In a world where music can be made by a kid in his mother’s basement using just a computer, it is refreshing to hear some good ol’ rock n’ roll. Enter Two States. Hailing from Pleasantville in southern Westchester County, these five young dudes have been avid listeners of all types […]
OPINION
The problem with Scream 4 isn’t the recycled plot. It’s not the all-too-frequent references to other films and, surprisingly, it has nothing to do with Courteney Cox’s immobile upper lip. No, the problem with Scream 4 is that the creative team couldn’t decide whether they were making a satire or a legitimate […]
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand is among the most popular incumbent U.S. Senators in the entire country – the latest Quinnipiac poll found her sitting atop a solid 49 percent approval among New Yorkers, with only 26 percent disapproving – but that doesn’t automatically mean smooth sailing for Gillibrand’s electoral prospects. […]
Mean Girls was funny. Baby Mama had me in hysterics and The 40-Year-Old Virgin is one of my all-time favorite movies. Surprisingly, I even liked Evan Almighty. I, like many others, happen to think that Steve Carell and Tina Fey are funny people. In fact, they’re so funny, it’s not unrealistic to […]
On election night, 2009, I gathered with a bunch of friends to watch the election returns on CNN. The network was mostly focused on the two races with major national implications – the gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia – but we were far more interested in another showdown […]
Given the polarizing debate over New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s state budget proposals, I’ve wholly expected Cuomo’s favorability among New Yorkers to, by the end of the whole agonizing process, take a serious hit. After all, in discussing the governor’s budget cuts with local political activists, I’ve noticed considerable disgruntlement […]
My family is a Costco family. In fact, four out of the six clothing items that I am wearing right now are from Costco, and that doesn’t include my mascara, which is also from Costco. We love Costco! Costco, Costco, Costco. Now, being a Costco customer comes with its pros and cons. One pro would […]
Call me uncultured, but I’m usually not one for movies with subtitles. I don’t want to read a movie. I want to watch it. This past week, I decided to give open-mindedness a try, and called up “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”, a Swedish film, on Netflix. Within 15 minutes […]
I asked my good buddy, Dean Engle, who co-runs the cassette record label Responsible Records, based in New Paltz, for some upcoming local releases. He turned me onto Breakfast in Fur, a five-piece ambient bedroom-pop band that is on the rise in the New Paltz scene, and who are gearing up to […]
Looking back, there have been countless people and events which fueled my interest in politics. Among them are the engrossing train wreck that was the 2008 primary between Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and, perhaps first and foremost, my utter bewilderment over how George W. Bush prevailed on election night […]
Okay, I’ll admit it. The only reason I saw “I Am Number Four” is because Dianna Agron of the “Glee” fame is in it. Sure, the trailer looked interesting, and the movie had a decent amount of potential, but if I’m being honest, she is the main (only) reason I went. […]
I called it. Natalie Portman. Christian Bale. “The King’s Speech“. The King himself, Colin Firth. Heck, I even listed Tom Hooper as my sentimental favorite to win Best Director. My point is, with the glaring exception of Best Supporting Actress, my Oscar predictions in last week’s column were spot on. So, it’s time now […]
It’s hard for me to fathom that this March marks three years since former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer, amid a scathing prostitution scandal, resigned from office. After all, since his stepping-down, we’ve been treated to two new governors, not to mention the exhausting 2008 presidential race and the recent 2010 […]
Every great movement has a sense of urgency and a complex story. The Student Walkout and Teach-in, set for Tuesday, March 8, comes in response to Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposed state budget for the coming fiscal year. The budget outlines dramatic cuts in Medicaid, education, and state operations, currently calling […]
Who loves orange soda? Kel loves orange soda. Nickelodeon will be airing classic Nick shows from the ’90s late nights. Pay $25 to see Mike from the Jersey shore at a Virginia club? We’ve got ourselves a situation. Tom Brady, getting down at Carnival. Woah! Eddie Murphy’s ex-wife has a crazy six-pack. There’s […]
There may be upwards of ten candidates running this year to become the next mayor of the Village of New Paltz, but one thing is unmistakable. This race, despite its crowded nature at face value, is a showdown between two entities: former Mayor Jason West and everyone not named Jason […]
Dylan Gerety challenges himself against technology in a 72 hour experiment without any cell phones, television, video games, or Internet. Media Blackout: Life Disconnected from Dylan Gerety on Vimeo. Check out more documented journeys: Kelsey Lang leaves the comfort of her home in New Paltz to explore the beauty of […]
The definition of ‘walkout,’ according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is as follows: “The action of leaving a meeting or organization as an expression of disapproval.” When I first heard word, admittedly through Facebook, that a student walkout would be organized in response to the SUNY budget cuts, my gut instinct […]
