TEMPO MAGAZINE

Tempo Magazine is Coastal Carolina University's nationally recognized -- student produced -- features publication. Print versions of Tempo come out twice a year.

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My Paranormal Experience

I am generally a pretty brave person. I can usually face my fears just fine, like killing spiders (oh, how I hate them. *shudder*) or cockroaches that fall into my bed in the middle of the night (which is a terrifying story for another time). I also can handle the more serious fears, like losing someone I love, impending graduation and graduate school and illness/death, fairly well most of the time. The one thing I CANNOT handle, however, is psychological fear.

Which is why I LOATHE scary movies. They’re the best things to bring psychological fears to life! I am an absolute baby when it comes to watching them and I try to avoid them at all costs. Until last night, the scariest film I’d seen was Woman in Black. That movie messed with my head and I was so jumpy for days. I only saw it to support the talented Daniel Radcliffe and, while I will agree it was a good film, I did not want to experience it or anything like with evil ghosts again, thank you very much. If I watch a scary movie, it has to be a cliché scary movie where you can yell things like, “Don’t open the closet! That’s where he’s hiding!” or “Why are you investigating the loud noises when you are clearly the only one home? GET OUT OF THE HOUSE YOU STUPID GIRL!” That way, I can mock the movie for being stupid and boring rather than being terrified of the events happening.

I blame my childhood for this aversion to scary films. I’ve always been fascinated with ghosts and ghost stories and so I’ve read lots of books about haunted places and scary, unexplained things that happen in supposedly haunted places. I also watch shows like Ghost Hunters and Scariest Places on Earth where they take a group of people, lock them in a crazy haunted place overnight and have them walk around and document things that happen. (It is equally terrifying and hilarious to see their reactions to the crazy stuff that happens to them).  Because of this wealth of knowledge that I’ve gained about ghosts and hauntings, I have a legitimate fear of unexplained things happening. I mean, I’ve walked through “haunted” houses for Halloween and I’ve been places that are supposedly haunted, but I don’t know if I could handle it happening around me, especially with the possibility of it happening at my own house.

So, you can understand my complete lack of enthusiasm when, after a lovely dinner with friends at Outback, we decide to head over to someone’s room to watch a movie called Paranormal Activity 4. Let me just say that I have not seen a single one of the Paranormal Activity films for a very good reason. GHOSTS AND HAUNTINGS FASCINATE AND TERRIFY ME. I am also aware that the fourth installment of this series is supposed to be the least scary of them all, which is the only reason I stuck around to watch it.

You can call me pathetic, ridiculous, or even tell me to stop acting like such a girl, but I watched the entire movie curled up in the corner and under a blanket. While I will admit that I was a bit disappointed at the end that it wasn’t scarier (hey, just because I don’t like scary movies doesn’t mean I don’t want them to do their job. If you claim to be scary, then BE TERRIFYING), I was extremely freaked out. I almost legitimately started crying afterwards because my sister started talking a creepy little kid voice in the dark room while giving me crazy eyes and it freaked me out WAY more than it would have if I hadn’t just seen a scary movie. Granted, I hate creepy kids’ toys, playrooms, nurseries, ghosts of kids – anything to do with creepy children ghosts and I’m running out the door to a happier place.

Yet, somehow, I rather enjoyed it. I was with my friends, we were equally parts terrified and intrigued, we were all under the blanket in the dark room and we were all enjoying the odd pleasure in scaring ourselves. It was a fun night in spite of it all because we were spending time together. I’m just glad the experience is over and there’s bright sunshine streaming through my window. Nothing happens during the day so I should be completely fine, right?

Did you hear that? That loud thump? I’m going to go check it out….

 -- Ana Maria Lavado

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WHAT IS YOUR EARLIEST HUMAN MEMORY?

We are not human, we are a publication, we are hyper real.

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Sex, Politics and Shoddy Journalism

       On November 1, 2012, online media outlet The Daily Caller published a story accusing Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) of soliciting prostitutes in the Dominican Republic. The story was came with video of two prostitutes with their faces obscured, accompanied with a translator and their lawyer, Melanio Figueroa. In the video, the women claim they “met Menendez around Easter 2012 at Casa de Campo, a 7,000-acre resort in the Dominican Republic.” They go on to claim Menendez agreed to pay them $500 for sex acts, but they only received $100. A picture of the senator was supplied, with the women identifying him as “Bob.”

    Since the story first broke, it has slowly unraveled. “The Washington Post” reported on March 4 that one of the women stated in an affidavit that she was paid to lie about Sen. Menendez. The next day, ABC News announced they had been approached with the story and even interviewed the woman from the Post article. They, unlike the Daily Caller, were skeptical of the story. Subsequent news outlets, including “The Star Ledger (Newark, N.J.) and “The New York Post,” reported that they were also approached by persons with evidence of Sen. Menendez soliciting prostitutes in the Dominican Republic.

    All of his would seem like enough evidence for the “Caller” and its "editor-in-chief" Tucker Carlson to take a second look at their story and its sources. Instead, Carlson went on the March 5 edition of “The O’Reilly Factor” to continue digging his organization in a hole. In addition to denying the allegations, Carlson denounces ‘The Washington Post’ story as “ludicrous” in “it’s an attempt to takedown our story,” and that the woman in the Post story was not the same woman they interview, which “I was there for.” As evidence of knowing the woman was telling the truth, Tucker supplied “90 percent of our sources have agendas, their anonymous, they are working for reasons we don’t understand.” Articles on the recants on his website also go against the Post story. Things got worst for the Caller’s story on March 22, when Figuero claimed he was paid $5,000 by a man claiming he worked for the website named “Carlos” to find prostitutes willing to smear the Senator. Carlson has also denied these allegations.

    What is troubling by all of this has been the journalism. It should be noted that the Daily Caller is a right wing website that rarely has any positive news when it comes to democrats, such as Sen. Menendez. It should be apparent that they jumped at the chance to smear Menendez while he was up for reelection, without vetting the evidence against him. Now with all three of the stories sources recanting, the “Caller” is stuck between apologizing, retraction and admitting they used dubious intel. They are continuing to defend the story, labeling Figuero as a liar or insinuating he is being forced to lie, continuing to claim that the prostitutes are being mistaken or dragging other news outlets, such as Univision and Telemundo in to their fight.

It’s time for Carlson & Co. to own up to their mistakes. For four months, they employed half-assed, biased based journalism against a man based on his political affiliation. Carlson likes to claim that the solicitation of sex is “just part of a larger story,” that of Sen. Menendez receiving illegal contributions from a doctor friend — he could possibly be guilty. This is not what they chose to report, however, so that claim is too little, too late. Also, by constantly deflecting the attention to other news outlets, Carlson is coming of as pompous and unapologetic. Sources need to be stronger than unidentifiable and anonymous. Faces shouldn’t be obscured if you’re going to use video as a main source of evidence. Add the fact that the women needed translators and a lawyer and you have a recipe for disaster, which is exactly what Carlson & Co. has on their hands, all thanks to a political agenda and shoddy journalism.

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How Weak is Greek?

    A major aspect of the college experience for millions of students across the nation is the thrill of Rushing a fraternity or sorority.  Lately, the negative stereotypes of these organizations have been causing a decrease in interest.  Countless news articles have swept the nation about hazing and problems brought about by Greek letter organizations.  Remember, it is only these organizations that have a small subgroup that make mistakes like this.  Nobody keeps in mind the student that died at Florida A&M, due to hazing in the marching band.  

    Everyone seems to be focusing on the negatives of Greek life.  By the negatives, of course this means the faults of a handful of messed up chapters nationwide that take things too far.  In no way are these actions to be condoned, but holding their faults against the greater group of Greeks is like saying that one Dalmatian bit someone, so let’s put down the whole species.  Let’s look at the benefits of going Greek during your college years.  The numbers of going Greek do not lie.

    One major problem facing all college campuses is retention.  How do the numbers of graduates match up?  Nationwide, 71% of all Greek members graduate.  This may not seem as high as desired, but when compared to the 50% of non-affiliates who graduate, there must be something in going a fraternity or sorority that makes your college experience worth having.  How good is the education received during this experience?  Statistically, all fraternity and all sorority GPAs are higher than all men’s and all women’s GPAs respectively.  As much as movies and television may have created a negative view on Greek organizations, scholarship is one of their biggest focuses.

    In a study conducted by the University of Missouri-Kansas City, on 730 surveyed college campuses, an average of 85% of student leaders were Greek. Organizations like the Student Government Association and countless other clubs have Greeks as their leaders because something about these organizations pushes their members to work harder and get involved on campus. Speaking of involvement, this study shows that Greeks are generally more involved on their campus and rank their college years higher than non-Greeks. If you don’t believe this, ask members of your club if they are Greek or not.

    Everyone has heard of the Who’s Who in America publication.  This presents the outstanding members of different levels of education.  One is chosen for this based on academic achievement, leadership qualities, involvement and service to their community.  As for the college version of this, an average of 76% of college students selected for this honor are members of a fraternity or sorority.  Is it purely a coincidence that the vast majority of high accomplished college students are Greek?

    So, past the four years on campus, how does going Greek impact life after college?  For those looking at going into the business world, know that 85% of executives in Fortune 500 companies are Greek.  Politically, 70% of US cabinet members and 76% of US senators have been part of a fraternity or sorority.  Let us not forget that all but two presidents since 1825 have been what most would call Frat Guys.  Greeks tend to build a greater sense of accomplishment and strive to develop more in their community and do more than just the minimum of what’s expected.

    Many people look down on the Greek community at many college campuses because of a negative stereotype created by media.  It seems evident that people prefer to focus on the negatives of some organizations hazing or celebrating alcohol abuse.  No news reports show the hundreds of thousands of dollars these organizations raise for local and national charities annually.  How many have looked at the stronger Greek GPA than that of non-affiliates?  How about the nearly countless service hours?  The vast majority of Greek letter organizations stay true to the ideals of scholarship, brotherhood/sisterhood, philanthropy and leadership.  Really, who wouldn’t agree with these?

The author of this article is an avid member of CCU's Greek Life.

-- Alex Mosier

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Super Rich Kids

    $47, 802—this amount represents a number of items. A 2013 BMW 335 with every possible bell and whistle; a three bedroom, two bathroom 1,200 square-foot “fixer upper” on 1207 Rosehaven in Myrtle Beach or the amount of money I’ll end up paying for an associate’s, a bachelor’s and a master’s degree.

The number also represents the total for all of the items comprising the 2013 Oscars nominee swag bag. So when you hear an actor or actress say, “It’s an honor just be nominate,” they mean that shit.

I’m sure Jennifer Lawrence was “honored” to receive four vacations, including a $12,000, nine-day escape to Australia, snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef. 9-year-old Quvenzhané Wallis was likely flattered to receive the $800 under the counter home water filtration system. And the $400 hand lotion that “maintains youthful skin and eliminates bacteria without leaving our hands at the mercy of devitalizing ingredients?” I bet Sally Field prefers that brand to the $100 one that’s only good for “exceptionally healthy and vibrant skin.” But I digress.

 Awards show gift bags are ostentatious, and that’s being polite. What’s Denzel Washington going to do with Le Petite Cirque lessons for kids, valued at $400? Raffle it off at one of his Boys and Girls Clubs maybe? Close your eyes, and try to imagine Tommy Lee Jones receiving $600 worth of acupuncture treatment, aromatherapy and nutrition advice from a woman named Heather Lounsbury; he would even laugh at that.

You know who deserves a $47, 802 gift bag? Someone who is graduating from college. Or Fuck the gift bag, how about a fresh start on their credit report. Could you imagine the look on a student’s face (and their parents) if, in addition to receiving a diploma, they received a check clearing their student loans? I’d take that over $95 sake infused chocolates, two pairs of hand illustrated shoes worth $850 and $420 worth of “super water” that adapts to your “body’s unique needs and nourishment,” all while helping you to regain the “youthful qualities of energy, smoother skin, faster metabolism, mental clarity, a better mood, a stronger immunity protection and better sleep.” Actually, that gift doesn’t sound bad. Years of long days and short nights could be erased. Yeah, I’d take the water and they could just cut a check for $47,382.

--Russell Alston

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U.S. Takes World Cup in First International Show Waterskiing Tournament

  The U.S. Show Waterskiing team won the first international competition this past September in Janesville Wisconsin.

2012 was the first year that show skiing teams from around the globe partook in an official competition.

  The two-day tournament brought international understanding and friendships through friendly competition.

  Jac LeDoux, a member of the United States team said, “The event wasn’t about winning, it was about taking the sport worldwide.”

  Extravagance of this kind certainly bring together all kinds of nationalities. This tournament brought competitors from Australia, China, Belgium and more.

  Visiting teams spent a month with a host show skiing team exchanging ideas and passion for the sport before the actual tournament.

LeDoux says, “The sport is rapidly grown worldwide as both a social outlet and an athletic adventure.”

  Hopefully in the years to come, more countries will compete in a regularly held tournament.

  U.S. Show directors Chris Coupland and Matt Heilman invited known show skiing enthusiasts to submit a video audition to join the nation’s team.

  After much practice the United States took first place in the tournament.

  Jac LeDoux says, “The anticipation and pressure was intense to be the first international team.” “I imagined the feeling being similar to that of the Olympic athletes.”

  Each team performed their show once on each day of the tournament. Scores from both days were averaged resulting in the overall score for the team.

When the teams weren’t practicing or competing they were sharing friendly celebration of the historical international event.

-- Sara Kasper

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Top 5 Chicks I Want to Have a Beer With

Livia- First Empress of Rome

According to About.com, they stated Livia was a woman of, “virtue and simplicity” also, “treacherous, avaricious, and power-hungry.” Let’s party girlfriend. This chick has some stories for sure. A few weekly events in her life would not be: went to Broadway, Tongy’s, or Soho. Oh no, she would talk about the coliseum, the crazy baths, and watching brutal deaths in the coliseum? During this time, they considered wine being a medicine. Do I need to break my toe to meet her? Because I will.

  Mary Magdalene- Married Jesus

“My boyfriend eats me out too much,” said no woman ever. Except possibly her. Firstly, I would ask the most two most vital questions that every woman wants to know: 1. How big was Jesus and/or did he qualify for centaur status? 2. If you could have slept with his father would you have? My father is named George; I would never consider kissing a George ever. That’s some creepy Deliverance shit. Yet he banged a woman named Mary like his mother? I know Freud said “sometimes a cigar is just a cigar,” but this is a little suspicious.

  Cleopatra- Fought for Her Right to Party

This girl said no way Jose to life in general. At twenty one, she had herself smuggled secretly into the palace to meet with Caesar. She rolled herself in a carpet, banged him, became his mistress, and then bore him a son. Caesar then reconsidered taking over Egypt and then backed his woman to the throne. Mind you, he was 52. During this relationship, it was also rumored that Cleopatra introduced Caesar to her astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria, who first proposed the idea of leap days and leap years. To be the last ruler of the most powerful country would be pretty cool. I’ll toast to that.

  Mata Hari- Crime Perpetuating Stripper Spy

She was a badass possible double crossing spy in from the Netherlands during World War One. After a divorce, she moved to Paris and started stripping. Her name? Mata Hari: Malay for “Eye of the Dawn.” According to AskMen.com, “Her popular act toured other European cities, where she became the courtesan of powerful men in government and the military.” Since the Netherlands was neutral during this time period, she started double crossing countries before she was eventually executed. A 1934 New Yorker article reported that at her execution she wore a neat Amazonian tailored suit, specially made for the occasion, and a pair of new white gloves.

  Daria Morgendorffer from Lawndale.

I watched a lot of Daria as a child; this might have contributed to… well maybe too much. Not only is she a fiery sarcastic spirit, she also has phenomenal taste in books such as: Animal Farm, The Telltale Heart, and Death of a Salesman. She is a writer who enjoys writing violent, disturbing fiction with a black sense of humor. On writing after high school, she plans to be "a bitter, angry hack who starts fistfights at cocktail parties." Also she states, “I really shouldn't leave my protagonist all alone just after her eyeballs have burst.” I would drink a beer with Daria, or a cup of tea, whatever she would prefer.

--Barbara Hollingshead

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Dear Boobs

Dear boobs, Five different people this week asked if I, uh, had some work done or if I was with child since you have become borderline ridiculous looking. Your recent increase in size is nothing like I anticipated when I was a flat chested preteen praying for your arrival. Thanks again for deciding to literally pop up over night which was not suspicious at all. I would also like to thank my mom for naming me "Stephanie," which of course sounds nothing like "Stuffanie." Children sure are swell. Anyways, Fun bags, you were awesome.  You were large enough to fill out clothing properly but not so big that people questioned your authenticity. You were perfect so why did you decide to change? Lately, you have become practical joke big, and I am not amused. I thought you were supposed to stop growing as I got older and leave that up to my ass. (Ass, I'm kidding.  Don't get any ideas...) Listen up ladies, recently all you have been doing is preventing me from sleeping on my stomach comfortably, jumping on trampolines, and fitting into anything besides a garbage bag.  I feel like I should just go ahead and bleach the shit out of my hair and buy some lucite heels since you seem to think I am working in the wrong industry. I guess the only question is do look more like a "Destiny" or "Chastity" to you? I've tried everything to get you to lose some weight, but you don't want to oblige. Since it's apparent you don't seem to be going anywhere, I'm going to lay down a few ground rules.  Unless you return to your natural state, I think it's fair that from now on I never have to wait in line at a bar/club, will never receive another speeding ticket, nor should I have to buy any drinks ever again. I would also like to have some random guy ask me to blow on his dice for good luck in Vegas. I've seen that happen to a bunch of your friends, and well, it looks like fun. Also, I don't think a free cup of coffee or a taco or two every now and then is too much to ask. Small price to pay for the back aches and never being able to find the super cute bras in my size. You are coming out ahead here girls, then again, you always come out way ahead.

-Stephanie Harris

-Stephanie's blog

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How To Avoid A Tattoo Tragedy

Whatever your stance is on tattoos, I think we can all agree: there are good tattoos, and there are bad tattoos. With the rise of websites dedicated to pictures of terrible tattoos and television shows like Spike TV’s Tattoo Nightmares, now seems as good a time as any to give a few tips to those wanting to go under the needle.

For these tips, I’ve enlisted the help of April Davis, owner of Myrtle Beach Ink, who spends a good chunk of her day talking people out of bad ink ideas and turning cheesy clichés in to works of art.

So before you make your next big decision, keep these things in mind.

Spelling- If you’re going to take the time to use spell-check for school, do the same for your skin.

Japanese- This goes for any foreign language tattoo, but due to how common they are, Japanese-style tattoos are notorious for having translation issues. Know what the symbol you want really means. That character that you thought meant “power” or “peace” might actually say: “He who lies with goats” or also translated universally as: “jackass”.  

Location, Location, Location- Know your pain tolerance. If you’re a pansy, admit it to yourself and especially the artist. Nobody wants to work on somebody who is screaming like a girl and moving all around, so make sure you can sit for what you want to get.

NO NAMES- Tattoos last longer than almost all relationships. Getting someone else’s name on you may feel like a great idea at the time, but it is almost a sure-fire road to regret. If you just have to get something to represent your relationship, try a symbol than you can skew the meaning of if things go sour.

Don’t be a cheapskate- If you’re broke, wait. There’s a saying that you’ll hear at every shop: “Cheap tattoos aren’t good, and good tattoos aren’t cheap.” Like any other work of art, you gotta pay for the good stuff.

Be picky- You test drove your car, and tried on those jeans before you left the store, so check out multiple shops. Look at artists’ portfolios, ask questions, and make sure you get good vibes from the place. You want to feel comfortable so you can have a great experience and good memories associated with your new ink.

Keep it real- Go to an actual shop, and get your work done by an actual artist. You wouldn’t go to class in somebody’s kitchen, so don’t get tattooed in one. Real shops have rules and regulations that they have to follow in regards to safety that some random guy or girl doesn’t.

Be OCD- Even if you’re not a neat freak in daily life, now is the time to be one. If cleanliness equals Godliness, then dirtiness equals infection. Make sure your artist wears gloves. Your doctor or nurse wears gloves when they use needles on you, and so should anyone else.

Follow the rules- Now that you’ve been rebellious and gotten your tattoo, it’s time to follow the rules again. The aftercare rules, that is. Aftercare is the set of instructions that you get from your artist to care for your tattoo so that it will heal properly, and look great forever. Notice the “your artist” part of this statement. Your roommate, your mom, and even another artist may tell you what they think is best for you to do, but stick to who you chose and follow their rules for the best results. They choose their specific instructions for specific reasons, so heed them for the best results. Myrtle Beach Ink is located on Seaboard Street in Myrtle Beach. Check them out on Facebook or stop in and see them for your next tattoo.

-Lindsay Falberg

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Let 'em watch

I was out the other night for a friend's going away party. She is moving out of state, and it was the last time for us to get drunk and be obnoxious together for awhile. While most of the group spent the night sharing stories and making fun of each other's Instagrams, she was often nowhere to be found. She would periodically resurface to hug each of us and cry uncontrollably but mostly to play tonsil hockey with a guy she has been seeing.  Yes, tonsil hockey...I'm bringing it back. This got me thinking about public displays of affection, aka PDAs, and how I feel about them. When I see two people going at it in public, my initial reaction is to scream, "Get a room!" However, rooms are expensive (and far), and the booth at the bar is right there so I try to let it slide without throwing too many random things at them. PDAs are purely circumstantial though.  I don't recommend mauling each others' faces where people are eating or somewhere children are present like a public park. There is no need to scar any more of America's youth since there are plenty of children from Teen Mom who are already going to rob you in 20 years so keep it in your pants or else...

With that said, I'm all for drunk make out sessions at the bar...as long as you keep it PG-13. Unless you are both celebrity hot, no one wants to watch two average looking people dry hump by the pool table. Although, let's be honest, it hasn't stopped most of us in the past. Even if it was just one blurry night in college, you too have put on a public show worthy of a late night time slot on Cinemax. Although shameful, your lack in judgement wasn't your fault since the intensity of your PDA is in direct correlation to how much alcohol you have consumed. The drunker you are, the more exciting your display will be and the less you will care about how many people are watching.  Had a drink or two?  You will sit on the same side of the booth and exchange a couple of kisses when no one is looking.  Finish a bottle of whiskey by yourselves?  You two are about to put on an award winning performance while a group of frat boys cheer you on. It's not that you two don't want to get a room, you are just too drunk to remember where you live. Even though PDAs will always be disgusting to those not involved, try not be too much of a hater next time you see two lovers making out.  You've been there before, and you'll be there again. Next time you are, it's more than likely you will never see half of those people again anyway, and you are so wasted you wouldn't remember if you did so honestly, who cares if they see you eating that hot guy's/girl's face at 2 am.  Making out is awesome, and you're only young and unapologetic once so I say, fuck it. Let 'em watch

-Stephanie Harris

-Stephanie's blog 

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Atalaya: A Community’s Castle

A labor of love

Located in the beach town of Murrells Inlet, South Carolina is a national historical landmark, the Atalaya Castle. Built in the 1930’s by Archer Huntington, the castle was constructed for his wife, Anna, a world-renown sculptor. “The Watchtower”, Atalaya’s Spanish translation, is a remarkable gift not only to Anna, but to a community that desperately needed assistance during the Great Depression. To help stimulate the local economy, Mr. Huntington insisted that only local labor be used in the building process. The castle was built without blueprints and based solely on Archer’s instructions to his crew. The architecture of the castle reflects his passion for Hispanic art and culture, which he studied in-depth, founding the Hispanic Society of America in 1904 and writing a translation of El Cid, a poem based on a Spanish warrior. Atalaya itself is a product of passion, displaying Archer and Anna’s love for one another, their community, animals, nature, and art. As soon as you pull in to the entrance of the Huntington State Park, the home of Atalaya, you are absorbed in to another world. Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of modern life, the park is a tranquil, peaceful nature preserve. Entering on the tiny road surrounded by water and forest, nature becomes the dominant force. Visitors stroll the walkways, taking pictures of birds, the view, and even alligators. The smell of the sea fills the air, and nature is beheld in all its glory.

Creative Construction  

Atalaya stands out among the tiny beach houses that crowd the coast mainly due to its unique construction. Modeled after Moorish architecture on Spain’s coast, the castle has a fortress-like presence. The thirty-plus rooms have sturdy brick walls, and large, inviting windows. These windows have iron-wrought bars that allow them to be open and let in the stunning views of the surrounding area. Bright skies, birds, trees, and an ocean breeze are encouraged to be appreciated at every opportunity. Anna preferred to work with live animals when sculpting, so Atalaya is also equipped with dog kennels, horse stables, and even bear pens to house her various subjects. Indoor and outdoor studios were built so that she could work in any weather, and an air of creativity and inspiration still lingers throughout the property. A Symbolic Setting

A visually striking as Atalaya is, it speaks to us as well, and the messages we receive from it inspire the activities that take place there to this day. Archer and Anna Huntington are characterized as intelligent, giving, passionate, and creative, and Atalaya itself is viewed as a labor of love to a community, given when needed most. Feelings of sentiment are evoked while walking through the halls and a visitor can feel the love and appreciation for all things the Huntingtons considered natural: being outdoors and in the company of animals, caring for one’s fellow man, learning from the world around us, and creating. Animals were an important part of Anna’s life. She drew inspiration from them; including an emaciated stallion named Stevie she bought from a local farmer to be a model for a sculpture of Don Quixote’s horse, Rocinante. Anna nursed Stevie back to health and upon completion of her sculpture, she provided Stevie with a place to live in peace. It almost seems as if Anna’s choice to work with animals as her subjects was an attempt to get us to shift our attention from ourselves and our daily lives, on to the more intimate, less-noticed aspects of the natural world are

It is interesting to think about, considering how important the building has become to the area and how it has evolved in to almost a channel in to another realm where the human and the environmental become one. The castle’s function has evolved over time. Originally a home and studio for the Huntingtons that brought aid to the local economy, it now serves as a unique ode to nature, open for all to enjoy. A Unique Stamp

Throughout its history, the building has been a reminder of the beauty that is all around us, whether it be in the hearts of others, or the wonders of nature. These feelings of love and appreciation translate in to our personal ceremonies where we wish to symbolize these emotions. Atalaya is frequently used as a backdrop for weddings, one of our culture’s most meaningful celebrations. It only makes sense that couples would want to unite in a setting that evokes these sensibilities. The castle is also used as a location to hold art festivals, or simply to be a getaway for one to go and appreciate nature. Atalaya is truly a community’s castle, and its unique stamp on the region shows us the strength of emotional perspective and its influence on how we experience the places we encounter.

-Lindsay Falberg

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(Other) things that piss me off.

Girls who wear work out clothes all day, especially when they haven't worked out in five years. No one believes you just left the gym when the Starbucks's beverage you are carrying has more calories than a Big Mac.  Skinny people drink tea, not caramel macchiatos. People who buy expensive clothing for their children.   If you are still shitting your pants, they shouldn't be designer. The Wind Chill.  It's 17 degrees out, but with the wind chill factor it feels like -12.  Why not just say it's -12?  Don't get my hopes up thinking I only need to wear three layers and not four. Still waiting for all this global warming everyone keeps talking about... The term "Born again virgin." You gave it up, get over it. Unless you have a time machine, there is no getting it back either. You can call yourself whatever you like, but your vagina knows the truth. The fact that "A Taste for Love" from Forgetting Sarah Marshall is not real.  Why has no one gotten on this!?  It's an obvious gold mine if you asked me... People who change their Facebook profile picture back to one that is so old, it was on Myspace. You are not Benjamin Button, and you aren't fooling anyone.  Stop it. Also, people who put up pictures of their children as their profile picture. I was unaware your 6 month old has a Facebook. That's incredible! Or have you had some work done?  You look like a teenager again!  Oh wait... If you put up one of those disgusting, life-like, ultrasound pictures, I will vomit on you, and your Facebook privileges should be revoked. When it costs me at least $20 to make a salad I am actually willing to eat, while ramen is 20 cents and has more salt than any given Chicago sidewalk in January. On the bright side, I could use all that money I am saving for my Lipitor prescription.   People who think having children is life's biggest accomplishment.  Congratulations, you had sex. I've done that plenty of times, uh I mean never Mom, I've never had sex, but if I had...big woop. You forgot the necessary protection and had a child.  Having a kid is easy, raising it to not be an animal is the hard part so unless your child stays out of jail and becomes a functioning member of society, stop bragging.

Bad grammar. We all learned about heterographs in the fourth grade. You may not know what they are called, but if you don't know the difference between them (you're/your, their/they're/their, etc) by now, YOU'RE an idiot, and you need to re-evaluate YOUR life.

-Stephanie Harris

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Coastal's Guide To being a soccer hooligan

CCU’s Division I soccer team is nothing to muck with. A mid table D-I soccer team is no joke, and a lot of players will end up in the MLS, or even better the EPL. To get you better acquainted with soccer (i.e., Association Football) we’ll bring you up to speed on an important aspect of the sport -- the derby. A derby is essentially a rivalry match. Fans gear up in their finest casual, down as much lager as possible, sing louder than they have all season, and beat the living effing crap out of fans of the opposing team. Yeah, the dark elephant in the room -- hooliganism. Yeah, yeah, hooliganism destroys the sport, blah, blah, blah. But actually it enhances it. You see, football was invented as a game of violence. During the middle ages a returning army would bring back the head of a defeated chief. The people of villages, stoked on their army’s victory, would hold a feast. Part of this feast included a good old fashion game of footy with the dead chief's head. Gradually over the years , the game has progressed exponentially. Skill, speed, and intelligence are requisites on the pitch, and although the EPL can get pretty rough, not a lot violence, or contact, is allowed in the game. That’s where the fans come into play. I’m sure you’ve seen films like The Firm, Green Street, Awaydays, Rise of the Footsoldier, Cass: Legend of a Hooligan and so on. All these go into the intricacies of football gangs (or Firms). But you’re an American. You don’t need to know how to start a football gang because everyone will look at you like you're insane. You'll go to jail. And jail is a bigger deal here than in other countries. You just need know what teams you should hate if follow a particular team. So here’s a consolidated list lifted off Wikipedia to help you familiarize yourself with the hate entrenched in certain football fans.

A49 derby (also known as the Marches derby or the New Farm derby) - Hereford Unitedvs Shrewsbury Town

Birmingham derby (also known as the Second City derby)[3] - Aston Villa vs Birmingham City

Black Country derby - Primarily used for West Bromwich Albion vs Wolverhampton Wanderers, but can also include Walsall

Bristol derby - Bristol City vs Bristol Rovers[4]

Bradford derby (also known as the Wool City derby) - Bradford City vs Bradford Park Avenue

County Durham Derby - Hartlepool United vs Darlington, now Darlington 1883

East Anglian derby (also known as the Old Farm derby) - Ipswich Town vs Norwich City[5]

East Lancashire derby - Primarily used for Blackburn Rovers vs Burnley, but also includesAccrington Stanley, Bury, Oldham Athletic and Rochdale

East Midlands derby - Primarily between Derby County and Nottingham Forest, where since July 2007, the winners receive the Brian Clough Trophy, but can also refer to games against Leicester City

Essex derby - Colchester United vs Southend United

Humber derby - Hull City vs Scunthorpe United or Grimsby Town

London derby - Arsenal vs Chelsea, Chelsea vs Tottenham Hotspur

East/South East London derby - Millwall vs West Ham United[6]

North London derby - Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur[7]

South London derby - Games between Charlton Athletic, Crystal Palace, Millwall[8]and Wimbledon

West London derby - between Brentford, Chelsea, Fulham and Queen's Park Rangers

Merseyside derby - Everton vs Liverpool[9] Tranmere Rovers are sometimes included during cup ties[10] Luton–Watford derby - Luton Town vs Watford[11][11] Manchester derby - Manchester City vs Manchester United M4 derby - Swindon Town vs Reading/Bristol City M11 derby - Cambridge United vs Leyton Orient[12] M69 derby - Coventry City vs Leicester City Nottingham derby (also known as the Lace City derby) - Nottingham Forest vs Notts County North West derby - Liverpool vs Manchester United, also used loosely to refer to matches between teams from the region. Leeds United A.F.C. and Manchester United F.C. rivalry Rules derby - Hallam vs Sheffield, this is the oldest derby in world football Rushmoor derby - Aldershot Town vs Farnborough Severnside derby - Primarily between Bristol City and Cardiff City, but can include Bristol Rovers and Newport County Sheffield derby (also known as the Steel City derby) - Sheffield United vs Sheffield Wednesday South Coast derby - Primarily between Portsmouth and Southampton, but can also include Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion[13] South Wales derby - Cardiff City vs Swansea City and, in the past, Newport County Stoke-on-Trent derby (also known as the Potteries derby) - Port Vale vs Stoke City Tees-Wear derby - Middlesbrough vs Sunderland Tyne-Tees derby - Newcastle United vs Middlesbrough[14] Tyne-Wear derby - Newcastle United vs Sunderland West Country derby (also known as the Devon Derby or the A38 Derby) - Games between Exeter City, Plymouth Argyle and Torquay United West Lancashire derby - Blackpool vs Preston North End

Here is also a nice list of Football firms that you’ll never be allowed to join because you’re an American.

Aldershot Town – A Company[17]

Arsenal – The Gooners, The Herd[18]

Aston Villa – Villa Youth, Steamers, Villa Hardcore, C-Crew[19]

Barnsley - Barnsley Five-Os, Tarn Army.

Birmingham City – Zulus [Second City Crusaders/SCC][20]

Blackpool – The Muckers[21]

Bolton Wanderers - Cuckoo Boys, Bolton Service Youth[22]

Bradford City – The Ointment[23]

Brentford – Ealing Road Army, Brentford Youth Element[24]

Bristol Rovers – Gas Hit Squad[25]

Bristol City – City Service Firm[25]

Burnley – Suicide Squad[26]

Carlisle United – Border City Firm[27]

Charlton Athletic – Cockney Firestarters, B Mob[28]

Chelsea – Headhunters[29]

Coventry City – The Legion[30]

Crystal Palace - Homesdale Fanatics (HF05)[31]

Derby County – Derby Lunatic Fringe[32]

Everton – County Road Cutters[33]

Fulham – Thames Valley Travellers[34]

Grimsby Town – Cleethorpes Beach Patrol, Grimsby Hit Squad[35]

Huddersfield Town – Huddersfield Young Casuals[36]

Hull City – Hull City Psychos[37]

Ipswich Town – Ipswich Punishment Squad[38]

Leeds United – Leeds United Service Crew[39]

Leicester City – Baby Squad[40]

Liverpool – The Urchins[41]

Luton Town – The MIGs[42]

Manchester City – Guvnors[43]

Manchester United – The Red Army[44], Men In Black [45]

Middlesbrough – The Frontline[46]

Millwall – Bushwackers[47]

Newcastle United – Newcastle Gremlins[48]

Nottingham Forest – Forest Executive Crew[49]

Norwich City – Norwich Hit Squad, Under 5's[50]

Oldham Athletic – Fine Young Casuals[51]

Oxford United – South Midlands Hit Squad, Oxford Casual Front[52]

Peterborough United – Blue Division[53]

Plymouth Argyle – The Central Element[54]

Portsmouth – 6.57 Crew[55]

Preston North End – Preston Para Squad[56]

Queens Park Rangers – Bushbabies[57]

Shrewsbury Town - English Border Front[57]

Sheffield United – Blades Business Crew[58][59]

Sheffield Wednesday – Owls Crime Squad (OCS), Is That It (ITI)[60]

Southend United – CS Crew[61]

Stoke City – Naughty Forty[62]

Sunderland – Seaburn Casuals[48]

Swindon Town – The Aggro Boys; Swindon Active Service (SAS)[63]

Tottenham Hotspur – Yid Army[64]

Tranmere Rovers - TSB (Tranmere Stanley Boys)[65]

West Bromwich Albion – Section Five[66]

West Ham United – Inter City Firm[67]

Wolverhampton Wanderers – Subway Army[68]

York City – York Nomad Society[69]

We at Tempo hope you enjoy the enlightening awesomeness of football violence  Remember the most important man on the pitch is the 12th man. So support your soccer team. Not many schools are lucky enough to have a Division I team, especially one that is ranked mid table. Show your support, buy some teal and black Fred Perry's, and 

gear up for away days when your team needs your support the most. -Carol Brian

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Don't be a Victim

   Most women – especially college women – are far more than used to hearing about the dangers of rape and assault both on and off campus. We currently live in a society where these two particular problems are very real and should in no way be taken lightly. As a female student myself, I have been urged to take part in our school’s class on Women’s Self Defense; however, I, like many others, have not necessarily had the time in my schedule to take such a class. For those of us who have yet to participate in a personal guide to defending one-self, which I fully urge any individual reading this passage to do, there are several key tricks you can use to get out of dangerous situations and a few to avoid them entirely.

For starters, and hopefully this comes as common sense, make sure you have a trusted friend when you go out at night, don’t walk through dark alley ways, down dark roads, or through empty parking lots at night; unless you are in fact cat-woman herself. At parties have a friend watch your drink, or do something to your drink to tell if someone has moved it. Don't accept unopened drinks from strangers or from anyone. 

Personal alarms are good in some instances. Rape whistles and other alarms are good if you have time to react. If a guy comes on to you in a weird way, seems wasted, or is being aggressive at a party whistle away. He might run off or someone might come to your rescue.

But if no one is around you, or the music at the party is too loud, you might want to get physical.  Arm your person with a handy can of pepper spray for when the time comes to throw-down.

    A stun gun doesn’t require a license – if you’re carrying around a purse or not, they still aren’t that bad of an idea to keep on you during moments of possible assault – hell, they even make them as pseudo lip-stick containers now.

            If you are for some reason incapable of using these wonderful devices meant to keep us safe or have no way of acquiring one or two, I will offer you some of the best tips I can. Use the tools you do have – like the internet. YouTube has plenty of samples on women’s self-defense for you to educate yourself with free of charge.

If you are attacked, and I pray you never are, one of the best things to do is go for the eyes. Embrace your inner feline if you can find her and claw at those puppies until you can claw no more – and don’t hesitate to thrust your knee upwards towards the area of the groin when you need to. If your attacker gets you on the ground, your first instinct will be to push him away – grab that sucker’s head and pull them down against you; wrap your legs around their waste and then dig your fingers into their eye sockets while pushing their head back up.

Do not be gentle – you are trying to blind them. That’s the entire point; disorient your attacker and get away from them as not a victim but a victor, and as always, don’t stop screaming for help. Having a some sort sharp object will help you out in this case. There are a number of different keychain self defense weapons such as the "black cat." This is great because it fits to your key chain, and its design keeps it in your hands, and unlike a knife, prevents you from cutting yourself. Again go for the soft spots, eyes, ears, throat, and arm pits. 

It’s unfortunate, but in the America we live in today, these things happen all the time. In no way am I condoning the behavior by fueling the defense – but for college women (and even some men), this is one of the greatest dangers we face during our years at a University; so, as previously stated, unless you’re a kitty with razor sharp talons, prepare yourself and be aware of your surroundings.

-Lanessa Salvatore 

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The Dyrtle Shore

As I’m talking to a friend, he brings up the fact that there is a television production going on in ‘Murda’ Beach,” I had to laugh to myself, because not even a day ago I was having a conversation with a woman from New Jersey. She was fed up with the way Jersey is portrayed now because of the MTV show “Jersey Shore’’. She boldly asked how I would like it if they used some trailer trash to depict the place I lived. My response without a second’s hesitation was “Then it would be accurate.’’ So low and behold browsing the local news, and I can’t believe my eyes. The headline reads “TV show filming in Myrtle Beach mobile home park” I can't be making this up. Thank you Sun News, even though the majority of what you do is a few days late, I suppose I checked in on the right day. Can you believe it. We are going to be on the map! I know what you're thinking, Myrtle Beach should not be represented as a bunch of white trash, sister kissing, rednecks right? Well follow me, what other place have you ever been to that every tattoo parlor is not only on the same block, but are in the very same strip mall? Where else are there more liquor stores than grocery stores? And where there are more gentlemens’ clubs (If I must call them that) than city parks. We live in a place where I've literally witnessed people try to pay for hotel rooms in food stamps. C’mon... This is the most accurate account of this end of the line, one horse town. I’m willing to bet that the bars these complete morons frequent will be more excited to have free advertising rather being distraught this might hurt their revenue when it comes time when people will actually vacation here. Keep this in mind...if let’s say, even a halfway intelligent, couple are looking around for a place to go have a drink ending the exhausting day of outlet shopping and fried seafood eating are they going to say: ‘’Honey, do you want to go watch the heathens at Magoo’s fight over whose bed Darla is sleeping in?’’ Ehhh...I don't think so. So instead let’s invite all the crap between Marion and Florence to gawk at the fact that they are sitting in the same stool as ‘’Bubba” when he had his tongue down his brothers wife’s throat. I’m sure those guys never walk out on their bar tab, and they never pick fights with random locals and bikers. So I guess the moral is that although the cast of ‘’Jersey Shore” are assholes from New York and Connecticut who constantly show off and make fools of themselves, the producers of this show figured they didn’t have to go far to find the same level of intelligence, the best part being, they didn’t even have to hail a cab from the airport. I’m sure they just walked, barefoot and all, really wanting to get the whole “Myrtle experience.”

-Jon Stell

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"It's me, Chlamydia!"

Hello kids, gather around.  It’s story time.  Someone suggested I talk about sluts with STDs, but instead I thought I would branch off a bit and share a little tale about the time my gyno convinced me I had Chlamydia.  Before I continue, I would like to make it abundantly clear that I did not, nor have I ever had any other STD.  I still have my clean bill of health letter from my last check up…thinking about framing it actually… 

A few years ago I paid my yearly visit to my lady doctor. After the very intrusive pelvic exam, I was half way out the door when she asked me if I had even been tested for Chlamydia.  I said I had been tested for all STDs a couple of years prior, but I had been with the same guy since then so there was no need for another test.  She picked up my form, gave it a long, hard, look and said, “I see you are 28 years old, correct?  That is the prime age for contracting the disease…”  I confirmed my age and repeated that I had only been with the one guy, for several years, in a committed relationship so although I appreciated her concern, my vagina was a OK.  

She then continued, “One in three people has the disease and is completely unaware…”  She proceeded to look at the nurse, look down at herself, and then nod in my direction.  I pretended to miss this less than subtle gesture.

She expand on that fact with, “Most people who have the disease will not have any symptoms…”  I tried to reassure her I was not in fact the whore she thought I was, but it was not getting through.  I knew I should have worn a longer skirt…

It seemed I was not leaving the examining room until I took the test. At this point I figured if this lady really wanted to spend another five minutes in my vagina, I would let her if it got me the hell out of there sooner.

I asked when they would call to let me know I didn’t have Chlamydia since I DID NOT HAVE CHLAMYDIA (those were my exact words), and she informed me they would not be calling me unless the test came back positive…as in no news is good news.

I carried on with my business and headed to California for my vacation as planned. A few friends and I were out for lunch when my phone rang with an unknown 847 number. I looked down, thought, “Eh, if it’s important they will leave a message.” I put my phone down, picked up my Bloody Mary and suddenly turned pale white. My friends saw the color flee my face and asked what was wrong. I told them, “I can’t answer.” When they asked why I said, “It’s Chlamydia.”  

I explained the story as my voice mail went off. They convinced me to check it, and right as I was about to vomit, I heard a lovely message about my dry cleaning needing to be picked up.  Thank God.

The next morning it happened again…a new unmarked number, a new shade of white. I just kept hearing Towlie’s voice from South Park squealing, “It’s me  Chlamydia! Don’t forget to wear a condom!” It was my eye doctor. I needed to schedule an appointment.  

Six, yes six more unknown numbers later, I started to lose sleep.  I started thinking of all the people my ex had been with, along with the people they had been with and so on, and FUCKING so on. It seemed never ending. Three rolls of tums and a full bottle of vodka later, I cracked and called the office, and of course, I was clean. 

To this day my friends in California and I will call each other from random numbers at all hours shouting, “It’s me Chlamydia!”  After all, it’s all fun and games until someone actually gets the STD. 

-Stephanie Harris 

Read more from Stephanie 

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Spring Right Back Into Place

Winter break has finally run its course, and the world of university studies is back to the top of most college student’s list of priorities. While families of the long distance undergraduate say their goodbyes, most of us are looking forward to seeing our friends and trying to enjoy the relaxed first few days of the semester with either the eagerness to begin or the familiar panic of what’s to come.

Being back in college after a nearly month can leave us feeling lethargic, however, there are plenty of ways to go about avoiding this particular symptom. For starters, involve yourself in your classes immediately. Be sure to get to know your professors on a personal basis during the first week of class – get your name and face out there and make a good impression. Introduce yourself to your professor on the first day of your class and let them know that you’re looking forward to the course material.

If you weren't involved with clubs or student activities during the Fall, look into them for the Spring. If you were down a credit hour or two, try to get into a couple physically active life skill courses – they’re fun one credit courses that can be taken during either the first or second half of a semester. Do not barricade yourself within your dorm or apartment – get out and make the best of whatever extra time you have.

For the most part, it’s pretty easy to avoid that dreadful panicked feeling I was talking about earlier, so long as you prioritize yourself early on in the semester. Don’t let yourself get too bogged down in work right off the bat. If you are given a syllabus which tells you exactly what to do ahead of schedule, take advantage of the calm waters we swim through during the early parts of our semesters. Use your planner, agenda, or whatever you need to keep track of your assignments. Per usual, don’t leave things until the last minute – you’ll be a lot less stressed out if you finish them early. Less stress usually equals more time to play. 

Good luck, scholars, you got this.

-Lenessa Salvatore