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Features

FEATURES

Pasttimes offer enjoyment, relief from stress of school

Aaron M. Miller
April 20, 2001

It’s no secret that Americans are obsessed with playing games.The frenzy caused by gaming consoles such as the Sony PlayStation 2, the widespread use of online games and even the enduring popularity of classic board games such as Monopoly are all evidence of blind gaming passion.And the numbers back it up:In 2000, about 60 percent of Americans - 145 million people - played interactive games, accounting for more than $6 billion worth of sales.In contrast, only about 70 million people attended Major League Baseball games in 1999.Video games for consoles such as Nintendo 64 or Sony Playstation are bigger sellers than computer games, for several reasons.“It’s easier to hook a game machine up to a television than it is to own a PC,” said Russ Howard, vice president of Babbage’s, a game retailer.

FEATURES

Films chosen for Cannes festival

By CLAR NI CHONGHAILE The Associated Press PARIS - It promises to be deja vu all over again at Cannes, as directors long favored by the festival’s organizers tussle for the top prize, which many of them have won before. Organizers announced the official selection of films for this year on Thursday, calling up Cannes perennials like Joel and Ethan Coen, David Lynch and Japan’s Shohei Imamura. Among the 23 selected films are four films by American directors.

FEATURES

Artist brings solo act to Lansing

Dan Julian
April 20, 2001

Brooks Williams admits he doesn’t know any of the rules when it comes to playing guitar - but in his opinion, that’s a mixed blessing. “It’s a great thing to actually know that since I don’t know any of the rules, then there’s no right or wrong way to go about it - it’s very free,” he said. Williams will perform at The Creole Gallery, 1218 Turner St.

FEATURES

Weekend Guide

Friday: “Ladies First,” MSU’s all-women a cappella group, will perform its annual spring show.

FEATURES

Ridiculous reality show goes bad

Juliana Keeping
April 20, 2001

Welcome to the bizarre world of animal reality TV. The plot goes a little like this: This is the true story of too many animals picked to be in a segment, and have their human mishaps taped to find out what happens when they stop being polite and start being real - “When Good Pets Go Bad 2.” Some may call “When Good Pets Go Bad” low-quality television - and it is.

FEATURES

U series wraps with film featuring music of Mayfield, Franklin

Vince Estes
April 19, 2001

The Department of American Thought and Language will end this semester’s film series tonight with Sam O’Steen’s “Sparkle.” The 1976 film, about three sisters who become Motown-like pop stars, features music by Curtis Mayfield with vocals by Aretha Franklin. “It’s a story of growing up and how, for many young people, the entertainment industry is a way to fame and fortune,” said Diana Malouf, MSU visiting assistant professor of American Thought and Language.

FEATURES

Former Buffett member comes to E.L.

Dan Julian
April 19, 2001

Don Middlebrook compares Gregg “Fingers” Taylor’s approach to performing music in the same way baseball greats play their game. “After 26 years plus of nothing but 20,000-people concert settings, he’s very selective about his time to play and what he’s going to say,” Middlebrook said.

FEATURES

Play explores relationships

“I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change” will delve into the modern-day dating game at the Wharton Center’s Pasant Theatre this weekend. The comedy begins at the dawn of humankind as four chanting, hooded figures take the stage.

FEATURES

Fire up the grill

Aaron M. Miller
April 19, 2001

With just two words and three syllables, Spanish senior Michelle Ruffini can express her opinion about one of the most-used cooking appliances in her household: “It’s awesome.” But she’s not talking about the oven, the stove, the toaster or the blender; even the microwave, the electric knife and the skillet can’t match the awesomeness of this machine. It’s in at least 12 million homes, and more than 20 percent of those homes own more than one. It debuted several years ago and has been a favorite among college students, middle-aged bachelors and elderly widows ever since. Yes, it’s true - the George Foreman Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine is a kitchen wonder, amazing chefs by cooking chicken, hamburgers, fish and vegetables with ease in a few quick minutes. “It’s much better than the stove,” Ruffini said.

FEATURES

Ladies bring what women want to center stage

Leslie Escobar
April 18, 2001

Students will have their chance to find out about a cappella music Friday, when MSU’s Ladies First performs its annual spring show. “I think that a cappella music is something that should be an experience for someone at least once,” said Ladies First member and communication sophomore Erin Brooks. “Once exposed, you become addicted.

FEATURES

Alien Ant Farm offers eclectic mix of sounds

Dan Julian
April 18, 2001

Alien Ant Farm ANThology (DreamWorks Records) With a name like Alien Ant Farm, one would think this band would fall into the general category of hard-core crap rock. No way. Instead, the album dishes up an eclectic combination of the percussion of the Deftones, the vocals of Incubus and the energy and precision of Tool. “Flesh and Bone” rehashes a guitar sound reminiscent of the Police, surfs atop a wave of desperate yearning and smoothly descends to shore with a slap-happy bassline. Sticks and Stones” finds drummist (according to the liner notes) Mike Cosgrove kickin’ an old school and cracking his tom tom drums like a fist punching a CD player that skips continuously - fast and with amazing fury. To further their horizons, the band explores funky time signatures during “Attitude,” all while giving the song a King Crimson-meets-311 in the darkness of an alley touch. “Wish” delves into the library of Anthrax with a speedy guitar-metal feel, while “Death Day” intervenes with the complete opposite - molding an undistorted power chord with basic rhythm patterns.

FEATURES

Harper, Innocent Criminals CD out of this world

Dan Woike
April 18, 2001

Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals Live From Mars (Virgin Records) From the opening rift of his electric guitar to the final pluck of his acoustic one, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals’ latest release, “Live From Mars,” succeeds in its goal. “Mars,” a two-CD set of electric and acoustic live songs from Harper’s 1999-2000 tour, shows the band’s ability to not only replicate its sound from the studio to the stage, but to add something to it. Opening the 12 track disc one is “Glory & Consequence,” a guitar-driven rock song Harper & The Innocent Criminals power through, while Harper drops lyrics like, “I am more afraid of living, than I am scared to die.” Longtime Harper fans and newer ones should recognize “Ground On Down,” “Burn One Down” and the summer rock-radio hit “Steal My Kisses,” which features beat-boxing aided by Rahzel of The Roots. Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” and Led Zeppelin’s “Whole Lotta Love” are covered with artistic care for the original recordings, while still adding new interpretations. Then, the second disc does a 180-degree turn musically without losing any lyrical power. Now casting his lyrics over a single acoustic guitar, Harper croons his strong messages like a folk singer in a coffeehouse.

FEATURES

Death of rock icon hits home for critic

Dan Julian
April 18, 2001

It was in 9th grade on a road trip with my tennis team to Gaylord when I was first formally introduced to the Ramones. My tennis buddy - and guitarist of my band at the time - let me listen to the punk rock anthem “Blitzkrieg Bop” on his Discman as we traveled down a barren road. I remember being immediately sucked into the basic chord rock riffs and all-too-simple 4/4 drum patterns. I must have listened to that song about 20 times that trip. Most importantly, I remember the distinct voice and passion of Joey Ramone. The entire music world, not just the punk rockers, suffered a great loss as Joey Ramone, one of the greatest rock icons in history, lost his battle to lymphatic cancer Sunday. Born Jeffrey Hyman, he began treatment last month to fight the disease which affects the body’s ability to fight infection.

FEATURES

Kresge exhibition brings student artwork to U

Juliana Keeping
April 17, 2001

Plaster, paint, steel and string are just samplings of materials used in the works recently hung in Kresge Art Museum. From the traditional to electronic, the works represent the creative thinking and hours of work put in by MSU students, displayed for the Art 2001 Undergraduate Exhibition, which opened Monday. Studio art senior Soh Suzuki entered a painting and two sculptures in the show.

FEATURES

Online zine focuses on independent, Michigan-based bands

Dan Julian
April 17, 2001

Norm Zebrowski is proud for being part of the reason Mac’s Bar, 2700 E. Michigan Ave. in Lansing, was transformed from a “dumpy” neighborhood bar to a club that hosts bands from all over the world in the span of about four years. Zebrowski is the editor in chief of the online, Livonia-based ’zine called “Vox Pop.” The site, located at www.voxpopzine.com, specializes in independent and lower Michigan-based band reviews. “It started out as a side project for (the now discontinued Lansing-based publication) ‘Etch Magazine,’” Zebrowski said.

FEATURES

Jazz greats perform at concert; U hopes to better program

With a host of jazz greats from the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra and otherwise, Friday night’s MSU Jazz Spectacular certainly lived up to its name.The concert combined the talents of students in Jazz Band I and II with accomplished jazz musicians from across the country.

FEATURES

Diary provides laughs for men, women alike

Vince Estes
April 16, 2001

The sight of a dejected Renee Zellweger drunk in her pajamas and singing along to “All By Myself” can only mean one thing - “Bridget Jones’s Diary” is, without question, a chick flick. That early warning in the movie is the first of many “girl moments.” And they keep coming, so women in the theater can look at each other, giggle and comment, “That’s so true!” The men, meanwhile, can fold their arms, smirk and hope for a car chase.

FEATURES

Dropping out of life more valuable than internship

Erica Saelens
April 13, 2001

By the time I was 20 years old, I felt I already paid my dues. I spent the summer after high school and the summer after my freshman year working at a suburban Detroit newspaper, cranking out stories about various eccentricities, oddities, lawsuits and, of course, bloodshed.