Phoenix, an alt-rock group from France, came out with a brand-new album Bankrupt! on April 23. After their previous album, Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, received the award for best alt-rock album at the 2009 Grammy Awards, expectations were very high for this new release.

Unfortunately, nothing in this album was edgy, unexpected, or even interesting. In fact, the only unexpected part of the entire album was the lack of incongruity between the songs.

Every song has the same basic formula. Mediocre electronic beats overlayed with unimpressive lyrics, disappointingly performed by lead singer Thomas Mars.

I, personally, am a big believer that good albums are meant to be listened to through-and-through, and in the proper order. A very good album has highs, lows, and everything in between scattered throughout like a well-mixed chocolate chip cookie. Bankrupt! seems to be missing the chocolate chips. Through the entire album, the same monotonous melodies and uninspired beats fill the empty space.

Contrary to what was expected,

Bankrupt! Album Cover

 was bankrupt of the interesting twists and turns that are a staple of quality alternative music.

1. By Your Side by Beachwood Sparks

2. Tops by The Rolling Stones

3. Tupelo Honey by Van Morrison

4. Do You Realize?? by The Flaming Lips

5. Excuses by The Morning Benders

6. There Is a Light That Never Goes Out by The Smiths

7. I Will Follow You Into the Dark by Death Cab for Cutie

8. Such Great Heights– Iron and Wine cover

9. Between the Bars by Elliott Smith

10. Re: Stacks by Bon Iver

11. Kathy’s Song by Simon and Garfunkel

12. Pale Blue Eyes by The Velvet Underground

When I heard this, I instantly felt two emotions. First, I was thoroughly annoyed. This is news? With everything else happening in the world? A celebrity gets one arrest for something fairly trivial, and suddenly it’s in the headlines. Secondly, I felt sad. Reese Witherspoon seemed like such a sweet person. I couldn’t believe she got arrested for freaking out at a policeman.

But the thing is, it doesn’t matter that for a moment she lost her cool. I don’t believe that arrest diminishes the fact that she has the reputation of being “America’s sweetheart.” Granted, I have never met her and I actually don’t know if she’s a consistently kind person. But she seemed family oriented, and had a fairly tarnish-free reputation. I was sad she did one stupid thing and all of the sudden all of America knows about it.

I, for one, sympathize with Witherspoon. Her husband was pulled over, and she freaked out. How many of us wouldn’t? She admitted to having “one drink too many”, so it’s not like she made the best choices. But everyone makes poor choices at points in their lives, and luckily those consequences aren’t broadcasted on national TV.

On a lot of the talkbacks, commenters called out Reese on trying to use the fact that she was a celebrity to get out of being arrested. But wouldn’t you? I think the fact that she told the cop, “Do you know my name?” was less about trying to be excused because she was famous, and more about being fearful that the arrest would harm her reputation. Who wouldn’t worry about that, if such an action would, the following day, be all over the internet?

Witherspoon did something humiliating when she was drunk, and because of her celebrity status, it made national news. I’m not victimizing her because she’s a celebrity. She makes lots of money being famous, and being in the public eye.

I’m just sorry that she has to bear the brunt of our criticism after a moment of lost cool because her actions were- and are- broadcasted to the world without discretion.

There are at least 3 dead and 141 injured in the Boston Marathon explosions.

According to USA Today, Boston police commissioner Ed Davis said there were at least 176 casualties and 17 people in critical condition.

Boston police reported another explosion at a library killing 2 people and injuring others.

Authorities issued a bulletin for an unidentified man who was seen running for a restricted area of the race

Link to more information: http://www.usatoday.com/story/gameon/2013/04/16/boston-marathon-explosions-tuesday-morning-roundup/2087005/

Video of  explosion provided by Boston Globe

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=046MuD1pYJg

As of 5:38 EST, cell service in Boston is shut down. There was also another explosion at the JFK Library with no injuries. Officials haven’t commented on whether or not the third explosion was linked to the previous two.

As of 6EST, this has officially been classified as a terrorist attack. Area hospitals are reporting upwards of 70 now being treated.

UPDATE: The JFK Library explosion was not connected to the bombings.

Read more at: Cnn.com 

First Year Latin

Gold Medalists: Devin Fitch, Christine Soh, Laurel Melton, Daniel Goldstein, Tatiana Simoncic, Sydney Berry

Silver Medalists: Matt Stensrud, Luke Walsh, Kathy Ding, Kirsten Walters, Nicholas Baer, Helena Schumann, Maya Frost-Belansky, Peter Zachwieja, Emory Ferguson, Rebecca Fantalis, Lauren Eckl, Jacob Adkins, Liam Barstad, Shauna Dolph, Sidney Andrew

Second Year Latin

Gold Medalists:  Sydney Chinowsky, Paul Reynerson, Daniela Fishman, Sarah Murphy, Sam Scheeres, Nicholas Gunther, Robert Compton, Gabe Sully, Anna Balaguer, Leslie Seitz, Ian Wilkins

Silver Medalists:  Xenia Mathys, Noah Mihelic, Hannah Kerbe, Chris Paskvalich, Eliana Goldstein, Levi Hamermik, Hannah Hartung, Monica Gronseth

Third Year Exam

Silver Medalists: Leah Trumble

Fourth Year Exam

Gold Medalists: Sarah Wilson and Teague Morris

Magna Cum Laude: Sarah Walters, Maiji Castro, Meridith Richter, Janet Chen, Gia Nyhuis

Fifth Year Exam

Silver Medalists: Katt Bragg

Third and Fourth Year Latin Prose Exam: 

Gold Medalists: Albert Soh

Silver Medalists: Josh Anderson, Caitlin Reck, Karlyn Long, Matt Eckl

Magna Cum Laude: Shannon Rosenblum, Calvin Lietz, Yi-Chen Lin, Sierra Melton, Charlie Strand, Sam Nieb, Colleen Finlayson

Staff photographer Lindsay Barnes went to Costa Rica for spring break. Here are some photos from her trip.

This information, given to CNN at 8:00 Thursday morning, is some of the first tangible evidence that points to a North Korean missile strike. Besides the North’s normal hostile rhetoric, real intelligence regarding the matter has been few and far between.

A mid-range missile launched from the Korean eastern coast is speculated to be able to reach South Korea, Japan, and possibly the US territory of Guam.