Generator Magazine

Seeya blogspot, hello tumblr!

2011-10-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

Well, it's official.

The Generator Magazine is leaving the world of Blogspot to Tumblr! We believe that this move will bring in a much larger audience, even outside the Marist community, allowing thousands to see all that we have to offer. It is with great pride that I unveil:

The Generator's Tumblr

Remember, you submit, we print.

Rebirth of the GenMagBlog

2011-10-06T13:28:00.000-07:00

Good afternoon Readers!

As many(?) of you may be aware, there has been a rapid shift in the Generator's leadership staff, which has resulted in few posts on the blogspot. This has all changed, and you can expect new, fresh articles to appear soon. We will begin to showcase the changes we have made to the magazine, and its online component as well!

Save this space!

It’s Not Rocket Science; it’s Simple As Surgery

2011-01-27T18:20:00.000-08:00

An Interview with the band
By Cynthia Dagenais

I was on Twitter one day checking out my new strange followers when I came across a guy named Josh who said he was in a band. Naturally, I looked up the name on YouTube to listen to a sampling of music and found myself bobbing my head to a rock pop group from Augusta, Georgia. Through just a few tweets and emails I got to have a conversation with this goofy trio through Skype. Josh (guitarist), Carter (lead vocals), and Daniel (bassist) are a fun bunch of guys that are excited for their debut album to come out on December 14.
(about 0:35) Where do you find inspiration for your music?
• Carter: Relient K.
• Josh: The best band in the whole world. Relient K. I don’t think we sound anything like them.
• Carter: We sound nothing like them, actually, but you do Josh.
• Josh: Really? I’ll take that as a compliment.
• Carter: I get inspiration personally when it comes to songwriting and things from females...girls. *phone rings*
• Josh: Your mom is calling.
• Carter: Oh.
• Josh: As you can see, we’re all pretty close friends and we’ve known each other for a long time. It helps make things flow easier.
(about 3:00) How did the band come together?
• Daniel: All of us went to a show at the 7 Venue in Atlanta to see Attack Attack!, Confide, Showbread, A Static Lullaby, and Maylene and Sons of Disaster. It was a hardcore show, and from that point on, I knew I needed to be in a pop band.
• Carter : That’s not true. We were actually thinking about being a hardcore band for awhile.
• Daniel: So a few weeks later I called Carter up (me and Carter are cousins) and I was like ‘Carter, we gotta be in a band dude.’ And he was like ‘I don’t know man’ because Carter and Josh used to be in an old band a long time ago…
• Carter: About 4 or 5 years ago. We were in a band called Capstone and it was a progressive rock band…
• Josh: Horrible…
• Carter:…and it sucked! It was real bad *pretending to vomit*
• Josh: *retching noises*
• Daniel: So Carter was kinda skeptic about it, and I was like ‘no man, we’re gonna make this happen.’
• Josh: *laughs*
• Daniel: So me and Carter got together and asked, ‘well who’s gonna be our vocalist?’ because at the time Carter didn’t sing at all.
• Carter: I didn’t know how to sing!
• Daniel: So Carter played drums and I played bass, and we tried to start a band with just drums and bass and that wasn’t going to work. So we were like, who can do it?
You should have asked me! Gosh!
• Daniel: So we called Josh and asked him if he wanted to be in a band and he was like ‘No man, I’m trying to be a country artist right now’
• Josh: That is not true.
• Daniel: It is true.
• Josh: Not true.
• Carter: He wasn’t trying to be country, but he did his own little solo project. It was like worship music, but he kind of sounded country.
• Josh: I wasn’t trying to book shows or anything…
• Carter: He just did it for himself, but we weren’t supposed to be part of it.
• Daniel: Back to me. So Josh was like no, and me and Carter gathered some recording equipment and went to Carter’s house and recorded a song. It was absolutely ridiculous. I don’t know why Josh accepted it this time. We sent him this awful song and he was like ‘dude, I’m in.’
• Carter: It was actually like a party rap…it had a sing-along and was called “Howdy Partner” and it had a dance…
• Josh: *laughs* What is that?
This? *pointing to glass I’m drinking*
• Band: Yeah.
Naked Juice.
• Daniel: Fincus juice?
• Josh: Fin-cus.
No, Naked Juice. Mighty Mango flavor?
• Josh: Oh, Naked Juice.
Does it look like a cocktail?
• Josh: Yeah, I thought you were getting tips.
I wish! I have night class.
• Daniel: So then we did “Howdy Parter” and after we showed Josh, he said alright. It was the three of us, but we were still unnamed…looks like a clown. Your picture up there?
• Josh: What’s that clown kid?
Clown?
• Josh: Stage right, behind you.
Oh, my poster? That’s a little girl with a rose, haha.
• Josh: She looks a lot like a clown…
• Carter: Just to keep you up to speed, we saw a hardcore show, recorded a party rap song, recruited Josh, then we decided to be a party rap group. We decided on the name “Bag of Treats”
• Josh: We were doing techno rap
• Carter: We wanted a more rock feel. The first song we sat down and recorded was acoustic, called “Crashing down” and I don’t know how it happened, but I started singing. We played a few shows and we realized what we were doing was weird. So, we canned all our old songs, got a new name, which is Simple As Surgery. Then we went to the studio and then our sound became what it is now.
(about 8:20) How did you come up with the name “Simple As Surgery”?
• Carter: I had a really weird dream one night. It was a long dirt road and there was an old man and a little boy walking down the road. I was floating around, and they couldn’t see me. They were walking and talking and I couldn’t understand a word they were saying. Finally they get to the end of the road and I hear the old man go ‘blah blah blah Simple As Surgery…’ I woke up and told Daniel. Called Josh. It wasn’t concrete but we said it at a few shows and everyone likes it. It makes us happy.
• Josh: Same with our url because when you slam it all together people go ‘look your Facebook name is Simple A** Urgery’ and we’re like, ‘yes, we know’
• Carter: Once you get past that we just embrace it and laugh with them, because then they don’t think it’s nearly as funny.
• Josh: Joke killers, we did that on purpose.
• Carter: Now we know who we are. We found our groove. We’re still working out tons of stuff but I think we found our sound we’re going for under the name Simple As Surgery and we finally got our set thing.
(about 10:30) Who do you guys listen to?
• Carter: If you want to know my top 3 bands right now. I’m listening to Whoa! is Me, Katie Groves, and Old Crow Medicine Show. Actually no, take that back, I’ve been listening to Kid Cudi because his new album is dope. A little post hardcore, a little folk, and a little acid rap.
• Daniel: I’ve been real indie. I’ve been listening to All Time Low, The Almost, and the Kooks.
• Josh: Deadmau5, Frank Sinatra, and…I don’t know mostly dumb stuff and old school music.
• Carter: We really listen to everything. If we’re going for artists following suit of, we’re a mixture of All Time Low…
• Josh: famous people
• Carter:…and Justin Beiber. All of this wrapped up in three, and that’s us.

(about 14:45) Before getting together as a band, what were your dream jobs?
• Daniel: I wanted to be Elvis Presley for the longest time.
• Josh: That’s not a job. That’s like a human.
So you wanted to be fat and have heart problems?
• Band: Yes!
• Carter: I wanted to be veterinarian for a little while because I really like animals a lot. Then I wanted to be a scientist, but not a nerdy scientist. I wanted to be a scientist that made great things that only benefit me. Then when I was 12 years old I realized I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I was always interested in music. I was 13 when Capstone started, and from there on I was gung-ho with music. Josh, I don’t know what you wanted to do…
• Josh: I wanted to open up a Legos store.
• Carter: Really?
• Josh: Yeah I wanted to have crazy sets that no one else had, like a specialty Legos store.
• Carter: I wanted to be an actor for a little while.
• Josh: Yeah I wanted to be like an assassin, that was a cool job. That was my realistic job.
• Carter: No we were in a drama team, me and Josh. For a few years.
• Josh: Oh wow, you wanted to be an actor?
• Carter: Yeah, I wanted to be a legitimate actor. We did skits and stuff for a few years. And I like to think we were pretty dang good. And everyone thought we were funny.
• Josh: Everyone in the world thought we were funny
• Carter: I’ve been on the stage performing junk since I was 11. I always like being the center of attention, I am an only child. As you know, it’s kind of inevitable. I just embrace it.

(about 21:00) What’s your favorite song on the album?
• Carter: There’s a song on there that I really like. It’s called “Our Kind of Love.”
• Josh: That one’s awesome. I love that one. It’s real good.
• Carter: It’s written about a special lady.
They’re always about special ladies, come on now.
• Carter: No, about a real special lady, one that I like. It’s actually great because we write the songs together, and I usually have a certain someone I’m thinking about and it’s funny because they expound on it and it makes sense…
• Josh: …it’s kinda like an emotional orgy…because we’re all writing about different girls in the same song
• Carter: Yeah “Our Kind of Love” is a personal happy one for me, it’s close to the heart. They’re all close to the heart, but that one’s really close.
It’s your “baby”?
• Josh: Yeah, it’s my baby.
• Carter: It’s actually the best “baby” song out there because it’s got little xylophone ting tings and all kinds of cute little things. It’s really nice.
Does the girl know it’s for her?
• Carter: Yes. *smiles*
(about 23:25) How long did it take from first getting together as a band to recording? When did Simple As Surgery start up, when did you guys get noticed, and when did you get some sort of deal?
• Carter: We started at the beginning of the summer last year. We played a few shows throughout the summer and fall, and during Christmas break we went to Atlanta and recorded “Wanna Be with You.” In one year’s time we’ve done a single, an EP, and now we got the full-length on the way. So, we’ve been pretty busy in the recording studio this year a lot. Cranking out songs, trying to get all that stuff ready, doing features and stuff, so it’s been a really cool process watching the record turn out to what it is now.
• Josh: It’s probably taken a little longer than normal too…
• Carter: We did it in 4 sessions.
• Josh: …because we’ve had to write, record, go up there, come back to save money, go back. It’s been a process…
• Carter: We were working around school and work. But I think ultimately we can all probably sit back, and we’re all really proud of every single song.
• Josh: Yeah, I’m stoked about it.
• Carter: They all bring about different emotions and feelings, and we did them all at different times. I can honestly say that every song pertains to some part of an emotional something.…It’s a fulfilling thing to listen to them all and realize what you can make.
They sound great!
• Carter: It’s very rewarding, you know? It feels like it’s my child. I’m really proud of these 10 songs. So if someone says “oh I don’t really like them” then I’d be like, “well you suck.” All of our families have been really supportive over it. The kids have been coming out to our shows, even if it’s not their genre. People have been pretty accepting of it, so we have a lot of fun. We’ll have more fun. The End. We’re going to have to spend all about…it.
• Josh: We’re all about it, whatever it is. We don’t know what, but we’re about it.

October Issue Online

2010-10-26T12:23:00.000-07:00

The PDF of the October 2010 Generator Magazine is available online with a corrected contents page!

Social Butterfly or Socially Inept? : Review of The Social Network

2010-10-08T08:38:00.000-07:00

By Mary Treuer

Logging into our Facebook accounts is something we do everyday, naturally, without considering it. In fact, my Facebook window is open on the back of my computer screen right now, as it often is, glowing blue and white behind my homework assignments. I never really stopped to think about how the website came to be until I saw the movie, The Social Network, a recent film featuring Jessie Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook.
The movie begins in a café at Harvard University, the night that Zuckerberg breaks up with his girlfriend and launches facemash.com, a website that allows Harvard students to view pictures of girls and rate them based on looks. The controversy in Zuckerberg’s life ensues after this one night and evolves as he develops Facebook, facing two lawsuits and many crumbling relationships. Although I won’t spoil the movie, we all know how the story ends. Facebook becomes a multi-billion dollar company and goes far beyond the creator’s expectations of a collegiate online network.
The movie is drama-ridden and does focus on Zuckerberg’s relationships, but devotes more attention to the history and legal issues that arose with the creation of Facebook and the surrounding lawsuits. If you’re not planning on taking the LSAT soon, these scenes might make you yawn, but they are crucial details for the overall story. Some may also be disconcerted with the way Zuckerberg is portrayed in the film. While some see him as a brilliant man, or even a philanthropist (He recently donated 100 million dollars to Newark, NJ schools), the movie portrayed him as a self-absorbed jerk who sought to reach notoriety at the expense of his friends.
Whether or not you enjoy the screenplay, The Social Network really raises some insightful themes. Sometimes, after spending all of high school and college plugged into the social network, it is hard to imagine life without Facebook, but the movie makes it possible. I was surprised to learn that advertisers were reluctant to use Facebook, when now the website has overpowered very many traditional media. I also found it difficult to think about the company as something that began in a college dorm room, between three people.
How could something so small become this huge? We in the millennial generation have trouble logging out, but what about those in who come after us? The creation of Facebook will really be a history lesson for them, a reminder of something they couldn’t imagine living without. This is a movie worth watching to decide what you think about Facebook and its creation.

Alternative Activities for Family Day

2010-09-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

Every year, during the last weekend in September, Marist holds the less-than-notorious Family Day, or weekend, depending on how long you can convince any family members to hang around. Sure, an outdoor BBQ with your traditional dogs and burgers is a great way to reconnect with family you haven't seen in one whole month, but maybe you're a Sophomore, Junior, Senior, or even a Freshmen who would rather play a different tune this year. I don't blame you, and I'm here to help.

1) Go apple picking!

This time of year is prime for plucking delicious apples almost anywhere in the North East. We're particularly fortunate in this area; if you drive across the river, before you even hit the little town of New Paltz, you will be bombarded with "Pick Your Own!" "Orchard Open!" "1 Mile Away!" signs. There must be an orchard for everyone. You could literally spend all weekend just visiting different orchards. Either way, it's an option. I went this past weekend and it was a wonderful way to enjoy the last bits of summer outdoors.

2) Go pumpkin picking!

Clearly I am advocating that you enjoy the early harvest of fall, because my next suggestion involves yet another natural treat. Grab a pumpkin for decoration, to salt and bake the seeds for a treat, or to paint silly faces on. It's a bit too early for carving, but I see no harm in enjoying those seeds early on. Most orchards also have a fair amount of pumpkins or other gourds for your choosing, so don't worry about needing to look too far.

3) Visit nearby locales!

There are plenty of places nearby that can be a welcome relief to the glamor and fast-paced lifestyle of Poughkeepsie, you know, for those who just need a break. Traveling North on Route 9 for a measly 20 minutes will land you in Rhinebeck, the very place where Chelsea Clinton was wed this summer. I don't have any pictures for this event, but I was there this last weekend for the giant flea market on the Dutchess County fair grounds--they have events going on throughout the fall, so take a look at www.dutchessfair.com to see what's happenin'. Rhinebeck itself is a charming little town full of boutiques and restaurants. Conversely, 20 minutes across the river will land you in New Paltz, another small and amiable town. No pictures here either--but after apple picking, I wandered around Main St, which is full of shops and restaurants as well.

Hopefully, something here appeals to all of those who would prefer to go out and do something new or appropriate to the season. Don't forget to enjoy your family!

-Sarah Dubrule

Album Review: Shout It Out! by Hanson

2010-08-25T20:52:00.000-07:00

Review By Laura Formanek

After spending the last few years demonstrating their humanitarian side, the Hanson brothers are back with a new album: Shout It Out! Inspired by the classic sounds of the 1960s R&B and rock’n’roll, Shout It Out is unlike anything Hanson has done before. This album has a unique and funky sound, which is new to the Hanson brothers’ typically mellow pop-rock music. Most of the songs incorporate horn arrangements into the mix, giving their music an eclectic and retro feel. It will transport you back to the early days of rock’n’roll. Take their latest single “Thinkin’ ‘Bout Somethin’” as an example. The melody is rich with brass, R&B flair, and even a cowbell. It has already made its way onto song lists and music video countdowns (If you haven’t already seen the cheery and comical music video, check it out on YouTube).

While their last record, "The Walk", had deeper meaning (It was inspired by their visit to the impoverished villages in sub-Saharan Africa affected by the AIDS epidemic, which is also where the proceeds from their record sales went), Shout It Out is light-hearted and filled with optimism and soul. The songs will make you want to get up and dance and since along. The brothers have a talent for harmony and melody, but they also have a knack for writing powerful lyrics. As you listen to these songs, the meaning and depth of the some of the lyrics (“Carry You There” and “Make It Out Alive”) will make you think about life, love, and knowing yourself.

Believe me; these brothers have come a long way from their early days. Give them a chance and get your copy of Shout It Out! You’ll be impressed that these talented musicians are the same kids that first brought you MMMBop.

Summer 2010: Movies We've Seen and Judged

2010-08-25T20:42:00.000-07:00

Iron Man 2

By Sarah Holmes

I must say I do enjoy looking and listening to Robert Downey Jr. but I disliked the pompousness of Tony Stark too much in the second Iron Man to really appreciate his presence. Once or twice his quirkiness was fun, taking the remains of a relief map his dad had made and sticking it into the backseat of his convertible. Pepper (Gwyneth Paltrow) remained a character I could relate to, but the small flame of romance between her and Stark seemed pushed. Her feelings I felt were genuine (though ill-placed), but his were far too selfish when it came to personal relationships for me to trust that he would be nice to her.

Yes, these were my main thoughts after the credits rolled. The action was not quite enough to astound me so I had to pick apart the relationships and personalities of the main characters. Don Cheadle was good in his role as Lt. Cl. James “Rhodey” Rhodes; I liked that he was the one man in the movie that did not take any of Tony Stark’s crap. But I can’t say his performance in that suit was really anything to shake a metal finger at. Mickey Rourke’s performance I did like, his personality, his anger from a misunderstanding made sense. He seemed less of an ass than the main character who is supposed to be the hero. The trick he played on Stark’s rival, Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) was clever. That guy deserved it, although the people harmed in the process did not, but it was still an interesting plot twist. Had Black Widow, not called such within the movie, had more time to be stealthy and beat the crap out of twenty guys more than once, I might have enjoyed Iron Man 2 more. Scarlet Johansson’s performance as an undercover agent of sorts was the most memorable part of this second installment of yet another superhero franchise.

This seemed to be a sequel reliant on special effects and the assumption that the audience will just fill in the gaps left by the lack of mutual affection between Stark and Pepper and the barely explained secret group consisting of Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlet Johansson clad all in black. It wasn’t necessarily a waste of money but it was fairly unmemorable for an action movie. I can only hope there is a more evil nemesis and a better explained secret forces group in the next film, should there be one. Otherwise Robert Downey Jr. can stick to Sherlock Holmes, he’s much funnier and much less annoying in that role.

Toy Story 3

By Sarah Holmes

I was excited and skeptical, as one should be after the decent but unworthy third installments of Shrek and Pirates of the Caribbean, as I entered the theater with my family. These were both met well by the adventurous start of the third film which brought back the opening sequences of the first two with some high-tech imaginings added.

I was glad to hear the familiar voices; I dislike it when they change characters and voices equally from film to film (think the disappointment of Aladdin and the Return of Jafar). Even Slinky’s voice was an excellent match despite the death of its original master. Right away the comedy was present, the flow of character interactions, and the logical progression of a boy’s relationship with his toys were present. Emotions were felt right away with the acknowledgement of the loss of toys like Bo Peep and Etch. But plenty new characters were ready to make their debut.

The storyline of a daycare taking the toys, mistakenly, had all the feel of the first two with lost toys, actions taken out of context, and how toys would have to deal with such events. The personalities persisted of Woody (Tom Hanks), faithful to Andy until the end; Buzz (Tim Allen), who is in command of any situation except when it comes to the ladies or particularly Jessie; Jessie (Joan Cusack), always excited for life but still fearful of being abandoned; the sarcasm and fickleness of Mr. Potato Head (Don Rickles) and Hamm (John Ratzenberger); the loyalty of Slinky (Blake Clark); and the cowardliness but innocence of Rex (Wallace Shawn).

Of the new toys Lotso (Ned Beatty) was the most abominable, Big Baby, a naked generic baby doll, brought back the chill the toys beneath Sid’s bed in the first film evoked, and Ken (Michael Keaton) relieved the tensions of the new group’s hostility with his flamboyant personality. Little Bonnie (Emily Hahn), the daughter of one of the daycare workers, has her own group of toys that Woody encounters and these introduced characters that weren’t repeats of ones already found in the world of Toy Story with the thespian hedgehog Mr. Pricklepants (Timothy Dalton), an easy-going unicorn named Buttercup (Jeff Garlin), a girly dinosaur Trixie (Kristen Schaal) that had the closest personality to another character, that of Rex, and the level-headed Dolly (Bonny Hunt). The Peas-in-a-Pod with names Peatey, Peanelope, and Peatrice were also a cute addition reminiscent of the still present alien toys from Pizza Planet, but not nearly as annoying. These additions could possibly make an eventual fourth film a do-able endeavor.

Not that I would hope the creators would jump onto that bandwagon. The film’s conclusion left us satisfied after the tear-jerking scenes in the junkyard with a feeling of hope as well as what is important: friendship and loyalty. This film, which could easily advocate materialism, shows instead what good people can do by donating, by giving up instead of throwing away or storing what they no longer use. It also shows how some material items connect us to our past, our childhood, and some great memories. But just as the last two films concluded-- without the necessity of another installment --it left us with the possibility and one that might not be so bad.

The Last Airbender

By Sarah Holmes

I must admit that I am a huge fan of this cartoon series and believe it to be one of the best shows that Nickelodeon has aired since the likes of Hey Arnold and even non-cartoons like Are You Afraid of the Dark? I believe it’s probably better because it combines drama, humor, and adventure better than most television series do these days. With such high regard for the cartoon it is hard to say how utterly disappointed I was with the film. Even had I known nothing of the series I can say for certain I would have left feeling like $10 and that hour and forty-three minutes of my life could have been better spent seeing Eclipse (and I detest the Twilight series).

The biggest flaw was the complete lack of characterization. There was no personality to any character and very little in the way of good acting. Two clips in the trailer that appeared to show Sokka’s (Jackson Rathbone) personality were mysteriously absent in the theater cut of the movie. Not that these could have saved it, for Katara (Nicola Peltz) and Aang (Noah Ringer), the main female and male protagonists, were devoid of anything but sadness and remorse with the same corresponding facial expression throughout. Their rival Zucko (Dev Patel) was one of the biggest disappointments with a less-than-noticeable facial deformity (which is prominent in the series) as well as the wrong hairstyle; and I have to mention the complete lack of the bad-ass-hottie factor. And his Uncle Iroh (Shaun Toub) who in the series was a fat, old, tea-loving man was turned into a lean, dread-locked 40-something who lacked the charm of the hand-drawn cartoon.

The second greatest defect, which goes hand-in-hand with the inability to draw out an ounce of characterization, was the need of the characters to narrate the entire film instead of showing it to the audience. It would make anyone in double-digits feel like a moron how much they repeated the plot. M. Night Shyamalan needs to go back to school and take some writing classes, especially since he didn’t have enough sense to look at the series he was given and take what was important and use it, and what was fluff, and throw it out.

Even the pronunciation of the characters’ names was changed to the “correct” way of saying them. Well, if you are going to adapt a beloved 3-year cartoon series, it’s probably best to stick with what fan’s ears are used to hearing. Nickelodeon showed clips of these changes that were apparently condoned by the original writers. I can only assume that the creators of the cartoon were coerced with money and by Shyamalan’s giant self-worth. A major Hollywood writer/director/producer against two guys that created a simple yet deep cartoon series that kids and adults alike enjoy but otherwise have nothing like The Sixth Sense to their name, well, this movie is apparently what happens when ego trumps talent.

Eat, Pray, Love

By Ariel Puccio

Just as eating far too many mounds of Italian pasta in one day, the more I absorb Eat Pray Love into my system, the less I like it. Its bountifully scenic landscapes and the prospect of epiphanies and romance are not enough to stop my mind’s nagging thoughts: “This is an Under the Tuscan Sun wannabe.”

Liz Gilbert (Julia Roberts) gets a divorce, and to cope goes to live in Italy…and India, and Bali. It’s like Under the Tuscan Sun on steroids, but let’s be honest, people on steroids are not very appealing.

The trouble is the story consistently felt like a flat line chopped up into pieces. We saw a little divorce, a little new relationship, a little Italy, a little India, and a little Bali. I wanted more time to see a true bond with each character, yet I by no means wanted the movie to go on longer—there’s something wrong with that formula. Maybe I’m greedy, but I doubt anyone will walk away from this movie saying, “That was amazing (wonderful/adorable/fill in the positive adjective).”

The arduous journey of getting into the movie starts when Liz Gilbert divorces her husband of 8 years (Billy Crudup) and he begs for her to come back and on and on and I’m bored already. Then a fleeting romance begins with a much younger man (James Franco). The relationship doesn’t seem necessary to the plot; if anything, it awkwardly eats up the time to add yet another character the audience forgets about.

The only solution for this wealthy New York writer is to stop facing her problems and abandon responsibility for a year to “find herself” in exotic locations. Isn’t that nice? I might be less irritated if I saw Liz completely lose herself and break during the movie, but instead, she ends up seeming selfish.

On her trip to Italy, Liz’s Italian friendships appear superficial. Any potential for strong emotional ties are left unbound, other than the preachy bonding speech of gaining 20 pounds in Italy and “muffin-tops.”

However, the movie gets into a better groove in India (finally), when two characters Tulsi (Rushita Singh), an Indian girl about to face arranged marriage, and Richard (Richard Jenkins), a man with his own daemons from Texas, give the movie some emotional grounding. I must admit I shed a tear during Richard’s heartfelt breakdown. Still, I think, why am I invited into Richard’s soul and never Liz’s?

In Bali Liz meets an exotic, not afraid to cry, loving, devoted, yet still manly man (Javier Bardem). Romance is in the air as the kissing commences, but Liz (being the often greedy character she is) creates an extremely awkward conflict scene that we know is only there because every movie needs some conflict (perhaps we should blame this on the writer).

Maybe this movie needed a shot of garlic in its sinews, to bulge the eyes and make the heart flutter faster. Unfortunately, it tasted a little bland. I advise seeing Eat Pray Love once, on television, in your pajamas on the couch. Just don’t attempt to indulge yourself and pay $10 for it.

I Was There: The New Pornographers (Exclusive)

2010-05-07T11:45:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, May 4th marked one of the greatest days of album releases in 2010. The Morning Of, Minus The Bear, The Hold Steady and Broken Social Scene all had critically acclaimed albums come out.

Another indie super-group, The New Pornographers, released Together on the same day, the band's first release since 2007's Challengers.

Last night, the band played an extremely intimate set at Woodstock's Bearsville Theatre. This theatre, found just outside of the main streets of historic Woodstock, displays the finest acoustics in Woodstock and mimics the small, intimate set-up that Levon Helm has for his Woodstock studio.

What made this show a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was the fact that such a huge act consisting of individuals with great artistic abilities (each member is part of a variety of other musical/art projects) played some of the material for the first time since the recording process - evident with Carl Newman's sheet-music on-stage. Each member had brought their charisma in the form of raw musical talent and their sense of humour in the form of witty, comical stories about the band's career that expands five albums and ten years.

This band, best known for packing outdoor stadiums and indoor venues, played their hearts out for the approximately 250 people that could fit in the venue. The chemistry between each musician and the blending of such musical talent is a feat that only few can attempt and even fewer can master.

The setlist from the show is listed below. The band will be touring the United States in June including a New York City date on June 19 at Terminal 5 and a spot on 2010's Lollapalooza Festival in Chicago.

Up In The Dark
Myriad Harbour
Use It
Crash Years
All The Old Showstoppers
Challengers
Your Hands (Together)
Testament To Youth In Verse
My Shepherd
Sweet Talk, Sweet Talk
These Are The Fables
Jackie, Dressed In Cobras
Moves
Laws Have Changed
Adventures in Solitude
The Spirit of Giving
Mass Romantic
Silver Jenny Dollar
My Slow Descent
Bleeding Heart Show
Spanish Techno
(encore)
Twin Cinema
Jackie

-Nicholas Palumbo

Sit-Down: Nicholas Orsini

2010-05-07T08:07:00.000-07:00

You won’t find Nicholas Orsini, a recent graduate of Marist College, working as a barista or stocking shelves. Despite the horrific state of the economy and the inevitable fate of college graduates everywhere, Nick Orsini has written and self-published a book.
The Radio/TV/Film student has always had a knack for thinking outside the box – clearly evident in his first book entitled Two Wrongs Make A Vice. The book is an ode to his early teenage years while painting vivid images using colourful language and modern slang. Through the book, we see an open-minded protagonist that is caught in very common teenage situations while analyzing his every move using a very in-depth form of contemplation. The book’s most striking characteristic is its emphasis on the impact music makes to his teenage and post-collegiate years.
I recently sat down with Orsini – we discussed details about Two Wrongs Make a Vice and the writing process.
Generator Magazine (GM): “How did you come up with the title of the book?”
Nick Orsini (NO): “The title of the book was found on Facebook extremely late one night. Someone posted an album of pictures with this really long title that began, "Two wrongs make a vice..." I'll just give the credit for the book's title to social networking in general. This entire novel is meant to have a generational feel to it, and to start it off with a Facebook reference just seemed to capture that.”

GM: “What audience are you trying to inspire with this book?”
NO: “I wrote this book with a 15-20 year old audience in mind. My editor and I reworked the book countless times to get the tone right. We wanted something with substance that wasn't a chore to read. I wanted to write a book for people who don't like to read. I looked at the lengths of my favorite novels and realized that they weren't these gigantic sweeping epics, but rather compact and insightful works that pride themselves on the careful and right combinations of words.”

GM: “The chapters in the book are mix-tape track names. How do you come up with the tracks of each song/chapter?”
NO: “I put out a call via Twitter and Facebook for people to just send me the most random sentences they could. I got over 200 responses and used my favorite ones as the chapters in the book. Some of them were written by my friends, some were written by strangers. It plays off this lofty idea that your song title needs to have nothing to do with the message of your song.”

GM: “Are you ever nervous that you've disclosed too much about your life in the book?”
NO: “Nah...The characters in the book are combinations of people I've known throughout my life. Obviously, the main character walks in some familiar shoes, but thats the joy of writing. The character I've written acts and reacts different than I would. The supporting characters in the book are sketches of various people. I was pretty nervous about having my family read certain parts of it. My mom is a kindergarten teacher, so she understands how creativity takes you in some unique directions. My friends have been amazingly supportive of the work. The idea behind the characters is that they are people everyone meets over the course of their young life. The last line in the book reflects the main idea of the whole story. I'm a sucker for last lines so I felt pretty compelled to write a good one.”

GM: “What made you want to write a book?”
NO: “I went to Marist for Radio/TV/Film and Cinema Studies. While I was completing my degree, I realized that narratives, even those you structure around an exam question or a paper, were my real passion. I might get in some trouble for saying this, but college is this gigantic story and yes, it involves classrooms and assigned readings, but perhaps more importantly it involves how you build up relationships with other people. I had wanted to write a book since I was 18, and every summer I would write 30 pages and hate it. It wasn't until my 22nd summer that I became ok with the story. Two years removed and I still have a great affection for my time at Marist. The people I met, professors and peers, are on every single page of Two Wrongs Make a Vice. I owe them a gigantic thank you.”

GM: “How long did it take to write?”
NO: “I began the book in May 2008 and finished the rough draft in December of 2009. It went through 5 rounds of editing. The original manuscript was 250,000 words. The final manuscript is about 80,000 words.”

GM:” Is there a way for readers to contact you?”
NO: “Yes! People can e-mail me at readattheshow@gmail.com or find me on Twitter. (twitter.com/NICKORSINI or twitter.com/READATTHESHOW) I am always looking for people to read my book and I love getting feedback.”

Want a copy of Two Wrongs Make A Vice? Generator Magazine is giving away one copy of the first edition to go to print. If interested, Direct Message us at @GeneratorMag with your name and phone number.

I Was There: Echo & The Bunnymen

2010-05-03T08:55:00.000-07:00

The Fairfield Theatre Company at the Klien welcomed the 80’s post-punk band to Connecticut for a spectacular and intimate performance. After an impressive opening performance by Kelly Stoltz and a round of his stalker-esque trivia about the band, the group took the stage and immediately killed the lights.

Ian McCulloch, lead vocals, couldn’t get the house shadowy enough as he let go his dark lyrics and sinister chords. Their iconic 80s sound kept its promise by echoing clear and feeling numinous. Breaks in play were filled with short but (generally) love filled heckling from the audience. One fan requested McCulloch take his glasses off, which he kept on the entire performance. Ending his set with fight-hair, a hoodie, sunglasses and a ring of smoke (he went through nearly half a pack during the show) he looked more rock and roll than anyone the audience had ever laid eyes on, off MTV.

The group is best known amongst college-aged listeners for their single The Killing Moon which was on their 1984 CD Ocean Rain. It was also the scene music for the first sequence of the 2001 cult classic Donny Darko (theatrical version). Their first single to make it on a soundtrack was Bring on the Pretty Horses, the final song for John Hughes’ Pretty in Pink. It recently made a comeback on the Hot Tub Time Machine soundtrack.

Bunny-aficionados could be happy to have the chance to see McCulloch back on stage with fellow member Will Sergeant, another of the original Bunnymen. The group reformed in 1997 after a nearly decade long split. Of late, bass player Les Pattinson left the group after their reunion album Evergreen reached success. Most recently McCulloch and Sergeant released The Fountain in 2009.

The band wasn’t the only thing being discussed in the post-show adrenaline jabber. As the admirers spilled into the parking lot revenge was on their tongues. Towards the end of the show a fan, sick of the tongue and cheek exchange McCulloch had with fans, jumped on stage and took a swing. He was immediately crushed under a pile of security, band-mates and roadies.

The group ended the night with covers by The Velvet Underground and James Brown.

-Justine Mann

Sit-Down: Moving Mountains

2010-04-27T10:54:00.000-07:00

This weekend is Marist College's Spring Concert. For those not attending, it is also Bamboozle weekend. The festival is headlined by Paramore, Weezer, Something Corporate, Drake and MGMT.

I am attending the Festival on Sunday. For those attending the festival, I highly recommend Moving Mountains - an experimental rock project from the area. (Purchase, NY) The band will be playing a highly anticipated set on Sunday of the Festival.

I recently sat down with Greg Dunn, vocalist/guitarist of Moving Mountains. Here is what he had to say about Bamboozle, the band and pizza.

Generator Magazine: For those who don't know the Moving Mountain name, describe your sound.

Greg Dunn: As any band would probably agree, that's a tough question to answer. Our sound is always evolving, and we're still exploring that. I like to say we're an aggressive rock band with ambient, and post rock influence.

GM: You're from Purchase, NY. Was it hard starting a solid fanbase in what seems like a low-key music scene?

GD: Absolutely. We're still little known in the Purchase scene. People know us, but on a more personal level. We're all friends. Although we don't live in Purchase, we attend the College there, where there is a fairly thriving music / art scene. It's very dense, and there's a lot of musicians and artists, so it's easy to get lost in the shuffle. But yeah, we've found our fans extend around the world, and not as much concentrated in one single area. Gotta' love the internet.

GM: Name some of your musical aspirations? Do you get your sound from them?

GD: Oh god, so many. Some of my biggest aspirations (musically, and everything else) come from bands like Thursday, Hammock, Springsteen, Pedro The Lion, Peter Gabriel. It's hard to really pin point, as you become inspired everyday but so many things. Some of my more recent favorite records include As Cities Burn, Underoath, David Bazan. I do get a lot of musical influence from these people, but find I feel overall aspirations through them. I think that's more important, too.

GM: Have you prepared any surprises for Bamboozle 2010?

GD: I suppose If I told you, I'd ruin it. But honestly, nothing crazy. We're hoping to perform a new song off our record. It's going to be fun for us, as we haven't been on the road in a few months. We may pass out. We get out of shape really easily. That could be fun to watch.

GM: Who are you looking forward to see at Bamboozle 2010?

GD: Minus The Bear, Piebald, Say Anything, All The Day Holiday, Mute Math, Dear Hunter, Polar Bear Club... I'm mostly excited just to talk to everyone. I'm still, and always will be, a major fan boy. That stuff never gets old for me. To meet some of the people whom inspired me to be in a rock band. It's a crazy feeling.

GM: Are there any big plans on the horizon? (album, tour, families, etc.)

GD: We're wrapping up writing our 2nd full length (and first full length as a full band), and will be heading into the studio in the coming months. We're also finding a new place to release the record and call home. Have some tour planned this summer (which I'm insanely stoked on), and then more touring in the fall. I'm also going to be an uncle. I can't wait to be the cool uncle that's in a rock n roll band.

GM: Fill in the blank: The best band we toured with was ___________.

GD: That's tough! The most overwhelming experience for me was probably Thursday. It was overwhelming, and at points almost distracting. I had to constantly ground myself, because I couldn't believe we were sharing the same stage multiple nights in a row. I think the most fun I had was on tour this past fall with Moneen, Eisley and Say Anything. I would love to be on the road again with Moneen. They're such a great band, and you end up learning how to become a better band, just from being around them.

GM: Fill in the blank: I am on the road and I am craving _____________.

GD: Pizza. Or anything that I can find on the road that's edible. Being a vegetarian in a band of meat lovers can be tough at times..

Set times will be announced soon here. Check out the band's music here.

-Nicholas Palumbo

The Leadership Institute

2010-04-27T09:38:00.001-07:00

On April 19th, the Dean's Circle was invited to tour the grounds of the new Raymond A. Rich Leadership Institute that was donated to Marist back in January. Raymond A. Rich, upon his passing at age 97 in June of 2009, decided that the building across the river--and previously owned by the Marist Brothers--would be best enjoyed and used by the college once more.

This estate, along with the property it's on, has deep roots in the Hudson River Valley region. The mansion that stands there today was commissioned by Colonel Oliver Hazard Payne and built by the famous Carrère & Hastings in the early 1900s. The Marist Brothers purchased the mansion in 1942 after some years of inactivity and used it to house the Wiltwyck School for Boys, which focused on helping emotionally disturbed children. After twenty years of operation in Esopus, the school relocated in 1962, and the property was sold off in parcels. Raymond A. Rich eventually purchased the main house and 60 acres of the property after his retirement in the 1970s, and the rest is history.

Above are some pictures from the Dean's Circle visit!

-Sarah Dubrule

Bonnaroo Festival Preview

2010-04-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

Summer means three things: the great outdoors, new music and no responsibilities. And no other music festival embodies these three aspects better than Bonnaroo Festival.

Bonnaroo Festival, the annual 4 day event out of Manchester, TN, is the modern day equivalent of the Woodstock-based Festivals just an hour north of here. The festival has been praised for its wide variety of popular and up-and-coming musicians. Artists such as Jack Johnson, DJ Z-Trip and My Morning Jacket have graced the stages at Bonnaroo. The festival is also famous for its excellent camping accommodations and for being one of the only environmental-conscious festivals in the Western Hemisphere.

This year, Bonnaroo 2010 will be held on the same site in Manchester, TN on June 10-13. The superstar line-up is headed by Dave Matthews Band, Kings of Leon, Stevie Wonder and Jay-Z. The entire line-up can be found here.

In celebration of the festival, I recently took part in a press conference (over the phone) with members of Weezer, The National and Rise Against. I learned about what each band is doing to prepare for the festival and other fun facts about each band. Here is an excerpt of what I asked Scott Shriner, the current bassist of one of my favourite bands - Weezer.

Nicholas Palumbo: As you know Jay-Z and Beyonce collaborated this past weekend at Coachella. Is there any Bonnaroo artist that you would be interested in collaborating on stage with?

Scott Shriner: What would be cool? I guess just for me like – I guess Stevie Wonder would be unbelievable, that guy is such a hero of mine. And I think there was an old Jay-Z/Weezer kind of mash up song a long time ago. So maybe we can get him to come out and do something with us too.

Nicholas Palumbo: What kind of festival food do you crave?

Scott Shriner: I don’t know. I’m not a big fan of ribs. I’m just not into having giant rib bones in my mouth that much. But I do like the messed up sausages that are all burned up and been out there all day long. So I guess that gets you kind of craving that.

I will definitely be taking the trip down for the festival. Will you?

PS: Check out the late night tent roster and the new Ben & Jerry's Bonnaroo-inspired flavour.

-Nicholas Palumbo

I Was There: The Flaming Lips

2010-04-18T09:12:00.000-07:00

With the countdown for our Spring Concert weighing in at 14 days, it certainly is the season for springtime college festivals.

Last night, Vassar College's ViCE organization held its spring concert for its student body and surrounding committee. With a fall line-up of Grizzly Bear and Beach House - who arguably have the best albums of 2009 and 2010 respectively - how was the spring concert going to top such a musical line-up.

The bill featured the likes of The Hood Internet and Stardeath & White Dwarfs headlined by The Flaming Lips.

The Hood Internet opened the whole show. The duo, best known for their Chicago-town pride and mash-ups, set up their laptops and mixers and went to work. I immediately went to work trying to figure out all the artists/songs used - but was able to only identify half of the samples. Lykke Li, Cut Copy, Kanye West, Biz Markee...the list goes on. The Hood Internet have several mixtapes available for free (.mp3, .zip format) at their website here.

Stardeath and White Dwarfs played next. In the moments leading up to their performance, few people in the crowd had no clue has to who exactly this band was, why the band was opening for The Flaming Lips and more importantly, "How would the crowd react to them?" Those who knew about the band only knew that they worked with The Flaming Lips on their recent reworking of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. However, those who seemed skeptical quickly put all distrust behind them. Certainly, S&WD put their music where their mouth is and put on a great, long psychadelia/noise set.

I made my way to the photo pit for The Flaming Lips, shaking with anticipation. Their live sets are littered with fun visuals, including loads of confetti, lasers and balloons. However, words will never be able to describe fully what it is like to be down in the photo pit and shoot for a concert where hundreds of things are happening at the same time. The band played hits from their discography, which dates back to 1986's Hear It Is. The encore was the only tracks I took note of, which included "Eclipse," the last and final song on Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Wayne and Co. politely asked the Stardeath & White Dwarfs on stage to play the recomposed song off of their album. Following that, the band went into a confetti-fueled sing-a-long to the commercially popular "Do You Realize??"

Some photos I took of the show are below...

-Nicholas Palumbo

Steve Hofstetter at Mahoney's

2010-04-13T16:45:00.000-07:00

The first, and hopefully not the last, comedy show at Mahoney’s Irish Pub and Restaurant was held Thursday, April 1. Steve Hofstetter, the original columnist for Collegehumor.com and touring comedian, was the headliner.

Hofstetter was not against making fun of any topic; Twilight, abortion, race and Walmart employees were all part of the show. The Marist crowd including those who took advantage of discount tickets that were given out to college students in order to promote the comedian to colleges. There was a Vassar crowd there as well, across the room with about three tables and the stage in between. They understood less of the more intellectual jokes than the Marist students (or so the opening comedian observed, and later thanked the Marist students for).

Hofstetter currently hosts “The Sports Minute (Or So)”, formerly hosted “Four Quotas” on Sirius radio for two years, and was a weekly columnist for Sports Illustrated and the NHL. He has appeared on CBS' "Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson," the syndicated "Comics Unleashed," E's "True Hollywood Story," Showtime's "White Boyz in the Hood," ESPN's "Quite Frankly," VH1's "The Countdown," CW's "The Daily Buzz", and G4's "Attack of the Show.”

His first album was “Dark Side of the Room”, the first ever pay-what-you-want album, “since it was going to be stolen anyway.” It is currently available as a free download for the first 1 million students . “Cure for the Cable Guy,” his second album, reached #20 on the comedy charts. His third album was recently released, titled, “National Lampoon’s Balls!” He has also written three books.

Read more about Steve and check out videos of him on his website and follow him on Twitter @SteveHofstetter.

April Movie Previews

2010-03-31T09:56:00.000-07:00

Clash of the Titans- April 2

Fresh off his success as the lead in the Sci-fi - CGI hit Avatar, Sam Worthington takes on the role of a different hero, Perseus, in a much different time and place. Perseus, the son of Zeus (Liam Neeson) and a hero in Greek legends, defends the world and heaven from Hades (Ralph Fiennes) and the monsters of underworld. The plot is sure to be simple and characters fairly standard - hero, villain, and god types - but the pure visual value of terrifying monsters and flying horses will likely make this movie worth seeing on the big screen.

Tyler Perry ’s Why Did I Get Married Too?- April 2

The cast from Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married? encounters more challenges of married life when they go on their annual reunion, this time to the Bahamas. At first the trailer reminded me of the premise of Couples Retreat which tried too hard to be funny and sentimental. Why Did I Get Married Too? appears to be far more realistic and sincere. What is suppose to be a time to reconnect ends up with all of them questioning some part of themselves and their relationship.

Date Night- April 9

Steve Carell and Tina Fey, two comic geniuses of our time, play an ordinary married couple who end up stealing the identities of two low-life criminals (James Franco and Mila Kunis). Their would-be boring date night turns into a dangerous adventure involving mobsters, corrupt cops, and a crazy cab driver. With the reputations of the two leads the expectations are high but they are sure to deliver the laughs.

The Runaways- April 9

The story of an American all-girl teenage rock band from the 70s that opened up the world for female rock stars and influenced the entire rock genre comes to theaters. Kristen Stewart and Dakota Fanning play the two most prominent members of the band, Joan Jett and Cherrie Currie, and lead the movie with killer performances. Their manager Kim Fowley (Michael Shannon) deserves a nod for her rock-out show as well. The essence of the time and the wildness of the rock n roll lifestyle are visually there but will the trio be able to keep the mojo alive off-stage?

Kick-Ass- April 16

A what-if-super-heroes-existed movie but this time based on the comic book series by Mark Millar, a series that doesn’t take itself as seriously as the likes of Watchmen. The title character, played by Aaron Johnson, lives a normal life as a high school student with no problems but also no excitement, until he makes the decision to become a superhero. Others soon follow in his crime fighting footsteps, including Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse of Superbad and Role Models) and the father-daughter team of Big Daddy (Nicholas Cage) and, the one who appears to be the most lethal of all these heroes, Hit Girl (Chloe Moretz), creating a different class of superheroes than most movie-goers expect.

Death at Funeral- April 16

The original Death at Funeral (2007) followed a British family’s funeral gone awry; this remake takes the same plot but follows an American family. What should be a serious and dignified event is marred not only by family resentments but also a fiancé who was accidentally given hallucinogenic drugs, a moron who tries to win back the heart of a woman, a pain-in-the-ass uncle, and a mysterious little person. The plot has been used before, even written by the same screenwriter Dean Craig, but iconic faces of American comedy such as Danny Glover, Luke Wilson, Martin Lawrence, Tracy Morgan, and Chris Rock may make this recycle palatable.

Oceans- April 22

Water covers roughly three-quarters of the Earth and within the depths of the largest of these bodies, the oceans, there is a lot of life many have never seen a glimpse of. On Earth Day Disneynature (Earth), presents a look beneath the waves, exploring the fascinating creatures, the dangers of sea-life, and our impact upon the ocean. It was filmed in over 50 different locations over three years using the latest underwater film technology.

The Back-up Plan- April 23

Zoe (Jennifer Lopez) wanted to be a mom and was tired of dating men who were not living up to her expectations so she went at it alone with insemination. Of course on that same day she met Stan (Alex O’Loughlin) the perfect man. Comedy ensues as Zoe tries to hide the signs of pregnancy in order to create the normalcy of a new relationship but before long she admits the reason for her crazy behavior and he commits fully. With baby on the brain they must backtrack and learn to love each other beyond the baby. This backward approach to classic rhyme “first comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage” may, and probably does, work out for this unlikely couple.

Paper Man- April 23

A middle-aged novelist named Richard (Jeff Daniels) moves to Long Island in hopes to cure his writer’s block where he befriends a 17-year-old girl named Abby (Emma Stone) who has one thing in common with him: an imaginary friend. Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds) is the bleach blonde superhero counterpart of Richard and a fellow teenager named Christopher (Kieran Culkin) is Abby’s. As their friendship grows both learn to let go of these imaginary friends and begin life anew. Although this is a limited release considering how difficult it was to find just a few clips and not even a trailer, it's sure to be worth finding.

The Losers- April 23

A team of select U.S. Special Forces (Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Chris Evans, Idris Elba, Columbus Short, Oscar Jaenada) are betrayed from the inside and marked as targets to be eliminated. These five intelligent and highly skilled characters fall beneath the radar in order to plan for revenge. An operative named Aisha (Zoe Saldana) gets their plan rolling, claiming she can get them through to the elusive and protected Max who wants to entangle the world in a high-tech global war.

A Nightmare on Elm Street- April 30

Freddy Krueger returns for yet another fun time of ruining your sleep and your life. This classic horror plot is updated with contemporary references and a setting in suburbia where a group of good looking teenagers are being stalked by the grossly disfigured, four clawed killer, but only when they sleep. The trailer captures what looks to be a dark movie that will make you jump, and possibly become an insomniac for a few days or weeks, so although most horror buffs will have seen it before, this time they won’t know exactly when Freddy is going to appear.

Furry Vengeance- April 30

My first reaction upon seeing the poster was a disappointed sigh for Brendan Fraser, where are those amazing days in the deserts of The Mummy? Oh I forgot, they made a third one… But I digress, Fraser has never really picked any winning movie to be a part of, he’s just that type of actor. Now, he is a young real estate developer in charge of converting the local forest into a forest-themed shopping mall by tearing it down. This deal is undermined by a band of wild animals led by a raccoon. This can only lead to a series of hokey jokes and I’m assuming the preservation of the forest. The saddest thing is the film isn’t even original, it’s just Hoot (2006) all over again.

I Was There: Coheed and Cambria

2010-03-29T22:33:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I was in attendance for the SOLD OUT Coheed & Cambria / Earl Greyhound concert at Webster Theatre in Hartford, CT. I am familiar with both bands: I've seen Coheed and Cambria once back in 2007 and Earl Greyhound is one of my clients at my internship. (Tell All Your Friends Publicity and Management)

Earl Greyhound is a 60's/70's inspired psychadelia/blues rock band. The group's sophomore album Suspicious Package is due out April 13. The single off of it, "Oye Vaya," is a very catchy little number with supersonic guitars and powerful vocals. Spin has a huge review of the album in their more up-to-date issue.

There isn't much to say about Coheed and Cambria except that, 5 albums later, the band still has it. Year of the Black Rainbow, the band's upcoming release, far surpassed critics expectations and has received some stellar reviews.

Here is the tracklist for the show. Enjoy.

1. The Broken
2. A Favor House Atlantic
3. Three Evils (Embodied in Love and Shadow)
4. Junesong Provision
5. Time Consumer
6. Here We Are Juggernaut
7. In Keeping Secrets of Silent Earth: 3
8. The Velorium Camper III: Al The Killer
9. The Light & The Glass
10. World of Lines
11. The End Complete III: The End
12. No World For Tomorrow
Encore
13. Far
14. Welcome Home
15. 21:13
16. IRO-Bot

-Nicholas Palumbo

I Was There: Spoon @ Radio City Music Hall

2010-03-28T08:48:00.000-07:00

Because I am graduating, I am stepping down from Generator Magazine. Because I am stepping down from Generator, I have been looking elsewhere for my freelancing thrill. I am proud to say that in addition to being a music editor for Generator Magazine (until May), I am also Co-Editor for The Deli Magazine and a Contributing Writer for Consequence of Sound.

With that said, my first live assignment proved to be a huge one. I had the honour of attending Spoon and Deerhunter at Radio City Music Hall on Friday. It was a hectic night getting there (press confirmation was just 3 hours before the show - which meant finding my +1 on the guestlist and taking the train into Manhattan had to happen within a half hour) but it proved to be more than worth it.

This is an excerpt for the review I wrote this about the show for CofS (link will be added shortly)

"It isn’t difficult to explain what exactly happened at the show but to capture the mood of the environment and the emotion of the bands that share the stage with The Rockettes is more challenging than meets the eye. I will never be able to capture the beauty and artistry of each performer because I have not seen the charisma that Spoon had in a long time..."

Read the rest of the article here.

Expect some Generator exclusive show coverage in the near future - including The Flaming Lips, Echo & The Bunnymen, Bamboozle 2010 (pending), Owl City and Coheed & Cambria.

-Nicholas Palumbo

New E-Board Information

2010-03-28T08:08:00.001-07:00

We want to congratulate Cynthia Dagenais, Eden Jezierski and Rachel Forlifer on being the new additions to the Generator Editorial Team for the 2010-2011 Academic Year.

Cynthia Dagenais will be the new face of Film.
Eden Jezierski will be the new face of Music.
Rachel Forlifer will be the new face of Fashion.

In addition, we want to wish the best to Justine Mann (Film), Nicholas Palumbo (Music) and Christine Urgola (Fashion) who are moving onto bigger and better things. Good luck to them all!

April Fool's Comedy Show at Mahoney's

2010-03-26T11:23:00.000-07:00

Steve Hofstetter, a standup comedian based in New York City, who will be headlining a special April Fool's Day comedy show at Poughkeepsie's Mahoney's (35 Main St) on Thursday, April 1st at 8PM.

Hofstetter has been on CBS' Late Late Show, E!'s True Hollywood Story, VH1's Countdown, and ESPN's Quite Frankly, and is best known as the original writer for collegehumor.com.

Tickets to the event at $16.50 and can be purchased here. If you want cheaper tickets at $1 or $3, contact the magazine at generatormagazine@yahoo.com to request the discount tickets.

check out Steve's website for more information on the comedian.

NCAA DIARY - Saturday

2010-03-25T11:23:00.000-07:00

10:00am - Before rehearsal a bunch of us went to the supermarket with Art to buy a ton of cookout supplies, we are rehearsing some of the new stuff for a bit, then grilling!
11:03 - Your designated spirit cooks for the day, Gunther and yours' truly
12:30 - Nice, chill cookout to keep us calm for the next 4 and a half hours. Champion of the morning goes to Liz Miller, a small senior trumpet who managed to put down 3 burgers and 3 hot dogs!
2:02 - Back at the hotel and changing for the game, feeling the nerves coming on strong now, just read that some jackass at the pojo who doesn't even cover the girls headlined a story, "Marist Will Knock off Georgetown in NCAA Opener" Seriously? what the hell. Don't get me wrong I'm confident and excited and would love to stay here another couple days and take on the 6ft 8 beast of a woman on Baylor, but I'd never guarantee a win.
Anyway, I think the key to winning is going to be Marist controlling the pace of the game in the second half. Last year we stuck with Virginia for a half and the year before we stuck with LSU for a half, but the second half gets away from us against big athletic teams. Georgetown is not very big, but they sure can run. I'm worried Elise may be too small to do her normal damage on the defensive end, and as much as I love Lindsey, I dont know if she can keep up with the Hoyas speed. I think Rachele will be able to score inside and count on Corielle and Erica to match up with the young Hoyas toughness and speed. Should be a good game! and this writing this paragraph just made me 5 times as nervous...
4:02 - Just finished polishing the sousaphones and we're ready to go!
4:49 - Georgetown hired some tiny band from Santa Clara or something, they just played the weakest version of Crazy Train I've ever heard. Hold on, we got this.
4:55 - hahaha just tore whoever these guys are a new you know what. Time for tip off!!
5:52 - Down by two at halftime, not bad. We got out to a nice start 7-0 but they came roaring back and man are they fast. They score in bunches which can be dangerous against us. Can't have any defensive lapses in the second half.
6:23 - Well it's pretty much the same old story, they came out firing and hit three 3s in a row and now down 11 and are struggling to keep it that close. Kat Lyons is coming in cold, hopefully she can find the range.
6:44 - Kat Lyons 0-2 and thats it for her. Doesn't look good, and to add to it, security wont let me climb into the stands to get high ground for the "GIVE ME AN M..." chant. Outrage!
7:06 - Thats you're final. 62-42. Kind of an embarrassing final score given everyones predictions. Early second half doomed us for the third year in a row. I'm going to go throw some stuff, yell, weep, and repeat.

After the game I never really felt like updating anymore, kinda got down and it wasn't a pretty evening or plane ride back.
Anyway, thanks for reading this far, hope you enjoyed it even though it wasn't live like I hoped. Damn iTouches don't ever work when you need them to. Comments are appreciated and keep checking out the Generator, they are all over campus and let me know any other events you'd like to see covered in this format. Thanks again.

~Walsh

NCAA DIARY - Friday

2010-03-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

9:00am - Yep, another 9am rehearsal...not nearly as excited about this one. Art is asking the tubas to play loud enough to rattle our bells. I am not amused... maybe in 3 hours.
11:12 - Working on killer dance moves to bust out during Smooth Criminal and Touch Me!
11:33 - Chinese fire drill during Hey Baby!... oh, hey Tommy.
12:15 - Shockingly late on the set return time again. Grabbed a quick sandwich to eat in the hotel room with Mike and Ted...
1:44 - The much awaited (by my mom) list of things I've dropped the most F-Bombs on in the past year... At number three, we have Marist's core religion requirement. At number two, Marist Security! and the thing I've cursed more than anything else this year...SIENA!!
1:48 - Na na nana, na na nana, hey hey hey, goodbye....peace Siena, all you have next year is Rossiter who pisses himself at the mere thought of Bauer Power!
2:20 - I caved and went to look at the Redwood Trees in Muir Forest.
5:00 - Highlight of the whole trip was driving there and back on these comically dangerous winding roads. Tommy is one arm-gansta leaning out the window, and turning around to talk to Sal and I as I start feeling sick from the swerves. Slightly rude but, talk about Tokyo Drift.
9:48 - Taking a long walk by myself to clear my head before bed. Big day tomorrow!

NCAA DIARY - Thursday

2010-03-25T07:34:00.000-07:00

9:00am - woohoo, 9am rehearsal!
11:50 - Rehearsal site is outdoor field with picnic tables and grills with a sweet view of the water!
12:45 - Heading into San Fran today with all Marist related travelers and our friendly Asian bus driver Tommy! (no Tom Poalillo, not all Asians are named Tom)
1:30 - Straight to "Wipe Out" for lunch and enjoy the opening of the men's tournament and see some upsets!
2:39 - We get 20 bucks a day for food. I just had a 28 dollar lunch.
3:14 - Sitting in the sun at the end of the pier watching the sea lions again. They must be the laziest animals on the planet. They never move.
3:20 - Nicole: "I want that life!"
4:33 - Had a quick chat with Maria Laterza about her apparently legendary skills at that crane/claw grabbing stuffed animal game. She claims to have won three times in a row up in Buffalo and nearly threw some elbows at a toddler trying to grab one of her prizes. It's true, Giorgis and Brault both back her up.
5:14 - Found a Going Out of Business Sale at a small nautical gift shop. Bought a brass naked mermaid door knocker! Lower West S1, check it out!
7:38 - Walking to catch the bus back to Berkeley, look up to see the team in a fancy seafood restaurant for dinner. Nice to see how the other half lives...Rachele did wave to us...her minions in the castle of Marist Athletics.
8:40 - BEVMO!...Thats the name of the beer/liquor store next to the hotel. Picture Halftime, only if Halftime was shot up with as much juice as Marion Jones.
10:57 - In the midst of a heated argument about what to do tomorrow. For some reason I am the only person who finds going to look at trees very boring. They keep claiming they are huge, but I've seen trees before. In fact, I see one right now outside my window...
11:39 - Currently in the Tuba's room reading passages from the Mormon bible with Sal. Yes, they supply all rooms with Mormon bible's in Berkeley... All this while Nicole begins reciting the Raven by Edgar Allen Poe, not sure why...but hey! NCAA Trips!

NCAA DIARY - Wednesday

2010-03-25T06:12:00.000-07:00

9:30am - Lincoln, Nebraska!! haha landed for a fuel stop in lovely Nebraska. Shooter is yelling something about how Australian Oliver really is in the row behind me, he clearly got more sleep than I did last night.
12:30pm - keep in mind, we are doing this diary in pacific time. Giorgis wastes no time and gets all the girls on one bus and heads directly to practice. Us? we are left with one bus to cram around 6 people. Assistant AD Frank Lombardi is sitting on Jeremy's lap behind me. Feel the Marist Athletics love.
1:23 - Eating lunch at this 5 minute barbecue place across from the hotel. Our entertainment, watching the rest of the band watch a street performance that looks from here, like a cross between Harry Potter and Godzilla...riveting.
1:49 - Saw President Chris Miller down below us and cough/yelled "blow job" at him. James quickly pointed out that our Dean of Student Affairs Deb Dicaprio and her daughter were within 10 ft of me walking by, more evidence that if I applied to Marist this year, I wouldn't have an ice cube's chance in hell of getting in.
3:58 - Walking around downtown Berkeley, realizing that the only stores here are Banana Republic, Forever 21, and Victorias Secret, not exactly my scene.
4:15 - Attempting to navigate the Berkeley/San Fransisco version of the T. oh wait, NY audience, uhhh Metro?
5:30 - Recieved a strange voicemail from ted. He called to let me know he had found a green shirt and had put it on in honor of me, because I was pestering him all day about not wearing green on St. Patty's Day!
7:00 - First Guinness of St. Patrick's Day at the Player's Bar on Pier 39!
7:30 - Not sure if I feel bad for James or jealous of him, he's at a table in the back surrounded by 5 dance team girls...
11:03 - One more quick thing before bed, on the way home tonight Mike and I hit up these public bathrooms in San Fransisco that will from now on be dubbed, "Space Toilets." These things are amazing button operated opening and closing door and automatic cleaning cycles after every user. A good first day in California, looking forward to the next few days before I start freaking out with nerves Saturday.

Ben Folds Antics

2010-03-21T15:54:00.001-07:00

At his recent stop in Charlotte, NC, Ben Folds entertained the crowd with Chatroulette antics.

In Berkeley

2010-03-17T19:07:00.001-07:00

At the hotel now. Unpacking and having a meeting in a bit.
BG took the girls straight from the plane to practice... he's not messing around this week.
Not a bad flight, just had a 20 minute stop in lovely Lincoln, Nebraska.

~Walsh

Back at Marist

2010-03-16T18:38:00.000-07:00

Hey everybody, Mike Walsh here. Thanks for joining me for my first NCAA Tournament update. Most of us arrived last night or this morning. I was at Shadows for the selection show party briefly and the place was packed. Everyone erupted with cheers when we found out we were going to Berkeley. California for the second straight year! We are a 12 seed just like last year, only this time our opponent will be Georgetown. They earned the 5 seed thanks to a 13-3 Big East record, 25-6 overall. They are led by 5-11 BE Freshmen of the Year Sugar Rogers, (yes creative chants and jeers are on the way) who dropped 18 a game this season. The Hoyas don't appear to be very big which is a benefit for us, Rachele should be able to get her shot off consistently. And if either the Allenspach-Johnson or Yarde-Johnson tandem can control Rogers we have a better than decent shot at the upset. I'd love to see Elise get some minutes on her but at 5-5 she gives up 6 inches to Sugar. I'm also going to look for a big game from Kate Oliver, if she can get to double digits, I like our chances. Anyway after rehearsal and a nice cookout today we got word that we are leaving on a charter out of Newburgh in the morning with the team and administrators, should be fun aside from the 7am report time. Thanks for checking in, expect more consistent and humorous updates as the trip commences tomorrow. Goodnight for now, and FIRE UP!

~Walsh

March 12 Movie Previews

2010-03-08T22:31:00.000-08:00

Green Zone- March 12

Matt Damon pairs up again with director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum) in an interesting war-time thriller that takes on current issues and a current war. Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller (Damon) and his team are set on a mission to find weapons of mass destruction hidden in the Iraqi desert but instead they find a complex cover-up. The ensuing melee of explosions and shootings pits American against American as Miller tries to find the truth.

Our Family Wedding- March 12

Two dads (Forest Whitaker and Carlos Mencia) of different racial and cultural backgrounds and very big egos find out their children (America Ferrara and Lance Gross) are engaged. They must learn what it means to be a family by accepting each other and learning to get along but the initial clash between them creates some hilarity. Most of it looks a little too farfetched and freaky to hold up this comedy: a goat eats a whole bottle of an ED drug.

Remember Me- March 12

Robert Pattinson fans get to swoon over him once again as a human but this time with a bit of personality. He plays a rebellious young man called Tyler who does not get along with his father (Pierce Brosnan). By some chance encounter he meets Ally (Emilie de Ravin) who of course understands him and they fall for each other. But a happy ending will not come easily for these two lovers as secrets come out and they are threatened to be torn apart.

She’s Out of My League- March 12

This movie asks: How can a 10 go for a 5? And apparently supplies the answer to that question of why would a hot girl like a not-so-hot guy, exaggerated yet again for the movie screen. Kirk (Jay Baruchel) is an average Joe working as a security guard at an airport when he finds the cell phone of a gorgeous and successful woman, Molly (Alice Eve), and she falls for him. It’s hard to say where the plot will go in this one and it looks like all the good laughs may be in the trailer.

2009-05-16T18:48:00.000-07:00

The last issue has been distributed and we're hopefully, for the most part, home and getting unpacked. There is one correction I want to make before I end this blog for the next few months, it's on the Spring Concert Article:

The Student Programming Council (SPC), which hosted the Jack's Mannequin & Matt Nathanson concert last Sunday, April 26, actually sold 1050 tickets, more than the estimated 300 people.

Last Issue of the 08-09 Academic Year

2009-05-04T16:25:00.000-07:00

The end of the year is fast approaching and I am busily putting together the last small parts of the magazine to update this blog and take a break from looking at the same pages for the last 4 hours.

The last issue of this year, the May 2009 Issue, should be ready to distribute by Friday, May 8th. It is looking pretty fine if I do say so myself, and my housemates have told me the same as well. The work of various editors in learning and then actually doing the layout was very helpful. Next year everyone should be able to learn and experience this as I intend to request the Lowell Thomas computer lab for at least one evening before the issue is due, there will be food at these layout sessions!

Our last social last Thursday went well despite the few numbers, it allowed us all to enjoy the massive amounts of food I provided. Hopefully we will all have more interaction as a club next year since now I have a better understanding of how clubs work with SGA and with their members. With everyone's help we can surely make this magazine the best it has been thus far. Enjoy the summer and keep writing!

Dennis Murray Reads the Generator!

2009-04-06T18:09:00.000-07:00

That's right! Marist's President does in fact read our humble little magazine.

Here is the email a few of you may have received that helped with the article he references:

I am writing you in regard to the article entitled "Top 10 Things Marist Could Improve" in the March 2009 edition of The Generator. I thought you came up with some interesting ideas, and I have asked the Vice Presidents of the appropriate areas to look into them. I can't guarantee specific changes, but I can promise that we will look at your suggestions seriously.

Thanks again for the constructive suggestions and best wishes for the remainder of the semester.

Dennis

Dennis J. Murray
President
Marist College
Phone: (845) 575-3600
Fax: (845) 575-3337
E-mail: Dennis.Murray@marist.edu

May Issue

2009-04-01T19:20:00.000-07:00

Assignments are out of the last issue of this year but there are still articles available. Most of these are either events or just very basic ideas that can be expanded upon. Email editor in chief sarah.holmes1@marist.edu if you would like to take an article or if you have your own idea.

Miscellaneous:
SPC Comedy Club: Eric O’Shea
River Festival- 4/24
Gaming for Hope- 4/4
Preview of Humarist’s Big Show on 5/3
Wednesday, April 29- Salsa dancing lessons, 9pm in the Cabaret.
Thursday, April 23- Lecturer Barry Drake will be coming to talk about music of the 70's. He does a different decade every year. It'll be at 9pm in the Nelly Goletti.

Opinion:
NEW: Cafe Bocca review -located just a few minutes from Marist on Mt. Carmel Place
Earth Day
first months of Obama’s presidency

Theatre:

Urinetown, musical- this weekend

Music:
Pie Boys Flat- Wednesday 4/1
SPC Coffeehouse: “Fooling April”- 4/15
Bardavon Spring Music Concert- 4/25 and 4/26

Movies:
Reviews
Wednesday, April 8- Dive-In movie. We'll be showing "Yes Man" at 9pm in the McCann Center pool.

Literature:
Poetry Month

Fashion:
Silver Needle Fashion Show preview 5/8
Fashion Trends on Campus

Next Meeting

2009-03-27T10:01:00.000-07:00

The March issue is out on campus and I've gotten some nice feedback on the quality of the articles this time around as well as the overall look.

Now let's build on this and make the next one even better. Our next meeting in Monday, March 30, at 9:15pm in the student center alcoves.

There will be some delicious cookies and we will be going over assignments for the last issue of the academic year, the May 2009 Issue.

Come with ideas or see what upcoming events you want to cover.

Hope to see a lot of people Monday night!

March Issue

2009-02-04T15:50:00.000-08:00

After another deploring turnout to the first meeting of the semester, there are still plenty of opportunities to write for the magazine. Remember, writing articles is where you get priority points in this club. Email me if you have an idea or will take one of these listed here.

Here are articles ideas that still need to be covered:

David Cook at the Bardavon on the 10th of March- there was an email sent out today

Tradition/Invention 5 Emerging Artists at the Steel Plant (there are signs up on
bulletin boards with more information, it's ongoing)

Did anyone see the comedian Louis Ramey a few weeks ago? Write about him.

The Vagina Monologues

Comedian Eliot Chang-Wednesday, February 4th- at 9pm in the PAR.

Murder Mystery Dinner, "Love Writes a Deadly Verse"- Wednesday, February 11th-
9:00pm in the Cabaret.

Andre English- Thursday, February 26th- 9:00pm in the PAR.

Love in the Afternoon- February 15th

Best Professors

Kindle or the other electronic readers that are coming out lately...end of paper
novel?

Bruce Springsteen's new tour (and Superbowl performance)

Trends for Spring 2009

Shrek the Musical

Enrichment programs (Yoga, Pilates, Guitar, Dancing)

Match Game- February 6th- 8pm Theatre

and does anyone want to take over Justine Mann's column about the coolest room
on campus? She is in London this semester but she had people email her who were
interested in volunteering their room she can get the information from her.

Event Coverage

2009-01-21T12:38:00.000-08:00

Our first meeting of this semester will not be until after the activities fair next Wednesday (1/28/09) but there are two events that are happening that I would like to have someone cover. Basically for these you go to the performance and write whatever you want about it, it can be a review or an interview (if you can get one)or whatever you want it to be. If you do go please try to take pictures if it's allowed. These are the events:

Louis Ramey 1/23/09 9:00pm Cabaret (comedian)
Helen Avakian 1/28/09 9:00pm PAR (singer/songwriter/guitarist)

If you are interested please email me (sarah.holmes1@marist.edu) ASAP!!!

Thanks, and keep thinking up ideas for articles for the next issue!

December Issue!

2008-12-19T19:09:00.000-08:00

I'm going to come clean and admit that I lost the password to the blog. Actually, I just forgot it for about a week because my brain was so fried. Today I tried what I thought it was once and voila! I'm updating the blog.

The December issue is out and it looks great, better than the first for sure. The editing went better this time, although there are a few typos that were sadly missed and a few minor layout issues. I want to thank all the writers and the editors for doing a great job.

Now it's time to relax for break but I want people to think about the two issues in the spring, any articles or other ideas pertaining to the club, like community service. I'll be putting up a schedule of how next semester is going to look fairly soon so it's set and out of the way. Hope everyone enjoys the break!

November Meeting and December Issue

2008-11-04T11:24:00.000-08:00

The turnout for the meeting last night was what I would call rather lame. Most of the editors showed up and four writers. I would like to remind everyone that coming to general meetings is required to earn full priority points. Other chances for priority points including community service which will be coming up soon, probably in conjuncture with another, larger club.

At this meeting the few of us there discussed the last issue and came up with ideas for the next one.

Ideas that are up for Grabs as of the time of this post include:

Men v. Women Basketball
New Mascot
Marist Movie Favorites
How to Decorate Your Dorm
The Chance Theatre
PoTown Library Events
Christmas Carol Staff Reading
CMJ- college music, check out the website at cmj.com for more information
Snow Day Activities
Fashionology Boutique
Sex and the Citys influence on Fashion market
Dubai Mall- just opened, largest number of retailers in the world in one location
Election article
Dance Club review of show
Stumbleupon
Marist College TV
Marist's Radio Station
Comedian Josh Sneed- November 7th

More ideas:
Check out http://www.dutchesstourism.com/thingstodo.asp and see what you can
come up with from this site.
Or come up with ideas related to the Holidays

Any suggestions for further articles can be emailed to me or the relevant editor.

The next meeting is planned for the 16th (a Sunday rather than a Monday this time around) but a confirmation email and an update on the Events link will happen within the next week. This meeting will be just to check up on what articles are done or coming along and we will discuss layout.

The time of distribution for this article will be before finals week, most likely December 10th if all goes well.

Have a Happy Election Day!

Generator October Issue and Next Meeting

2008-10-30T19:14:00.000-07:00

This year began on a down note.

No head editor. No budget. No order.

But it is the end of October and we do have the first issue out. It is not perfect, I'll be the first to admit that, but with the time limits and everything else I had to take care of it turned out pretty well. I do acknowledge the typos and some poor layout but as no one in the club had any knowledge of Adobe Pagemaker I had to figure it out this first time solo.

Our next issue, coming out in December, will be far better. Now that each editor position is filled, their positions and names are listed on the blog, I will not be the only editor looking over the magazine. As well, there shall be more articles and photographs taken by students to really enhance the magazine's content.

Our next general meeting is this Monday, November 3rd, at 9:15 in SC 349. We will be discussing the next issue that is due out in December and enjoying ice cream sundaes.

I plan to have another general meeting at the end of November to discuss how the articles are coming along.

Any ideas related to arts and entertainment are greatly welcomed as well as new writers. Any suggestions for improving the magazine are also welcomed by email or brought to the meeting.

-Sarah Holmes

October Issue, etc.

2007-10-25T15:01:00.000-07:00

Excellent job on the latest issue, we had a lot of great articles so check it out. Ben Lee is on the cover.

In other news, a few weeks ago, we conducted interviews for various editors and we'd like to announce Sarah Holmes as our new Opinion section editor and Ashleigh Whitfield as our new Theatre section editor.

Dylan Wise will be taking over for Laurel as Assistant Editor starting next semester, and beginning in Fall 2008, we'll have Justine Mann as our Movies section editor and Melissa Amarianos as our Music section editor.

We will also be participating in Take Back the Night, so if you're free at 5pm this Friday 10/26 at 5pm, please come down to the Rotunda and join us in taking a stand against domestic violence and sexual assaults.

Our next issue will come out in the beginning of December, and we're going to have our next meeting this Sunday, 10/28 at 9pm in the Student Center alcoves.

See you there!

-Amanda

October Issue Distribution

2007-10-06T12:42:00.000-07:00

Generator's first issue of the 2007-2008 year will hit the stands this Wednesday, October 10.

We've revamped the graphics a little bit and we're all really excited about the issue.

Distribution will be at 11am on October 10. We'll meet down by the mailroom at the loading dock.

If you're available to help distribute to the following areas, please email Amanda at amanda.waas@marist.edu and let her know which area you can cover.

Champagnat
Leo
Sheahan
Midrise
Student Center
Cafeteria
Cabaret
Gartland
Upper New
Lower New
Foy
Upper West
Lower West
Fulton
Jazzman's
Fontaine
Dyson
Donnelly
Lowell Thomas

Generator Info

2007-09-14T16:35:00.000-07:00

Generator Magazine's first issue of the semester will be debuting the first week of October.

Keep an eye out for our Generator basket at the Parents Weekend Raffle. It'll be loaded with stuff that our writer's have reccommended in past issues.

Our first general meeting will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 19 at 8pm in Student Center 348.

See you there!

-Amanda

Generator Magazine May Issue Preview

2007-04-27T16:46:00.000-07:00

The Generator's final issue of the 2006-2007 academic year will hit the stands the first week of May.

Here's a sneak peek at everyone's "favorite" column, "What Does Waas Think?"

What Does Waas Think?

My Dignity is Worth $5,000

By Amanda Waas

What Not to Wear is TLC’s bitchy show that takes clueless and ugly young women, humiliates them on national television, and leaves them with a new wardrobe that they’ll never wear and a new haircut that was given based on what fruit their head is shaped like.

The problem with the show is that while the hosts are well-meaning, the fashion disaster is usually a hostile party. Think about how you would feel. You’re out bowling with some friends on a Friday night, you get a gutter ball, you turn around to drown your sorrows in a basket of curly fries, and you see every person you’ve ever met along with a camera crew and two well-known fashionistas cheering and telling you that you dress like crap.

But wait! There’s more. Your friends have been secretly filming you, just to show the world how awful you really look on several different occasions. Hey, those are some great friends you’ve got there! During the show, they even interview the slob’s friends and they all say something along the lines of, “Peggy would be so pretty if she wasn’t so ugly.” And off you go! Box up your entire wardrobe and head off to the Big Apple so we can make fun of everything you own.

Now, from the premise that I’ve described above, many people would think that I wouldn’t like this show because it’s so mean-spirited. However, most often, the things that I love the most are mean-spirited. I love What Not to Wear almost as much as I loved the short-lived reality show on A&E called Designing Blind, where an unsuspecting couple gets their house redecorated by a blind man. It’s gold, I tell you, pure, evil gold.

For the rest of the article, check out the May 2007 issue of Generator Magazine.

Generator Magazine October Issue Preview

2006-10-04T09:45:00.000-07:00

The Generator's first issue of the semester will hit the stands the second week of October.

Here's a sneak peek of the new column by Kristin Kaschak,
"Sex in the Poughkeepcity"

“This one’s on me.” It’s a line that you’ve either heard or spoken at some point in your four years of academia. The purchasing of a drink is one of the most fundamental conversation starters in the world of relationships. A proverbial mating-call, if you will. The male specimen uses this clever little trick to show, not only that he is generous in paying for his target’s vodka-cranberry, but it’s also a nice little sign that an interest has sprung (among other things). This advance is almost always made in the hopes that this lovely young woman will get sloshed enough to throw herself at him by the evening’s conclusion. Either way, it’s a classic.

The female view of this cliché, but appreciated move is three-fold. She will accept 9 out of 10 times (who is going to turn down a free drink when funds are low?) However, the intention of this acceptance is what really matters. First, there’s the “Aw, that’s so sweet” response. In this case, Betty is interested in her Daddy Warbucks and sees this gesture as a sign that this young man is interested in her. Here, our man not only has a chance for some loving that night, but she might be considering him a candidate for a shout-out in her AIM profile (which will probably send him running home to Connecticut). Second, we have the “Score! Free Booze! Hey, you’re hot.” This is probably the most common inner-monologue of the lady in our story. Stoked on her free drink she has just received, she is equally amped that she can add a pretty face to her roster of conquests (yes, boys, we think like that too. Shocking, I know.)

For the rest of the story, check out the October 2006 issue of Generator Magazine.