The Catalyst - D`Youville College

The
Catalyst
Say Good-bye to Winter!
Maybe.
April 2015 | ISSUE VII
catalyst |’katl-ist|
noun
a substance that increases the
rate of a chemical reaction
without itself undergoing any
per manent chemical change.
1
Get Your Dyngus On! BY KRISTEN PETRUSHESKY
The Monday after Easter,
commonly known to those of
Polish heritage as Dyngus Day,
is very much alive and well in
Buffalo, New York. Buffalo is
home to one of the largest Polish
populations in the country, and
is known around the world for
the Dyngus Day celebrations.
For those of you who don’t know,
Dyngus Day is a centuries old
Polish holiday. The Monday
after Easter, it is held to signify
spring and a good harvest.
Traditionally, attractive girls
were drenched in water by men,
and hit with pussywillows. A
girl could protect herself from
getting soaked by giving the boy
a ‘ransom’ of decorated eggs.
Traditionally, many rhymes and
phrases went along with the
drenching, and the entire village
would participate in a parade to
celebrate the end of winter, and
the hope for a successful harvest.
Today, in the United States, it is a
bit different. The pussywillows are
more common than water, but you
are still more than welcome to hit
someone with one. In fact, at certain
celebrations downtown, you can
actually buy sticks of pussywillows
at the festivals.
The main gem of Dyngus Day is the
Broadway Market, located on—you
guessed it—Broadway. The market
has been in operation for years, and
is the busiest around Easter. While
you’re there, get a famous butter
lamb for your table, and try the
delicious Polish goodies they have
littered about. I guarantee you won’t
leave empty handed.
For college kids, this is a great day
to go out and have some fun. It Is a
relatively cheap venture, and there
is ample parking around the festival
site. Keep in mind that traffic will
be slightly altered for the day, as the
police will have the areas around
the market closed to vehicle traffic.
There is always live music, and
if nothing else, it makes a great
opportunity for an Instagram
photo!
In Buffalo, everyone is Polish on
Dyngus Day. There is a parade,
clothes you can buy, music, and of
course, food. However, the main
glory of Dyngus Day in Buffalo is
the fact that the entire city becomes
Polish for a day. I’m not kidding. If
you’re looking for a new adventure,
check it out!
The main festivities are held down
by the old train terminal, and
the Broadway Market. You can
pre-purchase food tickets at local
retailers, and www.dyngusday.
com is the place to go for more
information!
Don’t forget your pussywillows….
and wear red, lots and lots of red!
Don’t Blow It!! Breathlyzers in Marguerite?! BY JOE BROWN
For many students, college is a
time for new experiences and
trying new things. Many students
study different subjects, make
new friends, and join new clubs.
Unfortunately, college is also a
time where many students engage
in activities that threaten their
wellbeing, both in legal standing
and their own personal health.
Drinking is a part of the “college
experience” that can cause serious
repercussions to others. As seen
by the No More campaign that
has been spearheaded through
D’Youville’s effort to combat
sexual assault, many incidents
of unwanted sexual contact
involve alcohol to some degree.
D’Youville’s residence halls, for
better or worse, are relatively
small and well cared for by the
Residence Life staff members, so
wild parties and rounds of binge
drinking on campus are generally
out of the question. However, it
is still possible for students to
engage in their illegal vices by
simply attending events off campus
“It’s a problem,” noted a member
of Student Association, who
requested to remain anonymous.
“Every member of our residence
halls are entitled to live in a safe
environment. They have the right
to sleep free of disturbance and
study in a peaceful environment. That
doesn’t happen if somebody goes off
campus and comes back loaded in
the early morning hours. We need
to close this loophole.” The answer
to this problem was not the most
obvious solution, but a potent one:
the Alcohawk Breathalyzer. Voted and
approved by Student Association, this
portable unit runs on two double A
batteries, can be carried in a pocket,
and provides results in under ten
seconds. Starting in the fall of 2015,
all persons entering Marguerite Hall
between the hours of 10pm and 5am
will be subjected to a Breathalyzer test.
Students entering must show their ID
to security as usual, and then blow
into the device. After testing a negative
result, security will unlock the door
leading into the building.
If a student tests positive for any
amount of alcohol, and they are under
21, the RA on duty will be called,
even if said student is not even legally
intoxicated. The student will then
have to go alcohol intervention with
the proper D’Youville authorities, or
else more serious consequences may
be initiated, such as being banned
from living on campus or having
their diploma held until sanctions
are satisfied. “It’s a simple solution
to a complex problem,” responded
Student Association. “With new
freedom comes new responsibilities.
Many college students choose to act
irresponsibly, whether it be going
out to the game, attending the St.
Patrick’s Day parade, or checking
out that party down the block. We
here at D’Youville work to provide a
safe and nurturing environment for
our students to learn and grow. And
we will continue to do so.” If you
believed the article panic not. April
Fools from your Catalyst team.
Don’t be
that guy...
Doing What Needs to be Done
It was Saturday morning on the
14th of March. I had made sure to
set my alarm early so I had enough
time to wake up properly; I never
was a morning person. I was going
to volunteer at St. Luke’s Mission
of Mercy church to help with the
food drive. I’ve volunteered multiple
times but this time was different.
I was going this day to experience
what it means to volunteer. I
am a member of the D’Youville
Philosophy club and this is my
insight into what it means to help a
fellow human being.
I arrived at St. Luke’s at about
8:30 in the morning even though
the drive started at 9 AM, I just
wanted to get there early, better than
being late I suppose. It started out
regularly enough; I was greeted at
the door by a man (I didn’t catch his
name) and I told him I had come
to help out. He led me downstairs
where I met Molly, the organizer
of the event. She was rather quiet
but kind, and managed the event
with an admirable and seemingly
inexhaustible patience that I one day
hope to exercise myself. I must note
that while there, I had no impression
of working for somebody, but I
was there working with people.
I was working with people who
understood what needed to be done.
After asking for instruction I started
organizing the donated bread
and pastries on to the appropriate
shelves to be distributed to those
who needed them; an ordinary
enough start. All the while there was
no sense that anyone felt like they
had to be there. Jokes were shared
between those who know each other
there from past drives they assisted
with and the task before them
was perused with joy and genuine
interest. Everyone who worked there
that day was there because they
wanted to be there.
4
BY ALEX MCCAUSLAND
As more volunteers
arrived we started
preparing the food
that was to be served, I
helped chop vegetables
for the salad and helped
prepare the sandwiches
that were to be handed
out to those who
needed them. Need.
Those who come to
these events for food,
come because they need
food. And what was
important for me was
that I was here because
this is what needed to
be done. Think for a
moment about what
motivates a charitable event. Why do
people do things without expecting
reward? The fact of the matter is that
charitable events recognize necessary
causes. Take Habitat for Humanity
for instance: it was born out of the
necessity for shelter. Similarly, food
drives are born out of the necessity
for food. When we as humans
do charitable things, we do them
because we recognize the necessity of
the cause. These events are necessary
for other people to survive and
thrive.
When people arrived to receive food
we served with smiles and were
given many thanks for our services.
There was a tangible sentiment of
respect and understanding. These
people came to receive food, and I
came to serve it to them. We stood
in this place as equals and treated
each other as such. And in the face of
every person to whom I served food
I did not see the refuse of society,
I saw people seeking and receiving
help, just as I in other situations have
sought and received help.
This experience left me with the
question: is the person who does
what is necessary for other people
to live a good person? Is appeasing
need good? In the scope of moral
philosophy there is much debate on
what constitutes “good”. To illuminate
a side of this debate consider the ideas
of Peter Singer. He is a supporter of
utilitarian concepts. Utilitarianism
is the idea that the happiness of the
many is more important than the
happiness of the few. According to
utilitarianism, an action is “good” if it
promotes the happiness of the majority.
As a utilitarian, Singer himself is a
rather interesting character in moral
philosophy. How interesting you say?
Well for instance, he makes it a point
to donate about 33% of his income
to cost effective charities. Now think
for a minute how the world would be
if everyone conducted themselves in
this manner! That is not to say that we
should necessarily, but if we did, do
you think it would make the world a
better place? If so and promoting the
happiness of the majority is what makes
an action “good,” then this is exactly
what we should do.
I personally think that if we, as a
society, adopted an ideology similar
to this as an objective moral standard
of behavior, the world would be
a better place as a result. I will be
attending these events in the future.
But I also recognize that food drives
and building homes for people only
address two of the many things that
people need. And I also recognize
that other people in the community
might not be cut out for this work,
so I would like to leave you with
two final questions: what needs to
be done to make this world a better
place? And what can you do to make
it that way?
As President of D’Youville College’s
sophomore honor society, Lambda
Sigma, I am proud to announce that
we will be once again hosting our
very successful “Shirt Off Your Back”
Clothing Drive this spring.
Along with Psychology Club and
SNA, we are going to strive and make
this year’s event bigger, and better
than last year’s! For those of you that
don’t know how the drive works, it’s
simple: Donate three gently used
articles of clothing, and get a free
shirt!
All clothing will be donated to St.
Luke’s Mission of Mercy, a non-profit
charitable organization located on
Walden Ave. in Downtown Buffalo.
Since 1994, St. Luke’s has had a proud
tradition of caring for the poor and
the sick, most often through their
“Code Blue” events, in order to
provide a warm bed for the homeless
on a cold night, and through offering
clothing to those who need it.
What better way to carry on the spirit
of Marguerite D’Youville than to help
those in need?
A Brief History of St. Luke’s Mission….
When the beautiful St. Luke’s parish
closed down in 1993, many were
distraught. Another old, beautiful
church in the downtown area could no
longer afford to operate, and so, it was
seemingly doomed to become another
skeleton of a building, left in disrepair
until someone would pay to knock it
down.
The neighborhood that St. Luke’s
is in is not exactly one of the best
neighborhoods downtown. It is known
for its high crime rate, drug trafficking,
and prostitution rings.
Edward Grosz, the then Bishop of the
Buffalo Diocese, called upon two of
his friends, Amy Betros and Norm
Paolini, in order to let them know of
the news. The two decided to go look at
the church, and knew at once that it was
perfect for the mission they had set out
to achieve.
Amy ended up closing her restaurant,
and Norm took an early retirement.
Together, along with some donations,
they were able to buy the entire church
complex: the church itself, the convent,
the rectory, and the school.
On August 1st, 1994, St. Luke’s Mission
of Mercy
officially
opened it’s
doors, and
has been
running ever
since.
Brought
to you by
Philosophy
Club
Remember, St.
Luke’s Mission of
Mercy is a non-profit
organization, and
relies on donations.
For more information
about how you can
help, please visit:
stlukesmissionofmercy.
org
5
Students for Concealed Carry
Gun laws are generally subjected to
intense scrutiny here in America.
What do we allow people to own?
What do we ban? How do we control
who accesses what? Why can’t we be
like Canada or Australia or Cuba?
Leading into the first week of April,
college students across America are
protesting laws that strip them of their
rights to self defense while on campus,
even if they are legally allowed to
carry a firearm anywhere else in
their state of residence. Students for
Concealed Carry represents college
students who advocate for the right
to self defense. Starting on the 30th
of March, leading into the first week
of April, students are encouraged to
wear empty gun holsters as protest
against anti-gun policies in their place
of higher education, signifying they
are “unarmed and helpless.” Of course,
I will be joining my fellow students
in protest. New York, though, is a
special matter. New York has some of
the strictest gun laws in the nation,
boasted by our own governor. This had
6
BY JOSEPH BROWN
been made to an extreme degree with
the passage of the Secure Ammunition
and Firearms Enforcement Act
(S.A.F.E. Act) slightly over two years
ago.
Concealed carry in the state of
New York is a joke, even if you put
the S.A.F.E. Act aside. New York is
classified as a “may issue” state when
it comes to concealed carry. That is a
polite way of saying unless you are a
police officer, you won’t be allowed to
carry a firearm in self defense without
committing multiple felonies. Our
governor was livid with the passage
S.A.F.E. Act, saying that there would
not be any mass shootings in New
York.
Did it work? No. In fact, it failed quite
spectacularly. Later that same year, a
shooting left four dead in Herkimer
county, about half an hour from my
home in central New York. Governor
Andrew Cuomo, commenting on the
situation, admitted “we can’t control
all behavior...”
That’s pretty much
the long and short of it, ladies and
gentlemen. We can’t control all
personal behavior, despite how
much liberals want to enact more
laws to supposedly force criminals
to abide by those laws while
actually disarming law abiding
citizens. I will also point out that
the shooter in Herkimer didn’t
use an AR-15 assault rifle or a gun
that held 10+ bullets, which the
S.A.F.E. Act prohibits ownership
of in New York. Back to concealed
carry, it makes perfect sense with
little thought. There will always
be people who ignore the law, and
wish to hurt and destroy others in
order to take what they have. All
law abiding college students, and
law abiding citizens in general,
have a right to defend themselves
against carjackers, rapists, and
muggers. That’s my kind of “No
More” campaign. While Texas
passed legislation earlier in March
allowing college students to carry
concealed weapons on campus,
both Washington D.C.
and California have
passed general legislation
in the past year allowing
for concealed carry of
firearms in their respective
states. It’s pretty sad when
Commiefornia has more
freedom then you do.
People like Mayor Brown,
Governor Cuomo, and
President Obama support
disarming the general public
until only drug dealers and
gang bangers have guns.
That seems fair. New Yorkers
deserve better then that. I
protest not only for my rights,
but the rights of all other law
abiding citizens, hopeful in a
collective effort that our rights
will be returned to us, and this
senseless self destruction known as
gun control will be ended.
Tips for Studying at Home
As Easter Break approaches, many of us
are beginning to think of a time beyond
the last day of finals, when we can go
out into the world and do exactly as
we please. So what if it mostly involves
sleeping until after noon and then
binging the latest season of Grey’s
Anatomy into the wee hours of the
morning? Until that warm May day,
though, we must resign ourselves to the
grueling task of preparing for our tests
and studying for finals. In a world full
of distractions – Netflix, Twitter, and
texting – it’s hard to focus on the school
material. With the help of this article,
you too can become a supreme student
and complete the semester on a high
note.
1) Location, Location, Location
An important thing to remember
before you even start studying is that,
like many a real estate agent will tell
you, location is everything. Choosing
to study in a crowded, noisy café, for
instance, is likely to be the worst thing
for your attention. You’ll find yourself
closing in on snippets of conversation
from the couple sitting at the table
next to you, or eavesdropping on other
customers’ orders of coffees and teas.
2) Music? Or Nah?
The problem with this method is
that most people who choose this
way to study do so incorrectly. When
studying, it is oftentimes better to do
so with music that is not accompanied
with a vocalist. The lyrics of songs,
regardless of which genre is playing,
are so distracting, and in many cases
students who sit down to study with
lyrical songs often end up paying
more attention to singing along
in their heads than on reading or
writing whatever it is on which they’re
supposed to be working.If classical
music isn’t exactly your cup of tea,
you may wish to try studying while
listening to video game soundtracks.
Think about it: the goal of every
video game sound developer ever,
BY STEPHANIE GABBEY
regardless of plot or game mechanic,
is to increase the amount of focus
and attentiveness to the game in
completing an objective. The music
playing in the background at any
point during any game is (usually)
designed with this particular goal
in mind. If it works for gaming, it
should – and does; I’ve tried it myself
– work equally as well for background
noise in completing your work.
3) Keep It Clean!
While your desk or table doesn’t
necessarily have to be immaculate, it
should at the very least be fairly tidy,
so as to allow yourself room to spread
out a little bit. Studies show that
concentration for logic-based work
(such as homework, lab write-ups,
and studying for tests) is increased
when one’s immediate study area is
clean.
4) Take a Break!
Research shows that taking a
20-minute break every hour, or a
10-minute break every half hour,
increases the amount of work you’re
able to do. Makes sense, right? If
you’re making sure that you’re only
working on any given material for
short periods of time, like half an
hour, and then rewarding yourself
for a job well done for 10-20 minutes,
you’re likely to be more productive in
the long-run.
5) Get Organized!
If you’re trying to organize yourself,
try making a list on a piece of paper.
It doesn’t matter if it’s in a personal
planner or if it’s just a sheet of loose
leaf paper. So long as you don’t lose
it, just seeing your tasks out on
paper can help you to avoid a mental
breakdown or prevent you from
forgetting important tasks. Write out
everything, from homework to tests
to quizzes. Even goals that you have
for yourself can be written down to
remind you to work towards them a
little bit every day.
6) Work Together!
There are almost infinite ways to set
up a group study system. Try setting it
up so that each person is responsible
for learning a set of information, and
each person is therefore in charge of
relaying the information from that
section to the group, kind of like a
series of mini-lectures.
Earning a decent grade in any class
might feel absolutely impossible,
but it isn’t. Creating good study
habits and avoiding pitfalls will lead
to a happier, healthier GPA and a
healthier, happier student who can
spend all of summer vacation relaxing
instead of worrying about catching up
or doing better in the next semester.
7
Dormet Foods
/dawr-máy/
Here are some simple (and delicious) recipes you can cook
in the dorms. There are stove tops in each TV lounge and
an oven available to use in the laundry room. You should
already know about the microwave in your room, but
with just a few simple ingredients that you can pick up at
7/11, Tops or even take a 10-minute drive to Wegmans on
Amherst St., you can make some great dormet food.
BLUEBERRY MUFFIN
“They’re Adormable” ~ Meg Harmon
COFFEE CUP CHILAQUILES
INGREDIENTS
1 egg
1 tablespoon milk
Salt
Ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sharp cheddar cheese
5 tortilla chips, divided
1 tablespoon salsa
Sour cream
Queso fresco
Chopped green onion
DIRECTIONS
1. Beat egg and milk with a fork in a coffee cup,
adding salt and pepper to taste. Add cheddar; stir
to coat. Break 3 or 4 tortilla chips into small pieces
to fit in the cup; stir into the mixture. Add salsa.
2. Microwave on high until done, about 1 minute,
10 seconds. Garnish with remaining tortilla chips,
sour cream, queso fresco and green onion.
INGREDIENTS
1 ounce frozen blueberries
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp sugar-free pancake syrup
1/2 tsp orange zest
1 egg white
1/2 tsp nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
1. Mix dry ingredients together thoroughly and then add
egg, syrup & zest.
2. Pour into oversized coffee cup that you have sprayed and
put in microwave for 90 seconds. This will make a tall
muffin.
3. If you prefer a flatter muffin (more like a muffin top) use a
small, shallow cereal bowl.
4. Top with a little more sugar free pancake syrup if desired,
and butter if you can spare the calories.
5. For a really decadent version put a tablespoon of melted
butter into the batter before cooking. Enjoy.
8
Dining On A Budget: Buffalo’s Food Trucks
BY NICOLA WOODS
Buffalo offers a wide selection of
restaurants and diners throughout the
city, and as nice as it would be to eat
out on a weekly basis – it’s simply not
realistic on a student budget!
So are there any alternatives to blowing
too much cash on dining out? Most
definitely!
My only experience of Food trucks
previously to coming to Buffalo was
after nights out in Belfast, when my
standards were very low, and I didn’t
care about what I was eating as long as
it looked remotely edible. However the
Food trucks in Buffalo are of such high
quality, it will be easy to find something
of a high standard, delicious and not
overly expensive.
Lloyds Food truck started the trend in
Buffalo back in 2010 with a mission to
bring legitimate street food to Buffalo
by offering affordable yet incredibly
tasty takes on tacos and burritos.
After the success and amazing
response Lloyds received from
the people of Buffalo many
others followed suit.These
include: Amy’s Truck which
offers vegetarian and Lebanese
food, Mineo and Sapio Street
eats which offers sausages and
sandwiches and The Whole Hog
which brings food straight from
the farm to the table.
My personal favourite has to
be - Wine not? Can you guess what it sells? Yes, wine
slushies’ and wine ice-cream. This is easily the greatest
combination of some off my favourite things in life.
Spring is here, the snow is finally melting, and this
could be heaven on earth for the over 21 population.
If you want to find out more about Buffalo’s Food
Trucks check out http://www.buffaloeats.org/guides/
food-trucks/
Alternatively starting in May, Larkin Square Food
Truck Tuesday will commence, with more than 20
food trucks come together to celebrate a night of food,
music and fun!
Office Space Available
Looking to share office space,
staff, accounting/billing software
(Medisoft), overhead, utilities.
DC, PT, Massage, Naturopaths,
etc. Located in Virginia Beach,
VA. Two 9x9 rooms avail, or
can combine to one 9x18 room.
Plenty of parking. Call Scott at
757-497-8200 or text 757-3386649, drscottbdc1@gmail.com and
www.vabeachchiropractic.com.
Price is flexible and depends on
what resources you need.
Benefits:
• Perfect for new graduates!
• An established office with
office supplies, desks,
computers, TV, set up utilities
• Get the experience of a 17-year
chiropractic veteran for help
The Catalyst is calling
for interested students!
ATTENTION STUDENTS!!!
Those who submit material
for The Catalyst are eligible
to receive a custom
Catalyst T-shirt. The shirts
will be grey with the logo
below in black and red.
Only submissions printed
in The Catalyst will receive
a T-shirt.
Keep an out for
SKETCH
this month!
9
Superstition
BY NATALIE DOUIE
We’ve all heard our mothers say “an
apple a day keeps the doctor away”.
And if that familiar phrase does not
ring a bell, then perhaps you have
heard that a rabbit’s foot can bring
you good luck or an itchy palm is a
sign of money to come. Maybe you
are better acquainted with the more
ominous superstitions such as, “if a
black cat crosses your path, you will
have bad luck” or “a clove of garlic
will protect you from evil spirits”.
But what about the lesser known
superstitions around the world? In
many parts of Africa, for example,
people take their superstitions very
seriously, and many swear by the
legitimacy of their beliefs. In this
article, I take a brief look into some
of the ideologies and traditions in
Zimbabwean culture.
There was a time, back home, in
Zimbabwe, when my house was
robbed twice in one month. Fed
up with this developing trend, my
dad went out and bought a medium
sized, dark stone sculpture of an owl
and sat it down in the front garden.
We were never robbed again.
10
A witch doctor would tell you that
the reason no one ever trespassed
on that property again was because
of the presence of an evil spirit –
the owl. Zimbabweans believe that
witches (yes, witches) are able to turn
into any of their familiars – hyenas,
snakes, crocodiles, owls – and await
their unsuspecting prey. So, to my
father’s amusement, any potential
“tsotsis” were scared off immediately
upon being confronted by the
owl. Witchcraft is a major part of
Zimbabwean society.
In the Shona culture, we are told
“Ukaridza muridzo manheru
unodaidza shumba, kana varoyi”
– do not whistle at night while
indoors or else you will call witches
(varoyi) into the home or you will
summon a lion (shumba) into the
home. Many Zimbabweans attribute
their misfortunes to the activities
of witches. So, if a lion enters the
home, it is because a witch has cursed
that dwelling place. Similarly, if
a woman’s face becomes ugly, or a
baby is born unhealthy, or a spouse
dies unexpectedly, blame is put on
the witch, or a jealous relative who
probably enlisted the help of a witch.
In the rural areas, it is not difficult to
find a n’anga (a traditional healer) who
can prescribe one with love potions,
youth elixirs or wealth charms. They
can remove a witch’s curse and they
can also help one to seek revenge. For
instance, a man who suspects that his
wife is being unfaithful may go to a
n’anga and get a type of medicine to
place in her drink or her food that will
bring on a type of affliction locally
known as runyoka. Any man that she
has sexual relations with, other than
her husband, will supposedly begin
to ‘waste’ away (I am not making this
up!). Not surprisingly, runyoka is often
conflated with HIV/AIDS. Runyoka
is, however, curable with a traditional
healer’s intervention; HIV/AIDS is not.
Encountering a chameleon is another
thing most Zimbabweans fear because
it is an indication that a family
member will die. This is very much to
the chameleon’s detriment, as most
of them are killed as soon as they are
spotted, in an attempt to “undo” the
harm intended by the bad omens.
Life is frighteningly
unpredictable. It’s no wonder
that we search for signs in
order to gain some control
over our lives or to prepare
ourselves for the unknown. Is
there any prophetic value in
a superstition? Who knows,
perhaps everything that happens
is simply down to chance,
coincidence, or the placebo
effect. I personally have never
encountered a witch during
my life in Zimbabwe, however,
that is not to say that the Shona
culture has got it all wrong.
I am not immune to being
superstitious; I pick up coins off
the sidewalk for good luck and I
don’t walk under ladders or put
my shoes on the table.
MNS Celebrates Pi Day
BY KYLE FANCHER
In March the MNS Club and the MNS Department
celebrated Pi Day! (pi, π = 3.14) Students and
MNS faculty celebrated by making pi bracelets that
included the numbers of pi, and by enjoying tasty
mini pies. Two pythons made a special visit to the
ALT lobby, including a 160 lb python named Bertha!
Students enjoyed touching and holding a small
python named Oz. Students donated spare change to
benefit the Buffalo Zoo, and also to win a chance to
throw a pie at an MNS Department faculty member.
Dr. David Stewart (Chemistry) was the lucky
recipient of a whipped cream pie in the face!
The MNS Club is always looking for new members
who like science and math, and want to participate in
fun events and service activities. Contact MNS Club
president Alex Cummings (cummia16@dyc.edu) or
faculty advisor Dr. Stacy Ruvio (ruvios@dyc.edu) if
you are interested in joining!
Tabs for a Cause
BY STEPHANIE GABBEY
Think about the
number of internet
tabs you open on a
daily basis. A lot,
right? What if you
were able to raise
money for charity
with each tab
you open on any
internet browser?
Tab for a Cause
is a web browser
application that
opens every time
you open your
browser and uses
ad revenue from
advertisements on the page to raise
money for charity. Each tab you open
generates between 1/10 and 1/3 of a
cent for charity. It sounds like such
a small amount, but it is in fact very,
very easy to quickly raise funds for
important causes. The best part: you
get to decide where your money goes.
There are five categories for which
you can raise money, including the
environment, human rights, education,
and health. Or, if you prefer, you can
choose what specific charity (of those
provided, including Water.org, Save the
Children, and Human Rights Watch)
receives the money
you donate. Each
tab generates one
“heart”, used as
currency to show
how much should
be donated to
which charities.
Join and create
groups to make
a larger impact
or save world
by yourself, all
without having to
leave your living
room.
Please make sure
to disable AdBlock for this page, as
no money will be generated if the
ads don’t make it to you. Go to www.
tabforacause.org to install the app on
any browser and make a difference for
causes that matter to you.
11
This Day In History
BY RACHEL STODDARD
April 1st- The Spanish Civil War effectively ends with the official recognition of
Franco’s government. 1939.
April 2nd- Haitian revolt leader Toussaint L’Ouverture takes command of French
forces at Santo Domingo. 1796.
April 3rd- Philip II of Spain and Henry II of France sign the peace of CateauCambresis, ending a long series of wars between the Hapsburg and Valois
dynasties. 1559.
April 4th- Field Marshal Erwin Rommel captures the British held town of Benghazi
in North Africa. 1941.
April 5th- Mahatma Ghandi defies British law by making salt in India instead of
buying it from the British. 1930.
April 6th- Joseph Smith and five others organize the Church of Latter-Day Saints in
Seneca, New York. 1830.
April 7th- The Co-editor Bridget Dix was born.
April 8th- The 17th Amendment is ratified, requiring direct election of senators.
1913.
April 10th- Imprisoned Irish Republican Army hunger striker Bobby Sands is
elected to the British Parliament. 1981.
April 11th- After receiving a copy of the provisional treaty on 13 March, Congress
proclaims a formal end to hostilities with Great Britain. 1783.
April 12th- England adopts the Union Jack as its flag. 1606.
April 13th- The U.N. General Assembly condemns South Africa because of
apartheid. 1961.
April 14th- The passenger liner Titanic–deemed unsinkable–strikes an iceberg on
her maiden voyage and begins to sink. The ship will go under the next day with a
loss of 1,500 lives. 1912.
April 15th- Cuban leader Fidel Castro begins a U.S. goodwill tour. 1959.
April 16th- The U.S. Senate ratifies the Rush-Bagot amendment to form an
unarmed U.S.-Canada border. 1818.
April 17th- Apollo 13–originally scheduled to land on the moon–lands back safely
on Earth after an accident. 1970.
April 18th- Leon Trotsky calls for the overthrow of Soviet leader Josef Stalin. 1937.
April 19th- English poet Lord Byron dies of malaria at age 36 while aiding Greek
independence. 1824.
April 20th- The Polish Army captures Vilno, Lithuania from the Soviets. 1919.
April 21st- Traditional date of the foundation of Rome. 753 BC
April 22nd- In Africa, Rwandan troops kill thousands of Hutu refugees in Kibeho.
1995.
April 23rd- The Army-McCarthy hearings begin. 1954.
April 24th- Leftist students take over Columbia University in protest over the
Vietnam War. 1968.
April 25th- The guillotine is first used to execute highwayman Nicolas J. Pelletier.
1792.
April 26th- Pazzi conspirators attack Lorenzo and kill Giuliano de’Medici. 1478.
April 27th- Protesting students take over Tiananmen Square in Beijing, China.
1989.
April 28th- Muhammad Ali refuses induction into the U.S. Army and is stripped of
boxing title. 1967.
April 29th- Joan of Arc leads French forces to victory over English at Orleans. 1429.
April 30th- Adolf Hitler commits suicide in his bunker. 1945.
12
CO-EDITORS:
Bridget Dix
Candice Price
DESIGN CONSULTANT:
Cher Ravenell
ADVISORS:
Jeff Platt & Judy Dumitru
STAFF:
Stephanie Gabbey
Joe Brown
Kyle Fancher
Melanie Petrone
Rachel Stoddard
Heather Beyea
Kristen Petrushesky
Nicola Woods
Natalie Douie
The Catalyst, the Student Voice of
D’Youville College is a monthly
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