Generation Magazine - December 7, 2010 - You are the weakest link. Good bye.
CONTENTS
Featured Also 05 | Editor’s Letter
Friends and family
07 | Agenda
12 12
Crispin Hellion Glover is coming to Buffalo!
Some stuff that is good. Some stuff that is bad. The usual.
You ask, we answer.
| Hit or Bulls***
08 | He Says, She Says 09 | Predictions
Sex and Ghosts
16
Liz Flyntz talks to Logan White, an up-and-coming photographer with a show at UB’s Visual Studies Gallery
Sneak peek into 2011
10 | 4-Leaf Journal
Josh Q. Newman is coming back from Ireland!
14 | Classy NYE Party
The first of five guides in this issue,
16 | Winter Survival
Are you afraid of not making it past winter? Don’t worry, Steve’s got you!
If your boyfriend never leaves the room, we’ve got the ultimate gift guide.
18 | Tech Gifts
18 18
14
Classy New Years Eve Party 101
Kathryn Przybyla shares a few tips on how to throw a New Years Eve party that does not just involve funnels and Joose.
19 | Literary Section Mental break-downs in woods, wedding dresses, and fall walks. 22 | Parting Shots
(716)2010-GEN Bored on Christmas Eve? Everything is closed on Christmas? No one to kiss on New Years Eve? We’ll text you back if you text us! 201-0436.
EDITOR’S LETTER
Generation Magazine
Wrap Up
2010 - 2011 Staff Editor in Chief Dino Husejnovic
Managing Editor
Jenni-Lyn Watson 1990 - 2010
We have come a long way. Another semester is about to end and I am hoping that you have been doing your stuff, or otherwise you are in for a rude awakening (unless you cheated on your MGS exam, in which case you have already had your rude awakening.) Thanksgiving has been relaxing, but I am just glad that we have all made it back safely. I am sure that many of you had heard of the horrifying story of a young woman named Jenni-Lyn Watson, but in case you spent the past two weeks under a rock, I’ll explain. The Mercyhurst College dance student from Liverpool, N.Y. returned home for Thanksgiving on Friday and disappeared soon after, along with her cell phone. Her keys and purse were still at the house. A week later, she was found dead in a swampy area near a park. Since the discovery, her boyfriend was arrested, with whom she had an on and off relationship. Police are assuming that he visited her house right after she had arrived. She wanted to end the relationship and that is when he allegedly killed her. Her friends say she was the nicest person ever, smart and beautiful. A young innocent life lost, for what? A relationship? We do not know yet, and I do not wish to speculate. But one thing is for sure. Life can certainly throw you curve balls when you least expect it, and we should not take it for granted. Personally, this semester has been one of the most difficult during my three and a half years. Working two jobs and two internships will suck the energy out of you quick. So going home for Thanksgiving was a blessing. Finally, a little bit of time to relax and just forget about everything. It really is true, there is no place like home. What really made Thanksgiving the best time of the semester were family and friends. By now you are realizing that this is one of those sappy letters. True. But put in the context of Jenni-
Lyn. Imagine if one of your friends were going home for Thanksgiving and suddenly disappeared after arriving? It is sad that we have to put ourselves into these grim situations to realize how important the people in our lives are and how devastated we would be if they suddenly disappeared. My girlfriend often gets upset over “wasting time” or “wasting life” because she always wants to do something, and I usually think she is crazy. I understand now. Spend as much quality time with your friends and family whenever you can. This holiday break, for many of us, will be one of the last times we will get to wake up in the homes we grew up in, with no worries and the smell of home-made pancakes. Once we move on, it will not be the same. On another note, Generation has been going strong for seven issues now, and this will be the last issue until January. We will be back with some new and exciting ideas and we will finalize the layout, so there is a little more consistency. You’ve seen the font change twice, and I think we’re sticking with this one. The cover layout has been different a few times, but we like the clean look. In this issue, we have a nice holiday guide that will hopefully give you some tips when it comes to shopping for gifts. Stay away from the Kardashian Card, get off your butt and find some seasonal work and give your parents and siblings a big hug. Something like that. Enjoy your holidays!
Dino Husejnovic
Submit your letters and articles at ubgeneration.com, or e-mail us at ubgeneration@gmail.com
Kathryn Przybyla
Creative Director Elizabeth Flyntz
Copy Editor
Catherine Prendergast
Associate Editors Seon McDonald Steve Neilans Allison Balcerzak
Photo Editor
Allison Wasneechack
Circulation Director Rashid Dakhil-Rivera
Contributing Staff Josh Q. Newman Nathan Grygier Jessica Brant Allison Ruiz
Business Manager Ariella Goro
Ad Manager Tommy Zhao
Asst. Ad Manager Ted DiRienzo
Cover design by Dino Husejnovic. Generation Magazine is owned by Sub-Board I, Inc., the student service corporationat the State University of New York at Buffalo. The Sub-Board I, Inc. Board of Directors grants editorial autonomy to the editorial board of Generation. Sub-Board I, Inc. (the publisher) provides funding through mandatory student activity fees and is in no way responsible for the editorial content, editorial structure or editorial policy of the magazine. Editorial and business offices for Generation are located in Suite 315 in the Student Union on North Campus. The telephone numbers are (716) 645-6131 or (716) 645-2674 (FAX). Address mail c/o Room 315 Student Union University at Buffalo, Amherst, NY 14260 Submissions to Generation Magazine should be e- mailed to ubgeneration@gmail.com by 1 p.m. Tuesday, a week before each issue’s publication. This publication and its contents are the property of the students of the State University of New York at Buffalo 2010 by Generation Magazine, all rights reserved. The first 10 copies of Generation Magazine are free. Each additional copy must be approved by the editor in chief. Requests for reprints should be directed to the editor in chief. Generation Magazine neither endorses nor takes responsibility for any claims made by our advertisers. Press run 5,000.
ubgeneration.com | 5
OH YEAH! HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM EVERYONE AT
GENERATION MAGAZINE OH YEAH! source: reddit user: skeezer
AGENDA CRISPIN HELLION GLOVER IN BUFFALO | DEC 15
Crispin Hellion Glover performs a one-hour dramatic narration of eight different profusely illustrated books. Also, screening of It’s Fine. EVERYTHING IS FINE, a 35mm motion picture film from the mind of Steven C. Stewart and directed by Crispin Glove . Venue: Market Arcade
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CONCERT | ROBERT RANDOLF | DECEMBER 8
The American band famous for their live concerts in which dancing is an integral part mainly due to their upbeat and funky music, will play to an embracing crowd in Buffalo. Fusing hip-hop, gospel, funk and soul has garnered the band rave reviews. Venue: Tralf Music Hall. Tickets: $30
MOVIE | THE TOURIST | DECEMBER 10
The American band famous for their live concerts in which dancing is an integral part mainly due to their upbeat and funky music, will play to an embracing crowd in Buffalo. Fusing hip-hop, gospel, funk and soul has garnered the band rave reviews. Venue: Tralf Music Hall. Tickets: $30
SHOW| CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE | DECEMBER 10-12
Due to popular demand, the performing troupe returns to Buffalo with a dazzling and imaginative Christmas themed show featuring spectacular performances from acrobats, aerialists and stunning artistry. Venue: Shea Performing Arts Center. Tickets $30-90
BROADWAY | DREAMGIRLS | DECEMBER 14-19
The Tony Award winning musical about the stage lives of “The Dreams” a female singing trio who had as much drama onstage as backstage is alleged to be loosely based on the real life of Diana Ross and “The Supremes”. The musical which made it to the silver screen won Jennifer Hudson an Oscar. Venue: Shea Performing Arts Center. Tickets from $30
TEXT US YOUR QUESTIONS! 716-201-0436
He Says, She Says An advice column divided by the sexes, starring Catherine Prendergast and Nathan Grygier
Why are all redhead girls chubby? CP: Oh yeah? All redhead girls are chubby? Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Rose McGowan, Isla Fisher, Christina Hendricks, Laura Prepon, Debra Messing, Alicia Witt…I can keep going but I think I’ve already blown your mind. NG : Ok, not all redheaded girls are chubby, but I will admit that the ratio of chubby to attractive redhead girls is something along the lines of 8:1. It’s just a law of nature, kind of like how everytime you see a Volkswagen Jetta, there is more than likely a cute girl driving it. It’s just the way the universe works. Being a redhead myself, I’ve been constantly told that we’re going to die out soon, and I solely blame the physique of our women for the loss of our great kind. God hates the gingers it seems. I totally have the hots for a coworker, should I pursue it? CP: I don’t know, I mean, the job market isn’t looking too great these days. If you have a full time job I would do everything in my power to stay there and not fuck it up. Pursing a coworker could fuck it up royally. Plus, who says this coworker is even interested in you? My advice, keep your job and put your shirt back on. NG: Ah, office sex, a facet of most jobs. If you are going to pursue it,
you should know that all of your coworkers will find out what went down, usually in vivid detail. I am one of the only people at my job who has never gotten with a coworker, while on the other end of the spectrum one girl has slept with 6 coworkers, and might have mouth herpes. In her defense though, she claims “It’s not herpes, it’s just a rash that comes back sometimes.” Anyway, bang your coworker if you want, but everyone will know how well or poorly you performed, thus leading you to get with more or less coworkers in the future.
ate and you will vomit up all of the previously ingested thumbtacks. Then look how many thumbtacks you’ll have! You can use them for all sorts of fun things! Hanging up posters, giving them to your legos as a weapon, leaving them out so your roommate who you hate will puncture their foot and possibly contract tetanus, hours of fun ensue!
I just ate a thumbtack! What should one go about doing in this situation?
NG : Sure it’s normal, if you’re with someone whose utterly unappealing and boring as shit. How apathetic are you in your sex life that you can’t even enjoy getting pounded and or pounding someone anymore? If you do yawn, it means your partner is awful at sex and you should find a new one immediately, one without a flaccid penis or saggy boobs. Once you find your new partner, you should be able to enjoy sex again and realize how much of a d-bag you were for yawning during in the first place.
CP: It’s quite simple really. Pick up your phone. Dial 911. Tell the person on the line that you have just consumed a thumbtack. The person will get a big car to come to wherever you are. The big car will come quickly and loudly. Get in this vehicle and you will be taken to a large building where the people are paid big bucks to help out in these types of situations. Let those people do whatever they need to do to get the thumbtack out. And then you are safe. If you swallow another thumbtack, repeat the steps. NG: Eat more thumbtacks, of course! I’m sure if you continue to eat thumbtacks then eventually some sort of gag reflex will initi-
Is it normal to yawn during sex? And if a person does, what does it mean? CP: Define “yawn.”
I see a lot of sexy ladies at the gym, how do I pick them up? CP: I’m assuming you’re strong. Before the lift, clear the pathway, just in case. Take the female close to your body. Make sure you have a firm grip. Keep your feet about
a shoulder width apart. Bend your knees and make sure your back is straight, it is also helpful to practice this part before you actually attempt it. Tighten your stomach muscles, and lift with your legs. If the female is too heavy you better halt the mission so you don’t injure others. Picking up lots of sexy ladies? The leading physical therapists in WNY will recommend a back support. NG : Listen carefully to me, no girl ever wants to be hit on at a gym. The gym is not a place for flirting, everyone is sweaty, smelly, and in unflattering outfits. You might as well hit on a girl at a gynecologist’s office mid-exam, because that’s the equivalent of how sexy they feel when they’re at the gym. Also, don’t think the girls don’t know that you’re staring at them when they do that awkward leg spread machine that works out the vag muscles, because they’re very aware. So you can go talk to them if you want, but you should know that they’re well aware of your interest, because you can’t hide a boner in gym shorts all that well. Editor’s Note: All suggestions expressed are for entertainment purposes only. Practice safe sex, be good to your partners and try to make wise decisions, if you know what I mean.
Source: Reddit User SkaPlunk
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GENERATION November 16,2010
Letters to the Editor The University Heights Problem: At Least We’re Trying By Charlotte Zoda
Editor’s Note: This is a response to Brian Prince’s opinion piece on the University Heights issues published in Issue 6. Let me just preface that I am a graduate student, an alumnae of a Greek organization here at UB, and with many friends living on South Campus, Greek and nonGreek. With that being said, I am offended by Prince’s piece, mainly because of the lack of research and knowledge surrounding the Height’s issue and the motion to organize a Greek row. Also, I attended that meeting even though I’ve never lived in the
University Heights. Maybe this thought didn’t cross your mind but did you ever think that not everyone can afford on campus housing? Not everyone can spare $930 for an apartment, like I was lucky to be able to last year. Did it ever occur to you that many students at UB are working hard to complete a degree without the help of mommy and/or daddy, in which $250 for rent in a rundown house on Lisbon, within walking distance to the bus stop, sounds much more financially appealing? I am aware that “you get what you pay for” but sometimes you don’t always get the choice to live in cushy Amherst. While initially the meeting was to facilitate University support for Greek housing, you failed to mention that the Spectrum also reported that safety is not only a concern for Greek members but for other students living in the area and permanent
residents. Or do you think the two UB students who were assaulted Halloween night walking on Highgate aren’t worthy of additional safety? I’m not disagreeing that issues can arise due to house parties that happen basically every weekend but not every house party is Greek and that’s not always how “frats roll”. How about you talk to the Minnesota Block Club because they speak highly of Sigma Pi and Phi Kappa Psi for all the help and services they volunteer to the Club’s neighborhood projects. Yes, increase security is going to cost money but I didn’t think that feeling safe and protected had a price. While it can be a choice to live on South Campus, no one chooses to be assaulted, robbed, mugged, shot, stabbed, or vandalized. An increase in police support and cooperation can help curb violent crimes in the area, to every-
one’s benefit. Yes, it may cause “yet another tuition increase on all university students, and not the few who receive the additional benefit.” If that’s your argument, then I want my student activity fee back because I was unable to attend every Distinguished Speaker event, Fall/Spring Fest, or ride the bus because I now commute to campus. Why should I agree to pay this fee since I can’t utilize the services provided? Oh wait, because it would benefit all students rather than just me. Next time, do your research before you decide to voice your opinion. Spell check helps too. At least we offered potential solutions, where are yours? Better yet, let’s meet up and discuss for I also live in Tonawanda. What up, neighbor?
Think of them as a warning perhaps?
2011
Predictions Around Campus “More unexpected celebrity deaths”
“All the ice is going to melt into the water and the whole world will be flooded”
“New and improved iPads, iPods and Mac Books” “The Bills will win the Superbowl!” “An iPhone on Verizon” “Angelina Jolie will adopt three more babies from Africa” “Sarah Palin will win an Emmy for her show” “All cell phones will become smartphones” “Conspiracies in Washington DC” “Roger Federer will be crowned the King of Tennis” “Nicki Minaj and Lil Kim rap-off” “A successful trip to Mars”
“A sequel to Anchorman!”“Snow until May” “Jake Gyllenhaal will finally come out” “Every movie will be 3D” “More undergrads at UB” “UFO pants will come back in style” “Endless budget cuts” “Another disappointing Spring Fest” “The United States will lose a lot of political power” “An NSYNC reunion” “People will start to prepare for 2012” “Generation will be in glossy color”
ubgeneration.com | 9
The Four-Leaf Journal The Happy Accident Josh Q. Newman
As I approach the end of my stay here in Dublin, I suppose now would be a good time to reflect on my overall experiences in the world outside Buffalo. I remember the youthful excitement I had in the months leading up to my departure, as dictated in my first entry “I’m Shipping Up to Dublin.” I couldn’t wait to go. Because I never left Buffalo before – really, I never left home before – it was like going to college for the first time. The hot summer dragged on as I was pushing carts at Tops, waiting incessantly for the moment I’d step off the plane and make my way towards Trinity College. Yet I also remember the considerable apprehension I felt when I did in fact step off that plane. I didn’t mention it in my writings out of concern that it would give people the wrong impression about Dublin. I arrived on August 26th, a cloudy, tepid day in the city that wasn’t exactly typical yet was nonetheless expected by its denizens. Peering out the window of a taxicab, I caught my first glimpses of the city. It was surprisingly grungy (I should mention
10 | ubgeneration.com
that the airport is located in the north of the city, which is considered the more “rundown” area of the region), with two-story shops guarded by steel meshes and Chinese restaurants in every block. The colors were drained and the buildings either boringly modern or exotically antiquated. Perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself with these descriptions but I honestly felt a bit out of touch with the place I had dreamed of for months. When I finally arrived at my residence, which was only temporary, I slumped onto the bed after a long journey and an overwhelming first encounter with the city of my dreams. This is, however, my fault. I should’ve known better than to come in with a picture of a BBC documentary of a small Irish town in my head. This isn’t the 1950s. Ireland is a modern country. Yet I couldn’t help but feel disappointed that this isn’t the Ireland James Joyce wrote about, which was a reason why I came here in the first place. The apprehension that I felt soon dissipated when I actually got to know Dublin. I have been living here for three months (with one month to go) and I can say with great pride that I was, if only for a little while, a Dubliner. I suppose the question that I should be asking myself, now that it’s wrapping up, is whether it was worth it. The short answer is yes, but it’s important to take everything into account. First off, the trip was expensive. Studying abroad in Europe will incur hefty student fees. I believe the tuition (for one semester, mind you) was €12,000, which roughly converts to $16,000. That is nearly four times the amount I pay for tuition at UB for the whole year! On top of that, add room and board, UB’s tuition, plane tickets, books, food, utilities, bus fare, spending money, and of course drinking money. It adds up. Overall I must have spent around $25,000 to $30,000 – definitely more than I had anticipated. Secondly, there’s the risk of feeling alone. I was the only person from UB and the entire
SUNY system to enter this program. As far as I know, no one else from Buffalo goes to Trinity. It can feel daunting to live in a foreign country for four months without any supervision and without anyone to relate to. That’s not to say that I didn’t meet anyone or make any friends; however, it can be difficult, even with those people around you, to feel totally comfortable. This inevitably brings the feeling of homesickness and nostalgia. When you’re feeling alone, it’s natural to retreat to what you’re used to. Anything from having your own car to being able to use your email application for once becomes much more appealing than it once did. Studying abroad can stir a mosaic of emotions, whether you expect them or not. Having brought this to attention, I can still say that going to Ireland was worth it. I could, of course, say the obvious things like it was a chance for me to grow and find myself and although there is a grain of truth in that, it would be better to simply put that Ireland was fun. I had a wonderful time. Trinity College was great, so much so that I’m considering coming back here for graduate school. Dublin has a great nightlife, which is ideal for students that take classes and study all day. There’s a pub in every block and there’s a rich sense of culture and history in every corner. If anything, going to Dublin has taught me that it is possible to have a life of your own outside of home, that it is ideal to step out of your comfort zone once in a while to discover the other zones in life. The writing process of “The Four-Leaf Journal” was also quite liberating. I feel very privileged that I was able to share my experiences abroad with UB’s student body. Every two weeks I would force myself to sit down and transcribe what I felt and saw on paper. It helped me cope with some of the issues I described above and it’s also a fantastic way to remember my experiences here. I hope my perception of Ireland was both creative and faithful. The
great obstacle in writing the journals was being careful in not coming across as too attached or sentimental. Without sounding too much like a hibernophile (or God forbid a plastic paddy), I’ve taken a great liking to Irish history and culture. I wanted to create an accurate picture of modern day Ireland and my experiences there as an American student. It’s true that Ireland became my second home and it’ll never be quite erased from my heart but I have an obligation to write what I see as objectively as possible. The journals, then, became an exercise in rhetorical restraint and insight. I hope I was successful. I would be amiss if I didn’t thank a few people for this opportunity. I’d like to thank my parents, Jay and Rosa, for funding my trip and supporting me throughout. This wouldn’t have been possible without you, so I dedicate these journals to you. I’d like to thank Dino and Kat for reading, editing, and publishing these journals, as well as being tolerant of my handing in stuff late. I should also thank Ren Laforme, the former Editor in Chief, for suggesting the idea of writing a travel journal while abroad and for coming up with the title itself. He was very encouraging about my writing, which means a lot to me. When I wrote the first entry of the journal back in August, the very first thing I wrote was, “Going to Ireland is a happy accident.” I never intended on studying abroad anywhere until earlier this year. Despite my imaginative hopes of Ireland, I didn’t know what quite to expect until I got there. I’m three months in and I can tell you that this trip has been the most fun I’ve ever had in my life. I would not trade it for anything nor would I give it up for anything. As I sit here in my room, looking out at the cloudy and snowy Dublin sky, I can only imagine what it will be like when I step on the plane back to Buffalo. I don’t know what to expect but if I’ve learning anything, that may not be a bad thing.
GENERATION December 7, 2010
An American in Paris, London, Brussels, and Amsterdam: A Travel Guide
A great part about my study abroad experience was that I was able to travel to places I never though I’d see. I spent an entire week by myself exploring the European continent. In particular, I went to London, Paris, Brussels, and Amsterdam. For those of you that might want to backpack across Europe, here are a few tips that should be helpful in your liberating travels:
Josh Q. Newman Plan Ahead Make your arrangements well before you go. This means plane tickets, train or bus tickets, living quarters, money, phone, etc. Besides having the security of knowing exactly what you’re doing, it might save you some money. The earlier you get them, the cheaper your transportation tickets will be. Europe has an extensive rail system and a cheap airline called Ryanair. Depending when you get them, you can get your plane tickets for free (excluding taxes and fees).
Go Hostel No, I’m not talking about the Eli Roth movie. Hostels are actually pretty cool. They’re half the price of hotels and offer the same basic accommodations. Many are geared toward younger hipster types, so it’s an ideal place for college students. Plus you get to meet a lot of cool people. You can book your stay in almost any European city; I used hostelbooker.com. Depending what you pay for, the rooms can be quite tiny. My London hostel, for example, consisted of two bunk beds with barely enough room in between to walk. It’s not the Ritz but hey, if you’re on a budget (and who isn’t?) it’s the place to go. Just be careful of your belongings! You never know whom you might be rooming with but again, it won’t be like that fucking Eli Roth movie.
Be Nice Although I didn’t encounter the dreaded “Ugly American” syndrome when I was abroad, you still have to be careful. You’re in someone else’s country; in a way, you’re a guest. So don’t make a scene or commit obvious faux pas. Try to learn the basic customs of the countries you’re in (though don’t be overly fawning – you’ll look like a d-bag). Also, if you didn’t know, America’s perception in the world has taken a nosedive over the past ten years, so be careful what you say about America and the world. I don’t think Parisians would care very much if you starting singing the anthem of “Team America: World Police”! But seriously, just be polite and the natives will act in kind.
Announce Your Travels Make sure you let people know where you’re going to be. Give your friends and family the names and addresses of the hostels and numbers you can be reached at. It would be a good idea to contact the local U.S. embassy, too. You don’t have to do it in person; you can do it online and in advanced. That way, God forbid you get into trouble, you’ll have some good ol’ American diplomatic might on your side. Get their numbers and addresses, too.
Buy a Guide Since you’re only going to be in Europe for a little while, you want to see as much as possible. That’s why you should buy a guidebook or at the very least look up stuff on the Internet. Come prepared with maps and a list of places you want to see. Most airports and train stations will have city maps that you can use as well. It would also help to learn basic words of the country’s native language. Terms like “hello,” “thank you,” “Do you speak English?” etc. You’d be surprised on how much you can see in one day. If you get bus or metro tickets, you can see places even faster. Know the places where you want to go and where you shouldn’t go. Generally, crowded touristy areas will always be safe but you never know.
Count Your Pennies Travelling isn’t cheap, especially if you go to these big European cities. Even if you stay away from souvenirs like I did, you’re going to be spending a lot on food. Make sure you allot a good amount of money before you go. Rule of thumb is that you should have at least €50 (or $70) per day. That may seem like a lot but you’re going to be tempted to try loads of different foods. Also, you have to take into account miscellaneous items (toiletries, tours and museums, metro, etc.) If you want to go out and party at night, I’d say bring more. NEVER carry all of your money with you at once. If you lose it, you’re screwed. Take money out of your bank account when need be. Find out from your Have Fun! Sounds a bit obvious but you should be cogni- bank if you can use your ATM card outside the zant of the incredible opportunity you have in States; most banks have some sort of arrangeseeing the world. Most people won’t get this ment. chance so make the most of it. That means see as much as you can and don’t be afraid of trying new things or, despite what I wrote in tip 3, spend a little money. You’re most likely only going to be in Europe a few times in your life, if that, so just go out there and grab life by the horns. Make America proud.
Interview by Liz Flyntz Logan White is a young photographer from hailing from Georgia. She got a degree in photography from Rhode Island School of Design in 2007 and has shown her work extensively throughout the US. She also produces commissioned commercial work for clients such as Urban Outfitters and magazines like Vice and NYLON. Currently she has a solo show on view in the Visual Studies Gallery in the Center for the Arts building. The exhibition - on view until December 17 - is curated by Liz Rywelski, and includes a zine comprised of UB student photography. I see that you have a lot of work up online. How do you feel about your work being distributed in this medium that involves instant unattributed distribution? Have you had internet distribution problems? I appreciate the instantaneous recognition of contemporary art thru internet distribution and re-distribution. I feel like it’s only fair in this day and age to accept that recognition as an artist working today and self-promoting online. So much art is made exclusively for online purposes and I feel image based art especially benefits from this kind of instant exposure. With that said, there are more misinterpretations of the work because of their new context. For example, my work has ended on porn sites before, some distasteful, some more classically erotic and arti tic. I’ve considered asking certain sites to take down my work because of the context but ultimately have decided that because I’ve chosen to put my work on the internet, it’s fair game to anyone that wants to repost it. I don’t want to monitor people’s take on my work so I accept that once it’s on the internet, it has a life of it’s own. Another example of distribution discomfort is if I shoot commercial work - I try to approach commercial work in the same way I do my personal work, but I tend to explore themes in my personal work that aren’t meant to help sell clothes or perfume or whatever. Once again I have to accept that the client won’t necessarily share my final edit and if it’s a larger company, like Urban Outfitters, who I’ve shot for, my name will be attached to images that aren’t the images I necessarily want recognition for. But then again, it’s motivating for me to make sure I’m true to my artistic vision and not give commercial clients work I wouldn’t want to represent myself as an artist. Who are your influences in terms of photography or other visual media? Are they your contemporaries or artists from the past? In this body of work (Bad Manor) I see something of the German film director Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s set design and also something of the French photographer Irina Ionesco. Am I projecting? Most of my influences are psychological projections and female historical references
Sex and Ghosts
in relation to religion, magik, and sexuality. I’ve been looking at photography since I was very young - the first photographer I remember admiring is Clarence John Laughlin through his book Ghosts Along the Mississippi which I saw in my Grandma’s house when I was 4 or 5. It was images like that and being surrounded by a strong sense of the southern gothik that influenced my work at an early age. And as I began to explore more specific artists growing up. it was photographers like Francesca Woodman, Hans Bellmer, and Nobuyoshi Araki and filmmakers like Michelangelo Antonioni and David Lynch…all for different reasons. While I’m a fan of both Fassbinder and Irina Ionesco, I don’t be-
lieve either have been a significant influence. While I appreciate Irina Ionesco’s images I find similarly set up images by the Victorian photographer Julia Margaret Cameron more informative of my interest in allegory and the pre-raphaelite, then taking them to a lavish but corrupt set...visual influences being 1970’s horror films like Dario Argento’s “Suspiria” or the symbolism and themes of womanhood and identity in Ingmar Bergman’s film “Persona”. Female performance artists like Yoko Ono and Karen Finley have also been influential, more for their fearlessness and less for their aesthetics. What is your technical background? How did you “get into” photography?
I first started taking pictures when I was around 11 or 12 around my house in Macon, GA. I started working in a darkroom when I was 13 at Camp Glen Arden in Tuxedo, NC under William Logan, who was once upon a time Ansel Adams’ assistant. It was pretty immediate. I never stopped shooting and knew that the darkroom was my new sanctuary. From the beginning I’ve been obsessed with film and analog manipulation. What kind of cameras do you use? I use a variety of film cameras, mostly a 35 mm Canon, and a Leica point-andshoot, Yashica Twin Lens Reflex and pointand-shoot, and a Hasselblad medium format. I also like shooting with expired film and really high speed film in order to manipulate the grain and color. When you make your work are you thinking purely about making an image, or is there a theoretical underpinning? (Almost) everyone likes a picture of a naked girl! Are your naked girls representing some specific idea about womanhood, sexuality, and nationality? Nationality no, sexuality and womanhood yes. The women in my photographs are meant to represent a spiritual entity or unapologetic and universally female force of nature. She is someone that I want women to be able to relate to or appreciate for her atypical beauty, empowerment, or vulnerability through pride. I love telling stories about women, guided by their complex psyches I create images that hopefully resonate with a universal longing to understand what lies beneath the darkness that is undeniably poignant and beautiful. I aim to challenge what is typically appropriate by staring faux pas in the face. Do you consider yourself a professional or an amateur? At what point will you feel that you have fulfilled your professional ideals? I don’t think about this. I suppose a professional is someone who can support themselves on their craft alone. I’m on my way and I suppose that is my professional ideal - to be able to make my own art and have shows and sell prints without having to work a job I don’t enjoy. I don’t know many artists who can do this at my age, but that doesn’t discourage me. I have a strong education in photography and a degree from Rhode Island School of Design, so even though I’m technically to be a “professional,” I’ve thrown a lot of rules out the window to get the aesthetic results I find most interesting and cryptic... and because it’s more fun. Do you make work in other media, or is photography all-consuming? Photography is pretty all consuming at the moment but I’ve worked in video, painting, sculpture, poetry, etc...I was a painter before I was a photographer. I just find that the medium of photography has nuances that allow me to play with reality and surreality in ways that most accurately display my visions.
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HOW Throw a Classy New Years TO Eve Party
By Kathryn Przybyla It’s been a long year. We’re just about to cram our way through finals and finish those group projects. But never fear because there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And that light my friends, is called New Year’s Eve. The last day of the year will be celebrated by millions all over the world, with the promise of a new beginning and a fresh start. Here at UB, New Year’s Eve beautifully falls right in the middle of our winter break, leaving plenty of room for both preparation and recovery. It’s one of the most social events of the year, where we share memories with friends and family and make resolutions for the year to come. This year however will be different. It will be the classiest night of your life. Planning a classy New Year’s Eve party is the epitome of social events. Playing host to such an event requires a little prep and planning, but is not impossible. With a little help from this guide, your affair will be the talk of the New Year.
The Preparation While the date for your party has already been set, all that’s left to prepare is a guest list. All close friends are a must, and invite them to bring along a friend for the festive occasion. Meeting new people is a great way to start off 2011. But this shouldn’t turn into a complete open house party. Think less frat house basement and 14 | ubgeneration.com
more Upper East Side loft. While it’s a great tool to get the word out, Facebook is so 2010 when it comes to letting people know they have been cordially invited. Send out actual invitations to the lucky few whose presence you request on December 31st. Legitimate invitations are few and far between when it comes to college get togethers, so try something new to get your guests excited. Everyone wants to look good when the clock strikes Midnight. Be sure to tell your guests the proper dress code for such an occasion. Cocktail attire is perfect for a New Year’s Eve party. Dress slacks and button downed shirts for the guys and cocktail dresses and skirts for the girls are so chic. Be sure to add sequins. It is New Year’s after all. Picking a location to host your party is important too. Make sure your apartment or house can fit your guests comfortably. No one likes an overcrowded tiny room with 100 people cramming in. Also, if you can accommodate, offer to have guests crash at your place afterwards to ensure a safe ride home in the morning. If your spot can’t fit everyone for a slumber party, have a stack of taxi cards on hand for guests to take advantage of after the festivities have ended. A safe New Year is a happy New Year.
The Décor Turning a college apartment into classy party location only requires a small change of atmosphere. Steer clear of any crayola crayon colored balloons and stick with silver and gold mixed with pops of bright colors. Use glitter sparingly for less of a postparty clean up. Creating a resolution board is another way to get guests excited about the New Year. Hang a couple poster boards around
the main room where guests can write their goals and dreams on little post-it notes and stick up to display. This is a great conversation starter and can people talking about what they plan on achieving in 2011. Everyone knows that the cheapest decorations can be purchased the day after a holiday. So if you were lucky enough to stop by a store on January 1, 2010 then I’m sure you’re fully stocked. If not, look around for New Year’s hats and noisemakers at Party City, where they sell them by the bag.
or two to toast with during the night. If there ever were an occasion to celebrate with champagne, this is it. Champagne is the drink of choice for many on the last day of the year. This sparkling white wine was first produced in France as far back as 1700 and is as popular as ever. While sparkling drinks may not be your poison, another favorite at this time of year is the Bloody Mary. Bloody Marys are sometimes referred to as the “hangover cure” and the party animals of the bunch may thank you the next morning. Besides alcohol, don’t forget to pick up a few bottles of sparkling grape juice and virgin drinks for your designated drivers. Everyone loves to have a drink in their hand, regardless if it will get you tipsy.
The Soiree
The Cuisine Keeping your guests fed is also very important for a host. Hors d’oeuvres and finger foods will be your best bet when it comes to snacking throughout the night. A fun alternative to the usual chips and dip is a fondue station. Offer a melted cheese pot, melted chocolate pot, or both for friends to share. Fruit, crackers, veggies, and marshmallows are popular items to dip & eat. For a fancier affair with maybe less attendees, try something unique like a seafood table. Seared scallops, which take only a few minutes to cook on the stove or a shrimp cocktail, are great choices. Little sushi rolls on a platter will also go over well, because they are already sample sized. If you’re on a budget anything delicious set up on a cracker will do as well. Pigs in a blanket are another option for the carnivores amongst us. Any one cannot forget the heaven that is a chocolate truffle. These are way easy to make if you’re feeling crafty enough. Setting little candy bowls around for people with a sweet tooth to share will work as well. It’s not New Year’s Eve without a drink
Once your friends and guests have arrived, these are some things you may want to consider adding to the festivities. A “Make Your Own” beverage bar is usually a hit at parties. Set up glasses for guests to use along with mixers, juices, and your favorite bottles. A drink recipe book would be a nice addition to this.
Space can be tight when it comes to college living, so try and utilize anything you have. A nice way to set up snacks and hors d’oeuvres is to throw a tablecloth over an ironing board for a snack bar. It’s the perfect size to line up against a wall and gives people easy access to move around. Music really does make a party sometimes. If you have a friend who can really keep people dancing, ask if they’d be willing to DJ for the night. Otherwise, stock up your iPod now with tracks that will last until the wee hours of the morning. Good
GENERATION December 7, 2010
music sets a good vibe for the rest of the night Everyone knows its good luck to grab someone at the stroke of midnight for that goodnight kiss, but why limit yourself? If you still have some Christmas decorations left over from the days prior, consider leaving the mistletoe hanging in a convenient location for New Years. We could all use a little extra luck. Sitting in front of the television may not seem like an exciting time. But keeping a TV on mute with coverage of ball drops and New Year’s around the world is usually
a great idea. Tuning into Ryan Seacrest or Carson Daly for the final minute countdown is a crowd pleaser as the entire room will count down the last of 2010.
The Superstitions What makes New Year’s Eve unique are the superstitions people usually play up to guarantee a successful new year. Making lots of noise at midnight (hence the noisemakers) is an old favorite that seems to regularly occur without any in-
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struction. Keeping a bit of change in your pocket throughout the night may also ensure a financially successful year to come. Another superstition is to wear something new on December 31st. This represents a new beginning and fresh start for the year to come. To also spice it up, throw on something new & red for good fortune. And the final of all New Year’s Eve superstitions is the infamous kiss at midnight. Millions of people get cozy with someone special at the final seconds of the year. Staring into each other’s eyes for those last few moments could really heat
up your night. Or just grab the closest person within range and plant a big one on them. I’m all about spreading the love. So there you have it my friends. You are now ready to host the most fabulous party of the entire year. People will remember this night for months to come and all who couldn’t attend will be green with envy. Enjoy the fun, enjoy your friends, and best wishes for a healthy and wealthy new year. Editor’s Note: Oh yeah! New Years Eve, oh yeah!
Winter Survival Guide
SAY IT AIN’T SNOW
By Steve Neilans
After months of rotting away in the basement at Capen, it’s finally time to get the hell out of Buffalo. Lake Ontario will soon be covering the Queen City with a comfy blanket of lake effect snow, so you better get out before the 90 gets backed up again. I know a lot of you are probably holding back tears and wishing that there could be at least one more South Campus robbery, but I guess you’ll just have to settle with enjoying the safety that anywhere on the planet besides the Heights provides. Bummer. Life probably hasn’t changed too much since you’ve lived back home, but you may have troubles adjusting to life in the real world over the next few weeks. The following guide has been created to give you a few techniques and bite-sized tidbits to make sure you don’t walk into class on January 18th wondering where winter break went. So buckle up and be relieved that your survival over winter break doesn’t involve you spending the night with Bear Grylls or drinking your own urine.
Tip #1:
Learn how to make rum balls – I love anything with chocolate in them, and I love anything when I have rum in me, which means that I really love these. These are pretty easy to make (just search “how to make rum balls” on YouTube) and don’t require any actual baking. It’s as if “drunk food” actually had alchohol in it!
Tip #2:
think I could ever buy the Kinect because it seems like a souped up version of a Wii, but that’s what having friends is for. Gather a bunch of people who are uncoordinated and/or drunk and prepare to look like a total idiot. The games are pretty fun, and the action shots the Kinect takes are hilarious.
Tip #5:
Take a tour of a local brewery – Your unhealthy drinking habits don’t have to end just because the school year is over. In fact, winter break offers a unique opportunity to hone your drinking techniques. There are a plethora of local breweries like Ellicottville Brewing Company or Southern Tier Brewing Company that offer tours to show how their brew is made. I know for a fact that Southern Tier Brewing gives a complimentary glass on their tour ($10) and probably 4 beers to test before it’s all said and done.
Tip #6:
And then go sledding – Sledding always seemed like such an innocent winter pastime to me before I had my friends come along and mess everything up. Drunk sledding is definitely not for the faint of heart. It has been scientifically proven (lie) that a sober person falls off a sled 40% of the time. I have scientifically proven (truth) that a drunken person falls off a sled 100% of the time. Don’t be afraid to build jumps or perform ridiculously crazy stunts, you won’t have to worry about the pain until you gain consciousness from your drunken stupor. I’m starting to notice a scary trend of all my tips involving drinking… I think have problems. Well I guess it’s time that I include a few family friendly options for the few of you out there who can’t drink the big-boy pop yet.
Party at a gay bar and strip club on the same night – Now I know you are all questioning my heterosexuality right now, but hear me out. If you want to have one of the most epic nights of your life, you owe yourself to do this. A girl will never decline a guy’s request to go to a gay bar, and a guy will never decline a girl’s request to go to a strip club. Of course you could let your ego get in the way and not take part in the madness, but you will be missing out on partying with some of the craziest people ever. I can only dream of partying as hard as a gay person or a stripper, and nights like gay bar/strip club night inspire me.
Tip #7:
Tip #3:
Throw a Festivus party – The holiday for the rest of us. The commercialization of Christmas has ruined the holiday, so what better way to celebrate than a holiday created by a wildly popular syndicated television show? Festivus was originally introduced in the television show Seinfeld and has gone on to become one of the cult (in a good way) holidays of the year. Just buy an aluminum pole, air your grievances with the people, and perform feats of strength and you will be well on your way to having a Festivus miracle.
Two words: Snow. Football. – If partying at Marcellas isn’t your thing, then I’m guessing football is. The rules of snow football are simple. Find a flat road that has really high snow banks (like after a snowplow just went through) with streetlights. You’ll probably want to play this game later at night so you don’t want to deal with traffic, but that just means more time for pre-gaming. Split up into teams and play touch football in the street and tackle football into the snow banks. This is your time to unleash the rage you’ve been holding inside for failing that World Civilization final in the form of raw unadulterated violence!
Tip #4:
Go Christmas shopping… after Christmas – You are a college student; you should never pay full value for anything. You must be as cheap as you possibly can. If you are buying Christmas presents for your parents or friends, tell them that you want to get them the best possible present and will shop for them when everything is priced down after Christmas. You will save money while you impress your parents with your money management skills.
Tip #8:
Well that’s it. Take this knowledge with you and take pleasure in the fact that you are now a little wiser. I’ll see you next year when 2010 was then!
Anti-Semitism:
The Funny Version By Josh Q. Newman
The Jews have been the tragic and tangible targets of persecution throughout history. (Well, duh.) The Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Romans, the Crusaders, the Spanish, the English, the Nazis. You name it, they’ve hated them. Nowadays one would like to think that anti-Semitism is relatively under control, even unspeakable, but it’s alive and thriving in some parts of the world. Look no further than the president of Iran, who has continually denied the Holocaust and insinuated the destruction of Israel, and a prominent Swedish newspaper “Aftonbladet” that just last year published an article claiming IDF soldiers murdered Palestinian youths to sell their organs on the black market. Sadly, as much as people would like to think that anti-Semitism doesn’t exist anymore, it does. In “The Finkler Question,” Howard Jacobson’s new novel, the issue of anti-Semitism is brought up in the setting of modern day London. Specifically, Jacobson ties it in with Jewish identity and the current Palestinian debate. No one is spared from anti-Semitism. You’re either with the Jews or against them…and even if you’re a Jew, you might be against them too! The novel revolves around one elderly and two middle-aged Londoners. Julian Treslove, a former BBC employee, is what the Jews would call a putz. He’s a clueless, fumbling fool that goes from job to job and woman to woman. He’s the kind of guy people “thought twice about inviting… to a deathbed or a funeral.” His perchance for failure is balanced by the fact that he is remarkably handsome, so much so that someone mistakes him for Brad Pitt at a party. He is a friend of Samuel Finkler, one of the most anti-Semitic Jews in literature. A philosopher by trade, Finkler is opposed to basically anything Jewish. It’s not that he hates the Jews; it’s more that he hates the mentioning that Jews have been at any point the “victims.” He makes his living doling out selfhelp philosophy books like “The Existentialist in the Kitchen” and publically railing against Israel, so much so that he won’t properly pronounce the country’s name. They’re friends and former pupils of Libor Sevcik, an elderly Czech expatriate and Jew that was once a journalist covering Hollywood’s glory days. After dinner one night, Treslove gets mugged. That’s not uncommon in London’s rough streets but there were two things about it that drove Treslove mad. First, the mugger was a woman and second, Treslove swore that she said the word “Jew.” Treslove always flirted with the idea that he looked Jewish and after a considerable amount of thinking, he does what only a rational man would do and considers himself Jewish, too. Finkler, meanwhile, joins an all-Jewish anti-Israel group called the “ASHamed Jews.” Apparently, it’s not enough to be Jewish; you have to be ashamed as well. As Finkler deals with Treslove’s quest, he starts to doubt the rationale of his own. And Libor struggles with the death of his wife of fifty years, finding no solace in his religion or life. All three of them get swept away with
Become friends with someone who owns a Microsoft Kinect – Fairly self explanatory. I don’t 16 | ubgeneration.com
GENERATION December 7, 2010
the question of anti-Semitism and all three have different answers. Jewish identity has always been fodder for American writers. Most notably the likes of Philip Roth, Saul Bellow, Michael Chabon, and Woody Allen have taken the issue up and deciphered it in uniquely funny and thought-provoking ways. Yet Jacobson, a British Jew, does it a little differently. His novel is hilarious and all too real, which is perhaps why it won the coveted Man Booker Prize. But like a true Brit, Jacobson writes with a dry wit and an ironic raunchiness. Treslove, for example, refers to Jews as “Finklers” in honor of his friend. When he falls in love with a Jewish woman, he neurotically thinks that a Jewess is someone who “made even punctuation funny.” These sorts of sayings make no sense out of context yet make hilarious observations regarding the Jewish, or Finkler, Question. As I mentioned, anti-Semitism has taken many forms over the years. The medieval belief that Jews would kill children and drink their blood has been transformed into the Swedish newspaper article I cited. Okay, you may say, but these are isolated incidents. They’re not in the mainstream. Oh no? What about the current Israeli/Palestinian debate, one of the most politically mainstream debates in the world? Jacobson makes the claim that being anti-Israeli, or at the very least anti-Zionist, is intrinsically laced with anti-Semitism. Legitimate
concerns over Israel’s treatment of Palestine have morphed into a subconscious hatred of the Jews. For example, Hamas, the current ruling party of the Gaza Strip, frequently cites and propagates anti-Semitic literature, including “Protocols of the Elders of Zion,” a Czarist-era forgery that supposedly outlines Jewish plans for worlddomination. When the pro-Palestinians admonish Israel’s (and Egypt’s) blockade of
Gaza, do they ever take into account that Israel may have a reason for fearing Gaza’s government? An ASHamed Jew might (and I really do mean might) find that abhorrent but would reply that it is no excuse for Israel’s imperialistic policies. It inevitably raises the question of who you’re talking about when you attack Israel: Jews, Zionists, Israelis, or all three? Although Jacobson doesn’t make the novel into a defense of Israel, he does make the point that critics of the Jewish state are falling into old historical habits of bashing the Jews. He writes of Jews being stabbed, assaulted, and terrorized in England, Spain, Poland – even Canada! – all because of Israeli actions. These aren’t just fragments of his imagination; many of them are based on real-life incidents. And the worst criticism in the book comes from the ASHamed Jews themselves. These anti-Semitic Semites, some of whom are rabbis, are so engulfed with hatred of Israel that they seem to call for its destruction. They produce a play called the “Sons of Abraham,” which compares the gas chambers of Auschwitz to the rubble of Gaza. Coincidently, it’s a hit in London. For one reason or another, people just like to pick on the Jews whether they deserve it or not. And do they deserve it? Jacobson thinks so. Not because of any of the ridiculous and self-righteous reasons a pro-Palestinian might have against Israel but because hatred is part of Jewish identity. Finkler, after becoming disillusioned with the ASHamed
Jews, raises the point of whether Jews boycotting Israel is a good thing. “Whoever boycotted his own family?” he asks. Finkler joined the group because he felt that Jews should know better. But when you put your people on a pedestal, how can you know about anything that’s below you? It’s a difficult question, something the Chosen People have been debating from Maimonides to Jacobson. Part of being Jewish, he supposes, is taking the pain of the world on your shoulders, including the hatred that comes with it. I should note that despite the depressing topic of the book, “The Finkler Question” is still extremely funny. Jacobson writes like Woody Allen in that he’s not afraid of tackling big issues by using immature but pointed humor. It should be obvious by now that he uses Jewish humor, which is aged and neurotic. He makes so many Jewish jokes, mostly from the perspective of Treslove, that he could be mistaken for an antiSemite himself. That’s the point. There’s something about being Jewish that people can’t quite put their finger on and it sparks a variety of emotions, including hatred. Anti-Semitism isn’t funny but the means in which “The Finkler Question” approaches it is a funny and refreshing way of tackling the world’s oldest profession: a Jew-hater.
Holiday Gift Guide for the Tech Enthusiast by Seon McDonald
‘Tis that time of the year again , when we look forward to the holidays, being with family and friends, eating great food and tearing the giftwrap off new toys on Christmas morning. So what to shop for, wish for, or hope for to fill your stockings this holiday season? We’ve compiled a list of the most sought after gadgets this year.
Casual Gaming
Hardcore Gaming
XBOX 360 with Kinect
If you’ve seen the movie Minority Report and salivated over the motion control computing that seemed too futuristic for our times, then the Kinect might amaze you. After the Nintendo Wii popularized motion gaming, Microsoft is pioneering some new technology that ditches the need for controllers. You are the controller, so get up off the couch and dance to the beat in the highly entertaining Dance Central or regain your figure after those holiday feasts playing Kinect Sports. The technology behind the Kinect is a pretty cool too, based on camera sensors which provides full-body 3D motion capture, facial recognition and voice recognition capabilities.
PlayStation Move
If you’re in the PlayStation 3 camp and want to get in on the motion gaming frenzy, then this might be for you. Unlike the Kinect, you’re going to need to hold onto a navigation or motion controller, which together with a camera, detects your position and body movements. The games are highly addictive too including “The Fight: Lights Out” or settling down for some good old family fun playing modern or medieval games in “Sports Champions”. The good thing about the PlayStation Move is that developers can easily implement motion input into existing games allowing you to grab the controller and get active.
Computing Apple iPad
HP ENVY 14 Beats Edition
The hardware is sleek and industriously modern. The software is intuitive and provides for some robust applications such as mixing tunes on iPad DJ or editing documents on the included iWork suite. However the fun happens in content consumption, such as enjoying movies on the gorgeous screen, playing stunning games or enjoying a novel during a commute. Price: Starts at $499
Hip Hop veteran Dr. Dre and HP collaborated on bringing the technology behind the wildly popular Beats by Dr. Dre audio headphones to the HP Envy Line of laptops. The HP Envy laptop is arguably one of the best looking Windows machines with its anodized aluminum casing, Chiclet style keyboard and amazing specs on the inside. The beats edition adds the audio processing software which provides a studio-quality listening experience to music lovers along with a special beats edition design flourishes that simply stands out. Price: Starts at $1000
MacBook Pro Reliable for quality design and easy to use OS, the MacBook Pro is without a doubt a top of the line computer that’s an excellent investment for college. Santa exists right? Price: Starts at $1199
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CoD : Black Ops
Impressions of the game are polarizing at best, but the latest installment in the “Call of Duty” series is nothing short of impressive, comparable to the intense FPS Modern Warfare. With an immersive storyline and intensive multi-player gaming to keep you occupied over the holiday break, just remember to actually spend time with your loved ones before you’re due back in Buffalo.
Smartphones The choice of which phone is best is at most subjective, but there is no denying the ubiquitous iPhone has raised the standards for smart phones. With the new iPhone 4 sporting a new sleek design, front camera for video calling and a gorgeous screen, there is no doubt that this is high on the list of many shoppers. However there are some excellent alternatives too.
HTC EVO Marketed as the first 4G phone in America, the EVO made quite a splash on the scene as one of today’s top Android devices. A large 4.3 inch screen, 8MP camera, snappy 1GHz processor and front facing camera for video calls easily puts it on par with the iPhone 4. Since its sports Google’s Android OS expect excellent integration with Google apps like Gmail and free navigation software. There’s even a nifty kickstand to watch movies. Price $150 with contract $450 without.
Samsung Focus Ever thought you could play Xbox Live games on a phone? Well now you can with Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 7 devices that feature Xbox Live integration with games that earn you achievements. You can also keep track of your game scores, chat with your gamer buddies and customize your avatar. The entire experience is extremely smooth with thousands of apps available to download. The Samsung Focus features the stunning Super-AMOLED screen and up to 40GB of storage for your music and video Price $199 on contract $499 without.
GENERATION December 7, 2010
Readers Kindle
With a good book one can pass the time while engrossed in an imaginative story that provides a quick escape from mundane realities. Now that books have gone digital, the Amazon Kindle which features a high contrast screen using e-Ink technology is every modern booklover’s dream. According to Amazon themselves, “Kindle is our #1 bestselling item for two years running. It’s also the most-wished-for, most-gifted, and has the most 5-star reviews of any product on Amazon” Need I say more? Price starts from $139
The Nook Color
The Nook Color offers a stunning 7inch screen to compete against the dull black and white e-ink display of the Kindle. You can read book as well as enjoy magazine and newspaper content in rich colors. Since the underlying software is actually Android, you can also play games, listen to music, surf the web and social network all for half the price of a tablet. A cool feature is the ability to loan and borrow books from other nook owners Time to ditch the paperback. Price $249
Entertainment iPod Touch 4G
There isn’t quite a device like it yet, so its no surprise that the iPod Touch is one of the top selling gadgets of all time. The new model features both a front and rear facing camera for FaceTime chat, HD video recording and taking quick photos. The updated iOS also features Game Center where you can track your scores and rank against friends. Add over 300000 available apps you soon forget that the iPod Touch is primarily a music player. Price starts at $229
Awesome gadgets aside, it is important to remember Christmas isn’t about what’s under the tree, but rather about the people gathered around it. We all get carried away with the holidays and often forget to take a moment and reflect on the significance of the gifts that money cannot buy. Treasure your loved ones and have a wonderful holiday.
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Cee-Lo Green “The Lady Killer”
By Seon McDonald Cee-Lo Green is probably best known as the voice behind the Gnarls Barkley hit song “Crazy”. Embracing his eclectic style and larger than life persona in the Gnarls Barkley collaboration, Cee-Lo honed his Southern neo-soul drawl while creating a sound that was easily recognizable. The trend continues with the new album “The Lady Killer”, a disc that showcases his interesting proclivity for romance with some Saturday Night Fever inspirations that pays homage to funk legends such as James Brown. On the spoken-word intro to the album, Cee-Lo declares over a cinematic drumroll “When it comes to the ladies, I have a license to kill.” His persona swathed in cheeky bravado, although the result is amusing and endearing. The first track “Bright Lights Bigger City” rolls in unmistakably on a tune that brings Michael Jackson’s “Billy Jean” to mind. The song about Saturday Nights and the promise of a good time prove instantly memorable if only for its inspired sampling. The lead single on the album and coyly titled “F**k You,” resplendently features the expletive in a tongue-in-cheek jab at the gold digging lover who left him for greener pastures. Cee-Lo plays the jilted lover and laments on the funky jam track “ Yeah, I’m sorry I
can’t afford a Ferrari, But that don’t mean i can’t get you there. I guess he’s an Xbox and I’m more Atari, but the way you play your game ain’t fair.” The song just racked up two Grammy nominations for Record of the Year and Song of The Year, a good indication that Green has managed to achieve mainstream success. The comparisons of Gnarl’s Barkley music to Cee-Lo’s sound might be spot on, but the singer lets loose and creatively adds his own imprint. This is clearly evident on the evocative “Wildflower,” a sweet pop song Cee-Lo uses to worship the beauty of a woman’s body. “Wonderful wildflower, open up, let me see, sexy hints in seasons, share your sunshine with me,” he sings on the chorus as the melody floats over string orchestrations. Cee-Lo experiments a bit with his sound in the track “Bodies.” “They said that chivalry is dead, then why is her body in my bed,“ he muses over a sparse instrumentations. The theme of love drives the album, which lucidly flows from track to track. In “Love Gun,” Cee-Lo warns about the pains and dangers of love and throws in some fake gunshots for good measure. From crooning romantically in “Satisfied,” a song that can easily evoke sing-alongs at any karaoke bar to vocally sounding his best on the gorgeous “Cry Baby,” the album never loses cohesiveness or bores. The pacing is near perfect, though listeners might be dissuaded by the heavy Motown vibes and sometimes over-thetop sounding production. The only things that the album suffers from are the apparent similarities between some of the songs and that some of the songs are just simply “old-fashioned,” which ironically is the title of the ballad where Cee-Lo concedes “My love’s old fashioned, so be it. I’m set in my ways, hush child, just listen. Don’t it sound just like the good old days?” Perhaps this is Cee-Lo’s subtle wink at his album’s aesthetic, but ultimately it isn’t an issue, as the album stands out and quite possibly possesses the longevity to stand the test of time as a classic.
LITERARY
The Present that Ruined a Relationship by Catherine Prendergast Eliza and Bryan had been dating since their freshman year of high school. They met in biology class when they were assigned lab partners and were forced to talk about cells. The conversation soon turned towards sports, school, music, and movies. Soon after this, Bryan asked Eliza to hang out after school and friendship morphed into something more serious. Their relationship was, for the most part, strong and stress free. They had that indescribable bond, the one that is rare to come by at such a young age, and the one that links two people into a kind of unit. They did not isolate themselves, on the contrary, they were so confident in their relationship that they often chose their friends as opposed to a date. When they did leave to be alone, nobody was angry or bitter, instead, their friends just smiled and sighed, What a perfect pair. Eliza and Bryan got through the endless turmoil of high school, prom, graduation, and the summer before college. They were now sophomores at different universities, the bond kept alive through phone and email. Eliza’s mother urged her to consider other possibilities, all side comments said in a slightly different way, “You know, college is the most exciting time of your life, when you meet wonderful people…” “Are you sure you’re giving Bryan enough space?” “Change is always good, honey…” Eliza would listen with one ear. She understood what her mother was saying, but in her eyes, if two people were happy, why break up? Especially her and Bryan, they weren’t just any couple, they were the strongest, the most compatible, the most trustful. They got through high school and were currently surviving long distance. Eliza was making new friends in college while staying a faithful girlfriend, it seemed the best of both worlds and certainly no need for a change. It was December 20th when Bryan and Eliza had planned to exchange their Christmas presents. They had to do it early, since Bryan was leaving on the 21st for a week-long family vacation in Florida. Bryan pondered what he would give Eliza for weeks. He felt a certain pressure on this one, as it was the
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first time he had to really think of something on his own. They didn’t exchange gifts for Christmas throughout high school, since they had both agreed that they didn’t have a lot of money and they would focus on each other’s birthdays instead. Last year, the Christmas during their first year at college, Bryan had been musing to his mother about what he should get Eliza. His mother suggested a perfume, or maybe a gift card, when she stopped herself and ran into her bedroom. She came back with a necklace still in the original box. “I bought this years ago and haven’t even touched it.” Bryan could not tell if the necklace was good quality or not, but he could picture Eliza wearing it immediately. And Eliza did love it, and wore it almost every day since he gave it to her. This year, he did not want to rely on his mother again. He thought about a gift but could not make a decision. Everything seemed slightly not right; he wanted to make her something but lacked the creative energy and time to do it, and he didn’t want to buy clothes in case she didn’t like them. He finally went shopping and in the first store he went to he found something he truly believed she would love. On December 20th, Eliza drove to Bryans house, giddy behind the wheel. The present she had wrapped sat in the passengers seat and she had to stop herself from glancing at it every few seconds on the way over. She couldn’t wait to see Bryan’s toothy grin; she knew he would love it. She parked in his driveway and almost sprinted to the door. “Hello, beautiful,” he always greeted her the same way. Eliza watched Bryan as he folded his clothes into his suitcase. “I don’t think you’ll need that sweater in Florida,” she said. “You never know,” he replied. Bryan was always cautious. Finally the evening was coming to a close and it was time to exchange their presents. Eliza brought her gift into his room and sat across from Bryan. She noticed that the package he was holding was the exact same size as what she was holding, but as soon as she made the observation he said, “You go first.” Bryan handed his gift to Eliza and she began tearing apart the wrapping paper, but she stopped when she had about half of it off. “Oh my god…” was all she could say. “What?” asked Bryan, who couldn’t tell if her tone was positive or not. But Eliza remained silent as she slowly removed the rest of the wrapping paper. She sat with the box in her hand, her eyes unmoving, her face expressionless. Bryan stared at her, he all of a sudden felt extremely uncomfortable. He wanted to say what again, louder, but instead he looked at the box in her hands, searched her face, then glanced down at the wrapped box in front of him. Without a word he took it and started to rip off the paper, not noticing the card taped on the side. “Oh, shit…” he mumbled. Eliza looked up at him. “The Happy Company Head Trip Therapeutic Massager,” she said robotically. “The Happy Company Head Trip Therapeutic Massager,” Bryan replied. They sat in silence for an eternity of seconds. Finally Bryan chuckled nervously, “Well, this is strange.” But Eliza could not find the humor in the situation. “I’ll be back,” she said and walked out of his room. She went outside and headed straight for her car. She automatically turned the key and drove down the street, twenty miles per hour, each mile a thousand thoughts. What kind of people get each other the same present? She almost said aloud. That doesn’t even happen to a married couple. We’re freaks. Maybe my mother was right. I shouldn’t have said I would be back, I never want to go back. Bryan knew Eliza would not be back. He slid the box under his bed, where it gathered dust but was never quite forgotten.
Stacey’s Law by Allison Ruiz “You can’t always get your way Stacey. When are you going to realize that?” Megan shoved herself up from the floor, wincing slightly as she put pressure on her knee. “Look, I have to go. You’re just going to have to accept that Mike is out with his friends for one night. You’ll survive.” Stacey grunted at her best friend, but offered no other response. Instead, she rolled onto her side, her back to Megan. In her stubborn mind, the conversation was over. Megan silently slipped out of the room, leaving Stacey alone to wallow in her self-pity. It was stupid to get so upset, she was fully aware of that. But she couldn’t help it. It’s not that she wanted Mike to never see his friends, in fact, she was happy he was going out for a boy’s night. It was the fact that he wouldn’t be home until at least three that upset her. He’d come home, intoxicated to a degree yet unknown, and flop down onto their bed with his eyes barely open. While she would wake up just in time to hear him say hi before the sleep hit and snoring took over. She just wanted to be held, and know he’d be home at a decent time. Was that too much to ask? In Mike’s mind, yes, because it happened every time he wanted to go out. He was feeling smothered, and Stacey knew it. She also knew she needed to just chill out and bite her tongue, but it was against her nature. Feeling defeated, Stacey forced herself to sit up. She picked up her phone, letting the weight of it settle over her trembling palm. “One…. Two… Three…” the deep breaths brought a calm feeling over her body, at least for the moment, which was all she needed. Two more breaths and then Stacey opened the phone to text Mike. “Have fun baby, let me know when you’re on your way home. I love you.” She hit send and shut the phone with more force than she meant to. The taste of metal filled her mouth slightly, signaling that once again she had made herself bleed due to her anger and anxiety problem. Stacey trudged to the bathroom to rinse out her mouth, the iron taste making her feel nauseous. The sink turned red and then pink as the water cascaded out of her mouth, sending proof of her anger down the drain. As she watched the sink turn white once more, she vowed to never bleed again. “Enough is enough,” Stacey said to her reflection in sink, “you love him; stop driving him away. Either change, or lose him. You have no other options.” Her knuckles turned white as she gripped the sink. Stacey could feel it in her bones; she knew what had to be done. One by one, she released her fingers from their iron hold, took three deep breaths, and then turned to leave the bathroom, head held high. “I’m done being angry. It all changes tonight. I don’t want to lose anyone else I care about. I can’t, I just can’t.” Too bad it was too little too late.
GENERATION December 7, 2010
LITERARY Autumn Walk
Mental Breakdown in the Woods
by Pratyush Joshi
by A.B.
Weak gray rays of yellow Puncture the tired Lazy weeds dawdling At the feet of tall brown pillars. In the damp opening, A carpet of bronze Skeletons lie undisturbed Gleaming like pennies. Dark arms welcome me With tiny sparkling copper Hands that shiver. A cool blunted sigh Its waves washing over me Numbs my face with the Smell of rain dried leaves. And so I step onto the virgin Tongue of that forest trail.
The life of man is often ruled by heart. Fallacy is the curse of those in love. Deep down inside he must search for the rhyme, and listen for the words to his heart song. Alone at home he sits so he can think. To heaven he looks, to ask for mercy. “Dear Lord, I ask for you to give mercy,” He cries out, for help with his aching heart. Throughout the night he has much time to think, the pain of loss makes him want to scorn love. It is not long before he hears a song, off in the distance, he hears the soft rhyme. Out of his house he runs to reach the rhyme. Could it be that God granted him mercy? He stops outside to listen for the song, the melody warms up his soul and heart. He vows to never be tricked into love again when he doesn’t know what to think. He goes to the field where he likes to think, the wind wraps him up in the peaceful rhyme. “I vow to never again fall in love!” His voice rings out to the Lord of mercy. Inside, he can feel his repairing heart, angelic voices heal his soul with song. His lungs fill with the air to sing a song, “Tell me forest and birds, what do you think?” Alone no more, with his sad broken heart, the birds and squirrels surround him and his rhyme. The forest sounds provide him with mercy, taking pity on he who’s out of love. At last, he lets go of his old dear love. His forest friends sing to the Lord their song, “Dear Lord, we thank you for all your mercy!” He turns to head inside for he must think. Behind him sounds the long awaited rhyme, filling his soul to the brim of his heart. Day showed him how to be hurt by heart’s love, while night took him to find his old rhyme song. He wonders what led God to think mercy.
White Dress photo by Liz Flyntz
They Will Never Go by Corey O’Brien When I look at my life All I can see Is all of my friends Through the misery
I’m curious so When they say they don’t care it Means they will never go Means they will never go Means they will never go
I’ve had my falls They’ve picked me up I stand up and smile And wipe off all the dust
Some people stab And claw up to success But they got no one To tell that they’re the best
When I feel like I’m just a big failure They tell me they love me And boost me higher
Because they don’t have anyone By their side Without a wingman They will never fly
So even by myself I’m not alone I can always talk to someone Face to face or on the phone
So I stand up here Because they’re so near It’s a feeling I cant seem to describe Even if we’re upset And one of us needs it Help will be there in five. Because There’s a little bit of truth behind every Just kidding And whit every idk there’s a little knowledge showing And all the Just wondering’s mean I’m curious so When they say they don’t care it means they will never go Means they will never go Means they will never go
So when I feel like Im gonna tip The people around me give me a lift That’s when you know you’ve got a great life Through all the problems in the world and the lies Because There’s a little bit of truth behind every just kidding And with every IDK there’s a little knowledge showing And all the Just wondering’s mean
by C.P.H. That white dress still hangs in her closet. Threads of hate, deceit, and lies still tightly sewn together Despite her best efforts she can’t throw it away. The dress remains like a lingering cloud, A reminder of the storm. Its scent seeps through the cracks and back in to her mind. That happiness she yearned for. That union, that marriage, Now hangs like a memory. But what did she expect from something like this? A union with substance Just something, Not someone real. But along with that terror, she remembers that high She remembers that feeling of being alive. Wrapped in that dress, Dancing in ecstasy. That soft thread flowing...blowing…flowing. She felt beautiful. Once it’s back on, she won’t take it off. Once it’s back on, she can’t take it off.
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We’ve All Got Secrets By Samantha Engel Waking up at six he makes his coffee, showers, shaves, and reads the newspaper while sipping the warm caffeine that fuels his veins. He closes his eyes and swallows the caffeinated fuel slowly, feeling the warmth run down his throat. He puts on a dress shirt, dress pants, and nice shoes. The purple shirt is accompanied by matching purple socks. He believes in the old days when socks match the shirt just like women used to match their purse to their heels. As he thought of this he imagined himself holding a purple purse with matching purple heels. He shook the idea out of his head. What would they think? He fed his cat Mittens and walked out into the crisp fall air. He took a deep breath, feeling his nose hairs crystallize a little and then jumped into the car, tossing his briefcase into the passenger seat. The journey to campus was one for the books. He passed a five car pileup, a dead cat(Oh, poor puttytat! Thank goodness Mittens is an indoor kitty), a dead deer and watched as a bicyclist was almost taken out by an appliance truck. Parking was another issue. Students, in rebellion of the lack of parking, started using the employee lots and since the lots were entirely consumed with reckless drivers the university has not been issuing tickets because they are currently negotiating a new parking lot. The only open spaces at eight in the morning were in the farthest lot from his office, but he liked the exercise. Plus, maybe if his feet froze he could go home and hug Mittens and assure him that he will never get hit by a car. After walking across Siberia he finds his building and walks inside. He manages to find the elevator through the thick throng of students. As a psychologist in a large college he comes across many different people. One group he finds particularly interesting: The North Face-wearing, Ugg-boot-sporting, legging-covered young women. I thought their generation was taught to be individuals. But this particular group was not the one he had to focus on today. The psychologist enters the elevator, clicks his floor number and the door closes. He turns his back to the door and grins. Music starts playing in his head. He closes his eyes and thinks of Tim Curry’s entrance as Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The elevator comes to a sudden stop and he jumps as the image of a grand entrance leaves his
thoughts. He walks down the hall and is greeted by his secretary. “Good Morning! How are ya?” “Just peachy. Any messages?” “Nope but here’s your mail.” “Thanks, can you bring me some coffee? Black.” “Right away!” The psychologist had to hire a morning person to work for him otherwise the whole place would be cranky. Plus the floral dresses and granny shoes she wore were the farthest thing related to what he wished he was wearing. He goes to his office and sits at his desk. The secretary walks in and sets his coffee down. “You have one client that just came in, she’s very upset.” “Send her in.” The student was disheveled and still in pajamas. The psychologist offered her a seat and a box of tissues. “What’s wrong, hun?” “I just got my grade for my mid-term.” “Was it lower than you expected?” “Why else would I be c-crying!?” The psychologist paused to let her calm down, told her to take a few breaths and to explain calmly what happened. “Well, I studied weeks beforehand. I did all the readings, even a few of the suggested supplements. And I went to the TA’s hours and everything! I don’t understand!” “It sounds as if you deserve a good grade. Do you mind if I ask what you got?” “You’re going to think I’m an idiot.” “No I’m not.” “I got a B+” “Well what class was this for?” “Organic chemistry.” “I hear that’s a very hard course.” “It is, and it isn’t even in my major but I enrolled because I wanted to see what it was like.” “But a B+ is a very good grade for that material. That textbook is massive!” “I haven’t gotten lower than an A in all of college! I’m a junior! This is r-ruining my GPA!” The psychologist has had many students come in with unrealistic expectations about a lot of the material. He understands some teachers are not the best in some courses but there is nothing he can do besides console the students. The distraught girl left after he convinced her that a B+ isn’t that bad by telling her he was in the same situation for his Behavioral Neuroscience grade when he was an undergraduate. He said that he received an F on one test. But he didn’t tell her that the teacher dropped the lowest grade in the class so his GPA wasn’t affected. Around mid-day a male student came in because he was ordered by the university to seek treatment for alcoholism. He was drinking from a clear water bottle and the psychologist took note of his repeated sips of the bottle. After conversing about the
parties the student has gone to recently the psychologist thought it was best to ask what was in the water bottle. “Putinka.” The psychologist was able to convince the student to hand over the bottle and gave him an Alcoholics Anonymous number to call. “I’m trusting that you will call this as soon as you leave. I don’t want to see you in here again.” “Awesome.” As soon as he had left a very skinny girl came in with her hands in her face. His receptionist followed her in and handed him a note and walked out of the room closing the door silently. From the mother, she called this morning: She hasn’t called me as often as she used to. She stopped going to class and her grades have dropped. I have called the school to find out anything I can and I was told she stopped participating in marching band. She won’t speak to me or her father. Her friends have also stopped receiving texts from her and she deleted her Facebook account. I am very worried and I hope you can help my baby girl. The psychologist has dealt with enough depression cases to recognize them. She was very skinny but not to the point of anorexia or bulimia. She was obviously upset and with cutting off contact with loved ones she was not going to get any better. “I know why I’m here. My mother is very worried but I can’t bring myself to tell her what happened…” “You can tell me, this is a safe space.” “I… was at a party a few weeks ago. I’m only telling you this because I don’t want to feel like this anymore, okay?” She became very shifty and the psychologist had an inkling of what she was going to say, “Were you violated?” She gasped and her face became contorted with misery. She nodded and said, “I thought we were just friends. He introduced me to my first beer. He helped me get my fake ID and everything! He was so nice and I thought he was alright! But at that party he brought me upstairs. And well… I wasn’t in the right mind. I felt more woozy than usual. And he raped me.” The psychologist knew the procedure. He would have to convince the student to seek treatment in a hospital and report the rapist to authorities. When he did so she stood up and said, “I can’t do that! I took a pregnancy test! It had a plus!” “Y-you’re pregnant?” “Yeah!” She sat back down and curled into a ball. Looking at her frail body he said, “You don’t look pregnant.” “I know! I don’t know if I lost it or if the test was false!” She put her head back down and started to sob rather loudly. The psycholo-
gist got up, kneeled before her and put his hand on hers. “Listen, you are upset and you may feel ashamed. But this isn’t your fault. You must report him and seek treatment. If you are pregnant you must see a doctor to be sure everything is alright. He could have also injured you internally. But you must go to a hospital immediately. Do you understand?” “M-hmm. But mm-y parents… we’re catholic. I-I can’t do this.” “Honey, they’ll understand. Believe me. I have never met a person whose parents weren’t forgiving. Do you want me to help you call them?” “Could you?” “Of course.” The psychologist handed her a phone, sat next to her and held her hand and she clutched the receiver to her ear. Even though he was trained to deal with these situations, he has never experienced the heartache some people go through. He also started thinking about what Transsexual, Transylvania would look like. FOCUS! My God, get an attention span! He listened to the one-way conversation of the girl and gave her encouraging looks as she shivered and spoke to her overwrought mother who was currently online booking a flight into town. After she hung up she closed her eyes and took a deep yoga breath. “How are you feeling?” he asked as he grabbed both of her cold hands. She sat up straight, turned toward him and told him the rapist’s name and dorm room. The psychologist wrote it down in her file and once again asked if she was going to seek help. She assured him she was and he believed it. She asked him if he knew the nearest doctor for she and her mother were going to go together once her mother had landed. She walked out and shut the door. The psychologist put his head down on the desk and took a deep breath. He recollected the conversation with his last client and took a few more notes in her file. He looked up at his fake Monet across the room and hesitated to open the lower right-hand drawer of his desk. He cracked it open to reveal a partial jeweled heel. Some people use good grades to feel better, some use alcohol, and some need family. I like my heels.
Parting Shots Gaga, Biebs, and Ke$ha, Oh My! By Kathryn Przybyla With nominations having just been announced in early December, people in the music industry all have Grammy’s on their mind. Eminem is leading the pack in 2010 with 10 impressive nominations from what I consider a comeback from his Slim Shady days. His album did incredibly well with good collaborations to bring him back to the top. Songs like “Love the way you lie”, which is a collaboration with Rihanna, have blown up the airwaves. That song is also up for Song of the Year. A veteran writer in the business, but newcomer to the radio, Bruno Mars came out of the nominations with 7 to his credit. Mars who performed at Fall Fest this year here at UB is up for many awards including Best Male Pop Vocal for “Just the way you are”. Our other Fall Fest performer, B.o.B is up for Best Rap album for “The Adventures of Bobby Ray” and a co-award with Mars for “Nothin’ on you”. It’s nice to see the guys who made it out to our university get some recognition for their talents. Buffalo represent!
Following the boys, Lady Gaga came up with 6 nominations including Album of the Year, Best Pop Collaboration, and Best Dance recording. There’s no doubt that she will come home with at something. The woman has been a tidal wave of entertainment all year. If not for her talent, many people will be tuning in for her now infamous fashion sense and awe inspiring outfits. I don’t know what can top a dress made of meat, but I’m sure it can be done. A dress made of fish? Live animals? Late night snacks? Anything is possible at this point. On the country side of things, Lady Antebellum completely blew up this past year with hit after hit on their latest album. “Need you now” smashed records and was a successful crossover from the country market right onto Top 40 pop radio. They made an impact on everyone. It’s nice to see this kind of success from a group who back in 2005 weren’t even a band yet. Five years later, they are up for 6 Grammy nominations. That is success at its best. I’m pulling for them to win Song of the Year.
Besides the music veterans this year, the Best New Artist category has a lot of interesting nominees. Justin Bieber, Drake, Florence & the Machine, Mumford & Suns, and Esperanza Spaulding will have to work it out to see who can come out on top. Seeing Drake listed under this category seems strange, since the Degrassi alum has been around for years I feel like. Or maybe that’s just the effect he wants to give off. In the love run, his relationships with Hip Hop and Rap talent have already prepared him for a long lasting career. Regardless of if he wins this or not, Drake will be fine. And I’m not even going to get into Bieber. One interesting nomination didn’t even go to an artist per say. Glee’s rendition of “Don’t stop Believin” is up for a Grammy for Best Pop Performance for a group. While the song completely kicked ass and took over iTunes, many are concerned that the Glee cast shouldn’t have been nominated. In my opinion, the song was a lot better than what other artists put out there, and therefore deserves the nomination. Plus I’m a gleek and completely biased.
Although it may seem that everyone and their mother is up for some sort of award in the business, I thought there was one snub that should be mentioned. Susan Boyle was not nominated for Best New Artist. While I don’t rock out to her music often, the woman definitely has talent and took over the world this year starting with her Britain’s Got Talent original audition. If anything, she should have been placed in that category & showed Justin Bieber who’s boss. Every year there are always some expected wins and expected losses, but I’m just not blown away by the material. We had a great year for music, but isn’t that what you say every year? I mean someone has to be the best every year the Grammy’s are awarded. The quality of talent compared to years past really doesn’t really matter. I’ll be tuning in to watch the 53rd Grammy Awards on February 13, 2011 in Los Angeles, but only if there’s not a new episode of House on. Oh and Ke$ha got snubbed this year too, but I think the only one who is going to be upset about that is Ke$ha.
Dear Spectrum , I Have a Bone to Pick With You By Ally Balcerzak Back when I was looking at colleges, I made a point to pick up a copy of the newspaper of every school I visited. Why? Because a school’s newspaper tells you a lot about what is going on in and around campus, and it tells you a lot about the kind of people there. To be honest, if I were a perspective UB student and picked up a copy of The Spectrum from the past few weeks, I’d cross the school off my list immediately. It seems that every time I pick up a copy of The Spectrum there is either a sexist comment jumping off the page at me, or an ad for another school screaming “transfer here!” Personally, I find something wrong with this on many levels. Let’s start with the slew of sexist comments that have been gracing the pages of our newspaper lately. Prior to Thanksgiving break, the sports editor decided it would be a great idea to write an opinion article titled, “Never Date a Girl Who Can Read.” Now, I can’t speak for every female on campus but I think it’s safe to say that the article pissed most of us off. Thankfully, someone on The Spectrum realized putting the article online was a bad idea, but unfortunately, the article still went to print. Everyone is entitled to their opinion but our newspaper should exercise some discretion when it comes to
printing opinions that come across as sexist, racist, and/or insulting to a large group of people. Of course, one lapse in judgment can be forgiven, especially when it was an opinion column, not an actual news story. But with a second sexist comment, well, I tend to hold grudges. Did you catch the line in the front page article on the banning of Four Loko? If you didn’t, don’t feel bad, neither did I the first time around. In the article a male student was quoted as saying that the sweetness of Four Loko makes it more attractive to females and that we (apparently) are unaware of just how much alcohol we are consuming when we drink one. I think that the student who responded to the article in last Wednesday’s issue said it best. “What? I had no idea that my possession of two X chromosomes made me unable to taste the presence of alcohol when it’s mixed into a sugary beverage. How very impressive of me.” Once again our newspaper posted a sexist point of view with no apology in sight for those of us who don’t have a Y chromosome. It makes me wonder what the editors over there have been doing while sitting in their office. Is it really that difficult to monitor the comments your reporters are making in their articles? Because it’s kind of your job. The Spectrum is a newspaper, which means we as students have a right
to expect unbiased and factually correct articles when we read it. If you want to run your mouth and rant, come write for the Generation. But then again, we check our facts and make an effort not to alienate half the student body. Moving on, has anyone besides me noticed how many ads there have been for other colleges in The Spectrum this semester? Wednesday’s issue alone had three. In case you wanted to get out of UB, Daemen College is hosting “Instant Transfer Days” over break. If you attend one you’ll know by the time you leave whether or not you’ve been accepted and what your financial aid is. How do I know this? It’s not because I’m looking to transfer. I’m quite happy in the UB English department. I know this because I read it in The Spectrum. Maybe you’d like to get out of Buffalo before the snow gets any worse. In that case, Hofstra is offering winter session classes and accepting transfer students. I’ll give you three guesses as to where I found this. On the left side of page three it says, “The Spectrum is provided free by the Undergraduate Mandatory Student Activity Fee.” We as students pay for The Spectrum every semester whether we want to or not. Granted, every publication needs advertisers to supplement its budget. We at the Generation are no different, so it’s understandable people are trying to sell
us stuff. But when a school publication receives money from its students to help support it, it should at least do them a favor and be selective over who gets to advertise. Why would our newspaper publicize transferring to a competing school? In the real world, newspapers are their own businesses. Papers such as The Buffalo News and the New York Times are not associated with a specific business such as McDonald’s, so when they accept ads from competitors, i.e. McDonald’s and Burger King, it is completely acceptable and expected. But for a school newspaper to promote a competing college and print ads encouraging us to transfer, well, talk about a lack of school spirit. Maybe I only feel this way about our school newspaper because of how I was raised. I grew up being told that the news is supposed to be factual and free from bias. I was raised to believe it’s important to have pride in your school and to have an open mind towards everyone no matter how different they are from you. If that makes me out of touch, then so be it. It still doesn’t make it acceptable for The Spectrum to belittle women and tell us that we should transfer to Daemen.
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