THE RACIAL DIVIDE | HUBBARD’S OFFICE | THE 50 SHADES FAIRY TALE
collide
FOR STUDENTS, BY STUDENTS | OCTOBER 2012 • ISSUE 9
editor's note The past few weeks have been filled with firsts. Turning 21. Starting my senior year of college. Applying for post-grad programs. Working as the Editor-in-Chief for Collide magazine. Like I said, a lot of firsts. As we, the Collide team, take on the challenge of our first issue with a new editor and an entirely new team, we’ve grown nostalgic. For freshman, they are just beginning with their college firsts. First insanely themed hall dinner, first college exam, maybe even a first kiss or date. And although all our firsts are constantly changing, we as a new staff hope you will join us on this, our first issue as a new team. Our cover, a classic Rorschach image, reflects our journey as a staff. We are still looking for the magazine’s identity. And in a sense, we are waiting for our readers—APU students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and family—to help form the collective identity of Collide. It is our hope, in our first issue as a new staff that we will continue to seek out questions of why and to record unheard conversations that reflect the wants and needs of our community.
In a season of firsts, we pursued conversations that were left unfinished or unheard. We fervently hope that you, our readers, will open yourselves to what the image on the cover means to you, and more importantly, what it means to those around you. Within these pages you will find an article on racial diversity among Christian campuses, an exploration of a local Church of Scientology, and a different look into the book, Fifty Shades of Grey, just to name a few. Like a traditional Rorschach test, we’d like to test personality traits and emotional bounds, but rather of our community as a whole. Collectively, we hope that we can start to analyze how our conversations and concerns reflect our community, and furthermore, how our silence, or inaction can define us.
Chelsea Johnson | English major Editor-in-Chief
collide
Collide Student Magazine • October 2012 • Issue 9 Editor-in-Chief ✳ Chelsea Johnson | cjohnson09@apu.edu Design Editor ✳ Megan Laber | mlaber11@apu.edu Online Editor ✳ Mark Miller | mmiller09@apu.edu Publicist ✳ Chelsey Barmore | cbarmore09@apu.edu Copy Editor ✳ Chelsea Felton | cfelton09@apu.edu Advertising Representative ✳ Dani Ahn | collideads@gmail.com Adviser ✳ Tim Posada | tposada@apu.edu
Contributing Writers ✳ Maddie Shook, Joshua Bligh, Ashley Cameron, Jennifer Cline, Lauren Williams, Kelsey O’Brien
Mission Statement Collide is a publication of The Clause, a multi-media student voice of undergraduate Azusa Pacific University. Our stories seek to bring people together on our pages where our ideas collide and stories impact readers. We provide narratives, inquiries, and dialogue in a Christian academic setting that values individual's stories as well as community concerns. Our writers are student-journalists interested in crafting articles that connect with readers and challenge them to grow as people and reporters.
Like our magazine? Want to put your advertisement in our pages? Please contact: Advertising Representative ✳ Dani Ahn | collideads@gmail.com
contents 5
Threads
7
Hubbard’s office
11
the racial divide
17
Health Edibles
Tidbits of news to take you outside the bubble.
A four-hour venture in the Church of Scientology.
Christian campuses tackle the issue of all-white campuses
A local nutritionist weighs in on how to eat well while keeping the weight down
19 Pov: From gold to gizmos
Mark Miller provides his point of view on gold metal winning gadgets
4 The Religilist Smartphone apps ordained from above
The 50 Shades Fairy tale 50 Shades of Grey proves to be more than a work of fiction about S&M.
15
The Religilist:
the list
Christians Apps That Should Exist By Chelsea Johnson | Design by Megan Laber
iWorshipmood
iWorshipMood
Katy Perry got you down? Tired of seeing peacocks and “waking up in Vegas”? iWorshipMood has exactly what you need. Simply place your thumb on our interactive mood screen and we will automatically select the worship song for you. MercyMe and Casting Crowns await you.
Christian Single
Christian Single
Afraid that you’re forever alone? Now you have an app to celebrate it! Christian Single is the place to come enjoy the single season of your life! We have great features like: “Forever Alone Moment of the Day” and our weekly, “Should I Join the Convent Quiz of the Week!” Enjoy celibacy chats and anti-sexual images like grapefruits, lizards and chimpanzees.
A n g r y David
Angry David
Why is David so angry? Well you’d be angry too if Goliath was swinging at your head! Give Katniss a run for her money with David’s weapon of choice—the slingshot. Pelt Goliath in the head as many times as possible before the time runs out. But beware, this biblical villain isn’t just large, he multiplies.
Bible Ninja Bible Ninja
The Word with Friends
Satan beware, Bible Ninja’s ready to smite you down. The premise is simple: slice as many Satan Snakes as possible with your biblical weapon of choice. The fruits of the spirit are your weapons—choose wisely. But watch out for poison apples from the Tree of Good and Evil or your ninja might just catch original sin.
The Word with Friends
Do you wish you had an outlet to show off your Bible trivia? Rest assured that you can out-score your friends with your knowledge of YHWH (yes, it counts as a word). Look for triple trinity letter scores when you connect members of the 12 Tribes or quadruple your score by connecting the names of your favorite biblical couples.
(Disclaimer:These apps are available never)
threads
seven more bats than the total reported for all of 2011. Bat-enthusiasts beware.
2,300,000:
The increase in Americans who have health insurance from 2010 to 2011. The CDC reported that young adults age 19-25 saw the largest increase—5.2 percent.
25: The number of rabbits a Conn. family has been ordered to remove from their property. They’re permitted to keep five. The family reportedly lives on 1.7 acres of land that adds to roughly 2,468 square feet per rabbit.
99: The percent of Facebook users who haven’t reported enjoying the site since 2009. The Pew Research Center also reported that many felt, “a profound sense of hopelessness and despair upon logging in.”
85: The new highest speed limit in the United States. The privilege will go
to a 41-mile stretch of Texas toll road in November. The new speed limit will supersede the previous top dogs, 80 mph
5 • Collide | October 2012
Outside The Bubble: Worldwide advocate for peace Desmond Tutu recently called for former President George Bush and former Prime Minister Tony Blair to be tried in the International Criminal Court because of their involvement in the 2003 invasion in Iraq. The BBC reported that Tutu accused the men of lying about their knowledge regarding weapons of mass destruction. He also believes the war helped to promote conditions for the conflict in Syria and further conflict in the Middle East. g
News courtesy of AP Wire
45: The number of rabid bats discovered in L.A. County this year. That’s
95,000:
The price tag for a 35-minute journey into suborbital space from the Mojave Air and Space Port located in Mojave, Calif. Thanks to XCOR Aerospace, starting sometime in 2013, one “spaceflight participant,” or passenger, at a time will embark in The Lynx, a rocket-powered vehicle akin to an airplane. g
A study recently published by the nonpartisan public policy group California Common Sense showed that California has been spending more money on prisons than on colleges. Between the years 1981 and 2011, spending on Californian prisons and correctional programs increased by 436 percent, whereas spending on higher education dropped by 13 percent. Over the past 30 years, the number of inmates in the Golden State has gone up eight times faster than the overall population. g
sbukley / Shutterstock.com
By the numbers:
speed limits on two patches of Interstate in West Texas and parts of the I-15 in Utah
Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com
Tired of planking or owling—yes, owling is a thing—well NFL quarterback Tim Tebow has something for you. Like planking, when the urge arrives, you simply drop to one knee, place your elbow on your knee, head to hand, and voila! You’re Tebowing. Some compare it to the Thinker’s Pose, but we don’t really think that hard. g
In April eight-yearold Abbie Jacobson found a green purse lying on the ground in a Sam’s Club in Scarborough, Maine. Upon opening it and finding more than $4,000 inside, Abbie and her parents started a search for the owner, whom they eventually found. When a reporter from The Herald Press asked Abbie what she would do with that much money, she said she’d go see Justin Bieber in concert. In November that wish will come true. John Everets, the chief executive of the Bank of Maine, heard about the story of the green purse and accordingly secured tickets for Abbie to attend one of Bieber’s sold-out concerts. g
In early September, Iranian Christian Youcef Nadarkhani escaped a final execution order imposed on him months ago. After spending the last three years in jail for being found guilty of apostasy and refusing to renounce Christianity, the native Iranian finally returned to his wife and two children. An almost six-hour court session switched Nadarkhani’s charges from apostasy to evangelizing Muslims, which warrants a three-year term behind bars. g
The death toll continues to rise in the aftermath of self-proclaimed Coptic Christian novice filmmaker Sam Bacile’s short film, Innocence of Muslims. The film features the Muslim prophet Muhammad as a condescending womanizer and idiot, among other extremely offensive personas. According to the Islamic faith, depicting an image of Muhammad alone is a grave sin. Bacile’s film has incited riots resulting in the death of the U.S. ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, and many others. g
Can’t get enough of our news bites? Follow us on Twitter!
@apucollide TheClause.org/Collide • 6
Hubbard’s
Office BY MEGAN LABER
Megan Laber explores the Church of Scientology in Old Town Pasadena and shares her personal journey behind the center’s walls.
W
hen you think of the word Scientology a couple of things may come to mind. Xenu, volcanoes, celebrities, cults, aliens and many more add to the mystery surrounding the church and its practices. The most recent Scientology ordeal is yet another fiasco with its leading man, Tom Cruise. But walking into the Church of Scientology located in Old Town Pasadena, Cruise was nowhere to be found. My friend and I were greeted by a young man with shaggy blond hair, sitting beneath a cross symbol made of beautiful stained glass. The cross had eight points with an “X” shape in the middle. Each point represents a different realm of human life, the highest being God. After a long pause and a list of our options, we chose to take the grand tour of the entire facility. We were first shown a video on Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard’s life. After, our guide Will escorted us to the first floor. We seemed to be the only non-members in the building, a realization made obvious by the black and white uniforms the members wore. Our first stop was the bookstore, showing us a personality testing area as well as a section for “course packs” which he described as “lessons that you do on your own time that last a week or so. They are on general topics to better your life.” He then showed us the classrooms where an instructor can monitor
7 • Collide | October 2012
and help you with your work. Next up, a chapel, which also featured the eight-point cross at the front and looked much like a typical church sanctuary. Will explained that every Sunday they hold services, as well as seminars during the week. Next to the chapel was Hubbard’s office, roped off from the public but on display as if filled with museum artifacts. “Every Church of Scientology has an office for L. Ron Hubbard. When he was alive, he would visit all of the centers, but now we keep it as a sort of tribute to him,” said Will as he led us to the fourth floor. In the elevator Will asked, “Have you heard of our purification centers?” He smiled and went on, “They are very neat, especially if you have been on drugs in the past.” Walking into the purification center was like walking into a clinical day spa covered with white and green tile walls with large, eight-person saunas. We met Molly, who seemed to be the distributor of vitamins and pills. She had visitors’ charts out and recorded where they were in their purification cycle for the day. She explained that people in the process take vitamins, like Niacin, to remove radiation from their bodies. Next we walked across the way to the auditing room. Inside the hotel loungelike waiting room was a man sitting at another front desk. “This is the man in charge of all the auditors,” said Will. A man in ‘60s glasses, in the same white
and black ensemble, greeted us. “Would you mind telling them what auditing is about? They are on a tour,” asked Will. George introduced himself and walked us over to an auditing room. Inside the five by five foot room with a small window, stood a desk and two chairs facing each other. On the desk is a black machine. “This is the E-meter. When you audit someone you watch the machine to see any changes in their electrical field that is surrounding their body,” said George. “When it changes you ask questions about their thoughts or you probe more into what they are talking about. This can help the person dealing with issues to see what is going on. They can identify their issue.” Before exiting, George stopped us. “Scientology is going through a rough time right now. Just because there are some public mishaps and disgruntled members doesn’t mean that’s what the church is about. You have to ask a Scientologist, who is practicing, to see what it truly is.” In the next training room, one side had hundreds of chairs set in pairs facing each other and the other housed an empty padded room. Will explained that the setup aimed to aid in communication. “People on one side of the room can be screaming at the top of their lungs while the other side has to focus and continue uninterrupted communication as much as possible,” he said. He motioned us into the padded room.
Photo by Todd Swanson
“We asked if physical force was involved. Will responded with, ‘Whatever it takes.’” “Here is where we train in other ways. In this room I am the coach and let’s say that I tell you to walk across the room. It is my job as the coach to make sure you cross the room, no matter what,” he said. He cursed and said, “Even if the person...tries to walk away, I have to make them cross the room.” said Will. We asked if physical force was involved. Will responded with, “Whatever it takes.” When Will was called away to business, Brenda took over as our guide. We were then escorted to the personality test area again. “You guys have to take these if you haven’t already,” said Brenda. We sat down side by side to take the 200 question test. Questions spanned from “Are you OK with stopping at two children if you are physically and financially able to have more?” and “Do you agree with the American prison systems’ current state?” to “Are you depressed often?” and “Would it take a great deal for you to consider suicide?” We finished the test in about 30 minutes and waited for our results. A young man named Raatib greeted me. “Hey Megan, let’s step into this room and I will tell you about your graph,” he said. He asked me first how I was feeling about the church and I explained that I found it interesting and that there was a lot of information to take in. “Do you feel like Scientology is more of a practical and logical answer to life’s problems or more of a religious experience?” I asked. He responded immediately“It’s a practice to apply to your life. I was raised in the Islamic faith and know everything about the Quran. Islam doesn’t tell you everything about how to live your life. It has great principles, but is not all there is,” said Raatib. He then told me that my personality graph showed I was lacking certainty in my life. When I asked if my current situation, a college student about to graduate with only the hope to succeed, contributed to this, he didn’t seem to agree that it did. “Life has its certainties and uncertainties. You can overcome the ups and downs,” Raatib said.
Finally the time came for him to suggest I buy the course pack called “Overcoming the Ups and Downs In Life.” I politely declined. He rushed around the center and met us at the door as we were leaving and handed me a DVD titled “Scientology: An Overview” as well as a pamphlet on the personal experience. As we exited into the parking garage, worn out from the entire experience, I nudged my companion with my elbow. “Hey, at least if anyone asks what the most unique thing you’ve done lately is, you have a great answer.” g
TheClause.org/Collide • 8
feature
Unknown Asian American
8%
8%
Caucasian
60%
African American
5%
Hispanic
16%
APU Student Body 11 • Collide | October 2012
THE RACIAL DIVIDE By Chelsea Felton
Although racial diversity is a universal issue, Christian schools are uniquely called by faith to promote it. Some schools are making efforts toward equality, but the stats simply don’t match up.
TheClause.org/Collide • 12
Debate of a Dominant Culture
According to collegeresults.org, Eastern Mennonite University, in Harrisonburg, Va. is 82.3 percent White. Bob Jones University, in Greenville, S.C. is 85 percent White. Evangel University, in Springfield, Mo. is 79.5 percent White. Wheaton College, in Wheaton, Ill., stated that students of color comprise approximately 15 percent of the campus. Calvin College, in Grand Rapids, Mich., showed in its “2011 Fall Enrollment (Day 10) Report” that 12 percent of the student population are students of color and 11 percent are international students. For Calvin, the remaining 77 percent of the student body is made up of White students.
The Cost
“The anticipation of feeling isolated, of feeling oppressed or singled out because of their otherness, and sometimes the idea of being the one and only in a very remote place is not attractive.” -Michelle Loyd-Paige
13 • Collide | October 2012
Why are there always more White students at Christian colleges and universities than any other race? According to the Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook, 79.96 percent of U.S. citizens are White, leaving 20 percent to people of color. Another contributing detail is the cost of Christian schools. In Richard Morin’s “America’s Four Middle Classes” for the Pew Research Center, Whites (non-Hispanics) are categorized as the top of the middle class with 79 percent. Another factor is that minority students may not be applying to these schools because of the racial demographics. Michelle Loyd-Paige, Dean of Multicultural Affairs at Calvin College, explained the problem. “If you have a Christian college and it’s not located in a very diverse area and if you are a student who’s coming from a diverse area or is seeking a diverse experience, there’s not a lot of [students] who are eager to be the first and the only. You’re asking someone to spend a significant amount of time at a place where they would perhaps feel even more isolated or lonely.” According to Loyd-Paige, minority students fear possible isolation upon attending a predominately White school. “The anticipation of feeling isolated, of feeling oppressed or singled out because of their otherness, and sometimes the idea of being the one and only in a very remote place is not attractive,” said Loyd-Paige.
Institutional Efforts
Many Christian schools are actively working toward building a substantially diverse campus. APU, Calvin College and Wheaton College have offices, positional statements, events and clubs dedicated to the theme of diversity. Michelle Rao, a junior Indian student, recognized the university’s efforts. “Since my freshman year, I can definitely say APU has grown in bringing in people of other ethnicities,” said Rao. Schools like Bob Jones University and Evangel University are progressing slower. There is merely an acknowledgement of diversity located on their websites. While BJU has an entire “Statement about Race” page, EU simply mentions “Multiculturalism” on its website: “Evangel University encourages students to understand and appreciate ethnic and cultural differences. Recognizing the principles of Scripture and the rich contribution that each culture can make to campus life, the University supports the biblical concept of multiculturalism (Galatians 3:28, Revelation 7:9) in which all people participate equally in the Kingdom of God regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, age or socioeconomic status.” Aside from these assertions, the programs and resources offered to minority students are minimal. Dr. David Bundrick, Vice-President for Student Development at Evangel University discussed the lack of programs offered to minority students on EU’s campus. “We don’t have any person with full-time responsibility in that area, but it is part of the portfolio of the Community Life Department,” said Bundrick. While EU doesn’t have an appointed office or person devoted to
multi-ethnic programs, Calvin College has the Multicultural Student Development and the International Student Development Offices in addition to a dean of multicultural affairs. Dean Loyd-Paige said that these programs have been around for more than 25 years. These type of resources are more indirectly available for EU minorities. Bundrick connected the institution’s difficulty with improving the numbers of minority students on campus to it’s denominational affiliation. “It is a challenge for us because we are a denominational school affiliated with the Assemblies of God,” said Bundrick. “Our student population generally reflects the ethnic breakdown of our denomination. As a fellowship, the Assemblies of God has been seeking ways to bridge that and get students. Our history [and] our denominational makeup works against us in recruiting students of color.” Some institutions are taking the necessary steps, but only time will tell if their efforts are enough to effectively transform not only the numbers, but to assure the students that changes are being made in their favor.
Returning to the Roots
With most Christian universities, there is still work to be done in the pursuit of better racial diversity. Aaron Hinojosa, director of the Multi-Ethnic Programs Office at APU agrees. “Until we hear and have relationship with people to gain that perspective of others,” said Hinojosa. “We will never truly embrace diversity.” The Multi-Ethnic Programs Office (MEP) offers six different Ethnic Organizations including the Middle Eastern Student Organization (MESO) and the Native American Student Circle (NASC). More resources are being provided for minority students through the MEP office as well as annual events: Global Fest Fashion Show, Gospel Sing, and Acts 2 Week. Jessica Peña is a Chicana, Business Administration major who graduated in spring 2012. While attending APU, Peña was one of the student representatives on the Diversity Collaboration Committee. She was also a student president of LASA. She approves of the direction of on-campus changes. “I think that APU is taking the right steps toward serving students of color. Although I think that at this point, we’re still simply enrolling students of color and not really providing enough resources for [them] to really strive on these campuses,” said Peña. “So, that’s why I think ethnic organizations like LASA, BSA and PIO exist because there’s a need for them, which is a beautiful thing for those in these communities to find that they’re safe in a space where they can express their culture.” But the statistics aren’t just changing for students. According to the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (OIRA) webpage, the ethnic profile of APU’s faculty has changed significantly, going from 10 percent in the 1995-1996 school year to 28 percent this school year. The ethnic profile of traditional undergraduate students has also increased going from 17 percent in the 1997-1998 school year to 32 percent this year. This fall 2012 semester marks the deadline for the APU’s diversity goals laid out in Appendix P. According to the school’s most recent version of the appendix, arranged in 2010, the goals for fall 2012 include improving the quantity and quality of diversity-related scholarly productivity. Part of this goal is reflected in the conference APU hosts in the spring. For the last three years, APU has hosted a conference called “Christians on Diversity in the Academy.” This year, the conference will be held March 2022, 2013, in Arcadia, Calif. The theme is “Thinking Critically About Christian Higher Education.” APU’s positional statement also reflects a movement toward change. It states that the institution plans to strategically address ways to promote diversity, thus effectively trying to implement change. Recent graduate Peña reminds minority students that change doesn’t happen overnight. “Change in these institutions happens slowly and I think it takes multiple efforts in terms of administrators holding the powers that be here accountable and the students holding our administrators accountable,” said Peña. g
“So, that’s why I think ethnic organizations like LASA, BSA and PIO exist because there’s a need for them, which is a beautiful thing for those in these communities to find that they’re safe in a space where they can express their culture.” -Jessica Peña
aesthetics
The 50 Shades Fairy tale By Chelsea Johnson
15 • Collide | October 2012
Bestselling novel 50 Shades of Grey infuriates and empowers women through its sadomasochistic stories. It may not grace the shelves of the APU bookstore, but it’s hard to ignore the popularity of E.L. James’ bestselling novel, Fifty Shades of Grey. Some call it “Mommy Porn,” others equate it to domestic abuse, but many are simply curious. The novel centers on protagonist Anastasia Steele, a 21-year-old virgin who enters into a BDSM (Bondage, Domination, Sadism and Masochism) relationship with a powerful business mogul, Christian Grey. Some Christian community members responded to the bestseller in bouts of outrage, while others quietly read under book lights after class. Either way, the question remains: Why are so many readers, women especially, flocking to the self-proclaimed work of erotica? Melanie Mock, a professor of English at George Fox University and co-creator of the blog “De/Constructing Christian Images” noted that there are some Christians who are involved in sadomasochism. But the issue lies in why so many women are reading books like 50 Shades, regardless of the “kink,” slang for sexual creativity. “These books provide an idealized view of love and relationships that is so removed from what reality is for most people,” said Mock. “It becomes an escape and becomes problematic because we assume our relationships will be like the ones we read about or see on TV, and no real relationship can live up to that ideal.” Yet she maintains that these unrealistic expectations aren’t limited to the pages of 50 Shades. “Christian romances are problematic in the same way. They idealize relationships,” said Mock. Novels like these often feature a dominant man and the eventually submissive woman followed by their happily ever after. Although she refrains from passing judgment on the literary choices of others, she thinks our time could be spent better elsewhere. Mock asked, “Why waste your time on something that’s probably not very well written and may not have a redemptive value?” Jonalyn Fincher, author of Ruby Slippers and co-founder of the nonprofit Soulation, said she works to “help people be appropriately human.” She does so by encouraging the Christian community to address tough topics like sexuality or how to respond to cultural phenomena like 50 Shades of Grey. Fincher, who recently wrote for Christianity Today’s blog “Her.meneutics” believes that women are turning to books like 50 Shades because they are sexually hungry. “It’s very attractive to read a book that turns you on. The fact that women are reading this shows that they are sexually hungry,” said Fincher. “We want to have the freedom to talk about sex and that we lust and desire.” Fincher’s blog stands out as one of the few Christian responses that hasn’t completely condemned the book. Although she admits the novel isn’t
for everyone, she encourages thoughtful exploration of curiosity. “When it comes to art, it does different things to different people,” said Fincher. “Read the book with an openness for what God can do to your soul with it. Read the book through prayer.” Yet, she warns readers to remember the fictional nature of the text. “Keep in mind this is a false world. We don’t want marriages built on codependence,” said Fincher. She encourages others not to condemn the book, but to prayerfully seek out questions of why they want to read the book and how it impacts readers. Jennifer Hamady approaches the bestseller from a psychological standpoint. Hamady recently wrote for both Psychology Today and The Huffington Post about 50 Shades. She connects its popularity to that of fairy tales—this one just includes sexual fantasies. “My concern is that, like all fairy tales, the story essentially takes the responsibility and the creativity of the relationship out of the hands of the woman,” said Hamady. She explains that part of creating a successful relationship is effort. For protagonist Anastasia Steele, her relationship seems to fall into her lap and just happens to her. But Hamady explains that because the emotional work is missing, it doesn’t accurately depict healthy relationships. “It takes away the romance that comes from being vulnerable and making mistakes together,” said Hamady. While Hamady notes that the roles of women are continually evolving, she explains that part of the draw of the novel is the traditional idea of being taken care of. “In our culture, its not acceptable to say, ‘I want to be treated like a princess,’” said Hamady. “But there is a lingering legacy of our past where things are out of our control—where we can surrender and be taken care of.” Most importantly, Hamady encourages readers to remember to trust their intuition, unlike Steele, who repeatedly ignores her “subconscious” in favor of what she calls her “inner goddess.” “In 50 Shades of Grey you see all the signs but they don’t point to what happens in real life,” said Hamady. Outside the realm of fiction, women who deny their self-respect and intuition do not usually end up in happy, healthy relationships. “You can have a sexy, hot relationship that is also healthy. It’s not one or the other, ” said Hamady. “And always honor yourself, respect yourself and love yourself.” g
“In 50 Shades of Grey you see all the signs but they don’t point to what happens in real life.” –Jennifer Hamady.
E.L. James is the author of the bestselling Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy. James worked as a TV executive before penning her first novel, 50 Shades, which started as an erotic version of Twilight fan-fiction. She is reportedly writing a new love story and a film adaptation of the novel is in the works.
TheClause.org/Collide • 16
Health Edibles W
By Chelsea Johnson
e all do it and most of us kind of like it. Even Dr. Oz admitted to it: many college students eat junk. From college delicacy Top Ramen to Pop ‘Ems and supersized muffins with absurdly rumored calorie counts, college students are notorious for poor diet choices. Whether or not you gained the freshman 15 or lost weight later after selecting the way-too-small meal plan, it’s easy to opt for the Dollar Menu amidst essays and exams. But registered dietician and nutritional consultant Debbie Barker-Benfield believes it’s possible to ditch the Doritos and still get your assignments done in time. Barker-Benfield, a nutritionist for more than 30 years, said healthy eating is all about moderation not starvation. “Have a wide variety of food in moderation. There is really no good food or bad food,” said Barker-Benfield. “There are just better choices.” Although there is a lot that goes into healthy living—diet and exercise especially—she encourages students to focus on quick and cost-effective op-
tions. “If you cook, you can prepare enough to last a longer time,” said Barker-Benfield, suggesting items like grilled chicken breast that can be used in a salad, sandwich or in a stir-fry for later meals. “If you stick to your basic foods it’s usually cheaper and more nutritious.” Although Barker-Benfield admits that there are now healthier options at fast-food restaurants, when the rush hits it’s cheaper and easier to grab something from home that doesn’t need to be prepared. “People who don’t have time, even if they have something small—string cheese, nuts and a piece of fruit—it’s better than nothing,” said Barker-Benfield. Healthy living isn’t always easy. Barker-Benfield encourages students to eat what they like in moderation. But most importantly, she says not to be too hard on yourself. “Give yourself credit where credit is due,” Barker-Benfield said. College doesn’t have to be a choice between healthy living and high GPAs. g
Eat This, Not That Trail mix instead of a protein bar Yogurt instead of APU muffins
Carrots and hummus instead of chips
Roasted chicken instead of “healthy options� from fast-food restaurants
pov
POINT OF VIEW
From Gold to Gizmos By Mark Miller
A
n electronic bell sounds and a shimmering sheet of water shatters as eight swimmers begin their underwater bout for glory. This was a common occurrence last summer when London lore converged with Olympic prowess at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Night by night I saw Olympians shatter record after record in events all across the board—from America’s rising, golden swimmer, Missy Franklin, to Jamaica’s lightning-fast sprinter, Usain Bolt. It was invigorating to see the athletes compete with such a beautiful combination of physical strength and mental determination, especially in the case of Kirani James, who won the “Island of Spice,” Grenada, its first Olympic medal (and a gold one at that). After the close of the 30th Olympiad, I wondered how so many records could be broken in just a few days’ time. Clearly, Olympic participants in years past harnessed great ability and set the standard for athletes today. But those records continue to entice active individuals to raise the bar in athletic performance. Inherent characteristics and learned training techniques certainly come into play during the molding of a future world-record-breaker, but something else might also bear weight in the equation: technology. As InnovationNewsDaily writer Jeremy Hsu suggested in his online article, “Are Humans or Technology Breaking Olympic Records?” technology has played a key role in helping athletes break Olympic records. Whether in archery, cycling, pole vaulting or javelin throwing, developments in technology have made athletic equipment more ergonomically smart and aerodynamic. Advances in swimwear, however, were only allowed to go so far. After Speedo’s ultra-light full-body suit, the LZR Racer debuted and led to 43 world records in the 2008 Olympics, the Federation Internationale de Natation banned the suits. Nevertheless, as millions saw this summer, swimmers and their more orthodox swimsuits are just as capable to dash world records to pieces. And although not an Olympic medal holder, South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius, nicknamed the “Blade Runner” for his incredibly designed prosthetic legs, competed in London this year. In both the men’s 400-meter and 4 x 400-meter relay races, Pistorius showed the clear role of technology in his pursuit of sports. This makes me ask, “Is technology making us better at what we do?” Yes and no. The novelties of each generation certainly make life easier (or at least plan to do so), but let’s remember that we are the ones making the iPads, stainless-steel utensils and state-of-the-art running shoes. It’s down-to-earth creativity that stems from the lives of people
like you and me—ones who hear from our parents what it was like “in the old days” and then imagine what the days to come might hold. That creativity from the living, breathing human experience we call “life” makes technology, which, in turn, can aid us as we go throughout life. Inventions need inventors. Technology may seem to have a mind of its own, especially with the automated, super-digitalized entanglement that “the Web” now is today (and I’m not talking about Charlotte’s Web). But regardless of how immense computer systems and government surveillance apparatus become, we as human beings remain in control of how far we let technology expand. If we retain the reality of our emotional well-being and our thumping hearts while pursuing the latest technological discoveries, by all means: Let’s go for it. But we have to remember what really lasts in this world. Technology benefits and strengthens our lives only to the extent that we make good use of it. The 2004 film I, Robot gives expression to the concern of where our inventions might go someday due to the rising importance of robotic technology. Although based on science fiction and strongly centered on action, the movie highlights the basic problem that relates to the degree of humanity in our world around us. The colder our surroundings become, the more vital it is to hold onto the warmth within us. No one needs to remind you of all the havoc that can but never should see the light of day as a result of technology. Anybody who has ever lived in a war zone or under an oppressive government can tell you that technology can destroy. But, thankfully, the story doesn’t end there. With our intertwined world today, we can cover thousands of miles to aid another nation when disaster strikes. We can sustain close relationships as well as global diplomacy with face-to-face communication through today’s versions of telegrams and phonographs. We can also build upon what the earlier generations have left us. As I have heard pastor and author Bill Johnson say before, our inheritance (spiritual or otherwise) converts the ceiling of our ancestors into our floor. We start where they finished—with expectation to go higher. It’s our job to use as building blocks the gifts of their wisdom, their finances and, yes, their gadgets, too. g Mark Miller is a junior journalism and Spanish double-major. He grew up in Lancaster, Pen. but now loves life in Calif. just as much as he did back home. He enjoys travelling, speaking different languages, writing poetry, spending time outside and making comical videos on Photobooth with friends.
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