Defusing bombs:

Countering three arguments against the legalization of gay marriage

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There have been varying responses to the hearings about Proposition 8 and the Defense of Marriage Act by the Supreme Court. Includes a response from guest writer Sarah Richardson at the end, defending her belief in heterosexual marriage.

Holocaust Remembrance Day:

Remembering so we don’t repeat

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I believe that if we acknowledge the crimes and injustices and abominations of the past (the Holocaust, slavery, etc.) that we are better equipped to prevent those same crimes from reoccurring in the future.

Poetry: A new way of experiencing the world

Celebrating National Poetry Month

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Mine

by Kelsey Apperson

It is midday.

The shapes of black before me

are surrounded by the warmth of the sun

on my fingers. I can see

a dance of darkness, but

hear a bird of the brightest blue.

The steady song is paired with the

aroma of the brilliant red rose in my garden.

My feet are blanketed by the grassy

green that overtakes my yard in the summer.

What is mine is the world’s, what is mine is

yours. You meander around the colors,

between them, within them,

a vision to behold.

A dandelion tendril memory,

Riding the wind.

April is National Poetry Month

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National Poetry Month was initiated in 1996 by the Academy of American Poets in order to increase the awareness and appreciation of our country’s poetic heritage.

A response to the Steubenville rape trial

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  In the days since the verdict was read for the rape trial in Steubenville, Ohio there have been many views circulated through the internet that trouble me.

Spring adventures:

A fresh perspective

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  In order to fully appreciate the uniqueness of spring, I’ve compiled a list of 25 spring activities that I plan to do this season.

A celebration of women

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  This year’s theme is “Women Inspiring Innovation Through Imagination: Celebrating Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics,” according to the National Women’s History Project website (nwhp.org).

A booklover's guide to German Village:

Perusing The Book Loft

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There's something about unique book shops that just reach out and grab a booklover by the throat. They're like crack for an addict or candy when you gave it up for Lent. The irrepressible temptation to stop and peruse the lovingly stacked shelves is practically a sin in itself. And once a booklover has entered a bookshop, even if they attempt to stay for only a short while, it's universally acknowledged that they can't leave the store without buying at least one book – forget that they already have a to-read stack of fifteen books waiting for them at home

Home: A different meaning and experience for everyone

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  "Home can be a lot of different things to a lot of different people. For me, home is simply where my mom is. “Home” isn’t tied to a house."

St. Patrick’s Day:

More than wearing green and getting drunk

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U.S. imports of malt beers increased from $288,073,597 in Feb. 2012 to $374,076,005 in March 2010, the month of St. Patrick’s Day.

Confessions of a proud book-a-holic:

In recognition of Read Across America Day

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Read Across America Day is celebrated on March 2 in honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday and is sponsored by the National Education Association to inspire reading in children throughout schools and communities.

The story and life of a homo

What it’s like and why equality is a pretty big deal

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It may be easier for everyone else if my identity and my sexuality are set in stone, but they aren’t. I think sexuality is fluid, and I’m not in any hurry to figure out what label I should attach to myself.

Know your stuff:

Advice for safe sex

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Sex Statistics provided by the CDC:

-People aged 15-24 had four times the reported chlamydia rate of the population in 2011

-People aged 15-24 had four times the reported gonorrhea rate of the population in 2011

-People aged 15-24 had two times the reported syphilis rate of the population in 2011

-Number of live births for 15-19 year olds in 2010: 367,678

-Nearly 20 million new sexually transmitted infections occur each year (half of which occur in people ages 14-24)

-In 2008, human papillomavirus (HPV) was the most common sexually transmitted infection

-In 2008, the medical costs for sexually transmitted infections was $16 billion

How-to make time for hobbies:

Cultivating your mental health

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  Don’t you feel energized and excited when you’re doing something you really enjoy – don’t you want to look forward to that feeling and experience it more often?

The Muskie Grapevine:

When it is actually useful

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If you have any information on the Thomas Hall computer lab vandalism contact the proper authorities or fill out an incident report form, which can be found on the Muskingum homepage under the Student Affairs tab of Campus Life. This report can be filled out anonymously.

Tips for healthy hearts from Associate Professor of Biology Amy Santas

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Heart attack symptoms:

• Pain or discomfort in the jaw, neck, or back.
• Feeling weak, light-headed, or faint.
• Chest pain or discomfort.
• Pain or discomfort in arms or shoulder.
• Shortness of breath.

If someone may be having a heart attack, call 911 immediately.

Courtesy of the CDC

The perks of watching The Perks of Being a Wallflower

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  As movies go, I’m not the person that they target in their advertisements. I’ll be highly interested in a movie trailer and then forget all about it five minutes later. Odds are I won’t ever watch the movie either. However, every once in a while a movie comes along that I absolutely have to see.

Why everyone should participate in Lent (or some sort of ritual fasting)

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  I simply believe that there is value in participating in a period of ritual fasting, whether for religious reasons or not, and that the key is assigning the reason for fasting with a deeper meaning and a strict timeline.

Galileo Galilei:

We aren’t really the center of the universe

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“I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with sense, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use.”     -Galileo Galilei

Participation points:

Why they don’t work (for me)

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  It is from this fear that my anxiety about “participation points” stems. I’ve never been a fan of any amount of my grade depending on whether or not I spoke up in class, for a wide range of reasons.

Reflections of a crazy cat lady

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We are best buds – Shaggy and Scooby, feline-style (and more intelligent, of course).

World premiere: A marriage proposal in space

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  On Feb. 14, 2013, Sebastian, a 35-year-old French man, will be the first man to propose to his girlfriend in space, at an altitude of 30 kilometers. The space flight will be entirely filmed, from the launch to the arrival of the message of love in the stratosphere.

Valentine's Day

The holiday of...what?

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  My problem with this is pretty straight forward. If you’re in a committed relationship, you shouldn’t have to have the government or the commercials on tv tell you that it’s time to celebrate their presence in your life.

African American History Month

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“Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise. I rise. I rise.”

-Maya Angelou

National Thank You Month:

Why I'm saying "Thank You" more often

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Find out what a simple "thank you" can do for you...

Childhood obsessions:

Turning the page to something new

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  As a child I was a bookworm. Every day I would sit in my room and read as many books as possible. It was something that let me escape into another world. It was something that allowed me to have fun without the company of another person, and that was always important to me. I liked doing things on my own.

National Braille Literacy Month

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According to www.louisbrailleschool.org, National Braille Literacy Month is in January in memory of the creator of braille, Louis Braille, whose birthday month is January.

Winter Wonderland:

My obsession with the Christmas season

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  “Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.”
-Norman Vincent Peale

Old Man Winter:

Not the nice old man next door

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  If winter really is an old man, he is Walter Matthau in Grumpy Old Men. He is rude and doesn’t care for anyone but himself.

A Pinterest Christmas

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It’s a college student’s dream.
All of the crafts, clothes and sayings you could ever want in one website.
What is this website that everyone seems to be interested in?
It’s Pinterest.

Christmas break:

Making memories that last

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  It’s that time of year again.
  No, I’m not talking about Christmas (although, as my favorite time of year, it is most definitely on my mind!) … I’m talking about the end of a semester. Time to tie up all the loose ends and take a break.

Siblings: What really matters

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  Siblings can be many different things to different people. For some, they’re simply their brothers or sisters. For others, they become their best friends. For other people still they become something entirely unique.

Native American Heritage Month

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From census.gov:

The first American Indian Day was celebrated in May 1916 in New York. Red Fox James, a Blackfeet Indian, rode horseback from state to state, getting endorsements from 24 state governments, to have a day to honor American Indians. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a joint congressional resolution designating November 1990 as “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations have been issued every year since 1994. This Facts for Features presents statistics for American Indians and Alaska Natives, as this is one of the six major race categories.

Navajo Code Talkers

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Navajo Indians served as “Code Talkers” in World War II. This idea was inspired by Phillip Johnston, a veteran of World War I.

How to buy great Christmas gifts on a college student’s budget

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With the pending arrival of Thanksgiving, and therefore Black Friday, along with all of the department stores being cloaked in Christmas decorations and piping out the cheery Christmas music, I can’t help but be thinking about my Christmas shopping for this year.

Be the change:

Every little thing counts

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Can I still change the world? Sure, why not? But I’m not going to bank on the monumental change I dreamt of as a kid.

An International Thanksgiving

Special Feature

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“Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.” -W. T. Purkiser

Knowledge to last long after college

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College Broadcasters Incorporated or CBI is an organization that brings together students from across the country to discuss broadcasting tips and techniques every year during a national conference.

Living with the military

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Senior Kari Schultz’s family is very involved in the military.

Vets For Hire

An In Their Boots Production

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Three skilled veterans look for work after their service in Iraq and Afghanistan. But their search for employment is thwarted by a weak job market and employers who don’t value their skills or their service to our country.

Mullins: Serving his country

Special Feature page

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Get to know Muskingum University's Chaplain, Will Mullins.

Meet the lesser-known candidates of the 2012 election

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Get to know the 2012 candidates of some of the smaller parties.

Mental Health Awareness Day

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  On Oct. 2, Muskingum University celebrated Mental Health Awareness Day with the theme “Healthy Minds, Healthy Lives.”

Vegetarian Awareness Month:

A closer look at the meat-free lifestyle

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The month of October is National Vegetarian Awareness month.

How to find time for fun

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I'm busy, you're busy. Students are just plain busy. So, how do you find time for fun? Check out a few of my tips here.

The daunting question

What do you want to be when you 'grow up?'

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  From as far back as I can remember, everybody has always asked me the question “what do you want to be when you grow up?” As a child, I always had an answer, and a solid one at that.

Letter to the Editor

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A letter to the editor from a Republican student.

October means breast cancer awareness in Muskieville and beyond

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“Breast cancer is not just a disease that strikes at women. It strikes at the very heart of who we are as women: how others perceive us, how we perceive ourselves, how we live, work and raise our families - or whether we do these things at all.” -Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Power Balance Technologies Inc. announces alliance with the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc.

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Lake Forest, CA, October 1, 2012- Power Balance Technologies Inc., sellers of the original Power Balance® silicone wristband, today announces their partnership with the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. ® (NBCF) to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer.

National Coffee Day:

The best adult holiday (after all the major ones of course)

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Why Sept. 29 is one of my favorite holidays, 10 activities to celebrate, and a pumpkin spice latte recipe.

Letter to the Editor

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A note of appreciation to Circle K.

Death:

The greatest uncertainty in life

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The fact of life is, quite simply, that death is the next step.

Alcohol Awareness:

Are the scare tactics effective?

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Alcohol consumption is a part of the college experience...for most, anyway. And increasingly, it’s becoming a problem in colleges across the country.

Be loud, be proud, be Muskies

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Bleacher Report’s top 10 college basketball student sections

1. Duke

2. Kansas

3. Kentucky

4. Michigan State

5. Pittsburgh

6. Notre Dame

7. Syracuse

8. San Diego State

9. North Carolina

10. Utah State

Bleacher Report’s top 10 college football  student sections

1. Penn State 

2. Texas A&M

3. LSU

4. Wisconsin

5. Oregon

6. Florida

7. Virginia Tech

8. Ohio State

9. S. Carolina

10. Clemson

Make moderation a trend:

Separate the stigma that compares alcohol use to alcohol abuse

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  Alcohol Awareness Week is on the horizon, beginning Sept. 24, and there’s nothing like cold, hard facts to bring it all into focus. 

Facebook

What’s new, what’s useful, and what’s not

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Facebook has undergone a lot of changes in the past year, let alone the past few months.

An ode to my grandparents

The roots upholding our family tree

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I am a branch in our family tree, unique and growing and changing every day.

The elephant in the room

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  Suicide is the elephant in the room that nobody wants to talk about. It is joined by depression, anxiety and self-harm. Nobody wants to talk about these things because, well, if you don’t talk about them, they don’t exist.

Loan repayment plans from the Federal Student Aid office of the Department of Education

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Get an overview of loan repayment plan options

Student loans

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The first step to getting financial assistance is to fill out the FAFSA form online every year.

How to spot deceptive student loan practices

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Tips on spotting deceptive student loan offers, courtesy of the Federal Trade Commission

Attitude is everything, as the old cliché goes...

Commentary

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“Whenever you’re in conflict with someone, there is one factor that can make the difference between damaging your relationship and deepening it. That factor is attitude.”

-William James

Healthy conflict:

Getting what you need

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After being exposed to the same behavior over and over again and trying everything I could to salvage the relationship, I started to sincerely think about goodbye.

One language, Many accents

Commentary

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While it is interesting to study and duplicate accents, it should not be done in a mean-spirited way.
Rather, we should embrace the multiple perspectives on the language we share.

All work and no play will drive you crazy

Commentary

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   There’s one thing every college student has in common: stress. 

Strive for excellence

Commentary

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 “Striving for excellence motivates you; striving for perfection is demoralizing.”

Know your stress

>     Eustress is a positive stress. This is the kind of stress that challenges a person and helps them to do their best. In college, eustress is vital to success in classes and activities.     Distress is a negative stress that can have damaging effects on a person in a variety of ways, including physically, emotionally, and mentally. Full story

Words from the wise

Tips for first-years

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College can be an overwhelming experience, but knowing how to handle homework and find some fun outside of class can make a big difference.