Volume 41 Issue 8 by University Times

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University of Maine at Presque Isle Volume 41 Issue 8

Journalism for Northern Maine

Visit us at utimes.umpi.edu

FEB. 15, 2013

UMPI Thinks Pink to Win were wearing pink shirts, making it clear this was a Fans who attended bas- special game. This game ketball games against was UMPI’s annual “Think Boston Fisher College on Pink” game in support of American Cancer Sunday, Feb. 3 weren’t just the Society’s Relay for Life. supporting their teams but a Attendees could support this cause in many ways other than purchasing an admission ticket. UMPI’s S t u d e n t Activities Office sold pink accessories, including tshirts, mini basketballs, key chains and scarves. Also for sale were 50/50 raffle tickets and a raffle ticket for a Super Bowl party kit, which contained chips, soda, a cake, plates, napkins and a gift card to Big Cheese Pizza. This prize was very fitting, as the game was Patrick Manifold slam dunks for a held both on good cause. Super Bowl Sunday and the day before good cause as well. Wieden World Cancer Day, which Gym was decorated with was Feb. 4. pink ribbons and members “It’s for a good cause and of both the men’s and you can win your whole women’s basketball teams Super Bowl party in one Mika Ouellette STAFF WRITER

basket,” Lisa Leduc, associate professor of criminal justice, said. The winners of these prizes were announced during halftime of the men’s game. UMPI student Taylor Ussery won the 50/50 raffle which was $50. Lisa Udasco, an UMPI conferences and special programs staff member, won the Super Bowl party kit. UMPI student Catrina Comeau received a $10 gift card to Amato’s for the best selfdesigned “pink” t-shirt. Those who won prizes were not the only winners at this game. UMPI’s men’s team won against Fisher College 81-65 and the women’s team won 77-66. Both wins were quite close but so was the cause supported by the game – close to the heart, that is. “This cause is important to UMPI and to me as well, because I’m an eight-year breast cancer survivor,” Leduc said. Along with sharing her story in-between games, Leduc shared some facts about the American Cancer Society and Relay for Life, organizations she’s is involved in. About the American Cancer Society, Leduc said that half of all breast cancer patients use the organization’s services for their care. On a more local level, she proudly announced that, last year, Aroostook County’s Relay for Life raised $136,000 for cancer research and patient advocacy.

This game was the first of many fundraising events for Relay for Life, with their biggest event being the relay itself in June. Representatives from the organization announced an informational meeting for those wanting to be involved in the relay on Tuesday, Feb. 12. They’re hoping for another successful year and were happy to see so many

supporters at the game. Anyone who would like more information or would like to donate to the organization can visit Aroostook County’s Relay for Life website at www.relayforlife.org/aroostook

UMPI player takes a shot.

M o re p h o t o s Pa g e 8 a n d 9

The University Times Staff Editor Lanette Virtanen Assistant Editor Kayla Ames Stephanie Jellett

Staff Writers Kayla Ames Nicole Duplessis Sara Gendreau Cassie Green Stephanie Jellett Elissa McNeil Mika Ouellette Lanette Virtanen Kelsey Wood Emily Wright Kathleen York

University Times

ampus

Dear Readers, Already into February and break is next week: talk about time flying. For me this is my last semester. Although Iʼm looking forward to graduation, Iʼm going to miss the people Iʼve met and the friends Iʼve made. Working with the U Times and putting together my senior show will keep me busy this semester, but not too busy. Iʼm going to make sure to still get out and go to lectures, along with other things going on around campus. Frozen Frenzy is coming up and it looks like Mother Nature is doing her part to help out with that. Stay tuned for other events thatʼll be coming up on campus and get out there and have some fun. See you around campus. Lanette

Feb. 15, 2013

Hi everyone! Iʼm glad to be getting back into the swing of things and keeping on track with school work and the paper. It seems like I finally have a routine, rather than having a bunch of confusion during my day. And now, itʼs already winter break! I donʼt know about you guys, but Iʼm not at all excited for it. But, what I am excited for is next month. Why? For my women in art class, weʼre taking a road trip to Philadelphia to go to art galleries. Then, two week later, Iʼm going to Washington, D.C., with the U Times for spring break! How exciting is that?! I know I canʼt wait. Coming from Canada, the only state Iʼve been to is Maine. So this will be something totally new for me. And I will be that stereotypical tourist with a camera around my neck. I hope you have a safe, enjoyable break! Stephanie

Contributors Chris Cosenze Sarah Ames Jared Dickinson Melinda Hitchcock Jessica Stepp Jim Stepp

Adviser Dr. J The U Times welcomes submissions from the campus. Send digital versions of articles, photos, etc., to utimes@maine.edu and jacquelyn.lowman@umpi.edu

D at es for S ubmissio ns t o the U Ti me s

March 4 April 15

March 18 April 29

Any submissions received after a deadline will be published in the following issue. If you have any questions, please contact Dr. Lowman at 768-9745.

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Jim’s Journal Building a Freshman to Senior Resume

Jim Stepp. Are you going to be graduating soon? Will you be putting resumes out for a summer job in a month or two? What should you be thinking about

when it comes to building your resume? I remember the first time I put together my resume. It was about four months before I

graduated with my bachelor’s degree in secondary education. Due to changing my major, it took me five years to graduate. I had a difficult time remembering the dates and positions I held in the organizations I was involved in. Building your resume while you’re in college is very important and must start as a freshman and continue until you graduate. Don’t make the mistake I made: start writing your resume early and update it every semester. Throughout my college career, I was a night security person and an RA. I was involved in a residence hall council, the planetarium club, the astronomy club and a local fraternity called Rho Alpha Tau. In the last four organizations, I was fortunate enough to hold several leadership roles. But because I put my resume together so late in my college career, I had to work

hard to pull important dates and events together. What should you include in your resume? You should include your involvements, any service projects you led or were involved in, any leadership roles you had, any major projects you led, your jobs and any items that are connected to your major The next question you have to ask yourself is how long your resume should be. Many people would tell you that your first resume after college should only be one page long. Others would suggest that you make your resume as long as it needs to be. If it takes two pages, so be it. The important thing to remember is that your resume should contain all of the important activities that are pertinent to your chosen field. It should also include the activities you’ve been involved in that show a community orientation. The next question you have

to ask yourself is what format you will use. Will you use a text or paragraph format? Will you use a bullet point format? The choice is yours, but make sure you check out other resumes from people in your field to see what the norm is for your major. Last, make sure you have a good cover letter with your resume. Look at the job description for the position you are applying for and make sure you include the work you’ve done in these areas. Most employers will spend more time looking at your cover letter than they will at your resume. It’s your cover letter that will get an employer to read your resume, not the other way around. If you need help to get your resume together, visit Bonnie DeVaney in South Hall. Her office is in 205 South Hall and her phone number is 768-9750. Remember, it’s never too early to build your resume.

Have a good winter break!

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Ho Ho Ho: Green UMPI! Jared Dickinson and Melinda Hitchcock CONTRIBUTOR

On Oct. 22 of last year, we attended a tour of the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s renewable energy-producing facilities. It was part of the course ENV130, or Renewable Energy resources, and it was offered by Dr. Chunzeng Wang. The university campus is a bustling one – full of energetic students eager to learn, attending classes from 8 a.m. into the night. Cram sessions, as we know aren’t uncommon. But where does our campus get its energy from? The tour answered that question. It was guided by Wang and the University’s physical plant mechanic Joseph Moir. It began on the roof of Pullen Hall, where 90 solar photovoltaic panels are installed. From there, we went to the basement of Folsom Hall, which houses the University’s wood pellet boiler. We ended on the outskirts of UMPI’s athletic fields, where the University’s wind turbine is anchored to a five foot-thick foundation. Solar photovoltaic panels were installed on the roof of Pullen Hall in August of 2011 after UMPI received $800,000 in federal grant money for renewable energy endeavors. There are a total of 90 panels. The solar panels are maintained by physical plant staff members and they have a lifespan of more than 20 years. There’s no storage or battery for the energy from the panels. It’s used immediately in Pullen or Folsom Hall or, in the case of excess, is sourced out to another building on campus. A solar energy monitor connected to the solar PV panel series collects and displays live data on the second floor of Folsom Hall. This data represents that amount of energy collected by the solar panels.

The panels started collecting energy on Aug. 22, 2011. On Oct. 22, 2012, the total amount of kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity produced was 21,405kWh. If the panels were running at 100 percent efficiency 24 hours a day, this number should have been approximately 183,600kWh. As you can see, the amount of electricity produced doesn’t represent the maximum rated capacity of the solar PV panels. In 2011, UMPI received a $750,000 wood-to-energy “Recovery Act Fund” grant from the Department of Conservation Maine Forest

does it reduce carbon emissions and provide fertilizer (ash) for the athletic fields, it also saves UMPI a substantial amount of money in the long run as long as the price of wood pellets remains relatively low. The estimated savings are $174,900 per year! The biomass boiler is connected to a silo that can hold 50 tons of wood pellets. The pellets are produced at a plant in Ashland—Northeast Pellets LLC—and the silo is restocked one to two times per year. As opposed to traditional biomass boilers, like those made in the U.S., UMPI’s biomass boiler—

of heat. In case of a fire, a damper soaks the flames in a tube between the boiler and the storage bin. Though the biomass boiler was a great addition to UMPI, it does have a couple disadvantages. As opposed to the yearly maintenance required for an oil boiler, the biomass boiler needs monthly maintenance and cleaning. In my opinion, this is only a small extra cost for the University in comparison to the savings. If not properly maintained, creosol—a byproduct of wood pellets— can collect in the boiler system and catch fire outside of the

made in Germany—uses a process called gasification that produces a secondary combustion. The secondary combustion is a result of the ignition of the smoke byproduct, which increases the efficiency of the boiler. If not used immediately, the heated air is stored in an 800 gallon reservoir tank located near to the boiler in the basement. The output is 300kw

combustion chamber. Luckily, the biomass boiler that was installed at UMPI has safety features that allow it to reduce the occurrence of these fires and shutdown immediately if one occurs. The last renewable energy addition to the University of Maine at Presque Isle that we visited was the wind turbine, located next to the athletic

UMPI solar panels. Service to help fund the installation of a new biomass boiler in the basement of Folsom Hall. This boiler is also maintained and operated by the physical plant staff at UMPI. The energy produced by the biomass boiler is used to heat Folsom Hall and Pullen Hall in the winter when the temperature drops below 28 degrees Fahrenheit. Not only

fields on the southwest corner of UMPI’s property. Construction on the two million dollar wind turbine ended in the spring of 2009. The turbine is monitored by the physical plant staff and maintained by them and a contracted company, Vestas Americas. Following its construction, the turbine has experience several costly mechanical failures that have created a lot of down-time in the electricity production. However, this is not as bad as it sounds. The turbine was also installed for educational purposes. All information about this project is available to the public. This information can help communities determine the economic viability of installing a wind turbine, what issues can be expected and what can be done to prevent or resolve said issues. Despite the problems that UMPI has run into, the wind turbine will eventually save UMPI about $100,000 per year in electricity costs after the investment is paid off. It will also prevent about 572 tons of harmful CO2 from being released into the atmosphere every year. In the event the turbine is providing more energy than is needed, the university’s kWh meter can actually run backward, crediting the energy. For more information about the renewable energy facilities at UMPI, you can contact the University Community and Media Relation Office at 207-7689452 or visit the following URLs: http://www.umpi.edu/wind, http://utimes.umpi.edu/201 1/11/ready-for-another-50years-thanks-to-lots-of-ingen u i t y / , http://utimes.umpi.edu/201 1/11/pullen-hall-pulls-forg r e e n / , http://utimes.umpi.edu/tag/ solar-panels/

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Polio: Why It Matters to You Nicole Duplessis STAFF WRITER

Polio has been brought to the attention of students at the University of Maine at Presque Isle in the past few months. With several relevant projects and activities going on around the campus, we’ve been given the opportunity to learn more about polio as well as contribute our time to educate others. One of these learning experiences involved students from Dr. Jacquelyn Lowman’s PCJ 212 class. These students worked all semester and put great effort into producing a video on polio. This video included history, facts and scenarios related to the disease. Students played a variety of roles in the making it, and each of them contributed their time along with their ideas and hard work. On Dec. 11 of last year, in the multipurpose room of the Campus Center, this group of students from PCJ 212 presented

their final product. Anyone was welcome, and there were snacks for all. The students introduced themselves and explained their role or contributions. It was quite

amazing to witness their pride and proof that their hard work had paid off. The video really took people back in time and provided won-

derful coverage for those unfamiliar with polio. “Looking up content for the video was interesting and looking at all the video footage and

Left to right: Ben Pinette, Kathi Jandreau, Yuning Lu, Mika Ouellette, Cole DuMonthier, Chris Cosenze and Derek Boudreau, creators of the polio video.

such from the past was neat,” said one of Dr. Lowman’s students who helped to prepare the video. It held the attention of the audience and made people not only appreciate the research they did, but also the real reason behind their dedication. “I think that the most valuable thing I took from this was that polio is still prevalent and it affects many people outside of the United States. We need to work on finding a cure,” said one of Dr. Lowman’s students. Although polio may not have impacted all of our personal lives, it impacts people around us on a daily basis. This video and all the activities that have been provided on campus regarding polio have been there for the benefit of students, faculty, staff and the public. Although polio is not as common as it once was, taking the time to become informed or to inform others is a wonderful way to make a difference.

Career Activities for Spring 2013 Career Thursdays, 12:15 p.m., Center for Student Success

Feb. 28: Portfolio Workshop March 14: Graduate School Workshop March 21: Job Search, Interviewing Workshop April 18: Resume and Cover Letter Workshop

Career Week

Mon. April 22-12:15 p.m. and 3 p.m., Center for Student Success, Resume and Cover Letter Review/Assistance. Tues. Aptil 23-12:15 p.m. nd 3 p.m., Center for Student Success, Job Search and Interviewing Skills. Wed. April 24-4 p.m., Graduate School Workshop with Scott Delcourt, UMaine. Thurs. April 25-11 a.m. to 1 p.m., MPR, UMPI Career and Job Fair. Fri. April 26-12:15 p.m., Center for Student Success, Be a Professional on the Job.

UMPI Pride Committee Activities for Spring 2013 Student of the Month deadlines-Feb.27, April 3, May 1. Student of the Month celebrations-March 7, Aprill 11, May 9. April 26-Photo Contenst deadline with campus voting April 29 to May 2. May 9, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Owl’s Nest Patio, Student Appreciation BBQ.

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A D-Lightful Solution Kayla Ames STAFF WRITER

Around here, winter means snow and ice. It also usually means more aches and tiredness. But there might be a solution to these problems – a miracle, if you will. According to Dr. Michael Holick, a distinguished lecturer who spoke on Thursday, Nov. 8, it’s vitamin D! Holick is an expert on vitamin D who’s been on the cutting edge of nutrition research for a while now, overcoming many challenges and misconceptions. Vitamin D has a long history. We’ve evolved over millions and millions of years. In all that time, vitamin D has become essential to a healthy and comfortable existence. It comes from the sun and, according to Holick, is likely the oldest hormone on earth. “We were born,” Holick said. “We evolved. We always appreciated the benefits of the sun.” For some reason we don’t completely understand yet, we began to absorb vitamin D through our skin. There are foods and supplements that add to this process. Multivitamins, broccoli, milk, wild-caught

salmon, spinach and orange juice are all healthy options. But they can’t replace the sun. Vitamin D deficiency has been around almost as long as vitamin D itself. Even if you think you’re getting enough, you’re almost certainly not. In the past, people tried to com-

bat this with fortified food – everything from milk and bread to hot dogs and beer. Then, in the 1950s, more and more children were born with elfin facial features and mental retardation. People decided it was because of too much vitamin D and stopped making fortified food. But it was due to a genetic disorder called William’s Syndrome. Many live in fear of taking

or getting too much vitamin D, thinking it will become toxic. Holick laid that fear to rest. It’s highly unlikely. “You will never take too much vitamin D because Mother Nature destroys any extra,” Holick said. Rather, you should worry about what can happen and what might be happening as a result of vitamin D deficiency. It can lead to infertility, low birth weight and unhealthy birth outcomes, and that’s just in relation to pregnancy. Reptiles such as iguanas have had severe osteoporosis and weak bones due to no sunlight and a diet completely lacking in vitamin D. Muscle weakness, respiratory problems, depression and insomnia have also been associated with it. Holick’s most recent book, “The Vitamin D Solution: A Three-Step Strategy to Cure Our Most Common Health Problem,” gives us an idea of what enough vitamin D can do. By taking the right amount, we can prevent or treat everything from heart disease, cancer and autoimmune diseases to stroke, diabetes, dementia, hypertension and chronic pain. That’s not to mention other

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diseases, mild infections and daily aches and pains. According to Holick, newborns to 1-year-olds should take between 400 and 1,000 IUs, or International Units, a day. People between the ages of 1

7 intolerant and the relation between geography and immune deficiency. He also said that there’s a type of light fixture that can take the place of sunlight when natural vitamin D is unavailable.

Michael Holick. and 18 should take between 600 and 1,000 while anyone 18 and older should take between 1,500 and 2,000 IUs daily. Obese people should take more because, along with everything else, vitamin D can help them lose weight. During the winter, we can’t absorb vitamin D, and our bodies can only make it between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. That explains the tiredness as well as the aches and pains, right? During the summer, Holick recommends five to 15 minutes of direct sunlight a day without sunblock, directly followed by protection. He warned attendees never to expose their faces. During the question and answer portion of the lecture, Holick talked about several different topics. These included the effects of milk on the body, what to do if one is lactose

“I really liked Holick’s presentation on vitamin D because it made me realize things about it that I hadn’t realized before. He had mentioned that vitamin D is the oldest hormone on the earth. He also mentioned that you would need 10 cups of broccoli for the calcium limit, which makes me feel like I’ve been slacking on my veggie intake....Makes you really think about how you take care of your body,” Elissa McNeil, an UMPI student, said. For anyone who wants more information, feel free to check out any of Holick’s many books, such as “The Vitamin D Solution,” or go to his website: http://drholick.com/. If you want to look into buying a vitamin D lamp, go to http://www.sperti.com/.

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Glacial Research in the Jewel of the Lotus Sarah Ames CONTRIBUTOR

On Sept. 21 of last year, UMPI lecturer David Putnam, his son, Aaron and six other experts in various fields headed to Bhutan. The team set out to study geologic records of glaciers and tree rings to better understand when, how and why glaciers have changed and will in the future. When the group arrived near its starting point along the Nikka Chhu, the scientists met the 12 members of their support team. This included a guide, two cooks and several porters and horsemen, along with 25 horses and mules. Beginning at 8,850 feet

above sea level, altitude sickness soon incapacitated a member of the group. Still, they climbed higher, past the Nikka Chhu and Gyentsa, nearing the Tampe La pass a little more each day. Due to another member’s extreme sickness, they decided to camp at the lake just beneath Tampe La for an extra day of rest, training and exploration. The team then followed the Mangde Chhu, now at 12,800 feet above sea level, to their ultimate destination: the Rinchen Zoe region. By the time they reached Darley Marpo, altitude sickness, dropping temperatures and misplacement of equipment had

Dave Putnam in Bhutan.

delayed further travel. Aaron Putnam had the honor of informally naming the ice falls that would be the main focus of their study. He decided on Drukso Gangri, or Dragon Tooth Ice Mountain. The next day, the group split and traveled to their main areas of study. Some studied juniper tree rings. Others set up a weather machine that would measure air temperature, precipitation and wind speed and direction. Aaron Putnam and another teammate went further up the glacier. They needed to determine the safest way to access it and decide where they would place ablation stakes, which monitor glacial melt and accumulation. On Oct. 5, everything was ready. Five team members set the ablation stakes while the Putnams began collecting rock samples. Aaron and Dave Putnam sought to reconstruct the past behavior of the glacier to figure out how it may react in the future as well as determine its age. While the Putnams collected GPS coordinates, a horseman advised them to leave, predicting heavy snow. He was right. All but the Putnams and two guides moved to a lower campsite as the weather worsened. Upon completing their work, the few remaining members headed straight for the lower camp of Chukarpo. But the greatest challenge still lay ahead. They had to surmount the 15,400 foot pass of Tampe La. Only then could the team exit the mountains. Warming themselves next to a fire under an overhanging rock the next day, the evercheerful Bhutanese travelers told the group that this first snow fall of the year was a good omen. The next day’s sunny skies, warm weather and

melting snow allowed speedy travel to the Gyantse homestead in the valley bottom. By

recounted adventures, sung songs in various languages and made toasts in honor of

Bhutan Himalayas. dinner time, however, the guides and horses still hadn’t arrived. The team, as a result, had to camp without any of their supplies. Upon waking, they learned that the horses and mules had a hard time getting through the steep, snowy pass. The guides had to carry the animals and loads through themselves, so they hadn’t arrived until very late in the night. Together again, the team set out early and soon arrived at their final camp. They enjoyed a delicious meal,

Dave Putnam’s birthday. “The trip was adventure science at its best. To trek into the last ecologically intact regions of the high Himalayas with Bhutanese partners was an experience of a lifetime. The scientific data promises to be spectacular,” Dave Putnam said. For more information, please visit the website:http://scientistatwork.blogs .nytimes.com/ author/aaron-putnam/. David Putnam highly recommends the videos.

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Everybody’s

in p u g min r a W

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Hootie!

Players sport ed pink sock s and laces.

Un ive r sity Ti m e s ! CAMPUS ! Fe b. 1 5, 2 0 13

A Winner

UMPI Dance Team shakinʼ it out on the court.

punk look. ʼs in n o B ie rl a h C

Erin Benson judging the Think Pink T-shirts made by students.

...no itʼs e n a l p d, itʼs Itʼs a bir urke! B n o s y Ja

Un ive r sity Ti m e s ! CAMPUS ! Fe b. 1 5, 20 1 3

Un iver sity T i me s ! CAMPUS ! Fe b r ua r y 1 5, 2 0 13

The Mentalist! Kelsey Wood STAFF WRITER

Excitement filled Wieden Hall as soon as people walked through the doors. Questions ran through their minds and they wondered what they would witness. Nothing could have prepared them for Christopher Carter’s show on Dec. 11 of last year. With each passing act, more questions popped up than could be answered. “I thought he was awesome! It was like he could read minds really easily. I was just blown away!” said Joseph Paolucci, who had taken part in Carter’s first act involving a deck of cards. Carter guessed which card he had picked out of the 52 card deck. Before the show started, Carter asked Paolucci to shuffle the deck until he said he needed them. He used others from the audience in his first act as well. After Carter’s first act, the show just got better and better. He performed more mindblowing tricks and demonstrated an ability to read body language, or rather to know what people were thinking without seeing them. For example, he put duct tape over his eyes and

guessed a word that attendee Connor Murphy had written on a white board or the type of objects just below his hand. Another act was truly terrifying, involving not one, but four heavy duty staple guns. “The show was intense. What he was able to do just by reading body language blew my mind. That’s why it was a little intimidating, but no regrets about taking a part in the show. It was definitely a good experience,” said Dimitry Herrington, one of the four audience members who had participated in the staple gun act. To close the show, Carter spoke of a dream he had, but wouldn’t give any details. Instead, he had audience members come up with things off the top of their heads, like mad-libs. He asked for a place, name, animal and a condiment. The freaky part was, everything a people said matched what he had written down on a piece of notebook paper sealed in an envelope and stuffed into a wallet. It was an amazing night that left everyone wanting more, as well as answers to how he was able to do everything they had seen.

Putting UMPI on the Map Jessica Stepp CONTRIBUTOR

To the UMPI Community, As school starts once again, Student Senate is spearheading a project to highlight our campus and we need your help! The idea is to make a “lip dub,” which is a video with a song that’s taken in one long continuous shot. In order to have the best video possible, we need help from the entire campus. Here are four reasons to get involved with this lip dub project: It’s a great opportunity for Student Groups to promote themselves and recruit new members. Promote UMPI. Come to be part of one of the newest viral video sensations and the first in northern Maine. Meet and work with people you nor mally wouldn’t work with. Have fun. What would a college experience be without having fun? To find out how you can

be a part of highlighting UMPI, attend the informational meeting on Feb. 12 at 12:30 p.m. in room 118 of the Campus Center. Food will be provided. We’re looking for song ideas, ways to

highlight various aspects of the UMPI community, ways to ensure video flow plus any and all creative thoughts. For sample lip dub videos, check out “Immaculata University Lip Dub” and “Grand Valley State University Lip Dub” on YouTube.

As most student groups know, spring is the time of year for budgets. Student Senate’s budget committee will be having informational meetings on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 11:24 a.m., as well as on Thursday, Feb. 28, at 5:47 p.m. and Friday, March 1, at 12:33 p.m. Location of the meetings will be emailed to all clubs and put into UMPI Updates. These meetings are not mandatory but there’s a chance for you to get any help or answers to questions you may have relating to your budgets. Student Senate is always looking for feedback and suggestions, so please feel free to stop by the Student Senate meetings. They take place every Tuesday from 12:40 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. in the Alumni Room of the Campus Center. We welcome you to visit our office, also in the Campus Center email us at, umpi-senate@maine.edu or call 768-9561.

Everyone Matters March 13

Frozen Frenzy Wednesday, Feb. 27 to Friday, March 1. Cosponsored by the Outing Club UMaine Ice Hoekey Trip Saturday, March 2 *Sign up in the SAO Feb. 25 to March 1*

St. Patty’s Day Dance Thursday, March 14 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. *Student ID Required*

Distinguished Lecturer: Bob Wallace Thursday, March 7, MPR

XC Skiing Friday, March 15 1 p.m., Gentile Hall Sponsored by the Outing Club

12 !

Februar y 15 , 201 3

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A Walk Among the Arts

Stephanie Jellett STAFF WRITER

Every first Friday of the month, artists display their work or show their musical talents at local businesses in downtown Presque Isle. If you’re a newcomer to the First Friday Art Walk, there’s no need to feel the pressure to know about the arts—there’s something for everyone to enjoy. The Reed Fine Art Gallery at UMPI was a starting point on Feb. 1, with a mixed media exhibit titled “Excavation” by Philadelphia artist Catherine Higgins. Although Higgins was unable to attend, director of the Reed Fine Art Gallery, Heather Sincavage spoke on her behalf. “Her work focuses on the

imperfections of speech and words, as well as how we develop relationships and convey messages,” Sincavage said. Higgins used masking tape on linen-wrapped panels for each of her pieces for the show. She has an emotional connection to her art work because they represent everyday discussions she’s had. Sincavage explained that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to Higgins’ art and that it’s not just tape on a canvas. Each color represents an emotion and the foreground is the relationship. The Wintergreen Art Center featured something scrumptious and out of the ordinary. In collaboration with

“Whimsy Beads and Kretschmer showing Bow Cake” by Country the process of wood burning. Kitchen Sweets

the Aroostook Partners in the Arts, they held an edible art night and silent auction. All

Elizabeth Ann Kretschmer demonstrated Polker Art, which is the craft of wood

Photographer Angel Cray at The Whole Potato displaying her work. proceeds went toward supporting arts in schools. Many bakers, businesses and artists donated various treats, including decorated cakes, fruit bouquets, flower cookies, cake pops, cheesecake and much more. Attendees could purchase a punch card for $10 that would allow them to taste an assortment of whatever delicacies their taste buds desired, all while listening to live music. There were many other places in town that participated in showing artists’ work. The Whole Potato Café & Commons displayed the photography of UMPI senior Angel Cray. Her work consisted of black and white photos that were taken by a film camera and printed in a dark room. Next door at Morning Star Art & Framing, artisan

burning. Kretschmer has made various pieces, including a wooden box with finely detailed woodland animals. It

took three months to finish. While looking at the different decorations, the live musical talent of Peter Parker and the gang played in background. Other businesses that displayed work included: Bou’s Brew Pub, Café Sorpreso, Catholic Charities, Copper’s Lounge—also known as the Northeastland Hotel—Hand Me Down Antiques and Star City Coffee. All the exhibits are free and open to the public and will be on display until the art walk next month. If you haven’t experienced an art walk, it’s something you shouldn’t miss. The community has very talented artists and you’ll be sure to find an aspect of the walk enjoyable.

“He never read the instruction manual.” Handpainted masking tape, modeling paste on linenwrapped panel. 2012

Univer si ty Tim es ! COMMUNITY ! Fe b r ua r y 15 , 2 0 1 3

Internet Access for Free? Kathleen York STAFF WRITER

It’s common nowadays for a library to be equipped with computers. Patrons can come in, sit down and log on. And the feature is usually free. Presque Isle is lucky to have this access available at Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library, but not many people are aware that there’s another place in town that provides the same service for free. This place is the UMPI Library. For several years now, the UMPI library has been providing community members with patron accounts. These allow them to check out a maximum of five books at a time. But it soon became clear that patrons would also need to use computers for word processing, the Internet, printing and other features. As a result there’s now a humble collection of computers around a circular stationtable directly in front of the

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entrance to the library, reserved for community members. “We mostly get older folks who come in for patron accounts,” Michelle Greene, an

younger, they need a legal parent or guardian to sign for them. And the parent has to accompany them when they check stuff out or use the com-

Paul Monteith at the UMPI Library. UMPI library employee said. “But anyone can sign up. The age limit is 18. If they’re

puters, because the account will be in the parent’s name.” There are three options for

community members who want to take advantage of the library’s facilities. They can sign up for just a patron account (which lets them check out books), signing up for just a computer account, which lets them use the Internet and printer, or for both. The only thing that requires money— just like at the public library— is the print account that comes with a computer account. But this feature is optional, and patrons only need to add money to the print account when they want to print something, which they can do in black and white or color. Black and white is of course the cheaper option. The account itself is free. “All they need is a photo ID...a driver’s license or a passport, or any photo ID that has a photo and their age on it will work,” Greene said. There aren’t very many regulars at the patron comput-

ers, but Paul Monteith, a former employee at UMPI, explained why he chose to get a computer account. “My computer is messed up at home,” Monteith said with a grin. “The computers here are faster.” He originally started with just a patron account for checking out books. The computer account was a newer feature he opted for. “I like penmanship,” Monteith said. “I don’t always use the printer, but sometimes I print pages from old textbooks. I have money on the print account, just in case.” Whether you want to check out a wide variety of books, use the computers—or both—the UMPI library provides that option for the community. Signing up doesn’t take very long and it’s free. It also opens up a world of possibilities on the page and on the computer screen.

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Feb ruar y 15, 2 0 1 3

ifestyl e

The Reel Deal “Brave”

Stephanie Jellett STAFF WRITER

Brave PG 13 93 Minutes 4/5 Stars “Brave” is a movie you’ll fall in love with for two reasons: the characters’ charm and the animation quality. Not only does this Pixar film deliver the first female protagonist, but also the first Pixar character to be included in the Disney Princess line. The film is nominated for an Oscar for “Best Animated Film” for 2013 and has won a Golden Globe Award for the same category. “Brave” follows the life of Scottish Princess Merida (Kelly Macdonald), who is the daughter of King Fergus (Billy Connolly) and Lady Elinor (Emma

Thompson). When Merida was a young girl, her father gave her a bow and set of arrows for her birthday, even though Elinor wasn’t fond of the idea. Growing up, Merida is independent and self-confident, interested in archery, horseback riding and venturing into the woods. But her mother insists she be more ladylike and proper. One evening the king and queen hear news that the three clans have accepted the challenge to fight for Merida’s hand in marriage. Outraged, Merida continually tells her mother she’s not ready, but Elinor refuses to listen. During the archery event in which the clan’s first-born sons competed, Merida defies her mother by “fighting for her own hand,” and wins. Elinor is angry and humiliat-

ed. The queen has a heated argument with Merida, which ends with her bow getting thrown into the fireplace. Merida leaves the castle and heads for the woods where she meets a witch (Julie Walters) and asks for a spell to change her mother. The witch hands over a piece of cake, which Merida gives to her mother. But the change was not what she was hoping for. Merida then sets out to make things right by “mending the bond.” The animation was visually stunning: the characters and Scottish scenery had great detail. This heartfelt Disney/Pixar movie will give you many laughs—especially with the Scottish accents—and will leave you loving Merida’s bravery and understanding of family values.

Do you like music? Do you want to learn guitar but don’t have one? The U Times has a solution! We’ll be raffling off a guitar and its case before the end of March. This is a brand-new Johnson guitar. If you want to look at it yourself, come by the media lab (Normal 102)! All proceeds will benefit an educational trip to Washington, D.C., in March. We’d love to have your support. For more information, contact Dr. Lowman (jacquelyn.lowman@umpi.edu), Kayla Ames (kayla.ames@maine.edu), Lanette Virtanen (lanette.virtanen@maine.edu) or Stephanie Jellett (stephanie.jellett@maine.edu).

Uni ver si ty T im e s ! LIFESTYLE ! Fe br ua r y 1 5, 2 0 13

Planet Head Day and Comets Jim Stepp

CONTRIBUTOR

This University Times is due out just before Planet Head Day, so I would like to do a quick plug for this event. This event combines astronomy and a fund raiser for the Caring Area Neighbors for Cancer Education and Recovery (CANCER). The seventh annual Planet Head Day is scheduled to occur on Saturday, Feb. 16, 2013 in Wieden Hall between the hours of 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Come and get your head painted like a planet and help local families facing cancer. I hope to see you there. 2013 may be the year of the comets. Currently there are two comets that may become bright enough to be seen without a telescope or binoculars. Comet PanSTARRS (C/2011 L4) was discovered on June 6, 2011. At that time this 190 mile (310 km) wide comet was midway between Jupiter and Saturn some 720,000,000 miles away. During late Feb., Comet PanSTARRS should brighten to the point of being visible without a telescope. On March 9, PanSTARRS will reach its closest point to the Sun and will reach its brightest. Throughout the month of March, PanSTARRS will dim and become very hard to see without binoculars or a small telescope during the third week of the month. For a good series of sky charts that show where to look for PanSTARRS go to http://waitingforison.wordpres s.com/comet-panstarrs/ For more information about Comet PanSTARRS please go to: http://cometography.com/lco mets/2011l4.html http://www.aerith.net/comet/ catalog/2011L4/2011L4.html You will have to wait until late November to see the second comet, Comet ISON (C/2012 S1). Comet ISON was discovered on Sept. 21,

2012. ISON is 56 miles (95 km) in diameter. The comet will pass by the Sun on Nov. 28, 2013. At that time the comet will pass just 680,000 miles (1,100,000 km) from the surface of the Sun. On Dec. 26, 2013, Comet ISON will pass just 39,000,000 miles (63,000,000) from the Earth. The big question is how bright will ISON get? A couple of things will determine this. First it appears that Comet ISON is very young. In fact this may be the first time the comet has passed by the Sun. Orbital calculations suggest that the comet will be thrown out of the solar system once it passes the Sun. If this is the case, it should contain a lot of fresh comet material to eject. If this is true, comet ISON may be one of the brightest comets ever seen on the Earth by humans. The brightest calculations suggest that the comet may get as bright as the Moon. On the dimmer side, the comet may be as bright as the planet Venus. Either way, the view should be great. The second determinant will be whether or not the comet survives its closest approach to the Sun. All of these predictions about the brightness of the comet will be mute if comet ISON disintegrates when it passes the Sun. One interesting possibility connected with comet ISON is that it may create a new meteor shower. On the night of

Jan. 14/15 the Earth will pass through the material ejected by comet ISON. If a meteor shower is created, it could possibly be one of the best shows of 2014. For nice images of what to expect of Comet ISON go to http://waitingforison.wordpres s.com/ and click through the months of Oct. through Jan.. Additional information may be found at: http://cometography.com/lco mets/2012s1.html http://www.aerith.net/comet/ catalog/2012S1/2012S1.html

locations – You will need to register at this site and load your location to be able to get exact times. The University of Maine at Presque Isle is located at 68d00m7.8s West longitude and 46d40m45.6s North latitude. To get a free sky chart go to www.skymaps.com Sun and Planet Visibility 02/20/2013 Sun Rise 06:27 Sun Set 17:04 Mercury 17:36 – 18:36 Venus 06:18 – 06:30 Mars 17:36 – 18:06 Jupiter 17:18 – 01:30 Saturn 23:06 – 05:54 03/05/2013 Sun Rise 06:18 Sun Set 17:23 Mercury Not visible Venus Not visible Mars 17:54 – 18:06 Jupiter 17:36 – 00:42 Saturn 22:12 – 05:36 Comet PANSTARRS will be visible in the western sky beginning March 11

THE NIGHT SKY The International Space Station is visible in the evening sky until March 2. The ISS will become visible in to morning skies beginning on March 13. Go to www.heavensabove.com for exact times and

02/16@11:00 to 14:00 Planet Head Day at UMPI Wieden Hall to support CANCER 02/16@16:30 Mercury at greatest eastern elongation – 18.1 degrees – visible in the evening sky 02/16@18:18 Mercury at half phase 02/16@21:24 Mercury at

Perihelion, closest to the Sun 02/17@15:30 First Quarter Moon – This is the second smallest first quarter Moon of the year 02/18@00:54 Moon 3.6 degrees from Jupiter 02/19 Nicolaus Copernicus’ 540th birthday (1473) 02/19@01:27 Moon at Apogee – farthest from the Earth 02/21@02:00 Venus at Aphelion – farthest from the Sun 02/23@03:36 Summer begins in Mars’ southern hemisphere 02/25@15:26 Full Moon 02/25@17:00 Mercury 4.1 degrees from Mars 02/28@08:37 Venus 0.7 degrees from Neptune 03/02@05:42 Moon 4.6 degrees from Saturn 03/04@08:00 Mercury at inferior conjunction – between the Earth and the Sun 03/04@16:52 Last Quarter Moon – Biggest Last Quarter Moon of the year 03/05@05:06 Comet PANSTARRS closest to the Earth ~ 100,000,000 miles 03/05@18:13 Moon at Perigee – Closest to the Earth 03/06@23:54 Mercury 4.8 degrees from Venus 03/09@15:54 Comet PANSTARRS at Perihelion Closest to the Sun 03/11@07:24 Moon 5 degrees from Venus 03/11@15:51 New Moon 03/17@07:00 Equilux – equal length of day and night.

Did you know? tional Gum February 15 is Na Drop Day!

ncake Day! February 24 is International Pa Yummy!

February 20 is Harry Potter Day!

February 28 is Public Sleep Day!