One Copy Free
The Black & White
Johnston High School Student Paper Football field gets a new look
Summer ‘06
2006 graduate Jess Mitchell is getting married
Vol 16 No. 1
Of Montreal entertains Iowa City
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Student stuck in wartorn country
A flyer dropped by the Israeli Defense Forces reads, “The people of Lebanon will pay for their protector’s actions.” The flyers were meant to discourage Lebanese citizens from supporting Hezbollah.
Senior Black and White reporter Chris Ajluni recounts his time spent in Lebanon On June 29, 2006, I suddenly awoke to the sound of my mother calling to me. Coming to my senses, I yelled, “Yeah, yeah Mom, I’m awake.” My wooden-covered walls, black desk, and television came into view as my eyes adjusted to the darkness of my room. I slowly rolled off of the black and white futon I had slept in, my feet touching the thin carpet on the floor. My weary eyes focused on a large black suitcase with a Swiss Army logo. My mind began to reboot like a computer with thoughts and anticipation for the day ahead, making my fingers tingle excitedly. I couldn’t wait to board the plane for my 15 hour flight and scheduled arrival at one o’clock the next day in Beirut, Lebanon, where I would be taking Arabic classes. After a tedious 12 hour airplane trip and a 15 minute taxi adventure of weaving through disorganized traffic, I spent the rest of my first day in Beirut running, just to get a feel for the area around the Penrose dorm at the American University of Beirut (AUB). I ran on the Corniche, looking out over the sparkling blue Mediterranean Sea, and I could see the jutting coast across a bay. The beauty of Lebanon didn’t stop on the coast of Beirut; it was alive in the towering mountains, the thick cedars, and the tall buildings. After turning on Hamra Street, I observed the wild traffic, smaller poorer shops and the large established franchises that lined the prominent road. American businesses, like McDonald’s or Subway, interspersed among numerous Arabic banks, smoky pool halls, traditional Lebanese cafes, fancy clothing stores and small-time family grocers. Visiting downtown Beirut on my first night was an exciting experience, made especially phenominal as the FIFA World Cup was also taking place. Every restaurant on the street had a large projection screen set up outside, with tables packed full of people. Every few minutes everyone on the street would start yelling and chanting during exciting points in the match, and if one team scored, the air would erupt with air horn blasts, clapping, and tables shaking their silverware. A glowing, golden clock tower beams down at you from the center of the area, with the Lebanese Parliament building on one side, and a Christian Orthodox Church on the other. Shops and restaurants of every kind lined the three other streets. If Beirut were a place of business, it would be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, because although Beirut has tons of things to do in the daytime, but the city really comes to life at night. Our first night out in Beirut took us to Monoe Street, where the best bars and nightclubs in Lebanon thumped to R&B, Rap, and Techno. All of the bars opened at ten o’clock, while the nightclubs opened at about two o’clock in the morning. We usually left Monoe at about four in the morning, taking a taxi back to AUB. On Wednesday, July 12, cross-border fighting began between Hezbollah and Israel. During the initial battles, two Israeli soldiers were captured
by the militant Lebanese organization. We were informed of the fighting by Abood, our program organizer, during classes that day. At that point, nobody believed that the fighting would spread as far as Beirut and the conflict would stay near the Southern border. The program director requested that all full-time students and summer students stay close to the university that night, simply as a precaution because there was a notion that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) might decide to bomb Beirut. AUB had been a safe haven for foreigners and students in the past, and it seemed unlikely to us that if there were to be any air raids on Beirut, an American university would be targeted. That night we heard what sounded like bombs for the first time, although they may have been shells from IDF naval ships. It is also possible that IDF jets were rocketing overhead at faster than the speed of sound, creating a sonic boom that would rattle your nerves and set off panic within the people. The news became a necessity in every room you entered, every restaurant you ate at, even hair salons, grocers, and cell phone vendors, every television was tuned to a news station. Where the World Cup had been only a few days earlier, death and destruction took its place. After playing soccer when classes finished, I left AUB to visit my parents in their apartment as they were scheduled to leave in the morning. Several things went on that night, but mostly my mother cried because she was afraid of what would happen after they left. The thought of leaving me in a war situation brought tears to her eyes. I sat with her on the couch for several hours, my dad and sister talking with us. At about eleven, I left and headed back to AUB on the dark streets of Beirut. They seemed different than they had been before the conflict, with a tense air about every baker or supermarket. I talked to a friend I knew at a café, and he said that his parents were taking him back to California, where he had lived nearly ten years ago. Perhaps it was fitting that the orange sky I had noticed on the way to my parents’ apartment had been replaced by an eerily quiet night sky. I reached the dorms at about 11:15 pm, walking into the lounge on the first floor of the Penrose dorm. Thirty guys sat enthralled with the image of a bloody Lebanese man on the TV with a news anchor speaking about the situation in the background. Behind the man there was a large pile of rubble, the remnants of a building. The yellowcolored wall and I became best friends that night, spending slightly over six hours together. I dared not fall asleep, because every half hour or so my
Chris Ajluni/BW
senses were ignited by the sound and shock of an burning in my mind. Shaking, I typed in “http: explosion or sonic boom. The night took hours, //news.bbc.co.uk”, the web site for the BBC news but it felt like days, waiting with the spattered network. The featured incident of the day was conversations in the rec room. The television the Beirut Int’l Airport bombing. The clock on station that we had been watching had turned to a the computer read 7:49. As I read, I came across view of the city, and every time we heard a bomb two words that eased some of my stress, “…no fall, we would see it explode seconds later on the casualties…” My heart literally skipped a beat TV. During the sleepless nights, my mind rambled and I had trouble breathing, I was so relieved. But in the realm of uncertainty and I visualized the I was still worried, still wondering, still thinking ceiling exploding and collapsing over and over. “What if?” I wanted to know, I needed to know, Every building I saw exploded after being struck so badly, “Where is my family?” I sat there in a by an imaginary missile. When I accidentally flurry of thought for the next ten minutes, images dozed off, I awoke at the thought of my friends and of headlines like “Iowa High School Student Loses family being crushed under the stones of destroyed Family in Lebanese Conflict” or “War Claims buildings. Sometimes I walked outside in fear of Iowa Teen’s Family.” Finally, at 7:59, by some the dorm being hit, but then I realized I had no indescribably remote chance, my parents and sister shelter and went right back into the lounge. Finally, walked through the door of the café. My eyes at about 5:30 am, we thought the relentless bombing flared, wide open, as I ran to give my mother a hug. might be over for the night. I took the elevator They were safe and I didn’t care about anything upstairs, keyed else. They had come to the into my room, café to check the news, just Chris Ajluni/BW and without even like I had. They had been at taking off my the airport when the bombs shoes, I went to fell on the runway, they had bed. I fell asleep heard the explosions and before my head seen the confusion. Their hit the pillow. flight had been cancelled. It I awoke from had been the scariest fifteen my exhausted minutes of my life. It was sleep to the over so fast, but it had such sound of my an impact on me. So much roommate yelling stress and wonder in such at me. Stirring, Lebanese soldiers examine a crater cre- a small amount of time had I murmured ated by a canister containing flyers dropped changed me, made me more something about grateful for a moment than I from an IDF jet above Beirut. being too tired had ever been in my life. before the words The next six nights were he was screaming formed coherent thoughts in insane. Sleep turned into quick naps during the day, my head. Six words started the most terrifying food turned into fuel, and I only ate when I became experience of my 17 year life, “The Beirut Airport extremely hungry. I simply didn’t think to get food. was just bombed!” After that, I wanted my clock All I thought about, and all my friends and I talked to read any time before six o’clock or after eight about, was the fighting going on all around us. o’clock, when my parents were going to be at the One night our group was invited to the university airport. However, the neon-red numbers read 7: president’s house for dinner. That same night, the 44. I was out of bed so fast I fell over. Getting IDF bombed every major port in Lebanon. One up, I wanted to know everything he knew, but explosion happened only a few kilometers from the he couldn’t help me, and no one knew if there president’s house, and the top of a lighthouse was were any casualties. I raced out of the dorm, my hit. By the end of the night, a student was admitted exhaustion gone with only one purpose: to find out to the AUB hospital because she’d had a panic where my family was. I sprinted to “The Net,” an attack and thrown up several times. internet café across the street from the campus and see SENIOR page 2 turned on a computer with sweat dripping from my forehead. My mind was racing; questions were
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NEWS: the important stuff Summer ‘06
B &W
Wallace sings way to state fair Michelle Wallace reaches semifinals in Iowa Idol BY SAM LEAHY OPINION EDITOR Junior Michelle Wallace received seventh place at Iowa Idol on August 20 after going through two rigorous rounds of tryouts. The top six preformed at the finals of Iowa Idol, leaving Wallace one sport short of making the cut. Wallace was able to perform in exhibition as an alternate. Wallace prepared for Iowa Idol all summer by entering in various events through the Billy Riley Talent Show across Des Moines. Finally, the big day of tryouts was held on July 29 at Jordan Creek Town Center. The participants had 30 seconds to sing any song they wished and make themselves noticeable. With nearly 100 people aging from ages 16-28, the odds were slim, but Wallace made the first cut and advanced to the round of 12. “It wasn’t easy but I put in so many hours,” Wallace said. Wallace practiced at least 30 minutes a day in preparation for Iowa Idol. In the round of 12, she had to decide what song she was going to perform. After much deliberation, she chose “Valentine” by Martine McBride. “ It was such a relief once I was done performing. I finally was able to relax,” said Wallace. Finally, August 12, the day of much anticipation arrived. When Michelle awoke, she engaged in her daily
ritual of downing an icy cold glass of orange juice. After arriving at the fair, she clinched her water bottle with a firm grip, her nerves on edge. Finally, she took the stage and sang her heart out. After all 12 participants had performed, the judges deliberated and finally released the top six. Wallace did not make the final cut, but was named alternate and was able to perform in exhibition. “With not being in the finals it took away all pressure and it was much easier,” Wallace said. The finals were at the Iowa State Fair at the Susan Knapp Amphitheater on August 20th. She performed “I Could Not Ask For More” by Sarah Evans as her exhibition piece. “My parents support me 100 percent and were at every performance,” said Wallace. Wallace plans on continuing to pursue her career in vocal performance. Next summer, she plans to compete in the Billy Riley Talent Show in preparation for Iowa Idol again. She is also an active member of the chamber choir and show choir. With high hopes of next year, she hopes for makes it to the final six and compete for the title of Iowa Idol. Pictured on the right: Junior Michelle Wallace performs on The Susan Knapp amphitheater on August 20. She made it through the semifinals and performed as an alternate in Iowa Idol. She plans on trying out for Iowa Idol next summer. Provided by Lorraine Wallace
Staff
Editor-in-Chief Mike Slusark Managing Editor Kari Dockum News Editor Larissa French Opinion Editor Sam Leahy Feature Editor Susan Clausen Sports Editor Torey Robinson Doubletruck Editor Amanda Lower Review Editor Bryan Lippincott Backpage Editor Cicely Gordon Photo Editor Dan Haight Staff Writers: Christopher Ajluni, Caroline
Byrd, Emily Conn, Brittany Deal, Nels Engblom, Alexander Guns, Kyle Hanson, Drew Houp, Kelsey Hyde, Stephanie Ivankovich, Hana Kajitazovic, Allison Kane, John Kennedy,Tina Li, Amy Lovejoy, Chelsea Nelson, Shawna Polen, Lauren Profitt, Veronica Roshek, DawnWilkens, Jenna Willson The Black and White is a publication produced solely by the newspaper staff. Its goal is to inform, enlighten and entertain the Johnston students, faculty and community. It is an open forum. In accordance with Iowa law, students assign and edit material. Publications are released monthly during the school year. The paper will print nothing libelous, obscene or an invasion of privacy. The law does not require parental permission to use student quotes. Ethically, we believe students can speak for themselves. Staff editorials represent the opinion of a majority of the editorial board. Editorial and opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the adviser, school officials or the district. Letters to the editor must be signed. Grammatical and spelling errors may be corrected and length edited. Like all material, letters may not be libelous, obscene or an invasion of privacy. Bring letters to room 413 within one week after publication to be considered for the next issue. The Black and White strives to report accurate and timely information. If you believe that an error has been printed, please contact the Editor at michaeljohn48@aol.com or contact the school via phone at 515-278-0449. The Black and White is a member of CSPA, NSPA, Quill & Scroll, and IHSPA. Recent issues of the Black and White earned these honors: Columbia Scholastic Press Association Gold Medalist, National Scholastic Press Association All-American, Quill & Scroll Gallup Award, IHSPA State Champion, IHSPA First Place Photography Second Place Layout/ Design and Honorable Mention Writing.
Johnston Stadium gets a new field BY AMANDA LOWER DT EDITOR The parched grass of the Johnston Stadium received an $800,000 renovation this summer. A new field turf was put in with a massive Fiery J at the 50-yard line. According to Athletic Director, Gary Ross, there are many benefits with the new turf installed. “The turf has an excellent drainage system, so when it does rain it stays much dryer than the grass,” Ross said. According to Ross, the turf is also a multidimensional surface for various
sports and activities. “It’s great because marching band can use it in the morning, P.E. classes are out there during the day and then football practices on it after school,” Ross said. “The maintenance and upkeep of the turf is also easier and will be cheaper in the long run.” According to varsity football player Cody Verhuel, he likes the new field with a few exceptions. “I like it, but it gets too damn hot,” Verhuel said. “The little black rubber rocks get everywhere, and after the turf and rubber has been sitting in the sun all day it steams
your feet.”
Sophomore varsity football player Aaron Schultz enjoys being able to Schultz practice on the new turf. “(The turf) is nice, it makes you faster and smoother,” Schultz said. The Fiery J design in the middle of the field was not originally part of the plan. “There wasn’t going to be anything on (the turf),” varsity football head coach Brian Woodley said. “But after a while, we decided if we were going to put all this
money into the field, then we need to do it right. The dragon was a bit outdated, so we chose the Fiery J instead.” The Fiery J was an extra $15,000 to put on the turf. “The field brings a lot of pizzazz to the stadium, especially with the Fiery J,” Woodley said. However, sometime after dark on August 12th, a few days after the turf was completely finished, it was vandalized. According to Woodley, someone spray painted the letters “=FS” on the 50 yard line. “Luckily it was cleaned up within a few days and you can barely tell (it was vandalized),” Woodley said.
Senior recalls weeks spent in country under fire continued page from page 1
The day before we were to be evacuated from Lebanon, everyone waited in the basement of the girls’ dorm. As we were watched TV, a news reporter came into the room and wanted to know if any American students would like to tell their story to a reporter. I raised my hand and the man, who I found out was called Charles, gave me a cell phone in the middle of a call. I talked to a woman named Alex Weininger, and she asked me about my experience in Beirut. I told her my story over the span of about twenty minutes, with her breaking it up, asking questions in between my answers. After she was finished, she asked if I wanted to bring my family to a television interview at the Beirut Media Center, in downtown Beirut. The next day found my family and I in a nice Mercedes driving down to the media center. Reaching our destination, we entered a smoky building near a few bombed-out buildings. We waited in a crammed office for someone to come and get us. Finally after about twenty silent minutes, we followed a CBS employee down to the studio. Nervous and tired with an utterly blank stare on my face, I went on the air talking to a woman named Renee via uplink from New York. Although I didn’t know it at the time, my interview was broadcast on national television on the CBS Morning Show. Afterwards, I was given a camera and several miniDVDs. My charge was to videotape people packing their belongings as well as the entire evacuation process. The next day, we loaded buses, each carrying one fifteen kilogram ( around thirty-pounds) bag with five hundred dollars of our refunded tuition from AUB. I used two cameras throughout the journey, capturing footage for CBS as well as for my personal files. I videotaped everything, from the three hour bus ride to the 12 hour cargo ship voyage. The ship we boarded was named the HAUL, a Swedish tanker ship. It was carrying agricultural equipment and automobiles. One thing it was also carrying, although I don’t think on purpose, were millions upon millions of flies. They covered the
floor, the luggage, and, worst of all, our bodies. The flies buzzed around everything, and they made an already bad situation worse. It not only gave the ship an unsanitary feel, it made it seem old, grungy and perhaps even intensified the smell. When we first boarded the cargo ship, we were made to climb a vertical staircase four or five stories tall to the second highest level of the ship. The “sleeping quarters” were made up of a cold, hard, sheet-metal floor, with flies in every corner and an all-encompassing roar coming from the engine. After laying our things in a corner of the deck, my friends and I decided not to sleep while on board. We made our way upstairs to the main deck of the ship. The view from the top of the breezy deck was amazing. There was a basketball hoop and a ball on board, and I played basketball with some Swedish kids who knew a bit of English. There was no food on board for the evacuees, so I went to the cook’s quarters and pleaded for food for my group. He gave me a loaf of bread and a package of cheese squares, and after we had eaten, I gave what remained to a pregnant girl who was a student at AUB, as well as a few kids who hadn’t received anything to eat. As we left the Lebanese port en route to Larnaca, Cyprus, I took one last look at Beirut. I promised myself I would return to Beirut as soon as I could. Once in Cyprus, we stayed at a hotel in Limasol that my friend’s cousins owned. After three more days, we were finally able to board a plane to Athens, Greece, and then on to New York City. After spending a night in Queens, we flew home to Des Moines at last. My mom’s sister, Sheryl, and one of her best friends and her family met us at the airport. After returning to Des Moines, my family was contacted by many of the local news channels. However, I wasn’t nervous druing anyof the interviews. I knew the pressure was gone, and every challenge I faced in Iowa seemed easy by comparison. Being back in Des Moines was the most relaxing feeling I’d felt in a week, but it hadn’t been a normal week. It had been seven days that felt like years.
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B &W
FEATURE: the stuff about people Summer ‘06
Not just another summer Romance BY KELSEY HYDE STAFF WRITER
When summer finally arrives, most high school graduates are preparing for college and a life away from home. But for 2006 graduate Jessica Mitchell, school wasn’t the only thing on her plate. On July 14, 18-year-old Mitchell and boyfriend Brent Garland, 2006 alumni of Lincoln High School, were engaged during a vacation together in Memphis, Tennessee. The couple first met at Wesley Woods United Methodist Church Camp in Indianola, Iowa at the age of 12. They have been close friends ever since and began dating in middle school. After and “on and off” relationship over the past 6 years, Mitchell and Garland broke up during their sophomore year. “I don’t even know why we broke up,” the two said. According to Mitchell, she was brought back together with Garland on many occasions after their break-up, but they never started dating again until March of her senior year. 2006 graduate Steven Rood, a close friend of Garland’s, invited Mitchell to a show one night for the boys’ band, The Dig Angees. After the show, Mitchell approached Garland, who called her later that same night. “I felt like we were supposed to be together or something, which is probably good because we’re getting married,” Mitchell said. The two talked all night, which eventually led to their getting back together. “We’ve talked every night since then,” Mitchell said. Over the summer, both Mitchell and Garland worked full-time, which meant less time together. The two decided to take a vacation to Memphis to visit Garland’s sister, Abby, and see a band. After the show, the couple headed back to the car, but not before making a quick stop on the way. “There are a lot of bums in Memphis, and when we were walking he bought me a rose from a bum,” Mitchell said. On the drive back to Abby’s, Garland missed the exit they needed to take. “I was tired and didn’t know what he was doing,” Mitchell said. Garland took Mitchell to a spot where they had talked earlier on their trip. “He told me to close my eyes and then he put the ring on my finger and asked me if I would marry him and I was like . . . of course.” “They can’t get enough of each other. They complete each other. I know that sounds really cliché, but they really do,” bridesmaid and 2006 graduate Chandra Binnie said. “I went to get the ring with Brent before their trip. They both knew they wanted to get married.” Both Mitchell and Garland agree that the time is right and waiting to get married is not something they want to do. “I thought about it and I hate thinking about people growing up and having multiple partners - not just for sex - and I thought, why wait?” Garland said. Both Paula and Dennis Garland are ecstatic about the couple, along with Mitchell’s father Mike Mitchell. “They have a lot of things to figure out yet because of their young age, but they have a strong faith and they both have grown close to the Lord - a reason why I am not worried about them. They are wise in ways some people don’t understand,” Dennis said. Mitchell’s mother, Jody Kinman, had a different reaction. “Getting married young is not something I thought Jess would do. I was disappointed, but I am coming around.”
Kelsey Hyde/BW
Johnston alumnus Jess Mitchel displays her engagement ring. Mitchell is set to be married July 7, 2007. The two have decided to hold the wedding at camp Wesley Woods on July 7, 2007 (7/7/07). Binnie and Garland’s 16-year-old brother, Keith Garland, will be the only attendants in the wedding. Although the couple is young, their friends and family support their decision. “They know what they want,” Binnie said. “People shouldn’t make assumptions about their young age and just trust them.” “A lot of parents think marriage means you are on your own, but we’re trying to do it right and help them along the way,” Dennis said. The two are both living at home, with Mitchell taking classes at DMACC and working at the Gap, while Garland works full-time at Menard’s. Saving money is their ultimate goal and the two plan to move into an apartment together after the wedding.
Junior does fortune telling, uses stars to create own horoscopes BY LARISSA A. FRENCH NEWS EDITOR
Larissa French/BW Junior Jay Reihm looks through a tarot card reading book to help him correctly tell senior Emily Roeser her fortune. “It’s fun to scare people who don’t believe in it, and then they hear their fortune, and they freak out,” Reihm said.
At midnight, most students are in bed sleeping, but for junior Jay Riehm, midnight is the perfect time to go out and gaze at the stars. Riehm uses the stars to create his own horoscopes. “It’s fun to go out on a clear night and find all the signs, star alignments, and to see if the heart star is shining,” Riehm said. Every astrological sign has its own set of stars, complete with a “heart star,” or the star at the center of the sign. If the heart star is shining brightly, things are going well, but it is a “bad omen,” according to Riehm, if the star is not visible or is faint. According to Riehm, this is a type of fortune telling, based off an old story. “A soldier was looking at the stars, and he saw his sign in the stars,” Riehm said. “That night there was a crescent moon, and his heart star was shining brightly. The next day, a terrible war broke out and lasted for five days. Many people died, but he survived.” Since he was 10, Riehm has been involved in fortune telling. He first got into runes, which are symbols carved onto stones or wood, and tarot cards, before astrology and horoscopes. “I’ve always liked the occult. When I was first intrigued, (my teacher) told me that runes never lie. I was skeptical at first,
until I learned that it works,” Riehm said. Riehm declined to say who specifically taught him. Fortune telling by runes is done by first making the runes. “If you make the runes yourself, it works better. It gives them more power and meaning,” Riehm said. The runes are then placed into a bag, and shaken. The person who wants his or her fortune read draws a rune, and the fortune-teller will tell him or her the meaning. Tarot cards are done slightly differently. The person who wants his or her fortune read shuffles the cards, and the fortune-teller takes the first three cards. The first card presents a problem, the third exhibits action and the second shows an outcome. Senior Emily Roeser’s fortune was told by Riehm using both tarot cards and runes. According to the reading, Roeser was having a bad day, but things would get better. “The runes were right,” Roeser said, “My day ending up getting much better.” Riehm does not believe there is anything bad about fortune telling. “It’s fun to get into this. Runes can help you with a lot of things. They won’t give you a direct answer, but they’ll point you in the right direction,” Riehm said.
Babysitting gig turns into once-in-a-lifetime experience BY TOREY ROBINSON SPORTS EDITOR While summer jobs for many high school students may include waiting at the local restaurant or stocking shelves at the grocery store, junior Alex Swanson got the opportunity of a lifetime when the family of a routine baby-sitting gig invited her to join an annual trip to Rochefort, France. “I found out about the job when the parents (Craig and Annick Ibsen) were Swanson talking about they go to France every year to visit Annick’s parents,” Swanson said. “I have been babysitting for the (Ibsen) family for four years, so I decided to look into it.” According to Annick Ibsen, the mother of eight-year-old Chloe and 18-month-old Adrien, her parents were going to be less active this year and they were going to need extra help with the children. “My mom had just had knee surgery and it was going to
be difficult for her to be constantly holding a baby,” Ibsen said. “My dad also has a bad hip, so we needed other options.” Swanson’s parents supported the idea. “We realized this was a once in a lifetime opportunity for her,” Swanson’s mom, Gloria, said. “We trust the Ibsens, so there was no question about it.” Swanson left Des Moines on July 5 for Chicago O’Hare, where her plane was delayed three hours. “The delay caused me to miss my connecting flight in Paris on another airline,” Swanson said. “They told me the other half of my ticket could not be used and so I had to buy another set of tickets.” It was after this that Swanson was able to complete her journey to Bordeaux, France, where she met the Ibsen family, who had arrived earlier in the day. “They lost my luggage, but after I got it back, it went pretty smooth.” Once in France, Swanson stayed in the attic of Annick’s parent’s home. “It was really nice. It was good-sized and had its own balcony,” she said. According to Swanson, as the au pair for the children, her responsibilities included dressing, feeding, cleaning, and playing with the kids. However, the experience was not all work. “I got to go windsurfing with Chloe, since she takes lessons,” Swanson said.
“I even made a few friends while trying it.” Swanson left Rochefort alone on July 21 where she once again experienced flight problems. “My flight from Paris to Chicago was delayed 24 hours,” Swanson said. “The flight attendants told me I was to find a specific hotel and sent me away. I naturally freaked out because I had no one to contact and no clue where this hotel was. I asked people in the airport, but with the little French I knew, I was unable to understand. I finally returned to the desk where they could give me directions I could understand.” Swanson’s parent’s received news in the early hours of July 22. “I was concerned,” Gloria said. “She was in another country alone and I couldn’t do anything about it. It was frightening.” Swanson spent the night in Paris and met several people in the same situation in the meantime. “I met a girl named Genna from L.A., who I spent most my time with. I also met a guy who runs the shot clock for the (Chicago) Bulls!” she said. Even with the travel difficulties, Swanson does not regret her decision to go. “I think it made me more responsible since I’ve never had a job this serious. I also learned that you can’t slack off because (decisions) affect other people and not just yourself,” she said.
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OPINION: the juicy stuff Summer ‘06
B &W (Left) Matt Dawson looks to the side as lead singer and Kevin Barnes rocks in the middle of an Of Montreal powerballad. Of Montreal played at Englert Theater on Aug. 8 in Iowa City to a warm reception. (Below) Kevin Barnes in skirt with Bryan Poole, both playing guitars to the cheering audience below. Of Montreal formed in 1997, but didn’t hit stardom until 20042005 with their albums Satanic Panic in the Attic, and The Sunlandic Twins.
Alex Guns/BW
Of Montreal and the Englert Theater adventure BY ALEXANDER S.G. GUNS STAFF WRITER
A man and a woman walk out on stage, waving flags in hand, back and forth as if summoning an invisible army. Excitement begins to flow throughout the audience, eyes widening as a cloaked man saunters on stage. The man slowly edges up to the center microphone. It is there that he throws back the neon-red cloak to fully expose his concert get-up: a frilly red shirt with a well-coordinated green skirt, red go-go boots and glitter eyeliner to complete the ensemble. This is Kevin Barnes, lead singer of the band Of Montreal, and the audience wouldn’t have it any other way. Of Montreal was created by Kevin Barnes in 1997, after a romance gone flat with a woman from Montreal. After forming in Athens, Georgia, Of Montreal became part of the Elephant 6 collective. Of Montreal started with lackluster to moderate success. Although enjoyed by a set group of fans, the band still lived in basic obscurity in pop culture. It wouldn’t be until the 2004 and 2005 releases of Satanic Panic in the Attic and The Sunlandic Twins that would launch Of Montreal to the forefront of the indie music scene, while also making it the most prolific band of the Elephant 6 collective. Of Montreal’s sound is reminiscent of the pop hits of the early 60’s and the San Francisco sound of the hippie era. Of Montreal is the growing and changing sound of 60’s psychedelic, once thought long gone by fans, after a decade of Lionel Richie schmaltz and gang-tastic hiphop. Not only does Of Montreal take the 60’s sound, they also incorporate techno, music hall and at times, vaudeville. All are melted together under a banner of extremely whimsical lyrics. On Aug. 8, Of Montreal swung by the Englert Theater in Iowa City with fellow Elephant 6 band The Minders to play for their ever growing fan base. The set list was comprised mainly from the hits of their two newest and most popular albums. Some of the older classics were placed throughout the set list, if only as intermissions between the newest songs. Of Montreal’s performance of the tracks from Satanic Panic and Sunlandic was a sight to see, but it was the
presentation of their new, unreleased material that made it a truly stand-out concert. Although a majority of their set list is no more than one or two years old, already it can be seen that it is beginning to wear thin for the band. Of Montreal’s energy and power hits the ceiling as they begin to play their newer material from the next album, due in January. The excitement for their new set list can be seen clearly through the heightened attention to the music, hitting all the right notes at the highest decibel level possible. It leaves the audience with a sense that Of Montreal hasn’t even begun to peak, and yet they are already moving in a new direction. Entering new musical territory, the band has again made another bold and good move: never to stay the same too long, regardless of the success. As the elder statesman of American music put it, “an artist has to be careful to never think that he’s arrived somewhere. He has to be in a constant state of becoming.” -Bob Dylan. Sure, trying new things. That’s good from the artists point of view, but what does that leave the fans? Well, one blow-out concert from an amazing band.
Easy ways to attract the demographics during your campaign College Students Tell them their parents (wait for boos) don’t want them to support you. Pass out cards for free Itunes. Share your favorite drinking story (except the part about Richard, never ever tell anyone about that). Promise them free world travel to any country in the Middle East (and maybe North Korea/China) for as long as they want. Ensure them that disarming IEDs is an even better rush than cocaine, which is a hell of a drug!
Death OR Glory
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mandatory “lights out” for everyone in the country. Bad mouth the youth, with their loud music and loose morals. Confide in them that you will be an ally in their secret struggle to kill everyone under 70, except their adorable, precious grand-children. Farmers The three key words: subsidies, subsidies, subsidies. Ensure them that you will continue the lie that ethanol is a reliable source of energy for the future. Tell them you will make it legal to shoot trespassers in their fields without warning. Pledge to continue to guard the incredible political power of a disproportionately small group of people.
Religious Right Assure them that cocaine comments were taken out of context by liberal Satanist media. Pledge to remove “science” classes from school curriculums to be replaced by Bible study. Affirm that you indeed did not come from any damn dirty ape, but the holy way, through years of hot, steamy, Caucasian incest. Promise to have Michael W. Smith perform at inauguration. Bash Harry Potter.
Urban Voters Guarantee to attack street violence/drug use at its source: Grand Theft Auto. Sympathize about how terrible our countries slums are and how tough life is for their inhabitants. Convince Kanye that you really do care about black people. Promise to bring new jobs and opportunities to their impoverished streets (don’t tell them that you mean as pushers and prostitutes). (Note to self: wait till elected before slashing all social programs).
Seniors Gently rub and kiss their feet as you tell them that they, indeed, are the Greatest Generation. Talk of your plans for not only free Medicare, but for free cryogenic freezing, ensuring that they will never die! Promise to reduce all speed limits to 25, and make 7 pm
Hippies Legalize it! Show up in your hemp suit. Lead the group in a very twirly dance. Complain loudly about the “man” (although you actually are the man). Introduce your plan to move the capitol from D.C. to San Francisco. Promise them that they can
all live on your new White House commune. NRA Honestly, it’d be hard to out-do former Republican leader and current convict Tom DeLay’s wonderful address to this patriotic group. DeLay said, “If you want to empower women in America, give ‘em a gun.” Seriously, how can you beat that? You could drape a Confederate flag over your back like a cape and fire off an assault rifle in each hand while listening to Ted Nugent. Declare your support for an amendment in the Constitution to allow citizens to shoot anyone who looks at them weird. While on stage addressing them, release a dove holding an olive branch, and then proceed to turn said dove in to a miniature explosion of feathers with the 9 mm you keep in your waistband. You could try the strategy that senior David Zorn applied on a road trip he accompanied me on to northern Minnesota, namely writing “NRA” on a Magna-Doodle with hearts surrounding it, and pressing it up against the glass for passing motorists on the interstate to read. If all else fails, you could always kill Michael Moore. Wookies Promise to stop the Czerka slave trade. Too long have they tarnished the holy grounds of Kashyyk. (Note: Maybe give away free shampoo?) Michael Slusark is the Editor-in-Chief. Questions or comments about this column should be sent to michaeljohn48@aol.com