cB News____issue #1, read all about it Options

[cBNewsStaff]

Members, please do not post any comments in this thread. Any questions/comments/suggestion must be PMed to one of our editors listed in the Editors' Note for your convenience and ours. We will answer your comments accordingly. Again, please do not post any comment in this thread, it will be deleted and you will receive a verbal warning or a raise in your warning level, even face suspension.

Editors’ Notes

This is the first issue of the cB Newletter. The idea of a cB newsletter spawned from and quickly took over a thread entitled “news and announcements” (sorry Justin) in the new feedback subforum. We currently have eight active staff members to bring you cB news and editorials as well as news related to your lives outside of cB.

If you haven’t read our interview about the CreateBlog’s illusive creator--Micron, the review about Transylvania, or Advice Abby’s latest responses, read them and other articles now in our first CreateBlog News publication.

Staff who participated in this issue:
Editors: MarchHare2UrAlice (James), CrackedRearView (Justin), Suddenly She (Ruth), ChasingLife87 (Meli), uninspiredfae (Fae)
Reporters: sadolakced acid (Mr. Acid... erm, Justin), CrackedRearView (Justin), Despise (Brie), Ichigofan (Carolina), allthatglitterss (Grace)
Runner: mzkandi (Kiera)

If you would like to contribute to cB news or join its staff, contact Fae (uninspiredfae) or James (MarchHare2UrAlice)

[cBNewsStaff]

Unveiling: Micron
cB News Staff
June 2005

Ever heard of Micron or Jusun Lee? If you do not already know, they are one and the same. Jusun is Createblog’s lord and master, originator, the creator of this well-populated online community. The cB News team figured through a poll that a lot of you do not know anything about him, quite a number of you probably heard his screen name mentioned once or twice, and a very few of you exchanged words with him. So, we put together an interview for you all to give you a better idea of who Micron is and how cB came about. This is the unveiling of Mr. Createblog.

cBn: How old were you when you started cb?
JL: I started [createblog.com] on December 2003. That would make me 19.

cBn: Why are you so unknown and mysterious to the cB members, or is this
unintentional?
JL: It’s unintentional. I used to be much more active in the earlier days of cB, when it was still called Xangans. I used to interact with members at a regular basis. I remember being pent up in my dorm working on cB, and how I stopped going to my classes for two weeks and ended up missing a midterm.
But these days I try to balance everything: being active in student leadership, spending time with friends, and cB, which usually means I only have time to work on the backend stuff more than anything else. What’s unfortunate is it actually takes quite a lot of time, but most people don’t see it.
I guess another reason I might come off stand-offish is because I like to separate my internet and real life. I rarely talk about what I do online even among my closer friends. For the few that know about cB, they think I’m a hired help, not the guy that started it all. It’s all good. =)

cBn: Does it ever bother you that newer (and some older members) dont know who you are and what a major role you play in running this site?
JL: Not at all. =)

cBn: What made you interested in first creating an online forum?
JL: cB is what is it today not because of individuals, but because of the community as a whole. The forum happens to be an ideal platform to create that community.

cBn: In the history of cB, there have been some fairly dramatic moments... do you worry when a drama crops up?
JL: I’ve been pretty fortunate in that I haven’t been involved in a cB drama.
Like every dedicated student of life should be, I try to learn as much as I can about everything and that includes everything that happens in cB. So, my involvement in cB as an intellectual exercise more than anything else.
Not that its bad to be emotionally involved. In fact, I think it’s healthy to be empathic now and then. I guess I’m just not a very emotional person at all.

cBn: What is your favorite forum[section] of CB?
JL: I go to backstage most often. Sometimes, it’s the only forum I go.

cBn: What is your reaction to the size of cB and the expanse of it today? Was it what you thought it would be when you first started it?
JL: Before starting what is now cB, I shared the idea with a couple of friends, and none of them really saw any potential in it. They reasoned that although people wanted layouts, they wanted personalized and unique ones, not something that everyone could download. Turns out they were dead wrong huh? ;)

cBn: What are your thoughts about Blogring? Do you think the cB community can lower their animosity towards them with proper communication?
JL: I really wish the best for BR. I think a healthy dose of competition brings the best out of people. It fuels innovation. Without BR, we wouldn’t be half the site we are (and going to become).
And I have a lot of respect for Michael (founder of BR). We used to chat regularly. We would talk about our sites, our future plans, and even exchange ideas. I wonder how he's doing these days...

cBn: Do your parents know about your achievements @ CB?
JL: Not really. Haha hmm we're a close family and my parents do know
that I do a lot of web stuff. But I guess I haven’t really talked to
them in detail. I don’t live with my parents. [I] haven’t lived with them since sophomore year in high school, maybe that’s why.

cBn: Over the years have you lost friends because you were busy running CB?
JL: Oh, even without cB. I’m really involved in the student body of my
university. My friends understand.

cBn: Is there a Mrs. Micron, or are we young and unattached?
JL: Young and unattached. I’m not a very committed person.
That means… I’m available girls! If you happen to live in the Binghamton New York area and would like to go on a date with me, you can reach me at 607-555-8956. =)

cBn: Do you have time to have girlfriends?
JL: Haha, what a personal question. I don’t have a girlfriend at the
moment. And close girlfriends tell me I don’t have time to have one.

cBn: How often do you exercise, if at all?
JL: I used to always play sports. In middle school I played for my schools volleyball, basketball, and soccer team, then soccer in high school, making varsity my sophomore year.
I used to be very competitive when it came to sports, but these days I play more for recreational purposes than anything else, time willing. I try to go to the gym at least twice a week.

cBn: What are you studying in college?
JL: I’m a business major, concentration in finance and MIS. I would have been CS (computer science), but when I was applying for college, I read somewhere that there were more CS graduates than jobs made available, so like ever naive freshman, I figured "business" was the way to go.
I’m not so sure if I made the right decision. Mind you, I’ve always had a fascination about the business world, read about Alan Greenspan and the Federal Reserve way back in eighth grade (I read the paper). But these days, the more I read about the finance world, the less it appeals to me. For me, I want to be successful so that I don’t ever have to think or worry about money, but in finance, that’s all you ever do. Boo.
So to be perfectly honest, I’m studying finance, but I don’t have any idea what I want to do after I graduate. I like to think I’m a man in search of a vision. =)

cBn: What kinds of music do you listen to? Do you have a particular genre that you like?
JL: I used to listen to Korean and American R and B. These days, [I listen to] mostly soundtracks and instrumentals.
But I don’t need music. I can live fine without it.

cBn: Do you drink coke or pepsi?
JL: I drink coffee. I don’t have a preference on the two =)

cBn: Have you ever gotten into trouble with the law? If yes, what'd you do?
JL: Nope. Well, two years ago, when I was going home from college orientation, I got stopped for speeding 105 on a 55. Got slapped with four tickets because of it… speeding, reckless driving, no signal when switching lanes, and tail-gaiting.
I never mailed back the tickets, never showed up in court. These past two years I drove thinking I was driving on a suspended license. Well, turns out that its not, or at least I think its not. Recently I lost my wallet, so I went to the DMV to reissue my license, and they didn’t say anything about it. [I] was too scared to ask.

cBn: What other websites do you own or planning to own/start?
JL: http://www.jusunlee.com/vpma/index.php?links

cBn: Last question-What advice do you give to upcoming web
designers/computer nerds =D?
JL: Hmm be dedicated and persistent =) but I guess that would apply to
anyone.

cB: And last but not least, eye candy for members. Enjoy!

[cBNewsStaff]

A Culture Without Death
Justin [Sadolakced Acid]
06|01|05

Let's face it. Americans are apathetic of death. Hundreds of thousands of people can die, and all Americans do is throw money at it, or pretend help. Americans fail to realize each one of those numbers is a life. And not only a life, it was a hope, it was plans, it was loved ones, it was jokes among friends.

2,986. A number. A big number. The number of people killed in the September 11th attacks. We, a culture, look at that number and think, “gosh that's a lot of people”. We try to imagine: "hmm... that's two large high school's worth of people". We try to visualize it, with sticks in a lawn, or candles at a vigil. We count it out, in paperclips, jelly beans, and names.

Yet 2,986 is more than a number. It is not a casualty count. It is Christine Lee Hanson, age 2, from Groton, MA who was on UA flight 175. It is David Reed Gamboa Brandhorst, age 3, from Los Angeles, CA, also on flight 175. It is Dana Falkenberg, age 3, from University Park, MD, on AA flight 77. It is Juliana Valentine McCourt, age 4, from New London CT, on UA flight 175.

These are the first four 'casualties' when the list of 'casualties' is view by age, starting with the youngest. To see the rest, go to the CNN september 11th memorial .

2,986 is not just a number. Christine Lee Hanson is not just 'casualty number one'. She might have been a girl who liked barbies. Perhaps she was flying to see her grandparents.

Maybe it is because we call deaths 'casualties' that we have come to have such a casual attitude about it. Each number of that 2,986 is a person. Dreams that will never be dreamed again. Jokes that no one will hear. Each number is a casket, a tombstone. It is a funeral, with family. Number one is not number one, she is Christine. She had a life to live. Number one is more than just the first death. It is a first day of school that will never happen. It is a first date that will never show up. It is a driver's license that never gets issued. It is a prom dress that never gets worn. It is a possibility, gone.

We, as humans, write off death as something that happens. If we were to realize the magnitude of each death, we would not be able to survive. Yet, we Americans have, as a country, gone too far. We use 2,986 photos, 2,986 bricks, or 2,986 names to try to remind us. Yet this makes it a number. We need to remember, it's a first visit from the tooth fairy that will never come. That is what a death means. It is a life that will never be lived.

Today we look at the headlines; 9 killed in car bomb, 22 injured. Now look at it again. See behind the numbers. See who the numbers are. They are 9 tables that will have empty chairs tonight at dinner. They are 22 people who cannot play soccer, or basketball, or make a clay pot.

So today, when you look at the numbers, remember that they are not just numbers. They are lives that will never be lived, ice creams that will never be bought, stories that will never be told. Remember: they are not just numbers.


This article was inspired by Justin's (crackedrearview) thread in the debate forum.
A Culture Without Death ©2005 Sadolakced Acid

[cBNewsStaff]

Education System Losing its Luster
Justin Abbott
June 2005

1957 was an important year. Gloria Estefan, Spike Lee, and Osama bin Laden took their first breaths. Arthur Laurents’ West Side Story made its debut on Broadway, the Civil Rights crisis reached a record high with the barring of black students from Central High in Little Rock, and the Russians launched Sputnik 1. This 184-lb satellite was the cause of mass hysteria and irrational paranoia in the United States for decades to come.

Such paranoia led to the opportunities given to people like Donna Hobbs of the Blue Valley Unified School District in Overland Park, Kansas. First attendant for prom queen in 1957 and valedictorian of the senior class of ’58, Mrs. Hobbs now teaches English in the Kansas education system. “It was a different time then,” she said, “girls were discouraged from doing anything other than flaunting around in cheerleader uniforms.” Hobbs, a 30-year veteran of the education system has nothing but praise for her generation, however. “Not to say that the cheerleader uniforms weren’t fabulous, but I did want a little more out of myself. It seems like after the Russians launched that ‘shooting star’, as all the backwoods Kansas farmers called it, I was set to go educationally.”

School districts across the nation began requiring students to take courses on trigonometry and calculus, physics courses, advanced literature courses, and even Latin and other foreign languages, a completely novel curricular requirement to American students. Hobbs recalls being required to read, unlike the seniors of years before, Voltaire’s Candide, and Joyce’s Dubliners, which aren’t necessarily your basic Dr. Seuss. The demoralizing point behind this is that it took paranoia to incite an interest in higher education for America’s youth.

Perhaps the paranoia should have persisted. One look at the Blue Valley School District’s literature curriculum nearly brings Hobbs to tears. “Our seniors only have to read Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis, and Albert Camus’ The Stranger, write a term paper, and listen up in class, and they have an A in an Advanced Placement Literature class. It disgusts me.” The same applies in math, civics, psychology, and most science classes, all of which rarely make it through the entire curriculum, and even less of the text book.

Another uncomforting notion comes when we see that this is only one example in a vast pool of examples. What will it take to get students reading Voltaire and Joyce once more? When will students leave high school knowing the practical functions of trigonometry and calculus? We certainly haven’t had a drought in the way of tragedy.

Perhaps another Cold War might do the trick.

[cBNewsStaff]

Fledgling Forum Takes Flight
James Hastings [MarchHare2UrAlice]
June 2005

By this point, any frequent poster on CreateBlog ought to have heard the now legendary (or infamous, depending who you ask) CB Revolution. Rarely in the history of CB has one thread provoked so much controversy and heated words. However, many members have failed to appreciate fully the greatest accomplishment achieved by the revolution: the Feedback forum.

As the number one priority for those supporting the proposed reforms which were being laid out in the thread, the new forum was quickly implemented, much to the delight of members who previously had no way to gain strong support for any ideas they may have had about improvements to CB. The idea proved an immediate success, and now has 34 threads, from which have stemmed positive action regarding a policy on Birthday Threads, updating the member names and contact info, and an ongoing debate about subforums for the often cluttered Picture Forum.

Also, it is fair to say that the reformation of the modding system, would never have got off the ground were it not for the initial dissatisfaction expressed in the revolution thread, and the subsequent debates within the Feedback Forum, after the most recent batch of new staff members was announced.

With all this being the case, it is apparent that, with the support and efforts of moderators and regular members alike, the Feedback Forum has established itself already as an important part of what makes CreateBlog run smoothly, and I am sure I’m not alone when I say I cannot wait to see what the minds of CreateBloggers, produce next!

[cBNewsStaff]

Featured Poem
June 2005

We select a poem every issue from the poetry submissions thread . This is not a poetry contest to find the best poem or poet--we choose poems that convey the meaning we wish to feature. Poems submitted always remain in consideration.

This issue's featured poem is:

Ill Miss You
by dispn0ygonekrazy

i walked away from you and left u to cry
i cant forgive myself for saying goodbye
im thinkin to myself how i did you wrong
ive been so lonely now that your gone
missing you so much i cant sleep at night
keep going back to that day when i held u tight
i knew from that moment it had to be true
your the girl i love, baby ill always love you
ill always remember your smile and your sweetest kiss
the girl who made me laugh, your the one i'll miss
if i could id rather be by your side
ill kiss away all the tears you've already cried
i know i cant be with you cuz things wont be the same
the only thing that keeps me alive, is living through your pain

Ill Miss You ©2005 dispn0ygonekrazy

featured poem ©2005 cb news staff

[cBNewsStaff]

Album review: Transylvania 90210 - Songs of Death, Dying, and the Dead by Wednesday 13.
Brie [Despise]
June 2005

For those of you that enjoyed either The Murderdolls or The Frankenstein Drag Queens, you'll surely want to check out Wednesday 13's lastest album, Transylvania 90210 - Songs of Death, Dying, and the Dead.

This album is remarkably different from his past albums and past bands. Sure, he is still into the drag queen scene and he is still all about the zombies, but this album is quite different. You'll notice the change as soon as you put the album in your player. Wednesday 13, formally known as Joseph Poole, apparently decided to branch out and progress a little bit. He branched out of the glam metal scene a bit. He seemed to get in touch with his black metal roots a bit more in this album.

Here's a play-by-play on this songs of the album:

1) "Post Mortem Boredom" -- The introduction to the album at a mere fifty-seven seconds certainly sets the mood. Eerie bells clang at the beginning of the track with a staticy record noise coming about every few seconds. Then a voice comes on, warning the listeners about the album. Personally, I think this is an excellent introduction. It leads right into the next song perfectly. Also, it sets the mood wonderfully. I rate this track an 8.5 out of 10

2) "Look What the Bats Dragged In" -- Using an old phrase and altering the words to fit the genre, Wednesday and his crew blast out with a catchy tune. There is a pretty decent guitar solo halfway through the song. Like I previously stated with the introduction, it comes out of it perfectly. So far so good when it comes to smooth transactions. Overall, I rate this track an 8 out of 10.

3) "I Walked With a Zombie" -- This is definitely the most catchy track on the album. It starts out very upbeat. Wednesday and his scratchy style of vocals set it perfectly for the upcoming chorus. After listening to this track, you're sure to be walking around repeating, "I walked with a zombie" in a sing-song style. This isn't really a personal favorite of mine, but nonetheless, I rate this song a 6 out of 10.

4) "Bad Things" -- This is probably my favorite on here, but that is just me. This song is pretty classy. It basically talks about how much he dislikes a person or persons and wishes they were dead. Then it leads into a catchy and traditional chorus. Overall, the actual music of this particular song is very good. The lead guitar has a nice solo a little over a minute into it. I would rate this song a 9 out of 10.

5) "House by the Cemetery" -- This track starts out eerie, with the traditional creaking of a door and a scream. Are you starting to think of Halloween just yet? This track is definitely enjoyable. This particular song may get those in the religious fields complaining. Part of it goes like this: "I hear the devil and he's calling me, in the house by the cemetery, ghouls and creeps f***ing gather around, for the evil that's going down, get down!" Overall, I would have to rate this song a 7.5 out of 10.

6) "God is a Lie" -- This is an exceptional track. With a more mellow chorus, this track has a few lines that will get stuck in your head very easily. There is a nicely written guitar part at the end of this track. This song has a different vibe to it. There is more singing in this rather than screaming or any other form of that. Overall, I'd have to say that this track gets a 7 out of 10.

7) "Haunt Me" -- This track starts out very eerie as well. You hear the wind howling, a maniacal cackle. Also, it is a bit quieter in the introduction. It isn't quiet for long, however. The next thing you hear is a guitar ripping out part of the soon-to-be chorus. The vocal style in this is very unique. I like it quite a bit. Some may find it depressing or strange, but I find it unique and interesting. This track gets an 8 out of 10.

8) "Transylvania 90210" -- Yet another windy track. Wednesday starts it out by whispering and speaking about how the "gods gave him his own TV show, and they called it 'Transylvania 90210'," hence the title of the album. This is a decent track. It starts out a bit slow. Some may find that boring, but some may find that interesting. I find it unique. It gets a little boring if you listen to it too much, though, of course. I'd have to say that this track gets a 7 out of 10.

9) "I Want You....Dead" -- Cynical much? That phrase is repeated a lot during this track by both Wednesday and his back-up singers. It gets a tad bit repetitive, but the interesting music and unique style of the backing vocals certainly makes up for that minor flaw. At the end of this track, the music appears to sound 'broken up' or even a little bit distorted. This track gets a 7.5 out of 10.

10) "Buried By Christmas" -- Wednesday starts out basically singing about how he didn't behave for Santa Claus this year. The phrase, "I'll be buried by Christmas" is repeated many times for the chorus. After the choruses, Wednesday talks about what he would actually like for Christmas, and then he sends his wishes to Santa, which aren't exactly positive wishes. I am giving this track an 8 out of 10.

11) "Elect Death For President" -- Ahh, another personal favorite of mine. The track starts out with an awesome bass part and some light drumming. Then a voice comes on encouraging us to elect 'death' to be the next president. Next, Wednesday comes on basically doing the same thing. The song is encouraging us to elect 'death' to be the next president. There is a unique saxophone part during the chorus. This track is very decent. It's catchy, but not necessarily in an annoying way. The bass and saxophone in this track are exceptional. I give this track a 9.5 out of 10.

12) "Rot For Me" -- This is another interesting track. It starts out eerie once again, with the noise of someone wretching. There is almost a subliminal whisper done by Wednesday and then the regular vocals come about. The drumming in this track is very well done. Very decent. The drumming is probably my favorite part. I will give this track an 8 out of 10.

13) "The Ghost of Vincent Price" -- The introduction contains a lot of eerie synthesizer noises and some traditional drumming. At just over five minutes long, that makes this track the longest on the album. Wednesday talks about hanging out with the ghost of Vincent Price during this track. There isn't really anything in this track that makes it stand out a whole lot, so I will give this one a rating of 7 out of 10.

14) "A Bullet Named Christ" -- This one starts out slowly and melodically. There is a nice piano part, and then you hear some whispering. It's somewhat eerie, but also very melodic at the same time. What a wonderful way to wrap up a great album. The singing is very slow, but the message is clear: they're not going anywhere anytime soon. I give this track a 7.5 out of 10. What a great way to end this album.

Overall, I give the album itself an 8.5 out of 10. It is very, very well done. It shows that Wednesday and his crew put a lot of work into this. They wanted to make it different, and they certainly succeeded at that.

If you're into The Murderdolls and possibly even Cradle of Filth, you should give this album a shot.

[cBNewsStaff]

Advice Abby
Abby
May 2005

The cB News team was able to convince Advice Abby to feature her responses on our newsletter. Please continue to email her your problems/concerns. The only change is all responses will be published in our publication. Thanks Abby!

May 29th,2005
Dear Abby,
Last year I liked this guy and he liked me but we never attempted to go out. Recently he told me that he is BI and is going out with a guy. At first I was sad but then I realized that he deserves to be happy so I tried to move on but I can’t. Yesterday, I hanged out with him and a whole group [of friends]. One of the guys that was in the group asked me out in front of my friends and I said yes. After we came home, The guy I was recently crushing on [Adrian] called me and told me that he doesn’t want me to go out with him
[Clincy] because "he’s not the right guy for me" I am soo confused. Does he still like me? I think I still like him but I don’t want to tell him. Should I tell him? I’m soooo confused please HELP!!!!
Sincerely,
Carolina

Dear Carolina,
He might still like you, but he could also just be a good friend that is concerned. Maybe he knows more about the Clincy guy than you do and he just wants to protect you.
I'm not exactly sure if he still likes you. Like I said, he could just be trying to be a good friend, but he could also still have feelings for you. Maybe it's a bit of both.
My advice would be to ask Adrian about it. Ask him about Clincy and see if he has any facts to support his previous statement. If he doesn't, then he just might have feelings for you in 'that' way. If he has some facts to support his statement, then it could go either way.
You should probably confront Adrian and see if he likes you as well. It's hard to tell even if he has facts to support the statement or not.
I think you should confront Adrian and see if he still likes you before you tell him that you still like him.
Best of luck to you! I hope everything goes the way it should.
Sincerely,
Abby

May 30th, 2005
Dear Abby,
I'm so confused. I know this "guy", and he's my brother's friend. We've lived near him for about 6 years...until I moved (darn parents!!). Before our move, he came over my house once in a while, playing 13 cards, and having fun. He was REALLY sweet to me, not like my brother's other friends -_-. Then I saw him at this arcade/casino, and he was, again, sweet. Ever since I moved, I kinda realized how much I miss him. All the boys I use to know, and still know are real real pain-in-the-butts. So one day when my bro
(who has no clue about anything), gave me his SN, you can say I bugged him for it. I imed him, and he was like acting like he didn't even want to know me ("where did you get my sn?"—mai bro, "whyyyy"--*made up a wierd excuse*). I'm afraid to ask him out !! When I i-med him for the first time, I practically had to turn off the monitor, the sounds, and shut my eyes and ears >_< like it was going to bite my head off. I'm the shyest thing on earth... and even if I ask him out, long-distance (close-by town) relationships don’t work, do they? What I'm scared of the most is, going out, then when we break up we can't be friends anymore. I don't no what to do !! ... I kind of sometimes cry, because I know
I'll never find anyone like him again...=[
Can you help me Abby ?? please and thank you for reading =]

Dear Unnamed,
Good Question.. Tough one. Well, first of all it’s really hard to go out with one of your siblings’ friends let alone have a long distance relationship at the same time. Another thing is, are you really ready to have a boyfriend. It seems from your description that you guys just hung out as PALS and that you guys didn’t really talk about personal things.
Sometimes I feel the same way, When I meet a great guy but I’m too shy to ask him out or He just doesn’t like me I feel like I’ll never be able to love but then somehow I find another guy to crush on and I move on. There will always be someone out there for you but it’s your job to break out of your shell and be open to new experiences just as long as your responsible about it- don’t be acting like a slut just because it gets you closer with a guy and it gives you better chances of being with him. I think your brothers friend and You should just be friends, and you never know he might have cute guy friends that you might want to crush on =D and since you move you’ll meet a variety of guys so, don’t worry.. I hope my advice helped you.
PS//When you IMed him he might of just have been mad at the fact that your brother gave you his s/n I know that I wouldnt want someone IMing me that I didnt give my s/n to. Dont stress it you probably caught him by surprise.
Sincerely,
Abby