– Page 18 – student news at Spring Arbor University

Pebble Time

Many people are aware of the famous (or infamous) device: the Apple Watch. It is designed to be the equivalent of a tiny iPhone attached to straps and can be worn as a watch. Many criticize its small screen, low battery life and high costs. But people still want to buy the miniscule timepiece. This fact caught the attention of Eric Migicovsky, CEO of the company Pebble.

Three years ago, Pebble created their first smartwatch, and crowd-sourced the funds to create it. They managed to raise a whopping $10 million, with 69,000 people backing it. But now, Pebble has outdone even that amount with their new efforts to crowd-source the second model of their watch, Pebble Time.

The company set their initial goal at a humble $500,000. But on the very first day they set a new record for the fastest record for any crowd-sourced item has reached $1 million. Within only 49 minutes they had shattered the record, and by the end of the week had raised more money than any other Kickstarter campaign to date. The Pebble Time is currently being backed with over $20.3 million, with 78,463 people pitching in.

The second highest-funded Kickstarter, the Coolest Cooler came in at only $13.3 million, and Pebble’s first Pebble Time creation still holds third place at $10.2 million. Those are even higher than the efforts to fund wireless ear buds and bringing back the popular children’s tv program Reading Rainbow. In fact, the amount of money going into the funding of Pebble Time is slightly over 1% of America’s total gross domestic product.

To put that into perspective, with the amount of money pledged to the creation of this smartwatch, a single person could buy:

1. 2 million and 30 thousand slices of Marino’s pizza.

2. 50 decent-sized houses in a nice neighborhood (official estimate terms used)

3. LeBron James’ mansion in Miami, and still have a nice $3.3 million left over

4. Or 1,194 of the most expensive versions of the new Apple Watch

But why are people going nuts over Pebble? To look at that, you need to look into why the original Pebble sold so well, as well as what is promised with the new Pebble Time.

Pebble

The original Pebble has a wide variety of features. It can synch up to almost any smartphone device, unlike the Apple Watch which is only compatible with iPhones and other Apple devices. It is also water resistant, has access to thousands of apps and most importantly has a massive battery life of around 7 days. The Apple Watch’s biggest complaint is its small battery life, needing to be charged up about every day.

The Pebble Time, the new second edition product, boasts a more improved version of the already popular previous model. It will have a color screen, even better battery life, a thinner model than the original Pebble and even a microphone.

Needless to say, whatever Pebble is doing, it is doing it right. With 78 ,000 backers and over $20 million in pledges, people want this new gadget and they want it badly. Watch out Apple, you’ve got competition and its name is Pebble.

By Evan Roberts

Long boarding 101

As the weather warms, we’re all looking for excuses to be outside, one great one is long boarding. Now, I’m going to be honest with you: I didn’t learn how to long board until last summer and it was not an easy thing to do, but if an uncoordinated nerd like me can learn, I have faith that you can too!

Learning to long board feels a lot like learning how to fall on your face. Don’t worry though, if you fall on a long board people will assume you are cool simply because you have a long board. A very basic formula you can always go by is: long board = cool, even if that means you wipe out on one. With that being said here are a couple tips on how to fall on your face with style.

Learn to push the board

Many people who start learning to long board are terrified to start pushing the board. This is most likely because of Newton’s first law, “an object in motion stays in motion.” This means that if you wipe out while moving it will probably hurt pretty bad, but the one formula Newton never discovered was that long board = cool, so that clearly trumps Newton’s law.

While learning to push the board, many people will start by standing on the board and quickly fall on their face. For beginners it is much harder to simply stand on the board than it is to push the board. This may sound backwards since growing up you need to learn how to stand before you can walk, but think about it like a bike. You can’t sit on the bike with your feet up if it is not moving; it requires motion to stay balanced. Long boarding is very similar. After you are comfortable with learning how to push then see if you can stand on it. This will greatly reduce the amount of times you fall on your face.

Find your footing

In long boarding one foot will always be positioned on the long board and that foot should point in the direction that the long board is headed. The other foot will be your push foot and will be used to push the board to get it going and once it is in motion the push foot will gently sit behind your lead foot.

Find out if you like pushing with your left foot or your right foot. You may ask “well how am I supposed to know?” There are many tips online telling you things like “Have your friend push you and the foot you catch yourself with is the foot that should be in the front.” But this trick may make you fall on your face which is what we are trying to reduce.

Another tip suggests you “walk up a set of stairs and use the foot you start with as your lead foot.” However when I tested this trick it didn’t work for me. Feel free to try these tips if you want, but just know that I used the opposite foot that was suggested, which means you may as well. Realize that the best way to learn is through experience. Try a couple times with pushing with your left foot, and then a couple times pushing with your right foot. If neither one feels more comfortable than the other just choose one of them to practice with. It will become comfortable in no time.

Know basic board physics

A majority of falling on my face was because I didn’t know basic board physics. I wasn’t aware that riding into grass with your long board doesn’t work like a bike. A bike you slowly bumble your way through the grass, a long board will force you into an immediate halt, and launch you off your long board (Apparently this is common knowledge for many people, but it wasn’t for me.)

Don’t turn too sharp. When you get comfortable on your board you will want to start to learn how to turn. Just know that if you turn too hard your board will fly out from underneath you. Starting up you probably will not turn so hard that you lose your footing, but its something you will want to keep in mind for the future.

Don’t jump on your board. Don’t get me wrong, when you are comfortable with your board you can jump on it all that you want, but do not jump on a board if you are new to long boarding. It will launch from underneath you and it will hurt pretty badly.

Have fun

Falling on your face doesn’t sound like fun, but after hard work and determination it will all be worth it. Just keep practicing and when you get to riding you will realize how great of a feeling it is. Just remember that even experts fall on their face so don’t expect to be an exception. Have fun as you learn to fall on your face with style.

By Joel Bradley

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Best Ice Cream Rankings

Spring Arbor University students sometimes need to splurge on a sweet treat or two after a hard week of studying. If you are ever craving ice cream (well, ice cream that is actually made with milk), stop by one of these places!

I ordered small vanilla bowls or cones at the following locations: Frosty King, The Parlour, and Sweet Scoops (formally known as Maggie Moo’s). The ice cream was then ranked by its flavor and value (amount of ice cream received versus price). The location was also rated.

Frosty King

Located in Horton, MI, Frosty King is approximately 8 minutes (6.1 miles) driving distance from our campus. It is an outdoor-seating-only stop on the road with a drive through. It serves ice cream, shakes, other desserts, hamburgers, french fries and other snacks. Although there are few other reasons for SAU students to venture into Horton, the cheap prices and bountiful portions are worth the trip.

I ordered a small soft serve cone for $2.00 (pictured right). The amount of ice cream was significantly more than I expected and it filled the entire cone. However, the quality of the ice cream was not as pleasing as the quantity. This cone is able to inexpensively satisfy a craving, but it is not necessarily something that I would pay more than $2.00 for. (Quick side note: their shakes are delicious!)

Best for: The location is close enough to bike to (you’ll burn off those calories in the process) and the amount of ice cream received is generous. It could be great for a late spring Saturday afternoon. Also, show a student ID on Wednesday and receive 10% off!

The Parlour

This Jackson landmark is approximately 13 minutes (7.8 miles) away from campus. It lives up to its name with its old time ice cream parlour environment and it also has a takeout option. The menu includes both dessert and dinner items.

ice cream 2 — “What do you call an instructor at the parlour? A sundae school teacher”

I ordered a small vanilla cone for $2.99 plus tax. The hard serve ice cream was significantly richer than I expected and it filled up the majority of the cone. Although I payed more money for less ice cream, the taste and experience made it worth it.

Best for: This classic is perfect if you want to go somewhere unique without going somewhere far away. I would suggest skipping the vanilla and trying one of their signature creations.

Sweet Scoops

Jackson’s local Maggie Moo’s has recently become independent and acquired the name Sweet Scoops. Although they are still in the process of rebranding, they haven’t let that affect their ice cream! This location is 10.2 miles (14 minutes) away from campus and it’s the perfect place to go after your latest Target run.

I ordered a small bowl of cold stone style vanilla (3 oz) for $2.30. Although this did seem a bit pricy, the ice cream itself is so creamy and they do allow their customers unlimited mix-ins, like chocolate chips or strawberries. Their menu is primarily dessert oriented, including both yogurt and lactose free ice cream.

Best for: This location is great for catching up with a friend! The ice cream is delicious and the environment is extremely inviting.

Is your favorite local ice cream shop missing? Let us know in the comment section!

By Courtney Applebee

Photos by Jacob Fisher

Life Working at Camp

If you are someone who can survive on little sleep, has constant energy energy, can endure hundreds of screaming voices and wants three months of worshiping Christ, then I have the perfect summer job for you: be a Camp Worker.

To start off, I am Jennifer Kilbourn, a senior at SAU. Over the past four summers, I have had the amazing opportunity to work at two Christian campgrounds: Covenant Hills Campground and Somerset Beach Campground. Over the course of those four summers, I had three different jobs; office assistant, counselor and camp photographer. Although these jobs are all fairly different, I would have to say that I enjoyed each job equally because they all had their own interesting parts. Before I go into more detail about the different jobs I performed, you should know that camp has always been a huge part of my life, both through going to camp as a kid and each of the camps I have worked at have been a part of my family for a long time.

But let’s get to more of the fun stuff, what does it look like to be a camp worker? Starting with being a camp counselor, you can find a large group of varying people who lead hundreds of kids to Christ every week. According to http://whyismarko.com/stereotypical-camp-counselors/there are 7 stereotypes of camp counselors: (if you have ever worked at a camp, you will totally understand these stereotypes)

1. The Joe Cool

2. The Disciple

3. Sir No Showers A Lot

4. The Nicest Person That Ever Lived

5. The Reformed Rebel

6. The Narc

7. The Rebel

I like to think of counselors as shepherds with 9-13 kids (sheep) following them around all day. These are the leaders that will probably make the largest impact on any kid that goes to camp, because you are living with them for a week, and somewhere in there you are bound to have an impacting talk about Christ. Even if you are only able to reach one kid, that counselor leaves knowing they brought one more person to the Lord.

No one said you had to be a counselor to make a lasting impact on the kids coming each week. If shepherding around kids all summer is not for you, try the support staff, as I did as camp photographer. Support staff are all the behind the scene jobs, where you set up activities for the kids to do each day, or like I did, take photos of the kids having a blast at summer camp. As support staff, you—in a way—get to make these kids dreams come true. I got to watch kids face their fear of heights by working at the zip line, high ropes course and climbing tower. You never know what kind of talk you are going to have with a kid who is scared and you get to share how Christ says “don’t be afraid.”

And last the final job I worked at a campground was an office assistant position. I wasn’t working with the kids, but I did get to show the love of Christ in the way that I treated people in person or on the phone. The one major thing you have to remember when you are working in the office is to keep a smile on your face and to remain patient when dealing with a frustrated customer.

So when you are looking for a summer job where you can have fun every day, look no further than a Christian Campground.

By Jennifer Kilbourn

The Bad News Monster

I am currently one of the DJs at Home.fm and I am required to do a three-hour show every day of the week except for weekends. This means that I am responsible for coming up with 15 breaks that all have interesting, engaging content each day. In order to find this content I cycle through news stories and what I’ve learned through this experience is that news outlets love to focus specifically on bad news. Often times it is quite discouraging to sift through stories on drugs, violence, sex and crime on a daily basis.

For this reason I like to dig as deep as I can to find all the good news in the world so that I can share it with others to help them realize the world is a little bit better than they make think. This is not as easy as it may sound, and often I like to imagine that all of the bad news stories are one giant monster that I have to fight with my legendary sword of good news. I provided an extremely detailed and well-illustrated diagram below so you can see the epic battle first hand.

At the end of the day I want to believe I caused one person to smile or realize that there is good in the world. This is not an easy feat as the bad news monster lives to crush the people who fight it, but if good news continues to spread, the beast is not too hard to overcome. See illustration below.

I have had many people tell me that talking about nothing but good news makes people ignorant. They believe this because I am not telling my listeners the reality of how dark the world is. While this may be true, I believe if someone wants to have a glimpse at the bad news monster they can find it pretty easily. I want people to see the other side of the news world. If others can spread good news then the bad news monster will not be so intimidating and step-by-step we will learn how to conquer the beast.

Bad News Monster Bottom P.S. Some people may be frightened to see I killed a living animal. First, remember that the creature is hypothetical. Second, for the sake of calming everyone’s nerves we will just assume the creature passed out from my shiny sword. That’s what most things do around shiny objects after all.

By Joel Bradley

Spring Is Here, Spring Arbor

Well, sort of. Even though the great state of Michigan can’t make up its mind about which season it should participate in, spring is still in action. Besides the fact that it’s 60 degrees one day and 32 degrees the next, it’s time to start thinking about what you’ll be participating in when the warm weather starts kicking in. In a town like Spring Arbor, where it’s winter for 80% of the time you attend school, it may become a bit overwhelming when the sun starts bringing the heat because you don’t really know what to do now that it’s nice outside. Don’t you fret, because Spring Arbor and it’s friendly neighbor Jackson have a lot to offer when the weather heats up. Some cost money, and some don’t, but here are a couple of things to look forward to before this semester comes to an end.

Volley that ball.

For all of you sporty students who love the beach but can’t afford to drive to one, Spring Arbor has got you covered. Grab a couple of water bottles and head out to the volleyball court and it will start to feel like you’re actually hanging out on Lake Michigan. Grab a couple of your greatest pals, prepare a couple of sandwiches, and throw some sand in each other’s faces for the full effect of a day at the beach. It’s some great competition and a great way for you to have fun in the sun before you throw your deuces up at Spring Arbor.

Mini Golf Rocks.

Not to far from Spring Arbor is Ella Sharp Park which includes a wickedly sweet 18-hole mini golf course. The drive only takes about 15 minutes tops and the price is unbeatable. You can play a full game for $5 dollars, or bring a whole bunch of friends and you only have to spend $4 dollars! Keep wearing that same t-shirt and “forget” to change your pants so you can use all of your laundry money on a sweet game of mini golf. It’s a great spot for some sweet Instagram shots and you can update your Twitter when you score a hole-in-one!

Pizza in the Plaza.

za baby Pizza! Isn’t it nice to attend a school that is surrounded by God’s gift to mankind? Spring Arbor has not only Marino’s, which is right across the street, but Amy’s Pizza and Slice of Spice all within walking distance. Grab some super gnarly friends, grab a slice, and chill out in the SAU plaza before the school year comes to an end! You can fly a couple of kites, play an intense game of Battleship, set up your Wii U on the concept, and enjoy some pizza with your friends. It’s a cheap, sharable meal that will fill you with memories for years to come.

Spring Arbor is meant to have community, and it’s nice to see everyone hanging out and enjoying the great weather this state can sometimes have. Go out and enjoy spring, Spring Arbor.

By Ryne Larsh

Blurred Vision: The Ambiguity of SAU’s Drinking Policy

Red-wine-question-mark — from blogs.otago.ac.nz

It happened back in November the same way Title IX’s controversy got rolling: with a small wording change.

On November 3, President Ellis addressed the SAU staff and faculty at the fall community meeting. Partway through the talk (28:50 on the video) Ellis said the next topic partly hearkened back to the request for Title IX exemptions.

When SAU requested exemptions, both of the lawyers consulted urged the school to keep the language of SAU’s Community Standards as in-line with the Free Methodist discipline as possible to ensure SAU’s foundation for religious-affiliated claims.

“We’ve had a change in Community Covenant language” said Ellis during the meeting. “Previously, the staff and faculty handbooks, as well as the board of trustee policy, had stated ‘The university community expects all its members to abstain from gambling, profanity, the illegal use of drugs, the use of tobacco and alcoholic beverages.’”

The Covenant for staff now reads, “The university advocates abstinence from gambling, profanity, the illegal use of drugs, the use of tobacco and alcoholic beverages.”

This new language is almost identical to the Free Methodist Book of Discipline, which says “Because Christ admonishes us to love God with all our being and our neighbor as ourselves, we advocate abstaining from the use of alcoholic beverages.” (page 61, ¶3213)

In the community meeting, Ellis said this change was prompted by a “need” for correlation with the board of trustees and the Title IX exemption.

“We’ve had board members from more diverse backgrounds where abstinence is not something that is expected,” said Ellis.

Some potential board members were hesitant of joining because of the abstinence rule. There were also board members who ignored the policy.

Ellis said the issue was that SAU “became vulnerable to a question of inconsistency of how we would deal with board members, because it would never be addressed.”

“We found ourselves in a place where we knew we had board members not abiding by the expectations of the community standards, clearly articulated, and therefore, we were not treating faculty staff and students equitability,” said Ellis.

In the meeting, Ellis stressed that the policy for students would remain completely the same: no drinking. He then said for board members, the new wording allowed some leniency; if a board member wanted a glass of wine after dinner at home, they could exercise their personal freedom to do so.

However, he said, with faculty and staff things “get a bit more complicated.”

No one— board members, faculty, or staff—would be able to drink while acting under official capacity for SAU or while in the presence of students. Ellis said his ability would not change, he would not drink, as he lives on campus and is constantly representing SAU.

He also said a faculty member could not go to Slice of Spice and get a drink where they could be seen by students. Additionally, if a faculty member was in Traverse City and wearing an SAU sweatshirt, they should not drink because they are representing the SAU community.

Ellis said he had been asked by a faculty or staff member if they would be fired if someone saw them buying beer, and was offended. “No,” said Ellis, “but let’s think about this. If you’re a faculty member and you walk into Hutches and you buy a case of beer, what’s the likelihood of someone seeing the role you play? Let’s be wise about living out the freedom that you have in this.”

“Say we have a faculty member in California,” said Ellis, “they’re having a glass of wine with their dinner. His whole family knows they’re a professor at Spring Arbor. I’m going to put that upon the faculty member.”

“People have asked, and I’m not going to give a list of where you can and where you cannot…we as an institution advocate abstinence,” said Ellis.

When asked if this policy could be understood as a kind of ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ in which the ability to drink was dependent on the physical proximity and visibility of your connection to the university. Ellis responded, “Our community has a certain view of what Spring Arbor is and what they aren’t, that’s what we’re going to present to the community.”

“We prefer that everyone abstain,” said Ellis. “We also understand that having a drink of alcohol isn’t a sin, isn’t a rebellion against God, it’s something that we say as a community can be destructive…we do not want it to have an impact on our community and if you want to make an individual choice, it’s your prerogative.”

When asked if he thought of-age students would ever have the ability to drink off-campus, Ellis answered, “Will there ever be a day? Maybe. It would be quite a while from now. And probably not during my tenure. Within certain communities, alcohol is a destructive presence…I don’t want it be a part of this community at all.”

Ellis has the unpleasant task of being both mediator and messenger of this small change with big repercussions. He said that if any faculty or staff had questions or wanted advice in regards to the policy, they can contact him.

By Alexandra Harper

Is Michigan Losing Its Spotlight?

Michigan is known for its Great Lakes, unpredictable weather, and, to the film community, its film incentives.

Since 2008, the film incentives have been helping production companies get tax breaks. These tax breaks encourage filmmakers to produce their entertainment in Michigan. This also applies to television and digital media (video games).

In order to get these tax breaks, the productions must spend a set amount of money in Michigan. They are then reward with a certain percentage of the spent money back.

A recent bill is hoping to cut these incentives altogether, in order to save money. However, $50 million is only a 1/10 of 1% of Michigan’s budget. In return, many job opportunities have been created.

What you should know:

In December 2014 the Michigan legislature voted to extend film incentives to 2021.
However, on October 21, 2015 a bill passed in the House, 58-51, to cut these incentives.
Now the Senate must vote to kill or keep these incentives.

The incentives have caused movies like 30 Minutes or Less (Jesse Eisenberg), Oz: The Great and Powerful (James Franco), and the upcoming Batman vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice to be filmed in our state.

“As a young filmmaker and someone who has grown up in Michigan, I have always been a big supporter of the state. However without film incentives, once I graduate I will most likely be forced to go elsewhere to look for jobs. With so many colleges and universities in Michigan offering majors in film, the state’s choice makes me wonder how many taxpayers and citizens it may lose in the coming years because of a few politicians choices to damage an industry that is viable for many young professionals.” said film major Jacob Fisher.

Associate professor Dorie Shelby said

“Without film incentives, films won’t be made in Michigan. That’s just reality. All but a dozen or so states offer varying degrees of tax breaks to filmmakers. What I fear people lose sight of, is the fact that Michigan’s incentive package was never designed solely to attract Hollywood Fat Cat. It was designed, and is still intended, to make production a viable industry in this state by giving tax breaks to local industry professionals who work in production that’s outside of the blockbuster feature film. The incentives were meant to kickstart the industry that also produces local programming, television commercials, content for the web, video games, and a host of other production related businesses. In my view, cutting the incentives is short sighted and a blow to what could be a thriving and prosperous industry in Michigan.”

No dates have been released for the Senate’s opportunity to weigh in on the matter.

“Ever since the end of Jennifer Granholm’s term as governor, the film incentives have become an arguing point between republicans and democrats, with few exceptions. Hopefully in the weeks to come Michigan taxpayers will be able to see their politicians put aside party differences in order to come to an honest and viable decision regarding the future of Michigan’s film incentives and ultimately the film industry that currently exists in Michigan.” Fisher said.

By Courtney Applebee

McHealth?

Our choice of dining areas here at SAU are pretty limited. There’s the DC, Ada’s Kitchen, and the Cougar Den on campus, along with Marino’s Pizza nearby. If people are willing to make a bit of a drive and spend some money, then there are restaurants in Jackson but that’s an entire trip. So where do people go if they want a quick, relatively cheap bite to eat? McDonalds.

The golden arches can be hard to resist when you’ve got a case of the late night munchies, but it’s not up for debate that a lot of the options aren’t particularly healthy. So what would you do if you wanted to get a snack, but not clog up your arteries with a Big Mac meal? Here are a few suggestions.

Order grilled

Most of the chicken-based items on the menu have two options. You can get the chicken “crispy,” which is easily translated to breaded and fried, or you could get it grilled. The default for most people is the crispy version, although if you’re trying to watch what you eat it’s not a good default. The breading adds unnecessary carbs and fat, when you could just as easily enjoy the same meal without it.

Get Protein

It’s no secret that protein is something that helps keep us full. If you’re grabbing a snack, or even a full meal at McDonalds, make sure to get some protein in you. It’ll make you stay full longer, saving you another trip to the golden arches. Both your stomach and your wallet will be thanking you.

Fruits and Veggies

It should come as no surprise that ordering a salad will be healthier for you than a deep fried meal deluxe. Making sure that what you’re ordering includes some fruits and vegetables is a definite way to have a healthier meal. You’ll feel better having eaten it too. And who knows, you might end up with strawberry-based super powers!

Soda So-don’t

Unless you’re dying of thirst in the Sahara Desert, you will never actually need a large soda. The extra sugar and caffeine isn’t a nice combo for your body, and as tempting as it is it’s not the best option. Ask for a water, or if you want some flavor get an iced tea.

The fun part is that these rules work for any kind of eating place. Even in the DC, if you want to try turning over a new leaf for spring or already try to eat healthy, these rules can help keep you on track. Eating filling, balanced meals is a key part of staying healthy, and your body will definitely appreciate the good nutrients you’re giving it.

Of course, if you’re really trying to be healthy it’s probably best to avoid fast food altogether. But the location is very prime, especially for Ormston guys and Muffit girls. But if you really need something to eat and there’s no other place open, keep these rules in mind.

By Evan Roberts

Forget Me Never

Join Spring Arbor University’s Department of Communication and Media for the fifth annual film showcase of “Forget Me Never,” at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 12 at the Michigan Theatre, 124 N. Mechanic St., Jackson.

“Forget Me Never” is a red carpet premiere, filmed and organized by SAU students, honoring the lives of local senior citizen residents of Arbor North, a semi-assisted living center in Jackson.

The event captures and preserves the residents’ lives and stories in video and book forms, hence the title, “Forget Me Never.” Students interview each resident, creating hours of raw footage, which is then edited down to approximately four minutes on each senior and combined for the final film. The audio file is edited to create the stories found in the pages of the accompanying book.

This experience not only gives residents the opportunity to share their stories with a younger generation, but it gives students the chance to learn something about the past.

Becky Veydt, administrator of Agency, the capstone experience for selected Comm. Department students, describes “Forget Me Never” as a “rich, creative, hands-on experience on a multigenerational level. It places students at the feet of senior citizens with opportunity to learn their stories and life perspectives. These students then have opportunity to turn around and share their experiences via film, writing and event planning, all while keeping the residents’ narratives alive.”

The event is free and open to the public. Semi-formal attire is encouraged.

By Jennifer Kilbourn