February 6, 2014 | Volume 3, Issue 17 | State College, NBL
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SISTERHOOD CONNECTIONS page 3
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE COLD page 5 CAN SHAUN WHITE WIN GOLD AGAIN page 8 GRAMMY RANT page 12 Photo provided by: Jacy Lewis
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editor’s note
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TaKe a STep BaCK FROM SOCIaL MeDIa While scrolling down my Instagram feed after the Grammy’s, a post from Macklemore popped up. The pictures was a screen shot of a text he had sent to Kendrick Lamar. In that text, he told Kendrick how he was upset that Kendrick didn’t win the Grammy for Best Rap Album while he had won the award along with Ryan Lewis. When I looked at this post I didn’t think that Macklemore was sincere in his regret, instead I thought this was another jab at Kendrick for not winning the Grammy. Macklemore probably had a good intention behind this apology however, it is one thing to privately apologize or congratulate someone, but to privately apologize then publicly announce that apology defeats the sincerity behind it. Macklemore had the perfect opportunity to acknowledge the fact that he thought Kendrick should have received the award. Through his social media, however, the apology looks like a slap in the face for Kendrick. I obviously don’t know what type of relationship Kendrick and Macklemore have and I don’t expect to. When confronted with something personal in a public setting it is hard to see the genuine nature behind the act. Macklemore’s post is a perfect example of when to use social media and when to leave it alone. As students we have to take into account what social media posts will come across as to future employers. There have been many articles written on sexist, racist and hateful use of social media and how it is inappropriate. A prime example of social media being used hatefully, is the recent backlash that the University of Illinois Chancellor, Phyllis Wise, received after sending an email to students, which informed them that classes would be held despite the cold temperatures. The University of Illinois students responded with a hashtag showing their dislike toward the chancellor and made racial and sexist tweets. While not all students participated in this slander, some even rebuked the actions of their peers, this incident showed when Twitter rants need to stop and when Twitter should be left unopened. Articles touching on the incorrect use of social media are helpful, but there have been few articles written on when it is appropriate to even create a post on social media. Questions need to be asked before a post is made public because questions can help cut back on negative rants and unnecessary information. Two questions that Macklemore failed to ask before his private apology went public on Instagram were: Is this a boastful post? and Who’s approval am I wanting? He could have also asked if that was a private moment which was a necessary piece of information needed to be shared with all 2.7 million of his followers. Another question college students overlook consistently is if the post is kind. It doesn’t matter if the professor you are complaining about will never see the post.
People who don’t know that individual will see that post and judge them from that without knowing them.
JaCY LEWIS Gamma Phi Beta Editor-in-Chief
Jacy is a sophomore studying
Are you unhappy? If journalism. You may contact her at jacy_2012@hotmail.com. the answer is yes, then steer away from social media sights for awhile. Don’t look at other people’s profiles and start to believe their lives are better than your own. Most people post the best parts of their lives on social media and usually not the bad parts. All social media users need to take that fact into account. It is easy to be negative in this world and it is, for the most part, harder to be positive. However, it is more fun to be positive, simply look at Kid President. Everyone enjoys watching a video created by this tiny nugget. He wants us all to succeed even though he probably doesn’t know all of us personally. Negativity is easy, but positivity brings joy to others. Kid President said, “Create something that will make the world awesome.” The easiest way to begin this is through social media.
THE ODYSSEY AT NEBRASKA EXECUTIVE TEAM editor-in-Chief Jacy Lewis
photographers Katie Miller
Gamma Phi Beta
Gamma Phi Beta
Social Media Director Christian Folsom
Caroline amsler
Delta Tou Delta
Contributing editor Brett Bergstrom Beta Theta Pi
Gamma Phi Beta
Kelly Kuwitzky Phi Mu
Sean Carney Phi Kappa Theta
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campus connections
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SISTERHOOD CONNECTIONS
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Meg RONSPIES
Delta Delta Delta Meg is a junior studying business administration. You may contact her at megsron04@live.com.
In 2014, one of the most prominent sayings you will hear is, “Life is about making connections.” Many of you probably already hear this on a regular basis. Whether it be in your classes with your professors, in your student organizations or in your workplace, making connections in college is vital. As Greeks, we are able to take this saying up a level.
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from all different backgrounds and areas of the country (and Canada!). I have the same Tri Delta values and beliefs as a Florida State cheerleader, actress Elizabeth Banks, former Bachelor contestant Lindsay and even Olympic figure skater, Meryl Davis, who will be competing in the 2014 Winter Olympics. Sisters come from all different walks of life.
Joining a sorority does not just connect you to the sisters in your chapter, but the sisters around the world.
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Maintaining and making connections is a huge benefit of Greek life. Many fraternity men and sorority women obtain jobs and start future careers from a past member of their Greek chapter. Many also use their chapter as a resource or reference when far from home. I know I mentioned you might have heard a cheesy story during recruitment, but here’s one for real life, pertaining to right now in college.
The moment you receive your bid card you also receive one-hundred-some new sisters; sort of. Joining a sorority does not just connect you to the sisters in your chapter, but the sisters around the world. You might have heard some cheesy story during recruitment about a girl traveling or studying abroad and meeting sisters from other chapters, but it’s now real for you. The onehundred-some turns into one-thousand-some, which turns into hundreds of thousands.
Aside from cheering for Lindsay to win Sean Lowe’s heart, or Meryl Davis and her partner Charlie White in Sochi, many non-famous connections can occur during your first few years of college. Last summer, a member of Kappa Chapter received an internship offer in California. While searching for housing, she and her mom decided to try the student union at the nearest campus. She was, of course, wearing her letters, and was instantly recognized by another Tri Delta sister as a member of the same organization. Just because of this, the girl was able to set her up with another sister from her chapter and find her a place to live in less than 24 hours. Even small connections are beneficial.
For me, Delta Delta Delta has initiated over 238,000 members since its founding. That means I have over 238,000 connections I can use as resources for my future. I can share a bond with these thousands of women that come
“Life is about making connections”. Introduce yourself to someone new. You’re Greek, so you’ve got hundreds of thousands of people to meet.
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greek life traditions
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ICE-SkATInG In ThE RAILyARD
Winter isn’t exactly a time when you want to spend hours outside in the freezing-cold weather. However, if you spend those hours ice-skating, that may be a different story. The Railyard, located in the Haymarket in downtown Lincoln, has a new outside ice-skating rink. Ice-skating is the perfect excuse to spend time outside and (possibly) enjoy the weather during the middle of January. The price of
KaRa COSENTINO Phi Mu
Kara is a sophomore studying english and communications. You may contact her at karacosentino@gmail.com.
Although the rink is a little small, it’s still fun to go with a group of friends and enjoy a fun night outdoors as long as you’re bundled up to prepare for the cold weather.
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After skating, you can enjoy the rest
Ice-skating is the perfect excuse to spend time outside and (possibly) enjoy the weather during the middle of January.
renting skates is only $9.00, and admission is free. So, for less than
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The Railyard has to offer. Near the ice-skating rink, there is a small coffee shop where you can warm up. Also, just a short walk over is the Historic Haymarket area full of bars and restaurants like Barry’s Bar and Grill, Buffalo Wild Wings, Café Indigo, and Ivanna Cone ice cream. Ice-skating is a great way to hangout
ten dollars, you can have a fun night of skating around the rink and getting
with friends while having fun and enjoying spending time outdoors during
new bruises from falling down. Plus, the rink is open until February, seven
the wintertime. And with the new ice-skating rink so close to campus, it’s a
days a week—until 10:00 on Friday and Saturday nights.
fun and different way to spend an evening.
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ThE PILL ACTuALLy SuCkS
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testing the birth control pill on men. The study showed that the birth control pill caused testicular swelling on the men so they stopped the study right away. Dr. Pincus then started testing the pill on women. During this study, three women died and yet they still continued. To this day, there are no oral contraceptives for men because it is “too risky”. This, ladies and gentlemen, is sexism at its finest. 3) Bad Sex.
Many, many women on our campus and in our generation are currently taking a little white Gamma Phi Beta pill deemed “The Birth Control Pill.” If you are Hannah is a junior studying textile and apparel design. You reading this and are one may contact her at hschinkel@ of these women, in no windstream.net. way, shape or form is this article supposed to reprimand you for doing so. I understand that there are medical reasons (some life threatening) that women take it. However, I wish to inform you of the truths that many doctors fail to tell you when they prescribe this pill that is supposed to solve all of your problems. Let me start off by saying that you and your femininity are absolutely beautiful. Do not let anyone tell you anything differently. Believe it or not, your fertility and those pesky hormones are what make you a woman. Here are ten truths about the pill that most people don’t know before they take it.
HaNNaH SCHINKEL
1) Increased risk of cancer. As previously stated in the last week’s article, the pill is said to decrease chances of ovarian cancer. However, in a study done by the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology in 2004, “Women who are on the pill have an increased chance of getting breast, cervical and liver cancer.” In another study done by the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomakers and Prevention Center in California, “Women who regularly use the pill are 4.2 times more likely to get breast cancer.” If this doesn’t make an impact on you, think about this. The number of breast cancer cases has risen over 80% since the 1970s. Do you know what happened right before that? You guessed it, the birth control pill was approved in 1960. 2) origin of the Pill: When Dr. Gregory Pincus originally introduced the pill, he started off the study by
Although not all girls are on the pill for sexual reasons, believe it or not, many girls actually are. We are meant to have sex—good sex. Actually not just good sex, we are made to have GREAT sex. Naturally, women are the horniest when they are ovulating. However, the pill stops that ovulation which, in turn, stops the inherent, natural desire for sex. Ever heard of faking the big O? Yeah, this is why women are known for doing that— because of this stupid pill. We have to use pornography and sex toys to make sex more enjoyable when, in fact, our natural desire for sex is meant to be good enough but is hindered because of the pill. 4) Manhood and Masculinity is attacked. During ovulation, women are more attracted to guys with masculine features (i.e. broad shoulders, facial hair, muscles). Women who are on the pill don’t have “fertile days” which means they don’t have the same hormonal changes that cause them to be attracted to men of dissimilar genetic makeup (according to Dr. S. Craig Roberts). Women in this study reported to be less satisfied with men of similar genetic makeup then after sleeping with men of dissimilar genetic makeup. This non-satisfaction leads me to my next point. 5) Increases the chance of divorce. Although the pill isn’t directly correlated to the increase of divorce, studies show that couples that use NFP (Natural Family Planning), as opposed to artificial contraceptives, have less than 0.2% divorce rate. Compare this number to scary (and rising) national divorce rate of 50%. 6) The Symptoms Many women (and girls) who go on the pill are most concerned with the common side effect of weight gain. Ladies, the doctors will tell you that weight gain, some spotting, and bigger boobs are the only side effects of the pill but I’m sorry to tell you that they are absolutely wrong. Those are some of the most common side effects, but in reality, a lot of other sh** happens to your body without you even knowing. I had two friends within two weeks of each other get rushed to the ER because they had a blood clot that was caused by their birth control. There are so many lawsuits out there that are suing various birth control brands because they caused blood clots, strokes, heart attacks, and even death. You tell me, is a clear, acne-free face or crampless period worth your life? I don’t think so. 7) objectifies women.
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The Pill Actually Sucks (cont.) Ladies, you don’t deserve to put your beautiful body through the burden of having to live with being a slave to this medication. Yes, maybe you take it for medical reasons, but there are actually pretty natural ways to regulate your period, clear your acne, and make cramps more bearable. Our culture says to women, “Your fertility is a problem and the way to solve that is to change your life and schedule to become enslaved to this pill, ring, shots, patches,” or whatever it may be. You are not a burden. Your fertility, hormones, mood changes and all, are what make you a woman. Embrace that! 8) It makes you LESS ATTRACTIVE to men. We are in the time of our lives that everyone around us either is looking for a significant other or is getting one. Relationships and your attractiveness to the opposite sex are in the forefront of everyone’s minds. So why would we take a pill that negatively influences our attractiveness and ability to find a life-long mate? Lionel Tiger (and colleagues) did a study where they put one male monkey on an island with six other female monkeys. The male monkey picked out three female monkeys who were his primary sex partners. Tiger then injected the female monkeys with contraceptives and the male monkey stopped having sex with them. The male monkey then went on to have sex with the female monkeys that weren’t on the contraceptive. This study shows that women who aren’t on contraceptives are more attractive to men. 9) Changes who you’re attracted to. Pheromones are the odorless, colorless chemical that attracts people to one another. Women give off the most pheromones when they are ovulating, which makes them
the most attractive during this time. However, since the pill releases crazy amounts of artificial hormones, the masculine pheromones that the women are attracted to change when they stop taking the pill. It goes back to the point I made in reason #4—it makes you less attracted to masculine men and in turn your pheromones make you attracted to a less suitable partner. (No thank you.) 10) It’s harmful to the environment. Finally, if none of these reasons sway you to think twice before you pop that pill that is supposed to solve all of your problems, give the environment a break. There are so many people that are concerned with recycling and doing so much to help the earth, yet they are doing harm to themselves AND the environment when they are taking this artificial pill. The pill emits 30-50 mcg of estrogen in one dose. Every woman that takes it ends up going to the bathroom, and in turn this water eventually makes its way to water reservoirs and the fish actually take in the estrogen that is in the water. EE2, which is the active ingredient in most birth control pills, creates an “intersex” among fish. Which basically means makes male fish, male/female fish. That’s gross. Let’s be nice to our environment and let male fish be male fish. Ladies and gentlemen, (but mostly just ladies): you are worth more then putting your body through all of this artificialness. Your body was made in a way that is perfect just the way it is and there’s no reason for you to have to change it. Do yourselves a favor and research (holistically) what your doctors are prescribing and what you are putting into your body.
fashion trends
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OLYMPIC FASHIONS
As the winter Olympics in Sochi are coming up, there is much to talk about Alpha Omicron Pi with all of the events, Abbey is a sophomore studying athletes and how Russia fashion communications. will handle all of the You may contact her at chaos that comes along awalker012@yahoo.com. with hosting a world wide event. You would think that fashion does not have any part in any of the sporting events but actually the Opening Ceremonies are like one long runway for each country to show off their colors and culture in a new way.
aBBeY WALKER
Again, Ralph Lauren designed the Opening Ceremony look for the US team. This is the forth time that Lauren has made the team’s gear but this year is quite different. Since there was a lot of controversy over the 2012 London outfits because they were made in China, this year Lauren made sure that the whole look was made only in the US. You can even buy every piece of the outfit on Ralph Lauren’s Team USA website for your opening ceremony party but it might set you back a bit to look like your favorite athlete. This year the outfit consists of a printed sweater, crème turtleneck, athlete pants, leather boots and a “reindeer hat” to top it all off. The sweater has a patchwork look containing stars, stripes, the Olympic rings and lots of red, white and blue but just that sweater is $598. If that seems pretty steep, just the crème turtleneck is $245 and the fleece simple, athletic pants are $165. The boots are no longer for sale on the website sadly. “It a proud moment for us to watch these premier athletes as they walk out representing our nation on a global stage in front of billions of people worldwide,” said David Lauren, executive vice president of advertising, marketing and corporate communications for Ralph Lauren. There has been a lot of mixed feelings about the over all look of this years outfit being tacky but nothing compares to other countries outfits like the Norwegian curling team. Their curling team is infamous for their bright patterned pants that they were on and off the ice. They differ from their countries flag pattern to plaid to zigzags across a whole suit. Make sure you check them out as well as the USA team during the Opening Ceremonies Feb. 7.
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8 sports talk
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CAN SHAUN WHITE WIN GOLD AGAIN? KYLe WARDAY
Phi Kappa Theta Kyle is a sophomore studying finance. You may contact him at kylewarday@gmail.com.
aren’t as good, there is a lot more competition. Max Parrot threw down in the X Games in slopestyle so he’s looking the best going into the Olympics.”
Shaun White is once again preparing to dazzle at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi Russia. He comes in as the most dominant halfpipe snowboarder in the world, winning gold at the last two Winter Olympics, and the only boarder to ever record a perfect 100 on the halfpipe. He is also one of the best slopestyle boarders in the world. He sprained his ankle, so he is not participating in the X Games which are going on right now. Instead he is focusing on the Olympics.
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The film, “Shaun White: Russia Calling” documented White, showing how much work it takes to stay at the top of the world in his sport. It is grueling the body, with many hard falls while learning tricks that seem to defy the laws of physics.
White is a huge personality in the action sports world. He is known for bright his red hair, nicknamed the “Flying Tomato,” and also “The Animal,” after the character from the Muppets.
“He’s had so much swag from the beginning, he comes in and wins gold in two different events in his first X Games. I mean who does that,” said Matt Shrader of Phi Kappa Theta. “He’s also a killer skateboarder, and he plays guitar in a band. What doesn’t this guy do?” White is a huge personality in the action sports world. He is known for bright his red hair, nicknamed the “Flying Tomato,” and also “The Animal,” after the character from the Muppets. “He doesn’t have his trademark long hair anymore but he hasn’t missed a beat,” said Shrader. “I think he will win gold in halfpipe. His channces at winning slopestyle
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“Rumor has it he is going to pull a 1440 triple cork on the halfpipe. Nobody has ever done it before,” said Shrader. If he can successfully pull this trick off, he will almost surely take home another gold medal. “For those who don’t know, a 1440 triple cork is a move where you spin 1440 degrees, so that’s four complete turns. And the triple cork means that the board goes above your head three different times.” said Shrader. How can Shaun White be able to learn these moves without killing himself?
“Red Bull built Shaun his own halfpipe with a foam pit at the bottom, which really helps to practice new moves with,” said Shrader. Luckily, Shaun White is still on top of his game, but no athlete can stay on the top forever. “He’s starting to get pretty old for action sports. It depends if this his last Olympics. If he’s still the best when he is 31 in four years I think he will definitely play another Olympics.”
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IT’S NOT FUN AND GAMES With the winter Olympics beginning soon in Sochi, the USA announced it’s 20142016 USA men’s national basketball team. The 28Delta Tau Delta man roster was announced Christian is a sophomore January 23rd, and features studying broadcasting. 11 former Gold medalists You may contact him at including Lebron James and christianfolsom@gmail.com. Kevin Durant. This roster is redefining what we think of the usual Olympic roster. More players and more size now make up the United States hoops squad, as it features the likes of Dwight Howard, Tyson Chandler and DeMarcus Cousins to name a few. The entire roster starting with those already having experienced Olympic Games can be seen here:
CHRISTIaN FOLSOM
Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks) LeBron James (Miami Heat) Chris Paul (Los Angeles Clippers) Deron Williams (Brooklyn Nets) Tyson Chandler (New York Knicks) Anthony Davis (New Orleans Pelicans) kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder) James harden (Houston Rockets) Andre Iguodala (Golden State Warriors) kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves) Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder) Dwight howard (Houston Rockets)
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Blake Griffin (Los Angeles Clippers) Remember Griffin was named to the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team roster but injured his knee and had to drop out. Also, Howard was a member of the 2008 team in Beijing but has not played since. The new names on the roster as of the 2014 season are as follows: Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors) LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland Trail Blazers) Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards) DeMarcus Cousins (Sacramento Kings) Andre Drummond (Detroit Pistons) kenneth Faried (Denver Nuggets) Paul George (Indiana Pacers) Gordon hayward (Utah Jazz) kyrie Irving (Cleveland Cavaliers) kyle korver (Atlanta Hawks) David Lee (Golden State Warriors) kawhi Leonard (San Antonio Spurs) Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers) klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors)
With the last two straight men’s basketball gold medals already under his belt, coach Mike Krzyzewski looks to make it a three-peat in the summer of 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. The United States since the 1930’s has won fourteen gold medals out of seventeen Olympic Games. So it is no secret that the USA will be the favorite to win the gold yet again. Look to see King James, the Durantula and now the Manimal even hoist that trophy in Rio in a few years, because this is one star studded line-up that is definitely made of gold.
THAT’S AN OLYMPIC SPORT? Every four years the Winter Olympics make a world appearance and every four years they never cease to disappoint. The 2014 Winter Olympics will be held in Sochi, Russia and the anticipation has been building for months. This is the time when every country showcases its best talent and brings national pride to their people and homeland. This year, over 88 countries and more than 2,500 athletes will compete against one another, all in pursuit of nabbing that gold medal, which actually contains only six grams of gold. I will be rooting for team USA and hope that we continue our winning-streak. However, most people don’t realize that the Olympics are more than just hockey, bobsled and figure skating. Some of the more unknown and unwatched sports include curling, skeleton, biathlon, among others. While I don’t really care for curling, I decided to do some research because I wanted to know more about the sport with brooms. Curling is actually spelled “kurling” in Europe and was first played in the 1924 Olympics as a demonstration event. It wasn’t until 1998 that curling was officially accepted as an Olympic sport and has continued to make an appearance in every winter Olympics. Also known as “chess of ice,” curling consists of two teams on a large rectangular sheet of ice with large heavy, polished granite stones. The teams take turns sliding the stones down the ice towards the target. Two sweepers with brooms also accompany each stone to help direct them. The aim is to get the stone to stop in ‘the house’, a target at the end of the ice track. Basically, the team with the most points in the match wins, with a point awarded for every stone closer than the other team’s best effort. The biathlon is another weird Olympic sport that seems well, odd. I never understood how cross-country skiing and shooting were matches for each other, but someone decided to blend the two and call it a sport. The sport was first developed as a training exercise for Norwegian soldiers and the first competition was held in 1767. Who would’ve known? The cross-country skiing component of the biathlon covers a distance of seven to 20 kilometers, depending on the specific biathlon event. In the shooting component, .22 caliber rifles are used at a range of 50 meters. At each stop, competitors have five bullets and five targets to hit. Each miss in the sprint, pursuit and relay events results in a 150 meter penalty loop. Each miss in the individual event adds one minute to the athlete’s final time.
That makes the sport incredibly tough isn’t that they’re racing against each other, but that they have to slow and steady their breathing when shooting at Sigma Chi the targets. After every target Joel is a senior studying station, they have to ski to advertising & PR. You the next one, assuming they may contact him at didn’t have to take missedjpgiro@yahoo.com. target laps. By the time they get to each station, the athlete will be increasingly tired and drained, so every target station becomes more difficult. While I have the utmost respect for the biathlon athletes, I’ll stick to downhill skiing for now.
JOeL GIROUARD
The last of the more obscure competitive events is Skeleton. While on winter break, I decided to go skiing with my family at Whiteface in Lake Placid, NY. which is where some of the athletes live and train for the Winter Olympics. After a hard day of skiing, we decided to relax in the hot tubs at the hotel and, to our surprise, so did the British Olympic skeleton team. We talked to them for a while about the sport and how hard their training is. One of the funnier moments was when a couple of the athletes mentioned how they were deathly afraid of the bobsled and luge events despite the fact that they themselves go over 80 miles per hour, headfirst, on a tiny sled. Most people don’t know why the sport is named skeleton, and I don’t either. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that you could end up as a skeleton if you mess up. This extreme ice sport requires athletes to ride a small sled down a frozen track while lying face down and forward facing. Skeleton is a head-first version of the luge and is run on the same track as the bobsel. Amazingly, the skeleton sled has no steering or braking mechanism; the participants steer by movements of the body and travel at speeds up to 130 km/hr (80 mph). Even a simple heard tilt can cause you to change directions completely and into the wall, subsequently ending your day. Skeleton is definitely a sport for those who love to pursue adrenaline-pumping experiences and I will take that into consideration as I watch from the safety of my couch. The 2014 Winter Olympic games promise to be another spectacular sporting event. I encourage everyone to watching some of the competitions they never thought about. These athletes have trained their whole lives in the pursuit of the opportunity to be the best. They deserve a grand audience for their grand moment.
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MACKLEMORE AND DAFT PUNK WIN BIG AT GRAMMYS DaNIeLLe WILKERSON Chi Omega
Danielle is a freshman studying broadcast/journalism. You may contact her at dani.wilkerson@aol.com.
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards aired on Sunday January 26th, 2014 on CBS with host LL Cool J. Beyoncé and Jay Z kicked off the show with a disappointing performance, yet wonderful vocals. The duo is flawless together, but something was missing from their usual showmanship. Macklemore and Rayn Lewis received the first award of the night for “New Artist.” Both appeared stunned and Macklemore’s fiancé burst into tears, summing up the emotion of the moment. They took home three other awards including, “Best Rap Album,” “Best Rap Song,” and “Best Rap Performance.” 17-year-old New Zealand native, Lorde, took the stage next to perform her hit “Royals.” Lorde’s talent was impressive, but her stage presence was odd. It was a big night for her however, winning both “Best Pop Solo Performance” and “Best Song.” She clearly has a long career ahead of her. Hunter Hayes premiered his new single “Invisible,” inspiring people to push through
Best new Artist: Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: “Get Lucky,” Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams and Nyle Rodgers Best Rock Song: “Cut Me Some Slack,” Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Krist Novoselic & Pat Smear Best Pop Solo Performance: “Royals,” Lorde Best Rap/Sung Collaboration: “Holy Grail,” Jay Z ft. Justin Timberlake
the pain that will soon be invisible and be who they are meant to be. Quotes reflected on
Best Country Album: Same Trailer Different Park, Kacey Musgraves
the giant screen above from different celebrities such as Johnny Depp and Lady Gaga,
Song of the year: “Royals,” Lorde
proving everyone goes through tough times. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis kept the theme of acceptance alive with their performance of “Same Love.” Powerhouses Taylor Swift and Katy Perry left empty handed, but managed to leave their mark with two flawless performances. Perry went for a darker approach with her song “Dark Horse,” while Swift stayed stationed her piano during an emotional rendition of “All Too Well.” Daft Punk gave their second television performance ever accompanied by Pharrell and
Record of The year: “Get Lucky,” Daft Punk ft. Pharrell Williams Album of the year: Random Access Memories, Daft Punk Best Rap Performance: “Thift Shop,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Best Rap Song: “Thift Shop,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Best Rap Album: “The Heist,” Macklemore & Ryan Lewis Best R&B Song: “Pusher Love Girl,” Justin Timberlake Best Country Duo/Group Performance: “From This Valley,” The Civil Wars
Stevie Wonder. They also dominated the awards, bringing home “Best Pop Duo/ Group
Best Country Solo Performance: “Wagon Wheel,” Darius Rucker
Performance” and “Record of the Year” for “Get Lucky” with Pharrell. They also ended
Best Country Song: “Merry Go Round,” Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne
the night by receiving “Album of the Year,” a shock to most. The night included many interesting and entertaining performances, but was not much
Best Rock Performance: “Radioactive,” Imagine Dragons
of shock award wise. Credit was given where it was due this year and hopefully it continues
Best Alternative Music Album: Modern Vampires of the City, Vampire Weekend
into next year’s festivities. Check out a list of major winners below.
Best Rock Album: Celebration Day, Led Zeppelin Best Rap Album: The Heist, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
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5 FUN IDEAS FOR A WINTER OLYMPICS PARTY With the Olympic Games beginning tomorrow in Sochi, Russia, everyone should have some ideas for making their viewing parties fun and interactive. Here are just a few ways to have fun with your friends and housemates this week:
aLeXIS LOWE
Alpha Delta Pi
Alexis is a freshman studying gender studies, premed.h. You may contact her at ocean_lexi@hotmail.com.
1. have an olympic cupcake contest. Compete with your friends to see who can create the best Olympian cupcakes. It’s a simple way to get your Pinterest on and enjoy some sweet treats while watching the figure skating events.
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winter sport or participating nation to show some Olympian pride in your dormitory or chapter house.
4. hold your own board game olympics! Between speed skating and curling, you and your friends can break out the board games at your viewing party and award winners with gold prizes. (Rolos and Twix work great because their wrappers are gold.) If you’re low on board games and don’t want to shell out the dough, campus libraries do have board games available. They include some classics, like Battleship and Monopoly, but there are plenty of games available that I’m sure you’ve never tried before, like Agricola and Carcassonne. What would be a better time to learn a new game than while watching the Olympics?
2. Channel the ambiance of Sochi, Russia by visiting the Eurasia Russian Store in the Haymarket at 8th and P Street. Try a bottle of Kvass (my personal favorite Russian beverage, non-alcoholic) or some chocolate sardines while cheering for your favorite luge team.
5. Finally, the daring-est idea for a Winter Olympics viewing party honors the ancient Greeks who invented the games over two thousand years ago: a toga party. If you have been going to college for one semester or seven, everyone wants an excuse for a togathemed party, and nothing screams Olympian pride like wrapping yourself in a bed sheet and watching the ski jumping events.
3. Create your own torch décor. Get together some construction paper, markers, flags, etc. while viewing a game of ice hockey to decorate paper torches in the theme of your favorite
Everyone enjoy their Olympics viewing parties, no matter how tame or how wild, and don’t forget to scream for Team USA.
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GRAMMy RAnT BReTT BERGSTROM Beta Theta Pi
Brett is a sophomore studying journalism / English. You may contact him at bergie003@gmail.com.
tells all: “good.kid.maad.city” got completely snubbed, and it was by far and away the best rap album in its nominated categories, better even than “Yeezus,” which itself makes Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “The Heist” sound like a middle school project. But I digress.
I get it. People like “Get Lucky.” But Daft Punk winning five Grammys, including album of the year? Well. I suppose if the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences small-council wanted controversy, they got it.
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Just as they do every year, the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences had an agenda last night. And they knew exactly how to pursue it.
It’s very clear, after all, that the real winners will never be the musicians or die-hard music fans, because they have definitely lost.
Last night’s awards show featured a French duo sweeping their awards categories for an album worthy of maybe one of them, a white social-issues rapper winning big with a song he secretly stole from another gay rapper while later performing as same-sex marriages occurred on stage, a seventeen-year-old winning song of the year for making fun of all the other music that won big -- yeah, I’d say the 2014 Grammy Awards just about nailed it. (And for all you Macklemore fans, just google Maclemore, or Le1f, or the track “Wut,” or any combination of these, and you’ll understand what I’m talking about.) So with all these out-of-nowhere wins and snubs (Taylor Swift nominated for album of the year? What!?), I got to thinking. What exactly is going on with the Grammys? It’s very clear, after all, that the real winners will never be the musicians or die-hard music fans, because they have definitely lost. One look at “rap album of the year”
And when real music isn’t winning the awards it should, we lose.
We the people, we the loving, supporting audience who sat through LL Cool J monologues and banal performances by Katy Perry, Hunter Hayes, etc. -- we lose when the Grammy Awards feature another agenda first. We lose when the same rich and famous people win the same awards year after year when there are far worthier candidates making far more exciting and relevant music.
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We lose when a bunch of old white men hungry for the continuation of their power and political metagaming skew the results of their voting so badly that “Random Access Memories,” an album that only made it to #6 on Metacritic’s list of the Best of 2013, wins the big one. Really, we lose every time we turn on the TV and have to sit through more of the self-perpetuating trash that comes out of Hollywood. I just wish the Grammys were a little bit more about music and a little less about who’s performing what.
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5 REASONS WHY IT’S OK TO BE SINGLE ON VALENTINES DAY 1. you already have 2 dates: Ben & Jerry
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better than no chocolate at all, right?
TaYLOR SIMON
Imagine a night cuddled Phi Mu in bed with some Chunky Monkey or some solid Heath Bar Crunch. These pairs will Ta y l o r i s a f r e s h m a n studying advertising & treat you better than any man PR. You may contact her at could possibly hope to. You Taylor_Simon001@aol.com. have to warm the boys up a bit before you dig can dig in. That’s okay though because they are worth the wait. Your favorite green plastic spoons makes that first scoop look like something in a magazine. Having the entire pint to yourself is a dream come true. 2. All the girls who are eating the chocolate their boyfriend’s gave them are going to get fat. Lets face it, you actually do want those heart shaped chocolates. Go get them for yourself! You are an independent woman, who doesn’t need a man! Chocolate solves everything. If you can’t find Valentine’s boxed chocolates settle for the heart shaped Reese’s or chocolate hearts filled with marshmallow. If all else fails, get Hersey’s bar. It’s
3. Who says netflix isn’t the perfect date? Pick your poison! Will you be getting your Gossip Girl fix while praying you will wake up tomorrow as either Blaire Waldorf or Serena van der Woodsen? Or will it be Prison Break as you drool over bad boy Michael Scofield (who by the way recently revealed he was gay)? How about Breaking Bad? We all love to watch Walter White attempt to play “family man” and drug dealer at the same time. 4. So what if no one gives you those candy hearts? They taste like crap anyways. “Be mine.” “I luv you.” “Be True.” “Kiss me.” “Marry me.” “Lets hug.” “Cutie.” “Call me.” Talk about having a way with words. Giving your special someone one of these small boxes filled with lame expressions may have worked in elementary school, but we’re in the real world now people. You can do better than letting a heart tell your significant other to “Kiss you.” 5. Let’s be honest here, there’s a reason you’re always single on Valentine’s Day... So you’ve tried everything: speed dating, Craigslist, eHarmony, Christian Mingle and talking to mysterious people on Facebook who turn out to be 65 years old and have grandkids Catfished much? In that case you might as well just wipe this day off your calendar and hope the other 364 days make up for February 14th.
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@UberFacts: The average person has between 1,460 and 2,190 dreams every year. @SamPeshek2go: Led Zeppelin never won a Grammy. Music awards are stupid. @samir: Blue Ivy, drinking out of a Grammy, not letting North West have a sip of her milk @The_Fev: The only thing @MollsBalllls and I have accomplished today is to learn the Frozen soundtrack. Idk I’d say we’ve had a pretty successful day. @hYLEimLYLE: And today I’m thankful for Taylor Swift not winning Album if the year! @patryan31: Lolz at Taylor Swift thinking she won for a second @AnnaKendrick47: Guys, it happened. I met Beyonce. And she is an angel. And I am not worthy. And I will never stop shaking. #PatheticFanGirlOfTheYear
@_BallPointJEN: If you rap and throw in “tater tots” to the song you win at music. Thank you Kendrick, thank you. @lol_lauren_: It’s really hard to get motivated for classes when they are all ace requirements and it’s my last semester. @sarahjolambo: Today I talked my Spanish group into writing a story about dinosaurs coming to life and eating sandwiches. I don’t even know either. @YoniLiveOnce: If you would please steer your attention to rear of the moment, you’ll find another better one right behind it. @felicimaa: yes lady, i know my eyeliner isn’t symmetrical and my life is in shambles
@crunkdumpster: OUR ALPHABET CONSISTS OF WEIRD STICKS AND CURVED LINES FORMED INTO SHAPES THAT WE CAN SOMEHOW COMMUNICATE TO EACH OTHER WITH @rarekeith: Shout out to the independent women who don’t need no pants. @N8barnhill: I bought myself #valentinesday candy because im the greatest thing to ever happen to me @claracalk: “You’re awake. You’re awesome. Live like it.” -@iamkidpresident @WhitneyDuhrkopf: THIS JUST IN: One of the members of Daft Punk is actually Sandy Cheeks. #Grammys2014 @BREN_inRome: Are the Grammy awards for music or tv or movies? I honestly don’t know. But I also don’t care.
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