A group of first years file in the line to get their points for the campus wide competition. They are greeted by the familiar faces of student life and the vibrant hues of a setting sun. They head on over to the merchandise table where they receive their commemorative stickers and raffle ticket. More people file in as members of the band begin to take the stage, mingling among friends they’ve known for years and friends they have just met.  The opening notes of ‘9 to 5’ by Dolly Parton are heard on the keyboard and all eyes shift to the stage. 

On Sept. 1 The University of Maine’s college radio station WMEB 91.1 FM hosted their first jamboree of the 2023-2024 school year with a performance by Orono band “Sizzle” at the Innovative media research center’s stage.

“The beginning of the night was filled with students mingling on the lawn. It was awesome to watch people meet and get on, people got up and enjoyed the music through dance. I love the way music brings people together, it’s truly an amazing phenomenon to observe” said marine science student Jessica Cleary-Reuning.

Cleary-Reuning is the station manager at WMEB.

“I oversee the general on-goings of the station and help station staff identify goals for their position and guide them in attaining those goals,” said Cleary-Reuning. 

WMEB is UMaine’s student-run radio station. This means that the station is staffed and managed by students. 

“WMEB 91.1 FM is the University of Maine’s non commercial, student-run radio station. We strive to promote a wide variety of lesser-known/local music and ideas through our on and off-air presence.” says WMEB’s mission statement.

This is not the first event that WMEB has held. A few years ago they held the muddy Divestfest as well as a few other small concerts here and there. The college radio station has close connections with the local bands on campus, often hosting interviews on their DJs’ radio shows. Sizzle happens to be one of those bands that the radio station is close with. One of their members is an employee of the radio station as well. 

“Sizzle is a 6-piece jam fusion band composed of past and current UMaine Students. Trip Nickel and Yoni Musher are on the guitar, Jaylee Rice on the saxophone, Trey Wright on the keyboard, Jackson Skog on the bass guitar and Nick Clifford is their drummer,” Cleary-Reuning said. “The name Sizzle derives from Yoni’s cat, whose name is Sizzle, hence the cat graphic on the event’s promotional material.”

The music ranged from covers of popular songs to originals to moments of jam sessions. Their harmonious sound collaborated well with one another. The sound was a bit washed out due to the location of the stage, but it was able to be carried far off for many to hear. Sizzle manages to maintain their own unique, personal sound that is different from other bands in the Orono area. 

“Personally, my favorite part of a Sizzle show is their ability to work with the crowd. They try to use their improvisation skills to shape a show that fits the atmosphere of the audience, and I think that is really amazing.” said Cleary-Reuning.

This proved to be a popular belief as audience member Cy Dove noted the eccentricities that took place on stage.  

“My favorite part was when Trey got everyone to meow as an encore cheer,” said Dove.

The night showed to be an exciting precursor for more musical events like this to occur on campus. 

“On WMEB’s side, it was really successful event. We gave out 131 raffle tickets and ran out of all 100 of our event stickers. We are super excited to see what this semester has in store for the station and this event was a great way to kick off the semester.” said Cleary-Reuning.

It is interesting to see the growing community of bands that stem from the rural college town of Orono. There is potential for this small town to have a pretty intense music scene once the infrastructure becomes available. 

“I think that Orono is special because there is little going on, which leaves a lot of room for students, especially musicians to create what they want and fill the niche. If Orono was filled with pre-established concerts and events, there would be no need for students to create. Especially coming out of 2020/21, there was little to nothing going on in the music scene, which has offered students the space to foster a scene for their liking,” said Cleary-Reuning. 

What’s nice about a university scene is that it offers communities for people to come together with resources at their disposal. 

“Besides the fact that UMaine has a pretty awesome music program that brings musicians together through classes, I think that the school is stoked to have live music at various events,” Cleary-Reuning said. “I do not wish for much change in the UMaine music community. I think that bringing awareness to the multiple music opportunities on campus and in the Orono community is my biggest goal, but I myself am not a musician, I merely manage the radio station.”

UMaine holds many events throughout the year that students can check out and experience a variety of communities. WMEB is just one of them. 

“A student can tune in on their car radio (91.1FM) , on the app TuneIn or through our stream link which can be found on our website. https://umaine.edu/wmeb/. To stay in the loop on station events and on goings, you can follow us on instagram @wmeb919” said Cleary-Reuning. “All of our DJs are either UMaine students or adults who work for the University. And, every student has the opportunity to apply to be a DJ!”

If you’re interested in becoming a DJ, swing by the radio station in the basement of the student Union building and fill out an application. Be sure to tune in to the radio throughout the week to hear a variety of different sounds and voices from the UMaine community. Tune in 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. noon on Wednesdays to Jett Fuel with Jess and Mondays noon to 2 p.m. to The Dizzyverse with Cy. 

Listen to the live stream https://umaine.edu/wmeb/listen-now/.

Aries (March 21 to April 20)

This will be a good time to work practically and find joy in work. Do things that you enjoy doing and see the benefits of your hobbies. Things can be for both joy and practical meaning.

Taurus (April 21 to May 20)

Things will go well between you and those around you. Don’t be afraid of being yourself, as others will celebrate you for your uniqueness. Hiding your thoughts and feelings won’t win any favors, especially among friends.

Gemini (May 21 to June 22)

You may be feeling an unease with those around you and are pulling away as a response. Try to find new ways to deal with others and have confidence in yourself. While it can be difficult to confront situations, try to be bold instead of retreating.

Cancer (June 23 to July 21)

You may be feeling a lot of anxiety over your thoughts or actions. Try to let go of what worries you before looking at new ways to go about your life. Evaluate things logically and plan what will need to be done while you try to overcome emotional hurdles.

Leo (July 22 to Aug. 23)

You may be looking to try new things with others. Fresh ideas and new ways to do things may be good for you, so talk with peers about what you want. You don’t need to hold things all by yourself, so be willing to delegate.

Virgo (Aug. 24 to Sept. 23)

Things may be close to feeling full. While you may have had trouble or have been working towards a goal, now is the final push before getting what you want.

Libra (Sept. 24 to Oct.23)

You may be feeling at a loss. While there are places where you are confident in yourself and your ideas, you may be thrust into situations where you have less experience. Don’t be afraid to learn, but don’t underestimate yourself. 

Scorpio (Oct. 24 to Nov. 22)

This may be a transition point for you. Be sure to communicate with others. While things begin to go well, embrace them and share your new successes with others. If you have worries, share those too.

Sagittarius (Nov. 23 to Dec. 21)

You may find yourself between new ideas and goals you wish to pursue and are unsure which is best. Whether you aim for stability or for passion, push yourself to give things your all.

Capricorn (Dec. 21 to Jan. 20)

You may find yourself feeling overconfident in a situation. Do not mistake passion for capability and be willing to take advice from those more experienced than you, lest you find yourself disappointed.

Aquarius (Jan. 21 to Feb.19)

Be willing to try new things, even if they seem daunting. Don’t shy away from new experiences and see how other perspectives can change and influence you for the better.

Pisces (Feb. 20 to March 20)

You may find yourself at odds with yourself and conflicted about your beliefs or relationships. While you may have to stop and dwell on these thoughts, be confident in whatever you do choose and all will be well.

The new Nicholas Cage movie “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” was released to theaters on April 22, 2022. This week however, the movie has been released onto the streaming platform Amazon Video. I remember watching the trailer and my first thoughts was: “Is Nick Cage in a movie about himself?” For the most part, yes. In a strange and somewhat entertaining way, “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” at first felt like it was going to be a movie about Cage’s failing movie career, but the movie took a different approach as it began to comment more on how Hollywood treats its aging actors. 

The movie follows the aforementioned Cage’s appearance at the birthday party of a rich man played by Pedro Pascal. Pascal’s character is obsessed with Cage and wants him to star in a movie that he wrote. Cage eventually gets sought out by the CIA after learning that Pascal has connections to the drug cartel in Spain. It’s an obscure plot, but it’s Nicholas Cage, and he’s got range. It works for him, and it seems that nowadays a film that he produces is the only one that he gets a role in. Although Cage’s popularity and love is still strong among his fans, a movie about his lack of relevance in the film industry is comical. 

The action comedy filters a few pity laughs here and there. Halfway through the film, Cage and Pascal’s characters talk about writing a movie about their friendship that would involve some action and a kidnapping, which had already happened up to that point in the movie. That was when I turned to my friends and we all looked at each other, and we knew that the movie the characters were going to make was the movie we were watching now. Much like the scene in “Spaceballs” where Dark Helmet is watching the movie to find where the protagonists are, the movie broke an equal amount of walls. So many walls were broken that the house was no longer standing. 

One of the best scenes, similar to that of the Quaalude scene in “The Wolf of Wall Street” where Leonardo DiCaprio is crawling on the floor because he can’t feel his legs, Cage accidentally gets drugged and begins crawling around on the floor. He passes out, but as any good actor would do, he snaps right back into character, waking up from his coma when the word “action” is said. It’s scenes like these that show the great leaps the film took to try to show some relevance in the film industry. 

“The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent” overall felt like a fanfiction about Cage that Cage had sent himself in the mail and thought would be a great movie to produce and that fan fiction was written by Pascal. Scenes of Cage watching his own movies in the movie about him only heighten the ego trip that was “The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.” The film is worth the watch, but maybe not for a second time.

On March 1, 2023, the University of Maine Ishaq Lab hosted Professor Sarah Lebeer for a talk on her research of vaginal microbiome. Lebeer shared her findings from her discreet and considerate scientific investigation on the microbes that live within the female reproductive organ. The study was done in Belgium and introduced her to a wider field of research involving the relationship between a mother’s microbiome and her babies, as well as comparing the microbiome of the gut to the vaginal microbiome. Her team was looking at the lactobacilli population in the vagina, a bacteria crucial to the stability of the vagina.

“[She] is a research professor at the Department of Bioscience Engineering of the University of Antwerp, Belgium. She has studied bioscience engineering, with a specialization in cell and gene biotechnology and food and health,” said Sue Ishaq, assistant professor of animal and veterinary sciences and host of the lecture.

Lebeer and the other researchers named the study Isala after the first female doctor in Belgium. After the study was released, other countries such Switzerland and Peru began their own research, Laura and Maria respectively. This is just the start of the process.

Lebeer began the process by looking at the microbiome of babies. The microbiome of babies begins at birth, and at three years of age it is an adult microbiome. The microbiome changes over time with age. They focused on the vagina as as the source for the microbiome community with a research group of 18 years and older.

Proper vaginal health is crucial for reproduction and the health of women. A low vaginal pH is important. So why is there not more research on the role of lactobacilli in women outside hospitals in a clinical setting? Humans are unique, being the only animals with lactobacilli in the vagina. There is no animal model suitable for study. They needed to look at the bacteria population in its “wild” environment. Their scientific goals were to map the female microbiome and presence of lactobacilli in healthy women as well as the impact of lifestyle and environment on the female microbiome. Their societal goals were to break taboos surrounding vaginal health, empower women to take samples, bring women into science and make way for diversity. About 5.4% of the participants were below the poverty line.

“In 2020, Lebeer obtained an ERC StG Grant (Lacto-Be) that enables her to gain in-depth knowledge of the evolutionary history and ecology of lactobacilli. Within this ERC project, Lebeer has launched the Isala citizen-science project to gain new insights in the ecology and role of vaginal lactobacilli for women’s health, but also to actively involve women to contribute with ideas on how to improve vaginal health and break some taboos together,” Ishaq said. 

Worried about the stigma surrounding the vagina, Lebeer and her team figured there were not going to be many women who would want to participate in such a vulnerable project. Afterall, these women had to provide a sample swab of their vagina and send it to a lab to be processed, all to be received with news they might not want to have heard. Much to their surprise, a significant number of women in Belgium sought to participate in the study. 

“Citizens drive science,” Lebeer said. “[We] ask women for a sample in return for something back.”

Over 6,000 women in less than 10 days wanted to participate in the study, 4,600 women completed an hour-long survey and 3,345 people contributed a vaginal swab. They made the process as welcoming as possible. After the research study, 94.6% of women said that they would participate again. To help decrease the taboo that follows the vagina, Lebeer and her team made the swab box look like something you would receive in the mail from a monthly subscription box. It also came with a tote bag and conversation cards about the vagina. They compiled facts from the survey and found that nearly 83% of women have problems with their period and 13% have experienced problems with their pregnancy. 

Lebeer and her team found a variety of factors that can lead to a high or low population of lactobacilli or a high population of a different bacteria. Some bacteria-increasing factors include diet, pregnancy and personal hygiene practices such as the use of cotton underwear or pads. 

“We looked at what we could ask related to the microbiome,” Lebeer said.

Their next research study will be on the microbiome and inheritance in offspring.

Ishaq Lab’s next presentation will be on March 8 from 11a.m. to noon. It is about the gut microbiome, nutrition and food security and will be presented by Merilee Brockway.

Gorillaz, the  creation of Blur lead singer Damon Albarn, released new album “Cracker Island” on Feb. 24, 2023.

The band had been teasing the album for about six months ever since the release of the single and accompanying music video “Cracker Island ” featuring Thundercat in June 2022. A few months later they released the list of collaborators that will be on the album. From Bad Bunny to previous collaborator Beck and Stevie Nicks, anticipation was high. Names that big would have high expectations tied to them, so a cracking album was to be delivered. The disappointment that came from the 37-minute album was heartbreaking. It was nothing like the band has made before, and not in a good way. They changed for the worse, if that’s even possible, adapting to the more popular sounds of the 21st century. It feels as if Gorillaz has lost who they once were.

Building on the premise that the band moved out to Los Angeles to start a cult, there is potential. The idea is hilarious and has a great story to build upon. They even released little podcast episodes about the making of the album through the eyes of the lead singer. The lead up to the album, everything they had been releasing with new merchandise and lore, made the album seem like a wondrous mystery. The marketing team must have been on their A-game considering the album was a disappointment to many.

It felt rushed even though the band had been working on it since 2020. Listening to it felt like watching the newer Marvel movies. It does not compare to the previous albums of “Demon Days” and “Plastic Beach.”  The album has no energy. It feels bland and dry, almost as if Tame Impala had too much influence on the album. Tracks like “Skinny Ape” and “Cracker Island” bring some speed. “Tormenta” featuring Bad Bunny brings an interesting Latin feel that doesn’t bring any real motivation to the album. It’s not worth listening to a second time. “Silent Running” is actually decent, something that is worth listening to again but as background music.

“Oil” featuring Stevie Nicks was fairly disappointing. It had the potential to be fantastic, but Nicks in that setting just seemed wrong. It didn’t really work and it just felt sad the entire time. 

The entire album had this underlying feeling of sadness and gloom to it and that’s really not what we need from Gorillaz. Yes they have songs that tackle environmental issues or inequality, but something was off with “Cracker Island” and it just didn’t have the same effect. The songs all sounded the same, which in some instances can be an artistic decision if they are going to bleed into one another and hypnotize the listener into an hour of music without realizing it. But the sound of “Cracker Island” made time all too relevant and the end couldn’t come sooner. It needed more change, like the band is used to, because that is what they are good at.  

Not every album can knock music out of the park.  But this album would be ranked below “The Now Now.”  Hopefully Gorillaz will learn from “Cracker Island” and recognize that the Top 40 sound isn’t their thing. 

“Cracker Island” can be found on any streaming service.

On Feb. 24 the unconventional, sound-defying animated band Gorillaz will be releasing their ninth studio album “Cracker Island.” From the sound of the singles that have been periodically released, it seems that Damon Albarn, the creator of the band, has decided to take Gorillaz on a different path that is drastically different from their sound that fans have known. However, that’s the beauty of the band. Their sound changes from album to album and this time it’s an upbeat, popular-sounding tracklist that is not far away from their past experiments, but is something new that might stick around with the band. With “Cracker Island” approaching,  now would be a good time to visit the popular past album releases. 

Gorillaz (Self-Titled) – 2001

This was Albarn’s first album through Gorillaz. At the time he was still with the popular BritPop band Blur, but due to some clashes within the band, they were on hiatus. Albarn teamed up with comic artist Jamie Hewlit and created the world’s first digital band. Many people recognize the band from their signature music videos. 

“Gorillaz” is a nostalgic album as it is the start of the Gorillaz universe and everything they are known for. “M1 A1” is still used as the opener for their concerts. The album incorporates guest artist Del the Funky Homosapien to give a few of their tracks a sound of the city feel. The album goes from upbeat with “19-2000” and “Rock the House” to a nice, relaxing feel with “Tomorrow Comes Today,” and a spoof on the western theme with “Clint Eastwood.” It’s a nice start falling back on what was popular at the time, but as the years progress, we see Gorillaz evolve with their sound and get more confident with alternative sounds. 

Demon Days – 2005

An album that is their “Night at the Opera” or “Sergeant Pepper Lonely Hearts Club,” “Demon Days” is their magnum opus that many fans will say is their favorite. “Demon Days” holds a special place in my heart as well. A near-perfect album, the band captures themes of the environment and social unrest around the world. The first half of the album up until “Every Planet We Reach Is Dead” is addicting. “Dirty Harry” and “Kids With Guns” have a driving sound that one can become hypnotized to. The first half is all the lead up to the song that put them on the map, “Feel Good Inc.” The song was crafted to be popular and have that iconic bassline remain in your head after the song is over.. To bring the album all together, “Dare” is a feel-good classic. And the underrated storytelling song “Fire Coming Out of The Monkey’s Head” bleeding into “Don’t Get Lost in Heaven” and “Demon Days” wrap the album up nicely and one can’t help but listen to it again.

Plastic Beach – 2010

Where “Demon Days” still had a resemblance to “Gorillaz,” it is with “Plastic Beach” that Albarn really started to experiment. With the groovy beats that follow you through the album and the Lo-Fi relaxing songs that get trampled by the next track, which is upbeat to make sure you’re still listening, “Plastic Beach” is what die hard fans listen to the band for. “Demon Days” made the band popular but “Plastic Beach” kept the real fans around. 

The album incorporates new technological sounds alongside some well-known names in music as guest artists, such as Snoop Dogg and Lou Reed. Half of the band “The Clash” also collaborates on the album, making the album more of an art piece than something that you would find popular. “Melancholy Hill” is an incredible ballad for which words do no justice.“Plastic Beach” is a perfect album to have in the background or have headphones in to really capture the essence of the “Plastic Beach.” 

Humanz – 2017

The seven-year gap in between albums proved to be worth the while. “Humanz” is very audacious and it pays off. The album relies a lot on synthesizers to create a house music sound with songs like “Strobe Light” and “We Got the Power,” likewise, incorporating aspects of Ska to the song “Saturn Benz.” There isn’t much to be said about the album other than it is a nice change but still very resemblant to the original Gorillaz that people love. “Humanz” is an album that is perfect to listen to in order to relax and fall into a music pit. 

Song Machine, Season One: Strange Times – 2020

This album had a guest artist on every track ranging from Elton John to St. Vincent. There was no structure to this album other than introducing us to music from all over the world. Opening with the track “Strange Times” featuring Robert Smith from the Cure, the album was a wonderful surprise gifted during the time of the COVID-19 Pandemic. They released a song once a month up until the release date with accompanying music videos. “Momentary Bliss” with Slowthai and “The Valley of the Pagans” with Beck are two upbeat songs that combat “the Pink Phantom” and “The Lost Chord,” giving us an album of all aspects that is perfect for anyone. Gorillaz still remains who they are even 20 years after their initial release. 

“Cracker Island” has already gotten some mixed reviews, but we have to wait for it to be released to see if it belongs with the great Gorillaz albums that came before it.

Sarah Manning is a second-year student from Hampsteaad, New Hampshire. She is passionate about outdoor activities such as rock climbing and hiking. Although Manning chose the university for her love of the state and the beauty of the campus, her primary reason was a bit more specific. 

“I really wanted to work at Maine Bound…It was one of the main reasons I applied,” Manning said. 

Manning was hired the first semester of her freshman year, and she speaks highly of the students who work there. She also admires the dedication that everyone displays. 

“It’s a pretty hard job to get…People put a lot of effort and work into it and it’s a little bit more than just your average, college part-time job.” 

Although Manning jokes that she often feels like she is majoring in Maine Bound, her true major is ecology and environmental science. She is pursuing a minor in education. 

“I chose it because I wanted to go into teaching but I didn’t really want to be teaching in a normal public school system, so I decided that I wanted to teach outside and teach environmental education,” Manning said. 

Manning already has extensive experience working with kids. In high school, she coached a gymnastics summer camp between 2018 and 2021. She brought the team to nationals in Florida during her last year. Manning currently teaches an after school climbing program through Maine Bound, and in the upcoming weeks is going to be leading an outdoor adventure class at the Indian Island School. In the future, she hopes to continue working with and educating children through the National Park Service. Her favorite national parks are Acadia National Park in Bar Harbor, Maine, and Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. 

Maine Bound is also very useful for helping Manning achieve these goals. 

“They [Maine Bound] care about the professional development of each of their staff. So they have a lot of, like, really good training opportunities, certification opportunities, that you need to be good in your future career in the outdoors, if that’s what you’re looking for.” Manning said. 

Currently, Manning has her outdoor leadership and climbing wall instruction certifications. She also has her wilderness first responder certification through Acadia Mountain Guides and is hoping to eventually take classes in wilderness EMT training. 

Although Manning is now a full-fledged “outdoorsy” person, she wasn’t always that way. 

“I was, like, an indoor kid…I watched lots of TV, and I hated bugs and the heat and anything that involved the outdoors,” Manning said. 

Manning, like many others, found a new appreciation for nature during the height of the pandemic. 

“I climbed trees for, like, three months during the pandemic and then I just explored the woods and conservation lands…and the rest was history,” Manning said.

Although winter in Maine can be harsh, Maine Bound operates year-round. Manning recently completed a trip to Grafton Notch State Park in Newry, Maine, which showed her the wonders of ice climbing. 

“It was so cool to ice climb…you’ve got, like, knives on your feet and on your hands.” Manning said.  

Although she is incredibly involved in the Maine outdoors, Manning has hiking goals that extend to other states. 

“Over the next couple years, I really want to finish up the 4,000-footers in New Hampshire. There’s 48 of them, I’ve done 10. So I’ve got a really long way to go, but I really want to do a lot of those,” Manning said. 

There are a variety of multi-level hikes for students in and around campus. The University Forest has numerous walking and hiking trails, located behind the Recreation Center. For a beginner hike, Manning recommends Chick Hill in Clifton, Maine, about 40 minutes from campus. She appreciates the views Chick Hill has to offer, and the less intense nature of the hike. For more experienced hikers, she recommends Cathedral Trail on Mount Katahdin in Penobscot, Maine.

On Aug. 5, 2022, director David Leitch’s star-studded casted movie “Bullet Train” hit theaters at full force. It took me a while to get the motivation to watch this movie because the trailers made it look stupid and not worth the time. It felt like it was going to be another dumb fast-paced action movie with silly one-liners and obscure characters well-trained in the art of the katana. I expected the plot to be just Brad Pitt’s face. It was exactly that. 

However, to my surprise, the movie was done incredibly well. All the features of an action movie were swept away by the speed of the train and what remained was an entertaining plot and stunning effects resulting in a surprisingly good movie.

Adapted from the Japanese book of the same name, “Bullet Train” follows a group of assassins on their way to Kyoto all with their own motives to either 1. Obtain a case that has a lot of money in it that they think is theirs 2. Kill the person that has the case, or 3. Kill someone on the train. Pitt’s character, Ladybug, happens to be down on his luck and finds himself in a situation he didn’t expect himself to be in multiple times over. Guided by the voice of Sandra Bullock, he makes you ask “why isn’t he dead yet?” But Pitt puts his southern charm to good use in this movie and makes a would-be annoying character charming and silly. 

Alongside Pitt in the main cast of assassins with adjectives is Aaron-Taylor Johnson and Brian Tyree Henry as Tangerine and Lemon. Having just finished watching the show “Atlanta,” Henry was a very pleasant surprise. The duo’s chemistry seeps through the floorboards. They play off of each other well and capture the annoyance of siblings in a way that hits just a little too close to home. Joey King portrays The Prince, a spoiled rich psychopath with some family issues. Normally, I find King’s performances in movies subpar, but she was tolerable in this movie. Andrew Koji and Hiroyuki Sanada play son and father and bring each of the assassins into the reality of their situation by being the piece that brings them all together. There are a few actors that have cameo appearances or help push the plot forward such as Channing Tatum and Bad Bunny, but their presence is short-lived. 

The special effects of the movie are incredible and hypnotizing. Every fight scene is choreographed to be a strange dance of caution. The cinematography makes you feel like you’re on the train with them, with lights flashing and scenes spliced in here and there giving the film its wonderfully chaotic nature. What is nice about this movie too is that it gives audiences a pleasing ending that wraps everything up while maintaining the nature of the film.

The twist and turns of “Bullet Train” makes this a perfect movie to watch whenever you need a good laugh with a lot of action. You can catch “Bullet Train” on Netflix.

The lead singer of the Foo Fighters, Dave Grohl, used the COVID-19 lockdown to his advantage. He sat down for the first time in his life and compiled a select few stories about his time in the music industry. On Oct. 4, 2021, the 382 page book was released, titled “Dave Grohl: The Storyteller.” The book is a rollercoaster. He provides pointers and tips to aspiring musicians as well as an inside look at the controlling hand of the music industry.

 The true highlight of the book are his stories. Grohl has been through a lot. The autobiography countlessly reminds us that this rockstar is just an average guy who happened to love music and was very, very lucky. 

Grohl breaks the book up into five parts. Beginning with his early life, he then goes into his time on the road with his bands. He finishes the book with stories about his family and the disbelief of his life. 

Grohl began his career as a drummer for the small Virginia based punk band Scream. At the age of 17, he lied about his age in order to get the gig. Grohl makes it clear from the start that music was his life. High school did not suit him, and his ADHD caused him to lose focus and fall behind in his classes. All he could think about was music. He even taught himself how to play the drums by listening to his favorite albums. However, this proved to be a setback in his career when he learned in drum lessons that he was holding the stick wrong the entire time. 

His time with Scream piqued the interest of a small Seattle-based band that was struggling to find a solid drummer. Grohl took a shot and became part of the biggest band from the ‘90s: Nirvana. Following the death of Kurt Cobain, Grohl threw himself into creating music and out popped the Foo Fighters. These bands brought him everywhere, however, they also contributed to the darkest moments of his life. 

Grohl happens to be a very entertaining storyteller. He illustrates scenes that drop the reader into his position. He tells stories about celebrities like Tom Petty and Cobain. For example, Grohl talks about how he performed with Petty on “Saturday Night Live” and details an incident about an assistant moving an amp. Petty’s reaction shows not only how proficient he is in the music industry, but also that the The industry can eat you alive if you’re not careful. 

The stories about Cobain hurt to read. At the time, they were living in squalor. Barely scraping by, Grohl shares about his cheap gas station dinners and Cobain’s obnoxious turtle. We grow to feel connected with Cobain as the years pass by and see how Nirvana becomes famous overnight. Prior to Cobain’s suicide, Grohl received a phone call from a friend saying that Cobain overdosed. His friend called back that Cobain was quickly resuscitated, but Grohl details how immense his pain was in this first story. 

Grohl uses this story to ease the pain of when Cobain actually dies. He writes that he did not feel anything; he was just waiting for someone to tell him again that Cobain didn’t die. But it never came. He was gone. It was a death that struck the nation. Through Grohl, we get a firsthand account of someone who was close to him. Grohl uses this story as an example of how the industry destroyed someone he cared about, and how Grohl didn’t want to be like that. From this pain came a new opportunity and a new band. 

“Dave Grohl: The Storyteller” is a great book for music lovers. Much like Forrest Gump, Grohl was in the middle of the music scene. The book is rich with culture that can make anyone giddy with excitement. By the end of the book our respect for this regular guy who happens to be a massive rockstar has skyrocketed. We walked through it all with him and he guides us through the difficult life that comes with doing the thing you love.

To get the full experience of Grohl’s life the book can be found on Amazon or any bookstore.

Halloween has passed and already retail stores are playing Christmas music and putting out decorations for sale. However, there’s a commonly overlooked holiday that actually has higher participation for Americans than Christmas – Thanksgiving.

The story about how this holiday came to be is something that many American students have been taught in school. Now, though, our modern understanding of what actually happened at the First Thanksgiving has become more nuanced, and we are all starting to question what the true purpose of this holiday actually is.

In a data poll from 2021, Americans were asked what Thanksgiving meant to them. 67% said it was a time to give thanks. 17% said it was a time to remember history. This begs the question of what history are we remembering? The one we have been taught has been from a white colonizer’s perspective, so what actually happened?

The modern Thanksgiving is often a time of mourning for modern Native peoples because it serves as a reminder of 500 years of betrayal by the European Colonizers. Their generosity was rewarded by theft of their land and seed corn, killing off many Native people from disease and a near total elimination by forced assimilation.

Thanksgiving and myths associated with it have done damage and harm to Native peoples and their cultural self-esteem by perpetuating cultural misappropriation and stereotyping. This has left lasting and negative impressions in Native and non-Native minds.

A traditional Native Thanksgiving would last about four days, but most people can’t do that anymore because they’re trapped in the economic system and the schedule of the U.S.

The colonists’ interactions with the Native peoples they encountered were not the fairy tale story we were told. The idea of Thanksgiving began when President Abraham Lincoln wanted to create  a unity story for the U.S. 100 years after the colonies were originally founded. 

What actually happened during the First Thanksgiving was that a treaty was made between the first Governor of the colony, John Carver, and the leader of the Wampanoag Nation, Yellow Feather Ousamequin, also known as “Massasoit.” It was an agreement of protection  from each other’s enemies that later became a collaboration for creating a system of living together. As colonists were celebrating their first successful harvest and shooting off guns and cannons, members of the Wampanoag nation gathered up warriors to see if they were being attacked. They stayed and camped near the settlement for a few days to make sure everything was ok. 

The two groups were friendly to each other but the colonists primarily acted this way because they relied heavily upon the Native people for survival. They didn’t respect the Native people. 

There was no feast on that day. There were not many thanks given, either. It was just a moment of peace and misunderstanding. This peace didn’t last, and it wouldn’t be long before the colonists pushed these Native peoples off their land and onto reservations

Believe it or not, Thanksgiving was originally celebrated a week earlier. In 1939, retailers urged President Franklin Delano Roosevelt to push the date back a week so shoppers could have more time for holiday shopping. 

The culture surrounding Thanksgiving is misleading. It is up to each individual how they want to celebrate the holiday, if at all. One way to look at the holiday in the modern day is that Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on ourselves for the past year and face the things we might have taken for granted. It can be a time to rest and be thankful for everything we have.