Pins & Needles
When psychology senior Jaclyn Trecokas was a freshman in college, drinking a glass of milk was enough to leave her body writhing in pain. But today she says she can eat or drink whatever she wants thanks to acupuncture, an ancient healing method. And she's not alone.

According to a 2002 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, acupuncture has become one of the leading forms of alternative healing in the United States helping to solve ailments ranging from bone injuries to drug addiction. While needling patients for treatment is a far cry from conventional Western medical practice, a growing interest by the American public in alternative healing has led them to discover a different path to better health.

Acupuncture: How does it work?
Acupuncture is more than just sticking needles into random parts of the body -- there's actually a science behind it. According to Jo Condra, a licensed acupuncturist at Essential Chiropractic Acupuncture and Massage Therapy in Scottsdale, the ancient medicine treats patients through treating their energy, or "qi."

Grade Grubbing
It's registration time, and students are once again glued to their computer screens, punching in prefix numbers and praying not to be assigned that one coma-inducing professor who mumbles into his lectern and never gives a good grade.

Crafty: Gut Feeling
Allison Young walks down the aisle of the supermarket and heads toward the meat department. She stops and looks through the spare ribs, T-bone steaks and pork chops, but they aren't what she is looking for.

Finally she comes across what she needs: cow guts. But the slime-covered insides aren't for her next meal; they're for her next masterpiece.

Time to Eat: Weapons of Mass Consumption
At lunchtime in the Memorial Union, thousands of students line up at fast food joints for their midday meal. But using the excuse that there aren't any healthy food options around campus won't get you much sympathy from Tina Volpe or Deanne Wilson, who both have dramatically different ideas about what constitutes a healthy diet.

Fashion: Heart of Brass
Tempe fashionistas may still find themselves traveling to hip locations in Scottsdale in search of the newest trends, but their search for style no longer needs to be a day trip.

Culture Shock: Make it hot
Classical music and formal wear are two things you won't find at the Paragon Dance Center on Sunday evenings. Instead, people of all ages are learning the salsa, a dance in which partners move to dynamic rhythms and vibrant, fast-paced beats while locking eyes with one another.

The Paragon Dance Center hosts "Salsa Sundays," featuring a one-hour salsa lesson and two hours of open salsa dancing.

Top 5: Awkward Thanksgiving moments
1. All the food sucks:

You've starved yourself for days, waiting to gorge on moist turkey, delicious yams and warm dinner rolls. So what happens when your grandmother accidentally overcooks the turkey, the yams are somehow ruined and the dinner rolls taste like cardboard?

2. The inevitable argument/crying session:

Gadget Corner: Boxed In
Say goodbye to your tech-savvy significant others, because starting Nov. 22 they are going to be a little preoccupied. The Xbox 360, hits store shelves just in time for a Halo tournament after Thanksgiving dinner.

With a new graphical processing unit, games are clearer, more defined and better focused.

Local Limelight: Q&A with Lydia
The members of Gilbert's Lydia are so dedicated to each other, they wouldn't sacrifice anyone even if it was the only way to escape from a raging sandstorm. The indie-rock band is comprised of guitarist and vocalist Leighton Antelman, guitarist Steve McGraw, bassist Evan Armbul and drummer Loren Brinton.

SPM chatted with Lydia during its current tour about the hellish recording process of its full-length album, This December; It's One More and I'm Free and the death of its touring trailer.

Calendar: What's happening
ART
Friday, Nov. 18
If you giggle when you reading the words "vagina" and "penis," then you might as well quit reading now, because "The Art of Divine Sex" exhibit at the Alwun House, 1204 E. Roosevelt, Phoenix, is too grown up for you.

Liner Notes:CD reviews
Hey, bro! Have you experienced any hardships lately? Has your heart been broken? Running low on black hair dye? Hey, ladies! Looking for a guy who is on the cutting edge of fashion and still manages to have a sensitive soul?

Scene Points: Gift Guide
Since apparently we no longer have to wait until after Thanksgiving to purchase Christmas, Hanukkah and all other winter holiday presents, it's the perfect time to share the Scene Points Gift Guide.

Knowing what kind of music a person listens to is helpful if you're going to buy him or her CDs, but I can offer a few suggestions. Besides, giving money isn't as personal. Plus, if you give me money it goes to bills and then I don't get nifty things. Also, receiving gifts in lieu of cash makes it's easier to write thoughtful thank you cards.

From the Edge: Editorial
A month and a half ago I couldn't get any sleep at night and I couldn't wake up in the morning. Nothing felt important, but at the same time, my responsibilities were suffocating me. When I almost crashed my car on the freeway in the middle of a panic attack, I decided to get help.

The doctor I saw diagnosed me with clinical depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Then he offered me the solution: a pill. I can take it and balance my brain. I can take it and feel normal and get things done. All of a sudden the world doesn't threaten to overwhelm me and my body doesn't threaten to crash my car. And that's fantastic.