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Show AggieLife Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009 Page 5 Utah State University • Logan, Utah • www.aggietownsquare.com Beating the costume budget blues By JILL STETTLER staff writer Halloween is celebrated all over the world, and not even the boundary of death can stop its festivities. For many college students, however, the boundary of a budget can be a cause for less fun on All Hallow’s Eve. Many students find they do not have enough money to buy a costume for The Howl or other Halloween parties. But there is a way to dress up without spending a lot of cash. Four people headed out to Halloween USA, deter- mined to find a completely awesome costume for $20-30. Ben Evans, who is in his first year of graduate school to get a master’s degree in business administration, came in with a specific strategy for looking for a Halloween costume. He had two criterias: originality and modesty. “I don’t like the skank outfits, not at all,” Ben said. “That’s not Halloween, that’s honeymoon.” Chad Nielsen, sophomore in biological engineering, had a different strategy. He came in the store with a costume idea in mind. “I want to be the Masque of Red Death,” Nielsen said. “I’ve found a cloak and other various items. It’s coming together.” Unlike Nielsen, no one else had an idea of what to look for. “I have a fascination with facial hair,” said Kelly Greenwood, senior in print journalism. “I’m thinking of dressing up as a man, but I’m still formulating ideas.” Tammy Evans, an undeclared junior, also found it difficult to decide on a costume. Her strategy was to look cute and not like a slut. “Money aside, it’s hard to find a costume that is not a completely skanked-out outfit,” Tammy said. “It’s impossible.” However, finding a costume may not be such an easy task. “I should’ve come up with an idea of what I wanted before I came,” Ben said. “It would’ve made things a lot easier.” The four students continued to wander the store, picking up masks, roses, boas, capes, ketchup and mustard outfits, wings, Eskimo outfits, swords and more. As Greenwood wandered the store, she came across a risque men’s costume section. “What the hell?” Greenwood said. “Oh my gosh, I walked down that aisle and I was like eeeeeeh. I would not talk to someone if they wore that. I would slap them in the face and kick them in the groin.” Neither Ben nor Nielsen considered anything down that aisle. In the end, Nielsen kept his Masque of Red Death idea, Ben dressed like a Roman soldier and Tammy prepared for a masquerade. Greenwood, armed with a mustache and colorful tights, said, “I’m trying to dress up as a person who wears a sombrero and a sexy skirt and tights and highheels. I don’t know what you would call that. Mostly I’m just trying to make fun of girls who dress all slutty for Halloween.” To make things cheaper, Tammy advised looking through closets and drawers to see what is available to the buyer before costume shopping. She also suggests coming earlier in the season and not waiting until the last minute. – jill.redspiral@gmail.com Logan Canyon more than recreational destination THE ROAD WINDS through Logan Canyon which In 2002, was designated by the America’s Byways program as a National Scenic Byway. TODD JONES photo By KUNIKO POOLE staff writer Logan Canyon allows the chance to escape from the pressures of college life and have a little fun with friends. However, local students aren’t the only ones taking notice of the canyon. The federal government also has an interest. In 2002, Logan Canyon was designated by the America’s Byways program as a National Scenic Byway, which means that it is a point of interest, much like the highways along the Oregon and California coast. Long before that, however, a project organized at USU was working to make that a reality. On the fourth floor of the Old Main Building, Angel Crane, Pete Deffendol and their assistants run the Web site www. byways.org. “The project started in 1995 when the Internet was still pretty primitive,” Crane said. “We were the earliest site to represent traveling information, as well as database technology and research.” The project was started by Steve Clyde, who is still the leader. The researchers for the Web site are technical writing interns who earn University credit for the work they do. So what kinds of places become byways? Crane explained, “The area itself has to want to become part of the program.” There are six categories that Scenic Byways fall into: archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational and scenic. Logan Canyon is listed as a natural byway on the Web site, although Crane said it has historic value as well. “It’s strong in wildlife. It’s strong geologically and geographically. It has strong rock and water features, just nature in general,” Crane said. Some of the rock and water features include what’s come to be known as the “China Wall,” a huge, thick gray band of rock that runs along a mountainside and the Jardine Juniper, which is one of the oldest trees in Utah – 1,500 years at last estimate. Other common sights include deer, beaver dams, caves and wildflowers. Many endangered plant species also reside in the canyon, such as the Maguire’s primrose and - See CANYON, page 7 |