Niner Times - Jaunary 31, 2012

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

LIFESTYLE

NEWS

NAME CHANGES AROUND CAMPUS This semester, both Spruce Hall and Laurel Hall were renamed after Irwin Belk’s daughters.

p.4

MORE THAN PONG

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Drinking games with a flair. Both international and local students share the lesser known drinking games. p.8

NINERTIMES TIMES Tuesday, Januar y 31, 2012

Published twice weekly and online at www.nineronline.com

A product of Student Niner Media • The University of North Carolina at Charlotte • Partially funded by Student Fees • Breaking News? Email us at editor@nineronline.com or call 704.687.7148

New on NinerOnline.com: Catch Niner Access’ interview with new men’s soccer headcoach Kevin Langan

SIFE works to Occupy Stomachs

March 5, 2011, North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham collected over 550,000 pounds of food in 18 hours. MCT Campus Ciera Choate NEWS@NINERONLINE.COM

North Carolina fell above the national average for food insecurity with 15.7 percent of people under the national average of 14.6 percent from 2008-10, according to Feeding America, meaning that 15.7

percent of people living in N.C. do not have the means to sufficiently feed themselves.

With these numbers in mind UNC Charlotte’s Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) are working toward a goal of 5,000 cans to help support local hunger in a series of events called Let’s Can Hun-

ger, which will begin during Homecoming Week and continue until April.

“We don’t really think about hunger because it’s not happening to us, so we don’t think it exists. This is a good way for us to really get involved with it and get a little bit more passion about it,” said Denise Sanchez the project leader for Let’s Can Hunger.

EVENT The first event for the food drive What: Occupy will be Occupy Stomachs Stomachs, which When: Feb. 1 plays off of the through Feb, 3, larger Occupy WallStreet moveFeb. 6 through ment. SIFE hopes Feb. 10 the hype from the Where: Belk Tower larger movement and Student Union will seep into their food drive and get students more active in helping those in need.

“We were just thinking, what is a good way that people can get excited about donating cans and about hunger in general because it’s really hard to get college students excited about hunger. We thought a rally would be exciting,” said Sanchez, a STOMACHS p.4

UNC Charlotte alumni brings controversial play Ryan Pitkin AE@NINERONLINE.COM

UNC Charlotte alum Glenn T. Griffin, director of Queen City Theatre (QCT), is bringing Paul Rudnick’s controversial play “The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told” to Charlotte’s Duke Energy Theatre. Its run begins on Feb. 2, 2012.

The play is based around the story of Adam and Eve but jumps between the past and present day. There is also another twist; all of the main characters are gay.

The stage manager, or God, creates Adam and Steve and soon they are banished from the Garden of Eden. The two men then meet Jane and Mabel. The story spans over centuries and covers everything from the flood and Noah’s ark to slavery in Egypt.

“It really is a journey play,” said Griffin. “It’s a comedy but at the same time it has a lot of heart.”

Although the play has gotten a lot of negative response from local religious groups, Griffin insists that the play is not bashing religion at all but rather taking a closer look at it.

“We are trying to comprehend our own idea of religion,” he said. “I question. I am trying to THEATRE p.4

New senator Giving a voice to Charlotte youth works to tackle crime Elizabeth Bartholf

E B A RT H O 3 @ U N C C . E D U

Malcolm Carter MCARTE72@UNCC.EDU

There are several types of senators in this world: ones that sit back and watch the money pile up, ones that only pass and write bills that are convenient to them and ones like Nauman Panjwani, the new senator for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, who cares about chasing down homeless men who take unsuspecting men’s wallets.

It was 2 a.m. in downtown Toronto, winter of 2009, the perfect time for a couple of guys to grab some pizza.

“The vibe felt like it was still 11 p.m. The city was still running, I felt like I was back in New York City [his birthplace],” said Panjwani.

Although all the lights were on, it seemed as though no one was home. Every place they went to seemed to just be closing. They wandered for a while, getting deeper into the recesses of Toronto, until they found a pizzeria willing to stay open a little longer.

Thirty minutes later they left the shop, stomachs full, ready to head home when they realized they had no idea where they were.

“What ended up happening was we walked around and kind of explored a bit. Had a couple of interesting experiences,” said Panjwani.

Interesting enough indeed, Panjwani and his friends ended up passing prostitutes, watching a couple street fights and getting the moves put SENATOR p.2

The participants in the project Photovoice work to answer the question, “What do you want others to know about you?” The project helps them cope with their mental illness. Photo courtesy of Photovoice

LIFESTYLE

SPORTS

D.I.Y.: A few quick steps in

creating your own nail art without heading to the nail salon.

Restaurant Review: Chi-

PHOTOVOICE p.4

OPINION

NEWS

LOOK AHEAD

SHARING EXPERIENCES

As we enter a new calendar

With her first semester as a UNC

year and reflect upon Charlotte

ma, one of the several Charlotte Restaurant Week’s choices offers both Brazillain food and culture.

49er Athletics to this point, there

Campus Trend Alert:

our programs.

Charlotte student completed, freshman Sierra Briney opens up about

is no denying that the future is

the highs and lows she’s faced this

exceedingly bright for a number of

past semester and throughout her life.

Quick tips for your next interview.

p. 8-9

“It’s time to get out of the shell—out of Colvard!” said psychology student Emma Burgin. Accomplishing this is quite a feat, as often psychology students find themselves absorbed in studies, losing track of time in the labs of Colvard.

Burgin, a second year master’s student, found her escape through the Community Psychology Lab, where students studying Clinical and Community Psychology take initiative in the Charlotte community.

“There’s a lot of room to make a difference in health psychology,” said Virginia Johnson, a Community Psychology PhD student.

Together, Burgin and Johnson head a community project that puts power in the hands of

p. 11

THE BATTLE OVER BOOK PRICES p. 5

From getting involved on campus to the hardships she’s overcome to get here.

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NINERTIMES

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

SENATOR from p.1 on them by Toronto’s own especially sexy brand of Canadian cougars. An hour of wandering and a few “interesting experiences” later finds the gang inside a packed McDonald’s.

“There are lines and lines in this McDonald’s. [My friends] get some food, we get back outside we’re about to go and there’s this hobo standing there. He’s asking for some change,” said Panjwani.

The friends took out their wallets, and proceeded to take out a couple of bucks when the hobo took one of their wallets and sprinted off into the night. After a few moments of confusion and contemplation

of whether or not to chase down a hobo at 4 a.m. in a foreign city that they were already lost in, Panjwani took off after him.

His friends followed close on his heels.

For 10 minutes the Panjwani posse chased the man through traffic and throngs of people. When they finally caught up to him, they simply took the wallet back. The man was helpless, so no violence was in order.

Luckily, the direction they were chasing the man in led them straight into a more familiar area of the city. They found their cars and disbanded, vowing from that morning forth to stand up for truth, justice and men who’s wallets get snatched by hobos and the like.

Police Blotter ACCIDENT Jan. 20

• Cameron Blvd., driver of vehicle didn’t slow down enough to avoid collision.

Jan. 24

• Lot 5, while making a U-turn driver struck another vehicle.

Jan. 25

• Martin Village Rd., driver pulled out in front on another vehicle causing vehicles to collide.

MISSING PERSON Jan. 20

• University City Blvd., officer responded to a call of a missing person.

ASSAULT Jan. 21

• Wallis Hall, an acquaintance told the victim he was going to attack him.

WATER DAMAGE Jan. 23 Nauman Panjwani both defends his friends from wallet-stealing hobos and hopes to protect his fellow students at UNC Charlotte. Photo courtesy of Malcolm Carter

NEWS BRIEFS Arrest at Miltimore Hall Twenty-three year old James Midgley was arrested on campus Friday, Jan. 27, 2012. Midgley, who had previously been notified not to enter campus, was charged with trespassing near Miltimore Hall.

Eden Creamer

CALL FOR SERVICE Civil Engineers get pumped for Relay for Life UNC Charlotte’s American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) will be participating in the Relay for Life held on the Belk Track and Field Friday, April 13, 2012 and is currently looking for recruits to participate.

Students can join the team for a fee of $10.

To kick off the planning for the race the ASCE will host a Purple Passion Party Spring Kickoff for Relay Wednesday, Jan. 25 from 6 until 8 p.m. in the Student Union room 340I. The event is free and will include music, food and information for all of those interested in getting involved.

Everyone attending is asked to wear purple if possible. Ciera Choate

Venture challenge now accepting applications James Midgey, who was arrested on campus for trespassing at Miltimore Hall. Photo courtesy of Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Dept.

UNC Charlotte students receive scholarship to study abroad Four undergraduate students at UNC Charlotte received the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship to study abroad after being chosen from about 500 students all over the world.

Two students will study in Japan, one will study in the United States Emirates and one will study in Brazil. Ciera Choate

Former U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace speaks at UNC Charlotte George Mitchell, a global diplomat, will speak at the UNC Charlotte Center City building Wednesday, Feb. 1, at 6 p.m. to discuss the “Middle East Peace Process.”

The event is free and open to the public, and a dessert reception will follow the event.

Reservations are required to attend.

Ciera Choate

• Burson Bldg., unknown person left water on in lab causing some damage to the first floor room.

For the 11th year, the Charlotte Venture challenge currently will accept applications for entrepreneurial companies through Wednesday, Feb 29, 2012. Prize money will top $100,000.

The submitted ideas will be judged on six categories – new energy and high tech, IT and informatics, life and biotech sciences, consumer products and services, student ventures and social enterprises.

To apply go to www.charlotteventurechallenge.com. Ciera Choate

UNC Charlotte announces Democratic Experience The 49er Democratic Experience allows UNC Charlotte to work with other academic institutions and businesses in the community to provide an educational experience relative to the 2012 presidential elections and the Democratic National Convention (DNC).

This program gives participants the opportunity to participate in for-credit courses, forums, internships, scholarships, seminars, volunteer opportunities and much more.

The 49er Democratic Experience is meant to be beneficial to both students and others in the area as well. Eden Creamer

Jan. 22

• Lot 16, officer assisted in a traffic stop.

Jan. 23

• Security office, officer responded to a call in reference to a possible stalking/harassment call.

Jan. 24

• Delta Sigma Phi House, officer conducted a welfare check on a student.

Jan. 25

• Wild Wing Cafe, officer assisted CMPD for disturbance call.

CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO PROPERTY Jan. 23

• Friday Bldg., unknown person drew large graffiti in men’s bathroom stall.

LARCENY Jan. 23

• Holshouser Hall, unknown person removed secured bicycle from bike rack.

Jan. 25

• Belk Gym, unknown person took property that was left unattended and unsecured.

Jan. 26

• Colvard Curb, unknown person fled the scene without paying cab fare.

HIT AND RUN Jan. 24

• Union Deck, victim’s vehicle was damaged while parked and unattended.

Jan. 25

• Union Deck, victim’s vehicle was damaged while parked and unattended.

TRESPASSING Jan. 27

• Miltimore Hall, previously trespassed suspect found on campus.

NINERONLINE.COM

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

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UNC Charlotte student shares her experiences Jordan Scheno JSCHENO@UNCC.EDU

With her first semester as a UNC Charlotte student completed, freshman Sierra Briney opens up about the highs and lows she’s faced this past semester and throughout her life. From getting involved on campus to the hardships she’s overcome to get here, her story is an inspiring one to hear.

Q. What kind of organizations are you involved in on campus?

A. Kappa Delta Sorority (KD) and the TOMS Club.

Q. What leadership positions do you hold in the student orgs you are involved in?

A. I am the Historian of KD. Which means that I am the official photographer for the sorority! I’m so happy with this position, and it has helped me make some great memories.

Q. What obstacles have you overcome to be where you are today?

A. When I was in middle school, I was the girl with ache, glasses and braces. I was tormented daily for the way I looked and I will never forget some things that were said to me. When I heard about Kappa Delta and their involvement and push for confidence in women, I knew that was where I belonged.

Also being a Girl Scout since I was in kindergarden was also something that I was made fun of for. I was labeled as nerdy because I liked going camping and helping the community. Community and friendship mean a lot to me, another reason KD was made for me.

I have participated in many competitions since I was younger for photography, and I have actually done pretty well. The greatest obstacle with my photography was finding the confidence in myself to put myself out there, to actually submit my works into competitions. One competition we have back home [Michigan] is very hard to get in to, and when I submitted, it was basically a joke because I knew I wouldn’t make it. Long story short, I did! And actually placed! It was a fantastic feeling.

Q. What do you hope to accomplish in your time here at UNC Charlotte?

A. I want to make my mark.

I want to shine. I want to get my name out there more and to be recognized as a smiling friendly face and to make a difference. I hope that I can achieve this throughout my time here. I’m hoping through Kappa Delta I can make this goal happen! I also plan to graduate with a bachelor in English and to soon be a high school teacher or to continue writing and photography after!

Q. How do you get through

Sierra Briney (left) who is studying Secondary Education and Journalism at UNC Charlotte. Photo courtesy of Sierra Briney the stress of being a student and involvement in different organizations on campus?

A. I take it day by day. Each day is new and different, and I have a very close relationship with my planner!

But my mother and I, Momma Dear and Momma Bear, have always been very close. She has been my girl scout leader since the start and we talk on the phone at least three times a day. I’m definitely a momma’s girl and proud!

Q. What is your relationship with your parents? Do you have any hopes for improving the relationship in the future?

A. My relationship with my parents has been overall pretty good my entire life. Besides my father’s battle with alcoholism, sober now, thank you God, which was a very hard few years. My relationship with him did not rekindle till the middle of my senior year. Just in time to move away!

Q. How do you pay for school?

A. My parents and Grandpa are helping with my tuition. I am paying for KD on my own. No complaints!

Q.What accomplishment are you most proud of?

A. I am first of all proud of myself for making through my first semester 14 hours away from home and making the best of it.

Many teens that go away to school

right away after high school don’t make it till the second semester in my town. I’m so proud of myself for being here and sticking through the homesickness.

I am so proud to be a member of Kappa Delta. I have no words for my love and passion for it.

I never imagined myself being a sorority girl, but now I can’t imagine my life without it. Going Greek has been the best decision I have ever made for myself.

Near the end of my senior year one of my photographs was chosen to be put on display in the Whirlpool Tech Center. I was the only photograph from my school selected, and the only senior. The piece is being displayed till 2013 and I am so proud to say that.

Q. How did you get through some of the obstacles you have faced?

A. Friends, friends, friends and One Tree Hill. Honestly.

Having a great group of support around me definitely helped growing up, and finding my passions so early helped me grow. I take one day at a time and don’t take anything for granted.

Q.If you could offer advice to students going through some of the things you went through what would you say?

A. Stay strong. It really does get better. Things aren’t over till you say it’s over. Keep your head up, don’t miss a beat. Oh, and life is too short to be anything but happy.

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NINERTIMES

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

University honors Belk family through new dorm names Sarah Obeid SOBEID2@UNCC.EDU

As students returned to campus from holiday break, many were shocked to find the UNC Charlotte dorms, Laurel Hall and Spruce Hall, renamed. Laurel Hall’s sign now reads Wallis Hall and Spruce Hall has become Miltimore Hall.

These new names hold a positive significance on campus. It was definitely not a coincidence that these names were chosen.

Mr. Irwin Belk, a figure head in UNC Charlotte history, played a huge role in the matter.

“Mr. Belk introduced the legislation in the state Senate that created UNC Charlotte as the fourth campus of the UNC system and served on the Board of Governors for 28 years. He has a distinguished career of service to local, state, national and international organizations,” said Associate Vice Chancellor for Housing and Residence Life, Jacklyn Simpson, who is responsible for

Wallis Hall, which includes both two-bedroom and four-bedroom suites, was previously called Laurel Hall. Photo courtesy of Cody Brown

PHOTOVOICE from p.1 children living with mental illnesses, and it all starts with a camera. Each participant is given a digital camera and set free — free to take pictures and video of any subject meaningful to them. Students refer to the project as Photovoice. “[We use] Photovoice as a technique, as a method of helping kids develop voice,” said Dr. James Cook, Professor of Psychology at UNC Charlotte who works on the project.

The project, which is done all over the U.S., gives a voice to the homeless, and empowers those living with HIV/AIDs in Africa.

UNC Charlotte psychology students are the first to bring Photovoice to youth in the Mecklenburg County area.

Photovoice began last year as a partnership with ParentVOICE, a separate Mecklenburg County organization that provides support to families with children living

every aspect of housing life, which includes 5,000 students.

Belk gave UNC Charlotte a monetary gift, a gift in honor of his two daughters, Irene Belk Miltimore and Marilyn Belk Wallis. Because of his contribution to the founding of the university, UNC Charlotte decided to rename Laurel Hall and Spruce Hall after Belk’s daughters.

“Facilities Management took care of physically changing the names. I think it took a couple of months to complete,” said Simpson. “Name changes of this nature require support from the campus administration and approval by the Board of Trustees.”

Several students have said they refuse to call the dorms anything but Laurel and Spruce Halls, and Simpson is unsure if the students will request to restore the dorms to their previous names. She believes that this semester students will call the buildings different names or use the old and new names interchangeably. By next year, the transition of calling the buildings their new names should be made.

“We have changed the building names before, and students have never complained. Frankly, we are a young campus and when we open new residence halls, we specifically name them after trees, knowing that at some point in the future, a name will likely be attached,” said Simpson.

The idea of naming the build-

with mental health challenges. ParentVOICE provides caregivers with emotional support and assistance in navigating the mental health system.

Every week psychology students ranging from undergraduate to PhD students meet with youth from families of ParentVOICE. “We hang with the kids, help them take photos and build a bond with them. We teach them things, and they teach us things along the way,” said Burgin.

This is the third iteration of the project—psychology students have helped two previous groups in the past year. The current group consists of seven participants, ages 12 to 19.

As Dr. Cook puts it, “the goal of Photovoice is to help [the children] tell their story and to help people recognize that they are more than a mental health diagnosis. That they have interests and they are engaged in their community.”

Due to their affiliation with Parent-

Participants of the Photovoice program share their photographs to other members during one of their meetings. Photo courtesy of Photovoice

Miltimore Hall, formerly Spruce Hall, is the newest operating addition to the fleet of UNC Charlotte dorm buildings. Photo courtesy of Cody Brown ings after some kind of tree is so that the students living in the halls do not get concerned about and begin to care about the name.

Nothing will change for the current students living in the Miltimore and Wallis Halls this semester.

“The students mailing information will not have to change.

Everything will work just as it has for them. However, next fall, when students move in, they will utilize the name change in their mailing information,” said Simpson.

VOICE, the participants in Photovoice likely have a mental illness or have family members who do.

The children are never asked to specify their diagnosis as part of Photovoice. Rather, the program aims to help youth discover who they are and what they want the world to know about them. This was the first question psychology students asked those involved in the project to think about— “What do you want others to know about you?”

Student volunteers lead them in group discussions about themes like this one.

Photovoice provides a safe place for shared growth.

The children are asked to share their pictures with their peers and talk about what they’ve learned.

“It’s another venue or medium for [the youth] to share feelings that are sometimes too hard to put into words,” said Dr. Ryan Kilmer, psychology professor at UNC Charlotte.

Some youth take pictures of their neighborhood and important people in their lives. It’s a way for them to recognize and appreciate the crucial support of their family members and friends.

Participants also take pictures representing loved ones they have lost. Again, the pictures allow them to communicate and explore emotions when it’s hard to find the right words.

At the end of the program the children combine their work including pictures, video and spoken word into multimedia presentations.

Then they share their presentations with the public at Occasio, a local nonprofit organization that helps emerging artists in the Charlotte area show their work. Kate Strater, a Community Psychology PhD student, helped found Occasio.

“Occasio provided a venue for the youth to show their presentations in a very formal setting right alongside local community artists, so they really got this sense of ‘we take you seriously—we take what you produce seriously, and I think it was a really empowering experience for them,’” said Johnson, who wrote her thesis on Photovoice and its benefits for youth.

Laurel and Spruce Halls were not the only dorms to undergo name changes. In the past, other dorms have had different names.

For example, Witherspoon Hall used to be called Poplar Hall many years ago.

“Witherspoon was renamed for longtime faculty member, faculty president and friend of the university, Dr. Loy Witherspoon.

Lynch Hall is named after Chuck Lynch, long time Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs and friend of students. Each situation is different,” said Simpson.

STOMACHS from p.1 sophomore at UNC Charlotte.

Wednesday, Feb. 1, through Friday, Feb. 3, and Monday, Feb 6, through Friday, Feb. 10, members of SIFE will protest

by Belk Tower and in front of the Student Union in between class changes to encourage students to donate cans, no matter how large or small the donation.

There will be about 10 people protesting from the organization and any student is welcome to join the protests and make their own picket signs.

“The point of [Let’s Can Hunger] is to raise hunger awareness, raise cans and also raise some kind of lasting hunger relief,” said Sanchez.

During the Homecoming Parade the organization will also have a float, and is looking for students wanting to participate.

All students have to do to get involved is donate one can.

There can be up to 50 students walking with the float during the parade. The Homecoming Parade will be held Feb. 11 at 10:30 a.m. and begins in Lot 6 and ends in Lot 19.

“It’s going to be a protest but in the parade,” said Sanchez. “If we could get 50 people for the parade that would be amazing.”

By the end of the two weeks leading up to Homecoming SIFE hopes to collect at least 1,000 cans.

If students cannot donate cans the organization encourages them to donate online to Second Harvest Food Bank, where all of the collected food will be sent.

To help increase their donations SIFE is partnering with the Campus Activities Board (CAB) and their comedy show during Homecoming Week where those attending are encouraged to bring cans to the event.

The show will be Thursday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. in the Student Union multipurpose room.

SIFE members worked at a local Salvation Army soup kitchen to prepare themselves for the drive and bring more awareness of the need to feed the hungry in our city.

NINERONLINE.COM

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

OPINION You can judge a store by it’s prices Jordan McSwain

200

J M C S WA 1 7 @ U N C C . E D U

175

Volume 24, Number 31 A PRODUCT OF

Barnes and Noble, Grayʼs Bookstore, Minerʼs Books LOCATED IN THE LOWER LEVEL OF THE STUDENT UNION

Barnes and Noble Grayʼs

125

SERVICE UNAVAILABLE AT B&N

75 50 25 Buy New Book*

Buy Used Book*

Rent New Book*

SERVICE UNAVAILABLE AT B&N

Minerʼs Books**

100

0

NINERTIMES

Cost comparison:

150

Cost in dollars

College is expensive. No matter where you go, no matter what your parents do, no matter how much financial aid you get, it’s expensive. There are always going to be fees or payments that come out-of-pocket and that are just a burden. When it comes down to losing money, why would someone not put the effort into doing a little investigating and saving some? I did not.

As a freshman, I was excited and in love with every aspect of this university. I did not know that there could ever be anything wrong, that is until I had to buy books. I knew I needed them and I thought I would be loyal to my school and automatically buy them from the bookstore on campus.

I figured anyone who shopped at Gray’s or Miner’s or online was failing to support the university and trying to undermine the system. I went about my purchases and went through my first semester happy that I was a dedicated 49er.

After several joyous months of loyalty, it was time to return my books and get a little extra cash; and that’s what I got. A little over $200 spent on text-books got me $1.75. I could play one game of pool at Norm’s or wash one load of laundry and dry it three times. I was furious. How could something I love so much end up hurting me so badly in the end?

The text-book industry is really just a giant racket that like everything else is out to make money without care for the customer.

Before the death of Steve Jobs, his next target was the textbook industry. Jobs knew it was corrupted and is quoted saying, “The crappy economy at the state level will last for a decade, and we can give them an opportunity to circumvent that whole process and save money.”

The project has recently came into play on the high school level. Apple and McGraw-Hill have begun a partnership selling eBooks for $15 without the possibility of sell-backs or selling to another student.

This allows the company to continue making money and allows the students to have fewer books to carry.

A couple of weeks later I received a call from my mother asking why her card had been charged for six dollars and some change from the Barnes and Noble on campus. I did some investigating and found that I had apparently turned a rental book into the sell-back pile so they charged me for the book.

Two questions came to mind: Why had no one that worked at the Barnes and Noble looked at the label that said “Rental Book?” I am completely aware that it was my mistake and I am okay with that, but I guess I was just wrong in assuming an employee at a book store could read a label if the customer were to do something incor-

PAGE 5

rect. My second question was: What if the book had been one over a hundred dollars?

Was it too hard to call the customer and ask about the book before the card on file was charged?

My mother’s card was taken off file almost immediately, and I vowed to never buy books there again. I began thinking, how many other students could save money by spending a little time checking prices online and at the other bookstores around campus.

I had heard great things about Gray’s and Miner’s that were right across the street so I investigated. I took one textbook (Essential Calculus by James Stewart) and looked at the prices across the board to see how they really compared. I also took merchandise prices and customer service into consideration. Above is a graph showing the results of what I found.

You can see that the prices vary a lot in each category and that Barnes and Noble actually has the lowest price for buying the book used. This is what most students would see but when you actually visit the other stores, you find out that Gray’s will match any price that is lower and Miner will match any competitor and beat the price by ten percent. Two dollars is not much money, but lots of two dollars add up. It appears to all be one big competition, just trying to beat each other and grab as many students to subscribe to the business as possible.

The textbook industry is growing larger

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Joel Hanel

NINER TIMES MANAGING EDITORS

managing@nineronline.com

COMMUNITY EDITOR

NEWS EDITOR

A&E EDITOR

LIFESTYLE EDITOR

LAYOUT EDITOR

Ciera Choate

Haley Twist

Coozie (bottle)

*Essential Calculus by James Stewart **Minerʼs Books focuses sales on textbooks

and becoming less personal but thankfully, there are people fighting this system to try to help the student. Educate yourself so that you can keep a hold on your wallet and still get everything you need. Saving your money is all about how much effort you put into it, and I don’t mean super couponing for hours to save money at Food Lion. You are a poor college student, do whatever you can to save a little bit here and there. Educate yourself for a cheaper education.

Ashley: Manager from Miner Books “If I don’t have a book someone needs then I can order it from another store for the same price I could offer, thanks to Neebo. If a competitor has a lower price, and we can match the exact same book as ours through ISBN number, we will match and beat the price by ten percent. I have worked in college books for eight years.

While I was a student and now after I have graduated. I have the student perspective and I sincerely want to help.”

Josh: Operation Manager from Gray’s “We are definitely here for the students, we aren’t as a big of a corporation as Barnes and Noble so we are a lot more focused on the students. That’s why we have these [course packs]. It’s an easier way for students to get the course content without the expense of a full textbook. Most of our books aren’t higher than Barnes and Noble but if they are, we match.”

Corbin Peters

online@nineronline.com

SPORTS EDITOR Ed Niser

If the author truly wanted to actually expand his diet for the sake of journalistic inquiry, perhaps he should have gone a week as a vegan, where he would not eat an omelet, cheese pizza, etc.

As far as the end of the article, where the writer asks why vegetarians go through “meticulous watchfulness”, perhaps he should have actually given thought to his question and done more thorough research, rather than ending his article about how delightful pork is.

I agree with the interviewees that the school needs to improve its vegetarian food choices, but it is absurd for the author to treat himself as a victim for eating plain cheese pizza, calling it “hobo-sheltering cardboard”. I can think of five reasons off the top of my head why someone should be a vegetarian, and I can only think of one reason they should not: convenience.

-Michael Kent

NINER TIMES STAFF

Dana Nigro

Letter to the Editor I am writing to address my qualms with the recent article “When you give an omnivore a veggie burger” from your January 19 edition. The idea behind this article seems to be a pretty good idea.

I have only recently become a vegetarian, but I think many people are completely alien to that lifestyle, and it is an interesting idea for a non-vegetarian to explore alternative dietary lifestyles.

If people want to eat meat, I don’t have a problem with their personal choices, however, the writer of this article came off as disrespectful and snotty towards the vegetarian lifestyle that many people associate themselves with at UNCC. Some of the author’s comments are so incredibly absurd, but I can’t help but laugh at the idea that he is serious. It’s as if not eating a chicken breast or having pork in his breakfast is some incredibly difficult and arduous task.

T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F N O RT H C A R O L I N A AT C H A R L O T T E

editor@nineronline.com

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PAGE 6

NINERTIMES

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

A&E

Shocks, surprises and snubs in Oscar nominations Patrick Bogans PBOGANS@UNCC.EDU

It’s that time of year again: the 2012 Academy Award nominations were officially announced Jan. 24th, 2012 to prepare for the ceremony on Feb. 26th, and it wouldn’t be the Oscars without a few snubbed and surprising nominations.

Starting out with the overall Best Picture nominations, the sure shots (“The Help,” “The Artist,” “The Descendants”) were among the worthy nominees.

There were two very annoying aspects about these nominees, however, with the first being the confusing and very surprising nomination of “Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.”

The film had ridiculously mixed reviews from critics across the nation, and with a 44% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, has to be the worst reviewed film in decades to receive a Best Picture nom.

The nominations all depend on the 5,783 Academy voters, who seemed to place personal attachment and preference over wide critical acclamaimed.

The second aspect, more about the Academy voting process than anything, is the recognition of nine Best Pictures when the limit is ten nominations.

Basically, starting this year, if a film is not collectively prioritized high enough on a voter’s listed ballot of favored films, the film doesn’t get nominated.

Favorites such as “Bridesmaids,” “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo,” “Ides of March,” “Drive” and “50/50” probably all fell by the wayside in this category due to low prioritization by voters.

Speaking of falling by the wayside, many actors and actresses were definitely snubbed throughout the leading and supporting categories.

Ryan Gosling not getting any nods for “Ides of March” was a tragic gap in the nominations. Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s performance in the heart achingly funny film “50/50” was not nominated.

Most frustrating for many my age was that there was no nomination for Alan Rickman for his portrayal

The nominees for 2012’s Best Picture as they were announced. of Snape in the final Harry Potter film, or Best Original Score by Alexandre Desplat.

The Academy never really pushed the barrier to acknowledge any Potter film as a true cinematic achievement, just a teenage phenomenon with good makeup and effects.

Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails and Atticus Ross did not receive a nomination for their score work on “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.”

That film, however, along with some others, were happily not left completely out of the Academy’s radar.

Rooney Mara for her dark and compelling performance in the film earned her a nomination for Best Actress. And on the other side of the acting spectrum,

Best Actor Nominees

Photo/MCT Campus Melissa McCarthy’s disgustingly hilarious performance as the raunchy Megan in “Bridesmaids” got her nominated for Best Supporting Actress.

“Bridesmaids” was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay, written by the lead actress Kristen Wiig.

Other than that, the nominations given were very well deserved.

There are 11 nominations overall for “Hugo”, 10 for “The Artist”, 6 for “War Horse” and “Moneyball,” 5 for “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” and “The Descendants”, and 4 for “The Help” and “Midnight in Paris”.

The Academy Awards are presented live on Sunday, February 26th at 8 p.m. on ABC and will be hosted by Billy Crystal.

Best Actress Nominees

GEORGE CLOONEY

GLENN CLOSE

For his role as a land baron dealing with loss in The Descendants

For her role as a crossdressing butler in Albert Nobbs

DEMIAN BICHIR

VIOLA DAVIS

For his depiction of a gardener struggling to raise his son in A Better Life

For her role as an oppressed housemaid in The Help

JEAN DUJARDIN

For his role as a silent movie star in The Artist

ROONEY MARA For her depiction of a troubled hacker in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

BRAD PITT

For his depiction of former Athletics general manager Billy Beane in Moneyball

MERYL STREEP

For her depiction of Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady

GARY OLDMAN

For his role as a Cold War espionage agent in Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

THEATRE Cont. from pg. 1

understand why bad things happen to good people.

A lot of us don’t just blindly believe anymore.”

Griffin, who was raised a Catholic and says he is strong in his faith, has been dealing with a lot of hateful commentary regarding what he calls “a Godaffirming play.”

“Imagine getting 50-70 emails in a day telling you how you’re going to hell,” he said. Cyberspace has given his tormenters a safe haven, he believes.

“In our day and age, the internet makes it so easy to say things to people without facing them. I would love for them to say these horrible things to my face,” he said.

With some threatening to picket the opening, Griffin said he was caught by surprise by some of the reactions the play has gotten. “In 2012, I didn’t think you could do anything that is so controversial, but apparently you can,” he said.

He hopes that people will give the play a chance first before criticizing him. “At least be a little openminded. It can’t just be your point of view. Out of all the people that have been saying things, none of them have read it,” he said.

Griffin and the rest of the QCT staff reinforced this

MICHELLE WILLIAMS

For her depiction of Marilyn Monroe in My Week with Marilyn

point in a statement that was recently released to the media. In it they stated, “This show WILL NOT be shut down. This production WILL NOT be altered or changed on the request of people who protest in ignorance because they have never seen nor read the play.”

The openly gay Griffin said he did not choose the play simply because of its controversy. “I would never just choose a show that didn’t have artistic merit.

It’s a very smart comedy. I’m not just directing a silly comedy.”

Griffin thinks that people will be pleasantly surprised by the humor of the play. The actors have had a hard time keeping a straight face through rehearsals, he said.

Audience members should be prepared for “two hours of laughing and thinking about love, hope and our look at religion,” said Griffin.

Griffin, who used to be an actor, had starred as the title character in one of Rudnick’s earlier plays, “Jeffrey,” and has always been a huge fan. “I love the way he thinks,” Griffin said. “I love to find humor in everyday events. He makes you laugh about something you would never laugh about.”

The play deals with parodies of eras long past while still mixing in modern day issues. It truly takes place in the here and now but the flashbacks work as a sort

of dream sequence in which characters are imagining things.

Beyond the four main characters, four actors play every other character in the story. An oppressive pharaoh ruling over Egyptian slaves is later depicted as a bitter rich man in modern day New York. The Garden of Eden is later Central Park and Noah’s Ark is actually a circuit party.

The play explores many taboos, such as the God character being played by a woman.

“That was a very interesting choice,” said Griffin.

“When you look at God as a nurturer and creator of humans, it makes a lot of sense to see God as a woman.”

Despite some of the negative backlash around the Charlotte community, Griffin said that he has gotten just as much positive reinforcement from people here and all over the country. He has received calls from people in the industry in New York and California, among other places, in which they encouraged him not to let the protests slow him down.

Telling this story is very important for Griffin, and he is excited to be able to share it with audiences. “I’m not going to make a million dollars with this. I just really want to create something that was never there before,” he said.

NINERONLINE.COM

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

PAGE 7

‘Melancholia’ and the infinite sadness Barry Falls Jr & Haley Twist

B FA L L S @ U N C C . E D U & L I F E S T Y L E @ N I N E R O N L I N E . C O M

When I saw the “Melancholia” trailer for the first time I was slightly confused. Was it a movie about a wedding? Was it about depression or mental illness?

Was it science fiction? I could not get a grasp on the plot of the story.

This is precisely what sparked my interest.

I heard about “Melancholia” when I was having a conversation with someone about its director, Lars Von Trier and his most recent film at the time, “Antichrist.”

I had watched bits and pieces of “Antichrist” and did not care for much of what I had seen.

When I was told to watch the trailer for “Melancholia” I was immediately (and surprisingly) intrigued, considering the opinion I had already formed of Trier.

Lars Von Trier has established himself as one of the most unique and artistic directors in recent history, though critical reception of most of his films were indifferent.

Nevertheless, the content of Von Trier’s newest creation caught the attention of the Charlotte-based Back Alley Film Series which featured the film four nights in a row with each screening selling out.

As I walked into the packed movie theater to see “Melancholia” over the weekend, the dominant feeling I had was pure curiosity.

And from the minute the first scene began to the moment when the credits started to roll my curiosity did not waver.

The establishing shot of “Melancholia” lays the groundwork for what to expect out of the movie. Viewers see a close-up of Kirsten Dunst, her hair disheveled and her face weary and strained.

But her eyes are calm and while she appears distressed, what her eyes show is that she’s simply tired.

But from what? And then we see that there are birds falling from the sky behind her.

The movie’s eight-minute slow-motion prologue depicts various scenes with the same three characters: two women and one young boy.

We see Dunst in a wedding dress, we see another women (Charlotte Gainsbourg) frantically carrying her son (Cameron Spurr) and we see several space scenes showing Earth next to another mysterious planet.

The prologue ends with the two planets colliding and the destruction of Earth.

The movie is divided into two parts representing the two sisters of the film. Part 1 entitled “Justine” depicts the storyline of the bride (Dunst), while part 2 entitled “Claire” follows the tribulations of Gainsbourg’s character.

Part 1 takes place at Justine’s wedding reception.

She has just married a man named Michael (Alexander Skarsgård) and is at a lavish party at her brother-inlaw John’s house (Keifer Sutherland).

The party begins portraying Justine as wonderfully happy with her new husband but quickly changes the audience’s view of her as the night’s events occur.

Her emotions are strained as arguments among her family members ensue and become worse as her employer keeps pestering her to work at her own wedding reception.

Tension between Justine and her new husband becomes obvious to viewers and she starts to behave in various destructive ways.

It becomes clear that Justine is deep in a massive

world of depression which causes her to break down at her reception.

As the story unfolds, the characters uncover bits and pieces of a new planet called “Melancholia.” The fear that it will hit Earth is present in Claire who has high anxiety.

The rest of the movie is about the internal struggle within different types of people as they are faced with the possibility of the world coming to an end.

Trier’s film is not only compelling in its plot but also in its execution. The camera angles and shots chosen are brilliant and unique. Some of the shots move roughly around while others are still and soft, creating tension during pivotal parts of the movie.

The movie’s colors also vary from scene to scene.

This film brings a variety of colors as some of them are dull and dark and others are bright and vivacious.

The brightest colors appear when Melancholia is seen from Earth.

Even though many of the movie’s events are stemmed from the impending fear of a planet collision, “Melancholia” is fully character-driven, with some of the most complex characters I have seen in any film.

Many important events take place off screen and are unbeknownst to the audience, though we witness Justine and Claire go through something catastrophic.

Trier has admitted that he based the character of Justine loosely on himself and during a period of deep depression.

He has gone on record saying that what is so intriguing about a depressed person is that while they may seem broken down and defeated at times, they often experience bouts of complete calmness during time of stress and conflict.

What is stunning to watch is how the relationship with the sisters changes throughout the film. Claire is more stable but suffers from continued anxiety.

Justine on the other hand struggles to find happiness in anything even on her wedding day.

As the possibility of an impending apocalypse approaches, the characters begin to reveal more about themselves and their attitudes towards life and mortality.

Justine remains calm while Claire is an anxious mess worrying about what might happen to her and her family.

“Melancholia” will be released to DVD on March 13 2012.

“Melancholia” has been known to resonate with movie goers. I felt very different than I normally feel at the end of most movies. It was such an artistically beautiful and powerful film that I felt as if my mind had been blown. Seeing the movie was truly an experience than a typical viewing.

Trier leaves it up to every viewer to fill in the blanks when it comes to each character, so I think that everyone would have a different interpretation of what really happens in “Melancholia.”

Because of its many complexities, it is hard to explain much of the movie. “Melancholia” is something everyone should experience for themselves.

The Back Alley Film Series is set to release their next presentation “Elite Squad: The Enemy Within” Feb. 9.

Photos courtesy of Magnolia Pictures

LARS VON TRIER BREAKDOWN

The writer/director’s most recent films in order of critical acclaim

ANTICHRIST

The graphic nature of the film’s poster coupled with the fact that porn actors were used in some of the film’s scenes reveals almost all you need to know about one of Lars Von Trier’s most hallow attempts at film-making.

<

Antichrist tries its best to provoke emotion, which it succeeds in doing. However, theys are usually built around tense lengthy scenes of sex and violence.

It is difficult to find any redeemable qualities in Antichrist.

DOGVILLE

MELANCHOLIA

Dogville tells the story of Grace (played by Nicole Kidman) who moves to a small town in order to hide from a group of vicious gangsters.

Melancholia features many of the writer/director’s trademarksextreme slow motion shots, allusions to classic literature and art and symbolic characters.

From the very first chapter, Dogville tells a singular story in a subliminal manner. Dogville will likely be one of the harder films to watch as viewers empathize with its tortured protagonist. Nevertheless, the conclusion gives the story a redemptive quality that raises real philosophical ideas.

This Von Trier film shoots to be a beautiful piece on the end of the world full of destruction and emotion. Melancholia is just that.

<

With Kirsten Dunst’s committed portrayal of the a distressed woman struggle to find contentment, ‘Melancholia’ is visceral from beginning to end.

PAGE 8

NINERTIMES

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

Where a Niner’s spare moments go CAMPUS TREND ALERT

How to dress for a job interview Haley Twist LIFESTYLE@NINERONLINE.COM

To make a little bit of extra money I went to work with my dad all day Friday doing some secretary work and odds and ends around his office. I met a lot of new people and even got a summer job offer, which made me realize just how important networking is.

I spent the day fantasizing about how nice it would be to work there over the summer, allowing me to get away from my normal summer job in retail.

That lead to a chain of thoughts like “I would love to have steady hours,” “This would prepare me for a job after college” and of course “I would be able to dress in more professional clothes!”

The idea of a new job really interested me since I’ve been working at the same place since I was 16. And then I realized it has been years since I’ve had a job interview.

So I started thinking right away about what kind of clothing would be appropriate for a job interview. While office attire is not as standard as it used to be, I wanted to find a look that would be appropriate for work but also still let my style shine through.

Just because it is a job interview does not mean we can’t still be creative with how we dress! Below are the different options I thought of for office looks that are stylish but still sophisticated.

Basics For those who want to remain slightly casual, dress pants and a top could be the way to go. I think the best dress pants are either very flared (great for pairing with high heels or wedges) or high-waisted. Both kinds are flattering in their own ways and both can be purchased in a variety of colors, such as black and taupe. Pairing a shirt with this can be pretty easy.

Pick a shirt in a brighter color since the pants are usually going to be dark.

Stick with a button up if you’re feeling safe, but if you would rather have more fun try something with lace or with a bold pattern.

Skirts & Dresses For those who feel that something dressier is the best way to go, skirts and dresses can be very effective (and even fun to wear). As far as skirts go I prefer the less basic ones. I like asymmetrical cuts and high waistlines.

And for dresses my favorite would be the ones with collars or bows at the top. Try looking for ones with skinny belts around them as well. With choices like these are you practically unlimited with the different colors and patterns. Have fun with it to let your personality shine through.

Shoes For frequent readers of my column I have talked many times about how much I love shoes. I also prefer heels for an office setting. Since you don’t want to be uncomfortable all day my advice would be to stick with a lower heel or even a cute kitten heel.

They can be very comfortable but do a world of difference with your outfit by making it more sophisticated.

Continued at Nineronline.com

The four other

Thunderstruck (3+ players)

Drinking games

you’ve never heard of.

Alcohol: Some use it to relax. Others use it to cook. *The Niner Times does not condone underage drinking, nor do we encourage reckless or irresponsible behavior. We do not accept responsibility for any person or persons partaking in these activities. For UNC Charlotte alcohol policy visit uncc.edu Lee Pham

Chugging drinks to the sound of Angus Young is the best way to start any night.

TOOLS: Thunderstruck by AC/DC, one full drink per player SETUP: Players sit in a circle and agree on one person to start.

OBJECTIVE: To pregame the best way known to man.

GAMEPLAY: Press play on the song.

As soon as the first player hears the word “thunder” he or she must begin chugging their drink.

The player stops on the next thunder and the next person on the left begins chugging.

The game switches to the next player every time the song says thunder until each person runs out of drink or the song ends.

MISCELLANEOUS: Unlucky players will get stuck chugging for long durations between verses.

COMMUNITY@NINERONLINE.COM

Cocaine (4 players)

Named for the nature and setup of the game, cocaine is a fast-paced and, at times, addicting game. Players and spectators are sure to scream and cheer. Cocaine brings together the best of both worlds of solo cup recreation - pong and flip cup.

TOOLS: 12 solo cups, 4 beers, 2 pong balls SETUP: Arrange three cups on each order of the table into lines parallel to the length of the table.

One player is assigned to each corner and must divide one beer into three cups (one beer per corner).

OBJECTIVE: Finish your team’s lines first by throwing the ball into your team member’s cup and flipping it, switching possession after each successful cup.

GAMEPLAY: You and the person across the length of the table are partners, forming two teams. Players decide which end of the table to begin (the starters should be on the same side of the table). At the count of three, the two starters attempt to throw the ball into their team member’s cup.

The team member must assist in throwing the ball back until the starter makes a cup. Once a cup is made, the team member must chug the scored cup and flip the cup upside down by placing it on the edge of the table and flicking the bottom with the bottom of the player’s fingertip. The team member is now in possession and must make a cup for the starter to chug and flip. Remember, the starter has to assist to throw the ball back until the cup is made.

The cycle continues back and forth until one team finishes their lines first.

MISCELLANEOUS: Another variation, known as ecstasy, is to angle the lines diagonally, forming an X shape. Partners are diagonal from each other and the pong balls of the two teams cross paths, creating a hectic gameplay.

Note that like other solo cup games, cocaine is messy and spills are highly likely to happen.

Photo/ Corbin Peters

Photo/ Corbin Peters

Looping Louie (4 players)

Made by Hasbro, Looping Louie is a German children’s game designed to get you hammered. Daniel Schopp, an international student from the University of Mannheim in Germany, brought Looping Louie to UNC Charlotte last semester. He introduced the battery-powered board game to friends who continue to introduce it to party-goers around the area. “I want Looping Louie to be known like how beer pong is in American movies,” said Schopp. Das ist good.

TOOLS: Looping Louie board game (can be purchased online), liquor SETUP: Assemble the game. The instructions are in German but it’s easy to put together if you refer to the picture.

Place three coins in each player’s coin slot.

Louie, a deranged-looking aviator, is placed in the middle of the game.

When switched on the plane rotates around to every player, sweeping at the players’ coins.

OBJECTIVE: To knock off other players’ coins while defending your own by lifting Louie with a lever.

GAMEPLAY: Each player has three coins to defend. As Louie approaches a player’s coins, the player taps a lever that bumps Louie up, thus avoiding Louie. Generally an ineffective defense from Louie results in a player’s coin getting knocked off. The first player to lose all three coins loses the round and must take a shot (chaser recommended). The game is reset after each round. The catch is that no player can leave the table unless he or she has all three coins at the end of each round, increasing the likelihood that every player will drink before leaving the table. In addition, if a player loses a round and the three other players have retained all of their own coins, the penalty is a double shot.

MISCELLANEOUS: If a coin falls out on to the table, the player automatically loses.

The Beerstick (1 person/tube) Less of a game and more of a party trick, beersticks are used to down beer in mere seconds. It’s faster than traditional beer bonging because the beer is forced down your throat as opposed to letting gravity do the job.

TOOLS: Beerstick and beer. The beerstick is actually the EZ-Twist PaintStick which is intended for painting without the need for trays by sucking paint into a tube. It can be found at Lowe’s Home Improvement for $23.78.

SETUP & USE: Begin by pulling the fill tube apart. Hold your thumb at the small end of the clear tube and fill the other end with 1-2 beers. Hold the stick at an angle it to avoid foam. Insert the other piece in and push slowly while flipping it so that the side with your thumb is angled up. Slowly release your thumb and push some of the foam out. Once the foam is out the beerstick is ready for use. Place the opening in your mouth and push the other end against the wall, or have a friend push for you.

22-year-old UNC Charlotte student Krystie “KT” Thomas attemps to down a beerstick. Photo/ Lee Pham

NINERONLINE.COM

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

D.I.Y. nail art

The recent nail-painting craze has inspired many UNC Charlotte students to get intricate manicures.

But have you ever thought about doing it yourself?

Scarlett Newman SNEWMAN@UNCC.EDU

Super celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Jessie J and Rihanna are known for their music and fashion. But recently these stars have been recognized for their unique, and sometimes over-the-top, nail art.

A recent nail trend among the stars is painting dagger nails, which are nails that look like daggers because they’re long and very sharp.

As if the length isn’t enough for them, to top it off they add very intricate designs and sometimes even embellishments to their nails.

As much as we’d like to emulate our favorite celebrities, sometimes we don’t have the resources or the cash to do so. This doesn’t mean that it’s impossible. There are tons of blogs online that feature stepby-step tutorials that make it very simple to achieve eye-popping looks for your nails.

Sophomore Andrea Rodriguez is very

passionate about nail design and is eager to start her own blog dedicated to posting all of the looks she has created.

“I remember my friend doing a design on my nails years ago, and that’s what sparked my interest in nail design,” said Rodriguez.

“I draw a lot of my inspiration from bloggers and just randomly searching for designs on the Internet.”

Rodriguez created a very simple design on my nails that can be easily copied if you just follow the basic steps: 1. Make sure your nails are clean and filed, if not file them down to a length that you like.

2. Take a darker color of your choice (I chose teal) and paint your nails with 2 coats (or until it’s not transparent anymore) 3. Now switch to using a white nail polish. From the corner of the base of your nail work upward to form a triangle shape that covers almost half of the nail. You probably need to do at least 2 coats of this.

4. Take 3 “Art Deco” nail polish colors.

Art Deco means the brush will be really thin so you can effortlessly make designs on the nail. Take each color and just run a thin line on top of the white 5. After your nails are dry, take a clear top coat polish and go across all of your nails for a glossy effect and protection!

Now you’re done!

lo r a h C

u a t s e tte R

k e e W rant

Chima

Tricia Bangit

TBANGIT@UNCC.EDU

Once you step into Chima, the buzzedabout Brazilian steakhouse on South Tryon Street in Charlotte, the ambience is warm and inviting, yet modern and sophisticated.

There are two dining areas: stairs that lead to the basement’s dining area and a staircase that leads to an upper level including a bar, lounge, restrooms and another dining area.

Prosciutto, beef carpaccio, Gorgonzola mousse, Parmesan cheese, heart of palm, more cheese, and other things. Photo/ Tricia Bangit The Brazilian steakhouse experience is definitely one that every omnivore and carnivore should try at least once. Be warned though that this is an all-you-can-eat affair, which is not for everyone. And because it was Charlotte Restaurant Week, where the price for a three-course meal is cheaper than usual, this seemed like a great opportunity to seize.

Even though I barely ate all day, I probably should have known better than to fill up too quickly on the first course.

There are other things you should expect as well. 1)Your server will ask you at least three times what bottle of wine you’d like even though you never expressed interest in ordering one in the first place.

2)Your servers routinely re-fold your dinner napkin every time you get up to leave the table, and if you try to fold your own napkin yourself, they’ll just fix it because you don’t know how to do it right.

To be fair, the servers were more than polite and very attentive. It’s just a little hard to get used to that form of dining out if you’re not used to it. When you’re a student it’s easy to get used to waiters treating you poorly.

Vegetarians who are being tagged along to this restaurant can be assured that the complimentary appetizers and salad bar offer more than enough options, though the sight of slabs of meat on sticks traveling throughout the dining area might make your stomach uneasy.

The appetizers offered included fried

All pictures depict the various steps in the art of nail-painting, along with the end result.

Rodriguez chose to use green, black, white, yellow and pink polish. Visit Nineronline.com for the colored pictures. Photos/ Scarlett Newman

PAGE 9

bananas and mashed potatoes. My favorite appetizer was the bread. These little warm rolls had a soft, chewy and cheesy consistency.

I couldn’t resist the offer of second helpings of this bread, which inevitably filled me up quicker than I would have hoped.

Next stop was the salad bar, which comes with an array of salads, dressing and cheeses. While my date loved the rice, beans and smoked salmon, my favorites included the prosciutto and gorgonzola cheese mousse.

Later on in the meal I returned to the salad bar to help myself to a bowl of creamy vegetable soup.

By the time we got to the meats, we were already pretty full. Here’s how it works: each table is provided with a coaster for each guest. One side of the coaster is red.

If you flip over your coaster to red you better expect a flock of waiters with meat on skewers to hover around your table. Top sirloin, lamb, sausages and bacon-wrapped chicken were a few of the selections presented.

While the sausages were great, everything else seemed less memorable. The medium rare cut of lamb I wanted was not as pink and soft as I expected it to be, and the steak wasn’t as tender as I would have

The meat course included top sirloin, lamb, sausages and bacon-wrapped chicken.

Photo/ Tricia Bangit

hoped.

In spite of my slight disappointment with the meat, $30 for a three-course buffet meal was a decent deal. Considering that I never order a full meal when I eat out, the dinner was more for the rare experience than the price.

That being said, here are two things I wish I’d known beforehand.

1) Chima has free valet parking and 2) You get a $20 coupon if you visit their website and become a preferred diner.

Chima is open from Mondays to Thursdays from 5:30 to 9:30 pm, on Fridays from 5:30 to 10pm, on Saturdays from 4 to 10pm and on Sundays from 4 to 9pm. For more information visit chimasteakhouse.com.

PAGE 10

NINERTIMES

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

DOWNTIME 31

1

Tuesday

Spring Series KickOff

Wednesday

Bilal’s Stand

Viewing of a film about a Muslim senion in a high Solar Cat kicks off After school from Detroit and Hours’ spring concert sethe struggle he endures ries joined by Walk On Fire to keep up his grades and The Business People. and help with the family business. Discussion will After Hours in Cone follow.

Center 7:00-10:00

Student Union Movie Theatre 7:00

2

Thursday

Listening Lounge Austin Renfroe is an indie pop rock artist coming to campus. Come out and bring your friends for some relaxed fun.

Norm’s 7:00

3

4

Friday

Poetry Night

A night of poetry sharing with award-winning New York writer and actor, Carlos Andres Gomez.

Norm’s 7:00

5

Saturday

Sunday

Speed Dating

Super Bowl Party

If you are afraid of being alone on this Valentine’s Day, come out to meet some potential and see if there is anyone here for you!

Come out to watch the big game on some big screens with free food!

Student Union Multipurpose Room 1:00

Norm’s 6:30

January 31, 1950 Truman announces development of H-bomb

February 01, 1884 Oxford Dictionary debuts

February 02, 1887 First Groundhog Day

February 03, 2005 Gonzales becomes first Hispanic U.S. attorney general

February 04, 1789 George Washinton elected as the first President of the United States

February 05, 1934 Hank Aron was born FOR RELEASE NOVEMBER 7, 2011

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

See the answer to the sudoku puzzle by scanning the code with your smartphone.

The answers:

Get the answers at www.nineronline.com/downtime

ACROSS 1 Magician’s bird of choice 5 Seattle’s Best product, slangily 9 Fall faller 13 Pub picks 14 Special Forces cap 15 Fairy tale starter 16 Strike gold 18 Give __ to: approve 19 Canadian coin nicknamed for the bird on it 20 Hand-waving or finger-pointing 22 For each 23 Mythical Egyptian riddler 25 Cornfield bird 27 Smallest prime number 28 27-Across plus one, in Italy 29 Lines of theater seats 30 Goes down in the west 32 Debatable point 36 Encouragement for a matador 37 Lane straddler 39 LAX hrs.

40 Welsh dog 42 Screwball 43 Dalai __ 44 A bit amiss 46 “Milk” director Van Sant 47 Oval segments 48 Guy “nipping at your nose,” in a holiday song 52 Inquire 53 Rand McNally references 54 Takes home from the pound 57 Yogi, for one 58 Singer of the 1961 #1 song found in the starts of 16-, 23-, 37and 48-Across 61 Can of worms, e.g.

62 “Drat!”

63 Brooks’s country music partner 64 Sources of immediate cash: Abbr.

11/7/11

By Jeff Chen

65 Mends with thread 66 FBI personnel DOWN 1 Author Roald 2 Assortment 3 President’s weapon 4 Station with game reports and highlights 5 Clampett patriarch 6 Onassis patriarch 7 Brink 8 Declare to be true 9 Despises 10 Boredom 11 Piece of the sky, to Chicken Little 12 Shipping giant 14 “Sayonara!”

17 It’s roughly 21% oxygen 21 Unit of parsley 23 Tinker with 24 Franks 25 Hook nemesis, for short 26 Cylindrical caramel candy 27 General of Chinese cuisine 31 Loud call

Saturday’s Puzzle Solved

(c)2011 Tribune Media Services, Inc.

33 Auto tune-up item 34 Camp Pendleton letters 35 LAX incoming hrs.

37 Jazz licks 38 Approves 41 Amusement park racers 43 Longtime Dodger skipper Tommy 45 Brittany brothers 48 Sluglike “Star Wars” crime boss

11/7/11

49 Persistently bothered 50 Allegation 51 Missouri river or tribe 52 Cavity filler’s org.

54 Blissful sighs 55 Camping shelter 56 9-digit IDs 59 Deviate from a course 60 DJ’s stack

SPORTS

NINERONLINE.COM

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

The future is bright for Charlotte athletics Travis Durkee

TCDURKEE@UNCC.EDU

As we enter a new calendar year and reflect upon Charlotte 49er Athletics to this point, there is no denying that the future is exceedingly bright for a number of our programs.

NCAA Runners-Up (Men’s Soccer) Students and fans were treated to a men’s soccer team that made a magical run to the championship match of the NCAA’s College Cup this past December, the first championship Leading goal scorer Gigame appearuseppe Gentile returns for his sophomore year in 2012. ance by any sport in school Photo by Chris Crews history.

The 49er men (17-5-3) put four players on the College Cup All-Tournament team: Freshman forward Giuseppe Gentile, Senior defender Isaac Cowles, Senior defender Charles Rodriguez, and Junior midfielder Donnie Smith.

Cowles was honored as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Defensive Player.

This team produced more than fond memories of a great season but also produced three players that have been offered the chance to compete in the MLS. Senior Evan James was drafted with the first pick in the MLS’s supplemental draft by the newly created Montreal Impact.

Rodriquez was selected in the third round of the supplemental draft by DC United, while Cowles was selected to join the Colorado Rapids for preseason training.

More success is to be expected, as the

Niners return their leading scorer,Gentile, third leading scorer Junior forward Donnie Smith, goalkeeper Klay Davis and eight other players who played in at least 17 of Charlotte’s 25 games in 2011.

Such a successful season should garner greater attention for a program that will use their national exposure to attract talent from all over the country.

Recruits would become part of a club that is building a winning tradition in Charlotte.

Major momentum shift The Niners are finding success on the hardwood as well where men’s head basketball Coach Alan Major matched his win total from his first season,with their tenth win of the 2011-2012 season coming on Jan. 18 over Kennesaw State, with 12 games remaining in the regular season.

This much-improved team is anchored by forward Chris Braswell who is averaging 14.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game.

However, the Niners have been getting huge contributions from their younger players.

Freshman point guard Pierria Henry is fifth in the country in steals per game, and sophomore shooting guard DeMario Mayfield has started all 18 games this season, including a career-high 25 points in a victory over Kennesaw State.

M a j o r clearly has an eye for young talent and is building a program that should soon see its first trip to the NCAA tournament Alan Major now has as many since 2005. wins as last year with 10.

Photo by Chris Crews

Gridiron hopefuls Although Charltote football isn’t set to kick-off until 2013, Brad Lambert and his staff are on the road building a football team that the campus of UNC Charlotte and its alumni can be proud of.

Signing day is Wednesday, and Lambert already has a handful of Brad Lambert signs his commits for his first class. first class of recruits There’s no tomorrow. File Photo question 49ers’ athletics have given us plenty to be proud of so far this year.

As exciting as it’s been, the best is yet to come for this university. It’s an exciting time to be a part of Niner Nation.

Sultans of Swat ( A-10 baseball champions) 49ers baseball b e g a n practice last week with the first pitch of the season set for Feb. 17 at Hayes StaFile Photo dium.

The Niners were recently chosen by Atlantic 10 coaches as the favorites to claim their fifth A-10 Conference title in the past six seasons. Goals are set way beyond a conference title as Charlotte looks to make a repeat appearance in the NCAA tournament.

As the season nears, be on the lookout for a more comprehensive look at this year’s Niners baseball team.

This week in campus athletes Sports briefs for 49er Womens Basketball, Mens Basketball and Track and Field The Charlotte 49ers announced Friday afternoon that sophomore Paige McCallum has been released from the team due to unmentioned circumstances.

McCallum remains a student at UNC Charlotte while she finishes the courseload for her Africana Studies major.

In six games for the 49ers, she averaged 5.5 points and 5.7 boards per game prior to being suspended from the team.

As a 49er following her transferring from Gulf Coast Community College, she played in 31 games and tallied 206 points and 179 rebounds.

“After much consideration, it is the decision of our coaching staff that Paige McCallum and our team part ways at this time,” Consuegra said.

In her two seasons with Charlotte, McCallum has been suspended twice, once during the WNIT Final-Four run by the 49ers last season.

“After much consideration, it is the decision of our coaching staff that Paige McCallum and our team part ways at this time,” Consuegra said.

Charltotte Athletics

The 49ers pushed the Xavier Musketeers to the brink on Saturday evening in front of a raucous crowd, as they fell 7470, doing it all without their starting point guard Pierria Henry.

Henry was sitting on the bench in street clothes, he appeared to be chomping at the bit from the opening tip-off, but the strained MCL he suffered in the 49ers loss to George Washington, last Saturday.

Henry suffered an MCL strain in his left knee during practice leading up to last week’s conference shellacking suffered against Temple inside Halton Arena.

Head coach Alan Major commented on the status of Henry following Saturday’s game; “Pierria is day to day, we don’t want to do anything to jeopardize his health in any way, he’s been bouncing around in practice, not practicing just on the side.

Without the A-10 Rookie of the Week , Charlotte is missing the defensive prowess of Henry, who averages 2.7 steals-per-game.

Charltotte Athletics

At the Liberty Open invitational, senior Track and Field athlete Jake Wainright shattered the previous school record in the heptathlon by 60 points with a score of 5,384.

Robert Wilson and Mike Cross finished in third and fourth, while Wainright placed second. Wainright jockeyed his way past the previous record of 5,124 set

by Brad Bailey in 2005.

At the Penn State National Open, Jo’Ann Blakney took the 200-meter dash with a time of 24.28 seconds, .07 shy of her personal best in the event. She finished third in the semifinals of the 60-meter dash with a personal best of 7.44.

Also at Penn State the women’s 4x800 squad set a new school record with their time of 9:04.63, surpassing the old record by just under six seconds. In the 4x400, Charlotte won with a time of 3:43.14, the second shortest time in 49ers’ history.

- Briefs by Ed Niser Charltotte Athletics

PAGE 11

SPORTS SCHEDULE

Wednesday Men’s Basketball @. LaSalle 7 p.m.

Women’s Basketball vs. UMass 7 p.m.

Football Signs first recruiting class (All Day)

Saturday Men’s Basketball @ Fordham 1p.m.

SPORTS RESULTS Men’s Basketball

LOSS

vs. Xavier

74-70 Women’s Basketball

LOSS

@ Temple

65-55 SPORTS FACTS Women’s Tennis The tennis team opened up the Halton-Wagner Complex with a sweep of N.C. Central Sunday.

Charlotte Track & Field

School Record Women’s 4x800 Relay

9:04.63

PAGE 12

TUESDAY, JANUARY 31, 2012

NINERTIMES