Opinions
Pac-Man gobbles student pocketbooks
By George P. Yanoshik , Jr
"Pac-Man," "Asteroids,"
"Space Invaders," sounds
like we are being taken over
by creatures from outer
space. Actually, though,
these are a few of the com
mon names of the new- com
puterized video games fold
in arcades, supermarkets,
convenience stores, lobbies of
movie theatres, etc.
everywhere.
Pac-Man fever, a national
craze, has reached epidemic
proportions here at
Highacres, too. Everyday a
crowd gathers around the
PaC-Man machine in the
Commons Building as players
with "the fever" anxiously
await their turn. According to
a recently published report,
about $5 billion was dropped
into game-machine slots na
tionally last year. There are enough you are bound to keep
currently over 100,000 of these improving and accumulating
machines gobbling up higher and higher scores. For
quarters nationwide. - some reason, we dff love we
With the video invasion challenge of self
here with the first wave of the improvement, and, video
computer age doubts about games give us a feeling of ac
the practicality or purpose of complishment, sometimes
the games arise. after frequent failure,
For students there are though. Pac-Man requires
fears that the games are ad- about 90 percent skill and on
dictive and distracting from ly to percent hand-and-eye
homework and other ac- coordination while other at
tivities. Also, arcades and tack games range from 90
video centers may be the site percent hand-and-eye coor
of fights, drug exchanges, dination to 50-50 percent.
etc. The list of fears against A tremendous, sometimes
video games goes on and on. mind-boggling challenge is
To be totally objective, faced each time a - play&
though, we must also take a drops his quarter into the
look at the positive side of machine. It 4s a challenge
these games. It is not easy to that appeals to youngsters
beat them because they are and teenagers of both sexes,
contests demanding much and adults, too. Occasionally,
skill Human reflexes and a a faculty member or two can
perton's reaction time are be seen battling with the
locked in a headto-head bat- - games 'here at , the Hazleton
tle with a well-programmed Campus. It pea to show -that
computer. If you play long students haven't cornered the
video-pipe market alone!
college, I tau& they should
Learning to make decisions seriously consider and' in- I
can be a difficult process for, quire into a term with the
young woe to learn but it is armed service. Many of them Aft
important that each person may say that the service is G -
learn to make decisions for not for them, but if college is
•
himself. Parents seem to ex- not for them either, they
ert the strangest influence or could be saving thousands of
decisions that their children dollars. The idea of .enlisting
make if they do not make the in an armed service may
decisions themselves . • sound outlandish, but if they
Three years Of service to :want to mature and learn how e
the Army does not make me to" make decisions for
all-knowledgeable on the themselves, the service is a
r,
benefits and disadvantages of good start and offers two to
the Armed Services. But since four years to learn. The arm- • dr
corning to Highacres anti -ed services provide the en- '0
talking with many students vironment for challenge.
who came into college a few If you are not sure about your
months after graduating future and sour college
from high school, I've learned education, the armed ser
that many of them have no in- vices can be a wise and pro- .
terest in learning,. For young fitable experience in matur
people not wanting to attend ing a young person.
As popular as it is, Pac-
Man's success is now being
threatened on two fronts.
First, Atari recently unveiled
a "Ms. Pac-Man" &nig
based on her thole eounter-
part's wide intrigue.- Another
_is that a Pac-Man home video
game is.on the verge of being
marketed.,
Atari officials believe that
the PaC-Man home video
game will be extremely suc
cessful can the American
market. They have gone so
far as to predict that, in time,
it will be found in one of every
ten homes in the United
States. Things are really look
ing bright for Pac-Man fans.
The home game may
alleviate the long lines in
front of video games
throughout arcades nation
wide, and players will even
tually be able to relieve their
frustrations and anxieties in
the comfort of their own
homes!
Until then, Pac-Man
players, save your quarters,
buy a video game code book,
and try. to outsmart the com
puter. Yeti _may get several
hours of.playing time on just
one quarter if...you memorize
the manual.
When in the Commons dur
ing this Spring Term, keep
'your eye on the Pac-Man
machine. It should be in
teresting trying to pick out
the people who have chosen to
memorize the Pac-Man code
book instead of studying their'
math or science!
THE HIGHACRES COLLEGIAN
Vol. 17, No. 3
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Executive Editors
Astociate Editor
Adviser
Dr. Michael Santulli
COLLEGIAN STAFF MEMBERS
News Editor
Feature Editor
Sports Editor
Business Manager
Photography Editor
Lay-out Editor
Writers
Photographers
The RIGHACRES COLLEGIAN office is located in the South Building
in Room 108. Office hours are Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from
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The phone nutnt;iel; Of the COLLEGIAN is ( 717) 454-6559
Unsigned editorials represent the official. view of the COLLEGIAN.
Views expressed in bylined articles are those of the individual
contributor, and they do not necessarily reflect the view of the
COLLEGIAN. Responsible comment to printed material is invited.
15
From the
editors desk
Taking a look- at the Spr
ingtime activities here on
campus, it is safe to say that
the Hazleton Campus will
have a fairly active Spring.
It is certainly a welcome
calendar following a long,
gloomy winter, and now it
will be interesting to see how
well the campus events go
over. Just in the way of outlin-'
ing some of the upcoming
events, Drama Club is cur
rently working on its own pro
duction. Congratulations to
that club's president, Bob
Tier, for taking the initiative
to undertake such a project.
HCAC is also working on a
tremendous project, the an
nual March of Dimes Walk-A-
Thon. That group is also look
ing into the Big Brother/Big
Sister program.
The SGA is planning the
Awards Banquet to be held on
April 30 at Gus Genetti's Best
Western Motor Lodge. Alum
ni Club is bringing the Penn
State Symphonic Blue Band
to .Hazleton on April 4. The
Chorus is producing "HMS
Pinnafore," as its annual pro
ject. Outings Club is setting
up a raft race. Vets Club is
working on a Ping Pong Tour
nament. HCV has at least
three new programs in its
Spring, lineup, in addition to
its present production
schedule.
There are more things go
ing on on campus, and to the
many clubs and organizations
planning them, thanks for
helping to make the Hazleton
Campus a more livable en
vironment.
The Executive Editors
March 26,1982
Jerry Trently
Kelly A. Yale
George P. Yanoshik, Jr.
Lori A. Emerich
Terry McCarthy
Pam Eppinger
Donna Rose Roberts
Jayne Ann Bugda
Tony Leshinskie
Joseph Krushinskie, Jr
Bill Boyer
Jayne Ann Bugda
John Cusatis
Nick Pizani
Pam Eppinger
Tony Leatiinskie
Terry McCarthy
Alita &Arita
Jay Exner
Steve Zarik
Tim Swarr
Tom Swarr
Tom Topoleski
Tony Leshinskie
Jerry Trently
Lynn Ritebauer
Tory