Friday, September 21, 2007 Record Releases For Tuesday, Sept. 25 Rascal Flatts - Still Feels Good Foo Fighters - Echoes, Silence, Patience, and Grace Jim Brickman - Homecoming Tony Bennett - The Ultimate American Songbook, Vol. 1 Queen Latifah - Travlin' Light Melissa Etheridge - The Awakening Jagged Edge - Baby Makin' Project Keyshia Cole - Just Like You Will.l.Am - Songs About Girls Chris Botti - Italia Wayne Wonder - Foreva Hell Rell - For The Hell of It Steve Earle - Washington Square Serenade David Crowder Band - The Remedy Jill Scott - The Real Thing: Words And Sounds Vol. 3 Ricky Skaggs & The Whites - Salt of the Earth Athlete - Beyond The Neighbourhood Nellie McKay - Obligatory Villagers Stereoside - So Long Eskimo Joe - Black Fingernails Red Wine Brian Setzer Orchestra - Wolfgang's Big Night Out Billy Joe Shaver - Everybody's Brother Vicente Fernandez - Para Siempre Vicente Fernandez Gorillaz - D-Sides Mark Harris - Windows & Walls Jose Gonzalez - In Our Nature JR Writer - Block Work Joni Mitchell - Shine Bill Medley - Damn Near Righteous Randy Travis - Songs of the Season Olivia Newton-John - Christmas Wish [available only at Target] Bettye LaVette - The Scene of the Crime Engelbert Humperdinck - The Winding Road Bebo Norman - Great Light of the World: Best of Bebo Norman Various Artists - Goin' Home: A Tribute To Fats Domino Iron & Wine - The Shepherd's Dog Herbie Hancock - River: The Joni Letters Chaka Khan - Funk This r\ir *Statistics courtesy of TopHitsOnline.com Better Ingredients Better Pizza. College Specials Medium 1 Topping + 2 20 oz. 2 Mediums (1 Topping) 3 Mediums (1 Topping) $15.99 Don't for et 2 Liten & : • Offers good 7 Days a Week from 4pm -11 pm "Better Service" Ask for plates, cups, napkins 824-8282 $8.99 $10.99 Spears' actions attract media outlets Britney Spears' VMA performance garnered media attention By Scott R. Muska student life editor srmsoB2@psu.edu "Leave her alone," a mascara-clad and sobbing Chris Crocker screamed into the video camera. "You're lucky that she even performed for you," he continued to rant on his popular You Tube video in which he addresses the ever-increasing criticism of pop culture icon, Britney Spears. - Her new song is called `Gimme More' for a reason, because all you people want is more more more more more," he continued, directing his outburst at the media. He ended his two-minute video clip by announcing that if anyone wanted to say negativ e things about Spears, they would have to go through him. Crocker seems to be all but alone in his apparent love and respect for Spears, who has been a focus of tabloid magazines and entertainment television shows for the better part of a decade. She may have reached a new high in media attention in the last few weeks, but it has been attention of a very negative vein. She's been bashed by countless publications concerning her substance abuse prob lems, how she takes care of her two young chil dren, her divorce from dancer Kevin Federline (with whom she is in a legal battle for the custody of their children), and her eccentric actions. The event that has created such a buzz recently, however, was her performance at the MTV Video Music Awards on Sept. 9, which has been scruti nized endlessly. The star that was once known for her provocative and skillful dancing on stage has had her most recent public performance described on CNN's website as,"lethargic movements that seemed choreographed by a dance instructor for a nursing home." She also lip-synched instead of actually singing her song, which was clearly visible due to her sub-par tim ing. AF Committee allows student proposals By Gabrielle Saitto staff writer gpsso2o@psu.edu Each semester, $64 from each student's tuition bill is used to pay for a Student Activity Fee. Most students however, especially incoming freshmen, do not even know what this fee is actually used for. The Student Activity Fee Committee is comprised of 10 members, seven of which are students. The eighth member is a faculty member, and the ninth and tenth are staff members. Currently, the faculty member on the committee is Brian Streeter, and the staff members are Ben Gilson and Ken Miller. Recently, one of the students that was active on the committee resigned, leaving a position current ly open to any student that may be interested. All students can apply, and the applications to hold a position are currently online. Once the applications have been reviewed, possible candidates will be called for interviews, and a new member will he chosen. The committee works by taking proposals, creat ed by students, faculty, and staff. The committee meets once a month, reviews the proposals, then votes to decide which ones will receive funding. The reviewing process is open, and people are given the opportunity to come in and speak on behalf of their proposal. Some proposals may also be sent back for clarification before they are reviewed. Once this happens, the meetings are closed for the voting process to take place. Each of the 10 people get to vote on the ideas, however, it is mainly student-oriented, and the staff and faculty rested in writing about Student ff campus? m, or film? medu) or Ryan u.edu) with your ideas. The. Behrend Beacon I was less than enthused about the performance "It definitely could have been a lot better. She seemed nervous ... you could tell by the expression on her face. Instead of just blocking everybody out and doing her thing, you could tell she was think ing about it." Rapper Kanye West also weighed in on the performance, saying. "I can't believe she would perform. She hasn't had a hit record in years." In the two weeks following her performance, Spears has garnered even more negative media attention for her seemingly unstoppable party habits, her ongoing battle with Federline, and, most recently, her change of management. Spears was allegedly dropped by her talent manager, Jeff Kwatinetz and his employer, The Firm after her performance, an action that they allegedly warned her not to participate in. It looks as though Spears' life is in shambles, and that she is in a career free fall that she may never be able to come back from. The amount of attention she receives is astounding, and it really does raise the question that Crocker posed in his video. Why can't the media simply leave her alone and focus on positive celebrity news, and why does the downfall of Spears captivate so many people that they will read about her and buy the magazines that feature such a negative view of her? Also, why does Spears continue to do the things that she does? Is it a ploy to sell records, or to stay in the spotlight somehow, since her career as a musician and performer has gone so far down hill? Or is it simply because she craves the atten tion? The answers to all of these questions can only be speculated on. and concrete answers will probably never come to light, but maybe Crocker is right, even if his motives aren't. Maybe Spears should be left alone, not because she is a great artist and icon, but because she just isn't worth the time and disrespect anymore. Do you want to review E-mail Scott act more as moderators to help enforce policies. Most proposals are placed weeks in advance to give the committee members more time to review them. If a proposal is approved, Stacy McCoy from the RUB desk will notify those people. The main goal of the SAF Committee is to use the money that they accumulate to help make student life more fun and interesting. The clubs and organ izations at Behrend, such as the Beacon and the Lion Entertainment Board are all funded because of this fee. Other activities for students like give aways, spirit events, and concerts are made possible by the hardworking committee members. Some intramural sports are even awarded some money. The committee received upwards of about 200 hundred proposals each year, however only those that appear to be backed with student support will have a chance of being passed. Students are the biggest influence on where their future money will be spent. Spring is very high priority for requests. During the spring, year long ideas will be proposed, along with proposals for the first six weeks of the school year. January is the last chance in the school year to place a proposal for funding, and in March, the process begins again for the following academic year. For the students, the SAF committee brings great benefits, such as entertainment, and things like computers and furniture for clubs in need. For the adults involved, it is very rewarding. They have the opportunity to receive positive feedback from students, and to see students enjoying their hard work. Ken Smith said, "it is the best thing to hap pen to student life on campus." CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
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