By Olivia LeClair

Listen up, Falcons – this is NOT your boring high school reading list. I’ve kindly taken our favorite books and given suggestions of novels similar to them. Happy reading!
If you like The Hunger Games, try…

The Compound, by S.A. Bodeen: This thriller is about a post-nuclear war world, in which its main character, Eli, is living in an underground shelter with his family. The family’s food supply is running out, and they still have nine years to go in the shelter before the air outside is breathable. This novel promises action, thrills, and suspense!

Leviathan, by Scott Westerfeld: This novel takes place during World War I, in an alternate universe. If you’ve ever read anything by Westerfeld before (Uglies, The Midnighters), you know he specializes in creating worlds quite unlike our own. In it, an Austro-Hungarian prince and a disguised British airwoman must work together to make it through the war, and guard the secrets they keep.

If you like Harry Potter, try…

The Golden Compass, by Philip Pullman: A tried and true series for fantasy fans, The Golden Compass begins a fantastical series about an orphan named Lyra Belacqua. The series is full of fantasy, action, and intrigue which I don’t want to spoil for you. But if you loved Harry’s magical world, you’ll likely enjoy The Golden Compass.

The Casual Vacancy, by JK Rowling: Though this novel isn’t even out yet, and it’s not of the fantasy genre, all tried and true Rowling fans will be rushing to the bookstores in September when The Casual Vacancy arrives.

The novel centers around a town called Pagford, and the mysteries it holds. I’m excited to read this, and to see how Rowling’s writing compares to that of the Harry Potter series – you won’t find any Dumbledores or spells in this novel!

If you like The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, try…

Beat the Reaper, by Josh Bazell: Looking for some Witness Protection drama? Search no further than this novel, which centers on an ER doctor with a mysterious past. Peter Brown gets all tangled up with the mafia, a group he’s been trying to avoid for a long time. Part crime thriller, part medical drama, this novel is just full of drama…and suspense.

Garnethill, by Denise Mina: Imagine waking up to find that your significant other has been murdered. To make matters worse, you’re the prime suspect in the murder case. Maureen O’Donnell must work to clear her name, and also keep herself safe. You’ll find plot twists abound in this crime mystery.

If you like The Year of Living Biblically, try…

The History of the World According to Facebook, by Wylie Overstreet: Many of us have seen the famous mock-Facebook statuses “written” by Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, and the like. They were funny, right?

Lucky for you, there’s a whole book of them, parodying history and today’s society in the most modern of ways. This book promises any reader a barrel of laughs!

The Know-It-All: One Man’s Humble Quest to Become the Smartest Person in the World, by A.J. Jacobs: From the same author as The Year of Living Biblically comes the tale of a man who attempts to learn everything about anything ever by reading all 33,000 pages of the Encyclopedia Britannica. Good luck to him…

If you like The Notebook, try…

The Lucky One, by Nicholas Sparks: All you crazy Zac Efron fans know about this soon-to-be-released movie, but there’s always the option of reading the book!

Following the story of a marine searching for a woman who brought him luck, this novel has romance, tears and drama— the usual Nicholas Sparks spread.

Outlander, by Diana Gabaldon: What’s better than star crossed lovers? Lovers who are star-crossed in time, of course! This novel centers on a 1945 woman who accidentally time travels back to 1743 Scotland.

The catch? There are two men in each time period fighting for her love. Sounds like a beach read to me!

A large part of a comedian’s job is to create a persona, as a way to distinguish themselves and their material. The successful comedians do this so effectively that it cannot be duplicated at even the most fundamental level. Paul F. Tompkins is a successful comedian and a damn classy one at that.

On stage he always dons a suit. Which, accompanied with his slick backed hair and eloquent vocabulary, creates a vintage look when he is performing that perfectly suits his alternative comedy style. As for why, “Back when I was a kid who wanted to be in show business, everybody on TV wore nice clothes. They were very glamorous when they would be on The Tonight Show. All the dudes wore suits and ties and that just seemed like real show business to me.”

Recently, his stage style has not been the only thing that has distinguished Tompkins from other comedians. On Saturday, Tompkins’ second Comedy Central special Laboring Under Delusions debuted with a style almost as old as time, storytelling. Tompkins has been doing stand up since 1986 and has since embarked in almost every platform of comedy there is.

Tompkins got his break in 1995 when he scored a role as a featured player and staff writer on Mr. Show with Bob and David, a cult comedy classic created by Bob Odenkirk and David Cross. In 1998, he and the rest of the writing staff were nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Writing for a Variety or Music Program.

For the next decade he bounced around a multitude of sets including Tenacious D and a small role in Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. In 2004, he was brought on as a panelist for The Best Week. In 2008, he got the spotlight when he was promoted to the host of The Best Week Ever after it was revamped to suit a single host format. The show only lasted a little under a year but it served as a springboard for Tomkins to be properly recognized in the comedy community.

In addition to his various TV and film appearances, Tomkins has kept a lock on a very successful standup career. He recorded a Comedy Central Presents set in 2003 and 2007. The hits kept coming in 2007, when he recorded his first special You Should Have Told Me. It was after that special that his material became more personal and narrative. A style he thought was more creatively satisfying as it allowed him to bend the rules of traditional standup.

Though he still wants to dabble in mainstream entertainment, Tomkins finds himself mostly in the alternative comedy scene. He has a few of his own podcasts The Pod F. Tompkast and The Dead Authors Podcast. In these he also tries to bend the rules as he tends to shy away from the typical conversational structure by incorporating characters and sketches to fill the time with other comedians.

Though it may be hard to believe, Tompkins also has the time to perform regularly in his own variety show at UCB: LA and Largo, two comedy venues in Los Angeles. It features a band as well as local and well known comedians who ask to drop by and perform.

As for what’s next, Tompkins is in the process of developing a show for Comedy Central, however, specific details are under wraps. He continues to perform in Los Angeles and can be heard on a plethora of podcasts that contain plenty of elegance in his own unique style.

Like school, television’s year typically runs from September to May with summers off. Of course, there are exceptions; you can be forced to take summer school and there are some television shows, typically those on cable networks, that air during the sunniest of seasons. The former is terrible, the latter awesome.

This summer is no exception; three networks, HBO, FX, and AMC, are ready to broadcast a slew of shows that have already heated up the airwaves as well as some they will hope will follow the example of the established vets.

We start with the most premium. HBO has three shows that have already gotten critics abuzz. The first is The Newsroom starring Jeff Daniels which follows the story of a news anchor on the verge of a meltdown. It is created by Aaron Sorkin who makes dialogue dance like a puppet so it will certainly be watching.

In Sorkin’s former demographic, Julia Louis-Dreyfus stars in Veep, a witty comedy that follows the often secluded life of the vice president. And finally there is the comedy Girls, a Judd Apatow production that brings writer-director-star Lena Dunham to the spotlight as her character tries to navigate her way through the hectic New York City life.

In returning news, HBO will bring back the fan favorite True Blood that is sure to suck in a majority of viewers this summer as it begins its fifth season.

In other premium television news, Showtime will bring back its top comedies. Episodes with its Golden Globe winning star Matt LeBlanc return on July 1. And America’s most lovable pot dealer Nancy Botwin returns to the high grind right afterwards.

Now to FX. FX’s summer rookie is Anger Management, starring Charlie Sheen which is appropriately named for the type of help he needed just a year ago. He joins his Two and a Half Men reruns in an effort to overrun the network.

Returning are two popular comedies. The first is last year’s rookie sensation, Wilfred starring Elijah Wood and creator Jason Gann as television’s most lovable talking, stoner dog. It comes back with arguably the best comedy on television, Louie, starring comedian Louis C.K. which was deemed the television show of the year last year by Time. All three season premieres will air on June 28.

On the topic of critically acclaimed series, television’s only but beloved meth producer Walter White returns in Breaking Bad for its final season. Last summer it was announced that the final season will be split into two parts each consisting of eight episodes. The air date for the season five premiere is still to be determined.

While the broadcast networks are away, the cable networks will play. Shut up it works. Not a lot sounds better than watching some quality television after a relaxing day at the beach or a grueling day at your internship/summer job that makes you hate your life. Have a great summer everyone, see you next semester!

When I think back and reflect on how much fun I’ve had, how much I’ve learned, and most importantly, how much I’ve loved because of my time with friends, I want to laugh and cry at the same time.

We have the entire world before us right now, but us seniors can’t help but look back and wish we knew a few things before we got this far. Take heed!

CJ Howard: “Don’t smoke in freshman dorms, always wait before purchasing a book for your class, Bentley cops don’t arrest people, and blacking out is almost never a good idea.”

Stephanie Davenport: “All of the other students are in the same position as you are, most don’t know anyone either. The more people you meet and talk to, the more enjoyable Bentley is.”

Jimmy Haight: “I would have loved to have known what I wanted to do after graduation earlier. That way I could have done the right things to get me there. Also I would love to have known about the media and culture lab sooner. I would have absolutely taken a course!”

Yasi Abdolmohammadi: “Pay attention and absorb as much information as you can from your classes. Education is meant to enhance your mind, and you’re only cheating yourself out of it by not taking advantage of it. In the same right, know that grades are not always an accurate depiction of intelligence…and going abroad will be the most enriching, valuable, and life changing time of your life. Look forward to it!”

Carl Forziati: “Who you call your friends will change—again, again, and again—and important that we embrace theses change (the ebb and flow of our relationships) rather than fight them. Though my freshman self would never admit it, drinking ≠ fun. Sure you can have fun while you’re drinking, and drink while you’re having fun, but at the end of the day, you can’t force a “good time”… It’s okay not to be okay. It’s rare to see on the Bentley campus, but the truth is everyone’s not okay at times, and it’s only making it worse for yourself and those around you to pretend such is not the case.”

Adam Graves: “I wish I knew what Seasons would do to my stomach before I agreed to live on campus Freshman year. I’m still recovering… oof.”

Chris Parmanand: “My advice to the incoming freshman class would be to properly pace their education. They shouldn’t become too enamored with overloading their courses or taking many course aways. They should take their time pursuing their education and really enjoy their time as undergraduate students.”

Jonathan Szeto: “If you’re thinking about changing your major, do it sooner rather than later. You don’t want to take AC 311 twice…true story.”

Akhil Chimnani: “There is so much Bentley has to offer – 100+ orgs, service, edu abroad. Make the most of your time and get involved with something NEW every semester instead of just getting comfortable with just 1 or 2 activities. If I was given a choice, I would do so much more than what I got involved with.”

Nishant Dharia: “Take classes and all extracurriculars/internships seriously and work really hard. But don’t forget to have fun either because you won’t get these years back. It is definitely possible and fairly easy to balance both those aspects of college together!”

Joe Nascembeni: “Don’t spend your nights sitting around with the same group of people not doing anything. Go out with them, or meet new people; get involved.”

Andrew Foley: “Don’t wait until the last minute to do group projects, and don’t party too hard the night before spring day.”

Thank you to all of the seniors who shared some advice, and best of luck post graduation! Bentley is lucky to have seen each and every one of you.

Presented by the Bentley Microfinance Group

BMG Speaker Series: Rising from Non-Profit to For-Profit

Marcel Quiroga, a former private wealth specialist and advisor at Merrill Lynch, spoke at the final speaker series event of this semester. She began her career working for Fundes, a microfinance group in Bolivia. Quiroga recalled being a very shy person during this time. She credits patience as the reason why she was able to come out of her shell and rise up in the ranks at Fundes. After she left Fundes, she went to work for Fundo de la Comunidad, which is yet another microfinance group in Bolivia. Quiroga shared her own success stories, by detailing how she always made a point of being noticed by higher-ups at each bank she worked for and by following what she described as the four Cs of success. These include confidence, creativity, capabilities, and connections. She ended the event by stating that we all have a legacy to fulfill, even if it means doing nothing. By incorporating the four Cs of success in the execution of our future plans, only then can we truly be successful. Marcel is currently the Chief Relations Officer and Director of Marketing at Capital Formations Group.

BMG Leadership Ceremony

On March 31, BMG hosted its first ever Leadership Ceremony featuring current members of BMG as well as former BMG alumni and current Bentley professors and faculty. The evening started off in Backbay ABC with a cocktail reception and was followed by a meal provided by Bentley’s own Sodexho. After dinner, the ceremony included presentations from current and past BMG leaders, Loan Approval Board Members, Dean Roy Wiggins, and Betsy Meyers. Each person shared their experiences with microfinance and gave the audience a better idea of what BMG has accomplished thus far, and the direction the group is moving in. Following the presentations, awards were given to those who have been instrumental in the formation and growth of the group. The final piece of the ceremony was the official transfer of the Presidency from James Haight to John Warden. The BMG would like to thank James for his dedication to the group and would like to welcome John to the Presidency. Congratulations to the both of you

BMG Speaker Event: Center for Women & Enterprise

The Center for Women & Enterprise is an organization that aims to help support women in their quests to start-up and sustain their own businesses. Co-founder , Susan Hammond alongside current Director of Programs & Services, Kristin Zecca spoke to Bentley students about the dynamics of entrepreneurship and the rigor involved with starting a business. With about 90% of the CWE’s client base being female, the non-profit organization strives to help women find their happiness in the business world by guiding them through financial literacy coaching, management skills, and other business skills through classes offered at the CWE. Recently the CWE was recognized as the Most Outstanding Partner of the Bentley Microfinance Group. Both organizations share common goals of helping the community grow through excellence in commerce. BMG is proud to recognize the CWE as a partner.

In the television world it is now judgment day. Actually, it’s more days. But I guess if we wanted to be totally accurate it would be weeks.

With a little more than a month left on the full year television schedules, networks have begun to test shows waiting in the wings for next year’s schedule to see if they have what it takes to compete in primetime.

So let’s take a look. First, on ABC we have Scandal and Don’t Trust the B**** in Apartment 23. Scandal, which premiered on April 5, is teetering.

Our good friends at TV by the Numbers say it is on the bubble but with ABC likely losing three dramas this year to cancelation (Missing, Body of Proof, and The River) it still has hope.

Don’t Trust the B**** in Apartment 23, which premiered on April 11, only has a pilot under its belt so far but drew in a considerable audience and among the company of fan favorite Happy Endings and comedic titan Modern Family, that may develop into a trend.

CBS has saved all of its new television for the Fall so you’ll have to wait until then to find out who is facing the firing squad.

The only recent news from FOX is the return of Glee which took a winter hiatus. As long as there are Gleeks there will be Glee. Simple supply and demand, people.

Then of course there is the one, the only, and the middling when it comes to any type of ratings what so ever, NBC. In recent weeks, NBC has premiered two new sitcoms that, like their network, have failed to meet expectations.

From a completely biased perspective it is sad to see two witty comedies go but with a lack of ratings it hardly comes as a surprise that they will get the axe.

NBC is really dealing with a whole mess of problems (Surprise, surprise). Up All Night, which had a strong rookie season, is still on the bubble as it looks to become a Comedy Night Done Right staple.

Community, which may be in danger of being canceled for its entire existence (which is an absolute travesty), is again uncertain for a fourth season. It is leaning towards likely, but with the public feud between star Chevy Chase and creator Dan Harmon anything is still possible.

Also unclear for next season is The Office. There’s a sentence that I thought would never have to be written ever.

With the contracts of stars John Krasinski, B.J Novak, Ed Helms, and Jenna Fischer rumored slow to be renewed and Mindy Kaling getting a pilot on Fox, the groundbreaking show may be in for a groundbreaking change come next season.

The show would shift its focus to the characters that have mainly stayed behind the spotlight.

Television is a 12-month season, and as finales draw closer, the futures of some shows hang in the balance. It’s true what they say, time will tell; or actually the Internet will. Yeah, the Internet will probably tell us.

A recent trend for most sitcoms has been moving from the old school, traditional three camera set up for a sleeker more modern look in a single camera. Apparently CBS has not gotten the memo. Either that or they just want to keep reminding people that they are the oldest network. You’re right; neither of those are probably the case.

How I Met Your Mother hasn’t been the flashiest of CBS sitcoms (see The Big Bang Theory) nor its most popular for reasons still unknown (see Two and a Half Men) but it has certainly been one of its most consistent, not only in ratings but in quality, something that is sometimes compromised as shows age.

Last night HIMYM channeled its roots which six seasons later is still hilarious. Stemming from “a piphany” Barney and Ted, who was enjoying his roommate-less lifestyle until he was coerced, set out to have one endless week of legendary nights. Marshall tried to crack the case of what person entered Lily’s sex dream and Robin struggled to cope with her new found fame.

Though he is skeptical at first Ted finds himself enjoying Barney’s legendary week as they start a mariachi band, eat the bar menu and don’t bungee jump off of the Empire State Building. Soon he grows tired of the antics but he is roped right back in when Barney makes the case that in the game of life he is far ahead.

As it turns out, a certain well known limo driver is the dreamy culprit in Lily’s sexy inception much to Marshall’s chagrin. But as it turns out a baby not only puts stress on the mommy to be but the daddy to be as well. Their continued perseverance through real life troubles once again demonstrates why they are the best married sitcom couple on television.

And then there is Robin, who has made enormous strides this season and once again took a step forward by getting the recognition she deserved. With a failed engagement, a couple of failed ovaries and life on her own, Robin finally showed the world what she could do.

So what do we have to look forward to? For the first time in a long time we are seeing Barney struggle with feelings for someone and with an already established prelude with him as groom the dots are begging to be connected. Lily and Marshall continue to cope with the looming inevitability of a child. And Ted, well, he just has to meet the mother.

Entertainment more than ever is pushing across countless platforms. Music on the go has been around since portable cassette players (Remember when those existed? Of course not.) In the last decade, we were able to take videos and games with us too.

Now it’s just getting ridiculous. And by ridiculous I mean a level of awesomeness never before fathomed. The newest app is the podcast. It’s not really an app, but isn’t it cool to just say things are an app? No? Oh, OK, never mind.

While political podcasts are riveting, they have also found a dedicated niche audience in the comedy world. In a radio-type setting, comedians, actors and performers have found a new way to connect with their fans.

Three podcasts in particular have taken over the podcast comedy scene. Doug Loves Movies is hosted by comedian Doug Benson. Such guests have included Jon Hamm, Sarah Silverman, Michael Cera, Nick Swardson and various other celebrities who come together to talk of, you guessed it, their political views. No, just kidding, movies.

Adam Corrolla has also found a new outlet to let loose his voice. His self-titled podcast brings in stars to discuss their profession and some of the things happening in their lives. Corrolla brings with him an already deep audience and up and coming stars like Ben Schwartz and Paul F. Thompkins bring their own devoted audiences making the podcast that #1 iTunes downloaded podcast.

Maybe the most popular podcast among the comedy community is WTF with Marc Maron. The widely respected Maron is a standup comedian who enjoyed great success in the 90s and has rejuvenated his career on a platform that perfectly fits his conversational comedic style. Conan O’ Brien, Chris Rock, Amy Poehler, and Jimmy Fallon have graced the mic with Maron to make him one of the most popular figures in the podcast scene.

But, once again, that’s not all! There is a seemingly infinite amount of podcasts hosted by someone in the comedy scene. Nerdist has branched out into a variety of different shows. In the Nerdist family there entertainment shows like Comedy Bang Bang and improv4humans which features improvisational performers taking Twitter suggestions and creating scenes.

Nerdist also features two interview style podcasts similar to those of Maron and Corrolla. Making it with Riki Lindhome and the creatively titled The Nerdist interview celebrities and up and comers on what it takes to make it in the comedy and Hollywood worlds.

We now live in a time where there are countless types of entertainment that can be brought anywhere and can be controlled by a click. Podcasts, though not new, have begun to climb higher and higher in popularity in all aspects. It kind of makes you wonder where we are headed next. I already got it, 3D podcasts.

By Olivia LeClair

Though I’m not an avid viewer of Mad Men, I do like to watch repeats in my spare time and enjoy gazing adoringly at the Banana Republic line of Mad Men – inspired clothes that I cannot and will never be able to afford. While searching the library shelves for a new book to review, I happened upon a book that was on display called Mad Women: The Other Side of Life on Madison Avenue in the ‘60s and Beyond.

The memoir was written by Jane Maas, who worked in the advertising world in the Mad Men era—and she was no lowly secretary.For Mad Men fans, think of Jane Maas as a real-life Peggy Olson. She started out low on the totem pole in 1964 at the agency Ogilvy and Mather, and eventually rose to be a creative director and agency officer.

She was also the president of another New York advertising agency, and even had an agency of her own for a short period of time.

If you’ve ever heard of or seen the “I Love New York” campaign (who hasn’t?), then you’ve indirectly known who Jane Maas is. She was one of the directors responsible for the project, which is one of her bigger claims to fame. She was also one of the first women to wear a pantsuit to work, and was the first woman to be assigned to the prestigious American Express account at the agency she worked for.

Maas discusses Mad Men quite often throughout the memoir, and mostly compares the real life working conditions and structure with that portrayed in the show. She wrote from her own experiences, and interviewed many of her former colleagues about their experiences.

One major theme throughout the memoir is that of working mothers. Maas was not the only working mother in her office, and notes that Mad Men fails to portray this—it was much more common than we initially think it was. She expresses her guilt because of missing out on parts of her children’s lives, and the scrutiny she received from stay-at-home mothers.

Throughout the memoir, Maas is nothing but candid. When describing her first memoir, Adventures of an Advertising Woman, she admits that she was unable to write freely, and that the purpose of the book was to generate more sales and press for her agency.

She is also unafraid to name names – her honesty shines through on every page.

Though Maas was honest and certainly dealt with many serious issues in this book, I really appreciated her use of humor throughout the memoir. Her descriptions of ad campaigns and clueless men puzzling over “what women want” are enough to make anyone laugh out loud.

Mad Women is a relatively quick read, and is certainly worth your time. It really makes you appreciate the effort of the women’s rights movements in the 1960s, and the barriers that were broken down for our generation. We still have a long way to go, but thanks to Jane Maas, at least we can wear pants to work!

Rating: 4 out of 5

Lust is meant to be the main component around which the movie, Deep Blue Sea, is supposed to circle around. Passionate, uncontrollable and animalistic, lust is supposed to overwhelm one with excitement and desire. Unfortunately, this sentiment is not shared by the characters in the movie. The lack of chemistry, character development, and plot make this movie about as entertaining as drying paint.

The idea behind the movie was not flawed. Based on a play by Terrance Rattigan, the film told the story of the wife (Rachel Weisz) of a British Judge (Simon Russell Biel) who is caught in a self-destructive love affair with a Royal Air Force pilot (Tom Hiddleston) in the 1950s. It could have been a brilliant statement about the struggles of love, or even about the difference in the ways that men and women deal with love. But instead, the only real assertion made in the dreadful hour and thirty-eight minutes was “it happens”.

The first mistake was apparent in the misuse of flashbacks. The plot of the film would have been far more coherent had the flashbacks not been used at all. Their random incorporation in the film may have been a parallel to the unsteady nature of the woman’s thought-pattern, but the idea was not effectively executed.

Character development and a shaky plot line were the main issues of the film. The character’s personalities changed throughout the movie in a way that seemed convenient rather than logical. The plot took turns that were more illogically arbitrary than pleasantly unexpected. The combination of these catastrophes made the viewer yawn in their seats instead of sitting on the edge of them.

If the filmmakers’ goal was to make a general statement about the oversensitivity and utter stupidity of women, then they succeeded. The self-destructive nature of the woman was not justified by any means. Her husband was nothing but kind to her, and her lover, while sometimes air-headed and short-tempered, was really not all that bad either.She did not have much to complain about.

Taking a step back, there were some positive elements to the film. For those interested in soul-searching, relaxing music, this soundtrack is a perfect fit. It sets the mood into a dreamy trance that could not have been achieved by any other compilation of songs. Also, some of the monologues in the film were beautifully worded. Weisz’s character may have been crazy, but she shared some wonderful insight about life’s struggles.

The scenery, too, was quite beautiful. Filmed in London, primarily, the movie boasted the beauty of the inner streets, the countryside as well as the city itself. The darkness helped to emphasize the overall gloomy mood of the movie.

Deep Blue Sea is not a film to dismiss, however. Though it may not be worth taking a trip to the theatres, it is definitely a slow night-in kind of movie. It leaves its viewers in a relaxed, reflective mood, allowing them to evaluate their relationship decisions. It is worth a watch, to say the least. Two stars is as far as I would go.

By Moussa Hassoun

This past weekend I had the privilege to attend the Clinton Global Initiative University (CGIU) conference being held in Washington DC at The George Washington University. As a branch of the Clinton Global Initiative, which was founded in 2005 by former President Bill Clinton, the conference served to empower students to take positive action in their communities.

The conference sought to bypass endless discussions which no real-world application. CGIU changed the game and demanded attendees commit to a plan, and the conference would inspire, empower, and support them.

To attend, students (in groups or alone) submitted “Commitments” on one of the many topics CGI works on. Those topics are: Education, Environment & Climate Change, Peace & Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation, and Public Health. Of the tens of thousands of applications, almost 1000 commitments were accepted.

My commitment is to help establish an online resource center for Arab Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Questioning members with a concentration in the Middle East and North African (which would be available to Arabs around the world).

It would serve to educate and connect ostracized members (with precautions for their safety) to other members dealing with similar issues. Furthermore, it would concentrate on producing LGBTQ positive content on the web in Arabic to counter the endless streams of vilification, hatred and denunciation already available.

My commitment, was just one of a thousand others, some larger and some smaller, working to make the world a better place. One commitment sought to start an Anti-bullying campaign on the students’ campus with the hopes it would spread to local high schools and middle schools.

Another commitment sought to organize a yearly Festival in her home town to highlight local products by connecting famer’s markets with the town’s residents. One more commitment proposed to connect college campuses around the country to organize a national campaign for Fair Trade practices.

It was a lot to take in and the enthusiasm of the students was very impressive. Further excitement came from President Bill Clinton’s speeches and panel discussions. Guests such as Kathryn Schulz, Madeleine Albright, Chelsea Clinton, Biz Stone, Vandana Shiva and others inspired the crowd to push forward with their commitments, in a realistic way.

Workshops and office hours with professionals and organizers helped teach students important skills like fundraising, mass mobilization, and social media use (among others). Finally, networking nights helped connect students who were working on similar causes or under the same topic umbrella.

Of course, there were some problems with the conference. I wasn’t fond of some students who proposed to help some African village even though they had never lived there, or visited, or knew anyone that had ever set foot there. The Savior’s Complex was all too clear for some of the students.

Despite this stain, other commitment-makers outshined the deluded few that sought to improve their resume rather than make serious commitments. The willingness of students to ask President Bill Clinton to hold a CGIU in Africa, or call him out on avoiding a discussion about the negative aspects of aid, or even his LGBTQ policy during his presidency, was shocking to say the least.

Older generations have already denounced ours as one of “slacktivists” and bums, yet I’ve seen a massive collection of students thinking more pragmatically about addressing local and regional issues than may have ever existed before.

The CGIU 2012 conference was inspirational. Whether it be students seeking to improve campus sustainability or rebuilding a village in Zimbabwe, the audacity of the students to change the world they lived in was moving.

By far the best speaker at the conference, Vandana Shiva, an Indian activist and genius, has said, “You are not Atlas carrying the world on your shoulder. It is good to remember that the planet is carrying you.”

I’ve been privileged enough to be able to attend Bentley University and accept other honors thus far, as we all have; it’s high time we return the favor to the planet and humankind.

Mirror Mirror opened on Friday, for a weekend gross of $19 million, behind only Wrath of the Titans and, of course, The Hunger Games.

You probably can figure out what the movie is about. Lily Collins, daughter of famous musician Phil Collins, plays Snow White, the famous princess cast out of her kingdom to the treacherous forest.

Julia Roberts plays the Evil Queen, a role decidedly different than her more famous roles, but she still delivers with her customary charisma and wit.

This is no classic retelling of Snow White, however. In addition to its stunning artistic direction (a characteristic of which the director, Tarsem Singh, is known for), Mirror Mirror offers an interesting update.

Like every other fairy tale, the movie begins with “Once upon a time…” etc. You know. There was a beautiful princess who lived in the castle with her wonderful father, a man tricked into marriage by the evil queen.

But this narration is told by Roberts, and through her snarky comments, such as “he married a beautiful and intelligent woman. I would know. It was me,” we soon realize that this particular tale will be characterized by humor and more than a little mockery.

The first scene of the movie opens with Roberts in all her witchy glory. During her game of chess (the pieces are played by nobles), we learn of the queen’s, well, cash flow problems.

The kingdom is bankrupt, but instead of doing anything about it, the Evil Queen just taxes her people (where have we seen THIS before….?). But hey, a queen has to do what she needs to in order to snag a prince, right?

Enter Prince Alcott. He’s played by Armie Hammer, the guy who played the Winklevoss twins in The Social Network. The good prince has decided that his life is lacking in adventure, so he travels out into the forest in search of thrills.

Of course, we all know who lives in the forest. Here’s a hint: There are seven of them. But they aren’t miners in Mirror Mirror – they’re thieves.

To the audience’s delight (or the females’, anyway) Prince Alcott soon finds himself shirtless and hanging upside down, with absolutely no hope of rescue.

But have no fear! Who should just happen to be on her way to town? Three guesses. Snow White cuts him down, and despite the prince’s obvious interest, she continues on her journey to the town.

Unsurprisingly, the town is in dire straits; virtually everyone is starving, thanks to the greedy Queen. Naïve Snow White, shocked by the sorry sights, vows to “take back her kingdom”.

When the Evil Queen learns of Snow White’s plans, she has her advisor kill Snow. Naturally, the poor man is taken in by Snow’s charms, and is unable to finish the deed.

So Snow White escapes to the forest, and we all know the girl doesn’t have the best of luck in that department. But luckily for her, she has the seven dwarves to help her.

Together Snow White and her friends plan to save the kingdom from the evil clutches of the queen, but they may find that there are forces more powerful than a queen in their way…

Critics have given the movie a 50 percent. Unfortunately (but perhaps not surprisingly), moviegoers have only given it a mere 55 percent.

However, this is probably because the film’s intended audience—young children—isn’t old enough to post a review.

That doesn’t mean the film has nothing to offer viewers over the age of ten. There’s plenty of adult humor, romance, and a happy ending. So if that sounds like your cup of tea (or flavor of apple), then chances are you’ll enjoy Mirror Mirror.

What if you got a second chance at high school? Would you change anything or would you fit right back in to where you left? Actually, I don’t care. In 21 Jump Street, Jenko (Channing Tatum) and Schimdt (Jonah Hill) are given a second chance and find that things are very different the second time around.

While in high school, Schmidt was the wire-mouthed nerd who was as bright as his bleach blonde hair, but didn’t have the popularity to back it up. Jenko, on the other hand, had high school by the gonads, but lacked the smarts to complete the package.

A few years later, the two meet up at the Police Academy and decide to team up and partner their strengths to become a formidable duo. However, graduating from the academy does not lead to the glamorous, action-packed careers they had in mind, but instead, leads to lazy bike rides with very few criminals.

When their first arrest goes wrong, they are sent undercover at 21 Jump Street with the objective to pose as high school and infiltrate a drug ring. The drug is a new synthetic that makes people go absolutely crazy like if cocaine and LSD had a love child. And then LSD starting drinking and taking LSD when pregnant with it.

They go undercover as brothers forcing them to move in with Schmidt’s parents. Schmidt’s role is a smart honors student and Jenko is the all-state track athlete with a schedule full of theatre classes to keep his GPA afloat. Schmidt, apprehensive about returning to the years that were so torturous, gets a crash course in being cool from Jenko.

When they accidentally switch their identities Jenko must find a way to survive in AP courses with the nerds he once mocked and Schmidt must fit in with the popular crowd that once mocked him. What seems like a problem turns into a blessing as they find they fit in more with the crowds they didn’t associate with the first time around.

Schmidt begins to enjoy the attention of the popular kid (David Franco) and the eyes of the pretty girl (Brie Larson). While Jenko finds that the smart kids are a lot cooler than he gave them credit for. They soon become so emerged in their identities they focus more on school than the mission.

A remake of the hit TV drama series starring Johnny Depp, the film takes every opportunity to deliver a knockout punch-line (sorry) even the process of remaking something that has already been established.

The screenplay was written by Hill and the recently busy Michael Bacall who scribed Project X and taps Hill, who after an Oscar nod gets back to his usual dominant one lining, and Tatum who takes his first crack at comedy and shows off some very impressive chops.

The two play off each other perfectly giving the buddy comedy a very natural feel. Making sure the laughs are not in short supply are Rob Riggle, Ice Cube, Parks and Recs’ Nick Offerman, and Korean Jesus.

Hill and Tatum bring a whole new look to Jump Street to a whole new generation that accepted it all the same. $35 million opening weekend is no fluke. It’s a blast from the past that hits hard with laughs and then becomes relentless in its onslaught of hilarity.

By Timothy Dean

Mike Page, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

When people in the Bentley community think of the top academic official at our school, a naval officer from South Africa turned construction engineer is not exactly what pops into mind.

However, Dr. Mike Page seems to have done it all.

Growing up in the apartheid period in South Africa, Page built bridges, served in his country’s navy and worked for an investment firm before entering the world of academia.

Page sees his role at Bentley as one that requires him to find opportunities for academic talent to realize their potential, while also meeting the challenges of diversifying the school and creating the right interface with courses students want to take and need to take.

He hopes the community sees him as someone who is approachable, committed to the institution, an adjustor, a community man, internationally engaged and someone that has a commonly held vision for Bentley.

Coming from the extremely segregated apartheid period in South Africa, Page’s advice is this:

“Suspend judgment and listen to different people. Go into environments that are very different and challenge you because when you go in with a fixed view, you miss some amazing lessons.”
Page is an avid traveler and has been to the southern tip of Chile, Amazon rainforest, Forbidden City in Beijing and the ICEHOTEL in Northern Sweden.

By Olivia LeClair

Hailed as one of the best books of 2011, Ann Patchett’s State of Wonder captures the journey of a pharmaceutical scientist into the Amazon and her past. The novel is complex, with many plot layers and twists, but is still entirely readable and enjoyable.

Marina Singh is used to her fairly predictable life in Minnesota as a scientist for Vogel, a large pharmaceutical company. Vogel is conducting research deep in the Amazon, on a new drug with huge potential for growth and profit. If successful, the company will solve the world’s fertility problems once and for all. The only problem is that the doctor conducting the research has not produced anything, and is sapping much of Vogel’s financial resources, time, and patience.

Marina’s co-worker, Anders Eckman, was sent to investigate the research in Brazil. However, after a few months, Vogel receives a letter informing them of his death.

His grieving widow begs Marina to go to Brazil and find out what happened. The director of Vogel orders Marina to go and finish out Anders’ work.

Either way, Marina is now on her way to a vast, unfamiliar wilderness. She must face the doctor in charge of the research team, the formidable Dr. Swenson, whom Marina used to study under. She must also face the primitive Lakashi people, the subjects of Vogel’s research.

Her journey to the Lakashi and Dr. Swenson isn’t so easy. There are roadblocks in the form of “guards,” who keep Marina in Manaus, Brazil until they deem her ready to see Dr. Swenson. There’s also the minor detail that the Lakashi are almost impossible to find, and few people know the way along the winding tributaries of the Amazon.

Along with her present challenge, Marina is forced to own up to her past, and a mistake that led her to discontinue her practice in obstetrics and pursue the safer path of pharmaceutical research. See what I was saying about the multiple plots?

Overall, I found State of Wonder to be a compelling read. The novel went rather quickly, considering how complex and detailed it was. I found Patchett’s descriptions of the Amazon and its people to be remarkably clear, yet concise at the same time.

Patchett also forces the reader to care about the characters (even the unscrupulous Dr. Swenson) through thick and thin. She makes you feel the pain of Anders’ death right along with his widow, who must somehow break the news to her three young children. Marina’s Indian heritage makes her stand out in Minnesota, yet she blends right in with the Lakashi tribe.

This book may also make you terrified to visit the Amazon (if you weren’t already or have travel plans for uncharted lands). Patchett portrays Brazil as a wild, untamed land, with venomous rainforests and murky waters. But maybe I’m just a wimp– I was never one for the wilderness.

I thought this book actually lived up to its reputation as one of the best books of 2011. It kept me interested from beginning to end, and was a great distraction from the stress of midterms.
I’d highly recommend it to anyone looking for a literary adventure into the uncharted depths of the Amazon.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Case de Mi Padre, translated to House of My Father for those that no habla español, places a very familiar face in Will Ferrell in very unfamiliar territory, south of the border. The movie is spoken entirely in Spanish, with only a handful of exceptions, yet still delivers the goofy essence we are accustomed to seeing from him proving that humor does translate.

The film follows Armando Alvarez (Ferrell) the dimwitted son of a rancher who is facing money troubles and may have to give up his farm as a result. It is then that Armando’s beloved, business savvy brother Raul returns to save the ranch.

He brings with him his beautiful girlfriend Sonia, who ignites la passion de Armando (the passion of Armando. It’s called Rosetta Stone people.) She also brings with her the threat of the Onza, a Mexican drug lord who sets his sights on the ranch and the two brothers.

It is extremely rare to see a movie in another language make it to the American big screen. It is even rarer for that film to be a comedy and it is like finding a piece of sand in a haystack for that film to star a comedian of Ferrell’s caliber. But it really doesn’t seem that odd.

Like many of Ferrell’s films Casa centers around the absurd. Whether it is double wielding cigars or talking to a stuffed tiger. The film constantly makes fun of itself as it parodies the Spanish persona to a T.

Ferrell said he can’t exactly place when the idea came into his head but slowly it began to grow. “The idea of putting an American comedian into a foreign film just seemed really funny to me,” he said. “I would watch telenovelas from about 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.,” he joked. “I’m not a crazy person.”

True to the language, the cinematography of the film is foreign as well. Marking the directorial debut of Matt Piedmont, the film aims to provide a very throw back feel as is typical in many Spanish films and especially the telenovela format.

Ferrell, Piedmont, and writer Andrew Steele are quite familiar with each other. They first worked together during Ferrell’s years at Saturday Night Live and again with Ferrell’s brain child Funny or Die.

“You always want to work with old friends,” Ferrell explained. “It just fit perfectly to work with Matt and Andrew. It was effortless.”

For a veteran, Ferrell was a little out of his element on this particular film. He was the only non-Spanish speaker on the film. Gael García Bernal and Diego Luna were cast as the Onza and Raul respectively and brought authenticity and rich Spanish acting resumes with them. Genesis Rodriguez who made her feature film debut as Sonia also has considerable Spanish acting experience.

“It was easy working with them,” Ferrell said. “Diego and Gael have great senses of humor and I was able to find the same bond with them as I have with John [C. Reilly] and Mark [Wahlberg].”

For the entire filming process Ferrell was just trying to catch up. “I knew the script in English, I knew what I was saying, and I knew the telenovela format, but I was constantly studying Spanish. Improv was at a minimum, because I had to make sure of my pronunciation.”

Finally seeing his idea come to life, Ferrell is excited about the reaction from audiences. “I think it will be a pleasant surprise because you don’t know where it is going. I’m very proud of it in its absurdist quality.” Adding, “I would love for it to be a cult hit.”

Ferrell will next be seen in The Campaign alongside Zach Galifianakis later this year. As for his next foreign film, “I think I have to do a Chinese movie next.” Can’t wait.

Since opening on March 9, John Carter has grossed a little over $53 million, a decidedly diminutive figure considering its $250 million budget.

The movie, based on the book Princess of Mars, features an AWOL Civil War cavalry officer by the name of—you guessed it—John Carter.

Carter has fled from his home in Virginia. Frustrated by the war, he has turned to a more lucrative pursuit: searching for a cave of gold. Before he can find it, he is captured by the military and thrown in jail.

But John Carter (Taylor Kitsch) is no ordinary man, of course. Instead of accepting his fate, the man uses his intelligence—and sarcasm—to escape by stealing one of the military horses.

Naturally, the military officers chase Carter, and he would almost have escaped if not for the sudden arrival of Native Americans. A conflict ensues, forcing Carter to take refuge in a cave, a cave conveniently full of gold.

Before Carter can enjoy his find, a mysterious cloaked man appears literally out of thin air, clutching a strange medallion. When the man notices Carter, he immediately attempts to kill him, but Carter has a better weapon (read: a gun) and makes quick work of him.

The man gasps a few words as he dies, words Carter repeats as he tries to understand them. In a flash, Carter is ripped from the cave, to a destination not of this earth.

The story, told in flashbacks through a journal left to Carter’s nephew after his death, quickly moves to the planet of Barsoom, also known as Mars. Carter, whose mass is affected differently on Mars than on Earth, spends a while falling on his face before he finally figures out how to leap great distances.

Unfortunately, Carter’s antics are noticed by a tribe of Tharks, vicious green-skinned creatures who quickly take him prisoner as entertainment, mistakenly calling him “Virginia”(after all, English and alien-speak aren’t the same language).

But if there’s anything Carter refuses to do, it’s become someone’s plaything. So he begins plotting his escape (there is a lot of it in this movie), but his attempt is interrupted by the fight of the citizens of Zodanga and Helium, warring societies who have been locked in battle for 10,000 years.

Carter tries to use this distraction to his advantage, but is captivated by Dejah Thoris, the beautiful Helium princess forced to marry the Zodangan king (where have we heard this before?). Carter saves the princess, and after his rescue the two agree upon an uneasy alliance.

Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins) has been the scientist of her father’s kingdom for years, but the weapon she created to defeat the Zodangans is destroyed on the eve of completion. She decides she would rather risk her life with “Virginia” than marry the man she hates.

So the two (and a maltreated Thark and a dog-like creature) leave the desert in search of the mystical river of the gods which may provide them with a way to defeat the Zodangans. But other forces conspire against them, and they discover it will not be such an easy task.

If Carter and Dejah have any hope of defeating the Zodangans they must put aside their differences and unite not just Helium, but all of the alien races.

And guess what? They do.

John Carter has had the misfortune of being a movie derided by critics before its release, namely because of its hefty price tag. And because of it, moviegoers have abstained from viewing it.

But the surprising thing is that John Carter is not a bad movie. Perhaps a begrudging 51 percent of critics enjoyed it, which is a far greater percentage than the 28 percent of the box office smash The Vow. And a solid 71 percent of moviegoers enjoyed John Carter.

If you like action-adventure sci-fi flicks with a hint of romance, John Carter is for you.

It’s not a movie. It’s an experience. Watching it is bearing witness to the craziest party that could ever be imagined on screen or in life for that matter. The only reason that you should not see it is if you suffer from chronic envy because you will want nothing more than to have been there.

Project X, as one enthusiastic fan put it, is like if “The Hangover and Superbad had a baby.” That is putting it mildly, unless they were doing heroine when pregnant; then it’s accurate.

This mockumentary film follows Thomas, who, as his father so lovingly puts it, is a loser who is not capable of throwing a party of any proportions. Because of this, his parents find that it is a sound decision to leave him alone for the weekend of his birthday. Parents really don’t understand.

While his parents think the weekend will be a safe and quiet one, Thomas’ best friend Costa has other ideas. He sees it as the opportunity for them and their friend J.B. to step into the limelight and become high school legends. Mission accomplished.

Using his brilliant guerilla marketing skills, Costa gets the word of the party out from the inboxes of every student at school to Craigslist. And, everybody shows up; even a jacked up midget and a flame thrower-wielding lunatic.

Thomas worries that it will not turn into the party he hoped it would be, then it turns into the party he had always dreamed of. But, soon enough it turns into the party he never wanted it to be when half the neighborhood is torched and his father’s BMW becomes a pool toy. The cops, the swat team, and the overflying helicopters are no match for the rager that can only be stopped by itself.

From the beginning, it is clear that this is not going to be like anything you have ever seen. Starting with an apology to Pasadena area law officials, the film literally takes a behind the scenes look at the makings of the party of the ages.

“It’s an experience,” said Jonathan Daniel Brown who plays J.B. “It’s so fast and it has so much energy. It’s a borderline action comedy and it’s different than anything we had ever seen.”

Directed by Nima Nourizadeh, the film uses a documentary style to capture the entire night’s events. “He has a tremendous eye and is an absolute visual genius,” said Oliver Cooper who plays Costa. “He wanted it to be completely real. That’s why we even use our real names.”

Real is exactly the feeling you get as the home video like structure sucks you into the film and the natural dialogue that flows from it puts you right into it.

“The script was changed daily. They would alter lines mid take,” said Cooper.

Brown describes the movie as being a comedy until you’re 35 “then it’s a horror film.” But the stars don’t want to limit the demographic. “It’s more skewed toward people 17-35. But we saw fifty year olds watching it and they seemed to enjoy it,” said Brown. “And they didn’t look like perverts.”

The metric tonnage of alcohol, drugs, and promiscuity leave few to wonder why it may not be a hit among parents but that isn’t the intention of the film.

“People think they are douchebags but they were losers and they threw this big celebration,” said star Thomas Mann. “You want to root for them. It’s an underdog thing and that is what makes it so victorious.” But Mann wouldn’t mind if it stuck it to critics either. “I would love for it to be a giant eff you.”

They went onto concede that even making the film was intense. “The end of movie felt like a war scene with how it played out,” says Cooper. “That’s when things get enjoyable. It’s pure fear and craziness.” “It wasn’t hard to act in those scenes because it felt so real,” adds Mann.

It may be difficult to hear but Project X will put to shame any party you have ever been to or any party you’ll ever throw. It makes intense look mild and extreme seem safe. It’s not a film you see, it’s a film you experience. With a capital X.

There are a few things naturally associated with a college student. Two of them are beer and a lack of money. In 1999, CollegeHumor.com creators Ricky Van Veen and Josh Abramson stared that problem in the face and used CollegeHumor to remedy that situation.

Originally it was started as a site to post original comedy material so that they could build up their beer funds. However, it has since grown to include original comedy sketches, articles, and seven million monthly viewers.

The meteoric climb has reached a new peak as they are now producing their very own full length feature film, “Coffee Town.” It will focus on three underachieving friends in their 30s who hang out at a coffee shop.

Written by Arrested Development producer Brad Copeland, the film stars Glenn Howerton (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Steve Little (Eastbound and Down) and longtime CollegeHumor video guest star Ben Schwartz (House of Lies).

The film, though containing plenty of major league talent, does not have a set distribution method. Van Veen, in an LA Times interview said that they are looking to possibly tap into “a market for high-quality long-form content that can go directly to consumers.” Very similar to the structure Louis C.K. used for his last stand up special but nothing is set in stone.

If the film does not follow the traditional distribution method it would hardly be a surprise as the site has always utilized the resources it already has, which appears to be infinite.

For nearly a decade the site has been producing multiple weekly series. Hardly Working is written by and stars the CH staff as they deal with fictionalized versions of their daily activities. Bleep Bloop is a video game talk show that features CH staff as well as celebrity guests.

Jake and Amir has become the darling of CH and it’s most popular series with a fan base a couple hundred thousand deep. It stars Amir Blumenfeld and Jake Hurwitz and depicts Amir as a needy idiot who relentlessly annoys Jake, the regular guy.

In keeping with theme of the name CH has also produced an all-nighter which is intended to provide a study break to college students during finals. Though fairly self-explanatory the all-nighter is a 12 hour shooting session where a video is posted every hour from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.

These are joined on the site by daily articles and pictures posted by the staff and any viewers that submit them. But they all combine to form one of the most comedy websites on the internet.

After a quick view of the website you might think that everything CH does takes place within the confines of their New York City office. However, in the last few years they have expanded their original model to include live shows and for a short time a television series.

At the famed Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City, CH puts together a full length live show featuring sketches and stand up from established comedians. More recently, however, even the confines of NYC have proven to be too confining as CollegeHumor is now doing college tours all over the country.

The television show that only lasted a year also starred and was entirely run by the staff. It produced six episodes that focused on a more full length form of their daily office dealings. What is interesting is the show was never actually canceled so it is now hanging somewhere in television limbo.

The driving success of CH has been its employed talent that works both behind and in front of the camera. The MTV show Pranked is hosted by Streeter Seidell and Blumenfeld. Seidell and Dan Gurewitch continue to pick up steam in their stand-up careers and have made appearances on campuses all over the country.

On a more mainstream level, Blumenfeld recently had a starring role in A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas this past November. Just after that Sarah Schneider was hired as a writer for Saturday Night Live which needs no further explanation on prestige.

For longtime fans, this rise hardly seems surprising. For over a decade CollegeHumor has consistently produced some of the most popular videos on the internet. Now it seems like they are all grown up.

By Olivia LeClair

Have you ever wondered why we always have salt and pepper on the table? Or what a tuffet is, though Little Miss Muffet apparently sat on one? I had never really contemplated these great questions, nor did I expect to when I picked up Bill Bryson’s newest book At Home.

The book jacket promised “a short history of private life,” which sounded interesting enough to me, the history nerd – essentially, a history of homes. Before I go on, I must confess that I am a huge Bryson fan. He can make the most esoteric history, such as the number of tines on a fork, seem exciting and positively earth shattering. I highly recommend any of his writings to history lovers and non-lovers alike.

In At Home, Bryson takes the reader room by room, beginning with the hall and ending with the attic. He discusses expected places, such as the bathroom and dining room, but also more curious spots, such as the plum room and the scullery.

Interwoven with the history of homes is, incidentally, the history of humans as a whole. Before electricity and even kerosene lamps, houses were notoriously dark at night and only lit by candles. But no electricity means no street lights, either, which means cities and towns were pitch black at night. It wasn’t unusual for nighttime wanderers to fall right into a river or be robbed, literally blind.

If you’ve never read anything by Bryson before, then you probably won’t understand why I’m gushing about this book. I find that his writing actually makes learning fun, in the truest sense of the phrase. Salt and pepper really aren’t that exciting, but he makes them exciting. The development of the dining room as a standard room in a standard home seems like it would be a given, but it was most certainly not common for a long time.

What Bryson found through his research was that the history of society is tightly interwoven with the history of our houses. Take his word for it from this fabulous quote: “Houses aren’t refuges from history. They are where history ends up.”

This is not a book that needs your full attention. There is no plot to follow or characters to remember. It’s easy to take it chapter by chapter, room by room. The library gives you plenty of time to check it out, and there’s always Spring Break to catch up. Use the trip home to read; it makes the time go by faster.

Even if you think history is boring, give this book a try. It’s not a textbook description of wars or monarchs, all having the same name (Henry, Henry, Henry, Edward, Edward, blah, blah, blah). It’s the tracing of everyday items you use and see every day, like your bedding, drawers, cell phones, lamps and even napkins.

If you haven’t figured this out already, I loved At Home. It’s one of the best I’ve read in a long while, and I recommend it to you wholeheartedly. If you’ve never read anything by Bryson, I also recommend A Walk in the Woods (for the hikers out there) and Made in America. Happy reading!

Rating: 5 out of 5

Parks and Recreation has found itself in the mid-midseason shakeup headlines recently. No, it is not because it is superbly hilarious and is getting a statue to honor its prestige but in a few years don’t be surprised if that is a headline.

Instead it is because it will be taking a five week break starting March 15 to make room for Community which will be making its long awaited and triumphant return!

The news is bittersweet but fans needn’t worry as it appears in no danger of being canceled. Parks and Rec will be back on the sixth week in place of Up All Night which will have concluded by then. Not that this isn’t awesome because it absolutely is, but it is a little hard to believe that NBC is able to pull off a scheduling feat this impressive. Touché Peacock, perhaps I shall cut you some slack.

Following the news of the brief hiatus, the new episode of Parks and Rec featured Leslie being forced into a hiatus of her own by Ron. Hey look a theme!

“Sweet Sixteen” centered on Leslie recruiting the gang to plan a surprise party for Jerry’s Sweet Sixteen. Technically he is 64 but because he was born on February 29 it is only his 16th actual birthday.

Leslie, spending 50 hours on work in the Parks Department and an additional 50 hours on her campaign is being forced by Ron to take a sabbatical so that she can properly focus on her campaign. Naturally this doesn’t sit well and she tries to prove to him that she has everything under control, which she clearly does not.

Still in the infancy of their relationship, Tom and Ann struggle to find common ground. Tom’s antics are proving to be too much for Ann while her lack of 90s R&B appreciation and all other things entertainment related are breaching Tom’s Oh No-No list.

In order to solve their problems they to turn to April; the one responsible for their relationship. Surprisingly she too finds herself annoyed as she does not care about the outcome of their courtship. However, she does care about alcohol and kindly thanks it.

In keeping with the pattern of introducing us to different character combinations, this episode brought together Chris and Andy. Oh and Champion too. After Andy and April ask Chris to watch Champion for a day he proves to be a master dog trainer, in German.

This episode as evidenced from the premise featured the largest role for Jerry that we have seen thus far. The office punching bag usually serves as the doormat for the story but figured prominently in this one only receiving a few jokes at his expense.

Some of my favorite episodes of this show are when we learn an absurd fact about Donna’s personal life. Luckily this was one of them as we learn she has a lake house with more rules and regulations than the White House and she has a celebrity relative that blows Tom’s mind.

What helps keep the show fresh every week, is the combination of new relationships that are experimented with like Chris and Andy and Tom and Ann, as well as the classics like Leslie and Ron. Though each character is familiar their dynamics when teamed up prove the potential eternal life of the show.

This episode plays a large role in the arc of the season as Leslie is now literally forced to focus more on her campaign against Bobby Newport portrayed by Paul Rudd.

Yeah, Leslie Knope and Bobby Newport in a spirited debate might happen. I apologize for the shards of your own brain that just splattered against the well.

This season is just hitting the gas pedal. I will leave you with a quote from the infinitely wise Ron Swanson. “Don’t half ass two things. Whole ass one thing.” It is a safe bet that I will have that etched on my gravestone.

In its 31 years of existence, MTV has only maintained consistency in its last two letters. A channel that originally began as an outlet for music videos all day every day now only features music in the presence of a fist pump or a teenager, who is only on television BECAUSE she had a baby, crying. Times sure have changed.

MTV is now focusing on the latter 66 percent of its abbreviation by developing and producing a number of scripted television shows. Its newest, I Just Want My Pants Back, has already gotten message boards buzzing and the ball rolling on another new look for the former music video channel.

IJWMPB besides being a terrible acronym is attempting to reign in a generation Y audience.  Centered on the life of a fresh college grad, it aims to display the balancing act of work, partying, and trying to find one’s way in this crazy thing we call life. Get used to this premise.

Besides Saturday Night Live alum Chris Parnell and up-and-coming comedian Jordan Carlos, the cast is virtually brand new providing fresh faces to the normally actor-less network.

Last year MTV tried to bring about some scripted edginess with a remake of the British hit Skins. Skins showed the alcohol, drug, and promiscuity raddled world that was high school partying.

Parents for whatever reason did not find this “appropriate.” However, they did find it borderline child pornographic. But that doesn’t make sense because the show was only in its infancy when it got the axe.

Now while IJWMPB certainly has its fair share of alcohol, drugs, and promiscuity, compared to Skins it is like watching church. The characters aren’t substance abusing partyers at all hours of the day. Plus they are not 15 years old so that helps.

It follows four recent college grads as they struggle with balancing an intense party life with a little bit of work. Not hugely intense but they produce a couple of chuckles for your troubles.

This kind of scripted format isn’t new to MTV. They created the cult classic Beavis and Butthead and the marginally popular The Hard Times of RJ Berger. And they now have Awkward., (no that is not bad punctuation it is the actual title of the show grammar demon) Good Vibes, and Teen Wolf. Or shows named after things they think describe generation Y.

In the upcoming months MTV has a slate of scripted television headed for the airwaves so get ready. And all of them will focus on the lives of people in their early 20s trying to find their place in the world. Hey, that sounds familiar!

The most star studded of the bunch are Underemployed and Zach Stone is Gonna Be Famous. Underemployed focuses on five friends as they struggle through their seemingly dead end lives and strive for greatness. It is executive produced by Emmy winner Craig Wright and stars Latin pop star Diego Bonata.

Zach Stone is Gonna Be Famous brings a heavy comedic punch with Bo Burnham. Burnham, the internet celebrity and comedy prodigy, created the show and will executive produce and star in it as well. In the show his character hires a documentary crew right out of high school to film his life so that he can try and be famous.

The rest of the shows, like us in college, are still in development and will be released onto the airwaves in the near future like we will be into the real world. OK, not a great metaphor but whatever. These include comedies Dumb Girls and The Inbetweeners and an hour long drama, Cassandra French’s Finishing School for Boys.

Anytime a network revamps its image or programming it is a big risk. These shows have possible potential upside if they can create appeal with their target audience.

If it not I’m sure there are other Real Worlds and dating contest shows in the holster. Or if all else fails they can just air real time footage of The Jersey Shore house. Oh that Snooki, who will she do next?

Network television dramas have suffered in recent years. In the past five years there has not been a single Emmy in the category for best television drama for a network television series. Their only recent hardware is one Golden Globe award.

These dramatic failures have had networks scrambling to produce an award worthy drama series. ABC believes that it has finally come up with a winner with its new drama Revenge.

Based on The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Revenge follows Emily Thorne – a young woman out for revenge. Living in a mansion in the Hamptons under an assumed name, Emily focuses her efforts on various individuals who framed her father for murder.

Through corporate espionage, political scandal, manipulation and arson, Emily gets closer with each episode to achieving the ultimate revenge on the family ultimately responsible for her father’s demise— the wealthy and powerful Graysons.

The pilot episode of Revenge drew in audiences with a foreshadowing of what was assumed by many audiences to be the end of the series, a Labor Day engagement party for Emily and Daniel Grayson. During this engagement party a character is shot, though both the shooter and the victim’s faces are obscured.

The rest of the series up until this week has gone through the events the summer leading up to the party. On the February 15 episode “Chaos” the series-long question of the identity of the shooter and the victim will finally be revealed.

With the ending of the original plotline impending, audiences have been wondering how the series will continue. Creator Mike Kelley has suggested two possible futures for the show; the first being a continuation of the original plotline, going through the murder trial for the victim of the engagement party shooting.

The other potential plotline has been described as a sort of revenge-per-episode format—in which new characters exact revenge on deserving villains. However, both of these options were suggested over three months ago, and interviews with the cast in recent days have suggested that the show will take a different turn than both of these alternatives. For the millions of fans of the show, the prospect of more Revenge is sweet.

Though the show has yet to win any major awards, it has received much support from critics and fans alike. Currently the show is the top viewed for its time block, 10 p.m. on Wednesday nights, with approximately 10.02 million viewers weekly. This is also a record for ABC—the network hasn’t received a rating that high for the 10 p.m. timeslot in years.

Revenge is enjoying higher ratings with its international broadcast as well; the show is currently being broadcast in at least twenty-eight countries outside of the United States. Revenge has also scored endorsements and praise from media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, and Yahoo!TV.

In recent months the show has also picked up a few nods by the awards circuits. The drama was nominated for the “Favorite New TV Drama” category in the 2012 People’s Choice Awards. Star Madeline Stowe, who plays Victoria Grayson on the show, was nominated for a Golden Globe in the category of “Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Drama.”

Though the show still has yet to win any major awards, it will have greater opportunity to do so in the future. It has been renewed for a full season of 22 episodes, and it has a few more months this season to prove itself.

The spillover effects from Revenge’s success have been benefiting many different aspects of ABC. On February 8, ABC ordered another drama.

This Means War opened on the seventeenth, earning a little over $17 million in its first weekend. Complete with a star-studded cast, the movie delivers a little for everyone, including action, humor, and definitely romance.

FDR (Chris Pine) and Tuck (Tom Hardy) are two CIA agents who have never had much trouble apprehending criminals or stopping terrorists, as long as they do it together. But, that soon changes one day when their mission to stop two terrorist brothers goes wrong and the younger brother ends up dropped from a skyscraper.

The surviving brother, Heinrich, an unstable man with revenge issues, vows to kill the two CIA agents. Temporarily grounded from active duty, Tuck and FDR struggle with their suddenly boring lives; until they meet Lauren.

Lauren (Reese Witherspoon) works as a product tester. While her job is fulfilling, she can’t help but feel vaguely unsatisfied, at least in the relationship department. To fix this, her friend Trish (Chelsea Handler) secretly makes a profile for her on an online dating website, and soon Lauren has multiple matches, including Tuck.

Leery of dating after his failed marriage, Tuck has no intention of meeting Lauren, but FDR convinces him otherwise. Tuck goes, and the two hit it off, quickly making plans for a second date.

FDR, who has been waiting in a nearby movie store in case the date is unsuccessful, meets a beautiful woman— the same blonde who has decided to rent a movie after her date. And before she knows it, Lauren finds herself in a relationship with two attractive, if albeit different, men.

Of course, neither Tuck nor FDR want to keep news of their new girlfriend from their friend, and the reality that both of them are dating the same girl does not sit well with either. Still, they form a “gentleman’s agreement” with a few ground rules, including no interference and, more importantly, no sex.

But who would actually keep that agreement? Soon each agent is using underhanded means and company resources to gain an upper hand with Lauren. And while the poor woman struggles to decide which man is best for her, both agents nearly forget the terrorist hunting them who will use any means to succeed, even an innocent woman.

This Means War is produced by Will Smith, and the Hitch-style screwball characteristics of this movie are certainly noticeable. However, despite the repartee between Hardy and Pine, it is Chelsea Handler’s role which has (perhaps unsurprisingly) the best lines.

The performance of Handler undoubtedly brings some much-needed humor to the plot, adding such gems as “No you’re not [going to hell], but if you are, I’ll be there to pick you up” and “Get out there! You get flexible!” She decidedly outshines the rest of the cast with her witty, and at times, abrasive behavior, and the audience thanks her for it.

This Means War is undeniably a mix between action flick and romantic comedy. But what makes the movie interesting is the unique situation of its female lead. How many movies can you recall that feature a woman simultaneously dating two men? It’s definitely a new plot line, even if she inevitably ends up having to choose between the two of them.

Naturally, critics have been cautious to give their approval to the film (not many rom-coms are deemed winners), but a much more reliable source is the people who’ve paid to watch it. Despite the critics’ rating of twenty-three percent, average moviegoers still liked it seven times out of ten.

If you want two hours of eye candy and laughs, go right ahead. This Means War will deliver.

The Grammar of Happiness, a short film produced by our own Dean Daniel Everett, is a documentary-type movie that depicts his relationship with the Piraha people in South America. Located along the Maici River, these people have been a large part of Dean Everett’s life ever since he was a young man.  Everett made the decision to become a Brazilian missionary during his high-school years, and he made his first trip to South America when he was just twenty-five. He went with the intentions of teaching them his own religion, though in the end, he felt that they ended up teaching him.

After twenty five years of mission work, Everett realized that the Piraha people did not necessarily need the religion that he was trying to preach. Living completely in the wilderness, the Piraha people are completely dependent on nature, surviving off of their land without any solid buildings or modern day resources. One of the only signs of modernization that the Piraha people display is that they wear clothes, though it is not always consistent.

Everett has been visiting the people for many years, and even lived with them for a period of time with his family. He appreciated the laid-back nature of the inhabitants, and the fact that they seemed truly happy living the simple lifestyle that they had created for themselves. Everett soon realized that the Piraha people did not need his religion, as there seemed to be nothing missing in their lives. He mentioned in the film that “they let each activity be dictated by their needs of the moment rather than by their worries of the future or their knowledge of the past. They live in the present.”

Throughout his stay with the people, he began to become fluent in their language, though he soon realized that something was missing. Everett concluded that though the language of the Piraha people is developed in the fact that it can be spoken in many different methods, it lacks tenses, as well as numbers. This has nothing to do with the intelligence of the people, as they were referenced as “encyclopedias” in the film for their intense knowledge of all the species that they are surrounded by. Instead, the Piraha language lacks some of the common elements due to the fact that they are unnecessary for the people. Everett discusses in the film that though mothers in this culture do not necessarily know how many children they may have, it is irrelevant, as each mother knows her children very well and does not need to define the amount to love them the same way that any other mother would.

The movie reveals that with Everett’s discoveries came controversy. Everett asserted that since the Piraha language does not have tenses, there cannot be recursion, which is the flow of endless ideas within a sentence. Everett wrote a paper on this and sent it for publication, though it angered the world’s leading linguists. Recursion has always been considered to be the common base for all languages, so the claim that this language did not need it was dramatic to the world of linguistics. The film mentions that there have been studies conducted that prove that people are born with certain ideas about language, which contradicts the research of Everett. With Everett’s findings, recursion can no longer be the universal base for all languages, which is why there are so many issues surrounding his studies.

Despite the harsh criticism and brutal attacks from others, Dean Everett’s passion for the subject has kept him going. The film revealed that research did not cease just because of negative feedback, which was one of the most inspiring aspects of Everett’s story. The film is definitely one worth looking into, as it not only opens the audience’s minds to different types of lifestyles, but also, the wonders that determination can bring about. Though encountering many difficulties, Everett did not give up on his mission, which is a lesson that we could all learn from. If you are looking for a great flick, make sure to check out The Grammar of Happiness.

Despite major competition from The Vow, Universal’s Safe House succeeded in grossing over $39 million during its opening weekend.

One of the film’s strengths is its extraordinary cast, who elevate the, at times, clichéd material to make a movie that delivers plenty of action and intrigue. The movie centers on its two main characters, played by Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds.

Washington plays ex-CIA operative Tobin Frost, a traitor who has spent the last decade selling classified material from intelligence networks around the world. The movie opens with Frost attempting to acquire more government secrets, but the meeting quickly goes wrong.

Frost finds himself running from a group of highly trained and lethal men bent on killing him to ensure the information never reaches the public. Frost realizes he won’t be able to escape, and is forced to seek refuge at the U.S. Embassy, something that he had sworn never to do.

Enter Matt Weston (Reynolds), a lowly CIA operative stuck with running the safe house nearby in South Africa. Weston has spent over a year at the safe house, and despite his relationship with a beautiful French woman, he is decidedly eager for a more active role as a field officer. Yet it this inexperienced agent who gets the call that a lethal “house guest” will soon be arriving.

The situation rapidly deteriorates after Frost arrives, and before the men can finish their interrogation (their methods include waterboarding), the safe house is attacked by the same men who had nearly killed Frost before.

Of course, only Weston and Frost survive—mainly because of luck—and Weston must decide whether to follow orders and remain at the house or flee with the traitor to a safer location. He chooses the latter.

But Frost is not so willing to obey Weston, and the young operative finds himself dealing with a much more dangerous man than the people he is fleeing. During a soccer game, Frost manages to escape Weston, leaving the operative to deal with the wrath of the CIA.

Weston might be placing too much trust in an agency riddled with a huge conspiracy. He may need to evaluate his loyalties if he wants to survive.

One of the most surprising elements of this movie is the electricity Washington brings to the plot. While the man always imbues a certain charisma in every part he plays, in Safe House it is intensified. And considering his age (he’s 58) and the physical characteristics of this part, he does a fine job.

There is a particular scene in a bathroom where Frost, having just acquired the classified information, is attacked. Frost makes quick work of him, however, and the savagery with which it is carried out has been lacking from many of Washington’s recent roles.

Ryan Reynolds has taken on a new kind of role as well. You won’t find any sarcastic cockiness or overt attractiveness in this role. Instead we see Reynolds playing a desperate man slowly being backed into a situation with no apparent solution.

But don’t worry, ladies. He’s still been working out.

Critics’ reactions are almost evenly split between enjoying the movie and advising against it, despite a solid 72 percent of viewers who would recommend seeing Safe House.

Yet in almost every review the critic liked the performances of both Washington and Reynolds, and it is because of the interaction between the two that you really must go see Safe House.