Drunk Driving's Human Cost Circus Delights at PAC
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VOLUME 36 October 27, 2003 ISSUE ! 1100! ! -- ~- -- --- - Your source for campus news and information tJJie C'ummt cefe6rates its 1100th issue this wee~ 11ianR,§ to a[[ who have fz.efpecf tJJie C'ummt over (fz.e years. Guerilla Theater takes the stage. THECURRENTONLINE.COM U NIV ERS ITY OF MISSOURI - ST. LOUIS Fraternity lends UMSL celebrates its 40th Man-eaters among us? annIversary• Biologist discusses book on large predators helping hand to at annual leTE lecture at Botanical Garden BY CATHERINE MARQUIS Stevens. "Writers like David shape our H OMEYER general view of science." . __ ......... _--_ ..... .... _. ..... The evening's presentation local hospital SCience Columnist included the author reading excerpts BY PATRICIA LEE patients and their farnilies. They did from his book, .as well as discussions Staff Writer not leave until nearly 6:30 p.m. Humankind is the dominate species of the book's topic. Quammen is an "It took a lot of effort and a lot of on earth, yet a spate of recent events award-winning science and nature time, and the boys did a great job. The have reminded us that we are not author. He was educated at Yale and On Sunday, Sept. 28, members of patients loved it," said Comer. ''We above becoming prey for the largest of Oxford, receiving a degree in English Pi Kappa Alpha, a social fraternity, got a lot of compliments from the earth's creatures. literature. His bestseller nonfiction held a tailgate party for bone marrow patients and their farnilies." Author Da\~d Quamrnen knows book, "Song of the Dodo," has been transplant patients at Barnes Jewish ''1 think it was a learning lesson for something about such creatures. As the desclibed as both scholarly and Community Hospital. my brothers," said Renner. ''They guest speaker of the annual Jane and readable. He has covered several The event took place in the patient know about my job, but they've never Whitney Harris Lecture on Oct. 22, topics in his work, including family room at the hospital, where seen firsthand what some of these Quarnrnen discussed large predators biodiversity, evolution and extinction. parties are held people · go as the topic of his new book, "Monster Besides writing a great deal of books, periodically . through." of God: The Man-Eating Predator in Quammen was also published in Transplant patients Pi Kappa Alpha the Jungles of History and the Mind." "Outside" magazine and received two --"-- The thirteenth arrnual lecture was usually stay in the The patients loved frequently National Magazine Awards for his hospital for 30 to 60 it.•• We got a lot of participates in sponsored by UM-St. Louis' science essays and columns. International Center for Tropical "I will talk tonight about big days. "So we try to compliments from community do stuff for the activities. Recently, Ecology, an association of the predators, the 'Monsters of God,'" patients once in a the patients and they worked with university's Biology graduate said Quammen in his opening while," said Holly their families. Habitat for program, the Missouri Botanical remarks. Quarnrnen explained that he Comer, assistant Humanity to build Garden and the st. Louis Zoo. Each had derived the phrase "Monsters of nurse manager. a house. They also year, the lecture brings a noted God" from the King James version of Todd Renner, - Holly Comer, asst. nurse work with Fr. Bill scientist or science writer to the St. the Book of Job, where God says that junior, nursing, and manager at BJC Hospital Kemp, director of Louis area for an entertaining and man is third on the scale of creatures, former chairman of , , the Newman informative presentation accessible to with God himself as first, followed by philanthropy for Pi Center, on various biologists and the general public. the "monster of God" Leviathan. This Kappa Alpha, works on the bone projects. The tailgate party was one of The evening's program kickeD off Leviathan was not a whale, but a large, marrow transplant floor of the the largest events they have helped to with a few words from Chancellor fire-breathing, predatory dragon-like hospital. He and the other staff at sponsor. Thomas George. ''The Jane and creature. The story was intended as a BJCH carne up \\~th the idea of a Pi Kappa Alpha is no longer Whitney Harris lecture brings our reminder to be humble, the author tailgate party, so he decided to ask his recognized on campus, but Renner educational program to the wider St. saici fraternity to help out with food and the hopes that their community-oriented Louis audience," said George. "AJso, ''It tells us where we stand on the big screen. "It gets kind of old [for the activities will help dispel stereotypes it highlights our International Center food chain of power and glory," said patients] being in the same room, not about fraternities. "A lot of people for Tropical Ecology and our Quarnrnen. ''We are not at the top but doing anything day in and day ou(," have a stereotype about us and Mike Sherwin/ The Curmll connection to the Garden," referring to an intervening link in the food chain said Renner. fraternities in general, that we're "Mark 1\vain" narrates "UMSL: The First 4 billion years," the Missouri Botanical Garden. around the world." Pi Kappa Alpha donated food for a useless, that we do nothing but dramatizing the history of UM-St. Louis from pre-Columbian After the chancellor's remarks, Quammen said that the story barbecue, as well as the use of their partying," he said. 'That's so not the times to the present day. The play was part of "Serendipity Peter Stevens of the JCTE introduced "reminds us of a crucial thing-that we big-screen TV for watching the Rams case and I'm trying to get people to Day," which featured a wide spectrum of interactive events, the guest speakeJ.~ "Most scientists, are a part of the natural world too, a game. They started cooking around realize that my brothers are totally not demonstrations, and discussions. who think they are pushing the step on the food chain." 10:30 a.m. for a noon lunch, then like the way the rest of the University advance of science, have little impact for AOOITIONAL PHOTOS OF SERENDIPITY DAY, see page 3 on the public's view of science," said stayed and watched the game with the sees them." see BIOLOGIST, page 3 Drunk driving's human cost Circus delights at PAC LEFT: Catherine Perrine speaks In the Pilot House Wednesday night about her experience losing her youngest son, Redford, to a drunk driver on Jan. 14, 2000. She now volunteers with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and speaks to students and rehabilitation groups about the dangers of mixing alcohol and motor vehicles. Her appearance was sponsored by University Health Services as a part of National Alcohol Awarenesss Week. MADD mother hopes students learn from story of son's tragic death BY MIKE SHERWIN C McGilley, 23, of Leawood, Kan. really, truly deaci" to go to the first parole hearing," - - - Staf!Writer McGilley and Redford Perrine were Almost one year after the crash, Perrine said. "Despite a 14-year both killed when a car driven by Marla McCray was sentenced to two sentence, this person who willingly got McCray sideSwiped their vehicle in a consecutive 7-year terms for the in a motor vehicle and sped without Kansas City suburb at approximately 2 involuntary manslaughter of Rayrnond headlights, while drunk, was eligible In the year 200), 16,653 people lost a.m. on Jan. 14, 2000. Perrine and McGilley. for parole after one year. That's our their lives in alcohol-related crashes in ''The two automobiles met at an Although Perrine says she feels criminal justice system. Luckily, we the U.S., according to statistics from intersection . on a quiet street," said lucky that McCray was given the had enough people writipg letters that Michael Pelikan! The Current the National Highway Traffic Safety Perrine. ''We're not talking an maximum sentence allowable by law, parole was denied, but now every two Claiming a unique use of the common bicycle, performers years we have to go back for more Administration (NIITSA). Catherine interstate, we' re talking about a she is still frustrated about the from the Chinese Golden Dragon Acrobats command the Perrine's son, Redford, was one of residential neighborhood street" possibility of parole for McCray. parole hearings." stage on Wednesday night. The event featured contortionists, those 16,653. The Kansas City Police "After only one year in jail, we had see DRUNK DRIVING, page 3 jugglers, acrobats, dancers and even a yo-yo exhibition. Perrine, a member of Mothers Department's reconstruction tearn and an independent team hired by the Against Drunk Driving (MADD), ADDITIONAL COVERAGE, page 6 spoke to a group of students Perrines found that Matthew Wednesday in the Pilot House. She McGiIley's car was traveling at 38 cautioned that drinking and driving m.p.h. when it was struck on the could lead to disastrous results. driver's side by McCray's automobile. INDEX Perrine read a prepared statement McCray's Mazda Miata was going Bulletin Board 2 above 80 m.p.h. in a 35 m.p.h. zone ~ --_. - _. --- ,...,....,~.-, ---,~ recounting the loss of her son and her _._---_. _----- - - ........... .... --.-.- ... ......- - .. ----.--~ .. .- .. - -~-~----... ~-.- . -.• . family's struggle to recompose itself in with her headlights MIled off, the the face of trage<iy. reconstruction tearns found. - "'.- ------.. - . -- ~ , ''My story starts Jan. 14, in the year McCray's blood alcohol level was OpiniQ'l~ ____" _.. _.. ___.