First Front Page

http://www.collegian.com/index.php/article/2010/09/090310_beachhouse

Well, I got my first front page article today, and you know what? for as tough as it was to write, I'm glad it did well. Sometimes our worst defeats are our greatest victories.


This house is beachin'
Old Town joint gets face lift

Beach House Grill does not blend into the Old Town landscape.

Centered perfectly in a district with Old Chicago’s 1920s-inspired marquee and Drunken Monkey’s thatch roof patio, the front facade resembles a sun- soaked hot spot you’d find in beach communities throughout California.

The bright murals and well-placed lounge chairs look like they’re straight from a Jimmy Buffet tune –– creating the illusion of a Fort Collins island getaway.

Steve Lauer, owner and local restaurateur, has turned the Scottish tavern Stonehouse Grille into a cozy, Caribbean-inspired getaway. The menu options include fresh organic local ingredients and what Dan Timm, the general manager, calls “some of the best fish tacos out there.”

“We make our tortillas in house,” said Timm. His pride in the menu and attention to detail is clear.

“We’re conscious of using local products and organic grown produce whenever possible,” he said. “We respect the need to be responsible with our resources.”

Beyond the new menu, Beach House is banking on its laid back atmosphere to be its most appealing feature to the Old Town scene, with new live music Saturdays as something to set it apart.

“You’re definitely on island time here,” says Timm, who expects the winter months to be even more inviting, “come in, the heat will always be on.”
New improvements, such as a late night window for the Thursday, Friday and Saturday crowd, will be open until 3 a.m., serving freshly prepared food, although Beach House won’t start this service until mid-September.

Despite what Beach House sees as many improvements across the board, some former customers are still skeptical.

“I feel like they went over the top with the theme. It’s like I’m standing in a daycare,” said Barry Loseke, senior business major.

Local students like Bruce Zimmerman share Loseke’s sentiment.

“It’s an original idea, but the magic of Stonehouse is missing,” he said.

Despite both opinions, Timm is confident things will pick-up, citing an influx of business last Thursday.

On Thursdays Beach House offers $3 Rum specials as well as its beer buckets, five for $10 domestics and five for $14 on micro-brews and specialty beers.

Timm believes that once the fully interactive website launches, the Fort Collins community will visit the Beach House more frequently. The Facebook page will also have a feature where fans can tag pictures and post opinions on the menu selection.

Staff writer Sean Bucher can be reached at news@collegian.com.

Top 5 albums from the scene

This list highlights the best songs from the scene. My generation's best examples of life on record. If you're asking yourself what is "the scene" it was a time before emo was emo. When good music for teenagers wasn't just about whiny voices. Every generation has there songs, the 80's found solace in their synth-pop ballads, the 90's had grunge and flannel, our generation saw an influx of ironic t-shirts and Abercrombie color-coordinated outfits. All of these albums were made before I graduated High-school, since it must be a generational thing about storytelling and all. These are the albums that kept you up till 4 am singing your lungs out, the songs that made you say "bros before hoes." So, without further ado, i give you the best of the best.

1. Fall Out Boy "Take This to Your Grave"
Take This to Your Grave, is one of those albums you heard about from a friend who found it from a friend, who saw these crazy guys from Chicago play in a shitty little club in the mid-west. The song titles are ambitious, making the kind of pop-cultural references that make VH1's "I Love" series seem dated. "Tell that Mick He just made my List of Things to do Today," and classic titles like "Grand Theft Autumn," Chicago is so Two Years Ago," and "Patron Saint of Liars and Fakes."

The greatest of accomplishment of the album is that it never slows down, it finds ways to build momentum with each song that plays. Arguably the worst song on the album, "Reinvinting the Wheel to Run Myself Over" is is still fast paced and energetic, which sets up the finale of the album almost like a live show before an encore.

2. Taking Back Sunday "Tell all Your Friends"
If you have somehow found a way to go your entire life without hearing this album, then you have been living under a rock, or in a polygamist convent on mars. This is one of the albums that started the scene. "Tell all Your Friends" made dual vocals the coolest thing since Y2K, remember that stupid abbreviation for the worldwide computer crash that never happened, and ushered in a generation of males who saw themselves as Tyler Durden's army. Lyrically, the songs are deep and disturbing as if hearing a schizophrenics frantic conversations within.

Particularly the video for "Cute Without the 'E', (Cut from the Team)" lives in infamy as one of the greatest of the decade, an almost perfect shot for shot recreation of "Fight Club." The dual vocals captured the inner psyche of Durden, as if the band and film were meant to be. The true testament to the album's greatness lies in the fact that many believe the band hasn't been able to recreate this sound and power since.

3. Brand New "Your Favorite Weapon"
Teenage angst and the confusion of growing up in the post-modern era finds it's voice in "Your Favorite Weapon." "Jude Law and a Semester Abroad" is the perfect fuck you to any girl that ever seemed fake and abused her beauty or popularity, which seems like most of the girls we wanted in high-school. Again, clever lyrics and slick guitar riffs make this a timeless album.

"Last Chance to Lose Your Keys" (another 80's reference) and "Seventy Times 7" are the albums highlights. The album title explains the feelings after a break-up, i was just your favorite weapon, just a toy, nothing more. The album ends with "Soco Amaretto Lime," which is not only a fantastic drink, but proof of the insecurities that all 18 year-olds feel. Making it a better graduation song than Vitamin C's "Graduation" which should be banned from airplay and use for eternity.

Fun Fact: Taking Back Sunday's "Theres No 'I' in Team" and Brand New's "Seventy Times 7" share the same bridge, both bands lead singers have been known to have an ongoing feud after Lacey left TBS.
"And is that what you call tact?
You're as subtle as a brick in the small of my back.
So let's end this call, and end this conversation."

4. Cartel "Chroma"
Cartel made its mark thanks to the social networking blow-up known as Myspace. Which is why they give credit where credit is do with the video for "Honestly." The album starts with a scratchy record like song called "Say Anything (Else)."

The album overall is a call out to every guys night you've had. "Luckie St." has everything you remember from a drunken walk home from a night at the bars. The albums greatest success is the ending, cartel saves the best for last. "Q" and "A" is the best 1-2 punch for songs hands down. "If you're not getting answers ask better questions." The songs take everything from a great album and bashes them together in a melodic finale that will make an entire room sing along.

5. Something Corporate "Leaving Through the Window"
It would be an insult to youth and music if this album was left of the list. If I could count the times this album has been played during romantic encounters and drunken nights with my friends its arguably the most played album ever. Nothing captures the essence of youth and that unsure feeling of high-school like Something Corporate.

The album opens with "I Want to Save You," a blaring anthem that makes the mundane seem extraordinary. More loving than most albums, Leaving finds a way to put into words the stirs of young love.

"Astronaut" is the album's most introspective song. The lyrics are the perfect way to wind down a night. "Hurricane" is the anthem of the album, it has everything the excitement of young love has. Coupled with "Woke Up in a Car," and "Not What it Seems," and "Drunk Girl" we see one of the most complete albums of the decade. Not to mention, it made piano rock cool again... You're welcome Billy Joel!!!


Honorable Mention:
Houston Calls "A Collection of Short Stories", Brand New "Deja Entendu", The Starting Line "Say it Like You Mean it", Say Anything "...Is a Real Boy", Death Cab for Cutie "Transatlanticism" Saves the Day "Stay What You Are", Yellowcard "Ocean Avenue" & "One for the Kids", Northstar "Pollyana", Senses Fail "Let it Enfold You", Something Corporate "Ready, Break" & "North", Starting Line "Based on a True Story", Story of the Year "Page Avenue", Thursday "War All the Time", The Academy Is... "Almost Here"

Note: EP's are a completely different list, so those will be addressed another date and time.

Top 5 Break-up/ Single Guy Movies

By now most of us have experienced a break-up in our lives. Everyone has there lists of top love stories and all that non-sense, but I feel like its necessary to give the other side its due. This list is in so particular order, all movies are equally important to the break-up motif.

1. "500 Days of Summer" - need I say more? The films starts by telling you it's not a love story.

2. "High Fidelity" - John Cusack has found a way to embody every unsure music obsessed non committal guy in history. The endearing yet pathetic friends, the quest find out what went wrong to get him to the point. Every guy has done the Ex revisit, its just something we do.

3. "Swingers" - This classic is Vince Vaughn at his best before he became a character of himself. The movie speaks to the truth's of love, they never come back till you're over them, and Vegas red eye specials often times don't end up as planned. The quotes alone are enough to keep your crew laughing for months on end "the beautiful babies were lovin' it! You were so money!"

4. "Funny People" - I know i'll be dogged for this, but unless you've lived this Gatsby like experience than you'll have a hard time appreciating the story. Boy meets girl, falls for girl, becomes a star/ asshole, cheats and leaves girl, finds out he's dying and tries to win her back realizing she's the love of his life, boy fails miserably.

5. "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" -I can't think of a better way to forget about someone than to have them wiped from your memory, then half-way through it, renege and trying to hold on to the memories. Oh how a broken heart is complicated.

Let me know what you think and which movies you would add or take off.

Honorable mention: The Last Kiss, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Garden State, Nick and Norah's infinite playlist, Jerry McGuire, The Break-Up (although it seems slightly obvious), Chasing Amy and Mallrats, The Wedding Singer, Annie Hall.

Ignoring the racial undertones, let's look at this

Well, so far it seems this was a letter to the editor published in the Mississippi Clarion Ledger on august 23rd, 2009. The letter remains mostly intact with a few changes, that seem to be added to add to the racial stereotype.The In the original letter, the doctor seems to be making an attempt to remind readers that personal health management is crucial. Without making lifestyle changes, which the Obama Administration has preached for a while*, this will be a harder change to make. While I agree that its unfortunate that their will be people that take advantage of healthcare, though they will be punished with higher premiums for personal health choices, there is still a large amount of the population that needs healthcare to keep our costs down.

I found some interesting responses from other physicians who have received the letter and many feel that this oversteps the boundaries as a physician. That being said, it's a letter to the editor, it's part of the opinion column, thank god, so people know it's an opinion unlike much of the rhetoric seen around on certain news outlets these days.

What the letter does not address is the reason for the patient's visit. I'd bet money it has something to do with having a routine visit done in an emergency room, which a major cause of rising healthcare costs. Another thing to consider is that if your insurance company knew about the extracurricular activities you've participated in they would be hesitant to insure you as well. Insurance companies discount your rates for living a "healthy lifestyle" which they will continue to do. This bill has the goal to promote access to education within the non-insured to create better lifestyle habits. I'll attach some literature I've published on childhood obesity as supplemental reading too.

*See these articles
-http://articles.courant.com/2010-04-03/news/hc-cox-chapman-health-care-well.artapr03_1_affordable-care-act-wellness-programs-health-care
-http://www.basilandspice.com/weight-loss/42010-weight-loss-guru-contributes-to-presidents-plan.html


This is the original copy that appeared,

During my last shift in the ER, I had the pleasure of evaluating a patient with a shiny new gold tooth, multiple elaborate tattoos and a new cellular telephone equipped with her favorite R&B tune for a ring tone.

Glancing over the chart, one could not help noticing her payer status: Medicaid.

She smokes a costly pack of cigarettes every day and somehow, still has money to buy beer.

And our president expects me to pay for this woman’s health care?

Or nation’s health care crisis is not a shortage of quality hospitals, doctors or nurses. It is a crisis of culture – a culture in which it is perfectly acceptable to spend money on vices while refusing to take care of one’s self or, heaven forbid, purchase health insurance.

Life is really not that hard. Most of reap what we sow.


On Wed, Apr 7, 2010 at 4:55 PM
Sean,
I'm interested in hearing your opinion on this:

Robert





Pictured below is a young physician by the name of Dr. Starner Jones. His short two-paragraph letter to the White House accurately puts the blame on a "Culture Crisis" instead of a "Health Care Crisis". It's worth a quick read:


Dear Mr. President:
During my shift in the Emergency Room last night, I had the pleasure of evaluating a patient whose smile revealed an expensive shiny gold tooth, whose body was adorned with a wide assortment of elaborate and costly tattoos, who wore a very expensive brand of tennis shoes and who chatted on a new cellular telephone equipped with a popular R&B ringtone.
While glancing over her patient chart, I happened to notice that her "payer status" was listed as "Medicaid"! During my examination of her, the patient informed me that she smokes more than one costly pack of cigarettes every day and somehow still has money to buy pretzels and beer.
And, you and our Congress expect me to pay for this woman's health care? I contend that our nation's "health care crisis" is not the result of a shortage of quality hospitals, doctors or nurses. Rather, it is the result of a "crisis of culture", a culture in which it is perfectly acceptable to spend money on luxuries and vices while refusing to take care of one's self or, heaven forbid, purchase health insurance. It is a culture based in the irresponsible credo that "I can do whatever I want to because someone else will always take care of me".
Once you fix this “culture crisis" that rewards irresponsibility and dependency, you'll be amazed at how quickly our nation's health care difficulties will disappear.
Respectfully,
STARNER JONES, MD

Republicans are scared

I don't know where to begin, are you people really that scared of universal healthcare? Yes some people will be taxed more, honestly i don't mind. The fact is, its the house bill that passed, if you payed attention in government, it has to pass in the senate and then the president has to sign it. So for all you conservative numb-skulls who don't know shit, get over it.

Free Prayer... Shit, when did they start charging

The second Point of interest comes from this lovely photo.

I don't know where to begin, I'm pretty sure prayers went free some 2,000 years ago... Or at least after Martin Luther nailed his 99 thesis to that church door saying the catholic church was full of shit for making people pay to get into heaven. Perhaps prayers are going free with all the catholic guilt thats built up from molesting alter boys!!!

Rah-Tard... like Rainman

IF you're on the CSU campus today you'll see a few laughable items of interest in the quad. Pi Kappa Phi is promoting "r" word awareness. Since when was the last time someone with a mental handicap was called retarded?
Retard: Its a socially constructed word for someone lacking common sense, for example: 1. My friend inviting 500 people to a party via Facebook and not expecting it to get busted by the cops. Or
2. A fraternity of people that no longer realize that A. putting a picture of someone with down syndrome next to a poster of the "r-word" is the social injustice, and B. that this is 2010!!! We have scientific names for mental handicaps that negate the use of the word RETARD.

Stanley Hotel looking for Night Auditor

Well if you like being scared shitless and possibly going crazy to the point where your family leaves you for dead in a maze, then this is the career opportunity of a lifetime. In all seriousness, the Stanley Hotel (featured in Stephen King's The Shining) then this is worth taking look at. In-fact i would love to see someone submit a resume that says "won't murder family" or "hates red rum."

http://fortcollins.craigslist.org/fbh/1623412608.html

requirements?
Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. (so you can see the ghosts and possessed spirits!!)

Occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. (????)

Must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. (the weight of an axe)

Tea Bag the Tea Baggers... And screw Broduer

Its becoming more apparent that the Tea Baggers are crazies! Between flying into buildings and marching to keep their guns, in some states even their right to wed in the family, these people are nutbags!!!!!

In a lighter note, WAY TO GO USA!!!! Beat the Canucks on their home ice. Broduer was mediocre, hes too old and without a descent defense can't stop a beach ball. Ryan Miller was the goalie of the game, between him and Hendrik Lundqvist, the games are gonna heat up.

Continued blog

With the lack of civic engagement as of late, i have to decided to keep blogging! Politics, pop-culture anything that needs a new asshole is gonna get one! send me ideas or topics you think are relevant. I'll do the research and see if i can get the real info, as opposed to the Jack-off's on the 24 hour news stations.