A GAME FOR ‘STAR WARS’ LOVERS
Davis 2 blocks from breaking single-season freshman record
Also: Another big road test for Cats comes in tennessee
page 4 january 13, 2012 | kykernel.com
big win for sold-out crowd
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kentucky kernel
DR. KING CELEBRATED Attend the annual march, vigil on your day off Monday
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UK ends tennessee’s 36-game SEC streak page 4
CRYSTAL RILEY. Photo by LAtARA APPLEby| StAff
CLOSING IN
kentucky kernel
13 friday
7days ut
Men's tennis SEC Indoor Championships All Day. Lexington. (Through Monday.)
Harlem Globetrotters 7 p.m. Rupp Arena. $22-$103.
Track: Kentucky Invitational All Day. Lexington. (Through Saturday.)
Afroman 10 p.m. Cosmic Charlie’s. $15/$20. 18+
weekend
inbrief This day in history January 13, 1864 Stephen Foster, songwriter who penned “My Old Kentucky Home,” dies at age 37. Ironically, he was born in Pennsylvania.
January 13, 1999
14 saturday
15 sunday
Men’s basketball at Tennessee Noon. Knoxville, Tenn. Broadcast on ESPN and UK IMG radio.
UK Hoops at South Carolina 3 p.m. Columbia, S.C. Broadcast on UK IMG radio.
16 monday
Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday No school. Parade, 1 p.m. Main St.
Tom Green 8:30 p.m. Natasha’s Bistro and Bar. Comedian Tom Green performs his songs in the styles of blues, pop, folk, rock and country. $6.
17 18 tuesday
Men’s basketball vs. Arkansas
Basketball great Michael Jordan retires for a second time. However, he took to the court again in 2001 and retired for the third and final time on April 16, 2003. Source: History.com.
quote of the week
9 p.m. Rupp Arena. Broadcast on ESPN and UK IMG radio.
wednesday
Last day to add a class for the spring semester!
UK Student Dietetic Association meeting 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Erikson Hall room 203. Free. All students in the nutrition and dietetic field are welcome.
Alcohol Poisoning and Date Rape Awareness Day 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. White Hall Classroom Building. Free. The Student Wellness Ambassadors will hand out information, hot chocolate, T-shirts and more. They will also encourage students to “Take a Pledge” to be safer and be aware of threats and dangers while drinking alcohol.
Kentucky Dodgeball Open Gym 6 p.m.
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CORRECTIONS The Kentucky Kernel editors correct significant errors brought to our attention. To report an error, call the Kernel newsroom at 859-257-1915 or email Editor-in-Chief Taylor Moak at tmoak@kykernel.com.
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Alumni Gym. Free. PHOTO BY MIKE WEAVER | STAFF
A’dia Mathies, left, and Keyla Snowden celebrate after UK Hoops beat Tennessee 61-60 Thursday night in Memorial Coliseum.
1
thursday
UK Hoops at Georgia 7 p.m. Athens, Ga. Broadcast on UK IMG radio.
1.13.12 | weekend timeout | 3
timeout sports
UK 78 Tennessee 69 The Volunteers have had their ups and downs this season. With what I’m sure will be a raucous crowd at ThompsonBoling Arena, the Cats will struggle with a surprisingly talented Tennessee squad, but their length and speed should be enough to prevail once again. —Cody Porter
UK 70 Tennessee 65 By record, it doesn’t appear that Tennessee would give UK a game, but these two teams usually play each other very well. Tennessee really doesn’t have a great defense nor a big enough body to match up with Anthony Davis. UK is most likely going to be winning this one in the paint. —Andrew Dunn
UK 72 Tennessee 62 This game is more of a rivalry than people may think. Tennessee is always tough at home, proven by their win over Florida last Saturday. This will be the Cats’ second consecutive conference road game, but after a closer-than-expected game Wednesday at Auburn, a focused UK team will take care of business in Knoxville. —David Schuh
UK 62 Tennessee 66 The Cats will start off slow again, just like Wednesday night at Auburn. When they focus down the stretch, however, they will be unable to overtake the Vols. It will take more than 10 minutes of good basketball to win in Knoxville. —Les Johns
UK 64 Tennessee 70 The Cats will start off slow in the first half, similar to in their Wednesday performance. While three days seems like ample time for UK to refocus for the Volunteers, an entirely different rivalry awaits them in Knoxville. Without a clean and precise game from tipoff to the final buzzer, UK could walk away with a road loss. Strength on the boards is vital for UK to pull out a win. —Sam Rothbauer 4| weekend timeout | 1.13.12
3 things to watch in UK’s road game at Tennessee
UK beats Tennessee with shot at buzzer Mathies scores career-high 34 points in 61-60 win
1. Anthony Davis is closing in on multiple school block records — The swat machine has 78 blocks, one away from tying Jamaal Magloire’s single-season freshman record and five away from tying the overall single-season record, shared by Melvin Turpin and Andre Riddick. And remember: He’s done this in 17 games. It took Turpin 31 games, Riddick 34 and Magloire 40. The only question: will he break one or both records at Tennessee? He’s averaging 4.6 blocks per game but has five games with six or more blocks. But the Volunteers aren’t the most block-prone team — they get blocked 2.7 AARON times per game. Then again, they have yet SMITH to encounter a man like Anthony Davis. Kernel And considering what he’s done so far this columnist season, I wouldn’t bet against Davis getting both records on Saturday. 2. A (bigger) road test — Tennessee represents a step up from Auburn on the mythical “road challenge scale.” Even though Tennessee is worse than usual with an 8-7 record, the Volunteers will have a better environment and a better chance of beating UK in its second conference road game. Tennessee beat Florida at home last week, so the team knows it can topple a ranked opponent. The Cats hope they learned what it takes to succeed on the road from their uncomfortable win against Auburn. A particular skill that Tennessee could use to pull off the upset? Offensive rebounding. The Volunteers are a pretty good team on their own boards, pulling down 33.9 percent of all available rebounds. UK got killed on the boards by Auburn for all but the closing minutes. The Cats need to take that lateSEE SMITH PAGE 6
LES JOHNS ljohns@kykernel.com
PHOTO BY LATARA APPLEBY | STAFF
Freshman guard Bria Goss shoots the ball against Tennessee. Attendence was 7,961.
Junior guard A’dia Mathies’ career day and game winning jumper led the UK Hoops team to a 61-60 win over Tennessee at Memorial Coliseum Thursday night. A sold-out crowd of 7,961 witnessed the Cats move to 4-0 in SEC play for the first time in program history and saw the end of UT’s 36-game SEC win-streak. “I’m extremely proud of our players tonight. They played their tails off,” UK head coach Matthew Mitchell said. “They could not have played any harder, or with any greater effort, or with any greater resolve, or with any greater character to bounce back from disappointment tonight.” Mathies scored a career-high 34 points and added nine rebounds, two assists, two steals and two blocks. Mathies scored her points efficiently, hitting 11-20 from the field and 10-11 from the line. “She really played up to her talent level tonight,” Mitchell said. “A’dia really, really played well.” The Cats built a 12 point lead at 50-38 with 7:46 due to a spurt from Mathies including a rare four-point play. As the shot clock was winding down, Mathies drew contact from UT guard Vicki Baugh and still managed to sink a three. “That was a huge play in the game,” Mitchell said. “We have had plenty of them go against us so I was excited to get one on our side.” UT responded, putting together a 22-7 run that gave the UT a 60-57 lead with under a minute to go in the contest. “They made a run, but in the end we made some
plays,” Mathies said. “I have all the confidence in the world in my teammates. If they (UT) want to deny me out to half-court, then someone else is going to go make a play.” With the Volunteers over-playing Mathies to prevent her from getting the ball, the Cats’ disrupted offense was forced to take a timeout with 53 seconds to play. UK attempted a couple of screens to get Mathies loose on their possession, but she was instead caught in a trap and had to use the Cats’ last time out with 12 seconds on the clock. Mathies caught the in-bound pass, drove past her defender and ducked under a secondary defender to hit a layup with 4.2 seconds left and put UK ahead 61-60 as the Memorial crowd erupted for one final time. A last-second heave by UT’s Kamiko Williams missed the mark and the victorious Cats ran on to the court to celebrate their victory. “It feels great. Since I’ve been here, we have never beaten Tennessee when I’ve actually played,” senior guard SEE HOOPS PAGE 6
Behind enemy lines A look at the other team’s likely starting lineup
Tennessee SEC 8-7 Cuonzo Martin
No. 11 Trae Golden Guard 6-foot-1 209 pounds 14.6 ppg 5.4 rpg
No. 34 Jeronne Maymon Forward 6-foot-7 265 11.2 ppg 7.8 rpg
No. 52 Jordan McRae Forward 6-foot-5 174 10.8 ppg 1.9 rpg
No. 23 Cameron Tatum Guard 6-foot-7 193 9.5 ppg 4.0 rpg
PHOTO BY TESSA LIGHTY | STAFF
Junior guard A’dia Mathies’ shot at the buzzer gave UK Hoops a win over No. 9-ranked Tennessee.
GAME INFO UK Hoops at South Carolina date: Sunday location: Columbia, S.C. time: 3 p.m. where to listen: UK IMG radio
No. 20 Kenny Hall Forward 6-foot-9 222 7.0 ppg 4.9 rpg
www.kykernel.com
Staff picks
1.13.12 | weekend timeout | 5
timeout diversions HOOPS From Page 5 Keyla Snowden said. “So I am ecstatic and so excited for my teammates, coaches and this program.” The Cats got some much-needed help from Snowden, who added 11 points and four steals. The Cats largely neutralized the size advantage of UT, losing the rebounding battle 41-37, but outscoring the Vols in secondchance points 12-10. The Vols came in to the game out-rebounding SEC opponents by more than 20. This was the first game at UK for UT head coach Pat Summitt since the announcement that she is suffering from early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The Memorial crowd greeted Summitt with a standing ovation when she took the court and several in the crowd wore “We Back Pat” T-shirts. “I really appreciate our fans tonight. They did exactly what first-class people should do,” Mitchell said. “They gave her a great ovation and that meant a lot to me. I appreciated our fans doing that.”
timeout’s
6 | weekend timeout | 01.13.12
SMITH From Page 5 game tenacity and apply it from the opening tip. 3. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist’s production — The freshman forward has seen a slight dip in production. Since he recorded 24 points and 19 rebounds against Louisville, he’s had a combined 25 points and 19 rebounds in the last three games. He scored fewer than 10 points in each of those three games, something he had only done twice before this season. And on those two occurrences, it was because of foul trouble — he played 22 and 19 minutes in them. The last three games, he’s played 31, 37 and 30 minutes. Kidd-Gilchrist deserves credit for maintaining his customary energy and effort through the slight scoring swoon. He consistently provides the team with a lot more than just points and rebounds. But he’s still UK’s second-leading scorer (13.2 points per game) and rebounder (7.5). See if he can have another breakout game against Tennessee.
Grammy performers named LOS ANGELES — Producers for the Grammy Awards have begun unveiling performers for its Feb. 12 telecast, starting with a pair of album of the year nominees — rock act the Foo Fighters and R&B chameleon Bruno Mars. Also named among the initial crop of performers were country star Jason Aldean, former “American Idol” winner Kelly Clarkson, rapper Nicki Minaj and country-influenced pop star Taylor Swift. To maximize media attention, the Recording Academy will roll out the Grammy performing litter throughout the weeks leading up to the ceremony. It is typical for all album of the year nominees to perform, so it’s all but guaranteed that future news releases will announce performances from Rihanna and Lady Gaga. The only question mark among this year’s top nominees is whether or not soul singer Adele will be cleared by doctors to perform. When it comes to who will or won’t perform, perhaps the most tantalizing questions remain not in whether reunited acts such as the Beach Boys or Van Halen will appear — likely with younger acts with whom they have little in common (ahem, Swift and Stevie Nicks) — but is once again WWKWD (What Will Kanye West Do?). The famed rapper has already criticized the Grammy Awards as “illogical,” and while he has the most nominations with
seven, his honors are predominantly in rap categories. West, however, is as unpredictable of a performer as he is a social network user, and his Grammy performances, including a glow-in-the-dark appearance with Daft Punk and a marching band blowout for “Gold Digger,” have been some of the most riveting the award show has seen in recent years. Booking Adele, if she’s given the greenlight to sing, is a no-brainer, but the outspoken West may be seen as something of a risk, especially when one takes into account his multiple rants at not receiving an album of the year prize. In 2005, for instance, West told MTV he would have a “problem” if he didn’t win album of the year, and he has long been preoccupied with award show acceptance, including a backstage rant at the American Music Awards for not winning best new artist. So in a Grammy year when the only real drama is related to a pop star’s vocal cord health, it’s once again West who stands the most chance of giving viewers something to discuss on the morning of Feb. 13 — if he’s invited to perform. The Grammys are determined by about 13,000 voting members and will be televised on CBS from Staples Center in Los Angeles. MCT
tiemout classifieds
For Rent 2 Bedroom 1-9 5 Bedroom Bedroom 3 Bedroom 2BR/1BA Apartment, Woodland Park. LR, Kitchen w/appliances, W/D hook-ups. A/C, gas heat. Classic Real Estate, 859-313-5231 or classicrealty@iglou.com.
Now leasing for 2012-2013 school year. Newly remodeled 2&3 Bedroom/2 Bathroom Condos within walking distance to campus. All appliances included. $800-$1,000/month. Call 859-333-6320. Pre-Leasing August 2012 - 7BR/3BA House, $2,500/month plus utilities. wwwpatriotrentalsllc.com or 859-433-0996
1 Bedroom 1BR Apartment - Virginia Avenue, next to Pharmacy & Nursing Schools. Short-Term Lease. Free internet & cable TV. $485/month. All electric. www.bluegrasscommons.com. 859-494-8075. Large 1BR/1BA Apartments on Woodland Avenue. $495-$600/month, includes utilities. Please call 552-4147. UK/Chevy Chase Area. 1 Bedroom, 1 person. Hardwood floors. $600/month. Quiet. Lower level. 859-539-3306
3BR/1BA House, 345 Hummingbird Lane. $625/month. No pets. W/D Hookup. Gas heat. Newly renovated. Big backyard. $525 deposit. Call 859-533-1261. 3BR/2BA Lakeview Condo in Lakes Edge Condo Community. Large closets, all appliances, all electric. 10 minutes from UK. Available 1/15. $975/month with lease. Deposit $975. Call (859)455-9577.
4 Bedroom
5BR/3BA NEW HOME! By Campus! Huge rooms. Awesome yards/decks. Parking. All Appliances. All electric. $350-$400/month. 859-333-1318.
6 Bedroom 6BR/3-6BA NEW HOME! By Campus! Huge rooms. Awesome yards/decks. Parking. All Appliances. All electric. $350-$400/month. 859-333-1318. Great security! Great location! Condo, 1BR/1BA. $625/month, including all utilities. Close to UK, Central Baptist & St. Joe. (Possible Sale!) Call Brad 859-983-0434.
4BR/2BA NEW HOME! By Campus! Huge rooms. Awesome yards/decks. Parking. All Appliances. All electric. $350-$400/month. 859-333-1318.
Help Wanted
4BR/3BA Large Luxury Townhouse. Red Mile Square. All electric. W/D, security system, 2-car garage. $1,600/month. 859-5130373.
Advertising Sales Representative needed for local Healthcare Technology company. Lucrative commission-only compensation plan. Email resume to Michelle@ConnectedPatients.com or call 859-312-0141.
Real Estate For Sale
Ramsey’s Diner at Andover in the Brighton Place Shops, close to Hamburg, is now hiring. Please apply in person Monday-Friday between 2-5. Hourly pay rate based on experience.
NEW and Nearly NEW 4BR HOMES. Only a few left. Very nice. Close to campus. View at lexingtonhomeconsultants.com. Showing daily. Call or text James McKee, Builder/Broker 859-221-7082 or email jwmckeebroker@msn.com.
Atomic Cafe’ now taking applications for servers. 10:00am – 4:00pm. Apply in person @ 265 N. Limestone. Child Care Center is in need of Teaching Assistants to work afternoons, 2:30-5:30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays this semester. Call 859-253-2273 for more information. Kentucky Class Notes is now hiring note takers. We are hiring for more classes than ever. Apply online at http://KyClassNotes.com Lexington based Internet company seeks MySQL/PHP programmers. Applicants should be familiar with MySQL/PHP development in a Linux environment. We are also accepting applications for internships in IT/Web Development for Spring. Send resume to jobs@ientry.com and/or call 859514-2720 to schedule an interview. Marketing Internship for growing Healthcare Technology company. Create marketing campaigns, manage contact database and social media. Email resume to Michelle@ConnectedPatients.com or call 859-312-0141. Part-Time Sales Clerk Needed. Apply in person 8:00am - 3:00pm. Chevy Chase Hardware. 883 E. High Street. 859-269-9611
Ramsey’s Diner now hiring servers at all locations. To see all locations, go to www.ramseysdiner.com. Apply in person Monday-Friday between 2-5. Seeking babysitter to watch 3 children while dad works third shift. Get children to school in the morning. Pay negotiable. Can include room/board. 859-457-6657. STUDENTPAYOUTS.COM. Paid survey takers needed in Lexington. 100% FREE to join. Click on surveys. Telemarketing/Inside Sales Representative. Permanent position, 40 hours/week, M-F, benefits, great working environment. See on-line at www.trustedhealthproducts.com/jobs or email resume’ to aaron@trustedhealthproducts.com
Nice 1Bedroom Condo, Waller Place, 342 Waller Avenue. New wood floors, nice appliances, large closets. Walk to UK. $59,500. Call 859-858-0230 or 859-401-2481.
Roommates Wanted Roommate Needed Immediately for a 4 Bedroom apartment at Royal Lexington. Walk to campus. Utilities paid. Call 502-352-0815.
The Pub - Need dependable line cooks, prep and dishwashers. Must pass drug test. Apply in person at 3750 Mall Road MondaysFridays between 2:00-4:00. Writers & Interns Wanted: Lexington based Internet company seeks writing staff. Applicants should be familiar with social media, ebusiness and/or technology. Visit WebProNews.com for examples. This is a great opportunity to earn extra cash while building your resume/portfolio. We are also accepting applications for internships across our company for Spring. Send resume with writing samples to jobs@ientry.com and/or call 859-514-2720 to schedule an interview.
Travel BAHAMAS SPRING BREAK: $189 - 5 days. All prices include round trip luxury party cruise. Accommodations on the island at your choice of thirteen resorts. Appalachia Travel 1-800-867-5018, www.BahamaSun.com
timeout diversions
Horoscope To get the advantage, check the day's rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging. Aries (March 21-April 19) — Today is a 9 — Find the beauty in everyday rituals. It's right there. In a moment, you can catch it. Let yourself be inspired today. That urgency can propel you to action. Taurus (April 20-May 20) — Today is an 8 — Stand up for what you believe in. Put in the extra effort, and make sure you have your facts straight. Others are right behind you. They love the passion. Gemini (May 21-June 21) — Today is a 9 — Whatever you put your weight behind has a good chance today. Find a sweet deal. Limitations seem to evaporate. Finish up old business to make room for new. Cancer (June 22-July 22) — Today is a 9 — Your team is especially hot. Offer encour-
agement, and avoid hornets' nests. Stay synchronized and balanced, and abundance is yours. Rest deeply. Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) — Today is a 9 — Follow a strong leader. Be respectful and ready to move quickly. Provide motivation and direction. The pressure increases, and your fortunes rise together. Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) — Today is a 9 — You've taken action on your brilliant idea, and get farther than expected. You're gaining respect. Let it in. Resist the urge to flee. Keep up the momentum. Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) — Today is an 8 — In an ocean of misunderstandings, love triumphs like a life raft. Assume responsibility. Stand up for what's right. It all works out. Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) — Today is a 9 — You can accomplish whatever you want today, especially in love, work or communication. Full speed ahead: Venture farther out, and doors will open as you
reach them. Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) — Today is a 9 — It's an intense, powerhouse Friday. Work faster and make more money. Pay bills. Expand boundaries. Accept acknowledgement gracefully. Give thanks. Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) — Today is a 7 — Improve efficiency by letting your partner take the lead. Make payments, and relax in the peace after. Begin writing or recording. Reaffirm a commitment. Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) — Today is a 9 — Business can be intense today, in a good way. You're really hot. Find the solution beyond the usual limits. There's always time for relaxation. Make it work. Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20) — Today is a 7 — You're more powerful when you work with others. Be open to pleasant surprises. Belief can sustain you. Try your best, and be happy. MCT
4puz.com
1.13.12 | weekend timeout | 7
timeout features
King remembered in Lexington
PHOTO BY BRANDON GOODWIN | STAFF
Community members, including Mayor Jim Gray, led last year’s march in downtown Lexington. Luke Glaser lglaser@kykernel.com Forty years ago, in a city that once had a 25 percent slave population, in a city once plagued by segregation and divided by color, a candlelight vigil was held on the campus of the University of Kentucky. The candlelight vigil will occur again with a larger commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on Monday. Congress made the third Monday in January a national holiday in 1983, but Lexington has been celebrating King’s birthday much longer than that, said Chester Grundy, director of UK’s Martin Luther King Jr. Cultural Center. This year the holiday will be celebrated with a march and a ceremony titled “Monumental Moments.” Grundy said the name is derived from the fact that 2012 marks the anniversary of the celebration in Lexington, the 25th anniversary of the national holiday, the dedication of the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial and the centennial of the birth of singer and civil rights activist Mahalia Jackson. In 1983, a UK graduate student named Trent Tucker wrote a play about Jackson, one of the premiere gospel singers of her time who sang at King’s funeral. The musical, titled “Mahalia,” was a smash hit that sold out every performance. In a tribute to the singer, three original cast members 1.13.12 | weekend timeout| 8
will sing numbers from the show at the celebration. The event begins with a march at 10 a.m., starting at Heritage Hall at the Lexington Civic Center. Dorneshia Thomas, a psychology junior, will be marching. Thomas is president of the CATalyst Coalition, a student group committed to diversity and social justice. “We are participating because Dr. King was a participant in social justice and was passionate about it,” Thomas said. “It is an honor to participate in his name.” The ceremony will also host speakers, including UK President Eli Capilouto. “Seeking justice and creating a community that has inclusiveness as a value central to our identity is something that must be lived every day,” Capilouto said in an email to the Kernel. “The events around MLK Day should reinforce our commitment to those values and that mission.” The keynote speaker will be Marc Lamont Hill, who Grundy describes as a “young hip-hop intellectual.” Grundy encourages students to make the holiday something more than just a day off school. “The purpose of a holiday is to inspire us and give us something to come together around,” Grundy said. “It represents the highest ideals of democracy: peace, brotherhood, equity and mutuality.” CATalyst will have a bus leaving the Center for Student Involvement at 9:15 a.m. Monday for students interested in joining. For more information, contact catalystcoalition@gmail.com.
Lovers of MMO: Play ‘Star Wars: The Old Republic’ It seems that an old dog can learn new tricks when it comes to “Star Wars: The Old Republic.” Not only have the graphics improved for the computer game, but the whole setup of the game has, too. The opening movie of the game places you KAYLA in a realistic world that describes what is hapPICKRELL pening and the goal of each side of the Force. “‘The Old Republic’ isn’t the next step in Kernel columnist online role-playing games,” said Kevin VanOrd of GameSpot.com. “Instead, it’s a highly entertaining refinement of what has come before it.” This may be because the game isn’t set in the future; it is merely set in the past. The game’s 50-level cap includes certain missions called “heroics” and “flashpoints” aimed toward group play, making the difficulty of completing alone nearly impossible. Group play includes forming a guild with either your friends or others playing “The Old Republic” online. Similar to massively multiplayer online games, such as “World of Warcraft” or “Guild Wars,” one person can have multiple characters — in this case, eight. One of the biggest differences between “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic” and “Star Wars: The Old Republic” is the ability to align a character in either the Empire or the Republic (Sith or Jedi). Just like in other MMOs, you can obtain certain skills for you and your companion. There are gathering skills, crafting skills and mission skills of your choosing with different abilities. Gathering gives the ability to find certain items within playable terrain. Crafting skills allow for the ability to create armor, weapons or modifications from materials. Mission skills allow you to send your companion on a mission to accrue loot, gather information or complete goals that further your character’s progression. You can own your own vehicles; however, until you purchase a starcraft, you cannot leave the planet. After winning a starship, you can engage in space combat. There are four classes for each the Empire and the Republic. Furthermore, there are nine different races from the world of “Star Wars” to choose from. The plot line in “The Old Republic” aligns nicely with the “Knights of the Old Republic” series and includes similar characters. Don’t let this deter you from playing, though, if you’re not familiar with the former plot lines. You can still successfully play. My advice to you is that if you love MMO games, this one is definitely worth a shot.