October 23, 2006
Vidalis: Beyond
the Classroom
Continued from page 1
dreams. But these aren’t the kind
of dreams one has while they’re
asleep. These dreams are those she
would want to come true someday,
kind of like fantasies. One of the
paintings she did was of the house
of her dreams, entitled “Dream
House,” which she painted in 1999
This house sits on a mountain with
trees right next to a lake. Another
dream painting Vidalis did was in
1996 entitled “Looking out into
the World.”
This painting was how she
viewed the world as a puzzle
through a window frame as shown
in her painting.
Both paintings took about a year
to complete and are painted with
acrylic paint. She doesn’t really
have anything outside source that
influences her paintings, she said.
“They’re mainly just my dreams
of what I like or how I would want
something to be,” Vidalis said.
In addition to painting, her other
hobbies include doing things on the
computer, reading adventure and
fiction books, and playing beach
volleyball, which she can’t play
too much of in the cold seasons of
Pennsylvania.
Vidalis was raised in Tarpon
Springs, Fla. She moved to
Pennsylvania in August and is
getting used to it.
“There are positives to both
places,” she said. In Florida, she
enjoyed the beaches, spending
time with her friends and
family, going to restaurants and
shopping at various stores. She
mentioned that there are some
really good restaurants and stores
in Florida that she doesn’t see in
Pennsylvania. “That’s one of the
negatives,” said Vidalis.
But she is looking forward to
seeing all four seasons. “Fall
is coming up too,” Vidalis said
excitedly with a smile. “The leaves
are so beautiful when they change
colors. That’s something we don’t
really have in Florida.”
Florida has just two seasons,
THE CAPITAL TIMES
spring and summer, she said. Even
their winter is not terribly cold.
She is even looking forward to the
winter season for the snow because
of the more wholesome holiday
feeling it brings.
Another difference between
Florida and Pennsylvania are the
roads and highways.
“Florida roads are straight and
there is everything you’ll ever need
on that straight road,” said Vidalis.
In contrast, she said that
Pennsylvania roads are much
curvier and that it’s much more
difficult to find everything you need
on just one road.
Vidalis attended the University of
Florida in Gainesville, Fla. for her
bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate
degrees that were all in civil
engineering.
She also received an associate
of arts degree in engineering at
St. Petersburg College (formerly
known as St. Petersburg Junior
College) in Tarpon Springs, Fla.
Classes she teaches at Penn State
Harrisburg include construction
planning and scheduling, and
graphic communications.
Vidalis’ list of fav’s
1. Food: She actually
has three- Greek,
Middle Eastern, and
Mediterranean.
2. Drink: Carbonated water
because it’s healthy. She
doesn’t drink soda because
it’s not good for the body.
3. Color: Wine color (kind of
like a burgundy) or forest
green.
4
Achievement: Finishing
her Ph.D.
Sport: Soccer because she
likes being competitive and
using different strategies.
Also because it’s the best
exercise and it’s fun.
Music: Can’t really choose
just one. She enjoys
everything but hip-hop
and rap.
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Scmtorum, Casey duke it out for Senate
Continued from page 1
knowing about that influence.
He also pledges to fix Medicare
and Medicaid, while still saving tax
payers money. Casey will ask “the
tough questions” and plans overall
to fix the problems within Congress
itself in order to correct the mistakes
and problems facing many Americans
and particularly Pennsylvanians,
especially regarding education, health
care and retirement issues.
Casey’s opponent, conservative,
Rick Santorum, has been in the
Senate seat since 1994. He also has
multiple goals for the state. They are
similar to Casey’s, yet handled in near
opposite political fashion. Rather
than stop the cuts hitting Medicare,
Santorum is dedicated to helping the
people, not the insurance companies.
He is also a staunch supporter of a
plan to make insurance quotes and
rates accessible to all companies, big
and small.
Santorum is also strongly opposed
to granting amnesty to illegal
immigrants, saying it demeans
the sacrifice of legal immigrants.
So he supports increased border
Drun
aims
Continued from page 1
was different from what I expected.
I thought it would be a regular
arcade game; everything would be
exaggerated and unrealistic. But as it
went on, I noticed when I turned then
wheel the car wasn’t responding the
way 1 thought it would. I must have
been getting bombed,” said senior
Andrew Scott ofhis experience driving
the simulator.
Students seemed to react positively
to the event. Although they were
attracted by the promise of a video
game, they came away with knowledge
of the dangers of drunk driving.
“It was a good simulation. It made an
impact on how it feels to drive drunk
and how suddenly it changes. I would
never think of driving drunk, especially
after this,” said Ryan Pechart of
his experience.
There was more than just a simulator
to educate students on the dangers
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alcohol victims
rivin
stop
MOVING TO
security and consequences for
illegals. In terms of conservation,
Santorum has played an enormous
part in creating multiple programs
to protect Pennsylvania farmland
from development.
In the race for Governor of
Pennsylvania, Ed Rendell has
political experience, even if that
experience lies in question of
effectiveness, over opponent Lynn
Swann. One of the main issues in the
campaign for governor is the debate
over property tax.
Rendell previously signed into effect
Act 72, a bill that would, over time,
match Pennsylvania gaming revenue
gained from slot machines, racetracks
and the like to property taxes.
So far, this has been applied to
all school districts. However, the
effects of this act take place when
the gaming revenue reaches a certain
point, which has not occurred. Still,
the possibility is there for major tax
relief in the years to come.
Rendell has done a lot for
education, providing needed supplies
to school districts, in turn, increasing
the amount of money going into
of drinking and driving. Around
the Special Events room were large
posters that had moving images
and slogans such as a picture of a
foot with a body tag on it with the
slogan “Another Innocent Victim”.
There was also a coffin that was
“reserved for the next drunk driving
victim.” Videos documentaries of eight
different teenagers that were involved
in drunk driving accidents also played.
They gave account of their experiences
as a passenger, drunk driver, or a
victim of an accident.
Both Geysbeck and Wilson felt that the
event was a success. “Our definition of
success is that one person walks away
thinkingthey will never drink and drive.
That’s success.” Said Geysbeck.
Students that were questioned
responded positively. They felt it was
educational and provided a realistic
simulation of drunk driving. To find
out more visit www.savealifetour.org.
HOME AWAY FROM HOME
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it it it it it it it
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education by millions. Rendell also
came up with a plan to generate
lottery revenue into a way for seniors
to get prescription drug coverage.
Rendell has also created many more
jobs, pushing Pennsylvania’s rank
from 41 in the country to 15 in terms
of employment.
His opponent, Lynn Swann, is a very
different sort of governor. Swann was
an athlete in high school and beyond.
He has been a leader on the field and
off for years, and is trying to build
a better Pennsylvania with strong
leadership and hard work.
In terms of the Property tax debate,
Swann wants to create a four point
system, which gets rid of all the
technicalities and focuses more on
how much the home cost and on a
simpler system to govern the taxes.
Swann also plans on making sure the
money goes to the classrooms, not
administrative costs. Swann plans to
create more jobs by cutting costs for
low income families. He also wants
to improve life for veterans, such as
focusing on maintaining overseas
veterans’ right to vote.
This election is set to be a close one.
Ed Rendell has Philadelphia behind
him, and Swann has Pittsburg.
These are huge voting districts with
millions of potential votes that can
decide a victory.
As for Santorum and Casey, it’s up
to the state to decide whether to stick
with Santorum or usher in a change
with Bob Casey.
Both sides of each campaign
advocate progression forward in
Pennsylvania; either with a new
direction or by strengthening the
old campaign. Yet, from the ads and
commercials we have seen, we know
both sides are fighting to win at any
cost. The game of politics is a cruel
and vicious one, and the public is the
deciding factor.
Regardless of the outcome in either
election, Pennsylvania will be seeing
many changes soon. Whether or not
the results occur as when promised is
another story.
So, with less than a month remaining
until ballots are cast, the citizens
of this state and its future leaders
must decide who will best benefit
Pennsylvania and provide some much
needed change to already problematic
and controversial issues.
University!
The issue
about Mac
labs continues
students allowed access,
When asked why the lIT department
hasn’t followed the Engineering
department’s example, Terry Majzlik
was unaware of students’ concerns.
She encourages students to speak out
about issues because “it’s the only way
we can know if there is a problem.”
She also encourages students to
speak with their Student Government
representatives about issues. She also
explained the lIT department has been
looking into getting the swipe cards for
a while now, but there is still a ways to
go before they can. “It is something
we are considering... well into that,”
said Majzlik.
Students taking more than nine
credits this semester now pay 190
dollars a semester, up 45 dollars from
last year’s fee of 155 dollars. This
money goes towards maintaining
audio visual equipment, computer and
visual aid maintenance and repairs,
new computer equipment, updating
and adding new software programs,
and providing paper and toner for
printers in classrooms, as well as
maintaining the Macintosh Multimedia
Studio (Mac Labs). Last year, 16,441
dollars were spent on updating
and maintaining the Mac Labs.
The Olmsted basement, however, is
not funded by the IT fee, but by grant
money and our Chancellor Dr. Madlyn
Hanes. This saved the IT department
nearly 750,000 dollars. According to
the IT website “Your [students’] IT
fee maintains operations. There are
other items, besides operations that
lIT needs to provide the best possible
service to students,” however the lIT
department does not have the money
available to purchase the equipment
necessary for swipe card access.
In the meantime, students who
are in the lab before 10:30 p.m.
Monday thru Thursday are allowed
to stay in the Mac lab and finish their
assignments until an alternative means
is available. For more information
regarding the use of your IT fees
and software availability on lIT
computers, visit the lIT website at
www.hbg.psu.edu/iit
Continued from page 1