Volume 98, Issue 14

Walla Walla University

the

Collegian 13 February 2014 | Volume 98 | Issue 14

6

10

Au Naturel a guided tour of the absurdly natural

19

23

Grant Perdew Editor-In-Chief

8–14

3–7

Context

@_ misshall

News | Fundraiser | Briefing #thecollegian | Calendar

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Grant Perdew

Assistant Editor Nathan Stratte

Head Layout Editor Alix Harris

Head Copy Editor Carly Leggitt

Head Photo Editor

Kurtis Lamberton

News Editor

Carolyn Green

Feature Editors

Brooklynn Larson Katie Pekar Brandon Torkelsen

Opinion Editors

Carlton Henkes Rebecca Williams Andrew Woodruff

Fashion Editor

Brenda Negoescu

Sports Editor

Grayson Andregg

Religion Editor John Lubke

health & Outdoors Editor Justin Mock

Diversions Editor Eric Weber

This week, I bought organically certified bananas. While the organic bananas cost more money, I bought them because I wanted bananas that would be healthier for me. When I read this week’s feature, I learned more about what exactly “organic” means. This week, our science editor, Joe Hughes, has expanded his section into the feature, exploring what is really “natural” and “organic” in our everyday life, and the ethics involved.

Along with this feature and our regular content, this issue of The Collegian includes the official platforms of each candidate in the upcoming ASWWU elections. In a few weeks, the student body will come together to elect ASWWU executive officers for next school year. I invite you to learn about each candidate and make a thoughtful decision.

The students elected to executive offices will

Perspective

photo by elizabeth wolske and valeria photo merinoby peter flores

Opinion | ACA/SM | Snapshots | Diversions Election Platforms | Creative Writing Column Travel Editor

lead next year’s student body, have access to substantial financial resources, and hire over 130 employees. With elections approaching, consider how ASWWU executives will use these resources to represent the student body to the university leadership and the wider community and how they will enhance the quality of student life.

want to be featured in the collegian?

Submit your poetry, articles, creative writing, art, and photos to: aswwu.collegian@wallawalla.edu.

15–17

feature

photo by kurtis lamberton

"Au Naturel: A Guided Tour of the Absurdly Natural"

18–24

life

photo by shelby seibold

Arts & Media | Food | Travel | Fashion Outdoor | Local | Sports | BackWord

Layout Designers

Joe Hughes

Erik Edstrom Andralyn Iwasa Ian Smith Jenna Thomas

If you are interested in contributing to The Collegian, contact our page editors or the editor-in-chief at aswwu.collegian@wallawalla.edu. The Collegian is boosted by regularly incorporating a wide range of student perspectives.

Food EDitor

Copy Editors

Cover Credit: Kurtis Lamberton, @singingarrow, ASWWU Photobooth, Andrea Johnson, AP

Local Attractions Editor Timothy Barbosa

Rachel Blake Jassica Choi Lauren Heathcock

Arts & Media Editor

Staff Writers

Lester Biggs Savannah Kisling Lauren Lewis

The Collegian is the official publication of ASWWU. Its views and opinions are not necessarily the official stance of Walla Walla University or its administration, faculty, staff, or students. Questions, letters, and comments can be sent to aswwu.collegian@ wallawalla.edu or grant.perdew@wallawalla.edu. This issue was completed at 1:15 a.m. on 13 February 2014.

Distribution Manager

For information about advertising, please contact aswwu.ads@wallawalla.edu.

Jon Mack

Science & Technology Editor

Andrea Johnson

Chad Aufderhar

Backword Editor Rachel Logan

Creative Writing Editor Rachel Blake

Columnists

Madeleine Boyson Micah Hall

Jon Mack

The Collegian | Volume 98, Issue 14 | 204 S. College Avenue College Place, WA 99324 | collegian.wallawalla.edu

CONTEXT NEWS | 3

a snowy weekend to remember // lester biggs Staff Writer

The snow storms that hit the College Place area added a lot of excitement and fun for many students after a week of midterms and projects on February 6-8 th.

Last week, it snowed almost every day, but on Thursday, Feb. 6, the snow started

to really stick. Throughout the entire week, the Walla Walla area accumulated 7-10 inches of snow. Throughout the weekend it snowed on and off, making it difficult for students to get to class on time as they carefully made their way from building to building.

Though the snow brought many different responses from students and faculty, it also helped to show Friendship Tournament students what to expect here on our tiny campus during the winter season. As the week came to a

close, many students took out their snow boots, pants, and coats, as well as their sleds, skis, and snowboards, and headed for the hills, especially the small incline by the library.

The worst part of the snow was that, although it brought a lot of fun to students, it also brought great misfortune because many plans were cancelled due to bad road conditions; those who were brave enough to drive endured many slippery and skiddy times on the roads as well.

This was also bad for Friendship Tournament students who could not make it back to school because of the unsafe road conditions, and because of that, a few schools had to stay an extra day. Though no one was greatly hurt or injured, the weekend was one to remember because of the stress– relieving fun many students love to partake in when it snows.

Transpartisan Alliance Forms in Walla Walla Valley // savannah kisling

alliance. “We are not concerned about agreement or consensus. The only rule for participation is respect.”

A newly formed political and philosophical discussion group will hold its first event at Whitman College on Tuesday, Feb. 18. The Transpartisan Alliance, which is a collaboration of Milton-Freewater and Walla Walla citizens, is aimed at fostering respectful, constructive conversations in a diverse community.

“The first topic of discussion will be community and working together despite disagreement.”

“The hope is to get a real dialogue going between folks of all political and philosophical views. Our purpose is a dialogue focused on connectivity, curiosity, learning, and understanding,” said Krys Walker, an organizer of the

The group is modeled after the Transpartisan Alliance that formed in Seattle, where some of the connections made at events have been used to do work in the community. At the discussions,

Staff Writer

photo by lester biggs

each individual who wishes to speak will be given three minutes of uninterrupted time to explain his or her opinion. After those three minutes, questions can be asked and comments made.

“There is a lot of polarization, and sometimes we forget the other guys are human,” Walker shared. “We all have a piece of the puzzle, and 90 percent of the problems are due to the walls we’ve created. These discussions are for really listening.”

The first topic of discussion will be community and working together despite disagreement. Attendees are encouraged to bring someone with a different perspective than his or her own.

The first discussion, hosted by Liberty Walla Walla, will be held at Whitman College at the Glover Alston Center, located at 26 Boyer Ave., Walla Walla, on Feb. 18 at 7 p.m. photo by arella aung

If you have questions or want more information, contact Krys Walker at krysswalker@gmail.com or visit www. meetup.com/traspartisanseattle/.

“The hope is to get the diologue going between folks of all political and philosophical views.”

CONTEXT CONTEXT

BRIEFING | 4

50 Number of years since the Beatles invaded the U.S.

115.3

million

Number of viewers watching Bruno Mars' Feb. 2 halftime show, making it the most-watched halftime performance in history.

15

Age of Julia Lipnitskaia, the young Russian figure skater who helped Russia win its first gold medal of the Sochi Olympics in the new event of team figure skating.

10

$100 000 5,000+

Number of stray dogs killed by the Russian government in preparation for the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics.

Number of years since Janet Jackson's infamous Super Bowl wardrobe malfunction.

710,000

Inches of snow recieved at Walla Walla University this month.

Number of cubic yards of last year's snow stockpiled by the Russian government in prepaNumber of snowration for the Olympics.

4

boarders spotted enjoying the snow by the WWU library this last Monday.

How would you like some

$FREE MONEY$ Guess what? The money has already been donated. It’s waiting for you to claim it.

Apply at: wallawalla.edu/awards Applications are accepted Feb. 3 to Feb. 21 Learn about the donors: wallawalla.edu/endowments

$6827 LEARN MORE & DONATE AT TINYURL.COM/ PP6T3E

CONTEXT NEWS | 5

A user-friendly Library // Daily average use of the Walla Walla University library has increased by 44 percent due to the “Refresh and Renew” renovation project.

“Individually, use of the reference room has increased by 98 percent.”

Statistics taken from the fall quarter of 2011, compared to statistics taken from the fall quarter of 2013, show a total increased use of the library of 48 percent. Because students were often displaced from the library during construction, the library use from 2012 is not included in the results.

Individually, use of the Reference Room has increased by 98 percent, the Periodical Reading Room by 58 percent, and the Mt. Denali Study Room (the “glassed-in room”), by 41 percent. Use of the PC Lab, also known as the South Reading Room, has increased by eight percent. WWU Director of Libraries Carolyn Gaskell says a survey of students will be taken soon in order to to distinguish why the increase is minimal in the PC Lab. They hope to make it more user-friendly.

If you have not noticed already, the Refresh and Renew project brought wonderful improvements to the library.

This project was allocated $500,000, which was invested in new computers, a fireplace, new furnishings and carpet, a higher ceiling in the front lobby, additional

Rachel Petrello, a junior and transfer student from Canadian University College, says “This library is much nicer [than CUC’s]. There are more little nooks to study in. It’s really nice.” Many of these nooks can be reserved online and through the lobby kiosk, including the Collaborative Technology Room, found on the lower level of the library. The class of 2013 funded the renovations of the Collaborative Technology Room, and art

by Allison Berger, a 2013 art graduate, can be found displayed in the room.

When asked about enjoying and using the renovated library, engineering student Caitlin Lupo mentioned that she liked “that I can reserve study rooms now.” To enjoy the renovations, take full advantage of the library’s toasty fireplace during these cold, snowy days or practice a presentation for midterms in the Collaborative Technology Room.

“To enjoy the renovations, take full advantage of the library's toasty fireplace during these cold, snowy days.”

SENATE UPDATE

POSITIONS 2013–2014 Collegian Layout Designer Collegian Nourishment Coordinator

New Business

2014–2015 Marketin g VP

F.L. 10 — ASWWU Server

Collegian Editor-in-Chief

G.L. 13 — Elections Board

Financial VP

G.L. 14 — ASWWU Constitution Amendment

Old Business F.L. 9 — KCATCF Grant G.L. 12 — Summer Senate Responsibilities P.L. 58 - 59 — Concurrent Positions for Ian Smith and Jenna Thomas

Executive Secretary Atlas Manager Tread Shed Manager Fundraising Manager Mountain Ash Editor Mask Editor Head Photo Editor Outdoors Manager Head Video Editor Webmaster Project Manager

Apply

Staff Writer

OPEN

how to

lauren lewis

seating, and much more. One of the biggest changes in the library is the windows, all of which are new. The new windows are insulated and trap in heat in the winter and coolness in the summer. The windows also no longer have books stacked close to them, due to a reorganization of the stacks, allowing light to flood every room.

1. Download application from ASWWU website.

2. Send your résumé, application, and cover letter to aswwu@wallawalla.edu.

3. Wait for your interview.

CONTEXT 6

#thecollegian

@_misshall

@emster_64

@littlefluteplayer

@singingarrow

CONTEXT 7

week in forecast 13 FEB Thursday 48° 39°

14 feb Friday 48° 36°

photo by kurtis lamberton

photo by ivan cruz

15 feb Saturday 46° 34°

photo by ivan cruz

45° 37°

photo by carlton henkes

CABL Grams 11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m.

Cafeteria

Vespers: Paddy McCoy 7 p.m.

University Church

Berean Fellowship 10:30 a.m.

Village Hall

Career and Internship Fair 4–7 p.m.

WEC Gym

Valentine's Day

Circle Church 11:07 a.m.

CTC Black Box Theatre

Singles Awareness Day

16 feb sunday

Innovation Day

ASWWU Speed Dating 8 p.m.

Alaska Room

17 feb monday

18 feb tuesday

photo by flickr user jeffreyturner

photo by arella aung

photo by kate gref

photo by carlton henkes

45° 39°

Snow Frolic Day Presidents' Day

43° 36°

19 feb wednesday

photo by ivan cruz

45° 27°

photo by flickr user leo reynolds

CommUnity: Senior Recognition 11 a.m.

University Church Engineer's Week Banquet 6:30 p.m.

Marcus Whitman Hotel

photo by aswwu

ASWWU Elections Confab 7 p.m.

Alaska Room National Chocolate Mint Day

PERSPECTIVE OPINION | 8

The Un-Just war // WISDOM Andrew collegian

Woodruff

Opinion Editor

Climbing in your windows, snatching your kittens up.

Peace talks begin in Syria; number of casualties increases.

Syria’s next step: Define “peace.”

Shirley Temple dies.

No more animal crackers in our soup.

Like daughter like father ...

=

Billy Ray Cyrus releases risqué hip hop music video with twerking models.

C

C

Study shows that certain crocodiles can climb trees.

C

That’s what happens when you cut your hair.

C

Shaun White fails to win third straight Olympic medal.

Whenever political or ethnic tensions rise and skirmishes begin, the United Nations is soon to arrive. But how truly effective are the U.N.’s policies on limiting the tragedy of war? U.N. peacekeepers do not exactly have a stellar record. One example is the Bosnian war, a war in which many lives were lost while the U.N. attempted to keep a peace that no longer existed. Once war has begun, there is no more peace to keep. The U.N. needs to alter their policies from ineffective peacekeeping to necessary peacemaking.

On Feb. 21, 1992, the U.N. Security Council gathered to create the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR).1 Their duty was to supply humanitarian aid, protect safe areas, and to create a ceasefire in the bloody Yugoslavian wars.

They got the aid in all right, but safe areas were known widely in Bosnia to be the absolute last place you wanted to be when Serbian mortars were heard. The designated safe zones became a sort of bullseye for the Serbian troops, a place that was guaranteed to cause civilian casualties.

enough autonomy to take action in prevention of foreseen genocide. Current policies require so many phone calls and political hoops that by the time anything could be done, the 8,000 had already been murdered.

As for the UNPROFOR’s attempt at a cease-fire, the Siege of Sarajevo (the capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina), is to this day the longest siege in modern warfare.2 The U.N. met with Yugoslavian politicians to discuss a cease-fire. As conversations continued, mortars hit the streets and buildings of Sarajevo every day—for four years. Citizens of Sarajevo were killed usually by mortar hits or sniper shots, only risking the open streets in attempts to run for food and supplies. Discussions make sense for a month or two, but when there is no sign of respect for human life, conversation is useless and action is necessary. The U.N. needs a non-negotiable timer for how long peace talks should continue before more drastic measures are required.

The war finally came to an end when NATO bombed a Serbian barracks. Bosnia was divided up between Croatians, Serbians, and Bosniaks. On Feb. 29, 1996, the siege officially ended as Serbian troops withdrew from their positions in and around Sarajevo.3 The military policies in Bosnia were useless to the goals the U.N. attempted to achieve and yet such policies have remained virtually unrevised since the Bosnian war. When an organization struggles to do anything effective to minimize deaths, everyone knows you are just a big bluff.

The U.N. attempts to keep peace, to have war fought fairly and to minimize tragedy. But war is never fair and always tragic. The U.N. needs to reform their policies to end war sooner, rather than stand back and watch it happen.

“The U.N. needs to alter their policies from ineffective peacekeeping to necessary peacemaking.”

The Srebrenica massacre is often considered the worst war crime since WWII, and it happened in the U.N. protected Srebrenica “safe zone.” In July, 1995 the Serbian troops moved in and took over the U.N. safe zone.

U.N. troops were unable to protect anyone, since their policy is not to fire unless fired upon directly. Instead they watched in moral confusion as Bosnian men, women, and children were escorted out of the zone by Serbian troops. Over 8,000 were executed that day, later found side by side in trenches of the Bosnian foothills. This tragedy could have been prevented if U.N. troops were allowed

1. http://tinyurl.com/qjae5r7.

2. http://tinyurl.com/3ydglaq.

3. http://tinyurl.com/nx6zn6x.

Math People // Rebecca Williams

Opinion Editor We’ve all had that one person in our class: that kid who could solve any story problem the Algebra II teacher threw at him, that girl who could quote every trigonometric identity perfectly on the first day of school, and that guy who would take Principles of Physics for fun. They are sometimes the bane of our existence because they ruin the curve. But they are also our saviors when it gets closer to test time and we are still asking ourselves, “But why does x equal that?”

We are jealous of the magical way they intuitively understand what we struggle to comprehend. We call them “math people.”

What these lucky few are good at seems to elude those of us who are average with respect to mathematics. This subject has as a reputation of being difficult and abstract. It terrifies even the most upstanding student.

This reputation is not just the result of a lack of preparation on the part of the student, but also of preconceived notions one might have about one’s own math abilities. I have news for you, dear reader: You can be a math person. I recently read an article that outlined the differences between those who excel at math and those who don’t.

According to Professors Miles Kimball and Noah Smith, that key difference is persistence. Of course, there may be some genetic factors that predetermine one’s ability to solve differential equations, but in the realm of high school mathematics and some lower-division college math, “Inborn talent is just much less important than hard work, preparation, and self confidence.”

Admittedly, I am one of these math people, but this was not always the case.

I struggled more with math than with any subject from the days when I watched School House Rock until my Pre-Calculus class. Math just never really clicked in my brain, and I used that as an excuse to not be great at it. I had been able to squeeze by with no problems because tests were worth about five percent of the total grade, and let’s just say that there was a lot of student collaboration happening. However, when I got a less-than-respectable grade on that Continued on page 9.

itor

PERSPECTIVE CONTRIBUTOR ABROAD | 9

Sensationalize This // CHandler Jordana

Beirut

The Middle East is one of the most intriguing and misunderstood regions in the world. Thanks in large part to conventional media, the very mention of the area often conjures up images of camel jockeys with AK-47s who have beards longer than Moses’. Of course they’re all shouting in Arabic so harshly it’s surprising that at least one of them hasn’t yet coughed up a lung.

This image will typically be accompanied by similar ones of American flags burning, a tyrannical leader shouting furiously, or horrific desert explosions. At this point, you can’t remember if you’re watching the news or Rambo III. The truth is that the news network can’t either.

This apparently decimated warzone is something that I like to simply call home.

However, there are a few select aspects about my home which CNN’s Anderson Cooper forgot to mention. You see, when Y2K arrived and we said goodbye to the 20th century, we also said goodbye to what little shred of media neutrality remained from the ’80s and ’90s.

Although everyone knows in the back of their mind that BBC, CNN, and Fox News must receive funding from some place and must be associated with some political agenda, many seem to overlook this while watching their programming. Mainstream media, like every other business, wants to make money. And as everyone who has taken Professor Montes’ marketing class can tell you, detonations, radical religious beliefs, and bigotry sells newspapers, while normal, peaceful living does not.

The media has one job: to sensationalize everything. I’m sure that baby North West poops himself and cries like every other child, but that doesn’t stop E! News from walking us through every crawl and burp in an attempt to make us believe that “Kimye’s” offspring is somehow more deserving of attention than our own nieces and nephews.

In the same manner, Fox News attempts to make us believe that the general Middle Eastern populace doesn’t cherish and respect the same values that we do: equality, stability, love, and peace.

In essence, my humble abode near the shores of the Mediterranean is close in distance to the conflict in Syria, yet it’s farremoved from the flag-burning, Americahating terrorists you see on 60 Minutes, as is the daily life of 99 percent of everyone who lives within a 2,000-mile radius. While I’ve never been to Iraq or Saudi Arabia, I have been to North Africa, the Gulf, and a town five minutes from the Syrian border.

“ For every radical terrorist shouting ‘Death to America,’ there are 999 Muslims exclaiming, ‘Peace be upon you.’ ” “Math People,” continued.

Pre-Calculus test, I had to re-evaluate the way in which I approached math. So, I worked hard. I did extra-credit problems, stayed after school, and studied three times as much as I did for any other class. Now, strangely enough, I am studying to be a high school math teacher.

The study summarized by Kimball and Smith arrived at an interesting conclusion.

“Psychologists Lisa Blackwell, Kali Trzesniewski, and Carol Dweck ... found that the students who agreed that ‘You can always greatly change how intelligent

you are’ got higher grades.” Talk about the powers of belief and perseverance. To me, the purpose of becoming a math person was not so I could solve equations, but it was to prove to myself that I could, to use the cliché phrase, do anything I set my mind to. So if you are struggling with school or find that you are feeling not-so-confident about your next exam, try becoming a math person.

See the article at http://qz.com/139453/theresone-key-difference-between-kids-who-excel-atmath-and-those-who-dont/.

photo by chandler jordana

I can confidently assure you that for every radical terrorist shouting “Death to America,” there are 999 Muslims exclaiming, “Peace be upon you” as they welcome foreigners into their home. Many of my co-workers have never even seen a camel, and the skyline of the paradise where I reside looks more like Miami than Baghdad. This is where I find myself serving as a student missionary.

“Serving as a student missionary.” I can’t even type the words without feeling a slight twinge of guilt. While my counterparts are in Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa voluntarily living in undeniable poverty and caring for needy orphans, here I am working in a comfortable, air-conditioned office, staring at a computer screen all day. People often ask me what my official title is and my response is usually along the lines of, “It’s complicated.”

This “complicated” role which I occupy can occasionally be marred with discouragement. I look at Facebook pictures of my peers encircled by smiling shoeless children and I think, this is me being a

Campus Ministries

missionary. My missionary life consists of waking up in the morning and going to work like everyone else. I take lunch breaks.

I dress in business casual attire. I’m doing what normal people do. I’m not living in the slums of the Congo attending to the sick. I sit in board meetings and think of how to recruit more students. But you know what, maybe that’s OK. Not everyone is called to, meant to, or even supposed to serve in the ghettos of Central America. Perhaps some don’t even need to leave their own country to make a difference. To those serving in these faraway lands, I salute you. To those serving in “less-traditional” environments, I salute you as well. To all the missionaries serving everywhere around the world, from Idaho to Majuro, if you profoundly impact only one life, just that would make it all worth it.

The year, quarter, and Small Groups Ministries are all well under way. We currently have at least 17 well-known small groups taking place on and around campus, and numerous others that I don’t even know about. The list of groups is an amazing sight to behold.

One would be hard pressed to not find a group suitable for oneself.

If you are unable to find a small group for yourself, I encourage you to begin speaking with your peers about it. Sooner than you know, you might find yourself leading a small group. An upcoming event of Small Groups Ministries is the Small Groups Leadership Workshop, being hosted this quarter by David Richardson and myself. We would love to share the knowledge we have about leading a small group effectively, so be sure to keep your eyes open for that event.

— Travis Sandidge

SNAPSHOTS

WELCOME BACK BASH

SWEETHEART 12 SOCIAL |10

photo by aswwu

photos by aswwu photobooth

PERSPECTIVE DIVERSIONS | 11

Eric Weber

Diversions Editor & Pontificator

america the ignorant //

I’ve recently been watching a lot of television. The Olympics are happening, and try as I may, I am unable to boycott them. When your dictator, I mean president, is Vladimir Putin, self-control goes out the window. But that’s beside the point. As I was watching television, I saw a great advertisement by Coca-Cola. They were singing “America the Beautiful” in all sorts of languages and with all sorts of people, and I thought it was great. Unfortunately, I didn’t find the same amount of appreciation when I went to tweet about the new episode of The Bachelor. What I saw on my feed was a bunch of entitled, ill-informed people saying horrible things, and I’ve had enough. If you’re not a Native American, you’re descended from an immigrant. Plain and simple. Now I realize that the red-necked Anglo-Saxons we have in this country think they were the first ones here, but they need to be reminded that their illegal moonshine distillery is still running, and they should look after it. People fail to realize that America is a country built by hardworking immigrants and under-educated celebrities.

Even the language we speak is from another country! Being American isn’t dependent on time, it’s not a stamp in your passport, and it doesn’t come from a conversation like: “Hello Mr. Weber. You’ve lived in the U.S. for 22 years now, and although your belief in gun control is a little unfortunate, it says here that you drive a Ford and like watching The Biggest Loser, so you can now call yourself an American.”

Being an American is about risking all you have so you can speak your mind, get a college education, and work at a Costco. So if that’s not what you want, then pick a border and find a new country, because this one doesn’t need you. Plus, I hear Russia is giving out free dogs.

#adventistpickuplines

PERSPECTIVE ASWWU ELECTIONS | 12

aswwu executive

platforms

Come hear the candidates speak at the ASWWU Elections Confab II. FEB 19, ALASKA ROOM, 7 p.m.

By choosing to come to WWU, we have devoted ourselves to finding our potential, so why not do the same with our student organization? ASWWU has achieved much, and still has incredible potential. From short-term goals like improving the social and spiritual opportunities on campus, to longterm goals like developing a plan to use the empty building beside The Atlas, I am dedicated to realizing that potential.

TIMOTHY BARBOSA business, pre-med

As part of the ASWWU Marketing team, I have gained experience working with each department of ASWWU, from executive officers to diligent behind-the-scenes workers.

The most important thing I learned is that you are the heart of ASWWU. ASWWU must improve social and spiritual opportunities with your ideas and feedback in mind. Your interest determines where ASWWU Outdoors seeks to explore. Your desires direct how our budget is established.

As a service organization for you, ASWWU must listen to you.

Contributing to the ASWWU team is my priority because it embodies the community I love at WWU. It would be my privilege to serve you as your ASWWU president.

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

Kofi Twumasi is pursuing other areas of leadership and academic excellence and will no longer be running for the position of ASWWU president.

As this next year approaches, I grow more excited thinking about the potential that ASWWU has to be fantastic.

Within our school, we have engineers and volunteers, dancers, hipsters, ballers, scholars, and dreamers; a conglomeration of talent and passion that makes this institution unique.

CLARABETH SMITH elementary education

As social vice president, I hope to strengthen the community that is ASWWU. In planning events, giving out free food, or personally test driving a gurney down College Avenue, I will integrate your interests into every particle of my job. You are a celebrated and cherished member of ASWWU and I delight in working for you.

SOCIAL VP CANDIDATE

PERSPECTIVE ASWWU ELECTIONS | 13

I am running for the office of executive vice president for ASWWU 2014–2015 because I want to serve you, improve communication, and connect ASWWU. The ASWWU EVP position will give me an opportunity to become senate president, and I will make sure that your ideas are acted upon. In my two years as a senator for both Sittner South and North, I have enjoyed writing and supporting bills — for example, grip tape for Sittner South fire escape and water fountains and water-bottle fillers that you see on campus.

ATEM MALAK history, pre-law

If you elect me, I will make sure that your senators organize district parties at least once a quarter, and they will be funded with the district’s allowances. Senators should not only send emails to their districts, but also communicate face to face with their district members.

I believe that these ideas will enable me to serve you better, improve our communication, and connect ASWWU together.

For questions or ideas, contact me at: Atem.Malak@wallawalla.edu (253) 307-4029

EXECUTIVE VP CANDIDATE

This past year has been a very successful and blessed year for ASWWU Spiritual. This coming year, I would like to continue that and add to what the current spiritual vice president, Karl Wallenkampf, has done. There are two things in particular that strike me as very important. First, there are a number of student Sabbath School and church groups on campus that have vibrant ministries; however, they hardly communicate or do things collectively. I would like to see a great deal more

I am running for the office of executive vice president because ASWWU Senate inspires me.

As a senator for the past two years, I have seen senate contribute to improving campus life. From renovating The Atlas to installing water-bottle fillers across campus, senate has made a difference.

It would be an honor to facilitate the direction of senate next year as executive vice president.

First and foremost, I want to increase the influence that students have over senate’s legislation. This requires informing the student body more about legislation that directly affects them. Secondly, I want students, faculty, and staff to feel that their money is being well spent. This means maximizing campus improvement and minimizing frivolous legislation. Dollar for dollar, ASWWU spending should be carefully managed and dedicated to what the students want.

TYLER SHERWIN business, pre-law

Given the opportunity to serve you as executive vice president, I will make your voice heard. You can start by texting or calling me at (909) 894-6764 or emailing me at Tyler.Sherwin@wallawalla.edu with your questions and ideas.

EXECUTIVE VP CANDIDATE

collaboration and teamwork between the groups on campus.

Second, I would like to see a much bigger dedication to service. There are a few students who are very involved with service inside and outside of our campus, but the majority is not very involved at all. I would like to expand the service opportunities so that people can take part and really make our campus one that is dedicated to serving those here and those elsewhere.

SPIRITUAL VP CANDIDATE

AUSTIN ROBERTS theology, history

PERSPECTIVE

Let us Measure the snow //

creative

WRITING

sarah snyder ,

portland campus

At first she was really grumpy. She was my patient at clinical, and every time I went into the room I felt like I was bothering her. But as I did what I could to make her comfortable, things started to change. She still glared at me now and then, but she was softening. She felt like I cared about her.

At the end of my shift, she told me, “I wish I could take you home with me!” And at that moment I knew: This is why I’m in nursing school. Nursing classes can be a lot of work sometimes and it’s not always fun, but I love that moment when I know that I’ve made a difference. If I can make one life a little lighter and one smile a little brighter, then I am satisfied. Through nursing, I have the opportunity to do that. The patients I see are sick, lonely, and hurting in more ways than one. I can’t fix all of their problems, but I can care about them and show them that they’re not alone. This is why I’m in nursing school.

madeleine boyson Columnist I’ve never lived in a town without snowplows. I’m sure Walla Walla owns at least one of these magical creatures, but probably keeps it locked away in some garage like a rare or partially extinct breed of bird, so I should probably be more clear — I’ve never lived in a town that didn’t utilize its snowplows. I’ve also never seen Walla Walla covered by this much white powder. Then again, I’ve also never gone to sleep one night knowing there’s at least four inches of snow on the ground and woken up the next morning with all of that snow gone. It’s a season for nevers, I suppose.

told me I should think about French fries and pizzas when gliding down the hill — I would turn better that way, but all that did was make me want to stop for lunch at 10 a.m. I came home after lessons once and vehemently pronounced that I would never go skiing again. “Never?” my mum asked. “Never,” I proclaimed.

The next day we were all back on the mountain.

Papa used to take my brother and me skiing at Keystone, and I’d beg to stay on the Green hills, the easy hills. Sometimes, after a run was over and we paused at the bottom of a run, Papa would tell me to

“I ventured out to the February wintriness and was reminded that my life can be measured in snowfall.”

Several days ago, I walked to the Dairy Express in search of a Super Burger. Donning knee-high boots, a thick coat, gloves, and a hat, I ventured out to the February wintriness, and was reminded that my life can be measured in snowfall.

I used to hate snow. I’ve hated few things in my life, but the fear and loathing I felt as a toddler for snow can only be paralleled by my intense love for it now. My family, particularly my brother, likes to laugh about this hatred. “You wouldn’t even touch it,” they say, gasping for air between chuckles; “You were so scared of it, you refused to even go outside.”

Then my brother started school, and I was left to my own dolls and devices. What is there to do when your playmate leaves the house every morning and you stay home? You go outside. I marched up to my mother, demanded to be swaddled in snow clothes, requested a wooden spoon and plastic bowl (Did I think I was going to bake something? Mud pies and snow globes in the winterland, probably.), and promptly spent several blissful hours in the powder of our backyard. I was four years old.

photo from creative commons

photo by flickr user enokson

COLUMN | 14

The next year, my parents put me on snow skis.

I remember it as another object of my hatred. How did my father expect me to fly down a mountain in this place called “Loveland” with sticks strapped to my feet? My instructors loved my red skis. They

turn around and look up the mountain. “Look what you just did,” he would say. It didn’t matter how much I claimed I didn’t like it, the snow looked whiter and brighter and I loved my papa for it.

A few years later, Papa took me skiing down the Blue “Mozart” run at Keystone. I resisted, of course. It was too steep, too difficult, too scary. We went down the run anyway. And then we did it again. And again.

And again. And every time, Papa would turn to me and say, “Look where you came from. Look what you just did.” I could ski with the best of them, or at least I thought so that day. I knew that the Blue runs were just as easy as the Green runs and I knew that one day I might be able to ski as fast as my father. “I’ll only let you snowboard after you can ski Black runs,” he used to tell me when I complained that I’d rather board than ski. After Mozart, I never wanted to board again. I was hooked.

Now I’ve transferred my long-lost hatred for snow onto other things — people who smack their gum, singers who sing out of tune, fire drills at 3 a.m., you know. … But snow? I’ll revel in the rare snowfall here in Walla Walla and adore my mum’s pictures of snow in Colorado. Maybe I’ll even go ski the Blue Mountains.1 1. Not to be confused with the Rocky Mountains, people. NOT TO BE CONFUSED>

FEATURE 15

Au Naturel a guided tour of the absurdly natural A few summers ago, I was wandering through a market with my family. As we wandered by a food tent, a girl in cutoff jean shorts and a bandana greeted us and began to describe the food she was selling. She was very excited to tell us how healthy and fresh the food was and that “it doesn’t have any chemicals in it! It’s all natural! All organic!” I looked over at my mom, who happens to be a biochemist, and shared a chuckle.

The reason for this chuckle is that words like “chemical” are poorly defined. To a biochemist, a chemical is simply a substance that you’re using. Water is a chemical. Acetone is a chemical. Orange juice is a conglomerate of chemicals. To the food vendor (I imagine, at least), a chemical is a contaminant applied by devious, bearded men in white coats into perfectly good carrot juice. So who is right? What is a chemical? And while we’re at it, what do “organic” and “natural” mean?

Etymology is a fun place to start looking for definitions of slippery words. “Chemical,” if you happen to care, came from the middle Latin word “alchimia,” turned into “alchemy,” and eventually into “chemical,” which Google currently defines as “a substance that has been purified or prepared, esp. artificially.” “Organic” is defined as “relating to, or derived from, living matter,” and comes to us from the same Greek root that gets us the word “organ,” as in liver or kidney. In chemistry, it simply means “containing carbon”. “Natural” is defined as “existing in or caused by nature; not made or caused by humankind,” and comes from the Latin “natura” which is “birth, nature, or quality.” It first enters English meaning “having a certain status by birth,” in reference to inheritance and monarchies.

If you’ve read either Alice in Wonderland or Frindle, you know better than to take a definition seriously. Words mean whatever we make them mean. They can be created or destroyed, and their meanings change across time and geography. Even if you haven’t read those books, you probably don’t want to be told what to think about words like “natural” by a bunch of dead Latin scholars — you want to be told what to think about words like “natural” by a 100-percent-alive1 engineering student: me! Let’s try looking at these words in context and see how that goes.

“I am wearing carrots; your argument is invalid.”

FEATURE 16

IS “NATURAL” HEALTHY?

If you want to see how frequently advertisers can use the words “natural” or “organic,” food is a great place to start. A loaf of bread I am nearly halfway through says “natural” four times on its exterior packaging, once on each side except for the top and bottom. The jar of peanut butter I am (sadly) almost finished with says “natural” three times on its packaging, more than the name of the company that made it. We definitely care about our food being natural, but should we? If we can use modern science to make food healthier, easier to grow, better tasting, and more sustainable, shouldn’t we? Making “unnatural” food by using genetic engineering rather than selective breeding is a new field, and new fields are prone to making mistakes, but that’s probably not the reason we are so adverse to the idea of “synthetic” food. For whatever reason, we think natural is better.

Well, almost. When it comes to normal food, we think that natural is better. We tend to think that our body has a natural state of health, and that natural food will maintain us there. If we want to either get back into or jump out of our natural state of health, we want something scientific.

Marketing of many medicines2 and sports nutrition products takes advantage of this by emphasizing a scientific origin and rarely using words like “natural” or “organic.” The protein powder in Figure 1.1 is named after the word “synthetic” and made by a company with a logo that looks like O. Chem homework. We’ll use science on our bodies to either get back into or get out of our natural state of health, e.g. trying to gain 30 lbs. of muscle, lose 30 lbs. of fat, or get over an ear infection.

Why do we think this? Does the body even have a natural state? To find this answer, we will have to think bigger than just food. If natural means not using anything made by humans, we end up in a world unfortunately devoid of toothpaste, soap, or toilet paper, but thankfully relieved of Twinkies and Mastering Chemistry. But what would health look like without all of these unnatural things? Although we can’t know for sure, we can look back in time to a pre-industrialized world. While we gain many health benefits from abandoning modern society, we also fall prey to a much higher risk of dying in childbirth, from intestinal parasites, and many other ills which culminate in a much shorter life expectancy.3 The plot (Figure 1.2) shows that life expectancy at birth stays between 25 and 30 until the industrial revolution, during which it jumps massively.4 This might lead us to believe that the natural state of health is a life only 30 years long. This contrasts the popular dichotomy in health of “natural is good, synthetic is bad.” Perhaps unnatural health isn’t so bad after all.

Figure 1.1

Figure 1.2

FEATURE 17

IS “NATURAL” MORAL? For whatever reason, we tend to only think of morality pertaining to humans. This moves the conversation to one about human nature. Like most of the things we are talking about today, human nature is massively complicated and ill-defined. One place to start thinking about human nature is dualism. Dualism posits that people have a mind half and a matter half.

The mind half can do calculus, love, pray, and think. The matter half can sweat, lust, and binge eat ice cream. Many people assign the matter half to be “natural” and the mind half to be “supernatural.”

Under these definitions, no, the natural half is not moral. The Old Testament book of Isaiah calls all of our righteous deeds, “filthy rags,”5 and evolutionary biology tells us that without the outside influences, natural systems do what they must, however immoral it may be,6 to pass on their genes.

IS “NATURAL” CONSTANT?

I have now said far too many unsupported things about sensitive and controversial issues, made at least four false dichotomies, and used an unsightly amount of footnotes. I am also quite bad at conclusions that don’t involve stick men and/or dinosaurs. “Natural” is a slippery word, and the way we feel about it is pretty funny. I’m not trying to convince anyone to eat GMOs, abandon morality, or argue too much about theology: I just wanted to dig a little into these issues — maybe curiosity is natural?

We’ve gotten ourselves quite confused playing with naturalism, health, and morality. Since we obviously like the vague, sensitive, and controversial while attempting to define “natural,” let’s add theology. Dualism and Christianity often combine to give us a spiritual world pitted against a sinful one with us in the middle, choosing which one to call home. We tend to think of the supernatural world clearly set apart from the natural one, but this line changes.

If we look at the book of Job,8 the supernatural looks pretty natural. In Job 38, God grills Job with some unanswerable 1. No guarantee during midterms. questions in order to emphasize his 2. Although, the field of “natural medicine” has been growing, interestingly, it has stayed more on the long-term stuff like virus infections and away from superiority.

One of the trauma and injury. things He asks is, “Have you comprehended 3. Life expectancy in the Neolithic is 20 years, 28 in classical Greece, the vast expanses of the earth?”9, 10 Think back 30 in medieval Britain, 67.2 world average in 2010. Source: http:// It appeared that we had done the impossible and not only en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_expectancy. to a time before Google earth, globes, or photography. A reached a conclusion, but also gotten evolutionary biology and time when the largest expanse of land you might ever see 4.

This plot looks smoother than it should, but is the only one I Old Testament theology to agree on something. Unfortunately could find with the timescale I wanted. More accurate plots was maybe 50 square miles seen from the top of a mountain. th for us, politics intervene — specifically the politics of 17 -century can be found at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr58/ nvsr58_21.pdf.

The largest map might have spanned the Mediterranean Sea. Europe. To boil down lots of very complex things into one run-on Imagining the 5. Isaiah 64:6. sentence: There was a man named Thomas Hobbes who thought all entire earth at once people were naturally bad, a man who came a little later named John 6. As you already know, evolutionary biology is very was impossible. The complicated. Very often, evolution prompts Locke who believed that all people were naturally reasonable in their some very moral and compassionate image to the right is attempts to fulfil their wants, and even later a man named Jean-Jacques behaviors. See the following links: http:// greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/ the first photograph Rousseau who believed all people were naturally butterflies who would the_compassionate_instinct,, http:// of the entire earth www.ted.com/talks/robert_wright_the_ live their lives happily smiling at trees if they didn’t have to live in cities evolution_of_compassion.html, http:// ever taken, it’s from 7 and work real jobs. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/ 1972. What was once a PMC2864937/.

As you may well have imagined, lots of very intelligent people have made supernatural feat is now 7. As you may have guessed, I am this issue even more complicated in the past 400 years by using evolutionary not particularly enthralled with accomplished at earth. the philosophies of Rousseau. biology, game theory, and worst of all, math. This leaves us with a nicely google.com. This is not to 8. This may be the oldest book in un-concludable continuum, but better describes the chaos that we call say that we have outgrown the Old Testament. human nature.

God, but it is to say that the 9. Verse 18. line between supernatural and natural changes a lot.

10. While this seems almost blatantly metaphoric to 21st century eyes, this was likely read literally when written.

LIFE LIFE

CULTUR ARTS & EMEDIA 18

save the record keeper // Chad Aufderhar Arts & Media Editor I’m sure some of you have already heard about The Record Keeper via Facebook or other social media. It is a short web series about the Great Controversy and is commissioned by the General Conference. The basic idea behind it is to create something that will spark interest in the subject matter in people outside the Adventist church.

Before I saw any of it I was skeptical. I wasn’t concerned, like some are, with the accuracy of the script or anything like that. I simply thought there was a good chance of it being heavy handed and cheesy, as much religious filmmaking is, in my opinion. However, after seeing some clips, I found that my assumptions were wrong. In comparison to other projects

of similar purpose, this one did not feel nearly as obvious and preachy. I think it is great that people like the series director, Jason Satterlund, are pushing the boundaries. It is not about mushing the boundaries just to ruffle feathers, but rather to find new ways of reaching people.

I appreciate people who realize it is the worst idea to just keep doing things the way they have always been done. Apparently, even though there was an incredible amount of oversight through the entirety of the project, some people at the General Conference are not wanting to release this series. It also seems that, despite that, it will be released sometime soon.

As part of the effort to support the release of this series, there was a grassroots movement started called “Save The Record Keeper.” A piece of this effort has been showing screenings at Adventist colleges, and tonight (Feb. 13), four of the episodes will be shown here at Walla Walla University’s Village Hall, starting at 7 p.m.

Satterlund will be here, as well. I encourage you to go check them out if you can.

photo from the record keeper ’ s official facebook page

songs for Committees tiny.cc/committeesongs

Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats “Trying So Hard Not To Know” This soulful bunch only released two songs last year, but it is very hard to stop listening to them. We can only hope 2014 means more jams from The Night Sweats.

The National “Pink Rabbits” This band seems to always find a delicate balance in darkness and beauty: sometimes driving and other times gloriously understated.

Phosphorescent “Song for Zula”

vimeo.com/aswwu

aswwu video

I have found I can’t listen to this album often because it is lyrically unsettling in the most beautiful way. It is so real — maybe too real.

Small Houses “I Saw Santa Fe” For this week’s video, ASWWU Video interviewed male and female students about Valentine’s Day plans and dating norms on our campus. You may be surprised at some of the responses!

Thursdays at 9:37 p.m.

A soundtrack for memories and weathered nostalgia, Small Houses is perfect for an overcast day with a cup of tea.

LIFE

FOOD | 19

Andrea Johnson Food Editor

No matter where you’re from, I’m pretty sure we can all agree that winter is a time for warm food. For me, food that is warm in temperature and warm (meaning spicy) in flavor is where it’s at. I realize not everyone likes spicy, so I’ve found a nice middle ground for y’all.

As a bonus, this week’s recipe is for the slow cooker: minimal effort, maximum flavor. Cornbread and chili is what’s for dinner, friends. It’s gonna be good.

cornbread INGREDIENTS - 1 ½ cups cornmeal - ½ cups all-purpose flour - 3 tbsp. sugar - 1 ½ tsp. baking powder - 1 tsp. salt

- 1 egg - 1 cup milk - 1 15-oz. can creamed corn - 3 tbsp. butter

The Food Fiend presents

and

cornbread

chili

Preheat oven to 400° F. Combine cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a small saucepan, melt three tablespoons butter over a medium high heat. When butter begins to brown, swirl pan until the butter is a deep golden brown and remove from heat to let it cool. In a bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and cooled brown butter. Combine dry and wet ingredients. Butter or oil a baking dish and spread the batter. Bake until top is golden and the middle is cooked through, (25–30 minutes).

THREE-BEAN CHILI INGREDIENTS - 2 15-oz. can black beans - 2 15-oz. can red kidney beans - 2 15-oz. can pinto beans - 1 medium onion - 1 red bell pepper - 5 cloves garlic - 1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes

- 1 can diced tomatoes - 2 tsp. cumin - 2 tsp. paprika - 1 tsp. cayenne - 1 tbsp. honey - 1 tbsp. lemon juice - 1 tsp. salt

Chop onion and pepper and mince garlic. Combine all ingredients in crockpot and cook on high for 6 hours.

notes and suggestions - You can cook black beans and pinto beans from scratch. Soak overnight and continue the recipe as normal cup dry beans = approx. 1 ½ cups cooked or 1 15-oz. can.

- For added heat, increase amount of cayenne or add jalapeños (seeds will add even more heat).

- If you would like to avoid kidney beans, try regular red beans.

notes and suggestions - Roasted jalapeños or poblanos make a great additive with a kick of heat.1 - If you have a cast-iron skillet, I recommend baking your cornbread in it. I can’t explain why, but it just makes it taste better.

- Poke the cornbread with a toothpick or fork in a few places; if it comes out clean, it’s cooked through.

1. http://tinyurl.com/roastedjalapeno.

WARNING! Red kidney beans are toxic if not cooked properly.1 They’re not lethal, but vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea are common symptoms of eating them when they’re undercooked. On the other hand, cooking kidney beans in a slow cooker has been known to increase levels of the toxin. If you choose not to go the canned route, please take the time to soak them overnight and boil them for 10 minutes before beginning the regular cooking process. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

1. The culprit is named phytohaemagglutinin — see http://tinyurl.com/kidneybeanlectin.

photos by andrea johnson

LIFE TRAVEL | 20

Last-Ditch Snow Frolic Plans // Jon Mack

Travel Editor

With Snow Frolic weekend fast approaching, decisions on where to travel and what to do can become stressful. This week in the Travel section, I have outlined three potential quick road trips you and some of your friends could pull off in short notice. Take a minute to read these great ideas and adventure beyond College Place this weekend!

photo by instagram user robertstanley3

photo of the week Want to have your Snow Frolic adventures be seen by all? Use #wwutravel on Instagram and you might see it here in the Travel Section!

Leavenworth

White Pass Ski Resort

Gold Fork Hot Springs

Only 200 miles from College Place lies one of the Northwest’s treasures. This Bavarian jewel sparkles with German culture. One aspect that I appreciate about Leavenworth is that it looks great and has a similar vibe in both winter and summer seasons. In the winter, the buildings are lit with Christmas-style lights, the roofs are covered with snow, and the opportunity to sip a hot drink in the freezing air is just a door away. The Wenatchee River winds through the valley, delivering breathtaking scenery.

One hundered and eighty miles from College Place sits one of the best ski resorts in the world. Maybe that’s just my opinion, but White Pass really does snow sports justice.

White Pass is a great Snow Frolic option because, if you travel to White Pass, you simply have no other option but to frolic in the snow. On a clear day, White Pass has some of the most spectacular views of Mt. Rainier that you’ll ever see. Here’s what you have to do: Find a friend who lives in Yakima and convince them of this great opportunity to go home, see their family, let you stay at their house for the weekend, and get some runs in on Sunday.

In Donnelly, Idaho, a short 270-mile drive from College Place, lie these incredible hot springs. Prices are cheap, and you just might meet an old hippy and hear some crazy stories of their experience “back in ‘Nam” that may or may not have happened.

Seriously, though, these hot springs are just what the soul needs to steam away all the problems life and homework have to offer.

The surrounding areas include McCall, Idaho, which has some epic snow camping, snow shoeing, cross-country, and downhill skiing options available.

DESTINATION OF THE WEEK:

SOCHI, RUSSIA

Population: About 350,000

•

Located on the Black Sea

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Predominately Christian

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Officially named Sochi in 1896

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Joseph Stalin built his favorite vacation home in Sochi.

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Famous for: The 2014 Winter Olympic games!

photos by brenda negoescu

item of the week photos in creative commons

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Sunglasses On these bluebird winter days, looking away from the sun can seem just as bright and blind you as effectively as the sun.

LIFE

FASHION | 21

NYFw // Follow @collegianfashion on Instagram for style tips, shopping advice, street style, and personal styling. Have a cute outfit on? Or maybe you have a stylish new pair of shoes?

Use #collegianfashion so we can see! Let's make this a fun and interactive experience.

Express yourself.

Brenda negoescu Fashion Editor

T

hat’s “New York Fashion Week” for all you newbs. Why on earth would you even pay attention to such an event?

Especially as a student — you have better things to do. Well, here’s what I think: It’s a time to appreciate the art of fabric, pattern, texture, and color. It’s also kind of fun knowing what will be in, come Fall 2014, ahead of time — before the collections can be found in stores. Here are a few of my favorite looks so far.

DESIGUAL F/W14

DKNY F/W14

Diane von Furstenberg F/W14

photos by brenda negoescu

Georgine F/W14

Herve Leger F/W14

Nautica F/W14

Skingraft F/W14

J.Crew F/W14

ST Y L E PROF I L E Jennifer Negoescu

Junior, Psychology What inspires your wardrobe picks?

“I’ve always been inspired by both earth tones and the modern city look. I follow a lot of fashion bloggers as well as fashion Instagram accounts. Ultimately though, my biggest style inspiration has been my mother. She’s European and has always had good taste, and has taught me the importance of a good fit.”

Hat | Portobello Market (London) Turtleneck | Club Monaco Faux leather skirt | Topshop Red booties | Topshop Necklace | Calgary Stampede Market

LIFE OUTDOORS | 22

Skiing is Freeing // Justin mock Health & Outdoors Editor Two weekends ago, I finally got the opportunity to get out in the snow of our local Blue Mountains and try cross-country skiing for the first time. We got up early on Saturday morning, loaded the cars, and headed to the mountains with a group of eight.

The drive was beautiful. As soon as we rose high enough in elevation, the mood of the landscape instantly transformed from cold and dreary to fresh and invigorating, due to the appearance of fresh snow. The roads were nearly deserted, allowing me the chance to take my eyes off the road to snatch some quick glances of the surreal beauty that surrounded us.

Eventually, we arrived at the Andies Prairie parking lot and, after some trial and error, figured out how to put on our skis. We then slid through the parking lot, and across the highway to enter into the Horseshoe Prairie snowshoe and cross-country ski area. Very few of us had ever been cross-country skiing before, and there was a bit of a learning curve; but to my surprise, our group quickly got the hang of it. In no time at all, we were sliding our way down the trail, confidently passing a group of skiers from Whitman College. After skiing for about an hour through snow-covered conifers, we arrived at the meadow where the terrain provided us with a large bowl, perfect for skiing down into and seeing what kind of speed we could achieve.

After some snowy wipeouts, some good laughs, and a few snacks, we followed our tracks back out to the parking lot, where we finished the day with a little sledding. As we began our drive back down the mountain, the dry car, warm air, and my tired legs gave me that relaxing feeling that only comes after a great day in the snow.

Do it Yourself: Cross-Country Skiing Although it takes a bit of planning, you too can have a great day of cross-country skiing at Horseshoe Prairie (it’s adjacent to Andies Prairie, which is the sledding and camping area). These few steps will get you started:

The Gear

A map

The first thing you need is gear. Most of our group got gear from ASWWU’s Mountain Rents, which is now open from 5:30–7:30 p.m. on Monday and Thursday. They have great deals: just $5 for everything (poles, boots, and skis) for the weekend. If for any reason you can’t use Mountain Rents, Whitman’s Outdoor program also rents gear, but it is more expensive.

Before heading up, you will want a map of Horseshoe Prairie, since the trails have many loops and turns. I got mine for free at the ranger station located on Rose Street. The rangers there can also answer other questions you might have about the meadow and the area that surrounds.

Getting there

To be able to park in the Andies Prairie parking lot across from the Horseshoe Meadow area, you will need a Sno-Park permit. We purchased ours at a Tollgate store located just a few miles west of the Andies Prairie parking area on highway 204. At this location the permit costs $7. Also, don’t miss the Sasquatch footprints the shop owner keeps on the wall of his shop.

Maps and directions can be found online. However, the Andies Prairie parking lot is easy to get to. After going through Milton-Freewater, just head east on Highway 204 toward Elgin, and the parking lot will be on the left a few miles past Tollgate.

parking

photos by shelby seibold

Weekly Winter Warm-Up

If you need an activity to get you out of the room this week, try ping-pong. It may not be a huge workout, but it is a good way to get up and moving with some friends. The WEC has paddles, ping-pong balls, and a table. It's free for WWU students.

LIFE LOCAL/SPORTS | 23

Aged to Perfection // TimOTHy barbosa

Grayson Andregg

Local Attractions Editor

Sports Editor

The Antique Mall of Walla Walla

Tues–Sat: 10 a.m–5 p.m.

This is probably my favorite antique store in all of Walla Walla land. This is primarily due to the fact that it shares a building with La Casita, my favorite Mexican restaurant ons ative comm photo by cre around. The mall offers a large variety of antiques from the past century’s literature, fashion, entertainment, deco, and gadgetry. This is by far the best antique dealer simply due to the fact that, if you fail to find that perfect 1920’s silver plated watch fob you’ve been pining after for years, you can sink your teeth into a savory consolation burrito without even facing the unforgiving chill of winter.

Wed-Fri: 12 –5 p.m. Sat: 10 a.m.– 5 p.m.

Dating back to the 1870’s, this store's location used to provide butter and cream for the Walla Walla Valley as Shady Lawn Creamery. Remarkably, the creamery churned on until 1992 and the descendants of its original operators turned it into the shop it is today. The store ranges from handmade furniture to various knick-knacks and always promises an intriguing find. I myself am saving up for a pair of satellite jumping shoes they have in stock.

The Store

Wed–Sat: 10 a.m.– 4 p.m.

This Oregonian shop has taken marketing antiques a step further than we all expected. We all know curiosity drives the antiquing type, but with a name as vague as “The Store,” you can expect even your most modern friends to fall for its mystery. The Store offers a sizable variety of old goodies and is a relaxing way to spend an afternoon discovering the past.

Well, Walla Walla, it’s been awhile, and a lot has happened. To start, the Seattle Seahawks became national champions for the first time in team history, blowing out the Broncos 43– 8. Unreal. The game was predicted to be so close, such a back-and-forth contest, that no one ever expected it. Though I have been avidly excited about it for two weeks straight, there has been a lot of other stuff going on around our neck of the woods.

WWU’s men’s basketball team is on a seven-game winning streak and on their way to California for another four games. To go undefeated in California would be an incredible feat and give us a legitimate shot at going to regionals.

We all should be very excited about this, seeing as our school hasn’t had a shot like this is quite some time. There are no more home games this year, but if you see a team member around campus, make sure to tell him good luck and that we’re pulling for them.

photo by ap

Cheese, grandparents, your first car: Some of the best things in life aren’t made in this century. In the fast-paced metropolis that is College Place, sometimes we forget to appreciate where we come from. No silly, not that small town in Oklahoma — the past! This week we’ll be delving into the fascinating world of Walla Walla Antiquing.

Shady Lawn Antiques & Art Gallery

Superblowout//

With Russell Westbrook coming back from his injury within the next week, I’m not sure how many teams there are that can beat them.

Keep paying attention to how the Wolves are doing; they need all your support! And have a great Snow Frolic!

In the meantime, the Oklahoma City Thunder have been on a serious roll as of late, led by Kevin Durant.

Valentine’s Day Events One Act Play Contest: Harper Joy Theater

Romance on Main Street: Main Street Studios

Feb. 13 & 14, 8–9 p.m.

Students — $8 This is the story of four men with various mental disorders living in a group home. The play offers a humorous but honest perspective of the mentally disabled and their relationship with society. Read more about the play online.

Feb. 14, 7–11 p.m.

General Admission — $10 This Valentine’s-themed evening features live jazz from a group called Downright Citizens, and improv from a laughable group known as Varsity Nordic. Enjoy comedy similar to that on Whose Line is it Anyway and smooth jazz.

photo by getty images

photo by bleacherreport . com

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word open happiness// I didn’t watch the Super Bowl, but that doesn’t mean I missed out on the most controversial aspect of the four hour event: the Coca-Cola “It’s Beautiful” commercial.

If you haven’t seen it, go and watch it on YouTube right now and then come back. See http://tinyurl.com/nyg2p54.

You might have noticed that this commercial features “America The Beautiful” sung in seven different languages. But wait?

Isn’t this America? Twitter user Max Cohen helpfully chimes in to clear up the confusion on Twitter: “Coke your [sic] in America where we speak American.” America: where we apparently speak American and don’t know proper grammar.

Social media sites have blown up with outrage. How dare the “national anthem” be sung in a language other than English?

Anthony Lifrieri, another Twitter user, joined in the debate and decided to back up his argument with historical evidence: “To quote an American patriot: we speak English in this country.”

Unfortunately for us, Mr. Lifrieri fails to use proper MLA citation, so we’ll all be in suspense about which American patriot actually said that.

What exactly is the problem here? Is it that “foreigners” are invading the country? In a street interview with a Fox News correspondent, citizen Janice Ratkovich says that the problem isn’t that foreigners are moving in, the problem is that they aren’t adopting English: “Even though I’m European, I came here and spoke English.”

But wait — if we are following Ratkovich’s logic of adopting the local tongue, shouldn’t we all be speaking the language of the Native Americans, not the language of England?

verbatim “Do you identify with the ginger race?”

— Jassica Choi, to Grant Perdew

“In 1976, we stopped using our mouths to do this.”

— Steven Lee, in reference to drawing chemicals into pipettes

“I don’t want to be famous; I just want to have enough prestige that people will answer my emails.”

— Andrew Woodruff, on emailing J.K. Rowling

“That was my left butt cheek. It's out of control.”

— Curt Nelson

“Due to iron willpower and heroic efforts on my part, only one of the test questions references Justin Bieber's recent incident.”

— Tom Ekkens Have something funny to report?

Email me at: Rachel.Logan@wallawalla.edu

Rachel

Logan BackWord Editor

Twitter user Tyler Wyckoff sums up the issue with one final Tweet: “Nice to see that coke likes to sing an AMERICAN song in the terrorist’s language.” Which language is that, Tyler? English, Spanish, Tagalog, Hebrew, Hindi, Keres, or Senegalese-French? Or is just any language that isn’t English is “the terrorist language”?

History books tell us that people came to this land for a variety of reasons: America was a place where you could find religious freedom.

It was place you could find the opportunity to make something of yourself. People were coming from England, where social constraints told them that if you didn’t have money, or if you didn’t have noble connections, you couldn’t move up in the world. The American Dream promised that if you worked hard you could make anything for yourself. Is the American Dream dead? Or was it just for the lucky few who got here first?

In 1782, the founding fathers of this country adopted the Great Seal of the United States

What is your reaction to the Coca-Cola comercial and the criticism against it?

“It's silly. It is ignorant. America was not just settled by the English; it was settled by Spaniards and Frenchmen. In America, our claim to fame was that anybody could come.

What happened to that?”

— Michelle Warner, graduating senior, fitness management “I think there is value in speaking in one language. If whole groups of people are separated from the rest of the country because of what language they speak, they won’t be able to rise out of poverty because their opportunities are limited. That’s why education is so important.”

— Jono Pratt, graduating senior,business “I think that the way America has developed, it has become a place where all different cultures are welcome, and that’s not a bad thing. I think that English should be our national language, but I don’t think that means other languages can’t be expressed. America is beautiful because it’s made up of all different cultures and everyone can have freedom.”

— Michael Moore, sophomore, business administration “This commercial got to the heart of America; it’s the land of opportunity for anyone who comes. Yet the fact that there was controversy over this commercial tells me that there is still a battle to be fought against oppression that we still have to overcome.”

— Nancy Patino, graduating senior, social work

of America. On it is the phrase: “E Pluribus Unum,” which means “Out of Many, One.” Nowhere does it say, “Out of many AngloSaxon males, let there be one blond-haired, blue-eyed, English-speaking, heterosexual Christian.” Out of many, One. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Caucasian babies born in the United States have been in the minority since July 2012. It is estimated that by 2043, the white majority will be no more. So whether you are alive to see it or not, the U.S. is changing.

The U.S. is beautiful because of its diversity.

It is a country where you can find every ethnicity, every religion, and every sexual orientation in one place. It is the whole world in one country. But until we can accept this as fact, we will never be united. “We don’t get to pick and chose whether America is diverse or not. It is diverse.” 1 Life Tastes Good. Enjoy.2 1. Coca-Cola, "It's Beautiful," Behind the Scenes.

2. http://www.coca-colacompany.com/stories/ coke-lore-slogans.

confession

I struggle with being overweight. This, however, isn’t my true struggle, which is how it makes other people feel about me. Now, do not get me wrong: I do not base my self worth off what other people think. However, I want to be liked and have friends, etc. I know it makes people uncomfortable because I am not attractive.

I try to get in shape and I’ve currently lost 25 lbs., but it’s so disheartening to know people think of me differently when they see me. If they talk to me online or on the phone, they love me.

Sincerely, If Only You Knew To submit anonymous confessions, type: wwuconfessions.tumblr.com into your browser and click the Ask Me Anything button at the top.