Everybody in the Nashua area should go to Nashua High School South’s (NHSS) production of Guys and Dolls. The Senior Class of 2009 is putting on this production to raise money.
People should go see it not only to help raise money for the graduating class, but also because it showcases some of the best talent in the Nashua area. With leads Molly Bruckman (Adelaide), Chris Humber (Nathan Detroit), Glenn Sweeny (Sky Masterson), and Taylor Peterson (Sarah Brown), NHSS’s best theatre talent is showcased in this show. If the audience is looking for some laughs, the show is filled with punch lines and gags that will leave you with the worst case of hiccups. In the words of director Sophia Santerre, “If I am fixing small things for the show before we even get to tech week, I know this show is going to be very well put together”.
All Nashua area residents should go to “Guys and Dolls” because it raises money for the senior class, and it is one of the best shows in recent memory for NHSS
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
NBA Column Final Draft
Next time you are watching an NBA game, notice the leniency in officiating. I want you to send an email to Commissioner David Stern complaining of the bad officiating so maybe we can have a tighter, cleaner game of basketball. With continuation fouls that last over five seconds and five steps with no-calls on travels that even a 4-year-old can spot, these referees need to learn the rules of basketball again and start controlling the game.
While less avid basketball fans might enjoy run and gun basketball with non-stop action, the real basketball fans like a game that is fast-paced, but also totally in control. If a game gets out of hand, the referees should be there to settle the players down. While this does happen in the NBA, if happens less often than in college and even the high school basketball that I have seen. Some other problems that are bothersome in the NBA are continuation fouls. These are the fouls that are committed in the act of shooting (supposedly). In any one NBA game, there is at least one play were a player gets fouled, and then decides to shoot. By rule, a foul is considered continuation if the player is in the act of shooting. What is happening now is players are getting fouled and then making a move to the basket. Oddly enough, most of these continuation fouls happen with a travel in between, which is a big problem in the NBA.
If you ever watch a college basketball game and compare it to an NBA game, you will notice that there is a much more assertive presence by the officials in. I am not sure what changes occur in the jump from college to the NBA that makes it harder for officials to enforce the rules, but refs need to get more training and learn to stand up to star players. The NBA has become a beauty pageant instead of a showcase of the best athletes in the world because officials let players run rampant.
I was watching a Cleveland Cavaliers NBA game recently and in the waning moments of the fourth quarter, guard LeBron James performed a travel, or as he explained a “crab dribble”, took five steps, and hit a layup with the foul. The referees then called the travel on James and did not count the basket. In the press conference after the game when asked about the travel, James stated that he performed this “crab dribble” and there was no travel. Even if the ref got the right call, all refs should be blamed for not establishing their ground and standing up to these players. There are far more bad calls made then good calls, and this makes for unexciting basketball. In this struggling economy, unexciting basketball is not the way to go.
With traveling calls, there are too many plays when a player somehow gets from the three point arch all the way to the basket without dribbling. Given, these players are tall and have longer legs, but only two steps are allowed going to the basket, and players are taking three or four short steps around people while holding on to the basketball. From my living room I can make more accurate calls than some of the officials, and they are less than 20 feet away from the action. It says clearly in the rule book:
A player who receives the ball while he is progressing or upon completion of a dribble, may use a two-count rhythm in coming to a stop, passing or shooting the ball.
This rule comes from rule 10 section 8 of the NBA rulebook.
This basically says that you cannot have more than two counts or two dribbles unless you commit a travel.
This traveling problem only seems to surface in the NBA, so it goes back to question of what are the differences between college and the NBA. What are college officials doing right that NBA officials are lacking? I will give you a hint. Training and presence make a good referee, and if people complain enough to Commissioner Stern, I guarantee you that this problem will be fixed.
While less avid basketball fans might enjoy run and gun basketball with non-stop action, the real basketball fans like a game that is fast-paced, but also totally in control. If a game gets out of hand, the referees should be there to settle the players down. While this does happen in the NBA, if happens less often than in college and even the high school basketball that I have seen. Some other problems that are bothersome in the NBA are continuation fouls. These are the fouls that are committed in the act of shooting (supposedly). In any one NBA game, there is at least one play were a player gets fouled, and then decides to shoot. By rule, a foul is considered continuation if the player is in the act of shooting. What is happening now is players are getting fouled and then making a move to the basket. Oddly enough, most of these continuation fouls happen with a travel in between, which is a big problem in the NBA.
If you ever watch a college basketball game and compare it to an NBA game, you will notice that there is a much more assertive presence by the officials in. I am not sure what changes occur in the jump from college to the NBA that makes it harder for officials to enforce the rules, but refs need to get more training and learn to stand up to star players. The NBA has become a beauty pageant instead of a showcase of the best athletes in the world because officials let players run rampant.
I was watching a Cleveland Cavaliers NBA game recently and in the waning moments of the fourth quarter, guard LeBron James performed a travel, or as he explained a “crab dribble”, took five steps, and hit a layup with the foul. The referees then called the travel on James and did not count the basket. In the press conference after the game when asked about the travel, James stated that he performed this “crab dribble” and there was no travel. Even if the ref got the right call, all refs should be blamed for not establishing their ground and standing up to these players. There are far more bad calls made then good calls, and this makes for unexciting basketball. In this struggling economy, unexciting basketball is not the way to go.
With traveling calls, there are too many plays when a player somehow gets from the three point arch all the way to the basket without dribbling. Given, these players are tall and have longer legs, but only two steps are allowed going to the basket, and players are taking three or four short steps around people while holding on to the basketball. From my living room I can make more accurate calls than some of the officials, and they are less than 20 feet away from the action. It says clearly in the rule book:
A player who receives the ball while he is progressing or upon completion of a dribble, may use a two-count rhythm in coming to a stop, passing or shooting the ball.
This rule comes from rule 10 section 8 of the NBA rulebook.
This basically says that you cannot have more than two counts or two dribbles unless you commit a travel.
This traveling problem only seems to surface in the NBA, so it goes back to question of what are the differences between college and the NBA. What are college officials doing right that NBA officials are lacking? I will give you a hint. Training and presence make a good referee, and if people complain enough to Commissioner Stern, I guarantee you that this problem will be fixed.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
NBA Referee Column (First Draft)
NBA Referees
Next time you are watching an NBA game, notice the leniency in officiating. I want you to send an email to Commissioner David Stern complaining of the bad officiating so maybe we can have a tighter, cleaner game of basketball. With continuation fouls that last over five seconds and five steps and no-calls on travels that even a 4-year-old can spot, These referees need to learn the rules of basketball again and start controlling the game.
While less avid basketball fans might enjoy run and gun basketball with non-stop action, the real basketball fans like a game that if fast-paced, but also totally in control. If a game gets out of hand, the referees should be there to settle the players down. While this does happen in the NBA, if happens less often than in college and even the high school basketball that I have seen. Some other problems that are bothersome in the NBA are continuation fouls. These are the fouls that are committed in the act of shooting (supposedly). In any one NBA game, there is at least one play were a player gets fouled, and then decides to shoot. By rule, a foul is considered continuation if the player is in the act of shooting. What is happening now is players are getting fouled and then making a move to the basket. Oddly enough, most of these continuation fouls happen with a travel in between, which is a big problem in the NBA.
If you have ever watched a college basketball game and compared it to a NBA game, you will notice that there is a much more assertive presence by the officials in college then there are in the pros. I am not sure what changes occur in the jump from college to the NBA that makes it harder for officials to enforce the rules, but refs need to get more training and learn to stand up to star players. The NBA has become a beauty pageant instead of a showcase of the best athletes in the world because officials let players run rampant.
I was watching a Cleveland Cavaliers NBA game recently and in the waning moments of the fourth quarter, guard LeBron James performed a travel, or as he explained a “crab dribble”, took five steps, and hit a layup with the foul. The referees then called the travel on James and did not count the basket. In the press conference after the game when asked about the travel, James stated that he performed this “crab dribble” and there was no travel. Even if the ref got the right call, all refs should be blamed for not establishing their ground and standing up to these players. There are far more bad calls made then good calls, and this makes for unexciting basketball. In this struggling economy, unexciting basketball is not the way to go.
With traveling calls, there are too many plays when a player somehow gets from the three point arch all the way to the basket without dribbling. Given, these players are tall and have longer legs, but only two steps are allowed going to the basket, and players are taking 3 or 4 short steps around people while holding on to the basketball. From my living room I can make more accurate calls than some of the officials, and they are less than 20 feet away from the action. It says clearly in the rule book:
A player who receives the ball while he is progressing or upon completion of a dribble, may use a two-count rhythm in coming to a stop, passing or shooting the ball.
This rule comes from rule 10 section 8 of the NBA rulebook.
This basically says that you cannot have more than two counts or two dribbles unless you commit a travel.
This traveling problem only seems to surface in the NBA, so it goes back to question of what are the differences between college and the NBA. What are college officials doing right that NBA officials are lacking? I will give you a hint. Training and presence make a good referee, and if people complain enough to commissioner Stern, I guarantee you that this problem will be fixed.
Next time you are watching an NBA game, notice the leniency in officiating. I want you to send an email to Commissioner David Stern complaining of the bad officiating so maybe we can have a tighter, cleaner game of basketball. With continuation fouls that last over five seconds and five steps and no-calls on travels that even a 4-year-old can spot, These referees need to learn the rules of basketball again and start controlling the game.
While less avid basketball fans might enjoy run and gun basketball with non-stop action, the real basketball fans like a game that if fast-paced, but also totally in control. If a game gets out of hand, the referees should be there to settle the players down. While this does happen in the NBA, if happens less often than in college and even the high school basketball that I have seen. Some other problems that are bothersome in the NBA are continuation fouls. These are the fouls that are committed in the act of shooting (supposedly). In any one NBA game, there is at least one play were a player gets fouled, and then decides to shoot. By rule, a foul is considered continuation if the player is in the act of shooting. What is happening now is players are getting fouled and then making a move to the basket. Oddly enough, most of these continuation fouls happen with a travel in between, which is a big problem in the NBA.
If you have ever watched a college basketball game and compared it to a NBA game, you will notice that there is a much more assertive presence by the officials in college then there are in the pros. I am not sure what changes occur in the jump from college to the NBA that makes it harder for officials to enforce the rules, but refs need to get more training and learn to stand up to star players. The NBA has become a beauty pageant instead of a showcase of the best athletes in the world because officials let players run rampant.
I was watching a Cleveland Cavaliers NBA game recently and in the waning moments of the fourth quarter, guard LeBron James performed a travel, or as he explained a “crab dribble”, took five steps, and hit a layup with the foul. The referees then called the travel on James and did not count the basket. In the press conference after the game when asked about the travel, James stated that he performed this “crab dribble” and there was no travel. Even if the ref got the right call, all refs should be blamed for not establishing their ground and standing up to these players. There are far more bad calls made then good calls, and this makes for unexciting basketball. In this struggling economy, unexciting basketball is not the way to go.
With traveling calls, there are too many plays when a player somehow gets from the three point arch all the way to the basket without dribbling. Given, these players are tall and have longer legs, but only two steps are allowed going to the basket, and players are taking 3 or 4 short steps around people while holding on to the basketball. From my living room I can make more accurate calls than some of the officials, and they are less than 20 feet away from the action. It says clearly in the rule book:
A player who receives the ball while he is progressing or upon completion of a dribble, may use a two-count rhythm in coming to a stop, passing or shooting the ball.
This rule comes from rule 10 section 8 of the NBA rulebook.
This basically says that you cannot have more than two counts or two dribbles unless you commit a travel.
This traveling problem only seems to surface in the NBA, so it goes back to question of what are the differences between college and the NBA. What are college officials doing right that NBA officials are lacking? I will give you a hint. Training and presence make a good referee, and if people complain enough to commissioner Stern, I guarantee you that this problem will be fixed.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Letter to the Editor
This letter is a response to “State Hears Push for ‘cold case squad’”, an article written by Andrew Wolfe and published on March 4. I encourage everybody to go out and push harder for this ‘cold case squad’ in the state legislature because there are many people that would be affected by this decision.
Any crime that is not solved is called a cold case, and right now, New Hampshire does not have a team to review these cases as they gain life or when new evidence is uncovered. Even if someone is not affected by a team like this, think about the family members of these victims and the lack of closure they have with a permanently open case. Everybody deserves to know the truth, and without a cold case squad, there are many people who don’t know what happened to their loved one or friend.
Again, I encourage everybody to help push this “squad” into effect as soon as possible so we can start solving cases that are long overdue.
Any crime that is not solved is called a cold case, and right now, New Hampshire does not have a team to review these cases as they gain life or when new evidence is uncovered. Even if someone is not affected by a team like this, think about the family members of these victims and the lack of closure they have with a permanently open case. Everybody deserves to know the truth, and without a cold case squad, there are many people who don’t know what happened to their loved one or friend.
Again, I encourage everybody to help push this “squad” into effect as soon as possible so we can start solving cases that are long overdue.
Friday, February 20, 2009
Total Review First Draft...This has all of them
Rolling Stone Review
The February 2009 issue of the Rolling Stone (RS) magazine is the most recent of the Rolling Stone empire. This music/culture magazine has been around since 1967 and was started in San Francisco. The current editor and publisher Jann Wenner created the magazine devoted to music and culture and moved into politics in the early 1970s.
This specific issue of RS carries on the greatness that transcends the name. From the picture of Sean Penn on the cover to the reviews of Van Halen, this magazine is very professional and informative. RS appeals to the younger crowd while still being precise enough to appeal to 30, 40, and 50 somethings.
Overall, the Rolling Stone magazine appeals to all crowds, is very precise, and has great content while still being very informative.
Earth Essentials Toilet Paper Review
Earth Essentials toilet paper is a CVS brand paper that is made from 100 percent recycled material. It is not known where it is made but is distributed by CVS/Pharmacy and is made from 60 percent post consumer goods.
The paper feels like one-ply paper and is not soft at all. Sandpaper comes to mind when touching this tp. Also, if put up to a window, the paper is so thin that you could almost see clearly through it. The packaging of the paper does not help the appeal of this product because it is a clear plastic wrapping with a small green label.
If you have a sensitive behind, you might get a severe rug burn with this product. If you are buying this product for its “green” side, then its environmental standards are second to none, but if you are looking for comfort, then you should find another brand of toilet paper.
iDog Review:
The iDog is a battery powered portable music speaker made by Hasbro. This speaker set reacts to an external music source such as an mp3 player or iPod and lights up and dances to the music. The electronic canine also will dance if you place it near a speaker. The iDog went on sale in March 2005, and Hasbro has also come out with variations such as the Spi-dog, iCat, and iCy (a penguin speaker). Different companies also sell clothes and accessories for the adorable electronics.
While the idea of a cute portable speaker system is brilliant, the iDog doesn’t fetch the bone with their speaker system. The sound quality is nothing short of disgusting, and the movements are very jerky. The lighting patterns that show on the face are boring, and the robot only moves at the neck. The speakers were entertaining at the start, but quickly lost its entertainment value as the listener realized the limitations of the dog.
While the iDog is not comparable to the iHome speaker system in its quality, the price tag is very favorable to the average music listener on the run. If you are looking for heart thumping bass along with a dazzling light show, this Hasbro product is not for you. If you need a cute fun way to listen to your music and don’t care that much about the quality, then you should listen to this dog howl.
Pringles Dill Pickle Chips
Pringles chips are sold in over 30 countries and make over $1 billion a year. First sold in 1968 and not sold throughout the US until the mid 70’s, Pringles have come a long way. With new flavors coming out regularly to keep chip enthusiasts happy, people are beginning to try new types of chips. One of these flavors is the dill pickle flavored chip.
When you first look at the can of the chips you might be tempted to buy. The can has a cool design and makes the chip look good. Once bought you will probably open the can only to be assaulted by the aroma of dill pickles. For pickle fans this might be nice but if you continue to eat the chips you will notice that they are not actually pickle flavored. The flavor is a mix between salt and vinegar chips and with a pickle aftertaste. They aren’t the best flavor put out by Pringles in the past five years. They don’t have much nutritional value and one serving of 6 chips has 150 calories and a high fat content.
Overall, the chips are decent but not great. They are worth trying if you can get past the smell and don’t mind the aftertaste. Other than that buy them if you want to just stare at the can.
David Li – Sentimental Erhu Music Vol. 4 review
David Li is a Chinese composer who uses traditional oriental instruments in his music. His CD’s do not have any vocals because he is making more traditional music and vocals were not used. His songs have an Asian theme to them. He does both solo and orchestra performances.
The CD when listened to has a calming effect due to the slow paced instruments and the sounds the instruments make. The CD contains a few songs that are also found in movies such as The Lion King and Titanic. The CD has 16 songs, none of the songs containing vocals. The cd ends up being good if you are looking for something to help you fall asleep or if you want to meditate.
This CD is recommended to anyone looking for something to help them relax or fall asleep. It isn’t exactly an exciting CD to listen to but if you are a fan of Asian music you should pick it up.
The February 2009 issue of the Rolling Stone (RS) magazine is the most recent of the Rolling Stone empire. This music/culture magazine has been around since 1967 and was started in San Francisco. The current editor and publisher Jann Wenner created the magazine devoted to music and culture and moved into politics in the early 1970s.
This specific issue of RS carries on the greatness that transcends the name. From the picture of Sean Penn on the cover to the reviews of Van Halen, this magazine is very professional and informative. RS appeals to the younger crowd while still being precise enough to appeal to 30, 40, and 50 somethings.
Overall, the Rolling Stone magazine appeals to all crowds, is very precise, and has great content while still being very informative.
Earth Essentials Toilet Paper Review
Earth Essentials toilet paper is a CVS brand paper that is made from 100 percent recycled material. It is not known where it is made but is distributed by CVS/Pharmacy and is made from 60 percent post consumer goods.
The paper feels like one-ply paper and is not soft at all. Sandpaper comes to mind when touching this tp. Also, if put up to a window, the paper is so thin that you could almost see clearly through it. The packaging of the paper does not help the appeal of this product because it is a clear plastic wrapping with a small green label.
If you have a sensitive behind, you might get a severe rug burn with this product. If you are buying this product for its “green” side, then its environmental standards are second to none, but if you are looking for comfort, then you should find another brand of toilet paper.
iDog Review:
The iDog is a battery powered portable music speaker made by Hasbro. This speaker set reacts to an external music source such as an mp3 player or iPod and lights up and dances to the music. The electronic canine also will dance if you place it near a speaker. The iDog went on sale in March 2005, and Hasbro has also come out with variations such as the Spi-dog, iCat, and iCy (a penguin speaker). Different companies also sell clothes and accessories for the adorable electronics.
While the idea of a cute portable speaker system is brilliant, the iDog doesn’t fetch the bone with their speaker system. The sound quality is nothing short of disgusting, and the movements are very jerky. The lighting patterns that show on the face are boring, and the robot only moves at the neck. The speakers were entertaining at the start, but quickly lost its entertainment value as the listener realized the limitations of the dog.
While the iDog is not comparable to the iHome speaker system in its quality, the price tag is very favorable to the average music listener on the run. If you are looking for heart thumping bass along with a dazzling light show, this Hasbro product is not for you. If you need a cute fun way to listen to your music and don’t care that much about the quality, then you should listen to this dog howl.
Pringles Dill Pickle Chips
Pringles chips are sold in over 30 countries and make over $1 billion a year. First sold in 1968 and not sold throughout the US until the mid 70’s, Pringles have come a long way. With new flavors coming out regularly to keep chip enthusiasts happy, people are beginning to try new types of chips. One of these flavors is the dill pickle flavored chip.
When you first look at the can of the chips you might be tempted to buy. The can has a cool design and makes the chip look good. Once bought you will probably open the can only to be assaulted by the aroma of dill pickles. For pickle fans this might be nice but if you continue to eat the chips you will notice that they are not actually pickle flavored. The flavor is a mix between salt and vinegar chips and with a pickle aftertaste. They aren’t the best flavor put out by Pringles in the past five years. They don’t have much nutritional value and one serving of 6 chips has 150 calories and a high fat content.
Overall, the chips are decent but not great. They are worth trying if you can get past the smell and don’t mind the aftertaste. Other than that buy them if you want to just stare at the can.
David Li – Sentimental Erhu Music Vol. 4 review
David Li is a Chinese composer who uses traditional oriental instruments in his music. His CD’s do not have any vocals because he is making more traditional music and vocals were not used. His songs have an Asian theme to them. He does both solo and orchestra performances.
The CD when listened to has a calming effect due to the slow paced instruments and the sounds the instruments make. The CD contains a few songs that are also found in movies such as The Lion King and Titanic. The CD has 16 songs, none of the songs containing vocals. The cd ends up being good if you are looking for something to help you fall asleep or if you want to meditate.
This CD is recommended to anyone looking for something to help them relax or fall asleep. It isn’t exactly an exciting CD to listen to but if you are a fan of Asian music you should pick it up.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Review First Draft
Rolling Stone Review
The February 2009 issue of the Rolling Stone (RS) magazine is the most recent of the Rolling Stone empire. This music/culture magazine has been around since 1967 and was started in San Francisco. The current editor and publisher Jann Wenner created the magazine devoted to music and culture and moved into politics in the early 1970s.
This specific issue of RS carries on the greatness that transcends the name. From the picture of Sean Penn on the cover to the reviews of Van Halen, this magazine is very professional and informative. RS appeals to the younger crowd while still being precise enough to appeal to 30, 40, and 50 somethings.
Overall, the Rolling Stone magazine appeals to all crowds, is very precise, and has great content while still being very informative.
Earth Essentials Toilet Paper Review
Earth Essentials toilet paper is a CVS brand paper that is made from 100 percent recycled material. It is not known where it is made but is distributed by CVS/Pharmacy and is made from 60 percent post consumer goods.
The paper feels like one-ply paper and is not soft at all. Sandpaper comes to mind when touching this tp. Also, if put up to a window, the paper is so thin that you could almost see clearly through it. The packaging of the paper does not help the appeal of this product because it is a clear plastic wrapping with a small green label.
If you have a sensitive behind, you might get a severe rug burn with this product. If you are buying this product for its “green” side, then its environmental standards are second to none, but if you are looking for comfort, then you should find another brand of toilet paper.
iDog Review:
The iDog is a battery powered portable music speaker made by Hasbro. This speaker set reacts to an external music source such as an mp3 player or iPod and lights up and dances to the music. The electronic canine also will dance if you place it near a speaker. The iDog went on sale in March 2005, and Hasbro has also come out with variations such as the Spi-dog, iCat, and iCy (a penguin speaker). Different companies also sell clothes and accessories for the adorable electronics.
While the idea of a cute portable speaker system is brilliant, the iDog doesn’t fetch the bone with their speaker system. The sound quality is nothing short of disgusting, and the movements are very jerky. The lighting patterns that show on the face are boring, and the robot only moves at the neck. The speakers were entertaining at the start, but quickly lost its entertainment value as the listener realized the limitations of the dog.
While the iDog is not comparable to the iHome speaker system in its quality, the price tag is very favorable to the average music listener on the run. If you are looking for heart thumping bass along with a dazzling light show, this Hasbro product is not for you. If you need a cute fun way to listen to your music and don’t care that much about the quality, then you should listen to this dog howl.
The February 2009 issue of the Rolling Stone (RS) magazine is the most recent of the Rolling Stone empire. This music/culture magazine has been around since 1967 and was started in San Francisco. The current editor and publisher Jann Wenner created the magazine devoted to music and culture and moved into politics in the early 1970s.
This specific issue of RS carries on the greatness that transcends the name. From the picture of Sean Penn on the cover to the reviews of Van Halen, this magazine is very professional and informative. RS appeals to the younger crowd while still being precise enough to appeal to 30, 40, and 50 somethings.
Overall, the Rolling Stone magazine appeals to all crowds, is very precise, and has great content while still being very informative.
Earth Essentials Toilet Paper Review
Earth Essentials toilet paper is a CVS brand paper that is made from 100 percent recycled material. It is not known where it is made but is distributed by CVS/Pharmacy and is made from 60 percent post consumer goods.
The paper feels like one-ply paper and is not soft at all. Sandpaper comes to mind when touching this tp. Also, if put up to a window, the paper is so thin that you could almost see clearly through it. The packaging of the paper does not help the appeal of this product because it is a clear plastic wrapping with a small green label.
If you have a sensitive behind, you might get a severe rug burn with this product. If you are buying this product for its “green” side, then its environmental standards are second to none, but if you are looking for comfort, then you should find another brand of toilet paper.
iDog Review:
The iDog is a battery powered portable music speaker made by Hasbro. This speaker set reacts to an external music source such as an mp3 player or iPod and lights up and dances to the music. The electronic canine also will dance if you place it near a speaker. The iDog went on sale in March 2005, and Hasbro has also come out with variations such as the Spi-dog, iCat, and iCy (a penguin speaker). Different companies also sell clothes and accessories for the adorable electronics.
While the idea of a cute portable speaker system is brilliant, the iDog doesn’t fetch the bone with their speaker system. The sound quality is nothing short of disgusting, and the movements are very jerky. The lighting patterns that show on the face are boring, and the robot only moves at the neck. The speakers were entertaining at the start, but quickly lost its entertainment value as the listener realized the limitations of the dog.
While the iDog is not comparable to the iHome speaker system in its quality, the price tag is very favorable to the average music listener on the run. If you are looking for heart thumping bass along with a dazzling light show, this Hasbro product is not for you. If you need a cute fun way to listen to your music and don’t care that much about the quality, then you should listen to this dog howl.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
"My Dad is Rich" Review
“My dad is rich,” is a song from Draco and the Malfoys’ first self-titled album. The band plays at libraries, book stores, YMCAs, and educational institutions across the United States and Canada. Half-brothers Brian Ross and Bradley Mehlenbacher formed the band in 2004 based on Harry Potter’s nemeses Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter book series. You will find this song in the magical bowels of Indie Rock in a subgenre called wizard rock started by Harry and the Potters in 2002.
The lyrics make you chuckle embarrassedly at best and have no real overall meaning over the course of the song. Just the title alone makes the listener feel bad for how Potter’s parents are dead (and not rich), which is no way to stir up a following. Mehlenbacher’s voice throughout the song is weak and off key, and just adds to the torture of listening to the pair’s lyrics. The chords used in the song are nothing special, but guitar muscles are flexed in some parts of the song. The Mickey Mouse rhyming scheme and the flat wizard puns only make the listener want to make their ears disappear, along with the music playing device they are listening to.
Overall, unless you wish you could fly a broom to school everyday, this album is not worth talking about. This type of rock is aimed towards a specific group of people, people new to the music world who haven’t heard of the greats, and are convinced that magic can do anything…except make music.
The lyrics make you chuckle embarrassedly at best and have no real overall meaning over the course of the song. Just the title alone makes the listener feel bad for how Potter’s parents are dead (and not rich), which is no way to stir up a following. Mehlenbacher’s voice throughout the song is weak and off key, and just adds to the torture of listening to the pair’s lyrics. The chords used in the song are nothing special, but guitar muscles are flexed in some parts of the song. The Mickey Mouse rhyming scheme and the flat wizard puns only make the listener want to make their ears disappear, along with the music playing device they are listening to.
Overall, unless you wish you could fly a broom to school everyday, this album is not worth talking about. This type of rock is aimed towards a specific group of people, people new to the music world who haven’t heard of the greats, and are convinced that magic can do anything…except make music.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Broken Glass
When journalists like Stephen Glass break credibility many people are affected. From the journalist themselves to the people who read the magazine there are a lot of people who are affected by the article and therefore affected by the article’s credibility. The movie “Shattered Glass” goes through how Glass is proved to have “cooked” his stories or made them up, but the movie does not show all of the people that are hurt by his actions.
When a journalist’s credibility is broken, the journalist is hurt the most out of everybody that is affected. Since the journalist was proved to have lied about a story, he/she would have a very tough time getting hired by any other paper. Once something like that has happened, it is hard to even get looked at by another paper because anyone is just one internet search away from finding out about the past. Just one story that is found to be fictitious can ruin a journalist’s career forever.
The magazine or newspaper can also be hurt by a made up story. Even when a paper has just one author that is proved to be not credible people can be hurt. When a reader finds out that they have been reading a made up story when they believed it was truthful they are immediately turned off to that paper. This would hurt the paper company because they would be losing customers and possibly advertisers. Whenever a writer makes a mistake the paper has to protect its employee. When a writer makes a big mistake, like making up a story, the company has to issue apologies to their readers, find new writers, and try to fix their shattered image. This hurts the paper because it is doing something other than reporting the news and making sure the story is right.
The readers are hurt when a journalist’s credibility is broken because most readers trust what they are reading. When this trust is broken, a reader could find it hard to trust the paper, or any paper for that matter. The reader is then left to wonder if anything they had read before was the truth, or if they were all made up stories. When a reader’s trust is broken, he/she does not buy newspapers and does not trust the news. When this happens the reader becomes un-informed which is a problem in itself.
The advertisers are hurt in this process because they are associated with the paper and the phony journalist. When a reader sees an advertisement in the newspaper, and then finds out that the some of the stories were made up, then the reader could have a bad impression of that company. This could affect the company’s sales numbers and potentially close a company down if they were a big enough supporter of the paper.
Many people are affected when a journalist’s credibility is broken. From the journalist, to the paper, to the advertisers, and the readers; there are many groups that feel the aftereffect of a serious act like Glass’s. Credibility is something that is earned but cannot be gained back. A journalist’s job is to report the news and never to become part of the news.
When a journalist’s credibility is broken, the journalist is hurt the most out of everybody that is affected. Since the journalist was proved to have lied about a story, he/she would have a very tough time getting hired by any other paper. Once something like that has happened, it is hard to even get looked at by another paper because anyone is just one internet search away from finding out about the past. Just one story that is found to be fictitious can ruin a journalist’s career forever.
The magazine or newspaper can also be hurt by a made up story. Even when a paper has just one author that is proved to be not credible people can be hurt. When a reader finds out that they have been reading a made up story when they believed it was truthful they are immediately turned off to that paper. This would hurt the paper company because they would be losing customers and possibly advertisers. Whenever a writer makes a mistake the paper has to protect its employee. When a writer makes a big mistake, like making up a story, the company has to issue apologies to their readers, find new writers, and try to fix their shattered image. This hurts the paper because it is doing something other than reporting the news and making sure the story is right.
The readers are hurt when a journalist’s credibility is broken because most readers trust what they are reading. When this trust is broken, a reader could find it hard to trust the paper, or any paper for that matter. The reader is then left to wonder if anything they had read before was the truth, or if they were all made up stories. When a reader’s trust is broken, he/she does not buy newspapers and does not trust the news. When this happens the reader becomes un-informed which is a problem in itself.
The advertisers are hurt in this process because they are associated with the paper and the phony journalist. When a reader sees an advertisement in the newspaper, and then finds out that the some of the stories were made up, then the reader could have a bad impression of that company. This could affect the company’s sales numbers and potentially close a company down if they were a big enough supporter of the paper.
Many people are affected when a journalist’s credibility is broken. From the journalist, to the paper, to the advertisers, and the readers; there are many groups that feel the aftereffect of a serious act like Glass’s. Credibility is something that is earned but cannot be gained back. A journalist’s job is to report the news and never to become part of the news.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Credibility
Rob Greene: Real or not?
By Joe Rausa
Robert Greene, an English teacher at Nashua High School South (NHSS), is a credible and well fit. Greene, who specializes in journalism and poetry classes, is exactly who he says he is.
When anyone is hired to work in the Nashua School District, they are put through both a background check and a check to make sure they are qualified to work in their specific job.
“Whoever gets hired by the school district is who they say they are” says the main office secretary at NHSS.
This fact alone proves that Greene is at least a credible source to teach his classes.
While looking at Greene’s resume posted on his Web site his past jobs were fact checked with trusted sources such as websites not made by Greene and other NHSS employees.
In Greene’s resume, he claims that he worked as the Director of Communications at an Albany, N.Y. based company named The Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS). The company’s website confirms he worked there with a name and a picture from 2004. Greene also edited the e-zine Humanist Network News which was a weekly free online magazine says the annual report.
Greene’s full name, Robert William Wright Greene was matched to a 37-year-old man who resided in towns across New England on the US Search Information Web site. These addresses match where Greene says he lives on his Web site.
As an assignment for his poetry class Greene challenged his students to prove that he was a credible source by fact-checking his past. Greene also refused to answer any questions during this process.
By Joe Rausa
Robert Greene, an English teacher at Nashua High School South (NHSS), is a credible and well fit. Greene, who specializes in journalism and poetry classes, is exactly who he says he is.
When anyone is hired to work in the Nashua School District, they are put through both a background check and a check to make sure they are qualified to work in their specific job.
“Whoever gets hired by the school district is who they say they are” says the main office secretary at NHSS.
This fact alone proves that Greene is at least a credible source to teach his classes.
While looking at Greene’s resume posted on his Web site his past jobs were fact checked with trusted sources such as websites not made by Greene and other NHSS employees.
In Greene’s resume, he claims that he worked as the Director of Communications at an Albany, N.Y. based company named The Institute for Humanist Studies (IHS). The company’s website confirms he worked there with a name and a picture from 2004. Greene also edited the e-zine Humanist Network News which was a weekly free online magazine says the annual report.
Greene’s full name, Robert William Wright Greene was matched to a 37-year-old man who resided in towns across New England on the US Search Information Web site. These addresses match where Greene says he lives on his Web site.
As an assignment for his poetry class Greene challenged his students to prove that he was a credible source by fact-checking his past. Greene also refused to answer any questions during this process.
Monday, February 9, 2009
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