Vol. 10, No. 15 by Maroon Weekly

11.27.13 - VOL. 10, NO. 15 - MAROONWEEKLY.COM

attn: High School Seniors

I V E

The Tradition is Texas A&M’s most on-campus off-campus dorm, located across the street from the University. We combine the convenience of a dorm with an unbelievable range of amenities. • • • • • • • • • • •

Unbeatable location - right across the street from campus Your OWN Private Bedroom and sink/vanity area FREE high-speed Internet and utilities included Award winning Residence Life Program Fully furnished suites with mini-fridge and microwave Weekly housekeeping (yes, it’s included!) Full-service dining hall with meal plan options Academic Success Center with study rooms on most floors 24-Hour attached, covered parking garage Fitness center overlooking the pool and campus Lap and volleyball pool

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contents

11.28-12.04

meet the team PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Chris Shepperd BUSINESS MANAGER Leisha Shepperd MANAGING EDITOR Chris Zebo CREATIVE DIRECTOR Brittany Hicks ASST. CREATIVE DIRECTOR Bekah Skinner LAYOUT/DESIGN Sally Franckowiak PHOTOGRAPHY Catherine Neil SALES MANAGER Caleb Holt WRITERS

Topher Hawkes Katie Lea Luke Murray Brandon Nowalk Amanda L. Reynolds

Essentials: Listen Taste Discover Play Look Etc.

4 10 13 16 18 20

Exclusive Interview:

Wade Bowen talked to us about coming back home to Waco, his new album, and his philanthropy endeavors.

INTERNS Kathleen Callison Claire Hand Chandler Hodo Olivia Montagna Cheyenne Mueller Catherine Neil Kaitlin Vickers Dani Wilkins DISTRIBUTION Chris Frank

Maroon Weekly is an independent, publication and is not affiliated with Texas A&M University. Maroon Weekly receives no student fees or university funding.

Taste 11 - New brew pub,

Blackwater Draw, is great for both foodies and for craft brew connoisseurs.

Listen 6 - Chris Daughtry’s

latest release, Baptized, re-christens the ex-American Idol star as...a pop artist? Read our review.

Look 27 - Brandon gives a rundown of this week’s top 20 box office films.

Opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the editor, publisher or the newspaper staff. Maroon Weekly is not liable for omissions, misprints or typographical errors. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express consent of the publisher. Maroon Weekly 707 Texas #207D College Station, TX 77840 ph: 979.574.3200 | @maroonweekly © Copyright 2013 Campus Press LP

1st copy is FREE, additional copies are $0.50 each

BY LUKE MURRAY

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW:

Wade Bowen Coming off the most successful record of his career with a new one on the horizon, Wade Bowen is returning to his hometown of Waco for a show at Melody Ranch on November 30. We had a chance to sit down with Wade and discuss his homecoming, the work he puts into his music, and his charity that benefited the West community this year. MW: When you get to come back and perform in your hometown, what types of feelings coem with that? What’s going through your head? BOWEN: Family is what really runs through my head. I’ve got a lot of family there still. I’m usually bombarded with tons of phone calls, but I’m usually bombarded with love as well. I love my family; they’re such great people and they really love what I do. That’s counting cousins, aunts, uncles, everybody. Everybody comes out and supports us, and it’s really just a lot of fun. MW: What types of memories flood your mind when you roll back to Waco? BOWEN: I think back to when I was just getting started. I think a lot about working with my dad during the off days and then hitting the road to travel for gigs, especially during college when I’d come home on breaks and help him out at Bowen Electric. In addition to that, I think a lot about growing up there. I chose not to go to college there; I decided to leave Waco and get out for a little while. A lot of my earlier memories are still there, though. I didn’t start playing guitar till I was about 17. I began writing songs and learning that process, getting a band together and all that started right there in Waco. MW: You were in Waco just a few months ago for your annual Bowen Classic, this year’s efforts going primarily to rebuilding West. Did this year’s event feel different than usual, being something that hit so close to home? BOWEN: I spent a lot of time in West as a kid. One of my sisters married into a family in West, so I was there a lot. So yeah, it was very close to home. Also, it was so close to the event happening itself. There was a difference in the event itself, just because the people in Waco and surrounding communities wanted to get behind that town and really help them out. So our event ended up getting a lot more support than normal, which was so great for the West community. MW: How did you go about coordinating that event? Getting all the artists together—like Pat Green and Randy Rogers—to put their own time into your efforts? BOWEN: Those guys are my friends for a reason. It’s not because I’m their fan or something.

pg 4 • MAROON WEEKLY • November 27, 2013 • maroonweekly.com

I love their music, but those guys are my friends because they’re good people. We get along really well and support each other. For the most part, I don’t even have to ask them. I just tell them the date and they say, “Cool, I’ll be there.” They’re such good people and such good friends, and to support our event year after year like they do is just incredible on their part. I just try my best to return the favor whenever they ask. MW: The Given, released last summer, was called by some critics as your most polished record to date—showcasing much of your style as a ballad singer rather than honky-tonk hero. How has that album and its success shaped your future endeavors? BOWEN: I think every album serves as a step in your career. For me, my music has always been like an open diary. My past albums just show where I was at that time in my life. You go back to Lost Hotel and you see a very emotional record; the characters in most of the songs were lost and trying to find direction. If We Ever Make It Home was just about trying to grow as an artist. With The Given you hear a more mature Wade Bowen that’s actually kind of figured things out a little bit in both life and music. I just try to be as honest and open as possible with all my music, whether it’s live shows or the studio. Luckily, the studio give us that avenue to showcase what we’re going through, and then we go take that on the road and give them an experience they can take from that. MW: You’ve got “Songs About Trucks” out on the radio now. Can that lead us to assume that you’re working on a new album? And if so, what can we expect from that one? BOWEN: Yeah, I am working on a new record. Luckily, nowadays, music is so wide open. You can do more now than you ever could before. That’s why we chose to go ahead and release the single ahead of time on iTunes and hopefully try to sell some of those. Then we released the video, and we’re hoping to get a few more things going before we finish the actual project. I am working on the project as we speak right now. Anybody who knows me, or has followed me over the years, knows that I like to take my time with the records and the whole process to make sure that it’s right. No different with this one. I hope everyone’s patient and understands that I’m going to make the best record that I can possibly make.

Michael Martin Murphey’s

Cowboy Christmas By Chanler Hodo

Dallas-native, Michael Martin Murphey is a country music singer-songwriter widely known for his success in the cowboy music genre. A nominee for multiple Grammys, Murphey also has six gold albums, including Cowboy Songs, which was the first cowboy music album to achieve gold status in more than 50 years. With a music career that spans over 40 years and countless genres, Murphey’s output is prolific, and he released his 42nd album, Red River Drifter, earlier this year. He landed a spot on American Cowboy’s Top 50 Greatest Country and Western Singers of All Time list with the likes of Johnny Cash and Dolly Parton, and he also wrote New Mexico’s state song, The Land of Enchantment. Murphey has played a huge part in the annual Cowboy Christmas Ball that originated in Anson, Texas in 1885. He even took his dedication to Cowboy Christmas a step further when he launched his annual Cowboy Christmas concert tour, which celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Murphey has toured all over the country with his beloved holiday series and performed at notable venues such as Bass Hall in Ft. Worth, the Performing Arts Center at Texas A&M, and the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. This year, the tour will make a total of 20 stops across the Southwest, including a stop in Anson, Texas where it all began. The family-friendly show features classic cowboy music, cowboy poems, some of Murphey’s personal stories and hit songs, and, of course, Christmas music. The tour began on November 21st and will continue throughout the month on December. Presented by MSC OPAS, Michael Martin Murphey’s Cowboy Christmas will be held at Rudder Auditorium on December 3, 2013. The show will begin at 7:30pm and tickets range from $42-$97. For more information and ticket purchases, visit opas.tamu.edu/michaelmurphy.html.

Design | Branding | Web

maroonweekly.com • November 27, 2013 • MAROON WEEKLY • p 5

By Luke Murray

Daughtry Album: Baptized

Release Date: November 15, 2013

Rating: Sounds Like: Nickleback Foo Fighters Shinedown

Recommended Tracks

Easily considered one of the most shocking eliminations from the hit show American Idol, Chris Daughtry established himself as one of the more talented vocalists to grace the stage—and he didn’t even make the Top 3. Coming a long way since 2006 and Season 4, Daughtry has sold millions of albums, toured the globe, and charmed radio DJs into playing his music to the point of exasperation.

Baptized I’ll Fight Witness

Track Listing:

Baptized Waiting for Superman Battleships I’ll Fight Wild Heart Long Live Rock & Roll The World We Knew High Above the Ground Broken Arrows Witness Traitor 18 Years

His unwavering style and persistence pushed his first three records off the charts, earning him Grammy nominations and an award for World’s Best Selling Rock Group of 2007. Baptized presents a Daughtry we’ve never heard before. With a new set of producers who have copious amounts of pop experience, Daughtry’s music is showing evidence of popfusion. Still holding true to surging fretwork, raspy vocalism, and high-soaring power ballads, this album showcases synthesizers and an abundance of electronica along with far more color wrapped in the music—straying from the standard grays of modern mainstream rock. Some may argue that Daughtry has sold out to the pop-agenda to raise the bottom line, but this shows him moving in strides towards adaptability and longevity in the industry—not to mention the new style kicks ass.

pg 6 • MAROON WEEKLY • November 27, 2013 • maroonweekly.com

Cody Canada

“Some Old, Some New, Maybe a Cover or Two”

Release Date: Nov. 19, 2013 One of the most iconic voices on the red dirt circuit has delivered on a longawaited request from fans. Since the disbandment of Cross Canadian Ragweed, Cody Canada’s faithfuls have been waiting for a compilation record of his charttopping hits as Ragweed’s lead singer and with his new group, The Departed. Finally, Canada has dropped a 19-track live record that covers the scope of his music career and even ventures into some other legends’ songbooks. Canada’s raw vocals come across even better in a live set, and the set list isn’t spared from his bone-chilling harmonica accompaniment. Covering fan-favorites—including “17” and “Constantly”—Canada even ventures into the King of Country’s repertoire, ending the album with “Unwound” (George Strait’s first radio single). Recommended Tracks: Ruby Ridge, 51 Pieces

Mishka

“The Journey”

Release Date: Nov. 19, 2013 When asked to scope out one of the most unique and easy-listening reggae musicians in the business, most of us would look toward Jamaica. But Canada? Nova Scotia-native Mishka dropped his seventh studio album with all the charm of a Jack Johnson release and an abundance of Marley-esque flavor. Twelve tracks take you on a journey across typical island beats, through some vintage pop-laden poetry, in between a few heavy ballads, then back to the lighter feelgoods that encompass the majority of the genre. This album embodies all of the characteristics of a well-rounded multi-purpose album, perfect for any time, place, or setting. Mishka explores a variety of new styles while keeping listeners rooted close to home with the sound fans have come to love. Recommended Tracks: The Journey, As You Are

Apocalyptica

Release Date: “Wagner Reloaded (Live)” Nov. 19, 2013 Put Slipknot in a suit or throw Mozart into a mosh pit, add a little class to the thrash, and you’ve got the essence of Apocalyptica. Cello metal is actually a thing. Redefining a plurality of musical boundaries, three cello players and their lone drummer have been wowing crowds for two decades with a grungy appearance and a sound that would serenade your grandmother or the local metal head alike. Their eighth record, an entirely live set recorded during their show in Leipzig, Germany, is 14 tracks that capture as much of the feeling and exhilaration in their live shows as possible without the lights and histrionics. This record is perfect for long-time faithfuls to get psyched about and for neophytes to get hooked on. Recommended Tracks: Genesis, Path in Life maroonweekly.com • November 27, 2013 • MAROON WEEKLY • p 7

BY CHEYENNE MUELLER

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979-823-4837 pg 8 • MAROON WEEKLY • November 27, 2013 • maroonweekly.com

The U.S. Postal Service designated College Station, Texas in 1877, the name originating from a train station located near Texas A&M University campus. On October 19, 1938, citizens voted 217 to 39 in favor of incorporating the City of College Station. The City of College Station will recognize its 75th anniversary with an exhibit at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum starting November 16 and running until January 4. “College Station: A Community History” features local memorabilia, artifacts, and stories that capture the unique history of College Station, Texas from the time of its inception leading up to today. The items on display are categorized into various sections, highlighting legacy families, homes, schools, businesses, media, and government associated with College Station during its evolution from an outlying rural area to a city of almost 100,000 in population. There will be many items on display, including an original playbook and championship ring owned by the late Manning Smith, assistant coach of the 1939 National Champion Texas A&M University football team. There will also be four aluminum propeller blades from the Enola Gay B-29 bomber, the plane that dropped an atomic bomb Hiroshima, Japan during World War II. FREDDIE, College Station Police Department’s robot mascot, will be on display, too. Purchased in the late ‘70s, FREDDIE helped police officers teach local children about safety. He’s become a symbol of the city’s commitment to community policing and a remnant of our 20th-century love of robots. George Bush Library and Museum is open Monday through Saturday, from 9:30am-5pm, and Sunday, noon to 5pm, and tickets will stop selling at 4:45pm. Parking is free for museum visitors in Lot 41 in front of the museum. Tickets range in prices. Adults 18-61 are $9. Senior citizens, ages 62 and up are $7. Retired military with ID are $7. Youth, ages 6-17 are $3, and children (5 and under) are free. Texas A&M University and Blinn College Students with ID are free, while other college students with ID are $3. Active-duty military and up to 5 family members with ID is free, and a group rate with 20 or more people is $6/person. The museum is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

By Chandler Hodo

Miss Kay’s Duck Commander Kitchen: Faith, Family, and Food—Bringing Our Home to Your Table

By Kay Robertson

Each episode in the Duck Dynasty TV series concludes with the whole Robertson family gathered around the dinner table as they enjoy their Sunday evening feast. Matriarch and cook of the family, Miss Kay, has compiled more than 100 of the family’s favorite recipes, from sweet potato pie and cranberry salad to crawfish fettuccine. Enjoy recipes such as Willie’s Famous Chicken Strips, Melt-in-Your-Mouth Biscuits, Cheesy Corn Casserole, Fresh Strawberry Pie, and more. Miss Kay also serves up old family snapshots from the pre-Duck Dynasty days, along with anecdotes about the Robertson clan, what they value, and how they live.

The First Phone Call from Heaven: A Novel By Mitch Albom Sully Sullivan was released from jail after serving two years for a crime that he did not commit. He returns to his hometown of Coldwater, a small city on Lake Michigan that gains worldwide attention when its citizens begin to receive strange phone calls from departed loved ones in heaven. As countless media crews and thousands of individuals pour into Coldwater to witness the phenomenon for themselves, skeptics and opportunists alike make their opinions known. Sully, who is still grieving the recent loss of his wife while trying to raise his young son as a single dad, doubts the seemingly ludicrous claims of the townspeople. When he sees that his son is disturbed by the media frenzy and desperately awaiting a call from his late mother, Sully vows to get to the bottom of the mystery that has plagued his town. On his quest for answers, Sully learns about truth, belief, and forgiveness, and he discovers information that will change his life forever.

Shark Tank Jump Start Your Business:

How to Launch and Grow a Business from Concept to Cash By Michael Parish DuDell From the hit TV show Shark Tank comes this bestselling book written by and filled with guidance from the sharks themselves. Mark Cuban, Barbara Corcoran, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Daymond John, and Kevin O’Leary are self-made billionaire entrepreneurs and are dishing out their best advice to readers. If you’re considering starting a business of your own or expanding one that you already have, this book can provide you with the tools you’ll need to achieve your goals. Along with inspirational anecdotes and success stories, the book also teaches readers about creating a business model, planning a company launch, running a business without breaking the bank, and how to pitch an idea or business plan like a pro.

maroonweekly.com • November 27, 2013 • MAROON WEEKLY • p 9

Blackwater Draw Brewing Company 303 Boyett Dr. 979.575.9828

SUNDAY-SATURDAY 11 AM - 2 AM

Price - $$ Cuisine - American Parking - Private lot Patio - No Noise Level: Low Atmosphere: Casual Signature Dishes - Sliders, Homemade Pretzels

$ ($5 - 10) ramen noodle budget $$ ($10-15) part-time job $$$ ($15-20) hard-earned cash $$$$ (Over $20) mommy and daddy are in town

Blackwater Draw is Craft Beer and Craft Food By Amanda L. Reynolds Blackwater Draw is a dry stream channel that begins at the Texas-New Mexico border and is considered the primary source for the mighty Brazos River. Aside from being a cool name for a brewpub, the concept of going straight to the source is an ideal Chris Steele and Chris Weingart are hoping to embody with Blackwater Draw Brewing Company. Steele and Weingart have made accessibility to “local” a priority at BWD. They are currently working with the Howdy Farm at Texas A&M to source local produce for use in their food. Texas Akaushi beef makes an appearance in their sliders and is tender and buttery. When you take a bite, you get the full flavor of the beef and no other fillers or additives. Blackwater Draw has a huge Texan influence, from its name to the Bowie knives as tap handles. The first appetizer listed on their menu is Texas Hummus, made with black-eyed peas instead of garbanzo beans. Their pretzels are made and boiled in-house. These babies are made fresh to order and are soft and chewy, melting in your mouth, and are served with three different sauces: a spicy, wholegrain mustard (our favorite), a beer cheese sauce, and a spundekas sauce (a German cheese mixed with paprika).

pg 10 • MAROON WEEKLY • November 27, 2013 • maroonweekly.com

We were a little sad we didn’t get to try their bacon, because Steele made our mouth water when describing how they cure it in-house and slice it thick. Bacon lovers everywhere will rejoice because making an appearance on their menu will be a cup of bacon. Yes, you read that correctly: a cup of bacon. Last but not least, the beer. Blackwater Draw features three semi-permanent brews and one rotating tap. The Contract Killer is a coffee porter that is brewed with coffee sourced from local roaster, What’s the Buzz? The name is a funny jab at what’s referred to as contract brewing, which is when establishments boast they brew their own beer but really contract a larger brewery to do it for them and then they slap their label on it. For those who have reservations about the craft beer phenomenon, we’d recommend the College Station Kolsch. It’s a good gateway beer into the craft world.

If you’re used to drinking Budweiser or Miller Lite, this is like those beers but with a lot more flavor. Their last permanent tap is their SMaSH IPA, which means that it consists of a single malt and single hop. In each brewing of this beer, the hop could change, meaning it’ll have a different flavor every time. The fourth tap is a brewmaster’s choice that changes about every two weeks. Select small batches called “oneoffs” will be available as they are brewed. Brewmaster Weingart is excited about the opportunity to interact with his fellow beer drinkers and to get their feedback on beer brewed in-house. In addition to their own beers, Blackwater Draw also features Texas beers. So, for those aforementioned Budweiser and Miller Lite lovers, be ready to expand your palate to a whole new world. The kitchen is open from 11am-10pm, but just like their other Northgate neighbors, the bar is open until 2am to serve all of your refined beer needs.

Taz Indian Cuisine If you have never tasted Indian food, stop everything you’re doing and run down to Taz Indian Cuisine. With a wide selection of menu items and an outstanding lunch buffet, Taz is a must for any spicy food enthusiast. The blended curries in entrees such as the Chicken Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken are complex and savory. All portions are filling and come with the lightest, freshest naan(bread). Dine in or take out • 2416 Texas Ave S College Station, TX 77840 -- (979) 696-6560 • $$

Rosa’s Tortilla Factory Rosa’s continues to turn out outstanding traditional Mexican cuisine just like they turn out their light and fresh tortillas. Be sure not to miss out on their weekly taco trio special every Tuesday consisting of not one, not two, but three tacos accompanied by rice, beans and a side of their freshly, in-house prepared tortillas. Dine in, take out, or drive through • 710 University Dr E College Station, TX 77840 -- (979) 691-8501 • $-$$

hearty, not heavy Pasta Vegetable Soup & Apples Baked with Spiced Sugar

Cheap Eats Easy to Make and Easy on Your Green

By Cheyenne Mueller

When the Texas heat finally subsides and any type of cold front moves through the Lone Star, we tend to crave warm comfort foods to get us through the winter. But exactly what foods fall into this category? The definition of comfort food (yes, there is one) describes it as any food that provides a feeling of well being, often associated with childhood, home cooking, and warmth. This week’s Budget Belly features a healthier twist on these sometimes calorie-heavy favorites, two recipes that are inexpensive and easy to make.

Cenare Italian Restaurant For over three decades now, Cenare has been a versatile, traditional Italian restaurant, perfect for large gatherings or romantic evenings. With an extensive menu featuring multiple variations of chicken, seafood, veal, and pasta dishes, hardly anyone will be able to leave with an empty stomach. But should you finish your meal and still find a little room to spare, Cenare’s desserts--tiramisu, triple chocolate silk cake, chocolate dipped cannoli, and cheesecake--will sate your sweet tooth. Dine in • 404 University Dr E, College Station, TX 77840 -- (979) 696-7311 • $$-$$$

Downtown Uncorked Downtown Uncorked offers those looking to escape the loud, hectic bar scene a quiet relaxing refuge to have a glass of wine and sip away the day’s troubles. Though primarily a wine bar, Downtown Uncorked offers a healthy selection of beers from Miller Lite to Chimay Grand Reserve. The wine bar also serves light appetizers, such as hummus and cheese plates to complement your glass of vino or beer. Choose from a variety of Chardonnays, Merlots, Cabernets, and many more varietals. Don’t feel like you’re up to snuff on your wine knowledge? Let the helpful staff talk you through their wine list and help you select the best glass or bottle. Dine in • 206 W 26th Bryan, TX 77803 -- (979) 823-4837 $$-$$$

Hearty Pasta Vegetable Soup Ingredients: • 1 T. olive oil • 2 carrots, chopped • 1 large onion, finely chopped • 4 c. vegetable stock • 1, 14-ounce can chopped tomatoes • 7 ounces frozen mixed peas and beans • 8 ounces of fresh filled tortellini (we used spinach and ricotta) • handful of basil leaves (optional) • grated Parmesan (or vegetarian alternative), to serve

Apples Baked with Spiced Sugar Ingredients: • 6 green apples, halved horizontally • 2 T. sugar • 2 T. brown sugar • 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom • 1 stick of butter, cut into 12 pieces Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 325°. Grease a large baking dish. Place the apple, cut-side-up, in the dish. 2. Combine the sugar, brown sugar, and cardamom in a bowl. Sprinkle over the apple. Top each with a piece of butter.

Directions:

1. Heat oil in a pan. Fry the carrots and onion for 5 minutes until they start to soften. Add the 3. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the apples stock and tomatoes, simmer for 10 minutes. Add are puffed, golden and caramelized. Cool for 5 the peas and beans at the 5-minute mark. minutes. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream. 2. Once vegetables are tender, stir in the pasta. Return to boil and simmer for 2 minutes until the pasta is cooked. Stir in the basil. Season, and then serve in bowls topped with a sprinkling of Parmesan.

maroonweekly.com • November 27, 2013 • MAROON WEEKLY • p 11

pg 12 • MAROON WEEKLY • November 27, 2013 • maroonweekly.com

In this age, we consider ourselves impervious to most of the ailments and medical adversities our ancestors once faced. But even in this age, we are not immune to everything. On the contrary, cancer is still plaguing humanity at an alarming rate. It could be argued that our very advancement as a species, with our sophisticated technology, has played a large role in the increase of cancers. TAMU researchers have found a potential treatment in an unlikely, but very familiar, place. Meclizine is an antihistamine that was created in the 1950s. Its uses were primarily treating nausea, vertigo, and motion sickness, due to its high tolerability among patients. (The last thing you’d want do to someone already feeling sick is give them something with questionable side effects.) The drug also has the special ability of decreasing cellular oxygen consumption (also known as cellular respiration), which has allowed the drug to broaden its horizons, aiding in stroke and heart attack treatment.

By Katie Lea

Motion Sickness Drug to Take on Cancer

Now it is about to get an opportunity to become a true Jack-of-all-trades, by being enlisted into the realm of cancer treatments. While studying Meclizine’s effect on cellular respiration, Texas A&M AgriLife biochemist, Dr. Vishal M. Gohil, discovered an important relationship involving a metabolite called phosphoethanolamine (try to say that three times fast, or even once). Gohil believes this link to the metabolite, which is required to form cell membranes, will be the key to using Meclizine to treat infectious diseases and cancer.

maroonweekly.com • November 27, 2013 • MAROON WEEKLY • p 13

pg 14 • MAROON WEEKLY • November 27, 2013 • maroonweekly.com

By Topher Hawkes

STAR WARS: TINY DEATH STAR Star Wars: Tiny Deathstar for iPhone and Android Darth Vader and Emperor Palpatine want more cash to construct their planet-crushing, rebel-smashing, super weapon. In the new game – Tiny Death Star – they’ve put you in charge of making money to build a better – teenier – Death Star. That’s no moon Tiny Death Star is an 8-bit simulation game that involves constructing a tower comprised of business and residential floors. Each residential level can hold five bitizens (the inhabitants of the game) who can be assigned to jobs on business levels to earn more dough. Each business level – food, service, recreation or retail – has three jobs open for bitizens to work. Money is earned by telling these workers to place orders, which takes a set amount of time like many other games of this genre. Once a product is ordered, then the level’s workers stock the products and sell them to visiting bitizens. There are bonuses given if all the workers on a floor sell products at the same time. In addition, imperial floors don’t require any workers or tenants but are used by the Empire to construct weapons or to conduct research. Fun on an elevator One of the most important aspects of the game is the elevator. It is the 8-bit inhabitants’ only means of transportation. Arrivals show up every few seconds, inform the player what floor they want to go to, and, if taken there, they reduce the time spent waiting for tasks or orders. A disturbance in the Force Everything in Star Wars: Tiny Death Star derives from the Star Wars universe. Floors are based on major scenes from the films. Residents might spend some down time at the Rancor Pit, shop at Watto’s Wares, or take a trip to the Mon Cala Aquarium. Also, bitizens share names with some of the most popular characters from the movies, such as Nyche Amidala, V. Calrissian and Thire Ackbar. Randomly, major heroes and villains such as Boba Fett, Han Solo, Yoda and R2-D2 can pop up at any time and shake things up. For instance, the Emperor asks for your help finding a rebel spy who has infiltrated security who turns out to be Princess Leia. After you tap the floor she is on, she evades Stormtroopers’ misfired shots, ducks inside an elevator, and blasts a few of them. It’s fun to watch (and watch again in the album section) as these 8-bit avatars interact with each other. Tiny tunes The sound effects are straight from the movies, blaster shots sound crisp and doors whiz open. Artoo’s whistles and squeals sound just as good as they did in the films. Fair warning: Expect quite a bit of nostalgia when you hear the re-mastered, retro rendition of the Star Wars score. The music is not high tech; it’s focused more on the theme in all of its 8-bit glory.

pg 15 • MAROON WEEKLY • November 27, 20,2013 2013••maroonweekly.com maroonweekly.com

maroonweekly.com • November 27, 2013 • MAROON WEEKLY • p 15

3 APPS YOU WON’T REGRET DOWNLOADING

By Luke Murray

CLUMSY NINJA In a world where ninjas are commonly perceived as neither seen nor heard, you wouldn’t imagine a clumsy and hapless ninja. A new generation of interactive characters is upon us, and this app brings it to the palm of your hand. Utilizing artificial intelligence to it maximum potential for a smartphone game, your Clumsy Ninja will react to your movements with amazing movements and lifelike senses…and even more lifelike bruises to match the wallops you can dish out. Train your ninja with new tricks and upgrade your wardrobe with new gear. Record your best stunts and share them with friends. The options are limitless with your very own pocket ninja, but most importantly, stay clumsy, my friends. – FREE PAPRIKA RECIPE MANAGER It’s the holiday season, and we will always celebrate as usually do—by gorging ourselves with overfilled plates of food. Keeping track of all those favorite holiday recipes can be a chore, and altering your desert recipes from one party to the next is quite a task (how were we supposed to know that Auntie Clara doesn’t eat marshmallows). Paprika Recipe Manager is here to help with an amazing interface that makes saving, storing, and sharing recipes easier than ever. Even download new culinary recipes from the internet in a flash, giving you the best last-minute dish for that last-minute invite your sister-in-law forgot to tell you about. – $2.99 GIFTS HD 2 Keeping in line with the holiday spirit, the shopping season is approaching fast. Black Friday, Cyber Monday, soaring credit card bills, and so many gifts are flummoxing you to the point of not seeing straight. Gifts HD 2 is here to serve as your personal shopping assistant, to help you get through the most hectic tasks of the year: keeping everyone happy while only blowing your budget one or two times over. Log dates for certain parties that you need gifts for, keep track of gifts that you buy certain people, monitor your budget, and keep a close eye on your tracking tool to stay as close to your bottom line as possible. ‘Tis the season to be savvy. – FREE

pg 16 • MAROON WEEKLY • November 27, 2013 • maroonweekly.com

Roadtrips and Getaways Within a Day’s Drive

Houston Holiday Parade By Cheyenne Mueller

What do you mean, we’re already at the end of November? It can’t be. Where has the time gone? Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and though the holiday isn’t widely known for its’ festivities, there’s always something for you to do if you look hard enough. If you’d prefer to change up your Thanksgiving routine this year, we’ve got just the thing(s) for you to do. If you’ve seen Miracle on 34th Street, then you know Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade was one of the turning points in the film, captivating both Doris Walker’s and the audience’s hearts. But we’re not going to tell you to fly to NYC; instead, you only need to hit the road to Houston for their 64th annual Holiday Parade. This year’s parade pays tribute to Houston by showcasing the city’s finest – inspiration coming from the city’s fashion, food, culture, and sports, to name a few.

TEXAS GRAND SLAM

11.07.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 23

Gates open at 7am, and the parade begins at 9am in Downtown Houston. There will be easy access parking available along the route, and metro buses will be running on holiday schedule. To ensure a full-access parade route, the Thanksgiving Day Parade will be free and open to the public with plenty of curbside space along the route for lawn chairs and blankets. After enjoying the daytime festivities, enjoy the crisp beauty of the evening at the Houston Zoo. TXU Energy has paired up with the Houston Zoo to present Zoo Lights, and the sights are bigger than ever, having added more than 1 million lights. Explore the enchanted forest (where you can see life-sized lighted animal sculptures), the all-new dollhouse village, and see holiday-themed trains chugging through the landscape. You’ll also be able to enjoy traditional treats of the season, like hot chocolate, funnel cakes, sticky buns, turkey legs, and s’mores as you stroll through lighted pathways. Lots near the zoo’s main entry will fill quickly, so get there early to find a good spot. On busy nights, alternative parking is available at Memorial Hermann Medical Plaza garage at 6400 Fannin for a fee of $7/vehicle, which includes free round trip trolley service to the Zoo’s main entrance. Cameras are encouraged. Zoo Lights will run from 6-10pm, and the last entry is at 9pm. Zoo Lights is a separate event from general Zoo admission, which closes at 5pm. Tickets for adults and children ages 2 and up are $12, $10 if you buy online, and infants under 2 years are free, but a ticket is required. Tickets are available on location or online at houstonzoo.org/zoolights.

maroonweekly.com • November 27, 2013 • MAROON WEEKLY • p 17

- By Brandon Nowalk -

Winter Preview

Catching Fire ACTION (PG-13)

The Hunger Games are back, but don’t call it a retread. Last time was all about survival, kids killing kids and trying to hang onto humanity. This time around is completely different, full of self-sacrifice and saving lives. For starters, archer heroine Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and her damsel in distress co-victor Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) are poster kids for revolution around the various colonies subjected to the games by the dictatorship at the Capitol. Donald Sutherland’s bloody-lipped, mustache-twirling President Snow pays Katniss a visit and threatens to have everyone she loves killed if she doesn’t play her part, including her old friend Gale (Liam Hemsworth) who is now taking to openly kissing Katniss. Thus, a film of dichotomies: Peeta or Gale, alliance or individual survival, and above all, playing the game or breaking the rules. A new director has been brought aboard, but it’s a lateral move. He replaces the overwrought shakycam of the original with a fetish for close-ups that denies the audience much perspective. Typically, close-ups are used for emphasis, but here it’s the wide shots that shock, chill, or inspire. Take the moment when the new tributes— selected from the pool of existing tributes like an all-star season of Survivor—are lined up on-stage after their big pre-game interview, and Katniss grabs the hands of Peeta and the tribute to her left. He grabs his partner’s hand and so on until the entire group of tributes who are supposedly about to face-off in a life-or-death battle are joined as one. Snow has the power turned off as quickly as he can, but that only augments the scene: now the victors are in silhouette, joined together as one shadowy mass, a stirring symbol of defiance. The film is full of these touches, these little acts of rebellion, like the trailer-ready image of Katniss shooting an arrow into one of the cameras. Individually, they’re each quite moving. Together, they’re the whole point. Even the love story’s better this time around. And the set-up for Mockingjay is so sneaky it’s beautiful, like Catching Fire’s own little act of defiance.

pg 18 • MAROON WEEKLY • November 27, 2013 • maroonweekly.com

The fall blockbuster season is about to give way to prestige Oscar pictures, but there are a couple more franchise poles to look forward to, including The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, which looks about a hundred times more interesting than the grueling first part and features the return of Legolas. But first is next week’s Oldboy remake by Spike Lee, about a man mysteriously imprisoned for 20 years and released to solve a mystery. Already receiving raves in limited release are Spike Jonze’s Her, in which Joaquin Phoenix falls for Siri, and the Coen brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis, about a Dylanesque folk singer. The star-studded elephants August: Osage County, American Hustle, and The Monuments Men could go either way, but expect some awards attention for stars like Meryl Streep and George Clooney. But I really can’t wait for Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street, which opens on Christmas.

Top 10 Thanksgiving Movies While it’s more of a television holiday, there are a few outstanding Thanksgiving movies. Many are about the stresses and joys of reuniting with friends and relatives, like Home for the Holidays, the recent indie Turkey Bowl, or Woody Allen’s masterpiece Hannah and Her Sisters. A darker version of the holiday family gathering is The Ice Storm, but for a more fun edgy Thanksgiving, go with The House of Yes, from the director Mean Girls. One more dark pick: Eli Roth’s trailer for a fake movie called Thanksgiving that plays in the middle of Grindhouse. For historical flavor, Terence Malick’s The New World has a centerpiece scene where the Powhatan tribe rescue the English settlers at Jamestown with maize and blankets. Best, though, is the buddy comedy Planes, Trains, and Automobiles.

1. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Katniss and Peeta are thrown into an all-star season of the hunger games, but something’s different this time around. Revolution is in the air. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jeffrey Wright, and Amanda Plummer join the cast. PG-13 (146 min.)

2. Thor: The Dark World

unsuspecting populace, like a cross between Borat and Jackass. R (92 min.)

8. Gravity

In this revolutionary 3-D rollercoaster, a space mission gone awry forces astronauts Sandra Bullock and George Clooney to fend for themselves among various space stations and to get back home. PG-13 (90 min.)

A valuable mystical substance infects Jane (Natalie Portman), so Thor (Chris Hemsworth) brings her to Valhalla while dark elves conspire to retrieve the substance. Also starring Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, and Rene Russo. PG-13 (112 min.)

9. 12 Years as a Slave

3. The Best Man Holiday

10. Dallas Buyers Club

In this sequel to 1999’s The Best Man, the cast of college friends reunites after 15 years to celebrate Christmas together, where the old jokes, romances, and hard feelings resurface. R (123 min.)

4. Delivery Man

Vince Vaughn plays a slacker who finds out a mix-up at the sperm bank has made him the father of 500-someodd children, which helps him find a direction in life. PG-13 (107 min.)

5. Free Birds

Just in time for Thanksgiving, two turkeys get the bright idea to travel back in time and prevent turkey from becoming a holiday staple in this cartoon. Voice cast includes Owen Wilson and Amy Poehler. PG (91 min.)

6. Last Vegas

Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro, Kevin Kline, and Morgan Freeman go to Las Vegas for a bachelor party in this fish-out-of-water comedy. Think The Hangover meets Grumpy Old Men.

7. Bad Grandpa

Johnny Knoxville gets out the old-age make-up to play an 86-year-old man taking his 8-year-old grandson across the country. Their goal? To prank an

The Toronto Film Festival winner by chic arthouse director Steve McQueen chronicles the abduction of a free northern black man (Chiwetel Ejiofur) and his enslavement for 12 years on southern plantations. R (133 min.)

Matthew McConaughey plays a reallife Texan who was diagnosed HIVpositive and begins a ring to fasttrack meds not yet approved by the FDA by importing them from Mexico for HIV-positive Americans. Costarring Jennifer Garner, Jared Leto. R (117 min.)

11. Ender’s Game

The director of X-Men Origins: Wolverine condenses and regurgitates Orson Scott Card’s compelling young adult novel about a boy genius advancing through strategy school in order to destroy a potentially invading alien force. PG-13 (114 min.)

12. Captain Phillips

Based on a true story, Tom Hanks stars as the captain of a U.S. ship transporting supplies to Kenya when his ship comes under attack by Somali pirates in this journalistic depiction of international institutions colliding. PG-13 (134 min.)

13. About Time

The latest English rom-com-drama from the writer-director of Love Actually is this story about a young man who learns he can time travel within his own life and the woman (Rachel McAdams) he falls in love with. R (123 min.)

In a rural English village, a progressive minister and a skeptic team up to trade the old legend of a miraclegranting candle for a new way of performing miracles: spreading good deeds and compassion. PG (100 min.)

15. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

Our hero, Flint Lockwood, voiced by Bill Hader, leaves his job when he finds out the machine responsible for the original is still in operation, leading to another avalanche of foods crossed with animals. PG (95 min.)

16. The Book Thief

During World War II a young German girl who likes to steal books bonds with a Jewish refugee hiding from the Nazis in her parents’ basement. Geoffrey Rush stars as the family patriarch. PG-13 (131 min.)

17. All Is Lost

Robert Redford plays “Our Man,” a survivor of a shipwreck that leaves him stranded on a life raft with diminishing resources as he tries to get home. Directed by JC Chandor (Margin Call). PG-13 (106 min.)

18. Nebraska

Bruce Dern plays an old man who believes he won a million-dollar sweepstakes, and Will Forte plays his son, who knows there is no money... but accompanies his father to Lincoln, Nebraska anyway. R (115 min.)

19. Despicable Me 2

The heroic Anti-Villain League hires Steve Carell as a grumbling supervillain turned adoptive father to help fight a new supervillain. Featuring the voices of Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt, and Russell Brand. PG (98 min.)

20. Enough Said

Julia Louis-Dreyfus befriends a hippie poet (Catherine Keener) and her exhusband James Gandolfini at the same party. Her relationships with each start to threaten each other. Her college-bound daughter only cranks up her emotions. PG-13 (93 min.)

14. The Christmas Candle maroonweekly.com • November 27, 2013 • MAROON WEEKLY • p 19

Drink Slinger

GET TO KNOW YOUR FAVORITE BCS BARTENDERS

ANSWERS from page 21

SLINGER OF THE WEEK

Tyler Flewellen La Bodega

MW: If you were a drink, what would you be? T: A Shiner Bock. MW: Do you ever experiment with new drink recipes? T: Yes. I do a lot. Its how I make every single one of my shots. MW: If you could bar chat with one person—a celebrity, sport star, anyone—who would it be? What would you talk about? T: Rob Gronkowski. We would talk about women and football. Probably a vodka Redbull. MW: What is your personal favorite drink? T: A Shiner Bock MW: What is the worst mixing combination? T: Gin and Gin. MW: If you could only make one drink for the rest of your life what would it be? T: A Shiner Bock. MW: What is the most disgusting drink people ask you for? T: Redd’s Apple Ale.

Slinger’s Signature Drink MW: What is your signature drink? T: Sangria Shaker.

pg 20 • MAROON WEEKLY • November 27, 2013 • maroonweekly.com

“BERRY GOOD”

- BE AN AGENT OF CHANGE

by Matt Jones Across

Down

1 Composer with a clavier 5 “Grumpy Old Men” actor Davis 10 Be choosy 13 ___ & the Bunnymen 14 Dessert dipped in coffee 16 Aunt, in Avila 17 What a forceful noblewoman often does? 20 Genre for Jay-Z 21 “Magnum, P.I.” star 22 SSW, e.g. 24 Having great balance? 28 Gets on Halloween 29 Grammy winner for “Shepherd Moons” 31 Noodle or beach ball 33 Command for a sheep’s fleece to grow bigger? 35 Toy magnate Schwarz 38 Attach, as string to a package 39 Cpl. or sgt. 40 Hatch of politics 42 Normal: abbr. 43 Five knit in one day, perhaps? 46 Permit holder, often 47 Actress Fisher of Season 4 of “Arrested Development” 48 Surgery suffix 51 “Hey, what’s the big ___?” 53 Cool, daddy-o 54 Prickly bush 56 “Bang and Blame” band 58 “Yup, that’s the sound a stream makes”? 64 Pick-up capacity? 65 E.B. White output 66 Haleakala’s island 67 Players who only bat, briefly 68 Monica that raised a racket 69 Bank features

1 Casino transaction 2 “___ du lieber!” 3 Bright lipstick choice 4 Jorge’s hi 5 Detective Adrian Monk’s condition 6 Retiring 7 The Red October, e.g. 8 401(k) relatives 9 Che Guevara’s real first name 10 “None of the above” relative 11 King or queen 12 Robot’s jobs 15 Bob Ross’s art medium 18 Tax mo. 19 Kill 22 Moneys owed 23 Nunavut native 25 Twitter’s was on November 7th, 2013 26 “Roseanne” surname 27 Start of some search engine queries 30 George Harrison’s “All Those Years ___” 32 Plundered 34 Cast often seen together 35 Newbs 36 Ring bearer’s path 37 Ready to pour 41 A grand slam gets four 44 Of a noticeably smaller amount 45 Before, to Donne 46 Bausch & ___ 48 Went out 49 Teen infatuation 50 Ball field covers 52 Exist 55 Cushiness 57 Stone on the big screen 59 ___ pal 60 “Marble” bread 61 Letter before tee 62 ___ Lock (computer key) 63 Antiquated affirmative �2013 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@ jonesincrosswords.com)

maroonweekly.com • November 27, 2013 • MAROON WEEKLY • p 21

pg 22 • MAROON WEEKLY • November 27, 2013 • maroonweekly.com

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s good to be the King!

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