The Puyallup Post | Volume 14 | Issue 1 | October 2008

VOLUME 14

ISSUE 1

OCTOBER 2008

Stick a feather in their caps...

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S P E C I A L

SERVING THE STUDENTS OF PIERCE COLLEGE PUYALLUP

F E A T U R E

Matt Powers Reporter

Lindsy Durance

For students who park in the lot near the library building during the afternoon exchange of parking spaces, they probably noticed two things: one, that they had a hard time finding a space and two, that several people are parking their vehicles on the side of the road or on the grass.

This congestion in the parking lot is partly due to the increase in students taking classes at the Puyallup campus this fall. More than 300 additional students registered for classes this quarter.

While the hardest times to find a parking space are in the late morning to afternoon, college officials are trying to solve the overcrowding problem.

One temporary solution has already been implemented. One lane of the road passing by the lower parking lot near the HEC has been converted into extra parking spots. The two-lane road was reduced to one lane.

Chris MacKersie, district direc-

tor of security and safety, says that while the campus does have almost enough parking spots for everyone, with students leaving and coming particularly between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m., it was taking too long for folks to get to their cars and get out so that the fresh students could get parked and get to class.

This led to people parking on the shoulder of the road or pulling up on the grassy strip beside the woods.

It was decided to convert one lane of the road in to an extra 50 parking stalls, a system that was in place before the construction of the northwestern parking lot.

Besides students, construction crews and equipment are using about 140 parking spaces as the Arts and Allied Health Building is being constructed.

College officials anticipate that the crowding in the parking lots will subside after fall quarter.

“If we can survive fall quarter we are going to be pretty good for the rest of the year.”

In the crowded parking lots, students search for a space.

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Chris Burdick

Student growth means increase in parking woes

Bus riders come in many flavors

Campus construction projects reflect increase in enrollment

Crews are clearing the site for the Arts and Allied Health building, which is expected to open in spring to summer 2010. The new Health Education Center sits in the background.

Anthony Vierra Reporter/photographer

If Pierce College seems a little bit more crowded this year, it’s true that the college has grown.

“Compared to other community colleges, Pierce has one of the highest percentages of student increase in the state,” says Pierce College Puyallup President Tana Hasart. “Fall 2008 has seen an 18 percent increase in the student population from last year.”

While 2,900 Puyallup campus students have a variety of reasons for enrolling, it’s clear that the sudden spike in student growth has come from only a few sources.

With today’s economic situation, community colleges in the state are seeing an increase in students looking to save money.

“Pierce College saves me money on gas and on tuition,” says student Clinton Levitski.

On average it costs about $13,000 less to attend a community college before going to a four-year university.

Although one might assume that the spike in student enrollment could be from an increase in high schoolers attending Pierce, the truth of the matter is that Running Start students are a lesser percentage of the student population than before.

Studies show that traditionally students who attend Puyallup campus are from the Parkland and Spanaway regions.

“Pierce College is very close to my house. I could walk here if I needed to,” says Charles Fontillas.

College administrators added seven new classes shortly before the start of the quarter to accommodate the increase in students.

The number of students attending has grown steadily during the past three years, so college officials are continuing to add new courses.

Pierce has more than 40 program areas along with programs to help students transfer to a four-year or earn their professional/technical degrees.

The campus also is expanding with the opening of the child development center as well as the newlybuilt Health Education Center.

The Arts and Allied Health Building, which will house a theater and arts program along with medical programs, is expected to open next winter.

Pierce Puyallup student rep elections in the books

Isaac Swift and Charice Barczak were selected as this school year’s representatives after close races.

Swift won the representative I position by only four votes. Barczak gained the environmental representative by a 4 percent margin.

A total 434 of students voted, with 14.49 percent of the student body.

Student leaders said that’s one of the best voter turnouts in recent years.

Swift and Barczak both are excited to represent the students.

Swift will represent the concerns and activities involving evening students.

This includes planning events for the evening students and listening to their concerns.

One of his goals is to create equal opportunities for evening students to participate in activities at school.

The duties of representative II include focusing on environmental concerns on campus.

Barczak intends to focus recycling and making people more aware of the program on campus.

In the closely-contested race, Swift received 149 votes and his contenders, Molly Jordan and Jordan Arbuthnot, received 145 and 129 votes, respectively.

Barczak received 214 votes and Dillon Christensen got 189 votes.

Eight ballots were not counted in the representative I race and 20 ballots were not counted in the representative II race.

EDITOR’SCORNER Jonathan Jones and Emily Nelson Editorial Commentary

Hello Pierce College.

Congratulations on making it to the halfway mark of the fall quarter.

In these first couple weeks, we have had the opportunity to meet some really great people and hope to continue that.

As you may have noticed, there are some big changes happening around campus.

Currently being constructed is the Arts and Allied Health Building, which will mostly house our orchestra, band and choir programs, as well as the nursing program. Part of this project also includes an outdoor amphitheater, and possibly an outdoor screen for movies. If you’d like to learn more, we will have a more detailed story about the Arts and Allied Health Building in our next issue.

With the grand opening of the HEC, as well as the construction of the Arts and Allied Health Building, Emily Nelson there are many opportunities opening up here on the Puyallup Pierce campus, as well as news to keep up on.

What better way to keep up with the news than to pick up a student newspaper? There is something in here for everyone. From breaking news to sports, commentaries and media reviews, we have just what you are looking for.

If none of these seem to tickle Jonathan Jones your fancy, please stop by The Puyallup Post office in C218 and let us know what you think.

With the upcoming holiday of Halloween, the staff thought we would help you out by providing you with some safe and fun activities. Local corn mazes, hayrides and haunted houses are sure to give you a startle. Check it out on the back page. However, whatever your plans may be, we hope that you stay safe.

As always, we recommend that you check out the student programs office for upcoming events. These are great ways to show your school spirit and make some great friends along the way.

Don’t forget on Oct. 31, the Beastly Bash is in Seattle and we all hope that you can attend! Remember, it is a costume party, so dress up. For more information, read the ad in this issue or stop in at the Student Programs office in C210.

Don’t let the weather drag you down; as leaves begin to fall and it becomes colder and gloomier, stay strong in class and don’t eat too much candy.

Until next issue, keep up the good work!

The Puyallup Post

The Puyallup Post is produced by students attending Pierce College Puyallup.

This publication is intended as a public forum. Published materials are the sole responsibility of the editors, reporters and photographers, and are not intended to represent the collegeʼs policies.

For information on advertising rates, or how to submit letters to the editor or story ideas, call 840-8496 or email puypost@pierce.ctc.edu. ❖

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The student newspaper office is in room 218 in the College Center.

Co-editors: Jonathan Jones and Emily Nelson ❖

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Reporters: Andrew Coward, Matt Powers, Kyle Rollins, Anthony Vierra and Kass Young. Designer: Ryan Wooten O C T O B E R

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PRESIDENT’SMESSAGE Headline

Hello my fellow students, It is difficult for me to decide what to include in this column as there are so many things to say. While preparing to write I often sit in complete darkness for hours and play a recording of a rapidly beating human heart to reach an extreme level of focus.

In all honesty this routine rarely works for me, however, I would encourage you to try it out and tell me how it works for you. We are quickly nearing the halfway point of the quarter. Congratulations for making it this far, hopefully you are finding much success in your classes.

I hope you have been enjoying and attending some of Student Program’s events so far this year. We are working hard on developing them and urge you to attend.

Stop by C210 for an events calendar and see what we have planned for the rest of the quarter.

Also, if you have some suggestions for events next quarter feel free to stop by and give us some ideas. We are always eager to hear from fellow students.

Student Government is striving to ensure that student voices are heard and taken into account. If you would like to have your voice heard, please consider joining a committee.

We have a table set up next to the bookstore with a listing of many of the committees on campus. I urge you to check it out. If none of these interest you, stop

by C210 and ask what other committees have spots available.

There are always numerous spots open. By joining a committee you can make a significant difference on campus, and gain a great experience to put on your resume.

With part of the Health Education Center parking lot blocked off, and the walkway behind the L-Building fenced off, many of you may have noticed some construction being done on campus.

Set for completion in 2009, the Arts and Allied Health building (currently being constructed between the College Center and the HEC) will bring many exciting resources to Pierce College Puyallup. Included in the facility will be a theater, an art gallery, a recording studio, and nursing and graphic labs. The other piece of construction, which is located outside of the cafeteria, will be a beautiful mini grassy park for students to use at their discretion.

As ardent lawn connoisseur this project fills me to the brim with joy, and I hunger for the day it is completed. I hope you feel the same way.

The Student Representative elections on Oct. 14 and 15 were a great success. To those that participated, thank you for participating.

Student Government welcomes Isaac Swift as the new Evening Student Representative and Charice Barczak as the Environmental Representative. We are ecstatic to add them to the team, and are confident they will both do an excellent job as your representatives.

Good luck on your midterms.

Feel free to stop by C210 if you have any comments or suggestions for any of us at Student Programs. We are here for you.

Lauren Smith

This August, those rights were threatened close to home. A policy, 3220R, was enacted by the Puyallup School District requiring administrative review of all forms of student expression (including school newspapers, drama and broadcast productions, comedy acts, etc.) before presentation to the student body and the public.

No constitutional rights remain intact under this policy. Now, it has been argued that the first amendment does not apply to students. Those accusations have led to prominent court cases such as Tinker v. Des Moines, in which the Supreme Court stated in their decision that students “do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the schoolhouse gate.”

Maybe national precedent doesn’t have a place in the PSD, or maybe they too are ignorant about the rights that all Americans are entitled to, as so many of their fellow countrymen are. Either way, the district is restricting these rights, despite that these students have used their freedom of expression rights responsibly in this district for decades—most notably at Puyallup, Rogers and Emerald Ridge high schools.

Possibly the most unconstitutional component of this policy is that the principal has the right to deem what is and is not inappropriate.

If they are in the least bit offended by the content of a student newspaper or line in a dramatic production, they can remove the words with a single pen stroke.

This begs the question: Who is the administrator to decide what is and what is not appropriate to publish or present to the public? The answer: It should not be their decision. The first amendment implies that anyone in these 50 states can use these five freedoms in the manner in which they please—assuming, of course, with responsibility.

The bottom line is that Americans have the fundamental right to offend each other and be offended – as ludicrous as that may sound in this context. No one should have the power to decide that one act of expression is right and another is wrong. Prior review and censorship specifically negates this.

This restriction is a stepping stone inviting authority figures in all respects to censor those below them. It may start with high school students, but when does it stop?

Chris Scaniffe ASPCP President (253)840-8439 cscaniffe@pierce.ctc.edu

Free speech worth the cost For The Puyallup Post

The average American knows more about the popular cartoon-comedy The Simpsons than they do their own freedom.

This calls for one word: “D’oh!”

A study was conducted in 2006 by the McCormick Tribune Freedom Museum that stated 22 percent of Americans could name all five members of the Simpson family (Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie), but only one in every 1,000 could name all five freedoms guaranteed by the first amendment (speech, press, religion, petition and assembly).

The obvious question is this: Why? Why can’t most Americans recall the five rights that give them more freedom than any other country in the world?

Why can’t they remember that they can burn the flag of their own country without punishment, while this same act in many other countries can result in a gross fine or multiple years worth of jail time?

Why don’t they know that it is perfectly acceptable for the media to criticize and condemn its president over and over again, but in the Middle East the Iranian parliament is in the works of passing legislation that would essentially make disagreement with the government a crime deserving of capital punishment?

An article published on the Global Voices website in early July said that this draft bill in Iran intends to “toughen punishment for disturbing mental security in society,” which would add any Web blog content promoting corruption, prostitution and apostasy as crimes punishable by death.

One Iranian blogger opposed this by writing: “It is easy to accuse a blogger of apostasy and corruption.

Let’s tell the Parliament that to think differently is not a crime that should be punishable by death.”

It would seem that limited countries are more aware and concerned about their rights than Americans. However, for the sake of argument, Americans are aware and concerned about their rights as well, when those rights are threatened, that is.

Commentary

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Anthony Vierra

Jump on the ‘band’ wagon

Stopping the ‘Super Bug’ When a cause Students enjoy the performance during the 2 Rock 2 Real concert Sept. 30, sponsored by Student Programs.

Andrew Coward Reporter

When an employee at the Puyallup campus recently became sick with an antibiotic-resistant bug, the Tacoma/Pierce County Health Department was quickly notified. The staff member was cared for and the worksite cleaned, but it’s an example of how at least one disease has moved from hospitals to the public.

The Puyallup campus employee was infected with Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, which can be fatal, if not tended to.

MRSA, also known as the “super bug,” is a skin infecting disease that is resistant to any antibiotics with beta-lactamase.

Once someone has MRSA, it’s difficult to get rid of.

MRSA is caused by a bacterium that rests on the surface of the skin until it can find an opening in the skin through which it enters causing an infection.

This infection, if not cleaned and bandaged, can allow MRSA into the body. Some of the signs that peo-

ple can look for to see if they have MRSA would be one or many little red bumps on the skin that look similar to pimples and spider bites.

Don’t wait or ignore these signs because soon these little bumps can quickly become deep and painful and will usually require surgery to be removed.

The best and most affective way to avoid catching MRSA is as history instructor Chris Vanneson said, “Wash our hands five, six, seven times a day.”

That’s right, keep clean. Wash your hands after using the computers, using the payphone, eating and tending to any cuts or scrapes you or your friend may have.

MRSA can be easily transported from one person to another.

A good idea, in case you are not near a sink or a place where you can wash up, is to always keep a bottle of hand sanitizer with you. It has also been proven that alcohol is the best surface cleaner to help against MRSA. If you think you might have MRSA, see your doctor promptly.

Preventing the spread of MRSA Laura Simmonds For The Puyallup Post

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus. MRSA for short. One of the nastiest skin infections one can get, and yet very few people know what it entails or even how to prevent it.

It’s very easy to catch but just as easy to avoid.

MRSA usually shows up at either a site of visible skin trauma (i.e. cuts, abrasions, etc.) or areas of the body usually covered by hair (i.e. back of neck, groin, armpits, buttocks, beard area of men, etc.) Generally, it is a pustule or boil, which are often red, swollen, painful, and have pus or other drainage.

Almost all MRSA infections can be treated by drainage of pus, with or without antibiotics. However, if left untreated, MRSA can turn into something quite a bit nastier, like pneumonia, bloodstream infections, or bone infections. Although this is rare in healthy people, it can still happen, which makes visiting the doctor when infected all the more important.

So now that we know how to detect it, how do we prevent it? Well, MRSA is usually transmitted through direct skin-to-skin contact, or contact with shared surfaces that have come into contact with someone else’s infection, like towels or used bandages.

Assuming we don’t go rubbing someone else’s dirty

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Band-Aids on ourselves, it’s fairly easy to just stay away from those who are infected, or just washing your hands and practicing good hygiene when you do come into contact with the infection. MRSA can, however, occur anywhere, and is usually promoted by what the CDC calls “the 5 Cs.” ■ C ro w d in g ■ Fre quent skin- to -skin Co ntact ■ Co mp ro mise d s kin ■ Cont amina ted item s /s urfaces ■ Lack of Cleanliness

becomes a cure Morgan Bullock For The Puyallup Post

The Pacific Northwest is a wonderful area full of green, green and more green. Unfortunately, that wonderful color residents experience is matched by gray.

This gray, in the form of cloudy or sunless days, could lead to vitamin D deficiency, which is caused by lack of UV light.

When Pacific Northwesterners don’t get the sunlight they need, some get Seasonal Affective Disorder. The Pacific Northwest has one of the highest number of SAD cases in the world.

When someone has this vitamin deficiency in his or her body, it lacks those special antioxidants that work together with other systems to help prevent sicknesses such as cancer.

The most common side effects of SAD are depression and fatigue. A way to prevent and even cure these deficiencies is to find a source of vitamin D, which is found in both UVA and UVB rays, which can be accessed through tanning.

Dr. Oreal from Auburn Regional Medical Centers said that people from areas with high vitamin D deficiencies also have high cases of breast cancer.

She explained that many studies show that SAD and some types of cancer are closely related.

Many studies also show that tanning and cancer are closely related as well. In this case, people should never have too much of a good thing.

Practicing good hygiene is one of the best and most recommended ways to prevent MRSA. Wash your hands before touching any part of your body, especially any cuts or abrasions you may have. Make sure to always wash your hands in public bathrooms, lathering with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before rinsing.

If you are in contact with any public or community surfaces, like the keyboards in the Computer Lab or the tables in the cafeteria, make sure to wash or sanitize your hands immediately after.

Keep in mind that if you do happen to contract the infection, contact your doctor immediately, and maintain good hygiene so as not to infect others.

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Anthony Vierra

SHOUTOUT Sarah Hathaway and Lindsy Durance

Do you use the Health Education Center?

Why or why not?

Morgan Pierce: “Yes, because it’s easy and affordable.”

haven’t because I’m a member of the YMCA, but I’m really interested because it might work better with my schedule.”

Heather Cristofono: “ I haven’t had the time to check it out, but I’m interested in it.”

Pierce Puyallup celebrates HEC’s official grand opening College and community leaders cut the ribbon Oct. 8 during the HECʼs official grand opening.

Anthony Vierra

Anthony Vierra

Melody Hordesty: “I

Reporter/photographer

looks really neat but I haven’t been able to use it yet, it looks like a great facility.”

Michael Sweet: “No,

because I like to play World of Warcraft.”

Alex Haisch: “No, because I didn’t know about it.”

Olympic weightlifter Melanie Roach of Sumner was the guest speaker for the HEC opening.

as well as in the community,” Campbell said at the opening.

It was these student leaders who campaigned for the center, eventually getting the necessary student support to pay a design and construction fee to fund the construction.

In addition, funds from students contributed more than $1 million to purchase equipment, furnishings and other items.

Anthony Vierra

Jordan Arbuthnot: “It

The Puyallup campus opened the new Health Education Center for its students in July, but it’s official grand opening was celebrated in October.

Building the HEC has been a vision since 2002 when students voted to approve the fee that students pay when they register for classes.

Six years later, the Puyallup campus was granted the long awaited center, designed for students by students.

“This was a student-driven project to help increase the health and fitness of the students here at Pierce College,” said Pierce College Puyallup President Tana Hasart.

This 16,000 square foot, two-story facility is home to a state-of-the-art free weight/machine weight area providing a strength circuit for all levels of training.

A cardio area with treadmills, Arc Trainers and step mills provide for cardio needs. The HEC includes a multi-purpose room to allow for several different classes, including aerobic and dance instruction. Seven new classes have been added to the schedule this quarter.

“This is a great chance for students to learn about fitness and health,” said Hasart.

Tuition-paying students can workout at the HEC for $15 per quarter and other students, such as those in the Running Start program, pay $60 per quarter.

Local Olympian Melanie Roach, who placed sixth in weightlifting at the Beijing Olympics in August, was the grand opening’s guest speaker.

Roach talked about the importance of lifelong health and fitness.

“Students have the opportunity to take care of their bodies and also opens the door for students in all walks of life,” Roach said.

Ryan Campbell, who with the help of Kerri Stevens and Phil Nafer, led the student effort to fund the facility.

“This facility will allow students to grow as individuals

Amy Hoban: “No, I didn’t know where it was located.”

Alix Fisher: “No, I’m really lazy and I don’t like to work out.”

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Present and past student leaders took part in the celebration. Student leaders were instrumental in securing financial support through student fees, which made the HEC project possible.

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Making the grades with standardized testing Sixteen just may be too young to drive Kyle Rollins Reporter

The road to a four-year college and a degree is a long one, and requires certain merit.

One specific roadblock on students’ journeys through school is that of standardized testing.

It’s kept many students in chills, with their nails bitten down to the quick in hopeless worry. One little test, setting them up for success, or more importantly failure?

Every year thousands of students register to take the Standardized Aptitude Test—known as the SAT—or the Standardized Achievement Examination—known as the ACT. They use books or take classes to study and prepare themselves as best they can for their faithful test date.

Each one of them has high hopes of receiving decent scores to help them gain acceptance in to some of the most desired universities and colleges in the country.

Standardized tests have been depictors of students’ performance for a long time now. It is seemingly easier to have simple test scores sum up someone’s success and failure throughout their schooling, and neglecting to take such a test can potentially undo the chances 12 years of schooling gives you to move on in life.

So obviously, it has become obvious to students how important these tests have become to moving forward into their future and it adds large amounts of stress.

Recent dramatic changes in test scoring methods and the addition of a 25 minute writing essay have also made the test increasingly difficult for some people, but also provided another chance for others to score more points.

It has become an intense competition with students against student for university acceptance and scholarship money. It has pitted students against admission administrators from acceptance letters.

In recent years, there have been debates about how much weight each of these tests should carry when

admitting a student into a university. Some professionals argue that a standardized test is an unfair judge of a student’s success and achievements. It diminishes their hopes and keeps them from trying.

There is the idea that too much of an individual’s future rides on the results of these tests and that it’s unfair to allow sub-average test scores to keep a student from something they’ve tried for. Others argue that these tests merely give an accurate gauge of what a student should already know. Although the SAT and the ACT are separate tests with different questions and scoring procedures, each one is supposed to provide a measurement of a students present knowledge.

Currently, there are universities who are automatically accepting students that get a specific SAT/ACT score or better. On the other hand, some colleges are making these standardized tests optional for their students and are not actually required for acceptance.

Then, there are the traditional universities and colleges who use the SAT/ACT scores to rank their student who are looking to be accepted and obviously, this gives the students who have the better tests scores a “leg-up” on the competition.

In the coming years, it is predicted the universities and colleges will continue to either consider SAT/ACT scores in their acceptance processes while some will begin to focus on other aspects of a students’ application instead.

A positive note to any person that may have scored poorly on the SAT or ACT is that the test can be retaken. If a person did bad once, it doesn’t mean they’ve lost their only chance. The best thing to do is to relax and not over-exert any cranial muscles. Your brain processes and comprehends millions of bits and pieces of knowledge a day, and uses all sorts of intuitive comprehension instinctively. It is more than capable of getting you through an SAT or ACT test.

For The Puyallup Post

Scholarship money has not been dipped in Crisco, so why are students allowing it to slip through their fingers?

With approximately $32 billion offered in scholarships a year, surprisingly millions of scholarships go unused.

A wide variety of scholarships are available to students in the United States, but many students seeking to further their education just don’t know where to look.

Dozens of legit websites are designed to inform or help students apply for scholarships.

For Pierce College students, there is an abundant amount of scholarship opportunities. Whether a student is looking for quarterly awards, annual awards, talentbased awards or even need-based awards, the college offers them.

Brochures and scholarship applications are available in the administration building in room 108c.

Although the deadlines for fall quarter and winter quarter scholarships already passed, it is time to focus on the spring deadline.

Ruth Ann Hatchett, district scholarship administrator, encourages students to fill out applications for spring.

Co-editor

“The spring application will be available Jan. 5 and the deadline to complete and turn in the application will be Jan. 22. Please feel free to ask any questions during my office hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” said Hatchett.

One requirement for applying for scholarships through Pierce College is that a student must be enrolled in at least 10 credits, however, that is not the case for scholarships outside of Pierce.

Some popular websites to check out in relation to scholarships are www.collegedata.com, www.SchoolSoup.com, and www.scholarships.com.

Pierce College offers scholarships such as the Wendy Mason Teacher’s Scholarship or the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce Scholarship.

Pierce also provides scholarships just for women or students interested in music.

With such a wide variety of offered scholarships, college students should not have trouble finding one that best suits them.

So many scholarships are waiting for the students to grab them. It’s time for students to clasp their hands together and not allow anymore scholarships to slip through their fingers.

Some people are talking about raising the driving age from 16 to either 17 or 18 years old. It’s an idea intended to save many lives.

In fact, scientists have found that the part of the brain that weighs risks, makes judgments, and controls impulsive behavior, called, “the executive branch” of the brain, does not develop fully until age 25.

This area of the brain is called the dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, where thoughts of long-term consequences are born. It helps teenagers to make wiser decisions as it relates to their future. Unfortunately, this area is consistently underdeveloped in teenagers, and even more so in 16 year olds. Research shows that 17 year olds have a far more developed “executive branch” than 16 year olds, which emphasizes the point that some 16 year olds may not be ready to drive.

According to statistics, one out of every five sixteenyear-old drivers will be in a reported car wreck within their first year of driving—many might assume that most of these accidents are caused by drinking, reckless driving, or even street racing.

But, in a recent study, 77 percent of serious crashes among 16 year olds involved common driving errors, such as speeding, overcorrecting after veering off the road, and losing control facing obstacles that more experienced drivers usually handle safely. This raises the question as to whether or not some 16 year olds are capable of maneuvering a vehicle.

To remedy this problem, many states don’t allow new drivers (under 18 years of age) to have other passengers in their car for the first six months of driving. This has saved many lives.

Sadly, there’s always a few that break the rules, putting the lives of the driver and passengers at risk. It is also a risk for the parents, whom, not to mention, are legally responsible for their underage child.

For a teen to have a driver’s license, it really does save a lot of time and gas for the usual taxicab driver of the house—many teens have jobs and other places they need to be, and it really helps out when the teen can drive.

Still though, raising the driving age by just one year would save many lives, considering 16 year olds have the highest crash rates and are three times more likely to die in a motor vehicle accident than the average of all drivers, all because the part of the brain that weighs actions, and helps make quick decisions to get out of dangerous situations, isn’t ready in most 16 year olds.

As my driving-instructor said many times, “Cars are weapons—they’re big heaps of metal moving at very high speeds,” and many 16-year-olds aren’t ready to handle that responsibility; “They think they have a big ‘S’ written on their chest.”

Don’t get me wrong though; there are many 16 year olds fully capable of taking on the responsibility of the road.

But, with all of the statistics and research going against teenagers driving at age 16, maybe it isn’t such a bad idea to consider raising the driving age by only one year.

revolves around the fact that they are considered underage.

Now, think for a moment. If you were 18 years old, completely drunk (but legally) and you knew you absolutely shouldn’t drive, would you be more inclined to call someone for a ride, knowing that you couldn’t get in trouble? You could be more responsible without the fear of a repercussion.

So far to me, all my reasons point toward lowering the drinking age. When I first started writing this article and thinking about this issue, I was all for lowering the drinking age; I had a big bias against the drinking age being 21.

Could it be that it is because I am not yet 21, or the fact that we trust so many 18 year olds with our lives overseas, but can’t trust them with their own lives when they're home?

Thus here lies my problem. What was once a black and white issue in my head, just now turned a shade of gray.

This was not the conclusion I was hoping to come to.

A subject like this can’t even be the slightest bit gray.

There are too many lives at stake, which is why I think that the age limit of 21 fits for now. I will never completely agree with it, but after doing some research, which I encourage

you all to do so you can further your knowledge on the subject and get more informed, it’s really important to look at the big picture.

What happens if the drinking age gets lowered to 18, and then Congress passes a law to raise the driving age from 16 to 18 as well? Then we will no longer have experienced drivers before drinking becomes an issue, but rather we will have fresh drivers with the new found responsibility of drinking as well.

That combination together, could be extremely dangerous.

When it all comes down to it, I realize that it ultimately depends on the individual. Some adults at 21 still aren’t mature enough to drink, where as adults at 18 are. Unfortunately, we can’t make exceptions for anyone. It’s all or none, and at this point, 21 years old seems like where it should stay.

For more information on underage drinking and driving, visit www.MADD.org.

The more information and education you give yourself on the subject, the safer you and everyone else will be.

Grab a Scholarship before it slips away Brandon Fair

Jonathan Jones

Commentary

Underage drinking debate turns a shade of gray Emily Nelson Co-editor

When are you legally considered an adult? 18 right?

You can be your own dependent. You can buy tobacco products, porn magazines and Lotto tickets. You can sign your life over to the military.

The only thing you can’t do is buy alcohol. If, at 18, you gain all of life’s responsibilities, what is one more, right?

Wrong.

Some state officials are debating whether the drinking age should be 18. However, Mother’s Against Drunk Driving’s website says that drunk driving rates would go up if the drinking age was lowered to 18.

Now, I don’t necessarily agree with this because in retrospect, what is the real reason for underage drunk driving?

Could it be that people know they are underage and don’t want to risk calling someone because the fear of getting in trouble is too much? Or could it even be as simple as their parents do it, so it must be alright. Whatever the reason, it

Commentary

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Pantheon of Geeks are here to play

Matt Powers Matt Powers

What are your plans for Halloween?

Chris Vollmer: “Party and hang out with friends. That’s about it.”

Nicholas Duvall: “I’m going to cover myself in pumpkin juice while I’m wearing only shorts. I’m then going to run around and try to get as many kids covered in the pumpkin juice as possible.”

Derek Zable: “Hang out

with friends, get a crap-load of candy and ride the sugar high through the weekend.”

Kissindrah Loge: “I’m going to have some family over—my cousins and my aunt.”

Nate Dedge: “We’re going to the Beastly Bash. It’s going to be a fun night.”

Nellie Veitenheimer: “I’m actually going to the cruise that Pierce is putting on.”

Reporter

Some students just like to have fun and in the end that is why a group of them meet at the Puyallup campus every Thursday. It’s to play some table-top role-playing games.

They are the Pantheon of Geeks, a local campus club that revolves around games ranging from the classic Dungeons & Dragons to the less common games like Army of Darkness, Exalted, Rifts, Star Wars Saga and the ever popular, and maddeningly difficult, Call of Cthulu.

They also work with RPGs that are technically considered to be rather different from the pen-and-paper games listed above including the board-game Talisman, and the miniatures version of both Star Wars and Dungeons & Dragons.

“The fact that we even have a Boba Fett model and it’s still there is making me ecstatic,” Ted Schiro, club’s president and co-founder, announced after proudly explaining that much of the club’s materials had survived summer quarter without being subjected to theft.

While some students may not be familiar with 20sided dice or the overwhelming might of such foes as the Tarrasque and Beholder, most can all relate with the energetic spirit that seemed to brim over at POG’s first meeting on Oct. 3.

“This is how most meetings run,” Schiro said.

In short, members have fun, laugh, joke, kid around and generally had a good time.

But what might have created such a group? After some questioning, Schiro and club treasurer Clint Levintsky revealed the truth: one day Schiro approached his friend Levintsky to ask if he would like to start a gaming group.

Levintsky responded by saying, “Oh, and what would we call it, The Pantheon of Geeks?”

Little did he know that his sarcastic comment would be the inspiration for the formation of POG. And while other club members may say that they will make the world be filled with puppies and rainbows, the leaders of the Pantheon of Geeks are upfront about the fact that these RPG games may cause procrastination of homework, take up someone’s freetime or perhaps force a student to skip class. They all say, “We don’t approve of it, but we can’t stop it.”

But what got these folks interested in table-top gaming, what made them join the elite members of the populace who understand the true horror of rolling three natural-ones in a row while swinging the new Keen Vorpal Flaming Great-Sword around like it’s going out of style?

First to answer this puzzling question was group member Kevin Gowrylow, who could only say that he joined to disassociate himself from philosophical things too big to explain.

Group member Kyley was then quoted in saying, “Err, what he said.”

This was then followed by Aviv, one of the group’s newest arrivals, reporting that he joined because “all the cool kids did it.”

FLICKPICKS Monster House

Ted Schiro: “Massive

amounts of gaming and eating little kids souls.”

going on a train. It’s the Logger’s Revenge on the Mt. Rainier Scenic Railroad.”

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Club members display some of the manuals they use to play the role-playing games.

Next to answer was Ernest, another group member, and Tony, an honorary member, the first saying that it was used as a creative outlet and the second that joining was a way to be more social.

It was then that Levintsky solemnly pronounced his own reasons by saying that, “It’s better than being out on the streets doing drugs and having sex with loose whores.” And in a way isn’t that a reason why all students should play?

Padin Duvall, another group member who for his own reasons had worn a shiny black dress-suit to the meeting, then offered up an odder reason for playing by saying, “I got into it because I was asked to simulate being a hobbit.”

Group member Joshua Curtis then simply said that he, quite literally, started because his parents had told him not too. Robert Kyllonen added that he started playing simply because he had been looking for something fun to do, got interested in it and then gaming became his life.

Eric Sumner, club’s vice president, was the last to answer and said that his parents had been playing it and because of his own enthusiasm for the game had to make him stop playing it, and so he sat around all day long playing the Megaman video game instead.

The Pantheon of Geeks is more than just your average Dungeons & Dragons playing group of gamers, members are a group of people united by a common love of having a good time and rolling a couple dice can come together.

The club can be contacted by e-mailing pantheonofgeeks@gmail.com or stopping by at its monthly meetings on the first Friday of every month in room L206.

It’s the group of students sitting around a table and in a fit of anger using 12-sided dice and pencils as weapons against each other that it’s just some more people having fun.

Our favorite Halloween films...

Hocus pocus

Andrew Coward, Jonathan Jones, Emily Nelson and Anthony Vierra

If you’re looking for a funny, scary, and mysterious movie then Monster House is the movie worth watching with the whole family on Halloween.

Directed by Gil Kenan, and starring the voices of Steve Buscemi, Nick Cannon, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kevin James, and DJ Harvard.

Halloween Laura Simmonds: “I’m

Anthony Vierra

SHOUTOUT

Known as one of the greatest horror movies ever, this movie made in 1978, still hasn’t lost its touch. Halloween features big stars such as Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence.

This movie is perfect for anybody.

With a psychotic boy who escaped from an institution and is out for blood, its sure to give you goose bumps. It is a must see Halloween flick.

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This fun family film starts off in the late 1600s in Salem and focuses on three witches who are trying to retain their beauty, when the town’s people find them and burn them at the stake.

After many years young boy, who is an outcast, finds an old candle, and when he lights it the adventure begins resurrecting the three witches who again start their evil ways and try to suck the life out of all the children in Salem. This is a fun, kid friendly movie for the whole family.

Young Frankenstein

A spoof on the famous scientist and his notorious creature. It’s funny, anything but horrific, and it has Gene Wilder from Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory.

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Laura Simmonds For The Puyallup Post

These days, it’s hard to distinguish what’s okay and what’s not okay.

The lines get blurrier and blurrier every day, and it seems like everyone is too afraid of being “politically incorrect” to clarify. From talking on your cell phone in public places to texting while having a conversation, the electronic age has made everyone, well, frankly, rude. Maybe even impersonal.

Americans get closer and closer to the machines they “need,” and further and further away from each other. Why go shopping when you can just order online and have it delivered straight to your door? Why waste your precious time interacting with other humans when you can just play Bejeweled on your laptop for hours on end. Take personal enrichment courses at your local community college? You might as well just watch a howto video on YouTube, rather than waste hours of your life learning from someone else, in a group of people with the same interests as yourself. Anyway, I digress.

The issue I’m really trying to get at here is this: texting. When is it okay to text someone with personal or important information?

And when is it just downright rude to not have chosen a more personal method, say, calling, or even a dreaded face-to-face conversation?

Texting is convenient. To disparage that would be asinine. If you’re making a store run, and can’t remember if there’s enough milk at home, it’s handy to just drop your roommate a line to ask them. Or if you just want to say “I love you,” to that special someone while they’re at work, but don’t want to disturb them, texting is perfect. It’s perfect for short messages, or even a conversation while you’re on the go. If your best friend has Verizon and you have Sprint, it

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works better to text each other for a flat rate than to burn up both of your minutes. Texting is handy for short messages, usually when on the go or when you just want to get a short message across, without bothering the recipient too much by calling or leaving a voicemail. But some people take texting too far.

Texting others with important, often highly personal information is just downright rude. Your phone is already in your hand.

Why not call? If you’re dropping a bomb of bad news, or breaking up with someone, or even just have something important to tell them, a call is usually, well, called for.

Texting has a certain impersonality to it that just makes certain things sting a little more, or even come across as something entirely different from what you’re actually trying to say.

Even though a phone call is nothing compared to a face-to-face conversation, it still gives the recipient a chance to hear the inflection and tone of your voice, and shows them that you took the time out of your busy day to call them and deliver whatever message you may have. Or even just care enough to say it rather than type it.

People need to get back to their roots.

Although technological advancements have made many wonderful things possible, it is cutting back on the sociality of human beings, who are, by nature, social creatures.

We were not designed for solitude, and yet we get closer and closer every day.

No one takes the time anymore to show others that they care, or even the time to let others close enough to want to care. So next time you whip out your handy dandy cell phone, thumbs at the ready for a text, why not just push the little green call button instead? Make someone’s day better by just calling to say hi. I dare you.

Anthony Vierra

Is it okay to faux pas?

Looks tasty... not!

One contestant at the Supa Mega X game on Oct 15 looks on as the next concoction is prepared for the contestants to eat.

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SHOUTOUT Anthony Vierra

What are the qualities you look for in a U.S. President?

Theldore Schiro-Miller: “Intelligence, arrogance, confidence, experience.”

Sabrina McNulty: “I think

about a president that knows about the country, has our best interest in mind and make good tactical decisions.”

Krista Church: ”Trusting,

see through important programs, experience, change.”

The new student representatives at the Puyallup campus are Isaac Swift and Charice Barczak. Swift, as representative I, and Barczak, as representative II, are planning to involve students in the events on campus and listen to student’s opinions.

Kass Young

Charice Barczak Reporter

Charice Barczak is the new environmental representative at Pierce College Puyallup. In high school, Barczak participated in an ROTC class where she learned discipline, organization and other leadership qualities that she says will help her carry out her duties as the environmental representative.

Within ROTC, she also learned how to work well with the people. She believes this will help create a friendly relationship with the students within the college and make her more approachable to present new ideas.

She intends to focus on the general ideas like recycling and making people more aware, but she also hopes to implement new procedures, like possibly using recycled paper for some of the printing around Pierce College.

As for the events that are going to occurring on campus Barczak intends to keep using posters, but she also would like to try going to classroom and taking a few min-

Alicia Clarke: “Someone

who doesn't waste money. Some who makes a difference.”

Megan Rasmussen:

“Honesty, leading with integrity, make decisions that works best for the country.”

Isaac Swift

Travis Whitney: “Someone

who knows what they are doing.

Decisiveness, has a plan, doesn't change mind.”

Joshua Curtiss: “Truly desires to please people, not just their political party.”

Jordan Jones: “Confident,

good decision maker and a happy person.”

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John McCain Iraq: Says it would be a “grave mistake” to leave before al-

Qaida is defeated. Believes the U.S. troop surge is working and sets no firm timetables for U.S. withdrawal.

Expects U.S. combat involvement to end by 2013.

Education: He is not proposing a federal voucher

program that would provide public money for provide school tuition, in contrast to his proposed $5 billion voucher plan in 2000. Only proposes expansion of District of Columbia’s voucher program. Sees No Child Left Behind law as vehicle for increasing opportunities for parents to choose schools. Proposes more money for community college education.

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Continued on page 13

Isaac Swift is the new representative for the evening students.

Swift has gained leadership experience through Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, which he has been dedicated to since he was 8.

He says Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts have taught him how to communicate with people, organize service projects, and be dedicated and loyal. These are qualities that will help him play a leadership role at the college.

Swift believes that a leader’s character and integrity should be strong and trustworthy so the student body can depend on him to be reliable, work hard, and to pay attention to what people want as a whole.

One of his main goals is to create equal opportunities for evening students to participate in activities around school as the day-time students have. He realizes that a lot of Pierce College’s activities are mid-day and thus, stuContinued on page 13

Health Care: No mandate for universal coverage.

Would encourage competition by providing health care tax credits of $2,500 for individuals and $5,000 for families to offset the cost of coverage. In gaining the tax credit, workers could not deduct the portion of their workplace health insurance paid by their employers.

Would work with states to create a “Guaranteed Access Plan” for people having trouble getting insurance.

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Chris Gregoire

Dino Rossi

Dino Rossi (R) vs. Chris Gregoire (D)

Where do they stand?

Take a look at your choices for Washington State Governor on the topics of Education, Public Safety, and Budget and Economy.

Jordan Arbuthnot

EDUCATION Rossi-

• Demands accountability for the entire school system • Making education funding a priority • Preparing students for higher education

Jordan Arbuthnot also ran for the representative I position. Arbuthnot has a strong background in student government as she participated in her high school’s student council and ASB, which makes her well aware of how student government works and is organized.

Participating in student government also helped Arbuthnot develop communication skills that will help her relate to people on a leadership level. She also gained even more leadership experience through a mission trip to Mexico that taught her a lot about determination and hard work. Arbuthnot believes that a leader should be honest, attentive, and respectful to their peers.

While campaigning for the position, Arbuthnot said she would like to accomplish a focus on activities and

Gregoire-

• Funded voter-approved initiatives to reduce class size and increase teacher pay • Made historic investments in early learning and higher education

BUDGET & ECONOMY Rossi-

• Reduce the size and spending of the governor’s office • Freeze hiring and discretionary spending Gregoire-

Continued on page 13

• Balanced a $2.2 billion deficit then led the way to create a surplus and the Rainy Day Fund • Cut spending as national economy has declined

Dillon Christensen

PUBLIC SAFETY

Dillon Christensen also was running for environmental representative position. Christensen participated in the Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts for many years where he has put in more than 100 hours of his time and grown as an individual.

The characteristics of being a leader in the Boy Scouts are the same characteristics that could help Christensen represent the students of Pierce College. Christensen stressed the importance of integrity within a leader because he believes that integrity is a necessary piece of being trustworthy and that is a quality that leaders need to have.

If elected, Christensen hoped to make the new recycling bins on campus more accessible.

Christensen realizes that these are a new addition to our

Molly Jordan

Rossi-

• Stopping the early release of violent felons • Tracking sex offenders • Creating more prison space Gregoire-

• Reduced crime to a 14-year low • Increased jail sentences for sex offenders, required electronic monitoring for the worst offenders and expanding the state’s DNA registry for sex crimes • Put more police on the streets and built 4,000 new prison beds to keep criminals where they belong

Continued on page 13

PIERCEPOLL

Molly Jordan, an evening student, was running for representative I. Jordan has gained leadership experience through her past opportunity to work as a page for the capital building in Olympia.

Jordan believes that working at the capitol building has taught her the importance of dedication, organization, and hard work.

It has also shown her first-hand what politics is like from the inside, which can be useful to know if she is elected. Jordan understands that this leadership position here on campus will require her devotion, commitment, and loyalty, which she believes are all a natural part of her character.

She said during her campaign that her main goal is to meet the students’ needs both academically and recre-

Prior to the Nov. 4 elections, The Puyallup Post staff polled students to determine who they would vote for in both the battles for U.S. president and Washington state governor. The ballots were divided so that some listed the Republican candidates first, and others the Democrat candidates.

The results are in, and not a hanging chad in sight.

Position: Presid ent of the U nited S tate s

Continued on page 13

Barack Obama Iraq: Would redeploy one to two brigades a month so

combat troops would be out by the summer of 2010.

Would leave behind an unspecified number of American troops to provide security for U.S. interests, and train and advise Iraqi forces.

Education: An $18 billion plan that would encourage, but not mandate, universal pre-kindergarten.Teacher pay raises tied to, although not based solely on, test scores. An overhaul of No Child Left Behind law to better measure student progress, make room for noncore subjects including music and art and be less punitive toward failing schools. A tax credit to pay up

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to $4,000 of college costs for students who perform 100 hours of community service a year. Obama would pay for part of his plan by ending corporate tax deductions for CEO pay.

Health Care: Mandatory coverage for children, no

mandate for adults. Aim for universal coverage by requiring employers to share cost of insuring workers and by offering coverage similar to that in plan for federal employees. Small businesses would get tax credits to help make coverage affordable to employees.

Says package would cost up to $65 billion a year after unspecified savings from making system more efficient.

Raise taxes on wealthier families to pay the cost.Would require insurers to cover pre-existing conditions.

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❏ Barack Obama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .43.08% ❏ John McCain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32.31% ❏ Undecided/Don’t Vote . . . . . . . . . . . . .18.46% ❏ Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6.15% including Ron Paul, Hilary Clinton, 50 Cent and Robot Nixon.

Position: Governor of Washington

❏ Dino Rossi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35.94% ❏ Chris Gregoire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32.81% ❏ Undecided/Don’t Vote . . . . . . . . . . . . .26.56% ❏ Others . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.69% including Ichiro and Darth Vader.

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Party hearty at the fed’s bail-out bash Tarehn Jared Wegner For The Puyallup Post

Anthony Vierra

They’ll be celebrating on Wall Street this October and let's just say that costumes and pumpkin carvings will likely not be involved. This may seem a bit startling for anyone who has been watching the recent news and has noticed the extremity of September’s market crash that has caused some of America’s finest companies to crumble like its 1929. But no worries, the U.S. government has picked up the bill for this round of drinks and no one seems more tipsy than the fat-cats of corporate America after receiving a staggering $700 billion of revamp money for a bit of their own economic stimulus.

Initially, of course, this had many of us upset—saying as the government already pays out billions of dollars each year in support of certain private corporations in the borderline socialist feeding frenzy most kindly referred to as “economic incentives.”

Furthermore, what is there to learn from this course of action. If your unwise spending and business managing accidentally runs your company into the ground, your generous Uncle Sam will be there to erase the debt?

However, with safety-net corporations like AIG that play a vitally important role in insuring risk for so many institutions worldwide, do we really want to simply sit back and watch as group firms such as this go down the drain and the U.S. economy with it? AIG itself employs more than 116,000 people, and if even larger U.S. employers like The Boeing Co. go under, think of what that will mean for an already down and out nation-wide employment rating—especially in the state of Washington.

So what does this mean for students and young people? Well, for those of us struggling to pay off student loans and clamor in disgust at the start of each quarter, due to those dreadful book prices—things will probably

be getting a lot more difficult financially.

Major student loan firms, such as First Marblehead Corp., are already laying off some 500 people to save money in annual expenses, which most likely means they will be giving out less loans and operating at higher interest rates. And if those book publishers aren’t greedy enough as it is, they’ll probably be looking to cash in where they can because hey, students have to buy those books.

Aside from the current state of events and the various criticisms of the plan, many people in Congress and the financial world have started to believe in the bail-out.

Although times may be tough and wallets tight for the next few months, the market has a habit of correcting itself, says independent vice-presidential candidate Matt Gonzalez. Nevertheless, spending those bucks wisely might be a good thought for this holiday season.

The inside scoop on proper tipping Laura Simmonds For The Puyallup Post

Jefferson, Madison crafted country’s words of wisdom

Student government leaders Chris Scaniffe, Erika Odem, Nathaniel Anderson and Robert Leavitt dress the part to promote the Thomas Jefferson Hit Parade lecture Sept. 29.

Andrew Coward Reporter

“We the People.”

This statement was made by America’s founding fathers and it changed the nation forever.

These words are the start of the U.S. Constitution, and this is what Puyallup campus students gathered on Sept. 29 to celebrate at Thomas Jefferson Hit Parade, which included a lecture by Dr. John Lucas, Puyallup’s political science instructor.

To start the lecture, Lucas said, “It was Madison, not Jefferson, who helped write the Constitution.”

He explained that Jefferson was in Europe during the time it was written. Lucas continued talking about the constitution of the United States and made the distinction between the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence for a few minutes.

The Constitution was set up as instructions for the government, while the Declaration was a letter of Independence from English rule.

Jefferson was the right man to come up with the Declaration, he said, while Madison was the right man for the Constitution.

The Student Programs leaders, dressed in their patriotic outfits, handed out little constitutions for people to read while listening.

Reading a few lines from the Constitution, Lucas discussed how the constitution did not mention religion, and the three reasons why the fore fathers did not allow religious O C T O B E R

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tests.

1. It was not because they were against religion. It was to protect religion.

2. They thought it will be bad for the government because they did not want politics to mingle with religion.

3. It was a violation to people’s religious freedom to have the government tell them which religion they had to follow.

Lucas continued discussing freedom by comparing the freedom of this country to others.

He said the Constitution is a pledge to share that freedom with others who also live in this country. It is a commitment to have the right to live in freedom with others and not just a pledge to the country.

Lucas also mentioned how a college student was the reason for the passing of the 27th amendment of the United States.

He said that a student discovered the amendment while in his political class. The student saw that it had no expiration date, so it was still able to become an amendment. This student later on petitioned Congress for its passing and it was approved in 1992.

Lucas says that if any of his students can get an amendment passed, then he or she will be guaranteed a 4.0 in his class, closing his lecture with “be free with the amendments.”

So who knows, maybe the next time someone is studying for a political class or are just reading a political book from the library, he or she may just stumble across America’s next amendment.

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So there you are, sitting around the table at your favorite local restaurant, bellies gorged, enjoying the conversation, when the bill comes. After you figure out who’s throwing down for the bill itself, the issue of tipping arises.

Tipping.

One of the most common social niceties, and yet very few people outside of the restaurant business know what constitutes a “good tip.” So, as an insider, I’ll take pity on you and spread the knowledge.

First, you look at the bill. Most restaurants will have an itemized summary of everything you ordered, with prices, a sub-total, tax, and a total.

Some restaurants, depending on their policy and/or the size of your party will have “gratuity” in there somewhere.

Now don’t freak out. Gratuity isn’t that hard to figure out. Gratuity is an automatic tip usually attached to parties of 8 or more.

It’s basically just insurance to your server, because they pay the 8.5 percent tax on everything you order, that they won’t have to “eat” your bill. And yes, it’s customary to tip on top of the gratuity.

So back to figuring out how much to tip. Look at the tax. An average tip is usually 15 percent. Since tax is 8.5 percent, just multiply your tax by 2, and that’s a decent tip.

Now, if you feel like you didn’t exactly get great service, then just tip slightly less. But if you feel as if you had excellent service, then multiply your tax by 3, and that’s a very good tip.

Remember, your server should acknowledge your table within 30 seconds of being seated, have taken drink orders in under a minute, and have the drinks on the table within 2 minutes of having taken the order.

Within the first five minutes of service, you should have a good feel of what the tip should be. Your server should also bring your entrée out within 15 minutes of placing your order, and should check back to your table within two bites or two minutes.

Keep in mind that some things are just simply out of your server’s hands. If, during the dinner rush on a Friday or Saturday night, your entrée takes slightly longer than it would during the dead hours of a Wednesday night, don’t be surprised or angry.

And try not to yell at your server or make a scene.

You’re just embarrassing yourself and everyone in your party in front of the entire restaurant, and will be fodder for gossip amongst the employees for the next week or so.

And trust me, restaurateurs have long memories. If you didn’t tip at a restaurant, and then came back two years later, someone will remember you, and you’ll get shuffled off to the worst server because nobody wants to deal with a bad tipper.

And if you make a scene, don’t expect to be served there again, especially in smaller restaurants. Employees and employers alike don’t enjoy being mistreated by grouchy customers.

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FIRSTLOOK MUSICREVIEW

BOOKREVIEW

Emily Nelson

Lucky Old Sun

MOVIEREVIEW

Kyle Rollins

The Big Sort

Max Payne

Jonathan Jones

Kenny Chesney

Bill Bishop

Twentieth Century-Fox

Music is words from the heart, and that has never been truer when it comes to this new Kenny Chesney CD. Lucky Old Sun is neither upbeat, happy or all that inspirational. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m a big Kenny fan, but this CD was definitely not made to put someone in a good mood. With songs like Way Down Here and Spirit of a Storm, it’s about the hard times Label: Bna Records in his life, mostly regarding his divorce with Renee Zellweger.

I mean, sure it can be expected that the CD is about being on a sandy beach in the Caribbean, feet in the sand and a Corona in hand, but don’t expect anymore than one happy drinking song.

If you are looking for the hit single Everybody wants to go to Heaven, I suggest just buying it from iTunes for a dollar and moving on.

All in all, it’s a rather slow CD. Not at all the kind of CD I was expecting after previous albums like No shirt, No shoes, No problems, where most, if not all the songs were up-beat and happy.

Kenny will always have a place on the top charts; I just wouldn’t recommend buying this entire album.

Picture yourself a part of an androgynous, unilaterally thinking populous. To have controlled broadcasts of information filtered of all messages you don’t want to hear. To be united under the control and influence of one person, one tradition. Maybe this isn’t so much a hypothetical situation as it is reality.

The Big Sort provides a definitive biography of American political segregation.

The book includes various examples of people devoted to certain parties, and their stories about where they live and how they coex- Publisher: ist with their neighbors.

Houghton Mifflin The point presented is that Americans tend to gravitate toward areas that are friendly and welcoming to their political lifestyles, be they liberal or conservative.

Broken down, the idea is that liberals tend to live in the city, where the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, while conservatives live in the country, where they have more freedom to expand their wealth.

It goes on to make the conclusive point that as Americans, we become more and more convinced that what we believe in is truly correct, pure and holy.

And not to mention, what the opposing ‘side’ believes in is horribly incorrect, biased and untrue.

Thus, it can serve as both a scarily accurate description as to why political debate has become so higgledy piggledy and intense in recent years, as well as a guide to any prospective American wishing to seek out sanctuary.

If you’re looking for a movie with a blend of thrilling action, mysteries, and a good story, go see Max Payne.

Starring Mark Wahlberg, it’s very entertaining and worth the eight bucks.

The overall quality of Max Payne was excellent. A very dark feel was retained throughout the whole movie—except at the very end, where there’s actually a happy scene (which makes it all the better)—and the acting was up to par too.

For those who don’t know, Max Payne actually started out as Stars: Mark Wahlberg, a third-person shooter on the PC Mila Kunis, Beau back in 2001, and then moved on Bridges, Chris to Xbox and PS2. It was one of "Ludacris" Bridges and the first games to use slow Olga Kurylenko motion, which they did in quite a Rated: PG-13— few scenes of the movie, and violence including there are actually a few scenes in intense shooting the movie identical to cut scenes sequences, drug from the game. content, some But the movie isn’t just for sexuality and brief those who played the game—I strong language never actually played the game, and I really enjoyed the movie.

It’s filled with shoot ‘em up scenes, the best one at the end when Max Payne rampages a SWAT-filled building with a shotgun.

If it’s action you want, Max Payne is worth your money.

GAMEREVIEW Anthony Vierra

Spore Electronic Arts

Ever wanted to create your own creatures? In Spore, gamers are put to the test to make the brightest and best creature their minds can think of. In this multi-staged game, players undergo all the stages of how creatures came to be—starting as a single cell organism and ending as a planetary superpower searching for other planets to colonize.

Cell stage is the first part of the journey as creatures enter the tide pool, eating everything in sight as they grow. Try not to become another creature’s snack. If players succeed, they get a chance to move to land and continue their adventures.

The creature stage is a bit more in-depth and fun as players try to survive on land with other creatures. Some are not so friendly. Players can make friends or be the bully as they evolve on their way to greatness.

What Wikipedia had to say about Spore

Coined Creatiolutionism, the game allows the player to develop a species from a microscopic organism to its evolution into a complex animal, its emergence as a social, intelligent being, to its mastery of the planet and then finally to its ascension into space, where it interacts with alien species across the galaxy. Throughout the game, the player's perspective and species change dramatically.

The game is broken up into distinct yet consistent, dependent “phases.” The outcome of one phase affects the initial conditions facing the player in the next. Each phase exhibits its own style of play, and has been described by the developers as 10 times

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The tribal stage is just like most real-time strategy games, now players gather food and make their forces stronger to battle other tribes. When they finally have enough DNA points, they move to the next stage.

In the civilization stage, it’s a lot like the game Civilization, where the goal is to build the biggest and best city with a city hall, houses and even factories. Players pay with “sporebucks,” the game’s currency. After this very in-depth stage, players move to the final stage.

The space stage is a massive universe that allows players to fly around to terraform and colonize other planets. This stage plays in a sandbox format allowing players to move freely around the universe for the most part.

In the quest for higher knowledge and purpose, Spore is not the standard game, but instead it moves players through in-depth phases on their quests. While on these quests, players make their creatures better by evolving them with new parts making them stronger, faster and better looking. more complicated than its preceding phase. While players are able to spend as much time as they prefer in each, it is possible to accelerate or skip phases altogether. Some phases feature optional missions; when the player completes a mission, they are granted a bonus, such as a new ability.

If all of a player's creations are completely destroyed at some point, then that player's species will be respawned at its home base.

Unlike many other Maxis games, Spore has a primary win condition which is obtained by reaching a quasar placed in the center of the galaxy, and facing The Grox, a large NPC race. However, the player continues to play after the goal has been achieved.

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Seeking Salesperson The Puyallup Post is looking for students interested in selling advertising space in the Pierce College Puyallup student newspaper. For more information or to apply, please email puypost@pierce.ctc.edu.

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The riders on the bus make my head spin round and round Kyle Rollins Reporter

When I started school about this time last year, it cost me about $70 to fill up my truck with gas. Little did I know that the following spring it would cost nearly double.

But, here I am in the fall, with my big wasteful truck, no money, and a 40-mile round trip commute to school.

My situation was seemingly hopeless, so I looked into alternative measures. What I ended up doing was hopping on the bus.

I was pretty unfamiliar with the ways of public transportation. I knew a lot of myths surrounded it, like that it’s just a place where hopeless wrecks go to die, but I never really paid them any mind. The only thing really keeping me from considering riding the bus before was ignorance.

I didn’t know where and when I could catch it.

So the first trip I took was down to the grocery store. I picked up a bus schedule. It told me all I needed to know about riding the bus; where to catch it (in my case, the Bethel Station parking lot), how much it costs to ride (75 cents, unless you look older than 18, in which case $1.50), and what times it ran.

My route ran from Bethel Station all the way out to the South Hill Mall, from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. hourly. It seemed quite simple, just like riding the school bus.

The following Monday, I decided to take the chance. I arrived at the stop, parked, got out and waited. I was pretty early, and had to wait 20 minutes, which sucked. I amused myself by watching cars go by. I played the part of the condescending jerk. I thought about how sorry I felt for those saps driving by in their cars, slaves to their routines and their gas bills.

Finally, the bus arrived. I was scared it wasn’t going to stop for me. Why? I have no clue. But it did, and the doors opened. I walked on and paid my 75 cents, got my transfer and I took my seat, closer to the front. The doors closed, and the bus was off.

Riding down that street I had driven down so many times was strange. I felt like someone was doing me a favor, like I was exclusive in my desires to get where I needed to go, and someone out there had sent a driver to take me there, just to save me the trouble. It was almost empowering. Then again, it was just the bus. I let some of the air deflate from my ego. I looked out the window some more.

I noticed that my commute had become more relaxed.

Under normal conditions, Meridian Street is slow at best.

Stop, and go repeatedly for six or seven miles. It made me nuts sometimes.

You could pick me out easily. I was the maniacal head case grinding gears, weaving in and out of traffic and screaming at other drivers and stoplights. A lot of people who rode with me would get scared, or annoyed.

“Chill the f*** out, man!” they’d often say.

But no more was this the case. Here I was, no longer behind the wheel, but riding along, not having to worry about the stoplights.

Someone else was getting paid to do that. All I had to do was sit back and relax on my foam-padded seat. I thought about it some more, and I realized how much cash I was actually saving… if I had driven to Pierce that day, I would have spent $12 on gas—40 miles round trip at 15 miles to the gallon with $4 per gallon gas.

The bus ride was costing me $1.50 round trip—75 cents there, 75 cents back. I was saving myself $10.50.

Hell, I could buy myself lunch today! I could buy myself four pieces of pizza at the grill and still have change left over.

This was a big deal to me, seeing as my diet at the school normally consisted of drinking fountain water and free saltines filched from the cafeteria.

If I decided to save half of that $10.50, I’d have $5.25 a day. At the end of the five-day week, I’d be up to $26.25.

By spring, I’d save more than a thousand dollars. I was starting to embrace the idea of riding the bus.

Finally, I arrived at the South Hill Mall Transit Center. I got off the first bus, and got on the second, a bus bound to the college. I showed the driver my transfer, and took a seat towards the back. The bus idled for about five minutes, waiting for wayward passengers, and then it was off.

In no time, we arrived at the college, by the administration building.

Again, things were looking up. I looked around the parking lot and saw a sea of cars. I saw people driving about, hoping mundanely that a spot might magically appear.

They did laps through the parking lot as I watched. I

was one of them, once, struggling to find a spot and make my class. But now, the trouble was no longer mine.

I had about 20 minutes until my class started, so I walked about for a while. I came upon a friend of mine, and he said to me, “I’m so pissed right now, man… my car got hit in the parking lot and I don’t know who did it!”

I smiled inside. This was a worry that I no longer felt.

Another friend came up to me and said, “You’ll never believe it, dude… I got a parking ticket!”

“How did you get a parking ticket? I thought those were really hard to get around here?”

“Uh, I parked in the motorcycle only place…”

“Um, that’s probably why, Mac.” “Yeah, but I’ve done it before and they’ve never said anything!”

“I don’t know what to tell you” “It’s probably because there was already a motorcycle in the spot, and I kiiinda knocked it over…”

I smiled inside, again. Things were looking up for Kyle.

across the English Channel with his homemade jet-wing, in 9 minutes and 32 seconds.

This amazing contraption has an eight foot wingspan, made of a lightweight carbon composite with four kerosene jet engines built in, weighing about 120 pounds when loaded with fuel, and it took him about five years to develop.

To start his flight, Jetman jumped off a plane, turning on his engines during free-fall. Since there are no controls on the jet-wing, Rossy moves his body to control his movements. His average speed was 125 miles per hour.

When Rossy finally reached the other end of the Channel, he did a figure eight to show off to English spectators, and then deployed his parachute for landing.

According to Rossy, the purpose of this stunt was to show “it is possible to fly, a little bit, like a bird.”

With all of the new jetpack technology we have today, who knows how it will affect our lives in the future…

The roar we hear when we place a seashell next to our ear is not the ocean, but rather the sound of blood surging through the veins in the ear.

Jetman Soars across the English Channel Fun facts Jonathan Jones Co-editor

We’ve come a long way in the technological development of jetpacks.

The first jetpack was developed in 1959, and introduced to the public in 1960. Known as the Aeropack, this classic, back-strapped jetpack was powered by hydrogen peroxide, and could only sustain flight for up to 20 seconds and fly up to 60 mph.

Much has changed since then—Jetpack International has developed a jetpack (only slightly larger than the oldfashioned Aeropack) that can keep you up in the skies for 9 minutes and fly up to 83 mph on only five gallons of fuel. But unless you have $200,000, a car might be more practical for getting around.

However, as many now know, there’s even another creative way for humans to fly.

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Laughing lowers levels of stress hormones and strengthens the immune system. Six-year-olds laugh an average of 300 times a day. Adults only laugh 15-100 times a day.

Every time you sneeze, some of your brain cells die.

It takes about 20 seconds for a red blood cell to circle the whole body.

Babe Ruth wore a cabbage leaf under his cap to keep him cool. He changed it every two innings.

Bubble Gum contains rubber.

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Charice Barczak

Isaac Swift

utes to make announcements about events so that students can be even more aware about what is going on around campus in hopes that more students will be able to participate this way.

Barczak has always been worried about the environment and she was excited when Pierce College finally got recycling bins so students could begin to recycle their cans and bottles that are sold throughout campus.

She intends on making students aware of how important the usage of this process is. She also has taken classes that have taught her a lot about the environment and its preservation.

dents who do not have the schedule that complies with this are not able to participate. Some students have been concerned with how well events are being promoted around the school campus and in response to these concerns, Isaac intends to do the usual posters but also bring his own original ideas to the table to make even more people aware.

A Pierce College representative needs to be able to stay in constant communication with the students and needs to be aware of their opinions and perspective.

Swift is an outgoing individual who intends to stay connected with the student throughout the campus by personally introducing himself and communicating with them face-to-face. Swift also believes that periodic surveys directed at the students would be a good idea to hear about desired changes and to gain opinions about how certain events went. Swift believes that a leader should be a friendly face on campus that students can approach and talk to and is open to ideas being presented to them.

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Molly Jordan

Jordan Arbuthnot

ationally.

She intends to pay attention to academic needs around campus, like making sure there are enough tutors within the Academic Resource Center.

However, she also intends to make the events at Pierce College fun experiences for everyone, including the afternoon students.

Relating to the concerns about promotional ideas for events on the campus, Jordan said she intends on speaking with students personally and giving them the information about events directly, as well as using the regular posters that hang around campus.

Jordan would talk to students who take classes in the mornings and in the evenings so she gets everyone’s opinions. She believes this will help her build a necessary connection with the students she is representing.

Beyond just serving and listening, Jordan believes that a leader should also be caring and compassionate to the people they are representing in order to be a wellrounded and successful representative.

communication with evening students, fun activities around campus and more students getting to participate in campus activities, as well as tutoring.

Arbuthnot agrees that students are not participating in activities because most of the time they don’t hear about it and in order to fix this problem she wants to go and speak with students personally.

She would like to answer any questions that students might have about events and make them more aware of what is going on around campus with face-to-face communication.

When it comes to communicating with students, Arbuthnot says her student government background will help her.

It’s her goal to relate to them by hearing what they have to say about what is happening on campus, listening to their voiced opinions, and considering the changes that she hears students suggest.

Arbuthnot believes that this communication connection that she will have with the students she is representing will help her be a successful leader because to her, leading is serving the people who appointed you to lead by listening to what their needs and wants are.

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Continued from page 8

Dillon Christensen Continued from page 9

campus and intends on getting the word out to students and making them realize how important it is take advantage of the recycling process.

He intends to let the students know about events occurring on campus by communicating with them verbally about time, days, and benefits of participating in the activities Pierce College has to offer.

Christensen believes his advanced experience with organizing and participating in service projects through the Boy Scouts has taught him a lot about what it will take to be the environmental representative.

It has taught him necessary information about the environment that will be a great help in carrying out this role if he is elected.

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Kass Young

SPORTSPAGE

Raiders volleyball sets up for berth in post season Kass Young Reporter

Pierce College’s volleyball players been tearing up the court since they started playing at the Shoreline Invitation Tournament on Sept. 5. They took second in Shoreline and third place at the Lower Columbia Crossover Tournament.

The 2008 volleyball team consists of seven returning players: Rachel Hanson, Sara Cusato, Laura Struck, Brianna Breland, Brittney Leckenby, Chelsea Gandy and Cami Medlock and two new players: Erika Gunderson Head Coach and Kyle Jeffers.

Paige Tisserand Head Coach Paige Tisserand is assisted by Assistant Coach Colleen Pancake.

Colleen Pancake The team has been holding up strong and #12 Rachel Hanson players’ current record of #9 Sara Cusato six wins out of eight #19 Laura Struck games is proof. Their #5 Brianna Breland passing skills combined #16 Brittney Leckenby with a talented new setter #3 Chelsea Gandy and strong, motivated hit#1 Erika Gunderson ters have led the team to #6 Kylie Jeffers heights this year. #17 Cami Medlock There is a lot of talent, spirit, and dedication showing on the court so far this season and it is more than likely that the girls will continue to display this throughout the entire season.

During the game on Oct. 15 against Tacoma Community College, the players did an excellent job of handling the ball around the court and making their plays work.

Even when they made errors, they didn’t lose focus and recovered to the best of their ability.

New player Erika Gunderson spikes during a game against Tacoma Community College. Gunderson, a middle blocker and outside hitter from Bethel High School, led her team to a comeback in the middle of league play that enabled Bethel to advance to post-season play at the SPSL District Tournament.

Gunderson was named Second Team SPSL South for her accomplishments throughout the 2007 season.

Nov 5 Nov 7

Nov 12

Clark (at Vancouver). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7pm

Lower Columbia (at Home) . . . . . . . . . . . 7pm Tacoma (at Tacoma) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7pm

Teresa Josten

Team finishes season

Remaining games:

Teresa Josten

The Raiders men’s soccer team finished its league schedule with the game against Wenatchee Community College on Oct 25. Going into the game, the Raiders were 3-9-1 in league play.

The Raiders currently are in fourth place in the Southern Division and are looking at a fourth consecutive trip to the playoffs.

This is the best run by a Raiders soccer team since the early ’90s, when the team made six straight trips to the NWAACC tournament.

Nick Budinger works toward the goal while Clarence Wright assists at Heritage Park.

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Jeff Roland seems to be protecting the ball at all costs in the game against South Puget Sound Community on Oct. 10. The Raiders shut out South Puget Sound, 2-0.

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Reporter

If you happen to see a 6-foot 5-inch man walking around campus, it’s probably Brian Kovacevich, the Health Education Center’s first coordinator.

Few people are as uniquely qualified or as devoted to health education as our new coordinator, even if Kovacevich is too modest to actually believe that.

“When I got the call (about his appointment) I was pretty surprised,” he said.

But, even from an early age, it was something that he had a natural talent Brian Kovacevich for, a certain flair for, excelling in both sports and fitness.

And over time, like with so many of us, that natural talent developed into his career choice, as can be seen in Kovacevich’s impressive background experience.

Originally he had just chosen his first job, working at the front desk for the Sumner Athletic Club during weekends, as a chance to earn some extra cash during high school. He was forced to familiarize himself with all aspects of the gym, often being the only employee on duty. He learned the basics of what was needed to keep such a place running smoothly, developing both his independence and the self-reliance that would make him a youth-leader for years to come.

Later on he went to work at Puyallup Parks and Recreation, where he spent more time working as a fitnesstrainer but also more work in administration, learning the ins and outs of what goes on behind the scenes while continuing to work in direct contact with the clientele through the training he performed.

After this, he moved on to Pacific Lutheran University, where he still holds an assistant coaching position for the college’s men’s basketball team, which is something that he truly does enjoy.

He’s been coaching for seven years and doesn’t plan to stop anytime soon.

While he did enjoy his position in physical education, teaching volleyball, bowling, and weight-training, he discovered to be his true love was the required PLU course of P.E. 100. That’s where he would meet people who wouldn’t normally be interested in fitness or health-awareness.

Despite the stereotypes of the fitness educators, Kovacevich found that it wasn’t the poster-children of health that he enjoyed working with, it was the average Joe who might have never even given a second thought to proper nutrition or regular exercise.

And if Kovacevich could reach out and inspire one of those kids, then that was a good day at work indeed.

During this time, Kovacevich was working on earning his college degree—the first from Central Washington University and the second, his master’s degree in sport education leadership from Seattle Pacific University.

And how exactly does all of this separate Kovacevich

from other health educators? Simply put, his background covers all areas that might be pertinent to a health educator because from training people out on the gym floor, to working behind a desk in the back room, to coaching sports teams Kovacevich has done it all. And that makes him sensitive to the needs of an institution such as the HEC, sensitive in the way that an administrator who had never had as much hands-on experience as Kovacevich would be.

He knows what each part of the system needs to keep running smoothly, feeling the ebb and flow of the lifeblood of the gym as it were.

While managing the HEC and his college graduations were big events for Kovacevich, he said nothing could compare to the marriage to his wife Jennifer and the birth of their now two-month old daughter, Mia. And perhaps it is what Kovacevich does in his downtime that is the most telling about him, and how deeply committed he is to this profession. He and his wife are always trying to spend as much time as possible outside— engaging in physical activity ranging from hiking to yardwork to sports. That and coaching basketball take up most of his time.

Well that and his sincere love for anything and everything that might play at the movie theater, where they also serve his favorite snack of popcorn (butter and caramel free, of course).

Coaching being something he hopes to continue doing, his dreams include receiving a head coach position but overall his plans for the future are fluid, as he is the kind of guy who focuses on fixing today’s problems without worrying about tomorrow’s.

But while those might be his personal plans, what are some of Kovacevich’s future plans for the HEC? Right now he is working on making sure that the HEC gets rolling and that everything is going smoothly and making sure that all of the safety regulations are updated and observed.

Also naturally he is hoping to increase signage while also making sure that the installation of the new high-tech tracking software goes smoothly, which will allow the HEC to keep track of who is inside the gym and during which times of day letting them have a better understanding of what types of programs or times of day to exercise students are looking for.

He also wants to see the classes grow, that way, like at PLU, he can reach the average student on campus who might not normally give fitness a second thought. And perhaps see if he can’t get the parking for the HEC increased since “parking for the HEC is really tiny right now.”

But still, he isn’t too anxious about that since, as Kovacevich put it, “We are a fitness center and it (the lack of parking) encourages people to walk.”

But while all of this is on his mind, Kovacevich wants to take things easy at first, because as he says he would much rather “Do a few things great, then a lot of things O.K.”

Anthony Vierra

Matt Powers

Students celebrate the start of fall quarter during Welcome Days on Sept 24-25. Many activities— including the gyroscope and rock climbing wall— were available.

Anthony Vierra

Meet Brian Kovacevich

Welcome to the spin cycle

Are you up on your technology? Most likely Chendar Lim and Jamie Cooper For The Puyallup Post

What would you do without gadgets?

Have you ever wondered about how much we all rely on technology? From waking up in the morning, to contacting friends and family, we all depend on some type of electronic device. So Jamie and I decided to take our question to the students to see what you guys had to say. We asked a series of questions and here are the results; so, what are the statistics?

Do you have a cell phone? 100 percent of the interviewee’s had a cell phone and oddly enough checked it at least once during the interview; some were on it the entire time text messaging.

Do you have any other devices, other than a cell phone?

Sixty percent had some type of MP3 player or iPod and the other 40 percent of people had phones capable of being a music player. Forty percent also said that they have laptops.

Do you belong to an online community such as MySpace or Facebook?

Eighty percent of students have profiles on either a MySpace or Facebook. Some have both. Eighty Percent.

That is a large percentage of the Pierce College student body, and as some one said, “A good way to keep in contact, and cure boredom, when you’re not text messaging of course!”

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We also asked a question that I’ve faced many times, and a question that many of the people we interviewed have also faced, and that was: “If you were half way to school and left your phone at home, would you go back to get it?”

Seventy percent said that it depended on if they were already late to class or not, but that they most likely would.

The other thirty percent said that they would turn around and go back home to get their cell phones. One person even said “I feel lost without my phone! How would I talk to anyone or survive!”

Another question we asked was: are we too dependent on technology?

Eighty percent of students said no and the other twenty said yes. When asked why they didn’t think we were too dependent on technology, most people said because there is no such thing as being too dependent on such a wonderful thing. When asked why, most said because they could not live without technology because the world would be too boring.

Has technology made life easier or harder?

One hundred percent of students said that technology has made life easier. When asked why, one student said, “Technology makes life easier because when I have to write a paper, I can just go straight to a computer, get on the internet and whip out a paper in a matter of hours. It’s also much easier to get a hold of people with technology;

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I don’t have to waste gas when I can just call!”

Do you watch more T.V. than you do homework?

Surprisingly 100 percent said no, and out of those 100, about 70 percent said that they rarely watch T.V. at all.

Could it be that more people are spending time on Myspace and Facebook?

Then the final question…What would you do without technology for a week?

Every single person said that they would just be outdoors more and spend more time with family and friends.

Well if that’s the case, we should take it away for a week!

Shouldn’t spending time outdoors and spending more time with family and friends be something that happens regardless of whether or not we are all fiddling around with our gadgets?

If you ask me, I believe that we are too dependent on technology. Just think about all the computers in the world crashing tomorrow… What would happen?

So the Pierce College student body disagrees that we are all too dependent on technology. I mean, obviously it’s made our lives easier and more convenient, but really, has it gone too far? Imagine a world without all of the technology! We propose a week of just laying off of going online and MySpace-ing and texting, and we suggest that people just live. Go somewhere you’ve always wanted to go, read a book, play sports with your siblings and get to know your neighbors.

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HAUNTED HAVENS

By M at t Po we r s an d Ant ho n y Vi e r r a

Black Lake Asylum

Anthony Vierra

Most noticeable is the Black Lake Asylum, whose posters have haunted the notice-boards of Pierce College for weeks.

Located downstairs in Freighthouse Square in Tacoma, the tour through this breathtakingly creepy Halloween attraction is sure to scare the living daylights out of you and your friends.

Created by master designer Ben Isitt, who has worked on the sets of Army of Darkness, Jurassic Park and Star Trek-The Next Generation. He helped to sculpt the E.T. Ride at Universal Studios, an attraction that has gained the word-of-mouth reputation of being one truly gruesome and terrifying experience.

It’s open on Oct. 29 from 6-10 p.m., and Oct. 30 and Oct. 31 from 6 p.m. to midnight.

Tickets cost $13. Cash only or purchase tickets in advance online.

Bring along a nonperishable food item for My Sister’s Pantry and receive $1 off the ticket price at the door.

You can bet that you are going to get your money’s worth at this place.

As a bonus you can also get your picture taken in a coffin, the cost goes toward helping the local charity It’s My Bag. Just be sure to watch out for some of the Asylum’s patients, as in this actor-driven event not all of the props are fakes.

With a series of more than 19 switchbacked rooms, and including everything from a psycho dentist office, to a terrifying laboratory, we at The Puyallup Post give it eight points out of 10 on the Scare Scale.

Fright Factory

Another premiere attraction that has been in business since 1969 through its various incarnations is the extremely scream-worthy

Matt Powers

Fright Factory, which will be operating for the fifth year out of its current location at 400 A St. in Buckley.

This place has both the experience, the gumption, and the ability to scare you silly, in fact this event is so absolutely terrifying that the all volunteer cast at the end of the year party delivers an award to the actor who made the most people pee their pants, this being the coveted “Whizzer Award.”

Let’s put this in another way, when Diane Wink, financial coordinator, asked some of the actors putting on their makeup on the evening of Oct. 11, “You wanna make someone pee themselves?” Everyone in the room raised their hands.

This event is chilling, nervewracking and sure to be an absolute delight for anyone who has the willpower to face down their greatest fears, or even for those who don’t but enjoy being dragged along by those who do!

The Fright Factory has something for everyone, from the latest Sweeney Todd room to the shocking vampire pit to the pitch-black Everlasting Maze.

But don’t worry; you can be assured that this is a perfectly safe event with very experienced actors and security on site to keep care of any problems that might arise.

Having managed to get a behind-thescenes tour by do-everything man Harold The Puyallup Post is here to assure you that this attraction is absolutely worth the low price of $8, and if you show up with canned food donation for the local food bank you will receive a $1 discount off the general admission price.

It’s open Oct. 28 to Oct. 30 from 7-9:30 p.m. and Oct. 31 from 7-11 p.m.

The Puyallup Post gives the Fright Factory 10 out of 10 points on the Scare Scale.

For more information or directions, visit the Fright Factory website at www.frightfactory.net.

Well, with all of these frightful events to look forward to it is no wonder that so many claim Halloween their favorite holiday.

So this Halloween be sure to stop by one of the many haunted havens in your local area; just remember to be safe and have a very scary Halloween.

Matt Powers

Anthony Vierra

This Halloween, if you are wanting a big scare or a little fright, then you need to check out some of the local Halloween events, which include everything from the classic Haunted Hay Ride in Puyallup to the downright chilling and new Black Lake Haunted Asylum in Tacoma. Or perhaps a trip to Buckley and the dreadfully eerie Fright Factory is more your style?

Fun Places For Kids

•410-Farm Fresh Produce, 24015 SR 410, Buckley

•Sasaki Farms, 188th Street E., Orting

•Double R Farms, Off River Road Turn onto 44th St East Next to Duris Cucumber Farm

•Scholz Farm, 12920 SR 162 E. Orting •Spooner Farms, 9710 S. R. 162 E.

•Loves Farm, 2010 Meridian E., Edgewood

•Remlinger Farms Pumpkin Harvest Festival 32610 NE 32nd St., Carnation

•Maris Farms Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze 24713 Sumner-Buckley Hwy, Buckley

•Rutledge Corn Maze, 302 93rd Ave SE. Olympia

•Pichas’ Berry Farm and Pumpkin Patch 66th Avenue E and 52nd Street E, Puyallup O C T O B E R

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