PAGE 2
"Fiasco" In Iran
To the Editor,
No words, however eloquently
stated, could possibly have
countered the two pro-military
letters to the editor (which ap
peared on the April 17 issue of the
Collegian) any better than did the
latest military fiasco in Iran.
President Carter, pressured by
the increasing charges that he
was not "doing anything" about
the hostage crisis, he ordered the
military to flex its muscles, and
now eight Americans have died in
the middle of an Iranian desert.
What rationale could have been
used for attempting a rescue as
dangerous to the lives of the
servicemen and to the hostages
as this was? One explanation
given is that the commando raid
was inevitable and this was the
last chance before next Fall that
climatic conditions would permit
such an operation to take place.
Judging by the sandstorm which
immobilized three of the copters,
one wonders whether the climate
could have been much worse. One
may say that the military and the
President are not responsible for
the deaths of the servicemen.
PCB: The Unknown Pollutant
(Editor's Note: The following
article was submitted for
publication as part of a project to
inform the public on various
environmental issues. More
articles dealing with the en
vironment are expected for the
next issue.)
PCB: The Unknown
Pollutant
Protection of our natural en
vironment should be a concern of
all citizens since it affects all of
us everyday whether we realize it
or not. I have recently done some
research for my Biological
Science project into a very little
known pollutant of our water
ways: the chemical known as
PCB.
PCBs (Polychlorinated
Biphenyls) were first developed
by chemists in 1929 for use as
electric insulators in capacitors
and transformers. Through the
years they were also used as
pesticide extenders, softeners in
plastics and paints, and as ad
ditives in ink and duplication
paper. They are insoluble in
water and pollute a majority of
this country's rivers, lakes and
streams, since they are resistant
to biological and chemical
degradation.
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However, repeated statements
from the West German Com
mando Specialists have said that
there is a substantial difference
between rescuing captives from
inside an airplane (highly
vulnerable) and the Embassy in
Iran (nearly impenetrable).
Considering the prior knowledge,
involvement, by the President,
and the military is sufficient for
implication.
Meanwhile, the deaths of the
servicemen are recorded by
many Americans as is a baseball
score, and the news media
wonders what effect the failure of
the mission and the resignation of
Cyrus Vance will have on the
results of the Texas Primary.
What should be considered is the
further widening of the issues
canyon that has occurred bet
ween the United States and Iran,
which has increased to a point
that the safe return of our people
has been undoubtedly prolonged.
It seems as if the militants have
been given a forest with which to
fuel a formerly dwindling Anti-
American fire, which has become
analogous to the detaining of our
Since PCB's accumulate in
wing organisms and never leave,
they present a severe health
hazard for humans. At the first
stages of the food chain PCB's
have been shown to reduce rates
of cell growth and division in
phytoplankton. Aquatic in
vertebrates and fish have their
reproductive potential lowered
when exposed to extremely small
levels of PCB, and these animals
are eventually consumed by
humans.
Human Beings exposed to high
concentrations of PCBs are
characterized by long-lasting
skin lesions, gastrointestinal
lesions, liver disorders, and
various neurological symptoms.
PCB's also pose carcinogenic
hazards to humans.
Several incidents have oc
curred in recent years which
have brought these harmful
effects into public light. In 1968
several Japanese families
contracted skin disorders from
eating PCB-contaminated rice
oil. Several species of Baltic seals
were threatened with extinction
when PCBs reduced their
reproductive capacities in 1978,
and 400,000 hens and 18 million
eggs had to be destroyed in 1979
Address
BEHREND COLLEGIAN
people. It also seems that the
release of the captives won't be
realized until both governments
make substantial concessions on
certain issues, a possibility which
at this point seems quite remote.
Which leads me to the point of
my letter. Janine Callen, in a pro
military letter to the Collegian
(April 17) rhetorically asked,
"How effective has military
intervention been in rescuing the
hostages?" The employment of
the military has helped to further
polarize the two governments so
that a quick release of the cap
tives now seems impossible.
Military intervention has caused
a wide fraction in both national
and world opinion. The State
Department has "lost face",
some say (I don't happen to
agree), but the military has lost
both face and lives. I believe our
military has had enough op
portunities to show its might and
continually overestimates its own
abilities. We should not be a
nation that continues to fight are
with fire. Rather than "stoop to
new lows of moral depravity", as
the Iranians have done with the
public display of the charred
bodies of Americans, we should
attempt to show the world that we
do not rabbit-punch. As Joe
when 1.9 million pounds of feed
were contaminated in the Mid
west.
The contamination caused by
PCB's is especially important to
area fisherman. The worst spot is
in the Hudson river. PCB levels in
these fish are 30 to 50 times
greater than the federal
maximum allowable limit for
human consumption, and are
therefore very unsafe to eat.
Edible fish samples in Penn
sylvania indicate that PCB's are
widespread throughout the
Commonwealth but are in
relatively low concentrations.
There are several problem areas,
however, and these include the
Schuylkill River, Delaware
River, Charties Creek, Ohio
River and Lake Erie. PCB levels
in these waterways approach or
slightly exceed the federal limit.
PCB's present a major health
hazard to all citizens, and
pressure must be put on in
dustries to abide by federal
regulations. I encourage all
students to write their
congressmen to show that there
is public concern on this issue.
Steven Petrovich
Englert's visions of helicopters
(April 3) have become eerily
prophetic, Janine Callen's have
become all the more ironic. It
seems now as if the eventual
release of our people from Iran
will be contingent on conciliatory
Rock 'n' Roll Saves!
by Joe Englert
In the fifites, the 1950's that is,
rock prophets wrote the psalms.
The prophets Elvis and Buddy
Holly gave us the scriptures.
They told us if we lead a good life,
we would go to Rock n Roll
Heaven. They claimed that they
weren't here to save us, but a
man would follow who could.
Well, the R.C.A. (Record
Company Almighty) fathered a
god for us, a four headed
beautiful god called, . George,
Paul, John and Ringo. They came
into the world in swaddling suits
and ties and were born in a
manager called Brian Epstein.
They were the saviors born under
the Liverpool star, who would
show us the way to Rock n Roll
Heaven.
Theatre Review:
Players Give Haunting
Performances In "Spoon River"
By Sandra DeLellis
A "haunting" occurred
recently at Behrend's Studio
Theatre, a haunting full of the
many ghosts from the musical
adaptation of Edgar Lee
Masters' "Spoon River
Anthology." The anthology is a
series of monologues and musical
numbers, a collection of voices
and inner-connections between
the lives of its characters that
makes this play a vital, poetic
experience.
Directed by Paul Iddings, the
production excels as a collage of
simply props and costumes, and
essentially four main characters.
It was the challenge of Sue Klein.
Randy Alurzynski, Diana Stark
and Mike Deely, to transform
themselves into over one
hundred different characters,
whose complexities in life and
death come as ghosts to stir the
audience.
It is never a surprise to see Ms.
Klein's talent abound on stage at
the Studio Theatre. She is a fine,
fine actress. She was exceptional
in "Spoon River Anthology,"
becoming electrified with new
life in each of her portrayals. My
particular favorites were, Dora
Williams, Russian Sonia and
Lucinda Matlock, whose rich
character and philosophy leave
an endearing impression with the
words, "What is this I hear of
sorrow and weariness, anger,
discontent and drooping hopes?
Degenerate sons and daughters,
life is too strong for you—lt takes
life to love life."
Randy Murzynski is com
pletely in his element in a play
like "Spoon River Anthology." It
gave this excellent actor a fine
vehicle to demonstrate his
versatility, his many faces, that
brought humor and drama to his
audience. And when Mr. Mur
zynski performed the audience
was his. My favorites were,
Archibald Higbie (whose ef
feminate disgust had everyone
hilarious), Fletcher McGee and
Barney Hainsfeather.
I was delighted to see both
Diana Stark and Mike Deely
perform their many characters
with great budding talent. Mr.
Deely was last seen in
"Everything in the Garden," but
his small part only hinted at the
Parking
Complaints
Dear Editor:
I am writing to inform the . p.m. Names of the bands par
students that if they have any ticipating were not available, at
complaints to voice about the this writing.
parking lots at Behrend; please . Everything winds to a close
direct them to the Collegian of- Sunday with the big "Anything
fice by Wednesday, May 7. Goes" competition in the af-
Dana Sammons ternoon. Whether participating
Parking Advi so ry , . or not this,,eve.nt may proye to be
---• Coin t
MAY .2, , 1986
negotiation, and will occur in
spite of, rather than because of
our military's attempts.
Chuck Beckman
3rd term
Pre-Law Political Science
The saviors who called
themselves the Beatles, had
many disciples like the Doors and
the Rolling Stones who sang onto
others as others had sang unto
them. The whole world was
happy until one day the saviors
broke up and shook the temples.
They told us that someday they
would return and judge each one
of us on content and originality as
well as if you could dance or not.
Then, one day as the Bible
(Billboard magazine) had
predicted, the Anti-Christ showed
its ugly head. That bass beaten,
shallow worded evil malaise
called "Disco".
Disco destroyed everything in
its path. It attacked Soul and
R and B and even the holy Rock n
Roll halls.
Continued on page 4
fine accomplishments he at
tained in "Spoon River
Anthology." My favorites of his
were, George Gray, Hod Putt and
Shack Dye. (Both lighting effects
and Mr. Deely's talent made me
wonder where the actor had been
hiding.) Ms. Diana Stark also
impressed me, she has an un
canny ability to twist her face
into some both humorous and
believeable characterizations. I
applaud her Mrs. Pantier,
Pauline Barrett and Nellie Clark.
"Spoon River Anthology"
demands that a director call upon
all possible insights and creative
sensitivity to push his actors into
the rigorous study of so many
characters. Mr. Idding's
direction is remarkable, con
sidering the small size of the
Studio Theatre, and student
actors with little, if any, acting
experience. Both Paul Iddings
and choreographer, Bonnie
Slawson, overcame the limiting
boundaries of the stage, to
present a folksy panorama of
characters and American life.
Adding to the folk life of the
play were the musicians that
remained on stage through the
whole performance. Nina De
Fabbo, Jay Nelson, Joe Hohman,
Joanne Pukanic and Nathan
Spears sang for and entertained
the audience both before and
during the play. Their warm-up
songs at the beginning delighted
the audience, helping us all to
relax before the intense
production's first Act. The
musicians were inexpendible in
creating the full color and life of
"Spoon River Anthology." Nina
De Fabbo's voice was stunning
and impressive, one more talent
to add to Ms. De Fabbo's already
proven acting ability, (Mrs.
Toothe, in "Everything in the
Garden). The others were never
a disappointment. Where did
Behrend ever find Nathan Spear,
whose appearance and musical
talents on the banjo and the
guitar somehow helped set the
whole mood for the production?
its
River Anthology" had
its last performance April 27. For
those of you who missed this
great theatre experience, all the
pity for you.
Spring 'BO
Continued from page 1
Following the Run for - Fun, the
SUB board is sponsoring a Band
Jam to be held in Erie Mall at 3