NTDaily Homecoming issue

COMING HOME ’09

HALLOWEEN SECTION INSIDE PG.13

Discover the Power of Alumni Stay connected with alumni, friends and current students through the UNT Alumni Association and it’s programs, scholarships and activities! Join the tens of thousands of North Texas who comprise the ever-expanding international network of engaged UNT alumni.

As a member, you can benefit from: • Alumni Career Services - assistance developing and implementing your career goals • Financial Services/Insurance - banking products and discounted insurance products.

• Discounts - from UNT Alumni Association partners like: • Kaplan Testing - 10% off products • College Optical Express - 20% off products (excluding contracts) and discounted exams • Studio Movie Grill - Student pricing for you and a guest when you show your alumni membership card.

• Online Social Networks - connect through UNTalumni.net, Linkedin.com, Twitter.com/UNTAlumniAssoc and Facebook.com • Texas Monthly Magazine - complimentary one-year subscription • Communication Tools - through UNTalumni.com and UNT alumni E-newsletter • On campus - Willis Library privileges and discount for the Pohl Recreational Center • Programs, Events and Outreach - Alumni GameDay Grille, Ring Presentation Ceremony, Fine Arts Series, and much more . . .

Don’t miss out.

Join today!

University of North Texas Alumni Association 1155 Union Circle #311250 Denton, Texas 76203-5017 (940) 565-2834 800-UNT-1153 UNTAlumni.com alumni@unt.edu

10 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 3 0 2 0 1 0 4

G

ame Day Breakdown

By Jonah Kuehne Opinion

The University of North Texas Mean Green will be set to face the Florida Atlantic Owls for their 2009 homecoming game Saturday at 7 p.m. The team has faced its share of trials and tribulations, but the 0-4 Owls will be considered the lesser foe against the Mean Green.

The homecoming game of last year has absolutely no relevance to this year’s game because this Mean Green team is a different team due to a more impacting offense and defense. They opened to beat Ball State, but a disappointing defeat in double overtime against Middle Tennessee, a crushing blow by the powerhouse Alabama University and a tough loss the week after has tested their perseverance.

As the Mean Green work to find their identity with quarterback redshirt freshman, Riley Dodge, they hope to regain the momentum that they began the season with. Riley will be holding the keys under the instruction of his father and head coach, Todd Dodge.

Riley will be playing his first homecoming game as quarterback for the Mean Green with only three games of experience under his belt. Over the season, he has thrown for two touchdowns and 646 total yards.

Although, he missed the third game of the season due to a shoulder injury, Riley seems ready to lead his team forward against the struggling Owls.

In 2008, the biggest surprise was the Mean Green’s dynamic offense. They were able to spread the ball all over the field, but 2009 is a different story. Their

defense has improved immensely under the watch of defensive coordinator Gary DeLoach. They are tackling better and are much more aggressive with an older and more experienced defense.

Senior Tobe Nwigwe and junior Craig Robertson lead the defense with a combined 76 total tackles at the linebacker position.

The defense will be extremely essential for this game specifically because of the Owl’s struggling offense. Their total points scored over the season makes it obvious that they have trouble finding the end zone. They have scored 72 points over four games to an opponent’s 144.

Rusty Smith, the 230 lb. and 6’5 senior quarterback for the Owls will be facing that improved defense. Smith is on his fourth year as the starter and has seen a lot of action over his college career. He has thrown for 62 touchdowns and 8,197 total yards. As the MVP of last year’s Motor Bowl Game, he is one who shouldn’t be overlooked.

Florida’s Alfred Morris will lead the ground attack with a season cumulative 377 yards. He is number two in rushing in the Sunbelt Conference and it will be crucial for the Mean Green defense to slow him down. For the Mean Green, Cam Montgomery has run for 244 yards over the season with a lesser amount of carries.

The Owls have had two weeks to prepare for the Mean Green, an advantage the Mean Green will not have had. At the same time, the Mean Green will have more momentum carrying into the game.

QB

Dodge

114.83

Montgomery

Smith

Effiency

123.4

Comp-Att.-Int. 70-107-4 83-140-3 646 2

WR

RB

Yards Touchdown

944 5

56 244 4.4 2

Morris

Attempts Net Yards Avg. Touchdown

Jackson

82

22

377

210

4.6

9.5

2

1

Bonner

No. of Catches Yards Avg. Touchdown

13 164

12.6 2

Keret, Israeli film director and best-selling author, will • Introduce “9.99” • Lead a Q & A after the film screening • Sign copies of his books “$9.99” marries the tradition of Jewish self-flagellating humor with uncanny absurdity.

The film shows miracles coexisting with the mundane and presents a view of what hope looks like in a hauntingly fragmented world.

Keret teaches at Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, Israel.

*Rated R for language and brief sexuality and nudity. No one under 17 will be admitted to see this film unless accompanied by an adult.*

Etgar Keret’s film screening is sponsored by the UNT Jewish Studies Program, the Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Foundation, the Jewish Federation of Fort Worth and Tarrant County, the Jewish Federation of Greater Dallas, M.B. & Edna Zale Foundation, UNT Hillel, UNT College of Arts and Sciences, UNT Department of History, UNT Department of Radio, Television and Film, and Regent Releasing.

10 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 3 0 2 0 1 0

Students share tailgating experiences For North Texans, tailgating can mean many things. For some it involves a relaxing day and for others, outlawing tortillas, drinking, and even a little bit of streaking aren’t uncommon.

Lara Woodhull, an RTVF senior, got a surprise when covering the tailgating of a previous UNT football game.

“I saw a streaker,” she said.

The UNT TV station ran a story to try to catch the streaker because he had streaked

past three or four buildings in a week, Woodhull said.

Tailgating is quite the opposite for Sandi Sibrian, a Spanish education junior. Her favorite part about tailgating is hanging out with friends and unwinding after a long week, she said. “Sometimes we don’t even go to the game because they’re not that great,” Sibrian said, but they still like to tailgate first.

Some like to start tailgating early. Devin McDaniel, a jazz studies sophomore, said his friends started about 8am at a past game; he joined them later around noon.

“Wear shades and come hungry,” were McDaniel’s words of advice for future tailgaters.

Brent Sullivan, a biology junior, said that it’s pretty standard to bring a charcoal grill and beer. Sullivan remembered one of his funniest tailgating moments that involved a group of people who threw tortillas, which caused the birds to poop everywhere and the school to outlaw tortillas. His favorite part about tailgating is

SAME DAY Scores Stats Action Analysis

By Leah Fellows

the easy-going atmosphere.

Other students haven’t been to any football games for various reasons ranging from work to not wanting to see their school loose. Deanna Moody, a biology pre-med junior, said she used to be a cheerleader so she never tailgated. Now she’ll sometimes go the games after half-time, but isn’t a big drinker and never tailgates.

Fortune Okoroba, a biology junior, has never tailgated either, but said she knows a group of girls that do tailgate. When she used to live in Crumley Hall, the girls would organize a tailgate party for all the home games.

All the food that can go into a day of tailgating can get expensive, but most students said that everyone in their group brings something and that brings down the cost. Most students agreed that it’s best to plan ahead and make a list of what to bring.

Whether you’re looking for relaxation or excitement, tailgating can hold a little something for everyone.

Another bank penalty. (that whistle can be so annoying)

Whether it is learning to avoid paying overdraft charges, maxing out your credit card, budgeting for life in college, or managing your personal finances and student loan debt commitments with greater knowledge and confidence, UNT’s Student Money Management Center is here to help.

The Student Money Management Center provides FREE workshops and FREE personal consultations with professional counselors and trained peer mentors to help students manage their personal finances. The Center is sponsoring more than 30 money management workshops this semester alone. In addition, the Center is partnering with departments and colleges at special events and programs to help all students understand that financial independence begins with financial responsibility.

Gaining control of your personal financial situation or having your money management questions answered is only one phone call away. Contact UNT’s Student Money Management Center at 940.369.7761 today.

Chestnut Hall, Suite 313 940.369.7761 http://moneymanagement.unt.edu

10 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 3 0 2 0 1 0

The Race for Royalty:

8

Six couples. Two crowns. Each possess a unique motivation fueling their campaign to run for the 2009 University of North Texas Homecoming Court. The only thing they share is a love for their school and a desire to win.

Taylor McClure and Susie Cobb are committed to representing the art community. McClure is a 23-year-old printmaking senior. Cobb, also 23, is an international studies senior. They are both active members of the Printmaking Association of North Texas Students.

Both eager to gain exposure for their organization, PANTS, which is not yet officially recognized by the university.

The pair are seeking change.

“We’re hoping that by running for homecoming that we’re showing some initiative,” McClure said.

The campaigning experience has already proven worthwhile. “It’s just been so fun already,” said Cobb. “Even if we don’t make it on the court, I already feel like we’ve had some success. We’ve already gotten so many people excited in this homecoming tradition that would normally never be a part of it.”

McClure shares Cobb’s positive attitude.

“Winning isn’t the point. The point is to make a mark, small or large; to get the ball rolling; to raise awareness of events outside of greek organizations on and off campus.”

Whether they make it to the end of the race is a small but significant part of a bigger picture.

Kyle Ruch and Charlie Welch are proud to represent the NT Greek community.

Ruch is a 25 year old hospitality management senior, president of Sigma Chi, and has served in Iraq and Africa with a Marine Corp reserve unit.

Welch is a 21-year old radio, television and film senior and a member of Chi Omega. She hopes to earn her Master’s in Music Business. “I want to own my own record label one day,” she said.

Ruch and Welch received the nomination after being chosen from among a list of other Panhellic members who were

nominated by their chapters. While both enjoy the social aspect of their membership it is not their top priority.

“When you join a fraternity or sorority, it should be all about the philanthropy; raising money to benefit someone else,” said Welch.

Promoting their chapter is not the focus of their campaign.

“We’ve chosen not to promote that because we’re looking to unite the whole greek community,” said Ruch. He further clarified that they embrace students who are not greek members. “There are no hard feelings whatsoever. In order to be a true leader, you need to step out of your box, your comfort zone.”

Anthony Pizana and Amber Jarassri hope to represent multicultural students with their nomination.

Pizana, a 21-year-old Hispanic operations and supply chain management senior, and Jarassri, also 21, a Thai marketing senior, want to be known for their dedication and school pride.

“We’ve been involved. We love out school. We’ve made a footprint,” Jarassri said.

Their competitiveness and creativity inspired a viral campaign. A Mean Green version of Jay Z’s “Run this town” video featuring the pair can be seen on You Tube.

“We really want to appeal to everybody but we know that our strength for this upcoming race is going to be getting people who feel comfortable with us, who can relate to us,” Pizana said.

Ryan Nyugen and Andi Minatrea are involved in many organizations but take the most sense of accomplishment from working in association with the new student office. Both have served as orientation leaders and enjoy working with incoming students.

“I’ve always known that I’ve wanted to work with people,” said Minatrea, a 20-year-old hospitality management senior.

Their commitment to the campaign showed no signs of wavering despite

Students campaign for the opportunity to be crowned

By Lisa Garza

Nyugen battling Swine Flu during the week of elections.

“I feel like we represent a good portion of what the people at UNT stand for,” said Minatrea.

Joshua Chatman and Kristan McFarland treasure UNT for it’s diverse community, school spirit and abundance of campus resources.

Chatman, a 20-year-old kinesiology junior sees the university as an institution that helps students become a “well rounded person.” He credits the school for developing him into a person who “exemplifies the qualities that a homecoming king should have.”

McFarland, a 21-year-old education senior, believes that she is a great representative of the university. “I’ve been involved and networked with many different people. I feel like I can speak for the student body. If they have questions or concerns, I feel I’m a great person to talk to.”

Both nominees give back to the community by being involved with various philanthropies and volunteering with non-profit organizations.

Hunter Nelson and Rebecca McGee are also nominees in the homecoming race but were unavailable for comment by deadline.

On Wednesday, Sep. 30, the Student Government Association voted against the Homecoming Equality Bylaw that would have allowed same-sex couples to campaign for positions in the homecoming court.

In response to the decision, the nominees had a mixture of disapproval, contentment or indifference.

Minatrea, who notes that she has friends in the Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual, and Transgendered community, said, “I can’t really say I’m for or against it.”

Both McClure and Cobb support same sex couples, Cobb said.

Ruch supports the community but admits he is a strong believer in tradition.

“I think it’s appropriate to continue the tradition and keep it a king and queen.”

“What do you think of the SGA’s decision to not allow same-sex couples to be nominated for homecoming king and queen?”

Ash Moore, advertising major: “I disagree. On a personal basis, I don’t think it’s right.”

Alyssa Patterson, Ben Darling, theatre, senior: Libby Boos, interna“If they have the desire tional studies, junior: polical science and the drive to then by “I think it’s kind of junior: all means, they should be stupid. It shouldn’t “I think the right allowed to.” matter your sexuality.” decision was made.”

Brandon Clowdus, Catherine Browne, social education major, senior: science major, junior: “I think that it’s a good “If the same sex relationidea. There’s supposed ships want to run for to be a king and a homecoming king and queen. The king should queen, I think they should be a male and the queen be able to.” should be a female.”

Steven Warnemunde, logistics major, senior: “Honestly, I think it would be fine. I don’t agree with that.”

Natalie Osborne, Sharee Church, general studies, junior: radio, television, and film major: “I don’t think it’s fair.

Everyone has their own “This is a very liberal interpretation of what campus. That’s really shocking to me that a king and a queen is. they would make that It doesn’t necessarily an issue.” have to be a man and a woman.”

10 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0

Russell Chapman, psychology and political science major, junior : “That’s screwed up!”

10 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 3 0 2 0 1 0 10

Friday

•

•

•

•

Golden Eagle 50 – year Class Reunion Luncheon Time: 11:30 a.m.

Place: University Union, Silver Eagle Suite.

Spirit March Time: 6:45 p.m.

Place: Fraternity Row to the bonfire site

UNT Jazz Alumni Hang! Featuring Guest Artist Denis DiBlasio Time: 8 p.m. - closing Place: The Syndicate, University Union Bonfire and Yell Contest Time: 8:15 p.m.

Place: Bonfire site adjacent to the Athletic Center

Saturday •

Athletic Hall of Fame Breakfast Time: 8:30 a.m.

Place: Gateway Center Ballroom

•

Chi Omega Lodge Open House Time: 10:00 – Noon Place: 930 Welch Street

•

Zeta Sigma Chapter of Kappa Kappa Gamma 20 Anniversary Celebration Time: 10:30 a.m.

Place: Kappa House

•

Brave Combo Time: 3:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Place: Bud Stage at Mean Green Village

•

Delta Gamma Sorority and Kappa Delta Sorority House Ribbon Cutting Ceremony Time: 3:00 p.m.

Place: Highland Street at Bernard

•

Lettermen’s Tent and Geezle’s Reunion Time: 3:00 p.m.

Place: Mean Green Village

•

Mean Green Village Time: 3:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Place: Mean Green Village “Our Alumni to come back and revisit their college life; to barbeque and enjoy the environment with friends and family,” said Damian Torres, Emergency Management Senior.

•

College of Business All-Class Alumni Reunion Time: 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Place: Mean Green Village

•

UNT vs. Florida Atlantic Time: 7:00 p.m.

Place: Fouts Field “Last year, I liked seeing all my friends at the game and cheering on the team to see if they could, but they didn’t win. So, I hope that they can win this upcoming Homecoming game,” said Aaron Barnes, undecided major Sophomore.

th

Floyd Graham Society Time: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Place: University Union

•

Green Jacket Reunion Time: 11:00 a.m.

Place: UNT Alumni Center at Gateway Center

•

UNT Baptist Student Ministry Alumni Reception Time: 11:00 a.m.

Place: Baptist Student Ministry Building

•

Parade Time: 1:00 p.m.

Place: Starts at Welch and Hickory to North Texas Blvd and Highland “The parade is a great way for the Denton community to get involved with UNT. All the organizations make a float; it’s fun,” said Miranda Chesson, Communication Junior.

• TAMS Alumni Reception Time: 1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Place: Mean Green Village •

•

Peer Counselor Reunion Time: 2:00 p.m.

Place: UNT Alumni Center at Gateway Center

10 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 4 0 3 0 2 0 1 0

HOMECOMING 2009

Compiled By Tamara Strom

11

COMING HOME ’09 By

Kr

ys

tle

Ca

nt

u

HA U HO NT USE ED S

Haunted houses are one of the popular forms of Halloween entertainment among students, and NT students have different philosophies about what makes a good one.

Top priority in choosing a haunted house is definitely the ability to “get scared,” students said. Second is price. “I look for price, if it’s more than ten dollars, no,” Ben Fissler, senior general studies major, said. “But also scariness. You don’t wanna go to a not scary house. I have my own house for that.”

Some students said it just has to simply look creative, as well as having other forms of attractions or entertainment to go along with it.

“It has to be an appropriate price and has to have three attractions,” Katherine Chapa, senior english/spanish major, said. “It has to have a suitable amount of time to spend there- at least three hours long. It has to have a creative outline, like a mansion or castle, or some kind of haunted house look, not just a tent.”

Chainsaws also seemed to be a popular answer for what scares people most about haunted houses. “Chainsaws scare me, I do not like those,” Cadence Kirkbride, freshmen with an undecided major, said. “ I think that’s the only time I ever get scared is chainsaws and zombies I guess.”

For other students it wasn’t just chainsaws. “Chainsaws are first. I had a guy chase me with a chainsaw. Very Scary. Thought it was real, but then I saw no chain,” Fissler said. “But old possessed people scare me as well. I had a nightmare once that old grandmas were chasing me with canes. It was horrifying.”

Others simply enjoy the element of surprise. “The element of surprise is scary to me, not knowing what’s going to happen next,” Chapa said. “Whenever people get too close, or losing my partner, that can make it scarier too.”

Some students prefer not to go to commercial haunted houses, but actual haunted houses.

“Sometimes actual haunted areas or houses are better than fake ones,” Micah Fernandez, senior philosophy major, said. According to Fernandez, Goatman bridge, just off I-35 and Swisher exit, is pretty entertaining. “Originally this guy tended goats and one day went crazy and chopped off his wife’s head, and now appears with a goat’s head: “goat man,” Fernandez said. “But apparently there was a Satanic church there as well, and that’s the scary part. Supposedly if you stand on the bridge late at night you can hear people laughing.”

Other students just prefer no haunted houses at all. “I’m a big chicken, I don’t really go to those things,” Sara Hazelton, sophomore history major, said. “I just don’t like being scared that much, I jump really easily.”

For those students that do like haunted houses though, Thrillvania and Dallas Scare Grounds are said to be good. “Thrillvania is a good haunted house,” Chapa said. “Their main attraction is really good. Spirits is also really good too. I know Dallas Scare Grounds is in the area and probley closer and cheaper.”

However, The Cutting Edge stands out as the best: “ If someone wants to get scared I definitely recommend Cutting Edge,” Chapa said. “ It has the longest record for the longest haunted house. It also number one in Texas.”

Fissler described the end section of Cutting Edge, which is a maze completely filled with bubbles. “I was there for half an hour and I just wanted to go home,” Fissler said.

If your looking for something a little less scary than that, Reindeer Mainor, 13th Morgue and Dungeons of Doom are some other attractions to check out according to Chapa.

Hangman’s House of Horrors is another popular one mentioned by students. It was voted “best of Fort Worth” by the staff of fort worth magazine, and contains four attractions in one location.

13

Goblin or Goul:

By Leah Fellows Three Denton stores offer thousands of costumes for eager college students and children looking for a quick costume find.

Whatever your fancy, be it gouls and goblins or a 1950s poodle skirt to a 1980s go-go girl outfit, Denton’s costume and party shops have got you covered.

Costume & Dance World located in the Golden Triangle Mall is affordable for students with its 10 percent student discount, said Jennifer Ross, a 19-year-old Costume & Dance World sales associate.

For an authentic look, costumers may want to try Rose Costumes located in Stonehill Center, where the 69-year-old owner, Judy Smith, took 20 years to hand-sew all the 5,000 costumes in stock. “It depends on what they want out of a costume,” Smith said about her customers preferences on buying vs. renting. “Some want something disposable that they don’t have to take care of, while others want something more authentic.”

There are a few packaged costumes for sale and some damaged costumes and vintage clothing for

Connect.

With Verizon High Speed Internet.

Get the consistently fast speeds you need.

No phone service required. All at an affordable price.

Special Off-Campus Student Offer: � � � �

As low as

1999

$

Never miss an email, even when school is out a month for speeds up to 1 Mbps No paper bills to deal with... we take credit cards (one-year contract required. Offer only available online.)

Optional speeds up to 7.1 Mbps available Upgrade to a wireless router and easily share the monthly cost with your roommates

It’s the speed you need for social networking, downloading music, watching videos, gaming...

And studying, of course.

Get the best value in broadband.

Sign up now! Just visit verizon.com/askabout

UPGRADE YOUR SPEED TO QUALIFY FOR TO THOUSANDS OF HOTSPOTS NATIONWIDE

Offer for residential HSI customers, subject to credit review. 1 yr. contract. $79 early term fee. Offer only available online. Rates may increase after first year. One-time charges of up to $60. Service will be provisioned at up to 768kbps or up to 1Mbps based on Verizon line qualification requirements. Other charges and terms apply. Service availability and speeds vary. Service not available on university premises. Verizon Wi-Fi available with select packages & in designated locations only. Software limitations & other terms apply. Visit verizon.com/wifi for details. Offer good through 10/31/2009.©2009 Verizon.

Local stores offer patrons options for holiday attire sale, but most everything else is for rent, Smith said. Her rental prices range from $20 to $80, usually for three nights, with her most popular pirate costumes typically running for $45 or $50 for three nights.

PJ’s Party Supply is family owned and located only two doors away from Rose Costumes. While Rose Costumes mostly rents, PJ’s Party Supply only sells costumes and also offers decoration s for sale. The store rents supplies such as tables, chairs, and concession machines. June Schiada, one of the owners, said, “it’s too early to tell” which costumes are the most popular this year because so many people wait until the last minute to buy.

June Schiada’s daughter and employee, Shauna Schiada, said the insect costumes such as bumble bees and lady bugs are always popular. Also Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz and decade costumes such as hippies and go-go girls are popular.

“Men are a hard one because they don’t like to dress up,” June Schiada said.

Shauna Schiada said men like to be “inanimate objects.”

PJ’s Party Supply offers a one-size-fits-most costume for men

entitled “Beer Pong” that includes a costume door with 14 plastic cups sticking through it that are meant to have a ping-pong ball thrown in them.

Emily Wiskera, a French major, works at the Party City located in Fower Mound. Wiskera can already poing out which children’s costumes are the most popular this year, but the college kids are a little more difficult. The best sellers of the past were “Blueberry Girl” and “Raspberry Girl,” costumes which include blue and pink skirts, knee-socks, and bonnets.

It’s not uncommon for the dorms to come up with Halloween parties and contests, said Sara Moran, an international studies sophomore. Moran is a resident assistant for West Hall and is getting approval for the Hall-oween Party she another RA are planning. “We’re probably going to have it the Thursday before Halloween because everyone wants to go out that night,” Moran said. If the party is approved it will be held on the fourth floor girl’s hallway of West Hall, start about 5 or 6 p.m. and last for a couple of hours. There will be a costume contest judged by Moran and the other RA. Perhaps the winner will wear a hand-sewn pirate costume.

What scares you?

Phobias

By Lisa Garza

Spiders. Heights. Water. More than 10 million adults in the United States suffer from phobias, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

A phobia is an irrational, intense, and persistent fear of certain situations, things, or people, Dr. Adriel Boals, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology explained via email.

For example, a fear of poisonous snakes is reasonable. A fear of every kind of snake, even the ones that turn out to be a garden hose, is not rational.

Boals explains that fear can be a good thing. “Evolution does a great job of explaining why we develop some phobias,” said Boals. “It might be advantageous to be afraid of spiders, snakes and heights.”

Occasionally, through what begins as a simple fear can spiral into something else.

“When the fear is beyond one’s control, and if the fear is interfering with daily life, then a diagnosis under one of the anxiety disorders can be made,” said Boals.

A name exists for almost every type of phobia imaginable. Some are common, most are unusual, and some develop from a traumatic experience.

Lauren Ford, a 22-year-old behavior analysis patient, suffers from Arachnophobia.

This fear of spiders originated after her father was bitten.

Before Nedal Ahmed moved to the America she suffered from Cynophobia, a fear of dogs. Ahmed, a 20-year-old advertising and marketing major, is originally from Sudan and lived in various parts of the Middle East. She developed the fear after being chased as a young girl.

“There was a lot of strays. People there don’t really have the money to keep dogs

as pets,” Ahmed said.

In the age of the H1N1 Flu more people are becoming Germaphobes. Celebrities are not immune to weird phobias either.

Johnny Depp has stated in many interviews that he has Clourophobia, a fear of clowns. Marilyn Monroe notoriously suffered from agoraphbia, the fear of public places.

Most people enjoy Halloween as a time to be scared. Some people who are actually terrified of the holiday itself are known as having Samhainophobia. The name references the ancient Pagan festival of the dead, Samhain, where it is believed by some that on this night, the dead are able to walk the earth with the living.

If you suffer from a phobia or two, it could be worse. Lucy van Pelt once famously diagnosed Charlie Brown with pantophobia, the fear of everything.

Freakish Festivities For some people, one Halloween party a year is not enough.

For the past four years, Emily Fritts, a sociology junior, and Ritch Luvlow, a photography junior, have hosted Halloween parties. And not just on Halloween. In addition to Halloween, the friends host a “halfway-to-Halloween” party around the six-month mark after Halloween, because they simply enjoy the holiday. They treat the halfway party just as if it were a party on the actual date of Halloween. Decorations and all.

Fritts said, “I personally just love dressing up, and I am thinking all year about what I am going to be.”

Fritts spends up to a year in advance thinking of costumes. Recently, she has gone as the Spice girls with a group of friends, and Mrs. Lovett and Sweeny Todd with Luvlow.

A group of friends get together to plan the party and rotate the houses each year. It is always at someone else’s house. Having more people to help host the party helps keep the cost down for each individual person.

The hosts start saving early each year, and contribute what they can to buy food, alcohol, and decorations. Fritts said they also borrow some decorations from others, such as a severed leg to hang from the ceiling, bloody handprint decals for windows, and candles. Sometimes guests will bring supplies for the party. said that, “people are often quite happy to donate.”

Fritts likes to keep the party at a medium size house to give the guests enough room but not be crammed into one space. The hosts use small-

ABBEY INN

The

Restaurant & Pub

Bringing the English Pub Experience to Denton

29 Degree Draft Beer Happy Hour 3 - 7 p.m. $3 House Wines $3 Martinis $3 Double Tall Well Drinks $3 Domestics $2 Zieganbock Drafts All Day Sunday Brunch 11 a.m. - 4 p.m. $2 Mimosas

Hours:

Sun- Tues., 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Wed. - Sat., 11 a.m. - 12 a.m.

Serving Full Menu Til Midnight Wed - Sat! 101 W. Hickory Denton, Texas 76201 940-566-5483

By Kelsey Kruzich

Sp

ide

r C upc ake s

1 (1 8 1 po .25 ou 1 (1 und bl nce) pa er decorations around 48 6 oun ack sh ckag ec ce oe p 48 c ieces c ) can w string hocola the house like t a l 1/4 innamo ndy co hite fr icorice e cake osti c mix spiders to hang ng 1. P up ora n red h rn 2. C repare nge de ot cand c from the ceiling, c so t ut lico upcak orator ies r h e fros e fros ice int s acco sugar some webs o 3r ting ting legs inch ding to . In doe throughout piec of the sert lic sn’t se sectio packa o t n eye es of c spider, rice p befor s. Wo ge dire e i s. S a r c the rooms, prin ndy co 3 legs eces in decor king w tions. atin L to t kle ith rn o on e g h on et co w a n ; e c and ith dec the fro h side outer e frost th e or tw ol com orat ( n e d or s t of th 4 take ges o cupc o cupc pletely Halloween a f a . s uga r. R e cupc up too the cu kes wi kes at a t epe p a lights for the outat w ke for much cakes h the w time, f s t ith rem angs a pace). o mak hite e n side of the house. aini P ng c d use t lace t the wo w upc o r a To get into the party, a guest ed h kes . ots as must wear a costume, even at the halfway-

to-Halloween party. The hosts see a wide variety of costumes at each party, with very few recurring choices. One of Fritts’ favorite costumes was a guest’s, who dressed up like a box of wine. Fritts says that the costume aspect of the party makes it easier to socialize and meet new people, and that the costumes create a convenient way to start a conversation with somebody.

Luvlow said the guests who have previously attended look forward to the parties and ask about them. Some guests return each year along with new friends. “There is a pretty even commitment to the halfway party and the Halloween party.”

Fritts said that the commitment is why people have enjoyed the party.

The guests have put time and effort into their costume, so they are likely to have a good time and stay at the party. Over the years, the party has gained more and more followers, such as a guest dressing up as “Jason” from the Friday the 13th movies and stayed in character the entire party.

No one knows who he is to this day.

Another essential part of the party is Halloween-themed food and drinks. The party usually has punch with dry ice in it. Fritts said that the dry ice can get pricey, but it is worth it for the effect it gives off.

The hosts also make Halloween themed finger foods like purple and orange Jello shots and cupcakes with gummy worms as snacks for the guests.

When the party starts, the hosts don’t have any specific plans for the guests. Fritts and the party attendees use it as an opportunity to drink, socialize, and catch up with friends that they may not see that often. No matter what, the guests and the hosts have a good time. Many of the partygoers enjoy costuming all year round. Fritts said, “We try to do it up big because we like Halloween.”

s ookie C ead D e f th o s nd Beoggns, ebeatenlmond extracclot ves der, a g pow

3 ns a ground bakin spoo ugar, heet. d.

2 tea aspoons g powder ers’ s well. kie s a n te o in r k ti a /2 a c e b d coo and spre s ug f ix e 11 s s n s m n ’ o a s o c e r t; e r g ute ne ac spo ris ur, 4 tea confectio flour er flo ond extr on a well kies will to 15 min th e e g s lm o s 0 2 cup all-purpo owl, stir to ggs and a lace firmly night. Co kies for 1 e r s p o b om: 2 cup medium dd beaten balls and stand ove . Bake co es fr ) t a h A C le c Recip es.com s s. d in e e n e v 1. In a r /2 g lo l ip 1 c de we dc to .allre s.com groun dough in h a tea to ees F (165 www ksrecipe it ll r oo 2. Ro cookies w 325 deg .c w to w r w Cove eat oven n. w eh 3. Pr olden bro g l unti

17

Fright on the Big Screen

By Cali A. Thompson The month of October is known for its last day before November begins. On October 31 children and adults alike indulge in costumes, candy, and spooks. Before Halloween day actually arrives many people get in the spirit of the season by decorating, creating costumes, and watching scary movies geared to the hallow holiday.

“I have a movie marathon every weekend leading up to Halloween,” said Kareen Kuether, Emergency Administration and Disaster Management junior.

Kuether suggested older scary movies from the 1980’s, like “Poltergeist” made in 1982.

“I’m interested in paranormal activities, so I like those kinds of movies.”

Scary movies aim to capture the horror that haunted houses and trick-or-treating may miss. Filmmakers may rely on the shock-value of gore and special effects, but other subtler cinematic techniques can emote the same fear. The use of camera angles and minimal lighting help convey the filmmakers desired scary effect.

“The filmmaker will use sharp camera

angles,” explained Jacquelyn Claire, a radio, television, and film sophomore. “For the most powerful character the audience is looking up at him, with a weaker character the audience looks down. A scary building is shot from a low camera angle to make it seem superior.”

Claire’s favorite scary movie is the 1980 film “The Shining”.

“Although the original story written

by Stephen King was not used due to it being ‘too scary’,” said Claire. “The movie combines elements of dull lighting, incredible acting, and time shifting to give the effect of multiple events happening at the same time.”

Along with visual tools to build suspense and imply upcoming fright, filmmakers rely on sound to produce fear in their audience.

The musical score that accompanies the movie’s images can add impact to the actions on the screen.

Music major junior Brice Haueisen explained that dissonance, or playing two music notes right next to each other, is used to build suspense, especially with violins.

“A good example of dissonance is the

For Halloween 2009, the following films will be in theatres before Oct 31: • Zombieland (in theatres) • Pandorum (in theatres) • Jennifer’s Body (in theatres) • Saw VI (opens Oct. 23) • Cirque de Freak: The Vampires Assistant (opens Oct. 23) • Stan Helsing (limited, opens Oct. 23)

shower scene in ‘Psycho’,” said . “More modern movies will pluck the violin strings instead of bowing them to make high pitches.”

Knowing the elements that help create that scared feeling the audience gets when watching the film doesn’t necessarily stop those frightened feelings. But that’s the spirit of the Halloween.

...Students Planning The Future Of Their University Union...

Find Out The Latest Information About The University Union Master Plan

UNT University Union

UNT_Union email union@unt.edu or call 940.565.3822

e s o l c e v li s s a l c o t walk

Now Leasing for 2010-11

vs. fin din g a me ter

nds o u r f r ie y g in d in f

cityparc.com 940.384.7272 1310 SCRIPTURE ST.

g in v li d e p m a r c r fo e r The cu my own a b throom

room huge living

tons of e closet spac

private bedrooms

940.384.7600 • text uptown to 47464

uptowndenton.com standard text rates apply