"The critic an artist."

In the piece, "The critic as Artist," speaks of how art is viewed to an audience. Gilbert and Ernest have a conversation on ethical, culture, and form effect of art. Is a critic really an artist?

Gilbert interestingly says how, "we have art treated, not from the moral, but from the purely aesthetic point of view." They both compare philosopher from generation to generation of unity, appearance, and the relation of fact or fiction.

Another point Gilbert makes is, "the longer one studies life and literature, the more strongly one feels the behind everything that is wonderful stands the individuals and that it is not the moment that makes the man but the man who creates the age."

The importance on unity, tone, and harmony in all different areas of art has an affect on an audience. "Criticism is no more to be judges by any low standard of imitation or resemblance than is the work or poet or sculptor." Gilbert is trying to prove that it takes knowledge and reaction to review art and in his way critic as an art. He proves his point time and time again. We get it.

Smoke Stack

The band Stick Figure combines a creative blend of upbeat roots of reggae with rumbling echoes. The music is written, recorded, and produced by Scott Woodruff from Duxbury, Ma.

All of Stick Figure's songs are made by recording each instrument separately, layering several tracks on top of one another in unison.

Stick Figure recently relocated to Southern California and picked up three new members for the love band, Brendan Dane on bass, Todd Smith on drums and Kevin Bong on Keys.

The Album, Smock Stack has 14 songs forming a hype beat on each with pops and tabs layered on top of one another. The first song, “Vibes Alive” draws your ear in by the laid back low pitches and smooth lyrics. As, does “Hawii Song” with the lyrics who speak of someone thoughts of getting far, far away.

"...I want to get away from this place

home is not where I want to be

...12 hours on a plane

in a short time i'll be on my way

alone, all alone

there was reggae on the radio

you have no idea

this is life..."

Amongst all the tracks, “Alright With Me”, has a blend like all the others on the album, but the lyrics more catch the long holds in the notes while exaggerating the echo in his voice making the sound relaxing and calming.

Stick Figure all around combined synched rhythm and transition flawlessly but my only complaint is if anyone should play a Johnny Cash song it should only be Johnny himself. Any band who attempts to do repeated covers of Folsome Prison Blues, which Stick Figure names it Folsom Prison Dub, needs to just leave it alone. Stick Figure attempts to put there own flavor of twist on the cover and the effort is shown but they failed the reggae spin.

If anyone is searching for lift and smooth sailing Smoke Stack is an album to pick up. Stick Figure continues to flow on this third album and more are to come with this undiscovered reggae movement upon the airstream of music.

Everybody Loves Raymond

“A Job For Robert”

Tracy Chatton

11-10-09

In, “Everybody Loves Raymond”, the main character played by Ray Barone is a sports writer, with three kids, stay at home wife, all taking place in a nice home in the suburbs. How perfect can you get? Well, Ray constantly battles with his parents living in his child hood house right across the street, with his mother, father and brother popping in and out of a revolving door of his home there never seems to be a dull moment in Ray’s so simple and perfect family.

This series started in 1996 and has made it through to 2005. Directed mostly by Gary Halvorson of this show but he also has done shows such as, “Two and a Half Men”. To myself Gary definitely has a funny bone in him.

In this episode of, “A Job For Robert,” (Robert being Ray’s brother), Robert has finally took the leap of faith and married his wife Amy, which now they live with Ray and Robert’s mother Maria (Doris Roberts) all under the same roof. Starting out Maria flys over to Ray’s house to have him put new storm windows in at the house, Ray feels that since his younger brother lives over there rent free that he should be the one doing it and not himself. Maria without hesitation feels that Robert being the cop of the community is under to much stress and doesn’t need anymore. Ray huffs and follows his mothers orders and proceeds to take out the storm windows.

Ray being the good son he is, takes out the window in his brothers room only to discover all the little treat Maria has been doing for his rent free brother. With lotion, candles, massage oil, and fresh new boxer not briefs waiting for Robert to enjoy with his new wife, Ray finally figures out with Maria has been being so soft on Robert. One word, Grandkids! For Ray this is an instant laughter and runs with it, convincing Robert, Amy, and the rest of the family, Maria is force to confess the truth about her baby making plot.

With Ray’s father Frank (Peter Boyle) with classy one liners to grab the audience with continual laughter.

Amy: “And just so you know, Robert was even willing to try, but he couldn’t preform because he couldn’t get you out of his mind.” (Maria Robert’s mother)

Frank: “Believe me I’ve tried too. It takes years.”

If wanting a good chuckle and “Seinfield” has had it last toll, “Everybody Loves Raymond,” is a good re-run choice for that half hour fill during your midday.

Away We Go

"Away We Go" is a road tripper movie for perfectionist. Verona and Burt (Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski) travel the country to figure out the perfect place to raise their unborn baby. They venture to Tucson, Phoenix, and Montreal, hoping that one place will feel right to live. Each area has either a friend or family member varying from emotionally unstable, psychotic, to a loud mouth.

Dave Eggers and Vendela Vida, the Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward of the literary journal universe, wrote this film, which the Englishman Sam Mendes , of "American Beauty" and "Revolutionary Road," directed. The tone, "Away We Go" feels like a fairy tale built on an aggravating collection of attitudes. It's condescending, judgmental, righteous, yet sincerely searching. It's also the very rare American movie about men and women in their 30's intelligent, articulate, appreciably and a sense of humor. Putting both actors of Maya from SNL and John form the show, “The Office” seems like an awkward combination but some how they sink into the characters of Burt and Verona so adequately.

"Away We Go" acknowledges passage into a rite of adulthood. Verona and Burt aren't asking what kind of grownups they want to be. They're wondering what sort of mom and dad they'll turn out being. The movie has moments of beauty, mostly when the couple are lying around thinking aloud, once on a trampoline in Miami exchanging child-rearing vows. The ruth about love is that it's not perfect and Burt and Verona are no exception, but it's how all these different people deal with their imperfections that make them both interesting and hilarious.

This film made myself think about packing up all my belongings to just see what would be so different in another place. How would my surroundings affect the way I am to others?

Overall, this is a sweet story the joins all the crazy things that happen to everyone. We all have an idea of what is the perfect family, how parents should be, and what makes a relationship survive. But, the only thing anyone can do is just be who you are and the best person to that special someone.