Vol. 7, Issue 2
739 Academy Lane, Newport News, VA 23602
Opinion
SPORTS
NEWS
Dance reform considered Page 2
Tennis team nets title Page 3
Is this the end? Page 4
December 2009 FEATURES ‘Warcraft,’ ‘Call of Duty’ updated Page 8
Feeding 2,000 helps area families By Morgan Blalock This was Hampton Roads Academy’s third year participating in the Feeding 2,000 Thanksgiving Harvest and Community Celebration. On Nov. 21, those involved served 2,500 people a Thanksgiving meal and had leftovers, which made for another 200 food baskets, which were delivered to families. Students collected more than 3,000 canned goods during the drive, held from Nov. 9-20. Clubs helped out by donating desserts, turkeys (more than 1,500 pounds total), dish rags and mashed potatoes and by loading the trucks with the donations. The event was held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 21 at the Moton Community House, but flyers were passed out a week
Staff Photo Seniors Nicole Patterson, left, and Paige Wineinger put together food bags to be loaded into vans as part of this year’s Feeding 2,000 campaign.
those in need and the fosters togetherness during the holiday season. Mrs. Thatcher, a middle school guidance counselor who helped serve, said, “The afternoon I spent there made me appreciate those that roll up their sleeves every day to make the world better for these citizens.” Feeding 2,000 could not have succeeded without the help of many individuals: Dr. Gendreau, community service sponsor and organizer, all of the adults and faculty who helped serve, those that drove the buses to and from the event, the clubs and teams that raised money and brought goods, the teachers who passed out flyers, and the students who put so much effort into this occasion.
earlier with the help of teachers. Money was raised via upper school dress-down day, the Sadie Hawkins Dance and change donations from the middle
and lower schools. In fact, the middle school alone donated 1,795 of the canned goods. The event is important to the community because it assists
out a notice advising parents to keep their children home if they had any symptoms of the virus. In an interview with television station WVEC, Mr. Harvey stated that, in prior years, school closings due to the flu worked perfectly. Since students do not want to miss school and have assignments to make up, they come to school and, in turn, spread the virus. The following week the East Coast was it by a nor’easter, closing all schools in the area. The powerful storm brought strong winds, power outages and major flooding in the seven cities. HRA chose to close due to the inclement weather on Thursday, Nov. 19, and Friday, Nov. 20. The closings forced teachers to rethink lesson plans.
Mr. Harvey announces HRA departure
Nor’easter + swine flu = big fun By Charlie Spencer A day off from school is always nice, but five in two weeks is even better. As we all know, off days nearly outnumbered school days recently. With parent-teacher conferences, class trips, the H1N1 virus and a nor’easter, school has been closed several times in the past few weeks. Two of the days off were planned for conferences and class trips, but an additional three days were added due to health concerns and inclement weather. The rapidly spreading H1N1 virus swept across Hampton Roads Academy, knocking out many middle- and lower-school students. Headmaster Mr. Harvey made the decision to close school Friday, Nov. 13. The school sent
Staff Report Tom Harvey, headmaster of Hampton Roads Academy, announced in October he will leave the school. Mr. Harvey, who was granted a three-year contract by the board of trustees in 2008, will remain through the end of the 2010-2011 school year, his ninth in the position. “Even then (in 2008), the idea of departing in 2011 began to feel attractive,” Mr. Harvey wrote in his blog at http://blogs. hra.org/tharvey/. “In the interim, it has continued to feel right. A 2011 departure gives me
nine years in the position. That is well above average for day school headmasters.” The board soon will begin a search for Mr. Harvey’s replacement, a search in which he said he will play a part. “While there will be ample opportunities to celebrate Mr. Harvey’s accomplishments over the next 20 months, the Board of Trustees wishes to compliment him most heartily for assembling the outstanding faculty and administrative staff of the Academy,” Pax Goodson, board chairman, wrote in an October letter to the HRA community.
Opinion
2 Vol. 7, Issue 2
The Compass Staff Editors: Allison Mui, Alexander Zuchowicz News Editor: Morgan Blalock Sports Editors: Kevin King, Daven Patel Features Editors: Brandon Gdovic, Vincent Le Noach, Jonathan Underwood Opinion Editor: Joseph Montgomery Reporters Nick Livingstone, erik spatz Contributors: Samuel Brody-Boyd, Kim Jurczyk Advisor: Mr. Lidington
Dance reform: change we can believe in By Zach Holloway-Newton “ Why am I here?” “Did I just pay money for this?” “I’m almost 100 percent sure I would have had more fun spending my money at McDonald’s than coming to this dance.” These are but a few of the questions and realizations made at Hampton Roads Academy’s most recent dance, the Sadie Hawkins Dance. The overall mood of the dance could be summed up at the end when the D.J. asked who had a good time and met silence from the dance-fatigued crowd. Okay I’m sugar-coating it: The dance was lacking. By the end of the dance the only students even thinking about dancing were HRA’s freshmen, who are too young to know any better. Some of my peers and I have all but given up on HRA dances. This is not a recent trend either; HRA dances have been going downhill for years now and I, for one, am sick and tired of it. I’m tired of paying money just to be annoyed; I’m tired of being forced to stay in a room for three hours straight. Like President Obama says, it is time for change. An HRA Student Council Association insider has informed this reporter that they are working on ways to fix this problem. This includes a quicker, more efficient way to have
most, if not all, dances in the Multi-Purpose Room. This reporter feels that even this is not enough. More thought and care needs to go into picking D.J.s; this means no more picking the cheapest D.J. you find in the Yellow Pages. The next item on my agenda is party games. I’m not saying we should not have them. They need to be more thought-out: air guitar battles or “grade versus grade” games instead of balloon races put together five minutes before the dance. Other factors that will help will be better themes and more casual dances because nobody likes to pay to get dressed up and be uncomfortable and sweaty. It seems, however, that no change is in sight. So I am sending out a call to arms to all seniors: If Snow Ball is not up to par we should stand together and boycott prom and attend only after-prom. We can even throw together our own shindig by working together to create a dance worth remembering and paying for. My peers, if we do not stand up now HRA dances will digress to the point where reform is impossible.
December 2009
Volunteerism: Not just graduation requirement By Vincent Le Noach All Hampton Roads Academy Upper School students are required to complete a minimum of 40 hours community service before graduation. These experiences can be very useful for things like future college essays, so it might serve better to find something that is interesting and that one could learn from rather than trying to find the easiest work available. Along with the great opportunities offered by HRA Community Service Supervisor Dr. Gendreau, there are some other good sources offering volunteer work: Hospitals and museums often have volunteer programs and are great for people who want to get all their hours done in one place or over a consistent time. Though, if you are looking for something else, a wide variety of volunteer opportunities can be found online. A leading online volunteer source is volunteermatch.org. Here, anyone who knows their zip code can find plenty of information about community service opportunities in the area. In most cases you can register on the website or a phone number or email address will be provided for those interested in the work. Many of the opportunities are only available for adults, but there is still a decent amount for minors. Some of these opportunities include: Blood Services Greeter The Hampton Roads Chapter of the American Red Cross is always in need of blood services greeters, who greet donors as they enter blood drives and provide important information
concerning the blood donation process. This opportunity is available at The Red Cross Chapter House, as well as throughout the community. 4915 W. Mercury Blvd, Newport News, Va. 23605 York River State Park Each Virginia State Park has volunteer opportunities that include customer service (meet, greet and provide information to customers), natural resources projects (trail maintenance, water quality testing, etc.) environmental education (canoe and kayak trips, night hikes, etc.), maintenance (carpentry, facility cleaning, plumbing, electrical work, landscaping), clerical support (record keeping, accounting, answering phones. York River State Park, 5526 Riverview Road, Williamsburg, Va. 23188 Are you good with a Paintbrush?- Then take this opportunity to give back to your community while still having fun. Bon Secours Hospice has provided services to the terminally ill and their families for more than 20 years. Without volunteers, the organization could not provide the services which are so urgently needed to enhance the quality of the lives of its clients and their families. The hospice is finishing painting the exterior of one of the families' houses. Weather permitting, work will be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. every Friday and/or Saturday until the project is complete. Even if you are not able to make it this time keep your eyes open for any upcoming projects. 716 Denbigh Blvd, Suite B2, Newport News, Va. 23602.
Correction
An article in the November 2009 Compass incorrectly reported information about senior privileges: - The article stated that the policy this year was changed, allowing students to leave early in the afternoon but not come in late in the morning. There was no such change this year; the same policy has been in place for the last three years. -The article stated incorrectly that seniors this year were given a choice and chose the privilege of leaving early.
- The article reported that seniors were allowed to leave early in the afternoon and come in late in the mornings when study hall comes last or first, respectively. The privileges have always been limited to one or the other. Before 2007, for a period of two or three years, students had the privilege of signing in late in the mornings. That was changed when complications occurred. The Compass staff regrets the errors.
Vol. 7, Issue 2
Sports
3 December 2009
Successful season nets Swimming, basketball state title for girls tennis take over sports scene
Photo courtesy of Elli Goyette Pictured left to right (back row) are: Nicole Patterson, Kerry McGee, Leigh Casey, Kate Donaldson, Shelby Harris, Maria Gartsman, Marissa Wheeler, Elizabeth Dunnigan, Coach Ray Smith and (front row) Linda Moses, Isabella Todero, Claire Spencer, Caroline Suttle, Carmen Lucas and Gemma Pansch.
By Joe Montgomery Hampton Roads Academy is famous for its excellent girls tennis program. Year after year, they have blown away the competition with talent and sportsmanship. Before their big win earlier this season, the girls tennis team won the state tournament title in 2006. This year, they went all the way to another state title by not only defeating all teams in the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools (TCIS), but also teams from across Virginia such as St. Anne'sBelfield School. After all the tough competition, Norfolk Collegiate was all that stood in the way of winning another state title. The starters for this match, at HRA, were Shelby Harris and Carmen Lucas, Caroline Suttle and Claire Spencer, Gemma Pansch and Maria Gartsman. HRA won 5-4 thanks to some decisive play from Suttle and Spencer in doubles, Lucas and Harris in doubles and Pansch in singles. Everyone on the team worked hard for these thrilling victories, most notably doubles pairs Lucas and Harris, and Suttle and Spencer. In the championship, Lucas and Harris were the No. 1 seeds. The pair also did very well individually; Lucas won No. 1 singles and Harris won No. 2 singles. Pansch also exhibited her tennis prowess in her vitally important singles match.
By Vincent Le Noach Last year the Hampton Roads Academy boys swim team finished second in the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools (TCIS), while the girls basketball team also finished second in TCIS and state competition. This year both teams return strong. The boys and girls swim teams are led by seniors Charlie Spencer, Will Harris, Elizabeth Evans and Isabella Todero, along with junior captian Nicole Rento. Rento returns after making the All-Conference team last year. It will be interesting to see how the swimmers fair this year, seeing as head coach
Mrs. Burckbuchler has high expectations for them. The girls varsity basketball team is led by seniors Caroline Suttle, Rachel Edwards and Tori Cooke and freshman Adrienne Motley. New players include Megan Rinderer, Braysia Hicks and Caitlyn Unsworth. Head coach Mrs. Stoner, along with assistant coaches Tom Richardson and Tony Smeland, have a very talented team to manage this year. Schedules for all winter sports games can be found on the HRA website http://www.hra.org/ podium/default.aspx?t=114166, along with rosters and athletics announcements.
The team, coached by Ray Smith, took the championship as a whole with great skill and dexterity, swiftly and efficiently eliminating each team from the tourney. The girls were able to present the fruit of their victories by showing the trophy in homeroom and presenting it to Mr. Harvey.
NBA teams, players begin battles By Daven Patel
Another year, another season, another set of predicaments. The LA Lakers climbed back to the mountaintop last year and this year they look like they are not ready to get off. Many teams have made key additions to add depth to their rosters. Atlantic- The Atlantic Division has only one clear choice, and that just may be the best in the East. I am talking about the Boston Celtics. Although they are another year older, they don’t seem like they will be slowing down anytime soon. With the addition of Rasheed Wallace, they have added another All-Star-caliber player. Central- The Central Division also looks like it will be dominated by one team. With the addition of future hall-offamer Shaquille O’Neal, the Cleveland Cavaliers look like they will be making another deep run in the playoffs. Southeast- This division seems to many that it will be
dominated by the Orlando Magic. Although Orlando does seem like the team that will capture the Southeast crown once again, Miami and Washington won’t go down quietly. With one of the top players in Dwyane Wade leading a very young team, their potential is boundless. Also with the return of Gilbert Arenas, the Washington Wizards may look like a playoff team once again.
champions. The Phoenix Suns may become a run-and-gun team once again with the departure of Shaq. This can mean success for this team, as they have proven it before. But in the end the Lakers will be sitting at the top of the division lead by Kobe himself.
Southwest- This is by far the toughest division in the West. It is full of playoff-caliber teams left and right. With the Spurs, Rockets, Mavericks, and Northwest- The Northwest the Hornets, this division is Division has two teams that nearly impossible to predict. All both look playoff bound: the the teams have made additions Denver Nuggets and the Portto the team to make them better. land Trail Blazers. The Blazers Although the Rockets are withare a very young team with a out Yao and McGrady, they are ton of talent. As for the Nugstill a good team. The spurs have gets, they are a proven team that added Richard Jefferson to there made it the Western Conference team making them a very strong Finals last year. In the end I will team once again and a team that have to say that the Nuggets may challenge the Lakers for the will win this division and Port- crown in the West. land will finish a close second. Pacific- KOBE. Enough said. The Los Angeles Lakers will win this division and prove why they are the defending
4 Vol. 7, Issue 2
News
December 2009
2012: the beginning of the end? By Joel Kauder There recently has been a lot of commotion about theories on whether the world will end in 2012. There are numerous theories on what exactly is going to happen in 2012 and it has caused numerous people fear and worry. A vast amount of information exists on the Web about what is going to happen to everyone either on Dec. 21 or 23, 2012, but there are no concrete facts or evidence about what is coming. One theory is that Nibiru, a planet that was discovered by the Sumerians, is headed toward Earth. This planet was initially predicted to come in contact with Earth in May 2003. Since that did not happen, it is now supposed to happen in 2012, according to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). These two ideas were linked to the end of one of the cycles in the Mayan calendar at the winter solstice in 2012. There is also a theory that there will be a polar shift during that time and that that the earth’s crust does a 180-degree rotation around the core in only days, maybe even hours. There is the theory that a meteor similar in size to the one that hit 65 million years ago is supposed to hit the Earth in 2012; there are also supposed to be giant harmful
solar storms in the same year. So, there are numerous theories about what exactly is going to happen in 2012 and they all sound convincing and scary. However, people will soon realize that they have nothing to fear considering how utterly ridiculous these theories are. NASA debunked each theory on its website, http:// www.nasa.gov. According to the administration, normal calendars don't cease to exist after Dec. 31, just as the Mayan calendar does not cease to exist on Dec. 21, 2012. This date is the end of the Mayan longcount period, but just as our calendar begins again on Jan. 1, another long-count period begins for the Mayan calendar. NASA also discounted the theory of planetary alignments. There are no planetary
alignments in the next few decades; earth will not cross the galactic plane in 2012, and even if these alignments were to occur, their effects on the Earth would be negligible. Each December the Earth and sun align with the approximate center of the Milky Way galaxy. As to the theory about planets colliding with earth, NASA stated that if Nibiru or Planet X were real and headed for an encounter with the Earth in 2012, astronomers would have been tracking it for at least the past decade and it would be visible by now to the naked eye. Eris is real, but it is a dwarf planet similar to Pluto that will remain in the outer solar system; the closest it can come to Earth is about 4 billion miles. As for the theory about polar shifts, NASA states that
By Alexander Zuchowicz Each year, the graduating class of Hampton Roads Academy is presented with one final pass/fail task: the famous senior projects. The traditional springtime presentations are enjoyable for everybody as they regularly include musical and theatrical productions and film documentaries. For the seniors, the completion of the final presentation research is a mental catharsis which finally alleviates any stress surrounding the project deadline and their high school career. This year, the class of 2010 is pulling out all the stops to create what hopefully will be known as the most breathtaking projects ever. Who could deny that title with the topic of choice being inspiration?
According to Mrs. Gillespie, head of HRA’s upper school, the senior project was originally a typed paper for English class called the senior thesis. The topics of these papers were strictly related to the English curriculum. In the early ‘90’s, Ms. Holmes had the idea of expanding the project to allow other topics. Several years after being discussed with the rest of the faculty, Ms. Holmes’ idea was put into practice. Another result of this discussion was the allowing of other HRA faculty as project advisors (not strictly English teachers). Then in 2004, Dean of Faculty Mr. Lewis suggested changing the thesis paper into a project that allowed a “hands-on” approach along with the paper. Since then, it is common for seniors to perform live
demonstrations, video showings, and PowerPoint presentations. Further changes included changing the presentation times from during the school day to the evening. While there are 66 senior projects to be completed this year, some ideas include writing music and creating an album, as Nick Livingstone will be doing, or making stuffed animals accompanied by short stories of these animals for younger children (Alexis Causey and Molley Warters). Others include starting a tennis clinic for disabled children and making a documentary about the senior class. Although the class of ‘10 enjoys its stunts and horseplay, many seniors are doing their projects on topics that have
Photo Illustration by Nick Livingstone
reversal in the rotation of Earth is impossible. There are slow movements of the continents but that is irrelevant to claims of reversal of the rotational poles. Websites claim a relationship between the rotation and the magnetic polarity of Earth, which does change irregularly, with a magnetic reversal taking place every 400,000 years on average. As far as we know, such a magnetic reversal doesn’t cause any harm to life on Earth. A magnetic reversal is very unlikely to happen in the next few millennia. Regarding the meteor theory, NASA said that astronomers are carrying out the Spaceguard Survey to find any large near-Earth asteroids long before they hit. They have already determined that there are no threatening asteroids as large as the one that killed the dinosaurs millions of years ago. These theories are constantly talked about today, but we have to remember that they are only theories. It is very unlikely that something will actually happen and we all have nothing to worry about.
Projects wrap up seniors’ careers
been an influence in their lives. Senior Ani Marty will be participating in the DOE Network, here civilian volunteers try to match unidentified bodies with missing-person reports.
Vol. 7, Issue 2
FEATURES
5 December 2009
Chipotle: the new Moe’s?
HRA faithful. Chipotle is a wonderful addition to the area and brings a “Southwestern Subway” to the mall and Hampton area. I have eaten there and recommend it highly. Chipotle is the place to go for all of your burrito needs. Nine of the 10 fastest-growing Mexican limited-service restaurants last year were fastcasual chains, including Chipotle, according to a company press release. Fast-casual restaurants provide fresh, innovative food prepared to order in upscale environments, the release said.
By Kevin King Chipotle Southwestern Grill is a recent and popular addition to the Tidewater area. Locally, the franchise was introduced at Patrick Henry Mall and Coliseum Central, as well as in Virginia Beach. The Hampton Roads Academy community has been hurting for Southwestern cuisine since the firey demise of Plaza Azteca on Jefferson Avenue. The restaurant, a popular lunch spot, was destroyed by fire Sept. 9. Chipotle’s simple, yet unique, menu includes burritos, tacos and nachos with a signature flavor. HRA junior A.J. Sibley
raved, “Chipotle is simply exquisite. Basically I have eaten there three days in a row and still want more.”
Locally, Chipotle can be compared to the similar Moe’s franchise, which has been praised for years among the
By Allison Mui The Hampton Roads Academy theatre program presented Lanford Wilson’s play “The Rimers of Eldritch” on the nights of Nov. 13, 14, 20 and 21. Set in the small former mining town of Eldritch, “Rimers,” presented in two acts, took the audience through various events concerning the main plot of the play: the murder of the town hermit, Skelly Manor, played by junior Charlie Bowen. “Rimers,” directed by Performing Arts Chair Mr. Gandolfo, is a drama that demanded the full attention of the audience. The first scene showed the beginnings of the murder trial and then the play shifted to
events before the murder, immediately after the murder and back to the trial again. Toward the end of the play, all the previous scenes were linked together. One of the last scenes revealed that the trial was held to determine the innocence or guilt of Nelly Windrod, played by senior Margot Mellette, for Skelly’s murder. The audience learned that Skelly was a town outcast who lived behind a hilltop café owned by Cora, played by junior Elizabeth Geier. Skelly was mocked, hated and excluded from Eldritch. On the night of his murder, Robert Conklin, played by junior Will Atkins, raped Eva Jackson, a
young crippled girl played by junior Imari Caldwell. It was revealed that Skelly was attempting to protect Eva and stop Robert when Nelly murdered Skelly. The people of Eldritch accused Skelly of raping Eva and never learned the truth to Robert’s guilt. “Rimers” was a chilling play that even drew a crowd during inclement weather earlier this year. According to senior Priya Vyas, stage manager for “Rimers,” the turnout for the first weekend was pretty good given the fact that there was a nor’easter. In fact, Mr. Gandolfo reported that “Rimers” drew a crowd of about 200 people
each weekend. He added that this audience, “a majority of the sophomore, junior and senior class came out and supported their classmates. It is always deeply appreciated.” “The Rimers of Eldritch,” the second production of the performing arts this year (following the One Act plays), will fittingly lead HRA into the winter season with the Winter Concert on Dec. 6 and the Middle School Musical “Treasure Island” Jan. 29-30 and Feb. 5-6.
By Erik Spatz Procrastination is an art. Many think that procrastination is simply being lazy; however, it is a tactical skill that many never have the privilege to fully conquer. It takes dedication and determination to fully utilize all of its capabilities. Procrastination does not simply require the skill to distract yourself; it is more the skill to distract those who want you to do the work. For example, when doing homework it is not true procrastination for you to simply distract yourself. You must distract your parents as well. The ability to engage your parents in a conversation which interests them, on the fly, is
crucial to your success. For example my parents are very adept at seeing through my procrastination methods as I have been developing them for years. However, there are topics that can distract even my parents. The other day my parents were insisting I write a paper at that moment because it was due in three days, and they weren’t falling into any of my normal traps. So I did what any successful procrastinator would do and brought up the impending birth of my niece. This sent my mom onto a rant about her upcoming granddaughter, and distracted her from the so-called “task at hand.” Most parents will see straight through the procrastina-
tion cover unless you are able to accomplish this conversational feat. However, successful procrastination does not result in unfinished work. It is merely to delay the process of doing the work. Take this article for example. This was written the same day as its due date. While I procrastinated about two weeks to complete the article, in the end I did complete it. Now, many may question the advantage of putting off your work if it doesn’t truly save you from doing the work in the end. The advantage would be in the fact that procrastination allows you to do what you want at that time. I’m not advocat-
ing putting minimal effort into everything you do, especially because it doesn’t work well for everyone. Procrastination is about timing and being able to procrastinate the exact amount instead of procrastinating to the point where the task becomes impossible. There are very few masters of procrastination, but those who are always find a way, even when the tasks seem impossible. I am part of a group of friends who excel in the art of procrastination and I’m proud to say that we are successful in our adventures.
Photo courtesy of Chipotle
‘Rimers of Eldritch’ draws crowds to HRA
How to procrastinate (read at your leisure)
6 Vol. 7, Issue 2
FEATURES
December 2009
Fans go batty for ‘Twilight: New Moon’ craziness By Morgan Blalock The craziness over Stephenie Meyer’s ''Twilight'' series hit a rather terrifying peak for the second installment, ''New Moon.'' The film was released on Nov. 20, and, according to The Los Angeles Times, the opening-weekend total was an astounding $274.9 million. Summit Entertainment underestimated the movie’s international ticket sales by $16.1 million. So why is the story still so popular? Well, if you’re a teenage girl, forlorn and lost in a crushing world of normalcy, apparently Edward (played by Robert Pattinson), the sparkling, poetic and undeniably attractive vampire of the neighborhood, is the best medicine. He’s sensitive but still masculine, and he saves the heroine’s life multiple times, all while showcasing a brilliant set of teeth and an irresistible mop of over-styled hair. What’s not to love? However, if you prefer a
Image Courtesy of OneSourceTalent.com Models & Actors (Flickr.com)
man who doesn’t want to suck the life out of you, you’re covered! Jacob, played by rising star Taylor Lautner, is nothing if not adorably loyal, considerate and kind. There is a catch: This one also comes with fangs (Jacob’s a teenage werewolf). But if you don’t mind that, then this ab-tastic fellow is perfect for you. And what of our star,
Isabelle Swan? Kristin Stewart plays the vulnerable, overlyattached, easily injured heroine of the small town of Forks, Wash. Bella spends the entirety of ''New Moon'' pining for Edward after he leaves her, and flits from Jacob’s side to dangerous activities, attempting to bring on “visions” of her undead boyfriend. This could be considered sweet if she didn’t almost kill herself more than once. But this is why she’s so popular: She’s a relatable teenage girl, in love with a boy who says he doesn’t want her. Of course he’s lying, but we pretend we don’t know that just like we pretend we don’t mind that he wants to kill her whenever they’re together. CNN.com says ''New Moon'' overtook its predecessor’s opening weekend total of $69.6 million by double as of Sunday, Nov. 22. Eighty percent of audiences were women. The film had the largest autumn opening
weekend in history. Even scarier: action figures. Jacob’s was shirtless, so you know that will get snapped up; Edward’s is sporting the gray pea coat we all know and love, as well as jewelry, T-shirts, mugs and hats, calendars, a version of the game ''Scene It,'' pillows and comforters (for those of you who envied Bella when Edward showed up and stalked her at night) and more. And posters for the third installment’s film, ''Eclipse,'' are already abundant at our local AMC Theaters. Apparently the fans can’t wait another year, because the movie will come out in June. Make sure you wear your “I want both teams!” T-shirts, guys or else you won’t seem genuine unless you cry when the lights dim.
Two recent CDs are must-haves for holiday listening By Nick Livingstone Well, winter’s here and we’re all worried about buying Christmahanakwanzikah presents for Aunt Marge and her poodle, so I figured you guys could at least use some good music to keep up your holiday cheer, or at least keep you from ripping your hair out. So here are my three picks for “youse guys,” as they say in the Northeast.
Photo courtesy of Irene Lasso, Flickr. com Alan Day of the group Four Year Strong rocks out.
Four Year Strong, “Rise or Die Trying”/”Explains it All” Four Year Strong is one of
my personal favorites, and while the albums that I am reviewing didn’t come out exactly last Tuesday, they’re still great and you need to own them. Four Year Strong take a lot of cues from ‘90’s alt/rock/ pop bands, such as Third Eye Blind, Smashing Pumpkins, Gwen Stefani/No Doubt, Alanis Morissette, Everclear, Sugar Ray, Nirvana and others. They also pay homage to their heroes by covering their songs on the album “Explains it All.” With 11 covers on the album, it would be easy to just do a note-for-note, snare-for-snare cover, but the band has completely rewritten the instrumentals of the songs and added more harmonized vocals, while keeping the original tunes and hooks intact. Probably the two best tracks on this album are “She’s So High,” originally by Tal Bachman, and “Semi-Charmed Life “ by Third Eye Blind. The album also features covers of “Roll to Me,” originally by Del Amitri, and “Absolutely (Story of A Girl)” by Nine Days. But what exactly is Four Year Strong’s style? Take the
energetic guitars and bass of punk/rock-tinged with the occasional whammy-bar love of hardcore, add in some happy hardcore drums, raw and yet harmonic power-pop vocals, the occasional breakdown and light synth. That’s about what it sounds like. And if this doesn’t sound appealing to you, it should because it sounds great. This sound is perfectly exemplified by their debut album “Rise or Die Trying.” The standout tracks are “Wrecked ‘Em? Damn Near Killed ‘Em,” “Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Hell,” “Catastrophe” (which is probably the slowest song on the album.. not saying much.), the lead single “Bada Bing! Wit’ A Pipe!” and “Heroes Get Remembered, Legends Never Die.” That being said, all of the songs on the album are extremely catchy, but not in that fake sugar-coated teen pop way. I wouldn’t recommend them to you if I didn’t think almost anyone would love them. The Dangerous Summer,
“Reach for The Sun” This is one of my favorite albums right now. Although it was released May 5, I feel it needs some exposure. This band’s lead singer doubles as their bassist, which is a little unusual. Each and every one of the tracks on this CD has massive replay value, accessible lyrics, great melodic guitar work, tight drumming and an overall relaxed yet energetic tone that makes this album one of the best buys of 2009. At 11 tracks, the only problem with the album is that at the end, you find yourself wanting more. Probably my favorite thing about the album is that every time you listen to the album, it continues to get better. As for its genre, I’d probably have to say this is alt/rock, although it’s not typical alt/rock album in that respect. The guitars use delay and tend to favor more minimalist arrangements rather than relying on power cords; not Snow Patrol-type minimalism, but not exactly melodic speed metal either.
FEATURES
Vol. 7, Issue 2
7 December 2009
Local bands rip up music scene By Nick Livingstone Okay, so we all listen to the radio. Or most of us do, at least sometimes. And beyond that, we all have large libraries of music on iTunes that maybe doesn’t get radio play, like gypsy punk, anarchist country alt-punk or Scottish indie folk-rock. But what about local bands? There are two local bands that I think you should know, one from Richmond and the other being from Virginia Beach. The first, from Richmond, is named The Battle Of Me, and they’re a happy hardcore/alternative/pop band in the vein of Four Year Strong, Fireworks and Set Your Goals. They’re gaining a foothold on the Richmond scene, recently playing larger venues such as Alley Katz and The National. While I haven’t been able to find them to buy their music, they do have a MySpace page and play shows on a consistent basis. If you don’t know about them, it’s well worth your time to seek them out. The second band is called MAE, or Multisensory Aesthetic Experience. Most people just pronounce their name like the month. They’ve been around for quite some time, and have been very successful. One can find their music almost anywhere, and their entire discography, minus demos and early EPs, is available on iTunes. Their brand of pop-infused emo and alternative has endeared them to large numbers of people; they actually have a fair following within Hampton Roads Academy. My personal favorite works of theirs are their album “The Everglow” and their most recent “(m)orning” EP. They have two EP’s also out although because they are only available for purchase at their shows I haven’t been able to find them, and these are “(a)fternoon” and “(e)vening”: Yes, the letters in parentheses spell “Mae.”
Photo courtesy of Flickr.Com Local band MAE performs a recent concert at The NorVA in Norfolk
New technology toys terrific
Netbooks, the Nintendo Wii and the Sony Playstation 3 are among recent developments in consumer electronics.
Photos courtesy of Flickr.Com
By Erik Spatz As time passes, so do the advances of technology, ranging from the normal to the odd to the incredible. Computer technology has rapidly evolved with the creations of netbooks, tablet computers and newer, slimmer and faster laptops. However one creation has caught the eye of many. This is the age of the napkin-sized personal computer, which allows users at a conference table, or a group of people, to collaborate on one network. The base holds multiple small, touch-screen, wireless screens that can be passed out to each individual. Each computer screen is hooked to the same network through the base itself. This allows on-the-spot thinking and productivity; everyone can see documentation or put their ideas right in front of others without having to make copies. In the race for home video game supremacy, first the EyeToy for Playstation came, then the Wii for Nintendo and now Project Natal for Xbox 360. Project Natal is an Xbox platform that allows users’ bodies to become the controller. It was first introduced at E3 2009, a software company showcase, which allows all the major companies, such as Microsoft and Sony, to show their new and upcoming items. It is a motion-sensing device that detects your body movements and produces them on the screen. For example, if a kid was playing dodgeball on his Xbox, this device would enable him to put away the controller and simply stand in front of it, moving his body to throw the ball or dodge the incoming objects. It also contains voice-recognition software that allows the user to direct the game through their voice, just another way for them to make the controller unnecessary. Technology is advancing rapidly and shows no sign of slowing down in the near future. Everything is becoming more advanced and modified for a digital world. Whether this is good or bad is for you to decide.
8 Vol. 7, Issue 2
features
New ‘Warcraft’ ‘Catalysm’ hits game consoles By Winston Davis and Joe Montgomery Blizzard Entertainment, the leading producer of the groundbreaking Massively Multiplayer Online game franchise “World of Warcraft,” has announced another expansion to their game series: “Cataclysm,” set to be released in 2010. Blizzard has created countless hours of fun with the Warcraft strategy-game series. In 2004, Blizzard released the No.- 1-best-selling WoW, creating a new adventure which allows players to experience and explore the entire world of Azeroth as your their customized character. These characters can be one of 10 roles, or classes, each with their own spells and abilities. The game has become increasingly addictive to many people, seeing as there are so many places to go and quests to complete. In the past, Blizzard Entertainment has created expansion packs to the original game to give gamers all new content and worlds to explore. “The Burning Crusade,” the first expansion, allowed gamers
to venture into a new world outside of Azeroth, use new flying mounts, search for new weapons and armor, slay new monsters, complete all new quests, create new class and characters to play as and achieve a level cap of 70. In 2009, Blizzard released another expansion, “The Wrath of The Lich King,” giving gamers a new, frozen wasteland to explore, along with new weapons, a new class, several new raids and dungeons, new mounts and a level cap of 80. With the trailer on the internet since mid-2009, “Cataclysm” gives WoW lovers a whole new experience, which will change the world of Azeroth. “Cataclysm” will include two new races, goblins and werewolves called Worgen. Also, each race will have new classes available to them. Most notably, the world of Azeroth will experience volcanic earthquakes, eroding the land to look entirely different. Furthermore, the level cap will be expanded to level 85, giving players all new content and quests to explore.
Photo courtesy of Flickr.Com A character from the video game “World of Warcraft.” A patch for the new expansion, “Cataclysm,” “Fall of the Lich King,” was recently released.
December 2009
‘call of duty’ goes ‘modern’ By Kevin King “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2,” which was released on Nov. 10, is a great installment in the highly popular “Call of Duty” video game franchise. The game is the sequel to the 2007 game of the year “Call of Duty 4.” Many consider “Modern Warfare 2” to be the most highly anticipated game release in years. In fact, it topped all video game sales and reached a mind-blowing $500 million in the first five days alone. The game includes three modes. The game is the most realistic war video game ever made. Its accurate application of modern weapons and equipment, superior graphics, versatile controls and a rich storyline make playing the game an exhilarating, fun and even emotional, experience. Even though the single-player mode is relatively short, it is extremely well-made and allows for yet another “Modern Warfare” franchise installment. Even though it has an excellent single-player mode, the game capitalizes with its multiplayer online mode. This spectacular mode includes, among many things, customizable weapons, a ranking system and multiple online game modes, such as team death match and domination. Many improvements have been made to the already-acclaimed online modes of the previous “Call of Duty 4” and “World at War.” For example, the perks and rewards system has been vastly improved by adding more selections. Also, the killstreak system, which gives players who get three kills or more without dying special advantages, has been completely customized, unlike previous games. Players can now choose up to three killstreak rewards from a large list that includes everything from airdrops, powerful AC-130 attack planes, attack helicopters and even game-ending tactical nuclear weapons. The online multiplayer gameplay is simple amazing. It offers over 10 game modes with 16 different maps, playable with friends and other online
Photo courtesy of Activision
players. This online first-person shooter allows players to hunt other players and use teamwork to complete team specific tasks such as defending a base or capturing a flag. On Xbox 360, for example, friends can join online parties to talk and play on teams of up to eight people. Importantly, players level up and unlock weapons and privileges after obtaining a certain number of points. The “Call of Duty” online mode has become a phenomenon with more than 14 million online players on the last “Modern Warfare” alone. This online game offers hours of fun. Another game mode called “special-ops” allows for a co-op game experience as well as a secondary single player mode. This mode lets players kill multiple waves of enemies in select difficulty levels. This mode is an attempt to recreate the popular Nazi Zombies mode on “Call of Duty: World at War.” “Modern Warfare 2” is considered one of the best firstperson shooter games ever created due to its superior graphics, gameplay and online compatability. This game is rated “M” for Mature and is available for Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC for around $60. Many people at Hampton Roads Academy already play this monumental game both on and offline. “Modern Warfare 2,” which has been rated 9.5 out of 10 by the video game website IGN, was rated very highly by multiple experts. If you are one of the few people who do not have this game, I highly recommend buying it immediately.