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EVENTS Puppets: shows 3p.m. Sat.-Su Columbia Marionette Theatre Photos: "Lord, I Wish I Had Prayin' Church IbnightMcKissii Museum, through Sept. 12. Page 4 Live the f\ 4 /^1 7 ctdlUll llieiv | By Tate Austin Web Guy If you own a fast computer, you might be interested in what online gaming has to offer. Personally, I think these games?action shooter style ofentertainment?are better than peanut butter and jelly; I've enjoyed them for more than four years. You might have heard the names "Quake" and "Doom," but these mean little until you've experienced them. You've got a gun, cunning and your overpowering instinct to survive. The appeal of these games isn't I simply that you get to destroy anything and everything that stands against you (nice as that is); it's a technical marvel. In most any other game, a player is up against a computer-operated opponent, which gets very boring, as patterns and situations are simply repeated. In a miniature realm with other humans, every engagement is unique. Most humans don't obey algorithms; it's instinct that powers a player through a firefight All you need is a ferny new computer and a 56k Internet connection. Purchase the software, install it, connect to the Internet and find a server. (Try http://www.gamespy.com) After you connect and bad all the needed environmental properties, you can run around and do some van-damage! Some of the newer games require some pretty high-powered hardware to operate properly The hardware components that make all the difference are the processor and the video card, which decide what kind of appearance a game will take on For those readers with | slower systems, try games like "Quake" and "Doom." a r*lr?tt iv* a *ni?_ ^/LLLLLIU yiaj upct ttVCO Ul a TUtual environment such as a building. Players can move freely abait this space, picking tip weaponry and engaging in fast-paced gunfights. Imagine a world in which everybody moves like a Hong Kong action flick and has superhuman on^iiroiw*1 this is ttlA WAV fl shoot er feels. As a longtime fan of these games] I highly recommend them. Atfirstfthis is stmetiungyoumight ismiss as mindless violence, but will gro*? tobe a highly enjoyable experience. Try http://www. quake3arena.com. This is an exjrience I wish more people amid have. . . n. New Fl; Sound Advice j . . -* Out of four stars By Kevin Langston Gamecock Reviewer jririziz It's been a while since anyone has heard from The Flaming Lips. After their fluke hit in the early '90s, "She Don't Use Jelly," the band seemingly disappeared from the realm of pop music. If this album is considered a comeback album, the door is wide open for the Lips. "The Soft Bulletin" has been built up as the album of the year, and it was released in late June. This album is strong enough to fight off upcoming releases, but its "album of the year" Get friend The Restaurant Review V V V ? ^ ( by ADAM DAWKINS I Villa Tronco 1 Out of four stars 1213 Blanding St. 1 Downtown ^ $$ 1 Villa Tronco, one of the oldest ex- 1 isting restaurants in Columbia, con sistently serves up good Italian-Amer- J ican cuisine in a very traditional atmosphere. They offer a nice variety of pasta dishes in a simple manner that's quite ' refreshing at times. I always enjoy dining at Villa Tronco because it's a home- ' like atmosphere with little fuss involved. They might not serve the most creative Italian food in the world, and it's defi- 1 nitely Italian food by American defin- ' ition. But they're very good at what 1 they do and how they do it. Evidently, 1 Etc. The Gamecock a m in rr L*XX?XXX& ^ status remains to be seen. It's definitely worth buying. YouU be disappointed with this album if you're expecting the goofball antics of "She Don't Use Jelly." You will, however, still hear the pop mess that the Lips are so accomplished at producing. But this album plays more like a symphony than a circus. While most concept albums seem to focus more on the record as a whole, "The Soft Bulletin" expresses emphasis from song to song. Each song is a wonderful display of orchestral arrangements and playful lyrics. In addition, the album is ear candy for ii r r j j . j l tne ians 01 great drumming ana Dass. You wouldn't think it was The Flaming Lips of old if you didn't hear the unmistakable sound of Wayne Coyne's vocals. In "Race for the Prize," the band immediately launches itself into an uncharted world of pop. The crashing symbols and lovely orchestral arrangements build up to a wonderful plateau that carries itself throughout the album. lly with ]V this is the case because Villa Tronco has been in Columbia for decades. I have to rave about the variety of cheesecakes; it's wonderful. They have some of the nicest desserts around for the money, and, again, all with no fuss. If you often grow weary of the culinary frou-frou of today, then head to Villa Tronco. It's a nice change from the eccentric. They have veiy nice home-style pizzas, as well as a nice variety of meat dishes. Fm especially fond of the veal choices. For the vegetarian, many acceptable menu selections are available. I think Villa Tronco is one of the most comfortable and charming restaurants in town. It offers American-style Italian cuisine in a charming atmosphere, and food also is available for take-out. Mr. Friendly's New Southern Cafe Out of four stars 2001 Greene St. Five Points 254-7828 Mr. Friendly's is an excellent restaurant in Five Points that serves Southern cuisine with a modern flare. It's very easy to understand how the name if the restaurant has affected the staff; SIT Ha jips CD ; The lyrics tell a story seemingly fit " for science fiction. The world is in dire s Courtesy: www.burned.c need or a cure, and love proves to be the savior. The I message isn't new, but the method The t Lips use is refreshing and perfect. No s pop fan will be able to deny the pow- c er of "Buggin'," nor will fans skip past lr. Friendl1 they have some of the friendliest servers in town. At Mr. Friendly^, I started off with fried grits, topped with herbed goat chppsp served ^ VILLA TR with a roasted |HH head of H99j ?HBB|VILLAT garlic, a I gj| Southern I appetizer and cer- I tainlyone I most popular ones on the menu. It was very tasty, and the goat cheese went well with the flavor of the fried < stone grits, which were made into cakes. ] For my entree, I enjoyed the grilled < pork steaks with blackberry ketchup, served with seasonal vegetables and ] roasted garlic mashed potatoes. The ! portions were auite laree, and the meal I was very nice. One of the very best kept secrets is the wine list. It's rather extensive and very well priced. Some wines on the list were priced two or three times less than I have seen the very same wines in restaurants in Chicago, Atlanta or even in this area. I was pleasantly surprised, and I highly recom E OF THE WEEK te the new movie? So does Mr. Cranky. http://www.mrcranky .com/ Wednesday, July 14,1999 sizzles What is the Light?" or "Feeling Yourelf Disintegrate." There are moments *when you think The Lips are losing themselves in a fuzzy dimension of soft melodies and chords, but they pull themselves and tthe listener back with a more tangible and powerful display of pop and beauty. "A Spoonful \A7oirrV*c o TVyn" anrl arTV?o TlV/XgliO U lull U11U XXXV/ I Spark That Bled" are perfeet examples. H "The Soft Bulletin" is V perhaps the best album released this year. It's definitely the strongest of the summer. Some critics have even compared this album . to The Beatles'"Sgt. Peplemon.co.uk ? r per s Lonely Hearts Club land." I don't know whether these al>ums could even be compared, but that itatement says a lot about how inredible this album truly is. f s wines mend that wine enthusiasts in the area take advantage of Mr. Friendly's prices. While no rare wines are on the list, there are still some very nice selections. a The service is superb and very attentive. In fact, I wouldn't hesitate to __i. xi. Hi ate iiie service I received there as some of the very best I have come across Ashton June Photo Editor ^ Columbia. Whether you enjoy southern fare )r upscale dining, head toward Mr. Friendly's, a nice place to take a date Dr the family. Key to pricing guides: $ = $1-$10 per person U = $ll-$20 $$$ = $Z1 - 9>?5U |$$$ = over $31 Adam Dawkins is 'a hotel, restaurant md tourism administration senior, and 2 member of both the National Restaurant Association and American Culinary Federation. He has published restaurant reviews in publications throughout the Southeast.