Sunday, February 25, 2007

Oscar Night

Is there a better chance to bag on celebrities than on Hollywood’s most bizarre and over touted night of the year? And where besides the Oscars can you find someone wearing half million-dollar shoes?

While I do not profess to be a connoisseur of haute couture, I think I have a general idea of what looks good and what looks bad. Or very bad. And so I am off to do Joan Rivers proud.

We start with Jennifer Hudson. Hudson, who was nominated in the supporting actress category for “Dreamgirls,” topped what seemed like an okay gown with a short silver jacket. The comments in our office ranged from “she’ll be okay when she time travels to the year 3000” to “it looks like she is trying to power a solar energy device” — was this part of the plan for going green? Also Hudson needs to get her hands out of her pockets – most unprofessional.

The overwhelming trend for this year’s Oscars seems to have been “sparkly” or “shiny,” with many actresses including Cate Blanchett, Helen Mirren and Kirsten Dunst going for a look that is reminiscent of the bedazzler days.

Despite Mirren’s overly glittery appearance, her dress was elegant and may we say, age-appropriate. Also careful was 10-year-old Abigail Breslin, nominated for “Little Miss Sunshine,” who looked exactly what she is — a young girl having a lot of fun in a fairytale dress.

Prominent on the red carpet were form-fitting gowns and long trains a la Gwyneth Paltrow, which is a classic if impractical look. Asymmetrical necklines were also popular.

All in all, most of the actress seemed overdone in some way – with either to many frills (Penelope Cruz), too many bows (Anne Hathaway), or too much lace (Rinko Kikuchi of “Babel”). However, a few kept it classy such as Kate Winslet who wore a demure sea foam green gown.

Not to forget the men, most of them seemed to sticking to what they know – a basic black tux, for which we are all thankful. Eddie Murphy looked strikingly awkward in a dark slate blue. The normally extraordinary Peter O’Toole (“Venus”) may have taken things bit too far with his smoking jacket-inspired eveningwear. Some nominees such as Ken Watanabe (“Letters from Iwo Jima”) chose to pair classic suits with colored ties.

This may be a brief, non-objective and most unfair analysis, so please chime in. Do you disagree — in your opinion did Penelope Cruz not look like a cake?

The night kicked off with a brief piece of several of the nominees talking about their nomination and generally making fun of themselves. But the night really got started with host Ellen DeGeneres, a tambourine and a gospel choir.

With the exception of best supporting actor (Alan Arkin) and best supporting actress (Jennifer Hudson) primarily technical categories’ winners have been announced so far — “Pan’s Labyrinth” is off to a good start, the ones that everyone waits to see come after bedtime. And who wants to wait up for that?

Please send us your Oscar thoughts. Tell us what you thought was the good, the bad and the ugly.

Friday, February 23, 2007

No parking

On Monday February 26, 2007 the Save Mart Center north lot will be closed to general parking due to an event that evening.

Students who have class on the east side of campus are encouraged to use Maple Avenue to access Lots A & J.

Barstow Avenue will become one way westbound between Willow & Woodrow Avenues beginning at 3:30 p.m.

University Police Department Traffic Operations Officers and signage will be posted as necessary.

If you have any questions you may leave a message on the campus traffic hotline at 278-6040

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Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Ja'Vance dismissed. Why, and now what?

Sometimes a Fresno State Athletic Department press conference raises more questions than they are designed to answer.

This was the case Monday evening on our campus.


Ja’Vance Coleman, a starter for and integral part of the Fresno State men’s basketball program has been dismissed from the team for what Fresno State coach Steve Cleveland sited as "violating athletic department rules."


Collegian Sports Editors Jeff Christian and Darrell Copeland III cover the story online here and you can view video of the announcement by coach Cleveland here.


What Coleman did exactly to get kicked off the team is still a mystery. The Athletic Department won't say.


Regardless, the team going forward will be different.


The line-up, game strategy, plays called and minutes played by some of the other "role" players all need adjusting now by the coaching staff.


Will the fans that normally attend the home games adjust as well?


Does never seeing Coleman hit the game winning bucket with seconds left on the game clock or never seeing him embarrass a defender with an ankle-breaking cross-over change fans' motivation to go to a game?


Leave your opinion by clicking on "comments" below.

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