Archive: Arts & Entertainment

SMART TALK: FELINE CAT

: By Jim Evans; Entertainment; | Nov 10, 2005 |

SMART TALK: FELINE CAT SMART TALK
By Sotto Voce, R.N.

FELINE CAT: Recently, I attended a language conference at Cornell University as a delegate from the Institute for the Linguistically Impaired. Since I treat many patients for Redundancy Disorder, I watch for symptoms everywhere I go. I was not surprised to notice that Cornell, in spite of its status, suffers from the disorder on an institutional level. For instance, it has prerequisites for its courses, not requisites. Typical collegiate verbosity.

However, I was surprised to see a symptom I had not encountered in treatment at the institute. I was even more surprised because Cornell’s College of Veterinary Medicine is world renowned. In spite of that college’s pool of expertise, the campus hosts the Cornell Feline Cat Club.

But I’m not a zoologist. Given the state of recombinant DNA research, perhaps canine cats exist. Or bovine cats. Who knows these days?

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Movie Review: Zathura

: By Dan Veaner; Entertainment; | Nov 10, 2005 |

When Director Jon Favreau appeared on "The Apprentice" a week or so ago I thought he was an idiot. He described the contestants' task as educating the public on how to pronounce the name of his movie, Zathura (pronounced zuh-THOOR-uh). I thought, if you want to market a movie, why don't you name it something people will understand and remember instead of wasting your marketing budget teaching them to pronounce it?

The movie is about two brothers who find a game called "Zathura" in the basement. When they play it, it comes to life. Since it is a space game, their house inexplicably ends up in outer space and the only way to get back into reality is to finish the game. Wait a minute. Wasn't the 1995 "Jumanji" about a game that comes to life?

Comics: The Lansing Cafe

: By Ben Veaner; Entertainment; | Nov 10, 2005 |

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Comics: The Lansing Cafe

: By Ben Veaner; Entertainment; | Nov 3, 2005 |

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Arlo Guthrie 40 Years Later

: By Dan Veaner; Entertainment; | Oct 27, 2005 |

Arlo Guthrie - Purchase Album A few years ago I saw half of the Monkees at the New York State Fair. It was a nice surprise that Mickey Dolenz had become a pretty good guitarist, but seeing an aging "cute" Davy Jones was pitiful, if not scary. So it was with a little trepidation that I went to see Arlo Guthrie at a sold-out performance in the State Theater on Friday (10/22) night.

I needn't have worried. I loved Arlo in the 60s for his unadorned outrage about red tape and everyday situations, and his just plain silliness. While it is 40 years since "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" became a hit, he still has a unique point of view that makes a world that takes itself too seriously a little more fun.

Drama Club Opens the Season With Two One-Acts

: By Dan Veaner; Entertainment; | Oct 27, 2005 |

The Lansing High School Drama Club presented two classic one act plays on Saturday (10/22). 20 students took roles in both plays in the Middle School Auditorium.

First up was "The Lottery." Written by Shirley Jackson more than a half century ago, the play portrays an "average" New England town that mindlessly continues the tradition of a lottery without challenging the reasons for holding it. Unlike modern lotteries with their enormous rewards, the "winner" of this lottery is stoned to death. The author said of her play that it is "a graphic dramatization of the pointless violence and general inhumanity in their own lives."

Comics: The Lansing Cafe

: By Ben Veaner; Entertainment; | Oct 27, 2005 |

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SMART TALK: FIRST PRIORITY

: By Jim Evans; Entertainment; | Oct 27, 2005 |

SMART TALK SMART TALK
By Dr. Winton “Windy” Prolix

FIRST PRIORITY: This redundancy, like top priority, main priority, etc., is a symptom many politicians display when they check in at the Institute for the Linguistically Impaired. We teach them that that which has priority is first. Enough said.

They also suffer from saying first of all, second of all, and so on to last of all, which is another part of the same impairment. They can have a list of priorities, but items on a list occur first, second, third, and on to last.

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Comics: The Lansing Cafe

: By Ben Veaner; Entertainment; | Oct 20, 2005 |

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Smart Talk: BREATHE IN AND OUT

: By Jim Evans; Entertainment; | Oct 13, 2005 |

Smart Talk SMART TALK

By Dr. Shirley Glibb

BREATHE IN AND OUT: To be hired as a therapist at the Institute for the Linguistically Impaired, I to go to a third floor office for a medical insurance checkup. When the doctor held his stethoscope to my back and told me, "Breathe in and out," I hesitated, thinking, "How else can I breathe?" My hesitation worried him.

Later, going into the bathroom on the same floor, I encountered a sign: "Toilet out of order. Please use floor below." So I did.

Of course, I was hired, in spite of the doctor's grave misgivings.

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Review: Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

: By Robin Presthus; Entertainment; | Oct 13, 2005 |

New York Times, Ithaca Journal, and Time magazine. All with full blown articles and reviews of the Newest Potter book. Here is one review written by a normal child, me.

I've been a big Potter fan ever since third grade when my teacher introduced me to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. From then on I read only Fantasy. Though I went through the Lord of the Rings, Narnia, and Xanth, Harry Potter's mystical world still was my favorite.

Purchase
On-line

Spoiler Alert! Do Not Continue If You Don't Want Vital Details Revealed!

Comics: The Lansing Cafe

: By Ben Veaner; Entertainment; | Oct 13, 2005 |

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Saving the Universe: Serenity

: By Dan Veaner; Entertainment; | Oct 6, 2005 |

Last year a science fiction show called "Firefly" came and went. Created by Josh Whedon, who was responsible for the hit series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," the show chronicled the adventures of a Han Solo-like spaceship's captain and his ragtag crew. A combination of sci-fi and western, the show left a lot of questions unanswered, perhaps frustrating its audience and truncating its run.

Last Friday the movie version, "Serenity," was released. The film compacts the story and answers many of the questions left open by the television version. It has focus, humor and plenty of action. And, evidently a following: the theater at the Pyramid Mall was filled.

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