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NEWS DRIEFS 1
Singled Out
The Student Programming Council is planning a version of the famous
MTV game show “Singled Out” on Saturday, Nov. 16 in the Reed
Commons. Through Nov. 8 SPC will have a sign-up in the Wintergreen
Cafe lobby from 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. for those interested in being a
contestant.
From those who sign up, 31 girls and 31 guys will be chosen to be
contestants. If anyone is interested or has any questions, contact Brandie
Gladfelter at 898-6970 or Nicole Taylor at 898-7014.
Tempus call for submissions
Tempus, the Penn State-Behrend Literary Magazine, is accepting
submissions for the 1997 issue. Undergraduate students from Penn State-
Behrend, Mercyhurst College, Gannon University, and Edinboro University
are invited to submit their literary and artistic works.
Poetry should be single spaced; prose should be double spaced. No
longer than 15 pages for fiction and non-fiction and all artwork should be
black and white. Submissions must be received by Nov. 25 to be included in
1997 Tempus.
Send works to:Tempus in the SGA Suite, Behrend College, Station Road,
Erie, PA 16563. Questions can be emailed to ERlC2OlOoaol.com
Robbins may plead insanity
Alleged Sept. 17 shooter of Melanie Spalla, 21, and Nicholas Mensah,
22, Center County authorities speculate that Jillian Robbins may plead
insanity.
Charged with first- and third-degree murder, five counts of attempted
murder and aggravated assault, Robbins will undergo a psychiatric
evaluation ordered by her lawyer, public defender Deborah Lux.
However, the line of defense may not work for Robbins; because of a bill
recently passed by the state Senate, juries can no longer find a defendant
innocent by legal insanity.
Another option for Robbins who according to friends stayed at the
Meadows Psychiatric Center earlier this year would be to plead guilty but
mentally ill, which would put her in a psychiatric center until she is fit to go to
prison
"‘Courtesy the Digital Collegian located at http://wvm.colleglan.psu.edu"
Low PA voter turnout
Pennsylvania voter participation has been below 60 percent in every
presidential election since 1972, and this year was no different • fewer than
half of the eligible voters in Pennsylvania voted on Tuesday. Below 49
percent, only about 4.5 million out of the 9.2 million PA eligible voters
responded to Tuesday's election. The previous low of 50 percent was in
1988, when George Bush beat Michael Oukakis for president.
Even though the Pennsylvanian’s voted to re-elect a Democratic
president, their ballots supported most of the state's Republican spots. State
Republicans gained two Mouse seats and one senate seat on Tuesday; two
of the three state row-offices were claimed by Republicans as well (Mike
Fisher, attorney general and Barbara Hater, state treasurer). Bob Casey, Jr.
was the only Democratic winner in the row-office races (auditor general).
Pennsylvania proved to be an easy supportive win for Clinton with 23
electoral votes coming from the state. Clinton’s biggest support from the
state came from Philadelphia where he won more than 400,000 votes.
Life in space?
Possibilities for extraterrestrial life will be explored by Dr. Roger Knacke,
head of the Division of Science, in his lecture, “The Search for Life in the
Universe" today at 7:30 p.m. in the Reed Lecture Hall.
The lecture will describe the recently discovered meteorite from Mars
which has hinted at microbia life on that planet. Knacke will discuss newly
observed planets, as well as efforts to detect radio messages that might be
sent to earth by intelligent life forms in outer space.
Knacke’s presentation is the third of the 1996-97 Open House Nights in
Astronomy. Following the lecture will be a viewing of stars and planets with
the college’s small telescopes, weather permitting.
Knacke is a NASA-funded scientist who has written extensively in the
fields of planetary science, interstellar matter, and star and planet formation.
Admission is free, but voluntary donations are accepted. For more
information call the Division of Science at 898-6105.
Wired for the 90’s
The “High Priest of High Tech” John Battelle will speak at Behrend
Wednesday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 p.m. in the Reed Commons.
Battelle is founder and executive managing editor of Wired magazine. It
has been described as “one of the hottest new technology magazines
around-combining Day-Glo graphics with off-beat articles ranging from the
breathless to the irreverent about the 'digital generation' and its high-tech
toys."
Battelle is also director of new business for the magazine’s parent
company, Wired Venture Ltd., which oversees Hot Wired Online Service, the
largest and most successful commercial site on the Internet.
WEEKEND WEATHER
WITH JOEY STEVENS
TODAY : Mostly Cloudy, Windy & Warm. A
few showers in the afternoon. High 69°
TONIGHT: Overcast, Rainy. Low 48°
FRIDAY: Windy, Cooler, Clouds & showers
early. High 48°
SATURDAY : Windy, Cooler, Cloudy,
Flurries. Some Lake Effect Snow. High 40°
SUNDAY: Variably Cloudy, Windy, Cold.
Additional flurries & snow. High 36°
Election brings mixed feelings
by Bob Misulich
Collegian Staff
The elections have ended and
Behrend students have had mixed
feelings about the outcome as well
as the electoral process.
Incumbent Bill Clinton clinched
another four years as head of the
state, the first Democrat to do so
since Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Because this is his final term,
Clinton will not be concerned with
re-election politics.
Behrend junior, Jim Weaver,
said, “He can finally do what he
wants in his last term because he
doesn’t have to worry about re
election.”
“Our opinion doesn’t count
They should...let us elect our
Promises of increased funding for doesn’t count. They should do
higher education was a relevant away with the electoral college and
issue for college students in this let us elect our own leaders.”
year’s campaign. Clouse said he believes
Dr. Rob Speel, professor of Americans need to find a way to
political science, said he believes split a state’s votes according to
this is more likely to happen with the popular vote.
Clinton than Dole.
Bob Misulich/Collegian Photographer
Meeting the candidate: Two Behrend students had the opportunity to meet
local candidate Susan Hughes Tuesday outside Brookside Fire Hall before
Although Congress may want to Large states like California,
cut spending, Clinton has the which has 54 electoral college
power to veto any cuts. votes, make it vital for candidates
However, neither party has wanting to win the race to capture
addressed the taxation of younger these votes,
citizens to help fund the elderly Political Science major, Dave
entitlement programs . According Cardone said, "Our government has
to Speel, the elderly have more the responsibility to get rid of
clout since they turn out to vote in ‘winner take all’ states.”
larger numbers; the number of Speel suggested a Two Step
people under thirty who vote is less Presidential Election to make the
than 30 percent. election process fair. If there is no
Another issue some Behrend clear winner of the majority vote,
students said concerned them is the a run-off of the top two candidates,
electoral college process of excluding all others would be held,
choosing the president.
One down, Congress to go
by Danielle M. Murphy
Editor in Chief
President Clinton is once again
savoring the taste of victory,
crushing Republican Bob Dole
with a 31-state sweep.
Clinton now confronts a
stronger Republican Congress and
a possible round of investigations
on a variety of ethics issues.
Clinton kept key state after key
state, including past GOP states
such as New Hampshire and
Florida, as well as several major
battlegrounds in the Midwest.
The first Democrat in more than
50 years to win a second term,
Clinton claimed the election held
an appeal from Americans to “put
aside the politics of division.”
The Clinton/Gore ticket earned
379 electoral vote with ■ the
Republican candidate earning 159
electoral votes.
With 99 percent of the vote
counted Wednesday afternoon,
Clinton carried 50 percent of the
popular vote (45,599,094) while
Dole trailed with 41 percent
(37,842,270). Reform party
candidate Ross Perot earned 9
percent (7,866,627), carrying no
electoral votes.
Around 9 p.m. Tuesday evening,
The electoral college process
determines the presidential winner
using the population of a state and
the state’s popular vote. A
candidate receives all of the
electoral votes of a state if he/she
wins the state’s popular vote. The
number of the electoral votes is
determined by the population of the
state.
At one point in Tuesday’s
election, the country’s popular vote
was split 50-50, yet the electoral
votes were 276 in Clinton’s favor
compared to Dole’s 98 electoral
votes.
Behrend senior, Chad Clouse,
said he believes “our opinion
own leaders.”
CBS, ABC, NBC and CNN Senate while the Democrats
declared Clinton victorious gained about 10 seats in the
although many Western states House. Democrats needed 19
had polls open. At that time, needed to take back control of the
Clinton had 275 electoral votes-- House.
270 are needed to win.
f 996 Presidential Race Summary
Clinton’s re-election rebuffs Republican control of Congress
character attacks by both Dole promises another round of
and Perot, reaffirming the investigations for Clinton, his
importance of issues over wife and his administration on
mudslinging in the public’s eye. ethics issues, the latest being
“It’s the economy, stupid” was foreign donations to the
once again Clinton’s battle cry Democratic Party,
coupled with an emphasis on Dole conceded the race
education and family issues. gracefully, saying, “I’m still the
But Americans have again most optimistic man in America,
chosen a divided government, we’re going to keep the House,
strengthening a Republican keep the Senate.”
-Chad Clouse
Electoral Percent of Total
Bill Clinton 375 49%
Bob Dole 1 48 41%
Ross Perot 0 8%
Others 0 1%
**Projected results with 77% of precincts reporting**
Mike Coursey/Collegian Staff
Another four years: Vice-president At Gore greets supports in Pittsburgh at
last week's rally. Gore has earned another term on the Democratic ticket.
Speel also noted a trend in the
way people voted across the
country.
“There is an increased
regionalism in US politics,” said
Speel. “The South is dominated by
the Republican Party and the
Northeast and Pacific Coast tend to
vote Democratic.”
In recent years, mudslinging has
become a large part of making or
breaking political candidates.
“I enjoyed watching and listening
to it,” said PLET major, Justin
Grimm. “It was kind of fun
watching the candidates bashing
each other. However, mudslinging
does cloud the issues.”
“Our government has the
responsibility to get rid of ‘winner
take all’ states.”
Ross Perot, Reform candidate,
made use of infomercials and
character-bashing during the
presidential race. •
“Ross Perot’s infomercial was a
paid public relation stunt,” said
Mike Bard, Accounting major. “He
tried to buy votes rather than let his
views stand on their own.”
Bard said he believes that
“Perot’s campaign was more
effective when he was getting free
publicity through the curious
media, compared to when he tried to
buy it.”
Speel said he also believed the
infomercial prove that Perot, like
Dole, used negative campaigning to
get votes.
37,115,789
31,101,110
6,329,543
968,162
“It actually hurt the (voter)
turnout, the public decided they
wouldn’t vote for him Cither,” said
Speel.
A local example of mudslinging
that hurt a political race was in the
Buzz Andrezeski and Jane Earll race
for the Pennsylvania State House.
Andrezeski aired ads about a
mother who was murdered while her
baby slept. Earll prosecuted the
case and the defendant plea
bargained. The ad attempted to
make Earll look like she easy on
crime, but it backfired when the
victim’s family came forward.
--Dave Cardone
After losing the election,
Andrezeski admitted that running
the ads cost him votes in the long
run.
Gender
politics
President Clinton owes his re
election to women, who
overwhelmingly voted to give him
another four years.
Through out his campaign,
Clinton emphasized education
and family issues which appealed
especially to women.
The strategy worked as Clinton
earned 54 percent of their vote,
Dole 38 percent, according to an
exit poll by Voter News Service.
This is the largest gender gap
than an previous presidential
election.
Women also supported
Democrats in Congress, 55
percent to 43 percent for
Republicans.
Failure to target the new swing
voters**”soccer moms,” affluent
suburban moms who were
undecided, may have cost Bob
Dole his campaign.
Among women voters:
• 61 percent said issues
were more important than
character.
• 46 percent of vyomen
and 36 percent of men think
more should be done by the
government in solving the
nation’s problems.
• 47 percent of women
think Clinton is not honest
but 53 percent feel Dole does
not understand them.
• 64 percent have an
unfavorable opinion of House
Speaker Newt Gingrich.
• In 2000, women say
they would prefer A 1 Gore as
president over Jack Kemp,
The first “gender gap” was
discovered in 1980 when women
favored Democrats in House
elections; the GOP has not since
closed that gap.