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.

Boxing vs. Mixed Martial Arts

Prior to the last 10 years, boxing has been considered the world’s premier combat sport. From the days of the 1940’s with stars such as Jake Lamotta and Willie Pep to the 80’s with the likes of Sugar Ray Leonard and Marvelous Marvin Hagler, boxing has always been the most watched and talked about combat sport. However, within the past 10 years, boxing’s popularity has been surpassed by a new monster know as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). Mixed Martial Arts has gained the edge on boxing due to the quality and quantity of fights, as well as the superior promotion of the sport.

Over the long and storied history of boxing, one constant has always been quality fights. Boxing’s superstars have seemingly never been afraid to fight each other. A great example of this is Jake Lamotta and Sugar Ray Robinsons’ epic rivalry from 1942 to 1951, during which time the fighters met an unprecedented six times. Despite the fact that Robinson won a remarkable five out of six of these bouts, neither he nor Lamotta ever backed down from each other. This is one thing that the sport of boxing is dearly lacking today; great fighters who are not only willing, but eager to fight other great fighters. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. arguably the number one pound-for-pound boxer in the world today, is as guilty as anybody of this. Mayweather has been rightfully criticized by many for handpicking his opponents and avoiding any fighter who poses a legitimate threat to him. A perfect example of this was seen recently when he chose to fight Juan Manuel Marquez. Despite the fact that Marquez was considered by many as a top five pound-for-pound fighter, he had never competed above the lightweight limit of 135 pounds. Mayweather was used to welterweight class of 147 pounds and is a natural for that division. The fight between Mayweather and Marquez was a catch weight bout originally to take place at 144 pounds, but eventually occurred at a limit of 146 pounds because of Mayweather failing to make the original limit. From the opening bell it was evident that Marquez did not belong in the same ring as Mayweather. The additional eleven pounds was just too much for Marquez to overcome, as Mayweather easily earned a unanimous decision. Instead of taking the fight against Marquez who had to rise up two weight classes, Mayweather could have chose to fight someone who is also a natural welterweight, like Shane Mosley or Paul Williams.

The sport of Mixed Martial Arts has none of these problems. In Mixed Martial Arts, the best of each weight class routinely fight each other. A great example of a fighter who embodies the willingness to fight anyone at anytime is Chuck Liddell, who is commonly referred to as “The Iceman.” Liddell has never ducked anyone in his career, quite a contrast to someone like Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Liddell has fought a “who’s who” list of fighters such as Quinton Jackson, Randy Couture, Vitor Belfort, Tito Ortiz, and Wanderlei Silva, just to name a few. Another reason why MMA has seen a rise in popularity over boxing is due to the higher number of times its superstars fight. In boxing it is typical for stars to only fight twice per year. In Mixed Martial Arts it is common for a superstar to fight three times a year. For example since 2002 Mayweather has only fought three times a year once, while Liddell has done it four times. While this may not seem like a significant number, it is. This means that the fans have more opportunities to see MMA fighters fight in the prime of their careers, which helps to boost Mixed Martial Arts’ popularity as a whole. Yet another reason why MMA has dominated boxing over the past few years is the superior promotion of Mixed Martial Arts cards over boxing cards. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the premier MMA organization and is a great example of MMA’s superior promotion. In general, the UFC holds one pay-per-view card per month. This gives the viewers many opportunities over the course of the year to watch their favorite fighters and to get to know the up and coming fighters of tomorrow. The quality of the pay-per-view cards is also very important. UFC cards typically have five fights if there is no championship bout, and four if there is one. There are also many great fighters and recognizable names on the undercard bouts. Compare that to boxing, where pay-per-view events are scattered throughout the year, and don’t provide undercards worth watching. It is easy to see that you get more bang for your buck with MMA. A final comment about promotion is that MMA greatly benefits from having agreements with network and cable television channels such as CBS and Spike TV. Strikeforce, another MMA organization, broadcast a free event on CBS on November 7, 2009. This event featured Fedor Emelianenko who is considered to be the one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. This could never happen in boxing, as all of the events featuring superstars are either on premium channels such as HBO and Showtime, or pay-per-view.

In conclusion, Mixed Martial Arts has taken over boxing as the world’s most popular combat sport. They have achieved this success through a combination of superior promotion and visibility. However, boxing has also contributed to MMA’s rise due to its lack of big time fights. If boxing ever wants to be on top again it should look to not only it’s storied past, but also to what MMA is doing right now as firm examples of how to succeed.

The Bank Job

One of my favorite movies set in another time and location is The Bank Job. The Bank Job was released in 2007, but the setting was 1971 in London, England. The movie depicts the infamous 1971 Baker Street robbery in which small-time thieves managed to pull off one of the biggest bank heists in history, walking away with £1.5 million cash and £3m overall. The setting of this movie is very well done, and helps to make the plot and thus the movie very believable.
All aspects of the setting in The Bank Job are well done, and greatly help to immerse the audience into the movie. One example of how the setting helps to engross the audience in the movie occurs during the scene where the London Police are frantically trying to figure out which bank is being robbed. In this scene, the viewer gets to see the streets of London, which accurately reflect the era that is being portrayed. There is an authentic feel of the period in the scenery details, from the clothing style to the automobiles, which are representative of London during the 1970’s. Despite its general accuracy the fashion also has a modern twist to it. Some of the suits worn by the government agents in the movie look very contemporary, and up to today’s style, not the 1970’s. Another example of how the viewer is immersed into the movie lies within the actors' depiction of the characters’ attributes, such as tone of voice, inflection and intonation. It seems obvious, but a good accent can make or break a movie’s credibility; and the accents in The Bank Job were done perfectly.
Although it is true that many movies may give a good general overview of a place and time period, it is the subtle details that can leave one misinformed. Many directors of movies are more concerned with taking creative liberties and entertaining their audiences than they are with being 100 percent accurate to the details of a time period. If one wants to gain a basic understanding of a certain time and place, movies aren’t a bad place to start. However subtle inaccuracies, like the aforementioned, are why I believe that movies are not a very good way to learn the true particulars of a time period.

Amon Amarth

On my mp3 player I have many songs and albums that I have yet to listen to. They can go unheard for a variety of reasons. Maybe I just haven’t had the time to listen to them. Or perhaps, I was unsure of whether I would like the music or not. Two such albums were Fate of Norns and With Oden on Our Side by the band Amon Amarth. In fact, the only reason I have them on my mp3 player is due to my brother’s insistence.
I had heard my brother listening to Amon Amarth before, but I never thought that they were a band that I would also enjoy. After all, their self-described genre of music is “melodic death metal.” Melodic death metal is a very extreme genre of music that pairs the melodies and grooves of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal with the darkness and intensity of death metal. Often, like in the band Amon Amarth, the vocals consist of “death growls” which is typical for the death metal genre. It is easy to see how one could be put off by a band like Amon Amarth, but I decided to give them a listen anyway.
The first song that I listened to was the title track from the album With Oden on Our Side. It is safe to say that as soon as I heard the intro to this song, with its pounding drums and heavy riffs, I was hooked. Even though I was previously hesitant and skeptical of the vocal style of singer Johan Hegg, I soon came to realize that it perfectly compliments the band’s musical style. The blend of vocals and the instrumentals is an intense combination to say the least.
The lyrics from the track “With Oden on Our Side” describe a battle between two bands of Vikings, from the point of view of the side that is outnumbered. However, despite their numerical disadvantage they know that they will be triumphant because according to the lyrics, “With Oden on Our Side, We are victorious.” The lyrical content of this song gives a good overview of the content of Amon Amarth’s lyrics; as they are all based out of Norse mythology and the time of the Vikings.
After hearing this song, I decided to give the whole album a listen. To my surprise, I liked what I heard. The album featured more of the same gargantuan riffs, intense solos, booming drums, and coarse vocals all at a rampant pace. I am very glad that I decided to let the music speak for itself and that I didn’t just delete them from my mp3 player because of some preconceived notion that I had about them. The message within death metal really isn’t my thing, but I’ve come to find out that Amon Amarth’s overall sound may be of that genre, but that the lyrics are not. I guess it’s true what they say, “Don’t knock it ‘till you try it.”

Vicarious

The definition of vicarious is “felt or experienced as if one were taking part in the experience or feelings of another.” Tool scored a hit on rock radio with their 2006 song “Vicarious” off of their album “10,000 Days.” However, despite its popularity, “Vicarious” was not written with commercial success in mind. The lyrics of this song definitely can be considered vicarious as they are explicit, shocking, sensational and vivid. In fact, if one analyzes the lyrics, it is clear that the song “Vicarious” questions the fundamental nature of mankind.
The song “Vicarious,” is seven minutes long and begins with a mysterious and dark sounding riff being played by both the electric guitar and the bass. In the background, one can also hear drummer Danny Carey playing chimes, which only adds to the ominous feeling of the intro to the song. At approximately 45 seconds into the song, the song changes pace, and suddenly a surprisingly hard riff and groove is heard. Just before the opening lyrics of the song are sung the guitar disappears, leaving only the bass and the drums to back up the singer. The opening lines of the song are “Eye on the TV ‘cause tragedy thrills me, Whatever flavor it happens to be.” Lead singer Maynard James Keenan then goes on to name different “flavors” of tragedy in the lines that follow: “Killed by the husband, Drowned by the Ocean, Shot by his own son, She used the poison in his tea, And kissed him goodbye.” These tragedies are all typical and consistent with those that headline the news each night. In fact, if you listen carefully, you can hear news anchors in the background echoing what Keenan is saying. However, it is important to note that Keenan isn’t criticizing the news for broadcasting stories like the above examples. Rather, he is criticizing the public for craving these types of stories. This is supported by the last line of the first verse where Keenan sings “It’s no fun ‘til someone dies.” While uttering these lines, Keenan’s voice changes to an almost sadistic snarl. This tone of voice helps Keenan to get his point across of how people crave tragedy.
The main point of the song “Vicarious” is that all people in today’s society relish in others misfortunes and view them as entertainment, yet refuse to admit it. This point is illustrated in many lines throughout the song. In the lyrics of the second verse, “Don’t look at me like I am a monster. Frown out your one face, But with the other, Stare like a junkie into the TV, Stare like a zombie, While the mother holds her child, Watches him die, Hand to the sky crying “Why, oh why?” ‘Cause I need to watch things die from a distance.” These lines are very straightforward and accusatory. What Keenan is saying is that everyone receives a sensational rush while they see another persons’ misfortunes, whether they would like to admit it or not. A real life experience that supports this is driving by an accident scene, whether it involves cars, trucks, buildings or trees, people or animals. No matter how major or minor the damage to both the people and the property are, people cannot resist the temptation of gawking and staring at the accident. A statement about society’s conscience is made halfway through the song’s lyrics. Keenan points out that the public’s sense of right and wrong is horribly skewed. According to him, no ordinary picture or event captures our imaginations like a tragedy. As the song observes, “We won’t give pause until the blood is flowing.”
Building towards its conclusion, the song suddenly loses its momentum and slows down. As the pace of the song dwindles, singer Maynard James Keenan whispers the lines “We all feed on tragedy, It’s like blood to a vampire.” No sooner does he complete this thought then the music picks back up to its previous pace as Keenan shouts the final lyrics of the song. The lapse in tempo helps to emphasize the above lyrics, despite the fact that they were whispered. These lyrics insinuate that people don’t only use tragedies as diversion from their own lives, but that they have become such an ingrained part of our daily culture that they are necessary to survival “like blood to a vampire.”
Keenan not only confronts and addresses this issue; he also demands that it be fixed. He does so in the following lines, “Pull your head out your hippy haze and listen. Shouldn’t have to say it all again.” This lyric hits hard because it is a direct slap at anyone who has derived pleasure from someone else’s misfortune. It can also be implied that it is shameful and embarrassing to have this human need to feed off of others troubles.
The song “Vicarious” by Tool points out a fundamental flaw within mankind to gain satisfaction through another’s ruin. Tool makes this point through an unconventional song structure that does not have a chorus. It does however have scathing lyrics and vocals by singer Maynard James Keenan, delivered direct and upfront approach. The dark musical tone of the song contributes very much to the overall message of the song.

British Steel

Judas Priest released the album “British Steel” in April of 1980. This album is considered by many as the album that helped to launch Judas Priest’s popularity. The album cover for “British Steel” is one of the most iconic in the history of metal music. Despite the simplistic nature of the cover, there are many interpretations that can be drawn from it.
The cover of “British Steel” features a realistic depiction of a man’s hand from the wrist up holding a razor blade over a black background. One of the more subtle details of this picture is the fact that there is a studded leather cuff on the man’s hand. This cuff is very significant. Judas Priest was the first metal band to begin wearing leather and studded metal pieces such as this one. This became not only a mainstay in the fashion of Judas Priest, but of the genre of metal music to this day. The studded leather apparel has come to symbolize the hardened attitude that is associated with metal. Another detail of the album cover is that it is dark and shadowy. This mirrors that tone and demeanor of the songs contained within this album.
The focal point of the album cover is the oversized razor blade the man is seen holding. Many conclusions can be drawn from the imagery of this razor blade. A noticeable part of the razor blade is that it bear’s the album’s title, “British Steel”, on it. The title “British Steel” can be interpreted two different ways. First, the band Judas Priest is from Birmingham, England, a once thriving town whose economy was based off of the steel industry. Second, steel is a type of metal, and Judas Priest is often thought of as the first true metal band. Another conclusion that can be drawn from the razor blade is that it is obviously sharp. This is directly related to the genre of metal music. Metal music is often described as having an edge about it, and the razor blade signifies that edge. A final conclusion that can be drawn from the razor blade is the fact that is very oversized, or in other words, larger than life. This is important because Judas Priest are often considered to be “Metal Gods”, and seemed in fact to be larger than life.
Many conclusions can be drawn from a simple picture. Various factors impact how one interprets a certain image. These factors can range from color and tone all the way to subject matter. However, the beauty in interpreting an image is that each of us has the power to draw our own conclusions.

The Text is a Lie

While shopping for books during the first day of school, I was pleasantly surprised to find that one of the English books that I was required to buy wasn’t like the standard English books that I had become so accustomed to in high school. As soon as I saw this book, The World is a Text, by Jonathan Silverman and Dean Rader, it grabbed my interest. Perhaps it was the neon colors on the mock “Welcome to Las Vegas” sign, or maybe it was the fact that the book didn’t look old and crusty like so many English books do. I instantly was excited by the idea that we would be reading a modern textbook, and began flipping through the pages. The pictures also caught my eye, as they seemed to match the book’s cover with their up-to-date style. For once in my life I was actually anxious to read an English book.

When we received our first reading assignment, the book seemed to be living up to the hype. I was legitimately excited to be reading the book, because it contained topics that interested me like the television show Family Guy. I was even more elated to read the essay that we were assigned on video games. Little did I know that one essay could so radically change my opinion of the book. The essay was titled “Reading and Writing About Video Games”, and was written by Peter Hartlaub. I had no problems with it until I started reading about Halo. The article claimed that “In the lower left-hand corner of the screen a circular radar sensor shows that six heavily armed insect creatures are on foot, fifteen meters away, and closing ground fast.” Now with me being a big-time Halo fan and player this statement was particularly troubling to me. First off, Halo equips its players with motion sensors, not radars. This is a huge difference. A radar detects any object in its path, while a motion sensor only detects moving objects. This is a key difference in a game like Halo, because if you are trying to sneak up on someone, which happens often in Halo, it is important that the enemy cannot tell where you are. The essay also claims that from the “radar” you can tell that there are “six insect creatures on foot who are 15 meters away.” In reality, from the motion sensor in Halo you cannot tell what type of enemy is approaching, nor if they are on the ground or in the air, nor how far away they are.

I would have been able to forgive one unfactual statement, but there is still one other inaccuracy that has caught my eye. In the essay entitled “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, by Matt Compton, the author claims that in the song, lead singer Kurt Cobain “repeats the word ‘Hello’ fifteen times” during the pre-chorus. This claim is undeniably false. In the lyrics, Cobain truly sings “Hello, Hello, Hello, How Low?” three times before singing “Hello” three more times and launching into the chorus.

To me it is very disturbing and alarming that a textbook that claims to be suitable for college use can be riddled with statements that they claim as fact, yet are totally inaccurate. I guess I should have listened to the advice my parents always told me: You can’t judge a book by its cover.

Interview with Carly

For the interview assignment, my partner was Carly. Carly is the youngest of 3 girls in her family, and hails from Downingtown, PA. While living here at Lehigh, she is housed in Dravo and plans on majoring in math. Carly will also play on the field hockey team while at Lehigh.

Carly has many hobbies. These hobbies include running and watching the T.V. show Desperate Housewives. Carly was also on the lacrosse team at her high school. Another thing that she enjoys is rooting for the Philadelphia Phillies and the Philadelphia Eagles. Carly's favorite food is chicken, which goes great with her favorite drink, red fruit punch Gatorade. Her taste in music includes pop with some country, and one of her favorite artists is Taylor Swift. Pink is Carly's favorite color. Before coming to Lehigh, Carly worked for Specialty Medical Products (SMP) and provided general office help. A final interesting fact about Carly is that when she was about 5 years old she ran into a snowman that had frozen overnight, leaving her with a fractured skull. It was nice to have the opportunity to get to know Carly through this interview assignment.

The Hawk's Nest

The Hawk's Nest is just one of many places for students to get food at Lehigh University. But, perhaps the thing that sets it apart from the other dining options on campus is its heavy emphasis on entertainment rather than food.

When I first entered the Hawk's Nest today it was empty, but I still got a great sense of the atmosphere. From the memorabilia and old newspapers on the walls, it was easily apparent that this is a place of great pride and school spirit. The Hawk's Nest also evoked a feeling of comfort. This feeling of comfort radiates from the old wooden benches, chairs, and tables, and the carpet on the second floor.

The Hawk's Nest also felt like a sports bar. The "sporty" feel comes from many different sources. For one, there is the 3 big screen HD televisions, one of which is housed on the first floor, with the other two on the second floor. One the second floor there are also 2 air hockey tables, 1 pool table, and 1 foosball table. I am definitely looking forward to spending some time in the Hawk's Nest, rooting on the Mountain Hawks and just having an overall good time.