The Merciad Oct 29, 2014

: Sports On Page 7:

: Features on Page 4:

Women’s hockey

Warde Hall decks its

sweeps the weekend

door for Halloween

Arts & Entertainment on Page 5: ‘A Most Wanted Man’ found in Taylor Little Theater

Read more inside & online

The Merciad

Est. 1929 Vol. 88 No. 7

Mercyhurst university

‘Cabaret’ sells out

Wednesday, october 29, 2014

Wolf, Kelly lead in ‘Hurst survey

By Jose Nufio Staff writer

Sami Rapp photo

From left to right: Leah Miori, Claudia Cauchi, Bethany Sulecki, and Taylor Bookmiller perform in a musical number for Mercyhurst’s performance of ‘Cabaret.’ The performance in Taylor Little Theater sold out on Friday and Saturday nights.

The Mercyhurst Center for Applied Politics (MCAP) has released its newest polls on Pennsylvania voters giving Republican Mike Kelly a lead in the congressional race.

On Oct. 13-21, 503 registered voters of the Pennsylvanian’s Third Congressional District (PA-3), were polled

by Mercyhurst students about their opinions on the 2014 midterm elections, Congress’s performance, and their concerns about Ebola.

The poll was overseen

by MCAP Director Joseph Morris, Ph.D., along with about 120 Mercyhurst students who conducted the polls.

“This semester we worked with approximately 120 students and each student gave a great effort,” said Morris.

“They were an excellent group of students.”

On the race for governor, MCAP polling found that Democratic candidate Tom Wolf has a 7-point lead over Republican governor Tom

Corbett among registered voters (40%-47%) and likely voters (41%-48%). Almost half of voters (48%) have bad opinions when it comes to Corbett.

The MCAP found that most PA-3 voters favor having Mike Kelly serve another term in Congress. Kelly has a 20-point advantage over Democratic contender, Dan LaVallee. The polls show that three out of four (73%) PA-3 voters don’t even recognize his name.

Morris sees this as a bad news for LaVallee and expects a good year for Kelly.

“Having extremely low name recognition a week before election day presents a serious, perhaps insurmountable, problem for the LaVallee campaign,” said Morris, in a news release Although Congressman Kelly has strong support, most voters are unhappy with the work of congress in general. Two out of three voters think Congress is doing a poor job, with 94% of voter giving Congress bad marks.

(Continued on Page 2)

Mercyhurst revises its guidelines for mission

By Nathan Turner News Editor

Mercyhurst revised an old policy and student organizations have been informed of updates to guidelines based on recommendations from a task forced assembled by President Tom Gamble.

The directives were originally developed in 2004, and were annually sent to student organizations through the vice-president for student life. The scope of the directives has been widened from just registered student clubs and organizations to apply to the whole university community. The directives aim to be mutually respectful of the university’s “Catholic identity and its Mercy heritage”, as well as its obligation as an institution

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of higher education.

The guidelines seek to help ensure a healthy relationship between the university and the bishop of Erie. In the ongoing process of revising and strengthening the directives, Sister Lisa Mary McCartney, RSM, said, “What we tried to do is try to find way to respect the fact that the Bishop needs to know in situations where conflict could arise, and where Mercyhurst has a responsibility to let him know.”

McCartney discussed the bestowment of the Archbishop Oscar Romero award upon Sister Simone Campbell, an event which resulted in Erie People for Life staging a protest outside the university gates in response to her support for Obamacare. “No one knew that [the award] was going to be a problem, or that

People for Life was coming,” she said. The goal of the document is to avoid surprises and keep open the path for dialogue between Mercyhurst and the bishop of Erie.

Bishop Lawrence J. Persico has been in discussion with Gamble since last spring.

According to Persico, “under Ex Corde Ecclesia, the document on higher Catholic education, there’s a role of the diocesan bishop to have some vigilance on what occurs within any university or college that uses the name ‘Catholic.’”

The “vigilance” of the bishop takes multiple forms.

As the bishop of the Diocese of Erie, he is the chairman of the Board of Trustees at Gannon University, which is organized under the diocesan structure, he has “direct com-

munication with Dr. Taylor [the president of Gannon University].”

The nature of Mercyhurst, originally organized under a religious order, the Sisters of Mercy, as opposed to under the diocesan structure, results in “a different relationship.”

However, Persico says that he “still wants to have conversation with the university, and make sure they don’t do anything contrary to the Church’s teaching.”

The issue of outside speakers coming to Mercyhurst and discussing ideas which may run contrary to the Church’s teaching remains “one of the things we have to have discussion on,” according to Bishop Persico.

The mission statement references Church documents which call for a Catholic uni-

versity to examine “the secular sciences such as psychology and sociology,” the Bishop said that while “dialogue is important,” there also “has to be a balance” between the promotion of ideas which run contrary to the Church’s teaching and the Church’s actual teaching.

“You could have someone who comes in who probably has an opposite view of what the Church teaches, but in fairness to the students and the community, they need know what exactly the teaching is.”

The guidelines are laying the groundwork to determine how to facilitate the balance between promoting the teachings of the Church and promoting academic dialogue, while the path of dialogue with the Bishop open.

The policy does have teeth.

It also states that “in the event that any university academic department or student organization bypasses the Review Board and bestows an honor/award or produces a publication in conflict with Affirmation and Guidelines, that organization will be subject to an inquiry by members of the Review Board, who may recommend that the university president take formal disciplinary action.”

Online Poll Results 21% Cabaret 38% Drunken Pumpkin 17% Haunted Hurst 25% I don’t go out much

Be sure to vote in this week’s online poll: Are you going to get into all the classes you need?

merciad.mercyhurst.edu

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Page 2

October 29 , 2014

The Merciad

News

Hiring plans for 2015-16 undetermined

By Karah Hollis Staff writer

Mercyhurst Vice President of Academic Affairs Phil Belfiore Ph.D, says that there is no hold at this time on hiring new faculty for the next academic year, 2015-16.

Belfiore will sit down over the course of the current year with President Tom Gamble, Ph.D. of Mercyhurst and discuss options in allocating money for the next year. The number of new faculty hired next year will depend on how

much money is available and how many other departmental needs there are, Belfiore said.

“There is no faculty hiring freeze. We have never had a freeze on faculty hiring in the years I have been in [the Office of Academic Affairs],” Belfiore said.

Decisions are based on a number of aspects including whether the university needs something such as furniture, or whether a department needs a new professor.

“There are only so many openings this year,” Belfiore said. “I will go back to the

deans [of the schools] and decide on how many teachers are hired.”

New faculty for next year will be hired over the next several months, Belfiore said.

New professors start the academic year in September, the same time as students. They are usually hired the year before they begin teaching.

Decisions on hiring new faculty are based on the budget, which is directly related to enrollment. Depending on the amount of incoming freshmen and transfers, the budget allows for more or less

money for hiring. However, if a professor leaves or retires, that position in the academic department will be filled, Belfiore said. After the budget is proposed, the president decides where the money will go so as to best to benefit the students, Belfiore said.

Once the president authorizes a budget, the university’s Board of Trustees must also give its stamp of approval.

Hiring a new professor takes time and consideration.

Certain data—new enrollment, including transfers, the number of majors and

minors, and if those majors and minors relate to the university core curriculum—are part of the decision process, Belfiore said.

For example, Philosophy is a part of the core curriculum, but has few students who major in it. Even though it is not a popular major, it still needs a large staff to support the core classes.

Belfiore said the administration also considers whether the new professor can add something unique to the position—combining a current major with another subject.

This is another reason why the process takes so long, he said. “It’s one big puzzle. It’s just getting the pieces to fit together,” Belfiore said.

The main focus of the university, however, is the students. Its goals are to provide innovative academic programs and keep students safe.

“The bottom line is students,” Belfiore said.

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Empty Bowls takes first place in Corbett, Kelly Second Harvest Bread Box Awards lead in polls

By Nathan Turner News Editor

Mercyhurst University won first place in the “College/ Technical School” division of the 2014 Bread Box Awards from the Second Harvest Food Bank for raising the most money to promote awareness for and combat hunger.

The Empty Bowls project was largely responsible for Mercyhurst winning the award, an event that raised $4,500 for the Second Harvest Food Bank. This large resulted in the food bank being able to buy $76,500 worth of food for those in need The Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwestern Pennsylvania gives Bread Box Awards to finalists in nine cat-

egories: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, College/Technical School, Individual, Church, Organization, Big Business, and Small Business. Mercyhurst was the first place winner in the College/Technical School category and was a finalist in the overall category. Lilly Broadcasting won first place overall.

Social Work Club and Art Education Club collaborated last winter to put on the Empty Bowls event in April. The project relied on the organizational work of the Social Work Club to reach out to local businesses and secure donations of soup and bread. Art Education made the ceramic bowls which were distributed to those who came to the event.

Empty Bowls was not solely responsible for Mercy-

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hurst’s victory. Maggie Switzer, a junior Social Work Club member, said, “There were other clubs which did projects for Second Harvest, which were included [in the amount of money raised by the university].”

“Mercyhurst Farm also donates food to Second Harvest,” Michelle Ahrens, also a junior Social Work Club member, said, giving further examples of how Mercyhurst helped the food bank.

Empty Bowls also increased Second Harvest’s interest in Mercyhurst. According to Michelle, “they called a meeting at the end of the year, because they want to do it every year, and they wanted to get Second Harvest more involved in the event.”

The Art Education Club also donated a significant

amount of time to the project and helped coordinate donations from other places, such as Collegiate Academy and Mercyhurst Prep. Sabrina VanTine, a junior in the Art Education club, was pleased to see how much the community volunteered for Second Harvest. “We got to see our work pay off,” she said. “We gave them a lot of help.”

Empty Bowls is not solely a Mercyhurst initiative. It is a national event which takes place in communities across the US. The event was successful as well as encouraging others to continue volunteering within the event. Sabrina said she would “absolutely” do it again if able.

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(Continued from Page 1) Three out of four (74%) believe that Congress has not passed any legislation that will significantly improve life in the country or theirs in particular.

“This paradox is not uncommon,” Morris said. “Americans often give low marks to Congress, but are satisfied with the job performance of their representative.”

President Obama is not doing much better than Congress. Two out of three voters (61%) disapprove of his job as a president. Less than one out of three voters (29%) approve.

The polls also found that there is a strong concern among voters regarding the Ebola virus. Most voters of

the PA-3 (99%) have heard about the cases of Ebola found in Texas. Almost three out of four voters (78%) are concerned about the virus spreading to the rest of the country within the next year.

A majority of 60% are scared that it will come into their communities. Despite the concern, a majority of 78% of voters are confident that the nation can prevent the spread.

Morris believes that this was a very successful semester for MCAP and the students who did the polling are very lucky to have done so.

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MSG Minutes 10-27

By Melanie Todd Staff writer

Mercyhurst Student Government (MSG) held their first town hall style meeting Monday, Oct. 27. All student government meetings are open for anyone to sit in on.

The goal of this new format was to promote student involvement. President Nick Latta said, “We wanted to open up the floor to everyone in a more free, public space.”

However, there were a total of five students outside of MSG present. MSG will continue to promote their meetings and encourage students to attend.

MSG member, Lindsay Rowe presented the idea of Mercyhurst hosting an Alex’s Lemonade Stand. “I was wondering if you guys would be interested in hosting a lemonade stand in the spring,” Rowe said. She has talked to the Firebird restaurant in the Millcreek Mall about receiving discount lemonade as part of the fundraiser. The Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation provides free advertising for the fundraiser. MSG will revisit the idea at a later date.

MSG will continue to work with students in order to address both food and hous-

ing concerns across campus.

The significant changes to the Laker have been the focus, but Egan Dining Hall is also of main concern. Students can discuss their opinions and concerns to any member of MSG. President Latta said, “I will open the floor for concerns.” None were given and again members were told to encourage their friends to attend meetings and have their voice heard.

Club members and leadership are also encouraged to attend meetings and voice any concerns they may have.

Caleb Ohmer, Vice President, presented a “motion to approve” a Russian Club as an official Mercyhurst University club. This motion was met with unanimous approval from MSG. Next, AJ Zahuranec, Treasurer, discussed philanthropy requests. MSG unanimously approved “allocating $100 to Habitat for Humanity, who will then donate it to a superior branch” of the organization. Also unanimously approved was the Fashion Council’s request for MSG “to donate a match of $100 to the American Cancer Society.”

The weekend’s events of Mini Golf and Haunted Hurst

were briefly addressed. SAC Chair, Michelle Farley said, “Mini Golf had 65 people attend” and “300 for Haunted Hurst, which filled all the available slots.”

Megan Lawrence, Events Coordinator, announced upcoming events of the Beer Tasting and Spring Speaker.

She looks forward to the Beer Tasting. Lawrence said, “They’ll teach us about Beer and let us sample some of their stuff.” The spring speaker Frank Abagnale will talk about “How he’s a good guy now and turning your life around,” said Lawrence. MSG is looking to partner with the Tom Ridge School to bring students to the event.

Lastly, Garrett Erwin, the Public Relations Coordinator addressed an MSG newsletter and social media sharing.

A week before finals MSG will publish a newsletter to help keep students informed.

Erwin discussed utilizing social media as a tool for students as well. It’s really important that you guys [MSG members] share the statuses,” Erwin said in an effort to expand student government outreach. @TheMerciad

Admiral Laker’s Police Brief Admiral Laker knows that variety is the spice of life.

Sometimes a glass of root beer can be just as good as a cask of sherry wine. Unfortunately, this week’s baddies knew it, too.

Our first transgression came in the Duval Apartments on Wednesday morning. Admiral Laker knows how important it is to ask permission to come aboard.

There was also a theft in the Rec Center on Friday.

While no details were provided, Admiral Laker hopes no peasants were trying to steal the gains of the gym bros. There’s apt to be so much pre workout involved that things might get ugly.

The residents of Duval Apartments had a bad week.

In addition to the trespassing, a student was cited for

possession of a control substance on Saturday. And no, kiddies, it was not the delicious, yet no longer domestically available, Warhead Lollipops. Admiral Laker thinks the discontinuing of that product is the real crime here.

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October 29, 2014

Page 3

The Merciad

Features

Academic Support to host M&M Fair

By Melanie Todd Contributing writer

This year’s Majors and Minors (M&M) Fair to be held Wednesday, Oct. 29, in the Mercy Heritage Room from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m., plans to offer students a chance to explore academic concentrations.

At the fair, faculty and upperclassmen of various departments on campus will be available to explain more about their respective majors and minors to students.

Sample questions will be provided to students unsure of what to ask in order to ensure that curious students who attend the event will leave with a better understanding of the different major and minor opportunities at Mercyhurst.

The fair has been a staple for the last five years according to Assistant Vice President for Academic

Affairs Andrea Barnett.

“Even faculty learns from this. It helps spread the culture of knowledge,” Barnett said.

Erica Cox, an Academic Counselor said “The goal of the fair is, number one, to provide a resource for students to explore…we really like this to be a casual thing for students and faculty.”

“It’s a fun event in general having everyone in one place,” she said.

Switching majors is by no means an uncommon occurrence, according to Cox. “On average 50 to 70 percent of college students will change their major at least once, nationally,” said Cox. “This is pretty true to what we see [at the fair].”

“We actually, even before freshmen arrive on campus, see 20 to 30 students change majors,” she said.

This year there is an added focus on minors. Having a minor “is one

of the beauties of a liberal arts school,” Cox said.

As high schools work to prepare students for college, “more and more students are bringing credits with them, freeing up room in their major,” Barnett said.

Each year the fair grows as new ideas and feedback is gained from the previous year.

“The displays have become pretty creative, like a trade show,” Barnett said.

New this year, students can guess the number of M&Ms in a bowl for a chance to win the bowl of M&Ms, in accordance with Halloween spirit.

The Office of Academic Support is located on the first floor of Egan.

Sami Rapp photo

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The Office of Academic Support advertises the Majors and Minors Fair around campus.

‘Hurst promotes Alcohol Awareness Week activities

By Austin Hembree Contributing writer

This week Mercyhurst’s Campus Involvement Center is spreading Alcohol Awareness throughout campus.

There will be several events in the Student Union Great Room all week long providing students with activities as alternatives to drinking.

On Thursday, there will be Peer Educators Pledge Signing as well as the main event, referred to as “Don’t be a Drunken Pumpkin.” The event will include pumpkin

painting, costume contests and prizes. On Friday there will be various events including Harry Potter Revealed, a Halloween Party and a Haunted Club Hockey Game.

Kristy Jamison, Leadership & Outreach Coordinator for Campus Involvement Center, said the upcoming activities will not be conventional. “‘Don’t be a Drunken Pumpkin’ is not just a come and hang out event like a normal weekend programming event would be like. We will have an adult-sized tricycle and beer goggles from Residence Life, so there will

be an obstacle course that students can put on the goggles and ride the tricycle around and kind of get an idea of what driving under the influence could be like,” Jamison said.

Jamison added that there would be “plenty of food” for students in attendance.

Michael Grasso, Assistant Director for Residence Life & Student Conduct, believes this year will be a huge success after seeing such positive results last year.

“In previous years, we tried to have a lot of little events and we had some people

Mini Job Fair scheduled

By Amanda Moore Contributing writer

A specialized job fair for Hospitality and Intelligence majors will be held Wednesday, Nov. 5.

Dubbed “Hospitality and Intel Career Palooza,” this job fair will feature nine private intelligence contractors (including BAE Systems, G3 Technologies and Prescient Edge) and 10 hospitality companies (including Hyatt, Omni and Sheritan).

It is taking place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Center for Academic Engagement, where some Hospitality majors will be supplying the food to potential employers.

The reason the event is focused on Intelligence and Hospitality majors is due to the school’s main career fair being held so late, according to associate director of the Career Development Center Frank Rizzone.

“There were two majors on campus who were disadvantaged by the later fair,” said Rizzone. “That was because their recruiting schedule in the Intel world need more time to

process security clearances and our hospitality folks like to have things lined up for the upcoming summer.”

Some companies at the fair are being represented by Mercyhurst alumni and have never been recruiting on campus before.

“Ninety percent of the Intel companies are brand new and have never been on campus before. At least one of them is actually run by [Mercyhurst] alumni,” Rizzone said.

With a need for both interns and full time employees, many of the companies are searching for a wide range of applicants.

“There is one recruiter at the fair who will also be open to students in accounting or management. They have a manager training program and they are specifically looking for folks for that,” Rizzone said.

Dolores Griswold, Career Fair Coordinator and Administrative Assistant, advises student to be as prepared as possible.

“Remember the basics of a career fair. Dress nice, be professional, bring at least 10 resumes and do not wait until

[the end of the fair] to go,” Griswold said.

In order to make sure students are prepared, the Career Development Center is reaching out a helping hand.

“If students need help with resumes, they need to come see us. We can help and advise them with that and if they go to the DocuCenter, we will cover the cost of 10 resumes printed on nice paper,” Rizzone said.

Rizzone advises students to broaden their horizons at the career fair.

“The key is to do homework ahead of time. Find three or four companies you really want. Concentrate your efforts on those. As time permits, explore other options.

So many students come up to me and say ‘I didn’t know they had this program’,” Rizzone said.

For a full list of the companies attending, go to your CareerConnect Account, find ‘“Career Events,” and scroll down to “Nov 5. Hospitality and Intel Career Palooza.”

come to them, but last year we tried to revamp it so we came up with the ‘Drunken Pumpkin’ idea and tried to do one big event with a couple other smaller events. We did have success. We had more people at that event than we ever did at a previous year’s event so we decided to continue it and try it again this year,” Grasso said.

Jeremy Thomas, a junior Athletic Training major, feels that raising awareness about drinking responsibly will be highly beneficial for the Mercyhurst community.

“Drinking irresponsibly

just leads to a lot of unnecessary problems. I think it is good that the school is trying to raise awareness about it.

Obviously people are going to drink, but I think the increased awareness will somewhat limit the amount of irresponsible drinkers,” Thomas said.

Janine Boucher, a senior Sports Medicine major, said the events held during Alcohol Awareness week are great for students who want have fun without feeling they have to drink.

“It seems like a lot of people go out drinking because there is not much else to do on

campus so it is cool that the school is sponsoring a bunch of Halloween events for kids who do not want to go out,” Boucher said.

“Don’t be a Drunken Pumpkin,” starts at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday and is being held in the Student Union Great Room. Friday’s events begin at 5 p.m. and the Haunted Club Hockey Game will be held at 9:50 p.m.

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LAKER MOMENT

Salina Bowe photos

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MSG Spring speaker announced Mercyhurst Student Government’s senior events coordinator, Megan Lawrence, announced the next Spring Featured Speaker will be Frank Abagnale, the person who was the basis for the 2002 movie “Catch Me If You Can.” He will speak here on Feb. 24, 2015.

The movie was based on Abagnale’s early years as a professional con artist. He posed as an airline pilot, prosecutor and doctor, eventually cashing over millions of dol-

lars in fraudulent checks, all before his 19th birthday.

Now that Abagnale has served his time for these serious offenses, he works as an American security consultant and professional speaker.

During his upcoming February visit, Abagdale will be speaking in the Performing Arts Center to students, staff, faculty and the public about his journey through life and the positive outlook he now has.

Abagnale will be sharing

his background and personal story with the community and preaching about being in control of his life in hopes of inspiring students to do the same.

This past Friday, Oct. 24, Mercyhurst University’s UNICEF Club hosted a Luau Party in the Student Union Great Room in contrast to the dreary Erie fall weather. The event featured music and refreshments and encouraged voluntary donations to the club.

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By Salina Bowe

Page 4

Features ‘Hurst alumna returns as new faculty

The Merciad

Residents participate in contest Left: Resident Assistants Dylan Radtke, Toni Zusinas, Aaron Crecraft, Christine Jablonski, Sarah Gravante, Jonelle Stewart, L.J. Yurick and Hall Director Ciara Wadding

By Austin Hembree Contributing writer

Mercyhurst welcomed 14 new faculty members this year, among whom was Mercyhurst graduate Gena Kost.

Gena Kost, M.A., instructor of world languages, graduated from Mercyhurst in 1987 with an English Education Degree.

Kost devotes much of her time at Mercyhurst toward working with students transitioning over from other countries.

“I teach in the Intensive English Program, so I teach the English language to international students who need to gain a level of proficiency in English high enough to be able to enter college,” Kost said.

In addition, Kost also teaches an education class that all education majors in Pennsylvania are required to take, known as Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. It is an introductory course for pre-service teachers English as Second Language (ESL) students.

The class prepares future teachers for knowing what to “do if you are teaching fourth grade and a Chinese student shows up in your class and does not speak English,” Kost said.

Having not been at Mercyhurst for quite some time, Kost said that her favorite aspect of Mercyhurst from a teaching perspective is the challenging students to help them learn.

“I like hearing students say about other classes and mine, ‘This is a hard class but I learned a lot,’ because I have friends and acquaintances who worked at other universities or studied under universities and the standards are not as high,” said Kost. “We challenge students to think but still find ways to be creative to help them have alternatives.”

Even after being away from Mercyhurst for several years, Kost continues to see it as an environment she is familiar with and comfortable working in.

“Everyone wants to work at their favorite place and Mercyhurst still really feels like a home,” said Kost. “It seems like the students feel at home here too.”

October 29, 2014

Photo Story by Sami Rapp

Sarah Loomis and Kristen Rowland stand in front of their freshly decorated door .

Warde Residents and door decorating contestants Bianca Balcaen and Gabby Mcgrogan.

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Zada Husab Johanna Quinn showcase their decorative residence.

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On Tuesday, Oct. 28, several Warde Hall residents got into the Halloween spirit and participated in a door decorating contest. Students put their spookiness skills to the test in a friendly competition.The halls smelled like the spirit of creativity and glue as students put the finishing touches on their doors. The mix of spider webs and angry pumpkins gave one the feeling of entering into an agriculturally friendly Shelob’s lair.

The Merciad

October 29, 2014

Page 5

Arts &

Entertainment

‘Come to the Cabaret,’ and they did

By Sarah Rearick Contributing writer

In the opening scene of “Cabaret,” the Emcee (Nam Nguyen) declares, “Leave your troubles at the door!”

This sardonic, burlesque-style musical embodies the escapism of the 1930s.

The Emcee and his ‘Kit Kat Girls’ were fabulously raunchy and set the darkly provocative tone for the rest of the show.

Set in Nazi Germany in 1931, “Cabaret” expresses the performative nature of people during extreme hardship and the temporary escape that show business offers.

Brett Johnson, Ph.D., so brilliantly brought the Kit-Kat Club to the audience by transforming Taylor Little Theatre into a night club with table seating and a full bar.

Johnson’s approach to theater creates an atmosphere, not just a show.

The moment the audience stepped into the room, they

were pulled into the world of “Cabaret.”

The plot follows an American writer, Cliff Bradshaw (Maxton Honeychurch), as he experiences life in Berlin, Germany.

He soon meets the unforgettable Sally Bowles (Sarah Creighton), who upon being fired from the Kit Kat Club, moves in with Cliff.

When Sally becomes pregnant, the two settle into a relationship that is textured with love, dependence, immaturity, and finding comfort in not being alone.

Though dysfunctional, Sally and Cliff begin to embody a slightly warped American dream.

Creighton owned the stage in her fabulous embodiment as both the comedic and tragic center of the show.

Songs such as “Maybe This Time” and “Cabaret” were windows into Sally’s soul that revealed the depth beneath her carefree façade.

The sub plot follows the life

Jake Lowy photo

“Cabaret” played to sold-out shows.

Sami Rapp photo

The EmCee (Nam nguyen) , along with Clifford Bradshaw (Maxton Honeychurch), welcomed audience members to the Mercyhurst Theatre Department’s production of “Cabaret.”

of Fraulein Schneider (Tonya

Lenhart), the landlord of the

boarding house that falls in love with Herr Schultz (Grant Clark).

The play takes a dark turn when it is revealed that Herr Schultz is a Jew. Suddenly, the political oppressions of the time-period give a dark, cynical tone to the carefree atmosphere of the Kit Kat Club.

Johnson’s artistic decisions created a seamlessly unified production.

His attention to detail regarding staging, transitions, set, lighting, and costumes fed into a cohesive production in which everything existed within the context of the musical.

At the end of the show, the Emcee stood before a backdrop of black and white footage of Nazi Germany.

The actors did not take bows, which left the audience in a reflective silence that was more powerful than any standing ovation.

Bravo to the actors and crew for creating a meaningful, thought-provoking production.

Their interpretation of “Cabaret” held a critical mirror up to the audience through an entertaining, and sardonically funny production.

Mercyhurst Theatre Department’s next production will be a performance of William Shakespeare’s “The Tempest,” Dec. 4-6, at 8 p.m. and Dec. 7 at 2 p.m. You will not want to miss it!

‘A Most Wanted Man’ in TLT ‘Fury,’ more than a war movie

By Naomi Greenstein

By Jake Lowy

Staff writer

Staff writer

It is time to enjoy another Sunday afternoon movie in Taylor Little Theatre.

This week, the theatre will be showing “A Most Wanted Man.” The film stars Phillip Seymour Hoffman as the brilliant chief of a covert German spy unit.

The film takes place in present-day Hamburg, in the large Islamic community, and centers around a half-Chechen, half-Russian man who shows up in the community neardead after being tortured.

He is desperate for help and looking to recover his late Russian father’s fortune.

Everyone is confused because nothing about this man seems to add up; is he a victim, thief or worse still, an extremist set on destruction?

Soon, a British banker and a young lawyer are drawn into his web and are determined

miac photo

Hoffman stars in “A Most Wanted Man,” playing this Sunday.

to defend those who cannot stand up for themselves.

All the while, Hoffman’s character is watching intently, trying to put it all together.

Before Hoffman’s death in February 2014, he gave one last interview to The Associated Press about his role.

Hoffman said, “There’s just something about the story that spoke to me about where I am in my life right now... I

saw myself in it somehow, you know, about being in the middle of your life. It’s as much about that as it’s about man really confronting with what he’s passionately been pursuing.”

The film will be shown in Taylor Little Theatre on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 2 p.m.

Tickets are just $1 for students with their Mercyhurst ID and $5 for adults.

All Around Erie: Spooky Edition

By Megan Pacileo

Arts and Entertainment editor

With Halloween just days away, the Erie community is breaking out the Halloween attractions and gearing up to celebrate.

To help get you in the spooky holiday spirit, take a look at the ghouslish events happening in the Erie area.

Zoo Boo at the Erie Zoo

Online

Enter the Erie Zoo after dark, and get to see the creepy nocturnal animals, not normally seen during daylight zoo hours, come to life.

After the Erie Zoo closes, Zoo Boo attendees are allowed to enter.

Halloween displays are set up around the zoo for viewing as guests wander through the darkened zoo.

Offering fun for all ages, younger kids can go trick-ortreating by visiting booths set up all across the zoo.

Zoo Boo runs until Oct. 30,

and is open from 6-9 p.m.

Tickets are $6 and can be purchased at the gate.

Any questions, call 814-8644091.

DramaShop Presents Dorian Gray The Oscar Wilde novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray” comes alive in this DramaShop production.

The story follows the story of Dorian Gray, a beautiful young man who has his likeness painted.

Fearing that his beauty and youth will one day fade, he curses the painting to carry the burden of his age and his poor actions.

As he ages and commits crimes, the painting grows more and more hideous, showing what Dorian’s soul truly looks like.

The DramaShop production sets the story in a more modern and contemporary setting and flips the gender of several of the main characters.

The show runs from Oct.

Full list of events can be found on the PAC website

30 until Nov. 7.

Tickets are only $5 with a student ID, and can be purchased online or at the theatre at the Renaissance Centre, 1001 State Street, Erie PA 16501.

Eeriebyss Factory of Terror Ready for some terror?

With Halloween right around the corner, the people at Eeriebyss Factory of Terror are ready to scare you silly.

The monsters in the Factory of Terror have been busy with over a 1/2 mile of new scares and scenes set in the 100-yearold home of the dead.

They are open Friday and Saturday 7p.m. to midnight and Sunday 6-10 p.m., running from Oct. 29th until Nov. 1.

Tickets are $20 per person.

Check out their Facebook page to get a $2 off coupon.

They are located at 1053 West 12th Street, Erie, PA 16501. @MeganPacileo

The film “Fury” is an October must-see movie.

It follows five brave men, on a mission where they are horrendously out-manned, to over-power Nazi soldiers.

Set in April 1945, the last month of warring in the European Theater, Allied forces make a final push into Nazi Germany.

Facing an enemy with superior weaponry and firepower, Don ‘Wardaddy’ Collier leads a small Army unit to liberate towns within enemy territory, lead by their tank, Fury.

After a loss of one of their own, Wardaddy takes on a rookie, Norman Ellison, showing him that, “Ideals are peaceful. History is violent.”

While the trailers are eye-catching, the film is beyond jaw-dropping.

fatmovieguy.com photo

“Fury” brings excellent effects and an excellent storyline.

The storyline goes far beyond the commonly used battle and killing style of most war movies.

It takes the audience behind the platoon’s views of the war, as well as the people trying to survive in enemy borders.

On the down side, despite

its amazing explosive effects, the film’s special effects on the bullets look similar to that of the Star Wars blaster fire effects.

On the upside, I applaud the director for going out of his way with this film.

The final stand at the end of the film is a scene so mind-blowing only a brilliant mind could not only create it, but successfully carry it out to the big screen.

Overall it makes my list as one of the top three war films with “Saving Private Ryan” and “Lone Survivor.”

Any history buff or movie fan will enjoy this film.

“Fury” is directed by David Ayer.

The film’s acting talent includes Brad Pitt as Don ‘Wardaddy’ Collier, Logan Lerman (Perks of Being a Wallflower), Michael Pena (American Hustle) and Shia LaBeouf (Transformers).

T Swift ‘Changes’ Everything

By Sami Rapp Photo editor

Well, Taylor Swift fans, “Everything Has Changed,” and they have definitely changed for the better.

T Swift, country music’s sweetheart, has grown up and changed her sound.

On Monday, Swift’s fifth album, “1989,” was released and is the first to have no country sound.

The album sold more than 400,000 copies in the first 24 hours, according to Pop Weekly.

The album’s first single “Shake It Off ” was a major hit when it was first released.

With that song’s video, Swift made it quite clear this wasn’t just another “mainstream” pop album.

In the video, she dances amongst hip-hop dancers, messing up all the moves.

Towards the end of the video she shows her true self: a confident woman dancing with her friends.

Everything about this album was different.

Swift left behind Nashville and moved to New York,

View upcoming performances: www.miac.mercyhurst.edu

creativedisc.com photo

Swift leaves country sounds behind on her new album “1989”.

taking on a new musical persona, as well.

The album’s first song, “Welcome to New York,” is obviously all about the Big Apple.

It seems to really capture the idea of moving and everything the big city is aboutbecoming someone new.

“Blank Space” and “Out of the Woods” were probably my two favorite songs from the album, both about love but with two different directions.

“Blank Space” is all about a new relationship, being young and new beginnings.

“Out of the Woods” is about an ended relationship.

While we are all used to Taylor Swift’s break up songs, this one was different.

It wasn’t about placing blame; it was about remembering the good things from a relationship that has ended.

All in all, this entire album had me dancing around my apartment like a fool for several hours.

The album’s upbeat feel and anthem-like songs really worked.

This album is definitely one of Swift’s best albums.

www.merciad.mercyhurst.edu/ arts_entertainment

October 29, 2014

The Merciad

Page 6

Opinion

The views expressed in the opinion section of The Merciad do not necessarily reflect the views of Mercyhurst University, the staff of The Merciad Relay for Life successful or the Catholic Church. Responses on any subject are always welcomed and can be emailed to opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

Social media sites impact environmental organizations

By Alison Hosko Staff writer

Social media and the Internet dominate today’s society and our generation. As research shows, each day, 25 billion tweets are read and sent 2 billion YouTube videos are watched; and 600 million people log onto Facebook.

These numbers will only increase as time goes on and social media becomes more readily accessible.

Now, in 2014, about 1 billion people are active daily on Facebook; 500 billion tweets are sent a day; and 8 billion hours of videos are watched a month.

Research also shows that change most often begins with the millennial generation starting it. Therefore, environmentalists have to reach millenials – and the best way to do that is through social media.

Although being environ-

mentally conscious is not new, environmental protection agencies, organizations and “go green” campaigns are relatively new to social media and the Internet.

Environmental blogs such as Greenwire and informational sites such as EnviroLink Network began to appear around 1996.

While highly informative, lengthy reads with few pictures fail to capture people’s (like myself) attention.

Facebook pages such as the official World Wildlife Federation and Friends of the Earth pages, have been more successful. The Guardian Environment Twitter page has hundreds of thousands of followers.

The Big Ask environmental network advertises on social media pages. The shock value is intense, and it captures our attention.

When I see something that shocks or disgusts me, not

only do I remember it more, I am more likely to share it with others. An example of this is an ad I saw. The polar bear was muscle just dragging around its skin, and the caption said: “The earth is heating up.”

After that, an act for change.org to sign a petition to protect the environment more popped up, and I signed it. It was easy and made me feel like I was able to help by doing something so small.

Soon, the topics were networked – flowed through multiple forms of communication – on Twitter, Facebook and even Tumblr.

When the change.org petition floated around via Facebook and Twitter, the picture eventually made its way back to me.

Thus microvolunteering applies not just to me, but to my entire generation. The easier and quicker it is to do something, especially some-

thing that doesn’t immediately benefit us, the more likely we are to do it.

I believe that environmental advocacy and groups will continue to pursue and push the envelope of venues.

I know that I tend to pay more attention to Facebook advertisements, tweets and even apps than I do to traditional media or just general avenues.

As a generation and world that is increasingly social media addicted and affluent, bringing it to awareness and persuading it to take action will be more successful through social media and online.

Staff writer

In September, student Alan Abramek produced Mercyhurst’s theme song entitled “It’s Gonna Be A Good Day.” Abramek is currently a junior communications major from Poland.

Along with several other music students, he made this piece possible. The end product is a mix of pop and rap that reflects Abramek’s view of our school.

He “love[s] it here,” because of the campus, “the students, the talent, the work ethic [and] the energy.”

Alan claims “it’s not very often on a college campus that we can bring students together to produce a professional quality music video that speaks to how we feel about being here.”

He gathered a group of at least six Mercyhurst students and three non-Mercyhurst contributors, and then had them all perform the piece.

He then mixed the instruments and vocals together on his computer to create the final product.

The song itself is the length

of any song heard on the radio, and does not sound like it was written for a university.

This makes it unique as it adds a level of interest that it would not have if it directly mentioned Mercyhurst.

This way students and adults from other colleges, as well as families of our students can appreciate it.

Some people question what the purpose of a theme song is for a university.

All colleges already have an alma mater. Mercyhurst’s alma mater is more traditional, and a majority of students do not know the words to their school’s alma mater.

The only reason many people can recognize theirs is because their school is mentioned. Our theme song is much more likely to be remembered and appreciated than our alma mater.

Also, considering Mercy-hurst is an artsy school, it could not hurt to have a theme song to reflect that, and the attitudes present on campus.

@TheMerciad

By Mackenzie Burns Staff writer

On Friday, Oct. 17, David Dausey, Ph.D., Dean of the School of Public Health, appeared on CNN to share his expertise on the rising Ebola concerns in America.

He has also been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today, Fox News Radio, the BBC and CTV. He received his Ph.D. at Yale and is now an international authority on public health.

“Erin Burnett’s staff was wonderful to work with and they made the experience very enjoyable,” Dausey said.

He only wishes there had been more time allotted to debate and discuss Ebola because it is such a significant issue.

Mercyhurst is a small institution; however, Dausey believes that being on national news not only helps with name recognition, “but it also demonstrates to our students that many of our professors are leaders in their respective fields and have valued input into their future direction.”

Dausey also thinks Mercyhurst has “had an

@TheMerciad

Online

fallen into the practice of poor journalism and poor writing.

We would like to sincerely apologize for any confusion we may have caused readers, and also apologize if we offended any members of the music and performing arts community here at Mercyhurst.

The last thing we would attempt to do is insult, berate

or belittle a community which does such excellent work as “Cabaret,” which sold out last weekend.

Any attempts to be humorous, which ceased to be so, may be interpreted as an insult, and believe us, that was not what we intended.

So, again, we would like to extend our sincerest apologies to all those whom we may have insulted or confused in

Read more at

merciad.mercyhurst.edu/opinion

Mercyhurst’s Public Health club started the “Buckle Up” campaign, encouraging students to be safe when driving, and... well... buckle up.

The Bad...

Recently, the printers at the library have been breaking down. This does not help students who are trying to print their papers once they are done. There has to be a solution before students go on strike for the printers.

We apologize for the mistake in last week’s issue about the Blues Brothers Revue Performance. This was an ugly mistake, we hope it will never happen again.

impact on the policy debate around Ebola and how we as a nation should be responding.”

While on air, Dausey mentioned how “commercial airlines are not trained and their staff are not trained to respond to a deadly infectious disease outbreak.”

He claims that because “the disease itself is very difficult to contain,” airlines are one of the easiest ways for the disease to spread.

Most people have only heard about Mercyhurst if they live in or near Erie.

Hopefully, people outside of Erie will take him seriously, as they should due to his credentials.

While we have had Mercyhurst professors and students on local news, it is not often that a professor has the opportunity to be featured on national news.

According to Dausey, “this has been a gratifying experience because we’ve helped to broaden the discussion of policy options.” This is definitely a step in the right direction for Mercyhurst.

@TheMerciad

Apology for Blues Brothers’ mistake On Oct 21, the Merciad ran an opinion titled “Blues Brothers in TLT disappoints fans.”

This article was factually incorrect and it should not have run. We apologize for not checking the facts of the story before writing it.

We understand that in the process of attempting to be humorous, we have overstepped the boundaries and

The final performance of “Cabaret” was this past weekend. The play brought on positive feedback from the audience. It was a truly “Cabaret” experience sitting on the stage. The show sold out for every performance.

The Ugly...

Student produces Dausey speaks MU theme song on CNN news

By Mackenzie Burns

The Good...

the incorrect article which we wrote in the Oct. 21 issue of the Merciad.

The new app PhotoMath solves math problems by pointing the phone camera at the equation. This is just going to make people more lazy than usual.

What’s next? A robot that can make your tests for you?

The Weird...

With the hype of Halloween, people are coming up with unique costumes to stand out from the crowd.

Seriously people, sexy Ebola costume? There has to be something better than that.

The Merciad Editors Zach Dorsch Jordan Power Nathan Turner Ryan Kushner Carly Contraguerro Megan Pacileo Marcela Delgado Mary Barnes Sami Rapp Ethan Johns Will DeFeo Bill Welch

Positions @mercyhurst.edu Editor-in-Chief editormerciad Writing Coach jpower57 newsmerciad News Editor Features Editor featuremerciad Sports Editor sportsmerciad A&E Editor entertainmentmerciad Opinion Editor opinionmerciad Copy Editor copymerciad Photo Editor photomerciad Web Editor ejohns89 Ad Manager admerciad Adviser wwelch

The Merciad is the official student-produced newspaper of Mercyhurst University. It is published throughout the school year, with the exception of finals weeks. Our office is in Hirt, Room 120B. Our telephone number is (814) 824-2376.

-The Merciad Staff

@TheMerciad

The Merciad welcomes letters to the editor. All letters must be signed and names will be included with the letters. Although we will not edit the letters for content, we reserve the right to trim letters to fit. Letters are due Mondays by noon and may not be more than 300 words. Submit letters to box PH 485 or via email at opinionmerciad@mercyhurst.edu.

Write for The Merciad, email editormerciad@mercyhurst.edu

October 29, 2014

Page 7

The Merciad

Sports

Football wins fourth straight

By Tim Reed

Contributing writer

After a phenomenal win vs. Slippery Rock at the Big House, the Laker football team made the short trip to Erie Veteran Memorial Stadium on Thursday night, Oct. 23, to take on the 1-5 Edinboro Fighting Scots.

The first half was slow for both teams as neither was able to score in the first quarter.

Edinboro’s offense saw some life in the second quarter registering three points with a 23-yard field goal.

The Lakers answered immediately on the ensuing drive, when sophomore Dylan Kondis tied the game with a 21-yard field goal.

With 40 seconds to go in the first half, Edinboro caught the Laker defense off guard as quarterback Cody Harris led the fighting Scots on a drive of over 90 yards and a touchdown.

This led the Lakers into the half hesitant, but not intimidated because being down at the half is something that

Salina Bowe photo

Redshirt senior defensive lineman Jazz Wright (94) made his first career sack on Edinboro’s quarter back during Thursday’s night game at Erie Veteran Memorial Stadium.

Mercyhurst experienced in its previous game against Slippery Rock.

Redshirt sophomore fullback Trae Williams said the locker room was not too tense during halftime.

“Coach Shaetzle calmly told

us that we knew what we had to do, but had to just get out there and actually execute it, have confidence like we did in our previous wins,” Williams said.

It was obvious that the coaches got to the players at

halftime and made adjustments to the play book, as the Lakers scored on their first possession of the third quarter.

Faced with a fourth and six from the Edinboro 36-yard line, redshirt junior Bren-

dan Boylan threw a pass to redshirt senior R.J. Miller, gaining 20 yards and a first down. This would lead to a 57-yard touchdown pass from Boylan to redshirt senior wide receiver Steven Yarborough, giving Mercyhurst the lead with three minutes in the third quarter.

Boylan completed 19 of 33 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns, while also recording two more touchdowns on the ground. This was Boylan’s third consecutive 300-yard passing game, breaking the school record.

Notable aids to Boylan’s pass attack were junior wide receiver Jaquan Williams, who had six receptions for 91 yards and Steven Yarbough, who collected two receptions for 112 yards and two touchdowns.

The Laker defense played great as well, holding Edinboro to just 10 points and shutting them out in the second half. Junior linebacker Joe Dever led the Lakers with nine tackles and broke up two passes, while both freshman

Austin Brooks and senior Jazz Wright recorded their first career sacks.

However, the key defensive play for the Lakers took place in the fourth quarter.

Edinboro had the ball at first and goal, with a great opportunity to tie the game.

Scots running back Anfreenee Williams ran the ball up the middle but was met by freshmen defensive lineman Michael Gonzalez. This caused a fumble, which senior linebacker Pat Behm picked up for a touchback, further securing a Laker victory.

The final score of the night was 31-10, as the Lakers gained their fourth straight win, improving to an overall record of 4-4 moving them up to fourth place in the PSAC west.

Mercyhurst will play its final road game of the season on Saturday, Nov. 1 at noon when they travel to Greensburg, PA., to take on the 2-6 Seton Hill Griffins. @TheMerciad

Women’s hockey sweeps Minnesota State

By Amanda Moore Contributing writer

Ashley Favata photo

Sophomore Megan Whiddon (10) scored two goals on Friday’s game bringing the team to a 5-2 victory.

The Mercyhurst women’s hockey team increased their record to 6-1-1 after defeating Minnesota State University – Mankato back to back on Friday and Saturday.

The team trained especially hard for these games and came prepared, winning,5-1, on Friday and 2-1 on Saturday.

“We looked at videos of the team playing. We watched them playing d-zone and power plays so we knew how to defend against them,” junior Emily Janiga said.

During Friday’s game, freshman Sarah Robello scored the first goal of the game, assisted by junior Lauren Kilroy in the second quarter. At the 14:48 mark, sophomore Megan Whiddon scored on the Mavericks to give the Lakers a 2-0 lead.

The women kept their momentum going into the third period, holding off Minnesota State.

Robello scored again and Janiga recorded an assist on the play. This was Robello’s second goal of the game.

Responding to Robello’s goal just a few minutes later was junior Jenna Dingeldein who improved the Laker’s score to 4-0.

Minnesota State scored one goal in the third period but the Lakers took their 4-goal advantage back at the end of the game.

On a power play, Whiddon scored her second goal of the game off of a pass from senior Caroline Luczak to finish the game, 5-1.

The Lakers outshot the Mavericks 45-18.

On Saturday, Mercyhurst came back just as strong.

In the first period, Janiga scored her fifth goal of the season to put the Lakers on the board.

During the second period, the second goal of the game was scored by sophomore Taylor Accursi after a faceoff win by junior Kathy Donohue.

The team had a busy weekend. Not only did they play these games, but they also held their Beef and Beatles Fundraiser in Egan Hall Saturday.

Tickets were $50 and there were live and silent auctions offering autographed posters, golf packages and dinner packages.

“It’s a great fundraiser to get our name out there and let out alumni know how we are doing,” Michael O’Grady, women’s ice hockey assistant coach said.

The team feels the fundraiser brings a lot of people together who normally would not have time.

“Since some people live really far away from here, most people don’t see their families a lot. This brings everyone together at least once in our season so everyone can enjoy our accomplishments so far,” Janiga said.

The team also raised money for a different cause during the dinner.

“We sold DVD bios of

our players. Proceeds went to a girl on our team, Kaleigh Chippy, who was hospitalized with Guillain-Barré Syndrome, which paralyzed her body. The proceeds go to help support her and the mounting medical costs that she is facing,” O’Grady said.

At the fundraiser the team also sold $15 pink and black t-shirts for the Pink the Rink event happening at their game Dec. 6. This is to raise awareness for breast cancer research.

After this weekend, the hockey team moved up to eighth in the latest USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll. And seventh in the latest USCHO.com Poll.

The Lakers will host Robert Morris University on Friday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. and Saturday, Nov. 1, at 2 p.m.

This is the Lakers first College Hockey America (CHA) conference game of the season. @TheMerciad

Men’s hockey splits 1-1 against Merrimack

By Haleigh Giebel Contributing writer

During the Mercyhurst men’s hockey team home opener against Merrimack College on Friday, Oct. 24, the men fought back and forth throughout the whole game but fell 5-4 in overtime.

Early on in the first period, junior Anthony Mastrodicasa scored his first goal of the season from senior Tyler Shiplo and freshman Jonathon Charbonneau to take a 1-0 lead.

Merrimack came back and tie the game later on in the first period and take the lead late in the second period with two goals from Justin Mansfield.

Going into the 3rd period, Mercyhurst was down,2-1, but that did not last long.

Senior Chris Bodo scored his second goal of the season from sophomore Philippe Drouin and senior Zac Frischmon to tie the game.

Just a little more than two minutes later Marc Biega from Merrimack scored to make it 3-2 but one minute later Mercyhurst came back again.

While on the power play, senior Nardo Nagtzaam and junior Anthony Mastrodicasa fed senior Ryan Misiak the puck for Misiak’s first goal of the season.

Merrimack’s Brian Christie scored from Ben Bahe to make it 4-3 later on in the period.

With only 32 seconds left in the game, senior captain Matthew Zay tied the game by recording his 100th career point on a power play from redshirt senior Kyle Just and Mastrodicasa.

Zay is the 17th player in the Division I history at Mercyhurst to accomplish this achievement.

The game went into overtime and at 17:41 Marc Biega scored and capture the win for his team.

Senior Jimmy Sarjeant fought hard in goal making 33 saves throughout the game.

The next day, Saturday, Oct. 25, the team pulled together for a win after their tough loss the night before. They were able to rise above Merrimack College with a 3-2 win.

Junior Alec Shields started off the scoring for the night in the second period with a

goal assisted by Frischmon and Mastrodicasa.

Less than a minute later, junior Kyle Cook captured his first goal of the season from redshirt freshman Jack Riley and freshman Zach Todd.

Soon after, Just also captured his first goal of the season from Riley and Cook.

Merrimack’s Alfred Larsson and Brett Seney both scored to make the game 3-2 but it would not be enough to take the win.

Jimmy Sarjeant saw 32 shots and saved 30 of them to help his team come out on top.

The Lakers will travel to Hamilton, NY, to take on the fourth ranked Colgate Univeristy. Games will be played on Friday. Oct. 31, and Saturday, Nov. 1.

In other hockey news, the Lakers will host Ohio State on Jan. 2, 2015 at Erie Insurance Arena, Erie’s professional hockey arena.

This will be the first of an annual series in the arena.

The arena has 6,500 seats and it was the location of the 2011 NCAA Women’s Frozen Four. @TheMerciad

Ashley Favata photo

The 2-1 Mercyhurst men’s hockey team took on the 3-0 Merrimack Warriors on Friday, Oct. 24, and Saturday, Oct. 25. Friday’s game was a tough 5-4 loss after going into overtime. Saturday’s game the Lakers came back strong defeating Merrimack 3-2. Senior Zac Frischmon (12) recorded an assist during this game and senior Jimmy Sarjeant (35) recorded 52 saves.

Page 8

October 29, 2014

The Merciad

Laker

Living Geek Weekly: Fire Phone is a Bust

By Zach Dorsch Editor-in-Cheif

When Amazon released its financial results last week, it showed unfavorable numbers. The super retailer had a quarterly net loss of $437 million during the third quarter of this year. Amazon states that the biggest contributor to this lose was Amazon’s Fire Phone.

Amazon’s Fire Phone released in late July across the U.S. as a way for Amazon to compete with Apple and Google in the smart phone market.

Though the device had favorable reviews by many websites and offered innovative features such as Firefly, which uses the device’s cameras as a way to search for products on Amazon, the device never caught on with consumers.

The lack of sales is causing Amazon to sit on $83 million in unsold devices.

One of the biggest errors Amazon made when designing this phone was straying from the business model they used when making the Kindle Fire and Fire TV. These deceives were built to be extremely

affordable, but still offered decent performance.

They also kept the devices affordable my removing unnecessary features such a rear camera on some of their Kindle Fire models and gave the consumer the option to lock-screen ads to further bring down the price.

This time around Amazon decided to take the Steve Jobs and release something innovative and priced more at the premium level. Despite the fact the device is not using premium hardware. Amazon also decided to add or in some cases remove, on-screen ads, features that would have helped to keep the device affordable.

Changes like these could have been the reason Amazon experienced poor sales of the phone.

Since the release of the iPhone, Amazon did try to drive sales by dropping the price to 99 cents and offer free year of Amazon Prime as a running promotion when you purchase the device.

Amazon would have seen more favorable results if they stuck to their roots and released a budget phone that offered on screen ads and some decent specs.

This would allow them to build a stronger consumer bases because people are more willing to take a

gamble if the price of the device is at a lower price.

Amazon’s Fire Phone is causing the company to sit on $83 million in unsold devices.

This would all a user base to build up allowing Amazon to have a nice test bed to better develop there operating system for their phone and eventually allow them to release a Flagship device.

Beauty Talks: What you didn’t know about aluminum

By Marcela Delgado Opinion editor

This month, the chemical that Fresh Face Forward featured was aluminum. How much do we know about aluminum? Do we even care if it is in our personal care products?

Long before I became aware of Fresh Face Forward, I was never aware of what chemicals were in my personal care products or if they even were going to harm my body. Instead, we think that most of them will be beneficial for our health because they claim to be good for your skin.

most products that claim to be good for your skin are not really what we want for our bodies. It becomes scarier when the chemicals are in the products we use daily, for instance, our deodorant.

Who would have thought that deodorant could be causing us so much harm? Most of the commercial deodorants contain aluminum. This chemical is linked to cancer and Alzheimer.

Don’t forget to visit Freshfaceforward.org to learn more about safer products and what to avoid.

Also, find Fresh Face Forward on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest so you can get tips and recipes all year long.

Luckily, there are safer alternatives of deodorants and other products that do not contain aluminum. It is never too late to start read our labels and make sure that there are no chemicals that will harm our bodies and the environment.

It was until I joined this campaign that I realized that

@freshfacefwd

Game Zone

By Sami Rapp Photo Editor

Last Weeks Answers