By Estela Fuentes
The Guardsman

“Wuvable Oaf” is the new, San Francisco-inspired comic that many will relate to according to its creator Ed Luce.

“Bear dudes like to see someone of their body type being represented,” Luce said. “Straight guys might dig the gross-out humor and metal references. I think every woman has an oaf in her life, be it her best friend, boyfriend or brother.  And everyone is attracted to the the cute little kitties.”

Oaf was initially created for a paper doll themed art exhibit, just as he appears in the comic. He was a big hit and everyone wanted to know his story. Luce decided to put out a comic to let people into the Oaf’s world.

Oaf is a big scary-looking guy with a heart of gold and a passion for everything cat-related. The comic’s storyline revolves around his search for love.

With a love of heavy metal, Morrissey, and the 1980’s as a whole, Luce’s personal experiences made the Oaf everything he is.

“Oaf’s tastes and behaviors are all me, but I’m 5 feet, 5 inches and hover between 160 to 170 pounds,” he said. “He’s over 6 feet tall and almost 300 pounds, so in a way he’s how I imagine myself as a real big guy.”

The comic is usually broken down to a few short, fast-paced stories full of ‘80s references that will make you laugh.

All of the characters in the comic are inspired by people Luce has met throughout his life and the strong connections he has to these people who inspired his characters make the repetitive drawing a comic necessitates continue to be interesting.

“I like trying to capture on the page that certain something that makes someone sexy to me,” Luce said.

Last year Luce was invited to participate in a panel called Gays in Comics at Comic Con 2009 that discussed the use of gay characters in comics. Until recent years gay characters were invisible in mainstream comics, Luce said.

This year he served on a panel for recipients of the Prism Comics Queer Press Grant where he discussed the application process and deadlines of the grant.

The Oaf has transformed from a comic book character to a gay icon spawning fan-ware such as T-shirts and mugs and has garnered international recognition through social networking sites and conventions. Orders for Oaf products have come from Europe, Canada, Australia and Dubai, Luce said.

Luce is currently hard at work on issue three of “Wuvable Oaf,” which will debut at the Alternative Press Expo in October. Luce is also working on a fifth shirt design to be released around the same time.

For more info on the Oaf and his creator visit WuvableOaf.com

By Angela Penny
The Guardsman

Second Life resident Caitsu Manga flies a kite in th fields outside of Zero Style Hair. Second Life is a virtual world where users can create a persona all their own while interacting with other players. JESSICA LUTHI / THE GUARDSMAN

Watching Life 2.0, a documentary about the virtual reality sensation Second Life, was an entertaining thrill, emotionally insightful and satisfyingly voyeuristic.

The juxtaposition of the real and “imaginary” lives of four heavy Second Life users was fascinating. Watching the film was like taking an imaginary vacation to some other planet, with a complete society including beaches and dance clubs, fashion and real estate, friends and strangers. The graphics were very utopian, with clean lines and computer generated images. It was basically a binge of collective imaginations.

Life is much easier in Second Life than it is in the physical world. For instance, while dating in Second Life, a woman gets upset because the private beach won’t allow them to fly.

After this couple failed to make a real-life relationship work, the man speculated that if they hadn’t ventured out of Second Life, they would “have a nice house in Second Life somewhere with lots of friends,” and would probably be still together, emotionally if not physically.

One of the subjects in the film is the fashionable avatar, Asri Falcone, who designs high-end skin, fashion, and housing products for Second Life denizens.

In stark contrast to her avatar, the camera pulls back to reveal the real-life Falcone, snoring in her unkempt bed before her alarm goes off at 6 p.m. All of the subjects in the documentary seem to spend most of their nights staring into a computer.

Living your life as an avatar is like the ultimate in plastic surgery.

In reality Asri Falcone is pretty, but she’s overweight, lives in her pajamas and chain-smokes. She also lives in her parents’ Detroit basement.

Falcone says she earns well into “six figures” by selling her products, but I wonder if that includes decimal points or is in game dollars, since about 250 Second Life dollars is equal to one US dollar. She lives with her parents because they’ve all had some health problems and her mother is an excellent cook specializing in soul food and fried chicken.

Filmmaker Jason Spingarn-Koff also follows a young man strangely obsessed with building a Second Life persona of an 11-year-old girl. At one point this avatar spends time as a suicide bomber and eventually plans her own death.

The documentary doesn’t judge whether ultimately Second Life, is healthy or non-healthy but it definitely has the power to take over people’s lives. For all of the individuals profiled, their Second Life experience was almost more important and more “real” than their physical surroundings.

One of the founders of Linden Labs, the San Francisco-based company that created Second Life, said one of the biggest differences between the virtual world and first life is that you can’t physically hurt someone or be hurt.

The film is not an encyclopedic expose of how to use the tools in Second Life. For me, the virtual experience of the movie was enough to know about what goes on in this “new reality.” And I’m satisfied that I’m not missing out on anything.

By Hannah Weiner
The Guardsman

Chuck Palahniuk’s latest novel, “Tell-All”, is about a washed-up actress named Katherine “Miss Kathie” Kenton and her confidant, Hazie Coogan, who is not only her maid but also the force behind Katherine’s glamorous facade.

Palahniuk always seems to find new ways to tell his stories. Possibly his most famous work “Fight Club,” which was published in 1996 and made into a movie in 1999, was told by an unnamed narrator with two personalities.

“Tell-All” reads like a screenplay, which is quite clever of the author. Each chapter — or act — opens with a different camera angle. With the exception of voice-overs, the story is told by Hazie.

It is Hazie’s responsibility to hold Katherine’s life together because the actress is often too sedated and emotional to do much for herself.

When the often-married and divorced actress meets potential suitor Webster Carlton Westward III, Hazie steps in to prevent catastrophe. Katherine has encountered such men before who simply use her and leave her heartbroken. Hazie does her best to thwart Webster’s efforts by rescheduling dates and not giving Katherine her messages from Webster.

It’s vintage Palahniuk: dark, creative, vulgar and hilarious, and littered with little buzz words and coined phrases like “was-bands,” in reference to her ex-husbands; “projectile praise,” the overabundant compliments Katherine receives; and “funeral flirtation,” which is pretty self-explanatory.

Palahniuk name drops incessantly. Classic actors like Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn and Bette Davis are printed in boldface for the reader’s viewing pleasure. This book could very likely inspire a night of renting old classic movies — especially if you don’t know who any of these people are.

He’s making some underlying commentary about Hollywood starlets as well. At one point in the novel, Katherine Kenton holds auditions for a baby she can adopt. However, the infants either don’t match her home decor or just simply cry too much and so her efforts to become a diva-mother are in vain. It’s hard to ignore the parallel with current celebrities who adopt children like it’s the greatest fad since skinny jeans.

My only qualm with the book is how difficult it is to relate to the characters. Their dialogue exchanges are hilarious and their quirky personalities entertaining, but I didn’t really connect with any of them; they’re just too extreme to be real people.
I think any member of the Chuck Palahniuk cult will love “Tell-All” just as much as his previous 12 novels.

By Hannah Weiner
The Guardsman

"Party Thru College" by Dennis Bruce. ROBERT ROMANO / THE GUARDSMAN

“Party Thru College” is former stand-up comedian Dennis Bruce’s attempt at a humorous how-to book on skating through college courses.

The key word here is “attempt.” While I’m sure Bruce put a great deal of effort into the short book, it only amounts to a redundant string of juvenile jokes and puns.

The book focuses on how to be a college student screw-up without actually dropping out. Although the concept had potential for hilarity, my hopes for laughter were greatly diminished after reading the first chapter.

Essentially, the book is comprised of base satire and stereotypical jokes about college life, which have already been beaten to death by TV and movies. For instance, no matter if you excel at an Ivy League or screw up in a community college, Bruce writes, “four years from now, you’ll probably be running a cash register at the local convenience store.”

“Flunking out is a short-lived phenomenon, whereas the screw-up must time-release his incompetence over the course of four or more years,” is another of his clever witticisms.

Bruce also tries to drop some knowledge on what students shouldn’t say in class or do at parties, and he covers how to deal with different professor stereotypes. Even after re-reading passages,  nothing in this book really made me laugh.

Obviously the content wasn’t meant to be taken seriously; the author was just having a go at college students and college life. But if you’re going to exaggerate the amusing and ridiculous aspects of something, you should go all the way. Instead, Bruce falls short.

Other books have aimed for and achieved what Bruce’s could not: “The CollegeHumor Guide to College” by the writers of CollegeHumor.com and “The Naked Roommate” by Harlan Cohen, for example. Even “Texts From Last Night” by Lauren Leto and Ben Bator provides a better illustration of the comical events that ensue with college party antics, relationships, dieting habits and class attendance – or lack thereof.

I must say, I did enjoy the digs the author made at Richard Nixon, O.J. Simpson, and Don Imus – all experts at screwing up. The content did make me feel better about putting off all the homework I was assigned during spring break. Also, the pictures are pretty neat.

So, I guess “Party Thru College” wasn’t a complete failure. That doesn’t, however, make it a success.

Bruce should stick to stand-up.

By Carlos Silva
The Guardsman

Phat Philly employee Miguel Poot prepares some beef for a sandwich on the grill at the 24th and Valencia St. restaurant on March 14. CHLOE ASHCRAFT / THE GUARDSMAN

Phat Philly, located on 24th Street at Valencia, is a nice place for those who want a fast and delicious meal.

Opened in December 2008, Phat Philly combines a trendy restaurant vibe with a variety of sandwich options and is considered by many to be home to one of the best Philly cheesesteaks in the Mission District.

What makes this spot unique is the way the Phillies are made. The giant, 12-inch sandwiches are made with Wagyu beef — all-natural beef that is fed a 100 percent vegetarian diet — Amoroso rolls, homemade cheddar-beer sauce and the freshest of ingredients.

“It is trendy, fun, has music and we keep the food as authentic as possible,” said waitress Samantha Hernandez, who has worked at Phat Philly since January 2009. “People come in for an authentic cheesesteak and our cheddar-beer sauce.”

Along with providing great food, Phat Philly prides itself on its friendly service and environment.

“We consider the service the most important thing,” Hernandez said. “Whenever we offer good service, the clients will definitely come back soon.”

The chicken Philly sandwich, with a soda and fries, was fresh and delicious and under $12.

“The food is very fresh and the customer service is great,” said Luis Balizone, a Phat Philly regular. “The Philly and hot wings are to die for and the cheese sauce on the fries — I love it.”

A classic, seven-inch cheesesteak is only $6.50 and the giant 12-inch cheesesteak is $9.75.

There are a lot of choices to make your Philly special, including four cheese options: Cheese Whiz, provolone, white American and Phat Philly’s own cheddar-beer sauce.

For those who do not eat meat, Phat Philly offers a vegetarian menu at the same price.

Sodas come with free refills and the beer on tap is just $3.95. Sides like the waffle fries, which are $2.25 for a half order and $4 for a full order, are also very affordable.

Customers can find special deals on Phat Philly’s Facebook and Twitter pages, and every Tuesday, beer, wings and fries are 50 percent off.Phat Philly is open every day from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

By William Chamberlim
The Guardsman

Ray William Johnson, creator of the popular YouTube channel Equals Three, recently launched a new channel called Breaking NYC.

On his other channel, Equals Three, Johnson adds clever, “Mystery Science Theater 3000” style commentary to current YouTube videos. Equals Three has gained a following of one to two million viewers.

The new video blog about his personal life, launched in January, seems to have been created to punish his viewers with an intimate look into his rigorously average life in New York City.

Consisting of nothing more than brief shots of Johnson’s daily life, Breaking NYC has a mundane dullness that is almost completely absent of interest.

If you want a daily glimpse of someone who plays video games, goes to college, and ponders deep mysteries of the universe like: how gay his roommate is, how hot everyone’s mom is and how the food in his neighborhood tastes, then this might be what you’ve been searching for.

Johnson is very comfortable behind the camera and is able to keep his show, for the most part, to a PG-13 rating with the exception of the staple reference to having sex with “your mother.”

While no profound events occur on camera, the viewer does get to see frequent shots of Manhattan and Brooklyn, which are pleasing to the eye thanks to his roommate and video editor, WillofDC.

In a January episode, “Puppy” Johnson and WillofDC visit their friend who got a new puppy. The best part of the episode was WillofDC’s editing of the guys walking the streets of New York City.
He slowed down the footage and dropped a nice beat into the background.

The popularity and staying-power of the show is going to depend on how long it takes someone to copy the format and have more interesting experiences in front of the camera.

Johnson’s business sense does comes across strongly, however. Essentially, he created one popular show and simply transferred his viewers into his personal life. Perhaps he should try charging each viewer 15 cents per day to check in on him.

With 100,000 – 600,000 views daily, it’s apparent that people enjoy tuning in for a 7-minute shot of Johnson’s normal college life. However, I think I saw just enough episodes to review it and keep it away from my browser.

Entertainment, when I do have time for it, has to come across with more substance.
Breaking NYC may be an accomplished vlog, but it will be easy to avoid this YouTube channel if, in fact, you too have a social life.

By Ramsey El-Qare and Alex Emslie
The Guardsman

Nilton Goncalves preparesa half beef pepperoni, half barbecue chicken pizza at the San Franciso Seniore's Pizza restaurant. RAMSEY EL-QARE / THE GUARDSMAN

Seniore’s Pizza, the place to get a pork-free meal on the corner of 19th Avenue and Taraval Street since 1996, packs in droves of hungry customers long after the bars and clubs close down.

“The pepperoni is beef. The salami is beef. The sausage is beef. The Canadian bacon is turkey,” employee Nidal “Ricky” Jaser said.

“It’s not halal. It’s not blessed, but people do appreciate it. It helps that it’s beef.”

The barbecue chicken pizza offers a unique combination of flavors — sweet, tangy and savory — which work well with the crispy, hand-made crust. The pepperoni tastes spicy and nostalgic, complementing Seniore’s signature homemade sauce.

Jaser said most people don’t notice they’re eating beef when they order typically pork items at Seniore’s.

There is more than just pizza at Seniore’s. They have subs, garlic bread served three different ways, jalapeno poppers, mozzarella sticks, buffalo wings, pasta, salads and desserts.

“Weekends are when it’s really busy,” Jaser said. “That’s the essence of Seniore’s.”

The dining area is a modest size, with granite counter tops that seat a total of seven. On any given day, a customer can relax and enjoy a slice while watching an old movie on the wall-mounted TV. But at night, be prepared for crowds of 50 or more spilling onto the sidewalk outside.

Seniore’s is open, officially, from 10:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. on weekdays and to 5 a.m. on weekends. However, these pizza purveyors serve pies as long as there are customers waiting.

“We don’t really have a closing time,” employee Federico Cândido said. “If people still want to eat, we keep taking orders.”

Seniore’s pork-free fare is also easy on the wallet. A two-topping extra large pizza is $17.45. Specials — like the Greek with feta cheese, black olives, fresh tomatoes, pesto and fresh garlic — are $20.95. Subs are $4.99 to $5.75, and so are most appetizers and salads. Ten buffalo wings cost $6.22 and pasta for four is $12.99.

Cândido summed up Seniore’s charm as, “It’s the best pizza in town, served late.”

By Jessica Luthi
The Guardsman

“Where pixels commit suicide and cool comes to die,” that’s “communitychannel,” or at least that’s how Natalie Tran, the comedic mastermind behind the YouTube channel, describes it.

Unlike most Youtube stars, the Australian doesn’t talk about the latest celebrity buzz or popular culture, but the quirks or habits of everyday people and topics that make you think.

She always starts with a simple “Hi,” before jumping into her chosen topics, which can range from packing for a trip overseas to awkward social situations. Tran plays multiple characters throughout each video, which makes it entertaining to watch.

Each clip ends with “porno music/comment time,” during which she reads comments left by users and provides remarks to comments left on previous videos while cheesy 70s music plays in the background.

What makes Tran so special is the natural comedic execution in each of her videos, making the Sydney-based YouTube star the fourth most subscribed-to director of all time, right up there with Universal Studios, which is ranked number one.

One of my favorites is the measuring tape video. Tran acts out different attempts to measure a dresser, a wall space to fit an armoire, as well as using her arms to measure the length of her desk. It’s quite entertaining to watch. I laughed so hard because I’m guilty of using my arms or hands to measure spaces instead of pulling out a measuring tape.

To add a personal touch, Tran includes photos sent in by people who have bumped into her on the street and insists that she reads all of the comments left on her videos.

Tran has come a long way since her YouTube debut in 2006. She now has over 200 videos with more than 550,000 subscribers and roughly 27 million channel views.

Many of her earlier videos were mediocre, but she has improved over the years. Each video is funnier than the last, making it hard to wait for the next one to be posted.

Be sure to check out some of my faves: “F#ck Measuring Tape,” “Oh…with a name like that,” and “You Didn’t Say Goodbye.”

“Communitychannel” may be “where pixels commit suicide and cool comes to die” but Tran’s videos are funny and worth every second spent watching them.

By Hannah Weiner
The Guardsman

PHOTO COURTESY OF AMAZON.COM

“Eating Animals” is Jonathan Safran Foer’s exploration of what people are eating in regards to meat. Soon to be a new father, the author’s curiosity about omnivore versus vegetarian lifestyles became an urgent need for understanding. So Foer sets off to answer his own questions, which consequently leads him to late night visits to factory farms, questions about fundamental arguments regarding the morality of eating animals, and discoveries of the true meanings of misleading terms used in the meat industry like “free-range” and “all-natural.”

Foer states at the beginning of the book that he is not making an argument for vegetarianism. As comforting as that sounds there seems to be constant pressure throughout the book to change one’s eating habits. Foer doesn’t come right out and say, “don’t eat meat,” but he conveys a subtler message: It’s okay if you do it, but I could never bring myself to do it. I don’t really understand how you do it, but don’t worry, I’m not judging you.

The gruesome facts do speak for themselves. The truth about how animals are treated while alive as well as how they are killed is horrifying. Foer goes into great detail about the living conditions of chickens, turkeys, cows and pigs kept on factory farms.

After making several unanswered requests to visit different factory farms, Foer sneaks onto one farm in the middle of the night and finds that some of “the ends of the beaks of the chicks are blackened,” some chicks are “blood matted,” and some are “covered in sores.”

At some farms dead animals are held in the same confinement areas as the live ones, easily spreading bacteria, and animals are tortured. There is a long list of inhumane acts being committed at these farms. “Eating Animals” definitely provides information that everyone needs to know.

One problem with “Eating Animals” is the redundancy of the content. Foer uses many pages to essentially rephrase the same point, which only results in the feeling that he is beating his point to death. His arguments would be stronger if they did not seem so overbearing.

One has to give Foer credit, though, he did his research. The arguments he makes are difficult, if not seemingly impossible, to counter. The vast majority of the content reads like investigative reporting and he backs up his positions with valid information. The details about factory farming listed in the novel were confirmed by numerous sources. The notes in the book take up 61 pages.

While thorough, “Eating Animals” is not all facts and statistics. Foer talks about the culture and relationships that are a part of eating and shares his own personal stories with the reader, some of which are funny, some of which are sad. If he is anything, Jonathan Safran Foer is a good storyteller.

By Jessica Luthi
The Guardsman

You can never go wrong with a free drink. A free drink is even sweeter when you pull it off with a touch of charisma, a dash of comedy and a little magic.

Brian Brushwood, the host of Scam School, believes you’ll never pay for another drink again as long as you have a few of his tricks up your sleeves.

“Scam School” is an Internet television show that  airs Thursdays on Revision3.com, a San Francisco-based Internet television company started by Kevin Rose, Jay Adelson and David Prager. Rose and Adelson are also the founders of the popular bookmarking social networking site, Digg. Revision3 also hosts shows like “Diggnation,” “AnimeTV” and “Tekzilla.”

“Scam School” consists of weekly 10 to 15 minute long segments featuring Brushwood performing tricks on people in bars or on the street. His gags and cons can be used for getting free drinks or cash from friends and other bar-goers, picking up the ladies or getting rid of someone who’s had too much to drink.

Many of his tricks play off the psychology of the mind and the way humans think. It may not seem like such a sly move to perform tricks on people who have had a few too many drinks, but the gags can produce the same result when performed on completely sober people.

“Scam School” is mildly entertaining. The idea of the show is interesting and Brushwood has a likability about him. Some of his tricks are clever while others seem cheesy. Although I didn’t like all of his tricks, I do have a few favorites that made me laugh which I want to run out and try.

Some of my favorite episodes include “How to Stick Your Friends to the Bar,” “Blow Hard” and “Circumference vs. Height.”  Thumb cuffs  from “How to Stick Your Friends to the Bar” was the most entertaining trick to watch.

Thumb cuffs is just as its name implies — being cuffed to something by your thumbs. The simplicity of the trick makes it that much better.

This trick should only be used to get rid of an annoying bar-goer, and while swindlers may be down the cost of a drink, they will at least be able to enjoy the rest of their evening. First, the mark is asked what they like to drink and the trickster buys it. Then the drink is set aside and the unwitting drunk is asked to put their thumbs against the edge of a pool table or the bar. The drink is then gently placed on their thumbs. While it’s probably not a polite thing to do to someone, it was funny to watch Brushwood do it.

Thumb cuffs may be my favorite, but “Scam School” offers such a variety of tricks that everyone will find something they like.

Check out those “Scam School” videos and more at www.youtube.com/revision3 or at www.revision3.com/scamschool.