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THE AERIAL J.M. ATHERTON HIGH SCHOOL
INDEX
3000 DUNDEE RD. LOUISVILLE, KY 40205
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 07, 2009
VOLUME 84, ISSUE 3
TRANSFORMATION
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20 PAGES
Category
Editorials
Features
Arts
Reviews
Media
Schools News
Sports
METAMORPHOSIS
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Editorials
Is it possilbe? And if so, will the Obama
Administration be able to implement it
before the People
lose patience?
See Pages 2-3
ALL AROUND THE WORLD IN THREE MEALS
From The Grape Leaf and Palermo Viejo to Annie’s Café and
Zen Garden, Louisville has slowly but surely turned into a melting pot of ethnic foods
See Page 6
Television est Magnifique
REVIEWS
Although the television may seem like a simple machine, it is in fact
quite complex. With only having been around for less than 100 years, Over a decade-and-a-half and
there have already been numerous achievements within the creation $14m spent, will it be possible
of the television.
See Page 7 for Axl Rose to profit from his
self-proclaimed opus magnus,
TRACKING THE PARABOLIC CURVE OF INGENUITY Chinese Democracy? More
It is obvious that music is important to youth in today’s society. However, importantly, will GN’R fans
while the genesis of the echo boom generation has caused classic rock to consider this album a part of the
become popular yet again, they/we seem to have a limited knowledge of how
band’s canonical legacy?
music has changed throughout the years.
See Page 8
Page 12
SPORTS
World Wrestling Entertainment
When Vincent J. McMahon created World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc, he founded a company that would forever change
the foundation of exactly what
“sports entertainment” is all
about.
See Page 19
The Aerial
EDITORIALS
Page 2
Well, it’s here, and the world is all okay now.
Barack Obama is the president-elect; the economy
is going to be alright, the stock market will recover,
we will reduce or eliminate debt to China, and both
the Afghanistan and Iraq wars will end with no further conflict, which will lead to a global convention
that ultimately decides to end all nuclear programs,
resulting in world peace and prosperity.
There won’t be any homeless children starving
in the streets, and we will find the cure for every
possibly life-threatening disease, illness, disorder,
rash, and genetic mutation. We won’t have to worry
about oil, pollution, or carbon emissions because
we will have all of the alternative green energy
sources we could ever imagine. The school systems
will improve with monetary help from the state. The
government will create millions of American-based
jobs to help honestly employ the unemployed. Everyone will be able to send their healthy kids off
to college with no debt or worries, and the greatest
thing about all of this stuff is that it’s going to happen within the next four years.
Yeah. Right.
A Warped Kind of Change.
For some people still basking in the blissful glow
of ignorance, these may be the ideas that are interpreted by Barack Obama’s campaign slogan,
INDEX
20 PAGES
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Volume 84, Issue 1
Editors
Unfortunately for Obama. . .
Now I ask you, what happens when people realize
he’s human just like all the rest of us and that he
makes mistakes too? With this new found level of
expectation set, and a bar raised to an unfathomable standard of perfection, imagine how crushing
the blow of disappointment will be when Hercules
stumbles. When Mr. Obama fails to meet expectations—whether it be the smallest or the largest of
tasks—the stage is set and
I feel scared for our future
president when the unsinkable ship starts taking on
water.
I wonder when people will begin to realize that Barack Obama is
not a god. He’s not perfect, and he’s not Neo
the-chosen-one-destinedto-single-handedly-saveplanet-earth-from-all-theevils-and-corruption-that-dwell-there.
However, he may be robin
hood coming to steal from
the rich and give to the poor, only a blind-sighted
robin hood with his hands tied.
Big promises; the bigger they are, the
harder they fall, and it’s easy to fall when one’s
venue requires juggling knives and fire while riding a unicycle on a balance beam, and it’s even
easier to fall when the path is a windy four years,
the knives are double-ended, the unicycle has a flat
Staff Writers
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tire, and the balance beam is chock full of knots.
I wish I could believe that life will be a Pleasantville-like perfect world thanks to one man, but it’s
hard to climb out of a hole dug all of the way to
China with no ladder and slippery walls. Honestly,
I would love to see it happen and I hope and pray
for his success, but given the circumstances, even
attempting the sharp turn required to get this train
going in the right direction is risky business, made
even more risky at high speeds with a top-heavy
train.
I hate to sound so skeptical, but the idea
of massive amounts of eagerly-anticipated, abrupt
change that’s supposedly awaiting us in January
seems impossibly naïve. I’m sure we will see some
change for the better, but it will be slow, steady
and realistic in relation to the budget—or rather,
the lack there of—that he and his slate have been
given to work with. People are impatient in this
world that we live in and neglect being tolerantly
patient for good things that may come with time.
We always want instant gratification, and we expect
perfection. It seems as if our nation has forgotten
that it takes practice to make perfect. We have this
rushed sense of time. We never have enough of it;
everything has to be faster and better and now, now,
now. But Barack Obama is just one man! He only
has two hands, only has one body, can only make so
many decisions in a minute, and has a family on top
of that! I know mortal limitations must be a strange
concept, but come on!
like to call reality.
“Change”. Unfortunately for the president-elect,
people have distorted and blown his election so
out of proportion that it seems to be the greatest
miracle in the history of mankind. Mr. Obama is a
god among men, destined to restore order to a torn
and tattered nation; he’ an invincible being with the
power to unite everyone and bring hope and change
and vivid rainbows and butterflies to a hazy black
and white country.
. . . Really? How can anyone actually expect any of that garbage to be realistically achievable, even in 20 years?
Come on, you know why
people think that; look
where we live! We can
have whatever we want,
whenever we want it; WalMart is open 24/7/365; we
microwave our food and
text people in different
rooms of our own houses. We’re impatient and
assume everything will
come to us immediately,
as if by teleportation in a
Jetson-like Universe.
I’d love to believe that one man could
achieve the impossible. And if he could, he probably would do everything from make everything in
Wal-Mart actually be made in the US, and magically make food made in the microwave taste just
as good as food made in the oven. He would even
make texting just as effective and social as face to
face conversation! But unfortunately, I can’t bring
myself to believe that. Because of this thing we
DREW
ECHELBERGER
Wednesday, Jan. 07, 2009
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But We Can Still Have Hope?
I will give him this: Mr. Obama is seen as a symbol
of hope.
The Aerial Pledge
20 PAGES
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20 PAGES
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Adelita Bedzetovic
Editor-in-Chief: Sarah Durr
Editor
Madison Carter
Contact: [email protected]
The Information
he Aerial is a student publication
catering to the
TRANSFORMATION
Sarah Church
Fall 2008 Political Red Carpet
Lesley Munson
interests and concerns of the student body. The
Ross Deatrick
Extravaganza
Design
Editors: James Ellis and Stefani Adams
Spectacle Over Substance - The entertainment
Contact:
[email protected]
Aerial pledges itself to relay important and interestJames Ellis
industry’s coup d’ etat over Democracy?
Editor
ing information to the community, administration,
Reid Gross
Advertising: Martha Worland
and students of Atherton High School. The Aerial
Contact: [email protected]
Drew Echelberger Beatrice Harris
Strongly supports the first amendment and opposCarlee Harrod
Advisor: Matthew Rhinehart
es censorship. The newspaper staff determines the
Owen Kahafer
Contact: (502)485-8202 or
Editor
[email protected]
content held within the publication. When quesLauren Kendall
Letters to the editor:
Aaron Palmer
tions concerning word choice, legal problems, or
Henry Mansess
Please submit to (editor-in-chief) via e-mail (listed above).
METAMORPHOSIS
ethics arise, the editorial board and adviser will
Amber Settles
Please include your name and contact information. All
discuss and resolve them. The editor-in-chief will
letters must be signed in order to be published (digital sigJoseph Sorrell
Editor
natures are acceptable). The Aerial reserves the right to edit
have the final say.
Ricky Wheatley
REVIEWS SPORTS
The Next Big Bang
REVIEWS SPORTS
forHARD
grammatical
errors, length, and good taste.REVIEWS
In no waySPORTS
DRIVE OF DARKNESS
Courtyard Zen
Morgan
Polson
Cult Classics 2008 College
Rebels’
David Williams
will viewpoints be altered. Letters may attack The Aerial’s
Football
Football
Review
Mindless
Calculator
Zombies:
Review
Underneath
it
All;
Vol.
2
policy, but not any person or persons on the staff. The ediIssue
Martha Worland
BLOG WATCH
BLOG WATCH
VOLUME 84, ISSUE 1
The “Japanese Invasion”
Thanks to the popularity of Japanese Anime and Manga, Japanese
language classes are busting at the seams. But, are fans of Japanese
culture in for a rude awakening?
Editorials
before the People
lose patience?
See Pages 2-3
MOVIE: Hamlet 2
MOVIE: Swing Vote
Sportswriter Joe Sorrell answers the Rebels’ main football question: Back to the Old,
Or In With the New?
Tom Robbins’ Still Life
with Woodpecker
See Page 19
INDEX
WEDNESDAY, OCT. 01, 2008
VOLUME 84, ISSUE 1
Pages
2-5
6-7
8-11
12-13
14-15
16
17-19
20 PAGES
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Blog Watcher Aaron Palmer
Reports in Underneath it All...
See Pages 6-7
See Page 8
Page 12
INDEX
WEDNESDAY, NOV. 19, 2008
VOLUME 84, ISSUE 2
Pages
2-4
5
6-11
12-14
15
16
17-19
20 PAGES
about.
See Page 19
See Page 16
Existence, Knowledge, and the CERN Hadron
Collider.
See Page 9
The Classroom of the Future.
See Pages 10
See Pages 15
Category
Editorials
Arts
Features
Reviews
Media
Schools News
Sports
See Page 16
REVIEWS
MOVIE: Hamlet 2
MOVIE: Swing Vote
with Woodpecker
See Pages 12-13
SPORTS
Rebels’
Football
Or In With the New?
See Page 19
VOLUME 84, ISSUE 3
TRANSFORMATION
The Information
Pages
2-4
5-9
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12-13
14-15
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20 PAGES
Category
Editorials
Features
Arts
Reviews
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METAMORPHOSIS
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Economic Conditions Compromise JCPS
Mission: Economic Woes Impact Local
Schools, Atherton.
See Page 11
INDEX
REVOLUTION
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
HARD DRIVE OF DARKNESS
See Page 6
Technologi-
Extravaganza
BLOG WATCH
REVOLUTION
of the television.
See Page 7 for Axl Rose to profit from his
TRACKING THE PARABOLIC CURVE OF INGENUITY Chinese Democracy? More
Category
Editorials
Media
Features
Reviews
Arts
Schools News
Sports
Henry Maness examines A Descent into Human Depravity
Through the Wonders of the Internet. A scathing critique of
4chan’s random posting board, /b/.
ALL AROUND THE WORLD IN THREE MEALS
VOLUME 84, ISSUE 2
Genera-
Economic Conditions Compromise JCPS
Schools, Atherton.
See Page 11
See Pages 12-13
Page 16
tor-in-chief reserves the right to reject See
any
letter.
See Pages 6-7
T
Technological
VOLUME 84, ISSUE 3
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
Generatio
Courtyard Zen
See Page 16
Underneath it All; Vol. 2
BLOG WATCH
See Pages 15
The Next Big Bang
Collider.
See Page 9
Mindless Calculator Zombies:
See Pages 10
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
REVIEWS
Cult Classics
Review
Issue
Page 12
SPORTS
2008 College
Football
Review
See Pages 18-19
Editorials
before the People
REVIEWS
for Axl Rose to profit from his
Chinese Democracy?
More
lose patience?
of the television.
See Pages 2-3
See Page 7
ALL AROUND THE WORLD IN THREE MEALS TRACKING THE PARABOLIC CURVE OF INGENUITY
See Page 6
See Page 8
Page 12
SPORTS
about.
See Page 19
Page 12
See Pages 18-19
The Aerial
Volume 84, Issue 3
“Americans expect miracles, to save the
planet, cure the economy and do it quickly. . .were
we hoping for too much?. . . Are you concerned
that expectations might be too high for you?” asked
Barbara Walters in an interview. The president-elect
responded with a chuckle, a clearing of his throat,
and then proceeded to say, “Well one of the things
that happened during this campaign was, you saw
the American people grab a hold of democracy and
say, this is ours and I think I can meet the expectation of a government that is competent, that is honest, and that every single day is trying to make the
EDITORIALS
lives of ordinary Americans a little bit better.”
So let’s hold him to his word; hold on to this democracy, hold on to this hope, and listen to his words,
“Out of many we are one, and while we breathe,
we hope, and where we are met with cynicism and
doubt and those who tell us that we can’t, we will
respond with that timeless creed that sums up the
spirit of a people, Yes we can.”
And no matter how absurd, what’s wrong
with believing in the impossible? M.C. Escher
once said “only those who attempt the absurd will
achieve the impossible.” Let’s just hope and say yes
we can.
Ask Not What JFK Did,
But What Obama Will Do For You.
CARLEE
HARROD
As our country rapidly accelerates into a new ad-
BUY 4 Comics, Get One Free!
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Page 3
ministration, some are looking to the past to answer
questions regarding our uncertain future. The United
States takes a leap of faith and dives head first into
a promise of change, very loosely similar to the leap
taken in 1960 when John Fitzgerald Kennedy was
elected into office. As the media basks in what some
are calling déjà vu, I wonder why we can’t just draw
a Venn diagram and be done with it. The question is
not what Mr. Kennedy did for our country, but what
will Mr. Obama do?
Let’s be honest here, aside from a pearly
smile, celebrity status and cult-like following what
do the two really have in common? I mean it’s no
big secret that history has a tendency to repeat itself,
but have the over-zealous, headline hungry media
eagerly taken a slight similarity and transformed it
into an uncanny sensation? For some, the parallel is
enough to give them the heebie-jeebies, which is just
ridiculous.
“Barack Obama made his way into presidency by following a formula John F. Kennedy
would
appreciate:
promise change, ooze
charisma, and downplay experience,” says
Joan Vennochi of the
Boston Globe. She
continued to say, “The
Kennedy model works
well for Obama, but
only up to a point.”
“We’re looking to fundamentally
change the status
quo in Washington,”
Mr. Obama declared.
Change has historically been the product of
an extensive political
renaissance, including
economic, educational, and military transformations. Can Mr. Obama’s political policies vaguely
referred to as “change” be reason to pull out the big
Kennedy guns, or can it simply be written off as a
general ideal shared by the Democratic Party?
“These similarities are completely superficial,” says local voter Sharon Brown, remembering
Kennedy’s short lived presidency. Some say comparing the 1960 election to 2008’s is like comparing
apples to oranges. “I don’t think Mr. Obama is trying
to present himself as if he were JFK…the idea that
he is channeling John Kennedy is a cheesy cheap
shot,” says democratic strategist Phil Trounstine.
And although the similarities found between the
pretty-boy politicians may be superficial, the similarities are nonetheless undeniable.
Veterans of the Democratic convention disagree, and say the resemblance is remarkable. “The
similarities are striking. It’s history in the process
of repeating itself— not exactly, by any means, but
closely enough to evoke long-ago memories,” says
John Farmer, long time journalist. “Kennedy, like
Obama, was something new, a young Roman Catholic who wrested the nomination from the Protestant
establishment that had ruled the Democratic Party for
more than 150 years. It’s much the same for Obama,
an African-American who has ended 200 years of
white male monopoly of all major-party presidential
nominations.” Overcoming obstacles, writing best
selling books, celebrity status all the way down to
a Harvard degree. . . John F. Kennedy and Barack
Obama seem to be brothers from another mother.
“What has often been forgotten is that Barack
Obama’s weaknesses resemble John F. Kennedy’s,
at least as much as his strengths,” says Frank Rich
of the New York Times. President elect Barack
Obama and President John F. Kennedy are both well
acquainted with overcoming obstacles to bring a
refreshing change to politics. Ironically the “different” candidate was the one who could be exactly the
same. “I realize that I am not the likeliest candidate
for this office,” Mr. Obama said. “What the nay-sayers don’t understand is that this election has never
been about me. It’s been about you.” Who was the
real maverick of the 2008 election? I guess we’ll
never know. And this statement is going to act as my
oh-so subtle transition into the opposition, which is
also equally yawn-worthy.
Are Mr. Obama’s vague promises for
change really progressive, pioneering ideas or is Mr.
Obama’s path parallel
to those of past presidents? Are the people
truly hungry for political relief or is political revolution what
we are craving? Let it
be noted that Barack
Obama has been compared to just about
everyone, including
John F. Kennedy, Jimmy Carter and Martin
Luther King Jr.
Now personally, I think a Venn
diagram would have
sufficed, but for the
fraction of you who
actually read this, you
are aware that there are people in the world who have
absolutely nothing better to do than to compare and
contrast John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama. Still,
there is a third party on the topic. Those like Robert
Dallek, a New York Daily News reader simply say,
“What does it matter? An examination of Kennedy’s
own record—and of the broader sweep of history—
leads us to this critical conclusion: Obama’s lack of
experience shouldn’t be considered a liability.”
And that my friends, is simply that. A big
WHAT IF? is not going to change anything. Years
and years from now, historical fiction and movies
may be based upon these conspiracy theories and
thread-like ties, but right here, right now, what does
it matter? If Mr. Obama actually turns out to be the
next John F. Kennedy, then he’ll be idolized and
swooned over for ages to come, even if he never really gets anything done, but until that defining moment, I repeat: What does it matter?
“Can Mr. Obama’s political policies vaguely referred to as “change” be
reason to pull out the big
Kennedy guns, or can it
simply be written off as
a general ideal shared by
the Democratic Party?”
The Aerial
EDITORIALS
Page 4
Head on Collisions With the Past
MORGAN
POLSON
Parallel, Perpendicular, Concurrent.
Iin nsome
everything, there are lines that connect time—
things than others—and as a society we
swell, grow, evolve and transform. Not only that,
but as thinking, sentient beings, we like to find
the points of intersection and the paths that will
never cross.
It isn’t a strange concept at all to look at history
and see how we’ve grown and to look at the media and see how we haven’t. Some pessimists,
me included, say that nothing ever changes, that
our lives are circular, and everything comes back
around. Indeed, we may notice a balance inherent
in the world or a strange pattern constantly cycling through our lives, especially when looking
at the larger picture, but can we look back and
say, “this is all there ever will be”? I hope not, but
more and more, that’s what I seem to be doing.
With the not-so recent emergence of sentiments
for change, and with the front of the winds of
that change being President-elect Barack Obama,
some say that we’ve escaped the circle. But a
louder few say we haven’t, and some of these individuals are the ones who draw connections to
former president John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, and even our very currently infamous President George W. Bush.
However, as disappointed as you will be to hear
this, this isn’t yet another editorial on Barack
Obama, or about how he may or may not relate to
Mr. W. Bush or JFK. This piece is about society,
and how we’ve evolved as a society.
The Not So Great Depression.
When looking at our history and what’s simi-
lar and what is completely different, there is one
event in our past that is continually being link to
our future. “The Great Depression” is a term that
has been called upon repeatedly in the last few
months, especially with the failing stock market
and the global decline of economies, which is
much more alarming than any personal woe that
the US could possible conjure up within the next
four years.
But back to the point: one of the biggest, and
most subtle, differences between this decline and
the Great Depression is that our own stock market failure is mostly produced by fear of our past,
and a terrified hunch that we may be repeating it.
This is where society has changed: the media has
produced this fear and has used terror-stricken
predictions, with a combination of half-supported
comparisons to the past and future end-of-theworld scenarios to the point that the support for
big businesses and banks is dropping left and
right. Our economy is in a decline because investors are afraid to invest! The Great Depression
was caused by deflation and a lack of alternate
revenue to pay off loans. We’re part of a global
economy. The lack of revenue is hardly our problem. We are not experiencing deflation. Conclusion: The Great Depression has nothing to do with
what’s occurring now.
During The Great Depression, the US had a
nearly isolated economy. It’s true that the entire
industrialized world declined when our stock
market crashed, resulting in a brutal world war.
. . but compared to now, the economy in the 20s
and 30s was fairly isolated. This began to change
when Nixon opened China to the world, and again
when Britain left India and yet again when “fill
in historical even here”. Crucial threads began to
be tied. Certain countries relied on us more and
more, turning to us as their source of income. We
had post-colonialism, also known as introducing
capitalism into a foreign country.
And seeing as the US imports far more than it exports, it’s only to these countries’ advantage that
we continue to buy, and continue to buy in bulk,
without tariffs, and few regulations. We have created a global economy. Like stated earlier, little or
no tariffs, the outsourcing of our greedy, greedy
industries, and the US dollar being the world currency standard made sure of this, and now we’re
all paying for it . . . or, more accurately, not paying
for it.
The Feminist Movements.
Despite the fact that the economy of a society
is perhaps the largest molding factor within that
society, there are still other factors that could contribute to how the society transforms. For example, many believe that the reshaping of a society
can only be done by changing two factors: the role
of women, and the economy. This is the main reason for why communism and feminism typically
go hand-in-hand. When Mao took over China in
1949, he immediately began a form of thought reform meant to bring the women out of the home
to bring women up to the level of men as much
as possible. Regardless of whether or not he succeeded in his reforms, the thought was still there.
Along these same lines, in the 1960s feminism
experienced a surge among American women.
The National Organization for Women (NOW),
one of the best-known women organizations, was
founded in 1966, and almost immediately took up
the fight for an Equal Rights Amendment. They
also demanded several other drastic reforms, such
as the right to abortion. This was extremely risky,
seeing as abortion is a topic that still isn’t resolved
even now, forty years later. The movement found
a much wider audience than it had in the early
1900s, for the simple fact that many middle-class
women had become radicalized through the renewed black civil rights struggle, voter registration drives in the South, and the peace movement
against the American war in Southeast Asia.
Radicalization wasn’t the only reason, though.
Also at this time, sexual and reproductive liberation could be discussed much more openly as the
whole country became more sensitive to issues of
fairness and individual freedom, which was also
a result of all of the various Equal Rights demonstrations going on at this time. Because of the
work and effort put forth by the men and women
of this time, women have slowly risen within the
ranks of men.
Today, the feminist movement continues with positive results. Ms. Clinton ran for president against
then-Senator Barack Obama in the primaries and
even dinosaur-aged Senator John McCain felt
confident enough in the power of feminism to put
back-woods Governor Sarah Palin on his ticket.
Neither of these women succeeded in their controversial maneuvers towards political promotion,
but let it be noted that Mr. Obama has chosen Ms.
Clinton as his Secretary of State, something that
wouldn’t have been acceptable forty years ago.
Discussing feminism and its path to the now, as
well as Mr. Obama’s role in recent change, brings
up the role of the African American in society. In
the past, the black citizen has typically held a bluecollar position, forever stuck in the mold of the
laborer. On occasion, a talented individual is able
to shake off the stereotype and traditional mantel
and take on a role more fit for their intellect and
abilities. To add to this, university scholarships
and grants specifically for minority groups made
it possible for a move towards equality to occur.
Education and Regression.
As
shown with feminism and Black Rights,
change only occurs with education. The education
of women led to a social revolution. The education of blacks led to the civil rights movement. It’s
common knowledge and straight fact: education
leads to societal changes. An uneducated society
“If Costa Rica can undo the damage to their
environment due to industrialization and
Cuba can insure a college education to every
child that wants it, then how can we even call
ourselves progressive?”
is a passive society, and social changes never occur with passivity. Returning to the example that
Chairman Mao set in China, when he took over
in 1949, schools were shut down for years. Years
without education brainwashed the masses. It’s
the philosophers in a group that ask the questions,
not the warriors or the farmers. Without questions,
there are no search for answers, and so a cycle of
non-education is created.
Why then is there such a lack of stress upon education today? American schools have always been
behind. During the Space Race with the USSR,
the US had to place special emphasis on science
and math in schools, just to compete with an under-developed mega-power. It seems we only
stress education when we need it.
We’ve seen it all and heard it all before, and just
recently at that. Education cuts and rises in state
tuitions are popping up left and right, leaving
many parents and even more students groaning at
their futures. Let me stress this: we can not progress as a society without education. All of our advancement will be for naught if we don’t fix this
situation, and soon. Requiring young adults to
put themselves in extreme debt simply to become
productive members of society is ridiculous, madness, idiocy. So why do we continue the cycle?
If nothing else matters, our future generations do.
Feminism and Black Rights and equality for all
citizens aside, how do we expect to teach tolerance and world-savvy attitudes when we can’t
even send our kids to school? Education is the
right of every child, no matter the skin color or
sex, and if we lose this, what have we gained?
How have we changed?
Reduce, Recycle, Reuse.
Yet another regression that causes me to throw
up my hands and storm around the room is the
way in which we treat our environment. Hand in
hand with education, environmental protection
has slowly become more lax. Evidence of the
earth’s destruction is all over the internet, all over
the television, and all over every major and minor
magazine. It’s even evident right outside the window of your brand new hummer. And still, here
we are: throwing our trash outside the window of
our soccer-mom SUVs while our children suck on
coal-sicles in the backseats. Ridiculous.
Change. . . for the better?
This is what causes me to be pessimistic, these
clearly barbaric behaviors in a society supposedly
beyond that. If Costa Rica can undo the damage
to their environment due to industrialization and
Cuba can insure a college education to every child
that wants it, then how can we even call ourselves
progressive? The US always seems to be two
steps behind, and we have no one to blame but
ourselves.
How has society changed, you ask? Strange, I
wonder that sometimes myself.
The Aerial
FEATURES
Volume 84, Issue 3
Where Are We Going?
DAVID
WILLIAMS
F
rom the Cro-Magnons and Neanderthals in
France, to the recently discovered Homo floresiensis in Indonesia, Anthropologists have discovered, studied, and researched our earliest known
ancestor’s frontwards and back. They know where
we came from. However, the new big question on
our minds is “where are we going?”
It’s a question often proposed to scientists, and as
evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkins puts it, it
is “a question that any prudent evolutionist will
evade.” The problem is that scientists cannot accurately pinpoint which path our species will take
in a century, let alone an era. There are so many
possibilities that it would be foolish to try and
find the exact outcome of our trip down evolution
lane. However, it hasn’t stopped professionals
from speculating what lies in store.
In the book Future Evolution, University of
Washington paleontologist Peter Ward theorizes
that our race has made itself “extinction-proof”
by manipulating the world around us to our will,
nearly neutralizing any traces of natural selection.
Others believe that with the research in new fields
like chip implants and stem-cells, we’ll begin not
only changing our world, but our own bodies.
Other possibilities posed by professionals range
already a global species, have broken down its
own barriers even further with global travel and
communication. Does this mean we’ve stopped
evolving? Not the case. John Hawks of the University of Wisconsin has discovered that contrary
to popular belief, our rate of evolution has increased 100 times within the past 5,000 to 10,000
years. The component that promotes such rapid
evolution is variance in the gene pool. However,
some believe that with an expanding world race,
we’ll end up losing that diversity.
“The big thing that people overlook when speculating about human evolution is that the raw matter for evolution is variation,” says Stuart Pimm,
a biodiversity expert at Duke University. “We are
going to lose that variability very quickly, and
the reason is not quite a genetic argument, but its
close. At the moment we humans speak something
on the order of 6,500 languages. If we look at the
number of languages we will likely pass on to our
children, that number is 600… I do think that we
are going to become much more homogeneous.”
With the prospect of a global culture peeking over
at us more and more each day, it’s nearly assumed
that our physical attributes will be sure to follow.
Skin color will move away from its pale and dark
outliers to a more centralized caramel tone. A
worldwide language will be established, and our
heights will reach soaring measurements. Larger
heads, perfect for expanded brain capacity, will
surely be included.
A monoculture like this one, however, is sure to
have its setbacks.
Evolution isn’t restricted
to just humans. It works
its biological magic on every living thing on Earth.
While our DNA is continuously manipulated, namely
gaining immunity to diseases, those same diseases
are finding ways around
our immunities. If the
gene pool of our species
were to be diminished to
such a small variance, the
immune system of each
individual would be nearly
identical. Any disease that
has any means of evading
our defense is sure to wipe
most, if not all, of us off
the map.
from marine adaptations, like gills and flippers,
to stories of a mechanical symbiosis with robotic
brethren. As far-fetched as these scientific-fictitious ideas may seem, the possibility of them is
greater than you’d think.
The Theory of Evolution states that in order for a
new species to develop, one group has to be severed from another and kept in isolation. Humans,
Of course, this is just one of the many scenarios
posed by scientists. It’s difficult to formulate specific situations. Recall back to the 40’s and 50’s,
the golden age of American Imagination. They
were thinking that we’d have robotic servants and
moon colonies by the year 2000. As we can easily
see, that is not the case. Even with professional
backing behind these possible scenarios, it’s hard
Page 5
Cultural Shift in Popular Film
ADELITA
BEDZETOVIC
L
ooking back at older movies you can see the
obvious difference from the modern movies that
are shown today.
Movies in the 1960s put out a much more important meaning than today’s movies. Comparing
films from the 1900s to today’s film industry is
almost an embarrassment. Films in the 21st century distribute much of a mockery; it is not taken
as seriously as needed. Filmmakers spend most
of their time finding “funny” put downs and ways
to embarrass people rather than finding an actual
theme to what could become an award winning
film. Films in the 20th century actually provide
facts and information pertaining to real life situations and problems.
Film industries in this time continue to falter and
make jokes, when the joke is clearly on them. The
films being produced in this time period are pointless and immature most of the time and in a way,
it reflects today’s society. Movies are most of
the time based on life or what has to do with life
and that’s exactly what the movies in the 1900s
were about, their society and how they ran things.
Same goes for our films, but our films are more of
a joke. For example, The Graduate (1967) starring Dustin Hoffman cannot be compared to a
film from the 21st century like, Not Another Teen
Movie, which was filmed in 2001. These two films
fall under almost the same ages of the characters.
to determine how plausible they really are.
It’s much easier to notice correlations in human
development than it is to formulate an entire future
based on one or two components. For instance:
some scientists speculate that a rise in autism is
due to a new selectiveness in humans to choose
mates who are like themselves. This isn’t saying
that our future will be filled with an autistic race;
it’s just something that’s been observed.
Observation is key to science, but is there anything to be observed in human evolution? True,
the people of ancient Sumer look different from a
The Graduate is a film based upon a high school
graduate who gets seduced by his parents’ good
friend, Mrs. Robinson. He begins dating her
daughter and falls madly and helplessly in love
with her. He soon finds himself regretting what he
did with her mother. The movie is not something
someone in the 21st century would be too familiar with, seeing how many movies that have to
do with this topic now, are just a mockery of our
intelligence. Speaking of an embarrassment, Not
Another Teen Movie does just that. It makes filmmakers in this time look very unprofessional and
it has no proper theme whatsoever. Films are usually made to portray a message of some sort, to
get a story across to an audience, to prove a point,
or to educate people. Films in the 21st century do
not do any of those things. The only story coming
across is proving that the human race is not afraid
to embarrass themselves by portraying their immaturity through a television set.
Today’s television shares the superb quality of
big-screen movies. There are many things that
differ from 20th and 2st-century movies. In the
21st -century, movies have a distinct tone that
cannot be compared to movies in the 1900s. The
tones of the movies in the 20th century were not
as clear. It was almost as if it was a blur. The adjustment of the color in movies filmed today is
more advanced than the 20th-century films. Film
industries took a big step up when they made all
of these changes to today’s movies.
There are numerous differences in the movies
such as the tone, the adjustment of color, the actors and the way they portray their characters role,
etc. One thing that isn’t too different is the theme
of the films. No matter how much comedy and
immaturity film industries put into films these
days, they always seem to find a similar theme
to a film from the 20th century or they may even
take the idea of a movie and update it to today’s
trend of films.
The development of films has surely improved
and there isn’t a question about it. Over time, it
has gotten better and better and will most likely
continue to do so. Will the themes of those films
continue to have no meaning and make this generation look not as serious about their work as the
20th-century?
modern New Yorker, but is there any true discernable biological difference between us and them?
Well, for instance, the ability for our digestive
system to tolerate lactose, the sugars in milk, has
only become common within the past 3,000 years.
Evolution is not only constant in humans, but it’s
also rapid. Our bodies are continuously changing. Humans will go on to deal with diseases that
threaten us today, such as diabetes, cancer and
AIDS. We’re a hardy creature, constantly conquering the adversity of living. We’ve survived
plagues and war in the past, but we’re still standing. So no matter which path evolution will take
us, we’re sure to come out on top.
The Aerial
Page 6
Industrial Mutants:
OWEN
KAHAFER
Industrialization is a fact of modern life. A country
starts off with nothing, until it manages to begin producing things on its own. Many of the countries the
media focuses on have been through decades of industrialization, and have become recognized as “Developed Countries.” However, there are many more that
are still in the process of becoming developed. For
some it is a long, arduous struggle to become recognized by the rest of the world, and many have come
a long way from where they once were, only a few
decades ago.
One such area
that has been affected
by rapid development is
Dubai, one of the seven
emirates. It is also the most
populous city in the United
Arab Emirates. The town of
Dubai was once an important port for foreign tradesmen, mainly those from
India, many of whom eventually settled in the town. It
was known for its pearl exports until the 1930s, when
Dubai’s pearling industries
were damaged irreparably
by the events of the First
World War, then again by the Great Depression in the
late 1920s. Electricity, telephone services and airlines
weren’t established in Dubai until the 1950s, when the
British moved their local administrative offices from
Sharjah to Dubai. After the introduction of electricity and other modern comforts, industrialization was
pretty much at a standstill until the 1990s.
The Persian Gulf War of 1990 had a massive
FEATURES
Former “Third-World” Cities’ Unnatural Growth
impact on the city. Economically, banks in Dubai experienced a massive loss of funds due to political conditions in the area. During the 1990s, however, many
foreign trading communities, first from Kuwait during
the Persian Gulf War and later from Bahrain during the
Shia unrest, moved their businesses to Dubai. The city
provided refueling bases to allied forces at the Jebel
Ali free zone during the Persian Gulf War, and again
during the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. Large increases in oil
prices after the Persian Gulf War encouraged Dubai to
continue to focus on free trade and tourism. The success of the Jebel Ali free zone allowed the city to replicate its model to develop clusters of new free zones,
including Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City and
Dubai Maritime City.
Dubai Internet City or “DIC” is an information technology park used as a strategic base for
companies targeting
regional
emerging
markets. The economic rules of “DIC”
allow companies to
avail themselves of
a number of ownership, taxation and custom related benefits
which are guaranteed
by law for a period of
50 years. One model
of operation includes
100% foreign ownership, similar to those
prevailing in other
designated economic
zones in the United Arab Emirates. These freedoms
have led many global information technology firms,
such as Microsoft, IBM, Oracle Corporation, Sun Microsystems, Cisco, HP, Nokia and Siemens, Nera Telecom, as well as UAE based companies such as i-mate
and Acette, to move their regional bases to the DIC.
With the increase in business provided by
DIC, Dubai has been able to make major leaps in
“The never ending competition of the modern world is
fuel to many different things.
It can drive countries to see
which of them can make the
most cutting edge technology, or who can claim to have
the greatest chefs.”
industrialization, such as the building of the Burj Al
Arab. A symbol of extreme luxury, the Burj Al Arab
is the tallest building used exclusively as a hotel in the
entire world. Designed to resemble the open sails of a
boat, the hotel is an icon to the city of Dubai, representative of all the years of progress made.
Another rapidly industrialized area that is
well known is the city of Hong Kong. Hong Kong is
one of the world’s leading financial centers. Its highly
capitalist economy has been ranked as the most free
economy in the world in the Index of Economic Freedom for 14 consecutive years. It is also an important
center for international finance and trade, with a large
concentration of corporate headquarters. Hong Kong
is known as one of the Four Asian Tigers for its high
growth rates and rapid industrialization between the
1960s and 1990s. Hong Kong’s stock exchange is the
sixth largest in the world, with a market capitalization
of 2.97 trillion US dollars in October of 2007. The Government of Hong Kong played a
passive role in the financial industry, mostly leaving
the direction of the economy to market forces and the
private sector. Following World War II, Hong Kong industrialized rapidly as a manufacturing center driven
by exports, and then underwent a rapid transition to
a service-based economy in the 1980s. Hong Kong
matured to become a financial center in the 1990s,
but was greatly affected by the Asian financial crisis
in 1998, and again devastated by the 2003 SARS outbreak. A revival of external and domestic demand led
to a strong recovery, as cost decreases strengthened the
competitiveness of Hong Kong exports and a long period of deflation ended.
Asia and the Middle East are not the only
regions affected by the need to rapidly industrialize
in order to catch up with the modern world. Even areas as far as South Africa are slowly rising among the
ranks to be recognized. Johannesburg is the economic
and financial hub of South Africa, producing 16% of
South Africa’s gross domestic product, and accounts
for 40% of Gauteng’s economic activity. Johannesburg
was ranked 47 out of 50 top cities in the world, as a
worldwide center of commerce. In fact, it was the only
city in Africa on the list.
Mining was the foundation of the economy
of Witwatersrand, the area surrounding Johannesburg ,
but its importance gradually declined due to dwindling
reserves and service and manufacturing industries that
have become more significant to the city’s economy.
While gold mining no longer takes place around city
limits, most mining companies still have their headquarters in Johannesburg. The city’s manufacturing
industries extend across a range of areas and there is
still a reliance on heavy industries including steel and
cement plants. The service and other industries include
banking, transport, private health care, broadcast and
print media, real estate, transport and a vibrant leisure
and consumer retail market. Johannesburg has Africa’s
largest stock exchange, the JSE Securities Exchange
although it has moved out of the central business district. Due to its commercial role, the city is the seat of
the provincial government and the site of a number of
government branch offices, as well as consular offices
and other institutions.
The container terminal at City Deep, a suburb in Johannesburg, is purported to be the largest “dry
port” in the world, with some 60% of cargo that arrives
through the port of Durban arriving in Johannesburg.
The City Deep area has been declared an industrial development zone by the Gauteng government, as part
of the Blue IQ Project. The objective of the Blue IQ
Project is to build infrastructure for major parts of Johannesburg, industrializing the city even further.
The never ending competition of the modern world is fuel to many different things. It can drive
countries to see which of them can make the most cutting edge technology, or who can claim to have the
greatest chefs. The need to be recognized as an equal
country can also produce amazing results. However,
it is unfortunate that incredible funds and efforts are
required. While some countries have it easy, they still
have quite a ways to go to catch up with the economic giants that have been industrialized as early as the
1800s.
All Around the World in Three Meals
MADISON
CARTER
While I was looking in the phonebook for restaurants to try out, I noticed the abundance of differ-
ent ethnic restaurants. Of course there were about
five hundred Chinese and Mexican restaurants,
but that is pretty much normal food for most people. Besides, half of those were fast food instead
of an actual restaurant. In a big city like Chicago
a plethora of different ethnic restaurants isn’t all
that new and exciting, but here in Louisville that
is a different story. From The Grape Leaf and Palermo Viejo to Annie’s Café and Zen Garden, Louisville has slowly but surely turned into a melting
pot of ethnic foods, foods like the Mediterranean
Gyro to the Vietnamese Bun Cha, eating a wide
variety of foods can be very pleasing.
I know a lot of people who don’t really
have broad pallets when it comes to food. Most
of them have a cheeseburger or chicken tenders
every night. I’m not saying there is something
wrong with a good old fashioned cheeseburger
but I think that can get pretty boring. There is a
plethora of different ethnic restaurants in Louisville to satisfy your appetite. I had the pleasure of
visiting The Grape Leaf, a Mediterranean restaurant. From the minute I walked I could smell the
olive oil and different fish cooking in the kitchen.
My first choice was an appetizer, spanakopita. It is a Greek pastry filled with spinach and
Feta cheese and is wrapped in very flaky phyllo
dough. They had a nice tzatziki dipping sauce
which added a little bit of a kick to the spanakopita. The appetizer was very appealing, the phyllo
dough was very thin and flaky which made it all
the better. I had a Greek salad and Chicken Sumac
with Couscous for my entrée.
The chicken sumac was succulent. With
sautéed vegetables and potatoes it made for a great
dish. Before this meal, however, I had never had
couscous. Researching it, I found that it is from
Northern Africa (mainly Morocco). It is semolina
wheat rolled and shaped into little spheres coated
with wheat flour.
Overall The Grape Leaf had a very nice
atmosphere as well. There was wood paneling’s
on the wall, fresh flowers on the tables, and best
of all it was a quiet place.
When I discovered that Couscous was a
Northern African dish, I was shocked. I had no
idea how large the Mediterranean food base really
was. The Mediterranean style uses recipes from
Morocco, Egypt, Greece, Israel,
Lebanon, Syria, Turkey, Italy,
France, and Spain. That is ten
different countries categorized
under one style, Mediterranean.
If that isn’t diversity I don’t know
what is. It is interesting to think
that all of those countries can
be put under one category. Plus,
Mediterranean cuisine is quite
prominent in America.
There was another place
in the phone book that sounded
interesting to me, plus it was
right on Bardstown road. Palermo Viejo is a true Argentine
restaurant, serving classic dishes
like Parilla and Pucheros. I also
discovered that Palermo Viejo is an actual neighborhood in the Argentine capital, Buenos Aires.
The name derives from the Franciscan abbey of
Saint Benedict of Palermo, which is another name
for Saint Benedict the Moor. He is a complementary patron saint of Palermo, the capital of Sicily.
Continued on page 9
Volume 84, Issue 3
The Aerial
FEATURES
Cultural Evolution Through a Mass Media Device
T
elevision, a phenomenon
for some, a normal use for oth-
ers, whatever way you look at LESLEY
it, the creation of television has MUNSON
a big impact on our society today. Although the television
may seem like a simple machine, it is in fact quite
complex. With only having been around for less
than 100 years, there have already been numerous
achievements within the creation of the television.
January 23, 1926 is probably one of the most important days in the television industry. On this day
John Logie Baird gave the very first demonstration
of a mechanical T.V. The mechanical televisions
are very different from today’s television. Modern
televisions are fully electronic. Which only a year
later, did Philo Farnsworth go onto create a fully
electronic television. Although his system was not
perfected, during 1935-1941 several people started
their broadcasts using the electronic system.
During World War II the wide spread of televisions
came to a stop. Although we had the technology
the country had to deny them to the public during
the war. Unable to purchase their long-awaited
luxuries during
World War II,
families began to
purchase televisions once they
were offered to
them. With the
sales boom in
television
sets
our
economy
was boosted suddenly.
1950-1959 was
a great time for
the development
of the television. Black and white television sets
were becoming more popular. The electronic television was still undergoing changes during the beginning of the decade. While towards the middle
of the decade the electronic color television was
released along with remote controls, these were
the beginning of what our modern television is
today.
From the time of the creation of the first color
electronic television to now, there isn’t much of
a difference as far as big changes. The look of
the T.V. has obviously changed a lot, but the electronics aspect of it has not. Nowadays everything
we have is just getting better from what we had
before. We are not in the stage of creating new
things but rather improving everything that we already have.
Not only have we made advancements in television
itself, but we have also made things special for the
television such as video games and DVDs. The
creations of DVDs and video games have become
a powerful influence on our culture. Although our
economy is in the dumps right now, the sale of
televisions, DVDs, video games, and video game
consoles has yet to decrease. People have found
it easier to stay at home and use these appliances
instead of going out somewhere and appending
their money on a onetime thing.
In past recessions America has not had the ability
to be able to stay at home and still be entertained
like we can today. Such as the Great Depression,
visual entertainment for the home was not even
introduced until about 30 years later. After the
creation of the television we are now able to do
many things that used to be impossible.
Television has also made the spread of news
move faster and more effectively. During the
Great Depression technology was not advanced
as it is today. The television was not as popular
as it is now and news was not spread as easily.
Back then you would read the newspaper or listen
to the radio when you could if you even had access to these things. Now days, there is no one
without a television at home. This makes it easier
for news to get around.
In many ways the news became more effective.
People were actually able to really see the things
going on in the
world and understand it. Instead of picturing it in their
minds,
they
were now able
to see it right
in front of their
eyes. For example, the Vietnam
War and Desert
Storm,
these
were shown being fought on
television and
now America was able to really see what their
soldiers were doing and see the dangers of fighting. The newscasts made the wars very real to
their viewers.
Television has not only transformed on its own
but it has also transformed our culture and society
today. Many kids today don’t play outside like
they used to before television was very popular.
The television has become addicting for some
children. This does not just include the television
itself and the shows shown but it also includes
video games. Many children are addicted to video games. Video games have become hurtful in
some ways towards our youth today.
Another aspect that has transformed people of all
ages is the ability to bring movies into our home.
We have the technology to play films from the
movie theater on our television set. An older version of this method would be the VCR. The VCR
was a marvel in its time. The ability to watch,
fast-forward, and rewind your favorite movie was
phenomenal and still is. Now the most common
Page 7
All Around the World in
Three Meals Continued...
who doesn’t eat meat, which includes eggs. Now a
Vegan is someone who doesn’t eat anything from
an animal, including milk. That is the difference
Argentine cuisine closely resembles a lot of Eu- between a Vegetarian and a Vegan.
The very first Vegetarian organization
ropean foods like Italian and Spanish, most likely because of the settlers from those countries. It is was formed in 1847. I had no idea that Vegetarimainly affected by Spanish foods but Italian and anism has been around for so long, almost one
hundred and fifty years. You would think since its
even French foods play a big role.
Palermo Viejo’s menu was very large, been around so long that it would be more promiconsisting of some familiar Spanish and Italian nent but it has only started to increase in popufoods. For the appetizer I had cocida which is larity since the dawn of the twenty-first century.
grilled asparagus, smoked provolone, portabella There are many reasons to become a vegetarian
milanesa, garlic rubbed roasted tomatoes, and which include health, taste, politics, economy,
sweet potato fries, served with a Dijon mustard society, environment, aesthetics, culture, ethics,
dipping sauce. I don’t know if you have ever had religion, and morality.
It didn’t take me long to find a vegetarsweet potato fries, but they are amazing. I noticed that the appetizers came with a lot of food, even ian restaurant, and I was eager to go to see how it
split between four people we could not eat it all. would taste. I went to Zen Garden on Frankfort
Doing some research I found out that this is the Avenue and I have to say I was impressed with it.
preferred technique for Argentine cuisine. Make Zen Garden has a very oriental flare to it, much
so much food that they will have to take it home like its name. For my appetizer I had the Zen Garden Roll which has avocado, cucumber, shredand eat it for a snack.
For my entrée I had Milanesas de carne, ded white radish, carrot, sticky rice, and seaweed
topped with toasted sesame
a free range flank steak
seeds. I honestly could say
breaded with garlic and
that I never thought I would
parsley, pan sautéed and
ever eat seaweed but I did
served with ham, mozand it was good, it wasn’t
zarella and provolone
as powerful as I thought it
cheeses, fresh tomatoes,
would be though.
and topped with oregano.
For my entrée I had
If you didn’t know ArgenOrange Tofu, which is tofu
tine food is known for its
with carrots, green pepuse of red meat and Milapers, water chestnuts, and
nesas de carne is no exoranges in a sweet and
ception. It had an Italian
spicy orange sauce. The
flare to it with the mozzaZen Garden. Louisville, Kentucky.
contradicting tastes of the
rella and provolone cheeses
making it an eccentric dish, and it was just crispy citrus and what ever was used to make it sweet abenough to make it superb. One thing I noticed is solutely made the dish. I also discovered the limthat Argentine food is a lot less fiery than its other itless possibilities of tofu. If you just have plain
tofu, it is bland, very bland. But you can make it
South American counter-parts.
For a long time I could not figure out a taste like anything. You can make oriental tofu or
true American food. But then I realized there isn’t some Hispanic tofu very easily. Plus it is a healthy
a truly American dish, (other than large portions alternative to most of the things out there, as long
of saturated fat) it is almost on a literal sense, a as you don’t use a bunch of factory processed seamelting pot. Much like the country itself “Ameri- sonings which are mainly salt (so that their prodcan Food” consists of an outstanding variety of ucts have a longer shelf life).
The main purpose of this piece was to
different cultures. Bringing this point up, I see a lot of similarities between American and Argen- make you aware of all the different types of food
tine cuisine. Both have a wide variety of influ- here in Louisville. The abundance of these ethences in their traditional cooking and they focus nic restaurants is astounding if you think about it,
mainly because most people don’t see Kentucky
on red meat.
Speaking of American, it brings me to as the most diverse, or even accepting, place in
my next cultural style, Vegetarianism. It seems the United States. So the next time you go out to
that Vegetarianism has swept across the Nation dinner with your family, you might try suggesting
and has become the new life style choice. For the an ethnic restaurant you’ve never been to. It could
sad few who don’t know what a Vegetarian is I be a healthy and tasty alternative to some of the
will reluctantly explain. A Vegetarian is someone other places in Louisville.
thing people use is a DVD player. A DVD does
not only allow you to fast forward and rewind but
you can also view extra features such as bloopers
and trailers. Now the new up and coming thing
is the Blu-ray discs. Blu-ray discs allow you to
record, rewrite, playback HD videos, and it has a
large capacity.
So was the creation of television beneficial for
our society? In many aspects it has been beneficial for our society. In more ways has it been
beneficial than hurtful. The creation of television
has started a fast movement of news and remodeled the entertainment industry. In my opinion
the creation of the television has also lowered
our ability to imagine anything. Everything is
now presented right before our eyes leaving no
room for our imagination. Overall the creation
of television has helped our society in many ways
and has transformed to be an amazing object and
plays a huge role in our society. For that reason I
think the television will go on for much longer to
transform into something even more amazing.
The Aerial
FEATURES
Page 8
History of Music: Tracking the Parabolic Curve of Musical Ingenuity
HENRY
MANESS
I
t is obvious that music is important to youth in today’s society. All you have to do is look around: 60% of
teens own iPods or other mp3 players; 97% have used a
peer-to-peer file sharing network for music downloads,
though 49% admit to using it regularly; music video
games such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero are stupidly
popular; and bands such as The Jonas Brothers and Hannah Montana are targeting a very young demographic
with their merchandise while simultaneously ignoring
the pleas of cessation made by every sane person in
America. However, while the genesis of the echo boom
generation has caused classic rock to become popular
yet again, they/we seem to have a limited knowledge
of how music has changed throughout the years. And
since I’d rather not bore you with the story of how music developed since America was founded, I’ll start at
the most pertinent and interesting time: the 1960s.
The 1960s
Just in case it isn’t already painfully obvious,
this was a time of great social unrest. Feminism and
anti-war protests erupted in the US and spread to Europe and Asia like wildfire. Rights for African-Americans became a huge issue starting in the late 1950s and
the Stonewall riots were the first instance in American
history in which homosexuals fought government persecution. Then there’s the sexual revolution, which included the creation of “The Pill”, an oral birth-control
pill, the authorship of sex manuals, the uprising of “free
love”, and the introduction of onscreen sex by directors
Ingmar Bergman and Vilgot Sjöman, among many others. There was also a notoriously widespread trend of
recreational drug use which is what normally comes to
mind when you think of the `60s. And with this change
in acceptable behaviour came changes in music.
On a different note, there was a folk roots revival starting in the USA and spreading to the rest of
the world. Singer-songwriters with exasperating voices
like Bob Dylan and Joan Baez were cutting edge in
musical style and lyrical content, and they influenced
light, “newgrass” country/R&B artists like Elton John
and Cat Stevens, as well as different musical artists like
Nick Cave, Tom Waits, Bruce Springsteen, and David
Bowie. At this time, music by and for black people—
R&B, gospel, and soul music—became universally
popular. Marvin Gaye, Ray Charles, and Aretha Franklin helped spearhead the soul movement, and in its later
years, Sly & the Family Stone and James Brown helped
to create funk music. It should be noted that the bassist
for the former invented the technique of slap bass.
In the early to mid-1960s, the unlikely bands
Peter, Paul & Mary and Bob Dylan influenced British
bands to begin formation of music that only sounds
good when you’re high, also known as psychedelic
music, which gained underground popularity across the
pond. In 1962, The Beatles initiated the British Invasion, along with The Kinks, The Yardbirds, Cream, and
The Who. The Beatles filled the gap that was left by the
Kennedy assassinations and impacted American culture
so deeply that most people over 40 are sick of it. In fact,
their contributions are so numerous that I refuse to go
into them in this article.
The Beach Boys, inspired by The Beatles,
made one of the most influential albums in history:
Pet Sounds. And oddly enough, The Beatles were so
inspired by this record that they created Sgt. Pepper’s
Lonely Hearts Club Band, which was, according to Sir
George Martin, their attempt to equal Pet Sounds. The
growing use of LSD and the Summer of Love caused
psychedelia to enter the knowledge of the public. The
two aforementioned albums have been christened
quintessential to the movement, as well as Jefferson
Airplane’s Surrealistic Pillow and the debut album of
The Doors. This led to the formation of overrated jam
bands like the Grateful Dead and Phish, as well as the
Monterey Pop Festival, which led to the introduction
of Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, arguably two of the
greatest musicians in the history of rock. The psychedelic movement also spawned avant-garde and experimental musicians, such as Captain Beefheart & His
Magic Band, Frank Zappa & the Mothers of Invention,
and the Residents.
In the late `60s, widely unknown bands with
devoted cult followings emerged. These bands, such as
Yes, King Crimson, and Jethro Tull, wrote an extremely complicated style of rock music popular among the
pompous and musically elite which came to be known
as progressive rock, or prog-rock for short. Later bands
influenced by these artists are Pink Floyd, Genesis, and
Electric Light Orchestra. Even though most of these
bands were British, a similar movement in Germany,
called Krautrock, was forming, with bands like Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, and Neu! leading it.
The 1970s
At this time, Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin
were forging from blues, rock and roll, and heavy distortion what would come to be known as heavy metal.
Starting with the two previously mentioned bands, as
well as Grand Funk Railroad and Deep Purple, and being further exploited by Dust, Blue Öyster Cult, and
the Christian-angering KISS, heavy metal became easily the most quickly embraced and downright offensive
genre of music ever. In 1972, the German band Scorpions provided the first sickening hair metal anthem,
“Rock You Like a Hurricane”, and AC/DC and their
1975 debut High Voltage caught the public’s eye and
the conservatives’ torches. After this, in the words of
author and rock historian Ian Christe, “heavy metal
aesthetic could be spotted, like a mythical beast, in the
moody bass and complex dual guitars of Thin Lizzy, in
the stagecraft of Alice Cooper, in the sizzling guitar and
showy vocals of Queen, and in the thundering medieval questions of Rainbow.” It wasn’t until Judas Priest
that these aspects of heavy metal were combined into
one awesome, collective force of vulgarity. And even
though they never had a Top-40 album until the 1980
release of British Steel, they were widely considered to
be the best heavy metal act since Black Sabbath.
At about this time, garage rock and protopunk bands such as The Velvet Underground, MC5, and
The Stooges were sowing the seeds of punk rock in the
antiauthoritarian hearts of outcasts everywhere. Beginning with the counterculture of the late `60s and the
underground rock movement of the early to mid `70s,
the New York Dolls and other trashy groups were gaining more and more notoriety. Both The Ramones and
Blondie premiered in August 1974 at the same Manhattan club: CBGB. This was the Woodstock of punk, the
holy shrine where early punk bands got their start.
In the early `70s, a Jamaican musician who
called himself DJ Kool Herc moved to the West Bronx
and with him he brought his musical style: reciting
improvised rhymes over dub reggae beats. However,
reggae was not very popular at this time, so he took
the percussion breaks from various songs and extended
them. By doing this, he created the now infamous genre
of hip hop.
In the late `70s, punk rock exploded from the
UK in what is now known as the second British Invasion, with bands like the Sex Pistols, The Damned, and
The Clash becoming outlandishly renowned for their
chaotic and riotous live shows. In London, bands like
Siouxsie & the Banshees, the Buzzcocks, and Sham
69, which were all inspired by the Sex Pistols, became
popular. And thus the punk scene grew and grew and
grew like an anti-conformist weed.
In the late `70s, disco became hugely popular
and also angered Victorian-era Christian people who
were afraid of change. Starting in 1977 with the horrible yet insanely celebrated film Saturday Night Fever,
which had the best-selling soundtrack of all time, disco
became the best thing since sliced bread, and some nondisco artists got dollar-signs in their eyes and decided
to jump on the bandwagon. This includes the Grateful
Dead’s “Shakedown Street”, Dolly Parton’s “Baby I’m
Burning”, Electric Light Orchestra’s “Shine a Little
Love”, and Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust”. And
everybody who wasn’t listening to disco was listening
to: bad-boy country rock-stars like Lynyrd Skynyrd
and the Allman Brothers Band; esoteric pop-prog of
epic proportions like Chicago and Styx; and/or outlaw
country singers like Willie Nelson and David Allen Coe
who sang about rebellious cowboys and other absurdly
masculine things.
The 1980s
In 1982, disco died a mercifully quick death
and most of the American populace was just fine with
that, which really shouldn’t come as a surprise. At this
time, the capital American sound became New Wave
music, which developed from the more artsy punk
groups like The Talking Heads, DEVO, and Elvis
Costello. However, when approaching the mid-to-late
`80s, the term “New Wave” began to be used to refer to
any new band that largely used synthesisers, like Duran
Duran, Tears for Fears, and Men Without Hats.
The popularity of New Wave music was very
brief. Starting in 1984, hair metal was belched out of
Los Angeles and into mainstream music, later replacing New Wave as the most popular and most annoying
musical style around. With the questionable guidance
of macho, macho men such as Quiet Riot, Mötley Crüe,
and Twisted Sister, hair metal was at the apex of its
reign of terror with Def Leppard’s Hysteria and Bon
Jovi’s New Jersey. Guns N’ Roses’ single good album,
Appetite for Destruction, appeared later in the decade,
and it started a mini-movement of hair metal with selfdeprecating lyrics, as if dressing in spandex and feathering your hair didn’t make you look like enough of an
idiot.
Pop music in the `80s was a ballad-esque fusion of pop and soul music called contemporary R&B.
It reigned at the top of the charts with an iron fist, especially in the early `80s. Lionel Richie, Madonna, Prince,
and non-creepy Michael Jackson were all immensely
popular, and Madonna impacted the `80s fashion world
as much as she did the music world, which may or may
not have been a bad thing. Hip hop also began to get
popular at this time, and with LL Cool J and Kurtis
Blow making cracker-friendly hip hop, it soon became
a fad that everyone could enjoy. Pioneers Afrika Bambaata, the Sugarhill Gang, and Grandmaster Flash &
Today, “...music video games such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero
are stupidly popular; and bands such as The Jonas Brothers and
Hannah Montana are targeting a very young demographic with
their merchandise while simultaneously ignoring the pleas of
cessation made by every sane person in America.”
the Furious Five guided hip hop to its golden age in the
late `80s. Some groups at that time, such as the Juice
Crew, featured not-yet discovered MCs like Biz Markie
and Kool G Rap. Another influential rap squad, Boogie Down Productions, which featured D Nice, Scott
La Rock, and the illustrious KRS-One, made waves
with their explicit lyrics about their violent lifestyles
and how they be cappin` whack hustlaz, which was a
precursor of the genre of gangsta rap. Arguably one of
the greatest groups of this time was Public Enemy, led
by Chuck D and Flavor Flav with their producer Terminator X. Their blend of dynamic instrumentation and
politically conscious and challenging lyrics was what
made them memorable, and The Rolling Stone’s 44th
greatest musical act of all time. N.W.A. was another
eristic rap squad which was internationally known
for explicitly describing the violent lives they lived in
Compton. Members of this group, such as Eazy-E, Dr.
Dre, and Ice Cube, would become multi-platinum-selling artists. The trio Run-D.M.C. was also very influential at this time.
The rock scene in the `80s was getting progressively more creative. Punk music began amalgamating reggae into it, and the third wave of ska was born.
Bands like Bim Skala Bim, Operation Ivy, The Pietasters, and No Doubt with the old, non-sellout Gwen
Stefani helped to spearhead the movement, as well as
make other subgenres. Also, the genres of thrash, death,
and power metal were created in the aftermath of the
horrible hair metal regime. The alternative rock scene
also began to get huge. Bands like R.E.M., the Pixies,
Dinosaur Jr., and Hüsker Dü had limited success in
sales but initiated a musical revolution. This revolution
is the Seattle sound.
The 1990s
In the early-to-mid `90s, grunge basically
punched every other genre of rock in the face and then
kicked them while they were down, begging for mercy.
Nirvana especially made it big, and brought attention
to the bands that influenced them, such as Dinosaur
Jr., the Pixies, and The Melvins. Alice in Chains, Pearl
Jam, and Soundgarden were all embraced by the public
as well, and noise rock bands such as Sonic Youth, the
Butthole Surfers, the Jesus Lizard, and Big Black became more popular because of their effect on grunge.
Unfortunately, this popularity was short-lived, thanks in
part to crappy post-grunge bands, which took the anticonsumerism, angst, and abrasiveness of grunge and
made it a radio-friendly thing. Bands like Creed, Three
Days Grace, Seether, and other crapfests took grunge
away, and more recent bands like Nickelback, Puddle
of Mudd, and Theory of a Deadman are now beating
the ground where its carcass used to be. Oh yeah, and
in 1994 Kurt Cobain committed suicide, unless you ask
any given crazy person, and then they would tell you
that he was murdered by Courtney Love. That same
year, Pearl Jam cancelled their summer tour, and two
years later, Alice in Chains broke up, and Soundgarden
and Screaming Trees released their final albums.
In the mid `90s, all the creativity in mainstream music was permanently gone. The alternative
rock scene was no longer popular, and gangsta rap
came and tried to save the day, only it didn’t fill the
void. At all. Also, electronic music became popular,
and that led to garbage like bubblegum pop music and
Madonna’s Ray of Light. The gangsta rap of the 1980s
had devolved into a poppy mess because of Snoop
Doggy Dogg, but some artists like Tupac Shakur, the
Notorious B.I.G., and Nas were the life support to the
comatose idea of good hip hop music. After Tupac and
Biggie were shot, the plug was pulled, and hip hop music was never the same. Though there was some effort
to keep it real on the behalf of OutKast’s ATLiens, the
Wu Tang Clan’s Enter the Wu Tang Clan (36 Cham-
Continued on page 9
Volume 84, Issue 3
The Aerial
FEATURES
History of Music II: Rock ‘n Roll Through the Ages
The very beginnings of
rock and roll can be traced
back to Black gospel sing- STUDENT
ers in the Southern United CONTRIBUTION
States in the 1940’s, in
which the word “rocking” was used to describe
a spiritual rapture. In the
1947 an artist by the name of, Roy Brown, produced a
song titled “Good Rocking Tonight” in which the word
was first used as a reference to sex, which became more
and more popular within the style of music. Rocking
would also be used to describe dancing, but was commonly used to describe both at once. It wasn’t until 1951
that a Cleveland Ohio disc jockey played this song to
his white audiences. It was a man, Alan Freed, who is
given credit for first calling the new music “Rock and
Roll” and the new audience who didn’t understand all
the meanings to the lyrics.
Rock and roll quickly caught on with many
people, and spread to audiences world wide with the
help of modern technology. Televisions and radios
helped broadcast the new style to everyone in America and in Europe where the style quickly caught on
as well. With the help of the new portable radios, created by TTK, a Japanese company later renamed Sony,
people had the option to listen to music wherever and
whenever, and this fueled the diffusion of rock and roll
to a world wide audience.
Rock became popular with American audiences within a short amount of time of its first broad-
Tracking the Parabolic Curve...
Continued from page 8
bers), and Eminem’s The Marshall Mathers LP, rap
music decayed into its current debauched forms, such
as snap music like Soulja Boy and Lil Jon and crunk
music like Lil Scrappy and Ying Yang Twins.
However, punk-derived bands like Weezer,
Green Day, and Sublime almost completely made up
for this loss of good music. Skacore bands like Rancid
and good pop-punk bands like The Offspring achieved
much mainstream success. And the indie rock scene was
beginning to thrive, with bands like Fugazi, Belle & Sebastian, and At the Drive-In bringing musical respect
back into popularity. Industrial rock also became more
popular, with help from Trent Reznor and the friends
he gets to play what instruments he can’t in his band
Nine Inch Nails, as well as Marilyn Manson, though
the whole Columbine deal kind of affected his career.
Industrial and thrash metal later twisted together in an
unholy union and created a bastard son: nu metal.
The 2000s
Since the turn of the century, bubblegum
pop has continued to latch onto the top of the charts
and corrupt the musical taste of the youth. Hip hop
has changed from a politically conscious message into
stupidly simple songs about sex, drugs, and sex. And
while some garage bands like the White Stripes and the
Strokes have made it big, and while there seems to be
a near revival of alternative rock in the radio stations,
unoriginal contemporary pop-punk bands like Sum 41,
The All-American Rejects, Jimmy Eats World, Blink182, Fall Out Boy, and the other fifty thousand bands
that sound exactly alike have continued to pollute the
airwaves, and faux-emo bands like My Chemical Romance, Panic at the Disco, and Dashboard Confessional
have inspired a corruption of the emo scene, with eyeobscuring hair bangs and pants tighter than any spandex. I can only hope that the American music scene will
bounce back soon, partly because I can’t really imagine
how it could get any worse and partly because I know
it’s somehow possible. And now, if you will join me in
prayer….
cast to Americans. In as little as ten years artists such as
Elvis Presley, Bell Haley, and many more were creating
their own modifications for the popular music. By the
early 1960’s, the craze had even caught on in Britain
and other European and Asian countries. It did not take
long for rock to become a popular genre, but it is always
being changed, and new variations are constantly popping up around the globe. Rock and Roll music spread
through globalization tools such as the new portable
Radio from Japan and the television. An example of the
television helping fuel the fire of rock and roll, is seen in
the television show “American Bandstand” which was a
show that was broadcast every afternoon, to Americans,
which displayed the music of some of the days best
bands. This show also helped “kick start” the careers of
singers such as Bill Halley.
Because Rock and roll was so widely accepted, even by white audiences, you would think that
there were no obstacles that prevented the diffusion of
the musical style. But in the 1960’s and 70’s, the death
of many “rockers” including Jimmy Hendrix, Elvis
Presley, Janis Joplin, and three Lynard Skynyrd members, the intensity of Rock and Roll began to fade, only
to be resurrected by later styles. In the early days of
rock there were also some economic hindrances faced
by the record companies. Because America was still a
very racial country, it was especially difficult to sell a
record produced by a black man, even though the music
had a very catchy rhythm to it. It was once quoted by
Sam Phillips, “that if he could find a white man, who
could sing with the Negro feel, he’d have a million dollars.” There were also many cultural taboos that nearly
stopped the spread of rock. Many parents found that the
sexual, drug, and alcohol references were too much for
their kids to grow up listening to, and they censored it
from their kids, which absolutely killed the boom that
the style was having in American teenagers. This was
due to the fact that it was known that rock was primarily
a black invention, and America was still a racially oriented country. The spread of rock and roll was severely
affected by this.
I would say that rock is an example of contagious diffusion. Spreading from southern gospel singers to Americans everywhere, even though to a world
wide audience, this new rock sensation impacted many
cultures on a global scale. But because rock became extremely popular in the United States before ever reaching European countries, I would say that is resembles,
expansion or contagious diffusion, rather than Hierarchical or non-contagious diffusion.
Rock was altered as it grew increasingly
popular in the 1950’s and even now it is facing constant changes as the artists try and adapt to the wants of
the audiences world wide. Rock itself was taken from
R&B, which was a predominantly black style of music,
and slowly developed into the style we know as classic
rock. Soon styles such as Reggae (Jamaican), Country Rock featuring bands like the Eagles, Heavy metal
featuring Black Sabbath, and more began springing up
all over the map. These alternate styles of rock were
in as many ways similar as different then the classical
rock sound. These alternate styles eventually became
the music we hear today, perform by bands such as the
All-American Rejects, Fall Out Boy, the Red Jumpsuit
Apparatus, The Used, and many more. (Jeff O’s Retro
Music)
At first, Rock was widely accepted by all audiences, but as the lyrics and themes became clearer to
the older portion of the population, it became a cultural
taboo as many parents tried to prevent their kids from
being exposed to this genre of music. But then it became widely accepted by the teenagers of that time, as a
sign of independence.
Country
Country music maybe one of the oldest styles of
music in modern American. What started as fiddlers
playing on their porches in the Western times, and
turned into the recordings of Fiddler’s Tunes in the
early 1920’s, true country music wasn’t first recorded
until 1927 when the first recording contracts for country music were signed in Bristol, Tennessee by Jimmy
Rodgers and the Carter Family. Due to conflict within
his band Rodgers would perform solo, two songs, and
become a legend. Although he never appeared on the
television or radio, never played in the Opry, he was
still one of the first men inducted into the Country Hall
of Fame for his contributions. The Carters recorded six
titles on August 1, 1927, the same day as Rodgers. The
Carters were also a hit recording over two hundred fifty
songs including the hit, “Sunny Side of Life.” The family would eventually disband but the three daughters
kept the legacy going for years to come.
At first country was restricted to the rural areas of Tennessee, Kentucky, and other southern states,
where much of the music was played on string instruments, in the leisure time of the farmers’ daily life.
During the war, the massive migration of southerners
fueled the diffusion of country music to cities in Ohio,
Pennsylvania, and Michigan. After World War two,
over six hundred fifty radio stations were broadcasting
country music, and it accounted for over one third of record sales. Country music was widely accepted because
of the manner by which it preserved the American culture. After Garth Brooks came along in the 1980’s and
1990’s, the new beat of country music caught on with a
wider audience who liked the newer beat of the music.
In the late 1990’s, when more country bands began to
adopt the Country Rock style into their music, bands
like Big&Rich and Montgomery Gentry stole the spotlight, and country music became an even bigger presence nationwide. But the hype has since died down, but
country music is still heard within the borders of the
United States, but it really hasn’t been an international
success.
After country music was first recorded in the
1920’s, it didn’t take long for the music to get away from
the Appalachians and into other Mid-Western states. In
just thirty years it had become a national favorite when
Garth Brooks introduced a new style of country to the
American people, and then it really sunk into America
after the late 1990’s and the early 21st century, when
bands adopted the style of Country Rock.
Country music started out as part of the Folk
culture of the southern farmers in America. As they migrate throughout the country during wartime, they took
their style of music with them and it was accepted by
the cultures that it came into. Then it became part of the
American pop-culture and was broadcast on the radio
to listeners nationwide. Now in modern times the radio,
television, and internet are important tools in helping
fuel the diffusion of country music. There is a channel
on modern cable, CMT, which broadcasts country music videos and other media to view nationwide.
The one challenge country music ever faced
was the lack of technology in its early days. Due to the
lack of radios and televisions, country music relied
mainly on the powers of relocation diffusion and the
ability if its people to spread to spread it throughout the
Americas.
I would define country music as a combination of contagious and non-contagious diffusion. In the
beginning, the diffusion was mainly relocation, which
was a slow process that only took the music to select
places on the map. Nevertheless, with the introduction
of the media, the diffusion was more like expansion,
because interested and adopted it into their society.
Country music has adopted a couple new
styles as it has developed over the years. Some artists played Bluegrass that was pure culture of southern
Page 9
farmers, some played a more R&B style, and some
played Honky-Tonk, which involved electronic amplifying and editing and was a common dance craze.
This diversity was found because many artists wanted
their country on the top of the hip-hop charts, but others wanted to preserve the southern culture, and just refurbish it a little. Country that is more modern actually
sounds more like classical rock because the younger
population enjoys the more upbeat style.
The easy listening characteristic of country
was the reason in which was its intention for all audiences because of its safe lyrics and moderate tempos.
As rock became more popular in the younger generation, the country music became more intended for
the older audiences, until recently. The new classic
rock style has a more upbeat feeling that is intended
to attract younger listeners back to the country music
style.
Mariachi Bands
Mariachi music was originated in a small state of
Jalisco, Mexico in the nineteenth century. Mariachi is
an important part of the Mexican culture because it has
been around for so long. They sing songs about animals,
love, betrayal, etc., but nobody knows their meaning,
origin of the name, or much of anything else.
Mariachi has not diffused international because it is primarily a part of Mexican culture although
it uses instruments that are not indigenous to Mexico,
but Spain and Europe, which means that the instruments were brought by the conquistadors. During the
nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the Mariachi style
quickly spread throughout Mexico playing the cultural
folk music of the time.
It didn’t take Mariachi music very long to
spread throughout Mexico because the songs may have
carried an important message, or was a song about revolutionary heroes, freeing prisoners and the men went
from town to town singing and looking for work, so
the style of music quickly spread through relocation
diffusion.
Mariachi has always been spread orally as
part of the rich Mexican culture. During El Dia De
Los Muertos mariachi bands can be heard singing for
miles, even everyday there are singers at entertainment venues, and all over the cities looking for work.
Through all the relocation, the Mariachi’s customs
quickly spread throughout Mexico.
A complication arose in the way of Mariachi
when the Mexican revolutionary war. Many Haciendas held the men who sang Mariachi captive, therefore
shutting down the diffusion of the music, but with the
freeing of those men, the Haciendas were driven out of
Mexico, and the Mariachi resumed as a powerful style
of music in Mexico.
Mariachi hasn’t really developed any new
styles of music because they are still using the same
instruments that the music originated with, and it has
really fought off the invasion of pop-culture well. Due
to this, the Mariachi is very classical music, and it
probably hasn’t changed much in the past two hundred
years.
Mariachi music was intended for all audiences, just as any folk music, in any folk culture would
be. The music tells tales of numerous different things
and are also used as joyful tunes, and maybe heard
during family times. Because it was not influenced by
pop-culture, it has no bad lyrics, no weird beats, just
the instruments and the vocals, as well as more appropriate lyrics than some of the other music heard today.
The diffusion of Mariachi music in Mexico
was an example of contagious diffusion. Because this
culture was spread through relocation, it was sent
to everyone in Mexico, and was quickly adopted in
Mexican society. Even today this music can be heard
everywhere in Mexico, and even along the border in
the United States where many immigrants are concentrated.
The Aerial
Page 10
Theatre Headline .......
AMBER
SETTLES
Once upon a time it became a known fact that art
could in fact, be dead. Millions painted, sculpted,
sketched, glued and put it all on an easel. Some did
portraits or landscapes, shading techniques and tools
were created and discovered. Even after that statement, we as a creative people have incorporated art
into our everyday lives; chefs do so with food, clothing companies do it with the designing of jeans and
even technology helps out with digital animation
in movies. We’ve revived that traditional form of
expression, we proved them wrong. All of this has
happened and it almost seemed impossible that the
theatre, the classic gleaming stage full of song and
live action, words of William Shakespeare and Tennessee Williams, could take this path as well. Looking back though, it seems absurd that this art form
could stop in its new and adventurous tracks.
Theatre is a dramatized snippet of reality,
and as such it can never ignore its surroundings. Operas written during China’s communist revolution
express the ideals of the time, plays written in Russia always seem to express the towers of society as
they topple, and here in America, we write plays to
express our current events as well. As the people in a
society develop new and distinct cultures, their arts
likewise express these changes.
In the 1960s, America was experience the
Civil Rights Movement. All over the nation, blacks
and whites were demanding that equal rights and
equal opportunities be given to everyone. From the
flames of this uproar, important men and women
rose to the cause, dedicating their lives to this single, life changing, liberating cause. This feeling and
these events are reflected within the play by Wolf
Lane Productions. In Victims of the Zeitgeist, Martin
Luther King Jr. is portrayed as an intellectual peacemaking staple within the movement who becomes
the martyr upon which the war of liberation is won.
The British playwright David Hare’s Stuff Happens
made its American debut in the Spring of 2006 at the
Public Theatre in New York to bring some new understanding to the modern political issues surrounding the invasion of Iraq. And locally, the Actor’s
Theatre of Louisville hosted a kind of play festival,
all of the pieces directed by Sean Daniels and titled
43 Plays for 43 Presidents. All of these plays in all
of these time periods have reflected the turmoil and
the events of the times in which they were written.
Political situations aren’t the only thing
that has recently begun to influence the theatre. As
hip hop continues to climb the charts and dominate
the radio stations actors are mirroring this lifestyle.
Hip hop theatre which uses all elements of this music
including rapping and dance in their performances
is attracting a broader audience. More students
are beginning to see that theatre isn’t just classical
playwrights in language styles hard for them to understand. Audiences are encouraged to attend these
events so because they can relate to them, they are
their culture. In more situations than not the idea of
a theatre that is relevant is persuading young adults
to pursue a art form they wouldn’t
otherwise be attracted to.
Disney Channel’s High School Musical
sequel is a major example relating to theatre’s new
Arts
air of “cool”. Being the most successful Disney
Channel Original Movie is an accomplishment that
acknowledges the idea of millions of American pre
teens were (and continue to still be) glued to what is
a modern adaptation of Shakespeare’s Romeo and
Juliet. Whether or not the children are informed of
that the movie they are watching is one of the most
classical pieces of theatrical literature is really not
important, what is important is that these series of
movies are inspiring this particular group of youth
to give being a theatre geek a try.
Professionals in this area of study and
practice are hoping that by inspiring so many youngsters that this may bring attention to and influence
the education and interest to the performing arts. No
harm in introducing kids to a classical playwright in
such a sneaky way, I suppose. Although exploring
the new hobby may prove difficult with only 8% of
city high schools reaching the arts education goal,
according to a recent New York Post article. Sometimes the walls of the classroom can really make you
feel suffocated but it’s critical to remember that if
you find yourself with the Theatre Bug that there’s
other options…
OTHER OPTIONS:
Street theatre is simply what it sounds like, theatrical performances in public spaces, is also becoming
increasingly popular once again. Previously one of
the most viewed forms of art has interests quite a
few training actors. The idea of doing something
free for the public involves many complicated issues
one of which includes volume. Actors that perform
in public must be able send their voices farther than
they would need to in a theatre. Another issue, the
more obvious is money. For the most part, buskers
(street theatre actors) receive no payment other than
the donations received by generous watching patrons. Some do not consider this a hitch and use it as
an opportunity to compose their own play and avoid
the paying of royalties altogether. However when
encountering one of these performances please
take into consideration that chances are these actors are just dedicated workers just trying to brighten up your day by spreading the play gospel. It’d
probably make their days to be able to divide up a
whole 5 dollars worth of change between 5 actors!
YouTube is also a experimental way to
get your face and Shakespearean language out
there although I have not came across any videos
of HSM inspired pieces done by America’s youth.
I’m probably not using the right words in the search
engine…
But if you are a working actor and tend to
use the classic stage more than the sidewalk you’ve
probably also been affected by this new change in
theatre. Creative ways of using people and things
are emerging and they have their own title: Non
Naturalistic Theatre techniques. Aspects of non
naturalistic theatre are beginning to emerge on the
stage; using actors as set pieces, actors reading
the stage directions aloud and using a monotone
voice. Using an actor as a set piece is difficult, as
you don’t want have the “prop” be a distraction to
the work. Done correctly it can convey a message
to the audience, that a skilled worker can not only
change characters in different times throughout
history but can also change their entire physical
being and be completely dedicated to becoming a
chair.
Once again, men and women are discovering new tools and techniques, just for you, the
audience’s viewing pleasure. Conforming to support the new generation’s interests so that we can
communicate on a deeper and more unique level
is one of art’s main goals. And if you thought for
just one moment that you’ve seen every piece of
art you could ever imagine, remember that every
artist’s job is to prove that thought wrong.
“Operas written during China’s communist revolution express the ideals of the time, plays written in Russia always
seem to express the towers of society as they topple, and here
in America, we write plays to express our current events as
well. ”
Salon
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Actor’s
Theater will
be running-for the last
time in its 13 year hisBEATRICE
tory- the not-so-classical
HARRIS
Christmas play, A Tuna
Christmas. This two person show has been a joy
to watch year after year, and it will be sad to watch
it go.
Set in a non-existent small town called Tuna, Texas on Christmas Eve, this play is made up of two
male actors who play 12 roles each. This entails
multiple, and very quick, costume changes, which
are assisted by unseen “dressers”, who’s job is to
quickly remove and replace the clothing to help the
actors transition from one character to another in
record time. At times, it is hard to remember that
there are only two actors in this play; it seems like
another actor playing a different character is sitting backstage, waiting for their part to return to
the stage.
Even though there is side-splitting humor and wit around every corner, this play also
has some serious parts. Almost all of the characters, at one point or another, show their Christmas
spirit through whatever personal problems they
may be going through. And because this is a small
town, everybody knows everybody else’s business.
Whether it’s trying to put on a play, getting rid of
pesky blue jays, or waiting for your husband to get
out of jail for the first Christmas in forever, all of
the characters have a back story that makes them
who they are.
Everyone will recognize a few family
members among the array of characters presented.
It could be your 80-year-old grandmother who,
despite ailing health issues, still manages to rid a
blue jay from her yard. Or, it could be your quiet,
strange, alien-obsessed uncle. There is such a large
range of characters, you might even recognize
some of yourself in the mix.
One of the two actors who portray the
people in this small town is Brad DePlanche. His
resume is extensive and very impressive, including
plays such as As You Like it, and Tuna Christmasin 2002 and 2004. With experience in this part, he
pulls off all of his characters nicely and brings his
own bright personality into every one of them.
Warren Kelley is the other 12 roles. His
resume tells us that he has been in over 200 productions throughout New York and other places
throughout the United States. His own character
shows through every time and makes you laugh,
think, and even feel sorry for a couple of his characters.
This is one of the best off-beat Christmas
themed scripts in the fine art world, and it will be
sad to see it go. But the performances made by
Brad DePlanche and Warren Kelley do it justice by
giving it their best performance up until the final
curtain call.
The Aerial
Volume 84, Issue 3
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
MORGAN
POLSON
It’s always coming back.
In every breath I inhale.
In every bite I take.
Awaken to the most beautiful sunrise I’ve seen in
years.
And to the most grounded man I’ve had.
I wonder if he can taste it on my lips,
The honesty he could kiss.
And I watch the contrasting colors of cobalt blue
and burning orange
It expands the spectrum into vibrant pinks and
purples and even
Small slivers of a jaded shamrock.
The colors of old lovers,
Familiar nights,
Dragged out fights.
The most beautiful sunrise I’ve seen in a long
time.
Stare out the eighth floor window watching the
sunrise over this polluted city
And it melts around the old copper cross aged a
mossy sea green,
an old polluted cross.
I turn to face the back of this man.
My fingers trace over his spine,
His freckle-kissed skin, warm and soft under my
light caress.
I sit on the bed with the other side of myself.
It’s strange, how little I know of that part of me.
Perhaps it frightens me a little.
Should it?
A rebellious sort flows through these veins, as it
does through his.
The same fair hair and blue eyes. . .
The male me maybe, if I’d ever been given the
chance to be one.
He is perhaps the better part of me.
Certainly the more logical.
I am the more dangerous.
The separate part.
Shadowed with self-confidence.
There is a string of poison,
A poison called disappointment.
It corrupts the good in me.
He reads it better than I could ever read what ails
him.
And it’s the latter part of that, which cautions me
to be careful,
Leads me to be weary.
Black candle wax spills across these written pages.
The candle wax they have promised me.
Metaphorical value is rich and deep in every vein
of every line.
Is love a condition or an emotion?
When he awakes I wonder if he will taste it on
my lips.
The taste of disappointment,
Of honesty.
I wake from the Dream.
What do I know of love?
It tastes bitter.
Inspire Me
Arts
MARTHA
WORLAND
Inspire me to dream, to hope, to live, to love,
PHOTOGRAPHY
Drew Echelberger
Photographer
Motivate me towards a higher purpose.
Move me, shove me, and never let me be,
Keep me moving forward towards an ideal goal.
Let me hear Your words, Your voice, Your hope,
Your passion for the things that matter,
Show me how to Dream a Dream that will come
to be,
Show me,
Show me,
Show me.
You tell me to ‘Wake up!’
To hope,
To dream,
To stand tall,
And reach high.
Inspire me to walk towards life- Tall and Proud.
To shake off this sluggish lethargy,
Wake me from the warm darkness that envelopes
me,
The half-sleep that claims so many lives,
Suffocating, suppressing them from truly being.
Give me a second birth,
Show me what there is to life,
How to Live to the fullest,
To linger forever in the Hearts and Minds of
others,
To leave MY MARK behind!
Bring me Into The Light,
And let me taste the joys and the sorrowsTo drink of the cup of Life,
Filled with the Vitality and the Vibrancy that
comes with every risk.
Katie Heuser
Photographer
From the protective shell of sleep,
For in it I will never be free,
Though it shelters me.
From the Chains That Would Hold Me Down,
Let my Fly above the clouds,
Among The Stars.
Honesty, Trust, & Communication
DREW
ECHELBERGER
The Truth
…Lies…
Above & Beneath
Inside & Outside
Of Our Eyes
& Through the Gaps in our Teeth
Don’t just sit around Dreaming about Dreams You
think can’t be Achieved
You Must Dream to Believe
& Dreams can be Seized
Anything you can Imagine, anything you Please
Anything you can Fathom, you just have to Believe
There are plenty of thoughts and Ideas inside
That you could Relay
But the words you choose to Say
Could be the words to Make or Break your Day
Page 11
Adrian Rowan
Photographer
Page 12
The Aerial
REVIEWS
Guns N’ Roses Chinese Democracy
MUSIC
The Next Great Album or World Class Junk?
“Never before in music has an album taken almost 17 years to produce and at a price of 13 million dollars for production costs, it’ll be a miracle
if Axl ever sees profits from this album.”
Advertise With The Aerial
INDEX
VOLUME 84, ISSUE 1
Pages
2-5
6-7
8-11
12-13
14-15
16
17-19
20 PAGES
BLOG WATCH
See Pages 6-7
VOLUME 84, ISSUE 2
Pages
2-4
5
6-11
12-14
15
16
17-19
20 PAGES
Category
Editorials
Arts
Features
Reviews
Media
Schools News
Sports
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
HARD DRIVE OF DARKNESS
INDEX
Category
Editorials
Media
Features
Reviews
Arts
Schools News
Sports
Technological
AARON
a late 80’s hair metal band
PALMER
straight off the sunset strip
in Hollywood CA. The
band back then was composed of 5 dudes with a
lot of hair, and heavy, catchy guitar licks from
lead guitarist Slash, support from fellow guitarist Izzy Sradlin, screeching vocals from singer
Axl Rose, pounding bass lines from bassist Duff
McKagan, and hits from the drums (and cowbell!)
from drummer Steven Adler, this band climbed
to the top of the charts in ‘88. Unfortunately,
everybody out of the original line-up but singer
Axl Rose is nowhere to be found on this album.
Instead Guns ‘n Roses is/has been composed of various musicians (guitarists Robin
Finck, Buckethead, Brian May of Queen, and
even Shaq) that pitched in to record snippets on
songs and to tour with Axl Rose. Unfortunately,
the music on “their” new album has all been composed by Axl Rose. In fact, I dare say that the new
album and band is all about Axl Rose. To avoid
any confusion, I’ll refer to Axl instead of the band.
The album itself has had a unique history. Never before in music has an album taken almost 17 years to produce and at a price of 13 million dollars for production costs, it’ll be a miracle
if Axl ever sees profits from this album. For this
fact alone, Chinese Democracy has been the butt
of many jokes. For example, the manufacturers of
the soda Dr. Pepper promised earlier this year to
provide everybody in America a free Dr. Pepper,
(except ex-guitarists Slash and Buckethead) if Axl
Rose released Chinese Democracy. Fortunately,
for soda-drinkers and fans everywhere, he did.
But, until the release date, several people have gotten their hands on various demos
Axl recorded over the years. At the time of this
writing, 12 out of the 14 tracks have been leaked
as demos over the internet. These acts of piracy
set back Axl with the recording process, who
then hired lawyers to find and punish people
who leaked the demos, and with record com-
Generatio
G
uns ‘n Roses. The very
name brings up images of
panies. Obviously, with the 13 million dollar pletely different from the last 2 songs. With teenager on a piano crying over his lost girltag mark on this record, record companies were it’s catchy opening (No one ever told me when friend. If Axl is this naïve now, what happened
sketchy to produce the album. However, deals I was alone/they just thought I’d know better, to the screeching, crazy, I-don’t-give-a-damn
and arguments were made and Axl and the record better) expresses Axl’s feminine voice, which attitude back in the 80’s? I expected lyrics like
company Geffen agreed to publish the album. he pulls off quite well in my opinion. The song the likes of It’s So Easy from Appetite for De
The first new song that we heard off the deals with mistakes, loss, etc in a failed rela- struction, not this melodramatic piano piece!
new album, Shackler’s Revenge, was first heard tionship. In fact, one could very well say that Unfortunately, like Use Your Illusion II,
and played on the poplar music imitation game the entire album has a motif of failed love. this album does not leave a good ending to please
And nowhere is this expressed in the the ears. We only get a very average song named
Rock Band 2. The song itself reveals the harsh, an- November
Rain-isqe song Street of Dreams. After Prostitute. What an utter disappointment Axl.
gry side of Axl. With him accompanying himself
hearing
the
lyrics and blues guitar solos, you won’t as back-up vocalist, he shows the wide range of his
We all waited 17 years for you; you
doubt
why
this song was once called The Blues went and spent 13 million dollars, recorded
voice. He uses the deep, grinding voice to portray
the violence and the screeching, high vocals as the during demos. The lyric (What I thought was beau- at 14 different studios, hired a myriad of artwiny teenager that nobody really listens to. The tiful/don’t live inside of you anymore) really does ists, and produced an average album?! You
vocals seem to act out a shooting of some short, express the change of heart after a relationship… even hired several producers to help polish
The next song, If the World, borrows the album, such as Mike Clink and Andy Walprobably a school or something, with the second from
Michael
Jackson’s hit song Beat It. Person- lace, but even they could not make it better.
verse. (I’ve got an itchy finger/and there’ll be hell
ally,
the
two
guitars
on both of the songs sound to pay/I’m gonna pull the trigger/and blow them
In fact, if you try to compare it to
the
same,
just
engineered
differently. Isn’t this some of the other great albums such as With
all away) As for the guitars, they’re extremely
trashy, almost industrial, with ripping guitar solos album supposed to be original in some way? The Beatles, which was recorded in three days,
The album drags on until the song Sorry. Pixies’ Doolittle, barely a month, and with the
that are impossible to imitate without electrics. With
its
slow,
ambient guitars andAxl’s voice almost average album completion process of a few
The first single and hit title off the new
puts
you
to
sleep.
It seems they’re trying to build months to a year or so some of these great alalbum, Chinese Democracy, was released for
up,
and
when
they
do,
you barely notice it anyway. bums were produced in less time than Chinese
radio airplay on October 22nd 2008. It was also
The
track
Madagascar
is interesting Democracy. What does this say about Axl now?
released on iTunes on November 9th. This track,
though.
Axl
portrays
the
struggles
of
various peo- with its 1 minute introduction of ambient noises,
So, in conclusion, we’re left here standples
and
races,
most
noticeably
African-Ameripeople talking in Chinese, and drum solo, drags
ing with our ear buds, headphones, and stereos
on until the loud opening, echoing guitar licks. cans. Try as he may, he reached to try to achieve off wondering what happened. It’s a pity that
Unfortunately, a build up goes on, only to reveal a song that was better than November Rain from urban legend and mysticism surrounded this althroughout the song that 3, 3 guitars each play- Use Your Illusion I. Unfortunately, even with the bum and made it great. Our hopes were driven
ing various solos at different points during the help of quotes from Dr. King and the Captain so high, only to be crushed when it was released.
song. All of these instruments distract you from from Cool Hand Luke, he failed and fell, hard. He tries yet again with the next song
Axl’s singing. As for his inspiration for the song, This
I
Love,
only to come across as a winy
here’s a quote from Axl back in 2001 at a concert.
“The movie Kundun was on [television] about the Dalai Lama. I was getting ready
to leave...and it was the end of the movie. And
the Dalai Lama is about to cross over the border,
to you know, be in exile for the rest of his life
from his own country. And he looks back at the
men who helped him, and you know he’s escaped
the Chinese government. And he looks back at
them and he waves and they wave at him. And
then they show a scene where he looks back at
SIZES
them again and he sees every one of them dead.
Quarter
Page
Because he knew they would be killed, and they
Business
knew that in helping him they would be killed.
Card
And you know the emotion in this next song,
The Information
Extravaganza
that’s all that’s [sic] about. It’s not like an intelligent song. It doesn’t have the answer to anything.
And it’s not necessarily pro or con about China.
It’s just that right now China symbolizes one of
Half
the strongest, yet most oppressive countries and
Traditional
Page
governments in the world. And we [Americans]
REVOLUTION
are fortunate to live in a free country. And so in
Courtyard Zen
Cult Classics
thinking about that it just kinda upset me, and we
wrote this little song called “Chinese Democracy.”
Nevertheless, as humble as the song
Two
B u s i n e s s Traditional Footer Quarter
Half
Full
Back
Page
was made to be, it blows itself out of the waSize
Card
Page
Page
Page
Page
Spread
Footer
ter with its self-arrogance. I highly doubt Axl
Full Page
ever read any of the teachings of the Dalai
$30.00
$45.00
$60.00
$70.00 $100.00 $200.00 $300.00 $500.00
Lama, and with his juvenile lyrics, I expected more from Axl, in terms of history and all.
PRICES
The second single, Better, is comEconomic Conditions Compromise JCPS
Schools, Atherton.
See Page 11
See Page 16
REVIEWS
MOVIE: Hamlet 2
MOVIE: Swing Vote
with Woodpecker
See Pages 12-13
The Next Big Bang
SPORTS
Rebels’
Football
Or In With the New?
See Page 19
See Page 16
Collider.
See Page 9
Mindless Calculator Zombies:
BLOG WATCH
See Pages 15
See Pages 10
REVIEWS
Review
Issue
Page 12
SPORTS
2008 College
Football
Review
See Pages 18-19
The Aerial
Volume 84, Issue 3
REVIEWS
Page 13
Metamorphosis
F
ranz Kafka is considered one of the
AMBER
greatest fictional writSETTLES
ers of the 20th century
and like most writers,
hardly anyone in the
Austia-Hungary empire
knew of his writings until after his death. Most of
his characters and considered plagued by unimaginable disasters most of who do not triumph. Taking his personal life into consideration it seems that
Kafka’s writing style is mostly derived from the
fact that neither of his parents were present in his
life and it is assumed that he felt abandoned or even
angry for this absence, which explains his not so
happy ending novels and short stories. Nonetheless Kafka is extremely influential and his works
are used very often in high school English classes
and colleges near and far. The most popular being
Metamorphosis.
Ever have those days when you wake up
and you don’t feel quite like yourself?
Gregor was not born a giant bug. He was
just a simple young man who worked selflessly as
a traveling salesman to help relieve his family of
debt. A day started out terribly by over sleeping
and therefore missing his bus to work, Gregor realizes that he has major difficulties just getting out of
bed. And it wasn’t tiredness that was keeping him,
it was physical inability. Gregor had transformed
into a large beetle. His sister anxiously knocks on
the door, attempting to rise him from slumber. His
entire family begins to panic because they are completely dependent on the income that Gregor brings
home, one mishap could cause his employer to rid
him from the company.
When they finally pry the door open, his
boss is present as well, they are all taken aback.
Gregor could not communicate in any way, his
mother is terrorized, his father is outraged. Unusually his sister, Grete assumes the responsibility of
maintaining the family’s pride by being Gregor’s
care taker. Everyday, she finds time to make his life
more comfortable as the mother and father hope for
their son to come back. Whether it be giving him
leftovers or attempting to move the furniture in
BOOK
such a way for him to move more comfortably, she
had the most contact and sympathy with the unfortunate man.
Gregor being aware of his grotesque appearance makes a point to hide under the couch as
to not frighten his younger sister when she tended
to him. The only thing that he concerned himself
with is the financial situation of the family, his sister’s plans to attend school. He worried himself
day and night as he overheard the arguments at the
dinner table, mostly about their son turning back
into his normal state.
After months of struggle the family comes
to the decision that they must all get a job, crushing
his sister’s love for practicing her violin, stressing
his mother’s already asthma labored breathing and
forcing his worn out father to once again enter the
work force. With work taking up his sister’s time,
Gregor is no longer being taken complete care of
and is left alone to wither away.
On the rare occasions that the family
encounters Gregor outside of his room, it proves
devastation for all. Evoking panic attacks from his
frail mother and angry outbursts from his father, he
becomes injured and returns to his room where he
eventually lays his head down to die. The family
responds by being completely relieved. Riding out
on a trolley on a beautiful day, they contemplate the
idea of marrying off their daughter and all is well.
By far the most disturbing part of this very
disturbing novel is how Gregor handles himself becoming a giant insect. Being so selfless he tried his
very hardest to hide his ugly frame from the entire
family by distancing himself and avoiding exiting
the room, he was ashamed that he couldn’t support
the family. His sister’s reaction was somewhat abnormal, how planned the feedings were, how she
inspected how much he ate everyday, disappointed almost daily by the fact that he hadn’t eaten as
much as she would have wished, if only he ate a
little more he might become their working Gregor
once again.
Being the bread winner in the family and
then losing your nine-to-five can cause any working
class man to fret, feel as though he is nothing but
the lowest of creatures in existence, a mere beetle.
Soon when you are not on that daily grind any more
and your 5 year old daughter’s tummy hurts when
you tell her that she’s not worth the hospital bill
(not in those exact words of course) she’s bound
to not be your pal anymore. That’s precisely how
Gregor’s family reacted.
As wonderful as a story line this may
seem, I must warn all those who choose this piece
by saying that Kafka is a seemingly dry man, a sad
man. And this you can tell particularly in this novel.
Hardly any loving emotions are expressed, even his
sister’s ritualistic feedings of the beetle were somewhat self motivated. The mother, the most suspecting subject of understanding is completely terrified
by her son. The father remains angry throughout
the book, as if turning into a bug was Gregor’s
choice. If you are looking for sympathy, this is not
for you.
Twilight
I
n 2005 a book, Twilight
by Stephanie Meyer was
released that broke the mold
SARAH
of vampire love stories. In
CHURCH
just a few years that book
has sold over 15 million
copies world wide. Now, in
just a few short weeks the story has grown into an international phenomenon
Having read the books myself, I was greatly
looking forward to Twilight the movie. So, I gathered
THEATRE
a group of friends and on opening night stood outside
the theatre waiting to get tickets. We were all wondering how director Catherine Hardwicke would adapt the
movie, yet still keep all the charm and charisma of the
books. From the commercials Twilight looked liked an
instant classic. However, once I saw the movie, it was a
different story.
Twilight is a romance story about a human
and a vampire. Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) moves
from Phoenix, Arizona to the small town of Forks,
Washington to live with her father. At first Bella hates
the wet, dreary, small town; that is, until she becomes
involved with the gorgeous, mysterious boy in her biology class, Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson). A day
trip to the beach with friends leads Bella to discover
Edward’s secret- that he is a vampire. The rest of the
movie is about their struggle with his lust for blood, and
their forbidden romance that makes Edward and Bella’s
relationship difficult.
In the book Bella acted like a swooning, love
struck teenager. Her eyes were always on Edward, she
was happier, and seemed complete. But, throughout the
movie Bella acted as if she had the flu. Her personality
ranged from seeming withdrawn and awkward to sulky
and miserable. Though, I kept waiting for her to cheer
up and start acting as I pictured her while reading the
book, that moment never came. I kept thinking, “If she
is so miserable in Forks, why not move back to Phoenix?”
I came to later realize that maybe the director wanted her to seem lifeless. Maybe Kristen was just
following directions given to her by director, Catherine
Hardwicke. It was one Hardwicke’s first directing roles,
so it’s possible that she misinterpreted the book and
wanted Bella to act aloof and mysterious. Even if that
fact ends up proving true, it helped to somewhat make
my opinion of the movie less than great.
On the other hand, Robert Pattinson portrayed of Edward perfectly. The way he played Edward was exactly
as I had imagined him to be while reading the book.
Robert made his emotions clear throughout; from acting
as if he were in love with Bella to showing his struggle
with the temptation of draining her of her blood and
life.
I thought Twilight was a good movie that was
worth seeing, but not buying. I think what put me off
about the movie was the fact that it did not follow the
book at all. I kept waiting for certain scenes that were
in the book to come in to the film, but, just as it seems
with all novels that turn into movies, I was deprived
of those certain scenes. This is why I found the movie
to be simply good, not great. The sequel, New Moon,
is in the works, which makes me anticipate it to be yet
another success. Although a change in directors may
help to make the next movie an even bigger box-office
smash.
Recommended New Releases
MOVIES
MUSIC
The Aerial
MEDIA
Page 14
The Transformation of
As they progressively got more, and
more popular there was a large demand for a new
album. So as they toured and wrote songs they released the album “Ride the Lightning” which was
more complex and had more complete sounding
songs. Still maintaining there thrash sound they
continued to expand there fanbase and there respect as a band. The album contained many songs
that the band is still known for today. The album
also cemented their reputation as a thrash metal
band.
M
etallica is known as
the worlds most famous
and commercially accepted
ROSS
metal band in today’s culDEATRICK
ture. They are the band that
went from four worshipers
of the music to becoming
the worshiped. Through there career they have
had there share of ups and downs as do all bands
and made themselves the rockstar figureheads that
they are known as today. This is there story.
The Beginning:
There are four members nowadays to Metallica,
James Hetfield (guitar, lead vocals), Kirk Hammett (lead guitar), Lars Ulrich (drums), Rob Trujillo (Bass). But it wasn’t originally these four
guys in the band. It first was started by Lars and
James by there love of heavy metal. They were
very much influenced by many bands such as,
Black Sabbath, Thin Lizzy, The Misfits, King
Diamond, Holocaust and probably the most influential, Diamond Head, a British heavy metal
band known for there complex song structures
and guitar riffs. But as there band began to become increasingly more they added more members to complete there sound so they added bassist
Cliff Burton, and rhythm guitarist Dave Mustaine.
With this new lineup they began to play shows
and get there name out there. But for personal
Dave Mustaine was fired and eventually went to
form rival band Megadeth. He was later replaced
by Kirk Hammett, previously from the band Exodus, on lead guitar. Now with a new strong solid
they went to record there first album.
Kill ‘Em All and Ride
the Lightning:
As they recorded and
released there first album they grew a very
big underground acceptance by many punk and
metal fans. There first
album “Kill ‘Em All”
was an album filled with
thrashy, punkish guitar
riffs which in most ways
invented the thrash metal
movement which Metallica used and improved
on each new album they
made. “Kill ‘Em All”
made Metallica underground thrash metal heroes.
They were a part of a four part group of three other thrash metal bands called Anthrax, Megadeth,
and Slayer. With this new status they were part of
a group that was known for there complete new
sound.
Master of Puppets:
In 1986 when they went
to record this classic they
had no idea that what they
were doing was something
that metal heads and music critics would revere as
solid gold in music form.
As an ever growing and progressive metal unit,
Metallica released “Master of Puppets” with one
intent, to be better than everyone else. Not only
was that the truth as a band but also as musicians,
and songwriters. The songs were more complicated and longer in length making them in some
ways very epic. The songs and album set the standard for everything that came after it. On “Master
of Puppets” they made the songs that everyone
wanted to achieve as a band, and as musicians.
Filled with fast, complicated riffs and
solos as well as song arrangements, Metallica
made some of the best and most influential music
of our time. The influence of Metallica by this album can be heard in almost every metal band of
today’s music. But when it first came out not only
was it groundbreaking but it completely shattered
everything in its wake as an album. This album is
one that is great to listen to and still sounds great
even after twenty plus years since its release.
Although this album cemented them into
heavy metal gods. Tragedy also struck them and
quite bad too. As the album was released and became an instant classic they went on tour in support of this new album in order for them to get the
best out of this newly made status. In Europe they
were touring and while they were sleeping on the
tour bus the driver lost control of the bus and had
it flip over killing bassist Cliff Burton instantly.
Killing this important member was a tragic and
even worse thing to happen to there career. After the tragedy metallica stopped touring and took
time off to hold auditions for a new bass player
they finally settled on bassist Jason Newsted.
After the new replacement of Cliff Burton they wrote and recorded their magnum opus
and their most technical and progressive metal
album of their entire career.
...And Justice For All:
While Metallica was
known at that point in
time for playing and being very technical no one
ever expected them to
make or even attempt to
make an album like they
did for “...And Justice
For All”. With this album
they made even more complicated and crazier
song arrangements that even the band today has
a hard time completing. Also with this album Metallica showed more of a classical music influence
in there song structure and by the way the songs
sounded. This album, in my opinion, proved that
Metallica were the best metal band of all time.
Just think about, they went from four minute
songs to making nine minute long arrangements
that showed they knew more than two notes and
how to play fast. This album in some ways is the
perfect Metallica album because it contains fast,
slow, complicated, simple, long, shorter, and instrumental songs. It contained everything that
made Metallica what it was known for by today’s
standards. It also had a cool album cover too
which featured The Statue of Liberty somewhat
broken with an all white background.
The album put them at the top of the
metal bands list and once agin proved that Metallica were four very talented men. Although
this shocked people by how complex and crazy
the next album was even more shocking. It was
the exact opposite of what they had just done and
once again, in my opinion, showed that Metallica
could do more than just play fast and crazy songs.
The next album even contained two ballads.
The Black Album:
Metallica in 1990 was
at all time high they released their most famous
album, The Black Album.
This album was the high
point of their career in
terms of commercial success. This album was most well known for the first
song off of it, “Enter Sandman”. This album was
not only a complete change of musical direction
but in the process they got rid of their longtime
producer Flemming Rasmussen, for Bob Rock.
He was well known for his work with Bon Jovi,
and Motley Crue. With a well known producer
and a few new songs, Metallica made a complete
turn around from what they had been known to
do before.
The Black Album was just a preview of
what was about to come with this new “sound”,
Metallica was on a new path and a more “accepted” direction.
The Aerial
Volume 84, Issue 3
Load and Reload
As before, Metallica
stayed true to their new
sound and made two albums, which once agin
capitalized on their new
direction. The “Load”,
and “Reload” albums
were both made from many songwriting sessions. The albums were created by making
every song they had made from the sessions
into actual songs, As Lars Ulrich once said, “
We whipped them into shape.”. These two albums were pinnacles to Metallica’s commercial
success. They both contained many songs that
Metallica are still known for today. Once again,
these sessions were produced by Bob Rock, who
made the albums what he was known for, popularity. After Metallica released the Black Album,
many fans said that they had sold out. But when
these two albums were released, many fans went
crazy with rage by the fact that they became
more commercial. “ Yeah, we sold out, we sell
out every night.”, said Lars Ulrich, at the time
when the “Load”, and “Reload” albums were
released. Obviously, Metallica really didn’t care
what people thought of them. But James Hetfield was also quoted saying that, “ Limiting
yourself to please your audience is stupid,” and
they apparently stayed true to that statement for
pretty much the rest of their career.
After “Reload”, Metallica didn’t release another studio album for awhile, they did
release a cover album, “Garage Inc.,” and a
live album with a symphony orchestra, “S&M”.
But then they released a new album with a new
sound. Except this time they kept the producer.
St. Anger:
This album almost
led to the downfall of
Metallica, which can
be best described and
shown in the album
documentary movie,
“Some Kind Of Monster”. The point and
sound of this album
was to sound like a garage band getting together
for the first time, except the band is Metallica.
This album was made over a period of two
years and contained only one “commercial”
song “Some Kind Of Monster”. The album was
produced, once again, by Bob Rock and is considered to be Metallica’s worst produced album,
mainly because of how raw and unpolished the
sound is. But that also is the main point of the
album, to sound like a garage band. In my personal opinion, this album was Metallica’s angriest album, sporting a parental advisory sticker,
and James Hetfield dropping the f-bomb a few
times.
After this album people thought Metallica was over, they thought they would never
go back to their old ways back when they were
known for their crazy thrash metal, but they
were wrong. Three years later they once again
did the impossible.
Death Magnetic:
Just this year Metallica released this new album
with songs that can be best described as the
MEDIA
BLOG WATCH
Page 15
Internet Meme of the Month
AARON
PALMER
Iwhether
n this issue, we explored the issue of change,
it be in music, sports, literature, movies,
or even food, one thing is notable. We are the producers of change. Our actions determines what
will be the next hottest thing, or if a company
falls. And who else has changed the scope of the
blogosphere, nay the internet as a whole? Obviously, it must be Google Inc.
From Humble, Nerdy Beginnings.
Google began as a research project in January
of 1996 by Larry Page, a student with a Ph.D.
at Stanford university. It was intended to test the
mathematical properties of the world wide web,
showing the structure of links as a gigantic graph.
With the advice of his supervisor, Larry focused
on trying to find out how links in a web page,
which linked to other web pages, which linked to
even more web pages could all be incorporated.
He then combined efforts with his friend Sergey
Binn. Under the code name of “BackRub” the
program began to scour the internet categorizing
web pages. However, they had to create a algorithm (PageRank) to rank pages on importance
(how many pages linked back to that site, how
many links were on the site, etc). This radical thesis caught on like wildfire, due to the fact that it
could be incorporated as a search engine, better
than the current search engines of the time. The
registered the domain google.com on September
15th 1997. They then incorporated their company
as Google Inc. on September 8th 1998.
com, hotmail.com, and numerous others), they decided
to sell text-based ads with
their searches based on key
keywords. Bidding started at
$.05 a click with keywords
sold on a combination of click
throughs and price bids. This
model, based of off goto.com
which Yahoo! acquired and
rebranded as Yahoo! Search
Marketing. With Google only
having to spend money on
bandwidth, it didn’t take long
for Google to become a powerhouse at the end of the Dotcom Bubble.
Don’t Be Evil
With their power now somewhat secure, they came up
with a general corporate
model/motto of “Don’t Be Evil”, which favored
general well-do-ness over short-term corporate
gains. Even though with every partnership, acquisition, or merging, google somehow still seemed
to be that popular kid that everybody knew, loved,
and respected, due to the fact that he was, well,
cool. Google employees work in an unique environment, free from the white collar dress codes
to a wear whatever-you-want dress code. They
even have numerous entertaining objects, décor,
rooms, and even a unique cafeteria with gourmet
chefs, all designed for the Google employee to
feel happy and at ease working with Google Inc.
Y
a rly. The O RLY? (Oh Really?) phenomenon can be traced back to 2001 when a photo of
a snowy owl, taken by photographer John White,
was posted a newsgroup dealing with nature photos. The phrase O RLY? originated on the Something Awful forums in at least August of 2003. The
phase and the image was fused together by the /b/
tards of 4chan. The image then became a meme,
creating various clones and responses (ya rly, no
wai, and others)
In last half of the 90’s and first year of the 21st
century, the stock market was rising at an exponential rate. This was mainly due to the surge of
all the new web-based companies and markets
of the time. As Google Inc struggled to compete
with the other rising websites (yahoo.com, aol.
However, the image soon fell out of favor when rick-rolling started to become popular in
2006. Nowadays, when posted, users will respond
Google and Its Impact on the Blogosphere with various OLD!!! comments expressing their
With Google’s acquisition of Blogger.com, hatred of n00bs who don’t know anything about
Google single-handily popularized blogging in the internet.
general. Google’s own blog, http://googleblog.
blogspot.com, discusses a variety of topics dealing with the company’s new sites/programs, gen- with numerous free google products and online
eral news, or even a classic ninjas vs. pirates de- programs such as Gmail, Google video, Google
bate. Without Google acquisition, I highly doubt maps, open office, and the numerous other prodthat blogs would’ve kicked off and become the ucts that Google produced, financed, or created
communication giant it is today. Nonetheless, it’s just to please the internet population. Google has
obvious that Google is a giant, controlling the web made the web a better place for all with it’s simat a whim. However, so far we’ve been blessed ple, but effective ‘Don’t Be Evil’ policy.
black album mixed with “...And Justice For All”.
This new album proved that even as
50 year old men, you’re never too
old to rock out. With album they
changed their sound and once again
changed to yet another producer
by dropping 15 year producer Bob
Rock for Rick Rubin. Rick Rubin
is known for his work with Tom
Petty, System of a Down, Slipknot,
AC/DC, and Johnny Cash. Metallica
made an album that would be compared to their older stuff. This album
in theory should have no commercial potential at
all, but with the large buildup
for a new album over the years
this one has become quite a big
deal. All of the songs are long,
and drawn out, and contain riffs
that they were known for in the
late 80’s.
Over the thirty years
they have been a band they
contain a long and interesting history. They have made
countless and classic albums
The Dot-com Bubble and How It Made Google
Even More Powerful
along the way and have also maintained their
popularity. Out of all of their albums I cannot recommend just one but as an all around Metallica
fan I would recommend, “Master of Puppets”,
The black album, and , “St. Anger”. Although these albums might seem random
I thought that it would be good to recommend albums from the main changes in their career. Also I
would highly recommend the movie, “Some Kind
Of Monster”. I would say that Metallica is always
going to be a band of interpretation and hopefully
this article might help you make sense of it.
SCHOOL NEWS
The Aerial
Page 16
Atherton’s Decade Long Evolution
Brings about School’s Renaissance.
LAUREN
KENDALL
Atherton hasn’t always been most students’ first
choice for high school, probably not even in the
top five. However, over the past decade Atherton’s
reputation has grown strongly as the school has
come a long way since its days of rebellious students and uncaring teachers.
About ten years ago, Atherton High
School had more of a reputation of being a crazy school than it does today. One student said “I
don’t think that the students are as crazy as everyone says they are. For the most part, it’s how
people dress that cause people outside of Atherton
to judge our student body as a whole. And the fact
that they can’t be as creative with their outfits as
we are is too bad for them.”
Over ten years ago, there were fewer
classes being offered at Atherton overall, which
means there were certainly less interesting classes available than today. Currently, Atherton offers classes such as Journalism, Photography, and
Forensic Science, classes that most other schools
don’t offer. Offering courses such as these is what
gives Atherton an edge, an advantage, over many
schools in the district.
And this wide array of academic offerings has translated to students that work harder and
have more of a desire to learn. In many schools,
there are always at least a few students in a class
that care about their school work, but at Atherton
it’s the majority of students who have that desire
to learn.
A parent of an Atherton student said,
“My child is in the IB program at Atherton. The
curriculum is as taxing as any college course I
have ever taken, at least at the graduate school
level. The teachers are engaged and enlightening,
even entertaining. I am thrilled to have the level of
public education this school can offer, especially
competing with 2000+ schools worldwide.”
Then there is teacher quaillity. Atherton
students Lizzy Burkey said, “Well, I think like every other school you’re going to have some good
teachers and some bad ones, but I think that for
the most part, our teachers have been pretty cool.”
Atherton teachers want students to succeed, and
they love their job teaching students.
Then there are the teachers. Strong
teacher and student relationships are so common
at Atherton that it is hard to believe that there was
a point in time at Atherton that the teachers and
students didn’t always see eye-to-eye, notably
during the heated uniform scandal of 1999-2000.
At that time there seemed to be a fine line of division between the teachers and the students in the
minds of many who were involved. However,
those wounds have healed and these days, teachers
and students genrally tend to have strong mentoring relationships, so it is hard to imagine this low
point in Atherton’s history.
There is a more cultural diversity here at
Atherton now. As a country, from 1993
to 2005, minorities have increased as
a percentage of total public school
enrollment, from 34% to 41%. We
have students from different heritages
and different ethnicities. “There is a
large population of Hispanic students,
mainly Cuban, a large population of
Bosnian students, as well as students
from Iraq, Iran, China, Korea, and just
about anywhere else you can think of.
This diversity really gives the students
a real awareness of the world around
them and acceptance of other cultures
and traditions,” says one student. It’s
nice to get to interact with people who
have lived in different parts of the world and speak
a number of different languages.
Atherton has changed for the best over
the past decade. It has become a very friendly and
welcoming school. Lyndsey Hamilton said, “The
people are really friendly and accepting, it makes
me feel like I can be myself.” Another student
said, “Atherton High School is a like a big family. It is a relatively small high school and almost
everyone participates in an extracurricular activity
and is involved.” It’s nice to go to a school where
you can trust everyone and you don’t have many
worries.
could only play towards the end of the year. During their two most recent performances, it was
apparent the overall tone of the entire band had
drastically gotten better, even with the addition of
a lot of new members. The improvised solos were
more polished and fit the piece they were played
during quite well, no matter what subgenre it was.
It was amazing to see and hear how much of a
difference this class actually makes for the music
itself.
All in all, the jazz band is a great place to showcase
any kind of musical talent. The Jazz Band isn’t restricted to just the traditional instruments found in
a jazz band, but open to anyone in general. This is
an amazing reason to actually join, no matter what
instrument you play or even if you just sing. From
the improvised solos, to the section features, it’s a
time for anyone who is a part of it to shine and be
recognized as talented musician.
Atherton’s Jazz Band:
Students’ Showcase of Soul
A
therton High School is
known for originality, be it its
STEFANI
students, its faculty, or even
ADAMS
its curriculum. Atherton is
the only school in Jefferson
County to offer IB courses,
the second to offer a percussion class, and now the only school to offer a Jazz
Band class. The Jazz Band is a great opportunity
to draw even more attention to Atherton and more
students.
Some may ask, “Why we should have a Jazz Band
class at all?” For starters, the class gives musicians a chance to learn about and play in a genre
of music that normally might be overlooked if all
they’re accustomed to playing is classical styled
music, romantic styled music, or even modern music. It gives them a chance to be a more
rounded musician and that in turn can make some
of the world’s greatest musicians. It even gives
the members a chance to play many subgenres of
jazz, from blues to funk, it’s just yet another opportunity to dive headfirst into the world of jazz.
Last year, the Jazz Band only met once a week
after school, making it more of a challenge for
Ms. McClave and the members to pull any show
together in the amount of time they were given.
“It’s a lot nicer with the class, instead of meeting
after school once a week
for a couple of hours,”
one student replied when
asked about the difference
between just meeting after school as opposed to
meeting everyday for the
class.
Even
though
the class only started this
year, the Jazz Band has
sky-rocketed its skill level, playing some pieces
that last year’s Jazz Band
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Volume 84, Issue 3
The Aerial
SCHOOL NEWS
Page 17
Atherton Students Reflect, and They Evolve
Personal Narrative Series, Part I
Mind Thinker
By: Gerardo Luis Biviano
Contributing Writer
Idistracted
’m a mind thinker. When I’m in class, I become
when the teacher talks too much. I get
lost in my mind; in a way, I become hypnotized.
At first I just stare at the wall, or sometimes toward the posters that are hanging. Other times
I just stare down to the table or floor, and start
tothink different thoughts. I don’t think the same
things most of the time. My mind and thoughts,
to me, are like a bouncing ball that goes from one
place to another .
In my thoughts, I think about my future, like what
I will do when I leave high school. Will I go to
college? Or will I work, just like my dad outside
in hard weather?
I imagine him as myself on hot or cold days,
with his hat on, his dirty red shirt, his rip-dirty
blue jeans and, of course, with his muddy leather
boots, holding a shovel, ready to make an opening
on the ground. In hot days I imagine him really
thirsty, his throat really sore, not wanting to get
a drink because he is desperate to finish the job
first, wiping his sweat off his face. In cold days,
imagine him with a lot of clothes on. Holding the
cold, steel shovel and white steam coming out of
his mouth, rubbing his hands together and blowing hot air with his mouth because his hands are
frozen.
clothes on and holding a white rose, in a graveyard feeling weak, feeling out of strength, tears
coming out of my eyes, hating life because they
took my parents away from me so soon and at the
same time loving life because I am hoping that my
parents are in Heaven, a palace where you never
suffer. A place where
you never ask and
pray for God because
God is right there beside you.
And in bad conditions when we need to pay higher bills, or when somebody in our family falls
sick and doesn’t have
medical coverage, I
sometimes feel like
dropping out of high
I think, when they are
school.I say to myself,
gone, would I be able
what’s the point of
to live a normal life
coming to school? And
without them?
learning new things,
things that I will not use
I think about my sisin my future? What’s
ter and my brother
the point in coming to
about the same thing.
learn if I’m not going
“Death.” I know we
to college, because no
fight a lot, my brother
one in my family has
and sister and I, but
gone to college and beI know I will miss
came something in life.
Gerardo Luis Biviano
them, too.
No one in my family
has become important
Most of the time I think about my parents having
enough for me to hold them as a role model.
a car wreck, or other times I think about someOther times I think about my family. I think about one of my brother’s or sister’s getting run over
what would happen when my parents are gone. I by a big truck. In my thought about my parents
think about “Death.” I imagine myself with black having a car wreck, I think about my dad driving
on a highway on a normal, beautiful sunny day.
Every thing is perfect. My dad and my mom having a good talk when out nowhere the car in front
stops shortly and my dad, flying high speed, tries
to stop but somehow his brakes don’t work. The
only solution is to try to prevent the crash, and so
he quickly turns his car wheel to the left and goes
out the road. The car is stopped only by it crashing into a tree.
Thinking about my sister or brother getting run
over by a car is just very sad to me. I just can’t
imagine that happening to my sister or brother. In
my thoughts I just hear screaming and the burning
of the truck’s tires from trying to stop.
And my happy thought would be about “Love.”
Some people say that I’m too young to be able
to understand and know what love is and what it
meant to be loved. I think about my love, even if
I don’t know what love is. I think about her, what
would happen with me and her. Would I stay with
her all my life? Sometimes I feel like dropping
out of high school just to go where she is. Even if
you don’t believe me, I think about our wedding.
I imagine myself in church in front of a priest, me
wearing a black suit in front of my true love in
a long beautiful white dress. And the priest just
waiting for me to say “I do.”
The Aerial
SPORTS
Page 18
Texas Tech Football:
BCS Bound?
Cardinals Basketball:
Beasts From The Big East
EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL
knew Leach’s coaching style, and despite Graham Harrell’s words to the press that Mike Leach
would be leaving Texas Tech, the former offensive
coordinator recently signed a 3-year contract.
DAVID
WHEATLEY
T
he Texas Tech football program is arguably
one of the best football teams in the Big 12 Conference this year. Since its beginning in 1925,
the program has undergone numerous changes
including new conferences, new coaching styles,
and surprisingly, new attitudes. Slowly but surely
Tech has built a solid name, which they have ultimately lived-up to this season with their 11-1
record. With this impressive resume, Tech is a
formidable foe against any college football team
this season.
Head Coach Mike Leach
Mike Leach, the current head coach for the Red
Raiders, is regarded as one of the most innovative minds in college football. In his nine years at
Texas Tech, Mike Leach has had a winning season
for all of them. Mr. Leach has also taken the program to a bowl game every year.
The Texas coach did not play football at a college level, and to compound the strangeness, he
originally went to school for a law degree. After
receiving the degree, he went on to get yet another
degree, this one in coaching. Before arriving at
Tech, Mike Leach was the Offensive Coordinator
for Oklahoma, and while there Mr. Leach helped
to form the same offensive strategies that the team
still uses today. Many people argue that the only
reason Oklahoma beat Tech was the fact that they
USA Today
Computer Rankings
TEAM BCS AVG
1
.9757
2
.9479
3
.9298
4
.8443
5
.8208
6
.7846
7
.7840
8
.7387
9
.6980
10
.6354
Oklahoma
2
2
Florida
4
1
Texas
3
3
Alabama
1
4
USC
5
5
Utah
6
7
Texas Tech
7
8
Penn State
8
6
Boise State
9
9
Ohio State
10
10
2008 Season
As previously mentioned, this year has been a
great year for Mike Leach. The coach guided the
Raiders to an 11-1 winning streak and a Top Ten
ranking in the BCS polls. In Tech’s rivalry-fueled
game against the Texas Longhorns, both Graham
Harrell and Michael Crabtree teamed up to make
some amazing plays. With eight seconds left in
the fourth quarter Harrell threw to Crabtree, who
shook two corners and scored the game-winning
touchdown. Despite their loss to Oklahoma, Tech
undeniably excelled in defeating their other competitors.
This year Texas Tech will probably go to the Cotton Bowl, but with a three-way tie between Texas,
Oklahoma, and Texas Tech the BCS Champion
will not be easily decided. The 2008 season has
been one of the most successful years for Texas
Tech in over thirty years. In past years, with Tech
only showing in the 20-30 rankings, they were
just another team out there that most top ten teams
expected to beat. The nine years that Mike Leach
contributed to Tech has been for the better, and the
time and effort the team has put into this year has
definitely shown through in their playing.
Texas Tech is a very charismatic team and the boys
are ready to take on their challenges with vigor.
All tech fans, including myself, can only hope that
despite losing Harrell next year, the charisma and
vigor will stay.
BCS Harris Poll
PRVS RK
PTS
%
RK
PTS
2699 .9554 1
1482 .9718 1
25
2776 .9827 2
1481 .9711 3
22
2616 .9260 3
1408 .9233 2
23
2442 .8644 T-4
1309 .8584 6
20
2413 .8542 T-4
1309 .8584 7
17
2119 .7501 7
1134 .7436 5
24
2090 .7398 8
1132 .7423 4
21
2186 .7738 6
1193 .7823 9
18
1938 .6860 9
1034 .6780 8
19
1858 .6577 10
1004 .6584 11
16
Everyone knows that when-
ever you see a good chance,
JOSEPH
you should take it. The Louisville Cardinals men’s basSORRELL
ketball team has the chance
of a lifetime. They have a
healthy team, a great starting
five, a fantastic backup bench, and one of the best
coaches in NCAA history. This year, the Cards
have an elite team.
They have returning seniors Terrance
Williams, who is a tremendous asset to the team
with his ability to drive through traffic and get the
ball to the great shooters to pick up assists, and
Andre McGee who without a doubt is one of the
best three-point shooters to ever step foot in the
Cardinals locker room. The Cards also have returning juniors Edgar Sosa, who is vastly improving his gameplay as he goes on, and Earl Clark,
who is without a doubt one of the smartest players on the Cards’ roster. Also returning this year is
sophomore G Preston Knowles, who is one of the
better focused players on the team.
The real story, however, is the new freshman class that has joined the team. The freshman
class for the 2008-09 season is what has all the
Cards’ fans talking. They have freshman Samardo
Samuels, who was the leading scorer in the first
four games for the Cardinals. Also
in the freshman mix is Kyle Kuric, who started at PG for the
Cards during their game against
the University Of Ohio Bobcats.
Freshmen George Goode and
Terrence Jennings are two other
freshman that have already made
some alright names for themselves in the short time that they
have been Cardinals.
It seems like every year
Cardinals’ head coach Rick Pitino
brings in a great recruiting class,
and as long as he continues to do
so, the Cards will be a juggernaut
team that will be hard to beat. So
far, the Cards are 5-1, with a single loss after a great team against
2008-09 Cardinals Basketball Roster
Number
1
2
5
10
11
12
14
20
21
22
23
24
25
33
34
Name
Terrance Williams
Preston Knowles
Earl Clark
Edgar Sosa
Chris Brickley
Reginald Delk
Kyle Kuric
Will Scott
Jared Swopshire
George Goode
Terrence Jennings
Samardo Samuels
Lee Steiden
Andre McGee
Jerry Smith
Position
F
G
G/F
G
G
G
G
G
F
F
F
F
F
G
G
Class
Senior
Sophomore
Junior
Junior
Junior
Junior
Freshman
Senior
Freshman
Freshman
Freshman
Freshman
Sophomore
Senior
Junior
Western Kentucky University.
With all of the talent that the Cards have,
I honesty see a bright future for the Cards this season. They have a very talented group of players that
have the capability to take it all the way. As long
as they work hard and play good basketball, there
is no reason why the “beasts from the Big East”
cant become the 2008-09 NCAA Men’s Basketball
Division 1 National Champions, and this year… it
could happen.
Johnson Construction
Jeff Johnson
502-608-7636
Quality and value in room additions, remodeling and storm damage repairs.
When you are having trouble with your home insurance providers- call us.
The Aerial
Volume 84, Issue 3
Zach Leamy Zach Leamy Zach Leamy Zach Leamy
SPORTS
Page 19
World Wrestling Entertainment: A History of Excellence
JOSEPH
SORRELL
Iwasn 1952,
a legacy like none other was created. It
in this year that Vincent J. McMahon created
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. A company
that would turn out to be one of the biggest sports
spectacles to ever be invented. A company that
would forever more change the foundation of exactly what “sports entertainment” is all about.
When WWE was first created by McMahon, it was
known as the WWWF (World Wide Wrestling Federation). When it started, the federation was a low
budget wrestling association that focused mainly
on the entertainment of the people. It didn’t have
anything flashy like the big titan tron or the big
ring. Beginning as your basic backyard wrestling
group, McMahon had one sole thing in mind: ENTERTAINMENT.
On April 29, 1963, History was made. It was at
that time and date that the first WWE Heavyweight Champion was crowned. Buddy Rogers
being the lucky recipient to clam this prize. Rogers was awarded the title with the explanation that
he defeated Antonino Rocca in the finals of a tournament in March 1963 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
to become the first WWWF World Heavyweight
Champion since then much has changed.
Without a doubt, being crowned the WWE Champion is by far the most prestigious award that one
can earn in the world of wrestling. It is a title that
clarifies who is at the top of the ladder, better than
the rest, and the greatest for as long as that gold
is around the champ’s waist. One of the all time
greatest champions in the history of the WWE is
without a doubt the man who assisted in putting
the WWE on the map, Hulk Hogan. Hogan entered the WWE in 1984 with his manager Freddy
Blassie AKA “Classy”. He was the heel (a badguy) for the beginning of his career. In 1987, Hogan began one of the most classic feuds in WWE
history. It was with a man who was literally “larger
than life”, Andre The Giant. The two feuded for a
good while, until the feud ended at Wrestlemania
3 when Hulk Hogan did the unthinkable, Hogan
was able to lift all 500+ pounds of Andre the Giant
over his head and bodyslam him to the mat. At that
moment, the feud between Andre and Hogan, was
comparable to David and Goalith. Hulk Hogan
revolutionized WWE in so many different ways.
In a sense he single handedly placed the WWE on
the map. For his accomplishments and long lived
respectable legacy Hogan was inducted into the
WWE Hall Of Fame in 2005. If it wasn’t for Hogan, who knows if WWE would have ever been as
big as it is today.
When the this era was outgrown, the WWE turned
over a new leaf. The WWE began what would
forever more be known as the “attitude” era. This
era included great superstars such as Stone Cold
Steve Austin, The Rock, Triple H, The Undertaker, Mankind, Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle, and
many more. It was an era where WWE grabbed a
strong and dedicated fan base. What was so special about the attitude era? Was it the fact that
it was so entertaining, that you could forget that
you were watching rehearsed acting, and easily
mistake it for Jerry Springer or a violent daytime
soap with characters able to pull you in so well as
to think that what was occuring was actually real.
The attitude era was a time in WWE that made the
company huge.
The attitude era also included a pay per view event
that was without a doubt the highlight of the year.
The pay per view entitled “King Of The Ring” was
a tournament that took place throughout one night.
The tournament included quarter-finals, semi-finals, and a final match to determine the King Of
The Ring. In 1985, it was Don Moraco who was
crowned as the first ever King Of The Ring. The
King Of The Ring has now been discontinued, but
it still lives on in the hearts of many WWE fans
world-wide.
Another great pay-per-view event featured by the
WWE is the Royal Rumble. It is an event where 30
men enter one ring and the only way to get eliminated is to be thrown over the top rope, and have
both feet touch the floor. This has become one of
the greatest traditions in WWE history because it
is something that millions of fans world-wide expect, anticipate, and tune into watch every year.
It first took place January 24, 1988 at the Copps
Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario. The winner of the
event was Jim Duggan AKA “Hacksaw.” Duggan
seting his legend in stone as the first man ever to
win the Royal Rumble.
It is great events such as “King of the Ring” and
the Royal Rumble that make the pride and history of WWE so rich. If it were not for these great
events, WWE would not be the household name it
is today. No matter what any other wrestling corporation does, they can never and will never measure up to the likes of WWE. Period.
In all American sports, there is always an event
that sort of caps off the ending of a season and
or stands out from the rest. NBA has the playoffs.
MLB has the World Series, NFL has the Superbowl, and WWE, has Wrestlemania.
Wrestlemania is the crown jewel that sets
WWE apart from any other kind of wrestling corporation. It is the one spectacle that shines above
any other sporting event, and it has even had more
viewers than the Superbowl.
To many people, Wrestlemania is just another sporting event, but to the true fans, and the
superstars that participate in it, Wrestlemania is a
dream come true.
“There is nothing like the feeling of Wrestlemania” says WWE Superstar Shawn Michaels in an
interview with WWE.com. “You cannot even begin to understand what it feels like to stand on the
grandest stage that there is, and have hundreds of
thousands of people cheer for you, there is seriously no feeling like it”.
In March 1985, the first Wrestlemania was held in
Madison Square Garden located in New York, NY.
Since then, it has been an annual event that has
occurred every year since 1985. This Wrestlemania coming up is Wrestlemania’s 25th, anniversary
and is to be held in the Reliant Astredome located
Mark your calendars now for
HYR Spring Soccer
Registration!!!
in Houston, TX, eximplifying and adding to the
already long and rich history that this tradition
holds.
Other than the WWE heavyweight championships, there are many other championships that
the superstars can win. Each of the championships
are represented by belts. Since the WWE is split
into three separate brands: Raw, SmackDown,
and ECW, there are numerous titles that keep the
spirit of competition alive. On Raw, the titles that
are fought for are the WWE Heavyweight Championship, the Intercontinental Championship, the
World Tag Team Championship, and the Womens
Championship. On SmackDown, the titles that are
fought for are the World Heavyweight Championship, the United States Championship, the Tag
Team Championship, and the Divas Championship. On ECW, the only title currently available to
compete for is the ECW Heavyweight Championship. The championships make competing a whole
lot more worth it. What could possibly be better
than getting a victory and getting a shiny, gold belt
to put around your waist?
WWE is unrivaled with history that will outshine
any other legacy or any other organization. It has a
past like none other and will live on forever in the
hearts of both the fans and the superstars alike. It
would be a sad day if WWE ever has to close their
doors, that is if they ever have to, which hopefully
they won’t. But one thing is for sure, World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. set the standards for what
sports entertainment is all about. To some people,
WWE is life, something that some people out there
strongly feel that they just can’t live without. The
owner of WWE, Vince K. McMahon, is a genius.
He has based his whole life on entertaining all of
the wrestling fans worldwide, and by doing so he
has made himself a billionaire. On TV, he portrays
himself as a selfish, egotistical, jerk. In real life
however, he is quite the opposite. He thrives off
making wrestling fans happy and giving them
what they want, entertainment on Monday and
Friday evenings. It is great that something as simple as a couple two hour TV shows a week, and a
pay per view a month can entertain MILLIONS of
fans world-wide.
Bottom line, WWE is greatness. It has been around
for a long time, and it is only gaining fans as they
go. The fans, or as the WWE refers to them as the
“WWE Universe”, is increasing day by day, becoming larger than life. When you walk into the
store, you see the action figures. When you turn
on the TV, you see a commercial. WWE has taken
the world by storm, and it is for that reason that
forever more it will be known as an organization
with a promising future, and a history of excellence.
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Feb 7th and 14th
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TRANSFORMATION
METAMORPHOSIS
Giants’ Plaxico Shot Down Mid-Season
There have been many athletes to crumble under
the pressure when the game comes down to the line.
Missed shots, bad passes, and dropped catches have all
REID
crushed individual and team spirits. Many athletes have
GROSS
fallen just short, and for some of those athletes they
have picked up and kept going. Other athletes have not
been able to move on from the bad play that they were
involved in and have faded away in to the past, not able
to ever regain the glory that they once wore on their chest.
But for a few athletes, there is a different type of let down, a self inflicted mistake that lets down not
only themselves, their coaches, and team, but family and fans as well. It was not the failed attempt of greatness
by an athlete on the filed that let everyone down, it was the actions off field, actions unjustifyable in regards to
ethics and, for some, morals. This category of shame now includeds one New York Giants wide receiver.
For Plaxico Burress the final third of the season will not involve game winning catches or touchdown
catches, not even catches for good yardage. Plaxico will be on the bench, or perhaps, not even in the stadium
at all. The Giants have suspended and fined Plaxico Burress for his actions off the filed. The suspension is one
that could last the remaining part of this season. And this is happening during a season Plaxico Burress has done
amazing things the Giants could not go without; Burress has caught 35 passes for 454 yards and 4 touchdowns.
Not necessarily outstanding, but he’s not doing too bad.
The thing that will prevent Burress from making any more catches or even seeing a minute of playing
time is the bullet that was shot into his thigh. Now this is not the case of a deranged fan shooting an athlete like
what happened tragically to the Washington Redskins player Sean Taylor last season. This is the case of pure
stupidity. This is absolutely moronic behavior that no professional athlete should show.
The bullet that was shot in to Plaxico Burress thigh was from his own gun that he had in his pocket. Although he could hire a body guard to protect him when he left the house or even when he was home he decided it
would be best to carry with him a gun. Now the 31 year old Super Bowl champion wide receiver will face a possession of a concealed weapon charge, which in the state of New York results in three-and-a-half years in prison
if found guilty. If convicted and sent to prison, it is hard to say if the aging athlete will be able to come back and
play at the age of almost 35. Also it will be interesting to find out if the giants will still uphold his contract and
allow him to come back and play in 2012.
SPORTS
All in all, Plaxico Burress was the victim of an athlete that still has not removed him self from the way he
was raised or where he was raised.
There have been many athletes such as Plaxico to throw there careers away over things that seem to be
habits carried over from life before the NFL. One recent story that didn’t happen that long ago was the conviction
of Atlanta Falcons star quarter back, Michael Vick. Vick was caught training dogs to fight each other to the death,
a gruesome and illegal underground street sport that any professional athlete should know to drop with such a
tremendous career on the line. After the star quarterback went to prison, it destroyed Atlanta’s following season.
It will be interesting to find out if Plaxico’s absence from the team will have any effect on how well they do in the
last third of the season and post season.
Another player with an even sadder story is Ricky Williams. Although not sent to jail, he was kicked out of
the league for one season for smoking marijuana. Ricky Williams is truly a case of an athlete who could not kick
the habit, and who, with his career and honor on the line, decided to choose smoking over breaking through tackles
and scoring touchdowns as one of the greatest running backs to ever play for the Miami Dolphins. After he left the
Dolphins, the team didn’t get any better, only worse. The only thing about the Miami Dolphins is they have been a
horrible excuse for a football team for the past five years, but at least he has decided to kick the habit and has been
back in the league since the 2007 season as an essential asset to the team.
On the other hand, some players do not learn from their mistakes and just keep heading down the path of
destruction, Case in point: OJ Simpson. At least the law finally got him this time; he murdered two people, robbed
an old lady at gun point…nothing. Steal some sports memorabilia…fifteen years. Took them long enough, but at
least he is in jail where he belongs.
Some athletes seem just not be able to escape old habits or old ways, even though they risk their careers
and chances at all-time football greatness, something many players have had an opportunity at achieving, and
something that Plaxico Burress Michael Vick and Oj Simpson all threw away. This is a perfect example of wasted
talent, a wasted career, and most of all disappointed fans.
In the end for Plaxico Burress, former teammate Joey Porter sums up what Plaxico must have been
thinking carrying a gun with him, saying “if you have ever been car jacked or had a gun waved in your face you
would know why Plaxico would carry a gun. He wouldn’t just carry a gun to seem like he’s a big man, but for
protection.”

reviews - The Atherton Aerial

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