5 - The PILOT Magazine

13
April 2013
Vol. 69, No. 5
Presidential elections
photo / B
NEWS
8
PAC
A conference inspires the
campus
10 Community Board
An insight into Principia
discipline
12
Divers
Freshmen divers excel
18 Student Senate
29 North Korea
24
Homosexuality
30 Sequestration
26
Asteroid
A look at accomplishments
and challenges
Current status of the homosexuality discussion
Threat or watch fest
28 China
The Empire of the Middle has
a new leadership
XX PILOT April 2011
Update on the small Asian
player
News from Washington, D.C.
36
Abroads
37
Best dance crew
Changes in the abroad office
New dance classes
image / bloomingbath.com
PILOT POLL 2013
20 Student government
Principians’ views about our
leadership
OPINION
38 Hiding in the Open
Review of Principia’s latest
production
39 Taxes
Perspectives from liberal,
conservative and international
colmunists
42 Valuing Prin
Guest submission by Buck RC
JD Daugherty
FASHION
44 Election Time
The newest humor column
49 The functionalist
Profile: Oliver Simpson
46 Alistair’s guide
56 Music review
Off-campus highlights
Swiss-German band rocks
Liza’s world
52 Top Gear
Oliver’s perspective
58 Doctor Who
54 Anti-Top Gear
60 Book reviews
Shontee’s perspective
51 Timeless and simple
Profile: Shontee Pant
A loving relationship
Enjoy insights into three books
34 Campus Snaps
Scenes from college life
Bishoppe Kamusinga
EDITORIAL
Life of an RC
photo / Blake Bischoff
Meet Dan Schneider
April 2013 PILOT 03
photo / Galen Collins
32
Vincent reflects on the poll
results and student activism
on campus
49
Feature
22 Students’ voice
TEAM PILOT
“Truth is a revelation” S&H pg. 17
Editors-in-Chief
Liza Hagerman
Vincent-Immanuel Herr
Assigning Editor
Jess Gealy
Photo Editor
Nathan Wright
Assistant Editor
Annika Fredrikson
AP Style Editor
Colby Bermel
Business
Manager
Cheryl Johnson
Ad Manager
Lisa Lewis
Webmaster
Elisabeth Meindl
Staff Writers/
Columnists
Anthony AckahNyanzu
Christina Beck
Cameron Douglas
Corey Fedde
Jack Hanson
Katie Hynd
Heather Jackson
Casey Lee
Tyler Loechner
Angela Lupher
Sam Nickell
Stephen Purcell
Copy Editors
Sarah Butson
Katie Hynd
Owen Loose
Hayley MacWilliams
Shannon Naylor
Designers
Nico Hofmann
Rachel Gibbens
Andrew Montenigro
Nathalie Parker
Cristina Post
Photographers
Blake Bischoff
Galen Collins
Aubrey McMullin
Bishoppe Kamusinga
Hayley Scheck
Faculty
Advisor
Cover
photo
Allex Sammuli
Oliver Simpson
Abby Strub
Sam Williams
Bobby Witney
photos / Nathan Wright
cover design / Rachel Gibbens
Student Body Presidential Candidates:
Shirley Moihloe, Briggs DeLoach, and
Christine Nacewicz.
Ashley Reisen
Meredith Wallace
Jessica Wingert
Sage Stafford
Laura Tibbetts
This periodical is the product of the hard
work of those listed here. If you have
comments, questions or wish to know how
you can become part of the team, please
email us at: principia.pilot@gmail.com
Find us online at: principiapilot.org
Paul Van Slambrouck
© 2013 Principia College
Published three times per semester by
The Principia Pilot,
1 Maybeck Place, Elsah, IL, 62028.
Advertising inquiries: 618-374-4849
04 PILOT April 2013
Editors’ Page
Dear Readers,
This is an important time for us as Christian Scientists, as college students and as world citizens. Mary Baker Eddy
wisely stated: “We should remember that the world is wide; that there are a thousand million different human wills, opinions,
ambitions, tastes, and loves; that each person has a different history, constitution, culture, character, from all the rest; that
human life is the work, the play, the ceaseless action and reaction upon each other of these different atoms” (Miscallanous
Writings, 224). Being open to other perspectives does not excuse us from ignoring important topics, from creating our own
perspectivs and from partaking in important decisions and movements.
Our world needs our fullest attention, and so does our campus. As journalists, we try our best to present you with
articles, stories and topics that are most relevant at the present time, but we are also aware that we, too, are driven by our
own agendas and motives. Keeping those two sides apart is not always easy, and often impossible.
On a national level, the sequestration (30), questions of taxation (39-41), and even our knowledge of asteroid impacts
(26) are important topics to consider. Globally, North Korea (29) and China (28) frequently make the headlines. Principia
College prepares for an intriguing Student Body Presidential Election (13), while other topics such as the recent drug bust
(10), the homosexuality policy (24) and the current state of student government (18) are worth keeping up with as well.
Overall, we hope that you enjoy the articles in this issue and that they inspire you to think, ponder and be part of
something bigger than yourself.
Much love,
Vincent-Immanuel Herr, Liza Hagerman and Jessica Gealy
photo/ Nathan Wright
Pilot Nights are serious business.
April 2013 PILOT 05
Prez Column
Hello Student Body!
We hope you are excited about the upcoming elections for student body president and vice president! The Pilot and
student government will be co-hosting a Candidate Night, Wednesday, April 3 at 10:30 p.m. in Wanamaker Hall. Hear from
candidates as they respond to students’ questions and learn how they plan to continue to improve and support our beloved
campus! On, Friday April 5, we will hold the elections for student body president and vice president, so be sure to vote!
Wednesday, April 10, self-nomination letters for Student Senate are due to Marshall McCurties, or mailbox 109. Then
on Wednesday, April 17, student government will host a Candidate Night for Student Senate in the dining room at 10:30
p.m. Be sure to attend both Candidate Nights so you are a well-informed voter! Friday, April 19, we will hold Student Senate
elections, so again, be sure to vote!
We encourage all of you to consider participating in student government! We hope to see you at both Candidate Nights
as well. If you have any questions about the election process, feel free to contact Marshall McCurties.
Have a harmonious and joy-filled day!
Love,
Marshall McCurties and Christine Nacewicz
06 PILOT April 2013
graphic / warblogle.com
Letter to the Editor
E
Hire the camp counselor first
The Pilot received this letter as a response to last issue’s letter to the Editor
ver wonder what an employer is
thinking about your résumé? I
can tell you.
Over the past 15 years I have
reviewed hundreds of résumés and
hired dozens of employees. My work
has been with Fortune 500 companies,
government
agencies,
nonprofit
organizations and small businesses.
I primarily look for three things in
the résumés I review: experience,
communication skills and character.
The difficulty is that two out of these
three are better understood through
a face-to-face interview. Yet with
thousands of résumés passing hands,
face-to-face interviews only happen
after a résumé is filtered through initial
reading and analysis. Still, there are
things in every good resumé that give
me clues.
The first test is in the readability
and grammar of the resumé itself. Was
it written clearly? Does it flow properly
from beginning to middle to end? Did
the applicant take time to edit or did
he only run it through spell check? (I
often see grammatical errors that were
clearly spell check-related, for example,
“inn” instead on “in.”)
The most important thing I look
for, though, is the type of work an
applicant has done in the past. This is
so important to me that it often trumps
education. One time, I hired a state
school graduate over an Ivy League
graduate. Another time, I hired a man
with a junior college degree over three
other candidates with four-year college
degrees. In both cases, it wasn’t the
number of years or previous titles, but
the type of work done that made the
difference.
This leads to my point about camp
counselors. In my experience, one out
of every three résumés lists some sort of
work done with nonprofit organizations,
church groups, community service or
some type of youth organization. It is
always this last category that catches
my eye. I do not mean to diminish
the good work being done in all the
other areas. It’s more a matter of what
working with children can tell me about
the applicant’s priorities and character.
This is especially true of young
applicants who do not yet have a long
work history.
If a college student has a choice
between spending the summer doing
an internship in corporate America or
being a camp counselor, I recommend
the camp counselor job every time. The
reason is twofold. First, on a résumé,
the internship shows experience inside
corporate walls, but the type of work
being done is usually low responsibility
work, like filing, answering phones and
basic computer work. By contrast, camp
counselor work is high responsibility.
Parents entrust the safety and welfare
of their precious children to that
counselor’s judgment and maturity.
The second reason I recommend
camp counselor work is that it builds
much stronger communication skills.
While a corporate intern may be
talkative and friendly to her coworkers,
a camp counselor has to organize and
teach classes. While an intern may sit
in on weekly staff meetings, a camp
counselor is expected to be a leader in
staff meetings. While an intern goes
home at 5 p.m. and shrugs off the
day’s labor, the camp counselor steps
up to an extended level of leadership
running evening activities and, in the
case of sleepover camp, overseas the
health and wellness of a cabin full of
children, ensuring each child has teeth
brushed, clothes put away and a good
night’s sleep.
Indeed, when I see “camp
counselor” on a résumé, I know
immediately that the applicant
understands a level of responsibility
one or two steps beyond basic work
ethics. A camp counselor is a leader.
Sometimes teaching children new skills,
sometimes comforting children through
fearful times and always responsible for
the activities going on around him––
even when those activities include other
adults.
I believe so much in the role
summer camp jobs play in building
strong leaders that I recently took on a
new job as a camp director. After years
of observation in the corporate world, I
believe now more than ever that college
students are better prepared to enter
the work force when they are given
significant responsibility as part of their
training. Ironically, a human life is far
more valuable than a corporate client
or contract, yet a 20-year-old can be
entrusted with the lives of children,
while a corporate CEO would never
dream of relinquishing authority to a
20-year-old intern.
My motive is to help as many
college students as I can get the kind
of training and responsibility the world
really needs: the kind that doesn’t
sit idly by while a project flounders,
nor throws the blame on someone
else when a corporate venture takes a
wrong turn. With “camp counselor”
on your résumé, your future boss will
know from the start that you have at
least a basic understanding of patience,
group communications, discipline,
responsibility, compassion and empathy.
In other words, you will have the roots
of good leadership.
Dave Pelton
Director, Camp Owatonna
April 2013 PILOT 07
News
Action! Not Apathy.
Vincent-Immanuel
Herr
Editor-in-Chief
images / Karlin Krishnaswami
B
etween March 28 and 30, Principia College hosted its
64th annual Public Affairs Conference on the topic
of youth empowerment. The conference featured 11
speakers and several workshop leaders who shared their own
stories and perspectives and offered tools to empower others
to live a significant and meaningful life. The speakers had a
variety of different approaches to the broad topic of youth
empowerment. Throughout the two and a half day long
conference, the speakers, five of whom are Principia college
alumni, actively engaged with the delegates and proved that
every single one of us can be a catalyst for change.
Below you will find reactions to and comments about
the conference.
Keynote speaker Ronny Edry (r), his wife Michal and Majid Nowrouzi speak at the Guest
House on Wednesday night. Though Edry and
Nowrouzi were in contact for the past year,
using the “Israel loves Iran” and the “Iran
loves Israel” campaign to truly transform
the Middle East, both men had never met in
person.
Attendees of the Wednesday talk got to witness a historic talk between the two activsts
and their families. The two men were also
interviewed by both St. Louis Public Radio
and Voice of America on Wednesday and
Thursday.
image / Nathan Wright
Chris Bashinelli, host of TV-show “Bridge
the Gap,” and UN activist for youth issues,
enjoys the company of freshman Connor Savoye during a special reception for Anderson
House on Friday Night. Bashinelli gave the
closing address of the conference, reminding delegates of the importance of finding
your own motivation, passion and drive. His
theme of “Find Your Why” nicely tied in with
several other speakers’ emphasis on success
being equivalent with doing what you always
wanted to do.
“I loved how approachable the speakers were. Some of them were nice people/strangers that I would see around
campus, but had never really gotten the opportunity to speak to. All of the speakers have life experiences that I could never
relate to at such a young age. Yet all of them were motivated by drives and dreams that I myself have, and by seeing this
connection those amazing speakers showed that they were kids and young adults once just like me. PAC showed me my
potential, and it showed me that the only thing stopping any of us from our dreams is ourselves.”
- Gabe Hudson, freshman
08 PILOT April 2013
News
Evren Gunduz, founder of the Enjoy
Life Club, a leadership academy in New
England, talks to delegates on Friday
night. Gunduz’s talk earlier the same day
received wide spread recognition and
acclaim with the delegates. Freshman
Deanna Scheck shared: “Evren Gunduz’s
talk [was my favorite part of the conference]! Best talk I’ve ever heard. Absolutely incredible speaker.”
Attendees of Ronny Edry’s kenote address
on the Peace Factory participate in the
Israeli graphic designers’ request to become
part of the global peace movement by holding up hearts to show their support for an
end of violence. This picture is now prominently featured on the popular Peace Factory facebook site.
Three PAC executive directors on
one stage: senior Natalie Davenport (l), the 2013 director, interviews former directors Janessa
Gans Wilder (m) and Traci Fenton
(r) on how to build an international
organization, overcome self doubts
and find purpose in life and work.
“The 2013 PAC was incredible, and it made me really proud of Prin to see so many students and faculty interested in
the world. It was just amazing to hear so many enlightened people talk and to have so much knowledge in one room; it was
truly a great time. The topic of “Action, not Apathy” was definitely an important one, especially for so many young people
who desperately want to help but don’t know how. I think everyone walked away with their wheels turning and a renewed
desire to help the world.”
- Cassidy Orth-Moore, freshman
April 2013 PILOT 09
News
Community Board: “We’re here to
hear the truth and move forward”
Bobby Witney
Staff Writer
I
n the weeks leading up to spring
break, campus was shaken by the
arrival of police officers and the
removal of a student from class by
campus security. Word quickly spread
that this havoc was due to a drug bust.
Several students were held responsible
for taking drugs while a couple were
sent to jail. This was the reason for the
bust: Police had heard that there was a
source of drugs on the campus and had
collected enough evidence to arrest and
hold charges.
Principia’s responsibility as part
of the surrounding community meant
that the school had to comply with the
police’s demands; not doing so would
have been illegal. Had the students not
been taking part in illegal activities, they
may have been eligible for Restorative
Justice, where they would not have
been suspended, but the consequences
would have been used to support the
student in his or her next step towards
a healing, “restored” conclusion.
“Principia’s responsibility as
part of the larger community
meant that the school had
to comply with the police’s
demands.”
According to Blair Smith,
residence director in the student life
office, the role of Restorative Justice is
to “restore the relationship, restore the
community, restore the individual and
bring everything back to harmony.”
10 PILOT April 2013
However, in this situation, the students
went straight to Community Board.
Here, the police were no longer
involved, apart from the evidence they
gave Community Board in order to
determine the appropriate punitive
measures.
I spoke to both Smith and his
colleague Joshua Sprague about
the Community Board process, and
both of them emphasized the goal of
healing and the value of honesty within
this process. One of their favorite
quotes from Science and Health when
considering this process is, “Honesty is
spiritual power. Dishonesty is human
weakness, which forfeits divine help.”
The aim of suspending a student,
according to Sprague and Smith, is
to give the student the perspective of
being away from Principia, providing
them a chance to understand the value
of their experience at Principia and
seeing what they can contribute to the
Principia community.
“The aim of suspending
a student...is to give the
student the perspective of
being away from Principia.”
Sprague talked very positively
about students returning after
suspension: “We’ve found that a lot of
students come back and good things
happen after that.” Only once, in the
13 years Sprague has worked on this
program, has a student been expelled,
and this did not occur through
Community Board––it went straight
through administration.
Smith also points out that though
they ask students to be honest, since that
is a key part of the process, they keep
the process within reasonable bounds:
“We’re asking them to be honest about
what they did; we’re not asking them
about any information that may have
anything to do with another individual.”
Sprague further emphasized the lack
of a “plea bargain:” “We don’t make
deals,” he stated.
“The Community Board
process can help bring about
healing. “
I also discussed the Matthew
Code with Sprague and Smith and its
relation to the Restorative Justice and
Community Board processes. It was
mentioned that the Presidential Board
wanted to promote the use of the
“Spirit of Matthew.” Sprague says that
terming the Matthew Code the “Spirit
of Matthew” makes it less of an official
process and more a process of “helping
my friend” and “talking to them instead
of talking to other people about them.”
In addition to interviewing
Sprague and Smith, the administrators
of the Community Board program,
I was able to interview one of the
students that got suspended. In the
spirit of Community Board, it is a very
honest interview, which follows on the
next page. All in all, the interview with
Sprague, as well as the interview with
the student who was suspended, shows
that the Community Board process
can help bring about healing. Sprague
and Smith say that, in their experience,
prayer has been a huge part of what they
call a “pivotal moment” in students’
lives. It is their job, they say, to follow
News
Jesus’ commands, and to “behold in
science the perfect man.” This prayer is
an outreach to the community as well,
as Principia is not a ‘world of its own’,
but is part of a larger community, where
the law determines what students can
or cannot do.
Taking illegal drugs is an example
of something deemed to be harmful
to society and therefore cause for
police intervention, as many students
witnessed before spring break. However,
the Community Board allows the
response from our school community to
be empathetic and loving. Adherence
to state law, as well as adherence to
spiritual law, is what makes Community
Board a process which students at
Principia can support.
As Smith put it in very casual
terms, “We’re here to hear the truth
and move forward.”
Community Board interview
The interview was conducted by Bobby Witney
via email after the student was suspended. We
are respecting the suspended student’s wishes by
not to disclosing his or her identity.
What was the process by which
the Community Board got in
contact with you?
I was contacted for smoking
marijuana with some other students in
Morey Gymnasium. The whole process
was smooth, and everyone showed
their concern and understanding of
the situation. I never felt accused or
condemmned by anyone. Principia
showed great respect for the individual
and took the case with responsibility
and love.
When they did speak with you,
what was your initial reaction?
The process started with me being
interrogated by the county sheriff.
I lied. I said I hadn’t smoked, and
I gave my word that I could pass the
marijuana analysis on my urine. I lied.
I had smoked a couple of days before,
and the chemical was still in my body.
The next day, I met with Josh and
Blair from the Discipline Committee
and told them the whole truth. Hiding
was pointless. I needed to face my trial.
It took moral courage and humility
to speak the truth, and right after I
finished, I felt a sense of relief and love
that good can only come from doing
good.
Did you do some prayerful work
about the situation? What did it
involve? Did the board encourage
you in this?
I worked with Emilio Castroman,
a great practitioner from Elsah who
helped me understand that Love had
always been with me and always will
be. He also spoke of the right place,
and helped me with ideas that uplifted
my thought and took me out of the
angry and shameful emotions that I
was caught up in.
No matter how strong the storm
seems to be, the Christ is always walking
peacefully over the waves. I can only
thank Principia for helping me face my
beliefs and learn a valuable lesson.
Did you feel like the board was
fair in their treatment of you?
Was it more of an interrogation
or a discussion?
The board was fair, even though
I feel we need to add another step to
this whole process. The student who is
presenting his or her case, after hearing
the decision, should be given a way
to agree with the decision or present
another case. I don’t hold any hard
feelings towards the people who are
a part of the Community Board, but
I strongly defend the idea of students
asking for a re-evaluation of their case.
The panel asked questions and
listened to the student. The questions
were thoughtful and spontaneous.
Do you feel like the Board was
justified in their decision to
suspend you? Do you think there
may have been a better decision?
What this whole process has
taught me is that we need to conquer
our beliefs. Mrs. Eddy calls this hard,
unpleasant process chemicalization,
where the error is brought to the service.
I am happy I have found the courage
and strength to continue growing as the
reflection of God.
I believe that everything that I
experience is for my own growth and
for blessing the community. I hold no
hard feelings towards the community,
and I am looking forward to inspiring
and helping others with my experience.
What advice would you give
somebody that is contacted by the
Community Board for a hearing?
Be honest. Face your ghosts and
the consequences of your actions. Only
good can produce good, and no matter
what experience you are facing, the
Christ is always walking on the waves,
calming the storm.
April 2013 PILOT 11
News
Freshmen breathe new life into the
diving team
Tyler Loechner
Staff Writer
A
t this point last season, the
Principia College swim and
dive team wasn’t complete.
There were no divers. This year, the
team has three divers, all freshmen, and
two of them are among the best that
have ever come to Principia.
Freshmen Jesse Dehnert and
Connor Walton joined the team this
year having had years of prior diving
experience. Fellow freshman Henry
Hathaway was also on the team.
Despite 2012-2013 being Hathaway’s
first season as a diver, he made great
strides and came in ninth place on both
one-meter and three-meter boards at
the Liberal Arts Championship meet
in February. Walton also became the
first team member to win an individual
event at the Liberal Arts Championship
meet since diving coach Eric Phillips
nearly 10 years ago.
Dehnert and Walton went on to
compete at the regional qualification
meet, which was held at Calvin College
in Grand Rapids, Mich. Technically,
both Dehnert and Walton made cuts for
NCAA Division III nationals. However,
for the first time, divers with qualifying
scores had to compete against other
divers in their region in order to
advance to the NCAA championship
meet.
At the midwest regional meet,
one of the hardest divisions for divers
in the nation, Walton took ninth on the
3M (11 dives), while Dehnert took 15th
out of 22. On the 1M, Dehnert took
14th and Walton took 15th out of 22.
12 PILOT April 2013
Neither diver placed with a high enough he wants me to focus on,” Dehnert
score to move on to nationals, but the said. “I think [Henry] will make a lot
experience breathed new life into the of progress in his second year now that
Principia swim and Dive program.
he has some basics down and can work
Phillips and head coach Carl on getting new dives.
Erikson updated the team with live
Dehnert is already gearing up to
coverage of the regional meet on the put in the work for next season. He said
team’s Facebook pag,e and Walton and he took a couple of weeks off (from
Dehnert’s teammates intently followed diving, that is––Dehnert is currently on
along. Through the updates, the team the track team), but plans to get back
was able to vicariously extend their on the boards soon and dive three to
season through Dehnert and Walton.
four times a week.
Despite not qualifying for
Principia Alumni Al Oliver held
nationals, the meet was a great learning all four of the school’s diving records
experience for Dehnert and Walton. As for 30 years––the longest standing
both are only freshmen, they expect to holding of the men’s team records––
be back in upcoming seasons hungry before three of them fell this season
for the opportunity to advance to at the hands of Dehnert and Walton.
nationals.
Thanks to this year’s freshmen divers,
“Since it was a more competitive the future is bright for the diving team
meet, the judging was more difficult, at Principia.
but it was good to see the caliber of
divers that are there for future years,”
Dehnert said. “Another good takeaway
is that we saw what things the judges
deducted a lot
for. They weren’t
always the same
things deducted for
during the regular
season.”
L o o k i n g
ahead to next
season,
Dehnert
is excited to work
with
Phillips,
Walton, Hathaway
and whoever else
will join the team.
“I’ll keep Eric up
to date with dives
I’m learning and
photo / principiaathletics.com
[see] if he has any Freshman Connor Walton at the Liberal Arts Championship
meet in Iowa in February.
workouts or dives
News
Annika Fredrikson
Assistant Editor
C
hange is in the air ... or is it?
Elections are on the horizon.
Will current student body
president Christine Nacewicz be reelected with her new running mate
Derrick Fleming, or will challengers
Briggs DeLoach and Haley Morton
or Shirley Moihloe and Vernon West
assume control of office? Each team
of candidates brings unique qualities
and background experiences to the
table; this election might very well be a
close one. Let’s take a closer look at the
candidates' thoughts and opinions.
Q: What are the most important
qualities a student leader should
possess?
Christine and Derrick: A student
leader should possess confidence.
And that doesn't mean confidence in
just him or herself. Honesty, trust and
respect for yourself, the community and
fellow students are all really important
as well. A student leader needs to trust
the people they are serving and those
around them. If a leader cannot trust
the student body or others, then they
won't be able to be listen to them
effectively. Being able to listen is also
a crucial quality because it shows that
the concerns of the students are just as
important, if not more important, than
the agenda of the president and vice
president. This relates to being openminded, not trying to push personal
opinions or a personal agenda. A good
student leader leaves him or herself
out of the picture and focuses on
representing the students. It’s like being
a window in a way; a good leader forms
oneself to the position, not the other
way around. We all have the capacity to
be great campus leaders, and we hope
that after these elections people will
want to be more involved in student
government.
Briggs and Haley: We have identified
three crucial qualities the student
body president and vice president
should possess. First, the pair must be
dedicated metaphysicians that place
an emphasis on student government
decisions founded on Principle, not
human will. Second, the student body
president and vice president should not
shy away from voicing the true interests
of the students to the administration.
These student leaders cannot be
afraid of how their reputations with
the power structure may be affected
by representing the students. If the
students have a desired outcome from
April 2013 PILOT 13
photos / Nathan Wright
Your student government candidates
News
either student government or from
their Principia administration, it is the
job of the student body president and
vice president to relentlessly pursue this
end. Third, student leaders must be
aware of the interests of the students.
Ultimately, student government serves
the student body as a whole, not the
narrow interests of the administration
or elected representatives. Therefore,
the student body president and vice
president must tackle issues that affect
the campus as a whole.
Shirley and Vernon: Leaders
should possess qualities of honesty,
forthrightness and respect. A leader
who is honest is likely to communicate
more directly with people, thus gaining
their respect. We feel that leaders
should be a sufficient representation of
the diverse student body. An effective
leader should be an effective listener,
should have an open mind, be willing
to learn, and should base their decisions
on the welfare of all students, not just on
specific groups. A leader cannot truly
represent the student body unless they
have committed to expressing humility
by putting the needs of all others before
their own.
Q: If elected, what are your top
three goals for next year?
Christine and Derrick: There’s a
lot going on around here at Principia,
and there is lot more we would like to
continue working on if we are elected.
1. Our first goal is to continue
working on the new Howard Center.
We want that to become as successful as
possible and to get it moving forward.
2. Our second goal is to reach
out to more groups on campus and to
ease the communication between the
student body and student government.
Additionally, we would love the
communication between the student
14 PILOT April 2013
body and faculty members to also
improve and to make sure everyone’s
best interests are being considered.
3. Our last goal is to serve the
cause of Christian Science. Sometimes
it’s easy for us all to forget about
Christian Science when we’re in the
midst of all of our classes, work and
sports. We would love to encourage
an environment conducive for us all to
focus more on it, because for many of
us it's the reasons we came to Principia.
Briggs and Haley: On our Facebook
page, we have laid out various policy
objectives for next year, ranging
from practical solutions to bridging
the gap between international and
domestic students to bringing up the
homosexuality policy. Our top three
goals are:
1. Ensure that Christian Science is
an integral part of student government
and that decisions are founded upon
Principle.
2. Take action with the
administration on the homosexuality
policy if sufficient support exists among
the student body.
3. Host events to try and break
the divide between international and
domestic students.
Shirley and Vernon: Our goals are
as follows:
1.
Establishing
a
more
communicative environment regarding
the challenges that the campus faces,
which will be done by requesting more
administrative talks and discussions
regarding important controversial
topics that may be unclear among the
community.
2. An equal representation
of all students. We will strive to
educate the student body, faculty and
administration on the issues of labels
(such as “international” or “domestic”)
and the effect that it has, while pushing
toward a stronger sense of unity.
3. Making Christian Science
more accessible. We will strive toward
promoting more C.S. involvement
around the campus. By sponsoring
more Sunday school-like conversations
and peer-to-peer discussions regarding
student-related issues, we intend to
inspire the growth of our community
and help heighten the thought of the
entire campus.
Q: What do you see as the
immediate changes that need to
happen here at Principia?
Christine and Derrick: We are
going through a lot of changes already
right now with the recent switch to
semesters, which has brought to light
other things that need to adjust. The
Howard Center project is also in full
swing and will require a lot of attention.
The administration really wants
students to feel like they do have a voice
and do have a say, so the project has
been totally student-driven. Another
thing that can always be improved is
communication. Government is only
as good as people make it. So if you
want to feel heard, you need to speak
up. We think there’s a lot of things that
people would like to see looked at more
like the homosexual policy, amongst
other things. However, we don’t want
to make any promises or create false
hope. Therefore, we feel that increased
transparency and understanding about
how the college works is something
that needs to change; for example, how
decisions are made. We feel like as we
learn more about this, then we’ll be able
to use our resources more effectively in
enacting changes.
Briggs and Haley: We see three
immediate changes that must happen
at Principia. First, we must eradicate
the animal magnetism that is seeping
News
in on campus. This year especially,
it seems animal magnetism has been
present everywhere on campus. In
Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy devotes
an entire chapter to unmasking animal
magnetism because she sees the
potential threat it can cause. In order
for our school to move forward, we
need to unmask the present animal
magnetism.
Second,
we
feel
student
government needs to take action on
the homosexuality policy if sufficient
support exists among the students.
Ultimately,
student
government
should be representative of student
views, especially if student activism
indicates that change is reasonable and
necessary. If the students indicate to us
that they have a significant interest in
changing the policy, we will work our
hardest to represent their interests to
the administration and the board of
trustees.
Third, Principia needs to
bridge the gap between domestic
and international students. This
is a very difficult issue, as some of
the separation is due to the culture
at Principia. However, as student
government, we can make pushes
toward cultural understanding. We
have been in contact with numerous
domestic and international students
as to how to break down the barriers,
and we have come up with multiple
potential solutions. Visit our Facebook
page to get details on these solutions,
which include broadcasting important
international sporting events in the
Pub and hosting intercultural music
exchange nights.
Shirley
and
Vernon:
Something that has been coming up
frequently among the student body
is the desire to have healthier options
being served at the Pub, scramble room
and C-Store. There should be a wider
variety of healthy foods. Students do
not always have the time or money to
shop off campus. Students feel better
when they eat better.
Another immediate change we
feel is necessary is the organization
of town hall-style meetings so that
every student can have an equal say in
topics concerning the community. We
intend to create a comfortable, open
environment where honest concerns
and opinions are encouraged. We also
will push for more communication
with and acknowledgment of non-trad
students on campus. We often forget
about these students living in Beeman
and in Anderson. We should take more
time to reach out to them, keep them
involved and consistently remind them
that they have just as important of a
role here as any other student.
Q: How will you serve student
needs?
Christine and Derrick: We are
a total team. We can do a great job
serving student needs by continually
asking for student suggestions and
making sure we ease communication
between students and faculty. But it’s
also important for students to vocalize
what they need first, and then the
proper actions could then be taken.
There are endless possibilities, but
listening is always a great way to start.
Briggs and Haley: We want to be
in constant communication with the
students to ensure they are represented.
There was a good effort at reaching out
to the campus through social media
this year, but we want to take this even
farther. We think there should be regular
polling of student interests, like what
the Pilot does for its monthly issues.
We want to gauge just how students
are feeling about our job as president
and vice president so that we can be the
best leaders possible. We would love
constructive criticism in these polls as
this would lead to better, more effective
student government for the entire
campus. We also want to poll students
regularly on what they want changed
so that we can push for the most up
to date student interests. Too often,
student government is elected but gets
out of touch with student opinion. We
will use polling to ensure we are always
responding to student needs.
Shirley and Vernon: First and
foremost, we will make sure to keep as
many students as possible up to date on
the issues around campus, making sure
to give every student a voice and input
regarding big decisions being made. An
idea we have been developing is hosting
and administrating town hall meetings
on campus. The principle behind this
will be to hold an open discussion with
no agenda, where students will have the
opportunity to voice their opinions and
concerns about life here on campus.
We hope to create an environment
where students do not feel frightened
or intimidated to speak their minds and
share openly what they feel must be
said. Equal representation is our main
goal, and fighting for this will create a
more fruitful, progressive environment.
Q: What do you think is the
best way to approach the
administration with difficult
issues?
Christine and Derrick: The best
way to approach the administration
is through openness of mind and a
decisive plan. There are many interests
at work and aspects to consider, like
students, faculty and other community
interests, and we can't ignore any of
these aspects. As a result, as student
reps, the best way to approach the
administration is by being specific with
April 2013 PILOT 15
News
our concerns and being open to their
suggestions or their concerns. Having
a dialogue is crucial in order to get
anything done.
have pushed for.
Briggs and Haley: First of all, the
student government cannot back
down when representing student
interests, but confrontations with the
administration must first be founded
in Christian Science. We must “let the
Christ go before,” as Mrs. Eddy says,
when entering potential confrontations
with the administration. Principle,
not human will, must guide. Also, it
is essential to build strong coalitions
with the faculty. Often, the faculty is
upset about the same issues facing the
students, so building coalitions with the
faculty before entering confrontations
with the administration can be helpful
to bringing about outcomes desired by
the students. We will never compromise
student interest by giving into faculty or
administration demands when these
are counter to student interests, but
building coalitions can sometimes be
the best means to bringing about major
change, especially on the homosexuality
policy.
Christine and Derrick: Consistency
is really good for student government;
at the beginning of the year, it took a
while to figure out the position, which
kind of hindered progress. But with me,
Christine, as student body president
again, we won’t have that learning
curve. We’ll pretty much be able to pick
up from where we leave off this year.
This will allow for a much more active
fall semester because we’ll already have
the information and understanding of
the position.
I, Derrick, think I’m a good
candidate because of my dynamic
with Christine. We’ve worked together
multiple times either as resident
assistants or on the Student Athletic
Advisory Committee (SAAC). We
know how to balance each other out,
and I think we provide two balanced
backgrounds. Christine has been
involved in so much at Principia that
she provides a great perspective of
an involved student, and she knows
so much about how things work on
campus. I think I provide the opposite,
but still important view. Coming into
the college, I was nervous and selfconscious about trying to be involved.
If you were to tell me that I’d be
running for vice president when I was
a freshman, I probably would have
laughed. In the past, I’ve been more
focused on my academics and running.
But, I think over the past three years,
I’ve experienced incredible self-growth,
which has made me realize that I
truly want to continue serving and
contributing to Principia. Through
my experiences running, being an RA
and acting as president of the Student
Athletic Advisory Committee, I’ve
realized that the College needs those
Shirley and Vernon: We feel that the
best way to approach administration
with difficult issues is by recording
accurate opinions and views of many
different students in order to present
the administration with an unbiased,
realistic depiction of what the
community feels. With this information,
we will also voice our own personal
opinions, while still strongly considering
what will most effectively cater to as
many students as possible. We will be
completely open and honest, standing
up for what the student body needs in
order to grow to its fullest potential.
We will not make recommendations
based on what we alone feel, but what
the people of the Principia community
16 PILOT April 2013
Q: Why do you think you're a
good candidate?
that are able to be completely selfless.
Principia has done so much for me that
I just want to contribute as much as
possible.
Briggs and Haley: We feel we are
great candidates for student body
president and vice president because
we have solid foundations in Christian
Science and have specific solutions to
problems on campus. In the book of
Matthew, Jesus shares the parable of
the house founded on the rock versus
the house built on the sand. Because
of its strong foundation, the house
on the rock is able to withstand the
wind and storms. In order to student
government to be successful, it must
be founded on the rock of Christian
Science, and we have been putting in
the requisite prayerful work to ensure
a strong foundation. Also, we have
specific solutions to problems. In
student government elections, it is easy
to notice general problems that need
solving, yet candidates do not always
provide practical means of solving these
problems. We have focused on practical
solutions to the problems facing the
Principia student body because we
want to make immediate changes upon
entering office, not enter office without
a direct plan of action.
Shirley and Vernon: Coming from a
different country and having a different
upbringing, I, Shirley, see things from
another perspective. I am openminded. I am clear in what I say and
get to the heart of important issues.
Having worked so much on campus,
I have learned how to communicate
with students of different classes and
nationalities. I have gained much from
Principia, I have grown immensely and
I would like to contribute to the forward
momentum of this campus. I want to
restore hope among all students while
unifying this community. A unified
News
body that respects and appreciates one
another equally functions better as a
whole. As a greater whole, we will face
challenges, come up with solutions and
welcome change that is necessary. I
represent the people.
As a student who has been to
three other universities prior to this
one, I, Vernon, have had a lot of
experience being a part of very diverse
communities. I know what it takes in
order to consecrate a student body:
it takes a persistent effort in reaching
out to all students, while expressing an
honest and sincere desire to help them
express their own unique perspectives
and experiences in order to cultivate
and enrich the community. As vice
president, I will bring my genuine
desire to represent the hard working
student into my leadership. I will speak
up when my voice needs to be heard
and I will stop and listen when there
are needs and suggestions being raised
on the campus. I have fought to be a
part of the Principia community, and
I am incredibly grateful for all that it
has given me. I will do everything I can
to give back what I can to a campus
that has blessed us all. I represent the
people.
Q: What sets you apart from your
opponents?
Christine and Derrick: What most
sets us apart is consistency. I, Christine,
have already been in the position,
so I know exactly what I’m signing
up for. Prior to becoming student
body president, I held a position in
Student Senate and on pres board.
Derrick has also had several leadership
opportunities, and we’ve both been RAs
this year. We’ve had the opportunity to
work together in leadership capacities
before, so we already have a strong
bond that will allow us to work together
effectively.
I, Derrick, think some positive
qualities I have are my approachability
and my love for listening. I like to think
that people can approach me with any
problem or suggestion that they have. I
love dropping whatever I have to do in
order to help someone else. It makes me
feel better when I'm there to support a
friend. Yeah, it probably sounds cheesy,
but I feel like that's a pretty positive
quality to have. Also, I love to smile and
it's pretty hard for me not to smile a lot.
:)
Briggs and Haley: We have a record
of leadership. Briggs was a house
president, a co-executive director of
PAC and will be an RA next year,
while Haley was an RA this year and
is a program director at Adventure
Unlimited in Colorado. We know
how to take the practical steps to
ensure the students are heard, and
we understand how to lead groups of
people. Also, we want to put a major
emphasis on Christian Science in
our administration. Two years ago,
Christian and Bekah emphasized C.S.
in all pres board meetings, and we were
inspired by how spiritualized thought
could lead to positive leadership and
effective representation. We hope to
bring this emphasis back next year.
which enables me to serve the student
body, because I understand the position
that they are in.
I, Vernon, am a sophomore
at this school after having attended
three years of college at a total of four
separate schools. I have been to a large
university of over 50,000 students
in rural Massachusetts, a university
located in the city and a smaller
commuting school. I have lived among
very diverse communities of students
and have lived in environments very
different from Principia. Therefore, I
know what sets this school apart from
others, and I know what needs to be
focused on, enhanced and preserved
within this community.
Shirley and Vernon: Together,
Vernon and I can speak for a majority
of the students on campus because
we represent two different sides of the
same coin. We also have experienced
challenges that, after fighting and
gaining a victory over them, have led
us to Principia. The diversity of our
backgrounds has given us the tools to
see this campus in a unique light.
I, Shirley, am not merely a
representation for students who are
struggling with finances or students who
work extremely hard to be here—I am
an example. Therefore I understand,
April 2013 PILOT 17
News
Student Senate:
accomplishments and challenges
Colby Bermel
AP Style Editor
S
tudent Senate has accomplished
a great deal for the student body
this school year, but not without
encountering structural challenges and
some internal conflicts along the way.
The accomplishments
In its second year of existence, the
Student Senate––composed of seven
senators and headed by the student
body president and vice president––
has worked to implement a number
of initiatives large and small to benefit
students and the campus as a whole.
Sophomore Marshall McCurties,
student body vice president, described
this as “a combination of thinking big
while at the same time paying attention
to every detail.”
“Oh, man, where to begin,”
junior Christine Nacewicz, student
body president, said in recounting the
Senate’s work this school year. Fall
semester initiatives included facilitating
discussions with the administration
regarding the College’s homosexuality
policy, providing fall and winter break
transportation, registering students to
vote in the U.S. presidential election
and providing fun opportunities like the
Christmas tree contest between houses.
The spring has seen more airport
transportation, valentines distributed
to students, and work on the Howard
Center project and the new meal plan.
Nacewicz added that the initiatives
listed here are a fraction of what the
Senate has accomplished this school
year.
18 PILOT April 2013
“I love the idea of Student
Senate because they act based on what
the student body needs,” freshman
Kelsey Whitney said. “I know they’ve
accomplished a lot, and I also have
heard some things they wish to improve
for the future.”
However, some students seem to
not be aware of the specific work being
done by the Senate. “To be honest,
I am not exactly sure what Student
Senate has accomplished exactly this
semester,” sophomore Josh Harmon
said. “However, I have only heard good
things about it.”
“Because [Senate] is such a
small group of students doing
such a huge job, it magnifies
any kind of conflict within
the group.”
Junior Christine Nacewicz,
student body president
Nacewicz, McCurties and the
senators all said they believe that many
of their efforts are often not recognized
or given enough credit by the student
body. They expressed a desire for the
students to show more appreciation
and to become more involved in Senate
affairs.
The challenges
According to some of its members,
the Senate has faced several structural
obstacles that have made its work more
difficult. McCurties identified one as
being that its weekly meetings are too
short at one hour long, which “makes
it difficult to get stuff done.” He added,
“If the group forgets to do something,
we may lose a week on a project or we
might run out of time to cover all of the
agenda Christine and I prepare.”
However, McCurties does not
believe that more meeting time would
necessarily be the answer, stating that
it “becomes logistically very difficult.
... I think the solution is increased
communication and updates about
group work so everyone is constantly
aware of what is going on. Then with
clear objectives, the group can move
forward on things even without coming
together face to face.”
Junior Abby Harraden, a former
senator, voiced another concern
regarding the way the Senate currently
functions. Senators are assigned focus
areas for which they are responsible;
examples include academics, dining
services and intramurals. She said
that senators were so focused on their
individual responsibilities that “it was
a challenge to come together and focus
on doing things for campus when we
were trying to fulfill all the needs in our
area of focus.”
A current senator expressed
agreement with Harraden, saying that
the Senate “struggles” with unity and
with balancing individual and group
needs.
Another issue raised by some
senators past and present is what they
see a lack of action taken by the Senate
on issues of importance to individual
senators. Junior Lauren Furbush, a
senator, wishes that the homosexuality
policy were no longer in place. However,
after bringing this issue to the Senate,
she said that “this [was] not something
that the group wanted to work on.”
Another former senator, who
asked to not be identified by name,
News
photo / Colby Bermel
had a similar experience. The senator
wanted to “bring some changes in fields
where I thought Principia was having
some problems.” These included for
instance the homosexuality policy and
the apparent divide between domestic
and international students.
The senator came to the
conclusion that “I could do better work
by just being myself, expressing these
changes in my thought and supporting
the community in these ways.” The
senator stated that “continuing in the
Senate would have been a waste of
time and energy.”
Nacewicz commented on the
Senate structure, saying that “because
it is such a small group of students
doing such a huge job, it magnifies any
kind of conflict within the group.”
Several hours of interviews seem
to corroborate that the dynamics
of the group have been strained at
times. McCurties and the interviewed
senators all acknowledged occasional
internal disagreement or conflict.
Still, a number of senators were
positive about the Senate leadership,
saying it goes “above and beyond for
the school” and “has a lot of love to
share and give.”
Nacewicz said that she desires
feedback, but that senators often do not
give her any. “If someone doesn’t agree
with what I do or if someone thinks I
should do something differently, tell me
how. I love getting feedback like that,”
she said. “By giving me feedback, I’ll
take it in; I’ll adjust. But again, I need
what it is instead of just ‘I don’t like it.’”
The Student Senate bulletin board in the concourse.
April 2013 PILOT 19
Students’ voices
Vincent-Immanuel
Herr
Editor-in-Chief
V
oicing one’s opinion is not
always easy. At the same time,
we cannot expect our ideas to
be heard without voicing them. Being
vocal about our ideas, visions and goals
is not just an essential part of living in
a democratic society, but also part of
human life. Here too, at Principia, we are
confronted with the choice of whether to
remain silent and share our concerns only
with our closest friends or whether we
speak up in an effort to make this college
the best it could be. We are all part of this
community, and this community can only
be as strong, as fair and as effective as we
make it.
This issue’s Pilot Poll asked students
whether, generally, there is any issue
they would like to see addressed. Some
80 percent said yes. Now, “issue” could
include a variety of topics and does not
necessarily have to be revolutionary, but
the poll indicates that a large majority
of students want some form of change,
however big or small. However, that
makes this result striking, is that the poll
also indicates that roughly half of the
respondees (48 percent) believe students
are either too afraid or unintereseted to
voice concerns––whatever they might be.
Only about seven percent believe that
most students voice their opinions.
In short: the majority of the
students who responded feel that either
only a few (42 percent) or no students
(49 percent) are actually voicing their
ideas and concerns. What we see here is
a huge divide between students wanting
important issues to be resolved and the
number of students who feel comfortable
or interested enough to stand up, speak
out and be part of change. And that, to
me, is concerning.
The poll provides us with more
information as to why this trend is
occurring. The last question asked where
students saw the main impetus for change.
24 PILOT April 2013
photo / Nathan Wright
Editorial
At first look, it seems that the answers
to this question are spread across the
board. However, one way to interpret
the results is to add the roughly 23
percent that feel the administration
is the main initiator to the 14 percent
that feel the Board of Trustees is. You
could also add the 10 percent that feel
there is no change on campus and get
about 46 percent. Students responding
in these three categories either feel that
change is mainly based on the Principia
leadership’s decisions or that there is
no change to speak of. Interestingly
enough, this percentage is strikingly
close to the 49 percent feeling that
students are not voicing their opinions
based on either concerns or disinterest.
On the other side, only 10 percent
feel that “student government” or
“student activist groups” could actually
bring about change. Thus, only a
minority, roughly a fifth of the student
body, believes that students really have
an affect on change on this campus. To
be fair, you could add the 17 percent
who believe that individuals enact
change, and get a total of 37 percent.
But even assuming that all respondees
were talking about students when
clicking on “individuals” does not get us
away from the fact that only a minority
of students really believes in an impact
of their actions or opinions.
The poll indicates that the
homosexuality policy, followed by the
recent budget cuts, is the most pressing
issues by far. It would be illogical to
assume that these issues are the only
ones of concern to the 80 percent
feeling that change is needed. But it is
also clear that these issues weigh heavily
on students’ minds. Another part of the
poll supports that conclusion. When
asked how our student government
should represent students, the majority
said that representing students’
concerns, such as changing existing
policies or social/academic issues,
to the administration was the most
important role. Providing updates on
campus life and addressing social issues
was also deemed important.
The poll also gave students
the opportunity to share their own
perspective, if wanted. Here, two
major trends were noticeable. Most
of the individual answers either
called for student government to
be a bridge between the students
and the administration and faculty/
staff on campus or to actually
address existing policies and bring
about real change. Using their own
words, students specifically referred
to the homosexuality policy, as well
as discriminatory admissions and
expulsion policies.
The picture we get from these
results indicates that certain policy
issues weigh especially heavily in
students’ concerns and thoughts.
Furthermore, only a smaller number
is perceived to be vocal about their
concerns. Even worse, a majority of
students think that they have little or no
impact on this campus. Finally, the poll
indicates that 28 percent of the students
in the poll said that student government
is definitely helpful in addressing these
and other issues. All of this is concerning
news to me. Now, it would be wrong to
assume the fault rests solely with the
administration, student government
or others in leadership positions. That
gets us away from the real issue. The
real issue is a lack of interest or fear to
actually voice individual concerns.
This poll, like any, has limitations
and does not necessarily represent the
entire student body. At the same time,
we should take these results seriously.
I personally wish that these results
were not representative of the Prin
community. However, my personal––
indeed, limited––experience after
almost four years here leads me to
believe that the poll is an accurate
reflection of campus thought.
Students are seriously thinking
about Principia and the way this place,
our shared home, could be. Most of
us have experienced serious talks and
honest dialogues about what is and
isn’t working at Prin. However, sadly,
these talks are mostly confined to the
personal dorm room or the dinner
table. That is not enough.
Writing this editorial challenges
me both as an individual as well as
a Pilot editor. Finding the proper
intersection between being a journalist
and being a Principia community
member has been one of the harder
challenges connected to working for the
Pilot. And while I write this editorial as
an editor, it also represents my personal
perspective on the importance of
greater student involvement in campus
issues. That’s also why I want to be as
open and honest as possible.
I am part of a group of students
and faculty that advocates abandoning
the existing homosexuality policy on
campus. My reasons are manifold and
are not the subject of the editorial.
My point here is not that you should
disagree with the homosexuality policy
as I do, but more to express my regret
that it took me until my senior year
before I realized that I can and should
speak up for what I believe is the best for
Principia. Involvement, based on right
motives, is always better than silence or
whispered complaints. I deeply believe
that this community needs every single
one of us to to address the issues
and problems facing this wonderful
institution. Whatever you believe in,
whatever you cherish, and however
you envision Principia, it is critically
important that you speak out and share
those ideas.
April 2013 PILOT 23
News
Where is the homosexuality
discussion on campus?
Jess Gealy
Assigning Editor
P
rincipia’s homosexuality policy
has been a major topic of
conversation for years. A recent
poll of Principia students revealed that it
is the topic of conversation: when given
a list of 12 issues on campus, 41 percent
of the 147 students who responded
expressed that the homosexuality policy
warranted the most attention. And yet,
despite the obvious interest and years
of debate, the policy remains.
There are several commonly
expressed opinions as to why a change
to the homosexuality policy has not
occurred. Coincidentally, this year’s
Public Affairs Conference topic was
Action, Not Apathy, and some on
campus feel this and other issues are
subject to too much apathy on campus.
Is it that students don’t care enough?
According to Amy Baldauf, a
post-graduate intern in the sociology
department, “the problem is that most
students don’t know what to do about
it.” In Baldauf ’s view, students have
done quite a bit, from wearing rainbow
pins, to writing letters, to participating
in campus-wide discussion about the
policy. But she also said that, despite
these efforts, “little has been done in
terms of students actively (and publicly)
voicing their concerns with this policy.”
Though students may not think
it a big deal to stay silent about the
issues they feel passionately about, the
seeming lack of interest is noticed by
the administration. In regard to the
recent campus-wide discussions on
the policy, College President Jonathan
Palmer said “Several of these meetings
24 PILOT April 2013
I found quite inspiring and informative,
however I admit to being disappointed
in the student turnout. Student
rationales for not attending these
sessions varied, but I was surprised
and disappointed that so few people
chose to engage in these discussions.”
While it seems that the administration
and the trustees know that this issue is
important to students, what does it say
about the student body’s commitment
to the issue if students don’t show up?
Lack of engagement could be
a sign that the student body is not
ready for change. As an institution,
Principia does not seem that far behind
national trends. In fact, sodomy laws,
laws making it illegal to partake in
homosexual activity, were still part
of 14 state constitutions (including
Missouri) until the Supreme Court
ruling of Lawrence v. Texas eradicated
them in 2003. As this ruling suggests,
gains in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender (LGBT) rights movement
have been recent when compared to
the civil rights and women’s rights
movements. David Cole’s recent article
in the New York Times suggests that a
ruling striking down Proposition 8 or
the Defense of Marriage Act would,
at this point, be a bad thing because
there are still a number of conservative
states that would oppose such a ruling.
In Cole’s opinion, deciding same-sex
marriage on the federal level is still
a political issue, not a human rights
issue; policymakers and the courts
hearing these cases need to think about
how nationally recognized same-sex
marriage would affect the nation as a
whole, not just the LGBT community.
The idea of a potential backlash
has its counterparts in campus
conversation about the topic. The
theory goes that the board of trustees
cannot change the homosexuality
policy because donors would oppose
the change. This could be a valid
concern, though it is speculation. While
the administration and the trustees
work together to meet the needs of the
Principia, the board of trustees has the
final decision when making changes
to the policies. When asked about this
view regarding donors, Steve Sydness,
chairman of the board of trustees,
stated that, “The board makes policy
decisions based on what is best for
Principia and what is most consistent
with Mrs. Morgan’s vision for Principia
as articulated in the ‘Purposes and
Policies of Principia.’ These guide our
decision-making.”
While the idea that some donors
might withhold funds if the policy
changed is speculation, there are
several cases of donors who currently
refuse to donate because of the
existing policy. Several of such wouldbe donors have posted this pledge on
the Facebook group “Principians for
Queer Equality,” an advocacy group
not affiliated with Principia.
The group’s self-proclaimed
mission is “to eliminate homophobic
policies and homophobia at The
Principia and make the institution
a welcoming one for students of all
genders and orientations.” On their
Facebook page, members of the group
discuss the policy and what they are
doing to change it. In addition to
the promise of fewer donors if the
policy doesn’t change, the page also
presents another issue, that there are
“straight” students choosing not to
attend Principia because of the policy.
Principia faces enrollment challenges
and so this connection is clearly
News
Photo courtesy of Jenny Sommer
Principia alumnae Jenny Sommer’s annual fund request form with a note
expressing her intent not to donate due to the institution’s homosexuality policy.
important.
Current student senior Carly
Scheye recently posted on the group’s
wall, stating her frustration with the
policy and explaining why she thinks
more students aren’t involved. She
reflected on a meeting between house
presidents, Dean of Students Dorsie
Glen and Palmer regarding the policy.
“I believe one of the main reasons
[activity has dropped off] is that a large
majority of us on campus are simply
‘exhausted,’ as another person at the
meeting called it last night. I think we’re
exhausted because it’s taking too long to
make any kind of difference. I think the
talks on campus are supposed to help
us think about the change we want, but
they’re making us feel like we’re going
in circles and not forward.”
“Principians for Queer Equality”
is not the only group to address LGBT
rights and the Principia homosexuality
policy. But this discussion, seems to be
happening largely online and directly
with Dr. Palmer. “The Principia
Alumni Group” on Linkedin has been
discussing the homosexuality policy
more in the past month than the last
year. There are also many on-campus
groups seeking change, three of which
have met with Palmer. One newlyformed group on campus includes Amy
Baldauf, Briggs DeLoach, Fassio Elder,
Julia Suber, Lauren Furbush, Angela
Lupher, Jamie Ryback and Vincent
Herr, a diverse group of community
members interested in changing the
policy.
“We’re not any kind of formal
organization or anything like that,”
said Elder, “We’re a group of peers
that care about equality and want to
do what we can to work towards seeing
fair treatment for all. As of now, we’ve
mainly been talking.” Baldauf also
commented on what the group is trying
to achieve:
“We are in the process of sending
a letter to the trustees. [A few of us]
have met with Dr. Palmer already to
discuss our group and its plans, as well
as our group’s collective stance on the
issue... Dr. Palmer seemed eager to
meet with us, and reminded us to focus
on the spiritual underpinnings of our
argument.”
While Palmer is indeed eager
to meet with students, he also said in
an interview: “I am looking for ways
to more broadly communicate the
ideas shared in each of those groups.
I often feel like I am having the same
discussion with different small groups
of students and I want to make sure we
are all using our time most effectively
in engaging this important discussion.”
Palmer also expressed his desire that
students continue the discussion in a
way that supports sharing different
viewpoints rather than arguing one’s
own opinion. “The goal should be
figuring out a better way to engage
spiritually and humanly—to listen and
learn more, rather than focusing on
telling and trying to convince others’
of our own perspective.” But what the
trustees and the administration are
most interested in is a discussion and
an argument for change that is rooted
in Christian Science and Principia’s
mission. According to Sydness, “As
with all changes to policies, the board
of trustees would need to be confident
that the change is in the best interests
of Principia and is consistent with Mrs.
Morgan’s ‘Purposes and Policies.’”
To conclude with a thought from
this year’s PAC, individuals in this
community have the power to effect
change. As Baldauf stated, “I want
students to know how important it
is to actively take a stand within the
community before you graduate, and
realize that you as a student can do so
much more to make Principia the best
that it can be. I wouldn’t want anyone
to leave Principia with regrets. Don’t
make apathy be one of your regrets
when you leave.”
April 2013 PILOT 25
News
Angela Lupher
Staff Writer
O
26 PILOT April 2013
out they were coming. For example,
DA14 was discovered only a year
ago, and in 2008 an 80-ton asteroid
exploded over Sudan just 20 hours after
it was discovered, which was significant
not because of the short window of
time between discovery and contact,
but because it was the first asteroid of
its size to be discovered at all before it
exploded in the atmosphere.
Fortunately, our knowledge of
local asteroids is increasing. Most of
our discoveries of near-Earth objects
have been made during the last 15
years, and if it’s big enough, there’s a
are caused by asteroids and comets
that are literally miles wide. Kaku
argues that the real danger comes not
from huge space rocks like the one that
exterminated the dinosaurs, but from
“city-busters,” asteroids small enough
to potentially escape detection but large
enough to do serious damage.
... outer space was trying to
kill us.
The problem is that we as a
species are capable of deflecting an
asteroid given enough time, but there’s
not much we can do
against an asteroid
coming
without
much notice. As Dr.
Kaku explains, if the
asteroid had delayed
breaking up by about
two or three seconds
it would have been a
ground burst instead
of an air burst, and the
impact would have been
akin to about 20 nuclear
bombs going off. All of
this from an asteroid
that avoided large-scale
detection until it entered
our atmosphere.
Even when asteroids are detected,
deflecting them is serious work. Such
is the case with the asteroid Apophis.
Named after an Egyptian god of
Chaos, Apophis is 10 times the size
of DA14 and will skim the Earth’s
atmosphere in 2029. The problem
is that the asteroid will then return
in 2036, but because it will have
image / telegraph.co.uk
n Feb. 9, Dr. Donald K.
Yeomans, head of NASA’s Jet
Propulsion Lab, published an
op-ed in the New York Times about the
dangers of errant asteroids. The catalyst
for this article was DA14, an asteroid
the size of an apartment building that
was supposed to pass uncomfortably
close to Earth on Feb. 15. Six days later,
Yeomans’ warning was confirmed when
DA14’s appearance was preceded by a
meteor exploding just above Siberia.
While no deaths were reported, the
explosion resulted in a record breaking
1400 injuries.
At this point,
some
people
understandably
became
convinced
that
outer
space
was trying to kill us.
There have been
some reports that the
Russian government
had some limited
knowledge of the
asteroid’s approach,
but at most only one
government
knew
about the meteor,
and
only
hours
before it reached the
atmosphere.
This amount of warning is not
unusual. As Yeomans explained in the
days leading up to Feb. 15, it is estimated
that less than 10 percent of all nearEarth objects have been discovered, and
our ignorance is beginning to show. In
the wake of the Siberian meteor, BBC
News published a list of recent near
misses and how long it took us to figure
Following the dinosaurs:
one planet’s quest for
asteroid defense
pretty good chance we’ll see it.
Dr. Michio Kaku, a theoretical
physicist who’s been at the forefront
of the recent asteroid discussion,
argues that really big asteroids aren’t
the problem. Fortunately for the
continuation of the species, dangerous
extinction level collisions like the
one that wiped out 70 percent of the
species on Earth 65 million years ago
News
The February 15 meteor coming down over Siberia.
encountered friction in our atmosphere
in 2029, it’s impossible to determine
the asteroid’s future trajectory. There
is a slight chance that Apophis will
collide with the Earth in 2036. Such
a collision could be avoided if rockets
were attached to the asteroid on its first
pass to nudge it out of the way. The
Russian government has announced
that it is considering undertaking such a
mission. Fortunately, even if the Russian
government does nothing and Apophis
ends up on a collision path with Earth,
humanity will still have seven years to
figure something out.
Currently, the focus still needs to
be on mapping asteroids so that we can
know they’re coming while we still have
enough time to do something about
them. At this time, 95 percent of all of
the near-Earth object discoveries are
carried out by NASA, and many argue
that NASA should be doing a lot more
than it is already doing. With the loss
of the space shuttle program and the
cancellation of the theoretical Mars
mission, the organization that brought
us the Apollo missions is a little adrift.
Of all the organizations on Earth,
Currently, the focus still needs
to be on mapping asteroids
so that we can know they’re
coming while we still have
enough time to do something
about them.
NASA is still the best equipped to make
serious strides towards mapping all
nearby asteroids. Given the number
of close calls we’ve had lately, that’s
image / tabletmag.com
starting to seem like a really good idea.
Ultimately, asteroids don’t pose a
huge threat to our daily lives. As Kaku
points out, a “city-buster” is likely to
hit the Earth once every few hundred
years. Life on Earth has survived a very
long time without a space program
to protect it from asteroids, and our
atmosphere does a very good job of
burning up the smaller meteors.
Yet there is some validity to the
argument that a species that succeeded
in putting someone on the moon half
a century ago shouldn’t still have to
be afraid of giant rocks falling from
the sky. Unlike most natural disasters,
asteroids are something that we have
the capability to stop.
April 2013 PILOT 27
News
Xi Jinping: A new decade for China
Sam Nickell
East Asia Correspondent
O
n March 14th, 2013, Xi
Jinping was officially elected
by China’s National People’s
Congress as president of China,
replacing the 70-year-old Hu Jintao
as China’s top political figure. This
came as a surprise to no one following
Xi’s election to the posts of General
Secretary of the Chinese Communist
Party (CCP) and chairman of the
party’s central military commission last
November. The congress, which meets
once a year, elects and impeaches top
state and judiciary officials. It is largely
seen as a ceremonial organization
whose main purpose is to do the CCP’s
bidding. This year’s congress lasted
from March 11th through the 15th and
saw the election of Li Keqiang to the
position of premier, and Li Yuanchao
to the position of vice-president.
However, before we dive into the
agenda facing China’s new generation
of leadership, let us first look at Xi and
how he differs from the leaders before
him.
Xi Jinping was born in 1953 and is
the son of Xi Zhongxun, a revolutionary
hero who served under Mao Zedong as
Minister of Propaganda and Education
following the 1949 establishment of the
communist People’s Republic of China.
Xi, like other “princelings” (offspring
of historic CCP leaders), thus enjoys a
certain level of connection and prestige
by birth. After his father recovered from
a political fall from grace, Xi used these
familial connections to get involved
first in the military and then politics
following his graduation from Tsinghua
University in 1979. According to Chi
Wang, president of the U.S.-China
28 PILOT April 2013
Policy Foundation, Xi’s military ties
have given him political capital that
neither Hu Jintao nor Jiang Zemin
had before him. Furthermore, Xi
understands firsthand the importance
of agriculture. In his youth, with his
father removed from power and amid
the hysteria of the Cultural Revolution,
Xi was among the some 30 million
urban Chinese youth sent to the
countryside and mountain regions to
participate in farm labor. During this
time, Xi was an agricultural laborer
in the city of Liangjiahe, located
in Shaanxi province. Finally, Xi’s
experiences governing the provinces
of Fujian and Zhejiang and the city
of Shanghai have prepared him well
for pursuing economic policies that
will encourage private sector growth,
continued foreign investment and trade
and a more liberal Chinese financial
system.
photo / myoor.com
According to Ho Pin, chairman
of Mirror Books, which recently
published a biography about Xi
Jinping, “vocally, [Xi is] a nationalist.
Psychologically, he greatly hopes to
keep good relations with the West,
especially the [United States].” In 2012,
Xi called for increasing trust between
China and the United States while
respecting each nation’s core interests.
However, Xi’s first trip outside of
China since he assumed the presidency
was to Russia, not the United States.
This move highlights the strengthening
ties between China and Russia and the
alienation of both countries from the
West by shifting geopolitical winds.
This growing partnership makes
geopolitical sense given contemporary
circumstances. Political ties between
Moscow and Washington, D.C. have
gone from sour to toxic over the past
year, and China is feeling increased
political pressure from the United
States with regards to the Diaoyu/
Senkaku island dispute, United Nations
sanctions against North Korea and
Syria and the growing tensions on the
Korean peninsula. Russia desperately
needs Chinese investment, labor and
development experience. China needs
energy, raw materials, engineering
goods and military technology. Both
countries can provide what the other
needs.
Given all of this information,
China’s new generation of leadership
still faces many challenges. After
decades of high economic growth,
the economy is slowing and income
inequality is growing. Corruption has
become endemic within the country
and has festered outside the boundaries
of Chinese politics into other areas like
businesses and social services. Finally,
the CCP is facing rising nationalism
that has been driven by China’s growing
social media sphere. If unchecked, this
could lead to unrest and threaten the
CCP’s control and power. However, Xi
Jinping is committed to instituting the
reforms that China needs. How much
will he be able to accomplish? We will
have to wait and see.
News
Update on North Korea
Sam Nickell
East Asia Correspondent
T
he latest issue of the Principia
Pilot featured an article
detailing North Korea’s intent
to conduct its third nuclear test. On
February 12th, just prior to that issue’s
release, North Korea successfully
conducted the test. However, this
incident was not the only important
event to happen in the past weeks on
the Korean peninsula.
On March 11th, North Korea
declared the 1953 Korean War
armistice
nullified.
This
announcement was a response
to the joint military drills
between the United States and
South Korea that are scheduled
to last until the end of March.
Furthermore, on March 21st,
North Korea threatened to
attack U.S. military bases in
Japan and on the Pacific island
of Guam in retaliation for the
recent training missions by
U.S. B-52 bombers over South
Korea. On the same day, the
United Nations Human Rights Council
created a commission to look into
alleged human rights abuses in North
Korea, including the incarceration of
political prisoners in labor camps and
their subsequent torture at the hands of
North Korean officials.
All of these incidents add to
the rising tensions on the Korean
peninsula. Ever since North Korea’s
ballistic missile test, the announcement
of another planned nuclear test back
in late January and the imposition
of more United Nations sanctions
around the same time, North Korea
has been issuing fiery rhetoric towards
its southern neighbor and the United
States. The latest round of rhetoric
comes from a statement issued to the
state-run Korean Central News Agency
on March 21st by a spokesperson for
the Supreme Command of the North
Korean People’s Army. According to
the New York Times, the spokesperson
stated that “the U.S. should not forget
that the Anderson Air Force Base on
Guam, where B-52s take off, and naval
bases in Japan proper and Okinawa,
where nuclear-powered submarines are
launched, are within striking range of
the [Democratic People’s Republic of
Korea’s] precision strike means.” This
spokesperson went on to elaborate that
photo / csmonitor.com
due to the ongoing joint military drills
between South Korea and the United
States, North Korea will move to
respond with military actions of their
own. However, as of right now, these
are only vaguely worded threats.
North Korea has been issuing
fiery rhetoric towards its
southern neighbor and the
United States.
With regards to North Korea’s
nullification of the armistice, there
is one key player to keep in mind:
China. As a signatory to the armistice
agreement, China plays a role in
maintaining peace on the Korean
It is unlikely that China will
move to nullify the armistice
because China knows that
the armistice plays a key role
in maintaining peace in the
North Pacific region,
peninsula. It is unlikely that China will
move to nullify the armistice because
China knows that the armistice plays
a key role in maintaining peace in the
North Pacific region, including the
Korean peninsula. Not only
would open war on the Korean
peninsula destabilize the region,
but it could also lead to fighting
between Chinese and U.S.
military forces. Furthermore,
if North Korea were to lose a
future war, then there would be
the potential for U.S. military
troops to be located close to
the Chinese-Korean border.
China would want to avoid this
outcome at all costs.
However, it is possible that China’s
role as peacekeeper may shift slightly,
as the recent once-in-a-decade political
transition in China affect the future of
its political relations with North Korea.
China’s new leadership is promoting
a movement towards political reform
that includes tackling corruption and
has the potential for a new outlook on
its troubled neighbor.
It will be important to keep a
close eye on the Korean peninsula as
the year goes on. Time will tell how
North Korea comes through on their
fiery military threats against the United
States.
April 2013 PILOT 29
Staff Writer
O
n March 1, sequestration
took effect. Its arrival was
preceded by widespread
panic and predictions of doom from
Washington politicians, who claimed
that all manner of good things – police,
women’s shelters, education, etc. –
would suffer a severe decline in quality
if the cuts in the sequester were allowed
to take effect. Although the sequester
certainly has an effect on the American
economy and on how government
funds are spent, are its effects as
dramatic and awful as they have been
made out to be?
The short answer is “not really,”
but here’s the long answer:
Sequestration dates back to the
summer of 2011, when Congress
and President Obama were in, as
PolitiFact put it, “a high-stakes standoff over the debt limit.” Attempting to
avoid a government shutdown on or
around Aug. 3, 2011, several bills were
proposed to resolve the debt-ceiling
crisis: Obama and House Speaker John
Boehner’s (R-Ohio) “grand bargain”
($4 trillion), the House Republicans’
Cut, Cap and Balance Act ($111 billion
and a cap on federal spending), and the
“Plan B” fallback proposal put together
by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
(D-Nev.) and Senate Minority Leader
Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.). All of them
failed to muster sufficient support.
It was National Economic Council
Director Gene Sperling who suggested
30 PILOT April 2013
on the Bush tax cuts, sequestration was
delayed for two extra months. This
act passed with significant bipartisan
majorities in the Senate but was largely
opposed by House Republicans.
As the new date for the sequester
approached, however, the rhetoric
surrounding it changed. While
sequestration was always meant as an
incentive for action, the rhetoric about
what would happen if it should take
effect became increasingly emotional
and dramatic as its activation loomed.
The White House produced statespecific reports of what cuts would
be made, usually placing special
emphasis on cuts in social programs,
education and the capabilities of local
police precincts. Several Democratic
members of Congress, including Rep.
Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) and Rep.
Donna Edwards (D-Md.), made dire
predictions that unemployment would
dramatically increase and that female
victims of domestic abuse would be
“forced to stay in their homes with their
abuser” at the “hands of the GOP.”
Universally labeled as a bad idea,
the consensus was that sequestration
had been the fault of the Republicans
and that their consequences would be
devastating. Republicans in Congress
were concerned that letting the
sequester go through would be too
heavy a political blow for the party to
withstand, but when no decision was
reached in time, both parties resigned
themselves to the sequester. As Obama
signed the order to put the cuts into
effect, he was once again quoted as
calling them “deeply destructive.”
To place all the blame on the
image / schweitzfinance.com
Abby Strub
the sequester as a means to force
politicians’ hands into negotiating and
coming to an agreement in order to avoid
it. Obama agreed to this plan, as did
Boehner and Reid, though with initial
opposition and hesitation. Though the
idea did originate in the White House,
it passed in the House with over 70
percent of Republican representatives’
support, as opposed to just over 49
percent of House Democrats. Senate
Democrats, however, overwhelmingly
supported the bill (88 percent) while
Republican senators supported it with
a smaller majority (59 percent). Seen
as an important deterrent to avoiding
compromise, the bill enjoyed significant
bipartisan support and was promoted
by both Boehner and Obama.
The sequester was part of the
Budget Control Act of 2011, which
passed the day before the potential
government shutdown (Aug. 3). The
“super committee” this act provided
for failed to develop an adequate deficit
reduction plan to be implemented
alongside the sequester over the
following decade, telling Obama that
it would be impossible to come to
a bipartisan agreement that could
be made public in time. Thus, the
sequester was set to take effect on the
first day of 2013, with $1.2 trillion in
cuts. Half of the cuts ought to be in
defense spending and half in domestic
spending.
In late 2012, as the fiscal
cliff
approached,
sequestration
again became a major topic. In the
government’s response to the fiscal cliff,
the American Taxpayer Relief Act of
2012, which obviously mostly focused
image / 24.media.tumblr.com
Sequestration: behind the panic
News
Republican Party is wrong from
a purely factual standpoint. The
sequester originated in the White House
and was approved by Obama and the
Democratic leadership team before it
was even brought before the Republican
leadership, so to call it a Republican
idea is a lie. It is true that Republican
support was crucial for sequestration to
pass, but the same argument could be
made for Democratic support. At best,
both parties and the president are to
blame.
What may have been more
unsettling about the apparent lack of
understanding of what sequestration
would actually entail was the White
House’s reaction to unfavorable press
coverage. Reporters Bob Woodward,
famous for his role in exposing the
Watergate scandal, and Lanny Davis,
former special consul in the Clinton
White House, both reported honestly
that the sequestration was not entirely
the fault of the GOP and that Obama’s
claims were incorrect. They both later
reported that they had received threats
from the White House: in an email
from Sperling, Woodward was told he
would “regret doing this,” and Davis’
employer, the Washington Post, was
told it would suffer limited White House
access and could have its White House
credentials revoked if Davis’ column
continued to speak of the president in
this manner.
While this is not the first time the
White House has threatened individuals
who speak against it, it is also not
the first time that this inappropriate
kind of intimidation has been largely
ignored. Similarly, this is not the first
time that economic illiteracy has fueled
panic over relatively small changes.
Unfortunately, like the sequester, none
of these trends look to be changing
anytime soon.
Harmonious exterior, tough debates in the interior: The Capitol.
April 2013 PILOT 31
Feature
Profile: Dan Schneider
T
graphic / kaboom.org
he Marines have a saying:
“The Few. The Proud. The
Marines.” With their few
numbers and important positions, the
nine Resident Counselors (RCs) at
Principia College could realistically
adopt that slogan. But what exactly
does an RC do all day? Surely they
do more than just “pray and play,” as
Ferguson House RC Dan Schneider
joked, although the job does require
a fair amount of both praying and
playing.
Schneider said that the most
important part of the job is staying
on top of metaphysical work. “I can’t
emphasize enough how much praying
goes on in my job. There’s always
something. It’s a great thing, keeping
your thought in line and protecting
the house.” Then, almost as much
to himself as to The Pilot, he added,
photo / Blake Bischoff
Dan is pumped to support the new Ferg freshmen!
32 PILOT April 2013
Tyler Loechner
Staff Writer
“That’s a big job.”
Even when RCs appear to be just
playing, they are actually doing their
jobs. When an RC attends a sporting
event, it is likely that he or she is the
MSP (metaphysical support person) for
that event. At least one RC attends each
home game to provide metaphysical
Feature
photo / Blake Bischoff
Dan finds inspiration for his house.
support for the athletes, coaches,
fans and everyone else involved. “I
knew coming in [to the job] that
there would be some level of prayer,”
Schneider stated. “But I was happy
to see that the necessary prayer was
more than expected.” Although RCs
make themselves readily available for
Christian Science support, Schneider
emphasized that RCs are not substitutes
for practitioners.
In addition to their constant
vigilance against animal magnetism
both for themselves and their houses,
RCs are always looking to make
connections with the students day and
night. Schneider is currently taking a
Graphic Design course on Tuesday
and Thursday mornings, which has
become much more than just a class
to attend. “What I found was that as
soon as I joined it, it gave me a whole
new connection to the students,” he
said. “It put me back into ‘school,’ so
all of a sudden I could relate by having
assignments.” Schneider is going to
continue looking for classes in future
semesters so that he can continue to
share that space with students.
...whether it’s treat night, quiet
time, movie time or lunch, RCs
are always thinking about the
students.
Another large aspect of an RC’s
job is to plan for events, either for their
house or for the campus as a whole.
For example, Schneider is trying to get
the ball rolling on something he calls
“Wild Card,” an open forum Christian
Science talk on Thursdays for the men
of Ferguson House. Some other houses
have their own specialized version of
quiet time at least once a week. “The
RCs are always coming up with stuff
like that,” Schneider concluded.
When RCs truly are just hanging
out, they are still doing it from a unique
vantage point. “The best [example] I
can come up with,” Schneider added,
“is that it’s like the difference between
being the participant of an event versus
the planner of the event. They are both
at the event, but the mindset is very
different.”
This means that whether it’s
treat night, quiet time, movie time or
lunch, RCs are always thinking about
the students. According to Schneider,
one of the most important parts of
his job is building and maintaining
relationships. From there, it is up to
the students to decide how much they
are going to utilize that relationship. “I
don’t need to be the person you talk to,”
commented Schneider. “I just want to
make sure you have someone to talk to.
Hopefully, I’ve done something to build
that connection so that you will.”
With relationships of that nature
– two or more people needing to meet
somewhere in the middle on certain
issues – at the heart of the RC position,
the day-to-day life of an RC varies.
One day, an RC might not be required
to do much other than “pray and
play.” The very next day, that same RC
might be working closely with students
around the clock. An RC is always
on the job, which makes the typical
life of an RC difficult to pinpoint. In
any case, at the core of that life is a
foundation based in Christian Science,
the continual building and maintaining
of relationships and the constant
awareness of the needs of those around
campus.
April 2013 PILOT 33
1
The PC Lacrosse
team huddles before playing
two games on the freshly
painted home field.
photo / Aubrey McMullin
2
Senior Shane Robles
on drums at the Jazz Cafe where
he performed with junior Jeff
Messman.
photo / Nathan Wright
1
3
Matts Wilcoxen and
David McClelland ride toward
victory in IRL Mario Cart at
the carnival.
photo / Gabe Korinek
2
1
5
`
3
4
Senior Maddie Charles
places her bean bag on the
velcro, beating a visitor, at the
carnival.
photo / Gabe Korinek
34 PILOT April 2013
5
Freshman Matiss
Klava pummels sophomore
Tory Silver with snow during
one of Prin’s snow days.
photo / Aubrey McMullin
CAMPUSSNAPSH TS
5
3
5
6
4
6
6
The Choir and Orchestra
perform in the Davis Music
Hall for a visiting weekend.
photo / Nathan Wright
April 2013 PILOT 35
News
The future of Principia abroads
Annika Fredrikson
Assistant Editor
P
36 PILOT April 2013
This change is based on the
switch from the quarter to the semester
system. It’s proven to be more difficult
for professors to take off an entire 15week semester for an abroad; likewise,
it’s challenging for students to set aside
an entire semester. For this reason, the
abroad office has introduced shorter
“mini” May abroads, such as the one to
Tibet this coming May.
For now, the abroad office’s main
question is how semesters have affected
students’ thoughts towards abroads. Are
more students interested in taking mini
abroads? Because the subject matter
and courses covered during an abroad
can also be an important consideration
for many students, do abroads need to
cover more locations and support more
majors?
There is an important difference
between these mini abroads and a full
semester abroad. Obviously, on a full
semester
abroad,
students will have more time in a
foreign country. As Bohaker remarked,
“Abroad programs are tightly integrated
academic experiences that are built
around particular themes and are tied
really closely to a particular country in
order to study those themes from many
lenses. A longer abroad supports this
goal with more depth.”
Certain destinations are
more expensive than others,
and this is where some financial
implications come into play.
For example, this semester’s
Peru abroad will be out of the
country for 10 weeks, whereas
the performing arts abroad
to Paris and Vienna will only
be gone for six. This is solely
because of the nature of the
program, taking into account
living costs, airfare and the
fact that the abroad will be
attending several performances and
shows which add to the cost of the
program.
While there are no plans to limit
the number of abroads, the abroad
office is working diligently to determine
what kind of programs will support
students and professors the best. There
are several ideas in the works, including
increasing the number of May abroads
or perhaps offering abroads that are
somewhere in the middle – eight to 10
weeks rather than four or 15.
The abroad office is working
hard to determine the best way
to accommodate students under
the semester system. It is currently
developing a survey to help gather
information on what students are
interested in and what would best fit in
their schedules. Keep an eye out for this
survey so you can add your insight in
order to make Principia abroads even
better.
image / drupal.in-cdn.net
rincipia abroads have long been
a tradition, even a trademark, of
a Principia College education.
Abroads are meant to provide students
with an experience that allows
them to learn more about the
world, themselves and their
relationship to God by stepping
outside of their comfort zone. As
business professor and abroad
office director Linda Bohaker,
the abroad office put it, “There
is real value in an international
experience, interacting with
another culture and becoming
a global thinker.”
Abroads have a dual
focus: academic enrichment
and
character
education.
Current professors submit proposals for
abroad programs they are interested in
pursuing. A committee reviews these
proposals and solidifies the abroad
offerings in order to accommodate a
variety of locations, durations, focuses
and subject matters.
In recent months, it seems as if
almost every Principia department
is undergoing budget cuts or staff
reductions. The abroad office is no
exception, although the impact has not
been significant. No staffing cuts have
been made, and a one-time request
to reduce abroad expenditures for the
2013-14 academic year will be achieved
without changing any programs
because the abroad office had already
approved fewer programs for next year
than in past terms.
The abroad office, like other
offices, has been asked to review its
long-term expenses to determine if it
can reduce its budget, but it has not
been told it will receive less funding
than previous years or that it will need
to limit the number of future abroads
significantly. This year, the office is
offering the same number of abroads
as in previous years; however, the
durations of the abroads have shifted
slightly.
News
PBDC-Prin’s Best Dance Crew
H
image \ theshanecenter.org
ave you heard of the
exciting
new studentlead dance classes being held
on Principia campus this semester?
Dancers from last fall’s production have
decided to share some of their skills
with anyone who wants to learn how
to do hip hop and breakdance. Seniors
Daniel Orth and Sam Williams, along
with sophomore Jason Wissman, have
gotten students excited about learning
new styles of dance that have never
before been taught on campus. So far
the break dancing class lead by Daniel
and Sam and the hip hop unit taught
by Jason have both proved to be great
successes.
Meet the Crew
Sam shares that his favorite part
of being a student choreographer is
“being able to introduce breakdance
into the Prin dance community. There’s
jazz, modern, ballet and the stuff that
Hilary teaches. But being able to bring
this different style of dance is really fun.
It’s great to share what I love with other
people.” And if you take classes from
Sam or have seen him up on stage, you
can clearly see just how much this guy
loves to dance. Sam choreographed an
unforgettable piece for Dance Prod last
fall with breakdance, lights and crazy
stunts. His exploding passion for what
he does is reflected in what he gets to
teach with his class. Sam would like to
continue teaching after he graduates as
well.
For Jason Wissman, dance is
all about being able to inspire. Jason
shared, “The highlight of my winter
break was waking up one morning to
find my sister practicing choreography
I had taught her the night before.
There is something incredibly and
heartwarmingly satisfying that comes
with knowing that I have been able to
inspire someone in even the smallest
way.” He goes on to say, “Sharing
original choreography does that for me.
That’s why I love it.” Jason decided that
he’s always wanted to create a YouTube
video in which he gets to show the world
some of his own funky choreography.
So for the past few weeks, Jason has
been holding classes in which he shares
an original routine of his with the
class. He plans to then post the routine
on the Internet once students learn
it. He has already posted one video.
Jason describes his personal style to
be “raw and emotional.” This rookie,
a first timer in Dance Prod, had the
audience mesmerized with his amazing
solos in Sam and Natalie Davenport’s
pieces. This is also his first time student
teaching and choreographing.
If you’re interested in trying out
new moves, ever want to freestyle or
have the sudden urge to unleash your
inner breakdancer, Sam and Daniel
teach on Tuesdays and Thursdays from
7:30 to 8:30 pm. Everyone’s welcome
at any level of experience. You can
also check out the Principia Dancers
Facebook page.
The Backup
Annika Fredrikson, freshman and
avid attendee of Sam’s breakdancing
sessions, says, “I never thought
breakdancing would be something
I enjoyed doing, but after going to a
couple of Sam’s classes, I see just what
makes this guy so passionate for what
he does. I love how excited Sam gets to
teach us a new section of choreography.
He always keeps things fun and fresh.”
Allex Sammuli
Staff Writer
“It was a fun, inviting
environment,” says senior Dani
Carney, one of Jason’s hip-hop backup
dancers. “The energy was always high,
as was the encouragement from Jason.
You always walked away feeling good
about your abilities and your execution
of the movement. I think it’s a great
way to get students involved with low
profile dance and to keep them coming
back for more. I hope he makes more
videos!”
Freshman Kathyrn Croney adds,
“I really liked how Jason made us really
get into it and feel the dance moves. And
he made learning the choreography
interesting and fun!”
If you’re interested in trying out
your moves, ever want to freestyle, or
have the sudden urge to unleash your
inner breakdancer, Sam and Daniel
teach on Tuesdays and Thursdays from
7:30 to 8:30. Everyone’s welcome at any
level of experience. You can also check
out the Principia Dancers Facebook
page. And don’t forget to check out
Jason’s video shot by Josh Harmon on
Youtube! http://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=CW1ol_CxKnM
April 2013 PILOT 37
photo / Nathan Wright
Hiding in the Open Play Review
Jack Hanson
Staff Writer
H
iding in the Open by Kira
Obolensky is based on the
memoirs of Sabina Zimering.
It is set during World War II and follows
the escape of two Polish Jewish girls,
Sabina and her younger sister Helka,
from Poland into Germany, the heart
of Nazi territory. As the war drags on,
more and more of the sisters’ loved
ones are lost to the Nazi extermination
effort, while the girls find themselves in
constant danger.
Repeatedly over the course
of the play, Sabina is drawn into a
dream world of pre-war Poland. She
receives guidance from her dreams as
she remembers the lessons her family
taught her as she was growing up.
Whether these visions are of ghosts or
memories is never made clear. Sabina
takes them seriously, and they impact
several of her decisions, which always
38 PILOT April 2013
protect and eventually save the sisters’
lives, even though Helka often thinks
they are dangerous and more likely to
reveal them to the Nazis than to save
their lives. The story could be viewed
either as a parable in which those
who are wise “keep calm and carry
on,” or as a heartening instance of
incredible human hardiness in the face
of adversity.
I thought the play, from the
acting to the scene transitions, was
performed well. The actors played
their parts convincingly, and I was
especially impressed by the versatility
of the ensemble actors. Several had to
switch roles several times, sometimes
jumping from persecuted Jews to Nazi
sympathizers in the space of a scene.
The scene shifts were nearly seamless; at
times it was even difficult to distinguish
between scenes. (However, I found that
it was still easy to remain focused as an
audience member.) The set was almost
entirely made up of portable and
multipurpose items that helped with the
smooth transitions. Also, the difference
in sharp and soft lighting helped the
audience distinguish between the
sisters’ reality and Sabina’s dreams—a
key element in understanding the play.
Of course, this review would
not be complete without mentioning
the play’s final scene, which depicts
the Jewish tradition of lighting the
Sabbath candles. It provided a sense
of completeness and contentment;
however, I thought that this scene,
though serious in tone, seemed too
much like a happy ending for a play
about the Holocaust. All in all, Hiding
in the Open captures the Nazi era in
Germany and can be enjoyed and
respected even by those who may not
bring an understanding of the time
period. If you missed the play this time
around and decide to see it somewhere
else later, a word of advice: be sure that
you can handle suspense. The Nazis
and their sympathizers tend to keep
you riveted to the plight of Sabina and
her sister with fear for their safety.
Opinion
D
Taxes: A liberal perspective
isagreement over the current
tax program has led to many
tears, frustrated outbursts and
emotional reactions. Political attention
is spent on whether or not to tax the
rich more or less than others. So many
arguments can be made for either side.
The rich own businesses that
create jobs, so we should give them a
tax break. The rich have more money,
so they can afford to pay more taxes.
How fair is that really? On one hand,
the rich have earned their money and
should be able to spend it like anyone
else; therefore taxing them would be
unfair. On the other hand, giving the
rich tax breaks shows a bias towards the
rich.
If the rich are getting tax breaks
because they own businesses that create
jobs, shouldn’t the middle class and
poor get tax breaks for helping those
businesses produce their products, for
being the work and consumer force
that allows our economy to flourish?
Instead of treating any of our citizens
unfairly, we should support each and
every group–whether they be of a
different class, gender or race. Fairness
and equality should be our priority,
even when coming to taxes. That’s why
I think we should incorporate a flat tax
into our government.
A tax system that taxes everyone
by the same percentage would be totally
fair. In this flat tax, I would include a
regulation that there be a different tax
for those who are under the poverty
line, because they need that money
more than others. Let’s say everyone
is taxed 25 percent of his or her total
income. Then there is no argument
to say that people are being taxed too
much or too little. At least there isn’t
any legitimate argument.
Poor people looking at the
rich often say that the rich aren’t
paying enough. But with a flat tax
they are paying a lot more in terms
of actual money than the poor, and
thus contributing a lot more money
to the government. So the argument
that the rich are not paying enough is
then null and void. On the flip side,
the rich shouldn’t ask to pay less than
others. Asking them to pay the same as
everybody else is fair. Their refusal to
do so would be greedy.
When I’m asked if we should raise
taxes on the rich, I answer yes, because
the rich pay a smaller percentage than
the middle class or poor. I believe it
should be raised to be equal. People
who speak out against increasing
taxes for the rich often point out that
unemployment is a direct result of
raising taxes for the rich. I think that’s
an awful argument. Statistics prove that
lower employment rates are a result
of protest rather than actual logistical
issues with employee salaries.
It is entirely possible to raise taxes
on the rich, or even raise minimum
wage a couple of cents and keep the
same level of employment. I’d argue
that employment can be increased right
now without giving monetary or other
incentives to businesses to do so.
Owners, CEOs and presidents of
companies are paid a disproportional
amount compared to their workers.
For example, CEO pay has increased
127 times faster than worker pay
over the past 30 years, according
to ThinkProgress.org. In contrast,
minimum wage hasn’t even increased
with inflation. Stuck at $7.25, if the
national minimum wage had increased
from the $1.60 per hour with inflation
it would be $10.30 today, according
to Yahoo Finance. These two statistics
illustrate the type of disproportionate
system that we live in today.
Interestingly, the top 1 percent’s
Sam Williams
Liberal Columnist
share of national income peaked in 1929
and 2007, according to the AFL-CIO
(American Federation of Labor and
Congress of Industrial Organizations).
1929, of course, was right before
the Great Depression, and 2007 was
right before the Great Recession.
Thus, economic facts support that
disproportional income rates create
problems. Lastly, CEOs in the United
States earn 380 percent more than the
average worker, according to CNN.
This is clearly disproportionate as well.
If we could change the payment
system within companies so that it
wasn’t so top-heavy, meaning the
salaries of everyone in the company
were proportional, I believe we could
create a financial structure where a flat
tax could happen and unemployment
and lay offs would not go up. We need
to get to the point where we are treating
everything equally in terms of finance.
And that means paying employees
proportionately.
However, I don’t think the CEO
should only earn as much as a lower
management-type
employee.
So
don’t read this article and say that I
think everyone should make the same
amount, because that’s not true. Let’s
just make it proportionate. Let’s make it
so that worker and CEO pay increases
are the same. Let’s make it so that a
CEO doesn’t make $400 billion a year
while a sweatshop worker makes 6
cents per shirt he or she makes. That’s
disproportionate and unfair.
There is a way to raise both the
minimum wage and taxes on the rich
without creating more unemployment.
There is a way to make taxes on the
rich equal to those on everyone else.
April 2013 PILOT 39
Opinion
Anthony AckahNyanzu
International Political Columnist
W
40 PILOT April 2013
compare to other developed countries?
As it turns out, even at 39.5, the top
marginal tax rate for Americans is
still lower than most of their western
European counterparts. According to
Foreign Policy magazine’s website, the
top marginal tax rates are 51 percent in
Britain, 47.5 percent in Germany and
40 percent in France. French President
François Hollande recently proposed
a bill to increase the top marginal tax
rate for France’s top earners to 75
percent; however, the bill did not pass.
According to TradingEconomics.com,
other Scandinavian countries such as
Sweden and Denmark also have top
marginal tax rates above 50 percent.
However, there are a few
developed countries and emerging
economies that have a lower top
marginal tax rate compared to that of
the United States. Canada, Denmark,
China and Brazil all have a top tax
rate below 30 percent. However, these
countries have high capital gains taxes,
which are taxes levied on income from
investment such as bonds and stocks.
While the top marginal tax rate for the
United States is 39.5 percent, it is only
15 percent for income on capital gains.
Rich people who mostly make their
money by investing actually pay a lower
tax rate. In one year, Buffett’s salary
might be $200,000 and he might pay
the highest marginal tax rate of 39.5
percent, but the bulk of his over $40
million income from investment will
be taxed at 15 percent capital gains tax
rate. This is why it is possible for Buffet
to pay less in taxes than his secretary.
Even the 1986 Tax Reform Act, signed
by anti-tax President Ronald Reagan,
raised taxes on capital gains from 20
percent to 28 percent, according to
Forbes magazine.
There is still little room for the
top marginal tax rate to rise, especially
compared to other western European
countries. However, more tax revenue
can be generated by raising taxes
on capital gains and adopting other
innovative and progressive taxing
schemes such as a value added tax
(VAT). The VAT, unlike sales tax,
raises revenue on goods and services by
taxing at each stage of the production
process. In this taxing scheme, the tax
is incorporated and quoted as the price
of the good, so the amount you see on
the price tag already includes the tax.
Though the VAT tax system gives input
tax credit, it reduces the risk of tax
evasion and tax exemptions, according
to EconomyWatch.com. Many western
and non-western countries use this
taxing model to generate tax revenue
efficiently.
In terms of taking away from the
rich, the top marginal tax rate becomes
a real problem when it starts exceeding
50 percent. At 39.5 percent, taxes on
the rich could still increase, but income
raised from this increase will not be
sufficient to save the country from its
financial crisis.
The political strategy of “agree
to raise taxes on the rich or don’t call
me,” will not be enough to solve the
debt crisis. Solving the debt crisis will
involve carefully planned spending cuts,
not sequesters triggered automatically
because the White House and House
Republicans cannot agree on a deal.
Other taxing approaches such as raising
taxes on capital gains and possibly
considering the value-added tax system
will help raise more tax revenue.
Opportunity remains for the
top marginal tax rates on America’s
rich to go up, especially compared to
their Western European counterparts.
However, these increased rates will not
be enough to save the economy from its
current abject state.
graphic / recovertaxauctionmoney.com
ith an outstanding public
debt of over $16 trillion,
it is difficult to ignore the
welfare of the U.S. economy. By the
time the fiscal cliff showdown between
house republicans and the president
had reached its peak last year, most
Americans were tired of hearing those
two words in the same sentence. After
the fiscal cliff came the debt ceiling,
and on March 1, President Obama
signed the dreaded but anticipated
government-wide spending cuts known
as the sequester.
Republicans and Democrats alike
agree that solving the nation’s fiscal
predicament will involve raising more
tax revenue and reducing government
spending. Significant disagreement
exists over who should incur these
increased taxes and the extent to which
government spending cuts should be
implemented.
While
House
Republicans
favor more expense reductions, the
president thinks the wealthy need to
step up and pay more in taxes. In a
widely popularized speech, President
Obama argued that Warren Buffett,
the American billionaire investor,
shouldn’t be paying less in taxes than
his secretary. But is it really possible
for Buffett’s secretary to pay more
taxes than Buffett himself, and to what
extent will taxing the rich help save the
American economy from the brink of
collapse? To answer this question, let’s
compare America’s taxing practices
and rates on the rich to that of other
countries.
How does the United States’
top marginal tax rate, the tax rate of
individuals with the highest income,
(39.5 percent, up from 35 percent
this year due to the fiscal cliff deal),
An international view
Opinion
Cameron Douglas
Conservative Columnist
“
The power to tax is the power
to destroy,” wrote Chief Justice
John C. Marshall in the famous
Supreme Court decision McCulloch v.
Maryland in 1819. At the time he was
referring to the Bank of the United
States, but it is a principle that applies
to anything – businesses, the economy
and our country’s prosperity.
In response to our country’s
financial challenges, President Obama
and the Democrats constantly argue
that we need to raise taxes. What they
disregard is that the United States is
collecting more revenue from taxes
than ever before: $2.7 trillion dollars
of Americans’ hard-earned money,
according to the Congressional Budget
Office. Revenues as a percent of GDP
are slightly lower than the overall
average--true--but there are two ways
to increase revenue. The first option is
to raise rates, which will only get you so
far before enough wealthy people move
their money elsewhere (Switzerland,
the Cayman Islands, etc.) to avoid
crushing tax burdens. The other
alternative is to grow the economy,
because even if rates remain constant,
economic growth means more money
is changing hands – and more money
is eligible for taxation. Unfortunately
for the government, high taxes are an
obstacle to economic growth.
In the political realm, all the
concessions made on taxes recently
have been made by Republicans. On
January 1st, as part of the so-called
“fiscal cliff,” the GOP-controlled
House of Representatives, as well
as many of the Republicans in the
Senate, agreed to raise taxes on people
making more than $400,000 per year,
despite the fact that many of them
A conservative view
had signed a pledge never to raise tax
rates. On the other side, the amount of
government spending cuts enacted has
been barely a drop in the bucket. The
recent “sequestration” cut $85 billion
from this year’s federal budget, which
might sound like a lot until you realize
that the federal deficit grew by $253.5
billion (almost triple the amount cut) in
February alone.
Another constant trope of the
Left is that the wealthy need to pay
their “fair share,” as if they don’t now.
In fact, the wealthy in this country pay
well more than their fair share. The top
20% in America earn about half of the
income in this country, but contribute
68% of tax revenue. The much-reviled
1% pays 22% of taxes, while only
earning 13% of income. On the other
end of the spectrum, the bottom 20%
pays just 0.3% of total income taxes,
while earning 5.1% of the income. So
not only are the rich paying their “fair
share,” it’s really the bottom end of the
scale that isn’t shouldering their portion
of the burden.
Even liberal comedian Bill
Maher recognizes this – on the March
15th edition of his show Real Time
with Bill Maher on HBO, he said,
“Here in California, I just want to
say, liberals – you could actually lose
me. It’s outrageous what we’re paying
– over 50 percent. I’m willing to pay
my share, but yeah, it’s ridiculous.”
In fact, wealthy Californians like Mr.
Maher (who donated $1 million to
support President Obama’s reelection),
pay more than half their income in
federal and state taxes alone - 39.6% in
federal income tax, and the state’s top
marginal rate of 12.3% - even before
one factors in things like property taxes
and local taxes from cities or counties.
As even Bill Maher has figured out, the
cliché that “the rich aren’t paying their
fair share” is absurd.
The difference between liberals’
and conservatives’ views on taxes
illustrates very clearly a key difference
in their core ideology. Liberals’ primary
concern is fairness, or, in this case,
“spread[ing] the wealth around,” as
President Obama famously said to Joe
the Plumber during the 2008 campaign.
There is an inclination on the Left to
believe that if the federal government
doesn’t do something, then no one can
do it. In the case of taxes, the liberals
would have you believe that they’re
asking more from rich people in order
to provide for the poor. However, when
wealthy people lose more of their hardearned money to the government, they
are less likely to give to private charities,
which do a far better job providing for
the poor than the government does
anyway.
Our fiscal troubles don’t come
from a lack of revenue; they come
from astronomical levels of spending.
And, contrary to the oft-repeated battle
cry of the Left, the wealthy already
pay far more than their “fair share.”
Remember that next time you hear
the Democrats crusading for more and
more taxes.
For more conservative commentary from
this columnist, tune in to We The People,
Monday nights at 10 pm Central on Principia
Internet Radio.
April 2013 PILOT 41
Guest Submission
Honoring the gift of a Principia
education
By JD Daugherty
There are some inescapable
facts about the existence of a Principia
College student. It’s rare that families
pay the full price of $36,000, and Prin
can only manage to bring in an average
of $12,000 per student per year.
However, when capital expenditures
are included, it costs $76,000 to put a
student through one year at Principia.
So somebody is paying around
$304,000 to give you this educational
privilege. Bottom line–ALL of us who
are privileged to be in this community
are heavily subsidized by the incredible
generosity of donors. We’re all the
recipients of their epic unselfishness.
My favorite story is from a
previous CEO traveling the country
talking to donors. He talked to one
widow who resolved that, when she
ate out, it would only be at Burger
King so she could save enough money
to leave $1 million to Principia when
she passed on. She exceeded her goal
and gave generously to our experience
here.
The college years are called the
“formative years” for a reason – they
literally form your worldview and are
often the years in which one decides
what his/her religious/spiritual life
commitment will be.
There are
thousands of Prin alums who realize that
spending these years in this community
was one of the best (if not the best)
spiritual growth point of their lives. In
addition, there are many others who
didn’t have the opportunity to attend
Prin but who share an appreciation for
its value. Their gifts help finance our
every aspect of lives here.
Many students here honor what
42 PILOT April 2013
they’re being given with all they’ve got.
They pour their all into their studies,
and strive to understand more of God’s
infinite intelligence and strength in
all of their roles as Principians. They
end up winning awards, scholarships
to grad schools, and going on to serve
the world and the Christian Science
movement. It warms everybody’s heart
here to witness this.
ALL of us who are
privileged to be in this
community are heavily
subsidized by the incredible
generosity of donors.
We’re all the recipients of
their epic unselfishness.
One 2007 Prin grad, Justin
Sinichko, created the GoVerse App
at The Mother Church. This is what
he said about his Prin experience:
“I derive great satisfaction from
practicing perfectly – from that sort
of effort/expression. Today I manage
a rewarding project. I have this
opportunity because I went to work
at Prin before I was hired or even
qualified on paper. All I can ever do,
is meet every situation with my very
best.” If you know Justin, you can see
this in everything he does–even in how
he earnestly he listens to you.
A 2010 grad, Will Buchanan, who
was a Student Body President and is
finishing his final year at Michigan Law
School said it like this: “At Principia
I learned how deeply true our motto,
‘As the Sowing, the Reaping’ is. My
restatement of that lofty motto is this:
‘Movies don’t show people sitting
around watching movies; movies show
people doing things.’ When I look back
at those tremendous four years, I’m
amazed at how much Principia helped
me to do and think and try. I hope I
can continue sowing and reaping in the
Principia tradition for the rest of my
life.”
However, too often we’re seeing
the opposite end of the spectrum. This
semester Principia has a record number
of students on academic probation–and
many below a 2.0. A “TNT” group has
been set up to truly support struggling
students with test-taking techniques
and other skills, but many (sometimes a
large majority) don’t even show up. A
handful of students have recently been
lost to academic suspension and social
suspension for drugs–telling lies along
the way.
We have students who can’t find
motivation. They skip classes and
ignore professors who reach out to
help them. But what has flummoxed
much of the Faculty/Staff is how it’s
possible to not find motivation when
so many loving donors give over their
life fortunes to dramatically improve
student’s lives.
If you complete a college
education, studies say you double your
annual salary; you earn about $1 million
more dollars in your lifetime. Your
opportunities for helping mankind solve
some enormous problems dramatically
increase. At Principia you also graduate
with significantly less debt.
What’s more, it’s still only about
1% of the 7 billion people in this world
Guest Submission
who complete a college education.
And less than 1/3 of Americans finish
a degree. These donors are hoping to
give you incredible educational privilege
– and a huge “leg up” in this life. How
is possible to not find motivation when
one learns these facts? Do student have
to leave college and work horrible jobs
to learn this?
It’s no secret that enrollment at
Prin has declined about 50% since
the early 1980’s and that hundreds of
Christian Science churches have closed
in that time. If we are to sustain all
that Principia gives to this world, we
need to step up. We need to honor the
gift that is being given to us by giving
our all to this unbelievable educational
opportunity and demonstrating this
Science of Christianity for the world.
While the younger generation can
be shocked at the older generation’s
inability to let go of outdated views
on some issues, the older generation
here is often surprised at the younger
generation’s sense of entitlement, -- a
sense that the universe somehow owes
them a college education along with
an iPhone and a laptop. And that we
should strive for these things with as
little effort as possible – even if we have
to tell some white lies as we “brand”
ourselves on social media and resumes.
But what has flummoxed
much of the Faculty/Staff is
how it’s possible to not find
motivation when so many
loving donors give over their
life fortunes to dramatically
improve student’s lives.
Mrs. Eddy comments on this
entitlement mentality as only she can
where she says, “When we understand
that God is what the Scriptures have
declared, -- namely, Life, Truth, and
Love, we shall learn to reach heaven
through Principle instead of pardon;
and this will make us honest and
laborious, knowing that we shall receive
only what we have earned” (Christian
image / flikr.com
Happy ‘09 College grads
Healing, p. 8). Hopefully all of us
demonstrate more of this integrity –
humbly realizing that we should receive
only what we have earned in this life.
As Jesus says, “Unto whomsoever
much is given, of him shall much be
required” (Luke 12:48). So much has
been given to us. And the world with
all of its problems needs Christian
Scientists to be “the salt (the preservative)
of the earth” like never before. It’s time
to grow out of the human inclination to
“use” Christian Science and Principia’s
generosity for one’s personal benefit.
It’s time to begin to selflessly employ
this education and our understanding
of Christian Science for the betterment
of mankind.
April 2013 PILOT 43
Opinion
Election time?
Corey Fedde
Humor Columnist
It’s that special time of year again,
when the sun starts to shine, the snow
melts away (hopefully) and the Principia
student body elects a new president.
For the first time in two years, Principia
will have an actual popularity contest –
I mean, election!
Last year, junior Christine
Nacewicz, and sophomore Marshall
McCurties, won the presidential
election with the majority of the student
body vote, or at least the majority of the
3 percent of students that voted. Jesus
Christ and Mary Baker Eddy came in
a surprisingly close second. I’ll admit,
last year I wrote in George Washington
and the Principia Panther, but this
year is different. This year we actually
have multiple candidates, and some of
them even have platforms. I was a bit
skeptical when I heard that there was
going to be an actual competition, but
according to my Facebook feed, this is
really happening!
Insider information (Facebook
again) has revealed that the three
current candidates for president are
Nacewicz, sophomore Briggs DeLoach
and sophomore Shirley Moihloe. If
I missed anyone, it’s because they
either don’t have Facebook, haven’t
announced their intent to run or don’t
matter.
Having these three individuals
all running for president the same year
creates an interesting circumstance that
American politics has not prepared me
for–I like all of the candidates. Luckily,
my lack of strong opinions and the
political science class I took during my
FYE qualifies me to give an expert,
unbiased analysis of the Principia
44 PILOT April 2013
presidential race. Unfortunately, my
calculations were interrupted.
After spending hours synthesizing
data about the upcoming election (also
known as browsing Facebook), I was
peeved when I learned that a wild card
had entered the race at the last minute
(Great, one more candidate to analyze).
A true maverick at heart, College
President Jonathan Palmer decided to
throw his name in for the position of
student body president.
“D-Palm for Prez!”
- Jess Gealy, Assigning Editor
With his extensive experience and
presidential background, Palmer makes
a powerful candidate for student body
president. He graduated from Principia
College in 1978, received a Ph.D.
from Claremont Graduate University,
and became president of Principia in
2008. Recently, he has added “bane
of all potheads” to his résumé. More
importantly, he has promised that if he
loses, we all lose our financial aid for
next year–a powerful platform.
Palmer entering the race for
student body president fits with his trend
of consolidating positions. A year after
Palmer became president of Principia
College, he also took on the position
of Principia’s CEO. Many might find
this to be an ethical issue, but it only
makes sense to have the president, who
should be crusading for the college and
student’s best interests, and the CEO,
who works with the business side of
the institution, be the same person. If
you disagree, you can make like former
president George Moffett and get out.
With Dorsie Glen leaving in the
fall, it is also speculated that Palmer
is moving toward acquisition of the
role of dean of students. This would
result in Palmer being the president,
CEO, dean of students and dean of
academics–most Principian political
scientists agree that the current dean
of academics, “Scott Schneberger,”
is merely one of Palmer’s fictional
personas.
I happen to support this theory.
It explains why all student emails
addressed to “Scott Schneberger” have
gone unanswered (especially the ones
critiquing the current FYE system
and the switch to semesters) and the
fact that no one has ever actually seen
“Schneberger” on campus. Combining
these positions with the role of student
body president would ensure that
Principia College offers a mediocre
education for students of a very
specific and unique Principia brand of
Christian Science.
Although his entry was a smart
tactical move (something that Palmer
can be relied on to make), Palmer has
thrown Principia student politics into
chaos. I reran my calculations and my
expert analysis is that I have no idea
what’s going on. Nacewicz, with her
year of experience as president and her
connections to the volleyball team, will
most likely gain the vote of the athletes
and the “don’ fix it, ‘less it’s broke” vote.
However, DeLoach, as copresident of the Young Americans for
Freedom and a huge fan of Southern
rap artists, will probably gain the
conservative vote and lead in the
people-who-listen-to-rap demographic.
DeLoach also has the advantage of
having his campaign managed by
freshman Matts Wilcoxen, which could
be a powerful voting incentive for
the Class of 2016. Unfortunately, as
evidenced by their cumulative GPA of
around 2.0, the number of freshmen
Opinion
who are able to read the ballot might
be low.
Moihloe, the loveable transfer
from South Africa and Pub cashier,
will gain the international vote and
the “people that like the pub” vote
(if that demographic existed). She
also has the advantage of having
sophomore Vernon West as a running
mate, which means they will receive a
disproportionate amount of the female
vote on campus.
Will the presidency go to the
current college president, remain with
the current student body president or be
bestowed upon one of the underdogs?
We’ll learn soon enough. After voting,
traditionally, the president would enter
into conclave with the CEO, dean of
students and dean of academics. This
year, Palmer will enter conclave alone,
his office will be sealed and no outside
communication will be allowed until
the next student body president is
selected.
What takes place in conclave has
been hidden under a shroud of secrecy
for hundreds of years. However, inside
sources (Facebook–leave me alone, I
have a problem) have revealed that
Palmer will count the votes and then
burn them in the fireplace in his office.
The subsequent smoke will signal to
the campus that the votes have been
counted and Palmer has made his
decision. Palmer will then exit the
conclave and declare the name of
the next student body president to his
administration.
Students will learn of his decision
just like we learn about every other
decision the administration makes—
image / my.opera.com
Your ballots burning.
word will eventually trickle down over
the following couple of weeks. I’ll be
watching for the smoke, daydreaming
about George Washington and the
Principia Panther.
April 2013 PILOT 45
Things to do in the area!
photo / booknbarber.com
Guest Submission
By Alistair Brockmeyer
A
s every Principian knows, answering questions about Prin can get a little old. We all know the procession well by
now: “Where is it again? How close is it to St. Louis? How did you hear of it?” And then of course, the inevitable
question is asked: “So, what is there to do there?”
I’ve attended this colleg for four years, and I think it’s time that people finally have an answer to that question. No
more using “visiting St. Louis” as an answer either. What I hope to give to you wonderful Principians in these next few Pilot
articles are actual, real places to go. From now on, no Principian should have to suffer the shame of explaining that there
isn’t much to do around Elsah. From now on, you have things to do!
Right, let’s do this then. For each article, I’m going to be offering three suggestions of places to go/things to do
around the area. These three will be split up in terms of cost: Cheap, medium cheap, and then something that may stretch
the budget a little bit. Think of it like this: Parent’s send you random spending money, paycheck week and then Birthday
weekend. And finally, I won’t be talking about the obvious places like the Arch, Panera, City Museum, etc. We all know those
places, but even they get old, right? So let’s get suggestion number one on the table!
Cheap
Place: The Book n’ Barber Shoppe
Where: 412 E. Main Street, Grafton, IL
What: A four-in-one Library, DVD Rental, Barber Shop, Coffee Bar
Why: This place is one of the most unique, genuine and authentic small businesses in the country. A married couple
runs this tiny business out of the first floor of their apartment (along with their tiny dog Armani) year round. It’s cozy inside,
as the Library and DVD Rentals dominate the far side of the apartment, and the coffee bar and Barber Shop take up the rest
of the space. The coffee is AMAZING and cheap (and yes they have decaf). The DVD’s are fairly up to date, however they
have all the classics as well. The Barber Shop section is also fantastic as well, with a discount for anyone who has an eagle
46 PILOT April 2013
Guest Submission
tattoo or anything to do with an eagle (Grafton pride). More than anything, it’s a welcoming place that really just makes you
feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I know its cliché, but when you walk in and realize that you’re standing in the presence of
people who truly care about giving back to their community without trying to get rich, you can’t help but smile.
P.S. They do have wifi, and they love having students come down to do some work!
http://www.booknbarber.com/
Medium Cheap
Place: The Ragin Cajun
Where: 210 W 3rd Street, Alton, IL
What: A New Orleans/Mardi Gras Themed Restaurant
Why: First off, the food is spectacular: Delicious burgers and chicken, as well as fantastic salads will please all food
cravings. I personally don’t like spicy things, but my expert food tasters that accompanied me assured me that the spicy food
was spot on as well. But it’s not all about the food. The best part about this place is the atmosphere. Being in the Alton area,
we seem to lack proper dining establishments (besides our wonderful scramble room, of course). Nothing against Steak ‘n
Shake, but Panera can only be substituted in place for fast food so many times before you either run out of money or fuel
from driving there. The Ragin Cajun, however, offers you a place truly unlike anything in Alton. Walking inside actually
makes you forget you’re in the middle of nowhere and throws you into this dimly lit, cozy Mardi Gras themed building, loud
with dueling pianos and laughter. A balcony section gives guests a fun area to sit where they can look down at the dueling
pianists and enjoy the buzz of the excited air. When it’s warm, guests are encouraged to use the outside balcony and take in
the beautiful sights and sounds of gorgeous Alton. Okay, well not quite all of that last part is true, but everything about the
restaurant is perfect. It’s an outstanding place to eat and liven up a Saturday night, and it won’t deplete that paycheck from
those long hours working at the Pub. You’ll find yourself singing along to the pianos and smiling ear to ear. One of the dining
areas is a cut out section of an airplane! How awesome is that? Check it out and you’ll go back more than once. I promise.
Not Suitable for College Budgets
Place: Grafton Zipline Adventures
What: Zipline Course
Where: 800 Timber Ridge Rd, Grafton, IL
So I know all of us are on a pretty tight budget nowadays, and anything over $40 might as well be our life savings
gone, but every now and then we all stumble across some extra cash. Maybe a birthday or tax returns (or both if you’re that
awesome) help to give you some extra spending money. Whatever it is, this place may be for you. The Grafton Zipline is a
zip line course that works its way around and down the hills of Grafton, zipping and zinging you over deep valleys, between
trees, and in front of a stunning view of the Mississippi River. It does take some money (about $80) and some time training
(only about 20 minutes) before you’re slinging across some of the most beautiful scenery in the area. It’s a little disconcerting
at first, but I can promise it’s easier than it looks, and it’s a blast. No need to worry either. Since opening, they haven’t had
a single mishap. They’ve taken a blind man across, an elderly man and children. They are so dedicated to safety, they check
the course, cables and supports every day, and zip the lines themselves before allowing anyone on. The service is incredible
and the staff is Midwestern friendly. Bottom line, it’s one of the coolest and most amazing things you will ever do.
http://www.graftonzipline.com/
So there are your three for this article! If you have any questions, feel free to ask me anytime. Enjoy!
graphic / clker.com
April 2013 PILOT 47
Creative Submissions
The standoff: Oliver vs. Shontee
April
XX PILOT
2013 April
PILOT2011
48
photos / Galen Collins
Opinion
Best-dressed battle: the functionalist
Heather Jackson
Fashion Columnist
I
n senior Oliver Simpson’s eyes,
clothing is meant to clothe, and
nothing more. For this Brit,
clothes are functional. Simpson steps
out of Anderson in a nice sweater
complemented by practical shoes and a
pair of casual trousers. He is dressed to
meet whatever he expects the day will
throw at him.
So how does Simpson feel about
the classy movement on campus?
Simpson encourages people to look
nice without being overzealous. He
supports dressing with class, but does
not support excessive attention to
fashion choices.
So where do we draw the line?
Simpson is concerned with people
becoming obsessed with their outward
appearance. As a resident assistant, he
reports freshmen spending outrageous
amounts of time fixing themselves up
in front of the mirror every morning.
Many people believe that a mirror is an
integral part of a room and a necessity
for getting ready in the morning.
However, Simpson can easily wake up,
get dressed and leave for classes with
just a quick glance at the mirror. Is this
because he has the natural ability to
look dapper no matter the time of day?
Possibly, but more likely, it is because he
only needs to use a mirror for a second
for it to fulfill its function.
Everything
in
Simpson’s
collection has a purpose. He tries to
keep his wardrobe practical, like his
cozy turquoise onesie from his sister,
which he says is “so comfortable I could
wear it to class.”
His mother and sister have
selected most of his wardrobe, like a
distinguished pair of green skinny jeans,
a campus-wide favorite from Simposn’s
closet. He was out shopping with them
when his sister spotted the flashy pair
and encouraged her brother to try
them on. He was in need of a new pair
of trousers and they seemed to fit well,
but Simpson did not know that they
would become the most legendary pair
of pants on campus. However, Simpson
does own a few items he picked out
himself, like a Principia “jumper,” or
pullover.
sloppy swag of sweatpants.
Oliver Simpson’s taste, though
simple, fulfills its purpose, which really
is all anybody could ask for. He does
consider what goes well together when
picking out his outfits for the day,
stating, “I don’t want to look like a hot
mess.”
“Wearing clothes is a function.
You shouldn’t walk
around naked.”
– Senior Oliver Simpson
Another outstanding item in his
wardrobe is a yellow and navy striped
jumper. Interestingly enough, he can
be found wearing it multiple days
in a row. He purchased it from Jack
Wills, a preppy shop in the U.K. He
has a particular fondness for this store
because it sells normal clothes with a
nice label while maintaining a unique
selection. This shirt stood out to him
because he liked the colors. This is
another way Simpson differs from
freshman Shontee Pant: his utilization
of color. Color is evident in his choice
of his pants, jumper and his socks. He
feels colored socks add character: “Life
is dull without character.” Good call,
Oliver.
Despite his support for the
campus-wide classy movement, he
can still be spotted wandering around
in sweatpants. Arguing that they keep
him warm, he feels little shame in his
selection of post-workout attire. Clearly
he doesn’t share Pant’s distaste for the
April 2013 PILOT 49
Creative Submissions
photo / Galen Collins
XX PILOT April 2011
Opinion
Best-dressed battle: timeless and
simple
Heather Jackson
Fashion Columnist
F
reshman Shontee Pant struts
around campus like she means
business. Her put-together
outfits have a professional and timeless
air to them. Typically seen in a sweater
and jeans combination, boots are an
important element in Pant’s outfits.
When looking for boots, she considers
the style of the boot and then selects a
pair that she feels will be suitable in any
season.
Clothes mean more than just
looking nice to Pant. If you analyze her
outfits, you can begin to decipher the
current state of her mind. The classic
example of this is her hair. Each style
means something different.
Down: She’s pretty relaxed and
nothing terribly stressful is going on.
Ponytail: She’s probably working
out or doing some studying––like
reading or note taking
Bun: Look out! Things are getting
serious. Last time this hairstyle was
spotted was for Dr. Sanford’s Cold War
essay exam.
Pant’s choice of pants often
provides the same insight into her mind
that can be gained from observing her
hairstyle:
Leggings: She’s relaxed.
Jeans: She’s feeling casual.
Sweatpants: She is being held
hostage, tied down, and being forced
to wear them. Sorry folks, but Shontee
will never wear sweatpants.
In fact, along with sweatpants,
there are many clothing items that you
will never see Pant wear. These items
include colored boots, high-waisted
pants, large hair accessories and any
animal print––especially leopard print.
She shies away from anything that is
too trendy or dated.
This isn’t to say that she doesn’t
find dressing nicely important. “It takes
pretty much as much effort to look good
as it does to look bad, so you might as
well look good,” Pant said. She fully
supports the Classy Revolution that
is sweeping across campus, and she
encourages her peers to make clothing
decisions that are well put-together.
Pant looks to Cameron Diaz,
Kate Middleton and her mother for
fashion inspiration. She feels strongly
about keeping her look timeless, but
also stylish and classy. Pant makes the
distinction between classy and stylish
because, although they are often thrown
around together, there are many styles
that would not qualify as anywhere
near classy. She agrees with many
students on campus who feel it is their
responsibility to “dress for success.”
Another big influence on the way
she dresses is her daily activities. If she
is just going about her usual business
as Wonder Woman, she will be in her
“casual” attire. Sometimes you can spot
her prowling around in her running
clothes, usually Under Armour. If she
is preparing for a special occasion like
an interview, Model UN or going to
the airport, she would opt for business
casual or a more formal ensemble.
Pant’s style is influenced by her
dream to be a lawyer. Both of her
parents are successful lawyers in Texas,
which gives her an insider’s advantage
of knowing what is expected, not just in
work, but also in presentation. Clearly,
most people would be more likely
to trust a put-together person over
someone who looks like they rolled out
of bed in some sweatpants and neon
animal print shirt.
Don’t get the wrong impression,
though. Pant’s closet is not as
monochrome as you would expect.
She even happens to own a green pair
of pants! Not as bold as the pants of
senior Oliver Simpson, but rather a
mellow dark green-grey. She is also
more inclined to bring out the delicate
floral prints in the spring, which is as
patterned as she will get. Who can
resist floral print?
Pant is an enigma to her fellow
classmates. They are mystified by how
she manages her rigorous schedule,
runs track and is one of the Anderson
house presidents. She was even able to
speak Sanskrit in her childhood. Her
ambitious nature won’t settle. Even
when it comes to her closet, she ensures
that what she wears will do more than
just keep her decent, but also look great
anytime.
By investigating her choice of
daily attire, we can get clues into the
mystifying life of Shontee Pant. Maybe
if we too make not just simple, but also
timeless choices, we can be as classy,
and maybe even as successful, as this
ultimate achiever.
April 2013 PILOT 51
Photo / movies.netflix.com
Opinion
W
ho would have thought
that “Top Gear,” a small
motoring show from leafy
Surrey in southeastern England,
would have such international
prominence and even create its own
worldwide cult?
“Top Gear” mixes car reviews,
challenges and news with celebrity
car laps and road trips to make one of
the most entertaining global shows on
TV. In Britain, the show has attracted
much attention over the last few years
for its controversy. It has increased in
its cheekiness over time whilst growing
in prominence. It seems that as the
show becomes more popular, the
producers feel they can get away with
more. The more outrageous stunts and
challenges that the program features
are certainly based on the show’s high
profile, especially when compared
with the tamer car reviews it stuck to
in earlier days; many viewers who are
not the least bit interested in cars, like
me, now watch it.
52 PILOT April 2013
What is it about the show that
has led to this stardom and global
popularity? Although I am not a car
enthusiast, I love the show because
of the interplay between the three
eccentric and entertaining presenters.
However, since there are so many
perspectives about what makes “Top
Gear” great, let me focus on how the
show developed and what it involves.
“Top Gear” started in 2002
and was first presented by Jeremy
Clarkson and Richard Hammond,
two of its current hosts, and Jason
Dawe, who only lasted for one season.
Subsequently, after its first series,
James May was introduced to the cast,
replacing Dawe. Before 2002, it was a
shorter program with just Clarkson. It
was then successfully pitched to BBC
in a new format, with shows an hour
in length for the restart in 2002.
The presenters themselves play
very important roles in how the show
is presented to the audience. Clarkson,
the main presenter, has been a
Oliver Simpson
British Columnist
journalist and broadcaster in the
U.K. for about 25 years, specializing
in car journalism. He is the most well
known personality from “Top Gear”
on British TV, regarded as a very
opinionated man with an open mouth
that often gets him in trouble.
Secondly, Hammond is the
handsome presenter—the ladies’
choice on the show. Hammond is
teased mercilessly on the show for
his small size, hence the nickname
Hamster. Being on “Top Gear” has
allowed him to start a TV career as a
moderator presenting different jobs on
BBC.
Lastly, May is the traditionalist
of the group. He is thought to be
rather dull and is therefore nicknamed
Captain Slow, because he tends
to drive slower than Clarkson and
Hammond.
Opinion
As explained before, the main
features of “Top Gear” include car
reviews, which each presenter does
in a way that appeals to a non-carcrazy audience through entertaining
imagery and language. Car challenges
are the other main focus of the show,
which includes both trips and tests
for any vehicle, from a caravan to a
Lamborghini. Another very prominent
part of the show is the “Star in the
Reasonably Priced Car,” which involves
celebrities driving around the “Top
Gear” track in a premium car. Lastly,
“Top Gear” features a couple of specials
in each series, one example being when
they take a road trip for the whole show.
This may range from travelling through
the Holy Land toward Bethlehem to
traversing the jungles of Bolivia.
As a TV show, Top Gear
prides itself on being an uncensored
mouthpiece for manly and matey
humour. This has meant offending
various minorities and nations,
including truck drivers, gays, Mexicans
and suburban mums that drive four-byfours. This humour, mainly perpetuated
by Clarkson, is meant jokingly and
is enjoyed by its target audience, but
misunderstood by others in the general
public. For example, Clarkson once
referred to Gordon Brown, then the
British Prime Minister, who is blind in
one eye as a “one-eyed Scottish idiot.”
This emphasizes the style in
which “Top Gear” is presented. In this
sense it is one of the most uncensored
programs on British TV, since no other
show would get away with many of the
things that Clarkson and company say
on the show. On the other hand, it is a
release from the tight regulations that
so many programs have to adhere to for
TV audiences.
Some are offended by the show’s
content and complain about the loose
tongue of Clarkson in particular.
However, television would not be the
same without this show’s eccentric
style and the freedom of expression its
presenters utilize.
photo / fanpop.com
April 2013 PILOT 53
Guest Submission
I hate Top Gear
By: Shontee Pant
My aversion to Top Gear is
interesting because the show contains
many of the elements that would be
included in my ideal show: humor, cars,
exotic locations and continuous danger.
Fast cars abound in this British comedy
with an excessive number of spinoffs,
which, of course, can be attributed to
the show’s smashing popularity in the
UK. Although I am only versed in the
original series, I certainly hope that
the spinoffs represent a vast deviation
from the original series, because this
world cannot handle exponential
multiplication of the stupidity that
prospers in the UK version of Top
Gear.
The show has been criticized
for promoting casual racism and
homophobia. However, in defense of
this accusation, the producers maintain
that this provocative humor is merely
an understood element of Top Gear,
and this is in fact verifiable. The humor
is questionable at times, but is amusing
as a whole. What is not acceptable
on this show is the insensitivity that
is displayed towards those that have
suffered brain injury and trauma as a
result of car accidents that occurred in
the opening episode of the 9th season.
Additionally, in one episode a character
is shown drinking and driving while in
the Arctic. The criticisms that I have
against the show do not deal so much
with the humor as with the content.
Many of the values promoted on Top
Gear are questionable at best. Most
of all, this show is simply a venue for
commercial car manufacturers to
advertise under the supposed pretense
of television while simultaneously
advancing questionable values. Each of
54 PILOT April 2013
these episodes is literally an extended
commercial for cars. If I wanted to
watch hours of commercials I would
turn on the infomercial channel.
The aforementioned idiocy of
Top Gear has not been fully expounded
upon by critics and viewers. The show’s
supposed intelligence is exemplified in
astoundingly brilliant ideas such as car
rugby and aerial assaults with fighter
planes on extremely expensive cars.
These are ideas that the sane perhaps
imagine but certainly never act upon.
Irony abounds in the show because the
cars are exalted as excellent vehicles,
yet they are treated as dispensable toys.
There is a reason that the sane
do not attempt a double loop-the-loop
on four wheels: the level of danger is
incomprehensible. One of the show’s
stars, Richard Hammond, was severely
injured while driving a car at the speed
of 314 miles per hour for a stunt. There
is no legitimate reason, not even for the
sake of entertainment, to operate a
vehicle at that speed. The crash episode
became one of the most watched
episodes of the entire show, which leads
me to question the sensibility of the
show’s viewers.
Really, one of the most amusing
aspects of the show is how the stars of
Top Gear are so concerned with cars.
They adapt their jokes to be car jokes.
They create games normally played
by humans to be played with cars.
Basically, their lives revolve around
cars. However, the lack of a plotline
coupled with the extended commercial
setup and the waste of cars and money
lead me to question the validity of
Top Gear and even more, the sanity,
judgment and taste of its viewers.
Shontee Pant hates British hit show, Top Gear.
photo / newyorktimes.com
Opinion
The best BOY band
image / winterkatzesbuchblog.blogspot.com
T
hank you, Vincent-Immanuel
Herr, for introducing me to
greatness. The first time I ever
heard the Swiss-German female folkpop duo, BOY, was last semester at a
Thursday Pilot Night. We listen to a
lot of fun music during Pilot Nights—
anything from “The Godfather” theme
(please, never again) to Frank Sinatra to
Katy Perry. But when Vincent said he
was about to play his “happy song,” I
knew it was a big deal. ‘Cause Vincent’s
really happy.
Hearing “Little Numbers” was
a rare experience for me: love at first
listen. Usually, I first despise the songs
that become my favorites, sometimes
even for years. But Vincent was right. As
I listened, I couldn’t help but simply feel
joy. Even though Valeska Steiner sings
about longing for someone so much that
she asks, “Is there a cure for me at all?”
the song holds so much hope for the
relationship. We all know that intuitive
feeling. That feeling that something
wonderful is about to happen, and you
can feel it in this music. Immersed in its
energetic tempo and catchy-as-Top-40pop piano melody, I could not sit still
when I heard “Little Numbers,” and no
one’s voice but Steiner’s could blend as
well with her band-mate Sonja Glass’s
composition.
When I returned to my room
after Pilot Night, I was determined
56 PILOT April 2013
to download “Little Numbers” and
was so, so sad to find that it wasn’t
available on iTunes. But have no fear.
BOY’s album, “Mutual Friends,” is
finally available in the United States on
iTunes! It was released on Feb. 26, and
their contagiously happy single “Little
Numbers” was featured as iTunes’
single of the week for the first week of
March.
But don’t stop at BOY’s most
popular single. Their whole album is
fantastic! “Waitress,” their second most
popular song on iTunes, centers on a
20-something woman’s aspirations for
a more fulfilling and exciting future.
As students approaching college
graduation, we can all understand this
desire. “Waitress” packs a lot of punch,
just as upbeat and addictive as “Little
Numbers;” it was the only song on my
spring break driving mix that I didn’t
start skipping after several listens. I
recommend listening to both tracks on
high volume.
The rest of the songs are much
mellower (except for “Oh Boy” and
“Silver Streets”), but they bring nice
balance to the album. Each track has
a sweet, soothing melody, and Steiner’s
voice is like a pillow for your ears.
My personal favorites, besides “Little
Numbers” and “Waitress,” are “Army,”
“Boris” and “July.” Don’t be fooled,
“Army” is not about the military. In this
Liza Hagerman
Editor-in-Chief
song, “Army” is a metaphor for your
favorite people, and Steiner sings about
how they make life infinitely better—
oh how that idea resonates. “Boris”
is an awesome tell-off to a guy who
harasses a woman and tries to hook up
with her while her boyfriend is out of
town. How is that not satisfying? And
the album closes with “July,” which
slowly builds magnitude to BOY’s final
message: Every experience you’ve had
has brought you to where you are—
your right place.
“Mutual
Friends”
focuses
on themes such as independence,
relationships, becoming who you
want to be and pondering the exciting
possibilities of life. As an album, it is
perfect for young adults. And for you
Ingrid Michaelson and Sara Bareilles
fans out there, BOY is quite reminiscent
of their style, but the Swiss-German
duo has a fresher, catchier, and more
alternative sound, laced with more
positive energy. So give this irresistible
album a thorough listen and hear what
happiness sounds like!
Opinion
The L-word
Katie Hynd
L
Columnist
Mrs. Morgan said, ‘Train yourself for
service. Have an unselfed purpose.’ I
think that applies to both service and
leadership,” he said.
I tested my leadership skills last
year as the head organizer and leader
for the community service trip to
Joplin, Mo. First, I had to work through
the challenges of delegation, calling
host sites, determining the cost and
establishing who was going. Then I
had to answer everyone’s questions and
organize the group while we were in
Joplin.
During this time, I learned that
leading is more like following. I listened
to the group’s thoughts and needs, and
together we made decisions. It makes
sense that the Leadership Institute’s
focus this semester is teamwork.
... what does it really mean to
be a leader?
Alumnus Phil Riley, one of the
eight trip participants, also came
away with a new understanding of
leadership. “We do not have to be
labeled as leaders to be a leader. To give
humbly of yourself is the best quality
of leadership in my opinion. And I
have never seen so many leaders in one
place as I saw at Joplin,” he said.
Riley explained that each leader
completed different and necessary
work, and each had a different
leadership style. There are no norms
when it comes to leadership.
“We would work all day, moving
wood with nails, giant tree branches,
tons of trash, sometimes in some pretty
intense weather. Some of the leaders I
saw were people who took the initiative
to organize groups, leaders who could
break out a smile in tough conditions.
Leaders who could take a risk to
introduce themselves to a group of
kids from another school,” Riley said.
He concluded this discussion about
the leaders he observed by stating that
“It was one of the first times in my life
that I felt like I was really making a
difference in people’s lives.”
This was the goal of trip: to
practice our leadership skills and make
a difference in someone’s life. Everyone
in our eclectic Principia group made
a difference in each other’s lives. We
bonded as a team, and by the end of the
week, we were a surrogate family. On
our last day together, we proudly wore
our “Helping JOMO get its MOJO
back!” T-shirts in front of the road sign
of our living quarters, Abundant Life,
with our arms overlapping for a final
group picture.
Through my work as a leader,
I have learned that there is no single
leadership model. The model is a
concept, not a person, and the concept
comes from the knowledge that leading
is serving. It is not a popularity contest
or an exclusive game. It is self-sacrifice
and love for others. It is stepping up and
doing what is right. It ignores labels.
I agree with Wold when he
said that “When you think about it,
leadership is fundamentally about
serving the needs of others—at least
when practiced properly.”
April 2013 PILOT 57
image / hardinleadership.com
eadership is a buzzword
on campus. It gets thrown
around by College President
Jonathan Palmer and at the Student
Senate. During the house fair, senior
Jake Meier, one of the presidents of
Sylvester House, told the freshmen that
his house represents more leadership
than others because most of the Public
Affairs Conference board lives there.
But what does it really mean to be
a leader?
As president of the Community
Service Team, I have learned about
leadership this semester through
experience. But my conclusions have
been different than my expectations.
Organizing three annual spring
break trips for the Community Service
Team has reduced my resolve to
become president of the United States.
It takes a lot of work, and nothing goes
according to plan. Leadership requires
a lot of sacrifice, not only of time, but
also of self.
Principia Leadership Institute
director David Wold said that “One of
the things people are often surprised
by when they become a leader is how
often it requires them to put self aside.
While there are certainly some perks
to being a leader, it invariably requires
some level of sacrifice on the part of
the leader, and very often there are
more sacrifices than perks.”
Wold has a lot of time to consider
leadership. Since I think community
service and leadership go hand in hand,
I wasn’t surprised to learn that earning
the Institute’s leadership certificate
requires community service. However,
I wondered why Wold had made this
decision.
Besides emphasizing selflessness,
Wold quoted Mary Kimball Morgan.
“In her 1923 commencement address,
“Doctor Who” and Britain:
a love affair
Bobby Witney
Staff Writer
F
or fifty years, “Doctor Who,”
the longest-running British
television show, has haunted the
minds of British fans, writers and critics
with the ever-elusive question: “Doctor
who?”
In its simplest form, “Doctor
Who” is a show about a time-travelling
alien known as the Doctor. Aided by
his many companions and his trusted
ship, the TARDIS (Time and Relative
Dimensions in Space), the Doctor saves
58 PILOT April 2013
the universe in efficient 45-minute
episodes. Despite a demanding
schedule and the ability to travel to
any part of the known universe almost
instantaneously, the Doctor spends a
suspiciously large amount of his time
in Britain.
The Doctor’s love affair with
Britain began Nov. 23, 1963, when the
first episode aired. Since then, Britain
has been graced with over 15 solid
years of “Doctor Who” material, with
a brief 16-year hiatus throughout the
1990s and early 2000s. Production of
the show halted in 1989 due to falling
viewer numbers and a decline in the
British public’s perception of the show.
Although there were various
attempts to restart the series, such as the
1996 film of the same name, it was not
until 2005 that the show was broadcast
again as a direct continuation of the
earlier series and the 1996 movie.
So, while the Doctor has not had a
continuous 50-year broadcast, he has
never strayed from British thought,
and he is considered an essential part
of British television history. Besides,
continuity doesn’t mean much to a time
traveller.
To someone unfamiliar with
“Doctor Who,” 50 years might sound
like an awfully long time for a show to
run. However, a Whovian -- the name
Creative Submissions
image / anglotopia.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com
“Doctor Who” fans lovingly call each
other—knows that the longevity of
“Doctor Who” is due to its ability to
adapt to its audience regardless of the
decade.
Part of the show’s adaptability has
to do with the Doctor’s innate ability
to regenerate. Regeneration is the
Doctor’s ability to change into another
form as his body repairs itself after a
mortal wound. This allows a new actor
to replace the current Doctor, which
keeps the show going indefinitely. It’s a
bit like James Bond, except the writers
actually bother to create an explanation
for the new actor. Brilliantly, each new
actor has been encouraged to bring a
different interpretation of the Doctor
to the show, or they bring their own
answer to the question of “Doctor
who?”
The differences in character
between the first Doctor, William
Hartnell, and the 11th and most
recent Doctor, Matt Smith, illustrate
perfectly how the show has developed
to reflect the changes in British culture.
A famous line from the first Doctor is
“You cannot rewrite history! Not one
line!” This acceptance of history and
its certainty reflected mid-20th century
British realism.
However, the most recent Doctor
changes direction as he struggles with
the idea of not being able to alter
the course of history. He declares
that “Time isn’t a straight line. It’s all
bumpy-wumpy. There’s loads of boring
stuff. Like Sundays and Tuesdays and
Thursday afternoons. But now and
then there are Saturdays. Big temporal
tipping points when anything’s
possible.”
At these “temporal tipping
points,” things can be changed: History
can be “tipped” one way or the other.
The newest Doctor has taken on the
persona of the modern British, who
have begun to accept their culture
and reach beyond the bounds of selfdeprecation, while also struggling with
the shame of past atrocities, many of
which they wish they could rewrite.
While each of the Doctors act as
an accurate reflection of the past or
current British culture, “Doctor Who,”
is unabashedly patriotic as a whole.
The Doctor’s obsession with humanity
is apparent, but his connection with
the British is rarely explained in
the television show. However, a few
moments have revealed the Doctor’s
deep respect and adoration for the
British people. Subtle examples can
be seen throughout the seasons, for
instance, in the 2007 Christmas episode
“Voyage of the Damned:”
Mr. Copper: So Great Britain
is part of Europe, and just across the
British channel you’ve got Great France
and Great Germany?
The Doctor: It’s just France and
Germany. Only Britain is Great.
and colonialism.
However, when an alien with two
hearts, a time-travelling police box and
a sonic screwdriver admits his love for
a specific nation, people tend to listen.
Simultaneously, “Doctor Who” has
always been a creation that Britain
can be proud of, as the Doctor, a strict
pacifist, stands for the British values
of ingenuity, moral-steadfastness and
perseverance over the base values of
greed and violence.
Caitlin Moran, in a television
review for British daily The Times, wrote
that “Doctor Who” is “quintessential to
being British,” while Steven Spielberg
stated that “the world would be a
poorer place without ‘Doctor Who.’”
The “quintessential” Britishness
of “Doctor Who” has contributed to
saving the British from their own selfhatred, while showing the world what
the British can really do.
In a slightly more heartfelt speech,
during the 2005 episode “The Empty
Child,” the Doctor describes Britain’s
struggle against Nazi Germany in
World War II:
Right now, not very far from here,
the German war machine is rolling
up the map of Europe. Country after
country, falling like dominoes. Nothing
can stop it, nothing until one tiny,
damp little island says “no.” No, not
here. A mouse in front of a lion. You’re
amazing. The lot of you. Don’t know
what you do to Hitler, but you frighten
the hell out of me.
Such patriotism is rare in modern
Britain, because before 2012, it seemed
any achievements the British made as a
country involved the merciless invasion
of other countries for greed and pride.
Any hint of pride in queen and country
is seen as being in favour of imperialism
April 2013 PILOT 59
Opinion
Book review: ‘Speaking from Among
the Bones’ by Alan Bradley
Casey Lee
Columnist
W
hen I went to Principia
Upper School for my senior
year, I had a little more time
on my hands than I do here at Principia
College. To fill up that time and keep
myself out of trouble, I read voraciously.
Mrs. Hammond, the Upper School’s
wonderful librarian and one of my
favorite people, eventually turned me
on to the Flavia de Luce series.
These books’ murder-mystery
theme continues to baffle no matter
how closely you pay attention, which
is wonderful because nothing is more
annoying than guessing the end before
you get there. I bring this up because I
have been waiting for years for the next
book to come out, so long that I had
temporarily forgotten about it ... until
just now!
“Speaking from Among the
Bones” is the fifth book in the Flavia
de Luce series, meaning that Flavia
has to use a whole hand to count the
number of bodies she has come across.
She seems quite proud of this fact. The
book is set sometime around the 1950s
and takes place in a rather small English
village. Flavia’s father is an introvert. As
long as the girls are on time to family
meals, he does not keep close track of
their whereabouts. This leaves Flavia
with plenty of time to ride around the
town on her mother’s bike and stumble
into adventures.
Flavia, age 11, is the main
character and a chemistry genius.
Her favorite compounds are poisons:
“Whenever I’m a little blue, I think
60 PILOT April 2013
about cyanide, whose color so perfectly
reflects my mood.” She uses her
penchant for chemistry to help her solve
murders, which seems to happen with
frightening regularity for such a small
town. Flavia grew up with only her
father and two older sisters, Ophelia
and Daphne.
Of course, there is also Dogger,
the estate’s handyman, who was a
prisoner of war along with Flavia’s
father. He has an eclectic collection of
talents, sometimes suffers from anxiety
attacks and is often Flavia’s confidant.
photo / media.npr.org
There is also the part-time cook who is
a treasure trove of town gossip. Each of
these characters proves useful to Flavia
during her investigations, whether they
mean to or not.
In the fifth book, Flavia
accidentally discovers the body of the
church organist. The clues lead her to
a victim of lead poisoning, a leper, a
secret tunnel from a tomb to the church
and a dead saint who is about to be
exhumed for his quincentennial. There
is not a dull moment in this book.
Although there are many
characters introduced in the novel, they
are fairly easy to keep straight. Flavia
discovers more about her neighbors
and family in each book, so they
become more than just some name
in print; their backstories and secrets
make them memorable. This makes
the book pretty busy. Not only are you
trying to figure out the main mystery of
who killed who and why, but you also
have these side mysteries to keep track
of. It can be rather exhausting trying to
guess how the side facts play into the
main mystery, if at all.
Pieces of Flavia’s personal life fall
into place, too. Her mother is a mystery
to her because she died in a mountain
climbing accident when Flavia was
just a baby. Although speaking about
her mother is tabooed in the house,
Flavia continuously discovers more
about her inadvertently. The plethora
of details make this more than a simple
murder-mystery: It is layered like one
of Dagwood Bumstead’s sandwiches.
Google it. So don’t read if you are
sleepy, because you will miss out on
important pieces of information.
I loved this book, even though
it ended with a cliffhanger. You all know
how I feel about cliffhangers: I despise
them. But between Flavia’s quick wit
and my strong desire to finally discover
all of the secrets hidden in her town, I
am totally hooked. I plan on buying the
next book as soon as possible. I strongly
suggest that you catch up on this series
and make note to do the same.
Opinion
Book review: ‘Forever Neverland’ by
Heather Killough-Walden
D
and turns to drinking. Only Tinker Bell
and her pixie dust putting a roof over
his head and keep him out of serious
harm’s way.
Wendy, her brothers, Peter and
Tinker Bell eventually make it back to
Neverland, but with the unenthusiastic
help of the one and only Captain
Hook. When Wendy comes face to
face with the Captain, she doesn’t see
him the way she did when she was 11;
she now sees him through the eyes of
a 17-year-old girl. Hook is the ultimate
bad boy, apparently. (You have no idea
how wrong it felt to write that!) Peter
has changed, too. No longer is he
photo / www.e-reading-lib.org
id you hear that breaking
sound reverberating through
campus this weekend? That
was my heart.
Growing up, we all had a favorite
Disney movie. Mine was “Peter Pan.”
The idea of never growing up or
dealing with adult problems, of playing
all day long and flying, was beguiling. I
must have read the books and watched
the VHS a million times each. So when
I came across a book titled “Forever
Neverland” by Heather KilloughWalden, you can imagine how happy I
was.
The scene, seen through the eyes
of Peter and Wendy, is set six years after
Wendy, her brothers, Peter Pan and the
Lost Boys left Neverland, seen through
the eyes of Peter and Wendy. Peter had
made a promise not to go back until all
the children of Neverland were happy
and taken care of. Yet when the lost
boys are adopted and loved, Peter and
Tinker Bell still cannot leave our world
for Neverland. They failed to realize
that the Darling children were included
in Peter’s promise and that they are
most definitely not A-OK.
Wendy is sent to therapy, where
they have banned her stories and
are medicating her with pills. John
sinks into denial of the existence of
Neverland. Michael is beat up daily
at school. Worst of all, because Peter
cannot return to Neverland, he grows
up.
I should have known at this
point that it was time to put the book
down. Alas, I did not; mainly because
I couldn’t. I had to figure out what
the author was going to do to my
childhood. As Peter spends his time on
Earth, he becomes an adrenaline junkie
the carefree boy looking for the next
adventure. He is angsty, confused and
more like a typical teenager.
The focus of the story is that
Neverland and its characters are
in danger. The characters need to
redefine who they are to each other
and what their role is this time around.
Things in Neverland are changing,
and the place itself is not happy about
this development. It is up to Wendy to
put things right again, but how she is
supposed to do that is the big question.
Casey Lee
Columnist
Although the book repeatedly tore
at the fabric of my childhood nostalgia,
truly the author took the foundation of
an already known story and expanded
upon it in a very realistic and innovative
way. It makes sense, sadly, that the
Darling children would not be believed
when they went home and that core
characteristics would have changed in
everyone as they matured and gained
more real-life experienceed.
Basically, I not only dislike the
fact that I have to grow up but also
that my favorite characters had to.
However, this story was meant to follow
the characters as they embarked in a
more mature adventure with complex
emotions, so the book did its job well.
The plot line is intriguing because
the characters, being closer to adults
than children this time around, have
a deeper understanding of the effects
that their actions will have. The book
is fairly straightforward, without any
major twists and turns, but it is still
gripping.
I alternated between not being
able to put the book down because I
could not believe the direction it was
going in and not being able to put
it down because I had to know if my
favorite characters would survive. The
ending was unrewarding and left me
confused and frustrated, but there is
a sequel, so hopefully everything will
be explained in that book. Pick up
“Forever Neverland” and discover for
yourself if a more mature Neverland is
the place for you.
April 2013 PILOT 61
Opinion
Book review: ‘The Book of Lies’ by
James Moloney
Casey Lee
Columnist
T
his book by James Moloney
is simply magical! Get it? Of
course not—you haven’t read
it yet. But I’ll let you in on the pun
anyway. It’s funny because the book is
about magic—just a little humor
to start us off. Moving on!
After
reading
serious
literature for school and then
situations full of mortal peril
(thank you, Dean Koontz) during
my free time, I decided that I
needed a lighter read. In this book,
a kingdom is at risk, its control
held over magic is weakening,and
lies are flying thick and fast. Your
main characters consist of four
kids—I’m not sure how old they
actually are, but I would guess
high school age. Their naivety is
pretty telling.
It all starts off during a
dark and eerie night when an
unconscious boy is carried to Mrs.
Timmins’s Home for Orphans
and Foundlings by a mysterious
group of people that will never
show up again through out the
entire book, which, frankly, I
found extremely suspicious. He
is brought up to a room where a
wizened old man stands over him
with a book. As the man begins
to speak, as if telling a story, the
book opens on its own accord and
records the words as they are spoken.
When Marcel awakens, we realize
that the story told was actually meant
to replace his old memories and give
62 PILOT April 2013
him a new life to live. Luckily for him,
and the plotline of the book, a young
girl, Bea, was hidden in the shadows
and saw the whole incident transpire.
Roaming around without being seen is
a specialty of Bea’s, and her curiosity
allows her to put her skill to use quite
often. She is a spunky individual, and
she quickly became one of my favorite
characters. She informs Marcel of
the mix. Nicola is a quiet and shallow
girl, extremely narcissistic and was sent
back from the last family that had taken
her in. Fergus seems to be all bluster.
He is the kid that feels the need to prove
himself to be the best at everything
and takes an almost instant dislike to
Marcel.
Events soon take place that force
the four young people to go on an
adventure together to possess the
book, find out who they really
are and discover the secret of the
book and why it is so important.
They initially appear to be a
rather hodgepodge group, but
later end up being the only people
each other can rely on. There are
wicked family members, dragons,
magic, gigantic predator cats
on the prowl and a kingdom at
stake. Their lives depend on how
well they can work together and
discover the secrets of the Book
of Lies.
Although their age group
is younger than us, and magic is
involved, this story is not limited
to children. I found it to be a
very enjoyable read, albeit a very
quick one at only 360 pages. If
you are looking for a story you
can finish in a day or so or one
to briefly take your mind off of
school, I suggest this book. The
plot line is intricate enough to
be interesting, but it is not a
photo / libmsc.global2.vic.edu.au brainteaser. Even though I did
see some of the twists coming,
his real name and the fact that it was there were others that still managed to
the book kept by the old man that take me completely by surprise. Like
manipulated his thoughts.
that awesome time when....oh wait.
Two other kids at the home,
Fergus and Nicola, are then added to