NEWS
The Scribe University of Bridgeport Bridgeport, CT
Are you prepared? pg. 1
Issue 2 February 2013
Preparing yourself for the Cold and Flu MICHELLE DRAINS Staff Writer
KNIGHT LIFE
No Valentine? No Problem! pg. 6
inReview
You washed your hands after every handshake. When someone sneezed, you ducked. Somehow, though, you still managed to catch the common cold or the flu, and the viruses that are partying in your upper respiratory tract are making you feel uncommonly bad: feverish, headachy, tired and coughing with nose so runny that Kleenex stock has gone up 20 points since you’ve been sick. Though we can’t necessarily “cure” the common cold or flu, we can certainly prevent, ease symptoms or even shorten the duration by proper use of nutrition and the addition of various herbs, vitamins and natural alternative practices that help boost your immune system.
(continued on page 2) Photo courtesy of google.com
Celebrating V-day on a budget DC back again p. 13
DIAMOND ARTIS Staff Writer Date Ideas
SPORTS
#1 Classic Romantic Meal Nothing beats the classics, especially a dinner and a movie. Besides McDonald's or The Hub, one of the cheapest places to have a romantic dinner is at Amici Miei, a nice Italian cafe located at 957 Main St. in downtown Bridgeport. It has delicious Italian food and also gives you the option to eat there or take it to go. (continued on page 3)
Superbowl XLVII p. 20
Attention Prominent Class of 2013 Yearbook Coming Soon. Will you be a part of it? pg. 5
News Preparing Yourself for the Cold & Flu Season Naturally Pt. 1 MICHELLE DRAINS Staff Writer (continued from page 1) What to do now? Well first off rest. Get in bed as soon as possible and continue to rest for at least 24 hours after symptoms have resolved (just because the sniffles are gone doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods yet!). Okay, this seems like a given, however you would be amazed at how many people choose to ignore this simple advice. They don’t heed the body’s initial warning signs of illness, keep working and going about daily activities until they drop. Remember you will take longer to recover if you let the illness gain an advantage. If you feel a headache, sore throat, congestion etc. coming on, please take it easy. If possible take a day off of work or school. This may prevent you from having to take three days off later on. Rest is the body’s healing time. Fighting the flu and the cold puts your metabolism into overdrive. You burn off more calories and your body throws off water in copious amounts. Add to that fact your increased mouth breathing, and possibly a fever, and you can see why you need to drink more fluids. So you have to replace that water constantly because your
body needs it to expel the toxins being produced by your immune system as it’s destroying the body. Filtered water and hot soothing herbal teas (like Chamomile, Peppermint and Ginger) are best. Fruit juices are not good choices since they contain large quantities of sugar, which can actually hinder the healing process. However if you do choose to have fruit juices, dilute them using half water and half juice. But how much to drink? As a general rule of thumb most practitioners recommend drinking enough water to equal two-thirds of your body weight in ounces daily. The minimum for maintenance is about half your weight. In other words if you weigh 150lbs you’ll want to drink at least 100 ounces if you’re sick and 75ounces when you are not. Now you don’t have to just take water internally to reap the benefits. Applying water outside the body, a technique called Hydrotherapy, can actually relieve congestion, reduce a fever, improve circulation, increase the number of antiviral white blood cells and even enhance sleep. One Hydrotherapy technique called “Warming Sock” treatment is excellent for colds/ flu. I recommend starting this as soon as you feel as though you may be “coming down with
something”. This should be done right before bedtime, for at least three consecutive nights. You’ll need the following: 1 pair of white cotton socks, 1 pair of wool socks, Towel and a basin or bath to stick your feet in: 1. Soak your feet in water as hot as comfort allows for 5-10 minutes. (It’s important that the feet be warmed first; it won’t be as effective otherwise). 2. Dry feet with towel 3. Soak cotton socks in cold water, then wring out completely (socks should be damp but not dripping wet) 4. Put on cold damp socks then cover with the thick wool socks. Go directly to bed 5. Keep the socks on overnight. You will find that the wet cotton socks will be dry in the morning. I absolutely love this treatment and if done early enough you can even halt a cold. Next time I’ll talk about some beneficial herbal preparations, immune boosting supplements and maybe throw in a few eccentric cold and flu-easing recipes as well.
Photo courtesy of pennypantry.com
Photo courtesy of inspiredhealthandhappinessblog.com
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Photo courtesy of google.com
NEWS
February 2013
Celebrating Valentine's Day on a budget, while staying local DIAMOND ARTIS Staff Writer (continued from page 1) If you know that you and your partner would not be satisfied with one dish the best place to go is Hibachi Buffet. It has delicious selections of Asian and American food at a nice price. Hibachi is located at 2536 Main St and costs $9.99 per person. #2 Museum The Barnum Museum is currently open and is hosting a Recovery in Action exhibition from 11am to 3 pm on Thursdays and Fridays in the Peoples United Bank Gallery. The cost of admissions is only $8 and this is perfect for the type of couple who likes to debate what they saw on the history channel. #3 Movies If you want to take your date to the movies there is a movie theater located at 286 Canfield Ave in Bridgeport. It costs about $10.50 per person. But if you are reluctant to leave campus this Valentine's Day then a good idea would be to have movie night at your place; order some food and even set the mood with small decorations. Gift ideas If you want to find an inexpensive gift for your sweetheart then Family Dollar located at 525 John St. is your Valentine’s Day one stop shop. They sell boxed chocolates between $1 to $5 depending on the size. They also have cute Valentine’s Day cards coupled with adorable stuffed bears that have various sayings etched on them from "Be Mine" to "I love you". If you have been gifted with creative talent and wish to give your valentine something more personal then write them a poem, draw a picture or sing a song. Sometimes it’s not the amount of money you spend but the thought that counts.
Photo courtesy of zazzle.com
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February 2013
The Scribe Established 1930
Letter from the Editor
Editor in Chief Cheyenne Owen Managing News Editor Kaitlin O'Connell Sports Editor Curtis Moore Fashion Editor Spot Open Opinion Editor Trisha Bartholomew
Readers, The school year has resumed and with that The Scribe. We’re kicking off this semester with our Valentine’s Day issue with tips on how to enjoy this holiday whether you have a special someone or are single this year. Our fashion section this issue heats things up with a preview of the latest fashions from New York’s Fashion Week and we take a look at how you can wear similar styles on a student budget. And in keeping with athletics, Curtis gives a review of Super Bowl XLVII, from the brother rivalry to the mysterious blackout that kept players and spectators alike in the dark.
Denise Gotay
However, if that isn’t hot enough for you and the winter chill gets to you, Michelle brings you natural tips of how to get over the flu. And if you’re recovering from the flu, check out Animania for new series to watch or why not listen to Destiny Child’s new CD, as reviewed by Jamia.
Kevin Matos
I hope you have had a wonderful start to the semester and in between studying and playing in the snow, you enjoy this issue of The Scribe.
Entertainment Editor He Said, She Said Coral Orona-Baez Design & Layout Editor Asha Hobbs
Cheyenne Owen Editor in Chief
Web Editor Jordon Warmington Art Director Michael Lawson Chief Photographer Teresa Wheeler Staff Photographers Spots Open
Op-Ed Disclaimer: The Scribe neither endorses nor is responsible for the accuracy or reliability of any opinion, advice or statement made. The Scribe will not be liable for any loss, damage or hurt feelings caused by a reader’s reliance on information obtained from the advice column(s). It is the responsibility of the reader to evaluate the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information, opinion, advice or other content available through The Scribe. Please seek the advice of professionals, as appropriate, regarding the evaluation of any specific information, opinion, advice or other content. The Scribe Editorial Copyright Statement and Policy: The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the various authors and forum participants in the newspaper do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of The Scribe or official policies of The Scribe To submit articles, story ideas, illustrations or photographs, please send an e-mail of interest to TheScribeUB@gmail.com, describing the article you would like to have published. After receiving expressed interest, please save the complete article in DOC format and send as an attachment. Please include full name and contact information (telephone number and e-mail address—to be used by editors only). Be aware that submission does not guarantee publication and all submissions are subject to editing.
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Knight Life Dear Prominent Class of 2013, There will be a yearbook for the Graduating Class of 2013. For submissions, ideas, comments, and questions do not hesitate to contact Asha at: ahobbs.designer@gmail.com. There will be a photoshoot session taking place within the next couple of weeks so look out for that. Our blog is already up under the name ubprominent13.wordpress.com. Make sure to check out the blog. Please spread the word to the rest of the graduates. Thanks in advance.
Yearbook Designer Asha Hobbs
Photo courtesy of bluematiccentral.com
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KNIGHT LIFE
February 2013
Why you shouldn't be sad on Valentine's Day! DENISE GOTAY Entertainment Editor
Valentine’s Day is the couple’s galore when it comes to showing their partner their love and affection. Of course for the ones who have no partner at all, Valentine’s Day is hell day for them. But why do some single people insist on carrying a vendetta against the holiday? Why be sad over a day that is actually a commercial holiday for flowers and candy? To all of the single people out there, you shouldn’t be sad on Valentine’s Day. Why you may ask? Well let’s look at it this way: You Are Not Alone According to squidoo.com there are 120 single men for every 100 single ladies in their twenties. In fact for people who are 65 and older, there are 33 single men to 100 single women. Knowing that you are not alone on this holiday should ease your mind and make you feel less lonely for being single. You know what else is a good thing? How about…
Photo courtesy of heavenlooks.com
You’re Saving Money What’s the big deal about saving money? Well you clearly don’t know how much companies can make from little Valentine’s Day. Statisticbrain.com says that the average consumer spends around $116. You should be very lucky that you’re not crazy in love on Valentine’s Day. Then again be lucky that you’re not suffering from one of the holiday’s many tactics of love because… Crazy Things Happen on Valentine’s Day To the ones who think proposing on this romantic holiday is a great idea, I hope you saved enough money since according to huffingtonpost.com, the average cost of an engagement ring is around $2,400. To the ones who are in a relationship, 53% of women in America would actually dump their boyfriends if they did not do anything special for them on Valentine’s Day according to amusingfacts.
com. On top of that, huffingtonpost notes that there will be an expected 14 million marriages/ marriage proposals plan for this year. 14 million people saying yes to a marriage proposal on Valentine’s Day? That is so original indeed. But Wait, There’s More Even with the 14 million people getting married, you can’t forget that there’s going to be an estimated 40% increase in requests for divorce lawyers as well, as stated by newsfeed. time.com. It’s so ironic how the day of love can actually bring in heart ache for others as well. Don’t worry about being single on Valentine’s Day. Just chill out and act like the holiday is like any other day of the year. You’re not losing money, you’re not being crazy in love using cliché tactics of expressing your emotions and there won’t be any nasty surprises heading your way on that day.
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February 2013
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KNIGHT LIFE
Fashion
New York Fashion Week 2013 Spotlight NATALIA WONG Staff Writer
Fashion week exploded with a brand new style that no one saw coming. Who would of ever thought that athletic inspired designs would grace the runway for all to see? Harper’s Bazaar magazine calls it the "opposites attract" look. Soon we will all be walking the streets with over sized pants and jackets, airy skirts and sports bra-inspired tops.
Oscar De La Renta took a trip to candy land when designing his collection. There was a true lady look meets Barbie in his outrageously bright colors placed together in a uniform manner. These models were the ideals of all things feminine. However, the twist is latex skirts. He paired the latex skirts with bright colored cardigans and blazers.
Ralph Lauren took the bull by its horns when it came to his designs. The theme was Spanish influence with red leather jackets, some more leather and ruffles for days. Think of bull riding gear but with a hot touch of leather embroidering and scarves.
Mark Jacobs changed reality into the 1960s. Black and white, long crew neck dresses, some red and super short referee inspired striped mini dresses. Again adding that sport look feel, but in this case dressed ready for a night out in the city.
Michael Kors took us for a ride in a time machine back to the groovy ‘70s. Things may have felt groovy, but there was an enlightening touch of "mod" as in modern. His models wore pencil skirts and long blazers of funky colors like royal blues and mustard. Something to keep an eye out for if you’re looking for a modern and ‘70s feel to your business attire.
Following the athletic feel of this year's new look, Alexander Wang's models rocked bleach blond hair while walking the runway under black lights. White dresses trailed the way hovering over gladiator boots/ naked boots that showed more skin with the short dresses.
Vera Wang heated up the stage with warrior women. She features her models in lacy warrior outfits with a hint of a tribal feel. There are tribal prints colored in natural shades of golds, browns and greens included on mismatched colored tops and bottoms.
Francisco Costa ended fashion week with his Calvin Klein collection of seamed dresses, mostly hues of black and white with low plunging necks. He turned up these simplistic colors by layering them. He placed a short white dress underneath covered by a black wave like mesh, giving movement to the colors when the model walks.
Oscar de la Renta
Alexander Wang
Vera Wang
Calvin Klein
Photo courtesy of trendfashionstyle.org
Photo courtesy of ifashiontimes.com
Photo courtesy of onsugar.com
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Michael Kors
Photo courtesy of upscalehype.com
From top to bottom photos courtesy of tgn.com
Marc Jacobs
Ralph Lauren
February 2013
FASHION
Trends for Less! NATALIA WONG Staff Writer
Working out or hanging out in Athletic wear? Dress like the New York Fashion Week models When it comes to the new look, "opposite attracts" it's all about comfort. You no longer have to worry about lace, floaty tops and skinny jeans. Throw on some spandex, a nice crop top or racer back tank with a leather jacket or a long blazer and you are ready to impress or even work out. All items are from Forever 21 and each at a very low price. It really is as easy as one, two, three when putting such a stylish outfit together. It looks great and fits comfortably. What you see is first, the blue polka dot crop top for $6.50, then the black bike shorts for $3.80 and lastly the faux leather sleeve varsity jacket for $22.50. These ring in at a total of $32.80. Play around with your athletic wear and your blazers and see how this look fits you. It might just be that new look you were looking for to go with a new hair color or hair cut.
Photos courtesy of forever21.com
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Express Your Scribe I Wonder
If only for a Day
A sad glint, Hiding behind a teasing smile, Can’t you see that it hurts to smile so falsely? As I stare into the eyes of my friends. A forced laugh, It hurts. To hide all the questions that will never be answered. Do I mean that much to you? Or am I just there for a good laugh? I wonder who will answer those quiet questions. “Are you okay?” they ask. “Of course!” I answer, once again. A genuine smile, This one doesn’t hurt. To those that truly know me, But they, also, cannot answer my questions. For they are too complicated to word. So I hide them, Deep in my thoughts, Thinking them to be too foolish to deserve an answer. Bye bye, stupid questions. I wish I could calm these questions, That seems to plague my mind. A careless shrug, For I try to not care. Hiding all the hurt that I feel. But it’s okay, “I’ll be okay, guys!” I’ve gotten used to hiding what I really feel. A page is flipped. Another day goes by. As I start a new chapter. Will it be the same as it has always been? I wonder. Though not at all.
I want to be the romantic type if only for a day I want to try and woo you with everything I say with everything I do in every single way I want to be the romantic type if only for a day
Coral Orona Baez Staff Writer
DiaMond Artis Staff Writer
I Want To... Your eyes are like a sea of loneliness, Dark and depressing. I want to wipe away the worry in your face, Free you soul from hatred. You are my laughing buddy, The only one I share my stories with. You are my crying buddy, We will sit in a dimly lit room and hold each other. I want to wipe away your fear Fill you with the flame of love. I want to keep you safe From those thoughts That sends your world crashing down I want to love you The way you deserved to be loved. Trisha Bartholomew Opinion Editor
To read more poetry or to submit your own creative works, visit our website at www.TheScribeOnline.com!
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Entertainment
How to ruin a song DENISE GOTAY Entertainment Editor It's pretty hard writing a catchy song. It's even harder if you're trying to write the next mega pop hit. But if the songwriter goes the easy way out and writes literally whatever comes to mind, it may turn out to be disastrous. If done wrong, the song will be less than enjoyable to listen to. Unfortunately there are some songs out there that have fallen into this writing misfortune. In fact these songs are great examples of how to ruin a song.
"You know, you know, you wanna call me back.../Hold up, I think you're cutting out.../ Tell me, can you hear me now?../We're breakin' up, up, up, up..." The whole song deals with Stefani trying to get a hold of her caller after a failed cell phone connection. Throughout the song she sings about how her cell phone signal drops and she has a hard time reaching the person on the other line.
The Song's Topic Does Not Make Sense Love, hate, betrayal and other topics are common among most hit songs. Even though there are a ton of songs with the same topic such as love, each of them is lyrically different in their own way. Of course if the writer has run out of things to write about, what happens next? Well in the case with Gwen Stefani's "Breaking Up", she decides to go on a free writing spree and write about having a bad cell phone connection.
Horrible Metaphor Using metaphors in a song can work out in two ways; it can help you out greatly when it comes to making a song more interesting or it can greatly backfire on you and make the song sound dumb. Lana Del Rey's song "Cola" is a perfect example of a metaphor gone wrong: "My p---y tastes like Pepsi Cola/My eyes are wide like cherry pies/I gots a taste for men who are older/It's always been so it's no surprise." According to Lana Del Rey, her vagina has 150 calories plus 41 grams of sugar. Not to mention the fact that it also has high fructose corn syrup and citric acid. If Del Rey is trying to say that she's sweet and very pleasing, comparing herself to a soft drink is not the way to go.
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ey e R P l e e d ik l a s n e a L ast ..t 11
Good Verses with Horrible Rap Verse In Ellie Goulding's "Hanging On", the song itself is very good to listen to. The vocals are perfect enough to bring out the emotion of any listener, the music sets up the tone for the mood perfectly and the lyrics that Goulding sings are deep. So what can go wrong? How about when adding the rap verse of Tinie Tempah? "I barely even know this f----king woman in my bed/And if there's too much on my plate, then I ain't finishing my veg/And if anybody said the grass is greener on the other side/Well it ain't swear on my mother's life." This is just a little part of the verse Tempah rapped in "Hanging On". Of course for some reason in Goulding's US album version of Halcyon, the rap verse was omitted from the track. Every song has a potential to be great and listenable. But of course, there is always an exception when it comes to songs that have whacked out lyrics. Because of this, there will always be songs that will be musically ruined
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Photo courtesy of favim.com
ENTERTAINMENT
February 2013
Animania! KEVIN MATOS Staff Writer Animania! Welcome back! The latest issue of The Scribe seems to be running with a Valentine’s Day theme, so I decided to tag along. Despite the fact that this issue will focus on love, I’ll be continuing the pattern followed in previous issues. This means that, as before, there will be two anime series: one for those who enjoy lighthearted stories, and another for those who enjoy the gritty, darker side of anime. Lovely Complex Lovely Complex is a fun, 24-episode series about two high-school students. Risa is a girl who stands out among a crowd due to her height, as she is taller than most of the girls in her school. Otani is a boy who is often made fun of due to his height, as he is shorter than most guys. Constantly at odds, they are referred to as the school’s comedy duo. Having the same group of friends, they find themselves bickering with each other outside of school as well. Competitive to the end, they make a wager to determine who can end up in a relationship first, tired of feeling left out in their group of friends. Throughout the competition, they find that they have similar interests and might be compatible. In the end, it all comes down to one question: will they give each other a chance, or will their competitive nature get the better of them?
Petit Cossette Those of you into the darker side of love, I suggest watching Petit Cossette. This original video animation (also known as an OVA) is made up of three episodes and focuses on Eiri Kurahashi. Eiri is a young art school student working at an antique shop. While working with the items, he finds an antique glass in which he believes he sees the image of a young girl. Looking closer, he believes that the little girl is living out her life within the glass. Eiri slowly becomes infatuated with the girl, and spends all of his time staring at the glass. Lovely Complex
At one point, during midnight, he somehow manages to contact the young girl. She tells him that her name is Cossette, and that she was the daughter of an 18th century aristocrat. However, an artist named Marcello Orlando murdered her, causing her spirit to become trapped within the glass. She reveals to him that the only way for her spirit to be free is for someone to be willing to be punished for Marcello’s sins. As the series progresses, Eiri is tortured physically and mentally by Cossette, while his friends struggle to discover what is happening to him and how to free him from this curse. Petit Cossette
Photos courtesy of watchanimeon.com
What Grinds My Gears…About Music DENISE GOTAY Entertainment Editor
"Songs with good lyrics that have horrible rap verses," -Jamie, sophomore
To some people, music is everything to them. In fact, to the ultimate music fans out there, music is their lifeline. Of course sometimes music can be a bit annoying and according to these UB students, music tends to grind their gears. Check out what these students had to say about music. "Repeating lyrics. Like constant lyrics - the ones that repeat themselves five times," -Trisha Bartholomew, junior "When they are disrespectful about women," -Victoria D. , freshman
"When artists do cover songs and they turn out bad up to the point you lost interest with the original song," -Bruce Davis, senior Peter Griffin from “Family Guy” Photo courtesy of Fox.com
"People who think they can sing when they can't," -Coral Orona Baez, freshman
"Holiday music is the worst. There's like fifty million versions of silent night. Ain't nobody got time for that," -Marie, freshman Want more of "What Grinds My Gears"? Visit www.TheScribeOnline.com to see the rest of the quotes and leave comments!
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inReview Destiny's Child returns with a new album JAMIA SMITH Staff Writer
After eight years, Destiny's Child has reunited with a compilation of their hits with the album Love Songs. This album includes favorites such as “Cater 2 U” and “Emotion,” as well as one new single entitled “Nuclear.” “Nuclear” brings an up-tempo feel to the soulful, harmonious and emotion-filled album that consists of mainly ballads. The album also features members of the original Destiny's Child, Latoya Luckett and Latavia Roberson, on the songs “Killing Time,” “If You Leave” and “Say My Name.”
Overall I rate this album a 3/5. It is wonderful to see one of our favorite female R&B groups back together after so long. I am disappointed that they teased us with only one new song. Also, the idea of a compilation album is not one that we have not seen before when the group released the album, #1s. For long-term Destiny's Child fans, it is simply more a collector's item than a must-have purchase because fans are only paying for one new song. For new Destiny's Child fans, this purchase is worthwhile as the album features several songs that were not released as singles.
Photo courtesy of vanityfair.com
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inREVIEW
February 2013
Two Lanes of Freedom fails to excite CHEYENNE OWEN Editor-in-Chief Tim McGraw’s latest album Two Lanes of Freedom, named for a single of the same name, doesn’t do much to distinguish itself from most other country albums. A majority of the songs available here feature the same aspects as any other song of the same genre, mentions of old lovers, hair blowing in the wind and cut-off jeans scattered here and there. Two Lanes of Freedom has a very somber feel and the entire album would have been if not for several songs I feel saved it including “Mexicoma”, “It’s Your World” and “Truck Yeah”. “Mexicoma” has a very fun feel to it and an upbeat tempo. “It’s your world” is more rock than some of its country counterparts on this album but the real life of the album comes in the form of “Truck Yeah”. This song gets you
rocking in your seat and would sound great pumped up while doing a little mudding. The song has a strong rock sound, but its lyrics are all country, such as the lyrics: Redneck rockin’ like a rockstar, sling a little mud off the back we can do that/ Friday night football, Saturday last call, Sunday Hallelujah/ If you Like it up loud and you’re hillbilly proud, then you know what I’m talking about/ Let me hear you say TRUCK YEAH. Overall, it’s not a terrible album, but it’s not the best either. I rate Two Lanes of Freedom 3 of out 5. If you love country music, then this is your album, but if you’re not too fond of the genre then there may not be much on this album that catches your attention.
Photo courtesy of wbwn.com
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Opinion Dos and Don'ts of Valentine's Day BY KEVIN MATOS & CORAL ORONA-BAEZ
HE SAID Valentine’s Day is a day for romance, but everyone has their own unique approach to this day. Some people prefer to go all out, while others prefer to treat it much like any other day. For this issue, I’ll just be mentioning a few things I think people should keep in mind when celebrating this day. 1. Don’t have impossible expectationsThough we do understand that it is a special day and want you to enjoy it, you shouldn’t expect things to play out the way it does in those romantic movies. We do make an effort and want it to be special, but there’s only so much we can do. 2. Do appreciate the thought- Not everything works out the way we want it to. There are times that, no matter how hard we try to do something romantic, things just unravel. Don’t look at it as if we don’t care, and rather be glad that we tried so hard. 3. Romance is all around us- We don’t have to light your name in the sky to be romantic. The little things add up, so don’t worry so much about the way the day ends, and focus more on the journey there. 4. Be thoughtful- You don’t necessarily have to go so far as to make a card, but do give a gift that shows that you care and listen to them. Don’t cheap out and get a $2 card from your nearest convenience store. 5. Relax- Don’t worry so much about things going a certain way and just enjoy the time you are spending with each other.
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SHE SAID Valentine’s Day; a day where couples buy each other presents and proclaim their love for each other. Romantic dinners, romantic walks in the park, romantic movie night, romantic anything actually. Some advice for those spending their first Valentine’s Day together with their significant other: don’t do what your partner most certainly would not like. Make sure you know them well before you buy them their present (if a present is to be bought). Be aware of what your partner likes and doesn’t like. If your partner doesn’t like the clichés that usually follows this romantic holiday; don’t do them. Your partner will not be a happy camper. Before taking the leap and possibly making a mistake for doing something your partner does not approve of, ask them what they want first, or what they would like for Valentine’s. Don’t try to make the holiday over the top if your partner doesn’t. If you want to make it over the top, do it in a thoughtful way. Maybe your partner will be so used to you, it will be one of the many things they have come to accept about you. Some don’ts would be the fake engage-
ment ring. A romantic holiday can quickly turn into a single holiday if the fake engagement ring is popped out. Don’t lead your partner into believing something that isn’t true. Don’t go over the top for this holiday with your partner, it may overwhelm them. Take it easy and make it memorable every year. Don’t avoid your partner during this day-I’ve seen friends do so before only because of miscommunication. For those of us who are still single: fret not, we will find someone for sure. Spend time with friends-or family. Be your best friend’s valentine! Or someone’s valentine even if to just do something with this “accursed” holiday. Maybe give someone you care about some candy or a card. Valentine’s isn’t only for couples after all. It’s for everyone! Don’t mistreat couples on this special day. It’s not their fault after all. If you’re feeling antisocial, stay in your room, surf the internet, listen to music, do your homework, etc. Do something to keep you entertained and not in a bad mood. If you could care less about this holiday, well, that’s less stress for you and your partner or for yourself in general. After all, it’s better to be alone than in the wrong company. The wrong company will make things worse and it will lead you to hate this particular day. So as Valentine’s Day comes and goes, enjoy it or not, depending on your opinion of such a day and show your significant other that you care and love them.
OPINION
February 2013
My Life as a Rainbow: I'm Single and Ready to Mingle! DENISE GOTAY Entertainment Editor
Chapter Eleven I’ve been officially single for a good year now. I think it’s time for me to start something new in my life. That’s right, I’m talking about dating. You see, I used to be in a long distance relationship with my ex-girlfriend and unfortunately the relationship didn’t work out because of the distance, along with other issues, which got to us and she broke it off. I decided to remain single after that since I wanted to be alone for a bit. Now that I’ve had enough time to find myself and know what I want, I’m ready to start looking for a woman who has my interest. What do I look for in a woman? Good question. Here’s what I think an ideal woman would be for me. You see, I tend to look for personality rather than facial features in women. Sure she can be the prettiest one, but if she has an ugly personality, then that’s definitely a turn off for me.
As a Scorpio, I tend to be a romantic. My ideal woman can be either romantic or passionate or both. I am a total hopeless romantic and I would be the one to go an extra mile on the romance scale. Honesty, trustworthiness, respect and patience are biggies for me. Especially patience since I’ll admit that I can be too much to handle sometimes.
Of course these are just examples of what I look for in a woman. I don’t have a required list that my ideal woman should fulfill. If she has most of the qualities that I look for then hey that’s good. If she has half of them then hey that’s still good. Basically it all comes down to the fact on whether your personality interests me or not.
I have lots of flaws. But then again who doesn’t? I want someone who can not only understand them but also accept them as well. I don’t want a woman who uses my flaws against me. I hate that with a passion and I think it’s one of the worst things anyone can do. I also want someone who respects my career goals as well. If a woman thinks she can make me choose her over my career, then forget it. She’ll be put to the curve.
I would like my ideal woman to be smart. I want to actually have an intelligent conversation with her. I don’t mind if she’s smarter than me as long as she’s not boastful about it. I want someone who is laid back. I mean there are moments where a person has to be serious but if that girl is serious all the time, I’ll feel awkward about it. Since I tend to be a kid at heart, I want someone who is just as goofy as me. I want someone who loves to laugh since I like to make jokes and say the craziest things to make people laugh out loud.
Photo courtesy of Denise Gotay
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OPINION
February 2013
Ask Belle Vie: She is all knowing Dear Belle Vie, I am an extremely shy person and I tend to blend in to the background. I am the girl that people usually say to “Oh I didn’t realize you were in my class.” But there is this boy who I really like. He has been my friend for two years now and I am scared that he is going to run away scared once I tell him that I like him. What should I do? Sincerely, The Wallflower Dear Wallflower, Even Belle Vie herself gets the "Oh I didn't know you were in my class." Trust me it's not just you. I came to realize people are just not as observant as they used to be. My friend asked me just the other day, "Did you like my new jeans I wore yesterday" and I really didn't notice them. Being shy can be a bit of a downfall because I know how much it must bother you to want to speak out but cannot because of your fear to. However, know that with every fear there are ways in overcoming them. I feel the cure to shyness is getting more involved. By doing so, you are communicating with more people and feeling comfortable in different environments. Your friend that you have known for two years now, you seem to have a great attachment to. If I were you this is something I would not want to break apart or do or say anything that might make the friendship sour. The ways in determining if you should go for it or not is as follows: Go for it1) If he is all you think about 2) If you dream of kissing him 3) If you can see yourself with him, as in a relationship. Do not go for it1) If you are getting no signs of him liking you back. 2) If he does not go out of his way to see you 3) If he does not compliment you daily or often. If you see all the signs under "go for it," I suggest you do because the feelings will forever haunt you. Furthermore, if you see more signs under "do not go for it" I suggest you don't because things may get a little awkward between you two and things will change. Be careful in the decision you make because it can make you or break you. Sincerely, Belle Vie
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February 2013
If it's not broken, don't fix it CHEYENNE OWEN Editor-in-Chief We live in a day and age where we expect technology to be user friendly; electronics should be able to retrieve data instantly and apps and websites to load quickly. We especially rely on websites for easy access to our accounts and for connecting us with friends and family. As with all technology, social networks are always evolving, developing new ways for us to contact people near and far. But what happens when websites overhaul their systems for new ways to use the available functions? Social networks are almost crucial to everyday life for many. People have greater access to news they may not have heard of on TV. They talk with family over long distances, especially those students in college who travel far from home for an education. In some cases, people play games with friends they have met online and even may fall in love over great distances, websites and online chat rooms sometimes the only contact these people may have. But websites have been destroying functionality for aesthetics without considering how damaging these changes may actually be to their user base.
Changing the complete layout of a website is one of the biggest problems when upgrading. Usually these changes are merely tested out to see their function ability but in some cases they are put into permanent use without user consent, bugs intact. Over time the bugs can be fixed but the layout itself can be at the heart of the problem. Some browsers may be too outdated to accommodate the change which can be solved through a browser upgrade but even some computers may not be able to handle it, causing system lockups, frozen browsers and in worst case scenarios, crashed computers. Aside from that, users tend to expect certain things from upgrades, a new function perhaps like an integrated chat system or a new way to share pictures or documents with others. Many changes are performed without taking into account what the users want and often times never incorporating those wished for functions. The website’s look is enhanced, but not functionality.
Aesthetics are not all what make up a website and some designers fail to see this; in the process of overhauling the website they alienate their users who may move on to better site’s which offer what they want. If the website is working fine, then change is unnecessary.
Photo courtesy of dbreath.com
Photo courtesy of spacecollage.com
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Sports
Join the UB Men's Lacrosse Team KEVIN MATOS Staff Writer
Are you interested in sports? Would you like to be part of a team, but are worried about the difficulty of going through tryouts and competing against really tough division teams? Then consider joining the UB Men’s Lacrosse Team. The team is new and seeking to grow, but already has quite a bit of potential. The team’s captain, Billy Rovira, gave us some information to share with those of you who are interested in joining but aren’t completely sure whether you can. “To start off, it is basically an intramural team, meaning that we are not going to be playing against division level teams. Our current goal is to improve ourselves and have fun, and practice is usually made up of scrimmages and drills,” Rovira said. “One thing people should know is that there are no tryouts. This is just for fun, so if you feel like you want to join, join. If you are worried about not being good enough, then don’t be. Skill level is not an issue. You know, whether you’ve played before or this is your first time, you are welcome to join. And if you are worried about having to buy stuff, then don’t worry about that either. We will supply you with what you need, and we’ll be getting more equipment after spring break.” said Rovira.
“For those wondering about how practice is going be, I want them to be aware that this is a full-contact sport. Because we don’t have all of the necessary equipment right now, this is currently a minimum-contact sport. However, once we get everything we need, we’ll definitely be switching to full-contact practice,” Rovira added. Additionally, the team’s coach has plenty of experience in his field. Not only has he been playing for over 10 years and played a number of different positions, he has also founded a number of other lacrosse teams. Those of you who are interested in joining, or still have further questions, feel free to contact Billy Rovira at (609) 235-6498, or email him at brovira@bridgeport.edu.
Currently, the team has 15-20 members and has practice twice a week. Practice is on Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 9-11:15pm on Knights Field. While the cold weather has definitely had an effect on practice, they continue to practice while simultaneously looking for a better location to practice in during this winter season.
Photo courtesy of spraypaintstencils.com
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SPORTS
February 2013
Ravens defeat the 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII CURTIS MOORE Sports Editor
With football already being the most watched sport in America, it was a no brainer that the Super Bowl was the most watched telecast of the weekend. With 111.3 million people tuning into the biggest game of the year, it was by far the most watched television program in U.S history. The game took place in New Orleans, Louisiana between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers. This Super Bowl had the making of being the most exhilarating of all time. It definitely lived up to the hype that was building up between the two teams for two long weeks. Super Bowl XLVII had some interesting story lines. Ray Lewis playing his final game as a Baltimore Raven, two brothers only 15 months apart went head to head in the big game, Colin Kaepernick who started only 10 games this past season as the quarterback of the 49ers was set to play in the biggest game of his life and there was even a power outage that lasted over 30 minutes. Ray Lewis goes out on top. The longtime Baltimore Raven was the talk of Super Bowl XLVII. The future hall of famer anounced that he will retire at season’s end. When the news broke the team was devastated by the captain’s words. However, the Ravens rallied behind their captain wanting to win one more Super Bowl for him. Ray Lewis is the emotional leader of the Baltimore Ravens as
well as the anchor of their defense. There was little doubt that the Ravens were going to play inspired football for Lewis. When the game clock hit triple zero many of his teammates embraced Lewis with a hug appreciating all that he has done for the Ravens. In the end it seemed fitting that Ray Lewis went out as a Super Bowl champion. For the first time ever two brothers only 15 months apart went head to head in the Super Bowl. Jon and Jim Harbaugh led their respective teams into the biggest game of the year. Many people nicknamed it the harbowl as the top teams from the AFC and NFC battled for the Lombardi trophy. As the historic Super Bowl approached the two brothers had a press conference together, the first time in Super Bowl history that two coaches held a press conference together. Jim Harbaugh told reporters let the best man win. Unfortunately for him it was his older brother Jon who was raising the Lombardi trophy at game’s end. Colin Kaepernick walked off the field as the 49ers were defeated by the Baltimore Ravens. The 25 year old entered the league as a backup to Alex Smith. Jim Harbaugh saw Kaepernick’s potential and announced that he will be the full time starter for the 49ers. Taking over midseason he led the 49ers into the playoffs and eventually to the Super Bowl.
Kaeprnick led his team to a furious comeback but ultimately came up just short. The 49ers scored 17 unanswered points to cut the Ravens lead to two. That would be the closest the 49ers would come as their comeback came up short. As Kaepernick held his head down as he walked off the field there is no doubt that he will be back in the Super Bowl in the near future. Shortly after Beyonce took over the Super Bowl halftime show, the Superdome lost half of its power as one side of the entire stadium went dark. The delay lasted for over 30 minutes as the two teams began stretching just to keep loose. In a statement during the game the NFL said that they will investigate the power outage in the Superdome. Entergy and SMG provided a joint statement sayng, “A piece of equipment that is designed to monitor electrical load sensed an abnormality in the system. Once the issue was detected, the sensing equipment operated as designed and opened a breaker, causing power to be partially cut to the Superdome in order to isolate the issue. Backup generators kicked in immediately as designed.” Super Bowl XLVII exceeded expectations as it was a great game to watch. Both teams gave it everything they had making it one of the best Super Bowls of all time.
Photo courtesy of wilson.com
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