2 I The Behrend Beacon
Bird Flu sweeps Indonesia
JAKARTA, Indonesia: Indonesian officials are prepared to declare a state of national emer
gency after the HSNI strain of the bird flu was discovered to have spread to almost the entire
country's bird population.
The bird flu, also called the avian flu, is dangerous to humans but does not yet pass easi
ly from person to person. The current epidemic in Indonesia has killed 63 people so far, with
a growing risk of infection due to the amount of birds affected.
"It has become an epidemic," Indonesian government official Paskah Suzetta told
reporters on Wednesday. "The president has indicated he will declare it a national disaster
so money can be allocated from the state budget's disaster fund."
International health officials are concerned that the virus has become endemic to the entire
chicken population in Indonesia, where many families domestically raise chickens in their
back yards as a source of meat and eggs. The large chance of exposure to humans may cause
the virus to evolve into a form that is more easily transmittable between humans, possibly
causing a plague that could kill millions. To prevent this from happening, the Indonesian
government is ordering the mass slaughter of every domestic bird in the country.
"I will show no tolerance," said Jakarta Governor Sutiyoso after a meeting with other offi
cials to discuss an eradication plan. "Chickens found running loose will be immediately
killed, the sick ones thrown into a fire and the healthy ones given to owners to be fried and
eaten."
Mooninites cause
BOSTON, Massachusetts: Small electric devices hearing images of
the "Mooninite" characters from the Cartoon Network Adult Swim
program "Aqua Teen Hunger Force" as part of a marketing campaign
were mistaken for bombs, causing citywide transportation stoppages.
The advertisements, which are about one foot square in size and less
than an inch thick, use four batteries and a simple light sensor to light
up the pattern of small LEDs plugged into a black plastic hoard as
soon as light levels drop at. nightfall. They were placed in various pub
lic high-traffic areas such as tunnels, bridges, overpasses, and public
buildings to ensure that a large quantity of people saw them.
The two men who had put the signs up. employees of the third-party
advertising firm Interference, Inc., have both been arrested and held
on charges of placing hoax devices in the intent of causing panic and
Quotes on Civility
It is strangely absurd to suppose that a million
of human beings, collected together, are not
under the same moral laws which bind each of
them separately."
Janet Neff Sample Center
for Manners &Civility 104
Source: CNN.com, Yahoo! News
By Patrick Webster
managing editor
- Thomas Jefferson
"It's so not threatening --
it's a Lite-Brite. I don't
understand how they
could be terrified."
-New York resident
Todd Venderlin
were apathetic to the situ
ation, as the signs in all the cities had been up for nearly three
weeks, had not caused a problem anywhere else, and were locat
ed on free public property.
"We haven't had any calls to 911 regarding
this." Seattle police spokesman Sean Whitcomb told
AP reporters on Wednesday.
"At this point we wouldn't even begin an inves
tigation, because there's no reason to believe any
crime has occurred." Portland Police Sergeant Brian
Schmautz said. He also noted there were no plans to
remove the signs.
"It's so not threatening -- it's a Lite-Brite," said New
York resident Todd Venderlin to a Boston Globe reporter.
"I don't understand how they could be terrified. I would
if it was a hunch of circuits blinking, but it wasn't."
Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley
continued from page 1
but there are always some brave individuals who can be seen
walking along the narrow road leading to Gobbler's Knob.
All who gather at Gobbler's Knob can be found bundled up
in winter coats, scarves and gloves. trying to keep warm in the
early hours of the morning while they wait to see Phil. There
are campfires, concession stands and festive music to keep the
crowd occupied during their wait. Finally at 7:30 a.m. Phil is
brought out of his of his heated hole and on to the stage.
According to the official Groundhog Day website,
www.groundhog.org, Phil sees his shadow approximately
Penn State to develop domestic violence program
A silent epidemic known as domestic violence affects the
lives of victims everywhere. To address the growing con
cern of domestic violence, Penn State plans to develop a
comprehensive domestic violence educational program.
Penn State will use a $300,000 grant from the Verizon
Foundation to fund the program. The program will be avail
able to all University students and employees at every Penn
State campus.
Domestic violence affects victims at home, at work, and
even at school. According to a study by the Family Violence
Prevention Fund, 74 percent of employed battered women
were harassed by their partners at work. In the United
States, more than 5,000 cases of workplace violence are
reported everyday. Furthermore, according to a National
Domestic Abuse Study, one out of three women around the
world will be a victim of domestic violence during their
lifetime.
To address the growing concern of domestic violence,
Penn State Public Broadcasting (PSPB) in corporation with
The Centre County Women's Resource Center (CCRWC)
plans to develop a multi-media project called, "The Penn
State Community at Work: Workplace Responses to
Domestic Violence." Penn State President Graham B.
Miss USA enters rehab, promises change
NEW YORK: After almost losing her Miss USA title, Tara Conner claims she will give up her hard partying
lifestyle. There has been continuous speculation about how Conner was spending her nights, and questions of
alcoholism and drug addiction caused the 21-year-old to seek rehab.
"I didn't think I had an issue -- but I was willing to do anything to save my job. ... I've realized that I suffer
from the disease of alcoholism and addiction," says Conner. She entered a 31-day rehab program at the Caron
Foundation in Wernersville, Pennsylvania for treatment for drugs and alcohol abuse. Conner was recently inter
viewed for the upcoming issue of People magazine saying, "I was an equality-opportunity (user) I would try
anything once. Cocaine was one of the drugs that I did use."
Donald Trump, owner of the Miss USA pageant was also involved in the public dispute, and unlike most of
the pageant community, Trump encouraged her to seek help in order to keep her title. Conner says it was
Trump's request the convinced her to enter rehab.
Conner left the Caron Foundation for the first time to do the interview with People magazine, where she
admitted to using cocaine. However, her most common drug of choice was alcohol, which she said became a
need for her. "I'm an alcoholic. It was a craving thing once I put it in my body, I would start craving more,"
says Conner. She was seen drinking so much that she would become belligerent and dance on tables.
Alcohol and cocaine were not the only subjects of great dispute; the question of Conner's promiscuity has also
raised great concern. Conner says, "I would talk to more than one guy at once it doesn't mean that I was sexu
ally active with every one of these people." The downward spiral began when Conner moved to New York City
from her home in Kentucky. Conner does not blame the problems on her move to New York City, but credits
wanting to fit in. in her new setting. "I thought I needed to be around people, that I needed that acceptance," she
says. Fortunately, Conner seems to be regaining control of her life and her addictions. She still lives in New
York City, but she is no longer completely alone, as a chaperone has moved in with her. Conner says this will
hopefully make her feel more comfortable and decrease her desire to go out during the night.
Currently Conner's main goal is to get back to fulfilling her Miss USA duties and enjoying her life as a
responsible 21-year-old Kentucky native living in New York City. Conner says, "I just can't wait to get back to
work -- 'l'm Miss USA, my name is Tara Conner, and I'm happy to meet you,' you know? Life is good."
Boston bomb scare
disorderly conduct. They
are fighting the hoax
charge on the grounds that
there was no hoax or
intent to cause panic.
Road and river traf
fic screeched to a halt in
the city as bomb squads
were dispatched to find
and remove the signs from
public property,
Law enforcement
officials of other cities
By Jessica Samol
staff writer
ri
~)
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
"Mooninite,"an animated character caused an extreme bomb scare in
Boston after being advertised for the Aqua Teen Hunger Force movie.
made repeated statements regarding how dangerous the lighthoard
looked.
"It had a very sinister appearance, - Coakley told reporters. "It had a
battery behind it, and wires."
The signs, part of a marketing campaign for an upcoming Aqua
Teen Hunger Force movie, were placed in Boston, New York City. Los
Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, Seattle, Portland, Austin, San Francisco,
and Philadelphia.
90% of the time, leaving the chance of a short winter very
slim.
The entire day is one big party in Punxsutawney. There are
activities like a pancake breakfast, a scavenger hunt, ground
hog cookie decorating contest, a story telling festival, wood
chuck whittle carving show, and a showing of the movie
"Groundhog Day". Groundhog Day is a strange holiday with
very unique traditions, and loyal celebrators who turn one
small central Pennsylvania town in to the nonstop
Punxsutawney party, making the holiday on February 2, one of
the Pennsylvania's best kept secrets.
For more information about Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney
or for directions to the festival, go to www.groundhog.org.
Spanier says, "The program will provide all Penn State
employees and students with accurate and helpful informa
tion about the dynamics of domestic violence and the
resources available to assist victims."
Vital to the project is a three-hour workshop consisting of
three sections: The Dynamics of Domestic Violence,
Workplace Responses, and a video case study of a recent
domestic violence homicide in Centre County. The work
shop will provide basic information about the dynamics of
domestic violence, address specific issues relevant to
domestic violence in the workplace, and give examples of
domestic violence incidents. The project plans to also
include an interactive Web site containing information
about domestic and relationship violence.
According to Ted Krichels, the general manager of PSPB,
there are high hopes for the project, saying, "We believe
that this critical project has the potential to reach a wide
audience and create a greater understanding of domestic
violence." The project aims at creating a greater under
standing of domestic violence by the community.
"The Penn State Community at Work: Workplace
Responses to Domestic Violence" program is projected to
reach the community this fall. Penn State will then enter the
fight against domestic violence, serving as a model to the
community and supporting those who are victims of domes
tic violence.
Friday, February 2, 2007