Niner Times: January 14, 2014

Nothing but net

Women’s basketball defeats North Texas Saturday, Jan. 11, at home. p. 11

New Year’s resolutions

New Year’s resolutions are great, until they fail.

Using mobile applications can help any resolved Niner make the most of 2014. p. 15

‘Book of Mormon’

The Blumenthal Theater kicks off it’s Broadway Lights Series with the ‘Book of Mormon’ musical. p. 18

Increased enrollment requires the university expand, and the Master Plan reflects this need p. 4 and 8

A PRODUCT OF STUDENT NINER MEDIA • THE UNIVERSITY CAROLINA AT CHARLOTTE • VOL. 26, ISSUE 15 JAN. 14 - OF 20, NORTH 2014 NINERONLINE.COM

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Volume 26, Number 15 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

HOUSING CONSTRUCTION

COMMUNITY EDITOR

EDEN CREAMER

PATRICK BOGANS

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NEWS EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR

CLAIRE DODD

LIBBY WEIHSMANN

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ON CAMPUS RAPES

A&E EDITOR

LIFESTYLE EDITOR

CONSTRUCTION COLUMN

LIZ LANIER

MICHELLE LIRINGIS

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ASHLEY SPEECE

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WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

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COVER PHOTO BY EDEN CREAMER • INSIDE PHOTO BY BEN COON

JAN. 14 - 20, 2014

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Campus residential construction increases as university plans for the future University Master Plan shows the expectation for the on-campus housing boom

Residence Hall Phase X is one of the many residence halls currently being built. FILE PHOTO

Brick by brick, UNC Charlotte’s glistening red buildings create a distinctive landscape for the university. With the growth this urban university is experiencing, concern for more of the brick buildings is spreading, especially dormitories for the increasing student population.

Although the university has opened three new residence halls in the north and south areas of campus over the past two years, the university is struggling to play catch-up with enrollment numbers.

The recent development of new dorms at UNC Charlotte may seem rash to some. Many still claim that even the students who live on campus go home every weekend and do not participate in campus activities (giving the school the unflattering moniker of a “suitcase school”).

But the university’s Master Plan detailed this rise in residential housing from the very beginning to adjust with the ever-growing student population.

Soon after becoming chancellor for UNC Charlotte in 2005, Philip Dubois re-evaluated the Master Plan, which explicitly lays out the physical future of the university.

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In 2010, the new (and most recent) version of the Master Plan was released, molding the entire outlook of UNC Charlotte until 2018.

“That’s when the ‘neighborhood concept’ was born,” said Allan Blattner, senior associate director of Housing and Residence Life at UNC Charlotte.

The “neighborhood concept,” created at a Student Life Precinct Workshop for the Master Plan, detailed the future for student dormitories at the university.

The concept splits residential areas of UNC Charlotte into

PATRICK BOGANS COMMUNITY EDITOR

“villages.” The future of the three villages, South, East and North Village, are all detailed in the Master Plan. At the close of the Master Plan, there will be just over 7,000 beds on campus, according to Blattner.

South Village currently consists of the four high rises and Hunt Hall.

The 400-bed Hunt Hall opened in Fall 2013, located where the Hunt Village apartments once stood.

Two other residential buildings are planned for South Village, along with the state-of-the-art two-story dining facility set to open in the

I’ve been trying to get rid of that term [suitcase school] around here for a long time now because it doesn’t really apply.

-Allan Blattner

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summer of 2014.

East Village consists of Greek Village, Hawthorne, Hickory, Sycamore, Cedar and soon-to-be added Martin Hall. The $31.5 million Martin Hall is expected to be completed in July 2014, and will provide 408 beds in an apartment style facility, according to the UNC Charlotte Facilities Management website.

One more building is planned for the area, and will be constructed in the area where the old Martin Village apartments once stood.

According to Blattner, North Village is “essentially done at this point.” The 412-bed Belk Hall opened this year, and is the twin of Miltimore Hall.

With the addition of Martin Hall, a total of 1,649 beds will be added to the university within three years when students arrive next fall.

The sudden increase of dormitories at UNC Charlotte is directly related to the renovations for many campus dormitories, specifically renovations of the over 40-year-old high rise buildings located in the south side of campus.

Renovations of the high rise buildings were planned, so to compensate for the upcoming lack

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Hunt Hall, opened in August 2013, added 400 beds to the South Village sector of campus. Photo by Eden Creamer

of student living spaces, alternate living spaces were in demand.

A previous Master Plan assumed the university would demolish the high rises in the near future, but page 43 of the new Master Plan explains that the university “has since decided to keep the towers intact, requiring new schematic designs for this area of campus.”

The renovation projects detailed in the Master Plan take one or two residential buildings offline for a full year until 2018, according to Blattner. Currently, Holshouser (a South Village high rise building) and Oak Halls will both close for renovations in May, and plan to open back up in Fall 2015.

“We had to build some new things first, because otherwise we’d be really decreasing the opportunities for students. So we built fast and early in the design process,” said Blattner.

Blattner reported that the university would go down to only 4,000 beds if those halls were not constructed and the renovations continued as planned.

The new buildings are completely structurally sound and safe; Belk Hall recently won the Distinguished Eagle Award for Excellence in Construction from the Associated Builders and Contractors of the Carolinas.

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According to Blattner, all residential buildings across campus are refurbished every seven years in rotation. The building is repainted, new furniture is added and light fixtures are replaced.

Renovation plans for Holshouser and Oak Halls however are much more in-depth.

The buildings will essentially be gutted. To connect with Hunt Hall’s courtyard, Holshouser will be renovated so that a staircase will take pedestrians down to the patio in front of the courtyard. Holshouser will also hold new suites, efficient elevators and a lounge area at the expense of some double-bed rooms.

“We had planned to lose some beds in these renovations,” said Blattner.

“Otherwise, why do it if you’re not willing to make some of these changes?”

Oak Hall will see similar changes; a courtyard and porch between Oak and Maple will be created. An elevator will also be added to the building.

“Over the next couple of years, we’ll go up and down a little bit as we take buildings offline a little bit for renovation,” said Blattner.

UNC Charlotte junior Amber Pittman is an on-campus resident.

After commuting during her first year, she moved into North Village for two years. She values what it has

done for her life as a young adult.

“It has taught me more about myself and has made me become more social,” said Pittman.

JAN. 14 - 20, 2014

Many still claim that even the students who live on campus go home every weekend and do not participate in campus activities, giving UNC Charlotte the “suitcase school” nickname.

However, Blattner has been at UNC Charlotte since 2000, and claims that the school’s moniker is a complete misnomer. He said students are working and going out on the weekend, not necessarily going back to their home.

“I’ve been trying to get rid of that term around here for a long time, because it really doesn’t apply,” said Blattner. “If you look around here, more broadly than who is just eating in the [Student] Union on a Saturday afternoon, our students are here.”

As the Master Plan continues to be implemented on campus, changes to UNC Charlotte’s landscape and student life continues to be a topic worth discussing, and may even warrant a change in the perception of the university.

For insight into the Master Plan, visit the UNC Charlotte Division of Business Affairs website.

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Realities of

rape encounters on campus

UNC Charlotte students reveal real life experiences; questioning the problem and exploring solutions NICOLE CIESLAK INTERN

It’s her first college party, but she doesn’t plan for the night to end the way it did. He seems like a nice guy. It feels harmless, that is, until the next morning when she awakes disoriented and scared, with more questions than she has answers.

“I was date raped,” said the 18-year-old student. “It took a while for me to admit it, but that’s what it was. There’s no denying it.”

This scenario depicts the vivid reality of one female 49er’s horrific evening out. The student, who wishes to remain anonymous, painfully described her account of a sexual assault and the fear she felt in the aftermath.

Unfortunately, she is not alone in this. While it is no secret sexual assaults occur on college campuses, many incidents similar to this one go unreported, skewing the numbers and distorting perceptions of the college “rape culture.”

In their 2012 nationally represented survey of adults, the Center for Disease Control reported that 37.4 percent of female rape victims were first raped between ages 18 to 24.

Recently, the concern of reported rapes has grown even more.

A recent report by Harvard University reveals some startling statistics.

In 2011, the university documented 12 confidentially reported rapes. In 2012, that number nearly doubled to 23. Sadly, these statistics are not isolated to Harvard alone. Many other institutions throughout the U.S. report even higher rates of sexual assault.

Colleges and universities are

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required to report such findings under the Clery Act. The act is part of a federal law, requiring institutions to disclose annual information about campus crime.

The annual report includes crimes on homicide, manslaughter, forcible and non-forcible sex offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft and arson that occur on or near campus for the previous three-calendar years.

Last year, UNC Charlotte released report documents that five forcible sex offenses occurred in 2012. This is an increase from the three offenses reported in 2011. It was also the highest number of reported rapes in the last few years.

Updated federal law has required the collection of domestic violence, dating violence and stalking statistics throughout 2013 and will require these numbers be published in the 2014 report.

Although strictly enforced, this method has been inherently flawed, plagued with problems of underreporting (or no reporting) both by universities and victims.

Statistics show that most cases of sexual assault and rape occur within the first six weeks of a college student’s freshman year and despite efforts by universities, have been highly underreported in years past.

Jennifer Cook, former relationship violence and sexual assault health educator at UNC Charlotte’s Center for Wellness Promotion, as well as current academic advisor at RowanCabarrus Community College, reports that some of these reasons include being in new unfamiliar

In March 2013, UNC Chapel Hill student Landen Gambill stood with supporters after being charged with an honor code violation for reporting her alleged abuse and sexual violence by an ex-boyfriend. MCT Campus

surroundings, experimenting with alcohol and drugs, and being too trusting of others.

“Perpetrators are always looking for ways they can take advantage,” said Cook. “And unfortunately, incoming freshmen are an easy target.”

Coming in to college as an athlete, the female student relates to Cook’s statement, describing everything as “fresh and fun.”

She enjoyed going to parties and meeting new people, but admits

JAN. 14 - 20, 2014

feeling pressured to go out.

Wincing as she recalled the night of the incident, she says, “Someone handed me a red solo cup that night.

It was my first drink. And from what I remember, also my last.”

The student, now a senior preparing for graduation, believes she was drugged and then taken advantage of sexually by a fellow athlete.

“It’s scary waking up in an unfamiliar place, not knowing what happened to you,” she said,

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explaining she was too embarrassed and scared to talk to someone at the time.

She is not the only one who feels this way. Cook said victims are often afraid no one will believe them, or worse, blame them for what happened.

“I see him on campus at times, and I still can’t look him in the eye, even three years later,” she said.

Sadly, this is all too common. Cook explained that this is a very private and emotional topic that many victims feel ashamed to report.

“Imagine having to talk to the police about every detail of your last experience . . . and it was against your will. How easy would that be?” she asked.

Nonetheless, there is another reason many incidents go unreported. According to Shawnté Elbert, a UNC Charlotte alcohol, tobacco and other drug health education specialist for the Center for Wellness Promotion, one important underlying factor in sexual offenses is the “lack of proper health education about drinking, drugs and sex.”

Usually when Elbert gives

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seminars to students at the university, she does not discuss alcohol consumption without addressing consent and sexual assault as they almost always go hand-in-hand.

While it might be difficult to get students to stop drinking, or partying, “It’s not so difficult to educate them on how to do so responsibly, make conscious decisions, use basic common sense.

If students are aware of the effects and dangers of partying and high alcohol consumption, the number of date rapes might start decreasing,” said Elbert Many are also unaware of where to go for help, or how to legally deal with the situation.

The student expressed similar concerns, “I didn’t want to cause any trouble. I was scared, and I felt at fault,” she said.

Looking back now, she realizes others out there might feel the same way as she did. “They need to know it’s OK to seek help.”

Despite the higher numbers of sexual assault in the Harvard report, Cook said it doesn’t necessarily mean an increase in

sexual assaults.

“More are getting reported because of changes in law, prevention education, and the increased comfort level of victims,” said Cook.

Like Elbert, Cook recognizes the importance of education, especially bystander intervention education.

This involves teaching the campus community to look out for one another. Cook said that a focus on shifting the culture in our society should also be emphasized.

“We have become so desensitized to sexual violence that it changes our whole attitude and approach to dealing with it,” said Cook.

Cook conveyed that while this is still a private sensitive topic that may be uncomfortable to discuss, one thing remains certain, which is the need for pro-active sexual health and alcohol awareness, and a movement to change the perception of the “rape culture.”

“The blame should always be put on the person who perpetrated the crime,” said Cook. “Drinking too much is not an automatic invitation to be raped.”

One solution could be to get college campuses to ensure more safety

JAN. 14 - 20, 2014

precautions, like the programs and services available through the Center for Wellness Promotion at UNC Charlotte.

Cook says more and more universities are beginning to develop specialized interpersonal violence programs, and she believes this is critical for creating change.

Universities need to take a holistic approach to get staff, faculty, counselors and law enforcement involved and willing to help, according to Cook.

This would create a positive and supportive environment, letting victims know they are not alone and that reporting the incident confidently is key.

Because many rapists are looking for someone to take advantage of, “It is all of our responsibilities to look out for each other and we should fight for strict penalties for violating someone’s personal boundaries,” said Cook.

“These students need to know they are not alone, that there is help.

They can go from victim to survivor, and we are here for them,” said Elbert.

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POLICE BLOTTER DEC. 28 - JAN. 8

ACCIDENT JAN. 7

• Poplar Terrace Drive, driver one struck another vehicle while backing up.

JAN. 7

• Amphitheatre Lane, driver of vehicle one struck the side of vehicle two as it passed by.

AUTOMOBILE

CAMPUS CONSTRUCTION UPDATES New in 2014: A Niner Times exclusive column looking at all things campus construction.

JAN. 3

• CRI Parking Deck, molestation of fire equipment. An unknown subject pulled a fire alarm.

JARED GREEN INTERN

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

56°F

46°F

44°F

JAN 14

@UNCCWeather FOLLOW FOR FORECASTS AND WARNINGS

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the parking deck, Hunt Hall and the dining hall, which are all new additions to the south campus area.

Two of these projects were completed before Fall 2013.

The dining hall is scheduled for completion by Fall 2014.

The new dining hall will be bigger and offer more features than any other eatery on campus.

The structure will stack two levels, with an impressive wraparound porch on the upper level with views of Davis Lake and the woods surrounding it.

The dining hall will also feature a large lounge which will have two three-sided fireplaces in it. In terms

Chance of early showers. Low of 44.

JAN. 15

Mostly cloudy. Showers possible. Low of 36.

JAN. 16

Mostly sunny. Low of 24.

of what there will be to eat, students need not worry as there will be a vast variety of food choices including a buffet style dining room similar to that of Crown Commons, an oncampus bakery and a Denny’s late night diner.

University officials overseeing the construction are very excited for its completion. Lou Ann Lamb, marketing director for Business Services at UNC Charlotte, says, “We are all really excited for you guys to have this new structure.”

According to Lamb, construction on the new dining hall is going as planned and there have been no major problems impeding work.

FRIDAY JAN. 17

48°F

Mostly sunny. Low of 28.

JAN. 14 - 20, 2014

• Cameron Blvd., subject found in operation of a motor vehicle while license revoked.

CALLS FOR SERVICE

The South Village Dining Hall, pictured here in the early construction phases in August 2013, will bring many new food options to campus, including a Denny’s, open late into the night for students. FILE PHOTO

A few new structures are popping up around campus in 2014, including this construction column.

This section will offer periodic updates in regards to new UNC Charlotte construction projects and renovations occurring on and near campus.

First up, one of the most talked about projects, is the construction of the new South Village Dining Hall. The administration has heard countless complaints concerning a noisy wake-up at 8 a.m. every morning. The extensive overhaul planned for South Village is nearly complete.

The conclusive plans include

DEC. 28

SATURDAY JAN. 18

42°F

Mostly sunny. Low of 28.

JAN. 5

• Oak Hall, officers responded to a report of a domestic incident that occurred off campus.

JAN. 7

• Cameron Blvd., molestation of fire equipment. An unknown subject pulled a fire alarm.

LARCENY JAN. 1

• Barnhardt Lane, an unknown subject removed property that was left unattended and unsecured.

JAN. 8

• Barnhardt Lane, an unknown subject removed property that was left unattended and unsecured.

For more information on Mecklenburg County arrests, visit arrestinquiryweb.co.mecklenburg.nc.us

NINERTIMES

HIGHS AND LOWS Despite an exciting tournament win in Puerto Rico, the 49ers have struggled to find consistency since

The Charlotte 49ers men’s basketball team ready to break during a timeout in the Georgia Tech game. Photo by Ben Coon

MATT CHAPMAN

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR We’ve already reached the midway point in the 2013-14 college basketball season and the Charlotte 49ers men’s basketball squad has had its shares of highs and lows.

The 49ers have battled through twists and turns, including a few statement wins in Puerto Rico, a couple humbling losses against ACC opponents, a nagging knee injury to their star point guard and the always difficult task of integrating new faces into the rotation.

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Charlotte has been able to successfully navigate most roadblocks thus far and they find themselves sitting with a 10-4 overall record as they venture into Conference USA competition.

The 49ers entered the 2013-14 campaign with plenty of question marks, most notably a lack of depth on the inside after the departures of Chris Braswell and Darion Clark from last year’s team.

On the positive side for Charlotte

fans, newcomers Shawn Lester and Ben Cherry came into the season poised to add some outside firepower to a 49ers offense that has struggled to hit shots in previous years.

Charlotte kicked off the new season with a game against the Eastern Tennessee State Buccaneers that proved to be a more hotly contested matchup than the 49ers faithful would have liked to see.

Charlotte escaped with an 80-75

JAN. 14 - 20, 2014

victory over the Buccaneers and improved to 1-0 to start the year.

Sophomore big-man Mike Thorne made a statement in the opening night victory as he dropped a teamhigh 17 points on 8-10 (80 percent) shooting from the field to go along with nine rebounds.

The 49ers hit the road for their next contest against the College of Charleston and suffered a heartbreaking 83-82 loss despite having five players score in double figures.

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On the bright side for Charlotte, sophomore forward Willie Clayton followed Thorne’s big game with an outstanding performance of his own.

Clayton finished the night with 19 points and absolutely dominated the paint as he pulled down a team-high 13 rebounds during the contest.

Charlotte returned home to Halton Arena for their next game and bounced back nicely following the defeat.

The 49ers took care of business on their home court as they seemingly found their rhythm on the offensive side of the ball en route to an 83-69 victory over the Elon Eagles.

Lester, a sophomore, delivered the biggest performance of his young career, pouring in 24 points to go along with 11 boards as Charlotte improved their record to 2-1 on the season.

Lester has been effective for Charlotte off of the bench this season and actually leads the team in scoring at a clip of 13.4 points per game.

With team morale on the upswing following the Elon victory, the 49ers boarded their flight to Puerto Rico as heavy underdogs in a stacked field at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off. The 49ers took the court against the Kansas State Wildcats in the quarterfinal round of the tournament and put on a defensive clinic as they picked up a 68-61 triumph to advance to the semifinals.

Sophomore guard Denzel Ingram provided 12 points off of the bench for Charlotte in his first action of the season after battling an injury throughout the offseason.

The 49ers managed to avoid a potential semifinal matchup against the Georgetown Hoyas and faced Northeastern instead.

Charlotte dismissed the Huskies by a final score of 86-77 and earned a berth in the championship game against the 14th-ranked Michigan Wolverines.

Cherry, a transfer from Tulane, finally found his stroke after a rough start to the season.

Cherry and Lester finally showed the dynamic combination from outside that 49ers fans had been hoping for as Lester scored a game-high 20 points and Cherry provided 18, knocking down six three-pointers.

Charlotte continued to ride the momentum from their three-game winning streak and picked up a

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statement win in a 63-61 thriller over the nationally ranked Wolverines in the championship game.

Forward Terrence Williams got his own rebound and put it back up with one second remaining in the contest to propel the 49ers to an unbelievable upset.

Following the big victory over Michigan, the 49ers began to gain some national recognition from the likes of Andy Katz at ESPN and were labeled as a sleeper for a potential NCAA Tournament run in March of 2014.

The 49ers returned home from Puerto Rico and picked up a convincing 77-56 victory over UNC Asheville.

Despite earning their fifth consecutive win and improving to 6-1 on the season, Charlotte suffered an unfortunate loss when star point guard and team captain Pierria Henry went down with a knee injury that sidelined him for the 49ers next two contests.

Henry is the one irreplaceable piece for the 49ers this year not only because of his leadership role, but

also because of all the little things he does on the offensive and defensive side of the ball.

Henry has stuffed the stat sheet for Charlotte this year averaging 12 points per game to go along with five rebounds and six assists per contest.

Henry also averages 2.5 steals per game which ranks 19th nationally amongst all players.

Charlotte faced in-state rival Davidson in their first game without their leader and dropped the game by a final of 87-78 in an overtime thriller.

The 49ers clearly missed the defensive presence that Henry provides as Ingram, his backup, doesn’t have the same type of length that typically causes opposing offenses so much trouble.

The 49ers rebounded nicely as they hit the road for their second contest without their starting point guard.

Charlotte picked up a resounding 77-59 victory over the Appalachian State Mountaineers behind a dominating paint performance from Thorne.

Mike Thorne with a dunk in the game against Georgia Tech. Photo by Ben Coon JAN. 14 - 20, 2014

Thorne scored a career-high 26 points on the afternoon on 12-18 (66.7 percent) shooting from the floor while also contributing eight rebounds.

Thorne and Clayton have been dominant on the inside for the 49ers throughout the season.

Clayton scores an average of 11.9 points per game and leads the team in rebounding with 9.2 boards per contest while Thorne has contributed 10.9 points to go along with 7.7 rebounds per game.

Henry returned following the Appalachian State game, but it didn’t make any difference as Charlotte traveled to Tallahassee and promptly got ran out of the gym by the Florida State Seminoles. Henry and Clayton were both ejected in the second half and the Seminoles cruised to an emphatic 106-62 victory.

The 44-point loss was the worst defeat in Charlotte 49ers’ Division I history and Charlotte looked like a shell of the team that made such a magnificent run in Puerto Rico.

Charlotte returned home following the humiliating defeat at the hands of the Seminoles and picked up an 81-76 victory over USC Upstate behind a career-high 20 points from Cherry to improve their overall record to 8-3.

The 49ers welcomed the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets to Halton Arena a few days later and suffered a crushing 58-55 defeat as the Yellow Jackets knocked down the game-winning triple with just four seconds remaining in the contest.

The loss dropped Charlotte’s overall record to 8-4 on the season.

Following the loss to Georgia Tech, Charlotte remained at home for their next game and defeated North Carolina A&T by a final score of 88-72.

The 49ers then hit the road and picked up a big victory over the UTEP Miners in their first Conference USA contest of the season.

The 49ers currently hold an overall record of 10-4 and have set themselves up for a run at the Conference USA title in their first year as members of the league.

If Charlotte can put together a run at the Conference USA championship over the next couple months, they can potentially put themselves in a position to make some noise whenever March Madness rolls around at the end of the season.

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“OUR TEAM DIDN’T QUIT” 49ers edged North Texas in a nail-biting win on Saturday inside Halton Arena

Alexis Alexander, Gabby Tyler, Olivia Rankin and Meme Garner react to the gritty win against North Texas on Saturday. Photo by Ben Coon

MATT CHAPMAN

ASST. SPORTS EDITOR The Charlotte 49ers (8-7, 2-0) women’s basketball team pulled out a nail-biter over the North Texas Mean Green (6-9, 0-2) on Saturday evening inside Halton Arena. Saturday’s contest marked the first-ever matchup between the 49ers and Mean Green as both squads are in their first season as members of Conference USA. “I thought this was a really gritty win for our team,” said Charlotte Head Coach Cara Consuegra postgame.

“Our team didn’t quit, and we didn’t get down on ourselves. It wasn’t the best game for us in terms of production, but we found a way to win and we found a way to make plays when we needed to.”

Charlotte came out of the gates looking a tad bit lethargic on the offensive side of the ball and found themselves trailing the Mean Green by a score of 9-4 at the first media timeout.

The 49ers hit just two of their first nine shots in the early going and even failed to convert on a few attempts from right underneath the basket.

The tides began to change with about 12 minutes remaining in the half when Consuegra switched from man to zone and the 49ers cranked up the

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defensive intensity.

The defensive adjustment sparked a 13-0 Charlotte run in which North Texas shot 0-7 from the field and turned the ball over six times in a four-minute span.

The 49ers took advantage of the lack luster North Texas ball security and really looked to attack the rim in transition, earning multiple trips to the free throw line.

Charlotte hit 11-18 ( 61.1 percent) from the charity stripe in the opening half en route to opening up a 32-22 advantage heading into the locker room.

Redshirt junior Gabby Tyler paced the 49ers offensive attack in the first half, scoring 10 points to go along with her four rebounds and two blocks on the defensive end of the court.

“I give credit to my teammates. We talk a lot about energy and they were just feeding me energy. Nobody ever quit and we just fed off of each other,” said Tyler after the game.

Charlotte came out of the locker room looking poised to extend their double-digit lead as they continued to attack the basket early in the second half.

JAN. 14 - 20, 2014

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The 49ers appeared to be on the verge of blowing the game wide open with a 40-24 advantage on the scoreboard, but the Mean Green slowly but surely chipped away at the Charlotte lead.

North Texas continued to battle, and with the help of a 22-5 scoring run, the Mean Green recaptured the lead at 46-45 with 9:22 left to play in the contest.

During the lengthy run by the Mean Green, Charlotte got away from their effective inside game and began jacking up three-point shots without much success.

The 49ers went 0-5 from behind the arc in the second half and shot just 1-10 (10 percent) from threepoint range throughout the night.

The 49ers kept their composure despite blowing the big lead and began to fight back as they reverted to feeding Tyler and Kira Gordon in the paint.

Gordon scored five straight points on her own to put Charlotte back on top 58-57 with 1:30 remaining in the game.

Tyler scored another bucket in

the paint to push the lead to 60-57 and the 49ers played stifling defense down the stretch en route to pulling out a 61-59 conference victory.

Tyler and Gordon were dominant in the paint for the 49ers throughout the night.

Gordon hit a couple big shots down the stretch and finished the night with 15 points to go along with her nine rebounds.

Tyler poured in a game-high 22 points in the contest and she also contributed six boards.

“I thought both Gabby and Kira played tremendously tonight,” said Consuegra.

“They were incredible with their production, both with points, rebounds and defensively they created a lot of help for us in the lane. They really anchored us and I don’t think North Texas had an answer for them.”

The Charlotte 49ers will hit the road for their next contest on Wednesday, Jan. 15 against the UTSA Roadrunners in San Antonio.

Tip-off for that contest is scheduled for 8 p.m. Eastern time.

CONFERENCE USA STANDINGS Conference record only

MEN’S Louisiana Tech (2-0) Tulsa (2-0) UTSA (2-0) Middle Tennessee (1-0) Old Dominion (1-0) Southern Miss (1-1) Charlotte (1-1) UTEP (1-1) FIU (1-1) Tulane (1-1) Florida Atlantic (1-1) UAB (0-1) East Carolina (0-1) North Texas (0-2) Marshall (0-2) Rice (0-2)

WOMEN’S Southern Miss (2-0) UTEP (2-0) Middle Tennessee (2-0) Tulane (2-0) Charlotte (2-0) East Carolina (1-1) Florida Atlantic (1-1) Rice (1-1) FIU (1-1) UAB (1-1) Tulsa (1-1) UTSA (0-2) Marshall (0-2) Old Dominion (0-2) North Texas (0-2) Louisiana Tech (0-2) Ny Hammonds drives past North Texas’ Candice Adams. Photo by Ben Coon

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JAN. 14 - 20, 2014

NINERTIMES

THE GOVERNMENT’S DOORMAT N.C. GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TO STEP ON COLLEGE STUDENTS BECAUSE WE DO NOTHING ABOUT IT SEAN GRIER INTERN

The summer was a great time for many students. We enjoyed the year’s top crooning voices from America’s favorite genres: pop, rap, country, and rhythm and blues.

From the likes of Parachute, John Mayer, Jay-Z, Carrie Underwood, Robin Thick, Tamar Braxton and Fantasia, we gained a cache of amazing songs that cultivated experiences and created long-lasting memories.

But while we were enjoying summer school, internships and family vacations (or just sitting around bored), our legislature was working diligently and quietly to get the budget passed.

In the past, I discussed the attack the North Carolina General Assembly has waged against academia and college students. Nothing has changed in that regard.

During the review of the sales and use tax code, they made a particularly telling modification. The North Carolina tax reform bill (House Bill 998) repealed the exemption on “meals and food products served to students in dining rooms regularly operated by State or private educational institutions or student organizations thereof,” effective Jan. 1, 2014.

Because of this exemption, students will be charged 8.25 percent in taxes on all purchased meals whether or not you use declining balance,

Governor Pat McCrory enjoys himself on the golf course early last year. But early this year, college students lose a beneficial tax exemption. MCT Campus

optional dining account, cash or debit transactions. Nothing is scarier than hearing a student blame the president of the United States for this new tax, or blaming our “greedy chancellor.”

The question that I would like to ask those students is, “Did you vote in the last election?”

I’m sure that the college-age students who complain the most did not vote – in fact, many of my colleagues couldn’t distinguish the governor from the secretary of revenue, much less credit blame to the right level of

EDITORIAL POLICY Niner Times is written and produced by students at UNC Charlotte. All unsigned editorials are the expressed opinion of the editorial board and do not represent the views of the University. Views expressed in signed editorials are solely those of the author. Niner Times is published on Tuesdays during the regular academic year except during holidays and exam periods.

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government.

The situation is grave and expensive; elections do have tangible and immediate consequences, and our generation has the educational background and future to do something about it.

It starts with spreading your focus from just paying attention to taxes, to educating yourself on the policies and viewpoints of your representatives and then making informed decisions. For some odd reason, that process is incredibly difficult for students, even when there is a polling

GIVE US SOME FEEDBACK Niner Times welcomes letters. Feedback should be under 200 words, legibly written or typed and should include the author’s signature, year in school, major and telephone number. Faculty and staff should include title and department. Unsigned, anonymous letters will not be printed. All letters are subject to editing for space and style.

JAN. 14 - 20, 2014

location on campus.

The North Carolina Board of Governors, appointed by the governor and approved by the North Carolina Senate, approve of tuition and fee increases. The General Assembly cuts the UNC System budget every year.

Sales and use taxes have increased and will no doubt continue to increase because we students have to eat somewhere.

The use and abuse of our generation must culminate into action.

Otherwise, the government will become the immature, entitled teenager every parent hides their credit card from, and they are using our money to do it. Every day they remain in office, that credit card is swiped; I just hope the accumulated debt creates action.

The North Carolina General Assembly will continue to do the work of Karl Rove, Governor Pat McCrory will continue not caring, and unfortunately, because of the lack of voter education, they will remain in office until at least 2016.

So I hope my fellow Niners take a hard look at their nonchalant view of current events and political apathy because when people don’t pay attention, we all end up paying the 8.25 percent (combined state and local sales tax) on top of the other fees our General Assembly enacted.

SUBMIT LETTERS TO:

NINER TIMES Student Union, Charlotte, N.C. 28223 OR E-MAIL:

editor@nineronline.com

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Recent polar vortex puts an end to global warming conspiracy

Pedestrians bundle up as snow blankets the outside of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 3, meaning President Obama has a lot of explaining to do. MCT Campus

EDWARD AVERETTE INTERN

Disclaimer: In this work of satire, all quoted sources in this article are completely fictitious and any resemblance to actual people, living or dead, is coincidental.

Last week’s polar vortex brought frigid temperatures across the country, including many areas in the deep South. In January, Charlotte’s average low temperature is usually 28 degrees, but lows dipped far below average four times last week, with the coldest temperature reaching 7 degrees the morning of Jan. 7.

Charlotte wasn’t the only southern city facing record lows; Atlanta, Nashville and Washington D.C. faced single digit temperatures and highs in the 20s last week. Even the tropical paradise that is Florida wasn’t spared from low temperatures that ranged from the 20s in North and Central Florida, to the upper 40s around South Beach.

“What we witnessed last week was simply unbelievable on a climatological scale,” said National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association senior climatologist Dr. Jack Weber. Weber is an expert climatologist and has spent over 45 years exploring trends, atmospheric-ocean oscillations and holds much weight within the scientific community.

“Many of my fellow colleagues would agree with me when I say that the signs of global cooling are

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incontrovertible.”

Weber’s newfound scientific enlightenment is being acknowledged by prominent figures such as Rush Limbaugh, Donald Trump, Sarah Palin and North Carolina State Senator Jill Snow.

“It’s about time the scientific community came to their senses,” said Snow. “As a life-long North Carolinian, this winter has been far too cold, and last week was only an indication of what I’ve been saying all along.”

Although Snow’s comments favored the new leading opinion held by Weber, they are still at odds with the increasingly out of touch White House, which recently blamed the polar vortex on global warming.

“It’s simply irresponsible of Obama and the liberal elite to perpetuate such egregious lies, when the American public and science is on our side,” said Snow. “This global warming agenda has got to stop. People need to be buying fur coats and snow shoes, not flip flops and bathing suits.”

This recent change in consensus means that previous data on global warming that was supJAN. 14 - 20, 2014

ported by organizations such as the American Meteorological Society, U.S. Global Research Program and the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is now no longer relevant to the discussion on climate change.

“It is difficult to own up to being wrong in a way, but that’s what science is all about,” said Weber.

“Despite three decades of warmer than average global temperatures, this country is experiencing one of the coldest months in recent record, which signals a reversal of the global warming trend.”

“I always felt that global warming was just a big conspiracy,” said local TV and radio personality Glenn Reilly. “These weathermen can hardly predict the weather the next day and get the temperature right. Why should I believe these lab coat types when a clock is twice as more accurate than they are?”

Despite nearly half a century of recorded warming across the globe, melting ice caps and rising sea levels, the polar vortex served not only to bring uncommonly brutal cold to the nation, but also a new ice age on the horizon.

NINERTIMES

MAKE A RESOLUTION, AND STICK TO IT New Year’s resolutions are infamous for being forgotten mere weeks into the year.

Use these tips to make yours last and reach your goals this year MICHELLE LIRINGIS LIFESTYLE EDITOR

New Year’s resolutions have become something to scoff at.

The question gets asked: “why do you need a new year to change your life or set a goal?”

The truth is, you don’t. But the opportunity is here so why not take advantage of it?

New Year’s resolutions are broken for a variety of reasons: lack of planning, unrealistic expectations or unimportant goals.

The first step to keeping resolutions is to set goals you care about.

Your goals don’t have to be the same as those around you.

Don’t care too much about making a 4.0? Don’t set that as your resolution.

When setting your goals, think about why you want to accomplish that.

Writing down why it is important when you write down your goal can help you remember why you want this on the days they seem inconquerable.

Making resolutions about things that are unimportant in your life is a sure fire way to fail by February.

Make sure the goals you do set are specific. It is easy to say, “I want to read more” or “I want to get in shape.”

But what is “more?” How will you know if you are “in shape?”

Give yourself a specific number of books to try to read this year.

Goodreads.com’s 2014 reading challenge is a great way to track that goal.

You simply set the number of books

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you want to read on the challenge widget then continue adding books as you finish them throughout the year.

It will tell you if you are ahead, behind or on track for reaching your goal by the end of the year.

Want to get in shape? Try registering for a 5k or another race dependent upon your current fitness level.

The race will give you something to work toward.

Setting smaller goals along the way to your larger goals is a great way to keep yourself on track.

Reaching the small goals will give you more immediate satisfaction and will make the larger goals feel less daunting.

Completing the 5k will make your goal of running a 10k or half marathon seem more manageable.

Another way to keep yourself motivated is to give yourself a small reward each time you reach a small goal.

It could be a meal out, ice cream, splurging on something you have always wanted, a cheat day (just one) or a movie night.

Find a way to remind yourself of your goals every day.

Whether it is posting them on social media, hanging them on the wall or telling them to a trusted friend, have a constant reminder of them.

Even if you just tell one person about your goals for the new year, they can help you reach them.

Having someone ask you about how you are progressing can help you get back on track if you find yourself in a slump.

Better yet, find people with similar goals and work toward them together.

Accountability is one of the most important factors in making and keeping goals.

Furthermore, it is OK to alter your resolutions as the year goes on. If you want to shift your original focus or

change your plan, that does not mean failure.

It just means you are reevaluating where you are and what is important to you.

The most important thing is that you are happy with what you accomplish this new year.

FOUR APPS TO HELP YOU KEEP YOUR RESOLUTIONS Mint

Description This application is useful for keeping track of your daily purchases because it connects to your bank account.

Lift

Description This app w helps track all of your Ne s ow Year resolutions. It sh you when you reach a goal ve set and when you ha goal been slacking off on a for a week. iOS and

Free and available on iOS and Android

MyFitnessPal

Description Use this app to keep track of your fitness goals and progress this year. You can log what you eat every day as well as workouts.

Free and available on Android

Springpad

Description Springpad ks has a variety of noteboo irec th wi fill n ca that you ing pes, to-do lists or anyth op the is ere Th you want. s nd frie th wi are tion to sh or make them private.

Free and available on iOS and Android

iOS and Free and available on Android

JAN. 14 - 20, 2014

MCT Campus

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N + TC: Nike Training Club USE THE NTC APP TO REACH YOUR HEALTH AND FITNESS GOALS IN 2014 MICHELLE LIRINGIS LIFESTYLE EDITOR

It is a new year, which can only mean one thing: the gyms are packed. For those who want to get in shape this year, or just maintain their normal gym routine, this fact can be extremely frustrating.

There are many options for working out at home such as Pinterest tutorials or articles from magazines.

However, it is hard to get motivated doing those workouts because they are easy to give up.

Nike has a mobile application called the Nike Training Club that makes home workouts enjoyable and equally as challenging as gym workouts. All that you need is a set of dumbbells (five to 10 pounds are recommended, but start where you feel most comfortable) and a medicine ball The app is divided into different goals: ‘get focused,’ ‘get toned,’ ‘get lean’ and ‘get strong.’

‘Get focused’ has an assortment of 15-minute workouts designed to get you going. Unlike the other categories, this one is not divided into levels.

These workouts generally target a specific muscle group or area of the body. These are great for morning workouts or for when you don’t have a lot of time.

Fifteen minutes may not seem like a lot, but they definitely give you a good burn.

The ‘get toned,’ ‘get lean’ and ‘get strong’ categories are broken up into beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

These workouts are longer, around 30 to 45 minutes. These are full body workouts that will have you working up a sweat in no time.

When you select the workout, you can either start it and run through the whole time or select certain exercises to do.

A great thing about the workouts is that they guide you through it.

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When you start the workout, there are two timers that start counting down. One at the top of the screen which counts down the time of the full workout, and one under the image of the specific exercise that you are doing to count down how much longer you have on the exercise.

Exercises are done for specific amounts of time rather than by a certain number of sets or reps. The idea is to do as many repetitions in the specific time.

When exercises switch, there is a narrator who says, for example, “two minutes of crunches.” As you go through the exercise it will give you prompts of how to do it such as “make sure not to strain your neck,” or sometimes will give encouragements like “15 seconds left” or “push yourself.”

If you do not know how to do the exercise, there is the option to view a video of how to complete the exercise. When viewing the short tutorial, it pauses the timer for your workout so you do not miss out on any valuable sweat time.

One think that is annoying about this app is that it does not give you any time to switch motions in between exercises. It just starts counting down the next exercise while you gather equipment and get yourself positioned.

On beginner levels, you oftentimes do not need to use weights. The workouts are designed so you can get a feel for the motion and correct form.

However, the narrator will say “you do not need weights for this drill,” but the photo tutorial will show the exercise being done with weights.

There is no differentiation between the levels in the tutorials.

One of the best things about the app is that it motivates you to continue working out. Once you work-

out for a certain number of minutes, you reach a new level, such as ‘bench marker’ or ‘drill seeker.’

Every so often in addition to moving up another level, you also get a prize such as smoothie recipes.

Seeing what level you are on and how much longer until you need to

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move up is a great motivating factor.

It is easier to work out when you see that you only have 30 minutes, or one workout, until the next level.

While there are a few small annoyances about the app, it is definitely worth downloading and will help to reach your fitness goals.

NINERTIMES

NINER COOKBOOK:

Photo by Michelle Liringis

VEGGIE LASAGNA Try this healthy version of one of your favorite comfort foods -- it won’t kill your diet.

MICHELLE LIRINGIS LIFESTYLE EDITOR

INSTRUCTIONS • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Slice all vegetables into bite-sized pieces.

• Cook lasagna noodles thoroughly, or buy the kind that say “oven ready.”

• Heat oil in a large skillet. Once the oil is heated, add vegetables and garlic. Sautee until browned and crispy.

• Spread a layer of sauce on the bottom of an 11x13 casserole dish.

• Add a layer of noodles followed by a layer of ricotta and mozzerella cheese.

• Place half of the sauteed vegetables on top of the cheese layer.

• Continue layering until you run out of ingredients.

• Top off with extra cheese.

• Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 65 minutes.

INGREDIENTS • • • • • •

2 zucchinis 2 yellow squashes 1jar spaghetti sauce 15 lasagna noodles 1 red pepper 1 cup sliced mushrooms

This dish can also be frozen and saved to cook later. Let the dish defrost completely before baking.

• • • • •

Half a white onion 15 ounces ricotta cheese 6 cups mozzerella cheese 2 tablespoons olive oil Minced garlic (to taste)

BYOB January’s book is Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls

by David Sedaris Tweet us @niner_times or email lifestyle@nineronline.com to tell us your thoughts about the book

Check back at the end of the month for a review

Photo by Michelle Liringis

NINERONLINE.COM

JAN. 14 - 20, 2014

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‘BOOK OF MORMON’

JUMPSTARTS BLUMENTHAL’S BROADWAY LIGHTS SERIES LIZ LANIER A&E EDITOR

With more than a few jokes about religion, disease, famine and even genital mutilation, “Book of Mormon” doesn’t seem the sort of musical to draw the average theatre-going crowd.

But the packed audience at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center was filled with more silver foxes and pantsuit wearers than you would expect.

Despite that, the theatre was filled with shocked and riotous laughter at the vulgar comedy of “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone.

As the darling child of the Latter-day Saints training center, Elder Price (Mark Evans), wants nothing more than to be placed in Orlando, Fla. for his missionary trip.

Much to his disappointment, he is placed instead in Uganda, paired with the incorrigible Elder Cunningham (Christopher John O’Neill).

In the face of horrible circumstances of poverty and disease, the young Mormons struggle to convert the Ugandans to their faith.

A vicious warlord, whose name is unfit to print, complicates matters by lording over the Ugandan village with the threat of enforcing female genital mutilation upon inhabitants.

The songs are filled with humor intended to make the audience laugh, but don’t skimp on the catchiness expected from a Broadway show.

Many songs I found oddly familiar, and evoked memories of classic show tunes like “Maria” of “West Side Story.”

One song that had most of the audience laughing and more than a few shifting uncomfortably, “Hasa Diga Eebowai” is a clear riff of “Hakuna Matata.”

Regardless of the often-ridiculous lyrics, the talented cast delivers the tunes with an infectious energy.

Evans, in particular, brings such an overbearing charm to the role of Elder Price that it is hard to

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believe he is simply playing the role of an overly-friendly Mormon missionary.

While the run of “Book of Mormon” ended earlier this month, it’s not too late to enjoy musical offerings from the Belk Theatre.

The Blumenthal Performing Art Center’s Broadway Lights Series continues through the rest of 2014.

From the classic Broadway show “Evita” to the more modern love story of “Once,” there’s something for every age of theatre geek this season.

Image courtesy of Book of Mormon the Musical’s official website

BLUMENTHAL’S BROADWAY LIGHTS SERIES “EVITA” MARCH 4-9, 2014

“THE GERSHWINS’ PORGY AND BESS” JULY 15-20, 2014

“GHOST: THE MUSICAL”

“ONCE”

APRIL 1-6, 2014

SEPT. 30-OCT. 5, 2014

“WE WILL ROCK YOU”

“PETER AND THE STARCATCHER”

MAY 27-JUNE 1, 2014

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APRIL 29-MAY 4, 2014

NINERTIMES

‘HER’: A LOVABLE LOOK INTO THE FUTURE

Joaquin Phoenix in “Her.” MCT Campus

PATRICK BOGANS COMMUNITY EDITOR

Spike Jonze is known to take slightly unbelievable movie concepts and humanize them in an interesting way.

Jonze’s portrayal of the influence and integration of technology into society is rather unsettling, as well as completely believable.

Our culture already romantizes technology innovations (from new social media platforms to updates to our computer’s operating systems) and according to Jonze, we’re only a few years away from us actually falling in love with them.

In “Her,” depressed writer Theodore Twombly (Joaquin Phoenix) has recently separated from the love of his life Catherine (Rooney Mara) and resorts to finding comfort in his technologies, from the somewhat innocent video games to the not so innocent online sex chat rooms.

In the midst of his day-to-day, Twombly discovers a new operating system to download for his home computer and phone, named OS1.

The technology is a revolutionary innovation, molding its programming around what its user needs and creating an Artificially Intelligent person that is immensely complex and realistic.

His personalized AI, Samantha (voiced by the soothing and sultry Scarlett Johanson), immediately feels like a person.

An impressed Theodore takes notice of her chuckles and her other seductive ways, and Samantha falls in

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love with his nerdy innocence. And from there, their infatuation with one another grows as exponentially as Samantha’s technological capabilities, and that becomes problematic for them both.

Outside of the futuristic elements, simply the love story is written between Theodore and Samantha is more eventful than a typical love story.

It reinvigorates some normal concepts of relationships using its abnormal premise. As a viewer, we may picture a person on the other side of the conversations with Theodore, but the constant reminder of how she isn’t human is often upsetting and interesting.

But what makes “Her” so heartbreaking is how close it comes to its portrayal of an imminent reality.

The universe Jonze has created here is futuristic enough to be entertaining, but feels real enough to be uncomfortable.

It’s a painting of what life will be like in the near future. Some elements may be a little Jonze-stylized, but none of the ideas it presents seem far-fetched.

In every aspect, “Her” is as intoxicating, compelling and lovable as the OS Theodore falls in love with.

From the environment, to the dialogue, to the superb supporting characters, “Her” is a glimpse of our future and a sobering look at the way society is falling in love with technology.

JAN. 14 - 20, 2014

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NINERTIMES

GULLEY DELIVERS ODE TO WINSTON IN NEW ALBUM ‘SALEM’ A review of the new album released by North Carolina native rock band Gulley.

LEANNA POUGH ASST. A&E EDITOR

Two cups of hard work, 4 ounces of frustration, ¼ cup of pride, 1 cup of drive.

Combined with creativity and slowly churned with skill gives you a band’s most tangible form of success: their first full length album.

North Carolina based rock band, Gulley, mixes up the much-awaited “Salem.”

“I’ve been wanting to be on an album since I picked up a guitar when I was 12 … I just wanted to go in, have fun and be myself and make as good of music as I could,” says lead vocalist and guitarist, Chobey Badgio.

After tossing around ideas for a title, the group agreed on “Salem,” song number nine, deciding you can’t go wrong with a title track – naming an album after a track featured.

The 10-track body of work featuring pianist and former band mate Jordan Connell offers listeners a journey of slow jams with the occasional pop of upbeat melodies.

“It’s a very easy to listen to album because there’s really not a whole lot of instrumentation, which was exactly the goal,” says Nick Badgio, bassist for Gulley.

Chobey’s distinctively robust vocals spill ballads of love relatable to all stages of life.

“The album is more or less 10 songs about Winston [Salem],” Chobey says.

The singer’s emotional ties linger throughout the composition, lending insight to each memorable experience, from stories of torn lovers featuring songstress Catherine Shiemann to songs with messages as simple as “be happy.”

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The young vocalist oozes with the possibility of growth as his strong voice maintains a mellow vibe garnished with the skills of Gulley’s drummer and percussionist, Charlie Witherspoon.

The end product results in a festival type energy, making it easy to lose yourself in the lyrics.

Gulley finds balance in each member focusing on different aspects of the music.

The lyrics take you on one journey while the melody and instrumentals lead to another destination.

With high expectations the trio sought to create a relaxed environment during recording to combat production pressures.

Their motto: “you always play and listen better when you’re laughing.”

“We were all a little nervous, but once we clicked in with the track and locked in with each other it started to go by quick,” Witherspoon says.

Gulley began preparing for the album three months in advance before recording at Mitch Easter’s Fidelitorium Recordings in Kernersville, N.C. Easter is best known for his work as R.E.M.’s producer.

The Winston-Salem locals expect to release “Salem” along with a 12 minute documentary “Camel City Chaos: The making of Salem” at the Triad Music Fest, Friday, Jan. 17, at 8 p.m.

Gulley is also set to perform in Charlotte’s Smokey Joe’s Cafe, Friday, Feb. 7, at 10 p.m.

The band welcomes audiences of all interest levels to enjoy the show, guaranteeing the universal language of music will take all on a journey.

ACROSS 1 Like many bar brews 6 2013 World Series champs, familiarly 9 PC problem solver 13 Garlicky sauce 14 Stinky Le Pew 15 Storybook baddie 16 Recycled sheets for scribbling 18 Senior’s big dance 19 Rain heavily 20 Dry as the Gobi 21 Perfect spots 22 Org. headed by the U.S. Comptroller General 23 End-of-filming cast event 25 “Alley __” 26 Under lock and __ 27 Pervasive glow 28 Used a rotary phone 30 Fried rice ingredient 31 Spider’s trap

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DOWN 1 Brewer’s oven 2 “Good job!”

3 Ripped to shreds 4 Shrine to remember 5 Dot on a domino 6 Old-timey photo hue 7 Spot with regular and guest columnists 8 Gen-__: millennial preceder 9 First-rate 10 Long-legged wader 11 Chum 12 Tailoring borders 14 Fencing defense 17 Poked at like a cat 21 Lobed organ 24 Wrinkly little dog 25 Keats’ “__ on Melancholy” 26 Historical novelist Follett 29 Suffered a blackout 34 Scandal-ridden Tex30 Cyclone center as-based corporation 32 Ice cream treat 35 Pirate’s “yes” 33 Jack’s access 36 Odometer button 35 Supplier of software 38 Fast sports cars hidden in 16-, 23-, 39 “Great” primate 45- and 54-Across 40 Skiing coats 36 Bit of sunlight 41 Rain delay rollout 37 Pooh-pooher’s sound 43 Pick up the tab 39 Tycoon Onassis 44 Tattoos, slangily 40 Prefix with -lithic 45 Toy gun loaded with 42 On point rolls 43 Hustlers chasing 48 Morning hrs. rustlers 49 Plane handler 45 Word with duty or 50 Stun with a police gun pride 51 Shopping bag 46 Like a hermit 53 Admit frankly 47 Personal shopper’s 54 Scrubbing brand with asset two periods in its name 48 For the bond-issue 56 Christmas candle scent price 57 Works in un museo 49 Bearded Smurf 58 With glee 52 “Grand” ice cream 59 Serving whiz maker 60 Golfer’s smallest wood? 54 Went unused 61 Tough journeys 55 TSA employee

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NEW YEAR, NEW GAMES

Five under the radar video games of 2014 worth playing

JON GREGORY INTERN

OCTODAD: DADLIEST CATCH

“Octodad: Dadliest Catch” is the story of an anthropomorphized octopus who has somehow managed to keep his true identity hidden from his decidedly human family. Players are tasked with guiding the uncoordinated cephalopod through various moments of his life, and keeping up the charade as convincingly as possible. According to developer Young Horses, “Octodad: Dadliest Catch” will be recklessly flailing onto PC and PS4 sometime in early 2014.

Image courtesy of Young Horses

TRANSISTOR

Image courtesy of Supergiant Games

Supergiant Games’ sophomore effort “Transistor” is expected to release on PC and PS4 sometime in early 2014. “Transistor” plays host to the same carefully­crafted combination of visual style and music that earned the studio’s hit game “Bastion” awards from TIME, NPR and many video game centric publications. Following the story of Red, an influential singer in the city of Cloudbank whose voice is mysteriously stolen, “Transistor” layers elements of turn­based strategy over top of the action heavy elements Supergiant Games has already perfected.

THE WALKING DEAD: SEASON 2

Telltale Games breathed new life into interactive fiction games with the introduction of their take on “The Walking Dead” in 2012. The first season introduced new characters and stories to the world of “The Walking Dead,” while remaining true to the source material’s uncompromising nature. The first episode of the new season has already released on PC, PS3 and Xbox 360. With new episodes launching roughly a month apart, there’s plenty of time to catch up and follow along.

Image courtesy of Telltale Games

THE VANISHING OF ETHAN CARTER

Image courtesy of The Astronauts

The Astronauts is a small studio started by Adrian Chmielarz, the former owner of game studio People Can Fly. I­ t most recently worked with North Carolina’s own Epic Games to release a title in the “Gears of War” series. Chmielarz’s team made waves towards the end of 2013 with images of their project, “The Vanishing of Ethan Carter,” and its impressive visuals. The atmospheric horror title doesn’t have a release date yet, but the studio suggests “it’s a question of months,” not years, until the game releases on PC.

MERCENARY KINGS

“Mercenary Kings” is a crazy blend of old school gaming and ‘80s action movies, with a visual style that those familiar with the Scott Pilgrim universe will recognize.

The side­-scrolling, 2D adventure follows the exploits of a group of misfit mercenaries, focusing heavily on cooperative gameplay— and explosions. Indie developer Tribute has already released the title for PC on Steam as part of the platform’s Early Access program and has announced plans to release the game on other platforms.

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JAN. 14 - 20, 2014

Image courtesy of Tribute

NINERTIMES

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NINERTIMES