THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18.2013
PAGE 3
MIDDLE OF NOWHERE
Students create weekly video game podcast
Brendan Jester, Courtney Osborn and Jess Guibeau record a segment of their weekly podcast, "Middle of Nowhere Gaming." The podcast focuses on answering gaming questions, reviewing new releases and covering weekly topics.
MARK ARCE
marce@kansan.com
There is a feeling of business-as-usual as Courtney Osborn sound checks before recording part of Middle of Nowhere Gaming, a gaming-themed podcast and website.
JAMES HOYT/KANSAN
Osborn, a junior from Altoona,
Kan., founded Middle of Nowhere
Gaming, or MONG for short,
with Jess Guilbeaux, a freshman
from Kansas City, Kan., and
Brendan Jester, a freshman from
Wichita, Kan., in September.
The three of them gathered last Tuesday night in Osborn's apartment to record their eighth podcast. MONG's success is a result of the group's commitment to the idea and their shared love of video games, as well as the leadership of Osborn.
STARTING FROM SCRATCH
This is Osborn's third year at the University and his fifth year of college. He obtained his Associate of Science degree from Independence Community College in 2011. Afterward, he transferred to the University, changed his major from software engineering to education and the outgoing, out-of-tower started adjusting to the University's large student population.
"My first year at KU was a big transition for me," Osborn said. "It took me a long time to start talking to people."
During this transition period, he became more involved in a lifelong hobby: video games.
"It's something I enjoy because I can do things I can't do in real life," Osborn said. "I can't dunk a ball in real life, I can't throw a touchdown pass for KU, I can't wield a sword and fight a dragon. All of these exciting things in the world that I'm not able to experience, and games allow me to on a daily basis."
While video games had been a lifelong passion, it was a sudden realization that made Osborn seriously consider creating MONG.
"What drove me to actually start it was that I realized I'm going to be done with college soon," Osborn said. "And I don't know how many opportunities after college there will be to do something like this."
So he reached out to friends, other students and the internet to find people who may be interested in the project. After interviewing a few students, he decided on Guilbeaux and Jester. Together they brainstormed and came up with the name "Middle of Nowhere Gaming," referencing the reputation Kansas has in the larger national psyche.
PERSONALITY IS JUST PART OF THE GAME
Part of the appeal of MONG is the personality of the group as well as their unique content. During one transition of the podcast, the group joked:
"We should have a jingle," Guil beaux said.
"Yes we need a jingle. Quick, Brendan, come up with a jingle," Osborn said.
Jester sang the McDonald's jingle while the group laughed.
"No Brendan, we can't steal a jingle," Osborn said.
While that exchange was spontaneous, the typical format of the podcast is divided into four parts. First, the group talks about general updates in their lives, the website, etc. In "News from Nowhere," the group talks about the most recent gaming news. This is followed by "Topics of the week," which describes what games the members are playing. To end the
show, the group answers listener-submitted questions.
After the first podcast in September, Guilbeaux received a question about being a girl who plays video games, something considered unusual in gaming culture.
"It's not weird, but you're aware that you're not common," Guilbeau said.
The members' personalities also show on their website. In addition to two freelance writers who are not University students, the three write a variety of articles for the site. The articles range from game reviews to editorials like Jester's blog post about changes between
the first and second "Assassin's Creed" games, or personal stories like Osborn's "Coming Home: My PlayStation story."
A GROWING AUDIENCE
"Ive listened to all but one of them now," said Eric McGrane, a junior from Haven, Kan.
The podcasts and website are seeing a positive response so far. The group has more than 500 likes on Facebook and has a growing University student audience.
McGrane said he isn't an avid gamer, but he listens so he can be informed on what's going on with video games.
success to their content and public outreach, as well as recent gaming trends such as the release of the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One.
"The arrow is pointing up right now." Osborn said.
Osborn attributes MONG's
While the group isn't sure if this experience will turn into a career after college, they are enjoying every minute of it.
If you want to know more about Middle of Nowhere Gaming, go to their website, their MONG Facebook page or listen to their podcast every Wednesday.
—Edited by Paige Lytle
This Wednesday is the absolute last day to drop a class.
POLICE REPORTS
Information based on the Douglas County Sheriff's Office booking recap.
- An 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday on the 1800 block of Engle Road on suspicion of drug paraphernalia, purchase or consumption of liquor by a minor and cultivation or distribution of controlled substance. A $2,100 bond was paid.
- An 18-year-old female was arrested on the 1000 block of Home Circle on suspicion of criminal trespassing, disorderly conduct and criminal damage to property. A $300 bond was paid.
- A 19-year-old male was arrested on the 1100 block of Ohio Street on suspicion of disorderly conduct. A $100 bond was paid.
—Emily Donovan
SLEEP DEPRIVED
All-nighters pose health risk to students
TOM QUINLAN
tquinlan@kansan.com
College students may be losing more than sleep by pulling ill-nighters, according to recent research. Students not getting enough rest may also be leaving themselves more vulnerable to disease.
Researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center conducted a study examining the relationship between the sleep cycles of mice and the health of their immune systems. The study which was published in the Nov. 8 issue of Science concluded that an interrupted sleep cycle due to jet lag or a lack of sleep may directly weaken the body's immune system.
The study was carried out by interrupting the normal sleep cycle of mice and observing their vulnerability to inflammatory diseases compared with a control group that had normal sleep cycles. The mice with irregular sleep cycles displayed a stronger inflammatory response to a chemical irritant than the mice with regular sleep
cycles, indicating a weakened immune system.
The researchers linked the weakened immune system to the mice's circadian clock. According to University professor of microbiology Steve Benedict, the circadian clock
VINCENT JERKOVICH Senior at the University
"If you've waited up to a certain point, you're going to have to pull an n--nighter regardless of the risks."
is the biochemical mechanism which helps organisms recognize the time of day and regulate processes such as eating, sleeping and metabolism accordingly. The study suggests circadian clocks play a specific role in producing certain immune cells which help fight disease. The researchers believe if a person does not get enough sleep, their circadian clock becomes out of sync which may
weaken the immune system and leave them more susceptible to sickness.
Benedict cautions that this study focused on only a few of the variables affecting the immune system which is incredibly complex. He explained it is established that adequate amounts of sleep are necessary for good health, but it is still largely unknown in what specific ways sleep helps people stay healthy.
Even with news of these findings, many University students may still risk sickness by studying through the night. Senior Vincent Jerkovich does not believe that a single night without sleep will jeopardize his health but avoids developing a habit of it. Jerkovich also sees getting schoolwork done as a necessity, especially if a person has procrastinated.
"If you've waited up to a certain point, you're going to have to pull an all-nighter regardless of the risks," said Jerkovich.
Edited by Casey Hutchins
TIPS FOR STUDENTS TO STAY HEALTHY
1. Always wash your hands after using the restroom and before eating.
2. Break up studying into smaller segments to manage stress.
3. Eat a balanced diet and have three meals a day.
4. Exercise at least 2-3 times a week, even if it's just for 15 minutes.
Dr. Leah Luckeroth Physician at Watkins Health Center
5. Never share food or drinks.
UNEARTHED
Half-grown T. rex fossil could answer questions
KANSAS CITY, Mo.—A Kansas fossil hunter has unearthed the remains of what is believed to be a half-grown Tyrannosaurus rex from Montana that could help fill a void in paleontologists' understanding of the king of the dinosaurs.
Robert Detrich, of Wichita, Kan. unearthed the fossil dubbed "Baby Bob" in July in a fossil-rich area near the eastern Montana town of Jordan. It's generating excitement because its femur measures about 25 inches, and if all the preliminary data pins out, that would make it among the smallest T. ex specs ever found.
"This is the discovery everyone wishes and long for." Detrick said. Detrich has been sharing his findings with other researchers, including the Smithsonian Institution. Scientists are eager to learn more about the years before the carnivore reached its terrifying full size of about 40 feet from head to toe. Detric estimates that Baby Bob was about half that size.
"We hardly know anything about how T. rex grew up," said Thomas Carr, director of the Carthage Institute of Paleontology at Carthage College in Kenosha, Wis. "We really only have a handful of fossils of sub-adults and juveniles, so any
additional fossils that can fill in that early end of the growth period is scientifically very important because most of the skeletons of rex that we have are from adults."
Another juvenile fossil also could help settle a debate about whether the T. rex has a smaller cousin, called the nantyrannus, or nano for short. Bakker is among certain there are two species, while Carr is part of another group that believes suspected nano fossils are actually juvenile T. rex remains. Another juvenile T. rex would give scientists something to use for comparison purposes.
Bob Bakker, curator of paleontology at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, said the scarcity of half-grown T. rex fossils has raised questions. Could it be, he asked, that young T. rex staked in the nest until they were almost full grown?
Baby Bob has been fully excavated, although it will take another year to clean Detrich said the skull, which is about 75 percent complete, and most of the major skeletal elements were found strewn across a flood plain.
"If this is a really good genuine baby T. rex, it could tell us whether it was fit to hunt on its own or whether it looks like it was designed to wait for mom and dad to come back," Bakker said
Associated Press
The University of Kansas School of Business presents Global Entrepreneurship Week
9AM Friday, Nov. 22 | Lied Center Pavilion
Free and open to all KU students but space is limited and reservations are required.
Learn more at business.ku.edu
THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS UNIVERSITY THEATRE PRESENTS
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