Summer Girls Guide to Summer

Sitting in the last final after hours of studying in the library you get a sudden push of excitement go through your body as you finish the last question and hand in your paper, it is now officially summer.
As summer comes, so does the job but there is always time to fit in that much needed fun after the stressful year. The question is, what is there to do for a gal to make the summer of 2008 a good one.
Movies are always popular during the summer. Mix up your movie nights by going to the drive-in movie with a bunch of friends. Bring pillows and blankets to through in the back so everyone can lie around while watching the movie. Lying in the back with a bunch of friends and pillows while eating junk food is always fun.

SUMMER MOVIES:
What Happen in Vegas Incredible Hulk
Indiana Jones Get Smart
Sex and the City Step Brothers
Dark Knight Love Guru
Mamma Mia! Sisters of the Traveling Pants 2
Accidental Husbanc




What is a summer girl without the look that she needs. Some of the important
things to have this summer is big sunglasses, lots of sun tan lotion, big purses, and a great swim suite. Summer dresses will be big this summer, don’t be afraid of bright colors. The vintage high-wasted jeans will be popular along with the usual shorts and skirts. Some of the popular looks that will be found will be the bohemian look and also Retro style. There will be a lot of animal prints out this summer as well.

There is always that one summer song that will always take you back to the good memories of that summer. .

SUMMER CDs

barenaked ladies 100 years Scarlett Johanson Usher Journey

N.E.R.D. Cold Play Weezer three 6 Mafia John Mellencamp

Motley Crue Queen& Paul Rodgers Nelly lil Wayne

While on the college budget you need to find other fun activities to do with your girlfriends. For an easy weekend getaway, going camping or trip to the city or beach for a few days are always popular. Some other activities to do on those summer days and nights can be building a bonfire, shopping, spa days, pool time, bike riding, reading, having creative themed nights with your friends..
The time is now, start the summer right and make it one you will never forget.

Confessions of a (desperate) Shopaholic

Indiana is a simple town, home to the Jimmy Stewart museum, and of course, IUP. Indiana is not very commercialized, but is full of original bars and restaurants.
For example The Coney, and Culpeppers, and Benjamin’s are all bars and restaurants that fill up Philadelphia Street.
The mall, although not on Philly Street, is also not very commercialized, which can be a problem for many people.
Indiana Mall is about a mile and a half from IUP. The main population of students is from or near cities such as Pittsburgh or Philadelphia which are both homes to malls such as King of Prussia, Monroeville Mall, Waterfront and South Hills Village.
All of these malls have at least 30 stores in each wing, where Indiana has only about 30 stores in the entire facility.
No complaining will make the mall better, but there have been new additions to the mall. Many stores that are frequent in most malls are Forever 21, BeBe, Arden B and Wet Seal. All four of these stores always have sales, and can satisfy nearly and shopper with any style.
If you can’t be without your Forever 21, BeBe, Arden B and Wet Seal, it’s time for a shopaholic roadtrip. What shopaholic doesn’t love jumping into a car with a bunch of girls, driving, singing loudly and gossiping, then shopping, and then heading back home?
And, of course, some guys won’t like to admit they enjoy going to malls and shopping, but mall are also a great place to meet girls and they always have places to eat.
When you’re stuck without anything to do for the day and want some excitement, a roadtrip is always fun change in atmosphere.

The closest mall to Indiana with a full selection of almost any clothing store is an hour away, which is Monroeville Mall. Monroeville has more than 100 stores, and at least 15 places to eat.
That way, if you make the road trip you can shop till you drop, then eat! If you want to make your road trip a little longer, other possibilities are South Side Works, an hour and 15 minutes away, and South Hills Village, an hour and a half away.
Sara DiPaola, a senior, majoring in Communications, said she likes "Ross Park Mall, just because it is so close to my hometown, but if I had to pick one mall that was my favorite, I’d be Pittsburgh Mills."
If you don’t have a car, or you would just rather spend the gas money on more clothes, there
is another option: online shopping. Even though you can’t try on the clothes, if you are as dedicated as a lot of shoppers, you already know your sizes. What is also positive with this idea is that nearly every store has online shopping. Also, if you buy enough, shipping and handling is usually free.
Alex Gruber, a sophomore majoring in Marketing, was asked if he could pick one store to be added to the Indiana Mall, what it would be.
"I would really like it if there was an Express or Banana Republic, because there isn’t really anywhere I can get nice jeans and shirts that fit me right," stated Gruber.
Not all guys are concerned with being able to buy jeans or shirts that fit them, but hey, everyone has their own opinion when it comes to shopping.
Guys and girls are always going to have their different opinions on what malls they like to shop at, and what stores they prefer. Not all malls can please everyone, and as a lot of IUP students know, many people can learn to adjust.
No student stays inside because there isn’t a fancy dance club or an extravagant mall. People up here will go anywhere to have a good time.
Even though the Indiana Mall isn’t a Mall of America, it is still nice to be able to have shopping close by. There are other ways to get to the stores that you desire, and if you are desperate enough, you will find away!

How Much Is That Doggie In The Window?

Hines is a homeless puppy.

He’s an 18 week old black Labrador retriever mix who lives in a small cage. He doesn’t have the luxury of running freely outside when he wants to.

He doesn’t have an owner or anyone to love him.

He isn’t a “man’s best friend”.

The only company Hines knows is the other barking dogs in the cages around him.Hines’s brother, Duncan, was one of the lucky ones. A week earlier, he was adopted. The people took his brother away and left Hines alone without a friend.

This is the life of a puppy in the Humane Shelter. This is a life that many animals who are just like Hines share.

Many dogs like Hines live at Four Footed Friends, a local no-kill shelter that gives temporary homes to dogs and cats.

The Four Footed Friends organization (FFF) began in March of 1982 in Blairsville, Pa.

It originally only kept cats. They were located in a trailer because of small funding, until finally they expanded.

The Four Footed Friends shelter takes pride in the way they treat their animals.

Each dog has their own large cage with volunteers constantly checking the water supply and food supply and keeping the cages clean.

The cats have an enormous room complete with scratching posts, chairs, beds and even a television playing The Lion King.

FFF is a no-kill shelter, which means they will keep their animals until they are adopted.

The Humane Society unfortunately does not have the room to do this or the funds.

The Humane Society is funded by the county. They are required to take in every dog they find, averaging to about 15 to 20 dogs per week.

“They used to do it that if a dog wasn’t adopted within three days, they would euthanize him,” says Connie Cramer, a manager of FFF. “Now, they only euthanize 80 percent. And that’s because the dogs are sick and could infect other dogs or they’ve gotten hit by a car and there isn’t anything left to do.”

The prices in FFF and the Humane Society are more affordable and reasonable than most pet stores, says Cramer.

The adoption fee for cats is 80 dollars and the fee for dogs is 100 dollars.

Most of these animals have been spayed or neutered and most have received their shots.

Many of these dogs are also already housebroken.

“People usually do not want to adopt because they want a certain kind of dog,” Cramer says. “Most people want purebreds, but they don’t realize that many shelters in fact do have these purebreds.”

So far in 2008, FFF in Indiana has given homes to 97 dogs. Since FFF was founded, they have given homes to nearly 2,700 dogs and cats.

Hines has a dream to be apart of that number.

For information on how to adopt Hines or any of his friends, please visit:

Indiana County Humane Society

Four Footed Friends

Xbox 360 and You: A Newbie's Guide to Buying a Next-generation Console

Everyone has bought something they have deemed expensive; here is how to get the best bang for your buck when purchasing an Xbox 360 with variety to boot. This list comprises the top 10 best rated Xbox 360 games (according to gamespot.com) with game genre variety taken into consideration.

10. Dead or Alive 4- Considered to be the best fighting game released for the Xbox 360 (according to reviews) thus far, and also the first fighting game for the console, Dead or Alive 4 features fast and furious combat while including a large selection of characters to play as and the ability to play both against your friends/the computer offline and over the internet via Xbox Live. For more information visit http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/deadoralive4/review.html?sid=6141693 Rated 8.8/10

9. Bioshock - A critically acclaimed game that has won a multitude of awards, Bioshock is a first person shooting game that throws the player into a vast, decrepit underwater city known as Rapture trying to unravel the situation you are forced into. Bioshock is a single player game that features many customization options to ensure that every new game is a different experience, and is said to feature a compelling storyline to suck the player into the role of the main character. For more information visit http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/bioshock/review.html?sid=6176947

Rated 9.0/10

8. Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords – Released over Microsoft’s Xbox Live service for download, Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords is a puzzle game with a Role Playing Game(RPG) twist, making an interesting hybrid game that delivers on both ends. Featuring online play as well as a vast single player experience, Puzzle Quest is considered the best puzzle game released on the system so far and builds upon a solid puzzle mechanic with a compelling RPG storyline. For more information visit http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/puzzle/puzzlequestchallenge/review.html?sid=6180836 Rated 9.0/10
7. Assassin’s Creed – Assassin’s Creed places you in the shoes of an assassin named Altair, exploring 12th century locations like Jerusalem and Damascus while trying to unravel a mystery. The game is a third person action-adventure known for its vast, beautifully detailed environments, fun combat and variety of game style’s blended into one fulfilling to play and captivating to finish experience. For more information visit http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/assassinscreed/review.html?sid=6182793 Rated 9.0/10

6. Rock Band- The first home rhythm game to feature the combination of drums, guitar, bass and a microphone, Rock Band is an experience created for having some friends over for a good time. Featuring over 40 songs initially, and offering a vast online library of pay per download songs to add to its collection, Rock Band is a game that features an ever expanding variety of new content to indulge in, and a value that will prove itself to not only the lone player, but to anyone who likes to get together with their friends and have everyone involved in the fun. For more information visit http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/puzzle/rockband/review.html?sid=6183204 Rated 9.0/10

5. Forza Motorsport 2- Forza Motorsport 2 is a racing game that offers a challenging, yet appealing time to the player, regardless of skill level. Featuring a plethora of customization options, consistent action that doesn’t slow down or stutter, and over 300 cars from 50 major manufacturers, Forza 2 features everything a racing fan could want and enough to draw in new recruits to the genre. For more information visit http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/driving/forzamotorsport2/review.html?sid=6171672 Rated 9.2/10

4. Halo 3- Halo 3 is known as a system seller, or a game that people will purchase a console just to play. Available only on Xbox 360, Halo 3 is a first person shooter that refines and builds upon a sturdy, well constructed game series from the original Xbox, offering a multitude of ways to play. From a rabid online fan base to the games campaign (culminating the Halo trilogy’s storyline), Halo 3 offers something for everyone who like first person shooters. Downloadable content is regularly being added, and considering every mode is playable online, Halo 3 is an experience that shouldn’t be missed. For more information visit http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/halo3/review.html?sid=6179646 Rated 9.5/10

3. The Orange Box- The Orange Box is a collection of five games featuring the latest releases from the Half Life universe (a series of first person shooters originating from the PC). Offering Half Life 2, Half Life 2 Episode 1 and 2, Team Fortress Classic 2 and Portal, this variety pack offers a large amount of content for the price of a single 360 game. Each game is a well designed romp with realistic physics effects being the main draw, adding something to the combat (the exception being Portal, which is a first person puzzle game featuring heavy use of physics). For the price, The Orange Box delivers an excessive amount of content that few would argue with. For more information visit http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/halflife2episode2/review.html?sid=6180714 Rated 9.5/10

2. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion- Most role playing games (RPG’s) deliver a respectable amount of content to consume the player’s time, but when regarding The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, the amount of content offered is simply staggering. The game plays out similar to a first person shooter, but with a fantasy theme that lets you assume any role you’d like and gives the player the ability to do essentially anything, from being a knight in shining armor to a powerful wizard or even a shadowy thief or assassin. Over a hundred hours of game play await, and multiple downloadable content add-ons only expand a world that very well may consume the player if they choose to delve into the many options. For more information visit http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/rpg/theelderscrollsivoblivion/review.html?sid=6146657
Rated 9.6/10

1. Gears of War- Gears of War was hyped as one of the most anticipated new franchises for the next generation consoles, unique to the Xbox 360. Gears of War was universally well received by critics and gamers alike due to its third person shooting design that featured a redesign of an old videogame staple, the duck and cover shooting mechanic. As one of the Xbox 360’s most hyped releases, Gears of War is said to have delivered due to its impressive graphical capabilities and fun game design on top of its vast online competition. After the games release, two further games and movie plans were thrown into the works due to its popularity, as well as an adapted version for the PC. This is a game that everyone must simply try, with few having regrets. For more information visit http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/gearsofwar/review.html?sid=6161188 Rated 9.6/10

Sidebar Information (mini list)

Top 3 accessories every new 360 should consider investing in

1. Extra Controllers- Coming in both the wired and wireless variety, the Xbox 360 supports up to 4 controllers (2 wired controllers unless a four way adapter is purchased) and these greatly enhance the experience if only because they allow you to play with your friends at the same time in the same room instead of over the internet individually. A must buy if you plan on playing with others.

2. Xbox Live Gold Account- Xbox 360 comes with a free silver membership, allowing the user to download content to the 360’s hard drive. However, if you wish to play competitively over the internet, a gold membership is a must, and for the price of 59.99 for 12 months, it is an investment that that many would consider a worthy purchase.

3. Xbox 360 Play and Charge Kit- Do you love having wireless controllers but are tired of buying new batteries for them? The play and charge kit allows you to charge the controller by connecting it to the 360, and only one is needed to charge any number of rechargeable batteries purchased for the 360.

Sidebar information 2 (mini list)

Recommendations from Gamestop Employee Adam Kingley

1. Gears of War- Further re-iterating exactly how impressive of a release it is, considering how long ago it was released and still being recommended today.

2. Grand Theft Auto 4- one of the most anticipated releases ever, Grand Theft Auto 4 is being released for the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3, and each with unique downloadable content. GTA IV is set in an open world modeled after New York, and lets you live the life of a seedy criminal in a way that only the Grand Theft Auto series delivers.

3. Lost Odyssey- A newly released role playing game for the 360. Lost Odyssey delivers a refreshing new series and a storyline/combat mechanic that can suck in RPG fans everywhere.

Frisbee is a Sport

The IUP Innuendo after a fall 2007 tournament

Frisbee is a Sport

Huck.
Bid.

Hammer.
Cut.

Flick.

Stall.

Together, these words have no meaning unless you are standing on the sideline of an ultimate Frisbee game.

Shouts of

“no huck, no huck!”

or

“cut break side!”

fill your ears as you try to keep up with the intense, fast-paced sport.

Real ultimate Frisbee players don’t hesitate to “lay out” in the mud or jump over four defenders to reach the disc, and there are many moments when the co-ed ultimate Frisbee team of Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) sacrifices their bodies. They make these exciting plays not to please the crowd (because there usually isn’t one), but to give it their all each and every point.

Many students on campus only know the ultimate Frisbee team as “those kids that throw Frisbees in the Oak Grove,” but little do they know IUP Innuendo is a fast-growing team that plays several tournaments each semester against other schools. Innuendo is split into an ‘A’ squad and a ‘B’ squad and usually practice separately to get a feel for their teammate’s abilities on the field.

Daniel Esten, junior and member of the ‘A’ squad since fall 2005, gives the rules of the game in a nutshell:

1. “The game must be played seven-on-seven.


2. The defense pulls the disc (a kick-off) to the opposing team.


3. The receiving team must pass the disc between players until they reach the end zone.


4. Once a player has the disc, he/she cannot take any steps, and a pivot foot must be planted.


5. Ultimate is a non-contact support, but contact between players is sometimes inevitable.


6. Players call their own fowls and practice ‘the spirit of the game,’ having mutual respect between teams.”
   

There are no coaches, but rather, captains, usually a male and a female for each the ‘A’ team and ‘B’ team. And no, ultimate players don’t prance around barefooted, because in order to make hard cuts and sprints, cleats are essential.

IUP Innuendo, formerly known as The Fighting Squirrels, was established in 2003. Since then, the team has been steadily growing and has proved to be a team to be reckoned with. On April 19-20, Innuendo hosted a home tournament in which the ‘A’ squad won first place over eight other teams, and the ‘B’ squad ranked fifth, a great success for a team that has not played together very much this semester.

“It was good to play teams that we've played before and have had good spirit with. I don't know any of them too well since I'm a freshman, but I'm looking forward to playing them in more seasons,” says John Churan, member of the ‘A’ squad since fall 2007 who played for the ‘B’ team during the home tournament. “I think our ‘B’ team played well for not having too many people and not having much practice together as a unit. Getting 5th was the best that ‘B’ team has done all year in a tournament, and of course ‘A’ team did really well and won it all.”

Innuendo, like any other club recognized by the university, has an executive board made up of a president, vice president, treasurer, historian and secretary. The team holds meetings a few times each semester to discuss dues, tournaments, social events and other important matters.
The members of Innuendo are both teammates on the field and friends off the field.

“They are an easy group to get along with. It made it easy to be myself in a new school,”

says Erin Killoy, freshman and member of the ‘A’ squad since fall 2007.

The team is so close that a “Frisbee House” was established on Philadelphia Street in Indiana, Pa., in the fall of 2006 which has housed five rotating members of the team each subsequent semester. The “Frisbee House” is also the site for meetings and parties to celebrate the team’s successes after tournaments.

Innuendo also gets together for a Frisbee Formal at the end of each semester, held at the College Lodge in which Most Valuable Player, Rookie of the Semester and Most Spirited awards are given to a guy and a girl on each team. Everyone gets their own special award as well, which are usually silly and humorous.

“My freshman year, I received the 'Most Likely to be Mistaken for a Mexican' award; it was a great honor!” says Zack Wiley, junior and current ‘B’ team captain.

Innuendo practices every Tuesday and Thursday night and every Sunday afternoon if it is not a tournament weekend, on the field behind Miller Stadium.

So next time you see a group of Innuendos throwing around Frisbees in the Oak Grove, don’t just think of them as barefooted bums, give them the title that they truly deserve: athletes.

For more information on IUP Innuendo, visit the official website: http://www.iupultimate.com/.

So Young, Yet, So Accomplished

Mark Kephart with celebrity Jamie Lynn Spears.

Subtle vibrations. Calming, yet full of energy. Loud enough to catch your attention, but not loud enough to be annoying. The cars on Oakland Avenue steadily paced by as Spott’s Music Center new general manager, Mark Kephart, slashed prices on musical instruments.


Mark, who is only a mere 21 years of age, has started to take over his dad’s family-owned business in DuBois, Punxsutawney, and Indiana.

“Music has always been a part of a life,” Mark said, “never really paid attention to other subjects in school.”


Over the next 10 years, Mark would like to see Spott’s transform into a comfortable learning environment.

“I people to come hang out, maybe learn a thing or two,” Mark exclaimed.


He would like to create more music lessons, more types of lessons, and overall, “more geared to the education of music.”

However, Mark says it’s not only the increased level in music education that he wants to see.

“I want to build good relationships, because I naturally am a good guy and I care about people and their problems. Everyone has an interesting story,” Mark exclaimed.


Some may say Mark even has an interesting story to tell.


In June, Mark will be taking two weeks off to hit the road. He will be playing all over the country to promote his album, “Driving Songs to Fall Asleep To.” The album is indie/folk rock.

Everyone girl loves a rock star, right? Well ladies, Mark wants you to know one thing.

“I am extremely good looking…and single,” Mark said.

The Road to Peace Begins By Ending Poverty

“Men Anpil Chay Pa Lou!” – “The More Hands The Lighter The Load!”

Haiti. It is the western hemisphere’s poorest country. The average life expectancy is 57, AIDS is rampant and 80 percent of the population is below the poverty line. Haiti is also where IUP alumnus James Felter has spent the past three years performing humanitarian work to help alleviate and raise awareness of these devastating conditions.

Felter graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) in 1985 with a master’s degree in education. He acted as a teaching assistant providing technical training for faculty and students.

“Jim was always seen as a pure leader when he was at IUP. He was always helping people and had an up-beat and supportive personality,” says Dr. Richard Lamberski, professor of Communications Media.

Felter now has more than 25 years experience as a producer, editor and writer in television, feature film production and educational programming. He continues to do the majority of his work for The Discovery Channel, National Geographic Television and The History Channel. He has been internationally recognized for his technical innovation and storytelling. For the past five years, Felter has also produced NBC’s Hispanic Heritage Awards; it was while shooting a film for them that he made his first trip to Haiti.

Profoundly affected by Haiti’s extreme poverty, Felter was compelled to move from documenting the condition to actively trying to effect change. In 2005, he founded Vwa Ayiti, which in Kreyóle means “Voice of Haiti.” By establishing Vwa Ayiti, Felter was able to become a “hands-on” advocate and joined in the struggle for change.

Vwa Ayiti is a federally acknowledged 501 (c)-3 Corporation, funding and promoting sanitation, water purification and medical and educational initiatives throughout Haiti. In the past three years, Vwa Ayiti has become an umbrella organization uniting individuals, organizations, experts and resources that now help to meet the needs of thousands. Vwa Ayiti is a volunteer organization, with all monetary contributions going directly to the people of Haiti and their projects.

When questioned “What made you choose Haiti?” Felter responds, “Haiti chose me. I fell in love with Haiti the moment I set foot on the ground. Haiti’s culture, history and people captivated me. I could not accept such devastating poverty existing so close to our borders. I knew I could help raise awareness of the situation in Haiti through my media connections, and I then founded Vwa Ayiti as a charitable conduit to help provide aid.”

Felter continues, “There is no such thing as a typical day in Haiti. I often say that you can live an entire lifetime in the course of one day. Everyone is living so close to the edge that life takes on a different meaning. One thing is for sure, I am never alone because Vwa Ayiti is truly a grassroots organization. We have developed extremely close ties with the community. We are treated like family; I even have an adopted mother. We live, eat and work side by side with our extended Haitian family.”

“There were no toilets of any kind or clean running water in the villages where we were working. This had a devastating impact on the overall health of the community. We saw our friends and family being eaten alive by parasites and Ecol-i.”

In the Haitian villages of Labadi and Bod Me Linbe, projects began in December 2005 to deal with the complete lack of any sanitation systems, water purification and to begin bringing doctors and medical aid to the villages. Felter conducts training seminars within the communities, and he is proud to say that Vwa Ayiti’s Haitian counterparts are now managing all of these initiatives … a feat many said would be impossible.

“Witnessing and working with individuals who constantly rise above their desperate situation to affect change, I am blown away by the true courage and selflessness of the Haitians I work with,” Felter says.

In December 2007, Felter completed shooting his third feature film, “Ayiti Cherí” – “Haiti My Love.” Because Haiti has been isolated from the outside world, he believes that he has been able to capture amazing footage and has amassed a visually stunning anthropological goldmine. He found the Haitian people’s cultural celebration of song and dance inspirational to witness, humbling to be a part of and magnificent to film.

Felter believes that working around individuals willing to risk their lives for change is an incredibly empowering experience; you lose your sense of fear. He hopes that Vwa Ayiti outlives him. “I know that it will take a while to remedy the situation in Haiti, but I hope that through Vwa Ayiti my spirit remains in Haiti long after my death.”

For more information or to make a contribution to Vwa Ayiti, visit the official website at
http://www.vwaayiti.org/

When Finding "The One" Means Finding the Perfect Dress

Find out how to get the gown of your dreams with the style and price you love.



Elaborate beading, cascading layers of lace, that one dress you've always dreamed of.

It's the dress you envisioned as a child. And even though your taste may have changed since your 5th grade “green and purple everything” days, this is a dress that is supposed to blow every prom gown you've owned out of the water.

It's your wedding dress, and aside from saying “I do” it's probably the biggest part of your big day. This one article of clothing will make you feel like royalty for a day and will likely be one of the most talked about things at your wedding. When planning your look, this will all likely leave you wondering “how do I find the right dress that will fit my budget?”
There are a few factors to buying this white (or even multicolored) dress of your dreams. Style, shape and price are just to name a few.

So many doors have been opened for brides-to-be when it comes to the style and shape of a wedding dress. No longer is the typical white ball of poof the only option when making a trip to the bridal salon in search for “the one.”

Think about your personal style and let that guide you in finding a suitable gown. Look online, in magazines and wedding books to get a head start. The Anti-Bride Guide suggests jotting down things you must have or just can't have such as sequins, no sleeves, no skinny straps, lots of lace, etc. It also suggests doodling ideas you come up with, as well as tearing out pictures from magazines, ripping off what you don't like and taping all of the pieces you do like into a notebook. This will help you give yourself an idea of what you're really looking for in a gown.

When it comes to shape, style and size, whatever your figure is, you can find or create a dress that accentuates everything you love and likely cover up anything you don't love that much. According to TheKnot.com, there are a few basic gown shapes.

Gown Shapes/Styles
• Ball Gown The most traditional of all categories, the ball gown is recognized by a fitted bodice and waistline that lead to a very full skirt.
• Empire The hallmark of the Empire-style gown is a high waistline (right under the bust), which falls to a slimmer skirt.
• A-Line or Princess An A-line or Princess shape is cut close to the hip with a slight flare at the hem (creating an A-shape).
• Sheath The slim sheath silhouette closely follows the lines of the body.
• Mermaid A body-hugging silhouette that flares below the knee.
• Trumpet A more understated style. The fit-and-flare trumpet skirt gradually flares at mid-thigh.

TheKnot.com also gives suggestions on what gown shape will go best with your body. If you have an hourglass figure, wear an a-line gown or possibly a trumpet or mermaid shaped gown to show off your curves. For short waisted women, consider the princess shape and stay away from the sheath style, while thick waisted women should opt for an empire-waisted gown to give a long, slenderizing look.

If you're full-figured or pear-shaped, consider a ball gown or empire and avoid spaghetti straps, they may be unflattering. If you're thin, a ball gown will make you look like a princess and a sheath will show off your slender figure. And lastly, if you've got a petite shape, it's best to keep it simple. An a-line or sheath gown will suit you best.

When it comes to the color of your gown, don't forget that color is definitely the thing to do today. Champagne and silvery gowns have been gracing the covers of various bridal magazines, while wearing a deep-toned, shimmery gown will illuminate you and your skin tone when in a candle-lit room. Want color, but want to keep it traditional? Try a gown with pink or burgundy accents to give it a little flare. To keep it completely traditional, wear a beautifully beaded white gown, or dress up a plain-styled dress with crystal and pearl earrings. It's your wedding, anything can go!

Finally, when considering a gown, you must consider your budget. Many of the gowns shown in Bridal Guide and Modern Bride are those of the Vera Wang nature, and likely won't fit into a budget that still has to cover a reception hall, sit-down dinner and an open bar. So, do you want a Vera Wang look for a not-so Vera Wang price? Head to your local David's Bridal or Alfred Angelo, where you can find your dream gown ticketed as low as $99, if you catch them during the right sale.

Jessica Hicks, a bride-to-be, suggests looking at different designers on the Internet. “Find a designer you like and see if they offer their gowns in a bridal salon in your area. Call the store and ask for the price range of that designer's gowns. That will help you get an idea of what you have to work with.” Many designer's have entire collections to browse through on their personal web-sites, which can also be found with the help of sites like TheKnot.com.

“Mori-Lee, Demetrios and Jessica McClintock all have stunning gowns for an affordable price,” Hicks says. Brittany Adamy, an Alfred Angelo employee, suggests going vintage for a unique look, while The Anti-Bride Guide even mentions checking out your local department store if you want a sleek alternative.

Whatever shape or style your dream-gown may be, there are so many options available that you're bound to find “the one” that fits your vision and your budget.

(publish poll to the right of the article in sidebar)

Who's your favorite designer?
Jessica McClintock
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A Better You

What happens when you see a skinny individual? You envy them because they don’t have to worry about being obese. However what if that same person is tired of being skinny and wants to add some muscle to his lean body?


A good amount of males from the ages of 16 through 25 want to gain muscle. They see professional body builders and athletes with big bulky bodies, and they decide that is what they want. However for some individuals this is a very tough goal to accomplish. The major factor contributing to this is a high metabolism. A high metabolism can prevent a person from gaining weight due to the fact that it can burn up food faster. For those individuals out there struggling to gain weight here are some tips to help you put on some muscle.

The first step to gaining a bigger muscular body is to create a manageable goal for yourself. This is not going to be easy and this particular goal requires hard work and determination. You don’t want to start out saying that you want to gain 15 pounds of muscle in 3 weeks because that’s not going to happen. Instead say that you want to gain 5-8 pounds in three weeks.
Once you have made a reasonable goal set for yourself the next step is to set up a schedule to go to the gym. Once you have made a schedule for yourself you have to stick with it. Don’t get lazy two weeks into your training or you will see no results. An example of a reasonable schedule is to go to the gym 3 days a week for a half an hour each time. After a few weeks when you start to build up your endurance, up the length to 45 minutes each time.
After you have created your goal and gym schedule it’s time to start on an eating routine. The key to gaining weight is to eat foods with a vast amount of calories. You can’t just have fats; you must have a wide variety of foods. Foods to add to your diet include granola bars, nuts, milk, meats, yogurt and cheese. Fruits and vegetables are also essential foods to add to your new diet. An important aspect to gaining weight is not the amount of food, but the amount of times you eat. Instead of eating three big meals a day, try eating 5-6 small meals per day. The most important part of your diet is consuming lots and lots of fluids. “On average you should drink 8 to 11 cups of water a day.” Said Cassondra Burgess a nutrition professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

Now that you have the easy things out of the way it’s time to get into the gym and get to work. The key to keeping up with your workout routines is to stay motivated. Weighing yourself often is important. If you see that your hard work is paying off, it may motivate you to keep going. Try going to the gym with a friend. Another person working out with you can give you some support.

Now that you have made it into the gym it’s time to talk about certain workouts. Devote each day to certain workouts. An example is one day focus on shoulders and triceps. During this gym period use each machine that offers shoulders and triceps. The next day at the gym you could focus on back, biceps and chest. Finally the third day that you are in the gym, devote that time to workouts for your legs and stomach. If you consistently stick with this workout throughout the weeks you will see results. “When I first started lifting it took me 3 weeks of hard work until I really started seeing results.” said John Basco a professional trainer at IUP. If you really want to gain muscle mass you have to consume a lot of protein. Protein is an essential nutrient that helps the body repair your muscles. Protein can be found in many different types of food. Some types of food that have a good source of protein include meats, milk, fish, nuts and eggs.


With these steps you can almost guarantee a muscular body to show off come summer time. The steps have been laid out for you, now it’s up to you to follow theses steps. Get motivated and you can not only look better, but you can feel better as well.

California Dreaming

Growing up, Renee Martin was always California dreaming.
Constantly planning her get away from the bitter winters in her hometown of Honesdale, Pa., located 44 miles northeast of Scranton and how amazing it would be to live in warm, sunny California.
While Martin was a senior at Honesdale High School, she really wanted to go to college somewhere in California. She explained that she knew “California is beautiful and wanted to be as far away from Honesdale as possible.”
The only thing that held Martin back in Pennsylvania was her closeness with her family. From her mother’s perspective, letting her only daughter go across country right out of high school was not something she was willing to let happen. Not wanting to upset her mother, Martin settled for staying in Pennsylvania to be close to her family and attended college at Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Martin finally got her chance to go to California to visit her best friend Tim O’Neill at the beginning of this year. She described it as “absolutely gorgeous.” Martin dreaded coming back to Pennsylvania, and upon her return immediately decided she had to move to California immediately.
She plans to move to California in June after she graduates college with a major in Journalism and minor in Spanish
She has already considered that she is going to have to leave her family and is going to miss them, but, being that she is 22, she feels ready.
Martin is “ready for change and to start her life,” as she described it. Her family has their lives, and she is ready to start hers. She has not told her mom yet, although she plans on letting know soon.
Martin decided she wants to have a few “live life” years, as she described it “I don’t want to be on my feet, I just want to live by the seat of pants.”
Martin explained she is not willing to leave her 1993 Honda Accord, behind in Pennsylvania, so she feels she has no choice other than to drive it across the country.
She is extremely excited and looking forward to this road trip, which she will take with O’Neill who will be flying from Ocean Beach, Calif. to Pittsburgh to accompany her.
Martin has estimated she will be driving about 3000 miles. She plans to camp, visit friends and enjoy the sights as she makes her way from Pennsylvania to California. With a budget of $1000, and approximating gas will cost around $400, she knows this is going to be an adventure to remember.
With no concrete route in place, Martin plans to start around Pittsburgh; go on to Ohio to stay with friends and definitely wants to visit Tennessee, other than that she has an open road ahead of her.
“If Will Smith took a taxi all the way from Philadelphia to Bel Air, and survived I should be able to drive from Pittsburgh to San Diego,” she explained. Referring to the NBC television sitcom “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.”
Once arriving in California, Martin wants to conclude her road trip by going to see the redwoods, which are thousands of year old trees said to be the tallest in the world. Martin will be living in Ocean Beach, Calif., located on the California coast, five miles from San Diego.
For income right away, Martin is going to look for a job as a waitress, “nothing that’s a serious commitment,” she explained, “so it’s not a big deal if I take time off to travel.” She plans to get “into public relations in coming years for stability, and money.” She has also considered working in Real Estate “flipping houses” as another income idea for the future. She has not started “planning out for the long haul,” as she worded it while describing that she knows these upcoming years will be an “excitingly crazy.”
“Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.” Although Martin did not get to move to California right out of high school, she got a college education and all the experiences that comes with it and now gets to move to California.
Martin has no fears about the future and looks at what’s to come optimistically, bringing truth to the quote “the way you look at your life, determines the outcome of your life.”

Student From Malaysia Comes to IUP

From a country far, far away, a man came to the IUP campus, having no idea what to expect.

Surinder Tara, a 20 year old IUP student, finishes his first semester at IUP in a few weeks, the spring semester of 2008. It will also be his first college semester on American soil.

“So far, so good,” Tara said, laughing.

Tara, from the country of Malaysia, grew up in a town called Kota Bharu, located within the state of Kelantan. He is a friendly and approachable man. Living in the dorms at IUP, Surinder said he has enjoyed his first semester here.

“One of the main reasons I came to IUP,” Tara said, “was because the University provided me with the VISA forms to stay here in America. I applied late. My college in Malaysia is also linked to IUP.”

Surinder is in a family of four, with a mother, a father and a sister. His sister’s name is Roveena, his father’s name is Tara Delip, and his mother’s name is Parvin Chan.

“In Malaysia,” Tara explained, “the father’s first name is used as the child’s last name.”

This is why Tara’s last name is Tara and not Delip.

Tara spent three years of his life in London, England. He knows five languages, including English, Malay, Thai and Chinese. Tara also speaks Kelantanese, the language which is spoken in his home state of Kelantan, located within Malaysia.

According to Tara, the adjustments, coming from Malaysia to America went well.

“In Malaysia,” Tara said, “they do not take tips at restaurants. They give you your money back. I learned to gives tips in America at Eat’n Park.”

Another big difference between America and Malaysia is the drinking age.

“In Malaysia,” Tara said, “14 or 15 year olds can buy beer. The legal drinking age is 18 though.”

There are even McDonald’s restaurants in Malaysia. Tara said that they serve fries or rice as sides there. When Tara came to America, he said that he found, besides eating rice once or twice a day in Malaysia, some differences in the food choices in America.

Tara enjoys listening to emo and punk rock, such as the bands Green Day, Good Charlotte and Angels & Airways. While Surinder explained he did not play soccer back home in Malaysia, he did like the sport, as well as American football.

Tara is majoring in geology, a subject he said that he really enjoys. For the summer of 2008, Tara is going back home to Malaysia, where he will turn 21 in July look forward to spending time with his girlfriend, Jiang. They have been dating for roughly six months.

Although Tara is leaving over the summer, he plans to come back to IUP for the fall semester planning to dual major, adding physics to his curriculum. Tara described physics, saying it was a “love – hate relationship.”

It is an honor to have Tara as a fellow student at IUP.

“I will return,” Tara said, smiling.

Spiders and Ants and Bees...Oh No!

Seasonal pests come around every spring. There are things you can do to protect your home.

Call a professional. Only professional exterminatiors have the ability to fully protect your home from pests such as spiders who can destroy the exterior of your home. Their acidic droppings can permanently stain vinyl or aluminum sidings.

What can homeowners do?
1. Pressure wash your home once a year.
2. Seal all exposed wood to prevent carpenter bee activity
3. Remove any and all crubs or food remains to avoid ants
4. If you find a bee's nest, leave it alone and call the exterminator for your own safety

Eating Healthy and on a budget while in college: it IS possible!

Eating healthy and being a college student may seem like an impossible task but it's easier than you think. Hours pass by and the sound of your stomach is making that awful noise. The temptation is too strong, so you run to the vending machine and grab a snack. After all, its only 50 cents right?

Here are some tips on how to eat healthy while in college:

1. Prioritize meals and meal planning
Make a monthly calendar with all the meals you will be eating- this adds variety and keeps you on track and organized.

2. Maintian some level of physical activity
If you eat healthier, you will begin to want healthier foods. Sounds like a easy task right? Eating healthier foods will eventually become part of your daily routine.

3. Balance is key
Choose water rather than soda or an apple rather than a cookie. Little changes like this can make a big difference.

4. Make dinner a social time
Make dinner fun! Having dinner with friends or family can be fun and healthy. You will gain support from people who are trying to eat healthy too.

Here are some web sites that provide more helpful tips on eating healthy:
http://www.helpguide.org/life/healthy_eating_diet.htm

http://www.realtime.net/anr/10eattip.html

Eating healthy can also be affordable. Starting out with a "base" and working off of that is key. Also, spending a little more money on pre-processed foods can save time and energy in the kitchen.

Not seeing eye to eye with your roommate? These tips may help.

Some people get along with just about everyone; others, not so much. So how do you know that you will get along with your new roommate? Here are some tips to help you adjust to the change and maybe make your life, as well as your roommate's, a whole lot easier.

Be courteous. After all, you're not the only one living there.

Clean up after yourself. Your mother isn't there to do it for you anymore, and your roommate shouldn't have to either.

Work together for all shared responsibilities. Cleaning, paying the bills, groceries, etc. If it is something that you both have to do, working in numbers is better.

Communication is key. If you don't talk to your roommate, don't expect them to know exactly what you want or what's bothering you. If there is something that is really bothering you, talk to them and you could work out a compromise.

"I had a friend that didn't talk to her roommate at all. They went on like no one else lived there until they would fight about stupid, little things. All of the fighting could have probably been avoided if they would have just talked to each other once in a while." Said Jackie Thomas, sophomore at IUP.

Don't nitpick. Sure, there's bound to be little things that annoying you about your roommate, but you can't be so picky when you're living with another person. After all, your roommate grew up doing these things - they're not doing them just to make you crazy.

Be open to new things and ideas. Everyone is different. Especially at college. There are so many different types of people and personalities that if you only think in black and white, it will be a lot harder to get along with your roommate if they have opposing views.

Respect privacy. Just because you live together doesn't mean that you need to know every singe detail about your roommate's life. It also doesn't mean that you can borrow things without asking. Food, clothes, other personal items, ask before you take. Some people have weird quirks and may not like you touching something of theirs.

"My roommate last year crossed the privacy line a couple of times. She would go on my computer when I wasn't there and read my IM's and just basically snoop around. I caught her doing it a couple times and asked her to stop. When she didn't, I got the RA involved and she talked to her about it." Said Kayla Blough, a sophomore at IUP.

Don't be a pushover. You should do things for your roommate sometimes if they ask or need help, but don't let them take advantage of you. You have your own life and your own things, you can't be doing things for them all the time.

Work out a system. If you are an early bird and they are a night owl, work out a system so that you won't bother each other during particularly important hours. It could be as simple as going to the library for a while or wearing earplugs to bed, compromise and be considerate.

Contact your roommate before move-in day. This way it's easier for both of you to figure out who can bring what and what you both still need to bring or buy. This is also a great way to get a feel of what your roommate is like before either of you actually meet.

Don't room with a friend your freshman year. It's not always a bad thing but you may cling to each other, making it a bit more challenging to meet new people and discover new opportunities. You may also feel more at ease to tell them about their faults, perhaps making you resent each other by the year's end.

Find an alternative if there are irreconcilable differences. If you really can't get along with your roommate, do something about it. Either get a room change, don't spend so much time in your room with them, go to the library or a friend's room, or talk to your resident adviser about different options.

"Many young adults feel that since it is their room, they can do what they want in it. Bring visitors over all of the time, listen to loud music and live in filth. If there is no communication or compassion between you and your roommate, chances are slim that you will have a good year living there." Said Angie Lane, a worker in the Housing and Resident Life at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown.

Overall, just remember to be courteous and respectful and you should at least be able to tolerate your roommate if they do the same for you. Everyone is different, but if you try to get along with them, it may not be such a bad thing after all.


POLL
Do you get along with your roommate?
YES
or
NO

Benefit yourself: Take summer courses at IUP.

(photo taken from www.iup.edu)

Graduating early. Having a lighter workload during fall and spring semesters. Earning more credits in a shorter amount of time.

Sound too good to be true, right? Well it can be reality if you chose to take summer classes at IUP.

These are all benefits of taking summer classes at IUP, says Amanda O’Connor, a senior Family and Consumer Science major.

IUP offers over 500 courses during three summer sessions: Early session, Session 1 and Session 2.

O'Connor has taken three summer courses in the past, two of which were online.

“Online courses are great because you can work on your own time and at your own pace,” said O’Connor.

O’Connor also took a class on campus. It was during the early session and she received three credits.

“It was really convenient. I earned three credits for a two week class.”

Early session classes last three weeks and are Monday through Friday, but in O’Connor’s case, her professor finished the course in two weeks.

“It seems like a long time to be in class and when you first walk in you’re dreading being there, but surprisingly it goes by really fast and at the end of the three weeks you have earned three easy credits,” said O’Connor.

When considering the financial aspect of taking summer classes remember that tuition and fees vary for undergraduate and graduate students and that financial aid is available for both. For more information about costs, go to www.iup.edu/summer and click on the link for tuition and fees.

"Financially, summer classes cost the same as if you took them during the fall or spring semesters. Ultimately, you have to take the credits to graduate, so you still have to spend the money," said O'Connor.

For more information about summer sessions, go to www.iup.edu/summer. To find out about more benefits, refer to the list below.

• Up to 17 undergraduate credits can be earned.
• Most classrooms are air-conditioned.
• Students can take courses in special topics.
• Teachers can take credits to advance their degrees.
• Students can take a travel study course and travel to places like England, France, Spain and Costa Rica.

Landing A Job Before Graduations

Finding a job can be very stressful. Having the right education is a must. First impressions can make all the difference.
It use to be that going to college was just for the wealthy. College degrees did not seem to make a difference on landing a job. Now is almost impossible to get a job without a diploma from a university. Everyday people are struggling trying to find a decent job. By taking the right steps, being aggressive and getting your name out there you can land the job you want. Start your networking now.

First and for most, make sure you are taking the classes that applies to the type of job you want. When you go on the interview of the job you want, you have a 78% more chance of getting the job if your employer sees you have classes that apply to the job.

While in school get to know your professors. They make the best references and will show an employer that you were responsible while in school. Also you would be very surprised how much they can really help you. They are filled with knowledge from the field and can help you network.

(side bar with this list to the right)
Internet sites to post your resume
1.Monster.com
2. CareerBuilder
3. Headhunter.net
4.Resumerabbit.com
5.Taleo.com
6.Net-Temps.com
7.thejobspider.com

Don’t be afraid to get your name out there. Start to look for jobs before graduation. This will show your employers that you are egger to work. Take advantage of the internet. There are plenty of sites that you can post your resume and an employer can find you. Be sure to update your resume constantly. People are much more likely to have a job within a year of graduation if they begin searching for jobs while still in school.

The interview is one of the most critical times to prove yourself to an employer. Be prepared to brag about yourself. You must explain to your employer why you deserve the job. This is your time to shine and don’t hold back. Be very persistent. E-mail the employer to confirm that date and time of your interview and be sure to send a thank you letter after the interview. You are 69% most likely to get a job if you take the time to do this. You are showing your employer you are very interested in their company and willing to put your time and effort in for them. This is a very critical step. This website is an interactive mock interview with a lot of useful information http://www.perfectinterview.com/.

(side bar with this list to the left)

10 Interview Tips
1. Be prepared and confident
2. Make a checklist of things to do before the interview
3. Be on time
4. Be prepared
5. Write down and practice possible questions
6. You never get a second chance to make a first impression
7. Don’t interrupt while the interviewer is talking
Interviewtips.com

i would also have a this video clip at the end of the article to watch, it would be placed on the right side with the text wrapping)

I also found a poll that relates to my website and i would have it listed so people can interact with the article as a side bar (http://www.misterpoll.com/polls/73700)

Students start spring off right

Barbecues, beer kegs, live bands, warm spring weather. This is what spring means to students at Bloomsburg Block Party. Back yards are fenced off with shiny orange tape, vendors line the sidewalks selling burgers and pizza, people lounge on their porches, fanning their faces in the heat.

“Everyone looks forward to block party every year,” said junior Lisa Baier. “It’s the last big blowout before school ends for the summer.”

Orignially run by the fraternity Theta Chi, Block Party has now evolved into a 20 year tradition involving the community.

Students from surrounding towns and other universities come to participate and get into the “spring spirit.”

“I had the best time,” said IUP student Jake Kocan. He attended block party for the first time in 2008, on April 19. “I would love if we had something like that here at IUP.”

Although block party is an event many students look forward to, some say it is becoming unsafe. Jessica Jobes, another Bloomsburg student, said that it has become rowdier over the years.

“There have been so many fights on Light Street. People just get too drunk, and they ruin the fun for everyone.” Jobes recalled a fight that broke out the previous year, in which people threw beer bottles, hitting innocent bystanders in the crowd.

While alcohol can be a big contributor to the festivities, some students find alternatives, putting beer pong and keg stands on the back burner. Junior Ashley Shick hosted a party at her house with a luau theme. Everyone who attended wore Hawaiian gear, complete with grass skirts and leis.

Baier said block party gets students to interact with the people in their community. “I really do think it’s a positive thing, because it gets people outside, and it puts everyone in a good mood.”

Springtime Activities:

• Water balloon fights
• Softball games
• Dog walking
• Theme parties
• Backyard cookouts

The Clarks come back to Indiana

You could hear the crowd's steady roar from
across the street at the Coney April 11 and 12 when, you guessed it, the Clarks were back in town and playing two shows at the Indiana Theatre on Philly St.





Joined by supporting act HaHa Tonka, an independent rock group from Southern Missouri, the Clarks filled the house both nights with everything from their classics to some new songs to be released on an upcoming project in the fall.





"We try to come back [to Indiana] once a semester," said Greg "G" Joseph, bass guitarist and vocals for the group. "I try to drive through campus when I get the chance, it's really changed since we went here," he said regarding IUP's Residential Revival project.





As part of the true nature of the group (or as they put it, "team"), the Clarks took a moment out of their show Friday to help promote two cyclists pedaling their way to Alaska from Indiana this summer for the American Cancer Society. Michael Frederick (senior, art education & studio) and Daniel Esten (junior, dietetics & nutrition) were brought to the stage by Joseph before the Clarks' started playing.





"[John Williams] (the Clarks' tour manager) and I are both cyclists and we'd love to help them out," Joseph said.





The Clarks did just that, bringing the two students to the stage and asking the crowd to make a donation on their way out after the show.

"They are a really cool group of guys,"

- Daniel Esten

"They helped us raise $640 for the American Cancer Society and were totally cool about the whole thing. They even brought us on stage to promote the trip," Frederick said.

The packed crowd of all ages went nuts at the end of every song, cheering for more from the IUP grads gone rock stars. During a particularly popular part of "Cigarette," a classic from the group, Scott Blasey (guitar and lead vocals) accepted several cigarettes from the crowd, checking each one of them before finally finding a favorite brand and letting out an, "ahh, finally," and announcing, "If I'm going to spoil my lungs, I might as well make it a Marlboro," - a regular act from the group.

Brittany Adamson and friends enjoyed seeing the Clarks from the front row during the Friday night show. Adamson, of Indiana, was celebrating her 18th birthday at the concert.

"This isn't my first ttime seeing these guys play," she said, "they are a good act."

Lennon bone, drummer from supporting act HaHa Tonka, agreed. "We've been touring with the Clarks for a few weeks now. We met their tour manager in Lancaster, Pa., and he asked us to come along," he said. "It's been a good time."

So, what have the Clarks been up to since graduating from IUP in the late 80s? The answer to that riddle is a lot. They moved to Pittsburgh in the early 90s and quickly found a name for themselves, playing several venues in the city. From bars to small theaters on the South Side, the Clarks played them all.

"When you hear about Pittsburgh, you hear about Donnie Iris and the Clarks - I think that we've become part of the fabric of what Pittsburgh is and we are proud to be a part of that," Joseph said.

In 2004, the group recieved the Distinguished Alumni Award from IUP for their success as a rock band, and in Dec. 2006, the Clarks helped raise $25,000 for a new recording studio in Cogswell Hall, which was later named after the group.

Having toured the U.S., the Clarks are now getting ready to take a trip to Parma, Italy at the end of May as part of St. Francis University's cultural exchance program.

"We're going over to open up the opportunity for an exchange of culture, and we're excited to kick open the door for that," Joseph said.

With 13 albums and counting, the Clarks aren't about to end thier rocking plans anytime soon.

"We're in the midst of finishing up writing songs and we will start recording in June to hopefully have a new project out in the fall," Joseph said, "we'll also be playing a show at the Post-Gazette Pavilion on June 21."

Even after two decades of making music and a name for themselves in Western Pennsylvania, the Clarks are still unsigned, and they plan to stay that way according to Joseph.

"We feel like in this day and age it's not really worth having a label. What we can do on our own far outweighs what it would cost for a label," he said.

What can fans look for in the Clark's next endeavor? "I think we will keep true to our form in our next project, no crazy stuff," said Joseph.

One thing that is for sure, according to Blasey, is that the Clarks are nowhere near the end of their career. He wrapped it up nicely and with a giant smile on his face - "Even after all of these years together, getting up on stage and doing what we love and nothing else really turns us on."

The Kids Are Alright

If you would drive south on Route 88 from Pittsburgh, you will find yourself, in what locals in Western Pennsylvania call the “Mon Valley,” which is home to a number of small, blue-collar towns that rest on the basin of the Monongahela River. These towns are your typical Western Pennsylvanian, “Rust Belt” communities of the early 21st century that are slowly dying after the collapse of the steel mill industry in the 1980s, and where the local town’s economy continues to decline in the aftermath decades later. One would figure that, stereotypically, small towns, such as the quaint, Mon Valley town of Charleroi, would not offer much commercially, let alone offer places to go and things to do for groups of local teenagers other then cruise down the main street, McKean Avenue, or park their parent’s cars to hangout and munch on cheap french fries in the parking lot outside of the local McDonald’s. However, on any given evening in Charleroi, Pa., there was a place along McKean Ave. for the local kids to gather and listen and enjoy a wide array of live music, and it happens to be at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #167.

The Charleroi VFW was, one would think, a place where the local veterans in the community would meet to share drinks and trade old war stories. However, you wouldn’t be able to tell by standing outside this small, yellow-bricked, rundown building in the middle of town in former “steel mill country” that it has hosted some of the biggest rock acts of “Generation Y.”

The Charleroi VFW hall, like many small towns in the country, was a popular place to rent out to amateur concerts promoters for Do-It- Yourself (DIY) punk rock shows. Since 1999, the VFW has been a popular venue for local and touring bands alike to perform, and many well-known and critically-acclaimed acts of today have had to start by performing at the Charleroi VFW. The All-American Rejects, Say Anything, and the Grammy nominated Fall Out Boy, all, currently, mainstream and major-label artists, have performed at the Charleroi VFW before they achieved huge success. The VFW was also the birthplace of hometown rock heroes, Punchline, who ended up becoming a nationally, well-known rock outfit among the underground punk rock scene and signed a record deal to popular pop/punk rock label, Fueled By Ramen, in 2002; home to other recently popular pop/punk acts, Fall Out Boy, Panic at the Disco, and Paramore.

“The VFW is where we announced that we signed to Fueled by Ramen, “said Steve Soboslai, lead singer and guitarist for Punchline. “Being a local act and performing there, time and time again, it gave us the experience we needed to tour nationally and achieve the success that we have.”

“It’s quite surreal that a small, run-down, VFW hall would host some of the best shows I have ever seen in my entire life,” says Alexander Drizos, of nearby Belle Vernon. “I remember seeing Saosin (a rock ensemble, now signed to major record label, Columbia Records) perform in 2005 and the place was so packed with kids that the singer and guitarists had to perform by standing on the drum riser. Now they play in huge clubs and venues that can fit well over thousands of kids. It was absolutely incredible seeing a band like that, at the time, in such an intimate setting.”

Even local bands drew a colossal amount of fans, if not more, then the bigger, more popular touring acts. Wings of Azrael, a rock band also from nearby Belle Vernon, were one of the most popular rock acts to perform at the VFW. When they self-released their first album, Suspension of Disbelief, is 2004, they hosted a CD release show, which had a record number of attendees that was equal to the attendance that the bigger touring bands brought to the venue.
“The Wings of Azreal CD release show was one of the best shows I’ve ever seen,” says Matt Tod Hough, of Belle Vernon. “I remember walking into the VFW late in the evening and seeing a sea of people while they were performing. You would think that Journey was playing by the number of kids and the excitement that was coming from that room.”

Although the majority of the kids loved the VFW and attended the shows that were held there often, a good number of the Charleroi locals seen the VFW as a public nuisance; a haven for teenagers to experiment with drugs and get into trouble. Police would constantly be sent to the VFW for noise complaints, and to remove kids, who would hangout outside of private residences that accompany the same street as the VFW. After a substantial number of complaints from the community, the executive board members of the VFW eventually voted to close the hall to hosting concerts in 2006, which was a heavy blow to the hearts of the younger, concert-loving community, whom had a deep-rooted, genuine love for the shows held there.
“I’ve always felt that the VFW was a positive place for kids to hangout with their friends and see and listen to amazing performances by awesome bands,” said Josh Bakaitus, owner of Bridgeport Entertainment, a popular Pittsburgh-based, concert production company which got its start by booking local concerts at the VFW. “I feel that not only did it keep the local kids from getting into trouble, but the concerts brought customers to the local businesses in Charleroi, and since its closing, business has suffered for them.”
Josh along with Donald Byron, owner of Playa’ Productions, another concert production company, have campaigned endlessly with the community to convince the members of the VFW to reopen the hall to holding concerts but, unfortunately, they were met with failed success when the VFW ultimately was sold and turned into an appliance store in early 2007.
“It still breaks my heart passing by where the VFW once stood,” said Byron. “It hurts me to say that the place where I saw Fall Out Boy perform years ago is now a place where they sell refurbished air conditioners, it’s disheartening in a way.”

Since the closing of the VFW, both Bakaitus and Byron tried to host shows at Charleroi’s local Italian Club, a couple blocks away from the VFW, which unfortunately, did not see the similar success that the VFW did and the younger community, again, watched as the hall also closed its doors to shows when similar complaints from local residences followed.
Both Playa and Bridgeport have moved their operations to Pittsburgh, where they book concerts in venues around the city, but they still say that if they had a venue to book concerts in Charleroi, they would continue to do so for “sentimental reasons.”
A couple blocks further down McKean Ave. in late 2006, a couple DIY concert lovers recently leased a building and eventually turned it into a new concert venue in Charleroi called “Club Octane,” which continues to provide a replacement for the VFW and Italian Club but again, it has not met the similar success that the VFW did.

“Although the VFW has closed, I know that years from now when I look back on being a teenager, I’ll know that my fondest memories will be going to shows at the VFW,” said Brandon Large, of Charleroi and a former VFW concert attendee, “I mean, I kissed my first girl watching Punchline play.”