Paramore, Metric, and Hellogoodbye Bring Self-Titled Tour to UCF

Posted on November 7, 2013 by robert sutton

Last Tuesday the CFE arena at UCF was host to the “Self-Titled Tour” where alternative rock bands Paramore, Metric, and Hellogoodbye performed for a packed crowd.

Fans began lining up early in the afternoon in anticipation of the evening’s show and to be able to grab a spot near the front of the stage. Lines stretched to Gemini Boulevard but quickly disappeared as the doors opened and concertgoers poured into the venue.

The night began with a performance by pop-rock group Hellogoodbye who took to the stage with energy and excitement during their brief half hour set. Hellogoodbye recently released a new album and used the show to promote the album and play a handful of songs from it. The band also included an older song “Here in Your Arms,” during their set which got the audience singing along.  After tossing a handful of CDs to the audience the band hyped the audience for the show to come and vacated the stage for the next act.

Metric, a Canadian indie rock band with years of experience, followed the performance by Hellogoodbye, Their set was also made up of mostly new material and the band played a set of rock songs with complex drum beats and groovy bass lines. Emily Haines, the lead singer of Metric, didn’t banter much with the crowd except to thank Paramore for inviting them to tour together. Haines was more focused on the music and the performance got the whole crowd moving and pumped for the headline act.

Finally, Paramore took the stage and the crowd erupted with excitement. A curtain the first two acts performed in front of was dropped and a massive stage and light display was revealed. Hayley Williams, the singer of the group, discussed how excited she was to be back in Florida and how much time the band had spent here early in their career. The crowd came for Paramore as evidenced by their excitement but Williams introduced the band to those who weren’t familiar and described the new audience as “fresh meat.”

Whether audience members were long-time fans or fresh meat the concert was an awesome experience and many fans left with a sensation of glee and enjoyment.

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Why Pay For A Meal When You Can Go To Jail?

Posted on November 5, 2013 by lyle evan peterson

“Dine and Dasher”, an alias given to Andrew Palmer, a 46 year old man in the Baltimore area, notorious for acquiring food and drink tabs at local restaurants, and then faking seizures to escape paying the bill. Just this Monday, Palmer was arrested after refusing to pay a $50 bill at Viccino Jay’s Italian Gourmet, a local restaurant in the area. The night before, Palmer “went limp” at Oliver Speck’s, an upscale restaurant, when it was time to pay his $90 tab. Once the paramedics arrived, the seemed everything but surprised, by pleading “Come on Andy, stop faking.”

Officials say that Palmer has turned getting arrested into a career, with over 90 arrests and 8 of them, petty theft in the past year. Unfortunately, Palmers actions are petty crimes, that doesn’t carry a large enough penalty to sentence him to extensive jail time. In January, Palmer refused to pay a $`160 tab, which landed him a one year sentence in jail; he was out by July. That same month, Palmer had another “seizure” after being confronted with a $72 bill; the charges were dropped, however a few days later he received a citation for another theft charge and was sentenced to 90 days in jail.

Restaurant owners are growing frustrated with the justice system and the fact that there seems to be nothing that can be done about the compulsive “Dine and Dasher”, especially if the thought of going to jail fails to evoke fear out of them. During the summer, Palmer was arrested 3 times over 7 days; two of those charges included making a false call requiring an ambulance response. Palmer is currently in jail,

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Michigan woman chooses a controversial Halloween costume. Is bullying justified?

Posted on November 4, 2013 by alexalima

April 15, 2013 proved to be a tragic day for Americans all over the country. Everyone felt the disbelief and grief of the Boston Marathon Bombings. According to CNN, three people died and about 264 were injured. The severity of the bombings was clear from the moment the first bomb went off and hundreds of people frantically scrambled to find safety.

Six months later, a young woman from Michigan dresses up as one of the Boston Marathon survivors. The big question on everyone’s mind is why? Alicia Ann Lynch says the costume was a simple joke. She could not have fathomed the amount of hatred and disapproval from the public, that is now threatening her life as well as her family’s.

An article about Lynch on Yahoo dares to ask…is bullying Lynch justified? Everyday we are told bullying is NOT okay, under any circumstances. However, Lynch continues to receive death threats to her voicemail as well as her parent’s voicemail. She has received considerable backlash on her social media accounts. A survivor of the bombings, Sydney Corcoran, tagged Lynch on Twitter and wrote, “You should be ashamed, my mother lost both her legs and I almost died in the marathon. You need a filter.”

Lynch deactivated her Instagram and Twitter accounts after receiving countless messages in support of raping, killing, and bullying her. She momentarily reactivated her Twitter account to plead with the public to stop sending death threats to her parents. She also takes the time to explain how sorry she is for her insensitive costume choice.

Additionally, Lynch has been fired from her workplace. She writes on Twitter “I have been fired from my job. I am paying for what I thought was a simple joke. I know it was wrong now. I wasn’t thinking.”

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/03/us/boston-marathon-terror-attack-fast-facts/

http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/woman-s-boston-marathon-bombing-costume–what-it-says-about-everyone-205502002.html

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/boston-bombing-victim-costume-sparks-outrage-threats-online-article-1.1505395

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Taking the Time to Remember Basic Techniques for Better Living, Such as Taking Time to Breath, and Appreciate Life Around Us

Posted on November 4, 2013 by gloria vargas

Sometimes, even though we know the basic techniques for better living, we set them aside and often forget about them. We have a tendency to qualify something as simple, so much that we get to the point of disregarding them. Last week, I had the opportunity to go to a meeting about stress management. During the meeting, the small group who was seeing the presentation was required to put in practice relaxation techniques; among them were breathing and visualization. The main goal was to learn to relax with minimal effort and without any investment.

The visualization exercise we did was about transporting ourselves in our minds to the beach in a warm and nice windy day, enjoying the sound of the waves coming and going under a beautiful blue sky, while I was resting under a palm tree sitting comfortable and happy.

The second exercise was similar to the first one, but in this case, enjoying a walking to the forest, while practicing abdominal breathing technique instead of chest breathing. It is so easy to switch from chest breathing to abdominal breathing. The easiest way is to exhale twice trying to push out all the air in our lungs in order to open the diaphragm.

Sometimes we take elemental things in our lives for granted. In this case breathing; while we do not even have time to stop for a couple of minutes to enjoy a moment closing our eyes and concentrating our minds taking a deep breath, and by the way, giving thanks to the One who gives us the gift of breath, health, and life.

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This November 11 counties in Colorado will vote on a proposal to secede from the state

Posted on November 4, 2013 by holypointejoey

A growing number of people in rural counties around Colorado have begun an active campaign towards a secession of Colorado. Many are simply complaining that their government is out of touch with their local communities. But Colorado isn’t the only state with activists trying to break away from their state governments in order  to form the 51st state. Yet, the disconnect many feel with Colorado and its democratic leaders seems greater than any of the other concerns activists face in their respective states. Most of rural Colorado criticize the liberal acts that have gone into place over the past decade. The people in those counties believe the limits on gun control in addition to the new energy regulations mainly reflect the values of urban Colorado. They simply believe they’re being ignored and politically disenfranchised because of their sparse populations.

Of course the entire process would have to go through insurmountable obstacles in order for the 51st state to surface. The last successful secession, through legislation, occurred in 1820 when Maine was able to secede from Massachusetts. This November a total of 11 counties will vote on the decision to secede from Colorado, but if makes it through Denver, it will then face heavy scrutiny in Washington DC where it is highly unlikely to succeed. There are even talks of one of the counties potentially being absorbed by Wyoming in attempt to escape the Democratic-controlled state. Politics often run hand in hand with geography and its clearly evident with many communities surrounding the greater Denver metropolitan area.

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Food & Wine Festival Provides Trip For Your Taste Buds

Posted on November 4, 2013 by jlyzniak

From September 27 through November 11, 2013, Walt Disney World hosts the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Presented by CHASE. Right here in Orlando, Florida a festival allows everyone to “taste their way around the world” and celebrate the diversity of the world that we live in. This celebration takes place around the World Showcase Lagoon, a man-made body of water surrounded by “countries” representing the major ethnic groups around the world, with rides and shows highlighting each “nation” of the globe.

Guests can indulge in as much culture as they choose through the appetizing stops with various cuisines on menus inspired by specific regions of the world. During Food and Wine, a park-goer can experience food from more nations than the select few that are there permanently. These types of festivals encourage a sampling approach, which leads to small portions and great prices. The Hawaii booth, for example, provided a selection of treats that resembles that of authentic Hawaiian food, most notably, the pulled pork sandwich with pineapple. Reasonably priced at an average of four dollars, items become more of a snack than a meal. This encourages patrons to experiment with as many food options as possible, and to enjoy authentic cuisines from around the world.

Of course, adults can couple these “samples” with “refreshments” crafted by brewers and master wine makers. The goal is to experience a shift in your palate’s limited perspective. There are more than twenty-five unique “marketplaces” stationed throughout the showcase. For the most daring connoisseurs, Disney places corresponding asterisks (*) next to their suggested food and beverage pairings. Each delicacy has an alcoholic beverage and dessert to top it off. Through this unforgettable tour of diverse cultures, global cuisines and specialty wines, couples and families can all find something to bite into at an affordable price.

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NBA: Orlando Magic Defeat the Brooklyn Nets 107-86

Posted on November 4, 2013 by shannonadams

The Magic took on the visiting Brooklyn Nets at home in Orlando Sunday night. The talented Nets were expected to be a tough matchup for the young Magic. The Brooklyn Nets pummeled the Magic last season in all four matchups, winning by an average of 19.7 points a game. Not to mention they added a few all star players this off season, including Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. However, the Orlando Magic have already shown strong signs of improvement from last season’s team over the first few games of the season. Needless to say, the Magic fans weren’t writing this off as another easy home win just yet.

As soon as the game started, the Magic team revealed just how much they had improved since the last time these teams met. They played more collectively and with much more energy than they have shown in the last couple seasons. A significant amount of this new found energy can be attributed to their fierce rookie, Victor Oladipo. Oladipo finished the game with 19 points. He scored 14 of these points in the second half of the game. Victor also ignited the crowd with a steal leading to a solo fast break, finished off with an amazing 360 dunk. Other solid performances throughout the game came from Aaron Afflalo and Nikola Vucevic. The energy also showed on the Magic defense, which held the Nets to only 86 points in the game. The new and improved Orlando Magic have made an early statement to the rest of the NBA this season, proving that they can easily compete with the best of teams and that they are a force to be reckoned with.

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Robotic Fever: Man Has Homemade Chip Implanted Into His Arm

Posted on November 4, 2013 by alice_moskola

Since we were infants, we have known a few standard methods that physicians use to take our temperature. Usually, we suffer thorough the thirty seconds annoyance and deal with the metal tipped hunk of plastic under our tongues. Recently, Tim Cannon, a software developer, felt that this method was taking the easy way out and instead developed a tool that supported a little more permanence. Cannon created and implanted a chip in his arm that reports and records his body temperature. Should we consider this a technological advancement or has this individual simply gone too far?

Although it may seem unnecessary and extreme to have this capability, we must first realize that this is far from the first instance of chip insertion into living beings. Pets have chips inserted frequently to monitor their location so why would a similar process holding a beneficial health twist cause controversy?  As technology advances, our medical practices have the ability to explore new potentially lifesaving options in the future. Developments are made as new techniques or materials are created daily. Although change is good, from a medical standpoint, it seems best to slowly welcome these new advantages and fully explore their pros and cons. Inserting foreign material into a human body will always be a risky procedure. Professionals must weigh the benefits of a procedure before rushing into a potentially harmful outcome. For example, a dog has a better chance of survival if they are lost if they have a tiny microchip inserted in them. Size and placement is key.

Tim Cannon may believe his creation to be beneficial, however, the chip was not inserted by a medical professional. Cannon created the chip himself and relied on a tattoo/piercing artist to insert the playing card sized piece it into his forearm. With size, location and purpose in mind, he was turned down by all available surgeons. Cannon believes that now is the time to embrace technology and incorporate it into our physical being. Growing up, he dreamed of obtaining robotic tendencies and now that his phone reports his body temperature, he is on the path to achieving his dream.

In the past, individuals have benefitted from artificial limbs or organs. Life altering devices such as pace makers are inserted to enhance the quality of or even save and individual’s life. There are most definitely times when today’s technology can benefit a human but jumping into a world of robotics is uncalled for.

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Over $1 Billion Worth of Hidden Artwork Discovered in Munich

Posted on November 4, 2013 by evannebersberger

Nearly 1,500 original pieces of artwork (by artists including Matisse, Picasso, and Chagall) were discovered in a dusty German apartment. These paintings are valued at an estimated $1.3 billion according to the German magazine, Focus.

The stash of hidden works was apparently discovered in 2011 but has been kept under wraps until now. Despite the secrecy, spokesman Steffen Seibert of the German government claims that Berlin had been aware of the case for “several months” and was conducting an investigation.

It is believed that hundreds of these masterpieces were stolen from Jewish collectors and families by the Nazis. CNN reports that “The collection is said to include works by Modernist masters Paul Klee, Oskar Kokoschka, Franz Marc, Max Beckmann, Emil Nolde and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, many of which had been believed destroyed during World War II.

Customs police encountered these paintings while investigating the “rubbish-strewn” apartment of Cornelius Gurlitt. Gurlitt was caught by the customs police while on a train to Munich holding a large amount of cash. The art had been hidden among the junk in his apartment for over 50 years.

This 80-year-old man is the son of Hildebrand Gurlitt, a prominent art collector of the 1930s and 40s. The Nazis used Hildebrand to sell “degenerate” art to foreign buyers despite the fact that he had a Jewish grandmother. However, Hildebrand secretly sold some of the works to Germans and hoarded the rest for himself. Since being found, the paintings are being held safely in a customs warehouse outside of Munich.

Now, the issue at hand is returning the artwork to its rightful owners. Anne Webber, founder of the Commission for Looted Art in Europe, told the BBC that “People have been looking for their looted art for 75 years now so if there are 1,500 paintings here it stands to reason that these are a lot of looted paintings that belong to families which should be returned to them.”

She asserts that returning these works to families is about more than just financial value. “These were works that were taken from families whose lives were utterly destroyed or transformed by the Nazis, and so for them the return of this art is both justice and a form of reconnection to that life that was taken away from them.”

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Consumer Necessity: Cost Effective or Painful Purchase?

Posted on November 4, 2013 by iweezy

As the holiday season fast approaches shoppers of all kinds are gearing up for those retail saver days like as Black Friday or Cyber Monday. Probably one of the most sought after gifts are year are video games and the systems we play them on. Take Microsoft for example, their release the latest iteration of their video game consoles dubbed “Xbox One” which will cost approximately five hundred dollars a unit an is expected to increase their sales revenue exponentially this holiday season. Now while the system is expected to be a real crowd pleaser due to all the features that are packed into it. However, is this ride worth the price of admission? While it’s true that amazing games of all genres are released each year for different platforms, it stands to reason that maybe the Xbox One’s price is a bit too high given the amount video games cost now a days.

None the less, Microsoft has created a beautiful piece of technology despite the fact they almost ruined the sales pitch due to numerous miscommunications during the consoles announce-ment back in the summer. One of the biggest problems with the system in the earlier days was when a Microsoft representative got on the stage at the E3 press conference an revealed to potential consumers that they would not be able to share or sell their old games with family or various retailers, due to the systems specifications. Which hindsight was all attributed to bad PR on their end, needless to say no video gamer or parent is likely to spend a crazy amount of money on an item they can’t resell after their son or daughter gets bored with it. Thankfully that is no longer the case, as Microsoft has completely changed the message the Xbox One is sending the consumers by removing any and all trade restricts imposed by the system itself. Just goes to show you that making ones sales pitch clear is very important factor for the shelf life of a product that hasn’t been released yet.

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