Month: February 2013

Arianna Huffington Hosts Q&A Session with Students

By Anna Jones

Though many students and guests had the privilege of hearing Arianna Huffington’s speech for the University’s “tech/no” series on Feb. 19, only about 25 students had the chance to get up close and personal with the media powerhouse. When Huffington arrived on campus, she went straight to the Elaine Langone Center to host a question and answer session with students.

Huffington started off the session by joking about the several inches of snow we’d just accumulated. After a few minutes of small talk, she jumped right into the session. The first question was about polling and how Huffington’s views have shifted over time. She answered with an interesting statement about how polling techniques have weakened journalism.

“It’s much easier for a journalist to just stay at their desk and collect the latest polling results instead of doing real research,” Huffington said.

“The response rates [of polls] are plummeting … most people don’t want to spend 20 minutes in the middle of dinner talking to a stranger,” Huffington said. “I would place polls in the same place as horoscopes … have fun and read polls like you have fun and read your horoscope. Few people plan their day based on their horoscopes though.”

Once the ball got rolling with the first question, the Q&A took off. Many students had questions on topics ranging from international media to journalism to career advice.

After a question from Kathleen Lenox ’13 on the Huffington Post in different countries, Huffington began to explain how the Post is run internationally.

“We are now in six countries … [and aside from the UK and Canada] we launched with a media partner … as a joint venture,” Huffington said. “We wanted every edition to be very grounded in the culture of the country … so we hired journalists from that country.”

Next, she fielded questions about technology, emphasizing that technology increases access.

“It can give a voice to people who didn’t have a voice before,” Huffington said. “But there’s something different about being live or in print.”

She continued to explain how easy it is to get caught up in technology and only stare at your computer screen.

Huffington went on to talk about the importance of blogging. Blogging has created a tremendous opportunity for anyone who can produce quality writing. Huffington even told one story about a homeless girl who began blogging and was eventually noticed by Harvard. The university offered her a place all thanks to blogging for the Huffington Post, and she is now a successful young woman.

She wrapped up the talk with a bit of advice when a student asked about how to enter the business of journalism.

“It’s all about doing what you love and working your way up,” Huffington said.

If you missed the speech, check it out online at: http://storify.com/BucknellU/arianna-bucknell

New Courses in the Works

By Ethan Weber

The latest sounds coming from the Sigfried Weis Music Building are neither opera recordings nor the plucked strings of harpsichords, but rather rumors and chatter of a new course to be offered to University students. The course? MUSC 147: “Introduction to Caf Music.”

“For quite some time now, we in the Music Department have been becoming increasingly aware of a disturbing trend among Bucknellians,” Dr. Irving Carmichael said. “The majority of non-music majors possess little knowledge of music history prior to the 1990s.”

“They’re incredibly egocentric,” Prof. Stevland Manilow said. “If it’s from before they were born, it’s as if it was never written or received airtime. This became all too clear at last year’s Chrysalis when it was learned that a large percentage of University students didn’t know who The Village People, the featured act, were.”

“It was really embarrassing,” Carmichael said. “The one that dresses like a construction worker even had to correct the students on how to do ‘Y.M.C.A.’ It’s like these kids have never been to a wedding reception or anything.”

After surveying University students about their knowledge of 20th-century popular music,  Carmichael and Manilow observed that Bucknellians do seem to be familiar with some of the older songs played over the radio in Bostwick Dining Hall.

“They like Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin’ on a Prayer,’ The Commodores’ ‘Brick House’ and most things by Michael Jackson. Some of them even admit to not hating KC and the Sunshine Band’s ‘I’m Your Boogie Man,’ which plays in there several times a week,” Carmichael said. “Still, most of them didn’t know who many of these acts were.”

“We hope that by opening an intellectual dialogue about these songs, we can lessen students’ need for auto-tuning and dubstep,” Manilow said.

Even though this course is still only in the planning stages, it has already prompted a parallel movement within the English Department. There, professors are designing similar courses, ENGL 236: “Films and Television Shows That Premiered Before You Were Born but Are Nonetheless Iconic and You Should Really Be Familiar with Them,” and ENGL 240: “Paper and the Printed Word: Where Are They Now?”

Both departments hope to offer these courses by next semester.

Trend Report: How to Look Good at the Gym (Without Really Trying!)

By Kate Jansen

Scenario: You decide to finally start your New Year’s resolution and go to the gym. Among the many decisions you must make while at the gym (Which machine should I use? Should I run upstairs to avoid seeing people I know?), you’re also faced with the issue of what to wear. You’re sporting your too-short Solows from sixth grade, your senior class t-shirt and dirty Keds.

We’ve all been there, which is why I’ve compiled a list of chic gym attire from the bottom up.

Bright sneakers: One of this spring’s hottest looks is the neon athletic sneaker. These shoes are fantastic for any sort of outdoor adventure and are a great excuse for pretending to go to the gym. I was in desperate need of new running shoes, so I recently ordered a pair of multi-colored Asics on Zappos. I have fallen head over heels in love. I wear them as often as I can, even if I don’t make it to the gym.

Leggings: I would say that leggings are a staple in the closets of many University women. To avoid the biting winter wind, wear a pair of leggings when you’re jogging to the gym. Although LuLu Lemon seems to be the go-to store for buying leggings, I have also bought great pairs from Gap Body and Athleta for half the price!

Tanks: Don’t be afraid to show off some skin this winter! Leggings look great paired with a sport tank top. Check out the Barnes & Noble Bookstore for some super-cute and spirited Under Armour tank tops.

Zip-ups and pull-overs: When I do make it to the gym, I always layer a pull-over or zip-up over my tank top. Patagonia and The North Face offer a variety of high-quality fleeces and quarter-zips.

Director David O. Russell’s latest film “Silver Linings Playbook” (based on Matthew Quick’s novel of the same name) walks a fine line between psychological drama and romantic comedy but does so with such exuberance that if you blink you’ll forget to question the unusual juxtaposition.

Pat Solitano, Jr. (Bradley Cooper) has just been released from the Pennsylvania State Mental Hospital after eight court-ordered months on the understanding that he will live with his parents and continue taking his medications. The reason he was locked up to begin with? He recently beat his wife’s lover nearly to death, and she has since divorced and filed a restraining order against him. Pat’s new plan upon getting back home: win her back.

His return to his working class Philly suburb is not that simple. His parents, though enthusiastic for his recuperation, are unsure of how to treat Pat’s violent mood swings and unrealistic expectations. His father, Pat Sr., (Robert De Niro) is a dedicated Eagles fan who has been issued a lifetime ban for fighting at games. Since then, he has been working as a bookie from home, an arrangement which has gotten him into some financial straits which play out later on. His wife (Jacki Weaver) tries to juggle the superstitions and unexpected similarities of the two men but is met with mixed success.

Change comes in the form of Pat Jr.’s unexpected friendship with a fellow social misfit, Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a young widow living nearby in her parents renovated garage. Tiffany is something of a Hollywood stock character: a blunt, practical, female lead who forces our hero to come to terms with reality. Lawrence manages to breathe some life into Tiffany’s familiar personality which definitely helps to quiet automatic associations with other similar characters (Amy Adams’ bartending college dropout comes quickly to mind). One of the absolute best scenes in the film includes Pat and Tiffany exchanging thoughts on antidepressants and other behavioral medications to the evident discomfort of their tablemates at a dinner party.

Eventually, the general search for silver linings comes to a head with a massive gamble involving an Eagles game and a dance competition that Pat and Tiffany plan to compete in. And though the deus ex machina is cranking pretty loudly at this point, it’s hard to deny the quirky heart at the film’s center.

“Silver Linings Playbook” has been extremely well-received by critics and fans alike for its tragicomic approach to love and stability.

“[It was] an emotionally engaging film about mental illness and recovery that works to show the public the intimacy and struggles associated with psychological disorders. It was raw, honest, touching and cringe-worthy at moments,” Kate Wilsterman ’14 said.

Clearly the Academy was similarly impressed, as the film has been nominated in eight categories, including Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress. As De Niro’s character says in the film, “When life reaches out with a moment like this, it’s a sin if you don’t reach back.”

“Silver Linings Playbook” is this year’s feel-good movie and a real contender at this weekend’s Oscars.