• Your one stop for college news and resources!

Reka Forgach

Full Moon 2013 has everyone’s eyes on the skies

Full Moon 2013 arrives today and according to the Farmer’s Almanac it will be a “snow moon.”  What does this mean? Full moon 2013 the almanac states, comes as “the heaviest snow usually falls…so native tribes of the north and east most often called February’s full Moon the Full Snow Moon.  Some tribes also referred to this moon as the Full Hunger Moon, since harsh weather conditions in their areas made hunting very difficult.” 

February’s Full Moon 2013 will become visible at 3:26 pm EST, although the total Full Moon 2013 will not be readily visible until the moonrise at 6:26 pm.  Lucky ocean voyagers may catch a beautiful show earlier on the in the night if Full Moon 2013 is not obscured by rain clouds over the Atlantic Ocean. 

Full Moon 2013 also brings along with it a 3.5 foot high tide that will occur at 7:30 pm EST, a perk that surfers, fishers and beach walking romantics alike should take into account and definitely take advantage of.

From earthling’s perspectives, Full Moon 2013 will be directly opposite the sun during its preliminary afternoon to evening appearance.  Scientists will also air a live webcast of Full Moon 2013 from the Slooh Space Camera, as they observe the lunar phenomenon from an observatory in the Canary Islands.  Astrology aficionados and lunar lovers can definitely get loony for a long night of moon watching.  This is the only night in the month when the moon is in the sky all night long!

Inocente makes Oscar history

Inocente is for the people, by the people

Inocente is the documentary short film about a 15-year-old homeless Californian who dreams of becoming an artist.  It is also an Oscar Award winner.  It is also the first such winning film piece to be funded by the public, that is, director Sean Fine raised money for post-production on crowdfunding site Kickstarter.  With the site’s help, Fine secured 294 backers pledging $52,527 to the film.

Inocente touches on immigration issues and certainly found backers with a direct interest in the subject, who know feel connected to the Oscar award winning piece like no other backers have before.  Inocente ““really helped galvanize the community and get the word out about the film, and it … kept us going basically through the post-production process,” Fine said, adding that he thinks Kickstarter a “great new outlet” for films, in particular documentaries.

Kickstarter released that since its launch in 2009 more than $102m has been pledged to independent film projects, including “Kings Point” which was also nominated at the Awards ceremony. 

In real life, Inocente is no longer undocumented, and supports herself by selling her own artwork in Los Angeles.  “I got a visa, so I’m in the United States legally now. In a few years, I can apply for my green card. I want to put a face to all the issues going on and be a voice for people who don’t have one. I want to inspire people and show them that life does get better,” Inocente told Teen Vogue.  Inocente and her Kickstarter backers will continue to watch the success and popularity of Fine’s film with a much more personal interest than any such documentary has enjoyed before.

Jennifer Lawrence knocks down steep competition for an Oscar

Jennifer Lawrence takes names and tumbles on her way to gold

Jennifer Lawrence got her first Oscar for her role as Tiffany, a young widow, in “Silver Linings Playbook.”  Starring opposite Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence played a radically different role from the Katniss Everdeen her fans know and love, the other character for which she has received an Oscar nomination.

Jennifer Lawrence was one of a total eight Oscan nominations “Silver Linings Playbook” received during Sunday night’s ceremonies.  Other nominations included Cooper for lead actor, Jacki Weaver for supporting actress and Robert De Niro for supprting actor. 

Jennifer Lawrence worked hard for her little gold man.  Other big name actresses that competed for the honor were Jessica Chastain in “Zero Dark Thirty,” Emmanuelle Rive in “Amour,” Naomi Watts in “The Impossible” and Quvenzhane Wallis in “Beasts of the Southern Wild.” 

Notable moments during Jennifer Lawrence’s acceptance were her high hopes to forward mental health healing efforts and her crowd cringing “oops” moment on the way to her award.  Jennifer Lawrence took a pretty big tumble on the way up to the stairs, a stutter she attributed to her beautiful blush Dior gown.  She handled the fall gracefully, joking afterwards, “What do you mean what happened? Look at my dress! I tried to walk upstairs in this dress, that’s what happened! I stepped on the fabric, and I think they wax the stairs.”  As for mental health, the cheerful and altruistic Jennifer Lawrence remarked in connection with “Silver Linings,” “I don’t think we’re going to stop until we get rid of the stigma for mental illness. I know David won’t. And I hope that this helps. It’s so bizarre how in this world, if you have asthma, you take asthma medicine; if you have diabetes, you take diabetes medicine; but as soon as you have to take medication for your mind, there’s such a stigma behind it.”

Sapelo Island slammed with taxes

Hog Hammock community residents are a living piece of history answering the threat of relocation

Sapelo Island is a historic island located off the southeastern Georgia coast—less Martha’s Vineyard and more down home year-round style, residents of Sapelo Island trace their roots generations back to the slave descendants that settled there since the Civil War ended.  Located on Sapelo Island is a tiny community called Hog Hammock, where about 60 members are fighting a 300% tax increase on their properties.  The residents were naturally appalled, and the fight is under way.  Sapelo Island’s main defense rests in the preservation of the last Gullah-Geechee community in the south.

Sapelo Island and its residents breathed a brief sigh of relief as the Georgia Senate awarded the tiny island a temporary reprieve from the tax increase.  The Gullahs, or Gullah-Geechees, most of whom live on tiny plots of land in motor homes, feared that they would be driven from their historic home on the island.  As the Creole-speaking descendants of African slaves, their lives have been entrenched there for more than two centuries.

While McIntosh County officials maintained that the land has long been undervalued and ordered a reassessment, several independent tax assessors have pointed out a unique clause in the county ordinance on the development of Sapelo Island.  The ordinance prohibits clearly any “land value increases which could force removal of the indigenous population.”

Sapelo Island is a living and breathing piece of history that faces a quick and swift removal if the new tax assessment in August repeats the current hike.  The 50-person community that inhabits the 400-acre island would most likely be forced to sell their property to developers, and leave the island to turn into a classic Southern resort town a la Hilton Head.  For now, Sapelo Island residents and their backers are digging in to fight the good fight, and try to “save a piece of history.”

Christopher Dorner is slain and his pictures are up for sale

The cop killer is dead but still worth money

Christopher Dorner has been the target of the most expensive LAPD manhunt in the local history of the force.  The ex-marine was on the run after killing three people, including a police officer.  Christopher Dorner wrote a manifesto that explained his rampage as a vengeful spree, and the LAPD offered $1 million to a successful tip on his whereabouts. 

In a shootout on February 12, Christopher Dorner ended his life and the subsequent all-consuming fire that enveloped his cabin burned most of his body.  Forensic experts had to use dental records to confirm that the fugitive was, indeed Christopher Dorner.  Now, pictures from the scene are for sale, but strangely enough, there don’t seem to be any takers.

Sellers showed up at TMZ’s door hawking pics of Christopher Dorner’s dismembered body—headless and generally limbless.  It’s probably easier to describe which parts of Christopher Dorner were not obliterated; eyeballs, chest area and genitalia.  The sellers of the photos remain unidentified, but they seem pretty adamant in getting some cash for their fleshy photos.  TMZ was apparently non-plussed; disgusted they turned the pictures away, and then shamelessly used the news for a scandalous blog post anyway.

So there you have it folks.  Christopher Dorner photos are out there for the acquiring to any of you sick Satanists out there, it’s only a matter of getting dressed up as a TMZ employee to get your sticky little fingers on the latest bloody baggage. Ugh. At least Riverside can rest assured that the cop-killer is definitely dead.

Mindy McCready’s young children face uncertainty

The singer’s suicide raises question about who will get custody of Mindy McCready’s children

Mindy McReady was known to all as a popular country music star, and known to two young boys simply as “mom”—but with the singer’s unexpected death from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, the fate of youngsters Zander and Zayne remains uncertain. 

Mindy McReady’s boys were already taken away from the singer, before she committed suicide.  On Sunday, the kids were placed into foster care while Mindy McReady herself entered court-ordered rehab.  Mindy McReady’s father, Tim McCready, filed papers alleging that the singer was not fit to care for her children, an issue that was on Mindy McCready’s mind up until the day of her death.  In an email to private investigator Danno Hanks, she wrote, “the most important thing are my babies must come home.”  Mindy McCready feared permanently losing custody of her two children.

The kids’ father and Mindy McCready’s ex, Billy McKnight, also worried about the couple’s children.  On Zander, McKnight remarked, “He has had a rough first six years. He deserves better than this and my heart is broken for him right now. I’m very worried.”  The children previously lived through the suicide of Mindy McCready’s current boyfriend a month prior, and their home living conditions were reported as filthy and full of garbage. 

Fellow country singers are speaking out and offering McCondolences to Mindy McCready’s family, lamenting the McLoss of a soaring talent and a mother.  As for the kids, Mindy McCready’s mother may be a possible McCandidate to step in to care for them.  The Department of Human Services sent a letter to one of the circuit judges requesting the Inges retain custody of the children.

Jodi Arias takes the stand for the eighth day of her bloody testimony

Jodi Arias faces the death penalty if she is found guilty

Jodi Arias is the center of activity around the bombshell murder trial in Phoenix, Arizona that is exploding news and minds as details of the murder events are retold by the defendant.  Jodi Arias shot and stabbed on-again off-again Mormon boyfriend Travis Alexander’s death and could face the death penalty if she is indeed convicted of first-degree murder.

Jodi Arias has stood on trial for over a week now, repeating her personal recollection of the event over and over.  Apparently, Jodi Arias was taking nude pictures with Alexander, who lost his tenuous grasp on his temper when she dropped his Olympus camera on the floor.  The two tussled, and Jodi Arias ran to retrieve his gun from the study, in order to stave him off with a simple threat.  Unfortunately, the enraged Alexander went on to tackle her, and she shot blindly, killing him.

As for the stabbings and grand finale throat slitting?  Jodi Arias testified that she simply can’t remember.  On stand she swore, “I have no memory of stabbing him.  There’s a huge gap. I don’t know if I blacked out or what, but there’s a huge gap. The most clear memory I have after that point is driving in the desert.”

Jodi Arias’ defense lies in her testifying that the killing was in self-defense, while the prosecution alleges that Jodi Arias killed Alexander in a jealous rage, after finding out that he was taking a trip with another girl.  Her earlier words, “No jury would ever convict” her of murdering Alexander, stem from the fact that Jodi Arias planned to commit suicide after the crime was done.  Jodi Arias has later went on to say that “those are probably the most bitter words I’ll ever eat.”

Google Glass gets in your face with smart-eyewear

Let your eyes do the talking with Google’s latest tech gadget

Google glass has been tantalizing technology geeks for almost a year now, with hints and dribbles of the search engine czar’s latest toy.  As of today, Google glass has quenched a good amount of curiosity by finally providing film footage and photos of what it’s like to use Glass—but it’s also got everyone absolutely itching for the drop date.

For those unfamiliar with the latest in high-tech gadgetry, Google glass is basically a pair of frames that holds a small voice-activated and gadget pumped screen (viewable via a mirrored glass block) in front of your eyes.  The main advertised functions of Google glass include a strong variety of your classic smartphone capabilities—once engaged with the simple phrase “OK, Glass,” users can take pictures at given intervals (like, every 5 seconds, if that’s what you’re into), look up Google answers (fully replacing any remaining need for short-term memory), set and review reminders, and share news and internet tidbits via messaging or Google+ Hangout.

The official Google Glass website provides droolers with a video from the user’s perspective—pilots, artists, parents and hang gliders all manage to simultaenously keep the glasses on their face and record their adorable or daring moments to share immediately with friends and family.  Google Glass is cutting edge in technology, and totally capitalizes on the internet information sharing compulsion that pretty much rules current gadget and app popularity. 

Intrigued?  Google glass has set up its own Twitter competition to encourage the world to help advertise their project.  Think you’ve got a cool new Google Glass function that no one has thought of?  Chances are you don’t.  But just in case you do, Google glass has invited you to share on Google+ and Twitter your thoughts in 50 words or less before Feb. 27.  Include the #ifihadglass hashtag (this writer is unsure if that phrase is redundant) and Google just might pick you!  

Pick you for what? Is your next question.  In its magnanimity, Google Glass has issued a call for “bold, creative individuals who want to join us and be a part of shaping the future of Glass.”  Provided you are all of these things, you will be offered the chance to pre-order the beta version of the Glasses for a meager $1,500.  Congrats! Hopefully you are either in San Francisco, Los Angeles, or New York to pick up your testing product as well, for such goods don’t fly.  Literally.  Let the race begin!

Storage Wars brings drama on and off screen

Storage Wars star Mike Balelo’s death is ruled a suicide

Storage Wars participant Mark Balelo made headlines last week, after the 40-year-old star was found dead in his apartment.  Balelo was one of the “deep-pocket” spenders on the popular reality TV show Storage Wars, where competitors bid on items from expired rent lockers, hoping to strike gold in the gutter.  Balelo was a natural on Storage Wars, with brazen attitude, flamboyant styles, and never less than $50,000 cash at each auction.

Unfortunately, the Storage Wars auction star’s body was found in his Simi Valley, California home, and it has since been confirmed that his death was a suicide.  Balelo died of carbon monoxide poisoning.  Storage Wars took a dark turn as a show favorite sat in his car and left it running 2 days after he was arrested for drugs.

Both Storage Wars and its network A&E declined to comment on the death of Balelo.  The family has cremated his ashes, and are now intent on finding an appropriate burial place to place Balelo’s remains after the funeral. 

Balelo was definitely battling some demons before his death, and not all of the answers could be found in a Storage Wars acquisition, or auction win.  Two days before his suicide, he was arrested for possession and consumption of methamphetamine.  The story is further complicated by the fact that the Storage Wars celebrity was engaged.  His fiancé, Elizabeth Metzidis reached out to fans on Facebook with the following message, “Thank you to everyone for all your thoughts and kind words. Mark lived for his friends and family and would so appreciate everyone here for their love. We are truly and completely devastated by this. Mark was everything. EM.”

Bonnaroo Festival rounds up the Big Three

North America’s biggest music festival brings the fire

Bonnaroo Festival is the largest party in North America.  Literally.  Every year 100,000+ music lovers, festival enthusiasts and raveheads pack the 750-acre home of Bonnaroo Music Festival, for four days of tunes, tales and debauchery.  Since it’s inception in 2002, Bonnaroo has grown upward and outward, pumping $20 million a year into the Tennessee local’s economy, and every year upping the ante by bringing you the biggest names in the business.

This year, Bonnaroo certainly did not disappoint the crowd with its powerhouse line-up.  Headliners Paul McCartney, Bjork and Mumford & Sons are certain to bring the fire and have the festival sold-out within hours, if not minutes.  “Top to bottom, this is one of the strongest lineups we have ever had,” Bonnaroo spokesman Jeff Cuellar said in an interview. “Looking at the festival landscape out there … no other American festival has Mumford & Sons, Paul McCartney and Bjork all under one roof.”

Tickets for Bonnaroo Music Festival are on-line on Saturday, February 23rd, and will undoubtedly quickly become a hot commodity as eager beavers swamp the server and clear out face value tickets.  As popular as festivals have gotten over the past couple of years, it pays to be on your game and buy admission pronto.  

Bonnaroo itself is a welcome, “grassroots” style alternative to the chic Coachella pre- and post- festivities.  While both festivals boast the biggest amount of festival attendees, they each offer a specific type of flair for the modern festival go-er…Do your research and get your tickets in gear, the festival season has just begun!