Issues with Conference Realignment by Spencer Thomas

Conference realignment in major college football is in full swing. For some schools like the University of Colorado, the issue has become how to balance the budget with the further travel distances and exit fees. The following is a synopsis of the schools situation to give you an idea what goes on behind the scenes.
Since the University of Colorado has to pay an exit fee in accordance to Big 12 bylaws, the following possible courses of action are possible. The first will be to pay the penalty with the revenue generated from the upcoming Pac-10 TV deal and move on from the Big 12 conference once and for all. Other ways to cover up for this penalty would be to cut any unnecessary athletic expense. Perhaps there are full-time or part-time jobs that can be replaced with non-paying internships, or perhaps there are more efficient ways to operate the athletic program (print less paper, cut unnecessary travel, less benefits, for example). There are benefits for CU in joining the Pac-10, but those benefits are met with some trouble and people should be willing to accept some changes. The other option we feel CU should consider would be to work out a deal with the remaining Big 12 members. As an original member of the Big 8, CU has a strong bond with many of the remaining schools and has worked hand-in-hand with creating the power conference that the Big 12 was and will continue to be. In doing so, CU has a good report with these schools and may be able to waive the exit fee or work out a lesser penalty. It is farfetched to believe that the remaining Big 12 members feel sold out by CU as the university bolted for the Pac-10; they understand that they were looking out for their own good, just as they would do. While the Big 12 doesn’t have a revenue sharing model, each remaining school will take a larger cut TV revenue generated from the upcoming TV deals. If the conference can work out a similar/larger TV contract to what it had before, the remaining members will receive more revenue thanks to CU. Finally, CU has seen a recent boost in donations from alumni in the western states, so some of those funds could be allocated to a Big 12 evacuation penalty.
Since CU will be playing a different athletic schedule, their travel expenses will be a measure of scrutiny. However the assumption that the Big 12 was a good geographic fit for the university was a misnomer. The average travel distance to an in-conference opponent in the Big 12 was 657 miles (note: these distances are driving distances) with the closest location (Lincoln, Nebraska) clocking in at 501 miles. The Pac-10 average travel distance from Boulder checks in at 1,075 miles with the University of Utah (Salt Lake City) claiming the closest location at 499 miles. An increased average travel distance of 418 miles surely should jack up travel costs, but the Pac-10 has a friendly geographic feature. Each university is paired with another university: two schools each in Arizona, L.A., the Bay Area, Oregon, Washington and the Rocky Mountains. These pairings could allow travelling teams to play two road games in succession at a pair, thus eliminating there-and-back transportation costs. This theory mainly applies to the non-revenue sports (basketball non-withstanding) who may travel with their pair team on a road trip. For example, Colorado and Utah may travel to Oregon for a weekend basketball road trip. Colorado would play Oregon while Utah plays Oregon State on a Thursday game then swap opponents for the Saturday game. This would eliminate the need to travel back and forth between their home opponents location. Undoubtedly, the original Pac-10 teams have an economical travel scenario they already abide by, so CU would just fit right in. It may turn out, in fact, that the Pac-10 presents a cheaper travel option for CU than the Big 12 did, even with greater distances to be traveled.

And Now, A Commercial Break… by Meagan Flannery

I’m going to take a slight detour away from the big screen and move to the slightly smaller screen: the TV. I will argue passionately that TV rots your brain and shows these days seem to be getting worse and worse. It’s no wonder today’s youth is floundering!

OK, I might be exaggerating. The truth is, I have an aggressive hobby of watching crime dramas. Yes, I’m one of those people. I never miss an episode of Lie to Me and I squeal with excitement when I get to watch a new episode of Criminal Minds. It doesn’t stop there though. No, I will pretty much watch any crime drama that’s on TV if one of my favorites isn’t on, and I’m bored. This is actually how I got into watching Bones. At first, it was just a casual thing, something to fill the time before dinner. Now I queue all new episodes on my Hulu account!

My obsession over crime dramas leaked into my personal life. At one point, I thought I wanted to be a detective, until I realized seeing dead bodies totally freaked me out. Also, I realized it was much harder trying to figure out the bad guy in real life than it was on TV (however, I’m very good at anticipating plots!). I was recently called to serve jury duty and I became completely nervous about the whole thing. When I was interviewed, I had pretty much condemned the guy, using my impeccable TV detective wits, and was voted off the island.

In all seriousness, I hate TV. It is my personal downfall, and the reason I can’t hold a steady conversation with my boyfriend on the phone (or in person). I am much more inclined to watch a TV show than a full-length movie because lately I just don’t have a lot of time (or maybe I like commercials). But I much prefer movies – and I can’t wait for the day when they will release a new, totally fantastic, crime drama!

Third Job’s the Charm by Anne Wrobetz

In the employment world, all does not go necessarily as planned. In fact, it rarely does. One of the keys to being employed, as well as to being a college student, is to remain flexible. Take, for example, the three jobs I recently landed.

Three jobs does, in name alone, sound excessive. However, none of these jobs is particularly time-consuming. I’m fairly ecstatic about my current situation! I’m getting a regular income, lots of knowledge, and plenty of work experience to put on my resume.

The first is a housekeeping job. For six hours a week, I help a couple around the house and yard. The best thing about this job is that I don’t need any special training–I already do all of this around my own place. I feel like I’m getting a weekly allowance all over again! I found this one by searching through my campus’ website. On most college websites, there is a page dedicated to job listings, both on- and off-campus–very useful for the working (or gainfully unemployed) student.

I found the second job through the same website, though this one is on campus. I’m working in the campus museum, helping run a summer program for kids. This is probably the most rewarding of my jobs and, once again, requires no additional training. Thank you, years of babysitting! My childhood comes rushing back every time I open the art supplies cabinet and am greeted with stacks of construction paper.

As you can probably tell, these two jobs do not take up much of my time. What’s a traditional working student to do? Land a traditional summer job. After about 70 applications and many interviews, I seem to finally have had some success. Surprising though it may be halfway through the summer, I was able to get a part-time job at TJ Maxx. This job will require commuting, but with a trusty book in tow I am set for any bus ride!

So, if you’re not having luck getting that 40-hour-a-week internship, consider working a lot of small jobs. The pay really adds up, and the variety keeps any one of the jobs from becoming overwhelming. Also consider commuting, especially if your school offers a bus pass program. The best thing about working three jobs? I can use it as an excuse to watch Saturday morning cartoons in my pajamas, knowing I’ve taken care of three very different, valuable tasks. The dishes can wait.

What’s The Point Of A Magic Wand If You Use It As Firewood? by Angus Bohanon

When Apple first released the iPad, they called it a “magical and revolutionary device”. Some scoffed, some marveled, and some were indifferent, but holy Steve Jobs did they sell. America’s favorite tech company shifted three million in three months, and apps for it started springing up even before the first one rolled off the assembly line. It has a touchscreen, a staggeringly fast processor, and enormous potential to revolutionize the way that people browse.

But it can only do that if allowed to. Now don’t get me wrong, some developers have taken advantage of the iPad’s interface in marvelous ways, but the ones who have gotten the most out of the iPad (e.g. Google, E.A.) are the kind of people who didn’t need help to begin with. The area in which the iPad’s talents are being wasted most egregiously is that of magazines.

Unless you’ve been living on a bench for the last few years, you’ll have heard that print media is on the decline. People aren’t buying newspapers or magazines as much as they used to, and do you know why? Because the Internet is better in almost every way. It’s current, interactive, shareable, and comes in every kind of media for your personal reading/listening/viewing pleasure. The only disadvantage of the Internet is that it’s not portable, but the iPad solves that problem. You would think, then, that print magazine publishers would step up to make the experience of their magazines just as exciting as the experience of, say, their websites (easily found on the iPad’s browser). But they have failed entirely.

The novelty of turning pages over with your finger on the touchscreen is over quickly, and it is sadly the only novelty. Commenting, the staple of every website from YouTube videos to news sites, is impossible. Sharing, whether via Facebook, Twitter, or email, is not an option. Articles do not link between each other, nor do they contain the embedded video that one can find on the same magazine’s website. And each issue of the digital version costs more than an entire year of the print version.

The world of technology moves fast, and consumers have no qualms about dropping something for newer and better. If the titans of news aren’t careful, they’ll be lining birdcages and bonking disobedient puppies in no time.

Partying by Erik Kemp

Partying, it happens. While as an active college student myself, it would be hypocritical for me to say I have not partied or if I encouraged you as the reader not to go out and party. But I will say this, drinking does not have to be a part of your college experience if you don’t want it to be. People often times feel so forced into drinking and partying from pressures stemming from society, friends, and even oneself. Though, many make the choice not to drink and have a great time at college doing various other things. Some suggestions would be to join a club, do an intramural sport, attend a fundraiser, just keep yourself busy. Do not get wrapped up with the “party life”. It’s not worth struggling or even failing out of college to do so. I was actually on the brink of failing out and not being asked to come back which happens more than one would think. I got caught up my freshman year with partying and I’m still paying the price (extra semesters of tuition) for it. So maybe you choose that you are going to make partying a part of your college experience. If you do choose to go party and drink, I do encourage you to just be safe and smart. The biggest thing is have a plan! Go out with friends and make sure everybody, including yourself, gets home safe. Do not be afraid to get in trouble if one of your friends drank too much and their life is in danger. Not all drinks are created equal! Beer, liquor and wine all have different percentages of alcohol. Just because that one cup didn’t make your buddy drunk, doesn’t mean that you won’t get drunk off of it. Limit your partying, school comes first! Don’t go party on a Wednesday just because all your friends are going out. There will be plenty of other opportunities to go out. And remember you might have a test or a quiz the day after. You never know those professors and TA’s can get pretty tricky. Puking and rallying is not cool! Obviously, if your body is making you throw up it’s trying to tell you, “No more alcohol!” There is no point in having an ego measuring contest with your buddy to see who can drink the most. It comes off as pathetic and attention hungry. My Final Words: Nobody can pressure you to party and drink. You always have the choice to make or not make partying part of your college experience.

Being Fit and Staying Healthy Is Not as Hard as You Think by Chris Wicus

You’re way too busy to work out, I get it. You have to balance school and a part time job. You have a jam-packed course load this semester. You are trying so desperately to flirt with the cute girl that lives down the hall. These are all valuable and worthy expenditures of your time, so how are you going to fit in your workouts?

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 20-30 minutes of moderate to high intensity aerobic exercise 3-5 times a week. Additionally, the ACSM suggests two resistance training sessions per week. These are the minimum suggested levels of activity to stay healthy and prevent chronic disease. When considered beside all of your other weekly obligations, this may seem a daunting task. These minimal recommendations will keep your heart healthy, your brain functioning well, and most importantly it will help you de-stress and feel great.

Here are some tips that might help you out.

Split it up into short bouts. Exercise can be accumulated throughout the day in 10 minute bouts. A quick bike to class or a jog with the dog before work. There is no rule requiring you to workout in hour long blocks.

Keep things fresh. Use different intensities and modes of exercise to keep yourself interested and keep your body guessing. Try swimming or biking instead of running for a few weeks. By requiring different movement patterns from your body, you will avoid boredom and see greater long term results.

Make a plan. By scheduling your exercise, it becomes a part of your lifestyle. Integrating exercise into your routine will help you stay consistent.

You don’t need a gym. You don’t want to lug yourself over to the gym? Throw some shoes on, crank up your iPod and run up and down your dorm staircase for 20 minutes. You’ll feel much better afterward. I promise.

The Last Airbender Review by Meagan Flannery

Last night I saw The Last Airbender, not because I’m a big “Avatar” fan, but because I’m a big M. Night Shyamalan fan. If asked, I will not openly admit this to my fellow filmmakers, but I thoroughly enjoy watching his films. The worse they get, the more I like them. I find it refreshing that Shyamalan has a sense of humor, and I love that no one gets it. He’s like the guy at a party that laughs at inside jokes he only has with himself. I was surprised that he chose to this particular kind of film, knowing his prior “work.”

I have never seen the TV show “Avatar,” so I had fresh eyes to look at the film. Even though it did seem more like a film geared towards a younger “kid” audience, I really enjoyed it (although I must warn you, it IS a kids’ movie!). As I am writing this review I am also reading reviews on Rotten Tomatoes, and if you do the same you will find a completely different perception on this film. The reviews are terrible, and I guess I understand why people thought the film was bad, but I still disagree. It reminded me of a wuxia-style kung fu movie (martial arts film focusing on mysticism – my favorite!) mixed with real-life anime characters. I judged the dialogue and character style from an anime point of view, which in my opinion looks “clunky” with human actors.

It’s probably just a personal preference, but I love movies that have the battle between the “civil” or industrial world versus the natural or spiritual world. It never gets old, because it always has been (and probably always will be) a problem in real life.

The final verdict: don’t go see this film if you’re expecting a huge blockbuster wonder. See it if you already like these kinds of film or are a Shyamalan fan – or, if you’re interesting in seeing an “anti-blockbuster blockbuster.” The acting is OK, the special effects are FINE and the plot doesn’t have too many holes. Will any of this stop me from seeing any sequels that possibly might come along? Probably not. I love bad movies.