Noah Miller, a junior at the University of Central Florida, got the idea to start the publication in May of last year with long time friend Alex Zafran a junior at George Washington University.

“The reason we came up with it was to encourage more involvement in the political system,” Miller said.

The Fancy has a staff of around 40, several of which are students at the University of Central Florida.

Maurice Wahba, an Information Technology major at UCF and website developer for the Fancy, got involved because he thought the idea was fresh and new.

“Humor is a passion of mine so The Washington Fancy was naturally a good fit. It’s been rewarding so far and I look forward to becoming an essential part of the team,” said Cesar Vallejo an advertising/public relations major at UCF and runs the marketing and social media for the site.

The site has already been featured on Washington DC publications like The Washington Times Communities and TBD.com.

The site’s creator said he hopes to bring humor to the tense GOP Presidential Primary and the upcoming 2012 Presidential election.

UCF’s School of Visual Arts and Design (SVAD), along with the Office of Continuing Education, is offering a course called Ways of Seeing: The American Southwest, an Interpretation of Place. The course will be taught by Philip Peters, an associate professor with SVAD.

The course, open to all upper-level undergraduate and graduate students, is being held to help engage students in learning and developing individual creative minds. “With the way the class is structured, we’re looking at kind of the development of the American Southwest,” said Peters.

During the Summer A semester, students will travel to Nevada and the Four Corners region of the United States: Arizona, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico. While here, students will stay in different hotels and travel to certain destinations including national parks, universities and museums. Upon return, the group will present their artistic work at the City Arts Factory in Downtown Orlando.

The course syllabus states that a main objective for the course is that “students will be expected to produce work in whatever creative discipline they work in that is inspired from their encounters with the places and cultures visited.” Giving students opportunities to engage with their artistic interpretations of actual environments is something that Peters is passionate about. “I’m very interested in how the arts, particularly the visual arts, interact with place [and] environments,” Peters said.

Professor Bruce Janz, Chair of the UCF Department of Philosophy, has traveled on a few of Peters’ excursions and has noticed the difference in classroom learning verse experiential learning. “Being in the field and writing about these things is very different from being in the classroom, I think. And Phil is a master at bringing together his training and ideas that are in the university with actual places; actual experiences [and] history,” Janz said.

For Peters, his intent for students who take this course is that they will gather new viewpoints. “It’s important for me to get students out of the classroom and out of their comfort zones and get them into places. Particularly places they haven’t been.” He calls it going from an ordinary to an extraordinary.

During this course, students will travel to many well-known areas, such as the Grand Canyon, Maynard Dixon Studio and the Hoover Dam, where they will be able to create their own artistic responses to these places through photography, film and art.

John Nelson, who graduated from UCF in 2003, has also followed Peters a few times on the excursions. Nelson traveled to Utah a few times. He’s also gone to Bermuda, a camping trip to Mosquito Lagoon, and helped Peters in pre-production for his trip to India. To Nelson, these courses are unique. He notes that students are raised up in a theoretical and textbook-oriented type environment whereas Peters’ philosophy behind teaching in actual environments engages students in an entirely new way. “You’re stuck behind a monitor all day long. You’re not feeling the sand between your toes, the dirt in your food, the wind in your hair. So then it’s just kind of more of an experiential learning as opposed to textbooks,” Nelson said.

While this trip is meant to be exciting and engaging, Peters cautions students that this isn’t just a sight-seeing trip. “I really want them to interpret the place and look at it— I don’t want postcards, I want an interpretation of place,” Peters said. Throughout the course, students will have assigned readings and watch movie documentaries. “It’s a lot of work to do these trips—I think you don’t get anything unless you’re willing to put something into it. So, you know, the work is worth it,” Janz said.

Students will begin their course in Orlando, where Peters has invited a series of guest lecturers to discuss photography, landscape painting, anthropology and the environmental arts. Students will leave on May 13 and travel to Las Vegas where they will begin the traveling part of the course. The entire excursion will last about 14 days and students will present their work at the gallery on June 21.

The cost of the course is $2499. The price includes: lodging, transportation during their travels, national park and museum entrance fees, guest speaker fees, the gallery show cost, as well as five group meals. Students will have to pay for their transportation to and from Las Vegas, as well as individual meals and other personal activity expenses.

Janz recommends students prepare in advance for this trip. He encourages students to know their equipment and to “have their chops down” before they go. “The students best prepared to deal with this are students who come in with their eyes open and their bility to bring all of their training to bear,” Janz said.

Students interested in this course can contact Phil Peters directly at Philip.peters@ucf.edu or

407-832-0091. Space is limited and a holding deposit is due by Feb. 15.

By: Lily Maxwell

Keyser mentioned that he attends UCF on national TV, getting some publicity for Knight Nation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1H3E4JnXLQc

KnightNews.com will continue following this UCF Knight’s progress on American Idol.

Like Us For UCF News Updates on Facebook:

As you can see from the video someone posted on YouTube, judges were impressed. Make sure to like KnightNews.com on Facebook to follow his progress!

Be sure to come out to the show this Friday January 20, 2012 if you’re in Orlando.
Doors open at 5:30 PM and you can purchase tickets here.

Barstool sports points to different prophecies about the antichrist, which it suggests may match with the former Florida Gator star.

For example, the blog points to this passage: “The Antichrist will ride in on a white horse [Revelations 6: 1-2].” Then it shows the white horse on the Denver Broncos logo.

Given Tebow’s devout Christian faith, even raising the question his supporters deem so absurd is sure to stir controversy. What do you think? Share your comments below. You can read the full blog post by Barstool Sports here.

Thankfully, KnightNews.com researched drink specials and events going on for New Year’s in the greater Orlando area. This guide will give you everything you need to ring in 2012 right.

UCF AREA

If you are looking to stay in the UCF area, FUBAR is having an 80′s themed New Year’s Bash, offering two packages of free wells and drafts all night for $20, and free top shelf all night and champagne for $40. Link to the Facebook event is posted below:

https://www.facebook.com/events/335666029793083/

Also, Knight Library is having a New Year’s Eve Party with $15 cover, offering free drinks until Midnight, $30 bottles of champagne and $100 bottles of Three Olives all night.

O-Ride is doing a bus downtown for UCF students, a wristband will get you discount covers to venues such as Roc Room and Dragon Room. The bus will leave UCF at 10pm and leave downtown at 2am. Call or text 407 758 6326 to reserve your spot(s).

Finally, World of Beer is offering a special of all drafts half off from 7 p.m. until midnight.

Downtown Orlando

If you are looking to head downtown to ring in the New Year, you will not be disappointed. With the culmination of the Capital One Bowl just a day away, thousands of partiers crowding Wall Street and Church Street, a good time is guaranteed.

Wall Street is having a New Year’s Eve extravaganza, with 9 venues, 2 city streets, DJ’s, and surprises throughout the night. The event costs $25 at the door, or you can pre-order online by clicking the link below.

http://www.wallstplaza.net/new-years-eve-2012/details/962-new-years-eve-2012

Church Street is once again doing their annual street party offering packages of $39, $59, $79 & $99 dollars. Note that the Church Street party is strictly 21 and up. The link to the event is posted below.

http://www.churchstreetbars.com/

Roxy Orlando is also getting in on the New Year’s Eve fun. The nightclub just east of downtown Orlando is having a balloon drop. Get details on the packages ranging from $20-$50 here: http://tickets.roxyorlando.com/events/view/87

IMPORTANT: NYE “Tipsy Tow” offered by AAA: You don’t have to be a AAA member, from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. on New Year’s Eve/Day they will take your drunk self and your car home for FREE, nationwide. Save this number: 1-800-222-4357.

Stay safe and have a prosperous New Year’s, from everyone at KnightNews.com!

10. Foster The People – Torches

Foster people released Torches back in May, and the album was one I didn’t listen to until about a month ago. The single “Pumped Up Kicks” made quite a run on pop radio stations, and you could say that the band “broke” off of that song. The song “Don’t Stop (Color On The Walls)” appeared on a television commercial, and when I listened to the album I immediately realized that I had heard the song somewhere. The catchiness of the songs on Torches is what really sold me on the album. One downfall of this album is the fact that it only has 11 tracks. In a day where every artist is releasing a “Deluxe Edition” of their album that has bonus tracks, this album seemed to end a little too soon.

Travis Clark of We The Kings performing at UCF Arena in Orlando, FL on March 21, 2011. (Kurt Rivers/KnightNews.com)

9. We The Kings – Sunshine State of Mind

I have always listened to We The Kings, and I was very satisfied with their new album, Sunshine State of Mind. From upbeat songs like “Every Single Dollar” to slower songs like “You and Only You” this album kept my ears happy from start to end. The Achilles heel of this album was also its track count; eleven songs (including one bonus track, “Summer”) just doesn’t cut it for me anymore. I would like to put Sunshine State of Mind higher on the list, but there were just too many great albums released later in the year that took my attention away from this one.

8. Theory of A Deadman – The Truth Is…

Finally, I found an album that kept me listening to it for longer than 45 minutes. Theory of A Deadman’s 19-track album The Truth Is… was released in early July, but the production value that went into this record was phenomenal. Big guitars, pounding drums, and catchy melodies had me stuck on this record for quite some time. Also, the two acoustic songs thrown in for the special edition CD were a great touch! The band’s witty lyrics have entertained me ever since I listened to Scars and Souvenirs a few years back. With songs like “Bitch Came Back” and “The Truth Is…” this album stepped up the game from previous works, and the acoustic versions of “Easy to Love You” and “Out of My Head” included on the special edition album were a great way to end.

7. Yelawolf – Radioactive

Yelawolf released his latest album, Radioactive, in mid-November and it was the first time I had heard his music. Leslie Brathwaite mixed the album, and that’s the main reason I bought it. He made a trip to Full Sail University while I was attending school there and showed some mixing techniques he uses for the song “Made In The USA” on this album. The vocal production of the album is outstanding, and the first thing I noticed about the songs. The instrumentals are unique and use a multitude of different sounds, the choruses are catchy, and verses are filled with clever metaphors and smooth rhymes. Other than “Made in The USA”, the song “Let’s Roll (ft. Kid Rock)” was my favorite on the album, but you can’t really go wrong with any of them.

6. Ratham Stone – Enough To Last

This rating may have a little bit of bias to it because I know the band and I’ve done a lot of photography and music videos for them. I met these guys when I recorded a song for them in my Session Recording class while I was at Full Sail University. With that said, Enough To Last is by far the band’s greatest album yet. I have listened to this album more than most CDs in my car and I have yet to have the album get old. From upbeat, fun songs like “You’re My Girl Tonight” and “Come Back Home” to slower acoustic songs like “She Said (ft. Mandy Sloan)” every song has a catchy chorus with a top 40-feel that won’t leave you disappointed.

5. Kanye West & JAY-Z – Watch The Throne

I think this was one of the most anticipated albums of the year overall. With two of today’s most well known hip-hop artists creating an album together, it looked as if it was going to be a huge album, and it proved to be nothing less than that. The record broke the iTunes opening week sales record, selling 290,000 copies in the first week. I listened to it a few times in a row on a road trip and I didn’t find myself wanting to skip a single on of the 16 songs. Some of this highlights of this album included the songs “Ni**as in Paris” and “Otis (feat. Otis Redding)”, both of which did well on the radio. Although it’s not what I would have expected out of a typical record from either artist, this album just has good music, and I like that.

Andrew McMahon of Jack's Mannequin at the House of Blues in Orlando, FL on October 16, 2011 (Ian Roth/KnightNews.com)

4. Jack’s Mannequin – People and Things

The third studio album from the band Jack’s Mannequin was released in early October, with the deluxe edition being released in late September. The first time I heard the pieces off the album was when I went to do photography for the Jack’s Mannequin show at Orlando House of Blues. When I heard Andrew McMahon play some of the songs, I knew I had to buy it. Every song on this album is a very well written song, and I would expect nothing less from the band. People and Things seems to flow very well from song to song. Overall, this album is another album that is just put together really well and has great music all around.

3. Bon Iver – Bon Iver

Bon Iver has been one of my favorite bands from the day I heard “Skinny Love”, a single that became popular from playing on the television show Chuck. When I heard the announcement of the release, Bon Iver became the first record I had ever preordered on itunes, and I didn’t regret it. Anytime I am editing photos, it’s almost guaranteed I will have this album playing in the background. Bon Iver always gives off that intimate feeling of being just an acoustic guitar and singer, but is really a lot more than that on this album. This album is filled with the synthesizers and keyboard sounds you would hear on an 80s album, twice the reverb of a Coldplay album, but yet the simplicity of a Bon Iver album. Throw this album on during a rainy day and just listen.

2. The Lonely Forest – Arrows

The Lonely Forest is a band that not many people have heard of, but (as one of my good friends pointed out) they sound a lot like a band from the late 80s called the Gin Blossoms. I discovered the band while listening to Alt Nation on XM Radio. Their song “Turn Off This Song and Go Outside” came on the radio and I immediately found the concept of that song to be really catchy. When I bought the album, it turned out to be a whole album of, quality, emotional, easy to relate to songs. My favorites on the album are “Turn Off This Song and Go Outside”, “(I am) The Love Addict”, “I Don’t Want To Live There”, and “We Sing In Time”. Be sure to look out for The Lonely Forest in the Alternative scene, as I’m sure we will hear more from them!

1. Adele – 21

Whether you like it or not, Adele had the best album of the year… hands down. There is no arguing that every song on this album is nothing short of absolute perfection. Every bend, breath, drum hit, harmony part, and lyric is so well thought out beautiful that I couldn’t help but putting her at the top. I don’t think the general public would disagree either considering the over 15 million album sales thus far. She has become the first artist to sell 5 million copies of an album in the first year since 2004 when Usher’s Confessions album debuted; and her highest sales week being the week of Christmas (40+ weeks after the debut). This is what happens when you have a real musician with incredible talent release an album. Adele’s 21 is her sophomore album and she has really outdone herself with it. The album is a series of songs about her break up with her boyfriend of a year and a half, as she pours he heart out on every track. I couldn’t think of how an album could be better than 21, and until I find one, this shall remain my number one.

Blake Shelton
Brandi Carlile
Buddy Guy
Chris Isaak
Civil Twilight
David Mayfield Parade
Del McCourty
Dollface
The Doobie Brothers
Dwight Yoakam
The Ettes
Gavin Degraw
Gogol Bordello
Gonzo Jones
Hindu Cowboys
Iron & Wine
Jessica Hernandez
Kid Cudi
Kid Rock
Los Lonely Boys
Less Than Jake
Lucero
Michelle Branch
OAR
Parachute
The Pixies
Savannah
The Avett Brothers
The American Secrets
The Raconteurs (with video)
The Roots (with video)
The Supervillains

Video Interviews
OAR
More coming soon

On her soon to be released debut CD, Potential, Kopp showcases her talents that helped make her into one of Orlando’s most acclaimed local musicians—but compared to her early acoustic solo performances, Potential sounds bolder, richer, and more refined. This notable step-up can be attributed in no small part to her band whose contributions, from vivacious to subtle, are the backbone of Potential. Additionally, producer Justin Beckler is keenly aware of Kopp’s sonic influences, and as a result, Potential gives listeners a vibe similar to that of Kopp’s favorite artists (Michelle Branch and John Mayer come to mind).

The record opens up gracefully with “Potential,” a slow burning ballad guided by Carey Frank’s clinking piano and Nasrulah Rahbari’s steady bass. “Call me naïve but I refuse to believe that we all must end up cynical about things,” Kopp sings with an assurance that, given the fact she is early in her career, not only confirms that she is here for the long haul, but is also a stirring testament to her tone of bright and breezy positivity that pervades this release.

“How Did We Get Here” comes next. This is not only Kopp’s strongest singing performance–her voice elevates an octave or two in the bridge—but it could be her best track overall to date. “A touch, a kiss, an argument like this,” Kopp sings, and then the song kicks into overdrive: Drummer Mason Fox’s cymbals clash, and Kopp leads a home run chorus that would make Maroon 5 jealous.

Track three, “Thank You,” is Kopp’s tender homage to those who have helped her along the way. “I’m driving home, walk through the door my parents still pay for, just so I can play a song” she emotes. Her lyrics, though fairly simple on paper, are transcended by Kopp’s warm and blissful vocal delivery, making “Thank You” a deeply affecting song.

After “Thank You” is “Happiness Comes,” and here’s where things get a little bit grittier. The song rides a bluesy riff courtesy of guitarist Abe Alam. But the track’s highlight is the final breakdown, where backed by a solid rhythm section, Kopp sings soulfully while Alam shreds a guitar solo as if he was the ghost of Stevie Ray Vaughn.

“Just Clothes” is the last track on the CD, and the jazziest of the bunch. In this song, Kopp reveals her dubiousness for the true value of material possessions: “You might have a Beamer, but that car can’t buy you health,” she belts. In today’s day and age, with people focused on money more than ever, Kopp admirably recognizes the importance of the intangibles. “Just Clothes” ends the CD on a pensive, but cheerful note.

Overall, if Emily Kopp continues to possess the same knack for songwriting in a year or so from now, there’s no doubt that she’ll go far. Maybe she will blossom into a full-on star. But for now, we have these five original songs, and every one of them is worth listening to.

Emily Kopp will be performing in Orlando at The Plaza ‘Live’ on Saturday, November 19th, at 9pm. Tickets for the show are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Each ticket purchase comes with a free copy of the CD.

The contest was held this past Saturday at Memory Mall and has so far raised 40,000 pounds of food for the North American Food Drive.

According to the event’s Facebook group, “the sorority with the most amount of food raised and donated along with total points will win Watermelon Bust and will be selected to have Pirate WEEK with Lambda Chi in the spring.”

The overall winner of the event was the Alpha Delta Pi sorority, followed by Kappa Kappa Gamma and Zeta Tau Alpha.

The event was sponsored by local organizations, including satirical DC website thewashingtonfancy.com.