, Athletic Training,

MSG, the Health and Well Being club, CampusMinistry and the Sports Medicine StudentAssociation participated in providing events at the

fair.Upon arriving at the Wellness Fair, visitors were

greeted by staff members who passed out bags with

hand sanitizer and information sheets.Five dimensions of well-being were represented at

the fair: emotional, mental, physical, social and spiritual

health.

The event supplied students with a free healthy lunch

that consisted of fruits and vegetables, rice and salsa,whole-wheat crackers with cheese and more.

There were informational signs about the importance

of each food in a persons daily diet.Sophomore Char Linchtinger said there was a lot to

do at the fair.

They provided a great healthy lunch and a lot of

information about living healthy, she said.A pamphlet provided by the American Heart

Association said a healthy diet and lifestyle are the best

weapons in fighting cardiovascular disease.Student Government also had a station where

students could make fruit and yogurt parfaits.

Attendees could relax while making stress balloons orgetting a massage in the MSG Chambers.

Students were able to learn about their bodies and

find out their blood pressure, BMI, body composition,flexibility and muscle strength.

Participants were conveniently provided with

formson which to record all of their personalinformation on.

Demonstrations on yoga and cardio exercises

were given to interested students.I got a massage and it was fantastic. It was a really

great wat to relax and reduce stress, junior Angela

Long said.The Health Center was on hand to discuss healthy

behavior when it comes to the sun and skin health.

By Alexandra MiniriContributing writer

Alexandra Miniri photo


9/20

FEATURES Page9April 1, 2009

Facebook feeds or Twitters tweets?

Freshman Cara BastianiniI dont think itll be the next bigthing, people have too much into Facebook. But if Facebook

keeps making sucky changes, then who knows?

Professor Brian Sheridan Its not the NEXT big thing. Its thebig thing now. Almost everyone has heard about it. Celebrities,

politicians, and news orgs. are using it

Director of JAZZ FM Michael Leal We have one for JAZZ FM,we have several people who follow us and we use it to let people

know about special programming and current shows

Sophomore Tyler FreyI think it s like Facebook only easier.Personally, I dont think its the next big thing. And I have one but

only for advertising my band

Freshman Meghan HessI dont have Twitter because I donthave time. I think itll be the next Facebook and the next big thing!

Its a good way to connect w/ppl

Freshman Meghan KeenerI dont have one but I hear the newFacebook is a lot like it so Im sure it will become really popular

like Facebook

Senior John BaranowskiI dont have one. It says that it is acommunity thing, but at its heart, it has one purpose: to make as

many people read what you are thinking

Junior Courtney ClarkI personally dont have a Twitter anddont plan on getting one anytime soon. It would be just one more

distraction for me on top of Facebook

Junior Michael ZinnIts a kind of social updating tool. It allowsyou to disseminate info to a potentially world-wide audience.

Senator John McCain uses it, too!

Freshman Adam HausmannI actually just heard about Twittera few days ago. I have no idea what it is exactly, so that is why I do

not have one

What is the newest way to stay in touch with family and friends

from different parts of the country or even the world?

If you thought Facebook, you are wrong.

Twitter is now the latest form of technology being used to

communicate everything to everyone. Posting anything from your

deepest thoughts to your everyday activities is fair game as long as

you do it in less than 140 characters.

According to Twitter.com, Twitter is a service for friends, family,and co-workers to communicate and stay connected through the

exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What

are you doing?

Twitter is free and easy to use. If you are an active member of

Facebook, Twitter should pose no problems.

Simply go to Twitter.com and click the green Get StartedJoin!

link in the middle of the page and get connected!

And if you already have Twitter but cant get enough, check out

these related aplications:

Twitpic: Web site that allows users to upload pictures to their

Twitter pageTwiterriffic: iPhone aplications that allows users to view and

post tweets on the Twitter Web site

By Alaina RydzewskiStaff writer

HOUSES FOR RENT

Johnson & JohnsonProperties

Starting June 1, 2009

814-860-8817

Senior Jamie Turner I think its a fad thats going to die fast. Idont see it as anything but a Facebook status update

Senior Hayley OHareOur professors keep saying how its agood networking tool for professionals to follow each other, but I

dont see the draw for students yet

Is Twitter the newbig thing? Studentstweet their thoughtson Twitters popularity


10/20

What do the American

Embassy, Honduras and the Mer-

cyhurst College Mary DAngelo

Performing Arts Center have in

common?

It could be thought that these

places bear only differences,

but the PAC will host the per-

formance of Mozarts timeless

opera, Don Giovanni, and fol-

lowing that the cast will travel

to Honduras to perform at the

American Embassy in July.

Louisa Jonason, a former

international opera star who

has been directing operas at

Mercyhurst since 1992 and

has directed in conjunction

with the After-Dinner OperaCompany since 2002, described

her reasons for choosing Don

Giovanni by saying, I directed

[it] in New York City for The

American Singers Opera Proj-

ect. It was a great concept that

I wanted to repeat. It is, after all,

one of the greatest operas ever

written.

This performance also show-

cases students knowledge of

classical vocal training.

For the singers, this is the kind

of music that really helps young

singers develop the discipline of

learning a part in all its facets; that

is, ensemble, phrasing, blend-

ing and language. In my singing

career I never ended up singing

Don Ottavio, but the lessons I

learned studying it have remained

with me for life, Stephen Col-

antti, director of the pit orches-

tra and former voice professor at

Mercyhurst, said.

After performing at the college,the cast will travel to Honduras

to perform two complete perfor-

mances of Don Giovanni and

other various American opera

scenes and arias.

This opportunity came through

former music student Daniel

Cabanillas, a former tenor who

is now in charge of International

Studies.

He is Mercyhursts liaison with

Honduras, arranging for the

American Embassy to have the

Honduras State Orchestra per-

form with the opera cast.

Performing in such a public

venue with a state orchestra is

a huge accomplishment for the

cast of Don Giovanni. This

performance is a testament to

the opportunities that Mercy-

hurst vocalists have available to

them.

Not only is the performance

an opportunity for the vocal-

ists, but the Mercyhurst Orches-tra will also perform some of

Mozarts best work. Colantti is

being assisted in the pit orches-

tra by the strings professor, Dr.

Samuel Rotberg.

When you play as part of

a pit orchestra, it is no longer

about you; its about the vocal-

ists on the stage. I think that this

builds a fundamental aspect of

musicianship: humility. Achiev-ing greatness takes humility,

Rotberg said.

The performers certainly feel

as though they are benefitting

from the experience.

I dont really know a lot about

orchestral settings or operas, but

I feel like I have learned a great

deal about how our music inter-

acts with the singers on stage,

State RadioGuantanamoAlternative rock

Keith Urban Defying Gravity Country

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Besides performing, State Radio is also a civilrights activist, promoting an end to violenceagainst women. Every time they perform,they encourage people to volunteer. One oftheir newest songs, Guantanamo, focuses

on the problems at Guantanamo Bay.

This upcoming Sunday, April 5, Urban willbe performing at the 44th annual Acad-

emy of Country Music Awards. His latestCD, Defying Gravity, was released March31. This is only one of his numerous CDs

that has a light, optimistic sound.

Flo RidaRight Round Rap

His newest single is currently numberone on the Billboard Top 100 chart.His other well-known single is Lowand has also reached the Billboard

Top 100. A native of Florida, he has appeared on mixtapes with the likes of Trick Daddy, Trina, Dre and RckRoss.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 10 April 1, 2009

Don Giovanni hits PAC before traveling to Honduras

By Erin HeplerContributing writer

Rebecca Bani Kerr of Erie stars as Anna, one of the love

interests of Don Giovanni (Eries Dennis TeCulver) in the

famed Mozart opera Don Giovanni.

Steve Perkins photo

The performance of opera has always run deep

in the lifeblood of the DAngelo Department of

Music at Mercyhurst College. For many years, the

operas were performed in the Taylor Little Theatre

and were directed by the choir instructor without

an orchestra. In 1992, Mercyhurst College hired

international opera star Louisa Jonason to teach

voice and direct the operas in the DAngelo School

of Music. In 2000, the opera department pre-

miered Seymour Barabs opera Sleeping Beauty.

In 2002, the department became affiliated with

the After Dinner Opera Company. The After Dinner

Opera Company was the brain-child of Richard

Flusser, who started his chamber opera company

in 1950. When Flusser passed away in 2002,

Barab approached Ms. Jonason and asked her to

take on the project of directing the operas for the

ADO. Jonason agreed to take on the ADO under

the condition that she could produce the shows at

Mercyhurst College, using Mercyhurst students.

A brief history of Mercyhurst Opera

freshman horn player

Jordan Gruver said.Any performing ensem-

ble gives a lot of credit to

the student body as a whole.

It also provides us with the

tools with which we can

continue to educate our-

selves and the community,

senior bass player Chris

Von Volkenburg said.

The cast of Don

Giovanni will perform on

Friday, April 3, at 8 p.m.and Sunday, April 5, at 2

p.m. in the Mary DAngelo

Performing Arts Center.

Tickets are $12.50

for adults, $10 for stu-

dents and seniors, and

$5 for youths 15 and

under. Call exten-

sion 3000 for

reservations.


11/20

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 11April 1, 2009

U.S. celebrates 22nd annual Arts Advocacy Day

Occurring for the 22nd

annual year, Arts Advocacy Day

took place March 30 through

the morning of March 31.

Designed as a day in which

the various sectors of Americas

cultural and civic organizations

come together to lobby for sup-

port of the arts, Arts Advocacy

Day and the advocates who take

part in its proceedings help to

highlight the significance of cre-

ating public policies in support

of the arts and initiating fund-

ing for the arts.

Arts Advocacy Day provides

an opportunity for arts sup-

porters to visit members of

Congress and make their voicesheard on the subject of backing

for the arts and art education.

The days events also allow

networking among colleagues

and provide information on

how to advocate effectively and

influence national authorities.

President Barack Obamas

campaign last fall had a very

strong platform in support of

the arts.

He called for reinvestment in

arts education, creation of anArtists Corps, increased fund-

ing for the National Endowment

for the Arts, providing health

care to artists and ensuring tax

fairness for artists among other

policies in public support of art

and art education.

As a newly elected president,

it should be interesting to see

how Obamas promises for the

arts play out.

Recently political matters

involving the arts have begun tosurface.

For instance, on March 23, a

committee in the House of Rep-

resentatives announced plans to

hold hearings on the impact of

the creative industries and their

essential roles in the American

economy.

This is the first time in

approximately 15 years thatsuch hearings will be held, and

this will offer a special chance to

prove the arts great scope and

worth to the economy and job

market.

Dance department chair

Tauna Hunter, as a leader in the

Mercyhurst arts community, is a

strong supporter of arts advo-

cacy.

Ive been involved in the arts

all of my life. As a dance leader

in the community I advocate

passionately for my art form

everyday as I educate the future

leaders for dance who will grad-

uate from Mercyhurst College,

Hunter said.

It is extremely important

that the dance majors under-

stand the necessity of lobbyingand advocating for the survival

and growth of the arts in this

country, and you cant do that by

burying your head in the studio.

You have to reach out, find

your audience and infect them

with your passion. I think that

participating in Arts Advocacy

Day is a step in that direction,

Hunter said.Senior Nora Beckenstein,

who worked for the National

Dance Institute (NDI) last

summer, said, Sometimes

people dont seem to realize that

the arts affect everyone, but they

really do. Working at NDI cer-

tainly showed me how art has

the power to change peoples

lives.

Advocacy is very impor-

tant, especially because a lot

of people dont understand

it. Its not just about asking

for subsidies for the arts; its

about giving them the means to

expand and lower ticket costs

so that art does not become an

elitist thing, said senior Kirstie

Corso, a dance and political sci-

ence double major.Art is for everyone, and is

especially important in educa-

tion. It has been proven that

children who participate in

the arts develop all sections of

their brains, making them better

equipped to succeed in life in

any field, Corso said.

By Sarah MastrocolaStaff writer

Musician John Legend spoke at the 2008 Arts Advocacy Day

in Washington, D.C. Musicians Linda Ronstadt and Josh

Groban met with Congress during this years celebrations.

artsusa.org photo

Last Thursday evening,

March 26, at Mercyhurst Col-

leges Walker Recital Hall, the

DAngelo Department of Music

presented another performancein their Faculty Recital Series.

Dr. Scott Meier, solo saxo-

phonist, accompanied by Ann

Bommelje on piano, performed

five pieces: Partita, by Erwin

Dressel; Vocalise, Op. 34, No.

14, by Sergei Rachmaninoff,

arranged by Ralph Martino;

Pulcinella, Op. 53, No. 1, by

Eugene Bozza; Parable XI for

Alto Saxophone, Op. 123, by

Vincent Persichetti; and Con-

certino da Camera, by Jacques

Ibert.

The first piece was divided

into five movements, the third

of which was very dance-like

and up-beat. Another up-beat

movement was the fifth one,

which was in a sense almosthyper and extremely buoyant.

The Rachmaninoff piece was

truly written for voice, soprano

to be specific. However, since it

was such a beautiful melody, it

was soon rearranged for many

different instruments, including

saxophone.

Bozzas piece is actually based

on a certain character Ameri-

cans might know from the

British version of the stories,

Punch and Judy, where Punch

sometimes has a bat in his hand.

The song seemed frivolous and

playful.

A parable in literature usually

has a moral at the end where a

character learns a lesson about

a certain event, or occurrence. Within Persichettis Parable,

the listener can hear the char-

acter in his or her normal state

before being forced to make

an instant decision. Following

that is a bout of chaos before a

return to the characters return-

ing to his or her original state.

As Dr. Meier said, the melody

has punchy accents and inter-

woven counter melodies.

Last was Iberts Concertino

da Camera. The first move-

ment looked very difficult for

the pianist, but had a very fun

melody, taking the listener on

a journey in a metropolitan

area. The second movement

started out soothing and gentle,

but quickly turned into an ani-mated playful piece with fun

syncopated rhythms. During

the cadenza the soloist made

very odd stopped sounds on his

instrument.

It was a splendid evening of

music. The next recital is April

23rd at 8 p.m. in Walker Recital

Hall. The performance will

feature Dr. Nathan Hess on

piano.

By Marie Karbacka

Staff writer

Meier headlines faculty recital series Author ChuckSpinner comingto Borders

Express on

Saturday, April 4!

When: April 4, 1-3p.m.Where: Borders Express

in the Millcreek MallWhat: His booksigning, A Book of

Prayers: From the Heav-

ens to the Stars

Why: This is the perfecteaster gift that includes

prayers from Oscar

winners, Olympic Gold

Medalists and three

former Miss Americas.


12/20

September 3, 2008ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 12 April 1, 2009

Artist Spotlight: Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers

If I had to choose a favorite band, Ste-phen Kellogg & The Sixers would be it,

no doubt about it.Stephen Kellogg & The Sixers, or

SK6ers for short, started out as a trio in

Massachusetts. The original members,Stephen Kellogg (vocals, guitar, har-monica, kazoo), Keith Goose Karlson

(keys, bass, keytar) and Brian BootsFactor (drums, vocals), are all still goingstrong, sharing stages and spotlights

across the country. The Sixers effortlessly blend genres

ranging from singer/songwriter and

country to alternative and indie pop/rock.

It is obvious during their live shows

that they absolutely love what they do

and would rather play to a crowd of 20dedicated fans than a sold-out audience

of obnoxious ones.SK6ers continue to work in a grass-

roots market, touring nonstop and rely-

ing on their fans to spread their music. Their most recent release, GlassjawBoxer, was named one of the Top 5

Albums of 2007 by USA Today, and theyhave been recording a new album, dueout this summer.

Kyle Riabko is probably my favoritesinger, fitting into the same category asSK6ers, which makes sense because he

has joined them as a fourth memberon two of their tours.

Riabko, a Canadian guitar prod-

igy, started his career at the age of10, touring across Canada duringthe summer months.

At age 15, he was signed to Aware/Columbia Records andreleased the infectious single,

What Did I Get Myself Into. Hetoured for the next few years, open-ing for John Mayer, Maroon 5 and

Buddy Guy.Now 21 years old, Riabko hasthree EPs and two studio albums

to his name. As if that was not

enough, he also starred as Milo Keegan

on the last season of Instant Star andsoon after took over Broadway.

Riabko landed the lead role of Mel-

chior Gabor in the Tony Award-winningshow Spring Awakening. After onlyplaying the role for four short months,

Kyle was added to the cast for the firstnational tour of Spring Awakening,which is currently playing in Toronto.

As an added bonus, Ill mention

another artist. Trevor Jackson is thename of a side project involving Factorand Riabko. They have an album for

download on iTunes and several videosfor your viewing pleasure on YouTube. Trevor Jackson is not for the faint of

heart, though; their combination ofmusical and comedic talent is an acquired(but entertaining) taste.

By Casey HarvillaStaff writer

Synedoche to Hurst

As part of its esteemed Guelcher

Film Series, Mercyhurst College isbringing Charlie Kaufmans (Eter-nal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,

Being John Malkovich) acclaimed2008 film Synecdoche, New Yorkto campus.

A venue change means that themovie will be airing at Taylor Little

Theatre on Wednesday, April 1, 2009,at 2:15 and 8 p.m.

Kaufmans film showcases PhilipSeymour Hoffman as Caden Cotard,

a director who unexpectedly receivesa McArthur Genius Grant while hispersonal life unravels.

When his wife Adele (CatherineKeener, The Forty Year Old Virgin,Into the Wild) leaves with his

daughter Olive (Sadie Goldstein) for

a new life in Berlin, Cotard plunges

himself into a masterful performanceart piece, the creation of an entirely

mimetic metropolis inside an aban-doned warehouse that intends to rep-licate the life of the outside world.

The title is a pun on the city of

Schenectady, N.Y., and also alludes tothe literary technique of synecdoche,in which a part is used to represent

the whole, or vice versa.Cotard struggles through countless

relationships, including communica-

tion issues with her therapist and a co-

worker in the box office. He is onlyable to make a personal breakthrough

when he renounces his role as directorof the project and takes over a moreminor part. The ending is worth pre-

serving for those who want to attend.Tickets are available at Taylor Little

Theatre before each screening. Tick-

ets are $5 for adults, $4 for seniors andstudents, $3 for Presidents Cardhold-ers and free for Mercyhurst College

students with ID.

By Kyle King

A&E Ediitor


13/20

OPINION Page 13April 1, 2009The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst College, the staff of The Merciad

or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be e-mailed to [email protected].

By JerrodMarkleStaff writer

A socialist society is allowed

to arise in a libertarian state,

but a libertarian society is

not allowed to exist in the

socialist state.

I had and have no hope in the

Obama rheto-

ric nor do I see

change in the

same old design

of destruction

and death.

So where is

my resistance?It is not

because it appears we are com-

fortable, complacent and com-

pliant in this heaven for some

and hell for most.

We deserve this reality.

Our supervening, emergent

culture, economy and govern-

ment are oppressive to such

a degree, it has caused me to

witness the death of manypeoples happiness, souls

and friendships.

This is all engineered by

a select group of individu-

als attempting to bring about

heaven on Earth, to create

some type of Utopian society,

an illogical masterpiece.

In painting this melting mas-

terpiece the blood and souls of

all has become a medium for

reality including Indigenous

families worldwide, Native

American generations on this

soil, Erie constituents, the Mer-

cyhurst community, Vietnam-

ese, Iraqis, Koreans, African-

Americans from slavery to crack

houses; White poor, upper, and

middle classes; Burmese monks,

Jews, Palestinians, the mentally

disabled, Gypsies, murderers,

pacifists, Socialists, Libertarians,Neo-Conservatives, those close,

those far and the unborn.

We have stopped honor-

ing those who came before so

we forsake the present, and sin

the future into existence with

lies starting with ourselves and

spreading as a cancer to others.

So those believing they

are the ones to create Utopia

blessed with Gods will, write

legislation telling others to give

to a government that has taken

our souls, our blood, our

thoughts, our retirement

funds, our taxes, our land,

our dignity, our hope, our

faith and our peace, all while

poisoning our land, our food

and our minds.

But enough buy in so theUtopia is sewn along with the

seeds of an others hell, and

we care not as we stare in oblivi-

ous awe at our magical screens

since others eyes reflect too

much truth for us to handle.

The nightmares of reality

invade our dreams, but we take

the master the steps creating

disaster, destroying life and pol-

luting the ways that are many.Time will tell, heal us from this

hell, but only if we choose.

By Jordan

ZangaroStaff writer

Walking to the salad bar,

my stomach is rumbling and

it seems other people can hear

it too.

I have been waiting for a salad

all day.

I am careful with each piece

of lettuce.

The cheese looks fresh.

The carrots are crunchy.

Covering the top with

croutons and salted sunflowerseeds, there is just one more

thing to make this meal perfect.

I grab the ladle for the

dressing perfection and as I

pour, the salad is ruined.

I tend to use my articles as an

outlet for problems I see around

campus, or life in general. I try

my hardest to pick topics I think

are relevant to the students at

Mercyhurst College.

And there is an issue that I

think needs to be made public.

The ranch in the cafeteria hasbeen disgusting since we have

been back from spring break.

Most of the cafeteria food is

wonderful but like many others,

I love the salads.

I can not express how

disappointing it is every day

that I make a salad and go to

put ranch on top of my field

of greens and some thick, gross

form of ranch plops on top of

my previously perfect meal.

It is enough to make me sick.

I have contemplated writing inthe suggestion box to put a stop

to this.

But I think that a public plea

is more appropriate.

I know I am not alone in this

feeling of dissatisfaction.

Many people have discussed

the issue with me and it seems

ridiculous to put the repulsive

ranch in the salad bar when the

other ranch is beyond delicious.

It seems to be common

knowledge what bad-tasting

dressing can do to a meal. Itisnt necessary that I go into

detail about the horrid taste it

will leave in your mouth.

I feel sick when I even think

about the contents of the ranch.

I say lets stop the madness.

We all deserve the good stuff.

If you are going to choose a

healthier meal, shouldnt you be

able to top it off with something

mouth-watering?

There are no jobs out there.

We are graduating at the

worst time.

We wont be living out ourdreams for a while.

Im sure youre all sick of hear-

ing this as much as I am. After

my friend attended a conference

this past weekend, where this

was the only advice she heard, I

have decided, I am fed up.

While this advice might be a

realistic way of thinking, I know

well be all right. So I have made

a decision I encourage everyoneto make as well. I will think pos-

itively about my future.

This might sound nave but I

believe in our generation. I am

positive there have been many

people who came before us into

the job market who struggled

and overcame worse.

Think about a time when not

only were you competing for a

job but you were automaticallydenied a position because of

your gender or race.

There may not be many

people hiring right now, but who

says we need to land a dream job

right after graduation?

We dont and, as so many

people will tell you, its probably

not going to happen. Dont take

the pessimistic route, and trythinking about all the things you

can do.

Take a job you might not have

seen yourself in, travel, work at

a clothing store or restaurant

until another opportunity pres-

ents itself. Do something for a

charity or non-profit organiza-

tion needing help, even if the

paycheck isnt monumental.

You never know who youmight meet or where life may

lead you, so dont count your-

self out. People are quick to

tell us how bad the economy is

and how negatively its going to

affect our search for a job.

What they arent telling us is,

there is still hope and time for

things to turn around. We are

young and talented people and

we will do amazing things. Juststay positive and dont listen to

people who tell you otherwise.

We stopped honoring those whocame before so we forsake thepresent and sin the future intoexistance... Jerrod Markle

A future complete withunwavering optimisim Facing harsh realities in AmericaProblems the country brought upon itself

Fuming over apalling condiments

By Hayley OHare

Staff writer


14/20

OPINIONPage 14 April 1, 2009

@mercyhurst.edu

editormerciad

mgeditormerciad

newsmerciad

featuremerciad

opinionmerciad

sportsmerciadsportsmerciad

entertainmentmerciad

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apasto22

wwelch

bsheridan

The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of MercyhurstCollege. It is published throughout the school year, with the exception offinals weeks. Our office is in Hirt, Room 120B. Our telephone number is (814)

824-2376.

The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signedand names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the

letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Lettersare due Mondays. by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit

letters to box PH 485 or via e-mail at [email protected].

If you dont want it printed . . . dont let it happen.Editors

Casey Greene

JoEllen Marsh

Amanda Valauri

Javi Cubillos

Heather Donovan

Brad MoehringerSam Sellinger

Kyle King

Scoot Williams

Tyler Stauffer

Caitlin Bly

Gretchen Yori

Ashley Pastor

Bill Welch

Brian Sheridan

Positions

Editor-in-Chief

Managing Editor

News Editor

Features Editor

Opinion Editor

Sports EditorSports Editor

A&E

Photographer

Photographer

Advertising Manager

Copy Editor

General Assignment

Adviser

Adviser

Mercyhurst Colleges Ethical

Reflection Committee has initiated thisseries to encourage reflection within theentire college community on the values

by which we live. We suggest that faculty introduce appropriate essaysinto class discussion; we encourage

students to bring these thoughts toclasses; we invite administrators andstaff to explore these in department

meetings. The ERC also requests that you let us know how you have usedthese thoughts in your life. Contact

Rev. Lyta Seddig, Chair: [email protected]. This I Believe isnow linked to the college website.

Essays can be found at http://www.mercyhurst.edu/ne/special-events/believe_essays.

As usual, I jiggled my bent

old key into the equally wornout key hole on our kitchen

door. Just then, a squall of icy

rain wrung out of an unruly

gust of wind.

Half wet, my arthritic fingers

struggled to open my umbrella,

pitifully bent. Is it OK? I

asked my umbrella for another

chance to accompany me on my

way to work.

On the way, the liquid dropsturned into heavy puff buttons.

My umbrella began to feel the

weight of its accumulation. It

muffled the sound of my foot-

steps echoing from beneath.

Now and then Id hoist the

umbrella upward and watch

the mini-avalanches fall all

around me.

On the busy road, trucks and

SUVs punctuated the sticky

hums of tires spinningout of smaller cars in

between them. They are

wild sprayers, yet I no

longer fidget when I hear

them coming.

Whats the use? I get

wet all the same.

Instead, I breathe in

and out to ease their rush

as they align to pass me.

Presently I veer off from this

busy linear path into a quiet resi-

dential section.

The freshly fallen wet snow

dotted last falls leaf piles raked

too late and now wilted like

over-cooked spinach. Yet, they

serve to grip my feet when the

rest of the road glistens with

a sheet of ice. The sound of

crunching them evoked mychildhood memory of walking

upon the frost-pillared dirt road

in late fall and early spring all

the way to school.

I greeted a man dressed in

his professional coat and scarf.

Grinning slightly towards me,

his gloved hands gingerly picked

up two over-sized garbage cans,

which had been emptied earlier

by Waste Management. His carwaited for him in the driveway,

warming up his seat.

A few houses further, I heard

young teenagers being coaxed to

hurry up by their mother; that

morning they must not have

made it to the school bus stop

at the corner.

I focused on the sycamore

tree whose silent strength graced

its bare torso and limbs reachingup to the steel-grey sky. Cutting

across another stretch of high-

way, I enter into the woods.

The deers morning tracks

have already paved the way,

embossing the snowy papyrus.

They led me to the creek which

runs to the zoo across the road.

Last nights rainfall has swol-

len the creek. I search for a

reliable rock to make it across.

Today I will have to ask myhiking boots to be more daring.

Poor guys, they have only known

the summer mountains trails.

I wobbled atop one rock mid-

current and the next wobble

took me to the still edge.

Just then, a hawk swooped

in front of me and flew up to

perch on the branch of a tree a

few feet away. It shook my pri-

mordial juice inside and then

held it still as if in a chalice. The

moment gripped me away from

my goal of reaching my desti-

nation. In the falling snow, the

silence vibrated between us into

a point. Uphill, a few feet away, I

come to a fallen, limb bent tree,

like an old serpent.

Though no longer visible,

I know the exact spot nearby where the single trillium had

bloomed and died last year.

I picked up a couple of beer

cans strewn around it. I long

to see its delicate head lift the

soil above to be seen again in

early spring.

For now, I envy its natu-

ral obeisance to slumber.

At the edge of the woods, I

hopped onto the last stretch ofthe commute.

By this time, the road is filled

with drivers rushing to make it

to work. It was on days I needed

to use cars that I felt the spatial-

temporal confine. In fact, it felt

as though it seemed farther by

car than on foot!

Walking, I can go only so fast.

My mind found its refuge in

my body.I felt sufficient. I come to

a path between two baseball

fields. I pretended to make

my last run from third base to

home, Alas!

By slowing down to the speed

of our own body, we begin to

exercise our perspectives from

an edge of the perpetual

shift, to cite David Abram

from his book The Spell of the

Sensuous between the man-made and natural world.

There, like turtle eggs buried

under the tidal womb, some-

where between water and land,

the elements common to both

humans and nature intertwine,

completing our stories unheard

in human language.

In this way, Mother Nature

mirrors the template for

our own compassionate

nature within.

Yet, I believe that it is up to us

to journey past our own images

we have projected of ourselves

to get to that magical edge.

Keiko Takioto Miller is AssistantProfessor of Japanese and French aswell as Director of the Asian Studies

Program in the Department of WorldLanguages and Cultures.

She has been affiliated with Mer-

cyhurst since 1982 when she wasthe Studio Portrait Drawing Class facilitator for Adult Education;

then she was an adjunct professor ofFrench in 1983-4; and she has beenfull-time since 1992.

Her favorite aspect about Mer-cyhurst: the open and liberal spiritof the Sisters of Mercy, and good

camaraderie among colleagues - sea-soned with the Lake Erie effect.

Hiking through woods provokes magical experienceLooking past daily dilemmas to intertwine humans and nature


15/20

OPINION Page 15April 1, 2009

Mercyhurst Col legePresident, Dr. ThomasGamb l e , annou ncedy e s t e r d a y h o u s i n g arrangements next year willfinally go co-ed. In addition,RAs will now be replaced by

Sisters of Mercy.PSYCH... April Fools.

Mercyhursts recentmailing of senior graduationinformation on a high-quality, glossy postcardsearned the college twostrikes. 1.The uninformativemailing violates the greenmovement. 2. With all thebudget cuts, students arequestioning every dollarspent on frivolous throw-

aways.

Vince Shlomi, ShamWowbacker, was arrested last

month on charges of batteryagainst an aggressive femalewith a questionable careerchoicelady of the night Well see if Shlomi can

ShamWow this mistake.

Please e-mail any suggetions to

[email protected].

The GB&U is a compilation of

student opinions.

I dedicate this article to reviv-ing in our society the singlegreatest invention in human his-

tory, the philosophy of liberty.Liberty is based on the prin-

ciple of self-ownership. No

person or group of personsbut you own your life, and like-

wise, you dont own any otherpersons life.

Denying you own yourlife implies someone else has

a higher claim on your lifethan you.

You are the sole and sovereign

owner of your life and property,which is the fruit of your laborattained through talent, time

and energy.

Property is the part of natureyou turn to valuable use. Prop-

erty can be given to others onlythrough voluntary exchange and

mutual consent.

So two people who exchangeproperty are better off or theywouldnt do it, and only you canmake the decision to exchange

your property. Sometimesthough, force or fraud is used totake from others without volun-

tary consent.Use of force or fraud to take

life is murder, to take liberty is

slavery and to take property

is theft.This is the same, no matter if

its done by one person actingalone, many against the few orpeople in expensive suits and

fine hats.You have the right to protect

your life, liberty and property

from the forceful aggressionof others.

However, you dont have the

right to initiate force againstthe life, liberty or propertyof others.

Therefore, you also have no

right to make others initiate

force against others for yourself.One has the right to seek leadersfor oneself but not to imposerulers on others.

Officials are human beingstoo, so they also have no rightsor claims higher than those of

any other human beings, nomatter what imaginative labelsthey give themselves or how

many people encourage them.

Officials have no right tomurder, enslave or steal.

Since you own your life, youare also responsible for it, andyou choose your own goals

based on your own values.Success and failure are

unavoidable and necessary

to grow. This is the basis for a free

society and it is the most

practical, humanitarian andethical foundation.

Problems in the world that

come about as a result of ini-

tiation of force by government

have a solution.This solution is to stop asking

government to initiate forceagainst others on your behalf.

Evil not only arises fromevil people but also from goodpeople who tolerate the use

of force as a means to theirown ends.

In this way, good people have

empowered evil people through-

out all of human history.Having confidence in a free

society is to focus on the pro-cess of discovery in the market-place of ideas instead of on an

imposed vision or goal.Using government force

to impose a vision or goal

on others is wrong andresults in perverted andunintended consequences.

The only way to a free soci-ety is to think, talk and actespecially when its easier to do

absolutely nothing.

By Thomas Kubica

Contributing writer

As I have spent more andmore time at Mercyhurst Col-

lege, I have come to realize howlittle of a choice students havein what they eat.

Whatever eating establisment,there are very few options forthose students who wish to

eat healthy. You dont want to look at

the nutrition facts because you

feel guilty about what you haveeaten. I would like some nicefresh fruit or a cooked vegetable

or two. Is that too much to askfrom a food service companyfor which I pay $1,359 a term?

It seems the school is afterour money, not our nutrition,

which isnt fair when, as under-

classmen, we have to eat every

meal on campus.With nationwide obesity rates

on the rise, why shouldnt afood service company choose

healthier options? There is a big push to get

active in this country, but I dont

think that going to the gymtwice a week is enough.

Meals for students should

be healthy, so if you dont get

a chance to get to the gym oneday, you dont gain five pounds.

Fresh foods should beserved whenever possible,and low fat options should be

readily available. With the switch of food

service companies in the near

future, I ask the school to pleasechoose one that pushes healthyfood choices. It will benefit the

students in countless ways.

By Alexandra Stacey

Contributing writer

This past week my room-mate received, The Boy in the

Striped Pajamas from Netflix.When we sat down to watch

it, I wasnt expecting more than

your average movie or docu-mentary experience.

However, as the credits rolled,

we both sat in shock, not know-ing what to say or what to do.

We simply sat, and even

after the credits were fin-ished, we sat for more than 10minutes trying to collect our

respective thoughts.I wont ruin the ending of

the film by commenting on it

or saying why we were in shock.I am not trying to critique the

film itself.

The film put my life and

daily complaints into perspec-tive. So I have a paper to do, orsome reading?

I have to go to work, or cant

stay up late because of a morn-ing class? So what?

The things people in WWII

went through do not even com-pare to anything in my life ormost people in Americas lives.

Compared to them, we

have absolutely no reasonto complain.

This film helped me to real-ize my problems, if you can callthem that, are in reality nothing

but minor conflicts I can easilydismiss. Even the word conflictis too strong in this context.

Anyone who has not seenthe film should put it at the topof their to-watch list. Its a life-

changer, and in a positive way.

By Alaina Rydzewski

Staff writer

Food served on campuslacking healthy choices

Refl ecting on The Boyin the Striped Pajamas

Govermental force violating liberties


16/20

Baseball..........................................Mar.27, L 1-0,W 4-2 Lock Haven

Mar. 28, W 6-1, L 9-6 Lock Haven

Softball.....................................Mar. 24, L 8-0, L 2-0 California (PA.)

Mar. 28, L 3-1, L 2-0 Lock Haven

Mens Lacrosse...............................Mar. 25,W 12-2 Wheeling Jesuit

Mar. 29,W 12-2 Dowling

Womens Lacrosse .............................Mar. 26,W 13-12 Lock Haven

Mar. 28,W 11-9 West Chester

Mar. 29,W 15-14 Bloomsburg

Womens Water Polo.............................Mar. 28,W 11-1 Grove CityMar. 28,W 10-0 Chatham

Mar. 29,W 7-0 Penn State Berhend

Alves and Malmstorm Selected to ConferenceFreshman Guilherme Alves and junior Johanna Malmstorm were

selected to represent Mercyhurst College at the 2009 NCAA

National Student-Athlete Development Conference. Alves, a mens

water polo player, and Malmstrom, a womens hockey player, will

attend the conference devoted to issues student athletes face on May

24-27 at the Disney World Coronado Spring Resort in Orlando, Fl.

Shields To Throw First Pitch SaturdaySophomore national champion wrestler Josh Shields will throw out

the ceremonial first pitch at Mercyhurst Colleges doubleheader

against Lake Erie College. Mercyhurst College will honor its first

individual national champion at the pre-game ceremony on April 4,

which will begin at approximately 12:45 p.m.

Jason LaShomb-Mens LacrosseMercyhurst Colleges senior lacrosse standout Jason LaShomb

was named East Coast Conference Goalkeeper of the Week. This

is the second time LaShomb has received this honor this year.LaShomb has allowed only 4.5 goals per game and has saved 70

percent of the shots he has faced the past two games.

Breanna Haggerty-Womens LacrosseSenior Breanna Haggerty of Mercyhurst Colleges sixth-ranked

womens lacrosse team was named Pennsylvania State Athletic

Conference Western Division Player of the Week. Haggerty

scored 16 goals, one game-winning, four ground balls and three

draw controls. Haggerty lead Mercyhurst to a 3-0 week, including

victories over two top-five teams.

Mens lacrosse on a roll

The lacrosse teams on this

campus have been great so far

this year, and this week they did

not disappoint.

The men tallied two more

wins in as many chances with

a blowout over Wheeling Jesuit

University and a game that came

down to the wire with Dowling

College.

The big picture goal for the week was two wins, and that

goal was reached.

Senior defensemen Tom

Eighmey was very happy with

the teams performance.

Overall, I think that it was a

good week. We said we wanted

to go 2-0 and at the end of the

week we were 2-0. Im sure we

all wished the Dowling game

wouldnt have been as close asit was, but at the end of the day

the team stepped up and got the

win, Eighmey said.

The Dowling game in

question came right down to

the wire, with the Lakers pulling

out an 8-7 victory in the final

minutes.

Junior Michael Sciulli, coming

off his Player of the Week

honor, showed why he won the

award by scoring a goal with1:01 remaining in the game.

This goal ended up being

the final nail in the proverbial

coffin for Dowling and ensured

another Laker win.

On the weekly award watch,

there was another award given

to a Laker this week.

Senior Jason LaShomb

won East Coast Conference

Goalkeeper of the Week for the

second time this season.LaShomb has won this award

again for his stellar play between

the pipes, saving a staggering 70

percent of the shots he faced

this past week

Coming up for the Lakers

are games against Seton Hill

University, Dominican College

and Grand Canyon University,

as the Lakers look to stay hot

and extend their winning streak.

By Gary CoadStaff writer

Senior Aaron Manzer advances the ball up the field against

Dowling College.

Scoot Williams photo


17/20

SPORTS Page 17April 1, 2009

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Gospel by helping people in another culture?

Win a free mission trip to

If you are between 18 and 35 years old, Maryknoll

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Learn more details at

www.exploremymission.org

The NFL adds new rules for next season

The NFL, long nicknamed the

No Fun League has a long-

standing tradition of adding

new rules prior to the start of

every season with the intent offixing problems that happened

in the previous season.

Numbers vary on how

many rules were ratified for

next season, but four of them

were added for the purpose of

promoting safety among the

players.

The NFL has added so many

rules that a team from the 1970s

would not be able to even play

by todays standards without

being penalized into oblivion,

just as I mentioned last week.

This year has hit a new level

of absurdity that I cannot even

begin to fathom.

Three new rules meant to

improve safety, but end up

detracting from the toughness

of the game, and at times

impinges on the game itself.

There will now be a 15-yard

penalty for a blind-side block

if any part of the player touches

an opponents head.

While it sounds great to

prevent head injuries, which

is also plaguing hockey at

the present, this will affect

linebackers and safeties who

are targeting receivers coming

through the middle of the field.

They are looking to make the big

hit, but will end up hesitating to

avoid this penalty.

This rule has some sense

behind it, the other rules, not so

much.

On the kickoff return, there

has always been the strategy of

the first line of returners coming

together to form a wedge.

This strategy allows for

effective blocking for the player

who catches and carries the

ball.

These five front-line players

are the first line of defense from

reaching the ballcarrier.

This stops at least a handful

of players from having a chance

to make the tackle.

This strategy is now banned

from kick returns.

Now, a wedge of more than

two players will incur a 15 yard

penalty on the return team.

This rule is just dumb, and

completely changes everything

about the kick return for the

worse.

Dont look for touchdowns

on kickoffs any time soon.

Adding to the idiocy, during

an onside kick where a team

attempts to get the ball back

after a score, no more than five

players can bunch up on one

side of the kicker.

This greatly reduces the

chance of success.

Good luck trying to make a

late comeback, it isnt going to

happen.

These rules, all made in the

name of safety, will hurt football

as a game, killing strategies and

comebacks, and indeed, the fun

of NFL football. I hope these

get repealed.

By John

Baranowski

Sports columnist

The No Fun League is becoming increasingly dull

Page 20:

Senior Jason LaShomb (9)

stands guard in Lakers 8-7

Victory over the Golden

Lions of Dowling Col-

lege on March 29 at Tullio

Field.

Lakers go pro

After a disappointing end to ahard-fought season for the Mer-

cyhurst College mens hockey

team, several of the seniors

have gone on to sign profes-

sional contracts.

Seniors Kirk Medernach,

Bobby Phillips, Matt Pierce and

Matt Lundin have all signed with

teams in the East Coast Hockey

League (ECHL).

Co-captains Kirk Medernachand Matt Pierce will be reunited

in Cincinnati, Oh., as members

of the Cincinnati Cyclones.

Pierce was the team leader in

goals for Mercyhurst this year

with 24, and his 44 total points

placed him third on the team.

He was also recently selected to

participate in the 2009 Frozen

Four Skills Challenge in Wash-

ington, D.C.

Medernach was a four-year

blue-liner for the Lakers and

finished his career with four

goals and 28 points total in his

four years.Phillips anchored the Laker

defense for four years and will

now suit up for the Elmira (N.Y.)

Jackals. He finished with four

goals and 22 assists in his career.

However, Elmira placed Phillips

immediately on the three-day

injured reserve list.

Finally, Lundin, who was a

transfer from the University of

Maine, spent two years with theLakers.

He has signed as a goalie for

the Alaska Aces.

In the 2007-2008 campaign

Lundin set the single season

saves record at Mercyhurst with

946. In his two years he fin-

ished with a .909 save percent-

age, allowing 3.25 goals against

and posting an overall record of

17-21-5.

By Brad Moehringer

Sports editor


18/20

SPORTSPage 18 April 1, 2009

Freshman standout paces Lakers offense

The Mercyhurst College base-

ball team came into the weekend

with a 14-9 record and ranked

No. 7 in the National Collegiate

Baseball Writers Association

Division II Atlantic region poll.

The Lakers encountered stiff

opposition this weekend as they

split a weekend series against

Lock Haven University of

Pennsylvania.

The weather this weekend

was frigid, and the same could

be said for one of the Big

Threes hitting, as recent stand-

out sophomore Craig Denman

could only muster two hits

over the four games played this

weekend.

Freshman Ethan Santora,

another of the Lakers Big

Three, supplied some heat to

the Lakers lukewarm perfor-

mance, providing five hits, five

RBIs and two home runs over

the weekend.

Santoras two home runs put

him only five home runs short

of Mercyhursts single season

record with 26 games left in theseason.

At this pace Santora will hit

24 home runs, smashing the

single season record of 19 as a

freshman.

When asked about the record

Santora said, Everyone keeps

on asking about it but I havent

thought about it. Ive just been

out there seeing the ball and

hitting it. I dont think about

records. I just think about whatsbest for the team.

The last member of the Big

Three, senior Jeff Stoll added

four hits, three RBIs and one

home run.

At Lock Haven on Friday,

March 27, the Lakers wasted

another outstanding pitching

performance by junior Steve

Grife and were blanked in the

first game of the series, 1-0.

Over his past two starts, Grifehas pitched 13 innings, only

allowing one run, but has earne

the merciad, april 1, 2009

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