ESPN Streak For the Cash: A way to find interest in some not so interesting sporting events

Perhaps you haven't heard of ESPN's online cash game, "Streak for the Cash." To be honest, I only just stumbled onto it a mere couple of months ago. The game essentially presents daily games from the sports world to choose from at certain odds based on the ability of teams and individual players. An example you could choose from would be will Tom Brady have more or less than 15o yards in the first half? These numbers are altered based on several elements such as whether the game is home or away or whether he is playing against a stifling defense that week etc. Another example would be will Manchester United win against Villarreal or will Villarreal win or draw. Percentages of what other participants have picked appear beneath the options.

This game has a leaderboard for who has the longest streak of wins and the winner at the end of the month receives the winnings of a minimum of $50,000 dollars in the pot. However if you somehow achieve getting a streak of over 27 wins in a row, the cash pot accrues into the next month where that person can seek to increase the winnings up to $150,000 for example.

I have personally sucked at this game! I would be lucky to get a streak of 7 or 8 games! This is not so much for my lack of knowledge of sports but more because it is a game of luck and excitement. Despite my losing, I have found that participating in the game has given me a level of interest in many games I would otherwise not care about at all. I believe this game truly gives fans a stock in a much wider range of games than they normally would have cared about. I have found a wider range of sports to be that much more exciting simply due to the thrill of predicting what will happen against your friends. Overall, a great time!

-Yoni Berhanu

Vans: The Multipurpose Shoe

People are always mulling over many options when they go shopping for clothes. One area that is particularly time-consuming is SHOE SHOPPING. Why is this the case? Because shoes perhaps more than any other item of clothing are evaluated based on cost, utility, and appropriateness. It's become easier for me these days largely thanks to the Cali-originating skaterboy sneaker known as the Vans line.

I mean think about it. Where can you really not use vans? Ranging in price from $30-$60 dollars and high-top skater to casual loafer in style, Vans can virtually be used in all settings. I've personally used these shoes from everything from hanging out with friends at the park during the summer to going out to a nightclub in dowtown Washington D.C. They can be worn with shorts or long pants and go well with many varying outfits. With Vans you get affordability, comfort, and wide use. They really are the way to go for a college student.

-Yoni Berhanu

Book Review- Poke the Box

Seth Godins latest book, Poke the Box, might just encourage you to stop procrastinating and take the first step.

Poke the Box is a call to action about taking initiative and starting some thing new. Godin encourages readers to pursue their curiosity, think creatively and not to be afraid of taking risks.

Major Themes

Write Your Own Map- People who change the world do not follow the same path as others, they create their own, radically different route.

• Fail Often- The only way to succeed is to fail. Failure now is rarely detrimental to future success.
• Take Risks- Great ideas are not created by playing it safe. To truly be revolutionary, you must take chances even if it may be frightening.
• Start Something-Lots of people have great ideas, but the difference between the people who are actually successful and everybody is is that successful people actually take the first steps to start something new.

Seth Godin is a business marketing genius. He has written thirteen best-selling books that have been translated into more than thirty languages and his blogs was named one of the best twenty blogs of 2009 by Time Magazine. American Way Magazine calls him, Americas Greatest Marketer and he has founded dozens of companies.

-Nicole Mortimer

From Book to Film: Scrutinizing Adaptations

by Aliya Karim


I'm planning on having a boring yet relaxing winter break at home consisting of reading several books on my to-read list (A Game of Thrones, Les Miserables, and several others), as well as seeing the latest films to hit theaters.

Being the book nerd that I am, I noticed that there are a number of films coming out this winter that are adaptations of novels. Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo are the two I'm looking forward to the most.

Whenever I see a book-to-film adaptation, I tend to hear so many more negative reviews than positive ones. It always seems like fans of the book are nitpicky about every single last detail included (or left out) in the film.

I've met numerous fans of The Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien, for instance, who despise the films, saying they leave out certain segments of the books. Many fans of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series say that only the first two films remained true to the book and that the directors for the remaining films took too much into their own hands.

I understand where these fans may be coming from. I despised the film, "Ella Enchanted," an adaptation of the children's book by Gail Carson Levine. Why? Because the film's plotline was completely different from the book's plotline. The only similarity between the two was the fact that the main character, Ella, was cursed with the gift of obedience. Other than that, the film ruined everything for me.

But I think this was only one of the few exceptions among book-to-film adaptations. You see, most directors and producers are aware that the books they are recreating on screen have fans and that they will be held accountable for how these books are adapted. These directors usually try to stick to the actual book plotlines, not veer away from them.

I find it silly that fans scrutinize such small details in these films - in the "Potter" series, for instance, the fact that Hermione Granger wears a pink dress instead of a blue one in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," the fact that the Marauders are never explained in detail in "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," and the fact that Peeves the Poltergeist is never included in the films.

But really, what do these measly details add to the main plotlines of each book? Not much. While they are very interesting details in the books themselves, they're not that important, and some of them would unnecessarily prolong the films.

Why shouldn't directors and producers be able to leave small things out and make their adaptations a bit more theatrically exciting? So long as they stick to the plotline, I don't see a problem with this at all.

What I'm trying to say is: Give the directors, producers, actors, etc. some credit. They're trying their best to create films that remain true to the books they are based on and create theatrically successful films that bring in more viewers - except "Ella Enchanted." That one will never count.

Trailer for "Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" film:


Trailer for "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" film:

How to de-stress during finals

Finals always seem to make college students go crazy. They sleep less, drink more coffee, spend an insane amount of hours the library, all in the effort to cram in as much material as possible in their brains or to write that most perfect research paper.

So what can you do to make this horrible time better? I offer five handy tips on how to make finals week a little less likely to make you go insane.

1. Hydrate! Drinking excessive amounts of coffee can often cause headaches so its best to match coffee with plenty of water.

2. Maintain a sleep schedule. Going to sleep at a wide range of times makes it more difficult to fall asleep so having a consistent schedule will lead to a better nights rest.

3. Exercise. Working out is a great study break and can help the mind relax. I particularly like doing hot yoga during exam week because of the meditation at the end of the workout, it helps me be extra-focused during finals.

4. Eat Healthy. During exam week it is very tempting to load up on sugary snacks while studying, but this does not lead to optimal performance. For more tips check out this blog.

5. Plan Ahead. Make a schedule to map out your studying with a time line and a to do list. This will help you know what you need to get done.

-Jacqui Corba

Love is Louder

The video I have posted here should be viewed with discretion. Within the first 30 seconds of watching this video, I began to cry.

"What's Going On" posted by Jonah Mowry on December 4, 2011 is a video about the struggles he has faced throughout his life by being bullied. The video shows Jonah holding up a series of flash cards in his handwriting explaining his story with music playing in the background. The cards start off normally saying things like "Hi! I'm Jonah, I look happy right?" Then they get very dark when he reveals that he has been cutting himself...since the second grade. He reveals that he has seriously considered taking his own life multiple times and begins to break down and cry. At the end, he reassures the viewers that he is "not going anywhere because [he's] stronger than that."

This emotional video reveals the SERIOUS problem we face today in America and around the world of bullying. Hurtful words or actions can have bigger consequences than we think, as demonstrated in this video. Watching bullying take place and doing nothing to stop it is just as wrong as bullying itself. Stand up for those in pain and take a stand against bullying. It's not cool, it's not funny and it is causing people like Jonah serious pain. Love is louder than hate. End bullying now.

Tebow Train

For the fifth week in a row, Tim Tebow has brought a W to the win column for the Denver Broncos, yet he is still being doubted. Ok, he may not be the best throwing quarterback, he may not have the best accuracy, or the best vision, but he wins games. Critics of Tebow will surely never let up, but they have to start giving him some credit, and maybe even start believing he can be a starting QB in the NFL.

Looking at the facts, Tebow is 6-1 in his 7 starts this season with multiple fourth quarter comebacks and heroic drives. He may in fact pray too much as many people complain, but you can't fault his determination and willingness to believe in himself. While he has been criticized by his general manager and hall of fame quarterback John Elway, and even his coach John Fox, Tebow has remained a constant wind of positive air, making all the right comments to the media.

Tebow has arguably been one of the leagues best QB's this season and is slowly gaining respect around the league. As he improves, so does his team, which is really the only way you can judge a player in his position. If he leads his team to the playoffs and somehow gets a victory the critics will have no choice but to ease up, but if he stumbles AT ALL, the critics will strike fast and hard. However, with his mojo, his confidence, and his work ethic, I think he will be just fine because the only thing you need to succeed in sports and to succeed in life. I'm a Tebow fan now, and I think he deserves a little more credit than he has received.