Issue 6! by Edge Magazine

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and that’s all thanks to our new graphics

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now has a completley different layout

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through! If you’ve notice, Edge Magazine

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is out and finally here for you to read

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we are ecstatic that this brand new issue

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put out an issue of Edge Magazine and

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Too much time has passed since we last

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EDITORS NOTE!

designer, Jenna! She did a great job staying true to the true concept of Edge while still changing it and giving it a whole new look! This issue is filled with an eclectic collection of articles and interviews for you to enjoy so please have fun reading through them and once your done, pass the issue along to your friends and spread the word about Edge Magazine! Thanks! Melanie and Madeline P.S. We have a new website! Check out the eclectic section of this issue to get the link!

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By Melanie Goffman

When Twitter first launched in 2006, its founder Jack Dorsey, never imagined how much of a fad it would turn into just within a few short years. It did take some time (and probably still is) for people to understand what it is , why they should join and what the point of it was. However, it is obvious that with almost 200 million users and millions of tweets being tweeted in just a single day, people have now realized that Twitter is more than just a “status update”, its actually quite useful and it does have a purpose. To be honest, when I first started using Twitter, it was a big overwhelming and seemed complicated but after a few days, I was hooked and it was actually surprisingly simpler than most sites.

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Start TWEETing... It’s So Worth It

It took some time for users to get used to and for future users to understand how and why they should use it, but today Twitter has reached almost 200 million users and over millions of tweets are being tweeted in just one day. To many, I’m sure Twitter probably seems pointless and confusing and at first, it is. However after a few tweets, I guarantee its quite possible you will become addicted! Not only is Twitter actually simple to use but it has so many perks and so many aspects to it! So if you don’t use Twitter and think its pointless, keep reading and I have a feeling you might end up changing your mind! Networking: Twitter allows all users to connect with each other from all over the world. When you click to follow one person, the page automatically uploads with a few suggestions of other people to follow. There is even a whole search page where you can browse people by common interests, look at who Twitter suggests to follow based on similarities as well as upload contacts from your email accounts. Promotion and Branding: For companies and products, using social networking sites like Twitter is a must! Twitter is so beneficial in this aspect because the more people you follow and the more you tweet about your product/brand/company, the more people will see it and eventually become familiar with the name. It is all about promoting your company or product and with a few simple words (less than 140 characters), all of Twitter can see it! Charity: Twitter is a great outlet for nonprofit

organizations and charitable causes. In the past, all of Twitter turned red in respect for World AIDS Day and countless celebrities have used their fame to not only promote various causes but also raise millions of dollars through fundraisers based on the number of followers they had. Research: Twitter is a great place to start when researching something. Of course not everything can be researched on Twitter but browsing through different users and seeing what other users have posted about certain topics gives you different views and opinions on such topics. You could also tweet questions to specific users to get their opinion on something or directly message them instead. You could tweet a question or statement to all of your followers and chances are chances are (the more people you follow, the higher your chances will be) someone will reply back to you within seconds! News: Magazines, newspapers, television stations, etc. that have Twitter account can immediately tweet breaking news within a few seconds and reach millions of people while doing it. This makes Twitter such a great outlet for getting current news and information on the go. With the 140 character limit Twitter has, not all details to news Tweeted can be included in the tweet but it can give you the information in a “short, sweet and to the point” kind of fashion as well as post links to sites that have further information. Entertainment: Twitter is not only resourceful in networking and research but its entertaining! You can follow different actors to see if they are working on any new movies or follow your favorite bands or musicians to find out about upcoming concerts or events they are going to be at. Its also fun to see everyones opinions about who won or who was best vdressed when big shows like The Grammys or The Oscars are on or what people think about the highly anticipated movie that just came out. So did you change your mind? If I wasn’t already addicted to Twitter I would have definitley changed my mind after reading this but if your still hesitant, just at least give it a try. Its informative, trendy, fun, different and a pretty clever idea; what have you got to lose?

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Jon Foreman is the lead singer and guitarist of multi-platinum rock band Switchfoot, as well as a solo singer/songwriter and member of Fiction Family. Over the years, Foreman has become known for his honest lyrics, highly prolific song-writing, and his involvement in various humanitarian endeavors: Habitat for Humanity, The ONE Campaign, Not For Sale, Invisible Children, Life Rolls On, and To Write Love On Her Arms. This year the band hosted their Fifth Annual Switchfoot Bro-Am, a music and surfing event benefiting Stand-up for Kids, a shelter for teens in crisis in the band’s hometown of San Diego. Recently, Jon was honored to play at the Global Forum on Human Trafficking, alongside T-Bone Burnett, and Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Earlier this year, Jon participated in a fast for Darfur, which he chronicled on his blog. During their upcoming tour, Switchfoot will sponsor a canned food drive in each city with donations going to local food banks. Through his music and other endeavors, Jon is looking to communicate a hope for the postmodern era. Switchfoot was formed in 1996. This acclaimed live band has sold more than five million records, had several radio hits, and had their songs used in countless movies and TV shows (including a song being sung by an American Idol contestant). Switchfoot’s 8th studio album called “Vice Verses” coming out at the end of September. - The Huffington Post (The Internet Newspaper: News Blogs Video Community)

EDGE would love to see your projects! Email your sketches, paintings, photographs, creative writing or commercial art to: edgemagazine@comcast.net

EDGE MAGAZINE: What are the main ways that AFA goes about spreading their message and promoting animal rights? AMANDA SCHEMKES: We focus on doing educational outreach about veganism and animal rights. We do this through having booths at events, passing out flyers, stocking literature stands, using online resources, working with activists nationwide, holding demonstrations and protests and taking advantage of whatever opportunities come up to increase awareness and support of the issues surrounding animal liberation. One of our programs is sending out free vegan starter packs, which people can request at www.veganstarterpack.com.

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EDGE MAGAZINE: AFA works under one simple mission: that animals do not exist for humans to eat, wear, experiment on, or use for entertainment. It sounds like such a simple mission but I’m sure it’s really not. Just how hard has is it trying to persuade others to believe in this cause and fight for animal rights? AMANDA SCHEMKES: It varies a lot by person. For some people, as soon as they are exposed to how horribly animals are treated and are introduced to the idea that animals have the right to live their own lives, they get involved with helping animals—through becoming vegan, volunteering with an organization like AFA. But other people don’t accept it that easily. In our culture it’s “normal” to cook pieces of animals and eat them. We face a big obstacle in getting people to overcome what they are used to and recognize that the animals’ lives are worth so much more than enjoying the taste of meat. I do believe that the majority of people care for animals; show them a puppy or a kitten and its obvious. However, we now need people to extend that compassion to cows, pigs, chickens and other animals—to realize that they feel pain, have families and simply want to live. All animals care about their lives and we need to reach a place of widespread respect for that. Once you think about the actual animals instead of what people use them for, it becomes easier to think about how important it is for each of us to not support their abuse and murder, but to instead embrace a vegan lifestyle that shows compassion and respect for all animals.

EDGE MAGAZINE: Celebrities have supported AFA and there are thousands of supporters on the Facebook page so obviously there is good feedback and a strong support system but has it always been that way? With all of the numerous organizations out there, was it hard to make a name for AFA? AMANDA SCHEMKES: Action for Animals has grown and gained support over the years. As we’ve done more events, worked with volunteers in more locations, traveled on more tours, we’ve gained supporters and attention from a wider circle. We are very lucky to have the support of many bands and other celebrities because that helps to bring even more awareness to the cause. I am so grateful for all of the individuals who show their support for our work; from the people on Facebook, to volunteers who help out at events, to everyone who’s simply just told us thank you. Also to all of the people who were open-minded enough to come up to one of our tables at an event and talk to us or read one of our flyers—and then decided to make changes in their lives to help animals. There are, fortunately, many organizations doing great work for animals and I like that AFA is a part of a whole movement for animal rights. I think that AFA making a name for itself has largely just been a natural part of growing. The more things we do, the more people see who we are and what we stand for. Luckily there are a lot of people out there who want to be a part of that.

After finding out the truth about where meat came from, Amanda Schemkes decided to take a stand for those who didn’t have a voice. EDGE MAGAZINE: First off, what is your position at Action for Animals? AMANDA SCHEMKES: I’m the Vice President. I run a lot of our youth outreach programs such as our tours and working with bands, maintain our social network pages, act as editor of our newsletter, work with volunteers, plan new projects and whatever else needs to be done EDGE MAGAZINE: How/why did you get involved? AMANDA SCHEMKES: It all started when I was five. I found out that meat came from killing animals, and I decided I wasn’t going to eat it anymore. So I grew up a vegetarian, and then when I was in college I found out that the calves that are killed for veal are the babies of cows used for dairy. (Cows have to have a baby to produce milk, so the babies are sold for veal and their milk is taken to sell to people.) Finding this out made me realize that there was a lot that I didn’t know about how animals are used, treated, and killed. So I did a bunch of research about how animals are used for food, clothing, vivisection (animal testing), entertainment, etc. and realized that if I cared about animals, I had to be vegan. But that wasn’t enough—I knew that I needed to do everything I could to save animals from being tortured, exploited, and killed, so I got involved with animal rights activism. First I worked with the student group at my university, and then I started volunteering with Action for Animals. I dedicate so much of my life to working for animals because I feel that they deserve to live their own lives, take care of their babies and experience what it means to be themselves instead of a piece of property. I’m so grateful that Action for Animals exists to work for that. EDGE MAGAZINE: Can you tell me about how Action for Animals started? AMANDA SCHEMKES: Action for Animals started as a student group at the University of Washington. As it grew, the President decided to split it away from the university and do more work throughout Seattle. From there, outreach projects spread throughout the U.S. and eventually to other countries as well.

EDGE MAGAZINE: AFA stresses reaching out to the youth to spread their mission. Does AFA feel that they are the most important group of people to reach out to? AMANDA SCHEMKES: Young people are a great audience for animal rights outreach. They tend to be open to the idea of animal rights and being vegan, have a lot of passion about causes, generally care about animals and are just at a good point in their lives to get really involved in activism and making life changes. EDGE MAGAZINE: After becoming a vegan, what would the next steps be in raising awareness on this cause, spreading AFA’s mission, and fighting for animal rights? AMANDA SCHEMKES: I encourage people to get involved with activism. That can be anything from posting a video on your Facebook page or linking an article on Twitter to hosting vegan potlucks for your friends to attending a protest to volunteering with an organization like AFA. You can visit AFA’s website (www.afa-online.org) for more information about getting involved, and you can always contact me at Amanda@afa-online.org to discuss ideas, find out about available volunteer opportunities, to ask questions—I’m happy to help in any way I can. EDGE MAGAZINE: What’s next for AFA? Where do you see Action for Animals in a few years? AMANDA SCHEMKES: This summer we’ll have a booth on the Vans Warped Tour and be doing a lot of outreach that I’m really excited about. After that, we have some new projects that we’ll be working on as well as just doing more of the vegan and animal rights outreach that we always do. Over the next few years, I plan to step up our outreach and expand the ways in which we reach out to people. It’s a great time to get involved with our work, so please get in touch to find out about what you can do. EDGE MAGAZINE: Anything else people should know about AFA or this cause in general? AMANDA SCHEMKES: One of the most important things you can do for animals is to become vegan and educate others about veganism and animal rights. Each person who becomes vegan saves the lives of an average of 100 animals per year—and that’s a pretty powerful thing to be able to do! To really educate yourself about all the ways in which animals are used and how vital it is that you decide to make a difference for them, I urge you to watch the documentary Earthlings. Think about an animal that you’ve loved and then think about all of the other animals in the world that need some love and compassion. You can make a difference for them, so do it. Go vegan, get involved and you’ll save lives.

Ever wanted to be part of something your favorite athlete was a part of? Ever wanted to do something for a good cause and volunteer with a non-profit organization? If you answered yes to both of these questions then your in luck because below you will find a handful of amazing charities that were either started by professional athletes themselves or that professional athletes have been a part of. If you go online to our Tumblr you can find links to each of these organizations as well as other resources and organizations to get involved with!

Jay Cutler, the quarterback for the Chicago Bears, founded The Jay Cutler Foundation whose mission is to improve the life for those less fortunate and those who are suffering from diabetes. Cutler founded this organization on the idea that we not only have to help those who need it but to invest in the future of the community as well.

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Get Involved!

Tennis player Andy Roddick has been involved with City Harvest, an organization that collects food from various places such as restaurants, grocers, farms and more and delivered to various food programs via trucks, bikes and even volunteers on foot. They are the world’s first food rescue organization committed to feeding the city’s people and ending hunger in communities in NYC.

Los Angeles Laker Matt Barnes founded the Athletes vs. Cancer Foundation after his mother passed away from cancer a few years ago with a goal of athletes coming together to raise awareness and educate people on cancer. Through various events and tournaments, AVS fundraises to help bring cancer screenings to the less fortunate as well as motivate

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The Static Jacks are definitely a band with drive, passion and motivation. We sat down with Ian, Henry, Nick and Michael before their show at The Knitting Factory in Brooklyn recently and it was clear that music was the path their lives needed to be on right now. This soulful grunge band from New Jersey is definitely heading in the right direction and with a new album under Fearless Records, who knows what the future has in store for them! By Melanie and Madeline Edge Magazine: So how did the Static Jacks come about? Henry: Myself, Ian and Nick had known each other growing up in New Jersey and had been playing together for years. We were looking for another band member so we made a flyer and put it up in a Sam Ash store. Michael: I found the add and auditioned for the band, and got it. I accidentally took the entire stack so there wasn’t really anyone else to consider anyways. Edge Magazine: Are you guys in school and this is a side project or is it Static Jacks everyday? Henry: We were in school, all at different places but not anymore. Ian: I remember sitting in orientation and texting the guys and being like “This isn’t for me”. I lasted one semester. Nick: We all basically decided that school wasn’t for us right now. We all definitely want to get an education, its important, but right now the focus is entirely our music. Edge Magazine: And “The Static Jacks”, where did the name come from? Nick: Its funny, we were in a store once and someone asked us that same question. The guy behind the counter answered for us and said “its the noise when you pull the cord out of the amp…”. Edge Magazine: Your earlier material was all based around a DIY mindset. You did almost everything from designing the album artwork to packaging merchandise. Henry: Yeah we did pretty much all of it. And now we are signed to Fearless Records but we still have so much control in every aspect. Edge Magazine: Being signed to Fearless Records is awesome! So how did it happen? Henry: They actually approached us which was amazing and we weren’t going to let a chance like that pass us by. Its been awesome so far because we are still so involved in the process. The production has been pretty much the same, and we have been able to maintain creative control and thats important to us. Edge Magazine: Unlike some other bands that are against it, you have offered free downloads of a few songs to listeners. Why did you decided to do that? Ian: Personally I’m more willing to listen to an artist and get their music if they offer a free song because chances are, if I like it, I’ll then be more inclined to actually buy more of their music. Nick: With all the competition and other bands out there, you’ve got to put yourself and your music out there and offering free downloads is one of the best ways. Edge Magazine: Do you still buy CDs or does most of your stuff come from online? Ian: It’s definitely a combination of both. Nick: Same. I’ve downloaded CDs that I know I’ll probably end up buying but it’s just easier at the time. Edge Magazine: What artists are you guys listening to today? Ian: F***** Up, definitley an awesome band. Henry: Arcade Fire! Everything we do, we try to do it as well as Arcade Fire. Nick: Loving the new Arctic Monkeys, they are definitely one of our biggest influences. Michael: I’d have to say The Vaccines. Edge Magazine: Some of your songs have been on MTV shows. How did that come about? Henry: MTV actually found us. Recently it was on “Teen Wolf ” and we didn’t even know about it. I happened to have MTV on in the background while I was on my computer and then heard our song coming from the TV- I was a bit confused. Nick: But most of the time our manager calls us and says, “Hey, your song’s going to be on tv”!

They are heading out on tour so be sure to find them on Facebook to stay updated!

Starry Eyed by Melanie Goffman • Sun of a Gun by Oh Land • Whirring by The Joy Formidable • I’m Good, I’m Gone by Lykke Li • I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You by Black Kids • Starry Eyed by Ellie Goulding • Bird Song by Florence + The Machine • Marathon by Tennis • Animal by Mike Snow • Cheap and Cheerful by The Kills • Cut Me Out by MNDR