Author Archive
01 May
Beautiful weather and a curious taste for ethnic food drew crowds to The Taste of N.C. State, a showcase of foods from cultural organizations across campus Friday afternoon. It was a good excuse for many students to get some fresh air and stroll along the grassy terrain of Harris Field. The event, sponsored by the Diversity Committee of the Union Activities Board and Campus Recreation, was advertised as the “biggest diversity event at N.C. State” by Paula Hagan, a junior in communication and the UAB Diversity chair.
True to its name, the event was wildly popular on Facebook and had a successful turnout; so successful, in fact, that most of the food was gone an hour after the event started. Masses lined up to the volunteers who were serving American staples like pizza, hot dogs and fried chicken, among a number of cultural foods.
“I [have] never had Ethiopian [food] before,” said Abby Rife, freshman in animal science, in between bites of soft spongy bread with meat filling. “The meat works really well with the spices.” Rife further noted that she has tried many dishes from other countries, including fried spicy dough from Pakistan.
The Asian Students Association handed out dumplings, while the Hmong Students Association served cups of a tapioca pearl drink, a delightful sweet concoction of coconut milk, mixed fruit, and tapioca beads that tasted like a cross between yogurt and a smoothie. The Latin dance team, Sube Ritmo, even provided a cake, though it was quickly depleted.
In addition to student organizations, city vendors set up stands to show their support for the pack. Moe’s Southwest Grill provided a wealth of chips and salsa, while vendors from Amedeo’s Italian Restaurant served trays of lasagna and pasta. Cueva de Lobos, a local Mexican eatery, provided quesadillas, chicken, and bacon wraps. The event provided a pleasing atmosphere for all students from all backgrounds and ideals to unite over sated stomachs.
While the food drew crowds, students stayed for the performances from a number of cultural groups. Sube Ritmo and Fusion Dance Team, the hip-hop cultural dance team, both had the audience fired up.
The C.I.A., or Comedy in Action improvisational comedy group, invited audience members to act out a sketch involving Italian sausage and a dating game show. One of the contestants made it clear he was the Hulk by implicating that his “idea of [a] perfect evening” consisted of “staying at home and not getting angry,” he huffed. Above the field, on the top level of Witherspoon Cultural Center, DJ Cutta spun the turntables and blasted hits from Beyoncé and T-Pain. Students were provided with constant entertainment that also included free henna tattoos and caricatures.
The African Student Union delivered one of the most engaging performances of the event. Members welcomed everyone to “celebrate the diversity and beauty of African-American culture” and recounted the origins behind gumboot dancing. Back when slaves worked the mines, the gumboot dancers explained, the poor drainage system made workers sick, but instead of repairing the system, the mine owners bought gum boots for all the workers. The slaves could not speak to each other, so they communicated by slapping and stomping their boots, and in their spare time they would make up dances. They continued to step in tune to the beat of their own rhythm.
Will Murphy, sophomore in English education, considered the gum boot dance his favorite part of The Taste of N.C. State. “I could better understand the reason behind stepping, and how it came to be integrated in African-American culture,” he said.
Students like Murphy were able to partake in a cultural experience that encompassed the breadth of the university. Food, fun, and diversity: this is what N.C. State is about.
02 Apr
I think I’ve lived in Raleigh long enough to be considered a “Raleighite,” having subjected the city to pet names like “Raleighwood” and “RaRa.” I can’t think of anywhere else to go other than the state’s capital. Raleigh is my home now.
So how fitting is it to give back to the city and devote time and service in celebrating the community that brought us both the Carolina Hurricanes and Clay Aiken? Service Raleigh is a chance to do just that, to join thousands of Raleigh citizens whom actually care about this great city and want to impact the community. It is a day for students from various organizations on campus to go out to sites around the city, working on service projects like helping out in homeless shelters or planting trees. It takes a numerous effort to volunteer, one that can only be fueled by a love for the city, a love of Raleighwood.
Yet, I felt this year’s event, in its twelfth year, was extremely disorganized and disproportionate. I felt some of the jobs weren’t service at all. Landscaping? I would be better off feeding the homeless or reading to children than planting petunias on church property. It gives me the suspicion that they’re exploiting us for free labor.
But I loved Raleigh enough to get up on a Saturday morning, despite the early hour and the talks of rain and cancellations. I signed up to volunteer with my fellow DJs from WKNC, as an attempt to meet music-obsessed individuals like myself. So many students pass the DJ training class each year, it’s really hard to get to know people at the station, much less their real name.
“Your name is?” I start an awkward introduction with a DJ. She smiles and tells me her real name, but then I pause and do a double take. “What’s your DJ name?” I ask. I nod knowingly at her second response, though it was hard to see the purveyor of mo-town in the shape of a sweet, little girl.
We stood around amid a sea of shirts depicting the iconic wolf emblem, which strangely resembled Shepard Fairley’s iconic Obama poster, and ate a breakfast of doughnuts and bagels. Soon after, we were joined by a group of graduate students in communication, whose team leader didn’t show up, and headed out to our field sites.
It was only a short little while before our car hit a pothole and blew out two tires. “This is what happens when you try to do something good,” I quip. Naturally, the grad students weren’t in the mood for jokes. We waited around for a towing agency and met up with the Wakeboard and Waterski Club at a local farm. Our assignment: build a greenhouse.
We stood around some more for the captain to show up- a generous man who eats yard work for breakfast, metaphorically speaking. ‘Who’s got gloves?” he barked. I had, but I wasn’t going to raise my hand if no one else was going to. I dug my grandma gloves deeper into my pocket. The captain looked a bit downtrodden at first, but quickly overcame his anguish. He directed orders to the wake boarders and handed them some heavy metal bars.
I felt a tap on my shoulder. “Do you want to go to the church?” asks one of the grad students. The church was the other field site with mostly landscaping work and no handling of heavy metal bars. Given the promise of less labor-inducing work, I complied. “Yeah, let’s go to church,” I said. In the car ride back, I realized “church” was a code word for “bail.” We left Service Raleigh without doing any actual, well, service. “It’s ridiculous,” she griped, “There wasn’t anything for us to do. We might as well just stand around for two hours.”
Don’t get her wrong. She loves Raleigh. We all do. But maybe she’d love it even more if its potholes didn’t blow out two of her tires. It may seem selfish, but frankly, I don’t blame her. The drones of people don’t just come out for the free t-shirts and breakfast. Students come out every year in the thousands because they want to help out around the city, and that’s where Service Raleigh failed them. This year’s event wasn’t very well-structured. No one had a sense of where to go or what to do. Unprepared as we were, it was still just really frustrating to stand around waiting all day for something to happen when we should be actively engaging in something meaningful. Have us fill in some of those potholes. At least that would be useful.
Better luck next year, RaRa.
29 Mar
America is not a perfect country, and it has not been in the past either. It has been riddled with political strife and has denied many groups the basic right to live in a truly free country. The great thing about our country is our ability to change for the better.
The great heroes of the past have resonated inspiring stories and imparted beauty in our hearts. Martin Luther King Jr. empowered us with his role in the Civil Rights Movement.
The Women’s Suffrage Movement gave women the same impermissible rights as men. But who has ever heard of Harvey Milk, the first openly gay official elected to public office? Milk is not just a documentary about the man or even the gay and lesbian movement. Gay rights are not just an issue, they affect people’s lives. It is because of every closet door which drove Milk. He kept trying, running for office four times, losing many lovers in the process, facing death threats, but he kept trying.
“All men are created equal,” Milk, played by Sean Penn, proclaims, “No matter how hard you try, you can never erase those words.”
Penn’s performance is brilliant, and is worth 100 percent of his Academy Award. It is Milk’s little idiosyncrasies that cement his role. His wide, wrinkled smile, emphatic gestures, and relentless sense of optimism make the man more real. It is hard not to love Milk, because he is so personable. “You’re going to meet the most extraordinary men,” he coaxes activist Cleve Jones, “the sexiest, brightest, funniest men, and you’re going to fall in love with so many of them, and you won’t know until the end of your life who your greatest friends were or your greatest love was.”
Jones, played by Emile Hirsch, is an eccentric character, young and more restless than Milk, but he is no less active and passionate about the movement. He immediately takes the ropes of the movement, having witnessed a Spanish drag queen keep trudging long after being shot to death. Jones takes on conservative crusaders, Anita Bryant and John Briggs, the latter of whom founded the Briggs Initiative, which proposed banning gay teachers and their supporters from public schools in California. Jones marches through the streets chanting: “Anita! You liar! We’ll set your hair on fire!” It’s a riotous affair, but one centered on ideas of hope and social justice.
Milk is a testament to the gay and lesbian movement in the controversial late ’70s, but the prejudices that drive Milk to politics are the prejudices that are still alive in today’s society. As long as we deny gay people equal rights and continue to have “gay” as a synonym for stupid in our lexicon, we are doomed to repeat history. But Milk’s legacy was not in vain. “If a bullet should enter my brain,” he says, “let that bullet destroy every closet door.” He paves the way for equality for all citizens in the future, but we must all work towards this goal. Harvey Milk wants to recruit you- to go out, rent the movie, and fight for equal rights.
18 Mar
Each year, Student Media seeks applicants for editors of the primary mediums on campus, the daily newspaper, Technician, the weekly Nubian Message, the campus literary magazine, the Windhover and the Agromeck, the yearbook. They also sought applicants for the general manager of WKNC, the campus radio station and the student business manager. Applicants must go through a vigorous process of presenting their vision and goals before staff members and an interview before the Student Media board of directors, prior to being hired. These individuals have the power to change the direction and focus of campus as the representative of their respective media outlets. In their substantive position, how do they plan to ensure the minority population on campus is accurately represented in our student media? Here’s what the new student media leaders had to say:
Laura Frey, Student Media Business Manager-elect
Frey is actually half the business office counterpart, having been split into two sections for better organization. As a business manager, she is in charge of operating the promotion and marketing assets.
In the upcoming year, she intends to “come up with new marketing strategies to help increase the sales of all of the different medias.” Student Media has had a difficult time in sales in the economic crisis, as more and more businesses are cutting advertising costs. Yet, even in duress, the income in sales has remained about average compared to last year.
Frey wants to inform the students about the different types of media by “Using the design teams creativity, the help of the classified assistants, and different marketing techniques.” She plans to work with the impending editor-in-chiefs and general managers to formulate the best way to expand minority representation.
Bryant Robbins, Editor-elect of the Agromeck
As editor-in-chief, Robbins plans on spending time, not only producing another award-winning yearbook, but also increasing the awareness of the Agromeck on campus.”
There are many students on N.C. State’s campus who do not even know the Agromeck exists,” he said. Robbins also contends that not only is the Agromeck faced with declining interest, but nationwide, many colleges have already had to do away with their yearbooks. The future editor of the Agromeck also wanted to feature more student organizations on campus and events that would not normally be covered.
“We want student groups to contact us when they are holding special events that could possibly be featured, as well as getting as many group shots in the book as possible,” said Robbins.
Ty Johnson, Editor-elect of the Technician
Not only did Johnson mention he looked forward to working with the Nubian Message for next year, but healso expressed his plans to expand the Technician’s online coverage. Among the setbacks of the Technician within recent years, Johnson cited credibility as a major setback. “That’s what happens when you expect full-time students to also work full-time as writers, photographers, designers, and editors,” said Johnson, “But I don’t feel like that’s an excuse.” Johnson aims to revamp training for his staff in order to achieve well-written, objective, and factual pages. In reference to diversity, the Technician actively participates in a “Time Out for Diversity” survey, in which all staff members peruse back issues to compile statistics on the demographics of story sources. Johnson wants to make sure that students of all backgrounds, from race and sex, to class and college, are being represented in the paper.
“Continued recruitment of all students, including minorities, to our staff will help guarantee that different perspectives will be factored into planning, writing, and editing content,”Johnson said.
Mike Alston, General Manager-elect of WKNC
Alston, currently the local music director of WKNC, continues to improve on the successful stronghold of the radio station.
In addition, he plans to “Use the capital that WKNC has built up through great General Managers in the past–Steve McCreery and Kyle Robb, to name a few – to expand our presence and influence in the community and on campus.”
Instead of mentioning budgetary issues like other student media leaders, he noted an internal regress. “All too often, Student Media doesn’t function as a unit,” Alston said. “If we pool our resources and become a unified front, we can reach the campus better and produce a better product on every front.”
On a side note, Alston remarks about the Nubian’s influence on campus. “This paper is a big part of the minority population at NC State,”said Alston. “I want to make sure the Nubian Message is privy to the same things the Technician is.”
Helen Dear, Editor-elect of the Windhover
In the coming year, Dear plans on maintaining the Windhover’s legacy as a high-quality, award winning literary magazine.
“Next year, we will create a Wordpress Blog that will display submissions (literary, visual, and audio) in a blog form,” Dear reveals, “This will allow us to receive submissions year round, and perhaps identify themes that emerge from the submissions early on in the year.” This way, Windhover can be seen by all students, not just by the 2,500 students that can receive printed books.
Dear promises to thrive, even with the smaller budget. “We are lucky to have such a good rapport with Theo Davis, our printers, and I know they will help us deliver the best product with what money we have,” she adds. In response to diversity, Dear wants to make the advisory board a true reflection of the University, a board comprised of “A wide range of people — both in terms of race, gender, and major diversity.”
The Student Media Board has decided to reopen the floor for new applications for next year’s Nubian Message editor. It will hire the Nubian Editor in April. Like a stimulus package, the upcoming leaders of Student Media are brimming with promise. Johnson, Robbins, Dear, Alston, and Frey all bring their own unique talents and aspirations to their respective mediums, but together as a cohesive whole, they all rise up and serve a greater purpose: the voice for the N.C. State populous.
27 Feb
It was the “Crime of the Century,” a tale of two intelligent, young millionaires who commit an act of murder as an intellectual test. It begs the question: Can two well-respected members of society literally “get away with murder”? The courtroom drama, penned by John Logan, portrays two cheeky men whom equate the decision to murder with whether or not to eat pie for dessert. Richard Loeb, played by George Kaiser, and Nathan Leopold, played by Russell Gentry, think they are supermen and presume themselves to be above the law. On a 1924 Chicago spring evening, the two decide to kidnap Bobby Franks, a 14-year-old boy, and stow his remains-never to be discovered. However, even the best of supermen can be caught by the slightest mistakes. Never the Sinner tells the story of Loeb and Leopold, despised and swooned by the law and teenage girls, and their motivations behind such a virulent act.
The most innovative scene of the play is when Loeb and Leopold slay little Bobby Franks. The two mime the whole scene by killing an imaginary child with a made-up chisel. It is pivotal that the play does not have an actor to play the child, because such would only minimize the dramatics of the brilliant young actors, Gentry and Kaiser. Loeb laughs manically after the murder, while Leopold hyperventilates. “I-I tasted blood,” retches Leopold, and even though no sort of fluid was visible, one can almost taste it with him. If it is ever possible to mime a murder scene with as much suspense and horror as a bloody thriller, these actors have achieved it. It is a startling genius, a work of art made out of the simplicity of swatting a fly.
Clarence Darrow, the attorney who defends the boy’s case, snaps his suspenders and carries the courtroom in silent contempt. As “Wily o’ Clarence” wipes his worries with his handkerchief, he faces a moral dilemma in representing guilty murderers. Yet, with skill and severity, he declares, “I can see the sin and I can just as well hate that sin-but never the sinner,” and suddenly Loeb and Leopold do not appear any more heartless than misguided little boys. What Darrow evokes in the courtroom, and in us, is sympathy. Leopold would not have committed the crime without the encouraging of Loeb, and Loeb, in return, would not have been provoked into the act of crime without the support of Leopold. Yet, Leopold is so enraptured by Loeb, he cannot bear to deny his acquisitions. “He’s like a gem,” Leopold extols Loeb’s beauty in his eyes, “How can I ever hope to escape the blinding light that makes me beautiful?” Even in prison life, Leopold, in his ghastly pallor, would rather be hanged than be split from his confidant. “How’s your cell?” asks Loeb. Leopold glances in a saddening pout, “Too far from yours.”
But Loeb takes advantage of Leopold’s devotion, and urges him to take sole responsibility for the crime. “I just think it might be easier on my mom if she thinks you did it,” justifies Loeb, who is the mastermind of the whole scheme. Motivated by tales of the famous Al Capone, he fantasizes about killing for the sake of killing, but his fantasies soon begin to distort his sense of reality. “As you know, Teddy,” Loeb whispers to his imaginary companion about the thrills of crime. Intellect soon becomes flaw of the young billionaires rather than a virtue.
Although Leopold and Loeb seem to be best friends and accomplices in crime, there is something in their manner that suggests something more. It might be the way Leopold offers Loeb to call him “Babe,” or Loeb’s strokes Leopold’s chin gently as he indulges in wild visions of grandeur. Either way, one feels the emotional connection. The “shocking” kiss between the men is actually well expected.
In the end, justice prevails, though not in law. The men are sentenced to life in prison, despite public outcry for hanging. Instead, Loeb and Leopold are split up and lead separate lives, never to speak to one another ever again. The two fail their philosophical exercise and fall down as supermen. Danielle Batin, a freshman in psychology, remarks that Never the Sinner’s subject material was rather groundbreaking. “Plays like these are not often shown [at universities] for their candor,” she explains. “It’s real mature material,” adds Jeffrey Finnell, a student at Wake Technical Community College, “but I think it’s important.” Anything less would be a crime.
12 Feb
If you have not already noticed, though it is exceedingly difficult to ignore, Valentine’s Day is coming up. February 14, also known as SAD (Singles Awareness Day), is the miserable day of exchanging tokens of affection. Do you realize that the initials for this dreaded holiday is V.D., which stands for venereal disease? Coincidence? I think not. I am not cynical because I am alone (in fact, I am not alone). I am skeptical because Valentine’s Day shouldn’t “make-up” for the other 364 days of the year. Every day should be a shower of love and appreciation.
It is all commercialism, a contest to see who can acquire the most flowers and gifts and chocolate as a testament to whose lover can romantically express themselves through materialistic means. I am sick of all the cute shaped hearts that adorn department stores and residence halls. Really, a human heart does not look like that, “It looks like a fist wrapped in blood!” as Clive Owen so dutifully pointed out in my favorite line from the movie Closer.
For singles, V. D. is a testament to how lonely they are. My roommate has already spent countless hours searching through online dating websites (OKCupid.com, PlentyofFish.com), listening to 98 degrees, and bemoaning about the fallibility of men (but secretly wanting one), in preparation of Singles Awareness Day. Look at what a single holiday does to her! And it is supposed to be a “holiday,” a celebration and a time for merry festivities; this is not the case for some people on February 14. No one should have to be bitter on this day. No one should have to resent independence, self-assessment, and other benefits of being alone because of one day that celebrates the love between couples.
The Technician is offering Valentine’s Day classifieds and even Case dining hall is milking this day for all its worth, offering a “romantic, fine dining experience” on campus. Valentine’s Day should not be a day for greeting card companies, Italian restaurants, and teddy bear manufacturers to cry “cha-ching!” Men and women do not need chocolate or flowers or other tokens of love; these material things are dispensable, and they cannot buy our love. We need genuine compassion and time spent with our fellow peers. Hide out this Valentine’s Day. Spend it in your pajamas and rent out a low-profile indie flick. Anything that can be considered “romantic” should be completely ignored. Hopefully the importance placed on this day can fade out altogether.
But to be honest, I will probably take it upon myself to send my roommate roses from an “anonymous mystery admirer,” just to make her feel better. And I expect every other friend out there to empathize with the sufferers on this most wretched of days; hug them, cook dinner for them, and show them that you care and that they do not need a silly little holiday to reaffirm how much you care for them. That is all I would want.
07 Feb
Some of the highlights of the night were cultural dances such as Tinikling, a folk dance of the Philippines. Two people click two bamboo sticks together to a beat while the dancers step between the poles. The dancing couple, Rachelle Malit and Gian Garcia, danced faster and faster in and out of sticks to the rhythm of the music, and even spun around as the audience waited with abated breath for the slightest trip.
The Dragon Dance celebrated the Chinese New Year with a charming depiction of the mythological creature. The dragon dances fervently while winking amid cheers, but a challenger appears and a dance breakout ensues. In the ultimate culmination of skill and rhythmic moves, the dancers inside the dragon jumped on each other’s shoulder to create a towering monster. The challenger, naturally, bowed in defeat.
The main storyline of the event focused on the “Wizard of Oz” with a modern and cultural spin on an iconic tale. The act played on Asian stereotypes (Dorothy is given an abacus in lieu of red shoes) and the popular characters had deficiencies in areas in which popular culture depicts Asians as lacking: singing, playing basketball, and running for a political office. The performance also modernized the classic, featuring a wicked witch who prefers a Swiffer Sweeper over a broomstick.
The Fashion Show was held on the yellow brick road and depicted traditional attire from Korea, China, India, Vietnam, Japan, and the Philippines, as well as modern pieces designed by Tiffany Saini. Amid the many colorful paper fans abound, Justin Cha, a sophomore in civil engineering expressed his disappointment with the show. “I was kinda upset about the lack of variety of fashion show clothes,” he said, “I wish there were more.” Nonetheless, the pretty girls in saris and kimonos left many an audience member howling.
The Pakistan Students Association portrayed “A Mehndi (Henna) Night;” the custom wedding tradition followed after by the vibrant dance between the groom and the bride. The elegant portrayal of a real wedding only had a few alterations. The narrator apologetically noted, “Thanks to the economic downtown, we were forced to use invisible rosebuds.”
The night of fun and dance was underscored by an important cause. Andrew Poon and, pianist, Eric Slim remixed Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On” to promote the REACH project. The organization is sponsored by the Asian Students Association and stands for “Relaying Empowerment, Anything Can Happen.” ASA, in partnership with China Tomorrow Foundation Education, plan to build a school in China to strengthen the mentality that all students can change the world. Their goal is to reach $50,000. All proceeds from the event went to the donation. In a moment of freestyling ability, Poon asked “What were hands for?” and listed a number of uses (clapping, laughing, waving), but then concluded that hands REACH-ed.
Asia Nite also detailed tacas, or Chinese yo-yo, entertainment provided by the Triangle Area Chinese American Society of North Carolina, a mythological skit between the Sun and Sea God put on by the Vietnamese Students Association, and a performance by Fusion, N.C. State’s cultural hip-hop dance team. The event was also headlined by a musical performance from Tatum Jones, an Asian-American trio from Los Angeles whom has appeared on television and stage with popular artists like Boyz II Men, Backstreet Boys, and Justin Timberlake.
Finally, the travelers reach the “More beautiful than emerald- it must be Jade!” City, the Wizard hits on Dorothy and tells the others that they (surprise) had their ability in themselves all along. The singer with the horrible voice became “Bubble T-Pain,” the inept basketball player is given magic dust of special abilities, and the politician, Fa Chang, under the platform “Vote Fa Change”- well, had a good run.
As for Dorothy, the Good Witch informs her that it was the abacus that was holding her back and pressuring her to become a stereotype. “Break it,” she advised,” and say, “There’s nothing I can’t do.”- Dorothy manages to arrive at home under her instruction. Overall, this year’s Asia Night pleased students and provided motivation for bigger and better things. “It’s generally good advice for everyone: there’s nothing you can’t do” denotes Chuong, “Except I don’t need a witch to tell me so.”
13 Jan
F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story about a man who ages backwards is a charming depiction of a condemned life and a doomed love in the strangest of situations. The film details events from Button’s unusual life from his old birth-a baby with visible signs of cataracts and wrinkles- to his inevitable young death.
The tale, told by one of the most celebrated writers in American literature, is set in the razzle-dazzle era of New Orleans in the 1920s. The Curious Case truly captures the spirit of the lost city. It is a cordial eulogy, reminding us not only of the magic of the city, but also what it still is: A place of thrilling mystery that cannot be dampened by floods of water. The film takes us back to 2005 in the midst of Hurricane Katrina and flashes through time to illustrate the story of Benjamin Button, played by Brad Pitt.
It’s a very sweet film; very simple and sad, but sweet. Hollywood obviously embellishes the plot, as there are some notable differences between the movie and the original short story. Fitzgerald penned a comedy, a baby born an old man who could talk and quarrel in an outlandish fashion. There is no love interest. It is hardly the story of a harmless but hideous infant left abandoned on a doorstep. Button’s childhood friend and unrequited lover Daisy does not exist in literature as she is portrayed in the drama. But it makes for a good Hollywood movie.
Cate Blanchett, as Daisy, is dazzling as ever. She is truly one of the greatest actresses of our era. This is an actress who can play any role-from the glorious Katherine Hepburn to the iconic Bob Dylan. As Daisy, she is a delicate woman, worried about the inevitable consequences of loving a man who will mature into an infant. Blanchett brings a much desired elegance to the role with her standard air of conviction. The eminent loom of death makes Button calm and austere, willing to accept both life’s faults and fortunes with the same air of austerity. Pitt’s character acts very Forrest Gump-like in his odd role. His character is very pure and innocent which differs strongly from life’s base corruptions. Button experiences brothels, war, and rejection from society and love, but Pitt still maintains the same characteristic Southern, soft and warm voice. Of course, face makeup and digital re-imaging can do wonders. Button genuinely looks like a child with a septuagenarian face. He is believable, despite the illogicality of his circumstance. However, sometimes throughout the movie, I felt as though Button’s face was getting older instead of younger, but that might have just been Brad Pitt.
If anything, The Curious Case reflects on the necessity of old age. Button must outlive those he loves and cannot age with Daisy through her elderly years. It is rather disheartening to watch him die, after such a wonderful, long life. But it was predestined in the beginning. And death is nothing compared to life, even if it is a tragic one.
Keep watch for this movie. I surmise it will be an Academy Award contender.
08 Dec
Monday ushered in the beginning of World AIDS Day, which promotes the awareness of AIDS, a disease which afflicts many people globally. According to the World AIDS Day Campaign website, worldaidscampaign.org, the mission of the organization is to bring together individuals and organizations to bring attention to the epidemic that is drastically impacting our world and society. Their theme this year, “Stop AIDS. Keep the Promise,” rings true of their vocation to end the mass spreading of HIV/AIDS and to advocate the practice of safe sex. An elegant red ribbon stands as the symbol for AIDS awareness and is often worn to show solidarity for patients coping with the virus. Red ribbons hang everywhere from the White House to jacket lapels to skyscrapers in every size. According to nationsencyclopedia.com, the campaign began in 1988 at the World Summit of Ministers of Health on Programmes for AIDS Prevention and has continued ever since.
AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, a disease that is brought on by the HIVvirus. HIV progressively destroys the immune system and weakens the body by effectively destroying white blood cells that fight off infections in the body. HIV/AIDS is transmitted through a number of unsafe practices including unprotected sex and the sharing of infected hypodermic needles. Fohn.net states that the disease was first discovered by scientists in 1981 and was identified so by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. According to avert.org, AIDS has taken the lives of an estimated 1.8 million to 2.3 million people around the world in 2007, about a quarter of those lives were children. 33 million were expected to be living with the HIV/AIDS virus last year, including 2.7 newly affected people. Over half of the people affected with the virus reside in sub-Saharan Africa, according to avert.org. There is no cure for AIDS, and although there has been significant advances in medicine to research treatments, these remedies are very costly. What remains, from avert.org, as the best prevention method is education on safe sex practices and clean needle exchange programs for drug users to trade in used hypodermic needles for new ones.
Students can get involved in the World AIDS Day Program by signing up on their website, making pledges, campaigning on behalf of local organizations, spreading the word about HIV/AIDS to peers, and handing out pamphlets to others. According to their website, the goal of the campaign is to promote AIDS awareness among global organizations, but they stress that individuals and grassroots movements can make an impact as well. Younger people are especially encouraged to take part in the campaign since people under 25 years of age account for half of the new HIV infections each year, as stated by avert.org AIDS is a pandemic. All across the world people are standing up on this special day to promote the awareness of the infliction and remember those who have died from AIDS in the past. Together we can stand up and fight this epidemic through education and devotion. Stop AIDS. Keep the promise.
19 Nov
Everyday on the radio we listen to the hottest and freshest beats, but have you ever stopped to wonder what the lyrics really say, or what kind of subliminal messages may be hiding in today’s radio hits?Billboard.com’s Hot 100 chart lists the most popular up and coming artists in America. Here’s a breakdown of the five top songs heating the Hot 100 as of Friday, complete with a lyrical analysis provided by Songmeanings.net:
1. T.I. Featuring Rihanna, “Live Your Life”
The chart-topping T.I. teams up with Barbadian babe Rihanna to draft this pumping anthem about the importance of being true to yourself and, well, living your life. Don’t mind the “hatas”, T.I. advises, “Just live your life.” Does Rihanna’s backup croon sound familiar? The two sampled the track, “Dragostea Din Tei” by O-Zone, made famous from a YouTube video with a hilarious dancing boy in headphones. If anything, take this note from the song: “You’re gonna be a shinin’ star.”
2. T.I., “Whatever You Like”
T.I., being the gentleman that he is, offers to grant his lucky lady any gift to her heart’s content, whether it may be “big boy rides” or “big boy ice”. It’s nice for Candle Guy to cater to his girl; but big boy ice aside, he must know that ladies don’t need expensive gifts or material objects for a passage to their hearts. Money can’t buy love, T.I.
3. Katy Perry, “Hot N Cold”
Katy Perry, as adorable as she is, carps on her partner’s inability to commit. “Like a girl changes clothes,” his emotions fluctuate. Katy tires of the “love bipolar” rollercoaster ride, which may explain why she kissed a girl. However, “Hot N Cold” may be about something else entirely. Fan ChickenGoujons proposes, “I think this song is about the showers in the women’s prison.”
4. Kanye West, “Heartless”
“How could you be so Heartless?”, asks the famous college dropout. Do you figure he’s talking about George Bush a la Hurricane Katrina? Jokes aside, Kanye pours his raw heart out to his sweetheart, while she consults her friends about leaving him; “You run and tell your friends that you leavin’ me.” But it is evident that Kanye still loves her. “They don’t know what we been through,” he sings, “They don’t know ’bout me and you.” Despite the fights, Kanye knows his lover will regret her mistake. “You won’t find nobody better than me,” he professes.
5. Beyonce, “If I Were a Boy”
If she were a boy, she would be named Sasha Fierce. At least, that’s what her new stage name is, according to her new album title, I Am- Sasha Fierce. Similar to Ciara’s “Like a Boy,” Beyonce’s new single asserts that she would make a better lover as a boy than the current male population: “But you’re just a boy. You don’t understand how it feels to love a girl.” It’s a bitter song that decries men who mistreat women. However, not all men are the same, Beyonce. There are nice gentleman out there who treat women with respect and love-what we all, boys and girls alike, deserve.
