the merciad, march 12, 2008

8/6/2019 The Merciad, March 12, 2008

1/24

Mercyhurst College President Dr. Thomas Gamble(left) announced plans on Monday that will take theschool into the next five years. Among his ideas are

a new 318-room residence hall and a new academicbuilding to house the schools intelligence programand business department. Both buildings are plannedfor construction within the next year. The initiativealso calls for recruitment of faculty with the help ofnewly appointed provost Dr. James Adovasio. Theproject will push the college into a $55 million debt.

| Joshua Wilwohl reports on page 3

Hur$tsfuture

President announces $32M expansion


2/24

NEWSPAGE 2 March 12, 2008

Armingpolice

3-part safety series

This week: PoliceFormer Northern IllinoisUniversity graduate student

Steven Kazmierczak shot

dead five students in less thantwo minutes on Feb. 14 in the

universitys Cole Hall. It took

campus police under 30 seconds

to respond.

If an incident such as a

shooter were to occur on the

Mercyhurst College campus,

the schools police and safety

officers would have nothing to

protect themselves with since

they do not carry firearms, said

Rodger Gregorich, Mercyhursts

police and safety director.

Erie Bureau of Police

Captain D.J. Fuhrman said if

such an incident would occur at

Mercyhurst College, it would take

minutes for officer response.

If we had an active shooter

on campus the first unit

would be no more than fiveminutes, he said.

Fuhrman said once four

units were on scene of theincident, they would not need to

wait for the special weapons and

tactics team and would move in

on a subject.

The first four responding

officers proceed to where the

shooter is and we will move on

them, he said. For example,

if we get a call of shots fired

in Old Main, we will move to

where the gun shots are being

fired.

He said, however, Erie police

would rely on campus police and

safety during the incident.

We would work with safety

officers because they have

knowledge of the buildings, he

said.

Gregorich said if a call of an

active shooter came through hisoffice, he would call all officers

to assist in securing the scene

but would be hesitant in sendingin his officers unarmed.

Our officers, as it is now,

are told if there is an armed

individual, they should do what

they can, he said. But they

should not put themselves

in a position where they are

in danger of being seriously

injured or killed.

Mercyhurst is the only

college in the Erie area whose

officers are not armed.

Gregorich said his officers

would help secure the scene, but

Erie police would take control

of the area.

Once a confirmed call

is reported, the dispatcher

would inform all personnel and

immediately call Erie police, he

said.Please see School on Page 6

& safetyBy Joshua WilwohlEditor-in-chief


3/24

More buildings, more faculty

and more students is the drive

behind Mercyhurst Colleges new

$32 million expansion plan. It

will also mean more debt.

Dr. Thomas Gamble, the

colleges president, announcedMonday the schools strategic

initiative for the next five years.

This plan is about Mercyhurst

students, he said. Its about the

growth and excellence of the

college.

Gamble outlined his proposal

to more than 150 faculty mem-

bers, administrators and students

in the Mary DAngelo Perform-

ing Arts Center.He said the price tag of $32

million comprises $25 million

from a bond issue, while the

remaining $7 million will come

from donations, such as those

made by the board of trustees.

The $25 million, according to

Gamble, will push the schools

debt close to $55 million. He said

the schools current long-term

debt is around $30 million.Gamble said the college plans

to pay back the debt annually over

a 25-year period with the schools

$100 million-a-year revenue.

He said the plan calls for con-

struction of a 318-room, $14

million residence hall and a $10

to $12 million academic building

that will house the intelligence

program and business school on

the Erie campus.

We want to move into com-

petitive intelligence for business

and the ability to provide the

good reputation of the intel-

ligence program, he said.

The location of the residence

hall will be east of Tullio Field.

Mercy apartments and McAu-

ley Hall are overcrowded, Gam-

ble said. To decrease the density

of students, we want to provide

another residence hall.

Construction for the residence

hall will start in June, according

to the colleges Associate Vice

President of Administration

Tyrone Moore.

Warde townhouses will be de-molished to make way for the new

academic building, which will be

located west of the bookstore.

Gamble said there are open

upperclassman apartments that

will make up for the space lost

by the Warde townhouses.

There is still space available

in Briggs Avenue apartments

and the new residence hall will

provide additional housing as

well, he said.

Gamble also said freshmen

and upperclassmen could be liv-

ing together in the new residence

building.

There are no real plans laid

out yet, he said.

Construction for the academic

building is expected to start over

the next two years.

Students reacted to the an-

nounced plans by saying the con-

struction of new buildings on the

Erie campus is not needed.

If they are using money to

take nice housing down, why

not invest it into fixing up the

older housing, said junior JennaBarone. We spend two to three

years in the apartments and only

one in the dorms.

Sophomore Jen Mihu shares

Barones opinion.

It is not necessary to spend

that much money on stuff we

dont need. They just renovated

the suites, she said. We dont

need huge projects that raise

tuition and put the school further

into debt.

Mercyhurst North East, ac-

cording to Gamble, will see

$500,000 in renovations to the

First National Bank building,

purchased by the school in 2006.

A residence hall will also be

constructed on the North East

campus, north of the current

residence building.

Other initiatives of Gambles

plan include recruiting top-notch

faculty with the help of newly

appointed provost Dr. James

Adovasio.

(Adovasio will) work with the

leadership of the faculty senate

to make substantial progress inthe quality of faculty work life

with an eye toward improving

the opportunities available to

them for excellent teaching and

advising, to remain in active

and fruitful dialogue with their

disciplines, for high quality fac-

ulty-student relationships and for

student research, Gamble said

during his speech.

Mercyhurst faculty member

Dr. Richard ODell, a professor

of education, said this project

is one that could launch Mercy-

hurst into another division of

learning.

This has been in the plans for

years now, he said. This was

discussed when Gamble came

on board and its great that he

wants to see the campus grow

and upgrade.

ODell said the addition of

new buildings will help relieve

the stress caused by the lack of

classroom and residential space.

We need more physical

space, said ODell. We are

maxed out right now and need toconcentrate on growing.

Gamble said his plan is to

provide the best education pos-

sible to Mercyhurst students.

Were more expensive than

most public schools, so in order

to provide the premium for

students to pay, we must pro-

vide more than an education,

he said.

Gamble emphasized that this

plan is Mercyhursts most ambi-

tious project in its history and

said he hopes to see an increase

in students on the campuses.

I see this as being a school

of 5,000 kids, he said. Erie

campus will increase by 200 to

300 students, while North East

will increase by 400 to 500 stu-

dents and West will increase by

100 students.

PAGE 3NEWSMarch 12, 2008

The new residence hall will be located east of Tullio Field on the Mercyhurst College Erie campus. It is a 318-room structurethat will cost $14 million.

Contributed photo

College plans $32M expansionBy Joshua WilwohlEditor-in-chief


4/24

PAGE 4 NEWS March 12, 2008

Coach Carter inspires Hurst students

As the inspiration behind

the 2005 film, Coach Carter,

famed high school basketball

coach Ken Carter brought his

message of accountabilit y,

integrity, teamwork and leader-

ship to Mercyhurst College onMonday night.

His lecture, What you see is

what you get: How to visualize

and reach your goals, was fea-

tured by the Mercyhurst Student

Governments (MSG) Speaker

Series.

Carters honest, straightfor-

ward delivery makes him a

sought-after personality in the

academic, business and sportsworlds.

He uses real-life examples and

a caring approach to energize

individuals toward their highest

potential.

Monday, after making a grand

entrance that included jock-

jams style music blaring and

t-shirts flying into the audience,

Carter began his speech saying,

This presentation is like a wom-ans dress; long enough to cover

the basics but short enough to

keep yall interested.

His entrance grabbed the

attention of the already enthu-

siastic audience.

Carter was at Mercyhurst to,

as he said, validate everyones

ability to be successful.

Senior Matt Ferris was sur-

prised by Carter even before thepresentation started.

I was sitting in the front row

of the back section and he told

me I needed to move to the

front because it would be good

for me, said Ferris. So I moved

to the front. Little did I know

he was going to make me stand-

up in the middle of his lecture

and call me an investment

banker.

A mens basketball coach

Richmond High in California,

Carter almost single-handedly

turned around the school, physi-

cally and mentally cleaning up its

trash, graffiti and drug dealers in

two years.

Junior Joanna Sanzo had seen

the movie and was interested in

seeing the real deal.

When I was in high schoolmy entire basketball team went

together to see it, said Sanzo.

He is a realistic and inspira-

tional person; I was excited to

be able to hear him.

Carter described Richmond as

the roughest city in the state

of Cal ifornia. More specifically,

he told the audience that only

50 percent of the students at

Richmond High would graduate,and were 80 times more likely to

go to jail.

Carter stressed the impor-

tance of having goals, and said

You are 10 times more likely

to achieve a goal if you write

it down.

He said that goals were merely

ideas with a deadline. He stressed

that no one should go to sleep

without having tomorrow onpaper.

Carter made his players at

Richmond write down goals

everyday in order to be suc-

cessful members of the team

and society.

Through his own life experi-

ence, Carter was able to push his

basketball team to realize their

potential.

He had each player sign a

contract; everything that they

would abide by in order to be a

member of the team.

The contract included crucial

rules of conduct: treat others

with respect; shun drugs and

alcohol; sit in the front of class

and participate; wear a suit and

tie on game day and maintain a

minimum of a 2.3 GPA.

However not all of the players

lived up to the contract.

The undefeated team was

locked out of the gym, for-

feiting six games in their 13-0

season.

Carter stressed his message

that the team needed to work

into way out of the situation

which they had gotten them-

selves.

If you dont put anythinginto it, you wont get anything

out of it, Carter said to his

players. Once you experience

failure, you will be able to face

the next with enthusiasm.

Carter in closing his lecture

had the entire audience stand

up, put their hands above their

heads, put their right hand

on their heart and spin in a

circle.The confused audience did so

with whispers and smiles.

Now yall can leave this

lecture saying Coach Carter

made me stand up, put my

hands in the air, touched my

heart and turned me around,

said Carter.

Junior Emily Donovan thor-

oughly enjoyed her Carter expe-

rience.It was definitely worth it.

He was all over the place and

unpredictable and had a valu-

able message. By far one of the

best speakers I have seen here,

Donovan said.

Carter also discussed the film

based on his coaching saying,

I was on the set everyday of

filming. The movie was 98.5

percent accurate. Samuel Jack-

son hit every one of his lines

and everyone elses.

The PAC was captivated by

the charismatic, small-town

bred coach that could turn a

seemingly hopeless inner-city

high school into an inspiration

for so many people across the

U.S.

In attendance to the lec-

ture were members of the

Erie community.

Children from the Boys and

Girls Club of Erie were present,

and the adult chaperone club

was given a signed basketball

from Carter as well as a $500

donation from his foundation

to aid in supporting future

endeavors.

Carter said he will open a

charter school in Dallas, TX.

The school will feature 12-hour

school days in order to keep chil-

dren learning and growing at their

fullest potential.

The school will require the

parents of the students to attend

school on every Saturday.

Carter describes the goal of

the school to produce students

who will be able to be as suc-

cessful as possible.

He wants to instill the same

kind of inspiration and drive

to these students as he was able

to do for those at Richmond

High.

Carter will also air a TV

series on MTV in the near

future.

By Ashley PastorStaff writer

Coach Ken Carter brought his message of hope and enthu-

siasm to Mercyhurst College on Monday night in the PAC.

msstate.edu

The man behind the film spoke to students about the importance of striving for a personal best


5/24

PAGE 5NEWSMarch 12, 2008

Recently the Pride of Pennsyl-

vania ROTC Battalion conducted

CWST, which stands for combat

water survival training.

G iven the t e r r a in the

current Iraq and Afghanistan

wars are being fought, one

might consider the training

unnecessary but there have

actually been a surprising numberof drowning deaths recently

due to a lack of water survival

training.

Water deaths can occur when

combat vehicles overturn or

when soldiers simply do not

know how to swim.

The goal of the training

is to familiarize soldiers with

swimming and plunging into

water while encumbered with

the equipment typically carried

by any soldier.

This can include but is notlimited to the uniform, boots,

ballistics vest, helmet, M-4 rifle,

rucksack and a variety of other

items generally employed by

soldiers in combat.

The added weight of the

water that inevitably occu-

pies these items has proven

to be a deadly force which

soldiers can succumb.

Cadets practiced swimming,treading water, diving and

shedding with various amounts

of equipment to better learn

how to deal with a combat water

situation.

The training begins with a 10-

minute swim and water tread and

culminates with a three-meter

blindfolded drop into the deep

end of the Penn State Behrend

pool.

By Jeff Allen

Contributing writer

ROTC goesfor a swim

Hurst summercourses heat up

It is hard to imagine now, butsummer is not far away. Sunshine

and warm weather are on their

way and for some students,

summer classes are right around

the corner.

Students can begin reg-

is ter ing for summer ses -

s ion courses on Apr i l 1 .

This summer the school will

offer new course options and

will bring back past benefits ofprevious summer sessions.

Music appreciation, social

ethics and human resource man-

agement will all be offered online

this summer. This is the first year

Mercyhurst will provide online

courses.

Associate Vice President of

Academic Affairs Mary Brecken-

ridge said, This helps students

who have to work or want to gohome for summer but still want

to take classes.

Breckenridge said she is eager

to see success with the online

courses.

If it is a success we may offer

more online courses next year,

she said.

The college offered a three-

week pre-summer session for

the first time last summer and isoffering one again this summer.

Were excited about the pre-

summer session, said Breck-

enridge. We are offering more

courses in this session than we

did last year and we hope to have

better enrollment.

Students taking the pre-

summer session can earn three

credits in three weeks, said

Breckenridge.

The college will also offer

a six-and-a-half week session

during which students can earn

up to six credits as well as a nine-

week session with the opportu-nity to earn nine credits. Courses

running nine weeks only meet

once a week.

Breckenridge said most

summer courses fall into the

common core and distribu-

tion core but several major

courses will be offered in larger

departments such as education

and business. Course offerings

are currently listed on WebAd-visor.

Mercyhurst only allows stu-

dents to take up to six credits

from another school during the

summer, said Breckenridge.

If students chose to stay on

campus, they can take many

more credits.

Sam Barlekoff, a graduate

assistant in the Office of Resi-

dence Life, said plans have notbeen made yet for summer hous-

ing. While it is not definite, Bar-

lekoff said students usually begin

moving into summer housing the

week after graduation, which is

May 18 this year.

Students usually have to

move into temporary housing

for a week or two while apart-

ments are being cleaned, said

Barlekoff. They sometimeshave to do this again at the end

of summer.

Barlekoff said summer hous-

ing has been assigned to the

middle and lower end of Briggs

Avenue in past years but may also

be on Lewis if necessary.

Students pay $60 a week

for campus housing, but the

cost is usually less for students

working on campus, he said.

Although summer courses will

cost the same as classes taken

during the regular academic

year, students will be exempt

from paying additional fees suchas those for computers and

building assessment, Brecken-

ridge said.

Breckenridge said students

should meet with their aca-

demic advisors to plan their

summer session. According to

the summer session Web site,

courses must be approved by an

advisor before a student is able

to register.Students are able to register

starting April 1, said Brecken-

ridge. They should meet with

their advisors before they register

for courses.

Breckenridge said students

are able to schedule online for

summer courses, something

they were not able to do last

year.

If students are not able to meetwith their advisors or decide to

take part in summer sessions

after they have returned home,

they should contact Andrea

Barnett.

Andrea is part student aca-

demic support and can help

students register for summer

courses, said Breckenridge.

The pre-summer session

begins on May 20 and runs untilJune 10 with exams being held

on June 12. The six-and-a-half

week session begins on June 16,

ends on July 29 with exams on

July 31 and Aug. 1. The nine-

week summer session runs from

June 1 to July 27 with exams on

Aug. 3.

For more information, go to

the summer session Web site at

summer.mercyhurst.edu.

By Casey GreeneManaging editor

ROTC cadets practice combat water survival with equipment.

Contributed photo

Online classes offered for the first time


6/24

NEWSPAGE 6 March 12, 2008

Continued from Page 2

We would also send a timely

text message out to students

and staff and implement the

Mercyhurst College emergency

response plan.

The colleges emergency

response plan is a 91-page

booklet outlining certain

scenarios that could occur on

campus such as an explosion, abomb threat, a civil disturbance,

a data security breach and a

campus shooting.

The college updates the plan

every year, with the most recent

update starting six months ago,

according to Gregorich.

If something happened,

weve got our response protocol

outlined in the emergency

response plan, he said.Gregorich said Mercyhursts

police and safety officers are

sworn officers who have more

than 10 times the amount of

required hours needed for

training an officer to carry a

firearm.

Our police officers have

municipal police required 740

hours of academy training, he

said.

Pennsylvania State

Police recently released the

Pennsylvania College Campus

Security Assessment Report that

outlines suggestions for campuslaw enforcement since the

Virginia Tech tragedy on April

16, 2007, when student Seung-

Hui Cho killed 32 people and

wounded 25 before shooting

himself.

The 17-page document

states private college security

forces should consider Act

235, lethal weapons training

certification, as a requirementfor employment to allow

security personnel to stop an

armed individual on campus.

Presently, private college

security forces do not possess

the use of force options or

authority necessary to stop an

armed individual, nor do they

have the capacity to defend

themselves against an armed

assailant, states the document.

The report also suggests

background checks on all

employees of the college

and security swipe entrances

on academic and residentialbuildings. Mercyhurst has

both of these features, the

latter, however, does not apply

to upperclassman residential

buildings or townhouses on

Briggs and Lewis avenues or

Wayne and 41st streets.

I personally believe that

the sworn officers of this

department should be armed,

said Gregorich. However, theultimate decision lies with the

presidents office and board of

trustees.

Mercyhurst College

President Dr. Thomas Gamble

said the college is safe without

arming police and safety

officers.

The most important thing

in terms of safety is outreach,

he said. Young people and guns

are not a great mixture.

Gamble said Mercyhurst

needs to work toward alternative

methods of safety.

We need to rely onpsychological and spiritual

counseling, he said.

My personal preference is

to have a culture and campus

climate that doesnt make us feel

it is necessary to arm police and

safety.

Gregorich said his

department looks to present

information on arming police

and safety officers to the boardof trustees in the near future.

Those who make the

decisions still believe Mercyhurst

police and safety officers dont

need to be armed, he said.

Its still their decision, but its

our responsibility to provide

them with accurate information

they need to make the correct

decision.

Fuhrman, the Erie police

captain, said he considers

Mercyhurst a safe campus.

The kind of calls we get

through the Mercyhurst campus

is from neighbors about qualityof life issues such as loud parties

on 38th Street, he said.

Weve received few calls to

the campus over the past few

years.

Gerry Tobin, Mercyhursts

vice president of student life,

said the college plans to look

into the possibility of arming

police and safety officers.

Given the climate ofthe culture, I think its a good

question to ask and I think its

a timely opportunity to discuss,

he said.

School has no plans to arm officers

Students can learn to sober

up this week as the Mercyhurst

College Office of the Herrmann

Student Union kicks off its an-

nual Alcohol Awareness Week.

The office, in conjunction with

the Division of Student Life,

Mercyhurst Student Government

and the Student Activities Coun-cil presents a week-long series

of events that began March 10

to teach students about alcohol

abuse and prevention.

Sarah Allen, director of the

student union and student ac-

tivities, said the events will give

students some practical, but very

entertaining alternatives to alco-

hol-intensive partying.

Throughout the week stu-

dents have the opportunity to

pledge to makesafe and healthychoices regarding the use of

alcohol.

Students will receive an Al-

cohol Awareness Wrist Band,

Drinking & Driving Calculator

and Wallet Card.

Students can sign the pledge in

the student union from 11 a.m.

to 3 p.m.

Also this week, students got

the chance to drive both soberand drunk in the PEER Aware

III stimulator on Tuesday af-

ternoon.

Allen said the simulator is an

actual vehicle with the simula-

tor attached that will take the

students into a world where they

can physically see, feel and expe-

rience the dangers of drinking

and driving.

Students are not just shown

the dangers of these factors,

but are shown the outcomes ofdrinking and driving incidences.

This simulator will allow

students to drive sober and

then intoxicated.

The levels of intoxication are

based on gender, body type and

drinks per hour.

Allen believes that the PEERS

Aware III stimulator will help

students make smart decisions

about drinking and driving.Our hope is that students

that participate in the simulation

will be impacted by the results of

driving intoxicated (simulated)

and then will make better deci-

sions in the future said Allen.

On Tuesday night the movie

Spin the Bottle was shown in

Taylor Little Theatre.

The movie critiqued the glam-

orization of excessive drinking

and high-risk behaviors.

The week will be concludedwith two SAC events on Friday

and Saturday nights.

Fridays event is comedic hyp-

notist Blaze who will enlist

student participation in his illu-

minating program at Taylor Little

Theatre at 9 p.m.

Saturdays event is A St. Pad-

dys Casino Night, featuring

casino-style games, food and

prizes, from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. inthe Student Union.

Among the prizes are an iPod

Touch, digital camera and a

laptop.

Allen believes alcohol aware-

ness week will help student

deal with alcohol in a safer and

healthier way.

The Division of Student Life

hopes that students will make

healthy decisions with regard

to alcohol.

This week is intended toprovide students with informa-

tion regarding alcohol use and

abuse, said Allen.

There are many services on

campus to help students who

have problems with alcohol

or need help dealing with love

ones who have issues with al-

cohol.

One of those services is the

alcohol support group LetsTalk about Drinking.

The group meets weekly and

is based on the 12 step model.

This is a supportive group of stu-

dents, who are dealing with alco-

hol issues themselves, with their

family, or with their friends.

For more information, call

Fr. Jim Piszker at ext. 2467 or

Justin Ross at ext. 3374 for more

details.

By Sarah GerardContributing writer

Alcohol Awareness Week helps students sober up


7/24

NEWS PAGE 7March 12, 2008

Mercyhurst College YoungDemocrats will host an event

to give students and faculty achance to experience our govern-ment firsthand.

The debate will held in theTaylor Little Theater on March19 at 8:30 p.m.

Mike Waltner, Kyle Foust, TomMyers, and Kathy Dahlkemperare the current Democratic

candidates representing the ThirdCongressional District of Erieand will debate at the Thrusday

night event.Western vice-president of the

College Democratic Federationjunior Timothy Knecht said heis excited to host the event on

campus and share the experience

with the local community.Along with Mercyhurst, invita-

tions to the event have been sentto Gannon University and PennState Behrend.

Knecht said he believes it isimportant to get a first-hand senseof what a debate is like and learn

about the issues that will have atremendous impact on the Eriearea.

Junior Rachel Evangelista

said she sees the event as anopportunity to get involved and

hear what local representativeshave to say.

It seems with the hustle

and bust le of c lasses and

college life you lose a sense ofthings that are happening outside

of school, said Evangelista.Speaking with the candidatesand having a chance to ask

pertinent questions about issuesthat hit close to home will be atremendous help when it comes

time to cast my vote.Knecht agrees.This is very beneficial to stu-

dents who want to get involved

in shaping our future, he said. The debate will start with

a brief introduction of eachcandidate followed by a 10-minute open floor where each

speaker can address the audience

on their positions, their platformand what changes they will bring

to the Erie area.After the candidates speak to

the audience, there will be a brief

intermission where students andfaculty are able to write downquestions for the candidates to

have answered in the proceedingquestion-and-answer portion ofthe event.

Following the discussion there

will be a reception with refresh-ments for audience members.

The candidates will stay afterto answer any further questionsabout their campaigns and meet

students.

Sophomore Josh Nordin saidhe would like to see this type of

awareness for all political parties;not just Democrats.

There will be tables set up

with pins and bumper stickersfor each candidate, as well as per-sonal campaign information.

This debate is free and open tothe public. For more information,contact Knecht at tknech21@

mercyhurst.edu.

By Tim HuckoContributing writer

Erie Democrats debate Hurst students

Symes digs up lifetime of achivement

Mercyhurst Colleges Dr.

Steven Symes, an applied foren-sic science professor, managedto dig up more than just bones

throughout his career.Symes has made great accom-

plishments within his field of

study, the most notable beingthe Thomas Dale Stewart0Award for lifetime achieve-

ment. The Physical Anthropol-

ogy Section of the American

Academy of Forensic Sciencespresented the award to Symes onFeb. 20 during an annual meeting

in Washington, D.C.Symes has never missed an

attendance at any of the com-mittee meetings for the awardsince 1981.

He said he was honored by

the award because he had aprofessor at the University ofTennessee who won the award

as well. Symes said to win thisaward means much to himbecause he was able to follow in

his professors footsteps.

Symes has contributed many

notable accompl ishmentsto the f i e ld of for ens i canthropology.

He is an expert in the area oftraumatized bones, has writtenmore than 50 publications, has

presented to many respectedpeers in his field at confer-ences and has released a book,

The Analysis of Burned

Human Remains, which heco-edited.

In addition to all of thesethings Symes also provides tes-timony in court on a number of

criminal cases, in many differentcountries, such as Mexico, Peruand Kosovo.

Providing testimony is some-thing Symes notes as one of thebiggest accomplishments in his

career.He said that he has to testify

to tell the story of what really

happened, and to enlighten thejury with enough facts to makean educated verdict.

Symes ambitious nature hasallowed him to produce a largeamount of work in a broad and

popular area.Symes has been a fulltime

professor at Mercyhurst for

five years, but previously taughtat the University of Tennessee.

Symes Mercyhurst expier-

ence has allowed him to teachundergraduates for the firsttime.

He said he enjoys the friendlyatmosphere and the support thatthe administration provides him,

both in teaching and traveling

to lecture.Symes also works with his

students to research currentdevelopments in forensic sci-ence.

He said he values the workhis graduate students do to helphim, such as laying out bones

to study.Symes also works with spe-

cialized undergrads as well. He

even allows students to travelwith him to lectures.

For students interested in

pursing their own research inthe field of forensics, Symes hassome advice.

It is a very popular field,which many are interested in, soyou have to work hard and be

the best if you want to make animpact, he said.

By Julie HranicaStaff writer

Mercyhurst Colleges Dr. Steven Symes is an applied foren-

sic science professor and an expert in the area of trauma-

tized bones.

Contributed photo


8/24

PAGE 8 NEWS March 12, 2008

Digesting the college diet

Mercyhurst College biochem-

istry students are beginning to

learn first-hand the complica-

tions involved with celiac diseaseand how it relates directly to

college students.

A person suffering with celiac

disease will have a toxic reaction

to any food items that contain

gluten, such as wheat, barley, rye

and oats.

Dr. Melissa Barranger-Mathys

is excited about an upcoming

project called, Gliadin Con-

tent in the College Diet, beingconducted by her biochemistry

II class.

Barranger-Mathys said the pro-

cedure will test food for gliadin,

the protein that causes anyone

with celiac disease to have an

allergic reaction, in which they

cannot absorb the nutrients of

food.

I know there are several stu-

dents with the disease and manymore that know someone with

it, said Barranger-Mathys.

According to a recent study

from the University of Maryland,

celiac disease affects one in 133

people in America.

The digestive disease damages

the small intestines and interferes

with absorption of nutrients

from food.

The list of symptoms is lengthyand diverse, ranging from chron-

ic iron deficiency anemia and

gastrointestinal complaints, to

pre-menstrual syndrome and

sleeping disorders, among many

others.

Celiac disease is often undiag-

nosed or misdiagnosed, and can

lead to symptoms and signs of

nutritional, vitamin and mineral

deficiencies.

The good news is celiac is

treatable when patients eliminate

glucose from their diets.

However if left untreated,

which it often is, the disease may

cause malnutrition, osteoporosis

and cancers of the intestines.

Since this disease affects manypeople and often goes untreat-

ed and misdiagnosed, raising

awareness about the disease is

prudent.

The project began with a labo-

ratory experiment in biochem-

istry II.

Students determined that

wheatgrass seeds contain glia-

din.

Barranger-Mathys said thatstudents continue to exceed

expectations.

The most remarkable result

was the 99 percent cost savings,

said Barranger-Mathys.

Ordinarily one chemistry kit to

test food for glucose costs $750,

and only three or four food items

can be tested.

After the lab was over, we

estimated that if we repeated thelab but used kits it would cost

$48,000, said Barranger-Mathys.

We did it for about $450.

Barranger-Mathys students du-

plicated the kits themselves and

ordered directly from a chemical

manufacturer, after researching

and establishing a protocol.

Junior Katy Sherloch, double

majoring in forensics and chem-

istry, said the project was differ-ent than other lab experiments.

The project our biochemistry

class conducted was different,

she said. We researched celiac

disease and tested for gluten and

created our own experiment to

determine if gluten is present in

wheat grass.

Senior biochemistry major

Jenee VanDeVelde will attend

graduate school in the fall to

study the field of dietetics.

She plans to do her thesis on

the project and wants to have

student input.

By doing the project, we hope

to be able to determine a wide va-riety of foods that are gluten-free

from a variety of sources such

as restaurants and grocery store

items, said VanDeVelde.

Some food items are clearly

labeled gluten-free, but still may

still contain unseen traces of

glucose.

Senior Erin McCray will help

with the project.

This project gives the ability

to test the actual food to make

sure its glucose-free, said Mc-

Cray. Even if the food says glu-

ten-free sometimes its not.

Sherloch, like VanDeVelde

and McCray, is interested inproviding celiac patients with a

better understanding of what

they can eat.

More food products are be-

ing advertised as gluten-free,

but to increase the knowledge

about the wide-spread use of

wheat and other foods that con-

tain gluten, the project will give

those with celiac disease a better

understanding about what they

can and cannot eat, said Sher-

loch.

The chemistry students invite

others to participate and deter-

mine what food items should

be tested.Barranger-Mathys pointed out

that many sources can test the

food, but Biochemistry II will

do it for free.

We would like input from the

students as to what food items

we should test, Barranger-Ma-

thys explained.

An information session will be

held March 19 in the Zurn 314

at 4 p.m.

By Carla HartStaff writer

Biochemistry students to conduct exeriments to investigate celiac disease

Senior biochemistry major Erin McCray conducts for lab expirement to delve deeper into

knowing which foods will cause allergic reactions to people with celiac disease.

Contributed photo


9/24

PAGE 9FEATURESMarch 12, 2008

THE LAKER

Spring Term

Galley Grill

Lunch:M - Club SandwichT - Chicken CaesarW - Chicken QuesadillaTh - Breakfast for LunchF - Tuna Melt or Grilled

Portabella SandwichS - Sloppy Joe

Board SpecialsLunch $4.75Dinner $5.50

Dinner:S - Turkey BurgerM - General Tsos Chicken over rice w/ broccoliT - Salisbury Steak, mashed potatoes andveggiesW - Veal Parm over pastaTh - Buffalo chicken sandwich

F - Fish Sandwich or Grilled PortabellaSandwich

S - Pepperoni Pizza Sub

Hours of Operation:

Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-1:00 a.m.

Saturday 1:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.

Sunday 5:00 p.m.-1:00 a.m.Look for New Menu Items!

Mac & Cheese Bites Black Bean BurgerNew Salads:

Chicken BLT-Veggie(no cheese)-Spinach-Asian Chicken-Greek-Caesar

Subconnection6 Sub $3.75 Combo $4.75

12Sub $5.75 Combo $6.75

Baja and Buffalo Chicken Subs:

6 Sub $4.00 Combo $5.25

12 Sub $6.00 Combo $ 7.00

Special FeaturesWrap combo-Veggie $5.59

other wraps $5.79

Wrap It Yourself- Veggie $3.99

other wraps $ 4.19

Hours of Operation:

Monday-Friday 11:30 a.m.-9:00 p.m.

Saturday 1:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.

Sunday 5:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m.

Laker Express

Board Equivalency Available:

11:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

Board Specials

Lunch $4.75

Dinner $5.50

Look for Laker Express

Minute Meals!

Hours of Operation:

Mon.-Thurs. 11:30 a.m.-8:00 p.m.

Friday 11:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Saturday & Sunday Closed

It has been more than a decade

since the last movie, but the

sound of a whip cracking and the

word archaeology still brings to

mind the same name.

Indiana Jones is a movie fran-

chise that is more than 20 years

old but still one of the mostpopular action and adventure

flicks in history.

The third sequel, filmed recently

and near release, will be based on

a movie done years ago.

Rambo and Rocky Balboa

have both had movies based on

productions produced over a

decade ago.

Freshman Jake Monroe is

excited for the release of thenew movie.

Its a classic for the genre;

everyone knows what it is, he

said. I think its beginning to

become a trend to make sequels

for the old movies. Rocky did it

and so did Rambo.

Lines are drawn that separate

the good Dr. Jones and his allies

from the Nazi enemies that are

bent on world domination.

The stereotypical story of theoutnumbered and outgunned

good guys prevailing because

of intelligence and luck is some-

thing that will keep an audience

watching and waiting for more.

Steven Spielberg has chosen

to keep the plot a secret from

the rest of the world, which

will bring in a curious audience

as well.

Now 20 years after the lastmovie was released, fans eagerly

wait for May 2008 when the new

movie Indiana Jones and the

Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

hits theaters.

This movie will bring back

Harrison Ford as Jones and will

have actor Shea LaBeouf as

Mutt Williams, Jones new side-

kick.

The movies are fun and Har-rison Ford is an awesome actor,

said freshman Cait Nicka. I

grew up on it, and everyone

knows that its going to be

good.

With trailers for the movie

beginning to appear in theaters

around the country, it can be

assumed that all the Indiana

Jones fans will be going toward

the same place on May18.

Harrison Ford joins cast and production members on set.

images.starpulse.com

Indiana Jones whipsback to the big screen

By Chris JamesStaff writer


10/24

FEATURESPAGE 10 March 12, 2008

You open an Internet browser

to search the Web.

Which search engine do you

choose?

Google?

Yahoo?

Or another one of the dozens

of browsers available?

No doubt each of these pro-

vide reliable and plentiful search

results to the benefit of the

people who browse, but what

if there was a search engine

that benefited a greater cause

while still providing the proven

results of todays most popular

engines?

Thats where GoodSearch ispaving the way toward a chari-

table way of searching the Web.

By using GoodSearch as a

preferred method of Internet

browsing, users in turn support

a cause close to their hearts.

Founded by Ken and JJ Ram-

berg in 2005 and powered by

Yahoo!, GoodSearch works just

like any other search engine.

The difference is that users can

choose from the nearly 55,000

causes, schools and nonprofits

that GoodSearch sponsors, and

the company will donate 50

percent of its revenues to the

charities chosen by the users.

The money that is donated

comes largely from the adver-

tisers that are affiliated with

GoodSearch.

With all of the causes to sup-

port, each person can find one

they care for.

And since it often seems

impossible that even the small-

est people can help, this is the

perfect way to do just that.

Why not raise money for the

charities that mean the most toyou by doing something that

you already do everyday-search

the web.

So instead of logging on to the

trusted Google or Yahoo! next

time the Internet pops up, go

to GoodSearch and make your

searching worthwhile.

GoodSearch keeps on givingBy Jen GildeaFeatures editor

St. Paddys Day right around the cornerBy Shannon KelleyStaff writer

Parades, drinking and green

shirts make up many college

students favorite holiday,

St. Patricks Day.

With the holiday falling on aMonday this year, many students

are trying to figure out their

Paddy Day plans.

It sucks that its on a Monday

because we have c lasses

and stuff, said senior Ryan

Nealon.

With so many s tudents

holding ties to Cleveland,

many return home for the

day and attend the citys

popular parade.

With the timing however,

some students will plan to go

out that night.

I think my friends and I are

just going to go out Monday

because we all have classes,

and the bars will probably have

good specials, said senior Kris-tin Drake.

Sophomore Nicole McIntyre

has more than one reason to

celebrate the holiday.

My birthday is March 16,

she said. So I get to celebrate

for two days instead of one.

St. Patrick is said to have

rid Ireland of snakes, later

becoming a saint for it.

According to history the

channel.com, March 17 is said

to have been the day St. Patrick

died.

The holiday came to America

with the Irish immigrants, who

began to publicly observe the

day, holding the first St. Patricks

Day parade in New York City

in 1766.Irish families take the fun

holiday pretty seriously, which

usually starts out with church,

then par ades and ea t ing

cabbage and corned beef

around a family table.

Families meet at Irish heritage

clubs, family bars and houses,

where live entertainment takes

center stage.

From Irish dancers, Irish

rock bands and folk music, the

day is filled with Irish pride for

many.

College students have always

been drawn to the day not in

particular for the historical

factor, but that it is a fun-filled

day of drinking green beer

and eating corn beef sand-wiches.

Although it is an Irish holiday,

everyone can be Irish on St.

Patricks Day.

So whether you plan on

going to a parade, grabbing a

Reuben or going out for the

night, be safe and remember

to say cheers to good old St.

Patrick: A saint to every college

student.

Four-leaf clovers are said

to be lucky to those who

find them, especially acci-

dentally. These tiny clo-

vers are a popular symbol

used to represnt the St.

Patricks Day celebrations.

http://www.abcteach.com

GoodSearch is an alternative to online search engines such as Google and Yahoo. A

benefit of choosing this Web browser allows its users to designate charities to which

GoodSearch will donate 50 percent of its revenue.

http://www.abcteach.com


11/24

Project Runways popularity

and fan base over its four-year

lifespan seems to be getting

larger and larger each year.

Reality television indeed has

its pitfalls, but sometimes the

genre can serve to demonstrate

an undeniable truth.

Viewers of Project Runway

clearly can see the fashion indus-

try is much more than glamour

and fluff.

Designing, styling, modeling

and sewing are all work - and

art-based work at that.

Critics do not care if designers

spend 18-plus hours hemming a

dress or selecting a correlating

fabric.In the end this is what makes

the fashion industry cut-throat,

yet exciting.

Project Runway is the epitome

of the previously mentioned

concept.

The competition starts with

15 designers who are selected

based upon personality and their

portfolios, among other criteria.

Each week the three regularjudges, Heidi Klum, Michael

Kors and Nina Garcia, are

accompanied by a guest judge.

The designers are given a new

and interesting challenge weekly,

which progressively become

more complex as the season

unfolds.

I n o n e i n s t a n c e t h e

contestants could only allocate

fabric and material resourcesfrom the Hersheys store in

Manhattan.

The winner of Project Runway

receives a spread in Elle Maga-

zine, $100,000 to start their own

line, a chance to offer their line

exclusivly on bluefly.com and a

new Saturn Azura.

This seasons cast was very

dynamic, diverse and enter-

taining.

Typically as the competi-

tion winds down, the last two

designers left standing have achance to show their collections

during fashion week at Bryant

Park.

This year the stakes were bit

higher, as they gave four design-

ers a chance to compete at Bryant

Park.

In the end, only three designers

would be selected to debut their

collections at fashion week in

New York.The winner and fan-favorite of

this season was Christian Siriano

who, at 21, was the youngest

contestant.

Other finalists included Rami

and Jillian Lewis, who both

showed their collections at

Bryant Park and were judged.

S ir iano s co l lect ion was

very much European-couture

inspired.I was originally inspired by

18th-century Spanish paintings.

Then it evolved organically into

a world of hard versus soft and

dark versus romance, Siriano

stated in an interview following

his win.

Mercyhurst College fash-

ion merchandising students

juniFrankie Stubber and junior

Caroline Boyce followed the

show and both said they felt that

Christians clothing was not very

accessible to the ready-to-wearmarket.

I thought Christians line was

not salable and would not easily

translate into ready-to-wear for

the typical consumer, which

is where the money lies in the

industry, Stubber said.

Boyce said she felt similarly

adding that she preferred another

contestant named Rami, who

throughout the show was noto-rious for his eloquent draping

techniques.

Boyce also noted that Ramis

line was not only more chic but

also more colorful and fun.

Overall Sirianos collection was

praised by all four judges, includ-

ing special guest judge Victoria

Beckham.

Siriano stated in the begin-

ning of the competition that hewould love to dress Beckham and

Britney Spears, whom he sympa-

thizes with in her plight against

the harsh public eye.

Project Runway is now look-

ing for new contestants for their

next season.

It is said that next years show

is scheduled to have unexpected

twists and turns that the average

viewer will not expect.

PAGE 11FEATURESMarch 12, 2008

By Sandy WatroStaff writer

Project Runway has fierce finale

Season 4 winner Christian Siriano stands in the work room with a few of his looks.

rvanews.comHeidi Klum and Siriano

bravotv.com


12/24

PAGE 12 FEATURES

Food FixWithMegI

ERI

Get to know...

Jimmy Mason

Corned Beef & Cabbage

Directions

Ingredients

The Sandbars gaming area includes darts and pool tables.

Contributed photo

March 12, 2008

By Shelley TurkStaff writer

St. Pats at The Sandbar

Since spring break is over and

senioritis is starting to kick in,

look toward The Sandbar Draft

House and Grille to keep yourspirits high throughout this

snowy month.

The Sandbar is located at the

corner of 8th Street and Penin-

sula Drive and is sure to treat you

and your friends to the sights and

sounds of the beach.

The restaurant opened in Janu-

ary and is located close to Pr-

esque Isle.

This hot-spot will be greatafter a day at the beach or just

as a place to hang out in the

evening.

Owners Gary Miller and Bob

Bachmaier have renovated the

restaurant for comfortable din-

ing, drinking and gaming, which

includes pool tables, darts and

about eight televisions for sports

action.

The menu features appetizersranging in price from $3.99 to

$6.99, salads including the Pr-

esque Isle Beach House Salad

priced at $6.99 and a selection

of soups.

Sandwiches include the Eries

Favorite Philly with fries priced

at $6.99 and burgers start at

$6.59.

Sandbar also has specialty

barbecue items and about 14 dif-ferent flavors of wings priced at

$8.19 for a bakers dozen.

On Wednesdays join The Sand-

bar and its staff for live karaoke

in the evening and on Thursdays

for ladies night events.

Starting this Friday through

Monday The Sandbar will cel-

ebrate St. Patricks Day with

select specials at the bar, which

is fully stocked and includes 30different draft beers at a time,

depending on season.

The bar area is clean and has

dining seats for appetizers when

customers are with friends.

Anyone under the age of 21

must be accompanied by an adult

after 9 p.m. and always remember

to designate a driver.

Happy St. Patricks Day and

check out The Sandbar DraftHouse and Grille as your next I

Heart Erie experience.

St. Patricks Day is right around

the corner and an essential meal

to eat on this holiday, besides

Kegs and Eggs, is corned beef

and cabbage.

St. Patricks Day would not be

the same without it.

The best thing about this meal

is the fact that it requires so little

time and effort to make.

This makes it great not only for

the holiday but also for days that

you are busy with classes.

It makes the apartment smell

great and is ready for you when

you come home.

If you plan to make this meal

for a crowd you can get a larger

corned beef brisket and add a

few more vegetables, just make

sure that you cook it for an hour

per pound of meat.

Leftovers can be sliced up to

make great sandwiches in the

following days.

-Meghan Dolney

1.) Put the corned beef brisket in a large pot orcrock pot and cover with water. Add the spicepacket that comes with the corned beef. Coverthe pot and bring it to a boil, then reduce theheat.

2.) Cook the corned beef for an hour per pound.So for a 3-pound brisket, cook for 3 hours.

3.) Add the potatoes and carrots and cook untilthey are tender. Then add the cabbage and cookfor an additional 15 minutes.

4.) Remove the brisket from the pot and let itsit for about 15 minutes to cool before slicingand serving. Also, remove the vegetables fromthe pot and serve.

3 lbs. corned beef brisket10 red potatoes, whole5 carrots, peeled and sliced1 head of cabbage, cut into wedges

Name: Jimmy MasonYear: Senior

Major: Fashion MerchandisingHometown: Ellwood City, Pa.Favorite thing about Mercyhurst: The friends

that Ive madeLeast favorite thing: The weatherCampus activities: Designing clothes at the fash-

ion lab, lunch dates at the Laker, hanging out withfriends

Other interests: Shopping, having fun on State St.,and going dancing


13/24

Mercyhurst continues to throw

extraordinary opportunities our way when the amazing Live

from NYs 92nd Street Y seriescontinues with Richard Sonnen-feldt, the chief interpreter for

the American prosecution at theNuremberg trails, at the TaylorLittle Theatre of Mercyhurst

College on Thursday, March 13at 8 p.m.

The Holocaust is a horrifying,

yet crucial, topic of history about which everyone has learned,but this conversation will teach

and reveal something new toeveryone.

Sonnenfeldt will highlight

many of his lifes adventures,from his childhood in Germanyto his participation in the libera-

tion of Dachau to being namedchief American interpreter at the

Nuremberg trials at age 22.

In later life, he became aprincipal developer of colortelevision, computers and the

technology for the first moonlanding.

Sonnefeldt will also discussstartling new information aboutNazi war criminals and the ori-gins and development of the

Holocaust.Founded in 1874 by a group of

visionary Jewish leaders, the 92nd

Street Y has grown into a wide-ranging cultural and communitycenter serving people of all races,

faiths and backgrounds.

Now in its fourth year, the92nd Street Ys mission is to

enrich the lives of the over300,000 people who visit eachyear, both in person and through

Live from NYs 92nd Street Y.This program uses satellite

technology to simultaneously

broadcast the Ys renownededucational and cultural pro-gramming to community orga-

nizations across America.

The Live from NYs 92ndStreet Y series is free for mem-bers of the Mercyhurst College

and the Temple Anshe Hesed

community.There is limited seating and

tickets will be given out on a first

come, first serve basis.

PAGE 13ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT tHeBuZz

MARCH 12. Comedy.Chr is Rock. SenecaEvents Center.

MARCH 12. GutterTwins (Greg Dulli, MarkLanegan). BeachlandBallroom, Cleveland.

MARCH 14. Yellowcard(acoustic), MxPx, PlayRadio Play. House ofBlues, Cleveland.

MARCH 14. B.B. King. Warner Theatre, Erie.$66, $51.

MARCH 14. Joel Osteen:

A Night of Hope. MellonArena, Pittsburgh.

MARCH 14. RelientK, New Found Glory.St. Vincent College,Latrobe.

MARCH 15. MannheimSteamroller. Warner The-atre, Erie.

MARCH 15. Stone PonyBand, Festivus. House ofBlues, Cleveland.

MARCH 15. Bon Jovi,Daughtry. Mellon Arena,Pittsburgh.

MARCH 15. K.D. Lang.Center for the Arts, Uni- versity of Buffalo, Buf-falo.

MARCH 18. Erie Broad- way Series. MichaelFlatleys Lord of theDance.

Courtesy of Goerie.com

Are you interested in writingfor the Arts and

Entertainment section?

Do you enjoy music, art,and dance?

Please contact Nicole Cerilli at

[email protected]

March 12, 2008

On a day that everyone claimsto be Irish, on an Irish college

campus, celebrate an early St.Patricks Day the right way withamazing Irish music, delicious

food provided by Molly Bran-nigans, and Irelands numberone recording artist, Tommy

Fleming.Eric Clapton praised Fleming,

saying, The best I have ever

heard, bar none.Performing traditional and

contemporary classics with a

twist, Fleming draws emotionto a song and can truly delivera vocal performance second-to

-none.A toe-tapping band will also

be backing him up, making thisshow one not to be forgotten.

After being discovered andforming his own bad, Tommy

Fleming started to pack pubsand clubs all over Ireland withdevoted fans who appreciated

his passion for music.Flemings lively spirit and love

for music has not always been a

road easily traveled, though.In October of 1998, one of

Flemings tours was tragically cut

short by a serious car accident,which left Tommy with a brokenneck and immobilized, a subject

which Tommy is not comfortabletalking about.

Im just grateful to be alive

and back to full health, he said.I just dont think its healthyto dwell on these things, youre

much better to move on.Because of his full schedule of

sold out shows, it is an unbeliev-

able privilege, and not one togo unnoticed, to have booked

Tommy Flemingthree daysbefore St. Patricks Day.

Dont miss the amazingchance to meet Fleming afterthe show.

This combination of music,food and friends will make for a

St. Pattys day to remember.Tommy Flemming will take

the stage at the PAC just threedays before the holiday on Friday,March 14 at 8 p.m.

Tickets will be sold for $10with a Mercyhurst ID.

By Jordan Zangaro

Contributing writer

PAC has Pot OGold in Tommy Flemming

By Jordan ZangaroContributing writer

Live from NYs 92nd Street Y series continues

Photo courtesy of http://tommyflemming.net

Tommy Fleming will perform at Mercyhurst three days

before St. Patricks Day.


14/24

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPAGE 14 March 12, 2008

The Metropolitan Opera:

Live in High Definition con-

tinues its unique and astonishing

display of breathtaking operas

and groundbreaking perfor-

mances.

The next showing to grace

the PAC as a part of this excit-

ing experiment will be Peter

Grimes.

Tenor Anthony Dean Griffey

takes on the complex title role.

Riveting Patricia Racette plays

Ellen Orford, the woman who

refuses to abandon him. Featur-

ing what may be 20th-centuryoperas most impressive tenor

role, Peter Grimes,will be an

engrossing and haunting theatri-

cal journey.

More than 800,000 people at-

tend performances at the Metro-

politan Opera during the season,

and now millions more through-

out the world can experience the

most creative and talented artists

to step foot on the stage.

With the amazing Live in

High Definition experiment, 10

cameras are strategically placed

all over The Met. Audiences all

over the globe can witness not

only the performances from afront-row view, but behind-the-

scenes footage such as technical

operations, arrivals, make-up

applications and even personal

interviews with the performers.

Dont miss out.

In the show, Peter Grimes is

questioned at an inquest over

the death of his apprentice.

The townsfolk make it clear

they think Grimes is guilty and

deserving of punishment.

Although the coroner, Mr.

Swallow, determines the boys

death to be accidental and clears

Grimes without a proper trial,

he advises Grimes not to getanother apprentice.

As the court is cleared, the

schoolmistress attempts to com-

fort Grimes as he rages against

what he sees at the Borough

communitys unwillingness to

give him a second chance.

Grimes claims to be in des-

perate need of help to fish,

and his friend, the apothecary

Ned Keene, finds him a new

apprentice from the workhouse.

Nobody will volunteer to fetch

the boy, until Ellen offers.

When Ellen brings the ap-

prentice to Grimes at the pub

that evening, he immediatelysets off to his hut, despite the

fact that the Borough is weath-

ering an ominous storm. Peter

Grimes is under investigation

for unthinkable transgressions,

yet Benjamin Brittens probing

exploration of the nature of

guilt and judgment implicates an

entire fishing village.

The show will take place at the

PAC Saturday, March 15 at 1:30

p.m. Tickets will are available

at the box office for $15 with a

student ID.

By Jordan Zangaro

Contributing writer

Metropolitan Opera: Live in High Definition presents Peter Grimes

The Art Therapy Senior Seminar students are

displaying their art work in the Cummings Art Gallery

in the Mary DAngelo Performing Arts Center.

The instructor of the seminar, Cathlyn Hahn, said

her art work is self as an art therapist.

Each student used a variety of media with text to

describe their work.

Scoot Williams photo



Art Therapy work on display in Cummings Art Gallery



15/24

PAGE 15ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTMarch 12, 2008

Say Anything made a name

for themselves with their debut

two-disc album Is a Real Boy

in 2006.

On Oct. 23, 2007, the band

released its much anticipated

sophomore album on J Records

(Sony BMG Music Group) In

Defense of the Genre.Much like Is a Real Boy,

Genre is a double album,

featuring 27 mind-bending, bi-

polar-infused tracks, courtesy of

lead vocalist Max Bemis hectic

lifestyle.

The album follows Bemis

life on the road with the band.

He focuses most prominently

on how he and the band are

forced to cope with his psycho-

logical condition.

The song styles and arrange-ment of the songs on the album

are mirror images of the lyrics

Bemis penned so brilliantly,

eclectic, diverse and utterly

original.

Each song explores a differ-

ent genre while maintaining the

trademark Say Anything energy

and style.

No two tracks on this album

seem to fit with one another,as if Bemis and company de-

cided to put them on the album

chronologically as they were

written.

The album definitely gives the

average listener an insight into

the troubled world of extreme

bipolar disorder.

Just as important as Bemis is,

the rest of the band serves as

the backbone and the trademark

sound of Say Anything.

The sextet includes Bemis,drummer Colby Linder, guitar-

ists Alex Kent, Jake Turner and

Jeff Turner and keyboardist

Parker Case.

The band hails from south-

ern California, but has a sound

similar to that of bands from

the Midwest.

Their incorporation of east

coast punk, jazz, blues and clas-

sic rock influences give them aunique sound that manages to

bring fans from across genres.

The list of guest vocalists

is that worked on the album

is staggering: Pete Yorn, Anna

Waronker (formerly of That

Dog), Adam Lazzara, Fred

Mascherino, Anthony Raneri,

Hayley Williams, Caithlin De

Marrais, Chris Carraba (of

Dashboard Confessional), Mi-

chael Auerbach, Casey Prest-

wood, Trevor Keith, ChrisConley (of Saves the Day),

Gerard Way (of My Chemical

Romance), Joshua Sultan, Matt

Skiba, Laura Kirsch, Jordan

Pundik, Chad Gilbert, Aaron

Gillespie (of The Underoath),

Andy Jackson, Anthony Green

and Kenny Vasoli (of The

Starting Line) share their vocal

talents on the album.

DJ Swamp lends his turntableproficiency to the album on the

song No Soul.

In Defense of the Genre

shares a common theme with

Is A Real Boy: sex.

Bemis writes provocative,

occasionally over-detailed ac-

counts of his cavalier lifestyle

on the road over the course of

both albums.

The first single off the dou-

ble-album, Baby Girl, Im

a Blur, sounds nothing likeprevious Say Anything singles

(Alive with the Glory of Love,

Wow, I Can Get Sexual

Too).

Baby Girl is a more dance-

and pop-oriented song with

heavy bass, drums, and synthe-

sizers.

The song also features a hard

rock style guitar solo to tie the

song together and fade out. The second song slated to

be released as a single, Shiksa

(Girlfriend), is an eclectic mix

of various styles of pop and

rock.

Vocal harmonies and soaring

synth and guitar riffs flood the

song with a radio-friendly vibe

that inspires even the most

rhythmically challenged indi-

viduals to get up and dance.

By Greg SummyStaff writer

Such a Grand Defense releases sophomore album

Its been just over two weeks

since the Academy Awards, but

Im still riding that Oscar high

thanks to Glen Hansard and

Marketa Irglova winning Best

Song. Man, I loved that little

movie that could, as Once

has come to be known.

Though, at this point I thinkthe entire Western Hemisphere,

or at least everyone in my apart-

ment knows my fondness for

the movie.

But Im supposed to move on

and write an article about a dif-

ferent movie so as a final tribute,

I think I know what will get me

over the hump.

I believe its only fitting that

in honor of an Irish film that Igive out one last award, this time

Irishman of the Year, to one

Robbie Kennerney. Cheers mate;

youll never walk alone.

Now, on to my next assign-

ment. If anyone was on cloud

nine with me, come down fast

because todays film is far from

uplifting.

Roger Ebert, or Ebs, as I ad-

dress him casually because in my

head were close, says that when

most people watch documenta-

ries, they finish feeling like the di-

rector did not do a good enough

job showing both sides.

I tend to agree and on more

than just documentaries. When something contro-

versial is brought up, humans

tend to pay closer attention to

the things they may potentially

disagree with so as to prepare

themselves in some way to form

a rebuttal, and in Tony Kayes

film Lake of Fire, he gives

us the granddaddy of them all:

Abortion.

In this documentary however,I felt that regardless of where

you stand on the issue, the cases

for both sides are made so effec-

tively that its difficult to deter-

mine what Kaye himself believes.

The film is graphic and, at times,

almost impossible to watch, butthe very nature of the film makes

it hard to ignore.

Featuring commentary by

Noam Chomsky, Alan Der-

showitz, Nat Hentoff, and an

account of Norma McCorvey,

the anonymous Jane Roe inthe 73 Supreme Court decision

Roe vs. Wade, the film shows

complexity of the issue and the

legal tightrope that is walked

every day by people who are

nothing if not passionate about

their beliefs.Lake of Fire will be shown

Wednesday, March 12 at 2 p.m.

and 8 p.m. in the Performing

Arts Center. Tickets are free for

Mercyhurst students with ID.

By Mason Lorek

Staff writer

PAC presents film Lake of Fire

Lake of Fire is a documentary which examines the controversies of abortion.

PAC photo


16/24

PAGE 16 OPINION

The Good

Kudos to groundskeep-ers for maintaining thesidewalks over the week-end.

With the new changes inthe near future, look for-ward to more parking.

The Bad

Ice storms and blizzardswrecked Erie in less thana week, leading to brokenice scrapers and nasty road

conditions.

The green grass we onceknew will be brown mudpuddles once the snowthaws.

Say good-bye to the Warde Townhouses tomake way for new struc-tures on campus.

The Ugly

The build-up of snowin all of the parking lotsis frustrating because welose even more spots ininclement weather.

Did anyone else notice

the giant flock of seagulls(no, not the 80s band) onMonday? Did a bread truckget buried in one of thehuge snow drifts?

Please e-mail any suggetions to

[email protected].

The GB&U is a compilation of

student opinions.

The Good,the Bad &

the Ugly

March 12, 2008

A few weeks ago in one ofmy communication classes,we were discussing the changes

in American culture over thelast decade or two and howfast-paced lifestyles and packed

schedules have become thenorm of our everyday lives.

Children no longer spend

their time reading, playingoutside or doing other kidactivities.

Instead they go from school,to afterschool programs, to

club meetings, to athleticpractices.It seems parents have

taken on the role as schedule

coordinators and chauffeurs. This habit of constant

running around then continues

into high school and college.Students not only complete

their school work, but also try

to juggle one or more jobs,

join clubs, run for leadershippositions, take on intern-

ships and pack something intopractically every moment ofeveryday.

Once college is over, thehabit is then transferredinto the next generation of

children as those people begin

to have families of their own.It seems that our culture

has become so obsessed

with career success andprogress that we now startpreparing children at a

ridiculously young age byenrolling them into programsthat will benefit them in the

future. What happened to the idea

of just letting kids be kids and

spending time with families?When I was brought up, yes,

I had a busy schedule.

It was busy with gymnas-tics practices, making dressesout of leaves, playing the role

of a weatherwoman with mysisters in our makeshift newsstation and doing things with

my family.My parents taught me values

that I would need later on

in life through their actions,and of course many long lec-tures, not by making me join

the future leaders of Americabefore I could walk.

I think the worst practice inwhich our society can partici-pate is to continue to force ouryoungest generation to start

growing up too quickly.They are going to be burnt

out by the time they are ready

to begin their careers.

By MichelleLaSlavicStaff writer

American lifestyle

needs speedbumpMaybe it is me or perhaps it is

simply the excessively loud stu-dents who are still freshly moti- vated to be at the library on a

Sunday afternoon. The library, like the gym, is

usually more crowded at the

beginning of the term whenstudents are still provoked tostudy and leave the confines of

their apartments. There is a degree of eti-

quette that students need to

be reminded of to use in thelibrary.

As a regular at the library, I

have made several observations within the first week of the

term.Largely related to the level ofnoise, if the music on your MP3is loud enough that someone

can hear you from the oppositeside of the room, despite theuse of headphones, please do

not get snippy when the bravestudent next to you requests youturn down the noise; not every-

one prefers beat your mother

music while reading for class.Sitting at a computer in the

Great Room, hoping to crankout a paper, I was constantlyinterrupted by the students

doing a group paper on my left who cared to leave their cellphones on vibrate to designate

the receipt of a text message. To the gaggle of freshmen

who wear the Ugg boots anddrag their heels through theGreat Room, please learn how

to walk.If you must talk, conduct

yourselves in a designated area.

To the ambassadors, I under-stand the need to display thelibrary and other areas desig-

nated for studying.The library, however, is sup-

posed to be a quiet environment

and the lead-around of prospec-tive students does not help withyour explanation for what the

library can be used.To the LECOM students who

refuse to use their own library

but rather take up room in oursand make ridiculously unfunnyjokes about physiology that,

despite your attempts to whis-per, we can still hear you.Being the last term of the

year, many students are tryingto finish work before gradua-tion and summer endeavors.

The library is generally theplace of silence where we canconcentrate and conduct aca-

demic work.If I wanted to work in an

area with excessive noise then Iwould do my work at the Stu-dent Union at lunch or in theMAC during volleyball practice.

Please be respectful of yournoise level and of people inthe library actually trying to get

work completed.

By Ellen

KoenigStaff writer

Tone it down in library

If youve heard it once, youveheard it a million times: Patienceis a virtue.

And so it is.I am putting forth a challenge,

though.

For just one week, try being a

little more patient with people. You may not realize it, but

take one person with whom

youve given up patience andput yourself in his or her shoesfor just a moment.

This person may be tryingyour patience because he or sheis anxious due to a patience-

related issue.

Perhaps this person, who we

will call Mary, is annoying you. There may be something

bigger in her life that she has

chosen not to share.Maybe Mary is waiting on

test results from the doctor,

ones that have the potential tochange her life.

What if Mary is waiting to

hear whether or not her finan-

cial aid has been approved?

Perhaps a loved one is fight-ing for our country.

Or maybe it is a family prob-

lem.Think above and beyond the

immediate situation and give a

little more patience.If you were in her shoes,

would you want someone to

give up patience on you?

Find time for patience of others livesBy MerissaFrankOpinion editor


17/24

After weeks off of writing

for the paper, I had numerous

pieces of work to publish in this

weeks issue.

An apology for past arti-

cles being overly critical and

arrogant, as well as a dream

manifesto that put forth a soft

call for people to wake up.

Then I realized none of this

would really be listened to as too

broad of a stroke was taken.

So here it is.This is my call to the Intelli-

gence Studies Department and

the rest of the Mercyhurst Col-

lege population.

My call is for those of this

population to do their job,

investigate 9-11.

I just want any one to

prove to me that the 9-11

Commission is either free of

error or adequate to be passedas truth.

I have no real set belief in

this matter but seeing how it is

perhaps one of the most

influential events in my lifetime.

and yours, we question.

I ask all students to do their

own independent research

with no real alignment to the

outcome of your findings.

It is my belief that a debatewill be needed here on campus

in which numerous individuals

who take on this investigation

can come to logical conclusions

on what really happened that

fateful day.

As you can see, this article

will not address any of my per-

sonal beliefs or directions as to

how one should approach this

research.

I provide you with no sources

but as we all know that money

controls time and reality it is

important to look at unbiased

sources as I am sure we have

all been taught to do through

annotated bibliographies.

Let us be scholarly in our

approach and humble in our

conclusions, for truth is as

fragile as the lives we live.

We are told we live in a

free society where personal

liberty is a necessity.

A call to be a responsible

citizen or employee is no longer

a faint ideal but a vital obligation

to our nation and neighbors.I hope this call is neither too

late nor too quiet, for history

and reality both depend on the

way in which we the people

steer our perceptions.

Do not operate with cogni-

tive dissonance or self-justifica-

tion because those are learned

fallacies of thought that we

must overcome to realize we all

make mistakes.I am hopeful these 400 words

can be listened to and acted

upon, for thousands of more

words shall follow.

Who would have ever thought

in Great Britain in 1776 that

America would one day go on

to be the worlds super power?

With our short history as an

established country, the world

knows Americans as the most

prideful humans.

This could be because of

Americas vast range of beauti-

ful land.

Others take pride in a strongglobal economy that allows

most Americans to exist far

above the worlds standard of

living.

Some would say America is

great due to the diversity of

our citizen ranks regardless of

race, religion or creed.

The ability of man to pursue

the American dream regardless

of background is truly remark-

able.

Many take pride in our free-

dom and well-established gov-

ernment that even with its

flaws can stand as a beacon of

democracy for the world.

Many men proudly grab their

hearts when they see the Amer-

ican flag because of brave citi-

zens who have fought for our

country. After all, without the veter-

ans this land would have never

been able to protect its consti-

tution.

America has seen rough

times as nation such as the Civil

War, Great Depression, attack

on Pearl Harbor, civil rights

battle, international conflicts

and the terrorism attacks of

Sept. 11, 2001.

There are also several divides

among our citizens, ranging

from political view to race and

even religion.

However the key to our suc-

cess as a nation is our ability

to stand not as individuals but

rather Americans.

In times of crisis, we have

been able to put our differ-

ences aside and come togetheras one nation.

So let us not forget what

aspects make Americans dif-

ferent from every other nation

in the world, deep pride in our

great land.

As we look for new leader-

ship in Washington in 2008

remember these elements and

ensure that the candidate has

the ability to continue to makeour country great.

Do not look for political

affiliation, rather for one who

sets out to do what those who

originally came to the American

colonies for, to deliver prosper-

ity to the next generations.

Be a proud American. The

reason to do this is to lay a

foundation for your personal

achievements. We, as Americans, should

seek to be patriotic everyday as

opposed to national holidays or

times of crisis.

As members of a democratic

society, Americans truly con-

trol their own destinies.

So take pride and look to

make your role in our society

one that is a patron of Ameri-

can affluence.

OPINION PAGE 17March 12, 2008

Roommates Wanted

3928 Lake Pleasant

3-bedroom house

2 bedrooms open June 1, for a 12-monthlease

All appliances, including washer, dryer,dishwasher.

New furnace, windows, central air

Male Intel student in house now

Rent: $350/month plus 1/3 utilities

Call JonDays: 899-7602 x 314

Cell: 881-2087

By JerrodMarkleStaff writer

By BillSwaffordStaff writer

Americans: Control

your own destinies

Intel may want to

investigate 9/11Commision Report

Take a Facebook

break and catch

up on news thatisnt featured on

your Mini-Feed.

merciad.

mercyhurst.edu


18/24

According to Dictionary.com,beauty is the quality present in athing or person that gives intense

pleasure or deep satisfaction tothe mind. Even though this maybe the case, our definition of

beauty has been blown way outof proportion over the years.

Ill admit it. I am a little

obsessed with staying in shapeand how I look, but frankly Ido not know many girls my age

who arent. I feel that being thinmakes me more attractive tothe opposite sex. Many people,

including myself, workout most when they feel they consumedtoo much at a meal or over the

weekend. We all find that the Rec

Center on campus is filled with

tons of people after the holi-days too, when everyone tendsto overeat. I think being thin is

something that everyone wantsto achieve. Being an appealingperson in todays society more

often than not means beingsuper skinny. In the world thatwe live in today, thinness equals

attractiveness, but why? I feelthat society and the media havea lot to do with this obsession,

along with some other contrib-uting factors.

Striving to be thin is mostprevalent in the teenage years

I believe, because everyonesmain goal is to

the merciad, march 12, 2008

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