The James Logan Courier

By Jenelle Gallardo, Courier Staff Writer

The 4th annual Paddy's Film Festival last Friday was gathering of cinematic clips and coffee. Behind Paddy's coffee house, there was an inflatable screen were four films were shown. The back lot was strewn with viewers on the grass enjoying a night in town.

First, A Soldier's Story, by Jeremy Pommier, is an in-depth documentary of Marine Don Roberts in the Vietnam War. He shares his experiences, feelings, along with photos and video clips of war activity.

Luncheon, dinner, cocktails, cuisine to go, banquets and parties-Ho Chow Restaurant has it all.

Ho Chow has an extensive menu including appetizers, soups, poultry, beef, seafood, pork, vegetarian entrees, and even "healthy and light" entrees. Upon sitting down, hot tea is placed in the center of the table and drink requests are taken. In case you're having a hard time picking an entree or want to know which ones are good, a waiter is placed at the table to help you decide and inform which entrees are most popular.

By Hamed Noorzay, Courier Staff Writer

In the music of the Dirty Tongues, underground Hip-hop meets high school angst. Sound familiar? Now add a few tongue and cheek lyrics and a passion for the art of rap and you’ve just started to scratch the surface of the boys of DT (Dirty Tongues).

A generally Logan-based group, the DTs members have adopted the monikers Nasty Neeeks, RayLove, Two Propa, Mysta.E, Optik and Mad Cleva. These boys captivate their audience with infectious beats and their harsh yet sensitive lyrics show that there is more than meets the eyes.

Visit the Dirty Tongues' Myspace. (Blocked at school)

By Jessica Stewart, Courier Editor-in-Chief

“My sisters Amy and Gretchen were, at the time, undergoing therapy for their lazy eyes, while my older sister, Lisa, had been born with a lazy leg that refused to grow at the same rate as its twin. She’d worn a corrective brace for the first two years of her life, and wherever she roamed she left a trail of scratch marks in the soft pine floor. I liked the idea that a part of one’s body might be thought of as lazy—not thoughtless or hostile, just unwilling to extend itself for the betterment of the team.”

In his collection of autobiographical essays, Sedaris helps you take a peek at his life—and at the reality of your own. There are some who find this unacceptable. He is cynical and tells you like it is, in the process making fun of himself, his family, his friends, and Americans in general. He sugar-coats nothing. Not his drug habits, not his homosexuality, not his lack of motivation. He is true to himself. Best of all, he is hilarious. Me Talk Pretty One Day is the funniest book I have ever read. I cracked up, I chuckled, heck, I even giggled several times. His sense of humor appealed to me, and I can honestly say that I have never enjoyed a book quite as much as I enjoyed this one.

By Brandie Moore, Courier Book Editor

“I attacked him, leaping out in an offensive maneuver I hadn’t used in two years, not since Lissa and I had run away. The moved was stupid, another reaction born of instinct and fear. And it was hopeless. He was a skilled guardian, not a novice who hadn’t finished his training. He also wasn’t weak and on the verge of passing out.”

The book begins when the main characters, Lissa and Rose, are caught two years after running away and are put back to the one place the do not want to be: St. Vladimir’s Academy, an elegant school in Montana all the vampires attend.
Vampire Academy a vampire story like no other. It differs from the oh-so-popular vampire seriesTwilight by Stephenie Meyer, but is just as good. If you’re a Twilight fan I am certin that Vampire Academy will satisfy you just as much.

By Tawab Fakhri, Courier Assistant Editor

The hint of fall in the air recently signals the start of the seemingly never-ending cycle of youngsters and their parents getting serious about school, which unfortunately means a dramatic decrease of overnighter frag fests and questing.

To fill the emptiness and hollowness of life without all day and all night gaming, players can turn their attentions to wanting, as in wanting the new games due this winter.

That'll be just in time for the holiday gift-giving, game-buying season. To give gamers something to buy, a large array of new generation RPG’s is flowing out once again, in addition to new battle systems which are growing increasingly popular, after the breakthrough Final Fantasy 12.

By Billy O'Keefe
McClatchy-Tribune (MCT)


In terms of features alone, "Facebreaker" easily signifies a turning point not only in boxing games, but fighting games in general.

That is entirely a credit to the game's boxer creation engine, which provides a sky-high level of freedom in terms of creating the pugilist of your dreams or a fighter entirely in your image. For those seeking the latter, "Facebreaker" allows you to import headshots via the Xbox Vision cam, the Playstation Eye or EA Sports' community Web site.

For those less creatively inclined, "Facebreaker" also lets players download boxers others have designed and uploaded to EA's servers. The game sorts user creations by a number of criteria, making it easy for anyone to stockpile their game with an endless parade of astonishingly good representations of real and fictional characters.

By Jenelle Gallardo, Courier Staff Writer

Located at the corner of Grimmer Blvd and Fremont Blvd, is The Hillman's Cloverleaf Family Bowl, frequently referred to Cloverleaf. Whether you're competitive, have some time to kill, or need a thing to do to unwind, here's a place where all can enjoy a good time of bowling.

If you're a beginner, they have bumpers to aid in practice, or you can spend time at their arcade. Cloverleaf is a place to go whether the asphalt outside is melting or if you have nothing to do on a rainy day.

By Mei Xin Yang, Courier Staff Writer

On a Tuesday night, a friend called to invite me to a dinner at the Sushi House in Alameda before she heads back to college. As we walked in, we went straight to the outdoor patio area and found our seats, avoiding the long line of would-be diners, since we had made a reservation.

That's one of the problems with this restaurant. Reservations can only be made for the outdoor patio area, but not the inside dining room. Seating on the patio are very limited. On the bright side, there are heaters out there to keep us warm. Even so, it wouldn't be a bad idea to bring a jacket if you plan on dining at the outdoor patio area, as it's right across the street from the often chilly San Franciso Bay. This trip, however, the heaters did the trick and kept our party happy and comfortable.

By Asma Yasini, Courier Staff Writer

Logan graduate Andrew Fulwiler, aka "Andrew the Artist," debuts his film, The Teen Workshop Movie, tonight as part of a film festival being held at Paddy's Coffee House.

Fulwiler, who also helps out the Logan Forensics team by providing artwork for the speakers' visual aids, is the director of The Teen Workshop Movie.

Watch Part one of "The Teen Workshop Movie," free from YouTube.

By Sandhaya Mansfield, Courier Staff Writer

The Crepe House in San Francisco offers great food, affordable prices, and a very hip and trendy atmosphere.

Located at the corner of Gough Street, The Crepe House is surrounded by boutiques as well as other restaurants and is just a block down from the Davies Symphony Hall. Crepes are not the only thing served at this house but a variety of other tasty foods, such as meal crepes, dessert crepes, breakfast, omelettes, bagels, sandwiches, salads, and soups.

By Mia Tungol, Courier Staff Writer

Yoswirl lives up to expectations.

On Thursday, a few of my friends and I went to Yoswirl, a fat-free frozen yogurt shop in Fremont, after eating dinner. Right when we walked through the door, the environment felt very relaxing. The interior designing was also creative. In my opinion, it almost was like being inside of a little doll house. Inside, there are a few couches and tables where you can just sit with friends while playing board games, watching television, or even just talking with your friends.

McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)

METALLICA "Death Magnetic" (Warner Bros., 3.5 stars)
"Change we can believe in" might work for some campaigns but it's never been easy for Metallica to navigate the tricky terrain of musical growth when its fans consider stylistic shifts a personal affront.

Metallica perfected speed metal in the mid- to late-'80s on a triumvirate of classics — "Ride the Lightning," "Master of Puppets" and "... And Justice for All" The quartet alienated some core supporters, but picked up many more listeners, by courting the mainstream with shorter, more concise and polished songs when they hooked up with producer Bob Rock for 1991's "Metallica," a CD that sold more than 10 million copies. This friendlier version of Metallica reached its logical conclusion when its Wagnerian metal met the San Francisco Orchestra on 1999's "S&M." Afterward, interband squabbles and the debacle of 2003's confused "St. Anger" project seemed to spell an inglorious end for these metal music masters.

By Jenelle Gallardo, Courier Staff Writer

With much success already achieved from their first and sophomore albums, the Chicago-based band The Academy is . . .'s third album is already the fifth most downloaded album spot on iTunes after only a month of release.

Co-headlining with many other bands during last summer’s Warped Tour, and heading off for another tour along with bands We The Kings, and Carolina Liar this fall, this quintet have even more to add to the slowly ending 2008.

By Hamed Noorzay, Courier Staff Writer

When you think about up and coming Bay Area artists you think of BMB (Beautiful Music, Baby.). They have a style all their own. With a combination of witty lyrics and "Home grown" Beats, its hard to resist their musical charm. Not to mention that they have their own "Fresh" style of urban clothing. BMB, most of the members of which are former Logan students, is definitely making a name for themselves.

"I love BMB," said 16-year-old Nikki Ramos, a junior said."They are a unique local group that rep's the UC with pride. They are not mainstream so they know what legit Hip-Hop is."

By Brandie Moore, Courier Staff Writer

“He lifted the bottle and tipped it into a series of caps. Some of the caps already had a crystalline liquid in the bottom. In the dim light, it looked as if the ink separated into variations of darkness as Rabbit poured a little into each cap.

Tiny black tears, like a cup dipped into the abyss. She shook her head. Too many weird events, making me think strange things. She asked, ‘Is it the other liquid in there that changes the colors? Like two inks mixing?’

‘They mix into what I need for your work. Turn.’ Rabbit motioned for her to look away.

She did, moving her body until her back was to him. HE wiped her skin, and she closed her eyes ----waiting.”

If you read my review last week of Wicked Lovely, then you should know that this is the second book to the Wicked Lovely series.

By Troy Wolverton
San Jose Mercury News (MCT)

SAN JOSE, Calif. — When it comes to surfing the Internet, playing games or watching movies on the road, a laptop can be too big and a smartphone too small. That's why some tech heavyweights have been working on a device that falls in between.

The gadget — essentially a handheld computer — has essentially the same processing power as a laptop but in a considerably smaller size. Like a smartphone, it can connect to the Internet while out on the road, but offers a bigger screen and the ability to display Web sites that most smartphones can't.

By Tracy Yang, Courier Staff Writer

Kicks, sweeps, slaps, and punches in the traditional Capoeira dance called "Angola," will be on display this weekend when the Roots of Brazil Capoeira Group of Union City hosts their annual Batizado celebration on Sunday from noon to 4:00 p.m. at Ruggeri Senior Center.

By Mia Tungol, Courier Staff Writer

On a recent Sunday, I went to eat lunch with my family at Olive Garden in Newark. As we arrived, I thought that it would be too crowded since it was around lunchtime. Although there was a line, Olive Garden has the option of being able to seat yourself and eat in the bar area, so we were able to be seated right away. The environment in the restaurant was welcoming and the employees were kind.

By Sandhaya Mansfield, Courier Staff Writer

"Even the things that go bump in the night need protection"

After playing Colonel Samantha Carter for ten years on the hit scifi show Stargate SG1 and appearing on Stargate Atlantis for one season, Amanda Tapping is taking the lead role on SciFi channel's new installment, Sanctuary.

Dr. Helen Magnus (Amanda Tapping) knows all about the creatures that go bump in the night and has dedicated her life to tracking them. She has set up a sanctuary to protect and harbor these creatures, along with her daughter Ashley (Emilie Ullerup), tech-wiz Henry, and new recruit, Will (Robin Dunne), a psychiatrist who always seems to stumble upon the strange and unusual.

By Michael Hamersly
McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)

— Joan Baez, "Day After Tomorrow" (Razor & Tie). Folk icon celebrates 50 years in the biz.
— Eric Benet, "Love & Life" (Warner Bros.). Fourth neo-soul album from Halle Berry's ex.
— Michael Franti & Spearhead, "Modern Guilt" (Anti).
—Gym Class Heroes, "The Quilt" (Atlantic). Playful alt-hip-hop sensation's third album.
—Hal Ketchum, "Father Time" (Curb Records).
—LL Cool J, "Exit 13" (Def Jam). Hip-hop king's 13th album features team-ups with Funkmaster Flex, Richie Sambora, 50 Cent, The Dream, Wyclef Jean and Fat Joe.

By Brandie Moore, Courier Staff Writer

"The faerie world is closer than you think."

"Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries,
Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries,
Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention."

Wicked Lovely is a dark romance that really captures your attention. It starts out with the summer king, Keenan, searching for the summer queen. Keenan need to find the summer queen to stop the winter queen. The winter queen, also known as Keenan's mother, is slowly taking over Fairyland. When her cold power starts seeping into the human world. Keenan (who doesn't have the power to defeat the winter queen alone) leans that her needs to hurry and find the summer queen to stop her.

By Jessica Stewart, Courier Editor-in-Chief

“Two hundred years ago a vast energy Curtain opened in the vicinity of Earth, making interstellar travel practical for the first time. In typical human fashion, thousands of eager colonists packed up their stuff and lost no time heading out to create new homes and new societies on the unexplored worlds. Harmony was one of those worlds.”

Jayne Ann Krentz, writing as Jayne Castle, returns to the world of Harmony in her newest installment to her Ghost Hunters series, telling the tale of yet another Guild boss and his lover. I have mixed feelings about this novel. It is both the best and the worst yet in the series. Nevertheless, I do recommend it to all Castle fans, and to anybody else who is looking for a quick read that enjoys futuristic romance novels.

By Billy O'Keefe
McClatchy-Tribune (MCT)

Few games in the Xbox/PS2 era were as eager to please as "Mercenaries," which handed players a wild stockpile of weapons, a roster of enemy targets and every tool one needed to turn North Korea into a personal sandbox of destruction.

As sequels go, "Mercenaries 2: World in Flames" is pure textbook — prettier, more technologically robust and grander in all expected ways, but philosophically unchanged. Venezuela's mix of jungles, rivers and urban cityscapes provide a welcome upgrade over North Korea's murky sameness, and Pandemic places greater importance on telling a story rather than simply providing targets to pick off. But the elements that made the first game such a hit — ridiculous riches of firepower, some humor and total freedom in leveling your surroundings and choosing your alliances to your satisfaction — remains "Flames'" primary selling point.

By Roger Moore
The Orlando Sentinel (MCT)

Josh Peck of TV's "Drake & Josh" left his kiddie TV show days behind him with the indie coming-of-age dramedy "The Wackness" this summer, playing a pot dealer who finds love and sex over one magical summer before college. Drake Bell of TV's "Drake & Josh" — he plays Drake, y'see _ tries to go Josh one better, or worse, in "College," a raunchy comedy that plays like a Superbad without the smarts, the heart, the originality or the laughs.

Oh, to have a 16-year-old son or daughter, just so I could tell them, "No way you're seeing that junk."

Kevin (Bell) is a high school senior heading off to his visitation weekend at Fieldmont University. His girlfriend has just dumped him for being boring. His bookish classmate Morris (Kevin Covais) wants to really go and tour the campus, maybe land a scholarship. But slovenly, party-hearty pal Carter (Andrew Caldwell) figures it's time for Kevin to get his freak on.

By Shay Quillen
San Jose Mercury News (MCT)

SAN JOSE, Calif. — While other high school kids in Santa Monica, Calif., were listening to Green Day and starting up garage bands, Chris Chu was immersing himself in the Beatles and the Beach Boys and educating himself in music theory.

He missed out on groupies, but he got a solid grounding in how to craft a pop song. When he finally got around to writing songs, while pursuing a music degree at the University of California-Berkeley, he quickly generated buzz on the indie-rock blogosphere. Then he and the others in his band, the Morning Benders, had to learn to be a working band.

"We didn't know anything about how booking stuff worked, or promoting and all that," says Chu, 22. "It was just playing with friends."

By Jessica Stewart, Courier Editor-in-Chief

“There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one’s own safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn’t, but if he was sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn’t have to; but if he didn’t want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle.”

This is the essence of Catch-22… and Catch-22. Both of them are confusing and understandable. The reader will either love the novel, will be offended by the novel, or will be totally confused and unable to comprehend even their own feelings on it. I myself fall under the category of “love the novel”, but I can understand any of the standpoints. In fact, I love it because it is confusing and offensive.

By Billy O'Keefe
McClatchy-Tribune (MCT)

The story behind "Too Human's" creation — nine years, three platforms, countless restarts and even some pending litigation — is packed with more mythos than the game's actual story. The long process also leaves an indelible mark on a final product that's both unrelenting in the pursuit of its vision and saturated with design choice that were more acceptable when development began than they are today.

The heart and soul of "Human" centers around its gameplay mechanics, which most closely resemble those of the "Diablo" franchise of PC games. "Human," like "Diablo," is a dungeon crawler in which the primary objective, beyond carrying out the storyline, is to slay thousands of enemies, build up your character's attributes and hopefully stumble some one-of-a-kind piece of weaponry or armor.