Author: cmo015

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Arts & Life

Hershey’s takes on the Bison: students thrilled about free samples

Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Christina Oddo
Arts & Life Editor

The Bison recently added a freezer of Hershey’s Ice Cream across from the small bags of chips by the sandwich station. On Wednesday, students and faculty had the opportunity to sample Hershey’s Ice Cream.

“I was really excited about it because I love ice cream and it was a nice surprise because I didn’t know it was free” Samantha Deana ’15 said.

This was not the first time free samples were given out in the Bison.  A couple of weeks ago free samples of different flavors of ice cream were distributed.

“It was delicious!” Amanda Slaboden ’13 said. “I had cookies and cream and I think it’s a great addition to the Bison”

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Arts & Life

Campus Theatre continues to connect University and town

Molly Ford

Writer

The Bucknellian recently sat down with Campus Theatre Manager Jenni Stieler to get the facts straight surrounding the art deco theatre located on Market Street.

“[The University] had to own the building to bring the grant money to remodel to the organization,” Stieler said.

The organization Stieler is referring to is the Campus Theatre Ltd. Stieler is an employee of the local non-profit organization that has formed a mutually beneficial relationship with the University. She explains that the University is interested in investing in downtown Lewisburg to make the town as exciting as possible for the residents, students, parents and especially for the faculty who are required to move away from other cities.

“[The Campus Theater] is one of only 100 of these single screen theatres left in the country,” Stieler said.

If you only attend large multiplex cinemas, you miss out on the experience.

Stieler described the University as “the landlord” who rents the building at a minimal fee to the Campus Theatre organization, and then rents the building back for screenings and events. The Campus Theatre is a great connection between the University and the town because the two work together to maintain the beauty of the building as well as the appeal of the films and events the Theatre hosts. Stieler describes the relationship as “a win-win.”

The University screens movies every Monday evening and Tuesday afternoon and evening. Monday nights and Tuesday afternoons are free and open to the public, while Tuesday nights cost two dollars. Visiting Assistant Professor of English Amanda Keeler chooses the Monday night screenings for her Film and Media Studies students, while Eric Faden, Associate Professor of English, chooses what movie to screen from requests he receives. Stieler explains that, now that word is getting out, audience size is increasing greatly.

The Campus Theatre also plays second run movies–current films about two months past their release date. Steiler explains that the committee will play movies that receive at least a seven out of 10 IMDb rating.

Besides coming to watch movies, the University and the larger community utilize the newly remodeled theatre for private events such as cocktail parties, weddings and political forums.

Be sure to keep a heads up for special events at the theatre this semester, particularly the American Red Cross Blood Drive on Wednesday, Oct. 31. A silent classic movie based on the life of Dracula will appropriately be playing continuously during the drive.

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Arts & Life Columns Sleeping Around

Sleeping Around: The Proverbial Closet

Rocky Blue
Columnist

We are all aware of the proverbial “closet,” consisting of a homosexual male who has not yet openly told the world that he is, in fact, gay. There are several different types of closets–each guy’s is unique–but there are several more broad categories of the “closet” that we will discuss.

1. The “glass closet.” This is probably the most painful closet to see someone in. Basically, we know you’re gay, you know you’re gay– just say it already!

You might be in a glass closet if: your friends are primarily girls, you’ve already had some sexual experience with another dude and you openly express a love for Madonna, Lady Gaga or Urban Outfitters.

My advice: You are not fooling anyone, and honestly it will just be easier for you to come out instead of awkwardly, half-grinding with a girl at every register.

2. The “straight closet.” You would never peg this guy to be gay, but he is. If you look closely enough, or have great “gaydar” like I do, you might be able to pick something up. But, they just seem so far from what is traditionally depicted as a gay man. If there is anything I have learned over the years, it is that anyone may be gay.

My advice: People in this closet are usually pretty insecure about themselves or come from an incredibly conservative family. Most guys think they need to wait it out and are constantly giving themselves time frames of when they will come out. “I’ll come out in high school” or “I’ll come out after college.” Blah blah blah. Just come out; it doesn’t have to be that big of a deal and it could be widely accepted. You always hear about kids being kicked out of their homes, but from my experience and the experiences of my friends, parents can be surprisingly accepting and loving, and even though it may be awkward at first, being out is way better than pretending to be something you’re not. Additionally, these kids always tend to be the sluttiest … don’t ask me why.

3. Last but not least, the “hidden closet.” This closet is reserved for those who don’t even know they are gay yet, despite the protests of everyone around them. When someone is in this closet, it is just a matter of time before he figures it out.

My advice: Because they don’t know, all you can do is wait and let them figure it out for themselves. They’ll get there eventually.

Before I leave you all, I just want to make sure everyone knows one thing. You can’t force someone out of the closet. Everyone needs to get there on their own. As a friend to someone in the closet, you just have to let them work it out. Give the person space and support and hopefully you’ll be that special friend they tell first.

 

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Arts & Life Featured

A journey around Israel

 

Ben Kaufman | The Bucknellian

Ben Kaufman
Presentation Director

I went to Israel this summer for the first time on a Birthright trip through a program called Mayanot. It was truly a wonderful experience to get to see everything that I have learned about Israel come to life.

I signed up with a friend from my high school, and was lucky enough to be on the same trip with my fraternity brother, Dan Gelbard ’13. It was very refreshing to have a familiar face on the trip, and we ultimately represented our fraternity and the University. There were 40 people on our trip, including people from New York, Georgia, California, London and many other places across the globe. Our trip leader was a Harvard student and we also had three Israeli leaders, all of whom were instrumental in giving us all the knowledge and help we would need during our journey.

The teaching component of our trip started the minute we arrived at the airport. The leaders gave us basic information about Israel and what to expect for the next few days. Twelve hours later, we arrived in Israel and began the journey of a lifetime. The leaders emphasized the importance of learning about our ancestors, as well as traditions of the modern Israeli people, while on the trip. I kept this in the back of my mind as I began my journey through Israel. We were lucky enough to see great sites, including Ein Gedi, a waterfall in an oasis in the middle of the desert.

Two particular events of the trip stand out to me. The first was meeting a man named Avraham in a small town called Tzfat, which is known for its spiritual nature. A lot of the people there practice Kabbalah, work and live there. Avraham, originally from Detroit, moved to Tzfat in his 20s after he started reading and learning about Kabbalah. The study of Kabbalah inspired him to drop everything he had in America and come to Israel to further his studies. Now, he makes paintings with verses of the Torah imprinted on it, as well as images expressing his own interpretation of a person’s name. I have never met someone who was so happy and content with life. He was very relaxed and satisfied with where his life had brought him, and he taught me to be happy with what I have in life and who I am.

The most meaningful part of my trip was when we stayed in Jerusalem for Shabbat. We were lucky enough to go the Western Wall on Friday night and experience Shabbat with the rest of Israel. I had never felt such a strong connection to my Jewish culture than I did on that day; I had never seen so many people brought together for one common reason. Although it may seem, from the outside, that a visit to the Western Wall is a quiet, individualized moment, there is actually a sense of inescapable community when you are there. Prayers are done both within yourself and with everyone around you. People are singing, dancing and praying all around, and there is always someone to put their arms around you and invite you to join them in their time of prayer. It was at this time that I really grasped the importance of the Birthright trip.

If I hadn’t gone on this trip, I never would have understood the emotional tie associated with being Jewish. Before this trip, Judaism was never a personal connection, but rather a label or something I would bring up to a friend in passing. This trip made me realize that there is a whole group of Jewish people that have overcome obstacles and dangers, creating the strong group of people we are today. Going to Israel gave me a greater appreciation for the Jewish religion. For thousands of years, people have tried to take Israel from the Jews, and every time they have failed. It is important to understand the significance of Israel, and that it is the one place that every Jewish person has in common as a point of righteousness.

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Arts & Life Columns Cooking Corner

Cooking Corner: Tuna Mac & Cheese

Katie Mancino | The Bucknellian

Katie Mancino
Writer

15-Minute Meal: Tuna Mac & Cheese
309 calories, 5g fat,  46 carbs, 23g protein
Makes 4 servings

I made this classic in the Swartz kitchen for a few friends recently. We’re all short on time so it was great to be able to sit down together with a delicious dinner that was so easy to make. It’s a dish I love because it’s fast, easy and is completely made from things I always have around–Laughing Cow cheeses and canned tuna are always in my mini fridge! The cheese wedges aren’t just to save calories (although at 35 calories each they definitely do), they’re soft and creamy, making the sauce creamier and richer too.

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 cans chunk white tuna
  • 8 oz (4 servings) Ronzoni Smart Taste Penne
  • 1 Tbsp Land O’ Lakes Light Butter
  • 1 Tbsp flour
  • 1 cup nonfat milk
  • 4 Laughing Cow Garlic & Herb cheese wedges

Directions

  1. Start pasta and make the sauce while it cooks.
  2. In a separate pan over medium heat, cook garlic and tuna for 3 minutes with 1/4 cup water. Season with salt and pepper.
  3. Remove tuna from pan. Using the same pan, melt the butter with the flour, cooking for 1 minute until it forms a thick paste (called a roux).
  4. Add milk and cheese, then stir until it all melts and becomes a thick sauce (about 5 minutes).
  5. Toss sauce, tuna and pasta together and enjoy!
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Arts & Life Columns Movies Review

“Premium Rush” deemed a typical action movie with an engaging cast

 

Courtesy of premiumrush.com

Carolyn Williams
Writer

“Premium Rush” is director/screenwriter David Koepp’s latest, end-of-summer, adrenaline-inducing, action thriller starring New York City bike messengers as unsung heroes locked in a classic struggle of good versus evil. But really, that’s pretty much the gist.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt stars as Wilee, an Ivy League law school grad who is putting his diploma to good use by delivering messages up and down the city as a bike messenger. This character, though perfectly likable, has a death wish; here he is whipping along lanes of traffic all day, on a bike with no gears or brakes. He and his girlfriend, Vanessa (Dania Ramirez), and their goofy sidekick of sorts (Wole Parks) are portrayed here as enlightened anti-corporate thrill-seekers. They are called to the siren song of high speed cycling through obstacles and thinking their way around corners, all while engaging in friendly banter and/or casual lovers’ spats, until the plot intervenes.

A dirty cop named Detective Monday (Michael Shannon) has a little bit of a gambling problem, and things go from bad to worse. After taking a beating from some Asian toughs for coming up short, he receives a tip about a sure way to make up his end of the bargain by the appointed time, if he’s willing to bend the law a little bit and intercept a package on its way to Chinatown.

Enter Nima (Jamie Chung), Vanessa’s roommate, who has gotten mixed up in some kind of dirty dealings in the Asian underworld. Don’t worry, we quickly learn the reason: she’s trying to bring her son into America after working three jobs for two years while attending Columbia to raise the money. She knows Wilee’s the best messenger in the biz, so she requests him to carry this sensitive package. He’s subsequently less than pleased to find himself being chased by Monday all over New York, but the truth of Nima’s package is revealed. Naturally, once they understand that they’re fighting for the “American Dream,” Wilee’s crew springs into action, leading to a series of dizzying bike chases and narrow escapes–a culminating and predictable ending for this sort of a movie.

“Premium Rush” isn’t a bad movie by any means. It has a good cast (with the exception of Shannon reprising his role as the crazy guy from “Revolutionary Road”, except it doesn’t make as much sense here) and a good director who knows what he’s doing as far as action movies go. If you’re looking for something deep, this isn’t it. Minimal character development and a general adherence to the action-film playbook hurt “Premium Rush,” even if it does have some excellent action scenes. Between “The Dark Knight Rises”, this weekend’s “Looper” and the upcoming biopic “Lincoln,” Gordon-Levitt clearly has been very busy, and though we’ll hope the next two films are better, “Premium Rush” will do for now.

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Arts & Life Columns Humor Rees' Pieces

Rees’ Pieces

Ben Rees

Writer

Column History

When published in a history book, an individual is immediately lauded for his or her accomplishments while other vices he or she may have had are pushed aside. History has extremely selective hearing and, if you don’t believe me, I encourage you to be imaginative for the next 500 words and humor me–that’s right, humor me.

Let us start early with the masterful and innovative thinker, Socrates. He examined and tested the minds of men, and his methodology for questioning the general populace made him one of the most famous philosophers to date. Yet, what if we take him out of the limelight? Socrates was an older gentleman who, while walking around in a toga (which wasn’t weird then), approached unsuspecting people and bombarded them with questions.  He would hold court with the people of Athens, and was put to death for essentially being annoying or disavowing the gods; I can’t remember which. His sentence of corrupting the Athenians sounds grandiose now, but maybe, just maybe, Socrates was simply a roving wise guy who stepped on a few too many intellectual toes.

Noah Webster, the man who compiled the first American dictionary, must have been a huge bother. How frustrating is it when friends correct your speaking in a casual setting? Can you imagine having coffee with the guy who generated today’s standardized dictionary? He must have driven people up the wall with his nonstop conquest for proper language. Besides, anyone whose life goal is to compile and define an extensive collection of words must have been seriously anal (go ahead and look that one up).

I can imagine nothing worse than living with Ludwig van Beethoven. His renown is wholly justified; he is one of the most amazing musicians to have ever lived, and his works almost always sound great. I say almost always because in the unfortunate situation that he was a roommate of yours, his deafness would probably have impeded your sleeping. If a composer cannot hear how loud he is playing, then I strongly doubt he would have heard your attempts of asking him to kindly turn the harpsichord down.

Bill Gates was too smart for Harvard. He got bored there, so decided to do what many kids do–he moved into his parents’ house. Now, as glamorous as this sounds, Gates didn’t exactly sit around watching “Full House” reruns; he and his good buddy Paul Allen created Microsoft, which is the reason Gates is worth $66 billion. But, before all this success, Gates was just one of those kids who was too cool for playing Monopoly like the rest of us. Instead, he had to form a multi-billion dollar technological monopoly and make the rest of the world feel like losers for staying in school.

Everyone knows a kid who thinks he has a great idea and drops out of school, but we all sleep well at night because we believe that he will fail. But Gates and the others I have mentioned all succeeded at a massive rate because they had talent–talent and the ability to overcome anything that stood in their way. Most of us don’t have this talent, so, unfortunately, we have to control our quirks, because I know that in my case, I can’t justify my annoying habits with $66 billion or statues of myself.

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Arts & Life

Fall Fest

Edward Louie | The Bucknellian
Students ride on ferris wheel at Fall Fest.

Fall Fest took place on Sojka lawn Saturday September 15 at 1 p.m. The event featured  featured Tyler Hilton, Gloriana, and Jack Ingram!  There was a photo booth, tye dying, an inflatable maze, pumpkin decorating, and some awesome food too.

“I feel like fall fest this year was a great success” Greta Savickaite ’15. “The live music and outside atmosphere definitely brought a great crowd out making the event fun and relaxing for everyone.”

Edward Louie | The Bucknellian
Three students join Gloriana onstage. The audience couldn’t help but dance and sing along to the popular country songs.
Edward Louie | The Bucknellian
Rachel Reinert of Gloriana sings during Fall Fest. The band’s performance was the main act of the event and their songs were a hit.
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Arts & Life Campus Events

Molly Miller ’14 joins Dena DeRose Trio in Jazz ensemble performance

Christina Oddo

Arts & Life Editor

Students and faculty gathered in the lobby of the Weis Center for the Performing Arts on Sept. 12 to experience a Dena DeRose Trio performance. Molly Miller ’14 had the opportunity to perform with the Trio at the event. This jazz ensemble performance was part of the Janet Weis Cabaret Jazz Series.

“I met Dena DeRose in her studio apartment in Long Island City almost 10 years ago,” Miller said. “After which, Dena became–and continues to be–my greatest musical inspiration. I used to listen to her albums every night while I fell asleep, and I carry the lessons that I’ve learned from her with me always.”

DeRose has performed at many legendary venues, including the Jazz Standard in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. and the Jazz Showcase in Chicago.

“Dena DeRose was incredible!” Katie Wimmer ’15 said. “Her voice was smooth and a pleasure to listen to. Some of my favorite parts were the solos of the base and drums. But my favorite part of the performance was Molly. She has an incredible voice which rivals the main performer. After going to this concert, I am now a fan of jazz.”

For Miller, this was an unforgettable experience.

“I have never had more fun performing than I had last Wednesday night, singing with the Dena DeRose Trio,” Miller said. “Matt Wilson is one of the most enthusiastic and dynamic people I’ve ever met. I love working with Martin Wind for his sensitive touch and creative intuition. And of course, there’s Dena. I am so grateful not only for the time spent with Dena, Matt and Martin, but also for the incredible opportunity to share some of my favorite music with my friends at Bucknell. The Janet Weis Cabaret Series gave me the chance to integrate my collegiate life into my life outside of Bucknell.”

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Arts & Life

Q&A with Her Campus co-presidents Liz Bacharach and Sarah Dubow

*note, the answers to the questions that do not have name labels are what both of the presidents said through email, according to Anna.

Q&A with Her Campus co-presidents Liz Bacharach and Sarah Dubow

By Anna Jones

What is Her Campus?

“Her Campus (HC) is a national online magazine written by collegiettes (college women), for collegiettes. They have about 215 university chapters. At the national level, there are a variety of college student writers that write about everything from the newest styles to landing your dream job. On the university branch level, it is basically a girl’s guide to college. Coining the term ‘collegiettes,’ HC strives to guide college women through their college years.”

What differentiates HC from other social media websites?

“HC is all about empowering women to be … the best women they can be. We have fallen in love with HC because it is honest, quirky and unbelievably in harmony with what Bucknellians (and all collegiettes, for that matter) want to know. It hits every aspect not only of what it is like to be a woman–a collegiette–, but also a collegiette at Bucknell dealing with everything from how to find a formals date to training for a marathon to landing that dream internship.

HC fiercely protects its integrity, vibrancy and originality in a world of blogs that all begin to sound the same. HC Bucknell inspires through articles of real Bucknell collegiettes making an impact on our campus, in the country and abroad. It has its finger on the pulse of Bucknell collegiette life and is a resource we want to expand for all Bucknell women to have access to. With so many divisions at Bucknell between first-years and upper classmen, greek and non-greek, varsity athletes and non-athletes, etc., HC is a way to bring everyone together while still expressing individuality.”

Why do you think University students should read HC? 

“HC is a great way to get a different take on what’s happening on campus from a woman’s perspective. From events to campus celebrities to the cutest guys (and girls!) on campus, the website serves as a source for procrastination, enlightenment and fun. We upload new content throughout the week (seven articles per week) so there is always a new article to be read, whether on the national level or Bucknell level.”

How did you get involved with HC?

Sarah: “I started reading it first semester last year and kind of fell in love with it. I went abroad last semester, but still wanted to write so I was their abroad correspondent. Then, the two girls who founded HC were graduating, so that’s how I came into the presidency position.”

Liz: “I want to focus on journalism, so I researched all the clubs at Bucknell that were involved with that. We’re not a University-supported club just yet though, so I found out through my friend who runs hers at Emory how to get involved and I figured out we have one here too.”

How can other University students get involved?

Sarah: “We switched over to an application process this summer, so we had people apply over the summer and then we have our full team–except for first-years–for the year.”

Liz: “We have a staff of about 20 writers so far, but we’re looking for first-years so we’re beginning that process in the next two weeks.”

Sarah: “But if people are interested, they can always just email us because there are always ways to get involved.”

What do you like about writing for the site?

Liz: “It’s hard not to love writing for it. It’s such a unique outlet for college girls … and it’s a very relatable source. It’s easy to connect to the readers.”

Sarah: “I think it’s also a very needed outlet, especially on our campus because sometimes I feel like the boys get more of a spotlight.”

Liz: “It’s also so much fun to write for.”

Sarah: “We have an amazing group of girls and they’re so well rounded, passionate and just amazing to work with.”

Where do you see HC going this year?  

“We are so excited to be back for our second full year on campus. Our branch is truly expanding this year with new advertising, downtown giveaways, events and more. We want to not only create an online space from the women at Bucknell, but also bring it to life from the LC to the quad, downtown to taking over fraternity row. Keep your eyes out for all the exciting things we’re doing this semester and remember to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and check us out online!”