University of Maine at Presque Isle
Volume 38 Issue 13
APRIL 23, 2010
Journalism for Northern Maine
Visit us at utimes.umpi.edu
Accepted Students Day Takes UMPI by Storm Kayla Ames STAFF WRITER
Accepted Students Day was a blast from the past. It seems like only yesterday that an entirely different group of potential students filled the multipurpose room, talking in low voices and shifting nervously in their seats. This year, there were many more than expected. Staff anticipated around 30 students, but on April 10, more than twice that showed up. Organizers, assisted by President Zillman, brought out more than a dozen extra chairs as the number of arrivals kept rising. Finally, everyone was seated. With a few last murmured comments and interested glances around the room, Accepted Students Day began. The first scheduled event was a welcome and congratulations from Zillman and Vice President Sonntag. Zillman couldn’t stay long because he was part of that morning’s spring runoff, but he took a few minutes to thank both students and parents for attending. He also described University Day and elaborated on the accomplishments of UMPI students and professors, letting everyone know some of the many UMPI educational opportunities there are, both on and outside of campus. He then turned it over to Sonntag, who talked mostly about faculty. “I have a sense they’re looking over the students,” Sonntag said with affection. Faculty members are often like surrogate parents, aware of whether kids are doing well
and willing to help in any way they can. Their primary focus, according to Sonntag, is teaching. Many are also actively involved in the com-
lect their academics. While the idea of independence is exciting, it goes hand in hand with responsibility. After them came students
other with an interest in music. Once there, they improved their education, met new people, visited Yosemite National Park and went sea kayaking
Saying cheese: UMPI’s latest batch of accepted students. munity. Sonntag used his last eager to share their experiwith dolphins. They only went few moments to compliment ences. The first pair to speak a semester, but students can the campus and mention the was Nathalie Dupuis and stay at an exchange university transitions each college stuAlison Kieffer. They worked at for an entire year, and at much dent undergoes. He was folMount Desert Island Biological lower cost than many of the lowed by Erin Benson and Laboratory, Kieffer during a locals there would pay. This Kim-Anne Perkins. summer internship, Dupuis opportunity is one few at Benson said that she had during a weeklong course. UMPI take advantage of, but attended a large institution for They agree that one of the really should. her college education. She advantages of smaller schools Megan Pryor was the third never even saw the president such as UMPI is that it can speaker. She described the until graduation day. There’s a send its students places. Not work that went into the recent lot of interaction at UMPI, only was the experience fun Medieval Faire. It was headed especially between students and valuable for a future by professor Kim Sebold and and campus personnel. resume, but it brought classcreated with the help of many As for Perkins, she disroom education to life. student, faculty and staff memcussed education. Education “It’s a very, very valubers of the UMPI community, here is very hands-on and able experience,” one of such as her. Whether people’s Perkins, like many others, is a the girls said. interest was history, art, educafirm believer in learning by Next to speak were Chelsea tion or anything else imaginadoing. Education also consists Kaiser and Chelsea Glovins, ble, everyone had a chance to of three parts: liberal arts or who took part in the National learn and contribute. general education, Student Exchange. They both “It’s so important to experimajor/minor/concentration traveled to the same ence things,” Pryor said. and electives. Thanks to Californian University, one of Indeed, the hours of work small classes, students find it them in pursuit of an elementhat went into the Faire proved hard to skip classes and negtary education degree, the that history is neither dry nor
limited to books. Pryor said her favorite part about the hands-on project was being able to study the area that most interested her. Sarah McGlinn spoke last, describing a new program called Learning Community. Learning community strives to increase retention and demonstrate the natural ties between courses. For McGlinn, who attends three courses with the same nine students, the program has had many benefits. She’s no longer uncomfortable sharing her work with others and she’s comforted by the fact that everyone succeeds and struggles together as well as communicates. “I would strongly, strongly advise that each of you take advantage of this,” McGlinn said. In closing, Benson told all that Accepted Students Day was a time to get information. They should try to familiarize themselves with the people who would likely become their classmates. The many potential students and supporting family members filed out. Among other things, they were destined for a mini FYS session with professor John DeFelice and an assortment of poster sessions featuring campus research projects and clubs. Then they sampled a typical UMPI lunch in the cafeteria, had the chance to get some additional information and headed home with a better idea of what UMPI’s all about. We should see lots of those faces around here next fall.
Campus
University Times
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April 23, 2010
Dear Readers, University Day 2010 was a success for University Times and WUPI 92.1. We had a large number of people show up who were interested in our display and our live broadcast. We had a lot of positive feedback on our live remote broadcast and the number of staff we had available at our booth. Congratulations go out to the following people for the results of the door prize drawing on University Day: Michael DeWitt- $25 Citgo gas card Jenn Prokey- $25 Citgo gas card Leland McDougal- $25 Citgo gas card Katrina Lalonde- $25 Citgo gas card Kate Sirois- $25 Aroostook Centre Mall gift card Nate Blackwell- $25 Aroostook Centre Mall gift card Cooper Plaisted- $25 Aroostook Centre Mall gift card Olivia Jameson- $25 Aroostook Centre Mall gift card Jared Monahan- $75 Sorpresso’s gift certificate Justine Cyr- $75 Sopresso’s gift certificate
The University Times Staff Co-Editors Lanette Virtanen Landon York Assistant Editors Sarah Graettinger Ben Pinette Staff Writers Kayla Ames Stephanie Corriveau Alicia Fournier Angel Hammond Daniel Jackson Stephanie Jellett Mika Ouellette Justin Pelkey Ben Pinette Alyson Robitaille Steve Straight Rene Steele Lanette Virtanen
Contributors Bhava Albert Bert Goldman Christine Corsello April Flagg Justin Howe Cameron Huston Laura Hunter Amber Reed Jim Stepp Curtis Thompson Don Zillman Adviser Dr. J The U Times welcomes submissions from the campus community. Send digital versions of articles, photos, etc., to utimes@maine.edu and jacquelyn.lowman@umpi.edu
University Times was the winner for the Student Organization Display. We won $50 toward our organization. All Winners should contact Kim-Anne Perkins to obtain their certificates at 768-9428, her office in Normal 203, or her email: kimanne.perkins@umpi.edu Our next (and final) issue of the U-Times will be dedicated to UDay. Expect to see a record-breaking amount of pages on each event that was showcased. It should be well worth the wait! -Ben Dear Readers, This was my first time to be a part of University Day. It was great to see the different presentations that were going on. There was a tremendous amount of effort and time involved in putting it all together and it was well worth it. I didn’t realize the varied number of activities as well as classes that are available here at UMPI. It makes looking into what else I could take here in the following semesters much more interesting. There isn’t much time left of this semester, so don’t forget to get your wish lists completed. We have only one more paper to put out before the end of this semester and I’m looking forward to seeing what the new semester brings. Lanette
Dates for Submissions to the U Times
Monday, April. 26
Any submissions recieved after a deadline will be published in the following issue. If you have any questions please contact Dr. Lowman at 768-9745
University Times CAMPUS April 23, 2010
From Don’s Desk Marketing UMPI Our work in the last several years has shaped a new and improved University of Maine at Presque Isle. Consider new faculty and new academic pro-
Stephanie Corriveau STAFF WRITER
Professor Shirley Rush has a positive vibe. With a smile on her face, she isn’t afraid to say hello to the people she meets. But she’s more than just a friendly face. Rush, associate professor of social work at the University of Maine at Presque Isle, touches the lives of many—both on and off campus. Rush, who used to live in California, currently resides in the town of Fort Fairfield. It was during her time on the West Coast that she earned her degrees. Rush attended California State University in Chico and California State University in Sacramento, where she received her undergraduate degree and master’s. Rush has a master’s in both psychology and social work. She was inspired to pursue a career in the latter because of her admiration for some of her role models, who happened to be social workers. Rush greatly respected the values of these individuals. Now a respected social worker herself among her colleagues and students, Rush is involved
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grams. Creative research from faculty and students. Rich intersections with our community. Green campus initiatives. Project Compass. We showed off many of these at a splendid University Day. We now ask your help, since we need to market the University of Maine at Presque Isle. We’re reimagining our marketing materials for UMPI. We first need to identify what is distinctive about campus. We then need to convey
that message to our audiences. Who are our audiences? They are prospective students and their parents and spouses, financial supporters of campus, our legislators and trustees and the citizens of our community. I asked a pro, our own D r. J, P r o f e s s o r Ja c q u i Lowman, to help us define the commandments of marketing communication. Wi t h apologies to the original a u t h o r, h e r e a r e t h e Te n Commandments of M a r k e t i n g Communication: Marketing is dynamic
an d evol vi n g. Marketing isn’t static. It isn’t done in a vacuum. When you develop a message, you test it on representatives of your target audience. You refine your message according to feedback. You remain open and don’t fall in love with your communication. During and after implementation, you evaluate and analyze. You figure out what works well, what could work better. You adapt. You remain continually responsive to your market. You prize agility. You avoid complacency. WE NEED YOUR HELP.
We’re developing marketing strategies and materials for UMPI. All of us have ideas of what UMPI is and is not. What makes it unique? Tomorrow, you’ll receive a brief anonymous survey by emessage from Vice President Sonntag’s office. Tell us what you think. You are the experts on what UMPI is and how it is perceived. We’ll analyze the results from students, staff and faculty. We’ll share the results with you. We’ll then move forward with all aspects of our marketing campaign. Thanks for your help. Don
with different activities at UMPI. She began teaching full time at the university in 1998. Since then, she has become adviser for the Student Organization of Social Workers. All students are welcome to join SOSW. They can get a lot out of participating in the club. “It gives the opportunity for students to learn more about the profession of social work, to provide community service and to develop their leadership skills. And we have fun, too,” Rush said. You may have heard about SOSW’s trip to New York City. Rush mentioned that in the past, the group traveled to Guatemala for a service learning project. The SOSW’s preparing for another similar trip for 2011 and encourages others to take part. In addition, the SOSW has recently conducted a project to gather personal care items for the Sister Mary O’Donnell Homeless Shelter in Presque Isle. It also started gathering money for a scholarship fund at the alumni brunch. Members are even collecting
social work textbooks in boxes around campus to send to the University of Limpopo in South Africa. If you’re interested in donating to this cause, you should drop off your books before April 30.
individual,” Elgee said. Besides working with the SOSW, Rush conducts individual research. “I’m in the process of developing a research project for a social work class specifically related to services to families of people in the military,” Rush said. Rush’s hard work hardly goes unnoticed, however. Rush will soon be attending a conference where she will receive the Social Worker of the Year award. She’s pleased to be recognized with this distinction, which she previously received a decade ago. Professor Clare Exner, chair of the college of professional programs, is excited that Rush is being honored for her work. “It demonstrates that her peers in social work value what she’s doing for her profession,” Exner said. Professor Kim-Anne Perkins, professor of social work, feels that Rush is a great instructor. “She’s very thorough and pragmatic once she takes on a task. She has wonderful team leading skills. She’s willing to
contribute generously of her time to students, the institution and her profession,” Perkins said. Perkins also believes Rush is a crucial part of the social work program at UMPI. “The entire social work program is a three-legged stool…we really count on her support to keep the program,” Perkins said. By her colleague’s comments, it seems that Rush is a dedicated professor. And she really loves her job. “I get paid to do what I like to do. How lucky is that, right?” Rush said. When giving advice to her students, Rush has three simple rules. “Follow your heart. Never give up. Always say thank you,” Rush said. Overall, Rush is a hardworking and helpful instructor with a pleasant attitude. “She’s just fun. She has a real upbeat way about her,” Exner said. So, the next time you see Rush, don’t forget to say hello. It won’t take long for you to notice her cheerful manner and positive vibe.
A Friendly Face
Becky Elgee, who is co-chair of SOSW and attended the New York City trip, described Rush as being “intense” when she initially met her. At that time, Elgee didn’t know anyone at UMPI, but Rush was really encouraging her to join SOSW and meet other people. “She’s a really supportive
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University Times CAMPUS April 23, 2010
Being a dog lover, I went with friends who were having their 10-year-old Irish wolfhound named Belker examined. The dog’s owners Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker and they were hoping for a miracle. Belker was examined and found to be dying of cancer. The family was told there was nothing that could be done for Belker. As Ron and Lisa were making arrangements, they told the vet they thought it would be good for 6 year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience. The next day, there was that familiar catch in everyone’s throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the
Chris’ Corner A Dogs Purpose
last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, “I know why.” Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I’d never heard a more comforting explanation. Shane said, “People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life – like loving everybody all the time and
being nice, right?” The 6-yearold continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so
they don’t have to stay as long.” So live like a dog: Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Remember, if a dog was the teacher, you’d lear n things like: When loved ones come home, alw ays run to greet them. Neve r pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in yo ur f a c e t o be pure ecstasy. Ta ke nap s. St retch before rising. Run, romp and play daily. Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do. On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree. When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk. Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you’re not. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it. When people are having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently. ENJOY EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY
Math, Models and More: 2010 Imagine Math Day Stephanie Corriveau STAFF WRITER
The computer screen displayed an image of rapidly moving colored areas. The students in the room watched the image as Dr. David Hiebeler spoke about his work. The image that Hiebeler showed them was of a computer model he’d worked on. Hiebeler uses mathematical principles to create models that represent ecological concepts. Hiebeler, associate professor of mathematics at the University of Maine at Orono, was a guest presenter for the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Imagine Math Day on April 2. Local students and teachers came to this event. Jordan Beaulier, a junior from Ashland High School attended Imagine Math Day with his pre-calculus class. Beaulier said that he’d most likely attend the event again and enjoyed viewing Hiebeler’s computer resources.
“I learned about the worms that go through computers and how they work,” Beaulier said. Hiebeler began the morning by giving the students background knowledge about
the models before introducing the math. The students were provided with laptop computers so that they could follow along. “I try to make this interac-
tive,” Hiebeler said. At the University of Maine at Orono, Hiebeler works on his models with both graduate and undergraduate students. Along with creating
David Hiebeler a guest presenter at Imagine Math Day.
biological models, Hiebeler also models the movement of computer worms. He describes himself as an “applied mathematician.” Dr. Shawn Robinson, assistant professor of mathematics at UMPI, hosted the event. Robinson hopes to make Imagine Math Day a yearly event and would like to get even more students involved. The Imagine Math Day is a great learning experience for students and instructors. “One of the primary roles of a regional campus like this is to act as a resource for the high schools,” Robinson said. While working with Hiebeler on Imagine Math Day, students had the chance to see how math could be applied to a real-world situation. If you’re interested in learning more about Hiebeler’s work, visit http://www.math.umaine.edu/ ~hiebeler/.
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University Times CAMPUS April 23, 2010
Party in the USA: Ms. UMPI 2010 Mika Ouellette STAFF WRITER
Five lovely “ladies” graced the stage of UMPI’s Wieden Auditorium to vie for the honorable title of Ms. UMPI 2010. The proceeds of this evening went to support UMPI’s senior class. But this was no ordinary beauty pageant. In the spirit of April Fools, when the pageant was held, the ladies were actually men dressed in drag. The evening began with the opening number, which was a dance to the song “Party in the USA” by Miley Cyrus. This was also when emcee Keith Madore introduced the five contestants: Alla Yours, Ivana B. Onyou, Cindy Lou Who, Shirley
Ms. UMPI pageant contestants
Topleaseyou and Wanda Myway. They were actually UMPI students: Craig Moody, Bryan Jennings, Josh
MacKinnon, Aaron Hutchins and Josh Stahl, respectively. From there the contestants went through all of the motions
of a typical beauty pageant, such as modeling, talent, interview questions and evening gown. All of these portions evoked uproars of laughter throughout the audience along with plenty of applause. Between these portions, UMPI student Rachel Chaitan provided entertainment by singing both the National Anthem and the song “I Miss Everything About You,” by Colbie Caillat. From there, the judges of the pageant had a difficult decision. The panel of judges consisted of UMPI staff members Amanda Morin, Barb
Blackstone and Heather Craig as well as UMPI student Kathy Kilfoil. But, after careful delebration, the judges made their decision and proudly chose Ivana B. Onyou as Ms. UMPI 2010. “I would like to thank the academy, Dr. 90210, God and Keith for winning this pageant!” On you said in her acceptance speech. Overall, the pageant continues to be a success. This is only the third year for the Ms. UMPI pageant and it draws a large crowd. This may be a tradition passed on between senior classes for years to come.
Rabbits, Candy and Eggs – Oh My! Kayla Ames STAFF WRITER
Easter dinner in the cafeteria was appropriately quiet and low key. Though there weren’t a large number of people on hand, there was plenty of food to be had. Windy, spring-like weather accompanied the
peaceful meal held on April 4 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Staff members prepared an assortment of related dishes, including twicesmoked honey-glazed ham, green bean casserole, roasted sweet potatoes and buttermilk cheddar biscuits. Students had their pick of non-themed food
as well. Salad bar, macaroni and cheese, waffle fries, slices of bread and pizza served as a variety of other options. Desserts were just as numerous. Double-chocolate mousse, pink rice crispy treats, date crumble, chocolate chip cookies and cupcakes with yellow or chocolate frosting were enough to satisfy any sweet tooth. Fruit and candy made up the rest of the after-dinner snacks. Jelly beans, marshmallow peeps and chocolate waited at the entrance as well as at the dessert table, ready to be taken by the handful. “I had a good time,” freshman Sarah Ames said. “It was nice to have no long lines and I thought everything was put together really well.” While the dishes and desserts were many, the decorations were simple and colorful. Plastic eggs and painted eggshells sat in baskets around the room. The bowls of jelly
beans looked like piles of multicolored pebbles. Peeps perched around the dessert table, for adornment as well as eating. The Beatles played in the background and students drifted in and out. By 5:30 p.m., it became clear that most people were probably sharing the holiday with fami-
ly or friends. Like the outdoors, the atmosphere inside the cafeteria was calm and comfortable. Students ate, chatted and left, all part of the tranquil celebration. Those of us without Easter baskets or nearby family members had an opportunity to enjoy the holiday nonetheless.
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University Times CAMPUS April 23, 2010
Lanette Virtanen STAFF WRITER
Getting a chance to listen to different styles of music isn’t as hard as you might think. UMPI gives you plenty of chances to get a taste of many different cultural events right here on campus. Saturday April 17, was a perfect example of another style of music that many enjoyed. Indie and Folk music filled Wieden. Travis Cyr opened the evening and gave a taste of local folk music or, as he calls it, psycobilly music. It was an acoustic performance that left the audience with no doubt that he put everything into his playing. One of the ones that he played was called “Moral Man.” It
A Little Folk in the County
told of how he tries to be a better man by being more kind, moral and patient. In between songs Cyr said,
that were out on the table and had to get some more. Next on stage was Bearkat and when Katy Pearson started singing, you knew you were hearing more folk and indie music. Pearson played both the electric guitar and the ukulele. She told the audience that once she picked up the ukulele, she fell in love with it. Pearson played quite a few songs before speaking up and asking the audience, Does anyone here Travis Cyr and Katy Pearson. “Just to let you know, this is like Patsy Cline? Hopefully you National Record Store Day still will after you hear this. My and I’m selling my CDs in the mother loved her, so this goes lobby for $5.” out to her.” The audience responded Pearson sang two of Patsy with laughter. But before the Cline’s songs. Afterwards, she night was over, he had sold all did a song where she had the
audience members start clapping to form the song before she actually started it. She made sure that the audience were a part of the show. The song that she sang was “Call the Doctor.” The lyrics to Pearson’s songs are quirky, catchy and have you listening to hear what she’s going to sing about next. Pearson was also selling CDs as well as pins, bookmarks and stickers in the lobby. And she let the audience know that this summer, when the Arootsakoostik Festival happens at Thomas Park in New Sweden on Aug.7, she’ll be the only one there who isn’t from Maine. It’s mostly about Maine
Man of Science
Justin Pelkey STAFF WRITER
During the fall semester of 2009, Professor Kevin McCartney was nowhere to be found on the UMPI campus. Where was he? He was in Canada, along the Arctic
Silicos
Ocean. McCartney was conducting the third sabbatical of his career. He was studying new species of silicoflagellates. “(The sabbatical was the) best, most productive sabbatical anyone has ever heard of,” McCartney said. What are silicoflagell a t e s ? McCartney described them as neither important nor trivial. They are very small algae plants. They grow on the bottom of a body of water. They process a very small portion of the air we
breathe. They don’t produce nearly as much oxygen as trees, but they still contribute. Not much is known about the different species. Prior to McCartney’s sabbatical, little had been known between the more recent species and those found in prehistoric times. It all began when a colleague, Dr. David M. Harwood and two students, Lincoln and Jakub Witkowski, contacted McCartney. They’d taken pictures of some silicoflagellates and sent them to McCartney. McCartney was amazed. The images were of a completely new species. Needless to say, McCartney was intrigued. He set out north for a six week trip to research the new findings. “I didn’t have a lot of time,” McCartney said of his trip. For not having much time,
Phenogram McCartney made one of the largest discoveries in the field. Who would have guessed that your professor would have his name in a textbook someday? During this brief period, he managed to discover 13 new species, two new genera (a subcategory of a species) and write five articles for international jour-
made music and the proceeds will go to local charities. So if you didn’t get a chance to hear the music, or if you did and want to hear more, keep Aug. 7 in mind. And if you see a crowd gathering in Wieden, stop in: you might be pleasantly surprised by what you’ll experience.
Katy Pearson
nals. McCarntey named four of the new species after students he taught in the past. The two genera are named after UMPI. “(I’m a) really big fish in a small pond,” McCartney said. This was the largest and most extensive research in the field. McCartney says that he’s one of three active researches in it. McCartney went on to say that he had thought that his research career was over. Before this third sabbatical, he saw himself settling in. Teaching and community involvement were his greatest focuses. His new discoveries have become a third focus in his life. If you’re interested in learning more about McCartney’s research, visit his Web site www.umpi.maine.edu/~mccartn k/ or email him at kevin.mccartney@umpi.edu.
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University Times COMMUNITYApril 23, 2010
Community PES Lends a Helping Paw
Laura Hunter CONTRIBUTOR
Excited yips and big puppy dog eyes greeted University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Phi Eta
Sigma members at the Central Aroostook Humane Society on Saturday, March 6. The shelter, located in Presque Isle, was the scene of a PES service day. “After a long day of school,
there’s something about a pet that lifts your spirits. Animals help us with our spirits. We should help them by being there while they wait for a new home,” Amy Barnes PES president, said. In the weeks before, PES collected dog and cat food, animal beds, biscuits, toys, cat litter, towels and newspapers. UMPI’s generous students, faculty and staff donated The items for the shelter. “Volunteering at the animal shelter was amazing! You don’t realize the amount of work that goes into caring for such precious animals. The workers who do that on a daily basis deserve so much more than our afternoon of help. There are so many basic
supplies, such as paper towels and newspaper, that are greatly needed to provide a cleanly comfortable environment for all the animals,” Rachel Graves, PES member said. PES members presented Betsy Hallett, manager of the shelter, with a check for $45 dollars and the donated items. “It was awesome to have the help,” Hallett said. “All the dogs got out and were able to get the exercise they need.” It was a service project filled with hard work. Members helped to socialize puppies and kittens, swept floors and washed dishes and litter boxes. Many members walked dogs – or, in some cases, were walked by the dogs. “The project was more than I expected. I haven’t had pets in years, so I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about the animals. I certainly wasn’t expecting to fall in love with the puppies. The dog I took for a walk was certainly a strong animal and I think took me for a walk,” Rebecca Stepp, PES member, said. Another member, Gwen Defelice, said, “ I witnessed firsthand that the people who work at the shelter go way beyond what is necessary in caring for the animals there. I am so grateful for all they do.” Although the shelter opens for business at 10 a.m., their volunteers are usually there by 8 a.m. “There’s always a need for volunteers,” Hallett said. “Just show up at the back door and we’ll put you to work.” shelter full of wagging tails and purring chests, it’s hard to not want to help.
Central Aroostook Humane Society 26 Cross Street, Presque Isle 207-764-3441 www.centralaroostookhumanesociety.org
Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Items Needed: - Bleach -Towels -Wash cloths - Paper towels -Laundry soap -Cat litter (non-scoop) -Soft cat / dog food -Throw rugs Leashes Glass cleaner Blankets Scratching posts Cat / dog toys Pet beds Dish liquid Cat / dog nail clippers Cat / dog treats Q-Tips Catnip Cat carriers Pens Scotch scrubs Garbage bags
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University Times COMMUNITY April 23, 2010
Alyson Robitaille STAFF WRITER
Many people enjoy camping as a summer activity. Others enjoy going to the beach. How about hunting, hiking or bonfires? They’re all fun leisure activities, but not many people understand the dangers lurking in the trees, grass or air. Hunting could turn into Lyme disease and camping could turn into West Nile Virus. Anthropoids, another word for insects, or arachnids, such as ticks and mosquitoes, are considered a danger when you don’t take the right precautions. So, how do we prevent these diseases? First off, mosquitoes and ticks are the most common vectors in Maine. Second, vectors are anthropoids that transmit diseases. They do so because they go from one person, sucking blood, to another. One of those people could be infected with a disease and the next person whom the anthropoid bites could become infected. This applies to animals, as well. Mosquitoes-those annoying little buggers that are always flying around you in the summer and fall are one of the most common vectors for diseases. Truth be told, female mosquitoes are the ones that suck your blood. Why? During their ovulation cycle, the female mosquito needs human blood
Creepy, Crawly, Flying Vectors
in order to reproduce. One of the major diseases that they cause is West Nile virus. Andrea Gelder, a professor at UMPI, said, “ In Maine what we find primarily is West Nile virus not in humans. But since it’s been found, it has the potential to spread to humans.” There have also been cases of malaria, which is also spread by vectors such as mosquitoes. Gelder said that the malaria in Maine did not develop in Maine or come from Maine. It was diagnosed in Maine, but brought in by someone who had previously been somewhere that’s known for malaria. Then there are ticks: those tiny pain in the butt bugs that are everywhere! They can be in, on and around trees, grass
and sand. Ticks like dark places. They specifically target people’s groins, armpits, waists and other creases in the body. They cause Lyme disease and are one of the common vectors in Maine. How do we prevent such things? “ Caution.” Gelder said. That’s the main thing to do. There are little things you must do to prevent getting these diseases, but overall, the main things to do is use “caution.” When going outside in the months of March through July, you should wear long pants, long sleeves and socks. You should also tuck your pants into your socks, especially when walking through long grass. Gelder said, “Use DEET. It’s a good insect repellent—
Probably the best.” You should also wear light colors. To prevent these anthropoids from living around your home, you should reduce the vegetation near
your house. Also, anthropoids are known to be able to breed in small amounts of water, so it’s a smart idea to limit the water in bird baths and to remove open containers from your yard so they don’t fill up with water. The basic idea of all this is caution and prevention. If you find a tick on you, attempt to remove it with tweezers, 24-48 hours after it infected you. If you can’t do so, or can only remove parts of the tick, then seek medical attention immediately. Although some people may think that these precautions aren’t necessary, it’s vital to do them. So whenever you go out to the beach, or hunting or maybe a walk in the woods, remember the basic precautions. They aren’t hard to remember and they can prevent you from a lot of hassles in your near future.
University Times COMMUNITY April 23, 2010
Alicia Fournier STAFF WRITER
Listen to Smokey
174,281. That’s the approximate number of acres of wild land burned in the U.S. so far this year. A wildfire is any uncontrolled fire that burns in the countryside or a wilderness area, forest, shrub or grass. It’s considered to be one of the most powerful natural forces known to people. The ironic thing is that other than lightning, nine out of 10 wildfires are caused by people. Chris May, a volunteer firefighter for the New Gloucester Fire Department, said, “Watch your weather. Wind and humidity are crucial. Low humidity dries out the fuels for the fire, making it grow faster and hotter. Changes in wind will change the direction in which the fire spreads and can become very dangerous.” A wildfire is different from any other kind of fire because of its extensive range, how quickly it can spread from its original source and its capability to change direction unexpectedly. The amount of woodland that is being burned due to wildfires is increasing with every year that passes. This is due to the changing patterns of increasingly hot and dry weather and increased residential development in the wild land and urban areas. Now let’s understand how fire works. There are three basic elements of fire: oxygen, heat and fuel. These three elements all stand as a side of a triangle. All three sides are essential for the construction and continuance of any fire. When the oxygen supply is low, or there is not enough heat that’s generated, or the fuel is not present or ran out, then one side of the triangle is broken and the fire will die out. A heat source is respon-
sible for the primary ignition of a wildfire. It’s needed to not only start it, but maintain it and allow it to spread. It does so by removing the moisture and preheating all the fuel surrounding it, also heating up the air, which helps it travel easier and faster. Fuel is any kind of flammable material characterized by its moisture content. This determines how easily and how long that fuel will burn. It’s also characterized by its size, shape and the arrangement in which it’s spread out over the land-
scape. Air consists of around 21 percent oxygen. Most fires need at least 16
percent oxygen to burn. When oxygen is added to the equation, it’s called oxid a t i o n . That’s when fuel bur ns and reacts with the o x y g e n , releasing heat and generating things such as smoke, gases and debris. For some wild land areas, fire is considered to be nature’s housekeeper. It will be set ablaze to devour veget a t i o n , development of insects and diseases and it also produces a renewal of forests. One of the most
9
effective ways of preventing the outburst of extensive wildfires is called a controlled burn. Trained fire experts reduce the unnecessary numbers of brush, shrubs and trees and push the growth of new vegetation. But remember, it’s very important that only people with fire safety certification should be setting fire to the forest. Darrell Pelletier, FF 131 from the Caribou Fire Department, said, “When having fires at a camp or in the backyard, always make sure to have a bucket of water or at least some dirt and hand tools to smother a getaway fire. Have the fire in a pit with rocks surrounding it and always make sure the fire is completely extinguished before leaving the area. Be cautious. Even if the area appears to have been moistened by rain, it may still, in fact, be easily ignited by the smallest of sources, such as a cigarette.” As Smokey the Bear says, only you can prevent forest fires. Although a cartoon character, Smokey is right in everything he stands for. It’s no joke: fire is a dangerous thing. When one backyard campfire gets out of hand, it can spread to a forest fire in the blink of an eye. When a fire gets out of hand, you can try to put it out with water or dirt and try to smother it out before it gets too far. If the fire has grown too large, then you should immediately call your local fire department or 911. Fire is a tricky thing and once it gets out of hand, it can become extremely dangerous to you and the people around you: once a forest fire, now a structure fire. Don’t let this happen. Stay cautious and be prepared for anything, because you never know how fire will react to its environment.
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University Times COMMUNITY April 23, 2010
Out of the Comfort Zone: Experiencing Life in the Dominican Republic Daniel Jackson STAFF WRITER
“This shouldn’t be so difficult!” I said as I tried to force a twisted, rusty nail from an old piece of plywood for what seemed like the fifth time. Eventually, one of the Haitians saw me struggling and took pity on me. He came over and showed me a more proper way to remove nails from boards. Unlike in the United States where nails and pieces of wood are so readily available, the Haitians will reuse nails and pieces of wood numerous times to save money. While I worked outside once more in the heat, I overheard Gretchen Jordan, a Spanish teacher from southern Maine, working with some Haitian students in a nearby classroom on their English. Wishing I could teach some more after my experience the previous day, I sought out Jeri to ask about teaching again. Thankfully, Gretchen needed some help teaching English lessons that afternoon as some of her assistants wanted to do some construction for a change of pace. As I prepared for another session of teaching, I found myself clueless yet again as to what was going to happen. All I knew was that I would be teach-
ing English to the second- and fourth-graders, but exactly how was still eluding me. As I made my way toward the classrooms, my friend Sam Heald, another assistant of Gretchen’s, caught up with me and said, “These are the most hyperactive kids in the whole school. If they scream, run around or do anything besides sit at their desk, just stand there. Close your eyes and don’t move. It will stop eventually.” With that frightening thought in mind, I entered a fourth-grade classroom where Gretchen was preparing to teach students English using “things outside of our comfort zone.” Sam had gone to help another teacher for the afternoon, so I felt a little more nervous. Then I caught myself—this was just a bunch of hyperactive kids looking to learn English, not an angry mob that would chase me out of the compound if I didn’t deliver. Gretchen divided the class into two teams: boys against girls. A member of each team had to come to the front of the class and pull a piece of paper out of a box. On the papers were commands that students had to do in order to get the point for their team. The catch was that the directions were written in English—the language that these
students were trying to learn. “Why don’t you go first to show the students what to do?” Gretchen asked me. Thinking nothing of it, I reached into the box and pulled out the paper. On it was written “sing a song to a member of the opposite gender on your knees.” Perfect. My first day on the job and I have to go serenade somebody. Picking a song at random (“Happy Birthday to you”), I walked among the desks hosting female students and knelt down in front of a mortified student. After singing my song to her, the teacher told me that it was, in fact, her birthday that day. Having succeeded in my challenge, Gretchen announced “Muy bien! Uno punto para los chicos!” (Very good! One point for the boys!). I began to settle into the classroom setting more. I helped my teammates with the rest of the challenge: they either had to dance like a monkey, sing the Dominican national anthem or run around the room saying,“I’m crazy!” With day two of teaching accomplished, we now had some free time to relax before the next stage of our trip commenced. We were to visit Haitians who lived in the bateys (known as slums in America) and deliver food to those in need.
Suits for Students FREE April 27, 28, 29 Folsom Hall foyer
(Professional clothing is donated by UMPI staff) Sponsored by Career Services. Contact Barbara.Devaney@umpi.edu 768-9750 South Hall 205
11
University Times COMMUNITY April 23, 2010
Hello Darkness Our Old Friend Mika Ouellette STAFF WRITER
Every year for the past three year s on the last Saturday in March, people around the world have been celebrating Earth Hour from 8:30 – 9:30 p.m. local time. T he W o r l d W i l d l i f e Fe d e r a t i o n sponsor s the event, during which it asks people to tur n off their l i g h t s . According to Earth Hour’s official Web site, it began in 2007 as a symbolic initiative to raise awareness about energy use and climate change. Since its grassroots beginnings, Earth Hour has bal-
looned into a worldwide phenomenon. According to the WWF, this year’s Earth Hour, held on March 27, had more than one billion participants in 120 n at i o n s wo rl d w i d e. The event was highly publicized on television, in newspapers and even on social-networking Web sites such as Facebook. Included in these one billion participants was UMPI sociology professor Dr. Lynn Eldershaw who introduced Earth Hour to her SOC 100 class the Tuesday after it was held, which was also the first class after March Break. Before introducing and explaining
the initiative, Eldershaw asked her students how many of them had heard of Earth Hour and participated. Most of the students had heard of Earth Hour, but out of the 30 students in the class, only one participated. “I t hi n k it ’s a g reat w ay t o sen d a m essa ge t hroug h co ll ec t i ve a c t i o n w o rl d w i d e, ” Eldershaw commented on the i n itiative. Major landmarks in the United States such, as the Las Vegas Strip and the Empire State Building, participated in Earth Hour by going dark. T he message even reached gover nment of ficials, with many state capital buildings also going dark. Included in the state capitals was the Maine State Capital Building in
Augusta. T his hour of darkness sends a message: that it’s time to “tur n off ” the waste of energy that is
causing the climate crisis affecting this planet as well as the people, plants and animals that call it home.
Listen to the brand-new WUPI 92.1 “THE OWL” for these shows: M-F 12-1 p.m. “’80s Lunch with Ben Pinette”
All ‘80s Requests at 768-9711 from the days of Pac-Man, Madonna and The Breakfast Club
Tuesdays 1-3p.m. We Salute You w/ “The Trooper”
Want to rock? Hear Trooper’s deep music playlist in action. Call him at 768-9711 for requests!
Mondays 11 a.m. - noon “Sports Talk with Sam Clockedile” Love sports talk? Sam will keep you informed of events during his time slot
Tuesdays 4-6:00p.m. “Adam & Ryan versus the World of Sports”
Listen in to Ryan McPhedran and Adam Tilsley’s unique sports show. Ryan promises special guest call ins and much more!
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Come to our meetings every Thursday from 12:30-1p.m. in Normal 102
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12
University Times COMMUNITY April 23, 2010
The Sound of Drums booths set up around the gymnasium. Donna and Mary Sanipass had made all kinds of
and wood carvings. Also there was a table that had delicious pizza, homemade bread, pitchToday there are many ers of water people who don’t know and coffee to much about Native culshare with any ture. Tuesday, April 13, who wanted brought a chilly morning some. for the third annual Three Native American d r u m s — two Appreciation Day. the same size Glenda Wysote-Labillois and one smallbegan the event with a er one—were blessing at 8:30 a.m. in set up in the Wieden gymnasium middle of the opening ceremony-which gym. Six chairs a smudging occurred. ringed the From 9 to 9:45 am, drums, along Rocky Bear discussed with micro“Native Medicine and phones so that Tobacco Ties.” Bear was the drumming among the people who could be heard helped to put on this event. Children were important to Native Appreciation Day. baskets. Posters were set up from far away. The others included Mike Best, what Project “It’s important to have a day Nick Paul and Glenda Wysote- explaining Compass and Native Voices like today to honor ourselves,” Labillois. Native Voices and are. There was also a crafts Norman Bernard, the emcee Project Compass sponsored the table with items that people for the night said. day. could buy, including blankets Joseph Davis and Danielle There were different kinds of Stephanie Jellett STAFF WRITER
Leblanc played flute music, while many of the others drummed and sang. Drumming represents the heartbeat of the tribe, while the singing and dancing represents prayers, and can honor people. “We have this day to acknowledge nature and the community,” Davis said. “We want to bring back the culture that was lost so it won’t be lost again.” Even the children got involved. They did a dance that consisted of dancing around and picking up candy-while keeping in sync with the drumming. In total, there were four groups: two from Presque Isle Mi’kmaq, one from Tobique First Nations and one from Mawalitijig Ep’Jig. There were six main dancers for the night: Brenda Dana, Glenda Wysote-Labillois, Rosalie Labillois, Nick Paul, Glen Bernard and Max Moulton.
The day was a success. Many people from the community came out in support and learned about Native heritage.
Joseph Davis played the flute.
Career Services programs
Need help with your resume, cover letter, job search, interviews? Stop by one of the following Career Info. Sessions.
Thursday April 22 Tuesday April 27 Wednesday April 28
11-1p.m. 11-1p.m. 12-1p.m. Sponsored by Career Services. Contact Barbara.Devaney@umpi.edu, 768-9750, South Hall 205
Campus Center Folsom Hall Campus Center
University Times COMMUNITY April 23, 2010
Washburn Curtis Thompson CONTRIBUTOR
What would you do if someday you looked down at a compass and it was pointing in a direction you knew as south? Well, that day may come sooner than you think. Geomagnetic reversal is the periodic reversal of the earth’s, and other celestial being’s, magnetic poles.
There are quite a few theories on why the poles switch the way they do. Some sup-
ported theories involve the weakening of the earth’s magnetic field, and some believe that the earth’s core itself could be rotating. The earth’s poles have reversed about 96 times in the past 71 million years. The last shift happened three-quarters of a million years ago, leaving the poles at about the position they
are now. Some scientists have compared the period of time during the last
A Reversal? reversal with the reversal before it and conclude that we are due for another shift. Some scientists even say that the current weakening magnetic field and some natural disasters are all signs that the shift is going to happen sooner rather than later. With the theory that the weakened magnetic field is the cause of the shifts in magnetic poles, scientists add that the magnetic field shift could also be cause natural disasters dating back to 2004 when a huge tsunami hit Asia. The large earthquakes that have occurred in Chili, Cuba, and Japan could all be caused by earth plate shifts due to the weakening field. Underneath the earth’s tectonic plates is the earth’s core, a big mass of magma and dense rock. Some people believe that the earth’s mag-
March Student of the Month
April Flagg
CONTRIBUTOR
The teacher’s have selected Sierra Rooney as March’s Student of the Month. Sierra is a freshman at Washbur n District High School. Although this is only her fir st year, she has certainly made a positive impression on the faculty. Sierra is an early arriver at school, often get-
ting here before many of our teachers. She grates all the teacher s as they walk through the door and
always offers to help carry the many bags our teachers lug to and from school.
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netic pole is attributed to the earth’s core. The core is constantly flowing and very chaotic. The core could flow in a certain direction that would cause the magnetic field to shift.
Sierra maintains good academic standing, works very hard in her classes, is often in attendance for extra curricular activities and is incredibly polite and v e r y enthusiastic about lear ning. Our hats come off for Sierra…our March Lindsey Blackstone Student of the Month!
Overall, we have much to worry about. Between global warming, 2012, and the ice age that we’re also overdue for, the magnetic poles switching is the least of our worries.
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University Times COMMUNITY April 23, 2010
The Tradition of Junior Exhibition
April Flagg
CONTRIBUTOR
Washburn District High School’s Junior Exhibition 2010 took place Saturday, April 3, in the Doc Albert Gymnasium at WDHS. Eight juniors entertained the audience with various monologues they selected. Pa rtici pan ts were Courtney Tur ner perfor ming “It’s a Doll’s Life,” by Lynda Milk; Garth Kinney re c iti ng “An n abe l L ee, ” by Edg ar Al len Poe ; Dakota Koch perfor ming “T h e Baptist G our m et,” by Jill Morley, revised by D a ko ta Koch ; Kyl e
Washburn Students at Junior Exhibition
Huston re citi ng “A Coll ectio n of Po etr y, ” from the book Melancholy Death of Oyster Boy, by Ti m Bu rt on ; L indsey Bl ackstone pe r for min g “N o ah ,” by Bi ll C osby; Rebecca Campbell reciting “To ta l ly Li ke Whatever, You Know?” by Taylor Ma l i; Ama nd a Libby perfor ming an origina l monolo gue, “G oo d bye”; and Came ron Huston reciting “The Pee Little Thrigs,” by Archie Campbell. Sarah Sjoberg and Connor Fitzpatrick were the mistress and master of
ceremonies. They entertained the audience as well as introduced each junior to the community. Junior exhibition is a long-standing tradition in the community. Students are formally introduced to the community in the March ceremony at the beginning of the prog ram. This year’s class chose “Wonderwall” by Oasis as its class song. Its motto, “Life brings tears, smiles and memories. The tears
dry, the smiles fade, but the memories last forever” suits the personality of this class to a T. Cameron Huston came
away with top honors of the night, winning not only
Washburn Distination Imagination Teams Break Another Record
Cameron Huston CONTRIBUTOR
In 2009, a Washburn District High School Destination Imagination team became the school’s first to win top place at a state competition. This year, another team record was broken when two DI teams placed first in separate categories at the state competition held April 10. This is an exciting time for the two teams as they prepare to represent the state and compete with teams from all over the country and even the world.
first place with the judges, but also the people’s choice award. Dakota Koch’s southern style won her second place and Rebecca Campbell came away with third. The juniors concluded their evening with a dinner at Theresa’s Café in Presque Isle. Congratulations to all of the juniors and a special shout out to Londa Brown and Ben Good win who organized and advised the event! It was a great night and a memory made!
The competition is known as the “Global Finals.” The 50 states and 30 other countries compete in Tennessee for the title of best in the world. Destination Imagination is a problem-solving organization that focuses on creativity, teamwork, visual and performing arts. Almost every talent of those involved is tested. It takes dedication, teamwork and a great deal of time and talent to win at the state level. It will be exciting to see how our teams do in Tennessee.
University Times
15 Rene Steele
STAFF WRITER
SportS
Who Said Being Fit Can’t Be Fun??
got a colored name tag specifying which team they belonged to. The teams of
ity stations. From a relay obstacle course to an exciting noodle-tag game to the rock
It definitely wasn’t the UMPI physical education majors club. On Saturday, April 10, it’s members hosted the second semiannual Fit and Fun Day at Gentile Hall. Kids from grades one through five came out for a morning full of healthy activities and exerCyndi Trapnell welcomes children to Fit and Fun Day. cises and to learn that it’s quite possible about 15 kids each were wall, the kids were ready to to be fit and to have fun while assigned a PE major who get going and to try out all of doing so. would rotate with them these fun stations the PE “Tod ay i s a ll ab out throughout the morning and majors had created. fu n. A s lo n g a s you have would be there if the kids had The kids dispersed to their yo u r l i s t e n i n g e a r s o n , any questions, needed help or first stations and the music yo u’re g oin g t o h ave a l o t even needed a “potty break.” kicked in, indicating the o f f u n t o d a y ” C y n d i The teams were to rotate beginning of play. Laughter Tr a p nell said as she wel- around the six different activ- and smiles filled the gym c ome d th e ki ds from both the kids and their a n d pa ren t s. parents, who were watching While the from the sides. program was The rock wall was a huge organized by the favorite for the kids. Colby entire PE majors Bonville of Presque Isle was club, Trapnell very excited to climb as a was the head few of the PE majors got coordinator him into his harness and behind the prepared him to go up. event. This is “This is his first time her last semester coming to the fit and fun at UMPI. day and definitely his first “Who wants time to climb. He’s very to climb the excited,” his mom Robyn rock wall?” said as she watched anxTrapnell asked iously from the side. the eager bunch. After 30 minutes of All hands flew play, the music stopped, into the air as indicating that it was time the parents to change stations. In a chuckled. clockwise motion, the chilUpon regisdren shuffled along, excitKatie Powers and her mom. tration, the kids ed to see what the next stop
had in store. “I just can’t believe she’s hanging in there with all of those boys” the very proud mother of 5year-old Katie Powers said as she watched her daughter tackle the problem-solving obstacle course. Powers was assigned to a group of all boys, but that didn’t stop her from getting in there and having fun. Power’s mom graduated from UMPI and comes to Gentile to work out each week. She home schools 5year-old Powers, so when it’s time to work out each week, she’s very excited to tag along with mom. “Sh e love s it h ere. Sh e
April 23, 2010
act ual ly saw t he ad wh en I was working out one day and begged me to b ri n g h er. ” Advertising was a huge factor in the success of this event compared to the one held during the fall semester. Trapnell said, “This year we advertised a lot more. In the fall, our numbers were low, really low. Probably around 20.” In addition to the fun and fit activities in the morning, the kids got a special prize to take home - bright yellow and blue water bottles with the PE major’s logo. All in all, the event was a huge success. The PE majors look forward to hosting two more great events next year and hope to increase the attendance even more.
Colby Bonville Gets Ready to Climb with Help from Jeff Morton.
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University Times SPORTS April 23, 2010
Snow Doesn’t Stop Runoff Rene Steele
STAFF WRITER
Chilly weather, gusty winds and a light dusty of snow is what nearly 100 runners awoke to on April 10. The 30th annual spring runoff attracted many runners and walkers this year despite less than ideal weather. The starting line was still packed with people of all ages. The 5k run, which serves as a fundraiser for the UMPI cross country team, took runners throughout most of Presque Isle. Starting on campus, the course took the participants from Main Street to Howard to Academy. From there the course went to Cedar, Barton, Pine, Sherwin, Maple, and back to campus. When all participants had crossed the finish line, they headed to Wieden for refreshments, awards and pizza. “I’ve been doing this for many years and it still feels good to come out, run a race and support a good cause” Mr. Munzey said. Many echoed his sentiments. As chatter buzzed throughout the gym, many talked of the Aroostook Musterds. The Musterds are a running group that sponsors the “county challenge,” which is a series of eight races throughout the
county. Runners can participate and gain points for placing in the race. At the end of season, they tally the points and give awards to the top two in each age group, starting with 14 and under, 20-29, and so on up to 60 and above, as well as overall. After many runners had had their fill and the times were recorded, cross country coach and event organizer Chris Smith was ready to give out the awards. Trophies went to the top three male and female finishers in each age group (from 14 and under to 60 and above), relay teams and best overall finishers. First place overall for women went to Gabrielle Cyr with a time of 19:35. First place overall for men went to Curtis Wheeler, who set a new course record of 15:33. Our own Don Zillman took third in his age group. UMPI senior Aaron Schmersal took second place in his age group. The race funds nearly all of the cross country team’s expenses for the season. It brings people from all walks of life together for a good cause. What they gain is a sense of camaraderie you experience when surrounded by others who share one of the same passions that you do.
Love music? Love to talk?
WUPI 92.1 wants you!
We’re looking for dedicated individuals to further broaden our program format. We’ll take you in with a broad range of formats!
Just a FEW of the formats you could play:
-Rock (including modern/classic/indie) -Pop -Country -Country -Classical
- Jazz -Dance -Sports -News/Talk -International
Come to our meetings, Thursdays 12:30 p.m., in Normal 102, to get started. It’s that easy!!
17
University Times VOICE April 23, 2010
VOICE
Social Networking Sites Going a Little Too Far? For one local town, itʼs one personʼs opinion that chooses what the town represents
Ben Pinette
CONTRIBUTOR
There’s a point in our lives where we may become bored. For some of us, the answer’s in finding a hobby of some kind such as reading, working out, even collecting. But for one individual, it means making a friend on Facebook and using the alias “Caribou, ME” to disguise herself. The only reason we know that it is a women making this page is her e-mail, bosslady04736@gmail.com. Now normally it would be fine to have a Facebook page that a town could, in fact, run. But for this situation it isn’t. The woman (we know from to her posts), isn’t a member of the town council or any high power figure for the town, and she didn’t do it because she was bored. I found this page when I was browsing through one day and thought it would be an
easy friend to add, since I am originally from Caribou. As of April 12, the page has gotten more than 4,900 friends. Sooner rather than later, I knew it was too good to be
Facebook, but it still seemed too weird for me. Then I see that this woman has become “fans” of politicians like Bruce Polquin, Matt Jacobson, Les Otten. Other
for many years and is a staple to our summers in Caribou. Curious as I was to see what the next pointless post was, I stayed put. Probably one of the most obnoxious posts I
true. This woman was posting needless information every hour to everyone’s homepage (this is how Facebook works) and clogging up my page. Yes, there is a way to hide people’s posts on
people have noticed this habit as well, especially when this woman was complaining about hating the food at a local restaurant, Burger Boy, on Sweden Street in Caribou. Burger Boy has been around
witnessed was a poll question about a month ago on boys wearing their pants too low. I don’t know about you, but to me this has nothing to do with Caribou at all. It was just a tool that could get her
opportunity to experience life with
The University’s Gay Straight Alliance, together with Presque Isle Student Ministries (PRiSM) will sponsor a lecture by Unitarian Universalist minister Reverend Dr. Al Boyce on Monday, April 26, at 7 p.m. in the Aroostook Room, Campus Center. Rev. Boyce will offer a presentation titled “Gay and Christian – An Oxymoron?” reflecting his personal experiences – the-
ologically and psychologically- with the perceived
Student Letter to President Zillman April 7, 2010
layered lenses. It may or may not Dear President Zillman, I have heard rumors about the art
change us, but it changes how we experience life.
programthatmakesmewonderwhat
Please discuss your plans with
the school’s plans are for art. Some
Painting III students. Whether for the
editorials in the Bangor Daily News
sake of financial solution or a restate-
reflectmysentiments:artandhuman-
ment of the school’s mission, students
ities challenge students in ways that
will benefit from being included. A
mathandsciencemightnotbeableto
community is a living thing. Please
do. Artandhumanitiesdomorethan
allow art to work in the body politic.
make citizens out of students, as one
Yours,
article suggested. Art gives us the
Bert Goldman
peeve across to people. After seeing this post, a few people deleted her (or should I say her town) from existence. Just because she doesn’t like it doesn’t necessarily mean the town of “Caribou, Maine,” doesn’t. My question is: should a town as a whole become a fan of a candidate? It’s a conflict of interest, in my mind. There are more than 8,000 residents in Caribou. Who is to think that everyone is a fan of Bruce Polquin or Les Otten? Whoever this “bosslady” is should really get a hobby in my mind. Please delete this page. You are not an authority to make these decisions for the entire town. We really don’t care how low guys pants are. Go outside and enjoy the start of another beautiful summer here in northern Maine.
Gay and Christian Topic of Campus Lecture by the Rev. Al Boyce
conflict between sexuality and spirituality. Boyce hails from a back-
ground based in both fundamentalist and progressive Christian theology. He is currently near completion of a Ph.D. in psychology with the goal of providing counseling and support to those struggling with sexual orientation from a psychological and faithbased perspective. All are invited to attend this free, public lecture. For information, contact Dick Harrison, GSA advisor, 768.9604 or dick.harrison2@umpi.edu.
Lifestyle
18
April 23, 2010
The ISS and Northern Lights Jim Stepp
CONTRIBUTOR
The International Space Station doesn’t cause northern lights, but its a great place to see them. During the first and second week of April, several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have occurred on the sun. These CMEs hurled huge amounts of the sun’s surface toward the Earth. From space, the interaction of the CMEs with the Earth’s magnetic field can cover the north and south polar regions of the Earth with green and red light shows. The picture above is a good example of what a person in space might see. Here on Earth, these light displays can be very beautiful as well. On April 11, the Presque Isle area just missed seeing northern lights by a couple of hundred miles. Many other northern tier states such as Michigan and Wisconsin, saw displays on April 11. April can be a good month to watch for northern lights, but
you have to know when and where to look. One of the best Web sites to check out for this information is www.spaceweather .com. This site provides up-to-the-minute information about when to look for northern lights. You can even sign up to get e-mail warnings about when to look.
The countdown to the final space shuttle launch continues with only three more launches to go. On May 14, 2010 the Space Shuttle Atlantis is scheduled to launch at 2:19 p.m. EDT. On July 29, the Space Shuttle Endeavour is scheduled to launch at 7:51 a.m. EDT. And the last shuttle flight is the sched-
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 For April 20, 2010 Sunrise05:35 Sunset 19:26 Mercury
Not Visible
Jupiter 04:30 – 05:24 Saturn 20:00 – 04:48 THE NIGHT SKIES OVER AROOSTOOK COUNTY All times are listed in Eastern Time. Please add 1 hour for Atlantic Time. 04/14@08:28 New Moon 04/15@19:42 Moon 1 degree from Mercury. 04/15@20:48 Moon
Textbooks bought and sold, new & used, online buybacks. Buy, sell, rent at cheapbooks.com (260) 399-6111, espanol (212) 380-1763, urdu/hindi/punjabi (713) 429-4981. See site for other support lines
04/24 1970 Mao 1 Launched 1st Chinese Satellite. 04/24 1990 Hubble Space Telescope Launched. 04/24 Astronomy Day 04/24@17:08 Moon at perigee – Closest to the Earth. 04/25@05:48 Venus 3.5 degrees from the Pleiades Star Cluster. 8.6
04/28 1900 Jan Oort Born – Developer of the theory that comets come from the now named Oort Cloud that encompasses the solar system.
Mars 20:00 – 04:00
uled launch of the Discovery on September 16, 2010, at 11:57 a.m. EDT. THE NIGHT SKY From April 7 through April 28, the ISS is visible in the morning sky. After April 28, the ISS will be in the evening sky. 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
04/21@14:19 Last Quarter Moon
04/25@20:06 Moon degrees from Saturn.
Venus 19:24 – 21:36
On April 5, 2010, the Space Shuttle Discovery made history as the last regularly scheduled night launch of a space shuttle. The launch also made history for tying the record of most people in space at one time. The seven member crew of the space shuttle joined the seven member crew of the International Space Station to tie the record of 14 humans in space at one time.
degrees from Venus.
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04/28@08:18 Full Moon 04/28@12:42 Moon in inferior conjunction with the sun. Passes between the sun and the Earth. 04/28@20:50 ISS close to Spica 04/30@21:39 ISS close to Vega
University Times LIFESTYLE April 23, 2010
Open Mic, Open Atmosphere Steve Straight STAFF WRITER
Have you ever wanted to perform in front of people? Are you looking for an opportunity to showcase your original music or poetry? Are you a great dancer, but never get a chance to strut your stuff ? Then Open Mic Nights are for you. Open mic nights at UMPI are held once a month in Wieden auditorium on the s t a g e . Anyone can perform and all types of music are welcome. But performers aren’t limited to m u s i c . People can share poetry, short films, photographs and skits. The UMPI art club, also known as Studio 923 on Facebook, started open mic nights this year. The club’s name stands for the date it started: September 23. The way it works is simple. Musicians, for example, get up on the stage, play their music-- covers or originals, whatever suits their tastes— and get to play two songs before passing the mic. This gives all a fair chance to express themselves and get their talent out there. Then, if there’s time left at the end, performers may get a chance to return to the stage. Presquillian.com, maintained by Josh Archer, sometimes broadcasts open mic nights live over the Internet, so even if you can’t attend, you can still check them out. Renee Felini heads the
UMPI art club. She performs some of her original music at Open Mic Nights. Felini said, “Open Mics have made me braver.” UMPI student Whitney Graham said, “Open mic nights have helped me get over stage fright.” As someone who performs regularly, Graham described being on stage as laidback. Other people may take the s t a g e with you so you d o n ’ t f e e l alone.
Graham s a i d , “ I t ’ s good to see how o p e n m i c s h a v e changed in the last couple of months. There have been more community members who have performed, not just students. It would be nice to see more different acts, like poetry reading and dance.” Ryan McCluskey, another frequent performer and UMPI student said, “I’ve played piano there a few times and read some of my own poetry. One thing that’s really cool is that the art club draws you while you perform.” The atmosphere at open mic nights is very welcoming and accepting, and so there’s no reason to hesitate to go and showcase your talent. The final open mic night of the semester is at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 29. Be sure to attend, whether you would like to perform or watch, as it will be your last chance before the fall semester.
MSNBC Anchor Fired
Ben Pinette
STAFF WRITER
David Shuster isn’t anchoring his usual 3 p.m. or 10 a.m. hour of news anymore. Shuster is in deep trouble after reports he shot a CNN pilot recently, which apparently happened without his MSNBC bosses knowing. According to CNN sources, the network’s in-house team shot a pilot for a news show featuring David Shuster of MSNBC and Michel Martin of NPR as co-anchors. The pilot also featured medical and opinion segments. It included appearances by sev-
eral current CNN contributors, including Chrystia Freeland, the U.S. managing editor for the Financial Times, and Jeffrey Toobin of The New Yorker. An MSNBC spokesperson tells Mediaite: “David has been suspended indefinitely.” Shuster has been suspended from Twitter, as well, after MSNBC deemed his exchange with James O’Keefe inappropriate. He was also suspended for two weeks in 2008 for his “pimped out” comment about Chelsea Clinton. The only public statement
about David Shuster’s suspension from MSNBC was six words from a spokesperson saying he “was not moral, ethical, or professional.” There has been no word yet on his replacement. Currently, Contenssa Brewer anchors the 10 a.m. broadcast, and Ed Shultz anchors the 3 p.m. edition. Shuster was a well-respected journalist and anchor. It’s sad to hear about his departure. Let’s hope that he learns from this and that he’ll think twice at a new network or organization about shooting a pilot with the competition.
A Full House
Corey was just going to show the movie but, as she told Driving on campus the audience, “I came across Thursday night, April 15, something that said to talk to might have had you wondering Rebecca, call… so I did.” if there was a playoff or big After she was done singing, basketball game going on in St. James signed autographs at Wieden. That the back of wasn’t the case. the gymnasiInside there was um where showing of the there was a movie, “Sarah’s display of her Choice.” It wasCDs as well as n’t just the movie books that she that drew in the had written. crowds of people So the who showed up, next time that though. It was you’re driving the fact that the through camstar of the movie pus and see a was also to sing crowd gathafterwards. ered and Rebecca St. you’re not James, a sure why, stop Grammy award in. Who winner, with knows, you many more talmight just be ents, sang quite a able to hear a few songs Grammy and St. James, Dove award who is originally winner. A lot from Australia, more goes on found herself in Wieden moving to Los than just Angeles about a sports. St. James giving out autographs to fans. Lanette Virtanen STAFF WRITER
year and half ago. That’s when she landed the lead role for this movie. Christie Corey, the director of the Pregnancy Care Center, put the Presque Isle event together.
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University Times LIFESTYLE April 23, 2010
The Reel Deal: “The Cove
Stephanie Corriveau STAFF WRITER
PG-13 92 minutes What better way to celebrate the upcoming Earth Day than with a viewing of “The Cove”? A film about saving the dolphins, it really gives you a better appreciation for these cute critters. Before you think that you wouldn’t want to watch this movie because it’s a documentar y, you just may want to give it a chance. It’s actually pretty interesting and you could learn a few things that’ll surprise you. Set off a cove in Japan, the film focuses on a group of individuals from the U.S. with a secret undercover mission. The crew’s goal is to document the slaughter of dolphins at the cove, but this isn’t a simple task. The Japanese workers are very suspicious of the group and pre-
vent them from getting close to the site where the dolphins are killed. So the crew decides to sneak into the area at night to set up cameras to tape the slaughters. The footage that they get is really saddening. Besides documenting the slaughters, the crew also looks into sales of the dolphin meat. It turns out that most consumer s don’t realize that they’re eating dolphin since the meat has a different label. Also, the meat contains high levels of m e r c u r y, which can be very harmful when eaten. “The Cove” is a great educational film. It makes you realize that although dolphins seem well protected, they’re in great danger in places like this Japanese cove. For those of you concerned with animal protection, “The Cove” is a perfect fit for your interests.
HAVE YOU APPLIED FOR FINANCIAL AID FOR 2010-2011? 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.