March 24, 2008 Vol. XXIV No. 11 one copy FREE NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE WHITE PINE PRESS Unexpected: rising water The levels of Lakes Michigan and Huron have risen in February, 2008 according co the US Army Corps of Engineers in Detroit. Lake Superior was eight inches higher than in February, 2007. Gaylord had 133.2 inches of snow - 21.7 inches above normal. Madison, Wisconsin, is having its snowiest winter ever. The Army Corps says this large snowfall, plus a rainy fall in 2007 has contributed to an unexpected rise in lake levels. All five Great Lakes are expected to rise over the next few months, but will still remain below their long­ term monthly averages. Fire-starting E.LFs arrested Four suspects belonging to the Earth Liberation SUBTERANNEAN SUSTENANCE A refrigerator sits idly in the underground tunnel between the Tanis building and Front (E.L.F.) have been Scholars Hall. The tunnel is currently undergoing renovation as workers construct a "steel superstructure" to provide arrested this month for reinforcement. starting a fire that caused one million dollars worth of damage to Michigan State University’s Agriculture Hall What lies beneath: NMC’s hidden tunnel in 1999. Marie J. Mason, “I know absolutely nothing of it,” said JASON STORMS and Osterlin Library to ensure the tunnels Frank B. Ambrose, Aren B. student Erin Stier when asked about the tun­ Press Staff Writer were properly reinforced. The sound that stu­ Burthwick and Stephanie ■ dents heard was the melting of the steel. nel. “This is the first time I’ve ever heard L. Fultz were charged v,iih Recently, students, staff and faculty in the Bailey said the utility tunnel was built mention of it.” arson, aggravated arson and library, Scholars Hall and part of the Tanis in the 1950s and 60s, and was expanded as Many students, like Stier, are completely conspiracy to commit arson. building have heard loud construction noises buildings, such as West Hall, were added to unaware of the tunnel, which has entrances E.L.F is a loose grouping outside the library, but when they went to in­ the campus. It was, and still is, used primarily visible to students in the basements of Schol­ of activists who, during the vestigate, they found nothing - just students to house steam lines and waterlines, allowing ars Hall and the Tanis building. Other stu­ past 15 years, have been walking to and from classes and the occasion­ easier access for maintenance and repairs. dents have a little more knowledge of it. the culprits of arson and al squirrel scurrying about the campus. However, the tunnel has not been expand­ “I’ve heard the teachers used them in the vandalism across the United Unbeknownst to them, the construction ed to other buildings constructed within the wintertime until they were deemed unsafe,” States. E.L.F. is committed was occurring beneath them in a utility tun­ past few decades. For example, when the Den- said NMC student Jacob Pobst. to using “economic sabotage” nel that runs between the Tanis building and nos Museum was built in 1991, the tunnel was According to Communications Instruc­ and “guerrilla warfare” to Scholars Hall, as well as to the boiler building not extended to reach it, and the tunnel does tor John Pahl, the tunnel was indeed used by stop organizations they and West Hall. not extend to the Beckett Building. Part of the teachers, as Probst said, and students were feel are destroying the According to Ed Bailey, director of campus reason for this, according to Bailey, is that the sometimes lucky enough to enter the tunnel. environment. In 2001, the services, in the past few weeks, workers in­ tunnel is not used as much anymore, and they “Back in the old days,’ faculty all had keys FBI categorized them as eco- stalled steel infrastructure in the section of the are much more expensive to build today than to it so we could get between the administration terrorists. tunnel running between the Tanis building they were 40 or 50 years ago. • See TUNNELS on page 2 STYLE SPRINGS FORWARD DON’T GIVE HIM YOUR DOUBLE, DOUBLE, TOIL AN ENLIGHTENING SPRING ANDTR0UBLE....P15 P9-12 PASSWORDS P13 BREAK P20 March 24, 2008 n 9 NEWS £— on campus WHITE PINE PRESS PLAYING THE CARDS RIGHT N BRIEF Written by ERIC CAIRNS Pahl Prize deadline: April 29 The essay deadline to be considered for the second Pahl Prize Liter­ ary Award is April 29. If you have a short fiction entry, the deadline will be in the fall. Entries for the prize can consist of major projects in literature courses and Advanced Writing and Rhetoric Writing to the Capstone essay that is written in the English 112 classes. How­ ever, entries must have been written this year. NMC Instructor John Pahl, the inspiration for the Pahl Prize, said, “The emphasis this se­ mester is on more academic and scholarly essays, but ones that are lively and engaging and deal with topics of public interest and intel­ lectual exploration.” SGA semester events There is more going on than one might think with the Student Gov­ ernment Association. The “Mock it or Rock it” show at Milliken Auditorium will be Monday, March 24 at 7:30 p.m. with pre-show tailgate party beginning at 6:30 p.m. And relax with the return of the massage - the Blue Heron Academy will be here again on April 10 for “Stress Buster Day,” and (as always) the massages are free. Press photo/CARL HARLAN SPECTRUM has announced their “Astrology Night” will be Thurs­ NMC STUDENTS [from left] Leann Bertodatto, Nichole Kent, Emily Roelfsema, Ka­ day, March 27 in the lower level of West Hall. All students are wel­ trina Holdorph and Anita Godinez play the multi-player card game SkipBo on the night come. The question and answer forum “Sex...and the single guy” of Monday, March 17 in the lower level of West Hall. "It's fun," said Bertodatto. Many will be held from 8-9:30 p.m. in the lower level of East Hall. Bring students sought out fun and safe ways to celebrate St. Patrick's Day in lieu of typical, only your questions and your appetite. rowdy college parties and drinking. Best Buy to teach technology TUNNELS continued On Sunday, April 20, Best Buy will open its doors from 8-10 p.m. to building and what was the science building ly “The worst episode I ever had down there, and host a “Ladies Spring into Technology” session. Best Buy technology ex­ Scholars Hall] on rainy days, snowy days or any I’m sure I wasn’t the only one, was being down perts will be showing guests how to take advantage of the special features days,” said Pahl. “It was a very popular spot for fac­ there between two buildings and having a power of computers, digital cameras and more. Food and refreshments will be ulty to gather between classes, drink coffee, open outage hit traverse city or campus.” Pahl then had available among big-screen displays to inform women in particular that their mail and so on, and you could do that all to grope his way down the corridor to the library, technology doesn’t have to be a daunting prospect, but can instead be without going into the snow or the rain.” which was without power as well at the time. fun, convenient and easy. Although the event is educationally driven, Despite this, Pahl said that in the 1980s the tun­ Unfortunately for those interested in checking Best Buy will be open for business during the two-hour conference. nel was closed to faculty, possibly due to insurance out the tunnel, students are generally not allowed and liability concerns, and teachers were forced to in the tunnel, and all doors to the tunnel remained turn in their keys. Pahl said that he knew of no stu­ locked. According to NMC staff, the tunnel is used dent shenanigans occurring in the tunnel, but had a for maintenance purposes only. NORTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE sticky situation of his own many years ago. WHITE PINE PRESS YOU ARE FEELING VERY SLEEPY... 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EMAIL [email protected] THEY'RE NOT TAKING A NAP Entertainment hypnotist and funny-man Dale K. came to NMC on Monday, March 17 to present his much anticipated St. Patrick's Day Printed by Morning Star Publishing and distributed free. show where he successfully hypnotized a group of volunteer students, making for a hi­ Printed on 10O% recycled paper larious and memorable event. March 24, 2008 NEWS 03 WHITE PINE PRESS on campus vy NMC Magazine: completing the "Dream" STEFEN HOLTREY IPress Staff Writer It’s the time of year when spring break beckons and exam week looms beyond it. But for the staff of the NMC Magazine, spring break means it’s time to complete the “Dream.” “We’re currently in production stages,” said James Zeits, edi­ tor-in-chief of the magazine.