Enjoy this year’s Halloween at Disney’s Magic Kingdom

Posted on October 11, 2015 by stephanie wooster

Every year Disney has this event called Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween. I’ve never been but this year I’ll be attending with my family and boyfriend. When I first heard about the event, I knew you went to Disney’s Magic Kingdom and dressed up as a Disney or Pixar character. So that’s when I came up with my idea. So 1st I LOVE Disney and I’m super stoked about my idea!!

My favorite Pixar movie is Monster’s Inc. So what we will be going as this year is Boo, Mike, Sully, and the monster who gets the sock stuck on him (forgot his name) but you know who it is if you’ve seen the movie hah.

So I will be Boo because I’m like 4 ft lol and I’ll be wearing the long pink shirt with my hair up in a ponytail. I’ll also be holding a paper drawing of Randall! Next, is my boyfriend who will be Sully. We will be tie dying a plain white shirt with blue and purple. Then spray painting his hair as well. Also, he’ll be wearing the monster feet. Next, is my brother who’s going as Mike Wazowski… he’ll be wearing a green sweater that has the eye ball and his hoodie as the horns. Finally, is my dad… we’ll be tie dying a plain white shirt again but this time with orange and yellow and gluing a plain white sock!

So I found out some more details about this event:

It’s held on October 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29 and also, November 1 from 7pm- midnight. The ticket prices will roughly be around $80. You will get to see the amazing Disney fireworks along with some Disney parades. You also get to “Trick O’ Treat” around Disney getting sweat treats while being able to ride your favorite rides AND seeing other peoples super cool costumes.

I’ve heard only but the best reviews on this event and I’m sure it’ll be a lot of fun! Hope you get the chance to go, enjoy (:

 

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Four Tips To Stay On Top Of School This Semester and Excel

Posted on October 11, 2015 by ashleyyy52

Whether it’s your freshman year or senior year of college, it’s possible to get overwhelmed and maybe even lost in school. We tend to lose focus if we have a long weekend with friends, going home for the weekend, or any other reason not to think of schoolwork for a couple of days. By the time you realize that you have certain assignments, a million things could be due all on the same date. Now, that can be extremely devastating. In order to prevent that, just follow these four tips to stay on track and go through the semester worry free.

Plan, Plan, and Do Some More Planning: The easiest way is by getting an agenda or a planner and writing all your important due dates in. Set a specific color for each of your classes so you know what will be due by just looking at the highlighted color. Also, make a list and prioritize what to do by how important and assignment are and its due date every Sunday before the gaining of each week. The same goes for studying for exams and projects.

Fuel Yourself: Make sure you get enough sleep at night. A lack of sleep can cause you to lose focus on lectures and fall asleep. You also need to keep your to keep your metabolism active by eating something small every 3 hours or so. It’s awful to go a whole day without eating if your stuck on campus.

Support System/ Motivators: Having a close friend is a great thing to have, but having a motivator is even better. Setting aside a couple hours a week to go to the library or a study room can really help you stay on top of everything. And by having a friend with you, you both will be able to motivate each other to excel.

Ask For Help: Don’t be afraid to ask for help! It might be hard to ask for help from a professor if there are 300 or more students in a class, but that what Teachers Assistants are for. They’re there to help the professor. Additionally, there are study groups and tutoring provided on campus if you feel a TA won’t be able to help. If your in a smaller class then it’ll be much easier for you to be able to go right up to your professor and ask for help.

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Selena Gomez Announces That Medical Issues Were The Cause of Her Most Recent Break

Posted on October 11, 2015 by kevinluering

Recently, ex- Disney Starlet Selena Gomez unveiled a project a couple year in the making. Revival, her first album with her new label is her grand reappearance to the music scene since her last major album Stars Dance, with Hollywood Records in 2013. She recently came forward and explained the gap in her recording career. The cause of the highly speculated leave was due to her being diagnosed with Lupus. She took time off to undergo care and  receive chemotherapy to help manage her condition.

The singer stated that at many points she was frustrated with the media for their constant attacks. There were rumors that she was is rehab for her depression because of the ending of her relationship with fellow pop star Justin Bieber, other reports pointed at drug or alcohol abuse.

Selena said that there have been changes in her routine to help manage her condition and to make sure that she can keep up with demands of her busy schedule.  Gomez says that she is happy where she is in life right now and she has done a lot of soul searching  with the help of her friends and family. And as for her feelings towards her ex, Justin Bieber, she said that she is proud of him and she is happy for him.

Since the singers announcement that she has had this condition there has been more of a conversation surrounding this disease and what it means for the people who live with it. Even with the bumps in the road that have been there for Gomez she doesn’t want anyone to feel sorry for her. She wants to be able to bring light to the disease and help those struggling with it to identify the symptoms.

 

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Texas To Become 8th State To Adopt Campus Carry Bill

Posted on October 11, 2015 by phyzorz

Texas officials are preparing for how to deal with the new “campus carry” law that is set to go into effect on August 1, 2016.  The new law will allow students and faculty on college campuses to carry concealed guns with proper registration and licensing.  The legislation comes in response to the increased frequency of school shootings around the country.  Many proponents of the law believe it will help discourage mass shootings on campuses and allow people to protect themselves in the event of an emergency.

The response to the new bill has been very mixed and controversial.  Many believe that it will benefit students and create a safer learning environment.  But not everyone is convinced.  Many protests and rallies have already been held by activists groups that oppose the legislation.  Opponents of the bill believe that putting more guns on campus will not make anyone safer.

“I don’t think we should be allowed to [carry guns on campus], honestly. Because sometimes we have bad days, sometimes we have good days; people’s minds change very fast, so I don’t think we should be allowed to do that,” said Shaskuia Mercado.

But supporters of “campus carry” feel otherwise.

“Seeing as we have that new campus carry law going into effect, there’s going to be a lot more people [who are] able to protect themselves,” said Shilo Christian, a transfer student who is in the process of obtaining his concealed handgun license.

Officials state that a very small percentage of students will qualify to legally carry since they have to be 21 years old to obtain a proper license.  The concept is also not entirely new.  For the last 20 years, students have been allowed to legally carry on campus but were not allowed to bring any weapons inside buildings on campus.  Starting next year, buildings on campus will be free domain for concealed carriers.  Students will then be able to carry concealed handguns in classrooms.

Perhaps the most ironic part of the new legislation is that it goes into effect on the 50 year anniversary of the University of Texas Tower sniper shooting.  The shooting took place on the UT campus in 1966 and killed 16 and wounded 30 more.  It was one of the first mass shootings to ever take place on a school campus in the U.S.

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Knights Pub says “Time to step down O’Leary”

Posted on October 11, 2015 by jillianlubarsky

On Saturday, October 10th UCF fans and Orlando residents alike were shocked to see a public message Knights Pub, a local UCF bar, had for UCF Head Football Coach George O’Leary. On Saturday afternoon, just before the UCF vs. UConn football game, an airplane flew over Orlando with a banner that read “Time to step down O’Leary -Knights Pub”.

Knights Pub was not afraid to put their name to the statement that day, while many UCF fans agreed with the banner. The UCF Knights lost to the UConn Huskies 40-13 just hours after the plane flew throughout Orlando. The lose to the Huskies has put the Knights at an 0-6 record for the season, the lowest since their 2011 season when the Knights went 5-7 by the end of the season. Although the Knights are only halfway through their season, many UCF fans have openly shared their beliefs that the Knights could go 0-12 for the season, the first time in over 10 years. The Knights went 0-11 back in 2004, the same season George O’Leary became the Knights Head Coach and cleaned house to rebuild the program from the ground up. Could this record that reflects his first year as Head Coach possibly be his last?

Under Coach O’Leary, the Knights have won four conference championships; two in Conference-USA and back-to-back titles in The American Athletic Conference. The Knights have also appeared in seven bowl games, winning three of those match-ups including a 10-6 victory against Georgia in the 2010 Liberty Bowl and a historic 52-42 win against the Baylor Bears at the 2012 Tostito’s Fiesta Bowl.

Although it’s clear the UCF Knights have had their most successful seasons under Coach O’Leary, many fans are waiting to see if he can bring the Knights to go at least 6-6 for the 2015 season. The Knights take on the Temple Owls on October 17th in Philadelphia to try for the first win of the season.

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Teen Albino Girl, Viciously Attacked For Limbs

Posted on October 11, 2015 by williamharrelson

Throughout human history we have accomplished so much in such a short amount of time. We have landed on the moon, discovered water on Mars, and have even created artificial limbs. I mention the artificial limbs not only because it is a feat for mankind, but it is also the only way some albino African teen can walk.

A 16 year old girl, with albinism was drugged while sleeping and viciously attacked all because of some notion that people with albinism, or at least their limbs, bring wealth and good luck. This is a very common belief in some East-African countries, as witchdoctors profess the limbs can bring great wealth and good fortune.

The danger in professing something so radical, is now a poor girl, who spent 10 months in the hospital, lost a part of her just because some ignorantly believe what the witchdoctors are saying. It is ignorance as well, I don’t mean to justify the attackers, but understanding both sides is important too.

I think this speaks more volumes on the education system of some African countries. If people were taught from a young age to think and really question some traditions, maybe this little girl would still have her leg and two fingers. I can’t blame someone for believing in something that has been passed down for generations, all I can say is to not believe everything you hear or read and really question for yourself what you think is just right and wrong.

How can the witchdoctors profess such a ludicrous idea and how can people believe such a thing? The same question can be asked for Christians and priests. Their teachings may not be as extreme, but some of what the church says should also not be considered canon law.

At the end of the day, no one can question what anyone believes, because if they truly believe it, then who has the right to wag their finger and put them down. What I don’t agree with at all, is harming someone or something else just for personal gain, that should just be a law of mankind. So even though we have accomplished so much in basically no time at all, we still need to make leaps and bounds when it comes to something so simple and something that should be innate in all of us: treating someone equally and with respect.

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High-ranking Iranian general killed by ISIS in Syria

Posted on October 11, 2015 by curry chandler

As humanitarian hardships worsen and violent conflict spreads like wildfire, the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad struggles to maintain its authority. On Friday, Iranian general Hossein Hamedani and 20 other victims were killed by an ISIS-planted car bomb in Aleppo, Syria.

The loss of Hamedani has proven to be a ‘psychological blow’, according to one U.S. official. Indeed, Hamedani was essential to the war effort for al-Assad and against ISIS. Second-in-command to the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps and an influential individual, he had been involved in the Syrian conflict since before it had truly began over four years ago and was knowledgeable in all of its facets and details. Hamedani was a key adviser to the Syrian military and freely offered his drilling experience.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani congratulated the late Hamedani on his service to Iran and commented on the loss. This statement was reported throughout the nation via news media.

It is interesting to note that the U.S. and Iran, although coexisting peacefully in their wartime efforts against ISIS, have different goals. While the U.S. and its coalition are anti-regime and support Syrian rebels for humanitarian reasons, Iran is pro-regime and closely allied with al-Assad. Evidence appears to lend credit to the theory that Iran helped broker the recent Russian ground invasion of Syria, as well, much to the chagrin on the U.S. This political divergence may prove to be detrimental as the fight against ISIS draws closer its finish, and the question about the next step arises.

However, the there is no end in sight in the Syrian conflict. If anything, the conflict only grows thicker as rebels switch sides and politics grows more entangled by the day. One can only hope that the U.S. and Iran focus on their mutual enemy – ISIS – for the time being and turn their attention to al-Assad’s regime later down the road.

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Can Kanye West Ever Go Too Far West?

Posted on October 11, 2015 by lyle evan peterson

Ever since the creation of Hollywood, that era where celebrities were first glamorized, prior, solely inventors, political and or religious leads were in the public eye. After Hollywood expanded to what it is today, actors, musicians, artists and other artisans became the ones under the magnifying glass. In the latter decades, it’s been proven that even negative attention from the media is better than no attention at all. When its politics being scrutinized in the public eye, it could seriously harm their campaign or even their career. However, when your simply a singer and your job is more so to entertain rather than influence, whatever you may do, good or bad, may not ruin your career… it could help it.

All throughout history it is safe to say that scandals sell, the people love reading sensational headlines, making accusations and gossiping, it’s in their nature. Lately, with celebrities nowadays it seems that there is no ceiling to what celebrities may do or get away with. One in particular, Mr. Kanye West himself has seemed to keep his name in the headlines and remain a household name whether he achieved something great or spoke before he thought.

For instance, when Kanye fist emerged as an artist he was scrutinized, not necessarily because he did something negative, but because he was one of the first rappers to rap about god and religion and then challenge them to put it on the radio. Later, Kanye had the whole, “Bush, doesn’t like black people.” Statement, which was meant in the best way but not conveyed so. Then we get to the point where West finds no problem with interrupting a young girl’s acceptance speech only to discredit here on national television. In the latest news Kanye has announced that he has decided to run for president 2020, calling himself ‘Peezy if he wins. Just this week, the self-proclaimed genius, decided to audition for American Idol, singing a rendition of his own song, he was able to woo judges. Kanye’s goal was to get the golden ticket, and guess who’s going to Hollywood? I guess we’ll have to stay tuned this season to see how America really feels about Mr. West.

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The risky musical, HAIR, opens this thursday night at UCF’s Theatre

Posted on October 11, 2015 by tvguy321

UCF’s Theatre department has been known to perform plays that step out of the box and challenge the norm. In 2012, the department performed Spring Awakening, featuring teens discovering the complexity of teenage sexuality. This Fall, the theater department will challenge safe musicals with another rock musical , Hair. 

The musical Hair, created in the late 1960s,  is a result of the hippie counterculture and sexual revolution that erupted during the anti-Vietnam war peace movement. The play circled around a young American man whose greatest possession is his hair, unfolds when he is inducted into the Army and at the same time loses his freedom.

When first created, the musical experienced obstacles trying to make it to the Broadway stage due to is use of profanity, and sexual content and nudity. Some critics believe the use of rock music to be vulgar and objected against the plays irreverence.

After first only being performed at public theaters the musical had a turn of events. Micheal Butler, a young entrepreneur from Chicago, discovered the play and because of his admiration to the antiwar message, bought the rights to it. After reconstructing and expanding the play, Butler made history by taking the first off – Broadway musical to Broadway on April 29, 1968 at the Biltmore Theatre.

The wildly divisive, yet historical musical directed by Earl Weaver, opens this week on the main stage, Thursday, October 15 at 8:00pm and will run through October 25. Tickets are on sale now and are available at UCF’s Theatre department’s website for $10 for UCF students.

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The Implications of Discovering Water on Mars.

Posted on October 11, 2015 by emilylupfer

Scientists have long suspected that there was water on Mars, and the recent discovery that water currently flows down steep slopes on the planet’s surface confirms it. The finding has elicited enormous excitement from the scientific community, but what does finding water on Mars mean to the average earthling?

Ridley Scott’s newest film ‘The Martian’ couldn’t have been released at a more appropriate time. Without getting into spoilers, the film revolves around Mark Watney who gets stranded on Mars, and must survive weeks in the planet’s hostile environment. The plot of the film directly relates in theme to what the flowing water discovery means to humanity. It means life could survive on Mars, in fact it is very likely that at some point in time there was life on Mars. With the building blocks of life it’s possible that there were rivers, lakes and oceans full of plants and creatures that humans wouldn’t recognize. Of course, that’s a pretty big leap with not much evidence to support it, but a month ago it would have been considered infinitely less possible than it does now.

Even more important to humans is that the possibility of terraforming Mars has become that much closer to our grasp. Terraforming is the process of transforming a hostile environment into one suitable for human life. As humanity continues to grow exponentially and therefore devours the limited resources available, the idea of sending colonies to other planets becomes that much more appealing. Before now, it appeared that if we were ever to find a planet suitable for terraforming it would be multiple lifetimes away. Now we have found water in our own backyard. Mars will never maritime cities, but a planet resembling the state of Arizona could be very possible. That sounds terrible at first, but it’s truly amazing if it can save humanity.

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