The Fourth Wall
page 7
Letter from page 5
affect her. She accused me of
nagging her and said that
voting was “just not important”
to her life.
I wanted to reach through
the phone and strangle her.
How could politics be that
unimportant to her life? How
could it be unimportant to
anyone's life?
The top issues for young
voters this election, according to
the Center for Information &
Research on Civic Learning and
Engagement (CIRCLE), were
the state-of the economy and
jobs (35%), terrorism and
national security (22%), the war
in Iraq (15%), education (12%),
civil liberties and civil rights
(11%).
How could any 19-year-old
conclude that these issues do not
affect them? The outcome of the
November 2nd election will
directly effect the state of
economy and jobs when many
students graduate from college.
Aren’t these students concerned
about whether or not they’ll be
able to find :suitable
employment and pay back their
student loans? That is assuming
they will be able to meet the
rising cost of education.
And what about national
security? The War Against
Terrorism with its
unpredictability and lack of
formal rules of engagement is
more frightening than Fascism
or Communism.
And what about your civil
liberties? The Patriot Act, which
was enacted after the attack on
the World Trade Center and
Pentagon, gives the government
the right to access your private
information and infringes on
your rights as an American.
Have you considered its
implications?
And what about the war in
Iraq? What about the military
personnel and civilians affected
by that conflict? Are they too far
removed from our daily lives to
matter? What if they reinstate
the draft? Is that even a real
possibility? Do you even know?
In 1944 Elie Wiesel (at
sixteen), his mother, father and
sister, were sent to Auschwitz II
in Birkenau. His mother and
Jean Barlup, Director of the
Learning Center, has established
a “Gathering Place for Adult
Learners” (GPA) on Angel.
This is an online chat room
catering to the special needs of
adult learners. This program is
open to all adult learners.
The purpose of GPA is to
give adult learners the
opportunity to meet and chat
from the convenience of their
own home. One student says, “I
am really excited about this
program. I hope to talk to other
adult learners about their
experiences, learn from each
other, and support each other. I
truly hope that everyone
participates and enjoys the
camaraderie that will be built
here.”
One of the greatest challenges
adult: learners. face is
coordinating their schedules
with each other between work,
school, and kids. For this
reason, campus involvement is
very low among adult learners.
Barlup has created individual
chat rooms for Accounting/
Finance, Chemistry,
Economics, Engineering,
Forestry, Language, Math,
Nursing, OT PT, English,
Psychology, and Statistics. A
coffee house chat room is also
available to talk about anything
that may be on your mind.
Also, tutors are available online
to answer questions about their
respective tutoring classes.
If you are interested in
joining GPA, email Barlup at
jxb63@psu.edu to be added
to Angel.
sister were murdered there. He
and his father were sent to
Auschwitz III in Monowitz, a
labor camp. At aged 17, he and
his father were marched to the
Buchenwald concentration
camp, where his father died.
How important were politics to
young people then?
If the Rock the Vote and
Vote or Die campaigns, with
implorations by hipsters such
as Britney Spears, Eminem and
P. Diddy, could not persuade
my young sister that voting is,
at the very least, the “cool”
thing to do, what could? Does
it have to take a stint in a
concentration camp or a tour
in Iraq to convince her of the
importance of voting?
Music Review
Albert React
Confluence and Scrapes
Ian Moore
In an era in which bands
that fit into a mold and follow
a specific formula dominate the
music industry, it is a rarity to
find one that exhibits a unique
flavor in their music. Although
going through several lineup
changes after forming in 2001,
Albert React blends emo,
screamo, and hardcore sounds
into their music.
Upon first hearing their E.P.
Confluence and Scrapes, many
listeners will be amazed by the
dazzling guitar riffs and gut
wrenching screams that set this
band aside from what your
teenage sister would have in her
cd player.
Confluence and Scrapes opens
up strongly with “Breath” and
“Vanilla,” which are two of the
heavier songs on the album.
However, the album gets softer
towards the end. So if you are
tired of listening to the same
prepubescent bands whine
about how they can’t get a date,
£0 to your nearest record store
and pick up a copy of Albert
React’s Confluence and Scrapes.
Movie Review:
Daniel Verderosa
Rating: PG-13 for violence and
language
The Bourne Supremacy
continues the story of the
amnesiac CIA operative, Jason
Bourne. The Bourne Supremacy
recasts Matt Damon as the
clever, resourceful protagonist
who finds himself involved in
a murder conspiracy while still
battling his own demons from
the past. Bourne, only wanting
to carry on with a normal life,
becomes more and more
entangled in international
espionage, an assassination
plot, and the mystery of his true
identity.
This action packed
thriller is a sequel that matches
its predecessor. The Bourne
Supremacy has a plot full of
twists and turns that will keep
the audience guessing until the
very end. The chase scenes and
the stunt work are riveting. Matt
Damon fills the role of agent
Center
under fire perfectly for the
second time. Strong efforts
come from supporting actors
Joan Allen, Brian Cox, Franka
Potente, and Julia Stiles.
A major problem for
some viewers could arise in the
filming technique and the
camera angles used during
many of the action scenes.
Some could find it irritating
that the camera is very close to
the action at ‘almost all times,
making it difficult to make out
everything going on. Also, the
continuous shifting of the
camera shots during the action
can leave the viewer confused.
Still, the film is high
quality entertainment. If you
are a lover of action movies
and have an appreciation for
intricate plots and pay close
attention to detail, this film is
for you. My only advice is that
before you watch The Bourne
Supremacy, make sure you have
seen the original, The Bourne
Identity.
Photo by Tamara Clark