By: Brooke Byrne, Lions Eye Web Staff, bzb5183@psu.edu

On Monday, November 8, Penn State Brandywine’s Muslim Student Association sponsored a discussion on Islam and the modern world.

The speaker for the event was Asheq Fazlullah, a Penn State graduate and member of CAIR, the Council on American–Islamic Relations. Fazlullah spoke on how the Muslim religion has progressed over time and proved that it is in fact compatible with today’s world.

“There isn’t one Islamic way because it varies based on every place, family and time,” Fazlullah said. “It is always evolving and there are different interpretations, much like the constitutional laws in the United States.”

He went on to say that the difference between American laws and Muslim practices is that laws have authority. If there is a disagreement between two parts, it can be brought before the Supreme Court. The challenge for traditional Islam is that there is no speaker on behalf of the entire faith, but rather multiple people and groups, each with different versions.

Fazlullah continued by focusing on three main points of modernity that most people assume Muslims face challenges with today. He discussed their belief in science and technology, democracy and women’s rights and stressed how far the religion has advanced since its beginning.

It’s important topics like this that made students want to come. Sophomore Autionna West needed to attend a campus event to meet a requirement for a summer program she’s involved with. In the end, West said she was happy she chose to come because she was able to support her friend who helped to organize it.

Throughout the discussion, students were encouraged to ask questions or voice their opinions on the topics brought up. Junior Mariana Mathew was excited to be apart of a topic she had previously studied.

“I didn’t really learn anything new because I have studied Islam before,” Mathew said. “I liked coming with my friends, though, and I’m looking forward to the discussion segment.”

After Fazlullah spoke on each of the key points of modernity, Chinese food was served before the event was moved into a new room for a group discussion. Several students engaged with Fazlullah about parts of his speech they found interesting or other points of modernity they had questions about. Students who participated in the forum were given free coffee mugs as a token of appreciation.

Penn State Brandywine’s Muslim Student Association promotes the positive message of the Islamic faith and provides a place for members to gather for reflection and conversation. Whether you’re a member of the faith or just interested in learning more about it, events like this are a fun way to get involved.

By: David Brown, Staff Editor for Lion’s Eye, dvb5451@psu.edu, updated by the Lion’s Eye Web Staff

Penn State Brandywine’s woman’s soccer team headed to University Park with the hope of securing a PSUAC championship.

Brandywine faced off against PSU Beaver, an opponent with whom they split a “W” and “L” with earlier in the season. This was the final match for both teams this season, and the winner was crowned champion.

In only the eighth minute, a now-familiar player, Ami Iannello, ripped a shot outside the box to put Brandywine up early. Despite this early lead, Brandywine’s defense struggled, letting Beaver’s offense shoot on goal 11 times.

Finally when Brandywine failed to clear, Beaver’s Marissa Bucklen intercepted a pass and put one in the back of the net to make the match a draw, all with just three minutes left in the first half. Brandywine goalkeeper, Allyssa Abbonizio had a great game, and kept Brandywine alive making 10 saves on 11 shots. The second half was a back–and-forth battle with neither team able to score at the end of a long 90 minutes.

The match headed into a shootout and there, the champion emerged.

Penn State Beaver won the shootout 2-0 to win the title and take home the PSUAC championship that both teams had battled to secure.

Although it was a disappointing end to the woman’s soccer season, the effort and determination by these players and coaches did not go unnoticed. This was Coach Sabar’s first year as a head coach, and it was the Lion’s first appearance in an intercollegiate league. Expectations for this team were uncertain: first-year soccer players, a first-year coach, and a new play-chemistry.

The underdog story for this team was fun to follow. Seeing a team like this come together had its ups and downs, but these girls played with intensity until the last whistle of every game.

It is now time to let the excitement build for next year’s squad who will emerge with a new reputation for putting Penn State Brandywine’s woman’s soccer on the map.

By: Paul Alberici, Lions Eye Editor, paa5102@psu.edu, updated by the Lion’s Eye Web Staff

The common tagline Penn State uses to acknowledge the Commonwealth campuses is, “We Are one university; geographically dispersed.” Year after year this fact is highlighted during the Nittany Lions football game called All University Day, or All-U Day.”

All-U day gives each of the nearly two-dozen Commonwealth campuses outside of University Park the opportunity to watch a football game with fellow members of their campus in the legendary Beaver Stadium. This year, the game was held on Halloween and saw the Nittany Lions face off against the Fighting Illini of University of Illinois.

Brandywine students were very excited to be at the game and had so much campus pride to be part of this special day for the Commonwealth campuses.

“All U-day to me is a chance for every campus to get together and celebrate Penn State,” Brandywine sophomore Carly Dargitz said.

Being a part of this special day means a lot for many of the students who do not ordinarily get the opportunity to experience a game at Beaver Stadium. To have this opportunity to come together as a whole is really special for the students of Brandywine because it is more than just a football game.

“(All-U Day) was my first Penn State home game, so the whole experience was the best memory,” Brandywine sophomore Derek Osborn said. “It shows Penn State’s sense of family and community. They acknowledge all of us as Penn State, one campus together.”

The highlight of each All-U Day game is the halftime show. During half time, after the Blue Band performs, each campus’ two representatives held up their campus banner as the names were announced. This year, Brandywine was represented by Brandywine Benefitting THON President Liz Gramlich and Vice President Paul Alberici.

“It is an honor to represent this campus,” Gramlich said. “Brandywine has helped me grow so much as a person, and I have had so many great experiences here.”

The Brandywine section was ecstatic when their name was announced in front of the packed Beaver Stadium crowd.

“When I heard Brandywine announced on the field during half-time, I was filled with pride for my awesome school and to be a part of the Penn State community,” Brandywine sophomore Courtney Emrich said.

And, of course, all of the campuses were treated to quite a spectacular performance. The Nittany Lions obliterated the Illini with a score of 39-0, improving their record to 7-2 on the season. Needless to say, Brandywine students were quite happy.

“I was extremely happy with the outcome,” Osborn said. “Penn State completely destroyed Illinois—such a great game to attend.”

“The outcome of the game was great,” Emrich said. “Who doesn’t love a shutout?”

Aside from the game’s outcome, and the campus recognition, the favorite part of the game, for some Brandywine students, was a little simpler, yet meaningful.

“My favorite part of the day was being with my friends and being able to share a Penn State football game together; it was so much fun!” said Brandywine sophomore Carly Dargitz.

All-U Day has been a Penn State tradition for years, giving students from all across the Penn State system an opportunity to attend a game. With the success of this year’s, it is sure to remain a valued tradition for years to come.

By: Michael McCarrick; Lion’s Eye Staff Editor, mqm5415@psu.edu, updated by the Lion’s Eye Web Staff

“It was me all along James, the author of all your pain.” The signature line of the villain from the latest installment of the James Bond franchise, which boasts 24 films from the past 53 years and six different actors playing the main character.

The James Bond character has evolved throughout the decades in his films from being charming and suave in the early Sean Connery editions, to adding a mixture of slapstick and goofball humor in the Roger Moore and Pierce Brosnan versions.

The Daniel Craig incarnation of Bond, which began with 2006s classic Casino Royale, is perfect in a post 9/11 world and England’s answer to Jason Bourne, as this Bond is as tough, gritty and cold-blooded as written in the original Ian Fleming novels. (And remember the outcry Bond fans made when it was announced the new Bond would be played by a blonde actor a decade ago.)

Spectre is Craig’s fourth film as the suave hero and has supporting characters returning from their introduction in Skyfall.

The movie begins with the signature gun-barrel shot. Then, the picture cuts to the most lavish Dias de Muertos party ever put on film, as James Bond is introduced walking on rooftops and flying helicopters in an awesome opening action sequence, which is a standard for the franchise.

There is the beautifully animated title sequence of painted femme-fatales and slow motion bullets flying around in tune with the song Writing’s on the Wall sung by Sam Smith.

The plot continues and it turns out that Bond’s crazy Mexican adventure wasn’t authorized by the spy agency he works for, MI6, and as punishment for the damage, they ground him. That, of course, won’t stop James from tracking down the secret organization that has been haunting him for the previous three movies. That organization is the title of the film, and the head of it is a figure from Bond’s childhood whom he believed had died. It turns out he’s been alive all along and on a mission to destroy MI6.

Meanwhile, the head of MI6 is M, played by Ralph Fiennes (better known as Voldemort from Harry Potter) who clashes with the new head of British Intelligence they called C, played by Andrew Scott (better known as Moriarty from BBC’s Sherlock). C wants to permanently shut down MI6 because of the advanced technology and intelligence available to the British government. He sees no need for human spies. Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw), who were consistent side characters in earlier Bond films, return in their updated versions as well.

The Bond girl for this movie is much stronger than in previous ones with Dr. Madeleine Swann, played by French actress Lea Seydoux. In fact, her personality and independence make her more than just a Bond girl, rather a real character with a purpose in the plot, since she is the daughter of an old guardian of James and is just as motivated to take down Spectre.

Two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz is the villain in Spectre and is the biggest enemy of the Craig-era Bond films. Dave Bautista (recognized as former WWE champion Batista and Drax The Destroyer from last summer’s Guardians of The Galaxy) plays a villain henchman in a throwback to other classic Bond villain henchmen such as Oddjob and Jaws.

A typical spy-villain cliché that is one of only few complaints of the film is that Waltz’s character spends too much time explaining his plans and torturing Bond with an elaborate device instead of simply killing him, thus giving Bond time to come up with an idea to escape. That trope can be forgiven, however, because James Bond is the template upon which all spy movies are based.

Watching Spectre is like tasting the most fancy gourmet chocolate in the world: while it is still just chocolate, it’s packaged and presented in the finest quality possible.

When stripping it down to its basics it’s a typical spy-action movie, but it’s so well done and wonderfully crafted that it’s enjoyable anyway. If this is the last film of the Daniel Craig Bond Saga and the studio decides to reboot the series again with a different actor, then it’s a satisfying culmination to the four-part adventure.

By: Paul Alberici, Lions Eye Staff Editor, paa5102@psu.edu, updated by the Lion’s Eye Web Staff

For years, fans of the Assassin’s Creed video game series have been taken to a variety of unique moments in history, spanning from Renaissance Italy to the blood-soaked battlefields of the American Revolution to the high-seas of the Golden Age of Piracy. They have seen the characters’ little conspiracy twists to make things fit within in the context of the ever-constant war between the freedom driven Assassin’s and the power hungry Templars.

This year was no different with Assassin’s Creed Syndicate. Set in 1868 Victorian era London, Syndicate takes place during the height of the Industrial Revolution. The creators at Ubisoft captured the realism of the city in that time period, as noted by Brandywine freshman Brian Raftery.

“Assassin’s Creed (Syndicate) was able to dazzle again with amazing scenery of 1860s London,” Raftery said. “I have high expectations, and they continue to meet them game after game.”

The story is set around two Assassins, Jacob and Evie Frye: twins bred into the Brotherhood of Assassins. The chemistry between the two gives new life to the story and its characters.

Evie is more “by the book,” searching for ancient powerful artifacts to keep out of Templar hands. Jacob, on the other hand, is more reckless and concerned with taking out the Templars, with the help of a street gang he forms called “The Rooks.”

“The creators captured a sibling relationship well,” Brandywine sophomore Sam Kelly said. “They tease each other and occasionally fight, yet they’re still loyal to each other.”

Aside from characters, there are playable differences between Evie and Jacob. Evie is more stealth-based, while Jacob is more suited for head-on conflict. Both are playable at anytime, unless a mission calls for that character specifically.

The time period highlights the innovation and improvement of many technologies, including the steam engine, trains, and factories. This also gives the Assassins some new “toys.”

Some of the new tech featured include multi-shot revolvers, kukris (which are like machetes), cane swords and brass knuckles. Of course, what would an Assassin’s Creed game be without the signature hidden blade gauntlet?

However, much like in last year’s title Unity, the Assassins of Syndicate have been given a unique upgrade to their gauntlets, including a poison dart gun and the zip line. This grappling line makes traversing London very quick, enabling players to scale building and span gaps with ease.

“The zip-line gauntlet is a fun new toy,” Kelly said. “It’s well integrated into the free running and offers new ways for the player to air-assassinate. It can be a bit tricky to aim at first, but after that it becomes a simple way to get around London.”

The same free-running improvements of Unity are also back, making the free-running feel very natural.

The fighting has become more brutal and graphic, adding more animation and visuals to the fighting that is not for the faint of heart. The challenges of fights makes players reconsider engaging an enemy.

Overall, many people believe Syndicate has really brought back the feel of the older games that so many fans enjoyed.

“I’d say a solid 9,” Ratery said. “I feel like Ubisoft was able to bring back a lot of the old Assassin’s Creed magic from the Ezio trilogy that they had lost over the last few games.”

If this series stays with the formula they have for Syndicate, fans of the series are surely going to be able to live by the creed even more.

David Brown, Lions Eye Staff Editor, dvb5451@psu.edu, updated by the Lion’s Eye Web Staff

The next President of the United States has been busy debating and campaigning all over the country and only you, the American people, can decide who that person is.

Eleven of the GOP’s top presidential candidates took the stage during the first “top tier” GOP debate on August 6 after the “lower tier” debate (lower polled candidates) hosted by Fox News. Carly Fiorina, the former CEO of Hewlett-Packard, advisor for Senator John McCain’s 2008 election, and former Republican nominee for the United States Senate in California, was the one most mentioned. At the conclusion, Fiorina was reported to have had a strong evening and was praised as being very prepared and informed throughout the debate. Fiorina’s strong performance bumped her up in the polls and landed her a spot with the popular candidates for the second debate.

The August 6 debate was moderated by Fox anchors, Megyn Kelly, Brett Baier, and Chris Wallace. Donald Trump received a lot of press going into the debate and did not disappoint. Trump got under the skin of his opponents and riled up the audience as well. With Trump’s slogan, “Make America Great Again,” he caught the attention of voters, and his bold pronouncements about how he would handle immigration and the economy, gave him a lead in the polls, which he still holds.

Other candidates that night included Ted Cruz, a senator from Texas and former domestic policy advisor to George W. Bush. Cruz, although qualified, did not rise up to his opponents.

The youngest candidate in the presidential race is 44-year old Marco Rubio. The media agreed that Rubio, a senator from Florida, showed “promise.” Rubio, who acquired his wealth through his own determination, had rebuttals toward opponents and was touted as a very serious contender for the Republican nominee.

Other notable GOP candidates include Dr. Ben Carson, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and Florida Governor, Jeb Bush.

The Fox debate was the most watched Presidential debate in history with 24 million viewers.

The second GOP debate was hosted by CNN at the Ronald Regan Presidential Library on September 16.

Once again Republican poll leader, Donald Trump, lead the pack with his unusual comments and managed to overtake the other candidates. Trump led talking time with a total of 20 minutes; Bush with 15 minutes; Fiorina with 13 minutes; and Carson with 12 minutes. This debate, like the first one, was very tense with Trump and Bush sparring all night about past remarks, and policy disagreements.

Trump seemed to thrive on accusations and turned them to his advantage. This appeared to make Bush struggle, and he did not gain ground.

Fiorina remained calm, yet knowledgeable, addressing questions and showing emotion during some of her responses. Her popularity earned her an invitation on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon where she continued to gain support.

Ben Carson was determined to get involved during this debate after being critiqued for his apparent low energy. He did so by showing good sense on the issues.

Cruz, Rubio and Christie all gained popularity by securing a good amount of talking time, and they made few mistakes. This debate was mainly focused on immigration and Planned Parenthood.

Nearly 3 months later, the first Democratic debate debuted on October 13, hosted by CNN. The only two candidates of the four making a showing in the polls were Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton.

The CNN moderators seemed to stick to the issues focusing on the Benghazi committee, Planned Parenthood, and Black Lives Matter.

Sanders scored big with his perceived support of frontrunner Clinton’s email scandal saying, “I’m tired of hearing about your damn email.” The audience laughed and applauded. When the moderators asked the candidates what the biggest threat to the Nation was Sanders said, “The scientific community is telling us that if we do not address the global crisis of climate change and transform our energy system away from fossil fuel to sustainable energy, the planet that we’re going to be leaving our kids and our grandchildren may well not be habitable.” This earned him more applause. The other candidates talked about the Middle East or China’s cyber warfare.

Clinton had some big moments while defending her stance on the Benghazi Committee stating that, “it is an arm of the Republican committee.” Clinton chaffed when Governor Chafee compared her credibility for President to the recent email scandal she faces. When asked if she would like to respond Clinton jokingly said, “No.”

No clear winner emerged from the Democratic debate. Polls showed Sanders gained policy recognition and earned a reputation for passion. Clinton went for the safe route. As the front-runner she did a good job at deflecting negative comments. It will be interesting to see the next Democratic debate and if Clinton or Sanders take more shots at each other or stick to their last performance.

The third Republican debate was hosted by CNBC on October 28. This debate caused commotion due to remarks made by the candidates and moderators. CNBC is a business network, making the expectations for the debate to be mainly economy-based. The moderators, however, did ask a variety of questions that got the candidates, and sometimes the crowd, riled up.

Throughout the debate, audience members “booed” the moderators when they asked certain questions based about the candidates morals. Both the moderators and Jeb Bush put Marco Rubio on the spot during the debate. Bush asked him why he doesn’t wait to run for president until he is finished in the Senate. “Someone convinced you that attacking me would help you,” rebutted Rubio—referring to Bush’s low poll numbers.

After the debate Republican candidates complained about the “bias” the moderators portrayed and expressed displeasure of the “gotcha’ questions and statements.

Fox Business in Milwaukee, Wisconsin hosted the fourth Republican debate on Tuesday, November 10. This debate was the most informative on the candidates’ economic plans and immigration policy. The debate, by media standards, was the best Republican debate because of the consistent informative statements and rebuttals. Every candidate secured a lot of talking time and the moderators split the questions up appropriately.

Some of the big moments during the debate came from a dispute between Rubio and Senator Rand Paul. The argument was about Rubio’s plan for bigger military spending and how it was not “conservative” in Paul’s eyes because of the large amount of money Rubio was proposing. During the timely argument, Cruz barged in saying, “There is room for both sides on this argument.” This comment was revealed to be a big moment for Cruz among voters.

The road to the next presidential election promises to provide lots of room for thought and maybe some laughs. Be sure to pay attention so you can make an informed vote in 2016.

By: Sharifa Small, Blue & White Society President, updated by the Lion’s Eye Web Staff

Brandywine students! Can’t think of a club to join that would be beneficial and look great on your resume? Well, look no further than the newly formed Brandywine chapter of the Blue & White Society Club.

This club is the student arm of the Penn State Alumni Association, the largest dues-paying alumni association.

For over 140 years, the Penn State Alumni Association has been a guardian of Penn State’s tradition; by deciding to be a member of the Blue and White Society Club, you are a part of that tradition—early.

According to the Blue & White constitution, the purpose of the club is:

“To support the Penn State Alumni Association’s mission to connect alumni to the University and to each other, provide valued service to members, and to support the University’s mission of teaching, research, and service. They also strive to support The Pennsylvania State University—future, current, and past students and friends of the University.”

“There are more than 140 dues-paying members of the Blue & White Society at Brandywine,” assistant director of development and club adviser Virginia Harrison said. “My goal as the adviser is to make sure these students have engaging programming to support their Penn State pride. I hope they get involved with the Blue & White Society on campus while they are students and learn what it means to give back when they are alumni.”

The benefits of joining the Blue and White Society include connecting with over 513,000 alumni around the world through the Alumni Association’s online directory, earning a 10% discount for any Penn State Bookstore items and receiving a limited edition Blue and White Society T-shirt. Members also participate in the club’s social, service and networking events.

Check out the website for additional benefits and details: http://alumni.psu.edu/students/new-website/get-involved/BWS-locations/brandywine, or consider contacting Virginia Harrison at vsh5000@psu.edu

By: Deja Footes, Lion’s Eye Staff Editor, dmf5475@psu.edu, updated by the Lion’s Eye Web Staff

On Tuesday October 20, Professor Nocella’s class hosted a jazz performance by violinist, Diane Monroe.

Monroe’s solo jazz works have been presented on popular TV shows such as The Cosby Show and Mr. Rogers. She has also shared the stage with famous musicians such as Yo-Yo Ma and Arnold Steinhardt and has toured with Joe Lovano, Oliver Lake, and Anthony Davis. Monroe’s multi-disciplinary approach as a composer/collaborator has spanned 25 years. Prior to making the leap to music as her career, Monroe was an educator at Oberlin College in Ohio. She is currently an adjunct professor at Temple University and Swarthmore College.

During Monroe’s performance, the audience seemed to thoroughly enjoy the break from the daily grind. People were smiling and rocking to the harmony of her songs. Most of the songs were instrumental, but the music spoke for itself. The most common song was the famous Negro spiritual Wade in the Water. There was also a collaborative performance of Nocella’s own composition.

This month, Monroe will be performing her newest work, Tanaina Dreams. For more information about Diane Monroe or to sample her music, visit her website at www.dianemonroemusic.com.

By: Michael McCarrick, Lion’s Eye Staff Editor, mqm5415@psu.edu, updated by the Lion’s Eye Web Staff

If audiences ever wondered what a dinner party was like with the guests such as Jeffery Dahmer, Aileen Wuornos, and The Zodiac Killer, then American Horror Story: Hotel is the show to watch.

The latest season of FX’s anthology series began in October with a huge buzz around the country. The show’s concept is that each season has a brand new story and theme, with cast members from previous seasons returning for a new role. Previous seasons had themes of a murder house, insane asylum, freak show, and now a hotel.  Although there is no need to watch those shows it is highly recommended; they are all available on Netflix.

American Horror Story built its success on making compelling television from murder, rotating camera angles, and gimp suits, and this latest season is no exception. The Cortez Hotel’s guests are vampires and spirits who are forced to stay inside the building because their human life ended and their monster life began.

Despite all of the hype surrounding the new season, a major absence from the stacked cast this season is Jessica Lange, whose performances in previous seasons gave the show national recognition and won multiple awards. In an attempt to replace Lange, the producers casted a pop culture icon in Lady Gaga to play The Countess. Her presence on the show is fitting for her bizarre elaborate costumes and gory, over-the-top theatrics for which she is well-known.

Another compelling performance is from Matt Bomer, best known from the USA show White Collar, who plays Gaga’s partner in their human-hunting expeditions.

Oscar winning actress Kathy Bates returns as the receptionist who orchestrates most of the hotel’s disturbing deeds. All of this because she wants to be close to her son (Bomer) who’s confined himself to the mysterious world of the hotel. Finally, Angela Bassett returns as the Countess’s former girlfriend looking to exact revenge on her for killing a rival.

Evan Peters and Sarah Paulson, the only two cast members to appear on all five seasons of the show, return as hotel spirits. Paulson plays a drug dealer who was killed and turned into a vampire; she is the most miserable hotel member of them all. The fan favorite, Peters, plays John Marsh, a psycho-killer and founder of the hotel from the 1920s who designed it to be a torture chamber for his victims. His spirit still haunts and influences the twisted hotel more than 80 years after his death.

Among this cast of outcasts are characters the audience can identify with in Detective John Lowe, played by Wes Bently (Edward Mordrake in the previous season.) Lowe is a good husband and father who investigates the strange occurrences of the hotel and has been haunted for five years by the abrupt disappearance of his son. His wife Alex, played by Chloe Sevigny, a doctor with deep spiritual connection with her lost son, is willing to sacrifice anything to have him back. John, Alex, and their daughter all discover the lost boy living in the hotel playing video games and sleeping in glass coffins. The situation tears the family apart, and a twisted journey begins for all.

So on Wednesday nights at 10 p.m., turn off the lights and tune in to FX to follow another twisted and intriguing chapter in the American Horror Story saga. It’s of this writer’s preference that students shouldn’t watch this with their parents or younger siblings. Always remember: the more you scream, the more they like it.