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A spirit that is not afraid

Allison Clark/News Editor


The Auburn Plainsman
Opinion

Food Ads Sickening, Not Appetizing

It's apparently been happening for a while, but I've only recently begun to care: fast food commercials are sick.I think I'm choosing now as the time to form an opinion about these, because they are, perhaps, worse than they have ever been.Of course we've got the sexual ones with celebrities and other women scantily clad and chomping down seductively on a huge burger, but we've also got ads now demanding us to "unthink."I'm talking about KFC's new ad for its $5 grilled chicken box.I suppose what KFC is trying to say is "Watch out world, because we're doing things a whole new way, so forget what you knew!"Regardless, I don't want to be told to unthink anything, and the first time I saw the ad I was completely confused by the term, for the concept of unthinking just doesn't make sense when paired with chicken.Unthink chicken ... Huh?But perhaps the worst one is the advertisement for Hardee's biscuit holes, or as they so fondly call them: B-holes.The commercial shows a Hardee's representative telling people on the street to try the plate on the left containing doughnut holes, which are deemed A-holes, and the Hardee's plate on the right, which holds B-holes, or biscuit holes.Of course all the participants chose the B-holes, the Hardee's biscuit holes.One man even so embarrassingly says, "I guess I'm just a B-hole kind of guy." Now, you can read into this what you choose, but when I think B-hole, I don't think of a yummy sugar-coated biscuit middle.

The Auburn Plainsman
Columns

Music Lovers Weather Bonnaroo

Full days in the scorching sun, a dinner of crackers and Vienna sausages, dingy portable potties and crowds of sweaty people sporting paint instead of clothes.Never before have I traveled to Bonnaroo, but from speaking with veterans, I know I will experience these things during my weekend in Manchester, Tenn.But if my friends can conquer 'the 'Roo,' then I can too.Yes, there are some unpleasant things about attending Bonnaroo, but as everyone says "it's just part of the experience," and so I keep telling myself that.All in all, I expect a trip that will blow my mind, whether it's because I will be rocking out, or simply standing in awe, in front of some incredibly inspiring bands.I will thrash wildly and maybe even forget who I am at The Mars Volta show.I plan to cry and blow kisses at the funky David Byrne.I'll probably jump and yell until I'm completely beat while the Yeah Yeah Yeahs rock out.I'll dance and groove to Snoop Dogg, but no doubt dart if he looks my way, for although Snoop is talented, he's super scary.This is just a sample of the amazing music that'll enter my ears and stay in my memory forever, and I can't entirely wrap my mind around the idea of hearing it all so live and raw.One thing I'm particularly excited about is getting to watch everyone else groove.Observing people, especially when they don't think anyone else is watching, has always been amusing to me.Some may think this is creepy, but I just excuse it as part of my career as a journalist to observe and describe.But back to my point: watching an audience during a concert is a whirlwind of fun, and I feel it proves the point that music is the greatest and most moving form of art.Picture a bundle of people at an art gallery bouncing up and down and screaming in front of a painting they find beautiful.That image is just silly.Picture a man swaying back and forth wearing the face of his favorite author on a T-shirt while reading poetry.A little extreme, huh?I'm not saying these art forms aren't moving, because they are, but there is just something about the sound of music that makes everyone forget the world for an hour, share an understanding and dance on common ground.So if you're heading to Bonnaroo this weekend maybe I'll see you there, but probably not.My message to my fellow concert goers is to be safe, don't get arrested and, please, don't die.

Austin Nelson/Associate Photo Editor
News

Apple Announces New iPhone

A compass, a search engine, a GPS system, a camera, a video recorder, a voice recorder and a phone.Wrap them all up in a sleek and shiny rectangle and you've got the new iPhone 3G S, which Apple declares is their "fastest, most powerful iPhone ever."The new iPhone was introduced Monday at the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco, and will be in stores on Friday, June 19."It will be available in retail locations on the 19th," said Joe Chandler with AT&T Corporate Communications.

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