76.063-111810-Gift Guide

2 n Thursday, November 18, 2010

Gift guide

The Daily Cougar

Money

Letter to santa

Paying for gifts when things are tight this year Special Matthew Keever

The Daily Cougar Being a college student is difficult for a number of reasons, one of which is being broke and figuring out how to show the people in your life that you care about them on a budget. We’ve all been there, deciding what to get a significant other when you’re liquid a total of 20 bucks; figuring out a way to make mom and dad a card without adding, “P.S. Please send money;” and, of course, trying to figure out how to show that friend in the office that he or she is special without making everyone else feel left out. Luckily, there are lots of gifts in many varieties that students can afford to buy their friends, family, loved ones and, of course, themselves.

First on the list is the e-cigarette. This one’s a personal favorite of mine, as it helps in curbing my craving for cigarettes. I haven’t succeeded in quitting yet, but I’ve cut back a lot. The e-cigarette is actually cheaper month-by-month

than smoking real cigarettes. You a lot. If you’re worried about can also do it inside. So here’s an having nothing to say, it’s simple idea for all the ladies who want — exaggerate. their men to kick the habit; it’s a Coworkers are a bit more difnice nudge without forcing you ficult to buy gifts for. Assuming to be one of “those girlfriends.” you’re not trying to make a romanAnd the refillable liquid comes in tic gesture and aren’t trying to all kinds of upset other staff, flavors, so If all else fails, just keep it simple (and what begins preferably disspend some quality creet). An album, a as a novelty product may DVD or a gift card time with the save you do just fine. people who matter to you most. should some money Assuming you’re And make sure that includes and smell friends with this better, too.

— which mom and dad, or you’ll be sorry. person Secondly, you should be Trust me. you can’t go if you’re buying wrong with them a gift — you vinyl these could probably days. It’s hip again, so an old Bob save the exchange for after work.

Dylan, Willie Nelson or Lightnin’ While at work, just eat some chips, Hopkins should do the trick for snack on the sandwiches provided Pops, and a nice, inexpensive by your employer (since they’re card from Hallmark will surely coming out of your paycheck appease Mama. It wouldn’t hurt anyway) and play nice with one to spend some time at home for another. Save the gift exchanging the holidays either. It’s not too for afterward at a destination of bad, really; you’ll get free food and your choosing where you can the chance to talk about yourself laugh about how lame the party

was. And don’t feel bad, because everyone does it.

Lastly, to the gentlemen: unless she specifically asked for it, do not buy the lady in your life lingerie.

They know who that present is really for, and she won’t let you off easy if you piss her off over the holidays. However, women do enjoy men with a sense of humor, so you could always buy her lingerie, wrap it in a big, extravagant box, give it to her and then hand her the real gift just as she’s about to explode. This is risky though, so take her sense of humor into consideration before considering this.

If all else fails, just spend some quality time with the people who matter to you most. And make sure that includes mom and dad, or you’ll be sorry. Trust me; I’ve ducked out of family-oriented events over the holidays before — years and years ago — and I still haven’t heard the end of it. Save yourself the grief and break bread with the family. If you relax a little, you might even enjoy yourself.

letter to Santa for this holiday Dear Santa,

We at The Daily Cougar have been very, very good this year.

We’re sure you’ve been watching us, but in case you’ve forgotten, we’ll remind you of our good deeds — we’ve been managing this paper all semester, juggling it with the duties of school and social life and through the good days and bad, we’ve stuck to our guns, upheld journalistic integrity and we’ve all learned a lot along the way.

Before our involvement with the paper, most of us weren’t too good at scheduling things, but with the help of everyday deadlines, countless hours spent writing, editing, rewriting and editing again and the education provided to us by the University of Houston, we’re all a lot better at managing our time than we were last semester.

We also think the newspaper is more informative and entertaining than ever, but you’ll have to ask our readers about that one.

Some windows in our offices would be nice, though it would be difficult to accomplish since we’re located in the UC-Satellite, and a little more recognition would be swell, too. We don’t want to sound greedy, though. We’re very appreciative of all the readers we have right now, which, contrary to popular belief, is a lot.

More feedback and involvement is always a nice thing, too.

The paper has grown a lot in the last few years, but we’d like it to continue, hopefully incorporating more sections, more giveaways and a lot more information about things college students care about.

But the best Christmas present ever would be flagship status.

Our University has been working tirelessly to achieve the ranking, and we think it’s about time we got it. The entire campus has been working on its behavior for years, and we feel that now is the time.

We’ve earned this, Santa.

Best regards to Mrs. Claus,

— The Daily Cougar staff

Issue Credits SECTION EDITORS Matthew Keever Travis Hensley PHOTO EDITOR Travis Hensley COPY EDITORS Mary Baak Jack Wehman PRODUCTION Stan Le, cover design

Thursday, November 18, 2010 n 3

Gift guide

The Daily Cougar

SHIPPING

Make sure your gifts reach their destination on time The holidays have shipping companies working overtime; you should also watch out for those pesky weekends where all shipments come to standstill.

Newton Liu

The Daily Cougar Let’s face it, half of all the gifts we receive are not ones we care too much for. And it is no different nowadays, despite that more often than not, gifts are shipped to their recipients rather than handed to them after being invited in for a warm cup of hot cocoa. In the end, the least you could do for someone after giving them a present they don’t really want is to deliver the gift on time.

As much as it seems like common sense, there are several methods to avoid sending in a gift too late. Not all of them involve knowing how to ship an item. In fact, failing to give a Christmas present on time — a great deal of time — is nothing but a consequence of laziness.

Let’s get started with a few straightforward ways to stay on top of your game this holiday season. If you’re going to procrastinate, then understand procrastination comes at a cost.

Shipping prices obviously correlate positively with shipping speed, so if you’re going to wait to get that gift out, prepare to shell out extra for two-day or overnight shipping. And please, don’t be cheap with this option if it’s already Dec. 20. Shipping speed, of course, depends on the quality and reliability of the shipping company. I have had positive experiences with UPS, albeit

Being away from family and friends and the benefit of online shopping could make Santa the mail man this year. | photos.com the negative experiences with them per many others. FedEx has also had a good reputation with transporting items quickly. USPS, on the other hand, reportedly not so much. Take into account that overnight shipping will not necessarily get your package to its destination on Dec. 21 if it is shipped Dec. 20.

The holidays have shipping companies working overtime; you

should also watch out for those pesky weekends where all shipments come to standstill.

If ordering online, order from reputable retailers. Amazon.com has always stood out as a prominent and quality store on the web.

Additionally, options for overnight and two-day shipping are almost always offered. If not from a large or reputable shop, then check twice before punching in your

credit card information. Ensure a webpage is secure by checking to see if the url is preceeded by an “https” prefix instead of a “http” (this is only applicable in the screen where you enter your personal information). If that method fails, you can also check to see if the lock icon appears at the bottom edge of your browser. Click on it to ensure authenticity. Careful, though, some websites can imitate

During this joyful holiday season, we extend our warmest thoughts and best wishes to all members of the Cougar family.

This has been an impressive year for the University of Houston as we continue to make great strides in our pursuit of Tier One. Enrollment is at an all-time high, research expenditures are nearly $100 million, private giving has surpassed any previous year, and proud alumni are participating at higher levels than ever in UH’s history. With your support, we can keep this momentum going. Remember, YOU ARE THE PRIDE. — Renu & Suresh Khator The University of Houston is an EEO/AA institution.

this icon.

One mistake frequently made by shippers is not packaging their items well. Nothing delays an item more than one that is damaged.

Additionally, you’re also risking embarrassment. It’s one thing if your receiver isn’t fond of your gift, another if it’s late, but consider your relationship to your recipient concluded if he or she finds out that it is also damaged. Purchase insurance where possible. When worst comes to worst, at the least the damages are compensated for.

As a final piece of advice, avoid procrastinating. As painful as it may be, devote a day to buying gifts and maybe another day to shipping them out. The first week of December is usually a good time to be shipping them out, but only if shipping domestically. For all international destinations, well, you better tend to them right away.

Keep these tidbits in mind and maybe your “giftees” may just be content this season. thedailycougar.com

4 n Thursday, November 18, 2010

Gift guide

The Daily Cougar

Technology

Give the gift of Internet on the go

Jack Wehman

The Daily Cougar Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you have to know about Rover by now. They’re running ads online, on the radio, and in print — yes, even in the Daily Cougar. The question isn’t what they do (it’s 4G wireless internet, for the two of you that don’t know.) The question is: Does the product actually work?

One of the devices Rover is selling is the Rover Puck. It’s a 4G hotspot that can connect up to eight devices at one time — but it’s different from other Wi-Fi hotspots because it’s unlimited and pay-as-you-go. The Puck is actually pretty reasonable when it comes to pricing — $5 a day, $20 a week or $50 a month for unlimited service, which is on the low end for Internet service providers these days.

I had a chance to test a Rover Puck and see just how well it performed. And, while it shouldn’t replace a home broadband

The Rover puck is a cool new gift that will help students pay as they go while they are on-the-go. | Rover connection, it really does work well — especially if you need Internet anywhere in Houston.

On campus, the Puck works admirably. If you’re in the UC, the C.T. Bauer College of Business or really any above-ground building, you’ll be getting full 4G coverage.

The only problems I’ve had with coverage was when I was in the bowels of the UC Satellite at The Daily Cougar office or in the Law Center library. These places are

ENTER TO WIN A ROVER PUCK!

below ground, though, so it’s understandable that coverage would be spotty.

I had mild problems getting a reliable connection while I was being escorted around town, however, and that’s why the Puck isn’t a cure-all solution for your Internet problems. Coverage never dropped completely, but it did slow down, so if you’re planning on delivering pizzas while torrenting, I’d suggest leaving your computer (and your Puck) in a stationary location. You still can check your e-mail and surf the web, but streaming Netflix in HD isn’t going to work too well.

The best thing about the Puck, though, is its cool factor. It just looks cool — when you’re sitting there with friends and you whip out your shiny 4G modem, people actually do take a second glance. There’s only a handful of true 4G phones on the market; being able to take advantage of bleeding edge technology does have its advantages.

The Puck retails for about $150.

Find out more at www.rover.com.

(Think of it as a gift for the geek in your life — even if that geek is you.)

We’re giving away a Rover Puck, featuring 4G wireless speeds and WiFi connectivity for up to 8 devices! Giveaway does not include service on the Rover network. For daily, weekly and monthly rates, visit rover.com. Winner will be randomly selected Monday, Nov. 22 and announced in the Tuesday, Nov. 23 print edition of The Daily Cougar.

CONTEST ENTRY FORM Name _________________________________________ Email__________________________________________ ZIP code_______________________________________ Answer these questions correctly to qualify for drawing:

The Daily Cougar has been UH’s official student newspaper since what year? ______________ UH’s official mascot is Shasta. What’s the name of his female counterpart?_ _____________ Bring completed form to: Room 7, UC Satellite by 5 p.m. Friday!

holiday

happenings ON CAMPUS

Revitalizing the heart of Houston, one home at a time.

“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,”

by Barbara Robinson. It’s time for the church’s annual Christmas pageant and the Herdman kids, “the worst kids in the whole history of the world,” are about to discover the true meaning of Christmas. 2-3:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4. Lyndall Finley Wortham Theatre.

Tickets: $20 – general public, $15 – faculty, staff, alumni, $10 – students.

Contact: 713-743-2929 or visit http:// www.theatredance.uh.edu/ Joy to the World. Featuring works by Vaughan Williams, Ramirez, Jennings, Varner, Jansons, Sametz, Whalum performed by Concert Chorale, Concert Women’s Chorus, University Men’s Chorus, and University Women’s Chorus. Betsy Cook Weber, Kelly Turner, conductors. 2:30-4:00 p.m. Dec. 5.

FREE. Moores School of Music, Moores Opera House. Contact 713-743-3313.

AROUND TOWN Festival of Lights. Moody Gardens.

Nov. 13–Jan.1. Contact (800) 582-4673.

“A Christmas Carol”. Alley Theatre.

Nov. 19–Dec. 27. Contact 713-2205700 for tickets and showtimes.

“The Santaland Diaries.” Alley Theatre. Nov. 21.–Dec. 21. Contact 713220-5700 for tickets and showtimes.

Outdoor Ice Skating. Discovery Green. Starting Nov. 25. Contact (713) 400-7336.

“The Nutcracker”. Houston Ballet, Wortham Center. Nov. 26–Dec.26.

Contact (713) 227-2787.w Dickens on the Strand. Stand Street in Galveston, between 25th Street and 20th Street. Dec. 4–5. Contact (409) 765-7834.

2914 Eagle Street Houston, TX 77004 info@mayberryhomes.net

Call today! (713) 523.8585 www.mayberryhomes.net

Christmas Around the World.

Houston Museum of Natural Science.

Dec. 7. Contact (713) 639-4629.

Gift guide

The Daily Cougar

Thursday, November 18, 2010 n 5

Cougar Sutra

How to buy a gift for that special someone in your life Travis Hensley

The Daily Cougar It was right before winter break my second year of college. I had been dating a girl ever since the first day of classes and I was getting ready to buy her a Christmas gift.

Then, the realization struck me that her birthday was on New Year’s Eve — this hit me like a ton of bricks.

If you’ve never dated someone whose birthday falls on or near a gift-giving holiday, please know that they get upset when you try to get them one gift to cover both the holiday and the birthday.

For that reason, I spent a great deal of time walking around my local mall to the point that I ended up forgetting where I parked. I wasn’t panicking, but having to go through all of my memories of conversations to get some sort of idea of something that she would like almost made my head explode.

After going through my TiVostyle memory bank, I remembered that she told me she really liked scrapbooking. Strange thing about scrapbooks, they are not all just the same. The store that I walked into had an “our family” one. Now, this was not marked especially clearly, and it looked like every other scrapbook in the place. Not good.

So if you are going to buy a gift for someone, research is how you get the ball rolling. You should know things like whether or not it needs batteries — if so, buy some and give them along with the gift. If it’s a movie, watch it first, because you don’t want to be surprised by the questions they ask after going through it.

Price is also a big deal when buying a gift for someone when you first start dating. Something thoughtful will always outweigh the price. Don’t spend too much money. It’s best to go with the sum cost of two dates. If you’re in college and you’ve been eating at fast food restaurants, that will be about $20.

If you’ve been spending a little bit more money on dates, know that a precedent has been set.

Also try to get family members’ input on what to get. If you do this,

Happy holidays!

THE DAILY COUGAR

®

you can avoid classic mistakes of buying jewelry too early in a relationship. It they like your special someone, then there is also a chance that they might contribute some extra money for a better gift.

Wrapping a present also can be a problem for most guys. It seems as though most girls are presentwrapping machines. For this reason, you might want to get a girl to wrap your gift, or just buy a gift bag instead.

Before you put the present in paper, be sure to scratch off the price of the gift, because it’s just tacky to leave it on. Once the gift is ready to go, make sure to give it to her at a time when you are alone — right before the holiday break is a good move — around their family is just really awkward. Had the scrapbook incident happened in front of her mother and father, it would have been a lot harder to take the embarrassment.

All in all, just get them something special. If they don’t use it, don’t get upset because something is always better than nothing.

Make sure to get your special someone something special, and remember that it’s not the price of the gift that determines its worth. | photos.com

6 n Thursday, November 18, 2010

Gift guide

UH WELLNESS

Celebrating the holidays? Plan Ahead!

University of Houston Wellness

Harris County has the highest drunk driving rate per capita in the country.

playlist »

Happy Holiday mix

F

or holiday parties, if you are really going to throw down with the best of them, you’re going to need a really good Playlist to get your guests in the mood. It is always best to go with some songs and artists that people know. But it will really show your festive, indie holiday spirt if you can throw a few lesser-known musicians into the mix. So for all the music lovers, we hope that you have a happy and healthy break, and remember that the mix tape is a gift that keeps on giving.

Gaylyn Gaddy Maurer, MA

With the upcoming holidays many students will be returning home and enjoying a well-deserved break.

The holiday season, which now ranges from Halloween through New Year’s Day, often brings with it an increased number of parties and family get-togethers.

Along with this increased celebration often comes increase in alcohol use. Certainly, students report drinking more alcohol during the holiday breaks than they typically do doing the semester, citing a more relaxed atmosphere or a desire to “unwind” after the stressors of school.

However, studies have shown that when people drink more than they do on a regular basis, they are more likely to get behind the wheel intoxicated than usual.

This leads to an increase in drunk driving rates during the holiday season by college students and the general public alike.

In fact, according to the Department of Transportation, Harris County (Houston) has the highest drunk driving rate per capita in the country. This only worsens when you add holiday celebrations to the mix.

In an effort to minimize drunk driving across the city, the Houston Police Department will be implementing “No Refusal” weekends beginning this month through the next three years.

If a driver is involved in an accident caused by intoxication in which someone has suffered bodily injury and is transported to a medical facility, the intoxicated driver will be required to provide a blood specimen to

The Daily Cougar

Blue Christmas Elvis Presley

Christmas at the Zoo The Flaming Lips

Funky Christmas James Brown

Hanukkah Song Adam Sandler

The Man in the Santa Suit Fountains of Wayne

Happy New Year Deathray

Christmas in Hollis Run-DMC

Santa Claus is Comin’ to Town Jackson 5

All I Want for Christmas is You Mariah Carey

I Hate December Ivy

Provided by UH Wellness be screened for alcohol. Minors (under the age of 21) will fail the blood test with any detectable amount of alcohol.

So, in order to enjoy the holiday season and avoid complications that can come from driving while impaired (including legal issues and injury to self or others), do your thinking before you start drinking! Appoint a designated driver – which is NOT the least drunk person: it is the person who will not drink any alcohol at all that evening. Or, take a cab when going out on the town. Or, simply enjoy the celebration without the use of alcohol because let’s face it: watching your family interact can be just as entertaining.

GIVE A GIFT

YoUR FUTURE To

SELF

You may not want a yearbook today or even next year. But someday, you’ll wish you had. You know, for the grandkids.

Buy a Houstonian. Remember the times of your life.

ORDER NOW VIA PEOPLESOFT! ONLY $45!

Look under Student Financials > Optional Fees.

Questions? Call 713-743-5350

Gift guide

The Daily Cougar

Thursday, November 18, 2010 n 7

DO IT YOURSELF

Making gifts from the heart with your hands Mary Baak

The Daily Cougar Giving your friends the perfect gift is often a difficult task. You might be worried about your budget or finding something thoughtful that they’d really enjoy. Rather than being concerned about finding the perfect gift this holiday season, make it instead.

Of course, you could make cookies and other delicious treats for your friends, but something that will last longer than a couple of days would be even better.

A great idea for an inexpensive, thoughtful gift would be a handmade canvas-mounted collage. You should start this project by having a basic theme for the project, like sports, photography or music. Once you’ve established what direction you’re going to take, gather photos, tickets, magazine cutouts and other things of the like. You have a whole host of options when thinking about the things to mount — clips of his or her favorite band or sports team, buttons, photos from shows that you two went to together or anything else that reminds you of that particular person.

The next thing you’ll need to do is pick up a canvas, glue, paint and Mod Podge (or any other kind of decoupage adhesive) to hold everything together when you’re finished.

Now you need to let your creative side take over — put on some tunes, make a pot of coffee and get to work.

Before you do anything, paint the

canvas in with a solid color. It doesn’t matter which color you use; this just ensures that there isn’t any white space when you’re done. After the paint dries, start placing things on the canvas randomly and see what you end up with. It’s best to put the biggest pieces on the bottom and layer the smaller items on top; however, don’t glue anything just yet.

Experiment with placement. Change up the layers. Play with colors and text. Do whatever you need to do, just don’t over think anything — otherwise you’ll just stress yourself out.

Once you’re satisfied with the way that everything is placed, carefully glue each layer to the one underneath it. After you’ve glued all the pieces to the canvas, carefully paint a thin coat of Mod Podge over the entire collage. Doing so will protect your work from twhe elements and general wear-and-tear.

At this point, you’re probably heaving a sigh of relief. Hold off for a minute, though, because you’re not done yet. After the Mod Podge has dried, use a paint pen or 3D paint to write something over the top of your collage. This can be anything you want, like a quote from a book, movie or a lyric from you friend’s favorite song.

This can be a time consuming project, but it will be well worth it when you’re finished. Be proud of your work — after all, nothing says, “Happy Holidays, you’re my best friend” quite like a handmade gift.

Your dream home is within reach. Call today.

Mayberry Homes, Inc. is committed to our mission, Revitalizing the Heart of Houston, One Home at a Time. We focus on making home ownership a reality for all individuals by providing quality new homes at an exceptional value to our clients.

Mayberry Homes, Inc has a broad clientele, including low and moderate income families in our surrounding community and the middle to upper class in the Greater Houston area. We share in the City of Houston’s effort to vremove blight in the neighborhoods where we were raised and continue to live.

The launch of the Mayberry Signature Series has allowed us to broaden our clientele and cater to the luxury class home owners in search of an exceptional residence. Now, through your vision and our expertise, allow Mayberry Homes, Inc. to become Your Builder of Choice to conceive and build the home of your dreams, no matter where in the greater Houston area you want to live!

Visit our model home at16727 Cypresswick Ln Spring, TX in the Cypress Trace Subdivision!

From Our Home to Your Home,

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Campus Recreation and Wellness Center Holiday/Break Hours:

THANKSGIVING WEEKEND: November 24, 2010 (Wednesday) 6:00 AM – 7:00 PM November 25-26, 2010 (Thursday – Friday) CLOSED November 27, 2010 (Saturday) Noon – 8:00 PM

SEMESTER BREAK: December 18-19, 2010 (Saturday and Sunday) Noon – 8:00 PM December 20-23, 2010 (Monday–Thursday) 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM December 24, 2010 thru January 2, 2011 CLOSED

NOTE: Natatorium closes one hour prior to CRWC closing. Leisure Pool, Cubbie Corner and Outdoor Adventure/Climbing Wall have different hours.

Please call: (713) 743-PLAY or check: www.uh.edu/recreation for details.

2914 Eagle Street Houston, TX 77004 (713) 523.8585 info@mayberryhomes.net www.mayberryhomes.net

8 n Thursday, November 18, 2010

Gift guide

The Daily Cougar

H O L I D AY +CHEER

III Forks steakhouse XXI Forever andalucia tapas Restaurant & Bar BCBGMaXaZRIa Books-a-Million Clique salon Foundation Room at House of Blues Guadalajara del Centro House of Blues lucky strike lanes McCormick & schmick’s seafood Restaurant Mia Bella trattoria Pete’s Dueling Piano Bar Polk street Pub Qatar airways Unity national Bank Yao Restaurant & Bar

S H O P P I N G | D I N I N G | E N T E R TA I N M E N T houstonpavilions.com | 832.320.1200 | FREE WI-FI CoRnER oF Dallas & MaIn stREEts | oPEn 7 DaYs a WEEK Va let pa rk ing ava ila bl e o n Fa nni n, s a n J a c i nto a nd C a ro l i ne atta c hed pa rk ing ga ra g e o n C l ay b et ween Ma i n & Fa nni n ( 13 01 Ma i n)

WINTER+WONDERLAND Houston Pavilions is celebrating the season with snow in the City in its Center Court, located next to McCormick & schmick’s seafood Restaurant on the first floor, twice a day at lunch (11 a.m. to 1 p.m.) and at happy hour (5 p.m. to 7 p.m.). It’s snow…but better. It’s not wet, cold or messy. It’s actually tiny bubbles that look just like the real thing. so, bring your friends, family and co-workers and get a picture, spin in the snow, catch “flakes” on your tongue, but don’t expect to make a snow man or have a snow ball fight. the flakes evaporate upon contact.

FoR soME REal snoW… Houston Pavilions is Sending One Lucky Winner and a Guest to Taos Ski Resort!

Enjoy a three-night getaway to taos ski Valley with complimentary airfare, lodging, lift tickets, ski rentals and more! spend more than $150 between november 27 and December 24 and you can enter into the drawing by bringing your receipts to the Management office of Houston Pavilions Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.