ADVISOR
ADS MANAGER
Elisia Harkins
Ebone’ Chatman
EDITOR IN CHIEF
REPORTER
Anna Hovanesyan
EDITOR IN CHIEF Tayce Taylor
BLOG EDITOR
Vaughn Himber
Jessica “Jo” Aquino
REPORTER
Devon Gearhart
Cameron De’Matteis
REPORTER
REPORTER
Ben Sloan
REPORTER
REPORTER
REPORTER
REPORTER
Tina Nagai
Sidney Stephens
REPORTER
Mina Kim
Nick Halaby
Sophia Page
REPORTER
Grace McKagan
NDHS
Special thanks to Cooper Cowgill, Mariana Duran, and Alex Stephenson
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French Club
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Literature Club
8 9 Origin of Christmas Traditions 16 Hannukah 17 Best of 2012
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Homework Headaches
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Gifts for Mom and Dad Divorced nts During the HPoalire days
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Helping Sandy Alum Interview Senior Bucket List Coach Oliver
10 Laker TV 11 The Hobbit alian 12 TItha nksgiving 13 Small Businesses 14 15
Evolution of Toys Has the Internet Killed the Mall?
ND
r e b m e Dec ISSUE The Knight Magazine
November 2012
Ooh La La: French Week at ND im French week, the h c n re F us in During the camp d e rs e m orations Club im . The dec re u lt u c h , partial Frenc Beret Day s were l, o o h c s d me aroun French ga k. d n a s s re ee free d fun filled w deeper e th f o rt a all ap ives us a eek. Feeney g Madame French W d n a b lu c e look into th
By Mina K
What does the French club do during the week?
When did the French club first start? “Well, before I came to this school, there was not a French club. In 1998, I created the French club with my French class at the time.”
Who is a part of the
?
French club student body “Tayce Taylor is president, Sarah Bush is vice-president, Alexa Gris is secretary, and Shannen Escote is treasurer.”
What is the connection between Notre Dame & France? “Notre Dame came about through the Holy Cross Brothers from Canada, like Saint Father Andre Basset. This religious group was originally from France and they went all over the world, building schools and churches. I used to go to oratory when I was younger, which is the place Fr. Andre Basset held his masses, and my father actually got to meet Fr Basset.” Page 4
“We have the crepe sale, French trivia students answered, Tin Tin in the lecture hall and more. Every year, French week is different, because it depends on how much the students are willing to give into it since all of the activities are done by the students.”
How is the date for French Week “I am a part of determined?
the American Association of Teachers of French and this group determines an international week to celebrate French culture. We try to make French Week happen as close to this date as possible. This week is dedicated to French science, cuisine, literature, and fashion. It all depends on how the students want to show French culture and how they want to celebrate it.”
What is special about the French club? “This club is made up of mostly French students who enjoy participating in activities and who like camaraderie and helping others. For the crepe sale, all of the funds are going to our sister school in New York, especially since Hurricane Sandy hit. In past years, we have had crepe sales to send money to Haiti and our sister school there after the earthquake.”
The Knight Magazine
December 2012
A Life of Literature
By Ben Sloan
Slyly walking across the quad, non-dress code jacket draped around their shoulders and a pondering look ridden amongst their faces. This, ladies and gentleman, is most likely the Notre Dame Literature Club. Cool and collect they might seem but within their ravaging brains are thoughts that might evoke some type of fear in others. No, they are not members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses clan, these young men are not radical members of some odd group or denomination proclaiming communism across our holy bound campus. They just read books, and well, think a lot. Headed by leaders Gabe Rudolph, Junior, and Nick Spera ,Senior, meetings are held at lunchtime daily, in which members chat and decide on what to read next. This is not the only reason these men join together in arms. Senior member and enthusiast, Matt Levitt, said that this literature club, “gets together as a militantly proacademia institution. We believe in and are passionate about being fully immersed in the beauty that is literature.� Literature is beautiful. Immersing its reader in the deep
and not so dark depths of symbolism and morality. Novels of fiction help us imagine the impossible, think a tad more, and maybe open up our mind to a plethora of possibilities. Matt Levitt, because of his time in the Lit Club has been inspired to take action in our environment and possibly join the Peace Corps once he has graduated. Some novels recently read by the members of the Lit club include: The Alchemist, For Whom the Bell Tolls, My First Summer in the Sierras, On the Road, Pulp, and many other classics. Senior leader, Nick Spera, said that the next novel that they plan on reading is Memories of My Melancholy Whores by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Now you must understand that this is an odd bunch of folks. Not odd in a negative way the least bit but filled with innovative thinking. This club not only helps its members get in touch with the world of literature but it gives you a voice and hand in your own imaginative process. Anyone is welcome.
Ernest Hemingway Page5 5 Page
TheKnight KnightMagazine Magazine The
December2012 2012 December
Knights helping Holy Cross Sandy Victims By Nick Halaby
As members of the Holy Cross community we are constantly taught the message of giving back to the community. This message hit home when Sandy hit the East Coast this October. Our Holy Cross sister school in New York was hit by the storm. 50 sister school families were completely devastated by the super storm. When news of this reached ND, two clubs rushed to help the families while another worked to benefit the overall storm relief effort. Mr. Mcgaha’s ND grillers are known for their events at lunch. With their profits going towards organizations like the Connor Lynch foundation and Shane’s inspiration, the grillers are always shooting to make the world a better place. When they received news of our sister school in Flushing, New York, Mr. Mcgaha decided that their next event would go to benefit the 50 families that were affected by the storm. This event is going to be the very popular Christmas Burritos, that will be sold on ND’s Christmas spirit day. “It’s an event that’s very popular and it’s different because of when it is,” said Mr. Mcgaha. “I just hope that we have our usual success and we can make a difference for our sister school.” Another club that’s trying to make a difference in the lives of those unlucky 50 families’ is the Robotics club. On the week before Thanksgiving, the club was selling buttons, which would enable a student to have free dress on November 20th. This event was very successful; the club raised just over 1,000 dollars. When asked how he felt about the event, Carlos Chichiri said, “I thought it was great and just a really nice thing to do, I’d love if we could do something like that again.” With this events success, the club was able to make the hard times for the families in New York a little bit easier. The Dry Ink club also did their part to help the victims of Sandy. They held a week long bake sale that would raise money for the Red Cross, assisting them in their relief efforts of the east coast. Club Vice President Keelin Quigley said that, “we just wanted to help the people suffering on the East coast.” Jo Aquino, Club President, said that, “At the time, much wasn’t happening so we wanted to do our part. It was nice to be able to do something.” Dry Ink, like the other two clubs, practiced their Holy Cross dogma of community service and helped make a difference in the Holy Cross community. Helping others is something that most Holy Cross students hold dear to their heart. What these three clubs did for the victims of hurricane Sandy was very charitable and all three clubs are examples of what a Holy Cross student should be. With the money that the Grillers will raise and the profits of the Dry Ink and Robotics events, our Holy Cross sister in Flushing New York, will be helped greatly.
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The Knight Magazine
December 2012
Decisions, Decisions
Katrina at her graduation in 2010!
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By Anna Hovanesyan A graduate of the class of 2010, Katrina Villa is now a junior at Hood College in Maryland. Villa was a very active member in our ND community, and devoted her time to the school newspaper as an editor. Like many of us, Villa was once in and is still in the same process of making plans for her future. She started off high school by participating in and being a part of a lot of clubs/events. The opportunities presented to her gave her the chance to see what she wanted to continue doing, or for that matter not continue doing, in college. “Being editor-in-chief during my senior year was one of the best times I had in high school. Back then, my newspaper class was one big family. We got to know each other a lot because we spent many late nights putting the newspaper together before the big deadline,” she said. By taking newspaper, Villa realized that she wanted to concentrate more on writing, especially creative writing, rather than pursue journalism. “I enjoyed being the editor, but proofreading articles took away from some of my writing, which is what attracted me to journalism in the first place,” Villa added. She had planned on majoring in communications and was not so certain if it was what she wanted to do. College allowed her to branch out and explore, and discover that her passions not only lied in creative writing but also in biology. “I’m a double major in Biology and English Literature. Upon entering college, I wanted to major in Communications, but I wanted to study something more concrete in terms of litera-
ture and creative writing, as well as balancing my interest in science,” explained Villa. Even though it seems like she has her future planned out, she confesses that she still doesn’t know where she is going to end up. While she does have an internship this coming summer related to biological studies in primate behavior, Villa is still debating on which path and major she is going to pursue. “To be honest, I have no idea what I want to do with my future, and that’s what most college students will tell you. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, though. College opens up so many opportunities that I don’t want to commit to anything without exploring all my possible options,” she reassures. The transition to the East Coast was also no easy task either, but Villa is so comfortable, that she’s planning on maybe even doing graduate work in New York. Just like us, she is still trying to figure out her future and is taking it one step at a time. While many of us are also caught up in this cycle of feeling rushed, we have to realize that there really is no reason to. We have to discover what we want to pursue, not necessarily decide by a certain deadline. The most important factor is that what we decide to pursue is something that we truly enjoy doing.
The The Knight Knight Magazine Magazine
December December 2012 2012
Senior Bucket List
By Sidney Stephens
Desiree Last month, The Knight Magazine peeked into the lives of three Notre Dame Seniors to see what was on their November bucket list. The Knight checked back in with Jeffrey Estrada, Desireee Caceres, and Niki Russo to see how much of this list they were able to accomplish.
Over break, Jeffrey completed most items on his bucket list. He was able to finish all of his college applications, got some Christmas shopping out of the way, and cleaned out his closet. However, he was unable to scare Mrs. Faber, get Jordan Elevens on Black Friday, and buy electronics on cyber Monday.
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Niki, despite having a hectic schedule at work, was able to finish her marriage project, get almost all of her applications done, jump into a pile of colorful leaves, and serve the homeless on Thanksgiving. Unfortunately, she did not get to go to Italy, go shopping in Paris, or win the lottery.
Desiree was able to go hiking, go on a shopping spree, go to Disneyland, and write a letter to Santa Claus. She attempted to finish her college applications but, as most seniors would agree, that is easier said than done. Desiree didn’t organize her locker or go see a school play.
The Knight Magazine
December 2012
Man of the Hour
By Ebone Chatman
This basketball season is starting off fresh, as the varsity boys welcome their new coach, Vince Oliver. Oliver went to Loyola High School and then went on to graduate from UC Davis as one of their star basketball players. He played and started in eighty-two games throughout his time at UC Davis, averaging about twelve points a game. This helped him set a record of a thousand career points, making him the 15th person in history to do so at UC Davis. Oliver has had a very successful basketball career and is now ready to share his talents with the Notre Dame varsity boys team. He’s had many years of coaching experience at Loyola High School as the assistant varsity coach and the head freshman coach. Oliver said, that the transition from Loyola to Notre Dame has been easy because the “people are very welcoming and warm,” which makes his new job even more exciting as he prepares the boys for their
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tough season ahead. Oliver said he has the team working on “solid fundamentals, pressure defense, and developing chemistry.” These basic skills can make or break the season, so it is important that the team focuses on their personal talents on and working together to make it easier during the flow of the game. Although the team does not have much varsity experience, it is something that they can gain throughout the pre-season to be ready for league games. Oliver has the team putting in work off the court as well. He said that they watch films to prepare for the games as he helps pin-point the weakness to then find a solution. Oliver is ready for the season and is enjoying his first year at Notre Dame, he has nothing but optimism to see what his team can do. Basketball season is right around the corner so go and support the Knights in their brand new season.
The Knight Magazine
December 2012
Lakers
TV By Nick Halaby
Deal NoT So Golden
The Los Angeles Lakers are to basketball what the New York Yankees are to baseball. They are the most popular, legendary and consistently great organizations in all of sports. Earlier this year, the Lakers made a deal with Time Warner, the cable distribution company, for their own exclusive channel. This is a deal that should make millions for the Lakers, but the question is, will it? The Lakers new channel started out as being exclusively on Time Warner Cable. The problem is that Time Warner wasn’t been covering the entire Los Angeles region. Tons of Laker fans were blacked out from seeing games. All except a handful of games were unavailable to anybody without Time Warner Cable. So they began to negotiate with other TV service companies and were able to get the channel to most providers, except one. Direct TV, which has the most sports viewers because of the NFL channels, still hadn’t been given the channel access. This was a huge problem for the Lakers because that was a large portion of their following. Time Warner had no leverage in this negotiation because Direct TV has all the NFL channels and viewers, and no matter how much they loved the Lakers they were not going to drop them. So Time Warner finally got the deal done was still something else that could end up costing them a lot of money. Now that every cable provider has the Laker channel, you would think that every Laker fan would have it as well. Well, that’s not necessarily true. To have the channel you must have gotten a sports package that your provider offered. Not everybody has this package, so naturally you would assume that anybody who liked the Lakers would order the package. Well the problem is that not all games are only on the Laker channel. TNT and ESPN would broadcast some Laker games as well. The difference is that these games would be big
ones, like games against the Miami Heat or Boston Celtics. These are the type of games that a casual Laker fan would care about. Someone who likes the Lakers but isn’t necessarily a diehard fan might not pay the extra money for games against the Portland Trailblazers or New Orleans Hornets. This will ultimately hurt both the Lakers and Time Warner when it comes to ratings, because if everybody can see the games that matter, then what’s the point of ordering the games that don’t. Because of this, the Lakers will lose a lot of money and might come to regret this TV deal. Everybody thought that this TV deal was going to make the Lakers tons of money. It really should have. The problem is that Time Warner got too greedy and that ultimately hurt the profit of the channel. The Lakers should be fine because they make so much money regardless, but this will be something that could be a thorn in their side for years to come. As for the fans, this TV deal was a pain to start out with and for those who won’t order the channel because they don’t care much, the loss of their money is going to be what hurts this deal.
T
By Alex Stephenson
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he Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R Tolkien has enchanted readers and viewers for many years. But how well do people know the prequel, The Hobbit? While the trilogy is a well-known franchise, The Hobbit is surprisingly unfamiliar. However, fans everywhere, including at ND, have read the book and are super excited for the upcoming movie due in theaters December 14. The Hobbit centers on a young Bilbo Baggins, played by Martin Freeman, who gets riled up by a band of dwarves and leaves his hobbit hole to go on an unexpected adventure. Superbly directed by Peter Jackson, the trilogy’s previous director, expectations are at a high and fans can barely wait. With a countdown to The Hobbit release date on his white-board, Dave Savage, AP European History teacher, is one enthusiastic fan. “I’m very excited for the movie… I think it’ll be a good rendition,” says Savage. “I might even go on opening day and just keep getting back in line and watch it the whole day.” Savage has been hard at work trying to get his classes into the book and movie, even writing a quote from his favorite Hobbit character, Gollum. Jackie Hynes, Sophomore, a new recruit to The Hobbit fandom world, is enjoying herself immensely. “I think the movie will be great. I’m looking forward to it!” Hynes comments excitedly. “The book was easy to read and the movie seems to be filled with action packed adventure.” Hynes, wanting to read the book before the movie came out, recently finished, and is currently in the process of reading The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Being a Martin Freeman fan from the BBC show Sherlock, Hynes believes the movie will “live up to [her] expectations and astound viewers of all ages.” Theodore Hong, Freshman, is also enthusiastic for the upcoming film. “I think the movie will be entertaining, but not as descriptive as the book,” Hong speculates. Most fans will agree with Hong that the reason people love The Hobbit so much is because “…it’s an adventure that gets you to use your imagination.” A heartwarming story, The Hobbit is for all ages, and with its all-star cast, the movie may just match it. The Knight Magazine December 2012
Thanksgiving in Italy
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By Nounou Buzad
Turkey, Mashed Potatoes, Creamed Corn, Pumpkin Pie. Yum! The list goes on and on. Thanksgiving happened just last month and I’m already waiting for the holiday to return next year. I did not have a traditional Thanksgiving here with family and friends. While everyone was stuffing themselves with warm, juicy turkey, I indulged in the taste of cheesy, crispy pizza in Rome, Italy! Even though I missed the holiday, I had a blast cruising all through Italy for an entire week. Experiencing Italy for the first time, during this cold season, was stress-free because not too many tourists travel during Thanksgiving since it is a short holiday and most enjoy spending it in the comfort of their own home. Even though I missed out on having a local Thanksgiving, I got to experience a whole other side of the world. Since Thanksgiving originated here, in the present United States, Italians do not need to recognize the holiday for obvious reasons. During my walks around the Tower of Pisa and St. Mark’s Square in Venice, I did not see many restaurants offering a Thanksgiving dinner, but there were some providing those who wanted one. There were many Americans having dinner available to them which allowed us to be a part of the traditional holiday even if it was not at home in our dining room, surrounded with loved ones. Well, there is always next year and I can’t complain! Only a week ago I was eating gelato three times a day, walking through Vatican City, and stuffing myself with as much pizza and pasta that I could take. Thanksgiving is a time to be spent with those you love, no matter who or where you are!
The Knight Magazine
December 2012
g n i d n e p S Smar t Stimulate the Economy by Supporting Small Businesses
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community. Los Angeles is home to thousands of small he holiday season has come again. Christmas, the most celebrated and anticipated holiday and unique businesses, many that are struggling. From organic skin care shops to vintage of the year does not only get us in a holly jolly shops, these small stores sell unique products mood, but is also a mega money maker for businesses across the nation. It seems as if the celebra- that cannot be found elsewhere. Their uniqueness gives them an economic advantage. Owner tion of the birth of Christ has taken a back seat of the candy store, Rocket Fizz in Sherman Oaks, and been replaced with consumer spending. As wrong as it may seem, however, increased spend- Dennis Ellis said, “This place is great for holiday shopping because we offer a lot of discounts ing during the holiday season stimulates the around this time of year.” With the holiday season economy. here, these small businesses often lower their While it seems that large corporations such prices to attract holiday shoppers, much like large as Wal-Mart and Best Buy are having multiple corporations. sales this time of year and are great places to buy Kimberly Curtis, owner of Hide & Seek, a presents, wouldn’t it be nicer to go to somewhere small vintage boutique located in Studio City, less crowded and family-owned instead? Small businesses are often overlooked and usually don’t said, “We have affordable prices on our merchandise so people can find something they like here have a chance against the leading competitors, instead of charging a lot for something they can when in truth, promoting them boosts the econget cheaper elsewhere.” omy. Choosing to do your holiday shopping at a Small Business Saturday, held on the Saturday small boutique or shop can be just as rewarding after Thanksgiving, seeks to encourage people to as going to a store like Target. support local businesses. To support this naSmall businesses play a leading role in our tionwide event, President Barack Obama visited local and national economy. They are the top a small D.C. bookshop with his two daughters, employers, stimulating economic growth by creencouraging us all to do same. ating jobs. All the revenue they earn stays in the This holiday season, take the time to support community. A market full of a wide spectrum of local small businesses when shopping for gifts. small businesses, in the long run, guarantees low Not only will it stimulate the economy, but it will prices. Not only would shopping at small stores during the holiday time boost the economy, but it also stimulate our community. will also help out the struggling businesses in our By Sophia Page
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The Knight Magazine
December 2012
T O Y S of By Tina Nagai
Christmas Past
From Barbies to Bratz, to B eyblades and N intendo Gameboys, we’ve al l had those to ys that we lost sl eep over as ki ds. Once we got what we wan ted, a new toy took over the follow ing year. Take a tr ip down mem ory lane and take a look at how toy demands have changed over the years:
Heely s
oes that looked These were sh eal—until som relatively norm u yo st pa ht ed rig one just zoom . nd ou gr ay the pl on the race to ly lm ca to t ’t wan And who didn hile competition w r ei surpass th ly er ev ir of cl gliding on a pa under your s el he hidden w shoe?
Raz or Sco oter
For kids who didn’t own thei r own bicycle, th e Razor scoo ter was the next best thing. Not only were thes e scooters conveniently foldable, but th ey were all the ra ge and helped you safely ge t from place to place.
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Tamag otchi
like electronic was This tiny little d its an ry own pet, having your ve ry ve e ures becam interactive feat nd. ou gr e school play popular on th t as le hool had at Every girl at sc s, ck pa to their back one attached so why not?
Bratz
In the girls’ de partment, the Bratz dolls wer e one of the fe w toys that were able to steal the bestselling spotlight from the much-cove ted Barbie do ll. With much m ore realistic bo di ly proportions an d cuter clothe s to wear, collectin g Bratz becam e all the rage fo r girls with a “p as sion for fashio n”.
Furby
p Although Furbies did tend to cree t, nigh the ing dur out young children . 90’s the in med their popularity boo ds han r thei get Everyone wanted to on this small electronic toy that would utter short, cute phrases in response to your touch!
Barbie
We all kn dolls h ow that Barb ave be ie en ing the nation sweepsince it creatio s n in 19 5 9 now, w ith its c . Even ute clo ing des thig beat or ns and hard-to iginality , the do continu ll es to s nag a s on the pot child b estselle each y r list ear.
Nintendo Gameboy
ost popular The world’s m ny came up game compa device that with a gaming urs of play on provided 35 ho s, in contterie one set of ba petitors at the trast to its com , it came with time. And plus ite bonus! Tetris—a defin
The TheKnight KnightMagazine Magazine
Beyblad es
Beyblades essent ially passed as the m ale counterpart of th e Tamagotchi craz e for girls. Every boy on the playground owne d at least a few Beyb lades and could usually be seen battling thei r highspinning toys in a small makeshift arena during break times.
December December 2012 2012
By Vaughn Himber
With retail sales profits declining across the nation, traditional brick-and-mortar storefronts have lost the charm they once used to have. People are still buying all sorts of goods and services all the time, so where are they continuing to spend their money? The answer is the Internet, but why does the Web hold so much sway over what and why people buy there? The centralized convenience of using Amazon, in addition to the extremely low prices and speedy shipping, attracts countless consumers to their website. Its mammoth selection of goods and services (such as Amazon Web Services) has led to the weakening and decline of other massive retailers with the same products, such as Borders. Both displaced by Amazon, Best Buy has attempted to reduce the size of their stores while Wal-Mart’s sales have significantly declined. Amazon has clearly cut out the middleman from the buying process, hindering the prosperity of small businesses and traditional stores while allowing other dealers to sell through its website. However, this competition has been made more complicated by the increasingly prevalent customer trend known as “showrooming”, whereby people will physically look at a product within a store, only to buy the same thing online soon after. Even less bright for retailers, 72 percent of customers typically search for goods and their prices on Google or even use mobile price comparison applications, like Red Laser or Amazon’s own Price Check app, to determine if prices are better on the Internet. In addition, 45 percent of consumers have already decided that they will purchase items online, but still wanted to see the products in person first before they ordered them. Online prices are lower than prices in walk-in stores because Internet retailers do not have to pay rent, hire cashiers, or distribute bills. While these steadily increasing consumer developments may seem to spell out extinction for the retail mall model, the holiday season has provided a boost to tradition al brick-and-mortar stores. Record-breaking Black Friday sales went beyond predictions, and the malls had their day in the sun. However, the Internet fought back with Cyber Monday sales, which increased due to mobile shopping. Perhaps the stores and websites have a mutually parasitic relationship; consumers showroom the stock of retailers in real life, which leads them to spend their capital on websites. Still, if there were no malls, the monopoly of Internet sales sites would reign supreme and continue to prosper without them. Thus, the Internet and the mall shall remain within a perpetual battle of profits until one comes out on top, or a completely new model comes out of their struggle. Page 15
The Knight Magazine
December 2012
HOLIDAY TRADITIONS
By Devon Gearhart
Christmas time is fast approaching and with this beloved season comes time old traditions that we all know. Families are out getting their Christmas trees, putting up stockings, and waiting to hear Santa Clause and his reindeer land on their roof. But have you ever sat and wondered, where did these traditions come from? When did it become normal to cut down trees to put in your house and then throw away after a month, hang your socks up by the fireplace and expect candy in there, and to be overjoyed when a large man with aerodynamic deer breaks into your house? The Christmas tree has roots in Christmas stockings have many Santa Claus is a mix of the life the most unexpected places, tracorigin stories however the most of St. Nicolas and the image of ing back to Egyptians, Chinese, common one is about a man who Sinterklaas, the dutch version of Hebrews, and most notably the was very poor and had no money to Santa. St. Nicolas was known for Pagans. During the winter solstice, give his daughters as a dowry. The giving gifts to the poor and money the Pagans became afraid that man was very upset because this to young women’s’ dowries so they the sun would never return to the meant his daughters would probably wouldn’t have to become prostiearth again. So they took evernot get married. St. Nicolas heard tutes. The pagan gods seem to green branches and decorated their about this and one night snuck in to have a big influence on our modern homes with them, admiring how give him money. He could not find day view of Santa Claus. Odin, evergreens retained a healthy green a good place to set it in so he put Pagan god of air, would ride through hue all year through. They would them in the girls’ stockings and laid the sky on a horse each Fall, he decorate these branches with canthem out by the fire. Families starthad a long white beard, and grain dles to commemorate the sun god ed doing this after hearing about was left in the field for Odin’s horse. and statues of fertility gods. Egypthe tradition and it has continued Ironically children left straw in their tians have a similar tradition but use into modern day. However, originally shoes for when St. Nicholas came. palm leaves instead of evergreens. fruit and small toys were the only Many claim that attributes of Thor, The use of an actual Christmas tree things that would make it into stockthe Pagan god of thunder, were began in the 16th century in Gerings. Now it can range from candy given to St. Nicholas. Thor was many. The church originally banned to iPods. said to be elderly and heavy-set Sources it saying that it too closely paralleled with a long white beard. Very similar the pagan traditions, but after the to a certain jolly man in a red suit. • http://www.doityourself. fad caught on, decided it wasn’t all He road through the air in a chariot com/stry/christmasthat bad. Now today you can find drawn by two goats (called Cracker stocking#b a Christmas tree in most homes, and Gnasher), he dressed in red, • http://www.orlutheran. regardless of faith! his palace was in the “northland” com/html/santa.html he was jolly and cheerful, he would • http://www.religioustolercome down the chimney into his elance.org/xmas_tree.htm ement, fire. Through combining the various attributes of these icons, we get our modern day depiction. Page Page16 16
The TheKnight KnightMagazine Magazine
December December2012 2012
Hanukkah oh Hanukkah
By Sophia Weltman
Nana’s Potato Latkes
While most Notre Dame students will be observ4 large potatoes ing Christmas this December, there are a few “chosen ones” who will be celebrating the Jewish 4 eggs 1 onion, chopped holiday of Hanukkah. Quick history on Hanukkah. During the sec- 1/2 tsp. salt ond century B.C.E. the Syrian-Greek emperor, 1 tbs baking soda Antiochus seized the Jewish Temple in Jerusa- 1/2 to 1 cup oil. My grandpa swears lem, filled it with Greek idols, outlawed Judaism peanut oil works the best, but any kind and ordered the Jews to worship Greek gods. A of oil will do. brave Jewish high priest, Mattathias, refused to 1/2 a lemon’s worth of juice bow down to the Greek idols. He went into hiding Peel and grate potatoes. Soak in cold water for 1-2 minutes. Drain. Pat in the mountains where he organized an army of with dishtowel to make sure they are as dry as possible. Stir together potatoes eggs, onion, salt and baking soda. rebel Jews, who became known as the Maccabees. The Maccabees successfully defeated Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a 12-in skillet over med-high heat until hot. Spoon the Greeks. They attempted to purify the Second 2 tbs. of the potato mixture into the skillet. Cook no more than 5 at a Temple the Greeks had contaminated by burning time. Reduce head to medium and cook until the bottoms are brown. Flip oil in the Temple’s menorah for eight days. The latkes and cook until the other side is brown. Transfer to paper towels. Repeat until mixture is used up. problem was, there was only one day’s worth of oil left. Amazingly the oil lasted the full eight days; a true Hanukkah Miracle! Now even though that’s a pretty incredible story, according to Jewish law, Hanukkah is considered one of the less important holidays. However, Hanukkah falls on the twenty-fifth of Kislev (the Jewish month of November/December), right around Christmas time. Jews who live in Christian societies chose to make Hanukkah much more festive in order to compete with Christmas. Unlike Israeli Jews who receive chocolates and small amounts of money on Hanukkah, American Jews are visited by “Hanukkah Harry” who delivers presents requested on Hanukkah Lists. While Hanukkah has undoubtedly been exploited in America, American Jews still abide to the traditional Hanukkah customs. We light the menorah, which holds nine candles, every night, adding one candle each night. We sing songs and play dreidel. Most importantly, we celebrate the miraculous oil by eating fried foods. Jelly doughnuts are a must at any Hanukkah party. However, latkes, which are in my opinion the best things to have ever been made out of potatoes, are the real center of the Hanukkah feast. These potato pancakes beat the best french-fry any day. Traditionally they are eaten with applesauce, sugar or sour cream. Ketchup has become a recent condiment for latkes. Personally I think sugar is the way to go. Try making them yourselves and tell me what you think.
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The Knight Magazine
December 2012
The Highs and Lows of 2012 By Grace McKagan
As the New Year approaches, it is natural for new goals, experiences, and hopes to await 2013. Though, most are excited for a new year and new beginning, there is still time to reflect upon 2012, both the highs and the lows. 2012 was one year full of political, celebrity related, and natural yet unexpected occurrences.
iPhone
The iPhone 5 was released on September 21; apple junkies much anticipated the new phone. The iPhone 5’s new features include a lighter and slimmer frame, a faster processer, and a bigger screen. Buyers placed approximately 2 million preorders in the first 24 hours, and 10 million pre orders within the first week.
Casey Anthony The ever so infamous Casey-Anthony case came to a close in 2012. During the six-week trial in 2011, Casey’s statements provided no factual. Casey claimed that her two-year-old daughter drowned in their swimming pool in 2008 and that her father sexually abused her. Eventually, Casey Anderson was pleaded not guilty of first degree murdered, afrivated child abuse, and aggravated manslaughter of a child.
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Olympics
The Olympics took place in London this year, and the sports extravaganza did not fail to entertain and amuse audiences all over the world. The 2012 Olympics took place from July 25-August 12. The United States took victory in Basketball, Water Polo, Wrestling, and Men’s 96kg Freestyle. The two spotlight swimmers for America’s team were Missy Franklin and Michael Phelps.
Twilight Saga
Sandy
Lastly, the major event that effected America most personally was hurricane Sandy, which hit primarily the eastern coast. Along with parts of Canada, the Caribbean, and the Mid-Atlantic. The hurricane hit in late October and is noted to be the largest Atlantic hurricane on record. An approximate 253 lives were lost in the total of the storm.
The Twilight books and movies series was highly influential within the entertainment industry. Not only did the Saga come to a close with its final movie release in November, Breaking Dawn Part 2, but also, a love scandal arise between the two stars. Robert Paterson and Kristen Stewart were publicly known to be an official and adored couple among Hollywood. While “KStew” was off filming the movie “Snow White and the Huntsman”, she was also spotted by the paparazzi, canoodiling with the director of the movie, 41 year old, Rupert Sanders. Fans of Twilight were obviously devastated when seeing the evidence to the cheating scandal.
The Election
One cannot discuss 2012 without recognizing the presidential election. The close race between President Obama and Senator Romney definitely tore the nation in half. The results were highly anticipated, but in the end, Democrat, Barrack Obama was re-elected for a second term, a land-marking event for the nation.
ALSO...
1. The Dark Knight Rises & The Hunger Games were both hot at the box office 2. Queen Elizabeth’s 60th Year on the Throne 3. CIA Picture Scandal 4. New Couple: Kim and Kanye 5. Whitney Houston death on Febraury 11
The Knight Magazine
December 2012
Over the k r o w e m o
Holidays h
By Jessica “Jo” P. Aquino Assigning homework to students in middle school through high school over the holidays is unfair to the students and their parents who need a break from their academic chores. Students are already busy enough with travel, family obligations, and other things that homework during a time of what should be relaxation is only unnecessary. Parents also have to suffer these over-the-holiday assignments. Parents of middle-schoolers get the brunt of it, considering how invested they still seem to be, because they may still
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be helping their kids with finishing homework and projects. This is greatly unfair to parents who want to have solemn family gatherings not obstructed by homework or projects that their children are working on. Then again, teachers do not enjoy having work to do over the break as well. Greg Beckman, AP English Literature teacher, said, “Perhaps it is so that homework is pointless over a break, but there seems to be a simple remedy for it: finish your work early.” However, it is extremely common for a student to enjoy all of his or her break and then cram all those holiday
assignments into one night, which paradoxically preserves the forgotten relaxation days while also rendering them accursed because of all the work that must then be done at that point. Allyssa Moscotte, Senior, said, “We can complain all we want, but in the end, the homework is still undone. There’s nothing complaining will do. Homework over the holidays is just a necessary evil. It has to be done.” And she is right in that respect, because there is no real solution to this conundrum.
The Knight Magazine
December 2012
y a d i l o Jolly H s a e d I Gift
By Cameron de Matteis
Year after year teens struggle to find unique and affordable gifts for their parents. Often they wind up buying them the same old thing. Many result to buying jewelry for mom and a tie for dad. Here are some fun gift ideas that won’t break the bank.
Top 5 gifts for Mom
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See
For moms with a sweet tooth, See’s has a one pound custom mix chocolate box for only $20.40! This allows you to be exclusive and only include your mom’s absolute favorites. With over 100 chocolates and candies to choose from, you’re sure to have a diverse and luxurious selection for mom. er inn
Sights like Skin It let you create cases with personalized text and photos. This way your mom can always carry around her most beloved memories. tion
va ser
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D ine agaz on m A i cript s b u s
Get your mom a yearly subscription or renewal to her favorite magazine. This gift shows plenty of thought but keeps you on budget.
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Make a dinner reservation to your mom’s favorite restaurant and then pick up the tab! This gift requires some extra thought and saving, but mom will definitely love it.
Groupon is offering a great deal on a variety of spa massages as cheap as $35. Massages are the ultimate mom getaway and a sure win.
The Knight Magazine
Am
assa
ge
December 2012
Top 5 gifts for Dad Heated
t spor d e iz t onal Pers uipmen eq
Car Mu
g
Get dad’s favorite sport item personalized. Golf balls at Dick’s range from $20-30 with a three line message or name. If your dad is an avid tea or coffee drinker, a heatable mug is the perfect gift. Amazon has a good quality mugs starting at $10. The mugs are perfect for long car rides or even late nights at work.
t
if ge G d E r’s Race Card
Get dad the ultimate racing experience by buying him a gift card to Racer’s Edge. Racer’s Edge is an indoor go karting track for all ages. Located in Burbank this experience is both thrilling and convenient. iPho ne w allet
DVD
Coll e Pack ctor’s Get dad easy access to his dorky obsession. Whether he is a devoted Family Guys fan or a Star Wars junky, buy him the deluxe edition of his favorite guilty pleasure. This wallet is perfect for tech loving dads. Not only does it protect their precious cellular device but it conveniently keeps all their cash and cards in one place.
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The Knight Magazine
December 2012
Family Season Divided By Tayce Taylor
The holidays bring families together all over the globe to participate in the happy festivities surrounding Christmas. But for me, my Christmas only makes it even more apparent how divided my family is. My parents have been divorced ever since I was eleven years old. I used to have my entire family together for the holidays, and now, I see my family separately for Christmas. Of course, I have gone through the struggles of being a product of divorced parents, and during the season of family unity it becomes even more difficult. My schedule includes moving from one home to the other every other week. Sure, it is a lot of moving around and management, but I get to see both of my parents equally. So, for the two week Christmas break, I have one week with my mom and the other with my dad. On Christmas day I get to see both of my parents, switching Page Page 22 22
households around noon. I experience Christmas day with both of my parents, and even though travel time between households takes away from the celebration, I get to have the traditions of Christmas with my entire family. I get two Christmas trees, two Christmas Eve dinners, two Christmas mornings, and basically two separate Christmases. I have heard from some who say a child of divorced parents gets double of everything- but guess what? They divide their money too. I get the same amount of presents collectively as I did when my parents were together, but with less time to spend with them. Plus, Christmas is not about getting, it’s about giving, sharing, and being with your family. I have never held that understanding to the extent that I do now. I would love to have more time with my entire family, of course, but that’s not the reality of my situation. My guilty feeling of self pity was
that I was just another kid who has divorced parents. I’ve grown to learn that my experience is different from people who have dealt with their parents’ divorce. Being in a Catholic high school, it is very hard to hear about how divorce is wrong and how matrimony is a sacrament that should never be broken. It is hard to have all of my friends whose parents are together, and being faced with the reality that I am not like them and it is not my fault. And it is hard to see big families celebrate Christmas together, whereas my family will never be like that again. I will always love and care about my family whether it be together or separately. And even though I may not have one big happy celebration, I can at least enjoy having two separate Christmases, spending time with the people I hold deeply in my heart.
The The Knight Knight Magazine Magazine
December December 2012 2012
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The Knight Magazine
December 2012
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