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arts & culture
KANSAN.COM | THURSDAY, FEB.18, 2016
Aries ( March 21-April 19 )
For the next four weeks, under
Pisces Sun, big question
questions. You're especially sensitive
to spiritual inquiry. Review the
road traveled for insight ahead.
Focus on home and family. Rest
and relax together.
Taurus (April 20-May 20)
Get social this month, with the Sun in Pisces. Find what you need in your network. Get out and explore, especially today and tomorrow. Study and practice your latest obsession. Learn like a child.
Gemini ( May 21-June 20)
Advance in your career this month, with the Sun in Pisces. Today and tomorrow get especially profitable. You're especially persuasive. Make a firm offer. Sign contracts and file papers. Amp up professional creativity.
Cancer (June 21-July 22)
Higher education, studies, research and travel provide avenues of exploration over the next month under the Pisces Sun. Follow a personal dream today and tomorrow. Make reservations and set the itinerary for
growth and expansion.
Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) This month could prove lucrative for shared accounts, with the Sun in Pisces. Collaborate to grow assets and reserves. Finish old projects today and tomorrow. Make long-term plans, and review budgets. Creative possibilities abound.
Virgo ( Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
Friends are a big help over the next few days. Support each other through changes. Begin a partnership phase this month, with the Sun in Pisces. Share the load. Provide what's needed when you can.
Libra ( Sept. 23-Oct. 22)
Your work is in demand this month, under the Pisces Sun. Pay attention to your health. Monitor medications carefully. Get rest and exercise. Don't take things personally. Partying is sweet sorrow ... let bygones be bygones.
Scorpio ( Oct. 23-Nov. 21)
Expand your territory. Pursue a passion where it takes you this month, with the Sun in Pisces. Relax and play with people you love. Practice your skills to attain mastery. Romance feeds your spirit.
Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)
Collaborate to grow family finances. Monitor expenses and income, especially regarding home improvements over the next month, with the Pisces Sun. Anticipate changes and pad the budget. Make a mess for longterm benefit.
Capricorn [ Dec. 22-Jan. 19]
Writing, research and communications projects go well this month, with the Sun in Pisces. Words come with greater ease. Study and practice. Challenge the generally held opinion. Get your partner's illuminating view Discuss plans.
Aquarius (Jan, 20-Feb. 18)
Your work is in demand. Concentrate on making money during a peak month, with the Sun in Pisces. Take advantage by expanding infrastructure. Strengthen and build support. It's all for you and family.
all for love and family.
Pisces [ Feb. 19-March 20]
Take time for love. Family comes first. Stay out of another's argument. You're in your element this month with the Sun in your sign. Take advantage of power and confidence to advance personal
dreams.
Campus group unites gamer culture
▶ MINSEON KIM
@adropofsunny
While at leadership training for KU Hillel, a Jewish community on campus, Sam Benson became inspired to create his own organization. Benson, a senior from Overland Park studying computer science, founded KU Gaming Community last fall, which recently reached 200 members after receiving a sponsorship from TeSPA, a nationwide network of collegiate communities.
Benson said that being able to start KU Gaming Community re-affirmed the training he received in KU Hillel.
"As in 'yes, you can be a leader. Yes, you can do something that you are really passionate about and be good at it," he said.
While the group began as a "Hearthstone" community, it opened to other games to bring more diverse people together. During most
meetings, students gather to play MOBAs, multiplayer online battle area games, such as "League of Legends," "Dota 2," "Heroes of the Storm," "Hearthstone" and others. Benson said the organization is open to any kind of games, as they are all game lovers.
"Literally any game that you could think of, we enjoy and we are going to play," Benson said. "Because that's the point of KU gaming. It's to come together and play games with other people."
The group hosts tournaments and competitions as well, but Benson said it isn't a competitive group. Recently the organization was approached by Blizzard, a video game publisher and developer, to host a Hearthstone tournament. The tournament will take place this weekend at the Kansas Union, with more than 100 people from different states attending. Benson said.
get to bring in people that usually won't come to Kansas, cause that's not your typical tourist location," Benson said.
"It's really cool that we
While some people might categorize gamers as "shut-ins," Benson said KU gaming provides a fun and safe space for students to play games.
"It's one thing to play by yourself at home, just chill out and relax, but it's another thing entirely to come in and talk shop with other gamers."
Sam Benson Founder
"To see all these people come in, and to see Jay-hawks that are also gamers excited to talk with other people and play in [a] social environment, that means a lot to me." Benson said.
University have athletic programs and different organizations they are part of, but Benson said it means the world for him to see people come to his organization.
Many students at the
"I love when people come in and you just know that KU gaming is their thing," Benson said. "Because you know this is something they are going to remember when they graduate. And being a part of that memory is so special."
James Glass, a freshman from Olathe studying computer science and a creative director of the organization, said he appreciates how the gaming community connects people with similar interests.
"My fondest memories of my childhood and right now have been me playing video games with my friends, meeting new people and just having that social connection. That I can't really find anywhere else," Glass said.
As a gamer himself, Benson said playing games with other people in a social setting provides insightful discussions about the game where they can talk about different approaches, possible strategies and more.
"It's one thing to play by yourself at home, just chill out and relax, but it's another thing entirely to come in and talk shop with other gamers," Benson said.
As Benson graduates this year, he anticipates the community to remain a resource for students.
"The medium that KU engages people socially doesn't really capture the gamers in my opinion," Benson said. "So to have this social outlet for KU students to go and participate in something that they really enjoy, which is gaming, that's what really matters to me."
Edited by Candice Tarver
Graphic by Sam Billman/KANSAN
Photo by Alex Robinson/KANSAN
Sam Benson, founder of KU Gaming Community
Engineering student and KU's Got Talent winner expresses creativity through yo-yo
MINSEON KIM
@adropofsunny
As a 12-year-old boy in Fort Collins, Colo., Patrick Canny was fascinated to see his dad's yo-yo tricks on an old wood yo-yo for the first time.
Since then, Canny, a
freshman studying mechanical engineering, has been playing yo-yo and expanding his yo-yo skills for seven years. He's sponsored by the YoYo Factory and won this year's KU's Got Talent with his yo-yo performance.
Canny said what interests him the most about yo-yo is not only that people can express themselves creatively but also in a competition setting.
He yo-yoed for two years before he attended his first local yo-yo contest. That contest motivated him to improve himself and attend
Photos by Kelcie Matousek/KANSAN
Though he's been performing in competitions more frequently now, talent shows are a little bit different than competitions.
more competitions around the country.
"You kind of want to watch everyone and be stoked at everyone," Canny said. "I think that all the contestants bring something unique and fun to the table."
PNWR was the first out-of-state competition Canny
From coming up with ideas for tricks to the tone of the performance, music and adding body movements, Canny said creating a yo-yo performance entails a lot of effort.
After winning KU's Got Talent, Canny will compete in the Pacific Northwest Regional Yo-Yo Championship (PNWR) — one of Canny's favorite contests — this weekend.
Sometimes he would actually map out a routine for his performance, but he said there is a lot of ways to go about it.
"It's fun to be able to be the person behind all of it, too." Canny said.
Lubecker, who is also a yo-yo player, said Canny is very consistent at contests, in which most people struggle with in general. He added Canny has a strong stage presence as well.
Yo-yo players have their own performance style. Some people like to be more intricate and use a lot of layers or strings while others go with big slack movements.
"Some people get up on the stage and the stage seems really big and it overwhelms them," Lubecker said. "But Patrick uses all the stage and really makes it his own."
competed in and ranked 9th place in 2012, and where he met Shane Lubecker, a sophomore majoring sociology, in person for the first time. Both of them qualified for the national championship that year.
"There's something you appreciate about every single one," Canny said.
Lubecker said Canny's best trait as a yo-yo player is his precision.
SEE YO-YO PAGE
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