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2455 willakenzie Rd., Eugene, Or 97401 vol. 49
Issue 8
May 16, 2014
Sheldon student arrested under serious charges Sheldon student charged for requesting explicit material from underage teens Kennedy Potts editor-in-chief On April 18, 2014, Sheldon senior Elliot Cumer was arrested under the charges of asking minors for sexually explicit material. An email was sent out on Friday, April 25 by Sheldon principal Dr. Bob Bolden, informing parents and guardians of the situation. After noting that he could not com-
ment on the situation’s specifics, Bolden wrote, “I can assure you that nothing is more important to this school and district than the safety and well-being of each of our students. Our school administration has been working cooperatively with police as they continue their investigation.” Bolden also mentioned the importance of parents speaking to students about the dangers of sending explicit messages. He urged families to go over appropriate internet and texting behavior, suggested methods for preventing inappropriate actions from occurring, and provided a 4j link with more information on the subject.
Students have been surprised by the news that one of their classmates has allegedly engaged in illegal activities such as these. Senior Tristan Mehlhaff said, “It was just really shocking because he went to the same middle school as me and I knew about him. Then to hear about that whole thing made me sad that he went down a bad path…and his life will never be the same so that’s really sad.” Senior Liam Talty said, “I’ve heard things and it sounds like he had a really rough time growing up and just wasn’t able to cope so he did some bad things. It sounds all pretty sad from what I heard.” More information was released about the
case on May 1. The Lane County district attorney charged Cumer with additional sex crimes involving underage boys after a court appearance earlier that week. Local news station KEZI reported that Cumer collected explicit images from minors at least six times. Prosecutors on his case accuse Cumer of offering payment for sexual contact. The bail has been set at $1 million. Students are also encouraged to go to their counselors or other trusted adult staff with anything that concerns them. Police ask that anyone with more information on the Cumer case contact Sgt. Carl Stubbs from the School Resource Team at 541-682-8189.
Key Club benefit fundraiser for Relief Nursery Key Club hosts a benefit fashion show to raise money for the Relief Nursery Holly Ford editor-in-chief On May 22 Sheldon Key Club is putting on Runway for Relief, a fashion show to benefit the Relief Nursery. The Relief Nursery works with abused children to not only prevent the cycle of child abuse, but also to help abused children become successful, strengthen parenting skills, and improve familial relationships. Key Club is a community service and leadership club in which the main focus is organizing and completing service projects. Key Club’s goal is to provide opportunities for the students of Sheldon to take on leadership roles and expand their knowledge about those in need and to aid those people in the Eugene community. Junior Natalie Olmos, and new vice president of the club, said, “I think what is unique about Key Club is that we don’t focus on just raising money by selling things; we do more action oriented projects.” Olmos added that going out in the community, therefore making the help more personal, makes implementing the community service more worthwhile. In addition to Olmos, next year’s club
board consists of juniors Tristan Carpenter (president), Kerissa Sheley (secretary), Maddy Yamamoto (editor), and Mikayla Watson (treasurer). Together, the new board strives to be even more involved in the community to serve the people of Sheldon and Eugene. The fashion show is a great way for them to kick off the new year. Fashion show model and sophomore Josiah Darland said, “I’m really excited for the show. We have a lot of community support which is awesome. I get to work with a bunch of cool people and it’s all for a good cause, so I’m looking forward to it.” By attending the fashion show, students will be able to support the cause while they enjoy seeing their peers strut on the catwalk. Olmos continued, “The great thing about this fashion show is that even though it is a basic fundraiser, there are [a lot] of layers going into it.” Olmos said that there are people from all over the Sheldon and Eugene areas participating. Eugene businesses are even getting involved and contributing to the cause. Burch’s Shoes, Francesca’s, and Buffalo Exchange are donating runway clothes; Face It is doing the models’ makeup and hair; Oakway Barber Shop and Roto-Rooter are sponsoring the event. Runway for Relief will be held in the Sheldon auditorium on May 22 at 7 p.m., however doors open at 6:30. Tickets cost six dollars for adults and four dollars for students using a student ID card. Donations are also gladly accepted.
Runway for Relief organizers Natalie Olmos, Payton Kubiak, and Elise Tran promote their fundraiser
Photos by: Holly Ford
Graphic thanks to the Runway for Relief Facebook page
Power of Today launches new fundraising project Power of Today members get a visit from well constructors Robert and Linda Grimaud Kennedy Potts editor-in-chief During this week’s meeting on Monday, May 12, 2014, Power of Today members were visited by Robert and Linda Grimaud, a couple who visits areas in south-
ern India in order to build wells for various communities. The couple has been doing this through their church for about five years, building multiple wells in that time. They gave the club a touching presentation that included photos and videos of the people impacted by the wells. Without the wells, the local people faced enormous challenges in procuring water, much of which was not ideal for drinking. The Grimauds build wells for people who are of a lower class in the Indian caste system. These people are quite often referred to as “untouchables.” Because of their societal ranking,
other communities would often turn away these people when begging to get water. With the addition of the well, women and children no longer need to spend so much time and energy traveling great distances to carry dirty water back to their homes. Suddenly, many of their daily activities become so much more doable. Bathing, cooking, and of course, staying hydrated become incredibly more accessible activities with the access to a well. Each of these wells costs six hundred dollars to build. Power of Today has set a current goal of raising enough mon-
ey for three wells by December of 2014. They have currently enough for one of the wells and have various future fundraisers (selling water buckets, bracelets, and new t-shirts) planned to raise the rest. The club’s founder, senior Annie Beckstrand, has recently passed club leadership to seniors Sami Nero and Karl Kawders who are “doing great!” according to Beckstrand. Next year, the club will be carried on by current sophomores Nick Mau, Logan Mertz, Brian Erdmann, and Claire Leach, to ensure the money is raised by the December deadline.
2 May 16, 2014
News
the Talisman
Boy survives 5-hour flight in a wheel well
Many questions arise as to how the boy successfully climbed into the plane Jack Forrest and Isaac Grossberg staff writers On Sunday, April 20 a miracle occurred. A sixteen-year-old boy achieved an amazing feat. The boy took a flight from San Jose to the island of Maui, stowed away in the wheel well of a plane. The flight lasted for five hours, the majority of which was spent at an altitude of 38,000 feet. At that height, oxygen is severely limited and temperatures are below freezing. “It sounds really incredible,” said aviation expert Jeff Wise. “Being in a wheel well is like all of a sudden being on top of Mount Everest.” Somehow the young teen managed to stay alive through the whole flight. How he managed to survive wasn’t the
only amazing part of the boy’s adventure. Somehow he got into the wheel well of a plane without being detected by any of the airport’s security. If a sixteen-year-old boy passed under the radar and onto a plane in the San Jose International Airport, so could a terrorist. Despite this possibility, the airport has no intentions of changing anything. According to CNN, “It appears that this teenager scaled a section of our perimeter,” said Mineta San Jose International Airport spokeswoman Rosemary Barnes. She then said that as soon as they found no threat from the boy they dropped investigations and had no plans of pressing any charges. Many wonder what must have driven a sixteen-year-old to risk his life just to take a plane flight. The young boy had fled his home because he recently learned from his father that his mother was in fact alive in Africa. He got on the first international flight he found. His mother, Ubah Mohamed Abdulle, talked to a broadcast service about the incident: “They were even told that I was dead, but they recently found out I was alive.” This must have motivated this young traveler to go and find his mother. This young boy was very lucky to have sur-
vived his trip since there has been a 24% survival rate for similar trips in the past. “It’s unbelievable that someone my age did that and survived,” said sophomore Alex Engstrom.
Now this teenage boy is back at his home in Santa Clara, California, with his father and two siblings. Hopefully this experience has taught him not to risk his life so brazenly.
Photo Illustration by Micah Tamasaka
U.S. deploys troops in Eastern Europe to hold Russia in check Russia and the U.S. differ in their stance on Crimea, causing tensions to rise Jonah Jellesed staff writer There is a lot of uncertainty in Eastern Europe right now because of what is going on in the Ukraine and the Russian involvement in the annexing of Crimea. The United States has decided to respond
to this event with the movement of 450 troops to Eastern Europe to begin exercises in multiple countries including Poland (BBC, “Ukraine Crisis: U.S. Troops Land in Poland for Exercises”). The United States has made this move in an attempt to show Russia that they are not afraid to be involved in the unfolding crisis in Crimea: a Ukrainian Peninsula. Russia has responded to this saying that they are not afraid to act according to international law if the United States is to become directly involved in this conflict. Ever since December 1, 2013 the Ukraine has been in a crisis that has engulfed the whole country and captured
the attention of the entire world. In 1997, NATO came to an agreement with Russia that NATO wouldn’t put substantial combat forces in Eastern Europe. Now with Russia attempting to annex parts of Ukraine, NATO is saying that the agreement that they came to in 1997 is void (Bloomberg Businessweek: “NATO Is Getting Distress Calls from Eastern Europe. How Should It Reply?”). This announcement by NATO is very ominous, and has strong implications that NATO will begin to move even more troops to Eastern Europe if this crisis in the Ukraine continues. A few weeks ago there were some talks
of an agreement between Russia and the west over the future of the Ukraine that at the time seemed to be promising, but Russia and the west saw the conflict in the Ukraine too differently to come to a viable agreement (BBC, “Ukraine Crisis: Russia Rules Out Geneva Talks”). The reason there are U.S. troops stationed in Eastern Europe is to attempt to bring balance and control back to the region, to show Russia that the United States isn’t afraid to get involved in this conflict, and to prove to Eastern Europe that they are willing to protect their allies in the region if this conflict begins to spill across borders.
Ferry capsizes in the Yellow Sea: 276 die and 28 remain missing The Sewol passenger ferry sinks off the coast of Jindo Island, South Korea Noah Jang news editor On April 15, 2014, 476 passengers boarded the ferry Sewol, 245 of them high school students. The students, from Danwon High School, were on a field
trip to the “Hawaii of Korea,” Jeju Island. They never thought that in merely nine hours, their lives would never be the same again. The Sewol capsized on the morning of April 16, and this accident has tremendously impacted many areas of South Korean government and society. The ferry had left a port in Incheon on Tuesday, April 15, on a journey to Jeju Island. On the morning of April 16, the ship capsized within hours of the crew making a distress call to shore. 172 of the passengers survived, but as of May 13, 28 are still missing and 276 are confirmed dead. South Korean officials began investigat-
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ing this incident immediately, and it is reported that the ship’s captain, who survived, was not present on the bridge to help the mate make a sharp turn at an area where many islands are clustered together. After the accident, there have been several miscommunications and some confusion among the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, Korea Coast Guard, Navy, the Police Department, and civil voluntary organizations in the rescue efforts. The joint project to secure the lives of potential survivors faced many challenges since an accident of such magnitude had been unprecedented. Currently, South Korea
lacks a government organization that controls, coordinates, and oversees multiple organizations in emergency responses. The government has recently announced that it will seek to establish a central emergency management system, like the Federal Emergency Management Agency. The salvage operations are still ongoing, but a civilian diver searching for bodies still missing from the doomed ferry died on May 6, because of strong tidal currents encountered while scouring the hulk. Many people of South Korea are hoping for a better social system to respond more effectively to such incidents in the future.
Sports & Entertainment
the Talisman
May 16, 2014
3
Unionizing college football promises change The proposition could lead to paid college athletes Brian Chastain staff writer
Over the past few weeks, a highly-debated issue in sports has been the possibility of unionization in the sport of college football. Many believe that this change could ruin the game and may eventually lead to paid college athletes, but others believe that unionization would give college athletes the benefits and protection that they deserve.
If unionization was to occur, it could be seen as a step towards college athletes being paid. This is a highly controversial issue because some feel that being “paid to play” would negate the “amateur” tag attached to college athletes. Additionally, many feel that athletes are already paid through their scholarships from the school. Junior Kyle Hasselman said that if college athletes were paid, this may cause conflict because “more people will want to play [college sports].” In addition, some controversy has arisen over whether football players should be given the opportunity to vote on the issue. Many believe that by allowing the athletes to vote, the verdict will be overwhelmingly pro-union because the establishment of a player’s union would be highly beneficial to athletes. Additionally, many feel that both players and representatives of the colleges should be included in the vote to make it as fair as possible. Junior Danny Long believes that players should be given the opportunity
to vote because “everyone has their own opinions” and should be able to express their thoughts on the subject. Another belief is that unionization could give too much power to the athletes and undermine the power of the NCAA. By unionizing, athletes would have a representative body that is separate from the NCAA and this could lead to conflict between the contrasting interests of the two organizations. Junior Isaiah Cartwright commented that he didn’t believe that unionization would give the athletes too much influence because “colleges bring athletes in to represent their schools” and therefore the athletes would not want to alienate those who were responsible for recruiting them into the program. Even with its many criticisms, it is yet to be seen whether unionization will occur and to what extent this change could affect college athletics. Regardless of opinions, college sports have entered a new age and many changes may be seen in the near future and beyond.
The University of Oregon football spring game Team Mariasu won against Team Twifo with a score of twenty-seven to seven Tanner Mitchell staff writer
There are many questions regarding the Oregon Ducks entering summer drills and fall camp. These questions are regarding quarterback Marcus Mariota’s health, the stability of the running game, the defense under first year coordinator Don Pellum, and (as has become a theme since Alejandro Maldonado missed a crucial field goal against USC in 2011 and another one against Stanford in 2012), special teams. According to GoDucks.com, there was a chance Sheldon graduate Taylor Alie might have won the backup quarterback spot for the regular season if he had been able to keep up performance-wise with the other two backups, Jeff Lockie and Jake Rodrigues. The spring game allows coaches and fans to get a small taste of next season. Marcus Mariota only saw two possessions in the spring game. The coaching staff wants to keep him healthy entering fall. Mariota is a valuable weapon in Oregon’s offense. An injury would be a big blow. Over the past few years, the running game has been a
question. Last year, no clear star emerged. De’Anthony Thomas was out for the year after getting an injury in the game against California. Byron Marshall was also hit or miss in the starting lineup, and the same goes for Thomas Tyner. The Ducks had to go to a pass-first approach due to the lack of consistency. The spring game allowed coaches to see if these issues have been resolved, or if they are still prevalent. The main focus of the Alamo Bowl was that the game was Texas coach Mack Brown’s last. However, another storyline was that the game served as defensive coordinator Nick Aliotti’s last as well. With that comes a need for a new one. Enter, Don Pellum. Pellum possesses 20 years of coaching experience with Oregon, and 32 total years of experience. The kicking game has been very inconsistent with Oregon over the past few years. With Alejandro Maldonado having exhausted his eligibility, Matt Wogan gets his chance to change the stigma surrounding Oregon’s kicking game. In the spring game, Wogan did nothing to change that stigma, badly missing a 43 yard attempt. However, according to ESPN.com, in 2013, Wogan made seven field goals on nine total attempts, outperforming Maldonado, who made only three on five total attempts. Former Sheldon star Taylor Alie saw significant time in the spring game, trading possessions with sophomore quarterback Jake Rodrigues on the “Twifo” team, which was captained by cornerback Ifo Ekpre-Olomu and defensive
The U of O plays their first game of the season.
photo by Kennedy Potts
end Tony Washington. Alie completed three passes on eight attempts, totaling 18 yards. He threw a touchdown and an interception. However, according to GoDucks.com, Oregon’s coaches thought Alie could have done more to help his case. He will be in the mix for the backup job entering fall camp. The “Mariasu” team, captained by quarterback Marcus Mariota and center Hroniss Grasu won the spring game 27-7. The lone “Twifo” score was a touchdown pass thrown by quarterback Taylor Alie.
Clippers owner Donald Sterling banned for life Sterling was banned from the NBA for racist comments Ayla Bussel copy editor Recently, Donald Sterling, the owner of the LA Clippers was banned from the NBA for life for making extremely racist and offensive comments towards both specific players and general minorities. ESPN.com reported, “NBA commissioner Adam Silver said he will try to force the controversial owner to sell his franchise. Sterling also was fined $2.5 million, and Silver made no effort to hide his outrage over the comments.” Senior Jose Maxwell said of the consequences given to Sterling, “They are valid because 70% of his team is African American and he has to be more conservative of his views because these
people [technically] work for him. People could argue that he is using his right to freedom of speech, but at the end of the day he is in the public eye and he has to be more careful.” blog.constitutioncenter.org said it best: There are certain forms of speech that are not protected by the First Amendment. As Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes famously stated in the 1919 case Schenck v. United States: “The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man in falsely shouting fire in a theatre and causing a panic.” There is a form of speech known as “fighting words” that are words without social value directed to a specific individual, that would provoke a reasonable member of the group about whom the words are spoken. “The rebuke, which came three days after the scandal broke, is the harshest penalty ever issued by the league and one of the stiffest punishments ever given to an owner in professional sports,” ESPN.com concluded. “We stand together in
condemning Mr. Sterling’s views; they simply have no place in the NBA,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. In defiance of these racist comments, the LA Clippers responded in a really cool way. During the first game after the comments were made the team wore black socks and black arm bands as a way to protest the racism that was displayed. Sophomore Kyle Weixelman said it was a clever idea for the team to express themselves in this way but, “They should do a lot more, like maybe stop playing completely, but they probably won’t because they will lose money if they do.” Weixelman added, “I like the way that the Clippers responded to these comments because it shows that they stand together as a team.” Sophomore Noah Savage agreed with his fellow classmates saying, “I think he should be forced to sell the team, and if I were a player on the team I wouldn’t quit the team, but I would go on strike until the owner sold the team.” Savage concluded, “I think the consequences were fair because he should not have made those racist remarks.”
Arkham Knight puts an end to an impressive series The game is the last in the wildly popular Arkham trilogy Jarred Rogers opinions editor “Dark days are coming, Batman. The prophecy is coming true. You are the warrior who will close the gates of hell.” Beaten, bloody, and dying, this is the message Batman receives from the mysterious Azrael, self-proclaimed servant to the order of St. Dumas, “From the ashes of Arkham, the fires will rage and Gotham will burn. And you, you will burn too.” “I don’t believe in fairy tales,” Batman responds, clearly not amused by the turn of events; the Dark Knight certainly has
more pressing things on his mind than hocus-pocus and cliché prophecy. But as the events of Arkham City draw to a close, even the Dark Knight must wonder- what happens next? After Arkham Origins, fans were relieved to see the critically acclaimed “Arkhamverse” back in the hands of it’s’ creators, Rocksteady.- so when the cinematic trailer for Arkham Knight debuted, fans were ecstatic. The trailer picks up an undefined (but presumably brief) period of time after the events of the previous game. The Scarecrow has Gotham in a full blown panic, threatening to unleash the citizen’s greatest fears upon them. The Dark Knight himself is seen standing in the Batcave as the words of his deceased father run through his head. After a moment of silent reflection, he dons the iconic batsuit and gets behind the wheel of the batmobile, heading for what may be his final battle. The fans have been given more than a mere trailer,
however. There are several confirmed bits of information flying around, including the much-anticipated presence of the batmobile, which is playable for the first time in the series. In addition to making travel easier, the batmobile will serve to level the playing field in difficult combat situations. It has also been confirmed that the Riddler will develop various challenge courses to use the vehicle on, presumably for some sort of reward. What also has fans a buzz is the inclusion of a new character simply known as the “Arkham Knight”. Little about this character is known, except for of course the blatantly obvious: he’s important enough to have the final game in the series named after him. While the game’s creators have indeed confirmed he is a brand new character, they are very close mouthed and have yet to reveal any other sort of information about him.
Features Sheldon Prom King and Queen 2014 : Dylan Malpass and McKinley Patrick
Features
Stress over AP/IB testing takes toll on students Dylan Malpass and Charlie Mundorff backpage editor and staff writer
photo by: Pam Joyner
A letter from Sheldon’s king to the peasants: Ever since I was a little boy, I have wanted to be prom king. I actually started dating McKinley because, not only is she beautiful and awesome, I knew she would help me reach my goal of one day becoming the king of prom. The fact that we danced to Disney’s “Kiss the Girl” was quite fitting considering McKinley is basically a descendent of Ariel, and I have the jawline and pecks of Prince Eric. The only difference between Prince Eric and I, is that I am a king. McKinley and I would like to thank everybody who voted for us; it really is an honor to be respected by our peers. -Dylan Malpass
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Frontpage Editor News Editor Sports & Entertainment Editor Features Editor Opinions Editors
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Ben Ely Kennedy Potts Ethan Hauck Jarred Rogers Dylan Malpass McKinley Patrick Micah Tamasaka Ayla Bussel Sam Fox
Staff Writers Jarod Bays Brian Chastain Ryan Enos Isaac Grossberg Emily Kartub Tanner Mitchell Charlie Mundorff Cameron Ritchey Joseph Vasquez
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A message from the Talisman The Talisman is run by students for students. The views expressed in the Talisman are not necessarily those of the Talisman staff, those of Sheldon High School, or those of the Sheldon community. If you have any letters to the editor, please e-mail the Talisman at shstalisman@gmail.com, or drop a letter in our box located in the office. We kindly reserve the right to edit all stories we print.
said, “[The trimester schedule] has been horrendous; I think there’s been way too many interruptions … Wednesday late start coupled with Friday advisors on a regular basis, really, really”– heavy sigh –“mess up your tempo to a degree.” When questioned about his opinions on the new It’s that time of year again: AP and IB tests are upon trimester schedule, college now chemistry teachus! AP/IB (advanced placement/international baccalau- er Mr. Whalley said, “…It’s a disaster. I am seereate) students have been preparing all year for this final ing 50 percent more kids a day than I was last year.” The students this year are excited for the tests, but still hurdle. For many, the tests are a way to earn college credit in high school. For others the tests are a way to prove to unsure of whether or not they have had enough classroom time to be ready for these rigorous exams. themselves and to others that they conSenior Clay Whipp said, “I’m excited to quered an AP/IB test. Whatever the reason“I’m excited to get college credit, but nervous about being ing, AP/IB students will agree that testing is one of the most nerve-wracking events get college credit, prepared enough.” Many students have had to crack down especially hard this during high school. Students study for but nervous about year on studying outside of class because months, reading thousands of pages of inthe new schedule doesn’t allow classes formation and answering hundreds of pracbeing prepared the amount of time they need to learn all tice questions in preparation for the tests. enough.” of the material. All of the teachers have When asked if he was prepared for the AP literature test, se- -senior Clay Whipp fallen behind where they typically are this time of year thanks to the limited amount nior Sam Braziel said, “Yes, we have worked hard all year and I want to do well.” of class time each day. People are still going to take the adOne challenge many AP and IB students and teachers have vanced courses and their corresponding tests, but don’t be had to faced is the change in schedule. They have much less surprised to see a slight drop in scores from the last few years. class time to prepare for these extremely challenging tests. When asked, AP United States History teacher Mr. Hahn
Food Review: Ta Ra Rin Kennedy Potts editor-in-chief For anyone who’s a fan of Asian cuisine, specifically that of Thailand, he or she will not be disappointed by a dining experience at Ta Ra Rin. They serve a variety of traditional Thai dishes such as pad thai, stir fries, salads, and curries. Their website claims that their “fresh and healthy dishes contain no MSG, no dairy, and include many vegetarian selections.” They offer both dinein and carry-out options. The restaurant has been voted “Best Thai” in Eugene Weekly’s Best of Eugene for the last four years in a row, and is definitely a local favorite. I personally recommend the green papaya salad (not for those sensitive to spice) as a starter. The salad is a lovely medley of tastes including strips of green papaya and carrots topped with cherry tomatoes, green beans, and peanuts, all marinated in a spicy chili/lime-juice dressing. For an entrée I suggest ordering the swimming lady: sliced and grilled chicken breast marinated in Thai herbal sauce. It lies on top of a bed of steamed vegetables and is ladled with an amazing peanut sauce. Then for the (obviously) best part of the meal, try ordering the sweet sticky rice with mango. It serves as a great finish to a great meal. Of course, these are only a few recommendations. The best strategy is to just go eat there so much that you try out every item on the menu and pick favorites that way. In truth, you’ll likely be hard pressed to find an item you don’t like. In addition to delectable food, Ta Ra Rin also offers wonderful service. Servers are always very friendly, helpful, and quick at both restaurant locations, on Oak Street in Eugene and on Mohawk Boulevard in Springfield. This restaurant is a little on the more expensive side for students’ budgets, but the price is worth it for the occasional nice night out.
The IHS Celebration provides a fun way to support local students McKinley Patrick backpage editor For the first time, Eugene International High School is putting on “The IHS Celebration” at Oakway Plaza Courtyard on June 2, 2014, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The celebration proceeds will go towards reducing class sizes in Eugene International High School (IHS). Local restaurants at Oakway Plaza are giving 15% of purchases made, with a coupon in hand, to fund IHS classrooms. The evening will consist of dinner, music (featuring the IHS jazz band), and support for Eugene IHS. Typically, IHS raises money and awareness through the Penny Wars fundraiser, selling T-shirts, or putting on a dance, so this is a different type of event for IHS to put on. Wade Powell, an IHS teacher and leader of the IHS Student Government said, “Surprisingly, it is not only to be a fundraiser. It will be great to raise a bit, but our main goal is to have people notice that we are our own school; we’ve been a big part of this community for a long time, and we often feel like a family. So we want to celebrate that fact.” Powell added, “Six restaurants around Oakway Plaza are supporting the celebration by donating a percentage of each dinner ticket sold to IHS.” Powell mentioned how IHS does not have its own sports, class reunions, or big school events (like prom) so this event is a really special one to allow the community to see IHS as a school, instead of just a program. The event also acknowledges the history, traditions, and the overall existence of Eugene International High School. Senior in IHS, Alyson Heusch said, “IHS has empowered me to be a global citizen by showing me the lifestyles of other countries, and immersing in them through almost every medium. IHS taught me that while every country has something different to offer, we can all come together as one and share the human experience.” Heusch also added that IHS has en-
riched her high school experience and that her class has felt like a family over the past four years. Heusch complimented the IHS staff and curriculum and said “The thought that goes into the class integration as well as the multitudes of projects is outstanding—props to the IHS staff on that one.” Another IHS senior, Sami Nero said, “IHS has been an amazing program in my life and has shaped who I have become in high school. It’s a program that teaches students not only about academics but also about themselves and how to be globally aware.” Nero said that the IHS celebration will be a great way to finish off her four years spent in IHS. Please come to the IHS celebration on June 2, 2014 with the coupon included to the right to support this wonderful school that greatly impacts students in our community—local and global.
South Pacific finds success in the Northwest Cameron Ritchey staff writer Imagine you’re placed on a beautiful tropical island: said, “We have small traditions throughout the shows. One a sunset as far as the eye can see, a “magical” mountain of which is going to IHOP after every opening show date. that calls your name, and romance everywhere you look. We take that small amount of time to unwind and slightly What’s the catch you ask? You’re a soldier or a nurse durprepare for the show on the following day. Everyone has a ing World War II and this pleasant island is a warzone. great time and we really don’t take those moments for grantThat’s the setting for Sheldon’s new musical, South Pacific. ed. Theater becomes like a second home to some, and everyStudents had been preparing for the show since the beone is incredibly supportive ginning of March and were incredibly eager for openof each other and wants the ing night. Junior Shirlanna Mock, who has a lead role as show to run smoothly.” a character named Nellie, said, “A huge amount of hard Opening night went inwork goes into any show that Sheldon puts on. Every credibly well. Everything crew and cast member gives a lot of effort to make things went smoothly, includgo smoothly. Everyone wants to see the show do well.” ing the difficult and quick Sheldon has a good reputation when it comes scene changes. to musicals. South Pacific will not disappoint. “Anyone would Junior, and auEveryone involved with the show gives up so dience memreally like the ber Veronica much free time, study time, and sleep. Production week, or “Hell Week,” has a reputaFredrick said, show.” tion for being the most stressful string of days “The show that come with any show. It consisted of the -junior Veronica was really cute four days of rehearsal before opening night and the songs Fredrick on May 9. The four days are meant to perfect were so catchy the show and to get out any “kinks” or trouble and emoscenes. Everyone is extremely tired and stressed about the tional. I really enjoyed it. coming show dates. Junior Taylor Doble said, “Hell Week Anyone would really like really sucks as we’re doing it, but looking back at it after the show.” The cast and opening night makes everyone laugh. We have come a long crew were all very proud way with the show and everyone is ready to showcase it.” of the work they’ve proTheater can be very stressful, but always pays off in the end. duced. Audience memSmall things keep people going when the show starts to get bers ranted and raved really time consuming, straining, etc. Senior Jaime Kramer about the show and many
said they would be coming back for more showings, which means it’s not too late to see “South Pacific.” Come see this great show and give your support to Sheldon students. The final show times for today (Friday, May 16) and tomorrow (Saturday, May 17) both start at 7:30. See you there!
Photos Courtesy of: Cameron Ritchey
Left: Cast members pose for a post-production photo Above: Actors perform after months of preparation
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May 16, 2014
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Internet addiction in modern day society Internet addiction has emerged as an underlying cause of strife in America
been considered as a serious disorder by some scientists. The disorder is divided into multiple activities, Ben Ely such as excessive entertainment editor or overwhelming computer gaming, According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of addiction online social is, “a strong and harmful need to regularly have something n e t w o r k i n g , (such as a drug) or do something (such as gamble).” blogging, emailing, Today, there are many different types of addiction. There’s or online shopping. the addiction to substances, such as drugs or alcohol, So why do people or the addiction to activities, such as gambling. Then get addicted to the there’s the addiction to modern internet? entertainment, such as Clash Sophomore “It helps [people] Avery Ford of Clans, Netflix, or Twitter. This type of addiction actually said, “[The escape reality has a term, and that term is reason many for a few hours internet addiction disorder people are (IAD), also known as iDisorder. addicted to in their day.” Entertainment is a huge part the internet - sophomore of Sheldon. Every year there’s is] because a new phenomenon, such as there is social Maddie Honey Gangnam Style or Flappy Bird, interaction on Illustration by Micah Tamasaka and every year that phenomenon the internet The possibilities of what a person can find on the is considered addictive. But the thing that just never for a lot of people internet are endless goes away is the internet, perhaps the most innovational like Snapchat, invention of our time. A person can look up practically Instagram, Facebook; plus things like Reddit and among Sheldon’s student body, and it looks as though anything at anytime, instantly. It’s not a surprise that it YouTube keep people busy, and visits become it won’t be going away anytime soon. As websites is an addiction among many people around the world. routine.” Sophomore Maddie Honey said, “It helps such as YouTube, Reddit, and Tumblr are experiencing IAD was originally proposed as a disorder as a comedic hoax [people] escape reality for a few hours in their day.” unprecedented popularity, entertainment via the by Ivan Goldberg, M.D., in 1995. However, it has recently Internet addiction disorder is a disorder that is common internet will be just one obsession that is here to stay.
Extra! Extra! Is journalism dying? Will journalism survived the passage of time, or is it gradually becoming obsolete? Ethan Hauck sports editor As a student in The Talisman, the most common thing I hear is, “Why are you in Talisman? It’s outdated and boring!” and some people truly believe it; print journalism is dying. But the true question is whether or not journalism as a whole is still relevant or useful. According to Taylor Blatchford, a contributing writer to the Huffington Post, “Journalism is not dying. It’s
evolving and journalists need to evolve with it.” She’s right. Journalism is an important part of society, providing information to the populace that it needs and wants. The only thing about it that may be irrelevant or outdated is its mode of delivery, which is constantly evolving. According to journalism.org, journalism has nine principles and responsibilities: “Journalism’s first obligation is to the truth. Its first loyalty is to citizens. Its essence is a discipline of verification, its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover, and it must serve as an independent monitor of power. It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise, it must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant, it must keep the news comprehensive and proportional, and its practitioners must be allowed to exercise their personal conscience.” This is why journalism will always be important. Without
it, there would be no way for people to know and learn what they must. Journalism has an obligation to the public, which makes it an invaluable service in the long run. According to Eric Jensen with The Guardian, “There is no question in my mind that newsprint remains the best place to read long-form journalism. And while print survives in niches, long-form journalism is the greatest niche of all – a type of journalism forced out of newsrooms as journalists are sped by the 24-hour newscycle and try to compete in print with the kind of fastpaced news to which the internet is clearly better disposed.” Print journalism is still important. Without it, people would be forced to rely on broadcast journalism (i.e. television and radio). The truth is that without journalism, there would be a lack of vital knowledge in our world. We need journalism in all forms, and that will never change.
Modifications made to vehicles have legal limits Modifications made to cars have arguable limitations for aesthetic and safety reasons
Joe Vasquez and Ryan Enos staff writers It seems too obvious that people in the United States owner of the vehicle love their vehicles. Some take this further by adding to modify or make modifications. Laws on vehicle modifications are always changes. For example, changing. Each year new modifications come out, forcing laws regarding exhaust new laws to regulate them. So, this begs the question, why modifications are strict. does the government make so many vehicle modifications This holds especially illegal and are they really necessary? Sheldon Resource true for the state of Police Officer John Savage said, “In my opinion, vehicle modification laws are “I think they should necessary, because not all things that relax the law look or sound cool, or modifications that improve what’s under the hood, are regarding noise from safe for the public.” Modifications that vehicles’ exhausts.” surpass legal limits and become unlawful Cantwell’s 1985 AE86 Toyota Corolla GT-S is lowered, Photo by Greg Cantwell include window tinting, removal or - junior Zach Hudson has tinted windows, and a Supertrapp exhaust. modification of mufflers or devices that control sound, addition of under vehicles California which has specifically strict law regarding noise from vehicles’ exhausts.” If a or neon lights, and modifications of vehicle ground clearance. emission laws. In those areas, if an officer pulls you over, person is purposely causing a nuisance with the noise Sophomore Shaylee Muhs said, “I think most modifications he might test emissions on your vehicle. If the exhaust is from his or her vehicle, he or she should be at fault. are cool, but there should be a limit.” While laws do help altered in almost any way, it will not pass emission standards. From what we have concluded vehicle modifications protect the public, they sometimes make it difficult for the Junior Zach Hudson said, “I think they should relax the are allowed as long as they remain within legal limits.
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May 16, 2014
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Net neutrality at risk Corporations such as Comcast threaten the web as we know it Jarod Bays staff writer Cable television and internet giant Comcast is expanding once more in a deal to acquire another industry giant, Time Warner Cable. Comcast currently has 25% of all the nation’s cable internet customers, and 19% of the United States’ cable T.V. customers, putting it in the lead as the largest provider in the country. Their main competitor in second place, Time Warner Cable, holds 12% of the internet market share and 9% of the T.V. market, and if the deal goes through, Comcast will have a whopping 37% of all the nation’s internet customers and 28% of T.V. subscribers. This might not seem like a big deal, but in an industry where competition is as scarce as it already is, we need all we can get. Comcast and the other major providers are all part of what is known as an ‘oligopoly.’ This is similar to a monopoly, where the entire industry is dominated by a single giant, only there are a few ‘competitors’ that agree to raise prices collectively and as a group so that their customers don’t leave for the lowest bidder. Junior James Reynolds said on the subject, “I don’t know how I feel about this… It’s like they’re cheating us but not.” Junior Tessa Ryan does know, and said, “It’s good for companies to be working together, but it doesn’t cost them much to give what they are providing so it’s kind of unreasonable for them to charge so much.” This wouldn’t be as much of a problem if we could ‘cut the cable’ and stop using internet or TV entirely, but the fact of the matter is that internet is essential to modern day life. News, job searches, and even school projects are increasingly tied to having internet access, and residents of many towns and large cities have no other option than to pay unreasonable fees for internet. Even now there are many families who cannot afford access and are forced to use the free connections available in Starbucks, McDonalds, and libraries, nationwide. Comcast itself also has a history of lobbying government to pass bills in their favor, and has been orchestrating this deal for some time so that it will remain unopposed. They even intend to give some customers to Charter, another cable and internet provider, to gain approval. The FCC, or Federal Communications Commission, has
Illustration thanks to Publicknowledge.org
recently been fighting a battle against these cable giants on the grounds of net neutrality, or the idea that all data and information on the internet should be treated equally and not be discriminated against. If they lose, or give up as seems almost likely at this point, the ‘fast-track’ internet system could be imposed. What this means is that if a website wants to have more bandwidth (hence more speed) with a particular service provider, that website (like YouTube or Netflix) will have to pay a fee. And websites that neglect to pay the fee will have less bandwidth, and a slower connection. Comcast owns a third of Hulu, and may deny some websites the fast track entirely if they happen to compete with their own service (like Netflix). Streaming video will turn into a battle of the wallets, where the highest bidder gets the best performance, meaning the best experience for the customer. Unfortunately, this will also likely mean that to cope with increased costs, services such as Netflix will have to raise costs for the customer. With a larger customer base after the merger, Comcast will
have more at stake in ending net neutrality, and can likely get more money out of websites to grant them the ‘fast track.’ Reynolds stated, “That’s unfair because it shouldn’t be up to the websites, it should be up to the consumer. That’s stupid. It’s just a way to make money, and it’s not a cool way either. It should probably be illegal, actually.” Sophomore Will Ragsdale agreed, “I don’t think that’s cool; it’s kind of like advertising by taping the customer’s face to the television and saying ‘watch this.’ It’s forceful advertising.” The FCC has responded to many complaints of their actions regarding this issue and intends to ‘revise rules for regulating internet,’ but according to the Wall Street Journal, the FCC “is sticking to the same basic approach but will include language that would make clear that the FCC will scrutinize the deals to make sure that the broadband providers don’t unfairly put non-paying companies’ content at a disadvantage.” This essentially means that the FCC will still allow these deals to happen, but will try to make it seem like they aren’t.
Athletic favoritism at Sheldon? Are athletes at Sheldon given unfair privileges or attention? Jennifer Morris and Alexus Torres staff writers “Swoosh! Home run! Touch down!” All of these are things heard during sports events at Sheldon. When most people hear “Sheldon high school” they often think about how amazing the football and basketball team are. Although Sheldon has some of the best athletic teams and players, we lack educational opportunities that other schools provide such as mechanical classes, home economics, woodshop, and many other classes. We may have the best sports team, but that doesn’t benefit the students who don’t participate in sports. When we asked junior Kassidy Rayl if she thinks that
Sheldon puts more money into athletics than academics, she said, “Yes, because of the number of sports teams we have and the equipment they require for a single season adds up.” Freshman Austyn Cassano said “Students who play sports make the school look better and in order to keep their good players, the students have to get good grades. Teachers who are coaches know this, so it seems that they pay extra attention to them. One time I brought food to class and was sitting on the table and I got yelled at by the teacher. He told me to throw my food away but one of the football players was sitting on the table doing the exact same thing and the teacher said nothing at all to him.” Is there favoritism towards to football players? If there is not, why are Sheldon students feeling that athletes have more leverage than other students? Schools should treat all students with the same respect whether they are athletes or not. Sheldon high school says they are discrimination free but treating other students differently than athletes.
Every school needs to have sports, it is important for the human body to have physical activity, but there is a limit that Sheldon seems to overlook. While most schools pay more attention to how the students are doing academically, Sheldon seems to cares more about how many sports you play and what position you play. Like every school you have to have passing grades to play in a sport. However it seems that teachers may give the student’s grade a little boost if they play a sport. Sophomore Jacob Rainer said, “I think it would be better if there were fewer sports because sports are not as important and education. Education makes you smarter and can help you later on in life. Sports will make you stronger but that’s not a good enough education to get you by.”
The meaning of life, the universe, and everything The five w’s are explored Micah Tamasaka Jarred Rogers graphics editor opinions editor “Why are we here? What’s life all about? Is God really real, or is there some doubt?” These opening lyrics are from Monty Python’s “Meaning of Life” and despite their simplicity and intent to be used to humorous effect, sum up the questions we’ve all been asking ourselves since the beginning of time. Humanity has, perhaps unfortunately, tricked itself into creating numerous religions and deities so it can believe it has all the answers- but in reality, it isn’t answers we have, but a temporary means to ease our
fears and self-doubt. Of course, the punch line won’t be revealed until we take our last breath, and we are helpless to watch as our life drifts out from within our reach. Until then, we are left to make sense out of the jumbled and broken pieces those before us have dubbed as “life.” It is a safe assumption that two options exist in the universe; either there is a higher power (or possibly multiple higher powers) or there is not. If there is a god, or multiple gods, then it can be assumed we are put here for some sort of purpose. That purpose may not be readily apparent, or even that significant in the grand scheme of things- it could range from curing cancer, helping out a stray animal, or toppling the economy of a third-world country. Perhaps we are only put here as a test, with the decisions of our cumulative actions coming back to haunt us only in the end. If there is no higher power, then why are we here? To
say without god our lives are meaningless seems a rather ignorant statement, as our actions can still cause ripples in the waters of time. Our actions, big or small, can come back to affect others, and in turn make decisions that affect more still. Now, it is fine and dandy to want to live your life with the goal of helping others. But if when we pass on, we merely cease to be without seeing the fruits of our labors, what is the point? The people we end up helping will die as well, only to be buried and subsequently forgotten. What’s the point? In enough time, no one will feel or remember our actions. Our words, hopes, dreams, and decisions will amount to null, leaving us to rot in the earth’s soil until the end of our planet. We mean nothing, our actions are nothing- and although noble in nature, is it REALLY living if our sole purpose is to care for others who will, in turn, die and amount to a heaping pile of failure?
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Two is better than one
Part two of a multi-part fictional series: When two students grow tired of witnessing bullying and harassment at their school, they make a pact to put an end to it Alex Dillon staff writer It was miserable. I understood things more, and it made me feel sick inside. With my head out of a book, I saw more and more utterly deplorable things going on all around me. Other kids were getting harassed in the hallways, in their classes, and in the courtyards. Everywhere I looked, there was another boy getting pushed down or a lunch tray getting flipped up into another girl’s face. It was disgustingly horrific.
“Where are the teachers? Why weren’t they stopping this?” I asked myself more often than I should have needed to. The truth was, the teachers were turning a blind eye to all of this. Why was that? What gave these frightening students the right and freedom to be acting this way toward other students? One of my favorite themes in books was a kid, or a younger adult, rebelling against totalitarian authority. Fantastic schemes were brewing in my head one day when a girl was shoved to the ground right in front of me. Her drawing implements—pencils, drawing pads, and markers among
them—were scattered everywhere. Though I knew it might earn me some sort of repercussion later on in the week, I knelt down and proceeded to help her gather her stuff. “Are you okay?” I asked. She nodded mutely, hiding her face a little behind her long green bangs. “Don’t let them get to you, I guess.” “How can you say that?” she asked me accusingly. “You don’t even know how much it hurts inside. I’m so done with all this--!” “Hey, hey,” I said quickly, cutting her off. Our eyes met, and I was shocked to see a sort of fire in hers. She really was fed up with this treatment.
At that moment, something clicked in my head. The flurry of ideas that bombarded my brain left a smile on my lips. “You know what?” I asked her. “What?” she replied with only anger as an inflection in her voice. “I’m sick of all this, too,” I agreed. “Maybe we should put an end to it. What do you say?” I held out a hand to her, in part to help her up and in part to seal the deal. She took it, and a wry smirk adorned her lips. “Sounds good to me. I’m Calla.” “I’m Kael”, I answered.
The world’s most debated issue: which seat is the inner seat of the bus? When trying to define the inner seat, there are many factors and arguments to consider Emily Kartub and Sam Melconian staff writers Which seat is the inner seat of the bus? The aisle seat? The window seat? How can we be sure? Emily: Most people agree that the aisle seat is indeed the inner seat on a bus. It’s the unfortunate, simple-minded people who mistakenly believe that the window seat is the inner seat of the bus. Sam: What my colleague fails to realize is that she cannot haphazardly
reference the opinions of everyone in the world. The true inner seat is next to the window as it’s further inside the cocoon of safety that lies against the wall. Emily: The aisle seat is closer to the center aisle and therefore closer to the center of the bus. Sophomore Mitchell Bollig agrees, “[The inner seat] is the one not on the outside; it’s the aisle seat.” Sam: When people denote a seat “inner,” they are not necessarily defining the space in which the seat is an occupant, but instead the ideas and sentiments that formulate as a result of this occupied space. Inner doesn’t mean the middle of the bus; inner refers to the sense of security resulting
from sitting between a wall and a person. Emily: I believe my colleague is trying to turn this debate into a matter of feelings. While one might feel as if they are on the inside when sitting in the window seat, this debate is not about feelings. It is about where the specific seat is located. Sam: “I like being in between people; it makes me feel safe,” reported sophomore David Libby. And again we return to emotions: life is emotion. Are bus seats not an essential component of life? Emily: “How is [life] an emotion?” said sophomore Colton Ashley. Although he agrees that sitting in the window seat makes him feel safe, he does not agree that life is an
emotion. While the window seat gives one a sense of security and a feeling of being in the middle, it’s not the inner seat. Sam: The inner seat is the seat that is inside. Inside is safe. The aisle seat is in no way safe: it leaves one exposed to the endless terrors of a bus aisle. The window seat is protected on all sides. Emily: How can we call one specific seat inner based on the feelings we associate with sitting in it? Is there any real answer? Will our minds ever be satisfied? If you have an opinion we encourage you to share.
Celebrations, festivals, and fairs, oh my! Eugene’s culture can be seen in the multiple festivals, fairs, and celebrations found throughout the year Sam Fox copy editor Food, culture, music, lemonade, and animals – these are just some of the words that come to mind when thinking of all of the different festivals and celebrations in Eugene. Not only do
the people in Eugene come together to support and celebrate in these culturally-rich events, people also come from all over the United States. These events include: the Eugene Celebration, Country Fair, Eugene County Fair, and Asian Celebration. According to Eugene Cascades and Coast, “Eugene is home to Oregon’s largest Asian festival, several film festivals, abundant culinary fetes and many sports events.” Many people would agree that the culture of Eugene has grown stronger due to the many festivals and celebrations that can be seen throughout the history and will be seen in the future of Eugene. The many people who visit for the festivals have enriched the people of Eugene with a unique and culturally diverse way of living. Sophomore Maddie Honey said, “Everyone is different at the festivals, so when you go there you see the huge variety of unique people.” She later added, “[The festivals] help to spread the culture, especially to people who are visiting and don’t live in Eugene.” A prime example of this would be the Country Fair. Though the event does not take place inside the actual city of
Eugene, most people in Eugene would consider it their own. Walking into the festival, you may see many types of people, food, and entertainment. Another example of this would be the Eugene Celebration, something that most Eugeneians can claim to have visited at some point in their lives. According to the Eugene Celebration’s website, “The Eugene Celebration was created … to
bring together the Eugene community for three days of music and fun.” Of course these are just a few examples of celebrations in Eugene and it is the people who make them diverse. “[The festivals and celebrations] are really fun. Everyone is really nice and the environment is just happy and joyful!” said Honey.
Photo by Sam Fox
Interesting costumes at The Country Fair.
Tuba playing Pharaoh at the Country Fair.
Photo by Sam Fox