6 OPINIONS/ARTS Madcaps immaturity TYLER CLARKE PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Welcome back from the winter break. If people you saw during the break didn’t embitter you towards the human race even further, congratulations. I find people get increasingly grumpy and hard to be around during the holiday season. Granted, I worked at a gas station full time during the break, which accounts for a large majority of this problem. People tend to be in a great rush to go wherever they are going. I dont quite understand why someone would buy things like lotto tickets or magazines, or would wash their vehicle while in,a great rush, but that's another thing, Alright, I welcomed you back, now - to start bitching about something that annoys me. This time it's immaturity. Now, don't get me wrong, I'm incred- ibly immature. I make and laugh at poop jokes all the time, I find I’m mature [or at least I try to be so} when it counts. “4 ‘The other day I met a women who had to beat least 70 who was more immature than me. Te all started when, a few years ago, when I noticed that anti-abortion guy standing outside the hospital. I looked at him, silently disagreed with him to myself, and drove past. As time flew by, and I saw this man several more times, I thought it was just about time that I in- formed him that I disagreed, so I made a “pro-choice” sign and put in my trunk for the next time I saw him there. Granted, part of the incentive was pissing this guy off, but I’m sure expression was part of it. A few months passed, and I saw him a few more times, but I was always too busy to stand next to him. That was until a few days ago when I was driving ans We Will Miss You AMBER L RICHARDS STAFF WRITER On Chrisemas Day morning ar 1:45 m, The “Godfather of Soul’, James Brown, died. He was 73. Tc was nor certain what exactly killed him bur he was hospitalized with pneu- monia on Sunday, the day before he passed. Some people believe it was the pneumonia, some people believe it was age, He was famous for the rap, funkand disco as well as his rasping yoeals and revolutionary rhythms that he broughr into the musical world, Brown was one of the most popular musical influences of the past 50 years. He was stich an icon in the musical industry, other arrist such as Michael Jackson and Mick Jagger idolized him. Brown's claim to the inyention of soul can be challenged by fans of Ray Charles and Sam Cooke, bur his rights to the genres of rap, disco and funk are beyond question. Some of Brown's classical hits, to name a few, are "Our of Sight,’ "(Ger up I Feel like Being a) Sex Machine” and “T Got You (I Feel Good)". Brown, while in his music career, won a Grammy in 1992 for a Life Time Achievement Award, He also won a Grammy i 1965 for the song “Papa's got a Brand New Bag’ and in 1987 for“ Living in America’ Tn 1986, he was finally pur into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for his music, Brown's work has been replayed by The Fat Boys, Ice-T, Public Enemy and many other rappers over ume. “The music out there is only as good as. my last record/’ Brown joked in a 1989 interview with Rolling Stone magazine. While most of Brownis life was glitz and glitter, he was plagued with charges of abusing drugs and alcohol and of hit- ting his third wife, Adrienne. Brown was also released in 1991 from South Caro- lina prison. He was in prison for failing to stop for a police officer. Brown spent more than 2 years in prison. He promised that he would straighten out fast, That did nor happen. Tn September 1988, Brown, high on PCP and carrying a shotgun, entered an insurance seminar next to his Augusta office. Police said he asked seminar par- ticipants if they were using his private restroom. Police chen chased Brown for a half-hour from Augusta into: South Carolina and back to Georgia, The chase ended when police shor our the tires of his ruck, Brown, received a. six-year prison sentence, He spent 15 months in a Sourh Carolina prison and 10 months in a work release program before being: paroled in February, 1991, In 2003, the South Carolina parole board. granted him a pardon for his crimes in thar stare. Soon after his release, Brown was on Stage again with an audience thar in-. cluided millions of cable television view- crs nationwide who watched the three- hous, pay-per-view concert at Wiltern Theatre in Los Angeles: Brown believed “The song (Say Ir Out Loud —I'm Black and I’m Proud”) showed even people to thar day that lyrics and music and a song can change society: In 1968, thar statement of rad- ical pride, became the one of the first historical landmarks, Before: becoming his own solo artist he was part of the group, “Gospel Starlighters’. The group changed their name a few years later to the “Famous Flares” since their style of music was too hard for R&B. His music brought joy to everyone and may his music live on foreyer. James. Brown's body was-on display ar the Apollo Theatre for the few days after his death before he was laid to rest, His casket is gold and he is dressed in the famous purple suit Rest in Peace James. We-will miss you, OVER THE EDGE NEWSPAPER. with my friend Tabatha, and we saw him standing there. We pulled out the “pro- choice” sign, and stood up the road from him a bit. It pleased us greatly to hear so many people honking in approval, and waving at us. Then, the old woman who had to be at least 70 gave us the finger. Although the old lady giving us the finger made us erupt in laughter, on some level it annoyed me. It annoyed me because of the sheer immaturity and pointlessness-of it. It annoyed me because I was more mature than a 70 year old. This also furthers the idea that one should not look up to their elders. I certainly don't, and haven't since grade 9 when I realized my shop teacher was a complete moron, By grade 9 I, and JANUARY 10, 2007 everyone else for that matter, entered the same playing field as all of adults. Aside from situations in'which someone is my superior, such as professor or boss, I consider myself an equal, and act ac- cordingly. Maturity isn't determined by age, it's determined by something else. Maybe a combination of intelligence, patience, and understanding. In any case, make all the peer jokes you want, Just make sure you're mature where it truly counts. If not, I will in- evitably hate you. Not that being my friend epitomizes awesome on anything. Wait. Yes. Yes it does. I have N64. “Shake Your Money- Maker!” No More ELIZABETH FYLES COPY EDOR On Christmas Day 2006 another legend was lost. James Brown, the God- father of Soul, died of heart failure in hospital due to case of pneumonia. T was looking forward to Brown's con- cert on’ January 14, mare ridiculously than you can imagine: T was going with “several of my good friends and had in- formed all of my family members: of this fact before Christmas: For weeks my friends and T have been continu ously saying, “James Brown is coming to Prince George, of all places, and he's get- ting on in years, We just have tosee him before he dies.’ 1 woke up on Boxing Day at a rather early (1 thought) 11;30 thinking abour the turkey sandwich I was going to eat, I walked our into my grandmothers living room and said good morning to everyoné when my uncle kind of laughs and says “Have you seen the paper this morning?" | picked up the paper and there on the front page ‘James Brown, Godfather of Soul, dies ar’73! Tslumped. The hardest working man ‘in show business works no longer, 1 thought His Funkiness was going to carry on for another decade at least. James Brown has brought co the worlds of hip-hop, soul; rap, funk, disco and many others more than any other single musician. His hits such at Ger Up (I Feel Like Being a Sex Machine), Our of Sight, Say Ip Loud = I’m Black and I'm Proud, and Papa's Got a Brand New Bag were anthems of a different era but they are still getting people" Up" roday. I send my appreciation and thanks for all he has, done for music otit into the universe, to Mr, Brown, wherever he might be, I send a different plea out to Ticker- Master, “Full Refunds, Please,’