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(02/25/10 12:25am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>You voted and now the winners have been announced. Check 'em out (follow the links to full-length stories of the first nine!):Best Professor: Glenn GassBest Pizza: Mother Bear'sBest Drink: Hairy BearBest Place for a Date: Bucceto's Best Place to Make Out: HomeBest Bar: Nick'sBest Dorm: McNuttBest Annual Event: Little 500Best Place to Volunteer: Boys and Girls ClubBest Local Band: South JordanBest Late-Night Munchies: Pizza XBest Greek House: Alpha Gamma DeltaBest Student Organization: IU Student FoundationBest Burger: Opie Taylor’sBest Ethnic Restaurant: Siam HouseBest Restaurant: Bucceto’s Smiling TeethBest Spot for Coffee: StarbucksBest Place to Live Off-Campus: Varsity VillasBest Place for Live Entertainment: The BluebirdBest Local Celebrity: Tom Crean
(02/17/10 11:30pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Oct. 28, 2003: Harvard sophomore Mark Zuckerberg invents Facemash, an online hot-or-not photo game compiled from various hacked dorm ID databases. Feb. 4, 2004: Zuckerberg launches TheFacebook at www.thefacebook.com, the first recognizable incarnation of what we now know as Facebook. It was initially only open to Harvard students.Summer 2004: Facebook formally incorporates to become Facebook, Inc., with Sean Parker as the new company’s first president.September 2005: Facebook launches a high school version. October 2005: Facebook drops the “The” from its name to become simply Facebook after purchasing www.facebook.com for $200,000.Aug. 22, 2006: Bloggers’ egos inflate en masse as they migrate their Xanga and LiveJournal posts into Facebook’s new “Notes” feature. Sept. 6, 2006: Developers announce the creation of the now-ubiquitous “News Feed.” Instead of stalking profiles, friends’ information comes straight to users’ home pages.Sept. 26, 2006: Facebook officially opens itself to everyone 13 and older who has an e-mail address. Feb. 8, 2007: Virtual gifts that users can send to their friends go on sale for the first time. May 14, 2007: Facebook joins the free classified ads revolution with “Marketplace,” which allows users to shop and sell using their friend networks.Dec. 13, 2007: Status updates no longer have to contain the word “is.”April 23, 2008: Facebook stalking ratchets up another notch with the launch of the “Chat” application, which allows users to talk in real-time.July 20, 2008: The Beta version of Facebook hits browsers, combining the “Mini Feed” and “Wall” into one giant social feed.
(02/17/10 11:10pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Is Facebook stalking true-blue stalking? Or is it just a playful way to pass time? Or simply a product of this social media-centric generation? In a mass e-mail, the WEEKEND staff debated this very issue. What follows is that (slightly edited) conversation. Cory Barker:So we’re doing the FB issue, and there’s been some discussion about “stalking” people on Facebook. So I wanted to start a little conversation if we could and then we’d put it up online based on your thoughts. So, is Facebook stalking okay or something we should take more seriously?Megan Clayton:It depends on your definition of stalking. If you go to someone’s profile and look through their information every day, then yeah, that’s a problem. But if you meet someone and go to their page to check them out, I think that’s all right. I mean, I’ve done that.Doug Evans:I don’t think looking at a person’s page every day (or stalking as Megan refers to it) is a problem. I look at Cory’s page every day and he doesn’t seem to mind/know.Cory Barker:But doesn’t the fact that a person – me, in this example – is unaware of the looking of the profile make it kinda not okay? How is that different than looking through the window? Is it all based on the fact that by signing up for Facebook we give up the “personal space” rights we have if we’re say, in our apartments?Megan Clayton:I think there are different levels of “Not OK” behavior. Doug says he goes to Cory’s profile every day, but that’s probably not because he has a gay crush on Cory; it’s probably because Cory posts a bunch of stuff from Weekend Watchers and WEEKEND and his profile is a legit source of news and links.However, if he goes to Cory’s profile every day to look at his photos or check his relationship status, I think I’d classify that as stalking.Stephanie Kuschel:Facebook stalking is creepy. Period. It’s wrong, addictive, sleazy and oh so fun. I guess if you put information up for people to see it, you have to face the consequences that they may actually look at it. But when newly added “Facebook friends” (the distinction between Facebook friends and friends has to be made) start commenting on outdated pictures of you from eons ago, you know they’ve been doing some digging. JEEPERS CREEPERS!But really, Facebook thrives on that little tendency in all of us to want to know what other people are doing...and when it feels like a guilty pleasure, it’s because it is.Paul Mattingly:I have never really gotten the “Facebook stalking” idea. People go out of their way to post every little detail about their life. I’m just not convinced that it’s wrong to view someone’s profile and look at their info, interests, etc...They put up that info assuming people DO want to know or are interested. I do agree with Megan that looking up someone every day is weird and pretty creepy, but I think viewing someone’s profile is, in general, completely fine. Facebook has kind of blurred the lines of creepiness anyway. Someone may technically be a “friend” with someone on Facebook (perhaps a friend of a friend of someone they know well) and meet them at a party. When they’re introduced, they assume they don’t know each other. But then once they hear their full name, they remember seeing them on their news feed and seeing their status updates. Suddenly it’s like, “Oh right, Karen. How was your sociology final yesterday? And I’m sorry about the Bears. By the way, I think your comment on how Owl City is the worst band of all time is spot on.”Chad Quandt:Anything on FB should be considered fair game. Granted, repeatedly checking someone’s profile and following all of their conversations is a little strange, but that should be in the minority of people. If someone chooses to put information up on their profile, they can’t be shocked or freaked out that people check it out.Learning favorite films and music isn’t really anything you won’t find out from the first or second time hanging out with someone. It’s a double-bladed sword. For all the casual meetings that the college lifestyle gives us, its a great way to have a quick snapshot of that person’s basic interests and personality. If someone writes “reading is for queers” under their favorite books, I don’t have to waste time getting to know them from there.Where “stalking” comes into play is using Facebook as your only means of a connection between someone else. If you meet some nice lady at a party, share a few words, and then spend the next three years commenting on her status updates. THAT’S bad.People seem to generally use FB for two different uses: sending messages that aren’t appropriate of a phone call or e-mail to friends OR finding new friends and building relationships. The latter is a small minority and are generally considered weird. They’re not creepy (except for this one guy I went to high school with who’s every comment suggests a diaper fetish), they’re just trying to use the site in a way its main user base doesn’t want.Rachel Kransnow:The definition of Facebook “stalking” seems super fuzzy to me. How can you can call it stalking when you have chosen to add these people as your “friends” (choice one) put up pictures of who knows what (choice two) and allow whoever to see it (choice three). The point is, if you don’t want people to see certain parts of you, don’t put it up on Facebook. We’re meant to be “stalked”- that’s the way Facebook is set up. You can find as much information as you want on people and privacy settings allow you to block things from specific people. If you’re getting paranoid, hit up the privacy settings. As for me, I don’t really want to know who’s been creeping on me. Because I’d be embarrassed if everybody knew I’d been hitting up all of their pics. That’s the whole mystery of Facebook – you’ll never really know who’s been stalking you.Stefania Marghitu:All I know is this whole “Find ur stalkr” application craziness and the fact that FB posts everything I do, even if I can erase it on my wall, really gives me the creeps. And I hate it when I realize that a lot of stuff I’ve said on Facebook,, whether through message, status updates or even chat, are things I would have probably not been able to say in real life. Same with texting and any other non face to face communication. Stuff like this just shows how socially inept our generation can be.Steven Arroyo:Facebook offers us so much for free that we openly ignore how it puts us at risk. We are so infatuated with extreme convenience that we forfeit our values, which at first may not seem like a big sacrifice given the benefits, but can seem downright suicidal once “vulnerable” is slowly spelled out in front of us like leaving your front door wide open every night.I see 3 steps between safe, defensive Facebooking and loudly begging the world to stalk you and everyone you know. How many people put unnecessary and impractical information on their pages? Leave all their pictures tagged? Have minimal privacy settings? If you do the opposite of all this, you’ve probably smartly considered what that all could lead to, although you’re probably smart enough to know you’re still not totally protected.Otherwise, in a few clicks, I can obtain extensive contact info for your 2001 softball team, your 3rd cousin from Beijing, or your direct family. I can learn your favorite TV show, your favorite dinosaur, your 27th favorite band, or that your Cubs season tickets are row 14, seats 107-110. I can do this easily. Bosses will do this easily. Dave from Akron, Ohio can do it.When I first coughed up my personal info to Facebook, I never closely considered the worst case scenario because I immediately knew 2 things: it was too ugly to think about, and it would be extremely unlikely...so I closed my eyes, repeated “convenient” to myself, and hit submit. Facebook is like sex: abstinence is the only way that’s 100% safe and we all know it. Just by participating, I think we’re all saying that to some degree, we accept being stalked - call that what you will.Kristy Brannon:I think when you say “Facebook stalking” it means to look up a person’s information so you know things about them that you don’t want to have to ask (sometimes because now that we have Facebook it would be almost embarrassing to ask like age or year in school) I think it’s okay, this information is stuff that they put up about themselves for everyone to see. When you talk about looking up a person’s Facebook obsessively or using the information you got to be creepy somehow then I think that becomes actual stalking, which I would argue is a completely separate term that is something to take seriously.Kasey DeVore:Personally, I think “stalking” your friends that you have in real life is strange – even if they are just friends from class or whatever. That being said, stalking old classmates from your high school now and then to make yourself feel better about yourself – that is completely, totally acceptable.Cory Barker:On Kasey’s point: But we know that there are millions of people who probably do “stalk” their “real-life” friends. Why actually call them or meet up with them when you go home to see what’s up when you can just look at them on FB? Sure, that might be fun, but is it alright for you? It might not seem like a problem now, but THINK OF THE CHILDREN (you’re a prospective teach!) -- an 8-year old who grows up with FB and future iterations might never feel the urge to talk to people. Problem? [just playing devil’s advocate here]It also seems like a lot of you are hinging on the “we choose to put it up here so it’s fine” point but then also noting that excessive viewing/following is “creepy.” This is what I’m talking about. Isn’t “creepy” a problem? I feel like it is.On Steven’s point: All true, we can prevent this in many ways. And we do choose to friend people or whatever. But just like all the studies that say we’re raped and attacked by those closest to us, isn’t it possible that it is these people we know that are stalking us the most and perhaps confusing a previous real-life connection with a now-digital one?Is there anything we can really do? Or are we just subject to whatever happens inside our zone of friends because we’ve accepted them? Is there anything else Facebook should do?
(02/17/10 10:37pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Identities are kept semi-anonymous to prevent reliving painful experiences.MK: One day I was on facebook on my phone and saw that a picture of me in an extremely inebriated state with my eyes closed and rubbing my belly had been posted. I immediately wanted to remove the tag but my phone glitched out on me forcing me to endure a painful two hour-long class before I could get a computer. Knowing people could be looking at that picture in those two hours of class extremely distressing.KD: When I first realized I could update my Facebook status from my phone, I was ecstatic. I programmed it in as one of my contacts and made witty status updates while in the middle of class, walking on campus, riding in the car, etc. One night, I set my phone down at a frat party. Bad idea. One of the boys that I know ended up picking up my phone and sending Facebook status updates from my phone about topics that involved bodily functions, etc. The worst part was that, for whatever reason, there was a Facebook glitch that night, so instead of all popping up at once, those status updates popped up on my Facebook throughout the next week, making them impossible to catch and delete right away. I am still terrified there will be a random status update from that night that is just hanging around cyberspace just waiting to be added.AJ: Once I made the mistake of typing my Facebook password out in front of my then-boyfriend. To my surprise, he followed my fingers and figured out my password. I didn’t think of it as a big deal at the time, since we were good friends. But after we broke up he decided to hack into my Facebook, pose as me and talk to my friends, asking about himself while chatting with them. Luckily for me, I noticed the chat window was still up when I signed in later that day. I immediately changed my password, and will never let another person know my Facebook password again. It was definitely one of the most invasive things a person has done to me in my life.BW: A friend posted something on my wall saying a photo of me has strangely shown up on another Web site. The link directed me to a page claiming to be a private photo-sharing site. A pop-up with a somewhat haunting voiceover instructed me to take a quiz. Not realizing I could remove the window at any time, I completed the quiz and found the picture to be nothing more than a monkey with the caption, “It’s You!” Still though, my friend claimed he never posted anything on my wall.MW: Beware of what you post on Facebook. You never know who is watching, literally. Facebook has been a cause of arguments between me and my little brother. Sometimes he gets embarrassed by stupid pictures of a crazy night or me in a leotard – naturally. It’s just that his bitchy friends sometimes feel the need to tell him about any posting of me that seems scandalous. The worst thing about Facebook is that you never want someone to discover an aspect of your personality that they are unfamiliar with through the Internet. Especially family members who are friends of yours. Also, a word to the wise: Never post status updates with angry sentiments attached to them. It’s a terrible way to start a two-or-40-way-fight that will inevitably land on everyone’s News Feeds.
(02/10/10 11:43pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>These days, it’s easy to get caught up in “shipping” for certain relationships in popular culture. With all the “Team This Guy” and the amalgamation of two names into one super-name, entertainment shoves couples down our throats pretty regularly. But just like the rom-coms, we embrace it open arms (clearly, we have issues as a culture). Nonetheless, here are some of our favorite fictional couples. Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy: Jane Austen was way ahead of her time in terms of how she thought romantic relationships should be constructed. Although romancing in the early 19th century was fraught with concepts like “advantageous marriage” and restrictive gender expectations, Austen’s most famous protagonists ultimately conquer their baser emotions and unite with respect and equity. –Megan ClaytonHarry and Sally from “When Harry Met Sally”: Their relationship stretches over 5 years before they finally end up together, and it’s worth the wait. They are hilarious in their diagnoses of other peoples’ relationships, but the highlight of the film is Sally’s fake orgasm in the middle of a diner at lunch time. –Doug EvansAlvy Singer and Annie Hall from “Annie Hall”: These two are one of the romantic comedy genre’s best couples because in the movie they don’t end up together. That doesn’t make their story any less of a love story, because the movie kind of shows failed relationships aren’t actually a failure. I even think that their story is somewhat realistic; they are two opposites and the relationship simply didn’t work out because of that. Even though real life doesn’t have witty dialogue and beautiful cinematography of New York to make situations more romantic, the ideas are the same. They had good times and both learned from each other, or at least changed a little bit because of each other. –Julia ShedlinLois Lane and Clark Kent from “Superman”: In any form of media, from comics to television to film, these two have captured the hearts of millions around the world for decades – and longevity is key in any good relationship. Though Lois occasionally wavers in her love for CK, it’s only because his alter ego has taken over. –Cory BarkerLucille Ball and Ricky Ricardo from “I Love Lucy”: They are a great couple because of their real life relationship as well as their on screen one. The show was of course, a little sexist and ridiculous. For example she would sometimes respond to him “yes sir” and they slept in separate beds, but that wasn’t really their fault it was the era’s fault. And despite all that Lucy still had a mind of her own and they were so obviously in love. They’re relationship and interactions on the show is really what makes I Love Lucy a period piece. Even though like most Hollywood love stories they ended up getting divorced in real life, they still supposedly talked everyday and remained really close. –JSCory and Topanga from “Boy Meets World”: Together for the majority of this sitcom’s seven seasons, this duo survived high school, college, early marriage, poverty and fairly creepy relationship with a principal and charmed our assess off all the way home. He was overly-paranoid and her name was weird enough, but we loved those crazy kids anyway. –CB Phil and Rita from “Groundhog Day”: The beauty of this relationship is that despite Phil’s complete awareness of everything that is going to happen (if you don’t recall, Phil is stuck living the same day, day after day after day), Phil just cannot seem to win the heart of his love interest. When he finally realizes it’s not about himself, he starts to woo Rita. It helps that he learns to play piano, carve ice sculptures, and meet everyone in town in his free time. –DEHermione and Ron from “Harry Potter”: We grew up with them, feeling the awkward, sexual tension build just as the two of them tried to mask it with name-calling, animal mistreatment and snogging with others. And even though some of us still might think Harry and Hermione would have made a better intellectual match, it’s precisely the differences between the head-strong Weasley and bright-as-a-bulb Granger that kept us hanging on for an entire book series. –CBKat and Patrick from “10 Things I Hate About You”: This couple gets a nod because it’s Ledger’s first major role and he nails it, showing signs of amazing things to come. As silly as the film may be, it’s the perfect romantic couple. Kat wants nothing to do with guys, and Patrick could care less about girls. When he gets paid to take her out, Patrick soon falls for her and sings her Frankie Valli’s “Can’t take my eyes off of you” along with the marching band in front of the whole school. Kat closes the film with her poem, aptly named after the movie’s title. –DESeth and Summer from “The OC”: Only in television would someone so initially shallow fall for some so initially introverted, but by the time “The OC” slumped into its season three doldrums, these two crazy kids were the only characters that we could keep rooting for. Despite their odd (read: geekishly lovable) infatuation with toy horses/ponies, no relationship gave us more pop culture-related smiles in the early part of the decade. –CB
(02/10/10 5:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With Valentine's Day upon us, many of us will be popping in romantic comedies as a way to escape our pathetic love lives or dragging ourselves to new ones in the theater as some makeshift celebration of the love we do have. Either way, the romantic comedy is one of the biggest and sometimes most pathetic genre in film. And yet we keep going back to them. If you're sitting down with a stack of DVDs this weekend, here are the ones you should choose."It Happened One Night" (1934) – Clark Gable and Claudette Colbert in Frank Capra’s classic invented the romantic comedy as we know it with initially hostile characters forced upon one another for hilarious results. Gable’s failed attempt to hitchhike still remains comedic gold. --Brian Welk"Bringing Up Baby" (1938) – Cary Grant and Katharine Hepburn shared the stage with a tamed leopard in this one, but despite that ridiculous casting choice, the two leads bounce from one zany situation to another, continuing the trend that started with "Happened One Night." --Cory Barker "Roman Holiday" (1953) – William Wyler introduced Audrey Hepburn to the world with this charming dramedy starring Gregory Peck. It was one of the first travelogues, being filmed entirely in Rome. --BW "The Apartment" (1960) – Oh, poor Jack Lemmon. All he wants to do in Billy Wilder’s Best Picture winning gem is to find love and make it in the business world, and he’s forced into a hilarious scenario in which he rents out his bachelor pad to his bosses and their mistresses. --BW"Annie Hall" (1977) – Just because it’s a romantic comedy doesn’t mean the guy gets the girl. By avoiding the traditional happy ending, using a not-quite chronological time frame, and throwing in copious references to Bergman and Fellini, Woody Allen made a romantic comedy that smart people could enjoy, not just people desperate for a happy ending. Allen also invented a kind of romantic comedy that men could enjoy just as much as women. --Brian Marks "Moonstruck" (1987) – After seeing “Moonstruck,” I’ve never been happier to be Italian. With surprisingly brilliant performances by Cher, Nicolas Cage and Olympia Dukakis, Norman Jewison’s film is touchingly relatable. --BW "When Harry Met Sally" (1989) – Not only did this movie feature the funniest fake orgasm scene in the history of cinema, it presented us with one of life's most vexing questions: Can a man and a woman just be friends? Although they couldn't in the end, up until then "When Harry Met Sally" entertainingly presented the gradual evolution of a realistic relationship without resorting to cliches or stereotypes -- unless it was poking fun at them. --Megan Clayton"My Best Friend's Wedding" (1997) – Both the protagonist and her love interest have actual personalities, there's (shockingly) character development, and the ending isn't boring, saccharine fluff; and finally, there's the joy of seeing Rupert Everett sing "I Say A Little Prayer For You." --Kate Colvin"Bridget Jones' Diary" (2001) – Although most modern romantic comedies are pretty lame, anything based on a Jane Austen novel is likely to stand out from the pack due to superior source material. "Bridget Jones' Diary" -- whose heroine has a tendency to chain smoke, drink like a fish and unwittingly humiliate herself in public -- takes the basic story of "Pride and Prejudice" and updates it for a 21st century audience. But it doesn't leave out Mr. Darcy, who's played by the always-classy Colin Firth. --MC"Love Actually" (2003) – Because I am a sucker for books or movies where an ensemble of characters come together and/or movies where Hugh Grant plays an impossibly charming Prime Minister. And yes, this means I will probably end up seeing "Valentine's Day." --Austin Morris“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” (2004) – Although it’s not technically a comedy, this is Jim Carrey’s best go as a serious actor. This movie works on every level: the fantastic visuals, the screenplay by Charlie Kaufman, the excellent soundtrack, and the chemistry between Carrey and Kate Winslet. There is such an attention to detail that you will find something new every time you watch it. --BM"The 40-Year-Old Virgin" (2005) – "Knocked Up" might have been funnier and more quotable, but Judd Apatow's first foray into film directing works better as a romantic story, partially because the characters here feel just a tad bit more real and relatable, assisted by Steve Carell's and Catherine Keener's splendid performances. --CB"Definitely, Maybe" (2007) – Aside from the awesomeness of Ryan Reynolds, "Definitely, Maybe" has what few other romantic comedies bring to the table: creativity. I'm not just talking "Oh hey, let's just put them in a really absurd setting and then let everything else play out exactly out exactly like you might expect." There is some variance to the plot structure and the storylines they throw at you. Not to mention that it gets admirable performances from all four of its female leads, Abigail Breslin included. The film tries to be a real love story, not just a rom-com. --Adam Lukach"Waitress" (2007) – Keri Russell's most relevant project since "Felicity" allows her to be much more charming than she was in that WB TV series, and her chemistry with the always-great Nathan Fillion helps what could've been a cheese-fest become a bright, uplifting story that anyone who has ever felt stuck can relate to. --CB “(500) Days of Summer” (2009) – Some people don’t consider this a romantic comedy because the two leads don’t end up together; it’s a ridiculous claim considering how much this film cares about that romance, even if it doesn’t work out. The film approaches the trials of a relationship with realism that will ring true to many. It also perfectly captures the bliss that comes before the fall. Plus, Zooey Deschanel is disarmingly charming. --BMOther notable rom-coms: "About a Boy" (2002), "High Fidelity" (2000), "Knocked Up" (2007), "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" (2008), "Punch-Drunk Love" (2002), anything with Hugh Grant before 2004.
(02/04/10 9:11pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Best of Bloomington voting runs through February 11, make sure that you fill out a paper ballot found in the IDS business office or follow this link to cast your votes!
(01/19/10 10:37pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Video games held a special role in the childhoods for many of us, when the amount of time it took to impress us was as short as our attention spans. So games had to be quick, colorful, and easy enough for a 10 year old to use, but difficult enough for avid gamers. These games were some of the best that 90's consoles had to offer, from great multiplayers to shooters. So grab some chips and some pop and let's talk video games.Nintendo"Mega Man II": This game, in which robot Mega Man must fight 8 mini-bosses to get to the evil Dr. Wiley, is the easily one of the greatest of all time. It is one of those rare games that is fun to play, has a great back story, and is supplemented with a legendary soundtrack that was so memorable that many bands today still cover the songs. I still play it to this day. - Doug EvansNintendo 64"Super Smash Bros.": Anyone that knows me is familiar with my obsession with all things cute and perpetually adorbs. Sounds weird, but Hello Kitty kinda gets my rocks off – way past the 300% sudden death mark. So when “Super Smash Bros.” was introduced to the Nintendo-64 console in 1999, I pretty much died. All the cuteness of characters like Kirby, Jigglypuff and Yoshi aside, the game is just badass, because it pretty much incorporates everything from Nintendo history to use as weapons on these beautiful Japanese wonders. If you like "Duck Hunt", there’s a laser gun for that. And a bomb-omb can help you obliterate a massive Donkey Kong -- bombs away. - Mickey Woods"GoldenEye007": Although I spent my younger years playing benign classics like Super Mario Bros. and Sonic the Hedgehog, during my tween years I became strangely fascinated with gunning down Russian spies in the guise of James Bond. GoldenEye007 remains the only first-person shooter game I've ever played, which is probably a testament to its landmark status among home-console games in the genre. - Megan Clayton"NFL Blitz": "NFL Blitz" was the NFL on steroids, literally and figuratively. Every player looked like Arnold in his prime and hit like a truck. The football looked like a computer mouse in their hands and caught fire with regularity. Add late hits (encouraged) and trash talk (required), and "Blitz" became a party game for the ages. - Adam LukachPlaystation"Spyro the Dragon": This was the first great video game I ever played and it was so much better than that “Rugrats” one I played before it. It combined action, adventure and platforming in a way that made me fall in love with gaming and purple, smartass dragons. Insomniac went to make two equally good sequels and one of my other favorites for the Playstation 2, “Ratchet & Clank.” - Brian Welk "Jak 2": The cutesy adventure fantasy “Jak & Daxter” was followed up by this dark, intense, sandbox extravaganza. “Jak 2” was like “Grand Theft Auto” with meerkats, only this had humor and great game play mechanics for puzzles, platforming and rocket skateboarding. - BW"Kingdom Hearts": Like so many others, I fell under the spell that is the “Kingdom Hearts” magic. The familiar Disney locations added wonderfully to the immersive atmosphere and charming story of a teenage boy fighting the darkness of the world with the power of light and a key. - BW"Dance Dance Revolution": Remember this crazy dance fad that arguably started the trend of rhythm gaming? It was great fun at parties, a terrific aerobic workout, and to be quite honest, I was pretty good. - BW"God of War": “God of War” stands tall as the most brutal game I’ve ever played. There aren’t many games that can match the insane violence of this game that felt so invigorating. That was because of the game’s flawless fighting style and now iconic hero who fought for something truly epic. - BWSega Genesis"Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse": Remember this side-scroller? Released in 1990 on the Sega Genesis, the game featured Mickey trying to find Minnie, kidnapped by Witch Mizrabel. You grabbed apples for ammo and did lots of jumping -- lots of jumping -- to kill your enemies. And you collected gems after each boss. I never saved Minnie, but that's because the only time I played the game was at a Pizza King restaurant. I'm sure she ended up all right. - Mike Beam"Mega Bomberman": As in many games, all was well until some evil guy came along and caused trouble. In "Mega Bomberman," the villain separated Bomber Planet into five pieces, and you had to put it back together. Humpty Dumpty redux. The 1994 Sega Genesis game was about timing and chance. You had to lay bombs and get away before they blew up. Frustrating when you laid a bomb and blocked yourself in, but hilarious when your friend did it. - MBPC"SimAnt": While I have never been a frequent console gamer, computer gaming is a different story. My first introduction to the world of PC-based skill games was Maxis Software's SimAnt, whose objective was to build and maintain an ant colony against all the dangers that can infest a suburban back yard. My parents didn't have a computer in the way-back years of the early '90s, but my best friend's parents did, and we often fell into trances orchestrating the lives of those little insects. - MC"Starcraft": Hands down one of the greatest games of all time, "Starcraft" took the real-time strategy genre, blew it up, and created a newer, slicker way of gaming that would set the bar high enough for its peers that it defined the genre for the next decade. Not only was the gameplay fantastic and revolutionary, but the story line was compelling, giving us one of the best campaign modes any platform has ever seen. - AL
(01/13/10 3:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Austin Morris recapped all three hours of the 'Chuck' premiere event for the WEEKEND Watchers blog. Check out his entry for the two-hour premiere event and Monday's third hour only on the WEEKEND Watchers Blog.
(12/10/09 2:54am)
BoD: WEEKEND counts down the best albums of the decade, continuing with 30-11.
(12/10/09 2:49am)
BoD: WEEKEND counts down the best albums of the decade, starting with 50-31.
(12/10/09 2:41am)
BoD: The best films of the decade, 20-11.
(12/10/09 2:34am)
BoD: The best films of the decade, 50-31.
(12/10/09 12:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The aughts brought us all sorts of crazy stuff in music. From emo to iTunes to the death of the music video, things are much different now from when a lot of people still bought KoRn records. For our top 50 albums of the aughts, our diverse group of panelists tried to include as many different genres as possible. The top 10, counting down:10. Mastodon, “Leviathan”: This album brought metal back into the
mainstream by both predicting the direction metal was heading in and
drawing inspiration from classic metal bands like Thin Lizzy and Black
Sabbath. The raw production and incredible mixture of heavy metal and
Yes-style prog rock laid the groundwork for Mastodon’s later crossover
success, but it was “Leviathan” that paved the way for the next wave of
metal bands.9. Death Cab For Cutie, “Transatlanticism”: Death Cab’s lush, expansive
“Transatlanticism” is a flowing 44 minutes of indie-pop goodness.
Featuring two of the decade’s most memorable tracks – the title track
and “A Lack of Color” – this one catapulted Death Cab into the
mainstream, and we’re all better for it.8. Sufjan Stevens, “Illinois”: Unlike other albums on this list,
there is something about “Illinois” that doesn’t date it. Stevens freed
himself to create an album that feels open, wandering and transcendent
of conventional ties, yet also has the precision only found in the most
deliberative of songwriters. It’s a truly beautiful work of history,
wordplay and composition, deserving of more than one dedicated
listening.7. Modest Mouse, “The Moon & Antarctica”: They started off
small, but with the delightfully mysterious “The Moon & Antarctica”
in 2000, Modest Mouse came one step closer to solidifying its position
as indie rock’s chosen one, the little band that could (and did) manage
full-blown crossover success for the genre. Spectacularly eerie and
equally intense, the record is a vast, murky landscape of hollow sounds
that echo with vibes of both anxious seclusion and peaceful solitude.6. Bright Eyes, “I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning”: Conor Oberst has had
one hell of a decade, and this is his peak under the Bright Eyes
moniker. Featuring a scathing commentary of America on some tracks and
soundtrack-baiting melodies on others, “Wide Awake” is simply one of
the most enjoyable listens of the decade.5. OutKast, “Stankonia”: The duo of Andre 3000 and Big Boi blew up the
music scene with “B.O.B.,” one of the best songs of the decade as well.
Their music was diverse, slanging funky lyrics over all kinds of beats
from heavy guitar riffs to samba music. Off the wall, yes, but every
track was terribly catchy and the interludes between some tracks made
the album a more cohesive work.4. Arcade Fire, “Funeral”: Arcade Fire’s 2004 debut epitomized
arena-ready indie rock for the 2000s. Not bad for a band with a
penchant for accordion flourishes. Win Butler’s lyrics tackle life,
death and the hereafter as the band spins tuneful, memorable hooks that
always succeed in genre-hopping without feeling gimmicky.3. Wilco, “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot”: After spanning countless genres,
Wilco peaked in 2002 with its most ambitious release, a meticulously
crafted album with a brand of explorative Americana never before
touched by anyone. In the remarkably cohesive “Yankee,” bandleader Jeff
Tweedy re-examines ordinary living through catchy and hopeful melodies
that lie beneath a shadow of sonic fog, with songs that achieve chaos
at times and anesthesia at others.2. Radiohead, “Kid A”: If there was ever an album that sounded perfect
for the era, there’s no question that Radiohead would be the band to
make it. They call the shots before the rest of us have the faintest
idea where they’re going, and “Kid A” epitomizes the sentiment of being
ahead of its time.1. Jay-Z, “The Blueprint”: The concept behind “The Blueprint” was straightforward: to create a template for how to succeed in the rap game. That guide has gone on to become Jay-Z’s defining work and perhaps hip-hop’s greatest masterpiece. Combining smoother, catchier beats with his never-ending fountain of lyrical excellence, Hova boldly ascended the throne as the 21st century’s greatest MC and refused to relent.
(12/10/09 12:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Despite the excessive sequels, remakes, reboots and re-imaginings that we were given this decade, the aughts have brought us many more good things in film. From amazing individual performances to sweeping, epic storytelling, film soared to new highs in the ’00s. After much deliberation, here are the top 50 films of the decade (well, 55 if you count all the films in the two full trilogies and one two-parter we included). Here are the top 10:10. “WALL-E”: Pixar’s string of home runs reached a whole new level
with this cute little robot. Though the latter half of the film gets a
bit bogged down with “the message,” the nearly silent first half is an
animated masterpiece. 9. “Almost Famous”: Cameron Crowe’s autobiographic examination
of the rock star psyche is also a charming coming-of-age tale. “Famous”
is one of the most rewatchable and quotable films of the decade, but at
its center are heartfelt performances from Billy Crudup, Patrick Fugit
and Kate Hudson. 8. “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”: When the Coen brothers applied
their razor-sharp wit and over-the-top characters to create a
twang-tinged, toe-tapping twist on the epic tale of “The Odyssey,” The
results were impressively seamless. The combination of eye-popping
images and highly quotable dialogue helps this historical comedy hold
up against the writing and directing duo’s more serious cinematic
efforts.7. “Pan’s Labyrinth”: Guillermo Del Toro’s fantasy epic is a dark,
emotionally charged movie made possible by glorious set pieces,
enchanting cinematography, lush makeup and costumes, masterful puppetry
and above all, spot-on performances. The film is a powerful
representation of not just mythology but Spanish culture as well.
Despite the terror of the faun and the pale man, these images are no
less magical.6. “City of God”: If the test of a great film is the amount of
reaction it induces in a viewer, “Cidade de Deus (City of God)” is
truly great. Depicting the violent growth of gangs and organized crime
in Brazil, the film follows Li’l Ze, one of the most ruthlessly
depraved characters in film history, as he amasses control over the
city by killing all who stand in his path. “City” is like a war movie
but with children in place of soldiers.5. “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind”: The beauty of Michel
Gondry’s sci-fi love story, besides the strong performances from leads
Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, is that it holds up to multiple viewings,
as the chronologically backward narrative begins to make more sense and
the attention to detail in storytelling can be more fully appreciated.4. “There Will Be Blood”: In a crowded year for American masterpieces,
director Paul Thomas Anderson churned out what is almost certainly his
finest work yet with 2007’s “Blood.” Loosely based on the novel “Oil!”
by Upton Sinclair, the film could have been a mere vehicle for Daniel
Day-Lewis to deliver his most emotive performance ever, but instead it
is a beautiful, tragic and subtle piece of cinema.3. “Inglourious Basterds”: Quentin Tarantino hits the mark in his
magnum opus, combining genres, cinematic throwbacks, complex narratives
and lots of violence to make one of the best movies of his career.
Enhancing the airtight production is Brad Pitt’s ability to spin his
quirkiness into Lt. Aldo Raine, Melanie Laurent’s fierce portrayal of a
vengeance-minded French Jew, and of course, Christoph Waltz’s brilliant
performance as the bloodthirsty “Jew Hunter” Col. Hans Landa.2. “The Dark Knight”: The second installment of Christopher Nolan’s
Batman series was able to achieve what the Marvel movies had been
attempting the entire decade: bringing the superhero movie to the
common moviegoer. Staying true to the comics, Nolan perfectly pitted
the morality of a vigilante Batman against the responsibility of
defending the city.1. “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy: A breakthrough in filmmaking, a cultural landmark and one of the few adaptations to be praised by critics, mainstream audiences and fans of the original work alike, “Rings” did it all, including snagging a Best Picture Oscar for “Return of the King,” an unheard of achievement in the fantasy genre. Massive in scope and scale, Jackson’s vision sets the standard for movie adaptations. From the screenplay to the acting to the cinematography to the effects and even the marketing, this franchise was flawlessly executed and truly ushered in the era of geek movies.
(11/17/09 6:18pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s nearly time to give thanks again, but we at WEEKEND aren’t as interested in the “traditional” platitudes people throw out around this time – you know, stuff like family, friends or world peace. Instead, we wanted to discuss the important stuff, like what we’re thankful for in pop culture from the last calendar year. WEEKEND is thankful for:“The Beatles: Rock Band” is released on September 9, 2009. One of the greatest bands of all time now becomes accessible to people all over the world, musicians and the musically-challenged alike. Gamers can now play or sing their favorite Beatles classics as Paul, John, George, or Ringo while experiencing trippy graphics that reflect the atmosphere of each era of the band. – Laura SibleyDoug Benson, who makes smoking weed funny, Michael Jackson, who in death has achieved more fame than he did in life, MMA, for giving people what football only pretends to (utter ass-kicking) and burritos, for being awesome. – Doug Evans“500 Days of Summer” for being the most charming, intelligent film of the year, the U2 360 Tour for giving me the best night of my life (OMG) and Community for its wit, its charm and its comedy. – Brian WelkHype Machine (hypem.com) for providing me many hours of musical delights over the past year. Whenever I am having a bad day regardless of where I am, I can always find something amazing be it an original, new release, cover, or remix to listen to and cheer me up. – Therese KennellyThursday night comedy, not only on NBC (Community, Parks and Rec, The Office and 30 Rock), but also on FX (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and The League) for giving me a pretty solid excuse for not partying between 8-11:30 p.m. on Thursday nights. – Paul MattinglyThe holiday video game season. We’re given at least one big AAA title every week for the next month and a half – “Brutal Legend,” “Modern Warfare 2,” “Assassin’s Creed 2,” “Dragon Age: Origins” and “Uncharted 2” – with so little time to absorb them all. Gamers have to endure the sparse months in the summer and fall. This is our digital feast. – Chad QuandtModern Family for building its characters up, not tearing them down and thus far managing to stay consistently hilarious. – Austin MorrisI’m just thankful Balloon Boy is OK, that I haven’t gotten swine flu (yet), that the new “Star Trek” movie didn’t disappoint (unlike 2008’s new “Indiana Jones” sequel) and that the Obamas finally picked a dog. The suspense was just killing me! – Mike BeamRegina Spektor’s “Far” for moving away from the complex and unpolished style of her previous work, (these songs are a love affair between her voice and a piano) and Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse for being beautifully filmed, thematically rich and increasingly engrossing – even though it’s being canceled. – Kate Colvin“Watchmen” for adhering (mostly) faithfully to the narrative of the comic and for Quentin Tarantino’s long-awaited WWII tribute “Inglorious Basterds” for featuring everything a Tarantino movie should: snappy dialogue, thoughtfully crafted cinematography, irreverent humor and of course, lots of bloodshed, murder and revenge. – Megan ClaytonDespite the changing business model that is affecting all of print media, a few great comic book writers have put out some of their best work over the course of the last year, namely Ed Brubaker and Bryan Hitch with their limited “Captain America Reborn” and the amazing Brian K. Vaughan, whose “Ex Machina” run continues to be the best comic on the shelves. – Brad SandersMiley Cyrus for giving us the too-catchy "Party In The USA" and inching closer to her 18th birthday. – Adam LukachThe topsy-turvy, time travel-heavy fifth season of Lost for convincing me that it is the most creative piece of media text to be crafted this decade and Twitter for allowing me to get pertinent news updates and passively stalk Taylor Swift simultaneously. – Cory Barker
(11/11/09 8:10pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Sometimes, a fictional person is so well crafted they start to seem like a real person. For this week’s foray into the world of literature, WEEKEND staffers brainstorm some of the characters they’ve had the most emotional investment in over the years. In no particular order:Elizabeth Bennett from “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen: Strange in her time, Bennett, like her author, was an outspoken woman with a quick wit and an even quicker tongue. She had to work through her prejudice (and his pride), but eventually used her brains to find true love.Holden Caulfield from “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger: Though Caulfield’s narrative style can be a bit grating, through the novel it becomes clear the style is that of a mentally troubled young man who wants nothing more than to get back the innocence he lost in his trek to adulthood.Anton Chigurh from “No Country for Old Men” by Cormac McCarthy: A ruthless, mysterious assassin, Chigurh is the human embodiment of the deadly, unknown fate that awaits us all.Anna Karenina from “Anna Karenina” by Leo Tolstoy: Love her or hate her, everyone’s had moments where they just felt like throwing themselves under a train, especially if their quest for true love leads to an adulterous affair and social abandonment. Robert Langdon, created by Dan Brown: Brown’s rollicking mysteries wouldn’t be the same without the shrewd intelligence and adventurous spirit of his constant protagonist. Meursault from “The Stranger” by Albert Camus: Camus’ main character perfectly captures the muted emotional response encouraged by an existentialist world view. Is Meursault the monster, or is it the indifferent universe in which we live?Scarlett O’Hara from “Gone with the Wind” by Margaret Mitchell: The protagonist’s transformation from a whiny southern belle into self-sufficient, war-hardened plantation mistress is only one component in a startling depiction of Civil War aftermath.Harry Potter from the “Harry Potter” series by J.K. Rowling: As a classic from our own childhood, we connected with Harry because — besides being brave, smart and loyal — he was our age when we met him.Ralph from “Lord of the Flies” by William Golding: Once the rest of the stranded schoolboys transform into savages, former-leader Ralph must fight for his life and his humanity. Golding leaves us seriously in doubt that all 12-year-old boys could maintain his level of sense. Valentine Michael Smith from “Stranger in a Strange Land” by Robert Heinlein: The “stranger” in this case is Smith, a human raised by Martians and brought back to earth as an adult, where he teaches humanity how to love again and pays for it with his life.
(11/05/09 12:28am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Internet is your prime source of information when it comes to surviving 2012. To get caught up on the how, when, where and why questions of the nearing apocalypse, book mark these sites.1. Survive 2012: This site lays out everything a layman could want to know, from explanations of various doomsday revelations and musings on what catastrophe potentially awaits humanity to news articles and message boards dealing with the phenomenon. 2. EzineArticles: Just search “surviving 2012” and you’ll find thousands of articles on how to make it through the disaster. The most important thing you can do? Build unsinkable ships and wave goodbye to dry land. 3. December 21 2012: Another aggregator of all things 2012 related, the site also features a scrolling list of celebrity believers, including Janeane Garofalo, Mel Gibson and Lil’ Wayne. 4. Universe Today: Want to hear some arguments against the 2012 conspiracy theories? The writers at “Universe Today” do a pretty good job cutting down the doomsday theories.5. 2012 Supplies: Now that you’re on your unsinkable ship, you’re going to need freeze dried food, generators and first aid kits to stock it with.
(11/05/09 12:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Adam Lukachalukach@umail.iu.eduIf the world were ending in 2012, the first thing I would do, along with probably everyone else, would be to drop out of school. I wouldn’t even graduate until 2012, so what’s the use of a college diploma that I can use for all of about six months? While I cannot say for certain, I would probably just watch a lot of television and drink Mountain Dew. (I do work for WEEKEND.) I know it’s not very exciting, but I considered being a criminal and I didn’t want people to think less of me if I chose that for my hypothetical apocalyptic occupation.Alex Bensonalebenso@gmail.comI’ll be damned if I’m going to let some global warming, planetary eclipse, conspiracy-theory mythical bullshit bring humanity to the end of days. That is why I am going to do it. As if I am going to let the credit for ending the plague that is humanity slip to natural or supernatural causes. I’m going to steal Dr. Evil’s thunder and drill a hole to the center of the earth, causing the beautiful greenish-blue sphere to implode into a fiery pit of hell. After I secure my spot as last living organism alive, I’ll get on a cliff, bend over pants down, middle finger up and wait for a wave of mutilation to take me away.Brad Sandersbradsand@umail.iu.eduIf I knew the world was going to end in three years, I would start by dropping out of school. I would open as many credit cards as possible and buy every CD, DVD and comic book I have ever wanted. Then, if the NBA didn’t fold in the wake of the impending doom, I would get courtside seats to every San Antonio Spurs home game. Lastly, I would end all of my meaningful relationships with human beings because the pain would be too great when they all died. Then I’d read more comic books.Danielle Paquettedanpaque@umail.iu.eduIf I had three years to live, I’d empty my bank account to fill the pages of my passport with stamps from exotic locations. Once entirely broke, I’d roam vagabond-style from country to country, surviving on feminine wiles and Aladdin-esque thievery. I’d help smuggle my family and friends across borders, and then engage in the most uninhibited revelry imaginable. We’d sunbathe and sip wine, never to face long-term consequences. I suppose if I had three years to live, I’d really be living.Doug Evansdnevans@indiana.eduIf the world were to end in three years, the first thing I would do is take a hot air balloon ride as far as I possibly could to see the world from above. Then I would skydive, take up smoking, drink more and start using illicit drugs heavily because when the world is going to end, there really are no consequences. Finally, I would do everything in my power to get on a shuttle headed to outer space. On the brink of world collapse and in my drug-induced haze, I think I would want to experience the universe firsthand.Therese Kennellytmkennel@umail.iu.eduIf I only had three years until the world ended, I would get a pet pink platypus and form an indie band titled the Egglaying Mammals. We would sing in Taiwanese and tour the world. Once we signed a recording contract with a major label, I would spend all the money we earned on purchasing a record store where I would sell vintage vinyl, read Existential literature, write a manifesto and make witty allusions for the rest of my years.
(10/14/09 11:06pm)
Six of the most unique majors.