Campus Chronicle
Join The Discussion Online ‘Like’ Campus Chronicle @PUC_Chronicle
The Campus Chronicle is a free publication.
a publication of the Pacific Union College Student Association
chronicle.ink
vol. XCI
no. 5
THURSDAY 4 DECEMBER 2014
Student Senate Passes Cafeteria Balanace Bill By Dominic Young & Katrina Viers
International Christmas Traditions By Jessica Winters
$20 CONTEST ON BACK
GIFT CARD
Demonstrations Erupt Protesting Ferguson Grand Jury Decision By Tara Hattendorf After the announcement on Nov. 24 that Darren Wilson— the Ferguson, Mo. police officer who shot and killed Mike Brown in August— would not be indicted, protests that had previously been centered around Ferguson spread around the country, and subsequently the world. Emotionally and politically based demonstrations, ranging from peaceful scenes to violent riots, took the form of protests, marches and sit-ins, and happened in many large cities around the United States, including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles and Oakland. Demonstrations were also organized in London, and people from around the world voiced their support for the protestors. The slogan of the protests was simply, “Black Lives Matter.” Brown, 18 years old, was unarmed when Wilson fatally shot him in Ferguson Aug. 9. As Brown was African-American and Wilson is white, the issue quickly became centered on race as well as the problem of police brutality. Protests began in Ferguson soon after Brown’s death, and people called for Wilson’s arrest for misconduct and murder. The protests quieted down as the nation focused on other news but started again when news broke that the grand jury, which had met and heard evidence from the case for three months, failed to indict Wilson, leaving him free of any criminal charges relating to Brown’s death. Due to abnormalities between the proceedings of this grand jury and other grand juries, as well as the presence of a racially imbalanced jury, protestors of the decision included national figures and organizations as well as enraged citizens. The National Bar Association and other powerful organizations questioned the failure to indict Wilson and have deemed the decision corrupt. Despite calling for the Department of Justice to investigate the grand jury decision, in a press release the National Bar Association stated, “President Meanes is requesting that the citizens of Ferguson, Missouri not allow this decision to cause an unnecessary
uproar in the community that could lead to arrests, injuries or even deaths of innocent people.” Violent political protests have become widespread around the world in recent years but until this year did not reach the United States. Hundreds of protestors of the death of Brown and now of the failure to indict Wilson have been arrested during the demonstrations for minor offenses, and a number of protestors and police officers have been injured. Hordes of protests caused multiple road and highway closures, as well as a disruption of the BART service, and looters caused extensive damage to stores and businesses. Black Friday sales were also disrupted by protestors who believed the commercial holiday should take a backseat to the national social justice movement. In malls near Ferguson demonstrators lay on the ground in the mall in mock death — a “die-in” — to make a statement about the racially motivated police brutality. Brown’s family released a statement about the protests saying, “While we understand that many others share our pain, we ask that you channel your frustration in ways that will make a positive change. We need to work together to fix the system that allowed this to happen. Join with us in our campaign to ensure that every police officer working the streets in this country wears a body camera. We respectfully ask that you please keep your protests peaceful. Answering violence with violence is not the appropriate reaction. Let’s not just make noise, let’s make a difference.” Wilson resigned from the Ferguson police department Nov. 29 after a few months of leave. In his letter of resignation Wilson said, “It is my hope that my resignation will allow the community to heal.” Despite Wilson’s resignation protestors are still calling for Wilson to be indicted and charged as a criminal for Brown’s death.
Campus Chronicle
2
no.5
NEWS & FEATURES
Student Senate Passes Cafeteria Balance Bill
By Dominic Young & Katrina Viers
PUC’s Student Senate passed the first bill of the school year on Oct. 29. Senator Dominic Young proposed the “Caf Card Balance Bill,” which calls for the implementation of an online option for students to keep track of their student meal plan balance. At this time, ITSS is able to provide a box on WebAdvisor which students can click, allowing their cafeteria card balances to be sent to them daily via their PUC email account. Upon the proposal of this bill at the Oct. 29 meeting, a vote was taken after discussion and amendments were made. The vote was unanimous in favor of passing the bill. On Nov. 12, the Administration Council voted to approve the bill based on the stated capabilities of ITSS. The bill states that this process should be completed by Dec. 1. The intended implications of this bill are greater convenience for students in keeping track of their finances and to aid in the reduction of line length during cafeteria lunch and dinner rushes. Currently, the meal plan allowance covers $1,035, which means that students can spend an average of $103.50, or roughly ten meals, each week. Many students have restricted financial situations and cannot afford to go over this allotment. This means that it is essential that students are able to carefully monitor their spending in the cafeteria. The “Caf Card Balance Bill,” which will provide a convenient means for checking meal plan balance, will aid in the budgeting of finances. Although at this time students have the ability to check their balances at the cafeteria registers, this is an inefficient method that should have been fixed long ago. Under the current system, many students have had issues with keeping within the budget each quarter. Every student at PUC either knows someone who has had to beg others to pay for his or her food or has been in that situation. One of the roles of Senate is to help make campus life more enjoyable as well as to voice the concerns of the students of PUC by being the bridge between the students and Administration. The intention of this bill, along with all bills taken up by Senate, is to do just that. Students can go through their district’s Senators in order to create valuable and lasting change at PUC.
Probing Spock’s Brain— The Psychology of Star Trek Course “Space, the final frontier:” these words jumpstarted Star Trek - a science fiction phenomenon that eventually not only led to a franchise of movies and television shows, but also affected the realms of both pop culture and technology with its stories and characters. Amongst such inspirations, PUC psychology professor Aubyn Fulton took it upon himself to teach students about a host of psychological topics, from Jungian archetypes to the nature of humanity, through the influential storytelling of Star Trek. The Psychology of Star Trek course seeks to “critically examine psychological ideas and themes as treated in popular culture from the perspective of psychological theory and science, and explore what they have to contribute to an understanding of what it means to be human,” according to the class syllabus. According to Fulton, the reason why Star Trek was the medium for the whole class in regards to teaching psychology was because “Star Trek has become an influential cultural text for half a century more than any other work of science fiction.” He also admits that “[he] has been a passionate Star Trek fan since [he] was a kid, and enjoys spending time in the Star Trek universe.” Though it was offered for the first time this year as an elective psychology class, Fulton had aspirations for this seminar since he first started teaching at PUC in the fall of 1985. Though he does mention that it is not expected that “modern students come to college with a classical education today,” Fulton says “popular culture can provide some of that just as classical culture did, [because] those very characteristics are themselves illustrative of what is going on in contemporary society.” Fulton was aware when constructing the class that there are many people who are not trekkies (people who are already engrossed in the world of Star Trek). However, there is a resurgence of interest in the franchise due to the success of the J.J. Abrams reboot in 2009. To ensure that Star Trek “virgins” could still learn about psychological concepts while understanding the source material, Fulton “devoted the first week to introducing the Star Trek universe and its relevance to psychological themes, and…designed the rest of the course thematically, to cover one psychological idea or approach per week.” Of course, he had to remember that he was creating a class in “the ‘Psychology’ of Star
By Jayson Paw
Trek, not a class in ‘Star Trek Studies” and thus had to “[link] elements in key episodes to broad and important psychological and social themes.” As the fall quarter winds down, Fulton wants his Psychology of Star Trek students to leave his class with two points. First, he wants the pupils to have “[a] realization that they can use the core skills associated with a college education - critical thinking and writing and a respect for evidence in their field, to enjoy popular culture more deeply…by [using] their education to sift through popular culture and identify that which might be illuminating and that which might just be offering simplistic answers for difficult problems, or reinforcing our worse fears and prejudices.” Then, he would also like them to have “a better and deeper understanding of core psychological themes” so they could have “valuable practice in identifying and evaluating them in more ‘real life’ contexts.” Until the next time this unique curriculum is offered again, live long and prosper.
Want to make money writing for the Campus Chronicle? Email dcohair@puc.edu
vol. XCI
THURSDAY, 4 DECEMBER 2014
3
NEWS & FEATURES
Puns and Pick-Up Lines
By Melissa May
Christmastime is undoubtedly a time of great gaiety and fun. With the spirit Let us not additionally forget, winter ‘tis the season for love! The holidays of the season upon us, phrases causing abundant mirth should be dancing across always bring an air of affection that is unique to any other time of year. If you our minds. Here is a list of delightful holiday morsels sure to win new friends are dreaming of a romantic Christmas, here are some useful pick-up lines to over small talk at holiday gatherings! use specifically for that somebody you would like to run into under mistletoe! Those who play poker in a snowstorm must carefully shovel their decks.
Do you live in an igloo? You seem like a pretty cool person.
Do you know how winter coats are insulated? They are down loaded.
Call me Rudolph, because you just sleighed me!
What do you call Santa’s helpers? Subordinate Clauses.
Can I have a picture of you so I can show Santa what I want for Christmas?
What does Santa like best about gardening? He loves to Ho, Ho, Hoe!
If you were a tree, you’d be an evergreen, because I bet you look this good year-round!
Why does Scrooge love all reindeer equally? Every buck is dear to him.
Christmas may come once a year, but when it comes—it brings good cheer. With so much joy to be spread, be sure to make sure all your puns have holiday intentions. Whether in attendance at a holiday party or in line at the cafeteria, these lines are sure to be crowd pleasers. Challenge yourself to give Christmas a little something extra by having snow much fun with these witticisms.
What do you get if you cross a Yule Log with a duck? A fire quacker. What is green, covered with tinsel, and says, “ribbit ribbit?” A mistle-toad. What do you call an elf that sings? A wrapper.
How To Stay Festive During Finals
By Melissa May
‘Twas weeks before Christmas and all through the college, not a sole student desired to acquire any further knowledge. While the grades on Canvas were continuously posted with care, all who kept checking hoped that mysteriously high grades would be there. Once nestled into the thought of impending final examinations, dreams of academic excellence began to dance in students’ imaginations. Swiftly, these visions transformed into a variety of mental clatter. The idea leaped forth that Christmastime was far too jolly a season to be studying the theory of antimatter or the anatomy of a urinary bladder. Quite apparent, this type of intellectual deliberation can change a habitually studious person into a huge slacker. If this sounds like you, here are various ways to remain merry while working towards an education with valor.
You’d better chill out… When you feel that a halt in studying needs to come to your town, there are many ways to take a merry break. When texting, don’t forget about the plethora of winter Emoji options there are to choose from. Casually inserting a snowflake or Santa Claus emoticon next to all replies around the holiday season will create mutual confusion and delight on both ends of the message. If you are looking for something slightly more physically strenuous during your break, try out some holiday yoga poses. For example, the Partridge in a Pear Tree, which begins in a tree pose. Stretch your arms out like branches on a tree and stand on one foot. While in tree position, hook your thumbs together, and fly your “bird” all around the base of your tree.
There’s no place like your room Dorm rooms, while typically holding the visual appeal equivalent to a prison cell, can easily be turned into winter utopias. Old homework assignments can be made into paper snowflakes with some scissor expertise and creative folding. Hanging these from your ceiling would create a lifelike whiteout. Other atmospheric options include lighting a fire-code-permitted blaze on your laptop. YouTube has a large holiday selection of fireplace videos complete with Yule logs, Christmas jingles, and crackling flames. This wintertime setting screams learning productivity.
Jolly ol’ snacks After a moderate break, regain scholastic drive by including some winter treats in your study regimen. Whether early in the morning before your day begins, or for a late night energy rebound—eggnog can be used as a marvelous coffee creamer. This caffeinated holiday wonder will make you forget the anxiety caused by the two book reports that will not write themselves. Because textbook reading can be dull, Christmas candy can be used as a motivator. Purchase Christmas candy such as red and green M&M’s to be used during reading. Disperse these chocolaty morsels strategically throughout your assignment in such a way that with every paragraph read you will be granted a sweet reward.
Santa Claus, Go Straight to the Ghetto James Brown
The legendary singer James Brown dons a Santa hat for this funky Christmas jam. The light and upbeat bass line carries the tune through several soulful verses of Brown pleading with Santa Claus to visit children that live in the ghetto. Beyond the song’s dance-y aesthetic lies a socio-political message that might still resonate with some today. From Soul Brother No. 1, this is a great addition to any Christmas playlist and is guaranteed to bring the funk.
Get Behind Me, Santa! Sufjan Stevens
MUSIC SPOTLIGHT By Josh Mendez
The title of this song is an obvious reference to Matthew 16:23 when Jesus, in conversation with Peter, tells Satan to get behind Him. Each verse of the track works as a conversation between an individual fed up with Christmas, presumably Stevens, and Santa Claus acting in defense of the holiday. Stevens is sick and tired of all the consumerism that surrounds the holiday, but Santa responds by reminding him of the opportunity Christmas gives for humans to bring joy to one another. Both the folk rock instrumentals and the interesting lyrical approach make this a must-listen for the holiday season.
Campus Chronicle
4
no.5
NEWS & FEATURES
Unconventional Christmas Movies
By Tara Hattendorf
Christmas movies aren’t for everyone. Not everyone enjoys the snow-falling, sleigh-bells-jingling, Santa-ho-ho-ho-ing, nausea-inducing-because-they’re-sotypically-holiday, films. Luckily, there are a lot of movies that are just subversively Christmas enough so you can convince the Scrooges in your life to watch them with you and get into the holiday spirit.
Unconventional Christmas • Die Hard: According to multiple, vociferous sources this is in fact a Christmas movie as it takes place during Christmas. I’ll take their word for it. • Lethal Weapon: See above. • Harry Potter Deathly Hallows Part 1: Critical scenes take place on Christmas Eve as the characters are surprised to discover, having been in hiding for a few months. A few other films in the series also include Christmas scenes, but Death Hallows has the most action-packed Christmas. • Lady and the Tramp: Don’t you remember that Lady is a Christmas present from John Dear to Darling? She’s even got a big red bow and everything. • Toy Story: First of all, it’s about toys and toys are a big part of America’s consumer-driven Christmas weeks. Also apparently the toys themselves are Christmas presents in the film. Or something. • BBC’s Sherlock, “Scandal in Belgravia”: Spanning multiple months one of the key scenes in this feature film-length episode takes places on Christmas. The entire episode is about love, loss and redemption—and what could be more Christmas-y than that?
Conventional (Classic) Christmas
• It’s a Wonderful Life: This is probably the quintessential Christmas film • Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer: It’s not Christmas without claymation and you will be looked down on if you don’t watch it every year. I know because reindeer and elves. I still haven’t actually sat down and watched it and I have felt the heat from all movie aficionados in my life. • The Polar Express: Based on the classic children’s book, even though the movie is more recent, it is every bit as much of a classic Christmas movie. It • Home Alone: This classic Christmas movie is so quote-worthy you probably might make you believe, if not in Santa Claus, then in the beauty and joy that throw around lines from it in your everyday life without realizing it. is found in Christmas. • National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation: In contrast to the (peppermint) • Miracle on 34th Street (1947): Learn about the retail side of Christmas as syrupy sweet Christmas movies that will likely play on Lifetime this Christmas, well as how to manipulate the American justice system. But trust me, it’s still National Lampoon’s is just good Christmas humor. a great Christmas movie and it is full of love and happiness. *Some of the above movies contain questionable content. Watch at your own risk.
Christmas Is Just Insecure
By Carlo Pean
Christmas is an insecure holiday. I just typed in “… that saved Christmas” everyone insisted that it was insecure. Sort of like when everyone says one person and here’s what I got: is sick when he is really fine, but everyone keeps saying, “Naw, you look dead,” and then he really does get sick. Yeah, that’s what people did to Christmas. • The Toy That Saved Christmas If not that, then Christian America became insecure because others finally • The Dog Who Saved Christmas had a voice, and every reminder of that makes us think that this 2,000-year-old • The Tree That Saved Christmas tradition ends with us. When Christians refuse to hear “Happy Holidays” and • Prairie the Beer That Saved Christmas insist on greeting Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, etc. with “Merry • The Undead That Saved Christmas Christmas,” we make Christmas insecure. When we forget that “Xmas” was • The iPad That Saved Christmas made by Christians in the first place to abbreviate the word Χρηστσς (Christ in Greek), we make Christmas insecure. Not to mention the dozens of Christmas specials that all have the same theme. While the holiday grows in materialism and insists on taking over Thanksgiving For a holiday that makes the most money and has been celebrated in strength (a holiday about sharing and being content) Christmas seriously is getting for at least 1,500 years, you would think that it wouldn’t be in constant fear. attacked — by those who “love” it the most. It is force fed and stripped of any It’s worse than the little boy from Lassie! meaning during the anti-holiday Black Friday, when we go to malls and stores Maybe Christmas became insecure when it turned from the pagan feast of to buy something we’ll forget about by March, and hopefully get to see at least Saturnalia into a Christian reminder. Possibly it became insecure after it was three grandmas fighting, two workers trampled, and a partridge in a pear tree. outlawed by Puritans for being too crazy, and when it came back it never really By refusing to enjoy Christmas music in its own time, by buying decorations recovered. Or perhaps it was when what started as an occasion to give gifts in mid-October, by convincing ourselves that three months at the end of the only to children and lovers turned into a mess of consumerism that makes me year is worthy of our undying love, we continue to make Christmas insecure. seriously consider becoming Communist, if only to spite big businesses. We kill Christmas. I think what really did it—what really made Christmas insecure—was when
vol. XCI
THURSDAY, 4 DECEMBER 2014
5
NEWS & FEATURES
Must See Sporting Events This Christmas Break
By Salvador Fariaz
SAN FRANSISCO 49ERS @ SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 12/14 The 49er/Seahawk rivalry is one of the purest rivalries in sports today. These 2 teams met in the NFC Championship game last year and we couldn’t have asked for a closer game. The Seahawks crawled out with a win and went on to the Super Bowl where they demolished Peyton Manning’s Broncos. Many people say that the real Super Bowl that year was the NFC Championship game. This game will not disappoint.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS @ LA CLIPPERS 12/25 With the Lakers out of the picture, these two teams have pushed their way to the top of the Pacific Division. These teams insist on matching each other’s physicality and passion, which in the past few years has resulted in ejections, suspensions, flagrant fouls and plenty of technical fouls. It is fair to say that these teams don’t like to play nice with each other. David Lee and Andrew Bogut need to remain healthy to give the Clippers a run for their money.
CLEVELAND CAVALIERS @ MIAMI HEAT 12/25 Lebron leaves Cavs to win championships in Miami, to later leave Miami to try and win Championships in Cleveland. This story had more plot twists than a Christopher Nolan film. And now The King returns to Miami sporting a Cavalier jersey. I am sure this won’t be a loving reunion for him.
Healthy For The Holidays
By Jessica Winters
When it comes to traditional holiday meals, “healthy” and “light” are two of the last words that anyone would think of. Visions of roast meats or veggie loafs and buttery mashed potatoes swimming in gravy come to mind, followed by endless varieties of pies and colorful cut-out cookies. All of these things are delicious and tied to family traditions, but leave you feeling over-stuffed and sluggish afterward. Now, believe it or not, it is possible to enjoy a flavorful, filling holiday meal without all of the excess butter and salt. Here are a few tips and tricks to help you celebrate this holiday season to the fullest, while at the same time feeling good about what you’re putting on your plate. Stuffing/Dressing Whatever your family calls it this dish is pure comfort, and one of my personal favorites. Typically, it’s a baked dish full of carbs and salt with a few veggies mixed in to help ignore the reality that you’re piling seasoned bread onto your plate, but there are a few easy ways to lighten up this beloved dish without sacrificing an ounce of flavor. First off, switch out the white bread for whole wheat or even sprouted wheat (*if you’re living gluten free, there are lots of breads out there these days that cater to this). Another idea is to trade half of the bread for cooked quinoa, seasoned with your preferred spices. This mighty grain is a complete protein all on it’s own, and brings lightness to your dressing without leaving your feeling deprived. My last tip for this one is to amp up the veggie content. If there are picky eaters in your family this is a great way to sneaky in a few good for you notes. Try slipping in finely shaved Brussels sprouts and diced mushrooms with the usual mix of carrots, celery and onion. Chopping them into tiny pieces will render them virtually undetectable to those who aren’t fans and won’t throw off the texture or flavor of your dish.
Dessert Finishing up with dessert seemed like the appropriate thing to do. Despite my earlier comment about the sweet potatoes, I would never dream of suggesting that you skip out on dessert this Christmas (I know I certainly won’t). I just want to offer a few suggestions for more healthy oils and sweeteners and a lighter topping that I guarantee will blow the lid off of Cool Whip. When sweetening pie fillings and sugar cookies, instead of reaching for the white sugar, or even an artificial sweetener that can be far worse for you, try substituting natural sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup or even stevia extract. For pie crusts, instead of using margarine or Crisco, try using coconut oil, which will add another level of flavor to your dessert. As for your topping for pies or bars, this idea is remarkably simple: Take a can of regular coconut milk and put it in the fridge over night (or the freezer, if you only have a few hours to spare). When you’re ready to make your topping, open the can and scoop out the solidified cream, which will now be the texture of butter, leaving the separated liquid in the can. Put the cream in a mixing bowl with a few drops of vanilla extract, and mix on high with a hand mixer until the content achieves the texture of whipped cream. During the mixing process, gradually add a little of one of the sweeteners listed above, tasting as you go, until you reach your desired sweetness. This topping will take your pie to a whole new level. You could even make a separate dish out of it by slicing up bananas and apples, or whatever fruit you like, and gently folding it into the cream, creating a fruit salad with a tropical note from the coconut milk. I hope that these tips stay with you as you’re helping to prepare meals with your family and friends this holiday season, and that they help you to create a few brand new favorite dishes to look forward to each year.
Campus Chronicle
6
no.5
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS
The Truth About Santa
By Taylor Pittenger
WARNING: THERE ARE SPOILERS IN THIS ARTICLE.
Children are often taught to believe in a big, fat man that breaks into their home once a year to give them presents they couldn’t get on their birthdays. It’s even a yearly ritual for some to visit this old guy stationed at a mall, and tell him what they want for Christmas that year, and somehow he is able to remember every single child’s wish. Don’t be on his naughty list, or else you’ll get a piece of coal! But who really ever gets a piece of coal? They also say he rides around on reindeer and he only eats cookies and milk, so, we can’t forget to leave out a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip and a carrot for the reindeer. It’s a magical ordeal every Christmas, but what happens when the man behind the myth is revealed? Maddi Macomber, a liberal arts major at PUC, has fond memories of her family during Christmas time. Her best Christmas memory happened to be the day she found out the truth about Santa. Christmas Eve rolled around, and Macomber’s step-father stepped outside of her house for a moment. A short time after, her step-father returned excitingly exclaiming, “Everybody, run outside! Look at what Santa left.” Young Macomber confusedly questioned her step-father’s claim -- she knew that Santa does not come on Christmas Eve at 8 p.m. Her family hadn’t set the cookies and milk out yet for Santa, so, how could he have come? Then, to Macomber’s surprise, she peeked outside only to see a puppy sitting on her front porch. “Slowly but surely, I had realized that my step-father had taken on the role of Santa,” said Macomber. Luckily, the happiness of a new puppy masked the sadness of Santa’s true identity. Christmas for Mersay Alemseged was tender and full love. At a young age, Alemseged lived in an apartment with his family. He had thought that since his apartment had no chimney that Santa could not visit him. However, Almeseged’s parents bought him a wall paper chimney and told him, “Since we have this, Santa can come.” Sure enough, each Christmas, there were presents with Santa’s name on it for Alemseged. However, as Almeseged grew older, he watched more Christmas shows on television. On the shows, they were saying that Santa was not real and he was just make-believe. It was then, Alemseged realized Santa must not be real. He says, “If the shows are saying he’s not real it must be true.”
Though his Santa’s experience was soiled, Alemseged did his best to keep the dream alive for his younger brother. Alemseged would wrap his brother’s presents and made sure Santa’s name was on each of them. He would also eat the cookies for Santa, and left a note for his brother saying, “Thanks for the cookies.” As a young child, Brett Dickinson believed in Santa. His parents went to great lengths to help Dickinson believe. They bought extra-large, “tighty whitie” underwear, and put it in the fireplace, claiming Santa had gotten stuck in there trying to escape. His parents also put tootsie rolls outside of their house, saying that the reindeers had pooped on their driveway. Dickinson was convinced. However, at the age of five, Dickinson’s brother and cousin confronted him when he had talked about Santa. His brother and cousin told him that Santa was, in fact, not real, and he had been lied to his entire life. As a result, Dickinson cried his eyes out and told on them. “I’m still sad about that,” Dickinson says. “It’s fun to believe,” some parents say. Is it really fun? Or just crushing? The truth about Santa has to come out sooner or later. If this is how you found out the truth about Santa, I am truly sorry for your loss.
Expires 12/20/14
BUY ONE DRINK
GET ONE FREE
WITH STUDENT ID. EXPIRES 12/12/14
Editor-in-Chief David O’Hair
News Editor Tara Hattendorf
Assistant Editor Nic Miller
Sports Editor Trent Broeckel
Layout Editor Taylor Smith
Opinion Editor Carlo Pean Backpage Editor Amanda Navarrete
Copy Editors Emily Mathe Jayson Paw Jessica Winters Laura Helms Faculty Advisers Lynne Thew Michelle Rai Features Editor Taylor Pittenger
vol. XCI
THURSDAY, 4 DECEMBER 2014
7
OPINIONS & EDITORIALS naturebox.com
harrys.com
birchbox.com
GIVE A SUBSCRIPTION THIS HOLIDAY SEASON
stumptowncoffee.com
frankandoak.com
International Holiday Traditions
gizmocrate.com
By Jessica Winters
For most of us who grew up celebrating Christmas in the United States, very specific traditions come to mind when we hear the name of the holiday. We think of stockings hung on fireplace mantles, a jolly fat man who hauls toys in a sleigh pulled by flying deer, and pine trees decked out in the latest electric lights and shiny bulbs. However, in many countries around the world you would not find any of these things around this time of year. The mere mention of them would probably get you nothing more than a chuckle or a raised eyebrow. Some countries do have a few similar traditions to ours, but with a slight twist. Here are a few of the weird, and the wonderful, from around the world:
Slovakia It is traditional for the oldest man in the house to take a spoonful of loksa pudding and throw it at the ceiling. According to tradition, the more pudding that sticks, the better the harvest will be in the coming year. Finland Here, people choose to use Christmas as a special time to honor their dead loved ones. Families gather at the graves of their departed and light candles in their memory, bringing a warm, loving glow to the usually dismal place.
Germany Japan Rather than hanging stockings over the fireplace on Dec. 24, German children Interestingly, because of a very successful advertising campaign in the early leave one shoe outside on Dec. 5. Good children receive sweets and small toys, 1970s, it is extremely common for Japanese families to have their Christmas but children who have been bad get a tree branch in their shoe. Eve meal at KFC. Ukraine Before I finish, I have to address a strange tradition, which was probably the Here, instead of decorating their trees with colored lights, glass bulbs or stars, first to pop into most people’s minds—one that you probably wondered why I families cover their branches with fake spiders and webs. didn’t select for Germany: the Pickle Ornament. These are sold in holiday and novelty shops all across the U.S., with cute little tags explaining the charming Sweden German tradition where parents hide the pickle ornament somewhere on their Swedish people have a fun tradition that involves hiding a peeled almond in decorated tree. The child who finds it gets a special “pickle present” as a bonus the rice pudding. For whoever finds the almond in their helping, it is believed that year. However, while widely accepted as true, I’m afraid that this one is a that they will be married within a year. hoax. If you search the tradition on Google, you can find many sites debunking the myth. I also have a friend who was born and grew up in Germany, who said Italy that she has never in her life heard anyone, except for Americans, talking about Italian children don’t believe that Santa Claus is the only one who brings the tradition. Don’t let this get you down, though. If your family has adopted them toys. After Christmas they eagerly wait for a friendly witch named Befana this tradition as their own and you all enjoy adding it to your annual celebration, to bring them candy and toys on Jan. 5. there’s no reason you can’t keep doing it. Just because it’s not an old German holiday game doesn’t mean it isn’t fun.
Campus Chronicle
8
no.5
The Final Word The Best Things About Christmas
By Amanda Navarrete
Some people love it, a few see it as overrated and others try to remember the true meaning. Whether you celebrate it as the time of Jesus’ birth or see it as an opportunity to stock up on peppermint bark, Christmas is the best, and here’s why.
excited about watching. The nostalgia of watching Christmas movies you’ve seen a hundred times before never gets old. Plus, what better way to unwind from a stressful week of finals and projects than a cup of hot cocoa and watching Christmas movies to your heart’s content?
1. UGLY SWEATER PARTIES Stay warm with an iron-on Rudolph with a red pompom for a nose splayed across your sweater, or maybe that other sweater with dancing elves and Santa Claus. Christmas time gives you a chance to dust off your favorite ugly sweaters and don them with pride while you socialize with friends that are also impeccably dressed.
4. DECORATING When I was little, I knew it was Christmas time when my parents would haul out the ornaments from the garage on the first Sunday of December, in preparation of Christmas decorating. Since then, it’s been a tradition that I love to this day. Nothing gets you in the holiday spirit quite like a house full of Christmas decorations and poinsettias.
2. THE FOOD Recovering from a Thanksgiving food coma only means one thing: it’s time to eat yourself back into another food-induced hibernation. Plus, home cooked meals become highly appreciated after surviving on coffee and ramen for the past couple of months. Enjoy your break from the microwave and standing in cafeteria lines, and remember what it’s like to sit at an actual dinner table with your family.
5. FAMILY TIME Of course, even without the hoopla and traditions, the best part of Christmas is the quality time spent with family. It is especially appreciated coming home from college, where homesickness starts to kick in by the end of the quarter. Christmas gives you a chance to catch up with loved ones and remember what is really important.
If you are known as the resident scrooge, try to remember that Christmas 3. CHRISTMAS MOVIES season is not forever, and eventually those red Starbucks’ cups will go away. But Whether you like classic films like It’s A Wonderful Life or perhaps Elf is for the rest of us, soak it in and enjoy Christmas before it is over. more up your alley (or both), there’s a Christmas movie for everyone to get
#PUCchronicle
@ coffeecupscholar
$ 20 GIFT CARD CONTEST
@spencerls7
Use this hashtag for a chance to be featured in the paper.
@laura_helms
@arvelloren
QUESTIONS: Answer these questions and email dcohair@puc.edu your guesses by 12/8/14. A winner will be randomly selected and given a $20 gift card to Gillwoods Cafe!
1. What christmas movie contains the famous phrase, “You’ll shoot your eye out”? 2. How tall is the Christmas tree that stands in Rockefeller Center? 3. What were two prizes given away at the SA Christmas Colloquy?