And One Last Thing…

The May issue is up on jerkmagazine.net. Look for the print version around campus the next few days, or if you’re already home, enjoy it on the web. Cheah! So get some sun

~The Jerks

School’s Out For Summer

It’s time for the Jerk blog to take a vacation. See you in September! In the meantime, enjoy jerkmagazine.net – expect an update for the May issue in the coming days.

In other news, Jerk was named the best student magazine in Region 1 by the Society of Professional Journalists! Pretty rad, eh? Congrats to the other award winners from Cuse as well.

Thanks for another great semester. It was our best yet by far with nearly 30,000 hits since January! You stay classy, Syracuse.

~ The Jerks

Playing Hookey Never Looked So Good

Do you ever think to yourself, “Wow, I could really use a day off?” Well I’ve been thinking that a lot lately and with finals approaching, I figured the feeling was mutual. So to brighten our spirits, I decided to write about the kid who had such a thrilling, fun-filled day off that it could only happen in the movies: Mr. Ferris Bueller.

A classic.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is one of those movies that you truly wish would happen in real life. In fact, I went through high school dreaming a stud like the young Matthew Broderick would come pretend that my grandmother died and bust me out of school. Unfortunately, that never happened. My sister busted me out of school once, but it wasn’t quite the same (still cool though – thanks Kate).

All of the Boys and All of the Girls are Begging to If You Seek Susan Boyle

Her voice is much prettier than her face

Britain’s Got Talent has been a huge source of discussion for people across America. The show, which is similar to American Idol, features people of all ages performing their talent on stage in hopes of getting approval from three judges. As the competition goes on, people are eliminated, and the last person left wins a cash prize.

Recently, everyone has been talking about 10-year-old Hollie Steel who danced and sang on stage, wowing the judges. While people appreciate her talent, it doesn’t even compare to the voice of Susan Boyle, an unemployed, never-been-kissed, 47-year-old who performed I Dreamed a Dream on the show a few weeks ago. When she first got on stage, the fashionably troubled woman received eye-rolls from the audience and judges alike. Judge Simon Cowell basically mocked the woman, implying that she must not be very good if she is 47 and has yet to be discovered. Then, Susan Boyle sang and the audience and judges erupted in applause.

There’s a Place They Call Lonesome

All she had was her music. Connie Converse recorded at home in the ’50s but was never discovered. Following this frustration, Converse headed into seclusion in 1974. She is now getting the exposure she deserved long ago. How Sad, How Lovely is a collection of Converse’s self-recorded, acoustic tracks. The bare presentation correlates Converse’s isolation in an era that wasn’t ready for her.

Celeb Activism Necessary?

I’m not big on celebrity gossip, but once in a while I hit up Perez Hilton’s blog. The other day I came across a video of Nicole Ritchie promoting two NGOs working towards raising awareness of rape cases in the Congo. She’s on camera with the founders of both organizations discussing what we can do to stop these African women from being sexually violated.

I’m definitely skeptical of celebrity power in the U.S., but the fact is people admire stars like Ritchie and listen to what they have to say. I’m cool with her using her power for a noble cause, and I obviously think these rape cases are awful and horrible occurrences. To be honest, however, I do have some problems with it.

We Wanted to Play Kickball Today…

…but our opponents at the Daily Orange stayed home. For the second year in a row. It was a nice day, too. We declare victory again, improving our series record to 4-0, but we’re disappointed nobody got the chance to see us in our goofy uniforms.

~ The Jerks

Another Plan B Debate

Until a certain age, life is about limitations. There comes a time when we’re able to watch a rated-R movie, purchase lottery tickets, and legally drink alcohol. Most of the time, the government has good reasons for the age restrictions. Now with the lowering of the age limit for the Plan B drug, the government does not make much sense at all.

Brewery Ommegang: Belgian Brewing in America

Learn to appreciate Belgian Deliciousness

As a senior about to graduate in an ungodly short amount of time, let me give all you students my best piece of advice: Take HPM 422 Wine and Beer Appreciation. Trust me, it’s as sweet as it sounds. And you’ll learn a ton (i.e. this blog). I’m not talking about anything that’s likely to get you a job, but once you do land one you’ll have some ammo ready to impress your boss at his/her next dinner party. And when your parents ask what you learned this semester, you’ll finally be able to fire back something relevant and interesting, like “Dad, you know that Blue Moon in your hand? You’ll get a better taste if you drink it out of a glass rather than the bottle. And don’t put that orange slice in your beer—the acidity ruins the taste.”

Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown,NY

Probably the best part of the class is during the second half of the semester when local breweries like Saranac and Empire visit, bringing along straight-from-the-brewhouse beers. Last week, Brewery Ommegang (based in Cooperstown, NY) came to SU with a few of its staple brews. Overall, they brew some hefty beers with complementary alcohol percentages. Read on for details on our in-class tasting and some follow-up notes courtesy of an afternoon at Blue Tusk in Armory Square.

Let the Smurfing Begin

This, from The Argus of Brighton, is the kind of lede I live for: “A party-goer has been jailed for an attack which he carried out while dressed as a Smurf.”

The article reports that 20-year-old Luke Batchelor was out partying with a friend, who was dressed as Superman, when he attacked three men and knocked their smurfing lights out with a metal baseball bat.