Music Review: The Bravery:Stir The Blood

"Stir The Blood" is the Bravery's junior album following the breakout success of "The Sun And The Moon" but the album is much closer in sound to their first record "The Bravery".

As a huge fan of The Sun And The Moon, I was very surprised by Stir The Blood. The vocal mix on the album makes use of many effects that make the singers voice very drawn out and artificial compared to the very clean quality used on Sun & Moon. The lyrics to some of the songs I found to be much less soulful then previous installments and an overall dissapointment.

The variety of songs on the album is very lacking. The band seems to have fallen back on their use of alot of synth with simplistic drum beats and are much less adventurous this time around. While the songs are catchy, they lack the individual identity of the previous album.

While I was dissapointed with the album as a whole, the music is solid and catchy albeit too busy at times. This collection is worth a listen but does more wrong then right as follow up to such a great album as "The Sun And The Moon"
2/5

Zhu Zhu the Robotic Hamster Dominates Black Friday

(courtesy of CNN.com)

As Black Friday rolled around and thousands of shoppers fled their local malls for good deals, one furry little toy seemed to be on everybody's shopping list. Zhu Zhu the robotic hamster was such a hot toy this year that there were extensive lines in front of Toys-R-Us, which had its own line specifically for those who wanted one. People in the line were given a red ticket which ensured them a robotic hamster. "Its the only thing my little sister wants for Christmas, and she is going to get it," said Kaitlynn Blyth, a shopper at Toys-R-Us. There were some reports of shoppers waiting from before 7:30 pm to be the first in line for the midnight opening. Other families appeared at early times to get a hold on the many toys that Black Friday had to offer.

Holiday Movie Weekend Proves to be a Box Office Smash

(courtesy of CNN.com)

On the Thanksgiving weekend, a new surge of box office revenue hit movie theaters. Moviegoers of all ages showed up to see the new released that placed among the top money-earning films of the year. In first place for the weekend was "Twilight: New Moon", which scored a total of $42.5 million in box office revenue that added to its cume of $230.7 million. That makes it the sixth highest earning movie of the year, right below Star Trek. In second was "The Blind Side" at $40.1 million. These smash releases were accompanied by "2012" at $18 million, "Old Dogs" at $16.8 million, and "Ninja Assassin" at $13.1 million. With these films is Disney's "A Christmas Carol", which scored $16 million, which added with its previous earnings makes it hit $105.3 million.

Overall, these films scored higher numbers than many others have this year. It seems that even in tough times, the film industry continues to thrive as moviegoers of all ages are attending the newest and greatest flicks.

Marlborough Seniors Host Christmas Party

The Marlborough Senior Citizens club is going to hold a special event. Every year, the club hosts a Christmas party at the Marlborough Senior Center. This year, the party will be held on December 8th at 12:30 pm. There will be entertainment by The Belltones and a pot luck dinner. The club will provide ham, desserts, rolls with butter, and drinks. Donations to the food bank will be accepted.

For more information on contact and other activities and events, visit the Marlborough Senior Center Website at:

http://www.marlboroughct.net/content/Seniors/SeniorCenter.htm

Breakfast With Santa Visits Marlborough Once Again

As a child, I always loved Christmas and one of the main events I used to look forward to was Breakfast With Santa. You got to eat as much as you want and then talk to Santa and make sure all of your gifts would come that year. It was always a good time and a fun way for the community to bond.

Breakfast With Santa is back again this year on December 5. The cost is $5 for an all-you-can-eat breakfast. There are two time slots to go to; 8-9:30 am and 9:45-11 am. It features a variety of foods and Santa will be there all morning.

To sign up, email str64@cox.net.

Two Injured In Hartford Shooting

According to courant.com, two men were injured during an shooting outside 308 Broad Street around 3:09 a.m. this morning. The two men were taken to a nearby hospital for non life-threatening injuries. According to police, one of the men was shot in the chest and the other had 3 bullet wounds in his back. The men told police that they didn't know the man, who shot them. The victims described the man as a 20 year old Hispanic male, who is about 5 feet, 9 inches and 170 pounds. The man was wearing a black hooded jacket and dark-colored jeans. The weapon the man used was a black and chrome-colored handgun.

Plainville Police Search For Missing Teens

According to courant.com, the Plainville police are asking for the public's help in finding two teenagers that have been missing ever since Friday night. Police say that the two teenagers: 12 year old LiAnn and her 14 year old sister, Tianna Hall, were reported missing at 12:30 am. They were last seen at their home at eight, earlier that night. Police are guessing that the two sisters left home on their own. If anyone has any information concerning these two girls should contact the Plainville Police Department at 860-747-1616.