The Eastern creative writing department has been injected with some new blood. Among the new people is Derek Nikitas, author of the acclaimed novel Pyres, which has been extremely well received with the mystery community. Pyres is a literary thriller about a 15-year-old girl who witnesses the murder of her father, then gets caught up in a conspiracy involving a pregnant outlaw, a mother, and a dogged cop atoning for her family's collapse.…

When I saw the previews to College, it looked like a remake of Superbad 2. Even though it wasn't, College did take the route of the sequel and made up for its lack of good writing and depth of character with shock value and boobies. It's the classic tale of boy meets girl, girl dumps boy, and boy gets wasted and totally shows her what's what.…

Every time I visit a doctor's office, I'm somewhat comforted by the degrees on the wall. Granted, a degree doesn't come with a caring personality attached. But it does mean the person had to complete four years' worth of study pertaining to the human body-and more importantly, pass a battery of exams before getting the title of M.…

They've been described as Journey-meets-Slayer, Bon Jovi on speed, and Nintendo metal. The band known as Dragonforce, hailing from the shores of Great Britain, finally made their way into mainstream circles last year when their blistering single Through the Fire and Flames made an appearance on Guitar Hero 3.…

Imagine going to a lecture class, but not being able to hear one word the professor says. Some Eastern students face that challenge every day. Now Eastern is making learning better for students with disabilities. One example of the university's efforts is transcription services, which is part of the Instructional Development Center.…

As a resident of the generally peaceful Midwest, I don't usually worry about disaster. Well, except for that whole Bluegrass Army Depot thing. When I heard Gustav was approaching the Gulf Coast and saw the preparations that New Orleans had made for its arrival, I immediately began to fear the new waves of Swedish terrorists attacking the United States.…

In many other countries, children begin learning languages other than their native tongue when they enter kindergarten. The United States is slightly behind that learning curve, and has earned a bad reputation for lacking in cultural diversity. But now, students at Eastern can further open their minds to different dialects, cultures and peoples by taking two classes in the foreign language department, Introduction to Arabic and Islamic Culture and Civilization.…