Portfolio

WelcomeMy name is Matt Benza, and I am student at UNLV studying Graphic Design. This book and its contents has a purpose; to show off my work from the past year and a half. This is an exploration of my work in graphics, which include photography, digitial work, and publication design. This portfolio is also a work in of itself, which shows off my appreciation of color and design.

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Table ofContents

PhotographyDigital WorkPublication Design

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Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood’s classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s. Film noir of this era is associated with a low-key black-and-white visual style. The purpose of this project was to explore the Film Noir theme with an open subject matter.

Film Noir

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Gender bender is an informal term used to refer to a person who actively transgresses, or “bends,” expected gender roles. Gender bending is sometimes a form of social activism undertaken in response to assumptions or over-generalisations about genders. The purpose of this project was to play around and explore my own personal ideas of what gender bender can mean.

GenderBender

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Loss, also defined as detriment, disadvantage, or deprivation from failure to keep, have, or get. The purpose of this project was to explore all ideas of what loss can signify, whether it be personal loss, enviornmental loss, emotional loss, or physical loss.

Loss

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AlbumCoversThese album covers come from my first design class. The purpose of these were to create two made up bands, and design album covers accordingly. The first band was a psychedellic band and the second was a modern dance band. One was to be down only in Illustrator, and the second was only to be done in Photoshop.

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ttechnologicSong

PosterThe purpose of this project was to pick a song and incorporate the designs of another famous designer into a illustration. I chose to pick Michael C. Place, a very talented graphic designer, heavy on typography and natural-feeling designs. We also had to strictly use the font Helvetica. This is also my first time ever using Illustrator, so it was a good learning experience.

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pantone orange 021 c

pantone 378 c

pantone 375 c

pantone 1545 cpantone 468 c

pantone 732 c

FJDBrewingCompan

y

Pantone 373 C

Pantone 296 C

Pantone 195 C

pantone blue 072 c

pantone process blue c

pantone 2613 c

pantone orange 021 c

LogoDesignsIn this project, the purpose was to create a fictional product or company and come up with some branding ideas for it. I chose a brewing company based off of one of my good friends, and how much I hate him. I chose to give a shot at doing three completly different styles of logo design, and ran with it.

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VectorFace

This project was to begin practicing vector tracing. So we were told to chose a portrait of either yourself or a friend, and trace all of the details of their face. So I of course chose the ugliest picture of one of my friends, Danny. He was a good sport about it.

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VectorGlassThis was another vector tracing exercise. Instead of doing someones face, we had to do a water glass.

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runninrebels

lobosvs

LAS VEGAS

UN

IVER

SITY OF NEVAD

A

UNLVAlumni

PRE GAME PARTYSATURDAY JAN 21

LAS VEGAS

at 4pm until tip-off at theRichard Tam Alumni Center

Located on the northwest corner of Maryland Pkwy and Harmon onthe UNLV Campus. Free parking in all lots around the Alumni Center.

COME OUT FOR COMPLIMENTARY FOOD, DRINKS & GIVEAWAYS AS WEPREPARE TO TAKE DOWN THE LOBOS! RUNNIN’ REBELS...LET’S RUN!

RSVPwww.lasvegasweekly.com/unlv

for $5 ADMISSIONFREE FOR LIFETIME MEMBERS ● $5 FOR DUES PAYING MEMBERS ● $10 FOR NON-MEMBERS

NIGHTCLUBWELCOME TO THE REVOLUTION

INDUSTRY NIGHTST RFKR Wednesdays

DJ HOLLYWOOD

WTF ridaysDJ ENRIE

UNLEASHEDSaturdaysDJ SOURMILK

Lounge

HOT

$6 APPS$6 DRINKS$6 SUSHI ROLLS

MONDAY- FRIDAY

FORHAPPYHOUR

4-7 PM

702.944.3292PALMSPLACE.COM

monSIRestaurant

AdRedosThe purpose of this project was to search local magazines, find ads, and recreate them. The focus here was on the hierarchy of text, and to recreate them in such a way that it was still effective.

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BlackandWhiteIllustrationThis project was to create an illustra-tion using only black and white. The subject matter was pretty open, so after browsing illustrations for a bit, I came across these sugar skulls, which are tradtional Mexican decorations during Dia de los Muertos. These are also very popular in the tattoo scene, which attracted to me to them originally.

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presents

June 1st-4th San Diego, CA

THE ANDAZ HOTEL

with performances By:

DJ MIKEYSWORLD

facebook.com/collectivezooFollow us On Twitter! @CollectiveZoo

EventPosterThe focus of this project was to create an event poster of an event coming up in the future, or to make up an event and create the poster for it. I created my own event for an existing company, owned and operated by some of my fraternity brothers.

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PhotoManipulationFor this project, the goal was to create a surreal photo manipulation using Photshop. I went with this image because it gave me an opportunity to take mulitple photos and collage them into a successful working image.

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PhiDeltaTheta(ΦΔΘ),alsoknownasPhiDelt,isaninternationalfraternityfoundedatMiamiUniversityin1848andheadquarteredinOxford,Ohio.PhiDeltaTheta,BetaThetaPi,andSigmaChiformtheMiamiTriad.Thefraternityhasabout160activechaptersandcoloniesinover43U.S.statesandfiveCanadianprov-incesandhasinitiatedmorethan228,000menbetween1848and2007.Thereareover142,000livingalumni.Charteredhousecorporationsownmorethan120housesvaluedat$50million.Therearenearly100recognizedalumniclubsacross

theU.S.andCanada. Thefraternitywasfoundedbysixundergraduatestudents:RobertMor-rison,JohnMcMillanWilson,RobertThompsonDrake,JohnWolfeLindley,Ardi-vanWalkerRodgers,andAndrewWattsRogers,whoarecollectivelyknownasTheImmortalSix.PhiDeltaThetawascreatedunderthreeprincipalobjectives:“thecultivationoffriendshipamongitsmembers,theacquirementindividuallyofahighdegreeofmentalculture,andtheattainmentpersonallyofahighstandardofmorality”.ThesecardinalprinciplesarecontainedinTheBondofPhiDeltaTheta,thedocumenttowhicheachmember,knownasPhisorPhiDelts,pledgesonhis

initiationintothefraternity. Amongthemostwell-knownmembersofthefraternityareBenjaminHar-rison,the23rdPresidentoftheUnitedStates,BaseballHallofFamememberLouGehrig,actorBurtReynolds,architectFrankLloydWright,ChiefJusticeofthe

UnitedStatesFrederickM.Vinson,andNeilArmstrong,thefirstmantowalkonthemoon.

Phi Beta Kappa was the first Greek letter organization founded in the United States when it was created on December 5, 1776, at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. In 1839, Beta Theta Pi was founded at Miami University in Ohio. In protest against

the president of the university, members of Beta Theta Pi and another fraternity, Alpha Delta Phi, blocked the entrances of the main educa-

tional and administrative building in what became known as the Great Snowball Rebellion of 1847. A year later, after the president expelled

most of the students involved in the uprising, Phi Delta Theta was formed. Six men staying in a dormitory the day after Christmas formed

the Greek-letter society. Robert Morrison, a senior, proposed to fel-low classmate John McMillan Wilson that they bond together to form a secret society. They invited juniors Robert Thompson Drake and John Wolfe Lindley and sophomores Ardivan Walker Rodgers and Andrew Watts Rogers into the fold. These men are known today as “The Im-mortal Six.” The first meeting was held in Wilson’s room at Old North

Hall, now called Elliott Hall.

FlyerThe purpose of this project was to create a flyer or advertisement with an open subject matter. I chose to showcase some history and intersting facts about my fraternity for one of our recruitment flyers.

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AttitudesREALLY AREContagious

By Betty Mahalik

presented by

Betty Mahalik’s Dynmaic Coaching & Training - (702) 658-4425 -www. dynamic-coaching.com Copyright 2011 Betty Mahalik. All rights reserved.

Unauthorized duplication and distribution prohibited without express written permission

BrandingReconstruction

For this project, our client came to our class asking us to resdesign some of her branding materials, so we focused on a white paper. She gave us a set of guidelines to stay within, and this the end result.

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Living WellNewspaper

LIVING

Improving Emotional HealthPeople who are emotionally healthy are in control of their emotions and their behavior. They are

able to handle life’s inevitable challenges, build strong relationships, and lead productive, fulfilling lives. When bad things happen, they’re able to bounce back and move on.

Unfortunately, too many people take their mental and emotional health for granted – focusing on it only when they develop problems. But just as it requires effort to build or maintain physical health, so it is with mental and emotional health. The more time and energy you invest in your emotional health, the stronger it will be. The good news is that there are many things you can do to boost your mood, build resilience, and get more enjoyment out of life.

What is mental health or emotional health?Mental or emotional health refers to your overall psychological well-being. It includes the way you

feel about yourself, the quality of your relationships, and your ability to manage your feelings and deal with difficulties.

Good mental health isn’t just the absence of mental health problems. Being mentally or emotionally healthy is much more than being free of depression, anxiety, or other psychological issues. Rather than the absence of mental illness, mental and emotional health refers to the presence of positive characteristics. Similarly, not feeling bad is not the same as feeling good. While some people may not have negative feelings, they still need to do things that make them feel positive in order to achieve mental and emotional health.

Physical health is connected to mental and emotional health

Taking care of your body is a powerful first step towards mental and emotional health. The mind and the body are linked. When you improve your physical health, you’ll automatically experience greater mental and emotional well-being. For example, exercise not only strengthens our heart and lungs, but also releases endorphins, powerful chemicals that energize us and lift our mood.

The activities you engage in and the daily choices you make affect the way you feel physically and emotionally.

Top 5 Cardio ExercisesCardio is one of the most important things you can do for your body, whether you want to lose

weight, build muscle or improve your health. The great thing is, there are plenty of choices for cardio exercise. Anything that gets your heart rate into your target heart rate zone will work. The confusing thing is, there are so many choices out there...which exercises are the most effective? There's no 'right' cardio exercise and the best choice is the one you enjoy and the one you'll work hardest at, but there are some that work best if your goal is to blast calories and get in great shape.

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5

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Run

ning

Skiin

g

Bicy

clin

gSw

imm

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Running is a great choice for a variety of reasons: It doesn’t require special equipment (except some quality shoes). You can can do it just about anytime, anywhere. It’s high impact, which helps build strong bones and connective tissue. It gets your heart rate up more quickly than low or no impact exercise. It helps you burn serious calories, especially if you add hills, sprints or try interval training.

If you’re looking to burn maximum calories, cross-country skiing is an excellent choice. Whether you’re on a gym machine or swooshing over miles of snow, cross-country skiing is an incredible cardio exercise. Because it involves both the upper and lower body, it doesn’t take much work to get your heart rate up, which is where the calorie-burn comes in. A 145-lb person burns about 330 calories during 30 minutes of skiing.

Whether you’re outdoors or indoors, cycling is an excellent cardio workout. By using the power of your legs, you increase endurance while burning lots of calories, anywhere from 250-500 in 30 minutes, depending on how fast you go and how high your resistance is. What makes cycling even better than other activities is that you can incorporate it into your daily life. You can ride to and from work or use your bike to run errands around town. It’s also low impact, which is great for your joints and perfect cross-training for high impact activities like running or aerobics.

Swimming is another great choice because, like cross-country skiing, it’s a full body exercise. The more body parts you involve in your workout, the more calories you’ll burn. Spend 30 minutes doing the breastroke and you’ll burn almost 400 calories. Best of all, your joints are fully supported so you don’t have to worry about high-impact injuries. It’s also great cross-training for other cardio activities.

4

Ellip

tical

Next to the treadmill, the elliptical trainer is the most popular cardio machine at the gym and it’s no wonder. The elliptical trainer allows your body to move in a natural way, but without the impact of the treadmill. You can add intensity by increasing resistance and some machines include adjustable ramps and arm handles for added intensity as well. As a bonus, you can go backwards on an elliptical trainer, adding variety while working your muscles in a different way.

LIVINGSEARCH WELL

HOME EAT TRAIN THINK FAQs RECIPES SUBSCRIBE

follow us

Key To a Balanced Meal? Here’s HowUse a Healthy Eating Plate and Healthy Eating Pyramid that are based on the latest and best science.

HEALTHY EVERYDAY

RECIPE OF THE WEEK

Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato OrzoTake a bite of our rustic Italian-inspired dish of the week.

Training Demo

Compound or Isolation? Which should you do.

Brain Teazer

Improving Emotional HealthSTRATEGIES AND TIPS FOR GOOD MENTAL HEALTH

A picture is worth a thousand words, and that’s why nutritionists use symbols and shapes to answer the question, “What should I eat?” For nearly two decades, the U.S. government distilled its nutrition advice into pyramids. These efforts didn’t accurately show people what makes up a healthy diet. Why? Their recommendations were based on out-of-date science and influenced by people with business interests in the messages the icons sent. This year, the U.S. government scrapped its MyPyramid icon in favor of the fruit-and-vegetable rich MyPlate—an improvement, yet one that still doesn’t go far enough to show people how to make the healthiest choices.

There are better alternatives: the new Healthy Eating Plate and the Healthy Eating Pyramid, both built by faculty members in the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard School of Public Health, in conjunction with colleagues at Harvard Health Publications. The Healthy Eating Plate fixes the flaws in USDA’s MyPlate, just as the Healthy Eating Pyramid rectifies the mistakes of the USDA’s food pyramids. Both the Healthy Eating Plate and the Healthy Eating Pyramid are based on the latest science about how our food, drink, and activity choices affect our health—and are unaffected by businesses and organizations with a stake in their messages.

Training

Nutrition

Nutrition

Top 5 Cardio Exercises

Benefits of Regular Physical Activity

Core exercises: Why You Should Strengthen Your Core Muscles

Tips for Eating Healthy When Eating Out5 Diet SplurgesSaturated vs. Unsaturated Fatty Acids

Improving Emotional Health

The Health Benefits of Yoga

Tips For Getting A Good Night’s Sleep

“My body is like breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I don’t think about it, I just have it.”

- Arnold Schwarzenegger

Advertise Well

This might be my proudest publication design to date. This was the first group project that I did. I was responsible for the newsletter (above), and the e-newsletter (next page.) The goal was to create branding and spreads for a fictional news module, so we chose to do a healthy-living publiciation. Our group was responsible for a newspaper, e-newsletter, website, and mailing newsletter. This was a tedious yet rewarding project that I am very happy about.

mailing newletter

website design

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How To Lead a Well-Balanced LifeBy Diana Rodriguez

Simple Things You Can Do to Get Healthy and Stay HealthyEat a Healthy Breakfast. As we work

with patients to improve their diet, we continue to be amazed at how few people eat breakfast. Most either skip it entirely, or drink coffee and eat sugary pastries instead.

A healthy breakfast is the cornerstone of a good diet. It is a meal that provides the opportunity to eat a serving of whole grains, a digestible protein, and have a serving or two of fruit. The energy from a healthy breakfast can carry you through your morning in a more stable way than by eating stimulating foods such as sweets and coffee.

Drink at least eight 8oz. glasses of water a day. Thoreau said that water is the drink of the wise man. Water is fundamental to all life on earth. Our bodies are made up of 60% water. It is involved in every function in the body, including circulation, digestion, absorption of nutrients and the transmission of electrical currents in the body which control our nerves, muscles and hormones. Due to its importance in proper elimination and detoxification, I’m fond of saying “The solution to pollution is dilution,” as water facilitates the elimination of waste products through urination, sweating, defecation, tears and mucus which line our respiratory and digestive tracts.

Connect with Other People. By our very nature, humans are social animals. We nurture our young, form families and identify ourselves as part of larger social groups such as circles of friends, neighborhood ties, and memberships in clubs and organizations. Connecting with other people and forming bonds of communication and intimacy nourish our emotional and spiritual health as much as a healthy diet nourishes our bodies.

In this day and age, people can become increasingly cut off from others, leading to an increase in the prevalence of depression and feelings of isolation. Many go through their day-to-day lives surrounded by other people without making meaningful connections. The increasing use of the internet is a mixed blessing, allowing us to connect with other people via email and chat groups while remaining in the isolation of our homes. While the internet makes us feel connected, these communications lack the physical components of touch, body language and face to face communication.

Eat Fruits and Vegetables. If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times: Eat your fruits and vegetables! You probably already know that you are supposed to eat plenty of fresh produce every day. Fruits and vegetables supply many nutrients that are important for your health. For example, dark-colored berries contain proanthocyanidins which are potent antioxidants. These, in turn, scavenge free-radicals (which

5 Diet Splurges: How Often You Can Afford To Make Them

Top 5 Cardio ExercisesThe great thing is, there are plenty of choices for cardio

cause cell damage), slow aging, and fight cancer. The orange color of carrots and sweet potatoes indicate their high levels of beta-carotene which the body converts into vitamin A. This vitamin is important for healthy skin and eyes. Popeye’s favorite, spinach, is a good source of vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and calcium. All fruits and vegetables supply the body with fiber needed for cholesterol regulation and proper bowel function.

Spend at Least 30 Minutes Outdoors. Sunlight is every bit as central to our health

and well-being as proper nutrition,clean water, and exercise. Naturopathic

Doctors often recommend that we spend at least 30 minutes a

LIVING

Improving Emotional HealthWhat is mental health or emotional health?

Zucchini "Pasta"Cooking Corner:

Find out how to make this tasty meal

Index

Living WellHow to Lead a Well-Balanced LifeThings You Can Do to Get Healthy and Stay Healthy

Eating WellThe Bottom Line5 Diet SplurgesCooking Corner: Zucchini “Pasta”

Training WellTop 5 Cardio ExercisesBenefits of Regular Physical ActivityCore Exercises: Why You Should Strengthen Your Core Muscles

Thinking WellImproving Emotional

March 8, 2012 | www.livingwell.com | page 1

Everyone longs to be healthy and happy. After all, what’s the point in working hard toward a long and healthy life if you can’t enjoy it? While focusing on a healthy lifestyle by exercising and eating right is great for your body, balanced living means protecting your mental and emotional health, too. And stress reduction needs to be at the top of your to-do list.

Balanced living means considering all aspects of your life: relationships, work, fitness and health, and emotional well-being. We all get bogged down with work and family responsibilities from time to time, but making time for yourself is necessary so that you can keep up with all your responsibilities. All batteries get run down, even yours. So recharge your body physically and mentally and make the commitment to enjoy some “you time” every day.

Being happy gives you a better outlook on life, so you’re more prepared to tackle your tasks. Stress, on the other hand, can

keep you from enjoying life and can have a negative impact on your health. Research also has shown that stress can stifle creativity. Make time to take care of yourself and indulge in creative outlets you enjoy

to help with stress reduction. Schedule time each week to allow yourself to de-stress, and spend a few minutes on relaxation each day.

Get up a few minutes early in the morning to savor a cup of coffee and some quiet time before everyone else wakes up. Make daily activities more fun — try a new ethnic recipe for dinner, take a long aromatherapy soak instead of a quick shower, or listen to new music or learn a new language while you commute to work.

Devote time each week to a hobby you love or to learning a new one you’ve always wanted to try; art classes in particular are stimulating and rewarding.

Instead of just sitting at your desk and gobbling down lunch while you keep working, spend your lunch hour doing things you enjoy, like going for a walk, taking an exercise break, or reading a book.

Don’t forget to laugh. It’s great for your health and can help alleviate stress, fight off infections, boost brain health, lower blood pressure, and improve your mood.

Exercise isn’t something you should force yourself to do, or you won’t be likely to stick with. Do something that you like and look forward to doing, instead of another chore that you’ll be tempted to skip. Remember that exercise plays a huge role in stress reduction, so make time and motivate yourself for exercise by making a good long workout part of your weekend plans. Hit the gym or plan a fun activity — go for a hike, bike ride, or play a game of golf or tennis. Sneaking in some exercise on your lunch hour at work, or get up earlier and work out before you start your day. Scheduling appointments for exercise just like you do other important tasks; commit the plan to paper so you’ll be more motivated to stick with it.

The right diet will keep your body

LIVINGfollow us

Key To a Balanced Meal? Heres How

HEALTHY EVERYDAY

RECIPE SHOWCASE

TRAINING DEMO

Simple Things You Can Do to Get Healthy and Stay Healthy

Tips for Eating Healthy When Eating Out

BRAIN TEAZER

Recipe of the Week

A picture is worth a thousand words, and that’s why nutritionists use symbols and

shapes to answer the question, “What should I eat?”

For nearly two decades, the U.S. government distilled its

nutrition advice into pyramids. These efforts didn’t accurately show people what makes up

a healthy diet.

See how simple steps like eating breakfast and drinking

water can help you start getting healthier.

Don’t know what to order when eating out? These healthy solutions should keep you on track and keep you satisfied.

Jo-Ann’s Power BarsLearn how make a quick and healthy

granola bar.

Compound or Isolation? Which should you do.

Improving Emotional HealthSTRATEGIES AND TIPS FOR GOOD

MENTAL HEALTH

8 ounces orzo, preferably whole-wheat1 cup water1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes, (not oil-packed), divided1 plum tomato, diced1 clove garlic, peeled3 teaspoons chopped fresh marjoram, divided1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

2 teaspoons plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, divided4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed (1-1 1/4 pounds)1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper1 9-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed1/2 cup finely shredded Romano cheese, divided

1. Cook orzo in a large saucepan of boiling water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions. Drain and rinse.

2. Meanwhile, place 1 cup water, 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, plum tomato, garlic, 2 teaspoons marjoram, vinegar and 2 teaspoons oil in

a blender. Blend until just a few chunks remain.

3. Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the

chicken and cook until golden outside and no longer pink in the middle, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

4. Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and bring to a boil. Measure out 1/2 cup sauce to a small bowl. Add the remaining 1/4 cup sun-

dried tomatoes to the pan along with the orzo, artichoke hearts and 6 tablespoons cheese. Cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2

minutes. Divide among 4 plates.

5. Slice the chicken. Top each portion of pasta with sliced chicken, 2 tablespoons of the reserved tomato sauce and a sprinkling of the

remaining cheese and marjoram.

Chicken & Sun-Dried Tomato

Orzo

e-newsletter first page of newspaper

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Contact info:

Matthew Benza(702)513-1773

[email protected]

© 2012 Matthew Benza

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