Author: Elizabeth Bacharach

Molly Brown
Writer

As the weather finally seems to be getting warmer and with Easter weekend under our belts, spring is fully underway.  Around campus many students are taking advantage of the weather opportunities, taking in the sun to relax after a stressful day in classes, whether by laying in the grass on the quad, throwing around a frisbee or simply taking a run outdoors for a change. A huge component of campus life is athletics. Yet here on campus, there is a drop in attendance at sporting events in comparison to the fall season and the crowd-drawing men’s basketball games in the winter, at least based on personal viewing. I do not think students view these spring sports as lesser than the fall ones, a sort of seasonal superiority complex. Rather, I feel the spring weather deters students from going to the sporting events.

This sounds ridiculous.  Who wouldn’t want to go catch a baseball game when the weather’s warm and sunny and you’re looking for some relaxation? If one proceeds with the weather argument, why would people wish to attend a football game when the temperature could be below freezing with additional wind chill and perhaps wintry precipitation? In reality, the springtime, despite its busy schedule, winds down the school year, relatively speaking. This is not to suggest that students blow off their schoolwork nor that professors lighten the course loads. There just seems to be more people outside enjoying some free time than there are in the fall. For relaxing, students may feel like lying down in the grass instead of getting pepped up at a sporting event where the hope is to have a raised blood pressure by the end of the game or match. Conversely, in the fall, the main motivation for sporting event attendance lies in the sense of camaraderie you get when you and your friends bundle up against the weather and pour your hearts out screaming “’Ray Bucknell” for your Bison. Bad weather is not an obstacle to attendance in the fall. The spring, though, is another story. If you have a deluge on your hands, there aren’t going to be too many students who are going to want to catch the double header.  The same applies for the cold in the spring: cold in the fall is enticing, but in the spring, it dissuades people from venturing outside.

In addition to the weather, there also seems to be a lack of advertising around campus for them.  So far, the only real attention-getter for a spring game is the baseball board outside the back of the ELC. I feel like students just might not know when there’s a lacrosse or tennis match. Even though the common response might be that “the schedules are online,” what if it’s a spur of the moment decision; just something to do in the evening or the afternoon? With the fall sports, it seems like everyone knows when the football and soccer games are, whether they’re home or away, what attire is requested, etc. With spring sports, this common knowledge is not as easily accessible or even in existence.

I think a bit more information will go a long way in promoting student attendance at spring sporting events. College sports are great and our University’s are even better. So, the next time you feel like sitting in the sun, why not see if there’s a way to catch a game at the same time?

By Ginny Jacobs

Contributing Writer

Body image doesn’t depend on what size or shape you are. We can be beautiful and fulfill the stresses that society demands and feel great about ourselves. On the other hand, we can be just the same and hate the way we look. Body image is all about how we feel and perceive ourselves, and society doesn’t always make that easy.

In society today there is a huge demand to look a certain way. If you have ever read a fashion magazine or watched any music video you are probably aware that the media isn’t kind to women. The ideal size for women in Hollywood and in high fashion is often a rail-thin size zero.

You may be aware of how Tyra Banks has recently gained weight, forcing her to have to defend her shape on television and in magazines.  “I get so much mail from young girls who say, ‘I look up to you, you’re not as skinny as everyone else, I think you’re beautiful,’ So when they say my body is ugly and disgusting, what does that make those girls feel like?” Banks said in People Magazine. 

It is not surprising that physical attractiveness plays a huge role in our culture. Every period of history has had its own standards of what is and is not beautiful. In the 19th century being beautiful meant wearing a corset, which caused breathing and digestive problems. Now we try to diet and exercise ourselves into what we deem as “fashionable” shape, which often brings even more serious consequences.

Advances in technology and the rise of mass media have caused normal concerns about how we look to become obsessions. Televisions, billboards, and magazines cause us to see “beautiful people” all the time, more often than our older family members did in their day, making these unrealistic standards of beauty seem both normal and attainable. It is likely that young women now see more images of outstandingly beautiful women in one day than their mothers saw throughout their entire teenage years.

Women these days are in fact trying to achieve the impossible as far as standards of beauty. Standards of female beauty have in fact become progressively more unrealistic during the 20th century. In 1917, the physically perfect woman was about 5′ 4” tall and weighed nearly 140 pounds. Even 25 years ago, top models and beauty queens weighed only 8% less than the average woman, now they weigh 23% less. 

We are constantly bombarded by images telling us how our bodies should look and feel. One of the most difficult aspects of achieving a healthy body image is being able to resist the social pressures around us telling us that are bodies are not good enough. We have to realize that these messages we see in the media are unrealistic and that bodies come in different shapes and sizes.

By Stefan Ivanovski

Contributing Writer

It’s gorgeous outside. It’s springtime, my favorite time of the year. As the temperatures start to rise, people all over campus and beyond reflexively reach for the air conditioning (AC) control and put the thermostat below 60 F.

I have not yet understood how people decide to use ACs the way they do, especially here in the United States. I spent my summer at the University doing research with the economics department, working most of the time at the library. The temperature outside was around 85-90 F. I would walk outside with a T-shirt, shorts and flip-flops. I would get to the library and I would be freezing; I would have to walk outside in order to warm myself up.

I remember asking one of the staff members at the reference desk to turn off the AC, but I was told that some areas cannot be “climate controlled.” Basically, it’s the whole floor or nothing. I wasn’t asking for the AC to be turned off. I was just trying to find at least one logical reason why anyone would turn the temperature down so low, to a temperature that is unbearable for pretty much everyone. I could not find any. Such actions do not follow any economic, environmental or rational logic nor are they healthy.

Keeping the temperature in the range of 68-73 F during hot summers, when it is necessary, instead of below 60 F would make sense. These days, the temperature outside doesn’t top 65 F, so it is best to open the windows and let the smell of spring enter the classrooms. My impression is that it seems to be “socially unacceptable” to open the window when you can “conveniently” turn on the AC and make the temperature “comfortable.” There must be something special about that feeling associated with turning the temperature knob. The HVAC is probably filled with dust, allergens, bacteria and mold, only making indoor air quality worse, using more money. Why would you pay for something when you can get something better for free?

I do understand that humidity is a big issue over the summer, and I am not advocating to stop the use of ACs, but I am calling for smarter use. The University can save some money through relying more on natural ventilation throughout most of the year, like now, rather than solely ACs.

For thousands of years, man has constructed houses in hostile environments, hot and cold, dry and humid, and has still managed to control indoor temperature without the use of technology or energy. For example, in the south of Spain, in most cities and towns, multi-story houses are constructed around narrow streets. This helps create shadows and keeps the sun away, which generates a nice cool climate indoors. Simple engineering and respect for environmental process goes a long way. My point is that we have to adapt to natural conditions and question “socially acceptable” habits such as the unnatural use of ACs.

Let’s try to enjoy the smell of spring from the comfort of our rooms, classrooms and offices: it isn’t too much to ask.

Thank you for your time and enjoy the spring.

By Connor Small

Writer

With the rise of new technologies, such as the smartphone, iPad and various social media sites, it sometimes feels as if being connected easily is quickly becoming less of a novelty and more of a necessity. Even right now as I write this, I have my Facebook and Twitter accounts open in the background, and I just got a text from my mom asking how my day was. Lately, it seems reality is viewed through a monitor rather than my own two eyes.

It’s unavoidable; the world has shrunk as a result of increased technological connectivity. I can go on my computer and find just about any piece of information I want from the first page of results provided by Google, and that doesn’t even scratch the surface. Think hard: when was the last time you clicked that little blue number two at the bottom of Google’s search results? And it’s not only that, as Google will auto-search as you type and show you results in real time. In my opinion, this increase in technology has lead to an inflated sense of instant gratification among people of our generation.

I sometimes find myself frustrated when it takes more than 10 seconds for a website to load, and I will spend hours at a time on Facebook. This growing independence on instant connectivity just seems unhealthy to me. If this weren’t enough, I can’t go more than 20 minutes without having some sort of buzz or ping emanating from my phone. It’s a stretch to call mobile devices phones anymore, as one can simultaneously access email, play Temple Run and look up the name of that actor whose name is on the tip of your tongue, all the while listening to music or talking on the phone.

Technology usage has also taken over social interactions. Next time you’re walking through campus, stop, take a look around and count the number of people with their noses pressed to their phones. Texting has become the main form of communication these days; my mom seems to be the only one who actually calls me. A large chunk of my daily interactions occur through Facebook, Twitter or text messaging, and unfortunately, many people have come to base their self worth off of how many notifications they receive on each site. For crying out loud, even some colleges and employers accept a candidate based on a Facebook profile.

In my opinion, technology that was once meant to make our lives easier has bred a generation that has their fingers stuck to their phones, frustrated when their device fails. If I see one more status update resembling “I have so much homework, but I can’t get off Facebook,” I might scream. And God help us if a printer breaks. I think what we all need to do is take a step back, turn our devices off and smell the fresh air for once.

By Josh Haywood
Writer

With the news of increased police activity on- and off-campus, I have heard many students voice their opposition to the effort. First and foremost I am glad to see an increase in police presence because it shows me that these law enforcement groups are doing their job. Neither group is out to ruin your day; they are there to uphold state and federal law.

It seems as if downtown has gotten more rowdy this year from the near riot on St. Catherine early during the fall semester to most recently police cars getting their windows broken and officers getting things thrown at them. Just the other weekend my teammate and I had to yell at some idiots playing beer can baseball in the street. We asked the students to stop but they for some reason thought we were infringing on their rights; it is funny how everyone becomes a lawyer when they are drunk. One girl started copping an attitude with my teammate, resulting in quite the argument between the two parties. I can see where the cops are coming from; I would not want to deal with some drunken idiot thinking he or she is above the law either. Students seem to be living in a fantasy world where they believe they can do anything they want without facing the consequences … too bad that’s not how the real world works.

This illusion between perception and reality exists on campus as well. Public Safety does not have it out to ruin your day. They, like any other law enforcement agency, have the sole purpose of upholding state and federal law. In light of 23 University Ave. and Kappa Sigma Fraternity raiding before spring break, Public Safety would not have searched there without a reason. For those who are not aware, 23 University Ave. is where a large percentage of Kappa Sigma fraternity brothers used to live, making it a sort of quasi-fraternity house of its own. Public Safety and Lewisburg Police Department were there in response to recent issues involving drug use. Crying about the two organizations doing their jobs is a waste of time and is pretty childish. Consider the following options: quit using illegal drugs, be more discreet about using illegal drugs or move to an ultra-liberal country like the Netherlands so you can use drugs in peace. Quit complaining about law enforcement being out to get you; certain drugs are illegal for a reason and I put full faith in our legislative bodies to keep certain drugs out of citizens’ hands.

By Jen Mok

Writer

Two recent events have caused controversy due to their absurdity and being a rude awakening call. Both events are related to the body-image issue–a common societal struggle faced by both males and females. These particular stories are unique though because they involve children as young as seven years old.

Last year when she turned seven, Poppy Burge received a voucher for a breast implants. This past Christmas she was given another voucher–this one for liposuction. Her mother stated that these vouchers are her way of investing in her young child’s future, as another parent may save for college. Another seven-year-old pressured to “perfect” her physical appearance is Bea Weiss, daughter of Dara-Lynn Weiss, a writer for Vogue magazine. Weiss put her daughter on a strict diet and decided to later publish the story in Vogue.

These two accounts are both upsetting and repulsive as they provide an upsetting truth about our society. Our culture is heavily centered on aesthetics and the power of beauty is significant. Studies have explored the societal advantages of a more “attractive” individual such as higher salary. That being said, it may be understandable then–to a certain degree–why Poppy’s mother views these vouchers as valuable investments. While there may be some rationale to this absurd action, there lacks rationality in a seven-year-old’s body dissatisfaction.

The biggest problems and worries of a child that young should concern wanting to play more, eat more candy or watch more television. Young children should not be concerned with how small their waist, thighs and hips are, or how large their chest is. Such criticisms of the body are reserved for the older generations for a reason. Women are increasingly more aware of their bodies due to issues of dating and fashion. For what reasons should a child be concerned about their size of their clothes or body? Furthermore, a young girl is not in any position to need a thinner body frame other than health concerns. If a child is obese and needs to adopt a healthier lifestyle, a diet is then appropriate. Unless under such circumstances regarding health, a diet is worthless and meaningless to a child. It is especially worthless because the decision to take on a diet plan is usually the result of a parent’s personal beliefs and wishes. A parent can be so disillusioned by these needs and pressures to be fit that they project and enforce such desires upon their children.

I believe that we should not allow the harsh criticisms applied to adults to influence and affect the children. It is not a way to shield the young from the realities of the world, but to allow them to enjoy the joys and more positive aspects of life for as long as they can. 

By Molly Brown

Writer

There exists somewhat of a cult behind vocal artists and their pre-concert demands, whether they include Janis Joplin’s much-acclaimed two bottles of Southern Comfort or the much tamer Pop-Tarts and Fruit Loops of Britney Spears. Numerous online editions of news outlets carry headlines reading things like “Top Ten Craziest Performer Demands,” which poses a question about performers’ demands. Do singers and/or artists have the right to ask for these things? Is it an abuse of their star status and power to have interns running about fulfilling their every whim? Or rather, are these demands well-deserved for the performers on often grueling concert circuits as testaments to how hard they’ve fought to be able to ask for specific food items or entertainment options before shows? Frankly, I say let ’em.

Part of the popularity behind pop stars is their often larger-than-life personas. Look at Lady Gaga. One does not only associate Lady Gaga with her music but also with her fashion, both onstage and off. For artists like Lady Gaga, their backstage demands might be one way to create some mystique for themselves. Wouldn’t it be cool if you were the particular someone who saved the day by bringing in the right kind of flowers or chocolate or take-out for someone whose music is played everywhere? Pretty soon the person whose job it is is to fulfill the every wish of that night’s star will tell their friends and family, “Hey! Guess who I met last night?” and recount their tale. Their family will tell other families who will tell others. If artists make the same demands at each and every venue they play, their demands become legends in their own right, which only helps to boost the artists’ persona.

I think that artists should be allowed to ask for something before a show (in reason, of course, and preferably legal). The music industry is highly competitive, and it has probably taken years for a particular artist to rise to fame or some level of it. Artists deserve some of the perks that go along with the difficulties of that lifestyle. After countless hours practicing, rehearsing, writing songs and traveling to venues, they need some moments of relaxation, and if asking for an iPad and a puppy to play with does the job for someone, then let them spend those couple hours or so of down time the way they wish.

Connor Small
Writer

Ah, Coachella: it’s almost here. Perhaps the most popular music festival in the United States over the past decade, the three-day Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival saw its largest attendance in history with over 225,000 concert-goers coming out to see their favorite artists perform in 2010. 

Coachella takes place in Indio, Calif. and historically features an extremely diverse array of artists. This year’s lineup features headliners such as The Black Keys, Radiohead and Dr. Dre & Snoop Dogg. Coachella features over 150 artists, including the Arctic Monkeys, Explosions in the Sky, M83 and Afrojack on Friday, Bon Iver, the Shins, David Guetta, Childish Gambino and Mt. Eden on Saturday and Justice, Florence and the Machine, Avicii and Flux Pavillion on Sunday. Clearly, Coachella has artists that appeal to almost everybody, and historically most people come away with a new palette of music to enjoy. But how does this year’s lineup compare to years past?

Most people remember Arcade Fire’s historic headlining performance at Coachella in 2011 (if you haven’t seen it, the entire concert is up on YouTube in 1080p). Last year’s Coachella was simply spectacular, featuring Kings of Leon, Mumford & Sons and Kanye. The multitude of artists covered every possible genre of music from rock to rap to techno, but last year marked the first time an indie band headlined the festival. Past headliners included The Cure, Paul McCartney, Jack Johnson and Roger Waters. I think that this year’s group of performers, however, is the most diverse and exciting lineup Coachella has ever had.

2012’s bill excites me because it has both a core group of big-name artists as well as a vast range of lesser-known artists whom I’ve been listening to over the last few days. Almost every artist is unique and electrifying with each bringing their own distinctive energy to their music. As a fan of indie music, the range of diverse, relatively unknown artists excites me. Since Coachella often acts as a launch pad for many of these types of artists, look for many of these musicians to gain notoriety in the coming weeks.

By Jasmine King

Writer

The biggest controversy of the weekend: race in the blockbuster hit “The Hunger Games.” Almost 10 days after the movie premiered, it is obviously something bold and different that this topic is still buzzing. Suzanne Collins, the author, describes each of the characters with such precision that it wasn’t difficult for directors to place people who look similar to the characters in those roles. Being true to the entire story is not something that movie adaptations are notorious for. Instead, they find the most fitting actors for their vision of how the story will play out. Skin color should not have an effect on how the audience feels about their characters. Sad to say, though, this is not the case. Audience members are outraged by the fact that Thresh and Rue are dark-skinned. One anonymous tweeter even went as far as to say, “Kk call me a racist but when I found out rue was black her death wasn’t as sad. #ihatemyself.”  This sentiment, I am guessing, comes from the fact that in the book, Suzanne Collins’ describes that Katniss has such a connection with Rue because Rue resembles Katniss’s little sister, Primrose.

But the racism gets worse; it bothers me more that the two African-American characters are from District 11–the poor agriculture district. Which is an interesting point in itself to the fact that Suzanne Collin’s herself confirmed that District 11 is located in the “Deep South.” In further investigation of District 11, the inhabitants of District 11 are described as having “dark skin and dark hair.” The most disturbing action comes with the fact that if any person in District 11 was caught stealing crops, that person would be publicly whipped, which happened often. I am sure that I’m not the only one who connected this with slavery. I am honestly not sure if Suzanne Collins was trying to say that our country will go back to its dark days of enslaving human beings or whether District 11 was located in the Deep South because it is the best place to grow crops and she is generalizing that dark skinned people happen to live there. But, if only for the reason that I love Suzanne Collins’ writing, I will say it is the latter.

These two controversies over race should not occur. The color of someone’s skin should not determine the merit of their acting, but the fact that Rue is dark skinned is overshadowing any thought about how well the actress played that role. And to end on this note about the race controversy in general, we, as Americans, say that we are past slavery, but we cannot say that we are past prejudices.

By Josh Haywood

Writer

Words cannot possibly describe my fury over what happened to Trayvon Martin. The most depressing fact is that this happened over month ago and Zimmerman remains free, charged with no crime. Protests have erupted all over the nation calling for justice to be brought to the Martin family. This crime only illuminates the issue of racial profiling and injustice that exists in the county. If Trayvon had “fit” the profile of the neighborhood he would have never been noticed. As for racial injustice I know damn well if the roles had been reversed and the person who was killed would have been white that the courts would have had a field day throwing the book at the shooter.

Why hasn’t anything been done about the case? The Sanford police have done nothing and have offered little as to the progress of the investigation. Meanwhile, a grassroots movement has sprung up seeking to have Zimmerman arrested. The reason nothing has been done is due to Florida’s unique modification of the “castle doctrine” law, called the Stand Your Ground law, which allows citizens to use force, in this case a gun, to “prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to himself or herself or another.” Under this law according to Zimmerman’s account of the incident, he was in the right. 

I really doubt a grown man was beaten up so badly by a 17-year-old adolescent that he needed to shoot the child to save his own life. The worst thing about the case is that unless someone comes forward or other evidence is presented stating otherwise, Zimmerman will more than likely walk free. Zimmerman is the only one that really knows what happened that fateful February day. The only fact in the case is that Trayvon Miller is dead: resting in a casket full of family memories and crushed dreams. It’s just disturbing that justice might possibly never be served for this youth struck down in his prime.

Rest in peace, Trayvon.