Stop in for this scholarship

Beginning in January, eligible students may apply for a whoppin’ big scholarship from the GM Foundation called Buick Achievers. The scholarship program rewards more than 1,000 students up to $25,000 a year, with some of the scholarships renewable for five years. Applicants must pursue science, technology, engineering or math related courses of study and be high school seniors or graduates, or current college undergraduates. Applications for the class of 2013 will be available online after the first of the year, but you can sign up for an email notification when the application period begins at buickachievers.scholarshipamerica.org/reminder/.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

NHL still locked out

The National Hockey League and the players’ union are still at odds, with the only progress seeming to be that they are having meetings to figure out when to have meetings. In the hope that the new NHL 13 video game would slake his thirst for hockey while the lockout continues, former tb-two* intern Owen Dyches took it for a spin:

EA Sports, the maker of the NHL series, has been making hockey games since before my time (I’m proud to say I’ve played all of them). But lately, it seems like they’ve put less and less time into the NHL. NHL 11 was a disaster; really, each game since NHL 07 has been. NHL 12 was so dull I sold it back to GameStop the next month. I can assure you, I will not be selling this NHL installment.

I ran upstairs when I got home. A new case with Claude Giroux lay on my coffee table. I threw it in my Xbox, and immediately I felt like a new kid. The menu made an immediate affect. You get to pick your favorite team, and see all of the highest-rated players. I have to admit, Patrice Bergeron looks pretty sharp in HD. The first option, of course, was Play Now. Simple, old NHL where you can play with any team from the NHL to the Swedish Junior League.

Hockey Ultimate Team is the same as it was last year, besides the gameplay of course. Same lag goals and games ending out of nowhere. The new mode, GM Connected, is pretty awesome. You pick your team, just like the offline Be a GM mode, control your lines, minor teams, yada yada. But, you’re playing online, in a league with friends, family or even a 40-year-old from the Czech Republic. You play in regular season games and playoff games, and even for Lord Stanley’s Cup.  

My personal favorite game mode, Be a Pro, is so much better. You get to play an entire season in the Canadian Hockey League, then try and get drafted by an NHL team. I wound up getting drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning, of all teams. I noticed that you can simulate your next shift, and if you’re on the third line, you’ll get realistic ice time. You can move up in the organization quicker, also.
Now, the new gameplay. It’s beautiful. It’s realistic. It’s the best NHL ever. The skating is finally explosive. Now, you can’t skate around in a tight circle, or competely obliterate somebody and not even be affected. You will see collisions where both players fall, and some where helmets pop off. Yes, I said that. Players will get knocked over boards and glass will break.

If you are a diehard NHL fan, or somebody who’s just reading this in English class, you’d have fun with this, especially if you’re missing the real action on the ice.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Not available for Halloween 

The iconic blue checked jumper and white puffy sleeve blouse worn by Judy Garland in in The Wizard of Oz is being auctioned next month in Beverly Hills, with a starting price of $200,000 and auction experts expecting it to reach $500,000. Now that Party City knock off doesn’t seem so pricey, does it?

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

Cars and teenagers, no duh!

Of course everyone knows cars are important to teenagers. But some people, like the folks at Chevrolet, are particularly interested in just HOW important. Chevrolet is working to understand how cars can fit into the lives of young drivers (ages 16 to 29, a.k.a “millennials”) in ways that reflect their changing values and help them express their identity. So here, courtesy of General Motors, are some numbers and details that prove teenagers have a love affair with cars.

32 million, number of millennials interested in cars

69 percent say buying a car is part of becoming an adult

77 percent who care about gas mileage

4 doors, number most desired

40 MPG, approximate gas mileage most desired

Sources: GM, MTV Scratch Millenial research team