The Herald: May 2007 Edition

[The Herald]

The Herald account has a new look! And it's snazzy! Project was the winner of creating the new av and sig, and he did quite a damn good job. So thanks, Project!

Also, this month marks 2 years that the Herald has been up and running! All the success is thanks to past editors and writers that have come and gone. Without the team the Herald wouldn't exist. So give yourselves a pat on the back!

To explain myself, I realize that to some the Herald is late, but for me, it's still the first of the month, thus it's on time. So forgive me, those that hold petty grudges. Ha.

Alright, so a few things.

The cover image I realize is not very...good. But please spare me the comments on it. I had very little time to whip it up, and had no inspiration what so ever to know what to do it on. The theme was suppose to be nature. Though, the bottom photo of the yellow flower is my own, the roses are courtesy of midnighteskye, and the sunset is courtesy of simbion-stock. All credit goes to them, and thanks as well.

So I've been highly busy this last month, and will be this coming month, so please understand the lack of actual articles from me. Nothing interesting per say. Other than Top Five Artists.

I also have to apologize to gray929 and flux.exe. Gray did a Meet The Newbie interview with flux, and I never even spotted it until after all images were done and all. So that'll be included in June's edition.

I know I had mentioned a Herald Sponsored chat last edition, and I'm here to apologize for not keeping up to that. Though it will be happening fairly soon. I've just got to talk it over with the rest of the Herald staff.

Umm, well I guess that's enough babble from me. Please enjoy this month's edition. See the comments thread to reply to anything.

[The Herald]

The month of May, SSD is going to be celebrating a whole lot of birthdays. Congratulations to all who are mentioned!

flux.exe	7th
Luke	8th
David	14th
Saknika	15th
Mitch	18th
Kay	26th
conquest.	29th

Congrats to the lot of you! SSD wishes you a happy birthday, and many more to come.





Well this wasn't an easy month to scrounge around for someone to hold this title. But after fighting with myself, and talking it over with Ollie, I decided upon one person. He's been very dedicated to SSD for quite some time, and he's just recently (a few months ago) became staff. He's taken the position seriously and kept his board aloft and buzzing with activity. So this month I'd like to welcome Luke, as our member of the month for May. Congrats, dear. Keep up the great work.



Stinky666 or St. Inky as he is now called, has always been a great resource maker in my opinion. Avatar Set 16 is a prime example of this.

I love the different textures and colours used in this avatar set, they all compliment each other wonderfully but provide interest as well. So much better than a single colour I think.

The border, though a simple 1px black stroke, works well to separate the texture from the forum/website and keep it tidy. Finishing off your avatars/signature with a border is always advisable if the image itself is quite busy.

With only 77 downloads at the date of writing this article, it is totally underused in my opinion. St. Inky has gone to the trouble of including many different colour combinations so it's definitely worth a download.




This month, we didn't have nearly as many entries in the lit board as we did last month. My fault, I fear. But, nevertheless, the piece I chose was well-deserving, and rather refreshing. ^-^

This piece combines mystique with a childish playfulness that, for me at least, forces the reader to reminisce of a playful time. *sighs wistfully*

If you can't guess already, I'm referring to the poem "Beneath the Sand" by Morgoth, the first poem, to my knowledge, Morgoth has posted. ^-^

Nice job, Morgoth, and congrats. ^-^

"Beneath the Sand" by Morgoth

BENEATH THE SAND

Come a-wandering with me,
Down this well-worn path,
You and I.

Down to the beach, to the sea.
Let’s see if we can find a treasure,
There, beneath the sand. And
What we find, we’ll share, shall we?
You and I?

The waves were roaring like lions that night,
Many months ago, when he was there.
When he buried his treasure, down there
In the sand.
We’ll dig for it, shall we,
You and I?

But now, it is but a cub, soft and calm.
False peace. For you see, we’ve come across
His precious gold, down there,
Beneath the sand.

Stop a while, see there, undisturbed.
False peace again, down beneath,
Beneath the sand we dig.

You realize now. You see the glimmering
Teeth, that lie beneath
The Sand.

There! See at last!

The glories of his work, though rotted
Like shipwreck, do still betray
Youthfulness now extinguished.

Come, dear child, come a-wandering.
Do not fear, for soon you too
Shall be a precious gold, a shining
Tooth, innocence and truth,
Peace that is true, so glorious like
You, my dear treasure, my precious gold
That lies, beneath the sand.

Come a-wandering. We’ll dig, we’ll dig
Together, and there,
Forever, shall you lay,
Together, you and they,
Together, together.

Together, beneath the sand.

---

Critter of the Month
Written by Sunshine

As I browsed through the lit board this month, I noticed a lack of activity. Something that is my fault, I guess. Sorry, I'll be working on picking that up, as well as critiquing more myself. But a special thanks is owed to pandora who really stepped it up this month and took over the job of critiquing pretty much everything.

Pandora, a stickied thread of your works will be coming soon. ^-^ Thank you for your dedication.



Yacht by Kris

This photo captured my attention right away. The colors are spectacular. And the position of the actual yacht is great. It makes it draw your attention in easily. You did a wonderful job with this photo and I'd love to see more like this from you.



"My keyboard is sticky..."


"...


Told you it should have been 'Man Pleaser Productions'."
- Net & bryanic

"Are you guys serious? He's hot, but certainly not hot enough to convert me.

"


"You see, you're the equivalent of a pencil. Straight, and not easily bent.

I must be a bendy straw."
- Luke & Mitch

"Wow, you really are a geek. I thought it was just an act.. =/


He's on to me! Wand of Deception! Wand of Deception!"
- Ryan/Psionic & Artemis

"Give Us Money!"
- Oliver

"Whoa, bit creepy, no? Perhaps a poster would suffice?

*ignore the stupidity of the above post if it comes off that way*


Posters are no good.

Have you ever tried fitting sexiness in a pixel? I have.

Luke popped out. I'll never attempt it again.

( you, Lukeyboy)"
- Ryan/Psionic & Artemis

"I really feel like I missed something..."


"I get that feeling sometimes, did you remember to put on underwear?"
- SilverWings & Nick/Combo

"haha you still look about 10 mitch"



"Fuck you, Jack. "
- Jack & Mitch

"Steven!!! They are all Steven!!!

*gets dragged away by moderators*

I will not be silenced! They are all Steven!!!


The Mystery Person guess thread"


"...he quoted himself. dmsuperman, I do not applaud you- in fact, I throw a virtual tomato at you. "
- dmsuperman & Whitney



Failure is just a bad dream
B.Saleh

Empty handed I entered the world,
Barefoot I leave it.
My coming, my going...
Two simple happenings-that got entangled
Kozan Ichikyo

To succeed in life, you need two things: ignorance and confidence.
Mark Twain

Never look down on anybody unless you're helping him up.
Jesse Jackson

Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you're alive it isn't.
Richard Bach

Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.
Will Rogers

You only have to do a very few things right in your life so long as you don't do too many things wrong.
Warren Buffett

Imagination is more important than knowledge.
Albert Einstein

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.
Peter F. Drucker

Son, if you really want something in this life, you have to work for it. Now quiet! They're about to announce the lottery numbers.
Homer Simpson

When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us.
Hellen Keller

Well, I must say, there were a great number of signature and avatar entries this month. I'm very pleased with the quality of the entries. Though without further ado ... here are the results.

Avatar of the Month Mitch



Eee! I truly adore this avatar. I love the choice of vibrant colours you have on this avatar, the eye-popping clarity is also an added bonus. The nice little effective theme works wonders as well. Honestly, a gorgeous avatar Mitch, great job!


Signature of the Month

[/u] flux.exe



Heh, you entered this stunning signature to SOTW and somehow I was struggling to see how this fit the theme, though here it definitely fits. A very precise, and attractive signature flux.exe, the contrast in this signature is quite appealing, and overall the clarity and flow of this is outstanding. My one suggestion though is the text, it is very well done, though I think that it should 'pop' out more. Though all in all a great signature. Congrats!

Congrats to the both of you. Bug Ollie, UC, E, or Jonny for your custom titles.[/center]

[The Herald]

All right guys, Car here... filling in for the busy monkey boy for this month's General News. Was a pretty quiet month for the most part, so this'll be one of the shortest things you'll see around here that bears my name in the byline.

Hosting
Just when we thought we were in the clear, we've received some bad news from our new host. Expect a bit of downtime in the next few days as we transfer our resource-heavy account once more. We'll try to keep the downtime at a minimum, but bear with us!

Art Group Re-Addition
No new staff changes this month, but we would like to welcome Crazy back into the Art Group staff. Now that his busy schedule has calmed back down, he's re-joining the ranks. We hope you'll welcome back one of our oldest and most appreciated members.

CSS Design Competition
The CSS Design Competition, which caused an initial stir around Coders Galore, has been closed today. Hope you got your submissions in; winners will be decided as soon as possible!

SSD Coding Wiki
Oliver's been working to get our own special coding wiki up and running, but this has also been put on hold until we can update our hosting. As soon as our new php is installed, we'll be good to go... so get your submissions ready.

Long-Lost Interview Board
Just a quick update so you don't forget our beloved interview board; the Interview board is slowly being renovated and will be making its debut soon. If there is a specific artist/coder you would be interested in hearing from, please PM either myself or Whitney and we will try our best to complete your request.

Lit Contest: Who Am I?
The Lit board is sponsoring yet another contest. The prize is as yet undecided but will be a good'un when it's all figured out!

As for the contest, it's based around the all-important character sketches that can either make or break a good writer. Your task? Develop a character based around a member on SSD. First, you PM the person you want to be your character. Make sure it's okay with them and let Artemis know... then on to finding out more information about them! Fill in the sketch format, provided by Artemis here and you're good to go.

That's all I remember
Apologies if something important was forgotten, but as I return to my nook and copious notecards, one last thought: good luck to anyone going through AP testing, finals, or other problems this month. Hope you all have a great May!


urbancinderella

[The Herald]

May was the third month in the Roman calendar, originally named Maius. It is thought to be named after Maiesta, the goddess of reverence and honour. Or perhaps Maia, who was goddess of the spring in their mythology. There have always been 31 days in this month.

During May, in the Northern Hemisphere, all the wild flowers and grasses are in full bloom and the days are warm and pleasant. The heat of summer has yet to arrive and many birds have built their nests, awaiting the birth of their young.

The flower of this month is the Lily of the valley and, should you have been born in May, your birthstone is the emerald.

[The Herald]

Welcome to Herald game of the Mystery Persons! You are about to read three different interviews, and each is from a different person. Two of them you know here on SSD, and one of them is a person who has become world-renowned. It’s your job to be a sleuth, and figure out whom each is. If you think you’ve figured it out, trot yourself over the thread designated for guessing, and post! For each one you guess correctly, you get a sleuth point. And those who were interviewed automatically get a sleuth point, so no guessing yourself.

In the next issue, the names of the interviewees will be revealed, and the statistics on the points updated. Come the end of the year, the one with the most sleuth points will be the Master Sleuth of SSD. Quite an honour, and who wouldn’t want to be the first? So start reading, and start unraveling the mystery! You have one month, go!

Current Point Standings:
Bryanic- 5 points
Pandora- 5 points
Kay- 4 points
`seventyx7- 3 points
$©Ø®Þ!@Ω™- 3 points
David- 3 points
Nwitz- 3 points
Dude™- 3 points
AI- 2 points
.:.Darien- 2 points
Artos- 1 point
Kai- 1 point
Artemis- 1 point
Eternity- 1 point

Previous Interviewees:
In the last issue, your world-renowned person was Adolf Hitler, the first mystery person was Artemis, and the second mystery person was Eternity. Congratulations to all who guessed correctly, and good luck on this month!

The Interviews:

World-renowned person:
Age (Upon Death): 50
Date of Birth: 403 AD
Date of Death: 453
Gender: Male
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Three Words that Describe Them: Leader, Barbarism, Grim
Hobbies and Interests: Women
A Few Interesting Facts About Them: Invaded the West, specifically Itally. Ruled alongside his brother for a while
Career: Military Ruler
A Few Loved Things: Rape, Fighting
A Few Hated Things: Loss of power
Country of Birth: Asia
Immigration: Wherever he went to conquer
Major Accomplishments: His expanded empire

Mystery Person 1:
Age: This one will give me away immediately.
Gender: Female
Sexual Orientation: Straight
Three Words that Describe You: Eclectic, talkative, silly
Staff or Non-staff: (don't specify position) Staff
Favourite Colour: Green
Hobbies and Interests: Drawing, writing, movies, music.
A Few Interesting Facts About Yourself: I'm kind of clumsy. I have very vivid and lengthy dreams almost every night. I think pickles are an instrument of the devil.
What You Want To Be When You Grow Up/
What Your Career Is: A published author/illustrator.
Favourite Food: Swedish Fish
A Few Loved Things: Thunderstorms, candles, kissing.
A Few Hated Things: Allergies, fights with my boyfriend, car accidents.
Favourite Movie: The Dark Crystal
Favourite Book: At the moment, probably Tad William's trilogy of Memory, Sorrow and Thorn.
What Country You Live In: The United States of America.

Mystery Person 2:
Age:18
Gender:Male
Sexual Orientation:Straight
Three Words that Describe You:Eccentric, Tall, Chicken!
Staff or Non-staff: (don't specify position)Non-staff
Favourite Colour:green
Hobbies and Interests:Programming, graphics
A Few Interesting Facts About Yourself:My hair grows to 3 inches long in less than a month then stays that length for a year
What You Want To Be When You Grow Up/
What Your Career Is:A programmer
Favourite Food:Whatever I feel like cooking today...perhaps Chinese food
A Few Loved Things:My computer, chinese labour (gotta have my new shoes)
A Few Hated Things:Ignorance, orange peels
Favourite Movie:Wayne's World
Favourite Book:Anything by John Grisham
What Country You Live In: Teh USA

[The Herald]

Everybody Must Get Stoned.

…Or at least that’s what Bob Dylan sang. And why not? You don’t meet many mean potheads, well at least not when they are fucked, and the argument goes that anyone so chilled out could not possibly want war, terrorism, racism, prejudice etc. I mean, have you ever seen someone with the munchies want anything but high fat and sugar content? There is much to recommend weed, its not harmful, only the nicotine it’s smoked with is addictive, maybe it makes you a little stupid and paranoid but there aren’t many things that don’t make you stupid and there’s not many things on the planet that aren’t worth fearing, so paranoia is rational. So why not make it mandatory for politicians and all those in charge of important services where aggression and low levels of tact can result in our country/your bus/ your street getting blown to bits? Well… no maybe that’s a little far, but is there anything wrong with going too far? Aside from the inbuilt negative implication, what is wrong with too far?

But on to the point of this:

Should we legalize marijuana, or is there such a thing as Too Much Fun?

Signs say the latter. Legalize marijuana and 50% of the country will throw up their hands with a hallelujah, while the other 50% will firebomb your house to the ground, and then vote the ashes out.

But what then is the rationale behind this? Pot holds an influential position in counter culture, and inversely a position of fear in other circles:

“Drugs and potions have traditionally been used in witchcraft and satanic rituals to induce deeper subconscious states which enable persons to have fellowship and communication with demons. Realizing the satanic relationship with drug use helps us to understand why abusers of drugs experience such bondage and depravation” - as Rev. Dale A. Robbins tells us.

The logic behind this gibberish is that those activities which might cause a fellow man to ’stumble’ should be avoided by ‘true’ Christians, though why is not quite explained. Inherent hypocrisy aside, the argument is sanctimonious at best, specious at worst. Drawing a correlation between drug use and perversion leaves a lot for the imagination to fill in, something fundamentalists have always been adept at. A slightly more sane Christian approach tells us that cannabis use is detrimental due to its position as a potential gateway drug and other soul degrading factors. The Vatican, as the most notable centralised Christian authority – certainly the highest Catholic authority, condemns the legalisation of marijuana, again identifying its position as a gateway drug and presumably an effort to appear to abide by common law. You aren’t going to see the Pope fight the power any time soon, and why should he? That bony old bastard couldn’t handle an AK47 and reminds children too much of the Dark Emperor from Star Wars to get his face artfully relieved in red and black on millions of teenager’s badges world wide, presumably for getting shot somewhere – or maybe just busting his arthritic hip walking up the Vatican stairs.

The scientific argument, on the other hand, follows that high rates of marijuana consumption/smoking have been found to have concurrence with paranoia, reduced I.Q. and eventual psychosis. However this has been found to be in only the minority and the most extreme of cases. And after all, when did potential harm ever affect people buying shit? The moral, and also pseudo-political, argument holds probably the most sway over law makers - at least it is the most widely repeated argument by cops and politicians. Pot is dangerous, and therefore illegal, because it is usually got from the same people selling the harder drugs and because the culture surrounding it leads one, the addict, to seek greater highs and therefore harder and more expensive drugs. Ok, so maybe that is just a rehash of the gateway drug argument. But the argument stands goddamnit.

Well I guess marijuana enthusiasts would disagree there.

NORML, a site campaigning for pot’s legalisation, responds to the gateway drug argument - ‘Statistically, for every 104 Americans who have tried marijuana, there is only one regular user of cocaine, and less than one user of heroin. Marijuana is clearly a "terminus" rather than a gateway for the overwhelming majority of marijuana smokers.’

The argument for legalisation follows that it would not only allow governmental control of the flow and sale, there by ensuring that it is sold to those of an appropriate age, but also allow the government to tax the drug, providing extra revenue for important embezzling. I don’t know why pot smokers of all people would want to give the government more money… I mean I don’t trust that weasel fuck bastard with the country… so who would trust him with something as important as money? But economically the argument is fairly sound, assuming that entrepreneurs could be kept, via high taxes, from flooding the market and creating another useless cash crop.

Pot is widely accepted in the western world as both a hilarious thing and a common thing. There are not many people who at the very least do not know the smell of dope and there are few parties nowadays where at least one person has not lit up. Pot is less dangerous than alcohol and less addictive than smoking, it’s a potential multi million pound industry and legislation needs to reflect that.

Well what the fuck do I care anyway? I don’t smoke.

Right I’ve written too much…‘Nuff said now, maybe.

‘The quality of legislation passed to deal with a problem is inversely proportional to the volume of media clamour that brought it on.’
G. Ray Funkhouser 1978

[The Herald]

Crystals have been around since the beginning of the Earth, formed from volcanoes and pressure, and many other elements and cycles that surround life. They are completely natural, and within them they hold quite a bit of power. Even today people recognize this, because nothing works better in our computers and clocks than the vibrations given off by a quartz crystal. If they can work on these electrical fields, then they can work with the natural electrical fields given off by our bodies as well.

Ancient cultures knew this as well. Their jewelry and tolls are beautiful to look at, but to one who understands crystals, they take on a different meaning. Certain inlays with certain gems would enhance different properties. They chose their pieces carefully, and for distinct purposes. It is even speculated that this was how the Egyptians built the pyramids—with quartz crystal lasers. Hard to believe they could be so advanced, but it’s a possibility.

Many people have forgotten these powers that come from within common crystals and gems all around us, though. The jewelry they wear nowadays is simply for decoration, and they don’t understand that the way they feel when wearing said jewelry is connected to the stones within them.

For example, have you ever felt more alive when wearing a piece of gold? Doesn’t it make you feel as if you’ve got more energy, and can boldly face the world? A lot of people, mostly women, attribute it to the luster; they say it brings out their features, or that its beauty just sets them off. Not true. Gold’s natural properties are to energize the body, and isn’t it funny that it is one of the best conductors of electricity? Make a bit more sense now? It probably does. The gold will channel your natural electrical vibes, and enhance them, thus making you feel more energized. Ah, the power of crystals.

All right, admittedly gold isn’t technically a crystal. But for lack of a better term for the whole world of rocks, minerals, and other stones that will work we simply classify them all as crystals. It makes it easier when speaking about the practice and power of them communicating with our natural body cycles.

Another major practice with crystals is for cleansing, especially when it comes to your chakra. Most people have heard of the chakra points, but few truly understand them. Each is identified with a colour (and the colour is often used more with dreams than stones) and follows the rainbow.

The first chakra is red, and is located between the sex organs and groin.

Up from that is your second chakra, which is orange, and is located near the pelvis and spleen.

After that is the third one, yellow, located near the solar plexus and stomach.

Then you have the green and fourth chakra, which is your heart center.

Fifth is the blue chakra, located at your throat.

Your sixth and third eye chakra is purple. Just like it states, being the third eye, it is located above the nose and between your eyebrows. Many people like to open their third eye, which is perfectly okay.

Your top and seventh chakra, which is located on top of your head and known as the crown, is white. It is the prism that will open up into all other colours. Quite possibly, it is the most important of them all, but not necessarily, since they all must be in balance for you to function and top quality.

Each chakra has different qualities they’re associated with, but that’s a lesson in itself so we won’t delve into it. For now all you need to know is that by cleansing these seven points and bringing white energy into them can improve your mood and outlook on life tremendously.

Cleansing the chakra is a simple task, but it will hit you when you come out of it. You will feel anything from slight disorientation to dizziness for a few moments when you return to a fully conscious state. Don’t worry though, it won’t last more than a minute, and afterwards you feel refreshed and rejuvenated.

To cleanse the chakra, you first need a clear quartz crystal. Make sure it’s not tainted by running cool clear water over it and leaving it to dry in the sunlight. After this is done take it in your right hand and hold it there. Get comfortable and relax. You can sit or stand for this, it doesn’t matter. Whatever is more comfortable for you. If you’d like to have soft music, such as the sound of waves or other naturalistic sounds, playing in the background,
feel free. Just make sure you really don’t have any distractions.

I will provide a recording of this for those who’d like it, or cannot memorize it, because next you are going to close your eyes and visualize the following:

“Feel the crystal within your hand. Connect with your crystal, and see it within your mind. Walk up to the crystal, and as you get closer notice how it becomes large enough to be a house. Place your hand upon your crystal house, and feel yourself move through the crystal and inside of it.

“Look around you. What colours do you see? Are the walls smooth, or are they rough? How high is the ceiling around you? Is it a large space, or a small space? How much light filters in? Move to the walls, and place your hand upon them. What do they feel like? Are they warm, or cool? Rough or smooth? Are there any sharp edges?

“While your hand is on the wall, see yourself moving through the wall. Is it like flowing through water? Or perhaps a cloud? Does it feel cool or warm? Feel the experience completely, and when you come out see a hallway before you. There are many doors down the hallway, and each is labeled for you. Move down your hallway until you come to the door marked with healing. Enter this door, and see all the crystals around you.

“You are now in a room full of crystals, the beginning of your chakra. See how they glow, and how they vibrate. Some are brilliant, some are not, and others are dark. Break off a brightly glowing crystal from the wall, and shine this light you now hold in your hands all over the dark spots. Shine it over them until the dark is gone, and all the crystals are radiating light. Bask in this light, and feel good in it, as you float up to the next level.

“See the dark spots here as well, and shine your light about. Cleanse the darkness, and cleanse your chakra crystals. Call in the white light and make the room radiate brilliantly again. Bask in this light, and feel good in it, as you float up to the next level.

“See the dark spots here as well, and shine your light about. Cleanse the darkness, and cleanse your chakra crystals. Call in the white light and make the room radiate brilliantly again. Bask in this light, and feel good in it, as you float up to the next level.

“See the dark spots here as well, and shine your light about. Cleanse the darkness, and cleanse your chakra crystals. Call in the white light and make the room radiate brilliantly again. Bask in this light, and feel good in it, as you float up to the next level.

“See the dark spots here as well, and shine your light about. Cleanse the darkness, and cleanse your chakra crystals. Call in the white light and make the room radiate brilliantly again. Bask in this light, and feel good in it, as you float up to the next level.

“See the dark spots here as well, and shine your light about. Cleanse the darkness, and cleanse your chakra crystals. Call in the white light and make the room radiate brilliantly again. You are also at your third eye. See it as it opens, slowly, carefully. Watch the colours of it as it looks around, and feel it taking in life and positive energy. Feel as it releases negativity. Bask in this light, and feel good in it, as you float up to the next level.

“See the dark spots here as well, and shine your light about. Cleanse the darkness, and cleanse your chakra crystals. Call in the white light and make the room radiate brilliantly again. Bask in this light, and feel good in it, as you revel in the fact that all chakras are cleansed and glowing with white energy.

Float back down through your chakras, and replace the crystal you used to beam the light onto yourself. Exit through the door you came in, and take a deep breath. Now move through the walls of your crystal once more, and see it from the outside. Walk away from your crystal house, and slowly return to yourself. When you feel ready, open your eyes and look around. Go as slow as you need, and feel the rejuvenation of your body.”

Once done, it is a good idea to re-cleanse your crystal. It probably will need it.

You’ve now cleansed yourself via your chakras, and are on your way to understanding the healing power of crystals. There are many more things that you can use them for, and the different qualities each have. A list of several different stones will follow, and what they will do for you. This is not a list of every stone out there, however, just a few choice and more easily accessible ones.

Amber- Lifts the spirits, helps with infections and respiratory diseases.
Amethyst- Enhances spiritual wisdom, aids with life-changing circumstances, spiritual healing, depression, headaches, addictions, and meditation.
Aquamarine- Helps to calm the nerves, and aids in clairvoyance.
Aventurine- A/K/A green quartz, works with the heart chakra. Helps with money matters.
Calcite- Aids in decision-making and intellectual pursuits.
Citrine- Helps the memory, creativity, and success in business.
Emerald- Stimulates the heart chakra, brings harmony, and helps release love problems.
Flourite- Unites the whole brain, purifies, cleanses.
Gold- Promotes energy
Hematite- Health and healing
Moonstone- Clairvoyance and emotional support.
Obsidian- Boosts immunity and luck, plus helps you face problems. Snowflake Obsidian is less powerful.
Pearl- Wear as a pair or more. Helps with marriage lovingness, and maternal instincts.
Quartz- All around healer, also amplifies thoughts and emotions.
Rose Quartz- Love
Shells- Calming and meditation
Silver- Calming
Smokey Quartz- Calms the nerves
Sodalite- Increases courage
Tigereye- Grounds you out, clear thinking, helps memory and communication
Topaz- Meditation
Turquoise- Heals the mind, body, and spirit, mental relaxation, inner joy and peace, calming

Remember, you should never replace modern medicine with stones, because they are only just so powerful. They’re more of an aid than a solution. However, they can be helpful in day-to-day activities. So go out, find some crystals, and see yourself well on the way in the world of crystals and their inner power!

---

Click here for the recording. If it pops up with a us.share in the address bar and says the page is not available, just change it to www. instead and it will prompt you to open the .mp3.

[The Herald]

Well, I said I would write a book review; the only hard part was picking a book to write a review about. I read quite a bit, so I had a large about of books to choose from. I enjoyed so many of them, but finally I choose to review Dan Brown's Deception Point .

Yes, Dan Brown is the same author of The Da Vinci Code , and Angels and Demons . He is a very talented writer, and develops his characters very well.

Well, Deception Point takes place in the United States, during an election year. As you can imagine the plot of the book includes the struggle to become President of the Untied States. One of the candidates is a Senator and the other is the current President of the United States.

NASA finds this huge meteorite under ice and claims it has life from outer space, only several civilians find out that it was placed under the ice, and is not a meteorite at all. Now Delta is after these civilians and the Senator has no idea that one of them is his daughter.

Who ends up being President? Do they civilians reveal the truth to the world, or do they vanish like countless others? Well, no wrecking that here. Pick the book up.

I really recommend this book, whether you like Dan Brown, or not. I feel that it was well worth my time, and that you won't be wasting your time if you pick this book up.

[The Herald]

Anne Dudley, the creative force behind 80’s avant-garde pop/synth group Art of Noise, and Jaz Coleman, the gruff, passion/rage driven vocalist of Industrial rock band Killing Joke, decided to join talents and compose a deeply symbolic World Music album inspired by Cairo, Egypt. How does something like that happen? Not only did it happen, but the end result is a masterpiece hailed by even the snobbiest of art music critics.

Dudley is no stranger to classical composition. She is sought after in the film industry to score high profile films such as American History X and The Crying Game. She even snagged an Oscar for scoring the comedy, The Full Monty. Coleman was an award winning violinist throughout his teens. He later went on to study orchestration and continually added to his knowledge of musical instruments.

Together they spent a year or so in Cairo, Egypt studying various Arabic instruments and musical styles. 1990 finally saw the release of their tireless efforts. “Cairo” translates as “Victorious”, hence the name of the album, “Songs from the Victorious City”. Hossam Ramzy, a percussionist, and strings conductor Tarek Aakef add some authentic Egyptian skill to this homage to Cairo.

My favorite tracks include “The Awakening”, an enticing opening track, and “Endless Festival”, a stomping, wild bonfire-worthy composition that you will wish could “just go on forever”. “In a Timeless Place” ends the album in a triumphant yet haunting way.

If you don’t mind being swept away to another world with its own unique culture and sound, then this album will suit you just fine. It is beautiful, artistic collaboration at its finest.

[The Herald]

This weeks Music Artist Review focuses on the already accomplished R&B singer, Akon. Akon has become increasingly popular world wide. Whether it’s on top the Billboards in the U.S.A or on the radio in Africa, he sure has gained popularity. He has assumed an astounding amount of money from other artists, endorsements, and his own record label. Akon has been featured in multiple songs with other singers such as Gwen Stefani, Young Jeezy, Eminem, and Snoop Dogg. Life wasn’t always easy for him. In his years growing up, he was often found in jail. He was in prison for a few years after being charged with being a ringleader of a grand theft auto operation. Akon said in an interview he was a “good bad guy.”

He got involved with gangs, and was well respected with them. In prison, a lot of inspiration developed for his songs that are now popular today. One of his first hits, “Locked Up” might sound familiar to you. This song was written about his feeling while in Prison. “Locked Up” was released in the album “Trouble”. Trouble included a lot of diary entries he wrote, then transformed into songs. To name another one from that album, “Lonely”. That also boosted his stance in the music industry. He says the majority of his music is a portrayal of his own life. They are all based on journal entries he’s written in the past.

Currently, he has a few hits circulating the airwaves. I highly recommend you to check out these songs, “Smack That” and “I Wanna Love You,” which was done along with Snoop Dogg. One that is in the Billboard Top 20 is “Don’t Matter”

He has a very unique voice. His distinctively reedy voice has brought him a lot of publicity. By the time of his second albums release, he was already being asked for duets with the big stars, such as the ones mentioned above. An interesting fact is he always sends his songs to his home country of Senegal in Africa before it releases. “Now I’m so big down there I can’t even get home from the airport. I had to have the military escort me to the house!” Akon said, commenting on his celebrity status in Africa.

Akon certainly won’t be going away in the near future. He has only released three albums and is no where close to retirement. His potential is monumental. He will keep being asked to be featured in other musical celebrity songs. He is going to be on tour with Gwen Stefani in a few weeks so look for him coming to a music venue near you!

Akon Tour Dates and Locations

Akon's Official Website

Akon:

[The Herald]

These days every mainstream music genre seems corporately pre-fabricated. From Reliant K to Fall Out Boy. Hinder to some other crappy Top 40 radio station band, everything seems to sound the same.

Have corporate record labels taken the art out of modern music and replaced it with a “product?” Not completely. But you do have to dig deep to find it. Music for people, as opposed to profit, lies in the depths of sweaty basements and DIY clubs across the world.

DIY (do-it-yourself) is not a musical genre, but an idea based on self-reliance or on a small non-corporate community. When DIY bands tour, they usually fund themselves. They don’t tour to make money, but to bring their music to people all over the world for little money. The shows usually happen in locally owned all-ages clubs or in residential basements.

The biggest part of DIY is the music. The music is pure, real and not a carbon copy of some popular band whose music video is playing every 10 minutes on FUSE. It is music for the music’s sake. It is not just used as a product marketed to angst-ridden teenagers to make giant profit and line the pockets of white, middle-aged record executives. The noises coming out of the radio on any given day do not even compare to the noises of the bands at some of the shows that Ive been to or hosted. I would rather fade away in a smelly, sweaty basement at the worst DIY show, than pay 40 bucks to see a band like Disturbed play their shitty nu-metal, radio rock songs in a coliseum full of out-dated Hot Topic customers.

The thing that got me into DIY besides the music is the community. The people and the bands are all on the same level. DIY bands do not have the supernatural rock star qualities of bigger major label acts. Everyone is an equal in the DIY community. This sense of equality has made it possible to get my favorite bands to play in my little suburban community out side of Madison, Wisconsin.

I have met many great people from all different places because of the DIY scene. Every show that I attend, I am proud to be at. I also pity people who have never felt the sensation of seeing one of your favorite bands in a small basement surrounded by your best friends. The DIY community has taught me a lot about life and how people should treat people. It has also given me the opportunity to meet almost all of my favorite bands and seen them live in a small comfortable environment.

[The Herald]

Debate Topic: Illegal Downloading


Opening statement, a la Pandora: Heart and Soul

You work, sweat, and slave for your passion: Your art. After years of practice, frustration, triumphs and good luck your art is finally recognized for what it is. It is unique and skillful. It is heartfelt and personal. You protect yourself by getting a government copyright for your body of work. And then you see some random stranger wearing your designs on a T-shirt advertising a multi-million dollar corporation. You look at the holes in your jeans and the stretched out T you are wearing and wonder, “How the hell did this happen?” The answer pops into your head just as quickly, “All my hard work was stolen right out from under me. I should be getting royalties. I have more than a leg to stand on in a court of law,” and you would be right.

Now apply that philosophy to music. Musicians pour heart and soul into their craft, practicing their whole lives, playing dives for pennies until that magical moment when just the right people decide the sound is marketable. You record under contract and the songs are protected by copyright. One day you are surfing the ‘net and you realize that millions of individuals are sharing your songs, sans cash exchange. Your first reaction is, “Look at how many people like my sound!” And then you think, “Hey, wait a minute, now some jackass is using my music for his website, and I don’t agree with his politics at all! Something should be done to keep everyone from stealing my hard work and sharing it so easily. I have more than a leg to stand on in a court of law.”

And you would be right.


Bryanic's Opening Statement: Progress

“We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.”

George Bernard Shaw.

Progress: the stomp of marching feet, the click of a dial, the buzz and crackle of electricity…obesity epidemics…terrifying state schools….

Have you ever turned on MTV and discovered you know none of the names of the bands or artists playing?

Why do they all sound the same?

Ever wondered why just last week no one had heard of them?

And why that band that did that really catchy song last year doesn’t get played anymore? …

Well maybe you don’t wonder…and you shouldn’t, because the answer is simple; a music business whose receptiveness to new music has atrophied to the extent that it only changes track when given a dunt to the head - a dunt that might perhaps be compared to a bullet train filled with Guinness book of record breaks, under the weight category, hitting a man of the same weight and stature as a bowling ball, i.e. brutal, and heavy.

Change or die folks, change or die, or so they say.
If you don’t change, as the music industry is discovering, you risk death.
Death by mp3.


Rebuttal, a la Pandora: Legal AND Free

In case you haven’t noticed, Braveheart, independent music is more plentiful than it once was. If you have the capacity to illegally download, you certainly have the ability to find interesting streaming radio stations, stations that play Drum and Bass, Folk, Punk, Industrial, Old School Rap, Death Metal, Speed Metal, Heavy Metal, Thrash Metal, Country, Indy Rock, Instrumentals, World Music, and the list is actually endless. Even our own (currently banned) resident Artos offers weekly refuge from the drudgery that is the radio…for FREE. Might I also suggest catalogs such as “Asleep by Dawn”, which offers frequent compilation CD’s…for FREE…so that Goths, Punks, and Industrial fans, among others, can explore new realms of music. If you are old enough, support the local bands by attending live shows, which are usually more entertaining than random downloads. Even if the band is bad you can always make fun of them later, and the cover charge is traditionally dirt cheap.

Legal free music is all around you, and it takes no more effort to find the legal stuff than it does to sift through mountains of mislabeled, poor quality illegal files.


Bryanic's Rebuttal: The Ethics of Fair Gain

Au contrar mon ami, you fail, I think, to grasp the complexities of this very grave matter.

It is a matter of individual rights, and intellectual freedom, of love.

The much vaunted argument of capitalists is 'if you don't like, you don't buy'. Peer to peer software exchangers simply take them at their oft repeated word.

Mp3 transfer allows unsigned bands, those local and independent bands you talked of before, to reach mass audiences - without the usual requisite trawling through radio stations, as engaging as dear Artos' may be.

You must pity the fate of the poor artist. He doesn't receive recognition for his talents, no money comes his way, he pops his amyls and smokes his dope alone...penniless...destitute. I hear you say, 'It is a dog eat dog world. Only the best survive.' But then why do 'Busted' slam themselves against the rocky shores of reason with a view to kill?

The natural order has been reversed; the dumb now rule, the untalented, the fools. The music industry is dumbing down the world with its drivel, and the world is slow to react. Records sales may be slumping as manufactured band after manufactured band are chewed up and spat out, but what damage, what harm could be done to the worlds intelligence and creative before it ends?



Closing statement, a la Pandora: It’s called gratitude.

You speak of fools, and you speak of freedom and love. Sounds like Woodstock. You speak of something illegal as if it were simply in need of a hippy love-in to make it right. Rain dance for your right to freeload all you want, kilt-boy. Just because you think stealing copyrighted music is everyone’s god given right doesn’t mean you are correct. If those independent bands love the accessibility of file sharing, then let them offer it freely with no strings attached. If an artist doesn’t want to give their art away, then it is that artist’s right to keep it protected. Sure, they will seem pretentious for it, but it is disrespectful to go against their wishes, and it is stealing. Plain and simple.

Fools are paraded before our eyes and somehow pass for artists when really they are puppets. That will probably stay true for a long time to come. People with any ounce of intelligence will always seek what isn’t spoon fed to them. When they find a CD worth taking home, there is an exchange. Money for Music. That is the system whether we like it or not. People have no problem handing over money for a beautiful piece of art to hang on the wall. Why are they so hesitant to pay for songs and albums, which are works of art in their own right? Support those musicians who have made your life better by existing and creating brilliant albums that have left their footprints all over your memories. It’s the least you can do to show your gratitude.

In the meantime, read this article and maybe you will see where I’m coming from.
Dependent-records…the end of an era.


Bryanic’s Closing Statement: Burn

Music for Money? Admirable...but only a glaze of the still beating rotting heart of the music industry.

Perhaps in some independent labels the system still operates like that, that we receive only the music, and pay only the cost...

The system is intended to function as money for music, this is true.

However, what we see instead in the modern music business is: the label identifies current trends, or what they think is general and bland enough to apply to the widest audience. Then they find an artist who will agree to make this sort of music. Finally, they sell it off to the consumer as something the consumer must buy/listen to. If profits are too easy, no one will seek to move radically upon their own creativity.

The system as it stands can not and, since the labels find themselves unable to crush the internet, will not continue. If you associate yourself with the arguments of the major labels, with it you support the methods of the RIAA, which are shady, blind, and violent - at best

It is said by those who oppose free music transfer that the artist suffers. And this is undeniable. The artist does suffer... People are irresponsible when they download, with no discrimination for independent label or major, poor artist or rich artist. But the system as it stands provides as little to artists as possible and retards our ability to think for ourselves. .

We pay not for music, not for what we want...but for the continuation of a system that speeds the demise of our creativity, and of our children's intelligence.

Burn, RIAA, burn.

[The Herald]

Simply, a fantastic game. The concept is original and appealing. If you religiously played Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) or found that game exciting then I would read into this review. Let me back track a little bit to the basics. Guitar Hero is a game that involves the use of a custom guitar. During the game, you use the guitar to play certain songs.

So, you rock out to the tune of a song, say like Freebird. This wonderful game has been praised by many. It combines serious game playing with non-stop entertainment. There isn’t much of a difference between GH and GH II. I thought they would include more “hits” like Rockstar by Nickelback but instead added some more independent songs from artists such as Rancid and Toadies. There isn’t much news yet on the supposed downloadable content.

Red Octane has yet to release any information on when or how frequent this content will be available. They just said in an interview I read, that there will be a wide amount of various content available. The games graphics have matured from the first version. It is more abstract and 3-D. The characteristics on the guitarists in the game have been greatly enhanced, (all don’t have similar eyes, etc.) There are more settings to “rock out”. Plus, there are more features available such as the Guitar and Base duet. (I have tried that and it's awesome.)

If you are just a casual gamer with no experience in this genre of gaming then I encourage you to try it. The most novice person can even become addicted to this game and succeed. It is rated T for Teen and priced at $59. (Without the guitar) As of yet, there is no news of X-Box Live capabilities with this game, which I was very disappointed by. You can play against a friend though. Only 1 or 2 player. So, if you have found this game of interest then I highly recommend you go out and purchase it. I can almost promise you, this won’t be a regret.

The Verdict:
Game Play: 4/5 – Very easy to navigate and easy for beginners to use. Also, it never gets boring!
Graphics: 3/5 – They are an improvement but still not of my liking. They are too “cartoon-ish” which makes the game seem more unrealistic. I’m not saying they need to look like really people, but spice up their output.
Sound: 4/5 – The sound is unbeatable. Great song selections
Entertainment: 5/5 - You will definitely be getting your moneys worth. The game is continuous amusement for all ages!
Bottom Line: 16/20 - Absolutely check this game out!

The Guitar:

A screenshot of a "duel":

[The Herald]

You’ve seen the movie, (it actually comes out May 4th). You’ve read the comics. You’ve dressed up as him for Halloween. But, have you ever played the video game? Spider Man 3. A largely anticipated game for 2007, it is sure not to disappoint. There are voluminous amounts of special features implemented into this game. The most popular feature that this game contains is: the black suit. No, you do not start with the suit. You have to achieve some accomplishments first. Then, as you cruise up the level scale you will have the option to utilize the black suit. Why do you want the black suit? Well, it is a major upgrade from the classic red and blue one. You can expand your powers thus making game play easier. Your webs extend further and are more robust. You are able to change shape. You can attain more hit points. You look much sexier in it. Last, you can absorb enemy damage. There are just so many advantages this game, now that the black suit is at your disposal.

Another feature many gamers will be looking forwards to in Spider Man 3 (SM3) is the city in which you play in. According to the Senior Producer Greg John, “This is the biggest Manhattan we’ve ever built.” He then continues on to say that there is an extensive underground, containing a sewer and subway system. Plus, the interior is more sophisticated and detailed. For instance, you might see aisles of candy inside stores. Although the city may seem very pleasing, eventually as you advance they will become dirty. It will then be up to you to clean them up. A feature called the Citizen Satisfaction Index (CSI) will track everything you do within the city limits and those will translate into recompense and incentives. Basically, you don’t want to displease the city folk or they will get mad causing you to lose pints on your CSI system. You don’t want to do what I usually do which is exert a 360 kick on a little old lady. That’s a no-no.

The graphics and game play in SM3 have also made great progress. There won’t be any pixelated people any more or robotic like movements by Spider Man. Chris Archer the executive producer of SM3 says they tried to give each level its own characteristics. That means no more pizza deliveries on every level like the past games. Apart from reconnaissance missions, there are more story based missions. Scenes from the movie will actually be portrayed in the game. My favorite upgrade in SM3 aside form the suit are the new moves Spider Man can do. According to Archer, there are going to be more web maneuvers and webbing. (The best part of the game, swinging off of buildings with your web) Next, a surplus of aerial kicks and movements. Finally, more out of this world air maneuvers like jumping on rooftops, with precision. There is said to be a significant difference between the two suits. So, unless there is a cheat code then you really need to get that black suit. One thing that all gamers will be happy about is that flabbergasted Shocker won’t be making an appearance in SM3. This is without a doubt, the most technological advanced game for the Next-Generation. Ever aspect has monumental improvements!

Info:
Platforms: X-Box 360, Playstation 3, and Nintendo Wii
Publisher: Activision
Release Date: May 4, 2007
Official Site: sm3thegame.com/
By: gray929

There are 12 pictures on the Official Site in the Gallery. If I could get images for you, I would. But those are the only ones available.

[The Herald]

Yes, the rumors are true. Microsoft does have plans to release a more improved version of the X-Box 360. In fact, it already came out last week.

The two main spectics that separate it from the “Premium Bundle” are its HDMI capabilities and 120 GB hard drive. Personally, I do not think there is anything “Elite” about this new console. HDMI output and cable is a nice peripheral to have, but there are no monumental benefactors leading from those. Basically, I think they added it just because the Sony PS3 had it.

The two things I am looking very forward to in this item are the color/design and expanded hard drive. I am an avid user of the X-Box Live (XBL) Marketplace. I think the idea is great and they utilize it very well. They are a little pricey, but it’s worth it. Well, with this larger hard drive of 120 GB, you can download a significant amount more of content. In addition, as Microsoft said in March, the 360 can now be used as a digital video recorder. This is basically the same concept as TiVo and similar to Location Free.

One problem many of you had was space/memory. Well, with this new hard drive you can record high-definition videos and such. A great feature I say. Even though the hard drive goes for a whopping $200, I think the investment is worth it. Even though you can get double the memory for computers at half the price. One of the biggest issues you will face by purchasing this is the hard drive transfer. This won’t affect Marketplace items, but rather game saves. There is no way for them to be transferred to a different hard drive.

One idea I have is if some way Microsoft could maybe in the future add a USB slot to all hard drives and then you connect it to your computer via USB cable and store the info on there. Then, bring your other hard drive and reload the data onto it. Internal Memory will be a big issue for all gaming companies in the future as the Next Generation continues. I am also predicting a price drop of the regular 360 bundle by Christmas. Maybe even the Premium. The sleek design on this new console will definitely make it a hit.

Microsoft’s HD-DVD format is not very popular. Sony’s Blu-ray is much more popular, but Microsoft can’t do anything about it. Don’t expect any improvements of it for at least a year. I have still not decided as to whether or not this purchase is worth it. The console goes for about $480. The real question is, are the new features worth all that money? If I were you, I’d just buy the $200 125 GB hard drive. If you are worried about the color then don’t consider yourself a gamer.

The Bundle:

The Console: (Oooh, nice design)

[The Herald]

It is said that communication has become less personal with the rise of technology. From Alexander Graham Bell’s telephone to the abbreviated language of text messages, some say the sincerity of conversation has been lost. Pixelated screens have widely replaced a large number of face to face friendships. I disagree.

The novelty of the computer age is fading. The true genius of the modern inventions of communication are emerging. Though some will continue to allow their hours to drain away, allow day after day to pass without so much as a glimpse of sunshine, most are learning the art of balancing computer time and real world experiences.

More and more often I’m noticing forums such as SSD and monster sites such as MySpace being utilized as a way to share ideas, art, philosophies and further our knowledge of many cultures and sciences. Laptops leave room for fresh air in our lungs and long distance brainstorms to fuel our creative side…simultaneously! And within the same minute we can find tips on how to improve our execution of those ideas.

Friendships are formed based on who a person is, not a quick glimpse of a physical appearance. Thought comes before words are shared. Opposites see where the other is coming from, and sometimes even come to an agreement.

Not to take this idea of cell phones and the internet being modern miracles too far, but I’m further convinced that souls exist. There is logic here, just keep reading. When people communicate, they influence. Sometimes the influence is subtle and sometimes massive. A positive influence can change the dangerous course of a life headed in the wrong direction. Without IMs, phones, and other inventions that allow people thousands of miles apart to have lasting friendships, those influential, life changing moments may never have occurred. Something inside of us is touched on a metaphysical level. Could that be our soul?

The dark, predatory underbelly is, of course, represented on the net. Did we really think it would be avoided, as controlled and regulated as it is? No, we knew the filthy child molesters, thieves and sick puppies of society would see long distance communication as a way to torture new victims. So we as humans must hone our survival skills in a new way. We guard ourselves against old evils on a new plane. Such is life. We shouldn’t allow those deranged minds to stop us from the benefits.

Sometimes, when I look at a picture of the planet Earth taken from a satellite beyond my sight, I can almost see the fine net gently connecting us all, a net glowing with electricity and fueled by our minds. I, for one, am grateful to be a part of it.

[The Herald]

"There is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches. Every minority, be it Baptist/Unitarian, Irish/Italian/Octogenarian/Zen Buddhist, Zionist/Seventh-day Adventist, Women's Lib/Republican, Mattachine/FourSquareGospel feels it has the will, the right, the duty to douse the kerosene, light the fuse. Every dimwit editor who sees himself as the source of all dreary blanc-mange plain porridge unleavened literature, licks his guillotine and eyes the neck of any author who dares to speak above a whisper or write above a nursery rhyme."

If you live in the United States, every AmHist or Social Studies class in it will have a unit in it for the Cold War. Every teacher will talk about how great it is that the war ended in 1990, and that it really wasn't a war, after all. And everyone will remember the arms race, the space programs, the nuclear bombs, and, of course, the evil Communists. We had to prevent the spread of Communism, didn't we? ... Didn't we?

... Why did we?

But America's xenophobia of any ideology other than capitalism is a matter for another article. Here, I'm going to focus on the things they didn't teach you about the Cold War. The complete degradation of civil rights, and some theories about government.

In this article, I'm going to be referring to Fahrenheit 451, an excellent book by Ray Bradbury (who has the best philosophy I've ever heard on how censorship should be conducted: not at all). I encourage each and every one of you to pick this book up and read it. It should be about 10-15 USD in your local bookshop, and is a quick, thoughtful read.

I will also refer to 99 Luftballons, or, more accurately, 99 Red Balloons, as I don't know how many of our readers speak German. I, for one, don't, so won't be interpreting the German text. ^-^ Again, I urge each and every one of you to buy this song. Any war protest song, with ingenious metaphorical grounding, that is set to a nice dance tempo is an absolute killer song, in my books.

I also want to state, up front, that I am, in fact, an anarcho-socialist. That these are my views. And though you may call me biased, bias does not represent a factual error. If, in fact, you think I am wrong, please state, using facts or beliefs, why I am wrong. I am not wrong because I don't believe in government, or because I don't believe in capitalism. If I am wrong, it is because there is a logical flaw in what I say. So proceed under the pretense that I am not, in fact, socialist, and you will find you will get much more out of this article.

Let's start out with what they didn't tell you. Or told you, but covered up and excused.

"The number imprisoned is in the hundreds, and some ten or twelve thousand lost their jobs. In many cases, simply being subpoenaed by HUAC or one of the other committees was sufficient cause to be fired. Many of those who were imprisoned, lost their jobs or were questioned by committees did in fact have a past or present connection of some kind with the Communist Party. But for the vast majority, both the potential for them to do harm to the nation and the nature of their communist affiliation were tenuous." (Source: Wikipedia)

Let me explain what happened. The government, in its wisdom, gave the public this story: "Something's out there. And it hates you and your way of life. It wants to take everything from you."

The public, of course, panicked. They assumed every Communist was a Mao Zedong, a Stalin, or a Castro. They assumed every difference made you less American, made you less of a person, made you inferior. Took those basic human rights you were guaranteed in the Bill of Rights, the founding document of our nation, and threw them out the window, saying "they don't apply to you."

This is fear. This is irrational.

This is and has been coming for a long time now.

Look at the quote at the top of this article. Every John Smith in a minority who wants something in life and doesn't want to work for it says "I'm in a minority. Gimme." And because the majority has persecuted the minorities for so long, everyone is too scared to object.

Minorities (my own included), knock it off.

The division between the minority and the majority is getting so large, the line so unspeakable, the notion so untouchable, that F451 and 99 Red Balloons-esque situations are inevitable. How long until an overeager army general brings the nation to war?

... oops. Bush did that.

Well, how long until the majority gets fed up with its counter-persecution, and slams down hard on the minorities? How long until free speech and the other basic human rights are lost, if not in fact, in name? How long until nobody can speak up and say "I'm a Republican" with out getting shot?

Why do I believe in communism? Why do I believe in anarchy? Because a government is a collection of men. And no matter how good the men are, giving them power over you is a mistake. So, despite the smear campaign of the Cold War, I believe that we're better off with no government, with no economic system.

Let's look at your neighbors, Joe and Howard. Say Howard has fallen on hard times. He needs to pay his $200 mortgage payment, or be evicted. As a good neighbor and friend, don't you lend Howard $200?

Why should that only apply to Howard? Apply it to your community. But wait-- if we're all helping each other get along, what real need have we for money? What purpose does it serve? What need does it fill?

Governments. Created for protection, for organization and stability. Well, if we're all helping each other out, why do we need protection? We create our own order and stability. Governments are men, not requirements.

This article has gone on long enough, but I had to type it. It's meandered, and I'm not entirely sure I got my point across. It certainly wound up different than I had hoped it would when I typed up the introduction.

But this book, and this song... They've had a profound effect on my thinking. I think of the state of the world. I think how little it's changed in half a century. I think of the things that are wrong with it, that don't even need to be wrong with it.

And I cry.

It makes me want to find a place in the world, a separate country all our own, where we can just coexist, and not deal with this.

Wouldn't that be beautiful?

[The Herald]

1. You can start a fire with ice!
2. Real diamonds can be made from peanut butter!
3. Stannous Fluoride, one of the main cavity-fighting ingredients in most toothpastes, is made from recycled tin!
4. Women end up digesting most of the lipstick they apply!
5. 'Bimbo' is a brand of soft drink made by Coca-Cola!
6. The average person spends three years of his/her life on a toilet!
7. About 25% of all people sneeze when they are exposed to light!
8. In San Salvador, drunk drivers can be punished by death in front of a firing squad!
9. The average chocolate bar has 8 insects' legs in it.
10. An octopus' testicles are located in its head.
11. In the U.S., for every dollar you spend on gasoline 27 cents of it is in taxes!
12. Residents of Kentucky are required, by law, to take a bath at least once a year.
13. There are 293 ways to make change for a dollar.
14. No piece of paper can be folded in half more than seven times!
15. Mr. Rogers was an ordained minister.
16. A moth has 8 brains and no stomach.
17. Men are 6 times more likely to be struck by lightning than women.
18. The penalty for masturbation in Indonesia is decapitation.
19. Prior to 1900, prize fights lasted up to 100 rounds.
20. In the U.S., golf courses take up more land than farms do.
21. Cleopatra wasn't Egyptian, she was Greek!
22. Spam stands for Shoulder Pork and Ham.
23. For beer commercials, they add liquid detergent to the beer to make it foam more.
24. During his or her lifetime, the average human will grow 590 miles of hair.
25. In England the Speaker of the House is not allowed to speak
26. 166,875,000,000 pieces of mail are delivered each year in the U.S.
27. Walt Disney was afraid of mice
28. Al Capone’s business card said he was a used furniture dealer
29. Vincent Van Gogh only sold 1 painting his whole life and that was to his brother

[The Herald]

A Small Trip Around the World
by Sirius Wolfsbane

*Note: All of the article excerpts found in this page were written by Sirius Wolfsbane based on the information provided in the article.

33 dead in VA Tech shooting
The numbers in this article are subject to change.


This image credited to www.cnn.com/

At least 33 people have been killed in what is now being called the worst school shooting in United States history. The shooter, carrying a 9-mm pistol and a 22-caliber handgun shot over 50 people, killing 32 of them, before shooting himself. Charles Steger, president of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, said, "Today the university was struck with a tragedy that we consider of monumental proportions."

Click here to read the full article.

Condors may return to Mexico


This image credited to www.cnn.com/

There are around 280 condors alive throughout the world today, about 100 of them flying through the skies over California, Utah, and Nevada. A seven-year-old female condor, known as Condor 217, may be the key to officially reintroducing the bird to Mexico. A condor egg was found in an abandoned eagles nest in Sierra San Pedro de Martir National Park. Mexico hasn't had a breeding population of condors for about 75 years.

Click here to read the full article.

Japan hospital taking unwanted babies

A hospital in Japan is setting up an area where unwanted infants can be dropped off anonymously. This is due to the rising numbers of infants being left in parks and shopping centers by parents who do not want them. Head Nurse Yukiko Tajiri of the Catholic-run Jikei Hospital hopes this will lower the number of abandoned babies and abortions.

Click here to read the full article.

Sailors freed from Iran


This image credited to www.cnn.com/

Fifteen British sailors have been released today from Iran after being captured for sailing in Iranian waters. True to his word, the Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, released the sailors in proper time.

Click here to read the full article.

Investigators questioning sinking of cruise ship


This image credited to www.wral.com/

Investigators are now looking into the sinking of a cruise ship off of Santorini. The ship, which carried near 1,500 passengers, was evacuated during the night when the ship struck some kind of volcanic rock that formed in the water. Two people are currently missing.

Click here to read the full article.

Imus dropped from MSNBC, CBS


This image credited to www.cnn.com/

Don Imus' radio show was canceled by CBS on April 12, shortly after he referred to the Rutgers University women's basketball team as "nappy-headed hos." The decision is coming after NBC Universal canceled Imus' live video broadcast.

Click here to read the full article.

[The Herald]

Now it's your turn to meet the Herald staff members. First it was Art Group, now us. Below you'll find some serious, and non-serious questions (and answers) from the current staff members of the group. I'll also be tossing in my own comments to some of their answers.

1) [black]Kay[/black]

Location: wa.usa
Age: 16.95
Hobbies/Interests: writing, music, photography, basketball
Why did you want to become a part of the Herald?: Well it was nearly 2 years ago, but I wanted the chance to write more and more.
And you stay... why?: Because I enjoy being editor.
Let's play favorites! - Who's your favorite writer?: Umm...Artemis or Pandora.
What about editor? (yes, Arty's still to an extent included that's why it's a question): Pssh, I can't play favorites here.
Herald staff member in general?: Hmm. Pandora, Artemis, or Eternity.
Person you've met on SSD?: James/A._Leon and Josh
What's your favorite edition of the Herald? Why?: Um...probably March's edition. I take pride in the new images.
Favorite article? And why?: I'm still in love with eftee's (FireTemptress's) Mountain Dew article.
Here's some random things. Bare with me.
What one movie would you watch over and over?: The Parent Trap (Lindsay Lohan remake), Freedom Writers, Gridiron Gang, or Step Up.
Which Herald Staff member would you take with you if you were stuck on a deserted island?: Hmm. Probably Psionic. Mainly because we get along so well. I don't think I'd want to kill him at all.
Mountain Dew, your take on it?: LOVE IT!
Ooooh. Tell me a secret?: Um, no.
Anything to say to anyone? Herald staff member or non?: People, people, people. Can't there be one month where y'all get everything in on time? Sheesh. BUT! I love you all.

2) [black]Kai[/black]

Location: Singapore
Age: 17
Hobbies/Interests: Writing, Coding, Photography, Cycling, Debating.
Why did you want to become a part of the Herald?: I like to write, and I was also contemplating journalism as a future career, which is why I decided to start with Herald.
And you stay... why?: Because I haven't got kicked out yet? And I got used to that additional board above the rest. Obviously, though, I wouldn't mind having more. (*Coughs*Orgies!*Coughs*).
Let's play favorites! - Who's your favorite writer?: Pandora. Her articles are really good, and meaningful. Saknika comes in second.
What about editor? (yes, Arty's still to an extent included that's why it's a question): No favorite editor - they're both meany pants.
Herald staff member in general?: Awesome team to be with. We need to have more interactions among the staff, though.
Person you've met on SSD?: I don't have a favorite, but Avtar, DLT, Pandora, Kay and Mitch comes to mind. I enjoyed talking to them, even though Kay is a meany pants.
What's your favorite edition of the Herald? Why?: The edition which had my first article for Herald. The reason should be obvious.
Favorite article? And why?: None.
Here's some random things. Bare with me.
What one movie would you watch over and over?: The Matrix trilogy, though they're not technically one movie. There's lots of hidden things inside, you can watch them a hundred times, and still find new things.
Which Herald Staff member would you take with you if you were stuck on a deserted island?: Kay! Only because I want to torture Josh. -Evil laughter-
Mountain Dew, your take on it?: I don't like it. Seriously.
Ooooh. Tell me a secret?: I once stole SSD V3's design, and got it onto my own Proboards forum.
Anything to say to anyone? Herald staff member or non?: Nothing much to say, actually. Kay rejected my first submission, which included so much explicit content (actually, just a tiny bit) she had to reject it back with a big fat sticker with the words in bold red font - "REJECTED". See what I mean about meany pants? [you're just mad because you didn't get to torture Josh more. -Kay]

3) [black]Eternity[/black]

Location: Cambridge, UK
Age: 22
Hobbies/Interests: art, airsoft, snowboarding, movies, music
Why did you want to become a part of the Herald?: I was roped into it
And you stay... why?: Because I'd get lynched if I left
Let's play favorites! - Who's your favorite writer?: Pandora
What about editor? (yes, Arty's still to an extent included that's why it's a question): I'm torn, I'll get killed if I pick just one <3 [pssh, Arty's not -that- scary. -Kay]
Herald staff member in general?: Arty
Person you've met on SSD?: Peter
What's your favorite edition of the Herald? Why?: September 06 because I won MotM
Favorite article? And why?: Pandora's "Will you still love me when I'm 30?"
Here's some random things. Bare with me.
What one movie would you watch over and over?: Stargate
Which Herald Staff member would you take with you if you were stuck on a deserted island?: Arty though I doubt he'd be impressed being stuck on an island with a girl
Mountain Dew, your take on it?: geiv teh dew plox [E, I love you. -Kay]
Ooooh. Tell me a secret?: urhhh I have a crush on a guy at work
Anything to say to anyone? Herald staff member or non?: I love you all

4) [black]bryanic[/black]

Location: Edinburgh
Age: 17
Hobbies/Interests: Writing, sinin', singing, playing bass
occasionally, reading.
Why did you want to become a part of the Herald?: Funzies.
And you stay... why?: Because the week ain't out yet and you can't hand your walking papers the same week you get hired.
Let's play favorites! - Who's your favorite writer?: Pandora probably, Virtuoso wrote some good stuff though if I remember correctly. But if you mean favorite writer outside the herald? Hemmingway, Hunter S Thompson, Neil Gaimen, and currently Jack Kerouac tie for top.
What about editor? (yes, Arty's still to an extent included that's why it's a question): Theres only two? Artemis wanted me to 'die in a fire' so you know, I'll say Kay.
Herald staff member in general?: Pandora
Person you've met on SSD?: That UC one or, again, Pandora. (I am recognizing a disturbing theme here. Conspiracy y'all)
What's your favorite edition of the Herald? Why?: The one before the last one that was before the first one I saw before I lost the one that would have told me where the last one I thought I saw was. [Congrats! You achieved confusing the hell out of me. -Kay]
Favorite article? And why?: I liked the old school section, I think it was Pandora that did it, which had the Misfits mentioned.
Here's some random things. Bare with me.
What one movie would you watch over and over?: Evil Dead 2
Which Herald Staff member would you take with you if you were stuck on a deserted island?: I don't think writers are well known for either their edibility or their ability to forge primitive tools from plants, so thats pretty much all of them ruled out. If any of them gets back to me telling me they are particularly edible or touting their ability to create lifeboats or Tv's then I apologize and I pick them.
Mountain Dew, your take on it?: The where in the what now?
Ooooh. Tell me a secret?: "Jesus was black, Ronald Regan was the devil, and the government is lying about 9/11."
Anything to say to anyone? Herald staff member or non?: 'What the fuck y'all lookin' at?'

5) [black]Anselm[/black]

Location: Newport, Wales
Age: 14
Hobbies/Interests: Graphics design, writing, sport
Why did you want to become a part of the Herald?: On SSD, you actually get a good magazine done, and it's great to be working on a team like this.
And you stay... why?: I only just joined the team...
Let's play favorites! - Who's your favorite writer?: I dunno.
What about editor? (yes, Arty's still to an extent included that's why it's a question): Kay <3
Herald staff member in general?: Didn't you just ask that question but rephrased? I dunno in any case, I just don't. [No. That was favorite writer, this is just staff member in general. -Kay]
Person you've met on SSD?: No one in particular but people have started to know me and respect me.
What's your favorite edition of the Herald? Why?: They're all awesome.
Favorite article? And why?: I couldn't really choose.
Here's some random things. Bare with me.
What one movie would you watch over and over?: I wouldn't watch any movie over and over, I can't be bothered to.
Which Herald Staff member would you take with you if you were stuck on a deserted island?: How many times am I allowed to say "No Comment"?
Mountain Dew, your take on it?: I prefer coke. [You suck. -Kay]
Ooooh. Tell me a secret?: No.
Anything to say to anyone? Herald staff member or non?: Ollie, do you still hypnotize us or is that old? [Yes, unfortunately he still does. RUN AWAY! -Kay]

6) [black]Artemis[/black]

Location: Filling out restraining orders. Any more dumb questions? [Boy! Don't get an attitude with me, sheesh. -Kay]
Age: Old enough to know better, young enough to not care.
Hobbies/Interests: Reading. Writing. Threatening the masculinity of poor little freshmen.
Why did you want to become a part of the Herald?: Because I wanted to write. And figured people needed to read. Two and two.
And you stay... why?: Kay hasn't unchained my leg yet. [Never gonna happen. -Kay]
Let's play favorites! - Who's your favorite writer?: Pandora. Always gets her articles in on time, and rarely gets a mark from my red pen of doom.
What about editor? (yes, Arty's still to an extent included that's why it's a question): ... Do I need to answer this one? Kay. <3
Herald staff member in general?: Pandora, still.
Person you've met on SSD?: Ethan.
What's your favorite edition of the Herald? Why?: The June 06 one. It was the first I'd ever read.
Favorite article? And why?: Ooh, difficult. In general? Forum Quotes of the Month. They remind me that you're all insane, and I should leave.
Here's some random things. Bare with me. Kay, Josh and Ethan will be upset if I turn straight and start stripping with you. [Smartass! Diediediediedie. <3 -Kay]
What one movie would you watch over and over?: V for Vendetta and Brokeback Mountain tie.
Which Herald Staff member would you take with you if you were stuck on a deserted island?: Pandora.
Mountain Dew, your take on it?: If Kay abuses 'do' by spelling it 'dew' again, I'll kill her. [Dew the dew. *grins innocently* -Kay]
Ooooh. Tell me a secret?: I'm sick of answering these damn forms.
Anything to say to anyone? Herald staff member or non?: You all need to stop reading these things. Your refusal to boycott them is what is fueling my necessity to answer them, or face the loss of Kay's love. Bastards.

7) [black]Tao Ren[/black]

Location: Madison, Wisconsin, USA
Age: 18
Hobbies/Interests: Photography, art, lacrosse, swimming, snowboarding, skateboarding, music (listening and playing), and Dr. Pepper.
Why did you want to become a part of the Herald?: Hmm... I think it was maybe that I could obtain a feeling of being a part of a community on here for once, since Ive never really fallen into a group in the past and kinda floated around.
And you stay... why?: Is it bad to stay? Cause I just got here. Umm...
Let's play favorites! - Who's your favorite writer?: Me.
What about editor? (yes, Arty's still to an extent included that's why it's a question): I have yet to be scolded, or raped by any of them, so... I guess I've started on a good foot. [Watch out for Arty then. -Kay]
Herald staff member in general?: Does Psionic still write for the Herald? [Yes, just he's been slacking lately. -Kay]
Person you've met on SSD?: Psionic, we go way back to when I first joined. We had a ballin' team back when there were teams.
What's your favorite edition of the Herald? Why?: April 2007, first article.
Favorite article? And why?: My first one, because it was first.
Here's some random things. Bare with me.
What one movie would you watch over and over?: Shaun of the Dead
Which Herald Staff member would you take with you if you were stuck on a deserted island?: Who ever looks the best to eat.
Mountain Dew, your take on it?: It's good every now and then, and with SoCo.
Ooooh. Tell me a secret?: I steal stuff sometimes. You know, crap you kinda want, but is cheap, but you still don't wanna spend your money on it. [Bad boy. Go to your room! -Kay]
Anything to say to anyone? Herald staff member or non?: God, its me... Tony. Can you help me?

8) [black]gray929[/black]

Location: Connecticut, USA.
Age: 14
Hobbies/Interests: Sports, Graphics Designing, Photography, and writing.
Why did you want to become a part of the Herald?: I wanted to write for a big audience. I think this was my best shot.
And you stay... why?: It's just a great community and excellent newsletter.
Let's play favorites! - Who's your favorite writer?: Umm, I'd say pandora.
What about editor? (yes, Arty's still to an extent included that's why it's a question): Kay
Herald staff member in general?: I don't want to pick favorites but if I had to, I'd say Anselm because I know him well online.
Person you've met on SSD?: No one yet. Probably Kay is the only person. =(
What's your favorite edition of the Herald? Why?: Forum quotes of the month and Gaming Insight. The quotes is a cool edition and are funny. Gaming is my passion. It's just a cool edition I guess. [Meaning as in Feb, March, or past editions. -Kay]
Favorite article? And why?: Ooo, I honestly don't know. I have to look at at the Herald editions before I make my decision.
Here's some random things. Bare with me.
What one movie would you watch over and over?: 8 Mile, Rudy, and Dodgeball.
Which Herald Staff member would you take with you if you were stuck on a deserted island?: Artemis. Just seems very mature. [Get to know him a little better first. *grins* -Kay]
Mountain Dew, your take on it?: Haha, umm I like it. It's pretty good. Pepsi = better though.
Ooooh. Tell me a secret?: I get in trouble a lot at school. I've never been suspended but have had multiple detentions during lunch and after school.
Anything to say to anyone? Herald staff member or non?: Hi?!

9) [black]David/nest[/black]

Location: Vancouver, Canada.
Age: 14
Hobbies/Interests: Internet, Reading, Writing, NHL.
Why did you want to become a part of the Herald?: Err ... I think my first edition with the Herald was April of last year.
And you stay... why?: ... I want to? Really, I don't know why. It's the atmosphere that I love, and the feeling of being a part of something big. It's a great feeling.
Let's play favorites! - Who's your favorite writer?: Definitely Pandora
What about editor? (yes, Arty's still to an extent included that's why it's a question): I couldn't play favorites with editors, you guys both do an amazing job.
Herald staff member in general?: Ollie, or Jonny. [Jonny left us. -Kay]
Person you've met on SSD?: Ollie, U.C, AI, Virtouso
What's your favorite edition of the Herald? Why?: Like Kai the first edition that I wrote in, for obvious reasons.
Favorite article? And why?: Favorite article would have to be 'HAY BANNAR!' by Kari.
Here's some random things. Bare with me.
What one movie would you watch over and over?: V for Vendetta, and 300.
Which Herald Staff member would you take with you if you were stuck on a deserted island?: Ollie, for the hypnosis.
Mountain Dew, your take on it?: Tastes a lot like Sprite, really nothing special.
Ooooh. Tell me a secret?: I've been to a Backstreet Boys concert, and I secretly fancy Desperate Housewives.
Anything to say to anyone? Herald staff member or non?: No.

10) [black]SilverWings[/black]

Location: Arkansas
Age: 17
Hobbies/Interests: Web Design and poor attempts at graphics, along with reading and writing.
Why did you want to become a part of the Herald?: The burning desire to have an active hand in the Herald.
And you stay... why?: I want to.
Let's play favorites! - Who's your favorite writer?: Uhh.. Pandora actually.
What about editor? (yes, Arty's still to an extent included that's why it's a question): No comment. [You people ruin my fun. Hmph. -Kay]
Herald staff member in general?: Again No Comment.
Person you've met on SSD?: With so many cool people to choose from I don’t know who to say. I guess it would be a toss up between Kay, Artemis, and Bryanic.
What's your favorite edition of the Herald? Why?: They are all so good…
Favorite article? And why?:Again all so good…
Here's some random things. Bare with me.
What one movie would you watch over and over?: Labyrinth
Which Herald Staff member would you take with you if you were stuck on a deserted island?: Bryanic, endless debates.
Mountain Dew, your take on it?: Good if you need to stay awake.
Ooooh. Tell me a secret?: No secrets I am willing to share.
Anything to say to anyone? Herald staff member or non?: Umm… Not really. I guess that I think everyone is really cool and friendly. Don’t pick fights with Bryanic, you’ll lose. Josh is awesome, and so is Luke and Jonny. Kay is really sweet. Yeah, that would about sum it up.

11) [black]pandora[/black]

Location: St. Petersburg, FL USA
Age: 30
Hobbies/Interests: Art, writing, singing, good conversation, baking, listening to music, watching movies, hiking through the forest (which isn't so easy to do here in Florida. I guess I'll miss a few things about Pennsylvania.), hanging out with my man, Dave and our dog, Ivan.
Why did you want to become a part of the Herald?: It seemed like a good way to hone my writing skills. I liked what I was seeing. Car and Kari were co-editors at the time.
And you stay... why?: Because I want to reach people who relate to what I've experienced during this surreal road trip called life. I stay because I would never have improved so much without this place, and the way having to come up with fresh ideas every month keeps me on my toes.
Let's play favorites! - Who's your favorite writer?: On The Herald Team? I refuse to choose. I like many for various reasons and to varying degrees. I think all are necessary to keep it interesting. (I know, I know, Artemis, I'm so predictable with some of these answers. Scoff if you will. )
What about editor? (yes, Arty's still to an extent included that's why it's a question): I'm actually going to play favorites here and say Kari. I worked very closely with her when I first joined a year ago. We chatted while we worked, and it hardly seemed like work at all with her to talk to.
Herald staff member in general?: Artemis, because I converse with him the most, and he gets me.
Person you've met on SSD?: I can't possibly do favorites on this one. I've found many awesome folk who are all vital to the community. (Geez, I sound like a f*ckin' politician!)
What's your favorite edition of the Herald? Why?: Probably May 2006 because I put so much of myself into it. That was when I made my big leap from nervous about sharing to realizing I actually wasn't nervous at all about sharing some really bold truths.
Favorite article? And why?: This isn't my final answer, but Artemis' famous quotes just popped into my head for some reason. I forget which month, but they were all really stupid things that famous people said. I like articles that make me laugh.
Here's some random things. Bare with me.
What one movie would you watch over and over?: The Dark Crystal.
Which Herald Staff member would you take with you if you were stuck on a deserted island?: Captain Jack Sparrow.....oh, oops. He's not on the Herald staff. Nevermind. Probably Artemis, because....I dunno. (<---- That's killing you, isn't it Artemis? Get out your red pen of doom and dew what you dew best.) [Girl, I knew there was a reason I love you. -Kay]
Mountain Dew, your take on it?: No. Just no. It never jibed with my taste buds.
Ooooh. Tell me a secret?: I used to have a huge crush on Vincent Van Gogh when I was about 12. I used to think I would have thanked him for the ear. I was a weird little kid.
Anything to say to anyone? Herald staff member or non?: Kay, you are doing a hell of a job with the dysfunctional family known as The Herald Team. [And there's the other reason why I love you. <3 -Kay]