May 2011

Features

page 7: X-ed Out Review

A&

page 12: What To Do About Steroids

STUDENT MUSICIANS

page 4: Thoughts On Popcorn

page 8

ALL THE NEWS THAT’S fit

to tattle.

May 20, 2011 • Estd. 1892 • Vol. 119 • No.7• Published Monthly • www.ihstattler.com • Ithaca High School, 1401 N. Cayuga St., Ithaca, NY, 14850 • FREE

A Taste of World Hunger

By SARAH MCILVENNIE

Everyone on earth has the same basic needs; it is only our circumstances – where we live, and the culture into which we are born – that differ. On Thursday, May 19, the T-S-T New Visions of the Life Sciences class hosted an Oxfam Hunger Banquet on the third floor of CSMA (330 East State Street, Ithaca). The event was open to the public, with tickets available through New Visions Students.

Oxfam America is an international relief and development organization that creates lasting solutions to global poverty, hunger, and injustice. The goal of the Hunger Banquet is to educate the greater public about these issues and to empower change.

Here’s how the Banquet worked: each guest drew a ticket at random that assigns them each to either a high, middle, or low income class based on the latest statistics about the number of people living in poverty. Each income level receives a corresponding meal: the 15 percent in the high income group are served a typical American meal; the 35 percent in the middle income section eat a simple meal of rice and beans; and the 50 percent in the low income tier help themselves to small portions of rice and water. Guests also assumed characterizations that describe the situation of a specific person at the income level to which they’ve been assigned. Afterwards, all guests were invited to share their thoughts after the meal.

Few participants left the Oxfam Hunger Banquet with full stomachs, but all possess a greater understanding of the problems of hunger and poverty and will hopefully be motivated to do something about the problems.

Proceeds from the event were donated to Heifer International, an organization which helps families improve their nutrition and generate income in sustainable ways with gifts of livestock and training.

Preview to 2012 Presidential Election

By KHALID VREDE

The 2012 presidential elections are fast approaching and voters are already doing their research on which candidates, new and old, will have their best interests at heart while serving as this country’s 57th quadrennial president.

Current president Barack Obama has announced his candidacy for president in 2012, and has sent a text message to many of his supporters. A host of new candidates are sure to make the elections interesting.

Obama and pro-life activist Ran-

dall Terry are Democrats who have formally announced their decisions to run in the upcoming elections. Republicans have appeared in much greater numbers; the following is a list of Republicans who have announced their intentions to run in 2012: Herman Cain, a talk show host from Georgia; Newt Gingrich, former U.S. speaker of the House of Representatives from Georgia; Fred Karger, a gay rights activist; Andy Martin from Illinois and Jimmy McMillan from New York; Tim Pawlenty, former governor of Minnesota; Buddy Roemer, former governor

Llibyan rebels fire on a government helipcopter near Ben Jawat, Libya.

of Louisiana; Mitt Romney, former governor of Massachusetts and Ole Savior from Minnesota.

Speculation has surfaced concerning potential candidates who have not yet formally announced their intention to run. These include (but are not limited to) Republicans Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee, and Democrat Alvin Green.

Some have denied their intent to run in 2012, like Democrat Hilary Clinton, Republicans Jeb Bush and Scott Brown, as well as Independent Michael Bloomberg. Though these individuals have either continued on p. 3

PHOTO/PROVIDED

The Struggle for Libya

By MEDEEA POPESCU

Even if you haven’t heard about the situation in Libya, you’ve probably encountered images of its eccentric, dictatorial leader of 42 years, Colonel Muammar Qaddafi.

Qaddafi, who travels in luxurious tents, is sometimes seen dressed in animal skins and surrounded by a posse of virginal female bodyguards. He once said of his country, “There is no state with a democracy except Libya on the whole planet.” In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. For nearly 50 years, Qaddafi has been terrorizing his people, in power abuses ranging from public execution of dissidents to supporting various African dictators, many of whom have been convicted of war crimes. When the wave of revolutions that began roughly two months ago swept across the Middle East in February, protesters assembled in front of the police station in Benghazi, a major Libyan city, and protested peacefully. Approximately 500-600 people

called for new leadership and democratic elections. Qaddafi attempted to deal with the protesters by force, and the demonstrations ended in 38 injuries and many arrests. The following day, protests continued across Libya, and Qaddafi responded by shutting down the Internet in Libya and banning foreign journalists, ending cellphone communication, and hiring mercenaries to replace the Libyan soldiers who defected to the rebel side. It soon became clear that the Colonel was not going to step aside quietly, as his counterparts had in Egypt.

Who are the rebels in Libya? From what journalists have reported, the protesters were mainly teachers, students, lawyers, political activists, and soldiers. On February 27, they formed the National Transitional Council, a rival government intended to coordinate rebellions in Libyan cities and present a political “face” to the rest of the world. Among their goals are holding free democratic elections and creating a national constitucontinued on p. 3

May 20, 2011

Opinion

Editorial:

Reflection on (Nearly) Ten Years since 9/11 After Osama bin Laden’s death on May 1, it seems fitting to reflect on how far we have come over the years since the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq began. There have been many questions concerning the immediate future of the nation and issues that have arisen from bin Laden’s death (will the pictures be released; should bin Laden been captured rather than killed; is the nation more secure; what information has been learned from his death; is the war on terror over?). Over the next couple months and years, the answers to these questions will unravel, but currently, we need to first reflect on what we have learned from the war in Afghanistan and Iraq and not jump to conclusions before we learn all the facts.

The chain of events all started with the infamous attacks on September 11, 2001, with the fall of the World Trade Center towers. Declaration of war on Afghanistan against the Taliban and al-Qaeda soon followed, as well as suspicion of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, leading to another war there. The United States has had some success in both places, making advances in pushing back the Taliban and establishing new governments in both countries. But the wars have dragged on, and although the war in Iraq has officially ended, our presence in both countries is far from over.

Until recently, our failing economy has overshadowed the

developments in Afghanistan and Iraq. The fact of the matter is that the people of the United States do not feel they are a part of the war and have forgotten the focus of our efforts. Consequently, it is likely that Obama may try to phase out our presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, which are not surprises. More important and less definite is if and how the United States will act differently now given bin Laden’s death. Should civilians in Afghanistan be left to fend for themselves now that bin Laden is gone?

While the long missions in Iraq and Afghanistan were largely unpopular, the United States must decide whether it was important to defend against the potential threats of terrorism and stop inhumane dictatorships in these countries. At the forefront of the concern is Pakistan: Pakistan’s inability to combat the spread of al-Qaeda and its possible cooperation with militant leaders makes the country look incompetent and dysfunctional. Should United States step in and rid terrorists from Pakistan? For now, I believe that it is too soon to say whether Pakistan is incapable of eliminating terrorists from their country or making considerable efforts to keep itself safe. Unlike the rapid military action in Afghanistan and Iraq, the United States should think wisely and get all the facts straight before stepping into another potentially costly and lengthy war.

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Editorial:

Not Over Yet: Osama bin Laden’s Death On the morning of May 1, Osama bin Laden was killed in a raid on a compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. The raid was the culmination of many months of intelligence work, made possible by a crucial tip from a detainee at Guantanamo Bay. Bin Laden’s body was taken possession of and buried at sea by the Navy Seals unit that carried out the raid. These are the facts. As we move past them, the consequences of the death of America’s most wanted man and leader of al-Qaeda will begin to become apparent, and the question arises: what real significance does his death have?

Is it really a cause for celebration? In light of the information known about the various international terrorist organizations, the answer is no- bin Laden’s death is not as big a step forward as some officials have claimed. The widespread celebration only underscores America’s tendency to pin the blame for foreign aggression on a lone political figure.

In his address late Sunday night, President Obama declared that “the death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat Al Qaeda.” First of all, it is important to keep several things in mind. Although bin Laden had a measure of organizational importance in al-Qaeda, he was also deeply enmeshed in the spiritual culture of the jihadist groups, who have begun eulogizing him online. We know that there will probably be counter attacks by those who want to revenge his death- when Osama was killed, the threat posed by terrorism was not entirely taken care of. Al-Qaeda and other organizations like it represent a creed, not a man. There will always

be individuals who are willing to become suicide bombers in its name. In fact, almost every statement released by various heads of state and political leaders from around the world in reaction to bin Laden’s death includes a cautionary note urging sustained effort in combating terrorism. Obama seems to understand and heed this warning more than Bush did when he declared the war in Iraq over after Hussein’s execution; Obama followed his statement with the words “but his death does not mark the end of our effort.” Exactly. The fight against radical terrorist groups in the Middle East is far from over, and no one really knows how these organizations operate internally- whether bin Laden’s death has destabilized them or strengthened their resolve.

However, one positive result of Osama bin Laden’s death was the cathartic effect it had on families who had loved ones die in the terrorist attacks. They were the people who gathered at Ground Zero, in front of the White House, and in New York City chanting “U.S.A!” and leaving flowers for the dead, acts with which some European newspapers professed uneasiness. Germany’s Der Spiegel called the crowds “somewhat embarrassing,” and likened them to celebrations in the Gaza Strip after the 9/11 attacks.

Though it is certainly a relief to have confirmed reports that the man responsible for the killing of thousands is dead, the United States needs to look critically at the event and move beyond it, because the aims for which we entered Afghanistan and other nations in the Middle East are far from being achieved.

Editor’s Note: All editorials published in The Tattler are not anonymous and represent the views of the sixteen students on the editorial staff. Editorials are written about topics the Tattler staff deems important. Such issues may be global or specific to IHS.

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May 20, 2011

news

Osama Bin Laden Killed in Pakistan by US Forces

By LARRY GE

On May 1, 2011, Osama bin Laden, founder of the terrorist organization al-Qaeda and the mastermind behind the devastating September 11 attacks, was killed in a firefight with the United States Navy SEALs. Long thought to be hiding in the remote area along the Pakistani-Afghan border, bin Laden was killed inside a private residential compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, located about an hour’s drive north from the capital city of Islamabad.

Bin Laden’s death was announced to the world from the White House in a late-night speech by President Obama in which he declared that “justice has been done.” Obama however was quick to state that “the United States is not, and never will be, at war with Islam…bin Laden was not a Muslim leader; he was a mass murderer of Muslims.”

Calling the moment “the most significant achievement to date in our nation’s effort to defeat al Qaeda,” Osama’s death certainly has achieved great symbolic significance, though its effect on the overall war in Afghanistan is still unclear. The US has confirmed that US forces were able to obtain several hard drives and other memory storage units containing valuable al-Qaeda information. The United States military has warned US citizens overseas to exercise caution as retaliatory attacks are always a possibility.

Also significant is the effect the raid on bin Laden’s compound will have on the relationship between the United States and Pakistan, as the US has previously ELECTION

denied or not commented greatly on the matter, only time will tell which of them really intend to run.

Studies that have previously, and correctly, predicted the election of our current president now report that Republican candidates have a higher chance of being elected this time around than Obama. However, new LIBYA

come into conflict with Pakistani intelligence agencies when attempting to locate bin Laden. The fact that bin Laden was found not one mile away from a Pakistani military base and military academy has raised suspicions among US intelligence officials, which could account for the increase in drone strikes on suspected terrorist sites in Pakistan by the US military.

The US allegedly knew of the existence of a “high-value target” hiding in Abbottabad since last summer, and after months of careful surveillance, determined that the compound was housing bin Laden. In a 40 minute raid ordered by President Obama, 79 commandos in two helicopters descended on bin Laden’s compound. The entire operation was carried out without the knowledge of the Pakistani government. US Forces were given orders to avoid civilian casualties but to use deadly force if they met any resistance.

Within 24 hours of his death, after genetic testing to confirm bin Laden’s identity, the body was transported to the sea for final rites and a burial at sea. The decision to so quickly bury the body at sea was due to a desire to follow Islamic burial traditions as well as to ensure that bin Laden’s burial site did not become a destination point for extremists.

People across the world reacted to news of bin Laden’s death following Obama’s announcement Sunday night; in the US, Republicans joined Democrats in congratulating Obama. “The administration clearly deserves credit for the success of the operation,” declared Dick Cheney, former United States Vice President. Impromptu celebrations erupted across the streets of New York City

and Washington DC, with flocks of people crowding the street in front of the White House.

News and discussion of bin Laden’s death and the world’s response quickly spread through the IHS community through online social networking sites PHOTO/PROVIDED such as facebook.

Many students such as Alexi Bouvet-Boisclair ’11 had mixed feelings stating that, “People, especially New Yorkers, have the right to feel at peace and to experience such a success in a time of difficulty when the US is involved in two wars. Celebrating in the street, however, was not necessary; we have to remember that there are those out there who see Americans as blood-thirsty, and such celebrations are just proving their point.”

Evan Foster ’12 had similar sentiments, “Instead of celebrating his death, people should look at it and accept it as the end of an era of paranoia and hatred. Though it can be looked on as a good thing, you have to understand that it has also caused other people great sorrow and you must respect that.”

continued from p.1

continued from p.1

factors will certainly come into play and no doubt complicate the predictions in the coming months.

One such factor is the growing divide within the Republican Party between moderates and Tea Party members. Republican voters may be discouraged from voting Republican if many of the party’s candidates can-

tion. Their civilian status, however, is a weakness.

There is no military command, only a few dozen squadrons of young boys and men, a mishmash of weapons that few of them know how to use and no knowledge of offensive and defensive tactics. Qaddafi, on the other hand, has loudly alleged that the rebels are al-Qaeda terrorists, hallucinogenic drug users, and puppets of the colonial powers (France, Great Britain, and the U.S.) whose aim is to take over the oil industry in Libya. To date, none of these accusations have been founded.

On March 17, the international community decided to intervene. The UN Security Council passed a resolution to impose a no-fly zone over Libya, which prohibited all flights over Libyan airspace, and authorized military action against tanks and artillery. American and European military began striking targets around Tripoli, the capitol city, attacking Qaddafi’s air defense, and fighting Libyan soldiers on the ground. Some criticized these actions, while others questioned their objective in Libya- whether it’s to bring about a regime change or to protect the Libyan population. Presumably, the U.S. is not “going after Qaddafi.” Obama maintains that because the UN mandate does not authorize Qaddafi’s removal, the primary goal is to use force to protect the Libyan people and supply humanitarian aid. Some of this aid is heavily needed in the refugee camps. It is estimated that around 200,000 Libyans have already crossed the border into Tunisia, and the count is expected to increase. A fierce ongoing debate is about whether or not the United States should arm the Libyan rebels. Some fear the presence of al-Qaeda in the region, but the government of France, a leader in the offensive against Qaddafi, has been pushing for greater involvement in the conflict. The United States announced on April 3 that it would be shifting to a “support role” and channeling its aid through NATO. This means that American assets will be withdrawn from the conflict, and only utilized when authorized by NATO and the Pentagon.

Meanwhile, throughout the international intervention period, the rebels have been capitalizing on the destruction caused by the allied air strikes to

not find common ground even among themselves. Also, studies have shown that Obama’s 2008 election has earned him a certain level of popularity that incoming candidates do not yet possess.

Issues such as the national deficit and other economic policies have been used by many Republicans as ex-

amples of the inadequacy of Obama’s candidacy, though when elections roll around they will have to explain exactly how they intend to deal with these issues themselves. Still, strong candidates can be found on both ends of the political spectrum. The upcoming elections will present new and interesting ideas as well as candidates.

Young Libyan rebels chant slogans as they stand at a training base in Benhazi, Libya.

recapture oil refineries and small towns across Libya. They have criticized the delays made by NATO in providing military aid, and a recent NATO air strike that hit rebel ammunition stockpiles in Tripoli greatly angered Libyans.

At this stage, the situation in Libya is still extremely fluid, with reports of new skirmishes and killings arriving daily. The biggest question is: how will this civil war end? A handful of countries, including Italy, France, Kuwait and Qatar, now recognize the National Transitional Council as the legitimate government of Libya, but it will take a lot more than diplomatic recognition to end the violence. These countries support the plan proposed

by Seif al-Islam, one of Qaddafi’s sons, in which his father would step aside and become a figurehead for a constitutional monarchy, “like the Queen of

PHOTO/PROVIDED

England.” However, most of the rebels and the rest of the international community seem to want a more drastic break from the former leader, and it seems at present that the best solution would be a negotiated cease-fire, provided that Qaddafi and his sons relinquish power. Many allied governments are urging defections from within the government (the most famous of which is Moussa Koussa, the former foreign minister), in the hopes that he will be brought down from the inside. What nobody wants, however, is a power vacuum filled by violent factions and a protracted humanitarian crisis, mirroring Somalia a decade ago. What is certain, and will probably remain true throughout the rest of this civil war, is that international intervention is crucial and necessary if any lasting peace is to be found.

Features Thoughts on Popcorn

Highly Biased Politics:

By JULIE STOVER and ELISE YANG

“Popcorn” is one of those words that defines itself. Basically, for those of you who are completely out of it, popcorn consists of corn kernels that have been heated until they pop into fluffy, yummy, crunchy, snack-able pieces. It’s been said that popcorn was discovered when some lazy farmer let his corn crop dry out during a heat wave, causing the corn kernels to eventually burst. If you think about it, popcorn actually isn’t the calorie-laden, heart-stopping indulgence that it is often thought to be. Well, that is, if it is air-popped. However, for some reason our culture has a knack of transforming potentially healthy foods into things so unhealthy that it could probably cause a healthy man to have several consecutive heart attacks.

Let’s explore this idea further by examining the appetite of the average man. Men have a rather widely-known reputation for always being hungry, and often have trouble functioning without constantly eating. Luckily for them, they will never have to endure the physical agony of sitting through a movie without enough food to fuel a mountain-climber trekking up Mount Everest. Regal offers many options for mid-movie snacking, including mediumsized butter popcorn that amounts to the same number of calories found in three McDonald’s Quarter Pounders with twelve pats of butter.

Surprised? We were. But then again, what do you expect when you pop corn in coconut oil and then drench it in fat and fake butter? What does Geoff Preston ’11 have to say about this snack, you ask? “MMMMMMM” would be his exact answer.

So, the next time you are faced with the challenge of sitting through two hours of entertainment, just remember that you can always drown your sorrows in a large tub of buttery popcorn. Don’t forget to grab a liter-soda and a box of sugary candy to fully take advantage of the movie snack offerings.

Obama in the midst of addressing the nation’s current debt situation on March 13, 2011.

PHOTO/PROVIDED

Obama’s Speech

By ALEJANDRO YOUNGER

For those who don’t know: America is in a budget crisis. The government is spending far too much money, and not recovering enough from taxes to cover all the expenditures. You might ask, “Where does all the money come from?“ The answer is China (or any other lender, but it’s scarier if I just say China). This means that we owe China (again, or any other lender) a lot of money.

Obama’s speech on April 13 addressed all of this. I am sure that anyone from my limited pool of readers who is at all politically aware has heard the phrase “Balance the Budget.” From Republicans this means “We need to balance the budget!! Cut social programs!!”

From Democrats it’s “We need to balance the budget!!

Cut military spending!!”

Obama makes note of this in his speech. He notes that both Democrats and Republicans are working toward a common goal of a stable, healthy and happy America. Sounds dandy, yes? Bi-partisan agreement, what a wonderful thing. But then we consider the other buzz phrase “raise taxes,“ and the Republicans become

outraged. “The people of America don’t want us taking their money!” Even a quantified statement such as: “raise taxes for those making over $200k a year” (which sounds reasonable to me) is unthinkable.

Furthermore, Obama notes that despite the Republicans’s “desire” to balance the budget, they won’t go near any tax hikes, which would help our budget significantly. Now I am not President Obama, so I don’t have to be nice about this. We need to raise taxes, and the only reason the Republicans don’t want to do so is because they are in the pockets of the elite. Or perhaps it just so happens that Mr. Senator’s salary is higher than $200k...

Think about it. If you haven’t heard Obama’s speech, I recommend you do so. It was very good. You can find it by Googling “NPR Obama’s Speech GWU 4/13” since Obama gave the speech at George Washington University on April 13.

Until next time: think about the massive debt the U.S. will owe China while we are adults paying off Mommy and Daddy’s Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Or think about how much Mommy and Daddy will be suffering because Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid no longer exist. Cheers.

Teacher Feature: Mr. Lesser

By NAOMI RAYMOND and ANNELISE RAYMOND Quotes courtesy of JULIE ERICKSON

“I just finished a book about brain chemistry yesterday... it was AWESOME.” “We’re going to Pivnert [PV=nRT] it up... Yep, I just made that a verb... even though it’s not really a noun…or a verb...”

“If I’m in my house... breathing... for 15 or 20 years... which could easily happen...”

“So I was only off by a billion. No big deal. A billion here, a billion there...”

“I’ll just tuck that little bit of wisdom in my back pocket.”

It’s hard to understand how awesome Mr. Lesser is unless you’ve spent some time with him. You know, the students who crowd his classroom during lunch and study hall periods and leave in hysterical laughter, raving about how hilarious he is. You wouldn’t think that PowerPoint lectures could be fun, but Mr. Lesser can make them more fun than any other class. The random “Lesserisms” that he drops into regular conversation, his lighthearted humor, awkward statements, and great analogies can make a student’s mood for the rest of the day.

Mr. Lesser started his career in the Peace Corps after he double-majored in chemistry and psychology in college. Although he loves his job now, he hopes to one day “in, like, 20 years,” return to the Peace Corps. But in the meantime, teaching is just as exciting. When a school day starts, there’s lots of potential for it to be an interesting day because you never know what’s going to happen. As he says, “Real life is weird.”

When questioned as to his favorite period, Mr. Lesser replied that choosing a favorite class is like choosing a favorite child (which isn’t cool).

When asked about Mr. Lesser, students in his eighth period class said:

“He’s hilarious and he makes really nerdy science jokes. He’s very fun and enthusiastic and into what he teaches. He makes taking chemistry fun.” – Jenna Wentzel ’13 “Mr. Lesser is one of those teachers who you can go to whenever you have a problem, or when you just want to kill time telling stories and laughing. His cheeriness remains constant in and out of class. He can always make us laugh, whether it be with ‘Lesserisms,’ dance moves, or disco tech impressions. Chemistry with Mr. Lesser is a class I always look forward to, and I feel incredibly lucky to have him as a teacher.”

– Pooja Verma ‘13 A regular lesson can turn into a memorable event, to be talked about between friends all day. One day in April, Mr. Lesser wrote on the SmartBoard: “There’s more surface area for the catalysts to act on.” When informed by a student that sentences can’t end with prepositions, Mr. Lesser turned towards the SmartBoard, covering the writing with his body so the students couldn’t see the corrections he was making.

When Mr. Lesser turned back around, they saw that he had revised his sentence by changing it to: “There’s more surface area for the catalysts to act on, dude.” The students naturally cracked up.

People who make lots of good quotes are generally thought of as, like, philosophers. But Mr. Lesser’s a great quotable guy. So, we’ve included a few more quotes to round off this Teacher Feature to help give you a better idea of just how quotable a person Mr. Lesser is.

“That sounds dangerous! How many moles is that? Yeah, that’s my first response when I hear something’s dangerous.”

“If it wasn’t for hydrogen bonding, man, those [top-of-the-water] bugs would be like, bottom-of-the-oil bugs.”

“If the SmartBoard’s so smart, I’m just going to let it run things.”

May 20, 2011

Features

Current Affairs: No Safe Future For Nuclear Energy

By REHAN DADI

On March 11, a powerful earthquake triggered a giant tsunami off the northeast coast of Japan. This resulted in devastating loss of life and property in that region. It also severely damaged the buildings and cooling systems of several reactors of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, which consists of six reactors housed in separate buildings. Since that time, the world has watched in horror as the Japanese authorities have struggled to stabilize the reactors and to contain the radioactive fallout. But there have been reports of a partial meltdown in some of the reactors, and much radioactivity has already leaked in the environment, as radioactive steam was released into the atmosphere and radioactive water was dumped into the Pacific Ocean.

Food grown in the surrounding area has already become unsafe to eat, and for a while, even water in distant Tokyo was considered unsafe for babies.

Western governments have asked their citizens to evacuate the area or leave Japan altogether. And on April 22, the Japanese government extended the evacuation zone to 50 km (about 30 miles) from the plant — enlarged from the original 20 km (12 miles) — permanently displacing thousands. In short, the crisis is far from being resolved, and may even become worse in the months ahead. It’s too soon to judge the terrible range of cancers and health issues this accident will create, as radiation damages cells in the human body in a way that becomes visible only later. And as Japan is a major center of hitech manufacturing and business, reluctance of foreign visitors to come to Japan may cause lasting damage to its economy.

The Fukushima Daiichi accident is the most serious one since the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine in 1986. Chernobyl led to a massive release of radioactivity, the abandonment of a

large area around the site by humans, including the city of Pripyat (which had a population comparable to Ithaca) and a cost to the small nation of Ukraine of over $10 billion. Tens of thousands of residents in the area developed cancer and birth defects from this accident, and Chernobyl’s effects will continue to cause major heath issues for many years to come.

There are now hundreds of nuclear plants operating around the world, and over a hundred in the U.S. alone. Much of the world is now dependent on nuclear power to provide part of its electricity. It is not unlikely that more accidents will happen in future, but the cost of running these reactors does not account for the costs from these accidents. Also uncalculated are the costs of disposal of nuclear waste, which is constantly created by the process of preparing uranium to be used as fuel for the reactors, and the machinery and radioactive waste material left at the end of its use, which remain extremely dangerous and radioactive.

Until now, no nation has found a safe and permanent way to store this massive amount of waste. The U.S. has already spent $10 billion studying an underground site in the Yucca Mountains in Nevada, but this will probably be abandoned. And as nuclear waste remains dangerous for at least 100,000 to a million years, storage has to be found to secure the waste for that immense length of time, and to find a way to keep future generations informed about its danger.

Human civilization (based on writing) is only about 10,000 years old, and no single civilization has ever lasted that long. Civilizations perish, languages disappear, and their knowledge become illegible in just a few thousand years. To leave a poisonous legacy that will be dangerous to inhabitants of this planet for as long as a million years is extremely irresponsible and callous.

It is thus very continued on p. 6

Inquiring Photographer Where is your favorite place in IHS?

“In the library” -Allison Mollenkamp ‘14

“In the cafeteria” -Hannah Tabb ‘13 and Josh Greenberg ‘12

Visit Brazil!

By KHALID VREDE

PHOTO/PROVIDED

“In K Hallway, it’s always quiet there” -Soren Schwab ‘13

“In Steve Weissburg’s room!”

-Audrey Kan ‘13

PHOTOS/Sara Devault-Feldman

white sandy beaches and big majestic waterfalls that Brazil is famous for also serve as popular Looking for a sunny and exciting place to trav- travel destinations for tourists. el over the summer? Well, Brazil may be just what Brazil is not limited to its natural attractions, you had in mind. Brazil, the largest country in either. Small villages and big cities both presSouth America and fifth largest in the world, has ent customs, architecture, and people unique all the stops for new and seasoned travelers alike. to Brazil. City attractions include the widely atDiverse terrain, popular attractions, and pleasant tended carnivals in Rio de Janeiro, the Igreja de accommodations are eagerly awaiting interna- Sao Church covered with gold leaf in the city of tional travelers. Brazil is what some may consider Salvador, and the more modern city of São Paulo, paradise. which displays new cuisine in restaurants and A main attraction of Brazil is, of course, the has many movie theaters and other attractions Amazon Rainforest, which contains a host of one would expect in a large city. Soccer is also very popular, and, for a relatively low price, you can watch a local game.

Prices of travel are not at all outrageous, and most attractions are either low in price or free. Travelers report that hotels are accommodating and there are reasonably priced dining and entertainment. Within the country, travel is also quite cheap. In more urban areas you would most likely ride a bike, and in the tropics a boat, thus savThe beautiful city of Rio de Janiero in Brazil displayed with it’s sandy beaches and crisp white buildings. ing you lots of cab intriguing activities. These include bird watch- and bus fare money. Some of the most popular ing, boating, rock climbing, and hiking. You may destinations include the Amazon Rainforest and even run into some exotic animals, such as the cities Rio de Janeiro, São Paolo, and Salvador da jaguar and boa constrictor. Visits to the Pantanal Bahia. I highly recommend a visit to one of these Wildlife Reserve will leave you in awe of all the astounding destinations or any number of other exotic plants and animals Brazil has to offer. The places Brazil has to offer.

Features

May 20, 2011

GLOBAL LINGUIST

NUCLEAR

continued from p.5

Commonly Used Words of Arabic Origin

By REHAN DADI

admiral amir al-bihar, “commander of the seas,” a title in use in Arabic Sicily and continued by the Normans in Sicily in a Latinized form, and adopted successively by the Genoese and French. alchemy, chemistry al-kimiya, alchemy. The Arabic word entered medieval Latin as alchimia. The word “chemistry” is a 16th-century European derivative of “alchemy.”

algorithm al-khwarizmi, a short name for the mathematician Muhammad al-Khwarizimi. The appellation al-Khwarizmi means “from Khwarizm,” which, in Latin, became “Algorismi.” Until the late 19th century both algorismus and algorithm simply referred to the “Arabic” decimal number system. arsenal dar as-sina‘a, house of manufacturing. In English the word originally meant “a dockyard for repairing or building ships.”

From Italian and specifically from Venice, the word spread to every European language. cipher, zero sifr, zero. Cipher came to Europe with Arabic numerals.

Original meaning “zero,” then “any numeral,” then “numerically encoded message.” In English, cipher was also used as another word for zero until the 19th century. harem harim, women’s quarters in a large household. Arabic rootword means “forbidden,” and thus the word carried the connotation of a place where men were forbidden. A 17th-century English word; probably entered English through Turkish. magazine makhazin, storehouses. Used in Latin with that meaning in 1228. Still used that way in French and Italian. More commonly, in English, a “magazine” was an arsenal, a gunpowder store, and later a receptacle for storing bullets. A magazine in the publishing sense of the word started out in English in the 17th century, meaning “a store of information about military or navigation subjects.” syrup, sherbet, sorbet sharab, a word with two senses in Arabic: “a drink” and “syrup.” Medieval Arabic medical writers used it to refer to a medicinal potion. It was passed into medieval Latin in the 12th century. Separately, the same root word re-entered the West via Turkish as “sherbet,” a sweetened fruity drink. tariff ta‘rif, notification, specification. In late medieval Mediterranean commerce, it meant a statement of inventory on a merchant ship, or any tabular statement of prices and products (or services) offered for sale. In use by Italian-speaking merchants in the 14th century. zenith samt al-ra’s, zenith, vertex. Origin in texts of astronomy in Medieval Islam. In English, it dates back to the late 14th century.

PHOTO/Sara Devault-Feldman

algebra al-jabr, completing, or restoring broken parts. The mathematical sense comes from the title of a book by the 9th-century mathematician al-Khwarizmi. When translated to Latin in the later 12th century, the book’s Latin title contained the newly minted word “Algebrae” representing al-jabr.

Solar development progresses in Ithaca through the increase in solar panels atop the Tompkins library.

clear to this writer that nuclear energy is fundamentally unsafe, and its potential health and monetary costs far exceed our lifetimes and calculations.

In the current economic recession, a good way to create jobs will be to invest in clean and sustainable energy such as wind and solar power. This can provide jobs to unemployed Americans, create and develop safer solutions, and transition us into a better future in which nuclear power will have no place and will at least pose no growing peril. And leadership by the U.S. will set a positive example for the rest of the world to rid itself of this danger.

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Arts

Section continued on p. 10

&

A Tale of Disillusion: The Illusionist

By LEO WINTERS

Lately it seems that the only way to make a truly good animated film is to make it thoroughly depressing (i.e.

Woody and his friends almost getting charred in an incinerator in Toy Story 3). French animated film The Illusionist is a prime example.

The film follows a man who makes a living performing cheap magic tricks in small venues around Edinburgh for audiences who are much more interested in the emerging glamour of rock bands and movies.

The man ends up traveling to a small island off the coast of Scotland to do a show at a small pub. It goes surprisingly well when he meets a girl who is delighted by his gimmicky sleight of hand tricks, so much so that she stows away on the boat on which he is returning home to Edinburgh.

He lets her stay with him in his small apartment in a boarding house, where other down and out Vaudevillian performers live, such as a friendly ventriloquist, three acrobats and a somber, alcoholic clown

who stays up all night listening to circus music records. The girl is constantly asking him to buy her fancy, expensive new shoes and clothes, in exchange for housekeeping and cooking services. He is unable to say no, despite not having the money, and these extravagant gifts force him to take up an all night job in an auto repair shop.

The man soon becomes increasingly overwhelmed by the rapid cultural change his society is going through right in front of his eyes.

The theatre where he used to perform is now exclusively a movie theatre, and his ventriloquist friend is now panhandling on the street.

He decides to give up his job as an illusionist and PHOTO/PROVIDED leaves on a train, while the girl, now bored with magic tricks, finds excitement instead in a new romance.

The entire film is beautifully animated, and despite having almost no dialogue, tells a very bittersweet story. It is a must see for fans of animation films.

X’ed Out: Eerie and Enigmatic

By KHALID VREDE

X’ed Out by Charles Burns is the first installment of a new series, starring young photographer Doug who is haunted by bizarre and even grotesque images in his sleep. Graphic novelist Charles Burns, well-noted for his Harvey Award winning graphic novel series Black Hole, spares no time in leading you through the harsh beginning of what appears to be a very interesting story. Any annoyance or confusion you may feel from being placed in the middle of the story on page one is quickly replaced by intrigue and curiosity as you get drawn into Doug’s world.

As in many of Burns’s other works, the weirdness factor of characters and scenes is very high.

The main character Doug controls your perception of reality through his grotesque dreams, all of which possess a certain quaintness that mirrors past events that the reader has not yet been made aware of. Burns’s expert use of colors and shading leave a modernized fifties artwork type of feel on the pages of this novel. Each character has distinct

facial features that make following the plot a bit easier. The novel itself is made more interesting as well; after all, what could a graphic novel be without memorable illustrations? The author combines story and graphics with an expertise gained through experience.

A certain realness accompanies all of the characters. Through language and gestures they present themselves as the perfect foundation for a solid cast of characters. The separation of dream and reality is also shown by the characters. When dreaming, Doug becomes more cartoon-like while other characters have PHOTO/PROVIDED body parts awkwardly accentuated. This induces an unsettling feeling while at the same time makes turning the pages difficult.

Those in the real world are interesting looking as well. Mystery shrouds this graphic novel, though this is to be expected because this particular volume is the first of what I’m sure will be spectacular installments. I recommend this work and any future works by Burns to patient individuals who are intrigued by the bizarre and the mysterious.

Mountain Goats All Eternals Deck: The Mountain Goats Return with Another Poetic Knockout

By KYLE ROTHMAN

After nearly two decades of music from broken boom boxes to top-notch recording, John Darnielle has proved himself to be one of the hardest working individuals in modern music. From 1990 to 1999 he introduced himself as The Mountain Goats, and made solo acoustic material. He grew in popularity by producing beautiful lo-fi folk albums, all recorded on a boom box. By 2000, he gained an even wider audience by expanding his sound past the poetic acoustic vignettes, and began using full bands as backup. From land-mark concept albums like Tallahasse, We Shall All Be Healed, and The Sunset Tree, he recreated his image as a musical adventurer and prolific storyteller.

He garnered even more respect by recording almost every instrument part himself, and then found friends to back him during his energetic live performances.

After a two year break after the release of his biblethemed epic The Life of the World to Come, Darnielle returns with a sound similar to his reemergence as an electric musician. Unlike those early albums however, Darnielle chooses to focus on each track’s ability to stand out from the rest of the album, instead of trying to create an easy to understand concept or story to follow. Because of this, every track tells its own story in its own significant sound or lyrical tone. All Eternals Deck should be examined by means of dissection.

“Damn These Vampires” serves as a swift kick to open the album by combining Darnielle’s constant song-motif of living and striving in a terrible environment with a slow-hitting but powerful tone to set the pace for the rest of the record. Lines like “Feast like Pagans, never get enough/Sleep like dead men, wake up like dead men/And when the sun comes up, try not to hate the light, Someday we’ll learn to walk upright” almost give a glimpse into Darnielle’s personal experience with people who have tried to suck the very life from him.

The album uses deteriorating environments as a strong backdrop. In hard-driving songs like “Estate Sale Sign,” Darnielle compares modern industrialization and the emergence of shopping centers to ancient sacrificial rituals using the ferocity of Mountain Goat fan favorites like “This Year” or “See America Right.” Tracks like “Birth of Serpents” and “Beautiful Gas Mask” examine the human experience with lighter and catchier-sounding melodies, while songs like “The Autopsy Garland” shows a dark looming force over humanity with its deep sound and discouraging lyrics (“Fat rich men love their twelve-year-olds/Deco cuff links and cognac by the glass/Look west from London toward the Emerald City/Remember Minnesota/You don’t wanna see these guys without their masks on”).

“Age of Kings” and “Outer Scorpion Squadron” are essentially the darkest yet most beautiful tracks on the record, and combine Darnielle’s masterful lyrical work with powerful piano and string section orchestrations. These tracks serve as a great balance to other more inspirational tracks as well as a sobering and thoughtful transition.

The final track of All Eternals Deck, “Liza Forever Minnelli,” is one of, if not the greatest, song for its subtle electric keyboard and drum combination, and its ability to stick to your mental continued on p. 10

centers

in focus:

Student Musicians: Open your ears to some of IHS’ very own musical talent!

Rock the Arts is Rocking

The Tattler recently received a First Place Scholastic Newspaper Award from the American Scholastic Press Association!

We would like to thank everyone who put in hours and hours of their time and effort into making this paper possible, including, of course, the editorial board, the writers, and anyone who contributed in any way this past year. This is a student-run paper which truly would not be in existence without you all, so thank you for a job well done!

PHOTO/RACHEL POLLACK

Ithaca is a town known for its vibrant cultural activity, including its thriving local music scene. From the many venues that provide live music almost every night to the annual festivals such as the Ithaca Festival, there are a plethora of opportunities to enjoy all the music that Ithaca has to offer.

One of these festivals, the annual Rock the Arts festival, is one of the most prominent and popular of the town’s live musical events. It features many different forms of artistic expression in addition to music, such as poetry reading and dancing. Most importantly, it has one distinguishing factor that makes it different from the rest: it is a completely youth-run organization.

In 1998, the very first Rock the Arts festival was held at the CSMA and was put on by the Teen Center. It was an evening filled with teenagers displaying their artistic talents through poetry, singing, and band performances. Due to the success of the event, there was a demand for the Teen Center to host the event once again to provide another venue in which youth could perform. This coincided with the Orange Tree Theater Company wanting to put together an all-day festival for youth performances.

After a few meetings between the two, a separate committee was formed that became known as Rock the Arts.

On May 13, 2000, the Rock the Arts Youth Empowerment Festival was hosted on the Ithaca Commons with local performers during the day and bands playing at night.

The festival was a huge success, with over 1,000 people in attendance. The committee also Cassie Engstrom ‘11 and Daniela Bizzell ‘11 perform at this spring’s started putting on Rock the Arts Festival. another annual

Ruthie Grigorov ‘11 rocks the piano while styling in a pair of shades

event in the fall known as Acoustifest, a night celebrating local acoustic music.

This year, the festival took place in a slightly different manner. In addition to the actual festival on the Commons, there was an additional night of music that took place at the Shop, a local coffee/tea establishment, the night before Rock the Arts. It featured performances by Dani and Cass, Angry Furniture, Eileen Sochia ‘13, and Ithaca’s newest funky quartet, Gnarnia. The show was a tremendous success, and the small venue was packed to the brim. The following day, the actual festival took place and was a huge success as well. This year, there was a variety of different artistic performances, including live music, dancing, poetry reading and even live painting.

Because the festival went so smoothly, many people do not take into account how much work is actually put into hosting such a festival. Just a few of the responsibilities include: booking a sound company to run sound, renting sound equipment, getting performers to sign up and show up, and making shirts.

This is why it is noteworthy that this student-run festival has been going on for more than a decade. Hopefully, the next generation of RTA’ers will put in the same effort and uphold the tradition of excellence that has been established

by Rock the Arts: A Youth Empowerment Festival.

Ben Miller: Groovy Jazz Hands Compiled By INGRID SYDENSTRICKER

Instrument: Piano and Alto Saxophone on the side.

Favorite Artist: John Coltrane Inspired by: The urban lifestyle that puts aside stability and comfort in favor of being able to do what you love. Also, music that I listen to inspires me to play with more feeling.

Composing? Every now and then I come up with something I like, but I improvise most of the time. I’m trying to start work-

PHOTO/PROVIDED

PHOTO/RACHEL POLLACK

By PETER PILLARDY

Ben Miller ‘11, jazzing it up on the piano from an early age.

ing on arrangements in general.

Working on: I’ve been trying to secure work for the summer, so far mostly looking at my musical options. Practicing at home, playing in a big band, combos, senior recitals, events, parties, etc. Keeping super busy.

Off to: Schulich School of Music at McGill University in Montreal, Quebec. I’m gonna have a great time in the city and college!

Student musician? The student part sucks, honestly. It has definitely taken time away from my playing. But maybe it has given me some smarts and cemented my path away from regular school in general. The musician part, on the other hand, is where it’s at. Next year will be great because my schooling will revolve around Jazz music. If you haven’t noticed, I love jazz.

May 20, 2011

Sam Shuhan: A Rising Musician

By CHRISTINA SEUNG

In a society in which Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga’s works of art are immediately recognizable, classical music has been forced to take the backseat in the fast-paced music industry. More teenagers are clinging to the digitally altered voices that constantly parrot the themes of break-ups, sexual desires, and unrequited love. Whereas many teenagers would grimace at classical music as being “old-fashioned” or “boring,” Sam Shuhan ’11, the principal bass at IHS, refuted that classical music is a “more sophisticated type of music which requires a more sophisticated understanding.”

Although Shuhan acknowledges that the generation gap has contributed to the change in music preference, he believes that “there is not much depth to contemporary mainstream music” and that “it’s becoming less and less human and more and more electronica.”

To preserve the rich culture of classical music, Shuhan hopes to share his knowledge and passion with others while honing his talents. Starting this fall, he will be majoring in both Music Education and Music Performance at Ithaca College.

Focusing on music as a career won’t be new to Shuhan, because music has always been a huge part of his life. During his childhood, his father toured the U.S., Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Europe and Japan as a professional musician.

Although he started to play the violin in third grade, he didn’t discover his passion for music until he attended the Interlochen Arts Camp right before entering high school. It was during that critical time that Shuhan truly realized how “self-satisfying” music is. Music,

PHOTO/DAVE BURBANK

he said, is “a form of self-expression”; unlike the strict rules and confinement people face in school and society, music is “all about what the individual brings to it” because it is, to a degree, completely about personal interpretation.

And where is music’s fight to stay in our schools? Budget cuts have drastically reduced funds for artistic programs, and while many would argue that sciences and mathematics are more practical and useful in daily life, Shuhan finds it “absurd” that music would be considered less valuable. Even though sciences and mathematics are important, he pointed out that music is “an escape” from the academic stress. It’s “another outlet” that cannot be ignored because it’s important that people “cultivate or at least identify” their talents and creativity through artistic expression.

Although Shuhan’s love for music will never fade away, he admits that music can be frustrating at times. For him, playing different styles of music is challenging. Above all, however, Shuhan said that the most difficult aspect of music is that it is the “exact opposite” of the society in which we live because many people try to work as fast as possible. Music requires a strenuous “slow-going progress” that takes a great deal of patience and hard work to achieve breath-taking results. As an active member of the IHS orchestra, Pit Orchestra, Cornell Chamber Orchestra, Ithaca College’s Jazz Combo, and his own Jazz Combo “Dynamix,” he completely understands the hardships of music. But he advises that the best attitude toward practicing music is with a “calm, meditative, and open mind” because the greatest thing about music is that “it is a project which can never be completed.”

IHS Jazz Band Staying Strong at the new Kulp Auditorium, along with all the other extra music programs that weren’t cut from the budget.

Although it’s called Jazz Band, it’s known for its wide range of styles of music. More often than not, they play Latin or funky tunes to mix things up. One of the songs played this year, a funk tune called Watermelon Man, was arranged by one of the saxophone players, Miles Allen. Only rarely do you hear

Ithaca High School, as well as the whole of the Ithaca community, is known for the wide range of music that it brings to the community. For the past few years, the community’s budget has fought for the end of extra music programs while the community fought back.

Large donations from generous people keep IHS’s music playing, with part of the contributions going to the IHS Jazz Band, supervised and conducted by the IHS Band Conductor Mrs. Zawel.

Last year, while sports were losing funds for an assistant coach on some teams, and a few restrictions were placed on the size limit of elective classes, Jazz Band was one of many musical groups that were completely cut from Nikki Zawel, IHS Jazz Band Conductor, leads the group during a December 2010 concert. the budget. For the twenty-some members a waltz or slow jazz piece played. There’s a who commit to coming together two hours lot of energy and excitement in the songs sea week to play a unique and enjoyable type lected, and they keep the audience on their of music, this was not an acceptable treat- toes. The IHS Jazz Band gives a truly one-ofment for their efforts. Emails were sent, com- a-kind approach to music at this school and plaints were made, and this year, on May 7th, will hopefully continue successfully in future the IHS Jazz Band had their annual concert years.

Do you secretly aspire to be a cartoonist? ?

ls l i ff nt w o ng sk a W sho awi r to ur d yo

PHOTO/DAVE BURBANK

By SIENA SCHICKEL

Dra cart w o The Tatt ons for ler!

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10

May 20, 2011

A&

Limitless Has Its Limits

By KHALID VREDE

PHOTO/PROVIDED

At this point in the movie the cinematic expertise of Jo Limitless, based on Alan Glynn’s novel The Dark Fields, is Willems, who has filmed popular movies like Déjà Vu, is a fantastical and far reaching thriller that presents a superb evident. The world suddenly seems clearer and brighter to idea one may have assumed has been shown in previous Eddie. Screen writers used small conversations to show that films, but really hasn’t. The movie asks its main character at Eddie is now really smart, and cunning too. Success, for the the beginning of the movie, and later its audience, a simple first time, makes an appearance in Eddie’s life. He finishes a question: What would you do if you could become incred- book he had been working on for about a year in a matter ibly smart by taking just one pill? As you may have guessed, of weeks, and his editor is amazed by it. Eddie then lands a there is more to the story than this. The “miracle” pills are of job in finances, which he obviously excelled at. This sparks course accompanied by a host of physical and physiological the interest of a local business mogul Carl Van Loon, played problems, not to mention a number of dangerous individu- by Robert DeNiro. Liddy, Eddie’s ex-girlfriend, even sees als who would do anything to get their hands on them. that he is a changed man and reunites with him toward the Popular actor Brady Cooper, who starred in The Hang- middle of the movie. Accompanying these victories are anover and The A-Team, plays the role of unlucky writer Eddie noying people from his past as well as new acquaintances eaMorra. Things seem as though they could not be any worse ger to gain benefits from Eddie’s new and medically-induced when Liddy, played by upstart actress Abbie Cornish, dumps super power. him because of his lazy and stationary life style. Later EdThe movie is a bit high-reaching and is filled with a lot of faux intelligent banter on Eddie’s part.

Despite this, the movie isn’t bad by a long shot. Director Neil Burger shows skill in both scene and dialogue sequencing. Cooper and Cornish also play their roles very well, though the chemistry between the two is somewhat lacking.

As for the other characters, I think similar personalities and dialogue, coupled with the lack of a diverse cast, caused some important supporting characters to be unmemorable.

The whole premise of the story, that the pills cause every single neuron in a brain to become active simultaneously, is obviously scientifically impossible.

Such an occurrence would severely deplete oxygen levels in the brain and would most likely cause death within a matter of minutes. Still if one looks past these small details, Limitless should supply adequate entertainment. Rotten Tomatoes, a film critique website, gives Neil Burger’s new techno thriller, Limitless, combines a sci-fi concept with a big-name cast. the film a 69%. Comments were generdie runs into his ex-brother-in-law, a shady business man ally mixed with both positive and mixed reviews. If nothing who offered Eddie what seemed to be the answer to all of else, the movie lays the groundwork for what has the pohis problems: a pill that provided a person complete access tential to be an excellent second installment. I recommend to every neuron in their brain simultaneously for about 24 this movie to anyone who enjoys films that invite discussion, hours. Eddie is wary at first, but then finally decides that he though be warned that you may leave the theater wanting really has nothing else to lose and takes the pill. just a little bit more from Limitless.

MOUNTAIN

continued from p.7

jukebox and play all day. It’s such a good ending track for the album that it sounds like it could be the opening track to a whole other album.

While the album is another success for the Mountain Goats, it does have its flaws. The album lacks an obvious constant direction or topic like many of Darnielle’s most popular albums, and while it does focus greatly on the sorcery of modern man and its impact on modern society, this is a rather broad topic for Darnielle. Most of his past work were rather more specific (Meth and Heroin addicts in We Shall All Be Healed; his relationship with his step-father in The Sunset Tree).

A far more vital flaw can be heard on the track “High Hawk Season,” which features Darnielle on guitar with male backing vocalists providing du-wop call-back vocals to every line he sings himself. This is a very new direction for The Mountain Goats and one the proves to be fairly annoying on the track. I thought he could have lost the backing vocals and play the song as a solo and it would have sounded great, but the addition of du-wop makes this track slightly hard to bear.

Despite this, I give All Eternals Deck four out of five stars for properly showcasing Darnielle’s poetic prowess through a new batch of beautiful and catchy tunes.

Recently, The Mountain Goats came to Ithaca to perform with a full electric backing band. The band played songs from across the whole 20 years of Mountain Goats existence, from their new album to their fan favorites (“This Year,” “Palmcorder Yajna,” “No Children”) to old rarities (“Going to Alaska” and “The Monkey Song”). The Mountain Goats successfully entertained a sold-out crowd of die-hard fans at Castaways through his sheerenergy and comedic finesse.

NYS Baroque Provides Unique Form of Teaching At IHS Right next door to Cornell University, educational programs like the New York State Baroque Orchestra provide an aspect of learning that can’t be achieved in a classroom.

In a recent class trip to Cornell, a man presenting original documents dating back to the French Revolution passed out a book with an actual king’s handwritten signature on it. As it was passed around, many of the students touched the ink, marveling at the fact that they were touching King Louis XVI’s signature (that, and fact that he signed a note saying he would have someone executed for the sheer pleasure of it).

The man presenting then pointed to an inconspicuous box on the bottom of a cart and simply stated that the box was worth three million dollars. It was a little unnerving that he wasn’t bothered by the box’s worth, but then again, the entire room was probably worth more than triple that.

During the same class trip, students were brought to an auditorium where the NYS Baroque group performed some pieces by famous baroque composers like Beethoven and Mozart, then later gave a presentation on the composers’ lives and their importance in society and history. On a website with a brief description of the NYS Baroque group, it states that, “We are America’s only large period-instrument ensemble based outside a metropolitan area,” meaning that they are one of very few organizations with instruments that looked like they came out of a museum. The ar- The NYS Baroque group brings performances like ‘Terpiscore’, one of Handel’s classical operas, to IHS students. tistic director, Heather Miller Lardin, has come to They perform in cities surrounding Ithaca as well as volved. Teachers like Ms. McKown and Ms. Schwan IHS several previous times to organize and run pre- New York City, where they held a holiday concert at were very enthusiastic about the whole process. “We sentations for students studying Global History and the Kosciuszko Foundation in December of 2006. would like to participate in the future, pending fundEnglish. The programs are parallel to the subjects dis- Although NYS Baroque is mainly a 17th century in- ing,” Ms. McKown wrote in an email. If funding concussed in class. spired orchestra, there are also dancers and singers tinues so that this program is available in future years, The NYS Baroque music group is a part of the New who perform according to the time period.

NYS Baroque will definitely be a part of IHS classes’ York State Early Music Association, located in Ithaca.

This year was the first year that IHS became in- curriculums for many years to come.

PHOTO/PROVIDED

By SIENA SCHICKEL

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May 20, 2011

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Arts &

continued from p.7

Andrew Bird’s Looping Magic

By PETER PILLARDY

PHOTO/PROVIDED

a beard, plaid shirt, and violin. His performance took the audience on a musical odyssey.

Violin, guitar, glockenspiel, singing, and whistling all performed simultaneously For the first song, he played something on the violin and then proceeded to by one person live with impeccable accuracy. This is the musical superpower that employ the aforementioned looping technique to add more layers to the sound, goes by the name of Andrew Bird. Ever since 2003 when his previous ensemble, the eventually creating a layered, multi-dimensional sound with other instruments as Bowl of Fire, disbanded, Andrew Bird has radically reinvented himself as a solo art- well, such as guitar and glockenspiel. For the second tune, he played one of his ist becoming prominent in the indie music scene. By using an effect pedal known more popular songs called “A Nervous Tick Motion of the Head to the Left.” as “looper,” he is able to play a part with one instrument and then have the part Besides the actual music, Andrew Bird also had many interesting anecdotes that play over and over again. He then adds more parts to the existing loop and further added to the overall experience of the show. One in particular had to do with his layers the sound. Many shy away from attempting this technique live due to the ex- college roommate setting his dorm room door ablaze. He ended the story saying treme precision required that it was a recurring exto successfully execute perience throughout his it, but Andrew Bird has life. somehow managed to acAfter Andrew Bird‘s complish this remarkable solo, Alpha Consumer feat. On Thursday, March joined him on stage to 31st, Andrew Bird and back him through some his backing band, Alpha of his more energetic Consumer, performed at songs such as “Fake PalCornell University’s Baiindromes.” With the ley Hall. looping of glockenspiel, The concert started at whistling, and violin, this 8 PM with a solo set from song had a beautifully laythe backing band, known ered sound complementas Alpha Consumer. The ed by the energy from standard quartet of two the backing band. After guitars, bass guitar, and a few compositions with drums proceeded to play the full band, J.T. took a a mostly blues rock set. It leave of absence and the was fairly well done but rest of Alpha Consumer didn’t leave that much and Andrew Bird played of an impression on me through two a cappella because the music lacked numbers with a distinct really unique qualities. bluesy feel.

However, the most inOnce the a cappella teresting part of the set songs came to a close, proved not to be the muthe rest of Alpha Consic, but all of the extrane- Andrew Bird’s memorable performance at Cornell’s Bailey Hall included loop effects and a large variety of instruments. sumer left the stage and ous motion of the drummer, known by the name of J.T. His head bobbed side to Andrew Bird was once again in his solo incarnation. He finished off the night with side throughout each song and was rather captivating. By 9 PM, they were done a few older songs, the last of which was the song “Weather Systems.” The impecplaying and the much-awaited Andrew Bird finally arrived. cable precision and energy put into the performance made the night a memorable After a brief intermission, the real show begun. Two orange gramophones spun experience. It still amazes me that he is able to recreate this experience night after quickly at the back of the stage as Andrew Bird approached the center, sporting night.

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The Johnson Column: Robinson: A Life of Service in Art

By INGRID SYDENSTRICKER

For the past 19 years, he has woken up, arrived at the concrete giant before anyone else, worked at 100mph, and left when all the lights had gone off. And then again the next day, and the next, and the next. It is rare to find someone as dedicated and in love with their work as Mr. Robinson, someone who thinks a good Sunday morning is spent cleaning up cigarette butts in front of the museum. After all, the museum has become a part of who he is and in a way his home.

After 19 years of labor in art, Mr. Robinson will step down from his position as director of the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University.

He’s 72 years old, and he promised his family he would retire at 70, though stayed to withstand the financial crisis. Now, he prepares to step aside and let a new face step in.

Though it’s hard to imagine the place without him.

The impact he has had on students, on staff, on the community, on any visitor to the museum has been so immense.

Robinson came to Cornell with the mission to grow the museum, build it up, and spread art further into the community.

He has worked tremendously to build the alumni network, which provides immense support to the museum with their enthusiasm, funds, and art donations.

Nearly all the staff at the museum was hired by him. He has reached out to the students, opening his arms wide to their interests and ideas. He has built up the collection knowing that all art has its voice and must be represented. During his time at Cornell, the Johnson became part of the Discovery Trail, increased its number of visitors by thousands, and did the same to the collection.

This man and his prevailing crew at the Johnson have built up the museum which has become one of Ithaca’s hallmarks, all for the sake of art, to educate, to enjoy, to enlighten.

“You can’t leave [the museum] as narrow-minded a person as when you entered,” states Robinson, “You are in a chaos, a riot, a flood of different values which you sort through. Your own values get strengthened as you get broadened.” There’s nothing quite like it.

And for the sake of art, the beauty and power it holds, Robinson has given it his all for the past 19 years.

He’s had a long, wonderful, truly wonderful ride. And while he is gone, there is sure to be an empty feel, a missing laugh, a pause; hopefully to be filled by another art lover, who will bring their own life to the museum and embrace the long, wonderful, truly wonderful ride.

Thank you Mr. Robinson!

Herbert F Johnson Museum of Art Tuesday-Sunday 10pm-5pm Always Free

PHOTO/PROVIDED

My Take

By Geoff Preston What To Do About Steroids

By GEOFF PRESTON

played in the 90’s or first decade of the 21st century, you can kiss the hallowed halls of Cooperstown goodbye. Bagwell had a typical and steady career progression, with no inexplicable three or four year spike in production. Nothing points to steroids, yet he has to sit and wait another year before he can know if everything he has worked for since his childhood will be worth it. Again, I don’t have a vote on the Hall of Fame, but I thought it would be fun to run through some of the more perplexing situations that will present themselves to voters in the upcoming years: Sammy Sosa: YES This one is difficult. Sammy Sosa has never failed a

until we find a positive test or documentation we have to give this guy a pass.

PHOTO/PROVIDED

Remember when the Hall of Fame meant something?

Remember when the achievements of our favorite athAlex Rodriguez: NO letes stood on their own pillars of excellence, supported This one hurts because A-Rod didn’t just have Hall of by our vision of these men as heroes to a generation?

Fame talent; he had top ten player of all time talent withNeither do I, but I have heard about it. You see, the athout steroids. If Alex Rodriguez never touched drugs, he letes that I grew up watching are marred by a cloud of would have been a 600 home run, 3,500 hit machine that uncertainty as thick as Barry Bonds’s neck. Everything would have been the Willie Mays of our generation. HowI see must be questioned. Just in my lifetime I saw the ever, in 2001, Rodriguez signed a 10 year, $252 Million single season home run record get shattered, twice. I had contract with the Texas Rangers. According to him (and to take all that with a grain of salt; I had to sigh and say this is right up there with the “it’s not me, it’s you” excuse) to myself: “If only the playing field was level,” he did steroids for the three years he was with then move on in my day-to-day life. Now these Texas (when he won two of his MVP awards tainted figures that dominated my childhood and averaged over 50 Homers a year) because are up for an honor I still hold in the highest he felt like he needed to justify his historically esteem: the right to be enshrined in the baseball large contract (which he still didn’t do; the Hall of Fame.

Rangers never finished higher than last place).

The Hall of Fame question is without a C’mon A-Rod, we need better than that. It’s doubt the most probing of the steroid era. How better than the “No hablo ingles” story used by baseball writers who vote on the Hall of Fame Sosa but it still doesn’t cut it. In the next couple choose to proceed with some hard question will of years A-Rod could challenge Barry Bonds as determine how future generations see this past the all time home run king. Too bad those three 15 or 20 years of baseball. Do we let everyone in years in Texas will make the accomplishment and let the fans decide who is guilty? Or do we meaningless. not let anyone in from this era and assume that until proven innocent (virtually impossible) evMark McGwire: NO eryone is guilty? I wish I had a vote for the Hall Mark McGwire is a despicable human beof Fame. I won’t lie…I sometimes dream about ing. He doesn’t get my vote for the Hall because it at night. To be able to shape the very thing I he admitted (only after being caught in a New love to talk about in sports (legacies) is a dream York Times report) to Bob Costas in a forgetcome true. Sadly, I don’t have a vote in the Hall table 2009 interview that he used steroids and of Fame. But for argument’s sake let’s say that he was sorry, blah blah blah. As a fan, I say I did. If I did have a vote, I would take every good riddance. I don’t want to see McGwire single career into account and treat it as an inanywhere around baseball. Many feel this way dividual case. You can’t bar absolutely everyone about Barry Bonds, but McGwire lied to us from this era from the Hall of Fame; that would for years about who he was as a person. Part be punishing the Derek Jeter’s and Greg Madof what made the 1998 home run chase so endox’s of the world. You can tell by Derek Jeter’s dearing was that this good man from humble, wiry 6 foot 4 inch frame and Greg Maddox’s heartland roots was out there playing America’s less than intimidating 90 mile an hour (if that) game, in one of America’s best baseball cities, fastball that these guys were not using perforjust trying to make Ma and Pa proud by swingmance enhancers. However, it would also be ing some big lumber. Too bad Ma and Pa didn’t unfair to let the likes of Mark McGwire and know their humble heartland boy had been Barry Bonds walk with the immortal names shoving inch-long syringes into himself since of Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth, and Ted Williams. his days with Jose Canseco in Oakland in the None of the previous greats got an edge by uslate eighties. McGwire didn’t just lie to us about ing science; most of these past hitters didn’t using steroids, he lied to us about who he was even have weight training at their disposal. To Barry Bonds after coming out clean and confessing his frequent use of steroids. as a person. We all thought he was an honest, let admitted steroid users associate themselves with these drug test and while testimony has revealed that other hardworking, good man. Of all the high profile steroid legends is simply wrong. players think he used steroids, no report has proven any- users, McGwire’s career is the one most affected by steSo what do we do? If these Hall of Fame voters had thing. But, you also have the corked bat incident from a roids. He used them the longest, and appeared to have the any sense, they would use our justice system’s premise for few years earlier when it was found that Sosa had cork in least natural talent of anyone on this list. McGwire hasn’t deciding the fate of criminals. There may be many things his bat after it broke in Chicago. gotten more than 25% of the Hall of Fame vote in his time wrong with our current system, but its basic premise is Sammy Sosa’s case is like if you were on a jury, and the on the ballot. He doesn’t even deserve that. one of the most beautiful pieces of justice ever construct- prosecution does an awful job of presenting their case. ed: all men are innocent until proven guilty. It takes away The evidence is spotty and the timeline has holes, but Barry Bonds: NOT A CHANCE any chance for false incrimination, which is a terrible looking at the person you just get the feeling that he did Do I even need to go into this? Barry Bonds has no crime in my opinion, and instead, forces accusers to use it. They look the part of a murderer, they act the part of a chance of getting into the Hall of Fame because he used hard evidence to make their cases. This is what we need murderer, and you wouldn’t want them hanging around steroids profusely after 1998, lied to us all about it, and in baseball. In order to be fair in the process, we have to your children. But hard evidence is lacking, so the person said his all-time home run record: “isn’t tainted” as if to make decisions based on hard evidence, not speculation. goes free anyway. Sammy Sosa, with his huge muscles say: “I am smarter than every schmuck that pays fifty Jeff Bagwell had a long and productive career with the and absurd home run figures, looks the part of a steroid bucks to see me play.” If Barry Bonds is ever truly recHouston Astros. He put up power numbers and was large user. The fact that he forgot how to speak English while ognized as the all-time home run king I just might stop and muscular. He also never failed a steroid test, and has on the same congressional panel that Rafael Palmaro watching. never been cited in any kind of report or study regard- and Mark McGwire were on also feels funny. His conMany say that the Hall of Fame is an honor of the past, ing steroids. If I had a vote, Jeff Bagwell would be in the nection to admitted steroid user Mark McGwire during and our new progressive generation doesn’t care about Hall of Fame without a question. Of course he didn’t get their storied 1998 home run chase feels off. The fact that the Hall of Fame. I am here to say that, as a member of in this past year, and when asked why many voters cited in the Dominican Republic (Sosa’s native land) steroids said generation, I care a lot about the Hall of Fame. All we suspicion of steroid use as the main reason. This kind are about as easy to get as Tylenol doesn’t feel right. Of will have from this generation of baseball is our memoof reasoning is unacceptable. What the voters said with course, the corked bat does nothing to help his credibility. ries, and I don’t want my memories to be tainted by aththis verdict is that if you had muscles, hit home runs, and Gun to my head, sure, I would say Sosa used steroids, but letes who are not worthy of being remembered.

13

May 20, 2011

Masters 2011: Intense Battle for #1

By DYLAN KAISER

PHOTO/PROVIDED

made an incredibly hard putt that would have taken even most pros three tries.

On the same hole that Woods parred earlier, leader McIlroy had bogeyed The Masters is one of the most popular golf tournaments of the year, and the (add one point to the score). For a little while, Jason Day was the tournament’s first of four majors. Every year it gives us incredible moments. This is my favor- leader, but it didn’t last long for he started to choke and was eventually left beite event of the golf season for three reasons. First, the tournament takes place at hind, though still in contention.

Augusta National Golf Club, a beautiful golf course. Second, it is the first major Angel Cabrera, an Argentinean golfer, was also an incredible player. For a and most exciting tournament of the Masters veteran and champion for year. And finally, I love it because my multiple times he didn’t seem like father and I both love the sport and much of a threat at the start, but that like to watch it together. quickly changed by the final round At the start of the tournament, Sunday. By the beginning of the final the young Irish pro, Rory McIlroy round, he was in second place. was doing well and took the lead for Charl Schwartzel is a South Afria good part of the tournament. But can golfer who posed a great threat the golfer most of you probably alto Rory McIlroy throughout the ready know, the former best golfer tournament. At one point, he even in the world, Tiger Woods was also tied McIlory until his unfortunate doing well. On Friday, Tiger had an bogey at the 4th hole a par three. unlucky start but then made up for it This knocked him into second place, by traveling up the leader board. But which was clearly still in contenby the start of Saturday, Tiger had tion. Charl may not have been wellscrewed up a little. He started at -8 known, but his skills were on par but then went up to a -6 (in golf the with some of the world’s most relower the score the better). However, nowned.

Tiger had always done better on the The tournament was definitely inback nine than the front nine. After tense and interesting. There were 10 the first nine he started to catch up people within two shots of the leadwith the leaders and was finally in er; it was an extremely close game. major contention.

Tiger Woods’s score had been all Another notable golfer is the Ausover the place, but overall, he did tralian Adam Scott; he already has well in the tournament. Rory Mcone tournament under his belt. On Phil Mickelson warming up the crowd with an 8-1 lead at the 2011 Masters Golf Tournament.

Ilroy did an excellent job and held Sunday, near the middle of the tourthe top leader board for most of the tournanament, he was a co-leader and had a great chance of winning the tournament. ment. Jason Day was eager to get the green jacket prize; Angel Cabrera’s play He was at-10 along with 3 other co-leaders. reminded people that he was a veteran and knew the course. And finally, Charl Jason Day, who started out as a minor threat, improved his game play mid- Schwartzel, was the champ. This South African golfer idolized Ernie Els and, way through and advanced from a -8 to a -10 to tie with Rory McIlroy. He then this time around, he certainly made Els proud.

Wrestling Is For Babies

Ithaca Varsity Tennis Ends Season on High Note

PHOTO/PROVIDED

How would you react if you had just given birth to a baby, and someone told you that you should coax your baby to cry and wail as much as possible? Before I found out about baby sumo wrestling, I would have deemed that person completely insane.

However, coaxing babies to cry is a time-honored tradition in Japan—people have been participating in the event for over 400 years! Earlier this year, the “crying sumo” or Nakizumo festival was held in Tokyo at the Sensoji Temple.

Baby sumo wrestling has become a widely accepted sport in Japan.

During the festival, there are competitions in which two sumo wrestlers each hold a baby. The sumo wrestlers face each other and make faces at the babies, trying to coax them to cry. The first baby that cries is declared the winner. In the case that both babies cry at the same time, the one that cries louder is deemed the winner.

It is said that evil spirits are driven away during the festival, which explains why the babies are held aloft so that their voices are closer to heaven. However, as with all sports, there is the chance that something may go wrong; sometimes, the babies will actually laugh instead of cry. This is hardly what they are expected to do, so in this case, the priest (who acts as the judge) will don a scary mask which usually causes the infants to burst into tears.

Though time-honored, this sport may be controversial—Dr. Penelope Leach, a childcare expert, has found that long periods of crying can damage developing brains.

play even more competitively and steal the division.

Let’s go Little Red!

The IHS Varsity Boys Tennis team ended their regular season last Friday, with a successful overall run of 6-4, losing only to Team: Horseheads and Elmira.

Singles: Arthur Falkson, the coach, stated that he • Andy Hsu ‘12 was “pretty pleased” with the season’s out • Justin Milner ‘15 come and the progress that the team had • Huang Qiang Yang ‘12 made. The team was able to rise to the great • Thomas Manning ‘12 er competition and come out successful. The Doubles top six players will now be moving on to sec • Anthony Jang ’11 and Josiah Rawltionals and hopefully qualify for States which ings ‘14 will take place later this month.

• Brock Gibian ’12 and Jeremy Poe ‘13 Among the challenges faced by the team • Shelby Hang ’12 and Cami Wejnertthis year, moving to a new division, the West Depue ‘13 Division, due to new regional boundaries “Heart and Soul”: Paul Stover posed to be difficult. This division contains a greater number of difficult teams increasing the competition and level of play. Captain Brock Gibian ’12 states, “Although the team moved into a new harder division, we plan on holding own in section and hold dynasty of section success.” Quite the goal, but the team has been able to accomplish exactly this.

And beyond playing on the court, the team has demonstrated immense camaraderie and cooperation. Falkson explains, “It’s been a very good group to work with and this team has been more cooperative than any other team in the past.” This camaraderie is perhaps the key to the team success.

And while this season is now over, Falkson looks ahead to future seasons, excited to see what this team can accomplish. With only one starting player graduating, he believes that next year, the team can Justin Millner serves it up against Ithaca’s match against Horseheads.

PHOTO/HANDAN XU

By INGRID SYDENSTRICKER

By JULIE STOVER

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Shopping Visiting Friends & Family School Job Hiking Doctor, dentist Movies A lift for you and your bike Riding just for fun Stewart Park Buttermilk Falls Shops at Ithaca Mall The Commons Sciencenter Museum of the Earth Public Library Cornell, IC, TC3 GIAC CSMA Cooperative Extension Ludgate Farms Johnson Museum Sapsucker Woods Lab or Ornithology Cornell Plantations History Center

the 2011 TCAT Summer Fun Pass Summer Adventure Awaits! You don’t need a car or to beg Mom and Dad to be your chauffer. With 34 routes operating 22 hours a day, a TCAT bus most likely can get you to your summer job, classes, the pool, the park, the mall, or to wherever you want to go.

The TCAT 2011 Summer Fun Pass entitles school age students (ages 6 17) to unlimited rides on any TCAT bus within Tompkins County from July 1 through September 6. The summer pass only costs $50. Think how much you will save you and your parents on gas money! You can buy or recharge your summer pass via a Tcard, prox chip fob or sticker to get you on the bus. Just go to www. tcatbus.com and click “Ride” on the drop down menu. You can also buy and recharge online or via phone at 277 RIDE (7433). Or, you can buy a new Tcard at 20 TCAT outlets throughout Tompkins County.

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277-RIDE (7433) | www.tcatbus.com ADA Paratransit Service: 273-1878 • TDD: 277-9766

PENULTIMATE THe inserT

sudoku

In 2007, a Nebraska State Senator sued God. Senator Ernie Chambers filed the intentionally frivolous lawsuit to make a point that anybody can sue anybody else. This was in response to a lawsuit against a district court judge that Chambers thought was inappropriate.

In Chambers’s suit against God he claims that God has made terroristic threats against both him and his constituents and has caused “widespread death, destruction and terrorization of millions upon millions of the Earth’s inhabitants.” In addition, he was suing Him for causing “fearsome floods, horrendous hurricanes, and terrifying tornadoes.”

Each Pringles potato chip is a hyperbolic paraboloid.

Each of the (non-broken) chips are in this same double-saddle shape, which is actually a special kind of quadric surface in mathematics. So, if you ever wanted to know the equation for a Pringles chip (and I’m sure you have) it’s z=x^2/a^2-y^2/b^2. Now, who would’ve thought math would be so delicious?

Dr. Seuss wrote Green Eggs and Ham after his editor bet him that he couldn’t write a book using 50 words or less.

Not long after publishing The Cat in the Hat at 225 words, Bennett Serf challenged Seuss to see if he could write a book using even FEWER words. Seuss was able to deliver and win the bet. Green Eggs and Ham uses exactly 50 words!

Another interesting Dr. Seuss fact: Yertle the Turtle, the turtle that orders other turtles to stack on top of each other, was actually based on Adolf Hitler! Despite the strong political message, the only thing that bothered the publishers about the book was the fact that a character burps in it. There used to not be burping in children’s books.

(Solution on Backpage)

Courtesy of OMGFacts.com

quiz: WHAT sHould your college MAJor Be?

By ANNELISE RAYMOND and NAOMI RAYMOND

1) Which Wii game sounds the most fun? a. Smartypants b. MarioKart c. Wii Music d. Wii Fit e. Family Game Night 2) Which magazine would you get? a. Discover b. National Geographic c. Fine Woodworking d. Consumer Reports e. Wegmans Menu or Entertaining Magazine 3) What color would you dye your hair? a. green b. orange c. purple d. blue e. blonde 4) What would you name your new kitten? a. Einstein — for his wild gray fur b. London — for your favorite city in the world c . Mozart — his meows are so melodic d. Tiny — because he’s little, obviously e. Fuzzball — how adorable! A stress-reliever to squeeze, like a fuzzy pillow 5) Your grandmother goes to New Mexico to visit her friend, and brings back an opera CD for you as a birthday present. She thinks you’ll love it, but it’s actually terrible. What do you end up doing with it? a. using it as a wheel for your solar-powered car in tech class b. using the Italian lyrics to try to interpret what they’re saying c. recording your own songs over it d. giving it to someone as a Secret Santa gift when Christmas comes around e. keeping it just to spare her feelings

6) There’s an event coming up in your Combined class, and you haven’t yet done your oral project.

Which coordinator would you choose to be? a. Track Coordinator for the Palio (build a marble maze racetrack) b. Clothes Coordinator for Victorian Tea (research outfits from the Victorian period) c. Music Coordinator (find and perform music for your peers) d. General Coordinator (make sure all the other coordinators are on track; manage the event) e. Food Coordinator (find and make authentic recipes from the time period) 7) Which of the below adventurous activities would you be most willing to try? a. go scuba-diving in Australia and photograph the animals in the Great Barrier Reef b. tightrope-walk from the Château Frontenac in Québec City to a nearby building — as a performer for a local festival c. loudly insult a painting in an art museum — “What’s that supposed to be, anyway?” d. learn to parachute out of an airplane e. join the Peace Corps and help disaster victims in Japan 8) Who would you be if you worked at a circus? a. the magician b. an acrobat, doing handstands on an elephant’s back c. the gymnast, painting while doing fancy acrobatic moves d. the ringmaster e. the clown, selling balloon animals 9) Which accent do you think is most endearing? a. Korean b. Jamaican c. French d. Southern e. Danish

Which letter did you get the most?

Mostly a’s — An ideal major for you would be robotics technology or surgical technology/Acupuncture (prepares students to maintain, monitor, and enforce the sterile field and aseptic technique by surgical personnel/readies individuals to practice pulse diagnosis, acupuncture point selection, and needle insertion to treat health imbalances)!

You should go into a field that involves science and math. “lol the Sciencenter is where all the cool kids hang out on Sunday afternoons :)” Mostly b’s — A cultural studies field would be perfect for you! Some ideas for majors include Linguistics (the study of language) and Native American Studies (highlights the history, culture, and economics of Native American peoples). Travel the world — you can go anywhere!

Mostly c’s — You should consider going into the arts! You could major in Music Therapy/Musicology (the study of music and its use in addressing patients’ physical, psychological, cognitive, emotional, and social needs) or Metal/Jewelry Arts (trains individuals to fashion artwork from gems).

Hasn’t it always been your dream to make a necklace out of elephant tusks?

Mostly d’s — You’re a practical person, and should consider professions that deal with making sure things run smoothly. Some potential majors for you are Military Technologies (prepares students for the armed services) and Golf Management (studies the skills needed to manage organizations of the golf industry). You show ‘em, boss!

Mostly e’s — You just love to help people out!

You could go into a “giving” profession, majoring in Reiki (highlights the manipulation of the body’s energy field to increase healing energy) or Education of Deaf/Hearing Impaired (prepares students to provide educational services to Deaf and hard of hearing students at various grade levels).

backpage HorriBlescoPes

BY PROVERBIAL PAM

Aries (March 21 to April 19): Know the ropes before you begin. Then, make desperate attempts to connect with estranged friends once your affinity for knots has gone too far.

Taurus (April 20 to May 20): Wear your heart on your sleeve and your sleeve on your arm. Separate your laundry before putting them in the wash, ‘cause this is going to be messy.

Gemini (May 21 to June 20): Let’s get down to brass tacks. Next, let’s take you to the hospital.

Cancer (June 21 to July 22): Don’t

bite off more than you can chew. In other words, get a bigger mouth.

Leo (July 23 to August 22): A fool and his money are soon parted. It’s your job to help them part faster.

Sagittarius (November 23 to December 21): Fences make good neighbors.

Then again, so do hermit lifestyles. Mars has some good real estate available.

Virgo (August 23 to September 22): A stitch in time saves over 9000.

Capricorn (December 22 to January 19): Bread always falls butter side down.

What if you butter both sides?

Libra (September 23 to October 23): All roads lead to Rome and all closed Dunkin’ Donuts lead to disgruntled cops.

Aquarius (January 20 to February 19): Tomorrow is another day. Another day comes afterward. Lookin’ forward to the weekend.

Scorpio (October 24 to November 22): If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. If it ain’t workin’, find someone to blame. The key is to stay as still as possible.

Pisces (February 20 to March 20): Take everything with a pinch of salt, and a sip of mouthwash. Your new diet is not looking too good.

Ask Angelika Dear Angelika, This is my freshman year in high school. Everything was going great this year, but now my best friend won’t talk to me.

I don’t know what I did wrong or why she’s mad at me. I tried to talk to her, but she walked away. How do I get my friend back?

-Lonelygirl16 Dear Lonelygirl16, High school is often a drag when your friends start drama.

Don’t worry that much about it; it’s part of growing up as a teen. I hope these tips can help you get your friendship back on track.

1. It Was Probably Your Fault Like everything else you do, you probably messed up. Go through your phone and look at your last text messages with your friend. Remember not to blame your friends for your own insecurities next time. That sweater does look fat on you.

2. Have an Honest Conversation Have a few hours to burn, and a few ounces of tears to spew?

Approach your friend and ask her what happened. Be as clear and direct as possible. Make sure you make the discussion all

about you; she is the one who hurt you. After all is said and done, you can tell her you were on your period. Ew. 3. Call Her Mother The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Approach your friend’s mother and explain the situation. Become almost best friends with her mom until she calls you pet names. Add in some gruesome details and — Voila! — your friend should come scowling back to you in no time.

4. Get Back at your Friend Shave off the hair on half of her head, and put blue dye in her shampoo. Hit on her boyfriend or the person she’s been stalking. For extra points, hire a local Chinese Mafia to send her on a little “vacation” to the underbelly of Beijing. As she struggles to escape and paddle her way back to the States, pass by in a ship liner stuffing yourself with KFC. Who would dare hurt you in the future?

5. Move On This is high school. If the above methods don’t work, move on. There are plenty more potential ex-friends in the sea. Don’t ask about me; I’m kind of busy these days with plotting, twisting lives, kicking orphans and whatnot. There’s always that one girl in gym class — it’s okay, you can get past the stench.

Edgar Mueller

Porcupines

Myst

Wilson Farms

Croatians

Goblin

Robert Osborne

Cost Recovery

Yours,

Angelika

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White Grape Juice

Sudoku Solution (Puzzle on previous page)