Giving a hand a paw at a time
i n s i d e t h i s i s s u e :
Details on p. 6-7
University of Maine at Presque Isle Volume 39 Issue 7
Stephanie Corriveau STAFF WRITER
What do those around you truly need this Christmas? Food, clothing or a warm place to stay? During the holiday season, you often hear about the troubles that individuals face and also about the many charities that you can donate to. What you may not realize is that there are people right in Aroostook County affected by these same troubles and they need your help. And by donating to local organizations, you can ensure that your contribution stays right in the County. Two charities of special interest are Martha and Mary’s Food Pantry and the United Way’s Toys for Tots program. Cindy Patten, who has been a board member for Martha and Mary’s for 13 years, shared that the food pantry is open from 2 to 5 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. She said that the pantry has a $16,000-$17,000 budget that’s funded strictly by donations. Patten mentioned that the pantry doesn’t receive any government funding, but just money from local organizations or individual donors. The budget is used to pay things such as bills or other pantry costs and not the workers.
DECEMBER 10, 2010
Journalism for Northern Maine
To Give a Gift
“We all volunteer our time,” Patten said. The pantry has many opportunities for those in need to receive food. For instance, at 3 p.m. on the days that the pantry is open, a cooked din-
ner is offered. Patten said that individuals may eat at the pantry or have takeout. She also mentioned that the pantry gives away food boxes. There’s a common misconception that food pantries are only for the poor or homeless. Patten emphasized that the pantry is open to all who require assistance. Patten said that 70 to 100 dinners are provided each day that the pantry is open. When asked about the items that are normally in demand, she mentioned Dawn liquid dish soap, napkins and canned vegetables. “It takes 20 cans of vegetables per meal,” Patten said. If you’re interested in making a contribution to the pantry, whether it’s food or money, feel
Visit us at utimes.umpi.edu
free to contact Patten. She can be given away this year because United Way also accepts donaprovide you with a list of items of economic hardships. Along tions year round that’ll benefit that the pantry requires. with the donations the United other local social services, such Patten’s phone number is 764- Way receives from businesses as the: Homeless Services of 3690 and you may leave a mes- and individuals, it also purchas- Aroostook, Hope and Justice sage if she’s unavailable. es toys to give away. Project, ACAP Child and The second charity, Toys for “The United Way spends Family Services, Meals on Tots, is sponsored by the about $10,000 each year on Wheels and Catholic Charities United Way. This organiza- toys,” Stevens said. Home Supplies and Food Bank. tion is located at 480 Main If you want to make a dona“The money is raised here St. in Presque Isle (on the tion to the Toys for Tots pro- and stays here,” Stevens said. third floor of the Key Bank gram, you may drop off new As you can see, there are building). Executive direc- toys at several locations: Graves plenty of ways to help your tor Claudia Stevens began Shop ‘n’ Save, Wal-Mart, S.W. community members during working for the United Way Collins, Paradis Shop ‘n’ Save, the holiday season and also in 1999. One change that Phil’s Florist, Governor’s throughout the year. Donating she has noted in the Toys for Restaurant and the Aroostook may seem a simple act, but it’ll Tots program is that it now Centre Mall (and other loca- truly leave you with a feeling of covers a larger age span (0 tions in Fort Kent, Madawaska, happiness and satisfaction. to 18 years old). Stevens Caribou and Houlton). (Or you Even if you don’t hear a thanksaid that the organization may send a monetary donation you at the time of your donaaccumulates toys through- to the organization specifying tion, know that someone will out the year and then distrib- that it’s for Toys for Tots.) The appreciate your gift. utes them. Local towns submit a list of toys that they need and Stevens said that the United Way will select toys for the towns to pick up. She explained that organizations, such as fire departments and churches, will ultimately give away the toys at the local level. “Last year we distributed toys to over 1,200 children,” Stevens said. Stevens expects an increase in the total amount of toys that’ll Some of the toys collected for Toys For Tots.
Campus
University Times
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The University Times Staff Editor Lanette Virtanen Assistant Editor Ben Pinette Sarah Graettinger Staff Writers Kayla Ames Rachel Churchill Stephanie Corriveau Michael Greaves Stephanie Jellett Julia Lunn Patrick Manifold Mika Ouellette Henry Pelletier Ben Pinette Dione Skidgel Lanette Virtanen Contributors Chris Corsello Dick Harrison Cameron Huston Kyle Huston Dakota Koch Sarah Sjoberg Jim Stepp Don Zillman Adviser Dr. J
The U Times welcomes submissions from the campus campus. Send digital versions of articles, photos, etc., to utimes@maine.edu and jacquelyn.lowman@umpi.edu
December 10, 2010
Dear readers, This semester is almost over and it sure has flown by fast. First finals and then Christmas break. After that itʼs four weeks and weʼll be back here again before you know it. Good luck on your finals and donʼt forget to take the time to enjoy the holidays, spend time with family and friends, eat great food and have a safe and happy holiday. See you all next semester! Lanette Dear readers, Well, I never thought the end of the semester would come, and here it is! Itʼs been such a busy semester with the U Times and WUPI. This semester, we purchased some new cameras that we used throughout and will continue to use next semester. We also put up new racks in the dorms for our papers so the dorms can check us out anytime. Next semester, we will continue on. Look out for our University Day coverage, as we try to break the record for largest issue possible (last year we had 36 pages). WUPI has also prospered this semester with addition of our “U Radio” show. We had a blast producing local stories and content and hope to do it again really soon. We also added a “Retro Lunch” show that airs weekdays at noon, and soon weʼll have a Saturday ʻ70s music night. It should be really exciting, so youʼll want to stay tuned. Keep listening to WUPI and reading the U Times next semester and of course have a nice holiday and stay safe! See you in 2011! Ben Hi,
Itʼs getting to the end of the semester, and this is going to be our last issue for this semester. Iʼm hoping that you all are having a great end of the semester. Weʼre almost done. I hope that you all have great holidays. Sarah
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University Times CAMPUS December 10, 2010
A wise observer of higher education once defined excellence as having the finest professor in the school on one end of a log and a student on the other end. The point was that people are what make a great university—faculty, staff and administrators. University budgets around our sevencampus system reflect this. More than 70 percent of total costs are for personnel. At the University of Maine at Presque Isle, we get remarkable return for our investment in people. Despite log theories and the growth of electronic learning, however, our buildings and grounds remain an essential part of this and other universities. They are where much of our learning takes place. They house the people and resources (books, computers, laboratories) that allow people to work. They make possible the many connections between campus and community. Through careful planning and budgeting, we have improved the UMPI campus in the last few years. Exciting new improvements are on the way. Our most recent major
Ben Pinette STAFF WRITER
From Don’s Desk Building a Better UMPI
improvement was the renovation of Folsom Hall in 2008. Money from a voter approved bond allowed us to upgrade half of our major classroom building from 1960s standards to 2010 standards. Energy efficiency was a common theme. New heat pump technology for heating and cooling the building cut our fuel oil consumption in half. More energy efficient windows cut the leakage
nity to complete the FolsomPullen project. This summer we’ll renovate Pullen Hall to modern standards. Again, the focus will be on energy efficiency. We’ll also become even more of a showcase for renewable energy technologies. The dollars to do the project come from three sources. The first is from the bond for campus energy efficiency projects that voters approved last summer.
grant to install a wood-burning boiler to help with building heating. The boiler replaces two oil burning boilers that are at the end of their 40 year life and that rely on unsustainable carbon fuels. Our source of wood fuel will be Aroostook County. When completed, the project will give us both an energy attractive building and a great learning laboratory. Within
of cold air into the classrooms in winter. I recall, not fondly, the old days of bundling up in my LL Bean parka anytime I sat in the back row of a Folsom classroom. We now have the opportu-
The second is from a U.S. Department of Energy grant to install solar photovoltaic (electricity generating) technology on the Pullen roof. The third is from a Maine Conversation Department
about 600 yards of one another, students, faculty, staff, and community members can observe the wind turbine, the Gentile Hall pool cover (providing major energy savings), the solar panels and electric
distribution system, the heat pumps, and the wood-fired boilers. Just as we share information on the UMPI website about our wind turbine’s generation of electricity, the solar project data will also be available to the public and will be reported directly to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado. We plan to do the Pullen renovation this summer. We’ll try to duplicate the experience with the Folsom renovation. We’ll close Pullen to campus use at graduation. We’ll store essential contents of the building in trailers. The work crews will be on a tight schedule that’ll allow us to reopen the “new Pullen” by the start of fall semester. If we’re all patient and cooperative for a few months, we’ll have a spectacular classroom building that will last us for decades. And then we hope to turn our attention to another relic that can be made new— Wieden Hall auditorium. Details coming in this space in January. Have a wonderful Holiday Season. Don
variety of traditional Thanksgiving foods, plus a mix of new and unique foods. “We have a mustard glazed turkey this year. We have a cranberry glazed turkey, a salt and pepper glazed turkey, two huge whole turkeys for carving. I will be carving them myself. We also will have homemade stuffing, a variety of homemade breads, pies. So it should be really nice,” Zuraik said. This isn’t the first time UMPI has hosted a Thanksgiving dinner. “From my understanding, it’s been a few years for sure. And as I said this year, it certainly will be really good. I’m hoping for a good turnout. As Zuraik promised, the
UMPI cafeteria certainly was decked out for the occasion. “Oh, yeah, the cafeteria was looking festive. They had different sized looking pumpkins, festive tablecloths, and an amazing desert table to. I noticed they had this bread basket, too, that had all the kinds of bread you could ever ask for. They definitely outdid themselves on this one. They did a great job,” Stephanie Jellett, a sophomore at UMPI, said. Jellett was one of many students at the dinner and thoroughly enjoyed it. “I loved the deserts!” Jellett said. Steve McDougal is a freshman here at UMPI. This was his first Thanksgiving meal
here and he found it above his standards. “Well, it was pretty fantastic, actually. First thing, you walk in and see food everywhere: huge lines of people waiting. I would probably have to say the deserts were my favorite. One of the deserts I had was banana with a
graham cracker crust. It was pretty good actually,” McDougal said. Even though it wasn’t home, the UMPI cafeteria brought people together in the midst of a stressful time of tests, projects and the start of finals studying.
Bring on the Tryptophan
On Thursday, Nov. 18, students and faculty at UMPI got treated once again to the annual Thanksgiving dinner. UMPI’s semi-new head chef, Ralph Zuraik, was one of the main chefs catering the meal that night. Zuraik has been at his post for three months. “Preparation starts about a week before. We’ve got a good variety of different ingredients from local vendors, a lot of local bread, local potatoes from Caribou. We hope to have a lot of locally grown products, especially with our pumpkin and the apple cider,” Zuraik said. The menu consisted of a
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University Times CAMPUS December 10, 2010
C hr is’ Cor ne r
The story goes that some time ago, a man punished his 3-year-old daughter for wasting a roll of gold wrapping paper. Money was tight and he became infuriated when the child tried to decorate a box to put under the Christmas tree. Nevertheless, the little girl brought the gift to her father the next morning and said, “This is for you, Daddy.” The man was embarrassed by his earlier overreaction, but his anger flared again when he found out the box was empty.
A Box Full of Kisses
He yelled at her, stating, “Don’t you know, when you give someone a present, there is supposed to be something inside?” The little girl looked up at him with tears in her eyes and cried, “Oh, Daddy, it’s not empty at all. I blew kisses into the box. They’re all for you, Daddy.” The father was
crushed. He put his arms around his little girl, and he begged for her forgiveness.
Only a short time later, an accident took the life of the child. It is also told that her father kept that gold box by his bed for many years and, whenever he was discouraged, he would take out an imaginary kiss and remember the love of the child who had put it there. In a very real
sense, each one of us have been given a gold container filled with unconditional love and kisses... from our children, family members, friends and God. There is simply no other possession, anyone could hold, more precious than this. I wish all of you — students, staff and faculty — a successful finish to the semester and a safe and joyous holiday season. Many thanks to those who have shared their box of gold kisses with me – you make life memorable!
Phi Eta Sigma Decks the Halls
the nursing home to perform the project. Once at the nursing home, students unpacked and With the holiday season assembled artificial Christmas comes the task of decking the trees. From there, the trees were halls with boughs of holly decorated and displayed in locations designated by the nursing home activities staff. “It’s an event that we look forward to every year,” Becky Stepp, the president of Phi Eta Sigma, said. It’s not just the members of Phi Eta Sigma who look forward to this annual event. So do the residents and staff of the nursing UMPIʼs Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society decorating the home, as they get Presque Isle Nursing Center. to enjoy the finbetween all of the activities that Isle Rehab and Nursing Center ished product for the duration of the holiday season. By helpcome with the busy holiday sea- for the holidays. The event took place the ing to deck the halls of the son including cooking, entertaining and shopping for pres- morning of December 4th. The Presque Isle Rehab and ents. As a part of their annual members of Phi Eta Sigma met Nursing Center, Phi Eta Sigma service learning project, on campus first thing Saturday does its part in spreading some UMPI’s Phi Eta Sigma morning and then carpooled to holiday cheer. Mika Ouellette STAFF WRITER
National Honor Society chapter did just that. Members of the organization took time out of their busy schedules in order to help decorate the Presque
University Times CAMPUS December 10, 2010
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Christmas: A Little Bit of Everything Kayla Ames STAFF WRITER
The holiday many of us celebrate every year has a far more complicated history than you might think. In fact, some of the typical traditions of today weren’t originally part of Christmas, and a few weren’t merry in the least. Nowadays, we light fires, give gifts, have parades, go caroling, feast and attend church, among other things. Who would have thought that all these special moments were made possible by Mesopotamians and pagans? Despite the happiness and memories it brings, how much do you really know about one of the world’s most-celebrated, well-loved holidays? “Early Christians ‘hid’ their religious holiday by holding it at the same time. Jesus Christ was not born on December 25th – that’s a complete myth,” said professor Raymond Rice. The history of Christmas dates back over 4,000 years. Despite the current Christian theme, many traditions were celebrated centuries before Christ was born. The activities mentioned above, everything from the fires to church processions, are courtesy of the early Mesopotamians. This is particularly true of their celebration of New Years, during which they tried to help one of their chief gods named Marduk fight the monsters of chaos by holding a festival called Zagmuk. The festival lasted 12 days, hence the 12 days of Christmas.
During Zagmuk, a criminal was dressed in royal clothes so that he looked like the Mesopotamian king, who was expected to be killed so that he could fight at Marduk’s side. Instead of losing their leader,
the people would slay the criminal and still prove their faithfulness to one of many gods. The Persians and Babylonians celebrated Sacaea, a festival similar to Zagmuk. It called for slaves and masters to exchanges places, so that masters would have to obey. The ancient Greeks also held a similar festival, this one in an attempt to assist their god Kronos, who they believed would battle Zeus and his Titans. With the approach of the Winter Solstice, early Europeans feared the sun would not return and so performed special rituals and cele-
brations to welcome it back. Scandinavians sent out scouts to look for the sun and if they witnessed its return, they held a festival called Yuletide. They lit bonfires and served a feast centered around a fire burning with the Yule log. “In a nutshell,” said Rice, “Christmas is an amalgam of Mesopotamian religious traditions...some Greek traditions, and, especially, Roman ‘Saturnalia,’ the festival of the god Saturn, that started in midDecember and ended on the New Year.” During Saturnalia, Romans would shout “Jo Saturnalia!” hold masquerades in the streets, feast, visit friends, and give goodluck gifts called Strenae, or lucky fruits. Early Christians didn’t like the Romans celebrating the pagan god. They wanted the birthday of Christ to be serious and religious rather than cheerful. Despite the spread of Christianity and many conversions, pagan customs and Saturnalia continued, until Christians finally decided they could make the celebrations fit their needs. “But most important is probably St. Nicholas, a rather early Catholic saint. He supposedly died in 326,” Rice said. “His name led to ‘Santa Claus,’ ‘Kris Kringle,’ etc., in Europe...which persisted even though the Lutherans...tried to stamp him out.” Beloved St. Nick was said to have given alms to the poor, brought murdered peasants, particularly children, back to
life, and started the practice of placing gifts in stockings. Children actually used to hang socks by the fireplace to dry them and keep them from smelling. After England went Protestant, Father Christmas replaced St. Nicholas. “So English Christmas as we know it is actually a deCatholicized version of ‘St. Nicholas Day,’ etc. This is what Charles Dickens picks up on in ‘A Christmas Carol,’” Rice said. Rice also said that Dickens did more to bring St. Nicholas back than anyone. He associated Christmas with charity and social justice as well as tried to
NORAD Santa Tracker, something his son watched every Christmas until he was 10. “He believed it and loved watching Santa cross the globe, getting closer and closer to Maine, until he had to go to bed,” Rice said. Traditions such as watching the Santa Tracker every year are what define Christmas. As we continue to celebrate this December holiday, we also continue to add to its history. Whether you love or hate it, Christmas has brought much merriment in the past and still provides joy to families all over the world. So next time you sit
bring back the old traditions being overwhelmed by the Industrial Revolution. Similarly, our times and habits have had an effect, apparent in the melding of Christmas and technology. Rice mentioned the
down to open a present or eat a huge meal with loved ones, think back to the Mesopotamians, Romans and Scandinavians. Without them, this time of year just wouldn’t be the same.
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University Times CAMPUS December 10, 2010
Helping Each Animal Stephanie Jellett STAFF WRITER
Imagine if you’re an animal that’s been locked in a cage for months. Whether you came from the streets or someone gave you up, all you’re hoping for is a good home. Day after day, you see younger animals get chosen over you. You start to lose hope and wonder what will happen to you. What will your future hold? This is what too many animals face. That’s why they need your very human help. When you arrive at the Central Aroostook Humane Society Animal Shelter in Presque Isle, you’re welcomed with a warm greeting and the barking of dogs. There are four people who volunteer regularly at the shelter. Anyone who is over the age of 16 can volunteer. Betsy Howlett gave a few minutes of her time to answer some questions. It takes a lot to run the shelter and it’s in constant need of supplies. The biggest need is kitty litter. Because there are so many cats, the litter needs constant changing. Other supplies needed include: cat and kitten food; dog food; any cleaning supplies such as bleach, dish soap, laundry soap; things to scrub the floors with; old bedding and towels; newspapers and everyday basic needs. As you can tell, this is a long list. Any help staff members could get, they would greatly appreciate. Kittens and puppies are the first animals to get adopted, along with anything out of the ordinary, like rats and rabbits. This leaves a lot of the older animals homeless. The younger animals tend to be very hyperactive and friendly. The older ones are much calmer, but are just as loving. Bradd Gustafson, who recently adopted an older cat named Baby, can’t complain about her behavior. “She’s really quiet but still likes to play. She’s definitely the friendliest cat I’ve ever encountered. I’m glad she’s mine,” Gustafson said. Baby, who is more 2 years old, had been at the shelter since May. Her owner had dropped her off because he had too many cats. On her cage was a note that read:
University Times CAMPUS December 10, 2010
a Paw at a Time “My name is Baby, I’ve been here since May and I thought I would have a home by now. My wish is to have a good home by Christmas time. Bring me home!” But now Baby has a home with someone who will take good care of her. It doesn’t take much to adopt an animal.Yes, there are fees to pay, but it’s worth every penny. There’s a mandatory $100 fee that you must pay if the animal is not spayed or neutered. Within four months, you’re required to do so and if you show proof to the shelter, it’ll give you back the money.There’s also paperwork that needs to be filled out. This chart below shows the type of animal, age and price. Age Price Animal * Kitten 8 weeks to 6 months $38 *Cat Over 6 months $45 Cat Over 6 months $60 *Puppy 8 weeks to 6 months $60 *Dog Over 6 months $48 Dog Over 6 months $70 These animals have not be spayed or neutered. Every year at Christmas the shelter does an event for two Saturdays in a row called “Santa Paw.” People will bring their animals in to get their pictures taken with Santa Claus. They get the pictures developed within four days because the families usually use them as Christmas cards. Why not stop by the shelter to see the furry friends that would like a home? Not only would that make a great Christmas present for any child, but you would also be giving the animal a chance at a better life in a loving home. Keep in mind that kittens and puppies will at some point grow older. So why not adopt an older animal? All they want is to be loved. *You can stop by the animal shelter Tuesdays to Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. located on 26 Cross Street, Presque Isle. Or you can give them a call at (207) 764-3441.
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University Times CAMPUS December 10, 2010
Stephanie Corriveau STAFF WRITER
up.
Things are about to heat The University of
Maine at Presque Isle has received a biofuels grant from the Department of Conservation. According to
Funds for Fuels
Charles Bonin, UMPI’s vice president for administration and finance, the university had applied for this grant o n c e before. The funds that are provided by the biofuels grant will help support a project that UMPI wants to undertake: the installation of a pellet furnace. “We are going to use wood pellets,” Bonin said. Bonin explained that the Folsom and Pullen Hall complex has undergone some f a i r l y recent renovations. The heating system for these buildings, however, still needs some repair. Although a boiler had been previously installed, there are still boil-
ers in the buildings that the university wants to date back to the 1960s. complete. He said that Bonin said that these boilers UMPI will be putting in will be replaced by the pel- solar panels that will prolet furnace. Statistics pro- vide hot water. As you can see, these vided by Bonin state that the price of pellets is $252 projects will have positive per ton, but the money nor- impacts on the campus. mally used to buy oil for the Bonin shared that they also boilers ($46,872) will be coincide with the American used for the pellets. College and University Climate Another statistic is that Presidents’ when comparing the total Commitment that President yearly amounts UMPI could Zillman signed. This comspend on either pellets or mitment was basically an oil, it costs about $10,300 agreement to make the university more environmenmore for oil. Bonin It’s hoped that this fur- tally friendly. nace will help to keep Folsom and P u l l e n war m during the cold w i n t e r months. “This wood pellet stove will be able to heat both buildi n g s , ” Bonin said. Besides installing the pellet furnace, Bonin also s h a r e d another e n e r g y friendly project that Heating pumps located outside
explained that the projects honor this contract. “This is helping reduce our carbon footprint,” Bonin said. Bonin expects the projects to begin in May 2011 an d be fin ished by t he start of the fall semester. If you plan to retur n to campus next fall, be on the loo kou t for th e chang es that will have occur red. U MPI w ill still be the same place that you know and love…but maybe just a little bit war mer and a little more “green.”
Folsom and Pullen.
October Student of the Month
C o ng r ats go o ut t o D an i ell e Pe lkey, a j u nio r h e re at U M P I wh o w a s h o n o r e d o n N ov. 1 0 a s U M P I ’s S t u d e n t o f t h e Mon t h fo r th e mo n t h o f
O c tob er. D ani e lle i s an elementary education ma jo r fro m Cari bo u wh o wo rks in t h e fi n a nc i a l aid o f fic e. Sh e h as be en on the spring ball and
p a r a d e c o m m i t t e e, a n d su ppor ts our UM PI O w ls at baske t ba ll g am es reg ul a rl y. Congratulations Da n i ell e!
University Times CAMPUS December 10, 2010
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Free Movie Night! Julia Lunn
STAFF WRITER
Art work by Anderson Giles. Shown at Cafe Sorpreso. Photos courtesy of Renee Felini
The Walk of Art Mika Ouellette STAFF WRITER
Unknown to many, UMPI’s campus along with downtown Presque Isle become the hot spots for art on the first Friday of every month. For the past six months, UMPI’s art department and the Wintergreen Arts Center have sponsored the First Friday Downtown Art Walk. This event allows people to take a self-guided walking tour of UMPI’s campus and down-
town Presque Isle to view the work of artists. Renee Felini, Assistant Professor of Art and coordinator of the event described it by saying, “The First Friday Downtown Art Walks provide a venue for artists to show work in our community”. The most recent art walk was held on November 5th. Featured artists included Arla Patch, Oliver Graves, Bill Duncan and Keary Nichols. These artists’ works were dis-
Gingerbread houses being made at Wintergreen Arts Center. Photos courtesy of Renee Felini.
played at venues including both art galleries on campus as well as merchants in downtown Presque Isle. Participating merchants included the Wintergreen Arts Center, Café Sorpreso, Merchants on the Corner and Freddy P’s Pub. According to Felini, the events have helped business for participating merchants by attracting customers into their establishments. Anyone who attended the last art walk braved cold and rainy weather. Sur prising ly, despite this type of weather, the event was still well attended. Felini commented on the attendance of the event that, “It has been extremely successful and continues to grow every month.” The next First Friday Downtown Art Walk will be held on December 3rd. Although there is not yet any information on which artists will be presenting their work, it will be released closer to the next event. For the future of the event, Felini hopes that the momentum from previous events will help to continue its success into the winter months.
Students didn’t have to worry about spending money Wed. Nov. 17. UMPI sponsored a free movie night for the campus at Braden Theatre. Groups of students began filing in at 6:35 p.m. Upon entering, after receiving their free entry ticket by showing their UMPI I.D., the line to the concession stand started growing. Students also received a free small popcorn and soda. Buddy Robinson was excited to greet the students who came. “It gives them something to look forward to. It’s a little thanks to the guys,” he shares. “It also supports the local businesses.” “It’s nice to get some free stuff out of [coming to UMPI],” said Reanne Thompson on her way to see Megamind with some friends. “It’d be nice to see it done once a month,” she added, lik-
ing the idea of having a free movie night. “This is our third free movie night we’ve put on for the kids,” said Robinson. By the sounds of it, students enjoy the chance to save a little more money. “And it’s a good time out with friends,” said Mike Gibbs on his way to see Red. Some of those students who arrived early and got their free popcorn and soda enjoyed the treat a little too early. It was gone by the time the movie started! A fun tip for movie-goer s that I grew up with: challenge yourselves to save at least your popcorn till after the opening credits so you can enjoy it during the movie, rather than wishing 15 minutes in that you had your popcorn. If there aren’t opening credits, dig on in once the movie begins! Keep yourselves posted on upcoming events at UMPI’s homepage.
Movie watchers getting popcorn before the movie.
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University Times CAMPUS December 10, 2010
Still Pressing ʻUpʼ After 30 Years Julia Lunn
STAFF WRITER
This year, Upward Bound is celebrating 30 years of helping children fulfill a successful educational journey in their life. Saturday Nov. 29, alumni and staff gather together on campus for a social time, sharing memories and their personal stories of how Upward Bound (U.B.) helped them get to where they are today. What is U.B. you ask? It is a federally funded program that helps and aspires low income, first generation kids acquire a high school and college degree, when they might not have otherwise. Their mission is “to generate the skills and motivation necessary for success in education beyond high school.” There are U.B. programs set up all across the nation. In Maine alone, there are eight programs set up; 800 nationally. UMPI has recently combined its program with University of Maine in Fort Kent. They had 69 students involved, but with a
Stephanie Jellett STAFF WRITER
He is the one that started the criminal justice program
new grant they just received, they now have 119 students. U.B. is a year-round program. People, like Rene Gorneault, are available during the school year to offer aid to the students when needed. Those services include connecting them with tutoring services when needed, advising, helping them choose which courses to take, and recommending challenging courses to prepare them for college. They also help with study skills, applying for schol-
arships, applying to colleges, and they write letters of recommendations for them. They like to focus on academic preparation for colleges, and the summer program helps maintain this goal. In the summer, the students come together on campus for six weeks. They work on academics while also attaining the chance to get to meet the other students involved. Darylen Cote, U.B.’s director at UMPI, says, “They get to form a little
family. They keep in touch, and they’re there for each other during discouragement. It’s nice to have people there that understand your family situation.” The atmosphere is all about recognizing each others’ strengths and giving them credit for it. “If it weren’t for this program, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” Gorneault shared. She has been with U.B. for 15 years now. She was first part of it at the Farmington campus in ’96, and began working for them in 2000, as a counselor during the summer. She has now been working for the past three years as the academic counselor for MPI/UMFK. “Knowing someone UMPI/UMFK TRIO Upward Bound 30th year gathering. cares about
Still a Boy at Heart
here at UMPI, for those who do not know him, his name is Dick Ayre, and he is a very interesting person. He could talk to you about
criminal justice for hours! But, in this case, he talked about what he likes to do besides from teaching. Riding his Harley Davidson motorcycle is one his passions. It’s a night rod special, which is very unusual; it’s all black with very little c h r o m e . Harley traditionalists his age like a lot of chrome, but that’s not in his case. Ayre doesn’t like a lot of chrome.
This is his third Harley Davidson, but this truly is a remarkable bike. “The young guys love it,” Ayre said, “but go figure; I’m still a boy at heart.” Travelling is something else that Ayre enjoys doing. He has been everywhere! At one point or another in his life, he has been to 48 continental states of America and Hawaii. “When I was your age, I was a road running fool. I loved it. Driving all over this Country,” Ayre said. The only State Ayre has not be in is Alaska. He’s been to Canada many times; he’s gone to Cuba, all of Southern Europe, the western part of Turkey, Istanbul,
you and your future,” she adds, talking about how good the follow up is. Summer counselors and staff continue watching even after the students leave the doorstep. They don’t just help them graduate high school and forget about them, they follow them every step of the way until they meet their final goal – graduating college. Having this program around is also very encouraging to the students’ family members, especially the parents. It’s not a reality to them till they begin seeing what U.B. does for them. “Yes they can do it,” says Gorneault. “They can go to college.” “It’s such a ripple effect,” Cote concludes. “If you help one student, that ripples through the entire family, and moves on to the next generation, and so forth.” Upward Bound’s staf f, nation-wide, hope to see the ripple ef fect continue t h ro u g h t h e g e n e r at i o n s to come, 30 more years and more.
Greece, Italy and Portugal. Politics has been a lifelong passion for Ayre. Since he was a teenage he always kept up with the elections, and is something he’s always been interested in. He is in fact, a political jockey! When going to college, his first choice was to study political science, but then realized he had a greater interest in criminology and criminal justice. For those who know Ayre, he really is all about criminal justice. But outside of the class, he likes to do his own thing. He still enjoys reading about it, but in the end, he is still a young boy at heart.
University Times CAMPUS December 10, 2010
A Taste of Other Cultures Kayla Ames STAFF WRITER
11
came from, club member Doug Miles said “We made all of it. We got together last night...from about 6:30 to about 2 a.m.” Club members put a lot of time and energy into the fundraiser. Besides cooking the tarte tatin, Thai chicken with noodles and chicken wings themselves, they also kept track of who ordered what, helped package the food,
dent Bikram Shreshta, the treasurer Zicong Zhou and the secretary Letian Zheng. Other participating members were Marie Querrel, Shulei Zhang, Lijing Zhou and Doug Miles. When they weren’t preparing, cooking or serving, the students had a few minutes to talk amongst themselves. They discussed everything from food preferences to what it took to get their driver’s licenses. On occasion, they lapsed into their own languages. Everyone seemed very comfortable with one another, keeping the atmosphere familiar and busy. The club plans on doing another food fundraiser next semester. They hope to use the money to pay for a trip in the spring. “We have not decided Zhang-zhou chicken wings. where we are doing during delivered meals to anyone who spring break next semester,” asked for it and took part in Devaney said, “but in the past the cleanup afterward. five years, club members have “We had 20, almost 30, peo- gone sightseeing in Chicago, ple,” Devaney said in relation Philadelphia, Washington D.C., to customers. Boston and New York to learn Some of these included more about the United States Professors Jason Johnston, and its history.” Shirley Rush and Lisa Leduc as The ISC meets in the well as Director of Community c a f e t e r i a , usually on and Media Relations Rachel T h u r s d ay s, at 1 2 : 4 5 p. m . Rice. The president of the S t u d e n t s a re we l c o m e t o International Students Club is j o i n . I n t h e m e a n t i m e, Naima deFlorio, the vice presi- eve r yo n e h e re at U M P I has had the chance to t a s t e Fre n ch , Thai and Chinese cuis i n e. I n t h i s w a y, the I n t e r n at i o n a l S t u d e n t s Club has given us a taste of other cultures and, with them, a g r e a t e r a p p re c i at i o n .
Where in Presque Isle can you find truly exotic food? Sure, we have a Chinese restaurant down the street and nearby places sell dishes we consider Italian, but what about other countries, other o p t i o n s ? U M P I ’ s International Students Club recently tried to bring a little bit of the outside world here, in the form of tarte tatin, Thai green curry chicken with noodles and ZhangZhou chicken wings. On Nov. 9, from around 11:50 a.m. to 1 p.m., members of the International Students Club and adviser Barbara Devaney gave students, staff and professors the opportunity to taste some unique and appetizing cuisine. Tarte tatin is a French dessert. It can be made with caramelized fruit or vegetables as well as sugar and butter. The International Students Club used fruit in their dish. Thai chicken with noodles comes from Thailand. It’s usually made with assorted vegetables and several different spices. Lastly, Zhang-Zhou chicken wings is a Chinese dish. These dishes, individually, cost five dollars, while a combination platter including all three costs 10 dollars. The deadline for placing orders was Nov. 5 and anyone interested in getting their meal outside of the 11:50 to 1:00 deadline need only have contacted D i r e c t o r Devaney. When asked where the food Tarte
Tatin, a french dessert.
Marie Gomez hard at work in the C3
Look Beyond the Food Stephanie Jellett STAFF WRITER
Every day student’s here at UMPI go in and out of the C3 located in Folsom Hall to get snacks or lunch. There is an array of food! When you first walk in, you see a fridge filled with all sorts of microwavable food and delicious Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. Yum! You also have a breakfast station, where you can make your own bagel or coffee or just grab a muffin. Sandwiches, fruit and vegetable cups, snack bars and various drinks are all in the coolers. We all know they provide great food and service, but who knows anything about the ladies that work there? At 6 a.m., Marie Gomez is up and ready to start her day at the C3. She has been working there for three years, but has been with the food service for 40. Gomez says she enjoys working with the public, and really likes what she does. Every day she sees’s teachers and students come in and out of the C3, and see’s her regulars that come
in. At 2 p.m. her shift is done for the day, and she gets to go home and relax. On her spare time, Gomez enjoys knitting. She knits baby blankets for children that get baptized at the Catholic Church. Also, she knit’s baby bonnets for the hospital so they can put them on the newborns. Other than that she loves to camp at Eagle Lake. “I’m off from work in the summer, so I spend my time at Eagle Lake,” Gomez said. At 2.p.m. that is when Dee Bess comes in to replace Gomez. Like Gomez, Bess has also been with the C3 for three years. Bess also get’s her regular customer’s that she see’s every day. Outside of the C3, Bess likes to do a lot of gardening around her house. She particularly likes flower gardens and prefers perennials. Next time you go into the C3, you’ll know a little bit more about Gomez and Bess. Why not chat about something they like? Ask them how their day is going. Just don’t walk in there without saying a simple hello.
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University Times CAMPUS December 10, 2010
Stephanie Corriveau STAFF WRITER
Itʼs Raining Money
Money may not grow on trees. But, in the Owl’s Nest on November 10, cash was flowing through the “Money Machine” as if an ATM had exploded. The machine, which resembled a large glass chamber, was part of the game show “Blizzard of Bucks.” UMPI’s CAB sponsored the event, which was put together by Kramer Entertainment, Inc. The hosts of the game show, Christian and Katalina, began the event by attempting to lure in students in the campus center. But, who could resist the urge to win money? As time passed, the crowd in the Owl’s Nest grew larger. Individuals
were dazzled not only by the opportunity to get cash, but also by Christian a n d K atalina’s games and jokes. Before the actual “Blizzard of B u c k s ” game show started, Christian a n d Katalina showed off a few card and mind-reading tricks. One interesting act was when they asked an audience member to select two cards and create one
number from the numbers shown on the cards. Another participant found a book and opened it to the page number that was made with the cards. The participant was then asked to examine the last word on the page. Katalina, who had her back turned to the crowd during this entire period, correctly guessed the word in the book. At this point, the crowd was quite fascinated with the duo and ready for the “Blizzard of Bucks” to begin. The game was divided into rounds with four participants in each round. These participants were chosen by drawing raffle tickets. The selected players competed to be the winner of the round. At the end, all of the round winners returned for one final competition. The grand winner was given the opportunity to enter the “Money Machine” and scramble for cash as it flowed through the chamber. The games that the contestants had to play weren’t necessarily easy. But, they were definitely entertaining for the crowd to watch. One game required participants to stuff balloons into the huge, bright pink overalls that they were asked to put on. Another game included chugging prune juice from a
baby bottle while wearing a complementary hat and bib. Each game had audience members laughing and cheering on friends. Many chances were offered
throughout the show for individuals from the crowd to win money as well. In the end, freshman student Jennifer Ouellette was selected as the grand winner and was allowed to enter the “Money Machine.” When the show ended, Christian and Katalina packed up their props, so t h a t t h ey c o u l d h i t t h e road for their next event. “We do three different shows. We do about 50 shows a year,” Katalina said. The game show that Christian and Katalina hosted at UMPI was a definite sensation. “Blizzard of Bucks” was a great success that left most audience members with smiles on their faces and a little extra weight in their wallets.
Jennifer Ouellette in money machine with Christian watching.
13
University Times COMMUNITY December 10, 2010
Community
Lights, Lights and... More Lights! Rachel Churchill STAFF WRITER
For some, Presque Isle’s annual light parade is the official start of the holiday season. The crisp air, snow on the ground, and the all around festive atmosphere always draws hundreds of county residents. This past Sunday, the Dec.
5, was no exception. Hundreds of people filled Main Street, and in some instances, the adults were just as excited as the children. “I’ve been coming to the light parade for years,” one young woman said. “It’s fun and exciting for the whole family.” This was year 21 of the light parade here in Presque
Isle, and for the first time in those 21 years, the light parade was postponed due to rain s t o r m s . Activities that had been scheduled to take place during the parade were also postponed until Sunday. The Catholic Charities of Maine conducted a food drive during the parade of nonperishable foods UMPIʼs very own float in to be delivered to Fo r s e v e n c o n s e c u t i ve 24 different pantries from y e a rs, NMCC distribLudlow to Fort Kent. TAMC u t e d both new and used and the local Kiwanis Club b o o k s to the children, also held a toy drive during a n d t h e University of the parade, collecting toys M a i n e at Presque Isle to be distributed through i n v i t e d the community the Community Christmas t o e n j o y refreshments Basket Program. a n d w a t c h “ Wi n d 1 0 1 ”
the light parade.
and the “Proposal,” both UMPI films. A great success and family a f f a i r, the Presque Isle light parade never fails to bring the community t o g e t h e r, s h o w c a s i n g t h e C o u n t y ’s holiday spirit.
UMPI Cereal Drive Competition Here are the details:
- There are 5 teams on campus: Team South, Team Preble, Team West, Team Normal & Team Students. -The goal is to collect as many boxes/bags of cereal as possible during the month of December! Food for thought...It takes 2,400 boxes of cereal every single months to give each pantry one box for each person for a month. It makes 2,400 boxes of cereal look like a mere drop in the bucket when you think of one box for each person for a whole month!
University Times COMMUNITY December 10, 2010
“Leave it to the Beavers”
14
A Varsity Sport of a Different Kind Dakota Koch CONTRIBUTOR
The Washburn District High School hosted their annual Varsity Club supper/auction Saturday November 20, 2010. Many community members attended to help support the Beavers with their many upcoming sports events, supplies and expenses. The supper started at 5 o’clock p.m., and guests enjoyed stuffed chicken breasts with potatoes and many other side dishes. Dinner guests included coaches from past and present, parents, grandparents, athletes and friends. The supper portion of this annual event is always a time of laughter and fun. Old
friends and schoolmates get together for some excitin g c onve r sat i on a n d tast y food. T h e a u c t i o n i s a lw ay s t h e b i g m o n ey m a k e r fo r t h e W D H S va r s i t y c l u b. T h e ve r y t a l e n t e d To m my D re w a c t e d a s a u c t i o n e e r adding his unique humor and hilarious stories to h i s s p e e dy s p e e ch . T h i s ye a r t h e re we re 9 4 i t e m s on the list of auction merchandise; including m a ny d o u bl e o r mu l t i p l e quantity items. Some i t e m s s u ch a s t h e t i e - k n o t fleece blankets donated by D i a n a B r a g g w e r e p r i c e d at o n l y t we n t y d o l l a r s a p i e c e, b u t i n t h e e n d t h ey we n t fo r a l m o s t d o u bl e t h e a m o u n t . T h e
b i g m o n ey m a k e r o f t h e evening was the 20102011 Season Basketball Pa s s f o r t h e b o y s a n d g i r l s t e a m s o f W D H S. This item matched its price at $90. According t o t h e a t h l e t i c d i r e c t o r, Ro n E r i c s o n , t h e a u c tion went very well. T h e Va r s i t y c l u b raised $3072 and was very appreciative of all the supportive attendees. Ro n Ericson, athletic director of WDHS stated that the athletes and coaches are very lucky to be placed in a district where the townspeople are so supportive of the students and their activities.
Washburn DHS Learn About Cyber Safety Kyle Huston CONTRIBUTOR
Re c e n t l y, the Wa s h b u r n H i g h S c h o o l fine arts class added a new project to the a l r e a d y bu r s t i n g c u r r i c u lum. They researched certain aspects of cyber s a f e t y o n l i n e, a n d m a d e comic a one page comic strip based on their r e s e a rc h . A few of the topics c ov e r e d i n c l u d e d c y b e r b u l l y i n g, i d e n t i t y t h e f t , and the influence of the m e d i a . Te s t u d e n t s u s e d a prog ram called “Comic Life” to generate the c o m i c s. I n a d d i t i o n , t h e
l i b r a r i a n , L o n d a B row n , introduced students to common sense media, a c o py r i g h t f r e e s i t e t h a t a l l ow s t h e u s e o f s eve r a l p i c t u re s a n d c l i p a r t f i l e s. The art students, who range from sophomore t o s e n i o r y e a r, u s e d images from the Inter net with a creative common s e n s e l i c e n s e, a n d s o m e made of their own pictures. The winner of the contest was Kristi S p e r r e y. H e r c o m i c w i l l be blown up and disp l a ye d i n t h e s c h o o l d u r ing parent teacher conferences and for a week of full school days.
15
University Times COMMUNITY December 10, 2010
Sarah Sjoberg CONTRIBUTOR
One Step at a Time
It seems like it never ends- college applications, making sure your transcripts are sent, writing 500 word essays that can make or break you, sentimental parents, ‘senioritis’, numerous scholarships, plus balancing your nor mal workload.
Cameron Huston CONTRIBUTOR
It’s the time of year again for Washburn’s Destination Imagination students to bring on the imagination. Coming off of two very successful years
There is so much to complete in the 11 months they call senior year. Starting this year I was very excited about the prospect of senior year. I suppose I underestimated the hard work it actually takes to get through my twelfth and final year of public school. Although you may feel
that the stress is coming down on you, it is critical to your success to take the college process one step at a time. Mappingmyfuture.org advises seniors at this point to complete your admission applications, start attending college planning and/or financial aid information fairs, request financial aid for ms and applications, and follow up with your references. Make sure they your letters and recommendations are in. After you take care of these few items, you may want to start looking into signing up for a PIN to complete your FASFA online. As stressful as it is, I understand that this year is something to enjoy and
cherish; I encourage you, Class of 2011, to make the most of it. Senior year is a once in a lifetime opportunity, a memory making year that will never happen
again. Tears will shed, sleep will be lost, and friends will fight, make up and fight again. Enjoy the day of senior year; the world changes when it ends.
enced seniors to lead the way, and new coming freshmen to lear n the
process. They are looking forward to their first competition in March 2011.
A Time for Imagination
(claiming 3 out of 4 teams winning a state title), it promises to be another very exciting year for Washburn’s two teams. Destination Imagination is a creative problem solving organization allowing seven
students to work together to solve a challenge and compete in the Spring showcasing their solution to the challenge. Because there is a wide variety of different challenges, schools can register multiple teams to compete. DI challenges involve both instant creative ideas and a student produced and created skit before a panel of judges. Washbur n’s two teams are advised by second-year advisor Tracy Reed. Both teams are already currently working on ideas and possible skits to meet this year’s challenges. T he teams have ver y experi-
University Times LIFESTYLE December 10, 2010
VOICE
16
Bullies Have Moved Beyond the Schoolyard Dick Harrison CONTRIBUTOR
Recent publicity about gay teens and young adults committing suicide has focused attention on the bullying of gay youth that takes place daily in our schools. In only a few short months a 19-year-old in Rhode Island hung himself; a 15-yearold in Indiana hung himself; a 13-year-old in California hung himself; a Houston teen killed himself; a Rutgers University student jumped from a New York City bridge. These are only some of the reported incidents of GLBTQ (gay-lesbianbisexual-transgender-queer) suicides due to hazing, harassment, and bullying by their peers at school. This is not just something that happens someplace else; bullying occurs at our local schools, too. Reports of the Gay-Straight Alliance’s signs torn down at Caribou High School, of the refusal of Presque Isle school officials to allow students to attend programs that might present gay life in a positive light, and the “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach
to teaching that ignores the needs of queer teens and young adults all contribute to the negative and intolerant attitudes that foster bullying. In response to the headlinegrabbing Rutgers student’s suicide, commentator and blogger Dan Savage launched the “It Gets Better” project (itsgetsbetterproject.com), a campaign to help gay young adults and teens who feel isolated and who may be contemplating suicide to know that their lives will get better. Many others have added their voices to say how positive their lives are as openly gay adults. The keynote speaker at this past October’s UMPI Gay Awareness Days, Rev. Dr. Al Boyce, shared the results of studies of minorities and the stresses they are forced to face in a predominantly straight, white, male, and Christian society. He noted that anti-gay political campaigns create stressful situations for many gay people. This is what might be called institutional bullying, whereby an organization, an
institution, or our government tries to “keep gay folks in their place” as second-class citizens, denying us full equality in all aspects of society. Dan Savage rightly points out that for the past 15 years the religious right has attempted to demonize and stigmatize gay people through their attacks on non-discrimination statutes, and now on marriage equality. This is bullying at the highest level, aimed not only at youth but at all ages. The recent campaign by the “National Organization for Marriage” presented false statements, lies, and halftruths to deceive Maine voters into repealing equality legislation in this state. [NOM is reportedly a tool of the Mormons, Roman Catholics, and conservative Christians.] Republicans use gay bashing to paint an “us or them” picture of American society, to gain a foothold of power and then attempt to entrench their bigotry into legislation. With t h e Re p u b l i c a n takeover of the Maine Legislature, the Blaine House, and the House of
Representatives in Washington, bullying will only continue to grow. Governorelect LePage has stated that he will veto any new marriage equality bill and hinted at repealing sections of the Maine Human Rights Act that protect Mainers from discrimination based upon one’s sexual orientation. Though institutional bullying is becoming more common – you hear it in the halls of Congress, in the state legislatures, from governors’ mansions, and of course from the pulpit – there are rays of hope. In Bowling Green, Ohio, when the City Council passed an anti-bias law, opponents demanded that the ordinances go before voters, in the belief that they could kill the measures with a divisive, distorted, and mean-spirited campaign. But voters rejected the notion that sexual orientation or gender identity and expression is an appropriate basis for government-sanc-
tioned bias. Bravo to the citizens of Bowling Green! And even in Maine we elected our two pro-equality members of the U.S. House of Representatives; 56% of Mainers chose a pro-equality candidate for governor; the legislator most targeted by NOM was re-elected with 59% support; all pro-marriage Republicans were re-elected; an anti-marriage incumbent state senator was defeated. And Rhode Island and Maryland elected pro-marriage governors and expect to pass marriage equality. Time is on the side of justice and equality – surveys show that most homophobes are over 50 years of age, while most people under 30 have no problem accepting queer people as full and equal members of our society. As the bigots die off, things will get better – for queer youth and for all people in this nation. Amen.
17
University Times LIFESTYLE December 10, 2010
Lifestyle
December, Astronomy, and Religion Jim Stepp
CONTRIBUTOR
You may think these three topics have nothing in common, but they do. Many religions celebrate holidays in December that have roots in astronomic events. Here are a few of the religious holidays found in December in the Western Traditions. Yule or Yule-Tide is celebrated in the Wiccan religion and is a central part of many so called pagan religions. For Wiccans, Yule is celebrated at the winter solstice. This date commemorates the rebirth of the Cernunnos, the great horned hunter god. Cernunnos is viewed as the newborn solstice sun. Yule festivities for modern Wiccans and neopagans involve the burning of the Yule log on an open fire to honor Cernunnos. The log is decorated with holly and other symbolic paraphernalia. Yule always falls on the December Solstice, the lowest point in the sky the Sun can reach for those of us living in the northern hemisphere. Following the December Solstice, the Sun starts to rise in the sky, appearing to be reborn, thus indicating that the shortest days of winter are over. Chanukkah or Hanukkah is a Jewish holiday that commemorates the victory of the Maccabee army over the Syrian king, Antiochus, the retaking and rededication of the Jewish Temple, and the miracle of lights. Antiochus ruled over the Jews and attempted to force them to warship his gods. Judea and his four brothers formed an army to remove the Syrians from Israel. The liberation of the Jewish homeland occurred in 164 BCE. On the 25th day of the month of Kislev the removal the Greek symbols and statues was completed and the temple was rededicated. When the eternal light (N’er Tamid) was lit in the temple it was
noticed that only enough oil was available to keep the light burning for one day. But instead of the light going out in a day, the light burned for eight days. The Hebrew calendar is based on the lunar cycle. Because of this the date of Hanukkah changes from year to year based on the full moon that signifies the beginning of Kislev. Hanukkah always begins at sunset. The beginning of Hanukkah can be as early as November 28 or as late as December 27 (for the 20th and 21st centuries). The celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25 is also based on astronomic events. Based on Christian scripture, it is most likely that Jesus was born in March or April. This is when the lambs are born and when shepherds tend their flocks. Early Christians wishing to celebrate the birth of Jesus would have most likely been put to death for their beliefs. But as Christianity spread throughout the Roman Empire, early Christians took advantage of the festival of the Saturnalia to celebrate the birth of Christ. The feast of the Saturnalia was a multiday festival to commemorate the god Saturn. This festival, like Yule, was connected to the December solstice. December 25th became the official date of Christmas in 350 AD when Bishop of Rome, Julius I, proclaimed the date as the official observance date of Christmas. THE NIGHT SKY
The ISS is visible in the morning sky until December 16. The ISS is visible in the evening sky beginning December 23 until January 13. The ISS is visible in the morning sky beginning January 22. Go to www.heavens-above.com for exact times and locations. You’ll need to register at this site and load your location to be able to get exact times. The University of Maine at Presque Isle is
located at 68d00m7.8s west longitude and 46d40m45.6s north latitude.
To get a free sky chart, go to www.skymaps.com . * All of the times and dates below are calculated by http://calsky.com. You must do the free registration in order to get accurate times. Sun and Planet Rising and Setting 12/20 Sunrise 0713 Sunset 1546 Mercury Not visible Venus 0318-0712 Mars Not Visible Jupiter 1600-2306 Saturn 0100-0636 Uranus 1718-2148 01/10 Sunrise 0715 Sunset 1604 Mercury 0542-0700 Venus 0336-0712 Mars Not visible Jupiter 1618-2200 Saturn 2342-0642 Uranus 1742-2024
12/31@1746 ISS 1.11 degrees from Vega in Lyra
12/14@0300 G e m i n i d Meteor Shower peaks
01/01@0716 of the year
12/15@0200 G e m i n i d Meteor Shower – 10/hr
01/02@0642 Moon 4.7 degrees north of Mercury
12/17@2051 Space Shuttle Discovery expected to launch on its last mission to space – only one more shuttle until the end of the shuttle missions.
01/03@0600 Q u a d r a n t i d Meteor Shower 6/hr
12/18@0400 Mercury at Perihelion – closest to the Sun (28,590,244 miles or 46,001,702 km)
01/03@2000 Q u a d r a n t i d Meteor Shower Peak
12/18@2324 The moon passes 1.5 degrees north of the Pleiades star cluster
01/04@0600 Q u a d r a n t i d Meteor Shower 12/hr
12/19@0237 The ISS passes 1.29 degrees from the Moon 12/19@2024 Mercury in inferior conjunction – between the Earth and the Sun 12/21@0132 Lunar Eclipse begins – Penumbra 12/21@0240 Total Lunar Eclipse begins – Umbra 12/21@0313
THE NIGHT SKIES OVER AROOSTOOK COUNTY All times are listed in Eastern Time. Please add 1 hour for Atlantic Time. 12/11@0536 The ISS passes 0.138 degrees north of Castor in Gemini 12/11@1544 of the year
12/14@0200 G e m i n i d Meteor Shower – 51/hr
Earliest Sunset
12/13@0200 G e m i n i d Meteor Shower – 8/hr 12/13@0334 Moon at Apogee – Furthest from the Earth (251,365 miles or 404,446 km)
Full Moon
12/21@0316 G r e a t e s t Lunar Eclipse 12/21@0353 Eclipse ends
Total
Lunar
12/21@0501 Eclipse ends
Partial Lunar
12/21@1838 Winter Solstice – Winter begins – Sun 23.44 degrees south of the equator 12/25@0724 Moon at Perigee – Closest to the Earth (228,983 miles or 368,434 km) 12/26 Pluto in conjunction with the Sun. Furthest from the Earth – 32.933 AU
Latest Sunrise
01/03@1331 Earth at Perihelion – Closest to the Sun
01/04@0402
New Moon
01/04@0753 Jupiter degrees from Uranus
0.5
01/05@1815 ISS 1.0 degrees east of Vega in Lyra 01/08@1100 Venus greatest elongation west – 47 degrees – highest point in the morning sky 01/09@0924 Mercury at greatest elongation west – 23 degrees – highest point in the morning sky 01/09@1648 ISS 1.26 degrees from Bellatrix in Orion 01/10@0041 Moon at apogee – furthest from the Earth 01/10@1636 Moon degrees south of Jupiter 01/12@0631 Moon
8.0
Last Quarter
01/18@0004 Moon eclipses Mu Gemini – eclipse ends at 0112 01/19@1824
Full Moon
01/21@1916 Moon at Perigee – Closest to the Earth
12/13@0454 ISS passes 1.27 degrees from Spica in Virgo
12/27@1148 Venus at Perihelion – Closest to the Sun (66,798,288 miles or 107,478,445 km)
01/24@2318 Moon degrees north of Saturn
12/13@0858 Moon
12/27@2318 Moon
01/26@0614 ISS 1.44 degrees from Deneb in Cygnus
First Quarter
12/13@1618 Moon degrees north of Jupiter
6.2
12/13@1923 Mercury degrees north of Mars
1.0
Last Quarter
12/28@2100 Saturn degrees north of Moon
7.8
12/31@0630 Moon degrees south of Venus
7.53
01/26@0757 Moon
7.6
Last Quarter
18 How Well Do You Know Your Holiday Tunes University Times LIFESTYLE December 10, 2010
Julia Lunn
STAFF RESEARCHER
What’s the real name to these Christmas songs? 1.Bleached Yule 2.Castaneous-colored Seed Vesicated in a Conflagration 3.Singular Yearning for the Twin Anterior Incisors 4.Righteous Darkness 5.Arrival Time: 2400 hrs — Weather: Cloudless 6.Loyal Followers Advance 7.Far Off in a Feeder 8.Array the Corridor 9.Bantam Male Percussionist 10.Monarchial Triad 11.Nocturnal Noiselessness 12.Jehovah Deactivate Blithe Chevaliers 13.Red Man En Route to Borough
Stephanie Corriveau STAFF WRITER
Are you looking for a h o l i d ay g i f t t h at ’s b o t h c re at i ve and bu d g e t friendly? Candy sleighs are a g reat option. These sleighs are not only sweet treats, but are also imaginative creations that will
14.Frozen Precipitation Commence 15.Proceed and Enlighten on the Pinnacle 16.The Quadruped with the Vermillion Probiscis 17.Query Regarding Identity of Descendant 18.Delight for this Planet 19.Give Attention to the Melodious Celestial Beings 20.The Dozen Festive 21 Hour Intervals
Name these Christmas Carols as we did with these first few. The clues are the first letters of the words in the titles of the songs. 1. S C I C T T Santa Claus is Coming To Town 2. I S M K S C I Saw
Mommy ___ ____ ____ 3. J B _____ ______ 4. I D O A W C __ ________ __ _ _____ ________ 5. R T R N R _______ ___ ___ ____ _______ 6. C R O A O F ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ 7. D Y H W I H ? ___ ____ ____ _____ __ _____? 8. A I A M ____ _____ _____ _____ 9. F T S ______ ___ __________ 10. O C A Y F __ _____ ___ ___ ________ 11. I C U A M C __ _____ ____ __ _______ _____ 12. O L T O B__ _____ _____ ___ _________
13. J T T W ____ _____ _____ ______ 14. S N _______ _______ 15. L I S _______ ___ ________ 16. W C I T ? _____ _______ ___ _______ ? 17. T T D O C _____ _________ ____ ____ __________ 18. G R Y M G _______ _______ ____ ________ ________ 19. H T H A S _______ _____ _______ _______ _______
20. W W Y A M C ____ ____ _____ _____ ____ ____ _____
Sweet Sleigh Surprise
char m family and friends. What’s even better is that they’re quick and easy to m a k e. Fo l l ow t h e s e instructions and you’ll be sure to have the perfect present in minutes. What you’ll need for one sleigh: two regularsized candy canes (any flavo r), one reg ul ar- sized
Finished product
Kit-Kat bar, six Hershey’s ch oc ol ate m iniat ures, tape, scissors and thin ribbon (like you would use for gift-wrapping). 1. Pretend that the candy canes are the rails on the sleigh. The Kit-Kat bar will serve as the sleigh’s base, which the rails attach to. Tape the candy canes to one side of the bar (about one inch apart). When you place the Kit-K at bar down on a flat surface, the candy canes should support the weight of the bar and resemble sleigh rails. 2. Now you’ll use the Her shey’s miniatures, which will look like presents on the sleigh. Take six of these mini bars and stack them like a pyramid on the center of the Kit-K at bar: three miniatures on the bottom, two in the middle and one on the top. 3. The curling ribbon will help hold the
Required materials for Candy Sleigh
“presents” in place. Tie ribbons across the width and length of the sleigh. The knots from the ribbons should be positioned above the top Her shey’s miniature on the sleigh. Try to leave a little extra ribbon after you tie the knots. You can curl the ends with scissors to add a festive touch.
With only these three simple steps, your sleigh is complete. And, if you bought your supplies in bulk, then you probably have some extra candy left to make more sleighs (unless you’ve indulged in a treat or two). The candy sleigh is a gift that’s both fun to make and give to the ones you love.
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University Times LIFESTYLE December 10, 2010
Ben Pinette
STAFF WRITER
Turning the Volume Down On Those Christmas Songs
Ok, let’s be honest here. There are the good Christmas songs that bring back some joyful memories of years gone by, and then there are some songs that make you not want to celebrate the holiday at all. Well, I’ve listened to many Christmas songs in years past and I’ve picked five songs that truly don’t represent what Christmas music should be. #5- Little Drummer Boy It’s funny how many different artists and bands have sung this over the past 50+ years, yet it still hasn’t changed it at all for me. I sometimes doubt why this song is even a Christmas song. And four minutes of “Pa-ra-
Julia Lunn
STAFF WRITER
pa-pa-bump-ra-pa-pa-bumpra-pa-pa-bumb” over and over again? No thanks. #4- The 12 Days of Christmas Talk about the longest song ever! After about the third day, you just want to take the radio and just throw it out the window. I always wondered why we needed 12 days of Christmas. Would six be too much to ask for? Don’t get me wrong, Christmas is my favorite holiday, but 12 days seems a little bit too much. #3- Morning Has Broken (Aaron Neville version) Not familiar with this song? Don’t feel bad. I do like some of Aaron Neville’s non-Christmas music, but this
ear-splitting rendition, not only is the sense of tranquility shattered, but you also get the true meaning of Christmas. #2- Santa BabyMariah Carey I always think of Santa going to a strip club or something when I hear this. To me at least, Christmas is supposed to be a time where warm holiday memories come together, but just imagine this song being played at your grandmother’s house. Just doesn’t say “Christmas” to me. …DRUMROLL….. and the #1 most annoying Christmas song is…….: #1- Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer- Elmo & Patsy (1979)
Ugh! What a bad image to have in your head at Christmas: your g randmother getting run over by a reindeer. That’s what all the kids want, at least around t h e Christmas of ’79. This song still is heard just about every Christmas. Once a year is plenty enough to hear this one. Just a day ago before writ-
m o re w i t h h i m a n d h i s wonderful wizard friends to see what lies in store for them. Now that he is 17, finally out of the Dur sley’s care, and on his own, we are forced into an exciting, trivial jour ney to find the means to finally d e f e at Vo l d e m o r t .
Accompanied by his best friends Ro n and Her moine, viewer s lear n quickly that the wizarding world is no longer safe. P u re - bl o o d s b e g i n r u n n i n g t h e s h ow u n d e r Vo l d e m o r t ’s command. T h e i n n o c e n t a re b e i n g attacked. And the Ministry has fallen into t h e a r m s o f Vo l d e m o r t himself. H a r r y, Ro n a n d Her moine keep the audience on their toes, as they dodge cur ses, lear n scary truths, injure themselves, and worst – send them in a frustrating whirlwind of love connections with the character s. No details can be shared, as ever y play a significant role throughout the movie. It would o n l y s p o i l t h e eve r- s o popular my s t e r y the entire series besets on its fans.
Re c o m m e n d e d to all who know Harry Po t t e r, and if yo u don’t, it’s still a f u n m ov i e t o e n j oy. I t ’s t h e a l l - a ro u n d movie to see if you are looking for some magic, romance, thrill, s u s p e n s e, a n d comedy. And it is definitely the movie to see if you are looking for a clif f-hanger. What other movie leaves of f at such a place where you have to wait a tantalizing 7 months just to see how it ends? Rated PG-13, this foreboding tale is a must-
ing this article, I heard this song on TV. That will, I hope, be it for me! Have a great holiday everyone!
The End of Hogwarts?
Just when you thought you couldn’t get enough Har r y Potter, they leave you thirsty for more! In this e pic tale of good vers u s ev i l , o n c e a g a i n we meet our b e l ove d a c q u a i n t a n c e, Harry Potter. We meet up once
see. Watch, and then wait as the tale meets its end in July 2011.
University Times LIFESTYLE December 10, 2010
Lessons From Cats, Dogs and Millionaires
Kayla Ames STAFF WRITER
What would you do if you won 370 million dollars? If you found out your pet dog was secretly trying to keep the world’s cats from achieving global domination? As out-ofplace as these questions seem, they were the focus of the movies shown on Nov. 18 around 4:30 and 6 p.m. in room 118 of the Campus Center. It was then that CAB hosted a special movie night, during which three movies were scheduled to play between 4:30 and 9:30 p.m. Due to technical difficulties, one of the original options, “The Last Airbender,” could not be shown. Instead, students had a chance to enjoy “Cats and Dogs,” a movie from 2001 starring Alec Baldwin, Tobey Maguire and Jeff Goldblum (or, rather, their voices) and “Lottery Ticket,” a new release featuring Bow Wow, Ice Cube, Keith David and Brandon T. Jackson. “Cats and Dogs” shed light on the war between cats and dogs, of which nearly all
humans are totally unaware. The main character was a beagle named Lou. He was born on a farm and always dreamed of finding adventure. Through a series of unforeseeable events, he ends up with the Brody family. The father, professor Brody, is currently trying to develop a cure for dog allergies. As he does this, he’s missing out on life and disappointing his family, especially his son, Scotty. Lou quickly sees that Scotty needs a friend and so takes on the role of companion and protector. Lou insists on becoming an agent and helping to defend mankind. Butch, a serious, experienced agent with little tolerance for goofing off or outward affection, begins to shows Lou the ropes. He introduces him to other team members and explains that dogs have been fighting evil cats since ancient Egyptian times. Meanwhile, their main enemy, a fluffy white Persian named Mr. Tinkles, is hatching a plan that will use professor Brody’s research to
take over the world. As Lou becomes closer to the Brodys, he realizes that love and loyalty are more important than awesome spy skills and that having a family is better than any adventure could ever be. “ Yo u s h o u l d h ave fo u g h t fo r m e, ” Lou tells B u t ch wh e n the older dog decides to call off the rescue mission to s ave the kidnapped Brodys, “for my family.” Lou’s dedication and courage deeply affect Butch, who was once betrayed by an owner and so now keeps himself apart from all humans. Despite his lack of experience and tendency to ruin his fellow agent’s plans, the young beagle proves time and again why we consider dogs man’s best friend. As for “Lottery Ticket,” it revolves around a young man named Kevin Carson, who lives in the projects and has dreamed since the age of 9 of designing his own shoes. He also has his fair share of problems, most worrisome of which is Lorenzo, a recent parolee who is always harassing or threat-
ening him. At one point, Kevin gets Lorenzo locked up again, and as soon as he’s out, the neighborhood bully starts looking for revenge. Seemingly an answer to all his problems, Kevin wins $370 million in the lottery. He can’t claim it for three days, though, and when everyone finds out what happened, he’s stuck trying to keep the greedy people he’s known all his life from taking advantage of him. Along the way, he discovers who his true friends are, learns important lessons from a reclusive man named Mr. Washington and decides to stand up to Lorenzo. He also realizes that money is useless unless it’s being used to help others. “It’s the neighborhood, man, it’s this neighborhood,” Mr. Washington tells Kevin, “I just wish someone would come along with the courage to make a difference.”
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Benny, one of Kevin’s truly loyal friends, says that he would use the money to change lives. Kevin follows their example. By the end of the movie, he has come to the conclusion that, while money can certainly corrupt, it can also make dreams come true. Both movies demonstrated the importance of devoted friends and family. They also explored the theme of responsibility, Lou’s towards his family and Kevin’s as a result of his new wealth. One allowed us to see our pets in a whole new way while the other encouraged us to make a difference, whether or not we recently came into a lot of money. Either way, both Cats and Dogs and Lottery Ticket had meaningful lessons to teach us and were wellworth watching.
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University Times VOICE December 10, 2010
Stephanie Corriveau STAFF WRITER
PG 98 minutes **** No instructions manual is required for this film. “How to Train Your Dragon” is a cute and clever movie that’s full of comedy and creativity. This film is perfect for those who are interested in the Vikings or are fascinated by
The Reel Deal: ʻHow to Train Your Dragonʼ
mythical dragons (or just want to watch an entertaining animated film, for that matter). “How to Train Your Dragon” is about a boy named Hiccup (Jay Baruchel), who only wants to live up to his father’s high expectations. Hiccup’s father, Stoick (Gerard Butler), leads the hunt against dragons. Hiccup is eager to help, but he’s often pushed aside. In order to prove to his fellow
Students Weigh in on Annoying Christmas Traditions Mika Ouellette STAFF WRITER
With the holidays coming up many people are starting to think about Christmas traditions. As with anything, people have both their favorite and not so favorite Christmas traditions. The UTimes decided to take a survey of students asking them what they think are the most
annoying Christmas traditions. Here are some of the answers we got: “Having to wait my turn to open my gifts on Christmas morning!” – Holly Handren, Caribou. “Opening the obnoxiously securely closed packages for my son’s toys and then putting them together with vague instructions and diagrams.” – Candice Rivera, Bridgewater. “Listening to way too much Christmas music for a month with no breaks.” – Lanette Virtanen, Caribou. As this survey shows, Christmas traditions are not always seen as joyous and festive. Sometimes they can actually be seen as annoying. But it is these traditions, no matter how people feel about them that make up the spirit of the season.
townspeople that he has the skills necessary to kill a dragon, Hiccup designs a device that will capture the most mysterious dragon of them all. With some luck, Hiccup succeeds, but he can’t go through with the kill. Hiccup’s decision to spare the dragon leads to a new friendship. But, it also puts him in a tough spot. How can Hiccup bridge the gap between the hunters and the
hunted? Although you wouldn’t exactly call the dragons in this film cuddly (with their fire-breathing and all), there’s definitely something about these animals that makes them quite lovable. They truly make the movie enjoyable with their quirky traits and actions. “How to Train Your Dragon” is another film brought to you by DreamWorks, the creators
of the delightful “Shrek” series. It seems that “How to Train Your Dragon” wasn’t given as much recognition as “Shrek,” however, and it really deserves more credit. After all, it’s better than some of the other animated films that are produced. If you’re looking for a movie to rent during the holidays, “How to Train Your Dragon” is a film that the whole family will truly enjoy.
University Times LIFESTYLE December 10, 2010
Michael Greaves STAFF WRITER
PG-13 ****
Flick Pick: ʻUnstoppableʼ pm and 9:00 pm and matinees are on Saturday and Sunday at 2:00 pm. This movie is full of
Unstoppable stars Denzel Washington as Frank Barnes and Chris Pine as Will Coloson. Inspired by true events about a runaway train with a deadly and highly flammable cargo on board and headed to a highly populated town. This movie is about not only the runaway train but the two men who risk their lives to stop. When Will Coloson (Pine) goes on his first day of being a train conductor he gets more than he signed up for when he gets news of a runaway train on his track. With the help of his instructor Frank Barnes (Washington) they will have to think of a way to stop the out of control train. This movie is directed by Tony Scott and is now playing at the Caribou Theater. Show Times are Monday through Sunday at 7:00
high octane non-stop hold on to your seat action. This movie starts out fast and gets faster with each scene. Chris Pine is really be coming a well know actor with his brake out performance as James Tiberius Curt in the 2009 movie “Star Trek”. Denzel Washington has another great performance to add to his list along with movies like “ Tr a i n i n g D a y , ” “ Re m e m b e r the Titans,” and “The Book of Eli.” T h i s m ov i e i s re c ommended for action movie fans or suspense movie fans. T his movie gets a 4 out of 5.
Flick Pick: ʻMega Mindʼ
Sarah Graettinger STAFF WRITER
Have you ever wanted to see a really cool movie, and didn’t know what to see in theatres? W e l l , Megamind is an adventure a n d romance all thrown into one. Witty scenes toss you around in a bundle of awesome. Who wouldn’t want to know what Megamind is all about? This movie is about the super villain Megamind battling it out with his arch nemesis Metro Man. Many battles take place and Megamind finally defeats Metro Man in battle. Because Megamind defeats him in battle
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he gets bored, and makes a plot to make a new hero to battle with him. This person who is the new hero is now named Titan! Titan, the new city hero is n o w turned evil, and wants to destroy the world. And n o w Megamind is now the hero and has to protect the city! Man, what an adventure. I f there were a rating, it would be about three stars. This movie you can take children to and adults can still enjoy it. A witty and fun story that is a great experience and hard to forget. So enjoy and bring your family!
HAVE YOU APPLIED FOR FINANCIAL AID FOR 20112012?
Open M-F 8 a.m.-4:30pm 768-9571
If you are eligible for federal student aid – and have not done this for next academic year, please go on-line and fill out a 2010-2011 application at: www.fafsa.gov Do not wait – apply today!! (If you wait…you could lose out on some financial aid assistance) Any questions, feel free to stop by the Financial Aid Office, located on the top floor of Preble Hall
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University Times LIFESTYLE December 10, 2010
win $100.00 Design the cover of the
2011 University Day Booklet The booklet includes a schedule of events and descriptions of each session.
The winning cover art will also be used on posters, advertisements and other related University Day items.
University Day is Wednesday, April 13, 2011 Art submission deadline is Monday, February 28, 2011 The UDay theme is
A Decade of Learning: Showcasing 10 Years of University Day, 2001-2011 For complete details about dimensions, format, etcetera, go to:
www.umpi.edu/uday
Please Donate Your Books! Do you have books that youʼd like to get rid of, but donʼt know where you could bring them? Phi Eta Sigma will take them! During the month of December, Phi Eta Sigma will be holding a book drive. Be on the lookout for collection boxes that will be distributed around campus. Please leave your donated books (that are still in good condition) in the boxes. These books will be sent to the Better World Books organization, which donates them to charities conducting literacy projects. Also, Phi Eta Sigma raises money for their organization with each book thatʼs collected. If you donʼt have any books to donate, but would still like to help, use the power of Facebook. By marking Phi Eta Sigmaʼs drive as one of your “Likes,” you can also support this fundraiser. Thank you for your help! For more information, contact Phi Eta Sigma President Rebecca Stepp at rebecca.stepp@maine.edu or visit www.betterworldbooks.com.
Chocolate Wonders
Sarah Graettinger STAFF WRITER
Going around in the cold is never fun. What you need is something to warm you on these cold days and nights, and hot chocolate can help you do that. What you do is take a packet of hot chocolate and a mug. Then you fill the mug with water and put it in the microwave for about 2 minutes until the water boils, or is at the tempera-
ture that you want. If you can boil water on the stove even better! What you do with the hot chocolate mix it in the water until there is no clumps on the bottom of the cup. Once your hot chocolate is mixed, take a piece of candy cane and put it in the hot chocolate. I f you have wh i t e ch o c o l at e o r d a rk you c a n p ut i t in a n d i t w ill m a ke yo ur dri n k ta st e so goo d! E n joy!
UMPIʼs christmas tree looking very festive.
University Times LIFESTYLE December 10, 2010
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Have a good holiday and break!