Mini Murph- 1st Period Journalism 2018

Murph MINI

2018-2019 1ST PERIOD JOURNALISM

How to be ‘better off undead’ by

Daniel Bethke

There are many types of zombies that are discussed among various intellectual groups, each with their own unique features and traits.

But, how does one survive such a type of apocalypse? First, it is crucial to understand that location is key. In the midst of hordes of undead, millions will be fleeing in clusters of panic and chaos.

Thus, survivors will need to escape from major urban areas. This eliminates larger, more populous states like California and New York. By this metric, the Midwest is perfect.

U.S. are the Great Lakes. Here, fish could be a more permanent source of food.

Somewhere along Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota would be ideal.

Once the perfect location and food source is found, the next step is to assemble the perfect team. Each group in the apocalypse will need an expert in vehicles, guns, scavenging, athletics, construction, food, research and inventory counting. This sets the minimum size to eight members, but the more, the better. No person

hold of and clear out a shopping mall.

Unfortunately, cult classics like that are a horrible idea to draw inspiration from due to how unrealistic their scenarios are.

A smaller scale apocalypse is much more probable. The easiest place to defend will be a very small building.

While a few travelers go out to scavenge for medical supplies and arms, the reconstruction of humanity will become the next priority. One member of the group would have to be dedicated to making records and reading books. If this person does not do their job, they

PHOTO BY DANIEL BETHKE, DERIVED FROM MAPCHART

However, there is one major problem with that region: sustainability. In places averaging dozens of inches of snow annually, preserving a stable source of food will be difficult. The only way to negate this is to live near a major body of water. The five largest lakes in the

should travel or loot stores alone in the apocalypse. Instead, they should travel in heavily armored vehicles or motorcades temporarily while they look for more silent alternatives like bicycles.

In the popular movie “Dawn of the Dead,” a group of survivors tries to take

jeopardize their entire group. So, to keep them safe, their base of operations would require a large perimeter or barrier. In a crisis, this could be blocked off or reinforced. Additionally, a good base would have two sets of doors for maximized security. At least one guard

would have to be posted near the entrance at all times, and there would have to be a large, open chamber in the middle. In such a structure, escape in the event of emergency would be made much easier.

After raiding several stores and buildings for valuable supplies, a group can finally settle down. Mental health should be placed highest on the list of ways of preserving humanity; such a change in lifestyle would result in many people simply going insane. Surely, a post-apocalyptic lifestyle would require lots of endurance. If humanity is able to brave the zombie danger, they can forge a whole new civilization. Eventually, the goal should be to get hold of a plane or

helicopter and fly across the country to some isolated island like Kauai, which has enough chicken and fish to feed a small group for years.

The goal of any group in the apocalypse should be to keep expanding their base, supplies, intellect and horizons. If they employ strategic tactics such as locating a good base, any group can survive the impending doom. Some may say it is unlikely that zombies will ever constitute a legitimate threat. However, when the apocalypse does inevitably happen, at least those who have preparations can use them accordingly.

“IN THE APOCALYPSE, YOU ARE NEVER SAFE.�

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY CC0 CREATIVE COMMONS AND BENJAMIN RAUGHTONAN

Broadcasting yourself into a career, maybe?

PHOTO BY CC BY 2.0

by Tyanna

Campbell

In today’s society, becoming a YouTuber is a normal career choice.There are many reasons people become YouTubers that range from making money to becoming famous to becoming an entertainer and gaining a fanbase.

There is a lot of work that goes into becoming a YouTuber, especially a successful one.

Editing, good content, branding, watch time, distribution, marketing, finding a niche and being able to be themselves are all important for starting and maintaining a YouTube channel. There are various niches within the YouTube community, some being motivation, education and entertainment.

Watch time is very crucial when having a YouTube channel. Watch time is what pays the bills; it gets channels into motion. The

watch time chooses whether or not a video goes viral. There are three components within watch time that Jade Darmawangsa, a YouTuber, Entrepreneur and Digital Marketer created. Darmawangsa believes content should be put into a formula. The first part is awareness, or the hook. The hook is the title.

The middle is the connection; it is all about storytelling. The relationship a YouTuber has with their subscribers is important. If a YouTuber opens up to their audience, their viewers will want to do the same and subscribe to see more. The last part is result and action. At the end of a video, YouTubers should make sure to ask their audience to like and subscribe to see more from them.

Editing and good content is what subscrib-

ers press the subscribe button to see. YouTubers need to make sure to take their time when working on these topics. The content is what makes a YouTube channel… well, a channel! Having good content is what carries a YouTuber towards their growth. If a YouTuber wants to change their content from what they normally post, they have to make sure to have a subtle transition. Even something as simple as changing content needs to be at a slow pace or else they could lose some of their viewers. Editing is what can set differences between YouTubers, as not all of them use the same editing software or the same types of edits.

Branding and marketing are more key elements towards a YouTube channel’s success. Marketing is how a YouTubers’ channel can grow and become more well-known.

Branding is how YouTubers can truly be creative with their channel. Channel icons and banners both should showcase a YouTubers’ channel and why viewers should watch them. The channel description is also another element, in which a short overview of what the channel is about and what viewers can expect from the YouTuber, such as their posting schedule or other contact links and information.

be used at a minimum, and they should be relevant. Someone is able to search a certain hashtag and be directed to the YouTubers’ post, along with others that fall in the same category. Annotations are clickable links within a video that leads through to a website that is beneficial to the YouTuber.

There is a lot of work that goes into having and maintaining a successful YouTube channel. There are no miracles in video-making; this takes time. Although there are many YouTubers who have become internet sensations in a matter of months based on the content they are dishing out and providing the world with, they tend to be unique and different than the rest.

YouTubers such as David Dobrik, Shane Dawson and Pewdiepie have a fanbase for being entertaining; they are as relatable as they are hilarious. There are other YouTubers who are beauty gurus, such as James Charles, Jeffree Star and Michelle Phan. These people all have a passion for beauty and fashion. All YouTubers have many different characteristics in how they choose to present their content but all of it is crucial and beneficial to their channel and viewers. They make videos not only for their audience but themselves.

These YouTubers make content that they Distribution is a valuable element for a are pleased with and proud to present. The channel. Some ways to distribute a video are career choice in choosing to have a YouTube using the SEO correctly, call-to-action and us- channel takes dedication, hardwork and a ing hashtags and annotations. SEO is having sense of individuality to be successful. an appropriate title and having a description for each video using keywords. Call-to-action is invoking the audience in a manner that encourages them to respond. Hashtags should

TOP 5 RAP ALBUMS of 2018

BY NATHAN LEBON

DREAMVILLE/INTERSCOPE

The second album I enjoyed was “Astroworld” by Travis Scott. I honestly loved every song on this album; the massive variety of styles used throughout boosted my feelings for the album. From fast, hype-up music such as “Sicko Mode” and “Who? What!” to slow, beautiful melodies such as “Skeletons,” “Yosemite” or “Stop Trying to Be God,” Scott tried on a slew of new styles and he fit them all perfectly.

Additionally, the replay value of this album is incredible. “Astroworld” became an immediate classic and has become one of the all time greatest in my personal rap album selections.

If you’re looking for good, medium-paced rap music, I completely recommend “DiCaprio 2” by JID, pronounced by saying each letter individually. JID has been on the rise in the rap game, having been named a 2018 XXL freshman alongside the previously-mentioned SkiMask. “DiCaprio 2” just released this month and has yet to be heard by many, but the album could be considered one of his best yet. JID offers a unique kind of voice which of reminds me of a young Kendrick Lamar.

On August 3rd, 2018, Mac Miller dropped his album “Swimming.” An album filled with heartfelt melodies and soul-inspired tracks, it is not anything to be slept on. Songs like “Hurt feelings” and “Jet Fuel” are great songs to vibe out to, and the rest of the album is just as good. With Miller dying of an accidental drug overdose just a month after the album’s release, fans have included “Swimming” as part of their grieving process. According to RollingStone, this album was the most impactful of the year and though I don’t fully agree, I hope Mac is resting in peace.

DREAMVILLE, INC.

EPIC LABELS

The first album on my list has to be “Stokeley” by SkiMaskTheSlumpGod. Recently, Ski’s best friend XXXTentacion passed away in a fatal shooting. SkiMask was devastated, and I believe that the emotional pain he went through pushed him to make an incredible album. If you enjoy fast, punny rap, this album is for you. Ski has an extensive library of mixtapes and albums, and this album is of the same great quality that his fans have come to expect.

WARNER BROS. RECORDS INC.

REPUBLIC RECORDS

2018 was a year full of great music from both industry veterans and up-and-coming freshman alike.

With the rise of independent talent blowing up on their accord, lyrical flow and a little good luck is all anybody needs to make it big. In no particular order, here are my top 5 rap albums of 2018.

The final album, “KOD” by J Cole, was incredibly enjoyable. This album is one that is easy to listen to for most people and is just overall well-assembled. At first, I didn’t really enjoy “KOD,” but after giving it a second chance and listening to the songs more than once, I realised that this album was indeed worthy of making the top five. J Cole brings his medium-paced flow and great lyrics to well-produced beats, providing you with some tip-top car ride music to enjoy for a long time to come.

females? Well, it all comes down to how children are grown up. With sponsorships with brands like Nike, Under Armour and Gatorade, male athletes dominate our surroundings while viewers rarely see a woman spokesperson. When you have an athlete like Michael Jordan who made a whopping $110 million in 2017 with his shoe contract with Nike, there is no wonder why kids grow up aspiring to be just like him.

Women have made huge strides to fix wage gaps all over the board in our society, but this one will not be a simple fix. To fix the issue, you need to go to the source of the problem; PHOTO BY NATALIE MEYERS who is watching the games and how

by Natalie Meyers much? Once more women and men are watching and attending WNBA Lebron James, Steph Curry, Michael equality is how society has set up the sporting events, that raises the revenue Jordan; all famous basketball players acceptance for professional female and popularity of the corporation. that Americans can easily name. Then athletes.

Over time when women’s basketball there is Danielle Adams, Lisa Leslie, “Women are doing the exact same becomes normalized, the revenue Tina Thomson… who? That is exactly amount of work. The only difference and average pay will become more the point. These women are working is, one, how it is promoted and consistent and closer to the males just as hard to play professional secondly, gender. That is it. These pay. Yes, women should be paid the basketball but are not getting the credit women are working just as hard as same because they are working just as they deserve. They should be paid the the men are. The hours spent training, hard to get to where they are in their same, but that would only happen in a the sacrifices that they are making, field, but the world we live in is not perfect world where women and men the rigor and the deterioration that perfect, and it may take a long time for are viewed equally. is occurring on their bodies as they this equality request to become 2018 has been a great year for continue to play are all the exact reality. feminists with them constantly being same. So, they should not be making in the press fighting a new equalityany less than what males are,” said lacking area. Their next subject of Pastrano.

NBA change should be to balance the A major contribution to the wage gap between male and female profits of professional athletes is their $6.2 professional basketball players. The merchandise, the number of people million average WNBA player made $75,000 attending their sporting events and e a year, while the average NBA player how many viewers a game is getting d i made $6.2 million. online. The average attendance for iv D Xavier Pastrano is an English a WNBA game was 7,716 people e teacher at LHS that grew up in a per game while the average per Th household controlled by a single NBA game was 17,830. That extra WNBA mother. Although he is not the biggest 10,000 people easily adds to the $75,000 basketball fan, he shared his views money the corporation and the on the NBA and WNBA. He believes players are making. So, why is it that that women should be paid the same, so many more people are watching but the factor that is holding back the male basketball players versus

Whats in your wallet?

NBA vs. WNBA

The stress of the citizenship test

Photo by Kinsley Kitttams

over the years. 10 questions are picked from a pool of 100 Throughout students’ entire different questions. To pass, high school career, tests are a test takers must get six of the common occurrence. From 10 questions right. While some everyday tests to see if you might think this test is easy, retained the curriculum, to semester tests that have students 13 students took the test and attempted to metaphorically gain scrambling to remember everything. However, there is one their citizenship.

Journalism students were asked test outside of high school that has adults stressing just as much. 10 questions from the citizenship test and did their best to answer To gain citizenship in the correctly. Eight out of the 13 U.S., each recipient must students passed with flying take a test consisting of 10 colors, with an average of six questions. The questions out of 10 on the test, but no one can range from information answered all 10 questions correct. about our Constitution and The answers with over 80 percent the amendments on it to the of students getting it correct were founding of our country and basic history knowledge, such as what wars the U.S. has fought

by Kinsley Kittams

rights of the first amendments, why there are 13 stripes on the flag and why some states have more representatives than others.

Other questions that posed a bit more of a challenge for students were questions about real-life people and events, along with dates such as ‘Who did the U.S. fight in World War II?’ ‘What political reasons were Benjamin Franklin famous for?’ and ‘When is the last day you can send in federal income tax forms?’ With only an average of 20-30 percent of students answering these questions correctly, these proved to be more difficult to answer.

The Results After taking the test, 15.4 percent of journalism students said that they found these questions to be easy rather than hard.

“I feel that these questions are necessary knowledge for a functional adult American, and it seems as if most adults could answer all of these correctly,”said one journalism student who found the questions easier.

While a small percentage of journalism students found this quiz easy, 38.5 percent of students found the questions more difficult. With 46.1 percent of the remaining students found them to be somewhere in the middle.

“I am rather uneducated in these points, and I have forgotten most of them. I have never learned them because I did not think I needed to know them to live in the U.S.,” said one student who found the test more difficult.

Students were not the only ones polled on the difficulty of the test. After taking the quiz herself, Michelle Ortmeier, an LHS World History and AP World History revealed her own opinion on the importance of these questions.

“These questions seem necessary because you should know some basic history about the country you are choosing to live in,” said Ortmeier.

Though students viewed each question at a different difficulty level, in the end,

each person who took the test opened their eyes to the history of our country and to new facts and information that they could learn about it or get interested in the future.

The test either piquing their interest in a history topic they already knew about or got them interested in certain parts of our history or government.

“Some [questions] were more challenging than others, but it definitely opened my eyes to my lack of knowledge

I have about the place I am from,” said one journalism student.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY U.S. NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION

Where will Question One : Your ideal house would be...

A. A modern apartment decked out with the best furniture and art.

B. A mountain lodge with a grand fireplace and great garage.

C. A quaint little house right on the beach, somewhere with no snow!

D. A beautiful calabasas style mansion, right next to Kim and Kanye.

Question Two : Your ideal night out would be...

A. Partying it up with my friends at all the best clubs, then stopping for pizza afterwards.

C. Laying back and relaxing by a bonfire while watching the sunset over the ocean.

by Sophia Burow

B. A night of grilling and a great game of backyard football with my closest friends.

D. Cuddled up on my couch while binging the latest season of the newest show.

you live?

Question Three : Your ideal date would be...

A. At a nice restaurant right by the city park. Its expensive, but hey, its a date right?!

C. At an amazing surf and turf shack right on the pier. We can watch the ocean while we eat!

B. Who says you have to go out for a date?! I can cook us up a couple of master steaks right here at home!

D. At the BEST sushi spot in the country. I like to go pretty extra for dates.

Results Mostly A’s : NYC

Mostly B’s : Montana

Your organized nature thrives in busy “go get em” environments, and you hate being bored.

NYC offers opportunity and plenty to do.

A true hunter at heart you love to be independent and do not need loads of people around you to survive. However you value the company of those you trust.

Mostly C’s : Charleston SC

Mostly D’s : Los Angeles

The ocean calls to you! You crave fun in the sun, and the ease of coastal life.

The cars, the luxury, the lifestyle, you want it all! Los Angeles has all the new age, modern people, and plenty to keep you entertained.

no scale falls

by

Sara Croghan

The ideal of gender equality runs rampantly amidst impassioned hearts and souls everywhere. An ideal it is, as in this world no scale falls perfectly balanced.

Look to the Draft; all qualifying male U.S. citizens between the ages of 18 and 25 are required to enlist within 30 days after their 18th birthday.

On the contrary, women are not. To achieve the ideal of complete gender equality, the required enlistment should be placed over all genders.

This leads to much controversy, as there is a fundamental biological difference between man and

woman, involving hormone levels and physical capability, that inherently equips men to better handle the demands of some military exercises.

Based purely on aspects of the human anatomy, the same success cannot be expected or required from women.

This reality deems the lofty aspiration of equality in the Draft an unnecessary waste of time, resources and potentially lives.

While it may seem more productive to exclude women from the Draft, it is still a blatant inequality and leads to questions of empowerment.

Empowerment of women,

or lack thereof, is a driving factor in the gender equality movement. LHS senior Riley Rasmussen believes that women have the undeniable right to be treated equally, and it comes down to the impartiality that aids the feeling of empowerment. “[Women] should all feel equal and that everyone has equal opportunity. If you lessen women by [not requiring their enlistment], then they don’t feel as empowered. Some might not be ready, but then again, men can be [unprepared] either,” said Rasmussen.

One still has to wonder if

treating everyone with the same unwavering standard is the proper approach. The word “equality” in the gender equality movement is a bit of a misnomer when one considers the goal of the movement is to achieve greatest success for all, regardless of gender. Try not to assume too quickly any self-demeaning tendencies that I may supposedly possess.

I am a proud proponent of eliminating the wage gap

to achieve gender equity versus equality. The goal of any movement in the pursuit of equivalence is to ensure the maximum amount of success for both individuals and society as a whole. Equity is providing everyone with the tools and opportunities they need to achieve success on a personal and also communal level. LHS senior, Will Howes voiced his preference for equity over equality.

them,“ said Howes.

The term “equity” provides a needed refresher on the goal for every living, breathing human, success. Personal definitions of success will vary, but, nonetheless, the ability and the opportunity to pursue success in any form is an undeniable right that does not always require, demand or expect relentless identical treatment for all.

and empowering women, but the demand of uniform equivalence in all aspects between genders that equality ensues is not necessarily conducive to the greater good.

To this, I purpose striving

“I like the term gender equity better, because I believe that is meant to mean that both genders have the same opportunities for success. That would mean opportunities and the ability to capitalize on

“The term “equity” provides a needed refresher on the goal for every living, breathing human, success.”

PHOTOS BY SARA CROGHAN

Girls of LHS period 1 Journalism

perfectly balanced

I can’t be

‘FRIENDS’

with Netflix anymore

by Ree Baireddy

As kids enjoyed their holiday breaks, “Friends” fans had a bitter pill to swallow. Netflix has recently announced that they will be removing the show from the queue on Jan. 1, 2019.

To anyone who has been living under a rock, in short, the humorous series follows the professional and personal lives of 20-year-olds making their way through Manhattan. Over the course of 10 years, Joey Tribbiani, Rachel Green, Phoebe Buffay, Monica Geller and Ross Geller find themselves going through tough times but always face them together. Each episode seems to have a new storyline that always keep viewers

on the ground laughing at the humorous events that occur.

“So many people know ‘Friends’ and it is just such an iconic show, so I don’t know what idea got into Netflix’s head for them to think they should remove such an amazing show,” said LHS sophomore Victoria Raveling.

Losing “Friends” will cause a massive outbreak from fans as they will grieve together over social media. The show remains a huge success even 15 years after the filming of the finale. According to Deadline, the 90s sitcom is being removed due to conflicts with Warner.

A media analyst told the publication

PHOTO PROVIDED BY NBC

that “Content like ‘Friends’ is likely to disappear from Netflix in 2019 as Warner Media launches its own SVOD service.”

SVOD, or subscription video on demand, is essentially what sites like Netflix do let users watch series after series without ever having to wait more than a few seconds.

For many of the main actors and actresses on the show, this was their first debut into the cinematic scene. Jennifer Aniston, starring as Rachel, will always be known for her iconic looks and her outgoing personality and is considered one of the most recognizable characters in TV history. During Halloween, or even on an everyday basis, many people find style inspiration from each character, whether it be Chandler’s exemplary sweater vests, or Monica’s distinguishable bob.

As a loyal fan, it was hard for me to see “available until 01/01/2019” because “Friends” will always be one of my favorite TV shows. A similar situation arose with “The Office” earlier this year when it was also threatened to be taken off Netflix. The sitcom has brought in millions of dollars for the company, but if they remove one of the most memorable shows from the popular streaming service, they will start to drop in sales and subscribers.

Fortunately, I am relieved this was just an early April fools joke from Netflix.

For many of the stars on the show, Netflix’s announcement did not affect them due to their already established careers, but it damaged the hearts of many entrenched “Friends” fans.

“Netflix really has the audacity to remove ‘Friends’ January first.. excuse me while I cancel my subscription,” said Twitter user Brooke Lesterw.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ‘FLICKR’

Netflix and chill

VS Hulu and chill

by Brooke O’Connor

In the early 2000s, Blockbuster was the queen of movie rentals, but when is the last time you rented a movie from a Blockbuster? Online streaming services have quickly taken the spot of physical movie rentals.

The main one everyone knows is Netflix, but what about the other streaming services.

Netflix has been the leading online streaming service ever since it started streaming movies in 2007. Netflix started off just streaming movies, but as it started to grow, it also started streaming TV shows. Subscribers of Netflix are now able to open one service and choose from a wide variety of shows and movies to watch.

This is why the catchphrase “Netflix and chill” came about. This phrase is used mainly by teens, but it might start to die out as Netflix’s competitors begin to rise.

Netflix’s number one competitor right now is Hulu.

Unlike Netflix, Hulu started off only streaming TV shows and slowly started adding movies. While Netflix holds more content than Hulu, it has TV shows that are more current such as “The Good Doctor” and “Manifest” while Netflix contains classic shows such as “Friends” and “New Girl.” The big difference between

these two services is when they release their new content. Hulu subscribers only have to wait about a day to watch an episode after it was released on TV, while Netflix subscribers have to wait until the whole season has streamed on TV until it is added to the library. For example, if someone is watching “Grey’s Anatomy” on Netflix, they will have to wait for the next season to come out after it has been streamed on TV. On Hulu, someone who is keeping up with new episodes of “Grey’s Anatomy” can watch the next episode the day after it is released.

Netflix gains the love from its subscribers by giving them unlimited movies and TV shows free from the commercials. Hulu, on the other hand, contains 120 second commercials that break up the content just like TV itself. Obviously viewers would rather be free from commercials than have their content broken up, but they would also want to see the TV show right as it was released.

The decision to choose between Netflix and Hulu is all up to the binge watcher themselves and what they prefer when it comes to their late nights alone with their TV show or movie marathon.

PHO

NS COMMO EATIVE R C Y B VIDED TO S P RO

Old TV hits should make a comeback “I know ‘Hannah Montana: The Movie’ used to be on Netflix, but they took it off, and this truly was a disappointment to me. I also think it would be really cool if they put other movies on there too such as, ‘Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie’,” said Pepper.

When people watch these shows, it will bring back so many different memories that they had during times of their childhood.

“I miss watching these shows because they were really entertaining and were honestly the best part of my day,” said Pepper.

Younger generations also could take advantage of

by Lauren Jaton this.

How fun would it be if Netflix decided to put all “The younger ones can also enjoy these shows the old TV shows people watched growing up as kids that Disney used to make because all of the shows onto their online streaming network? now are not very good when comparing to older This would allow kids of all ages to experience the shows,” said Pepper. shows that teens watched as kids. They could have a The work that these older shows put out could little mix of old and new shows. Along with kids now, help many people. teens and young adults that watched those shows “With society today, everything is changing and I can reminisce over their childhood days. think it would help out film production to get inspiLHS junior, Keaira Pepper has a list of shows from ration from successful TV shows,” said Pepper. the early 2000s that she would love to see make a Overall, many teens would enjoy putting these comeback. shows on Netflix maybe even more than younger “I think it would be amazing if Netflix put ‘Hannah ones would.

Montana,’ ‘That’s So Raven,’ ‘Suite Life of Zack and Cody’ and ‘Wizard of Waverly Place’ on their page to bring something new to the table,” said Pepper.

Netflix could also put up even older TV shows such as “Kim Possible” and “Lizzie McGuire.” These would be for the “babies” that were born in the 90s.

An idea Pepper had was to possibly even incorporate some movies that these shows have made.

PHOTO PROVIDED BY CREATIVE COMMONS

INSEPARABLE TWIN SOFTBALL

by Alexis Brady & Madeleine Kemper

PHOTO BY ALEXIS BRADY

PHOTO PROVIDED BY BECCA NEVIN

then convinced Annie to start catching because her sister Identical twins from needed someone to catch for LHS, Annie Klatt and her every day. This decision Abbie Klatt, share a started the unstoppable duo pitcher-catcher bond on that is now committed to play the softball field that has Division I softball. recently caught the eye of “We didn’t really USD, where they are now understand what the whole both committed to play. recruiting process was like, The two juniors have so we went to a camp and been playing competitive then we came back [to USD] softball together for six two weeks later to do a visit, years. The duo that takes and we fell in with it love the field now originally compared to everything we started with Annie Klatt had seen so far,” said Annie playing shortstop and Klatt.

Abbie Klatt a secondBefore coming to Sioux baseman. When one of the Falls this past year, the twins twins very first competitive lived in Okoboji, Iowa. This teams was in need of a small town did not offer them pitcher, Abbie stepped up a lot of exposure, so traveling to give it a try. Their mom to camps was their only way

DUO COMMITS TO USD of putting themselves out there.

“We came from northwest Iowa, and recruiting there is zero, so moving here was completely different. We went to camp about two weeks ago, but I’ve been receiving letters from USD since June. A week later we came back for a visit and committed, so it went very fast,” said Abbie Klatt.

Softball is the sisters’own special activity that they are able to do together, and it is the basis of what makes their relationship so unique.

Having never experienced being on separate teams or going to separate schools, they did not want to be separated once they left high school. They both hope that

the transition to college will only help to strengthen what they have.

“I am very excited to go to school with her and to play ball with her. That was an extremely big concern because we have never been separated from each other for more than a week, if that,” said Abbie Klatt. “It’s honestly been a gift.”

Compared to other pitchers and catchers, Annie Klatt and Abbie Klatt have very strong communication with each other.

“Our communication is completely different; we have all these jokes and signals that we know what they mean when other people don’t,” said Abbie Klatt.

As most siblings do, they argue, but the Klatt sisters have always been able to move past that and push each other. They know how to give encouragement to one another during a serious game, while still giving each other space to focus. This system that holds their bond together will continue to grow as they go further in life.

“She’s not just the person that will push me the hardest, but she’s also the person that cheers me on the most,” said Abbie Klatt. “She’s not just my sister, she’s my best friend.”

PHOTO PROVIDED BY BECCA NEVIN

SCHOOL SECURITY: SHOULD WE DO MORE?

by Levi Roberts

Valentine’s Day 2018 woke the nation in a state of fright. Seventeen people were killed by former student, Nicolas Cruz.

Americans everywhere felt sorrow for what had happened to these people going through such a tragic event. This event pushed the idea of gun control and the idea of making our schools even safer than they already are.

At LHS, we have two police officers who are armed and we also only have one way to get into the school, which is through the administration door. All guests must sign in and wear a name tag. This has been effective because there has not been any gun violence at LHS. This gives administrators time to look the person over before they come into the school.

The other schools in the Sioux Falls School District are the same way, although students have managed to sneak in guns.

In 2015, the principal of HHS was shot and luckily survived.

In November there was a bomb and

gun threat to RHS. Student panic made almost the entire population of RHS leave because of fear that something would happen. The problem in these situations is not the gun by any means, it is the person with the intent of killing somebody with the gun. The students at RHS were not scared of the guns and if they were, the FBI and extra police would have been the reason for students leaving because they have guns. Guns of course after all kill people, right?

April 20, 1999 was the date of a very deadly school shooting. Columbine High School in Columbine, Colorado was the most unexpected attack. Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris had plans to plant a bomb and kill many people. It was a mass murder than ended with a shootout, then both men taking their lives instead of facing justice for their crime. This is the event that led to the discussion of school security because nothing like this had ever happened before. Back when most of our

PHOTO BY MIKE STOCKER/ZUMA PRESS/NEWSROOM Students are evacuated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, after a shooter opened fire and killed 17 people on Feb. 14.

parents were in school, kids actually had guns in their vehicles to go hunting after school and sometimes even the principal if they hunted too.

Something must be done to make our schools safer to prevent something like this from happening. A proposed idea would be to take “Gun Free Zone� signs off school buildings because that only invites somebody with a gun, saying that there is nobody to stop them if they did come in with a weapon. Another proposed idea would be that we should increase guns in our schools. Teachers should be allowed to conceal carry. This does not force teachers to take the gun course and make them have a gun but it makes teachers who have experience to conceal carry. This act alone could decrease gun violence in schools because someone who has the intentions of killing somebody

with a gun really will not want to when there are police officers and staff members who outgun them.

One final way would be to look through bags before kids enter the school. Some kids might end up getting annoyed by this idea of somebody looking through their bag, but if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to fear. A sudden bag check one day without telling students would have great benefits. There would be a huge possibility of students being caught with drugs or vapes and maybe even weapons.

If we have to sacrifice part of our freedom in order to keep the students at LHS and around the school district or country safe, we should definitely do this.

Prepare To be SPOOKED PHOTO BY EMILY EKSTRUM

by Radiana Simeonova & Emily Ekstrum You have probably heard of the spirits that wander the empty halls when the school day has come to an end; the tale of rattling keys, belching pipes and lingering shadows has surely caught your ear? While janitors deny the ghastly apparitions, some teachers swear they have seen the shadows of the specters that haunt the halls. Which side do you take: fact or fiction?

After embarking on a guided tour into the depths of the LHS basement with custodian Chris Moneke, we discovered the complexity of the underground layer. With three vast chambers connecting to create the core of the school, protracted pipes stretch throughout tunnels that seem to never end. Although it was rather difficult for us to navigate, Moneke knew each nook and cranny by heart. The custodial staff’s work extends beyond the days of the school year; often, the summers are busier than the school year itself, making LHS a second home to many custodians.

While weaving through the labyrinth that is said to be the home of LHS’s beloved ghosts, we looked- and listened- for evidence of spirits. There were a few markings on the walls that resembled words, however, Moneke confirmed it to be the work of past students who had visited the basement.

“I don’t believe there are any

spirits. I’m usually the only one down here but I’ve been at this school for a long, long time and I have never once encountered ghosts,” said Moneke.

As we traveled through the never-ending maze, the temperature fluctuated often from a chilly breeze to a hot and heavy engulfment. The eerie “hot-spots” warned us of past whereabouts of the ghosts of LHS. Moneke reassured us that it was only the heating and cooling systems regulating, yet the overwhelming sense that we were not alone could not be explained so easily. Abandoned desks and chairs littered the deep chambers and tangling tunnels, obviously inhabited by a phantom who thrives in the darkness. While Moneke does not believe in the possibility of a ghost lurking under our classrooms, he admits there has been past custodians who found the presence of the spirit to be unbearable.

Teacher, Charnelle Wooledge, on the other hand, is certain of LHS’s phantom phenomenon.

In years past, she has noticed shadows passing library windows and doors opening and closing on their own, as well as random unnerving noises ringing through the halls.

“I’ve heard of the shaking of the keys, and next door I’ve seen ghosts, so to speak, and heard them in here [my classroom], in the band room and in the E-wing area,” said Wooledge.

There is no doubt in our minds that when the parking lot empties and LHS is vacant of all staff, one lonely soul still remains hidden within the depths of the basement.

“I’ve heard of the shaking of the keys, and next door I’ve seen ghosts, so to speak, and heard them in here [my classroom], in the band room and in the E-wing area,” said Wooledge.

BY THE NUMBERS

63%

of students believe in the ghosts

75%

of students believe that there is a pool in the basement

The Hefty Prices of Club sports Carson Woods Club sports such as soccer and basketball can be very expensive, but they have a large variety of opportunities for young athletes to grow in their development. In order for kids and teenagers to be able to play sports outside of school, families need to pay, and when they don’t have enough money, there is financial support to help them to be able to play.

Soccer and basketball are common club sports for many kids, there are many clubs for each sport all around town. For soccer, two of the main ones are Dakota Alliance Soccer Club and Tempo Soccer Club. For basketball, three well-known clubs are Bartlett Basketball Academy, Network and Pentagon.

Dakota Alliance and Tempo prices vary dramatically. Temby

po’s annual cost is $325 plus the uniforms which cost $199.

Dakota Alliance has an annual cost of $625 all the way to $825, depending on the age group.

The uniforms for Dakota Alliance cost $112. These prices for both clubs just include uniform and annual fees. They do not take into account the cost of the hotel, the food, the gas and maybe even plane tickets. It is likely that in one weekend out of town, athletes eat out around four to six times. Although Dakota Alliance costs more,they offer more assistance and training options for kids that are very competitive and want to play soccer at a high level.

Bartlett Basketball Academy has had prices rise in the last couple years. Just like soccer, basketball also has hefty pric-

es. BBA’s fall/winter season is typically around $600-$900, the summer/spring season for BBA is around $700-$1,000. These prices only account for the season fee, not the uniforms or travel expenses. Pentagon Basketball Academy is another well-known club in Sioux Falls that also has a high cost. PBA costs $850 plus tax for the season fee, and that fee does include uniforms and other costs.

Club sports can be expensive, but for most young athletes it is a guaranteed happiness.

Soccer and basketball alike have their annual fees plus the uniforms and travel expenses. Although the prices are expensive, the joy the kids feel when winning is priceless.

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY DAKOTA ALLIANCE SOCCER CLUB AND BARTLETT BASKETBALL ACADEMY

BEWARE UNDERDOG of the

Hunter Hauck The underdog has made a name for itself this year in the NFL, as there have been many astonishing outcomes to seemingly predictable games.

Whether it was the Bills upsetting the Vikings or the Cowboys upsetting the Saints, it is safe to say that the NFL has been nothing short of unpredictable this season. This erratic pattern has sparked conversation about whether these losses should be credited to flukes or to overconfidence.

One of the earliest major upsets this year came in the week three matchup between the Vikings and the Bills. The Vikings, who were 17 point favorites, had a confident fanbase behind them as they took the field at U.S. Bank Stadium. Surprisingly, the reigning NFC North champions, the Vikings, lost at home to a team that has only been to the playoffs once in the last 18 seasons, the Bills.

One of the more recent major upsets came in the week 13 game between the Cowboys and the Saints. The Saints were huge favorites as they came into that game on a 10 game winning streak.

However, the unpredictable happened when the Cowboys held the Saints, who average 34.9 points a game, to only 10 points. by

Arguably the best team in the NFL, the Saints, lost to an overlooked underdog, the Cowboys.

While upsets of this magnitude are easily noticed, many other upsets have happened this season, notably the Titans upsetting the Patriots.

More times than one, an underdog has shocked millions of viewers. While many of these losses are shrugged off as flukes, it may be worth recognizing that a trend has started to form.

Underdogs have began to perform unbelievably well against their intimidating opponents.

Maybe there is an underdog mentality that enables them to play better; however, it is more likely that the favored team recognizes underdogs as minor obstacles rather than real challenges.

Because of upsets by the Bills, the Cowboys and the Titans, it should become abundantly clear that beating an underdog is no easy task. As the frequency of major upsets such as these increase in the league, maybe it is time to start taking underdogs seriously.

Photo provided by Keith Allison

Democracy: Can

by Aaron Condron Democracy is touted by many to be the best form of government, but it has numerous issues. For example, many people in every democracy have counterproductive opinions, so giving them an equal say in everything would be bad for society. Though democracy is imperfect, many social philosophers think we cannot do any better. LHS students, however, think we can.

In a survey of LHS students, not one thought that democracy was the best form of government theoretically possible, and a popular alternative suggested was a communist state.

“Theoretically, a classless and money-less communist state or meritocracy would be best (with a workers board meeting to discuss and negotiate prices). This reduces corporate profit incentive and makes it so people work not for greed but to better themselves intellectually and physically,” said LHS freshman Daniel Bethke.

In principle, a communist state is based on “seizing the means of production” from the state. Communism, at least in theory, would advance equality and the sense of community in a society. Also, derived from equality, communism supports complete equality between women and men.

Communism is a great ideal in theory, but would not work in practice. “Hopefully, society can move past prioritizing profits before people, but until we take some bold steps, this will sadly never happen,” said Bethke.

The idea of a completely content proletariat class may be pragmatically useful for every member of a society, but there is a reason the American Dream has persisted. Everyone wants to move onwards and upwards. It is not human nature to be content, and until one is the ruler of a society, they cannot possibly be completely satisfied with their place. Also, communism hinges on everyone having equal access to everything, but, eventually, as the world has seen time and time again, someone will want to seize power. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics is a prime example. Though the Soviet Union came very close to becoming completely Marxist, it eventually fell victim to the same thing that all other Communist nations have in the past: lust for power. Failed communist states tend to harshly fluctuate to the other extreme. Take, for example, the People’s Republic of China. Though the ruling party in China is called the Communist Party, they have an abysmal human rights record and its citizens have very few freedoms.

At the other end of the spectrum, fascism is an unpopular but possibly helpful form of government in which an absolute dictatorship rules over the rest of the society. Though few people would be happy on the inside of a fascist state, it would advance quickly in science, engineering and general societal progress as citizens are unable to object.

Of course, as anyone can tell, fascism has its share of issues as well. First, every aspect of fascism is in violation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations document which outlines the rights that every human should have. The general happiness in a fascist state is nonexistent. Though we know very little about the citizens of true fascist states in the modern day due to the absolute secrecy they often hold to, societies which entered and left dictatorship have seen public shows of dissent, often met with harsh recourse. On June 4, 1989, a rebellion against the communist state turned dictatorship in China was met with a brutal silencing that would come to be called the Tiananmen Square Massacre. Now, every mention to the massacre is banned in China, leading them to be called the “People’s Republic of Amnesia” by PRI. With both of these forms of government having so many issues, one has to wonder if Democracy is the best option in practice. The short answer? Not technically. A “true democracy” is not a good system for a multitude of

n we do better? reasons, not the least of which being that if even 51 percent of a population believes something, the other 49 percent gets ignored completely. This can lead to terrible public officials, oppressive policy and other things that most people would not prefer on a normal basis. However, as one may be able to guess, America’s system is not a true democracy. America is a republic, which less so favors the majority in favor of the Constitution. If the majority wants to revoke the freedom of assembly, it does not matter. America’s sacred text says that cannot happen, so it cannot.

With Trump in office, America is inching towards a true democracy. Will the Constitution prevail, or will Trump still be in the Oval Office in 2028? It is impossible to say for sure. The American people were vigilantly devoted to the Constitution in the past, but with more and more people preferring what Trump wants to what Washington wanted, it is seeming more and more probable that the president will be able to defeat the Constitution. However, one thing can be said for certain: American Democracy is what the Founding Fathers wanted, and if the Constitution dies, then so will America.

“No one pretends that democracy is perfect or allwise. Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the other forms that have been tried from time to time.” -Winston Churchill

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