Category Archives: Articles

Protest in the 1990’s

By Brendan Kinney

Things happen in cycles. History tends to repeat itself through these cycles. There’s the ‘up’ cycle and the ‘down” cycle, and the somewhere-in-between cycle.

Nevertheless, life seems to have happened in cycles. There’s the ‘up’ cycle, and the . . . wait. I said this already, didn’t I? Cycles like I said, great things.

So far, the eighties have been a real drag. No one really cares about anything. It’s basically been every being for him/herself. But, if you take a look in a newspaper that talks about news, you see a lot of people that are protesting, demonstrating, picketing, sitting-in.

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CONCERT REVIEW: CVB At Dartmouth

By Jamie Hill

Whaddaya get when you mix punk, beer, polka, beer, heavy metal, beer, reggae, beer, classical music, beer, and jazz? One AWESOME live show. Camper Van Beethoven is undeniably one of the better bands on the college/independent/unknown circuit today, and with the release of their fourth album, Our Beloved Revolutionary Sweetheart, CVB has firmly established itself as a major creative force (and bonafide source of utter lunacy). Their uniquely bizarre mix of genres never fails to take an unexpected turn, more often than not in the middle of a song, and their music is always complex without being overstatedly so.

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RECORD REVIEW: Suicidal Tendencies

How Will I Laugh Tomorrow? (When I Can’t Even Smile Today?)

By Brendan Kinney

Some of us remember the songs of yesterday, “Join the Army,” “Possessed To Skate,” “Institutionalized,” and a certain song that opened with a primal scream, “I shot Reeaaagan!” Well, yesterday is now today, and those Suicidal Boys are back, this time they’ve packed a little commercialism with them (in hopes of making themselves more known) and a little more experience that’s come together to produce a great new album.

ST’s new album opens up with “Trip At The Brain,” which displays the talents of lead guitarist Rocky George, with Mike Muir’s rough, gasping voice shouting, “I gotta take a trip, gotta take a trip out of this place, I gotta get away, get away from the human race… “. Only this song isn’t drug-related. “Major trippin’ which you’ll just have to listen to.” Continue reading

The Middle Of The Road

By Robert O. Milieu

Volume 1, Issue 1, Page 5 (November 1988)

Salutations! Do you know where I got the word “salutations” from? I got it from the children’s book, Charlotte’s Web. The reason that I bring this up in a political viewpoints article is that my favorite facet of Charlotte’s Web is that it doesn’t offend anyone. Even though there is conflict and tension, and even though it is a great piece of literature, it does not offend anyone. In “The Middle of the Road” I hope every reader will find substantive, stimulating political commentary that does not offend a single one of their sensibilities. Continue reading

A Couch Potato’s Debatable Dream

By Brendan Kinney

I bet that you, like myself sat down for one evening of prime time television, and found yourself confronted with a strange change in programming: a presidential debate. So you thought, what the heck, I’ll listen to what these guys want to do for me and my country. But about halfway through the “show,” you sat there wondering what these two guys wanted to do besides “be the President of the United States of America” (with an air of drama). You sat there saying, “Is this a debate, or a name-calling match?” So, disgusted, you turned off the T.V. and stumbled off to bed, confused and worried for America. Continue reading

Stop Bad-Mouthing Bernie

By Alex P. Laslow

Volume 1, Issue 1, Page 5 (November 1988)

Two letters to the editor featured in the November 1st issue of The Burlington Free Press labeled Bernie Sanders a socialist “reformist” who will use “infiltrative tactics” to threaten democracy.

The letter, written by George Boucher of Essex Junction, opens on this note: “Mayor Bernard Sanders, the pro-communist liberal running for Congress. . . . ”

Wait a minute. Can someone be a communist and a liberal simultaneously? No. It’s a contradiction of terms, folks. Face it: the name-calling techniques that Bush has used on Dukakis have unfortunately filtered down to his supporters.

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To Ride Or Not To Ride

By Neanderthal Matt

Yo homes, yeah, I know that sound, but do you? The sound that you savor just like cottage cheese, you know the one? No, not a bullhead catfish. The Grind, yeah the grind. That rippin’ tracker truck grind that makes you want to jump on elephants. Let’s not forget the roots of it all. Yeah, just cause someone can do a hang five down to the ground doesn’t mean that a person who makes shoe lace tips can’t get roots and ride. Yeah, whatever you want, you better know your cans of soup also or be stuck without Campbell’s, okay?

Dude, I know it was sick, you don’t need to tell me, a hang five from rolling stereos. Those urchins know their launch ramp from their hair. I’m not one to swap cows either. I’m just one to know and live for what I ride. (Which is satisfaction, ya know.) Continue reading

Counter Play

By Howard U. Dewin

Volume 1, Issue 1, Page 6 (November 1988)

The milk carton leaned low to the counter and whispered to the knife lounging in the morning sun, “I bet you fifty bucks I get put away before you get washed.”

“You’re on, man,” stuttered the knife, “and don’t think of stiffing me this time, cause I’m sharper now. I’ll cut you bad if you don’t fork over the dough pronto.”

“You wouldn’t dare.” taunted the milk leaning a little. “You cut me, there’ll be a mess, and you’ll be history when bitch gets pissed and chucks down the disposal to make you behave.” Continue reading

ldle Prodding

With E.C. Nal

Volume 1, Issue 1, Page 6 (November 1988)

Hello. Now that we’ve been formally introduced, may I begin? Thank you. You see, there’s somethin’ I’ve gotta say. It’s just a thing that needs to be said openly, and I’m willing. Actually, it’s not just one thing, it’s a collection. They’ve been building up in my mind for quite some time now. Taste a few of them here. If you don’t agree, keep shut up. If you do agree, write and let us know.

Bush is going all the way, so don’t even worry about it any more. Don’t you hate it when you start picking apart your cuticles in class and they start to bleed? Then, wouldn’t you know it, no one has any nail clippers handy. Hanes underwear tends to rip right around the seam area. If you hold a lighter under plastic too long, it’ll melt. My brain is melting, but that doesn’t mean that I’m plastic, does it? Continue reading

Mainstream, Hell And Back

By Scott “Duke” Berkey

Volume 1, Issue 1, Page 8 (November 1988)

He sat quietly before the crackling, soft warmth of the open fireplace, gently removing boogers from the warm moist interior of his nose. He had been at work for only minutes, but over the years had worked on several other generations of young boogers. In times past the boogers had been passive, often willing prey before the unfeeling fingers that branched from the ends of his long arms. Indeed he had found little resistance to his pokings and proddings into the cozy confines of the mucous mainstream. This time, though, many boogers were resistant to removal, remembering the most recent picking that had resulted in a nasty infection and little positive action. Still, the boogers had little choice in the matter. Continue reading