‘The Uninvited’ mystifies audiences Page 10
Volume 6, Issue 3 HTTP://VALENCIAVOICE.COM February 4, 2009 Iraqi election has low turnout
By Leila Fadel McClatchy Newspapers
BAGHDAD — Voter turnout in Iraq’s provincial elections Saturday Feb. 1 was the lowest in the nation’s short history as a democracy, despite a relative calm across the nation. Only about 7.5 million of more than 14 million registered voters went to the polls. Interviews suggest that the low voter turnout is an indication of Iraqi disenchantment with a democ- racy that, so far, has brought them very little. Since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003 and the fall of a brutal dictator, Iraq- Gary W. Green, Orlando Sentinel / MCT is witnessed unprecedented violence Pittsburgh’s Santonio Holmes makes the game-winning catch as the Steelers beat the Arizona Cardinals 27-23 in Super Bowl XLIII at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa. in their nation and what they believe is humiliation under a foreign occu- pation. Even on Saturday, U.S. tanks could be spotted across Baghdad on largely empty roads. Steelers stun Cardinals Following elections in 2005 Iraq spiraled into a sectarian war. People Pittsburgh rallies for victory, sets record with 6th Super Bowl title cowered in their homes while oth- ers literally killed each other in the streets. Many here feel the people By David Haugh 35 seconds remaining capped a furious fourth quar- “I said to (Roethlisberger) that I wanted to be the they elected were party to or at least Chicago Tribune ter that included two lead changes, three TDs and a guy to make the play for this team,” said Holmes, complicit in the violence. The secu- safety in the final 7 minutes 41 seconds. named most valuable player. rity forces, too, were feared as sectar- TAMPA, Fla. — When the Pittsburgh Steelers On the game-winning play, Ben Roethlisberger Holmes was put in the position to play hero only ian death squads; Iraqis believed that won their fifth Super Bowl three years ago, the fran- bought time by shuffling to his right and fired a pass after his wide receiver counterpart, Larry Fitzgerald American raids or passing U.S. tanks chise dubbed it “one for the thumb.” over three defenders to the only spot in the right cor- of the Cardinals, made a rescue necessary. sometimes resulted in innocent civil- Sunday night’s 27-23 victory over the Arizona ner Holmes could catch it. A fully extended Holmes Arizona created Fitzgerald’s opportunity to win ian deaths. Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII was one for the ages. kept both feet on the ground as he reached as far as the game by forcing a safety with 2:58 left. A hold- Many blame the U.S. presence in “If I could win any way, it would be like that,” said he could to pull in the catch that instantly went into ing call on center Justin Hartwig in the end zone for Iraq for sowing the seeds of sectari- winning coach Mike Tomlin, 36, the youngest coach the Super Bowl time capsule. tackling a blitzing Chike Okeafor made it 20-16 and anism by bringing back exiles to rule to win a Super Bowl. “Steeler football is for 60 min- It was Holmes’ fourth catch on the game-winning got the ball back for Kurt Warner. them. utes. It’s never going to be pretty.” eight-play, 78-yard drive, a series that started with the On the Cardinals’ second play, from the 36-yard Beyond the disillusionment, thou- History will remember this Super Bowl as a beauty. wide receiver making a request of his quarterback in Continued on Page 2 Continued on Page 2 Santonio Holmes’ 6-yard touchdown catch with the huddle. Stimulus package still awaits refinement
By David Lightman show more staggering job losses. McClatchy Newspapers Votes on specific proposal are likely to start Tuesday, with final passage by the end of the week. It will be, said Senate WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate this week will debate the fu- Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, “a long, hard slog.” ture of the American economy. The Senate will start with a blueprint that includes $342 Everything’s up for discussion and subject to largely unpredictable billion in tax cuts, some $67 billion more than the House votes: How to levy taxes, create jobs, help people buy homes, rein- included in its version last week. The biggest difference is the vigorate ailing state and local governments. Senate’s inclusion of a break in the alternative minimum tax And because of the Senate’s quirky way of doing business _ as for an estimated 24 million people this year. well as a growing sense that the plan passed by the House last week is The biggest tax cut, though, is virtually the same as one flawed — almost any idea could win or lose. passed by the House, an effective $500 per person rebate for Officially, senators are considering an $889 billion stimulus pack- most taxpayers in 2009 and 2010. Total cost: An estimated age, as economic news grows grimmer. Fresh in their minds is Fri- $142 billion. day’s new data showing the economy shrank 3.8 percent in the fourth That’s not enough, though, for many Republicans, who quarter of 2008, its worst quarterly decline in nearly 27 years, and the will push to lower tax rates now paid by lower and middle- prospect that January unemployment figures, due out this Friday, will Continued on Page 2 VALENCIA VOICE February 4, 2009
game. Then Warner got hot. Steelers truimph He completed all eight of his passes on an 87-yard drive that pulled the Cardinals with- Economic stimulus plan over Cardnals in in 20-14. Then after the safety, Warner hit Fitzgerald in stride for the 64-yard TD that Super Bowl XLIII stopped the “Terrible Towels” in the partisan still under construction Pittsburgh crowd of 70,774 from waving. Continued from Cover spending far more, and got some Democrat- Continued from Cover “My whole goal was to make good deci- ic backing, at least in principle, as Sen. Patty sions and I was just going to be patient this income taxpayers. Murray, D-Wash., plans to offer a proposal line, Warner took advantage of the respect the game,” Warner said. “The unfortunate thing is They say that rebates do not provide that would boost infrastructure spending. Steelers defense was giving Fitzgerald. Before we made too many mistakes.” enough money to jolt an economy mired in Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., estimated the snap, safety Troy Polamalu lined up 24 The most pivotal one came from Warner what’s likely to be the worst recession since Sunday on CBS’ “Face the Nation” that $20 yards deep and was in no position to break up himself. World War II. to $30 billion more could be proposed. the quick slant to Fitzgerald. Down 10-7, Arizona had first-and-goal at When people got rebates from the 2008 Republicans are piecing together a housing Cornerback Ike Taylor had jammed the 1 with 18 seconds left in the first half and stimulus, “they paid down their individual package that could include a plan for the fed- Fitzgerald before releasing the receiver to lined up with wide receivers Anquan Boldin debt . . . but they didn’t take the money and eral government to guarantee 4 percent mort- safeties whose depth made it impossible and Fitzgerald flanked to the left. Steelers go out and buy a car,” said Sen. Robert Ben- gages and make them available for a limited to make a play. The resulting 64-yard TD linebacker James Harrison, lined up outside nett, R-Utah. amount of time. Current rates are around 5 gave the Cardinals a 23-20 lead and set up Cardinals left tackle Mike Gandy, faked as if Instead, Republicans will seek to lower the percent. a happy ending so much of America had he were rushing the passer before floating to current 15 and 10 percent income tax rates by GOP lawmakers estimate that the average sought for Warner. the spot he anticipated Warner would throw. 5 percentage points each. family would see its monthly mortgage pay- But the Steelers edited the script with a Warner never saw Harrison and threw it right Currently, married couples pay a 10 per- ment drop by $466 a month, or $5,600 a year. scene less sentimental but more dramatic. into his hands. cent tax on income up to $16,700. Reducing Over the life of a 30-year loan, that’s a savings “We’re going down in history with one of Then the player who nearly quit to become that rate would save about $500 per couple. of $167,760. the greatest games ever played in the Super a bus driver after getting cut four times weaved Republicans would also lower the 15 per- The cost of the program is unclear, but Bowl,” said Holmes, who caught nine passes his way 100 yards through Arizona traffic and cent rate now levied on couples earning be- Republican Policy Committee Chairman John for 131 yards and a touchdown. into the Super Bowl record books. He ran tween $16,700 and $67,900, saving working Ensign of Nevada is promoting the idea. It gave the Steelers franchise its sixth Super through Warner’s tackle attempt, made a nif- couples another $1,100, according to Repub- “You have to fix housing; otherwise I don’t Bowl title, more than any other team. To many ty cut and raced down the Cardinals sideline lican estimates. Single filers would get similar think the economy is going to recover,” he the victory will validate the Rooney family’s untouched until Gandy unsuccessfully tried reductions either way, and, said GOP Senate said. Schumer had similar thoughts: “I think surprising choice of Tomlin over in-house knocking him out of bounds at the 10. Fitzger- Leader Mitch McConnell, “everyone who we’ll get some real agreement on the housing candidate Russ Grimm to replace Bill Cowher ald attempted to strip the ball at the end zone works and pays income tax would see an im- part,” he said. in 2007 with the help of Steve Breaston, but Harrison mediate increase in pay.” The corporate break would involve what’s “I would like to thank President Obama and prevailed, tumbling over the goal line to make Democrats have resisted such cuts, saying called “repatriation,” meaning companies can all of Steeler Nation for supporting us through it 17-7. the bill already consists of about 30 percent bring back foreign earnings and have them taxed the year,” owner Dan Rooney said. As Harrison, the NFL defensive player of tax cuts. in this country at a temporarily reduced rate. Warner nearly ruined the night for the the year, lay flat on his back after returning an More likely areas of agreement could in- The change is seen as a way to prod firms Rooneys and all of Pittsburgh. He became the interception 100 yards for a touchdown, Tom- volve infrastructure, housing and a corporate to spend more in this country, and would cost first quarterback in Super Bowl history to have lin raced across the field to check on his man tax break. the government about $40 billion. three 300-yard passing games by going 31 of of steel. There’s a lot of sentiment to include more Democrats control 58 Senate seats, mean- 43 for 377 yards and three TDs. Super man indeed. for rebuilding roads, bridges and other public ing they need only two Republicans to stop Taking what the Steelers gave him for the “I would say it was the greatest play in works projects. About $27 billion is devoted a filibuster, and both sides are talking coop- first three quarters, Warner stayed away from Super Bowl history,” defensive coordinator to highway projects, $8.4 billion for public eration. As Senate Assistant Majority Leader the deep passing game that defines the Car- Dick LeBeau, 71, said. “We don’t win without transportation and $5.5 billion for “competi- Richard Durbin, D-Ill., told Fox News Sun- dinals. The no-huddle offense that had been (that) play.” tive grants to state and local governments for day, “We’re open about this.” good to Warner didn’t appear until the Car- transportation investments.” dinals trailed 20-7 with 11 minutes left in the — MCT Campus Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., suggested — MCT Campus
Disillusioned population results in weak Iraqi elections
Continued from Cover this was a mistake on the voters’ part. Many didn’t check where they were supposed to sands of potential voters were unable to cast vote before Election Day. Transfer to the world of ballots Saturday because official voter lists Most of the confusion seemed to be con- did not contain their names. Street protests centrated in Sunni Arab and Kurdish areas. Webster University resulted. On Sunday, al-Maliki’s alliance, Coalition of “I didn’t participate in this election be- the State of Law, seemed to be the big winner, cause I don’t trust any list,” Yasir Baqir, but preliminary results will not be available un- 28, said on Saturday in Fallujah. “Like any til the end of the week. Al-Maliki spent weeks EARN YOUR BACHELOR’S DEGREE election, we read and see many promises heavily campaigning for the slate of candidates but nothing real (happens) and there is still from the Coalition of the State of Law. He was UÊVVÕÌ}ÊUÊ ÕÃiÃÃÊ`ÃÌÀ>Ì a crisis, a security crisis, an economic and a widely criticized by other slates for using gov- UÊ >>}iiÌÊÜÌ Êi« >ÃÃÊÊÕ>Ê,iÃÕÀViÃÊ >>}iiÌÊÊ services crisis.” ernment resources to campaign. UÊ >>}iiÌÊUÊ*ÃÞV }Þ Saturday’s turnout of about 51 percent The extent of the power of the provincial was well below the 76 percent turnout who councils is unclear. They control local secu- cast ballots in national elections in December rity and public facilities, and influence local 2005 and even below 57 percent who voted ministry official appointees. However, their for provincial councils and their national as- budgets come from the central government. s 'ENEROUS 4RANSFER OF #REDIT 0OLICY sembly in January 2005. On Election Day in Governors, who are elected by the provincial s .O #,!34 OR &OREIGN ,ANGUAGE 2EQUIREMENT January 2005, 44 people were killed. Satur- councils, can be ousted by a vote of the na- s ) ISSUED TO QUALIlED STUDENTS 4UITION COSTS ARE SAME AS DOMESTIC day one person was reported killed in non- tional parliament. s #REDITS FROM REGIONALLY ACCREDITED SCHOOLS EVALUATED AT NO CHARGE election related violence. Al-Maliki has strongly advocated for a s 3MALL #LASSES -EET /NE %VENING 0ER 7EEK “There was a mood of apathy before the stronger central government and weaker s #ONVENIENT &REE 0ARKING s &REE #OFFEE4EA(OT #HOCOLATE elections,” said Ali al-Adeeb a Shiite legisla- provinces. If he can fill provinces with his tor from Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s supporters, he may be able to garner further UÊ««ÞÊÌ`>ÞÊ>ÌÊÜÜÜ°ÜiLÃÌiÀ°i`Õ Dawa party. “Many asked themselves what power for the federal government. is the good? Why should we vote and for Many officials outside of al-Maliki’s circle what? The enthusiasm came as the elections worry he has grown too strong. got closer.” He recast himself last year as a nation- Despite the turnout, the Independent High alist despite heading a Shiite Islamist party. Electoral Commission said participation was Al-Maliki’s crackdown on Shiite militias in North Orlando: 3ANLANDO #ENTER s a positive sign for provincial elections. The the south and in Baghdad, and his support South Orlando: 7ESTWOOD #ORPORATE #ENTER s commission also characterized voting viola- for Arab parties in the Kurdish Arab regions £nnnÎäÓn£££ÊUÊÜÜÜ°ÜiLÃÌiÀ°i`ÕÉÀ>` tions on Election Day as extremely low. have given him new backing from some Regionally Accredited by The Higher Learning Commission, and a member of the “(The commission) is very pleased with Arab Sunni constituents. .ORTH #ENTRAL !SSOCIATION WWWNCAHLCORG the turn out,” said Judge Qassim al-Aboudi. Iraqis cast their ballots in 42,000 heavily “All these complaints who claimed not to be secured polling stations across the country on EC-774 Transfer5x6.5.indd 1 1/30/09 2:03:14 PM on a voter registry for a number of reasons Saturday. The electoral commission received were at the wrong center or did not update the most complaints from Nineveh and Diya- their information.” la provinces, where Kurds and Arabs rub up Despite that assessment, it seems that against each other and are vying for power. tens of thousands of mostly displaced peo- ple didn’t get to vote. The commission said — MCT Campus February 4, 2009 VALENCIA VOICE Autistic boy, Students join dog connect for discussion By Amy Wilson By Reese Wallace McClatchy Newspapers [email protected]
LEXINGTON, Ky. _ It’s early July, and ORLANDO, Fl._Valencia’s Get Into Read- Michael wants nothing to do with the dog. ing program held its first discussion group on The feeling, if you can judge a new puppy’s Wednesday to talk about Zora Neale Hur- intent, is not mutual. ston’s “Their Eyes Were Watching God.” The Michael is a 5-year-old child, diagnosed amount of students who turn out surprised the within the wide autism syndrome label, who staff hosting the event. doesn’t want to be touched, much less touch “It was beyond expectations,” said Regina the animal in front of him. Seguin, a librarian at Valencia’s West Campus. Mercury is a 10-week-old black Labrador Their were 82 students who came to the event who wants nothing more than to be touched and the seats in the room were overflowing and played with. causing some students to have to sit on the If the goal is to make Mercury responsive floor. to Michael’s needs, you first have to get them The Get Into Reading program on Valen- to acknowledge each other. cia’s West Campus have many classes involved And make no mistake, that’s the goal. Be- in reading Hurston’s novel, which is her most cause if therapists and dog trainers can figure famous work about a young black woman in out a way to get Mercury to sense what Mi- Florida in the early 20th century. chael is doing or about to do, and then disrupt Students came to the event for a number of it or comfort him through it, there is fresh (David Stephenson/Lexington Herald-Leader/MCT) reasons, but the most frequent reason that came Occupational therapist grad student Jaci Durham helps Michael Farthing, a 6-year-old with autism, reason to think autistic children can be armed during an exercise with a black lab named Mercury who had been in training since he was a puppy. up was academics. “My teacher is the reason I with a new and highly effective _ did we men- came,” said Corey Cunningham, a Valencia stu- tion wet-nosed? _ weapon against a world that But to use dogs as assistance animals for let Mercury sit next to him without incident. dent, “my teacher and extra credit.” doesn’t understand them. children with autism is so complicated that “A lot of people think I’m stretching for a After the video the students split into differ- But there is a problem here. Autistic chil- what is happening with Michael and Mercury miracle, like I’m trying to make him normal,” ent groups to discuss questions about the book dren want little or no eye contact with others. is, though with some precedent, sort of being Kim Farthing says. and Hurston’s life. The hosting staff thought Dogs crave it. Autistic children are often non- made up as it goes along. She shakes her head no. the discussion got off to a slow start, but a responsive to verbal cues and praise. Dogs This is how it works: Two willing and eager Michael, like many children with autism, question about the nature of the sexes got the wait for the former and live for the latter. How parents, Chris and Kim Farthing, explain Mi- tends to wander away from home and familiar group involved. to get them to speak each other’s language is chael’s behavior and their needs regarding that boundaries. If Mercury can stop that, if he can “When you bring up contentious issues the issue. behavior to experienced dog trainer Jo Brosius. even just go with Michael when he goes, that people really…” said Seguin before lapsing into The breakthrough that is to come in the Brosius, in turn, explains what she can do with will be enough. silence looking for the right word to describe months ahead for Michael and Mercury will Mercury to Jaci Durham and Peggy Wittman, “I just want Michael safe.” the reaction of the crowd. “That’s the point of not be a miracle. It will take weeks of coax- an occupational therapy master’s candidate A good friend had seen a story about au- great literature, tying into important concepts ing and more than a little invention. But it will and her academic adviser, who then discuss tism assistance dogs on a network magazine of today.” come, when someone gets the bright idea to what Michael might accept _ be it closeness, show in early 2008. Seguin thinks the events will only get better open a can of shaving cream. distraction, companionship _ from the dog. The Farthings had a lot to think about when as the semester goes on. “People haven’t gotten The idea of using animals to help human It’s a constant communication between inviting a new permanent “family member” into the book yet,” she said, “I think it was a beings is not new. The idea of using horses to each team member about what is working and into their home. They have two other children good starting point.” The next Get Into Read- help autistic children with movement and stim- what isn’t. It’s invention at every level, some- _ Creed, Michael’s twin brother, and Jordan, ing discussion event is on Wednesday February ulation issues has been around for a while. times with as simple a goal as to get Michael to his 8-year-old sister. 4 at 8:30 a.m.
>C::327<;/ UCF Learning on Demand.com C 1 4 A B / < 2 A 4 = @ = > > = @ B C < 7 B G & @51! 4 VALENCIA VOICE February 4 , 2009 Director of Design - Rober Navaille Director of Sales - Jackie Minto Valencia Voice Managing Editors: Design - Kyle Beard Interactive - Adam Butter eld News - Trey McConnell Opinion - Shaneece Dixon Sports - Alex Barrett Features - Ebony Chance, Olivia Pullinger, Omshante Lee and Emiliana White Newsroom: 407-582-5040 Sales: 407-582-1572 / 407-582-1572 (fax) [email protected] [email protected] Our Voice Segregation affects gay community Where there was once a civil in two key states during the last rights barrier, a barrier prevent- election cycle: California and MCT Campus ing African-Americans opportu- Florida. nity to progress in our societal In California, Proposition 8 Your Voice system, no such barrier now ex- restricted same-sex marriages, ists; unless of course you’ve been while also solidifying opposite- living under a rock for the last sex couples their right to marry. We are all considered equals two years. Backed by generous donations The election of President from the Mormon Church, as re- By Kenny Wagner this much is true; sociologists debate, reverends Obama eliminated hundreds of ported by CNN, it appears that [email protected] condemn, politicians fasten themselves onto a po- years of racial prejudice and seg- the denial of said proposition litical agenda and the people latch onto the rhetoric. regation; showcasing our coun- was at the forefront of the reli- Homosexuality, a provocative subject and one of With all of this chaos surrounding this hot-button try’s resolve to push through the gious movement. great controversy since, oh perhaps the first throws issue how will we actually progress as a society and wall of hate that has stunted our Various religious leaders, pro- of human existence. The very word causes people finally legalize same-sex unions? growth for generations. ponents of the ban, have very to experience a range of complex emotions to go Perhaps, to clear the smoke the gay community However, we still have a long publicly stated their reasoning along with the complex condition this world creates needs to attach their agenda to another issue that way to go. for the ban, and it includes: “The around this issue. Even more controversial than ho- is making headway in America, it worked for the Barriers of a racial, idealistic, result [of gay marriage laws being mosexuality alone is the issue surrounding gay mar- women’s suffrage movement in the early 1900’s and sexual nature passed] would riage. It seems that those who have a problem with when they attached their cause to the temperance still exist in many be in public same-sex marriage are people who have no problem movement. The same needs to happen if we will facets of society. schools teaching with the gay community, until they want to partake ever pass lasting legislation making same-sex mar- Whether it’s the Barriers of a racial, our kids that gay of the same rights as straight couples. riage legal. persistent gender idealistic, and sexual marriage is okay, There are many cultural reasons same-sex mar- The gay community needs to affix its agenda to issues that work- nature still exist in many [and that gays riage is condemned as well as exalted and that the schema of promoting the rights of illegal im- ing, professional, facets of society. would] redefine depends on the region of the country and the migrants just as an example. While this might be a women face on marriage for ev- percentage of college grads, the percentage of mi- tough sell in Washington, it will undoubtedly prove a daily basis who eryone else.” norities and the overall concentration of people in that people are angry, motivated, and have the try to get their fair share in the “There are many reasons for that region. numbers and most importantly it will show another workplace, or, even more unfor- bigotry, for supremacist belittling Rural areas for example are not all about rain- group is willing to participate in this fight with the tunate in such a “progressive” views of gay people. There were bows and parades. But no matter what the demo- gay community. This will make more politicians society, the new segregation of many reasons for supporting graphics are, perhaps the community that holds the and community leaders listen and see what these the homosexuals living in our slavery, Jim Crow. Those reasons most sway over the gay marriage issue is the church; respective communities want to accomplish. country is present. were and still are fundamentally the Mormon Church for example has reportedly The idea is to add verisimilitude to the gay mar- On a homosexual friendly based upon aggressive ignorance spent more than $190,000 on the campaign against riage issue and not let it be painted as a trivial mat- blog-site, Queervisions.com, one and dogmatic fear,” Patrick writes proposition 8, the bill that effectively banned gay- ter full of unmotivated and unorganized interest blogger, by the name of Patrick, in his blog. marriage in California this last election cycle, ac- groups and flippant supporters, standing alone, states, “…today while flipping An interesting stat in the pass- cording to “On Top Magazine.” who mask themselves as champions of progressive channels I came across a black ing of Prop 2 here in the Sunshine No matter what the cultural reasons for being thinking but are really just fools making dumb argu- minister decrying the argument State is that, according to the As- in favor or otherwise on the issue of gay marriage, ments to even dumber politicians. which equates today’s gay civil sociated Press, which dove-tails rights movement with yesterday’s Patrick’s view in the beginning of Your Voice black civil rights movement. He his blog about the black opposi- said it was immoral and offen- tion to gay marriage, that 60% sive.” of the vote in favor of a ban was We are not all created equal He continues by stating, from the black community. “Shame on that segment of the Where once a barrier stood By Adam Fishman of slavery and the civil rights movement, anyone black community which falsely against the African-Americans [email protected] who said there would be a black president in the believes they alone are entitled for so long in our society, now future would have been laughed at. Now, every to civil rights and the demand for has been destroyed and replaced If you haven’t brushed up on your history late- person who’s ever uttered the thought is laughing equality under the law. It is even by a new barrier; a barrier pre- ly, you might want to. The current state of our at everyone who said it could never happen. more egregious when leaders of venting homosexuals the same society reflects certain situations that occurred The inauguration of Barack Obama was cer- the black community purport to rights as heterosexuals, and any- not too long ago-civil rights to be exact. What tainly a milestone and step in the right direction, speak on behalf of God and mo- one else who possesses equal does the civil rights movement have to do with to- but we haven’t come far enough and still have far rality. They do not, in fact, speak rights after years of segrega- day? Well, everything. Have we really progressed to go. on behalf of God; rather, they tion. into a nation where prejudice, A prime example of discrimi- speak on behalf of their own ig- Make no mistake; we are a discrimination, and hate do not nation in America today is the norance and poor judgment.” stone’s throw away from having exist? Have we come far enough rejection of gay marriage. Gays This is a very telling observa- “gay and straight” water foun- where everyone is treated equal? By not allowing have the same rights as every tion, bordering on becoming an tains. Unfortunately, we haven’t. someone to marry based other human, and if all humans oxymoron: blacks condemning Only time will tell if this new Dr. Martin Luther King stated on sexual preference, we are created equal under God, gays. barrier takes as long to come in his “I Have a Dream” speech are only committing the then we must treat everyone as Gay marriage and civil union crumbling down as the many be- that, “…one day this nation same prejudice that Dr. an equal. By not allowing some- laws were unanimously denied fore it. will rise up and live out the true King marched against. one to marry based on sexual meaning of its creed: we hold preference, we are only commit- these truths to be self-evident ting the same prejudice that Dr. that all men are created equal.” King marched against. As long All men are created equal, but what was present as organizations exist such as the KKK, Neo-Na- in the 1960’s still remains the same today; all men zis, and anti-gay groups like the American Family Dedicated to Accuracy and women are not treated equal. Until hate, dis- Association and the Liberty Counsel, America will Opinion: crimination, and prejudice are completely elimi- be hindered from taking any giant leaps toward Want your voice heard? Whoops! Did we miss anything? Let us nated from our society, it is then, can we truly say total equality. Send us your opinions. know! If you spot a correction or want to everyone in America is treated the same. Hopefully, the day comes when America has Submissions are subject to let us know what you think, please send an One might argue that we have progressed in light rid itself of hate, discrimination, and prejudice, editing for grammar, length e-mail to: years from the civil rights movement. Go back a then we can say we’ve come far. Who knows when and AP style. Send submis- sions to Shaneece Dixon: few weeks in time to see the inauguration of our that time might come! Will our generation even be Shaneece Dixon first African-American president. During the time alive to witness such a profound thing? February 4, 2009 VALENCIA VOICE Do you think all people are created equal? “Yes , people are cre- “No, don’t kid yourself, ‘Fair pay’ ated equal but not treated everyone we first meet we equal. Everyone seems to judge and rank. No money act passed get judged based on race no honey!” or if you have a disability. —Christopher Kelly in Congress I’m from the Caribbean and people ask me ignorant Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial questions like ‘Do you have a car?’ or ‘Do you know what After dancing with President McDonald’s is?’ they assume Obama at the presidential inaugura- we have mediocre lifestyles.” tion, Lilly M. Ledbetter, headed back — Areta Aberdeen to Washington to witness the new president sign his first major piece of legislation—a workplace-rights measure that became a reality due to “Yes. People are created “Yes people are created Ledbetter’s own crusading efforts. equal. People attempt to equal but definitely not Not bad for someone who toiled treat others equally but it treated equally.” for years in the auto tire industry.But doesn’t always turn out that —Shamarie Haylock Ledbetter, 70, turned her personal experience of being paid less than way.” her male Goodyear counterparts — Paul Schmidt into a national reform that should assure more fairness on the job for all Americans. She sued Goodyear over being underpaid. She lost in the U.S. Supreme Court, but the case prompted congressional action to restore a key workers right. Last Tuesday, Congress approved the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. The legislation signed that Thursday will “Yes. People are created “Yes, people are created make it possible for more employees equal but not treated equal. equal but not treated equal. to challenge unlawful pay discrimi- People judge based on People judge your back- nation based upon gender, race, age ethnic background, race, reli- ground and where you’re and disability. gion. People have personal- from. If your from a lower Congress acted to repair dam- ity clashes.” class neighborhood you’re age done by an egregious error on — Marcia McMurray looked down upon.” the part of the conservative major- — Kory Graves ity on the high court in 2007. The court ruled 5-to-4 that, while Led- better had been the victim of pay discrimination, she’d failed to make her allegations within 180 days of the first act of discrimination. But a lower court had the right perspective when, earlier, it ordered that Ledbet- ter be paid more than $3 million in “Yes, people are created “Yes, people are created back pay and damages. equal but they’re not treated equal, but not treated equal. The trouble with requiring a strict equal because of factors You’re discriminated against timetable for reporting pay discrimi- such as prejudice against because of your race and nation is that it often takes employ- religion and race.” sexual preference.” ees years to detect wage disparities. —Adam Villar — Bernie Cheatum Now, Congress has clarified the law by relaxing the statute of limita- tions when pay discrimination can be proved. The reform had to await the election of Obama, since for- mer President George W. Bush had vowed to veto it. —MCT Campus Photos by Kenny Wagner/ Valencia Voice Go the distance with a bachelor’s degree fromColumbia College. Columbia College, a private institution founded in 1851, educates 25,000 students each year and has more than 61,000 alumni worldwide. (407) 293-9911 s www.ccis.edu/orlando Entertainment February 4, 2009 Maitland Arts Center salutes Hindu god By Cassie Weinz ures associated with Hinduism, which goes assigned the boy [Ganesha] the responsi- all the gods and goddess went to visit and [email protected] without having to mention how highly bility of guarding the bathroom chambers. rejoice. The Lord Shani, however, refused to praised and respected he is among the Hin- When Parvati’s husband, Shiva, was denied bestow even so much as a glance upon the du culture. Every element and physical fea- access to enter the chambers by the words newborn. When Parvati, who took offense In the historic town of Maitland, Florida ture of Ganesha contains a symbol of great of some stranger, he sliced the boy’s head to this, asked him why, Shani told her that his lays the Maitland Art Center, where residents significance to Hinduism. off in rage. glance would cause harm to the baby. and visitors alike will find an atmosphere of For instance, it’s the elephant head that With Parvati in distress, Shiva sent out his Only after Parvati’s continuous pleading culture and serenity. With its enchanting gar- symbolizes wisdom as well as the soul, or guard to bring back the head of any sleep- did Shani then look over at the child and dens and moss-covered walks, the antique “Atman” as it is commonly referred among ing being whose head was facing the direc- without hesitation, the eyes of Shani sev- structure is currently paying tribute to the the culture. tion of the north. When the guard returned, ered the head of the newborn instantly. To Hindu god, Ganesha. The Atman is the ultimate center for hu- they had brought with them the head of an make amends, Vishnu raced over to the river The Art of Ganesha will be running until man existence. Its body represents “Maya”, elephant and then attached the head to the bank, brought back the severed head of an Feb. 22. In the exhibit, guests will find col- which is the earthly existence for human life body of the boy. elephant and attached it to the baby’s body. orful rooms dedicated to the history of this and the trunk represents “Om”, the symbol With restoring his life, Shiva thus be- Regardless of how Ganesha came to ex- highly worshiped Hindu god. From sculp- of cosmic reality. stowed upon Ganesha the authority of his ist, his presence will forever be a part of the tures and paintings to shrines and stories, the The Ganesha has the body of a man and troops and the worship of the people to Hindu culture. So much so, there is even a exhibit is a museum of collections honoring the head of an elephant and there are a cou- invoke his name before they underwent any nonstop ten day celebration held annually in and appreciating the Hindu culture. ple different stories about how he came to adventure. honor of him. The Ganesha god is one of the five prime be. The second story of the birth of Gane- The Maitland Art Center has done justice deities of worship in Hindu mythology. The The first of which, is a result of his be- sha is also one that involves his being slaugh- in their honoring of Ganesha and individu- elephant deity is known as the god of knowl- ing slaughtered. Ganesha’s mother, the god- tered. Vishnu promised Parvati a son if she als from all cultures who visit the exhibit will edge, education, wisdom, and wealth. dess Parvati, decided to create a boy out of were to observe the punyaka vrata (fasting) be pleased with what they discover about The mere image of Ganesha has become the dirt that came off her body while she for a year just to appease him. Parvati ful- this highly sought after god. one of the most universally recognized fig- was bathing. Once he was created she thus filled her obligation and thus bore a son who Art of Ganesha Elegantly constructed sculptures of the Hindu god were presented from areas all over the Mid- dle East throughout the gallery. Photos by Kayla Hernandez Above left: At the MAC (Maitland Art Center) Left: Original sculpture of Lord Ganesha in ivory Ganesha greets you upon you entrance to his fine china and 24 carat gold. Issued in a limited exhibit. edition of 100 pieces only. Above: Golden Holographic Ganesha, an inward Ornate Ganesha flanked by his two wives molded structure that moves with the light. Riddihi (Material Riches) and Buddhi (Knowledge ). February 4, 2009 Entertainment Kayla Hernandez / Valencia Voice Artwork by artists Perez 28 (above), Chuck Dinkins (bottom right) and Marcellus ‘Neosoe’ Walker (bottom left) can be viewed throughout the Art Noir exhibit currently running at the CityArts Factory until Feb. 14. CityArts provides enriching environment By Piel Thach thing of beauty that will be enjoyed for gen- downtown resident says, “These paintings a celebration of how far they have gotten [email protected] erations to come.” are powerful, where I can see the feelings over the years in America.” Let visual arts Though he is the key artist of the gallery, and also the stories they tell behind them. expand your horizon because a picture can Why not free your imagination and take the works of other locals are captivating as With African-American Art, there’s a dis- speak a thousand words. Meet new friends time to reflect and be inspired by fine visual well. play of struggle with overcoming but also and see fine art at the CityArts Factory. arts? Take a break from your daily hustle A vast and dark section of the gallery and visit the CityArts Factory, located on 29 showcases urban art. It was surprising to see South Orange Avenue different elements of hip-hop represented Through Feb. 14, the community art in these paintings. Using mostly acrylic and center presents the Art Noir. This exhibit oil, local artist, Tre, displayed vibrant paint- showcases local African-American artists ings of rappers, DJ’s, graffiti filled brick displaying an array of genres of paintings walls, and other elements that scream hip- and sculptures. The admission is free, so hop. It is refreshing to see vocal art being there’s nothing to lose but a good time. represented by other forms of art. As visitors walk pass the coffee shop, One painting that catches one’s attention conveniently connected in front of the gal- is named, “Underworld” by local artist Mar- lery, it is obvious that they are in for a treat. cellus “Nesoe” Walker. “Underworld” takes The CityArts Factory is separated into five place in a dark tunnel with bodies of people, different galleries, including a bar and dance some dancing, some on the ground with X’s floor upstairs. on their eyes. It seems this contemporary Each gallery setting is different matching piece depicts how drugs and the nightlife go the genre of art being displayed. The first hand in hand. paintings shown are by notable artist, Ever- The message that was portrayed was ett Spruill. striking, but of course, you’ll have to come The bright colors of classic jazz figures see for yourself to gain your own interpreta- display the tradition of African-American tion. Manny Ramirez, a 21 year old aspiring art. Up for sale for thousands of dollars, artist, states, “I admire the edgy work and it his work remains valuable and current. “It kind of motivates me to be more creative seems I’m inspired simply by being alive,” with my own stuff.” said Spruill. Upstairs provides contemporary Af- “My work is a celebration of life. It’s even rican-American art by dozens of artists, more inspiring to know people really love both local and national. While looking at the my work and knowing I’ve left the world a same paintings, Gina Palacios, a 22 year old VALENCIA VOICE February 4, 2009 What’s your favorite Super Bowl commercial? By Omshante Lee “The 3-D commercial with “The baby commercial.” [email protected] the dancing monsters.” —Johanna Miranda —Da Da Arrington To sports fans everywhere what can be more entertaining than the NFL’s Super-bowl? Two nationally recognized football teams play their hardest to be called the best. This can draw a lot of attention, and millions of fans clear their sched- ules to make room for this special Sunday. However, there is only one other thing that gets as much buzz as the big game. With expensive tickets that are almost impossible to get a hold of, “The Doritos one. It was so “The Hi-life one that was most sports fanatics opt for super- funny.” two seconds long.” bowl parties instead. This way, they —Franchesca Ortiz —Brian Nicolson can view the game from the com- fort of their own home, all while having a front row seat to the real entertainment; the commercials. Typically advertisements are viewed as an interruption from your favorite television, shows, however during the Super Bowl, commercials are actually looked forward to. In recent weeks, many channels have actually featured advertise- ments promoting the commercials “Probably the Doritos “The one with the as- that were to be shown during the game. one.” tronauts. I think it was for From a Nation Wide Insurance —Donovan Cambell Michelob.” commercial starring Kevin Fed- —Avery Sams derline, that offended the NRA to a Bud Light ad accused of mak- ing inappropriate suggestions, Su- per-bowl commercials have always been at the center of controversy, and this year is no exception. Even weeks before the big game, news stations everywhere ran the story about the banned PETA commercial. The ad pro- moted vegetarianism and utilized the well-known technique that “sex “ There were no good “The SOBE one with the sells” in the process. With children commercials this season.” football players dancing. being a part of the audience, NBC —Mohaned Al-Sharif That was the only one I worried that the risqué promotion laughed at.” would be inappropriate despite its —Felisha Grizzle healthy message. But not all Super Bowl commer- cials are recognized for their edgi- ness alone. Some are noted for their original humor, or clever concepts. Of all the companies that paid top dollar to run their ads, which was your favorite? Photos by Courtnee Rattigan Springsteen illuminates Super Bowl XLIII By Emiliana White was out of bounds with the length of its Another memorable performance would [email protected] performance. be that of Prince at Super Bowl XLI, which Even though this year’s halftime show was sponsored by Pepsi and took place to Perhaps the most anticipated event to was amazing in its own right, it did have the Dolphin Stadium in Miami, Fla. As the occur on Super Bowl Sunday besides the some tough competition from its past line- musician began to perform his signature bowl itself is that of the halftime show. up to stand up to. song “Purple Rain,” his performance was Memorable in its nature, this musical sec- Think back to Super Bowl XXXV’s marked with a downpour of rain. Though tion of the show either leaves you wanting halftime show, produced by MTV. Though rain can sometimes ruin a show, its sponta- more or makes you question what the event disliked by some, it was memorable for neously dramatic addition simply seemed to planners were thinking. combining the old school acts of Aero- have enriched the crowd with enthusiasm. Fortunately for the most part, the half- smith, Mary J. Blige and Tremors & The But perhaps the most memorable per- time shows of the recent years have left us Earthquake Horns with the new schoolers formance to date was that of Justin Tim- pumped and hyped for the continuation of N SYNC, Nelly, and Britney Spears. In the berlake and Janet Jackson at 2004’s Super the game. pop culture craved times of 2001, this was Bowl XXXVIII halftime show as produced Sunday’s halftime segment, which was the perfect combination to keep the Super by MTV and CBS Sports. The show that sponsored by Bridgestone Tires and aired Bowl franchise up to beat with the celebrity took place at Reliant Stadium in Houston, on NBC, took its spot alongside that of the obsessed audience that was being created at Texas went down in history not because of best halftime shows in the history of the the time and there for making music his- the amazing show that was presented but game. tory. because of the controversial, second long With a performance by Bruce Springs- To follow up to the 2001 performance, “nipplegate” that forever changed the ac- teen and the E Street Band, the show kept U2 was commissioned to take the stage for ceptance levels as approved by the Federal the momentum going as every person in Super Bowl XXXVI. In a performance Communications Commission and putting the crowd sang along to “The Boss”--ev- that ended with the a emotional tribute every halftime show from then on under a ery word and pyro shot off into the sky to the victims of Sept. 11, the Irish band thin microscope. illuminating the night. With never a dull performed their hit “Where the Streets But be it dramatic, controversial, emo- moment, Springsteen rocked on to his hits Have No Name” as the names of the vic- tional or history making, the Super Bowl “Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out,” “Born To tims were presented in the backdrop. This halftime show is always a must see event Run,” “Working on a Dream” and “Glory show showed the heart that stood behind that should never be missed. Days” ending his set by incorporating el- the game and made the American people Congrats to Springsteen for keeping the Mark Cornelison/Lexington Herald-Leader/MCT Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band perform during half- ements of the game including a referee the focus of attention even if only for 12 momentum going as the Pittsburgh Steel- time at Super Bowl XLIII at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, throwing up a flag to suggest that the band minutes. ers reigned on to win Super Bowl XLIII. Florida, Sunday, February 1, 2009. February 4, 2009 Entertainment Afro Samurai slices and dices onto X-box 360 By Frank Tobin of the dead you accumulate along the way; [email protected] and, of course, Samuel L. Jackson reprising his role as both Afro, and Ninja-Ninja, with The old school is the new “new school,” The Rza (from the fabled Wu-Tang Clan) as recent releases seem to suggest (“Mega- supplying the best in old school hip-hop Man 9” springs to mind immediately). beats heard this side of Staten Island New Game development companies, evidently York. desperate for fresh ideas, are looking back Mixing elements found in the cult-classic at old intellectual properties and attempt- Anime, and newer elements written exclu- ing to cash in on our nostalgia (which, sively for this game’s release, ‘Afro’ set out when done well, is most certainly not a bad to establish itself as a one-trick-pony type thing). And sometimes it works, sometimes of experience: hack, and invariably, slash. it doesn’t. From a game play standpoint, this game But the ones that do seem to work the is top-flight entertainment. The combos fly best, are those that retain the old school, off your fingertips as you deftly move from no-nonsense, feel of games long past: “Su- one poor, doomed, soul to the next. All is per Mario Galaxy” for the Nintendo Wii, not perfect in this futuristic feudal Japan. which emulates all the Mario games before For one, the enemy types get tedious, and it, “Ninja Gaiden Sigma” for the Sony PS3, over-worked. Fighting the same straw-hat which expertly blends blistering game play drone can get a tad tiring after an hour. difficulty with eye-popping visuals, and Also, the platforming sequences not only “Gears of War 2” for the XBOX 360, with do an excellent job of completely breaking its attention to cinematic detail and smooth up the flow of the bloody action, but per- controller interface. form like a dying harp seal trying to jump However, the games listed are the ex- from rock to rock (see: poorly). However, ception, and not the rule. The simple fact the simplicity of its sword-play scheme is that gamers are getting flustered by the is enough that it would encourage even a empty promises delivered by the major- younger crowd to take part… if not for ity of multi-million dollar budget games, the excessive vulgarity and spine-tingling games that promise only a cinematic expe- violence; which leads into the audio/visual rience, while offering nothing new in terms category. of old school design. All the most simplis- And here is where the game shines most tic of gamers want is to boot the game and brightly: the environments are a beautiful kill some bad dudes, akin to the glorious ex- mix of high polygons, and cel-shading; the periences of the days of Golden Age gam- blood effects, and split-screen story-telling, ing yore. That’s why “Afro Samurai” is the immerse you in the action like few other best game of 2009, and if anyone disagrees, games can; and the aforementioned mu- they’re wrong. sic, that still haunts you with its classically Actually, the latter is a touch over-dra- melodic hip-hop nature, strikes the perfect matic. But in any case, ‘Afro’ does deliver chord when you start to get into that killing on its promise to allow you, the gamer, the groove. ability to take up your sword and slice and If you’re a fan of the Anime, or just dice anyone, and anything, in your path for a fan of senseless action, then this is the revenge. Blood spews, and pools, around game for you. Just go ahead and walk right your feet; the vulgar one-liners of your past the Wii aisle at your local game store; counterpart Ninja-Ninja (the character that section will see less action than Phyllis Afro’s sidekick), encouraging you to press Diller on an alcohol bender. on through the piling body parts, and walls t u S o u b d a e Y . s “I was surprised how t l i u a A t @ e s d n D r o affordable a University i o s F s i T . m I d of Tampa education a m S l . i I a p m V e 5 could be.” r – o 1 1 S 1 2 54 WAS MY lRST CHOICE ) USED THE ONLINE 6 U - m 3 SCHOLARSHIP CALCULATOR AND APPLIED FOR AID 5 o P 2 r 4URNS OUT ) QUALIlED FOR MORE lNANCIAL ) f 3 1 ASSISTANCE THAN ) THOUGHT 8 M 5 ( l l l a i A c r , s C n o i Ap t a R r u l a o v U e 5 n 1 o O i . s s i m D eb d a F t N , o y p E s - a e d h T t - n n T o SYMBOL OF EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE Su A 7 +ENNEDY "LVD 4AMPA &, s s WWWUTEDU 10 Entertainment February 4, 2009 (20th Century Fox / MCT) Bryan (Liam Neeson) prepares to take extreme measures during his interrogation of a man he suspects of being a key player in the kidnapping of Bryan’s daughter. ‘Taken’ takes the box office By Olivia Pullinger opullinger@valenciavoice Topping the box office with a weekend cliché opening sequence — divorced ex-CIA ex-wife, Bryan is overworried and made par- with her as she was taken, Mills quickly re- gross of $24,717,037, the newest action flick agent trying to reconnect with the daughter anoid by his previous job, which remains a cedes back into his old persona, wasting no from director Pierre Morel (“District B13”) that he basically deserted at the cost of his mystery to 17 year old Kim, who is devasted time making her kidnappers aware that he features Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills, the former career — ‘Taken’ lives up to it’s ad- by Bryan’s not letting her go. After further has “a very particular set of skills acquired vengeful father of 17 year old Kim (Maggie vertisment as an action movie, leaving out consideration, however, Bryan signs the over a very long career in the shadows, skills Grace), who is spotted at a Paris airport by a much of the unnessecary extra stuffing and consent form in an attempt to try to bring that make me a nightmare for people like kidnapper who is involved with a group of swiftly cutting to the action. himself closer to his daughter. Not long af- you. . . . I will look for you, I will find you. sex slave traffickers. After his daughter approaches him to ter Kim arrives in Paris, Bryan’s nightmare And I will kill you.” Neeson does a fair job French filmmaker Luc Besson, who wrote sign a consent form allowing her to leave is realized as she is abducted by a group of of conveying a somewhat unrealistic charac- and produced ‘Taken,’ is known for creating the country to go on vacation with a friend Albanian sex slave traders. ter, one who rivals Jet Li in martial arts skills action movies such as the Taxi series and the in Paris, Bryan declines, saying he isn’t com- Upon discovering that his daughter has and wipes out his opponents more smoothly Transporter movies. In spite of a somewhat fortable with her going. To his daughter and been kidnapped, having been on the phone than James Bond. ‘New in Town’ is enjoyable but not unforgettable By Frank Tobin sure to please Renee Zellweger fans. Well- by Danish director Jonas Elmer making his a million times before, but if it isn’t broke, [email protected] timed to a winter release), this modern fable Hollywood debut), she quickly alienates then don’t fix it). set in a small town in frozen Minnesota is every Minnesotan in sight and looks to be Harry Connick Jr. plays the area union There’s always that point in a committed well-photographed on atmospheric Mani- headed for disaster in a hopeless hatchet- chief who is always in view as Renee’s ro- relationship where you begin to make cer- toba locations.Zellweger top-lines as the woman assignment. mantic interest, and there is also a dyna- tain sacrifices for your significant other: you fish out of water, volunteering in her high- Led by a genuinely warm and funny sup- mite turn by J.K. Simmons (fresh from his buy them gifts instead of buying something profile Miami based conglomerate to head porting role by Siobhan Fallon Hogan (who triumph in Juno) as the plant foreman who for yourself, and you share in each other’s north to makeover a tiny food plant, cut its channels the local Minnesotan persona even runs afoul of Renee’s plans. interests. workforce by half and retool for an auto- better than Frances McDormand’s Oscar- “New in Town” is not in the league of The latter being the subject of “New in mated new product launch. She’s the typical winning stint in “Fargo”), as her local as- the great old movies of Robert Riskin and Town,” a new movie starring Renee Zell- jargon-laden, fast-track advancement type, sistant, a tapioca pudding whiz who spends Frank Capra, but is genuinely amusing and a weger. And, quite frankly, it doesn’t buy the dreaming of CEO-hood and sorely lacking equal time on scrapping (making scrap- fine platform for Zellweger to display both farm, so to speak. in empathy or any recognizable people-to- books) and religiosity, the cutesy cast of hay- physical and romantic comedy skills. Though its payoff scenes are as predict- people skills. seeds play off hard-bitten Zellweger quite The overall product is an enjoyable and able as could be, this surprisingly entertain- Strutting around in inappropriate high well in a time-honored clash of city smarts entertaining, yet fairly cheesy romantic com- ing romantic comedy is an effective vehicle, heels (close-ups of which are a bit overdone vs. folksy wisdom (you’ve seen this movie edy. Moviegoers should R.S.V.P to ‘The Uninvited’ By Omshante Lee elle Kebbel (The Grudge 2) play the daugh- [email protected] ters of a widower whose wife has just re- cently passed due to a freak accident. When “Confused” seemed to be the general their father, played by David Strathairn (The consensus describing the feeling by those Bourne Ultimatum), gets a new girlfriend, who viewed the “Uninvited” on opening her abnormal behavior leads the sisters to night. As countless movie goers slowly filed suspect her of murder. With an original plot out of a packed theater, there was that fa- full of lies and deceit, everything seems to miliar unsettled aura that only accompanies be in place. an abrupt ending. But whether it be a bad However, to those familiar with this break-up or a call being dropped in the mid- producer’s work, it is obvious that it can- dle of an important conversation, nothing is not be this simple. With the twists and turns more frustrating than the lack of closure re- present in “Disturbia” and the “Ring”, it is sulting from a movie that leaves unanswered apparent from the beginning that viewers questions. should expect the unexpected. But just as With the same producers as movies like the movie reaches its climax and seemingly “Disturbia” and the “Ring”, this suspense random scenes begin to make sense, some- undoubtedly keeps viewers at the edge of thing goes wrong. their seats. Based on a 2003 Korean horror Reminiscent of movies like “Gothika” film by Kim Jee-Woon, this remake com- and the “Others”, the “Uninvited” possesses bines everything from ruthless murder to a cleverness that can only be captured in a the supernatural. However, despite the per- mystery suspense. However as other movies fect ingredients for possibly the most enter- in its genre satisfy the audience’s craving for taining film of the year, its final scene caused an explanation of the unexpected twists, the it to fall slightly short. “Uninvited” has an attempt of tying it all to- Even as early as the movie’s previews, gether that still leaves loose ends. viewers can quickly summarize the story line Despite a believable cast, undeniable with a plot that seems to unfold prematurely. originality, and an intriguing story this film The trailer provides a brief outline that ap- still leaves room for improvement. A cliff pears to reveal too much before it has even hanger is perfectly acceptable for directors reached the big screen. The classic theme of who already have a sequel in the works. the “evil step mother” is taken to the extreme However, there is distinct difference be- (Kimberley French / DreamWorks / MCT) Rachel (Elizabeth Banks, left), is growing tired of Anna’s (Emily Browning, right) suspicions in the as two sisters make a startling discovery. tween leaving your audience wanting more, haunting suspense thriller “The Uninvited.” Emily Browing (Ghost Ship), and Ari- and just leaving them... wondering.