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0 - .Mommsfis, 2003 . 7 CONTACT US ' ^EY SAIDIT 1 WILUAM JAMES: “The great use of life is to Story' ideas? Questions? Comments? m ... ,yLto.^g&thing that will outlast it.” E-mail us at . S SI .;r== ; w— »®3 ' : :: . _ SgH = Bock for* v <J Stop Rofrosh Homo AutoFill Print Moil ....__>■■■»■ WP^_ - .*..,«»»»».■«., 0App> Computer ©Apple Store ©http://ww.oppie.com/ ® Microsoft MocTop.e # http://weh.csd.^.o<fa/<>^«Wl*R9i © M«r*i Explorer © Font Fro* ',_ conventional j)00^g^0res| r BY JENNIFER SITKOWSKI THE GAMECOCK a ■ynstead of fighting the crowds and long lines at I local college bookstores, more and more stu _Ldents are opting to use the convenience of the Internet when buying and selling used textbooks. Students are turning to Web sites such as Amazon.com, Half.com and ClassBook.com to both buy and sell used textbooks. These online markets give students the opportunity to deal with other stu dents just like themselves. Shoppers are able to choose which text they want to purchase and from whom they want to buy it. Without ever having to set foot into a store, stu dents can simply go online, make a few clicks and find the textbooks they need at discounted prices. On Amazon.com, for example, students can search for any text by typing in the author, title, subject or ISBN number. Next, a display of new and used text books appears; and students can select their book of choice. Once the text is selected, the consumer can scroll through a list of sellers with information re garding the condition of the book as well as its avail ability and rating. With such easy accessibility, the fact that some students are not intrigued by the con cept seems difficult to believe. But, not everyone is convinced that buying and selling textbooks online is better than going to a book store. Some students think that it remains more con venient to get their books directly from the bookstore instead of enduring the hassle of ordering and ship ping texts from sellers online. William Ginter, a third-year advertising student, prefers to purchase his texts from a “brick and mor tar” store instead of using an online service. “I personally would rather go to the bookstore and know that I was going to get what I came to get right then and there and not have to.wait for it to be deliv ered to my house,” said Ginter. When textbook sales are negotiated directly with other students, there are no guarantees that someone is getting what he or she pays for—the seller has little li ability if they don’t deliver what is promised. There is no assurance that either party will live up to their end of the bargain. With most online sites however, customers are covered under some sort of protection policy. Most Web sites offer students protection in the case of any disputes involving the buyer or the seller. Every Half.com buyer, for example, is protected under the site’s Buyer Protection Policy, which covers the first $750 of every purchase. Added online security mea sures also make paying by credit card relatively safe. Students also do not face the risks of handing over money to and dealing directly with sellers; the buy er pays through the Web site, which in turn pays the P bookseller. “I think that’s important because if there is a dis pute, you have some sort of resource, unlike dealing with students directly,’’said Alex Rambau, a second year finance and marketing student. Despite the hesitation of some, buying and selling used textbooks online seems to be growing in popu larity among students. “I think that selling or buying books is becoming more popular for those students who recognize that the opportunity to make more or spend less for the purpose of textbook acquisition or sale exists,” said Rambau. In some cases, students find it less troublesome to shop online than to wait for a bookstore to locate and obtain the textbooks critical to their class. Often of fering discounted prices and a wider selection, on line textbook transactions are a viable option for stu dents looking both to purchase and to sell their used books. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com 1 I ■ assortment of textbooks for the bargain hunting buyer. WWW.HALF.COM Run by Ebay, this site acts as the middle man between individual buyers and sellers. WWW.AMAZON.COM The Web retail giant offers both used and f i new books. WWW.ECAMPUS.COM Used and new textbooks for sale, along with other college goods. WWW.SWAPBOOKS.COM Students can buy, sell and even swap texts here. I Profiles in Music PRC FILING ANOTHER TRIO OF UP-AND-COMING ARTISTS, THE BAND PROFILES SERIES’ » SECOND INSTALLMENT FEATURES THREE GROUPS THAT ARE CURRENTLY PICKING TUNES AND WINNING FANS IN THE MIDLANDS. I From Sa fety to Where Genre: Art punk Members: Eric Greenwood, bass and vocals; Steven Walters, gutter and vocals; Jay Hubbell, drums Albums: “Frcm Safety to Where" (1999), “From Safety to Where 7” ” (2000), “Irreversible • Trend" (2002)' Shows: Sep. 20, New ; Brookland Tavern i Bio: From Safety to Where formed in 1997 and released their self-titled album in 1999. . After its release, the band immediately garnered a local buzz and became a favorite in indie-rock cimies. They were approached by Burnout Records while in the process of making their self-titled seven-inch in j 1999. After releasing a seven inch in 2000 they were . approached by a representative of New York-based Radical Records, who eventually became their manager in 2001 after leaving Radical Records for a management firm. The band had just finished recording an album and was searching for a label through which to release it. In February 2002, they signed a three-record deal with Radical Records and “Irreversible Trend” ( was released in July 2002. GRAPHIC COMPILED EV MEG MOORE Tigerbot Hesh Genre: Pop-rock Members: Nate Austin, guitar and vocals; Dawson Huss, bass_ and vocals; Mike Mewborne, drums Albums: “The Neopolitan EP” (2003) Shows: Sep, 20, Fuze Festival 2003; Oct. 9, New Brookland Tavern Bio: Tigerbot Hesh was originally formed by Nate Austin and Dawson Huss in the fall of 2001 under the name The Silly Stinky Panda Beais. It tried out a few drummers before enlisting Mike Mewborne in January 2002 and changing its name to Tigerbot Hesh. Generating a local following, the band has been a regular presence at area venues including the New Brookland Tavern, where it opened for Tinker’s Punishment and Jump, Little Children earlier this year. In January 2003, the band came in second place at Carolina Productions’ Bring Your Own Band competition. It also just recently released “The Neopolitan" EP in spring 2003. Along with other area groups, the Tigerbot Hesh is set to play in the local Fuze Festival on Sept. 20. The group describes its music as “catchy and, of course, rockin’.” Love Apple Genre: Geek rock Members: Jason Sposa, guitar and vocals; George Cooper, guitar and vocals; Jebb Graff, bass; Garrett, drums Albums: “Love Apple” (2002), various local compilations Shows: Sep. 20, The Limelight, Myrtle Beach; Oct. 2,10 High, Atlanta; Oct. 9, New Brookland Tavern; Oct. 31, New Brookland Tavern Bio: Jason Sposa began writing and performing songs under the name Love Apple when he first came to school at USC. After a couple of years, he was joined by George Cooper on bass and Scott Cooke on drums. They soon brought in Jebb Graff on bass and Cooper moved to lead guitar. The four-piece frequented local venues and played on various local compilations. In the spring of 2002, the band released its self-titled debut album. In the fall of 2002, Cooke left the band and Garrett, whose previous band, the Beatholes, had recently broken up, took over on drums. The band just recently finished a three-date stint with fellow geek-rockers Feable Weiner. CD REVIEWS ‘Go ’ replicates last album’s air “GO” Vertical Horizon BY BRIE WALLACE THE GAMECOCK After almost a two-year delay, Vertical Horizon will finally re lease their new album “Go” on Sept. 23. The album’s original re lease date was set for fall 2001, but the band felt compelled to setback the release until the commotion involving the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11,2001, had subsided. Fans have waited patiently to hear some new songs by this vibrant band. Its last album, “Everything You Want,” was the band’s first hit CD and it included popular singles such as “You’re a God” and “Best I Ever Had.” Listeners who enjoyed such songs will definitely delight in the band’s new release. Keeping with the rhythmic pat terns and harmonic melodies es tablished on its last release, Vertical Horizon has not changed its overall sound. With the evolv ing styles evident in its previous work, one would expect this release ♦ HORIZON, SEE PAGE 8 Mayer reveals personal views “HEAVIER THINGS” John Mayer ★★★■*★ out of BY ALYSON GOFF THE GAMECOCK Over the past few fears, many young music listeners have out grown their taste for bubble-gum pop and evolved into fans of singer songwriters. While detrimental to the Mouseketeer artists and their bank accounts, this has been good news for those such as John Mayer. Mayer, who in the beginning of his career had his songs often mis taken as tunes from the Dave Matthews Band, has earned his own spot on the music scene and developed a loyal fan base, well aware of his songs' origins. Now, with his third album, “Heavier Things,” Mayer is going deeper than ever before. The new album is quite a switch from his smash-hit “Room For Squares,” which first cata pulted him into stardom. The term “stardom” is not often asso ciated with singer-songwriters, but celebrity hasn’t watered down Mayer’s writing or his music pro duction. Instead, it appears to have only strengthened his confi dence — “Heavier Things” reveals a more personal side of Mayer. While many will prefer “Room For Squares” for the simple fact that they know the lyrics better, the latest album will be no surprise for those who have been following Mayer since 1999. However, many will be attracted to Mayer’s many guitar solos and varying lyrical range on “Heavier Things.” As the title explains, this album is more personal than Mayer has ever been before. The first single, “Bigger Than My Body,” explains his desire to be “so damn much ♦ MAYER, SEE PAGE 8