The Online Experience pg. 06
No Religion
pg. 08-10
The Face Behind the Screen
pg. 12
the bibelot
CONTENTS LOLLAPALOOZA MUSIC PREVIEW
03
03
New music coming out this spring from 2013 Lollapalooza headliners including Phoenix and Vampire Weekend.
SUMMER CALENDAR
04
Surefire way to H.A.G.S. with concerts, movies, musicals, and other local events every day, all summer long!
ONLINE SHOPPING
12 08 OUR STAFF Alora Kraus ‘14: co-editor in chief Julia Truszkowski ‘14: coeditor in chief Kristin Lineback ‘13: writer Julia Shriver ‘13: writer
02 TABLE OF CONTENTS MAY 31, 2013
06
Want to update your wardrobe without scavenging the entire city for chic finds? Take advice from these Internet-savvy shoppers.
NO RELIGION
08
Most students inherit their families’ beliefs as easily as they inherit hand me downs. But these students shape their views independent of their relatives.
ONLINE APPLICATIONS
12
Can the Internet alone decide who is qualified for a job? With advances in technology, it often does, and has left an impact on how we get hired.
H.A.G.S. (really) y l u J
JULY 3
Despicable Me 2 in theatres Starring Steve Carell
JULY 4
Independence Day Coralville 4th Fest Parade at 10 a.m., 5K run, carnival, free concerts Fireworks S.T. Morrison Park, City Park
e n u J
JUNE 1
Boys’ State Soccer Des Moines Girls’ State Tennis Des Moines
JUNE 3
Last day of school Snow day make up- Monday
JUNE 4
West Home softball game Versus CR Prairie
JUNE 6
Girls’ State Soccer Des Moines
JUNE 7
Iowa 30th Anniversary Arts Festival Downtown Iowa City June 7-9 125+ local artists, live music, ethnic food
JUNE 11
Thirty30 Celebration Downtown- Sheraton Hotel Live music, silent auction
JUNE
13
North Liberty Fun Days June 13-16 Carnival rides, live music
JUNE 14
Shakespeare’s Hamlet Riverside Theatre- City Park June 14-July 7 Man of Steel in theatres Starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams
JUNE 15
Music IC performance Englert theatre Music inspired by literature Igor Stravinsky’s L’Histoire du Soldat
JUNE 16
Fathers’ Day Try Motley Cow Cafe, Blackstone, or Red’s Alehouse for Fathers’ Day brunch
JUNE 21
Friday Night Concert Series Every Friday outside Sheraton Hotel
JUNE 22
First Day of Summer
JULY 5
Jazz Festival Downtown Iowa City July 5-7 Fireworks July 5th 4 stages with well-known jazz performers
JULY 7
Justin Beiber concert Des Moines Wells Fargo Arena
AUGUST 2
Rent musical Coralville Center for the Performing Arts August 2-4
AUGUST 3
Lincoln playing at Free Movie Series Outside Macbride Hall 8:15
AUGUST 8
Iowa State Fair Des Moines August 8-18 Carly Rae Jepsen performs August 17
JULY 13
North Liberty 100 Year Birthday Bash Centenial Splash “Hairball” performing (‘80s tribute band)
JULY 18
Music in the Park 6:30 at S.T. Morrison Park “New Broom” performing for free (bluegrass)
JULY 20
Solon Beef Days July 20-21 5K run, parade, volleyball tournament, steak dinners, free concerts Jones County Fair Keith Urban performing (ft. Little Big Town)
JULY 21
Ragbrai begins July 21-27 Annual 7 day bike ride across Iowa Longest recreational bike touring event in the world
JULY 22
Johnson County Fair begins July 22-25 Talent search, pie contest, 4H activites
JULY 26
Rodeo and Carnival Johnson County fairgrounds
JULY 29
Sweet Corn Feed Coralville Farmers’ Market Sweet corn eating contest, live music
JULY 31
Boys’ State Baseball Des Moines
t s u g Au AUGUST 1
Taylor Swift concert Des Moines Wells Fargo Arena featuring Ed Sheeran
AUGUST 21
First Day of School
AUGUST 28
Taste of Iowa City Downtown Iowa City 4:00-8:00 Samples of menus from over 40 local restaurants
AUGUST 30
5th Annual Fry Fest Celebration of all that is Hawkeye West Home Football Game Versus Linn Mar
The Online Experience By Alora Kraus
W
ith all our 21st century technology, it’s hard to resist sitting on the couch and browsing the internet instead of going out and about--especially when it comes to shopping. Who wants to go to fifty different stores in twelve different malls to find a new wardrobe? Or drive half an hour to buy Old Navy sandals and spend hours shuffling through over-crowded racks of sale clothes? When we reach the point of laziness where we refuse to even walk outside to grab the mail, the internet comes to our pathetic, idle rescue. These online shoppers share their experiences and advice with those of us who don’t feel like actually having to put pants on and gather the stamina to face the rest of society or who just want to explore other styles or products that might not be available at local stores.
Words from Online Shoppers Emilia Szmyrgala ‘14 sports a trendy style and well-coordinated wardrobe on a reglar basis, so we thought she might be a good source for shopping advice. As an occasional online shopper, she said, “I only shop online when I can’t buy it somewhere else or if it’s a great deal”. Browsing the
“
Always look at the
reviews.”
-Emilia Szmyrgala
online stores at least once a month, she usually finds herself perusing Topshop and Target, some of her favorite internet sites. With her purchasing experience of colorful clothes and unique shoes, she advises, “Always look at the reviews before you buy something”.
06 FEATURE MAY 31, 2013
Although Aisha Jones ‘14 only shops online around four times a year, she had a lot to say, and show, for her experiences. Using her zebra print phone case as an example, she says that she buys a range of products from screen protectors to clothes to shoes. Her favorite stores to look at are Forever 21, Amazon, and the Nike store. She advised readers, “Look at the reviews and choose wisely. Don’t buy from just any store.”
“
...choose wisely. Don’t buy from just any store.”
-Aisha Jones
She always makes sure she buys from a reputable company and shops with caution.
Gabbie Law ‘14 said that she shops online about once every two months, mostly at Forever 21 and Amazon where she buys everything from stylish clothes to new books.
“
Make sure it’s a rep-
utable store.” -Gabbie Law
She tells readers that before they make their purchases, they should always “Make sure it’s a reputable store”. However, she still enjoys the tangible shopping experience where she’s able to actually try on the clothes, browse the racks and admire the chic outfits sported by model mannequins in her favorite local stores. “I only [shop online] when I can’t find it in the store.”
WEST HIGH WEIRDOS
Julia Truszkowski ‘14 says “Harry Maniligod ‘12 (right) is completely obssessed with the song ‘I’m Different’ by 2chainz; that’s really how people identify him.”
We roamed the halls of West High to find the quirky sides of our students and this is what we found. By Alora Kraus Gabby Foreman ‘13 is just weird all around. “I just like to be silly and I don’t care who sees.” She later admits, “I always have to wear pajamas in my own home. I change out of my outfit as soon as I get there.” Although many people might share this comfy habit, we thought we would include it to let others know they’re not the only ones.
Amber Wen ‘14 shows her weird side to the camera. She says, “Some people think I just listen to classical music, but I listen to goth music too, like Evanescence.”
When we asked Callum Scott ‘14 to tell us something weird about himself, he was quick to respond with, “I refuse to wear pants in my own home.”
Tim Goloshchapov ‘13, when asked to divulge something strange about himself, says, “I’m Russian”. However, he later shared one of his craziest (most appropiate for the public) stories. “One time, when there wasn’t enough room our car, I rode in the trunk and played playstation portable.”
Everyone’s familiar with the classic pogo stick: fun to play with, hard to master. However, we happened upon a student who claims to know what they’re doing. Kayla Culjat ‘13 confesses, “I’m a really good pogo-sticker”.
10 FEATURE MAY 31, 2013
MAY 31, 2013 FEATURE 11
The behind
face the
screen
Struggling to stand out on an online job application
BY JULIA SHRIVER
which they are applying. Finding a new job can be a daunting, discouraging task. In addition to filters, some businesses employ personality There are horror stories of desperate individuals who tests to screen out certain applicants. The questions typihave filled out hundreds of applications but still cannot cally require applicants to indicate whether they agree or find work. Although the internet provides easy access to disagree with a series of sometimes highly personal statejob postings, it doesn’t always lead to an actual job ofments such as “I am comfortable with talking fer, but with face-to-face contact being to strangers” or “people do a lot of things that replaced by online interaction, many [Businesses] can set make me angry.” businesses now use online software to hire new employees. up a filter so that only “Many companies use personality testing during the hiring process to differentiate It is estimated that 60% of companies in those that meet a set between people who may be qualified to do the United States use online applicant of requirements...will the job, but not bring the right traits or ‘other tracking tools. These tools allow a business to conveniently store its applicaeven be forwarded on characteristics’ to the table,” Kristof-Brown said. However, whether or not these tests are tions on an online database so that they can be processed quickly and efficiently, to the hiring managers” accurate and fair is a debated topic. Though Kristof-Brown believes that they have “modeven before they have been viewed by -Amy Kristof-Brown, UI erate ability to predict job performance,” human eyes. particularly in the personality traits of extro“[Businesses] can set up a filter so that version, conscientiousness, and emotional only those that meet a set of requirestability, such accuracy depends on the assumption that an ments (i.e., have certain words on them to indicate certain applicant answers the questions truthfully. Russ Johnson, qualifications) will even be forwarded on to the hiring West High’s Career Coordinator, has his doubts. managers,” said Amy Kristof-Brown, a UI business pro“Most people have an understanding that there’s a way fessor. Though this process is a time saver for businesses, employers want you to answer the questions and this foreit can cause many well-qualified applicants to be turned sight often guides how applicants choose their answers,” down simply because they fail to write certain keywords Johnson said. For example, if a company is looking for on their applications. It is therefore advisable that apsomeone to fill a customer service position, it obviously plicants ensure that they list skills specific to the job to
“
12 FEATURE MAY 2013
wants an extroverted individual who would be especially honesty and it causes them to not be chosen for employcomfortable with talking to clients. Even an applicant ment,” Johnson said. High school students may also be who is perhaps not very extroverted would be inclined to weeded out by a company’s filters because they don’t have “strongly agree” with any statethe job experience that the filters are looking ments suggesting high sociabilfor. Alternatively, as Kristof-Brown points out, ity. Eva Thomas ‘13, a current application software may also be used to Most people have an under- online employee of Panera, recalls her discover “information having to do with activiapproach to the personality test standing that there’s a way ties that might otherwise go unnoticed,” such she was required to take as part employers want you to anas volunteering or extracurricular involvement, of her application. swer the questions and this which may give high school students a boost. “It was really obvious what Simply having knowledge of what a company foresight often guides how kinds of answers they were is looking for and what online software it uses looking for, and I put those applicants choose their an- should help applicants have success in the down,” Thomas said. online hiring process. Though an application swers” There is also the question as to may appear intimidating at first glance, success -Russ Johnson, West High whether the use of personalis achievable. Thomas, for example, found the ity tests and online application process “relatively easy” and the application software is fair. “simpler” than other applications she has done. Online ap“The attempt to make a selection process bias free is plications are in some ways convenient for both employers always a concern. So if there are characteristics of resumes and job seekers, as they are easy to access and often take less that are systematically being weeded out for members of time than traditional paper applications. an underrepresented population, that’s a problem,” Kristof- As with many other aspects of modern life, the hiring Brown said. One of such populations may be high school process is shifting more and more towards online software. students, as they usually lack job experience and may not Many businesses, large corporations especially, don’t even know how to approach applications. offer paper applications anymore, which asks the question, “Some young people answer the questions with complete will hard copies become a thing of the past? Only time will tell.
“
Tips for job-seeking high school students Answering personality tests Filling out an online application
-Use good grammar and spelling -Highlight any volunteer experience and any special skills you possess. Johnson says, “It’s often difficult for young people to express all the strengths they possess but with a limited work history it’s crucial. Many students fail to highlight the computer and technical skills they possess because it comes natural to them.” -Check your social media profiles. “Make sure all information on your profile is appropriate and doesn’t contain information or pictures that might jeopardize your opportunities for employment,” Johnson explains. -Write a cover letter that highlights specific qualifications that make you stand out -Review your resume, making sure it is up to date and contains information that is relevant to the job you are applying to
Following up
-Answer questions honestly, but with an understanding of what the company is looking for. “Having an understanding of the qualities and characteristics a business may want in an employee can help you choose how to answer questions,” Johnson explains. -Respond with “strongly” agree or disagree. “Giving ‘strong’ answers shows confidence in your answers,” Johnson says.
Before submitting
-Make sure you have completed all fields. “Make sure that you have followed all of the directions on the application before submitting it,” Johnson says. -Read over the application to check for any mistakes, including spelling, grammar, and dates -Ensure that your resume has downloaded properly
-Call or email the employer to make sure your application has been received and to show your interest -Be persistent, but avoid being a pest. Express genuine interest in the job, but don’t bombard the company with emails or calls -If you don’t get the job, keep looking and remain optimistic: there are plenty of other jobs available 13 FEATURE MAY 2013
12
annoying
people
on the internet
Look at Me, I Have a Boyfriend! Trust
me. I know how annoying kissing pictures are. But this is different. You don’t understand how much this guy means to me, because no one else has experienced love like I have. Even Nicholas Sparks. This picstitch totally describes our relationship. Happy four month, 12 day, seven hour anniversary, baby. I love you to the moon and back!
The “Ironic” Selfie There is nothing I hate
more than those obnoxious girls that take selfies all the time. In fact, I hate them so much that I’m going to gather seven of my best girlfriends and take selfies. Ironically, of course. Please note how much fun we’re having while you look at this photo that four of us just posted. Maybe this sarcastic caption will disguise the fact that the only reason I posted this was because I spent 90 minutes straightening my hair this morning.
The Throwback Thursday Enthusiast Oh, Cuba! Take me back! I miss summer soooooo much. All I want to do is take more photos in my bikini but since I can’t, I’ll just repost one from last year to remind you all how good I look in it. #tbt
The Hashtagger #photo #of #girl
#outside #soaking #up #the #sunshine #selfie #selfiesunday #smile #smiling #girlsmiling #if #you #cant #handle #me #at #my #worst #then #you #dont #deserve #me #at #my #best #marilynmonroe #swag
The Homework Helper Does anyone have the answers to Biozone workbook pages 1-300? Also what’s going to be on the math test tomorrow?
Could someone just give me a list of every single question that was on the test so I don’t have to put in half the effort that everyone else did actually learning things? And I think I forgot my worksheet at school, so could someone post a picture? Okay, I’ll just be over here watching Breaking Bad on Netflix while you all do my work for me. Like Comment Share The Bragger I’m so blessed to have gotten into the school of my dreams as a division 1 athlete playing the sport I love. I’m also so blessed to have a boyfriend that asked me to prom by spelling it out with fireworks. I have 12 pictures to prove it. And I love you daddy for getting me a new MercedesBenz. Like Comment Share The Chatterbox Hey. What’s up. I’m bored. Lol. What are you up to? For some reason. I like pushing the enter key. After every three words. So your computer. Makes 87 beeping noises. And disturbs your whole family. But tomorrow. When I see you at school. I’m going to look at the floor awkwardly. And pretend this conversation never happened. Like Comment Share The Reposter I’m listening to Justin Beiber on Spotify. I just posted a photo of myself hugging my dog on Instagram. And I pinned 52 photos of wedding gowns to my “dream wedding” board on Pinterest. If you missed seeing them the first time I posted them, no worries! Here they are again! Oh, and follow me. Like Comment Share
@The Serial Retweeter Guys, look at this sloth picture I just found. And isn’t Surprised Pat just the greatest?! I was born in the ‘90s so I might
as well retweet this one even though I was an infant and don’t remember anything. Also these lyrics describe my relationship with my crush perfectly right now. Maybe she’ll see it and figure out I like her. Oh, what the heck. RT because I DO cri evrtim I watch Up. @The “Woe Is Me” My life is so much worse than yours. Mondays make me want to stab my eyeballs with pencils. Could this hallway BE anymore crowded?! Ugh, I’m so tired. Why am I not in bed right now? Do I have to wear pants today? I have soccer practice for 27 hours tonight and then I have to study for my 12 AP tests why don’t I have a prom date why am I not Mila Kunis I hate my life. @The Indirect Tweeter Wow, way to text back. I fooled myself into thinking you cared. Again. Looks like I was wrong. But don’t ask me about these tweets because I don’t want to talk about it. I’m just using the internet to solve my problems because I can’t handle having a real conversation. Meanwhile, I’ll be in my bedroom listening to Taylor Swift and stuffing my face with Ben and Jerry’s. @The Basher Could our sophomore class BE any skankier? I’m so done with all of you. Stop holding hands in the hallway, you look like idiots. Could you not? If you like One Direction, we’re probably not friends. If you wear leggings as pants, we’re probably not friends. If you’re not my cat, we’re probably not friends because I hate all of you.
14 EDITORIAL MAY 2013
the polar bear population is already on the brink of extinction, so a major oil spill would be devastating to their chances of survival. Even the act of extracting oil would be disruptive to the bears’ traditional environment. Polar bears are facing a massive fight that they cannot win alone. With the backing of large funnels of money and political persuasion, big oil companies have the power to uproot polar bears from their homes and cause them to become permanently extinct. The threat of massive oil spills combined with the continual release of fossil fuels could be enough to push polar bears off the edge of their melting iceberg.
On the edge: BY JULIA SHRIVER
A glimpse into the thinning future of the polar bear
“Drill, baby, drill,” Sarah Palin declares with her clueless smile. Outcries of approval seep from the mouths of oil drilling proponents, hoping their companies will finally get access to Alaska’s treasure. With the ever-decreasing supply of oil-rich soil, these companies are desperate for more, and they are either indifferent to or unaware of the environmental consequences. Armed with billions of dollars and countless jobs, big oil companies have enough arsenal to exterminate Alaska’s polar bears with the click of a pen. Alaska is more than just an oil-rich tundra. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, a 19.6 million acre portion of Northern Alaska, is home to a unique ecosystem of wildlife including about 1,500 of the world’s 25,000 polar bears. In 1980 the area was designated as a wilderness, which means that it must be protected against invasive human activity, oil exploration included. However, Congress has the power to repeal the protective law of the ANWR. Former President George W. Bush has already made several failed attempts at convincing Congress to do so, and with a growing number of large oil companies expressing interest in drilling off the Alaskan coast, such a repeal could easily become a reality. As much as the United States would like to pride itself in drastically reducing its dependability on gasoline, the majority of cars in the United States require it, providing continual demand for oil companies to find new drilling locations as the world oil supply continues to dwindle. In fact, oil giants Shell and ConocoPhillips have attempted to solidify Alaskan coast drilling plans within the last year. The companies have decided to temporarily forgo exploration due to inadequate preparation, but they are likely to begin drilling in a few more years unless efforts are made to prevent it. To make matters worse, other oil companies have already had a presence in unprotected parts of Alaska. In 1989, Exxon Valdez was responsible for a massive Alaskan oil spill that devastated the area’s wildlife. Harbor seals, a major food source for polar bears, suffered a 35% decrease in their local population, and many other species experienced similar decline. Not only does the expansion of oil drilling maintain the country’s dependence on oil and thereby perpetuates global warming, but it poses additional risks to the affected wildlif Two years prior to the Exxon Valdez oil spill, the Department of the Interior concluded that drilling off the Arctic coast would cause polar bears to suffer from higher mortality rates, lower birth rates, and a possible displacement from their habitats. As the polar ice caps continue to melt, 15 OPINION MAY 2013
Help save the bears! -Write a letter to your state’s representatives asking that they support efforts to prevent drilling off Alaska’s coast -Sign any of the numerous online petitions advocating for the protection of polar bears such as those of thepetitionsite.com and change.org -Symbolically adopt a polar bear by donating to World Wildlife Fund (http://worldwildlife.org) -Donate to or participate with Polar Bears International (www.polarbearsinternational.org) -Lessen your impact on global warming: turn off the lights, use less hot water, walk, ride a bike, etc.
Perfect 36
Honors 4.0 The impossible AP Passion Homework perfect By Alora Kraus student
No matter how hard we might try to grab and hold on to the hours and minutes that make up our days, they inevitably slip away from us. Between the volleyball practices, essays waiting to be written, invitations to social gatherings, and families wanting to just sit around and talk about their days, adolescents lead an especially stressful life. It’s almost impossible for any normal student to manage their time so efficiently that they actually meet the expectations colleges have for the “perfect student”. Universities these days hold students to a higher standard than they ever have before. They expect students to maintain a 4.0 GPA, participate in school sports and clubs, take rigorous classes, volunteer in their community, take on leadership roles, and ace standardized tests. Where does the personal time fit in to pursue interests and explore hobbies? Kids, or more appropriately “young adults”, barely scrape by without those opportunities to find out who they really are and what they like. Instead of taking that traditional Indian dance class they’ve been thinking about, we might find a student laboring over extensive AP biology homework. Rather than trying out that painting class at school, they’ve loaded their schedule with AP and honors classes. Even going to bed at a decent time gets difficult when you have an English essay, a biology poster, and math problems to finish after you get home at 11pm from a track meet an hour away. By expecting so much of our future working generation, we ultimately hurt their potential to really be the people they want to be and decrease their opportunities to try the things they want to try. By forcing them to work so hard during the school year, we may even be diminishing their passion for learning new things. Going to school becomes such a labor extensive task that our young adults groan each morning they have to get up at 6am to mentally and physically wear themselves out for activities that look good on a piece of paper.