Christina Abraham 22 years oldFifth-year senior Brookings, SDPsychology and SociologyTattoo Artist for 2 years at Affinity Body Art in Sioux Falls”My whole life I’ve been an artist and [my body] was just another canvas.”

Christine Harte 22 years oldFifth-year seniorBrookings, SDEarly Childhood EducationTattoo of bat on left ankle”I wanted a tattoo because it is so much more personal and meaningful than a piercing. I got a tattoo of bats because I believe that they are misunderstood creatures and I find that I can identify with them.”

Victoria Grundel 22 years oldFourth-year JuniorSpringfield, MNButterfly tattoo on left shoulder”I wanted to prove to myself that I could do something that I was afraid of.”

Mike Warkenthein 21 years oldJuniorBrookings, SDLandscaping Design2 tattoos: Praying hands wrapped in a rose on back, Black Panther on right shoulder blade

“My family is in my tattoo of the praying hands. The hands wrapped in a rose vine symbolize the protection of God and each thorn on the rose stem represents a member of my family. I wanted to get a tattoo of something I would never get sick of and I know that I’ll never get sick of my family.”

Ten questions for the tattoo guy Questions for Larry Jordan, owner/artist of Wyld Thangs Tattoos.

1. The first time you did a tattoo, what was it?

When I was 17 I did a heart with a ribbon around it on a friend of mine.

2. Have you ever had a dissatisfied customer that demanded he shouldn’t have to pay for his tattoo?

Not yet.

3. What is the longest time (in one sitting) you have taken to give a tattoo?

16 hours. I did a half of a sleeve on a guy in Indiana. He slept through most of it and I woke him up when I was done.

4. What is the worst place on your body to get a tattoo?

Its hard to say because it depends on the person. For a guy, I’d say the rib cage hurts the worst. For women, I guess it would be the lower back.

5. What is the dumbest/craziest tattoo you have ever done?

A guy in Evansville, Ind., wanted me to do a basket of fruit on him. I tried to talk him out of it but that’s what he wanted so I did it. There was also a guy in Nebraska who wanted an ear of corn.

6. What is the most popular tattoo/image people want done?

Most people who come in want custom work. I do a little bit of everything because no one wants to get a tattoo that everyone else has. The further south you go, the more people want the same old thing; the butterflies, the flowers, the tribal designs.

7. When is the busiest time of year for getting tattoos?

Here it’s busiest in the winter and fall when the college kids are in town. They’re a big part of the business in Brookings.

8. What is the difference between powder and liquid tattoo ink?

They don’t use powder ink anymore. Guy Hachison from Chicago holds the title as the best tattoo artist in the world and I am a member of his forum. He has researched inks and written books about it and whenever I have any questions, I ask him. I’ve been using Permapro ink for about 10 years now and it’s never given anyone any problems.

9. Do you ever give friends or family free tattoos as gifts?

Yeah. Most of my family lives far south and I usually only see them around Christmas so when they come to visit I usually do whatever kind of work they want done.

10. Where do you go to get your tattoos done?

I’ve got a few artists but they are in the south. There are some friends who work at Artist Encounters in Kentucky that I go to and then there’s American Tattoos in Virginia Beach too. Some day I’ll get back there to have them finish up some work I want done.

#1.885635:3380675995.jpg:Juicy cover.jpg:Christina Abraham:Mike Carlson
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#1.885631:1839514772.jpg:tattoo artist.jpg:Larry Jordan, owner of Wyld Thangs Tattoos in Brookings, creates a back design for Zach. Jordan says he once tattooed a basket of fruit on a customer in Evansville, Ind., despite Jordan´s attempt to talk the man out of it.:Mike Carlson

I have been employed at a video store for a little more than a year. During the countless hours I have spent rewinding movies and stamping punch cards, I have been plagued with several stupid customers who not only torment me, but my co-workers as well.

In the past few weeks, I have collaborated with my film-oriented family to come up with a list of proper video store etiquette. The following is a condensed version of an entire collection of Commandments that every video card carrier should know and follow:

1. You need a membership to rent?

Some people come up to the counter with an armful of movies and are surprised that you need to fill out a membership form to rent.

Apparently these are the same folks who leave their doors unlocked and hand out homemade goodies on Halloween.

Although you feel a little callous telling them that there is no such thing as the honor system in the wide world of video rentals, it is much worse typing in over 20 last names and phone numbers trying to track a customer account that doesn’t even exist in the database yet.

This brings me to another common problem, filling out new membership forms.

2. What, you want my blood type too?

Like any bank you may go to secure a loan, video stores need some form of collateral. But instead of a car title, we only seek detailed information to contact you in case you choose not to return your movie.

Stores vary on the criteria for filling out a new membership; sometimes two IDs are needed, sometimes two phone numbers. Whatever the form requests, be a dutiful little customer and fill it out without complaint.

You’re not going to change the “system” by turning into a one-man lobbyist yelling at the store clerk on a Friday night with 8 people behind you so do everyone a favor and respect the store policy or take your business elsewhere.

3. Go put that back where you found it, honey!

Just because rental stores offer an adequate family selection does not mean you should unleash your rugrats in the children’s section.

Hold on to your toddlers or leave them at home out of respect for other customers and the employees.

Too many times have candy shelves been knocked over, toilets plugged, candy boxes gnawed on and put back, and video cases strewn across the entire store.

If your progeny in pampers brings you the movie case to Shrek 2, don’t abandon all logic and tell the child to put it back where they found it, be responsible and put it back for them. If the kid has not yet learned to read, I doubt he has grasped the concept of alphabetization and movie genres.

4. You guys got any porn?

Most rental stores have some sort of section devoted to adult entertainment films. Since there seems to be a mass confusion as to what is hardcore and what is not, I will reveal the difference.

If the video store has a special room, strictly devoted to adult films where you must by 21 to enter, the movies you will find there are the real deal – they’re pornography.

If however, you stumble across a store that has a section entitled something like Late Night and it is intermingled with the rest of the movie genres, you are dealing with soft-core porn.

In other words, it is the type of low-key, cheesy stuff with lame storylines that is strictly meant to tease. You know, something you might see on HBO or Cinemax when you stay up past your bedtime.

If a store doesn’t have the kind of “entertainment” you are looking for, simply lower the brim of your cap and head towards the exit. This is much more appropriate than approaching the college girl at the counter at midnight and asking her if she knows of any good pornos ….

Colleen Stein is a senior journalism major and English minor.

Ju-On RLions Gate and Vitagraph Films Directed by Takashi Shimizu (Tomie: Rebirth, The Grudge)

Now that Sam Raimi’s The Grudge has hit theaters, distributors saw this week as the perfect opportunity to introduce fans to the Grudge’s foreign film original.

Released in 2000, Ju-on: The Grudge was quickly followed with a sequel Ju-On: The Grudge 2 and then final addition to the trilogy, Tomie: Rebirth, in 2001.

The movie, praised for its unique use of scare tactics and eerie sounds, includes nearly everything the Americanized version has and more, delving deeper into the life of the main character once she is exposed to house and its curse.

Final Verdict: Although I am a big fan of oddball foreign films like this one, the movie dragged and I quickly lost track of the details. The characters are hard to tell apart and the subtitles flash across quickly leaving one to rely on the scary parts to keep the movie going.

A few parts, including the girl crawling down the stairs croaking like a frog, outshined the scenes in the remake, but otherwise, Raimi’s version offers more bang for your buck.

The Stepford Wives PG-13Paramount PicturesDirected by Frank Oz (The Dark Crystal, Little Shop of Horror 1986, The Score)

Based on the sci-fi/suspense novel by Ira Levin, The Stepford Wives was first made into a movie in 1975. In Oz’s version the tale is modernized and brought to life by a cast of well-seasoned actors.

Nicole Kidman stars as a career and family woman who competes with her husband for everything. After losing her job as a big shot executive for a major television network, Kidman and her family pack up and leave the big city for a neighborhood in the suburbs.

The place they find is perfect – too perfect. The houses are huge and immaculate and the families couldn’t be friendlier. But Joanna notices that all of the women are gorgeous well-mannered mothers and housewives whose sole purpose is to fulfill their husband’s every whim.

The movie also includes Matthew Broderick, Glenn Close, Bette Midler, Christopher Walken and Faith Hill.

Final Verdict: Rather than a remake, this film is more of an amendment to the original. Since the secret is out as to what a “Stepford” wife really is, the new version has fun modernizing the characters and plotline while mocking today’s concepts of gender roles and synthetic beauty, and ends on a much happier note than the original.

I still prefer the 1975 version.

Around the World in 80 Days (PG) Walt Disney PicturesDirected by Frank Coraci (Murdered Innocence, The Wedding Singer, Waterboy)

This 1872 novel has been remade into a movie three times. In this most recent version, the comedy/adventure stars Steve Coogan as wealthy inventor Phileas Fogg (above right) and Jackie Chan as his valet, the faux-Frenchman Passporteux.

While they both agree to the challenge of traveling around the world in 80 days, each has his own agenda along the way.

After launching off in their air balloon, they stop in France and meet the female impressionist painter, Miss La Roche (above left). On a train through Turkey, they are stopped by Prince Hapi, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, who seeks to make Miss La Roche wife number seven in his harem.

Owen and Luke, the Wilson Brothers, make a cameo as the Wright Brothers, the plane-flying pioneers.

Final Verdict: I admit, my expectations were not high. But the colorful characters and humorous historic tie-ins made this film digestible. If the first movie you are looking for is all checked out, consider this as candidate number two.

Shrek 2 (PG)Dreamworks PicturesDirected by Andrew Adamson, Conrad Vernon, Kelly Asbury (Shrek, Chronicles of Narnia – 2004)

In this children’s CGI instant classic, Shrek and his new bride, Fiona are invited to stay at her parents’ castle located in the town of Far, Far Away. However, the two fail to receive a very warm welcome upon their arrival and it is soon learned that there is an ulterior motive behind their invitation.

Fiona’s Fairy Godmother, who is more like one of Coppola’s Godfathers, has plans to break up the two happy ogres in order to let her son Prince Charming wed the princess instead. Along with the feature film, fans will enjoy Shrek 2′s fully-loaded menu screen packed with bonus features before the show.

Final Verdict: For the very few people who didn’t make it to Shrek 2 in theaters, this film is faster, trendier, and, yes, funnier than the the first Shrek.

While the donkey continues to grate on my nerves, the tiny orange Puss-in-Boots, voiced by Antonio Banderas, offers a little feline force to help Shrek rescue his fair maiden.

Shrek 2 will be released on Friday instead of the traditional Tuesday, probably because of the $104.3 million it pulled in at the weekend box office. My prediction is that most people will forgo the rental process and simply buy it on the spot.

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While most of the world knows him from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas as Raoul Duke, the fast talking, convertible-crashing, adrenochrome-dropping Gonzo doctor of journalism, Hunter S. Thompson has churned out other exceptional works of fiction, including The Rum Diary.

Set in the late 1950s, Paul Kemp, created in Thompson’s own image, is a 30-year-old drifting journalist looking for the next meal ticket to the American dream.

When he tires of writing ad copy in New York City, he hops on a plane to Puerto Rico where a job reporting for the San Juan Daily News awaits him.

When he arrives at the doorstep of the newspaper building, Kemp wades through a mob of angry union workers protesting for a cause no one can figure out.

As the other reporters fill him in on his new third-world lifestyle, Kemp prepares himself for the island’s bouts of civil unrest, poor food quality, and nonexistent sanitization.

To make up for his new less-than-glamorous lifestyle, Kemp finds sanctuary on the island’s white beaches and in Al’s Backyard, a local restaurant-bar and newspaper staff hangout where rum appears to be the drink of choice.

Once he settles in, Kemp befriends fellow American newcomer Yeamon, a tall, lanky fellow with a hot temper. Also thrown into the equation is Chenault, Yeamon’s pretty blond girlfriend, on whom Kemp develops a major crush. Together they go partying on the tiny nearby island of St. Thomas and during the festival they lose all sense of control and reality as the music and liquor flow.

More problems arise when Kemp returns to work at the San Juan Daily News to find several disgruntled employees plotting against their boss who does not have the funds to pay them. Along with a few run-ins with the local police, who put the “force” in law enforcement, Kemp begins to question his judgment in career moves.

Thompson’s Rum Diary is the bastard son of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece, The Great Gatsby.

Complete with drunken jubilees, testosterone-enraged fist-fights and a good old-fashioned love triangle, this book offers all that makes a great American novel worth reading.

If you liked Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, you will enjoy this warped journey back in time to admire Thompson’s signature writing style that made The Rum Diary a national bestseller in 1998.

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I had just finished tacking the poly-fiber spider webbing to the walls and corners of the apartment when two of my three roommates came in. Although it was difficult to interpret their vacant expressions (one being painfully shy and the other a frigid b***h), I could tell they were a bit uneasy upon seeing the decadent yet cartoonish change of scenery-the ghoul in the corner with his mouth lit up holding a lollipop, the baby ghost votive candles haunting the coffee table and the tattered and yellowed wall d

White Chicks (PG-13)Columbia PicturesDirected by Keenan Ivory Wayans (Hollywood Shuffle, I’m Gonna Git You Sucka!, Glimmer Man)

Shawn and Marlon Wayans now know what it is like to wear high-heels and wax their eyebrows. In White Chicks, the virtually-inseparable pair play two FBI agents who are willing to do almost anything to keep their jobs. When they learn the bureau must protect two millionaires’ daughters, the duo sign themselves up to personally escort the sisters to the Hamptons.

When the four of them get into a minor fender-bender, the girls refuse to be seen in their high-class social sphere with a few minor gashes on their face. The Wayans Bros. do the unexpected and each undergoes the transformation of middle-class black men into first-class white ladies.

Final Verdict: Despite an occasional uncouth comment and gesture, this comedy lacks substance and plotline development.

Yet, those who admire other Wayans Bros. works like Don’t Be a Menace to Society … and both Scary Movie releases, White Chicks is another film to add to your collection. Gender bending movies similar to this one include: Just One of the Guys, Sorority Boys, Mrs. Doubtfire and Tootsie.

Dawn of the Dead (R)Universal PicturesDirected by Zach Snyder

And you though zombies only came out at night. This remake of George Romero’s 1978 original proves that just because the sun comes up does not mean your neighbors are going to wish you a “Good morning.”

Sarah Polley stars in this gory horror flick as a nurse who is forced to flee from of her suburban utopia when the little neighbor girl Viviane comes over for a “snack.”

Polley’s character teams up with a cop (Ving Rhames), an expectant father (Mekhi Phifer) and a television salesman. Together they find refuge at a nearby mall in Everett, Wash., where they find more survivors.

After realizing that help is not coming and it is everyone for themselves, the diverse group passes the time by thinning out the mounting wall of zombies surrounding the mall and still manages to get in a little shopping while they are at it.

Final Verdict: After seeing it in theaters, I immediately deemed Dawn of the Dead one of the scariest yet laughable horror movies I’ve ever seen. Humor and witty dialogue help the storyline progress and keep the film moving during times the undead, chewed-upon corpses aren’t mauling some poor, outnumbered civilians. Although viewing it on DVD is not quite as overwhelming as watching it on the big screen, this fast-paced, modern-day zombie thriller is one that must be purchased so it can be watched over and over again.

Oct. 12 ReviewsThe Day After Tomorrow PG-1320th Century FoxDirected by Roland Emmerich (Independance Day, The Patriot, Godzilla Series)

Jake Gyllenhaal and Dennis Quaid (pictured below) star as a father-and-son duo struggling to survive in the face of a really pissed off Mother Nature.

Quaid, who plays a government climatologist, stumbles upon a growing atmospheric trend caused by global warming that will bring on a modern-day ice age.

His son (Gyllenhaal) narrowly escapes the storm with a group of friends and holes up in a New York library while they wait for the unbearably freezing weather to lighten up.

Quaid’s character promises his son that he will come and save him and the movie turns into a waiting game to see if the father and son will be reunited.

Final Verdict: This sci-fi action flick does a good job of keeping the setting realistic, yet the scene where Jake and the gang are being chased by huge CGI wolves is unnecessary, not to mention unrealistic. And while Quaid is not the most talented actor in Hollywood, this movie possesses enough intelligence spiced with some heart-felt drama that it becomes worth renting.

Also Rent: If you enjoyed this Apocalyptic-themed thriller, you might like: The Core, Armageddon, 12 Monkeys, Independence Day and maybe even Waterworld.

Also, Jake Gyllenhaal, who had been unfairly deemed by Hollywood as the poor man’s Tobey McGuire, stars in two lesser-known movies perfect for renting: Donnie Darko and Bubble Boy.

Oct. 19 PreviewsVan Helsing PG-13Universal PicturesDirected by Stephen Sommers (Deep Rising, The Mummy Collection)

Hugh Jackman undergoes the metamorphosis from mutant to monster-slayer as he appears as Gabriel Van Helsing (pictured below), an ancient trench coat-wearing bounty hunter dedicated to bringing down the classical immortals via crossbow and a cache of other unconventional weaponry.

With the help of gypsy-babe Kate Beckinsale (who ironically just appeared as a vampire herself in Underworld), Van Helsing takes on famously freakish villains like Dracula, Wolfman, and Frankenstein’s monster.

Final Verdict: Critics have been stating that this movie is “over-blown” yet silly with “tongue-in-cheek humor.” My assumption is that if you liked X-Men I and II, Underworld and/or Hellboy, this movie is one you’ll want to see.

Garfield PG20th Century FoxDirected by Peter Hewitt (Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey, Tom and Huck)

A CGI Garfield brings life to the overindulgent, lasagna-loving cat from the comics and places him on the big screen.

Saturday Night Live veteran Bill Murray voices the conceited and inane thoughts of Garfield as he pushes around Odie, a real life terrier, and humiliates his pathetic owner Jon Arbuckle, played by Breckin Meyer (Clueless, The Craft, Road Trip).

Jennifer Hewitt also appears in the film as Garfield’s veterinarian and Arbuckle’s love interest.

Final Verdict: Why anyone felt possessed to rob the funnies for film ideas, I’ll never know. Although Bill Murray stars as the voice of the fat feline, I doubt he emanates the same humor as he once did in classics like Scrooged and Caddyshack. As far as the casting of Jennifer Love Hewitt goes, the fact that she shares the same last name with the director might have something to do with it.

Rent Instead: For a more meaningful movie-watching experience, rent Bill Murray’s more recent, dramatic film Lost In Translation.

If you are in the mood to laugh, rent an older Murray flick like Ghostbusters, What About Bob?, Ground Hog Day, or Kingpin.

Saved! (PG-13)United ArtistsDirected by Brian Dannelly

Who’s down with G-O-D?

At American Christian High School, you are not cool unless you are friends with Christ. For Mary (Jena Malone), believing in the power of Christ was all she ever knew until her senior year of high school. After her boyfriend Dean tells her he is gay, she naively sacrifices her virginity to sleep with him in attempt to “steer him back onto the path of the Lord.” When she discovers she is pregnant, Mary begins to lose faith in God.

With the help of a rebellious Jewish girl named Cassandra and the wheel-chair-bound Roland (Macaulay Caulkin), Mary becomes more accepting of herself and others as she sees the world in a new light, concluding, “Why would God make us all so different if he wanted us all to be the same?”

Final Verdict: This movie does a great job of poking fun at modern Christian enthusiasts without disrespecting them. Mandy Moore does well in playing Hilary Faye, the hypertensive, self-righteous, yet sympathetic snob and Malone embodies the lost little lamb who learns that some days, you have to be your own shepherd. If you like high school flicks like Mean Girls or Can’t Hardly Wait, you’ll enjoy being Saved!

Fahrenheit 9/11 (R)Lions Gate FilmsDirected by Michael Moore (Bowling for Columbine, Canadian Bacon)

This documentary follows George W. Bush from the controversial presidential decision in 2000 to America’s present-day war in Iraq.

Moore delves deep into the stinky bog of politics to unearth hidden details of W’s life, such as the fact that Bush’s brother is the governor of Florida and when the 2000 election came down to Florida’s decision, his first cousin was working in the decision booth and his campaign leader was the vote counter.

Moore also traces Bush’s family connections back to when he started an oil business and signed on the Bin Laden family as key investors. Along with the September 11th attacks that never get easier to watch, Moore interviews congressmen, soldiers, and people walking on the street to create this amazingly informative and disturbing piece.

Final Verdict: Even if you do not have a firm grasp on politics, Michael Moore, with his average-joe attitude, makes the issues plain and simple to understand.

If you enjoyed Bowling for Columbine or have a beef with Bush, this documentary is worth renting.

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I was working with the Student Foundation touring the preschool and kindergarten classroom over in Pugsley Hall two weeks ago. We were given free rein over the place for 15 minutes and so I crept into an observation booth that overlooks a preschool classroom.

I sat down behind the two-way mirror and slipped a pair of headphones over my ears. There were three groups of families laughing and playing with their children, the parents looked like giants sitting at the tiny table in their tiny chairs.

I listened and watched the people for a few minutes when I heard a familiar laugh from someone half-hidden behind a cart of supplies. I strained and squinted until I found myself staring at my long-lost friend, Christine. She had been my proverbial clone growing up and until our falling-out in high school five years ago, we had been best friends since the age of four.

After a big fight in our junior year, I lost touch with Christine altogether. She graduated early the following year and when she left for college, her mom pulled up stakes and left town, too. The phone number I have come to memorize all those years was useless, I had foolishly lost her email address, and whenever I asked around, no one seemed to know where she had gone.

The collapse of our friendship haunted me during those years Christine had gone missing. I constantly dreamt of seeing her again and apologizing. I wanted so badly to pick up the pieces and weld together something that resembled our old friendship. But once everything was made right again, I always woke up and all of my efforts would be undone.

Seeing Christine again hit me with a wave of excitement and relief. I had so many questions for her and there were dozens of experiences that I wanted to tell her about. This was my chance to stop the bad dreams and face reality. Regardless of the outcome of our encounter, I would have the closure of knowing if she wanted to be friends again or if she still hated me as a result of our high school quarrel.

I approached her and waited. She turned, scanned my face and stopped. “Hi!” I squeaked. Christine’s face broke into a smile and she greeted me back. The giddiness in her voice as she asked me what I was doing there set all my fears of her rejection of me to rest. She wrote down her phone number and gave it to before she went back to work and told me to call her anytime.

My entire life, I have made and lost friends due to a variety of circumstances. As I grow older, I am able to deal with most of these losses and move on. Yet my relationship with Christine was not a scar on my past but a wound left oozing and unhealed. Despite all of her shortcomings, she remained an important person in my existence and I felt it imperative to breathe life into our friendship once more.

As I studied the piece of paper where she had written her number, I realized her sloppy handwriting had not changed during our years apart. Slowly a tide of flashbacks washed over me and waves of memories alive with color and sounds from our childhood came flooding back. Only this time it was not a dream.

Colleen Stein is a senior journalism and English major.

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