But what would life be if we never had to face adversity, rejection or a seemingly “no-win” scenario? It wouldn’t give you the opportunity to rise to the challenge and shine. Great thinkers would get lost in the masses, and heroes would go unnoticed. Where would this country be if our founding fathers were not faced with the unfair treatment bestowed upon them by Britain? 

I’m willing to bet you may never have heard of Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Paul Revere or Thomas Paine. Imagine if Mohandas Ghandi didn’t return to India to non-violently battle for India’s independence. 

Times of divisiveness and dissension have defined some of history’s most important players. What you do in the face of adversity defines who you are. What if Michael Jordan hung up his sneakers after getting cut from his high school basketball team or Thomas Edison listened to those who told him “he was too stupid to learn anything”? Well for one, I may be writing this column in candle light, but I also wouldn’t have realized that you can’t learn to succeed until you learn how to fail. 

John Carroll doesn’t offer a class that teaches you how to respond to failure (possible addition to Last Year Seminar?), and I learned that the hard way this year. For most of my life, I’ve been relatively successful. I was never cut from a sports team – except the bowling team my senior year of high school, but is that really a sport? When I wanted something, I went after it and got it. Yet, at the same time, I never took many risks. I wouldn’t engage in an activity if I wasn’t relatively sure I could succeed. I wouldn’t put myself in a position where failure was a likely outcome. 

That all changed this year, and I could not have been happier. One of the best pieces of advice my father gave me was to live an interesting life. 

Simple yet complex. How boring would life be if you never threw yourself into the fiery battle or took a blind leap? Sure you may get burned or fall flat on your face, but imagine the feelings if you come out on top. I get goosebumps just thinking about it. I’m convinced you can’t live an interesting life if you hide from adversity, run from rejection, and travel down the easy road. 

I’m about to embark on the next stage of my life. I have no idea where I’m heading, what I’m doing, or the difficulties I may face. But, I welcome them with open arms because, honestly, life would be pretty mundane if I didn’t get kicked to the curb or spat in the face once in awhile. I hope you do the same, too. If you see that girl or guy you have always thought was cute, then talk to them. Skip a class or take a 50-minute nap. 

Just take risks, and swing if life throws you a curveball. Even if you miss, you learn, you adapt and then next time you’ll hit a ground rule double. 

So before I leave you forever, please take this piece of advice my late grandfather always preached, “When you walk out that door, take a deep breath and say, ‘Look out world here I come,’ and grab life by the horns.” Thank you all for the best and the worst times of my life, it’s been a fun and fickle ride.

It was of no more intellectual substance than a drunken Facebook blog (which, it seems, is about the highest form of communication I see many young men and women possess). 

Perhaps when Mr. Seeholzer finally enters the real world of working adults (and leaves that of coddled Internet-addicted socially-stunted collegiate underachievers), he will discover that, lo and behold, Caucasian men DO hold the majority of high-paying, supervising positions. Then and only then, I suppose, will he feel justice. 

America has changed and while it is not completely for the better, it is our home. Seeholzer might be a happier man if he moved to a more misogynist Middle Eastern locale.  His article summed up why so many young women are staying single:  there is a dangerous anger brewing in young men who don’t have the strength of character to suck it up and deal with adversity. 

They pout about what they aren’t getting. They have had so much given to them and are stunned when things don’t fall in their lap. Seeholzer feels entitled to much more than he deserves or has earned.  Perhaps the military would hold a more promising future for someone so intoxicated by the social structures of yesteryear.

 My mother is a college professor who, like many of your moms, has worked extremely hard to be respected in the workplace and home.  Women have to strive for a respect that men take for granted.  

As a female cook in a male-dominated kitchen, I KNOW that women are looked at first as sex objects and second as fellow employees.  All women want, Mr. Seeholzer, is to be looked at as fellow employees first.

 And, perhaps you will score a date if you drop the sarcasm and resentfulness. Until then, I doubt anyone wants to “put up with” “hormonal” you.

It’s what we’re expected to do when we graduate from this place. But do any of us – barring that overachieving Boler School graduate student – really know how to tackle it? 

We could tell you more than you care to know about Argentinean economic policies or the male XLR cord needed to power a speaker system. But, when we leave here in four weeks, will any of that matter?

Not really. Now, don’t get us wrong; John Carroll University is a fine institution and has taught us invaluable skills, which will no doubt help us in our professional careers or mold us into Jeopardy-dominating machines (I’ll take “Non-practical Information for $37,000 a year, Mr. Trebek”). 

Aside from the aforementioned awesome Boler student, do you know the differences between a W-9 and a 940-EZ tax form? Or how about actually understanding what it says in your first tiny studio apartment lease? 

Still blanking? We have a plan, more of a proposal, actually a marginal concept. 

We, the people (Joe and Craig), in order to form a more perfect graduating senior, would like to establish Last Year Seminar (LYS), or Life 101. We know what you’re thinking: How did Buzz Aldrin get booted from “Dancing with the Stars?” He’s an American hero! He walked on the moon! How many people do you know that have walked on the moon? Kate Gosselin, really?

But, we should really talk about our plan. If you think about it, it’s an easily comprehendible concept. JCU gives you a First Year Seminar to grow as a class and expand your horizons and all that tomfoolery. Well, how about a class to help you transition out of college and into the real world? 

First, the course objective: “To educate graduating seniors on the fundamental concepts of living an adult life. Upon completion, students will be able to more thoroughly identify and understand the necessary steps, including, but not limited to the following: financial responsibility, taxes, insurance, health and fitness, interview preparation, adapting to a new setting, governmental procedures, and dating (not that we need that part, but maybe other people; but definitely, DEFINITELY not us. We’re actually leading that discussion).”

Now, we realize that these components can all be currently learned at JCU; however, it would require a few more classes that we really can’t fit because of our precious core requirements. 

A major part of the class would be speaker-based. Professionals or professors with expertise in each of these fields would give a 50-minute talk about the basics – maybe with a handout of some sort to take home. Unlike FYS, it would not be a requirement because too many people wouldn’t take it seriously, and would waste the time and energy put forth by the speaker. This class would be held once a week and be worth one credit with no homework, yet attendance is mandatory (except in cases of death, kidnapping or Mexican drug cartel violence).

Now, some highlights of the course.

First, financial responsibility. These are things like paying off your credit card debt, buying a car, or actually, pretty much anything that involves a dollar bill. Finance majors can skip this day. What about a 401K … what is it? Is it just a shortened form of 401,000, or is it a financial investment program for employees to maximize their retirement benefits? No, definitely not the latter. 

Secondly, health and fitness day. Whether you’re working a 40-hour workweek or crashing in your parents’ basement, you’re not going to have Jeff’s cheese enchiladas to power you through the day. It’s a completely different lifestyle – we think – we read it in Cosmo. 

Finally, interviews. Do you know how to professionally present yourself? How much company research is necessary? Are you ready for that curveball question: “If you were an eagle that had to defend your un-hatched eggs, how would you creatively problem solve while maintaining your sales quota?” 

Look, all we’re saying is that if a class like this were available, you’re looking at the star pupils. Jokes aside, considering we are entering the real world, a class that taught you important adult-living concepts would really get us ready for being big boys. We’ll take, “Awesome Ideas” for 401K (Is that the proper use?).

At times, I struggle to decipher whether a duo has what professionals call “on-screen chemistry.” This one was pretty apparent though, as both Aniston and Butler struggled to get in sync in a movie composed of multiple little coincidences and one-liners.

Aniston plays a driven, career-oriented news reporter for The Daily News hoping to break a major story about corruption in their local police force. While Butler, Aniston’s ex-husband in the movie, portrays a washed-up, former cop turned bounty hunter that tracks down minor felons for a decent sum of money. Butler receives the ultimate opportunity for revenge when his next order is to reign in Aniston for missing her court date.

A boring, predictable storyline will even make the easily-entertained bored to death. Slow to develop, it took nearly 100 minutes for any kind of excitement to unfold.

Even then, it wasn’t enough to engage, excite or interest the moviegoers because of the predictability.

This movie would have done better if it were released in 1988. When our parents were growing up, there was an interest for a heterosexual, battle of the sexes movie that demonstrated the bickering that happens between the genders.

“The Bounty Hunter” hoped to demonstrate the differences between men and women and human behavior. Quite the opposite happened.

Instead, the comedy and sophomoric jokes dumbed down their personalities and made for a sequence of poorly written lines and scenes.

Butler, who plays Milo Boyd in the film, has fallen into the role of playing a self-immersed Neanderthal that desensitizes the audience from what could’ve been some decent humor. His continual rude and petulant remarks to his counterpart Aniston, give men hope that it’s OK to act like a jerk to women. Similar to his role in “The Ugly Truth,” Butler portrays the typical shallow man who is more worried about physical features and fails to emotionally connect with women … until the end.

An ending is best when it’s unpredictable. Audiences sit on the edge of their seats, racing through every possible outcome in their heads, anxiously anticipating the conclusion.

Well, I hate to break it to you, but that doesn’t exactly happen in this one.

Rather, it’s more like you try to play the game, “Predictability Streak.” Basically, you see how many times in a row you can guess what will happen next (hint: pick what seems most predictable).

Overall, “The Bounty Hunter” portrayed a dichotomy so relentlessly overdone that you might as well save your money, stay home, and watch a real bounty hunter, like Duane “Dog” Chapman from “Dog the Bounty Hunter.”

At least that would be more unpredictable and an accurate display of life.

During Spring Break, I traveled to the Big Apple to visit my sister. Now, I’ve toured New York City multiple times and figured I tackled all that the majestic city has to offer. Boy, was I wrong. 

Feeding off of Editor in Chief Katie “I may be small, but I pack a large punch” Sheridan’s column, my trip challenged and broke the usual NYC stereotype. People think Jay-Z, Carrie Bradshaw and Rudy Giuliani. Well, everyone should have the opportunity to acquaint themselves with these NYC natives. 

Boston Bob, Scoop, Mikey K, Pablo, Dangerous Dave, Coach, Eddie and my personal favorite, Ricky Sprinkle. 

Boston Bob and Scoop haven’t been sober since the Bay of Pigs. Mikey K could win the jackpot and still find himself in debt. He also filed for bankruptcy with no assets. Pablo set his tie on fire in grade school. Dangerous Dave’s Irish brogue and Eddie’s thick Brooklyn accent have you continually asking the person next to you, “What did he just say?” (They told me to nod, smile and go with the flow). Coach, well, is Coach. 

And now, my faithful readers, I present Ricky Sprinkle. Security guard by day, a tempest of laughter and ridiculousness by night, Ricky would be an enigma for any clinical psychologist. 

My sister, her boyfriend and I attended a social gathering at Ricky’s place one night. During this exclusive event, Ricky and two others unrelentingly and proudly boasted that their driver’s licenses had been suspended. I felt like asking, “Everyone who has a valid license raise their hand!” There would have  been a minority. 

One woman even enlightened us with her stimulating license suspension story. According to her, she was pulled over, asked to step out of the car and put her hands behind her back. When she inquired as to why, the cop simply said something along the lines of, “You have a 10-year warrant for your arrest.” Oh, and the best part, she didn’t even know. 

But back to Mr. Sprinkle, I would like to make a final note about this prized individual. He has gout. Gout! There hasn’t been a documented case of gout since the Bubonic Plague. But I digress.

Earlier that day I traveled down to the World Trade Center site to visit the temporary memorial museum and St. Paul’s Chapel. Being that I was only in the eighth grade when terrorists attacked our freedom, I never really comprehended the magnitude of what happened. 

Despite their rebuilding effort, the austere, vacant lot where the towers once stood sent chills of patriotism up and down my spine. And with people from all around the world traveling thousands of miles to pay their respects, it served as an ardent reminder that at times we may bend, but will never break.

So, the break was over and I began my journey back to C-Town. Safely navigating my way through the Internet, I stumbled upon some commentary by political pundit and ultra-conservative Ann Coulter. Now, if you don’t know who Ann Coulter is then restrain your curiosity and don’t Google her.  Just ask Al Franken. 

Coulter’s bombastic writing and incredulous claims would make any decent human being convulse. A few days after 9/11, Coulter wrote, “We should invade their [the terrorists] countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity.”

Well, “The Golden Girls” is on and I hear it’s the episode when Sophia steals Rose’s car to go on a blind date. So in the paraphrased words of my uncle, “Live, laugh and play reggae in your head.”

Well, they’re back.

AVA, which formed in 2005 after Blink-182 went on hiatus, released their third studio album, “LOVE” on Valentine’s Day for free. The band consists of DeLonge, David Kennedy (guitarist), Matt Wachter (bassist) and Atom Willard (drummer).

Known for their melodic, outer space type riffs and sounds, “LOVE” attempts to capture the true essence of love and how it should be a universal concept accepted by all.

Overall, the album was pretty decent, but I don’t think it lived up to DeLonge’s statement that this was the crowning moment of his career and creativity.

What’s interesting about this album is the way all the songs flow together. It’s almost as if there is only one song, as there is no way of knowing when one track ends and another begins.

With their previous albums, “We Don’t Need to Whisper” and “I-Empire,” they had a variation of tunes and mixed up the beats to keep the listener engaged and interested. This album struggles to distinguish between their good and bad songs. Most of the songs sound too similar.

However, there are three songs that do ultimately rise above the mediocrity of the others. “The Flight of Apollo” strays away from their innocent, smooth melodic jams and wanders over to the harder edge.

The lyrics are the typical DeLonge style, illogical and hard to follow, almost as if he is trying too hard to be mystical. Yet, there is one line that illustrates, along with the sounds, why this is one of the better songs: “Please don’t look at life, look at me so sadly. Life shouldn’t hurt, doesn’t hurt so badly.”

“Hallucinations,” the band’s single that was released on Christmas day for free, stands out for its unique melody and resonating lyrics. Just like “The Flight of Apollo” this song varies from their usual tunes and ventures into a more AC/DC style of rock. Its lyrics depict what this album is all about, love. A man, who isn’t sure if he’s dreaming or hallucinating, but knows one thing for certain that the other person is the one he wants to be with.

DeLonge, along with Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker and Kennedy, started a band Box Car Racer. One of their songs, “Letters to God,” was a major hit and one of DeLonge’s favorites. In “LOVE,” DeLonge and crew decided to record “Letters to God Part II” and, upon reading the lyrics, it’s a rather fluid transition.

Although the two songs sound nothing alike, because AVA created it using their own style, the lyrics are awesome.

The original “Letters to God” from Box Car Racer has the person subjecting himself to God and promising not to lie or sin.

In AVA’s part two, the person in the song discovers that life is an entire lie and a big scam.

“LOVE” is an acquired taste and for the most part pretty polarizing.

It definitely captured the idea of love, but maybe a little too innocently and didn’t have much depth.

I would have liked to see them really expand their musical capabilities on some of the riffs and go out on a limb.

The album can be downloaded for free at their Web site www.angelsandairwaves.com.

But one event in particular that defies those boundaries is the Olympics. 

It is an anomaly so spectacular that it brings red and blue, white and black, gay and straight together. For these brief two weeks, we put away all of our differences to support the red, white and blue. 

Just as an example, when Apolo Ohno is coming around that final turn, seconds from a gold medal, we aren’t cheering against him. We don’t pray that he wipes out. We all cross our fingers, close our eyes and as one nation, believe. 

These athletes don’t do it for a $120 million contract, but for pride and glory. They train nine hours a day for three and a half years on pure will and motivation. What do they get? They get personal satisfaction, a medal and, most importantly, a chance to stand at the top of the podium and hear their national anthem played in front of hundreds of millions of people. 

We at John Carroll can learn something from this. 

JCU has been hit hard this year by tragedy. We’ve been torn apart by our differences. 

To put it simply, we’ve seen better days. 

Over the past week, I’ve seen the worst come out of people here at JCU. Factions have been established, enemies made and sides taken. I understand that you have the right to stand up for your beliefs and fight for what you think is right, but past history has shown that times like this eventually spiral out of control. The 1968 Democratic Convention riots in Chicago. The shootings at Kent State University. The Civil Rights riots in the south. 

All of these happened because people were unwilling to compromise and establish a common interest. 

Now, I’m not saying that something like this will happen, but I am saying this: If we don’t come together right now, as a school, we will fail. 

We will fail not only ourselves, but also everything that this community stands for. We will succumb to our own selfish desires. 

JCU is comprised of varying ethnic, religious and political backgrounds. It’s like a mini-nation. Each student contributes to the unique make-up of this school and adds something no one else can. I know we have our differences and maybe I’m wishing for a Utopian society, but we will never know for sure unless we try. 

To those students involved in the Feb. 3 protest, you may think that you have no mutual interest with the administration or whoever is standing in your way. Well, you’re wrong. 

One thing that no one can ever take from us is that we are all Blue Streaks. 

We will always be the Blue Streak nation. 

It’s not just a name, but it’s something we will always have in common. You may disagree with my beliefs or what I stand for and we may never see eye-to-eye, but what we will always share is our Blue Streak pride.

It’s time to work together as the Blue Streak nation. I cannot stand to see us so divided and hostile. You may argue that I’m asking you to give up what you stand for, but what I’m saying is that we need to handle this constructively. We must use our common interest and work together from here.

Students and administration need to put down their weapons and meet in the middle. 

We’re supposed to be “Men and women for others” right? 

Then start acting like it.

With this Sunday being Valentine’s Day, we thought it was time to once again kick some knowledge into your heads. For those of you spending your first V-Day with your significant other, we’ve got some words of wisdom.

Need to know what to say or where to go? Don’t know what to buy? We’ve got you covered like Tracy Porter.

First thing’s first, acquiring the Valentine.

Our recommendation is to look through past issues of the award-winning Carroll News and try out the “Pick-up Line of the Week.”

Or look up archived issues containing JCU Power Couples, find the ones who have since then broken up and attempt to make it into next year’s addition by getting with them.

Once you’ve got your special someone, it’s time to pick a special place.

Expensive restaurants that require reservations might seem like a good idea, but if your Valentine is a keeper, then they’ll be satisfied with a Happy Meal (the toy can count as a gift). Boom. Dollar Menu payer.

V-Day is a holiday comparable to a forgotten anniversary or the fifth consecutive year that she turned 29. That means gifts are expected.

Nothing says “I love you” more than a year’s membership to a gym. It also says, “You can stand to lose a few pounds.” Honesty is the foundation of any strong relationship.

In grade school, a common way we acquired the money to buy gifts for our significant ladies was to sneak a few bucks out of mom and dad’s wallets. Ergo, “borrow” some money from your Valentine and use it to buy them a gift. It’s a win-win because not only do they get a gift, but they get their money back too.

You may have heard that doing things such as opening doors and pulling out her chair for her is a good idea; however, much like hesitation, it is just a sign of weakness.

Women want to know that you’re confident in their ability to fend for themselves. Although we wear the pants in the relationship, we won’t always be there for them because we’ll probably be off doing sweet man stuff. So they need to learn how to open their own doors and pull out their own chairs.

Women also love when men are decisive and take the initiative. So pick the restaurant, order for her without consulting her and have her cut your 16 oz. filet mignon steak for you. Why? Because women can be indecisive (i.e. Anne Heche).

Most likely the woman will screw up Valentine’s Day, get mad and then slap all of the blame on your innocent, scruffy cheek. Take the higher road, avoid insults and use pet names. When she’s acting like a less-than-tasty cereal, just say, “Aw, but Honey Bunches of Oats (insert on-the-spot fabricated compliment).”

We’ve given you all the tools, but you have to build the birdhouse. Trust us, as two guys who watched a YouTube video of a guy building a birdhouse, we know what we’re talking about.

In a three-page obituary jumped from the front page of The New York Times, it said that Salinger would walk around his Ursinus College campus claiming that he was going to write the next great American novel. He achieved his self-prophetic claim and then some. He inspired me to become the next great John Carroll University alumnus.

Shula. Russert. Fletcher. McDaniels. Caserio. Polian. 

Willert.

Don’t be alarmed if you see me walking around campus proclaiming that I will be the next panjandrum (see Wonderword) to come out of JCU. 

Soak it up. 

And when you’re older and your kids tell you they want to be like me, you can tell them that you were there when I began my epic journey. 

I have no idea how I’m going to get so famous, but I’ve got some ideas rattling around in my head. 

I could be the host of a Sunday morning political talk show on MSNBC. 

Since I coached a sixth grade basketball team and led them to a championship, I could take an NFL team to an undefeated season, win the Super Bowl, thus resulting in the dedication of an athletic field after me.

Hell, after winning the intramural flag football championship last year, I might get drafted as an NFL linebacker, make the Pro Bowl and be a finalist for the Walter Payton “Man of the Year” award.

I’ll probably end up coaching a professional sports team, start 6-0 and subsequently lose eight of the next 10 games and fail to make the playoffs. 

Eventually, I think I’ll want to move to the front office of a sports organization. In fact, they will most likely ask me to become the director of player personnel or the team’s general manager, either one will suffice. 

My final idea steps outside of the sports arena and jumps into the entertainment industry. 

I’m going to win an Emmy.

Actually, I think I’m going to  do every one of the aforementioned ideas in hopes that the University will get smart and rename the school Craig ‘Greg’ Willert University. 

I know everyone still reading at this point probably wants to punch me in the jeans, but unclench your fists and let me use my profound rhetorical skills to illustrate my flawless reasoning.

Growing up, I worked as a janitor at a local college, solved near impossible math problems well beyond my intellectual capacity, and became best friends with Ben Affleck.

So clearly I have the ability to exceed expectations and defy the odds, resulting in the achievement of each of my ideas. 

Plus, anyone who is friends with Ben Affleck, who miraculously survived a World War II plane crash and almost saved Josh Hartnett, has the will power to achieve anything. 

As I grow old, I’ll receive many awards, become the first U.S. citizen to receive the Medal of Honor and be inducted into every sports hall of fame (including the RV and Motor Home Hall of Fame).

Finally, I’m going to have a three-page obituary written about me. 

However, I want mine to be jumped from the front page of the award-winning Carroll News, as it was the first channel to let me proclaim, “I’m going to become the next great John Carroll alum.”

Director Nimrod Antal’s ethically challenging and high-paced film included some high-profile actors such as Matt Dillon (“Crash”), Laurence Fishburne (“The Matrix”) and of course, Short.

Short plays Ty Hackett, an Iraq War veteran who returns home to find a troubled brother struggling to cope with the recent loss of his parents.

Ty gets a job with an armored truck service to help pay-off overdue bills left over from his parents’ deaths. Ty, Mike (Dillon), his father’s best friend, and Baines (Fishburne), the old dog of the crew, act as the truck’s three-man team.

With nothing but despair and the threat of losing his brother to child services, Ty vows to make ends meet and keep the family together. A perfect opportunity arises when Mike and Baines attempt to convince Ty to steal the $42 million they are transporting.

As the plot progresses, it’s obvious to the audience that Ty is struggling between his own ethical platform and the promise of living free of debt.

There were a few bright spots in this sloppily-made film. Short’s performance may have put him on the fast track to a big Hollywood career. He made the plot believable and convinced the audience to feel the pain and anguish he was going through.

It was a difficult role because he had to convey that he was struggling with the decision, but at the same time he had to do it to keep his family together.

Though he won’t get much recognition for this role or many awards, we will almost definitely be seeing more of him in the future.

The film’s overarching ethical dilemma propelled the movie and helped avoid a complete catastrophe. It made the audience think and ask themselves, “Would I steal the money?” It was a movie of good timing. If they had made this film while the economy was stable, there was no war, and people weren’t worried about debt, then it might have been an even bigger flop.

However, with the current context, the audience could resonate with Ty and felt his pain as he was being pulled apart. On the other hand, the movie’s plot was simple, maybe too simple, only taking place in a of couple sets.

The mind-numbing plot didn’t give the movie any flare, action or suspense.  It was as if Antal took the plot from a picture story made by a second grader in arts and crafts. It wasn’t creative and it colored outside the lines.

Maybe the movie would have been better if the chase scene didn’t consist of Ty running from a thousand-pound truck. The scenario is doubtful at best.

“Armored” never put Ty in a no-win scenario, and presented the audience with easily predictable and manageable conflicts.

With a small sliver of hope always looming, “Armored” never presented the audience with that ultimate conflict.

My advice: wait until the movie is shown on John Carroll’s movie channel and save the $10 cost of a ticket.

The story of Baltimore Raven’s offensive linemen Michael Oher, played by Quiton Aaron, illustrates mankind’s ability to step out of society’s norm to perform an act of kindness. The story about the adolescent life of Oher takes place in the slums of Memphis, Tenn.

From early on Oher was a nomad. He would jump from house to house after he was taken from his mother early on because she wasn’t seen fit to take care of him.

“Big Mike,” as they called him through the duration of the movie, was depicted as a gentle giant, but someone who wasn’t competent enough to make it through high school.

The feel-good part of the story comes when Leigh Anne Tuohy, played by Sandra Bullock, comes to the rescue and gives Oher a home for a night. It turns into a lifetime. The Tuohys are a wealthy, white-collar family who own a large chain of fast-food restaurants around the country.

The movie chronicles Oher’s journey from when he is first accepted into the all-white, Briarcrest Christian high school and is immediately seen as a misfit.

The remarkable part of the story and movie is Oher’s ability to deal with adversity and overcome the social obstacles thrown in his way because of his size and color.

Although the film is about his path from high school football to the National Football League, it goes far beyond.

A major theme of the movie is seen in its title, “The Blind Side.” A major turning point of the movie came when one of Oher’s gangster friends threatened his pseudo-mom, Leigh Anne Tuohy, and the rest of the family. Mike protected his family’s blind side and deterred the gangsters from harming the Tuohys.

Oher’s relationship with the youngest Tuohy, S.J., played by Jae Head, adds humor to the movie. A five-foot, skinny grammar school kid training and hanging out with a six-foot, six-inch, 300-pound offensive linemen adds comical relief in the most dramatic spots of the movie.

“The Blind Side” began with Oher’s ability to protect those close to him, and it ended with him protecting the blind side of his quarterback.

Sandra Bullock gives an Oscar-worthy performance as the tough, redneck, southern belle that initiates the relationship with Oher.

Her on-screen performance adds another dimension to the movie, making it dynamic and multi-faceted.

Director John Lee Hancock does a reasonable job balancing Oher’s football career and his personal life. Telling enough of both in order for the audience to understand the challenges he faced growing up.

Rookie performers Tim McGraw and Lily Collins add good supporting roles to the movie, complimenting both leads while giving more depth.

“The Blind Side” opens in theaters everywhere tomorrow, Nov. 20.

You all know what I’m talking about. It’s that thing you do so well, like peeling an orange to perfection or picking the score of a girl’s basketball game, which is easy because scientific studies have proven that a women’s basketball game cannot end with a combined score higher than 17.

LeBron James gets overpaid to put a leather ball in an iron circle. Alex Rodriguez gets overpaid to take steroids. And, Plaxico Burress gets overpaid to shoot himself. I think it’s time that I get overpaid to do something that adds no value to society.

First, while most of you take a good 20 minutes to parallel park into a spot big enough to fit the state of Rhode Island, I can do it in 30 seconds tops. I see it all the time, people backing into a spot and then realizing they cut it too hard. So they pull it back out, and try again.

In the meantime, capable, competent parkers (i.e. me), could probably have parked, recited the Articles of Confederation and read the entire week’s issue of the award-winning Carroll News before they finish. 

I would be the LeBron James of parallel parking.

The next job is one that all men would succeed at – the professional creeper. Creeping is an art form and takes practice, diligence and patience, all of which I have mastered. We see a cute female and want to check her out, but we are afraid of getting caught.

While some men would chicken out, I would pull one of my many creeper moves. Either the window glare creep, in which I can look at the possible target through the glare of the window, or the cell phone creep, which is when I act like I’m trying to get cell phone reception by holding up the phone, but instead I’m really checking the prospect out.

I would be the R. Kelly of professional creeping.

This next job would make millions … if it were an actual job. I’ll set the scene: Josh Cribbs is returning a punt. He’s running down the sideline and what do the viewers see? Some random guy on the Browns’ sideline waving his arm in a windmill fashion while pointing toward their endzone.

In the business, they call him “the guy who stands on sidelines at football games and tells the players which way to run, as if they didn’t already know.” One must possess strong rotator cuffs, a flexible arm and know the difference between left and right.

I was a pitcher, which means I have both strong rotator cuffs and a flexible arm, and I passed kindergarten, thus proving my supreme knowledge of the difference between left and right. Plus, I hear this job is in high demand, as they had to fire the higher profile wavers once the recession hit.

I would be the Petey Pablo of professional arm waving.

Other skills I possess that would make me a lot of money if they were jobs are: professional Facebook creeper, being able to identify the mistake made in a Sudoku, Wikipedia writer (“scholars” call us plagiarists, I just say they’re jealous) and, of course, the professional procrastinator.

Boom. Single payer.

“The Box,” which opened in theaters last Friday, stars Cameron Diaz (right) and James Marsden (left) and was directed by Richard Kelly (“Donnie Darko”). The three joined together to answer some questions about the making of the movie, preparing for the movie and some bloopers that occurred while shooting the film.

Cameron Diaz

Q: What was your initial reaction when you first read the script?

A: Well, I was a huge fan of Richard’s from “Donnie Darko” and “Southland Tales,” and I just really wanted to work with him.  So when I read the script, I was – I felt that it was one of, you know, those very authentic stories that he tells.  There was a lot of – you know, sort of this existential quandary, and I just knew that Richard would tell the story uniquely as he does, and I wanted just to be a part of that.

Richard Kelly

Q: How is this 1970s set film relevant to our society today?

A: Well, I think it’s a film that kind of puts in the cross hairs the idea of the nuclear family.  In our film, it’s, you know, a married couple, under the age of 40, with a single child, and they have a lifestyle that they really can’t afford, and they’re sort of living on credit, and they have a mortgage that’s beyond their means, and they’re, you know, driving a car – or Arthur is driving a car that’s a little bit too expensive, and they have a son in private school with a tuition that’s a little too much for them to handle.

James Marsden

Q: So what would you say was the one of the funniest things that happened on set?

A: I remember laying in bed having a heart-to-heart scene with Cameron, then, getting up and vomiting in the bathroom, and then washing my mouth with soap then coming back and asking if it was OK if we finish the scene and Cameron being really gracious and sweet and saying it’s totally fine.  It wasn’t really funny – it’s kind of funny now more than it was then.  And they were able to fix my green face in post.

“Got City Game! Cleveland” is an Internet-only reality show in which three teams compete in multiple challenges around Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. Prizes include:  a years free lease at the Tremont Place Lofts, dinner and movie passes and other items pertaining to Cleveland living.

In a press release issued by the show, Executive Producer Barbara Oney said, “This is a reality game show filmed throughout the city of Cleveland and then aired on the World Wide Web–where this demographic resides and where it can be seen on a global basis.”

The show is looking to engage the 18 to 35-year-old demographic in hopes of educating them on what Northeast Ohio and Cleveland have to offer. There are two types of challenges: “Location” and “CitySmart.”

“Location” challenges occur in public places around Cleveland such as restaurants, businesses and other places that are unique to the city.

“CitySmart” is more of a quiz-style format were contestants answer questions relating to Cleveland’s history, and neighborhoods.

In talking about the genesis of the show, Oney explained their attempt to answer a question pertinent to the youth of Cleveland.

“How do we engage young people in a way that is fun?” said Oney.

There will only be five episodes, starting Nov. 11, 2009, and continuing through the following four Wednesdays. For each episode, the show will highlight a different Cleveland area, such as Tremont, University Circle and the Detroit Shoreway. What makes this show so enticing is its commitment to engage the public and get them to become involved.

The teams earn points as they complete challenges and answer correct questions. However, what it comes down to is the online votes cast by viewers of the show, ultimately deciding the winner.

Viewers can vote on the show’s Web site, www.gotcitygame.com. Voters are only allowed to vote once in order to limit the number of votes cast for each team. The show hopes to gain attention and popularity through its attempt to highlight the positive assets of Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. It also enters viewers into a lottery when they vote.

“One of the things that is central to this [show] is engagement. It is bringing the viewers in and getting them involved in the show,” said Oney.

With each vote, viewers are automatically entered into a weekly raffle to win prizes such as passes to concerts and dinner certificates.

Additionally, they will be entered into the grand prize raffle which is for one of four academic scholarships for either an undergraduate degree, graduate degree or Ph.D. These scholarships are good at any accredited school in the United States and will be supplied by the NACS Foundation and Stone Modeling and Talent Agency.

Also, these scholarships can be given to someone else if the recipient does not wish to use it.

The host of the show is Jason Zone Fisher. He directed a documentary about his father running for Ohio lieutenant governor. Directing the show is Don Tyler, a nationally recognized music director and Cleveland native. Students from Cuyahoga Community College will be helping Tyler direct the show by shooting footage as well as capturing audio to later be produced in the studio.

“We would like to do this across the region, and make it become a regional opportunity. We also see this as a business opportunity to create jobs in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio,” said Oney.

In light of our Homecoming experiences, we decided that the John Carroll male community should be educated on what not to say to members of the opposite sex.

In college, we find ourselves in situations that can result in a successful social night, or a complete failure. More often than not, it ends in disaster.

Lines such as “Want a bite of my cookie?” and “I don’t know if you can already tell, but I think you’re a pretty good dancer” at the time seem impeccable, but in retrospect turn out to be a blow to social credibility and an embarrassment.

Now when a girl says, “I don’t want anymore food. I feel fat.” Clearly, don’t say, “Aww, but you’re still really nice.” Instead say something about how great she looks and her breathtaking beauty.

If a girl asks if she is pretty, answer without hesitation regardless of whether it’s “yes” or “no,” because hesitation is a sign of weakness.

Often times introductions happen at public places such as restaurants, bars or parties. Don’t say, “Hey, how’s the shrimp taste?” Why? Because it makes no sense and it’s not topical, and clearly you haven’t read or understood the rules of argumentation and debate taught by Brent Brossmann.

For those with a significant other, if she begins to cry don’t say, “Stop crying, tissues cost a lot.” She might be under the impression that you think she’s a gold digger.

Annika Harris, of CNN.com, wrote that under no circumstances should a guy say to a girl, “You’re being crazy” while arguing. Although it may be a 100 percent true statement, for self-preservation and fewer hospital bills, it’s better to say, “You’re right, honey.”

Harris also proposes the scenario of what to do when a girl is late for a date because she is getting ready. When she finally shows up, guys shouldn’t say, “Wow, that extra time really didn’t make a difference.”

Sophomore Meghan Everett once received a text from a guy that she hadn’t talked to in three months that said, “So I’m guessing I’m nothing?” Well, it was a valiant effort, but let’s just say it reeks of desperation, which girls can sense from 3,000 miles away.

College students often find themselves at social gatherings outside of school. New people. Unfamiliar faces. New opportunities. In one instance, sophomore Katherine O’Brien, who also has a twin sister at JCU, recollected when a fellow student asked her, “Which twin is better?”

Other lines that are probably best said in your head are: “Before I make any commitments, do you have any pictures of your mom handy so I can see what my future looks like,” “That’s what she said,” and after meeting her, “You won’t give me your number.”

Guys. Let’s think before we say something. Girls. It’s not always necessary to inflict pain after hearing a bonehead comment from a potential significant counterpart. It hurts more than you think.

Some things are just better left unsaid.

The CN’s top 10 things to never say to a girl:

1.) “You look better on Facebook.”

2.) “Feelings and sensitivity aren’t attractive.”

3.) “I sent you a text. Did you get it?”

4.) “So how many boyfriends have

you actually had?

5.) “So you’re saying there’s a chance?”

6.) “Is that what you’re actually wearing?”

7.) “Are those cankles?”

8.) “Are you really going to finish eating that?”

9.) “My ex always/never/used to…”

10.) “Hi! I’m Max Flessner!”

 Belman said, “I signed up for this class kind of on a whim to see what it was like.” 

Being from the Akron area, Belman remembered hearing about five high school basketball players from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School who were making a name for themselves on the

national level.

They called themselves the “Fab Five.” The group consisted of Romeo Travis, Sian Cotton, Willie McGee, Dru Joyce III and LeBron James. 

Belman and the “Fab Five” are on their final leg of a 10 city world tour  for the movie, premiering it at each stop. 

The assignment took off from there as Kris contacted Dru Joyce II, the head basketball coach for St. Vincent-St. Mary, in hopes of gaining permission to film and follow these five remarkable young men.

“My mantra from when I was first granted permission was ‘stay out of the way.’ I felt like it was an unbelievable opportunity for me to be given this access. So I didn’t want to do anything to put it in jeopardy,” said Belman. 

At first the team called him the “Camera Man,” and Belman joked that they just recently learned his real name. But according to Coach Joyce, it was a sign that he was trusted.

“Once you’re in, you’re family,” said Coach Joyce referring to Belman’s relationship with the “Fab Five.” 

Belman admitted that some of the footage in the movie was actually the work of the players. They would take the camera from him and do a little directing and producing of their own. 

James said the initial reaction to Belman was that they were just helping out a kid who was trying to do a school project. However, that relationship with Belman changed over the course of filming.

James said, “[Now] I consider him a friend more than a guy who is a director or business man.”

“More Than A Game” illustrates a lot about each member of the “Fab Five,” but Belman couldn’t convey all the players’ feelings towards each other.

Their trust and loyalty to one another was something that couldn’t be captured visually in the film, but only through the tone of their voices when asked about their relationships with one another.

Dru Joyce III, or “Little Dru,” said, “It [the movie] shows us for who we are. All those memories, the joy you see, the down times, the good times.”

In the movie, their coach freshman year Keith Dambrot and major reason for attending St. V-St. M, left for his current job as University of Akron’s men’s basketball coach. The emotions of James and his teammates weren’t depicted in the film, but they were hurt.

“I didn’t understand. When I came to grips that deep down inside this guy wanted a second chance. I understood,” said the younger Dru.

James voiced a similar reaction saying that he had reacted before thinking and later understood and realized Dambrot had to do what was best for him. 

James, McGee and the younger Joyce laughed about some of the footage that was left out of the movie. 

One particular part they wished was included was their music class project. McGee talked about how they recorded a music video of each of the five singing and dancing to “Never Scared” by Bonecrusher. 

They reflected on trips to North Carolina for AAU tournaments, the night after they won the state championship their senior year and when they flew to Los Angeles where they were given a limousine ride from the airport. 

The tour kicked off in Chicago, then traveled to Washington D.C.; Akron, Ohio; Beijing, Shenyang and Shanghai, China; Paris, France; and London, England. Ending in New York City and Los Angeles on Friday.

On each stop of the tour, the next series of LeBron’s shoe line, the Nike Air Max LeBron VII was presented to James with the design inspired by that city. 

The designs were done by a local artist from each city. At the end of the tour James will auction off the 10-pair collection and give the proceeds to his global community initiative.

Along with promoting the movie, LeBron and Nike met with the younger community, calling on them to make a change in their neighborhood. 

James also attended a Nike-hosted basketball camp at each city to give kids a lesson or two. 

“I always planned to do something bigger with it [the movie],” said Belman.

This story goes beyond the film. It goes beyond the basketball court. It transcends into a world of loyalty and lifelong friendships. The “Fab Five” is more than a game.

Carson made his mark with humorous bits such as “Stump the Band,” when audience members would ask the band to play obscure songs. He also did “The Edge of Wetness,” in which he would read funny and fictional soap opera plots and the camera would scan the audience for the person who best fit the role. These bits and segments soon became a must in the format of late night television.

Leno continued to do the same after taking the reigns from Carson in 1992. Leno created his own famous sketches such as “Jaywalking.” He would ask people around the Los Angeles area questions about current events, mostly receiving outrageous responses.

Leno additionally did a segment called “Headlines” every Monday. Viewers would send in newspaper clippings with either grammatical errors or highly inappropriate mistakes. Leno led the ratings for 11 consecutive years from 1995 to 2006, beating out CBS’ “Late Show” host, David Letterman.

One thing that helped Leno increase his ratings was bringing his stage closer to the audience. Carson’s stage was so far from the audience they could barely see him, which at times hurt his overall ratings.

Since his show first aired in 1993, Letterman has been the main competitor for Leno. “Letterman always has the celebrities and political figures on— he’s funny because he basically makes fun of them the whole time,” said Kevin McCall, a freshman at John Carroll University.

Letterman’s top segments include the “Top Ten List” and “Great Moments in Presidential Speeches.” During the “Top Ten List,” Letterman lists the best of each category given and the presidential speeches features three clips of speeches, two serious and meaningful and the third a gaffe from a recent or past speech.

After 17 years, Leno finally stepped down and passed the NBC late night show to Conan O’Brien. O’Brien’s “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” aired after Leno, and he was considered Leno’s replacement some years before the official announcement. O’Brien is known for his wild behavior and unique personality that consists of random outbursts in song and dance. Sophomore Drew Krainz said, “Conan is the Oprah of late night. Leno’s monologue is bogus, and Conan is a lot goofier than Leno, and I think he appeals more to our generation.” Comedian Will Ferrell joined O’Brien as the first guest on his version of “The Tonight Show,” making its debut on June 1, 2009.

Despite O’Brien taking “The Tonight Show” spot, Leno bumped down an hour slot and on Sept. 14, “The Jay Leno Show” hit the airwaves and drew 17.7 million viewers on its first night.

With this slew of late night programming and the additions of Craig Kilbourn and Jimmy Fallon’s show, the prime time hours are filled with quality programming.

Whether it’s Leno, O’Brien or Letterman, “The Tonight Show” has been a staple in television history since Johnny Carson made it big nearly 47 years ago.

Sept. 10 marked the beginning of the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week (MBFW) in New York City for the 2010 spring and summer collections.

As always, the event attracted A-list celebrities such as Madonna, Charlize Theron and Victoria “Posh” Beckham.

With more than 63 shows and 100,000 attendees, travel was this year’s MBFW fashion statement.

The theme was the result of the show being moved from Bryant Park to the Lincoln Center next year.

John Carroll University sophomore Jessica Brady said, “The 2010 spring styles look very fashion friendly.”

Shows included luxurious luggage bags designed by Louis Vitton and Gucci, along with presenting lines with a much softer, spring vision.

Some consistent clothing themes seen were sportswear, shorts suits, floral prints and an overall looser clothing fit.

With the current economic downturn, some designers, such as Ralph Lauren, added a bit of depression to the clothing, attempting to stay away from the usual glamour that is seen in these shows.

Some sported themes of exoticism and jungle-like lands while other designs donned hints of beaches and places much closer to home.

Felicia Delisio, a senior at JCU, said, “I like Marc Jacobs and his spring and summer fashion line he released this past week.”

Fashion writers Jo Jones and Helen Seamons listed some fashion highs from the MBFW, citing Preen’s latest shoe line and Hussein Chalayan’s tote bag for Puma.

Jones and Seamons pointed out in Britain’s The Guardian that Marc Jacob’s model makeup and Japanese-styled heels were a major fashion low.

Candi Pratts Price, the executive fashion editor for style.com, commented on the designers staying loyal to certain brands.

“You’ve got to get to know me, the customer, then you get me to follow you. You get me interested and excited, and that’s what makes it aspirational,” she said.

A major trend in recent years among designers, especially ones seen at the MBFW, such as Anna Sui has been staying loyal to their companies and designing for stores such as Target to help those who can’t afford expensive clothing.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week favorite Charlotte Ronson has created a new fashion line for Urban Outfitters called Play. Ronson, in an interview with Urban Outfitters online blog said, “We are able to create high quality pieces at a lower price point and make them more accessible to a larger number of people.”

With a 1974 look, Rachel Roy went back intime for this year’s MBFW and her clothes followed the trend of loose fitting designs as she donned her models in gowns and blouses.

Roy, despite being a major designer, also has a line for the national retailer store Macy’s.

Roy designs everything from dresses to summer-wear to accessories such as purses for the women’s section of the store.

This year’s MBFW was an overall success, with designers releasing quality lines and unique fashion designs that will make the spring and summer of 2010 one of loose fitting travel fashion.

Designers, like Roy, Sui and Ronson have committed to producing more affordable lines and showing that the industry, despite the glamour and glitz, can offer clothes for all, atan affordable price.

“Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs,” a book written by Judi Barrett, is a story every child grows up hearing, seeing and imagining. 

It allows imaginations to run wild with thoughts of food falling from the sky, giant mounds of candy, and ice cream snowball fights. 

Now, thanks to Sony Pictures, the book has come to the silver screen. “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” tells the story of Flint Lockwood (Bill Hader), an inventor with the dream of becoming famous, who makes a machine which transforms water into food.

As the story develops, we begin to see the dysfunctional and disconnected relationship between Flint and his technophobic dad, Tim (James Caan). His father, who struggles to express his feelings to Flint, works in his sardine shop and doesn’t understand why Flint won’t give up inventing. 

A major overarching theme is the father-son relationship, illustrating the importance of a strong bond between the two, but at times it is overkill. Town cop Earl Devereaux’s (Mr. T), relationship with his son Cal (Bobbie J. Thompson) depict the model father-son relationship. 

Yet, after the first couple of interactions between the two, the audience will understand the message directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller are trying to convey. After awhile, the movie becomes repetitive in this aspect and grows weary on the audience. 

An enjoyable film for all ages, it incorporates humor for each age group, from the slapstick absurdity for the younger ones, to the deeper, more intellectual humor for older audiences. 

Flint’s character is developed pretty well throughout the film, and his anti-social skills are clearly seen as his best friend is a monkey named Steve (Neil Patrick Harris). But when he meets weather girl Sam Sparks (Anna Faris), we truly begin to see his inability to interact with people. 

The movie could have done a little better showing us each character develop, and at times seemed to only tell us through dialogue. Its failure to do so may have lost the younger audience as there were long absences of action and too much talking. 

Though predicable, the relationship between Sam and Flint was hard to believe as they had very limited interaction up until the end. Understandably, this movie isn’t about their relationship, but the failure to get the audience to buy into their connection could prove costly. 

Through the animation and creativity, “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” shows signs of genius. Sony Pictures Animation did a fabulous job creating enticing, detailed visuals of each food that fell from the sky. 

When things start to go wrong in the town, and the food begins to morph, the depictions of the enormous food will make audience members stunned and hungry. 

To enhance the movie even more, the film was screened in 3D. 

In one scene, a giant meatball began to roll towards the audience, and seemed to come right out of the screen.

Overall, this movie does a pretty good job developing the main theme of the book along with transforming it into a digitally remastered work of art.

So I’m going to say this now … I’m ecstatic that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell reinstated Vick and is going to allow him to play in the regular season starting week three. 

He deserves a second chance. 

Now before you jump to conclusions about my feelings on his crime, let me say that what he did was heinous, despicable and truly disgusting. I don’t agree with what he did or condone his actions, but he deserves a second chance. 

Dog lovers have been calling for Vick’s head ever since he was released from jail. They have been protesting his reinstatement and some Philadelphia Eagles fans have even forfeited their game tickets.

All because a man who has already paid his debt to society, which the United States of America’s justice system gave to him, is playing football again. 

To me, these people are acting no better than Vick, objectifying someone for the sake of making a point. There’s a reason why an “eye-for-an-eye” never worked. At first, I understood and expected the outcries against his release and the calls for his lifetime ban from the NFL, but give the guy a chance. 

He went to jail and served his time. Check. Expressed numerous times his remorse and regret for the crime. Check. Rehabilitated and shown he has changed. No check, yet.

That isn’t completely his fault for a couple reasons. One, he hasn’t had enough time to prove he has changed, or that he has been taking the right steps. And two, people aren’t giving him a shot at redemption. Animal societies refuse to work with him and have immediately counted out any chance of Vick turning a new leaf. 

It seems this country has become too individualistic, only caring for ourselves rather than helping a troubled man turn his life around. People need to stop being so egotistical and selfish. That, in itself, is a crime which makes me want to vomit. 

So what I’m understanding from these critics is that every criminal attempting to prove his worth should just be counted out, thrown to the curb, and have their face spat on. We should treat them like the ground we walk on. That can’t be right, can it?

If that’s the case then all criminals should get a life sentence. I mean, if they will never rehabilitate, even from the most trivial of crimes, then there is probably need to put them back into society.

Vick has done everything in his power, and I have faith he will continue to do so, to improve and demonstrate that he’s a good person. 

No one is perfect. People make mistakes, and what would this country be without a little faith and support?

For those of you acting like the animal lovers in Philly, shame on you. Remember, karma always comes back around, so give the guy a chance.

If I could describe what happened in the celebrity world this summer with one word, it would be intrusive. 

Understandably, celebrities don’t get much of a private life, and this summer was a testament to that aspect of living large. 

But at what point does it get to be too much? Everyone does deserve some sort of privacy, right?

Let’s start with Michael Jackson. 

Once people got word that he was being rushed to the hospital after falling into cardiac arrest, they went to great lengths just to get a picture of the lifeless singer. 

A perfect example of that was OK! magazine’s photo of Jackson on the stretcher right before he died. It was then that people began to question whether the magazine went too far in penetrating his private life. 

His public funeral was quite the spectacle, and it was all put on by his immediate family. Therefore they forfeited their right to privacy. 

A similar situation surfaced when pitchman pioneer Billy Mays’ family was jolted into the limelight after his untimely death. 

Farrah Fawcett’s death was marked with the uncovering of secrets and drama. In each case, their right to privacy was threatened and in some aspects intruded. 

The most recent celebrity death is that of Adam Goldstein, or more famously known as DJ AM. Battling a drug addiction, Goldstein was found dead in his New York apartment with OxyContin in his mouth and more prescription drugs in his stomach. 

Goldstein had recently filmed a reality show about helping people beat drug addictions like he once accomplished.

But what comes into question is whether or not to air the show. Does a station air a program about beating drug addictions when the host himself died because of an overdose? 

Privacy was also broken when the media began to cover the reality show “Jon & Kate Plus 8.” Every aspect of their lives was made known; their love, family and social lives. 

Rumors were popping up every day about Kate Gosselin cheating on her husband Jon. Rumors emerged alleging she was a horrible mother, and that Gosselin exploited her kids because she liked being in the spotlight. 

But did the media tear apart the family because of their constant urge to uncover the true story of the Gosselin family? It seems as if the rumors got to both Jon and Kate, ruining their marriage, as was evident in the latter episodes of the show. 

Octomom, Nadya Suleman, giving birth to octuplets in January of 2009 through in-vitro fertilization, almost seemed hungry for attention. 

Then came the bombshell. She signed a contract to be filmed for a reality show. Suleman cemented her public identity as someone who wanted to be a celebrity, even if it was at the expense of her 14 children’s privacy. 

At some point, the media goes too far and intrudes even a celebrities’ privacy and right to a peaceful life.

Sure that’s probably not the most masculine thing I could say, but hey, it beats taking eight whipped cream pies to the face.

In the near future, we will all be forced to make major decisions; ones that will affect the rest of our lives and lead us to an uncertain future known as the “real world.”

So before I enter I wanted to take the time to establish my personal philosophy, something I recommend everyone do.

I look at my life in comparison to an empty jar of mayonnaise and two cans of beer.

Imagine the empty jar. Now fill that jar with golf balls and ask yourself if the jar is full. Some might say yes, but then take a bag of pebbles and fill the spaces that the golf balls didn’t.

Ask yourself again if the jar is now full. And once again some might say yes. But now empty a bag of sand into the jar. The tiny grains take up the remaining space that the pebbles missed.

Although the jar may seem full at this point, take two cans of beer, or some other drink, and dump them into the jar.

Think of the jar as your life, and the golf balls, pebbles, sand and beer as your priorities.

Golf balls stand for the most important things in your life: Family, friends and kids, if you have them. Pebbles represent secondary priorities such as school, work and so forth. The sand refers to the lowest of your priorities.

If you try to fill the jar any other way, it would be nearly impossible. Putting the pebbles in first would not allow you to fit the golf balls in, and the same is true of the sand.

The only way to fit all the priorities in the jar would be golf balls (family) first, then pebbles (school) and finally sand (lowest priorities). As far as the two cans of beer, you always have time for a couple drinks with your friends.

It’s imperative to keep priorities straight, especially in times when people are wrapped up in post graduation and what their futures are going to look like once they leave college.

I’m not an expert, but I often find myself consumed by things that have no bearing on my life in the long run. In the end is it going to matter if you missed one assignment or passed up on the chance to hang out with friends?

Earlier this year I found myself so wrapped up in achieving a perfect GPA, I missed opportunities with family and friends that are far more important than a couple of numbers and a decimal point.

Don’t make that mistake.

Savor this experience because college is about making bad decisions and getting away with them; because one day we won’t be able to.

For you graduating seniors, remember the jar of mayonnaise and two cans of beer because you may find yourself lost in the confusion of the real world. Stay true to your personal philosophy and life will be enjoyable and worthwhile.

A philosophy teacher once told me, “Don’t wait for the storm to pass, but learn to dance in the rain.”

Good luck.

Well, that’s how I was raised at least. I was scolded for being disrespectful, put in time-out for attempting to sell my brother at a garage sale, and grounded when I got into a fistfight in the fifth grade.

Sure, I thought my parents were the worst people ever and that they were doing this just because they didn’t love me.

But now I’m thankful for the way I was raised. I am appreciative of the fact that my parents took the time to teach me right from wrong and instilled in me the values of unselfishness and generosity.

Last Wednesday, I witnessed an act that made me doubt society. While working an event at Shaker Square movie theater, an older gentleman and his wife were walking up to their seats, and the man’s knee buckled, sending him toppling onto the seats.

Unable to gather enough strength to push himself up, the man laid on the seat waiting for help. I was the first to arrive at his side, attempting to help him get back on his feet.

Besides myself and one other gentleman, no one else came to help this feeble man.
After recovering, the man turned to me and said, “Thank you, I really appreciate your help.”

Now I’m not trying make myself seem like the ultimate good samaritan, but since when did helping someone in need become a burden? I looked around the theater, packed with able-bodies, and could do nothing but shake my head in disgust.

A person, close in proximity to the fall, saw the helpless man and continued to text on his phone.

Others just kept going on with their conversations, eating their popcorn and talking about the latest celebrity gossip.

Just imagine a world where people actually helped strangers in need. Has that become taboo? Was I expecting too much from a society built on the foundation of altruism and unselfishness?

I feel ashamed, disgusted and disappointed to be part of a society unwilling to step out of their normal routine to lend a helping hand.

After last Wednesday, I’d say that this society has developed a hubristic flaw. Too proud of their impeccable image to take a step out of their mentally-constructed social bubble and help others.

If you, or anyone else you know, has had the opportunity to help a stranger in need and passed because “that’s not what you do,” then I suggest you seriously rethink your social imperatives, because obviously helping others isn’t one of them.

So next time you come across someone in need, regardless of how trivial the situation may seem, take the time to lend a hand.

You never know when you may be that man in the theater needing help.

On March 18, three Cavaliers players continued this outreach by reading to kids before a special screening of “Monsters vs. Aliens.”

Ben Wallace, Tarence Kinsey and Lorenzen Wright pose with participants of "Read to Achieve."

Ben Wallace, Tarence Kinsey and Lorenzen Wright took time out to go and read “Monsters vs. Aliens Save San Francisco,” encouraging kids to hit the books.

Wednesday’s event was attended by 450 Time Warner Cable employees and their families as the company sponsored “Reading Time-Out.”

The kids interacted first-hand with the players, and received the benefits of the sponsored program their parents developed.

Sitting in a semicircle, the kids gathered around Wright and Kinsey as the two towering players read the story to the antsy fans. Wright, the six-foot-11-inch veteran, and Kinsey, the six-foot-six-inch two-year pro, showed the kids the importance of reading and education.

After the reading, Wallace, Wright and Kinsey took 20 minutes or so to answer questions from the kids. Ranging from “How do you like playing football?” to “When were the Cavaliers founded?” The players, though being stumped on a couple of them, answered the questions with humorous responses.

Wallace talked about his dreams before his basketball career blossomed, and all three talked about going to school, seemingly stressing the importance of education and the fun of reading.

Kerry Bubolz, Cavaliers executive vice president of corporate sales and broadcast, said, “Time Warner Cable’s supporting partnership of ‘Read to Achieve’ is not only important to us, but to the children that benefit from this quality program.”

Bubolz said, “To give the Time Warner Cable families the opportunity to actually participate in the event is an excellent way to showcase the value of this program.”

Following the event, the kids were given a gift package containing a variety of school supplies, including a notebook, folder, binder and writing utensils.

Ryan Polosky, the community relations coordinator for the Cavaliers, was pleased with the player’s participation and said, “They can relate to the youth…and how important it [reading] is.”

Polosky continued to talk about how important this program is to them because some of the players have kids and know how imperative it is to read. “They [Cavaliers players] want to motivate them to read,” said Polosky.

Following the reading, a special screening of “Monsters vs. Aliens” was shown in 3-D to all the participants.

The animated flick, released everywhere March 27, had a good mix of childish humor and adult laughter.

Starring Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Rainn Wilson, Hugh Laurie and Will Arnett, the movie provided for a wide range of dynamic characters who each complemented one another’s on-screen personality.

“Read to Achieve” is under the umbrella of the NBA Cares program, which provides that each team has an interactive youth outreach plan.

The Cavaliers chose this specific program to help increase literacy among the youth, and to motivate parents to read to their children and help them get on the right track.