April 2009 Archives

A few week ago, we decided to do a local story for today's opening of the "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" movie. We thought it might be fun to ask some York County comic book fans, "What X-Men character would you be?"

In other words, who is your favorite and why. It's especially intriguing conversation with the X-Men, since the comic features such a diverse cast of characters, each with his or her own powers and personalities.

For art to go with the story, we convinced three comic book fans with good imaginations -- and a sense of humor to match -- to willingly dress up like X-Men. But they didn't walk in looking like they do in the photo above, so we thought you might enjoy seeing how graphic artist Carrie Hamilton made some simple costumes look like superhero disguises.

The FlipSide ladies find out that April showers bring May flowers this week when they stop by Stauffers of Kissel Hill in Dover. A gardener shares tips that will turn anyone's thumb green. Believe me, we need all the help we can get.

Area teens are selecting dresses and tuxes, scheduling hair appointments and buying corsages. As they prepare for prom, its also time for people to reflect on their own experiences at high school dances.

Did you cut the rug at sock hops or take a turn on a local gym floor? We want to hear you memories with us for our monthly Remember... series. Call 771-2008 and share your story. Say and spell your first and last name, then provide your age, the municipality in which you live and your phone number.

Looking for a way to stand out this year? Teens can make a dress or tux out of duct tape to win a scholarship in the 2009 Stuck at Prom Contest. The contest ends June 8, the top 10 entries are announed June 19 for online voting and winners are crowned July 9.

If I hear the words "swine flu" one more time, I'm going to scream. Then, I'll buy a hip breathing mask to ride out the pandemic panic in style.

But even mutant superheroes aren't down with the sickness. Wednesday, Twentieth Century Fox postponed the Mexico City premiere of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" since more than 100 people have died of the virus there.

"We were not only concerned about Hugh's [Jackman's] welfare - and we would never send anyone into harm's way..." -- a Fox rep

OK. But what about Wolverine? He supposedly possesses enhanced physical capabilities, retracting bone claws and a healing factor that allows him to quickly recover from virtually any wound, disease or toxin. Shouldn't he be able to take on swine flu...and win?

"My Old (music junkie) Ways"
When I saw that Dr. Dog was playing the Chameleon Club, I knew I had to holler at the Philadelphia group even though the show was on a Tuesday night. When I walked in and saw the stage setup with tree braches wrapped in twinkle lights, flowers and a plaid mural, I knew I was in for a good show. And, boy, was I right.

Another Philly act Drink Up Buttercup (fab name) opened. I was able to catch their gloriously out-of-control set. They wailed on their instruments, banged trashcans and produced operatic vocals during their techno/rock tunes. It looked and sounded like a funky circus, which only made the crowd want more. Follow this post to read about the rest of the show.

"Lost," celebrates its 100th episode. Click here to read about the show's bumpy start. Catch the 100th episode at 9 p.m. Wednesday on ABC.

On the same day the not-so-lost President Obama, spends his 100th day in office. Some think his time has been bumpy, others think it's been green and still others think it's been fashionable. Check out the vital stats and watch CNN gives its presidential report card at 7 p.m. Wednesday.

Halestorm's major label debut dropped today. The Red Lion group is currently touring to promote their album. They're playing a sold-out show May 2 at the Chameleon Club in Lancaster with Trapt, Red and Inept.

Click here to buy the album.

Click here to read an interview with lead singer Lzzy Hale. Her vocals during the song "I Get Off" remind me of rock goddess Joan Jett. Have you ever seen the band live? Share your Halestorm stories.

Usually, when I travel it rains/snows/hails/hurricanes, but this time the sun was out for my entire long weekend.
Hit Harp & Fiddle for few drinks and watched the Flyers freeze the Pens before heading back East.
(The satisfaction didn't last long.)
Saw Kings of Leon at the ill-fated Spectrum. (A fan with a much better seat shot the video, but the show rocked from high above, too.
Follow the post for a review.)
Attended an annual event to watch others play Frisbeer, Rock Band and with fire. ("Adult" supervision was required.)
Watched "Le Scaphandre et Le Papillon," aka "The Diving Bell and the Butterfly." (The heartbreaking French film, based on this book, made me want to carpe diem.)
Went to Lake Marburg to soak in as much sun as possible. (Thanks to the SPF 45, I only got a little pink.)

They were the best days of Bryan Adam's life, and it was full of peace signs, tie-dye t-shirts and rock music.

Forty years later, downtown Las Vegas plans to trigger those memories, in hippy style, with its Fremont Street Experience.

Take advantage of the nice weather this weekend and plant a tree for Arbor Day.

Grab a plate of Thai food in Gettysburg.

Place your bets during a Monopoly tournament.

See a local play or two.

Read about an area woman who competed on "The Price is Right." Anytime I think of that show, a classic scene from "Happy Gilmore" comes to mind. (Fighting with Bob Barker is not advised.) Check back soon for the Weekend Roundup. Ciao for now.

Welcome to what I like to call How to Dress Like a Hipster 101:

Step 1: Attend trendy music festival. (i.e. Coachella)
Step 2: Wear funky shades that compliment your face structure.
Step 3: Find an expensive outfit that looks vintage/you don't care what you look like even though you do.
Step 4: Carry an environmentally friendly water bottle.
Step 5: Keep a mobile device (preferably an iPhone) in hand to twitter about indie bands.
Step 6: Always remember the difference between Alt and Bro.

The FlipSide ladies hang out with the six strings at YorkArts. Check out the mailbox guitar signed by B.B. King. Click here to watch another video about the exhibit.

Happy Earth Day. Click here for environmentally friendly facts. Attend a local Earth Day event at 7 tonight at York College. Professor Charles Bazerman presents a lecture titled "Representing the Environment: The Rhetoric of Global Warming."

This Earth Day launches The Green Generation Campaign, which is a plan for global action leading up to the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day in 2010. Key points to the campaign include ditching fossil fuels, starting sustainable consumption and creating green jobs to boost the economy and environment.

Or not. This viral video is inappropriate (viewer discretion advised) but timely (and pretty catchy).

I was wondering what Andy Milonakis was up to. I guess he was tweeting. Now, he's back with the "Twitter Jam of 2009." I guess he no longer has to defend his "career" via tweet.

Oprah had her own twitter jam. When she tweeted for the first time last week, twitter traffic jumped 43 percent. Yikes. Too bad she only has 10 friends. Follow FlipSide Oprah!

It-boy comedian Andy Samberg not only gets to hang out with celebs on "Saturday Night Live," he was pegged to host the 2009 MTV Movie Awards May 31. (I already know that Russell Brand was better.) Check out the nominees here.

The Sam Man had also had a cameo in the bromance "I Love You, Man."

Follow this post to watch Samberg and Zac Efron in an "SNL" skit.

When the world around you crumbles... laugh. Seriously, laughter releases endorphins, chemicals in your body that are 10 times more powerful than morphine.

So who in this world needs a laugh right now? According to "Tonight" show host Jay Leno, the people in Wilmington, Ohio, a town about 30 miles southeast of Dayton.

Leno's planning a free comedy show there May 10. (He gave two free shows in Detroit earlier in the month). The reason?

It's Pulitzer Prize time. The New York Times dominated the journalism category. This was the first year that entries from news organizations that publish entirely on the Internet were allowed to compete.

Other winners included:
Fiction: "Olive Kitteridge" by Elizabeth Strout
Drama: "Ruined" by Lynn Nottage
Biography: "American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House" by Jon Meacham
Poetry: "The Shadow of Sirius" by W.S. Merwin
Music: "Double Sextet" by Steve Reich
Read more at the Book Buzz.

Smells like success
1. Got my second taste of spring with a Starbucks iced coffee. (I got my first free taste of spring at Ritas.)
2. Sat outside under the stars at the WaterWay Bar & Grill. (Had to move inside when it got chilly.)
3. Checked out Go Green in the City event in York Saturday. (The sun was shining, flower petals were snowing down and I was sneezing.)
4. Wondered why Zac Efron doesn't wear socks. (His feet might stink, but his movies don't.)
5. Watched the Sixers come from behind to beat the Magic at Cobblestones. (Ate dinner during time-outs.)

Comix Connection in West Manchester Township is one of thousands of stores around the world participating in Free Comic Book Day May 2.
The West Manchester Mall store, 1800 Loucks Road, will have sales and offer free comics from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mad Magazine artist John Kovaleski will hang out from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The day before (May 1), Marvel Comics movie "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" hits theaters. (There was a big scandal recently when it leaked online.) "The Green Lantern" and "The Green Hornet" hit theaters in 2010. (My favorite "green" hero is still Captain Planet.)

It finally feels like spring! See what's up this weekend.

Enter the York's Funniest Home Videos Contest. Watch the informational video to the right to get started.

Check out the Pennsylvania Herb Festival at the York Expo Center.

See artistic guitars at a York exhibit.

Enjoy the greenery in York and via Codo. Check back Monday for the Weekend Roundup. Ciao for now!

Virginia Coalition played the Chameleon
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival kicked off today in California. Paul McCartney, The Killers and The Cure are this year's headliners and dozens of other up-and-coming acts will take the stage. If you weren't able to make the trek across the country, just head across the river to Lancaster's first music conference, LAUNCH.

About 150 bands and more than 30 music industry experts are coming to the region to share their music and more. Thursday night, I headed to the Chameleon Club to see Alexandria, Va. band Virginia Coalition. They got the crowd into the show with a rousing cover of "Lean On Me." Before that, I caught Lancaster band Kheris' set. It seemed that the local guys got a little more love from the crowd. The sets were short -- about five or six songs -- but it was a good way to sample new acts.

The FlipSide ladies visit Sweet Melissa's Dream to get the scoop on this weekend's environmentally friendly event downtown.

We know FlipSidePA.com is at the top of your list, but click here to vote for the (other) top Web sites in the world during the 13th Annual Webby Awards. Voting ends April 30.

The Webby Awards have been honoring excellence on the Internet since 1996. They're presented by a 550-member body of leading Web experts known as the The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. They pick the nominees and winners in more than 100 categories. But the online community determines the winners of The People's Voice in each category.

In the spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of...making music with unexpected pals. Diddy has been hanging out/vloging with Matt Helders of the Arctic Monkeys.

Kanye West, Jared Leto and Brandon Flowers have been chilling. West is even planning to work with Leto's band 30 Seconds to Mars. Leto already covered West's "Stronger." Oh, yeah. Remember when Lil Wayne said he was ditching rap for rock? It might still happen. You might be confused, but remember: Gangstas don't ask questions.

Tracy better come back to holla at York
Weekend events are dropping like flies. Check FlipSide to make alternate plans.

Medium Lisa Williams cancelled her Thursday Strand-Capitol show due to a death in her family. (Isn't it ironic?) The show is rescheduled for April 26. For details, click here.

There's nothing ironic about "30 Rock" star Tracy Morgan cancelling his Saturday Pullo Center show. He's stuck on a movie set. He'll be back in York Oct. 10. For details, click here.

So my mom sends me links throughout the day of very momlike things - inspirational quotes, tips for cleaning my stove, recipes for apple cake. These are things she used to mail to me with a stamp and all, but she's all technologically saavy now, so I get them in my inbox at work.
Today, she passed on a link to a video of a 47-year-old wannabe British singer from the show "Britain's Got Talent."
Susan Boyle walks out on stage in a cute dress and dowdy hair, confessing she's wanted to be a singer since she was a little girl, and that she's never been kissed.
Simon Cowell sits there with a smirk, ready to be disappointed.

The York County Heritage Trust is sponsoring a name-our-cow contest through May 31 to celebrate its new interactive dairy exhibit, which is scheduled to open this summer at the Agricultural and Industrial Museum, 217 W. Princess St. in York.

The exhibit will feature a life-sized model of a dairy cow. Visitors will be abl to milk the cow, design a milk bottle label, create ice cream flavors and learn about the history of dairy farming in York County. Follow the post to find out about prizes.

Lindsay Lohan is looking for love again. Since the former actress might be a "celesbian," both genders better watch out. Fortunately, she seems to have a sense of humor. The downside is that she might be nuts (and broke).

Instead of jumping right into another doomed relationship, why doesn't "lonely" LiLo take a hint from Beyonce and embrace her single lady status?

Bet that got your attention, fellows. Root for your favorite Hooters Girl in the swimsuit contest semi-finals at 8 p.m. May 4 at Hooters of York, 703 Loucks Rd.

It isn't creepy, it's a legit competition and York better bring it. The top three girls advance to the finals in Virginia for the chance to earn a spot in the 13th Annual Hooters International Pageant June 20 in Florida. More than 130 Hooters Girls will compete in the Miss Hooters International title. That's a lot of bikins, fake tanner and strategically placed fashion tape.

I'm confident that the White Rose City ladies can hold their own against the best Hooters Girls from around the globe. And that's lot of bikins, fake tanner and strategically placed fashion tape.

Dungeons & Dragons co-creator Dave Arneson died last week. The games other co-creator Gary Gygax died last year. The two created the game in the 1970s.

YDR reporter Tom Joyce checked in with local players about the game.

I must admit, I don't really get the concept of role playing games, strategy games and any game that takes more than an hour to play. Isn't a game supposed to be quick, easy and fun? Maybe I'm just being closed minded, maybe I have the attention span of a fruit fly or maybe I'd rather role the dice in the real world.

1. Attended the premiere party for "Parks and Recreation." (The White Rose was packed. I guess that bodes well for "The Office" offspring.)
2. Watched Martin Scorsese's 1993 masterpiece "The Age of Innocence." (Daniel Day Lewis in Seersucker. Enough said.)
3. Watched the Masters. (I'm still not sure if anyone really wanted to win.)
4. Discovered Fancast, aka the new Hulu. (Began to question why I have a cable subscription.)
5. Ate too much candy. (At least I didn't do this stuff to my Easter treats.)

It's a dark day for Philadelphia Phillies fans. Longtime announcer Harry Kalas, 73, passed away Monday. Kalas collapsed in the press box at Nationals Stadium in Washington and was rushed to George Washington University Medial Center. The cause of the death was not announced.

Kalas broadcast the Phillies World Series win Oct. 29. He called his 39th home opener for Phillies April 9. In 2002, he received the Baseball Hall of Fame's Ford C. Frick Award. Phillies baseball won't be the same without him.

Check out the winners of the 2009 York Daily Record Peeps Diorama Contest.

Click here to see more Peeps dioramas from the Washington Post's contest.

Who knew that little marshmallow chicks and bunnys could get big laughs? Bookmark it.

Take you tastebuds for a ride at York Airport restaurant Kitty Hawk.

Find out about Wednesday's O.A.R. concert.

Throw down your best skate skills for a good cause.

Meet York-native artist Araci.

Have a nice holiday weekend. Check back Monday for the Weekend Roundup.

When I read that "South Park" portrayed Kanye West as a flamboyant fish (viewer discretion strongly advised), I was sure he was going to go on a stomping boy-style rampage. Instead, he laughed at himself and gave capitalized props to the show on his blog:

SOUTH PARK MURDERED ME LAST NIGHT AND IT'S PRETTY FUNNY.
Follow this post to read more.

Get swept away by the FlipSide ladies at the Majestic Midways Spring Carnival at the York Expo Center in West Manchester Township.

The York Revolution's season kicks off April 23, but it's not too early to enter for a chance to set off fireworks during FlipSide nights at Sovereign Bank Stadium.

Winners receive four tickets to the Revolution home game, a FlipSide prize pack and the chance to light up the night. Head to flipsidepa.com to sign up. Good luck!

Yeah! YYYs' new album is sooo good

I'm very pleased. Two of my favorite bands -- The Decemberists and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs -- just released new albums. Both bands have rocked my socks off with their new material. Seriously, the cotton fibers exploded off my feet and combusted into fiery flames upon hearing YYY's "It's Blitz," and Decemberists' "Hazards of Love." I don't exaggerate.

Sometimes I catch myself pining for an iPhone, but I'm not ready to get into a love/hate relationship with another gadget. I'm still living in the mobile dark ages. My boring normal phone doesn't have sweet apps.

Need dog first aid? There's an app for that.
Need a graphing calculator? There's an app for that.
Need to identify a rare bird? There's an app for that.
Famished in Walt Disney World? There's an app for that.
Need to play an ancient flute-like instrument? There's an app for that. (I kid you not.)

With 25,000 apps and counting, where's the app to change my oil, do my laundry and clean my bathroom? Come one Apple. People need to function completely with one finger motion.

As if we needed any more proof that reality show producers have no soul, this moved across the wire from the Associated Press:

The Fox network is making a reality show out of the troubled economy.

An upcoming series titled, "Someone's Gotta Go," lets employees of a small business decide which one of their colleagues will be laid off.

Fox says it has no air date yet for the series, which is being developed by the company behind "Big Brother" and "Deal or No Deal." Each week, a different company lays off an employee.

Fox also wouldn't reveal the show's host, which it says is a business consultant who will offer advice to participating companies.

This makes me feel like I'm taking crazy pills. Not only is the repeater offender "Fast & Furious" on top of the box office with $72.5 million, it had the best opening weekend in 2009 so far. People are even talking about a Paul Walker rebound.

The concept of this movie reminds me of those annoying Coke vs. Coke Zero commercials. Hollywood has already exploited its right to make sequels. What's next? Will teen heartthrob James Van Der Beek revive his career with a movie that's curiously similar to 1999's "Varsity Blues?" I weep for the future of film. There should be a 20-year remake rule.

A digitally remastered version of the Beatles catalog drops Sept. 9 -- the same day as "The Beatles: Rock Band" hits shelves.

The set will include a dozen CDs and tons of extras including original album art, new liner notes, documentaries, etc. It's sure to inspire Beatlemania Part II.

Remaining members Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr recently reunited for a benefit show and started rumors that they're going into the studio together. Check out the video.

Amy Poehler makes her "Parks and Recreation" debut as the Pawnee, Ind. parks director at 8:30 p.m. Thursday on NBC.

White Rose Bar and Grill, 48 N. Beaver St. in York, is hosting a premiere party at 8 p.m. Thursday. A portion of all proceeds of food and drink sales will be donated to Bring on Play -- a fund to renovate the playground equipment at York's Lincoln Park.

Catch up with York Parks and Recreation staffers Tom Landis and A.J. Grimm with this article and the attached video.

Ever think about how many amazingly gifted musicians seem to die young -- say, at age 27?

Kurt Cobain (who died 15 years ago this week), Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison, blues pioneer Robert Johnson -- all dead at 27. There's also Rolling Stones guitarist Brian Jones, Alan "Blind Owl" Wilson, the Grateful Dead's Ron "Pigpen" McKernan, Pete Ham of Badfinger and Hole's Kristen Pfaff.

What is it about 27? Perhaps it's that many of these musicians -- whether they lived with destructive life habits or not -- seemed lost in their last year.

I heart Coldplay and was blown away by their latest album. I haven't seen them live since 2003, so I decided it was time to get to one of their concerts.

I was stoked to get tickets for their May 21 show at the Nissan Pavilion in Bristow, Va. Lawn seats were $35, which seemed reasonable for one of the biggest rock acts around. I was expecting a $6 or $7 processing fee, but I forgot that Nissan Pavilion came under the control of the evil live events empire of Live Nation.

I was shocked that the ticket came to $55. The only reason I'm still going to the show is because Pete Yorn is the opener. (The chance to see two of my favorite artists together took away some of the sting.) Read the cost breakdown in the rest of this post.

Making walking on broken glass look good
1. Watched "Dangerous Liaisons." (Glenn Close in a corset and John Malkovich in a wig inspired this amazing Annie Lennox video.)
2. Watched Villanova's season end (with a Final Four loss to UNC).
3. Watched the Phillies' season begin (with an opening day loss to Atlanta).
4. Found out that Pete Yorn is touring with Coldplay. (He's also a fan of "The Real Housewives of New York City.")
5. Took a nice, long Sunday stroll. (I didn't know it baby and puppy day at Cousler Park.)

Here is a recap of Sunday night's Academy of Country Music Awards ceremony. It was ladies' night.

Carrie Underwood won entertainer of the year. Taylor Swift won album of the year and Julianne Hough won top new artist.

But what was Underwood wearing? I have no words to explain the maroon monstrosity, so I'll let her describe it:

"Kind of like water, maybe? Like red water? That sounds scary, doesn't it? Maybe like lava. It's like lava. Or icing. Red icing."

Meet the "Dominators."

See a benefit rock show at the Valencia Ballroom.

Share what annoys you about that special someone.

Create your own Easter basket.

Check back for the Weekend Roundup Monday. Ciao for now.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 2009 inductees are: Jeff Beck, Little Anthony & the Imperials, Metallica, Run-D.M.C. and Bobby Womack. Click here to check out a digital tribute to the Class of '09. Click here to see who was snubbed.

The induction ceremony is scheduled for Saturday. Watch it live here.

Run-DMC will not perform since original member Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell was murdered in 2002. A video tribute will honor the to pioneer rap group instead.

Former Metallica bassist Jason Newsted, who quit the band in 2001, will return to play with the metal act Saturday.

York Daily Record/Sunday News photographer Bil Bowden shot this video of local acoustic singer/songwriter Dana Alexandra when she recently performed at WXPN's World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.

See Alexandra play in the area at 7 p.m. April 24 at The Crimson Frog Coffeehouse, 1104 Carlisle Road in Camp Hill.

"The Hills" = Total guilty pleasure
We all have bad or embarrassing habits. But sometimes, we don't what anyone to know what we do behind closed doors. Tell us what you keep secret and what you share when you're in a serious relationship.

Are you willing to burp, watch bad reality TV, polish off that cheesesteak, wax your legs or worse in front of your significant other? Some might think those things signal the end of romance. Some might just feel silly. We'll take your confessions.

E-mail emccracken@ydr.com. Include your name, age, municipality in which you live and a contact number.

The fierce (see attached video) legal battle between NBC Universal and Weinstein Co. surrounding "Project Runway" finally ended Wednesday. Weinstein will pay NBC an undisclosed sum a ridiculous amount of money to move the reality fashion design competition to Lifetime.

The new season will air this summer. My life will have meaning again. Let's hope "P.Run" 2.0 is worth the hot mess of the last few months. (My homeboy Tim Gunn better get a fat paycheck, too.)

Click here to enter to win tickets to the Wine Festival in Hershey.

The event is May 1 at the Giant Center and features wine tastings and an appearance by former Philadelphia Flyer Dave Schultz. Proceeds benefit Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital.

Spike Jonze adapted Maurice Sendak's children's classic "Where the Wild Things Are" for the big screen. Arcade Fire provided the music for the promo.

Click here to read an interview with Jonze about the movie, which is scheduled to drop in October.

It looks amazing, but, if I were a child, I would be scared by this flick.

The FlipSide ladies enjoy the spring weather and talk about what's going on this weekend at York's Heritage Rail County Park.