The Anglerfish Issue #2 - January 2013 by The Anglerfish

Issue 2 | January 2013

Pride & Prejudice The Bicentennial

Carnegie Hall

An Evening of Awesome

Adventure Time

The Fun Never Ends

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02 The Anglerfish | Issue 2 January 2013

Feature Previews:

Table of Contents 08 18 22

Pg 08

Pg 18

Features

Carnegie Hall Fandom adventure time P&P Bicentennial New years resolutions

Nerdfighter Spotlight

06-07

Thoughts from places / Advice

10-11

Overlooked films of 2012 / Upcoming films 2013

12-13

The Academy Awards

Book reviews

Best and worst literary loves

Vlogcollab channels (365 Nerds)

Pokemon X-Y / Fiona & Cake review

20-21

DnD box set review / Beginning your quest

24-25

Pride & Prejudice flowchart

Decreasing worldsuck Hawkeye Initiative

Increasing awesome Famous

Increasing awesome Lifescout

Political situation: India

Canada: idle no more

Internet privacy and you

Great Minds: Einstein

Alien earth?

Top 5 telescopes

35-37

Literary submissions

38-39

Art submissions

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Reader Submissions Question Poll

New Year’s Resolutions We asked people on Facebook and Our Pants what their New Year’s resolutions were and how they planned to keep them. Here are some of the responses.

“I’m hoping to learn another two instruments (hopefully the 5-string bass and 8-string mandolin), and also release my first EP and/or album.”

“I resolve to watch every vlogbrothers video. Ever.” Will (Facebook)

Roman Sweets Penna (Facebook)

“My New Year’s resolution is to stop saying “you go girl!” to myself.” Jesse A. (Facebook)

“I made the last New Year’s resolution of my life in 2010: to stop making New Year’s resolutions. I’ve kept this resolution by instead setting small goals for myself throughout the year through the frequent use of lists.” Rob Vary (Our Pants)

“I want to take more pictures and just document the year more. I’m buying a Polaroid and a nice book to keep as a diary and stick in pictures, drawings, and silly little things that make me smile that I would otherwise forget.” Ceeeb_ (Our Pants)

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“The usual, Pinky: Take over the world. But actually, the real usual: Don’t be a dick.” Zach B. (Facebook)

“My only plan is to work harder. I slacked off pretty badly last semester, so I want to fix that.” Nethernil (Our Pants)

“I just want to be happier and stress less about things that I can’t change.” dragonscales07 (Our Pants)

Reader Submissions Nerdfighter Spotlight

Nate Flaks

source of inspiration? Nate Flaks grew up surrounded by music – his father took him NF: Anything that comes close to beauty. to a YES concert when he fairly young and introduced him to a Be a person or a place or an experience- if progressive and unique sub-genre within rock and roll, while his something comes close to beauty then it grandmother, Nate says, passed on his love of classical music. These inspires me to attempt to write something just as beautiful. two influences shaped Nate’s own sound, and at the age of fifteen, TA: What got you into Nerdfighteria? he realized that music was something he could “really do”- and he NF: It happened by accident. I would say I didn’t know about Nerdfighteria until I was has been creating nearly non-stop since then. Nate, a New York native, is a member of the band The First Law, which released their rather far into it. I had told a friend of mine that I used to look up last words and she first album Talking of Michelangelo in October of last year. said that she read a book where a character

By Alyssa Nabors THE ANGLERFISH: When did orchestration/music in general become a serious pursuit for you? NATE FLAKS: It was around the time my drummer formed the first band we were in, Fall From Earth. As I started attempting to write music I realized that it was less of a hobby and more of a pursuit. As for orchestrations, that came when I first understood the majority of films use scores to bring about certain emotions. That

was when I watched 500 Days of Summer and saw the train scene where they were talking, but rather than hearing what they were saying you heard the score. TA: How has your “internet presence” affected your work and your attitude toward it? NF: I was and still am, not fully aware of that “presence” but I will say that having people willing to buy my music, listen to it, talk about or like some of the things I say has definitely added a motivation to what I did. As you know, artists hate deadlines- they’d be happy with working on what they’re working on until it’s perfect (which is never)- having people waiting for something helps create a more defined “end” to them. TA: What is the accomplishment you are most proud of? NF: Finishing the album! It’s taken us a year and so much has gone into it. A year of music writing and recording. Elements of film scoring and a track that had the singer of our old band singing on it. Friends helped us out: The artist, Yvoni, did a beautiful job. My best friend almost got grounded for driving me into the city to pick up the art. The album is as much a symbol of the combined effort of friends as it is a collection of music. TA: What are you currently working on? NF: New songs mostly. [And] I’m currently working on scoring a film. TA: What is your biggest

in it memorized last words. So I read Looking for Alaska and loved it and I looked up the author and found he made videos. I watched John’s videos exclusively, but after a while I just watched the vlogbrothers and vaguely understood Nerdfighteria. This vague understanding became clearer over time. TA: What has the community contributed to your life? NF: They’ve been supportive of all kinds of art! If I tell Nerdfighters I’m working on something, even if they don’t know me, they’re always excited about it. TA: Where do you see your music/life in general going in the future? NF: Wherever it goes. The industry is constantly changing and so I’m following where it’s going very closely- trying to get as much momentum as I can before I put any eggs in any baskets. To nerdfighters who desire the same success in their artistic pursuits but feel held back because of a lack of talent, time, experience, or resources, Nate relates this anecdote: “If you take a million cats and a million typewriters and lock them in a room for a million years, eventually one of them will type out Hamlet…If you give yourself enough time and effort, it doesn’t matter how old you are or what resources you have…If you want to do something then do it.”

You can follow Nate on Twitter (@NateFlaks) or Tumblr

(wellplacedstranger.tumblr.com),

check out his YouTube channel at youtube.com/Undergrad4, listen to his orchestrations at nateflaks.bandcamp.com/ orchestrations or purchase Talking of Michealangelo at thefirstlaw. bandcamp.com. Be sure to check the band’s facebook page (facebook.com/TheFirstLaw) for upcoming shows!

Issue 2 January 2013 | The Anglerfish 05

Thoughts From Places Reader Submissons

La Esperanza, Hondur Life in La Esperanza was both exactly and nothing like I expected it to be. Being the linear-thinking, to-do-list-making young woman that I am, I had no idea what to make of my best friend Javier’s warning of, “For the next two weeks, you are going to relax and live without a plan.” Every morning of my visit to his Honduran hometown, I woke up with no idea of what my day would hold. Some of those days were my favorites. By Linnea One such morning, Javier wandered through the room and proclaimed, “I know what we’re going to do today.” As I am not the Ferb to his Phineas, I remained clueless, instantly asking, “Well? What might that be?” “You’ll see.” I hate not knowing what’s going on, which was already a challenge for me during this trip with the extreme language barrier between me and most of his family and friends. I had to press the matter.

“Javier, what are we going to do today?” “You have to trust me.” “You know I trust you,” I grumbled back, my interrogation sufficiently halted. The handful of friends that I trusted, I trusted completely; when they asked for my faith in them, they got it. “Then you’ll see. It’s going to be beautiful.” From there, the day proceeded as normal, almost to the point that I forgot anything out of the ordinary was supposed to happen, until his entire family and I piled into their SUV, drove a half hour on bumpy roads, and arrived in a field in the middle of nowhere. I was confused, but I was certainly intrigued. After bypassing the fence and beginning our trespassing, the hike began. A creek flowed to our left the entire way, and we ended up trekking up and down several hills, leaving his parents and younger brother several yards behind. The entire way, I was exclaiming, “Oh my god. This entire place is beautiful!” only to be told, “You’re not allowed to say that yet.” As we climbed our final hill, Javier told me, “Okay, now you can say it.” At some point, we had separated from the creek, and now instead of a creek bed, I was looking out at a crystalline waterfall cascading down into a ravine. It was absolutely breathtaking, easily one of the most beautiful sights I’d seen. While we all sat, staring over the edge, Javier’s mother taught me the Spanish names for the beautiful nature that surrounded us. During my visit, she al-

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ways tried to help me understand their culture and language, which meant a great deal to me. On the ride home, I lost myself in the beauty that surrounded me. Of course, part of that beauty was in the waterfall and the park we visited on the way home, but just as much surrounded me in the car: the kind acceptance their family offered me, the sight of my best friend with his little brother in his lap, the occasional bickering over a puzzle game. I was in awe of it all. It took me two weeks of plan-free living to actually see my world. I met amazing people who I love dearly and saw my friend at his happiest. By the time I got out of the car that day, I had finally strung together my most significant thought from that place: I never want to be conditioned to beauty, to cease to be amazed by the sun-sparked glimmer of a waterfall, the touch of a gentle breeze, or the lull of a friend’s voice in song. Such a life I cannot imagine.

Nerdfighter to Nerdfighter Reader Submissions

Advice

ras By Cecily Dreyfuss How to keep from procrastinating!

by author’s last name, a typical format seen in such places as libraries or bookstores. However, I don’t think I’d do it that way because even then it can be difficult to find things, especially if you can’t remember who wrote a specific book. Another idea is to separate your books by genres. This is a better approach for when you tend to be in the mood for a specific genre of book. For that technique, I would suggest investing in bookends to better separate the genres. These are not the only ideas though. If you are looking to improve the aesthetic appearance of your library, two possible ideas are ordering books according to height or even by the color! For a seemingly simple task, the possibilities are endless.

- tardis-time

It’s very easy to want to put things off until the last minute, but as I’m sure you know, having to get things done at the last minute can add a ton of pressure which can lead not performing the task as well as you are capable of. However, it can be helped! When getting a task, break it down into its component parts. This makes it seem much more manageable. Try setting aside an hour or so a day to get a small part of the task done instead of leaving all of it until the end. Doing a little bit of something each day eliminates the daunting fear of a large task. Additionally, the small parts in itself are less time consuming than the bigger picture. Think of it as a puzzle; put it together piece by piece. In the end, you’ll be amazed at what you have to show for it. Also, if your procrastinating is due to outside distractions, try to minimize those distractions: block frequented websites, sit in a quiet room away from a tv or other people, and you may find that it is much easier to get the work done.

How to organise my home library. -everythingthatispossible

When it comes to organization, there are many approaches you could take. Firstly, you could organize your books

My friend is depressed. I feel useless because I can’t relate with how he is feeling and nothing seems to help. How can I be a good friend without being pulled into his depression? -Anon

Firstly, it is important to keep in mind that this is not your fault. Your friend is in a hard place right now, and it’s hard for you to feel like you’re there when you feel like you can’t offer anything. However, it is extremely important for your friend to know that you are there for him. Being there doesn’t have to mean being pulled in. Lend your friend an ear; listen to what he has to say at the very least, and consistently remind him that you are there for them unconditionally. If you can’t offer them any advice, simply give them comfort. A friend and I went

through a similar situation and just recently she said, “People just don’t understand. When someone comes to you, upset over a situation, they’re not looking for advice. All they want is someone to comfort them, to hold them and say it’s going to be alright.” And that’s truly important to them. Sometimes knowing you have a friend there for you is all you need to feel a little better about a situation.

I’m in love with someone who lives a long way away and who only wants to be friends. How can I get over how I feel about him and keep being his friend? - Anon

It’s very normal, at least at some point in a friendship, to develop feelings for the other. A common mentality is that telling your friend about your feelings will complicate or even potentially end the friendship. However, if you approach the situation carefully and properly, awkwardness can be avoided. Even if you know that he doesn’t feel the same way, getting your feelings off your chest can help ease your personal feeling of tension. If you have your heart set on letting go of your feelings, then it is possible. Know that the feelings will go away with time, so you won’t be trapped liking him forever. But remember, like John often says, romantic love is not the only kind of love there is, nor is it necessarily the most important. Friendship often lasts longer than romantic relationships and can just as often be much more fulfilling.

Sometimes knowing you have a friend there for you is all you need to feel a little better about a situation. Issue 2 January 2013 | The Anglerfish 07

Entertainment Carnegie Hall

Evening of Awesome Lived Up to Its Name

Nerdfighters gathered for an amazing show at Carnegie Hall, New York City to witness John and Hank Green and The Mountain Goats perform. Nerdfighters across the world joined in via livestream, and all were surprised by the brilliant guests. By Elsa Stoff

Nerdfighters flocked to New York City’s Carnegie Hall on January 15th to see John and Hank Green and the Mountain Goats. The evening was amazing and more than Nerdfighters could have hoped for. For anyone who has not yet seen the livestream, it’s available for viewing on Vlogbrothers and is well worth two and a half hours of your life. If you don’t want any of the surprises to be ruined, it’s best that you stop reading this article now and come back after you finish watching the livestream. Many Nerdfighters started the night by gathering in Central Park for a meet-up. The group began with introductions and proceeded to split up into groups organized by their favorite nerdy things before heading over to the Hall. Getting to meet so many new people was immensely fun, despite the gathering’s briefness. For those who have never been to the venue, the theater is beautiful and and the acoustics are every bit as amazing as Kimya Dawson exclaimed they were from the stage. The show opened, to John’s surprise, with a musical number, wherein Hank prompted the audience to stamp their feet twice whenever Carnegie Hall was mentioned. The crowd enthusiastically responded to the prompts and even continued this trend long after the show ended. Ashley Clements and Daniel Gordh

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- Lizzie Bennet and William Darcy, respectively, from The Lizzie Bennet Diaries - read an excerpt from John’s The Fault In Our Stars. Their dynamics on stage were adorable; by the end they were holding hands, which thrilled the hearts of shippers in the audience. John returned to the stage and talked about the meaning of life and The Fault in our Stars. His speech was witty, profound, and gave new and interesting insights into the origin of The Fault in our Stars, as well as thoughts for our own lives. Hank returned to the stage with some Nerdfighter classics. The best part of the performance - apart from seeing Hank play live - was Hank adding to the songs with up-to-date or occasion-appropriate information. Next up were The Mountain Goats, or John’s first, second, and fourth favorite bands. They opened with “In Memory of Satan” off of their amazing new album. One of the best moments of their segment was John Darnielle’s clever preface to “Thank You Mario! But Our Princess Is In Another Castle.” The crowd also got to hear an unreleased song that had never been played in public before the event.

Entertainment

Carnegie Hall

After their performance, John and Hank took the stage for a timed Question Tuesday session a la Tour de Nerdfighteria, wherein the last person talking gets buzzed with a shock pen or similar device. At this point, they surprised the audience by introducing Neil Gaiman to the stage to read John’s questions. The crowd shrieked in response. Hank and Hannah Hart (Hank’s teammate and the host of My Drunk Kitchen) even mock fainted. This portion of the evening was hilarious and it was great to see how the group interacted, especially Neil adding his two cents in response to some of the questions. Everyone but Hank left the stage, and Hank picked his guitar back up for a few more songs and anecdotes. He proceeded to bring out Kimya Dawson, probably best known for her work on the Juno soundtrack, for a few songs. Her songs were great and she was adorable, especially when she talked about raising her six-year-old daughter. One of the other highlights of the night was Paper Towns Readers Theater, wherein John, Neil, Hannah, and DailyGrace’s Grace Helbig took to the stage to read from John’s Paper Towns. And yes, John Green did get Neil Gaiman (who read the part of Radar) to say, “I would actually, literally suck donkey balls.” The show peaked at the very end when everyone from the evening took to the stage as the Mountain Goats closed the show with “This Year.” Fans from the ground level to all the way up on the third balcony stood up and danced along. This was Nerdfighteria. We dance, do silly things while fighting world suck, and sometimes take part in extremely awesome events such as this Evening of Awesome.

For anyone who has not yet seen the livestream, it’s available for viewing on Vlogbrothers and is well worth two and a half hours of your life.

Issue 2 January 2013 | The Anglerfish 09

Entertainment Film

Movies you might have missed in 2012 Distracted by the impending apocalypse? Here are a few films that may have gotten past you last year.

By Alyssa Nabors

Now that the Mayan dangers have passed and we’ve safely reached the year 2013, you might be looking forward to the torrent of sequels and long-anticipated film releases coming soon to a theater near you. But you also might take a moment to think about the features overlooked in all the frantic hurry to get your hands on plenty of tactical bacon in the face of the apocalypse. Allow me to make a few suggestions:

Hysteria stars Maggie Gyllenhaal, a Victorian-era feminist with father-disapproved humanitarian activities, opposite Hugh Dancy as a young doctor whose progressive ideas on germ theory make it difficult for him to hold down a job. Hysteria tells the story of the invention of the vibrator. While you might detect trace elements of the traditional romantic comedy, the tongue-in-cheek treatment of not-safe-for-work subject material is an entertaining and interesting look at some of the historical misconceptions about female sexuality and women’s role in society.

if you enjoy the movie, you may want to check out the book! Based on a classified ad that made the rounds on the internet a few years ago, Safety Not Guaranteed details the attempts of a magazine writer and his two interns to get a story on the ad’s writer. Aubrey Plaza plays Darius, one of the interns who just doesn’t seem to fit in, and is given the task of getting close to the advertiser, Kenneth (Mark Duplass). Meanwhile, the writer, Jeff (Jake Johnson), connects with an old flame and fellow intern Arnau (Karan Soni) just tries to stay out of everyone’s way. This falls somewhere in between a typical quirky indie film and a Schroedinger’s brand of science fiction: is Kenneth a prankster, a delusional paranoid, or could he be telling the truth? Definitely check out the soundtrack single “Big Machine” by Ryan Miller, although you can also find the acoustic version by Mark Duplass on the complete album.

Jeff, Who Lives At Home premiered at the Toronto film festival in 2011, but wasn’t released in theaters until last March. Starring Jeff Segel as a seemingly typical thirty year old slacker still living in his mom’s basement, Susan Sarandon as his mother, and Ed Helms as his older brother. The plot of the movie closely mirrors a comment Jeff makes at the film’s opening- a collection of seemingly random events that, at the end, all lead to one perfect moment- it’s a sort of unexpectedly heart-warming flick. Going into One for the Money, you might expect one more generic romantic comedy, but instead of a perpetual bridesmaid or an uptight reporter, Katherine Heigl plays a down-on-her-luck former Macy’s employee turned bounty hunter. Fortunately, this movie has enough crime thriller in the mix to balance out that romcom flavor - and Heigl and her love interest have a definite Casey Jones/April O’Neil vibe to keep the characters from feeling stale. This is an adaptation of the first novel in Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum novels, so

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Finally, I strongly advise gamers and aspiring game developers to check out Indie Game: The Movie. Focusing on the lives and practices of the creators of such games as Fez, Braid, and Super Meatboy, the film takes you from inception to development to release and beyond, covering everything from legal woes, working with big companies, responding to reviews, and more. This glance behind the curtain is a must-see for anyone interested in the field. Look for these films and many more on Netflix, iTunes, Google Play, and Redbox - You never know what you might have missed!

Clockwise from top left: Sony Pictures Classics, Film District Distributions, Blinkworks, Lionsgate Films

Film Apocrypha

Entertainment

Film

Clockwise from top left: Walt Disney Pictures, Applied Art Productions, Warner Bros. Lionsgate Films, Warner Bros.

Films

to look out for in

Monsters

University,

set to hit theaters on June 21, is the prequel to Monsters, Inc., and it’s sure to be a treat. I’ve yet to see a Pixar film that fell flat, and I’m sure that this won’t be any different. The animation is likely to be stellar, and I can’t wait to see how Sulley and Mike fare at college.

Despicable Me is one of my favorite animated movies, and as such I cannot ignore the fact that Despicable Me 2 is coming out on July 3. I certainly hope Gru and the gang will be just as hilarious this time around, and I am very much so looking forward to seeing The Minions again. They’re so cute! I saw a preview for Jack the Giant Slayer before The Hobbit, and I was instantly hooked. Coming out on March 22, this adaptation of the classic children’s tale looks absolutely gorgeous. I loved “Jack and the Beanstalk” when I was little, and I hope that this film will be just as lovely. However, it doesn’t promise to stick to the themes of the original story, as the back-story of the film involves an ancient war between giants and men). I know the hype has just worn off from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and (honestly) I wasn’t incredibly impressed. However, the little kid in me still can’t wait until December 13 for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. I’m praying that it will stick more to the events in the original book, but if not, it will still be a lovely movie in its own right -- Peter Jackson will make sure of that. Even though people have their favorite superheroes, Superman is still... Superman, and Man of Steel (June 14) is the

2013

By Lindsay Gossett

anticipated reboot of the series. I don’t really know what else to say about this one. It’s Superman, you guys! I think every book-lover out there is holding their breath for The Great Gatsby, coming to theatres on May 10 after being pushed back from a December 2012 release. The Great Gatsby is one of my alltime favorite novels, and I have high hopes for Baz Luhrmann’s flashy directing. From the trailers alone, this looks like it will be spectacular (just as Gatsby would want it to be). Now, for the YA fans, the first movie of the Mortal Instruments series -- Mortal Instruments: City of Bones -- is being released on August 23. Cassandra Clare, friend of prominent Nerdfighter Maureen Johnson, is a fantastic author, and I can only hope that the film does her words justice on the screen. Can’t wait to see Jennifer Lawrence’s hilarity in another round of press interviews? Want to see what the Capitol has in store for Katniss and Peeta this time around? The Hunger Games: Catching Fire will be coming out on November 21, and I’m absolutely thrilled! The first movie was fantastically done, and I’m sure this one will be just as fantastic.

Issue 2 January 2013 | The Anglerfish 11

Entertainment Film

The Academy Awards: P The Oscars are nearing and an impressive handful of films from 2012 are vying against one another for one of 24 little golden men. Who has a chance of winning? Your guess is as good as mine.

By Jason Stack

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know how he’ll fare against the other nominees. Benh Zeitlin’s debut feature film Beasts of the Southern Wild brought tears to my eyes at least three times when I saw it in theaters over the summer, if my memory isn’t failing me. It’s a post-Hurricane Katrina tale set in a community known as The Bathtub, and is filled with a child-like sense of wonder and the strength of a ravaged yet united community. Quvenzhané Wallis could steal the show from Jennifer Lawrence and Jessica Chastain as the youngest Best Actress nominee, but the category is anyone’s game right now. If anything, this could come out of nowhere and cause an upset with a Best Picture win. While I do have a special place in my heart for Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, a bloody blaxploitationmeets-Spaghetti Western film with a touch of Blazing Saddles – partially because it was the first Tarantino film I saw in theaters (yes, I know, I’m deprived) – I don’t know what its chances are against the other nominees. Yes, Christoph Waltz was brilliant in the film, but he already has two Golden Globes for his roles in Tarantino films and an Oscar for his supporting role of Hans Landa in Inglorious Basterds. There’s also the expletive-riddled script, which might not garner too many Original Screenplay votes, despite already winning a Critic’s Choice Award and Golden Globe for Original Screenplay. Ah, Les Misérables returns to the big screen once again, this time from The King’s Speech director Tom Hooper. I definitely enjoyed the film – and silently sang along – but I also had my issues, namely Russell Crowe’s singing and the Thénardiers. Despite receiving eight nominations, I have a strong feeling that the only sure win is Anne Hathaway for supporting role as Fantine. Hugh Jackman doesn’t stand a chance against Daniel Day-Lewis in the Best Actor category. However, the film could also net a win for Best Song (“SuddenClockwise, from above: Anne Haly”), but Adele has a Golden thaway and Hugh Jackman in Les Globe win for “Skyfall.” Misérables, Emmanuelle Rive and I’m a slight fan of Ang Lee Jean Louis Trintignant in Amour, (Crouching Tiger over Hulk, Quvenzhané Wallis in Beasts of the and I still have yet to see Southern Wild Brokeback Mountain) and

Clockwise from top: Oscars.org, Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures Classic, Jess Pinkham/Fox Searchlight

Looking over the 53 films – including the short films (liveaction, animated, and documentary) and songs – with nominations at this year’s 85th Academy Awards, nothing seems certain. Yes, last year was an overall very good year for films, but that’s what makes things difficult for this year’s Oscars. What makes it even more difficult is the fact that the nine Best Picture nominees dominate a slim majority of the 24 categories. Without further ado, let’s dive right into the breakdown of these nine nominees. I’m not sure what Michael Haneke’s Amour has going for it, as I haven’t seen it and can’t properly critique or defend it. However, it already has a Best Foreign Language Film Golden Globe, so it could be a lock for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars, even with its other nominations in the Best Picture, Actress, Director, and Original Screenplay categories. Ben Affleck’s Argo was a solid real-life-inspired political drama with a cast that you’d most likely recognize from television and bit movie roles. I don’t know how the film will fare at the Oscars, despite the Best Director and Best Drama wins at the Globes. Even with Affleck’s Best Director win, the film won’t receive any love at the Oscars in the same category because he was snubbed for reasons unknown. Additionally, Alan Arkin (a Supporting Actor nominee at the Globes and Oscars) already has a Supporting Actor Oscar under his belt for Little Miss Sunshine, so I don’t

Entertainment

Film

Predicting the Winners

Clockwise from top: Twentieth Century Fox, Walt Disney Pictures, Jonathan Olley/Sony Pictures, Weinstein Co

have never read Yann Martel’s Life of Pi, but I’ve heard the film has received divisive yet positive reviews. Despite the stellar computer generated animals and gorgeous imagery, you can’t judge a trailer by how it’s cut – or who cut it. I’ll eventually get around to reading the novel and seeing the film, but probably not before the Oscars. Take Tony Kushner’s playwriting talent, mix it with Steven Spielberg’s filmmaking oeuvre and you’ve got Lincoln, which showcases the months leading up to the passage of the Fourteenth Amendment, the end of the Civil War, and Lincoln’s assassination. Toss in a stellar yet recognizable cast and you’ve got Oscar bait, as my friends and I joked about the first trailer, and the film is definitely Oscar bait, having garnered a whopping twelve nominations. At times, it seems that the film would be better suited for a stage performance. The film’s sometimes dragging two and a half hour run time serves as another deterrent. I’m positive that Daniel Day-Lewis will take the Best Actor Oscar, and if he doesn’t, I’ll eat my shoes. … Or maybe just a ghost pepper. I’ve heard nothing but praise for David O. Russell’s Silver Linings Playbook, a tale of two mentally unstable but recovering people falling in love. I can’t attest to the praise myself, as I have yet to see the film. Robert De Niro could steal the Best Supporting Actor category from Waltz or Arkin, but I don’t know how he’ll fare against Philip Seymour Hoffman. Jennifer Lawrence, fresh off of her Golden Globe win (Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical), could take the Best Actress Oscar from Chastain. I have yet to see Kathryn Bigelow’s Zero Dark Thirty, mainly because I’m hesitant about seeing another Bin Laden-related film, even though the National Geographic TV movie fell flat. There’s also the controversy surrounding the portrayed torture. However, the heft of Jessica Chastain’s Best Actress in a Drama win at the Golden Globes could garner her an Oscar for Best Actress. Looking quickly over the Best Animated Feature Film category, my heart is torn in so many directions. First off, this was a sterling year for stop-motion nominations. ParaNorman, The Pirates, and Frankenweenie all secured nominations, along with a Disney two-fer of Brave and Wreck-It Ralph. While Brave does have the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature going for it, I don’t know how it’ll fare against ParaNorman and Wreck-It Ralph, both of which I’m favoring. Don’t get me wrong, Brave was a good Pixar film, but it seemed to be more Disney’s film than Pixar’s film. Even though it felt a little light at times, I won’t be one to deny its message of personal choice when it comes to relationships and marriage. Personally, I’d love to see ParaNorman chalk up a win for stopmotion animation and Laika, especially after Coraline didn’t win for Best Animated Feature Film back in 2009.

Clockwise, from top: Suraj Sharma in Life of Pi, Daniel Day-Lewis in Lincoln, Jessica Chastain in Zero Dark Thirty, Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper in Silver Linings Playbook As for the Best Animated Short Film category, I’m only familiar with two: “Fresh Guacamole” and “Paperman”. “Fresh Guacamole” is from PES, a YouTube channel known for its short quirky stop-motion films and commercials. “Paperman” is the latest Disney short, which tells the tale of an office worker trying to gain the attention of a woman he met on a train platform through paper airplanes. It’s a stunning mix of hand-drawn 2D and 3D animation. I can’t attest for “Adam and Dog”, “Head Over Heels”, and “The Longest Daycare”, even though the latter is a Simpsons short. While I haven’t mentioned every film in the running for an Oscar, you can find all the Oscar information you desire on the Oscars website, along with printable ballots so you can compete against your friends in Oscar pools. I still have a month to officially declare – and defend – my picks, so here’s hoping that I choose wisely, as I haven’t done too well in previous years. I wish you all a happy viewing and the best of luck with your picks!

Issue 2 January 2013 | The Anglerfish 13

Entertainment Book Reviews

Four Books to Bring in the New Year

As we start the New Year, we come to accept the general consensus that change is on the rise. For some of us, we might be at a bit of a loss as how to go about that. What’s next? You could start the New Year by reading on of these books, all having at least one thing in common: the coming of change. Though one can’t ever promise a happy ending, they give us hope as changes give us fear; hope that we may keep our families close, find acceptance wherever it may lie, and keep warm in the changing seasons. By Marissa Wilks

Little Women is a great novel for cuddling up on the couch with; it’s nice and long, so you don’t have to worry

about finishing it in one go. The story opens to an introduction of the four main characters, the March sisters, in the winter of their discontent. It is during one of the years of America’s Civil War, and their father has volunteered to be a chaplain for the army, far away from his family back in New England. The book has a bit of a rough start, introducing and describing the characters in a way that made them appear very flat. But the story picks itself up nicely after that, slowly but surely. I’m not going to lie to male prospects, here; this book is mostly of a ‘coming of age’ story for women at first, and it’s not for everyone. If you can get over that fact, though, it’s easy to enjoy the mischievous elements of the characters’ youth, and the more gender neutral lessons of their adulthood later on in the novel. My favorite aspect of this story is its timelessness; it shows that the societal expectations for both young men and women of any generation remain surprisingly unchanged.

Pictures of Hollis Woods is about Hollis; named for the forest in which she was found as a baby, she is a twelve year old girl who’s been in and out of foster homes more times than she cares to remember. This changes, though when she meets Josie; a frail, old woman with beautiful hands and an even more beautiful talent. This story follows Hollis as Hollis’ past followers her, told through the context of her drawings. I recommend this one to anybody looking to get a novel for a younger person. It’s not the kind of book that condescends to kids; it’s the kind that recognizes the sadness and fear existing in a person’s life, as well as their mistakes and faults. It’s the sort of book that makes a person hope that there’s still forgiveness to be found, and love to come home to. The Secret Life of Bees is about a girl, Lily, living in South Carolina in

1964. When she was very young, Lily lost her mother in a heart-wrenching accident that haunts her every day; now, at 16, she lives with her abusive father and much-loved maid, Rosaleen. That is, until Rosaleen provokes a violent grudge in the most racist man in town, in protest of social injustice. Lily, fearing for Rosaleen’s life, takes her and runs away from the brutality and cruelty she’s always known. This book broke and mended my heart a few times over. The subject matter is heavy, but the characters are complex, and their dimensions reminded me not to imagine their lives purely in the context of their tragedies. This is a story of strength and female empowerment, in a time when it was difficult enough to be a black American without also being a woman. It’s about love, sisterhood, and hope, and it’s an utterly beautiful story.

The Watsons Go to Birmingham – 1963 follows a year in the life

of Kenny Watson, age 10, as he picks specific moments of his childhood to share. These include tales of upheaval caused by his “official juvenile delinquent” brother, Byron, and his family’s unforgettable summer road trip down south to see their Grandma Sands. It’s a year in his life when he comes into unparalleled growth, as he suddenly becomes all too aware of the world’s more hateful, bigoted nature. Despite the heavy subjects, this novel is laugh-out-loud funny. It’s kind of like ‘Calvin and Hobbes’ mixed with ‘Little Rascals;’ it has that mischief factor that may warmly remind people of when kids played outside more often. This one may lay on the nostalgia pretty thick for some readers, no matter what period they’re from. There’s something universal and timeless about childhood; about the trouble making, the bruises and Band-Aids, the adults who know everything; some things just never change. Looking into a different past through the filter of a character’s youth somehow takes you back to your own, parallels the two, connects and ties the lines. It helps us appreciate the beauty and cruelty of the other in a completely new and significant way.

14 The Anglerfish | Issue 2 January 2013

Clockwise from top left: Vintage Classics, Yearling, Laurel Leaf, Penguin

Changing Seasons:

Entertainment Books

From top: lovewallpapers.in, shannonkodonnell.blogspot.com, about.com

Best and Worst Literary Loves Top 5 Book Boyfriends

By Keri Payton

1. Fitzwilliam Darcy Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) Stiff, awkward and insulting, Darcy may not leave the best first impression but the character behind his countenance will captivate you. Be careful not to tell your mother about his income. 2. Augustus Waters The Fault in Our Stars (John Green) A boy who wants nothing more than to make an impact, Gus will do nothing less for you. The feelings that you feel will not be metaphorical.

Top 5 Book Girlfriends

1. Luna Lovegood Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (J.K. Rowling) Kooky and caring, a girl who can find strength in being alone is a keeper. Luna dances to her own rhythm. Join her in your own asymmetrical step. 2. Jane Bennet Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) A kind heart who always keeps an open mind and a forgiving nature. The perfect companion and an exemplary human being.

3. Peeta Mellark The Hunger Games (Suzanne Collins) The ember that fuels a facade of love has more than a spark of truth. The boy with the bread knows how to respect and romance in tandem.

3. Alanna of Trebond Alanna: The First Adventure (Tamora Pierce) A fiery redhead with violet eyes, Alanna is no seductive sorceress but a gal in a male guise, determined to become a knight. Beauty, wits, and bravery are a killer combination.

4. Joe Fontaine The Sky is Everywhere (Jandy Nelson) Joe bears a magnetic smile and is a multi-talented musician to boot! This is a boy who can reach into the mellow parts of your soul and make you fall in love with life.

4. Ella The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom (Christopher Healy) Cinderella lives happily ever after with her prince - unless he is afraid of his own shadow. This young woman is her own hero, daring for adventure.

5. Domovoi Butler Artemis Fowl (Eoin Colfer) Butler is a Eurasian Irishman who is highly skilled in several forms of martial arts. He also enjoys romantic films and novels.

Top 5 Men to Avoid

5. Wendy Darling Peter Pan (J.M. Barrie) A brilliant story teller who cares for her family and keeps an eye out for the young’uns.

Top 5 Women to Avoid

1. Carlisle Cullen Twilight (Stephenie Meyer) Carlisle turns teens on the brink of death into vampires and teaches them that killing humans is bad, but disrespecting their personal boundaries is okay.

1. Dolores Umbridge Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (J.K. Rowling) A psychopath who wears so much pink that your eyes will bleed. She has a voice like cough syrup, but still clears her throat to get your attention.

2. James Bond Casino Royale (Ian Fleming) Bond thinks women are for recreational purposes and doesn’t trust their skills in the field. You will probably end up dead.

2. Juliet Romeo and Juliet (William Shakespeare) Fourteen-year-old girl meets seventeen-year-old boy. Girl decides boy is more important than life. They run off together, get married, and shag. Girl kills herself over boy. Emo drama llama alert!

3. Hades Sirenz (Charlotte Bennardo and Natalie Zaman) A sadistic creep who only wants to get in your pants. 4. Howell Jenkins Howl’s Moving Castle (Diana Wynne Jones) A cowardly drama queen who spends longer in the bathroom than you ever will. 5. Tom Marvolo Riddle Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (J.K. Rowling) Incapable of feeling love and most definitely asexual. Aside from killing people and endless failed attempts to enslave the world, Riddle’s good looks are long lost. It’s lose-lose all around.

3. Sookie Stackhouse Dead Until Dark (Charlaine Harris) A honey to horny supernaturals, Sookie comes with too much baggage and lurking brawn to fret over. 4. Monica The Fault in Our Stars (John Green) Doesn’t understand the meaning of “Always.” Sectumsempra! 5. Alice Alice in Wonderland (Lewis Carroll) Girl be trippin’!

Issue 2 January 2013 | The Anglerfish 15

Entertainment Film Review

A Dash of Nerds An abundance of Nerdfighters, the platform of online video, and unashamed enthusiasm come together to create an awesome kind of community. In 2007, two brothers – John and Hank Green – created a video blog called Brotherhood 2.0, with the aim of communicating daily in a way that mere text or audio could not fulfill. What resulted was the expansive community we now know as Nerdfighteria and prompted many people to connect via video blogging. Some notable vlog collabs over the years are the Five Awesome Girls, their male doppelgängers (the Five Awesome Guys), and YA Rebels. Yet, there are numerous others. Here are three of this year’s Nerdfightastic vlogging collaborations which began in Our Pants, the Nerdfighter forum. By Keri Payton

Strangerhood 2.0

14 strangers, one video blog youtube.com/strangerhood2

New to Nerdfighteria, Britt Fields wanted to meet people through video blogging. “I’m really introverted, so I thought that it would be awesome to meet new people while comfortably staring at a computer screen.” Britt, Ruby, Michelle, Rue, Aly, Rachel, Jefferson, Milla, Hannah, Christy, Miranda, Damien, Krystal, and Conner range in age, interests, location, and nationalities, but Strangerhood 2.0 has brought them together. “Basic rules are two to four minute videos, no communication outside of videos or the private forum,” says Conner. Each stranger uploads a video once every two weeks. Christy adds, “Our videos must be on a specific topic chosen for that fortnight.” Failure to follow the rules results in a punishment, as chosen by the other strangers. Each participant has their personal reason for being a part of the project. For Miranda, it’s giving her “a way to experiment and figure out what kind of videos I want to make, as well as gaining skills with filming and editing.”

I thought that it would be awesome to meet new people while comfortably staring at a computer screen. -Britt Fields Vlogger

a nerd a day keeps world suck away youtube.com/365nerds

365 days, 365 nerds. Initiated by Carlos Flores, this project introduces you to a different nerd every day of 2013. Rick, Tara, Rob, AJ, Ashley, and Lane join Carlos in running this ambitious collaboration. The aim of the project is “to bring more attention to more Nerdfighters and their various talents,” according to Rob, “and to make us like an even more tight-knit community.” AJ makes the point that “it is an encouraging environment for people to try vlogging.”

“I was feeling kind of disconnected from Nerdfighteria,” says Sarah Mihur, “and I wanted to get to know some other Nerdfighters.” Thus, the Weeklong Warriors were born, their name derived from the Weekday Warriors in John Green’s Looking for Alaska.

Participants have the option of doing Question Tuesdays, Creative Wednesdays, educational videos, A Day in the Life, and Thoughts from Places – but nothing is mandatory. Videos should be filmed two weeks in advance and sent in three days prior to the assigned date. “365 Nerds is like a collage,” says Tara. “Every piece is important to the final project.”

Joining Sarah are Brad, Talie, Becca, Esther, Alex, and Amy. “Every other week is a theme week,” says Becca. Other weeks are free choice, but can include optional challenges. “The maximum video length is five minutes,” adds Talie. “If you break a rule then you have to do a punishment decided on by the other members.” “I think it aims to achieve friendship between a group of people,” says Sarah, “who would not have gotten to know each other without Nerdfighting.”

16 The Anglerfish | Issue 2 January 2013

7 random people, 7 new friends

youtube.com/weeklongwarriors

Entertainment Film Review

Pokémon X and Y Slated for October 2013 By Brandon Dannenhoffer

Nintendo has announced the first 3D handheld Pokémon game along with a brand new generation of creatures for you to catch.

Although Pokémon fans were hoping for a remake of Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, Nintendo announced some exciting news at a Nintendo Direct on YouTube a few weeks ago: a brand-new generation for the 3DS, complete with 3D graphics, titled Pokémon X and Y. For the first time ever, players will get a completely revamped 3D world, complete with updated battle sequences. Despite not being on par with other 3DS game graphics, Pokémon X and Y seem to be keeping in touch with the original stylized sprites while still being in 3D. Also announced were the three starter Pokémon your trainer can choose from: Chespin, a grass-type chipmunk Pokémon; Fennekin, a fire-type fox Pokémon; and Froakie, a water-type frog Pokémon. A few weeks after the initial launch trailer Nintendo also revealed the names of the two legendary creatures that can be found: Yveltal and Xerneas. Perhaps the most exciting news from the Nintendo Direct announcement was the fact that Pokémon X and Y will be released worldwide on the the same day in October. No longer do Pokémon fans in the US or other regions have to wait for the localization to start their journeys.

Mathematical! It’s An Adventure Time Gender Swapped Comic Spin-off! By Sasha Bogoslowsky At New York Comic-Con 2012, I had the pleasure of witnessing the announcement of Adventure Time’s new spinoff comic series by BOOM! Studios - the long-awaited gender-flipping Fionna and Cake series. After the huge success of the only gender-swapping episode to date in the series, fans were calling out to BOOM! begging for a comic series to fulfill their Fionna and Cake dreams. After the success of the main Adventure Time comics and of its first spin-off (Marceline and the Scream Queens), Adventure Time with Fionna and Cake is upon us, and it’s a great first step into a six issue lifetime. The first issue of any comic is quite introductory. but it starts off with some of the best artwork in any Adventure Time comic. The relationship between Fionna and her loyal cat is hilarious and heartwarming as well. One thing fans will enjoy is that even if the characters are different genders, Fionna isn’t simply Finn with lady parts; she is her own character. The Ice Queen makes an appearance, frightening some baby fire lions on her way to creating some major havoc that is sure to be the crux of our adventures with Fionna and Cake. Of course, this series only lasts six issues, as do most spin-off

Ever wanted to get into those darn Adventure Time comics? Now’s your chance, with the first issue of its latest spinoff, Fionna and Cake!

comic series, and while I’m sure fans would have enjoyed an entire epic tale for Fionna, Cake, Marshall Lee, Prince Bubblegum, and every gender swapped character in the Adventure Time universe, this bite-sized series is sure to be exciting enough to satisfy fan’s cravings. Though the issue may feel short, there’s a charming story at the end of the issue recounting a time when sweaters were pilfered from all our favorite characters in the Land of Ooo in “The Sweater Bandit” by Noelle Stevenson. Do yourself a favor and pick up this issue, and all five to follow in the coming months.

Issue 2 January 2013 | The Anglerfish 17

Feature Adventure Time Fandom

18 Issue22January January2013 2013 18 The The Anglerfish Anglerfish | issue

Feature

Adventure Time Fandom

The Fun Never Ends If there’s one thing I’ve learned from watching Adventure Time for the first time these past few weeks, it’s that there really is no other way to describe Adventure Time without doing what the show does best – jumping right into things. By Marissa Wilks As of the first season, this show is about a twelve-year-old human boy named Finn, and his magical dog (and adoptive brother) named Jake who can change himself into pretty much any shape and form, a talent which is mostly displayed in his ability to stretch his legs so he’s taller than trees and buildings. They are friends with Princess Bubblegum, the leader of the Candy Kingdom, a part of the land of Ooo, which is largely inhabited by all sorts of beings that not only take the form of candies and cupcakes, but are actually edible. There’s also Lumpy Space Princess (LSP), a floating purple cloud with an attitude problem; Lady Rainicorn, Jake’s flying stretchy rainbow unicorn girlfriend who speaks Korean; and Marceline, a kind-of villainous vampire who doesn’t drink people’s blood so much as she drinks the color red. I would be if I didn’t mention the mostly-villainous Ice King, a creepy elderly Jack Frost type who kidnaps princesses he wants to marry (like Bowser, only more sociopathic and equally prone to tantrums). Maybe it goes without saying, but the first episode was a bit of a shock. I didn’t know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t a waste of time. I was laughing aloud the entire time, and by the time I’d finished the episode’s pair (there are two episodes for each half-hour segment), I was hooked. I spent the rest of the night watching several more, and singing the theme song over and over in my head. I had no idea why – all I knew is that I loved the show. This was confusing, but after hearing a lot of interesting opinions, I think I’m coming to understand why. It’s a really interesting question with an even more interesting and complex answer. To start, you should probably know that the demographic for those who like this Cartoon Network show range from little kids – like my eight year old cousin who watches it – to adults – like my twenty-year-old cousin who watches with him. This wide age range in audience results those on the older end of the spectrum making a lot of really cool stuff and putting it on the internet. This includes, but is not limited to, adorable and creep-tastic fan art, store-bought and handmade costumes and stuffed animals, songs from fans inspired by the show, Tumblr ships, and all that great stuff that shows how much people enjoy feeling like they’re a part of

something. That’s greatly what all fandoms are about, in the end – finding a place of comfortable existence and just going with the flow. So that’s what all these people are doing, here – everyone enjoys this show in their own way. Kids love it’s because it’s funny, the animation’s bright and adorable, the characters are relatable, it displays emotions more complex than your plain old ‘cheerful’ or ‘frightening,’ and it’s genuinely entertaining. Adults love it for all the same reasons, but also due to the underlying themes that make it so relatable, as well as the feelings of nostalgia it both evokes and focuses on. Youtube vlogger Mike Rugnetta (pbsideachannel) produced an absolutely brilliant video focusing on this in more detail, which I encourage anyone interested on the subject to check out. I think Mike was onto something, especially what he said about “Adventure Time looking like the inside of a kid’s head.” It has the kinds of stories that represent troubles people of all ages go through in their lives, but they are presented in a way that is strongly reminiscent of times when you were a kid and your bedroom was your kingdom. In this way, it’s an exercise in empathy on behalf of the adults watching the show, which reminds us of the legitimate anxieties kids go through which we sometimes take for granted; it reminds us that we sometimes have more in common than we don’t. Sure, that’s easy for me to say because I’m a teenager; I have a foot in both worlds. Adventure Time gives people of all ages and opinions a sort of common ground. Sometimes, we all want to beat up the jerks, bullies, and bad guys of the world. We all want to save our friends from themselves, their own moments of dangerous stupidity, or emotional weaknesses. We all want to be the Finn of our universe with our best friend at our side and kingdom behind us, telling us that our existence isn’t something we should feel embarrassed or ashamed of because being ourselves – whoever that means being – kicks serious butt. In the end, when it comes to this awesome – or “algebraic” – cartoon, what I love most is the show’s relatability as well as hilarity. It’s one of those things that connects people so easily and effortlessly that it’s difficult to deny its power, even if you aren’t a fan yourself. (To name an example of this, I once had a twenty-minute conversation about the show with my club advisor and one of my best friends.) I could go on about this, but the best way to understand the people who watch Adventure Time is to watch go and watch it yourself. If you feel like you’ve been tossed into a bowl of confusion and action at first, don’t worry; that just means you’re doing it right. As for myself, I think I’ll get started on season two.

Issue issue22January January2013 2013| |The TheAnglerfish Anglerfish 19 19

Entertainment Dungeons & Dragons

The Red Box Review

By Sasha Bogoslowsky

DiceBreakdown The most essential item that every Dungeon and Dragons player needs is an array of dice. These can be a bit intimidating at first, so we’ve decided to break it down a bit for you. By Brandon Dannenhoffer D20 - Probably the staple to all of D&D, the twenty-sided die is rolled whenever you want to determine if your character is successful at completing a task. Normally, your Dungeon Master will set a target number for you to roll. If you roll equal to or above that number, you’ve succeeded; below it, and you’ve failed. D12 - One of the least used dice in D&D, a D12 can be used for more unconventional stat rolling: determining a birthday for your character, attacks for tougher enemies, or just quickly rolling a large amounts of D6s. D10 - Because one hundredsided die are rare and hard to read, two D10s are rolled simultaneously when determining the percentage of something. Two 10’s is considered 100%, but anything else represents the “tens” and the “ones”. D8 - Typically rolled to determine damage. D6 - Other than being rolled to determine damage, the sixsided die can also be used to assign stats to your character. Just roll four D6s six times and then assign them to the six ability scores. Beware, as this method of assigning stats can result in a very weak character. D4 - Also rolled to determine damage.

Rating: 3 of 5 Anglerfish

20 The Anglerfish | Issue 2 January 2013

“Red Boxset” by Wizards of the Coast | photo of player w/ dice by Eefje Savelkoul | Dice cut outs by Kat Taylor

If you’ve ever wondered how to begin playing Dungeons and Dragons, the Red Box might be just what you’re looking for. The infamous Red Box, also known as the Dungeons and Dragons Starter Set, is Wizards of the Coast’s answer for new players. We all know role-playing games are hard to dip your toe into, but once you do, you might just find yourself drowning in information on races, class, weaponry, stats, and a whole bunch of terminology that scares new players away. The box contains two booklets, a solo adventure and a group campaign, a full set of dice, punch-out tokens and spell cards, a full color map, and character sheets. Players start out by making their character by reading the Solo Adventure booklet, which plays out like a choose-your-own-adventure book. The decisions you make affect the character you play. Choosing to backstab your carriage rider could make you into a rogue instead of a cleric. The whole package is quite appealing, but there’s just something about it that falls flat. First of all, the box is advertised as having a Solo Adventure, when in reality, solo play is just character creation. To continue the storyline, you must have at least three players and one Dungeon Master. Secondly, if you do have five friends and you decide to pick this up on a whim, be prepared for a long character creation process that isn’t quite as entertaining as it is tedious. If you’re looking to get into D&D, this is a fair jumping off point if you have the friends who’d like to play. However, if you have already played any amount of Dungeons and Dragons, you may find this set invaluable as it is meant fto be an introduction to the game.

Entertainment Dungeons & Dragons

Beginning Your Quest

“Nazika the Druid” by Kat Taylor / photos by Eefje Savelkoul

Taking Your First Steps into Dungeons and Dragons Ever wonder how to start playing D&D? Here are a few pointers from a recent role-playing newbie herself. As a child, I would always role-play with my friends during recess. At first, it was Disney princess related, then witches and fairies. At one point, I was apart of the Charlie’s Angels trio, fighting badasses with two of my best friends, Jhena and Matthew. I was imaginative and rambunctious until, at some point, it became embarrassing. I stopped acting like I was someone else, but I’ll always remember how real those moments were when I spoke as Hermione or my own made up characters. Role-playing is, at its core, interactive storytelling, or what many of us called “playing pretend” as kids. Dungeons and Dragons was the first role-playing game on the market. First released in 1974, it has since begun to lose its stigma of being a game for the socially inept. However, the game still isn’t incredibly accessible to curious new players. Although Wizards of the Coast, the board and card game company that responsible for, among other things, D&D products, has published a Starter Set for nearly every edition of the game, the price tag alone might set new players aback. Why should I have to pay to play pretend? The reality is that you don’t because to play any role-playing game, all you really need is your noggin, some dice, a pencil, and some paper. And, of course, friends, though these could be especially hard to come by when mentioning the urge to role-play as a axe wielding dwarf. To take your first steps into Dungeons and Dragons, you need not have anything besides the willingness and power to get out of the house. Before you do, you can find local stores that host D&D Encounters through the Wizards of the Coast site. The Encounters are weekly sessions that anyone can pop in for and play without being tied down to a full on campaign group. At these Encounters, you’ll see all sorts of people playing D&D, not the socially inept basement-ridden nerds that popular media may have lead you to believe play D&D. Everyday businessmen, bar keeps, students, and, yes, girls head to these shops to get their weekly dose of dungeoneering. I guarantee you’ll make a few friends just by saying, “I’m new to D&D, and by new, I mean I know nothing,” because if there’s one stereotype you can attribute to any role-player, it’s acceptance. At some point, every player has taken the awkward first steps, so don’t be shy and ask someone for help. After you have found some people to play with, it’s time to make your character. This is where it gets tricky. Although you can find all racial stats and descriptions of class and weaponry on various wikis and forums, the only organized solution to learning what kind of character you would like to play as is by reading official player handbooks. However you acquire them, Players’ Handbooks are the best place for any newbie to start reading up on the differences between barbarian and fighter, eladrin and elf, and so on. Wizards also has a subscription-based character builder called D&D Insider. It’s an easy solution to all the hunting and gathering you may go through when trying to build a character’s stats, but not the most cost-effective. If there’s one thing that truly helps any role-playing newbie know who their character is, it’s visualization. While playing your first session of D&D, it’s quite tough to answer a Dungeon Master’s remarks through the voice of the character you’ve spent hours developing. Here, your imagination is your friend. Some players may be talented enough to draw their characters or dedicated enough to purchase

and paint a miniature figurine of Olaf the Giant Half-Orc. For the newbie out there, a simple Google image search of your race and class can spark your imagination and help you through those awkward moments when you don’t know exactly how your Half-Elf Druid would respond. In the end, Dungeons and Dragons is about living in the moment and telling a story that is still unraveling. Whether you have a vivid backstory for your character or none at all, it’s the player role-playing the part you’ve created that will determine the outcome of your adventure. If there’s one step every new Dungeons and Dragons player should take it’s this: Don’t be afraid to step out of the box.

By Sasha Bogoslowsky

Issue 2 January 2013 | The Anglerfish 21

Feature Book Special

A Bicentennial fo It is a truth universally acknowledged that Pride and Prejudice is a quintessential love story. Whether you have clutched the book so close that your lips brushed the page or never scratched the itch that everyone claimed was so dire, there is no denying that Jane Austen’s second novel has sustained itself, not only as a much loved classic but as a relevant and thriving tale. This year, on the 28th of January, marks its two hundred years in print.

around her may be something she is forced to acknowledge. Despite many of us living in a surrounding where the law is no longer discriminatory against the “fairer sex”, the Bennets’ financial struggles and social situations are not something at all unrelatable. What makes the story applicable still is the nature of the characters, in particular their flaws. Mrs. Bennet never thinks before she speaks, Lydia would do well to consider other people’s feelings, and Jane is far too sweet-natured and naive for her own good. Then, of course, there is Mr. Darcy’s pride and Elizabeth’s prejudice. While it may not be something we wish to admit, these characters help us to evaluate the way in which we behave and how we we perceive the people around us. A mark of how Pride and Prejudice remains relevant to modern day is the sheer number of adaptations it has inspired. While this might be excused on the grounds of it no longer being under copyright law, there is a reason writers have been inspired and wish to recreate the essence of Pride and Prejudice. Notable adaptations include Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary, where

Pride and Prejudice is the story of Elizabeth Bennet, twenty years old and the second-born of five daughters, none of whom can inherit their father’s estate due to their gender. Elizabeth’s mother is obsessed with marrying off her daughters in the hope that they can obtain financial security, but her one-track mind can hinder as much as it hopes to help. When the wealthy but arrogant Mr. Darcy enters Elizabeth’s life, her scrutiny of the people

22 The Anglerfish | Issue 2 January 2013

Fielding is open about her influence, with the love interest named Mark Darcy, along with several nods to the 1995 mini-series, starring Colin Firth in his notorious lake scene. However, it is noteworthy that Bridget is a little more tangled up in her own love life than Elizabeth was. Pride and Prejudice and Zombies,

from author Seth Grahame-Smith, reimagines Elizabeth’s story, where she and her sisters have been raised slayers of the undead. It is impressive how Grahame-Smith managed to introduce this alien element to a classical setting, without disrupting the authenticity of Austen’s narrative style. Not to mention the comeuppance some characters receive may be more pleasing to the readers than the original.

Laugh as much as you choose, but you will not laugh me out of my opinion.

-Jane Austen

“Marcia Fox” by William Beechey (1753 - 1839) | “Bridget Jones’s Diaries” Miramax Studios | “P & P & Zombies” by Doogie Horner

Jane Austen’s beloved classic reaches its bicentennial - but will it ever date? By Keri Payton

Feature Book Special

or Pride & Prejudice “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries” by Gausia Chowhury | Self portrait of Jane Austen by Jane Austen (1775 - 1817)

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries is an innovative modern retelling of the story, where Elizabeth Bennet is a grad student with a video blog, Bingley has become Bing Lee - an aspiring doctor - and Wickham is a swimmer. All this may sound a little ridiculous to the Pride and Prejudice purist, but the series manages to explore the characters and themes of the plot in a more relatable setting, bringing to the foreground the measure of the book in a comprehensive nature for modern viewers. Lizzie’s prejudice is not romanticised, Darcy is as socially inept as many of us feel, and the financial troubles and social standings are just as real as in the book, if not more so because we are not removed by generations. Two hundred years ago, Jane Austen lived in the world of her stories. Yet we still live in a time of pride and prejudice. These qualities thrive within us and in others. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy’s story is not just one of marriage and propriety, as some may be led to believe. Rather, it is of two people who learn to overcome their shortcomings, allowing for the other to see them as they are. Most people are wary of how others will perceive them. Many of us live in fear of saying the wrong thing or struggle with being labeled or misunderstood. What makes Pride and Prejudice such a strong story is that it is about the obstacles we carry with us that keep us from seeing each other for who we truly are.

I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library. -Jane Austen

Issue 2 January 2013 | The Anglerfish 23

Entertainment Personality Pride and Prejudice Personality

Kitty

Mary

Collins

Lydia

Wickham

You get wrapped up in the things you love and are a devoted fan. Sometimes you get carried away but you never do anything too drastic. Your fandoms allow you to better express yourself.

You don’t think you’re better than everyone else, you just like to converse on the subjects that matter most to you. You have an intelligent mind and a vivacious love of knowledge.

You can talk anyone’s ear off about a subject that you’re passionate about. Sometimes your mouth can’t keep up with your brain and you tend to get carried away and ramble a bit.

You have a boisterous nature at times and you love to enjoy yourself and be happy. You have a tendancy to get swept up in the moment and aren’t always as tentative as you should be

A risk taker, you aren’t afraid to go after what you want. You have a charismatic nature and a calculating and ready mind.

24 The Anglerfish | |issue Issue2 2January January2013 2013

Entertainment Personality

Lizzie

Darcy

Bingley

Jane

Charlotte

Caroline

You are strong willed and arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afraid to express your opinion when you feel the moment is right. You can find it difficult to empathise with people of a different opinion or nature to yourself.

You are awkward around new people and often say the wrong things in conversation. While comfortable around your intimate friends and family, you find it easier to express yourself on paper than in conversation.

You have a kind heart and a pleastant nature. You follow your feelings but often doubt yourself and overthink situations. You have a tendancy to hide from your problems, which can hurt your relationships with those you care for most.

You like to give people the benefit of the doubt and are probably nicer than you should be when people take advantage of your good nature. You struggle with realism and romanticism but in the end, you value your heart.

Insightful and strategic, you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afraid to take seize the oportunities that come your way. You focus on the goals that you can achieve, rather than wasting your times with fantastical ideals.

Quick witted and more than a tad judgemental, you have a one-track mind that could derail you if taken to far. At your core, you are ambitious and hopeful.

Issue issue22January January2013 2013| |The TheAnglerfish Anglerfish 25 25

News

Decreasing Worldsuck

The Hawkeye Initiative: Females Fighting Back

Tired of boobs-and-butt poses? Blogs such as “The Hawkeye Initiative” have started giving comic readers a place to vent their frustrations toward the comic industry in a creative manner. In the past couple of years, comics have been getting worse at portraying females realistically. The covers feature female characters in anatomically impossible poses with far too few clothes on to be fighting crime in. It’s an understatement to say that it is frustrating to pay large sums of money each week to take part in a community you love to only get repaid with rampant marginalization of your gender. There’s no reason why females should be denied decency and humanly written characters in comics, especially as the number of female comic fans constantly increases. However, the leaders of these companies seem to believe that their entire fan base consists of straight adolescent males. In retaliation, people have found creative outlets on the internet to voice their growing dissatisfaction with the industry. In early December 2012, a string of concurrent posts about Hawkeye’s portrayal as a damsel in distress, along with posts of awful comic covers sparked “The Hawkeye Initiative.” Hence, the blog www.thehawkeyeinitiative.com sprang into existence, providing a space for people to submit side by side panels or covers from comics with redraws replacing Clint Barton (Hawkeye) for the misrepresented female. The movement aims to expose the comic industry’s blatant sexism through their key rule key rule stating, “Hawkeye looks ridiculous in this position, then there is something wrong with the drawing.” The Hawkeye Initiative is not the first creative blog to take on this social cause. One blog, Escher Girls, criticizes the distorted anatomy of females in comics by featuring anatomically cor-

rect redrawing of comic covers and panels. Another group of women take pictures of themselves attempting (and failing) to recreate absurd positions from drawings of female comic characters and post it to their Tumblr. These methods of subverting the mainstream comic industries all aim to expose the misrepresentations of women in comics. Anyone who believes in women’s equality has a lot to complain about when it comes to the comic industry. Many comic writers deny female characters hu-

26 The Anglerfish | Issue 2 January 2013

manity and multifaceted personalities in favor of turning them into sexual enigmas. While this is not true of all comics, it’s prevalent in companies such as DC and Marvel. We have seen characters like Starfire reduced from someone with an interesting past (and a great friendship with the original Teen Titans) to someone who exists only as a sexual goal. Females should be able to read about this character that they loved for her optimism and great personality while not having to question their validity as a female. Despite the creativity of these blogs, The Hawkeye Initiative and movements of the same nature are still mostly just methods of survival. These blogs feature an appropriate reaction to a horrible system, but we should also try to get these pieces of art seen by the industry. The industry’s typical reply to these claims are that women should try to take part in the industry, yet this is easier said than done, many people have reported that their art has been rejected by the companies for portraying women correctly. So for now, speak out when you see artists perpetrating these tropes at conventions and keep drawing Clint Barton in exposing positions.

Original Hawkeye image by Marvel / Hawkeye Initiative image by Brittany Fuerst

By Elsa Stoff

News

Increasing Awesome

Are

you

<Famous?

As you may well know, Vidcon is coming up this August. In the past four years, Vidcon has established itself as the largest conference devoted to online video. It has had time to figure itself out, fine tuning the panels and days dedicated to content creators and consumers respectively. As it goes, though, there is always room for improvement. This is where the By Jordan Kahle <Famous panel come in. The aforementioned panel is the brainchild of the lovely James Schwarz. James started making videos nearly two years ago when some chronic health problems threatened to put him in the hospital. He had heard about VEDA (Vlog Every Day in April) and decided to document his stay in the hospital. Luckily, he ended up not having to have surgery, but he continued to make videos and the rest was history. Like many video content creators, James started going to Vidcon. After attending for two years, he noticed that it was targeted mainly toward large content creators and viewers. The middle ground -- beginning or small content creators -- seemed to be left out. James came up with the idea of a panel catered toward video creators with small subscriber counts, who were passionate about YouTube without being a Partner or making a living from their videos. This panel has been dubbed <Famous, and it will premiere at VidCon 2013. James has sent out a call for panelists, and anyone can apply. The chosen panelists

will represent a wide spectrum of video creators, varying in everything from subscriber and view counts to content, age, nationality, past experiences with video, and future aspirations. The panel will involve questions from the audience and discussions amongst the panelists about everything that has been going on in the world of online video. Only twelve hours after James announced his idea on YouTube, the panel was made

official by Hank himself. In regards to such swift recognition and attention, James said, “I was completely flattened and dumbfounded by it. I realized people were starting to catch onto this, and as soon as it hit hand, I’m like ‘Uh oh.’” With over 40 audition submissions in the first week alone, James and his committee are going to have a lot of work ahead of them. When I asked James what he hoped would come out of this panel, he had this to say: “I’m a huge fan of conversation. I think it’s one of the most amazing and insightful things we can carry as human beings. And I think it’s what we grow from the most. I would really love to just walk away from the panel after it’s over and know that we had a really engaging, good conversation with the panelists and with the audience and just make sure that everybody really does feel a part of that smaller community again.” So let’s help make this panel -- this conversation -- as awesome as it has the potential to be. For those interested in being part of the panel, make a video explaining why you want to be involved and why you should be chosen. Submissions should include your name, age, and what type of content your channel focuses on. Submit your entry as a video response to James’ original proposal video. The deadline for submissions is April 6. For everyone else, spread the word through Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, and whatever other social media you use. The more people know about it and become excited about it, the better. Keep the enthusiasm going, and DFTBA.

For more information on James and <Famous be sure to check out his Youtube at www.youtube.com/talenthatter and the <Famous blog at lessthanfamous.tumblr.com. Issue 2 January 2013 | The Anglerfish 27

News Increasing Awesome

LifeScouts:

Increasing Awesome One Badge at a Time

The concept of LifeScouts is simple:  For every life-shaping event that happens in your life, you earn a badge.  Went on a skydiving trip?  You earn the skydiving badge.  Saw the Mona Lisa in person?  There’s a badge for that!  So on and so forth.   Every few days or so a new badge is announced on lifescouts.com and every month has a special theme, such as animals in February. There are two ways that you can participate in LifeScouts:  on Tumblr and in real life.  Once you achieve a specific goal you can reblog the badge and compare your earned badges with friends.  It works the same way

in real life, except you earn physical badges that cost £3.00, or roughly $5.  Perhaps one of the great things about the badges is the fact that they are nicely made, some even created by well-known designers, including Karen Kavett and Vondell Swain. In Alex’ video about LifeScouts, he said that “as a kid you’re respected for the knowledge you have, but as an adult you are respected for the experiences you’ve had.”  He later goes on to explain how hard it is to prove you’ve actually accomplished those experiences and how the badges were the most important part of LifeScouts for him.   The main goal for LifeScouts, Alex says, is to encourage people to go out, complete these experiences, and

By Brandon Dannenhoffer have them share their stories.  “There are lots of things you don’t know about people;  Not because they are secret, but because they haven’t come up before.”  Just as he wanted, this project has since gone on to inspire various blogs, and even a self-titled vlog that follows a guy named Joe and his journey to earn all of the LifeScouts badges throughout the year.   So, the next time you are at a YouTube gathering or a convention, be sure to tack on your LifeScouts badges and compare them with your friends! For more information on LifeScouts you can visit them on Tumblr at Lifescouts.com or buy physical badges on LifeScouts.BigCartel.com.

There are plenty of badges to earn at LifeScouts. How many do you have? Do you have an awesome story to go along with it? Send it to us at theanglerfishmagazine@gmail.com and we might feature it in the next issue!

28 The Anglerfish | Issue 2 January 2013

Images by LifeScouts

When I was younger, I was one of the few children who wasn’t in Boy Scouts and missed out on collecting badges.  As it turns out, YouTuber Alex Day was one of the other kids who wasn’t in Boy Scouts and also longed for that same camaraderie, so he decided to create something that took the badge-collecting of Boy Scouts and use it to motivate people to experience life away from the computer.  That creation was LifeScouts.

News Images by: Nilroy (Nilanjana Roy) (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Protests Regarding Delhi Rape Victim’s Death Continue A high profile case is the breaking point for building tension regarding violence against women in India. By Alyssa Nabors On December 29, 2012, a 23-year-old Indian medical student died from injuries she sustained from a brutal attack on the Delhi bus she was taking home from the movies. She and a friend were beaten by multiple assailants and she was raped multiple times before being thrown from the bus.

for women have created a backlash from unemployed, unattached young men who “view women’s success as the reason for their failure.” In addition to these attitudes, there is evidence of corrupt law enforcement -- making victims less willing to come forward -- and corrupt government officials.

What has been the response of the people? The recent high-profile rape cases have triggered huge-scale protests. People are outraged by the prevalent suppressive attitude, the perceived inaction of police and government, and the number of rapists who go unpunished. The often-severe police action used to disperse these crowds does not instill any confidence that the government has plans to respond positively. Groups like the Gulabi Gang, a nationwide group of women working against domestic violence, gain support because their direct intimidation tactics guarantee more immediate results than attempting to work with the systems in place.

What has been the response of the government?

This horrific tragedy has brought India’s population out in force, protesting the dangerous attitude toward violence against women. It has also brought about international attention, as India is considered the worst G20 country for women to live.

What’s the G20? The G20 (Group of Twenty) is a group of the most economically advanced countries in the world who meet annually to discuss global economic and financial issues. Although begun with twenty countries represented, membership has changed throughout the years in response to events such as the formation of the European Union, which is represented as a single nation. There are currently nineteen entities represented in the G20. In June of 2012, Trustlaw (a Reuters news service) conducted a “perceptions poll” among several hundred gender specialists, and out of those nineteen countries, India was ranked lowest based on issues such as child marriage and high levels of domestic violence, despite a Domestic Violence Act enacted in 2005.

Why hasn’t the Domestic Violence Act been effective? The pervasive social attitude toward domestic violence, as well as other issues concerning the welfare of women, is indifference. According to a study conducted by UNICEF in 2012, 52% of women in India think it justifiable for a man to beat his wife. Prerna Sodhi wrote an editorial in the Times of India saying that many victims are told, even by their families, to “shut up and deal with it.” More than one reporter, including the New York Times’ Gardiner Harris, have observed that the recent advances in the education and job opportunities

On December 31st, a Delhi hotline was started to give women information and advice, and connect them to the police if necessary. However, many felt this was a “band-aid” fix to a problem that demanded a more complex solution. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi did not publicly respond or meet with protesters til a week or more of protests had taken place; many felt that officials remained silent for too long following the attack. Several prominent officials have been accused of making insensitive remarks regarding the situation, and several active legislators have been previously charged with rape. Many think that, unless the protests and public pressure continue at their current level, it is unlikely that the outrage will translate into concrete legislative change.

Unless the protests and public pressure continue at their current level, it is unlikely that the outrage will translate into concrete legislative change How does this affect Nerdfighters? Indian Nerdfighters, you have the opportunity to impact the future of your country by speaking out against violence and discrimination. Otherwise, we can all be supportive and help raise the awareness of these kinds of situations. You can also work to eliminate violence and discrimination where you live; for example, Nerdfighters in the US should keep themselves aware of the status of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994, which is currently under review. I’d like to emphasize that violence against women -- any interpersonal violence, really -- is not a problem isolated to any one place. It is an international issue and can only be resolved when everyone works together.

If you or someone you know is struggling with abuse, please visit the International Resources page at www.rainn.org

Issue 2 January 2013 | The Anglerfish 29

News

Idle No More is being called the largest indigenous mass movement in recent history, and it’s barely being covered in American mainstream news. What’s going on up in Canada?

What are these protests all about? The protests sprung up in response to Bill C-45 ,which has changed 64 pre-existing acts and regulations. The Idle No More protests are concerned with the effect of C-45 on three acts in particular: the Indian Act, the Environmental Assessment Act, and the Navigation Protection Act.

By Lindsay Gossett What would the changes entail? A few weeks ago, we received a question on our Tumblr asking if we would cover the Idle No More protests in Canada as they were not being covered extensively on American news outlets. This movement centers on indigenous rights in Canada, but it has garnered support from around the world.

Generally, the changes to those three acts make it easier to bypass meetings with indigenous peoples. It has changed the Indian Act to make the leasing of reserved lands much easier (requiring a simple majority within a meeting, instead of a majority of all eligible voters). It has changed the Navigation Protection Act to say that pipeline and power plant officials don’t have to prove that their projects will keep

the changes ... make it easier to bypass meetings with indigenous peoples. navigable waterways intact. It has changed the Environmental Assessment Act to say that less projects will have to go through environmental assessment for approval.

What are Idle No More’s goals? The protesters are attempting to stop the government from further eroding the rights of the indigenous peoples within Canada. The current law indicates that the indigenous people compose a nation that is “separate and equal” to Canada, and the protesters see Bill C-45 as a violation of that separation.

Who is a part of this movement? Lots of different groups have spoken out in favor of Idle No More, particularly those interested in human rights, the environment, and ‘eco-justice,’ and the world at large is starting to take notice. The Canadian government has met with hunger-striking Chief of the Attawapiskat, Theresa Spence, so a dialogue has been opened. However, many are saying that it’s too little, too late.

What can we do? Keep informed about the status of the Idle No More movement and give them your support in any way you can! Learn more at

IdleNoMore.ca.

30 The Anglerfish | Issue 2 January 2013

Images by: Uyvsdi (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons

Idle No More

News Images by: Jamie Zawinski [Attribution], via Wikimedia Commons | NASA for the original photo, the rest is me. (Original photo is here; rest self-made.) [Public domain or Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Internet Privacy and You It’s OK to Google Yourself By Alyssa Nabors Ever since the internet became accessible to the average person, we’ve been cautioned that dangers in that virtual realm can affect our real-world existence. This has never been truer than today. At this time, Facebook requires your full name and provides a simple way to interact with other websites, but many have expressed concern about how much of that personal information is made available to others and how it is used. Combined with the possible threat of legal repercussions in the attempt to pass acts like SOPA, is it any wonder that we are advised to proceed with caution? Here are some ways you can protect your information, and (to some degree) what shows up associated with your name:

• Be sure you know what you’re dealing with. There was a recent case of criminals gaining access to information using a phony Facebook app. • Check security certificates, read privacy policies, and, if you’re purchasing something or installing software, look it up first. • Check into features or tools associated with your preferred browser that will prevent websites from recording your information. • Know where your full name is being used. When you sign in to a new site or app using your Google or Facebook accounts, they may use your full name by default, whether you want them to or not. You can set up a filter with Google so that you are notified when new results appear associated with your name. • You can use services like BrandYourself to create a professional page guaranteed to show up first when someone searches for you, or Burn Note, a “self-destructing” message service for transferring sensitive information. Above all, remember that once something is out in the internet, there’s very little chance of getting it back. If there’s something you’d like to put out there and you don’t want your mom, grandma, or future employer to find it, you’d better use a pseudonym.

Issue 2 January 2013 | The Anglerfish 31

Science

His last name is synonymous with “genius.” His theories revolutionized physics. His equation, e=mc2 is known by the almost everyone. I am, of course, talking about Albert Einstein. By Justin Swan Albert Einstein was born on March 14, 1879 to Pauline and Hermann Einstein, and his interest in physics was piqued when his father showed him a magnetic compass at age four or five. Einstein was fascinated. “I can still remember,” he wrote almost fifty years later, “-- or at least believe I can remember -- that this experience made a deep and lasting impression upon me.” Albert Einstein did quite well academically, contrary to popular belief, though he was not fond of the German school system. Part of his problem with school stemmed from the heavy emphasis on humanities. Einstein’s main problem, however, was that he was an autodidact -- that is, he did far better in school when he taught himself than when he was taught formally by teachers. His readings of Euclidian geometry, Buchner’s Force and Matter, and Bernstein’s Science for the People led him to an odd thought -- what would happen if one were to chase a beam of

light and catch up with it? What would light essentially look like if it were ‘at rest’ relative to the observer? Einstein eventually accepted that such a situation was physically impossible, and that Newton’s concepts of absolute space and time which permitted that situation to occur were wrong. This led to one of his most famous theories -- the theory of special relativity.

fair, the theories did have some weird predictions. For example, that the speed of light is the same for all observers, regardless of their motion relative to the source of light. They also predict a “non-linear velocity addition formula” (setting the speed of light as the universal speed limit), relativity of simultaneity (observers in motion with reference to one another may disagree on whether two separate events occurred simultaneously or one before the other), time dilation (an observer watching two identical clocks, one moving and one at rest, will measure the clock in motion as ticking more slowly), length contraction (along the direction of motion, an object moving with reference to an observer will be measured to be shorter than an identical rod at rest), and the equivalence of mass and energy (the famous equation, e=mc2).

Einstein, the lifelong pacifist, has now become known as the father of the atomic bomb.

Einstein’s theories of special and general relativity, while now proven true, were contrary to all previous knowledge. They were so different from contemporary thought that, when he was finally awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1921, it was for his less controversial work on the photoelectric effect. To be

32 The Anglerfish | Issue 2 January 2013

Einstein’s strong anti-war stance is something that isn’t discussed as much. Einstein, the lifelong pacifist, has now become known as the father of the atomic bomb because the bomb’s basic principle was the equivalence of mass and energy, as formulated by Einstein in 1905. He himself may not have seen the application -- he certainly didn’t intend it -but he was the reason for the genesis of the Manhattan Project. In 1939, he wrote a letter to President Roosevelt outlining the very real threat of Germany creating an atomic bomb and winning the war, and supporting the Manhattan Project, something he regretted for the rest of his life. When the atomic bomb was used to destroy Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Einstein spent the rest of his life vehemently attempting to prevent any further use of nuclear weapons. Einstein was a great man, who changed the world both through physics and his philosophy. He is, and will forever be, dearly missed.

Images by: Ferdinand Schmutzer [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Scientist, Genius, Peace Activist

Science Images by:By NikoLang (Own work (Screenshot)) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/)], via Wikimedia Commons

Alie n Earth? French the Llama, 2012 was a big year in science! We (probably) found the Higgs Boson, photographed DNA, and put the Curiosity rover on Mars. In short, 2013 has some big scientific shoes to fill. Scientific discoveries are notoriously difficult to predict, so very few are willing to give predictions as to what advances 2013 will bring. But a few astronomers are willing to be the exception by predicting the discovery of the first alien Earth.

been confirmed, but scientists estimate that at least 80% will be legitimate exoplanets. Of the confirmed exoplanets, the first findings were incredibly hot, gaseous, massive worlds orbiting far too close to their stars, because such exoplanets are the easiest to discover. However, the technology is becoming more accurate, and astronomers have honed their exoplanets-seeking skills so that they can discover smaller and more distant planets -planets similar to Earth.

By: Justin Swan An “alien Earth” is a planet similar to Earth, orbiting a sun-like star in its “habitable zone” (the range where liquid water, a strong indication of life, can exist). Planets outside of our solar system are known as “exoplanets,” and over 2,300 potential exoplanets have been identified by NASA’s Kepler Space Telescope. Only around 100 of those have

One such planet, Kepler-22b, was quite popular when it was discovered in December of 2011. It’s 2.4 times larger than Earth and orbits its star within the habitable zone. The Kepler team has since discovered several other similar exoplanets, bringing the grand total to nine. Unfortunately, none of the nine are small enough to be a true Earth twin, but it’s only a matter of time until a small rocky planet is spotted in an orbit similar to Earth’s. Geoff Marcy, a veteran planet-seeker at the University of California at Berkeley and member of the Kepler team, has said that “the first

planet with a measured size, orbit and incident stellar flux that is suitable for life is likely to be announced in 2013.” Marcy thinks this find will be made by the Kepler telescope, which spots planets by noting the fluctuation in light when they pass in front of their parent stars. The Kepler requires three of these fluctuations to detect a planet, which explains why its first discoveries were stars with short orbits. The discovery of an alien Earth will likely have a profound effect on humanity. Finding an Earth twin will strongly indicate a presence of intelligent life on that planet. Astronomy has an aphorism regarding intelligent life: follow the water. Where liquid water is, life will almost surely follow. Then, we will most likely send robotic probes to investigate. Such an undertaking, Marcy says, “will require the cooperation and contribution from all major nations around the world.” I, for one, can’t wait until every person, all over the world, is momentarily unified as we stare into the night sky and contemplate the newly discovered evidence indicating that somewhere, something is staring back.

Issue 2 January 2013 | The Anglerfish 33

Science

By: Thomas Nguyen

Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope (GLAST) Launched: June 11, 2008 Wavelength(s): Gamma Rays The Fermi Gammaray Space Telescope has two instruments: the Large Area Telescope (LAT) and the Gamma-ray Burst Monitor (GBM). The main apparatus is the Large Area Telescope, which uses technology used in particle accelerators. The LAT system continuously monitors 20% of the sky for very high-energy emissions from celestial bodies. The GBM detects surges in gamma rays and other energy emissions, like solar flares. The Fermi Gamma Ray telescope helps us learn about stars that are extremely far away through the high-energy radiation that they emit. The telescope is so precise that it can detect tiny amounts of gamma rays emitted by thunderstorms on Earth. Other targets of the telescope include mysterious dark matter, neutron stars, and glimpses of the early universe.

Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) Launched: June 13, 2012 Wavelength(s): X-rays NuSTAR is one of our newest space telescopes. The telescope has many detectors that are able to measure high energy x-rays that come from the objects that it targets. The telescope gathers a lot of data about black holes that are millions of times bigger than our sun, especially the supermassive black hole in the center of the Milky Way. The telescope is also able to study the particles that are shot at high speeds into space from other galaxies. If you thought that wasn’t cool enough, the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array can also look into clouds left over from the deaths of stars while analyzing the elements that are left in the remains.

Kepler Mission Launched: March 7, 2009 Wavelength(s): Visible light Named after t h e 1 7 t h C e nt u r y a s t r o n o m e r, t h e K e p l e r Te l e s c o p e floats around looking for exoplanets. Exoplanets are planets that lie outside of our solar system and

34 The Anglerfish | Issue 2 January 2013

we are looking for the ones that might harbor life. The Kepler telescope does this by monitoring the brightness of close to 150,000 stars. Changes in brightness can be caused by objects, such as planets, moving in front of the star. There are over 2,700 planet candidates so far, many of which are almost Earth-sized. The Kepler Mission will help us find planets that can potentially have and sustain life in the final frontier.

Herschel Space Observatory Launched: May 14, 2009 Wavelengths(s): Far infrared The Herschel Space Observatory is the product of a collaboration between the European Space Agency (ESA) and NASA. The telescope is armed with various cameras, receivers, and spectrometers. Herschel looks at the formation of galaxies from clouds of matter. Galaxies contain stars and star formation that the telescope gathers data on as well. With this vast amount of information collected by Herschel, scientists are able to have an overall greater understanding of the universe by studying the chemical composition of the cosmos and origins of galaxies.

James Webb Space Telescope Will be launched in 2017 Wavelength(s): Infrared The newest coolest thing NASA is working on is the James Webb Space Telescope. It will be the successor of the Hubble and will do much more. All of NASA’s previous telescopes were able to detect almost all kinds of radiation well, with the only exception being infrared due to interference from our Sun and the Earth. This telescope is different in that respect. The Webb will be able to look past all the stars and nebulae and into the first light of the universe. The telescope’s versatility will allow us to observe the assembly of new galaxies, the formation of stars, the composition of potentially habitable planets, and even more. This addition to NASA’s arsenal of telescopes will make the final frontier even more tangible.

Images by: NASA E/PO, Sonoma State University, Aurore Simonnet | NASA/JPL-Caltech | NASA/Kepler mission/Wendy Stenzel | ESA | NASA

Meet the Telescopes!

Art and Nerdfighter Literature submissions

The Man Who Stopped the Earth I start my day just like you. I wake up. I shit, I shower, and I shave. I eat cereal, I drink coffee, I smoke a cigarette before heading to work. I drive in silence. By Patrick Lynch Words are demands for responses. Different nuances for different desired results. I spend each day replying and reciprocating your motions, your sounds. If I hate, then there’s nothing that I hate more than your insistent plea for meaning in the words you say, the things you do, and the lives you lead. I just want to rest. Getting it done was a whole lot easier than you’d think. I mean, mother always said I had determination. I liked that. Lie and like have a one letter difference. But mother always said not to lie. Jobs were necessary because money is necessary. Serving food to you. Sitting at a desk. Writing empty words. Numbers. Words. You said I was good at them. I smiled. Pull, twist. Smile. This job is different. Had to get training. Days of work. Many tests. Lies. Sorry, mother. But now it’s simple. Come in. Sit. Look at the lights. Close my eyes sometimes, and wait for the call. The other man I work with takes this very seriously. Tells me not to close my eyes. But he has the other key. Funny how these keys, along with the numbers I keep in my head, are all it takes to end it all. While you think it takes a call from the big man. Not if you have the right numbers and years of work at a technological security company. Big man, protector of the free world with his pretty ties. Shouldering the weight of the ability to rip the land from existence. Too much work to get there. Too many smiles. When I was young, limbs still spry, I often walked alone. The pavement was my home. At three in the morning no one else laid claim to the streets save for your occasional hooker or dealer. The rhythm and crunch of each footstep and breath was nice. The street

lights buzzing for no one. I walked until the sun rose. Mother didn’t like that. So I just had to be in my room come time for school. No difference. There’s rarely a difference. Mother tried to get me to put up posters or these pictures she got at some store. The paper tore. Nicely. I quite liked the whiteness of my walls. There was blackness behind my closed eyes, and white when I opened them. A nice complement. I like the days when I’m just tired enough to be able to feel, to caress the soft dark sensation there in the back of my head. Not quite a headache, no; too many cigarettes and too much coffee for that. Just a soft emptiness. Like that. Nothing like the clatter of music I never quite understood. The noise is not for me. Walking around with your silly white cords dangling from your ears, keeping yourself removed from this world just to listen to someone else scream about theirs. Silly words clattering against notes. No need for it. Until I was dragged to a concert by the boy who ate lunch with me. No, not with, near. You ate lunch near me. A new experience I thought. Haven’t seen that before. Mother will like me going out with you, I thought. So the boy with dark hair drove me in his green car (messy, smelly, close to broken) to this concert. You wore torn jeans and let me smoke in the car. The music was loud, but the same as I’ve heard before. It was the people that interested me. In the crowd you lost yourselves. Your faces twisted, you ran and beat each other. Swinging your fists to the music, you broke noses. Threw yourselves into it. Forgetting your safety and how you once hated pain, you wrecked themselves to this noise. That was nice. I walked home. The blood on my face congealing. The serious man’s neck sounded like the boy with the car’s. It was quick. Quiet. Mother always said that she wanted to die quietly. Nicely. The keys turned and the numbers entered,

I walked outside. It was silent. The parking lot was the same as I had left it. Funny. I walked home. My car wouldn’t be of much use now anyway. And I quite like walking. I walked up the onramp. Why not? The highway was crisp to walk on, but the blare of horns was unpleasant. If you would all press at once, drones are not unlike the shadows of silence – of what could be, but isn’t – of the freedom from significance. Implication. That’s where I’ll rest, where there are no more demands. The city was close, if not quite as tall as I would’ve liked. Sirens blared, and screams echoed off of buildings, the only petty testaments to your greatness that stand stoic amidst the chaos. The doors of the tallest building are held open by throngs of flesh trying to run, but the flock is held back by bodies nearly identical to those you’re rushing towards. I climb the stairs. Pushing past the few stragglers still bounding down. The door to the roof is unlocked. I open the door just in time to see the flutter of a blue jacket cascade over the edge. No matter. I sit on the edge. The sirens still blare, you people still scream, horns still honk, but it’ll be over soon. You’re through. And so am I. The line between cacophony and silence is slim anyway. In each, I’m expected not to respond to any one stimuli. So I lay and wait. And look to the west. The light is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. White, and brighter than anything. Brighter than fire, brighter than headlights, brighter than the sun. Both blindingly empty and viciously whole. Something wells up in my chest. An ancient sob shudders from my lips. The ground rumbles. Wind howls. I pull, twist, and smile. The light envelops us even as I hear more explosions like rolls of primeval thunder shake the very Earth beneath us. Mother always told me not to look at the sun.

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Art and Literature Nerdfighter submissions

Armando Armando’s Deli was a small store in the business district of Rosebery. It was tucked neatly behind AQIS, wedged between an apartment block and a street with no parking. It had survived the economic unrest of the early noughts by virtue of possessing rare, imported coffee beans and a wide selection of artisan dairy products. By Alexandra Brown The cut-throat nature of small business required such hardline tactics as exploiting the middleclass Australian’s love of drinking over-priced lattes and showing off to their friends. This neatly segued with the fact that Armando was now, in fact, missing his head. A newly minted constable found it on a selection of Lanark Blue and Picodon cheeses, and promptly vomited all over the crime scene. Then he had to call his supervising officer to tell her. The SOCOs were not pleased. By 6am they’d drawn up a cordon and settled in to redirect early morning traffic away from the crime scene. The joggers all limped past, pretending not to be interested, and the cars slowed a little below the signposted 50 to get a look. None of them were able to see the inside of the store. The detectives wished they had the same luxury. The shelves were all intact but the display case was filled in Armando’s blood. Not one price tag had escaped it. “This is such a waste of cheese.” DS Wallace sighed. DS Sullivan nodded along with her, grimly taking in the red vista before them. He wondered at

So, how are college applications? I’m applying to a school run by a Satanic cult, where I will take Soul Gathering 101 and Spreading the Forces of Darkness: A Critical Analysis. We make sacrifices every Wednesday in the quadif you care to visit, these events are open to the public.

the drama of it all, whether the perpetrator was trying to hide something or make a point. It wasn’t all blood spatter. Every single round and slice of cheese was painted red, now flaking as it dried. He could appreciate the perverse attention to detail but he had no idea how they’d managed to get all the blood out of Armando. He had to have been alive when he was bled out, but the SOCOs had found not one drop of blood outside the chilled case. Armando’s body was found, pale and dry, wrapped in a sheet in the store bathroom. There was no murder weapon found on the scene. While the store stocked a number of cheese knives it was fairly reasonable to exclude them as possibilities, given that they were designed to cut cheese and not cheesemongers. “This is bizarre.” Sullivan said, superfluously. “I don’t think I’ll be able to eat cheese for like a week, seriously mate.” Wallace added. A SOCO glared at them, shaking her blonde head as she went back to inspecting Armando’s. Her brows rose once she looked into opened his mouth. With delicate care and a set of tweeI’m summarizing my essay in 500 words, so it’s going pretty well. Later I will gouge out my eyes with a nail file and chug an entire bottle of bleach. I’m peeling my skin off bit by bit until all that remains is every single

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zers she extracted something that was creamy yellow and glad wrapped. “Hey dickheads, I’ve got something.” She said. Wallace and Sullivan waited for her to elaborate. “He has cheese in his mouth.” They both huffed simultaneously, rolling their eyes at each other before turning back to the SOCO. Her lips turned downward, eyes thinning in a manner that only some chosen few could use to good effect. She was entirely uncowed by the disdain of her superiors. “It’s clearly casu marzu.” She spat. “It’s a Sardinian cheese, the EU banned it a while back then made it a traditional food of Sardinia. Armando didn’t sell it, no one sells it.” The two detectives remained unimpressed. “It has live maggots in it.” “Oh God-“ “That is fuckin’ disgusting!” The SOCO smiled, confident that she had won whatever pissing contest the three of them had been engaging in. “It’s considered an aphrodisiac. I have no idea how someone managed to get it in the country, unless they made it themselves… Kind of ironic given quarantine’s right here.” “We are close to the airport.” Wallace admitted. “A little bit ballsy…” Sullivan added. “So, I’ve gotten all the samples I need, the photos are all taken yearning, placing it on the ground and inviting the audition panel to tap dance on it. I’m not one of ‘those’ kids. ‘Those’ kids knew where they were going since they were ten. They charge in, arms ablaze, and tell tales of how they cured AIDS in Africa and started five businesses. In an afternoon.

and it is starting to smell like vomit in here, so I’m gonna go.” The SOCO said, zipping her last bag with an air of finality. She walked out from behind the cheese counter and gave her superiors a middle finger. They accepted the jibe quietly, knowing full well that it was too early to expect politeness when they were being assholes themselves. “I could really go for some maccas.” Wallace whispered. “Closest one’s right down the road, we could get Constable Chunder to grab you something before the traffic ramps up.” “Oh yeah, let’s do it.” Wallace patted her rounded belly serenely, while looking longingly at a piece of oxbloodcoloured parmesan. “You’re a bit gross in the head when you’re pregnant, Wallace.” Sullivan told her. The story was going to be all over the news by midday, and neither of them had any clue where to start. The Casu marzu was a possibility, but both were wary of putting too much time into what might well be a red herring. They both knew their week was going to be consumed with informing next of kin, interviewing his acquaintances and business partners, which was going to be unpleasant and probably boring. “Ey Sulli, Maccas cheese doesn’t count, does it?” Wallace asked him, stomach growling.

I try to count ‘reading books’ as an extracurricular. It doesn’t work. I’m fighting to say what I want even though the last time I did they sewed up my mouth and I am still pulling out the stitches. I’m afraid that the question will not be ‘Will I do well there?”, but

Art and Nerdfighter Literature submissions

The Best Place I’ve Ever Been

The View from 3am Across the alley, the trees are alight, More yellow than green in the humid summer heat And farther on, all is still, though traffic lights Still change, red to green, with no one crossing beneath. The crane in the yard is silent; a wire obelisk in the night, And beneath my balcony, a reckless moth flits too close to the lamp. At the corner, the motorbike that had been parked all day sits, Waiting to be parked all night. It is hungry for a weight on its seat And road beneath its wheels.

By Fanny Dvorkin

Snow Globe Like a snow globe sitting on a shelf. That sparkles and catches your eye. Pick it up and shake it. Flip it over and back over again. The glitter inside floats and and twirls and flies around. And the world inside has been shaken up. The glitter settles. All except a piece or two. And it looks just like before. But the life inside has changed so much. Just because of being shaken.

By Becca Rhodes

“Am I enough?”. But more afraid That the answer will be no. I’m retreating to what I know to avoid getting a backbone because if I whisper what I want then it might grow wings and fly and I would have to chase it.

Foregoing the usual color of blue for a more oily mercury tinge, the Gowanus Canal barely resembles a body of water at all. The nearby cement factories and the local mob use it to store their garbage. Scientists have analyzed the water and found mostly sewage, oil, seaweed, and gonnerhea. The bridge looks hammered together with scrap parts. The paint is chipping away and the floorboards creek for every passing car. It’s not the prettiest of places, but it works just fine for me. By Zach Lennon-Simon I inhaled as hard as I could, but came up blank. “You’re doing it wrong,” Whitney said, “You have to wait till I light it.” I was new at this. The winds were strong and the canal was glistening with used condoms. I didn’t care about the weed. The water doesn’t flow, it oozes. No matter what problems I have, when I go near the canal I just ooze right along with it. It feels more like home than home does. “Uch, this place I swear smells like shit,” she muttered. I pretended for her that the weed did its trick. I never took her back there again. Three years later, I’m on the bridge again, only it’s with Paula. I could stay on that bridge for hours at night with the moon illuminating everything that’s in the water, making it shimmer through all that muck. “So, sex soon?” she asked. She would always ask. She wouldn’t make a sound until we were finished and then Paula would just ask one more question: Pizza or Chinese. I often wondered if it would’ve been more effective to use an eggroll instead of my penis. I asked her if she wanted to dance with me over the wooden floor boards of the bridge. She told me to stop acting weird. I wasn’t acting weird, I was just acting like me. Most

I’m discovering that I might not be able to give up the cranes that hoist up the corners of my mouth and will still need to import my enthusiasm because the factory isn’t operatingall the workers are on strike. I’m choosing change (on purpose).

people can’t look past the sewage. And that’s a damn shame. “Soooo, sex?” she asked again. “Sure, sex.” Six months later we broke up on the same bridge. We stared down at the dead fish in the water. It only took a minute. Sure the Gowanus is shit, but its gorgeous shit. Where other bodies of water sparkle with life, the Gowanus is content to be itself and nothing else. I’m envious of it in that regard. There aren’t many things in the world that can accept what they are and still manage to float on by. The neon sign told us the bridge was closed. “Let’s go,” Kenda said, “I wanna see it.” There was no disagreeing with her, especially when she smiled. So we hurdled over the barricades. We leaned on the faded blue railing and looked at the oily water sparkle under the moonlight. I waited to hear what she thought of this, my favorite spot in the whole damn world. “This place is kind of a shithole,” she said. Then she smiled at me, “But I like it.” She let me spin her as we danced over the canal. Time oozed pass, while we swayed over sewage. We eventually left the bridge for a party, but for me, I don’t think I’ve ever left that moment with Kenda on the bridge.

I’m buying a reality where I can rewrite my choices and pretend high school didn’t count because I wasn’t sure yet. I’m pretending I have an ounce of bravery in my body until it appears. ... any minute now?

By Katie Wegmann

Submit your writing to us at theanglerfishmagazine@ gmail.com! It doesn’t have to be Nerdfighter related, share what you want to share. Have you submitted something and it’s not in The Anglerfish? Don’t worry, we’re probably just saving it for a future issue.

Issue 2 January 2013 | The Anglerfish 37

Art and Literature Nerdfighter submissions

By Edward Long For one of my most favorite movies ever created; Brave. Meant to be in a kind-of folky myth-like art style.

By Edward Long Humanity - With chromosome in hand, a skeletal human dances amongst destruction and chaos of the past Indonesian Tsunami.

By Kirsten Savage The Doctor and Oswin.

Submit your art to us at theanglerfishmagazine@ gmail.com! It doesn’t have to be Nerdfighter related, share what you want to share.

Have you submitted something and it’s not in The Anglerfish? Don’t worry, we’re probably just saving it for a future issue.

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Art and Nerdfighter Literature submissions

By Ariana Filippini Hank and John Green. They were drawn on 3’’X4.5’’ paper with a normal HB (#2) pencil.

By Mia Hoffmann I have a webcomic adaptation of Paper Towns, this is the introduction. http://papertownscomics.tumblr.com/

By Katie Terwilliger Two drawings of her friends Joey and Jack.

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