Friday, November 5, 2004 Lion Ambassadors do more than required By Kara Schmiemann staff writer Due to a lack of applications, the Lion Am bassadors have decided to postpone the dead line until today. They have received about 12 applications, therefore, you still have some time today to get your chance to join in the fun. Do not let this opportunity pass you by. Today is the latest day that the members of the Lion Ambassadors can extend the applica tion due date. This was done to give everyone a greater opportunity to submit their applica tions. “The reason that the Lion Ambassador appli cation due date was extended was because we had several students tell us that they were still waiting for letters of recommendation from people and we felt that it would be beneficial to extend the application due date,” said Donald Hackworth EEBD 07. “This will allow us to expand our application pool so that we can se lect the quality of students deserving of the or ganization allowing us to expand our services to the campus as well as to the student body.” The Lion Ambassadors are an organization who has goals and ambitions, as stated in the Ambassadors mission statement posted on their website. They want to “help alumni, students and friends of the University realize that their involvement with Penn State can and should be a lifetime experience.” Some of the activities Lion Ambassadors can look forward to participating in over the years are Penn State Behrend’s Open House, Spirit 7 Heart Huckabees' is existentially incredible FOX SEARCH LIGHT PICTURES Jude Law, far left, stars as Brad Stand in the not-so-popular new movie by Fox Search Light Pictures. By Aaron J. Amendola Staff writer Sitting alone in my seat, I was wondering if possi bly I walked into the wrong theatre. I casually strolled out the door and looked up. Theatre #2, showing “I Heart Huckabees,” with myself as the sole viewer. I assured myself there was an actual showing and took my seat again. I unsealed the Pepsi I smuggled in along with leftover Halloween candy my parents had and silently decided that perhaps some people weren’t ready for a film like “I Heart Huckabees.” The lights came down and over the next two hours I experienced something akin to enlightenment. “I Heart Huckabees” centers around two dueling personalities: Albert Markovski (Jason Schwartzman) and Brad Stand (Jude Law). Where Albert is the shy-natured, altruistic environmental ist, Brad is a people-pleasing, capitalist executive. When the two have a falling out of sorts, Jason raises the all too powerful question of “What’s it all about?” and seeks answers with a team of existential detec tives (Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin). What Albert is led on is a journey through the mind, body and soul of his being. As it turns out for Albert and Brad, discovering who you really are isn’t the answer, it’s only a part of the question. It all sounds pretty heady right? Well, it is, but it works. Director David O’ Russell seems to weave the plot around his fingers as he constructs a narra tive that never fails to keep you guessing where it is going next. O’ Russell juggles so many themes in the movie, all philosophical and “out of the box” so to say, that I’m surprised he presented them all so equally. Every character throughout the film has a wholly different outlook on life, with the basic “why are we here?” motif. If it weren’t for the comedic STUbINT Lira Day, Founder’s Day and the Logan Wintergreen Series. “We like to do other things outside of the re quired events such as dinner, going to Otter’s games, skiing and movies,” said Kassi Hindman COMB A 05. The Ambassadors have noticed that students at Behrend are less clear about their reasons to be here. The Lion Ambassadors took it upon themselves to ensure that our school spirit and mentality toward being here is heightened. “That’s one of the main reasons Lion Ambas sadors took over Midnight Bingo. The organi zation wanted it back because we knew that the student body was sad to see it retired during the 2003-2004 school years. “We are currently looking into more ways to involve the organization with the students again,” said Hackworth. Individuals in the Ambassadors are extremely friendly and will go out of their way to lend you a hand if you asked for it. This is yet another reason to join the Ambassadors. “I found that they were easy to talk to and fun to be around,” said Hackworth. “Each spring we have a CNC conference with all other Ambassadors from the other Penn State campuses,” said Hindman, the social chair of the Ambassadors. “Last year it was actually held here at Behrend but this year we will once again be traveling to University Park. “I feel the Ambassadors to a wonderful job making us feel good about our school,” said Jenna O’Block COMBA 01. nature of the film, it would all be too much to take in but the players here create great multi-faceted charac ters to watch. Schwartzman’s Albert Markovski essentially plays the audience, asking the questions we want to know the answers to but struggle to achieve. Jude Law gives an Oscar worthy performance as Brad Stand who may stand as the most relatable char acter brought to film this year. We all know a Brad Stand, we may not know it, but in everyone’s life there is a Brad Stand. All the quirks, idiosyncrasies, words and thoughts all are marvelously ripped from real life it seems and Law just works wonders with it. Naomi Watts may just be the most gorgeous woman working in cinema today but her looks only accentu ate her talent, as she delivers some of the funniest scenes in the film along with Mark Wahlberg who just molds into perfect shape as Albert’s “other.” The film is, at best, not for everyone. It’s clearly made not for a conclusion, but for more questions. The whole point of the movie is to challenge us to think outside of the box and help us draw our own conclu sions. David O’Russell has made an incredibly deep movie with substantial meaning but it will not be re ceived well by audiences simply because of it’s over the-top narrative and the fact that most people don’t want to go to a film to be preached upon. They want to be entertained. Most will sit down to watch the movie and immedi ately be confused, waiting for a punch line or an ex plosion. You won’t find that here folks. Just good ol’ plain commentary in the form of great acting, smart writing, and a genius director. I’m hoping the film gar ners some sort of recognition from the Oscars or Golden Globes but I won’t hold my breath. If you’re feeling existential, why not drop by the theatre and catch a showing? I doubt it’ll be there much longer. Reality Check taking students to NYC On campus helps those in Staten Island By Jenna O’Block staff writer Are you looking for something to do over your winter break? Well if you are, Reality Check is sponsoring a trip to NYC Jan. 2-7 and it’s for any Behrend student who is in terested in going. “It’s a great time to fill up the breaks and give you something to do,” said Kelly Shrout, the coordinator of Community Service and the Smith Chapel. During the course of the trip you would be working with the Catholic Charities Project Hospitality. “It is not a religious thing,” said Shrout. It is a community service project that is work ing with the homeless. Not only do you do community service, but you also can listen to a few seminars that talk about the home less and living with HIV/AIDS. The Reality Check will be doing these things during the day; however, the night is free to do what ever you want in the city. “Everyone knows NYC is awesome but we feel the great city needs a little reality check,” said Eric Marker. “We are going to give it to them.” Some of the things the group is going to be doing with the homeless will be working in the soup kitchen and making and distribut ing bags of food to people with special medi cal needs. You can also volunteer at the drop off center where homeless people come to change their clothes, eat, shower or just to get away from being outside. Some other places you can volunteer at are the Scatter j, DOMINO’S PIZZA VALUE MENU JUk Gannon, Mercyhurst and Penn State Behrend students can now choose any item from Domino’s Pizza’s new Value Menu for Only $7.99* 1. 1 Large Pizza with cheese and 1 topping only $7.99 2. 1 Medium 1 topping pizza and and order of Cheesy bread only $7.99 3. Choose any 3 bread products (Cinna stix, Cheesy bread, Breadsticks) only $7.99 4. 10 Buffalo Wings or Domino’s Pizza Buffalo Chicken Kick ers and an order of Breadsticks only $7.99 5. 2 individuals size (8”) pizzas with 1 topping plus 2 20 oz Cokes only $7.99 BONUS: PARTY SPECIAL - 3 MEDIUM 1 TOPPING PIZZAS ONLY $15.00 OR 3 LARGE 1 TOPPING PIZZAS FOR ONLY $21.00. Domino’s Pizza has 2 great locations here in Erie: 128 W. 12th St. (459-4599) serving Gannon and Mercyhurst stu dents and 3303 Buffalo Rd. (898-8400) serving Penn State students. Domino’s Pizza is open for lunch everyday at 11 a.m. and is open late until 1 am Sunday thru Thursday and 2 a.m on Friday and Saturday **. * VALUE MENU PRICES ARE ONLY VALID FOR ON CAMPUS DELIVERY OR CARRYOUT ** Hours may vary seasonally Get the door. It’s Domino’s. The Behrend Beacon | Site Housing, where people are living with HIV/AIDS or at a woman’s shelter. “Not only are you helping others it is an amazing learning experience,” said Chandra Giger. “Not to mention an awesome week with a great group of kids!” The group will be staying at a hotel that is called Jazz on the town. It is located right on 14 th street on Staten Island. “It’s a great way for them to be introduced to travel as cheap as possible,” said ShrOut. The whole trip only costs $5O per person. “Fifty dollars for five days is a great deal,” said Shrout. Reality Check is a student run organization that has been at Behrend for nine years. The organization started after the first alternatitve spring break took a trip to Maryland. Every year the group sponsors a trip somewhere. In the past, they have gone to Alabama, Kansas, Florida, Baltimore, Cleveland, and New York City where they are going again in Jan. Reality Check is a great club to be a part of if anyone out there is looking for community service opportunities or any kind of out reach. “I went on the trip to Nashville this past spring,” said Eric Marker. “This trip was like a mini- Road Rules or Real World. For me per sonally, this was a mind expanding and eye opening experience.” “I promise you this will be one of the best weeks of your life, should you choose to get on the bus to NYC,” said Giger. “The great thing is there is no joining” said Shrout. Anyone can go to NYC; it doesn’t mean that you have to be part of the organization.
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