Wilkes University Wilkes-Barre, PA
THE NEWS OF TODAY REPORTED BY THE JOURNALISTS OF TOMORROW FEBRUARY 5, 2008
In This Issue...
Webcast problems plague would-be viewers Surge of internet activity causes outages nationwide
BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor
The build-up had worked. Hundreds of students, faculty and staff crowded into the Dorothy Dickson Darte (DDD) Center theater last week to participate in the nationwide effort to develop solutions to the worldwide environmental crisis born of greenhouse gas emissions. And when the appointed hour came, the screen remained blank. The nationwide webcast of the “2% Solution” turned out to be not so nationwide when many of the participating 1,750 locations could not access the program. According to a spokesperson at Focus the Nation headquarters, the problem was that so many people and institutions tried viewing the site at the same time that they were basically turned away by the computer. In a message sent to Wilkes University from Minna Brown, Focus the Nation organizer, she stated, “The downside of doing a live broadcast online on a hot topic like global warming solutions is that more people than even we expected wanted to view it.”
See FOCUS page 4 Page 14
Search for Dean of Law School Initiative Intensifies BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon Asst. News Editor
Inside News................................1-5 Opinion.............................6-8 Lifestyles.........................9-11 Arts & Entertainment....12-15 Sports...........................16-20
The Beacon/Andrew Seaman Dr. Prahlad Murthy, Lee Rinehart and Ed Shoener sit behind the table before the start of the webcast in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center.
In approximately two weeks, Wilkes University plans to begin scheduling campus visits for finalists of the Dean of Law School Initiative Search, according to Dr. Reynold C. Verret, Provost. The search committee, comprised of eleven members, along with Verret and President Tim Gilmour, held neutral site interviews with candidates in New York City on January 19 after advertising the position and screening applications. The committee consists of chairperson Dr. Paul Browne, Dean of the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership; Dr. Vee Ming Lew, associate professor of math and computer Sciences; Dr. Mary McManus, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences; Dr. Anthony Liuzzo, Esq., professor of the Sidhu School of Business; Dr. Kyle Kreider, assistant professor of political science and pre-law advisor; Dr. Ellen Flint, professor of performing arts; Attorney Joseph Cosgrove; Attorney Marc Levey; Attorney Eugene Roth; and senior pre-law majors Dana Zlotucha and Justin Richards. Levey is a Wilkes alumnus, Cosgrove is a
member of the Luzerne County Bar Association, and Roth is both an alumnus and a Board of Trustees member. The committee is also assisted by Dr. Theodore J. Marchese of Academic Search, Inc., a search firm located in Washington, D.C. Over the next two months, an undetermined number of candidates will be invited one at a time to the campus to speak with the search committee, the dean’s council, members of the president’s cabinet, the provost, members of the Board of Trustees, members of the Luzerne County Bar Association, faculty and students. “The search committee is pretty excited about the people that we’ve talked to. I think we have some prospects who would be a pretty good match for our needs and the expectations that we have,” said Browne. “At this point, we must protect the confidentiality of the candidates; thus, I cannot share names,” said Verret, who will be the hiring officer for the position. According to the prospectus for the Dean of Wilkes Law School Initiative, “[l]ate last
spring , after preliminary studies and consultations, the faculty and the trustees endorsed a recommendation from the Provost to move the law school initiative into a final phase.” The “final phase” essentially consists of three parts: a detailed academic plan, a financial plan and a dean to aid in the creation and presentation of both plans. “We’re looking for someone who can help the university re-examine all of the issues involved in the law school idea, who can bring professional experience of starting a law school, who knows the processes for accreditation… So we’re really looking for someone who has been in a law school or has run a law school before, but also who has creativity and energy,” said Browne. The prospectus also stresses the importance of being able to communicate, plan, budget and manage effectively and willingly embrace diversity.
See LAW page 5
NEWS FEBRUARY 5, 2008
Political news analysis February ice storm SG Notes
3 4 5
Lifesaving defibrillators purchased, to be installed
Wilkes just became a little safer. The university recently purchased nine automated external defibrillators (AEDs). These devices are used to restore normal heart rhythm to patients in cardiac arrest, according to www.fda.gov. University officials had discussed adding the machines to campus for a few years and questioned where the devices would be placed and how many to purchase, according to Director of Health Services, Diane O’Brien. “I think now that we’re expanding and there’s a lot more buildings with big concentrated areas of people, we felt that it’s prob(RIGHT) Philips HeartStart Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) will soon be placed in popular areas of campus. According to heartstarthome.com, “Philips is the market leader in innovative defibrillation technology.” Once the cartridge handle is pulled, a calm voice guides the user through the process of analyzing the heart rhythm and decides whether an electric shock is necessary, making the AED easy to use for anyone. Not only is HeartStart designed to help the patient, but the user will also receive any additional aid needed. The AED adapts to your actions so if you’re moving quickly, the voice delivering will speed up with you. The slower you go, the more detailed the instructions become Awards Philips HeartStart Defibrillator has won date back to 1996 and include Fortune Magazine, “Best Products of the Year” (2004), Popular Science, “Best of What’s New” award (2003) and Medical Design Excellence Award (2003).
ably time we made this purchase. It makes sense,” said O’Brien. In cases of sudden cardiac arrest an AED may save someone’s life. An AED is applied to the outside of the body and it analyzes the person’s heart rhythm and whether or not a shock is needed to restore a normal heart beat, according to www.fda.gov. “If you intervene with an electric shock delivered at the appropriate time, your chances of survival go up significantly within the first five minutes of a cardiac event,” said Chris Bailey, director of campus support services. Bailey is familiar with AEDs thanks to his part-time work as a paramedic in the Pittsburgh area before his career at Wilkes.
Bailey says AEDs have always been a part of athletic programs since there is more potential of a cardiac event occurring. “There have been cases where a ball hits someone in the chest at the appropriate time, and there’s enough energy to disrupt the electrical circuitry of the heart,” said Bailey. Kammie Studley, head coach of women’s lacrosse, is trained to use an AED and is happy to hear about the addition of the life saving devices. “I think it’s really beneficial to have them on the field, because if an athlete gets hit in the chest you have those two minutes to save them. I think it’s one of the best things Wilkes could have done,” The Beacon/Andrew Seaman
BY MEGAN KRISANDA Beacon Staff Writer
said Studley. The AEDs will be placed throughout campus in public accessed buildings such as Stark Learning Center, UCOM, Henry Student Center, and other surrounding buildings. “Basically, they are going to be secured to a wall. You open the AED and turn it on and it talks you through the whole process. It is made for a ‘lay person,’ [though] certainly it will appear a lot less strange if you have taken a CPR test,” said O’Brien. The AEDs were part of the university’s budget and all nine devices totaled $15,000. The AEDs were purchased thorough Philips
Medical, according to Petra Carver, Vice President of Finance and Support Operations. The devices have become more commonplace, appearing in airports, malls, and at sporting events. AED training has become a part of many CPR training sessions. Students or faculty interested in being trained to use these devices should contact Public Safety. “We have a community to protect, and when you need these devices, you need them close by and you need to be trained on how to use them. We want to give the right training and the right tools,” said Bailey.
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FEBRUARY 5, 2008
News Analysis: Beacon Election Update Making sense of the election, candidates and issues BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor
When the Mamas and the Papas sang, “Monday Monday, so good to me/Monday mornin’, it was all I hoped it would be” they obviously weren’t singing to presidential candidates. Monday pales in comparison with the excitement, anticipation, and in some cases dread of “Super Tuesday.” That may be a slight exaggeration, but there is a lot riding on this election, and February 5, may be the day that decides who goes on and who is left in the dust. This Tuesday, February 5, is a big day for both parties, but maybe a little more for the Democrats. Over 50% of all of the Democratic party’s delegates will be awarded on Super Tuesday, while 41% of all Republican delegates will also be awarded. On Super Tuesday, 22 states go to the voting booths, and most national polls have the remaining Democratic candidates in a race that is simply too close to call. Following his wins in Florida and South Carolina, Senator John McCain has emerged
as the Republican frontrunner, which is in complete contrast from where he was only a few weeks ago. Even McCain remarked on the Tonight Show that he “no longer has to carry his own bags.” Propelling McCain forward is his one-time rival, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani. Following his disappointing and distant third place finish in Florida, the state where he has spent so much time campaigning that some joked about his suntan, Giuliani saw the handwriting on the wall and dropped out of the race. He quickly endorsed McCain, alongside California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and even accompanied him on The Tonight Show. Despite McCain’s favorite son status, Governor Mike Huckabee and former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney both campaigned actively last week. Romney scored a win in Maine on Saturday, with 52% of the vote and claimed that voters would see more of the same on Tuesday. As for the Democrats, the field is down to two, as Senator John Edwards bowed out of the race last week. Edwards has so
far not endorsed any of the remaining candidates; however, has urged the remaining candidates to focus on poverty--his key campaign issue. Pundits agree that his influence in this area will likely spur the remaining candidates, New York Senator Hillary Clinton and Illinois Senator Barack Obama, to do so in an effort to swing Edwards supporters their direction and possibly win his endorsement. So what can everyone expect to happen on Tuesday? First, candidates are likely to hit issues relevant to the states at stake this week including health care, the mortgage crisis, gun control, and the war. Obama and Clinton can expect to take home most of their base states. For Clinton, this means those mostly northern states that do not have open primaries, meaning that the state does not let independent voters vote. Obama’s base states include southern states and some in the Midwest. Obama will also likely get a boost out of those states
The Beacon/Andrew Seaman
ABOVE: The dark shaded areas represent the states that will be voting on Super Tuesday. On that day over 50% of all the Democratic delegates will be awarded to the winning candidates, while 41% of all Republican delegates will be awarded to their winning candidates. RIGHT: A list of all the states participating in Super Tuesday. West Virginia and Montana are only voting on the Republican side of the ballot, while Idaho, Kansas and New Mexico are only voting on the Democratic candidates. As of right now the only Democratic candidates sill left in the race are: Sen. Hillary Clinton, Sen. Barack Obama, Sen. Mike Gravel. The only Republicans left are: Sen. John McCain, Gov. Mitt Romney, Gov. Mike Huckabee and Rep. Ron Paul.
that allow independent voters to vote in the primary. The bigger unknown for the Democrats on Super Tuesday are some key delegate states, like California or Georgia. This also holds true for the Republicans. California and Georgia are the prize. So what happens after Super Tuesday? Well, in the off chance there is not a clear nominee after Tuesday, there is “Fantastic Friday,” February 9. There will be two primaries and one caucus for each of the parties that should help separate the candidates from one another, and then for the Democrats the Maine caucus will be held the 10.
Super Tuesday States
Alabama primaries R 48 D 60 Alaska caucuses R 29 D 18 Arizona primaries R 53 D 67 Arkansas primaries R 34 D 47 California primaries R 173 D 441 Colorado caucuses R 46 D 71 Connecticut primaries R 30 D 61 Delaware primaries R 18 D 23 Georgia primaries R 72 D 104 Idaho caucuses D 23 Illinois primaries R 70 D 185 Kansas caucuses D 40 Massachusetts primaries R 43 D 121 Minnesota primaries R 41 D 88 Missouri primaries R 58 D 88 Montana caucuses R 25 New Jersey primaries R 52 D 127 New Mexico primary D 38 New York primaries R 101 D 280 North Dakota caucuses R 26 D 21 Oklahoma primaries R 41 D 47 Tennessee primaries R 55 D 85 Utah primaries R 36 D 85 West Virginia convention R 18 0
FEBRUARY 5, 2008
FOCUS from FRONT PAGE
During the assembly at Wilkes University it was clear shortly after 8PM that something was wrong, when the webcast never showed up on the large projection screen. At that point Dr. Mike Case, Wilkes professor of environmental engineering and earth sciences and organizer of the event, made the announcement that they were not able to pick up the feed and had another plan. Case said that they were prepared for the prospect that technology might fail, and Dr. Ned Fetcher, Coordinator of the Institute for the Environment Science and Sustainability, who has been educating the faculty on global warming through a slideshow presentation, would provide the lecture to those assembled at the DDD. At that point several members of the audience were seen leaving the auditorium. However, many opted to stay to listen and discuss the issues at hand. Fetcher offered detailed scientific analysis of the causes of the earth’s warming trend and the impact such warming may have on a variety of issues such as climatological change. Garett Reiss Brennan, Director of Media & Public Relations for Focus the Nation, told The Beacon during the assembly, “It’s a small problem, it’s an unfortunate problem, but it’s a severe problem.” Brennan also said they were prepared for something like this, but nothing of this magnitude. After the event concluded the national organization, Focus the Nation apologized for the failure by posting, in large green and red letters, “Big Sorry! Too many hits on the ‘2% Solution.’ Some sites experienced technical difficulties. We truly regret the difficulties this has caused…” The apology was signed “The Focus the Nation Team,” however the apology was quickly taken down. The evening concluded as it was supposed to with a panel of experts offering their thoughts on the evening and then taking questions from the audience. The panel consisted of Dr. Prahlad Murthy, Wilkes professor of environmental engineering; Lee Rinehart, a sustainable agriculture program specialist; and Ed Shoener, an authority on the design and deployment of wind technology. In his address to the audience, Shoener challenged college students to take control now. While generations before have created the existing situation, Shoener suggested, the solutions needed to come from those who will be living with the mess. “This is going to be your problem...good luck.” The evening also began as normal with a welcome from Case and Dr. Tim Gilmour, Wilkes University President, who stressed the steps Wilkes is taking to be a green campus and a leader in environmental awareness in Northeastern Pennsylvania. The Beacon/Andrew Seaman “The Focus the Nation event, is the Wilkes first public forum on global climate change… I hope it’s one of many,” Panel of experts address audience members on the issue of global warming as part of Focus the Nation last Wednesday. said Gilmour, hinting that there may be more events like Focus the Nation in the future.
The Beacon/Andrew Seaman
Wilkes University was closed on February 1, due to an ice storm that moved across the area. The Henry Student Center parking lot was covered with about a half-inch of ice in the morning, which later turned to slush. Originally Wilkes was listed as a compressed schedule but was later changed to a closed status. Wilkes was one of over 200 schools, colleges and universities to either delay or cancel classes on Friday.
FEBRUARY 5, 2008
SG Notes January 30, 2008 Treasurer’s Report All College: $25,000 General: $10,000 Special Projects: $3,500 Spirit: $2,000 Leadership: $5,000 Conferences: $12,500 Start-Up: $1,500 Club Reports The following clubs presented updates on their events. Programming Board Spanish club Chemistry club Math/CS
LAW from FRONT PAGE
Responsibilities of the dean would include creating a “compelling, marketable vision for legal education,” developing a five-year financial and academic plan for the law school, assisting in the final decisions about the school and inevitably becoming and acting as the founding dean of the school if and when it is approved and launched. “We are on track in our plan for a law school that will distinguish Wilkes and address issues for legal education outlined in a recent report by the Carnegie Foundation (Education Lawyers: Preparation for the Profession of Law, 2007),” said Verret. Paying close attention to the Carnegie report, which addresses the criticisms of legal education, the prospectus states that Wilkes has the ability and opportunity to rise above any “inattentions,” such as practitioner concerns or ethics and civility within the pro-
New Business New Members - The Faith Wyrda introduced as member of SG for the class of 2008. SAE mini baja fund request - Members of SAE came back for the second week seeking $3,702 to build a new car. After a discussion about fundraising, SG granted SAE $3,000. Chemistry Club - Representatives from the chemistry club came to SG asking for funds to travel to a convention for the second week. SG granted the full request of $3,000. However, if they receive a mentoring grant they must return the equal amount of money.
AFROTC - Robert Bireley came to SG asking for funding for a conference in Colorado Springs for AFROTC. SG granted him his full request, paying for his flight, up to $450. Wristband allocation - OCC asked if SG would purchase an additional 400 wristbands for block party, but after discussion about a business class selling wristbands SG decided not to allocate the money for the wristbands. Food allocation for open forum - Next week there will be a forum instead of a meeting and all SG members must present for an hour.
fession. “Wilkes has a concept of not creating what is being called a ‘me too’ law school, but one that has a distinctive curriculum. We’ll be perceived in the marketplace as innovative, so one of things that we’re looking for is someone willing to think outside of the box and willing to create the current model of law school education and has ideas of how to do it better,” said Browne. Following the success of Wilkes’ Graduate Teacher Education Program, the Sidhu School of Business and Leadership, and the Pharm.D. program, the Wilkes University Law School is expected to attract attention due to location and demographics. With the nearest Pennsylvania law schools in Philadelphia, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, it’s possible that 75-100 graduate students will enter the program in the first year. “We know that people in criminology, communications, sociology, psychology,
political science and economics are all tracks that often have people who choose to go on to law school… Business, pharmacy, and nursing students may also find this possibility to be of interest,” Browne explained. “One of the things we would like to see is a stream of Wilkes students that go on to the law school.” With aid from the dean, Wilkes will also determine where the possible law school will be located. Browne stressed that it is important that they figure out approximately how many students they will be accommodating before they begin designing and constructing a building. The current plan for the building of the school is scaled on a minimal size. “The [early] studies done on a preliminary basis were to test the feasibility of running a small law school. As the dean comes in
Old Business Vagina Monologues donation Movie tickets purchased
and leads us through the final stage of studies, there may be a determination that the school should be slightly or significantly larger, so how many students we expect to have are really critical issues for us to know before we make a commitment of what kind of a facility will be most appropriate.” If all goes according to plan, the dean of the law school will be chosen by this summer. The dean’s plan should be approved by spring of 2009 and the first class of law students at Wilkes University may begin their first semester in the fall of 2010. According to Browne, “a definite decision has not been made to start a law school,” but choosing a dean to lead the decisionmaking process brings the university one step closer to doing so.
LOWER LEFT: The statue of the Authority of Law in front of the Supreme Court building in Washington D.C.
TMI Away Messages Here’s To You... Angry Rant
FEBRUARY 5, 2008
Step Two: focus the university
BY THE BEACON EDITORIAL BOARD
global crisis. Focus the Nation encouraged participants to see Pennsylvania in a harsh, new light. Did you know that Pennsylvania produces 1% of the world’s heat-trapping gasses, which is more global warming pollution than 101 countries combined? Did you know that Pennsylvania is the third worst polluting state in the country, behind only Texas and California? With these shocking and disturb-
Another common sense action we can take is to keep all our apThis past week Wilkes Universipliances clean and running as efty was one of a thousand colleges ficiently as possible. On a monthly and universities across the nation basis, we should try to change the to participate in Focus the Nation, heating and air conditioning sysan environmental colloquium detem filters monthly, clean our dryer signed to educate contributors vent and hoses, and keep the coils about global warming and its imunder our refrigerators clean. pact. By sealing up the cracks in winNow, unfortunately, the national dows and doors in one’s home, webcast, “The 2% Solution,” met apartment, dorm room, and camwith an untimely (and major) pus buildings with weather stripglitch, which prevented Wilkes ping and caulking, heat and monUniversity students, faculty ey will both be saved. Not only and staff, nestled in their new, will cold February nights be made sustainable wood seats in the more comfortable by trapping Dorothy Dickson Darte Center heat indoors, but energy bills will from seeing the webcast at the be reduced. With technology conappointed time. However, a stantly improving, there are many link to the national broadcast appliances available that consumcan now be found at the website ers can purchase that are much www.earthdaytv.net. In addimore energy efficient. Buying tion, Wilkes faculty quickly ralproducts like these, will not only lied and turned the opportunity help to save the environment, but into an impromptu teaching also save money. moment for which many in the Those who are tired of the risaudience chose to stay. ing gas prices and feel the need Despite the problem with the to lose a few pounds, should try webcast itself, the planning and The Beacon/Matt Gogas walking instead of driving short excitement that went into the Wilkes University students become educated about global warming at distances. Cleanyourair.org reFocus the Nation event gar- the Green Fair that was held in the Henry Student Center on Thursday, ported, “You’ll save 1 pound of nered community and campus- January 31 during club hours. carbon dioxide for every mile wide support. Students, faculty, you DON’T drive.” Carpooling staff and community members and taking public transit can also participated in a variety of ways ing facts, sustained concern and hours a day consumers could save help cut down on air pollution. Of including class assignments and response needs to happen. course, the fringe benefit to this nearly $10 in the first year alone. discussions and participation in We applaud several important A second way to limit global strategy is that the stress of findthe Green Fair in the Henry Stu- initiatives Wilkes is currently tak- warming is to limit hot water us- ing a parking spot on campus will dent Center. As a result, Wilkes ing to assess its own energy con- age. Cool Pennsylvania reports, also be reduced. community members became bet- sumption and pollution levels. “Hot water accounts for 15% of Finally, support environmental ter educated about what steps we Last Wednesday evening, Presi- your utility bill…wash clothes in friendly legislation at both the fedcan take--both individually and dent Tim Gilmour noted that Wil- cold water, take shorter showers, eral and state levels. Vote for politinstitutionally-- to address this kes is currently engaging in such and fix leaking faucets.” ical candidates who care about the environment, and write letters to the editor of your college and local newspapers that aim to educate the public and influence legislators. By taking these actions as individuals and as a University, we can and will help Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, the United States, and the world become more environmentally A Sight for Sore Eyes By Aleksander Lapinski friendly. self-assessment and the university’s ongoing plans to build a new, completely green health sciences building hold great promise. But we can do more... For example, according to the U.S. Department of Energy, we should always use compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) in desk lamps as opposed to incandescent lights because they give off 90% more heat than light. By switching bulbs on two lamps that burn four
7 7 8
Beacon Poll Results The following are results of a poll that The Beacon conducted online this past week. The poll was unscientific, and does not claim to reflect the overall attitudes of students on campus. Results are based on 35 responses.
The Beacon asked: What was your favorite book series as a kid? • Harry Potter-17% • Goosebumps-17% • Hardy Boys-14% • Babysitters Club-11% • Bernstein Bears-11% • Calvin and Hobbes-3% • Captain Underpants-3% • Animorphs-3% • Boxcar Kids-7% • Other-14%
Next Week’s Question: What country would you want to study abroad in? • • • • • • • • • •
Greece Japan Peru South Africa China New Zealand Russia Germany France Other
Visit www.wilkesbeacon.com to cast your vote. Results will be published in next week’s issue of The Beacon.
FEBRUARY 5, 2008
Too much information in online away messages BY NICOLE FRAIL Beacon Asst. News Editor
realized something: they had all moved past to keep themselves organized, but buy a supposed to be? And to whom? Either way, this is not the type of thing that simple “I’m not here, leave a message” bulletin board or a planner or write it down The function of away messages is supposed approach and now offered way too much on a loose piece of paper. Tiny little lists that should be in an away message in the to be simple: they’re meant to tell people information. that say “Work at 5, Homework, Bed” are first place. All we want to know is if you’re that you are away from your computer. Who needs to list out every single move straight and to the point, but some details there and when you might be back. Not However simple this idea may seem, people they’re going to make for the next two truly can be left out. how bad your day was and everything that have come up with truly complex ways of days? Location, times, who’s going to be While technical details can and should be went wrong and that you’ve locked yourself doing it over the years. with them, etc. Is that really necessary? cut from the messages, so should extremely in your bathroom and would like to be left You could put up the default message of Who really wants alone. If you don’t “I am away from my computer right now” to know that want to talk, don’t sign or you could personalize your own with you’re online. Or if you need going different font faces, colors, and symbols. to to talk to someone, go psychology You could include where you are or what at 10:00, then for it. It’s easier and you’re doing or you could leave a phone English at 11:00, quicker than waiting number where you can be reached. An away then for them to come to probably message is essentially an online answering going to lunch you. machine. Leave the message, you may get and ordering a Song lyrics, popular a reply. quotes, and “Out to salad and a Cherry When AOL launched its instant Pepsi with Katie at dinner, call the cell” This is an example of an obnoxious TMI away message. messenger in May of 1997, away messages noon, then going are all cool and all were intended to be a quick and easy type to the gym around 1:00 to work serve their purpose, but when of answering service. That’s it. Nothing on your biceps and triceps, and you decide you want to confess more, nothing less. With a limit of 1,024 finally working from 5:00-10:00? Oh - and personal ones. Away messages are not your feelings or write about your day, start characters (including any unseen HTML then doing homework at 11:00 and going journals and they’re not blogs; therefore, a blog or start keeping a diary. Writing can markup), there’s not a whole lot more you to bed? The example might be slightly a message like the following really isn’t be therapeutic and empty notebooks allow could or should do with them. for more than 1,024 characters in any shape exaggerated, but it’s pretty close to some of necessary: But while in the midst of reading all of my the things I’ve seen recently. I understand “This life seems pointless. All it has or color that you want. And buy a planner buddies’ away messages the other night, I that people sometimes need to make lists been is misery to me. The day started off that breaks the days down into hours if you well, finding out that I’m being promoted truly need to know where you’re going to @ work to supervisor once I train the new be every second of the week. Lists make cashiers, but then I come home and find for boring reads, anyway. that the one person I thought I was close enough to be friends w/ forever apparently can just dispose of me like I’m nothing. I BY GINO TROIANI love life...not. So now I’m around being my Staff Writer/Photographer depressing self that I’ve been for the past 2 weeks. Maybe I’ll do some cleaning and then sleep. Leave messages... don’t feel like talking on the phone and my texts for the month are kinda low right now. =(“ Unlike my last example, this is exactly The Beacon wants your voice to be what I found in an away message last heard. Your Voices is the opportunity week. My eyes nearly rolled out of my for students to voice their concerns. head when I read it. Since I know the user If you want your voice to be heard, and know what their personality is like, I please contact The Beacon with the immediately knew that they were simply following information: seeking attention. They want “that one person” to message them and tell them that 1 Contact information includit’s all okay. They want their other friends ing your email address and a to read it, respond sympathetically, and tell them that life’s worth living. phone number where you can This person wants to be rescued, in a be reached sense. But when I read something like this, 2 Your name, major, and year I’m always skeptical of if they actually need 3 Your opinion the help. It’s reminds me of The Boy Who Cried Wolf. How do you know when it’s Drawing By: Aleksander Lapinski real? Where do you draw that line between attention-craving and something serious? Here’s to you Mr. Socks-With-Sandals Guy! Always prepared for that freak summer Is there a real problem or do they just want chill, you somehow manage to defy conventional style while sporting those pasty white The Beacon reserves the right to edit a hug? Is it a real cry for help? socks. Are you lazy, unique, or fashion-challenged? We just don’t know. You prance submitted pieces for space and content. I don’t know the solution to this problem around with no shame, while the rest of us can’t help but wonder, “What the heck is he and I’m not in the position to suggest one, thinking?” Keep on keeping on! but I’m sure I’m not the only one who has run into this before. How sensitive are we
Here’s to you...
Mr. Socks-With-Sandals Guy
What do you think?
FEBRUARY 5, 2008
The Angry Rant: America has gas BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor
America. Say it again. America. The United States of America. Our past, our present, and our future. There is no doubt that America is one of the greatest countries on earth in terms of wealth and power. So why is it filled with the homeless from coast-to-coast? More to the point, why does the United States keep pumping money into foreign countries while our very own citizens die in the streets? How many billions of dollars have been shipped to the Middle East, South America or Africa in the form of foreign aid in an attempt to help a country or region get on its feet, even though the money changes very little over the long run? How much money has been raised to give to Africa to help stave off the AIDS epidemic, despite the fact that our own high
school students are receiving an insufficient education on that very same topic? How much money has been given to American citizens in their time of need? For instance, how many have lost their homes because of rising interest rates on mortgages? To me, it seems that we are more than willing to sign a bill to send money everywhere else in the world, yet we are reticent to offer the same helping hand to the American people, when there are so many opportunities to do so. In other words, it’s high time for America to be a little selfish and give back to its own people. President Bush recently announced his grand idea for a tax break designed to provide most Americans anywhere from $600 to $1,200 in an attempt to stimulate the economy. While that idea is well and good, a onetime gift of $600 isn’t going to help the average citizen enough for the economy to turn itself around. It’s a quick fix that is going to have little to no effect, and the notion of the act itself is going to have more impact than the perceived financial boost. It is almost embarrassing that I am even writing something about this. This isn’t a holier-than-thou manifesto; it’s just a common sense approach to the state of things. Look at it this way: Running a country is just like running a business. You keep yourself in the black, and you keep your employees happy. You pay them well, give them good benefits and opportunities, and you keep the downsizing to a minimum. Too simple, right? Right now, the United States is a Fortune 500 company that is on its way down the corporate ladder because of faulty leader-
ship and Congressional shortsightedness that dates back over two decades. And the employees are getting antsy. I don’t know about the rest of you, but I don’t much like paying over $3 for a gallon of gas, especially as a commuter who needs to travel over 20 miles one-way each day to school. I find myself dropping over $60 a week on gas, and let me tell you: it’s not much fun. But the government seems to be doing very little about it. So this is a problem. And with every problem, there is a solution. Here is mine: Congress passes a law that gives a separate government agency (FGOC - Federal Gas and Oil Commission) complete control over the regulation and price of gasoline and oil in this country. It does this to prevent the price of a gallon of gas from spiking fifty cents over the course of a month, especially during travel seasons and the winter (when people use more oil. What a coincidence). By doing this, it keeps the gas prices low, with limited price movement based on supply and demand, which will also drop because the FGOC is going to pour money into the oil companies to maintain the existing refineries while simultaneously building new ones so that the oil can be processed faster. Furthermore, this also allows the U.S. to safely and harmlessly drill for oil within its own borders, lessening the need for foreign oil. This also lowers the price of gas. All the while, there will be ongoing research into alternative fuel sources for the future. Abracadabra: There you have a reason-
able solution to a problem that is getting increasingly worse. The oil companies can no longer hold the market for ransom, which means they are only making billions in profit every year instead of trillions. The gas prices stay low, and there is no longer a false sense of supply and demand due to the new refineries and domestic drilling. This cuts the price in half for most consumers, who will in turn have more money in the long run, meaning they can buy more houses, cars, land, etc, which will then stimulate the economy. Hooray, problem solved! America is awesome. For all the naysayers (and there are a lot of you) that think this can’t be done: why not? The government controls everything else, why not oil? Is there a better idea out there? It is completely reasonable for us to pay less money for gas, and for “Big Oil” to make a ridiculously large profit. So that’s my rant for the week. If you don’t agree with me…then I really don’t care, you’re wrong.
BY ANDREW SEAMAN Beacon News Editor
The dark can be a scary place. Young people are taught that they should be afraid of the monsters hiding under the bed or around dark corners. And even as adults, it’s tough to shake that quickening of the pulse when faced with the unknown in the dark. That is why I find it odd for a city like Wilkes-Barre to have so little light on the streets around the local college campuses. I noticed this when I was walking to the movies last year. Looking up and down Northampton Street I was amazed to not see any light provided by street lights. The only light was residual from the parking lot and
the giant movies marquee. At the time, it disturbed me, but I eventually forgot about it. But I was reminded of my original feelings this year when I came out of my internship recently on South Franklin Street. Again, I was disturbed by the fact that there were very few lights on the street and the ones that were there provided very little illumination or none at all. For those who have been to State College, I look at that town as the ideal “college town.” The main street can provide a student with almost any necessity, whether in the afternoon or at night. But the nicest thing about the main street, and those surrounding it, is that the streets are bright on the darkest of nights.
Those lights are inviting to the 20-yearolds, elderly, and middle-aged people who wish they were 20-year-olds again. Obviously State College is a much larger community than Wilkes-Barre, but I am not suggesting that they put a smoothie palace on every corner. What I am suggesting is to illuminate downtown and create a warm and inviting area at night. This will not only cause a surge in the number of students who head downtown on foot, but subsequently more businesses may move in because there will be the promise of sustainability. The city could always use the old “we don’t have the money” excuse, but I think it would be a wonderful idea for Wilkes University, King’s College, and Wilkes-Barre
to purchase more lights jointly. Think about it. The city does not have to worry about the colleges going anywhere. The schools cannot just pick up and leave, nor would they want to. But the students can opt to attend school in cities that offer well-lit, inviting, safe downtowns. Why should students wander around in the dark? City and school officials should install more lights around the colleges and downtown, or they can expect to lose students and businesses as a result.
All Photos: The Beacon/Stephanie Gerchman
Wilkes-Barre, wake up and see the light
LIFESTYLES FEBRUARY 5, 2008
Student of the Week 10 ESL Partners 11
Activist brings experience to environmental crusade they asked me to do this research paper on it, and, being really nerdy, I said yes. Someone had to present it, so I presented it.” After she presented her paper at the UnitSince her teen years, Winona LaDuke ed Nations forum, LaDuke started working fought for the rights of her Native Ameriat the Navajo reservations. Her main job can people and lobbied for reform of enviwas to translate government documents. ronmental regulations. She wrote numerous Many Navajos on the reservations did not books and organized countless protests on speak English, but even the ones who did these issues. had difficulty understanding the governBut she still balks at being called an acment documents, which were written in a tivist. scientific vernacular. LaDuke believes that “I’m considered to be an activist, but I using that kind of language prohibited the consider myself to be more of a responsible residents from having clear knowledge of parent and a responsible human,” she said. what was happening in the uranium mines “We live in the richest and most powerful where they worked. country in the world, and that should have “We have an individual responsibility to certain responsibilities along with all those understand things, but we also have a rerights.” sponsibility to hold institutions accountable, LaDuke visited Wilkes University from not to get to the point where only they have January 29-31 as part of Focus the Nation, a full knowledge,” nationwide program aimed at teachLaDuke said. ing students the information, civic We live in the richest and most powerful country in “We’re talking responsibility, and leadership needed like the Middle to fight global warming. Along with the world, and that should have certain responsibilities Ages, where only a formal lecture to the community, along with all those rights. some people have LaDuke also met with students in Winona LaDuke the knowledge.” their classrooms and hosted an inLaDuke said formal question and answer session environmental and human rights activist that working on with students, faculty, and commuthe Navajo resernity members. At her informal discussion, LaDuke talk- own actions,” Bush said. “Her entire pre- vations was an epiphany for her. It made ed about civil responsibility, and the need sentation jumped into two words for me: her aware of the control corporations have over communities, especially ones where for Americans to become active participants common sense.” LaDuke, 48, grew up watching her An- English is not predominantly spoken. in their own lives. She said the duty of re“How could you make an informed decisponsible citizens is to learn what they can ishinaabekwe (Ojibwe) father and Jewish about where their water, food, and resourc- mother speak out on racial and environ- sion like that? How can you send a Navajo es come from and how that can affect their mental issues. She discovered her own down to an underground uranium mine passion for the issues as a high school stu- when there isn’t even a word in Navajo for well-being. dent arguing national energy policy on her radiation?” she asked. “How can you get Peter Bush, a informed consent?” debate team. freshman pharmaShe began testifying at hearings and conWhile studying at Harvard University, ceutical science LaDuke worked on researching the injus- ducting research on companies before they major, decidtices in Navajo uranium mines, where min- moved into communities. She organized ed to attend ers were exposed to unhealthy amounts of demonstrations in nuclear power plants L a D u k e ’s across the United States. radiation. discussion As a way for her message to reach a In 1977, LaDuke was asked to present session afher research at the first United Nations fo- greater number of people, LaDuke began ter seeing rum on the rights of indigenous people. At writing as a journalist on the issue of invideo 18 years old, LaDuke traveled to Geneva, formed consent. While writing for magaclips Switzerland, to represent indigenous people zines described as “politically progressive,” o f LaDuke discovered they weren’t covering throughout the Western hemisphere. “Indigenous people went to the United the kinds of issues she believed necessary. “I remember saying I wanted to write an Nations and said, ‘We believe that we have rights to determine our destiny, article on the Navajo uranium mines, and basic human rights to speak our they told me, ‘We covered Indian people language, not to be sent to board- last month,’” she said. “Do they have some ing school, not to have our land kind of quota, like Indian people get covtaken away, and not to have ered once a year?” After conducting research, organizing our economy controlled by Courtesy of Wilkes Univesityy someone else,”’ she said. “So protests, and writing articles, LaDuke deBY CHRISTA SGOBBA Beacon Lifestyles Editor
her past lectures online. Interested in both her cultural and environmental work, Bush thought her take-charge, no-nonsense approach to these issues reflected his own beliefs. “For me it’s a moral issue, and it should be common sense,” he said. “We have to take an active part in it because it affects our lives and who we are.” Bush was hooked right from LaDuke’s opening when she likened personal responsibility for environmental issues to being a good parent. Just like parents want to know what additives are included in their children’s cereal, they should also question what chemicals are in their drinking water or their food. “I really loved how she immediately started talking about being a mother, about how we need to take responsibility for our
The Beacon/Gino Troiani
Winona LaDuke spoke with Wilkes community members from January 29-31. cided that her next form of action would be running for public office. In the 1996 and 2000 presidential elections, LaDuke ran as Ralph Nader’s vicepresidential running mate for the Green Party. “You don’t necessarily need to be in office for things to change, but you do need to engage,” she said. At her home on the White Earth Reservation in Minnesota, LaDuke devotes her time, energy, and skills to help better the quality of life. She describes the reservation as troubled, with two-thirds of the residents living below the poverty level, one-third afflicted with diabetes, and “arrest and abuse rates through the roof.” One of her main goals for the reservation is to make it more self-reliant. She encourages using wood from the abundant trees on the reservation for heat and energy, and growing food locally. Her latest project on the reservation was to revamp school lunches. Obesity is a big problem on the reservation, and the breakfasts and lunches filled with corn syrups, fats, and dyes students eat every day at school don’t help. LaDuke worked for federal grants and donations to serve organic, locally-grown food at the school. “We now serve a chili with locally-grown kidney beans, tomatoes, and buffalo meat,” she said. “We have to get these kids to decolonize their tastes. A corndog doesn’t have to be their future.”
FEBRUARY 5, 2008
Student of the Week: Neil Kresge BY MATTHEW GOGAS Beacon Staff Writer In only his first year at Wilkes University, Neil Kresge has already made an impact on the campus, and it’s starting to look a little greener. Kresge recently served as a student coordinator and helped execute the Focus the Nation campaign alongside environmental science faculty and other staff members. Kresge, an earth and environmental sciences major (EES), also minors in political science and sees a logical connection between the two, as evidenced by the political, social, and scientific messages of the nationwide campaign to address global warming. A transfer student from the Pennsylvania College of Technology, Kresge left there nearly three years ago to take some time off to work. Recently, he decided to go back to school and chose Wilkes. Because of his active role in educating fellow students and Wilkes community members about environmental problems, The Beacon has chosen Neil Kresge as its Student of the Week. The Beacon: Why did you decide to come to Wilkes out of all the other schools you looked at? Kresge: I decided to come to Wilkes because they specifically tailored a program that let me major in environmental science while taking a political science minor. The Beacon: How do you feel about your work on the
Focus the Nation campaign? Kresge: This is my first big rallying objective here at Wilkes. It kind of blends political activism with the growing science accomplishments Wilkes is making, so I feel like that’s a big one right off the bat.
500 students at the event. We had overflow in Stark 101.
The Beacon: So Focus the Nation was one of your primary goals at Wilkes? Kresge: Well it’s not just the Focus the Nation as a specific event. It’s the whole idea of educating people on global climate change and just showing people that there’s ways to reduce their normal waste day in and day out. That’s going to help in the long run because this problem is going to impact our generation the hardest and our kids’ generation. The Beacon: Were you happy with the way Focus the Nation turned out? Kresge: I was. We probably had 400 to
The Beacon: What are some other plans you would like to tackle? Kresge: Well, I would really like to get involved with more political activism and get Wilkes University signatures and emails to try and guide Governor Rendell towards his environmental plan that has been sitting on the back burner for about two years. So I think that is maybe going to be one of our next challenges to get legislation passed that is going to make quality of life better here in Pennsylvania.
The Beacon: What do you want to do when you graduate? Kresge: Right now I am kind of in between. I’m thinking about graduate school. Either graduate school or I would like to get involved with activism. I want to apply science objectivity to policy, you know, political leadership in this country.
FEBRUARY 5, 2008
Students cross borders through conversation
Conversation partners needed for international students
BY CHRISTINE ZAVASKAS Beacon Asst. Lifestyles Editor Mary Opalka, a junior mechanical engineering major, wanted to help her conversation partner from China learn more about American culture. So, she took her to WalMart. “She needed to get groceries... and she wants to learn about the culture, too. What’s more American than Wal-Mart? Sad, but true,” says Opalka. While a trip to Wal-Mart may or may not seem like an educational experience, Opalka is actually providing her partner, Jiajia Peng, with an invaluable opportunity to practice English with a native speaker. This is especially important to Peng, who just arrived in the country last month with plans to get a Masters degree in education. Peng, who is from Fujian, China, is a scholar in the Intensive English Program (IEP) which operates in Hollenback Hall. According to Kimberly Niezgoda, ESL Coordinator, this program functions separately from the rest of the University and provides 30 hours a week of English language instruction for international students who would like to eventually study at Wilkes or another American university. In addition to teaching these students English in a classroom setting, the IEP also coordinates the conversation partner program, which matches Wilkes University students who speak English with international students. The pairs then are asked to meet for at least an hour a week for a semester so that the international students can practice their
It’s a big deal to them,” says Opalka. Unfortunately, only ten pairs of students this semester are currently engaging in this kind of language and cultural exchange with each other because of a lack of American volunteers. There are 22 international students that are still in need of partners. “They (international students) keep saying, ‘…Please find me a conversation partner!’ Eventually I wish I could pay people to do this, but the program is so new, that we just haven’t gotten to that point yet...If I could find a conversation partner for every student, then I’d be thrilled, but it hasn’t happened yet,” says Niezgoda. Vigen Kadysewski, who is from Yerevan, Armenia, and Archer Zhu from Tianjin, China, are both students still in need of conversation partners. Although Kadysewski and Zhu mostly want to have the opportunity to practice English with a native speaker, they also both spoke about wanting to share parts of their own culture with future partners. “If somebody was interested, I know most of the history of the Caucasus and Russia and Europe. So if somebody is interested in history, I am good at it. Also I can teach Russian,” says Kadysewski. Zhu also noted that he thinks the conversation partner program should be an exchange of knowledge and not just one way. “China is one of the oldest countries in the world, so we have lots of traditions. Also I am good at history, not only Chinese history, but also countries in Europe and America. So we could talk about these cultures…We should help each other,” said Zhu. Niezgoda provided some insight as to understanding why having a conversation partner is so valuable to an international student. “The example I tend to give is imagine if you went to Spain or Germany or another country. You have no family, no friends, and you’re
trying to learn the language completely by yourself. How much would it mean to you to have someone from that country be willing to take an hour a week and spend time with you, just helping practice the language,” says Niezgoda. Felixa Wingen, a junior English major and secondary education minor, has volunteered to become a conversation partner this semester, and knows firsthand how hard it can be to transition to another country. Wingen, who is originally from Germany, says, “I know what it’s like to learn English, and how difficult it is. I can’t imagine trying to learn English if I was just surrounded by people who speak German all day. So I think it’s important to have the opportunity to speak to English speakers.” Wingen said that she would recommend becoming a conversation partner as a “cool” way to learn about another culture and help someone else at the same time. Opalka also recommends this program to other students and highlighted another benefit she has gotten from her partnership. “You make a new friend, too. She’s not just my conversation partner, we get along well… She didn’t know anyone when she came here, but she came here to study. That speaks severe dedication to me. I admire her,” says Opalka. Any student interested in becoming a conversation partner should send an email to kimberly.niezgoda@wilkes. edu.
From left: Jiajia Peng, Archer Zhu, Vigen Kadysewski
All photos The Beacon/Christine Zavaskas
new language skills and also to provide an opportunity for cultural exchange. Students participating in the program can meet whenever they choose, and there are no guidelines for what they have to talk about. They are not relegated to just conversing either. In the past Niezgoda noted that students have even gone bowling together and taught each other how to cook ethnic dishes. “It’s not so much about teaching and tutoring. It’s about getting a chance to share your culture and learn about somebody else’s culture…My international students, they have 30 hours a week of intensive English language instruction. By the time they get to the conversation partner, they just want to say, ‘Hey what’s up, how are you doing?’ and learn the way American students talk,” says Niezgoda. Peng, who is at level five (the highest level of English proficiency) in the IEP, has several things that she wants to share and learn through her conversation partner, “[I want to share] my culture, my language, and of course your culture and your language. Also, the knowledge and the different ways of your education system because I just came here and need to get used to your education style.” According to Opalka, Peng is not the only one learning something from the time they have spent together so far this semester. “[I’ve learned] a lot, actually. Chinese New Year is next week…It’s kind of a combination, from what she told me, between Christmas and New Year’s here because they get money from their elders.
A&E FEBRUARY 5, 2008
Rambo Dan Aykroyd Music Kudracross/Website
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Visual and Performing Arts courses offer hands-on learning BY ALISSA LINDNER Beacon Assistant A&E Editor
an interest in the arts through courses,” Dawson said. He added, “There has always been an interest in the arts because you could address history and culture from an arts perspective but students now seem to be interested in processes through self expression.” The performing arts, such as dance and theater, offer a kinesthetic or hands-on experience for students while the visual arts offers self expression through the use of materials. It is these aspects of the arts classes which attract students from a normal lecture style classroom. Wilkes offers a variety of art courses. Among the most popular, according to Sharon Bowar, an associate professor of Art, are Experiencing Art and Ceramics. “Our art courses provide a dynamic setting where students are immersed in creativity, communication, visual literacy, and develop a stronger sense of aesthetics, and social values,” Bowar explained. Bowar and Dawson agreed students will often take additional art classes once fulfilling their required credit hours, possibly even becoming an art minor during their time at Wilkes. Dawson explained, areas within art, such as painting and computer graphics offer a beginner level course but also a second level for those who wish to continue the development of their skills. Jean Adams, an adjunct art faculty member and the ceramics professor, believes one
Photo Courtesy of Marketing Communications
The Beacon/Cara Koster
reason for the increased enrollment in ceWilkes University requires all students ramics is due to to complete three credits within the Visual the new facility and Performing Arts (VPA) department in in Bedford Hall order to graduate; however, over the past on River Street. few years, students are taking more than “It’s [the new the required single class within the defacility] quite partment. obvious on According to statistics from the Wilkes campus, a lot of University Fact Book provided by Joe people see it so Dawson, Chair of the Visual and Perall of a sudden forming Arts department, VPA course there is a betenrollments have steadily increased over ter understandthe past few years. Since the 2002-2003 ing that there school year, credit hours in the art coursis a ceramics es have increased nearly 300. The dance class on camcourses have also seen an increase of pus,” Adams about 300 credit hours, while theatre arts explained, “It’s courses increased 200 credit hours and [the new facilmusic courses increased about 100. ity] a room we Dawson explained the increase in credit built for a purhours within the department could be due pose.” to several factors, including increased Adams, who enrollment across the university and the has been teachcreation of new sections to already existing ceramics at ing courses. Wilkes for 22 Throughout Dawson’s time at Wilkes years explained there has always been steady interest in that for the cur- Students in the beginner ballet class practice their form in the classes with the arts department; however rent semester, a dance studio located in the Dorothy Dickson Darte Center. recently students’ interests seem to have mester may be the dance recital at the end new section of ceramics was added. All changed. of the semester which features each level three sections of the course filled; howev“What’s different, I think, is traditionof the different dance forms. er, each class only allows for ten students ally students had an interest in the arts Although Wilkes does not offer a dance because of the limited pottery wheels and through clubs, and I think now they have major, Lawson is completing the program the need for hands-on instruction. through an independent study. Currently, As with the visual arts courses, she is the only dance major at Wilkes. the dance courses also offer difStudents who come to Wilkes with a sigferent levels of performance and nificant amount of dance experience can instruction. According to the enroll in higher levels of performance-oriWilkes website, DAN 100, Dance ented courses such as ballet, modern, tap Appreciation, is a beginner course and jazz with instructor permission acwhich introduces students to varicording to Dawson. ous forms of dance including He explained that the dance courses apballet, modern, jazz and theatripeal to students, specifically athletes, becal. However, each form can be cause each teaches agility through a kineslearned more extensively as four thetic experience. ability levels are offered. All the courses within the Visual and Kara Lawson, a senior dance Performing Arts department teach students major, explained the dance proa variety of skills they may not learn in a fessors make the courses, spetraditional lecture classroom. Dawson said cifically DAN 100, appealing to the courses within the department teach students by offering hands-on self expression and self discovery, kinlearning which gives you a taste esthetic knowledge and discipline along of all dance forms. with organizational skills. “The classes fill up particularly in the spring,” Lawson said. AddStudents work on the pottery wheels in the ceramics facility located in Bedford Hall on ing the appeal of the spring seSouth River Street.
FEBRUARY 5, 2008
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Movie Review: Rambo
BY MIKE WILLIAMS ever he wants. So, brace yourselves trash involved in the rescue. Without giving too of battle with grim realism, at some points Beacon Staff Writer talkers, because Stallone’s going to do it much away, rest assured that what follows making Saving Private Ryan look tame. In 2006, naysayers of the world united again…and this time it’s gonna hurt. One scene in particular, in which the Buris some of the most intense and powerful in order to pre-pan Sylvester Stallone’s Two decades after we last saw Rambo, scenes ever committed to film. mese military commits brutal atrocities sixth entry in the Rocky series, Rocky Bal- we catch back up with him, living a simple, against a war torn village, results in some Aside from the nostalgia of seeing Stalboa, criticizing everything from Stallone’s peaceful life working in Thailand. How- lone once again tie on the red bandana and of the most vicious and traumatic visuals age and physical ever, the fires of pick up his trusty trademark compound bow, ever in cinema history. After seeing this, appearance to war which have Rambo is a powder keg of a film, not only audiences will no doubt be squirming in the overall problaid dormant in for its scenes of intense action, but also for their seats, waiting for Rambo to do his ability the story, the mind of the its compelling story and acting. Most notething, and when he does, it’s a messy masbefore the poor grizzled Vietnam worthy is that of Stallone, who gives a powterpiece of blood and gore. ol’ Italian Stalveteran are once erhouse performance, portraying our hero Rated R for language and graphic scenes lion even got a again reignited, as a man who has absolutely nothing to live of war violence, Rambo is definitely not a chance to lace film for the kids; however, if you do have as a group of for, torn by his haunted past, iron will and up his gloves. an age consisting of two digits, and are in Christian mis- unbreakable convictions. Still, once Rambo F o r t u n a t e l y, the mood to see an action movie that will sionaries, led by learns of the plight of the missionaries and fans of the series leave you breathless, then Stallone’s latPaul Shulze (Zo- he once again prepares for war, movie goers got a front row est entry to the series is for you. So, in the diac) and Julie will no doubt feel their adrenaline begin to seat to watch end, what’s the verdict? Do the doubters Benz (Jawbreak- kick in as the legendary action hero rides pessimists take a and naysayers of Rambo have anything er), seek him out into battle, for what may be his final mispounding as Stalto back up their criticism? The Beacon to guide them sion. lone served up a says no; they don’t have a leg to stand up-river into war But The Beacon would be negligent if it hell of a combo, on…probably missing an arm or two as torn Burma in or- didn’t underscore the action, which most delivering a film well…and a good chunk of torso. You can der to administer fans of the series have been foaming at the which not only thank Rambo for that. aid to villagers, mouth for for nearly twenty years. The seheld the numGrade: A who, for over quences that Rambo has to offer are nothing ber one spot for fifty years have short of breathtaking, showing the ferocity weeks, grossed suffered millions of dola vicious, lars, received tyrannirave reviews and cal rule by showed every- Photo Courtesy of moviesonline.ca the brutal Tuesday, February 5 one that even at 60-years old, Sylvester Burmese military. Now from here, - An Evening of Dubstep featuring: Conscious Pilot, Guerilla, Gaje and Kai lo at the River Stallone can still probably shatter faces if everything went smoothly, we St. Jazz Cafe like grandma’s good china. wouldn’t have much of a movie to Less than two years later, the doubters discuss; but, as expected, the misWednesday, February 6 have recovered from their beatings and sionaries are soon taken captive by - “Tune In” Game Show in the SUB at 9 p.m. have once again begun to criticize Stal- the sadistic local military unit. Upon lone for once again donning the headband receiving news of this, Rambo volThursday, February 7 in order to reprise another one of his leg- unteers his services to guide a team - The Breakfast featuring FMO performing at the River St. Jazz Cafe endary characters, John Rambo. But wait! of mercenaries back into Burma, in It’s been twenty years since Rambo III. order to rescue the surviving misFriday, February 8 He’s almost 62. How can he do it? Why sionaries. However, it isn’t long - NY Knicks vs. San Antonio Spurs N.Y. trip at 2:30 p.m. would he do it? The answer is simple: before Rambo abandons his posi- Poetry reading at the Arena Hub Plaza Barnes & Noble at 7 p.m. He’s Sylvester Stallone. He’ll do what- tion as guide and becomes actively - The Towntown Harvest and Dirty Water performing at the River St. Jazz Cafe - Northeastern PA Philharmonic performing at the Kirby Center at 8 p.m. - Awkward Silence, Three Man Cannon and The Window Shoppers performing at Test Pattern at 8 p.m.
Schedule of Events
Saturday, February 9 - Bigger Thomas, The Big Green, No Shirt No Shoes No Ska and Below Me performing at Cafe Metropolis at 8 p.m. - Earth Stood Still, Captain We’re Sinking and A Golden Era performing at Test Pattern at 8 p.m. - The Woody Brown Project and Post Junction performing at the River St. Jazz Cafe Sunday, February 10 - Motionless In White, Mayella Omerta and By All Means performing at Cafe Metropolis at 7 p.m. - Johnny Rapp’s Biodiesel performing at the River St. Jazz Cafe Monday, February 11 - American Red Cross Blood Drive in the SUB from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
FEBRUARY 5, 2008
Local artists record Dan Aykroyd tribute CD BY MARISSA PHILLIPS Beacon A&E Editor He gained fame in the early years of Saturday Night Live and then made his mark in well-known films such as Ghostbusters, Coneheads, and Blues Brothers. But soon actor Dan Aykroyd will be making his mark in a local music compilation. What began as an idea pitched on a message board, the “Dan Aykroyd Music” compilation will be completed and released this March. The compilation is being put together by Scranton resident, Bobby Keller, who explained, “I was literally just bored one day and posted on the Prison Jazz message board that I was going to make a compilation CD about Dan Aykroyd, and literally the next day, Eric Schlittler of Kid Icarus had sent me a track for the CD. So, after that I felt obligated to actually finish the CD. It’s not making fun of Dan, but it’s not a real serious tribute album. It’s just fun.” The CD will consist of primarily indie-rock, although Keller has hopes of mixing in additional genres, specifically hardcore. “I wish there was a hardcore song, I may have to just record it myself,” said Keller. The bands currently involved in the project include: Kid Icarus, Strand of Oaks, My Dad is a Dinosaur, Amasa, The Green Chair, and These Elk Forever. Keller is still waiting
on submissions from a few bands, such as Marshmallow Staircase, Kinderk*nts, and a possible track from Brian Langan of the Sw!ms. Every band has taken a different approach to the project. One of the darker tracks, by Strand of Oaks, is a song about Dan Aykroyd taking revenge on John Belushi’s drug dealer. There is also an Amasa cover of “Spies Like Us” and a Kid Icarus song in which the group actually sings Aykroyd’s biography. There was definite thought behind the songs featured on the CD, and as Schlittler explained, his band’s song isn’t just a random listing of Aykroyd’s movies, but rather, a way to reflect on Aykroyd’s past. “I’ve always been fascinated by an artist’s body of work. Not just the great things that they’ve accomplished but also the wrong turns or just plain mistakes that they make. With over 30 years worth of mov-
ies under his belt, I thought it would be interesting to just sing every movie he has been in for the last 30 years and let people’s own memories sort of craft the feelings you might get from the track for you,” he said. Once the it is out, Keller plans to market and sell the CD through a Myspace page (www.myspace.com/danaykroydcompilation), which is currently up and contains some samples from the CD. Keller has no intention of making money off of the CD and will either sell it for a low price or give it away for free.
Photos courtesy members.fortunecity.com, http://www.miamisunpost.com/
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
BY CHRISTOPHER KUDRAK Beacon Staff Writer 1 5 10 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 22 23 24 26 28 32 35 40 42 43 44 47 48 49 51 56 59 61 63 64 65 67 68 69 70 71 72
ACROSS Musicians gear, for short Marks of a wound Greenish blue Tree anchor Ar Beethoven piece CIA agent Small tropical yellowish fruit Fix _____ County, heart of PA Dutch country Trysted Architectural device Unorthodox religious belief Trendy Looks at flirtatiously North pole employee Not mass produced Wilkes-Barre mine type Billy Joel instrument Sphinx is missing one Humans to linnaeus “Brave____World” Alpha’s opposite Beer vessel M.C.’s job 49 across contents Nervous sign Enterprise engine Electronic music Calcutta location Bird of peace Jurisdiction Fragrance Gets with great effort Campus VIP Number that makes a crowd Tenant payment
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DOWN Give a weapon to Dough, dinero, etc Completely opposite Bad smell Epic adventure Destroy by pressure Quartz type Moon explorer Trap for small animals Capone weapon Fencing sword Fathers sister Hallucinatory sub stance Style and elegance Shed tears Immature insect Pride member Or follower Boil slowly Canyon sound Appear ominously Limelight Drink daintly Asian language family “____Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” Jazz musician Thelonious _____ Wise person Jose or Antonio Char the surface Non-powered aircraft Corkscrew Large farm Restaurant activity Backbone Bring about Number of deadly sins Exhaust Invention causer Prom partner Furious New York time (abbr.)
FEBRUARY 5, 2008
Lolcats.com BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor I have just discovered the world’s most obnoxious website. I always heard the stupid quotes but never really paid much attention until my sister sat laughing at her computer. When I ask her what is so funny, she responded, “LOLcats.” So, I went on lolcats.com and saw the wide variety of stupid pictures and videos. Let me just tell you that this website is an English major’s
nightmare. The creators of this site take pictures of cats doing different things such as a cat in a truck that appears to be driving. They add stupid captions such as “Jebus, take the wheel!” That does not convey the spelling issues. Maybe the most popular Lolcat would be one of a cat smiling with a caption that says “Can I haz a cheezburger?” Not only is the spelling atrocious, the grammar is awful as well. I can’t tell if the creator of this website is seriously this in love with cats or is just trying to create a stupid funny website. I mean, I have a cat. I love her. She is cute. But, I don’t
think that I would ever make a website about cats. I don’t understand where the language comes from or who would take the time to pose the cats according to what they want to write on the picture. I guess everyone gets bored every once in a while, perhaps this is how my sister stumbled on this site, or maybe it’s because of various other girls from her high school who have posted these stupid cat pictures on their Myspaces. Regardless, LOLcats is the worst website I have come across. I give LOLcats.com a C for “Can I haz a dik-shon-airy.”
FEBRUARY 5, 2008
Daytona 500 offers race fans true taste for the season
BY NICK PODOLAK Beacon Editor-in-Chief
BY MARK CONGDON, JR. Beacon Opinion Editor Some say it’s not a sport. “How hard is it to drive around in a circle all day?” skeptics will say. Others claim it’s a redneck sport. “Dude, they gave away collectible buckets of NASCAR chicken at KFC.” Listen, the fact of the matter is…talk is cheap. According to USA Today, NASCAR is the nation’s second most watched sport. And while some sports fans would rather sit and watch paint dry, others are itching in anticipation for the SuperBowl of the NASCAR season-the Daytona 500- to scratch their need for speed. Along with the 2008 season come many changes and storylines. First, Sprint will replace Nextel as the cup sponsor, thus making it the Sprint Cup. And more races will start sooner, with 18 races in the 36-race schedule starting at two o’clock or earlier. Jonathan Lazarchick, senior criminology major, enthusiastically said, “It should be a good season. There’s a lot of competition and new sponsors, so the drivers will have to prove they’re worth the sponsorship.” But perhaps the biggest stories headlining the 2008 Sprint Cup focus on how Toyotas will fare after a disappointing performance last year, and how Dale Earnhardt Jr. will perform under his new team, Hendrick Motorsports. Just in case you were living under the hood of a car last October, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will no longer be driving the red number 8 for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated (DEI--his late father’s company), but rather the number 88
Mountain Dew Amp car for Hendrick Motorsports. “His father is rollin’ in his grave right now,” said mechanical engineering major Stan Shaffer. “I think he made a terrible decision. Hendrick is pretty boys racing in a man’s sport.” The move, though unexpected, was in no way surprising. The Intimidator’s second wife, Teresa, was handed DEI after her husband’s tragic death, and was accused of being too controlling, not supplying her Dale Jr. with the best motors available, etc. Now at Hendrick, Junior will have state-ofart equipment, joining the best drivers on the circuit, including last year’s Cup champion, Jimmy Johnson (33 Cup wins, 2 Cup championships) and Jeff Gordon (81 Cup wins, 4 Cup championships). Many see this year as a litmus test for “Little E” (17 Cup wins, 0 championships) to prove he is heir apparent of his father’s long-standing legacy. “I don’t think Junior’s as good a driver as his father, and I
ing brand new Toyotas with attitude. With Kurt Busch and last season’s Rookie of the Year Denny Hamlin hitchin’ a ride with Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), the team may have a threeheaded monster o n
think this will prove it,” Shaffer said. But don’t, for a moment, think that this year’s Chase for the Cup will be comparable to a race between the turtle and the hare, for Tony Stewart and Co. will be creeping up in Hendrick’s rearview mirrors sport-
their hands as far as arrogant person- alities are concerned, but quality drivers behind the wheel might equal a championship for JGR. “Toyota didn’t do anything last year,” Shaffer said. “They had a bunch of crap drivers, and had a negative advantage coming into the season. This year, you have top notch drivers, and it’s goi n g to be the biggest story this year at Daytona, to see how the Toyotas run.” Lazarchick explained, “What makes a great driver is the crew team, not just the driver. The driver is like the quarterback. They have to tell the crew what needs to be done to win the race. The pit-crew is like the offensive weapon, and has to make that driver better. They change the tires, fuel the car up and make sure the car doesn’t fail. They protect the driver to make sure they’re safe and that the car doesn’t malfunction. The spotter and crew chief are like the coach. They have the best view of the track and can tell the driver
fall, while Frank Heffernan (174) earned a win by major decision. Shaun Farnham (125), Josh Pauling (133), Adam Penberthy (157), Shawn Bradley (184) and Chris Smith (197) added wins by decision for the Colonels. Wilkes claimed seven of the ten individual bouts in the victory over Princeton, including forfeit wins secured by Prentice (141), Smith (149) and Bradley (184). Penberthy (157) was a winner by fall and Ryan Wilson (133) scored a win by major decision. Heffernan (165) and Chris Smith (197) contributed wins by decision for Wilkes. Wilkes 42, Wagner -1 125 – Shaun Farnham (Wilkes) dec. Nicholas Keshecki, 5-2 (3-0) 133 – Josh Pauling (Wilkes) dec. Nick
Boghos, 6-2 (6-0) 141 – Brandon Prentice (Wilkes) tech. fall Tyler Harmer, 17-2 (11-0) 149 – Erik Smith (Wilkes) pinned Patrick Larkin, 6:37 (17-0) 157 – Adam Penberthy (Wilkes) dec. Sean Quinn, 8-5 (-1 tm. pt.) (20-minus 1) 165 – James Histed (Wilkes) pinned Marco Tellerico, 2:50 (26-minus 1) 174 – Frank Heffernan (Wilkes) by major dec. Pete Morano, 11-1 (30-minus 1) 184 – Shawn Bradley (Wilkes) dec. Ed Broderick, 7-5 (33-minus 1) 197 – Chris Smith (Wilkes) dec. Anthony Interiano, 4-3 (36-minus 1) 285 – Andrew Feldman (Wilkes) pinned John Graeffe, 4:17 (42-minus 1) Wilkes 34, Princeton 16 125 – Tony Comunale (P) pinned Shaun
where to go and what can help them on the track. The car is the offensive and defensive weapon. The car isn’t going to let another car pass them.” Whatever you do, don’t disparage NASCAR drivers’ athleticism. “To get in a car that is 200-250 degrees and physically work it…it’s not like your car at home. They just started having power steering. Imagine driving a car without power steering. Driving a car without power steering is hard as hell. They need to be physically fit, just like an athlete, a n d when it comes down to it, it takes brains,” Shaffer said. Lazarchick added, “Just because they might not throw a football or anything like that, the drivers train just as hard as any other athlete. People say that NASCAR isn’t a sport because all they do is drive around in circles. That’s like saying someone who runs track isn’t an athlete because they run around in circles…Drivers have to be able to maneuver around other cars that are going at speeds that are very fast. It takes much skill to be able to do that.” The Daytona 500 will go down on February 17 at 1:00, on FOX.
Wrestlers Top Division I Foes: Wagner, Princeton
COURTESY OF SPORTS MARKETING
The nationally-ranked Wilkes University wrestling team picked up a pair of impressive wins over Division I opponents on Saturday afternoon at Franklin & Marshall College. The Colonels scored a 42-minus 1 win over Wagner College in their first match of the day, before disposing of Princeton University, 34-16 in their second match. The Colonels ran their overall dual match record to 17-6-1 with the two victories. Wilkes is currently ranked 19th in the latest NCAA Division III national poll. Erik Smith (149), James Histed (165) and Andrew Feldman (285) each picked up wins by fall against Wagner. Brandon Prentice (141) was a winner by technical
Farnham, 4:11 (0-6) 133 – Ryan Wilson (W) by major dec. Robert Benitez, 14-2 (4-6) 141 – Brandon Prentice (W) by forfeit (10-6) 149 – Erik Smith (W) by forfeit (16-6) 157 – Adam Penberthy (W) pinned Matt Katz, 2:16 (22-6) 165 – Frank Heffernan (W) dec. Mike Alvarez, 9-2 (25-6) 174 – Travis Erdman (P) by major dec. Rich Pellegrini, 13-3 (25-10) 184 – Shawn Bradley (W) by forfeit (3110) 197 – Chris Smith (W) dec. Zack Morse, 6-4 (34-10) 285 – Sam Ritter (P) pinned Jake Weinrich, 6:13 (34-16)
FEBRUARY 5, 2008
Women continue Freedom Conference struggles BY GERARD HETMAN Beacon Asst. Sports Editor In the seven-team race for the Freedom Conference playoffs, the hopes and dreams of the Wilkes University women’s basketball team were dealt several major blows this week. On the heels of a 67-53 loss to FDU-Florham on Wednesday night, the Lady Colonels allowed a season high in points scored while suffering a 93-46 loss at DeSales University on Saturday. The recent losses drop the Lady Colonels to an overall record of 118, while the team remains winless in Freedom Conference play after seven contests. The game also marked a sour homecoming for Wilkes head coach Rachel Emmerthal and assistant coach Kirby Lutz, both of whom enjoyed stellar playing careers on the hardwood at DeSales during their undergraduate years. The Lady Bulldogs took control of the game from the start as they opened play on an 11-0 run in the first half. Wilkes did mount a charge that was capped off at 19-6 by an Erin Schneider lay-up, but the home team refused to fold. Ripping off scoring
runs of 11-0 and 14-0 later in the first period, DeSales crushed any hopes of a Lady Colonels rally and took a 51-15 lead into the halftime locker room. “I think we underestimated their ability to score quickly.” Lady Colonels forward Khadija Bates said of the game afterward. “They came out and scored early and we didn’t respond the way we needed to for us to stay in the game.” The Lady Colonels did narrow the margin of scoring in the second half, as the Bulldogs outpaced Wilkes by a mark of 42-31. Still, the damage had been done early, and DeSales was never seriously threatened en route to its’ fifth straight conference win. Schneider and Sam Lynam led Wilkes with nine points each, while both players grabbed four rebounds. After a non-conference home game with Richard Stockton College on Monday evening, the Lady Colonels will return to Freedom Conference action when they host Delaware Valley on Saturday at 1PM. The Lady Colonels game against the Lady Aggies features the “Think Pink” theme in an effort to fight the war against breast cancer.
The Beacon/Jenna Stephens
Brittany Ely controls the pace against the FDU Lady Devils last Wednesday.
GAMENBAOF THE WEEK Doubleheader Battle of conference rivals as mid-season nears BY TIM SEIGFRIED Beacon Asst. Sports Editor
New Orleans Hornets at Phoenix Suns (2/06)
Two seasons ago, the New Orleans Hornets didn’t have a home. Displaced due to Hurricane Katrina, they spent most of 2005-2007 in Oklahoma City, where they struggled for two seasons with a 77-87 record and without any playoff hopes. Now they find themselves atop the Western Conference, keeping pace with such perennial powerhouses as the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks. Their success is the result of a solid core of young players, including 2006 Rookie of the Year Chris Paul, 20.6 points per game and 10.7 assists per game lead a team that includes center Tyson Chandler (12.1 PPG,12.4 RPG), forward David West (19.5 PPG, 9.3 RPG) and guard-forward Peja Stojakovic (15.2 PPG). While the Hornets are a relatively young team, they are playing with poise and confidence, as they are 12-2 in the month of January. They will need to ride that momentum for the rest of the season, as there is still plenty of time for their opponents to make up lost ground. The Hornets will have their work cut out for them, though, as they are up against the NBA’s best offense in the Phoenix Suns, who are averaging nearly 110 points per game this season, while holding their own in the Pacific division. At the offensive helm is Amare Stoudemire, whose 22.7 points per game lead the team, and Steve Nash, the two-time MVP who is one of the best players in the game today. Nash is putting up 17.4 points per game, along with a team leading 11.9 assists per game. The rest of this juggernaut of an offense is rounded out by guards Leandro Barbosa (16.6 PPG) and Raja Bell (12.3 PPG) along with forwards Shawn Marion (15.7 PPG, 9.9 RPG) and Grant Hill (15.2 PPG). The Suns’ Achilles Heel seems to be their defense, as they are averaging nearly 41
rebounds per game, ranking 24th out of 30 teams in the NBA. However, their offense is good enough to make up for any shortcomings in their defense, which has been unable to stop the Hornets this season. The Suns have faced off against New Orleans twice this season, including a downto-the-wire 101-98 loss in December, and a high-scoring 118-113 loss on January 5. Those two games will not soon be forgotten by the Suns, as they can extract some revenge during this go-round.
The Pick: Phoenix Suns: 105 New Orleans Hornets: 97
Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers (2/05) How do you go from being the laughing stock of the NBA, a storied franchise that is a mockery of its former self to being the best team in the NBA in under a year? Ask the Boston Celtics. The Celtics, who own the NBA’s best record at 35-8, are just one season removed from a 24-58 record that had their loyal fans thinking: “Do I really need to root for a basketball team? I have the Red Sox and the Patriots, are the Celtics really that important to my well-being?” A few blockbuster trades later, and viola, the Celts are back on top while rolling over any team that gets in their way. Thanks to the skills of “The Big Three” of Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Paul Pierce, the boys from Beantown are comfortably gliding along in the Eastern Conference en route to their first playoff berth since the 2004-2005 season. Many thanks go to Kevin Garnett, who is leading the team with ferocity while scoring 19.2 points per game with a team-leading 9.9 rebounds per game. Right behind K.G. is the duo of Allen
(18.0 PPG) and Pierce (20.1 PPG), who, along with Garnett, have averaged 37 minutes per game through 43 games. Rounding out their offense are guards Rajon Rondo (9.6 PPG, 4.0 RPG) and Eddie House (8.1 PPG), 2.3 RPG), center Kendrick Perkins (7.4 PPG, 5.6 RPG) and guardforward James Posey (7.3 PPG, 4.4 RBG). As the Celtics near the All-Star break, they can ill afford to ease up on the rest of the league, as their backups and role players will need to begin to step it up as the wear and tear of the season takes its toll on the starters. Before that happens, though, they will need to go through the defending Eastern Conference Champions, the Cleveland Cavaliers, who are currently second place in their division, and looking for a push that will take them back to the finals. They are led by LeBron James, the wunderkind who is leading the NBA in scoring with 30 points per game, while making his own push to be the MVP. If James wants to live up to his early comparisons to Michael Jordan, he is going to have to step up and lead his young squad in the second half of the season, despite that he is scoring more than twice as many points as anyone else on the team on an offense that ranks 16th in the NBA in offense with 97.27 PPG. Besides James, the only constant offense has come from center Zydrunas Ilgauskas (13.7 PPG), guard Daniel Gibson (11.9 PPG) and forward Drew Gooden (11.5 PPG). If there is one thing that the Cavs have in their favor, it’s their ability to play defense. Cleveland has one of the best defenses in the NBA, averaging nearly 45 rebounds per game and eight steals per game. Their best chance to stay competitive with the Celtics is to outplay them on the defensive side of the ball, while supporting LeBron James under their basket. In the end, the Celtics’ offense is just too good, and will put this game out by the middle of the fourth quarter. The Pick: Boston Celtics: 94 Cleveland Cavaliers: 85 *Statistics are current through 1/30
FEBRUARY 5, 2008
Double Take Steph examines the stats that truly matter... BY STEPHANIE GERCHMAN Beacon Asst. Opinion Editor So, I am told that this week I am to write about a double header. Personally I think it would be a cool idea to make a double header with two teams playing against two other teams. For example, we could pit the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics against the New Orleans Hornets and the Phoenix Suns. That would be really interesting to watch. But I know that this is not the case, so I will just write about what it actually means. The first game is the Cleveland Cavaliers v. the Boston Celtics. When I hear the Cavaliers the first thing I think about is two of my friends who both have silver Cavaliers--Chevy Cavaliers, that is. Apparently, where I am from, the Cavalier is the car to have and frankly I am sick of hearing about them. Also, I really hate the song, “Cleveland Rocks” by Ian Hunter. It’s completely annoying. On the other hand, Boston is the home of many amazing things. The Dropkick Murphys, a Celtic punk band, is from Boston, which gives the city double points in my book. Two more reasons are that the gorgeous Matt Damon is from Boston and he stars in one of my favorite movies “The Departed” which is set in Boston. Hands down this game is going to the Boston Celtics. Next up is the New Orleans Hornets v. the Phoenix Suns. While I am a huge fan of the sun, and I’d like to see a little bit more of it this time of year, I’m going to have to give this one to New Orleans. New Orleans has been through a lot the past three years trying to rebuild after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Also, I’d have to say that Real World: New Orleans was my favorite season to date. There were some crazies on that one, and Real World has never even been in Phoenix. At the end of these two games, the cities with the better pop culture histories pull out on top. Sorry, Cleveland and Phoenix, maybe you should have thought about this before you went against New Orleans and Boston.
FEBRUARY 5, 2008
Athlete of the Week: Chris DeRojas
BY GERARD HETMAN Beacon Asst. Sports Editor When Wilkes men’s basketball coach Jerry Rickrode welcomed a young Chris DeRojas to his youth basketball camps, he saw a player whose skill level on the court was far above than that of his peers. Now, with DeRojas starring on that same court in a Colonels uniform, Rickrode sees the same things from his standout freshman on a daily basis. In only his first year of college basketball, DeRojas has established himself as one of the top players in the Freedom Conference this season. Through Saturday’s game at DeSales, the Kingston, PA native ranks second on the Colonels in scoring at 13.6 points per game, while also leading the squad in steals with 22. Appearing in every game this season, DeRojas has recently found his way into the starting lineup and has provided a huge scoring punch as the team progresses through conference play. Key examples of DeRojas’s explosiveness came early in conference play when he posted three straight 26-point scoring efforts in wins over Arcadia, Manhattanville and Delaware Valley. “It’s a great time playing here, especially with a great group of teammates.” DeRjoas
said recently when asked about his standout rookie campaign. “Coach Rickrode told me during the recruiting process that I’d have a chance to play early, and I’ve tried to step up and do my best with that opportunity.” Although his emergence in a starring role may come as a surprise to some, DeRojas is no stranger to success. In his first two seasons of high school basketball he helped power his Bishop O’Reilly Queensmen to back-to-back state championships in 2004 and 2005. After graduating from O’Reilly as a member of the school’s last senior class before it was consolidated last summer, DeRojas knew he’d found a special place in Wilkes. “I really liked the school when I looked at it, and I’ve known [Rickrode] for a long time, so I was very happy here from the beginning.” DeRojas said. “So far, it’s been a great fit for me.” “We’ve seen Chris play at a high level of the local basketball scene for many years, and we knew what kind of a student-athlete we were getting when he decided to enroll at Wilkes,” Rickrode said recently. “He’s an excellent student of the game who has a high basketball IQ, and has certainly earned his role on the floor for us.”
Rickrode reaches 300 wins
BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Sports Editor He’s pushed dozens of young men to reach higher, hustle and box out. He’s seen amazing game winning shots, heroes
emerge from the bench, and has screamed at many referees. And now, he’s seen his 300th win in his storied coaching career. After directing the men’s basketball team
The Beacon/Jenna Stephens
Head coach Jerry Rickrode, far left, barks out signals from the sideline during the Colonels home game against FDU-Florham last Wednesday.
The Beacon/Jenna Stephens
Freshman Chris DeRojas focuses his attention down the court during the Colonels home game against FDU-Florham (NJ) last Wednesday. The Colonels won 79-54. from the head coach position for 16 consecutive seasons, Jerry Rickrode reached 300 career wins last Wednesday when the Colonels torched FDU-Florham (NJ) at home 79-54. It was a special day for Rickrode. Not only did the Colonels improve to 5-1 in the conference in a game in which every player touched the floor, but three students revealed a banner during the closing minutes of the game that read: “Rickrode’s 300th.” The assistant coaches tapped Rickrode on the shoulder to direct his attention to the student section where the fans were holding up the celebratory sign. Afterward, he gave the students a thumbs-up and blushed until his cheeks shined red. “Those guys are good fans,” said Rickrode. “I tried to keep a lid on the whole 300 thing. I didn’t talk much about it.” Rickrode remained cool throughout the entire contest but those fans certainly got him to crack a well-deserved smile. Rickrodes’ career record currently stands at 300-115 making him the most successful head coach in Colonels men’s basketball history. He began coaching at Wilkes during the 1991-92 season after serving as the assistant coach at Ithaca College. As head coach, Rickrode has led seven different Colonel teams to the Division III NCAA Tournament including the 1997-98 season where his team won the MAC title and advanced
to the Final Four. Rickrode has also been named MiddleAtlantic Regional Coach of the Year for his efforts during the 2000-01, 1998-99, 199798 and 1995-96 seasons. He has also been named Freedom Conference Coach of the Year three times while claiming six of the previous 12 Freedom championships. Throughout his tenure, Rickrode has established an impeccable record. But if you ask him to describe how it feels to win 300 games, he’ll tell you, “It’s not that important to me.” “It’s about the ex-players and the current players. They won the 300 games. I just wanted to get to 5-1 in the conference. That’s what we tried to focus on.” Junior Steve Kline came out firing against FDU on behalf of Rickrode by scoring 18 points in the first half and ended up with a career high 25 points. “We all were aware that it was Rickrodes’ 300th and we wanted to take care of them (FDU) for him,” said Kline, the power forward from Bridgewater (NJ). “That’s a big milestone especially as a Division III coach, because it’s not like Division I where guys are there for a lifetime. In Division III, coaches aren’t there that long. Three hundred wins...he’s got a lot of pull. People know his name. He’s a big dog now.” Rickrode holds the Division III record for the fastest coach to reach 200 wins. He completed that task in just 249 games.
FEBRUARY 12, 2008
Colonels score triple digits in win over Aggies BY CARLTON HOLMES Beacon Sports Editor If Saturday’s game against Delaware Valley was any indication of how the Colonels will perform down the stretch, you’re looking at a team that will be granted home court advantage at least during the first round of the conference playoffs. The Colonels beat the brakes off the Aggies in a highly up-tempo contest 100-67, in front of an estimated 700 basketball fans watching from the stands of the Marts Gymnasium. Transition baskets and stingy defense were the key recipes for the Colonels who held the Aggies to just under 40 percent shooting and forced 18 turnovers while netting 60.7 percent from the field, their second highest shooting percentage of the sea-
son (The team’s season high was 65 percent against Manhattanville on1/22). That win improves the Colonels to 12-8 overall and 6-2 in the MAC Freedom conference which places the team third behind DeSales University and Manhattanville College. The Colonels beat Manhattanville which puts them in control of the second seed. The only reason they trail Manhattanville is because the Valiants played one more conference game than the Colonels. Both of the Colonels conference losses were to the DeSales Bulldogs. The sloppy Aggies are 2-19, 0-9 in the conference. Delware Valley was out-hustled throughout the entire contest. At halftime, the Colonels doubled the Aggies point total as the score
stood 53-26. If any adjustments were made to slow down the Colonels in the locker room, they certainly did not work. At one point during the second half, DelVal’s Brian Hilinski missed a wide open lay-up from the right side and Aggies head coach, Denny Surovec, smacked his teeth, flapped his arms and asked, “Are you kidding me?” Yes coach, the entire game was a joke. But that’s largely due to how well the Colonels have been playing at home recently. They have won three of their last four at home, winning each game by more than 20 points. “I know it’s a young bunch, but we’re catching on,” said head coach Jerry Rickrode. “We are not one of the more veteran teams (in the conference) but we can be
dangerous.” Four Colonels reached doublefigures including junior forward Steve Kline who led all scorers with a career-high 26 points by connecting on nine of his 11 attempts in 25 minutes played. Sophomore Tom Kresge followed with 20 points and made all but one attempt. He went 8-9 from the floor. Both Kresge and Kline hit both of their attempts from behind the three-point line. As a team, the Colonels cashed in 10 of their 18 attempts from downtown including 8-14 in the first half. Junior guard Jason Seipt and senior forward Zack Van Dyke led the Aggies with 13 apiece. The Colonels have three games left to play before the Freedom Conference playoffs. They go on the road Wednesday to face Man-
The Beacon/Matthew Gogas
hattanville and come back home Saturday to face Arcadia University and King’s College next Tuesday. “We are in a strong position to make a run in the conference playoff,” said freshman guard Chris DeRojas, leader of the Colonels scoring attack with 14.7 points per game. “I think we’re ready.”
Conference Standings 1. DeSales, 7-2 2. Manhattanville, 7-2 3. Wilkes, 6-2 4. King’s, 6-3 5. Arcadia, 3-5 6. FDU-Florham, 1-7 7. Del. Val., 0-9
Published on May 29, 2010
Published on May 29, 2010
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