WEDNESDAY | 4.29.2015 | MACEANDCROWN.COM | Vol. 57, Issue 24
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4 Best Consoles Ross Reelachart Assistant Technology Editor Video games have come a long way, both as a culture and as an industry. From humble beginnings as simple home computers-in-a-box as a childish diversion, video games have grown to be one of the biggest entertainment technology industries in the world. Video games have also grown in size, complexity and mainstream appeal. However, the video game industry is still a relatively young in relation to film and TV. The very first video game “console”, the Magnavox Odyssey, was released in August of 1972, over 40 years ago. By comparison, the first motion pictures were produced around the turn of the 20th century and the first regular TV broadcasts began in 1936. In the modern age of the internet and rapidly evolving technology, where any given iPhone is considered obsolete within a year of its initial release, 40 years might as well be an eternity. Nevertheless, gamers actually have some genuine nostalgia for the old generations of consoles, and it’s easy to understand why. While many of the early consoles were hit-or-miss, and in at least one case part of the reason the video game industry almost completely imploded in the 1970s, there were many stand outs that still hold up to this day. Let us look at five of the best consoles from video games’ past. Although this list is not a Cont. on D1
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Job Prospects Increase for College Grads Christian Chance Contributing Writer As graduation day approaches, Old Dominion University seniors might find themselves feeling both excited and apprehensive. Soon the days of writing term papers and cramming for exams will be over, replaced by the no-less-daunting reality of finding employment and forging a path towards longterm financial independence. However, things are looking up for college graduates in 2015. If students need encouragement, they should look no further than the recent survey conducted by CareerBuilder.com on job
prospects for 2015. The survey indicates that 65 percent of employers plan to hire recent college graduates in the coming year, which is up from 57 percent last year. In fact, this is most optimistic the job market has looked since 2007. Some graduates can also expect to make more money in their first year of work than those in years past. Of the employers who plan to hire recent college graduates, 33 percent say that they will offer more money than they did last year, while 57 percent expect no change, and 10 percent say they will pay less. Continuing the trend from the past several years,
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the market looks the best for graduates who majored in business and computer and information sciences. Business is the most sought after major, accounting for 38 percent of the employers who plan to hire recent graduates followed by computer and information sciences at 27 percent. Finance majors are another group who have reason to be optimistic about their employment search, with 22 percent of employers saying that these students have what they are looking for. “In the field of finance, the baby boomers entering retirement age and their need for financial advising is the
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main driver of the expected growth,” Dr. Mohammad Najand, ODU finance department chair , said. “Financial analyst is another good area for finance majors. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts that jobs in this area would grow by 15.5 percent by 2022. Real estate is another good area within finance discipline. The BLS projects 11.1 percent growth for real estate agents by 2022.” Dr. Najand thinks trends in the job market may have more effect on college majors than it did in the past. “I think the students generally have an idea of what they like to do when they gradu-
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ate. This might be based on parents, relatives, or friends’ advice. But I think today’s college students are more concerned about job prospects than a decade ago,” Dr. Najand said. This sentiment was echoed by ODU professor of Business Analytics, Dr. G Steven Rhiel. “The issue is that when students enter the university they know about the more traditional majors, but are not aware of the newer opportunities,” he said. “But, we have had a substantial growth in our major. Much of this is due to faculty educating students