November 2013

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theroar November 2013

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theroar Voice of the Students

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4 Inbox

16 Ready to Roll

Letters, surveys, tweets and more

Konur Oyman previews winter sports

5 Pass or Fail

17 Ace in the Hole

State’s rejection of Common Core test harms students

Krasny leads volleyball team by example

6 Apathy and Violence

19 Cat Tales

Tragic events should spur discussion

1HZV 7 On the Road

New law tries — and fails — to prevent texting behind the wheel

8 BPS: Brevard

Patron Schools New policy permits school board to put ads on campus

9 Double Dipping

Increased dualenrollment numbers have consequences

ON THE COVER: Illustration by Jack Dickens for The Roar

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Core Conflict Agreement on new standards is anything but common.

Sam Lack calls out “fair weather� fans

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Miley Cyrus’s antics aim to offend

21 Book Review

After cliffhanger, “House of Hades� doesn’t disappoint

by Keiran Sheirdan

22 Movie Review

Welcome Aboard Meet West Shore’s first Farrell ’Cat

23 Music Review

by Erin Sheridan and Michelle Maldonado

15 Ice Princess Senior Michelle Smith balances extracurricular activities with a competitive skating schedule.

Outstanding “Gravity� excells in acting and cinematography

Timberlake’s latest “20/20� clearly rises above the rest

by Evy Guerra

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/D[ GUHVV FRGH VHWV EDG H[DPSOH While I don’t necessarily agree with the administration’s new dress code policy, I think that the lack of enforcement of the new policy by administrators and teachers this year is abysmal. It seems to me that if the administration creates a rule, and continually stresses that rule (even going so far as to threaten suspension), that they should enforce that rule. By not enforcing the dress code, the administration is not only setting a negative example for us, but they are direcly feeding into our proclivity for rule-bending. While I understand that teachers may not have the time to dress code students (or even want to dress code students), I still think it is important to enforce what is effectively “the law� here at West Shore. Really, what’s the point of having a rule if it is not going to be enforced? If you want people to follow the dress code, you have to enforce it. People won’t stop wearing leggings as pants or donning “short-shorts� if they think that the threat of suspension is empty. We’re teenagers; it’s basically in our DNA to rebel and you really can’t expect us to do something just because you say we should. In order for the new dress code policy to be effective, your actions need to support it.

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When Mrs. Fallon was talking about not using our phones, does that include s ending selfies? -Daniel Tenbusch @DanielTenbusch How many shootings have to happen before we get enough motive to do something about it? -Paula Kostro, @PaulaKostro

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6PRNH LQ WKH VN\ 7HUURULVWV ERPEHG WKH WKH :RUOG 7UDGH &HQWHU RQ 6HSW MXVW RYHU \HDUV DJR 0HPRU\ ORVV VDGGHQV VWXGHQW For the past 12 years Sept. 11 has been a day of mourning and remembrance for the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks on our nation. Every year, there has been some sort of memorial at school, whether it be a moment of silence, a discussion in history class, or even a simple announcement over the intercom. So why was this year any different? It saddens me to no end that this day of sorrow has become just another day of the school year. It is disrespectful and rude to not even acknowledge the fact that tragedy struck on Sept. 11, and instead to go about our normal activities blatantly ignoring the effects it had on our nation. Not a single one of my teachers even mentioned what happened on Sept. 11. They completely disregarded the fact that it changed history. Thousands of lives were changed due to the Sept. 11 attacks and we did absolutely nothing to honor and thank those people for their duties of heroism, and that is unacceptable. 4JFSSB 1VSEFO UI (SBEF

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7HVW WUDYDLOV FRQWLQXH ZLWK GHQLDO RI &RPPRQ &RUH In an obvious political move, Gov. Rick Scott recently decided to opt out of the Partnership for the Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers Test, or PARCC, that was developed in conjunction with the Common Core State Standards Initiative to measure if students meet the standards set by the new education initiative. Common Core is largely a reaction to the United States’ low rankings on international tests. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, students in the United States, compared with the rest of the world, rank 25th in math, 12th in reading and 20th in science. As the economy is quickly globalizing, the aim of Common Core is to transition the current education system into one that better prepares students in the United States for competition with people from all across the world. Despite the fact that Common Core is a product of compromise among the states, the initiative has been met with instant political opposition. Members on both sides of the isle objected to the consortium, on the grounds that it either represents too much of a “government takeover” or that it is a “one-size-fits-all” approach to education. In Florida, the

most vocal opposition has come from the Tea Party, who are one of the governor’s biggest supporters. Cue Scott’s “compromise.” This argument over education has become exasperating. Our state legislators have failed to maintain a consistent test for measuring student achievement, and we as students have been plagued with countless, constantly-changing tests for the past 10 years. The fact that our legislators and our governor are not capable of providing us with uniform standards and assessments from year to year represents a serious lack of concern on their part for education. And with the PARCC test out, Scott has re-opened the door for textbook companies to control testing in the state of Florida. Remember the travesty that was the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test? With this executive order, Scott has taken a step back into the embrace of corporations who will, once again, have control over the most important tests in our high school careers. Are we as students really more comfortable with allowing private companies, who have no interest, aside from monetary, in our education to write tests that decide so much of our future?

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Molly Minta

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6WXGHQWV PXVW UHFRJQL]H DQG GLVFXVV WUDJHGLHV %\ 0ROO\ 0LQWD After a weekend of food poisoning and a rough morning of battling my alarm clock, I woke up late on Sept. 16 to a CNN breaking news alert that there was a shooting in the Navy Yard in Washington, D.C. I continued with my day, uneasy. Every hour marked a new development and steadily throughout the day the number of certain deaths rose. I thought my mom would, at the very least, mention it when she came home, but the topic was never broached. When I returned to school on Tuesday, I was certain the shooting would be a discussion. At minimum, it would be something briefly mourned in journalism. What I did not expect was complete silence. Complete silence from the same people who, merely a week before, were tweeting “#neverforget911” or Instagramming a picture of the Twin Towers. Silence from the same people who always, without fail, have had an opinion on the news. The last time I discussed the Sept. 11 attacks was in eighth grade U.S. history class. We completed the usual routine: listening to the distressed phone calls, tensely watching a video of the Twin Towers falling, and then sharing, in an odd fashion, where we were when the attacks occurred. What was unusual about that year, however, was that history teacher Christine Clark opened the topic for discussion, and I remember (due to her disagreement) saying something akin to “We should be more thankful for the fact that terrorist attacks don’t happen that often.” In other countries, terrorism, domestic or foreign, occurs so often that the people have become desensitized, not just to the reporting of the acts, but to the acts themselves. They do not have the energy, nor the ability, to mourn or become outraged. The politicians do not have the luxury of a drawn out, phlegmatic debate over guncontrol, or whether “violent” video games are responsible for the brutality. The leaders don’t have time to puzzle over the reason why there is so much violence in their country, because they are too concerned with aiding the citizens in recovery. And the citizens do not have time to be empathetic,

as they are too concerned about their own welfare. To them, the horror of a mass shooting is familiar, if not sad. So far this year, according to the FBI, the U.S. has been subject to at least 16 mass shootings. Now, how many times have I heard any of the mass shootings mentioned at school since the start of this school year? Zero. How many times have I heard Miley Cyrus mentioned? I’ve lost count. Does no one else see a problem with the fact that we are more vocal about Cyrus’s latex costume than about any of the shootings this year? We, as students, need to continue to talk about the shootings. They need to be conversations, debates—not just a lamentation in passing. We cannot ignore the news, especially news of this nature, because when we do we become just like the other countries that are plagued by terrorism, except our inability to resolve our problems will be the product of self-induced ignorance, not continuous catastrophe. Congress’s perennial gridlock over 3KRWR &UHDWLYH &RPPRQV gun control partially stems from the public’s apathy towards the shootings. If every mass shooting spurred a large discussion, not just the most shocking ones, Congress may be enticed to finally resolve the issue. The lack of reaction to the Navy Yard shooting is indicative of a larger societal problem: laziness. We would rather watch Gangnam Style than any of the videos on the C-SPAN’s YouTube channel. The majority of us don’t want to think unless we absolutely have to, won’t do homework unless our grade would suffer without it and would not volunteer in our community if the Bright Futures scholarship was not an incentive. “The next generation is lazy and ignorant” is not a new complaint. Our parents were told this, as were their parents. However,

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those generations did not have the same access to unceasing distractions. We only care about what is easy, and because of that I fear the prediction will come true. If we don’t care enough about the news to talk about it, to take action concerning it, then who will hold Congress accountable for their actions? Who will be concerned with protecting our freedom of speech? Our suffrage? If we stop paying attention to what happens in our world, it’s not an exaggeration to say that our freedoms could be taken away. Society doesn’t progress when the next generation cares only about themselves, their families, the basic necessities of life and consuming frivolous entertainment. We already know of the

' & 1DY\ <DUG 6U :LW[ (HYVU (SL_PZ MH[HSS` ZOV[ WLVWSL harmful results; I, you, will not enjoy the same standard of living as our parents enjoy today. The good news is that we’re not incurably apathetic. We cared about Sandy Hook, Boston and Trayvon Martin. All it takes is one glance at the television, the internet, or a magazine. All it takes is five minutes to have a meaningful, intellectual conversation. Actions as small as those can create informed, dynamic participants in society who can make a powerful difference. And if a majority of us began to do that, everything would change. If we’re informed, our society and our government will gradually become more effective and responsive. Then, maybe, tragedies such as this will be avoided.

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ŇŠ7RRWKOHVVŇ‹ WH[WLQJ ODZ WDNHV HIIHFW /RZ Ă€QHV HQIRUFHPHQW LVVXHV XQGHUPLQH LQWHQW %\ .DWLH *DUZRRG Text-message your friend while behind the wheel at a traffic light? It’s fine. Send an e-mail to your mom while cruising up U.S. 1? It’s a ticket only if a police officer sees you do something else wrong and sees you texting. Looking to level up in Candy Crush Saga? Feel free, as long as the officer knows you weren’t “manually typing or entering multiple letters, numbers, symbols, or other charactersâ€? while doing so. Welcome to Florida’s long-awaited texting-while-driving law. The state joins 40 others with some kind of law banning the practice of sending or reading text messages while driving and three others that make it a secondary offense. But the Sunshine State’s new regulations are fairly weak, say critics, alluding to a requirement that law-enforcement officers first spot a driver doing something else wrong before a $30 texting ticket can be written. A second offense is $60. “I think on paper it’s a good idea,â€? Student Resource Officer Chuck Landmesser said. “But I think there’s difficulty in proving the person is actually texting.â€? In 2011 alone, more than 3,000 deadly crashes were due to the usage of a cell phone. Government teacher and former police officer Bob Sarver said the law is not strong enough to prevent the damage done by texting and driving. “The effects of not paying attention can be life-ending,â€? Sarver said. “People would pay attention to the road more with a higher penalty. The average text takes five seconds to read, and if people shut their eyes and count to five while driving, a lot can happen.â€? In fact, if a driver in a car moving at 55 mph looks down for 5 seconds, they have already traveled the length of a football field. Although the ban on texting went into effect Oct. 1, some drivers continued their now-illegal behaviors by texting and driving. “I’ve gotten three calls today [Oct. 11]

of people calling in to report a person not staying in their lane, and it appeared they were texting,� Landmesser said. Eighth-grader Daley Mann said she has also noticed illegal activity on the roads after the law went into effect. “I don’t think people will listen to the new law,� she said. “We were on the highway the other day, and saw a kid, maybe 16, driving and he was texting.� The texting and driving law joins

“People will still [text and drive] no matter what,� Mitchell said. “People think they can get away with it. No matter how many laws or regulations are passed, people will still do it.� In addition to the law against texting and driving, companies such as AT&T have created apps to prevent texting and driving without the need of a “fine-print� law. The app called AT&T Drive Mode blocks users from receiving texts while traveling

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more than 25 mph. Instead, text senders receive an automated response saying their message wasn’t delivered because the recipient was too busy driving. Landmesser said that with the new law, he hopes accidents decline. “I’m hoping that people become more conscious and [the law] prevents crashes,� he said. The severity of texting and driving does not lay in the $30 fine, but in the consequences of being one of the 1.6 million drivers involved in an accident because of it. “Texting and driving is a serious thing,� Sarver said. “You can kill someone; taking five seconds to read a text can be deadly.�

seatbelt law on a list critics say are watered-down, unenforceable measures. Sophomore Marissa Cruz said she isn’t surprised. “People are stubborn,� Cruz said. “If people won’t put on their seatbelts, they won’t stop texting either.� Efforts in the past by state legislators to make the law against texting a primary offense have fallen short, resulting in the passage of a weak law that likely won’t change anything, according to junior Shelley Mitchell.

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2Q 6DOH 1RZ &KDQJH LQ SROLF\ DOORZV GLVWULFW WR DGYHUWLVH RQ FDPSXV %\ (OHQD $EDVFDO As junior Ronny Rickard sits down to lunch something catches his eye. He’s not the first to notice the 3 x 8 ½ foot poster with the words “Cinema Worldâ€? streamed across the bottom. “[The poster] is a simple and effective way to bring money to the school board without disrupting students,â€? Rickard said. While in the past advertisements were not allowed in public schools, the school board has approved a new policy which permits corporate sponsorships on campus. “The policy establishing advertisements to generate needed revenue was brought forth and approved in public board meetings,â€? Superintendent Brian Binggeli said via-

email. So far, the advertisements have received positive feedback. “We have had very few concerns [related to advertising],� Binggeli said. “In reality we have had several stakeholders who have been positive about our thoughtful and strategic approach to this effort. “With significant budget challenges, the administration and school board felt it should allow some forms of advertising as a means of generating needed revenue,� he said. Director of District Communications Michele Irwin said that after the decision was made to cut $25 million from the

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district budget, the school board felt that it needed a more comprehensive policy. According to Irwin, the revenue shares are based on how much effort the school must put forth to display the advertisement. Specifically, in the case of the Cinema World banner, the school receives no revenue, whereas 20 percent of the revenue brought in by visitor parking sponsorship would go directly to the school because the school custodial staff is responsible for fastening the signs to steel posts. “Because of the economic situation, schools and the district have to start thinking outside the box,â€? Assistant Principal Robert Farrell said.

/RRNLQJ (DVW &RPPXQLW\ &ROOHJH RSWLRQ ORRNV LQFUHDVLQJO\ DWWUDFWLYH %\ 1DWDOLH %URZQ Dual-enrollment has long been an option for Brevard County students, providing exposure to college-level courses at Eastern Florida State College — formally Brevard Community College — while still in high school and the opportunity to get an associate degree. The obvious attraction has led to a gradual exodus from high schools, smaller classes and increased expenses on the parts of schools. A specific reason for the move, however, remains elusive, with the economic advantages, the elasticity of a college schedule, and preparation for university workload factoring in. “[Students] just want to earn credits,” Guidance Counselor Dina Dearmin said. “They like the idea and it could start off as ‘let me try it out’ one summer and they like it. They try another class and another, and then by junior or senior year they want to do it full time.” Dual-enrollment students do not have to pay for their tuition or their books, but only for lab use fees, parking fees, and other nonspecific charges. This makes it economically advantageous for students, moving closer to their associates at a substantially reduced cost. “Each class is approximately $300, and that’s not including books, which is another couple hundred,” Dearmin said. “The advantage is you’re saving money, saving time. You’re getting credit for college if you stay in the state or if you transfer to a school that accepts the credits and you get done with it. You can even earn high school credits as well, so you’re double-dipping, which is good.” Senior Kelly Etherton cited an easier commute to school as an advantage “For me personally, [Eastern Florida State] is literally five minutes from my house so I save a lot of time and money with gas,” she said. “Although I’m not getting my AA before I graduate, I’m getting credit for college classes and free book rentals and that’s a huge deal considering how much they cost at a university.” Junior Jessica Whaley enjoys the economic benefits.

“Not having to pay for college is great,” she said. “It puts me ahead in the long run.” Senior Taylor Eenhuis embraces the flexibility and atmosphere of the college schedule. “It’s really laid back and you can do your own thing,” she said. ”The professors don’t remind you about work after it’s assigned and you’re expected to keep up. But less work is assigned than at West Shore.” Senior Shaun Wilson noted some of the downsides.

“If you think about it, in the past it was only possible to graduate high school and then move on to college,” she said. “If you don’t have the money to do that, you either don’t go to college or get a job and save a long time and then go to college. The ability to enroll while still in high school creates an opportunity for kids to graduate high school with their AA — which may have been higher than they ever would have gotten on their own.” Increased enrollment has prompted the

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“People don’t approach you in the halls to have a conversation, so you have to walk with a friend to not feel awkward,” Wilson said. “Schoolwork is more independent and you have to keep on top of your work because teachers don’t remind you.” According to Dearmin, there has been an increase in dual-enrollment participation as it becomes more attractive to families. “I definitely notice more 10th-graders over the years,” she said. “Parents are realizing ‘Oh this is a cost-effective thing,’ so they’re probably encouraging their children at a younger age.” Etherton noticed the new opportunity dual enrollment can have for students.

county to rein in on the ease of registering. “They are cutting back on dual enrollment and it may not be an opportunity in the near future because of funds,” Etherton said. “In the past few years they have actually lost money and that’s never happened before because so many kids are doing it.” Beginning next year, standards will rise for students wanting to dual enroll: the minimum ACT Reading score will increase to 19 from 17. The Postsecondary Education Readiness Test (PERT) scores will increase to a 103 in writing and a 106 in reading, from a 99 in writing and a 104 in reading, Said Dearmin: “They’re definitely making it harder to get in.”

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'HYHORSPHQWV LQ &RPPRQ &RUH &UHDWH &RQWURYHUV\ %\ .HLUDQ 6KHULGDQ A government takeover of the public education system. Educational standards that on YouTube have been compared to Nazi Propaganda. Recently, Florida’s adoption of Common Core standards have been a central issue of political and educational controversy. “The Common Core initiative was founded by the National Governors Association many years ago under President Bush,” Principal Rick Fleming said. “The thing that aggravates me the most is the politicizing of the whole issue. I heard someone mention ‘Obamacore.’ I mean, really? It has nothing to do with whether it was President Bush or President Obama, the standards of Common Core and its aim to teach a deeper understanding has stayed the same.” According to the Common Core mission statement, the standards aim to provide a “consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn” in order to enable “teachers and parents to know what they need to do to help them.” “Common Core is currently stirring up some controversy, but I think it’s important to discuss it in its proper context which is how to view education standards in general,” Florida State Rep. Ritch Workman said. “Our state is committed to maintaining high standards for our students. Our commitment to standards and accountability has been instrumental in the education successes in our state over the last 15 years. Regardless of whether it is Common Core standards, we have to remember that standards are a good thing.” These standards were designed to give students a more in-depth understanding of school subjects and skills. “Rather than standards being an inch deep and a mile wide, standards will now be an inch wide and a mile deep,” Fleming said. “Reflecting on that analogy, I believe that Common Core is a move in the right direction because it will make it easier for students to synthesize topics.”

Still, Fleming sees flaws in the standards. “The problem is [in order] to implement Common Core holistically, you need strong funding,” he said. “Funding needs to be more thought out in terms of the transition from our current curriculum to Common Core, and the training and professional developments are needed for staff and teachers.” The controversy grew when Gov. Rick Scott decided to withdraw from the PARCC assessment in September. The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers, is a set of assessments developed by 18 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands to measure English and Math understanding and the college readiness of students K-12 using a common set of tests. This is one of the ways the Common Core Standards will be measured. “PARCC was the mechanism by which Common Core standards were to be measured,” Fleming said. “Now with our State indicating they wish to pull out of the PARCC, we do not know what the assessments to measure the Common Core are going to look like.” Fleming contends that without a broader assessment, Florida’s scores will not be directly comparable to those of states participating in PARCC assessments. “If our state wants to create its own assessment to measure the Common Core, its not going to be based on a standardized national scale,” Fleming said. “This means that the equity of measuring us against a state like Missouri or Ohio is not going to be there. That was the intended design of the assessment, to measure how each state was doing against a set of national standards. Not participating defeats the entire purpose.” Even so, Workman said the withdrawal from PARCC could be beneficial for Florida. “It is important to remember that we could theoretically keep the Common Core standards but choose to use a different

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assessment test; one that Floridians have more control over and that better fits the needs of our state,” he said. “We hope to have more answers in the coming months following the public hearings mandated by the governor’s executive order.” Others suggest that Florida might still participate in PARCC, just on a lesser scale. “Governor Scott has withdrawn the state from PARCC, but not in its entirety,” school board member Michael Krupp said. “We may still see some participation once the state Department of Education completes its tasks as directed by the governor.” In the meantime, Krupp said he backs Scott’s actions. “As a board member, I am supportive of state mandates,” he said. “I let the legislators sort out the laws, but I do provide input at the local level.” Fellow school board member Amy Kneesy cites cost as her primary objection to PARCC. “The testing will be very expensive to implement,” she said. “Any time standards and testing change, the publishing companies make a lot of money because schools have to buy new textbooks and student materials. The companies also then make the testing remediation materials. PARCC also requires a huge financial commitment for the computer hardware necessary to implement. I am glad that the governor has decided to slow down and not jump into PARCC.” While happy that Gov. Scott has decided to take a step back, Kneesy explains she is not happy with Common Core as a whole. “When it comes to Common Core, I have taken the stand of being opposed to this change,” she said. “I believe in high standards, but I believe that education is a states’ rights issue. Common Core will take local control of curriculum away from communities and place it in the hands of Washington D.C. The United States government was never meant to be a one

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size fits all model. Each state is unique and should have the final say in what their students learn.� Kneesy said people could look to other laws to support her viewpoint. “Another way to think of this is that we do not have one set of laws for the entire country,� she said. “We have some laws that apply throughout but for the most part each state, county, and city decides what is needed in their community. Education should be the same way. There should be some things that are the same, but the majority should be developed at the local level.� Kneesy’s concerns align with Workman’s. “There are legitimate concerns regarding possible federal overreach in many areas of public policy and this includes education policy,� he said. “This is why I support Governor Scott’s recent executive order that reiterated that the federal government should have a limited role in Florida’s education system, and officially withdrew Florida as fiscal agent from the PARCC testing consortium. I have serious concerns not only with federal involvement in PARCC but also regarding the ability of PARCC to deliver a test that meets the needs of our state.� Even with the surrounding controversies and the withdrawal from PARCC, Fleming still predicts Common Core will continue to be implemented. “I do not think Common Core is going away anytime soon,� he said. “I definitely think that the nobility of the effort of Common Core is just. It aims to move education towards a more comprehensive understanding of concepts.� Fleming said the controversies derive from the fact that the public has not been “given the opportunity to be properly informed.� “I have heard from many people — especially adults — that this is a national government takeover of the education system,� he said. “When this happens, I often ask the question ‘What standard are you looking at?’ Most people I ask cannot answer the question, which lends me to believe that they have no understanding of the standards whatsoever.� This lack of understanding could be explained by the political unrest surrounding the standards. “It is more of a political issue than anything,� Fleming said. “I think for one party or another, they are so polarized right now that under this current president everything is going to be viewed as too liberal, and if we had a Republican president it would be seen as too conservative. It is just the political climate that we are in right now which really hurts the education system. Schools start spending money on something such as Common Core and put in the time and money to prepare, knowing that the rule may change. Schools are getting caught in the midst of the politics of it all — and it hurts.�

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n the last day of school in 1986, Palm Bay High senior Robert Farrell cut class to spend time with his friends. He never could have imagined 27 years later he would not only be telling that story to a high school faculty, but that a member of that previous faculty, Chuck Keener, played a key role in the narrative. Farrell found resolution to his tale when he was introduced as West Shore’s new assistant principal on Sept. 13. “It was my senior year; last day of school and me and my buddy were just hanging out,� Farrell said. “The dean saw us and brought me into his office and got one last good lick on me. He did not really paddle me. It was all in fun.� O theroar O QRYHPEHU

Growing up in Brevard County, Farrell attended Palm Bay Elementary, Stone Junior High and Palm Bay High School. “I am a product of Brevard,” Farrell said. “More or less I am a product of Palm Bay. When I joined the Marine Corps I had the opportunity to see different parts of the world and the United States. I did not like the fast pace. I liked the slower pace in Brevard. There’s the river and the ocean— and I don’t like the cold.” Finishing high school in 1986, Farrell was unsure of what to do after graduating. “I was young and thought I had life all figured out,” he said. “I did not think I was ready to go to college. I just thought everything would work out, and that I would get a house and have money.” When Farrell was 18 years old, he had the opportunity to explore different careers, but chose the Marine Corps. “I always wanted to be the best and the Marine Corps was the best,” Farrell said. “I decided to give it a try, but about two years into it — I did a four-year tour — that’s when I decided it really was not for me.” When Farrell realized the Marine Corps was not in his best interest he took a different route. “I reflected back on my high school and the coaches that were there for me,” he said. “They had such a huge influence on me and I knew I wanted to do what they did for me.” Deciding to stay in Brevard, Farrell pursued a career at Bayside High School. “I taught U.S. History for five years before I became an administrator,” he said. Farrell resigned from being a teacher but continued to work at Bayside. “I am an original Bear and decided to become an administator,” Farrell said. “I was

one for 10 years.” Leaving Bayside, Farrell encountered a difficult goodbye to his fellow staff members and students. “I opened up the school 15 years ago so the relationships I had with the people was definitely the hardest part about leaving,” Farrell said. “When you are at a place so long you form many relationships with people and friends.” When leaving Bayside, he brought his signature phrase of “have a great day. You know I will,” to West Shore. “It truly has carried over into my life,” Farrell said. “I use to do afternoon announcements and no matter what type of day I had, I wanted my students to know I had a good one. I do believe you can make it a good day or not, the choice is yours. So, I choose to have a good day.” When given the opportunity to become the new assistant principal, Farrell applied immediately for the position. “Mr. Fleming wanted me to come so I came,” Farrell said. “But really I came since it is a great school and I really got an opportunity to see it firsthand at Homecoming. You guys really have great privileges here versus other schools since you have such a small senior class with about 140 while others have at least 350. Since you guys are here from seventh grade you get to know everyone pretty well. You get to form close friendships and will still probably be friends with them in college.” Upon Farrell’s arrival, he made a few suggestions to help the school, including adding student life photos to the front office to showcase the activities that students are involved in. “I do not really want to change anything,

but I do want to clean the campus up a little bit,” he said. “I want to try and brighten it up a little bit. There could be some fresh paint in the administrative office.” So how does West Shore compare to Bayside? “At both Bayside and West Shore there are similar programs offered to the students,” he said. “The difference with Bayside is that it’s open to anyone in the district but they have the Beta and Encore program which is the better quality students so in regard to that it is similar.” Along with the positive commonalities Farrell has noticed the negative ones as well. “Well, surprisingly the same problems that happen here with the air conditioning, bells and the intercom are the same problems at Bayside,” Farrell said. “So it’s not that just the age of the school. The main difference is that Bayside is more spacious.” Aside from working, Farrell enjoys spending his free time with his family. “I am happily married to my wife Casie who coaches at Tumbleweeds Gymnastics and have a daughter, Laney,” he said. “Ever since my daughter was two years old she’s had a passion for sharks and wants to be a shark researcher when she is older. My daughter also swims in the Sebastian area so we go to swim meets for her. Personally, I like to surf, workout, be with my friends and watch football.” Set aside from the work force Farrell, plans for his retirement. “It all depends how much money I make,” he said. “I would like to retirement some place close to the beach where I can hang out. Maybe I will move over next to Mr. Fleming down at the keys, so I can borrow his boat.”

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%\ (Y\ *XHUUD Hitting the alarm at 4:45 a.m., senior Michelle Smith hops form of competition. out of bed, ready to be at the Rockledge Ice Plex by 5:30. “With ice dance there’s a specific dance that you have to Smith ice skates five mornings a week, sometimes getting do and they give you different songs, you have to interpret ready for school at the rink and then driving the 17 miles the music,� she said. Michelle learned the new style during back to campus. She balances her studies and ice skating summer, practicing once a week for three months, and went life while being a member of the varsity dance team and to the 2013 Southwest Florida Fall Classic Figure Skating and the theater troupe, but her Basic Skills competition in practice schedule has become September, where she placed routine by now. first. “I’ve been ice skating since I Junior Alyssa Gorewitz, was three years old,� she said. who is also an avid ice skater, That early start has led to has been skating on the same success. Smith has attended competitive ice skating team, two World Ice Skating Theatre Ice, with Michelle competitions, once when for five years. it was held in France. Her “She is very theatrical, she’s favorite part was meeting the a good skater and she is fun other ice skaters. to be around,� Gorewitz said. “Getting to meet people Between the tight schedule from other teams, it was and intense workouts, everyone from all over the balancing everything can world and they just talked to become challenging, but you,� she said. “It was just a Michelle has only been cool event overall.� seriously injured once. In Susan Smith, Michelle’s her sophomore year, she tore mom, has been figure skating the cartilage in her wrist and for 15 years and started had to get surgery. skating for something to do “There was a day where during the week, not knowing I was really tired and kept 3KRWR 6XVDQ 6PLWK what a big part of her life it having a lot of really bad %HVW 6NDWH )RUZDUG .JDIFMMF 4NJUI QFSGPSNT would later become. falls,� Michelle said. “I have IFS TPMP SPVUJOF BU UIF 4PVUIXFTU 'BMM $MBTTJD “I had quit my job — I was an this weird thing with my JO &MMFOUPO 'MB BT QBSU PG IFS *OUFSNFEJBUF engineer — and I had been at wrists where my bones aren’t home for two years being a full 4IPXDBTF OVNCFS how they’re supposed to be so time mom,� Susan said. “I just wanted something to get out I pushed it back too far and kept repeatedly doing that.� of the house so I kind of started it on a whim. I hadn’t skated Michelle was not allowed on the ice for six weeks, but before.� the entire recovery process lasted six months. The time off, Between skating, studies, and other activities Michelle has a however, didn’t slow her down. tight schedule. Michelle’s hectic schedule does not only affect herself. Her “Since ice skating is in the morning, it doesn’t really conflict mom Susan is also lacking free time, but she gets enjoyment with anything because I only have competition like three out of Michelle’s accomplishments. times a year,� Michelle said. “I just miss a day of school but I “Busy daughter equals busy mom,� Susan said. �I try to don’t get as much sleep as I’d like to.� support her in everything she does, and one of the greatest Though Michelle has to complete the required Senior joys in my life is watching her participate in her activities or Project, she has already finished. She even figured out a way competitions or shows so I try to be there as much as I can.� to incorporate ice skating into it. Despite her 15 years of ice With graduation approaching in May, Michelle is uncertain skating experience, dance skating was not part of her skill set. about her future in competitive skating. Breaking away from her usual jumps and spins, Smith “I want to [keep ice skating] but it depends on where I go to learned how to dance skate for her Senior Project, a different school. I’ll probably mostly just do it when I come home.�

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/RQH VHQLRU .UDVQ\ OHDGV YROOH\EDOO WHDP %\ /LQGVD\ *RUKDP After the loss of six seniors last of normal volleyball seniors, such as year, Hannah Krasny, lone senior picking shirts out and creating the and captain of the Lady Wildcats’ bags of candy that are thrown to the volleyball team, single-handedly has crowd, which was split among the led the team as its oldest member. six last year. “It’s unreal being the only senior,� “As the only senior, I get a lot of Krasny said. “I have enormous shoes responsibility,� Krasny said. “That to fill, six pairs to be exact, and there can be a good thing or a difficult was a lot of pressure for me to lead thing. I have to be constantly aware the girls to perform to the level we of what I say and do around the girls did last year.� because I want to set a good example Last season, the Lady Wildcats and be a positive role model for ended their season 21-6, but fell in them.� the first round of regionals. Krasny gives credit to last year’s “We were really successful as a team seniors for shaping her into the last year, with far more older and person and player she is today. more experienced players than young “Last year’s seniors taught me how ones,� Krasny said. “It flip flopped 3KRWR 'HDQ 6WHZDUW to be composed, have fun on the this year and most of our team is 6ZHHW 'LJV 6HQLRU +DQQDK .UDVQ\ SUHSDUHV WR court and to appreciate all the time underclassmen, but even with less UHFHLYH D VHUYH GXULQJ D KRPH JDPH .UDVQ\ I have with my team,� Krasny said. experience we definitely have just as OHG WKH WHDP ZLWK GLJV SHU PDWFK “I strive to not only give my team much spunk and love for the game and that can take us really far.� advice for volleyball but also helping them out and guiding them Being the only senior this year, Krasny has to take on the duties through the crazy time we have together.�

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The girls swimming team completed their regular season at 11-1, losing only to Satellite by three points. “Words cannot express how extremely proud of I am of our girls’ team,� coach Don Gornto said. “It’s a nice feeling to see how our team members help each other out, even through times of difficulty.� Assistant Coach Gabrielle Powers said the team’s record was even more impressive given an unusually large number of injuries. “It was definitely difficult to work around the injuries on this team this year,� Powers said. “It was hard to try and make a schedule of who swims what event when some of a major swimmers couldn’t compete. Many of the girls were unable to practice until two weeks into the season, other girls were only able to swim in one meet throughout the season. Taking off practice — even for a few days — is detrimental to a swimmer’s capabilities.� One of the injured, senior Elena Abascal,

had a hard time staying out of the water, fearing that she would let down the team. “I hurt my neck and shoulder and it wasn’t until this summer that a doctor said it needed treatment,� Abascal said. “I ended up having to take almost an entire month off. I was really torn that I couldn’t be in the water with my team.� Uninjured senior Sierra Condo explained how the season was affected by the injuries. “It was weird because coach made us swim in events that we wouldn’t otherwise swim in,� she said. “It was a pain in the butt; however, it boosted us to do strokes we haven’t done before.� Optimism through the season helped the team endure its setbacks. “There is always something positive that comes out of difficult situations,� Powers said. “Many of our swimmers realized that they had to step up their game because much of the weight fell on their shoulders. This bumped up many personal times of the uninjured swimmers, and I’m really happy about that.�

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All through the cross country season, freshman Austin Camps’ performance reflected his devotion to the sport. At every meet he led the varsity team with the fastest time and even decreased his seasonal best from a 18:28 5K (2012) to a 16:25 5K at the Florida High School Athletic Association 2A District 13 race on Oct. 26. His new time of 16:25 broke graduate Jacob Smithe’s record of 16:48 set in 2011 and now Camps holds the record of fastest 5K time for West Shore Cross Country. “I trained four times a week at Wickham Park over summer and focused more on hard, high-intensity workouts,� Camps said. “Last year I was more concerned on my form.� His high-speed training paid off. Camps placed 13th in regionals on Oct. 31 and qualified as an

individual to compete at the state level in Tallahassee on Nov. 9. “It felt really good to pace the team and it definitely motivated me to go all out at every meet to keep my lead,� Camps said. “Christian Hayes and Ben Snodgrass were my biggest competition within the team and they pushed me to be my best.� Coach Greg Hayes said that Camps performances have caught the attention of just about everyone associated with high school cross country and to look for Camps to set a new personal record at the state finals. “The amazing thing is, Austin is only in the ninth grade,� Hayes said. “He is extremely coachable and listens and does everything I ask of him. Austin is one of the most consistent runners on the team and has shown steady improvement all season. He’s not afraid to go out with the lead pack.�

*LUOV GRPLQDWH 06 KRRSV ER\V HQG DW %\ 'DQQ\ 'ROQLN The middle school basketball teams “They never quit, and that displays have wrapped up their seasons, and the character and commitment the girls’ team ended with a record of on this team,� Derr said. “I am 8-1. They went undefeated through very honored to have had the the regular season and always won opportunity to participate in their by more than 20 points. journey and look forward to seeing As the girls’ team finished first in their continued development here at the Central Division, Coach George West Shore.� Derr was proud of their hard work The boys had an up-and-down and high expectations as well as season resulting in a record of 4-4. their improvement. Coach Derrick Hamilton believed “We had excellent leadership this the boys had more potential. season combined with newer players’ “I am used to coaching girls and I enthusiasm that has developed a took the challenge of coaching the philosophy of dedication to the boys,� Hamilton said. “They had a team,� Derr said. good season, but we didn’t reach 3KRWR 'HDQ 6WHZDUW The girls’ historic season ended +DQGV RII (LJKWK JUDGHU .KDOLO 3DXO GULEEOHV our full potential. The girls made it before they would have liked, DURXQG D &RFRD GHIHQGHU LQ DQ 2FW JDPH to the playoffs because they tend to however, as they fell to McNair, 11buy in more, but the boys go their 46. Despite the high deficit, Derr was own way. We have a bunch of kids proud of their resilience, and considered it a successful season for that want to be the Derrick Rose and LeBron James of the team. the Lady Wildcats. Overall, we enjoyed a successful season regardless.�

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%\ 6DP /DFN In honor of the NBA season starting, and LeBron James beginning his quest for his third consecutive league championship and Most Valuable Player award, your trivia question: When James joined his superstar pals Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh in Miami, what was his iconic, hourlong TV special called? Was it “The Choice,� “The Decision,� “The Selection� or “The Destination�? All aboard! Ladies and gentlemen, the bandwagon is now leaving the station. I sincerely hope to not see any of you on it, but I’m afraid a few students have a reserved seat. A bandwagon fan is one who cheers for a team when that team begins to succeed, and is also, as a Miami Heat fan, the bane of my existence. I grew up calling them “fair-weather fans,� but either label is appropriate and equally aggravating. What’s worse, being falsely characterized as a bandwagoner, or having to listen to actual offenders claiming they’ve always cheered on the Broncos when last year they were avid Baltimore Ravens supporters? Here are your guidelines for 7UXH )DQ 6RSKRPRUH +DQQDK 6WUXFNPDQ choosing a team to root for: OR\DOO\ FKHHUV RQ WKH :HVW 6KRUH EDVNHWEDOO 1) You live in a location relatively WHDP DQG QR RQH HOVH LQ D JDPH close to the team’s home stadium (i.e. fans in Minnesota are fans of the that they root for the Astros and Texans). Twins, Timberwolves and Vikings). Now here are reasons why you can Exception: You were born in Miami, root absolutely NOT root for a team. for the Marlins, but moved to Minneapolis. 1) You really like a player on a specific Don’t change just because you move, you team, and that player changes teams were born a Marlin, you die a Marlin (as and thus, you change your allegiance. I painful as that might be). understand respecting a player and his or 2) You or your parent attended the school her ability, but you can’t base your fandom (i.e. University of Delaware alum should on one participant when, it is repeatedly proudly support the Fightin’ Blue Hens). proved, in every sport, that without a 3) Your parents raised you to root for strong supporting cast, one player cannot a specific team (i.e. children raised in lead a team to success. Houston but whose parents were born in So, “LeBron James fans,� pick a team, you Chicago can still root for the Bears and can’t have been a Cavaliers fan and now Blackhawks, despite their locale suggesting root for the Heat.

2) Your original team angers you with it’s sub-par decision-making or you are mocked for publicly displaying allegiance to that team and you elect to change your loyalties to a more popular team. I’m an avid Marlins fan, and I can assure you that watching the teams’ ownership repeatedly trade players who go on to win multiple championships is like driving a sword into my soul, but I will still watch the games and proudly sport my orange, black and teal attire. When you root for a team, you take the bad with the good. That’s what loyalty is about. 3) You absolutely may not root for a team simply because that team is currently successful. I get that it’s more fun yelling “Roll Tide� and cheering for Alabama now that they’ve won so many championships than it is trying to cheer on your Florida Gators, who are clearly in a rebuilding year. It’s easier to be a Broncos or Seahawks fan than being one of the few Jaguars fans left. It’s much more socially acceptable to root for the World Series-winning Red Sox than to repeatedly be disappointed as Cubs fans whose team hasn’t won a championship since 1908. If you weren’t a Red Sox fan when they were in last place in 2012 or you claimed loyalty to the Packers when it was cool to root for them and Peyton Manning was still on the Colts, you’re not a Broncos fan. You’re a bandwagoner, and that’s unacceptable. I don’t want to discuss sports with people who just three years ago cheered for the Lakers or the Orlando Magic, yet now claim they are avid Miami Heat supporters. If you weren’t there for the 15-win season of 2008, I can’t consider you a fan and I don’t want to hear about how you’ve “always been a Heat fan, since they got LeBron.� Speaking of “King� James, his televised program in which he famously stated that he’s “taking his talents to South Beach� was called “The Decision� and it exhilarated all true Heat fans.

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cultureshock

%OXUUHG OLQHV ([ FKLOG VWDUV VHQG PL[HG PHVVDJHV %\ 6WHSKDQLH (YHUHVW Twerking on giant teddy bears, grinding on a foam finger, and stripping down to her underwear, Miley Cyrus’ performance at the MTV Video Music Awards in October rocked global headlines the next morning. Her display caused many to question how such a response reflects the consumer and the influential role of celebrities in today’s culture. “People took it too seriously,” senior Rosalie Heninger said. “Miley just wanted to be remembered, and people are still talking about it, so obviously she knew what she was doing. It was kind of funny.” The shock following Cyrus’ performance resembled the media uproar after the onstage kiss between Madonna and Britney Spears at the VMAs in 2001 and Lady Gaga’s meat dress in 2010. “I think celebrities are taking things too far and that Miley Cyrus is making a fool out of herself,” senior Ryan Wheat said. “They should lead people, not just be attention seekers.” Despite the negative comments, Cyrus’ raunchy VMA performance exceeded ten million views on YouTube, and her hit single “We Can’t Stop” received more than 200 million views. “The thing about celebrities is that a lot of them share our age group,” Wheat said. “Older celebrities don’t impact us as much, but people like Miley Cyrus and her twerking definitely have an influence. Just watch how people dance when they’re being silly.” According to a CNN report, many worry that celebrities with young fans from previous associations like Disney should be more cautious of their influence. “I’ve liked Miley since the premiere of Hannah Montana in 2006,” Heninger said. “If she did something bad, I wouldn’t do it. I just like Miley because she is not afraid to be herself, and she doesn’t care what people say. She just lives her life.” Whether or not celebrities have a negative impact on younger viewers is controversial. However, freshman Lauren McMillan said

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she looks up to celebrities who inspire her. “I aspire to be like Lea Michele, the star of Glee,” McMillan said. “She wants to be on Broadway and do theater, so that’s what I try to do. I admire her determination.” For senior Nick Etrick, singer and actress Selena Gomez is object of his affection on “Woman-crush Wednesday.” “Selena Gomez is a genuine person, and she’s pretty attractive,” Etrick said. “I’m not obsessed with her, but I like all of her posts to Instagram and Facebook, and I follow her on Twitter. Maybe we would get married.”

(SLWRPH RI 5DQGRP /RRNLQJ IRU PHDQLQJ LQ 0LOH\ҋV YLGHRV %\ $QGUHZ /LP If you’ve seen Miley Cyrus’ music videos lately, such as the two released for her new album “Bangerz,” you know she’s been dishing out some crazy imagery. And even if you haven’t watched the videos, you’ve seen the reaction. Everyone’s trying to figure out what the videos mean — assuming there’s any meaning at all. “We Can’t Stop” was clearly made to shock. Miley cuts off Review her house-arrest anklet, combing her blonde ’do back. She gyrates on a bed, in a bathtub, on an elliptical. There are weird shots: a corn piñata full of hot dogs, severed fake fingers with pink blood, a French fry skull. But the images move too quickly to process. I do like this video. It’s light-hearted, creating Miley’s image as a sexed-up pop icon. Knowing it’s meant to stir up fans, I can accept that it’s not deep. What irks me are Miley’s claims of symbolism. She’s given several shallow, nonsensical explanations. The randomness is simply for the shock value, which is fine. But when it’s called thoughtprovoking art, that’s where I draw the line. The “Wrecking Ball” music video attempts to remind us that Miley’s relatable. The video starts with her crying as she looks in the camera.

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It shifts to her wielding a sledgehammer among concrete walls. At the chorus, a wrecking ball smashes through the walls. Miley rides it in various amounts of clothing. The video circles back to Miley, crying even harder than before. At its core, the “Wrecking Ball” video is good. With Miley looking directly at the camera, you can really feel her grief. The video is impressive at first, a change from “We Can’t Stop.” I don’t mind the nudity as a metaphor; Miley emotionally bared herself to a man (supposedly former-fiance Liam Hemsworth). But he apparently blew Miley off, having taken advantage of her until she couldn’t stand it anymore. I get that it’s not supposed to be sexual. But this is the new, edgy Miley, there has to be something sexual. In “Wrecking Ball,” it’s Miley’s tongue. She licks her sledgehammer and the wrecking ball’s chain, seeking attention. Though “Wrecking Ball” is not as pandering as “We Can’t Stop,” Miley’s tongue flopping around so much detracts from the video. Miley can sing, I don’t doubt that. But her latest music videos scream for attention, clouding her talent with controversy.

cultureshock

ŇŠ+RXVH RI +DGHV Ň‹ 5LRUGDQŇ‹V ODWHVW LPSUHVVHV %\ 'DQD %URZQ A cruel way for authors to be sure fans rabidly await their next book is to include a cliffhanger at the end of the previous one. Stick a huge change at the end of a book and your audience is hooked, furious and desperate to find out what happens next. Rick Riordan used this device at the end of “The Mark of Athena,â€? and after a tense wait, its sequel, “The House of Hades,â€? doesn’t disappoint. These books are the latest installments in Riordan’s Heroes of Olympus series, his second set of fantasies about modernized Greek mythology and the demigod heroes of Camp Half-Blood, including Percy Jackson, the last series’s title character, and his girlfriend Annabeth Chase. Initially I was skeptical of the new series, as I have suffered too many authors who don’t know where to end a series. By the third Heroes of Olympus book, though, I was a convert. Riordan adds a twist to the second series by revealing that the Greek gods known and sometimes loathed by Percy have Roman aspects as well, and there’s an entire second camp of Roman demigods, kept secret from the Greeks. Now, in response to the defeat of her Titan offspring in the previous series, the Earth goddess Gaea awakens and sends monstrous giants to topple Mount Olympus.

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To stop her, the goddess Hera (a.k.a. Juno) arranges an exchange of leaders between the Greeks and Romans. Camp Half-Blood gets Jason Grace, son of Jupiter (Zeus), and the Roman camp receives Percy, both with amnesia. Now the heroes foretold by the Propechy of Seven have gathered: the Greeks Piper, Leo, Percy, and Annabeth; and the Romans Jason, Hazel, and Frank. They’re all sent to the Mediterranean in a desperate attempt to stop Gaea. To avoid spoiling “The Mark of Athena,� I’ll say only that the last book leaves Percy and Annabeth in dire straits, separated from their allies, who are racing to Greece to rescue them and close the Doors of Death so Gaea can’t summon her monstrous minions so easily. “The House of Hades� is definitely an achievement. At one point Riordan goes much farther in character development than I expected, reinforcing the impression that Percy and his friends have matured along with readers — and that’s one of the things that makes the series great. Another is Riordan’s hilarious irreverence in mixing the classical with the modern, and as the stakes get higher and the dangers get darker, the author continues to do a fantastic job balancing this with weighty themes, such as friendship, sacrifice and love. Speaking of which: “The House of Hades� does both a better and a worse job of portraying the characters’ romances than the previous books. Better, because it lacks the excessive teenage angst that plagued the previous books. This novel’s relationships are

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realistic and not as self-conscious, and the characters’ anguish is deep and wrenching, not the I-have-a-pimple, does-he-like-me variety of the first two books. That said, “The House of Hades� actually disappoints a bit by sidelining the relationships that were particularly prominent in previous books. While the escape from the histrionics is great, and the reasons that other ties take center stage is clear, it does leave some of the characters seeming a little flat, as if Riordan was having trouble juggling the emotions involved in nine characters with about a dozen different love connections. There are a few other elements that don’t quite work out, like a new skill that Hazel learns. In one battle, she’s just discovering how to use it; though she practices, the next time she’s uses it, it’s in her final test. With so little description of how she improved, the jump in her skill level seems a bit implausible. Some of Frank’s feats seem the same way, like he just pulled a miracle out of his hat; godly help and the blessings of Mars can only go so far. The book’s scene changes are occasionally a little rough, too, especially with Riordan jumping between characters and settings. Really, though, “The House of Hades� is a good enough read to excuse all of these minor sins. The heroes are brace and relatable; the villains are unique and terrifying; and the writing is hilariously funny — or terribly sad. If you’ve read “The Mark of Athena,� you must read its sequel; if not, pick the series up from the beginning.

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cultureshock

ŇŠ*UDYLW\Ň‹ ULVHV DERYH 6SDFH Ă€OP ŇŠSHUIHFWO\ FUDIWHG Ň‹ %\ -RH\ &URZQ “Gravityâ€? is the most technically impressive piece of cinema since “2001: A Space Odysseyâ€? and will have an insane amount of Oscar buzz when award season comes around. Every shot is masterfully crafted, which creates a perfect amount of tension throughout. The technical aspects alone make “Gravityâ€? a masterpiece. The exceptional performances and plot propel “Gravityâ€? and its director, Alfonso Cuaron, into the limelight. In terms of performances, there is not a lot to judge, but this works in the film’s favor. The two characters, Dr. Ryan Stone and Matt Kowalski, played by Sandra Bullock and George Clooney respectively, are about as small a cast gets in Hollywood. Even with just the two of them, they succeed in making everything feel incredibly personal even in the grandness of space. The aloneness the characters face drags the audience in and makes it almost feel like you are there with them. Things go wrong very quickly for these two astronauts. Within the first 15-minute-long shot, the conflict is established. Russians used a missile to destroy a satellite, and the debris creates havoc in space and destroys the astronauts’ way home. This sets up the film’s plot and turns it into a journey to get to the International Space Station in order to return to Earth. I’m not sure about the science of it all, but I’m sure any scientific inconsistencies can be excused for the purpose of driving the plot. “Gravityâ€? keeps you on edge the entire length of the movie. At only an hour and a half, the film felt perfectly contained within itself and didn’t overstay its welcome. Scenes could have been filled with beautiful scenes of space, but it would only detract from the building tension. Everything in the film adds to this tension, such as the sound, or lack thereof. Since the vacuum of space does not allow sound to travel, the music makes up for it by adding sound to the silence. The silence of space makes the scenario absolutely terrifying and heartbreaking. Clooney and Bullock deliver fantastic performances. You genuinely feel for the characters, and Clooney feels right at home as a cocky space shuttle commander governing over Bullock’s character, a rookie whose anxiety gets the best of her in the vastness of space. The relationship between the two has to be strong for the film to succeed as they are the only two characters. Bullock does, at times, spend extended periods alone, making her the focus of the film, and she absolutely owns every scene she is in and really proves her tremendous skill as an actress. “Gravityâ€? is a rare treat, a film that will please nearly everyone who sees it, critics and moviegoers alike. The beautiful and breathtaking cinematography and the tense action is most definitely a crowd pleaser. “Gravityâ€? is one of the most perfectly-crafted movies I’ve seen in a long time, and I encourage anyone to go see it because it’s an experience everyone should have.

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cultureshock

ŇŠ3DUW RI Ň‹ 7LPEHUODNHŇ‹V WZR SDUW DOEXP WULXPSKV %\ -HVVLFD %ODQFR Justin’s back! After his seven-year “vacationâ€? from music, Timberlake finally reclaimed his place as the prince of pop with his new album “The 20/20 Experience,â€? released last March. But the album was just the ice-breaker, opening the way for the real jewel, “The 20/20 Experience — 2 of 2.â€? Justin Timberlake’s first album with two distinct parts, “The 20/20 Experienceâ€? was a rare find in the pop world of 2013. Other current artists feel as if they need to overcompensate for their poor voices by yelling in the microphone to get our attention or adding dubstep beats. This album reflects Timberlake’s older style of music: rhythmic with blues-inspired singing. The opening song, “Gimmie What I Don’t Know (I Want),â€? is full of harmonic gold. The song kicks off with a revival of Steve Miller Band’s “Fly Like An Eagle,â€? with a synthesizer vocal intro. The lyrics flow meticulously; they’re flawlessly intertwined with the beat of the song. “Cabaret,â€? featuring Drake, is the third song and probably the most provocative. Timberlake is blatantly singing about an adult entertainment club, describing people drinking alcohol and doing various types of drugs. This song is my least favorite, as you can guess by my feelings towards the lyrics. Even the melody of the song doesn’t have any substance; it is awkward and doesn’t flow well with the lyrics. “TKO,â€? featuring Timbaland, is the fourth song and is the song that best recaptures Timberlake’s signature sound. This song has a rhythm

and blues feel; the lyrics follow the beat and melody of the song exactly. The song is describing a knockout in a boxing ring with this girl and this boy: how they fight and go round and round with their arguments. “Take Back The Night� is the fifth song on this album, and it is, no doubt, the most popular song. Every time you turn on a radio, you hear this song blasting through your speakers; even stores you walk into are playing this song. Even though this song pops up on every machine known to mankind, it is still an excellent song. This song sounds similar to “Suit and Tie� on the part one album of Timberlake’s “The 20/20 Experience.� The tempo of this song is very catchy, and the lyrics remind me of friends going out on town to have fun. “Murder� featuring Jay-Z is the sixth song on this album and it is my absolute favorite. Timberlake’s voice is smooth, flowing like a river of rhythmic bliss. Even Jay-Z’s rap-like solo is perfect, and I don’t even enjoy rap. This song is the pinnacle of this album, you will find nothing but joy dripping from this “killer� song. Overall, I loved this album. I’ve always been a Justin Timberlake fan, and this album did nothing but increase my admiration of him. Timberlake made a risky move, attempting to create a more sluggish and monotonous style instead of his usual pop, but this direction proved to be a huge accomplishment in his musical career, his voice reminded me of a modern-day Frank Sinatra. Timberlake has a few tricks up his sleeve, and with his fearless motivation to create a new sound, there’s no doubt that he’ll impress me in the future.

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