Human Nature: Artist's Responding to a Changing Planet

An art exhibit is being displayed now until February 1st at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego. The exhibit includes works by eight artists from the University of California Berkley and Pacific Film Archive. These special creations reflect the artists time spent in UNESCO (United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization) World Heritage sites, some of the most naturally beautiful and preserved places around the globe.

Skateboarding now being taught in gym class..It's about time!

East Side Community High School in New York has added skateboarding to their new Gym curriculum. The classes are being held at 10:30 in the morning on the school's basketball court. Professional skateboarder Billy Rohan is in charge of the program. The boards and helmets are donated by CCS; a well known skateboarding catalog. To find out more about the new elective and how it's run click here

World's Oldest Person Dies

The oldest person in the world, recognized by the Guiness Book of World Records, has died.

Edna Parker, age 115 passed away in an Indiana nursing home on Wednesday. Born in April of 1893, Edna outlived both her sons, and had 5 grandchildren, 13 great-grandchildren, and 13 great-great grandchildren!

It amazes me that someone has lived for over a century. When I think back on all that has happened in the last 100 years, it is crazy that someone has witnessed it all.

The oldest person noted in the Guiness Book of World Records is now Maria de Jesus of Portugal- who was also born in 1893, but in September.

Click here, to read the whole story, and more about Parker's life.

Plaxico Burress Proves: Money And Fame Do Not Buy Smarts

Plaxico Burress, receiver for the New York Giants proved true the "dumb jock" stereotype Friday night.  Burress will surrender himself to the New York City Police on Monday, charged for criminal possession of a handgun.  Burress, though brilliant on the field, accidentally shot himself in the leg, with his own gun, in a night club friday.  He is pleading not guilty, sided by lawyer Benjamin Brafman who's star-studded clientele has included P. Diddy, though then called Puff Daddy.  The New York times had this to say on the subject.

Walmart shoppers are f**** crazy!!!

Black Friday : a day when the wildest shoppers get even wilder! <~~ click for the article.

Maybe you heard, or maybe you didn't, but this past Friday, the biggest shopping day of the year, a walmart worker was killed as overly excited customers barged through the glass doors into the haven of bargains. The glass doors came shattering down onto the 34 year old who had been hired for seasonal help. This happened at the WalMart in Green Acres Mall in Valley Stream, Long island.
My mom works in the source mall which is another mall on long island and she also had some crazy stories after the day was done about crazed customers in search of the best bargains.Customers have so many demands and want the newest items at any cost, and now it can be said that someone actually killed a man possibly to be first on line to get the newest playstation or flat screen tv. How pathetic. People are insane! I guess in the state of the economy we are in, people are that desperate for a good deal, and to be one of the lucky ones to get things "while supplies last". That term is probably what causes all this kaos. People know that supplies will run out, and on this day the shopping is more competitive so every man for himself.

One person who witnessed the tragic events at WalMart quoted to the associated press....

“When they were saying they had to leave, that an employee got killed, people were yelling, ‘I’ve been on line since yesterday morning,’ ” Ms. Cribbs told The Associated Press. “They kept shopping.”

Insanity.

Also, a pregnant lady got tossed around so much that she almost lost her baby.
And on the news i heard something along the lines of a shooting in a Toys-r-Us. I missed the bulk of the story but still, that should not be a headline. It shouldnt be something that happens. The end.

Zodiac Charateristics

Everyday, or every other day, I log on to my computer and read my Yahoo! horoscope for the day. Even if the readings are entirely true or accurate, I always seem to find a way to "make it true" or relate to my life in some way. Although, these readings probably aren't the best source for understanding why life works the way it does, I do believe that many people, if not all, do fall into the characteristics of their zodiac sign as assigned by astrologists. I am a Pisces, which to astrologists means I'm sensitive, caring, a little physic :-0, and rather use my imagination than deal with reality, all of which I find to be true about myself but then again, I could just be applying these characteristics to myself because I read it online and we all know, everything on the Web is fact.

What does your sign say about you?

Valkyrie being released on X-mas Day

On December 25th ( Christmas) the new movie Valkyrie starring Tom Cruise will be releases to theaters. Much talked about, it is a World War 2 movie which feature Tom Cruise attempt to kill Adolf Hitler.
Maybe its just me, but i think its kind of weird and ironic that a movie about Adolf Hitler, an infamous, hated, leader of the Nazis would be released on Christmas. Does this offend jewish people? Whoever decided this release date...are they someone who is favor of what Hitler did and therefore choosing to release this on a huge holiday? I dont know. I just think its kind of weird. I know that around christmas is a very popluar time to release big, highly anticipated movies, but why not earlier?

Movie Article - This talks about how this movie is successful will prove Tom Cruises career, if not...well then what will be next to come of this "scientology" promoter?

Today i was watching TV with my dad and we began watching his new favorite show on T.V called the Mentalist. Its just another show kind of like C.S.I or N.C.I.S ( weird that they all have similar names).In the mentalist the people work for the C.B.I. But strangely enough when I sat down to do some of these blog posts, I came across an article review in the New Yorker about this show,as well as the popular and very addicting show "Lost". This article talks about the basic plot of these two shows as well as some of the charcaters.
While at school I never really find myself watching any particular show on a regular basis. Whenever I come home my dad is always watching these scientific , mystery dramas and I always really enjoy them. You don't really need to watch them regularly to know whats going on from episode to episode because each one is differentiates the crime, mystery or case that needs to be solved. The only thing you will not be informed about is the little side dramas directly involving like who the characters are and their roles with other people and what not.
I would have to say that these types of science-like, mystery solving, adventurous tv shows are some of the best kinds around right now. I cant really find much wrong with them, ok maybe the acting isnt the most phenominal or anything, but they are very engaging. It's hard not to get sucked in and try and guess how to solve the cases while watching. While watching the Mentalist, me and my dad were constantly spitting out side comments on what we thought was going to end up being the result. And the best part of the show is, that you can never actually guess what is going to be the solution or the ending. There is alwasy such a creative spin on things making it almost impossible to be predictable. Therefore, I reccomend watching these shows!

Terror In Mumbai

In Mumbai, India today, there have been numerous terrorist attacks.  So far, at least 80 have been killed and 240 injured.  Some people were killed after showing their passports, apparently the attackers are going after American and British citizens.  The New York Times has this to say on the subject.  Also, here is the tracker for updated news on the story from multiple news sources in India.

Beer Enthusiasts Delight!

           When I think of beer, I think of college kids playing beer pong with less than flavorful brews, or of old men fishing and drinking Budweiser. However, a recent New Yorker article entitled A Better Brew, by Burkhard Bilger, proved that drinking beer can be a sophisticated pastime and a creative art. The way the article starts is notable in that Bilger writes of elephants getting drunk and going on rampages; while this seems to have nothing to do with what comes later, it pulls readers in, to learn about beer production, and about a man named, Sam Calagione, who opened the first brewery in Delaware. His beers range from exotic to run-of-the-mill domestics, and could contain anything from juniper berries, as modeled after Sahti, a beer that Finish farmers have been making since the ninth century, or St. John's Wort, or simply just hops and malt. This article was really full of great writing techniques, as in scenes (Bilger watched Calagione design and create a unique flavored beer using heated rocks to make the yeast react differently in the beer), as well as analogies (as in comparing commercial beer as opposed to hand crafted to a chef using bouillabaisse instead of fish stock).  Bilger took the time to include profile-like information while at the same time including facts about the beer industry, the creation of it, and interesting tidbits beer drinkers and enthusiasts should know. After reading this article, I no longer felt in-the-know about beer when I bought Blue Moon with oranges; I felt more on the outside rim of the beer world, with no real clue about all of the work, innovation, and tradition that goes into the creation of this beverage. Definitely a great read if you like beer!!

An Organic Thanksgiving

Some people may be spending more money than others this Thanksgiving.  According to smartmoney.com it may cost $100 more for people to eat organic food.  The website when shopping at a wholesale supermarket and Associated Supermarket and bought traditional Thanksgiving food that was organic. They shopped for a meal that would include eight people and spent $295. 36.  Compared to $126.35, which is the amount someone may pay with non organic foods. To save money some experts believe that people should just buy organic foods that usually have a lot of pesticides used on them, such as apples and celery. For people who eat mostly organic food, it may be worth spending the extra money to have a holiday dinner with just organic dishes. 

Talk Sex with Pastor Ed Young

In this article from the New York Times, a Pastor from Grapevine Texas preaches to his church about the importance of the role of sex in a marriage. The article titled "Pastor's Advice for Better Marriage: More Sex", by Gretel C. Kovach, seems a shocking topic to be going on within church walls. Pastor Young, though, emphasizes the importance of sex in bringing married couples closer together and also closer to God. In his sermons, he advocates for seven days of sex and wants people "to move from whining about the economy to whoopee." He feels that an increase in sexual activity can even mend relationship traumas such as infidelity and affairs. Whether this guy is on to something or just completely nuts, the article is an interesting read.

Still the Sexiest Men Alive?

MSN.com recently put out an article about the "old" Sexiest Men Alive, who have now lost their allure that they once had in their youth. Men like Nick Nolte '92, Tom Cruise '90, and Mel Gibson '85. These men just haven't aged well as some, but have done some outrageous things to the public eye. But this year's People magazine Sexiest Men Alive issue includes Hugh Jackman as number one, along with Zac Efron from High School Musical and the famous Michael Phelps later on in the list. Suprisingly, two t.v. heartthrobs from the 90's Joshua Jackson, who starred in Dawson's Creek, and Mark-Paul Gosselaar, who starred in Saved By the Bell also made the list. Proving that being a big hit in your youth could pay off even more when you hit your thirties. 

Focus Films Putting the Cap on Milk?

I have to assume that the average person's first response to reading the article about Focus cutting publicity for Milk, the film about the first openly gay politician to win an election, is that they are trying to shut the film down. That was my response when I came across the article this week (embedded in a discussion about early Oscar favorites) but then again,what can Focus possibly gain from such an effort? They had to have approved the film, with its gay director, plot and controversial star, before funding it; it would be illogical for them to have a turn of heart and try to keep the film under wraps.

Obviously, no matter how unlikely and idiotic financially, it is is a possibility we cannot rule out. Brokeback Mountain was an extremely controversial and this film was likely in the making for more than two years, far before Proposition 8 passed (Milk deals with Proposition 6, in addition to Harvey Milks run for office, and the comparisons can be made). While I, after thinking about the issue, do not believe that Focus is trying to shut down a film that will likely profit them, I think they are creating an interesting experience. We all know how many times we've walked into a film with expectations and been utterly disappointed and then seen films that we expect to be bad and walk out indifferent or in good spirits.

Maybe Focus is onto something and can set a new standard in the industry for letting the film do the talking. Then again, maybe not.

Read this Book!!

So I recently started reading this book called "Waiter Rant" that I first heard about on the Oprah Winfrey show. Basically its about this guy who has been a waiter for years and he talks about all these crazy stories and different things he has had to deal with serving the public. This book is hilarious.

If you thought the movie "Waiting" was funny you will totally enjoy this book. It was written by a guy named Steve Dublanica. He also has a blog based on the same things with a huge following. The book spent 5 weeks on the New York Times nonfiction best sellers and he has also won"Best Writing in a Weblog" in the 2007 Bloggie Awards.

If you have ever worked in a restaurant you will totally be able to relate and understand what hes talking about. If you haven't then you will learn what its all about. I really recommend this book to everyone who eats out. You will quickly learn what us servers go through!

No Doubt Reunites

No Doubt have announced on their website that they're reuniting. A new album from them should be coming out in 2009 and they're going to tour also. The last time the band was together was in 2004 with their last album in 2001. I'm excited to see what they come up with. It's been a while and Gwen Stefani's solo music had such a different sound than the band.

Man Gets Arm Stuck in Toilet

Here's something weird and funny that I came across, it's from the end of October though. A train headed towards Paris was delayed because a passenger got his arm stuck in the toilet. You may be asking yourself what his arm was doing in the toilet, I know I was asking myself that. Apparently he dropped his cell phone in the toilet and was going to get it out when the toilet flushed and his arm got stuck. The passenger and toilet had to be removed so firefighters could get his arm out. So if your phone ever falls in the toilet, which I hope it doesn't, be careful when it flushes.

Urine Recycler for Astronauts

Astronauts have been working on a recycling system to turn urine into drinking water. The recycling unit was able to turn 3.8 liters of urine into water before shutting down. I didn't even know this was possible but one word comes to mind...ewww. Who would drink water that was once urine? I think this is so gross, but kind of cool that it actually works.

Stephen Colbert's Christmas Special

Tonight at 10 pm Stephen Colbert is going to be showing a special Christmas episode on Comedy Central: "A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All!" The show has several special guests including Jon Stewart, Willie Nelson, Feist, Elvis Costello, and John Legend. I'm probably going to watch this in hopes that it will be funny(most of the time when Willie Nelson is on "The Colbert Report" it's always funny, so I guess this will be too).

Naked Buns at Mickey Ds

A man left his cell phone at a McDonald's in Arkansas and was insured by employees that they would keep the cell phone safe. However naked pictures he had of his wife on there ended up on the internet as well as his number and other information. The couple had to move after the wife produced some stalkers from her revealing photos. They are suing McDonald's for $3 million. Eventhough this is a huge invasion of privacy, personally I think this is hilarious. Tell me your not thinking about the pictures on your cell phone right now and how embarressing it would be if they ended up online.

Obamaville

Barack Obama is cleaning up, even before he hits the Oval Office! "Polebrity", (or political celebrity) a new word created through the Obama campaign, has helped Obama and his croonies bump up the economy through various merchandising efforts by companies all over the nation. 

"Mr. Obama has been the best marketed presidential candidate, with the most sophisticated branding since, John F Kennedy used television to get elected in 1960," said Allen Adamson, managing director of the New York office of Landor Associates, a corporate and brand identity agency. 

It is only November, two months before Obama even hits the White House, and merchandising sales have hit over $200 million. Merchandising efforts include books, coffee mugs, Obama medallions, tee-shirts, and so much more. 

Hopefully Obama's successful marketing plan will translate into other areas of his presidency, such as hmmm foreign relations?!

Seven Days Without Spending

       Articles concerning ways to save money have recently become incredibly popular due to the economy, and personally, I've gotten pretty tired of hearing about it. How do you save money? Gee, I dunno, maybe you spend less. It doesn't seem to be brain science. But an article I recently came across on CNN throws that to the wind. It is indeed hard to decrease spending, especially when you decide to not spend even one cent for an entire week.  Steve Almond, the author of " The Agony of Seven Days Without Spending" wrote about his entire week of not spending anything and spun it in an incredibly humorous manner. As the stereotypical man who, " try(s) to convert self deprivation into a virtue," he assumed that his week on zero spending would be easy, however, as the week progressed he learned that it was actually not so easy to float along on nothing. It just so happened that he needed a haircut and it was his wife's birthday. This article wasn't very long at all, and it took an interesting approach to structure, as a feature story. It was also a personal essay, which seems to be a surprising difficult form of feature writing. Definitely worth taking the time to read, and it;s very entertaining, so it wont seem time consuming at all! 

photo courtesy of  www.socialpicks.com

Court Orders eHarmony.com to Stop Discriminating

For years, the dating service eHarmony.com has been discriminating against those who seek companionship with someone of the same gender. When signing up for the service, there is no option for "men seeking men" or "women seeking women." Chemistry.com even put out a commercial exposing it:




Recently, someone has brought a lawsuit against them for it. The person claimed that eHarmony violated his rights, to which eHarmony responded that the company's main goal is to promote marriage and "we don't really want to participate in something that's illegal."

The courts ruled in favor of the plaintiff, and eHarmony is now launching a separate website, Compatible Partners, that will be specifically for same-sex dating.

(Picture from eHarmony.com)

The Storm Sold Out

(www.thetechlounge.com)

Verizon Wireless on Friday launched the new RIM BlackBerry Storm by Research In Motion. Several Verizon stores have sold out and have no inventory for the phone. The first batches of the new BlackBerry mobile phone emptied store shelves hours after its official launch. Verizon is forced to delay some shipments until December 15. The new RIM BlackBerry mobile device is in high demand. However, shipments for some orders are being delayed until December 15.

This weekend I was eligible for an upgrade and went to my local Verizon store, to my disbelief I was surrounded by 50 people waiting in line. I would have left but my brothers also were upgrading, I waited for about 45 minutes to find out the phone was sold out. After talking to the representative who really had no clue what he was talking about for upgrades I decided to customer service, who is always helpful, and they said if I ordered today I would wait three weeks and recommended to see if I can find it in store first.

American Imperialism

This video is a summation of Howard Zinn's book, A People's History of American Empire. Zinn, a historian, social activist, political scientist and more, uses his experiences as a World War II bomber as a backdrop for his critiques on American foreign policy through out it's history. I found this particular video interesting for it's mixed use of cartoon imagery, stock footage and narration. In today's multimedia world, expanding our horizons to watch even short video's like this one stirs new ideas and has indeed become second nature. Although I feel it is only right to do more research and become informed about any subject before drawing conclusions,and not just use small spinets like these as your only source of information, video's such as these help steer us towards greater understanding of larger issues. They also hold your interest because of the imagery, an important tool for today.

Sushi Train = Money Train

200kg Blue Fin Tuna = $170,000

(pic: Tetsuya Miura/Vanity Fair.com)

If you thought the sushi craze was well and truly over, think again. A few weeks back there was the feature piece on the naked human sushi plate, now we're finding out just how much of a lucrative industry raw fish really is. In this article from Vanity Fair, the author travels to Tokyo where sushi is big business. I must admit I was taken aback when I read that there are such events as 'sushi auctions', with some blue fin tuna fetching an astounding $170,000 (no typo here!); pretty surprising given Blue Fin Tuna was worth nothing prior to 1972.

My thoughts do go to the person who paid an amount of money that could pretty much pay for a a third of a home.

It's a long feature but the good people at Vanity Fair have divided it up into 'Chapters' for all us impatient online readers, which also brings up ideas about online features we discussed in class.

Enjoy!

No Doubt Together Again!

No Doubt will return to the road in 2009!

For the mean time they are working on finishing their first studio album in seven years. The group made the announcement via an instant message transcript posted on their official website, but did not provide specific details.

The group hasn't played live since mid-2004, and its last studio album was 2001's "Rock Steady." Since then, Stefani has released two critically acclaimed solo albums and gave birth to her second son in late August, while the other group members have pursued solo and session work as well as producing.

Can't wait to see what crazy ideas they come up with now!

When Scams Hit Home

So, I recently posted a Facebook Marketplace ad for a piece of jewelry I wanted to sell. Hoping to get a reply from someone in the New York area, I made the lising available for the public to see. An hour after I first made the post, I was contacted by someone who wanted to purchase the jewelry and pay extra for me to ship it to Africa....sound a bit fishy? Well, thankfully, my mother had seen a news report on online scams in which a buyer makes payment with false cashier checks over the amount of purchase, then requests the excess money to be wired back. Final outcome? Checks bounce, product is shipped, and someone is royally screwed. Now, I am being harrassed on Facebook by someone I have already refused to sell to. I am not the only one.

Here is a listing of national newspaper articles detailing some of these scams. Apparently, the FBI is already undergoing investigations on the matter, but because most of the scams originate in Nigeria there is only so much that can be done.

Another obnoxious scam that most people have come in contact with is the Car Warranty telemarketers. Up to five times a day I will recieve an automated call telling me that my car warranty has run out. The first time it happened, I freaked. I just bought a car last December and was pretty sure I purchased a 2-year after market warranty from the dealer. When I was connected to a representative and asked the name of the company, I picked up on the scam and immediately dismissed calls from unknown numbers. I tried asking to speak to a supervisor, but the representatives for these companies simply disconnect you. (I wonder why!) Here's a blog by MSNBC's ConsumerMan detailing his personal experience with the annoying phone calls.

Girls Talks on Girl Talk at Terminal 5

There is no doubt that Gregg Gillis the Dj known better by his alias Girl Talk knows how to get a party started. His concerts are know to be dance fest, crowds of people moving and grooving to his signature mix of raunchy hip-hop beats and rock ballads. I was lucky enough to score a ticket to one of his three sold out shows this past weekend. I had eagerly awaited the concert for many months, and it feels like forever since I purchased my tickets in late August. Finally the night of Sat, November 15th came along and I dutifully made my trek to Manhattan. I have to say, that after anticipating this event to long I was dissapointed. Not by the quality of the music or Gregg Gillis himself, but rather the crowd. To put it bluntly, people just weren't cool. As a 5 foot 2 person, I am easily overwhelmed by the sea of head and shoulders that block me in. That is bad enough, but it gets worse were all the head and shoulders are constantly pushing and shoving in the hopes of flooding the stage, causing a ripple effect of movement throughout the tightly packed crowd. Girls and guys alike broke out in full physical fights and literally stepped over others to get closer to the stage. I can't help but wonder if the celebrity crazed society we live in is to blame for this seeming need of the crowd to get closer to Gregg Gillis or if was just the copious amounts of alcohol and drugs that are always present at concerts. For my part, I was just there to dance.

Wake Up Mr. West

Kanye West has been one of the most successful and influential artist in America since the release of his debut album "The College Dropout" in October of 2002. Mr. West will follow up his Grammy winning album "Graduation" with the release of "808s and Heartbreak" on November 24th. This is the first album Mr. West has released since the death of his mother on November 10th 2007 and one has to believe the traumatic event has had an impact on his writing. "808s and Heartbreak" is very different from all his other albums due to the heavy use of auto-tune similar to that of the artist T-Pain. Even though I have only heard two of the songs off of Mr. West's new album, Love Lockdown and Heartless, they both have a somber tone dealing heavily with heartbreak and loss, which is a far stretch from anything he has previously released. Even though I like the new songs along with the fact that Mr. West is experimenting with a new sound I feel as if he can do much better. He is a rapper not a singer and I feel that by using auto-tune he is suppressing his talent and falling into mediocrity for the first time in his career as a performer.

Professional review of "808s and Heartbreak"

Dedication 3 Falls short of hype

Lil' Wayne has become one of the biggest hip-hop stars of our generation. One of the ways he rose to prominence was through his mixtapes, Dedication 1 & 2. last week ADedication 3 dropped, with a lot of hype. Unfortunately, it did not live up to they hype. Dedication is heavy on guest spots from Wayne's Young Money Ent. minions like Nicki Minaj, Tyga and Jae Millz. Definitely the worst mixtape of the series, since Dedication 1 & 2 are certified classics and must-haves for hip-hop fans everywhere. Wayne's brief appearances on songs are just O.K., or they're choruses and autotune-filled singalongs. The bright spots on the mixtape, for me are the hilarious skits, the song "Thingy Pleaser", and the last four tracks. Other than that, Wayne dissapoints. Slow down, Wayne, you're wearing yourself out.

Country Songwriters...

Rand Bishop, a country music songwriter, has written a new book to try and help up and coming songwriters make it in the business.  The book, Makin' Stuff Up (Secrets of Songcraft and Survival in the Music-Biz), is a memoir of Bishop's 40 years in the music business and a book to teach songwriters how to survive in the music industry.  

I can't wait to pick up the book and for those who would like to get a head start, Bishop has a website to go along with the book.  For those trying to get into the music business, a book like this from a man who has penned songs for Toby Keith and the Beach Boys, this is a book that should be a must read.  He has 180 songs on his roster, and one number one for Toby Keith.   He has a career to look up to when it comes to song writing.  

Mixed Reviews for Twilight

The reviews are in! One of the year's most highly anticipated films, "Twilight" , opens tonight with a midnight premiere, and tickets are sold out in about 500 venues. But, will obsessive "fanpire's" leave the theatre tonight less than thrilled? Robert Ebert doesn't think so, he only gives the film 2 1/2 stars, but says "I understand who "Twilight" appeals to, and it sure will..."Twilight" will mesmerize its target audience, 16-year-old girls and their grandmothers." However, Variety reviewed the film, stating that the acting between Stewart and Pattinson seems "forced" and "unconvincing", which if true, will not sit well with fans. Starpulse calls the film's visuals "ridiculous". I'm sure we will be hearing a lot of buzz in the early morning hours regarding fan's reactions to the film, and that's what really matters, isn't it?

Blogging for fun and profit

I was reading Chuck Klosterman's great review of the new Guns N' Roses set in A.V. Club (a sharp, funny, underappreciated arts & culture site brought to you by the folks responsible for The Onion) when I came across this article about bloggers who have turned their online work into book deals.

Food for thought, people....

Journalism = Hotness

Read an encouraging article in the NY Times today about the TV news program "60 Minutes," which has been the most watched show in the nation the past two weeks, thanks in part to Sunday's interview with Barack and Michelle Obama. Here's a bit of it:




The ratings "60 Minutes" has been clocking suggests that the general spike in interest in journalism nationwide that began with the recent election continues. Nice to know that mass audiences are still interested in reality beyond "reality television."

Flipper to Reissue Albums

The hardcore band that "you love to hate," Flipper, is reissuing their long out-of-print albums, Generic Flipper, Gone Fishin', Public Flipper Limited, and Sex Bomb Baby. They are coming out on both CD and vinyl.

Personally, I'm pretty pumped, because I've been looking for a cheap copy of Generic FLipper on Ebay for a few years now.

Also, Flipper is planning a reunion tour with Krist Novoselic from Nirvana on bass, but have had to postpone it due to personal issues. Apparently they're also working on new material with Novoselic, but I have my doubts about how good that will be, since '80s hardcore bands tend to not be as good anymore.

New Song from The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

It's been two years since their last album and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is getting ready to release their next album in February 2009. Their new single "You Better Pray" has yet to reach the success of their first single "Face Down" which spent one year on Billboard's Modern Rock chart. But, hey, the song was just released only a few weeks ago. The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus is my favorite band so I'm really excited for their new stuff. The band just got done making a video for "You Better Pray" which has a different sound than their older stuff, but it's still good. You can hear two new songs on their Myspace page.

Is Layaway the New Credit Card?

I'm sure most of you have seen the K-Mart commercial for buying things early and putting them on layaway....No you were not imaging it...layaway is making a comeback! Days when credit cards were not nearly as popular and everything was paid in cash, layaway came in handy especially around the holidays.

The idea of it is very simple. Typically, you put down 10%-25% of the purchase price and then you have about eight weeks to pay the rest off, once that is done, that item is yours to keep. It may seem old and outdated, but in this economy some people don't have much of a choice if they want to buy gifts for the holidays.

Few stores are following in this layaway trend. Those such as Marshall's, TJ-Maxx, Home Goods, Burlington Coat Factory, K-Mart, and Sears are among the big name stores allowing consumers to put things on hold. But it is not just big names doing this, local boutiques are following this old trend that is now brought back to life. Rambling Rose right in the heart of New Paltz is also allowing for layaway.

So next time you hit the stores to do some holiday shopping, check and see for the layaway counter. It might help you out more than you know!!

new cafe on campus

Today I received an campus email that stated: "Campus Auxiliary Services is pleased to announce the opening of the Backstage Cafe at Parker Theater this Thursday, November 20th at 11:45 a.m. The Cafe will feature a salad bar, two soups daily, pizza, deli sandwiches, hot entrees and more. Dining Dollars, Hawk Dollars, Cash and Credit Cards accepted."

I think that this cafe is a very cool idea and hopefully it will offer more of a food variety for the campus and more chances for one to grab a cup of Joe (I have a bit of a coffee addiction issue). It will be interesting to see the effects it will have on the other campus dining areas, if it will have any effect on them at all. In the end, I hope that this cafe will revive the old bohemian feel that I think is slowly dwindling from our campus.

Operating hours for the remainder of the semester will be:
Monday-Thursday: 11:45 AM - 7:00 PM
Fridays: 11:45 AM - 4:00 PM

Beyonce strikes back

Beyonce rises up yet again with a new film on her hands and a new album I Am.. Sasha Fierce. This article mentions how Beyonce has the all around career: a solo artist that writes and produces her own songs and at the same time manages to sell platinum records, is continuing work on her fashion line, has endorsements with Pepsi and L'Oreal, and still finds time to star in movies.

The new film, "Cadillac Records," Beyonce plays the singer Etta James, in which she had spent some time with women staying in a Phoenix House facility in Brooklyn to research James' addiction. Adrien Brody said that she "had her game on track" with the role, and in order to maintain the role, Beyonce gained 15 pounds.

"I think that’s why I love doing movies so much, because it’s not just an art form. It changes my life and my music and the way I look at things," Beyonce said. The article really gives you another perspective on Beyonce as a person and it makes you respect her a WHOLE lot more.

Political Book Deals

Although Sarah Palin may have been a failure in the field of Politics, it seems that she is going to score big with a projected 7 million dollar book deal. The tell-all book will share stories of behind the scenes drama on the Republican campaign trail. It seems to me that so many people are so intrigued with the life of Sarah Palin, that this book is going to be quite the hot commodity. Hopefully it will touch on the rumors circulated in the past months, like the ridiciliously expensive wardrobe and makeup that Palin had demanded. 

Check out this blog from the Huffington Post, which talks more about her book deal, plus a link to Joe the Plumber's supposed book, "Joe The Plumber, Fighting The American Dream". Haha. 

New York Times editor talks about campaign coverage

Speaking to a group of students in the Honors Center on Nov. 14, Gerry Mullany, the deputy politics editor of the New York Times, reflected on his paper's election campaign coverage.

Mullany, who attended the Iowa caucuses, both party conventions, and spent time on the campaign trail with Sen. John McCain, said that two years ago the newspaper knew this election would be memorable. For this reason the paper decided to create a political desk in New York dedicated to publishing online material, including a blog and videos.

"We never had a political desk," Mullany said. "It was always run out of Washington." Hiring tech-savvy reporters, the new desk also provided material for the print version of the paper.

Mullany said the large field of Democratic and Republican candidates was difficult to deal with because the newspaper didn't have enough reporters to cover everyone. He said they had full-time staffers covering Barack Obama, Sen. Hillary Clinton, former Mayor of New York City Rudy Giuliani, Sen. John McCain and Mitt Romney, the former Governor of Massachusetts. Mullany admitted they thought Rudy Giuliani and Hillary Clinton would be the nominees and that they, "had no idea Obama would ever get this far."

Mullany offered insight into what it was like on election night in the newsroom, describing it as frantic. They were forced to wait until the television networks called the election for Obama to do the final edits. In fact, he said they had articles and layouts prepared for three scenarios: one for an Obama victory, one for a McCain victory, and one in the event of an undecided contest. On Nov. 5, the paper's headline simply read "Obama" in large font.

"We never had a headline like that where it didn't have a verb, the but the executive editor [Bill Keller] decided he wanted this to be a historic paper," stated Mullany. He added that, "it was a good decision because then the next day everybody was clamoring for a copy of the paper."

Mullany also discussed the Obama team's relationship with the press, and the President-elect's supposed offer to Sen. Hillary Clinton to become his secretary of state.

A larger version of this story will appear in the upcoming issue of the New Paltz Nugget, which hits the stands on Tuesday, Nov. 25. Make sure to pick up a copy before you leave for Thanksgiving break.

Vampire Frenzy

The star of a movie no one has even seen yet has been setting malls across America into an uproar. Robert Pattinson who plays perfect vampire boyfriend in the upcoming movie Twilight has gone on a mall tour and turning young girls there into vampire loving animals. The movie has not even come out into theaters yet, but young girls have been traveling from long distances to see Pattinson make his appearances. Only the first 500 fans online get an autograph, the rest just get to see him from a distance. Many people even camped out over night hoping to meet him. The article in the New York Times describes the different frantic reactions of fans who got the chance to walk past a table and say hello to Pattinson as he signed a poster for them. It was very descriptive of all the different types of girls, moms, and the occasional young boy who went up to him. It gave a good picture of the insanity that is Pattinson's mall tour. Girls were fainting, tears were streaming down cheeks, screams were yelled at high frequencies and a nose was broken. It also said that many of the first showings for Twilight are already sold out. I just think it is so crazy that people are so into this movie and this actor that they have never seen before. I know it was a huge book, but that doesn't mean the movie won't suck. Many books that have been turned into movies have been horrible.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/17/movies/17twil.html

For the Love of Words

In this Sunday's issue of The New York Times, Jack Shafer reviewed the book "Alphabet Juice," by Roy Blount Jr. In the article titled "The Joy of English" Shafer calls the book "his personal lexicon, usage manual, writers’ guidebook, etymological investigation and literary junk drawer." In the article, Blount is compared to H.L. Mencken for his ability to "write funny" and as a "superb reporter who possesses an imaginative intellect." From the excerpts and examples we get in the article, it is clear to see that "Alphabet Juice" is a must-have for all the lovers-of-words out there. Blount recognizes interesting aspects of the English language that may not have been thought about otherwise. After reading this article, I am certainly picking up a copy to add to my book shelf!

TRL cancelled!?

As we all know TRL which is also known as Total Request Live has been around since 1998. Many artists such as Britney Spears and N'sync were able launch their careers and albums through this show. Normally, TRL will show the top 10 songs of the days as chosen by viewers and fans. Also the hosts will have little competitions for audiences to win prices and the artist will join in as well.

Unfortunately, their ratings have dropped and the show was cancelled. Their last show aired on Nov. 16th with a two hour finale with a countdown of the most popular songs chosen by fans throughout the crazy years. This is a sad reality for many of those that follow music, such as myself. Memories of me running home after school to watch TRL will always be in my thoughts as i watch MTV now and no longer watch "guest appearances" arrive or crazy fans outside Times Square. =(

Obama Offers Hilary Clinton Secretary of State

According to the Huffington Post, President-Elect Barack Obama offered New York Senator, Hilary Clinton the position of Secretary of State.  Thursday, Obama offered the position to Clinton according to two senior Democratic officials.  Clinton requested time from Obama to consider the offer and is doing so.  This would launch Clinton to a national position in the White House along with more responsibilities she could base another Presidential run on.  The Village Voice is taking a very vocal stance against the possibility of Clinton at the position.

Dangerous 'Brown Clouds' Are Taking Over Cities

According to this article in the New York Times, the U.N. reported a cocktail of chemicals blotting out the sun in certain areas of the world.  The layer of brown clouds over parts of Asia is sometimes over a mile thick and visible from airplanes.  Los Angeles is a city also known for its intense amount of smog.  According to The Zonie Report of Arizona in this article, there is also  serious brown cloud over Phoenix.  Although we think we are immune to this in America, we are not and need to pay attention too.  We seem to be destroying our world and doing little to save it.

Ludacris New Album ....HOLLA!!!

pic comes from www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2006/09/

On November 25th Ludacris will be dropping his new album called Theater of the Mind. But not only is that so exciting in itself, but guess what?!?! I was listening to the radio while riding home this weekend when i heard a new show on Hot 97 called new at 2. They began to annonce the release of a new song from not only Ludacris, but also featuring Jay Z and Nas. What an amazing trio. The song they released is called " Do it For Hip Hop". I highly reccomend it. Its muscial colaborations like this which keep the music world exciting and new. In this particular song I really liked how each of the three bring their own flavor and sound style to the mix.

On this site they provide an MP3 link so you can listen to the song.
"Do it for Hip-Hop"

What's Going On

In this 2004 interview with PBS's Bill Moyers, Thomas Frank discusses his take on the distinct differences in voting and political issues of voters in the recent years. He believes that America has been voting on the basis of cultural issues instead of economic issues. Topics such as abortion and religion have driven the divide of voters in places like Kansas, which he describes in his book as traditionally a center for populist movement. He goes on to say that Democrats have dialed back there pushing of regulation in buisness, such as Clintons passing of NAFTA and the Telecommunications Act. Because of less focus on economic issues and more on cultural, Democrats, he says, have lost ground in lower and middle class areas in the midwest, plains and south where people hold cultural views more associated with conservative and Republican standpoints. Fast foward to today, and we can see through the lens of this economic recession how Baack Obama has used this issue as a lynchpin in his election. Obama's concentration of middle-class and lower income issues have seemed to speak to the younger generation, now being referred to as "the Millenials" or in this video generation We. If this video does sum us up as a generation; economic, enviornmental, and other issues aside from the cultural issues which have been important since the culture wars of the 1960's will begin to trump the issue Frank addresses in his interview.

Mr Monopoly

Photograph by Annie Leibovitz.

Given the high calibre of writing at Vanity Fair, I thought that including a profile from Vanity Fair would be a worthy addition to the blog. Another poignant reason for including this profile is that it is about Rupert Murdoch. Since denouncing his citizenship from Australia, I don't really think of him as a "neighbour" but his monopolization of, well...pretty much everything, makes him a most fascinating interview subject. His take on The New York Times is particularly interesting; he must be one of the only people this side of mars who thinks "it's soft stories and newsless front page, has forsaken what a newspaper is". After just attending a talk with the deputy politcal editor of The New York Times, I know of a few people who definitely feel differently!
On another note; the article was written over a series of interviews spanning 9 months. It is a good example of how one feature can take a long period of time to complete (Gay Taleese and Frank Sinatra rings a bell). It also isn't all that favourable to the man himself which in itself in interesting, given what we know about journalists writing unfavourable reports on people in the media. But I guess, Murdoch isn't really in the media so much as he is the media. I'm guessing he doesn't own Vanity Fair?.

A Darker Scene

This week the new James Bond film came out to raving reviews from critics this week The reviews point out that the film has the regular items that make this a classic Bond film (i.e. the hot ladies, hot cars and sexy fight scenes) but there is something new this time around: there is a darker turn to the series now. In the past we would see car crashes and gun fights which Bond would come out of unscathed. Not this time apparently. If you check out "Quantum of Solace" you will see James Bond bleed (and without a perfect shave. Imagine, saving the world and not having time to meet with a razor!). How exciting!

This new movie is not alone in changing an old series. Do we even need to point out the differences between the new maniacal/deranged Joker in Batman compared to part played by Jack Nicholson? I didn't think so.

Even if you compare the first two Harry Potter films to the last three, you can see a dramatic change. While a much newer series compared to the other two, the point is the same. Hollywood is going dark. And we like it.

MTV Launches Music Video Website, Tyler Goes on Depeche Mode Binge.

After years of nailing viewers with shows that documented obnoxious sweet sixteen parties, reality show burnouts in thrilling games, and just overall staged reality, MTV finally returned to their roots, albeit with a modern twist. Launched last week, MTVmusic.com is a one-stop website that contains nearly the entire music video library the cable channel possesses. By entering the name of the artist or the song, the music video pops up in stunning high-definition audio and video quality.

In my opinion, this is a totally awesome move for the network. In these times of YouTube, when people want music videos on the spot, it's good to know that MTVmusic.com hosts classics like Michael Jackson's "Thriller" or Peter Gabriel's "Sledgehammer" in a superb, almost pixel-free quality that one can rarely find on a routine YouTube search. I approve!

Ed Norton Pursues President Elect

In an attempt to truly capture and display the historic value of what occurred over the past two years, Edward Norton and a team of editors/actors have began editing down footage of Barack Obama's campaign trail journeys. The documentary has been picked up by HBO and should debut in the spring or summer of 2009. I have to say personally that I am excited about seeing the finished product. Who wouldn't want to see what really went on behind the scenes on the campaign trail. This is the election of my life time. It is probably something that will never be topped politically. Not to mention I can't see what product Ed Norton and Company put out there. Check it out.


Special thanks to the nytimes.com and soldierperspective.us for the photos.

A twist on sayin "I do"

In April, CNN.Com posted a story entitled Arranged marriage gets a high-tech twist. The article profiles a few different Muslim families and how technology has impacted the culture of arranged marriages. One woman, Sabiha Ansari, flew to India with her parents in 1991 to meet her potential husband. Within 20 minutes she was asked if she would marry him. Come 2005, her younger sister underwent a less stressful, more personable arranged marriage. She e-mailed her future husband off and on for seven months before they decided to get married. The article even peeks into sites like http://www.shaadi.com/, where parents can search for men and make profiles for their daughters to find them a suitable husband. Obviously technology hasn't deterred any cultural traditions. So out of curiosity I decided to visit Shaadi, which is Hindu for "wedding". Only thing that impressed me about the site is that most of the men had pretty good jobs. My cup of tea? Not so much.

CMA's a success for host Carrie Underwood...

Last night the 42nd CMA awards took place on ABC. It was hosted by Carrie Underwood and Brad Paisley. Now I love awards shows, but I have to admit, I dvr most of my shows and I pretty much sped through everything except the performances. I did notice some horrible costume changes by Carrie Underwood, but her performance was amazing and touching.

Underwood performed her "Just a Dream" song which speaks of a young woman losing her soon to be husband during wartime. The song was introduced by Leslie Ponder, whose husband was killed in combat in Afghanistan. Watch the video, it will be hard for you not to be touched.

The awards show followed the script of the last couple of years. Winners were Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Carrie Underwood, and George Straight. George Straight also set the record for the most CMA awards at 22.

Hopefully the CMA's will stick with the real country artists and take away the spotlight from performers like Jewel and Jessica Simpson. Nowadays everyone wants to say they've got a little bit of country in them.

Comedy gold at the box office

This week I got the oppurtunity to see two very funny movies in theaters, something I have not accomplished in one week in quite some time. I saw Seth Rogen's new movie Zach and Miri Make a Porno and Paul Rudd and Sean William Scott's Role Models. My expectations going in were total opposites for the two. I had heard great things about Zach and Miri (which was banned from theaters in places like Utah because it has porno in the title), and Role Models is the type of buddy, odd-couple comedy that I usually avoid at all costs. However, both are very well-written and acted, with hilarious bits of dialogue that are usually associated with Rogen and Rudd. I would definitely recommend them to anyone looking for a laugh.

How To Get Howard Stern and Oprah Together

Today satellite radio stations XM and Sirius have finally merged. This makes the allure of going with satellite more enticing since potential listeners no longer have to choose between the two different companies. The decision includes sharing some of the more popular channels, such as Howard Stern's, while cutting some of the variety genre-specific stations. This comes at a time when local radio stations are showing low ratings, including some local FM stations in the Hudson Valley-- 101.5 and 96.9-- who have had to release some of their radio personalities due to budget cuts. Satellite radio isn't the only reason for loss of money to FM channels (we can also blame iPods and MP3's for that), but I highly doubt this merger will help them fight back.

Pic courtesy of gizmodo.com

Prank Group Falsifies End of Iraq War

This is the FAKE New York Times handed out by pranksters. It is NOT real.

Today, in New York City, thousands of copies of this fake New York Times paper were handed out, convincing people that the War in Iraq was over and the troops were coming home immediately. The paper was dated July 2009, and is filled with dozens of other news stories that would let every Liberal die happy - including "Court Indicts Bush on High Treason Charge" and "USA Patriot Act Repealed." It's a "Liberal utopia," as the (real) New York Times puts it. The prank group that issued it, The Yes Men, even created an entire fake NY Times website to go along with the special issue. This is one of the most elaborate pranks I've ever seen, and I'm impressed by how much time and energy they put into it.

While I do think this was an interesting political statement, I'm going to give this prank a giant thumbs down. Convincing hopeful people who might possibly have loved ones in Iraq that the war they all loathe is finally over? Not cool. Really not cool. Frankly, I'm not sure how the people involved were able to do this with a clear conscience.

Kate Winslet

     I'm not much for celebrity profiles, actually I avoid them at all costs, but when browsing the Vanity Fair magazine website, even though until now I have found this magazine a bit dry, I noticed a profile about Kate Winslet; for some reason, I was like, 'ok, maybe I'll give this a chance, after all if it was in Vanity Fair, it can't be as mundane as a People Magazine pop journalism, surface deep profile, maybe there's some substance.' So I read it. It began with a scene- surprise! But this scene kind of pulled me in, it was eloquently written, and also included unique information, such as that Winslet rolls her own cigarettes. Usually the action of rolling cigarettes reminds me of old lumberjacks or of the Turkish exchange student in one of my classes, since I saw him rolling one one day in class. Anyway, back to the story. Unlike me, it maintains focus on Winslet and her mannerisms and life, but also incorporates information about the movies she has been in and the extrinsic circumstances surrounding them. The article even includes information about Winslet's and DiCaprio's friendship; they seem to be a pretty classic movie duo, since the release of Titanic. The way that the reporter relates their onscreen duo to Bogart and Bergman fabricated thoughts of black and white classics, with all of their sophistication and style. What intrigued me was the fact that Winslet's husband actually encouraged her and DiCaprio to work closely in their movie, Revolutionary Road. It's also interesting how the reporter included her biographical information; although, it was fortunate that her and her husband were born in the same small English hospital, so there's an easy way to tie that bit of information into the profile. This story follows the simple formula for a profile, but it also was surprisingly interesting. Winslet's quotes remained intelligent sounding throughout, there were outside sources, and it just kind of flowed so that I didn't find myself wondering when it would be over. What stood out to me, other htan the eloquence with which this article was written, was the way the Winslet is just fine with having a full shape, like she sort of doesn't feed into the stick thin celebrity fad, which I find inspiring when we live in a culture obsessed with appearance and weight. Maybe I won't avoid Vanity Fair anymore, maybe it's not as starchy and snoody as I had assumed.

Best places to grow up

If your a family with children or thinking of having children then you may want to look at Businessweek . They have their second annul list of the Best places in America to raise children. Some of the results were based on number of schools, school performances, air quality, parks, theaters, job growth, and family income. School performance and safety was looked at the most. The list is broken down into places in each state. Each place has a small description about it and what is available in each town. It includes historic places that may be around. The list also includes towns that are runners up as the best places to raise kids. This is definitely a helpful list to help people decide where to live, and it gets updated each year.

Sasha and Malia said she's Just being Miley

Soon to be first kids, Sasha and Malia Obama have been asked to appear in a Hannah Montana episode. When asked about it Miley Cyrus said "They are kind of like me before I started my own career. You are kind of put in it because their dad and because of my dad … so I would want it to be normal and they could come hang out on the set with normal girls. I think that would be fun for them." President-elect Obama has mentioned numerous times that the girls are big fans of the show. Malia, 10 and Sasha 7, will most likely appear in an episode airing sometime around April. It makes me wonder what characters they would play or if kids watching the show will even understand who they are.

Tyler Chooses Record Store as Next Assignment, Few Surprised

For the next assignment in the J1 class, I will be putting a spotlight on a fantastic record store in the town of Red Hook. Hong Kong Records, formerly a baseball card shop with few records and now a full-fledged record shop with no baseball cards, is a small beacon of independent hope when mega-retailers like Best Buy are jumping in the vinyl bandwagon. Should be an interesting article when I talk to the sole employee of the place, the owner who I've currently christened "Post-Metal Beard Guy."

And, who knows, I might finally buy that Minor Threat ep in the process!

the daily show/obama

In last week's class, someone brought up the fact that since Obama is elected now, Jon Stewart may run out of jokes for The Daily Show because there isn't going to be much to make fun of. With jokes/spoofs/puns that comprised of the Bush presidency, the Daily Show now has to invent some new material that will keep its viewers' attention.

Several other satirical icons such as Saturday Night Live and the Onion are struggling to find good Obama jokes. This article from New York Magazine points out that Jon Stewart is now "hopeful and delighted" about the new president so a viewer wouldn't want Stewart attempting to make jokes. The article lists other things that Stewart can still joke about, including the Republicans or even Obama fans.

Zack and Miri Make a Romantic Comedy

Last week I went to see the new Seth Rogen movie "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" which was directed by Kevin Smith. Going into the theater I expected a raunchy comedy, based on the title and the trailer, but what I got was a feel good romantic comedy. The movie was entertaining and had it's fair share of funny moments, however most of the jokes were toilet humor and relied heavily on shock value. The film really pushed the bar on how far the R rating can be stretched, but still ended up being a romantic comedy. Overall the film wasn't terrible, it was able to hold my attention throughout, but the balance felt off and I just expected more from the combination of Smith and Rogen. I really thought the two would be able to deliver something better.

Eden Boutique

I plan to do my article on Eden Boutique. Its a cute little clothing and jewelry shop. It seems to be very fashion forward with prices a little bit higher than other clothing stores around here. I haven't met with people from the store yet but I plan on doing that this week. I wonder if business has gone done since the economy is in such shambles. They have beautiful pieces and one of a kind things. I've never shopped there before, but I just may fall in love....

Harry Potter Actor on Today Show

Daniel Radcliffe a.k.a. Harry Potter, appeared this morning on the Today Show. Radcliffe, 19, bares all on his new role in the broadway production of Equus. Equus is about a stable boy and psychiatrist who search to understand the religious and sexual mystery that leads to an extraordinary event. It opened September 25 and is running on Broadway until February 8, 2009. Ann Curry questioned Radcliffe about his feelings on being nude in front of an audience and he responded that in the beginning it was difficult but after the first few shows he became more comfortable. It is shocking for Harry Potter fans all over the world to see such a conservative side of Radcliffe to now a more revealing side. For now, Harry Potter stays strong as Radcliffe's main role (at least for the next two movies). But the future holds many new and different opportunities that Radcliffe can branch out to and not just be seen as Harry Potter.

America's Happiest Jobs

I came across this article, and thought it was pretty appropiate for all of us seniors who are about to graduate in the upcoming months, and venture out into the real world. The University of Chicago recently conducted a study, and found the top ten most satisfying jobs in America. The top occupations include Clergy, Firefighters, Transportation, Ticket, and Reservation Agents, Architects, Special Education Teachers, Actors and Directors, Science Technicians, Mechanical and Repairing Occupations, Industrial Engineers, and Airline Pilots and Navigators. I found the list to be pretty suprising and quite diverse. However, when you take a closer look, you can see that all of these jobs include helping people. In our society, it is nice to see that helping people can still cause happiness! 

The article goes on to interview some people in these specific careers, and why they find it to be so rewarding. It's a great article, click here to check it out! 

Taco Shack

(Picture from http://www.roadfood.com/Reviews/Overview.aspx?RefID=4043)

I would like to do my local story on Taco Shack. I love Mexican food and I think they can do it well. It is not authentic but it still tastes great. This weekend I was sick and unable to talk so I am going to work on getting my story this week.

Highland Ford and Chevrolet

I've decided that for my story on a local business I will focus on Highland Ford and Chevrolet, an auto dealership in Highland, New York. I've already interviewed its Business Director Ryan Anderson for a piece I helped produce for Radio Journalism. I talked with him for over ten minutes and he was very articulate and frank about the state of his dealership and the auto industry in general. I think it will be a very newsworthy piece focusing on the struggling domestic car market, gas prices and trends in consumer spending.

Prima Bailarina

pic: www.itsablackthang.com

When Whitney Huston sung "Oh, I wanna dance with somebody..." I'm pretty sure she was referring to going to a club and finding a man who would ask her to dance. But what about those who aren't lucky enough to be asked or perhaps require a dancing partner who shares similar moves to them?

This article from New York Magazine is a profile of Rosa. Rosa is a Bailarina; a dancer at a specialized bailarina bar who will dance with men (mostly immigrants) for a small fee per song and more for a whole night. It's a great example of using one person as a profile subject whilst talking about a broader issue. The descriptions and scenes are also very vivid. It definitely had me saying "Only in America too..."

Has the Civil War Finally Been Won?

This op-ed article by Thomas Friedman from the New York Times may not be exactly along the lines of a feature article, but it provides a perspective of the 2008 election that dates far back in American History. Friedman suggests that Barack Obama's election as President of the United States marks the end of the Civil War, which began in 1861. The title of the article is "Finishing Our Work" and he discusses such civil rights movements as Brown vs. Board of Education and Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. This election, though, was the necessary component in actually putting an end to the racial inequality that was fought for in the Civil War. Obama plans to name his inauguration speech "The rebirth of Freedom," in honor of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. He has been re-reading the works of Lincoln as President elect. It is clear to see that Obama is founding his ideals in those of past President's such as Lincoln and F.D.R. who had to work in the face of adversity to make a difference in a suffering country. Whether or not the Civil War has finally ended, as Friedman suggests, only time will tell. But, 147 years later, we're finally taking steps in the right direction.

The Rocket Summer

So I guess I'm a little behind because this video for The Rocket Summer's "Do You Feel" came out in September. I really like The Rocket Summer and think it's so cool that Bryce Avary makes up the entire band. When I was watching this video a few days ago I thought it was a really cool concept; it took me watching it about three times to realize that there are people from other bands in here, which of course, I thought made the video awesome. The Rocket Summer mentions them all on his MySpace blog but here are a few: Andrew McMahon (Jack's Mannequin), Matt Thiessen (Relient K), and Alex Gaskarth (All Time Low).

Fighting the Hudson Valley

In the last few years the mixed martial world has exploded and it touching small towns across America. There is a martial arts dojo in almost every small town in the Hudson Valley. In some towns there are two. SUNY New Paltz is no exception. It, too, has its own martial arts thing going on, though I am not sure what it is. In Kingston there is the Ulster Budokai. The Dojo is a hole in the wall with bruised and broken wood paneling, stained ceilings, and very little space. Yet, the club boasts a memebership of over fifty people, some of which have been with the club for as long fifteen years. The owner is Sensei Mark Roosa. He is a retired physics tecaher who has been teaching Judo for over thirty years. The club is located off of Broadway on a sidestreet...that is too easy to miss. So why do people stay with this club that is falling apart? The sense of family, an awesome work out, and the ability to do self defense. The club meets on Monday at 730/ Thursday at 830. There are also kids classes. The club focuses on Judo, which the is the national sport for Japan. It is known for its throwing, take downs, arm bars, pins, and choking. It is not for the faint hearted, but anyone can do it...if they choose to.

Groovy Blueberry

I thought I'd do my feature article on the Groovy Blueberry shop located on Main Street, which sells tie-dyed clothing. I haven't seen too many shops that sell tie dye let alone a whole shop that specializes in it, so I thought it would be interesting to find out a little about the history and why the owners specifically chose to go into tie-dye. Here is a link to the official website.

Sierra Moon Relaunching Store

I will be doing my local story on a clothing shop located in New Paltz on Main Street. The store is called Sierra Moon and it has been in business for a short time but with the current economic conditions, they are having trouble keeping the store open. It is your typical New Paltz store where you can buy hemp made clothing, candles, crystals, incense and anything else you can think of that is New Paltzish. The store has recently redeveloped the interior and has brought in brand new mercahndise to attract new customers so be sure to stop in and check it out.

Bad Grade?

This was inspired by nothing other than a bad grade! (That of course I don't think I deserved).
I got used to receiving A's and B's on my papers and exams, so when I got a C+ on one of my papers I was pissed! There are so many things I want to say about it but instead of spewing negative things all over this blog, I'll spin that energy around and allow the following quotes to inspire myself and students alike.


"If I don’t do as well as I had expected to on an assignment or test, then it motivates me to work even harder in the class. I’ll study more and put more time and effort into my work for that class. I also think that speaking with the professor helps, because that way they see that you are making an effort. Don’t wait until the day before the next test or project is due to speak to your professor, go talk to them early. You will look better in their eyes if they see that you aren’t waiting until the last minute and you will benefit from getting whatever advice they may give you earlier."
--Cayla C.


"Receiving a lower grade than expect was always a panic moment for me at first. With the first glance of the grade on the paper there is always a lot of anticipation. After seeing the grade, having a brief panic moment, I would then read the professor's comments if any, and go back over the paper and test to see what I had done wrong. Since these grades were few and far between for me I often found myself waiting after class for the professor, sending him or her an email, or scheduling an appointment to figure out what I had done wrong."
--Micaela H.



"I’d be lying if I ever said it didn’t hurt -- it’s very discouraging when you get low grades. Fortunately for me, though, is that every bad grade I’ve gotten on a test or paper has usually been directly correlated to how much time/effort I spent preparing for the test. Whether it’s not spending enough time studying or staying up too late the night before, or even not eating before the test, I try to take low grades as a reason to do better on the next assignment. It’s hard to not feel pressure to perform well on the next test, but you have to go into every test with a clean slate and feel like you are doing your personal best -- and for me, whenever I feel like I did my personal best, I’ve usually been happy with my results. Always remember, as well, if you do badly on something and don’t know why, it’s a really good idea to talk to the professor about ways they suggest you should prepare for the next assignment. Especially with projects, doing the bulk of them ahead of time and continually checking in with your professor to make sure you’re doing it right will increase your chances of having a good result."
--Jessica W.

For more quotes like these, from students like you and me, visit the Student Success Strategies Website at: http://www.mycollegesuccessstory.com/success-stories/bad-grade.html