9.20.2013 Vol. 4 No. 4
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page comic con 4
geekiest clubs
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psychology of gaming page 9 HP costume party
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cover art by elyse vaartstra | courtesy
geekoscopes the argonaut
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your work in rawr
Virgo 8/23-9/22 You don’t have to be a computer whiz to do some cool digital effects. Instructions on how to do things such as QR codes can all be found online for free.
illustration photography mixed media
Libra 9/23-10/22
paintings
Science fiction today is a lot different than it has been in the past. See if you can find copies of TV shows before the 90s like “Quantum Leap.” The effects are cheesy but some of the story lines are still good today.
sculptures short fiction poetry
Scorpio 10/23-11/21
non-fiction rawr is an alternative weekly publication covering art, culture, campus life and entertainment. We are accepting all forms of art and creativity to be featured inside the publication, or on the cover.
Remember those cool science experiments you see on YouTube? See if you can recreate one. Safety first though. Check to see if you need special lab equipment and/or a supervisor.
Sagittarius 11/22-12/21
Science fiction has been known to predict the future in many different ways from the way the government works to how technology operates. Watch “2001: A Space Odyssey” again or reread George Orwell’s 1984. Sense anything familiar?
Capricorn 12/22-1/19 Email: arg-arts@uidaho.edu
claire whitely
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9.20.13
Have you ever been shocked by a scene in a film or show (that was actually based
on a book that you never read?) Take this week to read the literature that TV series and movies are based off. The next time a favorite character in “Game of Thrones” is killed you’ll be prepared and have had proper time to grieve.
Aquarius 1/20-2/18
Play Dungeons and Dragons. You know you want to and it’s part of the college experience.
Pices 2/19-3/20
Have you ever hated an ending in a movie or wished that your favorite two characters in that book series had gotten together? There’s a cure for that! Look up the ending you want in the ever growing fan fiction universe online.
Aries 3/21-4/19
Remember to thank the computer geeks at the ITS Help Desk next time you need help. Their knowledge basically enables them to rule the world now.
aly soto | rawr Taurus 4/20-5/20
It’s not easy to play an instrument, march around a field, wear a hot and heavy uniform, and twirl a flag in complicated formations. If you happen to see one of these performers carrying around their equipment to practice or to a performance, lend them a hand.
Gemini 5/21-6/21
If you’re a Harry Potter fan, play a game of Quidditch with the University of Idaho Quidditch club. If you’re not a Harry Potter fan, still play a game of Quidditch.It’s good exercise.
Cancer 6/22-7/22
Why do people cosplay their favorite comic or movie characters? There’s never been a real answer to that but it’s fun to do. Don’t wait for the excuse of Halloween. Show up to your physics class as your favorite superhero.
Leo 7/23-8/22
Whether it’s Pac-Man or the new BioShock, everyone has a video game they love. Challenge your friend to a video game battle next time you meet.
geek-tape
Geekdoms have spread their fingers into every medium imaginable, so much so that many people outside the geekdom recognize certain title songs or key scores from movies. For all you geeks out there, or even non-geeks, here are some tracks that will really hit home and bring back some of that childhood nostalgia.
“Overworld” by Koji Kondo
Every geek knows Legend of Zelda’s Overworld theme without having to think about it.. Pull out your ocarinas, call your steadfast stead Epona, and let us go slay us some grass! Gannondorf look out!
“Opening Suite” by Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori
Ooooh oh ooohhh oh…the Flood are coming! Master Chief, come to the rescue! After a beautifully triangulated choir of tenors is done serenading you, of course.
“The Pensive Setting” by Howard Shore
Tolkien created a beautiful trilogy which turned into excellent movies. Here we step into the Shire for a moment to meet up with Frodo and Sam in their adventures, not to mention
Merry and Pippin’s shenanigans.
“The Ballad of Serenity” by Sonny Rhodes
For all you cult geek fans out there, you can’t take the sky from me. Joss Whedon created a hit television series combining typical western shoot-em-ups and spaceships, and this song is all about the freedom people have.
“Doctor Who Theme” by Murray Gold
Somebody, call the Doctor! We have a few extraterrestrial visitors that need to speak with you. Almost every geek girl
wants to hear those famous words: “Trust me, I’m the Doctor!” Even without lyrics, this is possibly one of the geekiest songs out there.
“Super Mario Bros” by Nintendo
BeededededeDE! Bowser has stolen Princess Peach, again! Mario to the rescue, in all his 8-bit glory! Don’t forget to smack your head on a few bricks on the way by the Janssen Engineering Building today, you might pick up some extra coins.
“Gotta Catch ‘Em All” by Jason Paige
Pika-pika! Wild Pikachu has caught you! From a classic video game to an anime to a battle card, Ash and company “Gotta catch ‘em all!” Don’t forget to choose Charmander on your next play, through.
“The Imperial March” by Edward Elgar
The Force is strong with this one. Who doesn’t feel like one amazing dude walking to class listening to this track? Let me pull out my lightsaber, save a few planets, and then I’ll learn about physics. Claire Whitely can be reached at arg-arts@uidaho.edu.
RAWR REVIEWS Teen Titans
Five heroes, one awesome show bradley burgess rawr
When it comes to superhero teams, DC Comics hasn’t kept up with Marvel. Marvel has “Fantastic Four,” “Guardians of the Galaxy,” “The Avengers,” “The X-Men” and even “Avengers VS. X-Men”. DC has “Justice League” and that’s about it. But in 2003, Cartoon Network debuted a new animated series in which they unveiled a new team of superheroes. And the best part? They’re all teenagers! The Teen Titans animated series became a very quick fan favorite with new viewers and comic fans alike and managed to breathe new life to the characters. It might just be DC’s answer to “The Avengers.” Five superheroes live in Titans Tower overlooking Jump City. When the world is losing all control, the Teen Titans go. Whether it’s a mad magician making money disappear, a puppet brought to life or their arch-nemesis Slade, there is no challenge too great for the Titans. Robin, the Boy Wonder, leads the pack. Though Batman’s protégée is the only one with no powers, he makes up for that with gadgets galore from his utility belt. There is also Cyborg who, as the name suggests, has robotic attachments that help him kick butt. An alien princess named Starfire, who can fly and shoot lasers from her hands, is the heart and soul of the group, while shape-shifting Beast Boy provides the humor. And then there is the introverted Raven, who, though darker and more mysterious than the others, turns up when needed. The show is at its best
more information Want it reviewed? Email argarts@uidaho.edu We’ll save you time by letting you know how something is before you watch it, read it, play it or listen to it. when it gives us great story, great character and great action all in one. Two episodes especially deliver in spades. In the episode “Nevermore,” Beast Boy and Cyborg literally get inside Raven’s head and meet various manifestations of her personalities. Raven is also forced to fight her inner demons in a literal sense and comes out as a stronger team player. In the episode “Switched,” a magical puppet funnels the souls of the Titans into puppets and controls their bodies for his own evil ends. Unfortunately, a malfunction leaves Starfire and Raven in each other’s bodies and the girls must work together to save the boys, learning more about each other in the process. There is great action and great jokes at every turn. You come out of every episode feeling that you know these characters and went on a great adventure with them. It’s creative to see the writers tackle how these drastically different characters relate and even take on adult issues once in a while. Teen Titans is a clever, energetic and just plain fun show. With likable characters, awesome action and great writing, it’s a real gem in the world of sophisticated kid’s shows. Bradley Burgess can be reached at arg-arts@uidaho.edu
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Elven Lembas Bread emily vaartstra rawr All those Lord of the Rings fanatics out there know the secret to stay slim and keep up to maximum strength if the circumstance ever requires a long journey to destroy a powerful ring- eat lembas bread because “one small bite is enough to fill a grown man.” Now, in reality there is no way that would work, but the good news is that you can still enjoy the Middle Earth experience by making your own homemade lembas bread. Although there is no guarantee you won’t sprout elf years or suddenly become a master with the bow and arrow, the mildly sweet, homey taste of lembas will have you eating much more than one small nibble off the corner. There are many variety of lembas breadsat that are available online, but this specific recipe is very easy to make and most of the ingredients are already in the pantry. It’s good for saving time and money. Your journey awaits!
Ingredients
emily vaartstra | rawr
A Crumbs Recipe Card
2 cups of flour 1 tablespoon of baking powder 1 teaspoon of salt 1 cup of butter 1/3 cup of brown sugar 1 teaspoon of cinnamon 1 teaspoon honey 2/3 cup of heavy whipping cream 1 teaspoon of vanilla
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 2. Mix the flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. 3. Add the butter and mix well until it creates granules (easiest way is with an electric mixer). 4. Then add the sugar and cinnamon, and mix them thoroughly. 5. Finally add the cream, honey, and vanilla. Stir until it forms a nice, thick dough. 6. Roll the dough out until it’s about 1/2 inch thick 7. Cut out 3-inch squares and transfer the dough to a cookie sheet. Criss-cross each square from corner-to-corner with a knife lightly (not cutting all the way through the dough). 8. Bake for about 12 minutes or more until it’s golden. 9. Let cool completely before eating.
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Welcome toNerdv The phenomenon of Comic-Con bradley burgess rawr What began as a small comic book convention in 1970 is now one of the largest pop culture conventions in the world. Every summer in San Diego, Calif., geeks assemble by the thousands to see their favorite celebrities, comic artists, actors, and even fans all under the massive roof of the San Diego Convention Center. Don’t let the title fool you, Comic-Con is not all about comics. Nowadays, the convention has become a home for all forms of pop culture. “Glee”, “Twilight” and “The Vampire Diaries” have founda home at Comic-Con, and the die-hard fans get the opportunity to meet their favorite stars. As an attendee of the 2012-2013 conventions, I can tell you that this annual event is the definition of Nerdvana. It’s a safe harbor for diehard fans of any and all genres and nothing can compare. Most of the action takes place in the football field sized exhibit hall where booths representing studios, films and comic shops litter the space. Panels of all kinds are ongoing throughout the convention. But the main attractions will take place in either Ballroom 20- which seats 5,000- or Hall H- the largest room, seating 6,500. Ballroom 20 is mostly reserved for TV shows, such as “Legend of Korra”, “Agents of SHIELD”or “Firefly” ten-year anniversary, whereas Hall H is where the big films show off. Last year, “The Avengers” actor Tom Hiddleston made a surprise appearance in the hall! And of course, there are celebrities galore. Over the last two years I’ve attended, I managed to meet Spider-Man creator Stan Lee, “Firefly” actor Nathan Fillion, “The Avengers” actor Clark Gregg, “Star Trek: The Next Generation”actor Brent Spiner , award winning authors the Winner Twins, the cast of the upcoming CW show “The Originals”, two of the stars of the documentary “ComicCon Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope”, “X-Men 2” actress Kelly Hu, Power Rangers, Kevin Bacon and that’s just to name a few. There is also a ton of fun merchandise to be seen at the booths. Some booths are wall-to-wall vintage toys, others sell replicas of movie props, others sell super rare comic books for prices in the thousands and the list goes on
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Initially, Harrison Ford had not signed for “Star Wars: Return of the Jedi” so George Lucas had to write a scene where it made sense that he died between “Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi — the carbon freezing process.
bradley burgess | rawr
and on. Hoverboards from “Back to the Future”, Sonic Screwdrivers, Starfleet phasers, you name it, they’ve got it. For some, getting cool exclusives is almost a war in and of itself. People will camp out overnight to get the new Hasbro Transformers. There’s so much going on at ComicCon you have to pick your battles. Autographs are limited and you have to get in line for hours to be entered into random drawings. Hall H and Ballroom 20 also require waiting in line and the crowds of
the exhibit hall can be overwhelming. But, for a true nerd, the experience is worth it. Fans of anything and everything can find something to enjoy here, whether it’s Twihards, Gleeks or none of the above. It’s one of the rare places where all fans can connect and not be judged for what they like. So, when next summer rolls around, grab your sunblock, swords and supersuits. Comic-Con is the place to be. Bradley Burgess can be reached at arg-arts@uidaho.edu
In the making of “The Lord of the Rings,” 27 copies of the book were used up in the process of creating the screenplay between highlighting and notemaking and pagetearing.
Facts according to killermovies.com and empireonline.com
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Creating worlds to educate, entertain Virtual Technology and Design program works to develop worlds through digital simulations alexia neal rawr The Virtual Technology and Design (VTD) program at University of Idaho creates virtual worlds that can be used for nearly any purpose. VTD students work with different lighting and features to make these life-like simulators as realistic as possible. The program creates virtual worlds for both entertainment and learning environments. Students work with other organizations either with the university or outside it, to create scenarios used for either entertainment or learning. VTD is currently working on a project for the history classes at UI. The purpose is to give history students a more interesting way of learning.“VTD students can apply that to education and instead of reading about history, what would it be like to actually go back in time?” said Greg TurnerRahman, the interim head of the VTD program. “One of the projects they’re
working on now is early American history. So putting the game player or user into that time period with the sounds and the whole experience, the whole range of sensations.” Turner-Rahman has been the interim program head for nine months, but has been involved with the program since 2004. He teaches art, design and new media theory. VTD students, while learning to make digital worlds, also have to learn about the topics they’re modeling. Erica Anderson is a sophomore in the VTD program. She is a representative for the student organization Integrated Designers Educators Artists (I.D.E.A.). In the past, I.D.E.A. has done fundraisers and video game competitions. Anderson said she is taking Advanced Lighting/Materials, Advanced Modeling, a Digital Tools class, and a Studio Class, which provides needed job skills. She said she doesn’t know what career she is interested in yet. “VTD is really expansive. Careers for
Virtual Technology and Design | courtsey
Top left: Grant Lewis’ senior project titled “Winged Flight Sequence. Top right: Joseph Vanzeipel’s senior project “story board.” Bottom: Helt, Lefforts, Lewis and Rusch project titled “Rat Whacker: Trapped” the VTD program include creating video games, special effects and animations,” Anderson said. “But then there are other careers like going into the medical field to create visual simulators or architecture firm simulations. Career options for VTD are pretty broad.” Junior Justin Horne has been involved with VTD for three years and is the vice president of I.D.E.A. He said he has always had a love for design. “I wanted something a little more modern than just a traditional architecture degree,” Horne said. “It’s got a great mixture of traditional design theory, as well as a heavy emphasis on modern tools and process.” Horne said he worked on a project VTD was involved in last year with one of the lead researchers of the watershed area. “We worked with a client here at UI
more information To see more videos from Virtual Design and Technology program students visit http://tinyurl.com/mspjzpf to create educational material, visualization concepts, and community outreach concepts relating to the salmon population in Troy,” Horne said. Horne said it was an involved project and took several months to complete. Whether creating a virtual learning environment, designing a set for a video game or working on any of the other varieties of projects available to VTD, it is an adventure into a whole new world. Alexia Neal can be reached at arg-arts@uidaho.edu
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Friendship, fun and fandom: The Anime Club While most students are familiar with the popular Japanese animation style called anime, their knowledge usually does not extend too far past Dragonball Z, Sailor Moon, Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh, but the world of anime is wide, wonderful and dynamic as any anime club-goer or enthusiast will tell you. “It’s for explorative culture,” University of Idaho Anime Club president Cody Kinzer said. “Not just Japan, but other Eastern countries. (It’s to) let people know there’s all kinds of art like drawing and writing and a whole different style than Americans are used to.” According to animemetro. com, anime draws its roots from a Japanese art style called manga, which has been practiced on temple walls and woodblock prints for hundreds of years. When animated movies hit Japan in the 1940s, animes based on manga novels were a wild success. Japanese anime has a style that’s distinct and easy to recognize, and also accompanies recurring themes and content, but what sets anime furthest apart from Western animation is the target audience. In America, cartoons are regarded as childish-however, anime is a staple in Japanese culture, regardless of age. Adults as well as children avidly consume mangas and animes, and as such, the content of animes range from simplistic and light-hearted to much more complex and mature. Anime didn’t really root itself into
did you know?
more information
To become a certified snitch, you must go to an IQA Snitch Academy. Once a snitch student completes the trials and drills to the instructor’s satisfaction they are added to the Official IQA Snitch Registry.
Anime Club meetings take place 3 p.m. on Saturdays fourth floor of the Idaho Commons. American culture until 1964 with the release of “Astro Boy.” Nothing had been seen like it on American television before, and with the release of more shows like Speed Racer and Kimba the White Lion, anime only continued to gain momentum. While it was still marketed mostly towards children at this point, the market was expanding into mainstream media--who can forget the Pokemon craze in the late 80s and 90s? The Anime Club is, on a surface level, a place for friends to gather to watch TV shows, but the appreciation goes much deeper than that. The club likes staying active in its community, whether by hosting potlucks, video game tournaments or other fundraisers. Its members often organize workshops, as well, covering everything from how to write manga, fan-fiction, regular fiction, tackling different writing styles to drawing workshops that offer guidance in both Eastern and Western styles. Occasionally, you can expect something off-the-wall, too, like a fashion workshop to help with cosplays. Since they are the anime club, they tend to try to keep the emphasis on Japanese style and culture, but for the most part, workshopping is a valuable experience regardless of craft or style, Kinzer points out. The Anime Club, which is entering its fourth year on campus, has big plans for the future. As it continues to grow, members have hopes of screenings in the SUB, being more active on campus, becoming a bigger presence on the community and to continue to bring the culture to UI. The best part? “Just how open everyone can be,” Kinzer says. “We’re just a group of friends. Come out and have some fun!” Hannah Shirley can be reached at arg-arts@uidaho.edu
Muggles in Moscow: UI's quidditch team
did you know? Marvel was first known as Timely Comics. It was set up in 1939 by New York magazine publisher Martin Goodman. From 1951 the company’s comics were printed under the name Atlas but this was changed to Marvel in 1961. The first comic to appear under the Marvel Comics brand was Amazing Adventures No 3.
Few things are better than being a Vandal, but somewhere, deep inside us all, there’s a bitter 11-year-old who’s still sore our letters from Hogwarts never arrived in the Sunday post. What’s a muggle to do? According to the Manticores, a group of students undeterred by their non-magical blood, the answer is to bring the magic to Moscow. The Moscow Manticores are the University of Idaho’s flagship Quidditch team and they are not an easy group to miss. If you happen to walk past the Tower Lawn on a Sunday afternoon, they’re the ones running around on broomsticks, playing an enchanting and surprisingly intense game that most closely resembles an odd marriage of dodge ball, lacrosse, and rugby. Gameplay is straightforward- even players, four balls, three hoops, and the first team to catch the snitch wins the game. In fact, aside from the lack of magical levitation, muggle Quidditch stays pretty true to the game that first appeared in J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter.” Don’t let its literary origins mislead you, though- the exciting and often rough game attracts jocks as well as nerds. “It doesn’t really even matter if you like ‘Harry Potter’ or not,” chaser Dayton Uttinger said. “I know that’s a big thing in everyone’s mind, but it really is its own sport.” The Manticores are not the only Quidditch team in the world. The team
is chartered by the International Quidditch Association (IQA). Founded in 2005, the IQA has gone from a couple of college buddies running around on kitchen brooms and throwing balls into trash cans to an internationally recognized non-profit organization with over 1,000 teams playing across three continents and six countries. Teams compete with other universities, and the annual Quidditch season culminates in nine regional championships including the World Cup, the International Open and Quidcon. The Moscow Manticores fall into the Western division. The Western division includes various teams such as the Narwhals from Northern Arizona University to the Crimson Fliers of University of Utah. “We’re kind of getting started on forming the Northwest as their own league rather than just the West, so it’s still developing the intricacies of being an official program,” Uttinger said. “We do communicate with all the other teams and set up our own tournaments...last year we competed with University of Washington, the University of Victoria in Canada, University of Utah, Spokane and one more Canadian university.” While the Manticores are, for the time being, the only IQA-recognized team in Idaho, Uttinger said Boise State has a small team they are still trying to get off the ground. The Manticores also hope to help Washington State start their own team in the near future.
more information Practice: 12 p.m. Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays on the Tower Lawn First Match: Rocky Mountain Tournament, Salt Lake City, Utah, Sept. 28. With the official kickoff of their second season earlier this month the Manticores are taking this time to focus on their own game. “(Our first season) went really well,” chaser and team co-captain Timothy Martin said. “We traveled to two tournaments...the hopes for this season were to go to one tournament later this month and another one in January.” That upcoming tournament would be the Rocky Mountain Tournament in Salt Lake City where they’ll face off with the Utah Crimson Fliers and the Boise State Abraxans. The Manticores won’t have any matches on Vandal turf this season--however, muggle Quidditch is currently one of the most up-and-coming sports in America. “It’s growing,” beater and cocaptain Lauren Blenn said. “I hope to eventually see it as an Olympic sport-but I don’t think that’s happening for a (long) time.” Hannah Shirley can be reached at arg-arts@uidaho.edu
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Behind the code UI Department of Computer Science teaches students all about computer programming emily vaartstra rawr When Mario jumps up to do his smash move on the video game “Super Mario Smash Bros,” the gamer presses a couple buttons and -bam!- Bowser gets flung into the air and knocked out of the arena. But how does that little disc inside the gaming console know those buttons will cause that action to happen? How does a computer know a link on a website should lead to a completely different website? The answer lies in the world of computer science and the complex programming that is such an intricate part of how technology works today. Clinton Jeffery, a professor in the University of Idaho Department of Computer Science (CS) dubbed “Dr. J” by some of his students, said computer science is a strange form of engineering because everything they build is abstract and mathematical rather than anything physical. “The goals for students who come out of our program would be that they are skilled at building hard, complicated pieces of software that will meet different needs in society for government or industry and that ranges from hard science problems to issues with businesses, databases, websites and so on,” Jeffery said. Because the program is an engineering major- a fairly difficult major- the entry level courses include Computer Science 120, which teaches students C++, Jeffery said. He said this programming language allows someone to write steps of instructions for the computer or mathematical equations for the computer to calculate. As students progress through the program, they get to experi-
ence more hands-on work with teams of other students with different study focuses in the College of Engineering. “Our majors all take a twosemester Senior (Capstone) Design that is coordinated with the other Senior Design programs in the College of Engineering and is in the (Engineering) Design Expo every spring,” Jeffery said. “Typically those teams are maybe including one or two computer scientists and maybe some engineers from mechanical or electrical, and our majors are helping write the software for whatever interesting system they’re building- maybe it’s a computer game or a robotics related project or the engineers are building some hardware for which they need some programming done.” He said the projects that are featured in the Design Expo look very good on the students’ resumes, and people who come to the expo can see what students are able to build by that point. “(For) most of my students I hope they get the same experience that I get when you finish the project and the program is actually working- there is this huge rush when you actually see the program doing what it’s suppose to do,” Jeffery said. “Maybe that’s even more fun if it’s doing some pretty computer graphics or animation but it’s majorly cool even if it’s just crunching a bunch of numbers and coming out with the right answer.” Emeth Thompson, a UI CS student, said she had difficulty going through the baby steps of getting to the point where she now realizes what it takes to make these amazing programs and apps. “This semester I’m finally taking software engineering and finally seeing what it really takes to put together these massive
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VTD major Justin Rast works on programming for CS 112. Programming allows students to create applications to streamline workflow. pieces of software,” Thompson said. “I’m starting to get a much higher appreciation for it.” For many students the big transition is when they begin working on larger programs and they have to work together, Jeffery said. “Students who come into our program might be really good at math and really used to working by themselves, and then they find out software engineering is all about communication, coordination and collaboration.” Stuart Stenier, a UI CS PhD student who also teaches at Eastern Washington University, said those in this field are members of multifaceted teams. It requires being a team member and contributing one’s knowledge and skills to the team in order to accomplish a project- it requires social skills. “Computer science and the internet that we invented have completely transformed our society, and what I’m really intrigued by is what is the next big transformation that computers and technology may enable,” Jeffery said. Thompson said there are many different options available in the world of computer science and students often get together to discuss the complexity of what they are working on.
“It’s just like the tip of the iceberg,” she said. “I think the more you talk to people about all these different things the more you can really find your niche. Outside of class I spend just as much time studying with people that I do inside of class. There is so much discussion involved in understanding all these different aspects.” In this rapidly advancing world of technology, the skill set students leave this program with open them up to a large variety of opportunities post graduation. Jeffery said 15 to 20 percent of the program’s students decide to go for a masters degree because its gives higher salaries and more choicer jobs, but the majority of the bachelor students are happy with their bachelors degree. “Then they move off to Seattle or Silicon Valley or sometimes to Boise or further away,” he said. “We’ve had graduates who go off and do start-ups in Silicon Valley. We’ve had guys who go off and work for Amazon, (Google, Microsoft, Hewlett Packard or Micron) and those are all common targets.” He said a major local employer many of their grads are placed is at Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories. Jeffery said many CS perspective majors and incoming majors
more information C++ is a programming language designed by Bjarne Stroustrup in 1979. According to the C++ website, this language creates programs that tells a computer what to do. come into the field just like he did- because they fell in love with computer games and wanted to learn how to make their own. He said when students get into it they find out it’s quite challenging but it’s more fun to make the games than to play them. “I’ve been a gamer for a really long time and I think that’s one reason why I think computer science is as interesting as it is,” Thompson said. “Most people who are computer science start (it) because they are a gamer and they (want) to make these amazing games then they realize that it takes thousands of people to do it.” She said though many people have a particular stereotype about programmers, there are students in the program who have never had experience with gaming and are working toward other aspects of the major. Emily Vaartstra can be reached at arg-arts@uidaho.edu
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Video gaming proves beneificial An exclusive insight into gamers’ minds claire whitley rawr
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Bill Tracy enjoys one of his favorite racing games Monday afternoon. Video game culture has become a popular distraction for many students that have made gaming a part of their life.
While some believe that gaming is bad for people, some studies suggest the opposite. Jane McGonigal, an American game designer, claims that games are essential for everyone to play. McGonigal notes the many good effects gaming has on those who game at least an hour every day. “Games challenge us with voluntary obstacles and help us put our personal strengths to better use,” McGonigal said in her book “Reality is Broken.” Gaming is the direct emotional opposite of depression, according to McGonigal. The clinical definition of depression states that people suffer a pessimistic sense of inadequacy and a despondent lack of activity. This makes the definition of gaming an optimistic sense of our own capabilities and an invigorating rush of activity, McGonigal said. She said the positive emotional effects of games and gaming produced by working are eustress and fiero. McGonigal cites many psychologists in her book that say humans are the happiest when they are working. She said games emulate the emotional level of activity people go through when doing satisfying work. Seeking hard work is actually the best way to create these levels of eustress. In this stressful state there are still high levels of adrenaline and blood flow like in a normal stressful situation. However, the mind is not experiencing any fear or pessimism that is associated with stress. Instead, people are confident and optimistic. They are enjoying the stimulation and activation of the hard work they chose within this game.
them. They discussed everyShe said working also thing from hand-eye coordinaproduces “fiero” and it is the tion to anger management. most primal rush we can “Games help you practice perexperience. Fiero describes severance,” Trevor Hooper said. the emotional high after one Nicholas Hall said that beats some form of adversary. gaming can help people ex“It is a craving for chalplore their moral compasses lenges that we can overcome, and the consequences of battles we can win and choosing good versus evil in a dangers we can vanquish,” controlled environment. McGonigal said. While this group of people McGonigal said that fiero had their own reasons for is one of the most powerful gaming most of them came neurochemical highs we to the same conclusion: the can experience. reason that they gamed was “The more challenging simply because games are fun the obstacle we overcome, and a form of stress relief. the more intense the fiero,” Hall said one McGonigal said. of his reasons for Assistant profesgaming was that sor Russell Jackson gaming offers of the University of more than any Idaho Psychology other medium [of Department said entertainment] and that there was not was more immerenough research on sive than reading the subject to conor movies. He said cur with McGonigal gaming challenges or disprove her. his critical thinkJackson did say ing and lets him however that correlation does not imply t explore the effects certain decisions causation when it have on an envicomes to violent vidJane McGonigal ronment. eogames influencing The debate that violent behavior. video games are “For example, bad for people is still widely most people that are indiscussed. Gamers believe that volved in car accidents have they are learning new ways to consumed caffeine but that interact with the world around doesn’t mean caffeine causes them while increasing numcar accidents,” he said. bers of studies are being done Jackson said as the definion the effects games have on tion of video games changes it players. is hard to determine whether As of yet there is no clear gaming is good or bad. He said answer but video games are that there was mixed research everywhere. More and more when it came to the claims people have picked up a conthat gaming enhances handtroller, mouse or even eye coordination, reflexes or a smartphone. critical thinking abilities. “Whether we like it or “There are certainly comnot…videogames are an ponents that transfer from increasing part of how we one to the other, but I don’t interact with the world,” think that there is a clear anJackson said. swer to that,” Jackson said. Claire Whitley A group of UI student video can be reached at gamers listed off several things arg-arts@uidaho.edu they believe gaming has taught
Games challenge us with voluntary obstacles and help us put our personal strengths to better use.”
Expecto Party-onum the argonaut
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9.20.13
How to throw a magical Harry Potter costume party
emiliy vaartstra rawr
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Send out invitations
Buy some parchment paper at WalImagine, you are sifting through Mart or a craft store to use your mail when something catches as the Hogwarts acceptance your eye. Stamped to an envelope is letter. Special Harry Potter a seal bearing a lion, badger, eagle fonts can be found online, or and snake with a big “H” at the you can just use fancy fonts center. You might jump three feet with script or calligraphy in the air or you may start cheering style. Look back through your uncontrollably because finally, about copy of “The Sorcerers Stone” 10 years late, your Hogwarts accepand begin the letter much like tance letter has arrived. Harry’s or add your own style Costume parties are always fun to it. Don’t forget to include and are an opportunity to geek the basics- time, date and out. What better theme to go place- and let people know with than everybody’s favorite they can dress up to fit any magical wizard, Harry Potter. character or house they deThere are so many different sire. After all, it is a costume activities for Harry Potter party. Use a red wax seal for themed parties and it’s not the envelope if you really hard to put one together. want it to seem authentic. Here are some steps on The team with the most how to throw a Harry points will get a small prize Potter costume party. or treat.
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Get the decorations
Get streamers that match the colors of each house — red, blue, yellow and green. Then, either print off one of each of the house symbols or sketch and color them yourself. You’ll need these to hang above the house points. To make the house points containers, grab four mason jars and purchase red, blue, yellow and green beads (you can also use buttons, M&Ms or skittles). When the different house teams win points for games and contests, just drop a handful into the jar. Whichever team ends up with the most, wins.
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Make the food
There are so many great Harry Potter recipes online, but don’t be afraid to make everyday muggle party foods too. Some must have Harry Potter treats are butterbeer, pumpkin juice, Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, treacle tarts, pumpkin pasties, licorice wands and cauldron cakes. Check out www.britta.com/ hogwarts for some really simple versions of these recipes or check out www.yumsugar. com/Top-10-Harry-Potter-Related-Recipes-383049. You can find other delicious styles of these recipes on other sites.
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Organize the games
You can’t have a Harry Potter party without trivia- look up or make your own trivia and use it as part of the House Cup competition. Hide a rock somewhere in the house and tell guests that the sorcerers stone is missing-whoever finds it adds points to their house. When guests walk in have them write on a slip of paper which movie they want to watch and put it in a “sorting hat”- the movie with the most votes will be the fantastic conclusion to the party. Compile a list of Latin words and print off several copies for each house and have them invent their own spell- hold a vote and whoever comes up with the best spell adds points to their house. Set up your own Triwizard Tournament- have three team related competitions and have the houses race to the cup. If you have HarryPotter board games or the Lego video games set those up so guests can play them. Buy a variety of fizzy drinks and fruits and have guests make their own “potion”- whoever makes the tastiest one adds points to their house. There are a lot of Harry Potter crosswords online- print off a stack and guests can fill them out. Of course, you have to have a costume contest- the winner will not only get a special prize of your choosing but they add points to their house as well.
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Have a magical time When everything is set to go, be a great host/hostess, but don’t let that get in the way of your fun! Emily Vaartstra can be reached at arg-arts@uidaho.edu
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Events Calendar Friday, Sept. 20
Sunday, Sept. 22
5 p.m.- Jazz Band and Choir concert at the UI Haddock Performance Hall 6:30 p.m.- Late Night Lounge at the Campus Christian Center 7 p.m.- “Man of Steel” hosted by Vandal Entertainment in SUB Borah Theater 7:30 p.m.- Fall Chamber Readings at the UI Kiva Theater 8 p.m.- “Much Ado About Nothing” at the Kenworthy
Homecoming Kick Off at the SUB Ballroom 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. Student Media open house on the third floor of the SUB. 3 p.m.- “Man of Steel” hosted by Vandal Entertainment in SUB Borah Theater 4:15 p.m. and 7 p.m.- “Much Ado About Nothing” at the Kenworthy
Saturday, Sept. 21 2 p.m.- Writing workshop at Bookpeople 5:15 p.m. and 8 p.m.- “Much Ado About Nothing” at the Kenworthy 6 p.m.- Jordan Hanssen’s “Rowing into the Son” reading at Bookpeople 8 p.m.- “Man of Steel” hosted by Vandal Entertainment in SUB Borah
You cannot truly know a person until you walk a mile in their shoes. jesse keener | rawr
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Monday, Sept. 23 7 p.m.- “Rust and Bone” presented by the 2013 French Film Festival at the Kenworthy 7:30 p.m.- Joshua Vander Plaats performs at the UI Haddock Performance Hall
Tuesday, Sept. 24
4 p.m.- Vandalizing the Kitchen Cooking Class: Fast Food at Home in SRC 101 7 p.m.- Nerd Tuesdays at the Women’s Center
7:30 p.m.- Guitar Week: Alexander Dunn at UI Haddock Performance Hall
Wednesday, Sept. 25 9:30 a.m.- Guitar Week: Alexander Dunn Master Class at UI Administration Auditorium 12 p.m.- Daytime Distractions 7:30 p.m.- Guitar Week: Classic 50s, 60s and 70s Rock performed by The Contenders at the UI Haddock Performance Hall 9 p.m.- Women’s climbing nights at the Rec
Thursday, Sept. 26 12:30 p.m.- Lavender Lunch TLC 229 5:30 p.m.- Got Sex? in Mem Gym 109 7 p.m.- The Kenworthy Board of Directors presents Annual Gala and Auction
D R e h O t W of EK
E W
Energy bar
“Geek Speak”
Non-gamers think it means: A consumable snack comprising cereal and other high-energy foods. Gamers know it refers to: A graphical indicator of the ingame avatar’s current state of health, shielding or other analogue for general vitality. The energy bar on Max’s avatar was almost out so he searched for a med-pack. Gamesradar.com
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9.20.13
International Day of Peace Find Your Inner Peace
S E P T 2 1
Find Your Outter Peace Idaho Commons: 885 . 2667 info@uidaho.edu
Student Union: 885 . 4636 www.sub.uidaho.edu