"Thank You for Smoking," the break-out hit from this year's Sundance Film Festival, is one of the best satires made in years.
After a delightful spring January, the snow gods decided to get with the program and give us a taste of winter to kick off the Olympics. Too bad the games, and festive snow, start on a weekend. Still, it's time for another snoWatch, filled with the contractions and gratuitous helping of adjectives you know you love.
The Rolling Stones have undertaken an almost suicidal touring schedule this year; they finish up their American tour in April of this year before moving on to Europe. The Stones will have spent over a year on the road at the end of it all, including the Half-Time show for the Super Bowl and a free concert in Brazil where over a million people are supposed to be in attendance.
Fantasy fans may have noticed the absence of genuinely good fantasy films after the final installment of "Lord of the Rings" left theatres two years ago. Thankfully that void has been filled by the impressive "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe."
After the disappointment that was Tuesday's "snow," we've decided to spare everyone the emotional trauma of two letdowns in a single week.
Upstaging last year's 110 percent accuracy, this year's batch of multi-talented journameteorologists are kicking off the snoWatch season with an unheard of 9.99 percent more precision – free! It's a Christmas – excuse us – "holiday" special.
Bombs exploded at four different points in London, England during the morning rush hour on July 7. At least 50 people were killed in the explosions and 700 were injured, according to The Washington Post.
An estimated 400 protesters rallied near the Blair property during a conference held by President George W. Bush to voice their opposition to his proposed plan to reform Social Security.
President George W. Bush will be speaking at Blair tomorrow, June 23, at 9 a.m., in the auditorium. He will be hosting an event to discuss his plans for Social Security.
"Mr. & Mrs. Smith"
There are no shockers here: "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" is exactly what it seems- a chick flick. Boys beware: if your girlfriends somehow rope you into seeing this estrogen-soaked film, you're in for a long two hours.
Senior Andrew Helgeson died unexpectedly at his home Wednesday morning, May 25. He was to receive the Terry Hicks award, a highly prestigious scholarship, on Wednesday night.
"Kingdom of Heaven"
Silver Chips Online presents ways to commemorate one of history's most tragic events.
Five Blair students won the John Lennon songwriting contest and spent Thursday, May 5 writing and recording an original song with three other students. The contest was sponsored by the John Lennon Educational Tour Bus, the National Education Association (NEA) and the racial unifying organization Oneness.
The John Lennon Educational Tour Bus will be stationed in front of Blair on the morning of Thursday, May 5 for the culmination of the National Education Association's (NEA) "Words of Oneness" contest.
Arthur Dent (Martin Freeman) is having a bad day. A really bad day. His house is scheduled to be demolished to make way for a bypass and—wouldn't you know it—so is the entire planet. Bummer.
Silver Chips Online offers its full support to Sebastian Johnson in the upcoming Student Member of the Board (SMOB) election. Blair junior Johnson is campaigning against Kennedy junior Nadia Sicard for student votes on the April 26 and 27, the election dates.
Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of Germany was elected pope on Tuesday by the Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church. He was elected after two days of deliberation subsequent to Pope John Paul II's death 17 days ago.
American University held the first event of its second annual REEL Journalism Film Festival on Friday night. The university will continue to show a series of journalism films and conduct discussions throughout the weekend.
The African American Parents of Magnet School Applicants (AAPMSA) sent a memorandum to the Montgomery County Board of Education on March 2 asking that the board suspend Magnet school applications at Eastern and Takoma Park Middle Schools because of bias against African American and Hispanic students.
In the German movie 'Downfall,' just released in the states, veteran actor Bruno Ganz takes on a particularly difficult role: Adolf Hitler. The film covers the last moments of Hitler's life as he furiously tries to keep his army and his empire together.
The new policy requiring students to pass the High School Assessment (HSA) tests before graduating high school may affect ESOL students negatively. These students may be barred from graduating because of their limited knowledge of English, according to ESOL director Joseph Bellino.
In "The Jacket," Adrien Brody stumbles around, confused and dazed. "I don't know why I'm here," he says pitifully. Audience members ask themselves the same question. Brody, an Academy Award winner highly praised for his work in "The Pianist" deserves better. What is such a gifted actor doing in a poorly developed piece of fluff?
Actor Morgan Freeman has had an extremely successful career on Broadway, on television and in the movies. He is known as one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood, and audiences have come to learn that if it's Freeman, then it's going to be a stellar performance.
The winners of the 77th Annual Academy Awards have been announced! See how Silver Chips Online's predictions--and yours--chalk up to the list of real winners.
Nat Turner, a slave who lived in the 1800s, is one of the most famous historical black figures to date. Turner, who led a slave rebellion in Virginia in 1831, was a preacher who claimed to have visions from God. He was hailed as a prophet by many slaves of the time, especially because of the signs he believed God sent him and because of his uncanny knowledge of events that happened long before he was born.
Whitney Houston is one of the most famous, highest-grossing, female vocal artists to date. She has set many records in album sales and was the first female artist to have an album debut at number one on the charts. Houston is not only a successful singer, however; she has also set up numerous charities and funds to help the less fortunate.
In the world of college basketball, March Madness is almost here, which means a month of exciting games, intense rivalries and rowdy fan behavior.
Three of Silver Chips Online's entertainment staff writers have endeavoured to predict the winners of the 2004-2005 Academy Awards. Submit your own predictions in 12 poll categories!
Sir William Arthur Lewis was a pioneer for his race as well as a pioneer in the study of economics. He was the first black individual to receive the Nobel Prize for a field other than in peace. In 1979, he was awarded the prize for his study of the economic structures of developing countries and for his books on achieving a governmental structure and stable economy. Lewis worked throughout his lifetime to develop models for business between countries of varying economic stability.
For those not so sports-inclined, the Super Bowl is about two things: the halftime show and the creative advertisements. This year, thank goodness, was a great deal less controversial than the embarrassment that was Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson's halftime show last year. Former Beatle Paul McCartney was wisely chosen as this year's halftime show entertainment-- a good choice, considering his legend enables him to carry the halftime show by himself and he manages to put on a good show without resorting to blatant sexuality and lewdness.
Two professionally equipped studios. A row of editing stations outfitted with top of the line programs and a full staff of producers, executives, DJ and assistants. While this may seem like a description of a professional company, this is, in fact, the make-up of Blair Network Communications (BNC), Blair's very own production organization located within the building.
There aren't many people like Howard Hughes. He poured millions of dollars into films while the common American suffered from the Great Depression. He courted a series of celebrities like Katharine Hepburn, Ava Gardner and Jean Harlow, and dined with the likes of legendary swashbuckler Errol Flynn. And his response to news that he's losing hundreds of thousands of dollars on any of his projects is a simple "So?" and a cavalier shrug of the shoulders.
Derek Walcott is distinguished as one of the few blacks to have received the Nobel Peace Prize for literature. In 1992, the poet acquired the award for his enormous volume of work that was influenced by African, English and West Indian cultures. The Swedish Academy, which awards the prizes, directly cited Walcott's ability to fuse together the three cultures of his upbringing to make one smooth and culturally diverse piece.
The story of Charles Drew's death is probably one of the best examples of irony. Drew, the man who established the American Red Cross blood bank and who started the first blood drive during World War II, bled to death on April 1, 1950, after crashing his car. Reportedly, Drew was unable to receive a transfusion himself because the hospital he was rushed to did not admit black patients.
Four students from Blair's Magnet program were named as finalists on Jan. 26 in the 2005 Intel Science Talent Search (STS). This year, Blair had more finalists and semifinalists than any other school in the nation.
The Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) performed "noise monitoring" and "analysis studies" for an environmental study today, Wednesday, Jan. 26. The project, which utilized cameras and noise receivers, was completed on Blair grounds from 10 a.m. until 11 a.m.
The Academy of Arts and Sciences announced the Oscar nominations for the 2004-2005 season today, Tuesday, Jan. 25. Official Silver Chips Online predictions will be published within the week. The nominations are:
"Coach Carter" begins and ends just like every other sports movie in the history of film. There's the requisite losing team - the players with raw talent who just can't seem to get it together. There's the strict but fair coach, who believes in his or her kids and sees that, with a little discipline, they can become the winners they were born to be.
The Phantom of the Opera is here--and not just in our minds. Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical masterpiece "The Phantom of the Opera" has finally come to the big screen with the same heart-pounding organ music that has haunted the Broadway stage for over a decade. It also comes at less than one tenth the cost of a New York theater ticket.
It's not often you walk into a movie and be told, in the opening monologue, to leave the theatre immediately. But "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events" is not a usual movie. In fact, it's pretty twisted, from its strange insistence to portray all adults as either incompetent or insane to its dark humor and odd characters. That's why the film is so refreshing; it's a little quirky, it's a little sick and it's extremely entertaining.
It's that time of year again. Instead of enjoying the holiday cheer and decorations, you're probably rushing around to finish last minute projects, study for tests and squeeze in your extracurricular activities. The last thing you want to think about is what to buy your grandma or boyfriend for the holidays. Well, have no fear: Silver Chips Online is here. We've been kind enough to compile a list of the hottest gifts this season just to give you a few ideas for what to put on your wish list or the perfect gift you should buy that special someone. For those of you who are a little more frugal, we've also included a list of "cheap" holiday gifts that are inexpensive or cost nothing at all yet still show the receiver that you care.
Calliope Stephanides, the protagonist of Jeffrey Eugenides's novel "Middlesex", is not like other girls in her town. For one, her family's rich, Greek culture sets her apart from all the other white-bread students of her school. Secondly, she often views the world with fanciful and poetic eyes (at some point, she apologizes for being "Homeric”), comparing herself to characters from Greek mythology and concluding that all incidents in her life have been caused by fate. And lastly, she is not quite a girl.
Little boys jump up and down on their beds before lifting off into the air and flying through a nearby window. A dog transforms into a great bear and dances gracefully with a circus ringleader. And the walls of a house open up to reveal a magical land full of fairies, pirates and fanciful animals. All of these breathtaking images, directly from the imagination of "Peter Pan" author J.M. Barrie, are portrayed beautifully in the film "Finding Neverland."
"The Polar Express"
Watch out! Bridget Jones is back, and she's on a mission: to maintain a functional relationship with an adult long enough to finally get married.
Teasers for Blair's school play Rumors will be held on Thursday, Nov. 4 during 5A and 5B lunch.
Field of Screams is a yearly Halloween event hosted by the Olney Boys and Girls Community Association. The club sets up a haunted trail in the forest surrounding its fields and runs a Kiddie Playland that includes pumpkin painting, haystacks and a moonbounce for kids too young for the scary forest. Proceeds go to maintaining the Boys and Girls Club.
Two Fridays ago, "The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart took a unique approach to appearing as a guest on the debate show "Crossfire". Instead of merely debating a few issues and exchanging banter as guests have in the past, Stewart took it upon himself to personally attack both hosts, label the show as a miserable failure and inform the viewers that the media was "hurting America." Fortunately, the argument did not come to blows, but it did reach the verbal equivalent.
"Clubhouse" is one of those shows that manages to be sweet and heartfelt without feeling stale or making viewers roll their eyes. The latest creation from veteran producer Aaron Spelling and Mel Gibson, "Clubhouse" teaches a lot about life lessons and the world, as seen through the eyes of a 16-year-old boy. The scenarios and characters in "Clubhouse" seem real"not like the usual recycled stereotypes many television shows use so often; the show is an overall joy to watch.
ABC's new drama "Lost" has all of the ingredients of a thrilling show. It comes complete with an amazing cast, frightening special effects and a fresh premise that sets it apart from all the other shows on television. It is one of the few adventure shows on television, and an excellent one at that. "Lost" is sure to capture the attention of those ready for some fun and adventure.
"Wicker Park" is the latest in a series of Hollywood remakes. Adapted from the original French film "L'Appartement," the film starts out with an enticing plotline only to trip over its own feet when the twist is finally revealed.
Over the past few years, there has been an increasing amount of debate about the state of the penny. In 1999, legislation was introduced to Congress for the abolishment of the penny and the dollar bill, but many citizens quickly attacked the bill. In June of this year, New York Times op-ed columnist William Safire wrote an article calling for the elimination of the penny.
"Spider-Man 2" proves that it's not easy being a web-slinging, wall-climbing superhero. You can't win the girl of your dreams, there's no time to get homework done and you can't even wash your Spidey suit without accidentally dying your underwear pink. Not to mention your duty to stop the obligatory arch-villain bent on destroying the world.
The latest Harry Potter movie, "Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban," is Hollywood's most recent stab at adapting the wildly successful Harry Potter books to film. So far, the previous two Harry Potter movies have grossed a pile of money but not much respect from the critics.
Paul McCartney plays at the Super Bowl Halftime Show.
Paul McCartney shakes things up at the Super Bowl.