11-28-12

11.28.12 Issue 233

w

EVIL

www.livethetradition.com979.268.9000 • 866.268.3676

LEASING NOW FOR FALL 2013!

attn: High School Seniors

The Tradition is Texas A&M’s most on-campus off-campus dorm, located across the street from the University. We combine the

convenience of a dorm with an unbelievable range of amenities.

• Unbeatable location - right across the street from campus• Your OWN Private Bedroom and sink/vanity area• FREE high-speed Internet and utilities included• Award winning Residence Life Program• Fully furnished suites with mini-fridge and microwave• Weekly housekeeping (yes, it’s included!)• Full-service dining hall with meal plan options• Academic Success Center with study rooms on most floors• 24-Hour attached, covered parking garage• Fitness center overlooking the pool and campus• Lap and volleyball pool

START

meet the team

WRITERSStephen ChaconBrandon Nowalk

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Eesha FarooqiBrittany Hicks

CONTRIBUTORSDefacto Productions

EatBCS.comKISS 103.1KORA 98.3

PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Chris Shepperd

MANAGING EDITORChris Zebo

CREATIVE DIRECTORMike Carreon

BUSINESS MANAGERLeisha Shepperd

ACCOUNT MANAGERSGreg Keith

Travis PyeattTyler Stillwell

INTERNSSarah Dean

Becca St. GermainBrittany HicksLuke Murray

Ike NtubeLauren Rohr

DISTRIBUTIONCaleb Holt

Eugene Holub

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is not affiliated with Texas A&M University. Maroon Weekly receives

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Opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views

and opinions of the editor, publisher or the newspaper staff. Maroon

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11.28.12

4 9Asleep at the Wheel

@ Grand Stafford Theater

Randy Rogers Band @ H

arry’s

BCS Christmas Parade

Life of Pi Movie Review

16 28

LISTENpg 4 | maroonweekly.com | 11.28.12

LLongevity; a term best used to describe the career of the critically acclaimed western swing band Asleep at the Wheel. Since their inception in 1970, Asleep at the Wheel has garnered a list of accomplishments, hit records, and even band alumni. Their hard-nosed touring efforts and genuine musicality have notched them as one of the nation’s premier acts in the country western genre.

Forming at the height of the Vietnam War, most of the artists and acts of the day were using their music and influence to voice their opinions on the Southeast Asian conflict. Asleep at the Wheel wanted to take a different road. They felt the need to showcase the deep threads woven into western music rather than focus on the overseas turmoil.

“We wanted to break that mold,” said front-man Ray Benson. “We were concerned more with this amazing roots music, which we felt was being lost amid the politics.”

In 1973, three years after forming, Asleep at the Wheel caught a break when their hard work finally paid off by catching the attention of singer-songwriter Van Morrison. Morrison

mentioned Asleep at the Wheel in an interview with Rolling Stone Magazine.

“There’s some relatively unknown group around that I really dig,” said Morrison. “Asleep at the Wheel plays great country music.”

The shout-out by Morrison sent The Wheel’s record sales soaring. Benson and his band-mates finally caught the break they were looking for.

Their acclaimed style is best categorized as western swing, an approach that Ray Benson sums up as “jazz with a cowboy hat.” They’ve received numerous awards for their dancehall music, including “Touring Band of the Year” honors from the Country Music Award Association, a “Lifetime Achievement in Performance Award” from the American Music Awards, and they’ve won an impressive nine Grammy Awards.

Throughout their tenure, the band has cycled through more than 80 musicians. Members have come and gone on to play with other music legends such as Bob Dylan and Aggieland’s own Lyle Lovett. Throughout the band’s shape-shifting and

relentless touring of 250 road days a year, their music and style has remained consistent over four decades. With so many days on the road, The Wheel has played for crowds in venues ranging from biker-bars to symphony halls, including collaborations with symphonies from San Francisco and Washington D.C.

“We were reaching a completely new audience, theatergoers who might never set foot in a beer joint, or even in a cowboy boot,” said Benson.

Years of success and acclamation have only continued to fuel the fire of motivation under Benson and his band-mates, and more music is expected from the group as the road winds on.

“It’s been an amazing ride,” says Benson. “From Paw Paw to San Francisco to Austin, we’ve seen it all. But, rest assured, there is still so many exciting projects in the works. The Wheel keeps rolling!”

Asleep at the Wheel will be bringing their high caliber swing to Grand Stafford Theater on December 1. Tickets are available at grandstaffordtheater.com.

Asleep at the Wheel @ Grand Stafford Theater

by Luke Murray

LISTEN

11.29 - THURSDAY

11.30 - FRIDAY

What was the name of ‘N’Sync’s first American single?

Graham Colton @ Grand StaffordGraham Colton blends pop sensibility with his folk and rock roots. He’ll be performing at Grand Stafford Theater with Jay Nash and Little Brave on November 29.

Max Stalling @ The TapTexas A&M graduate and Texas country music artist Max Stalling will be bringing his musical talent through the doors @ The Tap on September 14. Best described as Texas country that’s modern with a vintage feel, Stalling’s music is enjoyed by crowds nearly 150 times a year. Earning a star on Corpus Christi’s South Texas Country Walk of Fame, Stalling is a prominent fixture of the Texas sound.

Ben Morris @ The Beer JointBen Morris & the Great American Boxcar Chorus may be local, but they are anything but ordinary. They have traveled their way across the state bringing great music and stage presence to audiences night after night. They will be @ The Beer Joint on November 30.

The Drasco’s Total Fascination @ GSTThe electronic dance music (EDM) scene has been growing the Bryan/College Station community as more DJs gain popularity here. The Drasco’s Total Fascination is a showcase of local talent featuring Syne Wav, The Drasco, DJ Get Low, and Pham Star.

Randy Rogers Band @ Harry’sTexas Country favorite, Randy Rogers Band, will be performing at Hurricane Harry’s on November 30. Micky and the Motorcars will open the show.

Tweet your answer to

@maroonweekly and @nibsradio for your chance to win!

*must mention both in order to be considered*

The Niblett Trivia Question:www.facebook.com/kiss1031

11.28.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 5

@adamdrakeonair

Kevin Fowler“Santa Got Busted

By The Border Patrol”

A funny tongue and cheek Christmas tune that may offend, but I just so relax

and laugh!

Kyle Park“Winter Wonderland”

I’ve asked KP for years to do a Christmas song. He gives a rocking

country version of a classic!

Casey Donahew & Cody Johnson“When Santa Rides Through Texas”

Two of my favorite guys got together to write an original Christmas song about

Santa loving the Great State as much as we do!

Listen weekdays 3-7pm

LISTEN

12.1 - SATURDAY

12.4 - TUESDAY

Joey McGee @ The Village CaféJoey McGee is performing live at the Village Cafe in Bryan. Joey McGee quit his day job to play the music he loves. He refers to his music as “folk rock groove” and a blend of various musical samplings.

The Broken Spokes @ The Beer JointThe Broken Spokes combine a country with rockabilly and throw in a wave of surf music, too. They will playing at the Beer Joint on December 1.

Asleep at the Wheel @ GSTForty-year dancehall legends Asleep at the Wheel bring their Western Swing style to Bryan. Ray Benson and crew will perform at Grand Stafford Theater on December 1.

Beethoven’s Boldest @ RudderThe Texas A&M Century Singers and the Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra perform Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony at Rudder Auditorium on December 4.

Matt Harlan @ Church StreetSinger-songwriter Matt Harlan brings his unique style to Church Street BBQ on December 4. The Houston native embodies the ideal persona of a Texas songwriter.

Freudian Slip @ Rudder TheaterThe Freudian Slip Improv Troupe will be performing at Rudder Theatre on December 4. The show will start at 7pm and promises to keep an Aggie crowd in stitches.

pg 6 | maroonweekly.com | 11.28.12

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Drasco’s Total Fascination

by Ike Ntube

Need to get some of that Thanksgiving (and leftover) weight off? What better way to do it than dancing it off? Electronic dance music is going to be in full effect at the Grand Stafford Theater this Friday.

The electronic dance music (EDM) scene has been growing in BCS as more DJs gain traction and recognition here. The Drasco’s Total Fascination serves as a showcase of local talent, with Syne Wav, The Drasco, DJ Get Low, and Pham Star all scheduled to make you dance your turkeys off.

Tony Stewart, aka Syne Wav (pronounced “sign wave”), creates a show different than most others because of his diverse musical influences. Syne Wav uses live instrumentation in addition to conventional mixing equipment, creating an electric experience with an organic edge.

Drasco is a tribe of DJs who saw that the area had a very underwhelming EDM scene at one time. So they stepped up together and collaborated. The DJs are known individually for their variations on dutch-house music, dubstep, and electro-remixes. The Drasco’s message is similar to that of the EDM movement of PLUR: Peace, Love, Unity, and Respect.

Other DJs featured are Falko, DJ Get Low, and Phamstar—local and frequent performers in the region. You’ve probably already danced to them and didn’t even know it, since all of them have been guests at local clubs on Northgate.

EVENTSScan this code for more

information on Tyler Brown

GGood news and bad news. The bad news: the Grand Stafford Theater only has a couple of weekends of performances left this year. The good news: they are ending the season with a slew of great performances. This Friday, the pre-NYE fireworks begin with Graham Colton, Jay Nash, and Little Brave.

Graham Colton has a pop sound rooted in folk and rock. Colton excels in songs with relatable themes of love and loss. He’s lived the dream most aspiring artists pine after: he began playing at local coffee shops and gave CDs and releases online—a self-promoting scheme that landed him recognition.

As a result, one of his biggest influences, Adam Duritz of the Counting Crows, asked him to open for them. Colton has toured with John Mayer, Maroon 5, OAR, Dave Matthews Band, The Wallflowers, and Kelly Clarkson. His music has also been featured on TV shows and talk shows.

Jay Nash is a true believer in music as a uniting impetus. With a country rock sound and a gritty voice, Nash writes compelling songs, showing everyone unabashedly his scars and romanticism.

Little Brave is the alias of Stephanie Briggs. With a wealth of musical experiences and bands (performing and recording since 2000) she makes her own rules now.

She made her start in the Texas country band Rodger Wilko and has released albums under her real name and assisted in others’ endeavors. She has an emotional intensity that comes through in her music, and her sound varies from track to track, keeping listeners on their toes.

For more information on Graham Colton, Jay Nash, and Little Brave, visit their websites grahamcoltonmusic.com, jaynash.com, and littlebravemusic.com.

Graham Colton @ Grand Staffordby Ike Ntube

Scan this code for ticket information

LISTEN11.28.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 9

WWhether you’re from Texas or you got here as fast as you could, it doesn’t take long to learn the Lone Star State has a rich musical culture. From Lubbock to Austin, the country fabric of Texas is a patchwork quilt of sounds stained in red dirt. Randy Rogers Band, since their humble beginnings in early 2000, has been exemplary of Lone Star soul.

Randy Rogers, the band’s namesake and front-man, was born in Cleburne, the son of a Baptist preacher. Growing up with a strong musical background and a little instruction from his grandmother, he learned to play piano before eventually picking up the guitar. With musical influences ranging from Merle Haggard to Pearl Jam, Rogers would eventually make his way into the music scene himself.

Rogers had the vision to start up a band where each member was treated as an equal asset. After piecing together a five-man group consisting of himself as lead vocalist, Brady Black (fiddle), Geoffery Hill (guitar), Les Lawless (drums), and Jon Richardson (bass), the Randy Rogers Band took shape.

In 2002, they were finding themselves bouncing around the local music scene around San Marcos, which mostly consisted of nights playing at the Nutty Brown Café and Amphitheatre in Dripping Springs. By this time the band had released their first studio album, Like It Used to Be, under Downtime Records.

Two years later, the band released their second album, Rollercoaster. The album contained their first three singles, two of which would land on the Country Billboard Top 50 chart. In 2006, Randy Rogers Band debuted their first major studio album, Just a Matter of Time. Their new label, Mercury Nashville Records, took the album and ushered it into the mainstream with the band’s iconic single, Kiss Me in the Dark.

At that point, six years into their career, the Randy Rogers Band was becoming established not just in Texas but across the country as a heavyweight from the Lone Star. Rogers, as the band’s primary songwriter, has a knack for stitching soulful lyrics together into songs that always tell a story. Their

current project, Trouble, has set a new standard in the Randy Rogers’ songwriting legacy.

“These songs are definitely true, and they’re relatable to many different life situations that I’ve either gone through in the past or will go through in the future,” said Rogers. “I just tried to create believable characters and relatable characters. I hear from fans that we really have helped them in real-life situations when they’ve applied the songs to their everyday life. That’s what I strive for in the songs that I write.”

The album’s current single, One More Sad Song, has eclipsed the country charts and hit the U.S. Music chart—their first-ever single to do so. Even USA Today praised the band for their “loads of grit, swagger and heart.”

Randy Rogers Band will be performing at Hurricane Harry’s on November 30. Tickets are available at harrys.bcsclubs.com.

Randy Rogers Band @ Harry’sby Luke Murray

LISTEN11.28.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 11

T

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This holiday season, drop the nice and add some spice with a play that would make Santa Claus turn as red as Rudolph’s nose. The Brazos Valley Players presents David Sedaris’ hilarious one-man show, The SantaLand Diaries. The SantaLand Diaries chronicles the true story of Sedaris’ stint as Crumpet the Elf in Macy’s Santaland display.

It is being performed at the intimate Stage Center venue in Downtown Bryan, with shows running from November 29 to December 15, starring Bryan Burrets as the sarcastic Crumpet.

Sedaris, NPR humorist and best-selling author, felt his experiences as Crumpet the Elf were so outrageous they were begging to be immortalized on paper. His retelling was well worth it. From The SantaLand Diaries, Sedaris was awarded his first major break.

Joe Mantello – actor and director of numerous Broadway shows – revised Sedaris’ essay for the stage as a one-man, one-act play. The show debuted at the Atlantic Theater Company in New York on November 7, 1996 with Timothy Olyphant taking on the role. The show has now become a cult classic and holiday staple of many colleges and high schools.

One of the foremost humor writers in America, Sedaris is the author of When you are Engulfed in Flames, Me Talk Pretty One Day, and Dress your Family in Corduroy and Denim.” Tickets are available on The Brazos Valley Players website. The show contains strong language and adult topics; it is recommended for adult audiences only.

Santaland Diaries@ Stage Center

by Sarah DeaN

pg 12 | maroonweekly.com | 11.28.12

TASTE

SSince doctors and Congress disagree about whether or not you should get your daily nutritional serving of veggies from pizza, why not skip the uncertainty and support the BCS community by buying your produce locally? Brazos Valley Farmers Market makes it easy for the everyday consumer to enjoy the fruits of our region’s labor.

Held every Saturday morning from 8am to 12pm on the corner of Texas Ave and Bryan Pkwy and each Wednesday afternoon from 4pm to 7pm in the Village Foods Shopping Center parking lot, Brazos Valley Farmers Market creates opportunities for local shoppers and vendors to interact with one another and to share the abundance reaped from the local land.

The Brazos Valley Farmers Market has grown substantially ever since it was moved to its two current locations in 1997; but the goal of the organization has always remained the same: To support the region’s farms by connecting consumers directly

with local food producers, thereby strengthening community bonds and educating BCS residents on the benefits of eating home-grown food.

What originally started as a small Saturday market with only a handful of vendors has flourished into a year-long schedule of two weekly markets, boasting over forty different local distributors that contribute to the wide spread of products available.

Is rabbit food not your thing? Are you allergic to all foods deemed healthy? If it’s not coated in chocolate, it’s not going in your mouth? Not to worry: Brazos Valley Farmers Market offers its customers far more than just produce. Apart from the freshest greens around, BCS residents are also invited to select from goods like coffee,

honey, homemade olive oil, jams, jellies, preservatives, and even seasonal foods grown by Texas A&M Horticulture students. In addition, you’ll find handmade bath and body products, scented wax melts and room fragrances, wooden crafts and jewelry, and hand-thrown pottery all in a vibrant environment where friends can meet to browse and shop.

Brazos Valley Farmers Market also provides resources for learning about food, agriculture, nutrition, and the community benefits of buying homegrown and local produce. The organization is governed entirely by an all-volunteer board and receives no city, state or federal funding, which means that the salt of the BCS earth is brought to consumers solely through vendors fees and countless hours of volunteer time.

STORY

maroonweekly

Best/Worst Restaurant

Brazos Valley Farmers Market

Offers Local Flavorby Meredith Morse

Going to #roadhouse and leaving a number instead of

a tip. #nocall #backlash

Imagine this. Hot Date+Hot Soup+Clumsy

Waiter=Really Pissed Off Date #yougetthepictue

New ‘awesome’ restaurant in town -

ordered a burger. 2 bites in, found a hair. The

manager brought a new one. No appetite left

@jstill93

@mikecarreon1

@jannashepherd

Follow

TASTE

11.29 - THURSDAY

11.30 - FRIDAY

Wine and Paint @ Painting with a TwistThe “twist?” Imagine going to class with a beer in hand. Well, you can do just that (or substitute a glass of wine) atPainting with a Twist. The popular art lesson teaches you how to paint(a different painting each lesson) while you sip a BYOB of choice. This is not your average art class; this is art entertainment. $35. Painting with a Twist - 1643Texas Avenue South, College Station.

$5 Domestic Pitchers @ Daisy DukesWho said Thursdays were thirsty? How could they be with $5 domestic pitchers all night long at Daisy Dukes. Daisy Dukes - 217 University Drive, College Station.

Shrimp Boil @ The TapLouisiana is a far drive. The Tap knows this; so they host a shrimp boil every Friday night. Save gas and get the bayou in BCS. The Tap - 815 Harvey Road, College Station.

Margarita Monday’s @ Ozona’sMondays are fun days at Ozona. With just the change in your couch cushions, you can make Monday feel like a Friday. Served all day. Drink responsibly. Ozona’s - 520 Harvey Road, College Station.

Happy Hour @ The Dixie ChickenTuesday’s 4-hour happy hour at The Dixie Chicken is 3 more hours happier than your average bar’s. That should put a smile on your face. Dixie Chicken - 307 University Drive, College Station

Whiskey Wednesdays @ The CornerWhiskey Wednesdays at The Corner takes hump day and stirs it up a little, with special whiskey cocktails served all night long. The Corner - 401 University Drive, College Station.

Ladies Night @ Daisy DukesDaisy Dukes Ladies Night isn’t just for the ladies; guys wanna be there, too, obviously. But ladies get in free all night, pay 50 cents for drinks, and can win $50 every hour. Daisy Dukes - 217 University Drive, College Station.

Happy Hour @ Naked Fish SushiEvery day is a good day for Sushi. That is why Naked Fish Sushi and Grill offers Happy Hour from 3-6 Monday - Thursday. If that isn’t good enough, they are open til 1 a.m. for all your late night cravings Thursday-Saturday.

12.3 - MONDAY

12.4 - TUESDAY

12.5 - WEDNESDAY

Features Efficiency, 1 & 2 Bedroom UnitsStudents First Resident Life ProgramPet Friendly with a Dog Park On-site

Spacious Floor PlansSparking Swimming Pool with Sundeck

Texas-size walk in closetsWWalking Distance to A&M Rec and Sports Complex

Internet Included!On the University Shuttle Bus Route!


LISTENpg 14 | maroonweekly.com | 11.28.12

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Evan Smith, Editor in Chief - Texas Tribuneby ChrIS Zebo

When Evan Smith helped launch the nonprofit Texas Tribune in 2009, his goal was to engage an impassive public with their government again. To compensate for a lack of depth and unbiased coverage in corporate news media, Smith's Tribune introduced comprehensive blogs, engrossing multimedia, and thought-provoking face-to-face conversations with today's leaders and scholars.

This Thursday, The Tribune will partner with TAMU to present a daylong symposium about the major issues confronting higher education in Texas' future. Featured speakers will discuss what’s next on the curricular front, redefining the college/university experience, the benefits and detriments of online education, and assessing Texas’ changing demographics. The symposium is free and open to the public (RSVP required) and presented by TAMU, Texas Natural Gas Now, Advancement Via Individual Determination, Texas Tuition Promise Fund, Greater Texas Foundation and Educate Texas. For a complete symposium schedule and to RSVP, visit texastribune.org/events.

MW: Let's talk for a second about the format of the symposium. A number of speakers—TAMU president, R. Bowen Loftin, House Committee on Higher Education chairman, Dan Branch, president of Texas State University, Denise Trauth, and many more—will be aligned in discussions ranging from assessing current standards of curricula across the state to a discussion about advances in online education.

Are the discussions led by moderators? And will there be a question and answer session after each discourse?

Smith: Yes — all the discussions are moderated, and we'll definitely encourage and welcome questions from the audience. As much as anything, this is a dialogue about big and important issues, and we want every possible voice in the conversation. And there's another good reason for this to be two-way: Real accountability comes when public officials, including the heads of public universities, meaningfully interact with their constituents.

MW: At 11am, what will the segment “Pathways to Student Success” entail? There has been quite a lot of dialogue among scholars about grade inflation in the national university system.

And among university administrations, it's an uncomfortable topic.

Will any part of the symposium address grade inflation?

Smith: It might. I think the more likely focus of this panel is the success or failure of graduation rates as a measure of a university's success. This is not an assembly line; every student is different, and today an increasing number of students are "nontraditional" — that is, not full-time, not just out of high school, and very possibly the first in their families to pursue a degree. Universities need to work harder than ever to give students the tools they need to design and execute a successful course of study, whatever form it takes and however long it takes.

MW: More and more universities are embracing online education. Students can telecommute and take online classes in tandem with attending lectures on campus. But many have argued that taking the experiential, physical experience of a lecture or classroom out of pedagogy has mixed results in terms of retention and integration.

Will a forum assess learning in the digital age?

Smith: Yes. This is a very important topic. Innovations in curriculum often come in digital form these days, whether it's distance learning or tablets and smartphones replacing traditional ink-on-paper course materials. But not all online curricula are created equal, and there are concerns that some students are letting themselves off the hook in terms of academic rigor. We'll explore what's working and why, and what's next.

MW: What are some of the biggest challenges facing higher education over the next 10 years? What issues are being forecasted in intellectual circles?

Smith: I think demographics are a key driver of the conversation in Texas — of every conversation, by the way. Like other areas of public life, higher ed needs to absorb the massive change that's coming and realign its offerings to welcome the growing number of bright, ambitious Latinos into this phase of their education. By 2040 our school-age population with be 3-to-1 Hispanic. Time's a-wasting. Access, affordability and excellence are still the three main challenges, and never more challenging than now.

THE

TEXA

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pg 16 | maroonweekly.com | 11.28.12pg 16 | maroonweekly.com | 11.28.12

Join the Festivities @

the BCS Paradeby Ike Ntube

MMost of the town leaves for Thanksgiving, meaning that it wouldn’t make any sense to have a Thanksgiving Day parade. With the holiday of excessive eating out of the way and students returning in droves to finish out the semester, the twin cities are throwing a big holiday parade to get you in the spirit.

The Bryan-College Station Christmas parade is this Sunday at 2pm. The parade has entries from people throughout the community who have made floats—and one will even have Santa Claus at the reigns, just in case you missed him at the Macy’s parade. The route begins on University Drive at Polo Road and turns north on Texas to Sulphur Springs Road in Bryan.

Over 30,000 spectators have come out in previous years and the city is expecting more this year. And if you can’t watch the parade in person, you can catch it on KAMU (Suddenlink Cable channel 4 and 700) or online at kamu.tamu.edu.

Unfortunately, if you wanted to enter a float in the parade, sign-ups are now over. But if you are interested in making a float for next year’s parade, you can visit the parade’s website and register.

For more information on the Bryan-College Station Christmas Parade, visit bcsparade.com.

Scan this code for more information on the parade

PLAY

11.29 - THURSDAY

12.1 - SATURDAY

12.3 - MONDAY

12.4 - TUESDAY

12.5 - WEDNESDAY

BYOB and Paint @ Painting with a TwistThe “twist” is that you can bring your favorite bottle of wine or beverage to enjoy during the class. Come alone or invite your friends. Paint, canvas, and brushes are provided. At the end of the evening, you’ll have a one-of-a-kind creation and a newfound talent you might want to pursue. 7:00pm—Painting with a Twist—1643 Texas Avenue South, College Station-$35.

Karaoke @ Schotzi’sMixing alcohol with an open microphone always promises a good time, so swing by Schotzi’s for the classic “karaoke night”.—8:00pm—Schotzi’s—205 University Dr., College Station—Free.

Salsa Saturdays @ Village CaféVoted Best Night of Dancing (2011 & 2012), Salsa Saturdays starts with a fun, “30-Minute Crash Course Salsa Lesson” followed by a hot night of dancing. Come prepared to sweat and to meet new people at this Aggie hot spot! Visit mambosentertainment.com for more details. —10:00pm—Village Café—210 W 26th St, Bryan—$5.

Open Mic @ Schotzi’sVisit Schotzi’s for an opportunity to bare it all on stage. Whether you consider yourself a songbird or the next Galifianakis of comedy; showcase your talents and enjoy a few minutes of fame or infamy.—8:00pm—Schotzi’s—205 University Dr., College Station—Free.

Absolute Karaoke @ O’Bannon’sPut your vocal acrobatics to the test! Every Tuesday, O’Bannon’s Tap House pairs with Absolute Karaoke and offers up the most talented (and, more likely, least talented) crooners in College Station.—10:00pm—O’Bannon’s Tap House—103 Boyett St., College Station—Free

Salsa Wednesdays @ Village CaféSalsa Wednesdays at the Village Cafe offer an hour and a half professional dance lesson(8pm) followed by a night of dancing from 9:30-12am. A great night to learn new moves or to just let loose on the dance floor! Visit mambosentertainment.com for more details. —9:30pm—Village Café—210 W 26th St, Bryan—$8 lesson and dancing/$5 just dancing.


F

Joy to the World 5K Fun Run

by Sarah DeaN

For many of us, a mere $2 is nothing. We can purchase a cheeseburger or pay for parking without batting an eye. But for the people of Masaya, Nicaragua, $2 is a day’s living wage. Since 2010, the women of Philadelphia Sisters – a small Christian sorority – have traveled to Masaya to provide for the physical and spiritual needs of its children. The 3rd Annual Joy to the World 5K Fun Run takes place on December 1 in Lot 50 on the A&M campus. It’s a special opportunity for anyone to come out, dress up in a silly Christmas costume, and support the needs of the children of Masaya.

Each November, the members of Philadelphia Sisters are hard at work holding banners, passing out fliers, and speaking to other organization, all in an effort to get as many people as possible involved in their 5K. Entering the race costs $15. With the entry fee, you will receive a t-shirt and leave with the knowledge that you have provided for a child in need. All proceeds from the race go to benefit children and their families in Masaya.

Registration begins at 8:30am in Lot 50 by the Bonfire Memorial on the A&M campus, and the race commences at 9:30am. You don’t have to be an athlete to run the 5K! Bike it, walk it, or cartwheel it if your heart so desires. Breakfast tacos and bagels will be provided at the end of the race. Don your best costume because prizes are available for the winner. Credit cards will be accepted only on the day of the race. For more information, visit their Facebook page or website at joytotheworld5k.wix.com/Nicaragua.

Scan this code for more information on the Fun Run


BREAKAWAYTUESDAYS 9PM

full schedule at breakawayministries.org

10.9.12 // Reed arena

- - - - - - - - - -

12.4.12 // ALL WORSHIP

Christmas events are king this time of year, and Wolf Pen Creek Park is bringing you a festival of lights and cheer this Friday and Saturday evenings to get you in the spirit of the season.

Christmas at the Creek is a Christmas festival with various seasonal activities, including hayrides, a live nativity, and photos with Santa. There will also be holiday shopping opportunities from a variety of vendors, along with food trucks from Chef Tai, Southern Comfort Road Trip, and Cake Junkie if the Christmas spirit works up your appetite. The event takes place from 6pm to 9pm on Friday and Saturday nights both this week and next. Each night has different activities, though, so read on to see which night piques your interest the most.

On Friday, the schedule of events is based around the sounds of Christmas. Various youth clubs will combine their efforts to offer a range of live entertainment throughout the evening. The acts include Kids Klub Dancers (performing 3 times throughout the night), Bryan/College Station Girl Scouts, Brazos Valley Community Church of God Choir, and Brittney B’Sloan

On Saturday, the performances are all choreographed around a musical made solely for the event, Santa’s Texas Vacation Celebration. The short musical, written by local composer Mark Taylor, is exactlywhat it sounds like: Santa taking a vacation from the North Pole to Texas before his busy Christmas Eve night. The musical will happen three times, with performances by Power Sports Dance with Gentri Gandy’s Dance Factory, Expressions Dance, and the Rudder High School & BCS Junior Drill team performing in between.

Next Friday’s program has a gospel performance emphasis. The night features performances by the Shelli Kruger School of Dance, Blinn College Joyous Praise Choir, On Our Toes Dance Studio, Galilee Missionary Baptist Church Choir, Creekview Elementary, and Brittney B’Sloan.

Next Saturday will be the chillest of the nights, a movie night with an opportunity to bring your pets. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (the animated version) will be screened followed by Polar Express. Don’t have any plans for the pets and family that Saturday night? Grab a blanket and watch a Christmas flick al fresco!

Christmas at the Creek

by ike Ntube

PLAY11.28.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 19

WWhat if you could take a trip to the Caribbean only 10 minutes away from campus? Ever wanted to travel to Latin America but didn’t have a passport or dinero? Well, don’t pack your bags, forget about travel visas, immunizations, and your English-to-Spanish dictionaries.

Voted “Best Night of Dancing” two years in a row, the Village Cafe’s popular salsa nights are like taking a trip to Latin America in your own backyard every Wednesday and Saturday night.

If you’ve never danced salsa, not to worry: One of the most popular things about salsa at the Village is the lessons offered before each night of dancing. Wednesday nights offer an hour and a half lesson for those who want to learn how to dance. Starting at 8pm, the award-winning lessons teach you new material every week, always beginning with a refresher of the basics before moving into new material.

Saturday night begins with a fun (and often hilarious) 30-minute “Crash Course Salsa Lesson” at 10pm. In a half hour, you learn enough to get down on the dance floor. No partner is necessary for lessons at the Village; girls are rotated counterclockwise every five minutes in the lesson circle—so you meet a ton of people to dance with throughout the night.

After the lessons on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the dance floor opens up to social dancing. If you just want to come out for the dancing, then arrive after the lessons(9:30pm on Wednesdays, 10:30pm on

Saturdays) and dance to salsa, merengue, and bachata. If you’re over 21, bring your ID for sangria, margaritas, wine and beer specials each week. No ID? Not to worry: Salsa at the Village is all ages.

Salsa dancing is addictive and the Village knows this, which is why they give you a frequent dancer’s card at the door (get 5 stamps and your 6th night of lessons/dancing is free). One thing to think about before you go: Dress lightly. We weren’t kidding when we said it’s like taking a trip to Latin America. It gets VERY hot inside—even in the winter.

Salsa lessons on Wednesday costs $8 while Saturday’s cost $5--both include dancing following the lessons. For those wanting to skip the lesson, admission is just $5 on each night. For more info, visit mambosentertainment.com or visit their Facebook page for weekly updates at facebook.com/mambosentertainment.

Salsa Dancing @ Village Caféby Chris shepperd


NNovember is one of the manliest months of the year, a time when the temperatures are cooler in almost every corner of the country, when facial hair won't make the cheeks sweat and the chins simmer. In the past decade, to honor beard season, a popular pastime has evolved from a silly trend to a pop culture holiday. We're talking about NoShavember and Movember; the former a portmanteau for everything from chin straps to Lincolns, the latter a catchword for handlebars to horseshoes.

On the first of November, men clean shave and begin a month in which they don’t touch a razor again. NoShavember is an all-out commitment to not shaving for the entire month. And not only men are participating; girls have started their own rendition of the hirsute holiday, forgoing the razors and waxes and letting their legs wolf out.

Movember, unfortunately for ladies, is only for men. It is a month in which you commit to keeping a mustache in tact for its entirety. You can keep the stache classy or you can choose to dress it up in any ridiculous fashion of your choosing. The possibilities are seemingly endless; just Google “Mustache Styles” for stache diagrams, complete with hilarious names and styling tips.

Both events can be for fun or for charity. Both can also be set up for donations (try another Google search) independently, or you can be hosted on a collaborative website in which numerous participants are captured day by day, to show the public how the beard of stache is coming along. At the end of the month, a winner is chosen from votes submitted by the public (you can even win a prize for not shaving, how cool is that?).The marketing for these events can be pretty entertaining; there are halls of fame and some celebrities who participate, too (like Nick Offerman).

For more information on Movember and NoShavember, visit us.movember.com or noshember.com respectively.

It is Getting a Little Hairy in Movember

by Ike Ntube

LOOK11.28.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 21


MMy favorite part of Life of Pi comes at the end, when the writer interviewing Pi about his miraculous journey, a trans-Pacific voyage in a lifeboat with a tiger, wipes away a single tear. It’s the film in a nutshell, not just a cliche but the cliche, the defining image of a cheesy ending. With that one little act, everyone tacitly pretends the film has done its job simply by pulling our heartstrings.

It’s certainly one of the handsomest New Age spirituality pamphlets I’ve ever seen. The 3D camerawork has been oversold, especially next to mouse-trap movies like The Adventures of Tintin, but it’s easily the best reason to see Life of Pi.

Most of the film takes place on a lifeboat and a makeshift raft attached to the bow as a precautionary measure, considering the carnivore on the main vessel, and it’s all the more impressive to see the latest Hollywood technology navigating choppy waters and sudden storms with such a minimal set.

Then there’s the nature-doc beauty. A placid sea acts as a perfect mirror for a Thomas Kinkaide morning. Bioluminescent algae turn jellyfish into Star Trek creatures, and a whale leaps into the night sky to seal the deal. At one point, director Ang Lee reverts from the film’s natural widescreen to the golden-age squarish aspect ratio to wink at the book cover: the boat drifting diagonally, Pi sleeping on his side, the tiger at the other end, sea life moving along with them.

Later Lee goes on an imagined odyssey deep into the Pacific that feels like we’re flying through galaxies. There’s a very specific kind of beauty in Life of Pi, an open-armed Trapper Keeper invested in the soulfulness of all living things.

Just as in Planet Earth, all this gorgeous nature photography is documenting the food chain at work. But there, it’s science, the facts of life. Here, it’s metaphysical,

a quandary to be grappled with. What makes Pi unique is that he grew up Hindu, with over 330 million gods, later discovered Catholicism and Islam, and now sees all of them as windows to a higher power.

But a meerkat massacre is tinged with sitcommery, and the silliness eventually goes a bridge too far. What’s most insidious is how the movie’s innocent baby-face seeks to short-circuit critical faculties. Relax and just soak up the images. Well, eventually we discover that this isn’t a movie about God or gods at all. It’s about the stories we tell. Pi makes what would be a good point if the movie didn’t bite off so much. “Why does it have to mean anything?” he asks. Funny. Even Pi knows this movie is all talk.

Life of Piby braNDoN NowaLk

Drama | PG |


1 Breaking Dawn pt2 The best of the multi-part emo abstinence sensation is the finale, of course. Higher stakes, more abs, and way more go-for-broke goofiness. Worth it to see Jacob get betrothed to an infant.

2 Skyfall 1/2

James Bond takes on a doppelganger with a vendetta in this exciting, gorgeous, and clunky re-do of The Dark Knight Rises. Good globe-trotting fun, but such hype. What would M say?

3 Lincoln Daniel Day-Lewis leads an all-star cast in the passage of the 13th amendment, using expediency, corruption, and lies. It isn’t pretty to watch the democratic sausage get made, but with Spielberg, it sure is tasty.

4 Rise of the Guardians 1/2

Jack Frost gets swept up by the Easter bunny and other folk-superheroes in an exhausting rip-roaring adventure to defeat the boogeyman. I just hope the Owls of Ga’Hoole are looking into copyright law.

5 Life of Pi 1/2

A multi-religious boy crosses the Pacific on a lifeboat with a tiger in this New Age light-show that spans the distance from moving triumph to involving survival guide to thoughtless headache. Is pretty enough?

6 Wreck it Ralph 1/2

John C. Reilly takes a villain on a hero’s journey in this arcade version of Toy Story. More importantly, they made Sarah Silverman a Disney princess, and she tore the establishment down.

7 Red Dawn A group of boring teenagers fend off a North Korean invasion. On the one hand, it stars Chris Hemsworth. On the other, it makes the plastic

John Milius original look like a classic.

8 Flight Denzel nails addiction, all inflated swagger and toddler pout, but director Robert Zemeckis is so cheesy he stuffs his film with Foghorn Leghorn accents and the VH1 top 100. The plane landing, though: Chills.

9 Silver Linings Playbook

The cult of David O. Russell is already out in force, probably going door-to-door in some neighborhoods, but dude hasn’t been interesting since Huckabees. But it’s still not out in Texas, so who knows?

10 Argo 1/2

Ben Affleck the actor glowers to show how serious this is while Ben Affleck the director lets loose on his best movie yet. The Iran hostage

crisis has never been so fun.

11 Taken 2

Right on schedule, every nine months, Liam Neeson pops out a new action thriller, each more serious than the last. Turns out this frustrating wannabe is the runt of the litter. More wolves, please!

12 Anna Karenina Anna Karenina opens in Texas this week, so fingers crossed! I love Atonement and Keira Knightley and showy flourishes, so Joe Wright’s take on Tolstoy sounds delicious. Here’s hoping those crazy kids make it!

13 Pitch Perfect Okay, so it’s no Bring It On, but we all have our weaknesses. Turns out Anna Kendrick getting in a cappella street battles over bad ‘90s pop is one of mine.

14 The Sessions The twist on this period American Pie is that the hero was disabled (and kept virginal) by polio. Cue Helen Hunt, smartly launching her comeback with extra nudity. She really wants the Oscar.

15 Cloud Atlas 1/2

Tom Hanks and Halle Berry keep bumping into one another throughout history in this time-skipping, gender-hopping, yellow-facing symphony. If only the filmmaking were as radical as the narrative.

16 The Perks of Being a Wallflower

A freshman outcast falls in with two seniors in Stephen Chbosky’s adaptation of his own novel. It’s pretty, it’s witty, it’s gay. But mostly it’s a chance to see Emma Watson spread her wings post-Hermione.

17 Hotel Transylvania 1/2

If I’ve learned anything from the box office the past few years, it’s that kids entertainment is where the money’s at. Parents will see anything. Word to the wise: Stick with ParaNorman and Frankenweenie.

18 Hitchcock he master of suspense gets his second biopic this year, this one overlooking his art and detailing his fascination with serial killer Ed Gein. Who knew idle chatter was enough to sponsor a whole movie?

19 Looper Time-travel gem Looper has so much fun with narrative that even its genre is this crazy mishmash of sci-fi, western, and crime thrillers. But one thing’s for sure: It’s worth a ticket price. Maybe twice.

20 The Man with the Iron Fists The RZA finally learns the lesson that so many directors have been discovering since 1992: It takes more than stylized action, poppy dialogue, and an East Asian fetish to be Quentin Tarantino.

by braNdoN Nowalk

toptwentyfilms

pg 24 | maroonweekly.com | 11.28.12pg 24 | maroonweekly.com | 11.28.12LOOK

AAs classic as Christmas itself, Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is a beloved ghost story which narrates Ebenezer Scrooge’s Christmas Eve and his travels with the spirits of the past, present, and future. While the novella was published in December of 1843, it has been adapted into scripts for both screen and stage and has been performed everywhere from public parks and high school auditoriums to Broadway.

A Christmas Carol, one of the season's most popular shows, returns to the Theatre Company’s stage. Performances run from November 30 to December 16. The Theatre Company expects another sell out for the holiday favorite, so you just may want to get your tickets early! After all, it just isn’t Christmas without the original Grinch and his humbling conversion to goodness.

A Christmas Carol is the story of the loathsome tyrant Ebenezer Scrooge and his voyage of redemption as he is taken on a spiritual journey by ghosts. The spirit of Jacob Marley, Scrooge’s deceased business partner, materializes and attempts to convince Scrooge to change his dastardly ways. Marley remarks that Scrooge will be visited by three ghosts who “may yet stop you ending up like me.” As the clock strikes 1:00, the Ghost of Christmas Past appears and shows Scrooge scenes from his childhood, miseries and joys. The Ghost of Christmas Past illuminates

Scrooge’s greed, and Scrooge shoos the Ghost away. Scrooge is left abandoned and alone. As the clock chimes 2:00, the Ghost of Christmas Present emerges. Jovial, he presents Scrooge with an extravagant feast before whisking Scrooge off to the home of the Cratchit family. It is there that Scrooge understands how Christmas is truly about the celebration of love, friendship, and family--not money. Finally, as the clock rings out the time, Scrooge is transported to St. Paul’s graveyard where he is met by the third and final spirit: the menacing Ghost of Christmas Yet to Be. It is revealed that Tiny Tim has passed away, and Scrooge sees his own grave. Vowing to forever change his ways, Scrooge awakes in his own bed with the scent of Christmas morning in the air and a changed heart in his chest.

Broadway’s A Christmas Carol premiered at Madison Square Garden in New York and ran for eight years. With a remarkable score by Tony and Oscar award winning composer Alan Menken, A Christmas Carol features such wonderful and heartwarming songs such as “You Mean More to Me”, which is the tune sung by Scrooge’s forbearing employee Bob Cratchit as he purchases a Christmas chicken with his son Tiny Tim. On the other end of the musical spectrum is the foreboding “Link by Link” sung by the ghost of Scrooge’s former colleague, Jacob Marley. The musical ends on a note of salvation with the song “God Bless Us Every One.” The townsfolk sing out “Star by star up above, and kindness by human kindness, light this world with your love/And God bless us every one.”

For tickets (single show or season), visit The Theatre Company’s website at thetheatrecompany.com

A Christmas Carol @ The Theater Companyby Sarah DeaN

TEXAS GRAND SLAM11.07.12 | maroonweekly.com | pg 25

pg 26 | maroonweekly.com | 11.28.12pg 26 | maroonweekly.com | 11.28.12LOOK

Imagine being completely paralyzed, trapped inside your own body. What sounds like the plot of a terrifying horror film was a reality for the editor-in-chief of Elle magazine--Jean-Dominique Bauby. In December of 1995, Bauby – at the age of 43 –suffered a stroke and fell into a coma. Bauby emerged from the coma on December 29, aware of his surroundings, but paralyzed with the exception of slight movement in his head and eyes. He used these slight movements to write his memoir. After the completion of his book, Bauby’s story was adapted into the film The Diving Bell and the Butterfly. The movie is being presented by MSC Aggie Cinema and will be shown in MSC room 1400 on November 30.

The entirety of the memoir was written by Bauby himself by blinking his left eye. The process took ten months, and he “wrote” for four hours a day with the use of partner assisted scanning. 200,000 blinks later and the book was completed. It recounts the state of his life after suffering the stroke – which left him with a condition called locked-in syndrome – as well as his life prior to it. In March of 1997, the French version was published. Upon receiving terrific reviews, the memoir quickly went on to becoming the number one bestseller across Europe. Only two days after the publication of his book, Bauby passed away due to a bout of pneumonia.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is the adaption of Bauby’s memoir. It was directed by Julian Schanbel, written by Ronald Harwood, and stars Mathieu Amalric as Bauby. Not only did Schnabel win best director at the Cannes Film Festival, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly was nominated for four Academy Awards in 2008 for directing, cinematography, editing, and writing. The film also scooped up a BAFTA for adapted screenplay and Golden Globes for best director and best foreign language film.

Aggie Cinema @ MSCby Sarah DeaN

Genome: The Secret of How Life Works


FFew people realize that when they look at a baby and his or her parents, they are comparing genetic data. Also, when they express their opinion on genetically modified foods, they are actually evaluating the result of an experiment on genomes. With two such different ways of talking about the same thing, it’s no wonder that sometimes it feels like scientists are from a different planet. Bridging that gap in scientific awareness and knowledge is one of the main reasons why the “Genome: The Secret of How Life Works” exhibit is incredibly important.

The traveling exhibit, designed for all ages and levels of awareness about genome research,

opens on Saturday, August 25 in the Ansary Gallery of American

History at the

George Bush Presidential

Library. By creating visually-rich displays and interactives, the exhibit highlights the history of genome research (from Gregor Mendel’s rules of inheritance in the 19th century to the famous Watson and Crick DNA double helix in 1953) and its impact on medical care, food production, and even global politics and economics. Visiting this exhibit can benefit everyone: a child could discover an interest in science; a student could be inspired to learn more about this emerging field and ways to get involved; curious adults could be amazed by the magnitude of the impact that scientific research has on the world they live in; while scholars can get more familiar with research performed at TAMU and form new collaborations.

Bush Library and Museum Director Warren Finch said the exhibit provides great

partnerships

with local institutions and is a unique educational opportunity for the community. “This exhibit will allow us to highlight the work and accomplishments in the field of genomics by several leading organizations such as what we have here at Texas A&M,” says Finch, “showcasing the realization of the vision that began with President Bush.” That is why in conjunction with the “Genome” exhibit, rotating ancillary exhibits will display the achievements of the newly established Whole Systems Genomics Initiative at Texas A&M University. These exhibits will highlight past achievements such as the Copy Cat cloning project.

The George Bush Presidential Library is a fitting place for this exhibit, because it was Bush who, in 1989, signed into law the appropriations for the Human Genome Project. Since then, many things that

were thought impossible became doable and exciting developments, like curing cancer and correcting disorders (ex. sickle cell anemia) in the womb—both are within reach. There is another milestone in genome research that is connected to the Bush family: the project of mapping the human genome was completed in 2003 during President George W. Bush’s administration, accomplishing its mission of identifying the more than 20,000 genes in human DNA and determining the complete sequence of the 3 billion DNA subunits (the basis of the human genome).

The exhibit will remain open until Friday, July 5th 2013. For more information, visit hbushlibrary.tamu.edu.

Genome: The Secret of How Life Worksby eSZter trufaN

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