Photoshow: February Eat the Street

Story by Maria Kanai

Photos by Rie Miyoshi

If you’re a food lover like me, you’ve probably heard of January’s “Eat The Street,” Hawaii’s first food truck and street food rally ever.

Sadly, I wasn’t able to make it, but then I learned that Poni Askew, the mastermind behind the rally, was planning another one for February 25th…except this time, it would bigger, sporting partnerships with Nonstop Honolulu and Kamehameha Schools. And in the case of food, bigger is always better, right?

I counted down the days. I invited all my friends in selfish hopes for a food buddy. I even interviewed Poni herself! When the great day arrived, I was ready for some good feasting.

courtesy rie miyoshi

When we got there, the event was just starting, so the lines weren’t too bad. Well, most of the lines. Superstars Gogi Korean Tacos and Melt had people across the full length of the Kaka’ako parking lot.

 

courtesy rie miyoshi

So my friend and I stopped by T.A.S.T.E first. They’re the ones who started it all, with their unique fusion of Asian and Mexican food. As an international student from Japan, I appreciated the light Asian flavors; not too heavy, and perfectly blended. My favorite was the char siu with shoyu aioli and hoisin vinaigrette (left). The rib eye with Kal Bi marinade and wasabi dressing (right) was pretty good too, and I loved the wasabi dressing. At $3 per order though, I thought it was a little pricey.

courtesy rie miyoshi

The Gogi line was an hour and a half. We were there for 6:00 to 7:30 pm, but we delegated friends to grab more food from Dixie Grill.

courtesy rie miyoshi

We got a pulled-pork sandwich for $6. The meat was perfectly cooked and soft, and tasted wonderful with their famous Dixie Grill spicy sauce. It was perfect to curb our appetite during our Gogi wait.

courtesy rie miyoshi

There was a flash mob! Student from the drama club in Nanakuli School performed for us in the middle of the parking lot, dancing hip hop to Lady Gaga and Katy Perry.

courtesy rie miyoshi

Fairy Cakes Hawaii is new to the street scene. Their debut “whoopee pies” for $4 looked delicious, and I was sad that I didn’t get a chance to try them.

courtesy rie miyoshi

Despite the crowd, the atmosphere was very relaxed and comfortable, and the huge space really helped keep things moving. There was good music, and as the night wore on, it got cooler and thankfully, the weather held up.

courtesy rie miyoshi

Around 7:30 we finally made it to the front of the line! We got the Gogi Quesadilla with BBQ Chicken for $5 and a BBQ Short Rib tacos for $2. The chicken was nicely flavored, and the Korean + Mexican tastes were unique. The taco was tiny though, so I was glad to have gotten the four quesadillas. It was worth waiting for the hype, and I was glad I finally got to try it.

courtesy rie miyoshi

Sold-out Melt. They were one of the first to run out of food, which wasn’t surprising considering how long their line was. They come to UH though, so I still have a chance to try their famous grilled gourmet cheese sandwiches.

courtesy rie miyoshi

Aloha Icecream Tricyle for desert. We got their Mauna Kea Deelite for $4. My favorite part was their crumbly crust, which made the three layers of icecream seem more “pie”-ish. Their chocolate fudge combined with coconut flavors was wonderful. (In the background, you can see Ed Morita, who blogs for Nonstop Honolulu. He took our picture and we talked story with him after!)

courtesy rie miyoshi

I got a “Romeo et Juliet” crepe for $7 from Le Crepe Café. My crepe had generous amounts of nutella, strawberries, and bananas, with a sprinkle of powdered sugar on top. Delicious way to finish off an awesome night!

Hawaii Review 73: Get Some Place Time

by Chris Mikesell

chris mikesell / KA LAMAKUA

Donovan Colleps, Editor-in-Chief of Hawaii Review, chose "place" to be the theme for HR's newest issue. 

Sometimes, you have to go looking for a theme to unify your work - but for Donovan Colleps and his crew at Hawaii Review, their theme came to them.

"The concept was place," he says. "It became a familiar theme with the accepted works, so we kind of went from there and structured it around varying themes of place - what it means to writers and what it means to people. It's actually a pretty malleable theme - from poem to poem or story to story... different aspects of place appeared."

The newest issue of Colleps' literary journal, now in its 73rd semi-annual iteration, features not just poems and fiction but also a bit of do-it-yourself papercraft in the form of a model ahapua'a.

It's a very hands on book - reading it requires you to reorient the book as you move from piece to piece. Is the spine on the top or on the side? Depends on how you look at things. Depends on what you're reading. The way the book is built forces readers to think even more about place - and that's exactly how Colleps likes it.

"There have been past editors who have changed the format and the size, but nothing to the extent of where you literally are flipping the book over," Colleps says. "Surprisingly, that still ties into 'place' - how it affects you and how you choose to let it affect you.

"It also parallels with the act of writing. When people sit down to write they want to tell a story and manipulate their chosen environment."

---

Hawaii Review 73 is available now - free to all UH Manoa Students with validated ID and $10 for non-students at the Board of Publications offices in Hemenway Hall.

Sierra Dew: Meaning Through Art

courtesy sierra dew

"With anything new

I always look back to my original goals of
creating with meaning and intention."

by Maria Kanai

Ever stop on your way to class to admire the clothes and jewelry sold in the vendors at the Campus Center? Although it's easy to join the massive lunch rush (especially with the construction bottling us students through), definitely keep a look out for Sierra Dew.

She occasionally can be found near Jamba Juice, sporting a playful fedora and modeling her own signature leggings and tunic outfit. Local boutiques have been known to come to UH Manoa to sell designs at an affordable, college-friendly price, and Sierra's unique line of Hawaii-inspired accessories and clothes is perfect for any trendy fashionista.

Maui-born Sierra Dew studied Apparel Product Design and Merchandising at UH Manoa and then transferred to Polimoda Fashion School in Italy. After interning with Betsy Johnson in New York City, she started "Sierra Dew Designs" in 2008 and has since then successfully seen her company grow into a signature lifestyle brand in the local fashion and art industry.

courtesy sierra dew

Sierra teaches keiki how to stencil at an
Earth Day workshop.

"When I was a kid I was always doing craft projects at home, learning new skills always really excited me," she says in our e-mail interview. "When I started learning how to sew, I wanted to make everything." 

And she does just that. From jewelry, handbags, dresses, and t-shirts, she makes everything with her own hands. Her cheerfulness and her keen eye for art in nature shine through in her fashion line: vibrant colors, unique designs, and that signature "Sierra" stand-out edge.

So what inspires her? Despite her fun-loving, carefree personality, Sierra's fashion is much more than just having something cute to wear.

"I've always thought that fashion and art should reflect current social and political situations," Dew says. "I think that addressing local issues like genetically modified foods, water and land issues, waste management is very important.  It has always been the artist's way to create meaning through art."

Sierra claims Hawaii's beauty and diversity play a "big role" in her inspiration. "Most of my T-shirt designs are reflective of growing up here," says Dew. 

She continuously strives for "new ways to incorporate my own style into the perfect combination of print, color, and design." She needs to constantly move forward within the competitive market, and in some ways, she wishes she had learned the ruthlessness of the industry in school.

courtesy sierra dew

Sierra displays her print art on the left, which she 

created as a message about child labor and 

the garment industry.

"It's nice that teachers are so encouraging (and now that I do some teaching I can understand), but sometimes it would be more beneficial for them to give students the realities of the market. All of a sudden when we are out of school, we aren't being coddled any longer and it can be shocking."

Her advice to future fashion designers of Hawaii: "Be grounded and honest with yourself about the "reality of your venture…it is very important to have a plan!

"Be passionate! I really have learned how important it is to follow your gut instinct and your heart!"

Sierra's future plans include holding more workshops and collaborating with the local youth and 808 Urban. Her increasing involvement in the community and her meaningful designs make her an inspiration for any aspiring fashion designer. 

To see more of her designs, visit her website at http://www.sierradew.com. 

Betsy Curtis: Capturing the Moment

by Jessie Bristow

One, two, three… Say “Cheese” but don’t smile. Look at each photograph and debate weather it is a part of history, something from a time capsule, or is it a blend of culture and artistic grace.

jessie bristow / KA LAMAKUA

Betsy Curtis stands among her portraits, taken at the Honolulu Academy of Arts.
Her other subjects include people at Waimea Bay and aboard the USS Missouri.
Her exhibition, "The Visitors," is on display in the UH Manoa Art Building's Commons Gallery until Feb. 25.

With an age-like Victorian style portrait and detailed background environment, each photograph slows down the viewer’s ADD like symptoms most people have today, questioning every out of place detail with interest.

The Visitors, a photography thesis exhibition by Betsy Curtis, is being displayed in the Commons Gallery in the art building at the University of Hawaii Manoa from February 13-25.

Betsy Curtis, 29, a graduate student in Studio Art Photography of UH Manoa, began playing with cameras while working at a camera shop during high school. Curtis found her calling in what she wanted to do with her photography skills during her sophomore year at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois.

“I realized I was doing projects that were not just for assignments, that I was just like doing stuff on my own,” Curtis says.

Curtis’ whole approach towards her current style in this exhibition is due to a childhood filled with scrapbooks made by her mother.

“Ever since I was a little kid, I have probably three or four volumes this thick on my life, she made," Curtis says, putting her hands about five to six inches apart.

Knowing how fast people peer through photo albums, glancing, commenting, then turning the page, Curtis wanted to create a portrait that caught the attention of all viewers. She approached her project with subjects of stern looks and backgrounds that draw attention.

“For this project, the location was…is almost as important as the person.”

With her photographs consisting of the U.S.S. Missouri, Honolulu Academy of Arts, and Waimea Bay. Curtis wanted to portray images of culture, history, and nature that implied the message of a time capsule allowing the viewer to go back and forth between present and past. Each area shot has some kind of historical or cultural significance that Curtis wanted to display.

In the future, Curtis wants to focus on finishing her thesis, graduate, and focus on projects to submit to a number of residencies she plans on applying for. Her current style of photography is not her signature method. Curtis intends to try and work on ideas of collages and to take a break from her realistic style she has applied with her current exhibition.

As an experienced and growing photographer, Betsy Curtis suggests to aspiring students to drill down inside and find out why the medium they are using is important to them.

“I think, artwork works best when you are drawing from your own well and personal experience.”

Visit the exhibition in the Commons Gallery or visit Betsy Curtis’ website at http://elizabethrcurtis.com/.

India Market: Flavor a 15 minute walk away

photos and story by Doyle Moeller

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

Owner Shereen Khan takes pride in his market, and intends to expand.

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

INDIA MARKET
2357 Beretania St.
Mon. - Sat. 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
(808) 946-2020

If you lament the lack of spice in your life, a taste of Mumbai is a mere fifteen minute walk from UH Manoa. 

From the moment you walk into India Market on the corner of Beretania and Isenberg, the aroma of curry and exotic spices will surround you. A quick walk around will reveal that the store, while small in footprint, is large in both stock and variety.

Owner Shereen Khan says he takes pride in offering a variety of exotic and hard-to-find goods.

“We have things from mostly India, but also Pakistan, Lebanon, the middle east, Fiji and New Zealand,” says Khan.

Khan had a good reason for choosing the University/Moiliili area as the location for his spice shop.

“There’s a demand here for an ethnic grocery store,” says Khan. He says that students are a big part of his customer base, and with everything being so compact in town, it’s easier to get the customers for a niche store like his.

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

Arabic is a common sight at India Market: about a
third of their imported products are from foreign brands.

Pragmatism may well be Khan’s defining characteristic. Born in Fiji, Khan has been in Hawai’i for thirty-one years, and after opening his store in 2004, he immediately subscribed to the pragmatic theory of business: listen to your customers.

Khan says his customers have a lot to do with what ends up on the shelves. Customers can inform Khan or his wife, who tends to the store regularly, if they would like a product supplied in the store. Khan brings in a test case, and if it sells, he keeps it as a regular item. If not, he sells it to the person who requested it by the case.

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

Indian candy is sold alongside Western
favorites like Snickers bars for a snack bar
that anyone can appreciate.

One would think that this would be enough, but Khan insists on having a variety of goods available, not just those traditionally sold in grocery stores, like exotic clothing, medicine and hygiene products.

India Market even rents out Bollywood DVDs for those who seek variety in all realms of life, not just in their food.

Khan, however, is not just content with what he has now – he has plans for the future. Though he just relocated his store to his Beretania Street location ten months ago, he’s already planning his next move.

“We’d like to open stores on the neighbor islands, and a snack shop here [on Oahu] somewhere,” Khan says.

---

India Market is located on the corner of Beretania Street and Isenberg Street (2357 Beretania St.), and is open seven days a week, Monday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. They can be reached at (808) 946-2020.

Hinshaw and Greenwood Take on HB 79

by Chris Mikesell

For those of you who think the UH special funds battle is over, think again.

So far, two bills - SB 120 and HB 79 - have come into legislative committees this session targeting the state's special and revolving funds with a blanket repeal. Both measures have been deferred by their respective committees for now.

But they could always come up again, especially since, in the case of Sen. David Ige's Ways and Means committee, legislators intend to re-craft these bills with additional amendments.

These bills are significant to UH Manoa students because their passage as currently written would not only affect funds governing tuition, housing and construction but would also scoop Student Activity Fees from across the entire University of Hawaii system and add that money to the state's general fund.

The public opposition to these bills far outweighs those testifying in favor of slashing these special funds, represented primarily by Lowell Kalapa, president of the Tax Foundation of Hawaii.

What do you think of these bills? Tell us what you think in our comments.

Slaying the LSAT

Photos and story by Doyle Moeller

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

Kaplan has textbooks on-hand for students who decided
to register the day of the practice exam. The textbooks
are included in the price of tuition, and practice exam
participants earned a discount if they registered on the same day.

Post-graduate testing: some of us see it as the last threshold to cross before entering our “real lives,” some see it as their own personal Goliath. 

Luckily, there’s help! While the university has its own advising center that can help pre-law and pre-med students prepare for graduate school, truly effective prep must be sought outside of the university. Enter Kaplan, and the reason that I find myself sitting in a classroom on a beautiful Saturday.

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

LSAT proctor Brent Wisner, in addition to being a federal
judge's clerk, is a teacher at Kaplan. His ability to both
deconstruct difficult questions and clearly explain his
technique for doing so implies that he is well
qualified for both positions.

According to organizer Vivian Hignite, Twice a year, once in February and once in either September or October, Kaplan hosts a free set of practice tests in the Shidler College of Business’s facility on the northwest corner of the campus, at the intersection of East-West Rd. and University Ave. They offer a wide variety of tests (GRE, GMAT, LSAT, MCAT, DET, OAT, PCAT), with a paid prep program that goes with them, should you decide to enroll. Kaplan provides test-takers with free same-day grading, along with suggestions for improvement.

I was present for the LSAT, and can say without doubt or reservation, their proctors are very qualified. My proctor, Brent Wilson, took the LSAT in St. Louis, and while he declined to give a figure, said he was scored in the “ninety-ninth percentile”. His LD from Georgetown Law School is evidence enough to the truth of that statement, as was his clear understanding of the test itself. Of course in order to take this free test, one must sit through Kaplan’s sales pitch, but for what you get out if it, I’m willing to say it’s a fair trade.

Before the test was handed out, Wilson gave out what he called his “pseudo-inspirational speech”. He drew a horizontal line on the board and proclaimed, “This is the LSAT, it’s a level playing field.” He spoke for a few moments on how the LSAT has nothing to do with where you’re from, who you know, or even what you know. The entire point of the test is that it’s “merit-based.”

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

Organizer Vivian Hignite was present for Saturday's event,
helping students register, guiding them to their testing rooms, and
generally trying to make the entire process as wrinkle-free as possible.

Of course the first thing Wilson did after that was to destroy his model of the system. He proceeded to congratulate us, because, according to him, just by attending a practice test, we’ve gotten a leg up.

That is, we’ve already subverted the idea of the test being a level playing field.

My fellow test-takers and I were introduced to the idea that the profession that we were pursuing was one of conflict. That from here until retirement or death, we would fight for anything and everything. Law school, graduation, even our actual work, all comes out of the idea that though conflict, we excel.

"If you're going into a fight, [you] have to prepare if you expect to win," Wilson told us.

The test went on, and many a nail was bitten. As of this writing I have not yet received my results. As my fellows and I wait with great anticipation, we can smell the beast Goliath’s breath all around us, we can see the finish line, the threshold into our “real lives.”

And we’re hungry for it.

Behind the Set of Hawaii 5-0

Interview and photos by Maria Kanai

maria kanai / KA LAMAKUA

Priscilla Stafford is an Academy for Creative Media grad 

making her way into the local film industry. 

Meet Priscilla Stafford, a 22 year old graduate of UH Manoa and full-time production assistant (PA) on the set of Hawaii 5-0. The remake of Leonard Freeman's vastly popular show premiered September 20, 2010 and has since won the People's Choice Award by becoming one of the CBS's highest rated new shows of the year.

Priscilla was born in Yokohama, Japan and moved to Hawaii for college in 2005. She graduated with a double major in ACM and History at UH Manoa in Spring 2009 and has since successfully been pursuing her dreams to work in the film industry. We asked her how she got in and how she got her start.

MK: How did you get involved in Hawaii 5-0?

PS: Someone referred me to work on the pilot and so I came in to work two to three days, but I was able to make an impression and was hired full-time.

MK: What do you do as a PA?

PS: I'm specifically a set production assistant. We're in charge of the set, the walkies, we give information to actors, as well as the crew, be in communication with the production office, we manage the background/extras. Basically we're the first ones there and last ones out.

MK: What do you think about the show?

PS: I think it's a fun show! It's kind of silly sometimes, but the dialogue is fun, the characters are fun. I don't think it's a serious, dramatic TV, you know what I mean? I like how they show Hawaii, it's someplace I know, and it's fun for both people who live here and for people who don't.

MK: What is the most exciting thing about working on set?

PS: The fact that every day is new is always exciting. The work is never the same; it feels same sometimes, 'cos you work with same people, same actors, but we have guest stars, and new directors, sets, storylines, and stunts. Every single day is new and fresh, and that's what keeps it exciting as an art form. It's not a 9-5 job where you kinda do the same thing every day.

maria kanai / KA LAMAKUA

Production assistants hold a meeting on the
set of Hawaii 5-0.

MK: What is the hardest thing about working on set?

PS: The long hours, just trying to make time to rest and have your own time.

MK: How many hours a week do you work?

PS: Average between seventy to seventy-five hours a week.

MK: What are Alex and Scott like? How is it working with them?

PS: They are both really nice guys! Alex is very good with people and very personable. He gets along well with everybody. He's easy to talk to; he's very clear what he needs and what he wants on set. He's not afraid to speak his mind on matters like that. Both Alex and Scott know all the crew members by name, from the drivers to us PAs. Scott is really funny, fun-loving, he likes to joke around with people, he brings his dog to set (laughs).

MK: What is the most valuable thing you've learned from ACM at UH Manoa?

PS: Working as a team in projects, being able to think ahead, plan production. Most people think filming is just film, on that day, but you don't realize how much planning goes into just one little scene. ACM really gears perspective on how much time and effort you put into everything, from pre-production production, and post-production.

MK: What is one thing school did not prepare you for?

PS: The sheer size and just how much hard work it [working on set] would be…You're not taught to be able to network or meet, work with professionals. There are internships, but it's very hard once you're full-time.

MK: Do you have any advice for aspiring ACM-ers who want to enter the entertainment industry?

PS: I highly recommend working as a PA for a little while. I think it's a great opportunity to know what it means to be in production. It's always good to see what it's like from the lowest rung, and then go for what you want to do. Don't wait and be willing to PA for a little bit, just for the experience. Don't get side tracked.

MK: What's your ultimate dream?

PS: My ultimate dream is to direct. My half-way point dream is be an AD. But along the way, I would like to do my own projects, work on my photography, and always remember that my profession is an art form, not just a business. I want to constantly remind myself of that, even in the little ways.

Hawaii 5-0 will keep shooting until April, and may be picked up for a second season later this year. Keep a lookout for the next new episode coming up on Monday at 9 on CBS!

Ayn Rand hits the big screen again

by Chris Mikesell

Even those who disagree with her politics cannot deny that Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged is and has been one of the most influential and widely read books in the world. Now, after a number of delays and rumored casting issues, its looks like the film adaptation of the book is finally going to hit theaters, with Part I of the trilogy scheduled to premiere on April 15 (tax day, appropriately enough!)

While tax day is still over two months away, however, we will have to settle for the trailer that debuted at today's CPAC conference.

How did Atlas affect your life? Was it one of the best books ever for you or were you just not sold on it? Let us know below in the comments.

Dancing Greener

Whether you want dancing in your sustainability or sustainability in your dancing, Kennedy Theatre's Dancing Greener dance concert is sure to please this weekend:

courtesy Kennedy Theater

"Recycling is the theme of this year’s annual dance concert. 

New works created using recycled materials and repertory restagings, including Murray Louis’s Porcelain Dialogues, will be featured. This lively presentation of contemporary dance and Pacific and Asian dance forms demonstrate the kinetic artistry of sustainability."

Shows are still on for Feb 11 and 12 at 8 p.m. and Feb 13 at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at the Kennedy Theater box office and are only $5 for UH Manoa students with validated IDs. 

Students React to SB120

interviews and photos by Doyle Moeller

SB120, a bill designed to take the money out of special funds that UH Manoa and the arts need to survive, is drawing reactions from students and faculty involved in the arts.

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

Dr. Louis Bouquet, Lecturer in the French Department

I read the e-mail this morning. “A very bad bill,” they called it. Slashing budgets across the board seems to be detrimental to the studies of whatever department they are. It’s an efficient service.

For the French... I’ve heard they have cut a lot of programs. I know that the trend in the university right now is to basically cut all the arts programs and the language/humanities programs in favor of the more “efficient” programs with direct results or direct applications.

My personal take on it is they are trying to apply the rules of the market, of “real life” to studies in the humanities, to art, to all kinds of endeavors, and in doing so, they are missing the point.
Studying language and studying literature and culture has no direct application but it allows the students to develop a bigger understanding and a bigger perspective. 

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

Junior Crystal Yoo, Secondary Education with a focus on math, with a minor in art

We already have to pay a lab reimbursement, so there’s that money, and then I’m pretty sure they’re going to increase that fee if this bill passes. 

On top of the fee, we also have to pay for the majority of our supplies. We’re looking at $100 a semester just to pay for it out of my own money. If this bill goes through, then we’re probably going to be paying at least $200 extra just for that one class.

And that’s just an introductory class. Imagine what the higher classes would probably have to pay. 

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

Emi Nakamura, Art major with a focus on drawing and painting

I think budget cuts are very detrimental to the Art department.

There’s already a lack of classes being offered, which makes it very hard for students to even register for the classes they need.

Furthering the budget cuts would worsen that problem even further.

Over the last year or so, I noticed that a lot of the professors who used to work here are no longer here. 

I’m just really worried. What’s going to happen to the arts? 

Mockingjay: A Book Review

by Maria Kanai

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Age Group: Young Adult

Rating: 2.5/5

"Mockingjay" is the final installment in the teen trilogy "Hunger Games" by author Suzanne Collins. Its long-anticipated release in August 24, 2010 sold over 400,000 copies in the first week. After reading the second book "Catching Fire", I had to admit I was slightly hesitant to pick this one up. As I stated in my last review, I was not entirely impressed with the unoriginality and lack of character development. However, "Catching Fire" ended at a painful cliffhanger. I couldn't leave the Hunger Games yet!

Our heroine Katniss Everdeen still survives, but not by luck. She learns about the mysterious District 13, and their involvement in her escape from the Quarter Quell. District 13 plans to overthrow the Capitol, but the people need Katniss to finally choose her place as the leader of the rebellion. As war breaks loose and the death toll continues to rise, the line between allies and enemies starts to blur.

This book ties up the loose ends left at the end of "Catching Fire." We learn all about District 13, more history on the Capitol, and the ultimate showdown between the rebelling districts and the Capitol. The triangle between Peeta, Katniss, and Gale is resolved, and I was incredibly happy with her decision. As for character development, we learn more about handsome Finnick, the tribune in the Quell I know every single female reader fell in love with. Haymitch also is amazing. We find out his involvement in the rebellion, and he turns out to be an amazing character.

"Mockingjay" had a lot to live up to. It should have resolved many of the issues in Katniss' character. Her indecisions, her inner scars after the hunger games, and her continuous manipulation by the Capitol. She should have come a full circle, a winner in the face of her difficulties.

She didn't.

The message of the entire "Hunger Games" trilogy is that war is unforgivable, and those involved can never come out unscathed. "Mockingjay" pushes that message straight in your face over and over again. Katniss is manipulated by both the Capitol and District 13, spends most of her time in rehab, and in the unbelievably shocking conclusion, is beaten down once again. Where was her triumphant journey as a heroine? Maybe this was Collins' intent, but I personally believe that this book would have benefited more with Katniss changing, her situation changing, and then coming out successful. Also, there were too many characters created only to be killed off. I stopped caring for them, and grew rather numb to the deaths.

What was wonderful about the first book was its depiction of the grim realities of war, yet there was humor and hope for those involved. Katniss' strength and determination made her a character you wanted to cheer for. When you take those away, which happened in "Mockingjay", you're left with a rather depressing book that you wished you hadn't read.

A satisfying conclusion to a best-selling trilogy? Unfortunately, no. Worth reading? Yes, but definitely only because of the cliffhanger in the second book.

(By the way, there's a movie coming out in 2012! http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392170/)

Gnomeo and Juliet Review

by Chris Mikesell

The biggest problem with doing a remake of Romeo and Juliet would have to be the ending.

The play is a tragedy - not just because the leads die but because everybody in the play and the audience expects them to keel over by the end.

Even if it weren't a play so many people have done so many times before, and even if you've been living under a rock or on Mars since the early 1600's, you're bound to get the overwhelming feeling that things are going to end badly for whatever remix of the "star-crossed lovers" trope is coming across the stage this time, no spoiler alert required.

Thankfully, the people behind "Gnomeo and Juliet" are aware of this. The film's first line acknowledges that, yes, it's a story that's been told many times but that this time it's going to be told differently.

Just how different is left up to the creative workings of executive producer Elton John (yes, Sir Elton John, in all his bedazzled glory.) "Gnomeo" plays well, floating somewhere between fabulous Disney-esque musical theatre and the original source material.

Those who know the play will have a lot of fun figuring out how the original play's cast got translated into "Gnomeo's" garden gnomes world, though they may miss some of the specific details that get glossed over in the effort to make the originally rated-R plot of Shakepeare's work more PG - and more accessible to modern kids.

And yet... the impulse remains. It's a bright and charming children's movie with a few pop culture references, but it's still a Romeo and Juliet remake.

This can't end well, you'll tell yourself. These two lovebirds have got to die somehow.

"Gnomeo and Juliet" is so self-aware, however, that it almost feels like it's cheating. Just think: if Othello had access to a copy of his own play's Cliff's Notes, the play would take a lot less than two hours to get through, Iago would be dead, and Ophelia wouldn't be such dire need of a sassy gay friend on YouTube.

The thing is, I'm okay with that. Dramatic irony is when the audience knows something the characters don't - it's the thing that makes you want to shout at the stage, the thing that makes you want to stop these guys from doing something stupid you know is going to happen.

It's a kid's movie. Let them have their fun.

FINAL VERDICT: "Gnomeo and Juliet" is Elton John's way of making the classic Shakespeare play work for the younger set. Strict purists may not enjoy the reinterpretation, but it isn't for them, now, is it? A-

SUNDAY SPECIAL: The Winners and Losers of the Super Bowl XLV Ad Wars

by Chris Mikesell

If you weren't one of the estimated 100 million people worldwide watching Super Bowl XLV live today, you might want to do some catching up as far as the ads were concerned, if only so you'll know what everyone will be talking about tomorrow around the water cooler (or Twitter feed!)

LOSER: Groupon

Maybe coupon-deal site Groupon is feeling big ever since it got a buyout offer from Google and decided they could afford to refuse it. Hey, if you can afford to blow off a company as big as Google, you can do anything, right?

That seems to be the reasoning behind this ad which, though hilariously narrated, is drawing an immediate backlash from the Twitter community.

But at least one survey by the Huffington Post seems to suggest that only half of the people who watched the ad found it to be patently offensive.

Some tweets even suggest that the folks who were offended by the ad were probably missing the point.

The appropriateness of the ad can be debated, but if Groupon's goal was to get people talking about it, then mission accomplished. Though, the Groupon ads that aired during the pregame shows would probably offend the same people who were offended by the Tibet ad:

What critics of Groupon's ad campaign may not know, however, is that Groupon was actually trying to help solve the problems these actors are talking about.

The website for Groupon's Super Bowl XLV ads pairs each video with a donate button that allows visitors to make a donation to the cause mentioned in the commercial and get a Groupon credit for the same amount, basically allowing people to buy their coupon product and donate to a good cause at the same time.


It seems however, that Groupon's ads have backfired - partly because the LivingSocial rival didn't do a good enough joke making sure people understood that the humor was for a purpose (laugh at this joke, buy Groupon, help to save Tibet, everybody wins, right?)

Let's hope Groupon learns its lesson before they air their Sheryl Crow ad.

Looking for the winners of tonight's big ad blitz? Check out their videos after the jump.

Take a stand for your health (a food stand, that is)

 Story and Photo Essay by Doyle Moeller

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

Dave Wikinson, UH alumni, ponders a purchase at Bale's baked goods tent
Friday. The tent is open from 7 A.M. to 1 P.M. Tuesdays and Fridays.

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

Bale hosts a baked goods tent sale Tuesday and Friday
from 7 A.M. to 1 P.M. in front of Ka Leo's office in
Hemingway Hall. They offer a variety of
baked goods for a decent price.

Behold the College Student: a specimen often suffering from poor nutrition.

The food typically inflicted on students is either tasteless or slathered in cheese and grease, but fortunately for those of us who actually like our taste buds and our bodies, we have Ba-Le’s bread stand and the Farmer’s Market.

Ba-Le hosts a baked goods stand on Tuesdays and Fridays on the makai side of Hemenway Hall that offers a variety of baked goods and treats, including six different kinds of locally baked baguettes and bagels, to a dozen varieties of sweeter treats like cinnamon rolls and trail mix, and at least eight different kinds of loaves.

Most of their prices are below five dollars, with their baguettes going for two dollars – leaving you with plenty of dough in your wallet.

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

In addition to bread, Bale’s tent sale offers a variety
of sweeter treats, such as granola and trail mix.

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

The Farmer's Market tries to keep its food as local as
possible; only shipping in products that cannot be
grown in Hawaii. The farmers market is at the base
of the Campus Center stairs (by Jamba Juice)
Tuesdays and Fridays from 7:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M.

The Farmer’s Market is just down the walkway near the makai entrance of Campus Center. Displaced from their former location next to the ATMs by the Campus Center renovations, they set up shop twice a week on Tuesdays and Fridays between 7:30 and 2:30 pm.

The market, run by Souane Farms, is a family-owned and operated business that has several locations across the state in places like Kapiolani Community College and Manoa Marketplace.     

Walking around the Farmer’s Market, you are bound to notice an abundance of organic and locally grown produce. Keo Oulayrack, manager of the farmer’s market, wants to keep it that way.
 
“We try to grow (our products) as organic as possible,” says Oulayrack. That means bugs, fungus and rot are some of the things that can be obstacles to growing good produce, she says. “It’s hard. If there’s too much rain, or too little, our crops die.”

Oulayrack also says that their stand is a true Farmer’s Market, where the people who grow the food are also the ones selling it. The business is not only a traditional family business, she says, but it’s also as local as possible.

“We don’t hire outsiders, but we’re always looking for volunteers,” says Oulayrack.

Keo says that her father, Mr. Oulayrack, founded Souan Farms 25 or 30 years ago. She says the business has been in her family “since I was a little girl.”

Mr. Oulayrack is now retired, but still helps out around the farm when he can.

“It’s a family business, everyone helps each other out,” says the younger Oulayrack.

Souan Farms, their family farm, is located in the Kahuku Valley, behind Kahuku Hospital. The farm supplies fruit and vegetables for several family stands. When the family is unable to provide enough produce for the markets, or sell more product than they expected, they try to buy from neighboring farms instead of importing from the mainland.

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

Manager Keo Oulayrack says that their stand is a real
Farmer's Market. "As much as we can, we try to grow
the food we sell ourselves, or buy from our neighbors."

Their 13-acre farm, located in the Kahuku valley,
provides fruit for several Farmer's Market stands
across the island.

Keo’s business plan is pretty simple.

“We try to keep it as local as we can,” she says. “People are more aware of what they eat now, so we try to provide the best food we can.”

doyle moeller / KA LAMAKUA

In addition to the standard fare, the Farmer’s Market offers alternative fruits
and vegetables including three varieties of mushrooms.

The stand offers fresh fruit and vegetables twice a week.

Cinematografia @ Mark's Garage

courtesy silvana alfonso /
CINEMATOGRAFIA

If a night of Italian food and film sounds like your kind of night, Cinematografia @ Mark's Garage is the place to be next week Friday.

Cinematografia's film selection this month is "Un Giorno Perfetto" (A Perfect Day) by director Ferzan Ozpetek, starring Isabella Ferrari and Valerio Mastandreais, shown with English subtitles.

After the film will be a tasting of traditional Italian dishes, along with a wine bar featuring a selection of wines from northern Italy for $6 a glass.

Tickets are $15, or buy tickets for a group of four in advance for $50.

Reservations are reccommended for the post-film wine and food tasting - contact Silvana Alfonso at alfonsosilvana1@gmail.com or call (808) 222-2642 for reservations.

Minecraft: Manifest Destiny in Block Form

Photos and Review by Chris Mikesell

Minecraft, a game developed by Markus Persson (a.k.a. “Notch”) is quickly becoming the darling of the indie gaming world even though, strictly speaking, it’s still a game in the very loosest sense of the word. As far as sandboxes go, this is about as sandbox as it gets.

chris mikesell / KA LAMAKUA

MINECRAFT

www.minecraft.net

14.95 euros (About $20)

The world of Minecraft is an infinitely-expanding, randomly
generated landscape with six different types of biomes, each
with its own unique ecology, resources, and topography. No
two Minecraft worlds are ever alike. 

The goal of Minecraft is simply to survive, though how you go about it largely depends on what level of survival you are willing to accept.

You want to live in a freshly dug hole in the ground, only venturing out to hunt for food? You can do that in Minecraft. You want to dig deep into the earth and hunt for treasure and resources? You can do that too. Looking to fight monsters? Monsters are as plentiful (at least at night) as you want to make them, ranging from “none” on Minecraft’s “Peaceful” difficulty setting to “OMG OMG OMG there’s a horde of exploding monsters chasing me” in its hardest setting.

The experience you get out of Minecraft depends entirely on what you put into it. Much like the experience one would get playing with LEGOs, the possibilities in Minecraft are limited only by your imagination.

The mechanics are easy to grasp: gather blocks by breaking them, and use the blocks you’ve gathered either to build structures or to craft more effective tools you can use to break more blocks with.

Or armor. Or buckets for carrying lava. Or cakes. The crafting system, while easy to use once you get the hang of it, is not really explained at all in-game. Nor are the monsters, block properties, or even your single main objective to survive (Hint: Torches made from Coal and Charcoal are your best friends on your first day in Minecraft.) The game is still in its beta, but even so, the game will still feel incomplete without any sort of tutorial to guide players along.

chris mikesell / KA LAMAKUA

Minecraft players use the resources they gather to make their
homes as expansive - or deep - as they please, though it's
critical to keep light sources around at all times to prevent
monsters from appearing at night.

Curious (or frustrated) Minecrafters need only to point their browsers to the Minecraft Wiki, however, to learn the intricacies of the game’s building blocks.

The sound direction for the game is as minimalistic as its graphics – the music, by C418, doesn’t blare at you constantly but rather swells up occasionally to add to the dramatic solitude of Minecraft’s blocky world. It’s you against the elements (or blocks, rather) and you’re surviving somehow. You never get over the feeling (playing singleplayer Minecraft, at least, though there are multiplayer servers) that you are alone in the blocky wilderness.

All these elements combined make for gameplay that is simple yet addictive. You can end up losing yourself quite literally in Minecraft’s randomly generated biomes. The first time I played the game nearly two months ago, I signed on and before I knew it, it appeared my clock had gone backwards by half an hour, only to discover upon looking up that it was now night and I had actually lost almost twelve hours of my life to my virgin playthrough.

Though, with a (one-time!) price of 14.95 euros / about $20 for the beta, which includes all future updates, Minecraft may be a habit that those playing subscription-based games like WoW can live with.