On March 18, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Democrat from Nevada, said he would not allow Senator Dianne Feinstein’s proposed ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines to be included in the Democratic Party’s comprehensive gun bill. This means that the ban will have to be brought forth separately or as an amendment, limiting its chances of passing.

Reid has stated that the firearms legislation that will be debated next month in the Senate will not include the bill that would ban weapons like the ones used in the Newtown school shooting. The Majority Leader is aware of the fact that the bill would not have enough votes in order to be passed into law and is worried that bringing it forward may crush the chances of any kind of firearms legislation to pass.

The worry that many people have concerning the ban on certain firearms is that once this type of legislation starts being put into law, which limits the rights of citizens guaranteed in the constitution, where does it stop? Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss said in an email correspondence, “I have always been a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights, and I will continue to ensure the rights of gun owners will not be further infringed upon.” President Obama has already done as much as he can without the support of Congress and the Senate by implementing twenty-three executive orders that are centered on background checks and mental health with regard to firearms.

Georgia Congressman Phil Gingrey is another supporter of the right of the people to keep and bear arms. “In its announcement on Jan. 16, 2013, the Obama Administration’s attempt to implement radical gun control policies through executive order is a gross violation of our Second Amendment rights,” Gingrey stated in an email correspondence. The recent setbacks that Feinstein has encountered have allowed the Obama administration to see that the people of the United States may not support the strict gun restrictions that were initially introduced after the Newtown tragedy.

Denying the vote for the assault weapon and high capacity magazine ban does not guarantee that the measures Feinstein wishes to sign into law will fail. There have been talks of trying to bring more moderate measures to the Senate in order to win over some of the votes of Republican senators standing in the way. These measures would include things like universal background checks and mandatory gun registration. This would make it illegal to sell a firearm privately.  One would have to transfer the weapon through someone with a Federal Firearms License and would insure the government has documentation on who owns each firearm.

 1. Iron Man 3 (May 3) For the Marvel fans out there, the wait for the next installment of the “Iron Man” series is almost over. Robert Downey Jr. once again stars as the charismatic genius, Tony Stark, who sets out on a vengeance filled campaign to destroy a new enemy when his home is destroyed and his loved ones are put in danger. Comic book movies have been quite the trend lately, with many of them being extremely disappointing, but some of them have done well and even less have the popularity and the charisma of “Iron Man”. I don’t think there is any other actor in the world that could play Tony Stark better than Robert Downey Jr. His performance in the previous two films was nothing short of fantastic and I have a strong suspicion that this one will be no different.

2. Fast and Furious 6 (May 24) If you are waiting to see “Fast and Furious 6” chances are you have already seen and love the previous five movies. For someone who loves cars, it doesn’t get much better than the “Fast and Furious” series. The newest film brings Dom, Brian and the rest of the crew back together but this time, they are teaming up with bounty hunter Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) to catch a man attacking military convoys. Let’s be honest, as far as the “Fast and Furious” movies go, when there were fewer tuner cars, wings and street glow the movies got more appealing to a larger audience. “Fast and Furious” and “Fast 5” were a positive leap in quality for this franchise and this one is looking to follow suit. So if you like fast cars and action,“Fast and Furious 6” is very unlikely to disappoint.

3. After Earth (June 7) When you think of M. Night Shyamalan’s movies you often think of “The Sixth Sense”, “Signs” and “The Village”–scary movies with a huge plot twist at the end that leaves audiences talking about them for months. Then comes “After Earth”, a movie about Cypher (Will Smith) and his son Kitai (Jaden Smith) who crash land on Earth 1,000 years after catastrophic events have forced the human race to evacuate the planet. During the crash, Cypher is injured and Kitai must venture out for rescue on a planet where everything has evolved over time to do one thing–kill humans. Just when you think movies are starting to be repetitive and uncreative, something original and intriguing comes along.

4. World War Z (June 21) This June is going to be a big month for the zombie fanatic in us all. “World War Z”, an adaptation of the book written by Max Brooks follows Gerry Lane, a United Nations employee who must leave his family behind in order to find a way to stop the world wide pandemic that is turning people into flesh eating zombies. With the interest in zombies and apocalyptic scenarios at an all-time high, there is much anticipation about such a high profile movie based on what was once a campy, slow and shambling creature that has recently turned into a horrific villain that even a seasoned horror buff will have nightmares about.

5. Pacific Rim (July 12) What could be more epic than giant dinosaur-like aliens battling huge robots piloted by humans for control of planet Earth? Not a whole lot, if you ask me. “Pacific Rim” is the story of an alien race that has come to Earth through a portal in the bottom of the ocean. Instead of hiding and accepting defeat, the human race built robots hundreds of feet tall that could be biologically controlled by pilots to fight them off and save humans from certain extinction. If you are looking for an action packed, high-budget movie full of state-of-the-art Hollywood special effects, this is your movie to see. 

1. The Great Gatsby (May 10) We all had to read it in high school, and you either loved it or hated it (or pretended to love it or hate it so your teacher wouldn’t know you just read the Spark Notes).  There have been half a dozen adaptations of this film, but none have been as highly anticipated as this.  “The Great Gatsby”, directed by Baz Luhrmann (director of Moulin Rouge! and Australia), is based on the book by F. Scott Fitzgerald that defines and challenges “The American Dream”.  Though I was unsure about the decision to cast Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby, the idea is growing on me and I believe this movie, like the book, will become an instant classic.

2. Star Trek: Into Darkness (May 17) This long-awaited sequel to a superb movie adaptation of the Star Trek series is sure to make waves this summer.  Nerds have been stoked about “Star Trek: Into Darkness” since the first rumors of a sequel back in 2010.  If this sequel is anything like the first Star Trek movie, it’s sure to be nothing short of fantastic.  In the film, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction, John Harrison (rumored to reveal himself as Khan during the film, for all you trekkies out there), played by Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock).  You can also look forward to witty Spock quips.

3. The Wolverine (July 26) Let’s be honest, anything has to be better than “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”.  Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) ventures to modern-day Japan where an old enemy offers to make him mortal.  He’s pushed to his physical and emotional limits, struggling to fight his immortality and finding strength in his vulnerability.  Mostly, it’s just Hugh Jackman fighting samurais without a shirt on…and I’m okay with that.

4. 300: Rise of an Empire (Aug. 2) It’s been seven years since “300” and, yet, “THIS IS SPARTA!” is still a common (although tired) phrase.  This film takes place after Leonidas’ defeat in the first film, as Xerxes, the leader of the Persian army, tries to gain control of major Greek city-states.  Classic rival cities Athens and Sparta must work together to defeat the Persian army and take back their control.  Like the first film, “300: Rise of an Empire” promises to be 2 hours of testosterone-packed greatness.

5. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (Aug. 23) Based on the young adult fantasy series by Cassandra Clare, this film centers on Clary Fray (Lily Collins), a seemingly ordinary teenager who finds out that she is actually a descendant of a line of “Shadowhunters”, half-angel warriors with the purpose of defending the world from demons.  When her mother (played by “Game of Thrones’” Lena Headey) is abducted, Clary joins the battle against evil in a world filled with not only demons, but warlocks, vampires, werewolves and other deadly creatures as well.  Okay, so it sounds super lame when I say it like that.  So it’s another supernatural teen movie.  Who cares?  We’re all entitled to guilty pleasures.  Let “The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones” be yours this summer.  At least it’s not “Twilight”.

Aside from White and Leeves, the show also stars veteran actresses Valerie Bertinelli and Wendie Malick.

“The success of the show is due to the incredible chemistry between the four of us—Valerie, Wendie, Betty, and I. We just absolutely adore each other,” said Leeves.

Since the airing of the show, it has created a great amount of success in not only ratings, but in network firsts. The show is the network’s first original scripted series. Hot in Cleveland has also made network history by becoming the network’s highest rating telecast in the network’s 14-year history.

The show averages two million viewers among the network’s targeted audience of women from the ages of 25-54.

“I think it’s great. I’ve heard it said that Hot in Cleveland on TV Land has done what Mad Men did for AMC. It’s for the branding, the network. So it feels really great for us,” said Leeves.  “It keeps the genre alive, and kicking. A genre that Betty and I have so much experience in…so I really think it’s wonderful.”

The show focuses on the relationship between three entertainment stricken-women Melanie (Bertinelli), Joy (Leeves), and Victoria (Malick) who have each exceeded their time with fame in the entertainment business after their plane crashes in Cleveland, Ohio. The three women find comfort in Cleveland after giving up the fast-paced life to settle in and move in with a judgmental, brutally honest and carefree caretaker by the name of Elka (White).

Despite the attitudes on camera, the women of Hot in Cleveland remark that the bond in which they have makes a difference in the overall part of the making of the show.

“You hear these horror stories about they don’t speak unless it’s in the script, how do you do comedy if you don’t like each other?” said White.

White, 91, has been charming and warming the hearts of sitcom and comedy lovers since she casted as Sue Ann Nivens on the Mary Tyler Moore Show. She is most famous for her ditzy, corky and warm-at-heart role as Rose Nylund on the 80’s NBC sitcom, The Golden Girls. White has remained a household name, as she can be seen everywhere on television today.

“I’m 91 and it’s the busiest I’ve ever been,” said White.

Aside from the show, White and Leeves give advice to anyone who may have the goals of aspiring to be in the entertainment industry.

“You’re in the funny business but you take the business very seriously.” said White.

“I would say that I have learned a great deal just by being around Betty, in terms of being a professional, showing up on time, and knowing your stuff when you get there,” said Leeves.

The fans of Hot in Cleveland can expect a new season of unexpected twists and exciting guest stars to premiere live for its fifth season on June 19^th at 10:00 P.M. on TV Land. For more information on TV Land’s Hot in Cleveland, its cast members, episode guide and to see full episodes, visit tvland.com/shows/hot-in-cleveland.

The 22 year old singer, song writer and guitarist is no rookie to the world of music. When he was 14, his mentor, Benjamin Neil (his brother-in-law), taught him how to play the guitar. Phillips, Neil and Phillips’ sister Lacey went on to form a band together. Once his sister and brother-in-law discovered that Phillips could sing, they encouraged him to do it more often, performing for family members and even their church. During the summer of 2011, Phillips took a break from his summer job with his Family’s local pawn shop and tried out for American idol in Savannah Georgia. Putting his soulful rock star spin on “Very Superstitious” by Stevie Wonder, Phillips wowed judges Jennifer Lopez, Randy Jackson and Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler. Encoring his performance, Phillips then picked up his guitar and performed Michael Jackson’s thriller. Each of the judges expressed their vision of something special in Phillips, and his dream took off from there.

Phillips went on to win season 11’s finale on May 23, 2012, and released his single “Home” the same day. This song was marked the highest debut on the Billboard Digital Songs with 278,000 downloads sold. The song has been featured as the U.S women’s gymnastics “Fab Five” team’s unofficial song, on Clint Eastwood’s 2012 movie “Trouble with the Curve’s” soundtrack and you can even recognize the catchy tune in the background of The American Family Insurance commercials. “It’s always weird to hear my music on television but, nonetheless, it’s a blessing,” said Phillips.

Phillips began recording his first album with Interscope Records entitled “The World from the Side of the Moon”. This album was released Nov. 9, 2012. Phillips was nominated for the 2013 World Best Song in the World Music Awards. Phillips is also on Tour with John Mayer this year and is scheduled to perform in Rio De Janeiro late this summer with Mayer and Bruce Springsteen.

“It’s a good feeling to know that people actually care about the music that I write and want to listen to it and sing along,” said Phillips. “Whether it’s small children or the 60 year old woman I saw dancing in the front row of my last concert.” His fan base has a very wide ranged considering the content of his music. “I just talk about what’s real, even if it’s something someone doesn’t want to hear, but others could hear my song and relate to it. I like to tell my story,” Phillips said. “From performing at the World Series to performing for the Dali Llama, I’ve gotten to meet some really great people,” Phillip concludes.

Traveling all over the nation, this rapidly progressing superstar has made his way to the Coliseum of UWG here in Carrollton Georgia.  Phillips performed with groups Neon Trees and Twenty One Pilots.

In some cases, rape may go unreported, but at UWG, the number of reported rape cases increases each year. According to UWG’s University Police website, there was one reported rape victim in 2009, four reported rape victims in 2010 and five in 2011. All cases from the past five years have been reported as being committed in resident halls.

With summer break just around the corner, it is important that students are prepared to have fun without becoming an easy target. Preventative Health Educators offer programs and counseling for students to gain awareness, learn what they can do to help a friend or learn how to protect themselves from sexual predators.

“The most common form of rape is rape through an acquaintance,” says Liz Butts, Health & Wellness Promotion Coordinator for Health Services. “The biggest preventative is to become each other’s keepers. If someone is targeted or isolated from a group, they are more susceptible to rape, especially if alcohol or drugs are in the picture,” said Butts.  Butts is passionate about helping students make good choices.  Her top tips for enjoying summer break and staying safe are:

1.)   “Be responsible- Stay with your group. If you meet new people, still keep an eye out on the group you came with.

2.)   Watch your drinks- Always be guarded and don’t make it easy to be drugged.

3.)   Know when enough is enough- It is wise to always know your personal limit and to know when to stop.”

If a student becomes a victim of rape on or off-campus, they can turn to the Health Center during the break. If a student calls in and reports a rape from on-campus, a UWG Police Officer will escort them to the Health Center where a SANE nurse will meet them, along with a Patient Advocate. If a case of rape is reported from off-campus, the student can call 9-1-1 and file a report and also report it to UWG Police. When the student returns to UWG, the same treatment is available to them. Students are allowed to have a friend with them for moral support. Once the student arrives at the Health Center, a rape kit will be conducted and they will undergo counseling.

According to Tom Mackle, Chief of UWG Police, “The rape kits are kept for two years and are stored in the UWG Police evidence room.”  This gives victims time to gain their composure and decide if they want to prosecute. Follow-ups are offered to help the students ease back into their normal lifestyles. These services are free to all student rape victims and it helps reverse the emotional and psychological damage the victim may have.

If a student is victimized during the break, they should know that they can turn to UWG’s Health Services for support.

The Peachtree Road Race first started in 1970 with 110 contestants. Since then, the race has expanded to 60,000 participants. Every year, runners and walkers come out to finish the race and obtain the coveted t-shirt.

Before the t-shirt can be handed out, a contest is held where the public is able to vote online for their favorite shirt every day for nearly two months leading up to the race. Once a shirt has been chosen, it is not revealed until the winner of the race gets one.

Running or walking the race can make any person feel like they are a part of Atlanta’s traditions, but five UWG students are a part of this year’s history.

Justin Dunbar, Katie Pettus, Hannah Sanders, Kayla Marston and Kat Dye are all students in an art class taught by Clint Samples, which requires students to design a shirt to enter into the contest. This year marks the fifth year that UWG students have been selected for the contest. Dye’s design was officially picked as the volunteer shirt design already.

Dunbar, a senior art education major, wanted to incorporate Atlanta’s historic skyline in his design. “I knew that I wanted to include some recognizable symbols that people could relate to Atlanta, but I didn’t want to make it boring. I enjoyed playing with the text and having it form into the peach, along with the Atlanta skyline,” said Dunbar.

Sanders, another senior art education major, took a different approach and let her art lead the way. “I came up with my idea by splattering ink onto paper. The splashes were interesting to me, so I decided to work with them in some way. By scanning my splashes into the computer, I was able to move them around. I also added some sketches I did of the racers into the splashes; the design is like a big hide and seek of racers,” said Sanders.

Another positive influence for entering the contest is designing the t-shirt that will reward many people. “I’ve never participated in the race, but have friends that have. I think it is a great goal for people to have and I do hope that one day I could run the race,” said Pettus, a senior photography major.

An Atlanta theme is common among the entries, but Marston, a junior graphic design major, wanted to stick with the state symbol, the peach. “Since I was born and raised in Atlanta and know how big the race is, I knew I wanted to stick with an actual peach for my design. From there, I did a printmaking technique of cutting out and layering the different layers of oranges. I wanted to give the different orange colors to make it feel more summer like,” said Marston.

Samples’ class project has helped make UWG more widely known, but has also helped the students involved in the class. “I learned to never give up and never to settle for your first design. By tweaking, the design can always be better,” said Sanders.

Voting for the shirts is taking place now until April 30. You can vote by going to www.ajc.com/peachtee.

While the Z-6 will still be the main dining hall of the campus and contain a cafeteria style dining experience, the new East Commons will have a more modern feel and will offer students a faster paced atmosphere. A new all access meal plan will also be available to students in the fall that will allow students to have access to the new dining facility 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Students with this meal plan will not have to use dining dollars or Wolf Bucks to pay for their food at East Commons; instead it will be included in the initial payment of the plan.

Some of the new offerings that will be available at East Commons will include a Mongolian style grill, a place for students to get brick oven pizza as well as classic American food like cheeseburgers and French fries. The new building will also contain a convenience store in the lobby that will be “similar to a Race Trac convenience store with different colors” said John Lyons, the Director of Campus Dining.

While the 24 hour access is something that is new to UWG and will be a great addition to the campus, it does come with some restrictions. Students who do not have the all access meal plan will need to pay for their food and other items with cash, card or dinning dollars. All current students with a valid student identification card will be able to enter the facility; therefore a student will not be able to bring a guest, who is not a UWG student, into the facility.

The dormitory halls located near this new facility generally house freshman. With the Z-6 being the only dining facility that the required meal plans will pay for, it is often inconvenient for students to walk or ride the bus to the other side of campus, especially since the buses do not run on the weekends. Proximity is another benefit of the new dining hall. With its location being only steps from numerous dorms, it allows students staying better access and use of the dining on campus

The Z-6 dining hall will also be receiving a face-lift. The building will be outfitted with new flooring and the interior will be completely renovated. The outside seating on the patio will also be enclosed and will be made available as an area for students to enjoy their meals.

Here at UWG, the Campus Center offers a wide variety of programs for students to choose from to take a stand against obesity. There is no questioning the fact that the obesity rate in the United States has increased due to the inactivity of Americans. According to the Get America Fit Foundation, “Obesity is the number two cause of preventable death in the United States.”  60 million Americans who are twenty and older are obese. Some students take full advantage to get active while working and live a healthier lifestyle.

A fun way to get active that many students don’t know about is the Club Sports Program, developed in Jan. 2012 by Brad Whittaker, Associate Director of Programs. Here, students who are focused on sports and competition can compete against other universities in a wide variety of sports such as ultimate Frisbee, equestrian and wall climbing. “I like providing opportunities for others to get active and do things to become involved,” said Whittaker.

Edward Croy, Assistant Director of Intramural Sports, has developed an online sign-up method for sports-minded students to make it easier for them to register. Croy sets up all sports leagues and orders their equipment. Students can use a website called I Am Leagues to create a profile, create teams, send mass messages and to pay online. There is a $75 fee which helps fund the official’s pay.

Croy also trains student officials who will referee at each game. “Students pay, work and learn leadership and responsibility,” Croy said. The Campus Center’s job program helps students get jobs where they can stay active.

Student Ronnie Tullis is a prime example of working while leading an active lifestyle. Tullis started working as an Intramural Referee where he received a cardio workout by running up and down the fields. Now working as the Facility Manager, he is higher in the chain-of-command, but still gets to keep moving. “As Facility Manager, I delegate tasks among people who are working and I make sure everything in the campus Center is clean and presentable,” said Tullis.  “My favorite part about my job is the networking aspect. I get to stay active and work which makes my job enjoyable. This job has opened up many opportunities.”

Another student who takes advantage of the Campus Center’s UREC program is junior Karen Clyburn.  She has been a part of a part of a flag football team for 2 years and plans to compete in the upcoming year. Each year, she signs up with her friends and they design team shirts to get active in style. “I enjoy being a part of an UREC team intramural sport because I get to hang out with my friends at practice and I get to exercise. It is very important because my health is my top priority,”said Clyburn.

If students are ready to make a life change and to get active with the Campus Center’s UREC program they can visit the Campus Center by and sign up. There is always something to help students get moving and have fun. Students can also register by going to http://www.imleagues.com/Schools.aspx .

The main concern of the theatre students is why their budget was cut to begin with. The students feel like there is no logical explanation for why their funding is being cut. The President of SGA informed the students that they were not the only organization at UWG that has received a budget cut. In fact, SGA itself has recently endured a cut in their budget as well.As this was SGA’s last meeting for the school year, many other issues were discussed as well. The President gave his farewell statement and votes were cast for Assembly Member of the Year as well as Freshman Senator. The SGA and Lambda Grab Bag Bill were also passed.

However, among these topics, the budget cut for the Department of Theatre was the most discussed. This meeting had the highest student attendance rate of the whole year. The only problem was that the students thought they would have a say in changing the overall decision, but the decision had already been made by the university. While many students came to the meeting to express their feelings about the cut and discuss its reasoning, the only option remaining is an attempt to appeal the university’s decision.

The main reason behind making the budget cut to the department was that a lot of the money that goes towards student travel could be paid by the department itself. Many organizations host events that are accessible for the whole student body, but a lot of students are unable to attend many of the events hosted by the Department of Theatre.  The overall consensus was that the travel funds portion of the department budget does not benefit the student body as a whole and could also be funded by them. Therefore, the funds were cut.

The meeting went on without any other discussion of the department’s budget cut.