ENG 417: Two Seasons Come To An End

I'm a N.C. State student and a UNC fan.

I know what you're thinking: how in the world can that be possible? I mean the teams are rivals. Believe it or not I've found a happy medium where I can pull for both.

That being said, the basketball season for both teams ended this weekend in the second and third rounds of the NCAA Tournament respectively. Since both my schools are out I'm out of the tournament as well: I'm no longer going to watch a single game for the duration of the tournament. I guess it's my way of biting back at the tournament which I've been more upset with this year anyway.

Why?

Well the tournament selection committee did a terrible job with its set up of the field this year. Looking away from the Pack and Heels for a second, Oregon (the PAC-12 champion) received a 12-seed to the tournament while UCLA (who didn't even win the championship) received a 6-seed.  I know the first argument against what I've said would be "you have to look at the whole season." Well, I thought Oregon played much better basketball than UCLA did overall.

Focusing back on State and Carolina, both should've received a higher seed in my opinion. The Pack had an underperforming year for sure but I didn't think the team deserved an 8-seed. Same thing with Carolina. The Heels had an up-and-down year but played really well heading into the ACC Tournament; where it finished as the conference runner-up to Miami (FL). Despite that, UNC also received an 8-seed in the NCAA Tournament.

The draws for both teams were horrible. The Pack had a pretty tough task playing Temple then, if it had won, State would've had to play the 1-seed Indiana Hoosiers. Same thing with UNC: the Heels played a tough (and surging) Villanova team. Carolina won that game and advanced to play the 1-seed Kansas Jayhawks. 

Now there are so many story lines that go along with that game. Perhaps the biggest storyline is the fact that UNC's coach, Roy Williams, had coached at Kansas before he left to come back to UNC. Believe it or not, there are apparently some "sore losers" who still hold a grudge 10 years later. 

The NCAA Selection Committee knew this yet it put UNC in that matchup with the Jayhawks. What's worse? The game took place in Kansas City, Missouri, right in Kansas' home turf. Obviously, most of the arena was full of Jayhawks fans, which made the already tough task of defeating Kansas even tougher.

When asked by multiple sources, the committee chair said that it was merely a "coincidence." I'm sorry but you can't sit there and tell me that was a "coincidence" and nothing more. The committee knew the history behind this game and the committee also knew this game would bring in an early ratings boost for the tournament.

I'm not trying to complain or make excuses as to why N.C. State and UNC lost. However, I do know something was fishy with the draw for both teams. As I've said before I'm totally done watching the NCAA Tournament this year. I know my measly little viewership is nothing to the NCAA but I'm mad as fire that my two teams didn't even get a chance!

Oh well, great season Pack and Heels. Can't wait for both of you to kick some butt next year!

And one more thing...

#ScrewTheNCAA

NMM: Northern Nights

Northern Nights is an up and coming band from Indy and is fresh off releasing a self-titled EP earlier this month. The lead single off the new EP is called "Let Me Go" and is a pretty catchy song to listen to. 

On its first day of release, the EP was deemed "New and Noteworthy" on iTunes and peaked at #36 on the iTunes charts. With more songs like this, Northern Nights is definitely a band to watch.

Have a listen.

Cuts On The Way?

When I heard this story I was, for lack of a better word, pissed.

This was first reported by N.C. State's Technician student newspaper, followed by other local news outlets. A top Republican budget writer in the N.C. Senate says his colleagues will likely consider a measure that would cut funding for higher education (again), forcing the UNC System to consolidate its campuses.

What would that mean?

The system, which currently has 16 traditional campuses and the UNC School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, could condense down to 14 campuses. That may not sound like much but it's a big deal if it meant causing further hardships on students and faculty.

According to Technician, McCrory's budget proposal, released earlier this week, would cut about $140 million from UNC System funding. Technician also pointed out that McCrory conveniently forgot to mention his cuts would affect public universities, community colleges and primary and secondary schools. 

To offset these cuts McCrory wants to raise out-of-state tuition by a whopping 12.3 percent. System president, Tom Ross, told Technician that these cuts would just add "insult to injury" after a $400 million cut two years ago.

As I said at the beginning, this has really pissed me off. 'Ol McCrory wants to cut everything in his sight but, at the same time, approved of giving his cabinet a raise just one week into his administration? When there are cuts to education the end result is always bad. This will most likely mean less class options and larger class sizes. Yep just what we need.

Technician said McCrory called these cuts "transformations" and would "help fulfill my promise to empower [students to] succeed." Really? No you're setting everyone up for failure.

I guess he wants everyone to borrow from their parents to go to college while he sits back in his mansion like Romney did.

Dick Clark: A Man Of Many Talents

Take one glance at that name and memories are bound to pop in your head.

From American Bandstand, to radio, to his various production ventures, Dick Clark did it all. Known by many as “America’s oldest teenager,” Clark was always in the know.

By looking at his upbringing, it’s no wonder how he became so infatuated with popular culture.

Clark was the son of a sales manager for radio stations. In his early teens, he decided to pursue a career in radio. Soon after World War II, Clark landed a job in the mailroom of radio station WRUN, which was owned by his uncle and managed by his father. The young Clark was soon promoted to weatherman and news announcer.

From that point on, his career in radio would only grow.

After numerous stints in radio, Clark truly gained his stardom with American Bandstand, a Monday-Friday television show that captivated its passionate teenage viewers with lip-synched performances and famous “Rate-a-Record” segment.

But it wasn’t just the fame Clark was after. He had a keen sense of the public mindset and quickly halted any criticism with changes such as implementing a dress code for audience members on Bandstand, establishing the show’s wholesale appearance to the mainstream media.

Probably one of Clark’s biggest achievements on the show was introducing African Americans among white teenage dancers. This move of integration on national television was unheard of at the time and helped to stifle divisive talk amongst viewers.

Bandstand not only helped to launch the careers of artists such as Barry Manilow and Madonna, it also helped to break down racial barriers in music and in TV.

But Clark didn’t stop there.

He moved to Los Angeles which allowed him to diversify his involvement in TV production. He then set up Dick Clark Productions, which presented a wide variety of programs and game shows – most notably The $25,000 Pyramid and TV’s Bloopers & Practical Jokes.

His company also produced award shows and created the American Music Awards (AMAs), a “hip” alternative to the Grammy Awards. Clark championed the fact that the AMAs often received higher ratings than the Grammys.

And, as if radio and TV weren’t enough, Clark also held a stake in successful restaurants and theaters across the country. "Dick Clark's American Bandstand Grill", "Dick Clark's AB Grill", "Dick Clark's Bandstand — Food, Spirits & Fun" and "Dick Clark's AB Diner" were all music-themed restaurants licensed with his name. He also held owned an entertainment complex located near Dolly Parton’s Dollywood park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.

Clark began a little show called Dick Clark’s Rockin’ New Year’s Eve in 1972, which is the longest running TV special to date. The show features top-notch musical performances leading up to the crystal ball drop in Times Square at midnight.

Clark hosted the show every year up until 2004, when a stroke forced him to take a year off. American Idol host, Ryan Seacrest, was brought on board to host in his place. When he returned, Clark continued to host the show until 2012. He died soon after from complications with prostate surgery.

I was saddened to hear of his death because he wasn’t just a popular figurehead but he was a man who pursued what he loved and that’s what I’m trying to do with my own life as well.

Dick Clark was a man who was not afraid to follow his dreams and passions, wherever they may lead. He was successful in everything he did, whether it was in music, TV or business.

His legacy is one of many facets. Even though I’m too young to remember American Bandstand, I still saw Clark’s personality shine through with anything he did in my lifetime, either out in the public eye or behind the scenes. Dick Clark will always be remembered for his lasting impact on popular culture in America.

As his friend, Ryan Seacrest, said Clark was one of the greatest influences in his life. I think many others – including myself – can say the same thing.

ENG 417: March Madness Increases Productivity?

Photo: Getty Images

Now you finally have an excuse to have a March Madness bracket pool at the office.

According to an ABC News article written by Alan Farnham, evidence suggests that playing bracket games at work can increase your productivity. Two new surveys have also shown that employers' attitudes toward playing these games is turning more positive.

Farnham points out that One survey, found, in 2010, 22 percent of executives said they viewed March Madness activities, including watching games and betting, as having an adverse effect on employee output. Now that number has dwindled down to just 9 percent. The article also pointed out that 16 percent call the games' impact "somewhat positive" or "very positive."

According to the article, 1SaleADay, a Miami deal-a-day company that sells (among other things) watches, jewelry and electronics, permits Madness but only in moderation. Eli Federman, senior vice president, said he got fed up with what he called his employees' "frolicking outside the work context."

His solution? Replacing Facebook with an in-house program, called Yammer, which allows employees to communicate with other employees in the company. Federman's employees can talk about March Madness during the workday and he encourages them to do so.

"When they're excited, they work better," Federman said.

All in all, communal forms of slacking, such as water cooler chats, are very important for the productivity of the workplace. This includes watching and/or playing March Madness at the office.

"Very few people can sustain peak productivity throughout an eight-hour work day," said Tom Lutz, author of "Doing Nothing: A History of Loafers, Loungers, Slackers and Bums in America."

In other words, a little break from the typical strain of work can actually keep employees motivated and help them be more productive in the long run.

NMM: Christian Wossilek

Christian Wossilek is an up and coming artist who just released a new original song on iTunes.

"Maybe If" is a great piece of music that should jump start this young musician's career. Wossilek has gained a lot of popularity in the social media world and I think this is just the beginning for him.

A big shoutout to Christian for following me on Twitter!

Unbelievable Act Of Heroism

Josh McQuoid

A 12-year-old New Zealand boy, who was swept out to sea by rough waters, was rescued by beach goers after they formed a human chain to pull him back to shore.

According to One News in New Zealand the boy, Josh McQuoid, was playing with a friend along the water’s edge on Marine Parade in Napier, New Zealand when he was whisked out to sea.

McQuoid was dragged nearly 500 feet along the beach and fought eight long minutes for air against the pounding surf.

A local police officer, Constable Paul Bailey, was the first one into the water to attempt to rescue McQuoid but had a difficult time holding on to him. Another officer instructed others to form a human chain from the shoreline into the water to bring McQuoid and Bailey to safety.

Once McQuoid was pulled from the waves, he was unresponsive and his rescuers stepped in yet again to revive him before he was taken to a local hospital.

Here is the amazing raw video of the rescue...

That's The Wrong Way

Okay, I know you've probably either seen a basketball player accidentally score on the opposing team's basket (or have done it yourself) at some point in your life. But, have you ever seen it or done it when the whole game was on the line?

That's exactly what happened to a high school player who's team had a chance to win a crucial game. Unfortunately, he got caught up in the excitement and ran the opposite direction, scoring a layup on the opposing team's goal and propelling them to victory while ending his own team's season.

I feel really bad for this guy but, hey, life happens I guess.

Read the full story here.

ENG 417: The Paparazzi Problem

This is often the scene when a celebrity goes out in public. (Photo: Eaglepress)

How would you feel having countless numbers of flashing cameras in your face all the time?

That's what many celebrities go through on a daily basis. Most people say that celebrities "ask for it" when they get into the business. I beg to differ.

I've argued for years that the paparazzi not only endanger the lives of celebrities but those of innocent bystanders and their own as well.

And for what? A shot at fame and money.

There have been many paparazzi incidents over the years either where someone got hurt or a celebrity fought back.

One of the most famous cases was that of Princess Diana, who died in a Paris car crash that was partially blamed on the paparazzi.

Two more recent examples come from pop star Justin Bieber. The first being an incident where a paparazzo was killed trying to take pictures of the Biebs' Ferrari. Bieber spoke out on the issue, calling for stricter laws on the paparazzi. Unfortunately, that hasn't changed anything as many more incidents have happened with other celebrities.

Another situation happened just last week when Bieber was in London for his Believe Tour.

The singer rushed out of a hotel to, shockingly, the flashing of dozens of cameras. A photographer shouted obscenities to one of Bieber's bodyguards. That sparked outrage in Bieber, who'd already had a tough week. He hopped out of his van and lashed out at the photographer before being led back into the van by his bodyguards.

It was ashame that the photogarpher initiated the whole situation but Bieber has been the one getting trounced by the media for his actions. And it doesn't just happen to him.

That's the problem with our society today: we put these celebrities on a pedestal and criticize them, even in some cases when they were in the right.

The Huffington Post talked to Jennifer Graylock, a professional photographer, on the difference between "red carpet" photographers and the paparazzi.

She said that the main disparity between the two is that "red carpet" photographers are crendentialed and are invited to the events they photograph. The paparazzi are not invited and normally take pictures of celebrities on the street without consent. 

Graylock also cited that credentialed photographers respect their subjects and will stay a certain distance away from them while the paparazzi will often get right in the face of their subjects. 

Something needs to be done about this. There have been too many incidents involving celebrities and the paparazzi. I understand they need to make a living too but, come on. Enough is enough. I wouldn't want the job of getting into the faces of celebrities to take pictures and to piss them off because of it. It's just ridiculous.

What do you think? Should something be done about the paparazzi? Sound off by commenting below. 

NMM: The Henningsens

The Henningsens. From left: Clara, Brian and Aaron.

We're going back to country this week with a new group called The Henningsens.

This family trio is made up of Brian (bass, guitar, vocals) - family patriarch and father of 10 including eldest son Aaron (guitar, vocals) and daughter Clara (lead vocals, guitar).

With four-time GRAMMY®-winning producer Paul Worley (Lady Antebellum, Martina McBride) at the helm, the group has released its debut single entitled "American Beautiful" which has already gotten some radio airplay. The band has also performed on the biggest stage in country music: The Grand Ole Opry.

With great songs like this I believe The Henningsens are here to stay for a long time.

ENG 417: One Amazing Woman

Allene White at the 2012 "X-Factor" auditions in Greensboro. (Photo: Chris White)

My grandma is amazing.

Allene White grew up in Littleton, N.C.  during a time where farming was big, obeying your parents was a must and you always spent time with your family.

“Every evening you would gather with your family on the porch and discuss the day,” White said as we discussed life during that time. “Back then you knew everybody."

Of course, there was no electricity in this small town at the time so wood stoves were used for heat and you had to walk up a steep stairway lighted only by a kerosene lamp just to get to the upstairs. Since there was no electricity, there was also no television or radio so your “entertainment” came from spending time with friends and family.

White had much success through grade school. One such moment of success for her was playing basketball in high school. She filled me in on her playing days as a guard even at a time women didn’t receive equal treatment.

“At that time the girls could only play half court and not full court basketball,” White said.

In addition to school, White became fond of a certain young gentleman named Joseph White. Better known as J.T. he lived a good eight miles away from Allene. Despite that, she walked the eight miles with her sister to the White home.

“We'd walk there and my sister and I would sit to talk with J.T.’s mother,” White said. “J.T. was busy with his yard work so he wouldn’t even pay attention to us. Then he would take us home when he was done with his work.”

J.T. and Allene began to date and that’s when her story really came alive. My grandpa would often joke that he was the only one who actually had a car at the time and “all her other boyfriends had mules.”

Because of that Allene’s brothers would play a trick on her.

“Two of my brothers would grab flashlights and walk down the dark road toward our house, making me think it was J.T. I would get so excited then find out who it really was,” she said.

J.T. and Allene were married in 1944. White told me it was a simple ceremony in front of a justice of the peace and there was no honeymoon. She also told me a funny story about when they returned home and what one of her classmates asked her.

“She asked me ‘How’s married life?’ and I responded ‘I haven’t had any yet.’ She thought it was pretty funny for many reasons,” White said.

J.T. went into the navy in the 1940s and fought in World War II. That led to another funny story that I’d heard one time before from my grandma.

“He was stationed in Newport, R.I. at the time,” she said. “The train I took only stopped in Providence so I took a bus to Newport. I was scheduled to visit him and, being a 17 year old, I was lost. I just followed everyone else.”

This is the funny part.

“I arrived where J.T. was at right at the time we were supposed to meet,” she said. “I waited and waited until it got dark. He never came.”

Worried about him, she called his officers and asked to see J.T., treating it like it was an emergency.

“The officers sent him and, when he got there, he said ‘What are you doing here?’ instead of being happy to see me,” she said.

Apparently she wasn’t supposed to meet with J.T. until the following day. She ended up spending the night in a beautiful home in Rhode Island where she met a very nice lady from New York. They shared their different backgrounds and cultures with each other and were fascinated by each other’s upbringing.

J.T. and Allene had three children: Larry, Wayne and Greg (my father). She told me the trials they had with Larry regarding his diagnosis and early death and how they moved to Durham.

“Larry had leukemia,” White said. “We took him to a hospital in Rocky Mount for treatment. The doctor who was supposed to see Larry was out and had to be replaced by another.”

That doctor was from Duke Hospital in Durham.

“The Duke doctor practically insisted us to come to Durham,” White said. “He told us he would even be waiting outside the door for us when we arrived.”

J.T. and Allene couldn’t pass up the offer, especially if it meant the well-being of their son. So they packed everything up and moved to Durham. They did have some help from a Navy friend of J.T.’s and took Larry to Duke for treatment.

With that, she also told me how she connected with a local church she has now been a member of since she came to Durham.

“We had nowhere to stay,” she said. “We were introduced to the pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church and stayed in his home. That’s how I found Immanuel and first started attending services there.”

Larry died pretty soon after the move to Durham. In 2008 her second son, Wayne, also died. Then, in 2011, the love of her life, J.T., died.

Despite that she continues to live her life to the fullest. That’s thanks, in part, to me as I take her to concerts and other events to keep her from just sitting in the house all the time. We've been to just about anything and have met a lot of people. That includes being audience members at the "X-Factor" auditions in Greensboro (pictured above), meeting Scotty McCreery, Kenny G and UNC Basketball head coach Roy Williams (despite her being a Duke fan), among many others. 

I’m thankful to have a grandma that’s lived such an amazing life.

NMM: Two Blockbuster Hits

This week is my Spring Break so I thought, hey, why not give you two fresh new tracks to listen to? 

The first is a group who's returned to the music scene after a four year hiatus: Salvador. This Christian band has seen pretty good success, winning the 2004 Dove Award for Spanish Album of the Year (Con Poder). Arguably the most popular tune from the band is "Shine" which got quite a bit of airplay as well.

The group released a brand new album entitled Make Some Noise on February 22. With many high energy tunes, a little Latin flare and even a cover of the Steve Winwood classic "Higher Love" this new album is a sure fire hit!

The next artist is very well known and has released a new single off a forthcoming album. Michael Bublé has been a force in the music industry for quite some time. He's back with an all new album, being released soon, entitled To Be Loved, due out April 23.

The album includes covers of classic tunes like "You've Got a Friend in Me" (from Toy Story) and originals like the uplifting "It's A Beautiful Day." The album also includes appearnces by Bryan Adams, Naturally 7, the Puppini Sisters and Reese Witherspoon.

As iTunes raves the new album is "like a jaunty musical/variety show hosted by the impeccable showman Bublé." I'm definitely marking my calendar for this one.

Helping A Friend In Need

Dylan Siegel holds copies of his book. (Photo: David Siegel/ABCNews.com)

Never underestimate the power of friendship.

Jonah Pournazarian, 7, is best friends with Dylan Siegel, 6. Jonah has been diagnosed with glycogen storage disease type 1B , a rare liver disorder that doesn’t have a cure. When Dylan found out, he decided he was going to help his friend by raising money for him. He had an idea of how to raise the money and approached his parents to talk about it.

“We said, ‘Let’s do a lemonade stand, the typical thing,’” David Siegel, Dylan’s dad, told ABCNews.com. “He looked at us and said, ‘I want to write a book.’”

Dylan has handwritten a book simply called Chocolate Bar. After just two months on the market, sales of the book and chocolate bars have reached $30,000 and growing. Dylan's new goal is $1 million. Jonah's parents had actually set up a separate fund which raised $400,000; but now this new idea is on the way to eclipsing that amount.

Everyone has gotten involved with this effort. Whole Foods donated chocolate bars, Barnes and Noble held a book signing and many others are donating via the fundraising effort's Facebook and website.

Here's to you Dylan. And here's to what a true friendship should be.

Read the full story.