Breaking Dawn: Vampire Lore Revamped
By newsguy | July 21, 2008
Vampires are the worlds most condemned and glorified symbols. Beautiful. Charming. Sensual. Alluring. They illustrate the timeless struggle between what we know is right and the darker aspects of our nature. Flawless statuesque beings, driven by the most primal of all desires and the need for dark nourishment, they feed our forbidden fascination with the abomination. They are the power and strength combined with the perfection and beauty that so eludes humanity.
From Bram Stoker’s Dracula, a tale of a gruesome bloodthirsty creature to Anne Rice’s revolutionary reinvented vampire, a beautiful symbol of power and sexuality, the vampire has undergone countless transformation throughout literary history. The modern vampire can now be seen in the form of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series.
Who could have predicted that a charming 33-year old Mormon housewife would cause a sensation to rival that of J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter? Regardless, she has dreamed up a character that has captured the hearts of the adolescent population. (I would just like to state that isn’t just teenage girls that love this book. I know plenty of guys that have read it and love it. It is truly a story for everyone.)
She has artfully constructed a world of the impossible, in which vampires and werewolves roam amongst humans and love isn’t a vain hope. This is the world of Bella Swan and her vampire lover Edward Cullen, a world so real and yet with out the true horrors of our world that it has captivated the attention of all who enter it.
Three books have painted us a picture of this reality. Obstacles have been overcome, love has been found, sorrow has been felt, but it is drawing to a close. On August 2nd the last chapter in this saga will be read and the world will know the fate of Bella, of Edward, of Jacob, but most of all, the fate of love. Breaking Dawn, the forth and final installment, will hopefully answer all the questions still burning in Twilight fans. Will Edward and Bella marry? What is to become of Jacob? But most of all; Will Bella join the Cullen family as a creature of the night?
Only time will tell, but I know for certain that I will be amongst the sleep-deprived crowd anxiously waiting at my local bookstore at midnight to fall in love again with Edward, my vampire.
By: Landis
Topics: The Buzz | No Comments »
Starbucks or Bust
By newsguy | July 21, 2008
They’re everywhere they’re everywhere. Wowzers even on the web starbucks rapes my senses with their massive amounts of green and brown. Now make no mistake I love my starbucks coffee but even I have my limit. Where I live a starbucks has found a way to spring up right across the street from another. In all fairness to them it’s a drive through as opposed to one where people have to take the time to get out of their climate controlled comfort zone and actually wait in a line with people around them. I hate it so much that they are that close even more though I hate that I broke down and ordered from that particular starbucks.
Starbucks has some great things to offer mind you I mean my five dollar and thirty-five cent grande jave chip with a dopio espresso is delicious, and the environment they make is nice and is one of the real reasons that you pay such a high price for your drinks. I am just worried that they are going to expand even more and start taking business from other places then coffee houses. Already they are selling the vivanno a healthy juice drink, and I supposed that I should be happy about the healthy alternative, but I find myself worried for my local smoothie shops should they decide to pursue it further.
My local coffee shop has a bit of an edge on our starbucks since it incorporates the local art and music scene bringing in customers with art openings and shows with local musicians. The environment is so much nicer than starbucks since it has this whole family feel to it I mean I have friends that have played there and I have gone to art openings where I ran into one of my favorite artists whose work I saw when I was in southern France. Starbucks is trying to corner the music scene now with the new stores that let you burn cds and build playlists of local artists. It is great but I am worried for the local buisness.
Topics: Discuss Amongst Yourselves | No Comments »
Outrage On Dog Restrictions in Beijing
By newsguy | July 18, 2008
Animal activists and lovers are outraged at the restrictions on dogs in Beijing. It is illegal to have a dog over 35cm (1.1ft), which limits the dog adoption availabilities. Large dogs are banned due to their size and that they are ‘violent’. It is sad that all large dogs are viewed this way. I have owned rottweilers all my life and only had one who had a bad temperament, but that was due to his past abuse, so upon hearing about a law that would put my dog down simply because of its size, I was infuriated. This harsh restriction on dog owning seems to derive from Chinas communist past. The laws in Beijing are out-of-date; laws should change with time and growth.
Certain dog breeds are deemed unacceptable in Beijing such as Dalmatians and Australian Shepherds. Now, if you have ever owned either dog you would know that they are well-tempered dogs, especially the Australian Shepherd; they are extremely loyal and intelligent. This ban on certain dog breeds forces many dogs to be set out in the rural areas of China where rabies flourishes and many of the dogs die because they don’t know how to take care of themselves all alone in Chinas country side. The government gets more lenient on the dog laws as the Olympics gets closer but that still isn’t stopping then from taking unregistered dogs and euthanizing them, sometimes not even by needle, but by being beaten by dog catchers. The only reason Beijing is more lenient on the restrictions is their fear of another large demonstration by animal loving people such as what happened in November 2006. There was an outbreak of protestors in the streets because of the murder of tens of thousands of dogs because of Beijing’s ridiculous law. They need to realize that the laws should be more about animal’s rights and stopping abuse instead of an animal’s height or breed.
Story By Cortney Smith
Topics: Discuss Amongst Yourselves | 1 Comment »
Acai - Health Miracle or Bank Breaker?
By newsguy | July 17, 2008
Even though you can only pick it in the Amazon rainforest, you can now pick it up everywhere - including a Tropicana line of special juices and Campbell’s V8 Fusion juices, in your grocery store. Acai, “wonder berry”, supposedly an incredible antioxidant, is taking the world by storm. MySpace is filled with Mona Vie Acai juice sellers spamming us to high heaven (Mona Vie has an MLM program…) and our television are chock-a-block with acai talk (including a recent segment on Oprah). What could it hurt to try such an incredible “cure” for aging and illness? Your wallet. Acai juice is a very expensive addition to any diet.
Is it worth it? Can you put a price on good health? Check out this ABC News video report on Acai (and Mona Vie) and judge for yourself.
Are you a woman who’s taken Acai (Mona Vie or another) and have something to say about it? Have other health-related advice you’d like to get paid to share? Prevention Magazine, a leader in health publications, is paying everyday women up to $100/month to share their stories, tips, and thoughts on a new health blog community. Check out the community here and apply here.
Topics: Discuss Amongst Yourselves, What do you think?, The Buzz | No Comments »
“Colony Collapse Disorder”
By newsguy | July 14, 2008
“Colony Collapse Disorder Because Disease Doesn’t Seem Applicable Here”
What’s happening to all the bees? A very misunderstood disorder has been claiming the lives of countless bees throughout the US and Canada. Colony Collapse Disorder describes a phenomenon in which worker bees from a beehive, in this case European bees abruptly disappear? There have been numerous explanations ranging from global warming to pesticides to even cell phones! But what is the real explanation and is there even reason to worry?
Like earlier stated, the disorder is very misunderstood and misinterpreted subject.
First, there are over 20,000 species of bees in the world along with thousands of other pollinating insects around the world. When you here “CCD” its talking about one type of species that is affected- the European honey bee, the species that happens to pollinate about 30% of global agriculture that we rely on. So worst-case scenario, with the entire species wiped out, we are all faced with about a 30% loss (which is a significant percentage).
Second, the die-offs seem to affect some beekeepers more than others, which suggest that it might have something to do with how beekeepers manage their bees. The number of falling hives is still a small faction compared to the global population of honeybees and there still are a lot of beekeepers that who haven’t experienced CCD in their colonies.
Another thing to realize is that even the original report describes this as something that has been seen before repeatedly in which no conclusion was reached. The researches didn’t like the older names for the syndrome because it inaccurately describes the disorder so they renamed it CCD. Most people think this is something new but in fact its something that has been reported as early as the 1890s. The hives fail when they experience to much stress but stress is also very difficult to measure.
Last and fore most don’t trust what the media tells you. The media is full of misinterpretation and sometimes you have to look for the answer yourself. The original report didn’t even have anything about cell phones in it. Everything is always “allegedly” unless otherwise stated like the Einstein allegations that “if the bees died off then the world would end in four years”. There is no proof and the quote didn’t even appear until 1994 long after Einstein’s death.
by: Harry Cantrell
Topics: Discuss Amongst Yourselves, The Buzz | No Comments »
Jackson Wants Obama’s Nuts Either Way
By newsguy | July 12, 2008
Here’s the moral of the story before the story’s told:
If you’re doing a television interview, or indeed anything involving a microphone and a recorder or camera, don’t ever think that you’re “safe” saying something during commercial breaks, or whispering something under your breath. It doesn’t work. We’ve seen this time, after time, after time. It’s amazing for crowd entertainment, but damaging for your credibility and/or career.
Case in point: Jesse Jackson’s now infamous comments about Barack Obama, said during a break on Fox News (of all channels looking to catch a Democrat in a trap, Fox News reigns supreme) when he thought the camera wasn’t rolling. In case you missed them…
As if it wasn’t enough that those comments have become hugely public - thereby forcing Jackson to address them in an equally public manner - there’s now a debate raging about the significance of a preposition in his choice of wording. That’s right: we have so little to do with our lives that we’re engaging in widescale discussion of whether he said “I want to cut his nuts off” or “I want to cut his nuts out“.
It seems like the intent is clear either way, but everybody’s in on the “I heard something different” train…
The Chicago Tribute reported “I want to cut his nuts out,” Jackson added, gesturing as if grabbing part of the male anatomy and then pulling.
Whereas Bloomberg reported “I want to cut his nuts off,” Jackson then said, according to a report on the Fox News Web site.
Pointless argument? The New York Post doesn’t think so: Veterinarians and doctors talk about cutting nuts “off.” Only a thug or a gangster cuts a man’s nuts “out.” And Jackson knows better than most the vicious symbolism of castration and its blood-soaked link to lynchings in the Old South.
We suppose there’s another moral to the story after all: If you’re going to say something idiotic in front of a microphone, choose your words carefully. You never know when the press, who could be devoting ink to something like national debt, human rights abuse, or advances in cancer research or AIDS, will decide dissection of your grammar and composition is the most newsworthy thing in the world.
Topics: Laugh out Loud, What do you think?, What the...?, The Buzz | No Comments »
China Races for Obesity Title
By newsguy | July 9, 2008
Now we know China is a superpower.
As if there was any doubt that China will soon top the rest of the world in virtually everything, they’re getting on board the obesity train.
Other big-time players like the United States and Australia have been duking it out for fattest populus for some time. China, considered a developing nation, is a surprise contender for the title. But the addition of fattening foods to their diet has rendered ¼ of the Chinese population overweight or worse.
It’s an alarming trend among countries considered otherwise poverty-stricken and malnourished – Mexico, for example, is closing the gap to top China’s rate of weight gain.
Trading illness due to lack of food for illness caused by improper food choices isn’t much of an improvement. “We need to find the right investments and regulations to encourage people to adopt a healthy lifestyle, or we risk facing higher rates of death, disease, and disability and the related costs,” said Barry Popkin, nutrition professor at the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina.
Topics: Just Plain Weird | 1 Comment »
Denver shocked as singer opts for ‘Black National Anthem’ over ‘Star-Spangled Banner’
By newsguy | July 3, 2008
Jazz Artist Rene Marie shocked her audience when she sung the words to the ‘Black National Anthem’ to the tune of the Star Spangled Banner.
The singer was in front of the audience at Denver’s State of the City Address. Only her husband and musical adviser knew she would swap in the Black National Anthem.
Many were notably upset, including Denver’s Mayor, John Hickenlooper, “If anyone has got a right to be angry it’s probably me… I guess what I feel most is just deeply disappointed.”
Thoughts and Concerns are welcomed.
Topics: Discuss Amongst Yourselves | No Comments »
The Waterfalls of New York City Are Flowing
By newsguy | June 30, 2008
New York City’s latest tourist attraction is now spilling over the East River. The Waterfalls are an outdoors art installation by Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, and can be viewed until October 13th.
At approximately 98 feet high and up to 65 feet wide, the Waterfalls on Governor’s Island beneath the Brooklyn bridge can be seen from both Manhattan and Brooklyn.
Eliasson says, “Water has great potential to be both physical and very elusive, it can be many different things for many different people.”
New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg concurred. He called the Waterfalls a symbol of “energy and vitality”.
The Waterfalls were unveiled on June 27th.
Topics: What the...?, The Buzz | No Comments »
Obama Wins
By newsguy | June 4, 2008
Topics: Discuss Amongst Yourselves | No Comments »