THE BEHREND BEACON
Friday, October 27, 2006
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“Let’s be honest, I’m going to drink “The traveling is to regulate
whether the government says I reality, and,
can or can’t.” mm Mw instead of thinking how things
may be, to see them as they are.”
■Chris Brown INSIDE
Business 04 -Poet Samuel Johnson
Behrend senior volleyball star Lisa Wagner
Wagner receives H&FS
Athlete of the Week
•Check out page 9 for more information on
Lisa Wagner.
One hit wonders of the 1990 s
•Sean Mihlo writes about the best one-hit
wonders of the 19905. From Chumbawumba
to The Proclaimers, Mihlo hits the pop cul
ture archives.
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Above, the decrease in new home prices
In the market for a new house?
•Behrend students, whether graduating or just
finding a new house, may take advantage of
the recent decrease in the median new home
prices. According to CNN, there has been a
decrease of almost ten percent from
September 2005 and almost a 15 precent
decrease from April of this year. This is the
highest decrease from year to year since the
‘7os. Sources say the drop may be due to the
oversupply of homes and the "building boom”
from last year. sourveCNN.com
Contents
News..
Editorial
Humor.
Student Life.
Sports
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Our offices are located down
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Building.
Page 7
Christopher LaFuria
7-8
...9-10
A Penn State Erie Student Publication
Behrend minor served at local bar
By Janet Niedenberger
copy editor
Erie is a college town. With four
major colleges within 20 miles of the
heart of the city, it's no surprise that
Erie is also a town which is chock full
of bars. There are dozens upon
dozens of alcohol-serving businesses,
and it goes unsaid that there is under
age drinking as well.
This past Tuesday, 20-year-old
Chris Brown and I decided to do a lit
tle investigating. Our purpose was to
go to a handful of bars, and see if any
of them would serve us. We picked
four bars to try this at: Irish Cousins,
located at 3924 Main Street in
Lawrence Park; Jimmy Z’s Time Out
Tavern, located at 3406 Buffalo Road
in Wesleyville; Calamari’s Squid
Row, located at 1317 State Street; and
Docksider Tavern, located at 1015
State Street.
Irish Cousins was the first bar that
we visited. We were not carded at the
door, so we proceeded to sit down at
the bar. After speaking with the bar
tender for a few minutes, we each
ordered a beer. As she was turning to
get the beers, she asked for our IDs.
Chris told her he didn't have his on
him so we left.
The next stop was Jimmy Z s, a bar
which is often visited by Penn State
Behrend students. Again, upon enter
ing the bar, we were not stopped or
carded. Once reaching the bar, we
acted interested in the night's spe
cials. After a few minutes of small
talk, we each ordered a beer. The bar-
“Yes, Chris, who
is only 20, was
served.”
-Janet Niedenberger
Behrend researches credit card debts
The Penn State Alumni Association has issued these credit cards for
those who apply. Behrend researchers have been studying credit debts,
By Briana Theiss
staff writer
The idea of “free money” is increasingly appeal
ing to college students lacking knowledge of the
consequences that acquiring such debt will force
them to face. College students need to be more
educated about credit and loan debt. Student debt
and the repayment of this debt has been a topic of
research for Behrend Associate Professor of
Docksido, located on State Street, served Chris Brown. 20 year old Behtend student without checking :.is ID
tender immediately asked for our
IDs, and again. Chris acted like he
had left it in the car, so we left, anoth-
er bar passing the test
We then drove downtown and
stopped first at Calamari's. This
time, we had worked out a more
detailed plan of action. Again, we
weren't carded at the door. After
approaching and then sitting down at
the bar. we inquired about the spe
cials for the night. We chatted with
the bartender about what we wanted
to drink, but as soon as we ordered,
we were carded. Just like the other
two bars. Chris pretended to search
for his ID, and we headed out once
again. We were three for three.
Our last stop of the night was
Docksider. The bar probably had
ing this issue for approximately nine years now.
When asked why she is so passionate about this
issue, she responded, “Our whole point here is the
notion of education; It’s a different world." Credit
and loan education is indeed something college stu
dents lack.
According to forthcoming study by Pinto in the
Marketing Management Journal, 32.9% of students
acquire their credit cards from a direct mail offer,
about 20 patrons. We approached the
bar, and after asking about the spe
cials. we each ordered a beer. The
bartender began preparing our drinks,
asked us for the 53.00. and after we
paid, he walked off to serve another
customer. Yes. Chris, who is only 20.
was served. We didn't touch the
beers, but instead sat there for a few
minutes. I then waved the bartender
back over to us. I introduced myself,
and explained what bad happened.
He had little to say.
The next day. I called the bars we
visited. I first called Docksider. and
spoke to the manager. He refused to
give me his name, but he was w illing
to talk about what happened. He had
not been informed of what went on
the night before, so I told him what
Marketing and Director of
the Center for Credit and
Consumer Research, Dr.
Mary Beth Pinto, for several
years.
According to a study by
Pinto that was released in
August of 2006, financially
at-risk (FAR) students are
classified as students who:
have a credit card balance(s)
of $l,OOO or more, pay only
the minimum amount or less
than the minimum amount
due on their credit card(s)
each month, or have reached
the limit on their credit
card(s). About 12% of col
lege students are FAR. while
on average, 2 out of 3 stu
dents incur some form of stu
dent loans. In addition. FAR
students say they are more
likely to pay their credit card
bills before making their stu
dent loan payments.
Pinto has been research-
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happened, lie was very upset that
Chris was served, and was surprised
that we weren't eauled at the front
door. After cheeking the schedule
from the night before, he said. "I
should have had two security people
at the door, they were on the sched
ule."
The manaeei also went on to sav
that they normally crack down very
hard on underage drinking. When 1
asked him what was going to be done
about the bartender who served
Chris, the manager assured me that
he was going to do something about
the situation
while 19.1% get them
from retail stores.
Students getting their
credit cards in this
way are more than
likely not to be edu
cated about the deci-
sion they're making
iut more interested
the idea of "free money." Education about the
problems these cards can create for students in the
future would help decrease the unimaginable bur
den of debt that nearly half of all students who
graduate from college will experience.
Pinto best explained why this issue is so impor
tant when she said, “The decisions college students
make today will he carried with them throughout
their life... Financial decisions that you're making
today impact your credit report which is going to
impact whether or not y ou get loans in the future,
can buy a car. rent an apartment, buy a house.
Employers, graduate schools, they all look at this
stuff... Basically, if you're not educated and you're
making poor choices today, it's going to follow you
forever."
A website has been created for Behrend students
to begin their education on credit issues. There is
even an interactive credit card game on the site to
help educate students on proper credit card usage.
This website can be found at www.cccr.psu.edu.
There are several statistics, research projects, arti
cles and other information on credit card debt on
the website as well. Student debt is a very large
problem, but with the proper education on issues of
debt, the problem does not have to be a reality for
all college students.
continued on page J
“Financial decisions
that you’re making
today impact your
credit report”
-Dr. Mary Beth Pinto