Thursday, February 19,1998 OPNINIONTEDITORIAL Editorial What The Capital Times It is no secret that many college and university has its share of problems and blemishes that go unattended. And some do a better job with their makeovers than others. Yet many times these problems, when made known to the world, are quickly solved, applauded and left alone. After briefly discussing this topic within the walls of W 341, we de cided to look into the possibility that maybe PSH could even have such a dilema. So, off we went on our quest for the dirt. This was a search to find Penn State's pimples that have been so cleverly covered up. Honestly, the search was not all that difficult. Granted, it is always easier to throw the mud than to clean it up. So we readily admit to sling ing the slime, but offer no apologies for it. *Stairs - Does anyone else wonder why the stairwells are the most attractive part of the Olmsted Building? There is nothing wrong with having clean, well-constructed stairs. However, once we exit the stairs and enter the hallway, we are left with thoughts like "is this the same building?" One visitor to the college said that she felt like she was in a hospital when she walked down the hallways. *Clocks - We hope that anyone who goes to the Lion's Den for a bite to eat is wearing a watch. If you are a student who takes the time to sit down at the tables provided to dine, relax, study or whatever else students do, you cannot depend on the clock on the wall to remind you that your next class is about to begin. There isn't one. Moreover, the clocks that are located throughout the building not only have diferent times, but some are over 10 minutes off in either direction. A suggestion to SGA: Please have clock placed in room 216 as part of the remodeling project. After all, it is going to be a student lounge which means students will be there to study or rest. We just want to make sure that the students cannot use "I didn't know what time it was" as an excuse for their tardiness. *Traps - There is a mouse trap located under the television in the stu dent lounge beside the game room which could double as an apartment for any average-sized rhino who may wander by. With a trap that big, should the students be worried or concerned about what types of crea tures are wandering the building? Maybe someone will make it on the next episode of When Animals Attack. *Grounds - If you enter the Olmstead Building through the doors at the rear west corner, you no doubt have noticed several holes in the ground located just feet away from the sidewalks. Normally we would say, "No big deal. They're fixing a problem." Unfortunately, it's obvious that no one has figured out what the problem is because the ground has been blocked off since the middle of the fall semester. We have come up with one possible explanation. The University is planning a reinactment of the "trench wars" from World War II performed by the Drama Troupe. *Restroom - What is going on in the women's restroom on the third floor in the west wing? According to one professor, there is a temporary wall that was installed to block off a leak or something of that nature. You have to forgive us for not being on top of this story. Due to gender, we are not permitted in the ladies' restroom. Go figure. Besides the possible plumbing problem, any intelligent person knows not to make a women's restroom smaller. *Cobwebs - We never expected to find a problem in the aforemen tioned stairs... as beautiful as they are. However, the next time you take a trip to third floor, check the windows in the top of the stairway by the elevator. The first thing that comes to mind is the living room of the Munsters. It looks like "spider heaven." Maybe we should be more care ful because Eddie's pet, Spot, might come right out of the stairs when we least expect it. Not to worry though, if he does come out he will probably get caught in the trap in the lounge downstairs. *Bulletin Boards - The bulletin boards are a great way for groups and organizations to get the news out about their upcoming events. But no tice what was just said. . .upcoming events. If you ever stop and take the time to look at the boards (and we hope you do because important infor mation is located on them) then you have probably noticed that several things are somewhat outdated. We propose the folowing: it should be an enforced policy that once an event is completed, all the notices and bulle tins should be taken down within the next week. *The Meaning of Life - Can anybody tell us why, exactly, we are on this planet? onders Dear Editor I would like to respond to Dani Church's Jan. 22 review of Kevin Facer's photographic exhibit, "Im pressions of Lightness, Weight and Being" recently shown in the Gal lery Lounge. Church did not particularly like the exhibit, and one can not fault her opinion. Her idea that a pho tographer must somehow convey to the viewer his externalization of an inner vision through a "responsive pathway" was well thought out. However, her conclusion that Facer did not fulfill that mission is one The Capital Times is published by the students of Penn State Harrisburg. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author and are not representative of the college administration, faculty or stu dent body. Concerns regarding the content of any issue should be directed to the editors. The Capital Times welcomes signed letters from readers. No unsigned submission will be reprinted, however, a writer's name may be withheld upon request and by approval of the editors. You may reach The Capital Times at Penn State HaTrisburg Cam pus, Olmsted Building, W-341, 777 W. Harrisburg Pike, Middletown, Pa., 17057. You may phone at (717) 948-6440, or email at captimes@psu.edu. All materials - articles, photographs and artwork are property of The Capital Times. No parts of this paper may be reproduced without the expressed written permission consent of the editors. The Capital Times does not endorse its advertisers. In defense of the Facer exhibit 1, 42iA -It O,A Soo : Wit \I A cik. CP" cfres cool OW 4 c.A. 67,1.041 , J ÷ 4 k \ ,(0 o'ol , 0 , tvviV Iffr 0 41 ' . ,42 , c, tij'A 3°l 441P46 111 4.t + 23c(N40, a 040 40 19(2. N' LOMB 0.0).. tit0%ty:441.4t.,,,,,,0cc%> 005,10, opttNix ,oe tho, %.0013Pote to'cL% Neolt, o ss ok a° e. ko .„.4, ad v . f, c:o9\z, *xi- I, otAtek 500.*).4e44,(,*0^ *`l-, se6olo 4 ' c ottA r fie ;skiftN, 'A ofr ~j /~~ /~ After +he r v • UMMMM r7:st4out-P HAVE 0~6 MIS A kotlCi e A&D Daniel A. Zehr Letters to the editor with which I differ. Church made the point that since Facer's photographs were based on Milan Kundera's book, The Un bearable Lightness of Being, it would have been helpful to have copies of the book readily available. While that would have been a cour tesy to the viewers, a gallery goer who had not yet read the book would still have to view the exhibit on its own merit, as Church had done. Whether one had read the book or not, the photographic ex hibit should stand as a work in its own right. As an art form it must adhere to the requirements of that art—just as a movie based on a book should stand on its on right. I, like Church, had not read the t x rV/ - The Capital Times Matthew J. Bowman Editors THE CAPITAL TIMES book before viewing the exhibit, so was left to form an impression based on what was right in front of me. I felt Facer conveyed his mes sage clearly. I found the images remarkably dynamic and, in some cases, breathtaking. One photo was a view of the turreted rooftop of a 19th century building. Above the building, birds were captured fly ing by with all the surprise one might have if it were a live view. One of those messages of his ex hibit can be derived from the title of Kundera's book, which conveys a mysterious dichotomy in the na ture of being. Facer's images, I believe, bear that out. Rather than blurred, as Church felt, I found the images distinct, in both the message conveyed as well as the visual im agery. The sharp contrast between light and dark was effectively used in his photographs to get his point across That these photographs do stand on their own merit was exemplified for me by Facer's ability to find the beauty around him. In one shot of a woman standing in a field, the delicacy of light playing off the cotton fabric and the silkiness of her skin worked together to form a co herent image. In that regard, the viewer's understanding of the photographer's intent can be some thing the artist did not intend at all. Facer's task of visually represent ing abstract ideas was a difficult one. In all, I found his work to be sensitively felt and beautifully seen. Sincerely, Ilene Rosenberg Dani Church Entertainment Editor Christine Downs Business Manager Jeffrey C. Warren Photographer Lauren Capitani Layout Rick Deitz Staff Writer Makito Yurita Staff Writer
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers