Herald and Review from Decatur, Illinois • Page 23

i "hi Compiled from staff and news service reports i Vw Mary Hunt: Iceberg's just the tip of the salad greens selections06 Dear Abby Nosy aunt's snooping may be sign of deeper disorderTuesday 'J June 12 birthdays Bankerphilanthropist David Rockefeller, 91 former President George H.W. Bush, 82; singer Vic Damone, 78; songwriter Richard Sherman, 78; actor-singer Jim Questions or comments regarding this section? Contact Life Editor Jeana Matherly at 421-6974 Nabors, 76; jazz musician Chick Corea, 65; sportscaster Marv Albert, 65; singer Roy Harper, 65; pop singer Len Barry, 64; rock singer Reg Presley (The Troggs), 63; rock Corea singer-musician Brad Delp (Boston), 55; rock musician Bun E. Carlos (Cheap Trick), 55; country singer-musician Junior Brown, 54; singer-songwriter Rocky Burnette, 53; actor Timothy Busfield, 49; singer Meredith Brooks, 48; actress Jenilee Harrison, 47; rock musician John Linnell (They Might Be Giants), 47; rapper Grandmaster Dee (Whodini), 44; actress Paula Marshall, 42; actress Frances O'Connor, 39; blues musician Kenny Wayne Shepherd, 29; actor Wil Horneff, 27; singer Robyn, 27. The Top five CONCERT TOURS Tim McGrawFaith Hill Coldplay. 1.

2. 3. 4. 5. Delirium." Cirque Du Soleil Kenny Chesney.

RBD. Herald ReviewKevin Kilhoffer (From Pollster) Chris Gingerich and Blair Wilson stand next to one of the planes they fly in the Train-A-Pilot program. HOT FIVE 1. "Hips Don't Lie," Shakira (featuring Wyclef Jean). Epic.

2. "RidirV," Chamil- if 1 limit lionaire (featuring Krayzie Bone). Universal. 3. "Promiscuous," Nelly Furtado (featuring Timbaland).

Mosley. 4. "It's Goin' Furtado m. i Herald 8e ReviewBonnie Clark Ryan Otto, 8, is pictured with pilot Chris Gingerich, who registered him in the Young Eagles Program and gave him his first airplane ride. Starting early Ryan Otto, 8, recently joined the Young Eagles Program sponsored by the Experimental Aircraft Association with the permission of his parents, Omer and Lorene Otto of Arthur.

The program was developed to provide young people between the ages of 8 and 17 the opportunity to take to the skies on a free demonstration fhght. They can ask their pilot as many questions as they wish, learn about the principles of flight, be registered as a Young Eagle and have their name listed in the world's largest logbook on display at the EAA Air Adventure Museum in Oshkosh, as well as on the Young Eagles Web site logbook at www.youngeagles.org. The Experimental Aircraft Association, a worldwide aviation association, was founded in 1953. Loren Hodge Chapter 274 in Decatur has more than 100 members from Decatur and surrounding communities whose passion is promoting aviation. BONNIE CLARK Navy pilot.

"The program is almost free for the student," he said. "They have to pass the FAA flight physical, and they have to pay for that, and they have to buy their own books. It probably amounts to around $100 total. "We want them to have some dedication towards it, but the total package is worth between $4,500 and $5,000 perhaps even more now that aviation gasoline is so expensive." To date, the chapter has funded the cost for seven high school students to obtain their Federal Aviation Association private pilot's license. They are: Aaron Marshall, Bethany, 2000; Laura Gerhold, Macon, 2001; Wilson, 2002; Gingerich, 2003; Michael Potts, Decatur, 2004; and Adam Lauderback, Charleston, and Jessey Riggs, Decatur, 2005.

The 2006 scholarship recipients were announced at the chapter's May meeting. They are Jeff Beck of Decatur and Trisha Rosenkranz of Macon, who just completed their junior year in high school. Wilson got her pilot's license as a senior in high school in April 2003. Her father, a commercial airline pilot, died of a heart attack while on medical leave when she was just more than a year old. "People say flying is in my blood," Wil- FLYINGDS Aviation buffs rev up youths 'interest in flying By BONNIE CLARK Staff Writer Blair Wilson of Tuscola and Chris Gingerich of rural Arthur are two of seven area young people whose lives have not only been enriched but may have taken different directions because of the efforts of a group of aviation enthusiasts.

The two were recipients of Train-A-Pilot scholarships, available to selected qualified students ages 16 to 18 from the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter in Decatur. Gingerich plans to become a missionary bush pilot and Wilson plans to work in the business side of aviation, if not commercial flying, but plans to always keep flying in some capacity. Loren Hodge Chapter 274, founded in 1968, is the local chapter of the worldwide Experimental Aircraft Association. It boasts more than 100 members from Decatur and the surrounding area, who are aviation buffs pilots, would-be and soon-to-be pilots. The Train-A-Pilot program was begun about eight years ago by the chapter, according to member Waldo Born of Charleston, a retired Eastern Illinois University professor and former World War II Down," Yung Joe Block.

5. "Bad Day," Daniel Powter. Warner Bros. (Platinum) (From Billboard magazine) ALBUMS 1. "Taking The Long Way," Dixie Chicks.

2. "High School Musical." Soundtrack. Walt Disney. (Platinum) 3. "Stadium Arcadium," Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Warner Bros. 4. "Me And My Gang," Rascal Flatts. Lyric Street. (Platinum) 5.

"American Idol Season 5: Encores." Soundtrack. RCA. (From Billboard magazine) VHSDVD RENTALS 1 "Cheaper By The Dozen 2," 20th Century Fox. 2. "The Ringer," FoxVideo.

3. "Rumor Has (Widescreen Edition)," Warner Home Video. 4. "When A Stranger Calls," Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. 5.

The Family Stone," FoxVideo. (From Billboard magazine) VHS SALES 1. "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (Special Edition)," Walt Disney Home Video. 2. "Titanic (Full Screen Version)," Paramount Home Entertainment.

3. "Requiem For A Dream," Lions Gate Home Entertainment. 4. "Friends: The Complete First Season," Warner Home Video. 5.

"Shark Tale," DreamWorks Home Entertainment. (From Billboard magazine) DVD SALES 1. "High School Musical: Encore Edition," Walt Disney Home Entertainment. 2. "Cheaper By The Dozen 2," 20th Century Fox.

3. The Ringer," FoxVideo. 4. "Bloodrayne: Unrated Director's Cut," Visual Entertainment. 5.

"WWE: Wrestlemania 22," WWE Home Video. (From Billboard magazine) Take a pass on these movie-based games mam El Title: X-Men: The Official Game Stats: Rctivision. for Xbox 360. Xbox. PlayStation 2.

GameCube Rating: Teen Cost $39.99 ($59.99. Xbox 350) Grade: B- Tltle: The Da Vinci Code Stats: 2K Games, for Xbox. PlayStation 2 Rating: Teen Cost. $39.99 Grade: AKE GPtEEfi Every year comes a time when the summer blockbusters start hitting the big screen and, by extension, their game counterparts are released. And every year, I hope there will be at least one movie-based game that doesn't horribly disappoint me.

So far, that hasn't happened. Disclaimer: I haven't seen either of the movies these two games are based on "X-Men: The Last Stand" and "The Da Vinci Code" so these reviews are purely on the games' qualities. And, I'm sorry to report, they need work. I would probably give a slight edge to "X-Men: The Official Game." It has that comic-book coolness that "The Da Vinci Code" obviously lacks. You play as three charac- ters in "X-Men" Wolverine, of course, as well as Nightcrawler and Iceman.

Personally, I only really enjoyed playing as Night-crawler. Popping up behind people and kicking them in the head was just ever so much fun. Wolverine was OK, and obviously he has those nice claws and more strength, but he was just kind of dull. Iceman Oh, Iceman, how I could have done without you completely. You'd think it would be fun to fly around on ice trails and shoot ice balls at enemies, but the controls are so awkward and touchy, it just wasn't fun.

Here's how the game works. You get some cut scenes that are supposed to look like still comic book scenes. They don't really explain very well what's going on, so they leave you with a "Wait, I'm doing this why?" feeling. Then you get a branching story path to choose from. You eventually have to play all of them, but you can choose which character's path you want to play first.

Then you're in the mission and you kill, kill, kill until the level's over. Rinse and repeat. There's not really any depth, the actual fighting doesn't have much variety, and I hated not being able to skip back and forth between characters' missions. Depending on the difficulty of the level you play, you get a few "mutation points" to increase that character's attributes, such as strength or health. As I said, I enjoyed popping around as Night-crawler, but overall, there wasn't much to keep me interested.

That's especially the case in the Xbox 360 version, in which your first three achievements actually earn you no points. Yes, they're worth zero. Now, tell me, what's the point in having them, then, except to make achievement collectors bitter? Which brings me to "The Da Vinci Code." I had hoped to see the movie before playing the game, but I just didn't have the time. From what I've read, A 1 On the Web Send a message of hope to kids with cancer on a virtual frozen pop stick. Each time you do, Nestle Ice Cream will donate 25 cents to the City of Hope.

www. st I ksof e. com though, the movie must play out just like the game no real difficulty or diverting from a set path. That's the challenge in movie-based games. They're based on a story that is linear, and it's really difficult to make a movie game that isn't CONTROLOS 9 The visuals in 'The Da Vinci Code' game are passable but not great..