---

School and games?

By Jake Mastroianni / WRITER | February 11

For those that have always wished to play video games at school, that dream is a reality at Auburn.The Student Center opened up the doors for a game room in November 2009 and has seen success ever since.

Loaded Words Pack Punch

By Brian Desarro / ASSISTANT INTRIGUE EDITOR | February 11

There once was a time when a fag was a fag, a bitch was a bitch and the word cunt was simply an anatomical expression.In recent years, however, loaded words like these have picked up new meanings, transforming them into hurtful insults."Words have a great deal of power; they can bring joy, cause damage and inflict pain," said Barbara Baker, director of the Women's Leadership Institute.

Girl's Guide: Credit cards scam users

By Jillian Clair/ Staff Writer | February 11

With all the hype about credit card debt and the stereotypes created by movies like "Confessions of a Shopaholic," one would wonder why a woman should ever have a credit card.While there are certain risks to having a credit card, it is possible to use it to build good credit.Keven Yost, professor of finance, said having a credit card can be empowering for a female student."If she's out on a date and things aren't going well, she knows she can get a cab ride home, or if her car was broken down, she could get help and not have to worry about having cash on hand to make a payment for that sort of thing," Yost said.Yost said students must be careful when choosing a credit card.When credit card companies offer zero percent financing, free credit transfers and free balance transfers, Yost said to look at the fine print."If it's too good to be true, then it probably is,"Yost said.

Oh, the horror!

By Anna Schierholz / WRITER | February 11

It's supposed to be a day of warm fuzzies, flowers, chocolates, oversized stuffed teddy bears and romance.Valentine's Day: some dread it, some anxiously await its arrival, counting down the days on a Cupid-covered calendar.But, for some, it's not always heart-shaped doilies and happiness.

Aphrodisiacs boost libido

By Brian Desarro / ASSISTANT INTRIGUE EDITOR | February 11

For those looking to turn up the heat this Valentine's Day, turning toward the kitchen can be an easy way to boost libido and increase sexual desire.Foods such as oysters, Chile peppers, chocolate and champagne have long been thought to have effects on both male and female libido, according to womensday.com.The Web site said foods like oysters and wheat germ don't have a direct effect on libido, but rather effect hormones like testosterone and estrogen.Mary Kathleen Bishop, sophomore in business, said she does believe in them, though she has never tried any herself."There's nothing more sexy than eating an oyster," Bishop said.

Foods to stay away from on Valentine's Day dates

By Sarah Phillips / STAFF REPORTER | February 11

This weekend marks one of the most popular days in the world for couples to go out to eat: Valentine's Day.Each year, Auburn's restaurants are booked for at least a week and on the special holiday those without reservations can expect to wait for up to three hours.After being seated, it appears the hard part is over, but for some deciding what to order can cause just as many problems as not having reservations.One issue a waitress at Logan's Roadhouse often witnesses is girls not wanting to look too hungry."They'll order just a side salad," said Miranda Brown, junior in exercise science.

Sips n Strokes provides place to relieve stress

By Callie Garrett / INTRIGUE EDITOR | February 11

A picture perfect environment: imagine ending a stressful day with a glass of wine in one hand and a paintbrush in the other.Sips n Strokes provides a place to escape from the chaotic world by painting worries away onto a canvas while sipping on a beverage."The inspiration behind Sips n Strokes, I would say, is just to have a fun night out, and good way to get out and do something different for a date night or something fun to do with the girls," said Charlotte Hames, instructor of Sips n Strokes.Pre-stenciled canvases, drink stations, relaxing background music and paint pallets ready to go.

Dogs Detect Danger and Prevent Disasters

By Michelle Telsik / WRITER | February 4

McGruffs they may not be, but life-saving, terrorist-preventing dogs they are.Craig Angle, associate director of Veterinary Sports Medicine, works with two Auburn students and a professional staff of more than 30 for the Animal Health and Performance Program at the College of Veterinary Medicine, researching and developing ways of training detection dogs that are used for various reasons all over the world.

Dive deeper, discover hidden underwater world

By Callie Garrett / INTRIGUE EDITOR | February 4

Imagine experiencing a weightless, silently intriguing atmosphere that takes up two-thirds of the earth and has never been explored by many people.

Antiperspirants contain harmful metals, possibly causing cancer

By Sarah Phillips / STAFF REPORTER | February 4

Everyone has an individual morning routine and more often than not it involves putting on deodorant.

Oocytes, bike taxis cushion wallet

By Sarah Phillips / STAFF REPORTER | February 4

With today's economy, many students are finding it hard to make a decent living off of their paychecks from part-time jobs.Both rent and food prices are skyrocketing, not to mention the clothes and shoes that many like to splurge on.What else is there to do without getting another boring retail job?For some students there are quite a few options, although they aren't your typical or normal ideas of making money.According to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM), "there is not consensus on the precise payment that oocyte donors should receive, (but) at this time sums of $5,000 or more require justification and sums above $10,000 go beyond what is appropriate."So those who donate through anASRM egg donor program should make a minimum of $5,000."I would donate my eggs for a substantial amount of money," said Jessica Hoover, senior in biomedical sciences.

Capturing celebrities' finest moments

By Callie Garrett / INTRIGUE EDITOR | February 4

Freelance photography brought many accomplishments for Auburn grad Taylor Hill. Hill, 27, has work published in a variety of media, from Rolling Stones to People Magazine."I stayed because I fell in love with capturing moments that tell stories or confront the viewer," Hill said.

Redbox debuts near Chick-fil-A

By Kelly Nicastro / WRITER | February 4

Typically found in grocery stores or fast-food restaurants, Auburn students can now access Redbox in the Student Center near Chick-fil-A.Philip Clothiaux, sophomore in business, brought the Redbox into the Student Center and funds its operation.Clothiaux and his roommate have put their college savings and a tremendous amount of effort into constructing the optimal way for students to conveniently rent DVDs.The Redbox first occupied the Student Center in October, but has officially been running since the start of the semester."It's all about keeping the kids on campus," Clothiaux said.

Skipping meat may help environment

By Jillian Clair / STAFF REPORTER | February 4

Eat less meat; save the planet.This is part of the mentality of supporters of the Meatless Monday campaign.According to meatlessmonday.com, eating less meat is not only good for a diet, but beneficial for the environment.The Meatless Monday campaign seeks to reduce meat consumption by 15 percent by motivating people to abstain from eating meat every Monday."There may be other compelling reasons for advancing a vegetarian agenda, but I simply don't think that you can rest your argument on the prospects of a measurable decrease in the output of anthropogenic emissions," said Russ Muntifering, a ruminant nutrition professor in the department of Animal Sciences.The campaign has also gotten commitments from school systems and universities to serve vegetarian meals to students onMondays.

Guy's guide to Valentine's Day

By Derek Lacey / WRITER | February 4

Valentine's Day is closing in fast, and that means a lot of nail biting and stress headaches for guys in search of plans for a day with their special woman."It's a day to feel special," said Mamie Price, junior in nutrition and dietetics.In elementary school, Valentine's Day meant sheets of manufactured cards and cheap suckers to sheepishly place on a girl's desk, but today, expectations are a little higher."My wife expects me to do something extravagant and romantic," said Jacob Meredith, junior in accounting.Yet extravagance doesn't always mean making plans difficult or expensive."My ex-boyfriend wrote 'I love you' in 20 different languages and posted them on my car," Price said.But if Post-it Notes on a windshield won't cut it, jewelry is a model Valentine's Day gift, especially diamonds.Becca Terry, sophomore in radio, television and film, said a good gift would be flowers and an expensive necklace, preferably diamonds.But price can be one of the major factors that decides which gift to buy."It's better if you know about how much they are going to spend, so you can get it close to what they spend," Meredith said.

Apple reveals iPad, receives skeptical response

By Ben Bartley / COPY EDITOR | February 4

Steve Jobs, in his trademark tucked-in black shirt and blue jeans, announced the Apple iPad at the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco Jan.

Social cigs save money

By Elliot Nolan / WRITER | February 4

Social smoking has caught hold with students as a way to limit their indulgence.The phrase "social smoker" is a loosely regarded term, but the average number of cigarettes consumed per day is six."I call myself a situational smoker," said Zach Barnett, junior in business.But whatever idiom is used, the definition is the same."I do it when I drink, or I'm bored and it is available," said Andrew Perez, sophomore in business.Perez said he doesn't even buy a pack unless he is inebriated or it is the weekend, and since he cut down on smoking, he can breathe better.Not all social smokers are former "heavy smokers." Some are new to the indulgence."I started during finals week my freshman year," said Cameron Traylor, sophomore in civil engineering.Traylor jokingly said that he started to follow in his parents' footsteps."I smoke when I drink or when I am in my car," Traylor said.

Keeping it clean: Dirty jobs take guts

By Jessica Shaddix / WRITER | February 4

Beer cans, beer bottles and bothersome waste.These are just a few things collected and taken to the dump each month on campus, along with an average of 406 tons of trash.According to Leigh Jacobson, assistant coordinator of the Recycling and Solid Waste Program, that's 812,000 pounds of waste to pick up.But who picks up the trash?"We're not just yard boys," said Melissa Newton, landscape services supervisor at the University.