“Dreamcast Collection” (SEGA), an Xbox 360 blast from the past, includes the familiar “Sonic Adventure” featuring that popular blue hedgehog; the classic driver “Crazy Taxi,” the rhythm game “Space Channel 5 Part 2” and “Bass Fishing.” This collection needed more titles mainly because “Sonic Adventure” and “Crazy Taxi” are already available for download on Xbox Live Arcade, plus, “Crazy Taxi” does not contain the original music soundtrack.
The controls on Sonic are very challenging and diminish the usually smooth gameplay. The “Bass Fishing” controls are greatly improved using the right analog stick. “Bass Fishing” has the strongest overall gameplay experience. “Crazy Taxi” has the greatest nostalgic value and helped define the Dreamcast, especially at the initial release in 1998. The first “Space Channel” was more memorable as the female reporter Ulala dance duels with some amusing aliens and her professional rival Pudding. Each game features at least five achievements and online leader board listings. The “dream” ended in 2001, so hopefully a future beefed-up collection and additional new features can keep the memories alive. Also available for PC download (**1/2, rated between E and T for mild violence, suggestive themes, and language).
“Jikandia: The Timeless Land” (Aksys Games) is a PlayStation Portable dungeon crawling game featuring challenging levels where players can pick their own time limits and enjoy an extensive link option for up to four PSP systems in the Coliseum mode. The familiar storyline focuses on dialogue instead of cut scenes as young chums fight off invading monsters. Unfortunately, the dialogue interface is a one-line bar to maximize action movements within the levels. This approach reduces panning and improves gameplay. Characters often talk over the action while the skippable dialogue has several bits of “lost in translation” dialogue and odd expressions.
In the single player mode, players can have up to two allies. Item collection varies while penalties arise when players do not open the doors in time. Game developers incorporate nice logistical elements like a timer above each door (try opening right at “0”). The bosses and other enemies do not have enough visual distinction, but since players have a limited ally count, they can easily distinguish the bad guys. The results screen (press X to scroll through) provides those satisfying stats for achievement lovers. Players can earn money, but there is not enough to spend it on. Also available as a digital release via PlayStation®Network (***, rated T for mild fantasy violence, mild language, and mild suggestive themes).

Dancers from the Ballet Theatre of Toledo will perform George Gershwin’s “An American in Paris” and Scott Joplin’s “A Bundle of Rags” at Downtown Toledo’s historic Trinity Episcopal Church, 316 Adams St.

(L-R) Emma Wolff, Douglas Burkhardt, Tom Cobau and Madison Riley

Performances will be 7 p.m. March 25 and 2 p.m. March 27 and feature original choreography by Artistic Director Nigel Burgoine accompanied by pianists Wayne Anthony and Charles Brown.

Original artwork by lead dancer Tom Cobau, a depiction of the Eiffel Tower, will be featured as he dances the title role of the American in Paris, according to a news release.

Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for seniors and children 12 and under.

Ballet Theatre of Toledo is a nonprofit arts organization located in Holland and run by volunteers.

For tickets or more information, visit www.ballettheatreoftoledo.org or call (419) 861-0895.

The time-honored tradition of the spring/summer comic book “event” rears its — in this case — ugly head in the form of Marvel Comics’ evil Red Skull … who just happens to be the baddie in this July’s “Captain America” feature film.
“Last week we were not only treated to the opening shot of Marvel’s summer extravaganza, ‘Fear Itself,’ But also a solo adventure starring the Red Skull’s evil daughter Sin, in ‘Fear Itself: Book of the Skull’,” said Monarch Comics’ Ed Katschke. “Sin, face scarred in approximation of her father’s hideous visage, has decided to follow in the Skull’s footsteps and be an even larger symbol of terror and perversion. To achieve this end, she seeks access to one of her father’s old bases and a book bound in skin contained within. Sin’s tale is used as a framing device to reveal an untold tale of Captain America’s WWII mission to stop a horrendous Red Skull plot.
“Writer Ed Brubaker continues to impress with his solid grasp of plot and dialogue, and artistic collaborators Scot Eaton and Mark Morales do a great job at switching back and forth between the modern era and WWII. If this is any indication as to how good ‘Fear Itself’ is going to be, then I can’t wait for the mini-series to start in April!”
Still in a Marvelous mood for spring picks, Katschke also recommends what he calls “one of the best X-Men titles out on the racks,” “Uncanny X-Force.”
“‘Uncanny X-Force’ is a secret team of mutant vigilantes who have banded together under the leadership of X-mainstays Archangel and Wolverine to deal with threats to mutantkind in a somewhat more … permanent fashion. In “Uncanny X-Force” No. 5.1, the gang tackles the mutant-hating cyborg threat of the Reavers along with their leader, Lady Deathstrike. Teaming up to destroy a bevy of nearly-indestructible half-man, half-robots would be tricky enough, but team members Wolverine and Psylocke have long and personal histories with these miscreants and this issue deals in part on how difficult it is to separate necessary violence from bloody revenge. Writer Rick Remender and guest artist Rafael Albuquerque are equally good at setting the stage for mutant mayhem or philosophical debates.”

Click for a downloadable, printable guide to Restaurant Week Toledo, sponsored by Leadership Toledo and Toledo Free Press. Media partners include FOX Toledo and Star 105.5.

Image is often used to separate artists from stars! Most artists want to fight the system and forget it is called, “pop culture” because it is pop-ular. Commercialism is used to propel the popularity of people who want to be broadcast commercially through television, radio and national publications.

The public access stations/media not owned by major conglomerates are mainly used for a local non-commercial level artist and audience. As an artist you should decide where you want to be (Commercial or non-commercial) and that will determine how far you want to go with your image. The purpose of creating and living your image is the hope that it is an extension of who you are. When you “wear it” you have to believe it because no one is going to buy it if you don’t! Whether you need a professional life coach, medication or a hard look at the man/woman in the mirror, your mind has to be right when it comes to your image.

When approaching professionals being comfortable with your self translates into like-ability with consumers and this is marketable to the industry. Looking good is only half the battle, but everyone knows that when you look good you feel good, but for some that is more of a challenge. Self-esteem can not be bought; an artist has to do soul searching to find what works for their image.

Once you decide on the artist you want to be, consistency is key. Not to be confused with gimmicks, as they rarely fair well for those that choose them. No, this is about figuring out who you are. If you want to be a Rap artist, look like your lyrics. If they are about chicks, guns and cash, shop at Man Alive. If they are about knowledge, college and fun shop at Journeys and don’t forget the nerd glasses and backpack.

Artists tend to confuse their audiences when they switch on and off, which prevents their crowd from understanding the full package. It’s OK to look “different” sometimes, but it still has to be something your stage persona (image) would wear. Should you go with a different look stay, within the stores you shop that offer the image you have built. Know what goes with it and what does not.

This includes performance and attitude. The idea is to be a believable person that can be looked up to or related to by fans and consumers. When refining your image, remember your audience and fan base. For example, if your fan base is a younger crowd, tone down your lyrics or you can’t expect parents to buy your products.

The perfect image overhaul example is Rihanna. In 2005, she entered the business as a Caribbean princess soaking up the sun giving us playful innocence in her songs. The look was sweet, basic and trendy following the image of the already “made” woman, Beyonce.

Rihanna’s hair was long and dyed honey blond and her clothing was beautiful yet forgettable. Fast forward to 2007, on her third album named, “Good Girl Gone Bad,” she embodied every bit of that title. She returned with an edgy haircut, an attitude to match and unforgettable clothing and style, along with a mental and physical transformation that was evidently a part of who she is presently.

This image propelled her to a level the world and perhaps she was unprepared for, but it worked!

Examples of images that do not work would be artist within groups where the group resembles the style of the lead member. There can only be one.

Remember, a successful artist without an image is non-existent because they are forgettable. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to look the part. Confidence goes a long way and can do more for your image than any pair of jeans, but it doesn’t hurt to look good while figuring it all out.

As we continue on …

Martini’s Weekend Blast can be heard on Juice FM 107.3 Saturday and Sunday from 2 to 6 p.m.

Locally owned independent businesses — yes the small guys — have a greater impact on the local economy and community than they are given credit for. These businesses, the kind of grocers that let me take an IOU when I forget my card, or the kind of restaurant where my grandma left her boys as collateral until she came back with her pocketbook to pay for dinner, are often forgotten about when conventional economic development is sought after. Establishing a strong and stable local economy is more sustainable and reliable for to our economy, community and environment. Think Toledo, not China.

The University of Toledo Urban Affairs Center did a study in 2004 that compared the economic impact of Thackeray’s Bookstore to Barnes & Noble. Thackeray’s annual economic impact was $5 million in Lucas County, compared to only $1 million from Barnes & Noble.

This is because of the multiplier effect; Thackeray’s revenues stayed within the local economy through their use of local labor, local suppliers, and profit. In the case with the national chain, revenues stayed within the community through employee wages. This study also found that $100 spent at Thackeray’s led to a local economic return of $44 through the multiplier effect, compared to an economic return of only $20 from Barnes & Noble. Consider this multiplier and these figures and remember how many independent businesses used to be in the Westgate shopping center that is now occupied by a few national chains … how many millions of dollars (and cool businesses) are we losing out on?

Since independent business owners live in this community and have a vested interest in the success of Toledo, the profits they receive are likely going to be spent again at a fellow independent business. For example, if I spend $10 on lunch at Pam’s Corner, part of that will cover the cost of the food which was purchased locally at the farmer’s market, Country Grain’s Market and other local food suppliers. Pam sources nearly all of her services locally and does a great deal of her personal spending at other locally owned businesses.

If I spent $10 at Applebee’s, Subway or another mediocre bore box, all of my money would leave Toledo to out-of-state suppliers and corporate headquarters, except for a small percentage going toward taxes and employee wages.

A 2003 study by the Institute of Local Self Reliance shows that locally owned businesses spent 44.6 percent of their revenue within the surrounding two counties and another 8.7 percent elsewhere in the state, compared to big-box retailers spending an estimated 14.1 percent locally, the rest leaving the state.

Locally owned businesses make Toledo different from other cities across America. On a recent drive 500 miles down I-75, my friends and I were nauseated by each town exit we passed that was lined with the same exact businesses, making one hard to differentiate from another. It was all the chain restaurants, hotels, gas stations, shopping centers … I’m sure you can picture it. Ew.

Toledo is special in that the majority of businesses Downtown are locally-owned and non-franchise, and LET’S KEEP IT THAT WAY. Toledo also has cute neighborhood clusters of businesses throughout town, like Cricket West area with Calvinos, Galaxy Video, Churchill’s, Wersell’s, Optical Arts, Red Sky, Rama Lama, Loonar Station. There are many independent businesses in the South End, Lagrange Street, UpTown, Warehouse District, Five Corners, Point Place and more. These businesses give Toledo something that is hard to put an economic value on: a sense of community and character based on our unique culture that can only be found here.

One way to establish a healthy and stable economy is to assess the local demands and find out what goods and services are being imported into Toledo. This would allow Toledoans opportunities to create enterprises that meet our local demands at institutional and citizen levels. By redirecting money that is flowing out of the local economy, we can “plug the leaks” and re-generate the economy from within by taking advantage of the resources we already possess.

Instead of investing thousands of dollars to attract international investors and distant and unfamiliar business people to bring “economic growth” to Toledo, we should invest in an assessment of local spending and purchasing and in our own people with capital for start ups and equipment.

If each household in Lucas County re-directed $100 of spending to a locally owned store, this could add up to $8 million in revenue to the local economy. Instead of waiting for leaders to jump start our economy and create jobs, we can build on what we already have, and sensibly keep as much of our hard-earned money circulating in Toledo’s economy. If you spend money at a locally owned business, it is more likely to end up back in your wallet.

For more information visit www.toledochooselocal.com.

Email Stacy Jurich at star@toledofreepress.com

The Committee to Save the Edward Drummond Libbey High School Complex plans to present a petition March 22 that will “express a vote of no confidence” with the elected officials of Toledo Public Schools, according to information obtained by Toledo Free Press.

The group, which includes Libbey preservationist Sue Terrill, Toledo City Councilman D. Michael Collins and local community activist Warren Woodberry, plans to make its announcement at 5:15 p.m. at the Thurgood Marshall Building at Manhattan and Elm, before a scheduled Toledo Public Schools Board of Education meeting.

An email sent from Collins to the media on March 21 read, “[The group] will hold a public press conference to announce a community statement which addresses the critical issues concerning The Toledo Public School District.”

Woodberry told Toledo Free Press in a March 22 email, “A vote of No confidence in the Toledo Public School Board will be given at a press conference today.”

According to documents obtained by Toledo Free Press, the group claims, “our elected body has demonstrated their incompetence in the following areas:

• “The failure to be compliant with the Open Records Law of Ohio, also known as the ‘Sunshine Law.’
• “The failure to demonstrate fiscal soundness in making business decisions.
• “Their disingenuous representations that their efforts are for the students.
• “The dismantling of the arts, music and athletics, all of which are critical to a successful educational experience.”

The group is asking that Toledo residents sign the petition and return to a listed address for Terrill.

More on this breaking story as it develops.

It has been brought to my attention that the ACT column has a loose end in the form of a foreshadow that needs to be tied up. I think I may have let my mystically fascinated side show a little more than usual a few weeks ago and mentioned a theory I have about why humans create music and said that I would discuss it further in a future issue of the Star.

Coincidentally, at this moment, I want nothing more than to write the most lyrically smart and melodically sophisticated song I have ever heard; the kind that makes you shake your head and feel that warmth in your chest. But I can’t seem to get there. So, instead, I’ll revisit the origin of the yearning itself and how that seems to play out in the Toledo music scene. This isn’t the first time I’ve woken up on a Sunday with a song trying to come to life and after struggling with that for awhile, I’ve said to myself, “If you can’t write a song, at least write a column”.

So, on to my borderline spiritual but, really just fun to think about idea, that The Universe (or whatever you call it) insists on hearing music. In my imagination, to that end, it sets up scenarios that injure the mind or heart of an artist in such a way that the catalyst for healing that injury is to make music for the Earth to ultimately hear.

I realize this is kind of dark. But, find me a musician who isn’t, at least, a little bit tortured and I’ll buy you an ice cream cone.

We’ve all heard of art “filling a void” in the artist. I prefer to think of it as more of a negotiation than simply a hole, which implies a relationship between me and the force that orchestrated my injury. A conversation I’ve recently caught myself having, with no one in particular, sounded something like, “If I sing prettier, will it stop hurting sooner?”

Doesn’t that serve a lovely purpose for the thing requiring the song of me in the first place? This thing knows what it’s doing and it knows what it wants to hear. I suppose, rather than assume that all music comes from pain — I should consider that joy and gratitude are sensations that can just as easily be communicated through song. Of course they are. It’s as if The Universe says, “Here. Have this emotion. Or deal with this set of circumstances. Now, tell me how it makes you feel, but make it sound pleasing”.

This inevitably brings me to the enormous amount of music being made every single day in Toledo. And beyond that, the human relationships that come out of each of our attempts to sing pretty for The Universe. I could name you several sub-groups of musicians who have come together to do their part in making the city’s music. Perhaps you’ve heard of Old West End Records, Pretend Records, or Danger Limited Sound Company? These three labels each represent local musicians as solo artists as well as in mixed and matched combinations of people with intertwined musical and personal relationships.

I can only speak to the inner-workings of Old West End Records because that’s the family I have found myself a part of, but we are most certainly an interdependent crew that wants to succeed as a group, as well as individually and in all of our different manifestations. We recently had a big family dinner where we discussed the past, present, and future of ourselves as a creative business. It was beyond exciting to be in a room with so many people who understand why sometimes it’s difficult to concentrate on your worldly responsibilities like day jobs or school because of this insatiable need to hear or make music every minute of every day.

How comforting to not only know that I’m not the only person who sometimes has a surge of inspiration or a wave of heartache that can only be quelled by picking up a guitar and singing it away, but to get to share time and space with so many others like me.

Rachel Richardson is an activist, musician, co-founder and co-director of Independent Advocates, and a product of Toledo, Ohio. E-mail her at star@toledofreepress.com.

Mary Ellen Mazey will be Bowling Green State University’s next president. The BGSU Board of Trustees voted Tuesday, March 22, to name her to the post.

Mazey is currently provost and vice president for academic affairs at Auburn University. She will succeed BGSU President Carol Cartwright, who will retire June 30.

“We’re extremely pleased to be able to bring a leader of Dr. Mazey’s caliber to Bowling Green State University,” said Col. John Moore, chair of the board of trustees in a release. “Based on the recommendations of our search committee and the feedback of our students, faculty and staff, she is clearly the best fit for this University as we begin our second century.”

Mazey said she is gratified to be chosen to lead BGSU.

“Having spent a large part of my academic career in Ohio, I’m very familiar with both BGSU’s rich tradition and its potential,” she said. “This is a tremendous opportunity and an honor. I’m looking forward to working with our students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends to build BGSU’s future.”

According to the release, William Primrose III, BGSU trustee and chair of the presidential search committee, said Mazey’s understanding of the challenges facing higher education was key to her selection.

“BGSU and our peers across the state and across the country face some daunting issues,” Primrose said. “Dr. Mazey showed a tremendous grasp of the challenges we face. Just as importantly, she also understands the opportunities and how BGSU can succeed in higher education’s changing environment.”

Although helping BGSU navigate that shifting environment will be a priority, Mazey stressed that she won’t be starting from scratch.

“Dr. Cartwright and the BGSU community have already laid a strong foundation with the University’s strategic plan. The implementation of that plan will continue,” she said. “The first thing that I’ll be doing is listening. I have a lot to learn from the University community. Then, we can begin building partnerships – internally, in Ohio, and across the world – to strengthen the University and provide more opportunities for our students.”

Mazey will be BGSU’s 11th president. She has agreed to a five-year contract, and is expected to assume her new role July 1.

Mazey was appointed provost and vice president for academic affairs at Auburn in February of 2009. In that position she oversees the academic programming for 12 colleges and is responsible for the advancement of the university’s strategic plan. In total, 25 academic support units and colleges, with operating budgets of $289 million, report directly to her.

From 2005 to 2009 she was the dean of the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences at West Virginia University (WVU).

Prior to her appointment at WVU, she served as Dean of the College of Liberal Arts at Wright State University. Mazey joined the faculty there in l979 and was founding director of the Center for Urban and Public Affairs for 11 years. At Wright State she also served as chair of the Department of Urban Affairs and Geography and led the creation of a Master of Urban Administration Program.

In 1996 and 1997, Mazey was the appointed director of the Office of University Partnerships for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, where she oversaw $25 million of grant programs to colleges and universities across the country.

Mazey has co-authored a monograph, published numerous articles, book chapters and conference proceedings, and has over $500,000 in grants and contracts to her credit.

In 2010 she was nominated and elected to the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities’ Council on Academic Affairs Executive Committee.

Mazey earned bachelor and master degrees from WVU and a doctoral degree from the University of Cincinnati. A full biography and her curriculum vitae can be found on BGSU’s website at: http://www.bgsu.edu/offices/mc/page93058.html.

The plaza on Secor Road seemed an odd place for Toledoans to be introduced to a celebrity, let alone one of the stars of cable’s top-rated show, but c’est la vie. The large banner above Electrik Beach Tanning Salon featured her photo and name — well, sort of — in huge letters: “JWOWW.”
Jenni Farley first made herself known to television audiences in 2009 when the reality show “Jersey Shore” premiered on MTV. But no one refers to her as “Jenni,” of course — her nickname, JWoww, has been her primary nom de plume since the first episode. In the year and a half since its debut, the show’s popularity has exploded, making each of its cast members an unlikely name in pop culture.
Farley’s visit to the Secor location was the last of three appearances of the day — the first in Monroe, Mich., to a crowd lined up around the store, the second at Toledo’s Monroe Street location.
Store manager Carrie McCloud, decked out in an official JWoww T-shirt, was visibly excited about the event.
“Because we sell her lotion, and we like to be the coolest salon around, we partnered up with MGM Grand and brought J-Woww in,” she said.
Bottles of the product, “JWoww Black Bronzer,” lined almost every available surface behind the Electrik Beach counter. McCloud said the store’s clientele had been extremely excited about the event. Even when the appearance had to be rescheduled from February, enthusiasm hadn’t waned — if anything, it had increased.

“A lot of our clients are students,” she said. “So, a lot of them couldn’t afford it because spring break was right there, some of them had to end up working, and so they wouldn’t have been able to come. So when we told them it was rescheduled, they were all excited.”
As 5:30 p.m. approached, the crowd began to line up outside — mostly young (high school to college age) and mostly female. Every one of them had purchased a pass for the chance to meet their TV heroine — ranging in price from $39 for the basic pass to nearly $200 for a deluxe package. They buzzed with excitement, not dimmed by the news that JWoww would only sign certain items — the official glossy, the official T-shirt, etc. — and not the body parts that some were stating they hoped she’d affix her signature to.
A late departure from the previous stop meant JWoww didn’t arrive at Secor until after 6 p.m. But then, an elaborate bus emblazoned  with “JWoww Black Bronzer Tour” pulled up, and in she came: JWoww herself. Up close, she didn’t quite resemble the supermodel-ish photos that were plastered everywhere. She was pretty, but she looked … well, like a human being.
Her interview with Toledo Free Press Star was brief — squeezed in as it was between her late arrival and the line of 50 people out the door waiting to see her. She was friendly but seemed a little tired. Understandable, really, given it was her third appearance of the day.
“It’s very surreal,” Farley said of being a star of the top-rated show on cable television. “It’s very surreal, but amazing. You can’t beat it.”
She confirmed rumors of a spinoff starring herself and Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi.
“Hopefully, yeah. They won’t tell us until after Italy,” she said, referring to the upcoming fourth season of “Shore.” “She’s my best friend.”
Farley also offered words of encouragement to Polizzi as she prepares to perform at WWE’s WrestleMania event.
“Kick ass,” she said with a smile. “She needs to do me proud.”
As the woman known as JWoww settled in to meet more Toledo admirers, she said that she’d get as much out of the event as the fans did.
“Just because it’s an area that a lot of us don’t get to travel to, it’s really more me meeting my fans,” she said. “Just being able to know that there are fans out here. Glad I’m able to meet them.”

E-mail Jeff at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com.