THE SCOOP

MY FAVORITE THINGS

February

after all)! The knife on my desk Pocket knife has two blades, a bottle-opener, By Daniel Ward, Junior and a leather-punch. The way that it catches the light from the artificial light at my workplace connotes a sense of seriousness, like the friend who has got your back come hell or high water. A beautiful wood-inlay adorns the Favorite things that brought me sides, and the pitted surface of to Fresno State! the bark has been rubbed a bit through years of use. In my Featured Article mind’s-eye, I see my grandfather I often times wonder how many who gave me my very first lives have been saved through pocket knife and many more in- prior proper planning; in my cluding the subject of this de- book, carrying a pocket knife is scription. Even in old age, one such way to ensure that you Grandpa still manages to catch have yourself covered in a wide- the light and give that comfort- range of less-than-desirable in- ing feeling. Knowing that I One of my favorite possessions, stances. At the very least, there symbolically carry around a and one that gets me from A to is a sharp blade that can function family member so dear, a Fresno B. State alum himself, is such a as many different tools (it’s what What I brought to college- good feeling. One of my favor- separates us from the monkeys Great Music ites!

you, I don’t wanna touch.” “No featured in Rock Band 2. It has “This Year’s Model”- Action” certainly sets the tone some of the most unclear lyrics Elvis Costello: A Review for an album that seamlessly on the record, leaving the lis- By Shae Dougall, Freshman combines cold apathy, broken- tener to fill in the blanks. heartedness, furious sarcasm, “Little Triggers” is The Scoop is asking us what we and Farfisa organ to create a next, and is relatively unimpres- brought to college. Well, I musical experience that draws sive. It evokes images of a 50’s brought some fantastic tunes. you in, chews you up, and spits doo-wop singer crooning to his Among my massive iTunes al- you out leaving you completely girl. It’s the only spot on the al- bum collection is this gem from disoriented. It’s a 13 track romp bum where the energy drops 1978- “This Year’s Model” by that rarely sees a break in the down to a minimum level, and it Elvis Costello. Often lumped in energy. would have probably benefitted with the punk/new wave move- After “No Action”, from being placed later on the ment of the late 1970’s, Costello which is a song about a man album. actually tends to lean more to- who is disgusted with his girl- The sixth and seventh wards pop song writing- albeit friend, come a power trio of tracks, “You Belong to Me” and some of the most bitterly com- songs, “This Year’s Girl”, “The “Hand in Hand” are quick dit- posed lyrics of the era. Beat”, and “Pump it Up”. The ties. The former is bouncy and “This Year’s Model” three songs rush by the listener catchy, but the latter tends to is no exception, as it opens with in a whirl of irony mixed with lean towards dull songwriting, a whispered “I don’t wanna kiss miserable lust. “Pump it Up” is mostly due to the music itself, the star of the bunch, and is also and not the lyrics, which are don’t think I’ve ever heard such inches on the reel-to-reel,” sings sharp as ever. a frantic, mean spirited take on Elvis with an arrogant tone “Chelsea” is the first pop music since Love’s “Seven reminiscent of The Sex Pistols; truly incredible song on the al- and Seven Is”. “Lipstick” roars A very fitting ending to an al- bum, and it’s followed by three along at 155 BPM, but feels a bum that is simply begging to be tunes that all keep up with lot faster. Only Costello has listened to. “Chelsea’s” standard. “Lip Serv- enough rage in him to even sug- If you have already ice”, “Living In Paradise”, and gest that the idea of love is “just given Elvis the King your undi- “Lipstick Vogue” are all excel- a tumor”. If I could recommend vided attention at some point in lent as well, but for completely one track off the album, it would your life, why not try the Other different reasons. “Chelsea” it- be “Lipstick Vogue”. By the Elvis? I guarantee you’ll like self is a song about last year’s way, as a bass player myself, my what you hear, but be prepared model and how nobody wants to opinion is that Bruce Thomas is for something different from be with her any more due to the one of the best bass players ever. what you’ve heard before. newest model being so fresh and Just saying. exciting. “Lip Service” contains Sadly, “Night Rally” “This Year’s Model”- 9/10 great lyrics about how men can is surprisingly unremarkable. be so cruel to the women they It’s quite a let-down, given that love. “Living in Paradise” is a the songs that sandwich it at #12 groovy song about jealousy, and are some of Elvis’s best tunes. the bass drives through each “Radio Radio” follows verse with a soft implied feroc- as the encore, and it is an ironi- ity that must be heard to be un- cally radio friendly protest song derstood. about the airwaves. “You better “Lipstick Vogue” is so shut up or get cut out/They don’t good, it’s almost unbelievable. I wanna hear about it/It’s only

More Than a Song tend to feel a little off-putting so night, and study session. The By Parker Nalchajian, we find something to make it patio chairs that make wonderful Sophomore even a little like home. We nap zones are also awesome. bring trinkets and decorations The most important aspect of from home that will harken back my life has always been music to days before the dorm. and as such, I would not wish to Whether it is a favorite blanket, go through college without a treasured stuffed animal, or a bringing my own personal li- picture of friends at other col- brary of music. leges, we all have something Back in high school, I that is uniquely ours. These was tremendously involved in things make our new home a the instrumental music program little more home-y. and since then I have continued When living in the dorms, you There are plenty of ob- volunteering my time during the have a limited amount of space jects I could single out that I am marching season. The memo- to identify as your own. The thankful for bringing to college. ries I have during those four cold cinder blocks and the Our fluffy rugs--both last year years are not memories that can creaky wooden frame bed can and this year’s iterations--have be captured in a single picture seen many a gathering, movie (or even a movie, for that mat- ter). The whole of my music the Electric Light Orchestra. I identity, however cheesy that experience is best captured by learned to hold classical and sounds. I feel empty when I recordings of our performances. wind band music very near and don’t have a song stuck in my Each piece is a memory catalyst dear to my heart. I (much like head and I am often found that takes me back to the days the borg, to betray my nerdiness) humming, whistling, or other- when I could wear a tuxedo assimilate the notable music wise singing something at all regularly and sit up on stage tastes of those I meet, associat- times. with the glaring lights and com- ing each new group with a friend When all is said and pletely let go. I filled my iPod made. It has gotten to the point done, I could not live without with these memories and they that when I listen to my iTunes my music and I am tremen- mingle with hundreds of other library on shuffle, any span of dously grateful for the advent of songs that make up an indispen- fifteen minutes can include jazz, the personal media player. Now sable aspect of my identity. opera, dubstep, and symphonic I never have to be without a I grew up listening to my metal and much more. Each song to sing. dad’s classic rock like Emerson song, artist, and playlist com- Lake and Palmer, Queen, and pose an indispensable part of my

Destressitizer for those days when there is ab- know you’re jealous of my word By Hannah Richardson solutely nothing to do, not even creating skills. And of my homework (or maybe you are squishy purple ball. I might let The best thing I brought with me just avoiding the homework…) you to college is this squishy purple because in addition to being a bor- ball. I call it my Destressitizer. good means of taking out your row it It’s hard to understand its great- frustration, it is also just plain if you ness until you’ve had it there fun. So, I sometimes call it the ask next to you during a frustrating Unboredifier or Procrastassister nice. homework assignment or extra when it is not acting in its offi- long paper. It’s also excellent cial destressitizing capacity. I

Windows 8 Just recently, Micro- First of all, the new By Abhijit Suprem, soft, the giant among software OS is designed to be ubiquitous, Freshman industries, released its newest i.e. it will function on both tab- evolution of the Windows OS, lets and a PC, and users can Windows 8. It is immediately switch between the two inter- apparent upon using the OS that faces. The desktop interface’s Microsoft had been working, the same as the standard Win- and working hard on this, for dows desktop, with icons, a quite a while. I had the chance desktop background, and gadg- to try out the developer’s pre- ets. However, there is one cru- view (pre-beta, e.g. ready for cial aspect missing - the start the app developers) this past menu. Rather, the erstwhile week, and so far, it has dazzled. ‘Start’ button now leads the updates right on the Metro cept Skydrive backup offers 25 Metro interface (Figure 1). desktop. GB of data storage. Free. That’s The Metro interface, I One of the most five times as much as Apple have to say, is much cleaner that promising aspects of Windows provides. Because of its ability Apple’s iOS. It is composed of 8 is its platform base is huge. It to run most of the applications Metro tiles - rectangular “tiles” will be able to run Metro apps out there, you can keep all your that represent icons and kill two (similar to Apple’s apps) as well iTunes music, and in the future, birds with one stone - they open as native Windows applications, probably run your Apple apps up apps, and at the same time, such as Word, Adobe Pdf, Pho- with an emulator. For me, the they display pertinent informa- toshop, and just about any Win- future looks bright for Windows tion related to the apps. The So- dows software.For the tech guys 8. Already Windows has a ma- cialite app (Facebook) tile among us, it can also run Visual jority market share of over 80% shows recent updates, so you C++, SSH, and Dreamweaver. of the OS market. With the in- can check Facebook without Further, I am sure the Consumer troduction of Windows 8, the even opening the app. Similarly, Preview (public beta) will come gradually declining market the News app tile shows recent with Skydrive, which is sort of share (Figure 2) will increase like Apple’s backup plan, ex- again.

Figure 1. Windows 8 Metro interface

Figure 2. Windows OS market share

The Best Thing I careening off a longboard and can also consider adding Brought to College breaking your face. I understand streamers to the handles for a By Jenna Mersereau, that rollerblades are not the festive look. Personally, I am footwear fashion-statement you waiting on a cup-holding at- Sophomore want to make during class. But, tachment for my Starbucks. I tell you, I have a solution. Scooters. They are relatively All in all, scooters are wonder- safe (brakes and handlebars) ful to have around! Plus, the and easy to ride. When I came commute time you save can be to college, I didn’t know how to put toward doing something you ride a scooter, but it didn’t take enjoy! long to learn.

I have to say the best thing I You are all students here; you brought to college was a all know the time it takes to scooter. I really have no idea walk from class to class during how much time it has saved me, the day. What would you say if but I do know that when I have I told you that you could easily to walk instead of ride – the cut that in half? That’s right. speed difference is highly no- Wheeled transportation is the ticeable. way of the future! Scooters can also be customized I understand the reasoning be- a bit! I added a bike bell to hind not buying an expensive mine. It serves as a hands-free bike that you have to chain up “hello” to my friends and a and worry about getting stolen. “look out for your lives” to I understand if you are afraid of slow-moving pedestrians. One The Future According When one enters The 1980s. The 50’s were a time of to 1959 Happiest Place on Earth, you great innovation and techno- walk under the railroad tracks logical discovery and so futur- By Nick Vizenor, Junior and through a little tunnel that ists became optimistic for the serves as a berm to the outside near future of society. Shiny world, but also serves as a pre- chrome plating, and fast moving view for what you are about to vehicles, which may or may not experience in the form of post- be flying abound in such images ers displaying some of the more of the future. It’s a whimsical favored attractions that line the and humorous vision of the fu- walls. Walt originally came up ture now, but one that still has a with this idea when building the certain level of kitschy charm. park, as he saw Disneyland as a Harkening back to a simpler Looking around my desk in my movie, and the posters were the time, but yet projecting a future, dorm room, one can easily pick previews to get guests excited. that we still haven’t seen come out some of the things that are He even wanted there to be a to fruition, the poster inspires important to my life. Sports, curtain at the end of the tunnel, me. It fills me with happy Dis- chemistry, and politics are easy but that plan fell through. ney memories, but also gives to pick out, but the one thing The Monorail poster is a me some inspiration to continue that stands out is that I must be favorite of mine and as such, I my studies and go forth into a Disney-lover. I have several adorned the wall of my dorm chemistry, trying to do my small Vinylmation figurines on my with a smaller version of it. Not part to make Walt’s vision of book rack (which contains at only is the Monorail a Walt the future a reality. the moment 2 books on Walt Disney original, but it was the Disney) and a pair of Mickey first operating monorail system Ears off to one side. As many of in the Western Hemisphere. you already know, I love all Walt truly was an innovator, and things Disney and more impor- the Disneyland Monorail is a tantly Disneyland; Walt Disney prime example of that. The print is a personal hero. And as such, also exudes a certain charm; my favorite item I have brought created in 1959, it has a very to college, sums up this passion classic and nostalgic view of the quite clearly: a framed print of future. Tomorrowland, as Walt the original Disneyland Mono- intended it, was meant to show rail poster. the future of society in what was then the far future of the