'The best thing to happen to men since women'

Maxim, the new magazine for men, makes this bold claim. But the review suggests otherwise. Read on to decide for yourself.

assistant news editor

Tips on running, worthwhile facts regarding relationships and advice about being a single father will not be found in Maxim Magazine. What can be found are pointless yet amusing articles related to a stereotypical male audience. Maxim is a new men's magazine and often shows its inexperience in the magazine industry through its articles.

Such an article would be the enigmatic "Confession of a Strip Club Bouncer," in the Janu~/Febru~ issue. In this article, you can read about murder, drugs, prostitution and the mob. Another pointless article is "50 Signs the World is Corning to an End." This is a somewhat humorous article about possible signs that the world is ending. Some "signs" include Jenny McCarthy's announcement that she is having her breasts reduced and the recent attempt to get guns off the streets by trading guns for Beanie Babies.

Not all articles are pointless and some articles are fascinating to read, including "A Palm Greaser's Guide to the Universe." This article offers tips to get ahead in day-today situations. Such tips in the article include tipping the maitre'd a 20-dollar bill to get into a restaurant without reservations, giving ushers $10 to escort you to better seats and tipping the desk clerk at hotels in order to get a room upgrade for free.

Another interesting article, "Road Map to Easy Street," offers quick tips to make more time for relaxation and spend less time working. One example is making calls to ex-girlfriends, annoying relatives and a blabbermouth friend at work instead of at home. This way you only have to talk to them for four or five minutes and then explain that you have to go because someone needs to talk to you. Another tip is to go to a museum gift shop and buy a IOpack of greeting cards to use for all types of occasions. For the businessman, the author recommends trying to schedule all your meetings for the same my, so you can have time to relax the next day.

In Maxim,some articles are enjoyable to read, like the sports stories or the tips on dealing with Valentine's Day. They are helpful and insightful and can really help the lastsecond shopper or the person who never knows what to buy their girlfriend. The only downfall to Maxim is that the editors tend to try to make the magazine too humorous and sometimes they focus on the humor and not the story.

Maximis the self-proclaimed "best thing to happen to men since women," but often throughout the magazine, the reader tends to feel that the best thing to happen to men is still the remote control.

Check out their web site at www.maximmag.com.

Snowboarding is becoming the sport of choice for winter adventure-seekers. Several area mountains offer snowboarding parks and local ski shops sell all the equipment snowboarders need to hit the slopes.

by Janice Funk

Iassistant managing editor

Imagine skiing without the sprained ankles, twisted knees or tangled skis.

Subtract one ski, take away the poles and substitute a single board for both of your legs. You would be left with the quickly-growing sport of snowboarding, the latest trend to hit the slopes.

Snowboarding has gained a large following in the past five years, owed largely to much media attention.

According to Brian McCullough, an employee of Cool Runnings on Lancaster Avenue in Bryn Mawr, snowboarding is endorsed by many in the health industry because it boasts greater cardiovascular benefits than skiing. It is also better than skiing because it is "less leg in- jury-oriented."

Boots and bindings are additional, bringing the typical equipment total to anywhere from $600 to $1200.

''Because many snowboarders are what McCullough refers to as "cross-over skiers," many people already have the pants and jackets needed for the mountains. However, Cool Runnings also stocks an impressive and interesting assortment of accessories for snowboarders, the newest being goggles with hologram skulls on the lenses. Snowboarding, with its brightly-decorated boots and trendy clothes, has given way to a new group among teenagers who are looking for different means of expression. It is the individuality of the

Snowboarding is better than sport that attracts so many young people to snowboarding in place of skiing, according to first-year student Charles Laskiing because it is less leg injury-oriented. Courte. Says LaCourte, "It creates a difference between teenagers and adults. Would you walk around in what your par-

On this dreary Sunday afternoon, Cool Runnings busy, but the quiet store is hardly indicative of snowboarding's popularity. McCullough remarks upon the universality of the sport, whose par-

- Brian McCullough, Cool Runnings

ents are wearing?"

ticipants include everyone from children 'to students to professionals of all ages. It is not uncommon for a parent to bring their son or daughter into the store to purchase the necessary equipment and leave with a board of their own.

McCullough says of snowboarding, "It's no longer a kid's sport," yet he acknowledges that the prices of the equipment are high, like those of skiing. This, however, has not deterred younger snowboarders, such as the young boy on the floor of the store who is fumbling with the bindings of his heavy boots.

Local mountains, such as Jack Frost, which McCullough names as the best slope in terms of proximity and convenience, offer good prices for ski tickets and rental equipment. Camelback and Shawnee, both also in the Poconos, are two other mountains with snowboarding parks. McCullough admits that most first-time snowboarders rent their own equipment, but once they find that they enjoy the sport, they purchase their own.

The basic equipment needed for snowboarding is simple: a snowboard, boots and the bindings. The prices, however, are not nearly as simple. At Cool Runnings, the most inexpensive board, made by Ride, is $300; the most expensive, made by industry-leader Burton, is $550.

Cliff Beckett, also a firstyear student, agrees. "It's more freestyle," he said, "It's individual." With such a large following among so many young people, snowboarders are sure to be seen "lienairing," "me twisting," and "360-ing" on the slopes for years to come.

CAuaw:KSloRESom

Snowboard Ren1at:Day $28 Night $20

SnowboarctClassLesson~1 hour$20