THE BEHREND BEACON
A View from the Lighthouse
Support the big things
happening at Behrend
It's probably safe to say that ev
eryone made it through Y2K. The
Beacon's Macintosh computers
proved to be superior once again -
they didn't crash during finals
week last semester, and they made
it through Y2K with no problems.
Frankly, the new year was disap
pointing. Lights didn't even
flicker. Until Y3K rolls around,
what catastrophe will everyone
talk about? Anyway, except for
those who sheltered themselves
underground, with a lifetime sup
ply of food, it's time to get back
on track and see what's happening
around campus. Hopefully this
new year won't be disappointing
around Behrendt not with all kinds
of great things going on. And with
the nice recent snowfall, all of
these events are indoors! Now is
the time for some school spirit!
Now is the time to support some
great events!
• Free Stuff •
Let's start with the free stuff.
Everyone loves free stuff! The stu
dent organizations have set up
spirit stations to promote the bas
ketball games that are going on.
Even though the basketball teams
are on fire, more promotion is al
ways a good thing. A nice station
was set up by SGA in Bruno's
where they were giving away all
kinds of goodies, like t-shirts and
bumper stickers. They're usually
held in the Reed Wintergarden be
fore every home game, and have
included miniature golf, psychic
readings, balloons and streamers.
They get you pumped up for the
basketball games.
• Basketball Teams on Fire •
Since there is nothing else to do
in the winter, how about checking
out the basketball teams? The
women are 3-0 in the AMCC (Al
legheny Mountain Collegiate Con
ference), which could mean great
things if they keep up the momen
tum. The women have some pretty
impressive records behind them.
Starter Carrie Nestor could possi
bly take the top spot for career as
sists, beating out Randy
Baughmann's 511. Maybe they're
just really excited about the new
recreation facility that's going to
open up in fall of 2000. So instead
of 400 people getting to watch a
game in Erie Hall, 1,500 will get
to join in on the fun! After a good
THE BEHREND BEACON
published weekly by the students of Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
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II;
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published weekly by the students of
Penn State Erie, The Behrend
College; First Floor, The J. Elmer
Reed Union Building, Station Road,
Erie, PA 16563. The Beacon can be
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game of ball, how ahout a swim in
the pool? Looking good!! For the
meantime though, check out coach
Roz Fornari and the Lady Lions as
they tear up the floor in Erie Hall.
The men's basketball team is also
posting a successful season after an
8-0 start. They are 3-0 in conference
play and continue to play well. The
men need your support as nine of
their next 11 games are against con
ference opponents. Support the Li
ons as they hope to host the AMCC
tournament next month.
• Martin Luther King
Dar Celebrations •
Also, there's lots to do for Martin
Luther King, Jr. Day around campus.
All of these will be great events as
Penn State promotes diversity in its
student and faculty population. For
an enlightening experience on Sun
day, there will be a Candlelight Vigil
in the Reed Commons. On Monday,
after the Bruno's Family Breakfast,
catch the Creative Writer's Speaker's
Series featuring Sonia Sanchez, and
then head over to the MLK All-Col
lege Celebration. And to wrap things
up on Tuesday, there will be a MLK
Forum. Leave your computer off for
a few hours and get yourself to a few
events.
Sonia Sanchez
Editor-in-Chief
Jason Snyder
Managing Editor
Michael Frawley
News Editors
Shannon Weber
Karl Benacci (assistant)
Editorial Page Editor
Katie Galley
Features Editors
Katie Przepyszny
Doug Smith
Sports Editor
Matt Wier:el
Wire Services Editor
Liz Haves
Calendar Page Editor
Nicole Green
Photo Editors
Jeff Miller
Kevin Bruner (assistant)
Associate Editors
Beck). 144 , indorf
Rob Winne
Letter Policy: The Beacon
encourages letters to the editor.
Letters should include the address,
phone number, semester standing and
major of the writer. Writers can mail
letters to behrcoll2@aol.com. Letters
must be received no later than 5 p.m.
Tuesday for inclusion in that week's
issue.
EDITORIAL
When will
In late 1999. People magazine
published a special issue called
the 25 Most Fascinating People
of 1999. In this issue the writers
and editors chose Monica
Lewinsky as one of the most
fascinating people. Unbelievable!
Out of all the people that made
news in 1999, Monica was one of
the most fascinating? You have
got to be kidding me!
This is the woman that flashed
the President of the United States her
thong underpants! And let's face it
friends, those were the days before
Jenny Craig, when Monica was
packing a little chunk in her trunk!
And you mean to tell me that there
was no one in the world that was
more fascinating than she was?
Please!
After the whole presidential
scandal erupted, people everywhere
become interested in Monica, and
for good reason. She was an
overweight intern who almost cost
the President his seat. And what
made her even more mysterious was
the fact that she never said anything
Join me in Reali
Why your server deserves a tip
"Hi. I'll be your server today. Can I
start you off with something to
drink? "
Table 37: "Yeah. I'll have a Pepsi.
No ice. And start me out with two"
(father). "Can I have a water with
lemon?" (mother) "Fruit punch"
(son). "I want a chocolate milk" (little
girl).
"Sure. I'll bring them right out for
("OK. get their drinks, take their
order and see if I have any meals up
right now.")
On the way to get drinks
Table 42: "Can I get a refill?" "Yeah,
I want one too. Get me a root beer
instead of the water."
"OK. The root beer will cost $1.25,
because the water was free."
Table 42: "What? Fine...here's a
five. Get me my change."
"I'll be right back with that."
("OK. I'll get all the drinks, grab the
lady's change, take Table 37's order,
then check to see if any meals are
ready.")
Table 38: "Where's my meal? I've
been waiting 20 minutes!"
"I'm on my way back to check. Be
right back."
Gets drinks, refills and change for
lady's root beer.
"Here are your refills and your
The Wa
Theft, the government and my paycheck
As we get back to school, many of
us quickly find that the Christmas
cash has run out and we are still short
several books for classes. Se what
can a college student do? Either we
can "borrow" books from other stu
dents, hope we qualify for Who Wants
to be a Millionaire, or we can hit the
streets and get a job. Under these try
ing circumstances, many college stu
dents are forced to juggle a part time
job and school in order to pay their
tuition and other lifestyle costs. I, like
many college students, joined the
workforce in order to pay for various
commitments and to live a comfort
able lifestyle.
Over semester break, I worked full
time for several weeks. Due to the
fact that my employer has a two-week
pay period, I was looking forward to
a substantial check that would help
to defer the cost of Christmas pre
sents. The beckoning day finally ar
rived and finally the fruits of my la
bor had materialized. But I opened
the check only to feel as if I was had.
What should have been a substantial
check was missing some $120.35.
JANUARY 14, 2000
5-CIME
Monica stop the seduction?
to the press and she was never vocal
about her side of the story. She was
simply a voiceless scandal
maker...until her Barbara Walters
interview!
Now all of a sudden the woman
behind the controversy speaks
out...and what does she have to say?
Absolutely nothing! Don't get me
wrong, she told her side of the story
and she even 'apologized' about
doing the things she did. I don't
think that she actually felt had about
doing it though -- just getting
caught! But after all, what's the big
deal with a little fellatio in the Oval
Office? Fascinating indeed!
change, ma'am
Table 42: "Thanks. Are our steaks
almost done?"
"Let me just drop these drinks Wand
171 go hack and cheek."
'Here's N , our drinks. A re vou ready
to order?"
Table 37: "Yeah. I'll have a 6 oz.
Sirloin, medium with baked potato
and sour cream." "I want the chicken
with a dry potato." "I want the sir
loin tips well well." "I want a hot
dog."
"Alright. Let me know if you need
refills or anything. Kmr meals will
be out shortly."
("OK. I'll take this enter back. Grab
the steaks...)
Table 38: "22 minutes!"
(...get that guy's meal and get Tilde
32's check.")
"Hev cook! Is Table 38's meal
it Ou
And where did my money go'? It
was legally stolen by the United
States government. I never gave
them the green light to take what was
rightfully mine. If they wanted ~omet
hing, I probably could have conned
them into taking my 8-bit Nintendo
or something to that effect, but not
my greenbacks.
Now, if you're a numbers person,
that $120.35 was roughly 25% of my
total check. I'm sorry, Bill, but I have
a tough time giving that much cash
to the almighty one, let alone a bunch
of cr001,0 , l
were to add in all other sales, gas and
mall Potatoe
ht To Be
On the air with Barbara that
night, Monica successfully
showed the world her inanity
and simplemindedness. You
almost have to feel bad for the
girl, there's nothing going on up
there. You also have to wonder
how she got the internship at all.
As far as I know, the internships
for the White House are pretty
competitive. On Larry King
Live several weeks ago, Monica
was once again spreading her
message of idiocy. She talked about
how she has to work over the
Internet (she designs purses and
handbags) because she is too much
in the public eye to have a real job,
and what a travesty this is. Then, we
see that she is the new
spokeswormin for Jenny Craig. And
that doesn't put you in the public
eye? Come on, Monica!
As for Miss i ewinsky. what lies
in her future? As she said on Larry
King' Lire. `'.!(...ting married and
having babies. - It truely frightens
the to hear a woman with the brain
capacity of a small mammal and the
frt rul‘ '
Cook: "Nut yet. It has another
minute. Table 42's steal ,- , are ready
Gets I?lecll pitpared 011
polar() (Mil clre,%riric on
flew are your moils. ryllang
OK
Cable 42: "Yeah. Thank. I could
Le.,e more root liwt
"OK. Be ri,iga
fable 32: - We're ready for our
"I'll bring it out. take conk
of thew Matey for vole
25 minute!
fable 38
( "(Ps:. their checA and his
meal. (let 42 come nun beer
and .see if T,lble 30 wants (lesser!
He , s COOk! Table 3S is a.sking for
his meal...
Cook: "It's not ready yet. It is still
medium well. Ile wants it well.-
"Hurry up. Ile i‘
,t, , etting align.
GC() the Chl'Clk anti 1/U' runt her,
"Here rs you mof beer
'Fable 42: - This sieak isn't done
right. ('an I have another thrown
on?-
I'm ,sorn . alhHtt that. K'ah, I'll holy
Hill! Ihri)ft if ion
"110 V is 10111" /It I 11 IC(
Table 32: "We were charged too
various taxes, the total percentage the
government swindles out of the av
erage American would he in the 40c'e
range, if not more.
So why aren't there riots in the
streets and people chaining them
selves to lamp posts over these out
rageous tax rates? Well, it's quite
simple. The economy is good and
with that comes apathy in conjunc
tion with a false sense of security on
the part of the American people. If
times were tough and more people
were short of cash, there would be a
tax revolt. But times aren't tough and
by the looks of the huge government
surpluses, we are being overtaxed.
Now, I'm all for paying taxes to
support various government pro
grams that are vital for the nation's
health, but I wish not to pay for a
social security system that won't be
around when I retire, or for govern
ment agencies that fail the people
time after time. What really bothers
me, though, is that Americans don't
want tax cuts, but they whine when
1.50 for
an AfIVI machine. t_;ive me a break
moral consciouness of the Devil say
this. She wants to bring new life into
this world when hers is so obviously
out of control? There should be a
petition started to stop procreation
of the Lewinsky. Why bring spawn
of the Devil into this world?
The people that I really feel for are
the teenage girls growing up seeing
all this malarkey on television. Our
world is in a really sorry state when
the biggest news story to report on
is the President's love life. How are
the young girls seeing Monica? As
a whore or a heroine?
Maybe the real culprit here is
People Magazine for choosing her
to begin with. I can sit here and think
of about 50 other people that I would
rather read about than Monica
Lew insky. Is the public really that
mindless that we want to hear
Monica's Story? I certainly hope not.
I also hope that in the new century
e can stop thinking of horny,
erweight troublemakers as
"fascinating" and focus on the real
newsmakers and heros.
much for this drink. Can we see the
manager?"
"Yeah, I'll get him for you."
'fable 38: "28 minutes!"
"Hey cook! I need that meal NOW!
Where is the manager at? Has any
one seen the manager! ?"
Cook: "Here's the meal for Table 38.
I don't know where the manager is."
( "OK. I'll deliver this guy's meal,
look lOr the manage?, check Table 30
tar dessert, and...OH YEAH!")
"Cook, throw on another steak for
Table 42!"
"OK. If this guy says one more num
ber I am going to take this meal
'in' , '.)
Smiling... "Here is your meal sir. I
am really sorry it took so long."
Manager: "You need to bus some of
your tables. And there is food under
Table 45."
"Alright. But Table 32 had a prob
lem vuith their check. They want to
',C( lOU
("Man. This really sucks. I've been
lien for 30 minutes, been stiffed twice,
have no money, need to check for des
sert at Table 30, get table 42's and
37's meals, bus some tables, sweep the
flow; and... )
"Hi. I'll be your server today. Can I
%tart you off with something to
drink?"
here, people.
Now, what if the government
spends the entire surplus, which some
liberal d
Democrats are advocating, and the
economy turns south. In order to pay
for all the new government programs
that they propose, the government
will have no choice but to raise taxes.
Some pundits are predicting that if
taxes are not lowered now and the
surpluses are dried up before they
materialize, our generation will face
extreme hardships in this century.
Can you image having the govern
ment take 60-75% of your income
through various taxes? It could be
come a reality if steps are not taken
to lower taxes now.
We do have the power to change
this situation in the coming year by
electing a president who is commit
ted to giving back to the people what
is rightfully theirs. For the health of
our nation and our pocketbooks, it's
time to band together and urge our
elected officials to cut these tyran
nous tax •
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