SLOPE SPRING 2013
Slope Magazine Staff Spring 2013
Editor in Chief Leela Chantrelle Copy Editors Katherine Heinle Sydney Reade Lucas Strombeck
Layout Hannah McGough
Writers
Yasmin Alameddine Christopher Au Claire Baum Ashley Chacon Allie Clement Rashidah Daniels Nicole Fitzsimmons Anita Gallant Dani Kellner Julia Klein Lauren Marchese Myra Nizami Sydney Reade Victoria Sobel Lucas Strombeck McKenzie Sullivan
A Letter from the Editor Audience, During my three years at this school, I’ve always been involved in random clubs and groups but I’ve never really found a home, even when I first joined Slope the organization was so big that I felt lost. Not anymore. Having kind of tripped into this job, I couldn’t be more happy with everything. When I look at the table of contents of this magazine, I’m so proud to say that all of these talented writers have become friends. Slope Mag isn’t necessarily a club meeting, but just random people getting together and talking about weird things in the media, it’s the most fun part of my otherwise TV obsessed life. I’ve been lucky enough to find a family on this crazy big campus and I’m so happy that I get to share our labor with this entire campus. Now, let me welcome you to this Spring issue of Slope Magazine. The staff and I couldn’t help but wane nostalgic about our childhoods, so a Throwback theme seemed appropriate. In this magazine you’ll find pictures, letters and articles all focusing on those pop stars or fashion trends that you wish you could still rock! I promise as I’m writing this letter, I’m thinking about how comfortable jelly sandals were and how powerful I felt exploring the world with them. So let this magazine be your jelly sandals of the 21st century, let us guide you through your childhood! Thanks everyone,
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Leela Chantrelle
Want to Contribute? write to: join@slopemedia.org
Table of contents
Fashion
3 Throwback Trends
NICOLE FITZSIMMONS
4 Death of the Supermodel
CHRISTOPHER AU
6
Battle of the Girl Bands RASHIDAH DANIELS
7
Recreating the Pop Playlist JULIA KLEIN
Letter to Britney Spears
“In a world driven by ad pages and revenue, models can no longer provide the prestige necessary to hawk merchandise”
4
Culture
5 Comeback of Raves
11
MYRA NIZAMI
MCKENZIE SULLIVAN
ANITA GALLANT
Music
15 Growing up in the 90’s
Resurrection of Rap
MYRA NIZAMI
8
movies
9
Cinema Nostalgia SYDNEY READE
Television
12
ANITA GALLANT ALLIE CLEMENT
ASHLEY CHACON
13
16
Still Hot vs. So Not
17
VICTORIA SOBEL
LAUREN MARCHESE
18
Totally Original TV YASMINE ALAMEDDINE
Do’s & Don’ts of Thrift Shopping CLAIRE BAUM
161: G-Rated DANI KELLNER
Where Are They Now? Student Spotlight
Sketches & Slapstick
A Day in the Life...
19 Death of MTV
LUCAS STROMBECK
21
Slog
SLOPE STAFF 2
Fashion
Throwback Trendwear Report
Grunge at Charlotte Ronson
Nicole Fitzsimmons
Fifty Shades of Grey On those few sunny afternoons of the spring semester, opt for quirky sunglasses as your ultimate spring accessory. Eccentric sunnies are an easy way to conceal dark circles left over from last night while remaining on trend. Anna Sui’s cat-eye shaped pair proved to be an editor’s favorite on the Spring and Summer 2013 runways. Diane von Furstenberg got in on the shade craze with countless imaginative shapes and colors, even featuring several Google glasses. To stand out in all the right ways, try a classic throwback choice like a great pair of Clubmasters or some round Raybans a la John Lennon. For the more adventurous crowd,
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Are You a Wild Child or a Mod God? On those few sunny afternoons of the spring semester, opt for quirky sunglasses as your ultimate spring accessory. Eccentric sunnies are an easy way to conceal dark circles left over from last night while remaining on trend. Anna Sui’s cat-eye shaped pair proved to be an editor’s favorite on the Spring and Summer 2013 runways. Diane von Furstenberg got in on the shade craze with countless imaginative shapes and colors, even featuring several Google glasses. To stand out in all the right ways, try a classic throwback choice like a great pair of Clubmasters or some round Raybans a la John Lennon. For the more adventurous crowd, don Karen Walker’s tortoise Helter Skelter sun-
don Karen Walker’s tortoise Helter Skelter sunglasses out in the thawing Ithaca arctic. So on those rare days when Ithaca is not fifty shades of grey, I know I’ll be wearing my pair to tan on the slope. Anna Sui cat-eyed sunglasses
Ombre for days at Blumarine
glasses out in the thawing Ithaca arctic. So on those rare days when Ithaca is not fifty shades of grey, I know I’ll be wearing my pair to tan on the slope.
90s Revival Wish you were wearing something other than a diaper during the early nineties? Now’s your chance to show your pride as a Full House kid with some destroyed lightwash mom jeans and a crop top. Charlotte Ronson’s collection was right on point with floppy wool hats paired with loose knits and leather pants. Dries Van Noten paid his respects to Cobain with plaids and center part to match. Do Eddie Vedder justice with some flannel or a leather moto jacket. To keep up the
Max Azria’s kaleidoscope print jumpsuit
Jump for Jumpsuits! Running late to lecture but still want to be presentable for a Friday morning? Try a fun romper, inspired by both the 80s disco days
authenticity of the look, avoid any overdone looks, including jeans you bought with premade rips in them or combat boots with just one too many studs. Sidenote: if you’re wearing a Nirvana shirt, please refrain from saying Smells like Teen Spirit is your favorite song. And if someone starts talking about Bleach, don’t assume it’s about your jeans. So next time your TA calls you out on falling asleep during discussion, hope to be Saved by the Bell or at least looking good when you lose points for participation. and BCBG’s spring runway. Max Azria created art with his kaleidiscope print, complete with black lace accents. In a cute jumpsuit, you will never have to fret again if your top goes with your pants. But be sure to avoid looking like you’re wearing a onesie or worse, a new edition of a Snuggie, by choosing a romper with a short bottom, as opposed to fulllength pants. Stick with one in a neutral hue for those early spring days—the bright printed jumpsuits are better suited to sweltering summer afternoons. While the hassle of changing out of a romper in a CTB bathroom may not sound ideal, these jumpsuits prove their worth for nights spent dancing on top of Pixel’s stage.
Death of the Supermodel Christopher Au As Selena Gomez graces the April issue of Harper’s Bazaar preceded by Drew Barrymore on last month’s cover, and the seemingly ubiquitous Jennifer Aniston and Kate Hudson on every cover of every magazine without any movies to promote, the writing on the wall becoming clearer: the supermodel is dead and the actress/singer is king. Of course, this phenomenon is hardly a new one. It is doubtful that many in this current generation even remember a fashion model ever covering an American mainstream fashion magazine (Kate Moss notwithstanding). This so-called “death of the supermodel” has been in the works ever since A n n a Wintour, the edi-
tor-in-chief of Vogue magazine who is also con- Christy and Cindy on his catwalk at the same stantly referred to as the most powerful figure time and elevated them to global superstars in fashion, started putting Hollywood starlets overnight. on the cover to boost sales in the ‘90s, and the The days of supermodels fronting major rest of the industry followed suit. covers is done; though models still appear in Though there are still models today that fashion ads, they have been reduced to beaumanage to make tiful but nameless it into the public’s faces. Though some conscience, none could argue that a will compare to the slew of models today, supermodels that including Alessandra dominated in the Ambrosio, Adriana late ‘80s and early Lima, Miranda Kerr, ‘90s. Super model or if one dabbles in Claudia Schiffer, high fashion, Karlie “The days of supermodels in an interview with fronting major covers is done; Kloss, Stella Tennant Vogue UK, described and Cara Delevingne, though models still appear in a supermodel as “one are just as famous as the fashion ads, they have been [who is] on all the movie stars of today, reduced to beautiful but covers all over the none of today’s models nameless faces.” world at the same time could possibly carry an so that people can recognise the girl.” Iman, American fashion magazine cover today as Cheryl Tiegs and Christie Brinkley, among Naomi Campbell did in the ‘90s (by “carry”, I’m others, ruled the catwalks of the ‘80s, as did Elle referring to the ability to guarantee readership Macpherson, who was termed “The Body.” By and sales of a magazine). Jennifer Aniston, on the ‘90s, the prowess of ‘supermodeldom’ was the other hand, continues to be the juggernaut legitimised by the January 1990 cover of Brit- of fashion covers. She has appeared on the covish Vogue featuring Naomi Campbell, Linda ers of nine best-selling issues on nine different Evangelista, Christy Turlington, Cindy Craw- magazines in the past five years, cementing her ford, and the lesser-known Tatjana Patitz. In place as the best-selling magazine cover star. In fact, these models grew so well-known that the a world driven by ad pages, revenue and Vogue media constantly referred to them only by their magazine consistently boasting over 1,000 first names, and companies paid beaucoup pages for its September issue, models can no bucks just to use their names to peddle their longer provide the prestige necessary to hawk products; in 1991, Turlington was paid a re- merchandise; the signatures of Cindy Crawford ported $800,000 (about $1.3 million today) for used to be prized alongside those of Brad Pitt twelve days of promotional work for Maybel- and Nicole Kidman but today, Karen Elson’s line. A rather infamous controversy concerned presence in a Tag Heuer ad would undoubtedly Evangelista declaring she would not wake up go unnoticed. for “less than $10,000 a day.” The roster grew Models have, in the past few years, faced a longer as Stephanie Seymour, Claudia Schiffer virtual extinction on the face of covers of maand Kate Moss became media powerhouses in jor magazines, but the situation is hardly as their own rights. The pinnacle of this phenome- dire as it sounds. The celebrity problem seems non was, in a legendary moment forever seared to only exist in the United States and is not as into the memories of fashionis- prominent in other countries. International tas, when the late Gianni Vogue editions, such as Vogue UK and Vogue Versace put Nao- Paris covers, are more often than not, fronted mi, Linda, by fashion models. The problem lies with major advertisers that rely on the famous faces to shill multi-million dollar ad campaigns. Take for example Dior, who, with the exception of certain perfume ads, employs only actresses, such as Mila Kunis, Natalie Portman, Marion Cotillard, and its most recent hire, Jennifer Lawrence. As long as advertisers believe actresses provide profit, Jennifer Aniston, and not Lindsey Wixson, will continue to cover Elle magazine.
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CUlture
MUSIC
The Resurrection of Rap |
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McKenzie Sullivan
NYC rap is back, but if it’s back that means it must have died. New York hip-hop began a descent in its birthplace around the same time the deadliest attack on American soil occurred. Jay-Z’s Blueprint, released on September 11, 2001 was the last record of unquestionable quality to adhere to an exemplary New York sound. I’m not suggesting that no great hip-
for a true revival. For the next three years, no New York rapper hit the No. 1 spot until 2009 when Jay-Z dropped a song, ironically about New York, “Empire State of Mind.” That year, brought the first sign of NYC’s rap resurgence as Nicki Minaj came out of Queens and began her all-star run with Young Money that saw her featured on multiple chart-topping singles be-
body,” A$AP Yams, a member of A$AP mob and Rocky’s manager, said in an interview in 2012 with Complex Magazine. “All that hating shit went out the window a long time ago. That shit kept New York down for a long time already.” This is true--there doesn’t seem to be any serious beef between rappers in New York now, as there was between Nas & Jay-Z or 50 Cent & Ja Rule. The new generation is
hop came out after 2001, but the archetypal New York sound of the greats like Big L, De La Soul, Biggie, and Wu-Tang etc., drowned in the surging popularity of west coast rap. A year and a half after 9/11, Queens native 50 Cent dropped his first studio album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and was catapulted to the forefront of the music industry. 50 sold close to a million copies within the first four days of its release. After signing with Eminem’s Aftermath label a year before, 50 moved out to LA and began working with producers like Dr. Dre. As a result, 50 had more of a west coast sound than his New York contemporaries. 50’s greatest hit of ’03 paid homage to the newly adopted coast: “In the hood, in L.A. they sayin’,‘50 you hot.’ They like me, I want them to love me like they love Pac.” Around the time Jay-Z announced his “retirement” in 2003, southern rap music really blew up and artists like T.I., Lil Wayne, Clipse, Young Jeezy, and Lil’ Jon started to develop mainstream popularity. With hugely successful albums like Outkast’s Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, Wayne’s Tha Carter and Kanye West’s takeover with College Dropout and Graduation, by 2006, rap’s New York–centric status quo was gone. For the first time since 9/11, New York rappers were completely absent from the top spot on the Billboard Hot 100 for an entire year. Aside from 50 Cent, New York artists like Fabolous, Ja Rule, Fat Joe, and Jadakiss had the biggest post–Blueprint success. Their efforts were significant (I remain a Fab fan till this day) but not enough
fore dropping her own debut album. Now, four years later, the New York rap scene finally doesn’t feel like it’s struggling to keep up. For the first time in a long time, New York artists dominated XXL’s Freshman Class, an annual issue put out by hip-hop magazine XXL that establishes ten new rappers on the rise. The 2013 list, which was released in March, featured Brooklyn’s Joey Bada$$, Angel Haze, and Queens rapper Action Bronson. 2013 shows an undeniable new energy in New York. The current crop of NYC talent shares a fiercely independent spirit, from Joey Bada$$’s golden age sound to A$AP Rocky’s credence, there is no denying New York’s eclecticism is back. The A$AP mob is without question, at the forefront of New York’s resurgence. Not only was Live.Love.A$AP the most critically acclaimed mix tape of 2011, but Rocky landed a $3 million deal with Sony/RCA. Not to mention Rocky’s first studio album, which dropped in January 2013, has sold 312,000 copies as of April…not bad for a 24 year-old kid who, 2 years ago, was filming his music videos in an 112th street bodega with a camcorder. From independent acts like Das Racist, Smoke DZA, Flatbush Zombies, Troy Ave, Vinny Cha$e, and the Underachievers, to major label signees like French Montana, Azealia Banks, Cory Gunz, and Theophilus London, New York rappers are experiencing new heights of sensation. “There’s that competitive energy, but we still got to support every-
supportive of each other in the resurgence of a New York rap scene. Of course there is the opinion that the game is too cluttered right now, and that that there will never be another Biggie or another Jay-Z. And yes, songs used to stay popular for longer periods of time when now it seems they’ve only got a 2-month window. But I don’t necessarily think this is a bad thing. A lot of the boundaries that existed in rap seem nonexistent now. It’s true that in hip-hop’s earlier days it took artists a long time to become successful. Now it seems everyone gets a record deal after their first mix tape (à la Trinidad James). But I have hope for the promise land. The new hip-hop clan is beyond savvy. Kids that are still in high school and dropping mix tapes can connect with people from all over the world, and it’s had an amazing affect on the industry. This age of transparency has produced sub-genre after sub-genre and new forms of hip-hop are constantly emerging. Joey Bada$$, who famously turned down a record deal with Jay-Z’s Roc-A-Fella Records, is only 18 and already touring Internationally, selling out shows all over Europe, doing it without the backing of a label and without having dropped an actual studio album. I couldn’t be more thrilled to see serious groundbreaking changes in hip-hop bustling out of NYC. New York’s rap club has expanded considerably since it’s farewell in the 2000s but I can say with certainty that New York rap is back. Get on board.
The Battle of the Girl Bands |
Rashidah Daniels
I’ll admit that there have not been many female groups that can compare to Destiny’s Child and Spice Girls. The 90s, also-known-as the best decade ever! It was all about girl power. I find it interesting that the shift of music has changed, but people of the 90s still resort to their favorite childhood songs such as “Say my name, say my name!” Okay, okay. Destiny’s Child. There. I said it. And Spice Girls “Wannabe”. The 1990s was a time filled with great toys, television shows, but more importantly... awesome music! I can’t believe I was only seven years old when “Bills, Bills, Bills” came out! What was I doing singing that song? What bills could I possibly have had? But I remember growing up I always wanted to be Beyoncé from the group because she had all the spotlight and better outfits. Beyoncé’s verse in “Say My Name” on their first album, Writings on the Wall, was a verse whose pattern you could catch onto within a few listens. I’m still puzzled as to why I can’t remember course material as perfectly as I remember song lyrics, but anyway, back to Beyoncé. She basically covered the whole song, whose message revolves around trying to get her man to fess up if he’s cheating and occupying his time with another female. I’m guessing if she forgave the guy in this song for not saying her name, then this would explain their next hit, “Bills, Bills, Bills,” which set the bar for the remaining years to follow in the Destiny’s Child reign. These songs never get old. To this day, I still listen to their countless songs, such as “Bug a Boo” and “No, No, No” from the Destiny’s Child album. “No, No, No” gives me no other choice but to ruminate about the car rides my family would take to the mall for our ritual weekend trip. The song “Bug a Boo” reminds me of a scenario where you meet a guy at the club and make the mistake of giving him your number, and he begins to bug you constantly. I think Beyoncé should have stopped at giving him her phone number because if she had, she wouldn’t have had to cancel her AOL account. Funny that she mentions AOL, because those were the days of either being on the phone or being on the Internet. I know you guys remember those days of your parents coming to tell you to get off the Internet because they had to make a call on a house phone! If you’re ever in a dilemma where a guy tries to win you back after being a bug a boo, use another Destiny’s Child lyric and just shake your finger saying, “No, no, no, no, no;” but you have to make sure that you sing it to him as if you were Beyoncé, Kelly, or Letoya. Looking back at Destiny’s Child now as an adult, I find myself listening to the same songs as I did when I was younger. Seeing the group perform at the Super Bowl brought me back to the back seat of the family car heading to the mall with my family again. Beyoncé’s performance was nothing short of perfect! My mouth dropped when she brought out Kelly and Michelle-that was the icing on the cake. The reunion was a secret, although people speculated that it was going to happen, but weren’t positive until they saw Kelly and Michelle emerge from the floor like Barbie dolls on a plastic stage. Both the Spice Girls and Destiny’s Child made their comebacks as groups at big sporting events-- Destiny’s Child at Super Bowl 2013 and the Spice Girls at the 2012 Olympics in London. Each of the groups came back looking amazing in their fashionable ensembles. The Spice Girls comeback consisted of them standing on top of cars all the while singing to a packed stadium. This is what I was thinking while they were singing: “Yo, I’ll tell you what I want, what I really really want!” I wanted everything those girls were on when I was younger! From the dolls to the Polaroid Spice camera in the 90s, I wanted it all. I think secretly I still want these items, but that’s between us. In their debut album, Spice, “Say You’ll Be There” always made me feel like this is the type of song you should sing driving around in a convertible filled with your girls while you pull up to your boyfriend’s basketball game, disrupting the game while you sing on the court with your girls. Or this could totally just be my imagination of what I hoped the video would look like. The song “Stop” from their second album, Spiceworld, has a beat that reminds me of something before the Spice Girl’s time: “Hey you! Always on the run, gotta slow it down, baby gotta have some fun” are words we should live by, especially being Cornell students. Today, there isn’t a girl group that could take the Spice Girls’ place. In order for that to happen, they would have to sell millions of their first album, which is possible, but the only people that really go into the store and physically purchase an album anymore are diehard fans. Yeah, those people do exist; I’m referring to the people that walk into Target or Wal-Mart and buy CDs. In the 90s, people actually walked into the store and purchased albums--they weren’t digital copies unless you synced them to your computer. Compare that to 2013 where people just download music on iTunes without that same feeling of putting the CD into the player. Instead, we put the iPod on the iHome dock as we get ready for the party. Being the greatest girl band of all time is a great accomplishment that only the Spice Girls has attained as far as success. Although all of you girls have gone your separate ways, today as a group, you five ladies will always be recognized for the hits you provided to pop listeners in the 1990s and to those that still listen to your music now. 6
Fashion CUlture
Recreating the Pop Playlist of Your Youth to r e t t A Le Spears ney Gallant t i r B Anita
MUSIC
Britney Spears, please come back (a love letter) Dear Britney, I don’t know how to tell you this, but you’ve changed. You’re not who you used to be, and it’s more than that you’re not a girl, not yet a woman. You’re thirty-one years old. What’s going on? I just get the impression that you don’t love what you do anymore. It seems like you don’t even care about making music, and you just want to spend the rest of your days being a mom, going to Starbucks and eating Cheetos. I mean, thinking about it, that does seem like a pretty great life, so I guess I don’t really blame you. But still, I can’t stand seeing the robot you’ve become. Britney, you need to get control of your life back. You’re thirty-one years old. You used to be so fun, carefree, silly, and a little bit cheesy. I’ll never forget “E-mail My Heart,” or the weird spoken part of “Oops!... I Did It Again” where you talk to a spaceman about the the necklace from Titanic. And, your outfits were embarrassingly bad. Remember the time you wore a denim dress? It’s okay I forgive you, it was just you being you. Even though things got a little out of control, a lot has changed since 2007, and not just your hair growing back. I was hoping to see you make a big comeback and get back to making music that my friends would sing and dance along to in the car like we’re in Crossroads. But, now I see it, in interviews and on the X Factor that you’re holding back, like somebody is controlling you to be the Stepford Wife of pop music. Don’t get me wrong, I love Blackout and Femme Fatale, but let’s be serious– that’s not the real you, that’s some auto-tuned, hyper-sexualized dispassionate robot, not the sweet but sassy southern girl we all fell in love with in 1998. You don’t even really dance anymore. In all your newer music videos you kind of just stomp around and flail your hands like you’re trying to distract us from the fact that you’re not really moving. What is up with that? Please Britney, tell everyone who’s stepping all over your life to kiss your lily white southern Louisiana ass, and get back to being the Britney I used to know. The first time I saw you on your Circus tour, you were chewing gum while you half-assed your choreography. The most recent time I saw you, you sang the entire show live, you kept up with your back-up dancers, and you commanded the stage the way you used to. I still have hope. In the wise words of, well, you: “Don’t you know I still believe, that you will be here. Give me a sign. Hit me Britney one more time.” Love, Anita, and the rest of your fans 7
Julia Klein While our beloved Hit Clips have been replaced by iPods, the presence of boy and girl band guilty pleasure pop-music has certainly not disappeared. In fact, today’s (too many) music reality shows seem to be throwing new boy bands and girl bands at us every season. So if you’re craving that “I Want it That Way” kind of pump up, be sure to check out the latest players on the pop scene. The international boy band craze is nothing new to 2013. Replacing *NSYNC and New Kids on the Block may pull at the heartstrings of our 90s and early 2000s nostalgia, but there are more than enough boy bands today to fill our endless longing for terribly cliché pop music. There’s the five-man British clan One Direction (maybe you heard their quadruple platinum song “What Makes You Beautiful?”). Nickelodeon’s Big Time Rush, California-bred Emblem3, British chart-toppers The Wanted, and so many others--the list goes on and on. Boy bands have continuously swung in and out of popularity over the past two decades, but lately there has been a push to recreate the success of 90s girl bands like the Spice Girls and Dream. Simon Cowell, creator and judge of international reality television hit series The X Factor, has been at the forefront of this search for the perfect girl group. After the success of his masterpiece One Direction, Cowell signed X Factor USA third place finalist Fifth Harmony, a five-member girl group, to his label Syco Entertainment. After finishing the X Factor season two months ago, Fifth Harmony has been actively recording their debut album with a single release expected in the next few months. To get your pop music fill in the meantime, check out some of these new and varied takes on classic pop hits: If you listened to...
“Quit Playing Games with My Heart” by the Back Street Boys for your heartbreak fix
Now you’d listen to...
One Direction’s “I Should Have Kissed You”
“Tearin’ Up My Heart” by *NSYNC, also for a heartbreak fix
Fifth Harmony’s “We Are Never Getting Back Together”
”It Happens Everytime” by DreamStreet as your go-to pump up song
One Direction’s “Kiss You”
“Spice Up Your Life” by the Spice Girls
The Wanted’s “Glad You Came”
“Drive” by Incubus
Emblem3’s “Sunset Boulevard”
“He Loves U Not” by Dream as your confidence booster
Girl Generation’s “I Got a Boy”
“Survivor” by Destiny’s Child
Big Time Rush’s “Love Me Love Me”
The Comeback of Raves Myra Nizami “MIAMI FOR ULTRA MUSIC FESTIVAL YEEEE” “WE CAME. WE RAVED. WE LOVED.” “I LOVE SWEDISH HOUSE MAFIA!!!!!” Those are a just a few of some the updates I saw on my newsfeed over spring break, with everyone dispersing to Los Angeles or Miami to go to see Swedish House Mafia perform either solo, or at Ultra Music Festival, which hosted a slew of other notable EDM artists. As much as I hate to use the word, EDM has become more mainstream, and in fact, it’s one of the fastest growing music genres and one of the most profitable. Raves had their last surge of popularity back when “jungle music” was a big thing and were almost always held in sketchy abandoned warehouses. I couldn’t help but wonder what lies behind this massive growth that the rave industry has seen because, as a quick Google search shows, raves like Electric Daisy Carnival (arguably one of the largest/best EDM shows of the year) makes profits of more than 30 million dollars. The rave craze even extends beyond the US; Tomorrowland, Ultra, and EDC all have offshoots in various European and South American coun-
(the friendliness might be because of the drugs though).” It’s no secret that the usage of drugs at raves has become stuff of urban legend. Ecstasy, which some of have touted as the rave drug has become so popular, a study recently concluded that, “as many as 25 million people have taken Ecstasy at some point in their lives.” It seems as if this ubiquitous drug of the 90s has made a comeback alongside the popularity of raves. This has led to Congressional acts such as the RAVE act, Reducing Americans Vulnerability to Ecstasy, which wasn’t passed but a similar law with a different name was in 2003. Despite the huge spike in ecstasy purchases over the past few years, many notable DJs have spoken out against this association of raves and ecstasy. Deadmau5, a popular DJ states, “It really hurts me to see rampant ADVOCATION of extreme bullshit lifestyles to a genre that spans pretty much any age gap these days.” Drugs aside, what ultimately interested me about raves were the individuals who went, and their reasons for doing so. Bill Seward, ’15 pointed out, “the word rave can be used to describe these events but when using this word it can be
tries. Money aside, the biggest change I noticed was the attitude towards raves now. Growing up in the nineties, it was understood that raves were a recipe for disaster. But now, all of a sudden, the paradigm has shifted and it’s becoming a staple in popular culture to attend raves, to soak up that atmosphere and just let loose. After talking to many people who deemed themselves as hardcore ravers, I couldn’t help but notice that there was this attitude of escapism that everyone touched on. The phrase of ‘dancing your troubles away’ is an apt description, and raves have become the increasingly popular choice instead of going to a club. As a friend told me, “it’s the atmosphere. Everyone’s ridiculously nice and strangers strike up conversations with you and offer you food and drinks
easily confused with the drug-filled nightlife scenes in the 80s and 90s. Now, the EDM scene is a mainstream event taking place outside, indoors, during the day, night, on the radio, and around the globe. [...] While the music is important, the atmosphere (lights, people, energy) is really what separates these shows from anything else. I’ve been to live Hip-Hop and alternative shows and I would have to say the major difference is the energy and friendliness of the crowd. At other live non-EDM shows, you go with a friend and that’s who you enjoy the show with. At EDM shows, you enjoy the show with the crowd.” Aishani Bansal, ‘13 reiterated that point, saying, “I definitely went for the music, [I’d] never been to a rave before that. [Ultra] was the highlight of
my time in Map Key Miami and spring break, I only went for one day. I thought it was EDC crazy. I was not on drugs which Ultra might have made everyone seem T-LAND crazier. It was interesting, beCoachella cause I think it was managed so E- Zoo well by the Ultra people. [to] get in their face and dance, it’s great. I really like the atmosphere; it was different than when everyone just listens to their own headphones.” Sharjeel Chaudhary, ’13 had a different perspective on raves, saying, “[I went] to understand what emotions people are going through, see the lifestyle. I had no intention of dancing or to participate.” Boris Nekatalov, ’13 stated that he “wanted to see how it would be to party with people with similar music tastes as [him].” William Adair Heidepriem-Baird ’14, said, “I’ve never had much fun in one, so I want to have a good experience at a rave. Also it’s a good excuse to drink.” Among the people I talked to though, it’s interesting that there weren’t many
who hadn’t attended a rave at all. Safiya Mitchell ’14 told me, “I feel like you can’t be sober to enjoy it. I think that the music is very repetitive, and I get pissed when they fool around with songs.” Ultimately though, there is no denying that raves have made a huge comeback, and events like Electric Daisy Carnival sell out tickets faster than ever. The appeal is easy to see, as one friend told me, “It’s an escape. It’s surreal, you’re going there for the rave, and if all else fails Vegas is your backup.” Whether sober, drunk, high or a combo of the two, a rave is definitely something to experience, and there is nothing quite like immersing yourself in the music and literally just dancing your troubles away. Something, perhaps, to put on the bucket list? 8
CUlture
Movies
Nostalgia isn’t what it used to be” Sam Phillips, Taking Pictures (2001)
9
Generation Y, Millennials, anyone between the ages of 18 and 33…whatever you call us, call us wistful. Because if film trends are anything to go by, Mi l l e n nials, more so than any other age group, hold a unique penchant for nostalgia, Aren’t twenty-somethings too young to be yearning for the past? Ostensibly. But Millennials have had to grow up faster than perhaps any generation since young adults drafted into Vietnam. Many of us were teenagers when 9/11 happened. And then, to add insult to injury, we saw our parents’ American Dream evaporate in the worst economic crash since the Great Depression; burdening us with unprecedented student loans and looming concerns about the job market and health insurance. As a generation, we face a lot of uncertainty stemming from the problems of the previous generation. But there’s no time for uncertainty when trying to jumpstart our lives and careers. It’s enough to make anyone yearn for the comfort of their childhood years. And that’s exactly what Generation Y is doing, according to movie fads. Consider the recent popularity of Toy Story 3 (2010). Who would have thought that an animated film about toys would still be popular with its target audience 11 years after the second installment? It was a long-
shot when they made the original Toy Story (1995). Studio executives questioned whether kids would want to see the movie because it was the first feature-length animation film (the reason for its number 99 spot on the American Film Institute’s list of the top 100 films of all time). But in both instances, Millennials proved that they were willing to disappear into a fictional world populated by computer-generated
the 90s, such as Batman, The Titanic (1997), the Diehard films, and even Star Wars, could just be an executive Hollywood ploy to milk successful films for all they are worth. It could be that there are a finite number of plausible movie plots and storylines and creativity is running dry. But there is definitely a “Peter Pan Syndrome” at work amongst Millennials. Indeed, we’re trying to hang onto our childhoods for as long as we possibly can. Millennials came of age during a decade when technological advancements were cropping
Cinematic Nostalgia characters, Sydney Reade happy to stick with their buddy Andy as they lived out his life with him—from childhood birthday parties to the first day of college. up at For Millennials, it appears e x p o that childhood has been sus- nentialpended indefinitely through ly faster the comeback of the Batman rates than franchise. A series of charac- in the past ters once merely figments of ( c o n s i d e r the imagination in the pages the 20 or so years it took of a comic book (a truly dy- to get from the first home PC ing art form—Millennials may series to the iPhone combe the last to have read them), pared to the 30 years it took Batman first appeared in the to advance from the radio to early 90s after a television stint the wide-spread commercial in the 60s. There was a 10-year adoption of television). The gap between Batman Forever revival of film series from Gen(1995) and the reboot Batman eration Y’s childhood may be a Begins (2005). In this case, the function of how technology has target audience merely shifted changed our generation’s sofrom tweens to young adults, cial development. Millennials’ but it was the same groups of lives are much more fast-paced Gen Y’ers watching. Of course than previous generations—we the comeback of movies from are constantly in contact with-
out being in the same physical space, fully accustomed to a world of instant communication and gratification. Memories are affected by this speed. According to Adam Estes in the 2011 article “Is Google Making Us Stupid and Smart at the Same Time?” Gen Y is not so great at remembering individual bits of information, yet we are impressively adept at remembering where they found the information. Thus, our entertainment choices illustrate a desire to see our favorites revisited, perhaps because we have a hard time remembering the finer details and don’t want to forget. This is evident in the revival of childhood classics such as The Perks of Being a Wallflower (the 1999 book-turnedmovie in 2012) and Matilda (1996) and The Newsies (1992) in the form of Broadway shows. Think of the access Generation Y has to childhood movies. In the original days of film, you had to catch a movie in the theater, or you wouldn’t get to see it at all. If you were particularly entranced by a film and wished to see it again, your only option was to return to the theater. Once it left the box office, the reels were
stacked in a library some- where, and that was that. But Millennials have been watching and re-watching our favorites on VHS, DVD, and Netflix repeatedly throughout our lives. Forgot that one-liner? Rent the film from iTunes and relive the magic! That’s always been the
mentality. As a result of the myriad problems plaguing the country as Generation Y came of age, their childhoods were curtailed, which may explain the undying fad of baseball films. Of course baseball is America’s pastime, so it makes sense that Hollywood would use it so frequently for movie fodder. But baseball films centered around kids of the same age as Millennials were particularly popular in the 90s, and as we grew, these depictions evolved into more serious and nostalgic baseball plots specifically fitted for the 21st century. Films like Babe (1992), A League of Their Own (1992), Rookie of the Year (1993), and Angels in the Outfield (1994) captivated young Millennials with their heroic spirit and anything-is-possible themes. For
us kids, there was something strangely enchanting about the idea of baseball. Growing up on the cusp of the digital age, the days of playing outdoors until
These pangs of nostalgia arose in Millennials as we flocked to theaters to see Fever Pitch (2005), Moneyball (2011), and Trouble With the Curve
Millennials’ lives are much more fast-paced than previous generations—we are constantly in contact without being in the same physical space, fully accustomed to a world of instant communication and gratification. the sun went down, as depicted in The Sandlot (1993), were glimpses from a bygone era for the younger members of Generation Y. And the fact that the sport is so rooted in tradition is undoubtedly part of the appeal.
(2012)—all movies about our beloved baseball, but with mature themes more relevant to our adult lives. Maybe Millennials are just a bunch of old souls, but we certainly have good reasons for clinging onto our childhood in
whatever ways we can. Not only is it harder to remember our childhood, but perhaps there’s less of it to actually recall. And so Generation Y will probably still be sitting in those plush red seats, watching Toy Story 10: Andy Goes to the Retirement Home when it comes out in theaters in 2063. Nostalgia isn’t what is used to be. But it’s still nice to know that the generation accused of abandoning snail mail in favor of iPhones and emailing are still wistful for culture. It shows that as long as there are people to watch, these fantastic films will never fade into the distance. After all, “if dreams are like movies, then memories are films about ghosts.” -Counting Crows, Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby (1999)
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Sketches CUltureand Slapstick Sketches & Slapstick
Television
Ashley Chacon
What 90’s kid doesn’t remember sitting down cemented to their 19 inch bulky T.V. watching Nickelodeon? Some of our best childhood memories were spent sitting in front of the screen watching trademark shows of Nickelodeon, including game shows and sketch comedies. If this sounds familiar, then shows such as Legends of the Hidden Temple or Figure It Out may come to mind. For any readers who feel the same nostalgia as I do about my childhood, here is a recap of a few of the most popular game shows of the 90s. Legends of the Hidden Temple—Six teams of kids, each must traverse a moat and the first four teams to make it across advance. Then, they must prove their knowledge of the legend that Olmec (a giant talking stone head) told them a bit earlier. The players must hit a button on the ground and then answer the question correctly to advance. After two teams successfully make their way down the steps, they move on to the Temple Games. There, players compete to earn Pendants of Life in the three games. The team with the most pendants moves on to enter the temple. In the final round the team brings their pendants and tries to find the room where the artifact lies while avoiding the temple guards who protect three rooms. If the competitors can successfully traverse the temple, exit, and are in possession of an artifact, they win all the prizes which ranged from remote control cards, and boomboxes, to trips to Space Camp and the Bahamas! Oh the suspense! I remember thinking, “How do these kids do this? I can’t do that!” The part I always thought was the hardest was getting through the temple—how did the kids seem to know which way to go and exactly what they were doing? Whether this was rehearsed or real, the suspense I felt as a child wondering who would win was very real. Figure It Out— Four “celebrity” panelists (whom I tended not to recognize and were exclusively stars of some Nickelodeon show), including Kevin Kopelow from All That and Preslaysa Edwards from The Mystery Files of Shelby Woo, have to guess the special talent of a kid with only yes or no questions. There are 11
three rounds in which the panelists have the chance to guess what the contestant’s special talent is. If they guess a word on the board, then they are one step closer to figuring out the talent. If, after the end of the three rounds, the panelists still haven’t guessed the talent, then the contestant goes home with the grand prize. Oh, this show. The weird talents that ranged from “Rodeo Sheep Riding Champion” to “Trains Dog To Long Jump Into Water” always had me wondering, “How on earth can the judges guess that?” Yet, oftentimes the judges were somehow able to guess the very strange talents of the youths that appeared on this show. I guess after being slimed enough times, you learn how to ask the right questions.
All That—This show was such a staple of the 90s that it hardly needs a summary, but for those who did not grow up in the U.S. and for those who might not have had cable, All That was a sketch comedy show similar to Saturday Night Live. In this show, the actors would perform various comedic sketches such as “The Inconvenience Store,” a strangely stereotypical sketch (for a kids show) that included two rude convenience store employees, and “The Wizard of Coz”--the story of a girl who didn’t want to shower and ended up in the land of Coz. While most of my friends absolutely loved this show, I was never completely into it. Perhaps my imagination was not open, or perhaps I was too young to understand some of the references being made in the sketches. Upon reflection, now that I have seen movies such as the The Wizard of Oz and have more life experiences, I think the show is hilarious
and is definitely worth watching whenever I just want to have a laugh, or reminisce about childhood. The Amanda Show—Amanda Bynes has made a big name for herself, but lately it seems she’s going down the awful path so many child stars find themselves on. Who could overlook her latest twitter meltdown tweeting, “It doesn’t matter what you think about yourself. All that matters is what your lover thinks of you.” Despite all this, many of us still remember her as the bubbly little girl just trying to make us laugh. And let’s not forget that she got her start on Nickelodeon. After a successful run on All That, she hosted and starred in her self-named show. This show, like All That, was a comedy that included several recurring scenes and characters such as Penelope Taynt who constantly asked for “Amanda, please.” Unlike All That, I loved this show growing up. Amanda’s personality was warm and made you want to be in front of the television to wait until the show began. While the same can’t be said for her character today, Amanda was the cool kid every girl looked up to at the time. Kenan & Kel—Another show whose main characters got their start on All That, Kenan Thompson and Kel Mitchell produced yet another comedic hit on Nickelodeon. This show had less sketches and was based more on the full storylines of characters, although the shows normally opened and ended with the two protagonists speaking to the audience. Together, the two were unstoppable at making me and my friends laugh.This perfectly matched duo went on to make a movie called Good Burger (1997), another hit among audiences. Although the show seemed to be aimed at older children, their antics always kept me amused and wanting to stay up past my bedtime. Writing this article has brought me back to the good times of my childhood spent in front of the T.V. with my Tang juice box and needy Tamagotchi at my side. I’m sure it has sent you back to those times as well. These shows helped to shape who we are today and many of us hold them dear to our hearts. The shows may be over, and the actors may be all grown up, but the memories we had will last a lifetime.
Where Are They Now? Anita Gallant
Amanda Bynes Then: Nickelodeon comedy sweetheart from All That, The Amanda Show, and She’s the Man. Now: Could be found dismissing court and ordering bailiffs to bring in the dancing lobsters.Latest Hollywood trainwreck who couldn’t make it out of child stardom without losing her mind can be found drunkenly hitting people with her car and ordering Drake to murder her vagina via Twitter. Hanson Then: The Justin Bieber of the late 90s, boppin’ into our young hearts with their hit song “MMMBop.” Now: The band is still together, has come out with 8 albums since releasing “MMMBop,” and are coming out with another this year. They cut their hair, but don’t worry they haven’t totally grown up; They still play “MMMBop” at performances, their voices just sound a bit deeper.
Student Spotlight Allie Clement A pre-med at Cornell? No big deal. A pre-med who has already released a single and wants to work for a record label? Hold up. Julia Klein ’16 is one of those people who knows what she wants--and she’s going to get it. At approximately noon on January 2, Julian Klein sat down and started writing. By 12:30, she was holding the completed version of “Hummingbird,” the lyrics to her first downloadable song. “I have never written a song so quickly and not wanted to change parts of it a million times over,” she said. Within two months, “Hummingbird” was available on Bandcamp. The song reflects on personal experiences with an unknown individual, which, added to the vocal Courtesy of julia klein music
Skechers Then: The shoes all the cool kids in the elementary school just had to have. Now: Offending moms everywhere by selling heeled sneakers to preteens under the name “Daddy’$ Money,” marketing them with teenage girls fanning themselves with money and using the tagline “Get spoiled with Daddy’s money.” I promise I’m not kidding, but I wish I were. William Hung Then: One of the first viral superstars, Hung became the biggest joke in the country when he auditioned for American Idol terribly with Ricky Martin’s “She Bangs” and got a record deal. Now: “Retired” from music in 2011 to pursue a career as a technical crime analyst in Los Angeles. He says he has no regrets. Neither do we, William, neither do we. AOL Instant Messenger Then: We’d all log in after school to gossip about middle school drama, “warn” all of our h8rs so they couldn’t I.M. us anymore, and constantly change our buddy info and buddy icon so they were always cool and perfect. Now: Its market share collapsed, along with all of AOL, but it’s still available. SmarterChild was shut down in ‘08 though. A moment of silence please. Kenan and Kel Then: They kept us laughing in the afternoon, we didn’t touch that dial or leave the room. But we had to watch Kenan cause, Kenan be schemin’. True words from the Kenan and Kel theme song. Now: Kenan made it to the comedy major leagues and has been on SNL for 10 years. Kel auditioned but didn’t make it (awkward) so now he just does random guest roles in shows & makes appearances at events with orange soda.
aspects, makes it an alluring and addictive piece of music. With the exception of the “pop-esque” sound of “Hummingbird,” Klein follows the pop-soul path of Gavin DeGraw. Klein is also inspired by John Legend’s ability to draw upon his educational background to make music; the singer/songwriter was an English major at the University of Pennsylvania. The pre-med herself does not intend on going to med school--she plans to study music cognition, “which combines aspects of music and neurobiology.” The Rye, New York native began her music career in kindergarten when her mother signed her up for piano lessons. “I don’t know what five-year-old wants to play piano, so of course I tried to resist,” says Klein. “But it was the best opportunity she could have given me.” She started singing for fun and it wasn’t too long before people noticed her talent. After a few high school performances, YouTube videos, and some busking street singing, Klein realized she could pursue a career in music. “It’s truly what I love,” she says. “I’m up for whatever it’s going to take.”
12
CUlture
7 Totally Original TV Trends
Television
Yasmin Alameddine What are some of the movies that came out in the past two years? Hm, let’s think: Twilight Part 2, Paranormal Activity 4, Ice Age 2, The Expendables 2, Madagascar 3, Men In Black 3. I wonder what all those have in common? Could it be the big gaping number next to the title? Probably. I don’t know why, but time and time again, directors and writers think it’s a great idea to make a third, or even fourth sequel. They clearly have not heard of the phrase, “Quit while you’re ahead.” Whether it’s lack of storylines or fear of change, the movie industry has come to a standstill in the invention of groundbreaking, or even seemingly new, plotlines. As for the television industry, we (I say we because I like to delusionally rationalize the fact that my addiction to watching, writing, and breathing hours and hours of television has made me a part of the industry) put television shows on a pedestal by saying that we are living in a “Golden Age” of television where each and every show is a unique and original being. But is this really true? Today’s television shows may not have 1s, 2s, or 4s next to them, and the names of the characters or cities may be different, but we seem to be watching the same formulas over and over again with minor tweaks attached. Just picture some writer holed up in a basement covered in chalk muttering to himself. He’s probably saying, “So we make a John Stamos/George Clooney hybrid who’s both a cop and doctor, who lives with his funny, Matthew Perry/Jorge Garcia-like best friend who’s an architect by day, stand-up comic by night. He is in love with his best friend, a Carrie Bradshaw/Liz Lemon-like girl. They all live in a New York City apartment which is actually set in San Francisco. To top it all off, I can give it a kind of sci-fi twist and it will have to be the next hit! Eureka!” It’s like the creators of every show are trying to cram all the “best” techniques that worked in previous shows into one show. But just like every pretentious college admissions officer said to you, “There is no perfect formula.” Or if you’ve blocked out the hazy, anxiety-filled days of the admissions process, consider the Lucky Charms cereal analogy. What if one day you realized that all you had in your lucky charms was marshmallows? I mean at first you would 13
probably curl up in a fetal position and start crying from sheer excitement (not a hyperbole, the only thing that rivals my love of television is my love of overly sugary cereal). But with every diabetes-filled bite, you’d slowly realize that there needs to be a balance in order for a successful cereal to taste just right. So we, my friends, are stuck in an originality rut. But the earlier we accept and understand it, the faster we can fix it. So let’s play a little game called, “Ugh, Overdone” or “Yay, Make Another One!” What’s Up, Doc? St. Elsewhere, the eighties medical drama started the medical show epidemic (pun intended). This show paved the way for ER, Grey’s Anatomy, House, Private Practice, Scrubs, Nip/Tuck, and all the cocky surgeons and hard-working nurses in between. I don’t know what kind of strange psychological problem we all have, but we clearly revel in the tragedy and problems that befall others. In our eyes, the more severe, rare, and incurable the disease, the better. Fine, maybe you don’t understand the medical jargon and just watch the show for “the characters.” First of all, that’s a little sad because the characters are about as deep as a kiddie pool. Who’s your favorite character? Let me guess: is it the steamy heart surgeon who’s a perfectionist and can never live up to the demands of his father? Oh or wait, the new intern who falls in prohibited love with the head surgeon? Oh no I got it this time: the materialist plastic surgeon that actually has a heart under his good-looking but harsh exterior? Those characters all sound familiar probably because they sum up the majority of the main characters on every one of the medical dramas on television right now (give or take a few emotional baggage storylines). On another note, I am losing faith in the medical community after every episode I watch. I mean, what with all the drama and emotion going on in and out of the OR, how much attention are they really paying to the patients? Either way, how many of these characters and plotlines can they make until the audience finally gets tired of it? By the looks of things, the television industry just replied, “Challenge accepted.” Without a doubt: Ugh, overdone. Good Cop, Bad Cop The cop team protected the streets of Chicago in the eighties crime drama Hill Street Blues. Unknowingly, this show started one of the longest running franchises of crime, cop, secret agent, and forensic drama. From NYPD to
Law and Order, to Criminal Minds, 24, Bones, CSI: Tehran (okay, they don’t have that yet, but they probably will soon since they’re running out of cities in the U.S.), the millions of gadgets, criminals, cases, and thousands of gallons of fake blood have been worked and reworked in a thousand ways in order to put a new “spin” on the already-dead franchise. Take the partner relationship for example: it’s either an insanely built up chemistry between a man and woman with tons of witty banter, or a bromance between one tough guy and a funny side-kick. Either way, I don’t think I can stomach one more hologram of how “Jane Doe” got stabbed in a [insert scientific name for bone here] 72 times. The horse that you guys have been beating just raised from the dead to say: Ugh, overdone. Keeping up with the rich and fabulous It’s kind of sad that I cannot think of a time before good television shows were just tiny pebbles in a sea of bickering housewives, fake-tanned baboons, botox-faced Barbies and inKapable family dynasties who have given a bad name to anyone living in the L.A. area. But it’s hard to believe that Beverly Hills 90210 was one of the first television shows ever to depict dramatic teens in their Lexus’ whining about their petty problems. Though we can thank 90210 for some subpar fiction shows (see Dawson’s Creek, One Tree Hill, etc). The fact that 90210 brought these reality shows into our lives is unforgivable. I mean, what has The Hills or Laguna Beach really added to your life? Lauren Conrad and Audrina (fine, I know a secondary character’s name, I used to watch it. Just a second, while I gouge my eyes out with a spork in embarrassment) would literally sit at L.A.’s “trendiest” restaurant, look at the menu for four hours, then opt for the chilled $45 Sanpelle-Voss-Evian glass of water, not drink it, barely nod in recognition of the extrathat-is-so-happy-to-be-there “waiter,” and leave. But hey, I heard they made a sequel where the even-blonder friend moves to New York to pursue fashion. That might be a better show, right? Wrong. I watched that too (shush, I call that the lost years in my television life), and it was even worse, if that’s possible. So for all the pain and suffering these people have brought us, we give you a resounding: Ugh, overdone. Search for the next... ...star, doll, chef, loser, apprentice, model, actress, idol, comedian, fashionista, cupcake maker The list goes on and on. The fateful show of Star Search that launched many comedy and
singing careers such as those of Britney Spears, Adam Sandler, Beyoncé, and Justin Timberlake (stop me before I sound like E! Online) convinced the world that we needed to constantly look for someone. There is a show for literally every single “top” “best” “world famous” [insert audacious superlative here] career in the world. Just a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of watching this feline-like critter--sorry, woman--get crowned “America’s Best Crafter” on the show Craft Wars for her unreal paper-mâché dragon. But before we get wrapped up in the next cupcake-ventriloquist-contortionist that wins “Scandanavia’s Most Multifaceted,” I urge you to search deep within what used to be your heart and answer this: What are you really looking for? This constant search for talent for each profession is instilling a vicious competitive nature within our society and using it to crank out uninteresting, easy-to-write TV junk. Instead of “ugh, overdone” I think this category deserves an: Auf viedersein, goodbye. I... Uh... Seinfeld I apologize for that bad intro, I was attempting to imitate Jerry Seinfeld’s infamous drawl, but it came out a little rough on paper. Well Seinfeld is a no-brainer. But seriously, try and ask a critic to talk about Seinfeld’s impact on television and the words “ground breaking,” “phenomenon,” and “blockbuster” will jumble so fast out of their mouth (accompanied by bucket loads of saliva) that you won’t be able to understand a word. But it is true; Seinfeld really did start the satirical sitcom trend that paved the way to great shows like the largely improvised Curb Your Enthusiasm, the
American adaptation to the British Office, and now Modern Family. We owe a lot of laughs to Elaine, George and Jerr. So yay, make another one. Adult Cartoons The Simpsons is probably the most well-written animated program ever. It has more Harvard writers than the New York Times (even though I’m slightly worried that those nerds are more concerned about writing a fart joke than breaking new ground in stem cell research), and has been named the greatest television show of all time by numerous magazines. What’s great about all this is that it is still a cartoon at the end of the
day. This crass humor mixed with the bright colors of animation seems to quell a longing for the days of sitting in front of the television, eating Froot Loops, and watching Tom chase Jerry. Either way, it brought about classics like Family Guy and South Park as well. So yay, make another one! I Am Fluent in Orc, ...Elvish, and N’avi, but my Klingon is a little rusty. Ah, Star Trek… Although I wish I could, I cannot claim that I am a Trekkie. But I, and many fans that are a part of fandoms out there, owe Star Trek a lot. It was really the start of true fan loyalty and an obsession for a world beyond our own. Star Trek really paved the way for television fandoms like Battlestar Galactica, LOST, True Blood, and anything Joss Whedon creates, to be as obsessive, passionate, and participatory as is socially acceptable (or not so acceptable). There are now geek conventions, podcasts, webisodes, fan fiction sites, and forums dedicated to analyzing and loving television shows, books, and movies. So thank you, Star Trek. Yay, I want another one! Or as they say in Klingon: shneep, valeep noop boop beep! No, I’m kidding. You can still associate with me in public, I made that up.
14
Culture
Growing up in the Nineties Spending the Golden Decade in Pakistan
Myra Nizami
In keeping with the theme of the nineties throwback, I thought it be only fitting if I included a perspective on the decade from someone who didn’t live in the United States for it. In 1996, when I was four years old, I moved from California to Pakistan (which is where I lived up until I was sixteen) and almost all of my memories of the nineties are from living in Pakistan. I honestly didn’t realize the stark differences of growing up there versus the US until I really started talking to people here and oftentimes, conversations would come up that I really couldn’t follow along, or I simply just didn’t know what they were talking about. I mean, I still, to this day, don’t really know who Mr. Rogers is (I recently discovered that he hosted a show on PBS, and kids LOVED him, apparently he was awesome), and I can’t sing along perfectly to the theme song of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (but I certainly try, and usually tend to butcher it in the process). Before I start this article, I feel like I need to add a disclaimer: I am in no way trying to represent the childhood of an entire generation in the country of Pakistan, this is simply an individual experience, and I recognize that there are thousands of others who had different experiences, for better or for worse. Moreover, I lived in a comparatively affluent neighborhood, so I also fully recognize that my experiences growing up differed quite a bit from the average citizen of the country, but I decided to write about it nonetheless. Growing up there, simple things like pizza were a luxury. You were considered a cool kid if you had your birthday party at Pizza Hut, simply because that was one of two franchise restaurants that were open at the time (the other was KFC, but c’mon, a pizza party is way cooler) and that was how it remained for awhile, since other franchises like McDonald’s didn’t open up until about the mid-2000s.
Cou rtes y
of M yra N
izam i
15
For me, one of the major differences growing up in Pakistan versus the US was the quality of things. That may sound like a hard concept to distill from abstraction, but the way we watched TV and movies was incredibly different. Since there were no movie theaters close by, we relied on rented VHS tapes (Remember those? I still have like five of them in a closet somewhere) and VCDS, the predecessor of DVDs, to watch anything. Plus, having just moved from the US, it frustrated my sister and I to no end not having access to TV channels. Since there was no cable, we had this weird dish contraption that was on our roof, and only caught five channels. But because the main receiver was in my aunt’s room (who lived with us initially) she was the only who could control what channel the entire house got to watch. Even after we got cable, we didn’t have access to channels like Disney and Nickelodeon all the time. They came on for about an hour or two once a day, so getting to watch Legends of the Hidden Temple was probably the most exciting part of the day for me. Plus, the one cartoon channel we got somewhat regularly was Cartoon Network, and it was usually dubbed in the national language, making it incredibly difficult to follow along since the audio and video weren’t really synced. Looking back on my childhood, the biggest difference about growing up in Pakistan was, for me personally, the lack of electricity. Pakistan’s supply of electricity compared to its demands has always fallen woefully short, and to this day it is not unheard of for the electricity to suddenly go out during the course of a day. Back then though, it was worse because generators were too expensive to afford, and we’d combat the heat by using battery powered fans, or simply sleeping outside when the heat was too much (it usually stays in the 90 degree plus temperature in the city I lived in, Karachi). Looking back, I’d like to think that perhaps because of the lack of the availability of so many resources, it helped me cultivate a lot of the lasting friendships in my life. Most of us looked forward to school simply because there wasn’t much to do in the house, and I got to know a lot of my peers and classmates better simply because there wasn’t much else to do anyway. Ultimately, I really value my childhood and upbringing, because I think it helped me appreciate the little things more, and taught me not to take them for granted.
A Day in the Life of a 90’s Kid Victoria Sobel
We’ve all felt it—that crazy nostalgia that hits you when you find your “NOW That’s What I Call Music, Volume 3” CD gathering dust in storage boxes in your basement. The album is likely surrounded by Beanie Babies and Disney VHS movies that could make you cry at the drop of a hat—don’t even pretend that you don’t tear up when Simba’s dad dies in The Lion King. The 90s was the decade when your biggest problems were running out of ink in your jelly pens or fighting over who got to be Toad on N64 Mario Kart. If you know me, you know I have nothing but love for the 90s (and early 2000s, because honestly, they totally blended together). I’m all about the music—Blink 182, Backstreet Boys, N*Sync, Green Day, and obviously the Spice Girls— the movies—The Disney classics, Home Alone, and God’s gift to every straight girl and gay guy, Leonardo DiCaprio in Titanic—and the styles—overalls, jelly sandals, and every outfit you’d see on Fresh Prince and Boy Meets World. With that, sit back on your favorite inflatable couch, take a break from whatever you’re doing, and relive the the 90s, with “A Day in the Life.”
The alarm goes off, with the rad io tuned to your favorite station. The cho rus of “Oops, I Did It Again” blares through the speakers, and you’re up and out of bed in an instant. You head downstairs, and flip on the TV—just in time for an episode of Hey Arn old, followed by Boy Meets World. The TV pla ys as you make your way to the pantry to find breakfast—Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Fruity Pebbles, or Berry Berry Kix? You pick out a box and pour it into the bowl as your mom prepar es your lunch.
After finishing up the episodes, you make your way back to your room to get dressed for school, but not before you make sure your mom uses your favorite lunchbox—none of that brown bag nonsense. Once you’re in your room, girls—throw on your favorite basic t-shirt with your new light wash jeans and jelly sandals. Make sure to add a slap bracelet or two and a couple butterfly clips for your hair. If you’re feeling especially upbeat, don’t forget the roll on glitter! As for guys—your favorite flannel paired with basic Levi’s and Converse or Airwalks will do the trick, and make sure to spike the hair just right; flaunt those frosted tips. After deciding on an outfit, you gather your new backpack and throw it onto one shoulder and leave to catch the bus. But don’t forget to grab your Walkman from your desk; it would be a long walk to the bus stop without it, and you just burned a new mix CD.
Fast fo head rward to hom the e e n wher e girl with you d of the d s, you r frie many ay— n y playe Mary Ka likely wat d for a pl ou te an a d wit c y h date ed o d h Guys , you the Skip Ashley m ne of the , eye o ovies prob It on a r a t Playd somethin bly playe he drivew nd d N6 ates w g like a y. 4G mean e t t run re great, hat…jus oldenta b n frien d’s pa ing the ri ut calling guess. s r to went k e some nts. That of talkin plan one g thing Paren c t like t onversati o your t: on li his: You: Hello? kely H here) i Mrs. Sm , is (y ith, t his is our f Paren rie (yo t: How Ohhhh h nd’s nam ur name e ar ) i frien e you sw (your nam there? eetie d’s na e her ? me) ute… will b Sure, (yo e)!! u e her Obvi e in a r ously mint signi fican hat conve t r ly s 1999 , but more ex ation seem cruci you g ed a et th e ide ting in a.
t back te, once you go Now post playda n table he tc wn at your ki home, you sat do er was nn di ework” while to do your “hom done it t ge . Luckily, you being prepared r and te us kb to go to Bloc , and quickly enough nd ke ee two for the w playrent a movie or t en sp is ur night yo of er nd ai m the re mputer aseball on the co ing Backyard B ws on the llo pi of couch e az m a g in ak or m wouldn’t step on so you to or flo t en m base t ready lava.” As you ge fall in the “hot ic Tree M your latest ag for bed, you grab e off, ar s ht once the lig d an , ok bo se Hou rk, stick ur glow in the da yo at up e ar st you leep. until you fall as on ceiling stars
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Culture
Still Hot vs. So Not Still Super Co
ol
Lauren Marchese
Using colorful pens Remember when the height of fashion was a gorgeous and colorful set of pens? Now that we’re older, aquamarine and fuchsia pens can still be trendy (when it’s appropriate!) Please don’t fill out your midterm examination in sunset orange ink. But taking notes and writing reminders? Totally acceptable. We could all use a little more color in our lives. Justin Timberlake Who knew he would rise out of the wreckage that was 90s boy bands? He’s more talented and popular than ever with a few new albums, a hilarious movie with Mila Kunis, and appearances on Saturday Night Live. His songs may not be listed among iTunes’ most popular, but we agree he has the vocal chords of a sexy angel. His recent fifth appearance as the host of SNL put him in the “Five-Timers Club” along with comedic legends like Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Alec Baldwin. Boy bands may be taboo, but JT is back with a vengeance. (This blurb goes along side the boy bands one for the other side). Watching Disney movies We grew up with classics like The Lion King and The Little Mermaid. Some people still associate Disney with their childhood, but everyone knows Disney is NOT just for kids. Marlin’s struggle to keep Nemo safe while avoiding overbearing parenthood? Super adult. And The Princess and the Frog deals with racial and socioeconomic issues of New Orleans in the 1920s. That’s deep. Disney movies, old and new, still tug at our heartstrings. To those of you opting out because you’re a “grown-up,” I would ask, “Are you really?” Pirates! When we were younger, some kids would dress up as pirates for Halloween or maybe you had a pirate toy. Today, they are nothing short of awesome. Thanks to The Pirates of the Caribbean movies and Johnny Depp, pirates have made a fierce comeback. And they’re lookin’ for ye treasure mateys. They may have gross teeth and they probably smell bad, but pirates are kind of like the new superheroes. But without morals. Playing games We’ve all played Monopoly, The Game of Life, the Sims, and Clue. You probably thought you were done with all of those games from your childhood. But, thanks to new technologies like smartphones, personal laptops, and tablets, we can play childish games from the privacy of our devices. That’s right--no embarrassment, no judgment, just pure fun. There are apps for some of the old games we love and lots of apps for new games like Angry Birds and Temple Run. Let’s be honest, both of these games are pretty dumb, so it’s awesome that we get to play them without fear of judgment from peers. 17
OBABLY YOU SHOULD PR Let That Go
Action figures Sorry, we mean “collectibles.” That’s super neat that you collect Star Wars figurines, but this is a part of your past that should probably be tossed. Hey, you can either listen to us now or your spouse in a few years time. Either way, those babies are history. Boy Bands There was a time we could name all the Backstreet Boys. Their names were Nick, A.J, How-something, and I forgot the rest. JT may have escaped the fate that swallowed up the rest of *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys, but boy bands are done. Sorry, One Direction. We enjoyed “It’s Gonna Be Me” and “I Want it That Way,” but now it’s time to say “Bye, Bye, Bye.” (This blurb goes along side/somehow connected to the JT one on the other side) 90s Fashion This one is pretty obvious. While the 90s had “character,” we don’t think you guys really need to be told that jelly shoes are not acceptable anymore, right? Same goes for butterfly clips, ultra-baggy jeans, turtlenecks (debatable), and bowl haircuts-all things of the past. Seriously, though, it was almost worth that fashion disaster of an era just to be able to go back now and look at pictures of these trends. Eating McDonalds like it’s real food It’s kind of horrifying to think about how McDonalds and Burger King were completely acceptable dinner choices when we were younger. Not to throw our parents and grandparents under the bus, but we had a fair amount of golden arch burgers in our day. Needless to say, we accumulated an impressive amount of collectible toys. Thankfully during the recent health movement, we’ve discovered what’s really in those Chicken McNuggets.
The Do’s and Don’ts of Thrift Shopping Claire Baum
We’ve all heard Macklemore’s catchy new song “Thrift Shop.” He wears your grandad’s coat. He looks incredible. We get it--thrift shopping is the new downtown chic. While some can pull off the oversized sweater look like a runway model, others simply end up looking like they’re trying to emulate a homeless person. And it is for these reasons that the do’s and don’ts of thrift shopping are a must. Thrift Shop Do’s Check out all sections of the store. Thrift shops often sell jewelry, bags and even art at discounted prices. Music records, in particular, are an item to watch out for. Scout out familiar and designer brands. Part of the joy in thrift shopping is the thrill of hunting for a great deal. Thrift shops are the perfect place to find gently used designer, and otherwise expensive, items at a reduced cost. Take a chance with fashion without the cost. Buy that crazy top or sweater you’ve been eyeing in other stores. If you can’t pull it off, chances are you can sell it back to another thrift store for a similar price. Look for re-emerging trends. We’ve all heard the age-old adage: “What goes around, comes around.” And it’s about time we listen to it. Take advantage of trends that were popular in previous decades, such as high waisted shorts, denim jackets and crop tops (assuming, of course, that you can pull them off). Buying these items at a thrift shop will give you a unique, vintage look. Buy vintage items! Get items you can play with. Choose pieces you can cut up, draw on, & just have fun with. After all, it’s easier to justify ruining someone else’s old shirt than your own. Sweaters and windbreakers. They’re just awesome. Donate your old clothes! Contribute to the cycle of thrift shopping. Thrift Shop Dont’s Don’t buy super fitted items. Chances are, they were fitted for someone else’s body, not yours. The cut of clothing evolves over time, and you should be wary of this even if certain vintage styles are reemerging. Don’t buy your grandad’s coat. You’re not Macklemore, and you won’t look incredible. If it wasn’t trendy then, chances are it’s not trendy now. Fanny packs and bedazzled items are never going to look good. Just don’t even go there. Don’t buy heavily worn items. That’s just gross. You don’t need to be wearing someone else’s old undergarments. Possibly even more gross than heavily worn items. You know where that’s been... Buying new clothes defeats the purpose of thrift shopping.
20 Things Your Ten Year Old Self Could Do at Cornell Dani Kellner
1. Convince actual students that you’re a child prodigy and that you do go here. 2. Go to RPCC or Appel and ONLY EAT ICE CREAM. 3. Giggle that Ho Plaza has the word “ho” in it. Even if you don’t quite know what “ho” means. 4. Play hide-and-seek in the Low Rises. Just a tip, if you’re seeking, just give up immediately, because you will never find your opponent in those weird-ass buildings. 5. Host a “Cocktail” Party in the Cocktail Lounge; invite only your new teddy bear friends. 6. Be able to function without coffee. If your day is really rough, maybe buy an apple juice. 7. Go to Gannett and not get asked if you’re knocked up, because who asks a 10-year-old if they’re preggers? 8. Make a waffle at the dining hall. Be sure to proclaim, “And in the morning, I’m making waffles,” to the person standing behind you in line. 9. Go to Plum Tree or Miyake just for some sushi, you know? The words “sake bomb” haven’t really entered your vocabulary quite yet. 10. Take a picture that looks like you’re holding McGraw Clock Tower in your hands. Illusions are cool, and everybody knows it. 11. Put safety first and hold hands with your Mom as you cross East Ave. Also, make sure you look both ways first, because the traffic is cray. 12. Bundle up in at minimum 5 layers of winter gear at first sign of snowfall. Start sweating the moment you walk outside. 13. Walk right on past that ridiculous salad line at Terrace. Because vegetables suck. 14. Buy an Ithaca is Gorges shirt, but not quite understand the pun, because your spelling still kind of sucks and you don’t know the difference between “gorges” and “gorgeous” 15. Use a blue-light phone just for kicks, but pretend you got separated from your parents when the CUPD come so you don’t get in trouble and ruin your chances of getting in. 16. Start an A Cappella group that sings only Hannah Montanna songs. Her music is surprisingly relatable to college life. 17. Preemptively “like” Cornell University on your Facebook, which you created with your parents’ permission two weeks ago. 18. Develop a crush on your hot, sophomore babysitter. Write about it on the Cornell Crushes page, once again from your newly debuted Facebook. 19. Snapchat your friends from the top of the McGraw Clock Tower. Make sure you make a peace sign and purse your lips, because that’s how the cool kids do it. 20. Promise to study harder so you get in. Realize that this is the first step on the road to the demise of your social life. 18
CUlture
The Death of Music Television Lucas Strombeck
F
irst broadcast in 1981, Music Television captured the pulse of an emerging cultural moment. In the era of big hair and parachute pants, music was no longer relegated to the radio or the record player. The realms of television and film became interwoven with music, with films such as Flashdance, Footloose, and Hair making their debut during this period. The launch of MTV was well positioned to plug into this new world. Music now had a new, flashy, televisual component, cementing its cache as a burgeoning commodity with mass entertainment value.
artists, began scaling back the airing of music videos altogether. Between 1995 and 2000 alone, MTV aired a third less music videos than in the previous years. Of course, by the time of its 20th anniversary in 2001 rolled around, commentators had taken notice of this trend. In a Billboard article published in 2001, then-President Van Toeffle commented that the “’[T]he novelty of just showing music videos has worn off.’” Discerning executives saw the writing on the wall for music television, and were quick to respond with fresh new programming. Of course the turn of the century did not signal an end, but rather a shift, in programming. Those who were adolescents in 2001 will recall that the Internet was still not a reliable medium for watching videos. Slow connections, dated hardware, and limited broadband foiled many a middle-class kid trying to watch the latest mu-
to experience the lives of singers and celebrities alike. Yet what no one, including the creators of MTV, could have expect-
ed was the profusion of reality shows that cropped up in the 2000s. More and more, we watch people living out their
Now relegated to the graveyard shift, music videos were once MTV’s bread and butter. The first music video to play on the network was “Video Killed the Radio Star,” an obvious gesture of self-awareness toward MTV’s role in the changing world of musical broadcast.
Now relegated to the graveyard shift, music videos were once MTV’s bread and butter. The first music video to play on the network was “Video Killed the Radio Star,” an obvious gesture of self-awareness toward MTV’s role in the changing world of musical broadcast. A hit song on the radio was no longer enough to catapult an artist to the top. Instead, producing a lively rock song playing in tune with a Technicolor music video promised the new road to success.
19 19
It was around the turn of the century when the channel, once iconic for its unflagging promotion of new rock
sic video. Indeed, television remained the most stalwart provider of music videos, and while MTV had progressively scaled back, its role in bringing the newest artists to your screen had hardly diminished. Even in the mid-2000s, there was the promise of music coverage in TRL. Sure, it wasn’t the MTV of the ‘80s or ‘90s, but it still offered viewers a chance to engage in popular music on a televisual platform. Perhaps even, it was a more mature manifestation of the previous eras, with its celebrity hosts and rock star interviews, it allowed the viewer a glimpse into the “man behind the music,” so to speak. And while indeed it demystified these personas, it fed an even deeper hunger
largely pedestrian lives on television, e x - periencing every painstaking minutiae. Even the magic that is edit-
ing cannot fill in every moment with a slice of melodra ma. Nowadays, it’s as if every channel produces some version of reality show, a ploy that, correctly executed, can aptly boost network ratings. Indeed, you scarcely flip on the T V before stumbling upon some not-so-realistic “reality” program. Of course, the market was not always so saturated. Premiering in 1992, the Real World came into focus as our generation, the Millennials, were being born. Yet its implacable appeal kept it running long enough that many of us grew up watching it, and continue watching it even today. Unremitting in its delivery, it laid out the issues of a contested social terrain clear as day; race, sexuality, substance abuse, and even AIDS, all found a voice on the groundbreaking show.
w i t h many Americans. It sparked outrage, uneasiness, or both in audience that had been taught to fear the pandemic disease. Scandalous? Perhaps. But it brought to the forefront a potent truth about our society.
What American Family did for television in the 1970s, The Real World did for television in the 1990s. It pulled at the threads of social controversy and ended up blowing it open. An openly gay housemate with AIDS struck a chord
However, much has changed since this era. Once praised by commentators for its socially responsible—albeit provocative—programming, the reality shows of today’s MTV have drawn the ire of
more than one social critic. Once lauded for its compelling social commentary, many have excoriated the network for what they perceive as exploitative and irresponsible pageantry. Jersey Shore and Teen Mom, polarizing in their appeal, offer an outrageous pastiche of their 1990s counterparts. And as for the status of music programming, it’s as dubious as ever. TRL met its demise in 2008 and after a decade of dwindling music programming, MTV officially dropped the “music television” component from their brand. The end of an era indeed, but it’s not as if it happened overnight. The role of music has not completely evaporated, but it’s certainly been dislodged from its spot at the helm of MTV’s platform.
A hit song on the radio was no longer enough to catapult an artist to the top. Instead, producing a lively rock song playing in tune with a Technicolor music video promised the new road to success.
The landscape of music television is forever transformed. Yet there are still threads of what once was. The “new” MTV still features artists and promotes music through infusing newcomer hits into their reality programming. While these gestures are redeeming, those old enough to remember the “old” MTV are wont to mourn what they perceive as the end of music television. Indeed, the juxtaposition between the MTV of the 1980s and 90s and the MTV of today is striking. But that’s the thing about television, if not culture as a whole—it’s always changing. 20 20
SLOPE
thro
Slope Media Group is a student organization based out of Cornell University that produces media for students, faculty, & staff.
POP CULTUR
by Doug Mills
A word from our Founders...
The family sitcom, making us laugh and pushing the boundaries
Lindsay Lohan: tod Amanda Bynes: cut
Leo DiCaprio then: YES
When we founded Slope Radio in 2006 we never could have imagined the incredible outpouring of support and positive feedback the Cornell community would lend us. Slope Radio began as a simple idea; to fill the void of an on-campus, 24 hour, 100% student-run and operated radio station. We would play what we wanted to hear, let DJs say what they wished, and manage the station in the way we as students saw fit. As we expanded from our roots, and merged ideas from the minds of people already adept at running television shows, radio content, and computer programs, we built the foundation of a station that not only represented everything we wanted in our original plan, but everything the average student at Cornell could hope for in a college organization. While the organization initially began solely as a radio station, Slope Radio rapidly expanded throughout its flagship year with over thirty completely original radio shows, a charity event completely funded by the station members, a groundbreaking concert at Cornell’s Barton Hall featuring rock groups, The Head Set and Tigercity, and numerous interviews from artists including: Tommy Ramone, Girltalk, The Strokes, One Be Lo, and a variety of others. Slope Radio’s success was featured in a Businessweek article chronicling the rise of the small start up, several Cornell Daily Sun pieces, and a number of spots in Cornell’s own Cornell Chronicle newspaper. Co-Founder Alex Zahn was also a participant in Cornell Professor Deborah Streeter’s, eClips collection which details the successes of entrepreneurial ventures around the world. By the end of its first year Slope Radio had expanded from the original concepts of its core founders, to a fully integrated media group featuring college radio, college television, and a music based magazine, all serving the Cornell community and beyond.
MUSIC
Crazy Fans <3 their Cr
Jungle Music to EDM. The party never stops.
Love ‘em or hate ’em, boy bands are here to stay
With the user-friendly nature of the site, the free-form ability for DJs to play music and conduct shows in whatever nature they desire, and the launch of a television station geared towards the average college student, we had seen our vision of a fully useable college radio station at Cornell come to fruition and then some. As with Slope Radio and now Slope Media, we hope to see even more of a presence around Cornell with the launch of Slope Radio Magazine, the start of Slope TV, the first Cornell radio show ever broadcast from our campus in Doha, Qatar, and the triumphant return of Slope Radio. With over 3,000 listeners daily in countries ranging from the United States to Qatar, thousands of weekly podcast downloads, and one of the biggest groups of people in any organization on the Cornell campus, we can only hope for great things from Slope Radio and the Slope Media Group’s following years on campus. As always, Slope Radio only works with help from you, our listeners. With this being so, if you ever have any suggestions to make Slope Radio better please feel free to call in, write in, and do everything possible to make us a better station for you. Thanks for being there for us at the beginning and we’ll make sure to be the best station available to you until the bitter end.
Mix Tapes
Spotify
A thousand thanks for the immeasurable love and support,
Alex Yaw and Jeff 21
Now you know.
Macaren Ridiculo ridiculou
owback edition
TECHNOLOGY
now
RE
Separation Anxiety Tamagotchi to Iphone
Tinder’s the new pen pal
ddler to temptress tie to cracked out “Oh, you silly startup. You’ll never make it”
“Google. That shit’s in the dictionary.”
http://www.remarc.com/craig/wptrackback.php?p=399
By Beth Spergel
Leo DiCaprio now: YES
search “the slog’
STYLE Concert Tees
razy Music
They wore it then because it was cool
Denim Everything
Plaid Fanny Packs
We wear it now because it’s ironically cool
Windbreakers worn for:
na to Harlem Shake. ous looking people doing us looking dancing.
Volume 8 Issue 1
weather
raging
Fresh Prince Swag
Lady Gaga Monster Couture
What is the Slog? It’s the best way to read across the news, from left to right (world to Cornell) and top to bottom (what’s hot to what’s not). It’s visually stimulating, mentally invigorating and all-encapsulating. Most importantly, it’s just a way of life. Slog happy.
Compiled by Lindsay Rothfeld and Trevor Burns Created By Milos Balac & Teresa Peltier
then
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