December 6, 2018

VIRGINIA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

THURSDAY 12.6.18 || MARLINCHRONICLE.VWU.EDU ||

Eco efforts imminent

BY MICKELLA RAST mjrast@vwu.edu

Though VWU is engaged in more largescale efforts, most notably the new Greer Environmental Sciences Center and the solar SmartFlower, there are other, smaller scale enviromentally beneficial projects that are soon to come.

Several of the projects will give students alternate options to charge their phones or other electronic devices. A bike will soon be available on campus with a USB port so riders can either charge their phone or contribute energy to the grid underneath the school. A picnic table will also be coming that will have solar panels, so students can recharge outside while they study or hang out. In addition to this, several solar-powered charging stations have already been added to Greer, and hopefully more are soon to come.

“I’m definitely all for it,” senior Madalyn Chevalier said. “I think being environmentally conscious is always important. I’ll all for a ‘green’ VWU.”

Professor Elizabeth Malcolm is the Chair of the President’s Environmental Issues Council (PEIC). “We try to work on increasing the sustainability on campus, making people more aware of sustainability issues and then we also— President Miller also tasked us with working on the Climate Commitment that he signed,” Malcolm said.

The Commitment was originally signed by former VWU President William ‘Billy’ Greer. When President Miller came to Wesleyan, he upheld the Commitment and additionally signed a new addendum to the Commitment to address greenhouse gas emissions. Colleges and universities who sign the Commitment in its entirely promise to try and become carbon neutral by 2050 or an earlier date of the institution’s choosing.

A Resilience Commitment was also introduced. According to Malcolm, VWU now “pledges that we will work

on improving our community resilience, particularly in the face of climate-related threats. For different schools it’s different impacts, so our committee works on resilience and sustainability.”

Malcolm said that the PEIC is always open to new ideas from students and staff alike, no matter how experimental the idea.

One idea discussed during her interview with the Marlin Chronicle was PlasticRoad, a prefabricated, modular and hollow road structure made from recycled plastic. PlasticRoad is projected to last three times longer than traditional road paving, four times lighter, and reduce construction and build time by 70 per cent.

Though the company has only released PlasticRoad for bike and residential paths, the company is hopeful that it will soon be modified for commercial road use.

SEE EFFORTS Pg. 2

K-9 war hero visits campus Chewie, a member of the Virginia Beach K-9 force with his handler Sgt. C. J. Tull.

BY REBECCA SCHAMEL raschamel@vwu.edu

The students at Virginia Wesleyan met a special kind of “student” last Tuesday.

He came with his handler, Sgt. C. J. Tull.

“Chewie”, as he is affectionately called, is a beautiful chocolate brown Lab with a list of credentials that would make any of us jealous. He is a veteran of the Afghanistan war where he was credited with saving the lives of over 250 Marines.

That should have entitled him to a hero’s early retirement, but he now serves as the partner for Sgt. Tull on the Virginia Beach K-9 force and his job is to sniff out the bad guy.

Service dogs are the pride of the K-9 force and their handlers. A few of these dogs have been donated by private individuals but most of them come from breeders in Europe who breed them to be used for these types of services. The dogs can cost from $7,000 to $10,000 each.

Chewie is one of the more expensive ones because of what he is trained to do. He is a

bomb searching dog.

Sgt. Tull has twenty-nine years on the police force serving in many capacities.

He is now in charge of the K-9 division and trains new handlers in this division.

He says the officers either love this type of work with the dogs or they hate it. They soon find out if they are cut out to be a K-9 handler, and if they are, they have a partner dedicated just to them.

Sgt. Tull explained that the dogs know the difference between work hours and “off-duty” hours. When Chewie arrived at VWU, he thought he was there to work and was so excited to get on with the job.

Sgt. Tull settled him down and only an occasional bark was heard from him as though he was agreeing with all that was being said about him.

SEE CHEWIE Pg. 3

BY MICKELLA RAST mjrast@vwu.edu

Along with lauded changes to the campus infrastructure and the addition of new buildings, other changes have silently taken effect. Beginning Spring 2019, the student academic credit policy will change.

According to the new general policy, available online and in the student catalog, day students may take up to 18 credits each fall or spring semester. A day student may only take more than 18 credits with the permission of the faculty advisor and the Provost. A day student enrolled in more than 18 credits at the conclusion of the drop/add week will be considered in “overload” and will be charged $1,500 for each credit hour over 18 credit hours.

Credits earned for courses taken during Winter session will no longer count toward the credit hour cap, although they will still be recognized on the student’s academic record. Additionally, service courses between one and four credits will not apply toward the credit hour cap.

The old policy allowed students to take up to 20 credits hours during the fall or spring semester without incurring overcharge fees, although no student was allowed to exceed 38 total credit hours for the total academic year (including fall semester, winter session, and spring semester). Service course credits did not count toward the maximum credit cap. The overcharge fee was the same with the old policy.

Students who preregistered this semester for more than 18 hours in the spring are grandfathered into the old credit policy and will not be charged overage fees.

Senior Madalyn Chevalier said she understood the administration’s desire to avoid overworked students, but emphatically stated that she did not agree with the administration’s decision not to notify students of the change. “We are adults and we should be involved [in these decisions] and know about things that affect us,” Chevalier said.

SEE CHANGES Pg. 2

Sgt. C. J. Tull| Courtesy Chewie and his handler Sgt. Tull

Balanced scoring leads to success

BY MAGGIE HUNTER mmhunter@vwu.edu

Wesleyan Christmas Activities WILD Christmas Party

BY MEGAN SHERMAN mrsherman@vwu.edu

The men’s basketball team is eager to seek revenge after they were upset in the first round of the ODAC tournament last season, and they are off to a hot start to prove it. With an overall record of 4-2 and 2-0 in the conference so far, the Marlins have a squad of offensive threats who can score in many ways, but also aren’t reluctant to share the ball.

The Marlins have four players averaging double figure scoring and the team also averages 11 assists per game, while senior captain point guard Keijon Honore leads the way with 4.3 assists per game. Honore has been the team’s floor general for the past two seasons, and with his senior status comes a poised style of play as he’s found success in passing and scoring with minimal turnovers. Honore reels in 12.7 points per game, the second-highest on the team.

Along with Honore, Tim Fisher has been an offensive force in the paint. Fisher can rattle the defensive team as he has

Credit change quietly introduced

Christmas Tree Lighting Holiday Feast in Boyd Sing We Now of Christmas See Pg. 5

Bethany Walker| Marlin Chronicle Percy Burt guarding Lamont Steward in the Blue vs. White Scrimmage.

proven he can consistently finish around the basket and hit outside shots. Because of this, he has become the go-to player for end-of-game situations. Fisher leads the team in points per game with 17.5, as well

as rebounds per game with 8.7. He already posted two 20-point games this season, earning a career-high of 25 against Averett on Nov. 28.

SEE BASKETBALL Pg. 8

2 Thursday December 6, 2018 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

News

Did you know?

Students unaware of new policy

CHANGES

Alex Powers|Marlin Chronicle

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 She was also disappointed that Winter Session would no longer be considered for the credit limit. “I feel like making something compulsory and then not making it worthy any credits seems kind of crappy,” Chevalier said.

Though some students are dismayed about the lack of notification or announcement, especially since the changes directly affect students, others were less concerned.

“I don’t know [how to feel about the changes] since I’m going to be a senior next year,” said Allison Brewer, a current junior majoring in Recreation and Leisure Studies. “I don’t think it really affects me so much because I’ve only got three semesters left.”

The changes may affect underclassmen more so than juniors and seniors, whose schedules may be more flexible as they near degree completion.

Originally, the policy was discussed last spring in 2018 and was to be implemented Fall 2018, but was pushed until Spring 2019 because of student preregistration.

Despite this lengthy process and time for preparation, students received no notification of the changes, electronic or otherwise.

Only faculty advisors were sent an email from Provost and Vice President Timothy O’Rourke notifying them of the policy changes shortly before the spring ‘19 advising week started.

VWU President Scott Miller directed comments to O’Rourke “due to the academic nature” of the article, according to Assistant Vice President for Marking and Communication Stephanie Smaglo.

Likewise, Vice President for Student Affairs Keith Moore directed comments to O’Rourke.

O’Rourke said that “everyone had fair notice” of the change, but later clarified that he “[could not] speak” to any notification outside of his office because he was unaware of what other emails may have been issued from different university offices.

In lieu of an official announcement, he mentioned that students should receive a

green billing sheet that outlined charges for the upcoming academic year, which would include the change in credit allowances.

Retrospectively, O’Rourke said that “perhaps more should have been done,” and that the university strives to be transparent and address student concerns.

Student Government Association (SGA) President Taylor Major initially agreed to an interview, but did not respond to continued communication or requests for comment.

SGA Vice President Kathryn Grainer said she looked forward to reading the article, but that she “[didn’t] feel comfortable” talking about the issue since she had little knowledge of it, “especially since my position in the SGA implies proximity to the administration of Virginia Wesleyan.”

She went on to state the following: “My lack of knowledge about any of the roll out of new policies may be just exactly what you’re going to prove in the article, but I would feel guilty if I took the place of someone who is actually knowledgeable on the subject and can give you a valuable

perspective.”

Though Grainer declined an interview, her concerns about directing resources away from a student who may be more knowledgeable appear unfounded, as many students were unaware of the changes to the academic policy.

Before the email sent to advisors notifying them of the changes in credit policy, information about the changes appeared to be initially restricted to the executive administration.

O’Rourke said that there were “different ways of looking” at the new policy changes, but that “one way of looking at it is that a straightforward 18-hour rule is easy to understand, to impart to faculty and students, and [easy to] enforce.”

He clarified that the previous 38-hour rule “was a bit mysterious and could lead to a student’s inadvertently incurring an overage in credit hours.”

Additionally, he pointed out that a semester comprised of more than 18 credits would be an “extraordinarily demanding load.”

Day students

Year

Full time (12-18 credit hours per semester)

$36,000

Part time (less than 12 credit hours per semester)

$1,500 per credit hour

Overload (more than 18 credit hours per semester)

$1,500 per credit hour

Semester /

$18,005

Mickella Rast|Marlin Chronicle New tuition fees for day students will take effect Spring 2019. A full list of tuition, fees and charges is available online and from the Business Office.

Current events roundup

BY MICKELLA RAST mjrast@vwu.edu

Google Images|Courtesy

baby girl has been born to her mother in Brazil in an instance of the first successful womb transplant from a deceased donor.

The transplant took 10 hours. There have been 10 previous attempted womb transplants from deceased donors, but each failed outright or later resulted in a miscarriage.

George W. H. Bush dies:

Former 41st U.S. President George H. W. Bush has died at age 94. Bush was best known for his foreign policy and global connections.

Allegedly, he refused to go to the hospital and said he was ready to join his wife Barbara, who died in April, and their child Robin, who passed as a child after a battle with leukemia.

World’s first genetically edited babies: Chinese scientist

First successful deceased womb transplant: A healthy

Google Images|Courtesy

Google Images|Courtesy

He Jiankiu announced in late November that he had created the world’s first genetically edited babies. He modified embryos that he later implanted into a female volunteer, who gave birth to a pair of healthy twin girls. Scientific communities around the world have denounced Jiankiu.

Gas taxes cause protests:

Another proposed tax on gas products in France sparked outrage and, later on, more violent protests. The taxes would take .24 cents per gallon of diesel and .12 cents per gallon of gasoline. As a result, the plan was delayed for the next six months. The taxes are an attempt to curb greenhouse emissions and combat climate change.

Sources: ABC News, BBC News, CNN, the Washington Post, The New York Times

Google Images|Courtesy

News

BY NICHOLAS MUNDY

Alex Powers|Marlin Chronicle

namundy@vwu.edu

Every person in NASA’s launch room sits forward avidly, listening to the meter countdown as the Insight draws closer to Mars. 200 meters. NASA has had eight successful landings on the aptly-dubbed ‘Red Planet,’ but this will be the first landing of its kind. 80 meters. The spacecraft is not on its projected course, and is heading for rockier terrain than they’d hoped for.

50 meters. Despite frantic calculations, they cannot tell where Insight will land, until— a woman says “touchdown confirmed,” and video feed will later show everyone standing and cheering.

NASA’s Insight spacecraft luckily landed without damage on the surface of Mars on Nov. 26. Watching the live feed couldn’t have been more nervewracking for everyone involved. The nearly-billion dollar exploration had been a success, but held everyone in suspense until the landing. The spacecraft missed the desired bullseye landing spot, but still managed to touchdown safely without any harm.

The final landing spot was a mystery until it finally hit the surface.

Insight stands for Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport. It is not the first Mars landing, but it will be the first to venture beyond the surface. The other seven successful landers roamed the surface, captured pictures and looked

for signs of life. Scientists are hoping that Insight will give a more of an interior exam of the Red Planet.

Currently on campus there is only one course designed specifically for astronomy. The course is Introduction to Astronomy, which fulfills a general studies requirement and is taught

by Katrina Henry, who is also the department chair of psychics. Professor Henry did not answer requests for comment by the time of publication.

The course fulfills the Natural Science Laboratory (L) requirement. The class falls under the Physics department and is offered fall of even numbered years.

Though VWU has a rapidly-growing STEM program and is an expanding liberal arts university, there are no opportunities outside of the class for students to become involved in astronomy. The Batten Honors College has been explicitly linked with STEM fields. There are no student organizations, other courses, concentrations or majors offered.

Additionally, there is also no physics major or minor offered.

“A class studying the phenomena we call space would provide insight into an unexplored territory that is being uncovered more and more with the rapid growth of technology in our life,” senior Brady Fallon said.

In a randomly-selected pool of 20

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Thursday December 6, 2018 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

A new visitor to the Red Planet

students, 16 of them said they would be interested in taking astronomy courses if the courses were offered more regularly or if there were further opportunities to explore astronomy.

Despite the clamor amongst space and astronomy enthusiasts, and the general coverage from the media, some students on campus didn’t know about Insight. “ I didn’t hear about the spacecraft landing on Mars,” senior Cody Ellis said.

Others heard about the spacecraft landing as a result of their own curiosity.

“I found out through Instagram’s ‘explore’ page,” sophomore Carter Collier said.

The field of astronomy is increasing every day and with the advanced technology that is being invented there are more and more people making huge contributions to their field.

Astronomers study galaxies, stars, planets and all other celestial bodies.

The field for astronomy and physics is growing at roughly ten percent each year and the fields are expected to offer nearly 2,400 jobs by 2022. The space program has been seeing growth for multiple years now and the research shows it. Not all astronomers work at NASA. There are thousands that work at universities and colleges.

Insight was launched on May 5, 2018 at 7:05 a.m. ET from Vandenberg

Air Force Base on the central coast of California. It officially landed on Mars on Nov. 26, 2018 at 2:52 p.m. ET. The exploration that began back in May was an astounding success.

Different from the moon landing, Insight was designed for a rapid descent onto Mars. The new development of the parachute and landing legs provided an effective and efficient way to touchdown on the Red Planet’s surface. The total cost of the mission was nearly $830 million dollars.

This marks the first mission ever to another planet that left Earth from Vandenberg Air Force Base. It covered over 300 million miles during its exploratory path. The spacecraft uses two scientific instruments. The seismometer and heat-flow probe will allow scientist to listen to planets inner rumblings, measure certain movements of Mars while it orbits around the sun and measure the temperature of the Red Planet.

Mars is the fourth planet from the sun and the second-smallest planet in the solar system after Mercury.

Same planet, new efforts EFFORTS

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 Another idea mentioned was EvoWare, an edible and biodegradable food packaging made of seaweed. EvoWare is a zero waste product that has a two-year shelf life even without preservatives. It is halal certified, safe to eat and produced in compliance with HACCP guidelines. The company can even customize it to give the seaweed a specific taste, color and brand logo. It is also printable and heat sealable.

“I think [new efforts] sound good. I don’t really know how the PlasticRoad works, but it does sound like a good idea,” junior Allison Brewer said.

The PEIC also works with and encourages student organizations on campus to become involved, such as Marlins Go Green. Most recently, the club has worked on removing English ivy, an invasive species, from the surrounding woods and picking up trash in the same vicinity.

Though not directly involved in an environmental club such as Marlins Go Green, Brewer is aware of some of their efforts around campus. “I do know that they go around and collect trash in the forest,” Brewer said. However, she also pointed out that those same efforts could be better publicized and more regular. “I never really hear about it or see people going out and doing it very often, so I guess that could happen a little bit more,” she said.

Wesleyan is not the only school involved in burgeoning efforts to become an environmental steward and future pioneer, and is also not the only one involved in a Resilience Collaborative.

Old Dominion University (ODU) is one such neighboring school that has made

strides in environmental stewardship. The university also created its own Resilience Collaborative, the ODU Resilience Collaborative (ODURC). According to the ODURC’s webpage, it is a “consortium of leading scholars actively engaged in research, education and outreach on critical issues for resilience at the community, regional national, and global levels.”

Specific areas of focus include climate change and sea level rise, adaptation, cybersecurity, health and community resilience.

The ODURC replaced the Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Initiative (CCSLRI) as a “coordinated, campus-wide effort for resilience collaboration.”

“ODU’s science department, especially the environmental sciences, makes a huge effort to improve the environment and I think they do a great job. I’m excited to see where their studies go and how it will help the planet thrive,” Elizabeth McGowan said. McGowan is a current sophomore at ODU and drawn to the STEM majors, though she is still officially undecided.

Though she is leaning toward marine biology or veterinary sciences, she still appreciates the environmental sciences.

Though not in the Hampton Roads area, the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University is one of Virginia’s most well-known public universities and is a self-proclaimed steward of “improving the quality of life for people within the commonwealth and throughout the world,” according to its website. More colloquially known as just ‘Virginia Tech,’ the university has been focused on STEM since its founding. Virginia Tech is also

an academic partner in ODU’s Resilience Collaborative. In addition to this, Virginia Tech also has its own Center for Leadership in Global Sustainability (CLiGS), which is housed in Tech’s College of Natural Resources and Environment in Arlington, Virginia.

Kristianna Evans, a junior at Tech, said the school also invests in smaller-scale stewardship projects. “They have good initiatives, such as putting recycling bins in the dorm rooms,” Evans said. She noted that some of those initiatives are “very inefficient” and “don’t always work,” but that it was still refreshing to see the university try.

Evans is majoring in veterinary sciences. Becoming a vet is a dream held since childhood, although she has always been interested in other academic areas. She is less invested in the environmental efforts her university is making, but still believes that those same efforts are important.

Any student, staff or faculty member with ideas for environmental stewardship efforts Wesleyan could adopt or questions about the Resilience Collaborative is encouraged to contact Professor Elizabeth Malcom (emalcom@ vwu.edu), PEIC student representatives Amanda Gerni (amgerni@vwu.edu) and Philip Venanzi (pbvenanzi@vwu.edu) or any other members of the PEIC. Alex Powers|Marlin Chronicle

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Community

Thursday December 6, 2018 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

The

MARLIN CHRONICLE Editor-in-Chief Hayley Heath hrheath@vwu.edu Managing Editor Luke Chiasson lachiasson@vwu.edu News Editor Mickella Rast mjrast@vwu.edu Community Editor Cynthia Griffin clgriffin@vwu.edu Opinions Editors Ashley Kline aakline@vwu.edu Jonathan Joyner jrjoyner@vwu Sports Editor Megan Sherman mrsherman@vwu.edu Weekender Editor Tony Tann tdtann@vwu.edu Photo Editor Allaina Boggs arboggs@vwu.edu Illustrations Editor Alex Powers ampowers@vwu.edu Online Editor Nel Hart nlhart@vwu.edu Copy Editor Tara Truax tmtruax@vwu.edu Business Manager Hayley Heath hrheath@vwu.edu Advertising Manager Jasmine Demir jkdemir@vwu.edu Recuitment and Training Manager Ashley Kline aakline@vwu.edu Adviser Dr. Lisa Lyon Payne lpayne@vwu.edu

The Marlin Chronicle is the official student newspaper of Virginia Wesleyan University.

Staff meetings are held every Tuesday at 5:40 p.m. in Batten 217. Signed submissions are welcome, but subject to the discretion of the editor. Letters are not edited for content, but may be edited for length and mechanics. The views and opinions expressed in this newspaper may not necessarily reflect the views of the entire staff of The Marlin Chronicle or Virginia Wesleyan University.

The Marlin Chronicle Virginia Wesleyan University 5817 Wesleyan Drive Virginia Beach, VA 23455 757.455.3311

“As a former collegiate student newspaper editor, professional journalist and long-time advisor for the Society of Collegiate Journalists, I understand the role and value of student media at a liberal arts institution.

Virginia Wesleyan University proudly supports the editorial independence and press freedom of student-edited publications. We believe that student editors have the authority to make all content decisions and consequently, assume full responsibility for decisions they make.”

--Scott D. Miller, Ph.D President

CHEWIE CONTINUED FROM FRONT Service dogs like Chewie are normally obtained around the age of one and a half years old. After 10 to 12 weeks of training they are put into service and their normal tenure is seven years.

This makes the dogs nine years old when they retire. The dogs work so hard during those first nine years of their life because of the strenuous physical activity they go through, that it was felt they earned the right to be retired after the age of nine. This way they can lead a normal life like any other dog. Sgt. Tull said, “they can lay on the couch and eat pizza with the rest of us”.

Sometimes dogs like Chewie who have served with the military, are reunited with the handler they had in the military. This is done because the military handler wants the dog and requests to be reunited with him. In civilian life, the dog stays with only one handler on the K-9 force. If the officer retires and there are enough years left for the dog to serve, the dog will be trained for a new partner. In the case of Sgt. Tull who is retiring next December, Chewie will be retired at the same time. If a dog does continue to work, he is retrained to the new handler and, depending on the dog, this takes a few weeks.

The dog’s new loyalty then becomes to the new partner.

Sgt. Tull also had an interesting story to tell.

He has done everything on the police force in his twenty-nine years of service. Before going into the K-9 division, his favorite duty was the vice squad where he did undercover work. He said it was “fun to have long hair, wear street clothes, and search for the bad guys.” He also worked at the Rifle Training Center in North Carolina for four years and was instrumental in developing new techniques of training in how to shoot, not necessarily to kill the suspect, but to stop them in their tracks. His discipline in any of these fields of service helped make him a good candidate to lead the K-9 Corp training of handlers.

When asked about the use of retired military does and the K-9 force,. He said “Chewie was retired early because the war was downsizing at the time and they were afraid that because of his overly active searching nature, he might hurt himself in the strong heat of the

Sgt. C. J. Tull |Courtesy Guest speaker Sergeant Tull posing with his Virginia Beach K-9 force partner Chewie. middle east.” As far as the police department, 7 years is the typical working life of a K9.”

Sgt. Tull explained that he was familiar with two dogs that were retired from the military with symptoms of PTS, but the dogs were still young enough to be used by the local police department. “The stress was not as severe for them and they were still young and good working dogs, but the handler had to know what would key any undesirable behavior.”

It was interesting to get an inside story on the lives of these dogs. They learn the difference

between work and off-duty life. The dogs are normally kenneled outside in the handler’s backyard but periodically they come in to get out of the heat or cold or just visit with the family.

“It’s up to the individual handler knowing the temperament of their partner.” After they reach the age of retirement, Sgt. Tull says they soon learn to be a “couch potato.” That sounds like what most of us look forward to.

Port Day success

BY CYNTHIA GRIFFIN clgriffin@vwu.edu The Lighthouse is known for the help that they give students with undergraduate research, study away opportunities and career guidance.

The one thing that ties all of those things together is Port Day. Port Day is a Virginia Wesleyan event that is held each semester. On Port Day there are no classes, meetings or athletic events. This semester, Port Day was held on Dec. 4. Each school holds a session where students share their work through a oral presentation. During the sessions, students have the opportunity to show the work that they have done while conducting undergraduate research, working at an internship or completing a senior capstone project. Aside from the academic school presentations, there are also poster presentations. Each Port Day there is a special session for students to display and present academic posters. The poster range from topics of senior capstone projects to internships. While the day was free of class and meetings, it was full of student academic success.

Madalyn Chevalier|Courtesy Senior Madalyn Chevalier, presenting her poster at Port Day.

Jazz Ensemble plays with pep

BY ASHLLEE SPURLOCK adspurlock@vwu.edu Drums, trombone, alto sax, flutes and trumpets are not usually what comes to mind when thinking about Virginia Wesleyan home basketball games, but thanks to Jason Squinobal and the Jazz Ensemble it is a reality for students of our campus.

“I’ve been playing drums for my church for about 10 years now but when I started playing drums for jazz it was a different atmosphere. I’ve been enjoying every minute of it from the on campus concerts to outside performances. The games are great too, I can provide entertainment, while watching some,” junior drummer Audwin Harris said.

The Jazz Ensemble was started in 2014 with the hiring of Dr. Jason Squinobal. Believe it or not, it is a course offered here each semester.

The jazz course can be found in WebAdvisor under APMU 121 and is open to all majors at the university who have the ability to play a musical instrument. The course also meets the A requirement for the general education studies.

In fact, if you’re interested, and not that great at playing an instrument it’s no worries. Many of the ensemble members are not music majors and learned to play their instruments from the public schooling system.

The Jazz Ensemble allows the members of the ensemble to continue to enjoy music while obtaining the degree of their choice.

“We perform mostly on-site concerts in the Fine Arts Building for the Concert Series hosted by Dr. Sandra Billy. However, this semester the ensemble was able to perform at two senior communities in the local Virginia Beach area. The ensemble was given the opportunity this semester by the university administration to perform at certain basketball games during the season,” junior saxophone player Cory Franklin said.

The Jazz ensemble came into play when the Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics asked them to play selections at basketball games here on campus and have been a hit with the energetic crowds ever since.

Scott D. Miller|Facebook Members of the Jazz Ensemble playing at a basketball game.

“I started noticing the Jazz Ensemble playing at basketball games with their catchy tunes, and realized my best friend is in the jazz band! and that’s how I started listening and realized their music slapped, a straight 10/10!,” junior Jonathan Croft said.

Besides seeing them at home games while stuffing your face with popcorn and hotdogs, the Jazz Ensemble plays at many functions that can be seen outside of campus, like at the new local senior living apartments, Tranquility at the Lakes near the Krispy Kreme.

The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Thursday, December 6, 2018

CAMPUS countdown December 7-8th Sing We Now of Christmas

Time: 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.

Location: Hofheimer Theater Join us for this Wesleyan favorite as the VWU choirs present a festival of holiday music and traditional tales.

December 7 at 7:30 p.m. and December 8 at 2:00 p.m. in Hofheimer Theater.

Tickets $5. Reservations required (registration details coming soon).

December 7th Christmas Tree Lighting Time: 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Location: Behind the Monumental Chapel

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VWU Christmas WILD Christmas Party (WILD)Wednesday, Dec. 5, 9:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Location: Pearce Hosipitality Suite Christmas Tree Lighting (WAC)- Friday, Dec. 7, 4:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Location: behind Monumental Chapel Holiday Feast in Boyd (Boyd Dinning Center)- Friday, Dec. 27, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Location: Boyd Dining Center Sing We Now of Christmas (Choir)Friday, Dec. 7, 9:00 p.m. -11:00 p.m.

Location: Hofheimer Theater Sing We Now of Christmas (Choir)Saturday, Dec. 7, 2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Location: Hofheimer Theater

VWU students will kick off the holiday season with the annual Christmas Tree Lighting. Join us for warm drinks and holiday music, including a rousing rendition of “The 12 Days of Christmas.”

December 9th December Graduates’ Recognition Ceremony and Reception Time: 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Location: Convocation Hall All students who are candidates to graduate in December 2018 will be recognized and honored in the Convocation Hall of the Jane P. Batten Student Center.

Alex Powers| Marlin Chronicle

December 12th Reading Day

Happy Holidays

Val Miller| Marlin Chronicle

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Opinions

Thursday December 6, 2018 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Perplexing poinsettias

BY ASHLEY KLINE

BY JASMINE DEMIR

aakline@vwu.edu

jkdemir@vwu.edu

I realize that most people consider poinsettias to be a holiday or Christmas flower. They are sold in excess during this time of year as they are one of the few flowers that are easily available in winter.

There are many reasons to like them.

They can brighten up a room with their vibrant red color. They represent the spirit of the holiday season; however, I still hate them. Poinsettias are misrepresented and essentially are the “fake news” of plants.

First, the red part of the plant that most people adore is not a collection of petals.

In contrast, they are ornamental leaves that surround the real bud of the poinsettia, which is the tiny yellow middle part. This is the primary reason that I personally do not like them. I think it would be disheartening to see any common symbol of the holidays seemingly defaced and then revealed to be something different.

In my research to learn more about poinsettias, I came across something that even further supports my opinion that these plants are heavily misrepresented.

In the “Poinsettia Pages” of the University of Illinois Extension, I discovered that poinsettias are native to Mexico and cannot survive in cold temperatures easily at all. Poinsettias are literally nicknamed the Christmas plant and would not even be accessible in Christmas without international trade and greenhouses. It has also been stated on this website that these flowers would thrive best in “Southern California beach communities.” So, what I would like to know is why poinsettias are a crucial and easily recognizable symbol of Christmas and the holiday season?

I can’t help but see this plant as just another way to commercialize Christmas and any other winter holiday. The “Poinsettia Pages” state that these flowers are highly lucrative with their title of being America’s favorite Christmas plant. Poinsettias compound about $60 million dollars over a six-week period during the holiday season, and overall gives the economy of the United States an extra $250 million in sales.

All inclusive, poinsettias are in fact tiny yellow flowers, cannot withstand cold even though they represent the season, and encourages the commercialism of Christmas by being a holiday symbol that does not even fit the portrayal. A scenario equivalent to this is having a giraffe be the mascot for a meat product when a lion in also available. Clearly, the giraffe was not the best choice. Similar to this, there are other plants that actually bloom in the cold that would be a better fit to take the title of Christmas flower.

One widely common plant is the holly.

It may not be widely known for its small, white flowers, but itd brightly colored berries and dark green leaves are perfect for wreaths. These shrubs are even at their best in winter as their berries would have just turned red. Even if the public would like to keep their tropical, heavily commercialized, yellow flower, that is fine because this season is not about the plants, it is about being around family, celebrating whatever holiday you celebrate, and showing kindness and care during the season.

The poinsettia, or “Christmas star,” is a plant that has become synonymous with Christmas. Many critique the poinsettia for its appearance, being mostly leaves and the flower itself being quite minuscule.

However, regardless of how you feel about poinsettias, one cannot help but admit that they are a staple of the Christmas season.

Displaying poinsettias at Christmastime is a long-standing tradition that many have become attached to over the years. I can speak from experience with the church I intern for that people take their poinsettias seriously.

During a work meeting one evening when discussing what color poinsettias would be used to decorate the sanctuary, an argument ensued about the possibility of ordering white and gold poinsettias rather than red. Apparently, white and gold poinsettias were used to decorate the sanctuary years before. That year, a particular individual got a murderous look in his eye in response to the floral array.

According to one person, this individual looked as though he wanted to “burn the church down.” This illustrates how intense many traditionalists are about poinsettias at Christmastime. If poinsettias simply weren’t used, turmoil would rage within

traditional communities. In order to maintain peace and prevent distractions from what the season is really about, I support the tradition of using poinsettias at Christmastime.

I also support the tradition of poinsettias at Christmastime since it provides a medium through which we can celebrate and learn about other cultures. The plant has become associated with the Christmas holiday as a result of a Mexican legend.

According to the story, children in Mexico were required to present gifts to the baby Jesus during Christmas Eve church services. One poor child picked up weeds on the road side for her offering. As the child presented the weeds at church, they transformed before the congregation’s eyes into what we know as the poinsettia.

Using poinsettias at Christmas time is way that we as Americans can celebrate other cultures and develop a sense of crosscultural unity. This is especially important for our country today given the current political climate.

Despite the flower’s drab appearance, I think there is something beautiful in the story that underlies its use at Christmas time. The story shows how even something as ugly as weeds can be transformed.

This is similar to the story of the lotus flower, a gorgeous flower which ascends from the mud in a marvelous display.

Some additional fun facts about the poinsettia: the flower was actually used during the time of the Aztecs in order to produce purple dye.

Additionally, the poinsettia can grow up to 12 feet in its natural habitat. Therefore, we in America only get a taste of its true beauty.

Many people will say that it’s time to abandon the tradition of using poinsettias in Christmas displays and decorations.

However, poinsettias at Christmastime is a tradition that has withstood the test of time. As far back as the 1800s, people were using poinsettia’s to help ring in the season. Why should we stop now?

Alex Powers|Marlin Chronicle

Jolly old Saint Lucifer

BY DOUG HARDMAN ddhardman@vwu.edu

With the nauseating Christmas tunes and decorations rearing their head way too early once again, I encourage you to look towards the true symbol, icon and representation of holiday beliefs: the Dark Lord himself.

While many of us love the holiday season, it’s definitely become a bit more shallow and self-gratifying. We focus so much on the gift-giving and the appearance of being a good person, rather than just, you know, being a good person. I, for one, have no time, money, or patience to go all out on a materialistic gift, or multiple gifts, for someone. Like, “I can only show you how much you mean to me by throwing green paper at another human and obtaining some asinine material object that’s supposed to exemplify how much I care.” WHAT? This time of year has always brought about a communal sense of joy and unity, but I don’t believe in the authenticity: so much marketing, so many lies and deceit, internally and externally. But you know who won’t lie to you? Satan. Ah, yes, the Dark Lord himself has offered many a sage nugget of wisdom that embodies honesty, self-love, and community that I believe can be helpful for people looking to get back into the real holiday spirit.

In the Satanic Bible, Anton LaVey detailed and listed out the word of Satan, which, in a nutshell, explains that the true way to live is by expressing self-love, kindness unto those who deserve it, and unwavering and pure honesty. Now, I know what you’re already thinking as you clutch your rosaries in despair: “I do love myself, I am kind, I am honest.” I never said you weren’t, but, plot twist: maybe you think a Satanist believing in the same thing as you

means you’re doing something wrong, and that is just not correct, Barbara.

The holiday season is meant to bring people together, to celebrate loved ones and to not be so high and mighty with why you care for others. The Christmas/holiday season feels so much like a pageant: it’s fake, there’s glitter everywhere, people are smiling but are fully not happy, and there is usually only a prize for those who people believe deserve based on slightly false pretenses. I think with some guidance from Satan’s book, people can practice humility, and really bring into focus what makes them a good person, and how they should be treating people.

This holiday season, make a promise to yourself that you will seek out love from within, love from those deserving of you, and that you will only summon a demon to hunt down those enemies who are most deserving of absolute and brutal suffering.

Forget Santa Claus, forget the Grinch, and even forget Krampus. Satan is the true Christmas/Holiday figure that you need to model yourself after this year. This is a lot to learn from LaVey and Satanism that can truly change your worldview and the view of yourself, as well as the way you let other people perceive you. Take a risk, and make that sacrifice to be a better person. We do not need materialistic objects, peppermint mocha, or twinkling lights to get in the spirit. The spirit is in us, or sometimes it is in Hell waiting to be unleashed. But that is beside the point.

Happy holidays, my friends, colleagues, witches and warlocks. Please take this with a grain of salt, I am not in a cult, I do not praise Satan, please educate yourself on Satanism before you burn me at the stake.

Alex Powers|Marlin Chronicle

Thursday, December 6, 2018 Burt acknowledges what the team must do in order to remain successful this season.

“Play hard, play as a team, and trust each CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 other,” Burt said.

Even with scoring across the board from the starting players, sophomore sharp shooter Corey Pelham said the team’s greatest strength is their bond. “We’re not just a team or even friends, we’re like brothers. We’re a family,” Pelham said. In his second year, Pelham contributes from off the bench this season, averaging 16.5 minutes per game.

Head Coach Dave Macedo led his team to a National Championship in 2006, and he hopes for similar results this season.

He believes that in order to be successful, the boys have to pay attention to take care of the little details, take the next step on offense and defense, trust each other and bring more confidence to the floor. They have to be able to step it up after Christmas break which is really no break at all for winter athletes. The Marlins will square up to their chief rival Randolph Macon at home two days after New Year’s Day on Jan. 3.

The Marlins recently had a big conference win against Washington and Lee on Dec. 1 with a score of 87-77, which makes them currently undefeated in the ODAC at 2-0. Senior RG Nicholson had a career-high 20 points, Fisher had 15 points, Honore had 14 points, and Steward with 10. Burt led the team on the defensive end with 15 rebounds, a career-high for him as well. Fisher also hauled in 11 rebounds, earning him his third double-double of the Bethany Walker|Marlin Chronicle season. This win was also Coach Macedo’s Tim Fisher securing a rebound.

399th win with the Marlins, just one game

Men’s Basketball

The Marlin Chronicle | marlinchronicle.vwu.edu short of 400. Macedo and the team seek this milestone and have the opportunity to snag it in their next game at home against Mary Washington on Dec. 5.

For the Marlins to continue their success this season, they must look to continue sharing the ball and having multiple players contribute scoring.

7

the

DUGOUT LUKE CHIASSON is a senior

majoring in communication

Football and farewell

Happy finals season everyone! Do not worry, you are not alone. Everyone is stressed out and cramming last minute assignments and if they say they aren’t, then they are lying to you. It’ll all be okay, we (hopefully) all will make it to the other side and be back home for Winter Break sooner rather than later.

Winter Break brings on bowl season for college football that will scatter 39 games across a three-week span, but more importantly, the College Football Playoff will be here Dec. 30. The match ups are #1 Alabama vs. #4 Oklahoma and #2 Clemson vs. #3 Notre Dame with the winners playing in the National Championship.

People have penciled in Alabama and Clemson to meet for the third time in four years in the National Championship, but not so fast. While I believe Clemson will handle Notre Dame with ease, I think Bethany Walker|Marlin Chronicle Alabama is in some trouble when they line Keijon Honore dribbling up the court in up against Kyler Murray and his Sooners of Oklahoma. In order to beat Alabama, the blue vs. white scrimmage. a team needs a dynamic quarterback and some luck, just look back to Johnny Manziel and DeShaun Watson. The more amazing part about Murray is not that he is a Heisman finalist, but rather that he was the 9th overall selection in the 2018 MLB Draft. He signed with the Oakland Athletics for $4.66 million and will begin his professional baseball career at the conclusion of the football season. The real question: will Oklahoma’s defense be able to force a turnover or two against fellow Heisman finalist, Tua Tagovailoa and the Crimson Tide offense? I am banking that they will and somehow Oklahoma pulls the upset to advance to the title game against Clemson. Once again, Oklahoma will have a tall task against the Clemson defense, but I’ll take Kyler Murray over freshman Trevor Lawrence and Oklahoma will be National Champions. Boomer Sooner, baby!!

Switching gears now as I finish up my last week or so here at Virginia Wesleyan, it’s been quite a ride and I could not be more grateful for all the opportunities that I have been afforded to being a studentathlete here at VWU. Also being able to have a space to share my thoughts with people through this column with The Marlin Chronicle has been awesome for me to jot down some of what goes on in my head in the world of sports whether five people read it or 100 people read it, I’m just happy that (hopefully) someone found my thoughts entertaining over the last year or so. I think VWU is at a great place right now and is only going to continue to grow as a whole, although it will be nice when J.P. Stewart|Courtesy the campus reaches the day when there Participating in the 4th Annual All in All the Time Charity Ruck, from left to right: Head coach J.P. Stewart, Philip Venanzi, is no construction going on! I am headed Nick Frampton, Bobby Mazingo, and Joey Rayman. back home to Massachusetts, but I know I will always have a home in Virginia Beach to come back to. I am also looking forward

BY MEGAN SHERMAN to where Marlin Athletics is going with mrsherman@vwu.edu the success of the women’s soccer and softball teams, and with baseball on the The men’s lacrosse team participated “I think it’s a great cause, you know the social aspect, while about 10 players, and rise looking to make back to back NCAA in the “4th Annual All in All the Time military families, particularly the Navy Stewart, raced the event. “I was hurting, tournament appearances. Being around all Charity Ruck” on Veteran’s Day, Nov. 11. Seal families that lose a loved one, make but it felt good when you’re done,” Stewart the teams in my 3.5 years here has been awesome, I know how hard all the studentThis event required each team member to a big big difference in all our worlds, and said. run, or walk, 12.99 miles on the Virginia when I found out about the organization…I The event required that each participant athletes work and to see them succeed on Beach oceanfront with 30 pounds in their just figured we’d jump in and get involved,” carry a smartphone so that they could track the court and field in the upcoming years is backpacks in an effort to raise money Stewart said. the directions of the ruck and where to go going to be awesome.

To my Marlin Chronicle family of past for the families of Naval Special Forces For some players and coaches, this next. Despite this, some members of the members. charity event allowed them to get involved team still found a way to get lost and get and present, thank you for all the laughs “I think it’s pretty cool because the things with an issue that is close to their hearts. off track when they took a wrong turn. and stressful deadline nights we’ve shared, that those guys have done for our country For Mazingo, because he is contracted Ultimately, the off-track participants ended I’m definitely going to miss it! Keep up the good work. Till next time, Virginia is amazing, and it sounds cliché, but it’s with ROTC, and for Stewart, because he up doing the same amount of running. something that I feel like I can never do has a few of his past players that serve in According to junior Pete Langan, each Wesleyan. enough to repay them for,” sophomore the military. team member raised $50 to participate in Bobby Mazingo said.

The course of the run took the team the event, and to benefit the All In All The The All In All The Time Foundation through a variety of different sceneries Time Foundation. serves to fulfill the interim needs of spouses as well as different types of terrains. The The team ran in honor of a fallen hero and children of fallen warriors, according ruck began at the Navy Seal monument on from Virginia Beach. Stewart said that he to aiatt.org. The foundation acknowledges 38th Street, and included running along the felt like since Virginia Wesleyan and Seal that it can never replace those fallen heroes beach, through the state park and by the Team 6 are both located in the same area, who gave their lives, but they strive to bay. the least his team could do is get involved relieve some of the burdens faced when “It’s a really cool layout, but the physical and raise money for a fallen hero. losing a provider. toll for a 46-year-old is a little different “I think it gives us as participants a small FOR MORE SPORTS This was the team’s second year of than for a 21-year-old,” Stewart joked. taste of what they’ve gone through and to FOLLOW: @MarlinSports participating in this event. Head Coach J.P. The event allowed participants to either just appreciate everything they’ve done a Stewart said that he could not think of a race the course, or complete it more little bit more,” Mazingo said. better charitable foundation to get his team leisurely for the social aspect. Stewart involved with. said that a majority of the team did the

Men’s Lacrosse ‘All in’ for charity ruck

8

Sports

Thursday December 6, 2018 The Marlin Chronicle marlinchronicle.vwu.edu

Women’s basketball picking up pace AT A GLANCE

BY TERRY BOASIAKO taboasiako@vwu.edu

Off to a slow start, the women’s basketball team is picking up the pace in the 2018-19 season. They are currently 4-4 overall, and 2-1 in ODAC play. The team is also averaging 54.1 points per game with a 31 percent field goal average and shooting 25 percent from the 3-point line, according to VWU Athletics.

The Marlins, like the previous year, rely on the scoring of Jayla Harris and Amanda Gerni. The two seniors are keen to end the season on a very high note.

“The main goal would be to win an ODAC championship. I really believe this team can do it with the talent and sense of urgency we have,” Gerni said. Harris and Gerni average 18 and 10 points per game respectively. The next closest is junior Regan Holmes with 5.9 points per game.

On the defensive end, Gerni leads the team with rebounds per game with 6.8 while Jada Lewis averages 5 rebounds a game and 1.7 blocks per game.

Depth has been an obstacle that the Marlins face each year. This can sometimes slow down the offense of a team when only a few are contributing.

“I think right now we are in a position where we need to get into our flow of offense a little bit better and earlier in games. Sometimes we resort to one person trying to do too much for us a little bit. So

Sabrina Dollins|Courtesy Jayla Harris calling a play at Salisbury.

Sports Information|Courtesy Amanda Gerni driving to the basket in a home game against the Guilford Quakers.

I think getting into our flow and everybody being a threat is going to be important to our success as we move forward,” Head Coach Stephany Dunmyer said, who is now entering her 16th season as head coach for the Marlins.

Gerni reinforced this idea of getting the offense scoring a little earlier in the game, and not waiting for the other team to set the tone. “I do think we need to start games a little better and stop coming from behind, but it’s just the beginning and we have a long season to go,” Gerni said.

In their previous game at Ferrum on Dec. 1, the Marlins emerged victorious with a score of 49-33. Getting a win on the road against ODAC play was huge for the team.

Despite Ferrum getting the upper hand by hitting two straight three-pointers to begin the game, the Marlins fought back to win the game. Virginia Wesleyan extended the lead to nine after the third quarter and kept their momentum to finish out the game, holding Ferrum to just five points in the fourth quarter. Harris racked up a team high of 20 points while Gerni met her average with 10 points. Sophomore Sabrina Jones made contributions on the boards as she grabbed a season high of 13 rebounds, 12 of them being defensive. Other ODAC contests of the year include a 56-46 win against Guilford on Nov. 25 and a tight 65-64 loss against Eastern Mennonite University on Nov. 28.

With nearly all conference games remaining, the team will continue to look to their seniors for leadership on the floor.

Gerni said that it is important to stress

THE LIGHTHOUSE

SPOTLIGHT Luke Chiasson ‘18 Communication Q: What did you do?

A: I interned in the Wellesley College Athletics Office at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. During the internship, I experienced every aspect of an athletics department, including fundraising, communication, facilities, operations, student-athlete well being/development, finance, and recreation.

the culture of the program to the younger players in order to continue to make the program better for years to come, even after she graduates.

Dunmyer believes that injuries on the team have been a huge disadvantage to the team this time of the year.

“We have had some injuries here and there this year,” Dunmyer said. “So that’s always going to be there, I think, is the adversity of people going down with little injuries and other people needing to step up.”

Dunmyer added that the importance of forming good habits and paying attention to the little details is a major contribution in winning games. “We talk a lot about valuing each possession and paying attention to details. It’s kind of a constant battle because I think you resort to habits so it’s really about forming good habits, so in pressure situations you can go back to those good habits.” Dunmyer said.

After a run to the conference semifinals after upsetting the third-seeded Lynchburg Hornets last year, the Marlins fell to the top-seeded Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets. With this in mind, Gerni had some goals for her senior year.

“I would really like us to beat RandolphMacon because they knocked us out of the tournament last year and it’s time to get them back,” Gerni said.

Women’s basketball travels to the University of Lynchburg on Dec. 8, following a home matchup with Bridgewater College on Dec. 5.

W. Basketball Dec. 8 @ Lynchburg* 2:00 P.M. Dec. 18 vs. Hanover @ San Juan, Puerto Rico 12:00 P.M. Dec. 19 vs. Mary Washington @ San Juan, Puerto Rico 1:00 P.M. M. Basketball Dec. 8 @ Roanoke* 2:00 P.M. Dec. 16 @ CNU 4:00 P.M. Dec. 19 @ William Peace 3:00 P.M. Swimming Dec. 8 @ Salisbury 1:00 P.M. Jan. 12 @ Ferrum* 10:00 A.M. Jan. 19 vs. Bridgewater* 1:00 P.M.

Q: What advice would you give to another student who is considering an internship?

A: Do as many internships as possible. The more experience you get, the better. It sounds cliché, but it really is true. You might think that you know what you want to do after graduation, but you might not know what that profession is really like. Internships give you a sense of what the work is like. They also start your networking process. For example, through my internship at Wellesley, I attended the Career In Sports Forum at the NCAA National Office. This experience allowed me to meet various professionals Q: What is next for you?

A: I am graduating in December and am in discussion with Wellesley College about a position in its Athletic Department. I also applied for the NCAA Post-graduate internship within Championships at its National Office in Indianapolis.

Q: What did you do to prepare for this internship?

A: My experience as a student-athlete and my work-study position with VWU’s Sports Information helped me to prepare for the internship. I credit VWU’s Sports Information director, Sam Carges, with helping me to understand the behind-the-scenes of athletics. Dr. Kathy Merlock-Jackson and Dr. Lisa Payne also helped me to prepare for the professional world through courses in Research Methods and Theories of Mass Communication.

Q: What did you learn from this internship?

A: The most important thing I learned is to not be afraid to ask questions. Everyone at my internship was more than willing to help me. Part of that is because I wanted to learn as much as possible. By speaking with different people at my internship, it became clear to be that the more knowledge I have, the more versatile and valuable I will be.

Q: What were the most important takeaways from this experience?

A: Be flexible, have an open mind, and always be ready to help.

Luke Chiasson at the NCAA National Office in Indianapolis, IN on June 2, 2018. Photograph by Meg Ellis.

For more information on internships, undergraduate research, and study away, contact

The Lighthouse: Center for Exploration & Discovery.

december

THEWEEKENDER

6, 2018

PAGE 9

THE GIFT OF GIZMOS GARRY SJODIN gcjodin@vwc.edu

Everybody has that one relative or one friend that they struggle to find a gift for. Many will wait till the last minute in hopes that the more stores they visit then they’re bound to see something jump out at them, but that’s not always the case. Have no fear!

Amazon is here!

Amazon offers a search for “gadget gifts under $10” and surprisingly enough, it is full of some very useful and interesting gifts. Everything from kitchen aides to men’s shaving accessories to wireless cell phone chargers. Not only does this provide the shopper with a multitude of affordable gifts, but it also doesn’t require the effort of going holiday shopping in a store with long lines.

While some enjoy the online shopping experience more, when it comes to Christmas shopping others, enjoy the shopping experience at their favorite stores.“If you’re looking for gadgets and gizmos galore at a reasonable price, believe it or not, Best Buy is actually a good place to go. They have a good amount of tech and hardware for a decent price,” freshman Victor Smith said.

Best Buy tends to have great deals around the holidays, especially when it comes to door busters, but they are also known for their great holiday deals on tech gadgets.

Others go to stores they regularly shop at and know they will find what they’re searching for there. “My go-to place for Christmas Shopping is definitely Target. Everybody goes into Target not needing anything and walking out with everything.

If I’m really ballin’ on a budget, I’ll shop at Walmart,” freshman AJ Adan said.

While Target has a plethora of great holiday buys, Walmart definitely does and at an affordable price. When it comes to shopping for great gifts on a college budget, it’s important to know where you can get the best gifts for

Alex Powers | Marlin Chronicle the best prices.

If you’re really trying to find something great for an affordable price, Amazon has the Echo Dot (2nd Generation) for sale on Amazon.com for $24.99. While this goes over $20 the Amazon Echo Dot is a gift gadget that many don’t realize how versatile it is until they have it.

The Amazon Echo Dot is a “hands-free, voice-controlled device that uses Alexa to play music, control smart home devices and make phone calls.” It’s essentially a digital

butler for household help. If you need to order a pizza, the Amazon Echo can do it through voice command.

Great stocking stuffers or gifts for younger siblings can be found at Target under their $25 and under section online. You can purchase the item online and pick it up in store if it’s something you need quick. A great gadget that Target offers online is a space theater planetarium for under $20. This could be a great gift for a sibling or a niece or nephew.

Walmart always has great deals, but the holiday traffic can be horrendous. Walmart also offers shopping online and pick-up in the store for those looking to avoids the holiday rush.

There is a slew of gifts online at Walmart. com that can fulfill any shopping list at under $25 for each item. Such as a TV wall mount for a room at $19.99. Or a Tzumi PopSolo Wireless Bluetooth Karaoke Microphone that attaches to your phone. This product could be a great gift idea for any friends or family that spend a lot of time singing or enjoy singing.

And the best part is that it is under $20.

Another great holiday gift gadget could be a new shave kit for a father or brother. Walmart offers a Harry’s Holiday Men’s Shave Set for less than $20 and it comes with everything needed.

If all else fails and you run out of ideas for a particular family member, a great and affordable solution for anyone is gift cards.

The great thing about gift cards is they can be found just about anywhere, and they provide a gift that that individual may actually want or need. While gift cards may seem impersonal to some, others actively seek these holiday present bypasses in order to get a particular item that they may have otherwise paid for themselves. If you’re struggling to find a particular store to get the gift card for. Walgreens and other convenience stores offer Visa gift cards for those that want to either spend the money in different locations or it allows the individual to shop online anywhere, thus avoiding any lingering holiday traffic after Christmas.

LIGHTHOUSE PHOTO CONTEST

“Art of the Selfie” Jennifer Taylor at the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy, February 2016

Categories: A Day in the Life Marlins @ Work Adventures in Culture Art of the Selfie Inclusive Community Research in Action

“Inclusive Community” Photo by Ashley Bologna in Virginia Beach, VA, December 2016

How to Submit:

Email entries to: vwulighthouse@vwu.edu

Submissions should include: Title of the photograph Name of the photographer Location and date Photo contest category

Submissions due: February 15, 2019

THEWEEKENDER

PAGE 10

december

6, 2018

A MEAN GREEN REBOOT

Alex Powers | Marlin Chronicle

BY NICA NAKAGOMI asnakagomi@vwu.edu

Get ready for small hearts to grow three sizes big as Dr. Seuss’ “The Grinch” reminds its audience what this holiday season truly is about. That is, Christmas does not lie in external things, but is a special feeling that lives in one’s heart. Those who grew up reading the book, seeing the 1966 television special, or even the Ron Howard live-action film in 2000 will feel nostalgic from this new vibrant and animated version.

Narrated by Pharrell Williams, this heartwarming story of friendship, forgiveness, and the perils of consumerism take place in the typical Seussian fashion of irregular rhythm and rhyme. The animation is beautiful, with the intricate and colorful designs that fill the screen. For those who grew up seeing the version starring Jim Carrey, one cannot help but contrast the two as both attempt to bring the classic storybook to the screen. While both have the same main story line, portrayals of the Grinch and Cindy Lou Who differ quite a bit. And while the older version of the Grinch is played for laughs, this new one focuses on the character’s feeling of being alone and helpless.

This feeling is punctuated by a scene where he plays a performance of the Eric Carmen song “All by Myself” on his piano.

The Grinch, voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch, is frankly more endearing and sympathetic. First, he and his dog Max have a relationship where they respect and are affectionate towards each other. In one scene, Max and

the reindeer Fred wanted to snuggle next to the Grinch.

After the two showing him “puppy eyes,” he eventually relents. During the scene before the Grinch’s Christmas heist, he asks his dog to be the “main reindeer” and pull the sled, which Max does with pride. Notably, the he also eats fairly clean food, as opposed to Jim Carrey’s Grinch who eats literal garbage and borderline mistreats his dog.

One of the things that stood out in the 2000 version is the relationship between Cindy Lou Who, played by Taylor Momsen, and the titular character. Their friendship was not as noticeable in the new one. Instead, its emphasis is on Cindy Lou’s selfless wish for her widowed mother Donna Lou, voiced by Rashida Jones. The wish is for her mother’s workload to be alleviated, as she is a nurse who works day and night. This is a departure from Ron Howard’s version where the mother was just a placeholder who tried to keep up with the Joneses.

The theme of friendship is seen throughout the film, as Cindy Lou opens up to her best friend and eventually team up with others to capture the creature who they think is Santa. Even the friendship between Fred the reindeer, Max and the Grinch takes the spotlight as they loyally help each other out. There are many tear-inducing moments like these peppered throughout the movie. In another scene, Fred sees his family as he pulls the sleigh.

The Grinch, knowing how it feels to want a familial bond, allows him to go.

It turns out that the reason for his hatred toward Christmas stems from his orphan backstory where no one celebrated the holiday with him as he watched other kids with families. His disdain toward the Whos and Christmas then seem more justified than the older version who simply hated all of the townspeople due to some shaving disaster he had as a kid, which caused him to encounter bullies.

The Grinch made over $67 million during its opening weekend according to Box Office Mojo, is a more worthy Christmas movie to see than its predecessor. Perhaps the old version simply provides nostalgia, but it certainly does not age well. Its scene of the Grinch hanging a mistletoe above his behind as he berates the crowd is an ample metaphor of what the movie is to audiences.

Both versions, however, have the same sentiments about presents. To the Grinch, he sees the Whos as those mainly concerned with gifts, which mirrors the culture of greed and consumeristic nature of the country. Confident that his plan would work, he then tries to steal their joy by taking their presents. Of course, to his surprise, the Whos realize that Christmas is something that is in their hearts as they continue to sing their carols. Perhaps that is the message we should all come out with. Instead of focusing on Christmas shopping, let’s remember that this season is a time to be present with people we love.

THE MARLIN UNDERTOW / By Tony Tann GO TO THIS:

LISTEN TO THIS:

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MacArthur on Ice:

Earl Sweatshirt - SRS :

Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer:

MacArthur Center kicks off the thirteenth season of Earl Sweatshirt’s third album, SRS (Some Rap Songs) ice skating at the faux North Pole. Whether it’s a family is the personification of brevity. At a brisk 15 tracks outing or something more, the center’s 7,200 sq. ft. clocking in at 25 minutes the project is a quick jam. outdoor ice rink is the place to be for good times this Sweatshirt loses himself in a fierce joust of clever winter. Throughout the season, you can enjoy public lines and complex bars. His rhymes are everywhere, skating sessions, ice hockey clinics, figure skating rarely following a theme or direction longer than a few exhibitions and more. Those new to the ice or feeling a lines. All of this while droning soul snippets run on a bit rusty can sign up for private lessons or get a helping loop track after track produced by Sweatshirt himself. hand from skate guards on-site. However you can always Everything on this album is the most potent and opt for the old people walker. The ice rink will be around concise bare basics of Earl Sweatshirt. Each track is from Nov. 17 through Jan. 14 so there’s plenty of time to structured to transition into the next before any idea go and admission is only $7 with your own skates and or thought is able to outstay it’s welcome. There’s an $8 if you need rental skates. It’s located just outside of immediacy to SRS that’s a really interesting concept MacArthur Center Mall at the corner of Monticello Avenueto fit into 25 minutes that most artist today just and Freemason Street. cannot do. No fat to trim, no filler, just bars.

Of course it’s Christmas time! We wouldn’t be a Christmas issue without watching the best holiday cartoon ever made. “Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer” is the perfect 51-minute story about a Grandma with amnesia, and a boy determined to get her memory back (and meet Santa). It’s filled with good music, funny jokes and surprisingly good musical numbers. It all wraps up with the discovery that Santa Claus is real and in fact tried for hit and run. You even get the trial of Santa Claus. What wild world do we live in where Santa Claus could ever go to jail? Well, this one is as close as we could get.

Everything ends with a happy ending wrapped up in a perfect bow. Milk and cookies required to summon it on Cartoon Network.