THE
SWINGING BRIDGE MESSIAH COLLEGE//THE PULSE
Vol. 95 // ED. 4 // October 31, 2013
Frey Building’s
Expansion
Messiah Couples: Do’s and Dont’s [page 8]
The expansion of Frey has begun and will continue in the area between the Frey academic building and Bittner Beach
The
Newest
“Royal” of Pop [page 11]
The Educated Athlete [page 10]
By Nicholas Tay FEATURES EDITOR
&
Danielle Chun STUDENT WRITER
With growth in student size and majors over the years, Messiah College has initiated several expansion projects. For example, the construction of Boyer Hall in 2003 gave the School of Education and Humanities a permanent home while the recent renovations to Murray Library have introduced new facilities for students, faculty and visitors. Thus, it would not be a surprise that the Visual Arts and Engineering departments are next in line to receive an expansion. Professor Christine Forsythe, chair of the Visual Arts department, notes that the extension to Frey has been long overdue. “Over the years, the Visual Arts department has expressed concern to the administration over the space usage of several of our studios. We explained to them that the lack of room could lead to a less safe environment for our students. When a studio is used all day by other classes, it creates a less productive atmosphere for our students because they can’t get back in the studio to work on their projects. Making art requires space and sometimes very specific kinds of spaces.” Messiah has mulled over plans for expanding the art department’s workspace for about a decade. Despite finally proceeding with an ex-
Photo by Danielle Gingrich tension rather than a brand new building, Forsythe doesn’t mind.
understanding is that we’ll be able to build upwards in the future, if needed.
“We have revised multiple plans for expansion, but mostly before the economic downturn. Once that happened, we (Messiah College) deemed it unwise to proceed with the project. Even last year, the department and the architects formulated a wonderful plan for a new standalone building, but the financial costs associated with its construction wasn’t something the college could proceed with. However, we are grateful that an expansion to Frey has been approved. It will literally be right behind my window, which unfortunately will have to make way for the construction. But that’s okay because what we’re getting is simply fantastic.”
Dr. Randy Fish, chair of the Engineering department, enlarges on the building concept Professor Forsythe described.
The extension to Frey will be shared with the engineering department, who will require additional space to accommodate their majors, given the recent addition of a civil engineering concentration. “We will be sharing the new expansion with the engineering department, which recently added a new concentration – civil engineering. Just like us, they’ve run out of space to provide for their new major. Thus, this expansion will fulfill the needs of the visual arts and engineering departments, which is really fantastic. The expansion will be a two-level building, with the engineering department taking the lower level. My
“The addition’s being constructed in such a way that there could eventually be four floors but what’s actually being built is the underground floor and the first floor. Each floor will be about 8,000 square feet. It will be built structurally so that if in the future we need to add another two floors, we could.” Fish notes that the expansion’s design will serve a functional purpose, a departure from aesthetic projects such as the High Center.
The extension to Frey has been long overdue. “It’s primitive from an architectural standpoint but it’s exciting from an engineering standpoint. This won’t be a beautiful facility. This will look even more primitive than the gym. If you walk into this new space, it’s one big
room. It’s kind of like walking into a Costco or BJ’s—one large room with an exposed ceiling and concrete floor and walls and three big garage doors on one wall so you can get equipment in and out. It’s not going to be nice classroom or lab space; it’s going to be a large, heated warehouse. Instead of a carpet, we’re going to have drains built into the floor so that spilt liquids can flow out along with no-skid floor paint so that it’ll be a safe place. But it has access to things like water and electricity and data connection for computers. It wouldn’t work at all for a classroom but it’s specifically for big projects.” These “big projects” are not an exaggeration. They include work on airplane and water purification systems; work that provides potential students with an idea of the Engineering department’s activities. “We’ll be able to wheel in the airplane and set it up. We have village-scale water purification systems that are ten feet high and eight feet across that can be assembled there. All those projects will be in there and able to be worked on instead of at some other warehouse or off site or tucked away in a corner. So when I’m recruiting new engineering students who love this kind of thing, I can walk in there with them and they can see the airplane there, the biodiesel treatment plant over there, the water purification systems over there, the hand-powered tricycle doing live cycle testing over there—it’ll be like a museum with student stations.” Fish also believes that a permanent space for these projects will //CONTINUE ON PAGE 2
NEWS
October 31,
The Swinging Bridge 2013
//FREY BUILDING’S EXPANSION benefit both current students and the Collaboratory (Collab in short), Messiah’s center for “applied research and project-based learning”. “Lab space for engineering is getting crowded. Five years ago, there were about 120 students in the engineering program. Now we have 220 students and we’ve also added new concentrations like biomedical engineering, environmental engineering, and civil engineering. In engineering, instead of a senior capstone project, there’s the integrated projects curriculum where students work on Collab-type projects. Students begin on their projects in their sophomore year and that means instead of 45 students doing a senior design, I’ve got 120 students that need to have space to set up their projects. Because lab space is so limited, the current setup is inefficient—it might take forty-five minutes or an hour to set up and then an hour to put it away so with two-anda-half hours to work on a project, you end up with only half an hour to do the actual work. With this new space, students will be able to set things up and leave them up so that if they have two-
and-a-half hours, they can get down and do two-and-a-half hours of work.” While the expansion serves as a workspace for the engineers, Forsythe believes that it will also be a boon to senior students who currently traverse the campus on a daily basis to access the senior studio. “There’s a building opposite the Grantham post office dubbed the ‘Warehouse’. It’s a truly ugly building. It’s located on the other side of the railroad tracks. Although it has served our seniors well as a studio area, it’s also unfortunately in the flood zone. We’re always concerned about potential flooding in the Warehouse. The heavy rain two weeks ago didn’t help our students at all. It just goes to show how much we really need this expansion.” Forsythe elaborates on the new facilities that Visual Arts will receive, expressing her excitement over the potential afforded by the expansion. “We’re getting four new spaces from this extension. The first area will be a studio for our senior art students. This arrangement is advantageous as they’ll be closer to the faculty and we
don’t have to make frequent trips to the Warehouse. The second space will be an improved and enlarged printmaking area. Our current printmaking facility is down in Climenhaga and is only a third of the new space’s size. In our current layout, students have to run about Climenhaga to use the various printing equipment located in various parts of the building. The extension will consolidate the printmaking equipment used by our students while also introducing new acid and non-silver dark rooms. The third space is a multipurpose studio. With the addition of the studio, we can fulfill multiple class needs at a time much more smoothly. Finally, we will have a new fibers studio. Our current one is a tiny room in the basement of Frey and when I teach my weaving class, there’s little space to move about in our current location. I’m glad we’ll be getting twice our present space with the expansion and we’ll have windows too! I’m thrilled about that.” Even with the changes, Forsythe maintains that students in her department will still use Climenhaga for academic purposes.
News 2
With the consolidation of the printmaking facilities in the new extension, we’re going to use the available space for drawing and painting studios along with a 2D design space. Our photography lab and gallery will also remain as well.” One last question remains. With the expansion occurring in the back of Frey, how will that affect the popular Bittner Beach? Fish reassures students that the extension will not cause any infringement. “The building won’t rob any functional space that students have now; this all went into the planning. In fact, it won’t actually extend onto Bittner Beach at all. Instead of the air over the steep hill, there’ll be a building there. It doesn’t encroach at all, it just fills in where there are now trees, the chillers, and that hill. The big chillers and the fans behind are being moved; there’ll be new, more efficient chillers put on the roof of Frey. The motors that run all of that will be moved to the garage that the Engineering department has been using for projects so for a period of time, we’re actually losing space. But this type of open collaborative space is the way of the future for engineering projects.”
“All current visual arts spaces in Climenhaga are still going to be there.
“A Taste of Africa”
By My Nguyen STUDENT WRITER
F
rom Oct. 28 to Nov. 6, the African Student Union (ASU) will host various events to celebrate the annual African Week at Messiah College. The African Week this year will have many changes compared to last year. According to Albert Mhangami, President of the ASU, there will be four main events for Messiah students to celebrate in this year’s edition of the African Week. The first event is called “Taste of Africa”, in which the ASU will prepare African food at Boyer Alcove for everyone to enjoy for free. Another event which is also part of “Taste of Africa” will take place at Larsen Student Union, featuring authentic African coffee and tea. According to Mhangami, ASU will divide the Union into two sides, one serving coffee and the other tea. Free snacks and other food will also be available. The third event of the African Week is a Tuesday Alternate Chapel at Frey 110. Attending students will be watching
“
African Week“
From Oct. 28 to Nov. 6
Live and Become, a 2005 French movie about the life in Israel of an Ethiopian Christian boy named Shlomo. There will also be post-movie discussion pertaining to the racial and ethnic issues that come along with being a minority.
that people have come to know and love.
Presentations of African leaders will be shown at various academic buildings across Messiah campus. Students and faculty will be able to see questions and images of historic rulers in Africa. Mhangami emphasized this event to be the most important one of African Week.
Many students are looking forward to the African Week for a variety of reasons. For sophomore Kara Jackson African Week allows her to taste the African food that she always loves. To her, this is also an opportunity to learn about some of the different cultures within Africa.
Then in the next evening, there will be a soccer tournament held at the rec field across the train tracks.
Kiyetet Mbutcho, who has been part of ASU since this spring of 2013, shared her thoughts on the process of preparing for the African Week: “ I feel excited but also realistic as the majority have not really experienced anything abroad.” She also expressed her wish that students will see new sights of Africa that they have never notice before.
According to Mhangami, this year’s African Week is expected to achieve two goals. The first one is to inform students of the African rulers and leaders with their impact on the world today. As for the other, African Week promises to be an opportunity for Messiah to “taste Africa”, to savor the food and know what has made the Africa of today
“I don’t want this event to just be something for people to learn, but rather a chance to both know and have fun,” said Mhangami.
This will be also a chance for students to learn and enjoy and “feel globalization is taking place, everybody is
coming together, the whole world is a community,” Mbutcho added. Other ASU members are making working to raise awareness of the African Week to Messiah students through posters, chapel mentions and social networks. To have more information about this event, students can find on ASU (African Student Union) open group on Facebook. ASU welcome all students, especially non-African students wanting to know more about African cultures. There will be a survey asking students about this year’s African Week and their wishes for next year’s events.
October 31, 2013 The Swinging Bridge
! Messiah's Scooter Gang
Meet the
By John Moulton STUDENT WRITER
News 3
Night Razors
Six Friends, One Unique And Epic Idea.
Y
ou may have noticed a “gang” of students riding around campus on scooters, but don’t worry they aren’t here to hurt anyone. They call themselves the Night Razors and were born when six first-year floormates decided that this opportunity must be seized. Since their foundation, the Night Razors have added 11 more members and are continuing to grow. When asked about how the group came about, they said it started when one of the members went to Walmart and decided to buy two scooters. It was “just a spontaneous idea, scooters are easy to ride and move fast.” The idea began to spread from there and drew attention from five other members of their floor who wanted to join. According to the Night Razors, it came about so quickly because “you cannot hold something good back.” The Night Razors have divided themselves into two different subgroups: the “OG6,” which is made up of the six original members, and the “Razors” for the members they have added or will be added in the future. The Night Razors have achieved a number of impressive feats since their beginnings, including a six-mile scooter ride to Sheetz among seven of the members. This trip resulted in them having a discussion with a police officer about what they were doing and if they were old enough to be out. However, “this has helped us build our street cred,” one of the members said because “people are now talking about it on campus.” Although not every member was able
Photo Provided by gamerfitnation.com to participate in every ride they had planned, the team typically had about half of the members for each ride. On Oct. 19, the Night Razors organized another trip. This time eight members embarked on a 2-hour, 17-mile ride to Walmart. “We had fans while on the road from random cars screaming our name,” said a group member. These fans were Messiah students; and a quick glance at the Night Razors’ Facebook page shows that they have become a familiar name very fast. In less than a month, their Facebook page has accumulated 168 likes and everyday they seem to be gaining more “street cred.” They have become a daily conversation on campus and although many people don’t know them personally, they know what the “gang” are doing.
Thursday Roundtable By Ashlyn Miller STUDENT WRITER
B
eginning this issue, the News section of the Swinging Bridge would like to introduce a new feature. Titled “Thursday Roundtable,” the feature will provide recaps of weekly student senates held by the Student Government Association (SGA). This feature is designed to give students who, for various reasons, are unable to attend the weekly senates, access to discussions that could directly affect their college experience at Messiah in some capacity. For this edition, only the Oct. 24 is covered. However, in future editions, recaps will be available for all the senates. Without further ado, here is the first installment of Thursday Roundtable.
The Student Senate was called to order at 7 p.m. on Oct. 24 in Boyer 131. Messiah College senior Shaun Soliday opened with devotionals based off of Mark 9. “I believe the spirit about our generation is different from our parents’ generation. Everything is possible when you have this kind of faith (described in Mark 9),” said Soliday, challenging those in attendance to think about what impact that has in their personal life. In official business, Tim Chamberlain stepped down as the chair of the Academic Affairs Committee, citing overwhelming academic commitments for the fall semester. Chamberlain nominated Brianna LaCasse as his replacement. Jordan Twitchell
their own someday in the near future.
It was just a spontaneous idea The team’s inspiration comes from a C.S. Lewis quote that says, “we want something else which can hardly be put into words- to be united with the beauty we see, to pass into it, to receive it into ourselves, to bathe in it, to become part of it.” To them, scootering is embodied in this quote and is something simple that anyone can do.
“We are currently planning on a trip that will break a record,” said one of the members. They requested, however that we not disclose the details of this potentially record-breaking ride as they did not want any extraneous followers “It has all been mapped out and planned, but we still have several aspects that need to be developed more,” said another one. The members say that some of the hardest things about the Night Razors “is planning records, long trips, and balancing their school work with going on these trips.”
The Night Razors do have a specific goal for the future in mind, which is to break records and claim them as
The members said although they didn’t have too much background with scootering, once they started
approved of the nomination, and LaCasse’s appointment was confirmed.
word ‘disability’, the most prominent being the Office for Student Success.
The Senate hosted a special guest at the meeting, Amy Slody, Director of the Office of Disability Services.
Twitchell inquired if Messiah professors are educated and accommodating on issues of disability services, to which Slody responded in a positive manner, stating that even in cases of misunderstanding, professors have been open to discussion on how best to serve students.
Slody informed the Senate that the office serves 170 to 180 registered students on campus, with accommodations ranging from those who have visual impairments to students with autism. The Office of Disability Services most commonly provides quiet environments and extra study time to make sure that “what (students) know is what is being expressed,” said Slody, stressing the importance of creating a level “playing field” for all students academically. Adding to the culture of equality, Slody mentioned proposed name changes to office to eliminate the stigma of the
Slody described a group that was started at Lebanon Valley College, called Oasis, which was set up to give students a chance to discuss awkward situations, whether that may be fitting in with others on campus, or figuring out how to ask someone on a date. The Senate expressed interest in possibly starting a group like this at Messiah, resolving to discuss the formation of a special committee at a later meeting.
October 31, 2013 The Swinging Bridge
News 4
Letter from the SGA Vice-President Newly-Appointed Vice President Of The Student Body Shares Her Thoughts On How To Make A Difference By Jordan Twitchell SGA VICE PRESIDENT
Rainy days, falling leaves, mid-terms, Fall Recess… As students at Messiah College, these are just some of the aspects of our experiences every fall. During this beautiful time of the year, many activities on campus get underway, some for the first time - like The Cherry on Top, a barbershop quartet - and some for the umpteenth time – like the Student Government Association (SGA), consisting of Cabinet, Student Senate, and the Peer Review Board (PRB).
As the newest member of the 2013-14 Cabinet, I have needed to adjust rapidly to the position of vice president (VP). The resulting process has been an enormous blessing in many ways. I have been able to meet many students and interact with them in a way that is not possible under “normal” circumstances as a regular student. I have been able to renew old friendships, as well.
The final and most important blessing that I have received because of the process of adjusting to life as the VP has been the incredible outpouring of support from everyone on campus, from friends who have been with me since the beginning of my journey at Messiah to students I’ve just met for the first time this month to faculty members who I have begun to work closely with to better serve everyone at the college. I cannot say enough to thank everyone who has had a part in touching my life and enabling me to do what I love, which is advocating for, connecting with, and serving the students (and faculty) of Messiah College through both my political office and through my major – music.
As a music student, I know how important it is to connect with others – that is the whole goal of music: to connect with the human spirit. I believe that this statement can also be applied to SGA. Our goal in SGA is, ultimately, to connect with everyone on campus to provide the best experience possible for everyone and to help students reach their full potential. As we enter into the upcoming season of Thanksgiving and Advent (yes, I am already thinking about Christmas), I want to challenge the students of Messiah College to connect with others on campus and to strive for their goals, whatever they might be. I want to challenge students to live intentionally, to make a difference. To
Another blessing has been the multiple chances that I have had to improve myself in various ways. Because of this job, I am learning how to lead others by facilitating discussion that is open and honest instead of by dictating a Vice President Jordan Twithall closed, pre-made decision. One of my goals when I took office was to be approachable and accessible to each and every student, and learning how to lead as a friend instead of as a dictator has been a key part of reaching that goal.
Another gift that the vice presidency gave to me and continues to give me is a lesson in humility. I have come to realize that, upon assuming any position of power, one must be able to admit and apologize for wrongdoings. This attitude is another key aspect of achieving my goal of approachability/accessibility. While at first I thought that incorporating humility into my daily behavior was a tall order, I have since come to realize that it can be done and that it is a highly beneficial attitude to cultivate. Without this key ingredient, I know that I will not be successful as a leader and that my goal of accessibility will remain unattainable.
quote fellow student Greg Kabakjian, “Shouldn’t Harrisburg be different so close to 2,000 Christians?” I know
that I want to help make a difference in our world, as does SGA. What about you? Let’s make a difference together.
2 Week Outl
k:
Oct. 18 - Oct. 31 Compiled by News staff
T
his week’s Two-Week Outlook returns with a list of what’s happening in Grantham spanning the fortnight of Oct. 31 to Nov. 14.
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Mandatory Shooter Training: If you have not attended previous sessions on how to respond to the event of an active shooter on campus, be sure to attend one of the following remaining sessions ( Sunday, November 3 at 4 pm; Sunday, November 3 at 7 pm; Tuesday, November 5 at 6 pm; Tuesday, November 5 at 8 pm). Each session is one-hour long and takes place at Hostetter Chapel. Attendants will stand a chance to win a $25 Sheetz gift card (one per session) and an iPad mini (one from all sessions). The Department of Safety will announce the winners Nov. 7.
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Spring semester Room/Apartment Change: If you’re looking to make a room/apartment change next spring, fill out a Housing Change Request Form available on the Residence Life website, get your roommates’ signatures and your RD’s approval, and bring it to the Office of Residence Life no later than Friday, Nov. 8. Housing will then make the final decision.
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Senior Yearbook Portrait Sign-up: Class of 2014, The Pulse’s Clarion team is holding yearbook portrait sessions starting this week. Make sure to sign up for an appointment through Lifetouch’s website (www. ouryear.com). 713 is the school code to access the appointment times.
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Events at the Social Justice (SoJo) House: On Friday night, Nov. 1, the SoJo House will be hosting an event titled “Unplugged.” Participants will be asked to turn off their electronic devices and focus on building relationships through board games, worship and real-time conversations. Then on Thursday, Nov. 7 starting at 7 P.M., the SoJo House will once again be the venue for a studentled discussion on sustainability and social justice. Dessert will be provided.
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6th Day Sexuality Series: The 6th Day Sexuality Chapel series continues Oct. 31 with a morning common chapel at Brubaker Auditorium and an alternate chapel at Frey 110 on the same night, featuring speaker Christopher Yuan. Students can also sign up for lunch discussion with Yuan. A follow-up alternate chapel will be held Wednesday, Nov. 6.
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The Mendelssohn Piano Trio: On Nov. 2 at the High Center’s High Foundation Recital Hall, the Messiah College School of the Arts will be presenting a classical chamber music ensemble titled “The Mendelssohn Piano Trio.” The performance will feature trios inspired by Ludwig Van Beethoven. Free tickets are available for the concert and can be requested at the Ticket Office located at the Eisenhower entrance or by contacting the Ticket Office at 717-691-6036. Again, if your club or organization are planning to host an event in the near future, don’t hesitate to contact the News section of the Swinging Bridge at hn1169@messiah.edu so we could promote your event to Messiah students and faculty via “Two-Week Outlook.” Photo by Caronline Phillips
OPINIONS
October 31, 2013 The Swinging Bridge
Pink Week: Thoughts
By Breanna Whitelock STUDENT WRITER
E
ach year as October comes around, not only do the colors orange and black come out, but everything turns pink for breast cancer awareness month. Breast cancer awareness has become increasingly more prevalent in the last decade. Many people wonder why breast cancer has taken such a high priority among other cancers. Among woman, breast cancer in the second leading cause of death and it is estimated that over 220,000 women in the United States alone will be
diagnosed and more than 40,000 will die. Compared to other cancers, breast cancer is the most common cancer among woman worldwide and affects countries of all levels of modernization. If breast cancer is so common, some might ask, why we continue to raise awareness and hold breast cancer awareness events. Most people are informed on breast cancer, yet continue to forget the preliminary steps involved in monitoring it. Detecting breast cancer in its early stages is extremely important as is encouraging others to monitor the disease. Early detection and treatment allows most people are able to continue
on with a normal life after diagnoses. Due to breast cancer awareness events and fundraisers, the rates of death from breast cancer have been declining since 1990. This decrease has resulted from screening and early detection stemmed from the increased awareness that breast cancer events bring. Breast cancer awareness month allows anyone diagnosed with breast cancer to know they are not facing their disease alone. From honoring a deceased loved one, to celebrating a victory, people across the globe rise to bring awareness to this cause. Young and old are brought together to show their support by raising funds in events such as Susan G. Komen for the Cure and bringing awareness of breast cancer to those around them. Breast cancer awareness month and breast cancer in general seems to be more focused on woman rather than men. Al-
Opinions 5
though women are most often victims of this disease,, breast cancer does rarely occur in men. There are only about 2,150 diagnoses in men each year and only approximately 410 deaths. Simply because the numbers are smaller, does not mean that breast cancer should be forgotten or less thought of among men. What breast cancer awareness month does do for men is allow them to better aid the women in their lives through the difficult process of being diagnosed with the disease. There is an organization called Men against Breast Cancer which helps men to care for the women they love. Breast cancer is a challenge many men cannot relate to. Yet, by the increasing awareness of breast cancer, men are becoming more aware of how the disease affects the women in their life. Breast cancer can kill, but when detected early, can be fought. Show support to those you love by becoming knowledgeable on what it means to have breast cancer. Take a stand and raise awareness today as breast cancer month is coming to a close, but the fight for the cure continues on.
Shutdown 2013: By Jeremy Jensen STUDENT WRITER
N
ow that the government reopened for business, America can breathe easier. The FDA is working again meaning there will be fewer salmonella outbreaks. Discrimination in the workplace can lighten up because the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issues right-tosue letters again. Also, kids can now find the United States elevation levels now that those maps are back up. The American people are recovering. Sarcasm aside, because of the shutdown, America is nowhere close to recovering. The shutdown has only put off the inevitable for a little while longer. In fact, it delayed it for only 3 months, until January 15th. Talk about a “less than ideal” solution. Also, when January rolls around the second round of sequester cuts kick in. The first round of the sequester dealt terrible blows all over America and the second round wants its fair share two. The amount of money cut by the sequester is enormous and a constant reminder of how bad a job Congress is doing. While I’m on the topic of how bad Congress is doing let me share some lighthearted polls with you. A recent CNN poll found that 63% of respondents were angry with Republicans for the shutdown, 57% angry with Demo-
A Fond Look Back kcaB crats, and 53% unhappy with Obama. Also, Congress is polling about an 8% approval rating and that’s with a margin error of +/- 3%. Also, Public Policy Polling polled citizens on whether they liked certain things more than Congress. Here is the list of things that beat Congress with their corresponding percentages: dog poop (47%-40%), hemorrhoids (53%-31%), jury duty (73%-18%), toenail fungus (44%-41%), cockroaches (44%-42%), the IRS (42%-33%), the respondents’ mothers-in-law (64%20%), potholes (47%-36%) and zombies (43%-37%). I cannot make this stuff up. Basically, the American people feel betrayed that Congress would even come to a point where so much time and money would be wasted in an effort to do nothing but delay the issue again. There seems to be a vicious cycle in Washington where the budget and the debt ceiling issue comes up, Congress argues, they delay action, the American people get angry, and the process repeats. After going through this multiple times it is getting tiring. It is pointless and it is costing us time and money. Speaking of costing us money, the shutdown came with a hefty price tag. By
Standard and Poor’s estimate, we lost $24 billion. I am not going to argue whose fault the shutdown was (mostly because it was everyone’s) but this spells bad news for the Republicans specifically. Most of America blamed the Republicans for the shutdown. They thought their rigid stance against negotiating and their demand to defund Obamacare were ridiculous. And, to an extent, they are ridiculous. The Republicans have tried to defund Obamacare about 40 times and have failed each time. After a certain number of tries the Republicans need to give up and focus on trying to win back the White House and then deal with repealing Obamacare. That seems to be their best option right now. The problem is that the shutdown did not help that cause. The shutdown damaged the Republican brand. People felt that they were the main cause of the shutdown. They preach that government waste is a problem, but the government lost $24 billion dollars because of the shutdown. Also, the Republicans main messages are losing appeal with the public. A NBC and Wall Street Journal poll found that 38% find The Affordable Care Act a good idea,
which is a seven percent increase from the poll from last month. The poll found that 50% oppose eliminating funding for Obamacare. Also, 52% said government has to do more to solve problems. The numbers seem to be saying that the Republicans message is falling on deaf ears. The 2014 elections are coming up and unless the Republicans pull of some kind of miracle negotiation that puts them back in the public’s good graces, their chances do not look good. That being said, the incumbency rate for members of Congress is 80% so even though everyone seems to hate Congress we keep electing them. Go figure. Unfortunately, the end of the government shutdown means nothing in the grand scheme of American politics. The same can has been kicked down the road again. In the coming months, the debt ceiling will be debated and raised again (maybe we should just get rid of it), negotiations involving the defunding of Obamacare will be put forward (and denied), and the bickering in Washington will be worse than ever before. On the bright side, you might get jury duty – which, according to the American people, is an infinitely better deal.
October 31, 2013 The Swinging Bridge
Opinions
6
Mysticism By Nick Sooy STUDENT WRITER
Andrei Rublev’s Hospitality of Abraham
I
magine you see a man walking down the street, talking to himself out loud, at times singing and shouting, and continuously jumping from one topic and observation to another. You might think this man to be ill in some way. The problem is, all of us act like this- only we do it in our head instead of out loud. According to the Church Fathers, we are spiritually ill, and our thought life is one of the clearest symptoms of this illness. Thoughts are either on their way to heaven or hell, and they have the power to take us with them, depending on how we think. So what is the solution to this inner mess we make? According to the Orthodox Church, the answer is unceasing prayer. What if instead of letting your mind drift through any thought, vain or divine, that presents itself, you could instead pray 24/7? Can one remember God more often than one breathes? The saints give a resounding yes. Through constant repetition of the Jesus Prayer, one is able to purge one’s soul from every impurity, making one’s inner life a reflection of Christ’s. Simply repeat, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, a sinner” and with time the prayer will move from your lips, to your mind, to your heart, and will lead you into mystical contemplation and union with God. These nine words changed my life a few years ago as I became hungry for a deeper union with God. I was not content to just be a ‘Sunday Christian.’ I was dissatisfied with the view that being a disciple of Christ means the only thing that changes in your life is your beliefs. But even acting differently wasn’t enough for me. If I confess this being to be God, then he has to have sway over my whole life, especially my thoughts. I started praying the prayer, and everything changed. I used to wonder where God was, but afterwards I can’t find where he isn’t. No longer did God seem invisible or distant, in fact, he became the only thing I could see. Everything seemed bright, and I began to find a peace in my soul that passes all understanding, as my prayer and thoughts were filled with less noise, and more silence. The Jesus Prayer is the quickest path to theosis, becoming divine by grace, as Christ is by nature. In beginning this path, I started learning the language of Heaven, silence. This led me to convert to Orthodox Christianity. In Orthodoxy, God is a mystery that is not to be known, but experienced. Mysticism is
Photo Provided by http://ssje.org/ssje/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Trinity-EHP.jpg nothing other than the participation in and experience of God’s inner life. The Trinity is seated around a table, and we are invited to take the fourth spot. The spiritual life that brings one to the table is praying without ceasing, with stillness, humility, and love. These three are the balm that heals our soul, and draws us towards God’s dream for us. But even unceasing prayer is not enough. The pinnacle of mystical spirituality is the Eucharist, the Divine Mysteries. In
them, bread and wine becomes as divine as Christ, for they are Christ. And when we partake of them, there is a moment when the line between where God ends and where we begin is blurred. Desiring to experience God thus, I joined the most beautiful community I have seen, and formed a relationship with my spiritual father. When I go to Church now, it is not out of obligation, but because I can never tell if I am on Earth or in Heaven when at services. This ultimately is the point of mystical
spirituality, and why I am Orthodox. Perhaps Theosis is best described in this parable: Abba Lot went to see Abba Joseph and said to him, ‘Abba as far as I can I say my little office, I fast a little, I pray and meditate, I live in peace and as far as I can, I purify my thoughts. What else can I do?’ then the old man stood up and stretched his hands towards heaven. His fingers became like ten lamps of fire and he said to him, ‘If you will, you can become all flame.’
October 31, 2013 The Swinging Bridge
Caffeine:
Opinions 7
Beneficial Supplement or Poisonous Addiction?
By Mia LaTorre STUDENT WRITER
O
n October 11th, John Jackson, 40, died of a caffeine overdose. His body was discovered in his flat by family members after he had consumed Hero Instant Energy Mints, a brand of mints that have caffeine equivalent to that of a Red Bull in a single mint (80 mg). Many of us perceive caffeine as an ally in when handling a predicament or prolonging alertness: it aides us in maintaining constant energy. But it can also be detrimental to our health. The typical daily dose of caffeine is between 250-300 mg (two to four cups of caffeinated beverages a day). 500-600 mg or more, however, can be harmful. Jackson was found to have consumed a whole tin of the mints and had 984 mg in his system when he died. This dose proved fatal not due to the excessive caffeine intake alone, but also due to Jackson’s having cirrhosis of the liver. This resulted from heavy drinking, and it made it difficult for him to absorb the stimulant properly. The University of Bristol performed studies on the correlation between alco-
hol and caffeine. They found that caffeine changes the nature of intoxication with increases in stimulation. In addition, individuals who consume alcohol regularly, often consume caffeine so that they can drink alcohol for longer periods of time. Therefore, it is not surprising that Jackson had a taste for caffeine – which supplemented his alcohol consumption. Approximately 90% of North American adults consume some form of caffeine on a daily basis – therefore making caffeine the most commonly used drug in the world. There are about 183 million coffee drinkers and about 173.5 million tea drinkers in the United States alone. This does not include consumers of caffeinated products such as: energy drinks, soft drinks, food, pills, and mints. The effects of an overdose of caffeine can vary considerably. Following an approximate consumption of 500-600 mg of caffeine, an individual could feel: jitters, restlessness, nervousness, an increased heartbeat, nausea, anxiety, heart palpitations, insomnia, sweating, dizziness, vomiting, and, in some rare cases, cardiac arrest. It is
possible to have an allergy to caffeine, which would cause even more severe symptoms than those listed above. As college students, many of us drink caffeine all day, every day, and sometimes all night as well – trying to finish last minute papers, studying for exams, reading required texts, or preparing for an upcoming assignment. This makes college students particularly susceptible to caffeine addiction and certain health risks. Too much caffeine over a prolonged period of time can lead to long term physical conditions such as: stomach ulcers, acid reflux, breast cysts, sleep disorders, depression, anxiety, and delusions or psychosis. Alex Morris, 19, died a few months ago of cardiac arrest. His mother claims that he drank two 16-ounce Monster drinks the day before his death and at least two a day for the three years preceding his death. Monster drinks, depending on which is consumed, can have anywhere from 135 to 221 mg of caffeine in one serving. Morris’s mother is currently in the process of suing Monster Energy for the death of her son.
It is entirely possible to quit the dangerous habit of caffeine consumption. Although caffeine is very addicting, it is relatively easy to terminate the habit. The withdrawal symptoms “coldturkey” could consist of: headaches, sleepiness, irritability, lethargy, constipation, muscle pain/stiffness, and a few others; and the symptoms typically only last about a week. So only seven days of minimal discomfort are necessary to escape a potentially fatal habit. Once the addiction has ended, proceeding may involve a slight lifestyle adjustment. There are many healthy alternative methods to obtaining energy. Decaffeinated herbal teas can be substituted for coffee. Ginseng, which is found in many green teas, is known to increase one’s mental health and physical energy without the health risks associated with energy drinks or coffee. In addition, high-octane foods such as berries, mangoes, and whole grains are also good for an energy boost. Water and a normal sleep schedule reduce our dependence on caffeine. And heres the best news – chocolate is an excel-
Helen’s Helpline Dear OBI,
Dear Helen, “I am an international business major who is overwhelmed by the process of getting an internship. First, I don’t know how I have time to fit an internship in with my already busy school year and I don’t know how to go about getting a good one. All the internships I hear about involve doing desk work. Aren’t internships supposed to give you experience in the field? I know a guy who has had three internships and he still has one more year at Messiah. Is it necessary to have that many internships? -Overwhelmed-by-Internships
Finding an internship can be an overwhelming experience! Thankfully, you don’t have to do it alone. You have Mike True, Michael Blount and Cathy Coleman at Messiah’s Internship Center to help you. When I was stressing about an internship, the first thing I did was go to the Internship Center. They offered me help and encouragement, both of which you could use right now! Not all internships are the same; some require significantly fewer hours than others. Start investigating now and that will decrease your stress about the prospect of an internship. Knowledge is power, my friend. I’m not sure what you mean by “experience in the field”, but internships give you something you may not have much of right now, experience anywhere in your field. You can learn a lot just by being in an environment where the day to day “business” of business is going on, even if that is, as you put it “desk work.” How many internships you should have? Well, there is saying that Appalachian Trail that hikers have: “Hike your own hike.” The same applies to decisions about your college choices. Pray for discernment, seek guidance and do what is best for you; comparing yourself to others will only cause you stress and discontentment. ~Helen
October 31, 2013 The Swinging Bridge
Opinions 8
Messiah Couples: Do’s and Don’ts
Photo from http://www.bitrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Old-People-In-Love-1.jpg
By Erin Zakin STUDENT WRITER
C
ollege: the place where students go to get a better college education... and find the love of their life? Many students coming into college have more than education on their minds, and when they do find the love of their life, they aren’t afraid to show it to the world. But not everyone is as thrilled to see the relationship as the couple might be. Does this mean we need a couple’s rulebook? Maybe not an official one, but this is what the students of Messiah College say about the couples on campus:
The Do’s No matter where you go, there will be couples displaying all different kinds of affection. Messiah students are used to seeing couples all over campus, and for the most part it is not an issue. It’s all about having limits. Hand-holding, for example, is universally accepted as being an appropriate display of affection. Most students understand that affection is a simple fact of relationships, and it will happen no matter what. Several students comment that it is the couple’s business to determine what is appropriate in public. “Affection is important in
any relationship. You have to determine what is appropriate in public,” says Kiley Bradbury, junior. Other students say it is important to have respect for the couples on campus. Corryn Sargent, senior, comments, “God created people to be in relationships and we should be respectful of that. I don’t think they should have to hide that.” Christina Neroni, freshmen, says “You need to be respectful of someone’s journey to find who God meant for them to be with.” Students can agree that no matter how appropriate a couple’s actions may be, we still need to respect their right be together.
The Don’ts “We get it, the two of you are in love, but could you please be in love somewhere other than the middle of the sidewalk? I’m going to be late for class!” I’m sure we’ve all thought something like this in our heads at least once when seeing a particularly affectionate couple. Messiah is full of people who are critical of couples, almost to the point where there seems to be more critics than non. Their viewpoints, however, are reasonable: Most people don’t mind couples unless they are being over-the-top. As I mentioned previously, hand-holding is agreed by almost everyone to be appropriate in public. Kissing and cuddling, however, was not as widely accepted. The biggest complaint students on campus have is that most couples lack limits. “If you wouldn’t do it in front of your mother, don’t do it in public,” says Lyndsay Feather, sophomore. On the other hand, there are a few people who just don’t like to see affection period. Lucas Malimberg, sophomore, says, “PDA is not okay. In private, yes, but in public it’s just awkward.” Love-critics can be either single or dating. Eric Bull
is a senior with a girlfriend, and has both positive and negative comments about couples: “With respect to kissing in public, I find couples who treat a public space as a bedroom to be inappropriate, but I think it’s a healthy thing for people to witness appropriate forms of contact in public spaces.” I interviewed 50 students on campus on what they believed were appropriate displays of affection in couples, and these were the results: 45 said hand-holding is appropriate, 23 said kissing is appropriate (as long as it is not excessive), and 18 said cuddling is appropriate. Ultimately, all students should be respectful of the variety of couples on campus, and understand that they have every right to show affection in their relationship. Couples, however, should remember to have limits as to how affectionate they are in public, and just as others are respectful of them, they should be respectful for those around them. We all have to live here on campus, so couples should not treat all areas as though they were private spaces, and critics should understand that there will be couples no matter where they go.
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
October 31, 2013 The Swinging Bridge
Arts & Entertainment 9
GRAVITY By Derek Sullivan STUDENT WRITER
T
here is a scene in Gravity – director Alfonso Cuaron's first film since 2006's Children of Men – in which the lead character Dr. Ryan Stone, played by Sandra Bullock, becomes unattached from the rope tying her to the the space shuttle. She begins drifting away, spinning backwards with a nauseating regularity. In space, objects travel without resistance, ad infinitum. Her pace is steady and uncomfortably fast. With no way to stop herself, she keeps drifting, rotating backwards, flip after flip. We see her face. We see the earth reflected on her helmet, coming briefly into view every few seconds. The space shuttle is getting smaller and smaller. Time passes; her panicridden eyes tell us that with each second the chances of her rescue decrease, alongside her hope. The oxygen meter on her suit beeps – she's running low. This level of suspense is relentless throughout the film. Ryan Stone is a mission specialist just out of training. She is quiet and nervous, and we later find out that she is plagued by the death of her young daughter. Accompanying her first flight into space is Matt Kowalski, a veteran astronaut played by George Clooney. Kowalski is confident, calm, and cynical. His first words are, “I have a bad feeling about this mission.” Not because he's afraid of things going wrong, but because on his last flight his wife left him. There is also flight engineer Shariff Dasari, played by Paul Sharma. That's the entire on-screen cast. There are also the disembodied voices from Mission Control and elsewhere, separated by inconceivable distance, and
in one case, by language. But that's it – that's the cast. Space is a lonely place. The plot begins when Mission Control alerts the team to potential space debris, as Russia just launched a missile to dispose of a defunct satellite. According to the tenets of both Hollywood and Murphy's Law, the debris hits them. At its heart, Gravity is a disaster movie utilizing the most fundamental elements of the genre: one intense misfortune after the other, suspense fueled by the impossibility of the character's luck, and most importantly, the displays of humanity brought about by dire circumstances. However, the intensity and beauty of the film aren't brought about by the special effects, or the script, or even the plot, but rather by the camera. Cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki – a long time collaborator with Cuaron – has the ability to elicit both panic and profound beauty almost on cue. The camerawork also communicates the dizziness of space: the viewers, along with the characters, lose their grip on spatial awareness, what's up and what's down, and where the nearest surface is. The cleverness of the camera is what turns the film into an experience. Gravity is not without flaws, however. For as solid as the performances are, the writing and flat characterization make potentially humanizing moments dull. Beyond the death of Stone's daughter, for instance, her character is rather empty. In fact the memory of her daughter is relied on for every moment of emotional struggle, and seems to be her only impetus. Kowalski, also, lacks depth. He is almost a caricature of Clooney's own typecast, overflowing with charming confidence and oneliners. Between these two characters, it's not so much we have two humans,
Photo Provided by http://www.scified.com/movie-posters/gravity-movie-poster.jpg
but rather the two farthest ends of a spectrum – the Lamb and the Lion. Still, Gravity is worth seeing, and if critical consensus or box office numbers indicate anything, its that most
moviegoers don't find these flaws too bothersome. Even if the script relies on convention and often runs the line of cliche, the epic visuals and stark, isolating minimalism make Gravity one of the more unique films of the year.
Sesonal Attractions By Danielle Burkett STUDENT WRITER
H
alloween is right around the corner, and I have come up with a few things you can check out to enjoy this spooky time of the year. First on my list, and probably the most expensive option, is visiting Hershey Park in the Dark. Hershey Park in the Dark will be open until November 3rd, and it gives guests the opportunity to ride their favorite rides one last time before the park closes for the season.
The park renames and decorates their rides to fit in with the overall Halloween theme, for instance, Skyrush becomes Scarerush, Stormrunner becomes Ghost Runner, etc. Once night sets in, the park turns the track lights on Lightning Racer, Wildcat, and Comet off to create a dark ride experience. I like going to Hershey Park in the Dark because it is a great excuse to dress up in costume, ride a few of my favorite rollercoasters, and of course, get candy.
Plus, it costs less to visit the park at this time than it does over the summer. There are some drawbacks however. The first is that the availability of certain rides depends on the temperature outside. If it gets too cold certain rides won’t be available. The second is that admission costs $33.00 for a regular ticket (ages 9-54), but if you are a fan of Halloween fun and Hershey park rides then I recommend
checking out Hershey Park in the Dark. If you are like me and money is a bit tight, a fun and cheaper option would be to visit one of the many parks in this area like Willow Mill Park or Gifford Pinchot State Park . Fall is a beautiful time to be out in nature. So pack a picnic, grab a few friends and head to a park to enjoy the changing leaves before winter weather sets in and it gets too cold.
October 31, 2013
The Swinging Bridge
Arts & Entertainment 10
Artist Profiles: Kelly A301 By Sam Dougherty ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
P
ancakes, bacon, and beards set the scene for a Thursday evening in Kelly A301. Here dwell four very interesting student artists; Andrew Algier, Jordan Grove, Brian Menkis, and Matt Wagner. Though all very creative, the four seniors differ in their artistic pursuits; some of which include woodworking, graphic design, sculpting, and music. Matt Wagner is working on a double major in music composition and politics (and coincidentally, he makes a darn good argument for keeping politics out of music.) Wagner currently works as the B-Sides Executive for the SAB, and is busy building a portfolio for graduate schools where he intends to study music. Matt works on more classical pieces of music while at Messiah, but when he has free time he’s also known to create pop-music under the Soundcloud name of Mateo Wagner (the different name came out of an overabundance
of ‘Matt Wagner’ accounts already online.) He is a composer and a singersongwriter of music in many stlyes, such as electronic and folk. He hopes to continue playing in the future and has even thought about going on tour. Jordan Grove is a studio art major with a concentration in graphic design and digital art. He keeps a busy schedule at Messiah and often has to spend more time than he’d like in a computer lab. He is interested in graduate school and though he loves the art form, he has some concerns about the way it could be used as a career. Says Grove, “I’ve been through the process of making posters or designing logos or making advertisement material, and I’m very tired of that.” Jordan enjoys music and finds much creative inspiration from it. He also draws from other artists, spending his
time accumulating mounds of art books from the library. When Brian Menkis traveled to Italy last year with Jordan and other students, he saw visually amazing sculptures, from Michaelangelo to huge abstract pieces. Brian has grown to enjoy sculpting more and more throughout his time in the art program. He says he makes mostly abstract art, but has made more figurative sculptures now then he did at the beginning of his Messiah career. Shortly after carving shapes into a pancake, Brian talked about what he enjoys in sculpting, and particularly the physicality and hard work that goes into it. He recently got to work long days constructing art for the High Center, and found it very rewarding. Brian hopes to be a working artist in the future and anticipates further education.
by some as Michael Jorgan), has been honing his skills in the wooden arts. He enjoys creating things that are useful to people. One can see what he means by looking at the unique cabinets and shelves in their living room. Andrew has had internships in New York and Philadelphia in recent years, with the latter helping to build his design skills. Andrew is considering further education, and is passionate about a career of designing and building useful objects. He is also involved in music and plays Matt during some of their free time. The four roomates have each found their own methods of self-expression, while also participating in other artforms (such as pancake sculpting.) Their interesting works are an example of the various skills and passions being cultivated by student artists here at Messiah.
Meanwhile, Andrew Algier, (known
Paulus Farm Market s By Megan LaTorre STUDENT WRITER
E
Every year during this special season of autumn, many people wish to go out and be immersed in nature and festivities. At Paulus Farm Market, located in Mechanicsburg, there are hayrides, pumpkin picking, a bakery and a produce market with a wide variety of treats to choose from, a petting zoo, and a pumpkin cannon for the more adventurous. Paulus Farm Market is a family owned operation – an open air market and farm. Jim Paulus started the market in 1991 when he graduated from high school. Previously, he sold produce at the town square farmer’s market, and even sold potatoes out of the garage to help his family. Today, Jim is the owner of Paulus Farm Market, which consists of approximately 600 acres, along with his wife and co-owner, Amy Paulus. Currently, Amy acts as the educational tour coordinator and guide (which are offered in the spring and fall seasons). Jim’s parents, Creedin and JoAnn Paulus also help around the farm: Creedin as the beekeeper, while JoAnn manages the bakery and greenhouse. In addition, they have a few long-term employees.
Fall Festivities Paulus Farm Market also offers a fresh market which provides a natural and healthy alternative to store-bought items and such things can be used for making dinner for the family. The produce of the market varies by season. In the spring, they have asparagus, strawberries, potatoes, lettuce, and spinach – all fresh from the farm; while in the summer, they have watermelon, cantaloupe, sweet corn, tomatoes, zucchini, apples, peaches, blueberries, and raspberries; and in the fall they add the selection of pumpkins, squash, apples, gourds, and potatoes. Paulus Farm Market is even open in the winter! On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, they serve homemade soups, deli items, baked goods, frozen meals, apples, and potatoes. In addition, they also sell beef and their animals are raised right there on the farm without added hormones. If you are into gardening, they have that too: vegetable plants, potting soil, container gardens, hanging baskets, and more. Some of their fall activities include: the greenhouse, “pumpkin chunkin’” (or their pumpkin cannon), a play area with giant bales of straw, tires, and tubes for the kids to climb and crawl through, a corn
maze, pumpkin patches, and hayrides.
sion is $4 per person and $3 per child.
Paulus Farm Market is great for families and students alike looking to participate in fall-oriented activities. Their hours are Monday to Friday from 9 am – 7 pm, Saturday from 9 am – 5 pm, and Sunday 11 am – 4 pm. Admis-
For more information about this family operation’s seasonal festivities, email info@paulusfarmmarket. com or visit their website at http:// www.paulusfarmmarket.com/.
Photo Provided by http://quanticolive.com/
October 31, 2013 The Swinging Bridge
The
Arts & Entertainment 11
Newest
“Royal” of Pop
How An Unknown Teen From New Zealand Became An Overnight Success By Dan Row EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
I
n March of this year no one had heard of the sixteen-year-old New Zealander, Ella Yellich-O’Connor. In seven months, however, Yellich-O’Connor has become, Lorde, the “Queen Bee” we can’t get enough of. Since her first EP The Love Club was released in early March, we have seen a meteoric rise with her hit single topping U.S. charts and her two music videos garnering over fifty million views on YouTube. Not to mention, in this short span she’s produced and released a full-length studio album on Sept. 27, Pure Herione, which peaked at number three in U.S. charts. This album is creative, beautiful, and shockingly mature for this young singer/songwriter. Though Lorde has yet to turn seventeen, she has the wit and wisdom to produce some of the most provocative and thoughtful lyrics we’ve seen on the top 40 charts in a long
time. Her minimalist style showcases her lyrics with a catchy beat, limited instrumentation, and gorgeous vocal layering. With her deep, throaty vocals, it would be easy to confuse Lorde for a much older artist. Her immensely enjoyable style is somewhere between Lana Del Rey (plus a beat), Florence Welch (plus some sass), and Adele (if Adele were a hipster in a nightclub). Her eleven-track album features a similar musical style and consistently excellent lyricism. She struggles with concepts like questionable media messages, unhealthy dependence on technology, new fame, and what it means to be popular, all through the lens of a teenager who is sick of the status quo posed to us by popular culture. In her top single, “Royals,” she rejects society’s constructs that teenagers need fineries and con-
trolled substances to have a good time, saying, “That kind of lux just ain’t for us / We crave a different kind of buzz.” Many of her lyrics have a sense of boredom about them, a sentiment typical of many teenagers today. At the same time, she deals with big issues, but, like most teens, she does so with the feeling that there’s nothing she can really do about our world’s ills but discuss them in deep late-night discussions. Her song “Team” really encapsulates this feeling with the line “I’m kinda over getting told to throw my hands up in the air / So there. / I’m kinda older than I was when I reveled without a care / So there.”
of today’s overproduced pop stars. Her social media presence has really helped to define her quirky but down-to-earth personality. She tweets to fans and retweets friends like an normal person would, unlike many celebrity accounts which are solely tools of promotion. It can also be argued that social media got her to where she is today. Because she was mentioned and supported by massively followed “cewebrities” like Perez Hilton and Tyler Oakley on Twitter and other social media, people quickly took notice. With this online presence in place the music industry quickly took notice, rocketing Lorde to where she is today.
Relatable, no-nonsense writing and catchy hooks have endeared Lorde’s music to millions of fans in a matter of months. In interviews, her slightly awkward sense of humor and self-awareness is a breath of fresh air compared to many
Lorde’s album Pure Herione is available on iTunes and Spotify now and is worth at least couple of listen-throughs. One for the music. One for the lyrics. And then a thousand more because you’ll be hooked.
ACADEMIC RIGOR SERVANTHOOD
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October 31, 2013
Alex Brubaker – November 6th By Sam Dougherty ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
E
quipped with an acoustic guitar and a few effects pedals, Messiah alum Alex Brubaker comes back to perform his original music. Alex is an experimental guitar player who often sounds like more than a solo act, playing a combination of rockdriven riffs and looping electronics. Alex uses unique guitar playing methods such as ‘two-handed tapping’, which involves both of his hands hovering over the fretboard and playing notes at a dizzying speed. Percussion is created through loops or slapping the side of the guitar. Brubaker’s
performance
will
be
The Swinging Bridge
Arts & Entertainment 12
B-Sides:
worth a close listen, as his adventurous music travels in different directions. Take his song “Horses in the Clouds”, which builds with heavy percussion before suddenly dropping all of it to reveal a subdued and pretty riff with a comforting melody. Brubaker has released one studio album (2009’s Deconstructing the Temporal Lobe) as well as a new live album titled Live at Muddy River Jam Fest VI. He hopes to record a new studio album soon. You can find Alex’s music on Amazon or Itunes, and be sure to check out his show on the 6th.
&
Photo from alexbrubakerguitar.com
Alex Brubaker Snowmine B-sides is a FREE weekly concert series brought to you by the Student Activities Board and open to the public. Wednesday. 9:00. Larson Student Union. Photo from Snowmine’s Facebook page
Snowmine – November 13th
S
nowmine is a Brooklyn fivepiece that specializes in hazy indie-pop. They bring a soothing rock sound and compliment it with atmospheric instrumentation.
Snowmine are often catchy and upbeat while they surround themselves in a depth of sound. Sometimes they’re grandiose with a use of horns or violin, while at other times they create beautiful ballads with a just a few instruments. For in-
stance, their song “Left Me In” from the album Laminate Pet Animal, features shining guitar notes, while a slow drum beat push it towards a catchy chorus. Singer-songwriter GraysonSanders has a soft but powerful voice. He often uses his upper registry of his voice let words float effortlessly alongside the music. His lyrics are often soul searching, such as the song “This One”
where he ponders “Where would I be without natural selection?” Snowmine’s 2011 debut album is an infectious and fun listen with good songwriting, catchy hooks, and consistently atmospheric production. They’re second album, Dialects, is due out this coming February and there’s a good chance we’ll hear some new material at the show on November 13th.
SPORTS
The Swinging Bridge October 31, 2013
Sports 13
The Educated Athlete
!
Proper Exercise Techniques Are Not Only Good For Your Body,
They Are Good For Your Soul !
By Dylan Thomas STUDENT WRITER
I
was teaching my cousin and his friend how to perform the back squat and deadlift this week and of course they had plenty of concerns “Aren’t squats bad for your knees? Aren’t deadlifts bad for your lower back and ankles?” I responded with “Yeah they are terrible for your body…
Stewardship of God’s temple is a lifelong process.
if you don’t know what you’re doing.” The educated athlete is the safe athlete, and the safe athlete has nothing to fear.
Intimidation is a common symptom experienced when we don’t understand what we’re facing. I believe that part of living for Christ is giving our burdens over to Him so that we may more freely follow his call without being weighed down. Being comfortable with taking steps forward on faith and not knowing what is around the bend comes with territory, but I reckon that if there is valid information available we are wise to take advantage of that opportunity to learn and equip ourselves. Thereafter
we find confidence in the new tools of knowledge that we’ve acquired. The same goes for world of fitness. With so many effective disciplines of fitness anyone can find something that they’ll enjoy. Once someone is interested in a discipline they should then educate themselves in that discipline, and once educated they’ll find more enjoyment in knowing the tricks of that discipline. What’s more fun; going for a run and having sore bones and joints for days afterwards because you weren’t sure about what you were doing, or first learning about your body, the correct running and breathing techniques, and the proper shoe for your running style, and then going for your run and feeling confident that what you just did was the best way to do it. You were educated, safe, and therefore fearless.
Stewardship of God’s temple is a lifelong process. Keeping our bodies physically fit is an integral part of that stewardship, and using best practices is part of our calling to do all for God’s glory. (Colo
3:23). We were all once or currently are beginners. We have to start somewhere. Don’t be intimidated by those who may be more adept than you. Understand
the value of knowledge and mastering a discipline; become the educated athlete, become the fearless athlete.
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Higher Education • Specialized tracks in college athletics management; student affairs; or design an individualized concentration • Engaging, innovative courses taught by accomplished, committed faculty
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Once educated they will find more enjoyment
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Now enrolling for 2014 classes 717.796.5061 messiah.edu/highered
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see anew
October 31, 2013 The Swinging Bridge
Sports 14
essiah Sports M For Everyone Recreational Sports
By Sarah Newton STUDENT WRITER
The Falcons start thier season October 23 at Twin Ponds Ice Hockey Rink
T
he feeling in the air changes while everyone holds their breath as a player goes in for the winning shot. The moment in the game that has the potential to change the entire outcome happens within a split second. Muscles clenched, hearat racing, adrenaline pumping, on the balls of your feet, sitting on the edge of your seat excitement, waiting and watching as
in the
those
?
minds of
on the field
“
“
what goes on
the referee counts down the last fifteen seconds on the clock. Have you ever wondered what goes on in the minds of those on the field? Recreational Sports provides students with a way to stay in shape throughout the semester and make new friends with those who have a similar passion. Recreational Sports takes away from the competitiveness and focuses on the enjoyment of the sport being played. It also promotes fun between the people involved. Messiah College offers an array of sports to join here on campus. One in
Photo by Celal Kamran
particular is men and women’s soccer. Each team needs at least seven players in order to participate; however there can be more players on the team to sub in when needed. Every soccer game requires seven members from each team on the field at all times. On Thursday I walked up to the soccer fields near Starry Field to watch a rec-
reational soccer game. I went with a new perspective; I desired to know why these guys were playing the game and what drives their passion for it rather than the fundamentals that make up the game. I stayed late after the game in order to ask a couple players some questions. I asked David Fish why he loved being a captain of a recreational soccer team and he responded, “I love being a captain of a rec sports team because I simply love soccer. I enjoy get-
ting a great group of people together and having fun. It doesn’t matter if we win or lose; we just want to use the gifts God has blessed us with. I also play club soccer but rec is much more laid back. Rec is a stress reliever, while club is a competition.” Another player I spoke with, Rob Gaffney, said, “I love playing Rec Sports because it provides a somewhat relaxed, but still competitive form of game play. I enjoy that I do not have to practice every day of the week but I can still play and improve my skills”. Offered during J-term but not as well are Racquetball and Ping Pong tournaments. These enjoyable pastimes are perfect for those have a wicked volley or a love for tennis type sports. I have had the opportunity to try my hand at racquetball, and I must admit that it takes an exponential amount of skill to play well. I enjoy playing racquetball but I have had my fair share of red welts from getting hit with a racquetball, whether from someone volleying the ball or from a ricocheting ball. //CONTINUE ON PAGE 15
October 31, 2013 The Swinging Bridge
Sports 15
//MESSIAH SPORTS FOR EVERYONE Ultimate Frisbee is offered during the spring semester as a recreational sport. Messiah College offers men and women’s club Ultimate Frisbee. The teams get to travel and participate in tournaments. Last spring, t he men’s team won the conference and went on to place third in the region. However for those wanting a less competitive atmosphere, the recreational Ultimate Frisbee teams are allowed to be co-ed and are required to have at least two girls on the field at all times during game play.
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Becoming part of a team that minimizes the competition aspect allows students to create lasting memories and friends, and develop character that exemplifies Christ-like attitudes and sportsmanship on and off the field. Recreational Sports allows flexibility in student’s schedules and promotes a fun and safe outlet to participate in activities while building friendships.
Player Profile:
Josh Thomston
Photo Provided by Messiah College Athletics
By Celal Kamran SPORTS EDITOR
J
osh Thomson is a sophomore health and exercise science major and a Messiah College wrestler. Currently wrestling at 184 pounds Thomson is coming of a recordbreaking first year. Winning the title of All American third in the nation last year at 184 pounds, Thomson was also Division three freshman of the year all weights. He also won a title in amatuer wrestling for for weight group 184 in all divisions. When asked about last year’s success, Thomson said, “first of all, it felt great as a freshman starting in a bigger weight class because that doesn’t happen a lot. My goal was to win freshman of the year and I achieved it. What I didn’t expect was winning third in the nation, It was a blessing from God.” Having accomplished so much
in just his freshman year, Thomson is on track for having the most wins by a messiah wrestler which is held as of now by Andy Vogel. Thomson already has forty wins under his belt and when asked how he was able to have such an amazing freshman year, he responded, “I have great coaching, great teammates, I work really hard but at the end of the day I have to give it up to God for giving me the opportunity and keeping me healthy to glorify him in my sport”. He goes on to say, “the coaching staff is unbelievable, they focus on molding us into complete athletes with God at the center of our lives”. With those combination, it’s no wonder that Messiah has such a great wrestling program with the team expected to be top ten in the region by some. Thomson started wrestling at the age of six and did not stop since. He first got into wrestling because his older brother did it and he wanted to be like his brother according to his own confession. when asked why he has kept up with wrestling for so long, he said, “I kept with it cause it was some to do and if you do something for long enough it becomes a part of you. It is ingrained in me and it is something that will never leave me well beyond college”. His love for the sport has definitely shown even in high school when he finished 4th in the state his senior year. There is a lot expected from Thomson this year because of his
stellar first year performance but he is up to it saying, “I want to win a national championship as my next goal”. Look
out for this rising star and come out to support your Messiah wrestling team as they host their home invitational.
PulseFM CD Sale and Giveaway! Wednesday Nov. 6th, 11:30 - 3p.m. 1st floor Larson Student Union CASH ONLY!!!
50 cents a Cd and 3 for $1
Stop by for some awesome music and cool CDs!
October 31, 2013 The Swinging Bridge
Sports 16
Player Profile:
Rachel Robison East where she vaulted the eleven feet set and ran the 400 meter dash. When asked why she started vaulting, she responded, “I ran cross country and was a gymnast, so my coach recommended it for me. It worked out because right away I loved it”. When asked about her feelings over all towards the sport Robison responded, “It is really fun and enjoyable, I am never bored. In fact track practice is the highlight of my day”.
R
achel Robison is a sophomore with a history major and a pole vaulter on the Messiah track and field team. On occasion Robison also runs the 400 meter but she is primarily a vaulter. Starting her vaulting career in high school, Robison has medaled every year in the conference. Robison went to high school at Pocono Mountain
The sport of vaulting, for those who aren’t familiar with, is a bar set at three different heights which a vaulter has to jump over using a pole. The vaulter runs up to the bar with the pole and sticks the pole into what is called a box and catapults themselves over the bar onto a mat. Robison uses a twelve foot pole but there are different poles for different heights and weights. This all sounds
We wish Robison and the rest of the track team good luck heading into the new season.
THE
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By Celal Kamran SPORTS EDITOR
That is something Robison can’t afford to do since there are usually fifteen to twenty girls competing in her event and it is all individualistic. On how the rest of the track team looks,
she exclaims, “Distance looks great because cross country was great and we have a lot of new dedicated first years. I am excited for the year and as always I love being part of the team”.
MESSIAH COLLEGE//THE PULSE
Photo Provided by Messiah College Athletics
Her dedication continues to shine through as she continues to place at conferences. Robison recieved third place last spring in the Middle Atlantic Conference.
scary but Robison admits, “I have actually never been scared vaulting. It is just too thrilling plus if you are scared, it is easier to mess up”.