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Read more on Pages 16 & 17

Vol.82, No.14/1.21.09/Free

Senior lacrosse goalie

Jason Lashomb

convinced businesses to

donate money to the local

Make-A-Wish for every save

he makes this season.

Merciad

e paid

advertisement

inserted in this

issue does not

necessarily

represent the

views of the staff

of e Merciad

or Mercyhurst

College.

Send

questions and

comments to

editormerciad

@mercyhurst.edu.

IRELAND

Dungarvan

From Erie to Eire,

Mercyhurstbranches out

Saving goals

to help kids

College plans branch campus in Ireland

Read more on Page 4

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009

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NEWSPage 2 January 21, 2009

Gamble doesnt gamble with colleges endowment

With this years downturn in the

economy, Mercyhurst College is doing its

best to help students keep the financial

worries at bay.

We strongly believe students should

be able to continue their education basedon their ability, not on their ability to

pay, Mercyhurst College President Dr.

Thomas Gamble said. Its a commitment

to make this possible.

Around 150 students did not return

to Mercyhurst this fall, a slightly larger

number than normal, Gamble said.

We had to make several adjustments

in this years budget because more

students were unable to return due to

financial reasons, he said.However, winter enrollment was

strong.

He said he believes the economy

affected the affordability or perceived

affordability of Mercyhurst.

One of the things we are trying to do

is to put the word out about the many

sources of financial aid the school is

trying to make available. Gamble said.

The Board of Directors passed a

request to set aside a $750,000 reserve

fund to help students in financial need.

This request came at the heels of

the decrease in the endowment funddo to the economy. The endowment

fund, comparable to a trust fund for the

college, is comprised of donations and

contributions made to Mercyhurst.

A certain portion of the endowment

fund is distributed to the operating

budget for additional financial aid and

scholarship for students, Gamble said.

When the endowment goes down, like

it has after the recent downturn in the

economy, there is an impact on howmuch can be distributed.

Vice President of Advancement Dr.

David Livingston said the effects of the

economy have not had drastic results on

the fund.

In terms of our overall budget, the

endowment spending represents about

one percent of our overall budget..., he

said. The economic downturn hurts us

less than schools with large endowments

like Harvard and Yale who are impacted

much more.

Gamble also said the school is more

than able to make up for the loss byrelying on other sources of financial

aid money such as the $750,000 reserve

fund and the institutional budget, which

has a large portion dedicated to helping

students.

Still, Gamble and Livingston are

spending much of their weeks traveling

the country fundraising.

In addition to frequent trips to

Cleveland, Buffalo and Pittsburgh,

Gamble and Livingston travel to Chicago,D.C., Florida, California, Texas and

Boston to meet with past and perspective

donors and alums.

We remind them about the

Mercyhurst story and about the benefits

theyve gained from their education at

Mercyhurst, Gamble said. We ask

them to give back and help out especially

in these difficult times.

Gamble and Livingston agree

fundraising has gone well. Mercyhurst

raised $2.9 million this fiscal year,

compared to just more than $1 million

at the same time last year. Last year theyraised just more than $2.4 million total.

Dr. Livingston and I are on track

to have the best fundraising year at

Mercyhurst, Gamble said.

In addition to meeting with perspective

donors, Livingston said the school has

increased its phone-a-thon efforts and

has applied for more grants.

We were and still are concerned

about the effects of the economy on

our students and their parents abilityto pay, Gamble said. We are focused

on this issue and are doing our best to

make sure students are here due to their

abilities not their abilities to pay.

By Casey Greene

Editor-in-chief

Dr. Gerard

Tobin and

members of

the Mercy-

hurst College

community

donated blood

on Thursday,

Jan. 15, in the

Herrmann

Student Union.Tyler Stauffer photos

Hurst students donate blood to save lives in Erie

College confi dent after downturn in economy

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009

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NEWS Page 3January 21, 2009

Taste or Waist 2009 shows healthy way

Mercyhurst Colleges 3rd

annual Taste or Waist 2009

took place in the Herrmann

Student Union on Wednesday,

Jan. 14, where over 130 people

attended.

Although there was not the

same rush there was last year,Professor Tim Harvey, who

directed the event, said the

flow was steadier.

Students in Harveys nutrition

class were challenged to make

different dishes twice, substitut-

ing healthier ingredients in the

second variation.

Visitors were asked to

say which dish tasted better.

(The healthier choices for eachdish are listed in the box on the

page.)

Some of the dishes included

stir fry, sloppy joes, buffalo wing

dip, pepperoni bread, taco dip,

chili, apple pie, Philadelphia

chocolate swirl cheese cake and

red velvet cake.

Participants enjoyed the tast-

ing with half being completely

consumed, Harvey said.

Senior Craig van Tassel said

the benefits to participating in

Taste or Waist are A healthier

lifestyle; health and wellness tothe community, one step at a

time.

Van Tassel and his partner

senior Haley Brochu prepared

chili.

Junior Maria Sanita said she

learned how to make healthy

meals healthier, along with her

partner, junior Sara Pati, who

made stir fry.

Junior Meghan Dwyer, whoprepared cheese cake for the

event, said, Some desserts will

never be really healthy, even if

there is a lot less fat, there are

still a lot of bad things [in the

recipes].

Taste or Waist raised $125 for

the Mercy Center for Women

and received enough canned

goods to fill a large box of

donations, according to Betsy

Frank in Human Resources.

They all commented on

how great everything tasted and

everyone loved the variety ofthe dishes, Frank said.

Almost 50 percent of the

tasters said the healthier dish

tasted better.

Harvey said that just shows

That you can substitute health-

ier ingredients and many times

not change the taste, texture,

smell, or visual appeal.

To learn about future Taste

or Waists or other healthyevents, contact Betsy Frank in

Human Resources, extension

2279 or Harvey, extension 3372.

By Alaina RydzewskiStaff writer

Seniors Haley Brochu and Craig van Tassel cooked chili

together for this years Taste or Waist event.

Alaina Rydzewski photo

Buffalo Wing Dip

A (Unhealthy) 57%

B (Healthy) 43%

Taste or Waist January 2009 Results:

Veggie Pizza

A (Healthy) 55%

B (Unhealthy) 45%

Taco Dip

A (Unhealthy) 63%

B (Healthy) 37%

Pepperoni Bread

A (Healthy) 50%

B (Unhealthy) 50%

Chili

A (Healthy) 64%

B (Unhealthy) 36%

Chicken Tortellini Soup

A (Unhealthy) 46%

B (Healthy) 54%

Corn ChowderA (Unhealthy) 80%

B (Healthy) 20%

Parsnip Soup

A (Unhealthy) 61%B (Healthy)39%

Crock Pot Lasagna

A (Unhealthy) 63%

B (Healthy)37%

Stir Fry

A (Unhealthy) 72%

B (Healthy)28%

Sloppy Joes

A (Healthy) 62%

B (Unhealthy)38%

Chicken Marsala

A (Unhealthy) 37%B (Healthy) 63%

Apple Pie

A (Unhealthy) 35%

B (Healthy)65%

Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

A (Unhealthy)61%

B (Healthy)39%

Red Velvet Cake

A (Unhealthy) 41%

B (Healthy) 59%

Rhubarb Cake

A (Unhealthy) 53%

B (Healthy)47%

Pumpkin Roll

A (Unhealthy)58%

B (Healthy)42%

Total: Healthy Choices 47% Unhealthy Choices 53%Various dishes prepared by students from Professor Tim

Harveys nutrition class for Taste or Waist 2009.

Alaina Rydzewski photos

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NEWSPage 4 January 21, 2009

For the first time in the

colleges history, students at

Mercyhurst College celebrated

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

with a break from classes.

Activities on and off campus

were planned for the whole day,including the 6th Annual Martin

Luther King Jr. (MLK) Break-

fast, the 23rd Annual Memo-

rial March and the 4th Annual

MLK Reflection Reception.

Although many students

attended these events, there

were many other activities

students could choose to par-

ticipate in, including sleeping

in, relaxing, hanging out with

friends, working out at the gym,

volunteering or catching up on

homework, to name a few.

[I] slept until noon then

studied for my senior seminar

presentation, senior Andrea

Villela said.

Sophomore James Davis said

he Started a new job at PJs

Car Audio installing remote

starts and stereos.

Junior Jacquelynne Brown

had a busy schedule.

I went to the gym, had a

meeting to plan Spring Fest and

Spring Formal, went to Star-

bucks, had a couple meetings

for MSG Events and then went

on a date, Brown said.

Unlike Brown, there were

students who preferred to use

MLK Jr. Day as a breather.

I went to the doctor to

get a green cast on my arm

because of some bruised

MP joints, freshman Adam

Hausmann said.

Junior Jacqueline Phillips,

Volunteered because thats

what Obama called on America

to do.

Sophomores Michael Waid

and Gerald Anderson caught

up on their sleep, worked out

and volunteered at Gliding

Stars to help kids learn how to

ice skate.

No matter what students

chose to do with their break

from classes, it seems most

used it wisely to help some-

onebe it another person or

themselves, which is what King

and Obama suggested.

By Alaina RydzewskiStaff writer

Students and faculty help themselves to

breakfast at the Mercyhurst College Heritage Room

on Monday.

Scoot Williams photos

Mercyhurst

communityenjoys breakfrom classes

on MLK Day

Eries sister city Dungarvan,

Ireland, soon will be home to a

new Mercyhurst College campus.

According to MercyhurstCollege President Dr. Thomas

Gamble, the first Mercyhurst

students will arrive for classes in

spring 2010.

Gamble said the new campus is

part of the colleges strategic plan

to increase students international

exposure.

Students are in Europe; theyre

in the European Union and they

can go anywhere there, he said

Dr. David Livingston, vice

president of advancement, and

Dr. Heidi Hosey, director of

international education, returned

this week from a trip to Ireland

where they met with officials and

worked on details of the campus.

Dungarvan is a beautiful

coastal town right on the ocean,

Livingston said. It has great res-

taurants, a cinema that plays six

movies, and beaches all within

walking distance.

Before the college makes plans

to build in Ireland, Mercyhurst

professors will teach core classes

in Dungarvans new community

center.

The college will lease town-

houses from a local hotel to house

students.

The townhouses, each com-

plete with a kitchen, living roomand small backyard, will house

four to five students each.

The hotel will provide access

to a swimming pool and workout

facilities.

Freshman Stephen Donohoe,

whose hometown is approxi-

mately 60 miles from Dungarvan,

said he is excited for students to

experience the culture in Ireland.

Its a great opportunity for American professors and stu-

dents to experience a different

culture, as many students I know

have never had the opportu-

nity to travel outside America or

Canada, Donohoe said. Theres

so much students and professors

alike could learn from spending

a term there. They would have to

get used to the fact of not finding

a Wendys or McDonalds on every

corner.

Dungarvan is located approxi-

mately an hour away from Cork,

Irelands second largest city.

Donohoe said Cork, home to

University College Cork, is a stu-

dent hotspot, with great bars and

clubs as well as traditional Irish

tourist spots.

Theres a good possibilityId study abroad if there was a

campus there as long as it wasnt

too expensive. At this point, Id

probably be more likely to go

through the Mercyhurst campus

because being on my own is really

scary right now. Being able to go

with my friends and take classes

with professors I know would

make it easier, freshman Kelly

Wilson said.Mercyhurst alumni John Melody

and John Deasy have played major

roles in bringing Mercyhurst to

Ireland. Melody now works in

the development office. Deasy is

a member of the Irish Parliament

and helped set up meetings and

pushed the Irish government to

assist the new campus financially,

according to Gamble.

Livingston said students willonly have to pay modest fees,

such as travel expenses, but these

costs have not been set.

I studied in South America

for a term when I was an under-

graduate, Livingston said. It

had a huge impact on my life. I

completely believe in students

spending time in other countries

and other cultures... The campus

in Ireland is a way to do it inex-pensively.

By JoEllen MarshManaging editor

Mercyhurst

goes Irish

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009

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NEWS Page 5January 21, 2009

Fiesta

Friday$5 for two tacos, rice,

drink, chips and salsa

from El Canelo

Bring cash or your

Campus cash of Laker

Loot!

Friday, Jan. 30

at 12:15p.m.

Senior Gift Committee

members and representatives

Amber Carruba, Zach Pekor, Vicky Fleisner, Casey

Greene, Dan Piechocki, Jenna Golden, Kristin Tedesco

Natural Science:

Allyson LaCovey

Julissa ArmstrongJohn McCellan

Jackie McLean

Kaitlyn Hoover

School Chairs and Fund Raisers

Arts and

Humanities:

Elise Zigrossi

Social Science:

Liz Gutoskey

Stephanie Wilkens

Ryan McCartney

Behavioral Scienc-

es and Education:

Lauren Weisser

Katie Wootton

Steering Committee

Chair: Hilary Hancock

Seniors interested in donating or getting involved should contact

any of the students above.

Adviser: Cathy Anderson

The new dorm wont be the only

change for the incoming freshmen

in the fall of 2009.

A new program will replace

Freshman Year Initiative (FYI) atMercyhurst College.

The FYI class underwent

changes, because the college is

looking for a better way to engage

the students, Vice President of

Student Life Dr. Gerard Tobin

said. While many changes are

being made, some of the events

from this years FYI will remain

the same. There will continue to

be a service project for the fresh-men to participate in during move-

in weekend.

The introduction to the schools

mission, history and student

activities continues to be a part

of the students first weekend on

campus.

Instead of having events only

on the weekend, there will be

activities throughout the first week.

Next years freshmen will move inon Saturday, Aug. 29.

The events for the freshmen

begin that evening and go through

the following Friday. This will be

known as Welcome Week.

Welcome Week includes resi-

dence hall meetings that integrate

student activities and allows them

to be introduced in smaller groups,

Tobin said.

The meetings are meant to

better engage students in life out-

side of classes, Tobin said.

The new freshman dorm, which

houses a little more than half of

the incoming students, will be a

good place for the residence hall

meetings, because it has many

common places to meet, Tobin

said. The biggest change will be

the actual class that is replacing the

FYI class.

Freshmen will register for one

out of the four seminar classes

available. This will be a four-credit

class and lasts the duration of the

trimester.

The seminar classes fulfills a

core requirement and includes

normal class work including exams

and papers, as well as a requirementfor the students to be involved in a

film series and the reading and dis-

cussion of an assigned book.

The proposed classes are

Citizenship and Social Change;

Enduring Questions; Introduction

to Sustainability Studies; and The

Sacred and the Beautiful.

The class meets three times a

week. Two times a week the class

will meet in sections that consistof 75 to 90 students; once a week

the class convenes in a smaller

group of students.

Each seminar class will be team

taught by three faculty members.

One professor will teach at a

time, but all three will be present

during the class period.

The faculty is made up of pro-

fessors from different departments

that teach core subjects.The goal for the seminar classes

is to get some of our best faculty

to engage students in what they

know best, Vice President for

Academic Affairs Dr. Phillip Bel-

fiore said.

The class will expose students

early to some really interesting

learning experiences and some

really good teachers, Tobin said.

The new seminar class will

engage students in life inside of

class, which is critical to student

success, Tobin said. The more

quickly you become connected, the

more apt you are to be happy.

There will be a meeting at the

end of this week with all faculty

members who will tentatively teach

a seminar class to finalize the sub-

jects and professors for the fresh-

man seminar classes next fall.

By Kelly Luoma

Staff writer

No more FYI

for Class of 13

Business and

Communication:

Becky Hohman

Haylie Starin

Heather Schwager

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009

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FEATURESPage 6 January 21, 2009

Lunch $ 5

Dinner $ 5.5011:30 a.m -8 p.m.

Lunch $ 5Dinner $ 5.50

Broccoli & Cheddar Bites

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

Make any sub a wrap for

no extra charge!

Wrap Combo- Veggie $5

Other Wraps $4

M

T

W

TH

F

S

Southwest Burger

Breakfast Sandwich

Sizzle Salad

Taco Salad

Goulash

Laker Burger

M

T

W

TH

F

S

Chicken Parm w/ Pasta

Philly Wrap

Gen Tsos Chix or Tofu

Pierogies

Buffalo Popcorn Chicken

Chicken Bacon Swiss

S Potato Bowl

Lunch $ 5

Dinner $ 5.50

Hurst renowned for archaeology

Mercyhurst Colleges Archaeology and AnthropologyDepartment is often referred to

as the best in North America.This is because of the hands

on experience [the program]

offersit has labs where studentscan examine fossils, hands on

experiences out in the fieldand exposure to internationallyknown professors, ProfessorJeff Illingworth said.

The groundwork for theprogram started in 1990. Archaeology officially became

a major in 1991 and has beensteadily increasing in popularitysince.

It is a major that is consistent

nationwideat Mercyhurst notthe most popular but its up there,

with 30 to 40 students in eachclass, Illingworth said.

Mercyhurst has superior

equipment and methodologiesstudents cannot be exposed toanywhere else. Archaeology is a

combination of several differentfields of study, as some studentshave already found out.

I really like history and science,

so archaeology seemed like thebest choice, senior Randy Tucker

said.In order to major in archaeology

it is beneficial to enjoy history, and

although not required, it makesclasses more interesting.

Ive always been interested in

the past and relations to peoplein the pastits also appealingto work outside and not in a

cubicle, junior Zoey Aldermansaid.

Senior Kristin Starke also loveshistory. She wants to help writehistory and put more women in

history. Archaeology offers a wide

range of jobs for those with

an undergraduate or graduatedegree in it. Most students goon to pursue a graduate degree,

which is imperative for a long

term investment in the career,Illingworth said.

As for undergraduate jobs,Illingworth said there arenumerous options, including

contract archaeology, doingwork for construction companies,being employed with the federal

or state governments in relationto parks or reserves, or evenmuseum work.

By Alaina Rydzewski

Staff writer

Want to tell someone you

love them onValentines Day?

Put an ad in

e Merciad!

$3 for 25 words

All Valentines messages

and money can be brought

to the mailroom and

addressed to e Merciad.

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009

7/20

FEATURES Page 7January 21, 2009

Erie is a city that has a lot of

interesting sightseeing opportu-

nities.

The bay front, Presque Isle

and Waldameer Park are only

some of places to go when visit-

ing Erie.

While most sightseeingactivities are reserved for warm

summer weather, the Erie Mari-

time Museum and the U.S. Brig

Niagara are fascinating exhibits

to visit, even during the frigid

winter weather.

Mercyhurst College senior

Stephanie Wilkens is an enthusi-

astic volunteer tour guide at the

museum and ship.

I started volunteering therelast December. I had to do ser-

vice learning hours, and I heard

horror stories about the Boys and

Girls Club, and I went through

the packet and saw the Erie Mar-

itime Museum was there. I had

always had an interest in the navy

and history. I knew that if I did

anything with history I would be

happy, Wilkens said.

I have learned so much there.I think that understanding more

about Oliver Hazard Perry has

meant the most to me. He, as

well as the brig, is my favorite

part about Erie, Wilkens said.

In the 1813 Battle of Lake

Erie, Perry took over command

of the Brig Niagara and won at

age 28.

I love to go to Presque Isle

and look at the monument. Ialways take pictures whenever

I go to the monument or the

museum and even though the

pictures are always of the same

thing, I feel that the pictures just

get better every time, Wilkens

said.

Mercyhurst professors have

strengthened Wilkens interest in

the Niagara.

Dr. Allan Belovarac, profes-

sor in the Mercyhurst College

History Department and a com-

mander in the U.S. Navy Reserve,

talks about the ship in his history

classes.

Dr. Belovarac also increased

my interest with the ship from

his stories from working on it and

his historical knowledge of the

ship. Before his class, I watched

the History Channel and read

about it, but hearing one of hislectures about the Brig and the

Battle of Lake Erie is the best,

Wilkens said.

Bill Welch, an instructor in the

Intelligence Studies Department,

has also been a very active volun-

teer in the past.

Talking to Mr. Welch about

the ship is always a great conver-

sation. He gave me a picture of

the ship that was the only eyewit-ness rendering of it. Its amazing!

He also gave me a nail from the

Brig. It is definitely one of those

things that you look at and go

Wow! Wilkens said.

Welch has had connections to

the ship for years.

I have been involved with

the Brig Niagara since 1983. I

had been interested in the ship

since I was a 10-year-old boy, andmaintained that interest over the

years, Welch said.

Most recently, I was president

of the Flagship Niagara League,

the organization that supports

the museum and ship. For one

summer, I was a volunteer sailor.

Ive been a guide at the ship and

museum. Ive also been the gift

shop manager and the newsletter

editor, he said.He stepped down as president

because of time issues.

Regardless of their position at

the Niagara, Wilkens and Welch

have fond memories and fun sto-

ries to go along with their time

spent there.

Ive met a lot of people at

the Brig through my tours from

all over the world. I love being

able to experience the ship with

them. Every time I give a tour

and get on the ship its amazing.

My favorite is to see a surprised

face on a visitor, like wow, can

you believe they lived on this?

Its such a great place to visit,

Wilkens said.I also love talking on my

tours about how lucky Perry was

that always gets a surprised

face. Also, terms that we use

today that were used for slang

is something always fun to talk

about, Wilkens said.

Welch and Belovarac were vol-

unteer sailors on the ship when it

sailed in 1991.

One of the best summers ofmy life was the one I spent as a

volunteer sailor, Welch said. I

did so many cool things on the

ship, got to know some very

interesting people and learned

from the inside what it is like to

be a tall ship sailor.

Wilkens hopes to be a volun-

teer sailor one summer.

The sailors are really interest-

ing people. They really love what

they do and you can tell. The

same can be said for the guides.

I cant wait to do a day sail,

Wilkens said.

What started out as a service

learning experience has had a

positive impact on Wilkens thatshe will remember for years to

come.

I have a reputation on the

cross country team for giving

fun facts from the Brig and

always finding a way to bring

up the Brig in conversation. I

have even received awards for

it. I am the cross country 2008

miss Brig Niagara. Wilkens

said.My room is plastered with

the posters from there as well, so

that just supports their point even

more. Plus, I wear my dont give

up the ship shirt and fleece and

carry a Brig Niagara bag all the

time, Wilkens said.

For more information on the

Erie Maritime Museum and the

Brig Niagara, visit brigniagara.

org.

By Emily GrabowskiContributing writer

Touring Erie, learning history

Senior Stephanie Wilkens stands in the rigging of a U.S. Brig

Niagara at the Erie Maritime Museum.

Contributed photo

Its an exciting day

for the nation as a new

era begins with the

Obama administration.

Chris Sands,

freshman

It was exciting...atime of change. Sara

Pierce, sophomore

I watched Obamas

oath and speech and

they sounded good

although a little long.

Overall I liked what

he had to say...I was

impressed. NadineBeres, junior

He [Obama] did a

good job, it was all the

usual circumstance; a

bit overdone, but I still

enjoyed his speech.

Haley Martens,

senior

I really liked Obamas

inaugural address. It

set an appropriate

tone striking the

balance between

his independent

achievements and

what he hopes America

will achieve. Nick

Gutowski, senior

I liked how they

had different people

speak and incorporated

different aspects

of culture into the

Inauguration. James

Davis, sophomore

Studentsreact to

inauguration

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009

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FEATURESPage 8 January 21, 2009

Alumnus Miller believes home sweet Hurst

I vividly remember sitting

on a bench in front of the Hirt

building in the spring of 2005,

after I had completed the last

final exam of my undergraduate

career and looking out at the

campus.

The moment seemed pregnantwith importance as those sorts

of moments usually do. For the

past four years, Mercyhurst was

home.

And it was a great home. It

gave me wonderful memories

and treasured relationships

I knew Id take with me for

the rest of my life. But still,

the moment was tinged with

sadness. While I was excited about

what my future would hold,

one thing seemed certain:

Mercyhurst wasnt going to be

home much longer. At least

it wouldnt be home for me.

I graduated that spring with my

degree in Religious Studies, and

Id come back in the fall for a

quick student teaching before

Id finish my Social Studies

Education Certificate.

The year after graduation I

saw a lot of job hunting and

You, Me, and Dupree-esque

languishing.

However, I finally landed agreat job (here is the surprise

twist) with my religion degree!

While everyone expected

Id get a teaching job first, I

ended up taking over the Youth

Ministry program at St. Jude

Church a little over two years

ago.

I took the passion for social

justice instilled in me during my

time at Mercyhurst to my job.My youth group and I regularly

work with the Erie City Mission

and our local chapter of Habitat

for Humanity.

Weve held a Dance for

Darfur at the mall and raised

over $2,000 for the UNs work

in Sudan as well as two charity

Dodge ball Tournaments (with

the third coming up in a couple

of months) garnering just under

$1,000 for local charities.

Mercyhurst taught me the

importance and joy of being a

life long learner.

A little over a year ago, I spent

two weeks in England (with atiny jaunt to Scotland).

While there, I learned a few

very important lessons.

First, there is absolutely

nothing cuter in this world than

a girl with an English accent.

Trust me on this.

Second, I can die fulfilled

now that Ive walked across the

zebra crossing at Abbey Road.

It was a religious experience.

Third, it is more fun to say

holiday than vacation.

Seriously. Try it.

I could go on-and-on, butits enough to say its been an

interesting and exciting few

years since graduation.

Mercyhurst prepared me well

for the world outside its walls,

and I have never been part of

an institution--before or since,

academically or professionally--

of which I was more proud.

While I was right about that

moment in front of Hurt three

years ago being important, I was

wrong about one thing.

It turns out Mercyhurst is

still home, even if Ive movedaway. It always will be.

By Michael MillerContributing writer

Miller with best friend Carly Chlebus in an England phone

booth.

Contributed photo

Mercyhurst alumnus Michael Miller still thinks of Erie as home.Contributed photo

Want to be an aerobics,

pilates or spin instructor?The Mercyhurst Athletic Center

needs you!If interested, contact Coach Herman at extension 3329

or visit him at the MAC.

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009

9/20

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 9January 21, 2009

HOUSES FOR RENT

Johnson & JohnsonProperties

Starting June 1, 2009

814-860-8817

PAC to play The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

If youve seen the poster ortrailer for the film The Boy inthe Striped Pajamas, you may

feel like you have a pretty goodidea of what the movie will beabout.

A large barbed wire fenceseparates a well-dressed boyfrom another whose head is

shaved and who wears the blackand white stripes of prisonclothing.

The two youths cannot beany older than eight, so theimmediate thought is that the

second boy is Jewish, and thatthis is a Holocaust film.

This notion would be accurate,

but only generally speaking,

in the way that attending auniversity is about attaining a

degree and starting a career.

The thoughts and emotionsof those involved, the actualsubstance of the subject, is

glossed over. This is more than just a

Holocaust film.

What sets it apart is the factits shot from the mind set of achild.

It is made evident that asmuch as we struggle today asadults to understand how such a

genocide was possible, it wouldhave been nearly impossible fora child to comprehend it at the

time.However, we are able to see

more clearly and more simply

through the lens of a childs eye,no matter how grand the scale

or how blurry the picture maybe. It reminds me of a lyricfrom a band I like called Bears.

In the song You Can Tell,Charlie McArthur sings, Youmust wonder whats going

through my mind besides thealphabet, counting to six, andprehistoric timesAdjusting to

having to think about more than

myself is not so simple for me,and I know you can tell.

The mind is active, even in achild who cannot count all theway to ten.

We pass down simplisticanswers to questions like, Whyare the workers on the farm

wearing striped pajamas? inan effort to somehow maintaininnocence or quell curiosity,

but we end up just fanning theflames.

And on some level, we know

were doing it.We arent surprised when the

German adults give these overlysimplistic answers to the boy,only to see him run off to the

fence to find out for himself. We know its only a matter

of time before he discovers the

truth. Its this delayed reaction,this subconscious understandingthat allows us to emotionally

invest ourselves in a film like

this.Adjusting to being forced to

think about more than yourselfisnt so simple, but when we do, we can appreciate things for

what they are.The Boy in the Striped

Pajamas will be playing at the

Mary DAngelo PerformingArts Center Wednesday, Jan. 28,at 2:15 and 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are free for Mercyhurststudents with student ID (oneticket per ID).

By Mason Lorek

Staff writer

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas will play at the Mary

DAngelo Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, Jan. 28, at

2:15 and 8 p.m as part of the Guelcher Film Series.

pac.mercyhurst.edu

Petition asks Obama to name secretary of arts

Newly sworn in President ofthe United States Barack Obamahas already admitted to an ambi-

tious plan for his first 100 daysin office.

Some of his most press-

ing tasks include closing theprison at Guantanamo, restart-ing a faltering economy, avert-

ing multiple worldwide crisesand restoring the reputation of

America worldwide.Those in the arts community

nationwide have an additionalproposal for Obama: create a

new cabinet position, secretaryof the arts.

The grass roots, petition-

based movement was suppos-edly started by Quincy Jones,the 75-year-old African-Ameri-

can musician and producer whogoes by the sobriquet Q.

Jones is well-known for pro-ducing Michael Jacksons album

Thriller and producing andconducting the charity song

We Are the World. As of Tuesday night, more

than 161,000 signatures havebeen added.

Additionally, a number ofFacebook groups are dedicatedto the cause.

Signees are allowed to add written comments beside theirsignature.

Many posters complain that

other countries have Ministersof Culture and the Arts.

One early signee wrote, Thearts elevate the human spirit togreat heights. They are a true

impression of the artists soul. They are certainly God-givengifts to make this world a more

beautiful place. Another later signee wrote,

The arts are the expression of

a societys soul.

Another signer also wrote,Arts play a large role in the

development of each and everyperson on this earth. Without

proper funding, live perfor-mance will go silent.

Some signees signed andproposed particular candidates.

Nominated names include trum-peter and composer WyntonMarsalis and Jones himself.

Obama clearly appears to bean advocate of the arts.

During his inaugural ceremo-

nies, he seemed contemplative

and meditative during Air andSimple Gifts, a John Williams

piece composed for the occa-sion and performed by cellistYo-Yo Ma, violinist Itzhak Perl-

man, pianist Gabriela Monteroand clarinetist Anthony McGill.

Obama commissioned poet

Elizabeth Alexander to recite apoem written in commemora-tion of his historic inaugura-

tion.

He became the fourth presi-dent to name a poet to read at

an inauguration, following thelead of John F. Kennedy, who

tapped Robert Frost. The present American poet

laurete is Californian Kay Ryan.For those interested in sign-

ing, the petition to name a Secre-tary of the Arts has been posted

online at www.petitiononline.com/esnyc/petition.html.

By Kyle King

A & E editor

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009

10/20

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENTPage 10 January 21, 2009

It would be an understatement

to simply say I like music.

As the proud owner of aniTunes library spanning 304.3

days, I honestly do not know what

my life would be like without it.

Almost three years ago, I found

something that would not only

aid, but also feed my music

obsession.

One day, as I was surfing the

Internet trying to find some

new music, I came across Aware

Records, an independent recordcompany based in Evanston, Ill.

Awares mission as a record

label is simply to find the best

unsigned artists and bands in the

country. As an independent label,

Awares approach to marketing

has always been grass roots and

word-of-mouth.

Aware made its name in

the music business releasing

compilation CDs in the 1990s.

Some of their early findsincluded John Mayer, Train, Five

For Fighting, Vertical Horizon,

Matchbox 20, Hootie and the

Blowfish, Better Than Ezra,

Edwin McCain and The Verve

Pipe.

Aware now has a separate

management team, A Square,

with a stable of recording artists

as clientele, including The Fray

and Liz Phair.

In 1994, one year after itscreation, Aware founder Gregg

Latterman started the Aware

Rep Program as a way to involve

music fans in the industry.

There are approximately 900

reps across the U.S. and Canada,

located in both major and minor

markets. The varied locations

of reps help Aware immensely

with marketing projects. These

projects are usually for non-

Aware artists and

include posting

flyers, handing

out samplers and

promoting at

competing shows.

In the past, Aware has done

projects for

Coldplay, Jason

Mraz, Tyrone

Wells and James

Morrison.

Being an Aware

Rep is pretty

amazing. Reps are

involved in nearly

every stage of artistdevelopment, from promoting

shows and handing out samplers

to hosting CD listening parties

and attending free concerts.

I have been an Aware Rep

since March 2006 and I love

every minute of it.

I have had the opportunity to

promote bands at huge concerts

(including free tickets!), sell

merchandise at shows, meet and

befriend amazing musicians and,

best of all, watch unknown artists

become respected in the music

industry.

Some bands I have worked

with include The Working

Title, Five for Fighting and TheHeyday. These are just a few of

the lesser-known bands who are

affiliated with Aware.

Bigger names such as John

Mayer, The Fray and Motion

City Soundtrack are also part of

Aware Records.

Reps usually receive advance

copies of albums by these artists.

Aside from the free swag and

other perks of being a rep, myfavorite part is connecting with

reps across the country, finding

out about other new bands

through them and watching the

independent music industry

grow, one band at a time.

For more information about

Aware Records or to inquire

about becoming an Aware Rep,

you can visit their Web site,

www.awaremusic.com.

By Casey Harvilla

Contributing writer

Hurst sophomore works as Aware music rep

Aware Records made its name in the music business releasing compilation

CDs in the 1990s and now has contracts through Columbia Records with

artists such as Five For Fighting, John Mayer, Mat Kearney and Train.

awarerecords.com

Forsthoefel appears in Dalai Lama Renaissance

Mercyhurst Colleges Religious

Studies Department Chair Dr.

Thomas Forsthoefel appears in

this weeks Guelcher Film Series

documentary, Dalai Lama

Renaissance.

Forsthoefel will introduce the

film along with director Khashyar

Darvich and field questions for

Darvich after both sessions.

Dalai Lama Renaissance

centers around a group of 40

innovative thinkers, including art-

ists, scholars, physicists, astrono-

mers, business leaders, doctors

and authors.

The group was invited by the

Dalai Lama of Tibet in 1999

to participate in a week-long

summit focusing on how to solve

the new millenniums most chal-

lenging problems and most grip-ping crises.

The Wakan Foundation for the

Arts had a five-person crew film

more than 140 hours of footage

of the event, which they turned

into a full-length documentary.

Harrison Ford provided nar-

ration of the weeks events,

beginning with the groups trav-

els through India and arrival in

Dharamsala, the Lamas home.

Also captured were feuds

between featured participants

and so-called silent observers.

By the close of the summit, the

group achieved a measure of

synthesis.

The groups resolution resulted

in the Lama considering their

proposal to universally boycott

Chinese goods.

Forsthoefel went on the trip as

an observer and participated insmall group breakout sessions.

I had a very good friend,

Wayne Teasdale, with whom I

shared similar experiences and

valuestravels to India, staying

at the ashram of the late Benedic-

tine monk, Bede Griffiths, and an

appreciation for the importance

and need for interfaith dialogue.

He was a leading organizer of

the conference and invited me to

join, Forsthoefel said.

There was actually some ten-

sion at the conference because

of the two-tiered approach [of

participants and observers],

which seemed a bit hierarchical

and lacking some spontaneity.

But the tension itself was, in the

end, good, as it provoked insight

and clarity and appreciation,

Forsthoefel said.

Forsthoefel was not workingon a project at the time, but later

completed Soulsong, a book

on models of holiness, and used

the Dalai Lamas example to illus-

trate the Holiness of Calm and

the path to meditation.

His latest book, The Dalai

Lama: The Essential Writings,

was released last year and is a

compilation of His Holiness the

Dalai Lamas most important and

effective writings.

Forsthoefel plans to use the

book in his Buddhism courses at

Mercyhurst.

Its odd to say that I met the

Dalai Lama, because I did not

enjoy formal introductions or

simple conversation, Forsthoefel

said. However, at the end of the

conference, he received each of

us personally, offering a blessing

to us in the form of a kata, silkscarf. I must admit I did feel that

I received a blessing, some grace

from a holy presence. And that

was special and mysterious, and I

think has had an impact on me.

Darvich is currently touring

the Northeast region promoting

Dalai Lama Renaissance.

The film has taken home a

myriad of awards and praise,

including 12 wins at film festivals

worldwide and eight other offi-

cial selections.

The film plays at the Mary

DAngelo Performing Arts

Center Wednesday, Jan. 21, at

2:15 and 8 p.m.

Tickets are $4 for students, $5

for adults and free to students

with Mercyhurst ID.

By Kyle King

A & E editor

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009

11/20

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT Page 11January 21, 2009

The Mercyhurst College

Cummings Gallery is currently

housing a display entitled

Celebrate Dance, which

exhibits works that show the

essence of dance captured in

art.

Michael Fuhrman and John

Vanco worked as curators for

this special exhibit.

Fuhrman is a Mercyhurst

dance alumnus who now directs

the Mary DAngelo PAC, and

Vanco is the director of the Erie

Art Museum.

The gallery reception for

Celebrate Dance was held on

Thursday, Jan. 15, from 7 to 9

p.m. This reception involved an

array of refreshments as well as

the opportunity to view the art.

The collection includes works

by Erie artists Art Becker, Ed

Bernik, Mark Fainstein, Rick

Klein, Brad Lethaby and Vance

Lupher, who also arranged and

installed the exhibit.

Works are included from the

collection of Tauna Hunter,Dance Department Chair at

Mercyhurst College, as well as

from Mark Santillano, assistant

professor of dance and co-

director of modern dance

company SoMar Dance Works,

which is pictured in several of

the displayed photographs.

In addition, Art Therapy

professor Cathlyn Hahn also

loaned images for the galleryexhibit.

Celebrate Dance consists

primarily of photography, as well

as a few paintings, lithographs

and sculptures.

Many of the photographs

picture alumni and current

students of the Dance

Department, especially in

the work of Rick Klein,

who is frequently hired as a

photographer for the Mercyhurst

dancers. The Mercyhurst Liturgical

Dance Ensemble and SoMar

Dance Works, which include

Mercyhurst student dancers,

were featured within these

photographs.

Although most of the works

capture moments from ballet

and modern dance, and not

other forms, still a good deal

of variety is present within the

display.

Some pieces show standardstage shots, while others were

taken from backstage.

Some artists made use of

blurred images and silhouettes,

while others went for a more

straightforward depiction of the

dancers.

A few images capture only the

feet of the dancers, while most

include the whole scene of the

dance.

Other artists

played withperspective even

further, such as in

an image by Vance

Lupher in which

the dancer appears

to be swimming or

leaping out of the

canvas.

The settings of

the images vary as

well, with dance

shown in scenes

ranging from the

standard stage or

a photography

backdrop to the

sands of Presque

Isle.

The paintings

in the collection

are especiallynoticeable, because

of their minority among the

many photographs, and in some

cases because of their large

size.Ballerina Tauna Hunter by

Andrew Burton pictures the

Dance Chair in her former days

as a ballet dancer, and Dying

Swan by Brad Lethaby depicts

the classic scene of the dying

swan, a solo originally danced by

famous ballerina Anna Pavlova

in the 19th century.

Sophomore Laura McCarty

said of the exhibit, The art

work was very expressive.

The art was visually

appealing, sophomore graphic

design major Samantha Williams

said.

The Cummings Art Gallery

is open for viewing Tuesday

through Sunday 2 to 5 p.m. and

Thursday 7 to 9 p.m.

Celebrate Dance openedThursday, Jan. 8.

The display will be open

through Sunday, Feb. 1.

By Sarah MastrocolaStaff Writer

Celebrate Dance exhibit opens in Cummings

Celebrate Dance includes both paintings and photography. The exhibit

premiered Thursday, Jan. 15, and runs through Sunday, Feb. 1.

Sarah Mastrocola photo

FastballOur Misunderstanding

Del Amitri Roll on Me

DOWNLOAD

Where did Fastball go after 1997 without

ever knowing the way? Since All the Pain

Money Can Buy sold more than a million

copies, they tumbled, much like the elderly

couple about whom The Way was written.

Speaking of 90s one-hit wonders, even

the most discerning listeners would

have problems naming this Scottishband, formed in 1980, as the authors of

this song, also on their latest CD, Hatful of Rain.

The ThornsLong Sweet Summer NightFor those of you needing a pick-me-up

from depressing wintry weather, check

out this acoustic trio featuring Shawn

Mullins, most known for Lullaby, Mat-

thew Sweet and Pete Droge. The supergroup released

only one CD, back in 2003. Also check out No Blue

Sky and Dragonfly.

Sophomore Ryan Lanzel looks at photography from the

Celebrate Dance exhibit at Cummings Gallery. Performing

Arts Center director Michael Fuhrman and Erie Art Museum

director John Vanco served as guest curators for the exhibit.

Scoot Williams photo

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009

12/20

OPINIONPage 12 January 21, 2009The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the v iews of Mercyhurst College, the staff of The Merciad

or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be e-mailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

Inbox:Where

readers sharetheir thoughts.

The

Our world is in crisis.

I have written many articles

about the problems our society

is facing and how we shouldapproach and handle them.

There are so many things

causing anxiety to the point

of collapsing. Alternative:

Go to The Cornerstone on

Wednesday nights.

Dont worry. I am 21 years

old and I am allowed to be

there. But let me tell you,

there is not a problem in the

world on Wednesday nightsat Mercyhurst.

Sitting around with your clos-

est friends, knowing how diffi-

cult it would be to spend more

than 10 dollars the entire night

is just the start of it.

Walking downstairs to the

dance floor is probably one

of the most intensely fun and

exciting things awaiting most

patrons. You see people you

never expect, dancing in ways

you didnt even think possible.

Letting loose of all the weeks

stressors, people get so funky

with their dance moves you

cannot help

but smile

the entire

time. Whenhits like

Thr i l le r

or a classic

from high

school like

Air Force

O n e s

comes on,

the crowd

of slightly-

intoxicatedp e o p l e

scream like

theyve just

all won a mil-

lion dollars.

There is one group of people

I love to reference and write

about in particular, and that

is my roommates. Living in

such close quarters with so

many girls (seven not includ-

ing me) we tend to have some

hilarious stories.

But more than anything,

when I turn the last corner of

the staircase and hit the dance

floor on a Wednesday night, I

am positive I will see one of my

fantastic roommates breaking it

down so hard sweat has slicked

back her previously beautiful

hair. Or, someones pants rip

from dancing at 150 percent.

Why is it so fun?

It is completely out of

our school persona. We are

all studious, responsible and

put-together girls. And really,

we only hang out with each

other anyway.

Maybe because of the

sweat issue.

But I assure you, for one night

a week, we are not worried about

money, the future, job opportu-

nities or how our time together

is quickly dwindling.

We arent worried the econ-

omy is failing or how older

generations are constantly talk-

ing about how ridiculous our

generation is becoming. For that

night, and that night only, we are

only making sure of one thing:We are making fools of our-

selves and loving it. It makes a

wonderful Thursday morning to

discuss how ridiculous the night

before was.

We all take turns shower-

ing and putting ourselves back

together so we can carry on

with our week. But those nights

are something I know you have

all encountered.I missed out on those nights

for a long time and encour-

age you all to let loose and

embrace them.

Because, even though you

may wish you didnt get kicked

out of the bathroom after

having a heart to heart with

your roommate for two hours,

you wont ever regret the night

or the memory.

For someone who brags so

openly about her uniqueness,

you sure do adhere to the ever-

popular, ever-unoriginal prin-

ciple of conforming to non-

conformity.

I, as a Merciad reader, expect

to read more in a college news-papers Arts and Entertainment

section than a self-righteous

rant from one of its staff writ-

ers (Hazel Jennings makes A

& E New Years resolutions,

Vol. 82, No. 12).

Instead of alienating your

readers by bragging about your-

self, Ms. Jennings, why dont you

try actually writing about the

cultural topics you claim to care

about so much?

Heres a news flash for you,

Merciad staff: People want

to read about things with sub-stance, things they can relate to.

Audiences typically dont

want to be ostracized by some

elitist braggart of a columnist

who blabs about how great she

is for nearly 500 words.

I anticipate your criticism and

would like

to make

it known

that I do,

i n d e e d ,

appreciate

s a r c a s m

as muchas the

next thick-

rimmed glasses-wearing, indie

rock-listening young adult.

You write with a relatively

amusing amount of flair, Ill

give you that. However, if you

want people actually to enjoy

reading your stuff keep your

ego in check.

Kryssy Smith

The article was obviously a

satiric jab at people who hold

themselves to a ridiculous

standard of underground

culture pretension.

Im sorry you felt alienated,

because you failed to recognize

a humor piece.

At least you have your thick-

rimmed glasses and indie-

rock to make you an authority

on nonconformity.

By Hazel JenningsContributing writer

Mercyhurst students posing during a night off from term stress and studyingHeather Donovan photo

Students cure crises with nights out

Jennings resolutionsget feedback Hazelfi res back

By JordanZangaroStaff writer

8/6/2019 The Merciad, Jan. 21, 2009

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OPINION Page 13January 21, 2009

@mercyhurst.edu

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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 opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

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

Only in the land of the free did

Americans have the opportunityto vote for an old white guy ora young black guy in the recent

presidential election.Never have Americans had

such a distinction in color and

age to choose from. We weretruly blessed with choice.

Could anyone 200 years ago

imagine we would have theoption to either keep spendingnearly a trillion dollars a year

maintaining troops in 140countries around the world, orbringing them home from Iraq

so we would only have them in

139 countries?Oh man, I bet 200 years

ago, no one would have ever

thought, if we ever allowed thegovernment to take 50 percentof our paychecks through one

form or another of taxes, wecould decide which class ofpeople should get some of

it back. We also had the unique

opportunity to vote

for a man who reallyunderstands economics.

This one was a win-win.

Obama understandsderegulation caused ourproblems; had the government

just regulated the banks moreafter it forced them to makeloans to unqualified debtors,

the housing market would havebeen fine. McCain understoodyou cant promote a free-market

system without catching the bigboys when they fall.

Even further, Americans had

the opportunity to vote for acandidate that would solve alltheir problems.

Whether it was the old whitefart or the young black stud, nolonger did Americans have to

crumble from the burden ofself-reliance and responsibility.No longer do we have the moral

obligation to take care of ourneighbors directly, for we cando it through an impersonal

government institution.No longer will we have to

worry about our neighbors

getting ahead, for we can sit onthe couch and let them get taxedto death while they try.

Both the old white guy andthe young black man have plansto solve our problems.

So dont worry.Stop trying to figure out how

to live within your means. Stop

working so hard to pay yourbills. Stop worrying.

Go buy some cool stuff on

your credit card.Quit your job and stop

paying the mortgage. When

you cant pay your credit cardsand/or housing payments, Big

Brother will be there to makesure the lenders dont suffer theconsequences of lending to you.

Dont feel bad.Itll just mean a little higher tax

to pay for more bailouts, maybe

a little less freedom and possiblya little more governmentcontrol of our lives. But, thats

a small price to pay to protectthe American tradition ofsecurity first.

With this kind of prospectfor hope, no matter who won,I think Americans can officially

say it really doesnt matter if thepresident is black or white.

By Thomas Kubica

Contributing writer

Israel really needs to leavePalestine alone. Think about it,

if you were surroundedby people you hate, you would want to shoot

rockets at them as well.Hopefully, the Obama

administration brings

change when dealing

with Israel. Just becausethe Palestinians are

viewed as inferior does not meanthey are and shouldnt be treatedas such.

The Obama administrationshould take note of the previouspresidents administration.

After WWII, the Jews cameand took over their so-calledhomeland. The Palestinian

people were ruthlessly shut-

out. Now where should they

go? The Israelis will continueto blow things up in Gaza as

long as they have the support ofthe U.S.

Israel needs to learn WWII isnt a justification for

bombing everyonethey think is a harm

to them.If they keep this up mentality

it will lead to their end, and

because of all the people who have vested interests inthe situation, the world as we

know it.

Also, being a mediator, not a

antagonist of the Palestinians,

will lead to less resentmentfrom the Middle East towards

the U.S.The U.S. treating Israel like the

child that can do nothing wrongis, in itself, wrong. The new

administrationneeds to viewIsrael, as it

is, an overlya g g r e s s i v enation, which

feels no military

boundaries. The Obama

administration can change this. The Palestinians should

continue as is; this situation is

attracting attention to the MiddleEast, and making people thinkIsrael may just be using WWII

and the U.S. as a shield for theircrimes against humanity.

Blowing up the U.N. office is

a perfect example.

Israel really needs toleave Palestine alone.

Seth Halllam

Hoping for a new approachObama in the Middle East

Making distinctions beyond color

By SethHallamStaff writer

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OPINIONPage 14 January 21, 2009

Our nations first blackpresident was sworn intooffice yesterday. Jan. 20,2009, was not only a his-torical moment our childrenwill surely ask about but the

start of a new era.

The now former Presi-dent Bush will be vacatingthe White House, but anunlucky village will be get-ting their idiot back.

The ancient Mayan calen-dar predicts the end of the world at 2012, a dauntingthought considering the

new year. We dont knowwhats uglier, apocalypsetheories or the people whobelieve them.

Please e-mail any suggestions to

opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

The GB&U is a compilation of

student opinions.

Its clearly a coincidenceMartin Luther King Jr.s birthday

and national celebration werethe day before President BarackObama was inaugurated.

While this may be true, I feelwe are overlooking some equalimportance national holidays.

Thinking about current eventsin our nation, I feel like we needto draw attention to equally

important national holidays.Our nation is seeing big

changes, but what about

our veterans?

Veterans of wars we study inhistory textbooks and veterans

of our current war are arguablyequally significant as a civilrights leaders bir thday.

Without belittling theimportance of Martin LutherKing Jr. Day, I think it is

important to not forget our vets.They symbolize a commitmentto our daily freedoms and safety

just as MLK symbolizes equalityamong races.

I realize and acknowledge

MLKs symbolic significance, yetwe are valuing the achievementsof one man versus the

contributions an entire sectorof our society.

Why is MLK day celebrated

on the day of his birth? Asnational holidays go, the only

other birthday we celebrate inthat fashion is Christmas.

(Feb. 16, is WashingtonsBirthday as written in the

United States Code, butnation wide it is celebrated asPresidents Day.)

Are we holding MLK insuch high esteem that not onlyis he more important than our

veterans, but he is on the same

level as Jesus Christ?

By Amanda Valauri

News Editor

College students shouldread more.

I know that sounds utterlyridiculous and you might wantto throw your heaviest text

book at me right now, but letme explain. With all of theassignments, papers, research

and tests constantly runningour lives, it is important todo something for our own

personal entertainment.Of course, there are always

the options of hanging out with

friends, working out, watching

movies and frequenting the

local bars.

But why not stay in fromthe cold and curl up with agreat book?

I am in no way encouragingyou to neglect the assignmentsfrom your professors; I am only

presenting an alternative wayto spend the leisure time youdo have.

A book can be somethingyou carry with you and whenthe opportunity presents itself

you can dive into the story as anescape from everyday life.

Opportunistic times include:

waiting for the bus, in betweenclasses, traveling or somethingto help pass the time while

biking your daily miles at the

gym. I can bet we have all been

in the situation where waitingfor something or someone canseem like a boring eternity.

If you had a good book Iam sure you would be thankfulfor the extra time to get a few

pages read.Currently, my friends and I are

reading the Twilight series and

while some of us have finishedthe four books and others arejust beginning the exciting story,

it has given us something totalk about.

Passing books from friend to

friend and recommending themto each other can be fun and a way to share something other

than the latest gossip.

By Hayley OHare

Contributing writer

So the picture staring back atme of a wide-grinned, brightred face with a feather attached

to their head is apparently thecause of some controversy.

I dont see why though, I

mean its just a cartoon, cartoonscouldnt possibly represent any-thing derogatory or defaming.

Its not as if those cartoonsdepicting Asians with squintyeyes and a long braid in their

hair are really all racist.I mean thats what Asians

generally look like. But Ameri-

can Indian cartoons, what harmcould those have?

Its just a mascot and symbol

of a sports team. I dont thinkIndians should be offended

because Im not offended, by

the Patriots mascot and I con-

sider myself patriotic.I think all the American Indi-

ans want is money; I mean theywait this whole time to complainabout mascots when they didntsay anything when they were

first introduced. Who cares ifthey were introduced during atime when there was a lot of

racism and nobody cared whatthey thought anyway?

I mean were not racist now

so whats the problem?

Do any of the above sen-tences make sense to any of

you? I would hope they wouldsound incredibly stupid toeveryone but sadly, these are

some of the reasons I get as to why American Indian mascotsarent racist.

Trust me, there are manymore reasons fans and non-fans alike defend the use of

American Indian mascots. As I

try to appeal to peoples reason

Im met with claims and verypoor, erroneous excuses as to

why these mascots are not a bigdeal.

I know I cant make anyonefeel a certain way; but how

can some of us not put our-selves in the shoes of thosewere mocking?

Some people just dont get itand continue on with claims like,It wouldnt bother me if there

were a team called the Chicago

Whities/Negroes/Beaners, Ithink itd be funny.

Just because youre notoffended, doesnt mean some-thing isnt offensive.

And the poor excuses youcome up with to avoid changingyour attitude is one of the most

pathetic ways to hide the factyou care little about the feel-ings of others or worse, are in

fact, racist.

By RhondaMarableStaff writer

Holiday

equality

Escaping a daily droneAn out-of-the-ordinary pastime

Mascots causing concern forethnic group representation

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SPORTSPage 16 January 21,

The bruises, aches and pains senior

goalie Jason Lashomb will feel on thelacrosse field this season will now beaccompanied by a sound Cha-ching.

This season Lashomb decided to usehis All-American talent to help makethe dreams of children come true. The

goaltender from Rush, N.Y., created aprogram through the local Make-A-WishFoundation called Saves for Kids.

The idea behind the program is simple:Lashomb wants to find local companiesand individuals willing to donate money

based on the number of saves he makesthis coming season.

The Make-A-Wish Foundation, forthose who dont know, is an organizationthat grants terminally ill children the wishof their choice.

Over the summer, I started thinkingof ways I could take my success andchannel it into something that would

benefit others, Lashomb said. Savesfor Kids is a way for me to use my talentin order to benefit a part of a young, sick

childs life.

Lashomb began by working withseveral members of Mercyhursts athletic

administration and Steve Zinram, whoin charge of Alumni Donations andDevelopment, as well as Jan Stork, a

local representative of the Make-A-WishFoundation. Together they brainstormed ways to use his

talent to benefitothers andSaves for Kids

was born.As an

education major,

I really wantedto gear thistoward children,

and I think theMake-A-Wish Foundation was a greatavenue for that, Lashomb said.

Lashomb said he believes childrenshould never have to worry about the

next form of treatment theyre going to

have, what pills to take next or suffer in

anyway.He went on to explain he will do

whatever it takes to raise money to help

children forget about those worries forat least awhile.

Other Mercyhurst students appreciate

Lashombs efforts.These children go through so much at

such a young age that they deserve all the

happiness we can give them in their shor tperiod of time with us, senior JennaBarone said. If Mercyhurst College can

give them one truly amazing day throughthe Make-a-wish Foundation, it can givea child the hope and inspiration to live

each day to its fullest.Lashomb doesnt plan on doing this

alone. He has asked teammates find

companies and individuals in Erie and intheir hometowns that would be willing toparticipate in the program. Lashombs

goal is to try and get small amounts ofmoney from a large amount of people.

His teammates are happy to help.

Its cool to have a teammate who isgoing out and extending what we doon the lacrosse field to help out the less

fortunate in the community, seniormidfielder Mike Bartlett said.

Senior defender Tom Eighmey isntsurprised to hear about Lashombs Savesfor Kids.

Jason is an outstanding lacrosse

player, but even more important, is heis an outstanding person, Eighmeysaid. Jason always looks to give back

to anybody ande v e r y b o d y that he can. I

think that this

Saves for Kidsprogram is a

great idea.There are two

ways to donate

to Saves forKids, Lashomb

explained. The first is a per save

amount, which means the company orindividual can agree on an amount to payfor each save Lashomb makes during the

season. Companies or individuals can

also agree to simply give a donation tothe cause.

All the money raised will go directly to

the local Make-A-Wish Foundation ofGreater Pennsylvania to sponsor a childswish.

The average wish costs around $3,500,

and Lashomb is still looking for sponsorsto participate in his Saves for Kids

program.I feel very grateful and fortunate

for what I have in my life, Lashomb

said. To be able to give just a little bitback by playing the sport I love is trulywhat I hope I can accomplish with this

program.Senior Margaux Valenti said she is

impressed with Lashombs dedication.

I think it is absolutely wonderful

that an athlete is getting involved withthe community on a personal level, shesaid. It is truly a beautiful initiative on

his part.All the money donated through Saves

for Kids is tax-deductible and signing

up requires only a few minutes to fill out

a form. As of right now, Lashomb said he

has many individuals lined up to donatemoney. However, the only companycurrently on board is PAETEC, a

communications company in RochesterN.Y. who has donated $500.

Anyone interested in participating in

Saves for Kids and helping Lashombmake a childs dream come true cancontact him at jlasho40@mercyhurst.edu

for a donation form.

Lacrosse goaltender Saves for Kids

Jason Lashomb dedicates seasons saves to Make-A-WishBy Brad Moehringer

Sports editor

To be able to give just alittle bit back by playing thesport I love is truly what Ihope I can accomplish with

this program.Jason Lashomb

Senior goaltender Jason Lashomb is teaming up with the local Make-A-Wish

Foundation to help terminally ill children in the Erie community.

Scoot Williams photo

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SPORTS Page 17January 21, 2009

Lashomb uses talent in the goal to benefi t others

Senior lacrosse goalie Jason Lashomb isusing his talent in the net to

benefit terminally ill children. Lashomb, in

partnership with the local Make-A-Wish

Foundation, is finding sponsors to donate

money to the organization for every save

he makes this season. If

interested, contact Lashomb at jlasho40@

mercyhurst.edu for a donation form.

Photos by Scoot Williams

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SPORTS Page 19January 21, 2009

Mens basketball cools down after sizzling start

The Mercyhurst College

mens basketball team cooled

off quickly after a smoking hot

start earlier this season.

The Lakers, who started

off the season on an 11 game

winning streak, have lost

three of their last four games,

including two losses on their

home court. This cold streak

comes at a pivotal point of the

season, the Pennsylvania State

Athletic Conference (PSAC)

regular season.

The Lakers are now 0-2 in

the PSAC with losses to

Slippery Rock University

and Indiana University of

Pennsylvania.

A lack of rebounding in the

Slippery Rock game led to the

loss, as the Lakers were out

rebounded 41 to 27.

During the IUP game there

was a clear lack of offense, as

the Lakers were held without a

basket for just under 10 minutes

in the second half.

These two events proved

to be the key in the respective

games. Possibly even worse

news is the Lakers were held

to a season low of 53 points by

Slippery Rock.

The Lakers set the season

low to 48 against IUP during

the next game. While this might

sound like bad news, the Lakers

have a chance to bounce back

with a win coming up this

week against cross town rival

Edinboro University.

The Lakers will be looking to

get into their previous form and

get back to their old winning

ways. The Lakers are 12-3 on

the season.

By Gary Coad

Staff writer

The friendly confines of the

Mercyhurst College Ice Center seem

to be just what the mens hockey team

needed to get back on track.

After getting swept last weekend by

Atlantic Hockey foe Army, the Lakers

returned home for another pair of

conference games against Sacred Heart

on Jan. 16 and Jan. 17.

Friday nights game was a defensivebattle with plenty of hard hitting

and physical play to keep the fans

entertained.

Sophomore Scott Pitt started the

scoring for the Lakers in the first period

off a pass from senior Matt Pierce.

Sophomore Jeff Terminisi picked up

an assist on the goal.

The score remained 1-0 until the

second period when junior Chris Risi

lit the lamp thanks to assists fromsenior Brett Robinson and sophomore

goaltender Ryan Zapolski.

Two goals was all the offensive

support Zapolski needed as he made 30

saves and was just 53 seconds short of a

shutout, but still picked up the win.

Saturday nights game was a one sided

affair headlined by sophomore Steve

Cameron.

Cameron picked apart the Sacred

Heart defense and found the back of

the net four consecutive times.

Cameron leads the Lakers with 15

goals and 16 assists on the season.

Sophomore Mike Gurtler added two

goals and, sophomore Scott Pitt cappedoff the scoring with his tenth goal of

the season to defeat the Pioneers 7-0.

Zapolski got the nod on Saturday

in goal, and he was solid once again

securing his seventh win of the season

and first shutout of the year.

Mercyhurst now stands at 9-12-2

overall and 7-6-2 in the conference.

The Lakers continue their nine-game

home stand this weekend with a pair

of games against the University of

Connecticut Huskies.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

for Friday and Saturday games at the

Mercyhurst College Ice Center.

By Brad Moehringer

Sports editor

Cameron helps mens hockey get back on track

Junior Chris Risi scores a goal against Sacred Heart at the mens hockey

game this past weekend.

Scoot Williams photo

Sophomore goalkeeper Ryan Zapolski protects the puck behind the net

against Sacred Heart this past weekend.

Scoot Williams photo

Page 20Junior Neil Graham (24) levels a

Sacred Heart Pioneer on Jan. 16.

k S

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Scoot Williams photo

Caption on page 19

Laker Sports

Punishingthe Pioneers

Lakers take two from Sacred Heart