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(11/08/06 12:00pm)
It was all fun and games last Friday at "Fantasia," the Asian American Association's (AAA) annual late-nighter, held in Decker Hall.
"Fantasia" was the first of many events in the works for AAA's "Experience Asia Month," which began with a preview last Wednesday. "My goal for tonight is for everyone to have a good time . play some games . and learn a little bit about Asian culture," Adrien Ong, president of AAA and senior nursing major, said.
AAA provided an array of different games for students to play. Some were household names, like Taboo, Pictionary and Cranium. Others were popular games in Asia like Sudoku and Mah Jongg.
Sudoku is a logic-centered puzzle game that first became popular in 1986, but it has recently become an international sensation. Mah Jongg, very similar to poker, is a game based on a mix of strategy and pure luck.
However, it was the highly popular video games Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) and Guitar Hero that drew the most players and spectators at the event.
Julius Reyes, freshman computer science major, competed against a friend in a game of Guitar Hero. Guitar Hero is a new music video game in which "guitar-shaped peripherals" serve as the primary controllers for players to mimic the playing of an electric guitar.
While some students thrived as players competing against their friends during the night, others were happy to be spectators only. "It's good to get out and meet a lot of people and have a good time," Lauren Fischer, sophomore elementary education/English major, said.
Stephanie Snyder, junior nursing major, also said she enjoyed the event and decided to come to support a friend. "I came to see my friend Lejanie Malong perform a ribbon dance, and get some pizza and socialize," she said. Snyder's friend was one of six women who performed a traditional Chinese ribbon dance later that night.
Each year, members of AAA decide on what games to feature at "Fantasia." "It depends on who has what (game) and what is popular at the time," Ong said.
For instance, Ong said that a couple of members got Chinese yo-yos when they visited Taiwan, which students were encouraged to play with throughout the night.
Ong also gave a demonstration about the Chinese yo-yo to teach people how to use it.
The Chinese yo-yos were each made of two plastic wheels attached to each side of a steel rod tied to strings. Ong performed a number of different tricks with the yo-yo, which the audience responded to with much applause.
Another popular activity at the late-nighter was origami, which attracted many students. Origami is a Japanese art form in which people fold paper to make intricate and colorful designs.
Students also got Henna tattoos. Ong described them as having originated in India, where brides usually had them painted on their hands and feet before their weddings.
As the night continued, three members of the Martial Arts Club led a demonstration on the self-defense technique Aikido. Aikido is a martial art that relies more on positioning the body to escape from or divert an attacker, rather than physically harming the attacker.
(11/08/06 12:00pm)
Students observed a popular art form in Chinese culture when they attended a lecture on Chinese shadow theater, sponsored by the Chinese Culture Club on Oct. 19. The lecture, "China's Amazing Shadow Theater," featured Mary Hirsch, an independent scholar from Princeton, who has studied the popular art form for over 20 years.
"The first thing that attracted me to Chinese shadow theater (was) the figures themselves," Hirsch said. "They were fantastic."
According to the Web site china-corner.com, Chinese shadow theater is an ancient folk art that originated almost 1,000 years ago. In Chinese shadow theater, musicians sit backstage behind a white screen and use their hands and strings to manipulate colorful and intricately designed puppets in order to depict stories. Music and sound effects often accompany the performances.
Hirsch used a PowerPoint presentation as a visual complement in order to highlight the different kinds of performances, character types, themes and settings.
Although Chinese shadow theater utilizes puppets to portray characters instead of people, the art form is not without its share of character archetypes. For instance, there are "good guys," "bad guys," "tricksters" and other popular archetypes that artists have depicted in stories and plays since the beginning of time. According to Hirsch, in Chinese shadow theater the male lead is known as "Sheng," the painted-face character is known as "Jing" and spirits in the stories are known as "Shengai."
Matthew Talarico, freshman engineering major, said he enjoyed Hirsch's lecture and presentation.
"I thought the best part about the lecture was learning about the identifying features of each one of the different character types," he said. "I think I learned a lot about different symbols in Chinese culture and the importance of shadow theater."
Hirsch also spoke about the color symbolism in the puppets, whose faces are brightly painted. She showed the audience different paintings of the puppets' faces. Hirsch explained that puppets with black faces usually represent benevolent characters, while white faces represent evil characters.
Some students from Dr. Jia-Yan Mi's modern languages course in Chinese attended the lecture. One of the students, Stephanie Seto, freshman history major, said she really enjoyed the presentation.
"It was different from other programs I've been to in the past and not that many people know about it," Seto said. She also said she especially liked "the different paintings and how they were representative of different characters."
In her presentation, Hirsch showed photographs and silk paintings of Chinese shadow theater characters as well as film clips from actual Chinese shadow theater performances.
The performances in Chinese shadow theater are military-oriented (including fighting, death and blood), domestic-oriented (the setting revolves around the familial interactions between people at home) and supernatural-oriented (gods, ghosts, monsters and special effects).
Although one of the most exciting spectacles about the art form is its graphic scenes, there usually is also a historical context and lots of humor in the stories, Hirsch explained.
Viewing images of Chinese shadow theater performances in photographs and paintings doesn't have nearly the same effect as physically witnessing the art form unfold in each scene. Recognizing this, Hirsch invited a few students to enact a Chinese shadow theater performance using miniature puppets to entertain the audience. The audience welcomed the student performance, which resulted in plenty of laughs.
Chris Lee, president of the Chinese Culture Club and senior computer science major, said he was pleased with the outcome.
"The turnout was pretty good for a small club," he said. "I saw some new faces, so that was good."
Lee stressed that the program was especially important because it gave the Chinese Culture Club legitimacy.
"We were able to solely showcase Chinese culture," he said. "This is one of the reasons why Chinese Culture Club exists."
(09/06/06 12:00pm)
Laughter filled the Mayo Concert Hall Thursday night as students welcomed three comedians to the stage at the annual Welcome Week Comedy Show, sponsored by the College Union Board (CUB) and the Welcome Week committee.
Comedians Carmen Lynch, Chris Fonseca and Mariano Rodriguez brought the laughs, and like most comedians, didn't hesitate to make some audience members a part of the punchline.
It didn't seem to bother the students at all. In fact, it actually made them laugh harder.
"I think when comedians bring a person from the crowd into the joke, it draws in any student that is connected to that person, whether the student is that person's friend, roommate or classmate, which makes the performances even funnier," Shawn Peterson, junior biology major and CUB member, said.
Early on, Carmen Lynch, who opened the show, drew attention to Allen Soriano, a student sitting in the front row who sported a noticeable haircut.
Pointing to Soriano's mohawk, she said, "I was gonna get my hair just like that, but I already look like a man."
She also got the students involved by asking questions about the campus, which at times resulted in students drawing laughs from their peers.
"What's the best part about (the College)?" Lynch asked the audience. One male student's response: the 7-to-3 female-to-male ratio.
Lynch, who was a finalist on the first season of NBC's "Last Comic Standing," spent the majority of her time on stage discussing her hopeless love life (she's six feet tall and can't find a man her height), her lack of goals and her parents (they married after four dates).
The highlight of the comedy show was the sarcastic, outrageous and sometimes dirty humor of Chris Fonseca, a veteran standup comic who graced the stages of "The Late Show with David Letterman," HBO's "Loco Slam," PBS's "Look Who's Laughing" and ABC's ninth annual American Comedy Awards during his 21-year career in comedy.
His material included jokes about sex, marriage, political correctness when it comes to disabled people and meeting celebrities like KISS and Ozzy Osbourne.
Fonseca, who was born with cerebral palsy and is confined to a wheelchair because of it, showed the audience that he was also born with the ability to incite laughter.
"Chris was my favorite," Dave Adams, a junior chemistry major who has attended the show every year, said. "I thought he was absolutely hysterical. I especially liked the Cinco de Mayo joke."
In Fonseca's Cinco de Mayo joke, he told the audience that he hates Cinco de Mayo because he believes that white people invented the holiday so they could break into all the Mexicans' homes and steal their stuff back.
Like Lynch, Fonseca also made it his business to evoke laughter from the audience by making a joke about Soriano, who later told the audience he was a biomedical engineering major.
Fonseca told the audience he'd never want Soriano to work on him if he got hurt because Fonseca is "fucked up enough" due to his disability.
When bringing up his disability, Fonseca claimed that he's still nowhere near as slow as people from West Virginia.
Los Angeles comic Mariano Rodriguez ended the show with jokes about his Latino upbringing and why he feared being deported as a young kid for bad behavior, while his peers only had to avoid being grounded.
Rodriguez also brought a humorous spirit to political topics like gay marriage and immigration.
His take on immigration is simple, he said. "Since the people who immigrate into the U.S. usually don't speak English, if you're losing your job to people like this, then maybe it's you who should be deported," Rodriguez said.
Erin Palermo, freshman psychology major, said she came to the show with a group of friends and enjoyed every minute of it.
"The show was really good," she said. "It was hilarious."
The annual Welcome Week Comedy Show, usually held in Kendall Hall, took place in the Music Building this year because of ceiling repairs in Kendall Hall.
"We had to look at a different venue, so we had to pick a venue that would still be suitable for the amount of people that were coming and one that would have a stage suitable for the comedians to perform on," Tara Conte, director of CUB, said.
Conte said she was impressed not only by the quality of the performances, but also by the number of students who attended.
More than 200 people attended the comedy show, she said.
"It seemed like people were really excited about seeing a comedy show," Conte said. "I think we had a pretty good turnout."
(09/06/06 12:00pm)
With a change of season upon us, a new television season comes right along with it with plenty of old standbys and some new blood, too.
There is even a new network this season in the form of the CW, created from the merger of the WB and UPN, located on the WB's former home on the dial.
Returning Favorites
These are the shows that already have a faithful audience.
Fans of these shows have been anticipating the re-emergence of these television hits for months, and now their wait is finally over.
Lost
Wednesdays, 9 p.m., ABC
Season Premiere: Oct. 4
4, 8, 15, 16, 23, 42. What do those numbers really mean? Will fans ever find out? Beats me.
The drama about plane crash survivors stranded on an island where nothing seems to be a coincidence is sure to offer many more strange happenings.
The only not-so-good part about this season's return is that only six or seven original episodes will air at the beginning of the season.
The remaining new episodes will air in February and run with no repeats until the May season finale.
Desperate Housewives
Sundays, 9 p.m., ABC
Season Premiere: Sept. 24
Whether you hate these women or love them, the ladies of "Desperate Housewives" are returning to Wisteria Lane in full effect this month for a third season of suburban scandals.
In the season opener, Xiao-Mei is getting ready to give birth and Bree and Orson are getting engaged.
Other returning ABC shows include: "Grey's Anatomy," "The Bachelor," "Boston Legal"
Everybody Hates Chris
Sundays, 7 p.m., CW
Season Premiere: Oct. 1
Chris Rock's childhood is the inspiration behind the premise of this hit show gearing up for its second season.
The comedian narrates the funny and tenderhearted coming-of-age sitcom about a teenager growing up as the eldest of three children in Brooklyn, N.Y., in the early 1980s.
America's Next Top Model
Wednesdays, 8 p.m., CW
Season Premiere: Sept. 20
Tyra and her clan of fashionistas are back for yet another season of one of America's highest rated reality television shows.
Last season, Danielle took the title. This year, 13 more hopefuls will vie for the top spot in a series of modeling challenges and photo shoots, with an elimination each week.
Who will be America's next top model?
Other returning CW shows include: "Veronica Mars," "One Tree Hill," "7th Heaven," "Gilmore Girls"
House
Tuesdays, 8 p.m., FOX
Season Premiere: Sept. 5
After a mind-bending season finale, "House" returns to the line-up and House (Hugh Laurie) returns to work after he suffered multiple gunshot wounds last season.
He may or may not have a new, more tender approach to his patients, and though he'll be a kinder, gentler House in the first episode, it remains to be seen whether it will continue into the season.
Other returning FOX shows include: "Family Guy," "Prison Break," "Nanny 911"
My Name is Earl
Thursdays, 8 p.m., NBC
Season Premiere: Sept. 21
The critically-acclaimed and Emmy-winning sitcom "My Name is Earl" shows just how funny the idea of karma can be.
After winning a small lottery, Earl (Jason Lee) comes to a realization that he must transform his good luck into a life-changing event by righting all the wrongs from his past.
Helping him get right again this season are his unlucky brother Randy, the sex-kitten Catalina and Darnell, the owner of the Crab Shack where Earl drinks regularly. And we can't forget his ex-wife Joy (Jamie Presley), who makes this show even more entertaining.
Other returning NBC shows include: "Law & Order," "The Office," "Scrubs," "Deal or No Deal"
CSI
Thursdays, 9 p.m., CBS
Season Premiere: Sept. 21
The team is back this season with all new episodes in this popular crime-drama series.
The story lines always have their twists, and viewers this season will once again try to solve the mystery of "who did it" as they watch their favorite characters bring down the bad guys.
Other returning CBS shows include: "Cold Case," "Criminal Minds," "The New Adventures of Old Christine"
New Arrivals
In a matter of weeks or months, these new shows could either become major hits or major flops.
Although some of these shows are already creating a buzz in the industry, viewers will still be taking a chance when tuning in this fall.
The networks are again keeping their fingers crossed, hoping to avoid pink slips with these new arrivals.
The Nine
Wednesdays, 10 p.m., ABC
Series Premiere: Oct. 4
ABC is hoping this new ensemble drama will create the same buzz other ensemble shows like "Desperate Housewives" and "Lost" did.
The premise: What happens after nine people are taken hostage for 52 hours in a bank robbery?
The show leaves out most of those 52 hours in the bank, opting to show only flashbacks.
The core of this suspenseful drama lies in how the trauma has brought some of the characters closer together and driven others apart.
Studio 60 on The Sunset Strip
Mondays, 10 p.m., NBC
Series Premiere: Sept. 18
Matthew Perry, America's favorite "Friend," stars in this smart and edgy show about the behind the scenes drama that unravels daily on the set of a fictional late-night popular comedy sketch show.
The Game
Mondays, 8:30 p.m., CW
Series Premiere: Oct. 1
Former "Sister, Sister" star Tia Mowry is all grown up and for the first time on network television, not playing a twin.
This time around she's playing the girlfriend of NFL player Derwin.
Her character, Melanie Barnett, discovers the power that NFL wives and girlfriends have over "the game" by nabbing their men the best agents, endorsements and merchandising deals.
While not a promising show according to some industry insiders, fans of Tia Mowry may want to give it a trial tune-in.
Ugly Betty
Thursdays, 8 p.m., ABC
Series Premiere: Sept. 28
"The Devil Wears Prada" comes to television in this comedy/drama that doesn't star Anne Hathaway or Meryl Streep. However, the premise is the same.
Smart but unattractive Betty is hired to work at a glamorous fashion magazine because she's the only woman, and editor-in-chief Daniel Meade won't bed her.
To view all the returning favorites and the new arrivals you can't wait to watch, log on to tvguide.com.
Tune in next week for a reprinting of the College channel guide.
(04/12/06 12:00pm)
Deception and denial shatters a post-World War II family in Arthur Miller's timeless play "All My Sons."
All College Theatre (ACT) brought Miller's play to the Don Evans Black Box Theater for a five-night run, which also marked ACT's last full-length production of the year.
To crowds of students, faculty and parents, the actors delivered compelling performances in a drama that tackled serious material, which can be hard to accomplish effectively, especially in college productions.
Some students were familiar with the play and appreciated seeing the characters come to life on stage. "I had to read it (the play) in high school . they're (the cast) doing a really good job," Christine Pennacchio, junior secondary education/physics major, said.
Directed by Jennifer Sherron Stock, the plot focuses on the Keller and Deever families. The tragic figure, Joe Keller (Dennis Chin) owns a prosperous manufacturing business that produces aero engine parts.
He has kept a harrowing secret from his son, Chris Keller (Jason Barrameda), a war World War II veteran who lost his brother, Larry, in the war three years ago. Chris now wants his parents' blessing to marry his brother's ex-girlfriend, Ann Deever (Lindsay Gelay).
Kate Keller (Honor Friberg) is a grieving mother who remains in denial about her son's death, which in turn makes it easy for her to conceal her husband's secret - the crime he committed during the war may have resulted in their son's death.
For many seniors in the play, the production marked their last performance with ACT. "It was the last show for a lot of people in the cast . and I was fortunate enough to be apart of it," James Introcaso (Dr. Jim Bayliss), sophomore communication studies major, said.
The tone of the play, like most tragedies, is extremely dark and intense. When Chris Keller finally discovers the truth about his father's crime, he becomes enraged and emotional. The look in his eyes is painful to watch as he uses physical force on a man he once admired. "What are you?" he screams, shaking his father by the collar of his shirt. This scene, like many others in the play is moving, but upsetting to watch.
Nevertheless, there are light-hearted moments that give the play balance. "I liked it a lot . there's light humor, which is good, since the material (in the play) is kind of heavy," Luke Franklin, a 2004 graduate of the College and former ACT member, said. "I know most of the people in the cast, so I just wanted to support them," he said.
Many of the light-hearted scenes are a result of Chin, who is always able to elicit laughs from the audience with his time-appropriate one-liners. When Joe (Chin) catches his son and Ann kissing, they are startled, but he makes light of the embarrassment. The first time he catches them, he says, "Oh, I didn't know it was Labor Day." The second time he says, "Every time I come out here, it looks like playtime." The audience embraced Chin's humor, which is warranted, especially after many emotionally charged scenes.
Pennacchio, who has seen many ACT productions in the past said that Chin can be both "hilarious" and "serious." "When I watch (Chin), he has an authentic way about his acting," she said.
All of actors, whether in large or minor roles, immersed themselves in their characters. It took a lot of practice - four weeks of intense rehearsal.
"I think in order to connect with your character you need to connect with your own personal experiences," Gelay, junior deaf education/elementary education and English major, said.
Barrameda's role called for a range of emotions, which he displayed with passion in every scene. The sophomore biology major said he approaches his craft with focus. "There are a million ways to sound angry," he said. "You have to sit and think about how to deliver each line."
Chin, senior biology and sociology major, examined his character, allowing him to bring more depth to a character he has little in common with. "He is so different from me, he is an older male," he said. "And he lost his son - I don't know what it's like to lose a son."
Performing in front of crowds five nights in a row can wreak havoc on an actor's nerves, but Chin didn't let it bother him. After all, this production is his 13th show as an actor or director with ACT.
Gelay felt similarly. "I get stage fright every time I go on stage," she said. "I convert it into positive energy . the key for me is to stay focused and stay in the moment."
The production also brought students who are eager to act in the future. "I'm interested in theater and am thinking of possibly joining ACT," Amber Cox, freshman business management major, said. She also pointed out a performance that she thought was exceptional, Friberg's portrayal of the grieving mother. "I probably enjoyed her performance the best," Cox said. "She was really was believable."
ACT has presented a multitude of plays this year, including "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "An Evening of Shorts." Chin recognized the significance of plays in a college environment. "It is important to see what your peers are doing," he said. "This play itself has so many universal themes that everyone can relate to and that are particularly relevant today."
Barrameda agreed wholeheartedly. "The arts is such a huge part of the campus community," he said. "You're never too busy to enjoy something like this."
(01/25/06 12:00pm)
It looks like Jamie Foxx has more than just Oscar on the brain with the release of his new album, "Unpredictable."
The highly anticipated album, released just over a month ago, is a solid record for a man who is fairly new to the R&B game.
Although the album is a follow-up to his 1994 debut, "Peep This," college-age listeners are more familiar with Foxx the actor.
Foxx introduces the album with the first single and title track "Unpredictable."
Like the rest of the tracks, Foxx sizzles with sex appeal as he assures the ladies that he can be unpredictable in the bedroom.
Lyrics like "Baby one plus one ain't two when you wit me/ 'C' ain't after 'A' and 'B' when you wit me/ It don't make sense right now but it will/ Later on when you see how I make you feel," capture the sexuality that is second nature to the R&B genre.
Ludacris also spices up the record with his quick and witty rhymes, giving this song an extra boost of excitement.
The best thing about the song is the old-school '70s R&B feel it has, which is apparent in many of Foxx's songs, but is sadly missing in most R&B today.
Another song that is sure to become a favorite is "DJ Play Another Love Song."
The sensual, stimulating and seductive mid-tempo track is excellently produced and arranged. Foxx delivers strong vocals to flesh out the strong melody.
In the song, Foxx fantasizes about pursuing and seducing a woman whose man doesn't appreciate her. With suggestive lyrics like "She's lookin' at me kinda hard/ I can tell that things ain't right on the home front," Foxx hints at an affair.
Rap artist Twista also turns out this track with a guest appearance, fusing R&B and hip-hop into a tight package that is ready-made for a fast sendoff.
Foxx also has an elaborate lineup of other artists collaborating on the album, including Kanye West, Mary J. Blige, Common, The Game and Snoop Dogg.
The artists make guest spots in all the right places, making the album even more enjoyable.
Although the album features a lot of guest appearances, Foxx demonstrates that he can fly solo on "VIP," "Can I Take You Home," produced by Timbaland, and other tracks, some of which Foxx produced on his own.
The majority of Foxx's lyrics are either sexually charged, like R. Kelly's, or about relationships, like Babyface's.
However, Foxx leaves room for emotional and uplifting ballads, like "Wish You Were Here," a touching eulogy about his grandmother, and "Heaven."
Both of these songs showcase his vocal skills and range. They present the deeper element to the album, which is missing in some of his other songs.
Foxx clearly has a great voice. My only qualm is that sometimes I get the feeling that he is struggling to find his true voice.
One minute he sounds like Brian McKnight, the next, like a cross between Ray Charles and R. Kelly.
The artists who we crave most are those with an original sound.
Overall, this album is pretty decent. It is refreshing R&B music mixed in with a hip-hop influence here and there.
The production is stylish, hip and makes you want to keep listening.
(12/07/05 12:00pm)
It was Friday night, and despite the fact that only a handful of students were seated in the New Library Auditorium for a screening of the controversial documentary, "Incident at Oglala: The Leonard Peltier Story," the show had to go on.
Despite the low attendance, the Student Government Association (SGA) accomplished what it set out to do - open students' eyes to a compelling incident in United States history that has resulted in the imprisonment of a Native American man, who, according to many sources and substantial evidence featured in the documentary, may have been innocently caught up in a web of corruption and racial discrimination.
"We were thinking about what movie to show and then realized that the Native American consciousness is often not examined within the campus community," Joanna Holgu?n, SGA vice president of Equity and Diversity and organizer of the program, said. "Since this film presented a controversial incident, but also demonstrated an understanding of the history and culture of Native Americans, we thought it would be a good choice."
The 1992 documentary is a gripping film that examines the overtly unjust incrimination and conviction of Leonard Peltier, a Native American activist, who remains in prison to this day for the alleged 1973 murder of two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The murder occurred during a violent confrontation, known as the Pine Ridge Shoot-Out, between American Indian Movement (AIM) activists and FBI agents.
The film begins by describing the three-year period between 1973 and 1975, during which the vigilante group, referred to as the "goonsquad," began terrorizing, oppressing and killing Native American traditionalists on a reservation. The "goonsquad" was enlisted by the Tribal Council leader, Dick Wilson, who was a corrupt progressive-minded government supporter.
Several emotionally-charged interviews with Native Americans who recounted the tragic stories of their family members and friends being killed during this time were featured.
In the film, Wilson is depicted as being a "puppet of the U.S. government" who used government funds to equip his administration with the necessary means to keep Native Americans in their place and who had begun seeking assistance from AIM to fight back against the injustice. This dissension would eventually lead to the Wounded Knee Occupation, depicted in the film, which resulted in over 500 arrests and 180 indictments of AIM activists by the FBI, who brought heavy weapons and machinery to intimidate the movement.
The remainder of the film closely examines the controversy surrounding the arrest and indictment of Peltier from the perspectives of people who were closest to the case, including eyewitnesses, prosecuting and defense attorneys, Peltier's friends and supporters, law enforcement agents and even Peltier himself.
Amity Menard, freshman chemistry major, heard about the documentary screening and invited two of her friends to accompany her. "I didn't know anything about the topic before and it was interesting to see how corrupt the government was and how many different sides there (were) to one story," she said.
Jennifer Woodring, freshman chemistry major, agreed. "I had never known about this either," she said. "I never knew it happened."
Throughout the documentary the audience received conflicting arguments. Many of the law enforcement agents and government officials declared that Peltier was guilty of this murder and was fairly convicted.
On the other hand, Peltier's attorney, residents of Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, AIM activists and even witnesses in the trial painted an entirely different picture - a picture where the government and FBI tampered with crucial ballistics evidence, instilled fear of Native Americans into the minds of people in the community, accepted contradictory testimonies as fact and blatantly coerced people to get up on the witness stand and incriminate an innocent man.
At the end of the documentary, the real story of what happened at the Pine Ridge Shoot-Out was revealed, with a confession from a man who claims he in fact killed the two FBI agents, but only did so after the FBI agents opened fire on him first. Despite this alarming new information, which proved that Peltier could very well be innocent, he still remains in jail because the mystery man would not turn himself in.
Peltier speaks candidly from his jail cell about what he believed to be more of a conspiracy against his people than himself. He said that although he is innocent he has accepted his fate, and does not wish to have the man who did commit the crime incriminated because he does not want to contribute to the further oppression of any of his people. "The only thing I'm guilty of is struggling for my people," Peltier said. "I didn't kill anyone."
The SGA committee on Equity and Diversity, which organized this event, aims to use these programs as a way to promote an understanding of diversity on campus.
"Unfortunately, not many people came," Holgu?n said. "I think it was a result of not promoting enough. With the last event we had, The Affirmative Action Forum, we publicized a lot more. Also, it was a Friday night and there were a lot of events being held tonight."
Nevertheless, Holgu?n said she was happy with the event. "I think students (who attended) benefited from this program because they became more aware of things they didn't know about," she said. "It may have opened their eyes."
(11/16/05 12:00pm)
The lights dimmed as people filed into the New Library Auditorium, anxiously waiting for the performance to begin. Instead of making it a "Blockbuster Night," students made it a Broadway Night by coming out in droves to watch the Opera Theatre perform popular show tunes on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
The show drew more than 100 people each night, demonstrating that students just can't get enough of those good ole' Broadway tunes.
"Definitely it was a success," Michelle Hawkins, freshman political science major said. "I really liked the performances."
The show consisted of members of the College's Opera Theatre performing several show tunes from hit Broadway musicals.
"Broadway Night" is an annual show, held every Fall semester with songs sung by students and accompanied by Don Tenenblatt, Opera Theatre's musical director, on the piano.
Not only did the performers showcase their vocal talents, they also demonstrated their comedic skills, which at times had the audience wondering whether or not they were at a comedy show. One of the funniest songs, "The Game," from the Broadway musical, "Damn Yankees," served as the closing number, assuring that the show went out with a bang.
The number was performed by eight male students, known as the "Broadway Night Men." The ensemble dressed like baseball players and sang about
the "seriousness" of the game of baseball. The hilarious thing about this particular performance was that each player described an exciting sexual experience that he would have engaged in had he not realized that such activities would distract him from the game.
Cheering loudly, the crowd embraced the performers with non-stop laughter until their performance came to a conclusion.
Many of the students who attended the show came to support their friends who performed. "I thought it was great," Marty Rowan, senior psychology major said. "A lot of my friends were in it and they all did a good job."
Before each performance, the audience was given a brief description of the musical number that was being performed. The songs came from many popular Broadway musicals, including "Les Miserables," "The Phantom of the Opera," "My Fair Lady," "Wicked" and "City of Angels."
"We enjoy sharing our talents and delighting the audience," Sarah Cossaboon, senior music major who performed "Vanilla Ice Cream" and "All I Ask of You," said.
"I love Broadway," Eden Casalino, freshman music performance major and singer in the show, said. "It's nice to be able to sing show tunes instead of Mozart and classical music."
Allison Provaire, senior vocal performance major and president of Opera Theatre, stressed the importance of what the organization provides. "Opera Theatre gives its members the opportunity to perform and expose the campus to different types of music," Provaire said.
Ryan Haggett, senior elementary education major and a performer in the show, agreed wholeheartedly. During his earlier years at the College, he served on the board of Opera Theatre and always performed in various shows they held. Although he was busy with student-teaching this semester, he still jumped at the opportunity to perform.
"Opera Theatre is the only opportunity, the only venue for musical theatre performers, so (the show) was great," he said.
This year, Opera Theatre opted to perform in the New Library Auditorium. "The New Library Auditorium is a lot more intimate," Provaire said.
"The best part of the show was definitely seeing the amount of people that showed up," Amanda Roggenburg, junior elementary education/Spanish major and member of Opera Theatre, said. "I couldn't believe we actually needed to bring extra chairs into the auditorium and turn people away at the door."
(08/31/05 12:00pm)
With the summer now at a close and the new semester upon us, many student organizations at the College are gearing up for another year of programming. The College Union Board (CUB), the largest programming organization at the College, will add a new branch to its organization, the Multicultural Programming Advisory Council (MPAC).
"The Council basically serves to keep open communication between organizations and to create opportunities for co-sponsorships," Caitlin Gaughan, CUB director and senior communications major, said.
The Council will consist of one representative from at least seven different student organizations. The members of the Council will meet once every three weeks to discuss what events they are planning and to brainstorm future CUB events. By having students from various organizations serve on the Council, CUB will be able to receive more diverse input and better meet the diverse needs of the campus community.
"Our goal is to have successful and diverse events," Gaughan said.
MPAC began in January 2003 as a pilot program with seven organizations on the Council. The Asian American Association, the Black Student Union, Uni?n Latina, the Jewish Student Union (JSU), PRISM (formerly GUTS) and the Islamic Society made up the Council last year.
The pilot program was successfully completed in April 2005. This semester, the Council will be an official sub-branch of CUB that will be open to all students.
Melanie Kaufer, junior seven-year medical student and English major, was the Jewish Awareness Month chairperson last year and regularly attended MPAC meetings. Kaufer, now the JSU president, plans to have JSU serve on MPAC again this semester.
"I think that the Council was wonderful. It was a great way to network with other groups in order to organize co-sponsorships, and even to just bounce different ideas for events off each other," Kaufer said. "It was also nice to put our input into some of CUB's events as well."
CUB's long-term goal is to develop a huge program each year, sponsored by MPAC, which would include a diverse number of student organizations participating. Kaufer is adamant about MPAC serving as a vital part of the campus community.
"A programming council like this is important to have at the College because some sort of opportunity is needed for organizations to be able to network with each other," Kaufer said. "And it's also great for the cultural groups on campus to participate in CUB's planning."
This semester CUB will be sponsoring some of the same events as last year, including a weekly film series, weekly music series and at least four bus trips a semester. In the past, bus trips have included haunted hayrides, Broadway shows and sporting events.
The first major event will be the Welcome Back Comedy Show on Sept. 1 at 8 p.m. in Kendall Hall, featuring comedians Jay Black, Steve Hofstetter and Patrice O'Neal. They will also sponsor "A Night of Guilty Pleasures-CUB Latenighter," on Sept. 16 from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. in Brower Student Center during which students will have the opportunity to engage in numerous games and activities all night long. CUB will also periodically show movies for the campus community.
"Over the summer, we have been working on research to see what big name acts we could bring this semester," Gaughan said. "We do not have any specific names right now."
When planning big events, especially concerts, receiving adequate funding often becomes an issue
"Fortunately, we have been working with SFB (Student Finance Board) to develop a better system of what we are budgeted with and what we are expected to request from SFB," Gaughan said. "So far, it has been working well and I believe it will continue to do so."
With MPAC, CUB hopes to meet one of the challenges that it has always faced when presenting programs to the campus community - getting more students to support the programs and events.
"With every year there is the challenge of finding the right programs and the right acts to bring to campus," Gaughan said. "This summer we have begun a targeted campaign to hopefully get the student body more aware of CUB and that (the students) do have a say about what is brought to campus."
(04/13/05 12:00pm)
A young woman rose gracefully from her chair and took her place at the podium before a large crowd of students and faculty at the Visiting Writers Series last week, sponsored by 'ink.' She was Jennifer Vanderbes, and her audience at the College warmly welcomed her as she gave a reading from her 2003 novel "Easter Island."
Authors are frequently asked when they fell in love with writing. Usually, there is a flowery anecdote filled with a striking turning point in an author's life that makes him or her want to stay with a pen and pad in hand forever. For Vanderbes, 31, this was not the case.
"It was not love at first sight," she said. "It was a true, gradual process of falling in love with literature."
Dan Pope, adjunct professor of English and organizer of the event, praised Vanderbes' literary talents when he introduced her, referring to her book as one that "makes you feel smarter when you read it."
She took the audience on a journey to Easter Island as she read from three sections of her captivating first novel about two women from two different time periods. Their stories converge on a remote island as they unlock its mysteries and uncover the truth about themselves and their loved ones.
"Her book is a terrific example of historical fiction," Pope said.
While pursing a graduate degree in creative writing at the University of Iowa, Vanderbes began indulging herself in archeological journals. It was then that she discovered that during World War I in 1912, a German fleet had arrived on Easter Island, a remote island located halfway between Chile and Tahiti. She decided to use this setting and story line to create her novel.
"The island itself is a setting of beauty, destruction and rebirth," Vanderbes said. "The characters that are moving towards this island are all sort of simultaneously going through those processes."
Vanderbes explains that the setting was essential to the novel. She said that after researching, she was interested in the island and liked the idea of foreign settlers "affecting" the island and exploring how it was affecting them.
She also read a lot of World War I memoirs and biographies of women from that time period to get a sense of how to create some of the voices of her characters.
Another part of her research involved visiting the island and spending time with some of its inhabitants. She told the audience how the people on the island responded to her writing a story based on their home.
"It took them awhile. They were very disappointed when they got to the airport and saw how young I was," she said. But during her second visit to the island, the natives began to understand that she was really writing a novel when they saw her compiling pages.
"I'm sure it's a little strange (for them) to see an outsider's perspective of the place," she said.
Although not everyone at the event had read Vanderbes' book, a large majority of them did for Pope's course, Genre Studies The Novel. For instance, Gina McGrath, freshman open options culture and society major, explained how Vanderbes had visited her class earlier that day to discuss her book and her short story "Hat Box," as well as to share her experiences with writing fiction.
"I was very impressed because there are so many plot lines that are interwoven," McGrath said of the author's book.
Patrick Czekanski, sophomore chemistry major who also read "Easter Island," agreed with McGrath. "I think it was interesting how the stories were converged and interrelated with one another," he said.
Bethany Allinder, junior English major and vice president of 'ink,' describes the Visiting Writers Series as "not only an honor, but a necessity." "Writers capture our times," she said, referring to Vanderbes. Although she did not read "Easter Island," she was excited to have Vanderbes give a reading and was proud of the large turnout of over 50 students.
Pope also stressed the importance of exposing students to published authors. "Creative writing students get a chance to meet various writers," he said. He also explains how authors like Vanderbes bring students "that much closer to seeing what it takes to become a professional writer."
Allinder, who, like Vanderbes, writes historical fiction, said, "It's interesting to see how personable the writers are and how the atmosphere is different each time."
Vanderbes was very personable with the audience, engaging them in a question and answer segment, signing copies of her book and answering students' individual questions after the event ended. Questions ranged from who were the author's literary influences to how she was able to publish her book.
In the end, Vanderbes modestly explained that getting her book published was a "leap of faith" and that when she set out to write it, she wasn't counting on it getting published or being well-received.
Vanderbes is currently working on on another novel. Judging by the success of "Easter Island," including being named a book of summer by "Time Out New York" in 2003, we can look forward to another intriguing and impressive work of art from the young and talented Vanderbes.
(04/06/05 12:00pm)
If you think remakes are unoriginal and highly overrated, you better guess again because "Guess Who" is definitely a film that stands on its own. The 2005 comedy is a remake of the classic 1967 film, "Guess Who's Coming To Dinner." The film, directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan, debuted over Easter weekend and grossed $21 million and knocked "Ring 2" out of the number one spot.
The premise is quite simple. What happens when a black woman brings her white fianc? home to meet her parents? Well, if the disapproving father is played by Bernie Mac and the future son-in-law by Ashton Kutcher, then you are definitely in for a hilarious night at the movies.
Simon Green (Ashton Kutcher) is a promising young businessman with a bright future ahead of him. A big part of his future includes marrying his beautiful girlfriend, photographer Theresa Jones (Zo? Salda?a). Percy Jones, a successful loan officer (Bernie Mac), and Marilyn Jones (Judith Scott) are surprised that their daughter has brought a white man home. Percy told his wife, who is willing to welcome Simon into the family, "I was expecting Denzel Washington to walk through the door ... Why didn't she tell me he was white."
Simon knows it's going to be a challenge to win over Theresa's overprotective father, so he works arduously to impress him. He doesn't get off to a good start by admitting he's never played any sports, which according to the sarcastic Percy certifies a lack of manliness. After receiving a negative reaction from Percy due to his lack of masculinity, Simon lies and says he was a former driver for Jeff Gordon, the famous NASCAR racer. A little white lie never hurt anybody, right?
Guess again because, unbeknownst to Simon, Percy is an avid NASCAR fan and has actually met Gordon. When Simon sees the shrine his father-in-law has dedicated to the NASCAR driver, he panics. "I had to think of something to tell him," he tells his concerned girlfriend. "NASCAR and hockey are the whitest sports out there. I should have went with hockey."
He panics even more when Percy takes him out to the racing lane instead of a lunch date. Simon struggles to keep up with Percy on the track during this scene which is quite funny and results in future court dates for both men when they end up colliding in the middle of an intersection and are approached by a police officer.
What is great about this film is that it takes a serious subject like breaking down racial barriers and makes it comical. For instance, during the dinner table scene, Percy pressures Simon to tell the family some "black jokes." Simon of course hesitates and Percy makes him pay for it by implying that he is scared. Simon begins telling some jokes and the whole family, including Percy, laughs hysterically at the jokes. But Simon goes a little too far and makes an "offhand remark" (I won't spoil it for you by telling the joke), which gets him into hot water with Percy and has Theresa's grandfather out of his seat and ready to brawl.
Another bonus to this film is its setting. The film was shot in Cranford, N.J., so all of you Cranfordians who attend the College and cannot wait until summer break to return to your hometown, try checking out the lovely aura of Cranford on the big screen. And for all the critics who think that New Jersey serving as a filming location only works on "The Sopranos," think again.
Some critics might say that the film copies off of "Meet the Parents" in some aspects. For instance, Percy makes Simon sleep downstairs in the basement so he doesn't have the opportunity to have sex with his daughter, which is reminiscent of the infamous Jack Burnes. However, Percy takes it a step further by putting a lock on the basement door and sleeping with Simon in the bed each night. If you don't find anything else funny, you'll at least find the two comedians sharing a bed humorous.
The cast has great chemistry, especially among Mac, Kutcher and Salda?a. Salda?a is very convincing as a daughter who doesn't want to disappoint her father but loves her financ? regardless. Mac and Kutcher give great comedic performances, especially Mac who proves that he can carry a film and appeal to a mass audience. There are even some supporting actors to watch out for in this movie, including Theresa's crazy younger sister Keisha (Kelle Stewart) and Percy's hysterical, metrosexual party coordinator, Jason (Chad Gabriel). The bottom line is that the film is a solid comedy that appeals to a wide audience.
(02/02/05 12:00pm)
To better comprehend and clarify certain clauses that members of the campus community may have previously miscontrued, the College made changes on Jan. 1 to its Alcohol and Other Drug Policies.
It is required by federal law that college policies be reviewed biannually and, if necessary, revised to assure that the policy is both effective and complies with local, state and federal laws.
The Committee for Student and Campus Community (CSCC), led by Glenn Steinberg, associate professor of English, helped put the changes into effect.
One of the changed clauses was the Non-Residential Campus Facilities, which now indicates that the "service, possession and consumption of alcoholic beverages ... shall be permitted in non-residential campus facilities" as long as it is at "officially sponsored social gatherings" of members of the campus community who are of legal age.
The old policy failed to specify whether alcohol use by those of legal age in non-residential campus facilities was permitted or prohibited, which left some people confused, especially members of the faculty who may have college-sponsored events where alcohol is served.
The policy also clarifies the definition of campus-affiliated events (off-campus events) and makes the procedures for obtaining a license easier to understand.
"The chief problem was that the policy was extremely complicated and confusing," Steinberg said. "We mostly just cut out a lot and reorganized the policy."
Minor changes in the policy consisted of updating the names of staff and administrative figures and making sure that the changes comply with state and federal laws.
One of these changes resulted from the change in the blood alcohol level in New Jersey, which was lowered last January from 0.10 percent to 0.08 percent. It will now take less alcohol consumption for a student to be declared intoxicated.
In 2003, Steinberg and his committee, comprised of the dean of Student Life, the associate vice president of Human Resources, five faculty members, four undergraduate students, one graduate student and three staff members, recommended revisions to the policy, hoping that it would result in a more concise, less vague policy.
Although CSCC was responsible for making the revisions, the committee also received input from other organizations on campus such as the Steering Committee, the Student Government Association and the Alcohol and Drug Education Program.
Students in the committee also worked in the revision process. The vice chair of the committee, for example, was Rebecca Alimena, a student who graduated from the College last year.
"Students are voting members so they do have a say," Steinberg said. "We try very hard to get lots of student input."
Mary-Elaine Perry, vice president of Student Life, who is responsible for enforcing the policy, described the revision as a "cleaning up of the policy, a reasonable application of laws and statutes, clear and fair to the community, not repetitive and easy to understand."
Perry said she is proud of CSCC's work on the revisions and is pleased with Steinberg's leadership.
"He and the Committee for Student and Campus Community put in a great deal of work and are to be commended for both the process and the product," she said.
"I think it makes more sense now when you read it as a document," Jason Neely, coordinator of Community Standards, said. "From an administrative standpoint, it is easy to see how we comply with Drug Free Schools and Community Act."
Many students also regard the revised policy as an improvement.
"I think it's good that they simplified the document because now kids are more likely to read something that is written on their level," Luke Boralsky, freshman open options science major, said.
Other students recognize that the revisions make the policy easier to comprehend but question whether many students will actually read it.
"I think it's a good idea that it is more understandable," Tamaria Green, freshman sociology major, said. "But I think they should make it more well-known and publicize it more because many people don't take the time to read it."
CSCC is now busy working on revising other policies at the College, including a student travel policy, Web page policy, a campus disciplinary policy and a smoking policy that could possibly ban smoking in residence halls.
(01/26/05 12:00pm)
If you have yet to hit the theaters to see the highly anticipated and hilarious comedy "Meet the Fockers," you're denying yourself quality entertainment. The film is the sequel to the 2000 blockbuster "Meet the Parents." Although it has been four years since the introduction of the laughable and lovable characters known as the Fockers and the Byrnes, this film proves the wait was definitely worthwhile.
In the sequel, directed by Jay Roach, Greg Focker (Ben Stiller) and Pam Byrnes (Teri Polo) are finally ready to tie the knot, but not before Pam's parents, the very critical Jack Byrnes (Robert De Niro) and delightful Dina Byrnes (Blythe Danner), meet Greg's wacky parents, Bernie Focker (Dustin Hoffman) and Roz Focker (Barbara Streisand). As expected, during their weekend stay at the Focker home, more things go wrong than right.
Like in the first film, the chemistry between Stiller and De Niro is remarkable. But what makes this sequel funnier and stronger than the previous film are new characters Bernie and Roz Focker. Bernie is a highly eccentric and goofy ex-lawyer who is not at all embarrassed to have a shrine dedicated to his son Greg's third and eighth-place accomplishments - an idea that Jack finds ridiculous. Jack just cannot understand why a father would celebrate mediocrity while Bernie cannot understand how his son's father-in-law can be so uptight and competitive.
These differences, among others, cause them to clash with one another. For instance, a hilarious scene unfolds when the two fathers engage in what looks like a harmless game of touch football. But with the crazy antics of the characters in "Meet the Fockers," even the smallest activity can turn into catastrophe, which makes this film even more entertaining. Bernie tries to be more competitive so he can measure up to Jack's competitive nature, but he almost badly injures him in the process when tackling him like a bull darting into a flimsy piece of cloth. Frustrated, Jack says, "I'm not so sure this wedding is such a good idea. I don't like what I'm seeing from these Fockers."
Roz, Streisand's character, doesn't make Jack any happier. Greg's rambunctious and sexually free mother fails to conceal her job as a sex therapist from the Byrnes, which leads to lots of laughs when Jack finds out. Both Streisand and Hoffman bring charisma and quirkiness to their roles. I expected Streisand to be funny, but I always thought of Hoffman as the serious type. In this role, however, his comical antics even overshadow Stiller, who is known for his comedic performances.
What is interesting about this film is that there are minor characters who elicit laughs as well. Surprisingly, these characters are not adults. One is a sexually charged dog and the other is a one-year-old prodigy who is too observant for his own good. The dog is the Focker family's pet who, in a memorable and humorous scene, is flushed down the toilet by Jinx, the Byrnes' well-trained family feline. The one-year-old is Little Jack (Spencer and Bradley Pickren), who steals scenes from not only Stiller, but the great De Niro as well. The cute and charismatic Little Jack doesn't hesitate to repeatedly reiterate his first words to his Grandpa Jack. In this comedy, it is no surprise that the toddler's first word is ***hole, a profanity he mistakenly picks up from Greg Focker.
The ensemble cast of Stiller, De Niro, Hoffman and Streisand is extraordinary. The chemistry between these characters is mesmerizing. This film is brilliant and outrageously funny. I know that this phrase is extremely overused, but "Meet the Fockers" is a must-see movie.
(12/01/04 12:00pm)
The lovely ladies of Destiny's Child are back three years later with their highly-anticipated new album, "Destiny Fulfilled." The question is - has Destiny's Child fulfilled our musical appetites this time around?
Well, it seems as though the trio was so determined to reunite, it forgot the formula that made its three previous releases successful. Don't get me wrong: I love Destiny's Child, but I expected this album to be a lot better than it is.
What this album lacks is the ability to make listeners move and remain interested long enough to sing along. It's mostly composed of dull and slow-paced R&B songs. "Lose My Breath" and "Soldier" are the only exceptions.
"Lose My Breath," the album's first single and best song, is fast-paced and adrenaline-filled, with a beat reminiscent of a marching band.
The heavy breathing sounds fuse nicely with the vocals and the percussion. The resulting rhythm is upbeat, exhilarating and intoxicating. It definitely makes you want to rush to the club and get your dance on!
The second single, "Soldier," is an up-tempo "shout-out" to all of the fellas who 'keep it hood.' The girls glorify their need for a thug in their lives, singing, "If your status ain't hood/ I ain't checking for them/Better be street if he looking at me/ I need a soldier/ That ain't scared to stand up for me."
This rough, street-laced hook, along with verses from rappers T.I. and Lil' Wayne, makes for a hot track. The trio's harmonizing also blends in quite nicely over the grinding hip-hop beats.
Although the songs mainly go downhill from here, there are some others that are reasonably good, such as "Is She the Reason." This song about infidelity has an old-school melody and high-pitched trumpets compliment the group's high vocals. Each member alternates between verses, giving Beyonc?, Kelly and Michelle each a chance to demonstrate the maturity and range of their voices.
According to the group, all of the lyrics are based on its own experiences. However, I wonder what was going on when it decided to write, "Cater 2 U." The song is a far cry from "Independent Women," the pro-female anthem from Destiny's Child's previous album. In "Cater 2 U," Beyonc?, Kelly and Michelle sing about the ridiculous lengths they will go to in order to please their men. Beyonce claims she will brush her man's hair, put his do-rag on and give him a foot rub, while Kelly expresses how glad she'll be to roll over if she's asleep and her man comes home; all he has to do is tap her on the shoulder. Feminists will definitely be turned off by these lyrics.
However, if you are a devoted DC fan like myself, you'll continue until the very end - and jackpot! The group strikes a chord with the second-to-last song, which was produced wonderfully by Mario Winans. "Through With Love" opens with a calm piano melody. Yet, as the song continues, the beat becomes harder and louder, and the trio's vocals also increase with urgency and frustration over the men who have done its members wrong.
What I love about this song is the ironic twist at the end, when the repeated phrase, "I'm through with it (love)/ ... I'm finally giving it up," becomes, "I found a new (love) ... / I finally found it in God."
This change showcases the group's faith in God and demonstrates that although Beyonc?, Kelly and Michelle may not have the love of men in their lives, they will always have the love of God.
Overall, "Destiny Fulfilled" contains skillful harmonizing and a few good songs. However, most hard-core fans will realize that a few good songs aren't enough to fulfill our appetites. Something is still missing - I just hope they find out what it is before they decide to release another album.
(10/20/04 12:00pm)
It's Saturday night and your roommate has a big date. You, however, remain confined in your stuffy room. "Why don't I have a date?" you wonder. Maybe it is because you have yet to experience gorillapop.com, a new online dating service that matches individuals based on their musical preferences.
The Web site, created by New Yorker Lance Massey, has only been running for 50 days, but many are already showing interest in the online dating service, which is free until Dec. 1.
Gorrillapop stands out in comparison to other online dating services because it connects people who share the same tastes in music. Massey said he originally intended to create a peer-to-peer application similar to Napster that would track downloaded songs and pay artists based on numbers of downloads.
After running into problems with organizing artists, however, he began brainstorming with his brother, who guided him in a new direction - one that led him to create gorillapop.com. "I began rewriting my interface, dropped the downloading portions, and added 'gTunes' to add an interactive component," Massey said.
The online matchmaking service enables users to create "gTunes," a list of their favorite songs. Users can access other user profiles to see if they share the same music, and if so, allows them to form new friendships or even relationships.
"Having spent far too many years in far too many clubs around the world, I've always noted that people tend to stick with their groups - goth with goth, hip-hop with hip-hop, rock with rock, etc. So I knew in my gut that music provided a primal way for people to identify and feel connected even if only for a weekend," Massey said.
When asked for their opinion on a music-based dating site, students at the College expressed mixed feelings. Joanne Bertonazzi, freshman chemistry major, said, "I don't think I'd use it because you wouldn't really get to know the person only based on musical preferences. I wouldn't use any online-dating service anyway. If I were to use it, it would probably be on a friendship level."
Brandy Hawk, junior biology major, agrees. She said she believes it is a good idea, but specified that she would not necessarily use it as a means for dating, but as a means for getting to meet new people. "I feel that music is one of those things that unites people," Hawk said. "I would use this one (online dating service) over other ones because it has a music component. Music is one of the first things that can connect people." Although many enjoy music, some people feel that passion for music does not necessarily translate into romantic passion. Some people would rather use a matchmaking system that has a different focus.
Mike Crane, junior graphic design major, said he doesn't think he would use the site if it is only based on music. "I would consider it if it had pictures and personality (components)," Crane said. "I like heavy-metal rock music and if there is a girl on there who liked the same music as me doesn't mean I'd necessarily be attracted to her."
In an informal survey, 40 students at the College were asked whether or not they would consider using gorillapop.com to meet new people. Twenty percent of students said they would consider using it, while 80 percent said they would not use the matchmaking system. These figures suggest that the majority of the College's students may not choose to use an online matchmaking system such as Gorillapop.
Nevertheless, the site provides people with a new way to connect online. Massey is enthusiastic about his online service and is very optimistic about its impact and its future. "Music," he said, "provides the sound track for people's lives. I think over time, people will discover that even though they may not find their soul mates on Gorillapop, they're going to find people they can just plain like - maybe even a lot."
(09/29/04 12:00pm)
After being on a two-year hiatus, R&B singer Brandy has returned with her fourth album, "Afrodisiac," showing that she still has what it takes to keep us listening.
This particular album, however, does not surpass her previous efforts, at least not vocally. For instance, there is not one song on her album that showcases her vocal range. Yet, the singer does score points for growing up. It's about time!
This album is far more personal than Brandy's previous albums and demonstrates her maturity. With lines like "Just for the sake of my daughter/I tried to stick to the plan," Brandy speaks candidly about her decision to remain in a loveless relationship for the sake of her child in the song, "Who I Am." What differentiates this song from others that deal with failed relationships is that the song is not bitter. Brandy remains optimistic with these catchy lyrics, "Thank you for all the tears/all the stress/I feel blessed/I'm a better woman now." Brandy shows us that she is taking her heartbreak in stride and moving on with her life.
The album has been out since June and Brandy has already released two hit singles from it, "Talk About Our love," featuring rap sensation Kanye West and "Who Is She 2 U," which is her current single in heavy rotation on MTV and BET. The appeal of both the songs lies in their hip hop beats, more so than their lyrics, which are mediocre. "Who Is She 2 U," has somewhat of an old-school feel to it, which is perfect for an up-tempo song of this sort.
One of the best songs on the album is "Where you wanna be." The tune of the song is infectious, due in part to the piano and violin that play in the background over the mid-tempo R&B beats. The rap artist T.I. also appears on this track, giving the song a bit of an edge.
While this album is a decent effort, there are some songs on it that are definitely worth skipping. "Sadiddy" is one of them. The song, which was produced by Timbaland, is supposed to serve as the "club banger" or "party track," because of its fast-paced beat. Yes, it has a beat, but the lyrics are ridiculously annoying.
In the beginning of the chorus, Brandy says, "If you say it, I will do it, no I ain't saddidy/ If you cross me, I guarantee you, it won't be pretty." Although the lyrics rhyme, that is about all they accomplish.
If one of the songs on the album, "Should I Go," sounds familiar, it's because the song contains samples from Coldplay's "Clocks." Brandy spices this song up a bit with the help of Timbaland, who produces a more up-beat version of the song with his use of drum beats. Lyrically, this song is very personal and sentimental because Brandy worries if there is still a place for her in the music business among the new R&B female singers who have burst onto the scene.
Brandy's "Afrodisiac" is a mediocre but personal album that should be enjoyable for teens and young adults who like R&B music. However, it fails to live up to Brandy's previous efforts.
(09/29/04 12:00pm)
Despite drawing a very small audience, New York City-based female rock band The Drive took students for a wild ride at the Vox Rocks! concert last Thursday at the Rathskeller.
The concert was a benefit for Voices for Planned Parenthood (VOX).
"We needed to raise funds for VOX (and) I actually found (the band) online," Nina Davidson, junior English and women's and gender studies major and VOX president, said.
The band did not let the small turn-out stop it from putting on a high-energy show. It started with "Could it Be," a hard-core, upbeat rock song about love gone wrong. "I enjoyed it (the performance) a lot," Jasper Dionisio, junior philosophy, major said. "It sucks that no one showed up."
As the night went on, a few more people did come in to see the show. This is perhaps the result of the energy of this group, which stopped at nothing to get the audience hyped.
Each time someone new entered the venue, the lead vocalist, simply known as "Rachel," yelled with excitement, "More people are coming in!" It seemed as though even the waiters and waitresses who were working couldn't help but listen to the edgy sounds of the rock band which permeated the caf?.
"They were very into the crowd," Maria Dasana, freshman biology major, said. "Very interesting."
Many who did attend the concert were actually non-students, like fan Tom Miller.
"Yeah, it was good. I liked it," he said.
The band ended the concert with a song called, "Warrior," a song that showcased its high energy and dark style. After the show, the band members stuck around and chatted with VOX members and other audience members. They also sold some of their CDs. According to Rachel, she and drummer Sarah Vasil, used to belong to another band called, 'Binge' before hooking up with Jea (also known by just her first name), who plays bass and Eva Chavela, the lead guitarist of the group. "We've been together for three years ... figuring out our next steps ... trying to get signed," Rachel explained.
Although the band is mainly on the local New York club scene, it has been gaining popularity due to exposure from touring with other bands, like Static-X.
In 2002, the band released a six-song EP that was in heavy rotation on college and indie radio stations and in 2003, it released a three-song EP.
The Drive also performed at the annual CMJ Music Festival.
- For more information, visit thedrive.info.