NIVERSITY TIMES THE UNIVERSITY OF MAINE AT PRESQUE ISLE’S VOICE www.umpi.maine.edu/utimes
Volume 36, Issue 5
Monday, December, 15, 2008
Little Owls feed the birds
DAVID HAMILTON Editor
‘Tis the season for giving. So the children at the ACAP day care thought of how they could make a difference during the long, cold Maine winter. There were lots of ideas, but when one child suggested feeding the birds, smiles and excitement quickly spread throughout the room. “We’re going to hang bird feeders out because the birds are hungry,” Silas McNeally said. After figuring out materials they needed to build their feeders, the children embarked on a voyage of discovery to collect materials. They’d decided to use pine cones that they’d cover in peanut butter and
bird seed. So they looked around trees on campus. Luckily, there wasn’t much snow and the big pine tree by the library had shed many solid pine cones for the birds’ buffet. Walking back to the day care with the pine cones, the children were anxious to get to work. “We’re hanging up our bird feeders because we want the birds to come and eat,” Sarah Sonntag said. “The birds are going to say ‘yum, yum.’” Now it came to making the bird feeders. But what about peanut butter and bird food? Fortunately, while the kids were on their search for materials, day care coordinator Sherry LaFauer got the materials needed. “We are rolling the pinecones in peanut butter and seeds. The birds will say ‘it’s good,’” Jeanna Knight said.
“The baby birdies are going to eat it,” Raina Francis added Making the feeders turned out messier than originally thought. But it was nothing the day care staff couldn’t handle. After about an hour working on the feeders, the children were ready to hang them. Going again to the big pine tree next to the library, the children hung their creations proudly. “The birds will say thank you,” Ruby Mullins said. For more information on the ACAP Child and Family Center at UMPI, contact Sherry LaFauer at 768-3043. There are currently openings for child care at the center. They accept children 2 ½ to 6 years old.
JENNY CRAWFORD Contributor Hey students, need a way to get rid of those old towels that are sitting in your dorm room? You can donate them to help the Central Aroostook Humane Society and needy animals! The mission of the Central Aroostook Humane Society is to provide shelter for s t r a y, unwanted and displaced animals, including cats, dogs and the
o c c a s i o n a l b u n n y. C A H S s u p ports educating people about how to humanely treat animals and adopt responsibly. CAHS actively promotes spaying and neutering pets and helping them reverse their behavioral problems. The organization also spreads awareness about common diseases pets can get and how to treat and prevent the diseases. You can help continue the services CAHS has provided to the
Presque Isle area by volunteering, donating, sponsoring a cage or dropping by and giving necessary materials: bleach, laundry detergent, new or used towels, paper towels and cat litter. To contact CAHS, call (207) 764-3441 or stop by 26 Cross Street here in Presque Isle. For more information, visit www.centralaroostookhumanesocie ty.org. The organization is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
What is this? Somewhere on campus you can see this. Do you know the answer? Find out on page 12
Sarah Sonntag hanging a feeder
Your old towels can help local animals
News from the Top p. 3
Campus - p. 5
Sports - p. 9
INSIDE Entertainment - p. 12
Community - p. 13
Pagon, a stray needing a home
Mixed bag - p. 14
Food for Thought p. 16
Letter from the Editor
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UNIVERSITY TIMES
Friday, December, 12, 2008
This past semester, the U Times has had to rebuild itself. Our coverage of campus events has been amazing considering the odds against us. But as the newspaper looks to transition into the spring semester, we look to fulfill, once again, the major tenant of journalism: keeping an eye on those in charge. Journalists are watchdogs. The First Amendment in the U.S. Constitution grants freedom of the press so that we might fulfill that roll. Many good things happen on campus. Problems, however, still mar some areas on campus. You may think that highlighting the campus’s problems will not further the image of the campus. Quite the opposite. By seeking the truth and reporting it, we hope to uncover opportunities on campus and to ensure that business conducted between staff, faculty and students is fair and balanced. We follow the Society of Professional Journalists code of ethics to ensure that reporters don’t cross a line and cause undue harm. But they must be honest in their reporting, act freely so that the public’s right to know is met and they and the paper are accountable for anything published. Along with expanding out to investigative reporting, we are encouraging civic journalism wherever we go. Currently we’re receiving stories from Presque Isle High School, Caribou High School and NMCC. Local papers get these stories, but we look to dig deeper. By promoting and aiding in advising high school writers, we hope to inspire the future of news reporting. The watchdog doesn’t always have to stand guard: it can lead. The future of the U Times looks ever brighter. We are seizing opportunities and relishing the results. But to move forward, the dog must come off its chain. Till next time, David Hamilton Editor
Bhava Albert
Charles Bonin
Thank you!
Claude Boucher Eric Brissette
Christine Corsello Greg Curtis
Sandy Igel
Bob Maynard and the Northeast Publishing staff Susan Pinette Rachel Rice Ray Rice
David St. Peter
John DeFelice
Michael Sonntag
Tracy Guerrette
Don Zillman
Tom Everett
Dick Harrison
Matteen Hester
Rick Thibeault
The Student Senate
All our contributors past and present
And last, but not least, our staff If we have forgotten anyone we apologize Thank you, again. Happy holidays!
The University Times welcomes your submissions (letters to the editor, poetry, articles). We reserve the right to edit all submissions for grammar, clarity, language, length and libel. Submissions must be received no later than Noon on the Thursday before publication, and must include your name, address and telephone number. Upon submission, all material becomes the property of the University Times. Submissions may be sent on a CD or written in letter form and dropped in the UTimes mailbox (102 Normal Hall or faculty mailroom). Material also can be left in the mail slot on the office door or be e-mailed to utimes@maine.edu. The University Times does not impose length restrictions on letters to the editor, but advises “the shorter, the better.”
The University Times David Hamilton Editor Staff Writers David Hamilton Leah McEachern Pamela Perkins
Contributors Christine Corsello Jenny Crawford Kalyn Devoe Greg Doak Patric Edward Sarah Graettinger Tracy Guerrette Deborah Hodgkins Lorraine Hughes Mike Knopp Jeff Lovejoy Marjorie McNamara Amanda Morin Eric Pelkey Jim Stepp Barat Qualey Chuck Weiss Don Zillman
Adviser Dr. J
The University Times, a nonprofit student publication, is printed at Northeast Publishing Company in Presque Isle, Maine. Articles and photographic ideas for submission may be left at the University Times office Normal Hall, Rm. 102 at UMPI, 181 Main St., Presque Isle, ME 04769. Advertising rates are available upon request. The newspaper takes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. All rights reserved.
News from the Top Chris’ Corner
UNIVERSITY TIMES
The gingham dress A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun, threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston and walked timidly without an appointment into the Harvard University president’s outer office. The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn’t even deserve to be in Cambridge. “We’d like to see the president,” the man said softly. “He’ll be busy all day,” the secretary snapped. “We’ll wait,” the lady replied. For hours the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away. They didn’t, and the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president, even though it was a chore she always regretted. “Maybe if you see them for a few minutes, they’ll leave,” she
said to him. He sighed in exasperation and nodded. Someone of his importance obviously didn’t have the time to spend with them, and he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office. The president, stern faced and with dignity, strutted toward the couple. The lady told him, “We had a son who attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard...he was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. My husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus.” The president wasn’t touched. He was shocked. “ M a d a m , ” h e s a i d , g r u f f l y, “we can’t put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a c e m e t e r y. ” ‘‘Oh, no,” the lady explained quickly. “We don’t
Monday, December 15, 2008
want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard.” The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, and then exclaimed, “A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical buildings here at Harvard.” For a moment the lady was silent. The president was pleased. Maybe he could get rid of them now. The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, “Is that all it costs to start a university? Why don’t we just start our own?” Her husband nodded. The president’s face wilted in confusion and bewilderment. Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, Calif., where they established the university that bears their name, Stanford University, a memorial to a son whom Harvard
no longer cared about.
True story by Malcolm Forbes
You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who they think can do nothing for them. During this hectic season, please take time to remember the Golden rule: “Treat others as you would have them treat you.” You’ll be surprised by what awaits you…maybe not today, but all in good time. Remember: People will forget what you said. People will forget what you did. But people will never forget how you made them feel. Have a blessed and happy holiday season and best wishes for a successful completion to the semester!
Deadline for Graduation Application January 31, 2009
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From Don’s Desk
Where has the fall semester gone? One answer is that a great deal has taken place since we gathered in August. The world, nation, state, university system and campus then and now are very different. Would your crystal ball in July have predicted: A decisive win for President-elect Obama? Gasoline at $2.09 per gallon? The Dow in the 8,000s? The major American automakers pleading for federal relief to avoid bankruptcy? Mumbai as the next major terrorist target? Harvard University agonizing over the decline in its endowment and the returns from it? Serious talk of the greatest economic downturn since the Great Depression of our grandparents’ or great grandparents’ days? So much has happened. The changes in the economy have hit the University of Maine at Presque Isle. More on that in a minute. But first, let us reflect on some of the accomplishments of fall beyond the usual excellent learning experiences that take place every day on our campus, and have for 105 years. —The wind turbine construction is moving ahead of schedule. A substantial part of the base has been installed over the last three weeks. If the weather holds for another two weeks, the entire base may be finished and ready for the arrival of tower, turbine and blades in late winter. We
If you plan to enroll for next semester, it is essential that we know your plans by this Friday. Memos from Dean Corsello and the registrar have emphasized: 1) if you have questions about WHETHER you have completed registration, please check with one of those offices and 2) if you have an issue with BEING ABLE TO register, do the same. We will try our very best
Transformative times UNIVERSITY TIMES
Friday, November 21, 2008
might be operating by spring. Put on your boots and take a hike across the soccer and baseball fields to see what has already been done. If you want to go in the site itself, see Charlie Bonin for a hard hat. —We have received word that the Project Compass grant has been approved in the likely amount of $750,000 over the next four years. This will allow us to continue our work in improving the retention and graduation of Native American students, with benefits to all of our student success programs. We are honored to be one of four (out of 46) New England public universities to receive this support from the New England Research Center for Higher Education. —We will shortly open the Prometrics testing center in the basement of South Hall. The center will allow on campus administration of the Praxis tests, graduate and professional admission test and a wide variety of professional licensing examinations. No longer a need to drive to Bangor or beyond for these tests. —We look back on a fall of the Warhol photo exhibit, the debut of the film studies program, Science Day, three conference championships in cross country, golf and volleyball, and the wonderful 1968 Retrospective. What challenges us are the budget issues that afflict all of higher education and government in this very trou-
bled time. Our immediate challenge is to reduce spending for the rest of this academic year (ending June 30, 2009) by about $350,000. The administration leaders have met with the faculty, staff and students on the Budget Advisory Committee. We have identified special areas of concern in cost cutting. We will try to be responsive, above all, to preserving the student needs in our programs. I wish I could promise that there will be no impacts. The dollars are too great to allow that. However, I think we will be as sensitive as we can to program impacts. We may well discover certain areas in which we can do just as well or better with fewer dollars. Necessity is a great stimulant to creativity. Vice President Bonin will release in the next week further specifics of cuts to allow us to get through this fiscal year. He will be asking all people who have control of university funds to take certain steps to reduce costs and to exercise creativity in reducing expenditures on important programs, while preserving the essentials of the program. As an example, many budgets for particular programs involve considerable amounts for refreshments, paid publicity and printed materials. We may need to do without some of those attractive, but not essential, features. We will also be asking all of us to understand that we have to make do
with less than perfect service. We also good ideas about encourage economies that save dollars at minimal costs to core campus operations. A considerable part of the savings will come from not filling open positions until at least July 1, 2009. That will impose burdens on other faculty and staff members. It will impose some burdens on those of us who benefit from the services. One example is snow removal. We will try to judge each snow situation as it comes rather than have personnel automatically on overtime schedule at the first forecast or the first fallen flake. We may cancel or delay openings to meet those needs. We value your patience and support. That addresses only the rest of this year. The economic forecasts indicate we are in tight budget times well beyond June 2009. The system trustees have insisted that the system campus, individually and collectively, take a hard look at what the university system should be. The word “transformative” is frequently used to highlight the serious changes that are envisioned. We will be sharing more information on this over the next month and beyond. This invites all of our best thinking.
not to lose anyone who wants to be here next semester. Why is prompt registration essential? In the current State budget crisis, the University System (our bosses) has emphasized that many under-enrolled courses will have to be cancelled. We don’t have the flexibility to make exceptions that we have had in prior years. Starting NEXT MONDAY, we
need to make those decisions based on PRESENT ENROLLMENTS. Your willingness to sign up in midJanuary will be too late to save a course you may want or need to take. We need you enrolled now. One last thought related to budget worries around the country and Maine. We have room to welcome transfer students from other schools who can’t
afford the higher tuition or cost of living at their current academic homes. As you are visiting with friends in that situation, let them know that UMPI might be a welcome place for a semester, a year, or the rest of their career.
Register - and tell a friend
- Pres. Don Zillman
- Pres. Don Zillman
Campus
The pride of UMPI
UNIVERSITY TIMES
PAMELA PERKINS Staff Writer
UMPI’s Pride Committee, made up of a mixture faculty, staff, students and community members that works to try to build UMPI’s pride and excitement. In that spirit, it has started a new program that it hopes will become a tradition. Once a month, starting in October of 2008, it’s going to award and recognize an UMPI student who is “outstanding.” According to President Don Zillman, he doesn’t define “outstanding” as someone who has high grades. He defines it as, “If that student wasn’t there for a group, then that group wouldn’t be as productive as it is, or the whole group would fall apart. That one person gets all the other people within the group excited. They are outstanding people in leadership type roles. This is the model of a student that we are looking for here to represent UMPI.” Who was this model? The person who is always smiling:
From left: Dean Christine Corsello, Bonnie DeVaney, Shirley Jewel and President Don Zillman
Shirley Jewel! She is a mom, an education major, has been on the dean’s list, works full time and is an active member in many clubs. She has been working hard within the club called Native Voices and on Project Compass, which will help other Native students going here at UMPI. She also works for SOAR, which helps incoming freshmen make the change
Mind your manners
DAVID HAMILTON Editor UMPI’s senior and junior classes learned to mind their p’s and q’s during the ninth annual etiquette dinner Nov. 19. As UMPI students move out into an ever competitive job market UMPI’s senior class and career services give an edge to graduates by teaching the finer points of interviews, as well as the little things that usually go unnoticed leading up to an interview. To start the evening, participants practiced the fine art of small talk. Amid the banter, Aramark staff served sparkling cider and hors d’oeuvres. Bonnie DeVaney, the career services coordinator at UMPI, explained how formal introductions should be handled, with senior class officers Megan Fowler and Robert Allen demonstrating. After introductions, the meal began, with Keith Madore, senior class advisor,
Friday, November 21, 2008
Robert Allen, Megan Fowler and Claire Exner greeting properly
instructing the group. Seniors Brittany Cronin, Megan Fowler, Erin Pelletier, Robert Allen, Henry Carpenter, Matt Dubay and Corey Harding showedoff the latest in business attire from Maurices clothing store during a fashion show. Career services continues to prepare UMPI’s young professionals. Be on the lookout for other helpful events it sponsors throughout the year.
from high school to college. After her son came here, one mother said, “If it wasn’t for that nice lady, Shirley Jewel, who was a kind, patient, friendly person who explained all the new terminology, such as what is a credit hour, my son would have walked out the door and would have never come back.” Wendy Ross, a teacher of Shirley’s who nominated her, said,
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“When I heard that they (UMPI Pride) were doing this, I never thought past Shirley Jewel. The number one reason why I chose her is because if there is a meeting, she is always there and you can always count on her. She is the type of student that is willing to help others and is willing to learn. She is the type of person that you want, because she will help to bring other people to UMPI.” JoAnne Putnam, another nominator, said, “I believe she will be a leader in the future. When things went wrong or became shaky within clubs, Shirley to charge of it.” Shirley herself said that she was happy to be recognized for the award. She thanks all the people who think that she deserves it. Help continue this new tradition. Nominate a deserving student. Simply complete and submit the form included in the paper.
Water, water, everywhere
LEAH MCEACHERN Staff Writer
The afternoon of Friday, Nov. 21, was a wet one at Gentile Hall! OAPI held kayak roll clinic in the pool from 2 to 4 p.m. The object of the short session was to introduce students and members of the community to the sport of white water kayaking. In particular, it focused on how people could right themselves after flipping their craft or how to escape from it once it was overturned. Eight people, not including the instructor, were present. The instructor, who introduced himself as Mike, has been kayaking since he was in college and has been to UMPI once before to hold a kayak roll clinic. The course began with a brief description of the equipment involved and how to best use it, such as the “skirts” that you wear to keep water out of your boat. Once everybody had settled in, Mike showed us all how to get out of your boat if it flipped upside down. Then we went into the water to try it out a “wet escape.” Although some of us were nervous,
Mike and the OAPI staff helped us along with an admirable amount of understanding and patience. Hanging upside down underwater was very disorientating, but soon became regular occurrences as people flipped trying to tilt their boat or even just trying to turn it around. I myself was overturned when another student (no names mentioned) offered his hand to me to pull me over to where the rest of the group was drifting, and pulled too hard. Due to the high quality of instruction, nobody who flipped got hurt or even panicked. Although only a handful of people took part in the kayak roll clinic, it was a very successful event. Even people who had been kayaking many times in the past walked away having learned a few new tricks. Those of us who had never been in a kayak before were relieved to discover that they aren’t as scary as we once thought. If the clinic returns to Gentile Hall again in the near future, I would advise anybody who is up for new experiences to give it a try!
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Wang’s World
UNIVERSITY TIMES
Monday, December 15, 2008
MIKE KNOPP Contributor Dr. Chunzeng Wang (Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at UMPI) gave a compelling presentation titled: “Developing a Community-Oriented GIS Program in Northern Maine” from noon to 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008. This PowerPoint presentation was enlivened by Wang’s humor and his obvious passion for his work. The GIS (Geographic Information System) program at UMPI has been developed by Wang since his arrival on campus in late summer of 2005. In his presentation, Wang cogently expressed the clear need for a community - oriented GIS program. He pointed out that technology transfer and community development is part and parcel of UMPI’s mission to be a regional educational and community service center. He also pointed out the benefits to students by their engagement in a hands - on learning experience, with a concomitant benefit to the community. Only a very few cities and towns in Aroostook County are currently even preliminarily GIS - capable. Thus, as Wang pointed out, this region of Maine would be behind in the “Information Technology Age.” Many communities lack the financial resources, technology support and training required to implement GIS - related work. As UMPI is
committed to public service, the symbiosis between the learning outcomes for UMPI students and addressing community needs is a win - win situation for all parties concerned. Wang effectively summarized what he and his students have accomplished in the last 2.5 years. It’s noteworthy that all of this work barely fit into the presentation time slot, even when concisely summarized. What’s striking is how labor intensive these projects are. A storm water GIS database project for the Presque Isle Public Works (PIPW) Department mapped 641 catch basins and 939 culverts. This required the students involved to visit each site and plot the map coordinates of each item, while noting the type of catch basin cover (round or square), and the composition and condition of culverts. According to Wang, Presque Isle would like to replace all round catch basin covers with square covers: the square covers don’t catch bicycle tires. Using telephone poles as mapping landmarks could be problematic because some pole numbers are unclear. Once this project was finished, the city public works manager could obtain location, configuration, composition, and condition data on any culvert without leaving the office. Wang’s students also mapped the precise locations of 705 sidewalks and more than 1,000 curbs, while noting
their composition and their condition. They also recorded the width and length of the sidewalks. This will help the city calculate repairs, without having to visit the site. In a time of constrained financial resources, such information is invaluable. It will also help prioritize repair needs. Wang’s students also mapped the locations of 90 fire hydrants and 207 catch basins in Fort Fairfield. Further, Wang has managed to bring GPS/GIS technology to the public school students in the County due to a three year federal DOE MSP grant. With the grant funds, Wang and Mr. Mark Matson, who was hired on the grant as a GIS specialist, have presented many GPS/GIS workshops, classroom demonstrations, and hands - on projects. A 2008 Summer Institute made possible by the DOE MSP grant provided a GIS workshop and Math/Science workshops last summer. In fact, two students from Caribou High School did a GIS project for the Caribou Public Works Department under Mark Matson’s supervision. High school students also mapped The SAD # 1 School Farm Project. Wang said future plans include developing more partnerships with communities and working more closely with existing partners, such as the Northern Maine Development Commission. He and his students will continue promoting GPS and GIS technology well beyond the
PAMELA PERKINS Staff Writer
they can fix the problem. This might become a huge problem with wasting energy, and in order to fix it, students may be getting a wake-up call at 4 a.m. to close their windows. Another complaint was that WUPI needs to better categorize its music. At certain times of the day, you don’t know what type of music will be playing. Within minutes, the music can go from a fast song, to a slow song, to a country song, to a rap song. A suggested solution for this is to have an hour of country music, then an hour for rap music, and then so on. Another thing that came up is that the commuter lounge in Folsom needs a name! The wining name will be drawn in December and the person who has the winning name will get some fabulous prizes. E-mail your name suggestion to the dean: Christine.corsello@umpi.edu. So, come to the meetings so you can tell the dean your complaints or praises. Even if you don’t have any, you can just say Hi and get free soda and food.
PATRIC EDWARD Contributor
Dr. Wang instructing a student
UMPI campus, as well as working more closely with the six campus GIS consortium in the University of Maine System. Wang will seek funds to establish a dedicated GIS educational and community service center. He will also try to establish a GIS certification program, in cooperation from NMCC. Currently, Wang and his students are engaged in an infrastructure mapping project for Presque Isle’s downtown development plan, a parcel mapping project for Presque Isle’s Tax Incentive Fund District and a mapping project for the Maliseet Natural Resources Department. A recent grant in collaboration with Kim Sebold, Lynn Eldershaw and Michael Sonntag will fund mapping of Fairmont Cemetery, which has over 2000 lots.
Town hall meeting updates 2008-09 University Day
Did you ever have a question, but didn’t know who to ask? Did you ever have a complaint that you just wanted to tell someone, so that something would get done or something would be changed? Or did you ever just want to tell people that they where doing a good job? If so, then stop by one of the town hall meetings with the dean of students, Chris Corsello. A number of issues came up at the town hall meeting on Nov. 19, at 3:30 p.m. in the Campus Center. One was open windows in the dorms, especially Emerson. Two zones for heating regulate the dorms. If people in their room feel too hot, they will open their window. The problem with this is that it will change the temperature within the zone, and it will kick more hot air out. If your room is too hot or too cold, then you should be calling physical plant to have a staff member come over and see if
This academic year the University Day is Wednesday, April 8, 2009. The University Day is a campus conference where students present their work in 1 hour sessions throughout the day. The event is an excellent opportunity for students to experience a conference environment. The presentations can come from individual students, groups or an entire class with faculty and staff serving as advisors to the student presentations. The work presented may take any form: traditional research, service learning, internship, creative works, cultural awareness... The theme for this year’s event is “Connecting Learning, Life and Community.” However please note that individual presentations do not have to conform to the theme. For pre-
senting on April 2009, the University Day Committee would like to urge students to consider any academic work done in Summer08, Fall08 and Spring09 semesters. In addition to the academic presentations, at noon during a complimentary lunch in the campus center there will be the presentation of the Young Alumni award. There is also an evening program - the Woodrow Wilson Fellow Distinguished Lecturer. This year’s event will feature Robert Wiener, Executive Director, California Coalition for Rural Housing Project. If students have questions about the University Day, or to learn about how to submit proposals, please contact either the instructor for your course or a member of the University Day Committee (see www.umpi.maine.edu/~pedward /uday-committee.pdf for details).
Let there be light
UNIVERSITY TIMES PAMELA PERKINS Staff Writer
The sprit of the season came early to the Star City as the community gathered on Main Street to watch the Holiday Light Parade on Dec. 6. Many businesses gave out free hot chocolate and cookies. Little children eagerly waited for the start of the parade and for a chance to see Santa Claus before the big day that he would come to deliver all their wishes under their trees. The crowd chanted many of their favorite Christmas songs as they waited for the parade to get underway. Meanwhile, at UMPI, people gathered at the president’s house to sip on coffee or cider, while eating chili. They enjoyed one another’s company before they lit the
Monday, December 15, 2008
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big evergreen in the front yard. When the tree was lit, the crowd cheered with joy. The parade started with our local police officers leading the way. Many floats were decorated in lights, ribbons and smiles. This reporter must say, though that the best smile and Christmas cheer came from our own Aaron Tomlinson as he was dressed as Buddy from “Elf.” Any full-grown man willing to wear yellow tights in the cold has to have Christmas cheer. Our own sports teams proudly walked behind UMPI’s float. They passed out T-shirts to the children. People on other floats passed out candy, books and free hugs. As the parade wrapped up, participants sampled cookies in Gentile Hall. People warmed themselves with hot drinks and the joy of one another.
From top right, clockwise: Kim-Ann Perkinsdriving the float, the UMPI float in the Light Parade and taking a break from constructing the float
ENG 386: Newspaper practicum offers something for everyone
CHUCK WEISS Contributor
The university is trying something new with the U Times next semester. With the help of our mass communication professor, Dr. Jacqui Lowman, there’ll be a pilot course focused on production of the school’s newspaper. The class isn’t just what might be expected: it comes with a twist. Through a creative use of the resources this campus has to offer, the class will be taking the newspaper and expanding it. This expansion will offer coverage of the local community and make use of the business aspects publishing a newspaper. Additions such as content from
local high schools and coverage of community events and tapping civic journalism means more readers and a chance to take the newspaper off campus. Another part of the expansion is the new, highly interactive, frequently updated website that the U Times will be rolling out. The practicum offers something for everyone. It can tap any skill you’ve got. Yes, there’s a need for the expected writing and editing. Writers for the UTimes will have the chance to cover not only campus events, but events all over the local community. Editors for the newspaper will have content from at least local high schools, UTimes regular
writers and students taking the practicum class. On top of that, community members are encouraged to participate as well. Another big focus is the artistic talent needed for photography, drawing, design and layout. Photography is perhaps the most noticeably artistic aspect of a newspaper, but it takes talent to arrange the articles, pictures, and advertisements in an appealing way. The practicum will also be running the U Times as more of a business. As such, it’s looking for people with strengths in finance, marketing, business management, advertising – you get the idea. The practicum gives people a fantas-
tic way to build their portfolios and make themselves stand out for life after UMPI. It ‘s also a way to enhance UMPI’s reputation and make a positive contribution to the community. This is truly a win-win situation. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for ENG 386: Newspaper Practicum. It’s a course limited only by your imagination.
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One stop shop for thrills and adventures! UNIVERSITY TIMES
Monday, December 15, 2008
AMANDA MORIN Contributor Pop Quiz: Which student run club on campus can take you to the river for a two-night hiking adventure during a torrential downpour, then seven days later throw you in the pool with nothing but a skirt and a bright colored plastic boat and ask you to roll over and then invite you to climb straight up, or inverted in some cases, on a fake indoor rock wall with the best climbers in the state of Maine? Answer: OAPI. Needless to say, we’ve had a busy fall! Our story starts way back on Nov. 14. “No potential flash flood is going to stop us!” Actually, it almost did. But after a switch in location, the brave explorers journeyed away from the land of the north and ventured to the West Branch of the Penobscot River. Here we set up camp to the sound of Abol Rapids! With the sun quickly sinking, we were now acting in survival mode! We knew we needed wood to keep us warm, but with the rain where could we find dry wood? Our instincts and biceps took over and within a couple of hours we collected and split enough
wood to keep a small wood stove cranking hot for two days! Over the next 48 hours, we found ourselves battling a time warp, seemingly endless trails, river crossings, lack of sunlight and sauna-like temperatures! In retrospect, Brandon Levasseur said, “It gave me a good sense of what 10 miles on foot really feels like.” If this sounds like a scene from some over-the-top adventure/action film - you’re wrong! It’s all true! Next time you should join us to experience the craziness yourself! “There should have been a sign that said check your ego at the door, because rolling those kayaks was difficult.” Our next adventure led us to the Gentile Hall pool on Friday, Nov. 21, where we found ourselves being crammed into brightly colored, tiny, bobbing boats — and actually enjoying it! With the guidance and knowledge of a very experienced Maine whitewater kayaking guide, Mike Smith of Mojo, we learned the fundamentals of kayaking, wet exiting and rolling. We all had a great time and can’t wait to try again! Finally, as the semester winds down…we wind up! On Satuday, Dec.
6, a van full of students took to the streets of Orono and climbed for the gold at the annual Bouldering Bash at the University of Maine at Orono. We had four men and three women compete in stellar style against some of the best climbers in the state of Maine! The small climbing gym was packed with energy, enthusiasm, encouragement and BO. They use the word “competition,” when in actuality it is a gathering of highly motivated climbers who happen to keep score while helping each other work on more than 75 different bouldering routes of varying levels of difficulty. One UMPI climber stated, “Good people mixed with rock wall and adrenaline with a dash of snow tasted pretty good at the end of the day.” Everyone left the competition with prizes, sore muscles and smiles! We hope that everyone makes the most of the time here at UMPI. OAPI, the Outdoor Adventure Program International, our student-run outing club on campus, offers plenty of opportunities every semester to try new activities and meet new people. We are extremely excited about the spring 2009
PAMELA PERKINS Staff Writer It’s that time of the year where gifts are exchanged between family, friends, neighbors and pets. But, did you know that the way a gift is presented can indicate to a recipient how much time, effort and thought went into it? Lots of people do, which is why it’s also that time of the year where people get frustrated with tape, scissors, ribbons, paper and bows. As a way to help keep people from feeling overwhelmed with their gift wrapping, the Senior Class of 2009 hosted a first ever event here at UMPI. They offered a Holiday Wrap Up on Dec. 9, 10 and 11, as way to de-stress people from all their holiday business. It’s also a way for class members to raise money for their banquet dinner at the end of the year. The money that they got from this event and from all other senior fundrais-
ers is the only money that they have to work with for their banquet. The faculty donated many of the supplies needed for this event. The idea of the Holiday Wrap Up came from some of the volunteers who had previously volunteered at the mall. Though most of the volunteers say that they’re not pros at wrapping, they do enjoy it very much. At press time they’d been wrapping mostly small gifts such as T-shirts, jewelry and lotions. But they did have a chainsaw that they had to wrap. Although they felt that it was going to be a challenge they welcomed it. Laurie Bouchard, one of the advisers of the senior class said, “It’s fun to see who’s getting what.” At press time, they’d made $50 in the fundraiser, but expected a flurry of last-minute shoppers.
DEBORAH HODGKINS Contributor On Saturday, Nov. 15, three UMPI Writing Center tutors accompanied faculty member and UMPI Writing Center director Deborah Hodgkins to the Maine Writing Centers Gathering 2008 at Colby College. Laura Mooney, Laura Hunter and Andrea Zappone joined Hodgkins and tutors and directors from Colby, Bates College, the University of Maine and Thomas College in a day devoted to “Engaged Evaluation: What We Do and Why We Do It.” “The conference,” Laura Mooney said, “provided us with the opportunity to collaborate with writing tutors from across the state, and gather fresh ideas for our writing center.” After participating in topic-focused mixed-institution dialogues with tutors and writing center directors from other institutions, each group chose a member to present its discussion results in a panel presentation. Laura Hunter was selected to represent her group. “The conference was a great learning experience that enhanced
Seniors wrap up
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Cold! semester! Just a few events on our list include: a four-day mountaineering trip to the White Mountains, a weekend at Sugarloaf USA, free transportation to free Wednesday nights at Big Rock in Mars Hill for skiing or boarding, an outdoor slumber party in canvas wall tents, and another free kayak roll session. And that’s just for starters! For more information, please seek out your outdoorsy classmates or visit the OAPI office in Gentile Hall.
Tomorrow’s tutor
my knowledge of the tutoring process,” Hunter said. “I am excited to implement the techniques suggested at the round table and panel discussions. Participating in the panel discussion was an opportunity for UMPI to shine and for all of us to recognize the important role writing centers have at our schools.” “I was pleased by the emphasis on inter-institutional work and the professional role that the tutors played in the event this year,” Hodgkins said, “And it was also gratifying to hear some of our practices at UMPI—from tutor training and lunch staff meetings to strategies for working with reluctant writers—referenced by participants from other institutions in the large group discussion.” “It was helpful to consider the alternative approaches of other writing tutors and think of ways to implement some of those practices into my own work,” Zappone said. “The experience was extremely positive and I look forward to attending more writing center functions in the future.”
Winds of Change
UNIVERSITY TIMES
GREG DOAK Contributor
Monday, December 15, 2008
Part 1 in an ongoing chronicle of renewable energy on campus
The State of Maine, along with the rest of the world, is facing devastating economic times. A team of visionaries and innovators at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, however, are paving the way to a greener future, and in the process setting a standard for other campuses. Don Zillman, president, along with Charles Bonin, vice president for administration and finance, Dave St. Peter, director of physical facilities and Sumul Shah, president of Lumus Construction Inc., held a wind power contract signing and press conference on Nov. 24 at the UMPI Campus Center. The presentation marked the culmination of several years of research and exploration into providing a renewable energy source to the campus to help address rising energy cost concerns. The press conference included the official signing of a contract that will enable the university to take the next step and fully enter the con-
struction phase of the project. The turbine will be the first of its kind on a University of Maine campus and one of only a few mid-sized turbines throughout New England. The 600 kilowatt turbine will rest atop a 65 meter tower, sporting 154 foot long, 8 ton blades. Construction at this point is in the early stages, with Boart Longyear Drilling Services from North Reading, Mass. preparing what will be the anchoring system for the turbine. The anchoring system consists of 10 holes, drilled 40 feet deep into bedrock and filled with approximately 100 yards of concrete interlaced with steel. The five year process of research, feasibility studies and the decision of the appropriate choice of turbine size will reap further rewards than just renewable energy. According to President Zillman, aside from the financial benefits, the project will allow for “educational opportunities” for both the university system and the community. It demonstrates “environmental stewardship” by helping to decrease our carbon foot-
print through using less fossil fuel. It also shows “community leadership” that will allow UMPI to share its experience and the knowledge gained from going through this laborious process. Sumul Shah of Lumus Construction Inc. said, “I want to congratulate President Zillman for taking the initial steps to provide renewable energy to the UMPI campus. I applaud the university’s enthusiasm.” Despite the fact that Lumus Construction is an out of state corporation, numerous local organizations are involved with portions of the project. Most notabe are the efforts of Lt. Jay Jackson with the Maine Army National Guard. Jackson helped facilitate the construction of ¼ mile of access road to the turbine site, in which approximately 2 feet of field stone needed to be brought in as a base for the roadway. According to UMPI’s Dave St.Peter, the cost of this endeavor would normally be around $50,000. Thanks to Lt. Jackson’s diligence, that cost was
MARJORIE MCNAMARA Contributor Sarah Ryan is an environmental studies major at UMPI in her junior year. Sarah is interested in soil studies and decided that an exchange would give her the opportunity to expand on her major. She spent time researching what campus in the exchange program would have the best courses for her interests. Montana State seemed to fit the bill. Sarah planned her exchange for more than a year, even visiting the school during her April break last spring. Sarah was both nervous and excited about the possibilities that awaited her in Montana. Here is a little bit of Sarah’s story as she finishes her semester at Montana State and prepares to return home for the spring semester: “When I packed up my belongings
and drove away from UMPI, westward bound for Montana State University, I had no idea what kind of life-changing experiences were waiting for me. I left Maine seeking academic enrichment, but what I learned the most about was myself. Being over 3,000 miles away from everyone I know and love and adjusting to a much larger university was very trying at first, but overcoming these challenges only proved to me how worthwhile this adventure really would be. “I’ve made so many friends, visited so many new places, and had so many amazing experiences! The memories I’ve made during my semester exchange will be with me forever, such as hiking in the Rocky Mountains, camping in Yellowstone National Park, cheering on the MSU Bobcats football team, visiting scientific research sites,
riding for the MSU equestrian team and experiencing the cowboy culture of the West. “The classes I’ve had the opportunity to take at MSU have made a huge impact on my college career. I was able to enroll in classes in my field of academic interest that aren’t offered at UMPI and completely enrich my major. I’ll be able to bring all this new knowledge home and apply it to my future classes and my career. “Participating in the National Student Exchange program has been one of the most positive and life-changing decisions I’ve ever made. It has affected so many aspects of my life in so many far-reaching ways. I’m so glad that I had the courage to step outside my normal boundaries (both academically and geographically) and not let this opportunity pass me by!
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held to only about $3,000. Other local businesses involved include B.R. Smith Associates, Inc. of Presque Isle, which has provided site mapping for the anchor holes, County Electric Inc., S.W. Collins Co., Soderberg Construction Co., S.W. Cole Engineering Inc., and the Lane Construction Corp. The upcoming months will prove exciting as the project progresses. If all goes well, the turbine will be up and running by the end of spring semester. If the initial concrete work for the anchor holes gets done before the weather turns too severe, construction continue on schedule throughout the winter months, and into the spring. The University of Maine at Presque Isle is ushering in change at a pivotal time, both economically and politically. Those changes should prove quite exciting over the next few months as this project comes to fruition.
Rocky Mountain high
Sarah Ryan in Montana
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Retrospective reflection UNIVERSITY TIMES
Monday, December 15, 2008
Richard Dudman: First draft of history
BARAT QUALEY Contributor Richard Dudman is a doer, a renowned journalist who would not have accomplished half of his achievements without perseverance and drive. His life is something to marvel, including events such as being in the motorcade the day John F. Kennedy was shot, witnessing Lee Harvey Oswald being murdered by Jack Ruby, being a prisoner of war in Cambodia and being on Richard Nixon’s enemy list. On Nov. 14, 2008, Richard Dudman, his wife, Helen, and his daughter, Martha, graced the University of Maine at Presque Isle as part of the 1968 Retrospective. Dudman began writing seriously while attending Stanford University. He almost flunked out because rather than attending his classes, he preferred to cover stories for the school paper. Then that following summer, he worked for his uncle’s newspaper. He was hooked. He switched his major to journalism and never looked back. One of Dudman’s biggest accomplishments during his many years of being a journalist was making his way onto the Nixon enemy list. In the field of journalism, this was a badge of honor. Not being included was almost a slap in the face and it caused a lot of jealousy. Dudman spoke for more than an hour, sharing keen observations and wide-ranging memories. Speaking directly about the sixties, Dudman said, “Throughout the crazy/wonderful era of revolution, there was continuous action by everyone. There were sit-ins, loveins and protests. It was a general revolt against all authority. You had Weathermen making bombs, robbing
Richard and Martha Dudman at the 1968 Retrospective
banks. It was all wonderful, yet so terrible. Drugs were everywhere. Parents used pot to keep up with their kids. There was just so much backlash against everyone, from blacks to demonstrators. Blue-collar workers developed so much hatred. Their conservatism helped elect the Bushes and Reagan. Only this year has that conservative element dissipated and been overcome. “I think that the draft was a big motivator for demonstration. No one wanted to go to Vietnam. Nixon was smart in discontinuing the draft. They saw the war as pointless.” Switching over to 1970, Dudman told the story of being a prisoner of war in Cambodia for 40 days. Dudman and two other journalists borrowed someone’s Jeep and drove into the woods. As they drove, they found themselves in a no man’s land. A couple of Cambodians stepped out of the woods and motioned to them that they were captured. “I looked at these other guys, and they were newer to the journalism scene, so I knew that it was my job to
keep their spirits up. As we were marching off with them, I said, ‘If we get out of here alive, this is going to make one hell of a good story!’” Dudman and his companions were fortunate enough to have North Vietnamese regulars come and take charge of the interrogation. They were told that if they were telling the truth about their identities, they would be released without harm. So during the day, Dudman hid with the guards— because the U.S bombs didn’t discriminate— and at night they traveled. After about five weeks, they were released. Dudman’s second trip to Cambodia, however, also took a turn for the worse. Pol Pot had organized a guerilla movement and had taken power in Cambodia. Dudman tried for years to gain an interview with him. In 1978, Dudman got permission to go speak to him. Though he was hoping to take the trip alone for an exclusive interview, two others accompanied him: Elizabeth Becker, from The Washington Post, and Malcolm Caldwell, a British lecturer on Southeast Asia. After a few days in
Cambodia, they had settled in. Then one night, Dudman heard gunfire outside. “Being nosy, I walked out onto the balcony. I saw people running all around, and I couldn’t figure out what was going on. When I turned back around, there was a man with a machine gun pointed at me. He fired, but missed me. And I suppose at this point is when I realized I was in danger. I ran back to my room and locked the door. Two more shots were fired and pierced the wood. After two hours, nothing happened. I was just waiting. Then a knock came at the door and a man from the U.S. Embassy came and informed me that Malcolm Caldwell had been killed and that the gunman was dead, too.” Rounding out his lecture with some thoughts on the future, Dudman told his audience how inconceivable it would have been in 1968 to imagine someone like Barack Obama as president. “Forty years ago, I would have never thought it could be possible. I thought that people would just be prejudiced against blacks forever. I am so glad I am proven wrong.” After his talk, I asked Dudman what he thought about the retrospective. “As far as I know, this is a unique project. It’s an important era and certainly worth a six-day exploration. But one thing is—revolutions are exciting and important, but they sometimes have bad, destructive aftereffects. It’s a part of life.” Dudman’s visit to the University of Maine at Presque Isle is one that we won’t soon forget. Since gaining his unique perspective, it’s pretty easy to say that none of us will be able to think of 1968 in the same way as before.
Good luck on finals!
12 SARAH GRAETTINGER Contributor On Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008, the 1968 Retrospective was in full swing about the space race. 1968 was a time of upheaval and change in the world. During this time, the U.S was in a space race with the USSR. We know that many things were going on at that time. We were exploring space and the world was watching. NASA began in 1958. On May 25, 1961, President Kennedy said that we will go to the moon for peaceful reasons and to show that the U.S. was better for the world. At first we were not in the lead in the space race because the USSR was the first to put a satellite in space, called Sputnik,” Jim Stepp said. After launching the first satellite into space, the USSR was the first to put a living dog into space. This put the USSR in the lead in the race. We were not going to let them get too far ahead of us. “They had no intention of ever bringing the dog back alive. It was to show propaganda for the USSR and to prove they were better than the U.S.,” Stepp said. But they were not in very much of a
Future in space
UNIVERSITY TIMES
Friday, December 12, 2008
UMPI profs weigh in on space race. From right: Jim Stepp, Kevin McCartney and Mike Knopp
lead for long. We were catching up to them and we were making vast improvements in technology. We began with putting our own satellite, called Explorer 1, into space. Now it was on to the big question: Can we put a living person into space and get him back safely? The USSR got to it first. They put a cosmonaut into space. “His name was Yuri Gagarin and he was the very first living person in space. Alan Shepard was the first U.S. man in
space,” Stepp said. After the first people went into space, the U.S thought that we could get astronauts to land on the moon. The Apollo program had the goal to put humans on the moon. Apollo 8 orbited the moon in 1968. On July 20, 1969, crew members from Apollo 11 landed on the moon. The crew consisted of astronauts Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Mike Collins as the person who was in the ship orbiting the moon. “We all remember the fateful words
11 that Neil spoke,” Stepp said. In case you don’t, they were: “That’s one small step for man…one giant leap for mankind.” The U.S. was doing Deep Ocean Drilling at the same time that astronauts were on the moon. “It was the lunar surface versus the ocean bottom,” Kevin McCartney said. We could not see the bottom of the ocean and science had explained some of the reasons. “Plate tectonics move and make the ocean floor move and become deeper in some places,” McCartney said. The Glomar Challenger was the first deep sea ocean driller. It drove a pipe 18 miles (6 leagues) to the ocean bottom. “Now the deep ocean drilling project includes 21 nations and it exceeds NASA,” McCartney said. Also during 1968 there were many upgrades in medicine. “Terramycin is one of the antibiotics used in medicine today,” Mike Knopp said. 1968 was a time of change in the world and for space travel. We have landed on the moon and people came back safely. The U.S won the space race. We have never been the same since.
Sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll Dreams of something better
KALYN DEVOE Contributor Loud music, crazy tie-dyed clothing and amazing artwork all took you back to the great years of the 1960s. President Zillman put it best when he described it as a night of “nostalgia of the unbelievable.” Zillman then went on to give thanks to all who assisted with the set up for the functions for the week. Zillman quoted Charles Dickens when describing 1968 as the “best of times and the worst of times.” “1968 was the year of the Beatles White Album and the year that Jonny Cash performed at Folsom Prison,” Zillman said. “Sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll were as good as it got,” Zillman said of 1968. Clifton Boudman showed a wonderful presentation of pictures taken during 1968. Many of them were taken by Walker Evans, a memorable photographer. Others were retakes of Evans’ photos taken by Sherri Irving, making her an acclaimed photographer. The remainder of the evening was filled with songs from 1960s, such as “San Francisco,” “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay,” “The Weight” and “Learn to
DAVID HAMILTON Editor
Clifton Boudman Forget,” just to name a few. Wendy Ross, instructor of education, selected the performers of the night. They consisted of Jeffrey Lovejoy, Carol Ayoob, Jake Stewart, Dan Ross and his band. The first night of the 1968 Retrospective set the week’s worth of events off with a bang. The night allowed to you to relive 1968 and the great artistic attributes it gave the world. It also reminded us of those who lost their lives and fought for justice. With such a successful night, it only makes you wonder what UMPI will do next.
During a week of looking back 40 years to 1968, the time came to look across the pond. Europe, Asia and Africa were undergoing changes of their own during this time. On Thursday, Nov. 13, a panel of professors gave quick lectures on international aspects of 1968. John Zaborney began by recounting the events of the Vietnam War. His particular focus was that Tet Offensive, that took place that year, which was the beginning of the end for the U.S. presence in Vietnam. Claire Davidshofer followed Zaborney’s lecture by telling her experiences while at a university in France and her involvement in the protests there. The student protests in France swept the country and threw it into chaos. After Claire Davidshofer, came Bill Davidshofer, who spoke on the Prague Spring when Czechoslovakia broke away from the Warsaw pact and tried to create a social democracy. If it hadn’t
been crushed, an event parallel to the falling of the Berlin wall might have happened in 1968. Davidshofer also commented on the changes in the French Communist Party. To wrap up the lecture portion of the evening, Tomasz Herzog spoke on how cultural changes took place that reached far past 1968. Herzog, only one year old at the time, remembers growing up in Poland deep inside the Soviet Bloc. Suppression of the people was a daily occurrence. The events of the Prague Spring, however, gave those who wished for democracy behind the Iron Curtain hope. “Dreamt of freedom, dreamt of liberty, dreamt of having something,” Herzog said, describing the emotions of protesters. To end the evening, Richard Zuras presented the movie “Bobby.” “Bobby” is the story of Robert Kennedy’s assassination. By the end of the film, the room was silent, like the end of a funeral service. The death of Bobby reminded that not all change in 1968 was good change.
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War is still raging for the veterans UNIVERSITY TIMES
Monday, December 15, 2008
JENNY CRAWFORD Contributor As part of the 1968 Retrospective, the University held a special night for Vietnam veterans on Veterans Day, Nov. 11. The event was to celebrate veterans and reflect on 1968 and the war that was raging in Vietnam. Veterans Day was a day to remember sacrifices, our nation’s unity, the soldiers who died protecting our country and the veterans lucky enough to survive.
The panel of speakers included seven Vietnam veterans and Dr. Carol Hawkins, who had been a teacher at UMFK and is now at Colby College. She’s been an organizer of many events held for veterans. On the panel was our own President Zillman, who also served in the war.
Hawkins began the panel discussion. She taught a class about Vietnam before the war in Iraq began and was surprised at how little her students knew about the war in Vietnam. When she asked them to write papers about what they knew about the war, many related it to what they saw in movies such as “Forrest Gump.” They were ignorant to the reality of the war.
Hawkins introduced her students to a veteran named Lionel. He was also on the panel and when he began to speak, you could almost feel the battle going on in his mind and in his body. Lionel suffers from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, as did most of the other panel members.
Lionel talked about the first battle he was involved in. He and his platoon were ambushed and out of the entire platoon, only two soldiers survived. He could hear the screams of his fellow soldiers, screams that still haunt him today. Lionel explained, “Many died at a distance. Many died in our arms.”
ed harshly right after their tour ended. They weren’t given benefits or recognition of some disabilities until nearly 30 years after the war ended!
New discoveries about Agent Orange came out. Agent Orange was a chemical solution used to take the foliage off the dense jungle trees during the war. Planes would fly over the jungle and spray the chemical all over everything, including the soldiers. We know now that the chemical is more potent than arsenic and many veterans are now fighting a new battle: the battle against cancer the chemical caused.
Veteran’s Day during the Retrospective
Lionel then explained that in another battle he was in, he could hear dying soldiers yelling to their mothers. He could hear other soldiers yelling to them, “Don’t give up! Hold on, you’ll make it!”
A couple of years after Lionel was introduced to Hawkins and her students, she got a very special student from Vietnam named Trang. Trang had always viewed the war as a horrible crime against her country. When Hawkins gave Trang the opportunity to write a research paper, Trang’s topic was the Vietnam War.
Trang’s paper contained a shocking revelation: her father was one of the Vietnamese soldiers who ambushed Lionel’s platoon during his first battle! Trang and Lionel actually had the opportunity to meet. Their meeting helped change both of their views about the war. A veteran named Don Pelkey joined the discussion. Pelkey served three tours in Vietnam. His job was called “long range recon patrols” and it sounded real-
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ly tough. Helicopters dropped soldiers along a trail for 10 days or more with only 100 rounds of ammo and a week’s worth of rations. The soldiers were camouflaged and it was their job to count all the Vietnamese who walked down the trail, along with everything they carried with them.
John Barlow’s experience was truly remarkable. The most unlikely object saved his leg and possibly his life. When Barlow was shot, the bullet ricocheted off the cigarette lighter in his pants pocket. Chancellor Rich Pattenaude was called up four times. He was a prisoner of war (POW) interrogator. He said that after the war, you come home and “pick up where you left off.” The veterans explained how frustrated they were when they got back to the U.S. from their tours in Vietnam. When they returned, they were sometimes treated as traitors, called “baby killers” and spit on. For many years, veterans were told to just “suck it up.” Soldiers weren’t only treat-
These veterans have truly been through a lot together. “We understand each other. That’s why we’re brothers,” one of the panel members explained. These men have banded together, and together they’re taking a stand. When asked how they felt about the newest war the country is facing, they spoke against the war together. Troops in the sixties had one year tours. Now troops face tours that are 18 months to two years long. That’s too long.
Although there weren’t many students at the event, the veterans wanted us to learn something from their experiences. First, they wanted us to realize how old they were when they left. They were still young, yet they were thrown into a situation most adults couldn’t have handled. They also wanted us to realize the truth about the draft: if you didn’t go to college, you were automatically drafted. Most of all, veterans wanted us to remember the heroes and to support the troops in Iraq. To write a letter to a soldier in Iraq, visit www.letterstosoldiers.org/formlet ter.html.
Give up?
It’s the Christmas tree in the MPR room in the Campus Center
Sports
UMPI men’s basketball looks to turn the program around UNIVERSITY TIMES
Monday, December 15, 2008
court whether it is running sprints or hitting the books.
BEN ROSSER Contributor
As the weather outside becomes The team has been in session for cold and dreary the UMPI Men’s well over a month now, and has Basketball team hopes to heat things played in two games. The games up in Weiden hall. were located at UMaine Farmington With a new head coach, Terry and were up against Newbury Cummings, comes a new attitude College and nationally ranked Elms and crave for victory. Coach College, both from Massachusetts. Cummings attended the University Unfortunately, the outcomes resulted and left his mark scoring over 2000 in two early losses for the Owls. points in his four year career. But Both teams were very experienced basketball isn’t the only thing on this and were nonconference games. The coach’s mind. Cummings expects all two losses were not all bad though. of his players to be student athletes, The Owls gave great effort in both which starts in the class room. He games and UMPI’s own Ray stresses excellence on and off the Mitchell received a tournament All-
Star award after posting 36 points pride to the Men’s Basketball program. Regaining a loyal fan base and and 16 rebounds against Newbury. more interest is also high on the toThe men hope to gain experience do list this year. The Owls hope to in the first semester schedule which have a large turnout at the Star-City features no conference games but Tournament held in Weiden on does bring intense competition. They December 13th and 14th. will face their biggest challenge yet With great guidance and potential, on Thursday, December 4th against the NCAA Division 1 team of the the Owls look to start a solid Sunrise Conference record second semester University of Maine. and look to make the playoffs. With Changing the past is a big priori- realistic goals in sight and a great ty in the eyes of the team. In the past leader on the sideline anything is few years the team has struggled and possible with this young team. Get it was starting to look bad in the out and support your very own future. With a new coach and new UMPI Owls and lets look to turn players, the team hopes to bring back things around!
Sunrise players of the week
TRACY GUERRETTE Contributor Women’s Basketball Player of the Week– Megan Korhonen (So., Guard, University of Maine at Presque Isle) Megan averaged 14.5 points, 4.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.0 steals in a 1-1 week for the Owls. The sophomore guard had 16 points and 6 rebounds in a 70-39 loss to Colby College. Megan then had 13 points and four assists in a 70-67 win over Thomas College. She scored the final four points of the game including the game-winning basket against Thomas. In those two games she shot 54 percent from the field. Rookie of the Week – Emily Moore (Fr., Guard, University of Maine at Presque Isle) Emily averaged 10.0 points in a 1-1 week for the Owls. The freshman guard scored nine points in a 70-39 loss to Colby College and then had 11 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals in a 70-67 win over Thomas College. Men’s Basketball
Player of the Week – Gerardo Vasquez (Fr., Guard, University of Maine at Machias) Gerardo averaged 16.0 points, 2.0 steals, 1.7 assists and 1.3 rebounds in a 2-1 week for the Clippers. The freshman guard shot 41 percent from the floor, hit 10 3-pointers and shot 80 percent from the free throw line. Gerardo had 13 points and four assists in a 74-69 win over Thomas College, 16 points in an 83-61 loss to Keene State College and ended the week with 19 points, four steals and two rebounds in an 82-59 win over Hampshire College. Rookie of the Week – Sean Smith (Fr., Forward, Vermont Technical College) Sean averaged 18.5 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.5 blocks and 2.0 steals leading the Green Knights to a 1-1 week. The freshman forward shot 51 percent from the field in those two games. Sean had 14 points and seven rebounds in an 80-70 loss to Hesser and then had 23 points and 11 rebounds in an 88-79 win over the University of Maine at Augusta.
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At right, Emily Moore, Rookie of the Week and Player of the Week Megan Korhonen, left
The Women Owls
UNIVERSITY TIMES
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Monday, December 15, 2008
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2008-09 UMPI Women’s Basketball Roster Erica Davis SR 5’11” F North Yarmouth, ME
33
Mindy Sullivan
32
Kathy Kilfoil
JR
6’0”
C
Johnville, NB
10
Megan Korhonen
SO
5’6”
G
Littleton, ME
20
Whitney Flint
FR
5’7”
G
Ashland, ME
Karen Creighton
FR
6’0”
F
Sussex, NB
Melissa Borjas
FR
5’7”
G
Booth Bay, ME
12
Cassie Green
13
Samantha Carpenter
21 5
Farmington, ME
Friday 21-Nov 6 p.m. Saturday 22-Nov 1/3 p.m.
@Colby Tournament
Waterville, ME
Friday 6-Dec 7 p.m. Sunday 7-Dec noon/2 p.m.
@SJC Tournament
Friday 12-Dec 7 p.m.
Tuesday 6-Jan 6 p.m.
Sunday 11-Jan 12 noon
Saturday 17-Jan 1 p.m. Sunday 18-Jan 12 noon
Saturday 24-Jan 1 p.m. Sunday 25-Jan
Kathleen Higgins
JR
FR FR
FR FR
2008-09 Women’s Basketball Schedule
@ UMaine Farmington
Saturday 29-Nov
Emily Moore
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Saturday 15-Nov 2 p.m.
@Colby Tournament OFF
Waterville, ME
Standish, ME
@SJC Tournament
Standish, ME
Husson College
Home
@Maine Maritime Academy Castine, ME Fisher College
Home
Vermont Tech
Randolph Ctr. VT
Paul Smith’s College
HOME
College of St. Joseph
SUNY-Canton
Rutland, VT
HOME
15
12 noon Saturday 31-Jan. 1 p.m.
6’1” 5’7”
5’9” 5’6” 5’5”
C
G F
G G
Lisbon Falls, ME Lisbon, ME Truro, NS
Hodgdon, ME
Cole Harbour, NS
Fisher College
Boston, ME
Sunday 1-Feb. 12:00 noon
UMaine-Machias
Machias, ME
UMaine-Fort Kent
Fort Kent, ME
Sat/Sun 7/8-Feb 12 noon
UMaine-Augusta
Home
Wednesday 11-Feb UMaine-Machias 5 p.m.
Home
Saturday 14-Feb 1 p.m. Sunday 15-Feb 12 noon
College of St. Joseph’s
Home
Paul Smith’s College
Paul Smiths, NY
Wednesday 4-Feb. 5 p.m.
Saturday 21-Feb 1 p.m. Sunday 22-Feb 12 noon
Tuesday 24-Feb 5 p.m. Saturday 29-Feb Sunday 1-March
Vermont Tech
Home
SUNY-Canton
Canton, NY
UMaine-Fort Kent
Home
Sunrise Tournament Sunrise Tournament
tba tba
UNIVERSITY TIMES
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5
2008-09 UMPI Men’s Basketball Roster
Ronald Spencer
Najee Nickle
SO
6’2”
G/F
Chicago, IL
5’7”
G
Newcastle, ME
SO
6’0”
12 Brian Korhonen
JR
5’7”
G
Littleton, ME
24 Ray Mitchell
JR
6’4”
F
Cleveland, OH
10 Devon Peaslee 22 Ben Rosser
SO FR
6’3”
G
F
Caribou, ME
JR
5’8”
G
Mars Hill, ME
34 Jeremy Brock
FR
6’1”
G/F
Easton, ME
43 James Cirell
SO
6’0”
F
Bingham, ME
35 Loren Fawthrop
SO
FR
6’4”
6’3”
F
F
Princton, ME
Amherst, NS
UMPI Men drop two at UMaine Farmington
TRACY GUERRETTE Contributor The University of Maine at Presque Isle men’s basketball team faced a tough task on Friday evening at the UMaine Farmington Hight Tournament, to try and stop Division III powerhouse Elms College of Chicopee, MA. The Owls battled to a 110-44 loss in their first game of the season. The Blazers bolted out to a 69-16 halftime command, creating a difficult comeback. Elms’ onslaught was spirited by its defense, which forced 43 turnovers. UMPI played a solid second 20 minutes, regardless of having two of their starters foul out early after halftime. Dan Gonzalez and Javon Mathis each scored 14 points to lead a balanced Elms attack with 17 different players getting into the scoring column. Arsenio Avant also got into double-figures with 10 points. The Owls were led by junior Ray Mitchell (Cleveland, OH), who paced his team with 13 points, all coming in the second half of play. Sophomore Ron Spencer (Chicago, IL) added nine points, while freshman Loren Fawthrop (Amherst, NS) added eight points and eight rebounds in the loss. On Saturday, Ray Mitchell was huge for UMPI with a game high of 36 points and 16 rebounds, while Ron Spencer added 20 points. Despite the improved play on the second day of the two-game weekend, the Owls loss 92-78 to the Nighthawks of Newbury College in the
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Orlando, FL
25 Erick Martinez
33 Mihku Sabattus
Monday, December 15, 2008
Ray Mitchell consolation game of the Hight Tournament. Loren Fawthrop once again had a solid showing, scoring eight points and grabbing six rebounds for this team. Kevin Cleveland of Newbury posted a double-double with 28 points and 13 rebounds, while also dealing out seven assists. John Rowley Jr. scored 22 points to help the Nighthawks (1-2), who need to survive a late UMPI rally to earn the win. Newbury led 48-33 at intermission and pushed the advantage to 75-45 with 10:41 left in the contest. The Owls battled back and knocked the lead down to 86-75 with 2:15 remaining in the game, but Rowley scored six of the game’s final eight points in sealing the win. UMPI’s Ray Mitchell was unanimously selected to the All-Tournament team for his outstanding weekend play.
UMPI Women edge out Thomas College
TRACY GUERRETTE Contributor Senior Erica Davis (North Yarmouth, ME) earned a double-double, scoring a game-high 29 points and grabbing 10 rebounds in 30 minutes of play to lead the University of Maine at Presque Isle women’s basketball team to their first win of the season on Saturday in the consolation game of the Colby College Invitational Tournament. The Lady Owls beat Thomas College 70-67 in a tough fought game. Davis also had six steals as her team improves to 1-2 on the season. Sophomore Megan Korhonen (Littleton, ME) had 13 points and 4 assists on the day to help her team, including the last three points, a running layup on the left side of the paint and two key free throws with three seconds remaining in regulation time to help solidify the Owl victory. Freshman Emily Moore (Lisbon, ME) went 3-6 from the floor and 5-6 from the line to add 11 points and two steals in the Owl win. Whitney Flint (Ashland, ME) added seven points and two steals. Mindy Sullivan (Lisbon, ME) used her presence in the paint and pulled down a game high 11 rebounds on the day. The Owls shot 44.4% from the floor, and improvement from the prior day’s game against Colby College. Thomas College (1-2) was led in scoring by Jess Nassetta and her 14 points. Cortney Barrett added 13 points, while Alexis Evans and Kellie Martel each had 10 points in the Terrier loss. In Friday night’s game, the Owls dropped a game to the Mules of Colby
College, 70-39. Megan Korhonen paced the Owls with a game-high 16 points. Erica Davis added nine points and 11 rebounds, while Mindy Sullivan also had 11 boards. For Colby Rachel Mack, the 2008 Miss Maine and Gatorade Player of the Year from nearby Cony High School, was 5for-6 from the field and 3-for-4 from the foul line for 13 points. She also blocked three shots, had four rebounds, and dished a pair of assists. Meanwhile, Kowalski was 5-for-5 from the field and hit both of her free throws for 12 points and six rebounds. Alison Cappelloni also had 12 points for Colby and Sam Allen had nine points, three assists, and three steals in her first game at Colby. Erica Davis was selected to the All-Tournament team for her outstanding weekend play.
Emily Moore
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KALYN DEVOE Contributor
Every other Thursday, a group of energetic senior citizens meet at the Grant Memorial United Methodist Church. They love to involve themselves in social gatherings to make friends and for companionship. The organization allows the seniors to get out into the community. They contribute to The County in various ways. They do monthly a food drive contribution to local pantries. A portion of the money that they collect throughout the year is set aside to buy
Community
Star City Senior Citizens: UNIVERSITY TIMES
Giving back to the community
gifts for the Gifts for Tots program. “Knowing we’re helping The County, even in small ways, keeps many of the members wanting to do more,” Donna said. The requirements for being a member are very simple: you must be at least 55 years old and willing to contribute your time to the weekly meetings. You must be willing to be active in helping getting others to join and help to set up for the social gatherings. Many may only see the exterior when looking at this great group of people. After taking some time, though, you begin to find out what they are about.
Anyone is free to submit articles... including surrounding communities For more information e-mail utimes@maine.edu Helping Hands comfort community
SARAH GRAETTINGER Contributor Have you ever needed help in the community and not known where to get it? Well, Helping Hands are here to help people who need it.
Their Mission is: “We provide information, referrals, training, and assist families in meeting their needs.”
They are a nonprofit organization that’s supported by the State of Maine Children’s Services division and the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Helping Hands also get help from the United Way of Aroostook County, Maine Transition Network and private grants and donations.
“We are here to assist families and individuals in their efforts to master the challenges of life.” If you need to find information on how
Thursday, March 22, 2008
to get help, you can use the Pathfinder resource. It’s a great place to start.
“This provides categorized listings of many kinds of social and personal services.”
People should not hesitate to ask for help. These organizations are here to help when they’re needed. If you know anyone who needs help, you can go to the Web site http://www.ainop.com /users/hhcf/. You can also call (207) 7647664 to get information. Students can help out with this program, too, if they want.
“One thing that we need help with is spreading the word that this program is here. Many people do not even know that we can help them. We also need volunteers who can help out with our program. And money donations are always nice,” Daina, a volunteer, said.
They want everyone who is their age, older and younger to know that no matter what your age, you can always give back. They believe that just because of your age, you should never feel as though you can’t do anything that makes you happy. “Being cooped up in a nursing home is a nightmare to many of them. By us assisting in giving them a place to come and be themselves, they appreciate it,” Cheryl Steeves, vice president, said. No matter what your age, if you’re young at heart, the community can be a joyous place. So why not give Donna Devoe a call: 764-5656/
The Star City Senior Citizens
The Way Life Should Be
DAVID HAMILTON Editor A jaunt through the woods can turn up a lot of information. A trip to meet Larry Park, the owner of a tree farm near Echo Lake, is proof of this.
Looking around his house, which is dwarfed by a huge barn, this tree farm and its owner have had a storied existence, pictures of scenes from Park’s life on the farm adorn the walls. There are many plaques in the office and basement denoting the farm’s past accomplishments. Most recently, Park won the Maine Outstanding Tree Farmer of 2008. A pingpong table in the basement serves as part storage, part library and part workbench. Here’s where the tour began. “We became a recognized tree farm in 1982. But we were doing things before that,” Park said. The Parks have been managing the tree farm since 1954, when Larry returned from the Army after serving three years. His father had suffered a heart attack, so Larry took over the family farm. Back then, they also raised potatoes. But trees were something else to make money on.
“Trees aren’t like potatoes. You don’t have to get rid of them every year,” Park said, as he examined small trees on the lot.
As he walked through his trees, he recounted stories about the farm while educating about the trees and how he manages them.
“Over there in that field is where a plane crashed. We’re still finding pieces of it,” Park said as he led me down the trail. There he described the types of trees in that plot and what had been harvested there.
As the tour came to a close the sun had slipped under the horizon and the snow started to fly. Soon the trails that were part of the tour will be white and ready for skiers who will have the chance to see the land and a view of Quoggy Jo Mountain. The trails are maintained during the winter by Aroostook State Park staff. Park Tree Farm is a great place to get outside and experience northern Maine at its best. This is the way life should be.
For directions to the cross-country trails contact Aroostook State Park at 768-8341.
With small sacrifices come huge rewards UNIVERSITY TIMES
Monday, December 15, 2008
BARAT QUALEY Contributor
Toes in the sand. Sleeping in late. Swimming in pools. Picking up a part-time job, preferably in view of the cute lifeguard. When you hear this, chances are that your mind just flashes to your picture perfect summer: low-key, relaxing and a way to rejuvenate yourself after working hard at school all year long. But what if you were, for one minute, to consider working on behalf of someone else? Instead of trying to find ways to help yourself, what if you were to give up a part of your perfect summer to help someone else? You can do just that with Living Waters Bible Conference. Located on beautiful East Grand Lake in Danforth, Maine, Living Waters is one of New England’s best summer camps. Living Waters has been running for 38 years, and Roger and Karen Black have been in charge for 32 of them. They started out helping the camp’s founder, Wendell Caldwell, when the camp first opened. They’re now the hearts and souls of this camp. With its offerings of activities such as archery, sailing, canoeing, drama, basketball and soccer clinics, horseback riding, etc.,
Water boarding at Living Waters Bible Conference you’d probably expect such a place to their workers. So those who decide to be charging hundreds of dollars per work during the summer do so withweek for each camper. But the mis- out financial compensation. sion of Living Waters isn’t to make If the whole “doing good for money. It’s to change lives. your community” thing doesn’t grab For many children who are in finan- you, consider this: volunteering for cial need and even in emotional cri- an entire summer is 800 hours of sis, the Blacks will waive their camp- community service. ing fee entirely. “I got more scholarships because I “These are kids who otherwise could put that I have accumulated might never have the opportunity to over 5,000 hours of community servgo to a summer camp. And they ice (over nine years). Scholarship receive love and guidance from the committees love that! Because of all counselors. The camp gives out many the scholarships I qualified for, and scholarships each summer to children received, volunteering at camp was a in need. I am in awe of that,” Vickie better financial decision than working Washburn, the head of the girls minimum wage jobs all summer,” kitchen staff, said. Sarah Chase, member of the staff, Because Living Waters gives so said. much and gains no profits, it’s diffiSo Living Waters is a good thing cult for the Blacks to afford to pay and a smart thing. But there’s
PAMELA PERKINS Staff Writer
with others and make people be prideful LORRAINE HUGHES Contributor of where they come from.
Fort Fairfield’s time
The Reed Fine Art Gallery has the privilege of hosting “It’s Time,” a show featuring Fort Fairfield artists from Dec. 5, 2008 to Jan. 17,2009. The show kicked off with a gala reception. The event was co-hosted by Fort Fairfield’s Sesquicentennial co- chairs, Sarah Ullman and Rayle Ainsworth. Why chose the Reed Gallery? “It was because the Gallery was donated by MPG for Walter M. Reed Jr., who used to live in Fort Fairfield. We wanted to honor him in memory. We want people to get excited about our (Fort Fairfield’s) sesquicentennial (1858-2008) and to start a tradition of celebrating the other cities, such as Presque Isle and Caribou’s Sesquicentennials that are coming up. We hope the Reed Gallery will be hosting others works from artists living in those areas. We want to think of it as if passing on the torch,” Ullman said. Ainsworth said, “We want to share our artists’ work
As for choosing the clock for their cover piece? “It was in hopes of reminding people to reflect upon the past, to enjoy their present, and to prepare for the future of their community of Fort Fairfield,” Ullman and Ainsworth said. The clock is to represent the changes in history of the town and time that is given to us to live life as we choose to.
All the art is by people who currently live or have lived in Fort Fairfield. Pieces portray all kinds of places and activities in and around Fort Fairfield, such as the harvest, wildlife, farm living, hunting, nature, buildings, changes in Main Street and picking blueberries. Art of numerous media, including paint, photography and sculpture, are currently on display in the Reed Gallery in the Campus Center and will be on display Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
more: breathtaking beauty and a special spirit. “Going to Living Waters is the highlight of my summer. First of all it is located in one of the most beautiful places on earth. As soon as you walk on the property you feel the presence of God all around you because you can’t help but behold God’s creation. As you start to walk around, you encounter some of the greatest people on earth,” Sean Davis, a pastor and speaker during the teen weeks, said. If you’re a parent looking for a place to send your child for a week you couldn’t ask for a better atmosphere than Living Waters. And if you’re looking for a place to volunteer, be it for a week or two or an entire summer, Living Waters welcomes new volunteers. The Blacks are always looking for young people willing to work on their staff and college-age people to become counselors. You can contact the camp at Living Waters Bible Conference, PO Box 250, Danforth, ME 04424 or call them at (207) 448-2310. So why not take the opportunity to step up? Discover how small doses of your time and attention can change a child’s life forever.
PIHS’s shoebox holiday
At first glance, an empty shoe box might not seem to have much to do with Christmas. How about if you fill it with things that many take for granted: a new toothbrush, pens, pencils, paper and maybe even a few toys or lollipops. That might not seem like much of a Christmas present to you. But each year, Samaritan’s Purse sponsors Operation Christmas Child in an effort to provide for those in undeveloped countries who might not have these everyday items. Since 1993, Samaritan’s Purse has collected
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more than 61 million shoeboxes filled with these little pleasures of life and distributed them worldwide to those in need so that they, too, can have a joyful Christmas. For the past two years, the Presque Isle High School Student Council has encouraged PIHS students to take part in the wonderful cause of Operation Christmas Child. Because of the outstanding response last year, the student council, led by President Hannah Cheney, headed the effort this year. The students and faculty of PIHS collected 13 boxes this year sending out some rays of Christmas joy from the Star City and the Wildcats.
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Entertainment The band plays on
UNIVERSITY TIMES
PAMELA PERKINS Staff Writer “Any Band can play loud and fast… but an exceptional band is one that can play low and soft beautifully.” That’s what the people who gathered in Wieden Auditorium on Dec. 1, heard from the UMPI/Community Band for its annual Winter Concert. Talented musicians who have worked many long hours gave the crowd a musical treat. Songs included “In Flight,” “Orion,” “High School Cadets” and “Flight of Valor.” Director Kevin Kinsey said that he was pleased with the growth of the band and the audience size since he has starting being the director ten years ago. He recalled that when he started as director 10 years ago, there were about 10 members in the band. They would play about three to five songs for a show of about 20 minutes. The audience then would consist of only three or four people. After one of the band’s earlier per-
Monday, December 15, 2008
formances, some ladies came in. Kinsey politely said to them that the show was over, but they thought that he was just kidding. Now the band has at least 40 members and its concerts last about two hours. As a wacky tradition within the band, Kinsey played the flute for one of the pieces while his wife, Pamela Kinsey, directed the band. When the band first started, Kinsey was never sure who was or wasn’t going to be there, so either he or his wife would have to make sure to bring extra instruments along. There just weren’t enough people to play all of the instruments that were needed for the pieces that the band wanted to play. During the end of the performance, the band members presented Kinsey with a plaque to show thanks and appreciation for him, for the 10 years that he has put into the band and for making the band a fun and exciting learning experience for them.
Conductor Kevin Kinsey as he addresses the audience
Through Your Eyes The Wrecking at UMPI
LEAH MCEACHERN Staff Writer
Members of The Wrecking with Student Activities Coordinator Heidi Blasjo
The night of Nov. 19 may have been unbelievably frigid, but the hearts of many were warmed by the inspirational music of the Christian rock band, The Wrecking. At first the turnout left something to be desired, but as show time drew closer, more and more people filled the seats of Wieden Hall until there must have been at least one hundred present. The event was free for UMPI students, but many there would have gladly paid to witness the breathtaking performance. People bought a number of T-shirts and CDs. Owl Productions, Klub Kampus and Campus Crusades for Christ, which brought The Wrecking to
UMPI all the way from Portland, Maine, organized the event. The overwhelming power of the band’s music pulsed through the auditorium, giving the audience a connection with it. When the concert was over and the band had left the stage, the crowd began clapping and chanting, demanding an encore until the group modestly obliged. All religion aside, I’m sure that somebody watching the concert from a secular standpoint could have greatly enjoyed the quality of the performance. This was The Wrecking’s first visit to UMPI. Due to the success here, it’s likely that it’ll be back again, soon.
Mixed bag Scribbles
UNIVERSITY TIMES PAMELA PERKINS Staff Writer
Happy holidays indeed While some of us might be involved in the semantic, “How many angels can fit on the head of a pin?” argument over “Happy holidays” versus “Merry Christmas,” much more in-your-face symbols are evident. Most of us by now have seen or heard of the “eager” WalMart shoppers (so the media labeled them) trampling an employee to death and putting others in the hospital in search of holiday bargains. If that isn’t mindless materialism at its best, then please, show me. Meanwhile, a group of Unitarian Universalists somewhere in Minnesota opted to have a Black Friday service to get a little perspecERIK PELKEY Contributor
Almost immediately after Barack Obama’s resounding victory and substantial Democratic gains in Congress on Nov. 4, conservative pundits hit the nation’s airwaves and op-ed pages to perform damage control. Joe Scarborough, Bill O’Reilly, David Brooks and George Will repeated the claim that the U.S. remains a center-right country. This Republican talking point was nearly ubiquitous in the aftermath of the election. After George W. Bush eked out a victory in 2004, many of these same commentators were echoing Bush’s triumphant proclamation of an electoral
Monday, December 15, 2008
Calling a welfare check, well, a welfare Check My memory goes back at least to President Reagan calling out “welfare queens” and other cheats, embezzling their hundreds and thousands from the Government. That, of
course, distracted most of us from looking at the corporate welfare cheats who were stealing millions. It worked so well, let’s try it again. So only last week the media spotlighted rail employees double dipping with phony disability claims added to their retirement checks. And yes, we should be up in arms about that. But so much more about those seeking ever more corporate welfare. How many CEOs have driven their companies into the ground and yet collected huge bonuses for doing so? And these same CEOs, bankers previously and automakers now, stand in front of Congress for what are called “bailouts” but are really—let’s say it together—welfare checks. Where are all the “free market” folks now? Whatever happened to “letting the market decide”? What
mandate and celebrating a new Republican revolution. While they shrugged off Bush’s betrayal of his campaign rhetoric about “compassionate conservatism” in 2000 as an unavoidable casualty of Realpolitik, they now demand that Obama live up to his image as a “post-partisan” leader. Obama and the Democrats would do themselves irreparable harm if they took the Republican chatter about America being a center-right nation too seriously. While the unfortunate results of the Proposition 9 vote in California show that we have a long way to go on some issues, it is hard to deny that the pendulum of American politics has swung noticeably to the left.
A recent Pew poll found that Americans embrace a progressive agenda. Fifty-eight percent of the respondents supported the notion that the government should guarantee health care for all Americans “even if it means raising taxes.” The majority of Americans also support raising the minimum wage and reject the notion of making the Bush tax cuts permanent. Bringing civility and the spirit of bipartisanship to the White House should be high on Obama’s agenda, but not as high as O’Reilly and Brooks might hope. In a time of economic crisis, rising health care costs and high unemployment, the Obama administration’s primary goal
tive on holiday priorities. I’m certainly not here to laud the goings-on of any particular religion, but the latter seems to be a saner choice in these times. Whether one celebrates the birth of Christ, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice or anything else worth ritualizing, shouldn’t we at least be celebrating one another and the connections between us? “Sorry Aunt Matilda, I’m afraid I helped kill someone in purchasing your present.” How Christmasy or holidayish is that?
A Plea For Partisanship
19 we have here is capitalism without consequences a free market whose downside, in the words of one pundit, can’t be tolerated. How is it that only a select list of companies, including AIG, Lehmann Brothers and the Big Three automakers are “too big to fail”? I’ll be interested to hear from all of those who, blind to or denying the boldest signs of oligarchy possible, insist that America is a functioning democracy. I sincerely wish I had enough coal to put into the Christmas stockings of the thieves listed above, because a lot of children’s Christmases—and it is about them, isn’t it?—will be ruined by today’s robber barons.
Meanwhile, Merry Christmas everyone—really!!
should be listening to those most vulnerable in American society, not to the conservative pundits and politicians. In 1936, Franklin Delano Roosevelt didn’t shy away from his enemies: “We had to struggle with the old enemies of peace — business and financial monopoly, speculation, reckless banking, class antagonism, sectionalism, war profiteering....Never before in all our history have these forces been so united against one candidate as they stand today. They are unanimous in their hate for me — and I welcome their hatred.” Roosevelt’s is the voice that I hope Obama is listening to.
Food for thought
Pizza Problem
UNIVERSITY TIMES
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Friday, November 21, 2008
Previous problems:
MISSWORM+ZILLIONS=ZZZZZZZZZ
Each letter in the problem corresponds uniquely to a number between 0 and 9. To what number does each letter corerespond to make the equation true? Solution: 95226079+15885032=111111111.
Congratulations to Pamela Perkins.
Believe it or not, five twos equal five. So do five threes and five fours, under appropriate arithmetic operations. For example, 1+1+1+1+1=5 and 2+2+2-(2/2)=5. Show that five of any digit can produce five with the appropriate arithmetic operations. Solution:
(3/ 3)+(3/3)+3 =5
7-(7 /7)-(7/7)=5
5-5+5 -5+5=5
((9*9)+9)/(9+9)=5
(4 /4)+4+4-4=5 6+6-6-(6/6)=5
8-((8+8 +8)/8) =5
Congratulations to Mathieu Bourgeois. New Problem:
You are trapped in a room with two doors. One door leads to freedom, and the other door leads to torment and anguish. But you don’t know which is which. There are two guards in the room. One guard always tells the truth, and the other always lies. You don’t know which one is honest and which one is the liar. To figure out which door to choose, you get to ask one guard one question. What is your question? Send your solution to umpicontest@maine.edu by Dec. 24, 2008, if you want a free pizza, and watch for the solution and a new problem in the next issue of U Times. Happy Holidays.
Comic by Bhava Albert
Apologies to our contributor Jim Stepp and his readers. Stepp submitted an article for this issue but had it had to be cut due to a limited amount of space in the newspaper.
Happy Holidays from the U Times Staff
Comic by Sandy Igel