A minute
with Mauti
By USA MAUTI
Columnist
LAAM3SS@PSU.EDU
Looking back over the summer,
I’ve been trying to think about what
crazy adventures and stories that I
have to share with you to kick off
this lovely fall semester, but I just
can’t seem to find one good enough.
It seems that I learned more than I
cared to this summer and somehow
came out of the whole thing older
and more mature. For one thing, I
had to deal with losing someone
who was very near and dear to
my heart.
It was hard, but I still took the time
to follow the last piece of advice
that I gave out in the spring: To
have a fun summer fling or two
without looking back and with no
strings attached. But something got
in my way of doing just that.
I don’t know what yet, but
something was affecting my
ability to just date for fun without
committing myself for the long
term. Maybe a fling just wasn’t what
I needed this summer. Sure, I just
turned 21 and had a blast taking the
bars in. Pittsburgh by storm. <
There were cute guys everywhere,.
I wound up going out with one of
them in the midst of everything else
in my life going haywire. He was a
nice teddy-bear like accountant, and
we had fun golfing and doing the
typical dating thing, but something
just wasn’t there. And shit happens,
If all I wanted was a fling though,
then why in the hell was I looking
for what was missing? I made up
for it by meeting a retired Eagles
player at bar. No, no he wasn’t like
old and retired.
Just 29 and retired. I know. He was
an Eagle, and I being a hardcore
Steelers fan, it was like going
against my religion, but he was just
fun to talk to at the bar anyways.
Then by way of car shopping, 1 was
sold on not only a car, but on the
guy who sold it to me.
But once again, I thought I was
selling myself short, so I returned
him. I know, 1 know. I couldn’t
help it.
It seemed like I just couldn’t get
down the fling thing. I guess 1 am
just too much of a romantic to have
a fling. Although the advice didn’t
work for me, I’m sure it worked for
some of you. I must say that the
unspoken theories did work for me
this summer. Like:
Why is it that when you aren’t
looking for anyone and just car
shopping or walking home from the
bar, you always seem to find a cutie,
and then when you are looking for
someone, you never seem to find
what you want? It was just another
twist of fate I suppose.
Between a death in the family,
rescuing a dog, getting a new car,
and applying for jobs, no guy
seemed to fit, and I just couldn’t
seem to get the no strings attached
part. Is that was I was supposed to
find out?
Is there really such a thing as
dating with no strings attached or
are we as humans doomed to have
some kind of attachment to anyone
we cross paths with? Or can most
women just not do a no strings
attached relationship without feeling
angst over it?
Guys seem to be able to pull off no
strings attached like it’s their second
nature. (Sorry, guys, if you think
I’m generalizing, but honestly, look
around.) So why can’t women?
Oh well, it seemed like fun at the
time anyways...
Prepare to be parched
By HEATHER COLEMAN
Staff Reporter
HMCSO2I@PSU.EDU
No more liquids is the new battle
cry for the Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) after a
plot by British terrorist to bring
aboard liquid explosives on trans-
Atlantic flights was uncovered
about a month ago. All liquids,
including beverages, as well as
water, shampoo, any lotions or
creams, toothpaste, hair/shaving
gels, and any other items
of similar consistency, are
no longer allowed beyond
the checkpoint or on board
aircrafts. Additionally, any
of these types of items
purchased beyond the
checkpoint, in the airport,
must also be thrown away
before boarding the aircraft.
Does anyone besides me see
a problem with this? If not,
let me continue.
The primary goal of the
TSA has been to ensure
airport security and prevent
the hijacking of another
aircraft, but the only way
they seem to be able to do
this is by stripping us of
our freedoms, which has
been the main complainant
of this agency since its
creation. So, how far is
too far before people will
actually stand up for their
rights and freedoms. A
wise man once said, “He
who gives up freedom for
It's your time at Penn State University
By DIANE KENNEY
Staff Reporter
DMK29S@PSU.EDU
Here we are at the start of another
semester and many new changes
have occurred. The biggest one that
needs to be approached is this entire
new freshman class. They are an
amazing new addition to our little
campus, and to have new, young,
energetic life here on campus
is exciting.
Another big addition to our
campus this year is the new
lion statue sitting outside of the
library. The lion is the biggest
Ignorant'
By LISA STONE
Staff Reporter
LCSI67@PSU.EDU
The following letter was sent to
the editor of The Capital Times
in response to the story “Visitor
Parking is for Visitors?” It was
never printed because the writer did
not include his/her name for print.
Dear Lisa Stone,
First and foremost, as Webster's
Dictionary defines is, the word
ignorant means "uninformed, or
lacking in education. ” So, upon
reading your article “ Visitor Parking
Spots for Visitors? ’’it appears (unless
Webster is ignorant as well), that it
is you, Lisa Stone, who embodies
the very definition of the word, and
not those of us who are using visitor
parking spaces. Maybe you should
have researched your article a little
better, because we are fully aware of
what a visitor spot entails; we just
don ’tcare. Rude? Yes. Inconsiderate?
Absolutely. Lazy? Maybe a little bit.
Ignorant? Not so much.
Maybe the problem lies in the fact
that on top of the grotesque amount
of tuition we pay to attend this fine
educational institution, we also have
to pay $4O a semester to park. If we
are paying an extra $BO (yes Lisa, $4O
+ $4O = $80) every academic year
to park (not including the summer
semester), we should be able to park
wherever we damn well please, and
in this instance, it is as close to the
door as humanly possible. If visitor
parking was in a less convenient
location, we would not park there. It
security deserves neither.” The TSA
is never going to be able to fully
prevent another terrorist attack from
happening again, especially when
the main weapon of their whole
operation was the actual plane. Last
I checked, not many people can fly
without a plane.
The problem with airline security
is that most of their ridiculous
new rules are rash and regrettably
not that helpful. Someone tried to
get liquid explosives on board a
Photo courtesy of Googl* Imog#*
Water bottles line a trash can at an airline check
point. Higher security means no bottles on flight.
representation of our Penn State
pride, and I’m proud he was added
to our campus.
As always with the beginning of
each year, the Student Government
Association is planning on making
big changes. As a new member of
the Senate, I am very happy to be
a part of something that promises
change, and I encourage anyone
who wants to be involved in SGA to
come and check it out because it’s
your time.
This year, Student Activities
has planned many new activities,
Though it will be hard to top
about PSH's parking problem
is not like we are taking handicapped
spots from the physically disabled
here. It s just cold outside, and hey,
we 're a little lazy.
Possibly, we could find a solution
to this "problem ” by asking these
"prestigious” visitors who do not
pay $BO to park, to walk the extra 10
or 20 feet, and leave the prime spots
for those of us who have to lug $7OO
worth of books, on any given day,
into Olmstead. Maybe, Lisa, if you
parked a little closer to Olmstead,
perhaps in a visitor s spot, and didn’t
have to walk the extra 10 feet, you
could get to English class in time
to properly comprehend the full
meaning of the word ‘ignorant ’. This
would enable you to write articles
worthy of a college education.
So, next time you decide to insult
Webster, or play campus cop for
a day, maybe you could whip out
your badge on those students who
are parking in handicapped spots,
and taking away from those
individuals who actually need their
designated spaces.
The crime here, Lisa, lies not in
parking in visitor spots, but in the
tragic deforestation that had to occur
for you to get your worthless editorial
printed in the Capital Times.
Sincerely,
The "so-and-so s ” who really enjoy
visitor parking
Upon first reading this letter, I was
surprised that something I had written
had received actual hate mail. Flame
wars are usually something I steer
plane, so the TSA’s solution is to
immediately ban all liquids, and the
problem becomes solved. But wait,
anyone who took chemistry knows
that there are plenty of things that
can explode, and good luck trying
to check for all of them at the
boarding gate.
The TSA has taken into
consideration that there are some
people out there who do have special
needs and to ensure their health
they have permitted a few liquids
on board in small amounts,
like breast milk and eye
drops. But did the TSA ever
think that terrorist could use
these few exceptions to their
advantage and still smuggle
whatever they needed on,
while leaving the rest of us
average citizens, who usually
travel for vacation and
relaxation, without valuable
liquids for hours.
Yes, most airlines do
provide a complimentary
drink once they are up in
the air, but what do you do
during a lay-over? You are
either forced to visit a water
fountain constantly or to
purchase something to drink,
that you otherwise could have
brought with you, and then,
let me remind you, forced to
throw it away if you do not
finish it before it is time to
board the aircraft.
What is worst about the
no liquid policy is that the
TSA is not just taking these
Laguna Beach’s Jessica and Alex,
I’m sure they will come up with
something. Many activities have
already taken place this year and
have had higher attendances than
last year.
I have had four exciting years of
life-learning experiences here at
Penn State. Though I am graduating
in just twelve weeks, whatever
new chapter I start will have a hard
time teaching me the things I have
learned while being a student in the
Penn State system. Starting with
freshman year with petty girl fights
and cramming all night for finals, to
well clear of in the course of my day.
I apparently hit a sore spot with this
article, something that happens when
your writing is published. I accept
that not all people will agree with me,
what I stated in the article regarding
Visitor’s parking were definitely
my views on the issue. There are,
however, a few points I would like to
correct “The so-and-so’s who really
enjoy visitor parking” on.
Firstly, I should address my use of
the word ignorant. In the Webster’s
New World College Dictionary
Fourth Edition, the word ignorant
is defined as 1 a) having little
knowledge, education, or experience;
uneducated; inexperienced b) lacking
knowledge (in a particular area or
matter) 2) caused by or showing
lack of knowledge or education 3)
unaware (of). In the case of its use in
my article, I was using it to refer to
the so-and-so’s (and those like them)
and their lack of knowledge in the
area of common courtesy.
1 will skim over such grammatical
and spelling errors, as using is
instead of it in the first sentence of
their letter and misspelling Olmsted
twice in the third paragraph, and
move on to examine the issue of my
apparent math mistake. Upon re
examining the list of prices provided
by Police Services, I see that full
time students are indeed charged $75
for a yearly pass, as I stated in my
article. Apparently, I did something
that the Webster dictionary defines as
“research” into my topic.
I also would like to point out that
using such a poor excuse as laziness
THE CAPITAL TIMES
things away from innocent average
citizens, but young children as
well. If a child brings a bottle or
sip cup filled with liquids the TSA
does not care and will dump it out,
which brings me to another point.
The whole reason TSA even banded
liquids from airplanes is because
alleged terrorists in Europe were
going to use mixed liquids to make
a bomb. Therefore, what is the
sense behind pouring these liquids
down the same drain when they
supposedly explode upon being
mixed? And whose problem is it
when a baby starts crying during
travel because they are thirsty?
The point is that smart terrorists
will always come up with new ways
to get explosives on board because
where there is a will there is truly a
way. In the meantime, the impulsive
approach to security that the TSA
has taken does not make anyone
safer. In fact, all it really does is
annoy paying customers, take up
tons of precious time, and leave
everyone feeling thirsty.
Remember the crazy shoe bomb
terrorist a few years ago? It was
just that one person, and no one
has ever tried the Wile E. Coyote
approach since. Now, thanks to him,
however, passengers everywhere
are still taking off their shoes for
examination before boarding flights.
What happens next if someone
tries to use a shirt for a bomb or
even a bra? At this rate, in a few
years, maybe even months, all plane
passengers will be forced to fly
handcuffed and naked. Goosfraba!
senior year when I learned how one
achieves their “A” game.
Your college experience is what
you make of it. I’ve had amazing
ride that I will never be ready to
get off. This is my last semester as
a Penn State student and I plan to
make the most of it, starting off with
All U-Day up at UP for the Penn
State/Northwestem game. After I
leave in December, not a day will go
by that I won’t think of my times at
Penn State. I encourage all students
to take in the Penn State experience,
bleed Blue and White and always
remember, GO STATE.
to violate university policy is not
something I would proudly claim.
Only ten spots are reserved for Visitor
Parking in the Olmsted lot. Be honest
so-and so’s, the only reason you park
there is to take advantage of the fact
that other students obey the posted
signs. There are numerous other
spaces that are close to entryways,
you simply can’t get them if you
show up five minutes before class in
most cases.
I will completely skip your feeble
attempts to insult my character and
education and instead move on to
address the issue of enforcement
in the handicap spaces. To this
issue I would like to point out that
officers will often hit violators
found in these spaces not only for
unregistered vehicle violations but
also for parking in handicap spaces.
Violators of this variety usually face
not only a one hundred dollar fine but
also a less than sympathetic Vehicle
Registration Office.
So, in closing, I would like to state
that I fully stand by my views on
this issue. I also do not feel that my
article was worthless. At the very
least, I have the courage to state
my views publicly, take credit for
them, and make myself available
for discussion on the matter instead
of posting anonymous hate mail on
the door to the Capital Times office
as the “so-and-so’s” saw fit to do.
I agree that the parking situation is
not perfect, but breaking the rules
just because you are rude,
inconsiderate, lazy, and yes, ignorant,
is completely inexcusable.
September 25, 2006
President's
Corner
By ARIEL O'MALLEY
SGA President
AEOSOO2@PSU.EDU
Hello everyone, and welcome
back! I hope your summer was filled
with lots of happiness and many
good memories. Hopefully, you are
all settled in again and ready to get
this year started.
As President of SGA, 1 feel it is
only right to give you all a brief idea
of what exactly SGA does. SGA
governs over all of the clubs and
organizations on campus. We do
event planning, community service,
and much, much more. Most
importantly, however, we are here
for you. We are here to help you fix
the issues you see on campus and to
make Penn State Harrisburg a place
that you can be proud of. If you ever
run into a problem or have a concern
about something on campus, please
feel free to stop by the SGA office
so that we can help you. SGA is still
looking for more members. There
are openings for Senator and Court,
as well as committee positions. If
you are looking to get involved and
make a difference on this campus,
SGA is the place for you. If you are
truly interested, please stop by the
SGA office (E-136) and schedule a
time to meet with myself and Augie
Bravo (Vice-President, SGA).
Now that you know what we
are, let me tell you what we have
been up to. The members of SGA
were very busy over the summer
planning all sorts of things to make
this year a year to remember. We
are going to be taking on the project
of creating a Student Union, where
all the students can go to relax and
hang out together. I would like for
this room to contain various types
of entertainment. However to make
this a place where everyone can go,
I would like to know what sort of
things you would all like to see in
the Student Union. For example,
would you like to see a pool table,
air hockey, foosball, or maybe
something else? Please, let me know
if you have any ideas or thoughts on
the matter.
There are also many events in the
works such as Fall Fest and the
infamous Stuff-A-Plush, which
will have an added benefit this time
around. At this point, 1 would like to
bring something to your attention.
As a member of the student body,
you have the ability to plan your
own events to bring here on campus.
At the end of this month. Student
Activity Fee proposals will become
available which you can fill out to
get funding for your events. If you
need any assistance in filling out
the form or locating a vendor who
supplies the sort of event you are
looking for, please come and speak
with me. I will be more than happy
to help!
1 hope that this semester is
wonderful for all of you, and I wish
you the best of luck with all of your
classes. I would like to leave you
with this quote from Henry Miller.
“All growth is a leap in the dark,
a spontaneous unpremeditated act
without the benefit of experience.” I
hope you all take a leap in the dark
this year to enhance your growth.
(Remember that SGA will be your
flashlight along the way!)
Look for more
from President
O'Malley here in
The Capital Times