O UAC H I TA
B A P T I S T
U N I V E R S I T Y
the
SIGNAL
04.13.18
Vol. 126, Issue 20
SINCE 1890 FEATURES | 3
ONE IN A MILLION A unique journey toward the unlikely
www.obusignal.com
Ouachita Student Foundation presents Tiger Traks 2018 By VICTORIA ANDERSON
Staff writer Tiger Traks will take place this weekend, April 13 and 14, in SPEC, the Village circle and at the intramural fields. Sponsored by the Ouachita Student Foundation, Traks consists of several events for teams of students to compete in with the purpose of raising scholarship money. Although there are no new events, OSF is bringing back favorite games from last year. These include an egg toss, innertube relays in the pool, trike races and mud games like mud volleyball and mud tug-of-war. “I’m looking forward to playing mud volleyball,” said Hannah Dixon, a senior biology major with a psychology minor from Merrillville, Indiana. “I’m not very good, but I enjoy throwing mud at people. I think OSF does a good job of making Traks competitive, while also allowing everybody to have fun and enjoy themselves. I enjoy just being able to have fun instead of being super competitive.”
There will also be several mind games like Pictionary, a spelling bee, charades and Guess That Tune. “My favorite thing about Traks is seeing all the teams there and just having fun while competing with your friends,” said Sydney Van Scyoc, a senior nutrition and dietetics major from Valley Center, Kansas. “The games are usually pretty funny and always entertaining to watch since they aren’t always really serious or intense. Everyone just has fun with it.” Along with providing fun for students and some friendly competition, Tiger Traks also helps provide scholarship money that enables fellow students to continue their education at Ouachita. “Every hour spent planning Traks, every annoying Instagram story counting down the days till Traks, even every student who served a float last Thursday, was for the purpose of signing up teams so that we could have the money to give out more scholarships,” said Jaret Webb, a junior communication sciences and disorders major from Memphis, Tenn.
STUDENTS in last year’s Tiger Traks compete in Tug-of-War in a mudpit, as is frequently used in Traks games. Students can compete in teams of eight people in an effort to raise money for student scholarships.
“Every dollar given to us for Traks participation goes to that. We as OSF are proud to be a part of that.” Tiger Traks takes a lot of planning and requires several people to get everything ready. Despite how crazy things can get, the purpose of Traks makes it worth it for many—students helping stu-
dents. “As crazy as it sounds, I love planning Traks,” said Webb. “Making sure everyone is in the right place and making sure everything is in order is what I enjoy doing. Beyond that, I love seeing the impact OSF makes when the dust settles. After the last medal is awarded and after
the last total is tallied, I love asking OSF leadership, ‘How much do we have to give out next year?’ Once the scholarship letters are awarded, I love seeing who got them and hearing their stories and knowing that we as OSF had a small part in that. It makes what we do as OSF so rewarding.” n
School of Fine Arts to perform colorful world of “Seussical: The Musical”
Flowers and Stanage to present senior art exhibits through April 19
“Seussical: The Musical,” Ouachita’s spring musical, will run April 19-22 with evening shows at 7:30 and a Sunday matinee at 2:30. The musical, set in the vividly colorful world of Dr. Seuss, incorporates comedic characters and fantastic sets along with a surprising depth and meaning. The director of “Seussical” and Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts at OBU, Drew Hampton, said, “I’ve always been enamored with how poignant the show can be. In a world full of bright colors and silly characters, there’s an incredible amount of depth to many of the lines and lyrics.” Hampton said creating the show has been both hard work and a lot of fun. “The material allows us to be silly and laugh a lot together, but at the same time, the production needs to have a sense of polish about it when we get to performances, and that requires a lot of work on the part of the actors and the entire production team.” “The technical work for this show is critical,” Hampton said. “The visual elements of the show have to be incredibly engaging in order to suit the Seussian world made by the creators of the show.” “All of the tech elements are coming together fantastically,” said Michael Pere, who plays the Cat in the Hat in the show. “The set looks
Seniors Emily Flowers and Katie Stanage opened their senior art exhibits this Tuesday, April 10 in Rosemary Gossett Adams Gallery in Moses Provine Hall. The exhibits are a degree requirement for students in the Department of Visual Arts, but also serve as an outlet for students to display all they’ve worked on during their time at Ouachita. Stanage’s exhibit, titled “In All the Earth,” is located on the second floor gallery and was inspired by Psalm 8, which contrasts God’s magnificence with his personal care for every individual. “The Psalm assures me of the wonderful love God shows us,” Stange said. “I am able to put my faith in His love even though I can’t humanly understand it, because He’s proven it to us throughout all of the earth.” Stanage’s exhibit includes pastel and oil paintings of skies, landscapes and “snapshots of people’s stories.” Stanage is a double major in studio art and mass communications from Hot Springs, Ark. Flowers, a graphic design major from Bismarck, Ark., titled her senior exhibit “Go.” The exhibit, located on the second floor gallery, reflects God’s call for his followers go “make disciples of all nations,” and Flowers hopes to go into the mission field to do just that after she graduates. “I want my show to en-
By ANNI WILLIAMS Staff writer
SCAN FOR AN ONLINE EDITION
amazing, the costumes are flawless and fabulous, the props are wonderful, and the lighting and sound is going to be amazing, as always.” Pere said rehearsals for the show have been incredibly fast paced as the cast follows the production schedule, often learning new choreography and blocking for several sections a night. “It’s been really important to get the music and dance moves drilled into our brains. Everything in the show is so specific and set to music,” Pere said. “For instance, a lot of my dialogue needs to be a specific tempo or happen on the right beat of the music, and making sure I remember all of that has taken a lot of out-of-rehearsal work.” Pere’s favorite thing about the musical is that “you don’t really know what is going to happen next. There are so many characters in this show, many of which you’ll recognize and remember from your childhood, that pop up at just the right moment… It’s so exciting seeing these characters you’ve read in stories come to life before you with bright colors and fun songs.” Pere says Seussical is “one of the most entertaining shows we have done in my four years at Ouachita. It’s a high energy, hilarious show that surprisingly has some beautiful messages and touching moments to it.” “I think seeing live theatre, especially when you as a student get free tickets, is the best thing to do.” Pere consee Seussical z 2
By KATIE KEMP Editor-in-chief
THIS WEEK AT OBUSIGNAL.COM
y How to survive Tiger Traks y Miss Arkansas Spring Meeting y Ring by Spring
WORKS FROM EMILY FLOWERS (top) and Katie Stanage hang on display in Rosemary Gossett Adams Gallery in Moses-Provine Hall. Flowers and Stanage opened their exhibit on April 10 and it will run through April 19.
courage people to go explore and learn more about God through travel and nature,” Flowers said. For both artists, the process of creating and coordinating their senior exhibits has served as an opportunity to reflect on their academic and artistic careers in Ouachita’s Department of Visual Arts. “(My exhibit) has made me realize how many techniques I’ve learned through my time here, how much my style has developed, and how faithful God has been to grow me
during my time at Ouachita,” Stanage said. The exhibits are on display now in Rosemary Gossett Adams gallery, and they will remain there until April 19. They can be viewed during regular gallery hours. Flowers and Stanage will hold a reception for their exhibits in the gallery this Sunday, April 15, at 5 p.m. For more information, contact Ouachita’s School of Fine Arts at (870) 245-5129 or visit them online at obu.edu/ finearts. n
CONNECT WITH THE SIGNAL
NEWS
Friday, April 13, 2018 u page 2
www.obusignal.com
thisTweets weekzCALENDAR of the Week Danny Hays @Haysdanny 15 Apr I love my job. I get to study God’s word & then teach it to eager college students who love the Lord. It’s a great job. Even on Mondays.
TIGER TRAKS begins today SEXUAL ASSAULT and will continue through AWARENESS WEEK will begin tomorrow, April 14. Ouachita Monday, April 16 and continue Student Foundation will be through Friday, April 20. See sponsoring the annual event at the school calendar for a full OBU @Ouachita 15 Apr the intramural fields. schedule of daily events. So how do you use social media -- to affirm and encourage or to attack and tear doen? “Be ye kind to one another.” (Eph. 4:32). Hmmm...
TIGER IDOL hosted by REFUGE will be at Second Ouachita Student Foundation Baptist Church on Thursday, will Justin take place Saturday, April April 19 at 916p.m. Young @JustinYoung072 Apr For more 14 at 6:30 p.m. at the Tiger Den. information, contact James The Harley Davidson leather vest must be the key to All proceeds from this event will Taylor at taylorja@obu.edu. the entire Bible. go tomemorizing the Ouachita Cornerstone Fund.
The Signal @obusignal 13 April Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for up-to-the-minute updates on everything going on around Ouachita Baptist. Twitter: @obusignal Facebook: facebook.com/obusignal Instagram: @obusignal
from our perspective
TOP
5
Tiger Traks team names
5 4 3 2 1
Muddy Buddies Miracle Whipped Chicken on a Sticken Victorious Secret Scrambled Legs
If you were to fly to the moon and could take one person, who would it be?
Will Blase Features editor
Katie Kemp Editor-in-chief
Katherine Carter Opinions editor
Josh Salim Copy editor
Julia Williams News editor
“Steve Buscemi.”
“My dog.”
“Superman.”
“Dr. Jeff Root.”
“Dr. Pemberton.”
Elaine Minton named 2018 Ouachita Support Staff Member of the Year By SARAH DAVIS News Bureau
Elaine Minton, administrative assistant to the dean of Ouachita’s Patterson School of Natural Sciences, has been named Ouachita’s 2018 Support Staff Member of the Year. Minton, who has worked at Ouachita for 13 years, was honored on March 28 by Ouachita’s Staff Development Committee, along with President Ben Sells. “I value greatly the confidence that others have in me and my ability to further the mission of this wonderful university, and this award is validation of that,” Minton said.
Seussical
z Continued from Page 1 cluded. “Whether it’s a comedy, drama, musical, historical show, they are all so valuable to society. Theatre has a way to tell a fun, moving story while presenting such important messages that if we as a society don’t listen to, think about, remember, talk about and take action on, we will seriously damage ourselves-as we can unfortunately see pretty prominently in our world today.” Another actor in the show, Wikersham Brother
Minton graduated from Ouachita in 1978 with a degree in home economics. She taught home economics classes at Amity High School in Amity, Ark., for seven years before returning to Ouachita in 2005. She was hired as the administrative assistant to Dr. Joe Jeffers, the previous dean of the Patterson School Natural Sciences, and continued in the same role when Dr. Tim Knight was named the school’s dean. “Wherever you are and whatever you do, it’s always nice to be recognized for your contribution,” said Dr. Knight. “Elaine does so much for students, and, like many other Ouachita support staff members, the little
things they do are taken for granted.” Jason Tolbert, Ouachita’s chief financial officer and chair of the Staff Development Committee, said the award is presented annually to a staff member nominated by faculty and fellow staff members. “The selection is based on a support staff member who has demonstrated outstanding performance in job assignments, relating positively to students and co-workers and supporting the mission of the university,” Tolbert said. For more information, contact Ouachita’s Office of Administrative Services at (870) 245-5410. n
and dance co-captain Dylan Blackwood, also encouraged students to come. “People should come watch Seussical for the spectacle. It’s going to be a fun, crazy ride at every performance,” Blackwood said. “There are so many interesting things about Seussical. The musical takes on the same goals of storytelling that Dr. Seuss did in his children’s books,” said Will Stotts, who plays Horton the Elephant in the show. “On the outside, the world of Seuss may seem silly and fantastical, but the show also deals with themes
of isolation, the importance of good sense, and caring for others. This is a show that both children and adults can learn from.” Between the hard work at rehearsals, the dedicated work of all the tech crew, the creative effort from all the actors and the skillful directing from Hampton, Seussical the musical will be a spectacle worth attending. “Theatre offers a wonderful escape from the real world,” said Hampton. “Come share in the power of imagination and the magic of live theatre with us.” n
the
SIGNAL
facebook.com/obusignal twitter.com/obusignal instagram.com/obusignal
NEWS BRIEFS Quick recaps of the biggest stories of the week Facebook scandal Mark Zuckerberg, founder, creator and CEO of Facebook, appeared before the Energy and Commerce Committee of Congress Tuesday and Wednesday of this week in a testinomnial hearing. Zuckerberg was called to respond to questions regarding the recent Cambridge Analytica Scandal and the privacy discussion that started among Facebook users. While some legislators asked heated question regarding Facebook’s failure to protect private information, others implied a definition of monopoly to the social meda giant. This scandal broke in the middle of March 2018 following news that Cambridge Analytica had inproperly collected Facebook users’ private data in an effort to sway elections by sending a personality quiz to users. The company did this through the guise of academic research. Lawmakers on the Repblican side of the aisle further challenged Zuckerberg about alleged bias against more Conservative shares and media through Facebook. His response: “I do agree that we should give people a voice.” n
Ouachita Baptist University Office: Evans Student Center E-Mail: signal@obu.edu Phone: 870.245.5210
Katie Kemp
Katherine Carter
Will Johnson
Dr. Jeff Root
Ethan Dial
Will Blase
Andy Henderson
Dr. Deborah Root
Julia Williams
Kevin Barnard
Richard Resnick
Ms. Tiffany Eurich
z EDITOR-IN-CHIEF z ONLINE EDITOR z NEWS EDITOR
z ED/OP ED EDITOR
z FEATURES EDITOR z VIDEO EDITOR
z SPORTS EDITOR z PHOTO EDITOR
z ADVERTISING MANAGER
z ADVISER z ADVISER
z ONLINE ADVISER
Paul Ryan stepping down Early Wednesday morning, the office of Speaker of the House Paul Ryan announced that the Wisconsin Congressman would not seek reelection to the speakership or to Congress following the completion of his current term. Taking the chief majority leadership position for the Republican party in Congress in 2015 following the resignation of Speaker John Boehner, Ryan is leaving as many Republicans in Congress fear the possible retaking of the majority by the Democrats in the 2018 midterm elections. Just 24 votes are needed to do so. After a 20-year tenure as a Congressman, Ryan stated that he wished to spend more time with his family, rather than being "a weekend dad." His plans following his exit from Congress are unclear, though he has stated that the Speaker position would be his last elected office to hold. Both House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California’s twenty-third district and House Majoirty Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana’s first district are thought to be running for the opening following Ryan's exit.n
The Signal is the student newspaper of Ouachita Baptist University, and is published every Friday during the fall and spring semesters when school is in session. The newspaper is distributed free of charge; 1,200 copies are placed in more than 20 locations across campus. Opinions expressed are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the newspaper staff or university. The Signal is a member of the Columbia Scholastic Press Association and the Associated Collegiate Press and is printed by the Hope Star.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Letters to the editor are encouraged and accepted, unless libelous, irresponsible or obscene. Letters should be typed and include a signature and contact phone number, and must be less than 500 words. The Signal reserves the right to edit letters for space and style. Letters should be sent via campus mail to Box 3761 or via e-mail to signal@obu.edu.
FEATURES
www.obusignal.com
Friday, April 13, 2018 u page 3
João Rodrigues z Courtesy JOÃO RODIGUES pushes his limits during an OBU swim competition. João hails from Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo and received the opportunity to swim for the OBU team during the 2017-18 schoolyear.
One in a million: a unique journey toward the unlikely By BEN SWANGER Guest Writer
If there were a million people who attempted something and only one succeeded, would you still chase after it, or give in? João Rodrigues is from Sao Paulo, Brazil and doesn’t care about the odds or statistics. He came on an athletic scholarship to Ouachita Baptist to be one in 9,633 people competing in NCAA swimming. Rodrigues might be a part of a special club of athletes, but his inner circle has a population of one. Rodrigues was raised in the country side of Ribeirao Preto, Sao Paulo, about a block from church and not too far from the community pool. Ever since Rodrigues could remember, he was either with his mom in a pool, taking swim lessons or at the Baptist church. “I’ve swam since I was a little kid. My mother would always take me to swimming classes,” he said. The community pool, where he learned so much, is where his love of swimming would begin. Little Rodrigues could swim in circles like a fish. He enjoyed the water as if it was his second home. When he was consumed by the water was when he felt at peace. “I enjoy the water because my dependence upon other people isn’t present,” Rodrigues said. As he grew older he realized he wanted to turn his passion into competition. He started to swim competitively at a very young age and quickly came to the assumption that he wants to do this for as long as he can. As the wins started to rack up and
the medals began flowing in, it became apparent that becoming a college swimmer was a real possibility. There was only one problem. “Swimming is treated badly in South America. Because of soccer, most money is put into funding fields, teams, and players. Swimming doesn’t receive a lot of money or attention,” Rodrigues said. It’s no secret that South America produces soccer players at an incredible rate. But, for Rodrigues, he didn’t
Rodrigues felt called and he answered. “Coach Bostick messaged me and he gave me an opportunity.” All he ever needed was one opportunity. Swimming might be a large part of Rodrigues’ life, but it doesn’t take precedence over his faith. “I was raised in Christian household. My father is Catholic, and my mother is Baptist. Ever since I was little we went to church,” he said. Like many church children, going through the motions of being a Christian
one true voice, Jesus. Rodrigues not only loves Ouachita because he gets to swim, but because he can actively live out his faith surrounded by like-minded men and women. So far, his choice to come to Ouachita has paid great dividends. Life in Ribeirao Preto, which has a population of 670,000, and life in the small town of Arkadelphia with 11,000 is vastly different. Other than missing his parents and friends back home,
“Ouachita was the first college I found when doing research at the beginning of recruiting process. I never visited Ouachita, I only saw it through pictures. I felt this was the place I was supposed to be.” -- João Rodrigues want to pursue what everybody else was doing. “I tried soccer, volleyball and tennis, but swimming was always second nature to me,” he said. “I always wanted to come to the United States to swim, but when people from Brazil think about the U.S., we think about California or Florida. I never saw myself coming to Arkansas to swim.” Rodrigues started his recruiting process at the age of 16; he claims the first school he stumbled across was Ouachita Baptist. “Ouachita was the first college I found when doing research at the beginning of the recruiting process. I never visited Ouachita; I only saw it through pictures. I felt like this was the place I was supposed to be,” Rodrigues said. Who in their right mind would leave the comfort of their home and come to a tiny college in Arkadelphia, Ark.?
is a trap many kids fall into. “When I was 13, I started to realize who God really was. My mother never pushed religion on me. She always believed we should make our own decisions and that’s what I finally did at 13,” Rodrigues said. Brazil is a country rooted in religion; there are 15 different major religions practiced in Brazil. Rodrigues chose Christianity. Rodrigues believes the diversity is impressive, but problematic. “We have many Catholics, but there are Baptists, too. There are many places without churches, but where I’m from it is very present,” he said. “In Brazil we have so many different religions, a lot of them native to our heritage’s past. Brazilians are very accepting of so many faiths, which leads to many people getting confused.” Rodrigues has learned to tune out all the other voices and listen to the
he said, “The hardest adjustment is the food. Sometimes I feel that I’m not eating very well because of the many options in the caf, or Chick-fil-a, or Sandella’s.” Oh, João, welcome to college in America. “Here in America, is the dream,” João said when discussing the pools he’s been able to experience in the states. “Every facility is shocking to me.” America has been dubbed the greatest country in the world, the land of opportunities, and according to Rodrigues that applies to the swim facilities and competition. “There are many swimmers in America that are much better than the competition I’ve faced back home,” he said. In Brazil, the sport is more individualized and not tailored toward a team. But, in the NCAA, swimming is a team sport. “I can say I’m learning to love swimming again because it is so vastly
different,” he said, “In Brazil, we would have many informal meets. Here, we have judges at the meets and get to stay in hotels. Nothing like that occurs in South American swimming.” Rodrigues is unlike most athletes. Growing up in America, every athlete’s dream is to one day win a championship or get inducted into the hall of fame. For Rodrigues, nothing like that ever crossed his mind. He purely loved swimming because it was what he enjoyed and what he was good at. “Swimming was always a way that could open up opportunities for me in the states. I’m at Ouachita because of swimming, and I’m thankful for that, but I never thought about becoming a pro swimmer,” he said. Don’t get him wrong, he loves to compete and loves the thrill of winning. Rodrigues is confident in his ability to win meets, but never does he set any specific goals when entering a meet. “I really like to be the best and win meets, but I don’t go into races thinking about getting first. I only think about swimming fast,” he said. And if he swims fast, the rest will take care of itself. After swimming is over for Rodrigues, his goal in life is to take the lessons he’s learned from sports into the work place. He is undecided what he wants to do with his two degrees in business and computer science, but he knows God will guide him. No matter what João decides to pursue, he is always going to stay unique. For every one million people in the world, just one is an NCAA swimmer; Rodrigues is literally one in a million. n
the
SIGNAL
is proud to have received HONORABLE MENTION in the Newspaper of the Year competition at the 2018 Arkansas College Media Association’s annual conference. CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR STAFF MEMBERS: Will Johnson––First place, Review Writing Kacy Spears––Second place, General Column Caleb Byrd––Second place, Sports Story Anni Williams––Honorable mention, News Writing
Ethan Dial––Website Editor of the Year Andy Henderson-–Photographer of the Year Katie Kemp––Second place, Editor of the Year
LIFESTYLE
www.obusignal.com
Friday, April 13, 2018 u page 4
‘The Iron Giant’ a childhood classic By WILL BLASE Features editor
Too often, we confuse a good movie with a burst of nostalgia. Movies of our youth are regarded as good because of the nostalgia the film bears. While it may be good in the moment, more often than not, the magic of the initial viewing is lost, and our first impression is skewed. This process isn’t explicitly seen in movies; usually, TV shows have the same effect. “The Iron Giant” is a wonderful example of a movie that many people saw at a young age that still holds up today. As the world of animated films began gaining traction, this movie rocked the industry and blew expectations out of the water. Hogarth Hughes, a fatherless 9-year-old boy, stumbles upon a trail of destruction. He follows the trail and finds a massive alien robot tangled in power cables. Hogarth frees the robot and begins to journey back home. To his surprise, the Giant begins to follow him and the two reach a railroad track. Hogarth informs the Giant that he can’t come home with him and that he’ll come back tomorrow and bring him some food.
Warner Bros. z Courtesy
Hogarth begins to walk away and turns around to find the Giant eating railroad ties. The train crossing lights begin to flash and Hogarth frantically tells the Giant that he needs to fix the tracks. The Giant isn’t able to fix the tracks in time and the train collides with him, knocking off his arm and dealing damages to the robot’s head. The robot powers off momentarily, but quickly comes to. Hogarth hears the train conductor and
urges the robot to follow him home. Hogarth houses the Giant in the family barn, and to his shock, finds that the Giant can self-repair. At its heart, “The Iron Giant” is a story about human relationships and the fear of the unknown. Hogarth and the Giant’s friendship is one of innocence in a seemingly cruel and unforgiving world. Hogarth’s lack of a father allows for his openness and relationship with the Giant to
build and become something larger than the two could have ever imagined. While sheltering the Giant, Hogarth shows it a Superman comic, which the Giant seems to enjoy. Hogarth tells the Giant that “Superman always uses his powers for good… never for evil.” This line drives the film, as the Giant’s bond with Hogarth expands and more and more people find about the Giant’s existence.
It’s so easy to fall into the trap of nostalgia… I find myself hearing peers regale each other with movie titles that are decent at best. “The Iron Giant” is by all definitions a good movie. The early animated style is fluid and beautiful. The story and pacing are brilliant (thank you Brad Bird). The sound design and voice acting fit seamlessly into the film. Director Brad Bird (most known for “The Incredibles” and “Ratatouille”) found an early foothold in the industry through “The Iron Giant.” While he is uncredited for the screenplay, he is credited as both the director and screen story writer for the film. The film is based on the short story, “Iron Man,” by poet Ted Hughes, ultimately saw the film’s title changed to “The Iron Giant” to avoid conflict with Marvel’s “Iron Man.” This film would allow him to pursue ambitious projects and work with talented animation companies such as Pixar. If you haven’t seen “The Iron Giant” in the last 10 years or so, I implore you to go back and rewatch this masterpiece. It truly is a gem—one that we must hold onto and appreciate, as nostalgia preys further and further on a movie’s quality. n
“Revisionist History”: ‘That Girl’ brings back the ‘60s perusing the past, exploring today By CATHERINE LYP Staff writer
By MALLORY MORRIS Staff writer
What do McDonalds’ original french fry recipe, wealthy golfers and a 19thcentury painting titled “Roll Call” have in common? They are all pieces of the stories that Malcolm Gladwell uses on his new podcast titled “Revisionist History.” Malcolm Gladwell is the author of multiple bestselling books, a few of which include “The Tipping Point,” “Outliers” and “Blink.” He has spent time not only writing books, but also working as a writer for The New York Times. Recently, he began sharing his stories and thoughts with the world of podcasts and has become a big success. “Revisionist History” dives into the small and meaningful “under the radar” type of stories often missed by history. Each podcast comes with a different angle, which Gladwell uses to illustrate his opinions and hypothesis of the world around him. The episodes begin by focusing on an idea which deepens as Gladwell interviews various people and listens to their stories. In one episode from the first season of “Revisionist History,” Gladwell focuses on the various channels and the luck involved in determining what art rises to fame. Using the famous song “Hallelujah,” Gladwell maps out the strangely winding path of success and the people involved in getting it there. Another episode focused on the use of satire in poli-
tics and questioned if it helps or harms in changing people’s opinions. One of the best parts of “Revisionist History” is that the diversity of the topics leaves something that everyone can enjoy and grow from. Gladwell uses these stories to best explain his topics in a new light that leaves important questions and thoughts on people’s minds. Another episode covered the story of one of the first successful African American lawyers in the south named Donald L. Hallowell. Gladwell interviews Vernon Jordan, and a man who worked alongside him as he pioneered through the prejudiced landscape. Jordan shares his experiences through the interview about a case where the crime was staged to make the defendant appear guilty. Each podcast episode such as this one carries a strong and interesting message for listeners of all ages. “Revisionist History” is both interesting and inspiring. Think of it as the perfect mixture of historical data paired with modern social issues and observations about the world. Listeners can count on genuine and important stories, full of fascinating information. Malcolm Gladwell’s eccentric and genius personality keeps the listener’s attention and makes for great narration as well. The five-star rating of “Revisionist History” in the app store proves its success, and although listeners may not always agree with the ideas, they will undoubtedly learn something new every time. n
With all the forms of media available today, it can be tough to find shows or movies you like. New shows are being released all the time and can be watched on a television or streamed to a mobile device. While there are several different shows to choose from, some of the best are not what you would expect. While new television shows are popular, in the last few years I have begun watching some popular, older shows. At first, I was hesitant, but after watching a few episodes of TV shows such as “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and “I Dream of Jeannie,” I was hooked. However, even though these are wonderful, the show that I view as better than the rest is “That Girl.” “That Girl,” which premiered in the mid-1960s, is phenomenal for a multitude of reasons, including the storyline. The show begins by introducing the main character, Ann Marie, played by Marlo Thomas. Her story shows the audience her life and the ups and downs she experiences in her climb to fame. In the first episode, after being chosen to be in a commercial and being subject to the crazy antics that ensue, Ann meets Donald Hollinger, played by Ted Bessell. The first episode, where they meet in such strange conditions, serves as a prologue to the following four seasons of the two being a couple, but their story was cut short when the show was canceled in its fifth season. As the show continued into the later seasons, it was revealed that Ann Marie was from the small town of Brewster, New York and moved to New York City, against her parents’ wishes, to become an actress. Once in New York City, Ann’s quirky personality and kind heart get her, her boyfriend Donald and some-
Daisy Productions z Courtesy
times their friends into a new wacky problem in every episode. In “That Girl,” there is hardly a dull moment. There are several aspects of the show that contribute to my view of its high esteem. First, the acting is superb. The actors play their characters in such a playful and whimsical way, yet there are still bits of realistic behavior sprinkled throughout that make it seem like such people could actually exist. Along with the plot, costuming and set design has a large impact on the show and its overall outcome. For instance, while the clothing and decor within the apartment setting are what was considered appropriate in the 60s, such allows the audience to see what life was like at that time. Furthermore, by the audience seeing what life then would have been like, it fosters the possibility for audience members to be brought into the show and the world it creates. By combining all these factors into one show, you are left with a wondrous showcase into the life of an aspiring actress in the 60s that not only exudes whimsical joy, but also unparalleled entertainment. Not only is the acting won-
derful and the topics of the show appropriate for all ages, but the show provides a look into a world different than our own. Even though this is the same world, by watching older media such as “That Girl,” the audience gets to see what life was like at the time the show was created. In seeing the culture, popular people, trends, and specific details that portrayed the 1960s within the show, we not only get to see their life but also what has changed since. For me, this is the best part of not only this show, but older television shows in general. Watching such a joyous show, from a time when the only technology present was televisions, radios, kitchen appliances and cars, is really refreshing. By seeing what life was without such overloaded amounts of technology in the form of smartphones, computers and the internet, the audience is greeted with a sense of relief. They are transported back to a time when families talked to one another at the dinner table, siblings liked one another and everyone was closer because of it. Older TV shows such as “That Girl” provide a homey warmth that I feel today’s media is lacking. n
OPINIONS
Friday, April 13, 2018 u page 5
www.obusignal.com
Space tourism now a reality By KATHERINE CARTER Opinions editor
Ever since space exploration was proven possible 60 years ago, people have looked up at the stars and wondered what it would be like to experience that for themselves. Unfortunately, that privilege was limited to the best and brightest in their fields, particularly in education, science and math, and many have military backgrounds as well. Furthermore, even if they were to qualify, people could only go up into space under the employment of NASA. This may no longer be the case. The topic of space tourism has come up in recent years, with companies such as Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin, which will now make outer space the hottest tourist destination. Blue Origin is predicting to send people as early as April 2019; likewise, according to their CEO, Virgin Galactic is planning on sending people up later on this year. As of today, the Russian state space agency, Roscosmos, is the only one that has taken tourists into space. According to an article published in The Verge, they took eight private tourists to the International Space Station between 2001 and 2008. Since then, they halted their program but are planning on reintroducing it this year. No longer does one need to become a professional astronaut to go into space, nor do they need to sign on for extended periods of time. We
are now entering the world of commercial space exploration. Unfortunately for us, the only ones who are going to be able to go at this point are the extremely wealthy. I don’t know about you, but I don’t have several hundred thousand dollars at my disposal. As of right now, tickets for a seat on Virgin Galactic’s rockets cost about $250,000, and Blue Origin, even though they have not released a price yet on their tickets, are expected to cost around that amount as well. These trips are short in duration and will
allow consumers to experience a few minutes of weightlessness along with a peek at an incredible view. SpaceX, another space technology company, is talking about sending paying customers on a roundtrip around the moon, but, according to different sources, that trip is likely to cost between 58-175 million dollars. Even if you’re not made of money, many of these companies are promising lower costs as advances in space technology continue. Commercial space exploration isn’t going away, and it could
only take a few short years before it’s available to the average Joe. We are entering a whole new phase in the space exploration timeline. Our world is becoming drastically smaller and smaller, which has caused us to look outward at what else the universe holds. While today we may circle the earth, tomorrow we may be traveling to Mars, or someplace farther. Never before has technology allowed us to do the things we are capable of today, and it will only grant us further freedom to do what we only
dreamed of doing yesterday. It’s crazy to think that in a few years, we will have people talking about how they went to the moon for their vacation. We’ll have people posting pictures on Instagram in spacesuits, getting ready for the trip of a lifetime. Space exploration will no longer be something limited strictly to NASA’s (or any other agency’s) astronauts—it’ll be open to the public, a thing of normalcy. Similarly to those who dare to climb Mount Everest, this will be the newest experience to satiate the daredevil’s appetite. This may alarm many people, with good reason. For those who remember the Challenger disaster back in 1986, the thought of sending regular people into space may seem dangerous. Fortunately, technology has far surpassed that of the 1980s, and space travel has never been safer. Additionally, private companies are going to be carefully observed by the government and are likely to follow strict safety regulations to make sure that they create the best experiences for their customers. Whether it’s something that interests you or not, space exploration is quickly becoming accessible to the public. It’ll be interesting to see how everything unfolds, to say the least. As of right now, my feet are firmly planted on the ground, but maybe, in five years, if I happen to win the lottery or inherit a fortune from an unknown relative, I’ll be floating a foot off the ground in a space shuttle orbiting the moon. Only time will tell. n
Saying “no” can be a good thing OBU Integrity Contest By MICHAEL RICHARDSON Staff writer
As the years have gone by, I have found myself feeling like time itself has been picking up speed. My schedule becomes more and more cluttered and as I begin overlapping duties and efforts in an attempt to get it all done, things will always find a way to fall through the cracks. I find myself unable to give my full attention to everything, and as I begin to divide my workload, all my endeavors end up only receiving fractions of my heart or attention. There just is not enough time in the day. My issue lies in my own hatred of boredom. I hate not feeling productive or feeling like I am doing something of value with my time, even if that is just resting and recharging. The issue then rises in taking on too many responsibilities and finding myself overloaded. I imagine this is probably a very relatable predicament to most of my fellow college students. We are obligated to do all of our school work and studying, but we also wish, and quite frankly need for our own mental states, to spend time with our friends and loved ones. Then on top of that, many of us work as well, and so time must be divided out for that on top of it all. And then, many of us also have extracurricular activities we are involved in such as social clubs, honor societies, bible studies and so on. And not to mention that time must also be taken to eat and sleep. The point being, time is valuable,
and there is not enough of it. Lately, I have been having to learn how to say no to taking on more time commitments than I can handle. Part of my issue in this department is really my own desire to help and my fear of disappointing people. I do not want to upset others by my own inability to help, nor do I want to leave someone hanging out to dry. So, I find myself in a battle of over-giving
myself to multiple commitments and being so stretched thin that I am only giving fractions of myself to my endeavors, never myself fully. This route is neither healthy, nor is it beneficial to anyone. What I have been beginning to learn is that over giving and extending myself is not actually a good trait, rather, it is harmful to both myself and others. Now, I would dare say that this is a problem that is commonplace in the college community. We are so overloaded with things we need to do and want to do that we find ourselves trying to balance it all. However, after a while,
finding balance becomes impossible, and we begin cutting corners, or we crash. You see, when we make commitments, we are committing our entire self to doing something. We commit our effort, our time, our person. We commit our presence. However, with over-commitment, as we begin to stack commitments in an effort to finish them all, we are not giving our whole selves to our actions. We only give in parts. So, as we divide ourselves more and more, it devolves from becoming generous to becoming a hindrance, both to us and others. “You’re not Superman, you know?” This fun and ironic quote from Aunt May to Peter Parker in the 2002 SpiderMan movie hits the nail on the head. Speaking to myself and any others who, like me, find themselves overloading themselves: we cannot do it all. We cannot say, “yes” to every need, every duty and every commitment. We must learn to say, “no” to some things, so that we can say, “yes” to the big things, to the things that matter most. Our commitments deserve all of us, and we deserve to reserve all of us as well. We must learn to say, “no” to things when we cannot fully give it our 100%, both for ourselves and for others’ sakes. That way we can fully say, “yes” to what we are already in commitment to and must be in commitment to as students, such as our school work. It can be hard, and I know for myself I am only still learning, but we all need to learn to say, “no” to some things, so that we can say, “yes” to other things. n
2018 first runner-up: “Humility” but who didn’t appear to hate themselves at all. Guest writer It did not make sense to me at first. The technical definition of the word When I was young, one “humble” is a low estimaof my teachers had a man- tion of one’s own worth, tra. “No matter how smart of course. The word comes you are, there’s always go- originally from the Latin ing to be somebody smart- for “ground,” the very er. No matter how cute you lowest a person could are, how nice, how fast, get. Humility must necetc., there will always be essarily come from that someone better.” If any stu- place of self-loathing, but dent seemed even vaguely it did not appear to be pleased about anything, that way in real life at all. she would recite it to them. In real life, I realized, a She called it an exercise in low estimation of worth humility, but the real mes- is only valuable if it is in sage was more along the comparison to the good lines of “maybe if I get you of the people. It must be, to hate yourselves enough, as CS Lewis is falsely beit will be easier to get you lieved to have said, that to sit down and be quiet.” humility is not think As a consequence, I ing less of yourself. It is spent the majority of my thinking of yourself less. young life thoroughly con- I’ve realized that the way vinced that humility was a to make this world, this great virtue that happened country, even this campus to be composed almost a better place is to love and entirely of self-loathing help other people so hard and self-degradation. It that there isn’t time in our made sense to my young heads for anything else. mind: we always say that This is not something I when he took human am good at, but I believe form, Christ humbled him- that it is what I should self, and what could be have been doing all along. more degrading than hav- Perhaps what my fourth ing to become one of us? grade teacher ought to It was not until I got have told me is that it to college that I figured doesn’t matter how smart out I might be somewhat or good you are if you misled. I met people at aren’t using those gifts to Ouachita who were lovely help others. Then again, I and selfless, people who don’t suppose that rolls off exhibited true humility, the tongue quite so well. n
By LAURA WARD
SPORTS
www.obusignal.com
Friday, April 13, 2018 u page 6
Hockey challenges athletes, captivates fans across America By SHELTON WOOLEY Guest writer
The world of sports is such a big picture. So many different sports have been invented for so many different cultures and scenarios. Most people only understand about three sports, the “Big 3” as I call them: football, baseball, and basketball. Of course, soccer is becoming increasingly more popular than it was before the 21st century. Boxing and MMA fighting is another sport that is also a hit with the younger generations of today. And lastly, and actually the least, the sport of hockey is the most unpopular major sport in America, and this is why it shouldn’t be. Now, I am no hockey guru, but I am an athlete. I also know that you don't have to understand any rules of hockey to realize just how difficult it is. I’m an athlete, and I’ve played football, baseball, basketball, and soccer for many years. But I have also tried to ice skate, and I will be the first to tell you, it is not as easy as they make it look. Watching guys in pads and a helmet with a stick skating up to 30 miles per hour is extremely impressive in itself.
Pixabay z Courtesy HOCKEY ATHLETES understand the aggressive behavior that comes with playing the worldwide sport. Professionals and youth players alike are faced with these challenges each time they step onto the hockey rink.
The next thing hockey players have to deal with is other players also skating that fast with sticks. Oh, and don't forget the little black smashed Coke can called a puck that they’re trying to score into the other team's tiny goal that happens to be guarded by a player that is bigger than the tiny goal.
That is a mouthful even in print. It is kind of weird to think that someone actually invented a game on ice that combines soccer’s strategies, rugby’s toughness and football's agility. Hockey has just about everything you could want in a sport. There is fighting when two players are mad at one
another, and it's beautiful. A player can skate down the ice next to the boards, then out of nowhere will get crushed by another player. So awesome. Even though oftentimes the score can be low, there is never a shortage of action, since there is no out-of-bounds. The fast-paced game is one that will never leave any
downtime, with the only exception being penalties and the occasional fight. Whatever sport you like watching, elements of that sport exist in the game of hockey. The only downside to hockey is where we live, the south. Warmer winters make ice very rare, and even rarer still if it happens to be thick enough for us to walk on it. This has caused the entire region below the MasonDixon Line to not experience the joys of playing hockey at a young age like kids in northern states. Of course, hockey exists in the south, with teams in Miami, Tampa, Raleigh, Nashville and Dallas. However, this just doesn’t seem to be enough to increase hockey’s popularity in the majority of the south. Concluding this highly opinionated article, hockey has become one of my favorite sports over the years. It’s fun to watch, it's exciting and it keeps an easily distracted person such as myself very entertained. The next time you are clicking through channels on cable and see a hockey game, stop and watch for a few minutes. You might be surprised at how entertaining it is, too. n
Controversy surrounds paying student athletes Scout teams’ underappreciated By JOSH SALIM Copy editor
Across the college sports world, one issue has been surfacing over the past few months that has drawn a lot of controversy. This issue is over whether or not college athletes should be given a salary apart from the money they obtain through athletic scholarship. All colleges have a certain amount of scholarship money for each sport that they can offer to athletes as incentive to get them to come to their school and play for them. Nonetheless, many Division I colleges give the max amount of scholarship money away to where they need support on the back end to get more star players. It is currently illegal to sneak extra money to players to get them to come to a certain school, yet it supposedly happens at the majority of big Division I colleges. Although this topic has been very controversial recently, this is not the first time that we have seen this issue pop up. In fact, in 1985 Southern Methodist University got the “death penalty” for paying a few of its football players extra money
to come to the school. During that season, the football team had an exceptional year and that sparked the NCAA to dissect if the school really was cheating. Professional players have even voiced their opinions on the matter as to whether players should be given extra money in college because they are “good enough.” The Los Angeles Lakers’ point guard, Lonzo Ball, gave insight to his opinion earlier this season. “Everyone is doing it,” Ball said. “Everybody is getting paid anyway. You might as well make it legal. That’s how I feel.” Questions arose next as to whether Ball had been paid money as a college athlete, but he denied ever accepting money from bribes during his only year at the University of California at Los Angeles. Ball believes college athletes should be paid because it is already happening anyways and this is where the next generation of college sports is headed. Since cheating is already occurring, many people hold the same view as Ball and agree that it should just become legal anyways. The opinion about what is considered to be cheating by
colleges to pay their players is the crime that is trying to be justified by making it legal to do so. Many critics believe that one of the only ways for this to become legal is if you take away athletic scholarships and implement salaries for players instead. This is very controversial because these are college students that are still attending an institution, yet getting paid by salary by the institution. In addition, this means that salaries could rise or fall based on the results produced by the performance of players. Another problem with legalizing the payment of college athletes is that outof-state tuition will rise immensely for those college players, so there must be a form of balance to justify the cost difference. If there is no adaptation for the fluctuation of tuition in contrast to the salary given to the player, this is unfair to players who decide to stay in the same state to play. Regardless of the controversy that this topic produces, it is a very prominent issue in the college sports world today and will continued to be debated until it is resolved. n
This Week at Ouachita Saturday, April 14
Softball vs Northwestern Oklahoma State (DH) @ 2 p.m. and 4 p.m.
Sunday, April 15
Softball vs Northwestern Oklahoma State (DH) @ 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Tuesday, April 17
Softball vs Henderson State (DH) @ 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
For a full calendar, go to obutigers.com and select “team schedules.”
GO TIGERS!
influence within college sports By JOHN SHARP Staff writer
“Go every time so others may every time.” This motivational phrase was used by the head coach in “Division III: Football’s Finest.” The phrase was supposed to get the team pumped and ready to win their game, but I think that it applies to the role of a scout team player, too. The point of a scout team is to practice hard so that the starters are ready for the game. Scout teams, or practice squads, are members of an organized sports team that only practice. They don’t travel, and they don’t normally dress for home games. These teams are normally comprised of new members to the team, such as freshmen or transfers. Every team uses a scout team to act or serve as the opponent for the upcoming game. The goal is to look so similar to the opponent that when it comes to the game, that the team has already seen all their plays. I have been a part of organized sports since I was playing little league baseball to my senior year of college football. Because of this, I have been on more than my fair share of scout teams and have seen how different types of players react to spending time on a scout team. First off, being on a scout team is humbling. It hurts being told that you are not going to compete in your sport, even though you’re putting in just as much work in as everyone else. In essence, what a coach is saying by putting a player on the scout team is “we have better.” The coach isn’t saying that you are never going to play in a game, though in some cases, you won’t. Being told that someone is better than you is kind of like getting punched in the gut, or getting hit with a 90 mile per hour fastball, or, in my case, having my ego
put in check by being blocked by a 260-pound offensive lineman. Athletes, especially in the college world, tend to have big egos. They tend to have been the golden child in their hometown who can do no wrong and have always been the most athletic in their class. These types of players don’t react well to being placed on a scout team. They also like to complain by saying that they deserve better and coach is cheating them from the position that they deserve. Coaches put players on scout teams so that they can become athletes. The job of a coach is to put their athletes in the best position to help the team. This type of player doesn’t take criticism well. These players who think that they are God’s gift to humanity often don’t grasp the importance of a scout team and tend to be the first players to quit. Once a player makes it through their time on the scout team, they tend to have a better grasp of what team effort looks like. They realize that there is a system in place to help the team succeed, not the individual. Team sports are not for selfish people. The very essence of a team sport is that it’s a group that succeeds, not any single person. Being on a scout team is not fun. There is no disputing that. Every day you put in hours of practice, get yelled at by both the coaches and other players and by the end of the practice, you are physically exhausted. To top it all off, when it comes to game day, no one will know your name or how much you actually do for the team. But it is one of the single most effective ways that I have seen on how to teach young athletes what it means to be a team player. If you ever find yourself on a scout team for whatever reason, “go every time so that others may every time.” n
For more sports coverage, visit obusignal.com/category/sports