PAGE 10, THE BEHREND BEACON, SEPTEMBER 24, 1999
FEATURES
Website of the Week
by Christy Piccola
staff writer
If you can imagine a room full of
people helping you decide on every
thing from "laptop computers to
movies to political candidates," then
you have an idea of what
DEJA.COM is all about. The site
offers ratings, discussions, and re
views on topics that fall under head
ings like Arts & Entertainment,
Computing and Technology, Money,
Sports, and Travel. Within each of
these groups, there are at least four
or five subgroups that help you nar-
row your search.
Once you decide on a product or
service, DEJA.COM offers three
different evaluation methods - first
there are ratings. According to the
site, this consumer-driven ratings
system currently covers more than
12,000 products, services and top
ics in more than 500 categories.
Users can contribute their experi
ence with a particular product or
service, and you can check with Deja
Ratings to help decide whether or
not you want to purchase it. The rat
ings are easy to understand, mostly
• (7) - 1
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because the opinions and ratings come
from normal, everyday consumers
like yourself, and DEJA.COM's setup
makes them easy to reference.
The second evaluation option is
Deja Discussions. They are not re
ally chat rooms, but more like mes
sage boards that let users post ques
tions and responses to those questions
in an easy to read format. You can
find discussions on everything from
student activism to what you would
consider the best single game perfor
mance by a pitcher.
DEJA.COM also offers daily re
views of products like MP3 players,
SUV's and sports equipment. The
product reviewers are from all over
the world, and offer diverse opinions
on each product. Comments on the
MP3 player ranged from "annoying
audio flaws" to "I've had mine for
about a year now...and I love it."
These reviews can be helpful when
you are considering whether or not to
purchase a certain product, and
DEJA.COM also offers links to such
popular on-line merchants as
AMAZON.COM and eBAY.COM. If
you are still unsure after visiting the
site, you can register for Deja Tracker
Aries (March 21-April 19). Do not go to
something that you really don't want to
attend, no matter what your significant
other might say
Taurus (April 20-May 20). Live danger
ously, eat at Dobbinsl"ll
Gemini (May 21-June 21). Call your
parents and let them know that you're still
alive!
Cancer (June 22-July 22). Words to live
by - more studying, less partying!
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22). Try new things this
weekend, they could lead to something
very special
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Go swing
dancing and make new friends!
Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). A big test may
cause you problems this week, put in some
extra study time.
Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Sunlight is
your friend, try leaving your TV for awhile
and enjoy it while it lasts!
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Respect
other people's viewpoints this week; you
might learn something.
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Three feet
of garbage on your floor does not make
your room look "lived in." Clean it up!
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb 18). Make time for
yourself this week, you need to unwind
and relax more!
Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20). Watch your
money this week, unexpected expenses are
always around the corner.
which will send you email alerts about
new posts in your particular area of
interest. I found the site easy to navi
gate, and very user friendly, even of
fering User Tours guided by Rover the
dog, which will eliminate any uncer
tainties you might have about the site
and how it works.
The large amount of information is
a double-edged sword, however. With
so many different reviews, it can he
hard to decide which to believe and
what decision to make. Also, every
page of the site is full of advertise
ments and links from top to bottom,
and the selections can sometimes he
mind-boggling. There are times when
the ads and the information on the site
are in conflict, which is a definite
downside.
Aside from these problems, the site
does exactly what it promises to: it
empowers you to make educated de
cisions about everything you buy, and
it offers practical wisdom so that you
can, in their words,
"discuss...decide...purchase." (That
is, if you have any money left after
college).
WWW.
DEJA.
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The Beacon's New
Advice Column
Aeovice Etc.
Tine?) of Ann Lanoeus?
Deau Abby avoiding youu
questions?
Get Fast, ueliable crevice on Love,
school wouk, life, etc.
Fuom two senious that have seen it
all.
Seria youu questions to
behucoll.l@aol.com
STUDENT CLUB
OF THE WEEK
0
4/ 4.1 fi .6, 4 , 4,
by Elizabeth Hayes
associate editor
Readers may remember the article
two weeks ago in this column about
he Student Government Association.
his week's feature organization is
suite similar to SGA.
The Multi-Cultural Council is the
organization that helps to coordinate
ether diversity-focused organizations
on campus. The seven organizations
that MCC represents are the Asso-
elation of Black Collegians (ABC),
the Asian Student Organization
(ASO), the Organization for Latin
American Students (()LAS), the Na
tional Society for Black Engineers
(NSBE), Returning Adult Student
Organization (RASO), Trigon, and
Women Today. Also, MCC is trying
to organize an International Student
Organization to support international
students on campus and to promote
cultural diversity.
The Multi-Cultural Council is also
an independent organization all on its
own. It has its own budget and its
own agenda. It has its own executive
board and its own activities. Accord
ing to club president Shamira Will
iams, MCC serves two major pur
poses, -To act as a liaison between
SGA and diversity focused organiza
tions, and to promote. encourage,
teach and preserve diversity among
the College and Erie's community."
8.R.U.N.0.5. is back for weekend
by Kellie Chase
stall' writer
With Fall Festival / Parents and
Families Weekend upon us, there are
numerous activities taking place on
campus. One activity that should not
be missed is the Behrend Studio
Theatre's encore production of
8.R.U.N.0.5., which is Behrend's
first original musical. The play was
first performed last April, but due to
limited seating, all were not able to
be accommodated. If you missed your
chance last spring, this is your oppor
tunity to find out what you were miss
ing.
Through 8.R.U.N.0.5, the Match
box Players take a comical look at
While hoth MCC' and all the indi
vidual organitations have their own
budgets, MCC can also provide addi
tional money s if the organitations
should encounter a situation where
they are in need of funding. The di
versity-focused organitations go to
MCC for additional funds hefore go
ing to SGA or the Student Activities
fund. MCC is funded through SGA
and fund-raising—just like other stu
dent organi/ations.
MCC also sponsors some activities
in conjunction with the other organi
sations. Sonic 111:001 C cnk MCC
sponsors int:hide the lee Cream So
cial and Fall Dance during Orienta
tion week. the Harainhee Dinner last
Wednesday. a Cultural Week in No
vember, Holiday Car n ival in Decem
ber, Martin Luther King. Jr. Da \ in
January, and the Spring Carnival
around Easter.
The individual orllaniiations also
sponsor their ov.n c‘ cuts. Some to
look for‘‘ aid to this year include a
Black History Contest from ABC. a
Fashion Show from NSBE, the Fri
day Fiesta from OLAS. the Women
Film Series l'rom Women Toda), and
Sex Cabaret from Trigon. Events cur
rently in the works are a Casino Night
from NSBE fin• October Ist, Spanish
Heritage Month from ()LAS, and a
Diversity Series from MCC.
MCC has public meetings ever)
other Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. in the
college life at Behrend during Fresh
men Orientation. The setting of the
play takes place in the basement of
the Otto Behrend Science Building
and is fueled by the imaginations of
the students with sightings of the
ghost of Otto Behrend.
In the spirit of the weekend, the ma
jority of the original cast will he re
turning to star in the roles they played
last spring. Since that performance, a
lot of the actors have either graduated
from Behrend and now live through
out the country, or they have trans
ferred to University Park to complete
their education. Regardless of where
they are in their lives now, they have
all taken time out to return to Behrend
and he a part of the very special per-
!MCC suite. This suite is located in
the rear of the first floor Of the Reed
Building, across from the mailbox
NAall. The next meeting will he on
October 6, 1999. Once again, all
meetings are open to the public.
In addition to the Multi-Cultural
Council. all of the other seven diver
sity-focused organizations share of
fice space in the MCC suite. There
are four ofl'ices in addition to a group
meeting space. Trigon and RASO;
ABC and OLAS: and ASO and NSBE
share offices and phone lines. Each
organization has its own staffed of
fice hours, which are posted inside of
the MCC suite. If students arc inter
ested in Joining the club, the suite is
lull of people almost all day during
the seek. Or. the Multi-Cultural
Council can he reached by phone at
extension 6095.
When asked what she would most
like others to know about the Multi-
Cultural Council. Williams said, - The
MCC is a wonderful place to come
and expand your mind about differ
ent cultures. It appears that many stu
dents are discouraged from coming in
because they feel they do not belong
because they do not fall into one of
the ethnic or racial groups which fall
under MCC. However, college is sup
posed to be a learning experience--
come and learn about others' cultures
and teach sonleonc else about your
culture...
formances this weekend
The script is written by two former
Penn State Behrend students, Joe
Getway and Dallas Skeens. Getway
graduated from Behrend last May as
an English/Creative writing major.
Skeens is now at University Park,
majoring in philosophy and Russian.
Members of the cast include Ryan
Cannon, Erin Costello, Leo Hanley,
Bethany Cummings, Jessica Dows
and Dr. John Champagne as the ghost
of Otto Behrend.
Show times for 8.R.U.N.0.5. will
he at 6:00 and 9:00 p.m. on Saturday,
September 25th and at 2:30 p.m. on
Sunday, September 26th. Admission
to the play is free, but reservations are
required and may he obtained by call
ing 898-6016.