Author: News on Shuffle

President Challenges Students To Succeed

President Obama, in a speech made yesterday, challenged students to stay in school and explore their potential. He predicted that some of the students he addressed could go on to do many great things in a number of different fields but would never know that unless they had the experiences given to them at school and completed their education. It was a very positive speech that talked directly to the youth of the nation without talking down at them. He mentioned that some may not have ideal living experiences now but that didn’t always have to be the case.

Where you are right now doesn’t have to determine where you’ll end up. No one’s written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.

President Obama wasn’t exclusively optimistic either. Yes the message was hopeful, but it was also realistic. He told the youth they may not necessarily all become instant celebrities, but with some hard work they could do whatever they put their minds to. They may not be good at every subject, but our failures can define us as much as our successes, citing JK Rowling and her Harry Potter series as an example. He concluded by saying that there is no shame in needing to ask for help and admitting you are not perfect. Life is about not giving up despite any challenges you may face. Finally he asked the youth what contributions they would add to our great nation.

There were many who had somewhat negative expectations of this speech, but I found it to be very well written and delivered. I hope that schools had their students actually listen to what the President had to say. I think it will be beneficial to them to hear his words of inspiration.

The Rising Star of Women’s Tennis

I have always said that men’s tennis was infinitely more interesting than watching the ladies play. Maybe there was a day when they were equally enjoyable, but now that the final match is usually a question of “Serena or Venus?” the sport has lost its hold on me. That was until this year, however. In a strange twist of fate the men’s section has become the predictable one with Roger Federer’s dominance of play, while the ladies draw has me waiting with anticipation to see who will make the finals. Kim Clijsters continues to make her bid at reclaiming the title with her family supporting her every step of the way. Meanwhile, a new star has come across my path: Melanie Oudin. Her fourth round victory over Nadia Petrova put her in the Quarterfinals, and she’s only seventeen. To get to her match with Petrova she also had to beat Maria Sharapova and Elena Dementieva, all matches that were with tough opponents and went to three sets. This is one girl you don’t want to mess with. If both Clijsters and Oudin can keep this up they may just see each other in the finals. That will be a match I won’t want to miss, and neither should you.

Famous Last Words

This is a prelimanry review. Pictures and commentary, as well as links to videos, will be posted within the week.

Last night was Star Child’s last show at 89.5 WSOU, Seton Hall’s radio station. It was evident from the first moments that she put a lot of thought into each and every detail. There were specialty blocks including New York/New Jersey bands and even a tiny trip down memory lane with some 90s tunes. There were also plenty of stories from friends who dropped by the studio and hung around to be a part of Star’s final moments on air. These were after her last interviews with some local artists, each with varying levels of popularity. Included in this list were ShiraGirl, Exit She Calls, Joe Wilson, and Kevin Devine. There was a very chill vibe in the studio, as if even the artists were friends just dropping by to say “hi”. (Of course, many of them were friends as well so that did help matters a bit). It was a great environment to have a show, and I was glad I was able to be a part of it all.

Encore

The tennis world has been lacking in female greats not named “Williams” for a few years now, but one shining star is ready to make a comeback.

Throughout her career, Clijsters was known for her outstanding athleticism and defense and moved around the court arguably better than anyone in the world, with her speed and ability to slide on almost any surface. Her slides usually ended in a famous Clijsters split, showcasing her flexibility. (Quote from title linked article)

That’s right folks, Kim Clijsters is looking to come out of retirement and become a full time tennis professional again. So far her encore has been going well. She made it to the third round with her victory over Marion Bartoli 5-7, 6-1, 6-2 in the second round and a first round victory over Viktoriya Kutuzova 6-1, 6-1 before that. It will be interesting to see how far she can make it, especially since her last tournament was her winning the title here at the U.S. Open in 2005. Stayed tuned for continuing coverage of Clijsters and the remains of the tournament.

Disneyfied

Today we look at the recently announced Disney/Marvel merger and what it really means. The title link helped to formulate some of the thoughts shared here. When I first heard about it my only thought was uncertainty. I wasn’t sure what to think about a seemingly odd merger. What would it mean for the Marvel characters we have grown to love? Will Disney take over and turn our heroes into a watered-down version of their former selves? After reading more about the possibilities here I realized that this doesn’t have to be the nightmare scenario some may be conjuring in their heads right now. It could be that Daddy Disney lets Marvel do its own thing while offering support where needed. This would mean the characters would be unchanged and possibly find a new playground to conquer. Plus Disney gets exposure of its own to the faithful followers of the Marvel brigade. Everybody wins; everybody is happy.

And they all lived happily ever after.

Just Do It

We all do it: over-analyze that tough decision to the point of madness. It’s easy to say “stop thinking too much and just do it” but not necessarily as easy to do. Studies suggest that our instincts actually are likely to be right and that thinking things through too much will only lead to fear and stop you from acting. It is always better to do something rather than nothing though. Whether it is going after the promotion you want or asking the person you are interested in out, inaction will only lead to regrets. The results may not be what you hoped for, but at least you can say that you tried.

Musical vs Movie

Many musicals live to become popular movies. Examples include Chicago, Cabaret, Les Miserables, and Phantom of the Opera (to name a few). Some would argue that these shows were meant for the stage while others like the movie giving more affordable access to a good story. I would argue that there are good things about both forms of presentation. There is nothing like watching a Broadway show unfold on stage. That being said, there are some things that are simply too hard to bring to life without the technical advancements of film. Sometimes the idea the people behind the show are trying to get across to it’s audience is easier to convey on film. The best would be to see the play in both forms. Go have the Broadway experience the cast and crew want to give you and keep that with you every time you watch the movie at home. That is the best way to get the full experience the show in question has to offer.

Spotlight: TM Promotions

“TM Promotions is a NY/NJ based booking and promotions firm.” This is how they describe themselves through their MySpace page. There is more to it than that, however. TM Promotions is music brought to you by people who really love their music. They are not just a “firm” — that sounds too technical and emotionless — they are people. Officially they are actually one person, TJ Olsen, but there are plenty of others who work closely to help out whenever possible. For instance if you check out the photography on the MySpace, that is brought to you by your humble blogger and a friend of ours. I will periodically be posting upcoming events and such in a segment that will be called: Brought to You by TM Promotions. Hope you will come check us out if you are in the area.

PNC on Notice

I recently attended a concert at PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ and have a few complaints I would like to share with the management.

1) If you are going to post a list of prohibited items on your website, please make sure it is COMPLETE. Having a basic item like a purse be restricted due to its size will cause many problems unless advance notice is given.

2) Prices: Charging twice the amount that items normally cost is criminal. I get that things are going to cost more at a venue like this but if it would have been cheaper to eat in New York then that is just ridiculous.

3) Organization: You’re parking lot is a maze. Please make signs clearer and make it easier for people who were dropped off to be picked up. My ride paid several more tolls than was necessary because he had to keep getting on and off the parkway.

The only thing I didn’t really have much complaint about was the actually staging. Sound quality was decent (although I have heard better) and even lawn seats have a decent view of the stage. Just need to work on the above mentioned issues and you could really have something here. I will say that those who drive as a group and get the full experience probably enjoy themselves more. My problem is for those who have transportation issues. Yes there is a train and shuttle you can take, but it is a long ride for most who would take it and costs money. The parking and driving issues that you could possibly encounter almost make it worth it to take the train, however. I guess it is all a matter of perspective.