'AGI, 10A
A View From The Lighthouse
No bones about it,
Shaggy was a dog.
Many of you already know
about the huge disappointment of
the Shaggy concert. It seemed that
people were disgusted by his rude
behavior. The crowd flooded out
of the Athletics and Recreation
Center before the concert was even
over. What's with Shaggy? Did he
become a star and say to himself,
"I'm a star... now I can be rude,
inconsiderate, and down right
mean?" Or maybe he's always
acted this way.
To start off, Shaggy arrived at
Behrend at 8:30 p.m. when he was
expected to arrive at 4:00 p.m. His
concert was scheduled to start at
8:00 p.m., and he offered no
explanation for his tardiness. The
day prior to Behrend's concert
Shaggy showed up at midnight for
his 8:00 p.m. show at Pitt
Johnstown. Previous to the
Behrend concert, he decided that
one college really didn't need him
for the show after all, and he just
didn't bother to show up. In
reality, if anyone else showed up
late for work or not at all he would
be reprimanded, and if he were late
on a regular basis he'd get fired,
canned, or thrown out like a holey
pair of socks.
When Shaggy arrived, he was
rude to the hospitality staff that
was there to see that he was
comfortable. The staff of students,
not being paid for their time,
worked hard to have snacks,
dinner, and beverages available for
Shaggy. This was at Shaggy's
request, but he never showed
appreciation; not even a thank you.
However, he glared at students and
waited for them to leave the room
even though he requested them to
come into his dressing room. Even
your dog deserves a thank you and
a Snausage when it brings you the
paper in the morning. Shaggy
could take a lesson from his
open/ng band, Rikßok. They were
outgoing, fun, and very courteous,
although they aren't famous yet
The staff didn't deserve that
kind of treatment, especially since
they were trying to cater to
Shaggy's every need. He also had
some unusual demands. Before he
would agree to come to Behrend,
he had to make sure that there
would be a Sony Play Station in
his dressing room. (We all know
every rock star needs a Sony Play
Station. You got to whittle away
those long hours before the concert
doing something.) However, to
waste time playing video games, it
THE BEHREND BEACON
published weekly by the students of Penn State Erie, The Behrend College
Editor-in-Chief
Jason Snyder
Managing Editor
Jeff Miller
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Liz Hayes
Erin McCarty (assistant)
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Katie Galley
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Jermaine Hardy
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Deanna Symoski
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Jon McLaughlin
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would be preferable that you
arrive before the concert is
scheduled to start.
Shaggy only played for an hour,
and started the concert with his
three most popular songs—quite
unusual for a performer. Many
choose to save the best for last,
hence keeping the audience on the
edge of their seats. Many concert
goers chose to leave early,
becoming bored with unfamiliar
material.
Why is it that Shaggy's songs
degrade moral standards of today's
society? "Creeping with the girl
next d00r... banging on the
bathroom floor." This song
suggests that cheating on your
significant other with the neighbor
is okay. Whether or not
entertainers like it they are role
models. We are all dumber for
having to listen to Shaggy's music.
The audience couldn't
understand a word Shaggy said
during the concert. The acoustics
in the Athletics and Recreation
Center didn't help Shaggy at all,
but neither did his poor
pronunciation of his own lyrics.
When listening to a Shaggy CD or
song on the radio his Jamaican
accent adds style to his music;
therefore that is no excuse.
Instead, mumbling must account
for his sloppy presentation.
It's great that Rikßok and Ray
Von do the singing in Shaggy's
songs, and he just says the rap
lyrics. Therefore, does Shaggy
deserve such an immense ego,
because he wouldn't be a star
without their talent? For right
now his audience suggest that
Shaggy's lack of singing ability
doesn't matter because several of
the ladies find him to be "hot and
sexy." However, when Rikßok
and Ray Von, the true artists,
become popular Shaggy will be
left behind. Looks can't replace
talent.
Mr. Boombastic, we don't think
you're so fantastic.
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Robert Speel
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Editorial
=!/~
• -
• • I I I If
The last hurrah,
Detours and
Small Potatoes
Katie Galley
Well, the time has
finally come for my last
editorial. Sniff. I never
thought I would see the day. Now, mind you, I am
going to return as a columnist next semester, but
since this is my last column as the Editorial page
editor, I am going to write my last editorial
accordingly. Since I won't be on the editorial
board of the Beacon anymore, I have a feeling
that my editorials will lose some of their 'flavor.'
It can only be achieved by spending countless
hours Cooped up in a small office with dozens of
other people, with no windows and poor ventila
tion, and well, you get the picture.
I don't know how many people have actually
followed my column religiously except for my
roommate, who humors me every three weeks
and reads it, then comments on it later. So, as a
last ditch effort to win the average Behrend
student over, I will reach into the depths of my
soul and pour my heart out to show you what my
column is really all about.
First, the name. Detours and Small Potatoes are
actually the names of two of my favorite X-files
episodes. Yes, I am a FREAK over the X-Files;
surprised you didn't know that. But the name also
means more than that to me, it represents how I
felt about life my second semester here at
Behrend. The Detour part stands for taking time
away from everyday life to experience new
things. Take the road less traveled, and all those
other trite sayings, but remember that it is ok to
venture away from your usual routine. The Small
Potatoes reaches me on so many levels. At the
time, it meant that little things that seem big
really aren't when you look at them in conjunc
tion with the whole picture.
Now though, it makes me think about things
that we consider to be the most important part of
our lives while taking other things for granted.
Things like friendship and love. At the end of
everything, those are the things that are going to
count, not extracurricular activities and grades.
It's important to realize what you have when you
have it.
Onto happier things though, like some shout
outs and people I would like to thank. First and
foremost, a shout-out to the professor that was
supposed to be 'advising' me my very first day
here at Behrend and said, "would you like to
write for the newspaper?" To which I answered,
"I never have before." Then he replied with so
much zest in his voice, "they would love to have
you!" Then proceeded to circle the number in the
scheduling book for the Editorial board of the
newspaper. Without that man having no idea what
he was doing, my time here at Behrend would
have been dramatically different. I would
probably be in a sorority right now, wearing some
black flared pants and sporting some really
crunchy hair!
Next, a shout out to the Athletics Department
here at Behrend for finally getting that ARC thing
that we kept hearing about, but never seeing for
years, built (now if only that highway thing
would appear). Without the ARC, I would not
have had the time of my life in the pool with the
women's water polo team! What crack was I
smoking when I wandered down to the pool and
bugged coach to let me join? I am still not sure,
but man oh man, that experience was by far one
of the best ones I have ever had! Nothing beats
getting up at 6 a.m. for practice, or seeing 'the
house' in nothing more than a skimpy towel! And
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I have to mention that not all men can pull off the
Speedo attire, but the men's water polo team sure
can. To all the ladies I had the pleasure of being in
the water with, thanks for such a great time; I will
miss you all. We did something that no one can
ever take away from us, we were the pioneers! We
rule! And Coach, never settle for small bills, thank
you for everything...l guess I'll forgive you for
eating all the chocolate chip cookies.
Where to go to next? I guess to one of the best
people that I have ever had the opportunity to
meet, my roommate Gretchen. She is by far the
most caring, supportive person on this campus.
She listened to me cry my heart out, night after
night. Together we started AAH, if you don't know
what it stands for, then you are not in it! Here is to
the 403 Buggies and the Champagne Room. Our
room was definitely one of the most fun places on
the Behrend campus, and if you never had an
opportunity to make it to one of our shindigs, then
you were missing out! It's hard to think that I
won't be around next semester for all the late night
"girly talks." And, Jeremy, there won't be any
more dirty panties to enjoy...at least, not mine!
And I don't know any other door in any other
dorm that was as big of a fire hazard as ours,
"could our door HAVE anymore stuff on it? It
could try, but it would fail!" Remember that cool
beanbag chairs come with some flatulence
hazards. And I promise that you will get back all
your CD's before I go. Don't worry, cause I will be
back for numerous rounds of boat race next
semester.
Also, I want to say thank you to Coordinator
extraordinaire, Dan Schiesser! Dan has been
consistently understanding and caring to me and
everyone else here as well. And I know NO ONE
else that will come to my room at five in the
morning to catch a mouse. It may have got away,
but it's the thought that counts! Thanks Dan!
Now some things around campus that need
addressing. The first will be classes that I want my
money back for. I believe that since I am paying
for these classes, and I don't get what I want out of
them, then I should get my dang money back! And
believe me, there have been more than one of
them. If I tallied the amount, it would be roughly
$4600, for this semester alone. Do the math, it
adds up!
Second, professor's idiosyncrasies that keep me
from learning. Normally, can overlook a few
mispronounced words here and there, but there are
some professors here that need to understand that
the hand gestures and feet stomping are inhibiting
my ability to learn. And please, once and for all,
when the class is taking a test, talking to us is not
the best thing to keep us focused.
Finally, and most importantly, the Beacon. Wow,
there are so many, many things that I can say about
this subject, I don't even know where to start. I
guess the beginning would be a good place. Ok, in
the beginning, the Beacon that I knew was a dirty
little 8-page piece of poo. Now, it's not, and it's
because of an always accumulating group of
people that give their hearts and free nights to keep
this paper growing and achieving great things.
Fellow Beaconians, never let anyone here tell you
that you are doing too much "whining," because
most likely it is because the truth hurts. We are an
extraordinarily talented group of students that will
all go far, then hopefully we can all donate some
money to the newspaper and get them a new iMac.
With all that said, there are some individuals
that need certain recognition, and oh yeah, are you
gonna get it! I'll start with the order that I met you
in, save one.
Deanna, I think you were one of my first Beacon
friends, and that was after we had survived a
certain Comm. class together! Even though you
had to go and get a real job and be a grown-up this
semester, the Pee Tour will continue! I have
missed goofing around this semester, no one quite
FRIDAY, APRIL 27 , 2001
'gets me' like you. It's scary sometimes.
So, Liz: that-was-awesome! I don't even know
what, but I'm sure that it was! You went from
being Copy Editor to well, whatever you do now.
And all I can say is that I am jealous of your
beauty...so jealous, want to be Liz! In all
seriousness though, you have been a
supertabulous friend and you held my hair the
first time I puked, that is something to be proud
of! This summer we are taking our antics
international baby! The fridge full of beer and
pudding isn't a dream, it's a reality!
Jeffy, thanks for listening when all I needed
was for someone to listen. And Ann-Marie,
fellow waterbaby, you are so unique that words
can't describe it. Everything happens for a
reason, you two are the proof. Be good and no
more holes in the neck! Paige, thanks for being
my kickboxing buddy. Neil, even though I rag on
you now and then you are cool and so is your
car!
And last but not least in my "Beaconian"
section, Jay. All I can say is, wow, that came out
of nowhere and you were by the far the biggest
surprise of my life, thus far. We are one of the
weirdest pairings ever (but you are weirder).
Who knows what lies ahead, but I'm sure it will
be a fun ride? Always friends. Oh yeah, the Rock
is way better than Kurt Angle and Stone Cold
combined!
With all the mushy stuff out of the way, there
are some things that are just so cool, that I need
to make a list to mention them all! So, if anyone
reading this has seen the musical Rent, you know
the song "La Vie Boheme" and how it is sung,
my list will be like that.
To: Cool quotes. There are too many list, so I
will leave at that! Pop, not the music, but the
kind that you buy in the store. It IS pop dangit,
not soda! All nighters in the Beacon office, when
we are at our most insane! Bon Jovi and Livin' on
a Prayer, enough said. AOL instant
messenger...who knew it would be cool to talk to
people that are four feet away from you on the
computer? Denim Bonnie, I don't know if she
knows who she is, but she gave me hours of
laughter in my classes! Hotties around campus,
and my roommate and my ability to name them
after the class that we first encountered them in
(i.e., Hot Spanish class guy, Hot chem. class
guy). Friends, the television show (and all the
rockin' quotes that go along with that) and the
real thing. Jackass, Jackass, Jackass, and Johnny
Knoxville, Steve-0 and Barn. Ben Kundman,
because he made me laugh harder than any writer
ever has! April Fool's Issues of the Beacon, holy
crap are those awesome! Co-ed dorms, because
you get free strip shows and John Deer boxer
shorts! Almy Hall, east wing, fourth floor! Could
there be a better bunch of people? Layout nights
in the Beacon office, oh yeah. I find we all
become clinically insane on Thursday nights!
Buggies, (i.e. shopping carts), the amount of fun
you can have with those is limitless!
I am sure that I am leaving out about 4,000
other things that are in my memories of my time
here at the paper, but don't worry, they will
always be there. Special thanks to any professor
that has pushed me to do better than my best, and
for Doc. Speel for putting up with the Beacon in
D.C.
And now that I am sufficiently in tears, I might
as well say that I have loved it all, and I can't
believe that my time as an editor is over. Even
though I will be returning as an 'editorial
columnist,' it's just not the same. I can honestly
say that I will never forget anyone on this staff,
no matter how much I try, and I'm glad because
these past two years have been the most unforget
table time of my life. Until next semester, Galley
out.
Galley's column appeared every three weeks.