opinion Strange Daze; by Ed Miseta Collegian Staff Writer The Academy of Awards. The Tony Awards. The Grammy Awards. The MTV Music Video Awards. Ii seems every iim I turn around there’s a new type of award being handed out for something. I feel it's getting to be ridiculous. Do we really need to give out some dozen awards to a hadful of movies that come out every year? Do we really need to give out just as many to a few videos that the MTV executives happen to like, and tell us we must vote for? And what about all those great tilings in life that seem to go unnoticed, and never get any awards? 1 believe we should make a change in our award presentations. From now on there should be just one awards ceremony each year. It would be called the Peoples Choice Awards, but would not be for just actors and musicians. Americans would vote for the ten 'best things’ of the year. This could include anything from songs to movies to athletes to politicians. They would also vote for the ten things that we could most do without. The voting could be done the same time wc vote Shattering the Outer Shell by David Friend Contributing Writer Walking down the paths of Behrend one day was a lonesome task. The Erie weather was at its typical worst— foggy with a light drizzle. But I w'as enjoying it. Perfect weather for me and my trench coat. I’m in my typical daylight mood— asleep, observant, quiet and daydreaming. I notice things, like cars trying to run students over. Calls of "Come on, hit me, please, I need the money!, ’’ ring from the crowd. I wave at a passerby I know. The simplest form of acknowledgement, but the most difficult to initiate. But this occurrence is rare--- most students walking to and from classes are cold, self-absorbed. I go into Reed and, like every student, check my Is There Hope by Rebecca Salibrici Contributing Writer Is there hope for America’s poor? Can society afford pay the price? If the trend continues the situation can only get worse, and the number of poor people will increase. Is there a better way? The welfare system began as a temporary' life support system for those who suffer a severe financial loss. In America, the land of opportunities, this is a good idea. BUT, the fact is that'folks receiving assistance need help to help themselves. And, people who THE BORN LOSER ‘ by Art Sansom Letter to Dear Editor When will the President wake up to reality? He continues to purchase another unneeded nuclear weapon system of mass destruction, the B-l bomber, at a final cost of more than $2BO million per plane. Meanwhile across the nation and the world, people are dying in a ravaging AIDS epidemic. Surely by cancelling the B-l, S.D.I. and other nuclear weapon systems enough money would be freed to find cures for AIDS, most cancer and probably feed and shelter the homeless, and still go a long way toward balancing the budget. The F.D.A. must wake up to reality also. While people die of AIDS here in America, other AIDS sufferers elsewhere are being saved with AIDS drugs which the F.D.A. stubbornly delays testing and approval of, not to mention making it legal to manufacture, prescribe and possess them. The F.D.A. in elections. That way more Americans wouls get out to the polls. Also, by having just one awards show, we could do away with all the others. Then the networks would air something more interesting and informative in their place. Perhaps reruns of Gilligan’s Island. To get things rolling, I’ve made up a list of the ten best and worst things from these first twenty-five years of my life. The envelope please... The Strange Daze Top Ten: Ed’s Choice of the Best Things in Life. 1. Budwciser It didn't get to be number one by advertisng alone. Budwciser is a crisp, consistent, high-quality beer that is excellent for both sipping and guzzling. Whether you're celebrating, drowning your sorrows, or trying to make member of the opposite sex appear better looking, Bud is the best beer for the job. 2. Sex Although its image has been tarnished a bit by recent developments (Herpes, Aids, etc...), sex is still the most fun you can have without laughing. It has been mailbox. I might engage in this activity several times each day, in desperation for word from the outside world. I’m even starting to savor the letters I get from my parents! Then I go to a club meeting, which is a bunch of potential friends that have similar interests. But invariably, the conversations degenerate into "club business." After all, who is in the club for any other reason then the w’ay it looks on their transcript? By chance 1 meet someone and am invited to a party. It’s Friday and I feel good, I’ve just done quite well on a quiz and two tests this week. Reasons to celebrate, I think. I start to talk to the people therte, but conversations dissolve into incoherent drunken stupors. I have no desire to get drunk myself, but I imbibe some alcohol. (I like cannot help themselves should not be given more money to have more kids! This is the major flaw in our public welfare system. People on welfare receive barely enough to survive. It is true that many people on welfare don’t properly care fo their children. (They weren't properly cared for themselves, as children). Many of these children are abused. It is true that some welfare recipients sell drugs, or have under-the-table jobs enabling them to have "fancy cars"- but this is NOT the rule. There are few people on welfare who have any valuable material possessions. the Editor must wake up and cease its anti humane AIDS policy immediately. The Supreme Court must wake up to reality also and recognize that the true marriage bond is the strong love and mutual sharing relationship bond and not a piece of paper. It must recognize this and the need to grant nothing less than full, human, civil and economic rights and privileges, regardless of sexual preferences in such relationships. I urge everyone to wake up the President, Supreme Court, F.D.A. and Congress by sending them copies of this letter as part of a chain letter to everyone's friends and relatives, so that they may do the same. Let's all do our part also and make a donation to an AIDS charity also. Leonard DeFazio Jr. 31 Elmwood Ave. Batavia, N.Y. 14020 around since the beginning of time and scientists expect its popularity to continue into the future. It is especially good on Saturday nights, after several cans of Budweiser. 3. Steeping In An enjoyable, recreational activity that is most popular on college campuses across the nation. One of my favorite past limes is setting my alarm for seven o'clock on Sunday morning, then getting up, shutting it off, and crawling back under the covers. That is, unless I wake up next to a not-too desirablc woman, Whi I had sex with the night before, after drinking several cans of Budwciser. 4. Crime Story Mike Torcllo and Ray Luca are heating up the lube on Tuesday nights. The music and cinematography are excellent and the violence is the best on television. Accounting majors watch L.A. Law. Real men watch Crime Story. 5. Lisa Minctti The sexiest, most beautiful girl on campus. I would love to sip Budweiscrs with her anytime. 6. Scarfacc The greatest movie ever made. A 1 Pacino is excellent as Tony staying sober, watching drunks return to the dorm can be the highlight of my evening.) The girls I meet there are all cither dating, or trying to pry some guys from their dates. A single, unattached guy has no real chance at this particular party. So Saturday rolls around. For us poor sods who have no cars, this is the day to take the good old Blue Bus. The mall is smallish, but at least I can catch a movie and get away from Dobbins' food. Unfortunately, I do not feel attractive being checked out by junior high pre-pubescent females. And the older females are certainly not interested in a trench coat wearing, liberal looking, not th§t muscular college male. I buy some music, my one real pleasure these days. This time I get an old Genesis cassette, Foxtrot, an For The Poor? Most jobs involving social work pay low wages. Many of the most qualified medical experts would not work for the low wages of a funded organization for the poor. Additionally, the medical card pays as little as 1/6 the billed costs. Understandably, most of the medical profession who are privately employed, don’t want to service people with a medical card. As a result, the medical care among the poor is becoming worse. Let's face it-lhe poor people in America are treated second-rate. This is not acceptable. Society is their financial provider, therefore it Best and The Worst of Life The Montana, a Cuban immigrant who becomes fabulously rich only to snort his life away. Although extremely violent, the film is thrilling, sad, and even funny at times. It also contains some of the greatest lines of all time. For example: Tony, to a man he just shot in the head: "You think you're smart? Look at you now. You look stupid." 7. The Wall bv Pink Flovd It's not just an album, but a way of life. They're more fun to watch than any other team in baseball. Harry Carey and Steve Stone are a joy to listen to, especially in the late innings when Harry is drunk from drinking all game. Ryne Sandberg, Jody Davis, and Andre Dawson will bring the pennant back to Wrigley in 1988. 9. Money What would life be without it? Especially these days when it can buy anything. Money is awesome, and the more the better. Just ask Noriega. 10. Robert DeNiro Movies Robert is the finest actor in the business today. From Taxi Driver' excellent album with a twenty minute track, "Supper's Ready." I haven't put it down yet. When I finally get to talk to someone the next Monday, it’s irritating to hear some lovesick puppy drool over "the most adorable thing I have ever seen in my entire life," and yet do nothing about it. But overall, I enjoy the conversation. I have at last spoken to an intelligent, and sober, human being. I also have had many good laughs. And where did I final all of this fun? Talking to a seemingly dull person in the S.G.A. office. It took me a semester and a half to find a few good friends... how long do I wait for more? Will I ever crack the frigid, self-absorbed exterior of an average Behrend student? I hope I will. So if you see a half-asleep, trench coat wearing, quiet student, with old Genesis blaring in the headphones of his walkman, please say a simple "Hi," it just might make the Erie weather a little more bearable. should offer guidelines people to become autonomous. People on welfare should not be given more money to have more kids. Without the responsibility of additional babies, a parent on welfare would have few excuses not to get a job, or a G.E.D. first....or whatever it takes. We are the financial supporters of children who are bom into poverty. It is our responsibility to be involved. Make your opinions known. But first, come to understand the problem, with compassion.We owe it to the children. "Buckle Up, Behrend!" Now it's a law. A public service message from the Collegian TROUBLED? NEED TO TALK? WE CAN HELP... WE CARE ABOUT YOU! FINN STATI-BIHHEND CAMPUS MINISTRY Student Services Reed Building 888-8241 OFF-CAMPUS WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES BUS TRANSPORTATION AVAILABLE FOR ll(Warn SERVICES BUS LEAVES REED IolSam SUNDAYS ON C AMPUS WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ROMAN CATHOLIC MASS with The Rev Ron Tove«*|Fr Ron) SATURDAYS. SKa m.m (HE RtEDITCTURE HAIL PI NN STATT-BEHREND . CAMPUS MINISTRY to The Untouchables’, all of his movies are worth seeing over and over again. The Strange Daze Bottom Ten: Ed's Choice of the Most Worthless Things in Life 1. Virgins Virginity went out with the second world war. They're good for marriage, but otherwise not much fun. To all you virgins: Thanks for Nothing. 2. Instructors Who Do Not Give Especially those who give them back two weeks later, after you’ve forgotten you ever took it. And skip the excuse about having all that research to do. We've heard it before. . 3. Joap.Rivers She’s boring, obnoxious, and very funny. I'd prefer to listen to Howard Cosell tell his life story. 4. Yugo's They're cheap, ugly, and dangerous. I'd sooner drive a used Vega. I’m sure the K.G.B. is somehow behind their exportation to this country. 5. Philosophy 001 Could it possibly be good for anything? Murphy Was An Optimist by Kevin Trenney Collegian Staff Writer Yes, I do believe that Thomas Hobbes was right. Perhaps man is not such a noble creature.-"the war of all against all. 9 Machievelli may have been correct in saying that man will "pursue lust after lust until death.” Voltaire may have been hasty in criticizing Rousseau's Social Contract. Could it be that man is little more than an animal? Why do I take such a dismal view of my own species? The answer to this question is quite simple. By observing my fellow homo-sapiens, I have seen so much that makes me wonder if we are any.better than dogs. If humanity is so wonderful; Why are theie people who'treat-then fellow human beings like dirt, simply because they are of a different race, religion, or socio-economic status? Why is there starvation and homelessness in the U.S. and the rest of the world, when there are people who have millions and billions of dollars in assets. Why does man sell substances to children and other humans, which will kill them? Why are men, women, and children sold as sex slaves? It seems as though our society is caught up in this disgusting "ret race" for the trophy of material possessions. All of these self-centered "yuppie wanna be’s" are so caught up in pursuit of "BMers" the "2.3 children" and the other little perks in life, that they don't see the suffering, the pain, the hurt that so many are experiencing. My generation seems to be blinded by the images which are created in Hollywood and its sterile studios (self included). If someone doesn’t look just right, act just right, then "I can't associate with her or go out with her." Isn't this the attitude that many of us take? It truly bothers me that I too often take this internal view. Thanks to movies and T.V., we get to see all of these (physically) beautiful people falling in love (lust). Yes we must go after the "gorgeous babes”. Girls go after the "hunks". Why can't we put the physical aside. Boozing is glamorized in Hollywood; the movies, the tv. commercials. What don't you see? The homes which alcohol ruins and the deaths caused by drunk driving. Yes it does seem that we are animalistic in our drives. We can never get enough money or material possessions. We want more and more. Love has once again faded away-being replaced by lust People pursuing conquest after conquest People don’t seem to love compassion. Pimps and drug pushers don't care about the people that they deal with. They care only about profit! Such is life in America today. Where is our society headed? I believe that destruction is it’s destination. What can I do. I can take my bleeding heart conservative philosophy to the people. 1 don't feel that it is the government's responsibility to solve all of society's problems. It's yours and mine!! Editorial Policy The Behrend Collegian's editorial opinion is deter mined by the Editor, with the Editor holding final responsibility. Opinions expressed on the editorial pages are not necessarily those of the Behrend CoL legian.The Behrend College, or The Pennsylvania State University. The Corry Jounal, the publisher of the Behrend Collegian, is a separate corporate in stitution Cram Penn State. Letter Policy: The Behrend Collegian encourages • on news coverage, editorial policy and University af fairs. Letters should be typewritten, double—spaced, signed by no more than two people, and not longer than 400 words. Students letters should include the; semester and major of the writer. All writers should provide their address and phone number for verifica tion of the letter. The Collegian reserves the right lo edit tetters for legnth and to reject letters if they are libelous or do not conform to standards of good taste. Postal Information: The Behrend Collegian (885—4221) is published fourteen times annually ...» (seven times during each academic semester at The Behrend College) by the students of the Behrend College; the Reed Union Building, Station Road, Erie,P» 16563 Collegian 6. Kate and Allic By far the dumbest show on television. Watched only by pre pubescent teens and students who get C's in Phys Ed. 7. The National Deht It's large. It’s scary. It’s expensive. Getting rid of it has got to be our number one priority. 8. The Pittsburgh Pirates Probably the worst team in football. Even Todd Blackledge won't be able to help this sorry, sappy, spectacle of a sports team. 9. Jimmy. Carter - He look office and screwed up the country for four-years. President Reagan is still.tfying to undo the damage he did. Billy or Amy could probably, have done a better job. 10. li2. They're shallow, untalented, and overrated. Popular among English majors and people who wear weird clothes and talk funny. So there they are. The best and worst of the last twenty-five years. By the way, if you disagree with some of my picks, that's too bad. I don't want to hear about it The opinions expressed by Ed Miseta arc not necessarily those of the Collegian. Page 5
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