By Kelly Nagurny Assistant Editor kxnl63@psu.edu There are many options for contraceptive methods, but the best choice for individuals depends mostly on lifestyle and preference. Raffy R. Luquis, Ph.D., assis tant professor of health educa tion, recently explained the dif ferent kinds of contraception to Penn State Harrisburg students in a seminar entitled “Contraception: Let the Choice Be Yours.” According to Luquis, over 49 percent of pregnancies in the United States are unintended and could have been prevented with the proper use of a contra ceptive method. “Sometimes people don’t talk about it [contraception] until it’s too late,” he said. Luquis explained that the major categories of contraceptives are hormonal, chemical, barrier, nat ural, permanent, abstinent and emergency. He detailed many examples of each kind. One of the most widely-known methods of contraception is oral pills, which are a hormonal method. Hormonal means of contraception prevent ovulation in females by thickening mucus membranes to prevent sperm PSH students voice opinions on upcoming By Herb Smith Staff Reporter hjsl3s@psu.edu As the Presidential Campaign nears the home stretch, it is quite obvious to everyone that this is one tight race. The race between incumbent, George W. Bush and Senator John Kerry, has the potential to be one of the closest in our nation’s history. For months, the polls have shown a virtual dead heat between the two candidates. Both candidates have said that one of their aims is to get the young people out to vote. Adults 18-24 represent the smallest number of people that actually Students meander out of classroom into The River’ Steve O’Holla Staff Reporter saol42@psu.edu When selecting a course, most students want to choose one that is interesting, challenging, and fits into their schedule. How about one that revolves around a field trip as well? “The River” also known as “I Hum 300 W” fits into all of these categories. The Susquehanna River, the topic for the entire semester, is what we are study ing in depth. The River has shaped so many aspects of life in this state, country and even world and since it is right in our backyard, taking a trip down the river was a no-brainer. Professors Eton Churchill and Glen Mazis, along with Career Several students arrive at their destination along the City Island boat ramp after a long day of paddling. Let’s talk about sex, baby from penetrating. When properly used, the pill is 97-99 percent effective. Human error, such as forgetting to take the pill on a regular basis, is responsible for the one to three percent of fail ure. This method has few side effects, can treat acne and has reversible effects. However, it can be adversely affected by smoking and certain medica tions, said Luquis. Another method of contracep tion discussed was Norplant, which is not currently available in the United States. Norplant involves inserting a small cap sule under the skin of a female’s upper arm. It provides protection for one year and then dissolves. Despite its convenience, said Luquis, the cost is a drawback. A year’s worth of protection costs between $5OO and $750. Groans emerged from the audi ence of over 100 students, most ly male, when the method of sterilization was approached by Luquis, who enhanced this part of his slideshow with a large pic ture of scissors. Sterilization is permanent and can be per formed on both males and females. However, many cou ples opt for the male to undergo the procedure because it is sig nificantly less expensive. While female sterilization, which requires general anesthesia, go to the polls and vote. M.T.V. has launched a campaign to get the younger adults to the polls. Their campaign is built on a prin ciple of 20 million people of vot ing age, that don’t vote. And in an election this tight, those 20 mil lion, if they do vote, will swing the vote in one direction and decide who will lead this country for the next four years. Since the major ity of those 20 million are young adults, it’s no wonder that both candidates have set their sights on the younger voters. The Capital Times interviewed over 70 students at Penn State Harrisburg, from varying majors, to get a better idea of how the young people at this school are Services Director and paddeling expert Karl Martz originally planned a three-day trip that included camping and canoeing. However, with the flooding and high water levels, the trip had to be postponed until Saturday, Oct. 16. Finally, the day of the trip had arrived. I had watched the weather channel all week, plan ning how many layers of clothing I would need to go canoeing. It was only supposed to reach 60 degrees, and combined with the wind, a few layers would be needed. However, instead of the three-day trip, it was consolidat ed into a one-day canoeing excursion, which alleviated all of the supplies we would have needed for camping. We all arrived at Fort Hunter costs $2,000 to $6,000, male sterilization only costs $250 to $520. Emergency contraception is also an option available to reduce the chance of pregnancy within 72 hours of possible con traception. “This should be one of your last choices. But some times accidents happen,” said Luquis. This kind of contracep tion, commonly called “Plan B” or “Preven,” is only available by prescription. However, the FDA is exploring the possibly of offer ing it over the counter. Finally abstinence is the only “100 percent effective” way of preventing pregnancy and sexu ally transmitted diseases. Many people practice abstinence because of religious beliefs, fear of pregnancy and to focus on other aspects of their relation ship, said Luquis. Other methods that Luquis dis cussed include contraceptive patches, hormonal shots, vaginal rings, condoms, diaphragms, spermicides and the rhythm method. “It [the seminar] was pretty informative. Very informative actually,” said Chris Renshaw, 17, a freshman computer sci ence major. “I knew a lot of this information already, but there was stuff I didn’t know about too. It was very informative.” voting. Out of students inter viewed that said they would be voting, 47% were supporting Sen. Kerry; President Bush received 43% and 9% said they were undecided. This poll mirrors those conducted by sources all over the country. This race is a dead heat here at Penn State just like the rest of the country, and the undecided voters will decide the winner. Some of the students were asked what issue most affected their decision. An Education major said she was supporting Sen. Kerry because he had a better plan for education and that is the issue that will most affect her life. A Communications major State Park around 8:45a.m. that morning, all not knowing what to expect. As we carried our canoes towards the river, I wondered how I would do out on the water. I had never canoed before, so this was a new experience for me. One fear I had was falling into the water, which several of my classmates shared with me. With the reassurance from the faculty, however, I hoped every thing would be okay. After a few quick instructions, several safety warnings, and one last prayer, we got into our respective canoes and began our journey down the Susquehanna. Since Churchill, Mazis, Martz, and other faculty would be joining us, I knew that we would be helped if the need arose- which, it did. My partner and I had a little trouble steering, which is done by the person who sits in the rear of the boat, called the stern. However, after a quick lesson by Karl Marx, and positive encour agement from all, we were able to keep up with the group and truly experience all the river had to offer. My arms began to feel weak after paddling several miles, but the motivation inspired me to keep on going. We were nearing a bridge, and as we were instructed we had to get on our knees and paddle even harder. News The future of contraception holds much advancement for males, said Luquis. “Thermal briefs” may soon be available and will use either body heat or external heat to suppress sperm production. The “invisible con dom” may also be available in the future and can be sprayed on to an erect penis to act as a sec ond skin, preventing pregnancy. Additionally, an oral contracep tive for men is also being devel oped. According to a recent report by www.smartersex.org, “Only 60 percent of women know how to use a condom correctly and most say (60 percent) they would still have sex even if their partner refused to wear a con dom. What’s more, in separate research, Planned Parenthood reports that of 100 women whose partners use condoms, about 14 will become pregnant during the first year of typical use.” The report also said that 87 per cent of men know how to proper ly use a condom. For the report, 1,051 students between the ages of 18 and 24 were sur veyed. For more information on contra ception and other health issues, visit Health Services in Olmsted W-102. said she was supporting Pres. Bush because of his views on abortion and gay marriage and because she agreed with the War in Iraq. This election has gained a lot of attention, even more than presi dential campaigns in the past. The country is so evenly split on the issues that the winner may be the person who can draw out the most support from people who don’t normally vote. Both sides are claiming they have had millions of new voters register for this election. Such hot topics as the War in Iraq and the War on Terror have gained the public’s interest and record numbers should be expected at the polls The ironic thing was that even though the wave's were much worse than normal conditions, we all agreed that somewhere we got this inner strength that invigorated us to paddle harder. One can also realize that when on the river, there is no sense of time. Even though I had to be somewhere later in the day, time surpassed me quite fast and before I knew it, four hours had already passed. The bitter wind pinched my exposed face and hands, while my hoodie and sweatpants felt the effects of the rain that had started to fall half way through the trip. Even with the rain and the cold, the constant paddling kept us warm. Just the scenery, which included everything from refriger ators that had been dumped in the water to decoys of birds and ducks, kept us intrigued. Since the river affects many industries, we got to see first hand every thing that the river virtually touch es on a day-to-day basis. We were able to see all of the good and bad the Susquehanna had to offer. No longer was it “just a river,” to us; the river in a sense become a part of us as we approached take out at Indian Steps. As I reconcile the day’s events, I really am glad I decided to go on the trip. Not only did I learn a new skill, I saw the river like I Dr. Luquis, assistant professor of health education, holds a female condom for all to see as he discusses contraceptive choices. on November 2. It is hard to believe that after how close the 2000 election was, Gore lost New Mexico by 230 votes, that this race is shaping up to be even closer. Perhaps the public learned something from the 2000 election: that every vote does count. In this campaign, it isn’t possi ble to be confused as to who supports what. These candidates couldn’t disagree more on the issues. In case you’ve been in a cave for the last year, here’s how the candidates stack up on some of the issues: Pres. Bush is against gay marriage and gay adoption while Sen. Kerry sup These students paddle tandem down the Susquehanna River as part of a class at PSH. The students paddled approximately six miles from Fort Hunter to City Island. never saw it before. I never real ized that so many industries such as the coal, transportation, food, etc, rely on the Susquehanna River for its natu ral resources. The history of the river is very fascinating and important because it has made the surrounding communities what they are today. I plan on taking another canoe The Capital Times Photo by Kelly Nagurny election ports civil unions and gay adop tion. Sen. Kerry is against oil drilling in the Artie, and Pres. Bush supports drilling. Sen. Kerry also wants to repeal Pres. Bush’s tax cut. These are just a few of the many issues in this campaign. Of course there is the War in Iraq which is going good or bad depending on which side you talk to. It is so important to go out and vote. Some of the issues men tioned affect every American and if we don’t agree with one side, we can easily vote for the other candidate. The important thing is, as the M.T.V. campaign says, let your voice be heard. Photos by Jessica Pouchan ing trip, but next time it definitely will be in the summer. Some advice for those of you who do not want to miss out on the river experience-learn the basics first, bring a water bottle, an extra set of clothing, and a positive atti tude. With these things in mind, you too, will see a new side of the Susquehanna - the river of dreams.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers