Ink Magazine; Vol. 2.4

cheap eats where and when the best local deals happen

a struggle for equal rights? photo essay of recent anti-discrimination protests

the real project runway designer trends by vcu 's finest

ink staff > SARA D'EUGENIO EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CHRISTINE ERICKSON MANAGING EDITOR PATRICE DALESANDRO + MELISSA TABLANTE CREATIVE DIRECTORS AMY JOYCE + TENOIYA CARTER COPY EDITORS JAIME BARNETT ARTS + CULTURE EDITOR COURTNEY MANNION V ISUAL STAFF

II

MATT SCHMIDT VISUAL STAFF

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table of contents > campus life 4

Fun classes to fill boring requirements General education classes can be frustratingly boring, but they don't have to be. VCU offers some unique and fun classes that will

contemporary issues 15

The big move (back home) Never thought you'd live with your parents again after college? Neither did we. But for some students the less than ideal job market is forcing them to consider an ug ly option: living at home " again.

help catch your inte rest.

6

MeV hospital EMT: student profile Michae l Ny is making his career goals become a reality-not without hard work of course.

16

Internet 2 Could we say goodbye to Internet freedom in the name of cybersecurity?

8

Richmond summers Sticky heat, hang ing by the river and sharing beers with friends.

Sure sounds like a summer in Richmond to me.

17

Texting and the death of dating Making a phone call to your crush can feel a little awkward, thanks to our generation's obsession with texting and technology.

10 Cutting back on education College students aren't the only ones feeling the strain of the poor economy. A surprisingly high number of education departments at VCU are having funds cut.

18

12 Happy hour: food and drinks Your official guide to the best happy hour dea ls in the city!

19

21

Smells like green spirit Global warming, going green and the US's preoccupation with the environmental revolution: which facts are the truth and which are far from it?

Protesting for equal rights : why in 2010 is there a struggle?

A photo essay that speaks of the reality of equal rights in today's age and the issues that have come to the forefront.

22

Carra Sykes: graphic artist Being techno·savvy and creative are just some of the talents necessary to become a graphic artist like the one we've featured this issue.

24

Chhoti Maa: The Spanish R&B rapper Vreni Spitting sick rhymes with some added spice, our featured musician knows how to keep the attention of her audience.

26

DIY Book-making and its uses Books are known primarily for reading, but there are many other ways to make good use of your favorite novel.

28

Internet blogging: etiquette and advice What goes online stays on line .

We've included essential facts as well as hints to help you decide what is appropriate for the world to see and what should be kept private when diving into the world of social network ing sites.

30

Video gaming year in review A look at which games had you camping outside Game Stop at ridiculous hours of the morning and which ones were just plain duds.

32

Apps : the best and the worst Facebook, iPhone and Blackberry all offer applications for your enjoyment, but some strike VCU students' fancy more than others.

34

Fashion department end of the year designs They slave over sewing mach ines and fabric samples: VCU's fashion department reveals their innovative and cutting edge garments that are sure to inspire new trends around campus.

Couchsurfing We're surfin' USA, we're surfin' all over the world! Pick your couch and head to you r destination!

INK MAGAZINE

CONTACT US

arts + culture

inkmagazine2008@gmail.com

VCU STUDENT MEDIA CENTER

twitter.com/inkmagazine

817 W. Broad st. Richmond, VA 23220 804,828,1058 ( receptionist)

issuu .com/ink_magazi ne Become a fan on Facebook

CORRECTIONS FOR ISSUE 3: Misspelling of our featured art ist's name Mari Fray Foster in the table of contents. We apologize for our mistake.

Cover by Carra Sykes

ink

exciting classes for bor ng requirements Readings in Literature: Vampire Literature

"

Courtney Mannion

Professor: Brinegar

Illustration Mike Skattum

Pre· requisite? No Don't th ink this class is all

Have you got a bunch of unappealing general education cred its that need filling, and nothing in the class bulletins seem to catch your fancy? Or maybe you have a ton of empty elective credits and have no idea

gl itter and Edward Cullen.

The semester covers a variety of vampire tales, including the very fi rst recorded vampire narrative, aptly titled The Vampyre by John Polidori.

what classes to fill them with. We've rounded up several classes that will make filling your various requirements a breeze (and maybe a little fun as well)1

"

Creative Writing: Poetry Professor: Graber Pre-requisite? Yes -- ENGL 200

and 3 credits in a 200-level literature course (or equivalent (see also: Creative W rit ing:

Fiction) Trying to woo that cute girl you saw in the Commons?

Check out this class and write her a book of sonnets!

4

ink

Topic: Horror, Film and Society

Art and Language

Death: Myth & Reality

Professor: Coogan

Professor: Adair

Professor: Spiro

Pre-requisite? Yes -- 3 credits

(Winter Intercession)

Pre-requisite? Yes--

Pre-requisite? No

in a 200-level literature .course

Professor: McKendrey

enrollment in School

Explore the way death has

(or equivalent)

Pre-requisite? No

of the Arts

been viewed throughout

What could be more

Survey the creepy, kooky,

St udents will learn to own

history, and how those views

interesting than reading and

mysterious, and spooky

the ir words and mean what

have changed in our modern

writing about the lives of

in a class all about horror.

they say by understanding

times. Note: This class can

inmates? The new perspective

Learn how the Cold War

language and its uses.

be very emotionally trying,

you gain after the class.

spawned your favorite

Critical Game Workshop: Play Culture

History of the Motion Picture Professor: Nicholas

Topic: Prison Writing

outer space fiends.

Topic: Reading Counterculture, 19S0-Present

Topic: Urban Fantasy

Professor: Ryu & Witten

(Summer Intercession)

Pre-requisite? Yes --

Pre-requisite? No

Professor: Rosatelli

Professor: Danvers

enrollment in School

This class has two parts -

Pre-requisite? Yes -- 3 credits

Pre-requisite? No

of the Arts

in a 200-level literature course (or equivalen t )

Contemporary literature with

Look into the gaming

early cinema and modern cinema, taug'ht in the fall

a focus on extraordinary

phenomena and even

and spring semeste rs,

things happening in ordinary

create your own game!

respectively. Watch some

Topic: Documentary

places this class includes film

Professor: Browder Pre-requis ite? No

tie-ins such as Donnie Darko

Topic: Artist Book

learn their impact on

and Being John Malkovich.

Professor: Zevenbergen

contemporary cinema.

Pre-requisite? Yes --

Now maybe you can show

enrollment in School

that cute movie buff that

examines the documentary

Introduction to Entrepreneurship

of the Arts

you know your stuff, too!

through various media,

Professor: Brittle

Ti red of shelling out the big

including photography

Pre-requisite? Yes junior-st anding

notebooks decorated with

get to create their own

If you've ever dreamed of

kittens and rainbows and

documentary for the class.

owning your own business,

unicorns? Now you can learn

this is the class for you .

how to make your own! Try

For the budding documentarian, th is class

and film. Students even

influential cinema and

bucks for those cute little

Discover the ins and outs

your hand at creating unique

of owning a small business

notebooks, sketch pads, or photo albums!

and how to get your own up and running.

ink

It's just about dinnertime at the Bensley-Bermuda station in Chester, Va., and the Volunteer Rescue Squad

Christine Erickson Photo Christine Erickson Photo Josh Lewis fJdgC "7t;t

. gathers around the table, joining hands to say grace. As soon as the prayer is complete, the squad prepares to dig in to their home-cooked meal, but the second they pick up their utensils, the phone rings.

Emergency Dispatch Communications lets them know their station is closest to the scene, and so the squad drops their forks, gets up from the table, and leaves their untouched meal to go to the caller's rescue.

6

ink

the station: "We had just gotten in from

year more than 300,000 Americans

for Michael Ny, VCU student

a call, so it was around 9 a.m . and the

experience sudden cardiac arrest,

and president of the junior

squad was sleeping. I woke up to heavy

and a large majority of them die with in

squad for Bensley-Bermuda

banging on the door, thinking it was one

minutes, according to the American

Volunteer Rescue.

of my crewmates, until I got closer and

Heart Association. " Because we encounter it so much,

his is a very common scenario

Although he is not currently in VCU's

heard someone screaming 'Help me!'

paramedic program, he will begin either

After running back to wake some of the

you can't invest that much energy and

t his summer or fall. In the mean time, Ny

others up, we opened the door and a 45

emotion on every patient," Michael sa id.

has been training to be an Emergency

year-old man falls on his knees on the

"You just can't help some things; it's just

Medical Technician since his junior year

floor, with blood on his face , pants, arms-

the nature of the field."

o f high school.

everywhere, and there was an 8 to 10

Michael is now a certified EMT, and this

inch laceration across his face. The man

is his third year as president. The junior

something with medici.ne, but what

was on a ladder, cutting tree branches

squad has grown significantly since then.

did it for me was when my dad got

with a chainsaw, and when he lost his

si ck, and had a stroke twice, " he said.

balance and fell, the chainsaw fell with

"Someone could make good grades

" Then my mother was diagnosed with CML leukemia. I didn't know what to

him. If he didn't have safety glasses on,

but not know anything about medicine.

he would have lost an eye."

" I always knew I wanted to do

m ake of it."

After enrolling in an EMT course ,

But the job is not all physical: it also requires a lot of emotional stability. Each

"I want kids exposed to this ," he said.

I want to raise more awareness about what you're getting into, and help decide if medicine is right for you."

Michael immediately began to find things falling into place. "With all the bad things happening, I'd never felt more right at that point in my life."

Emergency Medical Technicians are instructed to treat, stabilize and transport patients until they can recieve hospital care. Training begins with the basic skills necessary to provide medical c are. It 's important that these skills are mastered before any advanced life support program . " It's called practice for a reason because every time you're out there, you learn something new," he said.

Every other Saturday, Michael volunteers at one of their three stations, anticipating anywhere from one to ten calls , ranging from 15 minutes to four hours.

"I like the idea of unknown ," he said, "that mentality of not knowing keeps you sharp. " While some ca lls are non-emergency issues such as checking blood pressure or taking temperature, not every day is so easy. In fact, on one of the most exasperating days, he never even left

!! With all the bad things

happening! rd never felt more right at that point in my life, " inll

FAMILIAR AND LESS FAMILIAR Teddy Gregson Photo Courtney Mannion While recently going through clothing, I stumbled upon a wel l-worn pair of frayed jean cut-offs. I hesitated slightly and then came to my five senses with a full-blown hit of fresh Belle Isle around me.

I was sudden ly back in the summer months in Richmond; when the air hugs you with a blanket of warmth and the sun glistens off your skin with a slight glowing effect.

Those new to Richmond and veterans concur on the same nature parks in the area.

These are just a few of my favorite spots in the area to bask in the sun.

BELLE ISLE

TEXAS BEACH

Many Richmonders will agree

Richmond also offers the

HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY

that wasting away at Belle Isle

North Bank Park at the edge

This is one of my all-time

is a great way to spend

South Randolph . Better

favorite spots in Richmond.

a summer day.

known as Texas Beach,

Nothing else as serene and

If you have yet to visit Belle

though barely enough beach

beautiful exists in all of the

Isle, it is a 54-acre island

to consider it that, the trails

city. This cemetery, located

with plenty of trails, beaches,

follow the train tracks behind

just off of Cherry St. a few

and best of all , boulders to

the beautiful Maymont Park

blocks from campus in

climb and explore. Besides

and leads into Riverview Cemetery. This park is known

never crowded like other

for great mountain biking as

locations such as Bell

beautiful scenery and hiking opportunities, there is the James River, great

well as hiking trails. Warning:

Isle or North Bank Park.

for swimming, rafting or

the trails are long and it will

This cemetery is known

kayaking. The animals and

wear you out by the end. Also,

specifically for its gothic

people live in tandem and

be sure to wear comfortable shoes with some traction

landscape and graves.

A gO-foot pyramid made

because most of the trails are uneven and rocky.

of granite to commemorate

on a good day a blue heron may be visible on the beach.

For history buffs, the island

stands erect within the

Smith originally explored the Isle in the 17th century, the

depths of the cemetery.

site housed a nail factory in

different paths, be sure to

Also, while exploring the

the 18 th century, and later a

see the mysterious statue

village with a general store

of a black dog watching over

and school. It was also home

a young girl's grave.

for captured Union soldiers.

A visit can be a pleasurable experience for ghost enthusiasts and history lovers alike.

ink

fallen Confederate soldiers

has an interesting past. John

to a Civil War prison camp

8

Oregon Hill, is surprisingly

FAMILIAR AND LESS FAMILIAR Teddy Gregson Photo Courtney Mannion

While recently going through clothing, I stumbled upon a well-worn pair of frayed jean cut-offs. I hesitated slightly and then came to my five senses with a full-blown hit of fresh Belle Isle around me.

I was suddenly back in the summer months in Richmond; when the air hugs you with a blanket of warmth and the sun glistens off your skin with a slight glowing effect.

Those new to Richmond and veterans concur on the same nature parks in the area.

These are just a few of my favorite spots in the area to bask in the sun.

BELLE ISLE

TEXAS BEACH

Many Richmonders wil l agree

Richmond also offers the

HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY

Maymont is overflowing

PONY PASTURE RAPIDS

MEADOW FARM MUSEUM

that wasting away at Belle Isle

North Bank Park at the edge

This is one of my all-time

with outdoor opportunities.

Just lO minutes out of

If you're a real go-getter,

Henrico, VA 23227

is a great way to spend

South Randolph. Better

favo rite spots in Richmond.

Located at the edge of Byrd

the city, there are great

there are great spots for

Three Lakes is a great

a summer day.

known as Texas Beach ,

Nothing else as serene and

Park, this was the 100-acre

alternatives for the beach

outdoor exploration in

aquarium and nature center

If you have yet to visit Belle

though barely enough beach

beautiful exists in all of the

Victorian country estate

over the summer. Pony

Henrico County and Glenn

that claims to combine the "worlds of air, water and land"

MAYMONT

THREE LAKES 400 Sausiluta Drive

Isle, it is a 54-acre island

to consider it that, the trails

city. This cemete r y, located

of James Henry Doo ley.

Pasture Rapids might rival any

Allen . One of my favorites

with plenty of trails, beaches ,

follow the train tracks behind

just off of Cherry St. a few

A petting zoo, Japanese

other bathing locations on the

growing up was the Meadow

with a variety of exhibits

and best of all, bou lders to

the beautiful Maymont Park

blocks from campus in

gardens, a nature center

river because of the rushing

Farm Museum and Crump

demonstrating the plant and

climb and explore. Besides

and leads into Riverview

Oregon Hill, is surprisingly

and hay rides are a few of

water that creates small

Park including an historic

animal life in the area as well

beautiful scenery and

Cemetery. This park is known

never crowded like other

the many benefits of such

pockets similar to jet streams

farmhouse and museum

as a 50,000 gallon aquarium .

hiking opportunities , there

for great mountain biking as

locations such as Bell

a well-preserved Richmond

from a Jacuzzi. If you enjoy

that facilitates many exhibits and activities throughout

is the James River, great

well as hiking trails . Warning :

Isle or North Bank Park.

city property. Increase

bird watching , this is also a

for swimming, rafting or

the trails are long and it will

This cemetery is known

the enjoyment of future

great spot to hide behind a

the year. Volunteer

kayaking. The animals and

wear you out by the end . Also,

specifically for its gothic

Maymont trips by visiting

pair of binoculars. V isitors

opportunities are available

people live in tandem and

be sure to wear comfortable

landscape and graves .

the Romanesque mansion,

occasionally get a glimpse of

in the organized Agricultural

on a good day a blue heron

shoes with some traction

A 90-foot pyramid made

built by the Dooleys. Three

a Bald Eagle perched amidst

Guild, and meet weekly to

may be visible on the beach.

because most of the trails

of granite to commemorate

decades were spent filling

the scenery. Rafting, kayaking

tend to the gardens and

For history buffs , the island

are uneven and rocky.

fallen Confederate soldiers

the interior with art and

and fishing are just some

crops abounding in the park .

has an interesting past. John

stands erect within the

goods from around the world .

activities you may consider

Smith originally explored the

depths of the cemetery.

There are tours offered from

while traversing the rapids.

Isle in the

Also, while exploring the

1 p.m. -5 p .m. Tuesday

site housed a nail factory in

different paths, be sure to

through Sunday.

the 18 t h century, and later a

see the mysterious statue

17th

century, the

village with a general store

of a black dog watching over

and school. It was also home

a young girl's grave.

to a Civil War prison camp for captured Union soldiers .

A visit can b e a pleasurable experience for ghost enthusiasts and history lovers alike.

8

ink

ink :

9

PONY PASTURE RAPIDS

MEADOW FARM MUSEUM

THREE LAKES

Maymont is overflowing

with outdoor opportunities.

Just 10 minutes out of

If you're a real go-getter,

Henrico, VA 23227

MAYMONT

400 Sausiluta Drive

Located at the edge of Byrd

the city, there are great

there are great spots for

Three Lakes is a great

Park, this was the lOO-acre

alternatives for the beach

outdoor exploration in

aquarium and nature center

Victorian country estate

over the summer. Pony

Henrico County and Glenn

that claims to combine the

of James Henry Dooley.

Pasture Rapids might rival any

Allen. One of my favorites

"worlds of air, water and land"

A petting zoo, Japanese

other bathing locations on the

growing up was the Meadow

with a variety of exhibits

gardens, a nature center

river because of the rushing

Farm Museum and Crump

demonstrating the plant and

and hay rides are a few of

water that creates small

Park including an historic

animal life in the area as well

the many benefits of such

pockets similar to jet streams

farmhouse and museum

as a 50,000 gallon aquarium.

a well-preserved Richmond

from a Jacuzzi. If you enjoy

that facilitates many exhibits

city property. Increase

bird watching, this is also a

and activities throughout

the enjoyment of future

great spot to hide behind a

the year. Volunteer

Maymont trips by visiting

pair of binoculars. Visitors

opportunities are available

the Romanesque mansion,

occasionally get a glimpse of

in the organized Agricultural

built by the Dooleys. Three

a Bald Eagle perched amidst

Guild, and meet weekly to

decades were spent filling

the scenery. Rafting, kayaking

tend to the gardens and

the interior with art and

and fishing are just some

crops abounding in the park.

goods from around the world.

activities you may consider

There are tours offered from

while traversing the rapids.

, p.m. -5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

ink

9

T

he cinema department is one of

the most fortunate on campus , but it sti ll faces hunger on the

Bola Hanson is a student who belongs to the interdisciplinary studies program, which allows students to design the ir own

savannah. It cannot pay a T.A. t o man

majors if VCU does not already offer a

the computer lab more than a few paltry

similar program.

hours a week . Pouting, I head to Cabell

"B.1.5 [majors] already have the problem

library's MRS stations after the cinema

of not belong ing to the majors of the

lab closes. Unfortunately, those

classes we register for," she said. "We end

computers don't offer the full range of

[up] having to get overrides. With fewer

applications I need, but I cope with the

classes, it takes us B.I.S degree-seeking

available resources. White-tail deer,

students even longer to graduate."

after all, have been known to eat salmon in extreme cases.

Hilary Stallings, a theatre major, said, "The budget cuts [have] a major impact

I also have to swallow and deal in the

on the theatre department. We had to use

Eng lish department, where my second

a track for Ain't Misbehavin' as opposed

major and creative writing minor lie.

to a live band, which completely changes

This semester, I have a whopping 50

the atmosphere. It was still a great show,

students in my 300-level, discussion-

but it wou ld've been better with a live

based literature class, with just one

band. Thankfully, we get to use a live band

professor and no T.A. Luckily,

for Tommy, but they were talking about

J

have an

entertain ing, knowledgeable teacher and

using a track for that , too. And they've

severa l articulate, well-read classmates .

cut back on the number of shows [we

But stil l ... 50 people. I anticipate book -

perform]. I have a feeling the reason we're

heaving herds in my literature courses

collaborating with Barksdale [Theatre] on

next semester, too.

When I asked the English professor in charge of the VCU Glasgow Artist and Writer Workshop if the Engl ish department was offering scholarships for

The Grapes of Wrath is because that's the

only way we could get enough funding to

[perform it]."

That's proof, then, that I'm not the on ly one frowning at the near-empty

the summer program, he laughed. Then

waterhole. From here on out, it's just

his face quickly assumed a helpless and

"survival of the fittest."

pitiful expression. How could the answer not be "no"?

In my French minor, I know I only have a chance at enrolling in the classes I need because of priority registration (Thank you, Honors Co llege). One of my friends, a declared French major since her freshman year, was not able to sign up for a sing le French class for two consecut ive semesters. There were simply too few classes available.

Before I enro lled in the Honors College, all active students received a $500 stipend for studying abroad. That, too, is as dead as a dinosaur now. At least they haven't removed the 20 -student cap on Honors classes yet. But does that also lie in the near future?

This is not just a weak ling's whine-a-thon, however. Everybody, in every department, graduate and undergraduate, is suffering at least a tad right now.

" Everybody, in every department, graduate and undergraduate, is suffering at least " a tad right now. inll

"

Mojo's www.mojotogo.com 733 W. Cary St. If you're sti ll craving tacos but it's not Monday, hit up Mojo's and quell your craving! Right down the street from the Cary Street Gym, Mojo's offers dollar tacos on Wednesdays as well

as $4 7-inch cheeses teaks. If you come in on a Thursday, you can receive 10% off your entire order from 4 p.rn until closing time. Yeah. baby!

Cous COUS www.couscous900.com 900 W. Franklin St. Had enough Shafer for the week? Head right down Shafer St. to Cous Cous! Located in the same building as the V irg inia Book Company, this Mediterranean restaurant has some awesome weekly specials, including vegetarian dishes every Wednesday and "Facebook Group" dinner spec ials every Tuesday, where deals vary week ly for their online friends. Come to Cous Cous on Mondays for Mystery Beer N ight: a different beer for $1!

Europa www.europaricmond.com 1409 E. Cary St. Europa is a relaxed Italian cafe/bar located in Shockoe Bottom

Little Mexico

w ith a tapas menu featuring over 30 selections. Tapas are sma ll, appetizer-sized dishes served together to make up an entire

www.littlemexicova.com 1328 W. Cary St. Located five blocks from Monroe Park campus, this unique restaurant provides a fun atmosphere along with weekly taco

and enchilada specials, Mondays are dollar taco days, and every Wednesday you can head into Litt le Mexico for dollar enchi ladas and PBRs. Eat Upl

Sticky Rice www.ilovestickyrice.com 2232 W. Main St. Sticky Rice is a cool, urban sushi restaurant r ight down Main Street. This popular spot offers half-price sushi during "Sushi

Heaven" from 10:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. Seats fill up pretty quickly. so you definitely want to get there early!

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mea l, and t hey're incredibly fun to order wi t h friends! Come in on Sunday for tapas night and get half-off all tapas. On Monday night. all pasta dishes are $9. On Tuesday, take a date o ut fo r a t hree-cou rse d inner for $16 per person, and for another $16, share a bottle of Wine. And on Thursday nights, ladies, starting at 5 p.m., get your girls together for a nig ht out. Buon Apet it o!

Strawberry Street Cafe www.strawberrystcafe.com

421 Strawberry St. Tucked in the hea rt of the Fan, th is cute ca fe offers class Ic American fare and t he best buffets. Come In on a Monday for half-off burgers and qUiche. Col lege students and p rofessors can meet up (yeah, rig ht!) on Tuesdays, and wit h a flas h o f you r VCU ID, get 20% off the entire c heck! And don't miss the bathtub salad bar! It sounds strange b ut for on ly $8.95, you get endless salad, sou p, fresh fruits and veggies daily.

Capital Ale House www.capitalalehouse.com 623 E. Main St.

Th is orig inal pub is located right in down t ow n Ric hmond, and offers a variety of beer from their "beer garden" and p ub-sty le fare fo r reasonable prices. Head in on a Monday for a dea l that can't be beat: doll ar burgers (really !) st arti ng at 5 p.m., and free park ing after 4 p.m. at the 6th and Cary St. park ing deck. Can't ge t m uch better t han that!

Curbside Cafe www.curbsiderichmond.com

2525 Hanover Ave. Become a reg ular at th is cozy neighborhood grill and cafe Located in the Fan. th is loca lly owned restaurant offers weekly specials to die for. Monday night offers provides 35-cent wings and ha lf-p rice q uesadillas , Sick of tacos yet? Is t hat even a va lid question? Hop on in on a Tuesday for 7S-cent tacos! Wednesday is burger night, where you can c how down on a half-price burger.

On Saturdays and Su ndays, yo u can order an appetizer fo r halfprice. All specials are offered from 5 p.m. - 10 p.m., and dri nk spec ials are served every day from 5 p.m. - 9 p.m.

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iN!

Many post-grads are

head-on by participating in "the big move," No, this isn't the facing the recession move to a college dorm or even a new apartment in Manhattan.

This is the move back into their childhood bedroom.

For this reason , we're called "the Boomerang Generation," Some dread it, but regardless, the transition can be a smooth one jf made right.

Truth is, many of us are graduating at one of the hardest economic times, so finding a job is difficult. to say the least.

The time between "occupation: student" and "occupation: dream job" is going to be longer than we may have planned.

Moving back home just might be the best solution.

According to the Census Bureau's American Housing Survey conducted in 2003, post·grads and persons over the age of 18 living at home has risen to approximately 16 million fami lies.

The benefits in many ways do outweigh the drawbacks, depending on how one looks at it. Moving home is a good way to save money, and a great way to start paying back the debt of college loans, which begin to haunt grads after the hat toss at graduation.

Students nearing graduation as well as post-grads keep hearing it, and there are even dozens of websites dedicated to it: networking is the key to employment. But networking takes time, and having a familiar support system to help you out can make it that much easier. It'll be easier to settle back into your old community, and you never know: someone back home might just be well-connected.

Don't expect living at home to be just like it was before you left. Everyone - including health insurance companies consider you an official adult, and it's time to start acting like one. In the short time you've been away, you've all changed.

Consider living with your parents to be the same as it would be with any other roommate. Offer to help around the house or with younger siblings. Be polite and respectful. If you are li ving there for free, be sure to discuss some ground rules to get off to the right start. Discuss things like guests, bills and how long you plan to stay.

If your parents are asking for rent money, discuss exactly what that entai ls. Does paying rent all ow you to throw parties in their basement every Saturday night? There are sample rental contracts available online that you and your family can use to create one together. Most of all, try not to be bitter about having to pay rent in your own home. After all, you could be paying a lot more. A one-bedroom apartment in Northern Virginia is somewhere between $900 per month and higher. In Norfolk, prices are less expensive, but rarely below $700 per month.

Whether you flock back to the nest or risk it on your own, know that you probably have a safe place to land postgraduation and that most likely, your family will be excited to have you back home. Above all else, don't look at it as a failure. Rather, view it is as transitioning to the rest of your life.

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internet 2 and you Matt Schmidt Illustration Matt Schmidt Could we say goodbye to Internet freedom in the name of cybersecurity?

There has been a lot of discussion from the U.N. and Internet providers about net neutrality and a greater control of cybersecurity. In late February, CNN ran a television special on cyber security, threatening that our nation could lose everything from transportation to electricity if one of our power grids were to fail.

Outside America, other countries have already implemented tactics on cyber security. Italy has implemented Internet licenses to upload video content, while Australia is currently setting up a licensing system for the Internet Additionally, they are filtering webs ites, such as Wikileaks, a website that anonymously publishes sensitive governmental, corporate, organizational and religious documents for a limited time. Back in 2008, when the U.K. was complaining about China's web censorship, London's St. Pancras International, one of the biggest transport hubs in the West, blocked a large majority of mildly politically-alternative websites such as thinkprogressive.com.

So, what's happening in the United States?

There are many figureheads calling for Internet licenses in order to get online, such as Time Magazine, the New York Times, the United Nations, and even Bill Gates. Near the end of January, Bill Gates supported China's web censorship. Also, the Head Technology officer at Microsoft,

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during the Davos conference and UN meetings, agreed with UN's suggestion to sign in with an Internet 10.

With these licenses, "lnternet2," a new network, would be created. One would obtain a subdomain with a major carrier, and the new carrier would be able to shut down websites whenever it wanted .

Essentially, it's like You Tube or Facebook, where one can register an account, but the site may delete the profile or videos that one has uploaded .

In addition to the licenses issued from Internet2, the U.S. Congress is voting to pass a cybersecurity bill that could affect citizens' Internet freedom.

With more than 400 votes for the cyber security bill in the House of Representatives, only five members were opposed to the bill. These five members were also the only ones to read the bill in its entirety.

At opencongress.com, where the cybersecurity bi ll can be read in its entirety, 94% of the public has voted against it, which clearly isn't representative of what Congress has expressed.

As for what the bill specifically proposes, it gives the president of the United States the ability to "declare a cybersecurity emergency," and limit or even completely shut down Internet traffic in any "critica l" information network "in the interest of national security."

The bill does not define a critical information network or a cybersecurity emergency. That definition is left to the president's discretion.

The bill also states that the FCC (Federal Communications Commission)

and NIST (National Institute of Standards in Techno logy) would be in charge of this new Internet. All software would be regulated through NIST standards.

It also states the Department of Homeland Security would recruit students, from kindergarten to college, to join their "Federal Cyber Scholarship for Service" program to train the next generation of federal information and security managers. In this program, students would be certified in meeting federal information workforce standards, and would track American blogs and websites to filter disinformation and monitor all Internet activity.

What information might children consider disinformation?

In 2008, Cass Sunstein, President Obama's Advisor of Information and Regulatory Affairs, wrote in a paper that our government might ban conspiracy theories or impose a tax on conspiracy theorists. He stated multiple conspiracy theories such as "man-made global wa rming is a fraud ." Even though a majority of the people are realizing global warming has lost its validity, may they sti ll be labeled as "conspiracy theorists"?

I thought the I nternet was about free speech no matter what your beliefs are.

Although the government created the Internet, we pay enough taxes to use it freely. The government is slowly taking the Internet away from us by introducing these draconian laws.

To learn more, research groups like "Save the Internet," which have been protesting this bill for a while. It's time to save net neutrality.

the death of dating

citizens of a new age Dena Spruill Ph oto Jaime Barnett Once upon a time, there was a custom called dating. When Cupid's arrow hit two unsuspecting souls, the ritual began.

A male suitor would call on a young woman and ask her on a date. The typical rendezvous might involve a night on the town complete with dinner and a movie, or maybe even a night of dancing. Then, if all went well, the night would conclude with the goodnight kiss. Success! The dreaded f irst date is complete.

However, it's been my experience that this is becoming a non-existent occurrence in today 's society. Dating, as we perhaps never truly knew it, is becoming extinct. In its place, w e're left with the hook-up culture.

Collegiate hook-up culture is rampant. It used to be that you met someone you liked, and then went on a few dates to get to know them. Now you hook -up first. and maybe go on a few dates afterward. Does anyone else see this as a little backwards?

It seems we've lost the ability to simply ask someone out and get to know them.

So what's the cause of the dating culture's slow demise?

A writer for the New York Times attributed it to "the collapse of advanced planning, lopsided gender ratios on campus, delaying marriage, relaxing values and sheer momentum," all of which make for significant contributing factors. However, the writer failed to factor in the effects technology has also had on this phenomenon. One of the major cont r ibuting factors in the growth of this new social norm is the technology that we love and hold so dear: Facebook, Twitter, SMS messaging ... all of t hese forms of social media and communication provide us with more and more ways to disconnect from personal contact.

We are thus gifted the inability to deal with life face-to-face.

Don't get me wrong, I text just as much as the next person, but using this as the main means of communication with

a few tips for proper texting etiquette As king So m eone O ut: So, you met someone at Friday night's art gallery show, you exchanged numbers. and now you're thinking it's time to ask for a date. It may be easier on the nerves to shoot someone a request via text, but oftentimes, this just sends out the wrong message. Save the date plans for those traditional phone conversations that we seem to increasingly avoid.

Ca nce llatio n: Texting is not an excuse to be rude. If you don't want to see someone, call them to cancel plans.

someone we're interested in dating is probably not the best idea. We've become too addicted to put the phone down! In 2008, Vibes Media, a company that helps businesses market themselves through SMS, reported that since 2001, the number of text messages sent in the United States has risen from about a million a month to 75 billion.

While texting has become an extremely useful tool , SMS can be impersonal and leaves way too much room for misinterpretation. Think about it. Can you really get to know someone through a text message? Granted, texting has its advantages in relat ionships. It's useful for flirting and connecting when you really can't talk. It's great for making plans, quick confirmations, and great for throwing out a short message to someone.

Nevertheless, when this form of communication is abused, it mostly just gets in the way. Whereas we used to "drunk dial", there is now the "drunk text," and in place of the "booty call" we have late-night "booty texts." And due to the difficulty of interpreting a person's tone through text , it can be hard to tell who's looking to get to know you and who's just looking to get some. Be classy in your approach. Texting is all about short conversations; it's not a total replacement for phone conversations. When it comes time to setup a date, be brave.

Pick up the phone and call!

Dating in this new age is a complex process, arguably even more difficult than in the past. W ith all the games we play and all the ways we can communicate, the dating realm can be a murky, thorny underworld of confusion. However, one thing is for sure. In our society where constant contact is a necessity, texting as a form of communication is here to stay. But don't throw your love life out the window by inadvertently showing that you're uneducated in the sphere of texting.

Dat e Etiquette: You're hanging out with someone you're interested in. and you're so excited you decide to text your friend every detail of your date.

It should go without saying, this is a big no-no. Never text while you're on a date if you want the person to think you're interested!

And even if you're not interested, don·t be rude. At least run off to the restroom and text privately!

Play ing It Safe: Texting is one of the most widely misinterpreted forms of communication out there. It's hard to decipher the tone of someone's message through simply reading words on a screen. To be safe, save the jokes for face-to-face interaction.

Const ant Co ntact: Ever had someone blow up your phone

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with text messages all day long that have no real significance?

Do not text every facet of your day to someone you're dating, or anyone for t hat matter. Keep your texts to a minimum.

Patiently Waiting : So, you've been engaging in a text-a-thon

everyone keeps constant track of their text messages.

Sometimes, there are simply

a call! Whatever the reason, you' ll get your answer, allowing you and your friends to rest

a relationship, be classy about your approach. Texting is not an avenue for breaking up with

with that new girl you met on Saturday. She st opped texting you mid-conversation and now

not enough hours in the day (something college students should be well aware of).

Left in the Dark: If you haven't heard from someone you texted in a few days, don't immediately panic. They may have forgotten to t ext you back in the midst

someone! It's cowardly. The same goes for email, Facebook messages and Twitter tweets.

None of these methods will passably end ties with someone.

As much as we may not want to, sometimes we've got to swallow that grown-up pi ll

it's Thursday and you're still waiting for a reply. Just because you text someone, it doesn't mean they're going to reply. Not

of late-night studying for final exams. Instead of pondering why you haven't heard from them, pick up the phone and give them

from worrying.

All in Your Feelings : As much as you may feel the need to gush about your inner-most feelings through SMS, leave the heart-to-heart conversation for face-to-face contact (or at least ear-to-ear).

And the Number One Rule : Break-ups are hard, uncomfort able, and messy.

If the time has come to end

and do the right thing.

Smells like Green Spirit ... and Deceit Matt Schmidt Illustration Matt Schmidt

With one of the coldest winters upon us in 25 years, more people have become very skeptic about the "science" behind global warming.

O

n Nov. 19 2009, two hackers

of adding in the real temps (sic) to each

film An Inconvenient Truth. The graph

obtained thousands of emails

series for the last 20 years (ie from 1981

depicted a strong increase in temperature

and documents from the Climate

onwards) and from 1961 for Keith's to

beginning in the mid-1800s. However, the

Research Unit at East Anglia University in Norwich, England. Several emails

hide the decline."

Another email describes the CRU's

"hockey stick" formed on this graph by the increase is dwarfed when presented

exposed that the scientists had cooked

effort to hide other scientific research

the numbers to show an extreme

inconclusive to global warming trends:

"Medieval Warming Period" from around

incline in temperature since the

"We will keep [skeptics' research] out

850 - 1200 A.D.

Industrial Revolution.

somehow-even if we have to redefine

Phil Jones, director of the Cl imate Research Unit (CRU) and a professor in

what the peer-review literature is!"

The exposure of these emails is also

with the greater temperatures of the

With 31,000 scientists or more who oppose global warming, people can no longer deny that this email scandal has

the School of Environmental Sciences

the smoking gun for the many criminal

at the University of East Anglia, wrote

attempts to fix temperature trends.

hoax. Why would they attempt to make

an email to his colleague which stated:

Some may remember Michael Mann's

up this hoax?

"I've just completed Mike's Nature trick

"hockey stick" graph, shown in AI Gore's

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brought to light the global warming

The United Nations documents and

the Club of Rome documents from 1991

warming predictions to put political

state a private group of banks, including

pressure on world leaders.

Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan and others

Dr. La l said: "It related to several

of 2009. Secretary General of the U.N ..

Ban Ki Moon, said this meeting would establish "global governance."

are financing this movement. In the mid

countries in this region and their water

Former U.S. Vice President AI Gore,

90·s. Ken Lay of EN RON and AI Gore

referring to climate change, proclaimed,

came up with a new form of derivatives

sources. We thought that if we can highlight it, it wi ll impact policy~makers

based on carbon credits. By creating a

and politicians and encourage them to

drive the change. And , one of the

system of carbon credits, a global treaty

take some concrete action."

"It is the awareness itself that will ways it will drive the change is

would essentially place a 2% tax on every

Recently, Jones admitted there

country's gross domestic product (GOP).

hasn't been a significant increase

On Jan. 24 2010. the Daily Mail published

in temperatures to prove global

decided at the conference, the leaders

an interview with Dr. Murari Lal, the

warming since 1995.

Declared by the U.N. as "the most

of the world all believe that we must

coordinating lead author of the report's chapter on As ia. The interview proved

important meeting in history," leaders

to help our planet Earth.

the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on

gathered at the Copenhagen Climate

Climate Change) had lied about global

Change Conference in early December

through global governance."

Even though nothing concrete was

form a global governance structure

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a drink .

There is however, and emergency board available adults and college

requested that their

on the website in the case

location is confirmed. The

of unreliable people.

students. What poses a

seen on blog pages, with

problem in most instances

pictures and contact

member is then sent a

is a lack funds to support

information displayed

postcard with a code on it.

to Rome,

such adventures. A project

at the members' discretion.

Going to the couchsurfing

who was an ambassador and a tour guide for

"When I decided to go t

found this guy

known as Couchsurfing

People who have hosted

website and typing in

can help ease the struggle.

others or have been hosted

the given code allows

the Vatican.. he had

can also leave their friends

the member to become

hundreds and hundreds of

worldwide network of

recommendations, which

officially verified.

people offering their

gives others reassurance

Couch surfing is a

Don't fret if traveling

references,"said Brittany Fulk, a VCU junior. "So I

homes, and couches, for

when requesting to

plans are made in haste!

went to Rome and I figured

travelers to stay the night.

stay over.

"Everybody that I've

Many couchsurfing

he would answer his

Stays are generally only for a day or two. While it

met, like the girl I stayed

is possible to "couchsurf,"

with first in Baltimore,

unofficially joining the

most of her friends were

couchsurfing website,

couch surfers as well," said

www.couchsurfing.org"

Leigh Rawls, a VCU cinema

opens up a world of

major. "So t ended up ..

possibilities .

getting to know them .1 just

"I hosted this kid who was backpacking without any money, and he spent eight months going across country," said Adam

Couchsurfing is a worldwide network of people offering their homes, and couches, for travelers to stay the night.

didn't expect everyone to be so nice and welcoming."

To get references when first beginning the

hosts don't mind short notification . A simple message the day

phone, [but] he never did."

For those antsy to travel the States or even the

couchsurfing adventure,

before arrival is often

world, couchsurfing

it's a good idea to sign

enough notice.

can be a useful tool to

Tremper, a VCU junior.

"Literally, he started in

up with a friend and join

Wisconsin and went all

the network together,

Oftentimes, those traveling will contact more

help curb costs, as well as meeting all sorts of

the way down to Florida,

then write each other

than one person in their

friends along the way.

California, [and] all the

references. This will make

Get connected:

way to Alaska. [H]e was

other members more likely

destination to ensure that they'll have a place to stay

gone for so long and he

to request your couch.

for the night. However,

spent no money.

"We [also] hosted a kid

To provide members

www.couchsurfing.com

it's not uncommon to get

with an added sense of

a couchsurfing request, and then not hear back

from Thailand who was

security, the website offers

coming to look at schools,

members the chance to

from the individual. Some

and he just didn't have

become "verified." This

'surfers might just want

money to stay in a hotel,

means that the member

to meet up for coffee or

inl4

21

Jaime Burnett Type Illustration Melissa Tablante Major/Concentration

school. Boredom seems to

design. I had heard about a

same interests as m ine and

non -profit called To Write

perhaps do some personal

push creativity in my life. I

Love On Her Arms and the

art on the side. I want to

make sure there are creative

design was a really strong

travel and live in new places.

voice for the organization.

There are so many options,

outlets outside Of school so I have places to get rid of stress. There usually isn't too

Knowing what graphic design

I just have to break through

can do for non-profits really

the limitations, you know?

much extra outlet time, but it

How did you start and

pushed my heart to go into

Adventures are ahead!

does happen.

discover that you wanted be a designer?

it as my major.

How do you keep your

As a kid my imagination led

What kind of work do

What are your favorite sources of inspiration?

Graphic Design

me to making and designing

you plan to pursue with

things, so going to school for design was a natural reaction

your skills?

I would love to help out non-

after grade school. I had

profits as much as J can as

creative life when you're working under pressure?

My imagination still runs

colors, patterns, warriors,

wild with me, and I enjoy

fashion, forts

Jesus, child-like fai t h, Ireland,

being a kid at 22. Pressure

originally gone to school for

well as pursue some more

is constantly around with

What other advice can you

fashion design in Raleigh,

hands on kind of design.

deadlines and I think it's what

give to prospective students

J

N.C. but then soon realized

would enjoy working for a

pushes the need for creativity

thinking about an education

I wanted to get into graphic

company or firm with the

with general projects and

and career in graphic design?

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III

A llow room for exploration

an d adventu res . Dude, have fun ! Because sometimes the re are days where you will be burnt out. and there has to be something to spark inspi ration and remind you

why you chose to dive into desig n as you r education and future career. Don't limit yo urself to projects that wi ll

pleas e your professors and ma ke the grade. Take risks!

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SHE IS DAZZLING, A LYRICAL MAESTRO,

LADIES AND I PRESENT: Omid Khanzadeh Photos Courtney Mannion When I met up w it h 2l-year

old Vre ni Miche lin i, I thought to myself, "How come there aren't more Mexican f emale hip- hop ar t ists?" Artist ical ly, Vren i is simply o ne of the best Richmond has righ t now. Musical ly. she is simply f lawless. Vreni's passion and her soul fu l approac h remind me of a young Lauryn Hill, while her beautiful voice is reminiscent of Gonjasufi. And with th e abilities to make wonderfu l beats and to hype

up any aud ience, Vreni ha s found herself one of the top m usicia ns in Richmond. Vren i

Richmond, she's worked with

My name is Vreni Michelini.

Where did the name Chhoti Maa come from, and was it your first choice as your stage name?

the likes of Marble Mummy,

and I am a senior in the PA &

Chhoti Maa is Hindi for "little

PR department at VCU. I am

mother," or in Spanish, mamacita.

has already co ll aborated with

Richmond's Ann u, Rasul. Mill z, and Ch ino, and outs ide of

Sparkz and Valone

Listen to music and stay up to date with future performances by Chhoti Maa at www.myspace.com/ chhotimaa .

Can you introduce yourself, and tell everyone how you got into making music?

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Pachamama.

orig inally from Guanajuato,

It has multip le meanings. It wasn't

Mexico, [but I've lived in] EI

my first stage name. I've gone

Who in particular influenced you in making music and rapping? Who are you currently listening to?

I listen to a lot. so it's hard for

Paso and Dallas, Texas; Albany,

through a couple of really bad

Georgia; Harrisonburg, Virginia

ones: Vren imaa and Tryptich,

me to tell you that only a certain

and now Richmond. I got into

for example.

artist or a sty le influ enced me.

are my grandma Abi, Lauryn

they were students I got to take

What are the topics you mostly talk about in your music?

Orishas, Erykah Badu, Oscar Chavez, the Roots, Bjork, Billie

The artists that come to mind

music when I was pretty young.

Both my parents were finishing school in Mexico, and because

24

identity and cultures, who I am, and reconnecting with

Hill, Mala Rodriguez, Princesa,

piano, wooden flute lessons

The pieces in Spanish are like

and chorus all for free. Later,

the ones in English. They dea l

Holiday, Portishead , Destiny's

when I moved to Georgia,

with a range of subjects, like the

Child, RL Burnside, Clara Smith, Maria Dolores Pradera, Chopin ,

I was in the high school chorus.

corruption in the government

Three years ago, I started

and politics, the m istreatment

the Moldy Peaches, Manu Chao,

rapping, so the mixture of all

between human beings,

Jedi Mind Tricks, Caetano Veloso,

those experiences developed

specifically towards children

Georgia Anne Muldrow, Mary J.

into th e sounds I do now.

and women, faulty educational

Blige, Intocab le, Chavela Vargas

system[sJ, the complexity of

and many others. Right now

I'm rea lly into Oumou Sangare, J-Lo, Abdul Aliim, Sharon Jones, Tho mas "Fats" Waller, Digable Plane ts , Abdullah Ibrahim and Recodo.

My grandma was a poet, and I reme mber every New Year she alway s recited the same poem, and it really in f luenced me ... It was my grandma who I was most close to, and she really helped me pract ice a lot.

Do y ou bother with classifying your music, or any music for t hat matter? Or is your music just progressing sou nds?

I don't want to, but I do. Music is musi c. But it co mes from a specific

is a family of hip-hop, soul. roots

And I consider the performance,

music, tribal, and experimental.

"Latch On," both art and music

Ma ny roots of different gen res,

Can you give us some insight on your L.P. you have coming out soon?

be featured on iconomagazine.

It is my first L.P. I've been working

com Additionally, I have a couple

now. Considering what is rap on

What direction do you think music now-a-days is going towards, and where do you see yourself in this movement?

the radio and te levision, I wouldn't

Well, because of technology

co nsider myself [a rapper).

and the internet, there is space

really want it to be perfect, and

for a lot of people. The music

when I'm done, I'm going to put it

movement is more democratic.

on the internet for free download.

but stuck to one specific one.

I w ould say I am a rapper.

I use rapping as a form of co mmunication. I wouldn't say thou gh that I'm a rapper r ight

Does y our art influence your music , and does it go t he other way around as w ell?

I woul d have to say .. part of the

super-exciting to see the different

on it for a year now, and I have

of house shows coming up, a

twenty tracks that I' m trying

collaborat ion with a Richmond

to cut down to ten, which will

musician, as well as my first L.P.

feature Annu, Marble Mummy and possibly a producer from Mexico.

So now I'm just tweaking it. I just

Myspace and Tumblrs are good

I'll also be selling them [and

[resources], and can be shared

those copies] would inc lude some

throughout the web, and it's

of my artwork inside.

sam e, just different forms. I had

sounds on the Internet. I don't

a pe rformance piece where I was

watch television or listen to the

in a glass case and I made music

radio [fo r music], because I'm not

Locker SOB C3rd floor of the Fine Arts Building) . and that work will

What can we expect in the future from Chhoti Maa?

insi de of it. I had both music

really interested in it. It's boring,

I am going to have an exhibit for

and art in it. For the last hour

and mostly formula music. I'd

the Senior PA & PR show, which

and a half, I began to freestyle,

rather be surprised.

will run from April 13 to 20. I

and I began making beats while

have a solo show coming up in

ba nging my fists on the ground .

April 20 running until May 4 in

in!!

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DIY PHOTO J-OU

• V -.

,

This quick and easy project is the perfect solution to killing an hour on a Saturday afternoon. You can create a simple and creative notebook that can be totally personalized and used for a variety of purposes. Find a couple of your favorite photographs and get inspired!

26 •

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What you will need: Sc issors Two photographs; 3. Sx S", 4x6", Sx7", w hatever you p lease' 25 - 7S pieces of scrap pa per, cut to the size of yo ur photos W hite glue

A strip of craft paper, cardstock, etc.

Pa intbrush Clothespins

Steps:

Thrift List:

Gather the papers and covers and make sure they are aligned to the left side. If the pages are

Fan Tastic Thrift 1914WMainSt

no t c ut perfectly, that's okay! Let the right side of the journal stick out or in a little bit. Once everything is lined up, attach two clothespins to both ends to hold everything in place. Paint a few thin layers of glue along the edge, allowing a few minutes of dry time between each coat.

W h il e it's drying, cut the binding strip to size.

A p ply a layer of glue to the binding strip and carefully attach to the journal. Use light pressure to c reate crease lines and smooth out any air pockets. Grab your clothespins and attach them alo ng the edge to make sure everything dry evenly.

Make it your own!

I suggest making one to throw in your purse, bag, car, etc. Write down quotes you overhear, doo dl e a pi cture of your lu nch for a week, m ake a lovebook for your 5.0. with your favorite

The Love of Jesus Thrift Store 5503 Midlothian Tnpk Diversity Thrift 1407 Sherwood Ave Good Samaritan Thrift Store 4680 W Southside Plaza St

ph o t o graphs of each other on the cover or start a novel!

Salvation Army 2601 Hermltage Rd Goodwlll 6202 W Br=d St

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There 's a wide variety of opportunities awaiting the successful blogger. According to trade journal Women's Wear Daily, "The new celebrities are the fashion bloggers, who are courted, coddled and charmed like never before."

A few years ago, bloggers were ignored by the fashion industry, but Fall 2010 runway shows invited bloggers to any shows they wanted to attend. New York Fashion week even held two conferences discussing the evolving influence of bloggers on the fashion world. This is solid evidence that the world of blogging is truly evolving.

Once you've found your voice, keep writing! Slogging is a never-ending process. Be on the lookout for new ideas

Dena Spruill

everyday! And don't forget to participate in the community.

After all, blogging is a form of social media, so leave a comment on your favorite blog spots or write an email to The

for

someone's blog that inspires you. Great content and social networking are the surest ways to blog success.

personal diaries to the

Blogs are everywhere,

which is causing the blogosphere to become jumbled,

If you're simply using your blog as a home for your inspirations, then have at it! However, if you're using your

crowded, and packed full of the inner ramblings of millions.

spot as a career portfolio for either your writing skills or

But what are the rules? And where does one begin?

artwork, keep a few things in mind:

The first step, if you haven't already taken it, is to just start one! It doesn't matter if you're not totally sure of a direction

PHOTOS YOU CAN USE

yet, andit may take a while to find your voice. I incessantly

Photos taken yourself are, of course, fine to use. However,

chewed over the idea of starting a blog for quite some time,

when using photos from other places, you have a few

endlessly researching other people's blogs until finally, one

options. You can ask for press photos, use public domain

night out of sheer boredom I created my own little spot in

photos (which can be found in places such as Flickr's The

the grand blogosphere of the World Wide Web. There are a number of easy-to-use blogging platforms

Commons), or you can use stock images from sites such as The Stock Exchange (http://www.sxc.hu/). If all else fails.

out there, such as blogger.com, sugar.com, and tumblr.com.

you can credit where you got the picture from. However,

Once you've found the right one for you, you've got to

keep in mind that copyright laws do apply to bloggers.

ask yourself, why are you blogging? Are you looking for a

28

place to showcase your portfolio, salaciously gossip about

REPORT THE FACTS

the stars like the nouveau Perez Hilton, or is your goal

You're not at libel for reporting the truth. However

perhaps to simply house a place for your inspirations?

spreading rumors can get you in to trouble. Trust me, you

Figuring out what you want will help you get the most

don't want to go there. Remember, you're writing for a

out of the experience.

global audience, whether your blog is personal or not.

ink

KE EP IT REAL Don't steal other people's co ntent! This is an obvious

no· no. If you want to reference someone else's wo rk, credit your source an d provide a link.

PROTECT YOUR REP W HAT' S YOUR NICHE?

Keep in mind that blogs

Yo u may not be sure of what

are not dispensable. You

yo u want to write about at

never know, someone might

first. Eventually, you'll need to

just be able to dig up that

fi nd your niche. Write about

embarrassing photo from

so mething specific. No one

your drunken night at the

wa nts to read about what you

local frat house.

DO IT FOR YOURSELF Make your blog a place for your emotional, visual, and

ha d for dinner or when you

BE GRAMMATICALLY CORRECT

intellectual inspirations. Paint

mi ddle of class. Writing for a sp ecific topic (or even a few)

It may be hard if you're a

video, articles, and links.

decided to take a nap in the

your canvas with pictures, But above all, publish what's

w ill give you an aud ience. If

busy bee, but read through

yo u wa nt to keep a diary, buy

your postings after publishing

a bla nk book from Barnes &

them and make sure they read

Nobles and have at it.

we ll. Improper spellings and

SO NOW THAT YOU'VE GOT THE SCOOP, YOU ' RE

run-on sentences make you

FREE TO JOIN THE BLOGOSPHERE AND MAKE A

BE OPINIONATED

appear less credible, and ruin

Don't be afraid to lend a

it for your readers .

im portant to you!

PLACE FOR YOURSELF. WHILE YOU ' RE OUT THERE AMIDST THE GREAT BLOGGERS OF OUR TIMES,

vo ice to your opinions!

Yo ur opin ions may make

FORGET THE NUMBERS

yo ur blog more interesting.

Don't be discouraged by

CHECK OUT SOME OF THESE VCU BLOG SPOTS :

Ho wever, beware of simply

poor readership! Plenty

http://dirtyrichmond .tumblr.com

tra shing others on your

of the best blogs out there

http://littlemissfancypants.tumblr.com

blo g. This makes you look

are undiscovered gems

www.JoshLewisPhotographer.com/blog

ba d, and might stifle your

floating through cyber

www.cookingthealphabet.blogspot.com

op portunities from a

space. Be proud to be

pos sib le employer.

an underground web blog.

www.despotart.blogspot.com

If you post distinctive,

http://www.mademoisellerva .bJogspot.com/ http://cassiemuJheron-photo.tumblr.com

BE REGU LAR, DEAR

original content, the

No one wants to v isit a

followers will come. Quality,

blo g that's updated only

not quantity, is the key.

http://krehblelagency.tumblr.com

every couple of months.

http://noveltyshoes.tumblr.com

Try to add new content

http://amberfrances.tumblr.com

once a week to keep readers

http://azaleafaye.com/

com ing back for more.

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PLAYED AND CIPATED GAMES AT F '09 AND '10 Charles Couch Illustration Chris Lewis

Modern Warfare 2 has proved

to b e one of the most played

MOST PLAYED A game called Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has

rapidly st ormed the consoles and computers of gamers

across the USA and the world. Students at Virgi nia Commonwealth University are no exception to th is trendy love fo r bombs,

bullets and blades.

Infinity Ward's Call of

Duty: Modern Warfare 2

is played by VCU students more than any other videogame tit le released since the fall-semester, according to a sample survey taken by Soph ie Solomon Resplandy.

"Since this school -year, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has been the biggest thing to hit the market," video game retail employee Justin H. said.

"It Qutgrossed every game

to date that has ever come out. It has out-sold every game. It's out-p layed every other game."

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and so ld games in the entire video game industry.

"Shooters tha t you can [play] online and play w ith other peop le. that was the big thing since students had access to wireless internet living in the dorm.

That is what the co llege popu lation really likes," Debra S., an emp loyee of an anonymous st ore, said.

The game features a fastpace, cinemat ic, albeit short, campaign mode, taking place immediately the fi r st Modern Warfare, in which gamers

play the perspective of several different so ldiers, according to InfinityWard . com . The story thickens, some characters end up fac ing down a smoking gun-ba r rel and there are some epic plot-twists. " It was a little exp licit, but I enjoyed every second of it," VCU junior Wallead Ahmadzai.

SpecOps is another feature that allows players to gun through scenrio based

missions similar to the Campaign in cooperative mode.

It appears to be popular opinion that the most definitive feat ure of this game is the online multi-player.

"It 's addicting," VCU sophomore Mike B. said.

Wi th th is, gamers can play with two to 18 players in dozens of diffe re nt game modes, some adding third-person perspectives

developers of the original Fallout, Black Isle Studios, and is responsible for such award winning titles as Neverwinter Nights "It looks very simi lar even though Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas are being done by two d ifferent companies," Debra B. said.

While developers promise similar role-play ing style actio n,

to the action. Players are ranked with an experience point

New Vegas w il l not be a sequel, but a stand-alone game

system and as they increase ranks they unlock new tactical

featuring no characters from the previous.

equ ipment. With this equipment one can create and adjust a class of soldier, making every players experience unique.

"I jus t like how quick it is and all the new modifications." VCU sop ho more Brendan Slezak said . "It's a run-and-go game."

Som e students believe Modern Warfare to be overrated to som e extent, and that the story just doesn't stand out, VCU juni o r Joseph Casuccio. " I li ked the multi-player. It was good but, the single-player by

Not much information has been release about the game since its first trailer debuted depicting a lone robot slowly sifting sand away from a corpse as the video pans out revealing a mass desert graveyard, all while Frank Sinatra's "Blue Moon" echoes softly from the robot's speakers.

However, one is bound to run into some new guns, faces and mutated monsters while exploring the "treacherous wastes of the Great Southwest."

itsel f sucked . I feel like for a game to be really good it needs som e value in itself," Casuccio said.

However, it is hard to argue with record-breaking sales.

MOST ANTICIPATED Bet hesda Game Studios brought love and fear of the nuclearho loca ust back into American hearts. It's not a surprise that the new installment to the series, Fallout: New Vegas, would have VC U students hanging on the edge of their sofas.

Acco rding to Resplandy's data, students are excited to play New Vegas out of most of games schedu led to be released

"I don't know how they're going to top Fallout 3, but 1 have confidence," Casuccio said.

New Vegas is scheduled to be released in the fall of 2010 on Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Games for Windows .

during the second half of 2010.

"T he developers haven't released much information on it, the re have only been the teaser trailer, and a few screens of som e missions," Debra B. said.

The game is currently being developed by Obsidian Ent ertai nment and Bethesda Studios. Obsidian is lead by the

iN!

31

s:

iPHONE* Twitter Urbanspoon Slacker Facebook News Addict Texts from last night Photoshop.com mobile Doodlejump Tap Tap Revenge

27 students 20 students 14 students 12 students 11 students 8 students 4 students 2 students 2 students

BLACKBERRY* Pandora Facebook Poynt Twitter Blackberry messenger News apps Blogging apps Weatherbug Banking apps

31 students 23 students 12 students 11 students 8 students 7 students 5 students 2 students 1 students

FACEBOOK * Photos Events Fan Pages Friend quiz Farmville Bumper Stickers Mafia Wars Compare People Catbook

29 students 26 students 15 students 11 students 6 students 4 students 4 students 3 students 2 students

*out of 100 people surveyed

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ink ~

33

.~p s: t est and the worst

iPHONE* Twitter Urbanspoon Slacker Facebook News Addict Texts from last night Photoshop.com mobile Doodlejump Tap Tap Revenge

27 students 20 students 14 students 12 students 11 students 8 students 4 students 2 students 2 students

BLACKBERRY· Pandora Facebook Poynt Twitter Blackberry messenger News apps Blogging apps Weatherbug Banking apps

31 students 23 students 12 students 11 students 8 students 7 students 5 students 2 students 1 students

FACEBOOK ' Photos Events Fan Pages Friend quiz Farmvi lle Bumper Stickers Mafia Wars Compare People Cat book

29 students 26 students 1S students 11 students 6 students 4 students 4 students 3 students 2 students

*out of 100 people surveyed

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Red and white windbreaker, yellow graphic tee, and denim from Hollywood Cemetery by

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Red and white windbreaker, yellow graphic tee, and denim from Hollywood Cemetery by Britt Sebastian.

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ink .

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unleash looks that work from day to night, drawing inspiration everywhere from the streets of Richmond to the streetwise hipsters of Harujuku . These talented designers are delivering show-stopping creations.

Be on the lookout for great

Left Page: Insight uneven tank, $38 at need Supply Co. Oa t meal wool flannel pant with button cuff and hooded reversible jacket, by Colby Beck.

This Page: On Gioia A lternative apparel yoko linen low, $34 at Need Supply Co . Zippe r sk inny pant with tapered leg, by Mary Rossetti.

Garnet jewelry- fantail necklace, $48 at Need Supply Co. On Joshua Black printed zipper top and side panel pant with skull print by

with sku ll print by Kimberly Knott.

Red and white windbreaker, yellow graphic tee, and denim from Hollywood Cemetery by Britt Sebastian.

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Black printed zipper top and side panel pant with skull print by Kimberly Knott.

Red and white windbreaker, yellow graphic tee, and denim from Hollywood Cemetery by Britt Sebastian.

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Asymmetrical cotton knit dress with bubble ruffle in Japanese print and crackle paten t leather jacket with buckle cuff, by Kimberly Knott .

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On Stephanie

On Dekota

Suede motorcycle jacket,

White zip hoodie with black

zipper tank top with pleated

leather straps and black

panel, and skinny pant with

trouser with front top panel

pleated calf section, by Mary

and ankle cuff, by Colby Beck.

Rossetti.

Fashion Coordinator Dena Spruill

Special thanks to Need Supply Co.

Photographers Kerry McDonnell

in Cary town

+ Ashleigh Hobson Make-up Artist Ashley Collier

The pieces designed by Colby

Hair Stylists Raymona Pyas

beck, Kimberly Knott, and Mary

+ Sierra Qahhar

Rossetti are candidates for VCU's

Fashion Assistants

Twenty Ten, which will be held

Annual Juried Fashion show, Morgan Powell + Dionne Horne

May

7 th

at the Virginia Museum of

Fine Arts.

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On Oekota Suede mot o rcycle jacket,

White zi p hoodie with black

zipper tank top with pleated

leather straps and black

pane l, and skin ny pa nt wit h

trouser wi t h f ro nt to p pa nel

p leated ca lf section, by Ma ry

and ank le c uff, by Co lby Beck.

Rossetti.

Fa shion Coordinator Dena Spruill

Special thanks to Need Supp ly Co.

Photographers Kerry McDonnell

in Cary town

+ Ashleigh Hobson Make-up Artist Ashley Collier

The pieces designed by Colby

Hair Stylists Raymona Pyas

beck. Kimber ly Knott , and Mary

+ Sierra Qahhar

Rossetti are cand idates for VCU's Annual Juried Fashion show.

Fashion Assistants Morgan Powell + D ionne Horne

Twenty Ten , which wi ll be he ld May

7t h

at the Virginia Museum of

Fine Arts.

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