A slightly demented cheerleader takes the stage. Heavy-metal wannabes, in a fit of inspiration, prop up lights, speakers and fog machines. And a woman, dressed in a gorilla suit, pantomimes as if she’s part of a children’s performance. The scene is from the British art collective Forced Entertainment’s production “Bloody Mess.” The company will launch […]
Author Archives: Ilana Fried
Boring Westwood lacks community
Westwood is boring ““ there’s very little to do in this neighborhood. I find myself walking to the same news stand, again and again, because I don’t know what else to do. Storefronts such as Urban Outfitters and Ann Taylor remain humdrum ““ and overpriced. Restaurants such as California Pizza Kitchen are equally uninspiring. Aside […]
Online classes too beneficial to ignore
For the past few years, I’ve heard plenty of criticism regarding technology: It’s impersonal and unreliable, it can’t replace human contact. Though the claims are true, technology also boasts strong advantages, particularly for college students. Today, universities such as Stanford and all the campuses of the University of Illinois offer online courses for master’s and […]
At last, peace seems to be achievable
Peace, I’ve learned, is often subjective. When in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, peace traditionally becomes merely an oft-repeated idea, too often insincere, cloaked with shaky agreements and soon forgotten. However, the international mood has shifted. Recently, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the newly elected Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met in Egypt to […]
Technicians offer healthy solution
Don’t we always take something for granted until it’s taken away? But the truth is that we can’t put a price tag on health. Many of us are willing to go that extra mile, or make certain sacrifices, to maintain it. Unfortunately, health care remains unobtainable for many Americans. The problem extends from patient to […]
Tragedy commodification regretful
Trashiness: Americans can’t seem to get enough of it. Whether it’s Courtney Love, the Playboy Mansion, Jerry Springer or reality television, our society is obsessed with its own “lowest grade” culture. In fact, we lap it up to the joy of happily awaiting publishers and producers alike. Just recently, Martha Stewart announced her plans to […]
Keep historical honesty for future’s sake
I’m told that history repeats itself. When I was 9 years old my grandfather, a Holocaust survivor, visited my elementary school. He showed my classmates a photo of himself taken after his liberation from the Dachau concentration camp ““ he weighed barely 90 pounds and had lost his wife and son. In my mind, this […]