LIFESTYLE
THE LAST WORD
A&E
PAGE 1
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Check out one of the University City’s most interesting hang-outs.
More than simply selling books, the store constantly adjusts to their customers’ ideas.
DEALING WITH LANDLORDS
It may be tricky, but adjusting to landlords that are not your parents can present new difficulties.
One way to alleviate the possible issues is to know your rights as a tenant. Keeping yourself informed can save you any possible stress.
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NINERTIMES Thursday, March 22, 2012
Published twice weekly and online at www.nineronline.com
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Lending a helping paw
Construction transforms campus
Elizabeth Bartholf EBARTHO3@UNCC.EDU
Visually impaired individuals receive help living independent lives through numerous outlets, one of which is guide dogs. Guide dogs don’t just train themselves though and that is where volunteers come in. Freshman Gabriela De Gracia, a prebuisness major, volunteers raising puppies to be guide dogs and even takes the trainees to class with her. De Gracia recently completed about one year of training with her first puppy, Baity. “The hardest part of training was adjusting to always having a dog by my side. It’s kind of like you’re thinking of two people now, yourself and the dog,” said De Gracia. De Gracia raised Baity through Southeastern Guide Dogs, a nonprofit group in Florida that breeds and trains dogs for the visually impaired. Daily life on campus has been a significant part of Baity’s training as well. De Gracia worked with the Office of Disability Services to bring Baity to her classes and help him get accustomed to the campus atmosphere. “It’s like having your friend go everywhere with you. Not a lot of people get to take their dogs with them everywhere they go, and I love that part of it,” said De Gracia. In the Paws for Patriots program run by Southeastern Guide Dogs, dogs are trained to assist visually impaired and physically disabled veterans and work in therapy programs. Dogs are also trained for careers in search and rescue, bomb and drug detection and outreach programs in schools, hospitals and nursing homes.
Ciera Choate NEWS@NINERONLINE.COM
Above: Gabriela De Gracia’s first puppy in training, Baity. Below: De Gracia’s new puppy, Charlotte. Photos courtesy of Gabriela De Gracia
As part of Baity’s training, De Gracia joined a puppy raising group in Charlotte, N.C. Several members are also college students training guide dogs. Puppy raisers share experiences and training techniques and switch puppies for two weeks to teach the puppies to adjust to the schedule and lifestyle of their new owners, as they will as future guide or service dogs. North Carolina law states all dogs undergoing training must be allowed in all areas, including stores and restaurants, otherwise the venue may face fines.
With the coming of football in Fall 2013 students are excited about the new football field and complex being built near Duke Centennial Hall, but there are also many other construction projects going on at all corners of UNC Charlotte. The Energy Production Infrastructure Center (EPIC), which will be completed Friday, March 30, 2012, will have a crew begin moving in furniture at the beginning of April. Currently there are plans to have an opening ceremony before the fall semester. The building cost $66 million and will be the home of a majority of UNC Charlotte’s engineering department. All funding for the project came from the N.C. State Legislature. In addition to the EPIC building on the other side of campus the new parking deck by the Charlotte Research Institute (CRI) side of campus is currently under construction, as well as the new residence hall located by Miltimore and Lynch Halls. There are also construction projects in South Village and the new tennis complex, the Halton-Wagner Tennis Complex. Although many construction projects like the EPIC building are finishing up there are more in the works such as the new residence hall by South Village that will be built in addition to Deck J.
GUIDE DOGS p.3
CONSTRUCTION p.2
7 ways to increase your fuel economy Lee Pham COMMUNITY@NINERONLINE.COM
As spring rolls in the demand for fuel remains high and gas prices don’t appear to be falling anytime soon. In fact nearly one third of American drivers are already paying $4 per gallon for regular unleaded. Charlotte fairs a bit better just under the national average of $3.80. It will take several years before Char-
A&E
OPINION
Angry Birds: Check out the newest game that may keep you from studying or taking notes.
Pretty Little Liars: This season’s most anticipated revelation.
that shuts itself off while idling, you are likely wasting a lot of fuel during heavy congestion. So how can we minimize the damage that filling up has on our pockets? Obviously driving slowly and avoiding quick acceleration increases fuel efficiency, but do passive drivers actually exist in Charlotte? Read ahead to learn seven realistic ways to make your gas tank last and discover the cheapest gas prices around. FUEL p.9
SPORTS
NEWS
FRESHMAN FIRESIDE
SGA ELECTIONS Voting for UNC Charlotte’s SGA elections begins March 27, 2012, and
Creating a spreadsheet of all your
ends March 28, 2012.
classes and requirements for graduation is a great way to avoid an extra
Visit NinerOnline.com for information
semester.
Campus Film: With the
deadline to submit a film to the UNC Charlotte Film Festival approaching, check out some of the entries submitted and hopes for this year’s festival. MCT Campus
lotte public transportation is up to par with other major cities like D.C. and Atlanta. In the meantime driving is a necessity for University City students and residents. Not to mention that UNC Charlotte is situated between U.S. Route 29, N.C. Highway 49, and two major interstates (I-85 and I-485). Rush hour guarantees bumper-to-bumper traffic and delayed commutes. And unless you drive a hybrid
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on candidates and updates over the
Sitting down at your computer for thirty minutes can save future headaches and stress. p.5
weekend. NinerTV will host a debate Thursday, March 22, 2012, at 6 p.m
INTRAMURAL CHAMPIONS
in the Rotunda of the Student Union. p.11
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NINERTIMES
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
CONSTRUCTION from p.1 South Village Parking Deck – Deck J
The new parking deck by South Village, also known as the high rises, will begin construction shortly and will hold 1,247 cars as well as about 40 bikes, including motorcycles. Electric car plug-ins will also be provided.
The cost of the deck has not yet been set because the construction company has not been hired for the project. “We’re still in the comment and review phase,” said Construction Manager Rick Ellis.
Halton-Wagner Tennis Complex
The $5.2 million tennis complex will be completed within the next couple of weeks and the dedication ceremony will take place April 27. According to Construction Manager Brian Kugler, the completion date
was set back many times due to the severe rain the Charlotte area experienced. Both tennis teams have used the courts this season, but the complex has yet to open for spectators and the teams.
Football Complex
The new football complex will open fall of 2013 and currently has not had any set
backs in the flow of construction. It will cost about $50 million. Photos by Cody Brown
NINERONLINE.COM
GUIDE DOGS from p.1 “I haven’t had difficulties with [bringing Baity] in stores. Charlotte has been really service dog friendly,” said De Gracia. Each puppy-in-training is sponsored by donations to the Southeastern Guide Dogs, often given in memory or in honor of a loved one. Baity is named in memory of Sergeant Thomas Baitinger of the St. Petersburg Police Department in Florida who was killed in action. In addition to Baitinger’s wife, who De Gracia sends updates and pictures to, she also depends on the help of her family due to her commuting back and forth to campus. “It really does take a family to raise a dog. It helps having family members who can step in [and help],” said De Gracia. From the commands “sit” and “stay,” De Gracia has also worked on teaching Baity to find doors, stairs and cars. Professional trainers will teach Baity to perform these tasks on command and judge traffic for safely crossing streets. According to training rules, De Gracia
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
taught Baity commands by rewarding him with verbal praise, never using dog food treats. To prevent begging, puppies-intraining are never allowed to eat human food. “My favorite part [of puppy raising] has been bonding with [Baity] and always having a companion by my side,” said De Gracia. During spring break, De Gracia took Baity to Southeastern Guide Dog’s facility in Florida to participate in the group’s 26th annual walkathon fundraiser and return Baity for further training. After dogs complete their training they are evaluated according to their personality traits and training to determine the service they are best suited for. De Gracia thinks Baity has a good chance of becoming a guide dog. “Baity is very loyal. [He is] like my little sidekick and to not have him will be sad,” said De Gracia. Now De Gracia is starting over with a new puppy, named Charlotte, and looks forward to co-training the puppy with her sister and raising Charlotte to be another loyal guide dog.
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SGA Senate candidates: Segment Two Jingjing Zhao
BELK COLLEGE OF BUSINESS MAJOR/MINOR: Finance/Mathematics
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO RUN?
“Letting students’ voice get heard would be a wonderful opportunity for me to make a contribution to UNC Charlotte.”
Candidates not shown in either parts did not respond to Niner Times requests for information.
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NINERTIMES
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Police Blotter CALLS FOR SERVICE March 13
• Scott Hall, subject informed suicide hotline that he had suicidal ideation.
March 15
• Walmart/N. Tryon St., officer assisted another agency in reference to three subjects that were shoplifting.
COUNTERFEITING March 17
• Student Union, known subject attempted to use a counterfeit $20 bill.
DWI
March 16
• Martin Village, known subject was operating a motor vehicle while under the influence.
HIT AND RUN
THIS WEEK IN SGA March 17
• West Deck, an unknown subject entered an unsecured vehicle and removed a victim’s purse.
OTHER March 13
• Lauren Glen Ct., victim was harassed and stalked by an aquaintance.
VANDALISM March 13
• Northeast Recreational Fields, an unknown subject damaged a car’s keyhole to the driver’s side door.
TRESPASSING March 9
• Student Union, previously trespassed suspect found on campus.
March 15
• Van Landingham Rd., driver fled the scene after hitting a vehicle at a stop sign.
LARCENY March 10
• Field 13 PVA, an unknown subject forcibly entered victim’s vehicle and removed property.
March 11
• McCall, an unknown subject took a laptop while it was left unattended.
March 13
• Student Health Services, victim claimed wallet was stolen but further investigation revealed it was lost.
March 14
• Belk Gym, an unknown subject removed property that was left unsecured and unattended.
Trespasser apprehended Joseph Lutz, 22, was arrested on campus Friday, March 9, 2012, around 9 a.m. The arrest occurred at the Student Union. Lutz was arrested for second degree trespassing. He has apparently previously trespassed on campus and was notified not to return, but he came back on university property. Lutz is not a UNC Charlotte student. Eden Creamer
Cross Walk Act passes Derek Boesch and Joshua Lamb presented legislation to the Student Senate concerning the lack of crosswalks available to ensure the safety of students crossing the roads on campus. The legislation says, “We the Student Government ask that crosswalks on campus be clearly labeled from both sides, modeled after the John Kirk and Van Landingham Rd crosswalk that connects University Terrace to campus.” It also requests proper markings on the pavement and signs to accompany the crosswalks. Ciera Choate
Senate encourages use of Moodle The Student Government Association (SGA) is currently working to pass a resolution encouraging professors to use Moodle for their classes. SGA feels with the university paying $175,000 annually for the use of the system more professors need to take advantage of Moodle. Currently about 40 percent of professors at UNC Charlotte use the system. In addition to using the system they request the grades be kept up to date and a copy of the syllabus and assignment information be uploaded. Ciera Choate
Standing up against Amendment One In reaction to Amendment One that is coming to North Carolina voters on election day the Student Government Association (SGA) is working to pass a resolution against the amendment. This past week the Student Senate referred the legislation to the Student Affairs Committee. Ciera Choate
NINERONLINE.COM
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
OPINION NINERTIMES Volume 24, Number 43 A PRODUCT OF
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Obamacare imposes on the Freshman Fireside: Registration First Admendment to the -treme
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Margaret Daly
M D A LY 1 2 @ U N C C . E D U
With the upcoming election, the government and it’s policies are a very controversial and popular topic these days. Whether or not you support President Obama, his current proposal of making birth control free may seem like a good idea. Unfortunately what many people don’t realize is that it goes against the constitution this country was founded on. It is hard to see the true abomination we actually have on our hands. While citizens might like the sound of Obamacare, it is always important to remember that such bills tend to have restraints and controversies embedded in them. John Miller with the Associated Press stated that “the controversy erupted nationally this year when the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and other religious groups protested a new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act rule that required church-affiliated universities, hospitals and nonprofits to include birth control without co-pays or premiums in their insurance plans.” With such accusations rising, it is important to keep an open mind and search for the facts before forming an opinion. The claim is that his effort to make birth control free is a direct violation of the first amendment, so I decided to dig deep to uncover how Obamacare could violate religious beliefs. “The administration ordered almost all religious organizations to provide health
insurance coverage that includes free birth control and sterilization procedures - even the morning-after pill, which can induce abortions. Otherwise, under Obamacare, Catholic hospitals, charities and universities would face major fines totaling millions of dollars.” said Jeffrey T. Kuhner, with the Washington Times. Is it really the government’s place to force organizations (private, public or nonprofit) to provide something if it violates their beliefs? The counterargument, that birth control will save money in the long run, is valid. Personally, I think it would be in the best interest of the insurance provider to provide it rather than pay for expensive maternity and child care. However, it is not the government’s place to force this and it is certainly not their place to force a church whose beliefs go against this to provide it. As a country we could do many things differently to save money but not if they contradict the freedoms we were founded on; religious freedom being one of them. Regardless of the benefits, such as less unwanted pregnancies, I believe Obamacare’s birth control program is a violation of our first amendment. Although I feel that free birth control would be beneficial to our citizens I do not believe it is the government’s role to force it upon companies, including religious ones. With upcoming elections, and even dayto-day legislation, I hope that as students we can keep an open mind and research before forming our opinion on what is really best for this country.
Poll: Do you think that Obamacare is a violation to the First Admendment? Answer online at www.NINERONLINE.com
As a freshman we are winding down our first two semesters of college (or “collage” for those unaware of the difference). Quizzes, exams and research for our basic general education and major requirements are out of the way. MATH 1100? Done. COMM 1101? Handled that. ENGL 4203? Uhh, maybe later. But how much later? How many semesters in the future can I fill with entry-level classes? As registration for the next academic year is fast approaching, it is important to look ahead not at next semester but at our next three or more years. Don’t moan and groan. This is fun, and after you do plan out your courses for the rest of your college career, once you might consider changing your major just so you can do it again. You think I’m exaggerating but my double major might not include English in the near future for that reason alone. For this delightful activity you will need: Copies of the requirements for your major(s), minor(s) and general education A list of all of the courses you have received credit for (including classes taken at UNC Charlotte, previous institutions, AP testing, etc.) About 30 minutes to an hour of time A handy dandy Excel spreadsheet I heard you whine a bit when you saw Excel spreadsheet but you need to calm down. This is going to be fun. In Excel, make a list of the classes you have already received credit for. Using the fill cell tool, color-code your list so you can easily tell what course satisfies general education or your major. Or if you’re colorblind skip this step because it will probably just frustrate you later on and make you really mad at me. After you’ve done that, write out a list of the classes you’d like to take next semester. And the next semester and the next semester. On and on until you’ve gotten to your expected graduation date. Now go through your list and color-code the classes that satisfy your degree requirements. Doing this will make it easier when you want to check to make sure that you’ve met the requirements for whatever degree it is that you are pursuing. When you’re done color-coding you have to start on the tedious task. Go through all of your requirements and make sure that you are planning to take every class you need. Check to make sure you aren’t neglecting to take prerequisites before a course. Look online to make sure that the course you want is offered in that semester, as some courses are only offered in fall and others only in spring. Make sure you aren’t exceeding 18 credits in a semester. Adjust your plan for life as necessary. The most important thing to remember while doing this is to stay flexible. Semesters from now, something might happen to throw off your plan and that is okay. Just remember that you’ve got a basic outline for what you want to do and you’ll be fine. This activity is not only productive but exceedingly amusing.
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NINERTIMES
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
A&E
LIVE MUSIC:
NEW IN THEATERS:
3/24 - The Black Keys Feat. Arctic Monkeys Bojangles Coliseum, 8 p.m., $42-52 3/24 - Slaughterhouse w/ special guest Brody & Choch Fillmore, 9 p.m., $26.50
Hunger Games The Deep Blue Sea October Baby The Raid: Redemption The Trouble with Bliss
Story just beginning for The Last Word
Visitors are met with event listings and many options as soon as they walk in the door of The Last Word. Ryan Pitkin RPITKIN@UNCC.EDU
There are many ways to look at The Grand Promenade shopping center located only a mile or two from UNC Charlotte’s campus on the corner of North Tryon Street and Harris Boulevard. Although the IHOP and the surrounding bars (Picasso’s, Buffalo Wild Wings) are popular spots, the DMV and parking lot as a whole can induce hairpulling fits of anger. Not to mention the fact that the best restaurant in the center, Yoshi’s, recently closed its doors. However, there is one saving grace that makes pulling into the shops worth the time it will take to find a spot: The Last Word. The Last Word is, at its base, a used book store, but has truly become so much more. It is one of the coolest places in Charlotte, and is by far the best hangout in the University area. Part owner Elizabeth Pope opened the store with the help of her two sons in November of 2011. She had managed book stores in the past and her sons had worked in them. When they came into some inheritance money, they decided that this was how they wanted to invest it, said Pope. “We took the best aspects of what
we had seen and got rid of the ones that aren’t conducive to people wanting to shop,” she said. “We want it to be a place where you don’t just come and buy things but come and do things.” The store has become very community oriented throughout the first year and a half of its existence. It evolves as it grows to include suggestions from customers as to how they can offer more to the neighborhood, said Pope. These suggestions have grown into legitimate events held at the store including art workshops, Girl Scout scavenger hunts and a meeting room that anyone can use to hold a team meeting or just study alone. Depending on the employee in control at the hour of your visit, you might hear some 90’s alt rock, soothing jazz or local indie bands over the speakers. During one recent Monday, local band Matrimony was playing overhead while two employees relaxed at the registers. Monday is the day that the store doesn’t buy books back and it tends to be the slowest day of the week for business. Employee Shauna Sinyard, a UNC Charlotte junior, was playing the CD, as her coworkers playlist had just ran up and it was her turn. Sometime employees have contests to play a used CD from
Photo courtesy of The Last Word
the sales rack (The Last Word sells CDs, records, movies, vintage video games and more) and see how many people are intrigued enough to buy it. “This is the best job I’ve ever had,” she said. “The owners are really great people who care about the community. It’s way better than working for some corporation churning out new books for profit.” Local artists showcase their work in the store for about a month at a time. In March, Christopher Wilson’s “Starving Student Photography” can be found in a sort of hangout spot, where a couple of couches and an oversize checkers board invite shoppers to stick around and enjoy the atmosphere. Joel Wommack, a UNC Charlotte graduate and friend of the owners, who helped open up shop, said artists can approach any employee about showcasing their work. “If you’re a local artist of any kind, this is the place to be. It’s a place to get your name out there.” The store runs all sorts of specials almost guaranteeing that you will walk out with some sort of discount. On top of running discounts for receipts from most of the surrounding Grand Promenade stores and restaurants, The Last Word offers discounts
for student and military IDs. A child with As and Bs on his or her report card gets $5 to spend in the store. It’s $10 for straight As. Pope said that the evolving nature of the store is its biggest strength. “This is how all stores should be. If we had 20 more stores, that’s how it would be. Stores in different neighborhoods would evolve depending on what that neighborhood needed.” “The most satisfying part is to hear the positive comments from people,” she said. Although there are no plans to create more stores right now, Pope is focused on growing The Last Word to include even more. She hopes to open a café/coffee shop in the store by the end of 2012 and another main goal is to get more live music showcased in shop throughout the year. Pope is very happy with the way business is going. “75% of people who walk in come back,” she said. “Because of how we get stuff, our inventory changes every day.” I tested this theory as I left the store, stopping by the Classics section to look for a copy of Nabokov’s “Lolita,” a book I had searched for before in the store and never found, but asked about. It was there, right next to Azar Nafisi’s memoir of books “Reading Lolita in Tehran.” As usual, they had all the angles covered.
MOST WANTED Low on dough but heavy on pop culture? Last Word is on the lookout for these in-demand pieces. Book - “Catching Fire” Everyone is looking for the third installment of the Hunger Games triolgy. They’re looking for any installment, for that matter. CD - “Wrecking Ball” The special edition of Bruce Spingsteen’s new album is on top of a list filled with Adele. DVD - “Game of Thrones: Season One” HBO’s fantasy series is returning soon for its second season and people are trying to catch up. Downtown Abbey is also a popular title.
Angry Birds takes over the final frontier Patrick Bogans
PBOGANS@UNCC.EDU
Get ready for more ridiculously addicting gameplay from the innovative brains over at Rovio Entertainment: the next spinoff in the Angry Birds fran-
Game screenshot shows old and new characters. Photo/Rovio
chise, "Angry Birds Space," officially drops March 22, 2012. "Space" will be simultaneously released for iOS, Android, PC and Mac today. It is official that Angry Birds has turned into more than just an app. It's becoming a money-making franchise. Rovio first showcased the game to the public at the South By Southwest conference in Austin, Texas earlier this month. The concept of the game has users flinging angry birds towards complex structures built by pigs who have stolen their eggs. Now the game is being taken to a completely new level. The developers over at Rovio collaborated with scientists at NASA to understand and prefect the gravitational aspects that are so important to the game. The game was even announced last August by Flight Engineer Don Pettit of NASA from the International
Space Station, and he demonstrated the affects that zero gravity will have on the game play using Angry Bird plush toys. NASA even hopes that their partnership with Angry Birds Space and with Rovio Entertainment can increase space education and interest. There will be 60 interstellar levels at the release of the game, with six brand new birds that have brand new superpowers. There will also be periodic free updates of the game to keep the interest of it going long after its initial release. "Angry Birds", "Angry Birds Seasons" and "Angry Birds Rio" combined have sold over 500 million copies as of November 2011. Angry Birds fans have played a combined total of over 200,000 years of the popular gaming application.
NINERONLINE.COM
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
PAGE 7
Liar, liar, pants on fire: a recap of “A” Day Ciera Choate NEWS@NINERONLINE.COM
As A-Day approached I counted down the days, and after seeing the season finale of my favorite ABC Family show, “Pretty Little Liars,” I’m still not sure how I feel about it. They didn’t reveal who A really is, or at least if there is a whole group of them, so now I’m stuck holding my breath for another season. I know they are following the books, every fourth book a new A is revealed, but I can’t help but feel like they are trying to drag out the show as long as possible. Yes they are making a lot of money, so who can really blame them, but I hope “Pretty Little Liars” doesn’t get to the point of “The Secret Life of an American Teenager,” where they pointlessly drag it on. It’s always sad to watch a good show be ruined by not ending it when its time is over. Here are a few thoughts from a true “Pretty Little Liars” fan. Warning: If you haven’t watched the season all the way through, there are spoilers. Mr. Fitz goes public, finally I’m really happy Mr. Fitz, or Ezra I might say since he’s no longer a teacher, took off the mask and gained the confidence to show Aria off as his girlfriend, but what happened to Aria’s crazy parents? Every episode up until now they have been all over her, watching her every step. Then they aren’t at the dance at the school her mom works at. Sorry, ABC Family, but you need to make sure you pay attention to the episodes you’ve already written, not just the ones you’re writing now. Maybe I’m being too critical, but I think about things like that. I prefer the shows I watch to make sense – that part didn’t. Spencer and Toby It’s about time the two of them got back together, but why hasn’t Spencer told Toby the whole Ren thing was a lie? Show me a man that will take you back without any explanation and what you have is a liar. I feel like
Lucy Hale, Ashley Benson, and Shay Mitchell on the red carpet at the 38th Annual People’s Choice Awards on January 11, 2012, at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California. Photo courtesy of JJ that’s all she would have had to do in order to get Toby back. Also, if Toby knew to stay away from Spencer then does that mean he knew what was up with Jenna or that he knows who the real A is? Whatever the case he needs to spill why he made himself stay away from her. And how in the world did he get in touch with Dr. Sullivan if she dropped off the face of the earth? As far as Dr. Sullivan – how did she find somewhere the police couldn’t find her but Toby could? Yeah I know, makes no sense. The all lived happily ever after Everyone loves a happy ending, and the writers of “Pretty Little Liars” made sure they had one. As a sappy girl, yes, I love that all of the girls ended up happy with their man, but they had other seasons to get them back together. They could have left something as a cliffhanger. I feel like the only thing I’m waiting on now is to find out the other real A, how unsatisfying. I prefer to be kept on my toes.
The first two seasons of the Pretty Little Liars television series is loosely based on the first four books. Photo courtesy of Sara Shepard
Maya When whoever killed Allison did it, they had some sort of reason, but why kill Maya? Not like she knew who A was. I see how A needed to be able to mess with Emily. For example when she needs to get her out of the hotel room where Hannah is taking a shower, but that’s a
little extreme don’t you think? Poor Maya didn’t do anything. And of all of the liars Emily got the short end of the stick. First her dad leaves and now Maya is gone. Who I think A really is Allison. I’m officially convinced she isn’t dead and is the heart of this operation. Yes I could be wrong, but how have Emily and Spencer seen her so clearly? I just have an inkling. That easily could have been Allison with her black wig in the Black Swan costume. At least you can’t prove it’s not Allison. I understand she’s dead, but at this point anything can happen. It’s going to be a while until we find out though because we are at book four of 12 and a new A is revealed every four books. Rumor has it there is two more seasons and a movie on the way, so there will be a lot of waiting in store for hardcare “Pretty Little Liars” fans. If it isn’t Allison then my money is on Melissa. If you take the two previous episodes into account the Melissa is the person it should have been all along. The writers set it up perfectly for Melissa to be A. I guess that was just to distract us. The creepy scene with the ice cream and how she acted over the video was way too creepy and she was too calm to not be involved. At this point though, anyone can be involved and anyone can be A, or at least part of the A team.
Filmmakers sh wcase Tricia Bangit
TBANGIT@UNCC
The fourth annual UNC Charlotte Film Festival is fast approaching and the deadline for submissions is April 13, 2012 at 5 p.m. In an effort to raise funds for the event Erick Button, the UNC Charlotte Film Club President and Evening Muse emcee, organized a film screening this past Sunday where fans of the local cinema scene could view a handful of short films while sipping on beer or wine. In the small, cozy performance space that is the Evening Muse, the guests chatted excitedly about the night that would unfold. Many of the individuals who directed these short films happened to be present at the screening along with some of the film program’s professors. The fun and often risky thing about going to a film festival is that you never know what you’re going to get. Science fiction, documentary, music video and stop-motion animation were just a few of the types of film present. The actual screening itself kicked off a bit late as a few people poured into the venue a little after 8 p.m. Apart from one or two technical difficulties, it ran smoothly. Also highlighted were films that won at last year’s UNC Charlotte Film Festival. These included UNC Charlotte student Joshua Yates’ experimental music video “Kotzebue,”
which won Best Music Video as well as Yates’ “I </3 COPS,” a film that profiles a young, polarizing filmmaker. “I </3 COPS” won the award for Best Documentary. Other past UNC Charlotte film festival winners that were screened were Hugo LaGraba’s “Pollution” and Ramesh Yarlagadda’s “Film D’Art,” which took home the Bronze Award. For those who have attended another Charlotte film festival in the past year, seeing some of these films again was a bit of a repetitive experience. As to be expected at a film festival, many of the submissions were very out there, ranging from the slightly unconventional to the incredibly unexpected. These included “Dirty Silverware,” South Carolinian Steve Daniel’s film about a unique man’s quest to put an end to the sinister properties of tainted silverware, and “Pennipotens”, by Heather D. Freeman, an animation based on a dark Flemish early 20th century fairytale. Last year’s UNC Charlotte Film Festival hosted over 400 members in the audience and included more than 100 submissions with 27 films that were showcased. The UNC Charlotte Film Club meets every other Wednesday and this year’s UNC Charlotte Film Festival will be held from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. in McKnight Hall on Tuesday, April 24th. Who knows, you might recognize someone in one or several of the films as the student that sits next to you in one of
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NINERTIMES
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Where a Niner’s spare moments go
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
HAVE YOU HAD ANY DIFFICULTIES COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR LANDLORD? EMAIL LIFESTYLE@NINERONLINE.COM TO SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCE. A disgruntled 49er finds herself dealing with a difficult landlord, showing that living off-campus has its perks and well as its downfalls. Tricia Bangit TBANGIT@UNCC.EDU
ong
go wr s d r lo d n la n e Wh
MCT Campus
Behind the mask:
I love the neighborhood I live in. It’s a very safe area, there aren’t too many rowdy college kids in my building and I’m within walking distance from a beautiful creek and a frozen yogurt store. The mall and supermarkets are a mere two to five minute drive, and the speed limit is 25 mph, making it very safe for pedestrians. Even though I sometimes wish I lived closer to campus, I wouldn’t trade it for the privacy and safety I have now. But there is one problem: I could use a better landlord. When my landlord didn’t fix the doorway to our bedroom before we moved in, I figured I shouldn’t complain. There are worse things that could happen. And happen they did. The first thing to go wrong was that the toilet slowly stopped running. The previous tenant had mentioned to me that the toilet was a bit slow on filling up, but that was an understatement. A month into living in my apartment, the toilet was taking hours to fill up. It got so bad that my boyfriend had to manually fill up the tank with water. Even though we immediately notified our landlord of this issue, it wasn’t until three weeks later that she fixed it. I was a little disgruntled, but at least the problem was fixed. This happened in August. Fast forward to November. We noticed that the tub had begun to leak. Someone had previously put the hot water handle at an angle so that it was impossible to completely shut the water off. It wasn’t long before the slow drip evolved into a steady stream of water. Early into this problem we were beginning to see mold in our bathtub. Needless to say, we let our landlord
know. When we tried to play a little hardball with her two weeks later by informing her that we would hire the repairman ourselves and take the expense out of our next month’s rent, she complained that we had only given her two week’s notice. While it can be argued that this adhered to North Carolina tenant-landlord rules, we were seeing mold, which can make a person incredibly sick. In the event that a maintenance problem becomes a health risk, the landlord is actually responsible for remedying the situation immediately. In the middle of this issue our dishwasher also stopped working. According to the repairman she brought, the whole thing would have to be replaced. It hasn’t been fixed yet. The landlord hasn’t made any mention of fixing it recently and said that for now we’ll have to make do with washing dishes by hand. A lot of people told me to simply give her less rent, which isn’t legal in North Carolina unless the landlord puts such an agreement in writing. The only way I can get my rent lowered is to take the case to a small claims court. In such a situation it is advisable to consult a lawyer, which isn’t worth the time, energy or money for everyone. I already have enough on my plate between school and other responsibilities and will be moving away soon enough. Today I received a text from my landlord saying that she’ll send a repairman over. But it’s been a good four months and the fact that I’m grateful for this gesture is a little pathetic. I feel like the state could give more rights to tenants, but I’m biased. If you are having problems with your landlord refer to www.ncdoj.com for the landlord-tenant booklet, which highlights in detail what the legal responsibilities are for both parties.
A student’s experience going natural for a day Samantha Glenn SGLENN11@UNCC.EDU
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to walk around campus naked? Recently, University Honors Program students enrolled in a body image class stripped themselves of certain products they consider as important as their clothing. Taking part in “All Natural Day” didn’t mean stripping and streaking through campus, something that probably would not have been viewed too highly upon, but rather stepping outside the protection of our dorm rooms to take part in this unique assignment given by professor Rosemary Molinary. We were given a criterion essentially saying that we could not use any products that would enhance our natural selves. We had to dress normally, which meant not sloppily or dressed down, as the idea was to become comfortable in your own skin and be able to portray that to others. Makeup, fragrances, false eyelashes, hair extensions and hair products were not allowed. Not even contacts were allowed for those with less then perfect vision. We had to wear our glasses instead,
which for me is something I’m not overly keen about because even though I like my glasses I don’t necessarily love the way I look in them. In this day and age society is somewhat based upon looks and body image and I wondered how I would feel stepping out makeup-less, with frizzy hair (without my curl protector product) and with my glasses on instead of my contacts. I thought for sure that people would look at me and think to themselves “she must be feeling ill today, she doesn’t look so hot,” or “she’s wearing her glasses, maybe she has a problem with her eyes today.” And then there’s my hair. I have a lot of it. I figured people would think “wow, that’s a mess of hair.” Funny enough that wasn’t the reaction at all. It was as though people didn’t even notice a difference like I thought they would. Some people came up to me and said, “Wow! You look so cute and extra smart with your glasses on.” At first I thought they were crazy, but as the day wore on I began to understand that our perceptions of ourselves are just that: self-perception. Here’s a staggering fact: Americans spend $7 billion a year on cosmetics, fra-
MCT Campus
grances and beauty supplies. Molinary had provided us with us with a short questionnaire to fill out which would be discussed in our class. All 16 students in the course went completely natural that day. Our professor initiated a discussion that led to everyone expressing their feelings and opinions. What I took away was this: My classmates, especially the females, felt they could sleep in longer and could feel more rested, which is a positive effect of being comfortable in one’s own skin. The guys in our class stated that they felt bad for the girls because they could sense the girls were not 100 percent comfortable, but overall nobody looked too different to
them. Some girls said they felt a little odd being “au natural” but others felt normal and happy. Toward the end of the discussion Molinary asked about the lessons we had learned. In short, I learned that beauty is truly in the eye of the beholder. No one notices the shortcomings but you. Products do not make the person and it is real beauty that matters. People are beautiful with or without makeup on and whether or not one’s hair is made up. As Confucius puts it, “Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”
NINERONLINE.COM
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
FUEL from p.1
7 ways to increase your fuel economy
PAGE 9
Returning to a yogi’s journey
MCT Campus
Lee Pham
COMMUNIT Y@NINERONLINE.COM MCT Campus
tips, tricks and the best gas prices in University City Don’t idle longer than 30 seconds If a car is stopped it is essentially getting zero miles per gallon. Turn off the engine if you can help it. While restarting the car requires fuel, it is equivalent to only a few seconds of idling. So next time the Cookout drive-thru gets backed up, turn the engine off.
Savings: $.01-$.04/minute*
Make like a plane No, that doesn’t mean fly down the road. Think aerodynamically. Reduce drag by removing roof racks and rolling up windows. For pickup trucks, close the tailgate. Leaving the tailgate down is a common misconception for increasing efficiency. Although not recommended closely following (also called drafting or streamlining) semi trucks dramatically increases mpg because the leading vehicle cuts wind resistance for the following car.
Savings: up to 10% fuel economy increase*
Cruise If your vehicle is equipped with cruise control, take advantage of the system. It helps to maintain a constant speed and can be used to accelerate and decelerate efficiently. Be sure to turn it off during steep roads because maintaining the same speed requires extra engine power while going uphill.
Break the traffic wave
tra ffi tip c
Traffic jams move in stop-and-go waves. When the car in front starts moving, give it a few seconds before following and create a long gap between both vehicles. If you time it right, you can maintain a slow constant speed and avoid coming to a complete stop (it takes more fuel to get a car rolling than maintaining motion).
Savings: varies
Inflate your tires Routine maintenance is a sure way to keep your car efficient, but many students have other priorities to meet before spending money on engine upkeep. You should not avoid maintenance, but it happens. At the very least you should maintain the correct tire pressure. It costs less than a tank of gas to add air to your tires at most gas stations. Check your vehicle’s manual for the correct PSI and adjust accordingly.
Savings: $.11/gallon*
Shed off the pounds Don’t carry any unnecessary heavy items. It reduces fuel efficiency because the engine needs to produce enough power to pull a two-ton vehicle in addition to you, passengers and belongings. Even the weight of gasoline affects mileage. Don’t fill up the tank unless it’s running low.
Savings: $.03-$.06/gallon***
Savings: 7% fuel economy increase**
Drive faster It takes less fuel to keep a car moving due to inertia than accelerating from a complete stop. Therefore, highway driving is more efficient than streets with traffic lights. Even if the distance is slightly farther, the highway is usually going to save fuel. For example, Uptown is about 9.8 miles from UNC Charlotte using North Tryon Street, while the highway route is 12 miles, but North Tryon has several traffic lights. The fuel saved by taking the interstate compensates for the extra distance.
Savings: varies
*source: www.gasbuddy.com **source: www.fueleconomy.gov ***source: www.cnn.com
Ciera Choate NEWS@NINERONLINE.COM
Cheapest gas near UNC Charlotte* Exxon (N. Tryon) Regular: $3.72 Midgrade: $3.88 Premium: $4.08 Kangaroo Express (N. Tryon) Regular: $3.72 Midgrade: $3.90 Premium: $4.08
WilcoHess (N. Tryon) Regular: $3.73 Midgrade: $3.90 Premium: $4.10 WilcoHess (Univ. City Blvd.) Regular: $3.78 Midgrade: $3.94 Premium: $4.10
*prices reported as of March 20 via www.gasbuddy.com
For three weeks I didn’t take a single yoga class or practice on my own. I’m not sure why but I didn’t have that craving I felt so often since the beginning of the year. Well I’m back into the practice, and my addiction is pumped up to high again. You don’t realize how much you love something until it’s gone I guess. Well, at least that’s what I’ve always been told. When I went to my yoga class Monday morning I was tired and not looking forward to doing any work. All I was concerned with was going back to sleep until I sat on my mat. Contact with my mat woke me up and I was ready to give it my all. From the first meditation to my last savasana I felt alive, awake and ready to take on the world. To me it was like visiting somewhere I knew I loved but didn’t necessarily miss all of the time, like my papa’s ranch in Florida. Despite my separation from the place, or in this case yoga, I felt as though I had never left. That’s what home is. Honestly it was a relief. I thought I had lost a love for something I cared so deeply for and that has changed me so much, but we just needed a “break” and now we’re back together. Yes, apparently I’m in a relationship with my yoga practice. It’s a lovehate kind of thing. Now I’ve spent every moment wishing I was practicing, “down-dogging it up” as someone once said to me. I want to feel the ground under my feet in my balances. I want to work harder to push myself deeper into poses. I want to sweat as the people and heaters work to make the room break 100 degrees. Some people think I’m crazy for wanting to sit through a yoga class or give into the whole idea of yoga, but those are usually people who haven’t taken what I like to call a “real” yoga class. It’s the kind of class that brings your awareness to every inch of your body and makes you feel undefeatable. That’s why I’m a yogi; I need to feel that power. I’m addicted to feeling that power.
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NINERTIMES
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
DOWNTIME 22
Thursday
SGA Student Senate General Assembly Meeting Student Union Rm 200
5:00p.m. - 7:00p.m.
Battle of the Bands Cone University Center After Hours 7:00p.m.
23
Friday
24
Saturday
MTV’s MADE Casting Call
Explore | Open House
12:00p.m. - 5:00p.m.
9:00a.m. - 9:30a.m.
Student Union Rm 266
Union Take Over Student Union
8:00p.m. - 11:45p.m.
Barnhardt Student Activity Center
Casino Night
Student Union Multipurpose Room 7:00p.m.
25
Sunday
26
Monday
27
Tuesday
March Madness 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament
Developing Agile Requirements
SGA Spring Elections
10:00a.m.
9:00a.m. - 4:30p.m.
8:00a.m. - All Day (Voting runs until 5 p.m. March 28, 2012)
C4 Charlotte
What’s in Your Wallet? Becoming a Money Manager
Changing the Game with Issa Rae
TBA
McKnight Hall Cone Center
7:00p.m. - 8:30p.m.
UNC Charlotte Center City
Fretwell - Rm 310
12:30p.m. - 1:30p.m.
vote.uncc.edu
Student Union Movie Theater 7:00p.m.
NINERONLINE.COM
SPORTS
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
Athletics reveals Niner App Nathan Butler @ N AT H A N _ B U T L E R 9 2
Charlotte 49er fans have never had an ‘official’ application (app) on their smartphones to call their own. Well, those days have come and gone. The Charlotte 49ers Athletics Department has joined forces with Digital Media partner NeuLion, Inc. to create the first official app for both the iPhone and Android phones. Fans are able to access the latest Charlotte 49ers news, scores, schedules, rosters, photos, and Live Stats, using a simple interface on both the iPhone and Android systems for free. The premium version of the app for Android ($2.99) and iPhone ($4.99) are also available, which includes everything in the free version, but also allows access to on-demand video, press conferences and player and coach interviews. Since the start of the year, fans have been able to use their mobile devices to access the official website of Charlotte athletics (Charlotte49ers.com) in a more condensed version featuring the latest news and quick updates. As stated earlier, Charlotte fans have not been able to install an ‘official’ application of their own, even though there were some apps that provided the basic rosters and schedules for Charlotte 49er men’s
basketball. “We wanted to provide our fans with an additional level of connectivity to 49ers athletics,” said Nick Konawalik, Director of Marketing for Charlotte 49er athletics. “With smartphones being the norm today, having the iPhone and Android application available allows Charlotte fans worldwide to have access to Charlotte 49ers athletics with the touch of a screen icon.” Even though the first official application was released late last week, Konawalik says there are even more plans in the future. “At this point we would like to take a look at expanding our offering to Blackberry and Windows phones, as well as an iPad app (although the iPhone app is functional on the iPad),” said Konawalik. “One area that I think we could upgrade the current app is to include an offering that allows students to request their free student tickets to athletic events directly from the app.” This has been a big year for Charlotte 49ers social media, as their main goal is to have a greater ability to interact with the 49er fan base. “We have done a number of things this year like the Official Fan T-Shirt voting contest, fans voting for songs that they wanted to hear at games, etc. We would like to continue that trend, hopefully allowing our fans to feel like they are part of something here at Charlotte.”
PAGE 11
SPORTS SCHEDULE
Friday Baseball @ Rhode Island 3 p.m. Softball vs. Temple 4 p.m.
Saturday Baseball @ Rhode Island 1 p.m. Women’s Tennis vs. UNC Wilmington 11 a.m.
Sunday
Softball vs. Softball Presbyterian vs. Saint 1:30 Joseph’s p.m. 12 & 2 p.m. MCT Campus
Baseball @ Rhode Island 12 p.m.
Spring soccer looks toward next fall Nathan Butler @ N AT H A N _ B U T L E R 9 2
Finally, it’s back. No one can forget the excitement built around campus due to the success of the 2011 men’s soccer team, which reached its first National Championship game in school history. The success of the club allowed fans to look forward to what was to come in 2012, but in some cases that changed quickly. On Dec. 21, 2011, just 10 days after the National Championship game, Charlotte 49ers head coach Jeremy Gunn left Charlotte in pursuit of Stanford, to assume the same duties he had while sporting green rather than red. Gunn left Charlotte after five seasons at the helm of the 49ers men’s soccer program. Gunn stepped down after leading the 49ers to 64 wins, a College Cup Finals appearance, an Atlantic 10 regular-season title and two NCAA Tournament appearances in his tenure as head coach. It didn’t take long for Charlotte’s athletic department to make a decision on
who would take over as head coach, as they looked no further than the assistant coach at the time, Kevin Langan. Coach Langan has had plenty of experience, as he helped Gunn build this Charlotte program into a nationally respected team. “Obviously it’s a big loss to lose (coach) Gunn, but he’s moved on to newer challenges. He was a great friend and a great mentor,” said Langan in an interview with the Charlotte 49ers athletic website. “I guess the message is to just keep calm and carry on,” Langan said. On whether or not fans should remain optimistic about the 2012 team, Langan said, “There’s no need for me to change anything. Nothing is broken.” Which seems only fitting, considering the old cliché: ‘Why fix something that’s not broke?’ Charlotte welcomes back 13 letter-winners and eight starters off a 2011 team that won 16 games. “Obviously it’s going to be tough to replace some of the senior guys, but you never really do replace them,” Langan said. As for now, the spring season is under-
way. The Charlotte 49er men took the field for the first time last week in an 11-2 victory over England’s Pass 4 club. On Saturday, the 49ers tied (2-2) a talented USL (United Soccer League) Charlotte Eagles team. Charlotte will now prepare to face Belmont Abbey on March 24th at 7 p.m., before the 49ers head to Rock Hill, S.C., in a double header match with East Tennessee State (1:30 p.m.) and College of Charleston (7:45 p.m.) on March 31st. The 49ers will end their spring season with a three game home stand in April, with the annual Alumni Game on the 14th at 2 p.m., Davidson on the 17th at 7 p.m., and the finale against Appalachian State on the 21st at 7 p.m. As each day passes, the start of something new awaits. A season where there will be high, but realistic expectations of what fans can expect. “I think the expectations are there for everyone to see how we’ve been doing over the last three years. Our record over the last three years has been fantastic.”
Congratualtions to the three Intramural Basketball Championship teams. Lord of the Rings Winners of the five-on-five men’s intramural league. Dem Benches Winners of the five-on-five women’s intramural league.
Photo by Chris Crews
Women’s Tennis
LOSS
vs. Massachusetts
2-5
Men’s Tennis
LOSS
vs. Gardner-Webb
3-4
Baseball
LOSS
Dallas Baptist
Intramural basketball champions
After winning the Intramural Championship, Lord of the Rings receives their championship prize.
SPORTS RESULTS
Jump Shot Incorporated Winners of the five-on-five co-rec intramural league.
4-6 0-3 3-8
Men’s Soccer
TIE
vs. Charlotte Eagles
2-2
PAGE 12
THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012
NINERTIMES