cB News____issue #3, August 2005 Options

[cBNewsStaff]

Members, please do not post any comments in this thread. Any questions/comments/suggestions, may either be PMed to one of our editors, listed in the editors' notes for both your convenience and ours, or posted in the issue 3 discussion thread; we will respond to your comments accordingly. Again, please do not post any comments in this thread; they will be deleted and you will either receive a verbal warning or a raise in your warning level - you may even face suspension.

Editors’ Notes

As always, we would like to take this time to thank our readers that encourage us to keep this newspaper consistent, by PM, viewing regularly, and applying. We hope all our readers understand how hard we are working to bring cB News to createBlog. Even with school starting, a few of our team members gave extra effort to write more than one article required of them to bring you all this excellent third issue. Though we've pulled through in the past two publications together, this issue truly says a lot about our team work.

If you are interested in joining our news team, feel free to apply; we always welcome more help! If you enjoy journalism and want to become more involved in the createBlog community, please fill out an an application form; if you feel uncomfortable with your application open to the public, please PM your application to either Fae (uninspiredfae) or James (Marchhare2UrAlice). Please note that we are currently not looking for editors; other than that, we welcome all applicants!

If you would like to be featured in future issues, feel free to send us a letter to the editor; please PM the letter, no more than 250 words, to this account (cBNewsStaff). We will consider all for publication in a new "letters to the editor" section, and we reserve the right to edit for content and clarity. Your cB username will be included if your letter is chosen for publication, so be careful who you offend! In any case, please enjoy our third issue of the createBlog news!

- The cB News Team

Administrators: Fae [uninspiredfae], James [MarchHare2UrAlice]
Editors: Anna [Azarel], Justin [CrackedRearView], Ruth [suddenly she]
Runners: Kiera [mzkandi], Sidney [ItzOnlySydney]

(Note: Recent additions to the cB News Team are not listed.)

Table of Contents
01 Editors' Notes
02 Unveiling: krnxswat- cB News Staff
03 The Push for a News Archive - cB News Staff
04 The First cB Debate Competition - cB News Staff
05 Xanga of the Month: July 2005 - Ruth [suddenly she]
06 Unneccessary Rap Battles - Radhika [not_your_average]
07 YOU'RE Hosted? - Sammi [headphones]
08 The Celebration Has Been Cancelled - Justin [CrackedRearView]
09 School of Thought Scores - Justin [sadolakced acid]
10 College Tips - Fae & Anna [uninspiredfae & Azarel]
11 Not Your Parents' Rock 'n' Roll - Ashley [antix10_kos]
12 Summer Concerts: Warped Tour, Ozzfest, & Sounds of the Underground - Brie [Despise]
13 Album Review: In Between Dreams - Anna [Azarel]
14 Featured Films - Anna [Azarel]
15 Featured Poem- cB News Staff
16 Advice Abby - "Abby"

[cBNewsStaff]

Unveiling: krnxswat
cB News Staff
August 2005

Unveiling: krnxswat

If you don't know who Seon Ho is, or don't know that krnxswat is Seon Ho, you've probably been living under a rock – or you may just be a new member. In any case, he's one of createBlog's first members (number nine, to be exact), one of cB's two advisors, and also a past staff member and admin. It's likely that many deem him unapproachable because he mainly just posts up pictures of himself and insults others, but, hopefully, this interview will change your opinion of him.

cBn: Easy questions first: how do you pronounce your name?
SH: Sun Hoe.

cBn: It's been rumored that you plan on legally changing your name to "Sean" because people seemingly can not pronounce your name correctly; is it a valid rumor?
SH: I don’t know how that rumor started about, but, as far as I’m concerned, the answer is no; however, I wouldn’t mind changing my name but it’s way too big of a hassle. (Quick funny story: a phone conversation that took place a couple of months ago.

Me: Hello, is John there?
Person: Hello, yes, hold on. Who’s this?
Me: Seon Ho
Person: Excuse me?
Me: Seon Ho
Person: What?
Me: Sean
Person: Oh, okay. Hold on.

cBn: You've certainly made people's eyes pop, mouths water, and we can also guess that many have turned green with jealousy - face it, a number of cBers are in love with your body, especially in the pictures of you in a towel, taken after a shower. Do you have any reactions/feelings towards our adoration?
SH: Most of the time, I’m just flattered, and thrilled in a way.

cBn: We all know that every time there is a member photos thread you post in it; would you consider yourself a "camwhore"?
SH: Unfortunately, and as much I’d hate to admit it, yes.

cBn: Now, in some of your pictures that you've posted of yourself, you're seen strumming a guitar. How long have you been playing guitar, and what sort of music do you like to play? Do you play any other instruments?
SH: I’ve been playing guitar for about almost two years. I am the praise team leader for my church’s youth group so I enjoy playing Christian music; however, I’m also open to a lot of secular songs (e.g. John Mayer, Eric Clapton, Extreme, etc).

cBn: In our last issue, you were voted "most popular male," and, without a doubt, most members either know you or know of you. Approximately how many people do you actually associate with outside of the forums?
SH: Surprisingly, zero. I used to converse with a few people outside of the forums (such as uninspiredfae, Anna, and Sammie).

cBn: You were also voted one of two of cB's "best looking males"; how often do members approach you about your "hotness"? How do you respond?
SH: Not often. Just a few thousand times a day? Haha just kidding. I don’t know. I don’t really find myself “good looking” so I just get flattered when people IM me “oMg uRe sO hoT” (and get a little annoyed by the way they type).

cBn: Another category you were voted in superlatives was 'best male photographer; we've all seen your photography, which has graced the pictures forum; - how long have you been taking photos? What camera do you use? Any advice for prospective photographers?
SH: I’ve been taking pictures for a about one year? Maybe a little more than that? No idea. I use my friend’s and my sister’s camera….(don’t know the model names, sorry).

cBn: Are you considering a career in photography, or is it just a hobby?
SH: Nope. I believe I’m not good enough approach into that particular field. I just love pictures. The ability to capture a single moment of something, whether it be good or bad, and just cherish that memory for life.

cBn: Do you participate in any sports, either in or out of school? How often do you exercise? How long have you been working out, and what advice would you give to your followers? Care to share your routine with other members?
SH: I used to (note: used to) be actively engaged in all types of sports in school (e.g. Wrestling, Spring Track, Winter Track, Cross Country, Swimming) but, unfortunately, I have gotten lazy over the years and eventually stopped participating in school sports. I play basketball, soccer, volleyball, with my friends outside of school. I exercise everyday? Or at least I try to. I’ve been working out for about two – three years? I started doing pushups every night since 6th grade but I started working out with real weights beginning of sophomore year. Honestly, I don’t know what advice to give because I don’t know much about working out either, but I can say this: keep it consistent. About my routine.. (this is a long question-_-), sorry to burst your bubbles, I have no routine! I just do whatever I feel like doing that day. Haha.

cBn: How much can you bench?
SH: Not much. 225 when I was at my peak? I don’t know about now, though.

cBn: How long did it take for you to get your muscles?
SH: No idea. I think I’m just naturally fit. I had six packs ever since I was little!

cBn: We've noticed (it'd be hard not to) that the attitude of your posts have changed drastically since cB was first formed. What brought on the transformation of easy-going Seon Ho to bluntly/(brutally)-honest Seon Ho?
SH: Honestly, cB was getting very boring for me, as well as other’s I’m sure. As some of you may know, I’ve been an Administrator twice before. I just got tired of listening to people’s complaints, whines, and not being able to say the things I want just because of the fact that I am an administrator and that I should be a leading example to the community. I thought cB could be a little more interesting if I started acting blunt and brutal. Because, sadly enough, people love drama, and drama equals conflict; therefore, people love conflicts. That’s what gets them to type www.createblog.com/forums into that address bar. In addition, I got irritated and annoyed by how many users say stuff they don’t really mean just because they feel obligated to, or just to kiss ass. Say what’s on your mind. The truth.

cBn: Do you care that certain members take your "honesty" so seriously to the point that they're genuinely offended? Do you act in the same manner offline?
SH: People shouldn’t get so serious an uptight, especially about the things I say, online. However, I feel real bad when the people I always make fun of are still nice to me, haha. Offline, I’m totally different. I consider myself to be a pretty nice, and down to earth guy (actually come to think of it.. I’m only like that on cB).

cBn: How did you first meet Jusun (micron)? Do you two still talk on a regular basis? How would you describe your friendship?
SH: I first met him through our parents. Because both of our parents are deeply involved in ministry (his dad a missionary in China, and my dad a pastor). He attended my church for a couple of years. Moreover, his brother and him used to live at my house for about two years? He’s a real cool guy (good looking, too!).

cBn: How much time, daily, do you spend on cB on average, and what are your duties as an advisor, if any?
SH: I just stop by a couple of times throughout the day, or just when I’m bored. My visits don’t last that long, 10 minutes max? As an advisor, I should be helping out with current members if they are having any troubles as staff members, because I personally have been in a staff, super moderator, and an administrator before so I know what each and one of them goes through.

cBn: Out of the staff at createBlog, who stands out to you? How so?
SH: Christina (Just_Dream) just because she is so darn nice (not to mention, has a real darn cute voice), Xquizit just because she’s so awesome and bold, and I admire her for that, Fae (uninspiredfae) for being so intellectual and rational.

cBn: It's not evident in your posts and this may be news to some members, but you are, and we mean this in the most loving way possible, a fob; when did you move you to the U.S.? Are you fluent in Korean?
SH: Haha, hey. :( I don’t consider myself a fob..? Nor a twinkie. I think I’m somewhere between. Anywho, when I was little I moved to New Jersey for 2 1/2 years, then moved back to Korea (yes, South) for 2 1/2 years, and finally permanently moved to New York, where I currently reside, 8 years ago. I’m fluent in both languages (English and Korean). (I take Spanish at school as well!)

cBn: If you could bring any person back from the dead for one day, who would you choose and why?
SH: My grandmother. She practically raised me ever since I was a little baby. Unfortunately, she passed away while I was in New York (she was in Korea). It just hurt me knowing that I haven’t seen her in about 8 years, and I really wanted to show her how much I’ve grown and matured, and thank her for everything she’s done and sacrificed for me.

cBn: And, as it seems to have become a trademark closing of the unveiling, do you have advice, not only prospective designers, but, collectively, for members of cB?
SH: Never be scared to take chances and make mistakes. It’s from mistakes that we grow, learn, and improve. Life is all about taking chances. You have no idea how many opportunities you miss out when you don’t (take chances).

[cBNewsStaff]

The Push for a News Archive
cB News Staff
August 2005

The Push for a News Archive

With the establishment of the monthly createBlog newspaper, the problem of archiving previously published issues has arisen, and the paper's staff has discussed a number of different solutions to organize past issues. Potential quick fixes include the creation of a "news" subforum under the news and announcements forum or the writing subforum as well as offsite createBlog newspaper (cBn) archives, hosted either as a cbstaff.com subdomain or as an independent site.

However, each of the suggestions proves to provide challenges, which must be overcome. Most of the proposals challenge the purpose of the paper - traffic would be diverted from the writing forum, and, thus, directly detracting from one of the initial aims of the newspaper. A “news” subforum under news and announcements would certainly sate the curiosity of these members who have been wondering about the name, while a subforum under writing would proceed to clutter the interests subforums even further. Offsite archives threaten to drive up bandwidth costs as well as go offline whenever servers go out.

In any case, one thing is sure: until an archiving solution can be unanimously agreed upon by cBn staff, administrators, and Jusun (micron), previous cBn issues will slowly, but surely, slip into the last, and forgotten pages of the writing forum.

[cBNewsStaff]

The First cB Debate Competition
cB News Staff
August 2005

The First cB Debate Competition

Calling all debators:

The createBlog news staff has decided to hold a competition for the title of createBlog's top debator. If you think you've got what it takes to hold the title of champion, sign up now!

A topic will be presented to you upon being approved, and you will judged by four fellow debators: Justin (sadolakced acid), James (kryogenix), Fae (uninspiredfae), and Justin (CrackedRearView). Scoring will be based on your knowledge of facts, your reasoning skills, and your presententation of your argument; participants in the competition who exert lack of respect for the debate and other competitors disqualified.

Judges will pick a debate champion among the participants.. Every two months thereafter, participate in a debate to defend your champion status! Eventually, a surprise debate round among all former champions will declare who is cB's ULTIMATE debate champion!

Please PM Fae (uninspiredfae) or Justin (sadolakced acid) to sign up! The deadline for applicants is the end of August. Any and all applicants should be regular participants in the debate forum - cBn has all right to reject any prospective participants. The debate will be held on a separate forum, away from createBlog, which all applicants will be informed of after finalization of the competition.

[cBNewsStaff]

Xanga of the Month: July 2005
Ruth [suddenly she]
August 2005

Xanga of the Month: July 2005

Xanga of the Month is one of createBlog's awards; it is a contest hosted by createBlog in search of the best xanga layout. CreateBlog members check out xangas, looking for ones that are the best designed, most unique, and most original. Monthly winners also are also given a chance to be showcased as the Xanga of the Year.

This month's cBn issue features a brief interview with the July XotM winner: Fragrance. We figured by asking her about her design history and other sorts of general things, some of you prospective winners could be able to improve upon your skills. To view the July XotM winner's xanga, click here!

cBn: When did you become interested in design?
Fragrance: Actually createBlog (it was cbstaff.com at the time) was the thing that seriously sparked my interest in design. I had AsianAvenue and stuff like when I was 13 and I'd do some minor designs, but I was not as serious with it as I am now.

cBn: What got you interested?
Fragrance: I guess it was more of an inspiration than interest. Seeing how creative I could get, for FREE.. man that did it for me!

cBn: How long did your current layout take to create?
Fragrance: It took forever, maybe three days max. 2 days for the vexel (it's my first attempt at a vexel) and the rest took a long, long time. 140+ layers.

cBn: What programs do you usually use?
Fragrance: Good ol' Adobe Photoshop 7.

cBn: What advice would you give to budding designers?
Fragrance: Make use of your resources (but never abuse them), EXPERIMENT on your own because thats when you get your most rewarding outcomes, let other people's creations inspire you but never steal them, and know that it takes a lot of time, patience, and practice. Develop your own style so that you can grow as a designer rather than sticking to the usual junk like most people do. In other words: BE UNIQUE!

[cBNewsStaff]

Unneccessary Rap Battles
Radhika Raman [not_your_average]
08|03|05

Unneccessary Rap Battles

Go through the writing subforum located under interests. Now look at the topics; half of them are titled, "My rap. Possible diss," or something like it. I used to love posting in the writing forum. Now, as I look through the mindless and poorly written raps, I think to myself, "What has become of this once awesome forum?"

When I enter the writing forum, I expect a poem or short story that says something to me. I expect something to stir my emotions or proclaim a political stance. However, a rap battle does not do any of that for me; the only point of a rap battle is to feed the writer's ego and bring the other rapper down.

It distresses me to see horrible litter one of the few decent forums on createBlog; what makes me extremely mad is the fact that there are amazingly gifted writers on createBlog whose work that once used to garner tons of praise is now being left in the dust. All of our once-constructive criticism has turned to member-bashing and petty arguments in the rap-battle threads. Is this what the writing forum is supposed to be? Absolutely not.

Our paper, createBlog news, was supposed to bring attention to the writing forum at the time it was created; I never thought once that I would have to write this piece since the writing forum used to be so intelligent and thoughtful. Now, people who didn't even know that we had a writing forum are posting rap battles in it like they own the forum.

I understand that battling is a huge part of rap; however, if you wish to have a rap battle, don't trash the writing forum with your childish disses. The writing forum is for inspirational short stories and poems, not dumbed-down rap battles. If we don't get this message out soon enough, eventually, the writing forum will become the Rap Battle forum.

©2005, not_your_average.

[cBNewsStaff]

YOU'RE Hosted?
Sammi R. [headphones]
August 2005

YOU'RE Hosted?

In today's modern web design community, there's a lot more people than there used to be, even a year ago. Kids are getting into web design as young as 8 years old and the competition is getting more and more tense. However, along with younger web designers come younger and more inexperienced hosts and prospects. Nowadays, it's extremely easy to get hosted on a smaller, less popular domain, or even just your friend's domain. More people have domains now than ever before.

It used to be difficult to get hosted. More talented and experienced designers owned the domains that lent out hosting, so they only accepted whom they thought was skilled enough to associate with. One had to work their way up the status scale in the community, starting out on a less popular domain, if one could even get there; not just anyone could be hosted. Then one would gradually get up to the most popular, respected domains with the top of the crop. It was quite difficult to receive a respected recommendation, and people would get kicked off domains if they didn't turn out to be proficient enough.

Nowadays, young kids at the ages most of the more popular and well-known designers first began are buying domains themselves. Domain owners have to teach new web designers how to code actual sites. Basically, anyone can get hosted in today's world. It no longer requires hard work and diligence to get hosted, especially in a new domain.

Things have changed, and people are definitely taking advantage of this new feel in the community, at many others' despair.

[cBNewsStaff]

The Celebration Has Been Cancelled
Justin Abbott [CrackedRearView]
08|04|05

The Celebration Has Been Cancelled



For decades, Cuba has faced adversity; from crime, poverty, and dictatorship to poor education, lackluster healthcare, and dismal economic opportunity, the Cuban culture has had a full serving of misfortune. However, underneath all of the island nation’s problems lies a rich, untainted, and passionate heritage; when Columbus arrived in Cuba, the aforementioned passion was prominent. The Carib Indians fascinated Columbus with their poise and guile in creating ‘batos’, a derivation of modern day baseball. In 1878, the foundation for one of the most successful sports organizations in history was established.

The Cuban national baseball league, also known as ‘pelota revolucionaria’ (which was founded two years after the United States’ American League, and 22 years prior to its’ National League), provided a sixty-year haven for black players who were barred from American professional play. It is a common misconception that the most epic interracial baseball battles were fought in national treasures like Yankee Stadium and Fenway Park, when Havana’s 55,000-seat Estadio Latinoamericano has pitted some of the greatest white American baseball players (Ty Cobb, for instance) against the likes of former Cuban stars John Henry Lloyd, “Homerun” Johnson, and Bruce Petway (all of whom outplayed Cobb, the American League batting champion, in 1910). The trend of 100 years ago has remained constant, as some of Major League Baseball’s best players hail from Cuba. In fact, Rafael Palmeiro, of Havana, recently took his place as one of the greatest players that ever lived.

On July 15th, the Baltimore Orioles’ “Raffy” smacked his 3,000th hit, taking his place in the very exclusive “Club” comprised of just 26 men, among baseball legends like Willie Mays, Honus Wagner, and George Brett. President Bush even called him directly in the dugout to offer praise on this sweet victory. But to say that his entrance into the 3,000 Hit Club was Palmeiro’s sweetest piece of cake would be a blatant lie. The real treat was served when he entered a more prestigious group. Palmeiro joins “Hammerin’” Hank Aaron, “Say Hey” Willie Mays, and “Steady Eddie” Murray as only the fourth player in history to record 3,000 hits and 500 homeruns in a single career. With his son videotaping and 47,000 of the Seattle Mariners’ fans offering a standing ovation at Safeco Field, Palmeiro established himself as one of the greatest players ever. However, the sweetness was entirely short-lived.

March of 2005 was a strange month. Several of Major League Baseball’s current and former all-stars, such as Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Curt Schilling, and Rafael Palmeiro, were summoned to Capitol Hill to testify to Congress under oath regarding former or current use of performance-enhancing steroids. Following the hearings, MLB commissioner Bud Selig implemented a strict policy on testing for steroid use under the punishment of suspension. Not only was this a novel experience for the players, the responses were surprising as well. Pointing his finger at the commission, and, with a seriousness parallel to Bill Clinton’s during his impeachment trial, Palmeiro stated clearly, “I have never used steroids. I do not know how to make it any clearer. Never.” Following this testimony, it seemed as though Palmeiro was ready to begin the regular season with a clear sky. However, as of August 1st, it seems as though a cloud of shame will loom over him far longer than his 10-game suspension. Even more startling is Palmeiro’s newest response to the positive test, which takes most of the characteristics of his first.

“… I have never intentionally used steroids. Never. Ever. Period.” While this may be true, admitting to never intentionally using drugs is comparable to never intentionally breaking a bone; such an action brings consequences. Despite Palmeiro’s consistent claims, suspicion is justified. In 1988, Palmeiro hit a measly eight homeruns in 580 plate appearances. In 1998 (the year McGwire, Sosa, and Griffey Jr. raced for 62), Palmeiro went yard 43 times in 619 at-bats. As well, Palmeiro hit at least 35 homeruns for ten consecutive years; it’s amazing that a brief homerun race can put a cloud on such massive statistical increases. Unfortunately for Palmeiro, his consequences came at a very inopportune time. The 20-foot banner that reads “Congratulations Raffy! 3000” still hangs in Camden Yards, but Palmeiro’s pride does not. Not only is Palmeiro’s fan base surely dwindling, but his chance of being admitted into the Hall of Fame (every baseball player’s childhood dream) is now slim to none. However, Palmeiro has shown a great amount of dignity in light of this situation. The Hall of Fame, evidently, is the last thing on his mind.

“… I feel the need to communicate a serious message to my fellow players and to kids everywhere. All of us have to be responsible and exercise extreme care in what we put in our bodies. I hope all major league baseball players and kids will learn from what has happened to me.” With this, Palmeiro brings light to the most important issue surrounding his suspension: the kids who look up to him. Palmeiro stresses that steroid use is wrong, which is exactly what those kids need to hear. Not only is drug use a valid form of cheating, but the adverse effects later in life should be incentive enough to play the game with a clean bloodstream; Palmeiro’s positive test, thankfully, has not brought this principle to its demise. Furthermore, Palmeiro reaches out to his fans and supporters with a confident attitude. “I am going to come back and will be determined as ever to help the Orioles get back to the pennant race. We have worked very hard to be in position to bring our fans a title, and I will not let this be a distraction.” This statement highlights a very noble, dignified priority, indeed.

It’s a shame that an established, 20-year career is tainted near its end. Palmeiro, who remained under the radar for the majority of his profession, has now become the first of perhaps many nationally recognized examples of professional cheaters. The cloud still looms, and needless to say, the champagne and party favors have been put away, and Raffy’s celebration has been cancelled.

[cBNewsStaff]

School of Thought Scores
Justin [sadolakced acid]
August 2005

School of Thought Scores

One of the greatest benefits of living in the United States of America is its public school system. Now, it's rare to find an adult who cannot read or write; most the nation graduates from high school, and more people are going on to college (and beyond). The United States has a seemingly first rate education system. But a monster lurks within.

Meet Mr. Standardized–Testing; he can supposedly accurately measure aptitude, academic success, and intelligence – he can sift the wheat from the chaff. With his help, education has been changed; a teacher's success can be based directly on before and after tests scores, where, in the past, student opinions would have done. Standardized tests can see how to improve students, teachers, and schools. Standardized–Testing is a god–sent for analysts, who want to see the state of students. Mr. Standardized–Testing is extremely skilled in turning a person with wit and humor and intelligence into a social security number with a score beside it. Apparently, this is progress for education.

Meet Mr. Standardized–Testing: he gives a concrete number on which pupils can be compared – there is no more ambiguity about who is smarter; Mr. Standardized–Testing sorts this out. Mr. Standardized–Testing can also sort out which race is truly more intelligent; Mr. Standardized–Testing can sort out which students need more help – he can sort out who needs "special treatment."

The United States is growing increasingly reliant on test scores. Such test scores determine which schools pass or fail. Which students pass or fail. Scores determine what colleges a student can get into, which teachers need to be fired; they mean everything now. They come with Mr. Standardized–Testing, in all his gilded glory. Tests scores decide futures. And people want to control their futures.

Meet Student A. Student A must get a perfect score on the SATs. In order to do so, he studies for a test that the creators say measures inherent ability. He buys 500 dollars' worth of test prep books. Ironically, one of them is sold by the very creators of the SAT –the College Board. So much for "measuring inherent ability." He spends his nights taking practice tests. Not yet satisfied, he spends another thousand dollars enrolling in a top-notch prep class. It doesn't matter what the number on the bill is; what matters is the number on the score sheet. Because, if it's high enough, he'll earn back thousands more in scholarships than what he spent on the test preparation. Intellectual though? Forget it. There's no time for that – it's all spent memorizing SAT vocabulary word lists or test strategies. Student A doesn't need to learn knowledge. Student A needs to learn how to best take the SATs; student A is a slave to the score.

Meet Teacher B. Teacher B teaches 3rd grade. For 2 years, his class has failed to reach the minimum score; if they fail again this year, he's fired. Teacher B does all he can, short of teaching the children – because even if they learn, it won't help because it's about beating the test. Teacher B spends hours educating his pupils on how to bubble in each problem, about how to eat before the test, and how to sleep before the exam. Teacher B teaches his pupils nothing of knowledge – teacher B teaches his pupils how best to take a standardized test. Teacher B, and all his pupils, is a slave to the score.

They are all slaves to the score. Education isn't about learning the philosophy of Plato or the poetry of Homer; wisdom can't be measured in a test. The ultimate truth of standardized testing is that it doesn't measure intelligence (ironically, IQ tests are standardized tests). It doesn't measure how far someone will go in life, or how successful they will be in college. The only thing a standardized test measures is the ability to take that test. And it is this veneer, this hollow stone that has become the foundation of American education. And it is only a matter of time before it crumbles.

School of Thought Scores ©2005 by sadolakced acid

[cBNewsStaff]

College Tips
Fae & Anna [uninspiredfae & Azarel]
August 2005

College Tips

Are you starting college this fall? Have you gotten yourself a little worked up by wondering who your professors will be, how much of school work you will have, how you will keep in touch with old friends and make new ones, how to budget your money, and basically everything else? Well, here’s a simple guide to hopefully exterminate those pesky, stress-inducing butterflies in your stomach.

First off, don’t be peeved about being a freshman all over again because, this time around, you actually get a few perks. If you are a late-night sleeper, REJOICE for you are able to wake up in the afternoon and still make it to your first class! There are many freshmen and sophomore level courses to choose from, and that means there’s a choice on what time you want to show up for school. This is a blessing in disguise, but as with all blessings, you must be grateful and not abuse this advantage by skipping class altogether.

Be attentive when making your schedule, and be sure to keep in mind work or other activities you’re involved in. Taking back-to-back classes gives time for other things in your life, but be careful - it could mean an overload of information, depending on your professors. Having breaks in-between classes may be advantageous to you on exam days as you’ll have extra time to review or even a short study session.

Remember to start out with basic courses with credits that will transfer regardless of your major; after all, you may decide to change your major once, or maybe a few times more. And as for choosing courses, feel free to take a course that has nothing to do with your major, merely because you're interested in it. A fun course allows you to enjoy your time in college, and it also helps you become more well-rounded.

Use separate notebooks for each of your classes to avoid confusion; walk into classes on the first day, ready to take notes - you'll want to know what's expected of you, how the class is run, the normal workload, whether or not the professor allows "walks," and other sorts of spiffy information.
For the most part, you shouldn't expect that kissing up to your professor will improve your chances of getting a better grade in the class; colleges are known as research facilities first, educational facilities second - and that means that your professor is a researcher before a teacher. He (or she) probably thinks of you as a grain of sand on the beach - meaning, you do not stand out. You'll have to work for what you want.. but there's always the off chance that you'll attend a university that doesn't turn students into mere ID numbers.

In college, there's nobody to force you to study, do your homework, or even show up to class. That means, you'll have to be self-motivated. If you don't do things on your own, you may face academic probation (you don't want that). Study study study - your parents aren't paying your tuition just so you can party. Form a study group with a few fellow students (keyword being 'few') and stay focused when you study (try not to socialize too much). If, after all your studying, you still do not get the "A" you wanted on your exam or essay, find out who did. Ask them how they prepared for the test, look over their test or paper (if possible), perhaps even suggest studying with them.

Another issue that comes up in college is living situations. Students live on-campus in dorms, or off-campus in their own homes or apartments. Because where you choose to stay affect your monetary budget, remember that the most cost-efficient abode is home when you are schooling in a near by area. It is possible to work out a money-saving plan when living in apartments or dorms and the key is to PLAN AHEAD. By knowing what you want in an apartment or dorm and setting a budget, you can be sure to find a place to stay before the rush of other students even begin looking.

In any case, most of students will probably have do deal with (here comes the dreaded word) roommates. Don't choose your best friend - you may ruin your friendship when you get sick of having to pick up their dirty socks every day. College is for meeting new people - so do just that; if you still wish your friend were closeby, arrange for them to live on the same floor - then you can introduce old friends to new ones.

Something else you'll have to learn to do when you're living on your own is laundry and ironing. Yeah. That's a biggie. And it's pretty self-explanitory.

[cBNewsStaff]

Not Your Parents' Rock 'n' Roll
Ashley De La Garza (antix10_kos)
August 2005

Not Your Parents' Rock 'n' Roll


Jimmy Urine brings life to the mic.

Three words, one name: Mindless Self Indulgence. Just the name makes members of previous generations cringe. Why would anyone want to listen to a band whose name clearly states that the band is "mindless"? What's so fun about self-indulgence? "The music of our times had meaning - the artists stood for something: they spoke to the people. Devotion to a band meant that we followed them on tour for a month each summer and sang along to all of their hits every time they were played on the radio." Well, not anymore, Mom and Dad.

In a time where favorite songs are only a click away and most people have never left their house to see their favorite bands perform live, music is allowed to be mindless. Music is no longer the serious pursuit that it once was. Music belongs to everyone who wants a part of it. People don't have to save up for weeks to buy the latest vinyl; they don't have to drive an hour to find a store that has it in stock. In an age where gas is over two dollars a gallon and going on a road trip means sitting in traffic for nearly ten hours, following your favorite bands and being a groupie are dreams that can only be lived by a few. The rest of us make due with shelling out about twenty bucks to go see the band when they come to town and pledge our allegiance by pimping our favorite band out on our xangas. This is the era of Mindless Self Indulgence.

Be yourself, or go kill yourself; don't be a follower. Have fun, and don't worry about what happens later. It's okay to point and click your way into their fan base, download their discography, and make your own MSI merch. This is a band that promotes the use of video games as recreation and lifestyle - a band that embraces their geekiness as much as their rock star image. They openly admit to being Star Wars fanatics and love Atari video games so much that their album, "Frankenstein Girls Will Seem Strangely Sexy," uses Atari beats as background noise of most songs. Their newest album, "You'll Rebel To Anything," features a cross, made entirely out of video game controllers on the cover of the album.

They're a fresh breath of air in a stale music market that is dominated by screamo and teeny-bopper pop - they are a combination of industrial rock, punk, rap, and techno, all cut and pasted together with part care and part reckless abandon. The best thing about MSI is that you never know exactly what they're going to do next. And neither do they.

Jimmy Urine jumps into the crowd without looking back; he shakes hands with his fans and steals their cigarettes from their mouths when they aren't paying attention. If you give him your camera, he'll more than likely shove it down his pants and snap a few pics of his package. He's the type of guy that makes lemonade onstage while club management fixes the sound system. He then proceeded to distribute it to those sweating it out on the floor. Here's a guy who dyes his hair pink, wears man skirts, and doesn't care if you like him or his music; He hangs around the venue after the show, saying "hey" to his fans, signing autographs, and being completely unfazed by his underground fame. He smashes chairs and pushes over speakers - he flies across the stage on a sugar induced frenzy and relentlessly sings the songs of a strange and misguided generation.

In retrospect, anyone would probably be hard-pressed to call Mindless Self Indulgence a "rock 'n' roll" band. Simply put, they are a musical experience, shared by many and understood by few. With song titles like "Bitches," "Holy Shit," "Faggot," and "Bullshit," you'd expect them to be a bunch of ignorant poseurs; however, they're not. They're a band that wants people to think for themselves, and if people happen to buy their albums, then great. If not, they can still kick it at live shows. Mindless Self Indulgence is one of a small handful of bands that embraces one's right to be one's self instead of just some manufactured image. Despite being offensive to some, Mindless Self Indulgence has some of the most creative lyrics around. If you don't want to read into your music too deeply, then this is the band for you.

Want to check out Mindless Self Indulgence? Click and you shall receive.

MSI Official Website
MSI Lyrics
MSI's Lyrics Mad Libs
Mindless Crackers
MSIfan

[cBNewsStaff]

Summer Concerts: Warped Tour, Ozzfest, & Sounds of the Underground
Brie Mason [Despise]
08|11|05

Summer Concerts: Warped Tour, Ozzfest, & Sounds of the Underground

So you're sitting in your bedroom on a boring summer day without a single thing to do. But then you think to yourself, "What's something that'll get me out of the house?" You then conclude that you could attend a concert, or even a music festival, if you wanted; however, you only vaguely know of one or two. Well, that's what this article is all about - getting to know the well-known, annual music festivals that tour around the United States.

To start it off, let's get familiar with the Warped Tour.



The Warped Tour has been around for a fair amount of time and usually appeals to those into emo, indie, pop-punk, and sometimes even hardcore. It starts in mid-June and lasts until mid-August. That gives you rougly two whole months to catch a show. Warped Tour has been known for including a lot of bands that come from a lot of different genres and "scenes," if you will. Like every other tour out there, they have some headlining bands and also some other, lesser-known bands playing the secondhand. I've seen many photographs of events at the Warped Tour in writing this article, and I must say, it looks like it is a very good time and that they choose some very good bands to put on excellent shows. Speaking of the bands, let's take a look at some of the bands playing at Warped Tour this year.

My Chemical Romance -- Led by Gerard Way and coming off of their 2004 release of Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge, they are one of the main, headlining bands at Warped this year. My Chemical Romance, or "MCR" for short, has been around since 2001 with only one prior release, entitled I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love. I personally have never seen them, but I've heard some very mixed reviews on them. Some say they put on an amazing show and Gerard shows great stage presence, while others say they are horrendous live. I guess you'll just have to find out for yourself, eh? To find out more about the band, click here.

The Offspring -- Ah, a personal favorite of mine. Led by Dexter Holland and coming off of a 2003 release of Splinter and a 2005 release of their greatest hits album, they are also one of the headlining bands at Warped this year. The Offspring have been around since the mid-1980s with six prior full-length albums. The reviews have been less mixed with these guys, and I've heard that they put on a very enjoyable show. If you'd like to know more about The Offspring, then visit their site here.

Dropkick Murphys -- Led by Mike McColgan and coming off of a 2005 release of The Warrior's Code, they are playing at Warped Tour this year as well. This particular band was formed in 1995 with five prior full-length albums and one EP. As for a typical Dropkick Murphys show.. I haven't heard much about how they are live, but I'm sure they put on a wonderful show. To learn more about the Dropkick Murphys, click here to view their official site.

Tsunami Bomb -- Tsunami Bomb is a punk-rock band that is currently led by a woman that goes by the name of Agent M. They have a reputation of being a very hard-working band and have appeared in the Warped Tour many pervious years. Their most recent release was an album entitled, The Definitive Act, which was released during the fall of 2004. They seem to be a very promising band. To check out the band's site, click here.

Fall Out Boy -- Fall Out Boy is a four-piece pop-punk band that was formed in the year of 2001 in the suburbs of Chicago. Currently being led by Patrick Stump and coming off of their 2005 release of From Under The Cork Tree, they are said to be one of the most anticipated bands at Warped this year, and I'm sure they are right. Since I didn't have a lot of information to share with you about Fall Out Boy, you should check out there site to find out more about them. Their site is located here.

Well, be sure to check out the Warped Tour if it sounds appealing to you. If you can't make it, then check it out next year. I'm sure it'll have a good line-up next year as well. To find out more about the Warped Tour, the full line-up and its tour dates, then check out their site, which is located here.

Moving onto the wonders of Ozzfest.



Ozzfest has always been known as the most in-your-face annual tour in the United States. Ozzfest, obviously started by Ozzy Osbourne, is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year. The tour runs from the middle of July until the middle of September: once again, two months of fun. Ozzfest has gone through a one cancelling and one rescheduling this year. This particular tour usually appeals to those that are into most types of heavy metal music. It has turned more mainstream over the years, if you wish to add that, but it still has some decent metal bands in the line-ups every year. Now let's check out a few of the bands that are playing at Ozzfest this year.

Mudvayne -- Led by Chad Gray with a 2005 release of Lost and Found, Mudvayne is one of the headlining bands at Ozzfest this year. Mudvayne was established in 1996, and they have had four prior studio releases. They used to wear make-up and costumes, but they had ditched that wardrobe. However, I have heard rumors that they are going to try the make-up and costumes out once again, but I'm not sure of what to expect. I've heard that they put on an awesome live show, so if you get the chance to go or if you ever see them, I bet you won't be disappointed. To check out Mudvayne's site, click here.

Shadows Fall -- Shadows Fall is another headlining band that is currently being led by vocalist Brian Fair. Their most recent release was in 2004 with The War Within. They are a promising young band from Westfield, Massachusetts. They've been described as death metal, thrash metal, and metalcore. I can give some personal input on their live shows. I saw them in April with Slipknot and Lamb of God during the Subliminal Verses tour, and I must say that they are very impressing live. They put on a very fun show with lots of enthusiasm and energy. I'm VERY sure that you won't be disappointed with them if you ever happen to catch them. I'm very glad that they're headlining Ozzfest this year. They deserve the credit. Click here to look at Shadows Fall's website.

Killswitch Engage -- Currently being led by Howard Jones, Killswitch Engage is playing on the Hot Topic Second Stage this year with the most recent release of 2004's The End of Heartache. Killswitch Engage is a unique metalcore band from Boston, Massachusetts. They are yet another band that I can give some personal opinions on due to a personal experience. I saw them on Monday with two other Ozzfest bands on a small stage in a small, North Dakota town.. which is a very different setting than an Ozzfest stage in a larger town, so we almost got the "getting to know them" feeling. Anyway, they are a wonderful band live. They seem to very friendly and enthusiastic guys, and that definitely shows through their live performances. I am proud to say that I got to see them recently. So if you do ever get the chance to see Killswitch Engage, I can basically assure you that you won't be disappointed if you're into their music. If you'd like to know more about Killswitch Engage, then I suggest you visit their website---it is located here.

Arch Enemy -- Arch Enemy is a Swedish death metal band, and they are also playing on the Hot Topic Second Stage at Ozzfest this year. Currently led by Angela Gossow and coming off of the 2005 release of Doomsday Machine, they seem to be looking at a steady future. They were formed in 1995 with a different vocalist by the name of Johan Liiva. Liiva quit the band in the year of 2001, and was quickly replaced by Angela Gossow. I've heard that they are a decent band live, so have fun with them. Arch Enemy's official website is located here if you are curious.

Trivium -- Trivium was formed in 2000 in Florida to cover "Whom the Bell Tolls" by Metallica for drummer Travis Smith's "Battle of the Bands" at his high school. They got an early and promising start and are now taking over Ozzfest as mere teenagers/very young adults. They are said to sound like bands such as Metallica, Pantera and Slayer. Trivium joined Roadrunner Records in 2004 with the album, Ascendancy, which is truly their second album, but their first with Roadrunner. They seem to be a very promising band, so expect good things out of them. To learn more about Trivium, I suggest taking a look at their official website. Their site can be found here.

Be sure to check out Ozzfest if it sounds like you'd have a good time. I do recommend it if you're a fan of the music, although I have never attended an Ozzfest show, it sounds to be very exciting. If you would like to learn more about Ozzfest, the bands, and the tour dates, then please check out their official site, which is located here.

And last, but not least, let's check out the Sounds of the Underground tour.



This particular tour is the newest tour of the three I'm covering. This past year (2005) was its first year in touring, and according to their official site, they are expecting to keep it going for a while now, which is an awesome thing, if you ask me. The Sounds of the Underground tour is all about the metal. It is similar to Ozzfest when Ozzfest first came out. It showcases underground metal bands, hence the name. It ran from late June to late July, so you only had a month to try and catch it. Unfortunately, it is done for now, so you'll have to wait until next year if you want to see it. Now onto this year's featured groups!

Lamb of God -- Lamb of God headlined the Sounds of the Underground tour this year. They are a five-piece metal band from Richmond, Virgina with death metal influences. They formed in 1990 as Burn the Priest. In about 2000, they changed their name from "Burn the Priest" to "Lamb of God." Led by Randy Blythe and coming off of the 2004 release of Ashes of the Wake, they were certainly one of the highlights of the band. I also have to add my own personal opinion on how they are live. I saw them back in April along with Shadows Fall (as I mentioned earlier) and Slipknot on the Subliminal Verses tour, and they were quite good. They are one of the most entergetic bands of their league, and they seem to really connect with the crowd. If you ever have the chance to see them, I recommend that you take that chance; you won't be disappointed if you're into them. Hey, why don't you take a look at Lamb of God's website? It's located here.

Norma Jean -- Norma Jean is a Christian metalcore band. They're a bit different from the rest of the bands on the Sounds of the Underground tour because they are truly a Christian metalcore band. However, they seem to blend right in with that whole "scene." They are originally from Douglasville, Georgia, and they formed in 2001, originally under the name of "Luti-Kriss." Their most recent album was released in 2005, and it was entitled, O God, the Aftermath. For those that are unsure of their sound and style, they are often compared to bands such as Coalesce, Converge, and The Dillinger Escape Plan. Check out Norma Jean here.

Poison The Well -- Poison the Well, or commonly abbreviated as "PTW," is a melodic-hardcore/metalcore band that formed in 1998, hailing from Miami, Florida. PTW is currently being led by Jeffrey Moreira, and their most recent album was entitled, You Come Before You releasted by Atlantic Records in 2003. Overall, they have gained a lot of respect and popularity since they first formed back in 1998. They've gone through some slight member changes and record label changes, but their sound has not changed. I'm sure they were one of the best bands to perform at this past year's Sounds of the Underground tour. To check out Poison the Well's site (featuring their latest album), click here.

Opeth -- Opeth is a progressive death metal band, but they are said to not be as "brutal" with the lyrics. They're often said to write lyrics that display a poetic theme, usually about the "beauty of pain." They hail from Sweden and formed in 1990 by David Isberg. With seven current studio releases under their belts and one more to be expected by the end of this August, they were certainly considered to be one of the "veteran" bands at the Sounds of the Underground tour this year. They have, however, gone through a lot of changes over the years. There have been a lot of constant changes within their line-ups. They've settled on a current singer, however, and that would be Mikael Åkerfeldt. They're a really unique band, and I'm sure they were amazing to watch. I've heard many good things about their live shows. Why don't you check out Opeth's website to learn more? Click here to view it.

Strapping Young Lad -- Abbreviated as SYL, Strapping Young Lad formed in the mid-1990s out of Canada by Devin Townsend. They are usually described as melodic death metal with industrial influences, but this may differ from album to album. Their most recent studio release was 2005's Alien. Strapping Young Lad started as a solo project of Devin Townsend's, called the Devin Townsend Band. As a whole, they've released five other albums other than Alien, including two live albums and three studio releases. Click here to view Strapping Young Lad's website.

Although the tour is currently done with, don't hesitate to check out their site to get geared up for next year's Sounds of the Underground tour. They seem to be very upbeat about the future of the tour, so expect to see another great line-up next year. To find out more about the bands or the tour itself, check out there site located here.

What is my personal favorite festival, you ask? I honestly think that the Sounds of the Underground tour sounded like the most fun this year. The line-up was amazing, overall, and it just sounded like a great start to an underground metal tour. Ozzfest sounds pretty good this year, but the line-up isn't amazing. I'm not really into the whole "Warped scene," but they have one of my favorite bands, so I would go just to see them. Thanks for reading, and I hope you look further into some of these annual tours.

[cBNewsStaff]

Album Review: In Between Dreams
by Anna [Azarel]
August 2005

Album Review: In Between Dreams



--

Lyrical genious Jack Johnson released his newest album In Between Dreams earlier this year on the third of March. After setting high precedent with Brushfire Fairytales, especially, and also On And On, his third album is a slight lackluster. The CD itself is encased with an attention-grabbing yellow cover, and the booklet itself is creatively designed and brightly covered. Anyway, let's get on with the tracks.

--

1) "Better Together" -- A simple opener to the album - it's innocent and sweet. It's easy on the ears, and the gentle feel to the song begs to call forth a yearning for someone to be together with.

2) "Never Know" -- Jack draws out the words in the chorus of this song so that it has a sort of.. swinging feel to it. It's an upbeat song with a slight edge that can only be described as "funky."

3) "Banana Pancakes" -- Starting out with pouring rain, it proceeds onward with quirky lyrics and catchy beat as Jack convinces his lover that they can spend the rainy day together inside. A sweet song, definitely.

4) "Good People" -- This is one of my favorites of this album; it's a rather laid back song that begs the question, "Where'd all the good people go?" A very well-done song with a peppy guitar part and beautiful vocals.

5) "No Other Way" -- A mellow and tranquil song that offers contrast from the previous track and also the following track; I suppose it could be considered a ballad - nothing too special about this song.

6) "Sitting, Wishing, Waiting" -- This track has been released as a single, and also has a video that's quite trippy to go along with it; many fans rushed to buy this album upon hearing this track, and it is undoubtedly the most complex song on the album, and perhaps the most sophisticated song that Jack's released thus far.

7) "Staple It Together" -- With an up-tempo guitar intro and clever lyrics, this track turns out to be a little monotonous. There's a lot of percussion in this track, which contributes to the up-tempo feel of the song. However, it's a fun track about a man who can't do anything right.

8) "Situations" -- The shortest track of the album seems to just be a filler - the lyrics themselves are very straight-forward, and the track is seemingly easily forgotten, just an interlude; it sounds more like a sound clip than an actual song, but that's just it - it's filler.

9) "Crying Shame" -- I adore the chorus of this song - Jack's voice shines through as he cries out (no pun intended), "It's such a crying, crying, crying shame!" Usage of certain perc instruments, I'm not too sure which they are, gives this song a sort of swingy beat; it's also very lyrically simplistic.

10) "If I Could" -- My other favorite of this album - it deals with a slightly more serious matter, a newborn child who only has two weeks to live. It touches the heart, and the repititious guitar part creates. a somber atmosphere, fit for the song.

11) "Breakdown" -- Jack repeatedly refers to an "old train," seemingly nonsensically, which can get annoying, but the instrumentals are gentle and melodic. This quieter track of the album is nice - and what I believe to be the guitar part sounds similar to a ukelele, giving the song a tropical island feel.

12) "Belle" -- This not-even-two-minute track is short and sweet; it starts out with just instrumentals for a minute before Jack starts belting in French. This track is also humorous, since after speaking a few lines of French, Jack sings "Je ne comprende pas francais," translated meaning " I do not understand French."

13) "Do You Remember?" -- I'm rather fond of this nostalgic lovesong which tells a story; it's sweet and perhaps a little corny, but the song overall isn't bad, regardless of how cheesy the lyrics are.

14) "Constellations" -- A very nice closing track with a gentle looping melody and beautiful vocals that draw vivid imagary.

15) "Constellations (Acoustic)" -- I believe this bonus track is just an extra treat for fans who purchased the album off of iTunes and is not included on the actual album. I personally prefer this to the actual version of the song.

--

I've had this album for about two or three months, after a friend bought it off of iTunes, and it is slightly disappointing. However, the album definitely grew on me, as I began to realize the subtle differences in each track; it does have the distinctive flavor and spice of Jack Johnson in all the tracks, even if at first listen, all the songs sound similar. Overall, on a scale of one to ten, this album merits an eight out of ten. It's great for any mood - but in comparison to Jack Johnson's other albums, it's definitely lacking.

[cBNewsStaff]

Featured Films
by Anna [Azarel]
August 2005

Featured Films

IN THEATERS



Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - starring Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, and others.

Based on Ronald Dahl's novel, directed by Tim Burton, and musically orchestrated by Dann Elfman, this film is a delight for the children of all ages as well as any accompanying parents. Reminiscent of the 1971 version, this remake is heartwarming, humorous, and bizarre all rolled into one.

For those who have read the novel, this movie does not disappoint, with a few obvious, but obvious benign, changes - including Willy Wonka's childhood and Grandpa Joe's past with Willy Wonka. Johnny Depp delivers a wonderful performance as the eccentric Willy Wonka, which many compare to Michael Jackson - I assure you not, as Wonka despises chlidren - and Freddie Highmore depicts the perfect Charlie Bucket.

I'm sure you all know the tale, but for the few of you who don't, reclusive candy-maker Willy Wonka opens the gates of his candy factory to five lucky Golden Ticket holding children and a chosen guardian in hopes of finding an heir among the children. One by one, the children are eliminated in a Survivor-like manner until the last one standing is declared heir - lucky Charlie Bucket. In this rendition, Willy Wonka also faces childhood demons, with the help of Charlie. Overall, this film is a hit if you're looking for a film that will make you feel warm and fuzzy inside, definitely something to watch with your family.

Rating: B



Batman Begins - starring Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, and others.

You're probably thinking, "It's just another superhero movie by DC Comics; it's a dud. Marvel is better," or "The other Batman movies were horrible; I mean, come on! The batsuit had nipples on it! This movie probably sucks too." However, you'd be surprised at how wrong you are. This action-packed movie completely disregards Tim Burton's series and brings us back to the origins of our caped crusader.

Directer Christopher Nolan clearly had a vision as he recreated Bruce Wayne's childhood and epiphany. An interesting, but very talented, choice of cast with an American minority also contributes to the greatness of this film; spectacular acting helps this film as Christian Bale depicts a realistically flawed Wayne and Michael Caine accompanies him as Wayne's butler Alfred. Although this film is, overall, very serious, dry humor from Wayne and Alfred, as well as other characters, saves this film from becoming dull and somber; this film is just as entertaining as it is enthralling.

Most fans already know the simple tale how Batman came to be - wealthy Bruce Wayne promises to avenge his parents' death by taking on the role of the Dark Knight. This particular storyline starts with Wayne being recruited by a mysterious Henri Ducard (Liam Nelson) and training with Ducard to join the Lague of Shadows. However, Wayne does not agree with the League's extreme justice and, thus, returns to Gotham where he rescues the city from a certain demise by the Scarecrow (Cillian Murphy) and a figure from his past.. Be sure to watch this thriller; it delivers spectacularly!

Rating: A-

OUT OF THEATERS



Fight Club - starring Edward Norton, Helena Bonham Carter, Brad Pitt, and others.

With an R rating slapped onto the DVD, this movie is definitely not meant for everyone, and the weak-minded, easily confused, and faint of heart are not reccommended watch this violent mind-bender, either. One of the most unique films out there, based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk, it deals mainly not with what the title suggests, but rather, the more serious issues of anarchy and schizophernia.

Average movie goers cringe at what they call "gratuitous violence" in this movie; however, this film is deep and unconventional - the bloodshed is vital to the plot. It is, at first glance, a strange, complex movie, perhaps even trippy, but upon further analysis, it becomes thought-provoking and enjoyable. This movie was aimed at more mature audiences, who would be able to relate to the main character, and without a doubt, if you cannot, on any level, do so, you probably won't like this film.

The story begins with our unnamed narrator (Edward Norton) trying to deal with bouts of insomnia, which he remedies by attending support groups - even though he is not afflicted with any of the problems. However, upon meeting another faker (Helena Bonham Carter) at his meetings, our protagonist's insomina returns, and he turns to Tyler Durden (Brad Pitt), a chance encouter aboard a plane. The two spar and the narrator finds a new release; they form "Fight Club" together before numerous other similar boxing rings spring up across the country. However, since "the first rule of Fight Club is that you do not talk about Fight Club," I can't reveal any more, so go watch it!

Rating: B+

[cBNewsStaff]

Featured Poem
cB News Staff
August 2005

Each issue, we select a poem 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 I'm Sorry, by lidoxangie.

Sorry Daddy,
I don't call everyday .
It's just, everytime we talk, i have nothing to say .
I guess it's because, we've never been that close,
you've never been there for me when i needed you most .
I really do try to be a good daughter,
but it's hard to do so, when you're a bad father .

Sorry Mommy,
I'm not really the best,
been holding it in, but i gotta get this off my chest .
I'm tired of your scolding, all you do is yell, shout, and scream .
Now i'm tired of living my life through your dreams .
Stop thinking that everything i do is simply corrupt,
can't you accept the fact that i just want to grow up ?

Let me live my life, stop holding me down .
Stop looking at everything that i do with a frown .
I dont understand why you just can't leave me alone .
Please accept the fact that your little girl has grown .
If you're tying to change me, then you're out of luck,
because who cares what you want ? i don't give a f**k.

Featured Poem(s) ©2005 cB News Staff

[cBNewsStaff]

Advice Abby
"Abby"
July/August 2005

Advice Abby

July 14, 2005

Dear Abby,

My name is Maria. I'm a 19-year-old college student, and I just went through a break-up that really broke my heart. This might sound too upfront, but I was hoping you could give me some advice on the recent break-up I went through.

I have read all your articles, and the one that most grabbed was the one about lack of passion in a relationship because that is the reason my exboyfriend told me as to why we broke up, and I'm just confused as to why there was a lack of passion when I thought it was there.

He's 20 years old, and his name is Steve. The way we met was at a dance. I go to a university that's right next to his university. I am part of the ballroom dancing team at my college, and he's part of the ballroom team at his college. Back in the fall our college's had a combined dance event at a restaurant and that's where I met him. We had instant attraction right away, he danced with me for a good amount of time, we had great chemistry! He was very charming and, suave saying things like, "you're so beautiful." I had to leave early, and he never asked for my number.

Anyway, later on that week, as fate had it, the president of my team said that we will be taking classes with the neighboring university ballroom team (the one that steve goes to). That sparked my interest because i knew I would see this guy again. So i come to class, and he sees me and we start talking. Before I left, he went up to me and asked me for my number. So I gave it to him. Anyway, he didn't end up calling till a month later which kind of puzzled me as to why he waited so long. I mean I saw him in class during that month, but I never went up to him because I believe that if he really wanted to talk to me he could go up to me, I was playing hard to get by not acknowledging his presence until he acknowledged me first because i know how much guyz like challenges.

So he ended up calling me one night to go to a club with him and some of his guy friends. So I took a couple of my girlfriends, and it was a fun night, but some thngs i observed during the night was that, he danced with other girls too. I, however, only danced with him and other girls. So i'm like, "whatever," I think he was being a tease in a way. So the night ends, and I'm being the typical girl thinking things like, "oh, this guy is so great, he's smart (goes to ivy league school, majors in finance and economics, very into science and math, he really enjoys that stuff), handsome, russian , jewish (these two things are very important because i only date guys from my heritage), dances well, funny, happy." I felt that we clicked really well. But he never called again after that night, and i wasn't going to call him since i still want to be mysterious.

I was confused because i didn't understand why this guy didn't pursue me I mean everything that I described about him, I have those qualities too, or so I've been told (trying to be modest here) lol. It seemed like he was playing hard to get too. I'm thinking why wouldn't he go for me, he seemed like he really was drawn to me, so I just blamed on that fact that he's still young and he doesn't want a relationship right now. So I forget about him. So for the next couple months, I hear no word from him, I stopped going to classes because I had a tough semster and didn't have time for dance, and I also got new boyfriend. This new boyfriend I will leave out of the story because it was a 3month relationship that ended awkardly, but I'll go into that later.

Anyway, 2 months later, out of the blue, I get a phone call from steve inviting me to his birthday party for that weekend. I told him I couldn't go because I was already going to another party which I honestly was, but I didn't mention that fact that I have a boyfrined, for obvious reasons (I was curious to see if steve would pursue me for another date). But he didn't, for a while at least. I vowed myself to forget about him and that he's just not that into me, and I'll focus on this new boyfriend.

But then 2 months later, he calls again this time inviting me way in advance for another party that was going to be after a dance show. It so happened I couldn't go to this party either because I was going to a bat mitzah that day. I was defintely being a challenge without even trying because he was calling me, and the two times he invited me, I was busy. So once again that was that, I said couldn't go, we talked for a bit, and it was really a fun conversation full of wittiness and charm. I really thought we clicked, but he still didn't pursue me more.

So by the next month, my bf, which I started having problems with, went on vacation for a week, and during that week, I was invited to go on a boat ride that was hosting this event where jews from neighboring universities could meet. I decided to call steve and invite him (me thinking what the hell, why can't i be friends with this guy if he won't pursue me romantically). So I call him up, and he ends saying he would love to go, but he can't because he has to give dance lessons for a show that was going to be held for that weekend, so he couldn't miss these lessons. So I'm thinking, "whatever I guess we're not meant to hang out."

But then a week later, he calls me to invite me to his school's spring fling and to watch him dance in a quick show and afterwards go to a party. So of course I say okay, and I saw him dance that night, he was very good. Something about him always attracted me. He's so charming and he always looks so happy. I really like that in a guy because that's what I'm all about, but I kept on telling myself to be aloof, mysterious, but very friendly to him because I wanted him to do the pursuing.

So after the dance we go to a couple parties with some of his guy friends. During that night, he asked me, "so I hear you have a boyfriend?" (he found out from one of his guy friends who I told) and I say, "yes, i do", and then he says "did you have bf when we went out to that club (months ago)" and I say "no, i didn't." So he asks how we were doing, and I was about to say fine but I couldn't help but saying that we were having problems, which we really were. Then I ask him, "what about you, any girls since then?" and he says, yea there were two and one of them broke his heart. Now what I found interesting was that one girl was american and the other was asian. I ended up asking him why he doesn't go for russian girls and he said it's simply because he just hasn't found one that isn't snobby. Of course, I'm thinking until you met me.

So after the party he invites everyone to see a movie at his dorm, but it ends up being only me and him since everyone wanted to stay at that party. So we stop by a cafe and have milkshakes. So as I'm getting to know him more I find out that we have so much in common. We both have the same outlook in life, we're optimistic, we came here when we were 5 from russia, we both don't like movies because we'd rather being doing the stuff they show than watching it, we both keep kosher, we have so many similarites it scares me! We're both very charming and goal-oriented, smile alot.

I ended going back to his dorm and we ended up taking for like 4 more hours. It was crazy. It was so easy to talk to him, like we had such a connection in terms of how similar we are! We even have the same problems; for example, we both have the problem of always trying to please everyone when we know that's really impossible. He has a little sister who really cares about. I have a little nephew who I really care about. In terms of relationships, we both feel that there should be that mystery in a relationship like, you shouldn't be calling everyday and saying what you ate and did. Just the way we think, it's all so similar!!!

I felt like by the end of the night we were both thinking, "we should be together." So he calls a taxi for me, and we kiss on the cheek (like europeans do), and that's that. So I come back to the dorm thinking I just met the love of my life and that I need to break up with my bf because obviously he's not the guy I should be with. So I decide to write steve an e-mail because i remember I told him I have pictures of me and him from that night we first met at the dance, and he told me to send it to him. I guess in that way, I made the mistake by making the first move, but I just felt like we were meant to be, and that's all that mattered, and I didn't want him to be intimidated by the fact that I have bf....silly me! I should have realized that if a guy really wants you, nothing will stop him, and I should have just given him time to make his move.

Anyway, so I wrote an e-mail saying this:

Here are the ssssscandalous pictures i've promised, i think u'll like them esp. one in particular (in other words the one where cleavage is present;) btw it was really great talking to you last night, it's a shame though we should have been having that conversation in the fall, we could have gotten to know each other alot better earlier but it's funny how life works out that way but at least we're talking now .......anyway hope u enjoy the pics as much as i did lol and good luck with ur term papers!

So he e-mails me back saying:

You definitely turned an evening termed by most as a complete failure (lack of deodorant at naked party, girl orgy at ballroom party, and worst of all, hearing steve's voice at Karaoke) into a memorable one that I will remember always, but to be fair, it seems you add that unforgettable charm to every occasion. The fall was a different chapter in my life, and if we had had this in then, it would not have been as mysteriously intimate. All that happens is for the best, so please don't ponder over the what if's and keep living and loving life in the present. Anyways, something tells me our paths will cross again.

Keep smiling, keep laughing, and never lose that zest,
steve

P.S. The pics were quite hot, though I thought we should change some of the names.

So of course I totally fell in love with this e-mail, and he put cute little titles under the photos, and in the last picture, he has a lipstick mark from another girl, and he writes "too bad it wasn't from her," (he was referring to me) and I thought that was so cute. So I decide to write to him again which I shouldn't have because I should have let him pursue me, but I got ahead of myself:

You really know how to put a smile on my face:) I think the new names of the pictures give them a lot more meaning lol esp. the last one;) Anywayzzz I'll be around Penn on thursday to get photos developed (I usually do one-hour photo) so since I'll be in the area, and it should be a pretty nice day then, maybe we could go grab lunch:)  Also I think I left my copy of the video at your place. If we do meet, can u bring it along? I wouldn't want such talent (lol) to go to waste (in other words, I promised friends I'd show them the video). Talk to you soon

So then he writes back this:

My darling maria, Hmm... so tempting... Let's analyze the situation, you know, apply those NPV's and Beta
analyses:
* a 100+ page team paper due Monday, with a 20 minute presentation this
Friday
* a Final this Thursday at 3
* a meeting with a friend Thursday afternoon to finish off a "love" poem
for a mutual friend's birthday
* two weeks worth of Advanced Complex Analysis problem sets due Friday
So, to make a long story short, and to stop the endless whining... I'll see you at 11:00 on Thursday :-) Any particular place tickles your fancy? Pizza Salom isn't bad, though I'm open for new experiences if you have any suggestions. As for the projects: Hey, if worst comes to worst, and the professor gets really stressed out over the project, I'll just forward him your emails and then (no matter how much he tries to resist) he will soften up and smile and it will all be OK. It worked on me, didn't it? As far as the video goes, it will first have to pass through the official "Steve can't look like a COMPLETE idiot" censors before it leaves my room.
:-)
Ciao,
steve

So I write back saying:

U're too funny and sweet! I love reading your e-mails:) For thursday, I have a final till 12 so I wouldn't be able to do it till then, now i know u said u have to meet a friend on that day. Sooo if 12 isn't good then i'm free tomorrow from 10 to 12:30 or from 2 to 5. Whichever one is fine for me:) The pizza place sounds great. Oh and with the video, dun worry since we all looked pretty messed up, it's all goooooood:)

He writes back saying:

I'm afraid this won't work out after all. I'm meeting with a professor at 10 tomorrow with class until 12, have a quiz tomorrow at 1:30 and class until 4:30; and I cannot rearrange Thursday any other way thanks to all the whiny stuff I mentioned previously.
I apologize for my crazy schedule, but I'm sure we'll think of something soon.
Have a sweet and dreamy night,
Steve

So me, being the nice person I am, decides to assure that it's fine, which I shouldn't have, because then it assures him he has me, and that's not being challenging, and guys love challenges:

Dun worry about it, totally understandable. Good Luck with everything!:) n' hope you have a good passover this weekend. I know I will, I finally get to see my adorable nephew who I haven't see in such a long time!
ttyl

So anyway we don't talk for a while, and i rememeber mentioning it to him that my b-day was coming up so I was curious to see if he would remember. So then comes the day before my b-day, and i couldn't stop thinking about him and wondering if he'll call. So at exactly 12 AM, i get a phone call from him saying "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" that was so sweet of him to call exactly when it turns the day of my b-day, and he tells me to come outside in 20 minutes. I start getting so excited, and he comes out of the taxi looking so suave with a nice oufit on and and a big beautiful red gerber daisy; he takes to me to a cafe, and then we walk in nearby park. That night, i told him i broke up with my boyfriend(implying that i'm free), and i ended the night with giving him a kiss on the cheek, and that's it.

So i totally fall head over heels for this guy, and so to make the story somehwat shorter we started going out. We had the kind of relationship where we didn't call each other everyday. in fact, we hardly talked; he was busy, and so was I, and when we were with each other, we could be silent for a while and it was perfectly ok, we just clicked so well. It also was finals for him so he had to study alot, we kept that mystery there.

He wrote me e-mail saying:

my darling, I miss you and really want to call you, but I know that then I won't be able to hang up for hours (and will probably somehow end up at your door). I really must focus... and thinking of you is killing me... you're a bad influence :-)

I mean they were so romantic. He did so many romantic things for me, he bought my twin sister and i dozen roses each for my birthday party. He drove all the way from home to my dorm (45 minutes difference) just to give me soup, tissues, and candy when i was sick. He took me to really nice and interesting places, he even got me a professional photo shoot because he knew i always wanted one because everyone tells me i should be a model, but i'm not allowed because my mom is over-protective and she's thinks it will attract the wrong kind of attention. He introduced me to his parents when I spent the day with him and his little sister when they were visiting him. His little sister totally fell in love with me, and I'm sure his parents were happy that he finally met a nice, beautiful , russian jewish girl. I mean I felt like we were perfect for each other.

I mean I was suprised that he didn't say I love you to me yet, but I thought, "he just needs more time." I must admit he did all of the work in the relationship, he planned all the dates until one day, he actually told me that I should plan the next date because he's planned all of them and he's tired, lol. But i wanted to still be a challenge for him, because i thought if i started calling him more or planning the dates then the challenge would be gone for him, and he would know he had me. I mean my thinking was that as long as i didn't cheat and was caring towards him, a good girlfriend, then it was fine. But i felt bad, since he was doing alot the date planning, so I planned a beautiful day in the park with him, i cooked him a nice picnic. we played some sports and walked around. It was great.

Later that week we talked, and he said he was going to reconnect with his frinds the following weekend. Now I 'm thinking "what! we hardly see each other during the week, and he won't plan to spend the weekend with me!" As you probably thought, i was angry, but i didn't show it. I decided that i'll give him his time to spend with his friends and see how long it takes for him to call me. He doesn't call me till a week later!

so he starts the conversation saying "hey stranger" and i say "hey stranger" back, me thinking how dare he say that, he's the one who didn't call me. So we talk, i act somwhat aloof and end the conversation quickly; i wanted him to get the message that i'm not ok with him just calling me a week later saying everythings fine and just inviting me to go to a party with him that weekend. I decided to tell him i already have plans for the following weekend. I wanted to see his reaction. So i end the conversation thinking that he's gonna call me back agian the next day realizing that he might lose me if he keeps this act up....but he doesn't call me! so this frustrates me even more. I'm thinking doesn't he know he could lose me!

So I decide to call him and speak up. I say to him "so i don't know about you but lately i feel like we've been drifitng apart" and he said he agreed, and i'm like "so what's going on, i understand you spent the weekend to see your friends, but you don't even care just to call me to see how i'm doing or to say hi.... i feel like we're just seeing each other, like we're not bf and gf...are u ok with this type of relationship I mean i undersatnd you don't want to talk everyday but a week? that's a bit much to not call and see how i'm doing"

And then this is where he talks about what he wants . He said he wants more passion, fire. he said he has been analyzing our relationship like crazy for the past week (just like i was), i mean, even to the point he made a checklist, and he said how he doesn't know what he's doing, he's not an expert in relationships, he just seemed really frustrated. He said he's stuck and hasn't come up with a solution. So then he starts takling baout what he wants and what the problems are. He wants more of a challenge. Like he wants more spontanienty.

I think he didn't call that week before because he was waiting for me to give him that spontaneous call, and say "hey lte's go somewhere now." But, to me, that's not being a mysterious girl because it's making it too easy for him because then he knows i want him. He says we're too similar, like we have to much of the same values and we both think too much. Like for dates, we both plan too much. He thinks i'm too conservative for him like he feels constrained when he's with me.

He says when it comes to love, there should be passion, like, if he's in a room with all these girls, he wants that incentive just to see me! I'm thinking there isn't enough incentive now??? I mean I don't get it he finds a beautiful, russian, jewish, down-to-earth, funny, smart, sweet girl (those are hard to find), why he wouldn't he be all over me? Maybe i'm too perfect for him? Maybe i'm too much of what mom wants, and i remeber him saying he wants to stay away from being a mama's and papa's boy which he used to be. I mean is it a bad thing that were so similar? I just don't get it!

He then said, "i hate to do this but i feel like you're asking for examples," so he gave me the example of when we were in the park and we were playing frisbee and some geese crap got on it and it got on my hand so i kinda started freaking out, saying "hold on let me get a tissue, this is disgustin.g" I mean i was jsut being a girl. But he said he didn't like that, like I guess i was being too uptight but come on! i mean just that one little thing annoyed him. i'm thinking, is that all he got out of the picnic that i planned? i mean we had so much fun! what the hell? this guy is being so picky! he wants freaking perfection," and i told him i was just kidding around.

but then he's like, "but u did it twice" and then he gave the example of one day when he said, "let's go to the shore tommorow," and i said, "ok, that'd be great!" But then he called the next day saying that he couldn't convince his dad to take the car. So i say, "it's ok next time then." But you know what he tells me? he says he would have wanted me to be like " no screw your dad, let's go!!!" to him that would have been the challenge, how do we get to the shore?? but i'm thinking, "uhhh, wait a minute, isn't that called being a bitch to him! is that what he wants, a girl who will be a bitch to him? I mean i just dont' get it because i thought i was being a challenge by not being all over him and being a little more mysterious and held back."

Then it got me thinking even though i didn't plan any dates maybe i wasn't being a total challenge because i never ended the dates and phone calls first, he did all that, which means i didnt leaving him wanting more. He suggested things, like maybe we should take a break or let's try again. It seemed we didn't want to end the relationship, we just didn't know how to satisfy each others needs. I'm just so confused because i thought we were meant to be, but then he says he wants more passion (and it hasn't nothing to do with sex, i'll tell why in a bit) so i'm thinking ok he wants spontanienty.

I told him to come to my house that night, so he comes, and we hang out at the playground. We have a good conversation, full of fun and wittiness, and i'm all mysterioius to him by going about the playground, not following him around making sure he follows me around in a way I wanted him to try to chase me, in my last efforts to save the relationship. So when we get near each other, i mean we hug each other, and i'm wondering why he won't kiss me, and we were about to, but then he says he doesn't want this just to be sexual, and i'm thinking, "sexual? we haven't even done anything besides kiss?" so i'm confused by that, and then he says "this won't work," and that's when it hit me that he's ending it with me.

So I don't say anything, because i know asking why why or nagging him won't work, if he says it, then that's the way he feels, even if i think he's being stupid and doesn't realize what mistake he's making. So we simultaneously walk back to the car, and he drops me off, and i just get out of the car saying, "peace," and that's it. He doesn't drive off right away, he waits a little bit, and i'm thinking, "god please make him realize what mistake he's making and chase after me," but he doesn't, and he drives away once i'm inside. It's been 2 weeks since then and no word from him.

I miss him, and i don't know waht to do because i feel like we were meant to be. I'm trying to think of everything as to why he left, maybe it's because he's young, and he justs needs to get hurt a couple of times to realize what he lost, or maybe we are too similar and he got bored of me, or maybe he needs some girl who will just be a lot more spontaneous and wild, crazy, not conservative, or maybe he thinks that i'm the kind of girl he sees marrying, but because we're so similar in our backgrounds, it scares him because of the whole forever with the same girl thing... he still wants to have fun, maybe. I don't know!

i'm so confused, I was hoping you could help me out, it seems like you'd have a lot of insight. I also forget to mention that he likes being by himself alot, he enjoys spending time with himself, like he'll go to an orchestra performance just by himself, he's very independent... maybe he enjoys spending time with himself too much, and i'm not a big enough spark for him to fall madly in love with me. I thought by me being conservative, i'll be a challenge that way, but I guess I was too simple in that way. Also, if it helps to know this relationship only lasted two months. I would really really appreciate your thoughts on this. I want closure, and i just don't feel like it's there because i don't understand him. I appreciate your time for even reading this. Hopefully, I will hear from you soon.

Thank you!!!!
maria

Dear Maria,

To be quite honest, I think you were trying too hard to be mysterious, and you were trying too hard with the whole 'hard to get' act. It may have been a good idea INITIALLY, but you didn't have to keep it up after you got together. That is what I'm thinking the main problem was. Personally, I think communication is the key to a successful relationship, and being mysterious and all doesn't exactly strengthen that communication area.

To wrap it up, I honestly think you should just move on and maybe focus on your studies a bit more at the moment. You're still quite young and you have a lot of time ahead of you. I believe you could find someone just as good or even better in a little while.

But if you do TRULY, TRULY believe that a second try with him would definitely be worth it, then I suggest you should talk to him about basically everything you wrote to me. If you two can agree on certain things and the future with him looks bright, then I guess you should go for it.

Good luck. :)

-Abby

Aug 3

Dear Abby:

I dated this girl then she left me for her old b/f. Then he beat her up a month later and she came back to me. Now only 3 days after she got beat up she leaves me again and goes back to him. I really care fir this girl, but my mind can't handle all the games. Now I sit here worried for her, yet at the same time angry, sad, and a lot of handrolled emotions all balled up together. It's even starting to effect my everyday life. WHAT DO I DO?

Thanks in advance, Jesse

Dear Jesse,

It's wrong of her to play games; I think you should refuse to play her games of the heart. After all, she's left you for another guy and will probably, sometime in the future, want you back when she can't take it anymore. She may be just using you as just a backup plan, in case anything goes wrong. You've proven to be her support who will always be there, no matter what happens, and in order to to stop her games, you'll have to present her with the ultimatum: you or him. That'll end it.

- Abby

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