November 2011

Buccaneer Bulletin Oswego High School’s Student Voice

November 2011 Volume 15 Number 2

ADDICTED TO TANNING --Page 12

Were We Fooled

By Mortenson?

--Page 5 Everybody Loves T-Shirts --Page 8 & 9

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Editorial

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Drawing Board

Buccaneer Bulletin Oswego High School’s Student Voice Editor-in-Chief

Mackenzie Oatman

Managing Editor Madison Rhoades

Layout Editor & Webmaster Chloe Martin

Chief Photographer Patrick Baer

Art Staff

Keegan Taylor Paige Daniels Alexis Daniels

Business Manager Taylor Falls

Senior Writer

Cartoon by alexis and Paige Daniels

Justin Peterson

Ad Representative Casey Caroccio

Sports Writer Carlie Morley

Reporters

Kara Collins Lauren Daniels Catti-Brie Hoyt Alanna Maldonado Adrienne McDougal Gabrielle Sacco

Advisers

Bill Reeser Mike McCrobie The Buccaneer Bulletin, a member of the Empire State School Press Association, and The Quill and Scroll, is published periodically by the students of the Oswego High School, 2 Buccaneer Blvd.; Oswego, New York 13126; (315) 341-2200.

It is intended as a vehicle to inform, educate, and entertain the student body.

Printing services are provided by The Palladium-Times. Opinions expressed are those of the students and do not necessarily reflect those of the administration or the advisers.

Buccaneer Bulletin

. . . to the letter-of-intent signing ceremonies that were put on by Mr. Sugar and the Athletic Department. It was a nice way to recognize some of our student-athletes. . . . to the eight students who committed to colleges for athletics at the signing ceremonies: Drake Becksted, Tayler Bowman, Jamie Bouffard, Taylor Giglio, Mikayla Place, Allie Yule, Brittany Kearns, and Rebecca Martin. . . . to Trent Yule and all of the teachers and students participating in “No Shave November.”

Though they may look a little “rough,” they are using this as a way to raise funds and increase awareness for prostate cancer. . . . to the students who represented OHS at the Oswego Co. Academic Youth League competition on November 17. Team OHS, consisting of Chrissy Abare, Ali Al-Salameh, Naomis Greco, Danielle Holland, Tori Jaskula, Megan Mahaney, Shannon McCann, Ashley Pitters, Jeff Wallace II, and adviser Mr. Josh DeLorenzo took home top honors. . . . to The Buccaneer Bulletin and The Paradox for winning All-New York Gold distinctions at the 2011 Empire State School Press Association convention at Syracuse University.

. . . to the clocks at OHS. It seems that since the change back to Eastern Standard Time, the clocks are like snowfalkes—no two are alike! . . . to the lack of attendance at the letter-of-intent signing ceremony that was put on by the Athletic Department. All classes were invited, and it was a half day of shortened periods, but to see so few classes in attendance was disappointing. www.wordpressbuccaneerbulletin.com

November 2011

Editorial

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In Our View . . .

Traditional Family Meal a Thing of the Past?

The staff of The Buccaneer Bulletin is vaguely aware of the occasional news headline or magazine article that says something along the lines of “Eating Dinner Together Is Linked to Better Grades for Teens,” “Family Dinner = Fewer Teens Using Drugs,” or our favorite, “The Magic of The Family Meal.”

They state the “statistics are clear:” sitting down to eat with our folks everyday will make us fitter, smarter, less likely to dress like a punk, less likely to be friends with someone who does drugs, and less likely to drop that pop fly in left field.

You can’t make us “less”’ anything by shoving mashed potatoes down our throats and making us talk about our day, even though we believe this may have once been the case. The existence of a traditional family dinner has slipped off the radar, but we don’t think it’s affected us much.When the significance of eating “family dinner” hit its peak in the 1950s, the recipe for a typical family was as consistent as the recipe for mom’s famous meatloaf: ½ cup of “working father,” 1/3 cup of “housewife/mother,” 1 tablespoon of a “son with a paper route,” and 1 teaspoon of “spunky baby sister.” Add a pinch of love, bake until golden.

At least that’s how it was on “Leave it to Beaver.” Now, we have iPhones, feminism, high unemployment rates, and a show called “Modern Family” that depicts the way these changes in American life translate to the family unit of the new millennium in the form of chaos.

The standards that glued a “Wonder Years” family together, like fathers who are home from work at a reasonable hour, women who stay at home to take care of the family, and children who don’t have 50 million after-school activities to attend to, are no longer present in today’s society.

Bringing back the family dinner would not work to reinstate a ‘50s mindset to today’s family values.

Too much has changed. Families today just have to work harder to make their own standards that serve as a glue, to keep their family together, even as the definition of family becomes broader and broader.

As far as dinner goes, sticking together in today’s world may mean hitting the fast food drive-thru twice a week so that the kids still have time to do the activities they love in the evening. Other times, it may mean cooking and eating a meal by yourself.

Sometimes it means everyone choking on their corn at the same time as they watch a TV show with their dinners in their laps. A couple times a year it means preparing a feast and getting reacquainted with relatives you haven’t seen in a while, or spending time with someone you see every day, but never really talk to.

This holiday season we want to encourage you all to step back from your fast-paced lives and reevaluate the way you interact with your family. We probably will never recapture the black-and-white TV scenes of the50s, but we get along pretty smoothly when we remember to look for the places that could use some “glue.”

What’s Your Opinion?

“Do you have a sit-down family dinner in your home every night?”

Marisa Dashner Junior

“I do have dinner every night with my grandparents and my mom.”

Carlie Stoebner Freshman

“No, because everyone is too busy and it’s rare that everyone is home for dinner.”

‘Occupy’ Movement Hits Close to Home For a high school student from a small town, government issues can seem very far away. We’re exposed to all kinds of media on the internet that is fast paced and timely, but it’s hard to sift through what is significant and what is not. High school is a place to prepare for the real world, but our only visions of the real world are built on piles of information that we can’t comprehend.

We at The Buccaneer Bulletin have researched the protests often referred to as The Occupy Movement. The Occupy Movement began with Occupy Wall Street, a protest that rolled onto Wall Street in New York City on September 18, 2011 and hasn’t left yet. The phrase “Occupy Wall Street” is familiar, but why are protestors there and what do they want? There are some things you should know about the nature of the “Occupy Movements” and the current state of America’s economy.

You should know that the unemployment levels are at 9.0 percent, a number that is no longer growing

but is still a huge concern. The ideal unemployment rate is 0-3 percent, which actually translates to almost full employment. Recent college graduates can’t find jobs; they’re swimming in loans for expensive schools, and they are sticking their degrees in their back pockets and their tails between their legs as they head straight back to their childhood bedroom in their parents’ houses.

You should know that the Occupy Movement is vague in its intentions for a reason. These people are clear about what’s upsetting them. They commonly promote a statistic based on data collected by the Congressional Budget Office stating that one percent of the nation’s population controls the majority of the nation’s wealth, leaving the remaining 99 percent to divide what’s left. The Occupy Movement is a grassroots movement, which means there is no leader, and it is loosely organized. The Occupy organizers do not make a significant effort to relay any specific demands to the government. They may not even know exactly what they want. Rather, they are simply making it clear that it’s time for something to change, and they’re doing so by rallying significant numbers of followers. continued on page

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Cortnie Purce Junior

“No, because I’m not available to eat every night because of sports and activities I’m in.”

Tyler Walker Sophomore

“I’m forced to eat a family dinner every night.”

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November 2011

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News

Controversy Over Legitimacy of an Oswego Read

By Justin Peterson Writer Senior Remember Greg Mortenson? He visited our school last year with his vision of building schools in Afghanistan and Pakistan with his “Pennies for Peace” program and his organization, the Central Asia Institute (CAI).

His story about his incredible journey climbing the mountain K2, failing, then stumbling upon a village named Korphe has inspired thousands upon thousands around the world, including the students and staff of the Oswego City School District.

When in Korphe, Mortenson was moved and wanted to help these people, which came to found the CAI and the schools he built. Mortenson’s book, Three Cups of Tea was a national best-seller and everyone knew his name. But were we and millions of other Americans fooled? Was everything he told a lie? Journalist John Krakauer seems to think so.

The criticism of Mortenson originated with a “60 Minutes” television segment. The newsmagazine show spent time breaking down Mortenson’s claims of building schools and the stories within his book piece by piece, with Krakauer leading the way. Krakauer’s book, entitled Three Cups of Deceit, shows fact-by-gruelingfact how Mortenson lied in his book, and his mission to better the education in the Middle East.

One of the more appalling facts against Mortenson is that he lied about his salary, stating that it was $28,000. However, Krakauer discovered this was false.

Financial records of the Central Asia Institute, Mortenson’s foundation, state that his salary was actually $41,200, plus employee benefits of $12,087 on top of his quiet drawings from the American Himalayan Foundation fund given to him by friend Jean Hoerni. He is even accused of drawing from his “Pennies for Peace” program, which had been said by Mortenson himself to be used specifically for school support.

Krakauer even states that many of the anecdotes in Three Cups of Tea were fabricated, including how he came to Korphe while climbing K2. At one point in Mortenson’s book, he talks about how he was once captured by Taliban in Waziristan. Yet, Mansur Khan Mahsud, who frequently accompanied Mortenson, told Krakauer that Mortenson was never threatened or held against his will, contrary to Mortenson’s claims that he was held hostage for nine days. Krakauer explained that Mortenson made these stories up simply to interest readers and sell more copies of his book, another source of income for himself, and not to his organization, as previously claimed. When Krakauer talked to people from Waziristan, some were insulted and disgraced at what Mortenson accused of them.

Mortenson does this again in his second book, Stones into Schools. A story entailed Mortenson being approached aggressively by Kyrgyz horsemen to ask if he would build them a school in Bozai Gumaz.

Mortenson then said he entered a ritual with the leader of the posse, Roshan Khan, in which he promised to build a school for them, saying in his book, “education is a sacred thing, and the pledge to build a school is a commitment that cannot be surrendered or broken.” It

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photo by Patrick Baer

Pictured above (center and left) are Greg Mortenson’s books Three Cups of Tea and Stones into Schools. To the right is Three Cups of Deceit, a book by Jon Krakauer that questions some of Mortenson’s humanitarian claims.

was ten years after this apparent deal was made that a school was actually constructed in Bozai.

Mortenson didn’t just lie about salary or incidents either, according to Krakauer. Mortenson and the CAI did, in fact, build schools, but filling them was a different story. The teacher support that was promised never came through, even though Mortenson preached about the emphasis on the CAI’s teacher training. Yet Krakauer stated there are empty schools, used for nothing, with no children being taught or teachers teaching in some cases. Even when there are teachers, some weren’t even trained by the CAI. Even worse, some schools that exist on paper are nowhere to be found in reality. On the CAI website, eight schools are listed to be built in the Konar province, with Mortenson claiming to have already built eleven there. When he claimed this, only three schools had been built by him in Konar.

The facts are stacking up against Mortenson left and right. If one reads Three Cups of Deceit it would be hard to conclude that Mortenson was not a fraud. Even his co-workers spoke ill of him, saying he would play mind games and was always late to meetings no matter how important. He didn’t get along with the board of the CAI, and spent more time getting his salary raised by writing books than his charitable work in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

But surely a man with such a strong message of www.buccaneerbulletin.wordpress.com

peace and literacy can keep the loyalty of some people.

It turns out some still trust him. One of these individuals is Bill Reilly, owner of the River’s End Bookstore.

When asked about the “60 Minutes” segment, Reilly said he was confused as to why it took nine years for this important information to come out against Mortenson.

The man clearly still inspires Reilly. “I still believe in his genuineness in preaching education. His mission still resonates strongly in me,” Reilly stated.

When Three Cups of Deceit is mentioned, Reilly said that he has not read it and does not intend to do so, despite being a fan of Krakauer’s previous work. He doesn’t think that Three Cups of Deceit has had “much of a life,” and still stands solidly behind Mortenson’s work. In the end of the “60 Minutes” segment, Krakauer admitted that in spite of his accusations, Mortenson has done a great amount of good. Reilly points this out, and shaking his head said, “I’m still a fan of Krakauer as a writer, but not as an individual.”

Mortenson’s message has stayed true with more than one person, however. Laura Ryder, Director of Literacy of the Oswego School District, who was involved when the OCSD adopted Three Cups of Tea as its district-wide “Oswego Reads” initiative in 2010, is still inspired. Mortenson issued a statement three hours before the “60 Minutes” segment aired, saying, continued on page 5

November 2011

Local Supporters Don’t Regret Backing Mortenson

News

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continued from page 4

“The program may appear to ask simple questions, but the answers are often complex, not easily encapsulated in 10-second bites.”

Ryder thought of this statement while watching the show, and it raised some doubt, not of Mortenson, but of the segment itself.

She explained that despite the accusations, Mortenson’s message of promoting peace through education and literacy is still the primary focus. The CAI also addressed every misrepresentation about Mortenson in the television segment to Ryder’s satisfaction, satiating any doubts she had.

Both Ryder and Reilly were inspired, with unfaltering views of what Mortenson tries to do. Neither Ryder nor Reilly regret promoting the “Pennies for Peace” program despite the accusations of Mortenson using the money for personal needs beyond building schools. Neither read Three Cups of Deceit either. To them, and other supporters of Mortenson, the one under question in this situation shouldn’t be Mortenson, but Krakauer. “It’s interesting that the man would so boldly call Mortenson out on his faults but still have the audacity to say he has still done a great amount of good,” Reilly pointed out.

This is indeed a contradiction to what Krakauer was trying to do. In doing so, has created a fault in his work. Acknowledging the merits of Mortenson’s work, in effect has caused people to question the validity of Krakauer’s writing. Why skew people’s opinion of Mortenson when you yourself know what he is doing is for the greater good?

Despite all of the facts stated in “60 Minutes” and Three Cups of Deceit, Mortenson has inspired others to do well. We live in a culture prone to lying. Parents, friends, girlfriends, boyfriends, everyone lies.

The trouble is being able to look past that and maybe even towards forgiveness. People lie naturally, and whether the liar is Mortenson or Krakauer may never be known. What it comes down to is this: who’s the real humanitarian--is it Mortenson for his efforts in the Middle East or is it Krakauer for exposing possible fraud against mankind?

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Photo by mackenzie oatman

Oswego High School student Rayne Shambo holds a sign that states “Banks got bailed out, we got sold out! Occupy together,” at an Occupy Oswego protest on November 5 outside of the Pathfinder building on East Bridge Street.

‘Occupy’ Protests Emerge Around City, SUNY Campus

By Mackenzie Oatman Editor-in-Chief

A wave of people showed up on Wall Street in New York City on September 18, 2011 to protest corporate influence on democracy. Since then, what has come to be known nationally and globally as “The Occupy Movement,” has made its way around the country and even to Oswego, New York.

Rayne Shambo, a senior at OHS, has taken part in four local protests. On Saturday, November 5, Shambo joined a handful of other Oswego residents in front of the Pathfinder Building on the corner of East Second Street and Bridge Street.

Shambo said, “It’s just about how the 1 percent is higher and have a lot more money than everyone else who is in the 99th percentile. I think that a lot of people are very greedy and this protest is to help people get their freedom back.”

The protesters held handmade signs that referred to the 99 percent and words encouraging others to switch from big banks to local credit unions. Some of the protesters were wearing masks. Shambo said, “The masks are based on the movie, V for Vendetta. The guy from V for Vendetta was trying to do the same exact thing we’re trying to do.”

“We usually stay on the bridge for fifteen minutes then go to the street where the farmers’ market is held for fifteen minutes, then march

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back to the bridge for fifteen more minutes,” said Shambo of the local protestors’ strategy.

According to Shambo, the group then relocates to Washington Square. “We stand around in a circle and converse about our ideas,” she said.

John Shambo, 30, of Oswego, was also at Saturday’s protest. He stated, “It’s not really about demands, right now it’s about shining a spotlight on the issue of raising awareness of the economic injustices.”

“Occupy Oswego,” has a Facebook page with more information on local protests. “I hope that people in the high school will join,” said Rayne Shambo.

The campus of SUNY Oswego has also seen protests since the Occupy Movement began in September. Tents were set up in the quad in support of the movement on October 12 by Maureen Curtin and Bennet Schaber, two English professors at the college. Members of the campus group Students for Global Change, also helped, according to an article in The Post-Standard on October 13.

A second article in The Post-Standard claimed up to six tents had been set up and fifteen people spent the night on the quad. One member of Students For Global Change expressed that people may be seen out there for a couple of weeks.

As of recently, tents could still be seen on the quad at the SUNY Oswego campus.

November 2011

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Feature

It’s a Great Day to be an Oswego Buccaneer Lauren Daniels Reporter

Go Bucs! Yeah Bucs!

Heard those before?

Of course. Everyone in Oswego High School hears or says one of the phrases just about every day. We say it to show school spirit or pride. We even say it to show sarcasm if something goes wrong in the high school. Now, a larger number of students have been granted the right to say this prestigious phrase. Whether Oswego students attend the high school, the middle school, or the elementary school, we are now all Buccaneers.

Oswego was once crawling with the Leighton Lions, Minetto Panthers, Riley Tigers, Fitzhugh Falcons, and Kingsford Eagles. Each of our five elementary schools had its own mascot and identity. All schools in the district now represent the Buccaneer. “The change was actually brought about by the Home and School Association,” said Ms. Donna Simmons, principal at Fitzhugh Park Elementary. “They had some valuable points about why we should show unity as a district.”

Illustration by Paige and Alexis Daniels Unity was a goal for the Home and School Association. “It was a great Now that all OCSD students are Buccaneers, the old elementary school mascots are just a memory. idea and one that all Home and School said Mrs. Mary Volkomer, principal at OHS there is a common thread.”

There remains this question: should presidents and district administrators Kingsford Park Elementary School.

“It The principal of the middle your status as a Buccaneer be earned? agreed on,” stated Mrs. Mary Beth was a great decision…When students school and the elementary schools “They now get to be Bucs before we Fierro, principal at Oswego Middle enter OCSD as kindergartners they are on board with the idea, but what ever did,” said Meredith Chesare, a School. “I love the fact that all seven really are ‘Growing to Graduation.’ do the high school students—the freshman at OHS. “It’s not fair because buildings are now Bucs. This is Everyone should be in support of the original Buccaneers—think of the it’s a privilege to be a Buc and a big something I have wanted to see happen students every year they are with us in modification?

Like most issues here, deal when you get to middle school and for a long time…We agreed that all the district through graduation.” some students are for and some are you finally are.” seven buildings should be Bucs in order “I agreed with their decision even against. “It’s a good change,” stated “It really isn’t fair.” Madison to promote school spirit and a sense of though we were giving up some of our Oswego High School sophomore Collins, a sophomore, agreed. “I unity among our students, faculty, staff Zack Salvador. think that being a Buc in middle and and the Oswego “It brings us high school special. It’s community. It “It’s an easy way for the district to ‘squish’ it together.” This becomes partisofsomething your identity and it’s is wonderful to together, without doing any real action to unify seems to be a something to be proud of.

The younger attend events recurring point kids don’t really understand that.

It us. It’s just a name.” such as the Buc of the change, does unify us as a district, but it’s just Fest and see all

OHS sophomore -- Madison Collins definitely one an easy way for the district to ‘squish’ students from that the Home us together without doing any thing K-12 dressed and School to really unify us. It’s just a name,” in royal blue and white, and proudly individuality.

I do feel it is important Association wanted to bring to the Collins said. displaying their Buc pride.” to be striving for the same goals as a table.

While the feelings about the The theme of unity travels to whole student body,” Simmons stated.

Other students seem to be less subject vary from person to person, the Kingsford Park Elementary as well. “I “The students actually took the change receptive about.

“I think it’s lame,” intent of the switch is evident. We are think it will help unify the elementary very well.

We did a great assembly said Oswego High School junior Oswego.

We are proud as a district, no buildings with a purpose that we all with the Buccaneer mascot as the Robbie Zeigler.

“When they were matter what our mascot is, and like one belong to one district and we should be surprise!

The kids were clapping and individual, they had more loyalty to former OHS coach used to say, “It’s a supporting one another, as opposed to cheering.

Now when they enter OMS/ their school.” great day to be a Buccaneer.” being in competition with one another,”

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November 2011

Walking the Plank

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Getting to Know Will Todd on ‘The Plank’ Buccaneer Bulletin: What is your full name?

Will Todd: William Earl Todd Jr. BB: What is your favorite food?

WT: Chicken wings, really hot ones.

BB: What is your favorite color?

WT: Orange BB: What do you like to do in your free time?

WT: Hangout and play basketball.

BB: How long have you been playing football?

WT: This is my sixth year. I hope to go pro someday and play for the Titans. That’s my dream team.

BB: What was your favorite game of the season?

WT: When we played against Rome because I got my first tackle.

BB: When is your birthday?

WT: September 9, 1995

BB: Why do you play football?

WT: I’m a huge fan of the Titans.

BB: That means you’re sixteen, have you started driving yet?

WT: Not yet, I hope to get my permit soon.

BB: Do you still rap?

WT: Yes, but just at home.

BB: What’s your favorite tv show?

WT: “Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.” I love Will Smith.

BB: Are you doing the JV Show again this year?

WT: Yes.

BB: What’s your favorite holiday?

WT: Christmas because there’s so much joy, gifts, and parties.

BB: Whose side are you on for the Best New Artist, Wiz or Tyler?

WT: I like Tyler for his good abilities to rap.

BB: What’s your favorite band or artist?

WT: Akon

BB: Anything in particular you’re hoping to receive this Christmas?

WT: I would love a PS3.

BB: Do you have a favorite song by him?

WT: “Trouble Nobody”

BB: Who’s your favorite coach you’ve had for football?

WT: Coach Finch, because he’s one of the nicest guys I know.

BB: If you could have dinner with any three people, dead or alive, who would they be?

WT: Anybody that would make it a good time.

BB: Is there anyone you look up to in football?

WT: Trevor Martin.

BB: If you could have any super power what would it be and why?

WT: To teleport, so no one could know where I was.

BB: What position do you play?

WT: Defensive nose tackle.

BB: What’s your favorite class/teacher?

WT: I like Mr. Rozak and my favorite class is gym because of the action.

BB: If you were stranded on a desert island and could only bring three things what would they be?

WT: Water, food, and a gun to protect myself.

BB: Why do you wear your camo vest every day?

WT: It’s my lucky vest.

BB: Your vest has a secret pocket.

What do you keep in there?

WT: A comb, my music player, and usually my cell phone.

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BB: Do you have a favorite book?

WT: Holes is a decent book and a good movie too.

BB: What’s your favorite lunch to get here at school?

WT: Spicy chicken patty, love spicy.

BB: What was your favorite show to watch as a kid?

WT: “Ed, Edd, & Eddy” BB: If you could trade places with any celebrity who would it be and why?

WT: Will Smith because we have the same first name.

BB: Do you have a favorite video game?

WT: NBA 2K11 Editor’s note: “Walking the Plank” is a regular question-andanswer feature of The Buccaneer Bulletin. If you know a student or staff member who you would like to see walk the plank, contact Mackenzie Oatman at moatman@student.oswego.org This edition of “Walking the Plank” was written by Madison Rhoades.

BB: Do you have any siblings?

WT: Two sisters and a brother. My family’s really important to me.

BB: What was it like winning homecoming prince this year?

WT: Awesome, like a dream.

BB: Do you think you’ll make prom court too?

WT: I’d love to be on prom court.

Photo by PAtrick Baer

BB: What’s your favorite movie?

WT: Remember the Titans because it’s a true story and it inspired to me play football.

participating in No Shave November?

WT: I’m keeping my mustache, the chicks dig it.

BB: Are you www.buccaneerbulletin.wordpress.com

November 2011

Fea

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By Catti Hoyt Reporter

T- Shirts are a fashion statement that is not just another fad that will go away in a couple years. They’ve been around since the 19th century, and they are here to stay. Today, they are not something you wear just to keep warm during the winter; they are works of art worth displaying to the world.

Almost everyone loves the look and feel of a t-shirt whether they use them more as an undergarment, like in the past, or as a way to express one’s thoughts on politics, global warming, school spirit, sports teams, or corporate logos.

Years ago, t-shirts were worm as undergarments and were rarely visible in the brilliant colors seen today. They were normally just plain old t-shirts without any words or pictures. Today’s generation is a lot different.

Nowadays, most t-shirts are very unique pieces of art, wit or wisdom, and more comfortable than they ever were.

There are numerous items of clothing that will, for one reason or another, remain popular to our generation and the generations to come. This is especially true for t-shirts. There is so much to this item of clothing, it is possibly one of the most flexible items of apparel there is. Fashion editors in Glamour Magazine stated “T-shirts have a reputation to uphold, but the trick is finding the best new lines of t-shirts before they hit it big. Along with its simple lines and simple access, it can be fashionable in all techniques.”

Different varieties of t-shirts create a different fashion statement. For instance, funny t-shirts are a unique form of comedy. Many people get a kick out of these kinds of t-shirts.

They give the person wearing them attention and are often a conversation starter.

The great thing about funny shirts is that people tend to get caught off guard by them.

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They’re not braced for the humor that’s about to appear before them, but they’re right out there, for making people laugh when they encounter them.

Not everyone wears funny shirts, but even those who don’t, usually enjoy seeing them. It’s rare that you’ll find a person who doesn’t enjoy comedy t-shirts. Its known fact is that laughing and smiling induces a feeling of happiness.

That’s one reason why people love these kinds of shirts. ‘‘In Clothing and Textiles class we discuss classic styles, history of fashion and fads. I generally use t-shirts as examples, since most students can relate to the t-shirts as a classic piece of clothing. A t-shirt summarizes how clothes can reflect personality values and selfconcept. Your clothes are part of you. Students at OHS use t-shirts to express and communicate their individuality and values, depending on which t-shirts they choose to wear to school,’’ stated Miss Cheryl Irwin, Family and Consumer Science Teacher.

Popular t-shirt companies like American Eagle and Wet Seal are coming out with vintage t-shirts because the demands for these are booming. Vintage tees are categorized as not so much old, but produced in such a fashion that their overall look gives and antique impression.

So when you find a relatively old t-shirt in your closet, get excited, because you just got your hands on a treasured item.

Everyone has his or her own description on understanding the term ‘‘vintage,’’ but in regards to tees, it depends on how old it looks. Vintage t-shirts appear in various forms and graphics. The only downside is the shirt should be somewhat old, yet fashionable. A vintage t-shirt doesn’t necessarily have to be old old; it can date back a few years to be called vintage. ‘‘These types of t-shirts are basically offshoots of the

As a competitive runner, Mr. Ed Stacy of the OHS many races over the years. Each race he gets a road racing days are over, so with no use for the Pauldine, a seamstress, to make a quilt with all o his classroom to show his students.

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tures

S Social Studies Dept. has participated in different commemorative t-shirt. Stacy’s e t-shirts anymore, he asked Mrs. Jeanette of the shirts. He hangs the T-shirt quilt up in

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PHOTOS BY MACKENZE OATMAN

billion-dollar t-shirt industry,’’ stated Glamour Magazine. So if you are looking for a vintage t-shirt then be clear as to what you expect out of it.

Band T-shirts are one of the most popular tees on the market. Pull it over your head and you’re good to go. Band t-shirts first appeared 60 or so years ago. ‘‘Names of different music groups started popping up on teen’s clothes in the mid ’60s,’’ stated Mad Magazine. The Beatles and the Dave Clark Five were the first bands to understand t-shirt merchandising. Then along came the hippy phenomenon of tie-dye with a logo slapped on the front.

John Kugelberg, author of Vintage Rock T-shirts, stated, “Band t-shirts reveal impulses in its owners, especially when that owner is a teenager. It makes a desire to be seen different, but also fit in. It signifies a split for your parents, but also a wish to be part of an alternative group of peers, even if you haven’t met them yet.” ‘‘My favorite t-shirt is my Taylor Swift Band Tee, its black and purple and goes with just about anything,’’ stated OHS junior Paige Johnson.

Patriotic t-shirts are a great way to celebrate America. People wear patriotic t-shirts for many occasions, like if you are headed to a cookout, fireworks for the Fourth of July, or just wanting to support our troops. Many wear these shirts just too simply feel immense prides for our country.

“My favorite kind of shirt is my camo vest. It makes me think about the army, and it also holds and inside pocket where I can put my stuff in’’ commented junior Will Todd. Patriotic t-shirts are worn as much as a lot of other tees but on special occasions, they’re simply perfect. These types of shirts are worn to show everyone that you are proud to be an American.

Custom t-shirts are a great way to express your individuality. When we wear a personalized t-shirt out in public, people instantly know a little

bit about the person wearing it. For instance, if you enjoy skateboarding, you are more likely to meet skateboarders if you wear t-shirts with a skateboard theme or logo. If you feel strong about a cause you can promote awareness by wearing custom tees that include images and statements related to other people such as sports t-shirts at Olympia Sports here in Oswego.

Graphic tees these days are not merely meant to make a fashion statement. In Seventeen Magazine, Kristen Stewart stated, ‘‘A strong graphic in unusual cut makes any teen shirt more modern.’’ The t-shirt design slogan is meant to display your attitude. So apart from your attitude, a tee shirt design or its graphics also declares your affiliation. It tells everyone about the team you support, the organization you work for, what charity you do volunteer work for, etc. Cosmo Girl listed the graphic tee as the number one fashion statement.

A booming trend in the 2000s is the advertising t-shirts. Every high school student, in one way or another, loves going to the mall and getting the “newest of the new” T-shirt from the best stores. Little do teens realize the shirts they are spending dollars and dollars on, are really benefitting the companies. Teens are actually helping out corporations by wearing their shirts and publicizing the brand with the words Hollister or Zumiez across the front. We only wear these logos to try to fit in with everybody else.

T-shirts are status symbols. “They’re middle-class luxury items, no doubt. It’s luxury consumption. It’s what brand you slap across your chest,” says Kugelberg. T-shirts are often embraced by alternative genres and that’s what makes them so popular. You can’t go a day without seeing someone wearing some type of t-shirt. They’re our generation.

November 2011

Columns

10

Advice to Middle-Aged Moms: Dress Your Age!

The two sizes too small, ripping at the seams, piece of cloth branded in “Hollister” logos just shouldn’t be worn by some people. No, I’m not talking about the indecency of most teenagers’ clothes these days; I was referring to their mothers!

You know you’ve seen it. You’re flipping through all the latest fashions in Charlotte Russe. There it is. The 40

something year old, holding up a tight, some women today continue to degrade could make an older woman feel sequin, spaghetti strap tank top. No! themselves dressing in revealing, better about herself, but when you’re That isn’t professional. It isn’t cool. inappropriate clothing. It doesn’t in your 40’s (or older) you should It’s disturbing! There’s a fine line matter if you have a daughter and just not be dressing like you’re 16. If I between fashionable and straight up want to “fit in.” A mom should not act had a mother who wanted to dress trashy and unprofessional. The bottom as “friend” to their daughters and share like me, I would be furious. It’s just line is that moms shouldn’t dress clothes; they should be an authority weird. We could have similar styles, like their teen daughters. but there should Middle-aged women should There’s a fine line between fashionable be a difference set examples to the younger where we and straight up trashy and unprofessional. between generations by being classy got the clothing and and respected. The act of how the clothing aging represents wisdom, so use that figure. It doesn’t send a good message; represents our age. wisdom as a fashion role model, not a it teaches their daughters that there are The last thing teenage girls need teenager-wannabe! no boundaries between the high school is to have to worry about how their Women have protested and fought way of life, and the professional work mothers are dressing and feel like they a long difficult battle for the right to force. have to compete with their moms to see be considered equal and respected, yet I understand that dressing younger who is “hotter.”

Celebrity Look-a-Like McLovin or Collins?

‘Occupy’ Movement is a Civics Lesson continued from page

3

You should know that our country has a capitalist economy. This means the economy is not equal. The government does regulate many money matters, but there is no policy or law that results in even distribution of cash in all of our pockets. The top 1 percent is in control of close to 40 percent of the nation’s total wealth.

You should know that America does not have a socialist economy. So even though the statistics are extremely disproportional, the government can’t just go in and distribute the wealth evenly. Communism is an example

of a socialist government. Everybody receives the same income, no matter what their job is. The entire premise of the Cold War was to stop the spread of communism in its tracks. Capitalism was the way to go at one time, but one can’t help but question what to do when capitalism leads to a situation like our country now faces.

You should know that America is a democracy. Democracy leaves room for a nation to improvise, to amend, and to adapt according to the needs of our dynamic society as it progresses, or rather, in the face of recent history, stops progressing.

photo by Patrick Baer

Collins or McLovin?

photo courtesy of Google images

If you know anyone at OHS who has a celebrity look-alike, contact Patrick Baer at pbaer@student.oswego.org.

Above, Sophomore Kyle Collins (top) bears a remarkable resemblance to McLovin’ (bottom).

Buccaneer Bulletin

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November 2011

Point/Counterpoint

Should High School Start Times Be Altered?

School should start later

By Lauren Daniels

Reporter

“Please, five more minutes.” This thought races through the average high school student’s head almost every morning. But how about three more hours?

Studies show that teens need more sleep than anyone—adults, elementary-aged kids and even the elderly. According to the National Sleep Foundation, teen-aged children require at least 9 hours of sleep a night to function properly the next day (though some can get by with 8 ½).

In a survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, only 15 percent of teenagers reported sleeping 8 ½ hours or more on school nights.

It is proven that biological sleep patterns shift during adolescence towards later times of falling asleep and waking up. It is typical (and completely natural) for children ages 12-18 to find it difficult to fall asleep before 11:00 pm.

With the starting time at Oswego High School and Oswego Middle School being at the ripe time of 7:30 am, this requires most students to wake up at around 6:00 to get ready. Many students, including me, shut their alarms off closer to 5:00 am. With homework, sports, a job, and the optional but wanted social time, a significant number of us are up until sometime close to midnight. After we’re in bed, a majority of that number can’t get to sleep right away because we’re planning, thinking, or stressing about the next day.

Many of us are lucky if we get six hours of sleep a night. Research proves that sleep deprivation as a teen can cause depression, narcolepsy, sleep apnea and insomnia, as well as problems later in life such as chronic stress and anxiety. The consequences are shocking as well—obesity and other eating disorders can come from not getting enough sleep, as well as caffeine and nicotine addiction and even alcohol abuse. If you don’t get enough sleep, you may find yourself forgetful, or it may be difficult to concentrate and learn in school. Your skin could also take a beating, as sleep

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deprivation can lead to acne and other skin problems. Students have reported finding it difficult to eat breakfast so early in the morning as well. Many students have to eat close to 6:00 am in order to be outside for the bus on time.

This sometimes causes disruption in regular meal times, depending on when the assigned school lunch period is.

So the question is this: should Oswego High School and Oswego Middle School push back the time it starts the day? Eighty school districts around the country have made the change. The Minneapolis School District reported less depression among students and a decrease in the student drop-out rate, and parents of students stated that its teens’ emotions had become more regular after the high school changed their start time from 7:30 to 8:40. Teachers in the district stated that students were more alert and ready to learn in the morning.

In Jessamine County, Kentucky, the district swapped the starting time of the high school with the elementary schools. Some studies prove that young children aren’t sleepy in the morning (anyone with younger siblings can relate to that 6:00 am wake-up call you might get in the summer from an energetic younger sibling). They reported more students being on time and better attendance. The high school graduation rate also went from around 70 percent to 85.6 percent from 2003 to 2009.

Many students, parents, and teachers are ready for the change. A large number of parents have to be at work in the morning, and have to send younger children, who aren’t old enough to get themselves ready for school yet, to daycare. Daycare can be expensive, too--up to $5,000 a year.

Oswego, with a graduation rate of 66 percent, could and would benefit from a change such as this one. A lot of students complain of being tired, worn down, and exhausted the day after school, practice, work, and homework.

The fact is that the amount of sleep that most kids are getting is inadequate, especially in Oswego with such an early start time to the day.

11

School should start earlier

By Alanna Maldonado Reporter

Teens require about nine hours of sleep a night. With school starting early, it leads to the so-common early morning beg for “just five more minutes.” We have all done it--ignored the alarm and rolled deeper into the sheets. But the honest truth is that in the real world, this isn’t an option.

High school is supposed to help ease the students into the real world.

With high expectations in life, being as prepared as possible is crucial.

The question whether or not school should start later to allow students more sleep is one that has been considered in many school districts. School shouldn’t start later.

As impossible as it may seem, experts recommend nine hours of sleep a night for teens. That’s not to say teens require more time in the morning, just nine hours of sleep.

To get nine hours of sleep a night, may require some compromise. Going to bed at an earlier time is one way to ensure your nine hours. Experts also recommend turning off the television, phone and computer to avoid distraction. It’s hard to get to bed with the computer lighting up with the promise of Facebook notifications, the buzz of a phone, and the flicker of the TV. Why is it the schools fault that their students can’t make it to bed at a decent time? Or that they choose to leave the television, phone and computer on while they try to sleep. If students really care about their grades then it’s important for them to make the sacrifice.

School starting later would affect much more than just the morning hours. School would end later leaving less time for after school activities and less time for homework, just pushing students to be up later, finishing up homework and loose ends from the day. Is sleeping later really worth less time after school? This could also affect sporting schedules. Sports practices would be pushed until later or potentially altered drastically to ensure that they don’t run too late.

Just because school starts later doesn’t

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mean that students will take advantage of the time and get to bed in time, but instead take the later start time as a reason to be up later. The amount of time a student gets to sleep depends more on the willingness of the student to sacrifice staying up late, rather than what time school starts.

Lack of focus cannot always be blamed on the amount of sleep students get. Some students choose to make choices that affect their focus. Being out late and using energy drinks are not by any means helpful. Many people rely on energy drinks and coffee to make up for late nights. Energy drinks may prove efficient for a short amount of time but only cause a crash later on, and are not a substitute for sleep. As well as energy drinks, a study done at Hendrix College in Arkansas, shows that teens that stay up later show lower GPAs than those who get to bed earlier. Students without regular sleep schedules have also been proven to be up frequently during the night, and show more cases of interrupted sleep, showed lower grades, and spent more time in bed even though they were not sleeping. Focus and grades depends on healthy sleep patterns, not as much on getting more sleep in the morning.

It’s understandable that with hectic schedules it is hard to keep up with homework and other responsibilities but being able to work sleep into your schedule is very important, and it is possible without changing the hours of school.

Experts will say that teens need more sleep, and this has been proven, but to what extent are people expected to go to ensure this. The schools job is to provide an education. If students don’t want to make the most of their time, what more can be done for them.

Focusing in school requires dedication from the student.

Getting sleep is very important, but it is not the schools job to make sure that you have extra time to sleep in the morning. Teenagers are given life on a silver platter with few expectations, it’s time to take responsibility and get to be d at a decent time, instead of expecting the education system to change for you.

November 2011

12

Feature

Teen Tanning a Popular, but Dangerous, Trend

By Gabrielle Sacco Reporter

Winter officially begins in a month, and with Oswego winters, comes a lack of sunshine. So what’s a girl who wants to keep her summer color to do? Head to one of the local tanning salons, of course.

But is indoor winter tanning a friend or a foe?

We’ve all heard or been directly told about the dangers behind tanning, skin cancer being the main one.

Although, there are a lot more dangers and diseases caused from this activity.

Studies have proven that indoor tanning is also known to cause of melanoma, immune system suppression, premature aging of the skin, and cataracts.

“Anyone who suggests publicly that tanning beds are safe is putting people’s lives in danger,” says Warwick Morison, MD, and Professor of Dermatology at Johns Hopkins University.

Our own Oswego High School nurse, Mrs. Amy DeVinny says she has a personal connection with someone with skin cancer. She said, “My sister just recently, at age 35, had skin cancer removed from her chest area and her dermatologist felt that it was directly related to her past tanning history.”

A study from the Institute for Behavioral and Community Health in San Diego showed that current laws appear to be ineffective in reducing indoor tanning and that bans are needed. New York and California are leading the way in legislation to ban indoor tanning. If these two states indeed do pass a law banning indoor tanning for minors, then it could help get bills passed in other states around the country as well. Thirty of the fifty states currently limit minors’ access to tanning beds.

Under new regulations in New York State, a signed parental consent for tanners between the ages of 14 and 18 is now required. Tanning booth operators are now required “take steps to ensure” that children under the age of 14 do not use tanning beds. Staff must also provide protective eyewear

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and information on the dangers of indoor tanning to all tanners 18 and over, who must sign a statement acknowledging these facts. They also must receive instruction on the operation and use of the tanning devices.

“The Skin Cancer Foundation applauds New York State’s efforts to reduce the risk of skin cancers. These new requirements could help prevent young people from damaging their skin and putting their health in danger,” stated Perry Robins, MD, The Skin Cancer Foundation’s president.

Children under the age of 18 have been banned from indoor tanning in the state of California. Governor Jerry Brown signed the bill replacing the

rates have tripled among Britains ages 15-34 within the past 30 years. In some areas of the United Kingdom, about 50 percent of 15-17-year-old girls have tanned indoors.

“I buy seven days worth of tanning and I usually go five or six of the days I buy,” stated Oswego High School, junior, Mackenzie King, “I do know the effects of tanning; that’s why I do limit myself by only going one or two weeks a month in the winter and not in the spring. If I went everyday like some people, then I would be worried.”

Studies also show that people who use tanning beds are also 2.5 times more likely to develop squamous cell carcinoma and 1.5 times more likely to develop basal cell carcinoma.

Filante Tanning Facility Act of 1988, which allowed minors ages 14 and older to tan with the permission of a parent or guardian. The new law will go into effect as of January 1, 2012.

This is said to be the nation’s strictest tanning law to date.

Other countries have already seemed to put a ban on minor’s use of indoor tanning beds. Britain passed a ‘Sunbeds Regulation Act’ to insure that children under the age of 18 were unable to use ultraviolet tanning devices anywhere in the country.

Tanning salon staff who allow minors to tan could be responsible for up to $33,000 in fines.

According to The Skin Cancer Foundation, the more time a person has spent tanning indoors, the higher the odds of developing melanoma.

UV damage builds up over time, the younger children are, when they begin tanning, the greater the chance they will develop some sort of skin cancer.

It’s said that each day more than two people under the age of 35 are diagnosed with melanoma. Melanoma

Squamous cell carcinomas usually appear as a constant thick, rough, scaly patch that can bleed if bumped. They often look like warts, and sometimes appear as open sores with a raised border and a crusted surface. Basal cell carcinoma may look only slightly different than normal skin. The cancer may appear as skin bump or growth that is waxy, white or light pink, flesh-colored or brown. In some cases the skin may be just slightly raised or even flat. You may have a skin sore that bleeds easily, a sore that doesn’t heal, oozing or crusting spots in a sore, appearance of a scar without having injured the area, unusual blood vessels around the spot, or a sore with a sunken area in the middle.

People who start indoor tanning before the age of 35 increase their risk of developing melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, by 75 percent.

UV tanning devices are listed as one of the most dangerous cancer-causing substances according to The Skin Cancer Foundation.

The growing concerns regarding

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the dangers of indoor tanning beds are leading to new taxes and possibly new restrictions designed to prevent the use among young people. About 35 percent of 17-year-old girls use tanning beds.

People under thirty who use tanning machines increase their risk of skin cancer by 75 percent, according to the International Agency for Research on Cancer. The melanoma rate among young people nearly tripled from 1973 to 2004, a National Cancer Institute study showed.

Since teens have less spending money than adults, a new 10 percent tax on indoor tanning, included in the health reform bill signed recently by President Obama, may make some young people think twice about tanning. “We’d like to see tanning beds banned completely, but this is a good start,” Bruce Katz, a spokesperson for the Skin Cancer Foundation says.

Some healthy alternatives to the use of indoor tanning beds are things such as spray tans, sunless tanning lotion, natural sunlight, and cosmetics. Spray tans last sometimes between one to two weeks and take up to ten minutes to apply. Sunless tanning lotions come in a variety of colors, as well as prices. You can find a pricey lotion in a department store, or an inexpensive lotion in a drugstore. Natural sunlight still emits UV rays, but ten times less than a tanning bed and it’s free.

Cosmetics such as bronzers can be used to provide a sun-kissed glow to your face.

When you look it as one big picture, it’s clearly very easy to see that the negatives of using the tanning bed strongly outweigh the positives.

When you look at the long run, it’s extremely more beneficial to do one of the many healthy alternatives and not use the bed.

So when it comes time for you to make a decision on using the tanning bed or not, just take a second to reflect on would could be some deadly consequences and ask yourself, are you really willing to take that risk and is it even worth it?

November 2011

Artist of the Month

13

Rice is a ‘Whirlwind’ of Multiple Artistic Talents

Mackenzie Oatman Editor-in-Chief

When MaryCate Rice and best friend Emilie Benigno walked onto the set of Oswego High School’s annual variety show last spring with their violins in hand, the audience wasn’t sure what to expect. “Some people didn’t even know I was into orchestra,” Rice said. The crowd was pleasantly surprised to hear popular hits by The Beatles emerge from the first few notes.

The two experienced orchestra students spent a month asking music teachers across the district for Beatles’ sheet music to transpose. Their hard work was evident in their entertaining and unique performance. As a multitalented artist, this is what Rice strives for in all her work. “I like the feeling of spending all that time on something and having it come out exactly how I wanted,” she said.

Since first picking up a violin in third grade, Rice has spent ten years quietly perfecting the instrument. She has competed at MISSMA’s Solo Fest every year since fourth grade, an event that required her to prepare a solo throughout the year and then perform it for a judge. If she scored high enough, she would become eligible to play with the all-county and all-state orchestras.

Rice has traveled around New York State to play with these orchestras. She would get out of school early on one Friday of the year, travel to the spot where all the other eligible people would meet to practice for seven hours. She would then return the next morning, on a Saturday, to practice with them for five more hours in preparation for a concert held on Sunday. As a senior this year, Rice will travel to Cortland to play in the AllState orchestra for her last time.

Rice has practiced with an assortment of teachers including Ms. Debbie Mazurek in middle school, who was also violinist, a trait Rice admired. Mrs. Cheryl Rogers has seen Rice through her time in the Concert and Symphonic Orchestras at Oswego High School.

“She’s like a second mom to me,” said Rice. Rogers has only positive things to say about Rice. “She is just genuinely a truly nice young lady who always works to be her best in everything she does,” Rogers said.

Rice also gets private lessons once a week from Ms. Caroline Chatterton. “She’s awesome. I’ve been working with her for about a year; she’s younger too so we can relate to each other about a lot of things,” Rice stated. She feels private lessons and playing

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violin as an individual helped her realize her talent in violin.

Rice’s main goal is to get into Boston University.

“I’m hoping that I’m going to make it into their orchestra,” Rice said, but she doesn’t necessarily plan on majoring in music. Aside from being a violinist, she enjoys photography and writing, and is just a creative person in general.

Rice’s interest in photography started with

more of a mysterious kind of look,” she said. One of her favorite pictures is a candid shot of a beach in Massachusetts in black and white. Rice said, “It was the picture that kind of changed how I take pictures.”

She recently photographed her uncle’s wedding ceremony, but doesn’t envision taking pictures professionally in the future. “I do it for the memory, but I also do it for the art,” she said. “Hopefully they’ll have some kind of significance when I’m older,” she added.

With training as a violinist, and a passion for music, Rice’s creative process is influenced by what she listens to and plays. This past summer she made collage portraits of John Lennon and Amy Winehouse, two of her favorite musicians.

Lennon was the first one she did. She said “I started sketching a picture of him and I was like, I have to make this cooler, so I got out a magazine and started clipping away.” Each piece took her about five hours. Rice gets her ideas from the songs she listens to. Some of her favorite artists are Foster The People, Fleet Foxes, Band of Horses, and The Black Keys. “I’ve always had an eclectic taste in music but that’s probably because of my parents, because they’re way cooler than I could ever be,” Rice said.

Though her parents aren’t very artsy, she did get her interested in sports when she was younger. She was a member of the lacrosse and cross country teams at OHS until this year.

It was there that she met some of her best friends, who share her sense of humor. “We have the weirdest stuff happen to us; we’re all hilarious in our own ways so when we get together, we just come up with the dumbest things. We quote The Hangover a lot. We definitely have a sick sense of humor,” Rice said.

“I want to eventually write for a big TV show like ‘The Office,’” Rice said. Another one of her favorite TV shows is “Bored to Death.” “I watch The Food Network like it’s my job,” she added. A creative interest in writing is something new for her. Rice’s teachers photo by mackenzie oatman told her how good her writing was for years, but she didn’t start believing them until recently. her grandfather who she said is really artsy and took “These past two years I have really gotten into things a lot of film pictures. “I would always see him taking I enjoy rather than worrying about what other people pictures and stuff and I finally saved up and bought were doing. So it’s been kind of a whirlwind,” she my own dSLR. He actually gave me one of his film stated. cameras that he had forever too, and I fixed it up and Screenwriting is a field that Rice thinks would now I use it,” she said. Rice likes taking film photos satisfy her inclination to bring the visions in her head that need to be developed the old fashioned way. She to life. “I like the aspect of producing something and said that film is “a little bit more realistic, and you being able to be proud of it after and screenwriting can’t really edit film, you get what you get.” seemed good to me,” Rice said, though she also Rice also likes taking candid shots and pictures in claimed she is still uncertain of what she will study in black and white. “Black and white makes more of an college. She has a positive and simple outlook on her impact on someone; it does for me at least, because future. She stated, “I do things that make me happy of the high contrast and having only two colors. It has and hope that other people will like them too.” www.buccaneerbulletin.wordpress.com

November 2011

Entertainment

14

Vinyl Record Sales on the Rise Madison Rhoades Managing Editor

When most people in today’s world listen to music, they turn on their iPod. But there are some who go back three generations of music technology past CDs, cassettes, and 8-tracks, to turn on a record player and listen to the classic vinyl LP record.

While physical album sales, such as CDs and tapes, dropped another nineteen percent from 2009 to 2010, digital album sales rose thirteen percent. However, vinyl album sales climbed an amazing fourteen percent over the same period. Independent record shops contributed greatly to this rise, accounting for seventy one percent of vinyl sales in 2010.

In 1982, when the CD was introduced, vinyl sales plummeted.

Record labels tried to get rid of all vinyls after that, but musicians and music lovers were not letting that happen. There are still artists today who print vinyl albums. However, the equipment to do so is very hard to find.

A new vinyl album pressing machine hasn’t been made since the ‘80s. A lot of pressing plants are located overseas.

People buy vinyl records for all kinds of reasons. Adults might buy them because it reminds them of their teen years or childhood. Teens buy them because they’re “retro,” so they’re cool. This generation has been raised on all things digital. Most of us had portable CD players when we were younger, but that was soon replaced by an iPod or MP3 player, so a giant disc is a unique novelty.

Not only is the overall appearance of the medium different, but the listening experience is as well. “A record that is pressed well from start to finish can sound much better than anything digital because of the fact that it is not compressed, whereas with

Photo by madison rhoades

Elementary school student Brett Rhoades demonstrates sleevefacing at its best as he puts on his Frank Sinatra face.

any sort of CD or even high-resolution digital file, there is always a little bit of compression,” said Eric Astor, president of Furnace MFG. Also, when listening to music, many teens don’t even finish a song before they move onto the next one on their iPods. But when one is listening to a vinyl album, there’s no skipping tracks. If you want to listen to track twelve on an album, you have to listen

What is Sleevefacing?

Many have seen it, but not many know what it is. It’s called sleevefacing. Sleevefacing is the act of holding up an album in front of your face, creating the illusion that the face on the album is yours. It’s an internet phenomenon that can be found on almost every social networking site.

The term “sleevefacing” was first introduced in 2007 when Welsh DJ Carl Morris and his

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to tracks one through eleven first. In doing this, people often discover other great songs on the way to hearing their favorite.

It’s clear that vinyl albums aren’t going anywhere. They’ve survived into the 21st century and will continue to survive as regular users hold onto their collections and new users discover and fall in love with the look, feel, and sound of vinyl.

friends took some pictures, messing around at a bar, holding records in front of their faces. As most pictures do nowadays, they ended up on Facebook. Morris and his friend John Rostron soon started an official blog and then moved onto creating a YouTube instructional video on how to do your own sleeveface. They currently have five videos about sleevefacing on their account. You can check them out at http://www. youtube.com/user/SleeveFace.

The two also wrote a book Sleeveface: Be www.buccaneerbulletin.wordpress.com

CDs to go the Way of 8-Tracks and Cassette Tapes

Once upon a time, record labels tried to phase out vinyl albums with CDs. Now they’re phasing out CDs with digital downloads. They plan to abandon the CD format of music by the end of 2012, or even earlier. This can’t really come as a surprise since we live in the digital age, but many thought this transformation was further in the future than next year.

For some, this won’t be a big change, as most young people already buy all of their music through iTunes or other music services. But for others, it will be very different from the purchasing a CD every time an artist they like comes out with a new album. Just like people like the physical copy of a vinyl album, they like CDs, (and its often-collectible coverart.) Lead singer of Paradise Fears, Samuel Miller said, “I know that I’ll rep physical CDs ‘til the day I die!!”

However, Mike Naran, guitarist of Sparks the Rescue sees both sides of the dilemma. “I have mixed feelings. I loved getting physical CDs since I was a kid, but as for bands on labels, it’s one less thing they have to pay back.”

Naran continued, “Overall, I’m going to say it kind of sucks. I feel like people connect better with something they can hold.”

This will benefit artists and record labels in the way that they’ll no longer have to pay stock storage or pay distributors when CDs are not sold and are returned to the labels. It also gives the artist/ band the advantage of being able to focus more on the release of the album and less on the distribution.

the Vinyl. It compiles all kinds of sleevefaces that were submitted to their website www. sleeveface.com. The website features hundreds of artists and a few sleevefaces to go with each. Another place to find sleevefaces is the group pool on Flickr.

This art is definitely unique. It’s even caught up the digital age with an app for iPhones with album artwork to sleeveface. So go grab an album or grab your phone and try making your own sleeveface.

November 2011

Fall Seasons Wrap up With Honors, Accolades

By Carlie Morley Sports Editor

Girls’ Swimming

The girls’ swim team was led to a 5-4 record by Coach Josh Lerch. Thirteen girls went to sectionals and many received league awards. Second-team all-league swimmers included Mayra Lopez, Mariah Metcalf, and Brenna Riley. Honorable mention was given to Colleen Fraser, Hailey Ihlow, Kaila McClelland, and Elaina Rando. Cassidy Taylor received the Most Improved Player award.

Sports Shorts

15

Acclaimed Buccaneer Athletes Sign College Letters of Intent

Girls’ Soccer

The girls’ soccer team, coached by Brian Greene, ended the fall 2011 season with a record of 7-7-2. The team had three first-team all-league players, Kaitlyn Armstrong, Jamie Bouffard, and Emily Kolenda, and three second team all-league players, Jodi Kester, Kayla Sharkey and Paige Hart. Honorable Mention went to Liz Michaud, Lauren Peel, and Courtney Louis. Bouffard also received All-CNY honors.

Boys’ Soccer

This year’s boys’ soccer team finished out its season with a 3-13 record. According to Coach Don Fronk, the first-team all-league award was given to Matt Skinner. The Bucs also had two second-team all-league players, Aaron Marsallo and Wes Smith.

Honorable Mention went to Stefan Mazuroski, Mike Hart and Jake Getman. Morgan Rabalais received the Coach’s Award at the season-ending ceremony recently.

Girls’ Volleyball

The girls’ volleyball team won the league for the third consecutive year under the direction of Coach Ron Ahart. The girls closed off the season with a 13-3 record, a win in the sectional quarter finals against Liverpool and a tough loss against the eventual sectional champion, Baldwinsville in the semi-finals. The Lady Bucs had four first-team all-league players, Cydney Ward, Kelsey Ross, Mary Montagnola and Alexa Healy, and two second-team all-league players, Isabella Winklestine and Cortnie Purce. Receiving honorable mention were Catherine Clancy and Sarah Stoebner.

The girls received multiple local awards. Ross was named MVP, and Montagnola and Ward received the Defensive MVP and Offensive MVP awards, respectively. Also recognized were Emily Barlow, (Love of the Game Award); Carlie Morley (Most Improved) and Becca Martin (Coach’s Award).

Cross Country

The boys and girls cross country team closed out the season with 0-5 record under Coach Dan Greene, but there was much improvement in the runners individually throughout the season. Mackenzie Robinson made second-team all-league; Meghan LiVoti and Matt DiFabio were Most Improved Runners; Vanessa Wiltsie and Graham Barney were Rookies of the Year; Robinson and Austin DeMott were named MVPs; and Loyalty and Dedication awards were given to Robinson, DeMott, Bill Crist, Mitch Rabalais and Whitney Ford.

Buccaneer Bulletin

photo by mackenzie oatman

Standing above, back row from left, are Superintendent of Schools Mr. William Crist, Athletic Director Mr. Scott Sugar and Principal Mr. Brian Hartwell. Standing in the middle, from left, are Allie Yule, who will be playing softball at Mercyhurst College; Mikayla Place, who will be playing lacrosse at St. Bonaventure; Tayler Bowman, who will be playing lacrosse at Towson University; and Jamie Bouffard who will be playing soccer at Liberty University. Sitting from left to right are Rebecca Martin, who will be playing lacrosse at Edinboro College; Drake Becksted who will be swimming at Virginia Tech and Taylor Giglio who will be playing lacrosse at the University of Albany.

Boys’ Golf

Coach Dan Rose led the boys’ golf team to an 11-4 record this season. He sent 8 players to sectionals: Alec Kunzwiler, Luke Boshart, Sam Lalonde, Dylan Morgia, John Phillips, Jake Anderson, Tyler Grimshaw, and Brandon Tracz. Tracz made it to the state qualifier which will be held in the spring. Second-team all-league players included Kunzwiler, Boshart, and Lalonde.

Honorable mention went to Morgia and Phillips. Other awards included Most Improved, Anderson and Morgia; MVP, Lalonde; Greens in Regulation Award, Tracz; and Overall Putting and Driving Awards, Kunzwiler.

Football

The football team, under Coach John Finch, ended its season with a record of 0-9, but found many positive things to build on for the 2012 season. Recognized players were Autie Ascenzi, Coach’s Award; Cody Boria, Most Outstanding Special Teams Player; Ernesto Cedillo and Alex Makin, Most Outstanding Offensive Players; Trevor Martin, Most Outstanding Defensive Player; Garrett Skinner, Coach’s Award; and Peter Khamis, Scholar Athlete Award. www.buccaneerbulletin.wordpress.com

Girls’ Tennis

Coach Dan Cunningham led the girls’ varsity tennis team for the first time this year as the girls finished their season with a 3-7 record. The team made it to team sectionals and were knocked out in the first round by Baldwinsville. Three players, Tayler Bowman, Aubree Schrader and Sarah Mancuso, made it to individual sectionals as well. Bowman received the MVP award.

Boys’ Volleyball

The boys’ varsity volleyball team had an extremely successful season coached by Mike Shea. The boys were undefeated in league play with a 13-0 record and were league, sectional and regional champions. The team had four first-team all-league players, Kevin Carpentier, Mike Thompson, Dylan Lavner and Ryan Patrick, and one second-team all-league player, Brennan Richardson. Receiving honorable mention were Justin Peterson and Connor Riley. Outstanding players on this year’s team include Carpentier who led the league with 332 assists and Lavner, who lead the league with 140 kills.

Also making a difference in the season were Thompson with 112 kills and 45 blocks, Patrick with 72 kills and 20 aces, and Richardson with 99 digs.

November 2011

Buccaneer Bulletin Sports Volume 15 Number 2

Oswego High School’s Student Voice

November 2011

AthleteS of the Month DYLAN LAVNER

By Carlie Morley

Junior outside hitter Dylan Lavner has made a remarkable impact on the boys’ varsity volleyball team this season. Lavner started playing volleyball three years ago and his passion for it has grown ever since.

Although he has wrapped up the 2011 season, Lavner isn’t disappointed.

The boys were dominant this year and won the league, sectional and regional titles.

Volleyball is an enjoyable sport for Lavner, because he likes the game itself and the fact that he gets to play it with all of his friends. “Justin Peterson once said about me ‘Style is Style, and that’s Ryan’s.’ Every time I think of that it makes me laugh and enjoy volleyball more because I get to play with all of my friends.” Although he won’t be able to play with his current high school friends, Lavner says he definitely intends to play volleyball in college.

“Coming into the year, he kind of saw himself being behind Ryan Patrick.

Ryan had a really great start to the season, but then he had some shoulder problems and I think Dylan realized the need for him to step up and do more,” Coach Mike Shea commented.

Lavner achieved a personal best of 23 kills in a game against CNS and also led the section in kills per game with 11.5, and digs per game with 9. He is proud of his accomplishments this season and has high hopes for next year.

Coach Shea said, “He learned a lot more of what the game of volleyball entails this year and then started to do those things. Next year, he’s our go- to guy; he’s our big stud coming back next year.”

Not only does he play volleyball, but Lavner also plays basketball and tennis for the Bucs and Slow Pitch softball in the summer against some of the teachers from OHS. This all-around athlete’s abilities don’t stop there. Lavner is a scholar athlete, and a member of both National Honor Society and Interact Club, which he says he thinks everyone should join.

Lavner has had an excellent season and everyone is excited to see how he steps it up next year.

photo by CARLIE MORLEY

CYDNEY WARD

By Mackenzie Oatman

When Senior Cydney Ward tried out for the modified girls’ volleyball team in seventh grade, she did not even begin to imagine herself being on the varsity team in high school a few years later.

“I was awful when I tried out; I couldn’t even serve,” said Ward. “I needed a sport to fill that season and volleyball actually seemed like fun in comparison to the other ones,” said Ward, who just completed her third year as a middle hitter and blocker on the girls’ varsity volleyball team.

Ward played a different sport every consecutive season of the year for her first few years in middle school and high school. Once a member of the soccer, basketball, and track teams, Ward now admits, “I hated all of them except volleyball. That was the only one I ever liked.”

Why volleyball? “Well, for one there’s no running,” she said and laughed. Ward likes the more meticulous aspects of her sport. “Your skills increase and you get stronger, but you also learn more about the game, you get stronger as a player,” she said.

Ward’s friends and mentors have made as much an impact on her as sport itself. She has had Mr. Ron Ahart as a coach since she was in seventh grade, excluding her freshman year when she played on the junior varsity team for Mr. Theodore Beers. “I think it’s better that way because you don’t have to get used to more than one coach, and you get a better connection with the coach,” Ward said.

Ward was also pleased with the relationships she built with younger players this year. “I actually really liked our team this year. I feel like the team really got along better than we usually do. All the girls were all really fun,” Ward said. “It’s easier to play in games when you get along with everyone,” she added.

“One game that really stuck out to me was in my sophomore year when we played a semifinals game against Liverpool and we lost, but it was one of our best games that year,” she said.

She also commented on a game the team won this year against Central Square. “I realized how good we can be when we play together and everyone’s doing what they’re supposed to. It becomes more natural knowing what specific things to do and at what specific time.”

Ward plans on pursuing a career path that puts a lot of pressure on being specific. “I think I want to be a forensic chemist because science has always been my strong point. Chemistry was interesting and made the most sense and I’ve always been interested in criminal justice too, so forensic science really combines the two,” she said.

She also stated that she intends to go to Syracuse University and pass up offers to play volleyball at a couple of smaller schools that have shown interest in her.

“I might do an intramural team or a club team, but playing on a varsity team isn’t something I’d be interested in doing. I would rather focus on academics and curriculum than put too much time into volleyball,” she said.

Ward feels like her volleyball experiences at OHS are enough to last her a while. The lasting memories she made and lessons she learned about teamwork will follow her as she pursues her future.

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