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(12/06/15 8:42pm)
“November 9,” a new novel by Colleen Hoover, is a refreshing take on the traditional romance novel and is now one of my favorite books.
For fans of Hoover’s past stories such as “Slammed” and “Confess,” “November 9” is sure to be another slam-dunk for you. For those who haven’t read any of Hoover’s books before, now is definitely the time to start.
On the anniversary of an unforgettable event, and the day before she is set to move cross-country, Fallon meets Ben for the first time. The attraction they feel for each other on this chance meeting leads them to spend Fallon’s last day in Los Angeles together. Before the day comes to an end they agree on one thing — they will meet again on the same day every year with no communication occurring in between. The goal? Meeting every year on November 9 gives Fallon something to look forward to instead of a dreadful anniversary and gives Ben, a writer, a plot to write his book on.
One of the most amazing things about “November 9” is that almost all of the book takes place on one day each year. The fact that Hoover was able to write 320 pages based on this day is amazing, and the mystery of what happens to the two protagonists between each meeting makes you never want to put the book down.
All throughout the book and the characters’ constant meet-ups, Ben continues to write his manuscript. Finally, towards the end of the novel, the reader even gets to read the first few chapters in Ben’s novel. For someone who loves books, being able to read a book within a book is like an unexpected bonus.
While the novel is a cute love story full of humor and fun, there are some unexpected twists and turns that will have you on the edge of your seat. Just when you think the story is about to end, Hoover throws in a curve ball which makes you reevaluate a lot of what you believe you know about the characters, including whether Ben’s feelings for Fallon are real, or if she’s just being used.
If you are looking for an escape from upcoming finals in the form of a sweet and fresh romance novel with some unexpected twists thrown in, I highly recommend picking up a copy of “November 9.”
If you’re anything like me, you won’t regret it.
(12/03/15 5:30am)
Christmas songs have started playing in the cafeteria. It is now the time of year when we students can look forward to a month long vacation full of no responsibilities whatsoever.
However, Christmas time also means spending money. We feel the need to buy gifts for our parents, siblings, friends and various other relatives who come to visit. As college kids, most of us are already broke. So who has money left over after buying gifts for everyone to decorate a pinterest-worthy Christmas tree?
In answer to this dilemma, here are a few ideas for inexpensive decorations to use this Christmas that will make your tree the envy of all of your relatives. Enjoy!
When I was a little kid, my siblings and I always made homemade ornaments to decorate our tree. One of my favorite ornaments that I made — and still hang on my tree every year — is a candy cane reindeer. All you need is a candy cane (which I am sure you will have plenty of lying around the house), googly eyes, and a pipe cleaner. Simply wrap the pipe cleaner around the curved part of the cane, twist it to resemble antlers and then glue on the eyes. It is super easy and adorable!
If you are looking for an ornament that is a little more grown-up and elegant, I suggest making paper origami ornaments. Depending on what pattern you choose, these ornaments can be a little tough to make but they are worth the effort. Look up the pattern you want to make online. Then, find some pretty stationery that you have lying around the house and start folding! If you want to be even more festive, you could use leftover scraps of wrapping paper to make your masterpieces.
Ornaments are one of the easiest and cheapest ways to improve your Christmas tree. Break out all of your old crafting materials, pull up pinterest and have fun! And if you like the look of the round ornaments, you can buy inexpensive clear plastic ones and decorate them however you like. Paint them, draw on them, fill them—the possibilities are endless.
Besides hanging ornaments, you can also decorate your tree with ribbon. If you’re a member, Sam’s Club sells large rolls of ribbon for low prices. Buy whatever color of ribbon you like and wrap it around your tree. Adding ribbon to your tree makes the decorations look more expensive and eye-catching.
A popcorn garland is another inexpensive (and delicious) decoration that you can add to your tree. People with animals and young children may have to skip this one. But if you are animal and children free, all you need is a bowl of popcorn, some string and a needle. Adding popcorn garland to your tree is easy and reminds people of the good old days.
These are just a few ideas to get you started on your tree. With a little bit of work, you can do pretty much anything on a budget. Good luck and Merry Christmas!
(11/12/15 4:15am)
With Thanksgiving Day looming, we once again come to the same debate over whether or not it is morally correct to celebrate Thanksgiving. Is it okay to celebrate the unfair treatment of Native Americans by our ancestors? Shouldn’t Thanksgiving, instead, be a day of remembrance and mourning?
Many history textbooks today are biased when it comes to the Native Americans. When I was in high school, I remember my AP United States History teacher telling me that textbooks are written to “make the winner look good.” No one wants to hear about the loser and the struggles that they may have faced because of their loss.
Of course, as Americans, we read the textbooks that typically paint the early settlers in a positive light. Some of the information that we learn may not be totally accurate because it is told from the point of view of the winners — Americans — and not the losers, such as the Native Americans.
When we learned about Thanksgiving in school, it was always shown to be a wondrous day in which two very different groups of people came together to feast. The day was full of laughter and joy and showed the kindness of the Pilgrims at Plymouth.
One of the most important facts that history textbooks neglect to mention is that the Native Americans were not invited to this feast. The Wampanoag, the Native Americans who interacted with the Pilgrims, heard the gunshots when the settlers went hunting for food for their harvest festival. When they went to investigate, thinking that the Pilgrims were preparing for war, they instead found a feast. The Wampanoag went to hunt deer and joined the feast with the Pilgrims, thus setting the background for the Thanksgiving that we all think about today.
The fact that the Pilgrims did not invite the Native Americans already makes Thanksgiving seem different. We are portraying it as this celebration of a grand act of kindness by the Pilgrims when, in reality, the Native Americans had to invite themselves.
Another aspect of Thanksgiving that history textbooks do not portray is how the Native Americans feel about the holiday. For many Native Americans, Thanksgiving is not a day of celebration. It is a day that represents betrayal and violence.
After the peace between the Wampanoag and Pilgrims dissipated, many Native Americans were killed. They had people invade their land, and with the diseases and weapons that the Pilgrims brought, the Native Americans never stood a chance.
One peaceful feast — a feast that the Native Americans were not even invited to in the first place — does not make up for years upon years of violence and death. Native Americans do not celebrate Thanksgiving. Instead, on Thanksgiving Day some Native Americans gather at Cole’s Hill in Plymouth to take part in a National Day of Mourning.
If the Native Americans do not celebrate this day of “kindness and celebration,” then we should not either. Taking part in a celebration on a day when others are mourning the loss of a majority of their ancestors is cruel and not something that we should be proud of.
While the original Thanksgiving Day was not directly linked to the massacre of Native Americans, it does represent a horrific period in American history. As “victors” of this time period, most of our educational materials ignore the viewpoint of the Native Americans and, therefore, ignore the dark side of Thanksgiving.
As the Native Americans are mourning for their dead, we are celebrating the “kindness” that we showed them. If we were really that kind, then there would be no reason for their mourning.
Thanksgiving is not a day that should be used to celebrate but should, instead, be used to mourn the massacre of Native Americans at the hands of our ancestors.
(11/11/15 11:04pm)
Stephenie Meyer, author of the popular Twilight series, released a gender-swapped version of the original novel Oct. 6.
Entitled “Life and Death,” the novel is told from the point of view of Beaufort (Beau for short), a human boy who moves from Arizona to live with his dad in Washington. The story follows the budding romance between Beau and a vampire name Edythe.
As someone who grew up reading “Twilight” and watching all of the movies, the concept of “Life and Death” sounded intriguing. While the concept was interesting, the book itself fell short.
My foremost issue with “Life and Death” is that, because the book was essentially the same as “Twilight,” I had a hard time imagining Beau — Bella’s counterpart —as a boy. Throughout most of the book, I kept imagining Kristen Stewart as the narrator. Personally, it was hard to become invested in the book when I could not visualize the main character.
Another problem that I had with this book was Meyer’s choice of names. To keep the book similar to “Twilight,” Meyer swapped the sexes of the names, but she kept the same first letter. There is nothing wrong with keeping the same first letter, but Meyer seems to have worked hard to come up with the strangest and most antiquated names that she could think of. To give you an idea, here are a few of the new names: Beaufort, Edythe, Royal, Archibald, and Jessamine. I can respect that Meyer wanted to ensure that she included original names in her book, but this is like Renesmee all over again.
Meyer did make some changes to the book, including the clothes that Beau wears and the ending of the story.
Some of the changes, however, were not necessary or well-thought out. One of the best examples is that while Bella is able to describe beautiful scenery in vivid detail in “Twilight,” all Beau — as a male — can say is, “It was probably beautiful or something.”
One can only assume that Meyer was trying to give Beau more masculinity and make the character seem less feminine. Similar circumstances occur at other points in the book. These changes are completely unnecessary and simply serve to enforce the same gender stereotyping that Meyer said was the reason she wrote the new book.
At the end of the day, I personally would not read “Life and Death” again. I found the cross between Beau and Bella too confusing and did not appreciate some of the ways in which Meyer compensated for Beau being a male. While not horribly written, the novel was not very original and was unnecessary.
(11/11/15 9:37pm)
Quickly becoming known as the Netflix for Broadway, the premier of the streaming service BroadwayHD on Oct. 26 was an exciting development for theatre fans all over America.
The site was founded by Tony Award-winning Broadway producers Stewart F. Lane and Bonnie Comley.
“We’re not going to replace the Broadway experience, but if you can’t get to Broadway, get to BroadwayHD,” Lane said in a report from the New York Daily News. “The idea is to get somebody to say, ‘I’ve got to see that live and put $150 down to buy a ticket.’”
The purpose of the service, according to the BroadwayHD website, is to “promote and preserve live theatre, extending the reach of Broadway and Broadway caliber shows to anyone, anywhere.”
For those who love Broadway — but are not lucky enough to live close to a touring show, can’t travel to New York to see a show or simply cannot afford the ticket — BroadwayHD offers an accessible and affordable alternative.
BroadwayHD can be streamed on essentially any device with a connection to the Internet, including computers, mobile devices and tablets. To view content on BroadwayHD, users can buy either a $14.99 monthly or a $169.99 yearly subscription. For those who don’t want to pay the fee, the website also offers limited free content.
The site launched with about 100 productions offered, but plans are underway to expand the selection further. Viewers can watch content from contributors including Broadway Worldwide’s Direct From Broadway catalog, BBC Worldwide North America, and WNET/New York.
For theatre fans who are dying to see the hot new shows, buying a subscription will be a lot easier — and less stressful — than buying a ticket to the show.
With better accessibility and affordability, BroadwayHD also has the potential to expand Broadway’s fanbase. For some, not being a “theatre person” is more of a lack of exposure than a lack of interest. By subscribing to the streaming site or simply watching the free content, those who are on the fence about theatre can get a real taste of what it is like.
While similar sites have previously failed, there are high hopes for BroadwayHD. Only time will tell how the site plays out, but based on the original launch, the future is bright for Broadway lovers.
(10/29/15 2:19pm)
Robots will battle and fight for glory in Mercer University’s Department of Computer Science’s first public competition.
Mercer’s Battle Bot Bear’s Competition will take place on Nov. 7. The battle is a double elimination event that will happen on Cruz Plaza.
“We wanted something fun, yet computer-related, to add to our department tailgates during football games,” Robert Allen, professor of computer science at Mercer, said.
The department has previously done battle Bots competitions during summer camps, and Allen said “camp kids go wild watching these contests.”
The application was open to everyone who was interested. Eight teams competed on Oct. 17. These eight teams include four teams of Mercer students: Transformers, Fighting Mongooses, Team F.L.A.B., and Team Tachyon.
Additionally, four younger teams were chosen: Decepticorns from Montessori of Macon, Vexinoles from Westside Pre-Engineering Magnet High School, Real IMPACT Girlz from Real IMPACT Center, Inc., and Magnetic Masterminds from Vineville Academy and Alexander II.
The computer science department is lending a Lego NXT Mindstorm robot to each of the eight selected teams. Each team must build their robot exclusively from the NXT kit and are only allowed to add lightweight decorations to their robots.
The goal of the competition is for the teams to program their robots to stay inside the battle arena the longest while also trying to push out their opponent.
The arena is a 42-inch round table top that will sit one inch above the ground and have white tape on the edge for light sensors to detect.
There was a preliminary brawl on Oct. 24 during the homecoming tailgate. Teams were paired up and able to work on their robots and codes during the practice rounds. The judges also used these practice rounds to determine the seeding for the main battle.
For the final battles, two bots will be placed into the arena and will fight without remote control from the teams. The goal is to either push the opposing bot out of the arena or to disable the other bot by flipping it. The bot that stays in the ring the longest wins.
There will be a trophy for the first and second place winners.
“One fun fact about Battle Bots is that there is a bit of luck involved, “ Allen said. “So, I would not be surprised if an elementary school team beats a Mercer Robotic’s Club team!”
(10/29/15 2:36am)
As perpetually broke college students, hardly anyone has the money to buy an off-the-rack Halloween costume from Party City or Target. The solution is to make cheap, do-it-yourself costumes from items found at home, the dollar store or a thrift shop.
Of course, you could always go old school. You could cut eye-holes in a white bed sheet, throw it over your head and call it a day. The classic ghost is an outfit that is both inexpensive and easily recognizable.
If you want to be a little more creative—but don’t feel like going all out—a jellyfish is the perfect outfit. All you have need to do is take a quick trip to the dollar store, buy some streamers and tape them to an umbrella to achieve the look of tentacles. For less than $5 you will have a cute and easy costume.
For those truly seeking to be creative while on a budget, a glowing stickman is for you. All you need are some black clothes (which can be bought from a thrift store if needed) and colorful glow sticks from the dollar store. Just line up the sticks on your clothes in the shape of a stickman, add some tape, and you’re done!
Couples costumes are always fun, but finding inexpensive ones can be a challenge. Here are two you might want to consider.
Mario and Princess Peach are two easily recognizable characters that are not difficult to replicate. For the ladies, put on a pink dress—or borrow one from a friend—and go buy a cheap crown from the dollar store. For the gentlemen, wear a red shirt and some old overalls that can be found at the local thrift store. Of course, you could also buy a mustache from the dollar store, or just draw one on with marker.
For those couples who grew up watching Nickelodeon, you can be Wanda and Cosmo this Halloween. There is not much that you need to complete this outfit. Both members of the couple will need black pants, but dark jeans can be used as a substitute. Wanda will need a yellow shirt, and Cosmo will need to wear a white button down shirt and a black tie, both of which you can borrow from a friend or buy at Target if you don’t already own them. All you need to complete the outfits are paper wands and crowns. Pink and green hairspray is optional.
Being on a budget does not have to be a hindrance to your Halloween night. Be creative. Look up costume ideas online and then find the necessary items at the dollar or thrift store.
Depending on your creativity, almost every outfit that you see online can be made for $10 or less. Good luck!