Universal Halloween Horror Nights & The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Damian Gordon
South Campus Bureau Chief

    There’s a place to find magic, monsters and more, all in one spot. It’s that time of year where Universal Orlando turns its park into another world with Halloween Horror Nights and the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

    Platform Nine & Three Quarters and Hogsmade look like the exact sets from the movie. The items and stores located around the area fit the theme and it’s not just “oh hey look, a ‘Men in Black’ shirt is being randomly sold in a wand shop.”

    Featuring many items and shops from the series, any one visitor can visit series shops like Ollivander’s Wand Shop or Leaky Cauldron, or try some Butterbeer or Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans.

    There is a dragon on top of the Gringotts Bank roaring and breathing fireballs, helping to promote the feeling that a visitor is in a world of fantasy.

    There is a new train system if you have both passes for parks on the same day. You can ride the Hogwarts Express to get to Islands of Adventure and back. Enjoy Harry Potter spectacles like Hagrid flying his motorbike outside window or Harry and company fighting Death Eaters on the train through silhouettes.

    The King’s Cross Station looks like its actual London counterpart. Appearing as if you went from Florida to the U.K in an instant after stepping foot onto the paved streets.

    Dining at the Hard Rock Café before entering Halloween Horror Nights (HHN) was great. The place was lively, and the service was fast and timely as the waiters were eccentric, only helping to enforce the larger than life experience.

    Just entering HHN, there was a creepy atmosphere about the park. A drastic change in appearance, compared to when we were there, earlier before.

    Ghoulish creatures and deviant masked figures now filled the streets, lunging at any incoming visitors that crossed their paths.

    I puffed up my chest and walked into the streets…ended up being the first one to jump like Scooby Doo into someone’s arms at the first ghoul to jump out.

    The horror houses featured this year are “Halloween,” “The Walking Dead,” “Alien vs Predator,” “Dracula Untold,” “Dusk Till Dawn” and more.

    It doesn’t matter if you saw something jump out the corner in one of the horror houses. When walking up to that same corner, a heart attack will come up just the same.

    Nobody is safe just because they left a horror house; there are zones throughout the park like the “Face Off” and “The Purge” sections.

    Entering “The Purge” is an effective scare tactic, because it feels like Universal just fell into complete chaos and everything is real.

    People walking around with chainsaws, machetes, and more are among some of the items these individuals carry around.

    A human auction takes place at certain times in the night and is entertaining to watch. Fans of the film will enjoy it that much more.

    “The Walking Dead” and “Dusk” are less scary and more so cool recreations of their respective settings. It’s surreal to walk through the prison or the bar in its respective series.

    Some advice would be to get an Express Pass to make the lines much shorter and the night will go much smoother.

    Entering the Halloween house went like this: “We’re all gonna to stick together.” Then it became “every man for themselves; throw the women for escape,” really quick.

    In an interview with the director of HHN on what’s the most effective type of scare, he said. “I think just when you boil everything down, pop out scare is the best scare… There’s a lot of tweaks and different ways you can do it,” said the director.

    “Rocky Horror Picture Show” was going on and it was a nice palate cleanser, as the cult classic engrossed and raised some eye brows in the audience. It’s weird, over-the-top and just the kind of entertainment needed after being scared half to death.

    Overall, it’s impressive that Universal is always changing up its park and adding new elements. HHN possibly has the scariest horror houses ever made, second only to living in an actual haunted mansion.

    If you can come out of a horror house with a smile (and pissed jeans) then something has to be going incredibly right. Right? Don’t judge. There is a reason why Universal and its Halloween Horror Nights are a staple of Orlando.

The "Alexander And the Terrible" is Not Terrible Review

Damian Gordon
South Campus Bureau Chief

    Disney must be putting something in the water, because it’s hard not to come out of their movies with a smile. “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” carries the mojo that makes people enjoy their projects.

    When Alexander Cooper (Ed Oxenbould) makes a wish on his birthday for his family to see what it’s like to have day like his, things start to get from terrible, to horrible and very bad for all of them.

    The film becomes increasingly entertaining when you see each members’ day get progressively worse. Ranging from catching on fire to getting attacked by a kangaroo, no one is spared from this unpleasant day.

    “Alexander” starts out following the same beats as any of these family movies. Kid is unpopular. His family members have better lives and don’t understand his struggles. Then, it takes that premise and shakes it up just enough to differ itself from the others in the genre.

    Adults, teens and children can all find something to enjoy and relate to here. Whether it be from relationship problems with a girlfriend, conflicts between work and family, or not being popular in school.

    It can’t be a Disney flick without a heartwarming moment; even Ebenezer Scrooge would have let out an “aww” while watching this.

    Steve Carrel’s character, Ben Cooper, is the most sympathetic as the positive dad, and even as his day gets worse, he tries to keep up the spirits of the family up. It’s hard not to adore Carrel in any character he portrays, as he brings that extra “something” to his role.

    Becky, played by Sidney Fullmer, is Alexander’s love interest and acts as if English is her second language: she nods back with an almost blank stare at Alexander’s comments. It’s unintentionally funny to watch this as the two share scenes together.

    It’s 2014 and Hollywood is still getting actors that barely look anything like the age they are supposed to be playing. It’s only second behind it’s obsession with remaking older films over and over again.

    The older brother, Anthony (Dylan Minnette) and his girlfriend Celia are a little jarring to watch as high school students at first because it’s almost like an old couple snuck into a random school and were role playing as students. He looks old enough to have been there to pick up his own kids.

    Paul (Mekai Curtis), who is Alexander’s best friend, was anything but that, as he was willing to abandon Alexander’s birthday for a more popular kid’s event on the same day. Which only hammers the fact that even his “best friend” is, at best, an acquaintance.

    I had a bad day coming into the theatre; then after leaving, the movie somehow made it better with the realization that my day was nowhere as bad as the characters in the movie.

    Nothing bad can really be said about this film as it does everything by the book, for the most part. It doesn’t excel and leave the viewer amazed, but instead leaves them having a feel good time.

    Going to see this is a nice pallet cleanse now that the summer blockbuster season has ended. “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” is short, sweet and doesn’t overstay its welcome. With other films trying to be three hour epics these days, it’s nice to get out a film before grey hair stars growing.

Interview With An Underground Artist: Deniro Farrar

Tiffany Baez
Contributing Writer

(MIAMI)- Let’s face it; the music industry is competitive. There are hundreds, even thousands of artists who work hard to make it to the top. Some may say it’s a matter of luck, while others insist it’s all about talent and knowing the right people. Rising artist, Deniro Farrar on his Bow Down Tour with Denzel Curry, explains his journey on making it in the industry along with a few fun facts.

Where are you from?
-Charlotte, North Carolina

How long have you been in the Industry?
-Since 2010.

What advice do you give to aspiring artist?
-You get out what you put in. In order to see yourself succeed, you got to be able to but in 100 percent effort.

What made you want to start your career?
-God gave me the talent, and I’ve always loved music.

What’s the most difficult part of your career?
-Leaving my sons and family.

What is the most enjoyable part of going on tour?
-Getting to do what I love, performing.

Are you working on anything new?
-Yes actually, I’m working on a new EP with Ryan Hemsworth.

Who would be your dream artist to tour with?
-Kendrick Lamar and PartyNextDoor.

What are some artist that you listen to in your spare time?
-James Blake, Purity Ring, Little Dragon, Coldplay, PartyNextDoor.

What is your all time favorite food?
-Alfredo!!

Which artist would you say inspires your work?
-2Pac

What’s an interesting fact about you?
-I don’t smoke or drink and I have no piercings.

Do you have a quote that you live by?
-He who lives in fear lives not.

Any hobbies?
-I like exercising and running.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years?
-I live my life a moment at a time I never know what life will throw at me.

Deniro Farrar has a burning passion for his career as a performer, and he definitely couldn’t have made it alone. Throughout the interview he would reiterate how his kids are a huge impact on his career, being his biggest inspiration.

As we concluded the interview, he introduced me to his friends whom were all on tour with him and described how each one had a specific duty: cameraman, merchandiser, driver and promoter. Hence, there’s more than what meets the eyes.

iPhone Announcement

Ryan Serpico
Staff Writer

    Apple held their annual iPhone event in the Flint Center recently, the very same place where Steve Jobs announced the original Macintosh 30 years prior, to announce their latest incarnation of iPhone along with their newest product, the Apple Watch.

    “Today we are launching the biggest advancement in the history of iPhone,” said Apple CEO Tim Cook at the beginning of the Keynote. Apple introduced not one new iPhone on Tuesday, but two, a 4.7–inch iPhone 6 and a 5.5–inch iPhone 6 Plus. Both feature an enlarged screen in comparison to the previous generation iPhone 5S, where the only choice was a 4-inch model.

    Both iPhone 6 variants feature a new curved design that tosses out the sharp edged design language that the past two generations featured, while also being thinner and lighter than the prior generation. Inside, both feature an improved processor, improved cameras and an all new barometer sensor to measure elevation while running.

    The internals within both new variants are identical to each other, besides the iPhone Plus featuring optical image stabilization, which uses hardware to stabilize shaky photos instead of software image stabilization that the standard iPhone 6 still uses. The iPhone 6 Plus also has improved battery life over the standard iPhone 6 by a couple of hours while browsing the web over LTE.

    Apple also revealed their own mobile payment solution that they dub Apple Pay, which allows iPhone 6 and 6 Plus users to use their phones to pay for real world items in physical stores. Apple Pay makes use of the near field communication (NFC) chip that comes with the new iPhones to communicate with readers on merchant’s registers to pay for the items they want. An advantage over normal plastic debit and credit cards that they hit hard on was security, because in order to actually use your card you must authenticate every purchase with your fingerprint. So if a user loses their iPhone, they do not have to worry about their credit card information getting stolen because the thief cannot replicate your fingerprint.

    After showing off all the new features of the new iPhone, Tim Cook started reviewing what they had announced for the day, but Cook was far from over and made it clear when he said that he had “one more thing” to share with everyone. That thing was the long rumored Apple Watch, Apple’s first new product since the iPad which was announced back in 2010.

    The Apple Watch features three ways of input: digital touch (which is what is used now in modern smartphones), “force touch” which uses electrodes around the screen to differentiate a tap from a hard press to bring up alternative menus, and a digital crown—a knob on the side of the watch that acts not only as a home button, but also as a way to scroll through lists and zoom in and out of apps like maps.

    Health and fitness was shown off as a predominant feature of the Apple Watch. With its heart rate monitor and M8 processor, the Apple Watch measures your steps and elevation without much effect on battery life. The device also features a new way of communicating with others by actually enabling you to send your heartbeat to a loved one if you are away from each other.

    The Apple Watch features much variation with its two sizes of three different models of Apple Watch. There is the standard Apple Watch, which features a hard to scratch sapphire screen and stainless steel enclosure, the Apple Watch Sport that has the same screen protection as the iPhone, with an aluminum enclosure, and the Apple Watch Edition which is the same as the standard Apple Watch besides the fact that it’s made of 18 karat gold. You can also customize the watchbands that the Apple Watch has with the six different bands that Apple offers.

    Like other smart watches on the market, the Apple Watch will allow you to view your notifications on your wrist and act on them, rather than pulling your phone out every time you hear your phone make a sound. Examples of this include replying to your friend’s text by using your voice, or getting directions from the Maps app. What is really different, though, is that you will be able to distinguish whether to go left or right, while driving, without looking at your wrist because the watch will create distinct haptic vibrations that will tell you which way to turn.

    Apple says that the Apple Watch will go on sale early 2015 at a base price of $349.

Ishion Hutchinson

Phillip McField
Staff Writer

    Born in Port Antonio, Jamaica, Ishion Hutchinson not only wanted to make a career but a life out of literature. To him, the exact time where he knew that poetry would become a main staple of his identity was in high school; after submitting an essay to his teacher, his teacher handed it back to him, and said that it was a “long, boring narrative poem.” Luckily, the teacher decided to give Hutchinson a chance to hone this, inviting him to come afterschool to get it out of his system. “It was a punishment,” Hutchinson said, “that turned into a blessing.”

    And what a blessing it turned out to be. With his talent and drive, Ishion Hutchinson earned a B.A. at the University of West Indies, a Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A) at New York University and a Ph.D. at the University of Utah.

    His works have appeared in The Common, Poetry Review, Granta, The Huffington Post and other journals and anthologies. Several of his works went on to secure him the PEN/Joyce Osterweil Award, a Whiting Writers’ Award and the Academy of American Poets’ Larry Levis Prize.

    On Sept. 18, the Honors Committee and the Hannah Kahn Poetry Foundation brought Hutchinson to South Campus. Guests entered the Student Life center, some with journals and pens in hand and the rest with just the shirts on their backs, for a live reading from this award-winning author.

    Barbara Nightingale, the South Campus Coordinator, introduced the renowned poet to an applauding audience. He greeted the audience and presented his book, “Far District: Poems,” to everyone before beginning.

    For the next hour, attendees were treated to pieces from his book and brand new ones as well. Each of the 12 poems felt like they had weight behind them; the free verse style he chose for each poem conveyed the character’s emotions in an unrestrained way, making the stories feel genuine and real.

    One poem, called “The Mother Tortured,” was a powerful catharsis about a boy’s sick mother. The boy watches helplessly as his mother goes mad before him and his sister. The mother is bound to the bed, grunting and screaming, and frothing at the mouth. In the end, the boy begs for his father, who abandoned them for the streets of England, to give his mother back.

    The end of every piece was met with satisfied applause from the audience. Whether the guests came just to listen or to take notes from a professional, they got more than they expected that night. “I really enjoyed Mr. Hutchinson’s performance, even though I don’t really [indulge] in poetry myself,” said Michelle Barnett, a biology major. “I do listen to music, though.”

    Demitrey Johnson, a music technology major, expressed interest in having the poet come back for another performance. “I thought it was refreshing to hear somebody with a different perspective than other poets, like his life growing up in Jamaica. I would definitely want him to come back here again.”

    Barbara Nightingale found the event to be a success, and when asked about future literary events on South Campus, she wanted to have a few next semester. “We’re having several events planned, all the way until Poetry Month in April.”

    Ishion Hutchinson is the Assistant Professor of English at Cornell University and a contributing editor to the literary journal, Tongue: A Journal of Writing & Art. His award-winning poetry anthology, “Far District: Poems” (2010), costs $15.99 on his website, www.ishionhutchinson.com.

Cholesterol Education Month

Phillip McField

Staff Writer

    It’s that time of year again, people. The time when many set up an appointment for a lipid profile and modify their lifestyle in order to curb their LDL levels. The time when a juicy burger is substituted for an organic salad, and time to dust off the ole treadmill. No, this is not about New Year’s resolutions; this is about Cholesterol Education Month.

    Every September, health professionals bring the dangers of poor dieting into the light with a whole month dedicated to teaching people about cholesterol. Medicines, exercising plans and other recommendations are posted on various sources to raise awareness.

    The condition known globally as high cholesterol is an epidemic in the United States. Over 102 million American adults are living with this and only one-third of them actually get treatment. If left unchecked, high cholesterol can lead to a multitude of health problems like Type 2 Diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

    Unfortunately, high cholesterol is not limited to adults. Children that suffer from obesity, diabetes, or any sort of exposure to tobacco are at risk for this condition. Teens and young adults should also get screened every five years for preventive measures.

    Despite the common belief that cholesterol is harmful in general, that is simply not the case. There are two types of cholesterol found in the body: HDL (High-density lipoprotein) and LDL (Low-density lipoprotein). HDL is the good one, providing cells with nutrients to keep them alive while its evil twin LDL blocks arteries with plaque while cackling and twirling its moustache.

    Having an artery clogged is only a small danger when it comes to having high levels of LDL. If a piece of plaque were to break off, it would be carried throughout the bloodstream until it would get stuck, and as a result, a stroke or heart attack can occur.

    Although it is best to keep a low LDL level, the ideal levels differ depending on a person’s susceptibility to heart disease. 130 mg/dL is the recommended target for the average American, but an individual that is at risk for heart disease should keep their levels below 100 mg/dL, while an individual at very high risk must keep their levels below 70 mg/dL.

    Another danger of having high cholesterol is its lack of symptoms—you could have it right now and never truly know it. Because of this, health professionals advise patients to get a lipid profile (or a screening), especially if cholesterol problems are hereditary.

    Thankfully, there are four different ways to fend off this condition:

    1. Engaging in at least thirty minutes of physical activity a day can help keep cholesterol from rising. Preferred exercises are walking, jogging, biking and even gardening.

    2. Keeping a healthy weight is a must. Being overweight or obese increases the amount of LDL in the blood.

    3. Abstain from smoking, or quit as soon as possible. Cigarette smoke lowers HDL levels, increasing the chances of blood clots forming and damaging blood vessels.

    4. Avoiding non-fatty foods is also a good strategy. Lean cuts of meat, oatmeal, fish and raw nuts are but a few healthy choices. Studies also show that consuming the chemical known as “flavonoids,” found in dark chocolate and red wine, lowers LDL levels (just keep the term “moderation” in mind).

    For some, high cholesterol is an easy thing to manage, but for others it can be difficult. So hopefully this information can help those who are struggling to live a healthier lifestyle.

“He’s Dead”

Damian Gordon

South Campus Bureau Chief

    When you come out of a horror movie laughing, something has gone terribly wrong…or maybe right in this case.

    “As Above, So Below” is about a team of explorers that search the catacombs of Paris, where they uncover the horrors beneath the streets they walk. Centering on Scarlett (Perdita Weeks), she uncovers a clue in Iran that leads her and others into madness.

    This one of the very few horror movies that gives legitimate reasons for why the characters can’t leave or have a reason to be there. It’s not hard to feel sympathy for these characters because they’re not dumb teens tripping into Jason’s machete.

    When everything starts to go wrong, everybody else but Scarlett is smart enough to want out. She has the power of being the lead actress, while everyone else with less screen time knows better— to fear for their lives. 

    Before it became somewhat of a joke, where the movie shines is in the character department. A sense of fear for many of these characters’ lives can be felt.

    Papillion (François Civil) was the standout actor as his charisma carried the movie; he played the team’s guide and it would be hard for anyone to not want to follow him. I look forward to seeing him in other projects in the future.

    A thing about these “found footage” movies is that when the interesting events start to happen, nothing can be seen because the camera is all over the place.

    There are points throughout the movie where it’s going “hey, there’s so much scary stuff going on,” while shaking the camera. That’s great Movie, except nobody can see any of it and it feels like you’re hiding the fact that nothing’s actually going on.

    “As Above, So Below” had some tension up to a certain point halfway through the movie, but then lost it due to the fact that nothing was happening and anything that did just received laughs from the audience.

    The acting all around was very solid; it was just the dialogue that dragged it down sometimes. Some of the moments would have been frightening if there wasn’t a horrible line before it making the crowd giggle.

    Scarlett enters a tomb to find a mummy lying on a table and says, “He’s dead.” Now, I may not know much about mummies, but one important fact about them is that they’re all dead.

    Near the end, everything gets crazy and it feels like an amusement park’s fun house gone wrong. This is where the handy cam truly works in pulling the viewer. 

    When the movie introduced Benji (Edwin Hodge), the token black guy, as soon as he came on screen, the first thought that came to mind was “R.I.P.” 

    In a claustrophobe’s worst nightmare, part of the movie features a trapped Benji, and I found myself squirming in the seat and even finding it harder to breathe.

    As an adventure movie with horror elements, “As Above, So Below” would succeed. It takes the audience on an entertaining quest, but it’s not so much on the level of being a horror film.

    This is a great date night movie. Its runtime is not long and whoever is scared of horror movies would definitely be able to watch this.

Online Dating: Are these People Fact or Fiction?

Ashley Lokken
Central Campus Bureau Chief

    With technology growing rapidly every year, more and more people in society are participating in online relationships. New apps such as Tinder, Badoo, and Hot Or Not (just to name a few) make it exceptionally simple for people to intermingle. Some may say it is “easier” to meet people online then it is to meet them in-person, but the real question is whom exactly are you talking to? On the Internet, anybody can be anybody.

    I believe seeing someone in person carries more value. There, you witness their personality traits, habits, facial expressions etc. You can’t decipher those aspects as easily on the Internet. On the other hand, I do know some people that have met on the Internet and are still together after years. I am not implying all online relationships have a destructive outcome; instead, I am informing about negative events that can happen when meeting someone on the Internet, that way one is able to take certain precautions. According to the International Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, “only one in three people will report sexual crimes to a trusted adult.”

    I have come to a conclusion of what makes online dating so appealing and it’s the fact that one is able to get to know the person from the inside out, without seeing and judging the person’s appearance first. Numerous young people suffer from image distortion, causing them to be unconfident about the way they look. Online dating gives people a sense of comfort and security because of this.

    However, some people take that aspect to the extreme. If you have watched MTV’s hit television show “Catfish,” you would see that some people are so insecure, they actually change their appearance to make someone like them more. This is not difficult to do on the Internet; all it takes is to upload someone else’s picture that may appear to be “more attractive” and use it as their own picture. Simple as that. Despite its simplicity, this can be tremendously dangerous. Sex offenders can use this method to make themselves look younger and more attractive to invite young women or men in. You may think to yourself, “how could anyone be so gullible to fall for this?” The fact is, there are some very ‘gullible’ people out there looking to be loved.

    However, some people on the show “Catfish” do get lucky and the person they thought they were talking to turns out to be exactly that person. But the majority of people on the show end up talking to someone completely opposite of whom they expected.

    A few ways you can determine if the person is authentic is by asking them to Skype or use some sort of webcam program. If they make up excuses such as, “I don’t have a webcam,” or, “sorry I’m always so busy; I have no time to video chat,” chances are there is something sketchy going on with them. Another way to determine if the person is a fraud is if they ask you for favors such as sending them money or asking you to do strange tasks. Also, if you ask them to meet up and they have an excuse every time, you should be wary. These circumstances should bring up a red flag in your logic.

    If the person does agree to meet up, it is vital to remember to take someone with you or meet in a crowded place where you are visible for everyone to see, just incase. Young people are kidnapped all the time because they forget about these important precautions. According to a 2008 report by the Rochester Institute for Technology, “14 percent [of students in the 10th-12th grade] have accepted an invitation to meet an online stranger.”

    Another study from the Journal of Adolescent Health shows that the majority of Internet-initiated sex crimes against minors are initiated in chat rooms. “In 82% of online sex crimes against minors, the offender used the victim’s social networking site to gain information about the victim’s likes and dislikes.”

    There are actual, legitimate statistics showing that meeting people online can be unsafe. Therefore, forming online relationships is a risky endeavor, and it is extremely important to take the precautions listed above. Internet dating may be comfortable, but I would warn to not become too contented. As a society we need to be more aware of our youth and not hesitate to report something that doesn't seem right.

Athleticism Exposed: The “Real” Reason Why Humans Play Sports

Antoi Sayers
Staff Writer

    Imagine it. A sports player flies down a field, court, or pitch. They carry a spherical instrument made of

animal skin towards a set goal. Their lungs shrivel and contract. Their body purges itself of water, and their heart races far past a sustainable rate. Do they make it? That does not matter. What does matter is why they find themselves in this situation in the first place.

    Today, in America alone, millions of children, teenagers, and full grown adults will play a sport. Be it the three giants, football, basketball, and baseball, or less athletically taxing offerings like croquet, curling and golf. Almost none of these people will pinch themselves and ask why they put themselves through these acts that make no sense when explained out loud. What do they stand to gain by reaching these arbitrary and ultimately woefully unnecessary goals? Why do we play sports?

    It turns out that a large part of that answer lies in the culprit for all aggressive and competitive activities—the opposite sex. But what is it about sports that makes us attractive to our prospective mates? Researchers now believe symmetry is to blame, and that makes sense. Athletic talent, especially that which is given naturally, is very hard to come by, and those who have a half of their bodies significantly longer or shorter than the other half will have a much harder time playing, much less excelling at a sport.

    Karl Grammar, a German ethologist and evolutionary biologist, studies facial symmetry and how it affects those we are attracted to; his findings concluded, “faces created by combining individual faces into composites [were] shown to be more attractive than the individual faces.” It is biologically natural to find people with symmetrical faces and bodies more attractive. It is something that cannot be consciously controlled because of evolutionary traits gained when humans were nothing more than nomadic hunters and gatherers. This was when human survival was a lot less of a sure thing and our biggest enemies were bacteria.

    In his report on human symmetry, B. C. Jones, a Professor in the Institute of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of Glasgow said, “disease and infections during physical development cause small imperfections (asymmetries). Thus only individuals who are able to withstand infections (those with strong immune systems) are successful in developing symmetric physical traits.” Those with strong immune systems are what we were looking for 2000 years ago, and it's what we look for now, whether we realize it or not. The biological arms race has not ended yet.

    These holdover traits are apparent in other unexplainable, but important, parts of human life like kissing. The act of two individuals pressing their germ infested mouths together and mixing their fundamentally different DNA with saliva is not necessary for any kind of relationship, yet almost every human has or will do it sometime in their lives. Researchers believe that this was a way of bolstering our own immune systems with the germs of another, thus getting our offspring used to certain diseases before they were born.

    Though most of us will never realize it, whether someone kicks a ball, hits a puck, or swings a bat, they don't do it for the fun or energy release that they believe they do. They do it because of the biological longing deep within them, the longing to attract someone special to share their life with.

Mink - Makeup Printer

Marie Wisa Beauge
Staff Writer

    What do Maybelline, L’Oreal, Avon, Elf, Clinique and Mary Kay all have in common? They are all makeup brands that are trending in the beauty department section of your local drug store. Technology has helped shape numerous industries including cosmetics, and now, thanks to Harvard student Grace Choi, a 3D printer that can be used at home to print any shade of makeup has been invented.

    For the average female American that enjoys wearing makeup but finds themselves living paycheck to paycheck, it would be an investment to buy eye shadow from Elf, concealer from L’Oreal, lipstick from Maybelline, perfume from Avon, nail polish from Clinique and foundation from Mary Kay. That would mean a constant saving from each paycheck, and spending cuts from the “wants” to supply only the “needs” in order to have that collection. Of course one color of eye shadow, lipstick and nail polish is not enough. There has to be a red, pink, brown, black, turquoise and even white to match the desired funky style. And that means getting up, driving to a local store, walking to the beauty section, and choosing from the millions of other products there. The struggle is even worse if the right shade of foundation is not available, and two different shades have to be bought and mixed to acquire the preferred color. It’s a hard job to be beautiful!

    With the invention of the 3D printer called Mink, the problems of convenience and color choice are solved. The days where the average woman would have to spend hundreds of dollars on different makeup brands or have to struggle to find the makeup with the perfect shade are over.

    Choi, a business major, realized that the makeup industry makes a lot of money selling products to dark skin and Caucasian skin, while Asians and Indian women have trouble finding the right shade of foundation. As a result, she invented Mink. It uses the same ink that makeup companies use. This printer can “print” eye shadow, foundation, lipstick, polish, you name it. The process is as follows: You obtain a white palette, insert it into the printer, go on the computer, and choose a color on a website (Pinterest board, YouTube channel, etc.), your E-mail or bank account. You can also snap one with your phone in the real world, and use any color picker to locate the hex code of the color. Once you have the code, you can put it into any photo-editing program like Photoshop or Paint and simply press print. To demonstrate that it worked, at a conference about her invention, Choi printed an eye shadow and brushed it on her hand.

    Grace Choi plans on going to the big printer corporations to strike a deal as far as the selling of the printer goes. The Mink costs a little under $200 and plans to go on sale later this year. The targeted age group is between 13 and 21 years of age, for they are still experimenting with makeup, and should do so without paying the big prices for color selection. Choi explains that makeup companies use color and raw materials and “jack” the price to make profit. She gives the user choice of color and the raw material is very cheap to obtain.

    I believe that this will drive teens and young adults to the electronic section of stores where the Mink will be sold in the future. In theory, Mink sounds amazing. Let’s see what will happen in practice.

http://techcrunch.com/2014/05/05/mink-is-a-3d-printer-for-makeup/

How To Turn A Party From Nay To Yay

Damian Gordon
South Bureau Chief

    If you’re always talking about how much better you can throw a party, prove it with these tips to help turn your shindig into an event the Great Gatsby himself would be proud of.

    1) Invite Your Guests for Different Times
    We all have that friend, that if you say an event is happening at 3 p.m., they won’t show up till 6 p.m., the next week. Tell your guests to show up at different times, depending on who they are.

    This will have a steady stream of new people arriving, as well as keeping new energy coming into the party.

    2) Invest in Garbage Bags
    The party was great. Everyone left with a smile on their face, except for that guy passed out on your lawn until the sprinklers come on in the morning. Then you remember the mess and turn around to see Hurricane Katrina just passed through your place.

    Putting multiple garbage disposal areas at a party leaves less of a mess afterwards. It’s why theme parks put trash cans every two feet, because many people become lazy at the third foot.

    If you can’t get a lot of trash cans or bags, then strategically place them at hotspots where people will definitely be.

    3) Control Where the Party Is
    Contingent on what kind of gathering is being thrown, the location where everyone will be is crucial. If it’s small and intimate, people roaming around shouldn’t be a problem.

    If it’s big, to the point where it spills outside, hopefully you have enough space to accommodate. Having the party outside could be better for the fact that there’s more breathing room.

    4) Move Breakables Away
    Anything that can be broken into pieces, that aren’t Legos, needs to be moved to another area like your room. Because even if there is no alcohol at your event, it’s safe to bet there will be clumsy people.

    Again, this applies more to the larger events with crowds of people; smaller gatherings tend to give fewer problems in this area.

    5) Know Your Guests
    Let’s start with the smaller parties; inviting the right people can make or break the good vibes. If you’re going to invite Cindy and you know she’ll start something with Sarah and company, maybe let her sit this one out.

    For the bigger open house events, whoever you invited is probably bringing a thousand people with them each. Ever see that guy who causes ladies to clutch their purses closer to themselves on elevators? He’s going to be there too.

    6) Know How Much/What You Have To Spend
    To know who’s going is as simple as just asking everyone to text you who they invited, or put a cap on how many people they can bring. Someone could say they’re coming last week, but it’s good to check one last time before you shop.

    7) BYOS
    Bring Your Own Stuff (thought I was going to say !&?@#! huh?). This means if you know somebody with a better sound system or more chairs, have them bring it!

    This saves money and time you might not have, and letting the guest bring what they want, will only make the party that much better.

    8) Know Your Neighbors
    If you have a good rapport with the neighbors, they will be more inclined to deal with the noise and congested street full of cars. This means the cops are less likely to show up at your door and whatever is going on inside, will stay there.

    9) Food
    When throwing a party where a big part of it is the food, a smart thing to do is to start everything in advance, even a night before depending on what’s being served. No one wants to hear, “give it a couple more minutes,” when you’ve been saying the same thing for hours.

    If you can’t cook, invite a friend that can to come earlier and help out. Everyone will be lining up to compliment you by the night’s end, instead of an angry mob full of E.coli.

    Classics like pizza, chips and dip can never fail. Hamburgers plus hotdogs are inexpensive, while also being delicious.

    10) Play Music Appropriate to the Event
    Unless it’s a funeral, nobody wants to hear your Lana Del Rey when they’re trying to turn up; save that for another day. Play music with fast tempos, great beats, and a mix of popular songs so everyone can sing along.

    11) Be a Great Host
    The most important thing to remember is that it’s the host’s job to make sure the guests are having a great time, but also remember to have some fun too.

    Use these tips to throw the greatest event that people will talk about for ages.

Gamers: Breaking the Stereotype

Ana Cedeno
North Bureau Chief

    When people think of a gamer, what often comes to mind is a middle-aged cave dweller surviving from the crumbs and grease stains on his clothes while yelling at a screen, which displays the video game that has, once again, managed to incur his wrath.

    This is the typical expectations people have of gamers, a subculture that until recently wasn't very well known, and whose identity has been warped and hurt by stereotypes such as the ones above.

    With the gaming community growing more and more, what a gamer is has been redefined almost to the point that the word has no meaning. The gaming stereotype is no longer true, if it ever was true to begin with, and has been broken in more ways than one.

    From MMOs, to simulators, to RPGs, games have developed enough variety to make them a world of its own. With such a vast variety of games available, it should be no surprise that the target demographic reflects this variety.

    While the average age of gamers is stated to be thirty one years old, recent gaming demographics suggest that 39 percent of gamers are under eighteen, while 32 percent are aged eighteen to thirty five, the last 29 percent being claimed by ages thirty six and up. Furthermore, according to the Entertainment Software Association 2013 survey, 48 percent of gamers are female, very nearly catching up to the 52 percent that is their male counterpart. Also, video game purchasers are split right down the middle, with male and female buyers each claiming 50 percent of game purchases. These numbers disprove both the age and the gender that most people associate with gaming, and deconstruct the stereotypes that have formed around gaming as a community. They also served to demonstrate that games are for people of all ages.

    According to a study conducted by Scott Rigvy, graduate from the University of Rochester, the reason people play video games is due to three psychological needs: competence, autonomy, and relatedness, all of which can be met, not only in real life, but also in video games. When you level up in a game or complete a difficult task, gamers feel accomplished. By having control over what their characters do and even who their characters are, players feel they're in control. The characters also provide someone to relate to and who the gamers feel can understand them. Additionally, online games serve to connect people to others who may share their interests, fulfilling the need of relatedness in a different way.

    An article written by Daniel Johnson for the Sunday Morning Herald, based on the aforementioned study, goes on to say that if these needs are met in real life gaming can be a healthy hobby, which puts a dent on the game-addicted part of the gaming stereotype; since unless the person already has an addictive personality or is in a bad place in life, it seems unlikely they would become addicted to games to the point that they won't leave home.

    What this all comes down to is that video games and gaming are simply a hobby—nothing more, nothing less. The variety in the types of video games available is reflected by the diversity of its audience. The gamer stereotype is broken simply by the fact that everyone who plays a game, whether admittedly or casually can be seen as a gamer.

Educating the World, One Barista at a Time

Jonathan Fernandez
Copy Editor

    Contrary to the popular belief that corporations are greed-infested, profit-seeking, sociopathic machines, Starbucks has declared it would pay college tuitions for its employees, starting this fall. The Starbucks College Achievement Plan is a collaborative effort between Starbucks and Arizona State University (ASU) that offers part- and full-time employees the opportunity to finish their Bachelor’s degrees through online classes. So, is this legit? Or shall I prepare my pockets for when the devil comes to collect?

    The program is available to any “partners” (the term used by Starbucks to refer to its employees) as long as they work at least 20 hours a week. The company promises to pay the full costs of tuition, not covered by financial aid, for juniors and seniors that enroll in ASU’s online courses. ASU provides College Achievement Plan (CAP) scholarships that cover up to $2,420 per semester (based on a student enrolled for 12 credits), approximately 40 percent of the cost of the lower-priced degree programs, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. After CAP scholarships, students will obtain Pell Grants and other government student aid, and Starbucks will pay for the remaining fees. Freshman and sophomores, on the other hand, will receive CAP scholarships of less value than those received by upper-classmen, and Starbucks won’t reimburse them for the remaining costs after student aid.

    In an email to USA Today, Jaime Riley, a Starbucks spokeswoman said that the scholarship represents 22 percent of tuition costs for freshmen and sophomores and 42 percent for juniors and seniors. The coffee shop giant will reimburse students on their paychecks after they complete 21 credit hours, rather than pre-pay for fees.

    In a recent interview on “The Daily Show,” Chairman and CEO of Starbucks, Howard Schultz said, “We are a public company. We have to build long-term value for the shareholder, but we've recognized a long time ago when we provided health care for our people, ownership for our people, the only way you can build a great enduring company is by linking shareholder value with value for employees.”

    When asked why other companies failed to do programs like this, Schultz responded, “there has been a zero-sum game, that the only thing that matters is profitability...You can’t just focus on profitability, and an enduring great company has to be based on more than that.”

    Nevertheless, there are critics of the college plan. Some see the program as a savvy PR move and criticize the fact that the College Achievement Plan forces Starbucks baristas to attend ASU, rather than a college of their choice. Others argue that Starbucks isn't paying for much of the costs.

    Joe Carter of the Action Institute Power Blog says, “Students who don’t work for Starbucks will be paying the normal tuition rates in order to subsidize the education for out-of-state baristas. That ‘free tuition’ Starbucks claims as a ‘benefit’ is actually being paid for not by coffee profits but by the students in Phoenix who don’t get the benefit of working for a crony in Seattle.”

    It’s obvious that Starbucks and ASU both benefit from the deal. The College Achievement Plan fortifies Starbucks’ reputation as a people based company; meanwhile, ASU gains access to a steady flow of students. Additionally, baristas are inspired to continue working for Starbucks—a byproduct that saves Starbucks money by potentially reducing turnover. In a sense, the plan can be considered an investment.

    Despite its criticisms, it is my belief that the intentions of a corporation (usually to make more money) don’t matter, as long as the public isn’t being wronged. In this rare scenario, corporate interests and the benefits of workers were synchronized, and therefore, it is irrelevant to compare the amount of money Starbucks spent versus ASU on the College Achievement Plan. The sole fact that these institutions are combatting income inequality and record-high student debt costs, is an admirable endeavor. Let’s just hope this new educational model is functional and effective.

Why Men Marry Bitches: The Review

Bella Riccitelli

Managing Editor

    There are hundreds of categories of self-improvement books that people read with the intention of bettering themselves. While some include ways to live a happy life, or how-tos with lists from A to Z, author Sherry Argov has released a book in the self-help genre that may shock some and excite others: “Why Men Marry Bitches.”

    Listed as a New York Time’s bestseller, Argov gives women the chance to help themselves become respected, smart individuals, rather than women who change themselves for men.

    Stated in the introduction, Argov says, “…I use ‘bitch’ in a tongue-in-cheek way. The term is intended to be satirical, and does not take itself too seriously. I use it to describe a strong woman who has her own identity and is secure with who she is.”

    I find this to be very important because in today’s society, women are often offended by the term, rather than flattered to use the term to describe themselves. However, by the time the book is finished, the woman reading is almost guaranteed to be proud to refer to herself as such.

    While the book is not written to make women into mean people, it is intended to make a woman go from “doormat to dream girl,” as Argov says.

    “Why Men Marry Bitches” is filled with tips and rules that are essential in gaining respect from men. Additionally, Argov includes anecdotes from both men and women, women who have used the rules with success, and men who have anonymously provided their opinions and personal beliefs relating to Argov’s rules.

    To be honest, I have used these rules and tips before with my own boyfriend and they actually work. I also know a handful of women who have read this book and say that the rules worked for them, too.

    If anyone ever caught a glimpse of my copy of the book, I would be slightly embarrassed due to the fact that it is filled with post-it notes and colorful tabs. In contrast to that, I would be anxious to share every single rule, page and paragraph that I so carefully made a note of.

    The book is not written solely for women who are seeking husbands.

    “Why Men Marry Bitches’ is not another ‘how to fetch a husband book.’ …It will challenge convention…and modernize the way you think about how a man chooses his soul mate,” Argov says in the book.

    Although some of the rules given are obvious and common sense, a various amount of them seem to be borderline genius, as if it really did take a book for the reader to figure these things out.

    The book is separated into categories: Throwing Out the Rulebook, Make Him Chase You Until You Catch Him, The Sun Rises and Sets in his Boxer Shorts, Female Button Pushing, Wanted: Joe Paycheck, Breaking Into the Boys Club, and finally, From “I Might” to “I Do.”

    The very last section includes every rule and tip from beginning to end, and is made so the reader can use it as an easy reference guide.

    If I could recommend this book to every woman in the world, I definitely would. It isn’t filled with tips on how to get married, or how to become a bitch, but how to respect and carry yourself in a way that will make a man want to marry you. “Why Men Marry Bitches” can literally turn any woman “from doormat to dream girl” in a matter of hours.

The Truth Behind Watch_Dog's Hype

Charles Fernandez
Social Media Editor

    After reading through countless reviews and comments all over the web, it’s become apparent to me that “Watch_Dogs” has become the next controversial game everyone is talking about. Unfortunately, “Watch_Dogs” is usually poorly judged for two specific reasons. It’s either because the reviewers’ criticism is based on the most successful open-world games like “Grand Theft Auto V”, or the game didn’t reach the expectations for the hype that it had. Regardless, the newcomer “Watch_Dogs” shouldn’t be compared to a game that won Game of the Year, when it hasn’t even fallen onto our laps yet. Due to all the hype it had pre-release, people have failed to put this game up on a regular scale and have immediately decided to compare it with the best of the best open world games—of course people are going to be disappointed. Why should anyone assume “Watch_Dogs” would be the start of the next generation of gaming, much less have a story that’s like no other? Because Ubisoft promised the best game to date and failed to deliver? That’s marketing, my friends! Even I had a different image of how this game was going to work, but it wasn’t at all disappointing, depending on how you come to view it. And although the story wasn’t the best, it was better than half of the campaigns I usually play. The fun isn’t found so much in the story, but in the action.

    “Hacking is your weapon.” This is what “Watch_Dogs” told us. People, including me, thought this game would have less guns and more hacks. This is one of the pitfalls we run into when we want to judge this game, and I almost fell into it, as well. Most people that I’ve seen play on Twitch or that have written harsh, negative reviews seem to rely too much on their guns and not enough on their hacking capabilities. A lot of players only use their hacking abilities to kill, rather than to SET UP for a kill. In a situation where you are told to kill off all of your enemies in a large room, people would resort to using guns, unless they find a grenade they can hack or a camera to look through. That kind of play-style feels like a dumbed-down version of “Splinter Cell Conviction.” But the game’s fighting potential comes when you effectively hack to set up kills rather than to just kill. Planning ahead is the key, and setting things up can get you far. You could go out guns blazing, or you could have fun with your tools. Here’s a scenario of what one hack can lead you to do.

    Start out with a Blackout to shut off all the lights in the room momentarily. Equip the silent pistol to take out a few enemies in the head with the time you have in the darkness. Before the lights come back on, leave a proximity mine next to the dead body closest to the group of guards that are still alive. Hide behind a wall, furniture, etc. As the lights turn on, the guards will notice all of the dead bodies that surround them. One or two will walk closer to examine the body that you booby-trapped, only to have it blow up in their faces. As the others are distracted by the explosion, take out an assault rifle, activate your slow-motion ability (Focus), and finish the few of them left. Easy to do, makes you feel like a boss, and you can rightfully say, “calculated.”

    All I’m trying to say is that if a player wants hacking to be a prominent tool in their game, experiment and find creative ways to deal with difficult situations rather than going in “Call of Duty” style. I’m not saying that the negatively scored reviews don’t know what they are talking about, but if the score is based on what you were expecting rather than the outcome, then you aren’t judging a game fairly at all.

    As for the driving in “Watch_Dogs,” it doesn’t feel too realistic and is a bit difficult to grasp in the beginning. It’s pretty difficult to make the turns on the road when reaching high speeds, but with some practice you get comfortable measuring how much you have to slow down to make a sharp turn. Luckily, almost every vehicle has amazing acceleration, which allows you to reach top speeds immediately after you slow down for a turn. The larger cars are faster than expected, which is pretty good when you want to deal with cops. The police are practically impossible to escape, at the hardest difficulty level, without using your hacking skills. But it’s in the challenge of finding creative routes to take in order to escape the police that make the cop chases one of the most enjoyable moments in “Watch_Dogs.”

    This is about as much as I can say about the single-player experience in “Watch_Dogs.” It’s not the best game I’ve ever played, but I believe it was definitely worth the $60, and I greatly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t set their expectations of the game to “unattainable.”

Cosplayers Host An Event During X-Men Days of Future Past

Ana Cedeno
North Bureau Chief

    During the premiere of “Days of Future Past,” fans flooded the theaters to watch the newest movie of the X-Men franchise. With all the hype that followed this release, fans were ecstatic, and they demonstrated it at the Sawgrass Mills theaters, where fans had a chance to take pictures alongside the X-men characters they loved—cosplayers of them, that is.

    Cosplaying, short for costume playing, is a hobby in which fans dress up as fictional characters from a myriad of series, cartoons, games and graphic novels. Starting out as a subculture, cosplaying has developed as an art form with fans often creating or designing their own costumes and showing their admiration for a particular character or franchise. Florida has a huge cosplaying community with several events in locations that vary from Miami to Tampa, overlapping each other every other week.

    One such event was set during the premiere of “Days of Future Past,” where local cosplayers dressed up as X-Men characters and surprised movie-goers and theater staff alike with their appearances.

    The event was set up by Mini Con, a small Florida convention founded by Damian Marchione, and consisted of a photo-shoot where movie goers were given the chance to take picture with cosplayers of their favorite X-Men. This was followed by video games as well as a midnight viewing of the movie.

    Mini Con is a small comic and art convention set in Plantation; although small, as its name might indicate, the convention has garnered attention due to its easy accessibility. The fact that it's small also gives it a more personal feel.

    “There's a real focus on community,” cosplayer Kerri Carter said. “They encourage the next generation. There's a real focus on family friendly programming and a lot of different things for kids to do.”

    This event was no exception, as fans of all ages were able to take part in the photo-shoot and the video game that later followed.

    The photo-shoot was set up at the entrance of the movie theater where kids and adults, cosplayers and non-cosplayers alike, got the chance to take a picture with the X-Men character of their choosing.

    “People don't expect us to be there, and get really excited when they turn the corner after buying their popcorn and there's a bunch of superheroes,” Kerri said when asked about the reception of the event. Kerri has been cosplaying for nearly nine years and was dressed as Shadowcat during the opening day.

    “It was great,” Kerri says. “I had personally really looked forward to the movie as I'm a huge X-Men fangirl, and it was awesome that I got to share the experience with others because of Mini Con.”

    Mini Con also did a similar photo-shoot for the premiere of “The Amazing Spiderman.” Future events of this nature have been announced and include the movie premieres of “How To Train Your Dragon 2” and “Transformers Age of Extinction.” 

    The pictures of the movie-goers who participated in the photo shoot are accessible at the Mini Con Facebook page. For more information on Mini Con and future events, visit  its Facebook page or Mini Con webpage at flminicons.com.

Natural Hair: Trending or Taboo?

Frankie Rosso
Managing Editor

    Every morning Rachel Higgins, a Miami-Dade College Bachelors-seeking student, took an hour to do her hair. 15 minutes to wash it, 15 minutes to dry it, 10 minutes to comb through it, and 20 minutes to flat iron it. That’s why she decided to say bye-bye to the perms and flat irons and hello to the locks of love. “One morning I just woke up and decided to cut all my hair off and stop dying it. I couldn’t stand how ugly it would look whenever it was time to get another perm,” said Higgins.

    Since 2010, women of color have decided to go natural to make a statement of identity, it’s less expensive, to grow healthier hair, and to not have to deal with the hassle of having to go through a process similar to Higgins’s. It’s a trend that is becoming more a more popular each day and has started to move from the realm of a political statement to the realm of feasible hair maintenance.

    “Hair, going back to the origins of slavery times, has always been a marker of difference, has been a marker of racial difference,” said University of Delaware Professor Tiffany Gill.

    The Civil Rights era brought about the rise of the Black Power movement, during which black women’s hairstyle, be it an Afro or braids, was seen as a political statement..

    Even in Hollywood, whether it's about wild spirals, loose ringlets or cute coils, Hollywood starlets are turning into curly heads. From Beyoncé, to Tia Mowry, to Rhianna, the natural curly hair look is a trend that has rapidly been expanding and shows no signs of slowing down.

    “I was shy, but it came out in a big personality. My turning point was when I let my hair grow naturally,” said actress Trace Ellis Ross from the hit television sitcom Girlfriends.

    This whole idea about going natural has been trending more and more each day within woman of color. In 2010, Design Essentials started a study to measure the popularity of natural hair. In 2010, 26 percent of woman stopped relaxing their hair. However, in the span of a year, this rose to 36 percent. According to USA Today and Mintel, a consumer spending and market research firm, relaxer kit sales have also dropped by nearly 17 percent since 2006.

    As you walk into a salon, you’ll notice the variety in the different types of hair, as well as the variety in the different styles. But behind all that also lies the question of natural hair and whether or not to take that route when it comes to styling. It may seem taboo for some woman because having natural hair is often perceived as using no products, letting it grow out without care and maintenance, and not treating the damaged hair. But the reality is natural hair is not defined by any of these statements.

    Natural hair is hair in which the texture hasn't been altered by chemical straighteners, including relaxers and texturizers.

    Cyntelia Abrams, a marketing coordinator for hair-company Design Essentials said, “Natural hair has been a movement for several years. What we’re seeing now is a confirmation that this is a lifestyle that is very important to a lot of women.”

    Because this natural hair regime is becoming increasingly popular, it presents a problem to local salon store owners and hairstylists, not only for financial reasons, but because of customer satisfaction.

    “Natural hair can sometimes be the worst hair to style. Many times it’s burnt from flat irons and becomes extremely dry and causes split ends. Usually, the client doesn’t even know it,” said Mercedes Rivera, a North Miami Beach hairstylist and salon owner.

    With issues like these arising, is it ideal to go natural? Is there a ‘right’ way to do it? “It’s hard to satisfy your client when they have to hear that a style they want can’t be done due to the damages,” Rivera adds.

    “In the African American community, an Afro hairstyle is sometimes referred to as "natural," but natural black hair can be worn in many other styles besides a short 'fro,” said Del Sandeen, a natural hair blogger from Chicago.

    There are multiple styles, forms of maintaining, and cuts for different natural hairstyles. Creating and maintaining a natural look goes beyond simply letting it grow out, it requires maintenance and products; to prevent frizz, drying, or breakage.

    “Pressed hair may still be considered natural because once washed, the texture returns to its unaltered state. Colored hair is sometimes considered natural, sometimes not, depending on who does the defining. Some people believe that repeated hair coloring alters the texture, even in a slight manner,” said Sandeen

    This theory of “good hair”, that is, having hair free of chemicals and processes, is an epidemic that is sweeping the nation by storm- from young children, to college students, to Hollywood celebrities.

    Twenty-four year old Christina Patrice said, “I’ve had natural hair pretty much all my life. The only time I ever had a relaxer was when I was around 6 or 7. But growing up, I always had my hair pressed bone straight by my grandma or mom. In high school, I was at the shop every month, getting a fresh press and curl, and I kept this going through college.”

    As a college student, expense put a burden on her finances, so Patrice purchased a flat iron and began to press and straighten her hair herself.

    “I literally burned my hair. I didn’t even know but it all made sense when I realized it started getting dry and crisp. That’s when I realized I had to go natural,” she said.

    A study conducted in the Aveda Institute of Davie, Florida shows that 1 out every 10 woman patrons want a “natural” styling. That is, no relaxers, no keratin, no perms, and certainly no bleaches. According to Aveda’s mission statement, “Aveda continually strives to increase the use of naturally derived ingredients whenever possible.”

    “Though we don’t learn too much about textured hair, we do promote the use of safe and healthy products for good hair maintenance,” said Twenty-two year old Aveda student Brittany Brown.

    Going natural extends beyond growing out your natural roots and not giving your hair a little TLC. “If you want to go natural, it does take work. It’s no stroll in the park, but your scalp will thank you afterwards.” Brown said.

    “I’m just glad I don’t have to deal with waiting a month to feel pretty again. I feel prettier having my hair cut off. I can’t wait till it fully grows out,” Higgins said.

Mother’s Day: We’re Spending More than Just Time With Our Mothers

Jennifer Beardslee Radi
Staff Writer

    The holiday during which people all over the world take the time to honor their mothers: Sunday, May 11, 2014 marked the 100th birthday of Mother’s Day. Although children have been showing gratitude for their mothers since the beginning of time, it wasn’t proclaimed a national holiday until 1914 by President Woodrow Wilson.

    Establishment of the concept as a holiday is often attributed to Anna Jarvis who aimed for it to be, “a day where you’d go home and spend time with your mother and thank her for all that she did,” according to historian Katharine Antolini of West Virginia Wesleyan College.

    However, much to Jarvis’s disapproval and horror, the holiday was quickly commercialized. Now it is often referred to as a Hallmark holiday, but it has an undeniable economic influence.

    A survey done by the National Retail Foundation (NRF) revealed that the average American spent $163 on their mother, bringing American spending as a whole to around $19.9 billion this year alone on gifts for Mom.

    FORBES brought forth similar results with the spending average per person at $162.94. The breakdown in terms of gifts show that 81.3 percent went the greeting card route, while nearly two-thirds (66.6 percent) planned to buy flowers.

    Online companies such as 1-800-Flowers “increases its staff by four or five times to accommodate demand,” says founder Jim McCann.

    But just because Americans are spending so much on flower’s (over $2 billion), doesn’t mean it solely benefits the U.S. Nearly 80 percent of the flowers are imported from Colombia. The cut flower industry employs many women trying to help support their families.

    While Anna Jarvis, credited with saying that, “A printed card means nothing except that you are too lazy to write to the woman who has done more for you than anyone in the world,” may not appreciate the sales of greeting cards, Hallmark surely doesn’t mind. Especially with the growing popularity of e-cards, Mother’s Day always proves to provide a huge rise in printed card sales. The company manufactures more than half of the greeting cards you may have seen on shelves this past week.

    Kevin Voigt, guest blogger for The Christian Science Monitor, presented a list of top Mother’s Day gifts, and leading just under greeting cards and flowers was brunch or dinner. Mothers are often responsible for preparing dinner every night. This leads to dinner as an obvious choice when thinking of ways to show our gratitude. What better way to demonstrate appreciation than by relieving her of those duties for the evening? Many people have entertained the dinner idea every year, but few choose to stay at home and cook as they rather turn to restaurant employees to do the work for them. In a survey by The Christian Science Monitor, more than 56 percent of people went out to eat and together spent about $3.8 billion.

    The idea of dining out is international; Mexico in particular, takes Mother’s Day very seriously. Manuel Guiterrez told The Washington Post in 2012 that whichever day of the week Mother’s Day may fall on is always the busiest day of the week for Mexican restaurants.

    As if our mothers don’t already do enough for us, even the holiday dedicated to them offers a boost to the economy.

#WhutHawpened?

Damian Gordon
South Bureau Chief

    Social media and online gaming has changed the way people interact with each other, for better or worse. Today’s world can really put into question if humans are more sophisticated than cavemen.

    Online gaming has possibly ruined a whole generation of kids, or at least made them really unlikeable. Joining a match on Xbox Live (XBL) or PlayStation Network (PSN) can be the most nerve-racking part of the experience, as you wait hoping that the other players joining already passed puberty. While playing Call of Duty, the fact that a nine year-old joins the game speaks volumes to how online gaming is these days. After saying countless racial slurs and curse words the kid doesn’t know how to use, the mute button becomes very familiar with many players.

    In my youth, I thought insulting people you just met was the way people socialized, and with the currentonline community, that is most likely what this generation of adolescents believe. A kid sees people making friendly banter or trash talk and misinterprets that for the way everyone communicates all the time.

    The most euphoric moment in online gaming can be hearing that annoying kid scream, “But, moooom!” right before seeing their game tag, Bewbs69, leaving the match for bed time. There are some kids that know how to handle themselves, but they are too few and far between.

    Social Media has become important in the culture of today, with Twitter showing everyone what a fun time Jane had tonight as you try to decipher the drunk tweet she wrote before throwing up.

    Facebook has made it seem like you remembered your “friend’s” birthday, when in actuality, you forgot they existed till a notification popped up reminding you to be a decent person. And liking a page apparently supports starving children in other countries; it’s not like sending actual money could help more, right? Meanwhile, creeping has been taken to a whole new level with those suspicious likes from thirsty guys on Samantha’s pics at 2 a.m.

    When Myspace was still a thing, it used to have a feature where you displayed your top 10 friends. This started many arguments as you dropped from number five to six on Johnny’s top 10.

    Log on to any of these sites to see the hundredth copy and pasted “deep post” or the vague passive aggressive post about someone’s ex (we all know who you’re taking about).

    I first joined YouTube when it was still relatively unknown back in 2006, and I loved to read the comments and have discussions with other users. Now, I don’t even bother to read one comment, for that section has become filled with trolls, religious arguments and other unrelated matters on a video about cats that shoot lasers. Granted, more people are accessing the internet than back in 2006, but that just makes it even scarier to think that YouTube comments might represent the world as we know it. Let’s not even mention how many facepalm-worthy videos of people who “did it for the vine” exist.

    Online gaming and social media has definitely affected the world and the way we communicate—often times negatively. Yet, the amount of good the digital age has brought could outweigh the bad if we took more responsibility for actions online and didn’t hide behind a username.

"In Harm's Way": The Road Traveled So Far

Charles Fernandez
Social Media Editor

    This brief analysis of “The Walking Dead: Season Two” will cover episode three, “In Harm’s Way,” while keeping spoilers to a minimum (which will be incredibly difficult). Oddly enough, to do this I’ll be speaking specifically about Clementine and Carver, the main protagonist and antagonist respectively; although this episode seemed to dwell more on the entire group than just those two characters.

    Players are finally given the chance to understand Carver’s way of thinking when he calls up Clementine to have a chat in his office. Carver believes that those who cannot contribute to a group are better off dead in this world that’s gone to hell. He values true leadership above all, and although Carver is aware that his actions are pretty messed up, he genuinely believes that they are the right decisions a leader should make in order to ultimately protect everyone in a group.

    While speaking to Clementine, Carver says, “Killing one in order to save many is part of survival. It’s one of the tough decisions that a weaker person couldn’t make. It’s why it falls to people like us to lead them to safety.”

    It sounds like a very utilitarian kind of standpoint. Carver’s words hold a certain level of truth, but his actions lack empathy. However, maybe empathy isn’t the best quality to have in a world of the undead. But if there is anything that Clementine’s group can agree on, it’s that the group would rather take their chances outside with the walkers than inside with their leader, Carver. That itself is a sign of a terrible leader.

    One interesting element about this episode is how Carver views Clementine. He sees incredible potential in the 11-year-old and believes she can become a great leader—whatever Carver considers to be a leader, anyways. He even compliments her by saying that he believes she was raised correctly and admits that she’s grown to be tough. Despite Clementine’s obvious feelings of hatred towards Carver, Carver constantly shows signs of interest in the kind of woman Clementine will grow up to be, especially in his last scene of the episode.

    Now let’s take a short trip down memory lane and recall the first season of Telltale’s “The Walking Dead.” Lee taught Clementine to become more independent and it’s in this episode that Clementine’s character development truly shines brighter than any other episode, by far. Regardless of the choices you make in this episode, there are many changes to take note of that the old Clementine would have never shown. Our more matured Clementine now has a say in just about every group decision. She independently takes action during the most extreme situations, and kills walkers all by herself, despite the difficulty for her. She also has developed a more realistic view of the world she lives in, all while maintaining her humanity. Although children are often looked down upon during the zombie apocalypse (because in a sense they are a nuisance), Clementine has continuously proven to be a valuable asset to the group, in spite of being a child.

    And the ending… my god, the ending to this episode gave me goose bumps. The statistics showed that most players “took drastic action” during the episode’s final decision. For Clementine to be solely making the final decision, at the spur of the moment, highlights just how far Clementine has come. From the scared little girl hiding in a treehouse, to someone willing to do what very few men in the world would have the heart to do, Clementine proves she can take drastic action to save someone’s life.

    “In Harm’s Way” emphasizes the differences between the group members’ distinct personalities (more than just Clementine and Carver). The writers accomplish this by demonstrating how unique personality traits can directly influence the situations characters experience. For example, Sarah’s oblivious personality causes her to speak and interrupt Carver while he is giving a speech. Carver then becomes angry and commands Carlos, Sarah’s father, to discipline his daughter by smacking her across the face. Carver’s oppression accentuates his followers’ characteristics. No matter how you cut it, Carver makes sure that your group is disciplined as he sees fit. As a by-product, the episode highlights the unification of a once-uncooperative group because of the trials they must endure.

    I personally believe “In Harm’s Way” was the most intense episode of the series, despite sacrificing player action for more dialogue. Telltale played with their strength, storytelling, and really did an amazing job delivering this dark episode. I cannot wait to see what the next episode has in store for us.