WLVH, 101.1 FM
Savannah’s FM dial is, of course, dominated by the sellout trend in radio nationwide. We’ve got the top 40 pop station, the oldies standard station, the classic rock station with the looped 10-song playlist and the back-to-back hip hop stations featuring every song feat. T-Pain. It’s the lineup you’d expect on the FM band of today. I used to seek constant refuge at 90.3 FM, Savannah State’s broadcast (that’s right, I still listen to the radio), but Ike Carter’s raspy late-night jazz routine (“and Max Roach [long pause] on drums”) has slowly transformed into the endless segment, “Nothin’ but the Blues,” where one too many B.B. King songs are followed up by Carter saying, “Sho’ ’nuff.” A few weeks ago, a spin of the dial brought me to WLVH, 101.1 FM, also known as “Love 101.1: Today’s R&B and the best old school.” Why haven’t I known about this station before? It’s the local home of Keith Sweat, R&B artist and nationally syndicated DJ of the popular “Sweat Hotel” program – where every song is a slow jam, and female listeners call in to proclaim their love to Keith. Yeah, WLVH is owned and operated by Clear Channel, but the first song I heard on this station was Prince’s “Pop Life.” I haven’t switched the station since. – Brian Smith
Personal organizers
My mom introduced me to daily organizers at the tender age of five. Like most babies born in the ‘80s, my childhood had a schedule comparable to that of a rock star. Mondays and Wednesdays were gymnastics and ballet, while soccer, softball and piano practice were reserved for Tuesdays and Thursdays. The time in between school and the set practices was filled with a random schedule of appearances that ranged from sleepovers, birthday parties, school trips and museum visits. Since those days, agenda organizers have been a part of my life. In high school, I lost touch with my organizational friend, but soon rediscovered our friendship when I started college. Now I never forget an academic advisement appointment, class assignment or field trip. All of my work schedules, school activities and deadlines are entered into the appropriate fields. The organizer really is a best friend that needs to be taken everywhere. I’m never without mine. For the scheduling novice I suggest buying a small half page organizer with address book to start out with. You can get those at Kinko’s or Office Depot. For the experienced schedulers who love organizers like I do, I suggest browsing through the scheduling section at Office Depot or Office Max to find your perfect fit. I like the leather bound organizer with interchangeable address and date book. With that model I can keep the leather bound overbook and replace the calendar part of the equation every year. So, go out and find an organizer that fits your lifestyle. – Tiffany Cullen
“Eagle Eye”
Dreamworks SKG
2008
How much does the government need to know about us? “Eagle Eye” poses this question in an action-packed chase through the ticking time bomb of an eminent catastrophe, a modern homage to the “innocent on the run” films made popular by titles such as “North by Northwest.” Shia Lebouf plays Jerry Shaw, a young man living his life moment to moment without the initiative to move forward. This changes after an unexpected series of instances sets into motion a run for his life. An all-knowing woman on his phone directs his actions from here on out to him. This includes the addition of a woman forced to assist Jerry in order to save her son from certain death. The circumstances he’s thrust into bring him into the attention of the government. He has no choice but to run from the FBI and into the hands of an unknown fate. The track they follow along the way guides them into new understandings of the internal workings of the government. They see the danger that stems out of total government surveillance. The people meant to preserve our freedom have used our liberties against us. The film shows how much information can be extracted from our lives in this technical age we live in. The danger is how much we let the powers above us influence the direction we take in life. – Kristin Barker