By RUSTYTUCCI CD Reviewer RGTSOO6@PSU.EDU An American Idol star that everyone claimed was a “sure thing” was not so sure when he was sent home. The judges were astonished and the blame was pressed down onto the American people for not calling in enough and for thinking that they did not need to call because he was so good. Could it have been that every song that Chris Daughtry sang was in a similar style and approach? What made it interesting was when he had to do something that did not match his gut-wrenching post-grunge style. People often wondered what he was going to do to turn the song into something of his caliber. Technically this album is not a solo album but an album of the band titled DAUGHTRY, which is supposed to be spelled in all uppercase characters. This spelling choice is somewhat entertaining for anyone who talks online a lot, because it seems like Mr. Daughtry is yelling at his listeners. Also the title and spelling show a defensive side to Mr. Daughtry’s taste, as if he is unsure of his future success. This defensive stance is not required because the album is quite good. His television career on American Idol may have also helped get him into the eyes of the world’s rock fans. Chris Daughtry has been inspired by Fuel and Live, which can be seen in his music. Even though he has not stated it on the world of the internet, I also believe that he has been inspired by Nickelback. Compared to Fuel, who invited Daughtry to be their front man after he was voted off Idol, DAUGHTRY has a lighter touch in the delivery and in his songs, which will get stuck in your heads quicker then most post-grunge. If he’s compared to Nickelback, he’s a far more appealing front man than Chad Kroeger (whom I personally believe looks out of place), with a greater vocal range and far more sensitivity in his singing. The song “All These Lives” is a soft song about a kidnapper, who has been taking children from their, homes; this man “is not a person he is a disease”. As sick as it sounds, it is a touching song that made my eyes water. The first verse of the song “Doesn’t come down when she calls”—“It’s time for breakfast - Momma can’t get down those halls - Fast enough to see - Glass is sprayed across the floor - From the broken window. - She can’t breathe anymore - Can’t deny what we know” —shows a sympathetic caring side to DAUGHTRY. On the album, Mr. Daughtry tries to expand into different genres of rock. On the track “What I Want,” he is accompanied by Slash from Velvet Revolver and this gives DAUGHTRY the metal “ish” edge that he was looking for. I am in love with this album and highly recommend it to anyone who is a Nickelback fan, a Fuel fan, a Rock fan or an American Idol fan. I also am going to say not to illegally download it, because that is how good this album truly is, for all of you rock fans. A Tucci review of 9 out of 10. Perk up at Cocoa Perk By LAYLA DIDEBAN Staff Reporter SZDI23@PSU.EDU A month into the semester and already the pressure is piling up. The start of classes brings hope that this time around there will be no procrastination, no headaches, and no failing test scores. It’s peaches and cream until the first exam pops around the comer. Then all of the sudden, eyes bug out, sweat is pouring, and every brain cell is throbbing with the thought of “how the heck did that just happen?!” It really does happen to everyone, and it’s a horrifying experience that comes along with college life. It’s unfortunate that the social aspect has to be compromised with papers, projects and tests, but, c’est la vie. For some, the library may be an excellent way to handle the pressures of academic evil. However, for others (this writer included), its conventional atmosphere is draining, boring, and ironically distracting. The Cocoa Perk Coffee Shop is situated in the Cocoaplex plaza off of route 743 South in Hershey, Pa. Its artsy atmosphere goes beyond the conventional fluorescent lighting, stiff chairs and white washed walls one may find at the school library. Instead, this unique Hot Spot offers a decor of abstract paintings, large leather couches and mellow mood music. Cocoa Perk also serves a variety of functions. Its free wireless connection provides ample opportunity to bang out those extensive research papers while keeping a friend updated on the most current relationship issue on instant messenger. However, the best attribute of Cocoa Perk Coffee Shop has to be the coffee. It goes beyond the white styrofoam cups that students can purchase in the vending machines of the cyber cafe. For the same price of Starbucks, one can have the privilege of indulging in the outstanding taste of a Snickers frappuccino. ◄ Geek's Corner ► By USA STONE Columnist LCSI67@PSU.EDU Ahh, the new semester is upon us. I am once again forced to endure the burning day rays in order to continue production of the Geekly Bi weekly that you all know and... tolerate so admirably Welcome old and new to yet another semester of Geek’s Comer! The first GC of the semester is always a stumper to me. I am a stickler for first impressions, so getting off to a satisfactory start to a semester is always a bit of a tricky point. For this semester I decided to start off with a headshot, err... bang and go for shooter games. These are a staple of many geeks out there, and for the cases that may require professional help, the only form of social contact to be had. We here at Geek Comer are firm believers that if you are going to virtually shoot your friends in the head, you should have the dignity to do it within shouting range so that your heckles will be heard and appreciated to their fullest. There It is supposedly proven that intense studying actually bums calories. Now, whether that is fact or fiction is up to someone with an active curiosity to pursue further research. However, when the stomach starts making startling grumbling sounds it The Cocoa Perk in Hershey offers much in the way of coffee, food, entertainment, discussion, and generi is no longer a hunger for knowledge that one seeks! Unlike Starbucks, Cocoa Perk has a tasteful menu that would satisfy any developing appetite. Its menu covers anywhere from soups and salads to impressive Paninis, wraps and clubs. Greek specialty items are also available to sample at the coffee shop and are for those who like to be a little more daring. Taste buds would be pleasantly surprised to find out a scary word such as Tiropita is actually a pastry filled with an assortment of cheeses that is to be dipped in a feta dressing. The hours are fantastic; being open seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. gives over stuffed brains is just something so enjoyable about being able to SEE the impact you have on your opponent, rather than just hearing about it over a headset. There is a wide range of shooter games on the market today. What A screenshot from popular first-person shooter game, Half Life 2. A first-person shooter game gives the player a battle experience without ever leaving the house. is perhaps one of the staples of the genre is Halo and Halo 2 for X-Box. Never before had I heard such an interesting chorus of curses, jeers, and battle cries as in my first Halo one less thing to memorize. It’s a convenient commute from campus as it is only fifteen minutes away. Studying can get to be a tedious activity over an extensive amount of time and breaks are recommended periodically to get the brain refreshed and able to retain the next bit of information. Cocoa Perk offers a variety of board games such as Trouble, Clue, Chutes and Ladders, Guess Who, and Trivial Pursuit. Sometimes it’s necessary to just hang out with friends and take a breather from the erroneous amounts of stress that piles up week to week. Some people find it difficult to relax even when playing board games. Ironically, the competitive nature found most dense in the United States does not allow a person to hang loose during a game of Connect Four. It is scary to think that the inbred drive to succeed can push a person to want to cheat at a Children’s game, party. Between the one vs. one, the team battles and the story mode, the Halo games are enough to keep a party amusing for hours on end. Some other widely popular shooter games out there include Counterstrike, Unreal Tournament, and Half Life. These games also enjoy wide fan bases and have unique features and story lines. To avoid the boredom that can all too often corrupt the enjoyment of any THE CAPITAL TIMES however, that is the underlying truth of society. For all the pathetic cheaters out there, the Cocoa Perk offers yet another way to try to kick it back for a while. Starting to go into effect is their open mic nights. Photo courtesy of Cocooperk.com This is when a van artists take turns perft or cover songs t< audience There was an opei long before school c; into session. A variei people flocked to tl event without vei much publicity takii place and it was qui decent crowd. An appreciation fr arts was evident, ho' unnecessary to sit ai and enjoy good musi Open mie night played out to be quite a success game, widening your selection of killing venues can be an excellent way to spice up a shooter party. In the single player market of shooter games there are some classics such as the Doom series, Quake, and Duke Nukem, that you Photo courtesy of Google Images should at least try the first level of, even if you aren’t a huge shooter fan. 1 will warn you that some of these games can get pretty graphic, and at the risk of sounding like a February 5, 2007 story as drinking coffee, listening to music and playing a challenging game of trivial pursuit with fellow comrades, proved to be the perfect way to spend a Tuesday evening. Cocoa Perk is gaining rave reviews as their vast attempts to please their customers are evident. This once small time comer stone cafe, through word of mouth, has overnight shot to the big time! The ambiance is what draws in students hungry for relaxation. It’s the perfect way to charge a worn out brain and get work done at the same time! Its artsy appeal allows the flow of creativity, which is, in fact, vital to build intelligence. The only person who may argue with this statement is the head of the mechanical engineering program, which on several occasions, has made it quite clear that the library is the only excellent method of student productivity. To this accusation this author has just one thing to say, “Oh Dad, being creative is NOT a bad thing!” This left brain stipulation, that the library rules all, may be in the heads of the majority of engineers, accounting majors, and pre-med programmed robots. However, for everyone else who’s willin complete wuss, REALLY freaking scary. So if you have a squeamish sticker on your geek card you will be forgiven for not trying out these games. If you are more into mech type shooter games, I would venture to recommend games such as Mech Commander. Some of these titles are a little old, but they are definitely not senile by any means. A running joke in my family involves a mission to ‘scout the base’, and my brother’s insistence on using missiles as scouting devices. These games can be a great deal of shooting fun and have just enough of a plot to make them addictive. Interestingly enough, there is even a professional breed of shooters out there. These hard-core shooter junkies—team or solo —are the best out there. There are people out there who actually win enough money that shooter games are their living. Some of the videos of these people gaming are enough to send us mortals back to Pacman where we belong. Shooter games fill a unique niche in the gaming world, and despite whatever holier-than-thou nonsense you may have heard about them being murder simulators, I believe they are an enjoyable way to kill some time (pun intended) with some friends or by yourself. So even if you are a hard-core RPG sort of gamer (I know I am) never stick your nose up at a good shooter party. Time with friends is always good and if you are like me, you can get great enjoyment out of grenading your ‘friends’ to kingdom come. ien their
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