Metallica Through the Years

A person’s choice of wardrobe can say a lot about them. From a business suit to a bathing suit and the entire range of styles in between, what one wears speaks volumes about them, ranging from their occupation to their social status. In the music industry appearance is often thought of as paramount. In the case of the band Metallica, shifts in the band’s appearance also signaled a shift in their style of music.


Metallica formed in the early 1980’s, which was a time when glam metal ruled the rock scene. Glam metal bands had a distinctive look. This look almost always consisted of long styled hair, like that of a woman, lots of makeup, and elaborate extravagant clothing. Glam metal bands also had a distinctive sound. The music was rooted in hard rock, but also often included softer songs known as power ballads. Some examples of power ballads are “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” by Poison and “Home Sweet Home” by Motley Crue. Both Metallica’s appearance and music differed largely from these popular styles of the time. Metallica’s appearance consisted of tight jeans, tank-tops, and long hair. They seemed not to care about how they looked, which was a sharp contrast to the popular bands of the time. Their music was also a sharp contrast to the popular music of the time. Instead of glam metal, Metallica was characterized as thrash metal. Thrash metal had no ballads, and instead focused on fast, intense, and technical instrumentals supplemented by harsh vocals. Because of this, Metallica’s music was rarely heard on popular radio.


In the 1990’s Metallica’s appearance changed as did their music. Their appearance became more like the mainstream artists of the time. They cut their hair, and even donned some mascara. With their change in appearance also came a change in musical style. Gone were the amazingly fast and aggressive riffs, and in was a more hard rock sound. They even had power ballads with songs like “Nothing Else Matters” and “Bleeding Me.” With this more mainstream style, Metallica got unprecedented play on the radio.


In the 2000’s Metallica’s appearance and music changed once again. Both their appearance and music became a sort of mix from the previous two decades. Their appearance went back to consisting of jeans and t-shirts. Two members of the band, James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich, have short hair while the other two members of the band, Kirk Hammett and Robert Trujillo, are back to sporting long hair. Their music is also a pleasant mix from the past 20 years. They still have some thrashy songs such as “All Nightmare Long,” but they also have some softer songs mixed in such as “The Unforgiven III.”

As you can see, Metallica’s shift in appearance also indicates a fundamental shift in their musical style. Through the decades, their style of music and clothing has evolved, changing with the times. It seems as though in the present day, Metallica has found a balance linking their different styles together.

Movie Quotes

Movies are a huge part of our culture. No matter what they are about, they can cause a wide range of emotions. However, there are some movies that stand above the rest and will go down in history as all time classics. A big reason why many movies are remembered forever is because they have memorable quotes.

Just think about it, in all of your favorite movies there are at least a few lines that you can recite off of the top of your head. This applies for both old and new movies. For example, many people remember the classic Gone With the Wind for its treasured quotes. Rhett uttering the words “Frankly, my dear, I don’t give a damn” as Scarlett stands tearfully in the doorway is etched in everyone’s mind who has ever seen that movie. Another old time movie that is remembered largely because of its outstanding lines is Casablanca. One of the most memorable lines from Casablanca occurs at the end of the movie when Rick says “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” Movies from the past few decades are also remembered for their unforgettable quotes. One movie that is loaded with unforgettable lines is Scarface. The most iconic line from Scarface is undoubtedly “Say hello to my little friend!” which Tony Montana uttered as he was under attack. Even movies released within the past few years are already quoted regularly. One such movie is 300. “This is Sparta!” was yelled by King Leonidas as he kicked a Persian messenger into a well. This line will undoubtedly keep the movie 300 alive forever.

In my opinion, if a movie is to be remembered forever and be considered a classic, it must have at least one memorable quote. After all, if the movie has no unforgettable quotes, how can it be remembered?

Traditions

My friends and I are creating our own tradition here at Lehigh. It is a weekly ice cream eating competition. But it is not your average “who can eat the most ice cream” type of contest.

This competition has been going on for some four weeks now. It takes place every Monday at the Cort at Lower U.C. at one o’clock in the afternoon. The rules of the competition go something like this. All of the competitors take a pointy waffle cone. Then one-by-one each participant takes their turn at the soft-serve machine to make the tallest ice cream cone possible without having the ice cream fall over. The cone must also not be artificially supported by items such as a hand or spoon. Once back at the table, the cones are measured by eye by holding them next to each other. We then rank the cones according to size, from tallest to shortest. This ranking is important because, in order to be declared the victor, the ice cream cone must be completely eaten. This means that if the person who made the biggest cone fails to finish it, the person with the next biggest cone who did finish it is declared the victor.

Now this may seem like a silly and childish game, but it is actually full of strategy. There are many different styles of cone-making. Some opt for the method known as the “compactor.” This method involves keeping the cone very close to the release point of the ice cream from the machine. Others opt for the “dive-bomber” method. This method is opposite of the “compactor”, as the cone is kept far away from the valve as the ice cream “dive-bombs” into the cone. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages. The “compactor” offers great structural support, but at the expense of having more ice cream packed into a tight space. This can be detrimental while trying to eat the cone. The “dive-bomber” offers the opposite, as it has less structural support and is thus a bigger risk to fall, but is less ice cream to eat. So the next time you see someone in the dining hall with a huge ice cream cone, just think of how much skill was involved in making the cone.

There are many traditions here at Lehigh University. These traditions number many and range from the annual Bed Races to the Lehigh-Lafayette game. I like to think that my friends and I are contributing to Lehigh University’s rich and ever expanding history.

The Garden

The Garden is an award winning documentary directed by Scott Hamilton Kennedy. The film tells the story of a group of urban Latino farmers in South Central Los Angeles and their struggle to keep their community garden. Although this film pertains to the local area of South Central L.A., the themes that can be drawn from the film are universal.

The documentary starts out with a description of how the community garden came to be. The infamous Los Angeles riots that began on April 29, 1992 had caused an estimated one billion dollars in property damages. It was proposed to turn the negative of the riots into a positive by turning some of the damaged area of the city into a community garden. The idea became a reality when the 14 acre garden was created in 1994 in the middle of South Central L.A., becoming the largest community garden in the United States. The plots of land in the urban farm became inhabited mostly if not completely by Latino families. This garden became the center of many of these people’s lives’ as they sold their crops to local markets for profit. The plots of land provided more than monetary support however. They were viewed by many as sacred, and were passed down through families. Countless hours of labor were put into these plots of land, and they were a source of pride and passion for those who had them.

Then one day the farmers arrived in the morning to begin their daily routine on their land only to find a notice of eviction. The reaction among the farmers ranged from confusion to anger. The farmers then received the news that the reason they were being evicted from the land was to make way for storage warehouses and a soccer field. This left the farmers wondering why it seemed like the land was being valued more than the people on it. Some of them thought it was because of the fact that they were Latino. As it turns out, although the land had been a community garden for so long it was actually the property of a man, Ralph Horowitz, who decided to take back the control of it. This obviously did not sit well with the farmers, so they explored their options and the potential ways to keep their garden. The farmers decided that the first step was to hire a lawyer. Once they had a lawyer, the farmers filed for and won a preliminary injunction against the eviction. This granted the farmers time until a more concrete decision on the fate of the eviction could be reached. In an attempt to have the farmers evicted as quickly as possible, Horowitz then filed an appeal against the temporary injunction, much to the farmers’ dismay.

As you can imagine the whole situation was very stressful on the farmers, as their lives, lifestyle, and livelihood were seemingly hanging in the balance. This led to some infighting between the farmers. One incident became so intense that one farmer attacked another with a machete, but he was stopped and arrested before any serious harm was inflicted. Stunningly, Horowitz won the appeal to revoke the temporary injunction and the farmers were given five weeks to clear off the land. As if to rub salt in their wounds, Horowitz then offered to sell the land to the farmers for $16.3 million. Aside from the dismal financial situations of the farmers, that amount of money was especially unreasonable as Horowitz had obtained the property from the city for a mere five million dollars, less than one third of what he was asking the farmers to pay. The farmers hoped that they could find a way to raise the money and be able to remain on the land, so they set out on a quest to generate publicity and public support. Many celebrities supported their cause and visited the garden including Zack de la Rocha of the band Rage Against the Machine, Willy Nelson, and Joan Baez, just to name a few. Miraculously, the farmers were able to raise the money and offered to buy the land from Horowitz, calling his bluff. Horowitz then pulled back the offer, refusing to sell the property. Sure enough, at the end of the five weeks, the garden was bulldozed, with a full police riot squad there to keep the devastated farmers off of the land and away from the demolition crew. The film ends showing that despite the fact that the garden had been torn down for two years, nothing had yet been built on the site as proposed.

The Garden contains themes that can be applied to areas outside of South Central Los Angeles. One theme that I drew from the movie is similar to that of the David vs. Goliath story. No matter how big the opposition is and no matter how small you are, you should never hesitate to stand up for yourself and fight for what you believe is right. The farmers did this by making themselves heard and by standing up to the “big guys” who had all the money and power when they had nothing. Another theme that I drew from this documentary is that no matter how much the odds may seem stacked against you, never quit or give in. The farmers were posed with the seemingly impossible task of raising $16.3 million. Despite this gargantuan task, they forged ahead and worked hard to raise the money, eventually raising the entire sum, an amazing feat. If they had felt sorry for themselves or doubted themselves they would not have been able to accomplish such a remarkable feat. Instead they accepted the challenge, and rose to the occasion. And though in the end they were not able to maintain possession of their farm, the farmers had nothing to be ashamed of. They worked and fought hard, focusing all of their time and attention to the cause. A final theme that I drew from The Garden is that justice often depends on money and political connections. The farmers did everything possible to keep their land, including raising an inordinate amount of money, yet the other side which had more money and political connections prevailed.

Hang 'em Up

On Saturday November 21, I watched the rematch between Forrest Griffin and Tito Ortiz at UFC 106. While watching the match it became apparent to me that Tito Ortiz was clearly past his prime. One thing that led me to this conclusion was the fact that he seemed to take on the role of a human punching bag in the third round, by taking strikes and not delivering any back. A young Tito Ortiz would have had the energy and desire to fight back. This led me to ask the question: Why do athletes, such as Tito Ortiz, continue to compete when their best years are clearly behind them?

The obvious answer to this question of why athletes hang on past their prime is money. With owners of teams and leagues willing to pay athletes millions of dollars for their services, it is easy to see why athletes might try to squeeze a few extra years out of their careers. However, it is not only the owners who supply these athletes with money. Major companies still give athletes huge endorsement deals despite their increasing age and decreasing performance. A company might do this to try to sell their product using a known face, rather than an up and coming one. A perfect example of this is LaDainian Tomlinson, who was the 5th overall pick in the 2001 NFL draft. As running back for the San Diego Chargers, Tomlinson’s performance peaked during the 2006 season when he won the MVP and set the single season touchdown record at 31. Over the past few years, Tomlinson’s production has drastically declined, yet he is still making loads of money from his endorsements with companies such as Nike, Campbell Soup, and AT&T.

There are several other less obvious reasons why an athlete would continue to play when it has become clear that their time has passed. One reason is that playing and competing in their sport could be all that an athlete has known for their entire lives. Most athletes have an extreme love of their sport. This makes the transition to a more regular life difficult for many and perhaps even frightening to some. Another reason why it is hard for athletes to walk away is could be because of inflated egos. This is not meant as a negative, as athletes need to have some kind of ego in order to survive the harsh criticism that they receive from the media and the fans. However, this ego can turn into a negative when it blinds an athlete to their decreasing ability. A third reason why it may be hard for athletes to “call it quits” is the reluctance to feel old. Athletes spend their entire lives playing “kids games,” so it may be hard for them to face their real age when they finally retire. A final reason why some athletes hang on for a few extra years is to make one last run at the championship. This is certainly understandable, as it is nice to go out on top. One example of this is Jerome Bettis who was not the every-down-back that he used to be in 2006. Despite his declining abilities he remained with Pittsburgh for that season and they went on to win the championship.

While sometimes an older player can be an asset to a team by providing veteran leadership and experience, they can also be a burden. For reasons ranging from the lure of the money to the love of the game, it is easy to see why many athletes find it hard to “call it quits”.

Top Ten College Football Teams of the Decade

With the decade soon coming to a close, now is a great time to look back and reflect on the past ten years. It is inevitable that critics and pundits will rank anything and everything from the past years, ranging from the best movies to the top albums and artists. However, one ranking that piqued my interest was a list of the top ten college football programs from the past ten years.

The list that I found took all opinion out of the equation and ranked the teams based solely on their winning percentages. Based on this criterion the list turned out as such:
10-Tennessee
9-8 (Tie)-Michigan and USC
7-Miami
6-Georgia
5-Virginia Tech
4-Ohio State
3-Oklahoma
2-Texas
1-Boise State
After examining this list it became clear to me that while the idea of ranking teams based purely on winning percentage is a compelling idea, it is very ineffective.

One big problem that I have with this list is that both Florida and LSU are not included. Florida and LSU each won two National Championships over the past decade. The idea that a team can win two championships in a decade and yet not make the list of the decade’s best teams is outrageous. Both Florida and LSU should not only be on this list, but should be strongly considered for the number one spot. Another thing that troubles me about this list is that the number one team is Boise State. In my opinion, a team that hasn’t even played in the National Championship game should not be considered for the number one spot. Although some may argue that Boise State should have had that opportunity in 2006 when they were the only team in the country to go undefeated, the fact remains that many other schools have made multiple appearances in the title game. These schools include Oklahoma, USC, LSU, and Florida, with USC, LSU, and Florida having won multiple National Championships. A final reason why Boise State should not be number one is because of the conference in which they play. They are a part of the Western Athletic Conference, or the WAC for short. The level of competition in the WAC pales in comparison to that in the conferences that other teams in this list belong to such as the SEC, Big 12, and Pac 10.

I would like to conclude by proposing my own list of the top college football programs of the decade. The list goes as follows:
10-Boise State
9-Georgia
8-Michigan
7-Miami
6-Ohio State
5-Texas
4-Oklahoma
3-Florida
2-LSU
1-USC
My list is based off of several criteria. First and perhaps most importantly, is the consistency of the football program. This is why I have USC as number one on my list. They have, in my opinion, been the most consistently great team of the decade. Second is the number and quality of bowl games played in by a given team, including National Championships. This is why I have LSU and Florida very high on my list, as they both won two National Championships in the decade. Lastly was the level of competition played against. This is why I have only one team on my list, number 10 Boise State, which belongs to a non-BCS conference. I believe that my list helps to prove that a much more accurate list of the top college football teams of the decade can be made by looking at more than just winning percentage.

Lehigh Wrestling

This past Saturday, November 13, I decided to go to the wrestling meet between #17 Lehigh and #15 Penn State. I wanted to go to this meet because I knew that the teams were closely ranked, so it was bound to be a competitive match. Having never been to a wrestling meet before, I wasn’t sure what to expect. However, after my experience at this match, it is now safe to say that I am a fan of the sport.

When I first arrived at Stabler Arena, the place was mobbed. Despite this, my friends and I were able to sit matside for the meet. The seats were amazing, as we were literally only feet away from the outside of the boundary line of the wrestling circle. Adding to the atmosphere was the fact that most of the Lehigh fans in attendance were wearing white. This “white-out” was a mockery of Penn State’s tradition of “whiting-out” sporting events in support of their team. I have to admit I thought it was awesome to see the Lehigh fans unite in that way. The total crowd in attendance numbered approximately 5,250 people, the second largest attendance in the arena’s history. With that many people in crowd, you can imagine how loud it was in the place. I was extremely impressed by how knowledgeable the fans were about the sport of wrestling. I heard fans talking in great detail about the matches as they were in progress, mentioning words that would soon become familiar to me such as shoot and sprawl. Going into the first match I had no idea of how the scoring system in wrestling worked, but based on the crowd cheering it was very easy to catch on. I soon learned that a wrestler scored two points for a takedown, one point for an escape, and so on. A final thing that impressed me at the wrestling match was the respect that the athletes showed each other. Before and after every match, the two combatants shook hands. It was obvious that the respect went far beyond the symbolism of the handshake. For example, when one wrestler was losing his headgear or was accidentally poked in the eye, the other wrestler would allow him to recover instead of taking advantage of the situation, without even being prompted to do so by the referee. To me this spoke volumes about the sport of wrestling and what it is all about.

Prior to Saturday I had no real knowledge about the sport of wrestling. However, after attending this one meet, I have now become a fan of the sport, and I look forward to attending many more matches in the future.