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THURSDay, OCTOBER 20, 2011
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NINERTIMES Thursday, October 20, 2011
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History professor receives award Ryan Pitkin Rp i t k i n @ uncc . e d u
Men participating in last year’s Walk-A-Mile in Her Shoes, hosted by the MRC, an event to help raise awareness for domestic violence.
The Association of Black Women Historians (ABWH) awarded Cheryl D. Hicks, a UNC Charlotte history professor, the Letitia Woods Brown Book Award for her book “Talk With You Like a Woman: African American Women, Justice and Reform in New York, 1890-1935.” ABWH is a group that Hicks said did not only influence her but mentored her. The award recognizes “innovative, well-researched and insightful scholarship [about or by an Africana woman] that enhances the growing corpus of Africana women’s historiography,” according to the ABWH website. “[The ABWH’s] scholarship has been a model for me, through my entire process from being a grad student, to becoming an assistant professor, to my position now as associate professor,” said Hicks. “I am able to do my work because of their groundbreaking scholarship, so to have them recognize my work is very important and very special to me.” Although Hicks was aware that the UNC Press, which published the book, had submitted the work for consideration for some awards when they published it in 2010, she was informed that she won the prize by ABWH at a luncheon Saturday, Oct. 8, 2011. The luncheon was held just before the major annual convention of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH), where the ABWH was founded in 1977.
FILE PHOTO
Men walk it out Molly Mulhern mmu l h e r 1 @ uncc . e d u
The Multicultural Resource Center (MRC) will host Walk-A-Mile & These Hands Don’t Hurt on the Student Union Rotunda at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2011, in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month. “We typically have about 200 students who engage in both Walk-A-Mile & These Hands Don’t Hurt every year,” said Ted Lewis, assistant director for Sexual and
Gender Diversity at the MRC. “The program works to get men involved in antiviolence work and to take a stand against relationship violence, since 89 percent of all perpetrators of relationship violence are men.” The Walk-A-Mile event asks male students to volunteer to walk in women’s highheeled shoes as a way of better relating to what they go through on a daily basis, while These Hands Don’t Hurt asks each participant to take a pledge against domestic violence.
AWARD p.3
“The men participants walk around the union rotunda twice. It is not a literal mile,” said Lewis. “They carry signs with statistics or information about relationship violence.” The program is part of a month long, campus wide effort sponsored by the Wellness Promotion Department, the MRC and various other campus organizations to raise awareness about the harmful consequences of relationship violence. Designed to help students recognize warning signs of a violent relationship in family or friends, WALK p.3
Features
OPinion
New observatory: As-
tronomy is a little known program at UNC Charlotte, but this unique study deserves some attention from campus as it has much to boast.
Sigma Kappa: Sigma Kappa
was founded at the university in 1989 and was the last sorority added to the campus up until this year. “One Heart, One Way,” is the phrase among the sisters. p.8
Sports
News
To use or not to use?
Making a difference
Naught Niner A is back in her new-
NOW will be arranging a recycling
est column. If you do decide to buy
event for National Make a Difference
condoms, and you have figured out
Day on Saturday, Oct. 22.
what you like, here is some expert
Students can bring their plastic bags to the event and receieve a reusab;e 49er bag. Student will also be able to decorate and customize their own bag.
advice. Condoms: Everyone needs them, and they are everywhere.
Weekly Niner Scores p.5
p.12
p.2
On campus delivery to come soon Malcolm Carter
mca rte 7 2 @ uncc . e d u
Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE), a student organization on campus, has begun planning for a new project, FETCH, which will be room service for students living on campus. FETCH is not an acronym, but rather “it’s the name of the project that was designed by the orignal two members [Caitlin Guesser and partner Brian King]. They began making connections with Chartwells and Auxiliary Services to begin this process. Since we’re planning to be a food delivery service, it’s kind of like we’re FETCHing the food for people,” said Jonathan Curry, coproject leader and third year management and information systems double-major. Curry knows that students may be reluc DELIVERY p.2
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NINERTIMES
ThursDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2011
Make a difference NOW News briefs Ashley Dorrell a d o r r e l l 1 @ uncc . e d u
Niners on the Weekend (NOW) will be arranging a recycling event for National Make a Difference Day on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011, in Norms from noon until 3:00 p.m. Eunice Ho and Lorie Rogers want students to bring their plastic bags and recyclables to the event in exchange for a reusable 49er bag. Students will also be able to decorate and customize their bags. “They can make it their own and even use it at Outtakes,” said Rogers. Despite having done Make a Difference Day before, this is the first year that NOW has done something of this nature. “We wanted to create a recycling awareness day in the 49er community. We believe that recycling makes a difference to the environment and our community,” said Ho. All students are invited to attend the free event. NOW worked with the recycling program UNC Charlotte Recycles to plan the event. UNC Charlotte Recycles also provided
Fraternity hosts awareness week
UNC Charlotte’s Office of Information Technology Services will host an open house on Friday, Oct. 21, 2011, from 2 to 4 p.m. on the third floor of the Kennedy building. The open house is to celebrate the relocation of the Enterprise Information Management Group, and free refreshments will be provided. Eden Creamer
UNC Charlotte’s chapter of Alpha Sigma Phi will host “LiveStrong Week” from Monday, Oct. 24, 2011, through Friday, Oct. 28, 2011. The week focuses on raising awareness for testicular cancer around campus. Numerous events will occur during the week. On Thursday, Oct. 27, 2011, James Contratto will speak about testicular cancer, and on the last day of the awareness week, Friday, Oct. 28, 2011, the fraternity will host a 24-hour bike-a-thon. The bikea-thon will begin at the corner of John Kirk Drive and University City Blvd. Proceeds from events will be donated to the Lance Armstrong LiveStrong Foundation. For more information, contact Carl Duda at 336-457-3949. Eden Creamer
Food recycling program celebrates 20th anniversary
brochures and pencils made of recycled newspaper to give away and provided ideas on how students can recycle. “We started brainstorming in early September and went through a lot of ideas and finally came up with a solid one. Recycling was one of the first ideas we had,” said Ho.
DELIVERY from p.1 tant to use the service, and he gave reasons for why it would be beneficial to students. “People may say, ‘I can already order pizza from Dominos or I can go to Wendy’s and pick up my food’. Well [FETCH] will be able to bring that food directly to the door. For instance, if you order food at 2 from Dominos you’ve got to walk out to the road and meet that person,” said Curry. “FETCH is going to be able to bring it right to the door of your building, whether you’re in your residence hall, the engineering building all the way across campus or even in the library. It’s safer for students because they don’t have to be out at night and worry
Student office holds open house
about being attacked.” Curry hopes that FETCH will serve as a unification of a number of organizations on campus. “Chartwells manages all the food services on campus. SIFE is going to be the organization running all the food delivery services, making all the actual deliveries. We also have to work with Auxiliary Services because they’re the governing body who controls how we use the 49er Card for 49er money or [declining balance]. We’re still working on how we’re going to have people pay for this.” The workforce of FETCH will be limited to only those active members of SIFE.
The Food Recycling Program at UNC Charlotte is celebrating its twentieth anniversary. The event will be held on Monday, Oct. 24, 2011, at 12:15 in the Student Union Plaza. Those who attend are asked to bring a canned good. Faculty, students and staff are encouraged to participate. Contact Sean Langley at slangley@ uncc.edu or 704-687-2616 for more information. Eden Creamer
Panel discusses immigration The Department of Political Science at UNC Charlotte will host “The Continuing Impasse on Immigration,” a panel discussion which will take place in the Barnhardt Student Activity Center. The discussion, which will be on Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2011, at 7 p.m. will be free and open to the public. Featured panelists are David Coates and Peter Slavelis, editors for a publication about immigration, and the moderator will be Gregory Weeks, associate professor of political science at UNC Charlotte. A book signing and reception will take place after the discussion. Eden Creamer
Former ambassador to speak at UNC Charlotte UNC Charlotte will host Edward Peck, previously an ambassador to Mauritania, for part of the International Speaker Series. Peck’s speech, “Peck’s Postulates: The Four Keys to Total Understanding of International Relations,” will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2011, at 3:30 p.m. in the Halton Reading Room of J. Murrey Atkins Library. Peck, who works with international governments and businesses, has held intelligence positions within the U.S. government, and various other positions. The International Speaker Series has been at UNC Charlotte for four years, and is free and open to anyone who wishes to attend. For more information, contact the Office of International Programs at international@uncc.edu. Eden Creamer
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THURSDay, OCTOBER 20, 2011
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AWARD from p.1 In the acknowledgements section of the book, Hicks recalls that joining UNC Charlotte’s history department in 2007 “provided a wonderfully collegial environment for me as I completed manuscript revisions.” She is still thankful that her coworkers were so encouraging, even helping read over portions she wanted to clear up. “The department is full of scholar teachers that understood the importance of completing your first book,” she said. In her first book, Hicks explored the objects, mostly the black female objects, of urban reform at the turn of the century, she said. “Many historians have written about the middle class activists and what they were trying to do for the working class. I am interested in what the working class and working poor were thinking at this time.” The book is divided into three sections: African American Urban Life and the Multiple Meanings of Protection in the City, Urban Reform and Criminal Justice and Rehabilitation and Respectability and Race. Each section tells the stories of working-class women who find themselves caught up in a system that doesn’t care for their needs. Hicks focused on a reformatory and a
prison, two places where women who had fallen through the cracks often ended up, she said. She received a fellowship at the New York State Archives in Albany, N.Y. and began to go over reformatory records case by case. “There were about 424 case files for the one reformatory that I look at. That’s when I started to pull the stories together,” she said. Looking at prison files helped Hicks get a look from the perspective of an older group of women. “Most felons were in their mid-twenties and older, so I got a broad range of perspective of how women experienced the urban north and the real challenges they faced,” she said. The true importance of the book lies in these challenges, said Hicks. “Many reformers saw these single, unprotected women in trouble and decided that they were the problems that needed to be fixed. I was more interested in the problems that these women experienced in the city.” These challenges, that range from being physically assaulted by police to facing down a mother’s curfew on the night of a dance, become clear in the correspondence to and from the families of women incarcerated in prison or institutionalized in
reformatories. While reading the letters of her subjects, the voice of these women began to take shape, said Hicks. “The idea that the working class and the working poor [of that time period] don’t have a voice that’s legitimate and don’t have a voice that needs to be heard is something that I found to be clearly not true,” she said. “Looking at criminal justice records actually gave me a very clear sense of the continued struggle of the working class to improve their lives and particularly the lives of their younger relatives.” Hicks came across letters that showed families making sacrifices to prepare for a paroled relative to come home or just speaking to incarcerated loved ones. “Parents were sometimes writing in anguish because they saw their attempt to reform their relative through reformatories as a tool to help parent them, but the state simply saw them as incompetent parents.” One of the strongest letters Hicks came across was not to a loved one but to the superintendent of a reformatory from a woman who was incarcerated there. The letter was written by Lucy Cox, a poor woman who had been arrested for prostitution and whose letters demanding respect from ad-
ministration were ignored. In her final letter in 1924, Cox writes, “This is business I want to talk with you like a woman.” Hicks saw fit to name the book after this quote. “Her situation for me was a prime example for how these women could articulate what they were going through without anyone speaking for them,” Hicks said. “She also was demanding of the superintendent ‘Acknowledge my womanhood. Acknowledge that I am not just a person of humanity but also a woman who understands that you can make mistakes but you can learn to move on. Allow me to do that.’” Hicks is now in the initial stages of her next book project, an exploration of a legal case in 1904 New York that explores interracial intimacy as well as black civil rights, she said. The case, Elias vs. Platt, involves Hannah Elias, who many historians agree was the first black female millionaire and a case in which John R. Platt accused her of blackmailing him for $685,385. “It’s a story of her life as a poor black woman in Philadelphia and how she became a symbol for New York and the nation as a woman of wealth,” said Hicks. “It’s also a story of racial ambiguousness at the turn of the century.”
WALK from p.1 the series of events also teaches women how to defend themselves and what steps to take if they are ever in a domestic violence situation. “These Hands Don’t Hurt involves students pledging through their handprints on the campaign,” said Lewis. Last year’s campaign depicts the rainbow colored paint prints accompanied by the signatures of both female and male students taking a stand against abuse, violence and sexual assault in their community. “We also provide information on the ‘red flags’ of an abusive or unhealthy relationship, as well as resources for the survivors of relationship violence, information on healthy relationship habits, community resources and lots of free give-aways,” said Lewis. Domestic Violence Awareness Month has made its
presence on campus obvious, with the Clothesline Project t-shirts hung along the walkway outside Atkins, protesting sexual assault, abuse, hate crimes and abusive relationships. The Rape Aggression Defense program also equipped participants with the skills necessary to defend themselves against an attacker. Walk-A-Mile in Her Shoes and These Hands Don’t Hurt will continue to alert students about the often fatal outcomes of being involved with a violent partner. “I went to the event last year,” said Ali Tincher, a sophomore at UNC Charlotte. “I met a survivor of an abusive relationship and heard her story. It really put things in perspective for me and I realized that could’ve been my best friend or my sister. It can happen to anyone.” While the event sheds light on how common and of-
ten times unexpectedly familiar relationship violence is to many UNC Charlotte students, it also provides a refreshingly lighthearted way of approaching the issue. In contrast to events like Telling Amy’s Story, held earlier in the month, which documented the horror of a violent relationship turned deadly, Walk-A-Mile and These Hands Don’t Hurt allows students to approach the issue with a little fun, yet remaining conscious of the danger of violence in relationships. “How can you miss this event?” said Tincher. “Nobody should pass up the opportunity to see guys in their baggy jeans and fraternity hoodies teetering around the Student Union in four-inch red stilettos. Nothing is more entertaining.”
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NINERTIMES
ThursDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2011
OPINION PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS WHO:
To text or not to text? Olivia Stott
100
NINERTIMES Volume 24, Number 15 A Product of
o st o tt @ uncc . e d u
Take a peak in any classroom or lecture hall on campus and you will find your share of students cramming for an exam later that day, sleeping the class away, daydreaming, Facebook stalking, Skyping and last, but definitely not least, texting. Instead of seeing a class full of students learning, there is a class full of students texting. I have definitely noticed in my own classes that the vast majority of students take class time as their catch-up time to check emails, write papers, take a quick nap, or catch up with friends via texting. The texting is not a one or two text, short and sweet conversation; its an ongoing, endless conversation taking the entire one hour and 15 minutes of class. Another thing, the texting is not discrete. It is completely blatant and out in the open. Think this distracts the class? Well duh but the texters are not really thinking of this. It’s not good to be on Facebook or working on other work during class either, but at least it does not really distracting anyone like the “click click click buzzzzz” coming from a student texting, over and over again. Aside from distracting other students in class, blatant, frequent texting can annoy the professor or lecturer as well. As if they don’t have enough of a hard time capturing the minimal attention span of college students, we throw in the distraction of texting. Show your professor or lecturer some of the respect that they deserve and pay attention. If you don’t feel like paying attention, so be it, it happens to the best of us; but at least be respectful enough to not text during the class obviously in front of the professor. College students are not quite strong enough to not give in to the temptation of texting either.
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E x ecuti v e E ditor
Corey Conner
editor@nineronline.com niner times M anaging E ditor
Sent a text during an exam Believe texting is a major distraction Text in class daily Bring their phone to class everyday Say it’s easy to get away with texting in class You feel the buzz of the phone in your pocket against your leg, and you just have to look at it. It can’t wait for even three minutes, or the world will end. So you reply and are texted again, so you reply again. And there you have it, the endless cycle of texting. You get the picture. Eighteen to 24 year olds are sending 1,630 texts per month or three texts per hour. I wonder how many of those texts are sent in class! Texting in class frequently hurts us too. When someone is enthralled in something mentally such as Facebook or texting, it takes about 15 minutes for the mind to
completely get back to focusing on the original task at hand. Sprinkle a few texts through a class, and you have a recipe for daydreaming and not focusing on the lecture at all. You may be hearing it, but your brain is not completely focused on it. Detrimental combination. The statistics speak for themselves: 92 percent of students text in class daily. Not too good if you ask me. The moral of the story? Don’t be one of those students who spends the entire class blatantly texting. It hurts your classmates, it hurts your professor and it hurts you.
I believe in Goodwill...the store Allison Slade as l a d e @ uncc . e d u
For as long as I can remember the thought of buying slightly used clothes absolutely repulsed me, but as times got hard and money became tight, the notion of shopping at Goodwill didn’t seem so bad to me. I originally got hooked on shopping at Goodwill after my mother got out of the hospital, none of her clothes fit due to the immense amount of weight she lost and she did not feel like buying more clothes at the mall when she knew that she’d be putting on more weight quickly. That’s when shopping for clothes with my mother at Goodwill became a bonding experience, a favorite past time that we began to share. Gradually, it became second nature to me, to a point where buying items somewhere else felt wrong and paying full retail price on a pair of jeans almost made me sick. To this very day 99.9 percent of the things in my closet are from Goodwill. It definitely was a gradual process for me, wrapping my head around shopping for my clothes at Goodwill. I felt like people would notice and that the world around me would look at me differently, but by shopping at Goodwill it
made me realize, I am who I am and I have to stop worrying about what other people are going to think and just wear and do whatever makes me happy. That is why I believe in Goodwill. I believe one woman’s trash is another woman’s treasure. I believe in discovering vintage clothes first hand, and I believe in shopping at a bargain. I love the thrill of walking into Goodwill and not really knowing what I’ll find. When it comes to shopping at malls and retail stores, you basically know what to expect before even walking in. At this point in my life, shopping at Goodwill isn’t just for saving money anymore, now I look at shopping there as a way to get away from the mundane of retail stores and the people in them. Goodwill gives me an opportunity to be creative and put outfits together on the spot. It gives me a chance to fully express my sense of style by mixing vintage clothing with other items I find; however with retail stores they already have outfits made out on mannequins to give people ideas on what to buy and put together. That’s just boring, it takes the feeling and creativity out of fashion when there are mannequins basically telling you “we know, there is a ton of stuff in this store that looks like it doesn’t go together, but don’t worry
we’ve done all the work for you in putting outfits together, you’re welcome.” There is definitely a process behind shopping at Goodwill. First you must choose your Goodwill wisely, shop at a Goodwill in an area that is very high-end. People who live in high-end areas and who wear high-end clothes are going to donate these clothes, and usually these people also donate clothes that they haven’t worn if it isn’t in season. Second rule when shopping at Goodwill is to buy clothes that look new, don’t buy anything that has a hole in it or has stains, smells, or marks that you can’t get out. And finally, the biggest rule when shopping at Goodwill, never, ever, ever buy underwear, bras, socks, or bathing suits at Goodwill. Not only is that just disgusting, but it is just common sense. At least one time in everyone’s life they should shop at Goodwill, which I strain to say because the more people I see at Goodwill the fewer clothes there are for me; but I really believe that this experience will change someone’s perspective on clothing forever. In times of recession and high prices the last thing you should have to worry about is what you’re going to wear tomorrow.
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THURSDay, OCTOBER 20, 2011
Running in the green race America struggles to keep up with other countries in the race for green energy Brandon Batton B B AT T O N @ uncc . e d u
America is waving as the rest of the world speeds by as our companies collapse into bankruptcy. The United States is backing out of the green race, in a pursuit to hug fossil fuel companies in hopes of providing economic stability. We head down the road where our government chooses to stick with old technology that won’t last in an effort to not have to compete with foreign countries. In the past couple of months, one of the biggest debates in Washington has been about the failure of Solyndra, a solar panel manufacturer that was held in high esteem by President Obama. It failed to meet with China’s extremely competitive green energy market, since we can’t compete with their prices. Honestly, America needs to stop trying to out manufacture foreign countries, and stick to its strong innovation and technological advances, not just manufacturing. The leading argument in Congress right now is cutting funding to companies that produce green technologies since they are all funded by federal loans through the stimulus
package. However, most companies that try to produce green energy end up needing to be bailed out since they are dealing with manufacturing these technologies. Republicans have been trying to force upon Congress a bill to stop funding of these companies, since they are losing money and instead drill for more oil. It is absurd to keep building up the oil companies, especially since according to the New York Times, America will have to produce 50 percent more renewable fuel by 2013 to keep a stable economy. Besides, supporting oil companies will only put more money in the pockets of company owners, all the while not creating jobs or lowering fuel prices for average American. The best solution is to advance technology and spend more money in research of renewable energy. Unfortunately, neither advancing existing technology nor doing research into new methods of renewable energy will produce many jobs. Likewise, dumping more money into the production of already existing renewable energy will produce jobs temporarily; however, the companies will face stiff competition with
the green race since we are so far behind. Instead they need to completely innovate and create something no one else is working on. This is the most plausible way that the U.S. can boost its economy and become the leader in renewable fuel.
Letters to the Editor Do you want your voice to be heard?
TIME TO
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OUT FROM THE CROWD Send your thoughts to editor@nineronline.com
Darwin the economist Robert H. Frank LO S A nge l es T i mes
With good reason, most contemporary economists regard Adam Smith as the founder of their discipline. But I would instead accord that honor to Charles Darwin, the pioneering naturalist. Although Darwin had no formal training in economics, he studied the works of early economists carefully, and the plants and animals that were his focus were embroiled in competitive struggles much like the ones we see in the marketplace. His observations forged an understanding of competition that is subtly but profoundly different from Smith’s. The celebrated invisible hand theory that Smith developed holds that unfettered markets will ultimately channel self-interest to serve the common good. But this idea is really just an interesting special case of Darwin’s more general theory. Smith did not claim that markets always channel greed in socially productive ways. For him, the remarkable thing was that they often appeared to. Although his account of how that happens lacks the gen-
Don’t be silly, wrap your willy C
foreign technologies. So let’s face the facts, America will not be able to compete with other countries for renewable energy products, nor will America be able maintain sufficient energy needs through fossil fuels for much longer. The U.S. has to try not to out compete its competitors in
erality that many of his most enthusiastic modern disciples ascribe to it, it will endure as one of mankind’s most impressive intellectual achievements. Consider his description of product design improvements or cost-reducing innovations. The entrepreneurs who introduce them hope to steal sales from rivals. They often succeed spectacularly in the short term, which pressures rivals to mimic the innovations. The ultimate beneficiaries of this competition, Smith explained, are not businesses but consumers, who enjoy ever better products at ever lower prices. In Darwin’s theory, natural selection favors traits and behaviors that promote individual reproductive success. Many of the examples he observed were closely analogous to Smith’s account of product design improvements. But Darwin also recognized that individual and group interests often conflict sharply and that, in those cases, individual interests generally trump group interests. The evolution of keen eyesight among hawks is an example of the former type. A mutation that led to slightly improved vision benefited the individual in which it
first occurred. By enabling that individual to catch more prey and feed more offspring, it spread quickly. Similar mutations accreted, with the result that virtually all modern hawks have astonishingly acute vision by human standards. Like Smith’s product design improvements, these mutations no longer confer relative advantage to individual hawks, but their ultimate effect was to make hawks more effective as a species. In many other cases, however, mutations that promote individual reproductive success prove costly to the larger group. A vivid case in point is the prodigious antlers of the bull elk. Like males of most other vertebrate species, these animals take more than one mate if they can. But if some succeed, others are left with none, making them the ultimate losers in Darwinian terms. It was thus inevitable that bulls would fight bitterly for access to females, and also inevitable that natural selection would spawn an arms race in the antlers that promoted success in those battles. But while the massive antlers of surviving bulls... Read more online at nineronline.com
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ondoms: everyone needs them, and they are everywhere. On campus you can pickup some at the health center. The health center offers a package with four condoms and free lube. Not to mention, they include cute little sayings in each packet like, “Before you swim, cover your limb.” But I recently ran into a problem. Wal-Mart, the company that sells the cheapest condoms of any store around, has recently put all of their condoms in a large plastic box. They don’t do it at every Wal-Mart, but the one closest to UNC Charlotte (on North Tryon Street) does. Why do they do it? Well, maybe people are stealing them? But what does it really do? I think it discourages people from using condoms. It’s embarrassing enough to carry around condoms anywhere, but a large eight by 10 box is pushing it. At some other establishments, like CVS Pharmacy, they keep them locked up behind a plastic wall. Does anyone really want to ask the cashier to get their condoms out from where the cigarettes are usually held? I think not. If you do decide to buy condoms, and you have figured out what you like, here is some expert advice: Trojan Condoms are expensive, but you’re buying a brand name. Durex makes a good alternative and they are a bit cheaper, one of my favorites is Durex “Extra Sensitive”. They’re the ones in a purple package. When it comes to warming condoms or cooling condoms, you really have to be careful. In the past, I have talked to several girls that tell me warming condoms really hurt and I can believe that. Another alternative that is frequently used for oral sex is non-lubricated condoms. If you are worried about the condoms breaking, it’s important to remember not to buy the extra sensitive kind and make sure to roll on the right size. It really does matter. Another tip, do not buy lambskin condoms even if your partner is allergic to latex. Try condoms that are polyurethane. Recently, some condom brands have been creating protection that does not include a reservoir tip, the area in the top of the condom where the ejaculation goes. This can cause a problem because the semen can come out the top of the condom, therefore not protecting anyone against STDs. Some people are really into condoms that are studded or ribbed, but from this girl’s perspective there is no difference. Recently, I used a ONE condom for the first time, and it hurt because it had so many studs on it. If you find a condom that you really like, I recommend going online and buying it in bulk. Condomjungle.com is a good site and condomania.com is also an option. If the health center is closed, you can buy condoms with DB in the Outtakes in the Student Union. Remember to use protection, and it’s never an excuse because you can get condoms on campus. - Naughty Niner A
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ThursDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2011
NINERTIMES
49 reasons you m
You might be a 49er if…. The reasons are never-ending. I, along with several UNC Charlotte students, gave some thoughts on what may make a student a 49er.
1. If you attend UNC Charlotte 2. You know what color green the university uses (Color code 349 on the Pantone Matching System) 3. You know what song the Belk tower plays at noon (The Fight Song) 4. You know what the Belk gym used to be called when the basketball teams played there (The Mine Shaft) 5. You like to show school spirit by wearing UNC Charlotte gear or anything green and white 6. You try out for the university mascot, Norm 7. You have trouble finding parking spots at the Fretwell parking lot for most of the day 8. You realize UNC Charlotte is near one of the fastest upcoming cities in North Carolina 9.You are open to a variety of people. No one Niner is alike. 10. You are aware that our school is always in contention in the Atlantic-10 conference for any sport! 11. You accept people with all kind of nationalities (The campus is flooded with students from all over the globe and the surrounding community is very diverse) 12. You are involved in many student organizations (There is always something to do on campus) 13. You spend enormous amounts of time at J. Murrey Atkins library (The library is huge as Niners can be found on all 10 floors at any time of the day) 14. You commute to school (Hence the fact that UNC Charlotte is such a great commuter school as many students live off campus and come from all different locations) 15. You step in goose droppings on the way to class 16. You miss being away from college on the occasion 17. You have a sudden urge to kill geese 18.You freak out every time someone outside of UNC Charlotte has heard of UNC Charlotte 19. You make your hands into “picks” when something is intense or exciting (This is what is done at UNC Charlotte basketball games during free throw shots) 20. Thursday becomes your new Friday 21. You know that Norm could defeat a Spartan any day 22. You forget you cannot use Declining Balance, aka DB, out in the real world 23. One of your Facebook friends is an old miner
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THURSDay, OCTOBER 20, 2011
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might be a 49er...
24. You are for the idea that being a part of UNC Charlotte means something bigger than just being a student. 25. You are prideful of being a student at Niner nation 26. You are extremely excited about the new UNC Charlotte football team coming soon that will help boost additional school spirit 27. You have many friends from all around the Charlotte area 28. You are a transfer student 29. You lived in Moore or Sanford Hall 30. You could never understand your math professor’s dialect 31. You loved Crown Commons the first week but have not been back since 32. The Student Union has become one of your many hang out spots 33. You honor the achievements of Bonnie Cone 34. You have done the Kayak Roll at Venture 35. You have used the secret tunnel as a means to get to class or anywhere else on campus 36. You find yourself on the second floor of Witherspoon Hall partying with the international students 37. You are an active student media member or read the Niner Times 38. You thoroughly listen to and enjoy the music of Brandon Kirkley and the Firecrackers 39. You had an immediate family member attend UNC Charlotte in the past, therefore making you a legend 40. You study abroad or have been to the study abroad fair 41. You are a sister in the Sigma Kappa sorority 42. You attended SOAR 43. You like to club at uptown Charlotte 44.You always are in need of a clicker, scantron and or blue book 45. You purchase Ramen noodles because they are cheap and delicious 46. You prefer to shop for books at Grey’s bookstore instead of the Barnes and Noble bookstore at UNC Charlotte 47. You make midnight Cookout runs with your friends 48. You appreciate the improvements of the infrastructure of the university grounds to enhance student campus life, such as a new building being constructed or a building already in place being renovated on campus (Spruce and Prospectors, for example) ......You might be a 49er if you read through this entire list with a smile on your face in agreement. Compiled by Sarah Obeid
File Photos
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NINERTIMES
ThursDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2011
features
Sigma Kappa Sorority: One Heart, One Way
Sorority Sisters posed together. Photo courtesy of Sgima Kappa Chelsey Mills cm i l l s 4 2 @ uncc . e d u
“One Heart, One Way,” is the phrase most commonly known among the Sigma Kappa sisters here at UNC Charlotte. Sigma Kappa was founded at the university in 1989, and was the last sorority added to the campus up until this year. However, Sigma Kappa was the first women’s Greek letter organization to be a sorority in the United States. Sigma Kappa was originally founded by five courageous young women who were lucky enough to attend Colby College in Waterville, Maine. This college was one of the first to allow women to attend. The strongly male dominated campus proved to be a difficult environment for these women, and because of that they bonded together to form an organization founded on a national society of women pursuing academic degrees. On Nov. 9, 1874, the faculty of Colby College approved the ladies petition to start their own Greek letter society and it became Sigma Kappa’s Founder Day. This day united these women and many others for generations to come as sisters for life. The Sigma Kappa sisters here at UNC Charlotte strive to maintain the same determination that those first five women demonstrated. The current chapter of sisters is very active in the community and is constantly hosting events in support of their philanthropies and other group projects. “In 1954, Sigma Kappa adopted gerontology, the study
of aging with a focus on Alzheimer’s. Sigma Kappa is second, only to the U.S. Government, in funding for the Alzheimer’s Association,” said Meaghan Mutka, president of Sigma Kappa. Since their start in promoting this organization, the foundation has granted more than $1 million in Alzheimer’s disease research and grants to investigators and practitioners who are continuously working to discover a cure to this illness. Sigma Kappa has gained most of their recognition among their support, fundraising and research for the Alzheimer’s Association. Sigma Kappa also places an emphasis on the awareness of Alzheimer’s. Tsahia Copeland, the Sigma Kappa philanthropy chair said, “As a chapter, we volunteer at local assisted living communities. We are able to talk to and spend time with Alzheimer’s patients and brighten their day by doing crafts, playing games and just spending time getting to know them. We also participate in our local Memory Walk every year and participate in many other philanthropic events throughout the year.” This year Sigma Kappa will host their first annual Ultra Violet Gala in recognition and support of the Alzheimer’s disease. Mutka said, “The gala will include dinner, entertainment, as well as a silent auction.” The guest speaker for the evening will be Dr. Michele Howard, Dean of Students. All proceeds from the gala will go to The Sigma Kappa Foundation which aids in Alzheimer’s research as well as provides scholarships. The tickets for this event are $20 for students and $30 for non-students and will be held in the Student Union on Oct. 15, 2011 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. This event will be black tie attire. However, the Alzheimer’s Association is not the only organization that these women represent. More recently, in 1992, Sigma Kappa has committed to “going green.” They took on a national service project called “Inherit the Earth.” They adopted a highway on University City Blvd. and also adopted a spot on the UNC Charlotte campus near the library. Sigma Kappa is responsible for keeping these particular areas clean and for promoting the idea of a healthier environment. Last, but certainly not least of all their philanthropic
ventures, the ladies of Sigma Kappa have supported the Maine Seacoast Mission the longest. In 1918, the mission was added to the top of the list of philanthropies for this sorority. Mutka said, “This was our first philanthropy to honor our founders who were from Maine.” Sigma Kappa collects books, clothing and toys on an annual Christmas wish list. All of these items are brought to an island off the coast of Maine by an icebreaker ship since the island freezes over and people that are living on the island are not even able to buy necessities during the harsh winter months. The women of Sigma Kappa could not agree with each other more when talking about the impact and effects that being a part of a sorority has had on their lives. This group of young women is proactive throughout the local community, and they take the idea of “community” to heart. They agree that they all function like a family away from home. “My sisters aren’t just my friends; they are my family. I’ve had times where my sisters believed in me more than I did and their support was unfailing.” said Beth Castle. Just as the sorority grows within its works around and outside of the school, so do the sisters that make up Sigma Kappa. They are ceaselessly building off of each other and laying the foundation for new sisters each year. The experiences that these women have faced together have been life altering. When asked about recommending anyone to the idea of pursuing Greek life, Castle said, “Imagine having tons of people to come home to that want you to do your best; they want you to succeed. Why would you reject that kind of support? I think that, if you are open to the experience and put everything you have in to building relationships between the people in your chapter, you can’t help but be stronger because of it.” Each of the Sigma Kappa sisters agrees that a pledge to these letters and this sorority is a pledge a sister makes for life. They also cannot deny the strong leadership qualities that they have acquired from the encounters that they have faced along the way. Mutka said, “This is not a four year organization, but for life. We wear letters today and we will be leaders tomorrow.”
Astronomy program features new observatory Olivia Stott o st o tt @ uncc . e d u
Astronomy is a little known program at UNC Charlotte, but this unique study deserves some attention from campus as it has much to boast. What is astronomy exactly? Sure, it’s the study of the stars and space, but more particularly it’s a branch of physics. Actually, students majoring in physics have the opportunity to have a concentration in astrophysics just by taking an introduction to astrophysics class as well as two junior or senior level classes: Astrophysics I which is a study of stars and Astrophysics II which is a study of galaxies and the universe. Looking down the road into graduate school, students can then go on to study astrophysics more intensely. UNC Charlotte does not offer a graduate program in astrophysics; however, the university does offer a Master of Science in applied physics and Master of Science in optical science and engineering. Currently about ten percent of students majoring in physics have a concentration in astrophysics. With about 140 students, physics is a relatively small major on campus compared to other majors, but physics is a relatively small major at most universities. Despite the seemingly small number, UNC Charlotte has the second largest physics program in the state after NC State. Why so few people in physics? Other than having the stereotype of being very difficult, not many people know about the physics department on campus and all of the things it has to offer, such as the astronomy concentration and hosting star parties.
Not interested in majoring in physics and concentrating in astrophysics? Well, that’s fine because introduction to astrophysics fulfills a general education science requirement. A hand full of students have even taken this class as a general education requirement and have decided to major in physics as they pursue their interest in astronomy. Susan Trammell and Elisabeth Benchich are both professors teaching the astrophysics courses on campus, and they both were eager to give their input on the astronomy program and all it has to offer. “What makes astronomy unique is that it is interesting, fun, and different. To be able to look into a telescope is a unique, gratifying, and inspiring experience. Once you’ve done it, you get hooked,” said Benchich, who earned a PhD in astronomy at the University of Texas in Austin. “The great thing about astrophysics is that it’s more of a pure science. Students studying physics and astrophysics in particular are curious about the world around them, and we study how nature works and why things work the way they do,” said Trammell. Trammell earned her undergraduate degree in physics at UNC Chapel Hill and went on to earn her PhD in astronomy at University of Texas in Austin. “Growing up, my mom was a biologist, and I knew I always wanted to be in science. I took an intro astronomy class in college and enjoyed it, so I talked to a professor and asked how I could learn more,” said Trammell. That is the number one advice she has to students across the campus. “Talk to your professors and ask them questions. You can also apply concepts learned in class by working on research
with a professor. There are a lot of good hands on research opportunities in this department and many departments across campus,” suggested Trammell. The physics department and astronomy program have much to offer to the students. There are many interesting research opportunities and a “clean room” for graduate students and even some undergraduate students to use. A “clean room” is a room without any dust where small scale optics are made and devices are manufactured. This is yet another unique, interesting feature of UNC Charlotte because not too many universities offer a clean room for students to use. Astronomy sounds interesting, but the real question is what exactly does an astronomer do? Probably more than you think; it’ definitely not just looking through telescopes all day. “About twice a year we go to Hawaii or Arizona to a big observatory for four or five days to collect data and bring it back. We have questions and search for answers based on the data we collect. It is important to know what an astronomer does every day if that is what you’re interested in. Shadow a professor if you have the opportunity to do so. Just ask a professor and take advantage of every opportunity you can,” said Trammell. The physics department on campus also features the “Society of Physics Students,” club that is involved with social activities, service projects, judging for high school science fairs and star parties on campus. For star parties, the Charlotte Amateur Astronomers Club partners with UNC Charlotte to bring telescopes together, often drawing a crowd of three hundred
people. Students across campus and the public are invited to these star parties at the observatory which is currently being relocated. Ground is breaking any time now for the new observatory. An observatory is basically a building with a roof that slides off so the telescopes can be used to view star clusters, planets and the moon. The new observatory may be constructed near Burson, although the location is not set in stone yet. Hopefully construction will be completed in time for the new observatory to open next semester in March or April so the campus can continue to host star parties for its students and the public. “I am really excited about the new observatory, and hopefully the new one will end up being even better than what we had before. I am hoping that the student body and the public will take interest and get involved with the upcoming star parties at the new observatory also,” said Benchich.
A full moon stands out in the sky. File Photo
NINERONLINE.COM
A&E
THURSDay, OCTOBER 20, 2011
LIVE MUSIC:
Darius Rucker Thursday, Oct. 20 7:30 p.m. NC Music Factory Time Warner Cable Uptown Amphitheatre
ON CAMPUS:
Days of Madness: Poetry Café Friday, Oct. 21 8:00 p.m. Student Union Norm’s
PAGE 9
NEW IN THEATERS: • Paranormal Activity 3 • The Three Musketeers • Johnny English Reborn In limited release: • Margin Call
The band members of Charlotte-based Cement Stars, who will release “Form & Temper,” their new EP. Photo courtesy of Cement Stars
“Form & Temper” release party Barry Falls bfa l l s 4 @ uncc . e d u
Drawing a lot of much-deserved attention in the Charlotte music scene recently, indie pop-rock group Cement Stars is set to perform this Friday at Snug Harbor to release their new EP. Founding members Shaun and Bryan Olson were kind enough to talk to me a little bit about their upcoming album, “Form & Temper.” Forming in 2006, Cement Stars was created by Chicago-born, Charlotte-based brothers Shaun (Miami Dice) and Bryan Olson. After years of writing and recording, Cement Stars collaborated with Charlotte producer and musician Paul Jensen and released a full-length album, “Geometrics.” Though it may seem surprising, neither brother has had any professional music lessons. “I started banging on pots and pans at the age of nine,” said Shaun. “I basically learned everything I know by listening to records and watching music videos. I eventually talked Bryan into playing guitar about six years ago. He picked it up really quickly. And the next thing we knew, we were writing songs together.” Since the release of “Geometrics”, the band has filtered through different band members. Percussionist Cody Hare joined the band in 2009, playing synthesizer and auxiliary percussion pieces for two years before leaving the group to pursue his solo electronic productions. In 2010, guitarist Joshua Faggart began contributing to the band as a guitarist and songwriter. Enid Valu and Kurt Dodrill joined the band earlier this year with Valu bringing synthesizer and vocals to the table and Dodrill marking the return of bass guitar to the band. The Olson brothers acknowledged that the change in band members has significantly changed the dynamic of the band’s sound. “We used to be a more electronic-based band. But once we got the new members, it grew into that full band sound that you hear with the new songs,” Shaun said. Later in March 2011, the band caught the ears of the founders of the Electric Mountain Music Group, who immediately saw potential in the artistic direction that Cement Stars was taking and asked the band to join the label. “It has been a pleasant, laid back experience working with [Electric Mountain Music]. They are all tal-
ented within their craft whether it is producing a record or designing album art work,” said Bryan. I had met Jason through a mutual friend and Scott shortly after when he emailed me about collaborating on a track he was developing. We never finished that track, but we did record an album.” The guys and girl of Cement Stars are in their mid to late twenties and the musical influences of the band reflect that. While the band did not acknowledge any specific recent musical groups that have had an impact on the band, they did acknowledge being “always inspired by what’s going on currently.” Friend of the band, photographer and photo editor Valu, joined Cement Stars earlier this year shortly after percussionist Hare left the band. Valu’s vocals are strewn throughout the quartet’s newest release with soft subtlety. Nevertheless, when her parts come, it is difficult not to be taken aback at how Valu’s delicate vocals and harmonic synthesizer can richly envelop the group’s sound. Kicking off the EP with “Passable Ghost,” Cement Stars layers guitar riffs and pulsing keyboard harmonies to take listeners to a dream-like state of consciousness before “Holograms” uses tribal percussions to transition into something a little more fast-paced. Both in “Holograms” as well as the following track “Fractals,” Bryan and Valu’s voices fuse into something truly majestic. Listeners will not likely be able to listen to “Fractals” in the background. Showing up in the middle of “Form & Temper” it is perhaps the highlight of the album. With barely-audible, high-pitched vocals that cut into the deep guitar intro like a knife, “Fractals” demands your full attention while taking your mind elsewhere. “Form & Temper” showcases a lot of heavily-layered sounds, making it difficult to believe that only guitar, synthesizer, bass and drums were used, especially in songs like “Fractals” and the equally grandiose “Ivy.” Following “Fractals,” “Misguided Sons” provides a welcomed change of pace. Featuring thumping guitar rhythms and detached vocal delivery, “Misguided Sons” blends electronic and surfy sounds together. Leaning more on instrumentals and away from the synthesized sounds, “Ivy” is a bit heavier than other tracks on the album. And “Run with the Night” brings the album to a satisfying, yet haunting end.
Drawing from a variety of musical groups from different areas both in time and geographically, Cement Stars skillfully demonstrates a musical style that appeals to a variety of music fans. Listeners of 70’s groups like Cocteau Twins and The Cure to fans of newer bands like Temper Trap, Mute Math or Explosions in the Sky are sure to appreciate what Cement Stars have done with “Form & Temper.” The band has shared the stage with popular acts such as Nite Jewel, Toro Y Moi, Future Islands, Ear Pwr, Yardwork, Autolux, Holy Ghost!, Holiday Shores and Twin Sister. Alongside Coma League and The Bear Romantic, Cement Stars are scheduled to perform this Friday at Snug Harbor to promote the release of the new album. Beginning with this album release show, Cement Stars is going to participate in a Southeastern tour through Fall to showcase “Form & Temper” with The Bear Romantic (led by multi-instrumentalist singer/ songwriter Jesse Clasen). The members of both bands have gone on record of citing a mutual appreciation of each others’ music. “[Clasen is] an awesome, talented dude. We have huge respect for each other,” Shaun Olson said of The Bear Romantic’s lead singer. “He and Bryan have done some recordings together and it just seemed natural to do a bunch of shows together.” The Bear Romantic released their freshman LP “Firewood” earlier this year as Clasen began forming a band around the tracks that he had already recorded. The Bear Romantic’s “Wild and Young” and Cement Stars’ “Ivy” will be released on “Jeff Hahne’s Homebrew Vol. 5,” a free compilation of some of Charlotte’s best new local music. Both bands will also perform next to Temperance League, Lucky Five, and Side by Side at the Hahne’s release party at Neighborhood Theatre Nov. 4. While not all music-listeners were enormously impressed by Cement Star’s debut “Geometrics,” it was hard to overlook the enormous potential the Olson brothers had even with such a limited production value. It is clear that the band, with the addition of some fresh talent, is really starting to find the sounds that they seemed to be looking for in “Geometrics.” With “Form & Temper” my only complaint is that it is only six tracks.
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NINERTIMES
ThursDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2011
The new kids on “Glee” Family Force 5 back in the music scene A Niner Times reporter takes a look inside the future episodes of “Glee” along with the new cast members Tricia Bangit tbang i t @ uncc . e d u
Since “Glee” will be on hiatus for a few more weeks there are many speculations about its new characters, namely those of the winners and runners-up of “The Glee Project,” which aired on Oxygen last summer. The creators of the show, who were on the hunt for new blood for the award-winning series, awarded the four remaining contestants Samuel Larsen, Damian McGinty, Lindsay Pierce and Alex Nuell with several episodes on “Glee.” The two winners have seven episodes while the runners-up have two-episode arcs. It has been three weeks since the premiere of “Glee’s” new season. True, runner-up Pierce has already made her appearance on the season 3 premiere, but winners Larson, McGinty and Nuell have yet to be seen. As runner-ups on “The Glee Project,” both Pierce and Nuell were awarded with two episodes on the “Glee.” On the reality show, 20 year-old Pierce marketed herself as the next Rachel (Lea Michele), a Broadway baby. She received flack from the judges and mentors for being a perfectionist and for having trouble showing vulnerability, traits that are also reminiscent of Rachel’s character. Sure enough, Harmony, Pierce’s character on “Glee,” ends up intimidating Rachel, who has been determined to prove that she’s ready for the big-time. When she sees how good of a performer Harmony is, Rachel starts to doubt her own talent. Little has been revealed about the rest of the new characters, but there is a rumor floating around that the dreadlocked, God-loving rocker Samuel will play Sue Sylvester’s (Jane Lynch) archnemesis. During “The Glee Project,” the 20-year-old expressed an interest in playing the guy whose band breaks up and finds his new musical outlet in the school’s glee club. Ryan Murphy also expressed several times during the show that he has wanted to put a Christian character into the glee club for a while, so maybe that is another layer that Samuel’s character can have.
Why Murphy seemed to find it important that the contenders share the same exact traits as their intended characters is unsure. Seeing as how Samuel unsuccessfully auditioned for “Glee” before and lost the role of Sam to Chord Overstreet, winning this time around seems like fate. Samuel’s 18-year-old co-winner McGinty, a former member of Irish singing group Celtic Thunder and lover of big band music, has envisioned himself playing the goofy foreign exchange student. It was mentioned by the show’s creators that this could be a character that Brittany (Heather Morris) finds both incredibly fascinating and confusing because she’d have such a hard time understanding his accent. According to TV.com, McGinty will appear in the next episode on Nov. 1 as an Irish exchange student that is taken in by Brittany’s family. The road to success was a hard one for McGinty, as he placed in the bottom three several times during the reality show competition. When McGinty’s best friend and fellow contestant Cameron quit the competition, it was revealed that he saved McGinty from being sent home. While Murphy mentioned that McGinty wasn’t the best dancer and singer out of the 12 contenders, he cited McGinty’s warm and humble spirit as a big reason for keeping him on board. The other “winning” contestant that was in the bottom three many times was Nuell, an 18-year-old boy with a wide vocal range and an extensive scarf collection who, according to McGinty, is a “born diva.” During the filming of “The Glee Project,” Nuell discovered an affinity for cross-dressing. It will be interesting to see if the show utilizes that aspect of his character, especially since he has just two episodes. Will Pierce’s character scare Rachel out of reaching for the stars? Will Brittany be able to adjust to the cultural quirks of the Irish exchange student living in her home? With the new season of “Glee” underway, it will be interesting to see what shenanigans and crazy new characters the writers have written for the new episodes. If you are anxiously waiting for the show to end its hiatus and having “Glee” withdrawals, check out episodes from “The Glee Project” on Oxygen’s website, www.Oxygen.com.
Now PLaying
Dream House Directed by: Jim Sheridan Daniel Craig, Naomi Watts, Rachel Weisz
MMMMM Haley Twist AE@nineronline.com Jim Sheridan’s “Dream House” is not as interesting as it is previewed to be. As a horror/thriller movie buff I had high hopes for “Dream House” when I saw the trailer for it in theaters. But what looked like a modern ghost story was actually a bit disappointing. “Dream House” is about a man named Will who leaves his job to spend more time with his wife and two young daughters as they fix up their new house. But as the movie progresses audiences realize that Will’s mind starts to play tricks on him. There have been many movies made in the past that have an “everything is not as it seems” undertone, and while this may be true for “Dream House,” the simple storyline is made out to be more complex than it actually is, which left me, as an audience member, confused. There is not enough explaining that takes place for audiences to have a firm-enough grip on the plotline.
The band members of Family Force 5. Photo courtesy of Angela Morris Miranda Stryker mst r y k e r @ uncc . e d u
Family Force 5 (FF5), an ATL-based quintet, is composed of three brothers, Solomon, Jacob and Josh Olds, along with Nathan Currin and Derek Mounts. They worked their way up from the garage, not unlike other Alternative Press published bands, and now rock arenas and clubs around the globe. FF5 is headlining the “It’s All Gold” U.S. Tour in support of their new album “III” which came out on Oct. 18. The band will be making an appearance in Charlotte on Friday, Oct. 28 at Amos’ Southend as “An Evening with Family Force 5.” Their first full-length “Dance or Die” in 2008 shot up the Modern Rock chart to No. 8 and the Billboard Top 200 at No. 30. The band also rocked a completely sold out “Alternative Press Fall Tour 2008,” co-headlining with 3OH!3 and The Maine. This year the band is hosting “The Gold Karaoke Challenge” before each show along the tour. Fans that arrive early to the concert in their nearest town fully decked out in FF5 apparel and insignia will get to place their names in a gold disco ball. Then five names will be randomly drawn out of the ball and those fans will get the chance to perform one FF5 song onstage with fresh-onthe-scene production team, the 808er’s. The best contestant will win a grand prize of joining the band as a guest vocalist on stage for the band’s performance of popular song “Love Addict” that night. FF5 has been known for their loud, heavy guitars, thick synth sound, low bass and catchy beats along with poppy lyrics. Their new album has taken on simi-
lar attributes but in a very different way. In previewing the album, one will find a large portion of the songs are more hip-hop or electronic-based than anything else. The album’s opening song “Can You Feel It” seems reminiscent of the FF5 seen in the past, but other tracks such as “Get on Outta Here,” “Tank Top,” “Pavcheck” and “Dang Girl” show a new side of the band. “Tank Top” starts with a Daft PunkTron-feeling synth line but then soon enters a beat not unlike one you would hear on any given night at a club uptown by your favorite Top 40 hip-hop artists. “Mamacita” sounds similar to Gym Class Heroes while “Get on Outta Here” sounds like a cross between Hot Action Cop and Cake. “Paycheck” sounds like it should be a track on the next Punk Goes Crunk album. It’s like they took a rap song and tried to turn it into a poppunk number. “Dang Girl” has a lot of FF5’s old battery of synth sounds, but is topped with some gangsta’ rap-like lyrics. In general, the album is a strange and interesting mix of electronic/hiphop/clubby/rock-ish tracks. It is definitely taking a strong turn in a very different direction musically from “Dance or Die” and seems very experimental. I do applaud the band for making such a bold move in changing their sound completely, but I think it will be hit or miss with the loyal fan following they acquired with their previous hit album. If one has a “bad case of L-O-V-E” for FF5 check out the new album “III” and get out to the show early to win a chance to sing some old school FF5 karaoke. Tickets are $15 in advance and $17 the day of the show with a $3 surcharge for under-agers. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.
NINERONLINE.COM
THURSDay, OCTOBER 20, 2011
PAGE 11
DOWNTIME 18
Tuesday
Orientation Counselor Recruitment Apply to be an Orientation Counselor! Interest Meeting
Cone University Center Rm 113 5:30pm - 7:00pm
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Wednesday
Niner Nation Stuffed Animals Kick off basketball season by stuffing your own Niner Nation bear.
Rotuna Student Union 12:00pm - 2:00pm
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Thursday
Green Geocaching Outside Main Enterence McEniry 1:00pm
Win prizes by praticipating in this geocaching event where students can learn about the greenest places of UNC Charlotte
See the answer to the sudoku puzzle by scanning the code with your smartphone.
The answers:
Get the answers at www.nineronline.com/downtime
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Friday
Poetry Café
Multipurpose Room Student Union 7:00pm - 9:00pm Enjoy pastries and coffee while listening to poetry provided by the Asia project and Mayhem poets.
Karaoke Night Norm’s 8:00pm -11:45pm
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Saturday
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Sunday
Make a Difference Day
Rock Bottom Boot Camp
12:00pm - 3:00pm
4:00pm - 5:00pm
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Norm’s
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PAGE 12
NINERTIMES
ThursDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2011
SPORTS Gentile receives national attention
Topdrawersoccer and Collegesoccer.com name Gentile player of the week
Men’s Basketball Fan Day Sat. 3pm, Charlotte, NC
Women’s Soccer vs La Salle
Women’s Soccer vs Fordham
Fri. 7pm, Charlotte, NC
Sun. 1pm, Charlotte, NC
Men’s Soccer @ La Salle
Men’s Soccer vs Xavier
Fri. 7pm, Philadelphia, PA
Sun. 7pm, Charlotte, NC
Weekly Niner Scores Cross Country places 15 out of 37 at NCAA Pre-Nationals on SaturMen’s Soccer defeated Duquesne 1-0 Sunday. Golf placed sixth at The Windon Memorial on Monday.
Ed Niser
en i se r @ uncc . e d u
Freshman striker Guiseppe Gentile brought home a handful of accolades this past weekend as he tallied four goals in both the 49ers’ matches this past weekend. Gentile was named College Soccer News player of the week and TopDrawerSoccer.com’s National Player of the Week. Gentile also took home a co-player of the week for the Atlantic 10 conference. In Charlotte’s 5-1 victory over Saint Bonaventure this past Friday, he knotched his first career hat trick. In addition to scoring the game winner against Duquesne on Sunday, that came in the 81st minute, they eventually broke through the stout Dukes’ defense. The Charlotte 49ers men’s soccer team as a whole continues to climb the rungs of the national rankings, as they now sit at
Men’s Basketball Madness Thur. 9pm, Charlotte, NC
Volleyball won against Fordham 3-1 on Sunday.
As a freshman, striker Gentile leads the 49ers offense in total goals with seven. Photo by Christopher Crews
No.9 in the CollegeSoccernews.com poll.
Women’s Soccer defeated Duquesne 1-0 Sunday. Keep up with the latest on the Charlotte 49ers
www.NINERONLINE.com