2 I The Behrend Beacon
Yahoo sued by human rights group
NEW YORK: The World Organization for Human Rights USA is suing Yahoo, Inc. for cooperating with
the government of the People's Republic of China in arresting and detaining dissidents who used the
internet to express non-approved political speech.
Yahoo joins Google and Microsoft and a growing number of other American companies under fire for
helping the communist Chinese government suppress political speech in return for being allowed access
to billions of dollars worth of business in the mostly closed Chinese market.
"They should not be participating actively in promoting and encouraging major human-rights abuses,"
said WOHRUSA executive director Morton Sklar after the lawsuit was filed.
Yahoo spokesmen admitted that information requested by the Chinese government had been released,
claiming that if they did not, Yahoo employees in China could be arrested and face civil and criminal
charges according to Chinese law.
"[This matter] is better suited for diplomacy than it is in the legal forum," said Yahoo spokesman Jim
Cullinan. Cullinan also said that the company was "distressed that citizens in China have been impris
oned for expressing their political view on the Internet."
The lawsuit names three Chinese citizens as plaintiffs, including a journalist sentenced to ten years in
prison in 2005 for political speech. Several other people were involved, but were reluctant to join the
lawsuit in fear that the government would take action against their families in retribution.
`Smokin' Joe" Frazier, former world heavyweight boxing champion, will be appearing in the Junker
enter on Friday, A.ril 20 to raise funds to develop a boxing/wellness youth center in Erie.
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Colombian volcano eruption forces evacuations
NFIVA, Colombia: A volcano dormant for hundreds of years suddenly erupted late Tuesday night and
again early Wednesday morning, prompting the evacuation of thousands of Colombians from the sur
rounding area.
The volcano Nevado del Huila had not been active for at least 500 years, when the Spanish first colo
nized the area. The eruptions also caused widespread damage to the infrastructure around the volcano by
triggering floods and mudslides.
"The bridges were swept away, the highway used by the indigenous in the zone was destroyed for var
ious kilometers and the problem we have now is the lack of a route to deliver goods and medicines to the
population," Colombian Police General Orlando Paez said.
Scientists monitoring the volcano are anxious that further larger eruptions could occur, causing even
more damage and possibly forcing the evacuation of an even larger area.
"The seismic activity remains light but permanent, and we can't rule out another bigger event in the next
hours or days," said Government Institute for Geology and Mining Director Mario Ballesteros.
A related volcano in the Colombian range, Nevado del Ruiz, erupted in 1985, causing massive mud
slides that completely destroyed the town of Armero and killing at least 21,000 people.
Behrend responds to Virginia Tech continued from page 1
to physically step in to help. It bothers me that we have been trained in everything from suicide counsel
ing to roommate conflicts, but we are not told what to do when there is a fire drill. We just have to work
on impulse, but if we aren't given instructions for fire drills, what are we supposed to do if someone has
a gun?" said Yong. Resident Assistants at Behrend are required to take part in hours of training for all kinds
of situations each year. They also role-play with mock situations, where they are given a crisis and are
expected to respond to it. Yong said she has been trained to deal with suicide attempts, but nothing as far
as a massive school shooting that would require her to protect all of the students on her floor.
Daley said, "It is not a matter of if it will happen. It is a matter of when it will happen." In light of this
statement, which many may not want to even consider, Daley explained that preparing for the worst may
be in the long run the best. Taking the small step to having a critical-response training session for resident
assistants, professors, faculty members and any willing students could potentially be the key in preparing
all for a perilous situation in the college setting and in the world outside of Behrend. Consulting
Psychiatrist at Behrend Dr. Fuat Ulus also said that simple training techniques could make a world of dif
ference in a school shooting situation. Ulus has published the article, "Help Managers, Employees Prepare
for Workplace Violence," in Eastern Pennsylvania Business Journal, (April 16-22, 2001, V 01.12, No. 15),
and said the techniques he discusses in the article can also be applied to the college setting. "There have
been many people frozen with fear, allowing the gunman's shooting at them one-by-one precisely enough
to kill each target," said Ulus. "Would dead and wounded counts be far lower if everybody knew what they
needed to during the tragedy?"
Behrend, along with most colleges and universities in the United States, have open campus grounds,
allowing anyone to walk in. Daley said this makes security at college campuses very difficult to enforce,
but that doesn't mean the students shouldn't know how to react just like the trained professionals. Some
of the steps Ulus suggested students take in critical situations were first and foremost do not panic, and
remain calm. He also said, "Flight is the attempt to reach the closest safe area by the fastest means. Panic,
on the other hand, is just rushing around aimlessly. The last, but not least, is begging him/her not to harm
you while you try to hide under your table. At this point, attempting a dialogue would be pointless.
Therefore, RUN! A moving target is more difficult to hit."
According to Daley, hours of training and acts of precaution can be made to try to assure the safety of
students at a college campus, but nothing is ever certain and anything is possible. Ulus' research begs the
question, how many school shootings need to happen, how many people have to die before Behrend stu
dents, professors, and faculty members are trained to physically and emotionally deal with a similar situ
ation? "It is sad. We don't learn. We talk the talk but don't walk the walk," said Ulus.
Communication students continued from page 1
"I never saw swat teams, only state troopers," said Oberste, who was eating breakfast at the time. "We
all heard the sirens, but when we heard the gunshots we decided it was time to go inside."
Oberste went on to say the first thing he did was call his girlfriend, worrying about where she was on
campus. Ten minutes later, he called his parents, telling them he was okay and not to worry. The phone
lines were becoming tied up and getting a phone call out was difficult, even sending emails took longer
than usual. "Facebook [the Internet student connection link] was the best way to find your friends and to
see who was alright, and who wasn't," said Obserste.
Even on a campus of nearly 26,000 students, everyone seemed to know someone who was affected.
Classes were cancelled all week, allowing students to be with their friends and attend services. A large
service was held Tuesday with over 10,000 students attending. Only standing room was available, and
even then it was hard to find a space.
"Most students went home to their families, the rest are here with their friends, mourning and taking
time," said Oberste.
Oberste said he thought the campus was transitioning very quickly, probably due to the number of stu
dents. His biggest fear isn't of something like this happening again, but of people leaving the campus and
not giving it another chance. Oberste worries that incoming freshman will change their mind and not want
to come.
Drawn to the campus for its engineering program, Oberste spent the rest of the week relaxing with
friends and taking time for himself. On Thursday, April 19, Oberste will be leaving with his Aircraft
Design Team to compete in an engineering competition all weekend in Arizona.
"Its something you don't really worry about until it happens," said Oberste. Now instead of the cam
pus crumbling, "I think it made us stronger and will allow us to grow."
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Source: CNN.com, Yahoo! News
Friday, April 20, 2007