September 2014 – Page 5

An Honest Review of The SKS-45

In an age filled with advanced, tech-heavy, synthetic, expensive weapons, one is inclined to believe that for those on a low budget, a semi-automatic rifle of assault rifle quality is by far out of reach. While this is true for weapons like the more hailed AK-47 or AR-15, the SKS-45 is a distinguished exception. Designed by Sergei Simonov in 1943, the rifle was designed to counter the world’s first assault rifle, the recently deployed German Sturmgewehr 44, and was used as the general battle rifle for the Red Army until it was phased out by the iconic AK-47 in the early 1950’s. The SKS is still used by both the Chinese and Russian honor guards and has served in almost every major war since its creation including Korea and Vietnam.

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Geek of the Week: Bradley Wilson, Senior, Geophysics

Some students think they have a good idea where they will end up in the long run, but for most students, life is a journey figured out on the way. Senior Bradley Wilson definitely identifies with the latter, and has had an interesting route from considering a liberal arts school to ending up playing with data on MATLAB.

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Golden Farmer’s Market

There is an event in the parking lot of the Golden Library that may rival the joys of sleeping in on Saturday mornings.

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Faculty Spotlight: Rod Switzer

“Even though we are in Colorado, we still haven’t legalized dividing by 0.” Professor Rod Switzer brings humor into his lectures from every possible angle (no pun intended). This is one of the reasons why most students have enjoyed taking his classes. He is able to make students laugh and smile during his job as lecturer at Colorado School of Mines.

Entering a Rumor Chapter One: Charred Ashes

Fire was spreading from house to house, consuming the wood as the kindling it was. Had one looked closely, there were bodies littering the dirt paths, most donning fatal wounds and if they didn’t, they were charred beyond recognition. There was next to nothing left in the once populated village. Death has visited, collecting the souls of the departed.

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Summer Squash and Orange Muffins

When mothers drop their children off for a new year of school, they often leave behind vegetables in a futile attempt to get their kids to eat more healthily. Some vegetables, such as carrots or tomatoes, will be used pretty quickly. However, some vegetables no one knows what to do with. What if a summer squash gets left behind? This is a vegetable that no self-respecting college student even knows exists, so when they find one hanging out in the fridge, they wonder what to do with it. Some students may take that as a challenge to invent a delicious treat. One such invention is Summer Squash and Orange Muffins.

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Full STEAM Ahead: Local Gallery Connects Art and Science

While pursuing math, science, and engineering at Colorado School of Mines might seem a world away from art, a quaint brick building at the corner of 15th Street and Washington Avenue links technicality and creativity. The Foothills Art Center was founded in 1968 by a group of local artists seeking to move their sidewalk watercolor show indoors. In the 40 years since, the center has evolved into a National Historic Landmark, a thriving business, and a source of community pride for citizens of Golden.

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Club Spotlight: Residence Hall Association

Have you ever thought that sharing bathrooms and waiting in lines to take showers in the traditional residence halls are a bit tedious? Do you have concerns regarding anything on campus? Do you live in a residence hall? If the answer is yes to any of those questions, Residence Hall Association is a great way to voice those opinions. New students and returning students who want to be more involved on campus and discuss ideas regarding Mines can join RHA. RHA president Kelsie Merchant explains, “At RHA, you are always welcome regardless of whether you came to our first meetings or not.” RHA’s mission statement is “a forum for creative, social programming aimed to unite and improve communication between residents and Residence Life staff across campus. Through its efforts, RHA strives to foster a positive and healthy campus community supportive of diverse identities and ideas.” In essence, RHA is an organization where all residents in Mines can come to have their ideas heard.

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Book Review: The Ways of Kings

The novel “The Ways of Kings” by Brandon Sanderson is an incredible book worth picking up. It is a perfect book for anyone who loves a good fantasy book featuring well developed, complex characters and unpredictable plot lines. While the one thousand pages that make it up can seem a little daunting, the story makes it completely worth it. “The Way of Kings” is a complex book that just keeps throwing new twists in, just to keep readers interested.

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“The Heart and The Fist:” A worthwhile read for a diverse audience

Oftentimes, the word “autobiography” can seem off-putting at best. Fortunately, “The Heart and The Fist: The Education of a Humanitarian, the Making of a Navy SEAL” by Eric Greitens defies any notions the of self-serving narcissism that readers often fear when cracking open an autobiography.

Monthly Archives: September 2014