As promised, please enjoy this presentation done by Livy Long, with the help of Mr. Miller and the Windows program, Photostory 3. In the months ahead, we may update this video with some narration by Livy as she explains the step-by-step of her creative process for this "Still Life"....now in motion. Thank you, Livy and Mr. Miller, for your efforts in helping us see how a work blossoms over time.
Livy, you are truly one remarkable young lady, as mature and responsible as you are talented. The painting emanates the simple goodness that shines from you. We are so proud of your accomplishments and are confident that even greater things await you in the years ahead.
And may I recommend the song "Reverie" by Claude Debussy to accompany the presentation? Simply click play, or better yet open the POP-OUT player of our MP 3 player to the left.
The Return of the Create-A-Caption Contest
Welcome to our second Create- a - Caption contest. The winner of our last competition, hands down, was Jimmy Arrison, who turned in a fitting caption for the amazing flying basset hound: "Kibbles and Bits..now with caffeine." The caption must have appealed to all of you Five Hour Energy fans out there. We thought we would feature this issue's contest more prominently in order to increase the number of participants. Feel free to open this anytime you need a smile or something to wake you up in the morning.
So here is how the contest works. Below are submissions for possible captions to accompany the photo. Read them over, pick your favorite one, then vote in the poll at the bottom of the page. You should be able to view the results.
“Could Livy teach me to paint like that?"
Not the banana!”
“Why am I always the last one picked for dodge ball?”
“Really?...I’m adopted?”
“Ugh! Why’d you hit me there?”
“Caution: do not point flamethrower toward face.”
"All I got for Christmas was this stupid sweater!"
“Check out the monkey chick!”
“I will not pay for this hair cut!”
“Throw the 3rd switch? Not the third switch!”
"An electric banana, Mr. Labcoat?....very funny.....you must think you're so superior!"
by Corby Myers
The Lucas Cates Band played at the New Oxford Harvest Festival on October 24 during a block party that went well. The band consists of Jesse Warmka playing the drums; Kenny Leiser who strums the guitar; Mark Nonox who rocks out the bass; and Luke is the lead singer. Luke has always been involved with music, participating in a pep band, choir and countless other school bands. He played the trumpet for four years, and he also picked up the drums and the piano. He actually did not take music seriously and did not think he would pursue a career in music. He has a bachelor degree in geo studies. His sophomore year in college he started to play the guitar. He was always good in sports but excelled in music. He also loves to ski, play volleyball, hacky sack and write poetry in his free time.
When becoming a band, they started out by playing a lot of open mic. They had a record deal through Popbom. Although he dreamed of having a record deal, he never thought he would have one. Luke said it came very quickly. He described it as being very intense at times. After the contract was up, the band decided to break away from the year and a half of planning. They then became a new band, saying, “We all played in previous bands and met through Matt Rogers" (see band pictured below). Luke mentions in the interview, stating: “You know it’s a difference where you want to be in five years, and realistically, I have learned that you always have to set small goals in order to get to your main goal. If you keep striving for the big goal in life, chances are you will be disappointed in the end. But if you set smaller goals and work your way up to the big goal in life, then you are more likely to reach that ultimate goal. From breaking away from our record deal, I think I will be prouder to say that I did it myself, rather than to have a big record deal behind myself. Also, major labels do not really care about you. They only care about the money you bring in.”
What Luke likes about music is that music brings people together. Everybody is focused on the music, dancing, having a great time, and leaving their worries behind. They feel comfortable being around strangers that they have never met before, and they are having conversations that would never happen in just an average day. “I love to connect people together with music and keep it fresh,” said Luke.
Luke would classify their music as acoustic rock. “We have all different types of music,” he said. “We do pop, funk, country, and all other types of music.” The lead singer also writes the songs. and he aims for each of his songs to tell a story in which people can find meaning.
This Is It:
Michael Jackson's Final Curtain
by Shaiann Daniels
Ever wonder how much work went into Michael Jackson's stage act? Sure the King of Pop has always been a sensation, but have you ever stopped to think of what he had to do to become that?
This Is It gives us a behind the scenes look on how Michael Jackson prepared for what became his final curtain call. Many believe that if the tour had gone forward, it would have led to such critical success that he may have re-considered his original intention of it being a farewell tour. In the tragic aftermath of his death, it is a reminder of the prodigious talent of the King of Pop.
The documentary was approved by The Jackson Estate and directed by creative partner Kenny Ortega. It didn’t show Michael at his best, but it did show what it took for Michael to be the best. In the movie, fans could see what Michael had to go through to prepare for the concert. He was phenomenal in his practices, although a little slow-paced, as he focused more on dancing than on the singing during the rehearsals. Many agree that Michael Jackson was an icon, a dancing prodigy and an amazing singer despite his somewhat high voice. Yet what many don’t know, at least everyone who has not seen this documentary, is that he is a very down to earth man. The camera caught him rehearsing “Earth Song” and it showed part of the original video (see the full video below). “Earth Song” was written by Michael to let people know what’s happening in the world around them and that nothing is going to change unless we help. “It’s like the earth has a fever. It’s sick.”
The movie captured Michael in a unique way. When people think of Michael Jackson in his last few years…they usually think of a skinny, pale, man that’s not very healthy or a recluse pursued by personal demons. But the documentary showed him performing with all his might and he looked pretty healthy dancing around the stage. He did look really skinny in some parts of the videos we were permitted to see, but otherwise he looked in good health.
Instead of showing crying eruptions from the dancers and backup singers, the movie showed appealing actions that Michael does to keep his concerts in the ranks.
It shows Michael on a cherry-picker, quite interesting actually, as Michael seems to be having way too much fun. While rehearsing Beat It, Michael goes up in the cherry-picker and Ortega makes a comment about going higher. Michael then says, “Why would you tell me that? He’s teasing me. He knows I want to go higher.”
There was a little comedy edge in some other parts other than the cherry-picker scene. Michael was telling his pianist how he could do better and the pianist said “We just gotta put a little booty in it.” Michael started cracking up, repeated the phrase, then laughed some more.
There were a number of quotes that were repeated by Michael throughout the movie. He said “God bless you” after every segment. He was also pretty enthused about letting the songs “simmer” and “sizzle”.
To appreciate this documentary and recognize the full potential, I would say you have got to be a Michael fan. This is highly recommended for the fans, but I wouldn’t say it’s a great documentary if you don’t value the King of Pop.
The Joys of Silent Film Comedy
by Kari Herren
The silent film era ran from 1904-1928; however, it stays an enigma for many film viewers. Many people regard it as a necessary, experimental time before the main event: the “talkies." But the truth is that today's actors owe a great debt to the silent film comedians-- Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and Harold Lloyd--who remain among the most loved performers of all time among dedicated film historians and actors.
Perhaps the most recognizable name is the Sir Charles Chaplin (1889-1977). Chaplin starred and directed in early silent films. He was discovered by a great slapstick impresario, Mack Sennett, and entered the cinema in 1914. His most known character is The Tramp. His character always tries to get to the top of the social ladder and, as we know, fails...unforgettably. A few little known facts about Charlie is how he had his share of adversity in life: his second wife, Mildred Harris, had given birth to an infant boy with serious birth defects. The boy died only three days after his birth. Chaplin turned personal tragedy into triumph by pouring himself into his work. By 1916, just two years after appearing in his first motion picture, he had become the most famous entertainer in the world. Buoyed by his enormously successful comedies for Keystone and Essanay, he was offered the largest salary ever extended to a motion picture star at the time—$670,000 for a single year’s work.
Another groundbreaking actor in silent film was Joseph Frank Keaton VI, otherwise known as Buster Keaton (1895-1966). Buster began performing onstage as a child, getting rave reviews at the beginning. He started in his film career in 1917. He was discovered by Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle. He is famous for such titles as Sherlock Jr., The General and Three Ages. Buster's fascination with gags must have begun at an early age. When he was only a few months old, he nearly suffocated in a costume trunk off stage while his parents were performing. Later, at only 18 months of age, (apparently a return engagement for near tragic slapstick), the boy fell down the stairs. None other than Harry Houdini picked him up and said, “That's some ‘buster' your baby took.” His parents started putting him in their acts at the age of three years old.
Enjoy this commentary about Keaton's The General by Mike Cottrell who credits Keaton for having invented the idea of "mechanical gag."
Enjoy this commentary about Keaton's The General by Mike Cottrell who credits Keaton for having invented the idea of "mechanical gag."
Last, we have Harold Lloyd (1893-1971). For several years during the 1920’s, Harold was the most famous film star. He made more money in those years than Chaplin and Keaton combined. He started his career with Hal Roach as a Chaplin clone. He quickly took on his own risky stunt-based act. Lloyd tried out several characters; finally, he found the perfect character for him. His parody of America's drive to success resonated with the public. In his films he became a "bespectacled go-getter...a boyish, sincere, shy, sometimes brash, full of confidence, optimism and gaiety, who is determined to take the world by its tail."
Like the other silent actors before him, Lloyd would have to overcome some mishaps. An example of his perseverance can be seen in a near tragic exploding cigar moment. On a Sunday in August of 1919, Harold was called to a photo shoot. The set-up called for Harold to light a cigarette with a prop bomb--the big, black ones you might see in Loony Toons. It happened that it wasn’t a prop. It ripped open the sixteen-foot ceiling and left Harold blind and missing some of his right hand. Doctors, of course, told him he wouldn’t be able to work again, but they were wrong. Eventually, his vision came back and his scars healed. A glove was made to cover his hand so the public never knew of his injury. Here, in one of the most famous moments in the history of silent film, is Harold Lloyd in Safety First.
Like the other silent actors before him, Lloyd would have to overcome some mishaps. An example of his perseverance can be seen in a near tragic exploding cigar moment. On a Sunday in August of 1919, Harold was called to a photo shoot. The set-up called for Harold to light a cigarette with a prop bomb--the big, black ones you might see in Loony Toons. It happened that it wasn’t a prop. It ripped open the sixteen-foot ceiling and left Harold blind and missing some of his right hand. Doctors, of course, told him he wouldn’t be able to work again, but they were wrong. Eventually, his vision came back and his scars healed. A glove was made to cover his hand so the public never knew of his injury. Here, in one of the most famous moments in the history of silent film, is Harold Lloyd in Safety First.
These are the top three silent film comedians who made silent film history.Their genius is evident in the seemingly endless ways they make us laugh. They were professional mimes who would have been at home in Shakespeare's theater or Spielberg's studio. Fortunately, lovers of the art of film still delight in the joy of discovery of their body of work. DVD technology has allowed a new audience to continue to enjoy these great artists.
Roberto Begnini, the actor and director of the great Holocaust film, Life Is Beautiful, acknowledges that Chaplin was a great influence on him as as actor. Anyone familiar with Chaplin's work can see how the character of Guido Orefice in Life Is Beautiful derives his charm from the same kind of bumbling mannerisms and witty, wide-eyed love of life.Book Review: The Lovely Bones
The Lovely Bones: Book Review
by Sidra Veriatch
It seems as if every day, there's a new picture of a missing child, plastered all over the newspapers. Sadly, most of the times, these children are never found. Such is the case in the Alice Sebold's debut novel The Lovely Bones.
The Lovely Bones is Sebold's remarkable story about love, the bonds of family, and the struggle of letting go. The protagonist is Susie Salmon, a girl who has been raped and killed when she is only fourteen.Everything is told through the point of view of Susie, putting a unique twist on a murder plot in that she goes between heaven and earth trying to come to terms with her own death. While she struggles with her own questions, she observes her friends and family trying to accept their loss. The narrative becomes most tense when she views her murderer's attempts to escape justice.
Susie's death sends her family into a tailspin as they each try to cope with the tragedy in their own way. Her father, who suspects the killer's identity, goes crazy with grief over the loss of his first-born. and experiences frustration from his inability to do anything about it. Her mother, who never wanted children, withdraws from her family and into an affair. Susie's sister, Lindsey, fears the kids at school will forever define her by Susie's death, and their little brother, Buckley, struggles to understand the meaning of death. Sadly, her murderer is still at large. He continues living undetected next door, until Susie's dad gets suspicious.
This novel is not flawless, nor should it be expected to be flawless. The book was intense and mysterious in the beginning. The narrative loses some of its momentum near the end. Although Sebold's description of heaven seemed beautifully written, it lacked depth. It seemed as if she painted a lonely view of heaven, which appears to be where you've just come from, only with no friends, family or loved ones - the `heavenly' part being that you can do whatever you like. Heaven was a bleak and isolated place in this book, and as one of the central points, should have been much more developed and better described.
Although the subject of the story made the book seem depressing, it in fact delivered a very positive message. The readers won't be able to escape the sadness in these pages, but the overall tone is hardly grim. Because Susie is secure and happy in her heaven, she keeps the story full of light and optimism. While most people thoroughly enjoyed this book there were many people who called it sad and depressing.
I believe the story of Susie Salmon is a hopeful story about how life goes on after a loved one dies and the simple joys that we sometimes take for granted. At times wistful - for she will never be able to experience growing up - and at other times matter-of-fact, Susie witnesses the changes and growth within her family and small circle of friends. In the end, her story is not one about death, but about loss and affirming life in its face, about the necessity of moving on, not only for those she left behind, but for her own soul.
When a book has gotten as much hype as The Lovely Bones, it can be hard to live up to the expectations. Alice Sebold's poetic writing style makes this story a joy to read. This book might not be for all ages, but anyone who enjoys reading meaningful novels, should definitely read this book.
Please visit the official website for the Peter Jackson adaptation of The Lovely Bones which opened in select theaters on December 11th before being distributed nationwide in mid-January.
David Arquette Pays It Forward
by Corby Myers
In a plexiglass box, David Arquette yelled on Madison Square Garden to raise money. He had a campaign to help Feed America. “It’s not a homeless thing; these are working Americans that don’t have enough to eat,” David said.
David got involved with Feeding America about a year ago with their entertainment council that brings Hollywood into the mix. Snickers came up with this “Bar Hunger” Campaign. They put facts about hunger in America in all of their 277 million Snicker bars. They also donate three million meals trying to make people realize there are 36 million Americans who do not know where their next meal will come from.
David feels raising awareness for different charities are an important aspect of being a celebrity.
His wife is also fighting against hunger and has done a lot to feed America with David.
David also stated, “Whenever I work at a food pantry or soup kitchen, it gives me perspective on what's important and what's not. It's important to know that kids have enough food and their families can go places to offset their cost of living. But I think right now people in our country are doing more, volunteering more, lending a hand to make it through these hard times together, and it's amazing.”
When sitting in a constructed plastic box on top of a 25 foot-high roof that faced 7th Avenue, he thought about how to raise enough money to reach his goal of $250,000. The donations came from on site, text messages and a Facebook page that was set up by Mars Inc., the company that produces Snickers candy bars. Mr. Arquette (at left) would leave the box occasionally to collect money outside of the box. The 37 year-old stayed in the box for about eight hours each day, for two days. The movie star from Scream did eat during the two days he spent in the plexiglass box. Arquette, the chairman of Feeding America’s Entertainment Council, also stated, "It's just an iconic place to do something that will hopefully put a blip on the map about hunger here."
Arquette's example shows us that even though we are teenagers, we can still make a difference just like he is doing. We can volunteer at soup kitchens, donating blankets or coats, bringing can foods to our community food pantry and bring our community closer together. Year around giving is a worthy aim.
by Sidra Veriatch
It seems as if every day, there's a new picture of a missing child, plastered all over the newspapers. Sadly, most of the times, these children are never found. Such is the case in the Alice Sebold's debut novel The Lovely Bones.
The Lovely Bones is Sebold's remarkable story about love, the bonds of family, and the struggle of letting go. The protagonist is Susie Salmon, a girl who has been raped and killed when she is only fourteen.Everything is told through the point of view of Susie, putting a unique twist on a murder plot in that she goes between heaven and earth trying to come to terms with her own death. While she struggles with her own questions, she observes her friends and family trying to accept their loss. The narrative becomes most tense when she views her murderer's attempts to escape justice.
Susie's death sends her family into a tailspin as they each try to cope with the tragedy in their own way. Her father, who suspects the killer's identity, goes crazy with grief over the loss of his first-born. and experiences frustration from his inability to do anything about it. Her mother, who never wanted children, withdraws from her family and into an affair. Susie's sister, Lindsey, fears the kids at school will forever define her by Susie's death, and their little brother, Buckley, struggles to understand the meaning of death. Sadly, her murderer is still at large. He continues living undetected next door, until Susie's dad gets suspicious.
This novel is not flawless, nor should it be expected to be flawless. The book was intense and mysterious in the beginning. The narrative loses some of its momentum near the end. Although Sebold's description of heaven seemed beautifully written, it lacked depth. It seemed as if she painted a lonely view of heaven, which appears to be where you've just come from, only with no friends, family or loved ones - the `heavenly' part being that you can do whatever you like. Heaven was a bleak and isolated place in this book, and as one of the central points, should have been much more developed and better described.
Although the subject of the story made the book seem depressing, it in fact delivered a very positive message. The readers won't be able to escape the sadness in these pages, but the overall tone is hardly grim. Because Susie is secure and happy in her heaven, she keeps the story full of light and optimism. While most people thoroughly enjoyed this book there were many people who called it sad and depressing.
I believe the story of Susie Salmon is a hopeful story about how life goes on after a loved one dies and the simple joys that we sometimes take for granted. At times wistful - for she will never be able to experience growing up - and at other times matter-of-fact, Susie witnesses the changes and growth within her family and small circle of friends. In the end, her story is not one about death, but about loss and affirming life in its face, about the necessity of moving on, not only for those she left behind, but for her own soul.
When a book has gotten as much hype as The Lovely Bones, it can be hard to live up to the expectations. Alice Sebold's poetic writing style makes this story a joy to read. This book might not be for all ages, but anyone who enjoys reading meaningful novels, should definitely read this book.
Please visit the official website for the Peter Jackson adaptation of The Lovely Bones which opened in select theaters on December 11th before being distributed nationwide in mid-January.
David Arquette Pays It Forward
by Corby Myers
David Arquette in his campaign against hunger
David got involved with Feeding America about a year ago with their entertainment council that brings Hollywood into the mix. Snickers came up with this “Bar Hunger” Campaign. They put facts about hunger in America in all of their 277 million Snicker bars. They also donate three million meals trying to make people realize there are 36 million Americans who do not know where their next meal will come from.
David feels raising awareness for different charities are an important aspect of being a celebrity.
His wife is also fighting against hunger and has done a lot to feed America with David.
David also stated, “Whenever I work at a food pantry or soup kitchen, it gives me perspective on what's important and what's not. It's important to know that kids have enough food and their families can go places to offset their cost of living. But I think right now people in our country are doing more, volunteering more, lending a hand to make it through these hard times together, and it's amazing.”
When sitting in a constructed plastic box on top of a 25 foot-high roof that faced 7th Avenue, he thought about how to raise enough money to reach his goal of $250,000. The donations came from on site, text messages and a Facebook page that was set up by Mars Inc., the company that produces Snickers candy bars. Mr. Arquette (at left) would leave the box occasionally to collect money outside of the box. The 37 year-old stayed in the box for about eight hours each day, for two days. The movie star from Scream did eat during the two days he spent in the plexiglass box. Arquette, the chairman of Feeding America’s Entertainment Council, also stated, "It's just an iconic place to do something that will hopefully put a blip on the map about hunger here."
Arquette's example shows us that even though we are teenagers, we can still make a difference just like he is doing. We can volunteer at soup kitchens, donating blankets or coats, bringing can foods to our community food pantry and bring our community closer together. Year around giving is a worthy aim.
The Total Uncoolness Heard Around the World:
Kanye’s VMA Outburst
by Shaiann Daniels
"You can’t blame a man for speaking his mind" -- a statement we hear quite often; however, viewers of the 2009 Video Music Awards (VMA) would profoundly disagree.
This may not be surprising to some people, but this isn’t Kanye’s first “temper tantrum” or even his second. During the 2007 Video Music Awards, Kanye lost his temper because he was displeased by his performance. He had been asked to perform in a hotel suite, and he wanted to perform on the show’s main stage. He also memorably took to the stage in 2004 and declared that he had been robbed of the Best New Artist nod.
However, these bursts from Kanye were somewhat “well received” in comparison to what happened with Taylor. After his comments, he paused waiting for an applause from everyone in the audience that agreed with him…but the crowd stayed silent. He then stormed off the stage and the crowd began to cheer. Not for West, but in support of Taylor Swift.
It was said that after the cameras shut off and Taylor had walked off the stage in embarrassment, Kanye flipped off the audience and returned to his seat. Pink was not entertained by the music artist and walked by him in her path to the stage. It appeared that she shook her head in disgust before security escorted her away, but West paid her no mind as he avoided the commotion, leaned in, and planted a kiss on his girlfriend Amber Rose.
It seems as if nobody agreed with the hot-tempered rapper, including President Obama, who was privately asked to give his impressions of Kanye's behavior. Our president candidly responded: “He’s a jackass.” This was supposed to have been off the record, of course; however, it was leaked by some representatives of the media that had nothing better to do. President Obama was not the only person to chime in with displeasure over Kanye West's classless act. Many eyewitnesses were twittering against him; comedians turned him into a punch line. Taylor Swift kept her poise throughout a media fiasco not of her own making, choosing instead to pick the moment to speak her own mind-- in the now viral "La La La Monologue Song."
by Ace Black
We are all familiar with the famous quote “love is a battlefield”. That’s the main point behind John Mayer’s fourth studio album. His song titles show this with tracks such as: “Heartbreak Warfare,” “War of My Life,” “Assassin.”
That last one is the set’s most ambitious track, an obsessive groove building louder toward clatter and buzz for five minutes. But the album’s tone is already set in the first two numbers, both notably featuring broken hearts; by the third track, a duet with Taylor Swift who enters only toward the song’s end, the song has become confessional: his heart has been split in half.
The catchy single “Who Says” is overall a declaration of independence. The closing track “Friends, Lovers or Nothing,” which opens with some heavy, ‘70s style piano, argues that jealousy is inevitable--with no middle ground. Romance, Mayer insists, is an all-or-nothing proposition.
As a big fan of Mayer's for years, I can say that I was waiting for this album with the highest of hopes that it would be a great listen. I was not disappointed. While this album kind of gives off a simplistic sound, the musicianship it takes to get to that level is massive, and it's quite apparent that a lot of intensity went into the making of these tracks. I believe it paid off. It might not be everyone's cup of tea, but in terms of what Mayer was trying to accomplish with this record, I'd say the execution was flawless. This is an album I'll be listening to for years to come.
Welcome to Jamrock: The Genius Lives On
by Eli Ford
Damien Marley, of course, is the son of Bob Marley, one of the most well known and most revered reggae artists of all time. So naturally, Damien’s music would be more readily accepted by reggae fans all over the world. But due to the hardships in the life of Bob and his children at certain times, Damien had a lot of personal experiences upon which to build his own music career.
Most of the tracks on the Welcome to Jamrock contain a lot of meaning to Damien and most of his fans. Most of the songs are meant to bring to mind the oppression of people of the Rastafarian faith, currently numbering 700,000 worldwide. There are also songs such as “Pampa’s Paradise” and “For the Babies’” that are a tribute to women and the hardships that they’ve had to go through to make their lives and the lives of their children better.
The album in the mind of this writer is a musical masterpiece with perfectly placed musical samplings from artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Bob Marley & the Wailers, Ini Kamoze, Bunny Wailer, Lion Rock and the Jacksons. There are also spoken word segments in the song confrontation. The speakers in the song include Marcus Garvey, former WCW wrestler Bill Goldberg, and the Rastafarian god himself, Emperor Hail Sellasie.
The single "Road to Zion" peaked at number fifty five on Billboard's Hot 100 but also did exceedingly well in R&B and hip hop charts. The album received gold certification in both the United States and Canada. In the US, over half a million copies have been sold; and in Canada, about fifty thousand.
In the UK the album also did extremely well, peeking at number 13 on the charts. Welcome to Jamrock also received four gold stars in both The Rolling Stone and All Music magazines.
The Friday Night Boys Go Off the Deep End: Album Review
by Lindsay Stambaugh
Some quote FNB by saying 'this feels like high school, where nothing's new' because most people think they are going in the same path as other pop-punkers are going especially with this record.
The Friday Night Boys are made up of Andrew Goldstein (vocals/ guitar), Chris Barrett, Robby Dallas Reider (bass) and Mike Toohey (guitar/ back-up vocals). Early into 2008, they self recorded an EP called The Skevtch Process, which sold over 42,000 digital tracks. The Boys signed to Fueled by Ramen at the end of summer and in October 2008 released an EP. Also, the fall of 2007, they played countless shows with All Time Low.
The debut track on Off The Deep End, "Permanent Heartbreak" was a strong start to this astonishing album. If you like the first song, I recommend listening to the rest. This song has everything The Friday Night Boys are great at doing: Powerful chorus, appealing rhythms and memorable lyrics that are perfect for getting off your feet and screaming at their shows. Every song shows how hard they worked on their songs and gives listeners reason to love them even more with every direction they turned. Slowing things down a bit show the charming sides of the boys.
It's easy to have low expectations of the record, considering "Molly Make-Out" and "Sorry I Stole Your Girl" are re recordings off the first EP that was self recorded. Songs like "Suicide Sunday" and "Permanent Heartbreak" sound painful, but listeners soon realize the songs are just in good fun, dancy and beyond addictive. As previously said, they added a few slow ballads such as "She's Finding Me Out" and "Can't Take That Away", which are soothing and written beautifully.
The Friday Night Boys Go Off the Deep End: Album Review
by Lindsay Stambaugh
Some quote FNB by saying 'this feels like high school, where nothing's new' because most people think they are going in the same path as other pop-punkers are going especially with this record.
The Friday Night Boys are made up of Andrew Goldstein (vocals/ guitar), Chris Barrett, Robby Dallas Reider (bass) and Mike Toohey (guitar/ back-up vocals). Early into 2008, they self recorded an EP called The Skevtch Process, which sold over 42,000 digital tracks. The Boys signed to Fueled by Ramen at the end of summer and in October 2008 released an EP. Also, the fall of 2007, they played countless shows with All Time Low.
The debut track on Off The Deep End, "Permanent Heartbreak" was a strong start to this astonishing album. If you like the first song, I recommend listening to the rest. This song has everything The Friday Night Boys are great at doing: Powerful chorus, appealing rhythms and memorable lyrics that are perfect for getting off your feet and screaming at their shows. Every song shows how hard they worked on their songs and gives listeners reason to love them even more with every direction they turned. Slowing things down a bit show the charming sides of the boys.
It's easy to have low expectations of the record, considering "Molly Make-Out" and "Sorry I Stole Your Girl" are re recordings off the first EP that was self recorded. Songs like "Suicide Sunday" and "Permanent Heartbreak" sound painful, but listeners soon realize the songs are just in good fun, dancy and beyond addictive. As previously said, they added a few slow ballads such as "She's Finding Me Out" and "Can't Take That Away", which are soothing and written beautifully.
Paranormal Activity Review: New Oxford Style
by Ace Black and George Kitchen
Made for less than the cost of a new car, Paranormal Activity brings back what The Blair Witch Project proved a decade ago: The bump-in-the-night things we can't see are still the most frightening. Paranormal Activity is terrifying enough to keep hardcore horror fans awake at night. Here's the setup this time around...
Young couple Katie (Katie Featherston) and Micah (Micah Sloat) are plagued by spooky happenings in their new home: strange noises, doors that open and close on their own, small items that mysteriously turn up in places other than where they were left the night before. There are no computer-generated spooks, no fancy edits--Paranormal Activity is all about dark corners and that queasy, pit-of-the-stomach churn you get when you wake up in the dead of night, convinced you heard something.
The movie is all tension, dread-filled atmosphere and genuine, goose bump-inducing chills. Because it's structured as a glimpse into a brief moment in Micah and Katie's lives, we never get to know much about them, and yes, the acting is sometimes sketchy. But these are beside the point: Peli's goal is to scare the be-jesus out of you (something most contemporary horror movies don't even attempt) and he succeeds as Paranormal Activity is one of the most genuinely frightening horror movies of recent years in my mind.
But we thought we'd sample members of the student body to determine if they thought it was as successful as its admittedly brilliant marketing.
Do you think Paranormal Activity lived up to its hype?
Kayla Colgan: No, they kind of played it off as true, but it did not have a legit ending.
Cory Staubs: I don't think so; it didn't really scare me at all -- until the ending.
Louis Montecalvo: I thought the film was too easy to make fun of.
Micaela Rodriguez: No, the movie came off too vague and didn't really appeal to me.
Derek Snyder: Yes, for a low budget movie, I thought it was great.
Twilight Movie Review
by Shaiann Daniels
New Moon, the second of the Twilight saga, has hit the big screens, and fans don't need a blood transfusion to find the energy to swarm to the theaters.
Bella Swan has just turned 18, and she’s not too happy about it. She’s getting older, but her 109 year-old vampire boyfriend isn’t. During a birthday party that the Cullens throw her, she cuts herself on wrapping paper. When Edward’s “brother” gets a whiff of the blood, he’s on the prowl until the others stop him. What does all of this lead up to? The Volturi. Edward travels to Italy to be killed by the Volturi ready to make a scene until Bella stops him. Edward goes with Bella back to Forks and everything is great for the both of them until Bella makes his family vote on her being changed into a “soulless” vampire. She explains that she wants to be changed by Edward, and he hesitantly agrees with one condition--marriage.
All in all, this was a great film despite the screaming girls every 10 minutes of the movie. So it might be easier to see the movie sometime during the month of December when all of the squealing, heart palpitating, die-hard fans have already seen it.
Due to the success of the first film, many people wondered whether the follow up would be as good. Considering Twilight is much shorter and left out a lot, New Moon actually captured everything perfectly. Even down to the small details, including Bella’s dream in the very beginning of the film.
The directors tried really hard to capture the Romeo and Juliet aspect of the film (without the tragedy). Ultimately, the film succeeds in portraying the richness and drama of passionate romance. They even went so far as to use quotes from the play that Bella says in the very beginning of the film. For the growing legion of Twilight fans in our school, this movie is highly recommended...especially in a quiet theater.
Young at Heart
by Brandi Smith
Who says you have to be young to have a little fun? The Young at Heart Chorus proves that music is the universal language and that people can have fun no matter what age you are. The average age of the members of the chorus is 80. The movie is directed by Stephen Walker; he follows the Young at Heart group from rehearsals to gigs leading up to the chorus’s big show. The members of Young at Heart aren’t looking to become famous; their songs are strong and have so much meaning just in the way that they sing them. When they perform punk classics like “Should I stay or should I go” by the Clash or “I Wanna Be Sedated” by the Ramones, it shows that their spirits are still high. The movie concentrates on the two-month preparations for a 2006 concert at the Academy Theater in Northampton lead by the chorus’s longtime director Bob Cilman.
Although the members change because of death or sickness, the story is always the same--the group continues to forge ahead. They bond, they grow and they become a family to one another. Young at Heart will definitely change the way you look at a normal elderly person. It’s so crazy to think of people of such an age doing something so amazing, but they are and they will continue to do so.
by Sarah Coutts
Drops of sweat dripped down his nose, as fear took over his body. The sounds of guns popping off in the distance reminded him of his only task-- to make it out alive. With the fear showing plainly on the faces of his brother and friends as they ran for miles, to leave behind the only life they knew.
This may just sound like a horror story, but it was a never-ending nightmare for Ishmael Beah. While Ishmael Beah, his brother, and friends had walked to a nearby village for a talent show, their own village was attacked by the rebels. Beah describes the devastation they discover when they return home and the gripping realization that they must run to save their own lives. With each passing day, their everyday activities and past lives retreat. Hunger and thirst is a constant struggle... finding a new village or trusting stranger becomes a blessing. However, danger is never far behind. Any town that lets down its guard becomes easy prey for the rebels who can attack at their leisure. Eventually, the brothers and friends get separated and have to survive on their own. Ishmael finds himself alone and must single-handedly survive in the forest and continue his fight contending with wild animals, hunger, and loneliness. The only reason he keeps moving forward is the saying his father used to say,” If you are alive, there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is nothing good left in the destiny of a person, he or she will die.”
While lost in the forest, Ishmael stubbles upon another group of lost boys that stick together through hardships. They continue their journey to safety until they finally reach an army controlled safety camp. Their lives continue for a short while until the rebels surround the camp. The men and boys are given the choice to fight or leave the camp. During the following week, the boys learn the rebel version of the arts of war. Their training is accelerated with the adrenaline of fear and other chemicals. The rebels supply them with white “energy pills” and show what can happen when a soldier carries a gun in his hands. These once innocent teenagers are turned into a group of now deadly killers high off of drugs, literally numb to the world. Ishmael revenges the death of his family and friends many times over and rises to the rank of junior lieutenant.
The History of Modern Stand-Up
by Derek Snyder
Though the history of stand-up comedy can be traced back as far as the 1800’s, stand up as it’s known today didn’t really come into its own until about the 1970’s. Over the next four decades, stand-up exploded, then nearly disappeared only to bounce back stronger than ever.
The 1970’s
After the 1960s a new kind of comedy had arrived in the 1970s. The traditional setup/punchline joke tellers were gone. The new stand-up comedy was faster and looser. They were younger comedians. Their material spoke to a new generation of listeners. Comedy was now "cool," and the form of it was reborn. A new crop of comedians became icons in the 70s. Comics like George Carlin and Richard Pryor became rock stars. Robert Klein and Jerry Seinfeld introduced a new style of "observational" comedy - material that sprang from everyday life.
One thing that gave stand-up a boost in the 1970’s was the birth of the comedy club. On both coasts, clubs were opening that allowed comics to get in front of audiences every night. In New York City, clubs like The Improv, which had been open since 1963, and Catch a Rising Star, which appeared on the scene in 1972, provided nightly showcases for comedians. Richard Lewis, Billy Crystal, Freddie Prinze, Jerry Seinfeld, Richard Belzer and Larry David all got their starts in either of the two clubs during the decade. On the West Coast, The Comedy Store (which opened in 1972) in West Hollywood played host to comics like Pryor, Carlin, Jay Leno, David Letterman, Robin Williams and Sam Kinison. It was successful enough that two more locations were opened by 1976. A West Coast branch of The Improv also opened in 1975. Comedy clubs were beginning to introduce new comics to audiences. These clubs did not pay the comedians though. In 1979, many of the comedians who performed at The Comedy Store went on strike. Nearly 150 comedians picketed the club for six weeks. They were demanding that the club should pay them to perform. At the end of six weeks, an agreement was reached where comedians would be paid $25 per set for most shows. This "unionization" of comedians played another huge role in legitimizing stand-up comedy in the '70s. In addition to clubs, comedians could also be seen in homes everywhere. Saturday Night Live, which premiered in 1975, gave many comics a 90-minute showcase. The biggest spot for a comic in the 70s was on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.
By the end of the 1970s, the comedy clubs were showing up all around the country. The comedians that had become famous in the 70s had now become veterans. They were now veterans because many new comedians started showing up. Stand-up had become famous in the 70s, but no one could predict how big it would become in the 1980s.
The 1980’s
With stand-up becoming in the 1970s, the 1980s had become the decade where it became really, really popular. The comedy clubs that opened in the '70s had done very well on both coasts. In the '80s, clubs went national. The '80s became the decade that stand-up became really big on television. Sitcoms featuring comedians, such as The Cosby Show and Roseanne, became hits.
The 1980s released Comic Relief, which was a charity organization that originally started in the UK. The American version of Comic Relief was founded in 1986 by Bob Zmuda. The event raised money for the homeless in America. It was hosted by comedians Billy Crystal, Robin Williams and Whoopi Goldberg. The success of stand-up comedy in the 1980s was too good to be true. Even though stand-up came out on top, it was only a matter of time until it became overexposed. That is exactly what happened in the 1990s.
The 1990’s
At the end of the 1980s, stand-up became very popular. This was making it lose popularity though because now it was becoming overexposed. Because of this overexposure, comedy clubs started shutting down and shows that featured comedians started going off the air. Comedy may have become overexposed which made it collapse, but it didn’t totally disappear. TV sketch shows were everywhere, from network shows like Saturday Night Live, In Living Color, and The Ben Stiller Show to cable cult shows like The State, Mr. Show with Bob and David, and The Kids in the Hall. Though many once-successful comics had started becoming punch lines instead of delivering them, many comedians still found success in the '90s. The comedians who somehow found success in this time helped keep stand-up alive during its dry spell.
While stand-up from the 1980s began to fade away, a new type of comedy started to develop. This new type of comedy was known as “Alternative Comedy”. By the 2000s, stand-up comedy had undergone a transformation and comedians who started as alternative comics were now stars. Stand-up looked like it was going to disappear in the '90s, but instead it didn’t and it actually started to come back with an uproar by the 2000s.
The 2000’s
Though stand-up almost fell away to nothing in the 1990s, it came back strong in the 2000’s. It started selling out theaters and arenas. Even comedy clubs started opening back up from coast to coast.
A major boom for the comedy world was the explosion of the Internet. Internet sites like YouTube allowed people to view funny videos 24 hours a day. Comedy stars also started using MySpace and Facebook to get a lot of fans and followers. Shows like Saturday Night Live were still on TV and doing great. Fans of comedy could now see the majority of their favorite comedians almost 24 hours a day. Comedians started hitting it big. One of these comedians was Jeff Foxworthy. He started the famous Blue Collar Comedy. Jeff and three other comedians hit it big with their Blue Collar Comedy Tour. The comedians that were on this tour were Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy, Bill Engvall and Ron White. This tour had four different movies. They were the funniest things that I think anyone could ever watch. The style of comedy that was known as Blue Collar Comedy went big because it had the four comedians listed above and many more to give it a boost. It also had its own radio station on SIRIUS satellite radio. This was Blue Collar Radio.
Stand-up had finally found the area that it was meant to be in. It was now where people could find it easier. These places were clubs, TV and the Internet. People could now find stand-up pretty much anywhere and these places were easier to access for the general public. Finally, stand-up was where it needed to be and it was here to stay.
