JOUR 1129Professor Larie Engles

Fall Semester 2009Project Stringboard

ContentsStory –

Power Saving CasanovasMovie Review –

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orlean

Pictures – Fresh Berry reviewArt Show & AuctionK-BuildingECHS HistorianAnimal AdoptionStargazingBreast Cancer 3-Day

Story:Power Saving Casanovas

TXU Power Saver II Contest:original submission

GREEN! Everywhere you turn someone has something green to do or say. But what if going green could not only save you green but also win you BIG green? That’s exactly what the Casanova family of Plano is trying to do as contestants in TXU’s Power Saver Contest 2. So what. Just another “reality” contest of some distant family in a place you never heard of, right? Wrong! Natalie Casanova, daughter of Bill and Elvy Casanova, is none other than one of our own – one of Brookhaven’s finest, and her family stands to win big.

Here’s how it works. TXU selects three Texas families, conducts a HERS (Home Energy Rating Service) audit of their homes; assess areas of improvement and makes recommendations to help improve energy efficiency. Each family then gets five grand to make improvements to their respective homes. Improvements run the gambit from; sealing or replacing windows, insulating walls and attic spaces or repairing A/C ductwork. Even small changes like substituting energy hog incandescent bulbs with LED or compact fluorescent, cleaning the dryer’s lint trap and using cold water to do laundry are among the recommendation to net big benefits.

Ok, so you’re thinking, change a couple light bulbs, squeeze a little caulking and unroll a few rolls of foil duct tape, big deal. It might help the environment but isn’t REALLY going to show the wallet any love. Think again! Bill, Elvy, Natalie, Billy and Joey put in some serious effort, sealing the house from foundation to shingle and everything in between. Every nook, cranny, window, light, appliance and even behaviors got the “Casanova” touch of green. Their reward; a decimated electric bill sliced more than half! That’s right, a $600 electric bill shaved to $250. Got your attention? It should!

TXU hopes that these families will inspire other families throughout the Lone Star State to make improvement to their homes. Visit http://psc.gotxu.com to for more about the contest, the contestants and tips you can use in your own home. For the Casanova’s this contest is an opportunity to make some needed upgrades and renovations to their home. Built in 1977, the 2900 sq. ft., 2-story home now serves as a Cinderella story of energy saving and a family united behind a great cause.

TXU Power Saver II Contest:original submission

Now for the good part; how the winners are chosen. Once the renovations are done, TXU conducts another audit to assess the changes. The family that produces the most efficiency gains, ingenuity and effort into their homes walks with $25,000 in cold hard greenbacks! One more thing; since we live in the land of the free and home of the brave, there’s voting involved too! That means the Casanova’s need YOU! Visit http://psc.gotxu.com/vote to see more about the Casanova Family, watch videos of the audit, the mods they’ve made to their home and VOTE! Oh yeah, make sure to tell TXU that Brookhaven takes care of their own!

TXU Power Saver II Contest:original submission

Story published on page 4 of the November 16, 2009 issue

Movie Review:Bad Lieutenant:

Port of Call New Orleans(not published)

Bad Lieutenant:Port of Call New Orleans

Zany. Surreal. Sublime. Nuttiness. Insanity. These are words that describe the latest Nicolas Cage offering. Directed by Wener Herzog, this “adaptation”, if one could call it that, of the early 90’s Harvey Keitel cult classic noir flick Bad Lieutenant is overflowing with strangeness. The weirdness is not isolated to the story line as an alligator receives ample close up screen time and a pair of iguana star in their own handy cam music video set to Johnny Adams' Release Me.

Set in post-Katina New Orleans, the story revolves around the grimy underbelly of drug trafficking, murder, prostitution, official corruption and alarming abuses of power that dominated the Gulf Coast area during that time. Nic Cage’s character, the corrupt drug-addicted, sex-fend cop Terence McDonagh, required a significant quantity of absurdity and visceral emoting that only Cage could present with true believability. Accompanying Cage on his “trip”, literally and figuratively, is the ever beautiful Eva Mendez who portrays the drug-induced prostitute girlfriend. The remaining cast members include such names as Val Kilmer, rapper Xhibit, Tom Bower, Michael Wozniak, Jennifer Cooliage and Fairuza Balk just to name a few.

Bad Lieutenant:Port of Call New Orleans

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is certainly for a mature audience as rampant language, drug use and violence permeates virtually every scene of the movie with few exceptions. The action while fairly continuous is well below that needed to capture the audience; however, the lack of action could possibly be to allow the sheer lunacy of the characters and downward spiraling story to shine. There is an upturn towards the end of the movie that, while very “fairy-tale”, gives the movie it’s limited and only dose of endearment.

In the final analysis, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans is a gritty, edgy,

off-beat and loony movie revolving around some of the worst humanity has to offer and brings it to life on the big screen. If you’re looking for a pulpy, raw and surreal flick to occupy your mind for a few hours, this would be a movie for you. Just remember to check your drugs and iguanas at the door.

Pictures

Fresh Berry Review

By Dale Holle

Featured on page 7 of the October 26, 2009 issue

Art Show and Auction

By Erin Marissa Russell

Featured on page 4 of the November 16, 2009 issue

K Building

Intended for story on K building renovations

ECHS Historian

By Jenni Garcia

Featured on page 3 of the November 16, 2009 issue

Animal Adoption

By Ericka Garza

Featured on page 6 of the November 16, 2009 issue

Eating Disorder

Stock Images for Eating disorder piece By Erin Marissa Russell

Featured on page 6 of the November 16, 2009 issue

Also included in submissions; student survey for statistical data

Stargazing

Intended for article on Stargazing by Dale Holle in the November 16, 2009 issue.

Breast Cancer 3-Day

Intended for article on the 3-Day Cancer Walk by Lindsay Babb in the November 16, 2009 issue.