47 No. 5
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By RABYIA AHMED
Staff Reporter
RZA 1 09@PSU.EDU
"All mathematicians are perfectly
insane," he said. That is how
they are portrayed in popular
culture, anyway. With movies
like Good Will Hunting and A
Beautiful Mind, people think that
mathematicians are these antisocial,
peculiar beings who are either bald
or have crazy hair.
The opposite is true for many
math-lovers, actually. Such
is the case with Ronald A.
Walker, assistant professor in
mathematics. He joined the Penn
State Harrisburg family this past
fall, but judging from a few first
appearances, he seems to be very
"normal". Of course that poses the
question of what normal actually is,
but it's definitely safe to say that he
is not an alien from Mars.
One of his distinguishing factors
from some other professors is
his sense of humor, he said;
especially his use of puns. Walker
describes himself as a practitioner
of paronomasia or word-play.
Occasionally, his sense of humor
makes it to the classroom.
"There are three types of
mathematicians, those who can
count and those who can't," he said
wittingly, as he provided a sample.
For research, this soft-spoken
professor enjoys studying complex
analysis, where he studies the
functions of complex variables.
He said the concrete and abstract
aspects of math make it fun for
him, which is why he wants to
communicate it to others.
"I really enjoy teaching it to
others because I get to revisit what
I love to do," said Walker, the
curly, redhead.
The classes he teaches this
semester are calculus, which many
incoming freshman are taking
and linear algebra. It is his drive
to assist students that puts him in
line with other professors. Walker
wishes to be a mentor-like figure to
his students. He wants to be there
for his students with any class
related questions, which is why his
office door is almost always open.
"I want to provide my students
with any support I am able to give
to them when they don't understand
the material," Walker said.
There are two things about teaching
Please see WALKER on page 4
INDEX:
ITAL c if
Newspapers, DOA
By MARIN BENDORITIS
Editor in Chief
MABS33B@PSU.EDU
Newsprint is dead. Newspapers sit
idly on stands, waiting to be read
while the pulsing glow of the TV
joins in a mocking chorus with the
blue of the computer monitor.
The decline of print news
can be seen within the past
decade or so. Major newspapers
have experienced a decline of
circulation, and a loss of revenue,
forcing cutbacks on staff and a
reduced paper size.
No longer do we rely on print
journalists to update us on worldly
events. It is the TV news, and the
news websites that are able to
provide up to date information.
In 2000, the Washington Post
reported that their net income was
225.8 million, compared to 417.3
million in 1999.
Parking At Penn State Harrisburg
Too many students for not enough spaces
By IVANA LEE
Staff Reporter
151.5004@PSU.EDU
We all must park our car
somewhere. But to park on campus,
one needs a permit.
Parking permits cost full-time
students $75 for two semesters,
both fall and spring, or $4O for
one semester. One semester costs
part-time students $2O. Full-time
faculties pay $lO per month while
part-time faculties pay $5 per
month.
Photo by MARIN BENDORMS/Capital Times
The Olmsted lot becomes crowded by early afternoon, focing students to drive around in
search of the closest space.
Since 1994, parking permit costs
stayed the same, and where does
this money go? It goes toward
construction of parking lots, snow
removal in the winter, the traffic
light when entering campus as well
as painting the lines on the lots.
Ever notice the campus parking
lot so filled? Ever leave campus for
about 30 minutes and return only
to wonder, "Where did these cars
come from?" Everywhere you look
Police Report
Opinion
Newspapers are changing format,
but also striking content.
The Wall Street Journal, for
instance, eliminated stock pages to
save on cost.
Other newspapers, especially
localized ones, must downsize staff
which results in fewer articles.
In order to keep up with the
interne news trend, many
newspapers are converting to
online publishing. You are able to
read the day's news online, for a
fee, from major newspapers across
the country. Although this
allows users to access news
published around the country,
which it can be argued,
actually advances
journalism.
The New York Times hoped
in 2005 to increase revenue by
charging for content, $49.95 a
year, but free to those who have a
subscription to the printed version.
the library parking lot, the back of
Olmsted cars are packed row after
row. Even the parking lot near the
Swatara and C.U.B. is full.
It can be frustrating at times to find
a parking spot on campus, especially
if you're rushing to get to a class or
meeting.
"I have never been late for a class
because I couldn't find a parking
space, but it does take up a good
amount of time, maybe five to eight
minutes, before I'm able to find an
empty parking spot," said a Penn
State student.
One thing I most hated about
parking on campus was when I
would think I found a parking spot
and turn into it only to find a small
Honda Civic or Mini Cooper. Then
I have to reverse and go row after
row, looking for another spot.
We all have our own experience of
parking here at Harrisburg. Some
find it more frustrating than others.
Some arrive to campus in time to
see a parking lot almost empty.
December 3, 2007
But with the availability of free
news from sites such as msnbc.com
or cnn.com, few internet users will
pay for their news.
According to Bob Greene, the
editor of Newsday and founder of
the journalism program at
Hofstra University, " Reduced news
staffs lead to gradual abdication of
responsibility for
comprehensive and insightful news
coverage."
According to an internet source,
in 2002, the ad revenue was $44
billion for newspapers, while in
the first six months of 2003, the
number dropped to just under $2l
billion.
The sexual appeal of journalism
has declined, no longer are
journalists the social elite, with
years of schooling and experience.
With the ease of creating a `blog'
which allows anyone to voice
opinions as an expert;
Penn State Harrisburg has
2,235 parking spaces: 77 for the
handicapped, 32 for visitors, 21
reserved and five for motorcycles,
leaving 2,100 for faculty and
students
That is a lot of parking spaces but
sometimes the open spots are the
furthest from Olmsted and are not a
favorable. It doesn't seem there are a
lot of parking spaces on campus, but
there is depending on the time and
what day of the week it is. By 9 a.m.,
the library parking lot is filled. By 10
a.m., the Olmsted
But many students agreed it would
be rare for a college student to wake
up early and arrive at campus a
hour before class just to have their
car parked as close to Olmsted as
possible.
Let's take this crowded parking
lot issue one step further. If it is
crowded now, what happens when it
News 4 - 5
Club News 6 - 7
parking lot is
pretty packed
with some
close parking
spaces here
and there, but
a little before
8 a.m., there
are many open
spaces
Junior Jenna
Wessels arrives
at campus
between 9 and
11 a.m. and said
it gets a little
frustrating, but
the earlier you
get to campus,
the better.
Many students
who drive to
campus agreed
that arriving
earlier is
better because
there are more
available
parking spaces
Please see PARKING on page 4
From the Barstool
National Insecurities
Fall Sports Wrap-up.
Hot spot
journalists must constantly prove
their level of expertise and their
credibility.
It may be a generation divide that
is killing newsprint. Barely thirty
years ago, the newspaper was the
major source of news, but this
generation of young adults refuses
to even pick up a free copy of the
New York Times or USA today
unless it is required for a class or to
rip out the crossword.
Penn State Harrisburg offers
journalism classes, but a student
must go to University Park to
complete an actual journalism
degree, and only 677 students are
enrolled in the major, campus
wide.
Here at the Capital Times, we are
in the same predicament as other
newspapers around the country.
Our newspaper is constantly
understaffed, and circulation is
minimal. It is a constant struggle
The Penn State
Harrisburg veteran
By MATTHEW BIRX
Staff Reporter
MEB3S 1 @PSU.EDU
Most of us take it for granted.
Some of us realize what they have
done for us. Others know what they
have, and decided to follow in their
footsteps.
I am speaking of the veterans
ex-servicemen and women as
well as those currently in and those
joining the armed forces.
Penn State Harrisburg happens to
have a large armed forces presence
on the campus. The campus was
Many students at Penn State Harrisburg are veterans of the armed services
or currently enlisted. It is a challenge for those to change between service life
and civilian life sometimes.
once an Air Force base. The US Air
Force Reserves 193"' is across the
road at the Harrisburg International
Airport. There is a US Naval
Weapons Distribution Center near
Camp Hill. In Carlisle, we have the
US Army War College and there
is also Fort Indiantown Gap in the
area as well
After PSH's Veteran's Day
ceremony, I interviewed a few
veterans who attended this college.
There are many of them here. They
Campus Calendar.... 7
Sports
• • '•••-'•••
" ' 7 4 5:4,, Vic-.
to produce news that is attractive
enough that college students
will pick up a copy of this free
newspaper.
It it not only newspapers, but
books publishers who are also
feeling the decline in young
readership.
According to an article published
by the Boston Globe, almost half
of Americans between the ages of
18 and 24 never read a book for
pleasure.
This is opposed to the 2 -2.5 hours
spent watching TV, according to
the article
Change is slow, but unavoidable.
For those whose life revolved
around newspapers and newsprint,
this is a hard fact to accept.
Although there is something
to be said for actually having a
newspaper clipping to remember
an event, the shocking decline of
newsprint is still seen.
can be seen everyday. Some of
these men and women have the
same classes as you and I, and
you may not even know they have
served.
A very good friend of mine who
has served said, "We are grateful
to be here and be alive. Most of
us are in school because society
says we need a piece paper from a
university so we can excel in the
real world."
Others are here because they want
to better themselves because they
are not "lifers."
You would be able to spot a
Photo courtesy of GOGGLE IMAGES
former or current member of the
armed forces by the way they
carried themselves. The other
way would he if you see three red
letters. Those letters are XGI.
Senior Matthew Mahoney said,
"You can walk into a room on
campus and when you see the
red XGI on someone's shirt you
immediately know that is a person
you can trust and someone mature
Please see VETERANS on page 4
Entertainment 9-10
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Games
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