WEDNESDAY | 12.4.2013 | MaceandCROWN.COM | Vol. 56, Issue 13
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ODU students help form statewide environmental coalition By: Sean Davis Staff Writer Mace & Crown Old Dominion University students met with student representatives from other universities around the commonwealth on Nov. 24 to discuss purpose, leadership and campaigns in establishing a state-wide student environmental movement. The Virginia Student Environmental Coalition was proposed during a state breakout session at the Powershift Student Environmental Conference in Pittsburgh earlier this year. It was created as an answer to the lack of intercampus organization and action to deal with Virginia-specific climate change and environmental justice challenges. ODU students Erin Fagan and Miriam Notvana sat around a crowded conference table and listened as representatives from
Mary Washington and Virginia Commonwealth University debated leadership roles and decision-making processes. Someone sped typed a note into the group’s Googledoc. “Be mindful of the reality of problems with power structure on groups.” Immediately apparent is that this is not your average feel-good service organization. Almost everyone involved has experience in community or student organizing and have learned lessons about what does and does not work. Caught in the post-occupy climate of left-leaning movement politics, conversations like these are essential to finding the right line between being completely consensus-based and actually effective. They eventually agreed for campus representation to use a system of “tree and acorn”. The “tree” is an upperclassman representative and the “acorn” is an underclassman.
The “tree and acorn” are students who can trade roles but essentially handle in-bound and out-bound communication with the larger VSEC body. The Googledoc flashes “not decision makers” under the phrase “campus reps.” Other positions were discussed and defined, such as who will facilitate conference calls, who will handle the social media pages, who will compile the newsletter, how will the roles be filled and other important aspects of running a successful campaign. Toward the end of the meeting, a member from each school discussed campaigns and challenges they each faced. Most had notably positive news about meetings with faculty to discuss “socially responsible investing” or were beginning to make headway in campus sustainability projects. A group from the University of Mary Washington even planned a skype meeting with climate
scientist and 350.org founder Bill Mckibben. Despite only creating an officiated environmental organization “EcoReps” in the last year, ODU was not without positive news. Fagan informed the group about a series of events including a documentary screening and panel put on by EcoReps, as well as the success of the Safe Coast Conference last month. Both dealt with the threat and mitigation of sea level rise due in part to melting sea ice in The Arctic. Sea level rise is the most immediate climate change-related challenge facing Norfolk and ODU. The city is the most atrisk for such problems in the country behind only New Orleans. The other students were visibly stunned when Fagan spoke of having kayaked down her own street after heavy rains inundated them. There was initial talk of convening a “Virginia Powershift,” a statewide environmental
justice conference that would take after the late September event. The goal of this conference would be to further build solidarity and interconnection between campuses and students. The idea had been pitched by members of the Chesapeake Climate Action Network and The Sierra Club. Back in Hampton Roads, the group maintained an attitude of constructiveness, planning an interest meeting complete with free “ethical” food and discussing which potential campaigns would work best. Although timed to occur as the semester closes, upcoming meetings and conference calls should allow the group to further build membership and support. One action already planned for late January when students return to school is in the works to call for much-needed progress and leadership on sustainable energy in the state capital.
Old Dominion Dominates Georgia Southern Monarchs Win Fourth Game with 89-69 Victory Over Eagles
By: Jasmine Blackwell Staff Writer Mace & Crown The Old Dominion Monarchs (4-3) won their fourth game of the season after defeating Georgia Southern (1-7) 86-69 in the second game of the Cancun Challenge on Nov. 23 at the Ted Constant Center. Old Dominion shot a ferocious .593 percent from the floor in the first half (16-27) and went 8-from-12 from behind the arc. Much of this stellar shooting can be attributed to the spark that freshman guard Jordan
Baker gave the team in the first half. “He was feeling very confident. He pretty much shot them out of their zone in the first half,” head coach Jeff Jones said of Baker’s contributions coming off the bench. Baker went 4-for-4 from three-pointrange in the first half, finishing off with a career high 17points. “[I was] just coming off the bench trying to make a spark for my team to rally us to extend the lead. My shot was just falling and my teammates kept coming back to me so I had to reward them with the assist by making the shot,” Baker said. Baker’s three-pointer at the 13:16 mark in
the first half put Old Dominion ahead 12-9 and the Monarchs never looked back, leading by as many as 17 in the first half. The Old Dominion defense also played a huge role in this lead, holding Georgia Southerns’ offense to zero fast break points in the first half. The Monarchs led the Eagles 47-33 at halftime. The Eagles did not give up that easily, rallying together in the second half to get as close as 11 with 3:42 left, but could not get any closer. Fans began clearing out of the Ted Convocation Center with a little over two minutes remaining as the Monarchs were up 78-63 with 2:12 remaining in the game.
Baker was not the only Monarch who got hot throughout this game. Aaron Bacote fell just two points short of his season high with 26 points, shooting 7-for-13 from the field and a nearly perfect 11-for-12 from the free throw line. The Monarchs did a great job sharing the ball ending up with 15 assists for the night. The Eagles on the other hand struggled with ball distribution as they had a total of just two assists on the night. “We like playing together. We like each other. This year the attitude is just way different and the chemistry is better. Everything is just better,” said Bacote.
The Monarchs who have only loss one game at home this season and seemed to have turn things around under the leadership of the former American University head man. Since the game, the Monarchs have dropped to 4-3 but still remain on pace to shatter their previous win total of five games in 2012-13. Old Dominion is back on the court on Dec. 8, on the road for a 1:30 p.m. rival showdown against Virginia Commonwealth University.
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OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEWSPAPER
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NEWS
EDITOR: JESSICA SCHECK | NEWS@MACEANDCROWN.
Mace & Crown Staff : Derek Allen Page
Editor-in-Chief editorinchief@maceandcrown.com Jessica Scheck News Editor news@maceandcrown.com Dominique Bailey Arts & Entertainment Editor artsandentertainment@maceandcrown.com Brian Jerry Sports Editor sports@maceandcrown.com Ellison Gregg Photography Editor photo@maceandcrown.com
Letter From the Editor By: Derek Allen Page Editor-in-Chief Mace & Crown
Dear readers, Welcome back! I hope your Thanksgiving break was grand and you’ve eaten to your heart and stomach’s content. My travels to Indiana to visit my family was a well-needed, stress-free vacation that ultimately got me refocused on my priorities. If this was a necessity for you, I hope you used the break to do this as well.
As we near the end of the semester, many of us will be seeing friends off as they accept their diplomas and venture into the professional world. The Mace & Crown will be seeing two of our own off. Ms. Jessica Scheck, our brilliant news editor will be graduating with her Bachelors of Arts in English with an emphasis in journalism. She is by far of our most cherished news writers and editors and I am without doubt that she will excell in whatever it is she finds herself doing following her collegiate career. Likewise, Brian Jerry, our jubilant jokster of a sports editor, will be graduat-
ing with the same degree. I am equally as confident in his abilities to excel in his career. Jessica and Brian are both of the most hardworking, dedicated and passionate incipient journalists whose names I am sure I will be reading in future publications. As I approach my final semester, I reflect on my time here and anticipate the uncertain future. I wish, as well as most do also, that what lies ahead could be clearer, but our paths in life are not always as well-lit as we may hope. This being said, I’ve come to learn that despite the apprehension of what may
or may not come, we must persist along the roads are we on. Though we may not always be able to see where our next step is, it is most imperative we still take it. It requires daring, courage and, most of all, faith. As Dr. Martin Luther Kind Jr. has said, “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” So, to my friends and readers moving into your future, always remember to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Eeven when hope is seemingly lost and your reservations grow rampant, there is always a corner to turn, and what is ahead may surprise you.
Adrienne Mayfield Copy Editor copy@maceandcrown.com Jonathan Kwok Senior Graphic Designer layout@maceandcrown.com James Porter II Advertising Director advertising@maceandcrown.com Sean Burke Webmaster webmaster@maceandcrown.com Nate Budryk Distribution Manager
Staff Writers: Alyse Stanley Jasmine Blackwell Pamula Floyd Mark Fulton Dri MayField Zakeya Murphy Brian Saunders Joshua Stanton Mathew O’Brien
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Mace & Crown is a newspaper published by and written for the students of Old Dominion once a week throughout each semester and once in the summer. Originally founded in 1930 as the The High Hat, the paper became the Mace & Crown in 1961. The Mace & Crown is a primarily self-supporting newspaper,maintaining journalistic independance from the university. All views expressed in this collegiate paper are those of the author, not of the University, Mace & Crown, or the editors. Contact Information: Phone: 757-683-3452 Fax: 757-683-3459 Advertising: 757-683-4773
Susan Youssef’s Journey With “Habibi” By: Pamula Floyd Staff Writer Mace & Crown The film, Habibi, which goes by its full Arabic title, “Habibi Rasak Kharbam,” or “Darling, Something’s Wrong with Your Head,” is only semi-fictional. It was also largely shaped by Arab-American filmmaker, Susan Youssef’s life changing experiences on her first visit to Gaza in 2002. Youssef was in Gaza while shooting her documentary Forbidden to Wander. It was then that she saw children acting out the romance of Majnun Layla, a classical ninth century narrative which tells the story of a man named Qays, who is driven mad by his love for a woman named Layla. During her visit Youssef watched a production of Majnun Layla in an empty gymnasium in Khan Younis. She witnessed a teenage Qays wade through imaginary desert sands looking for Layla. During this time period the Israeli army
began destroying fields of homes and staging aerial bombings. It was also at this time that Youssef met her protector, Mohammed, a local theater director that joined her in shooting her documentary. “He took complete care of me while respecting my space as a woman,” said Youssef. “I didn’t pay him, give him a place to stay, or even provide him with food. Unexpectedly, I fell in love with his immense kindness, his heroic commitment to art in a situation where most people are just trying to survive – that is to say, I fell in love with him.” The experience of seeing the children’s performance of Majnun Layla, and finding love in Gaza, compelled Youssef to retell the legend in the setting of modernday Gaza. The film is set in 2001 and Gaza has come under full closure – Palestinians are not allowed to travel in or out via Israel. Two college students who have been studying in the West Bank – Qays and Layla – have been forced to return to
Gaza. There, within the limits of checkpoints and societal rules Layla is inaccessible to Qays. To cope with his broken heart, Qays begins writing poetry in the form of graffiti, around Gaza to the dismay of Layla’s family. It took Youssef seven years just to be able to shoot Habibi. Those years were personally dark for her as she endured many financial and emotional trials, including the loss of her love, Mohammed. After returning to Gaza in 2005 to shoot sample scenes, Youssef went to the Netherlands on a Fulbright fellowship. It was during this time that Mohammed confronted Youssef with the question of their future together. She wanted him out of Gaza and into the Netherlands with her but he said, “I was born in Gaza and I will die in Gaza.” He soon married someone else. This loss only further propelled her to write the script, which she finished by the end of her Fulbright tenure. She began shooting the script with little initial success in finding a producer. To combat this
setback she decided to produce Habibi herself. It took Youssef two years to raise enough money to shoot again. She was unable to shoot only in Gaza because of numerous political mishaps. She went back to fundraising to shoot in the West Bank. During the seven-year-long journey to make Habibi there were many reasons Youssef wanted to quit, but she knew she couldn’t. Habibi had become an expressive conduit for herself, for Mohammed, for those living in Gaza. She held steadfast to the film as an elegy to her love of Mohammed and as homage to the greatness of Arabic literature. By 2008, the war that raged on against Gaza made it even more pressing that she present her version of Gaza on the big screen in hopes of humanizing Palestinian victims of Israeli violence in Gaza. As she sat in her cool, dark apartment in rainy Amsterdam, editing her film, she pressed on by imagining people’s support of her poetic, yet tragic film.
Wednesday 12.4.2013 | MACE & CROWN | A2
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Ryan Morrill
The Naro Joins the Digital Age By: Sean Davis Staff Writer Mace & Crown Norfolk’s only single-screen cinema entered the digital age last week. The Naro Expanded Cinema premiered its new digital projector Nov. 21 with a screening of the classic black and white silent film, Safety Last. The film was produced in 1923 and featured the comedic genius of silent-film star, Harold Lloyd. Known for doing his own stunts, Lloyd is seen climbing a 12-story building to get publicity for the department store for which he is a modest worker. He is doing this to get a raise and impress his
fiancé. Recently restored from film to digital, Safety Last elicited strong laughter from the mostly older-aged crowd. The long-time Ghent landmark was the last theater in the area to make the switch from 35mm film to the digital format. The Naro will keep and maintain the film projector, however it is unclear when it will be used again. “This had to happen eventually. We just put it off for a year or more, and believe me we lost sleep over it,” said co-owner, Thom Vourlas. The $80,000 upgrade was funded through The Clarence Digital Media Campaign, a donation drive put on by the theater.
The campaign saw participation by more than 400 donors, who were recognized in the credits of a short film that played prior the feature. The 75-year-old movie house survived the last 36 years under the leadership of Thom Vorlous and Tench Phillips, with financial support from the city of Norfolk and countless donations from passionate fans determined not to see the theater go the way of countless others. “Last year I Googled that there were a little over 200 single-screen theaters left in the entire country,” Phillips said in a speech before the film. “I would dare say by next year there will be half that number.”
OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEWSPAPER
CRIME LOG
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OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEWSPAPER
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: DOMINIQUE BAILEY | ARTSANDENTERTAINMENT@MACEANDCROWN.COM
Anhayla Stanley
From YouTube fame to Norfolk By: Amira Taylor Contributing Writer Mace & Crown Anhayla, A Richmond based musician, performed at ODU on Nov. 22 in the Student Activities Council’s (SAC) Friday Night Live series. During the event, students were given the opportunity to see the popular YouTube R&B songstress perform some of her original songs and a few covers. The audience was immediately blown away as her five-piece band played to hype
the crowd up. Anhayla then took the stage and performed one of her most popular covers, “Turn on the Lights,” before she started some of her most popular songs including, “If I Was (I Think I Love You),” and “U.G.L.Y.” The songstress also performed a few new cover songs. Anhayla’s rise to popularity on YouTube comes from her numerous videos of different cover songs. She revamped Lorde’s ‘Royals,’ by adding a soulful jazz twist to it and also did a mash up of Drake’s “All Me,” and Juicy J’s “Bounce It.” The
crowd responded favorably throughout the set, especially when Anhayla encouraged them to sing and dance along with her. The performance took an interesting turn when the singer serenaded Senior, Clarence Cartwright, during, “If I Was (I Think I Love You).” Anhayla requested a chair so she could sit down during this song. Cartwright proceeded to bring a chair up by the stage and ultimately sat in it through the entire song. The night continued with lively music and ended with an empowering song about
loving yourself titled, “U.G.L.Y.” After the performance, students got in line for a meet and greet. The night ended on a good note as students enjoyed the free novelties and karaoke after the performance as a part of SAC’s Friday Night Live event. Anhayla spared a few minutes to answer some questions about her success through YouTube and her future plans. “I went to school for accounting [at VCU] and I did music for fun, but YouTube made it real,” said Anhayla. She has posted 82 videos on her channel, with the most
viewed video having over 800 thousand views. Collectively her channel has over 8 million views. In regards to the future of her career, Anahayla plans to continue making and recording new music. “I have a lot of plans for the future,” she said. “You should look out for some videos from me soon.”
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Wednesday 12.4.2013 | MACE & CROWN | C1
OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEWSPAPER
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SPORTS
EDITOR: BRIAN JERRY | SPORTS@MACEANDCROWN.COM
Yesim ‘The Dream’ By: Brian Jerry Sports Editor Mace & Crown The tireless sport of swimming has its fair share of rigorous physical demands. Those who have competed at the highest level in the water know what it feels like. Those who have not can still witness those who excel in it. Over the years, UFC fighter and mixed martial arts veteran Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez has been a fierce fighter with ruthless aggression in the octagon. Two years ago, he changed his nickname to “The Dream” and it fits because he represents everything a fighter needs to excel, including stamina,
perseverance, strength, agility and physical gifts. The connection between him and Old Dominion junior women’s swimming sensation Yesim Giresunlu could not be any clearer. Giresunlu has all these tools synched into her arsenal. The Turkish native has broken, battered and shattered many records during her three-year tenure in the pool. Two weeks ago at the UNC-Chapel Hill Nike Cup Invitational, she impressed with phenomenal first place finishes in the final of the women’s 500 meter freestyle. In that race, Giresunlu set a school record with a time of 4:49.74 on the first day and took third in the 1650 free on the second day. For her, competing
in such a highlighted event was very thrilling. To eclipse records there was even more satisfying. “When I saw the time at 4:49 after the finals, I was really, really excited,” Giresunlu said of her accomplishment.” The Lady Monarchs have been on a tear since an opening tri-meet loss to UNCW and Richmond 200-152. The women have since beaten UMBC, St. Andrews and Radford/Marshall in a tri-meet. Giresunlu pointed to the team’s tireless work ethic this year in practice than in the past, taking no rest or tapers before dual meets. Before the season, the team was exhausted but after the first win, everything started coming
together. Now in her junior year, Giresunlu admitted how her role has increased from prior seasons. “Literally my times get faster and faster every year. I think my senior year times are going to be really fast, too. I guess the first year was just an adaptation to all the practices. Then sophomore year, I started swimming really hard and in my junior year, I have responsibility of being a captain. So, as the years go by I’m just determined to do my best times,” Girensunlu said. The third year star has accomplished so much in such a short span in long distance swimming. Giresunlu spoke about how she prefers longer distances by default. She feels much more comfortable at 1650 because they’re longer and she can pace herself well. In a 500 yard event, she’s a bit more nervous because it turns into a sprint event for her compared to the mile. Thus, she has to think about her stroke and how fast she’s going to swim. “[In the sprints], my splits need to be faster than in the mile in order for me to do my best time, So as the distance goes shorter, I have to go faster. That’s the challenge,” Giresunlu said. Giresunlu wants to qualify for the NCAA Championships, which take place Mar. 2022, 2014 at the Minnesota Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, Minn. It’s the one thing she hasn’t completed yet in her high successful college swimming tenure here at ODU. A couple weeks ago, she was close to being cut in the 500 meter NCAA event. She’s hopeful that this time around, she can make the cut and next year make it close to the A-cuts so she can swim in those events. That’s the only thing she said she wanted to do. Growing up in Istanbul, Turkey, there were many opportunities for Giresunlu to practice and prepare herself for the competition over here. So she had all the tools necessary to get her ready for the American collegiate swimming platform. She compared the differences between competing here versus back home. “There are a lot of opportunities in Turkey, especially now that we’re working very professionally. I like the opportunities here because swimming here is more like a team
sport than an individual sport. In Turkey, it’s always just about you and I like being a part of the team,” she said. “I think I always knew I was going to make it back here on that platform because I really liked it.” As far as advice is concerned, Giresunlu talks to her coaches a lot about the things she needs to improve to go faster. She also speaks to her teammates and they keep her motivated. She admitted that as a team, they all keep each other motivated. Giresunlu has proven she’s one of the most dominant female long distance swimmers in recent ODU memory. She uses music to get her motor going before a race, listening to alternative, classic rock and heavy metal. Her all-time favorite though is none other than Bon Jovi, a surprise to many. Her teammates encourage her to perform well and a plain old adrenaline rush takes over before she steps foot in the water. From poolside, the team seems to have a lot of camaraderie with each other and responding to ODU Swimming Head Coach Carol Withus with a lot more enthusiasm than in previous years. As a team, they’re a family. “If one person in the pool ha a really bad day, that also affects everyone else. So, we always try our best to be motivated before practices and are very determined about our goals. As a team, we’re a family,” Girensulu said. “That’s the story behind everything.” The junior recently made the cut for the USA National Championships which begin Dec. 5 in Knoxville, Tenn. This season and her career are far from over but the prospective is still in Giresunlu’s peripheral vision. She’s ready to tackle her goals with the team through December and beyond. That includes the C-USA Championships. “Definitely conferences is what we’re look forward to the most. Now they we’re in a new conference, especially in the freestyle, it’s so much faster that in CAA’s,” she said. “So we definitely have some work to do but I think the team’s going to do really well in conferences. We did so well at the Nike Cup that if we translate to that for conferences, that means we’re going to do so much better.”
Monarchs Stomped By Tar Heels Old Dominion Football Ends Season with A disappointing Loss By: Nathan Budryk Assistant Sports Editor Mace & Crown The Old Dominion Monarchs football team capped off their season in an unfortunate, yet valuable learning experience on Nov. 23. Old Dominion played the Tar Heels of North Carolina and lost in an 8020 blowout at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, N.C. It was the most points UNC has ever scored in program history. ODU held their own and were down
only one point as they ended the first quarter with a score of 14-13 UNC. Also in the first quarter, the Monarchs attempted an onside kick, and it was successfully recovered by standout junior wide receiver Larry Pinkard. The second and third quarters proved to be a different story altogether, as the Tar Heels scored 35 and 32 points in those quarters, respectively. As a result, both ODU head coach Wilder and North Carolina head coach Larry Fedora agreed to make the fourth quarter ten minutes instead of fifteen. North Carolina, who is now bowl-eligi-
ble, started off the season 1-5 but salvaged their season with a 6-5 record with one game left to play. There were, however, some bright spots for the Monarchs, as freshman running back Gerard Johnson set a career high in rushing yards, amassing 143 yards in the loss. Star quarterback Taylor Heinicke played an atypical game throwing 14 for 31 with 130 yards and a touchdown through the air. The Monarchs ended the year with the second-best record of all the FBS independents, tallying a final record of 8-4, just one loss more than Notre Dame.
After an undefeated home schedule of games this year, the Monarchs were a different story on the road. With all but one of their away games coming against FBS opponents, the difficult road results were something to be expected and are something that head coach Bobby Wilder and the players will work on next season. As far as statistics are concerned, junior quarterback Taylor Heinicke led the way for the Monarchs, going 340 for 486 on the year with 4,022 passing yards and 33 touchdowns against just eight interceptions. Tailback Colby Goodwyn led the team in
rushing with 104 carries for 483 yards and 12 touchdowns, which is the second most for s ingle season in school history, on the year. Pinkard also had a huge statistical year, catching 68 balls for 1020 yards and nine touchdowns. A relatively young team, the Monarchs stand not to lose too many important pieces for next year. Among notable seniors departing are Goodwyn, kicker Jarod Brown, defensive tackle Nate Barnes and wide receiver Marquel Thomas.
Wednesday 12.4.2013 | MACE & CROWN |C2
By: Brian Jerry Sports Editor Mace & Crown Sidni Hoxha is a very talented swimmer. There are no other ways to put it other than its purists and most simple form. He is that good. The time he takes in the pool to make his point is not long at all. It is a mirroring image of someone very famous in the 1970s. John Simon Ritchie, better known to the world as Sid Vicious, was a bassist for the Sex Pistols. Although he did not stay with the band for long, he made a name for himself in such a short period of time. Vicious is now
one of the most iconic rock bass players of all-time. Like Vicious, Old Dominion swimming star is that Hoxha doesn’t need very much time in the pool to leave his mark. Hoxha thoroughly impressed in the UNC-Chapel Hill Nike Cup two weeks ago. The senior star swimmer and Tirane, Albania native stole the show in short distance when he eclipsed both the Old Dominion and Nike Cup record in the 50 meter freestyle with a time of 19.44 on the first day. He followed that performance with another record breaking afternoon on the second day at 43.43. Hoxha also owns the 200-meter
MACEANDCROWN.COM school mark. He admitted that he had tons of fun in an event that cemented his place in the record books. “That’s the fun of swimming, I think. Practices are so hard. Many people enjoy but you’ve got to push your way through practices and try to enjoy them as much as you can,” Hoxha said. “Once the race has come and you’ve done all the work, that’s when the fun starts and records get broken. You have a great time swimming and everything.” Now in his senior year, the Albanian’s role as an experienced teammate has increased in the form of being voted a team captain this year. Surrounded with such a young team, Hoxha admitted that he tries to get the team going in his new leadership role. “As time shows and as I’ve been in their [freshmen] shoe’s before, I thought I was someone who knew more than everybody else and the seniors but that wasn’t true, “he said. “The experience of the seniors is always golden for the freshmen and I try to give them the best that I can and work with them in practice [on] almost everything.” Swimming is a very physically demanding sport, one that’s very taxing on the human body in the field of competition. Hoxha prepares to compete at the highest collegiate level in such a dominating fashion with meet after meet on the schedule. “I think it’s the race, it pushes you to do better,” he said. “The idea of wanting to do better, wanting to do something for your team, motivating them and telling them that we’re here and doing good is what pushes you through the race, [which produces] good results.” The ODU swim team is not only talented but highly intelligent. Last month, the NCAA recognized their graduation success rate of 100 percent. Hoxha pointed out how important it is to balance their athletic prowess with rigorous studies.
OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEWSPAPER “Student-athletes, that’s the thing that we always say because we have to go to school first and then be athletes. If you’re not eligible, then you can practice as much as you want and you’re not going to do anything for your team in that case,” Hoxha said. “As a team, we’re doing a really good job and since the NCAA recognized us for that then we really are, I’m not just saying that. It plays a crucial role, having everyone here and being ready to race all the time.” Hoxha seems very cool, calm and collected before every race but he finds motivation through a quote from a former “Iron” nicknamed boxing heavyweight champion to alleviate pre-meet pressure. “It’s kind of complicated, sometimes it’s really easy. I like explaining it in the easiest words that Mike Tyson once said, ‘I’m scared to death before I go to the ring.’ As long as I practice then I know what I’ve done before, that fear vanishes before I go to the race,” Hoxha said. I try to be as calm as possible before the race because good emotions could turn into bad ones very quickly. As long as you keep your head in the race, that’s all I think about beforehand.” Before meets, he only thinks what he’s going to do in the pool in that present moment. He doesn’t really have to think about much. In Hoxha’s eyes, races almost never go as you’ve planned them but come really close to it. So he has to adjust the little things in the pool. It’s how he spends his time before the race. Music to him is also an important part in getting him ready and gives you a little bit more time to get away from everyone to avoid distractions. For Hoxha, his preferred artists are in a particular genre. “Hip-Hop artists I guess, Eminem you can say and Drake. I can name some guys from that, Jay-Z but that’s pretty much it,” he said. “It’s important to listen to music, for sure.” There’s plenty of swim meets left on this
year’s schedule but as a senior, naturally there will always be some perspective about life after college. The Albanian has given some thought about what steps he wants to take after the season and his career wraps. He would like to follow in former teammate Arni Arnason’s footsteps, beginning with gearing up to qualify for a rather special 2016 event in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. “I’ll try to go to the next Olympics, actually. That’s my goal, to conclude my career. As for right now, I think the Olympics are probably going to be the last race that I’m ever going to swim. After that, I’m majoring in civil engineering so I’ll try to work on that afterwards.” Hoxha qualified for the 2013 USA National Championships, which take place on Dec. 5 in Knoxville, Tenn. After all is said and done in his collegiate career as both a teammate and person at Old Dominion University, Hoxha will doesn’t have any particular idea of how he would like to be remembered. He said that people can choose how they want to be remembered. He is hopeful that the people who come after him will know his name. “That’s all you can ask for is that your name is going to stay back,” he said. “That another thing you can’t control, I think.” The perfect ending to Hoxha’s college tenure and what it will take to consider the year a success is a Conference-USA championship. “That’s the main goal at the beginning of the season, [in] the middle, towards the end, the end and the beginning of the next season again. It would be great if we did that. That’s the goal and after that it’s NCAA [Championships]. Let’s see how I’m going to do there. I’m pretty close to the time but I haven’t gotten the A-cut so if I make it again, then we’ll see what happens there.”
Monarchs Sprinkle Blue Hose Career-high 24 from Palmore surges ODU past Presbyterian By: Brian Minnick Contributing Writer Mace & Crown
Sean Burke | M & C
The Presbyterian Blue Hose sported blue two weeks ago, but they did not play big as the Old Dominion University basketball Monarchs flew around in white and washed them out with tight coverage on defense, patience and execution on offense and smooth transitions up and down the court in a 69-51 on Nov. 21 at the Ted Constant Center. Four other players scored in double figures, including Keenan Palmore, who was the game’s most valuable player with a career-high 24 points, Richard Ross, Aaron Bacote and Dimitri Batten. A sound team effort was embellished by excellent individual efforts, such as Richard Ross’s smooth but also tough play up the middle, sharp layups by Palmore and Batten, and a volley of deep field goals on the perimeter. Later, the game’s high scorer acknowledged the defensive effort as a driving force for the win, he was “happy with his defense” and made a point clear that each game was dictated by a competitive “mindset.” Hard work pays off and that was evident throughout the night. “We were prepared to play tonight, not every team is ready for each game,” Palmore said. The Monarch’s man press defense was the most impressive aspect of their game. Each defender was covering their man relentlessly, rarely allowing uncontested shots, passes, or drives to the basket. As a defensive unit, they were cornering Presbyterian shooters into low chance perimeter shots, forced er-
rant passes, and only allowed awkward attempts to the basket; the Blue Hose offense was stunted as fatigue started to take its toll early into the game. From tip off to the final buzzer, the Monarchs dominated and took the first lead and never relinquished their advantage. It’s one dimension that ODU Head Coach Jeff Jones was steadily pleased about in the team’s victory. “We surprised Presbyterian, we can garner experience by playing with the lead. There was not a big drop off from the first period,” Jones said. Side by side with Presbyterian, Old Dominion’s players are faster and showed they had more endurance, were more physically imposing and used better communication with one another. They communicated with the coaches and had better discipline in the game. The fans can admire their athletic ability, but Coach Jones does not want his squad to be identified by their athletic build. “The team will scrap. We will become a team that the fans can rally behind,” Jones said. “We won’t overwhelm most teams with talent or size but we will win with a collective effort.” This statement stems from the team’s tough and unified mindset that has resulted in a 4-3 start, one they can build upon. Being that he understands the long journey ahead of them, Jones admitted his goal is to keep getting better. These early season challenges will help mold the Monarchs into a more competitive team down the stretch and propel them to greater moments.
Wednesday 12.4.2013 | MACE & CROWN | D1
OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEWSPAPER
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OPINION
EDITOR: DOMINIQUE BAILEY | ARTSANDENTERTAINMENT@MACEANDCROWN.COM
By: Kimberly Joy Ward Contributing Writer Mace & Crown A well-scripted romance with threads of action, comedy, and supernatural fantasy woven throughout the story, “Kaze no Stigma” loosely translates to “the shame of the wind.” This is the story of the Kannagi family reject, Kazuma, and how his journey to become someone affected the family that he left behind. Together with his younger, highly-favored brother, Ren, and the future head of the family, Ayano, he protects the normal human population from Youma, demons of possession and power. While the story progresses toward defeating an alchemist wizard hell-bent on destroying the un-empowered humans, the story mostly focuses on the growing and developing relationship between Kazuma and Ayano, and chaos ensues. With every episode, each character becomes more and more human. Ren grows from idolizing his big brother Kazuma to learning from him and maturing into his own person. Ayano is by far the most intricate character. She is a hot-headed and violent character with a wonderful heart and an
Kaze no Stigma
impossibly thick skull. Kazuma is an open book the viewers, not his fellow characters. Even if the full extent of his past scars is not shown until the last episode, the viewer is meant to understand what he feels throughout the entire experience. The author, Takahiro Yamato, did a good job of fashioning such a phenomenon in the world of anime. The psychological dynamics between the main couple are fascinating. As their fighting styles clash, their personalities comply with one another’s existence but are not quite complimenting. The position of dominance alternates to fit the situation and possible consequences to create a favorable outcome. Subservience is a struggle for both characters, so they alternate constantly. When first introduced to the main protagonist, all three have the same last name and are considered family. This begs two questions, what is the relationship between Ayano and Kazuma and if they are family how is this not incest? Interestingly enough, the English translation of their familial relationship is second cousins, but the title “cousin” given to Kazuma’s father only indicates that he is a descendant of the main bloodline, not that he is the biological cousin of Ayano’s father. Rather, this states that the entitlement to
head of the family is within the grasp of both main bloodline families, unlike the branch families mentioned in the beginning of the series. The branch families are most likely lesser families that married into the more prestigious Kannagi family or main bloodline family member married beneath them in power, giving up their claim to the entitlement to head of the family. With around 300 years of main bloodline family descendants, relational lines and familial ties become hard to label, so simple titles like “cousin” exist. In the English subbed version, Ren calls Ayano “big sister” as that is what she means to him and Kazuma “big brother” as that is his actual title as the first son of their father. This makes the situation between the two even funnier to watch in subbed. “Kaze no Stigma” utilizes the stereotypical Japanese classic folktales and legends and brings it to life in a new and present context of today’s society. The traditional concepts of duty to family, representing honor within the family, revenge, and sacrificial offerings are all presented in context of feudal Japan, but the story takes places obviously in the 21st century. More impressively, this has already been done through the classic “Inuyasha,” but “Kaze no Stigma” approaches
this differently. There is no barrier between the past and the future, but rather the coexistence of the two contributes to its main themes: living with the past in the present while looking toward the future, there is no reason that people cannot make decisions that will ensure life to all who treasure it, etc. This merging between tradition and new context of society is a common struggle of the seen in many Japanese anime and reflect the real struggle the Japanese culture has struggled through for the past couple of decades, seeing an original version of this struggle is refreshing. “Kaze no Stigma” has 24 episodes, one theme song, and one ending song. The music accentuates the moments during the one season series, and each selection is well placed within each scene. Music does not really stand out to serve any other purpose than to complement the scenes and brings no further attention to its self. One of the series strongest points is comedy. The comedy-specific episodes can be watched out of context and enjoyed due to the masterful implementation of situational irony and slapstick. Certain points of the anime get rather dark. Depending on the version, Kazuma either interrogates criminals to the
verge of death or to death during his elapse into temporary insanity, dubbed and subbed respectively. These scenes are few and happen between a five episode span, so they are easy to skip over. The suspense of belief is well executed as the viewer is explained rules of this universe rather quickly in the first few moments of the first episode through action, not tedious and repetitive narrative explanation. Poor quality fanservice sprinkled throughout the series, mostly just panty shots. Funimation dubbed this series, so it is in the hands of experts. Watching either version would not reduce the level of entertainment, but with the English subbed, the viewer must be more aware of the Japanese culture and social context. “Kaze no Stigma” has an overall good entertainment value with decent action, spectacular comedy, and a romance story guided by world crisis. As the manga that “Kaze no Stigma” is based off of is ongoing, I appreciated the honest ending and the fact that there was no forced confession or neatly wrapped ending. It was a promise of what was to come in future issues of the manga, nothing more.
Wednesday 12.4.2013 | MACE & CROWN | D2
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OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Crown Jewels: Farewell My Friends By: Brian Jerry Sports Editor Mace & Crown This has been one of the best journeys I’ve ever been on in my 25 years of existence on Earth. Sadly, this is my very last Crown Jewels column that I’ll write due to my December 14th Commencement here at Old Dominion University. When I first arrived here on campus in fall ’10, I joked to myself and others that this is by far the longest vacation I’ve ever taken. The trip has provided me many luxuries in the form of great human beings. I’m very pleased to say this column will be continued by our brand new copy editor, Adrienne Marie Mayfield in the spring with the return of the Mace Spray section. I know she will do a terrific job in holding it together. Honestly, when I first stepped into the Mace & Crown office, I knew no one. I actually sat in the photographers section because I was too nervous to introduce myself to the sports team. I didn’t think anyone would accept me. Little did I know, everyone there would extend the biggest greeting and welcome me with open arms. So I would like to acknowledge everyone, including every single editor-in-chief, sports editor and section editor for making my college newspaper experience the best in the world.
Editors-in-Chief: Stuart Miller: Thanks for welcoming me into the Mace family. You were there initially when I first arrived and extended me a platform I didn’t think was reachable. P.S.: I still think you could’ve fit in with any 90’s pop boy band if you truly wanted to. Diane Dougherty – D.D., you were the first person I felt believed in me to really be a part of this team. Your smile and welcoming nature was key to me feeling like I had a family here. I truly can’t thank you enough. David Bakhshaee – You were only at the helm for a little while but thanks for stepping in when we needed someone to fill D.D.’s void. I hope all your health ailments are in the past. Justin Brown – J.B., you were quite the character and I admire that. Thanks for valuing my writing and contributions to the newspaper. Megan Jefferson – What can I say about you, Meggy-Jeff? I can say you were the first person to officially break me out of my office shell. You were also the one who made Crown Jewels possible. You took a chance on a simple idea from a guy who probably didn’t deserve it at the time but thank you so much for doing so. I miss you bud. Derek Allen Page – D.A.P., thanks a lot for being a great leader of this newspaper
and an awesome friend. You were the person who broke me out of my journalistic comfort zone and always challenged me to get better as a writer. I can’t begin to say how much it’s helped me perfect my craft. I truly appreciate it, Broseph. Sports Editors: Garrison Cole – Thanks for welcoming me into the sports section and making me feel like a real asset to the team. Matthew McCracken – Matty Ice, thanks for being there for me for my very first basketball game story. You’re the reason I fell in love with swimming and diving coverage. Congratulations on your marriage and professional career. Ben Decowski – B-Deco, words can’t describe how great you were as a sports editor. Your great leadership got me very enthusiastic about contributing to this great section and gave me a true standard to live up to as an editor myself. Jordan Jones – I appreciate you handling the pressure of the section when I felt like I couldn’t. Thanks for stepping in when we really needed one. Section Editors: Jessica Scheck – Who’s that girl? It’s Jess, of course. Thanks for being a great editor and an even better friend. You’re the first smile I
see in the office and to be honest, we don’t even need a light. It’s that bright. I wish you the best of luck as a professional journalist. Dominique Bailey - What can I say about possibly the coolest girl I’ve ever met in my life? Everything and I can’t put into words how much you’ve meant to me. I will always stop whatever I’m doing to help you, just give me a buzz and you’ve got a friend right here. Sean Burke – Sean, you’re possibly the most knowledgeable tech guy I’ve ever met. You’re a cool person and I wish you much success in the technological world. Alfred Ellison Greg IV – Mr. AEG Live! It’s been truly a pleasure knowing you. Sir, I’ve never met a more talented photographer with the ability to take such great shots in my life. Thanks for laughing at all my corny jokes and making me feel even more welcome here with the paper crew. James Porter II – J.P. Squared, thanks for getting us so much advertisement money and keeping the paper afloat. Take care of yourself, bud. Jonathan Kwok – Thanks for laying it all out on the line, pun intended. Our paper looks the way it does each week because of your hard work and tireless hours in the office putting everything together. The result is an amazing weekly paper.
Last but not least, I must acknowledge (in my opinion) the best section of the paper – Sports. I feel comfortable with Nathan Budryk taking over and leading Brian Saunders, Jasmine Blackwell, Matt O’Brien, Eric Guy, Brian Minnick and others in the right direction. I appreciate all of you and know you’ll continue to do great things for this section and beyond. Thank you, readers, so much. Without you, this column wouldn’t be possible. You’re all the Crown Jewels of my life. Take care and I’ll see you on the other side. -BJ Credits (other acknowledgements): Mitchell Brown Rachel Chasin Elliot Fisher Ariella Katrina Gould Dr. Joyce Hoffmann AJ McCafferty Katheryne Mason Alyssa Narvell Aaron Roland Megan Stamper Jessica Starr Jake Ullrich
The Benchwarmers By: Eric Guy and Brian Saunders Staff Writers Mace & Crown Living with Regret For what literally feels like forever, scouts, journalists and fans alike have waited impatiently for the collegiate debuts of Duke’s Jabari Parker, Kentucky’s Julius Randle and the man who really doesn’t need an introduction, Andrew Wiggins. At the State Farm Champions Classic, which featured Parker against Wiggins on a court that the former is all too familiar with, 68 NBA scouts were in attendance to watch the stars of tomorrow. While all eyes have been on the young guns, second-year players like Oklahoma State’s Marcus Smart and Michigan State’s Gary Harris—two players who made the decision to forego the 2013 NBA Draft in which they would have easily been top-five selections—have fallen out of the media’s focus and will inevitably drop on many NBA front offices’ big boards. Oftentimes both myself and some of my
peers wonder if passing up on what seems like a sure thing in favor of staying in school for an extra year or two is worth it. Don’t get me wrong, a collegiate experience can help one get prepared for the next chapter in life. Certainly, we can’t say that about everyone. Nonetheless, it is only appropriate that I acknowledge the fact that everything will not occur as planned. Why? Because that’s life. As I look back on what has been rambled to this point, I realize student-athletes and regular, everyday students aren’t that different. For some student-athletes, failing to “strike while the iron is hot” has proven costly at the end of the day. If you disagree, just Google search Oklahoma City Thunder forward Perry Jones III or undrafted free-agent CJ Leslie on the Internet. The same can be said about everyone, really. One of my peers recently told me that a guy who we went to high school with was offered a position at one of the biggest fashion houses in the world. Of course, he accepted the job, right? Nope. He said school comes first.
Without question he should be commended for making a wise, well-thought out decision. In no way am I ridiculing him for his decision and though I haven’t talked to him in years, I’m proud of him for doing so. However, will he regret not striking that figurative iron at that moment? All of us, whether we plan on making a living on the hardwood, in the bustling fashion scene of New York City or writing for a publication or any other path are forced to make decisions that could result in evergrowing regrets. Will Smart be a top-five pick? Will my high school classmate rise through the ranks of fashion and design? Will every one of us get more than one shot to do what we’ve always dreamed of? Maybe, maybe not. Saying all of your dreams will come true would be nothing more than clichéd flattery. - Eric Guy
A Day of Remembrance Friday, Nov. 22nd was a day of remembrance for America, the 50th anniversary of the assassination of president JFK. I’ll be honest. I had no idea that the remembrance of that day was close, nor how many years it had been since. Nonetheless, as I entered the house, tossed my backpack on the couch and chugged a glass of orange juice, I caught the last 30 minutes of ESPN First Take. Finally a serious topic that didn’t warrant a proverbial shouting match between Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless. Just two days after America lost its president, then-NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle decided to play games as regularly scheduled. Skip mentioned how sports are the greatest escape from life. That statement resonates with me today. Just two months into my first semester at Old Dominion just two years ago, my grandfather got very sick. By the time Thanksgiving break rolled around the end was near. On November 27, 2011, he passed away. I was extremely hurt, angry and amongst
anything else confused. Later that that day, the Tennessee Titans took on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The three plus hours of watching that football game that afternoon eased my mind. I was able to think only about football, cheer and scream at that television, and cry of happiness, because we really needed that win. Yes, I cry over sports. The Titans won 23-17 and for a short period of time I was able to appease my mind. Sports are deeper than just extremely conditioned athletes battling on a playing field. They build camaraderie and relationships amongst fans and teammates alike. They ease the pain. Sports are the best way for me to escape the struggles of everyday life. From Nov. 27, 2011on Facebook: Thank you Tennessee Titans for allowing me to escape for three and a half hours, coming away with a huge, must needed win. You allowed me to take my mind off things and stop the tears for a while. Rest in peace Charles Randolph Saunders III, love you granddaddy. Gone but never forgotten. - Brian Saunders
Wednesday 12.4.2013 | MACE & CROWN | E1
OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEWSPAPER
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TECHNOLOGY & GAMING EDITOR: SEAN BURKE | WEBMASTER@MACEANDCROWN
Tech the Halls
What gadgets to get your geek By: Alyse Stanley Staff Writer Mace & Crown Buying a smartphone, tablet or even just headphones for someone is nothing short of a commitment. Higher quality options are costly and there is always that sinking fear that the person may not like it. Not to mention the sprawling lists of specs for specific devices is incredibly daunting for those of us who aren’t gifted with technical know-how. So, in the spirit of the season, the Mace and Crown would like to offer a bit of guidance for navigating the tech jungle this holiday season. A tale of two phones Nearly everyone has a smartphone these days, so what better place to start on a tech shopping list? With double the RAM and processing cores of the iPhone, the Samsung Galaxy S4 is ideal for gaming and web searching. It also has expandable storage via an SD slot, for that who goes a little trigger happy with selfies. Constantly seeing your significant other whipping out their smart phone to snap pictures? Take it as a hint and combine the best of both worlds - with 41 megapixels,
Windows’ Nokia Lumia 1020 currently has one of the best cameras in the smartphone market. Gifts that just land in your lap What gadget does every college student need? A laptop. The Dell Inspiron 14R is another Frankenstein combination of convenience – with its four GB of storage and a 500 GB hard drive it has the power of a desktop with the easy-to-use touch screen of a tablet. Though its screen revolution dips a bit below competition, at $650 it’s a solid buy for anyone seeking a portable substitute for their current desktop. For those with Mac lovers on the shopping list, the MacBook Pro also has a 500 GB hard drive, and its 13 inch 2560 by 1600 HD display makes it ideal for wasting hours on Netflix or Hulu, editing photos, movie-making, or anything media related. Its Core i5 processor ensures it continues running fast throughout its entire nine hour battery life. If the $1300 price tag makes your heart stop, the MacBook Air, aptly named for its ridiculously thin frame, is slightly cheaper at $1,000. However, unless the added portability is an absolute must-have, the diminished processing power is a serious trade off to consider.
Open a new tab to their heart As far as tablets are concerned, the Google Nexus 7 is one of the most well rounded currently on the market according to reviews from leading technology websites like Pcmag and Cnet. Sporting the latest version of Android 4.3, two GB of RAM, and a nine hour battery life, zipping through multiple apps is easy. With the integrated Share function, copying and pasting links is a thing of the past, so posting Vines on Facebook and Twitter is that much quicker. With a starting price of $230 makes it significantly cheaper than the iPad as well. Listen to their needs For the true audiophile, the Bowers and Wilkins P5 Mobile Hi-Fi headphones offer a sleek and light square earpad design, builtin microphone and a sound so rich and enveloping that it’s advertised as a “concert for one.” Distinct from its competitors at the $300 dollar mark, the P5 is designed for travel instead of home stereo use, so not only are they extremely portable (the earphones fold flat and magnetically hold together), but noise leakage is kept to a minimum. It also comes equipped with an in-line iPhone/ iPod remote control, making it possible to answer calls and change the volume on your Apple device without taking it out of your
pocket. Get your game on While many gamers got their next generation systems last month during the first wave of releases, those who did not pre-order one or else opted to wait will no doubt be anxiously awaiting Santa to bring them one this Christmas. Whether your gamer wants a PlayStation 4 (PS4), priced at $399, or an Xbox One, $499, is largely based on individual preference, what games they plan to buy in the future and which system’s online and media capabilities they lean towards. It’s always best to ask when it comes to gamers and their preferred systems, so as to avoid any possible Christmas morning meltdowns. This generation had one of the best release line-ups in years, filled with triple A hits to stock under the tree. “Battlefield 4”, “Dead Rising 3”, and “Call of Duty: Ghosts”, the latter two released for the Xbox One exclusively, are just a few, great for fans of the series or those who simply love adrenalinefilled shooters. The PS4 exclusive and unexpected blockbuster “Resogun,” a twin stick shooter with retro side-scrolling game play, is perfect for those who found themselves addicted to the simple yet enthralling mechanics of games like “Geometry Wars”
or “Super Stardust HD.” The little things… The idea of inexpensive, high quality gadgets may seem like an oxymoron, but there are options out there for those shopping on a budget this holiday season. It is simply a matter of hunting them down. The colorful and moderately priced Cambridge Soundworks Oontz mini Bluetooth speaker delivers a lot of bass for your buck, connect to both wireless and auxiliary devices, and at $50, it’s one of the cheaper devices of its kind available. While Apple’s previous trademark white earphones were not particularly known for their quality, the company’s new EarPods, available for as little as ten dollars on Amazon, deliver a sound surprisingly powerful for their small size. Though they hardly compete with the skull-shaking bass of more expensive headphones, they still manage to cover some of the deeper frequencies lost by many other ear buds brands. Finally, for stocking stuffers, Thinkgeek. com has just about any geeky gadget accessory imaginable, from combat helmets equipped with gaming microphones to light show fountain speakers. This time of year it’s dangerous to shop alone. Take this guide and have a happy holiday!
Wednesday 12.4.2013 | MACE & CROWN |E2
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OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEWSPAPER
Text to Satellite By: Noah Young Staff Writer Mace & Crown
The Minotaur I rocket, containing the first ever satellite to be designed, built and launched by high school students, launched from Wallops Island on Nov. 19. Students at Thomas Jefferson High School for Technology and Science began work on the satellite seven years ago, in 2006. During this time they received assistance from Orbital Sciences, a Virginia company that makes rockets. The satellite weighs two pounds and is designed to convert text to speech. “Whatever I send up as a text message, it will speak down and anybody around the world can tune into the right frequency and hear it being spoken down from space,” said Rohan Punnoose, one of the students who made the satellite. The people involved in the project hope
that this event will help get high school students interested in space and aerospace engineering. “The idea is that schools around the world can have a limited ground station and be certified on amateur frequencies to be able to communicate to the satellite and back down,” said Adam Kemp, one of the teachers that oversaw the project. The students involved in the project are very proud. “A generation ago, this was really science fiction,” said Punnoose, “It’s just an unbelievable experience to be part of history…doing something no one has ever done before.” This project definitely opens the door for other high schools to start a space program of their own and inspire a whole new generation of space scientists. “Hopefully, we’re just the first of many, many high schools that will make space accessible to people and inspire people around the world,” said Punnoose.
A League of His Own By: Sean Burke Webmaster Mace & Crown Old Dominion University’s Nicholas Kennedy plays games completely different than most people. He streams gameplay of the popular free to play game, “League of Legends” for about $10 an hour. He has even climbed the leaderboards and is ranked in the top .1% of players in the world. League of legends is a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena game or, MOBA. The game is centered on two bases in an arena style map. Players from teams at either bases must breech defenses, guard their minions and ultimately destroy the core of the enemy team’s base. Matches can last anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours depending on the level of skill involved on either team. It seems simple at first, but to a professional gamer like Kennedy, it is a logistical chess-match. “I play an Attack Damage Carry class. As an ADC I constantly have to worry about my positioning. I check my minimap at least every 10 seconds. I have half a second to make my decision based on whether I’d rather farm (kill minions), poke an opposing champion with an ability or an auto attack (AA) or try to create a positional award
… At the higher levels of gameplay, you should know the approximate (if not the exact) of EVERY single cool down of every single [119] champions on all four of their abilities.” Balancing distance, timing, decision making and strategy formulation on the fly can be incredibly daunting and stressful. And Kennedy said that even he hasn’t mastered it. “If I had mastered that list then I’d be on a professional team instead of just a moderately well-known streamer. I think every gamer can improve.” Is it just practice that makes a professional gamer? “Practice alone definitely…talent is repetition…once you train yourself for the right mindset, I definitely believe that anyone could become a professional gamer with enough practice.” What about ODU specifically? Can the student body or the university benefit from a professional team? Kennedy said, “I think there will always be people who just don’t fit in or feel like their skillsets are not utilized… I feel like giving people a common goal or even something in common can always help. So I guess the student body could benefit in the sense of creating cohesion for the school.”
How Video Games Aren’t Hurting Your Children One British study makes controversial finds
By: Alyse Stanley Staff Writer Mace & Crown Earlier this year the University of Glasgow published its findings of one of the most encompassing and long-spanning studies of the effects of video games and television to date. As part of the UK Millennium Cohort Study, a series of government-funded longitudinal studies begun in 2000, this project followed the development of more than 13,000 children across Great Britain for seven years. Over this time span, parents periodically reported the hours their children spent each day in front of the television or playing video games, as well as any signs of psychological problems, ranging from hyperactivity to emotional issues to anti-social behavior. The findings were clear: there was no correlation
between playing video games at a young age and developing subsequent emotional or behavioral issues. Considering children on average watch 15 hours of television and play six and a half hours of video games each week, the findings of this study are significant. Prolonged screen time has been linked to obesity, lower cognitive skill, poor grades, and any number of psychological disorders in children at an early age. However, existing studies have not yielded consistent results. The reliability of findings has been questioned by scholars, as nearly all sample sizes have been from within North America, and in many cases socio-economic class and parenting approaches were not taken into account by the surveyors. Additionally, this study was the first to test the long-term effects of video games as a
medium separate from that of watching television. It was considered that video games, with their constant reward system, reliance on repetitive action and requirement that children take a more active role in their media consumption, would cause more potent effects on childhood Though the correlation was small, the opposite was found. Children who watched more than three hours of television a day at age five were slightly more likely to develop behavioral problems within the next two years than those who did not. The conductors of this study suggested that the findings in other studies may have been false positives and that instead of corresponding with gaming, the development of behavioral and emotional issues correspond with the sedentary lifestyles, poor diets, and family environments often associated with excessive media consumption.
However, the results of this study are far from the last word. “[This] study highlights the need for more detailed data to explore risks of various forms of screen time, including exposure to screen violence,” reads the published findings. Since this correlation has been a hot button issue in social media due to games like the Grand Theft Auto series, the conductors of this study highly suggested that future researchers use this longitudinal method of observation in their attempts to understand the effects of playing video games on the developing psyche of young children. the larger mechanized haunts. Existing technology in one’s home can also be integrated into the scaring experience. A haunted mirror can be created using a spare PC; simply buy a frame large enough to conceal it and place it behind a sheet of glass to create the reflective quality.
For those who wish to take it one step further, a false door can be constructed around a PC secured to the wall, so that its screen resembles a door window, and play a video of a shadowy figure slowly getting closer, or the undead banging on the screen to get out. Home speaker systems can be used to polish off a haunted ambience without purchasing additional equipment. Just hook up an MP3 player with spooky music to create suspense or pre-set a crack of thunder or ominous howl to accompany strobe lighting. Apps such as Soundslate make it easy to pre-set sound effects on a wireless device. Many of these gadgets can be purchased at local stores such as Party City or Home Depot, and the variety available makes decorating for Halloween immensely customizable. So go crazy or go conservative, just make sure to go before stores start hauling out the Christmas decorations.
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Wednesday 12.4.2013 | MACE & CROWN | F1
OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEWSPAPER
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SUNDRY
EDITOR: JONATHAN KWOK | layout@maceandcrown.com
CROSSWORD
Sudoku
ACROSS 1. Small freshwater fishes 6. Again 10. Cautious 14. Picture 15. Bird of peace 16. Type of sword 17. Master of ceremonies 19. A Freudian stage 20. Anagram of “Steals” 21. Fury 22. Express in words 23. Daughter of a sibling 25. Frauds 26. A territorial unit of Greece 30. Renter 32. Chagrined 35. A piece of ground 39. Lethargy 40. Gang fight 41. Aerial
43. Women 44. Compel 46. Following 47. Step 50. Imperial 53. Former Italian currency 54. An unskilled actor 55. Benni 60. Cain’s brother 61. Deranged 63. Ampule 64. Quaint outburst 65. Kind of bean 66. Not difficult 67. Bristle 68. Water vapor
DOWN 1. Soil 2. Dogfish 3. Tins 4. Hens make them 5. Seminal fluid 6. Commercials 7. Become aware 8. Tallest mountain 9. Used to be 10. Meteorologist 11. Breathing problem 12. Kingdom 13. Shouts 18. Former boxing champ 24. A late time of life 25. Truth ___ 26. Information 27. Black, in poetry 28. Shopping place 29. Particularly
31. Arid 33. Show respect towards 34. Sea eagle 36. Competent 37. Holly 38. Where a bird lives 42. Set up 43. Effeminate 45. Battle 47. Thrall 48. Leg bone 49. Districts 51. American Sign Language 52. Jumps 54. Colors 56. Hissy fit 57. Skin disease 58. Of higher order 59. Biblical kingdom 62. American Dental Association
MazeintheMace
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WORDSEARCH
CHRISTMAS CAROL ALL ANCIENT APPAREL AWAY BEFORE BLAZING BOUGHS CAROL CHORUS DON FAST FOLLOW GAY HAIL HARP HEEDLESS HOLLY JOIN JOLLY JOYOUS LADS LASSES MEASURE MERRY NEW
NOW OLD OUR PASSES SEASON SING STRIKE TELL TIDE TIS TOGETHER TREASURE TROLL WEATHER WHILE WIND WITH YEAR YULE
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OLD DOMINION UNIVERSITY STUDENT NEWSPAPER
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