To conclude Part I of our extravaganza, we have the musical stylings of the University of Rochester Yellowjackets. Recently featured as one of the must-see YouTube videos in the March issue of EW, here they are performing their rendition of Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me."
Stay tuned! We'll be back with Part II real soon!
Friday, April 2, 2010
The BS Awards: School Juveniles
Every school has that group of people. You know, the ones that are always getting into trouble. The ones who you can probably find later in life living on the streets or in jail. Although these kids may not be mischievous to that degree, the following nominees are noted for their appreciable work in the business. Truly inspirational, no?
First up is Marker Face.
At least he has a purple unibrow. Not many people can boast about that.
Next we have Nipple Man.
Of course, for those who are still doubting Nipple Man's worth, we have another word from guest speaker, GloZell.
Nonetheless, no one can be compared with this couple. Aren't they cute together?
And that is why they are the winners of this category. The principal must really enjoy himself.
First up is Marker Face.
At least he has a purple unibrow. Not many people can boast about that.
Next we have Nipple Man.
Of course, for those who are still doubting Nipple Man's worth, we have another word from guest speaker, GloZell.
Nonetheless, no one can be compared with this couple. Aren't they cute together?
And that is why they are the winners of this category. The principal must really enjoy himself.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
The BS Awards: Wife Swap Conundrums
Ah, sick of your wife or husband? Check out Wife Swap. It's crazy! They switch two wives from radically different social classes/lifestyles! Did that just blow your mind? Well, then these clips will make you explode.
First, we have the dad who eats raw meat.
Next up is Crazy Catholic Warrior. Or so you think...
See? I bet she's with Edward Cullen too. Vamps are everywhere!!! Be alert.
However, the winner of this category is King Curtis. Here he is in his finest.
First, we have the dad who eats raw meat.
Next up is Crazy Catholic Warrior. Or so you think...
See? I bet she's with Edward Cullen too. Vamps are everywhere!!! Be alert.
However, the winner of this category is King Curtis. Here he is in his finest.
The BS Awards: Ke$ha Song of the Year
Move over, Beyoncé and Taylor Swift. Ke$ha is the new kid on the block. Preaching lyrics straight out of da club, she is rapidly infecting the world with her sick beat filled to the brim with any DJ's delight. Watch out because that girl just loves her Jack Daniels.
Before we move on with the nominees, here is a word from guest speaker, GloZell.
Now, on with the nominees! First up is her hit single, "TiK ToK."
Up next is the song alluded to in Miss GloZell's commentary: "Blah, Blah, Blah."
Here, we have an underrated song, "Dinosaur."
I love when singers can spell.
Finally, we have every schoolgirl's favorite fantasy: "Mr. Watson."
I bet she's Edward Cullen's sister. They have the same tongue movements. Yup, she's a vamp. Definitely.
And the winner is..."TiK ToK." Congrats, Ashley Tisdale!
Before we move on with the nominees, here is a word from guest speaker, GloZell.
Now, on with the nominees! First up is her hit single, "TiK ToK."
Up next is the song alluded to in Miss GloZell's commentary: "Blah, Blah, Blah."
Here, we have an underrated song, "Dinosaur."
I love when singers can spell.
Finally, we have every schoolgirl's favorite fantasy: "Mr. Watson."
I bet she's Edward Cullen's sister. They have the same tongue movements. Yup, she's a vamp. Definitely.
And the winner is..."TiK ToK." Congrats, Ashley Tisdale!
The BS Awards: Best High School Musical Blunder
2006 marked a big year for Disney; High School Musical entered the world, capturing the hearts of young tweens and Twilight dads alike. It became a national phenomenon, and soon enough, high school became a haven for clichéd romance between some jock and nerd who found common ground in the fine arts. (Ah, love, how fickle thou art!) Nonetheless, it did raise an awareness of the fine arts.
Was that last statement ambiguous? Well, you decide, folks!
Here are the nominees for "Best High School Musical Blunder."
From High School Musical: Get in the Picture comes several renditions of "A Whole New World." Four words: Jasmine, you better run.
From our stepfather that we really have no affiliation with and therefore is not our real father, The Soup, comes a clip featuring performances of "Forever Young" and "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing."
From High School Musical 2 comes this clip of "I Don't Dance." Is it subtly suggestive? Hmm....Honestly, who wears all white to a baseball game? Call the fashion police because we've got a wardrobe malfunction.
Huh, and everyone thought only Gabriella and Troy found true love.
And the winner is....Gasp! From out of nowhere! A performance of "I Say a Little Prayer" from High School Musical A Seleção.
You go, girls.
Was that last statement ambiguous? Well, you decide, folks!
Here are the nominees for "Best High School Musical Blunder."
From High School Musical: Get in the Picture comes several renditions of "A Whole New World." Four words: Jasmine, you better run.
From our stepfather that we really have no affiliation with and therefore is not our real father, The Soup, comes a clip featuring performances of "Forever Young" and "I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing."
From High School Musical 2 comes this clip of "I Don't Dance." Is it subtly suggestive? Hmm....Honestly, who wears all white to a baseball game? Call the fashion police because we've got a wardrobe malfunction.
Huh, and everyone thought only Gabriella and Troy found true love.
And the winner is....Gasp! From out of nowhere! A performance of "I Say a Little Prayer" from High School Musical A Seleção.
You go, girls.
The BS Awards!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Weird Junk: Pee and Poo Plush Dolls
There are many weird things in the world, some of which I cannot begin to fathom. To help raise awareness of what you can find in the world, the BS has chosen to create another series of articles (Cranking them out are we? Oh, yes, we are.) appropriately titled "Weird Junk." Here's one example:
The two figures above are actually plush dolls that reside within the borders of Japan. Designed to educate young children about human waste, pee and poo offer a friendly face for what you leave in the toilet.
May your defecation be satisfying.
With that, we close today's edition of "Weird Junk."
May your defecation be satisfying.
With that, we close today's edition of "Weird Junk."
Friday, March 5, 2010
The Music Box: "Fireflies"
Hello, loyal readers! It's time for another edition of "The Music Box!" Today, we've got Owl City's "Fireflies" under our music microscope.
So, I've been thinking about what to actually say about this song. To start, let's have some lyrics dissection.
"You would not believe your eyes
If ten million fireflies
Lit up the world as I fell asleep."
Hmm, why don't you ponder on that thought?
"I'd like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly."
Isn't it ironic? I guess I wasn't bored after all.
But hey,even though he may be lip-syncing, at least he gets a thousand hugs from ten thousand lightning bugs. As you know, nothing is better than that.
Thus, we mute The Music Box. Well, until next time!
"You would not believe your eyes
If ten million fireflies
Lit up the world as I fell asleep."
Hmm, why don't you ponder on that thought?
"I'd like to make myself believe
That planet Earth turns slowly."
I bet he thinks that the world is flat too. Well, so does Barbara Walters. Oh, Barbara, we love you.
Hmm, you know what, I think I just might as well give you all a video link. Why? Because I'm really getting bored by this, and videos tend to speak for themselves. Note the foreshadowing in that previous statement.
Isn't it ironic? I guess I wasn't bored after all.
But hey,
Thus, we mute The Music Box. Well, until next time!
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Singles Awareness Day
Hello, friends, fans, and all you other loyal readers! Have you cuddled with your special someone yet? Watched Dear John? Or Valentine's Day? Well, aww, then that's great.
Now for the rest of us.
As you all know, tomorrow is everyone's favorite lovey-dovey holiday. Marked by roses, chocolate hearts, and naked babies practicing their archery, who wouldn't feel compelled to join in the festivities?
What's the problem? Well, they're all biased towards couples.
Single? Well, now it's stamped across your forehead.
"On February 14, [Insert Name of Single Person Here] is self-aware."
Well, doesn't that sting? Luckily, here at the BS,
Our solution to this predicament: Singles Awareness Day. Also known as SAD, it helps singles all over the world get over the fact that they have to make out with a pillow as retribution for not being able to make love to an actual human being.
I bet you want to know the advantages to being single. If you don't, too bad. You're the one choosing to read this anyway. Go be single somewhere else.- Well, you can have as much candy and flowers as you want delivered to yourself. No one will know who gave them to you. Plus, if you're the narcissist, you probably already thought about this.
- You're not obliged to be with only one person. Go hit the strip club. Show Ke$ha how it really feels to wake up feeling like P. Diddy.
- You get to wear green on this day. If red or pink is not your color, then you might have some issues if your partner's all about Valentine's Day. Plus, guys never wear pink. It says so in The Bro Code. You better be ashamed if you do wear pink. You should have known better.
- Accidental pregnancies are a thing in the past. Well, it's never been a problem for the guys, but for the ladies, it's apparent.
So if you're lonely on this lovely holiday, wear some green, cuddle up near the fireplace with your favorite Twilight book, and send some flowers and chocolate to yourself. Celebrate your singularity! Who knows? You might find a valentine in yourself. Happy SAD!
Take it away, Beyoncé.
Monday, February 8, 2010
An Unrecognized Hero
As we all know, the greatest of artists are always recognized posthumously. There is no exception to that rule when it comes to the great Heidi Montag. From appearing on the thought-provoking, intelligent show, The Hills, to marrying the successful T.V. star and talented rapper, Spencer Pratt, she has yet to make a wrong move. Remember her performance of her song "Superficial?" Some may argue that her dance moves were less than good and that she seemed like she didn't have a soul, but they are wrong.
"I'm sure if Cleopatra were alive today, she'd have triple D's."
Her wise words ring in my head. Heidi just wants to make the world more beautiful, and who can fault her for that? Barbie is the ideal, after all. Her kids may not look like her, but that can be fixed. And Heidi truly is enamored by all the science behind plastic surgery. She knows about science. That's the only reason she was put on The Hills. God told Heidi to do what she did, and she'd be willing to tell you that. Just like God told her to do all the charity works she's done (like appearing on I'm a Celebrity Get Me out of Here!) Yes, they did pay her, but while she was there, someone tore the labels off her shampoo bottles! No amount of money can fix the emotional damage that caused her.
Her wise words ring in my head. Heidi just wants to make the world more beautiful, and who can fault her for that? Barbie is the ideal, after all. Her kids may not look like her, but that can be fixed. And Heidi truly is enamored by all the science behind plastic surgery. She knows about science. That's the only reason she was put on The Hills. God told Heidi to do what she did, and she'd be willing to tell you that. Just like God told her to do all the charity works she's done (like appearing on I'm a Celebrity Get Me out of Here!) Yes, they did pay her, but while she was there, someone tore the labels off her shampoo bottles! No amount of money can fix the emotional damage that caused her.
Heidi Montag is avant-garde, more so than anyone of us could understand. As she says in her hit song, "It ain't that easy. It ain't that easy. It ain't that easy. But it ain't so hard."
When she dies in the process of trying to make her boobs size "H" for Heidi (like she almost died the first time), the world will finally realize their mistake and see her for the artist and saint she truly is.
Valentine's Day: The Origin
Not mine. Originally written by Aaron from "Ninja's Against Bad Things". I still thought it was fitting.
----------------------------
It's that time of the year again, so without further ado, the Ninja's Against Bad Things Super Evil Arch-Nemesis Bad Thing of the Week (NABTSEANBTOTW for short) is: Valentine’s Day.
Having seriously considered watching the History Channel on several occasions, I feel comfortable relaying the history behind this terrible holiday.
Valentine's Day was actually a joint venture, invented in the early 1860's by Hitler, Pol Pot, and Osama Bin Laden, who as a group are also responsible for other Bad Things such as tapioca and midterms. The origins of the holiday's namesake span back to ancient Rome, a place where things happened at some point in the near or distant past, depending on what the "historical information" I have no need to look up says. St. Valentine, the Patron Saint of Chick Flicks and Other Sappy Romanticized Trash, had just met up with his friends St. KetleOne, the Patron Saint of Getting Hella Wasted at Parties, and St. Crunchius-Breakius-Teethius, the Patron Saint of Eating Bicycles. As the story goes, they were all sitting around, discussing how not to be fed to the lions. St. Valentine liked this girl, so he told his friends:
"I likius dis girlius."
As you may recall, Roman people at this time were tired of speaking boring old Roman, so they started speaking Latin, which they picked up from Puerto Ricans and other Latin American immigrants. It was the "cool" thing to do. Latin is a very archaic and confusing language, containing such common phrases as "Et tu, Brutus", which in English means "Hey! That wasn't very nice!", as well as "Sic sempre tyrannis" which loosely translates into "Ha ha, got you, President Abraham Lincoln the Tyrannosaurus" (John Wilkes Booth had a severe mental condition in which he thought every world leader was some kind of dinosaur.) Anyway, I visited Chile one summer, which is kinda close to Latin America, so for sake of clarity I'll translate.
"I likius dis girlius" ("Hey dudes, I like, totally like, like like this girl.")
The other two saints thought this was an absurd idea. Instead of liking girls, they suggested, why not concentrate on other things, such as knitting, or practicing for the bar exam? But St. Valentine insisted, and the three set out to buy some overpriced gifts for the object of his affection, whose name happened to be Raargh. St. Valentine lugged his friends along for the perilous journey down the block to Walmart, inside of which they completed the purchasing of many little chalky candy hearts at amazing "Roll-Back" savings. St. Valentine then decided he wanted to give his love something more distinctly Roman, so he and his friends then built the Parthenon, unaware that it was actually Greek, because none of them had really paid attention in 7th-grade World History class.
Okay, well long story short, it turns out Raargh did not like little chalky candy hearts and was highly allergic to Parthenons. Furthermore, Raargh was also a lion. Enraged, the great beast then proceeded to maul and messily devour Saints Valentine, KetleOne, and Crunchius-Breakius-Teethius, much to the delight of Romans everywhere. From that day on, February 10th became known as "Valentine's Day", a day of laughing at St. Valentine, Patron Saint of Chick Flicks and Other Sappy Romanticized Trash. (Due to Global Warming, we now observe it on February 14th.)
But every year, both guys and girls alike ignore the lessons of history and celebrate Valentine's Day by exchanging traditional gifts such as chalky candy hearts and Parthenons, as well as more modern gifts such as Hallmark cards, overpriced thorny flowers, and sexual favors, unaware that the objects of their affection will inevitably turn out to be huge psychotic crackwhores who maul the living hell out of any semblance of feelings they might have had left inside that hollow chest cavity that once held a heart. Furthermore, by celebrating Valentine's Day, they are terrorists who hate freedom, democracy, ice cream, and puppies. And Julie Andrews.
Don't wait for the smoking gun to come in the form of a dozen roses; if you suspect that someone may be even thinking about celebrating Valentine's Day, you have the authority to preemptively ninja-chop them.
P.S.: My pretend lawyers have advised me to tell you that before launching a pre-emptive surprise ninja strike on an unsuspecting Opponent Of Freedom (OOF), you should make sure he or she signs a waiver absolving you of all damages, physical and emotional, that may result from your upcoming sneak attack. Make duplicate copies of the waiver and get it fully notarized.
Down with VD!
----------------------------
It's that time of the year again, so without further ado, the Ninja's Against Bad Things Super Evil Arch-Nemesis Bad Thing of the Week (NABTSEANBTOTW for short) is: Valentine’s Day.
Having seriously considered watching the History Channel on several occasions, I feel comfortable relaying the history behind this terrible holiday.
Valentine's Day was actually a joint venture, invented in the early 1860's by Hitler, Pol Pot, and Osama Bin Laden, who as a group are also responsible for other Bad Things such as tapioca and midterms. The origins of the holiday's namesake span back to ancient Rome, a place where things happened at some point in the near or distant past, depending on what the "historical information" I have no need to look up says. St. Valentine, the Patron Saint of Chick Flicks and Other Sappy Romanticized Trash, had just met up with his friends St. KetleOne, the Patron Saint of Getting Hella Wasted at Parties, and St. Crunchius-Breakius-Teethius, the Patron Saint of Eating Bicycles. As the story goes, they were all sitting around, discussing how not to be fed to the lions. St. Valentine liked this girl, so he told his friends:
"I likius dis girlius."
As you may recall, Roman people at this time were tired of speaking boring old Roman, so they started speaking Latin, which they picked up from Puerto Ricans and other Latin American immigrants. It was the "cool" thing to do. Latin is a very archaic and confusing language, containing such common phrases as "Et tu, Brutus", which in English means "Hey! That wasn't very nice!", as well as "Sic sempre tyrannis" which loosely translates into "Ha ha, got you, President Abraham Lincoln the Tyrannosaurus" (John Wilkes Booth had a severe mental condition in which he thought every world leader was some kind of dinosaur.) Anyway, I visited Chile one summer, which is kinda close to Latin America, so for sake of clarity I'll translate.
"I likius dis girlius" ("Hey dudes, I like, totally like, like like this girl.")
The other two saints thought this was an absurd idea. Instead of liking girls, they suggested, why not concentrate on other things, such as knitting, or practicing for the bar exam? But St. Valentine insisted, and the three set out to buy some overpriced gifts for the object of his affection, whose name happened to be Raargh. St. Valentine lugged his friends along for the perilous journey down the block to Walmart, inside of which they completed the purchasing of many little chalky candy hearts at amazing "Roll-Back" savings. St. Valentine then decided he wanted to give his love something more distinctly Roman, so he and his friends then built the Parthenon, unaware that it was actually Greek, because none of them had really paid attention in 7th-grade World History class.
Okay, well long story short, it turns out Raargh did not like little chalky candy hearts and was highly allergic to Parthenons. Furthermore, Raargh was also a lion. Enraged, the great beast then proceeded to maul and messily devour Saints Valentine, KetleOne, and Crunchius-Breakius-Teethius, much to the delight of Romans everywhere. From that day on, February 10th became known as "Valentine's Day", a day of laughing at St. Valentine, Patron Saint of Chick Flicks and Other Sappy Romanticized Trash. (Due to Global Warming, we now observe it on February 14th.)
But every year, both guys and girls alike ignore the lessons of history and celebrate Valentine's Day by exchanging traditional gifts such as chalky candy hearts and Parthenons, as well as more modern gifts such as Hallmark cards, overpriced thorny flowers, and sexual favors, unaware that the objects of their affection will inevitably turn out to be huge psychotic crackwhores who maul the living hell out of any semblance of feelings they might have had left inside that hollow chest cavity that once held a heart. Furthermore, by celebrating Valentine's Day, they are terrorists who hate freedom, democracy, ice cream, and puppies. And Julie Andrews.
Don't wait for the smoking gun to come in the form of a dozen roses; if you suspect that someone may be even thinking about celebrating Valentine's Day, you have the authority to preemptively ninja-chop them.
P.S.: My pretend lawyers have advised me to tell you that before launching a pre-emptive surprise ninja strike on an unsuspecting Opponent Of Freedom (OOF), you should make sure he or she signs a waiver absolving you of all damages, physical and emotional, that may result from your upcoming sneak attack. Make duplicate copies of the waiver and get it fully notarized.
Down with VD!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
The Music Box: "Tik Tok"
Hello to all you BS readers! This marks the first edition of "The Music Box." Here, we will take a look at your favorite tunes as they pass through our judgement. Today's song: "Tik Tok." Enjoy!
Ah, Ke$ha. Here's another artist to add to the whole "party-till-I-get-you-drunk-n'-crunk-n'-junk" genre. Let's see what she has to say about "Tik Tok":
"One morning I just woke up, and I live in this house with I-don't-even-know-how-many roommates — it's this Laurel Canyon house with seven rooms and roommates fluctuating monthly". She later added, "I woke up one day after we went to a party, and I was surrounded by ten of the most beautiful women you've ever seen. And I was like, I'm like P. Diddy — there's no man like this in the entire world. So that became the first line of the new single, and we just went from there. It's a daily process in my life." (Courtesy of Esquire Magazine...and Wikipedia...)
With that in mind, let's take a look at her music video. I hope you wake up surrounded by ten of the most beautiful women you've ever seen.
Some things to note...
Here, we've got the vocal talent of Allison, accompanied by Kurt Schneider on piano. It's a great Candlelight version of the same dance-pop song, a little reminiscent of Cascada's "Everytime We Touch." Well, the Candlelight Remix, of course. There's great juxtaposition between the angelic voice and the dirty lyrics, and the underlying sound of "Replay" adds a nice touch to the piece. It's quite ironic, but the humor adds to the overall success of this video.
And look! Even Snooki from Jersey Shore is looking to get onto the music scene. Think she's got a chance? Well, she's already Snookin' for Love, so I think she's got great potential.
With that, we close this session of The Music Box.
"One morning I just woke up, and I live in this house with I-don't-even-know-how-many roommates — it's this Laurel Canyon house with seven rooms and roommates fluctuating monthly". She later added, "I woke up one day after we went to a party, and I was surrounded by ten of the most beautiful women you've ever seen. And I was like, I'm like P. Diddy — there's no man like this in the entire world. So that became the first line of the new single, and we just went from there. It's a daily process in my life." (Courtesy of Esquire Magazine...and Wikipedia...)
With that in mind, let's take a look at her music video. I hope you wake up surrounded by ten of the most beautiful women you've ever seen.
Some things to note...
- Look familiar? Why don't you consult Lady Gaga's "Just Dance" music video?
- Hey, isn't that Gaga's boom box?
- The song's pretty much a DJ's delight, filled with handclaps, synths, Auto-Tune, and all that junk.
- Wow! Ashley Tisdale looks great!
Here, we've got the vocal talent of Allison, accompanied by Kurt Schneider on piano. It's a great Candlelight version of the same dance-pop song, a little reminiscent of Cascada's "Everytime We Touch." Well, the Candlelight Remix, of course. There's great juxtaposition between the angelic voice and the dirty lyrics, and the underlying sound of "Replay" adds a nice touch to the piece. It's quite ironic, but the humor adds to the overall success of this video.
And look! Even Snooki from Jersey Shore is looking to get onto the music scene. Think she's got a chance? Well, she's already Snookin' for Love, so I think she's got great potential.
With that, we close this session of The Music Box.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Trending Topics Part II
So this will be a recurring thing because quite frankly, people are hilarious.
#doesntmeanyourblack
***Note the "your"
What began as a commentary on wiggers...
faunatic1911 Having jewelry in your mouth #doesntmeanyourblack (*you are) {look at Paul
nilpsin Jus becuz u have more dan 1 black friend #doesntmeanyourblack
Xplode Just because you like trending topics #doesntmeanyourblack
nia_berry89 even if u try to act ghetto #doesntmeanyourblack
It had evolved into...
gustavosantiago Just because you call it purple juice instead of grape juice #doesntmeanyourblack
@KevinEdwardsJr hhmmm ite - just cuz ur name is LaKeisha, Zalika, Kalifa Sushaunna or Jamal #doesntmeanyourblack
Mullyman just because u like chicken n watermelon #doesntmeanyourblack , but i'm a lightskinded black man and chicken n watermelon is good as a whore
*side note: I like chicken and watermelon. Does this mean I like whores too?
DatGuyTiquan Just because you got 12 kids and 8 babies daddies #doesntmeanyourblack ... It mean you a ho!
@ogeebradley: just cause you got four babies by four different women and a wife on the side that #doesntmeanyourblack but #ninetimesoutoften you are....
wtfitsalltaken Just because youre always on the bench when playing basketball #doesntmeanyourwhite ( #doesntmeanyourblack )
@Johnxrox: Just because you have black skin #doesntmeanyourblack Oh wait nvm, yes it does.
And so concludes this edition of Trending Topics.
#doesntmeanyourblack
***Note the "your"
What began as a commentary on wiggers...
faunatic1911 Having jewelry in your mouth #doesntmeanyourblack (*you are) {look at Paul
nilpsin Jus becuz u have more dan 1 black friend #doesntmeanyourblack
Xplode Just because you like trending topics #doesntmeanyourblack
nia_berry89 even if u try to act ghetto #doesntmeanyourblack
It had evolved into...
gustavosantiago Just because you call it purple juice instead of grape juice #doesntmeanyourblack
@KevinEdwardsJr hhmmm ite - just cuz ur name is LaKeisha, Zalika, Kalifa Sushaunna or Jamal #doesntmeanyourblack
Mullyman just because u like chicken n watermelon #doesntmeanyourblack , but i'm a lightskinded black man and chicken n watermelon is good as a whore
*side note: I like chicken and watermelon. Does this mean I like whores too?
DatGuyTiquan Just because you got 12 kids and 8 babies daddies #doesntmeanyourblack ... It mean you a ho!
@ogeebradley: just cause you got four babies by four different women and a wife on the side that #doesntmeanyourblack but #ninetimesoutoften you are....
wtfitsalltaken Just because youre always on the bench when playing basketball #doesntmeanyourwhite ( #doesntmeanyourblack )
@Johnxrox: Just because you have black skin #doesntmeanyourblack Oh wait nvm, yes it does.
And so concludes this edition of Trending Topics.
Friday, January 22, 2010
Live! Coverage of the District 207 Student Protest!
Very recently, District 207 raised the guillotine for the teaching careers of 75 full-time teachers and 62 staff members, laying off a total of 137 employees, in order to counteract (an arguable) $17 million debt. How does one accumulate such a figure? Well, there are a multitude of factors. New plasma TVs, security cams, and a "welcome desk" are a few new additions from Maine South's end. Of course, there are a lot more, and one must take account the other changes implemented at Maine East and Maine West as well. You can learn more from this little link.
Now, offsetting this debt by firing teachers is truly a big no-no, especially in the minds of the student body. Of course, firing teachers is not the only decision the District has made; they have also cut programs and other extracurricular activities in order to try and salvage themselves from this pit of debt. (Bad move, District 207. VERY bad move.) Upon notice of these transactions, many students were outraged, forming groups on Facebook such as "my teacher got replaced by a plasma tv" or "Save [Insert Teacher's Name Here]!"
Well, on January 22, 2010, this group was also responsible for organizing a protest outside of Maine South High School. Cue the wave of videos...
Doesn't it remind you of the TODAY show?
Yes, you're seeing it correctly; even the BS got some coverage of the protest. Of course, with our budget, we can afford a camera but not camera angles. Oh well. At least we got a shoutout. Maybe we really do have more than 3 loyal readers...
Here's another video with the students chanting, "Save our teachers!"
In addition to all of this, several students gave testimonies regarding their teachers.
Here's another one...
And guess what? Even our very own BS Staff Member, Kate, got to sum it all up...
Sorry, Kate, we ran out of air-time...
As you can see, there is great devotion among these students. Will the District respond in their favor? Let's hope; these students have the same passion as an angry mob with pitchforks and torches, even if they aren't literally using them. None of them are in any position to admit defeat either. All of these students are ready to address the District's irresponsible spending and offer their own perspectives in any way possible; they are all willing to do anything to get their voice heard. So, to all you loyal readers, spread the word.
Besides, isn't one of the major goals of school to offer a quality education? Without some of these teachers, we might get something like this...
Now, do you honestly want this to happen to our future? This is an English teacher's nightmare.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Influential albums from the last decade
I thought I'd start one of these things off with a video. People like videos. I like videos, especially good ones. And I thought his one particularly relevant.
And why, you ask, why oh why is such a video relevant? Well, I'm here to talk about my twenty most influential albums of the decade. So it's kinda relevant. But seriously, does it even matter if the video is relevant? You're right it doesn't. 0_o So let's get on with this, in no particular order.
This Side (2002) – Nickel Creek
This album is amazing. Nay, this band is amazing! If you want solid bluegrass that is interesting and still relatively young (LOLS), check these guys. This Side is a good starter, especially since it won a Grammy.
Speak for Yourself (2005) – Imogen Heap
This was my introduction to Imogen Heap and the world of harmonies she takes you to whenever you listen to any of her songs. She recently released Ellipse, which I definitely recommend listening to.
Far (2009) – Regina Spektor
Regina at her finest. She's cute and she plays piano. Regina introduced me to weird, eclectic music that isn't crappy and actually sounds quite lovely. :P
Wiretap Scars (2002) – Sparta
Everyone loves At the Drive-In but they were barely around last decade. It's true, Relationship in Command came out in 2000 and I'd definitely recommend listening to it, however Wiretap Scars is the album that really pushed the boundaries of what I was listening to at the time. I was also in a band that covered a few tunes from Sparta.
Also, I ♥ Jim Ward. That is all.
Chuck (2004)... – Sum 41
Ah yes, Sum 41. These guys are brilliant... and Canadian! This is the last album with Brown Sound and also my favorite because it's not as punky as their previous stuff. Does This Look Infected? was also a lot of fun. Oddly enough, Sum 41 never influenced me too heavily with their earlier stuff. :/ Weird, huh?
Boys & Girls in America (2006) – The Hold Steady
ZOMG, this album is great! This was shown to me right before I entered college and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. I've also seen these guys live and they're famazing, so definitely go see them if you can.
Do You Feel (2007) – The Rocket Summer
Oddly enough, I was introduced to this band right before college as well but I didn't listen to the whole album until later in life. I enjoy this album for its wholesome messages and positive yet realistic attitude on life. It's kinda emo but in a good way. (Since I live in Illinois and Ohio is for lovers...)
Is That a Riot? (2006) – Youngblood Brass Band
I really don't remember when I ran into these guys... Anyway, this is great music for all you band geeks out there. I chose Is That a Riot? because it's perhaps the snarkiest. The vocals stand out in this one more than the others, but the earlier albums have virtuosic sousaphone work. Go check it out if you don't believe me.
Everything Went Numb (2003) – Streetlight Manifesto
Ah yes, my first ska album... While Reel Big Fish and the Mighty Mighty Bosstones may have carved out that place for ska in my heart, Streetlight Manifesto filled it full and then some. Both my ska band (Cap'n Crunch and the Cereal Killers) as well as my brainchild (New Squids on the Dock) have covered tunes from this record.
Music for Two (2004) – Edgar Meyer and Bela Fleck
I've seen Edgar Meyer perform three times and I know that that isn't even enough. The man is ridiculous! And don't forget Bela Fleck; it's not like he's a sucky musician by any means. :P This album is all live recordings from their tour and it's powerful stuff. Bach inventions and bluegrass musings and other random ditties. And if you buy the physical copy, you get a cool DVD too.
Chase This Light (2007) – Jimmy Eat World
Freshman year. These guys came to UofI but I didn't go because I was lame. ANYWAY, this album was my soundtrack for the 2008 election atmosphere and this band is hugely influential in my musical playings.
10,000 Days (2006) – Tool
Tool is kinda hard to describe. It's not indie. As my friend Tim would say, it's "intelligent music." So go listen to it and see for yourself.
De-Loused in the Comatorium (2003) – The Mars Volta
More "intelligent music." The Mars Volta keeps churning out albums like crazy so you'll never run out of music from these guys.
When Your Heart Stops Beating (2006) – (+44)
I like this album because it's more mature than Blink-182's music (in general) but it's still got two-thirds of the band. Plus, "Lycanthrope" is amazing.
Sounding a Mosaic (2004) – Bedouin Soundclash
Ah yes, a hidden gem I found through IMF one day. Also from Canadia. These guys are kinda reggae but not as mainstream as Marley. And you all know how I like to do things off the beaten path.
Vena Sera (2007) – Chevelle
This is an angry album. It's full of angry music. If you're into that sort of thing, go listen to this. Chevelle is also from Chicago so you know, I feel a connection to these guys. (not really, but whatever)
Meteora (2003) – Linkin Park
Less angry but that's because this isn't Hybrid Theory. Meteora was very well done and there was some sweet rapping. And to all of those folks out there who think that Linkin Park wasn't influential, then I'm sorry. If you grew up loving the music and then rejected it because you "grew up" then guess what, you're probably a very limited musician in terms of what kind of music you can play and what you can do.
…Until We Felt Red (2008) – Kaki King
Guitar music that is beautiful. Kaki King adds vocals to her later albums, including this one. If you play guitar or just love nice acoustic music, this is for you.
Funeral (2004) – Arcade Fire
Ah yes, indie music. :P If I needed to point to any kind of indie influence, this is it.
Fearless: Platinum Edition (2009) – Taylor Swift
Of course, any self-respecting artist needs some Taylor Swift. While she isn't exactly country, she does have influence and I feel her influence now will allow me to explore some other great music later. Besides, chicks dig Tay!
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Trending Topics
Twitter's trending topics always bring up something interesting: sometimes poignant, sometimes hilarious. This time they got it right, and I am proud to be part of the human race.
As part of the whole decade in review thing, the hash tag "#who remembers" has appeared. Here's an example:
"SFKillaKev1 RT @CLSDASH: Wow #who remembers the jersey era... Niggaz went hard for dem throw backs.<
But because our spelling iz soooooo gr8... the hash tag "#whore members" has appeared.
Many people have pointed out the hilarity of the spelling error, but then the others who just like to contribute to trending topics have written this:
"chardonnay93 what kind of bitch sucks up a nigga while hes on the phone those Whore members #truestory"
*facedesk*
As part of the whole decade in review thing, the hash tag "#who remembers" has appeared. Here's an example:
"SFKillaKev1 RT @CLSDASH: Wow #who remembers the jersey era... Niggaz went hard for dem throw backs.<
But because our spelling iz soooooo gr8... the hash tag "#whore members" has appeared.
Many people have pointed out the hilarity of the spelling error, but then the others who just like to contribute to trending topics have written this:
"chardonnay93 what kind of bitch sucks up a nigga while hes on the phone those Whore members #truestory"
*facedesk*
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