Eugene hairstylists have noticed hairstyles changing with the seasons BY NATASHA CHIUNGERIAN SENIOR PULSE REPORTER With the sun shining a little more often than some are used to this winter, people are looking to update their looks, particularly their hair. Eugene hosts a variety of beauty salons, and stylists are always ready to give their clients looks that are trendy yet catered to the individual. Just Hair, a salon at 50 W. 13th Ave., is a casual spot where patrons can kick back while they get pam pered. The salon offers body waxing, manicures and pedicures along with cuts and color. "People can come in wearing sweats and be comfortable," Just Hair stylist Emily Combs said. "You don’t have to dress up to get your hair done.” For a fancier atmosphere, head to Chikara Salon and Spa in the Oakway Center on Coburg Road, an upscale, full-service salon that specializes in treatments and flaunts decor inspired from salons in New York City. At Chikara, you can experience innovative pampering moves such as a moisturizing body masque or a soothing stones massage. Also across the Willamette River, yet still accessible to the campus area, is Majesty Salon and Day Spa at 4730 Village Loop. Majesty is a trendy salon that stays current by closely following Holly wood styles and color. While stylists see a wide range of hair style and color preferences in their clients, a few stylists said a Danielle Hickey | Photo Editor Stylist Summer Richardson cuts David Clark's hair Wednesday afternoon at Just Hair, at 50 W. 13th Ave. majortrendforfemales is a move ment away from stick-strajhght hair toward waves, curls and flipping. "Hair is getting bigger again," Majesty cosmetologist Debbie Haas said. "People used to ask for straight, sleek styles, but now it's getting fluffier and has more curl. People are realizing thatthe flat iron damages hair, and they would rather have a little curl than ravaged hair." She added that one popular cut for women is a longer version of the pixie with a flip. Combs said she has been seeing the long, side-swept bang, which will continue its popu larity through the spring and sum mer. Both Combs and Haas said a current color preference is light col or on top and a darker hue under neath. Chikara stylist Christa Tollef son said the shattered bob cut is in. Stylists said that for men, the main trend is their increased gravitation to getting pampered at a salon and their aversion to getting quick, basic cuts at a barber shop. Haas said the metrosexual movement is evident in the amount of men who have been coming to her salon. "Guys are more comfortable now going to a salon, using products and getting color," she said. "Nowadays they are tanning, getting manicures and whitening theirteeth, and they didn't do that five years ago." Tollefson said men are playing with edgier, less conservative styles and more length and texture. Combs said she has been seeing blond tipping and the shaggy 1970s look on males. The unusually sunny winter weather Eugene has been experi encing has caused people to revamp their hair earlier this year, which of ten means shorter cuts and brighter, lighter colors, Combs said. Tollefson agreed thatthe sun has boosted business, but she added that a new hairstyle during dull, gray weather can boost one's spirit as well. Haas said it varies from person to person, butthat spring is a populartime to go fora new look. "Hair is seasonal and mood-relat ed,” Haas said. "Some people have their cuts and color done on a schedule, but spring and fall are the two peaktimesfor people to come in. In the spring, people want to go lighter, and in the fall, they want to pull their looks together because they are getting backto business." natchilingerian@dailyemerald.com ■ Game review Battle scenes supply much of the action in ‘Mercenaries’ game BY MATT SLAGLE THE ASSOCIATED PRESS For days now, I've been playing the Russian Mafia for fools, helping the Chinese and upsetting the delicate balance of power in the Korean peninsula. Now that the mob's wise to my dealings, I'm cut off from its snazzy Merchant of Menace Web site. Now that was a handy place to buy guns, health and ammo. Such is life in the alternative re ality of "Mercenaries," a new video game forthe PlayStation 2 and Xbox where choosing sides and blowing stuff up — lots of stuff — is exceptionally entertaining. It's a free-form, action-filled jaunt that will take a long time to fully explore — and destroy. The subtitle is "Playground of Destruc tion," but "Grand Theft Rambo" seems just as appropriate. The setting is the Korean peninsu la, but not the one we hear about in the news. In "Mercenaries," peace-seeking political leaders on both sides of the DMZ have been killed by dictator-in training Choi Song, plunging the re gion into chaos. Worse, Song's got nukes and intends to lob them across the globe if anyone gets in his way. Five factions are trying to im pose their will. The Allied Nations Task Force is a feel-good U.N.-style group that wants nothing more than to oust Song. The Chinese are part of the Task Force, but have sent in their own army just in case. The aforemen tioned Russian mob is in itforthe money, while the South Korean Union is a CIA-run military that wants to impose a Western-style democracy once Korean reunifica tion is complete. And let's not forget the North Koreans. You parachute into this volatile setting to earn cash and ultimately to accomplish what all of these seemingly powerful groups can't — kill Song and the rest of his min ions in the Deck of 52 most wanted list. The bounty on Song alone is $100 million. Fighting between the lines, you can jump from side to side to gain favor and access to special equip ment such as tanks, helicopters and anti-air missiles. The political maneuvering is cer tainly fun, but the action takes cen ter stage. Battles here are white knuckle and calling in airstrikesto destroy a bunker is truly a satisfy ing accomplishment. Soldiers generally have good arti ficial intelligence, but it's not always up to snuff. Crash through an enemy road block, for example, and the sol diers don't give chase. Instead, they camp out atthe crossing, casually firing a few shots in your general di rection as you blow by. When schlepping from one war zone to another, I often found that hijacking metro buses or delivery trucks was betterthan using military trucks. That way, I appeared to oth erfactionsto be a civilian and notan enemy combatant. This $50 single player game in cludes several characters to choose from. Life is calling. How far will you go? More than 178,000 Ameri cans have sen/ed as Peace Corps Volunteers since 1961 in 138 countries around the world. You could be next. Tuesday, March 1 Slide Show & Info Meeting EMU - International Lounge 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm Come celebrate the Peace Corps’ birthday by learning what it takes to become a volunteer. www.peacecorps.gov -- 800.424.8580, opt. 1 VIOLENCE and the Changing Geopolitical Order in Literature and the Arts Walnut Room h ERB Memorial Union University of Oregon February 26, 2005 10 AM - 6 PM a symposium addressing relationships of literature, performance, theatre, music and'film to violence and the changing geopolitical order”' sponsored byTthe Wayne Morse Center for Law and Politics ADMISSION IS FREE http://violence.uoregon.edu ■i. .~ I The Changing I Ocopolftical Order L ___ U T A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE by Arthur Miller Robinson Theatre a 541.346.4363 February 25 - March 12, 2005 mourn rarciaraEninnararcirafannii] anna amanmgs Find fun stuff in the ODE Classifieds: Comics, your daily horoscope, and, of course, the crossword. New! Tom's Teahouse Take out Kitchen • Teriyaki Chicken Burger $2.95 special • Vegetarian Dishes • Szechuan-Hunan • Potstickers • Dim-sum • Won-ton • Egg Rolls Healthy & Inexpensive Quick Lunch! r Food To Go 1333 Hilyard 344-1175 Next to Dairy Queen