vol. 11 no. 17

01.29-02.04meet the team

contents

Essentials:Listen 4Play 12Discover 19Look 20

Film:20 - The Taken trilogy is back with part three. When will this family catch a break?

Music:4 - Cody Canada and the Departed are back with a new album...and a new sound.

Comedy:12 - Join MSC OPAS and Maroon Weekly for an evening of improv comedy with the United Citizens Brigade.

Cover:

6 Sam Riggs is making his way back through College Station for a show at The Tap on Jan. 31. We sat down with Riggs to talk about his initial struggles

in Texas country music, his mentorship from legend Ray Wylie Hubbard, and his favorite places to stop while here in Aggieland.

PUBLISHERChris Shepperd

BUSINESS MANAGERLeisha Shepperd

MANAGING EDITORLuke Murray

ASSISTANT EDITOR/COPYEDITINGBarbara Hosler

PHOTOGRAPHERSPeyton Boles

Lauren Howes

STAFF WRITERBrad Cox

Joshua Russell

MARKETING INTERNPeyton Boles

Ally White

WRITING INTERNSLinley McCord

Annabeth ReebAbigail Stricker

Adrianna Zampieri

DISTRIBUTIONCody Atkinson

Lindsay CoxRandy Shepperd

Maroon Weekly is an independent, publication and is not affiliated with

Texas A&M University. Maroon Weekly receives no student fees or university

funding.

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

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

is not liable for omissions, misprints or typographical errors. No part of this

publication may be reproduced without the express consent of the publisher.

© Copyright 2015 Campus Press LP

pg 4 • MAROON WEEKLY • Jan. 28, 2015 • maroonweekly.com

Album:American Beauty/American Psycho

Album:HippieLovePunk

EP:Me

Album:What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

Release Date:Jan. 20, 2015




Brad Paisley Brad Paisley Brad PaisleyFall Out Boy RaeLynn The Decemberists

Cody Canada and The Departed released their new album “HippieLovePunk” on January 13, starting off 2015 with a new sound. Honestly, you may not even realize you’re listening to the same band that released “This is Indian Land” and “Aventus.” At that time they were calling themselves only “The Departed” instead of “Cody Canada and The Departed,” which is reminiscent of “THE Ohio state” – does it really matter?

After splitting from Seth James, Canada’s co-lead singer in the band, Canada was able to venture back to his Cross Canadian Ragweed roots and bring back the outlaw country sound we used to love. “HippieLovePunk” couldn’t be a more relevant title, as each of the band’s songs can be placed into one of those three categories. If they aren’t singing about tolerance or love, there is a definite angry “punk” vibe. This is ironic because, despite the popular hippie phrase “Make love not war,” it seems Cody Canada and the Departed are making both love and war in their new album.

With the release of their latest album, “American Beauty/American Psycho,” Fall Out Boy has lived up to the high expectations set by their followers.

Fall Out Boy continues their passionate experiment with their musical style and challenges their listeners to evolve with them. Their once alternative and punk-pop sound has morphed into a smorgasbord of different elements, drawing inspiration from decades past and present, including ‘70s rock, ‘80s pop and a dash of metal and electro.

“Centuries” remains the most popular song on the album, spending more than 15 weeks on The Billboard Hot 100, and the anthem could very well represent the future of Fall Out Boy. If they continue on this path, they will be remembered for centuries.

Twenty-year-old country music newcomer RaeLynn Woodward appeared on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2012. She was eliminated in the quarterfinals but amassed a decent following in the process. She’s blonde and smiley and cute, something people seem to enjoy. RaeLynn’s January 13 release of her EP “Me” includes five original tracks, all of which RaeLynn helped write. “God Made Girls” is the most popular. “Kissin’ Frogs” and “Better Do It” are pretty in-your-face and fast paced. “God Made Girls,” “Careless” and “Boyfriend” are comparably slower and quieter, which may be a better sound for RaeLynn.

The songwriting is catchy in a pop-country kind of way. Vocally, RaeLynn’s voice has a girly, youthful timbre. But the southern accent feels forced and a bit sloppy. So, songwriting: decent, vocals: eh.

This latest addition to the ever-growing collection of Decemberists albums is one that rings true with their past releases. It is fresh and engaging, staying consistent with why listeners love the band. Its upbeat sound and unique rhythms cling to the band’s traditional indie melodies. It also brings in new appeal in songs that are a little mellower, such as “Make You Better.”

The indie folk band originated in Portland in 2001 with their self-produced EP titled “5 Songs.” They are now with Capitol Records, and their song “Down By The Water” was nominated for Best Rock Song in 2011. However, this new album is long, with many songs lasting more than four minutes. While some of the songs may seem similar, the album overall is strong and incorporates the loved aspects of the band with new splashes of sound.

By Adrianna Zampieri

By Annabeth Reeb

By Abigail Stricker By Linley McCord

Music ReviewsCody Canada and

the Departed

maroonweekly.com • Jan. 28, 2015 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 5

Album:What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World

Checkus out:

Facebookfacebook.com/maroonweekly

Twitter@maroonweekly

Check us out on

Instagram@maroonweekly

Keep the spring semester fresh with one of Aggieland’s favorites—Granger Smith—who will perform at Hurricane Harry’s on January 30. It comes as no surprise that he returns to his Aggie roots to start the spring and we expect it will be a night to remember with good music and friends.

Smith, also known by his self-created alter ego Earl Dibbles Jr., graduated from Texas A&M University after temporarily moving to Nashville on a songwriting contract when he was 19. His degree was in history, but his heart was set on music. Any questions about post-graduate life were settled when he jumped back into the country music scene.

Smith is at home in Bryan-College Station and clearly has a talent to write and play music. His style is distinctly country, but he creates his own sound that is his own tune—and crowds relish it. His first album was released in 1998, titled “Waiting on Forever.” In 2013, he released his ninth studio album, “Dirt Road Driveway,” which has been widely acclaimed on both country and indie charts.

Smith has traveled across the country doing shows, but also has taken his country roots overseas to perform in Kuwait and Iraq to play for U.S. military members. His passion for our service members has driven him to use his music in a way that honors our nation.

During his stop at Harry’s, he will be accompanied by Sam Shupak, a Texas born and bred country artist. Shupak has traveled throughout the South playing music and has opened for impressive numbers of other artists. Among these are Kevin Fowler, Wade Bowen and Kyle Park.

Tickets are available online through Hurricane Harry’s website for $10. Doors open at 9pm.

Granger Smith @ Harry’sBy Linley McCord

thescoop

WHAT: GRANGER SMITHWHERE: HURRICANE HARRY’SWHEN: JAN. 30 @ 9PM


Exclusive Interview: Sam RiggsBy Luke Murray

Sam Riggs is making his way back through College Station for a show at The Tap on Jan. 31. We sat down with Riggs to talk about his initial struggles in Texas country music, his mentorship from legend Ray Wylie Hubbard, and his favorite places to stop while here in Aggieland. Be sure to go by The Tap this Saturday to catch Sam Riggs and the Night People as they roll out their critically acclaimed live show while bringing in some new music from their upcoming album.

MW: Originally being from Florida, what types of challenges or realizations did you encounter upon your entrance to the Texas music scene?

SR: I’d say the number one thing is that you’ve got to know who you are in Texas—Texas is a no bullshit state, they can smell it on you. I was 19, still trying to figure out who I was as a songwriter and a musician, and I learned early on that it takes a whole lot more than a good poker face. It takes originality, genuine songs, and genuine emotion—which didn’t initially come easy for me but eventually became second nature. Texas is all about pulling yourself up by your bootstraps and making something of yourself, and that was definitely the biggest challenge for me. I was just bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, green and not knowing a damn thing about what I was doing. I just wanted to play music, so I banged around in the dark until I found a damn light switch.

MW: You were mentored heavily by Texas legend, Ray Wylie Hubbard; how did he help to evolve your songwriting?

SR: Ray Wylie taught me that the song comes before everything—like the chicken before the egg—the song comes before everything. He taught me about good, honest songwriting. You have to sit down and write lyrics so real that if you were to cut them, they would bleed. You also have to be able to write a song that you’re okay with singing for 30 years. He taught me to take my songwriting much more seriously than I had been, in a poetic sense, to where I’m not sitting down to write the next hit—I’m just writing because that’s what I was born to do.

MW: Do you simply channel his teaching or do you dig somewhere deeper for lyrical inspiration?

SR: I dig all over the place for inspiration. One thing he taught me is that you put out what you take in, so you need to read a lot—and you need to read good literature. I read everything from Lonesome Dove, to Donald Miller books, Million Miles and a Thousand Years—which is one of my favorite books that I’ve ever read—and other things like that. Ray has his own style of writing, and one thing that he bestowed on me is that you’ve got to be different, but you’ve got to be so good that they can’t ignore you. So I just try to do my own brand, using the grit and determination that he bestowed upon me.

MW: Well it’s seemed to work well for you, garnering awards such as Artist of the Year from two different entities—after success like that, what would you say has been your greatest achievement in your young career?


thescoop

WHAT: SAM RIGGS AND THE NIGHT PEOPLEWHERE: THE TAPWHEN: JAN. 31 @ 9PM

SR: I don’t know if this is going to be the answer you’re looking for, but I would say that my greatest achievement has been not taking myself too serious, but taking my fans and music as seriously as I can. Which is very seriously, in case you didn’t catch that. I think that people tend to get too hung up on what other people project on them, which is just a part of life. So when I stand up there on stage, I’m not thinking about me, I’m thinking about the people in the crowd. I’m constantly thinking about the best way to reach them at the deepest level possible. I make a lot of eye contact, I’ll sing a line straight to somebody—guy or girl, doesn’t matter. I take that approach where I’ll look off in the crowd and try to make that connection with somebody, on every song. I know that isn’t necessarily a track record answer, but that is what I would attribute as my greatest success as a musician so far. It’s what I’m most proud of, taking my fans more seriously than I take myself.

MW: That’s actually, more or less, the more genuine kind of response I was hoping for. Your song “Collide” was featured on the hit TV show “Nashville”; can you explain how that opportunity came up and how you felt when it did?

SR: The record hadn’t been out for very long whenever I got a call from my wonderful publicist, Ms. Brandy Reed, and she told me that the show was looking to use “Collide” on one of their episodes. It didn’t have some huge debut where it was blasting through the speakers, I mean, you could barely hear it (laughing) but it was definitely cool to get that nod of the head from someone like them. The great thing about the show “Nashville” is that they have been very supportive of the Texas music scene. They’ve had Rob Baird featured on the show along with a few other artists. They do a wonderful job of picking music, and it just felt good to be up there in the midst of that.

MW: You mentioned that the album hadn’t been out that long. Well, “Outrun the Sun” has been widely successful, and you’ve sold tens of thousands of records; I know that songs are like an artist’s children, so if you had to pick your favorite child off the record, which song would it be?

SR: (laughing) Man, you’re right, that’s hard. I would say that my immediate response would be “Angola’s Lament,” just because it’s a rocker and I love playing the banjo. Plus, it’s a story song and I’ve always been a fan of story songs. It also takes people by surprise, it talks about murder and things like that. That being said, my true favorite song off the record is the dark horse, “Change,” at the very end. “Change” is a song where I feel like I channeled more than I wrote, and I also think it’s a song that everyone should listen to driving down the road late at night by themselves. It’s a song that speaks to the listener, even me and I wrote it. I’ll listen to it every now and then, and it’s like I’m not even singing it. I’m just hearing the words. It’s an introspective song about really coming to terms with your demons and realizing that, at the end of the day, you’ve got to forgive yourself for the decisions you make in life—but the bottom line is that everyone has to keep changing, because the minute you stop changing, you start dying.

MW: You’ve definitely developed a deep passion for meaning behind your lyrics. Do you have anything new in the works right now?

SR: Yeah I’ve been writing quite a bit. I just got off the road from a three week string of shows, and I didn’t get a damn thing done. But I have been writing a new record that we will be going to record sometime this spring. I’ve got some cool songs written for it, and I’ve also got a couple songs on hold that were written by a friend of mine named Adam James. Adam’s

a songwriter out of Nashville, and he’s an incredible writer. I’ve never been one to cut other people’s songs. I did cut “Fire and Dynamite” by Drew Holcomb, but I typically pride myself on singing what I write. That being said, Adam’s just too damn good of a writer not to cut a couple of his tunes.

MW: You’ve been through College Station a few times; have you yet to find a go-to spot for when you come through town?

SR: A go-to spot for grub?

MW: For anything!

SR: Well it’s funny you should ask. Not to ramble, my cousin—whose name is Vinny—my cousin Vinny (laughing) graduated from Texas A&M. When I first moved to Texas, we moved together, and when he started at A&M, we used to raise a lot of hell at the Hall of Fame. I remember finishing a bottle of Southern Comfort between the two of us before we even walked through the door one night—I loved that place—and I think Reckless Kelly was playing that night…I don’t really remember. College Station is such an amazing town because there’s so much going on. I think The Tap is a wonderful place for cool, intimate shows. Then you have the big blowout shows at Hurricane Harry’s, which are always badass. All that being said though, I think my stop that I hit up every time in College Station is The Chicken. Got to go every time.

maroonweekly.com • Jan. 28, 2015 •MAROON WEEKLY • pg 9

Bundle up your dog, your friend’s dog or the dog you found on the street and head over to Wolf Pen Creek Park on Saturday, January 31, for the See Spot Run 3K/5K Fun Run/Walk. It’ll be a tail-wagging good time! Hosted by the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association, See Spot Run will raise money for the travel expenses of Texas A&M University veterinary students participating in educational symposiums, externships and job interviews.

This is a chance to meet with fellow dog aficionados and gush over how cute your dogs are in their new winter jackets. Not only can you meet new two-legged friends, but you’ll also be surrounded by four-legged friends: small dogs, big dogs, intelligent dogs, goofy dogs, unimpressed dogs and overly-attached dogs.

It’ll be an enormous puppy play date. What more could you want?

Online registration for this event closes at midnight on January 29. However, you can still sign up during check-in at 7am the day of the races. Note: The 3K will begin before the 5K and you must register for them separately. A canine is required to run in the 3K, but anyone can run the 5K.

When registering online at vetmed.tamu.edu/seespotrun/register, the fee for each race is $25, or $30 for both. If registering the day of the races, prices will increase by $5.

Mark this date on your calendar to come out and have some fun with fellow animal lovers and support a good cause helping future veterinarians. Drinks and snacks will be provided for both the dogs and their human companions.

See Spot Run @ Wolf Pen Creek ParkBy Adrianna Zampieri

thescoop

WHAT: SEE SPOT RUN 3K/5KWHERE: WOLF PEN CREEK PARKWHEN: JAN. 31


Folk Family Revival @ Prospector’s

By Abigail Stricker

Folk Family Revival, a modern folksy band, is bringing their brand of music to College Station this week. The band formed in Magnolia, Texas, after three brothers, Mason, Barrett, and Lincoln Lankford, defended friend-turned-brother, Caleb Pace, from a bully.

They released their first full-length album “Unfolding” in 2011 with Mason Lankford on vocals and guitar; Barrett Lankford on bass; Caleb Pace on electric guitar, mandolin and lap steel; and Lincoln Lankford on drums and percussion. The album has 13 original tracks, including the more popular “Unfolding,” “Fallin’” and “Addicted to the Road.” Their sound is very “Mumford & Sons,” but lead singer and guitarist Mason’s voice has an added country-soul depth to it. Folk Family Revival is, in a word, diverse. As described on their website their music is “Americana-Folk-Rock-Country-Blues.”

Mason does most of the songwriting, but the group is insistent on the team effort that is their success. They’ve opened for artists such as Willie Nelson, Jon Forman, Robert Ellis, Uncle Lucius, Gorge Jones, Merle Haggard, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Ted Nugent and Hayes Carll. They’re a bit of a departure from the country acts that tend to come through this town. But they’re seriously good.

See them Friday, January 30, 10pm at Prospector’s Grill and Saloon.

thescoop

WHAT: FOLK FAMILY REVIVALWHERE: PROSPECTOR’SWHEN: JAN. 30 @ 10PM


“An Evening of Improv Comedy” with the Upright Citizens Brigade MSC OPAS Presents:


dance music theatre visual art

I t ’s Time For Texas A&M

It’s Time For

For more information, call [email protected] v academyarts.tamu.eduw w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / AV PA a t TA M U

Tickets $5 Students, $10 General AdmissionAvailable at the MSC Box Office

Call 979.845.1234

The Ac

ademy

for the

Visual

& Perfo

rming

Arts

Actors From The London Stage

presentsMacbeth

Thursday, January 29, 20157 PM in Texas A&M

Rudder Theatre

Expect huge laughs to spill out of Rudder Theatre when OPAS presents a one-night-only improv performance by the famed Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) on Thursday, February 19 at 7:30pm. General admission tickets are $15 for students and $25 for non-students and go on sale on Friday, January 30 at 10am at the MSC Box Office (979-845-1234).

If tickets remain, prices will increase to $20 for students and $30 for non-students on the day of the performance. Student tickets are available by phone and at the window of the box office. A valid student identification will be required to purchase student tickets. Non-students ticket may be purchased online at www.MSCOPAS.org. UCB is sponsored by Maroon Weekly.

OPAS Executive Director Anne Black states, “This program was selected specifically with the students of Texas A&M in mind. Since improv comedy is participatory, we are presenting UCB in Rudder Theatre so that everyone can be a part of the action. On the downside, that means we only have 750 seats to sell. And at this price point, we expect them to go fast. If you’re a fan of improv and/or comedy, we recommend you buy tickets as soon as they go on sale on January 30.”

Named "Hot Farm Team" by Rolling Stone magazine and "Best Comedy Club" by The Village Voice, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre is widely recognized as home to today's funniest actors and writers. The touring arm of UCB brings the most innovative and hilarious comedians from UCB's New York and Los Angeles theaters directly to you. The hand-picked cast is sure to delight and is known for presenting the nation's next wave of comedy superstars. The cast that will perform at TAMU will be announced soon.

Past UCB casts include: Jack McBrayer (“30 Rock”), Ed Helms (“The Office,” “The Hangover”), Bobby Moynihan (“SNL”), Aubrey Plaza (“Parks and Recreation”), Rob Corddry (“The Daily Show”), Ellie Kemper (“Bridesmaids,” “The Office”), Rob Riggle (“The Daily Show”), Zach Woods (“In The Loop,” “The Office”), Lennon Parham (“Accidentally On Purpose,” “BFF,” “Playing House”).

The Upright Citizens Brigade (Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh) went to New York, from Chicago, in 1996. Noticing an absence of "Chicago-style" longform improvisation in the city, the four members of the UCB launched a training program in 1997. The UCBT quickly became the place for great, cutting-edge, comedy. Casting directors, agents, festival producers, and journalists began to flock to the theater to see the best comic talent in the city. The UCB Theater at 307 West 26th Street continues to offer the best and most innovative improv, sketch, and stand-up comedy in the city every day of the week, every week of the year.

Co-founder Amy Poehler states, “(UCB is) … a place where you can go for a very little amount of money and see someone who, five years from now, will be a big star – the stars of tomorrow!”

thescoop

WHAT: AN EVENING OF IMPROV COMEDYWHERE: RUDDER THEATREWHEN: FEB. 19 @ 7:30PM


“I think UCB is the premier supplier of comedy

actors with chops... They are doing the type

of manic , original, inventive stuff I’m

always interested in.”- Conan o’brien

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19

7:30 PM • Rudder Theatre

Student tickets only $15!*

HURRY! Tickets increase to $20 the day of the show!

MSC Box Office979-845-1234MSCOPAS.org

mscopas

Sponsored by

Student tickets only $15!

*Student tickets available at window of MSC Box Office and by phone at 979-845-1234. Student tickets not available for purchase online. A valid Student ID is required. HURRY! Tickets increase to $20 the day of the show!


Drew Womack is bringing his seasoned vocals and songwriting talent to BCS on January 29 at 8pm, accompanied by special guest Mary Charlotte Young. The two will be performing at the Stafford in Downtown Bryan, tickets are only $8.

Womack is an accredited singer-songwriter who has collaborated on songs such as Kenny Chesney’s “She’s Got it All.” He was also the leader singer of a band he started with his brother, Tim Womack, in Waco, Texas. The band recorded hit songs like “Goodbye Earl,” but missed out because their label, Epic Records, handed the song over to the Dixie Chicks. Womack then had to take a break from music after discovering he needed surgery to fix a broken vertebra.

Despite hardships, he has released his first album in more than 10 years, “Sunshine to Rain.” He strays from his traditional music in this new album, shifting to the music he claims he’s always wanted to write. His new album features things such as a sitar—cool, right?—and notable Austin-based musicians to mix things up. His new style can especially be heard in the song “New Heart,” with an Indian and Hindustani music vibe.

His interesting mix of sounds is a welcome change in country music, offering Womack his own distinctive sound. On Womack’s website he attributes this to the fact that “there was no country label rep in the recording studio saying ‘No, a sitar won’t fly on country radio.’” Womack calls his new sound “Gangsta Folk.”

Grand Stafford Theater will also be hosting special guest, Mary Charlotte Young, who also has one heck of a voice. She is a local singer-songwriter who has performed at other favorite venues in College Station such as P.O.E.T.S.

Drew Womack @ Grand Stafford TheaterBy Annabeth Reeb


Join Neal Keny-Guyer for his lecture on “Responding to Global Humanitarian Crises: Challenges and Opportunities” where he will speak about Mercy Corps’ international accomplishments.

Neal Keny-Guyer is a social entrepreneur committed to creating a just and peaceful world. As director of Save the Children, whose mission is the betterment of children’s lives worldwide, he developed high-impact relief programs in war-torn and politically sensitive areas such as Lebanon and Sudan. In 1994, he became the CEO of Mercy Corps, an organization dedicated to “[alleviating] suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities.” Keny-Guyer has implemented global mergers and negotiated strategic alliances in his quest to aid international communities in crisis.

Mercy Corps currently operates in 47 countries around the world and has earned the reputation of being a leader in humanitarianism. The organization continues to offer innovative and long-lasting solutions to social conflicts, emergency relief to wounded communities and supply resources in the fight for human rights.

To achieve its goals, Mercy Corps relies on volunteers. These men and women allow Mercy Corps to connect with communities otherwise out of reach from their headquarters in Portland, Oregon. Volunteers around the country raise awareness of global social issues and also raise money to help fund Mercy Corps’ civil and social change efforts.

Keny-Guyer’s lecture will be at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum on February 3 at 5:30pm. RSVP for the event at [email protected] by February 2. Admission is FREE.

George Bush Presidential Library Presents: Neal Keny-Guyer and Mercy CorpsBy Adrianna Zampieri


ALLCAST - BY LINLEY MCCORDSay you’re with a group of friends at your house, and you come across your roommate’s middle school band photo—you feel your obligation to the rest of the group is to show the picture, of course. You’re posed with the dilemma of a screen that is too small to share, so not everyone can see it at the same time.

AllCast can eliminate that awkwardness. Whether it’s pictures, messages, videos, games, other apps or streaming, anything on a little screen can be cast to a TV screen if your device is Wi-Fi compatible and hooked up to the TV. It performs much of the same functions as AppleTV, Chromecast, or Kindle Fire Stick without the cost that comes with these items—but AllCast will also stream through these devices in the case that you already own one.

TRIVIA CRACK - BY ABIGAIL STRICKER“Trivia Crack,” an app released within the last few months, has quickly become wildly popular. It’s a simple concept—playing trivia with friends—but the app has had unprecedented success. In December 2014, “Trivia Crack” was the most downloaded game on the Apple App Store, and it is the No. 1 trivia game in the U.S. and Canada.

Here’s how the game works: players battle either their own Facebook friends or random opponents for mastery (or to earn a “character”) in six different trivia categories (science, geography, entertainment, art, sports and history). The first player to earn a “character” from all six categories wins. The app has more than 100,000 trivia questions that are uploaded by “Trivia Crack” users. It’s addictive and popular enough that you’ve probably heard of it. You can download it for free on iOS, Android, Windows Phone, Facebook or the Amazon App Store. Exercise for the brain, right? Can’t be a bad thing.

CROSSY ROAD - BY ADRIANNA ZAMPIERIWhy did the chicken cross the road? Was it to boldly go where no chicken had gone before or because it just wanted to get to the other side? Become that chicken in “Crossy Road,” a game dedicated to successfully maneuvering poultry to the other side. Using your finger, guide your character across a series of obstacles. Dodge taxicabs and 18-wheelers on busy highways, cross swift rivers by jumping from log to log and leap over train tracks before the train squishes you. The quicker you touch your screen, the faster your character hops. The longer you avoid fatal mistakes, the closer you are to unlocking new characters, including an emu, a dark lord and a floppy fish. “Crossy Road” mimics the clunky, cubic style of older video games, which may encourage your eyes to squint.

If you want your shot at answering the age old question, then download Crossy Road to begin your journey to the other side.

pg 18 • MAROON WEEKLY • Dec. 10, 2014 • maroonweekly.com

BATTERY DOCTOR - BY RACHEL PICKERINGDoes your phone die when you least expect it? You deserve to know when your phone is about to RIP, and you can do so by downloading Battery Doctor. The app can extend your battery life up to 50% by monitoring and regulating your phone’s power consumption.

The app finds other apps and settings that drain power on your phone. It’ll provide you detailed battery information, and the info will allow you to make proper adjustments to your phone. In addition, the memory scan and junk clean up will help you save extra space by cleaning and deleting clutter. (Before deleting anything, you have the option of setting your preferences so only certain files/folders will be scanned for clean up.)

Battery Doctor also tells users how long your battery will last under a variety of situations. For example, if you are playing a game on your phone, it will let you know how much power the game is using. The app also keeps a log of how often you fully charge your phone and what features you can turn on/off to extend the battery life.

HANX WRITER - BY CONNIE SONGClickity, clack, clack. Fueled by his love for the typewriter, Tom Hanks (yes, Forrest Gump himself) developed Hanx Writer, an app that mimics old-school typing machines. Yes, there was a reason why the typewriter went away, but the cons of the machine were taken into consideration and modified for this app. For instance, you can now delete your typos and go back and edit your horrible grammar instead of having a document covered Xs. However, if you’re a fan of the Xs, there’s an option to have them, too. In addition, you can also export documents you’ve typed with the app. Hanx Writer can also be used in other apps if you’re solely using the app for the sounds (which is pretty nostalgic, but some people can’t write without them).

ZEN SHOPPING - BY DANIELLA DELGADOWant to make holiday shopping a breeze? With Zen Shopping, you can have your own personal shopping assistant straight on your phone. It has a variety of features to make your online shopping experience simple and expedient. Among these features are a price comparison calculator, where Zen automatically recognizes the product you’re looking for and searches other stores to find the most affordable option. Zen also automatically provides you with the best coupons for the store you are shopping at prior to checkout.

Zen notifies you of deals tailored to your shopping interests. The app also has a package tracking feature, so you can keep track of the delivery status of all your precious merchandise. Avoid the long lines and crazy crowds and do all of your shopping from the comfort of your own phone with Zen Shopping this holiday season.

#APP4THATTHere’s An

COST: FREE

COST: FREE

COST: FREE

COST: FREE

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COST: FREE

pg 18 • MAROON WEEKLY • Dec. 10, 2014 • maroonweekly.com

BATTERY DOCTOR - BY RACHEL PICKERINGDoes your phone die when you least expect it? You deserve to know when your phone is about to RIP, and you can do so by downloading Battery Doctor. The app can extend your battery life up to 50% by monitoring and regulating your phone’s power consumption.

The app finds other apps and settings that drain power on your phone. It’ll provide you detailed battery information, and the info will allow you to make proper adjustments to your phone. In addition, the memory scan and junk clean up will help you save extra space by cleaning and deleting clutter. (Before deleting anything, you have the option of setting your preferences so only certain files/folders will be scanned for clean up.)

Battery Doctor also tells users how long your battery will last under a variety of situations. For example, if you are playing a game on your phone, it will let you know how much power the game is using. The app also keeps a log of how often you fully charge your phone and what features you can turn on/off to extend the battery life.

HANX WRITER - BY CONNIE SONGClickity, clack, clack. Fueled by his love for the typewriter, Tom Hanks (yes, Forrest Gump himself) developed Hanx Writer, an app that mimics old-school typing machines. Yes, there was a reason why the typewriter went away, but the cons of the machine were taken into consideration and modified for this app. For instance, you can now delete your typos and go back and edit your horrible grammar instead of having a document covered Xs. However, if you’re a fan of the Xs, there’s an option to have them, too. In addition, you can also export documents you’ve typed with the app. Hanx Writer can also be used in other apps if you’re solely using the app for the sounds (which is pretty nostalgic, but some people can’t write without them).

ZEN SHOPPING - BY DANIELLA DELGADOWant to make holiday shopping a breeze? With Zen Shopping, you can have your own personal shopping assistant straight on your phone. It has a variety of features to make your online shopping experience simple and expedient. Among these features are a price comparison calculator, where Zen automatically recognizes the product you’re looking for and searches other stores to find the most affordable option. Zen also automatically provides you with the best coupons for the store you are shopping at prior to checkout.

Zen notifies you of deals tailored to your shopping interests. The app also has a package tracking feature, so you can keep track of the delivery status of all your precious merchandise. Avoid the long lines and crazy crowds and do all of your shopping from the comfort of your own phone with Zen Shopping this holiday season.

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The “Taken” franchise is a complicated one: the first movie is gripping, diverting and successful, while the second one, well, sucks. The problem is that the title doesn’t give much to work with. Someone has to be taken, which makes “Taken 2” seem like a long and terrible case of déjà vu. “Taken 3” learned at least a little from its predecessor’s mistake.

In the beginning, things are looking up for Bryan Mills, played by the legendary Liam Neeson. His ex-wife loves him again and his daughter doesn’t hate him. But his luck quickly changes when a seemingly innocent rendezvous with his ex escalates into being framed for her murder. This turns out to be one of the most redeeming traits of the movie. Mills is running from United States law enforcement instead of faceless foreign officials, which seems more impressive because we pride ourselves in a strong police force. He continually evades Detective Dotzler, played by Forest Whitaker, and pursues those involved in his wife’s murder.

Neeson does a fantastic job, yet again, portraying the invincible character, famous for his “particular set of skills” speech, which is impressive given the ridiculously tired plot. The action throughout the film is well done but predictable because we already know Mills is unstoppable.

The problem with “Taken 3” is that it somehow became even more implausible than the first two movies. Sure, viewers don’t expect it to be realistic, because the whole point is to marvel in the fact that Mills is the coolest dad in the world, but “Taken 3” takes it a bit too far.

The fighting is fine, but the hundreds of ignored casualties are exasperating. In one car chase alone, Mills is responsible for around 100 innocent deaths. An airborne semitrailer squishes more than five carloads of people to death, and that’s not including the other fatal crashes that Mills caused by driving toward incoming traffic. It’s great that his daughter is alive, but what about the hundreds of other people he killed?

SPOILER ALERT:In the end, Mills walks himself out of the police station with less than a slap on the wrist. No way. If the movie is going to be set in America, it has to play by America’s rules.

Action (R)

Taken 3 Netflix

“Friends” is on Netflix, everybody! All 10 seasons of the iconic TV series, which ran from 1994 to 2004, are officially available through Netflix’s streaming service.

Do we really even need to tell you what it is about? If you don’t know, then you need to stop reading this story and go log in to Netflix. What are you doing with your life?

The series follows five inextricably close friends as they live, work and do whatever else they do throughout their twenties (which is a lot of funny and ridiculous stuff) in New York City. Stars include Courteney Cox as Monica, David Schwimmer as Ross, Matthew Perry as Chandler, Matt LeBlanc as Joey, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe and Jennifer Aniston as Rachel.

“Friends” is an award-winning comedy – one that you must have heard of…right? It was nominated 62 times for the Primetime Emmy Awards and won Outstanding Comedy Series in 2002.

For those of you who’ve seen the show and loved it, it is time for reruns. And no commercials this time – yay!

If you haven’t seen it and think you might want to, Netflix is probably your cheapest option. Pay the $7.99 a month for a couple months and then cancel your membership if you want. Try to think of one person you’ve ever met who vehemently hated “Friends.” Therefore, it’s probably worth it.

FriendsBy Annabeth Reeb

By Abigail Stricker

Across1 Cartoon father of octuplets4 Ironic nickname for a hairy guy10 Taj Mahal’s setting14 Slides, handouts, etc. for a speaker’s audience16 Street ___ (rep)17 Aquarium fish18 Mecca trekker19 “Huuuuuuuh?!”20 Little toy, for instance?21 Head honcho24 Baseball and football star Sanders25 London music producer Yoad ___ (reverses to something in the kitchen)26 “Uncle!”28 Art lovers30 Shield behind a wheel32 1994 hit off Live’s album “Throwing Copper”33 Is uncertain to, in a fancy tone34 With “The,” 2012 Jessica Biel thriller35 “Community” actress ___ Nicole Brown36 Share a facility37 “Cold as Ice” and “Hot Blooded” group39 Appeases, as hunger40 Having a pH below 741 Heart link43 Simple pretzel shapes44 It folds in a chair45 Place for December purchases47 Some small businesses, for short49 “Let me at ‘em!”53 Big earthenware jar54 1988 Bruce Hornsby hit, with “The”55 “No can do, Dostoyevsky”56 “The Two ___” (Martha Finley children’s book)57 Weightlifter’s abbr.

Down1 Mag that covers blue material (hidden in KAVNER)2 Key lime, e.g.3 Org. that’s hosted Errol Flynn, Wayne Newton and Stephen Colbert4 ___ salts5 Follow up on ___6 Image created before drinking?7 Got the carpet all gross8 Potatoes named for their state9 Must-have10 “Oh!” in Osnabruck11 Tiny red salad item12 How you feel after a much-needed rest13 Quality of some body tissues15 Like some GPAs21 He’s often seen up late22 In an ambiguous way23 Light and dark ice cream flavor25 Star of “Gimme a Break!”27 All together, musically29 Religious circles?31 Rare blood type34 Carla’s surname on “Cheers”36 Total assortment?38 “Is this ___?”42 French lane46 Lord ___ Baratheon (“Game of Thrones” character) (anagram of ROSY)48 Posed for pics50 Company that merged with Time-Warner51 Dollop52 NFL gains

2015 Jonesin’ Crosswords ([email protected])


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Aggie Teams Racing Out to Successful Early StartBy Joshua Russell

Track and Field The Track & Field News’ first Indoor track poll of the year came out last week and both Texas A&M University indoor teams garnered high rankings. The men checked in at No. 2 while the women’s team earned the No. 1 ranking.

The A&M women won the national title in 2014 and have earned the top spot in four of the past six years. In their most recent outing, the Aggies finished second out of nine schools in the Texas A&M Team Invitational.

The men’s team finished first in the invitational, blowing out the field with 163 total points, 71 points higher than the second place finisher. Shavez Hart was honored as SEC Runner of the Week for his part in the Aggie victory. Hart won the 200m in 20.76 seconds and was just a 10th of a second off his indoor best in the event. So far in 2015, that is the fastest time in the world. He was also the second leg of the winning 4x400 team and came in with a split of 46.8 seconds.

BaseballThe Aggie baseball team earned preseason recognition as they were ranked 15th by the D1baseball.com Preseason Top 25 poll—impressive after TAMU was unranked at the end of last season. But with a young team having a year under their belt, along with a prized recruiting class, the

Aggies have high hopes heading into the new season. They will have seven returning starters, including sophomore Nick Banks who was named a Preseason All-American.

The SEC cluttered the initial Top 25 ranking with eight schools

being named. Three SEC East schools are in the top 5 with defending national champions Vanderbilt in the top spot.

Texas A&M opens the baseball season on Valentine’s Day weekend as the Aggies host Holy Cross. The Aggies non-conference schedule includes the Astros College Classic, which will square them against three former conference rivals: No. 23 Nebraska, No. 7 Houston and Baylor.

SoftballThe softball team also received some

preseason buzz as they are ranked No. 24 in the initial Top 25 ranking from USA Today/

NFCA Division I Softball Poll.

The Aggies finished 37-22 last year, their 18th consecutive season to accumulate at least 30 wins. The team returns starting pitchers Rachel Fox and Katie Marks who combined for 30 wins in their 54 starts.

The Aggies will look to quickly improve on their rankings as they head to the SoCal Collegiate Classic on Feb 6 and 7 and take on Utah, San Diego State, Purdue and No. 7 ranked UCLA. They will also play No. 2 Oregon in a non-conference match.

The SEC dominated the preseason poll, placing nine teams in the ranking including No. 1 Florida and No. 3 Alabama.

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