Last Sunday, the best professional basketball players in the world faced off in a head to head showdown at the 2016 NBA All Star game in Toronto. Fans got to see Kobe Bryant, considered the Michael Jordan of the 21st century, play in his last All Star game, as well as NBA champions Lebron James and Stephen Curry suit up for the Eastern and Western Conferences respectively. What more could a fan of the sport of basketball ask for?
Well, how about an actual game of basketball? Not some highlight reel-friendly ego showcase that does little to spotlight the all-around talent the NBA has to offer?
Players need to actually play defense, to stop opposing players’ attempts at driving to the basket instead standing around and watching their opponent score. We want them diving, hustling, fighting, and competing with ferocity like there is actually some meaning and purpose to them playing in the game. And granted, there were a lot of nice shots, dunks, and alley-oops, which is what some fans want to see at the mid-season classic. But, should they come at the expense of integrity of the contest?
This is not the Harlem Globetrotters versus the Washington Generals. This is the National Basketball Association. Play like it.
How To Get Away With Murder, starring Viola Davis, airs Thursdays at 10/9c on ABC.
Talk about leaving someone on a cliffhanger.
ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder went on hiatus following their mid-season finale depicting a series of events that could have changed the season forever. In order to frame the lawyer’s current client, Catherine Hapstall, for murder, Annalise calls 911 saying she’d been shot, then begs her students to shoot her. When they all refuse, Annalise uses Wes’ rage over the disappearance of his girlfriend Rebecca as fuel, resulting in him grabbing the gun and shooting her. The students then fled the property, leaving Annalise for dead.
Airing on Thursday, February 11, the mid-season premiere did little to explain the actions of the show’s main characters and left audiences wanting more. Following its typical formula, the episode ended with more questions about the mysterious relationship between Professor Annalise Keating and student Wes Gibbins.
While that maybe a good way to tease viewers, it’s also a sure fire way to lose them all together.
In the past, public displays of affection was looked upon as a social faux-pas. As a result of this, people weren’t quite vocal or active when showing off affection towards their partner, whether it be in the form of casual conversations with friends, publicly voicing affection or even trying to steal a kiss while walking down the street.
Today, however, things are drastically different as we can see on a holiday like Valentines Day. Lovers get tattoos of their partner’s names etched on all regions of their body, people spend minutes kissing passionately on street corners and youngsters risk their hearts by writing letters for their loved ones and creating their own special Valentine cards.
And while they say love is for the young, elderly lovelorn folks are also seeking passion and romance via online dating.
For over 30 years, The Smiths have been the voice of angsty and lonely teenagers looking for somewhere to belong. And while lead singer Morrissey’s lyrics touch on a spectrum of different topics–from Oscar Wilde to the evils of meat-eating–the most recurring subject in both his solo work and The Smiths’ discography is love, and not always the happy kind.
Morrissey’s infamously lovelorn lyrics usually delve into the darker aspects of the phenomenon, which is perhaps why some may think The Bell House’s Smiths-themed Valentine’s Day concert doesn’t make much sense. Nevertheless, Brooklynites have the opportunity to listen to Smiths tribute band Sons & Heirs perform the group’s tragic tunes of lost love in an effort to make the love-centric holiday more tolerable — or perhaps to just simply appreciate some well crafted lyrics and sharp melodies.
As a lyricist, Morrissey is known for his biting, honest, and relatable lines. Even the most romantically successful and charming have no doubt shed a tear or two during “I Know It’s Over”:
If you’re so funny,
Then why are you on your own tonight?
And if you’re so clever,
Then why are you on your own tonight?
If you’re so very entertaining,
Then why are you on your own tonight?
If you’re so very good-looking,
Why do you sleep alone tonight?
“How Soon is Now?” declares “I am human and I need to be loved just like everybody else does,” while “Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me” assures:
Last night I dreamt
That somebody loved me
No hope, no harm
Just another false alarm
Morrissey’s great humor that often permeates his lyrics can’t be ignored, though. To haphazardly categorize all Smiths songs as “sad” or “depressing” would be missing the point, and would paint the group as something that they simply are not. In their most well-known song, “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out,” Morrissey famously sings, “And if a double-decker bus crashes into us, to die by your side would be a heavenly way to die.” “Shoplifters of the World Unite” jokingly encourages kleptomaniacs to grab whatever they can get their hands on, and “Vicar in a Tutu” tells the tale of, well, a vicar who has a habit of wearing tutus.
Still, it’s not hard to imagine a room full of singles at Brooklyn’s Bell House connecting to lyrics like, “Love is just a miserable lie,” and “I am human and I need to be loved just like everybody else does.” While there is always a fine line between making ourselves feel worse and comforting ourselves when we decide to put on a sad song, it seems that more often than not, we have to get more upset in order to feel better.
So next time you find one of your friends moping around over Valentine’s Day, send them a Smith’s playlist and hand them a box of Kleenex. Though it would probably be a good idea to sprinkle in a few lighter tunes just to keep them even.
Here’s a list of some of my favorite Smiths songs, made up of both the funny and the dark:
Cam Newton demonstrates the Dab before it’s demise.
Some may know the Super Bowl as the football game of the season, some may have seen it as a Beyonce concert featuring special guest Coldplay and Bruno Mars, or some may have seen it as an interruption to a series of witty and expensive commercials.
Last night, however, over 120.8 million people tuned into the NFL’s premiere attraction and witnessed history, though not in the way they expected. On Super Bowl Sunday, the world witnessed the death of the dab.
The Dab according to the Urban Dictionary is a dance in which you throw your arms both to one side and lean your face into the inner part of your elbow in a sneeze like motion. Origins of “the dab” aren’t apparent, however, Cam Newton, along with the Carolina Panthers and rappers Migos and OG Maco, have made “the dab” popular among all people, from little kids in the crowds, to Betty White.
Considering the Carolina Panthers only scored one touchdown in their 24-10 loss to the Denver Broncos, there wasn’t much to dance about. One thing is certain, defense wins championships. To put the nail in the coffin, Denver Broncos defense coordinator, Wade Phillips, tweeted, “A little Dab with do you but too much Dab will undo you!” Aside from the typo, the comment tweeted after the Super Bowl win was too soon considering Hip Hop’s loss.
It’s no secret that the world has a difficult time accepting the hip hop culture that Cam Newton puts at forefront, however, none of that can take away from his greatness and his MVP season. “Haters are going to hate!” Unfortunately for the Panthers, from the first quarter onwards, the Carolina Panthers didn’t play the brand of football that they were accustomed to playing. Cam Newton’s smile was no where to be seen in the second half of the game.
Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller gets his groove on.
Von Miller, the Superbowl MVP for the Denver Broncos, did take the time to showcase his version of the dab while celebrating. So, is this the end of the dab, or a transition of dabbing powers from Cam Newton to Von Miller, I guess we’ll have to wait for the NFL season to return. One thing is for certain, the young Cam Newton will have multiple chances to resurrect the dance craze, as well as become a Super Bowl champion.
If you have walked anywhere in The City over the past year, you probably encountered a piece of “Protect Yo Heart” street art.
I never understood what “Protect Yo Heart” meant, and each time I walked over the phrase etched into the sidewalk, I would stare at it curiously. I would ask friends and people who I happened to be with while passing this street graffiti, and nobody knew what the art was referencing. However, like any good journalist, I had to do the research and figure out what this movement is all about.
The artist responsible for the messages that litter the streets of New York City is named UnCasso, the creative mind behind a clothing line called UnCutt Ink. Now, his efforts are focused on these pavement pastels affectionately dubbed “UnCuttart.”
The idea behind Uncuttart is to make people, as UnCasso puts it, “see things in a simple way and simplify their lives; get rid of all the bullshit.”
In 2014, UnCasso attended Art Basel Miami, a huge art festival that takes place in December and provides a platform for enormous networking to take place among people of the art world. While in Miami, he began working with a charity who got UnCasso a 25-foot wall to do a mural and present his artwork to the world. He utilized the large wall space to paint Steve Jobs – because he believes Jobs’ impact on this generation was admirable.
“I like to create art that reflects people who inspire me,” the artist claims. “In life, shit is going to happen the way it’s going to happen. Find the positive outcome and run with it. What are you going to do? Time doesn’t stop for anyone.”
Barrett, one of the many characters gamers will meet in Final Fantasy VII.
Square Enix, developer and publisher of the original 1997 role-playing game has announced an upcoming remake of Final Fantasy VII via an amazing game play trailer during Sony’s panel at E3 2015. The clip confirms the remake and includes scenes from the first chapter of the video game, where Cloud and the Avalanche gang, disembark a train and blow up the Sector 1 Mako Reactor.
FFVII won numerous awards in 1997, including game of the year from numerous video game publications. It was the highest-selling game in the Final Fantasy series and put RPG’s on the map for many gamers.
The game was applauded for its intricate story line and revolutionary graphics. “Many characters that come and go throughout the story are well developed, and players will feel the ups and downs of the protagonists as if it were a film,” says Alex C of Computer and Video Games.
Many gamers are concerned over the new action RPG battle system seen in the clip. In the original FF7, the battle system was action turned-based, meaning, the player makes a move after the computer makes a move, interchangeably. During the clip, you see the player controlling Cloud Strife, while Barret is controlled by AI.
“The battle system is what made FF7, well, FF7. I can’t imagine myself enjoying any other battle system,” says avid gamer, Andrew Edwards.
Square Enix teased fans in 2005 with a Playstation 3 tech demo of the opening scene of FFVII. Many fans were disappointed to hear that it was merely a demo of PS3’s graphical abilities. However, now there’s no doubt that the fan favorite is going to get a current gen overhaul. No word on an actual release date but PCC will keep you posted on new developments when we get them.
He fulfilled his necessity for both by teasing the Internet with a short clip related to his high-end clothing line, Adidas YEEZY Season.
For those of us who don’t subscribe to all things Kanye, YEEZY Season is a clothing line founded by the Chicago emcee and made conceivable by legendary sneaker powerhouse Adidas. Kanye’s clothing collaboration consists of menswear, womanswear and footwear known as Yeezy Boost.
Kanye West’s new line “Yeezy Boost” debuts this Thursday during February’s Fashion Week in New York City.
The release of the Yeezy Boost and the full Adidas partnership debuted in Manhattan on February 11, 2015, streaming to 50 cinemas in 13 countries throughout the globe. A soft release of the Adidas Yeezy Boost 750 — roughly 9000 pairs of shoes — was only made available for purchase via an Adidas smartphone app, and they sold out within minutes.
The full line hits globally on February 28, 2015, limited to exclusive boutique stores with Adidas accounts and Adidas Originals stores.
A mixture of style and art, “Yeezy Boost” will blend high-end design with the over-the-top nature displayed by its brainchild West.
West made it clear through social media that the third season of his clothing line would debut at Madison Square Garden and that it would also be a musical experience incorporating his super mysterious forthcoming album which is currently untitled and slated for a mid February release. He released tickets for the fashion show that sold out instantly, bolstering any and all excitement surrounding the clothing line.
As if enough madness hadn’t transpired around the brand, Kanye’s team took over the Internet and social media this week asking for extras to model his line. The broadcast struck last week via an email blast sent out to choice fans, voicing the requirement for paid extras.
“Yeezy Season 3 is launching a casting for up to 1,200 paid extras to participate in the exclusive YEEZY Season 3 fashion show, and premiere of Kanye West’s upcoming album at Madison Square Garden on February 11.”
Shortly after releasing a YEEZY Season 3 teaser video on his website Kanye used Twitter to disclose images of handpicked pieces from YEEZY Season, debuting alongside his heavily anticipated untitled studio album on February 11th.
If we haven’t all died from eagerness, expect to see Yeezy Season in all its glory real soon.
After the Carolina Panthers had lost Super Bowl 50 to the Denver Broncos, there wasn’t much left to say or do afterwards. In fact, the Most Valuable Player of the National Football League, Cam Newton walked out on his post-game … Continue reading →
David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson reprise their roles as FBI Agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully in season 10 of The X-Files. Photo Credit: The Independent UK
It has been 14 years since David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson graced our television screens as the lovable duo of Fox Mulder and Dana Scully respectfully. The revival of the coveted spooky sci-fi show premiered Sunday, January 24 garnered 20.3 million viewers in the Nielsen “live plus-3” ratings, which includes the viewership of the two-day premiere and viewership from on-demand, DVR playback and online streaming.
For those who never watched the The X-Files before, here’s the backstory in a nutshell: it is a classic conspiracy-detective show that occasionally features monsters and aliens. More elaborately, the show follows doctor and scientist Dana Scully as she is hired by the FBI to debunk cases filed under the X-Files, which is run by FBI detective Fox Mulder.
If you are on the fence about watching The X-Files, hop over it and come join us! I spent two months last year watching all nine seasons of The X-Files and it was one of the better shows I’ve spent hours binge watching. The appeal to The X-Files is a mix of its quirky characters and plot lines, realistic conspiracy theories and nostalgic 90s style.
The first episode of the six episode mini series, titled “My Struggle,” quickly recaps alien-related activities Mulder and Scully endured for nine years, refreshing the minds of fans who watched throughout the 90’s, binged on Netflix or those who have never watched an episode before.
My favorite thing about the show is the focus of the episodes. Although directors rotate and repeat throughout the series, there are some episodes that stick to Mulder and Scully solving one mysterious case in some mid-western town while other episodes focus solely on the alien abduction, government conspiracy plot progression of the show.
Though only three episodes aired as of publishing this article, the newest season of The X-Files has managed to skillfully give audiences a taste of each of the classic X-Files episodes—a government conspiracy plot, a mysterious death incident and a bizarre monster case, just what the doctor ordered.
