The Legend Volume 19 Issue 1
October 2015
5:30 am
It is a time all too familiar for the majoriy of us; it marks the beginning of our always busy schedule. But given all the time in your day, from start to finish, how do you find who you are? Pg. 10
News Teachers take on the ACT pg 4 Ahmed Mohamed pg 5
Features Across the Ocean pg 6 More Than A Program pg 7 Proving Everyone Wrong pg 8 Volleyball Spotlight pg 9 You Are What You Do pg 10
Lifestyle Homecoming: Bae or Squad pg 12 Tattoos pg 13 One Hit Wonders pg 14 To DIY For pg 15 Horoscopes and Your Program pg 16
Opinions Part One: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly pg 18 Men May Have Feelings pg 20 Ignorance is not Bliss pg 21 Go Set a Watchmen pg 22 Suncoast High School 1717 Avenue S Riviera Beach, Fl 33404
Editors
Contact Information Phone: 561-494-2651 Fax: 561-882-3443 Any opinions that are printed in “The Legend� are not necessarily the opinions of the adviser, administration, or the school district. Unsigned editorials reflect the opinions of the editorial board.
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Staff Writers
Kristen Unico Kaylee Clemens Claudia Laukien Jordan Young Ameenah Rashid Yana Rankine Alexis August Traci Lowe
Co-Editor-in-Chief Co-Editor-in-Chief Design Editor Features Editor Lifestyle Editor News and Opinions Copy Editor Adviser
Charlie Burgess Mindjina Courage Asyjah Dudley Maria Fahmy Zanne Hanna Marisa Hart Monica Kramer Eda Kutsal Austin Lent
Alex Levine Jaylynn Lowery Blake Mello Alyssa Selimov Jimmie Smith Tina Supper Ariana Villanueva Simrun Waghray Dayalis Zamora
News3
News Blurbs
Scientists awarded Nobel Prize for DNA discovery
Tomas Lindahl, Paul Modrich and Aziz Sancar jointly were awarded the 2015 Nobel Prize for chemistry. They were praised for mapping out the process of how cells repair damaged DNA and protect the genetic information contained in them at a molecular level. This discovery furthered information of functions in living cells and, particularly for the medical field, can potentially be applied to develop new cancer treatments. source: cnn.com
The Miami Dolphins Yana Rankine News and Opinion announced their new staff
changes with the coaches. They have decided that Ben Johnson, originally joined as offensive assistant, will be a tight end coach. Ken O’Keefe, originally serving as wide recieving coach, will serve as senior offensive assistant alongside with Al Saunders. Lastly, Mike Wahle, previously a sports performance assistant, will serve as assistant tight ends coach.
source: wikipedia.com
Miami Dolphin Coaching
Lady sued 12-year old nephew Jennifer Connell sued her nephew for breaking her wrists after jumping in her arms for a hug in 2011. She sought $127,000 damage from the boy. The Connecticut jury took 25 minutes to reject her case. “We do not take great pleasure in bringing a minor to court,” the aunt’s lawyer,” William Beckert, said, “[but he] should have known better.” source: theguardian.com
source: huffingtonpost.com
Former Los Angelos Laker, Lamar Odom, was found in Nevada unconcious on October 13, 2015. Odom was rushed to the to Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas. Odom was suspeneded during the 2000-01 season for violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy Odom was previously married to Khole Kardashian but they divorced in 2015.
source: wikipedia.com
Lamar Odom found unconcious
Kevin McCarthy admits Benghazi Comment
source: huffingtonpost.com
to
While on national television, McCarthy admitted that the true intentions of creating the Benghazi select committe was to serve as a weapon against Hillary Clinton. According to Washington Post, he stated, “Everybody thought Hillary Clinton was unbeatable, right? But we put together a Benghazi special committee, a select committee, [and] what are her numbers today? Her numbers are dropping. Why? Because she’s untrustable. But no one would have known any of that had happened.”
Twilight author releases “gender-swapped” novel Stephenie Meyer, the author of “Twilight” celebrated the 10th anniversary of the novel series by gender-swapping the characters. Her new 442-page novel, “Life and Death: Twilight Reimagined,” was released on Tuesday, October 6, 2015. The original hero Edward Cullen is now Edythe, and Bella Swan takes on a boy character bamed Beaufort. source: cnn.com
source: wikipedia.com
source: huffingtonpost.com
National Democratic Debate The first national democratic debate was hosted on Octobe 14, 2015 via CNN by Anderson Cooper. The five democratic candidates involved were Hillary Clinton, Jim Webb, Bernie Sanders, Martin O’Malley, and Lincoln Chafee. Some topics discussed during this debate was not discussed in the Republican Debate, such as the controversy of the Clinton Emails, college affordability, and racial equality. source: huffingtonpost.com
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News4
Teachers take on the ACT Department of Education rewards qualifying teachers for the ‘Best and the Brightest’ scholarship
Monica Kramer & Austin Lent Teachers at Suncoast broke Mathematics Teacher, Dr. Mary Jo Murray said. the status quo by taking The goal is to increase the number of well-educated and highly Staff Writers the ACT alongside high school students as part of Florida’s Best and Brightest Teacher Scholarship. On September 12, teachers in the math department took the ACT. “I tried to [take] it in a school where I thought none of our students would be. If I don’t do well, I don’t want anyone to know,” Mathematics Teacher, Suzanne Martin said. Over the summer, teachers were informed that there is a grant available for those who meet certain qualifications. The scholarship is designed to reward teachers for the high quality of education given to their students. To be eligible, teachers must have scored within the 80 percentile on either the SAT or ACT in high school. Also, teachers must receive high evaluations in the classroom to be defined as highly effective. The qualifying teachers will receive a $10,000 bonus. “The Florida legislators, in all their wisdom, put aside $44 million for teachers as a bonus. It’s all about the cash,”
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effective individuals into the public school system. The idea of the Best and Brightest Scholarship sat well with some of the legislators in Florida; however, it raised a few concerns regarding new teachers. The bonus is almost handed to teachers that have recently entered the profession. The only prerequisite for new teachers is that their scores on the ACT are in the 80 percentile because they have not been previously evaluated by school administrators. “I think they might as well have asked who likes coffee. I think it’s the most ridiculous thing to say that if you scored well on the ACT, as hard as I worked to be a teacher [...] A brand new teacher doesn’t even have to have a highly effective rating,” Martin said. The grant will be sent out to the eligible teachers in early April. Although the Best and Brightest scholarship has negative aspects, it is expected have positive outcomes as it will raise the bar of teaching. Photo by: Monica Kramer
News5
Student arrested for bringing clock, ticks off whole nation
A fourteen year old boy built a clock at home and brought it to school.That day, he was arrested.
Ameenah Rashid Ahmed Mohamed, a fourteen year old Lifestyle Editor Texas student liked science. He liked
science so much, that he built a clock the size of a pencil box at home completely from scratch, which he brought to school to show to his teacher. However his love of science was overshadowed by his name, or more importantly; his religion. This clock, which admittedly, did not look like a conventional clock, began ringing in the middle of a class, making his teacher feel like her safety was threatened. And that’s how a fourteen year old boy wound up being arrested for building a clock. The issue of Islamophobia has been raging throughout America, with prejudice increasing since the terrorist attacks of 2001. While Islamophobia has currently been sitting on the back burner, Mohamed’s arrest put this issue in the spotlight, creating an outpour of support and anger through various forms of social media, most notably twitter, where the hashtag #IstandwithAhmed was trending, and questions
about racism and Islamophobia were being addressed. Most of the outcry has been exceedingly positive toward Mohamed- from President Obama tweeting “Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great,” to members of NASA inviting Mohamed, who was wearing a NASA shirt at the time of his arrest, to a free space camp. But, as with any situation, there are always two sides. After hearing President Obama’s invitation to Ahmed, Sarah Palin made it clear that she was against this sentiment by writing on Facebook, “Right. That's a clock, and I'm the Queen of England.” And as with any situation there are also conspiracy theories: Mohamed was just trying to get the spotlight, it was all planned. While it is unknown whether or not Mohamed’s arrest was truly due to the fact that he is a Muslim or just because his clock was suspicious looking and a possible threat to safety, what is known is that, whether or not people want to talk about it, Islamophobia exists and affects everyone.
Summer Newlyweds Over the summer of 2015, three Suncoast teachers got married. Wedding bells were ringing twice this summer in the name of our teachers. History teacher, Mr. Seidel and, English teacher, Mrs. Strickland said their vows on July 12, 2015. Also “just married” are math teacher, Ms. Larkin, now Mrs. Russell, and Mr. John Russell, whose wedding took place on July 11, 2015, with the two weddings being just one day apart. Ms. Strickland and Mr. Seidel had a southern vintage style wedding in Savannah, Georgia, with cobblestone streets and an old time trolley to carry them from place to place. Her dress was lace to match the vintage look. “I’m from Georgia, and he loves Savannah because it’s so historical. It really is just a beautiful city, so it’s perfect for pictures and stuff like that,” Strickland says. Suncoast, as also being the place the two met, respectively played a big part in their wedding. Our own teachers, Mr. Stubbs, Mr. Spencer, and Mr. Evans were all groomsmen. Strickland proudly announces that her daughters, Paisley and Kailee, played their part by walking her down the aisle. “I had the idea that we would get them infinity necklaces, that they would be part of the ceremony, as well. We would give them to them as a sign of infinite love and forever. Because, I’m not just marrying her, I’m also marrying her kids, I’m taking on the family,” states Mr. Seidel. As far as working together goes, Strickland does not see any
Tina Supper Staff Writer
issues being married and also working together. “Other than that we can never get away from school, even at home. But all our students knew we were seeing each other before we were married, so I don’t care that they know,” Strickland says. The Russells had their wedding on July 15, famously for us as the day we go get free slurpees at our local gas station, 7-Eleven. Wedding and all, the Russells did not let themselves miss out on this opportunity. “After the wedding ceremony the bridal party went and got slurpees at the close 7/11. And then, actually John and I are like Starbuck’s addicts, and so we went and got starbucks before the reception,” Russell laughs. The two Russells, similar to Strickland and Seidel, also met while teaching high school. After their wedding at the Hillsboro Country Club in Pompano, the two decided to have an adventurous honeymoon: a road trip to Charleston, South carolina. Russell says, “We road tripped to Charleston, and ate a bunch of awesome food there and we went white water rafting, and went to a couple of other places to just see stuff, and see some friends in other places.” Both couples seemed to have fun times with their friends and families on their wedding day and, of course, with their partners in crime (or in teaching).
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Humans of
photo courtesy of google.com
Suncoast
Sarah Tyson (11) Is there anyone who inspired you to grow in a certain way? “My mom went through a lot of family problems when she was younger but she always stayed strong. Right now my parents are getting a divorce. She’s staying strong and it’s making me strong. I would say my life motto is what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
Trystan Manning (11) Has there ever been a time when you worked hard but didn’t get the result you wanted? “I took pre-calculus my freshman year, and I needed to get a C to pass. I ended up getting a D, and I was really disappointed with myself because I worked so hard. I know that I did the best that I could, though. Right now, I think I would tell a freshman not to stress too much. That can really make a high-school experience negative.”
across
Aniruddh Murthy reflects on his senior year transition from India to the United States
It all happened in Jordan Young a convenience store. Features Editor
Senior Aniruddh Murthy, a transfer student from India was shopping with his family when someone commented on his accent. The prying stranger asked where his family was from and incited mostly confused thoughts in Murthy’s head. “I thought that was really weird,” Murthy said. “Because I don’t have an accent.” After 16 years of life in India, Murthy had no choice but to leave his home country, due to his parents’ job transfer to the United States, and blaze a new, American trail. Luckily for him, however, the transition from the subcontinent to the United States transpired almost seamlessly (besides a few awkward encounters with strangers who insist that there is no such thing as a loo) as the educational system in India is completely taught in English. All that was left to say was goodbye. “The hardest part was definitely leaving my friends behind. I won’t forget them; they were very charismatic. That sometimes makes me really homesick, but I know that we will always keep in touch,” Murthy said. “Besides that, though, everything here has been great; everyone is so friendly, and I feel like that’s not only true of Florida but of the whole United States.” Murthy can also find a little bit of comfort in the raging heat of Florida, which often
the
CEAN
reminds him of home. Murthy happens to be a tangible example of the true “internationality” of the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (transferring from another country counts as CAS). Aside from a few switches in his higher level courses, his credits from India were completely transferable. “My parents wanted me to continue with the IB Program, so they searched for schools all over the region and found that Suncoast had the highest standard of excellence,” Murthy said. Next thing he knew, Murthy was breaking a near decade-long record as the first senior admitted to Suncoast in nine years. After an extensive orientation, he began school amongst a sea of strangers, as nervous as a freshman. That feeling hardly lasted, though. “I was surprised by how at home I felt even on the first day. Everybody here is so interested in interacting with others. My teachers and people who I didn’t know went out of their way to help me figure things out. I could tell that they cared,” Murthy said. Murthy has already joined the Chargersonic Band and practices martial arts outside of school. Being the “new kid” has never been easy, but Aniruddh Murthy is already making his mark. photos by Jordan Young
Features
Features7
More than a Program
For some students, the thought of attending Suncoast seemed exciting. For others, not so much. Suncoast was similar to boarding a plane. You sat down and came to terms with the fact that what you were about to do was completely uncontrollable. While getting into Suncoast does not mean your future is entirely out of your hands, the fact remains that your arrival was, in some cases, not even your idea. Andrea Molano is a freshman in the IB program, and her choice to apply to Suncoast was not one she made willingly. Molano said, “I came to Suncoast because of my sister. Since coming to Suncoast, my stress levels have increased because I’m not used to the work. It’s not difficult, it’s only a lot.” For others, even though
their road to success was not what they originally imagined, the outcome by simply choosing to come to Suncoast was rewarding. 2015 Suncoast graduate Otto Legon, now attending Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, stated, “Because I took a lot of AP classes and got a good understanding of computer science, I’ve been able to get a lot of credits here in college. And also, because of the rigor that was involved with it, I feel really prepared for college. Right now, I’m taking classes and I’m like, ‘Wow, this is really easy!’” When asked as to why he attended Suncoast, Legon said, “I wanted to come to Suncoast, and to be honest, the program I got into wasn’t the program I wanted, but I don’t regret it.
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Computer Science is a really good program; it’s fun, and it really helped me a lot.” But the simple elephant in the room is whether the students chose t o be here, or i f the decision was made for them. Perhaps the MSE student desires to be an athlete, and the programmer actually yearns to be a writer, but both considered the educational benefits of a program that did not encompass what they wanted to do with their lives. As the nerve-wracking plane ride comes closer to the end, you must ensure that your journey’s destination is yours, and that your time at Suncoast is not controlled by others.
Photo by: Dayalis Zamora
Dayalis Zamora G e t t i n g i n t o Staff Writer
Elizabeth G. Lerner, L. C. S. W. Licensed Psychotherapist
800 Village Square Crossing Suite 218 Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410 561-758-3795 elizabethglernerlcsw@comcast.net www.elizabethlerner.com 5516 State Road 7 Suite 124, Lake Worth, Florida 33449. Lantana Rd intersection.
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Proving. Everyone.
HOM E
V I SI TO R S
WRONG.
As a new season begins, the Chargers make a name for themselves that will not be forgotten. As the Friday Kaylee Clemens Co-Editor-in-Chief night lightsbeamed
down on the heart of the Forest Hill Falcon’s nest, the last thirty seconds of the clock ran out. Two teams fought neck and neck for two hours in August humidity until the Chargers faced the reality of a seven point loss illuminated on the scoreboard. After a series of handshakes and “good games,” the team reluctantly huddled before their coach. Head football coach, Jimmy Clark, is known for his after game speeches, but for once, he was speechless. As the crowd started to thin and his Chargers hung their heads, Coach Clark started to speak: “I am so proud of you.” As their Coach commended them for leaving everything they had on the field, the boys seemed unconvinced. Little do they know that it is not SGA or green and gold pom poms that represent Suncoast so well. It is Charger pride. Our football team is often associated with a losing reputation, this is a label that is stamped upon all athletics at our school. Due to rigorous academics, coaches have to accept that as much as hard work and dedication is expected of their athletes, above average grades and conduct is a priority. This is what makes our student athletes well rounded college and university applicants, and even though it will bring us further in life, it will not add any more points on a scoreboard. With this in mind, our team has found itself in a unique situation. As of the last few years, Suncoast football has played in a 6A division. This has almost set us up for failure, considering the greater size of other 6A schools in comparison to ours. Although with this new season, we are entering a 5A division in which the Chargers will be
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better matched against their opponents. Aside from a new division, the team also has new Captains. The student athletes were able to vote for their own captains during the beginning of the season. Five captains were voted in. Three of the five regular captains are the Senior class’s Matt Dame, Ian Jennings, and Joe Fezza. About them Clark said, “This is the first group, the Seniors, who have been with me and my staff the entire time they’ve been here at Suncoast. This is my fourth year and this is their fourth year. The great thing is that they know me. They know how I am. They know I care. They know that I am going to be here.” When asked about his expectations of his players outside of practice, he replied that he tells each of them to “Be a Gentleman and take care of your body.” His players not only accept his advice wholeheartedly, but these athletes have exceeded his expectations. Senior Matt Dame is grateful for Coach Clark making the decision to allow him to play starting quarterback his sophomore year. Dame said that playing football has “helped [him make] a lot of friends in high school, more like brothers actually.” Dame will graduate this year, saying goodbye to his Suncoast football family to enter Ivy League Columbia University on a scholarship. He aspires to attend Columbia as a business major and “get an internship on Wall Street.” “At the end of last year, I knew someone would have to step up. During the whole off season, I missed one practice. I was one of the first people in and I didn’t leave until everyone left. I was trying to gain respect from everyone, and let them know that I’m taking this year serious and trying to
make everyone else do the same.” Said Senior Ian Jennings, who feels that his years playing football have taught him leadership. This leadership is part of what made him able to take on the responsibilities of being a captain for the last year of his high school career. Senior Joe Fezza is looking forward to his fourth year on varsity and the success he feels that his team will achieve this year. Although he cannot promise a win every game, Fezza assures something more important than points on a board, “I can’t speak for my whole team, but I am always trying my hardest.” As well as the effort he puts into his own actions, Fezza takes the responsibility of rallying up his fellow offensive linemen and trying to solve any problems that cause the offensive line to struggle. Since the devastating loss to Forest Hill, the team has begun a winning streak that is sending them to the playoffs. The Chargers are proving everyone wrong. Photo by Kristen Unico
Volleyball Spotlight
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Senior Katie Aucamp returns to the court for a final volleyball season. Zanne Hanna “It dislocated then Staff Writer relocated, and the
tendons around the joint were damaged. It was really painful,” senior Katie Aucamp said about her severe shoulder injury during last year’s varsity volleyball season. This caused her to miss nearly an entire year of high school volleyball. With patience and hard work, she was able to have a successful recovery. Now, Aucamp is back on the court for her final season and is ready to make a comeback. While resting her injury, Aucamp recovered by going to physical therapy to help strengthen her shoulder. This allowed Aucamp to play during last year’s districts tournament and a full travel season and thus continue to advance her skills for this year’s high school season. “I still go back to physical therapy sometimes to stretch my shoulder.” Her coach, Karen Bowman, was also serious about getting Katie fully recovered for the district games at the end of October last year. “I depend on Katie in every area, she can play multiple positions and excels in all of them. Katie is a big part of the girls’ volleyball team’s success,” Bowman said. This year is Aucamp’s fourth year on the varsity team, and she is a starting player in the outside position. She has already scored 30 service points, 68 offensive hits, and 49 defensive passes within the
first seven games against teams such as Lake Worth Christian and Palm Beach Gardens High School. Aucamp will be able to bring her athletic talent into the realm of college volleyball as she has committed to Denison University in Ohio, where she is also interested in getting a degree in physical therapy. In fact, she first became fascinated with it when she went to physical therapy to recover her shoulder. “Katie has a great opportunity to be an outstanding player in college. She has a quick arm swing and reads the defense in the back row as she leads her teammates in playing together,” Bowman said. “I’d never been to physical therapy and saw how cool it was, and I thought I’d like to do that. It’s funny how my injury led to a new interest.” This year, Aucamp is the team captain. With new players on the team, Katie takes the time to help them out and lead the team during each game. “We have room to improve, but so far we are doing pretty well as a team, and we’re able to bond on the court.” “Katie is a great captain because she encourages her teammates all the time, showing leadership,” Bowman said. In the excitement of a successful season so far, Aucamp feels bittersweet that this is her final year playing for the varsity team. “I’m sad that I have to stop playing for Suncoast, but I’m excited to play somewhere new in college.”
Photo by: Todd Keiser
Volleyball Game Schedule Missed a game this season? Come support your Girl’s Volleyball team before it’s too late! 9/29 John Carroll – Home – JV 5pm – Varsity 6pm 10/1 Cardinal Newman – Away – Freshmen 5pm – JV 6pm – Varsity 7pm 10/5 Oxbridge – Away – JV 6pm – Varsity 7pm 10/6 Dwyer – Away – Freshmen 5pm – JV 6pm – Varsity 7pm 10/8 Port St. Lucie – Away – JV 5pm – Varsity 6pm 10/13 Kings Academy – Home – JV 6pm – Varsity 7pm 10/20 – 10/22 Districts – Away – TBA
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You
are what youDO Amongst all that you do as a high school student, how do you find who you are?
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Kristen Unico Co-Editor-in-Chief
It is 5:30 am, and it has been yet another night of realizing that the amount of sleep you got is just never enough. Today is just the typical school day: a test in every class, a club meeting during lunch, volunteering after school, sports practice after that, and you cannot forget about the load of homework waiting for you once you get home. You try to convince yourself that hitting the snooze button and lying in bed for an extra five minutes will make up for the extra five hours that you should have had, if it were not for your loaded schedule. The routine sounds all too familiar for the majority of us, and sometimes a loaded schedule can be overwhelming, but for Senior Anastasia Valimaki, what she does shapes who she is today and who she plans to be in the future. Valimaki is an MSE and IB student who is on the water polo, swimming, and cross-country teams on top of being in National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta. Outside of school, Valimaki also volunteers for the American Finnish Club. 1
“All the things I started to do are because I’m just genuinely interested in them. I just like doing what I do,” Valimaki said Over the summer, Valimaki was one of eight senior students nationally chosen to be a part of the Ocean Exploration Trust Research Program. The research program allowed for the eight students to spend four weeks at the University of Rhode Island learning about oceanography while also building two surface drifters and two fifty-foot ocean drifters that mapped ocean currents. “After Rhode Island, the eight of us went to California for ten days on an exploration vessel called the Nautilus. We worked alongside scientists and were on watch as data loggers. We sent ROVs, or remotely operated underwater vehicles, on the ocean floor that had video cameras and recorded what we saw.” With a summer spent in Rhode Island and California, Valimaki also managed to represent Florida as Miss Sunshine State in the Miss Teen America pageant. “I’m a really shy person, and I try to do things that push me out of my comfort zone. The competition isn’t what everyone perceives it to be; it’s all about having your own confidence, not just about all the makeup and the dresses.” Valimaki hopes to take her knowledge and experiences and apply them to her future career path in the medical field, a path that she has been aspiring to be a part of since elementary school. “I remember going to Wannado City for a third grade field trip, and there was one place there where you’d go to a pretend hospital and pretend to be a surgeon. A guy there asked us who wanted to be the 2
Features11
body, and literally everybody but me took a step back towards the wall, so the guy chose me to do it. I’ve always really liked science, and since then, the medical field is the direction I’ve wanted to go.” Despite her full schedule, Valimaki has ultimately gained from her experiences, whether it is through her experiences inside school or out. “The programs that I’m in have guided me into the right direction for medicine or research. I’ve learned more about the process of doing technical documents and reflections, but also I’ve learned the outreach components to everything too, like presentations and interviews and getting more people involved and excited about science. Everything that I do all collectively builds confidence and experience towards what I want to do with my life.” It is 5:30 am, and it has been yet another night realizing that what you are doing is what feels right. Today is a typical school day. And today is just another day closer to achieving what you have always wanted to do with your life.
4 3
make it count. 1. Valimaki spends her days at sea for the Ocean Exploration Trust Program. 2. Representing Florida as Miss Sunshine State, Valimaki poses with the other Miss Teen America contestants from each state. 3. Valimaki sits alongside the seven other nationally chosen senior students at the Center for Ocean Exploration at the University of Rhode Island. 4. Valimaki poses with one of the ocean drifters that her and her fellow researchers built to monitor ocean currents. photos courtesy of Anastasia Valimaki
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Florida takes on fall
Homecoming:
Bae or Squad?
Do not be afraid to go and have fun at school dances alone.
Floridians can take on fall fashion. It’s October! While this may mean chilly weather and fall leaves in some places, in Florida it just means that the temperature no longer reaches 90 degrees. But it’s still fall, and while it may not be possible to wear thick sweaters everyday, Floridians can dress up for fall too.
Ameenah Rashid Lifestyle Editor
Clearly, a winter coat is an unrealistic piece in Florida weather. Instead, a denim jacket adds to your outfit but still keeps you warm.
Jaylynn Lowery Homecoming is not far away and Staff Writer you have not been asked. Do not worry; just call up a few friends and go to homecoming with your “squad.” Some students may think that the only way to go to school dances is with a date, or that it is “lame” to go without a one. But it is quite the contrary, most students end up going with a bunch of friends anyway. “They feel like no one wants to be there with them, and they’ll be lonely,” Sophomore Alexis Sincere said, after being asked why she thinks people who are not asked to school dances do
not go. Maybe you do not have a date, but you have friends that will definitely want you to be there with them at homecoming. Going to homecoming with a date may be more formal than you want, to so friends is the perfect option. Most people that go with a date are already dating beforehand, so there is no reason to feel like a loner when you show up with just your friends. Even students who show up with dates also meet up and dance with friends, so if you are really worried, do not be. Go to homecoming show up with a “bae” or your “squad,” and just support our school, home of the Chargers.
Fall is boots season, but rather than breaking out the knee-highs and lined boots, Chelsea boots are a more reasonable alternative that still add fall flair to your outfit.
uncomfortable heat.
photo by: everyday-reading.com
Puffer vests provide both style and warmth, but if you want to achieve this look without dying of heat, try an olive green Utility vest, which provides versatility and style withou the
While chunky scarves and heavy knits may be the norm up North, it’s not so easy to wear in Florida. Instead, choose a scarf made out of a lighter material to achieve the same look.
SQUAD What to know for
Homecoming:
Where: The West Palm Beach Marriott 1001 Okeechobee Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL 33401 When: Saturday, October 17 from 8 pm -11 pm Cost: $45 per person What to Bring: Your School ID Dress: Semi-formal
BAE
Source: theonlyjaiden.blogspot.com www.etonline.com
Lifestyle
Lifestyle13
Permanent y Perfect Permanent pigments applied to skin create a solution to long, tedious makeup application. Alyssa Selimov You wake up with droopy eyes and black Staff writer residue from your eyeliner last night stained on
your skin. It is 5:30 in the morning and you are too tired to put on makeup for school, yet you begin washing your face and you reapply it anyway. Now you are late to school, luckily there is one permanent solution to this dilemma. But is it worth the trouble? Makeup tattoos are here to save the day, and your time. Different makeup tattoo procedures that can be done include both top and bottom eyeliner, eyebrows, lip liner and lip color. The procedure is done just like any normal tattoo procedure. If you decide to get permanent makeup, you will save a lot of time that would normally be spent on getting ready. Say goodbye to waking up extra early for school or work, and say hello to sleep! Even better, your eyebrows and eyeliner won’t sweat off when you are doing sports or working out. No more worries of having your makeup smeared all over your face after
the rain catches you, and you can eat whatever you want without worrying about smeared lipstick. The bad news is you will have to suffer through the short period of time right after you get the permanent makeup done, when the skin around the tattoo is red and the tattoo starts to peel. Also, people tend to go through phases: the lip color you like today may not be the lip color you like in ten years. You may find yourself seventy years from now regretting the decision to get permanent winged eyeliner because the wrinkles around your eyelid make the eyeliner look all squiggly. Since it is a tattoo, it is safe to assume that it will fade at some point, faded lips and faded eyeliner may not look so good and having to endure the pain of getting the tattoo over and over again might become way too annoying. So the big question is: is the procedure worth the trouble? Beauty does come from within, not from the pigments in your skin. photos by: wikipedia and pixabay
Tattoos orTaboo
Those who have body modifications are discriminated against and commonly perceived to be unqualified for jobs in the workplace solely based on their piercings and tattoos.
Charlie Sayer photo by: Ariana Villanueva
relation with the work place. Hundreds of Americans are subject to tattoo or piercing discrimination, each year and there is much debate on the subject. Currently, there are no laws put in place that prohibit tattoo or piercing discrimination; however, there have been countless amounts of grassroots efforts that have and are still striving to make the discrimination of body modification illegal. “Having stretched ears definitely put a limit on where I could and couldn’t work,” Senior Charlie Sayer laughed. “I applied to jobs where I knew my stretched ears are accepted. Now, I work at Chipotle and couldn’t be happier.” Like Sayer, those who are prone to being discriminated against for body modification are already aware of the rejection that is their fate. On a Suncoast based survey, 100 students were asked in their opinion, “what career would most associate with a person having tattoos and piercings?” The options included guitarist, veteran, teacher, and lawyer. 70 percent of the students chose guitarist, 18 percent chose veteran, 9 percent chose teacher, and 3 percent chose lawyer. The vast majority of those surveyed, chose guitarist as the common career field for tattoos, as seen in the percentages from the percentages in the school wide survey. This evidence shows that the majority related body modifications to someone who worked in a music field. Additionally, results presume that most would not associate tattoos and piercings with one whose job involves service for society, which all other options are classified under.
According to statistics from Tattooed Lifestyle, veterans are the largest work force to have individuals that are tattooed or pierced. From the 100 students surveyed, 77 percent believed that a person with tattoos and piercings does not deserve to be denied a job because of their body modifications. However, unknowingly, these same surveyors perception of guitarists are actually an unintended act of discrimination. Based on this evidence, it is proven that tattoo and piercing discrimination happens, whether or not it is intended. “What career would you most associate with a person having tattoos and piercings?”
Ariana Villanueva In the United States, tattoos and piercings are a highly controversial topic in Staff Writer
October2015
Lifestyle14
One and Done
Top One Hit Wonders: Where Are They Now?
We have all fallen victim to those catchy, upbeat tunes that involuntarily inhabit the deep depths of our minds and refuse to be forgotten. Mindjina Courage The people who help make these songs popular do not have the same luxury, as they slowly fade into the shadows with the passing of time. Now Staff Writer that their five seconds of fame has ended, what are they doing with their lives?
5 “I’m Too Sexy” -Right Said
Fred Release date- 15 July 1991
4 “Don’t
Drop That Thun Thun” -Finatticz Release date May 2012
3
“Hey Mickey” -Toni Basil Release date- 5 February
2
“Who Let the Dogs Out” -Baha Men Release date- 25 July 2000 “Somebody That I Used To Know” -Gotye Release date- 5 July 2011
1
Photo courtesy: freestockphotos.
After their big hit, Right Said Fred went on to create five more albums that never received much attention from American fans. Despite the fact that their new music continues to remain unpopular, they are still writing songs at the moment. The producer of this song claims that they recorded this song in “15 minutes.” That same approximation can be used to estimate the length of the song’s popularity. Since the outbreak of their one hit wonder, Finatticz has only released two other songs. Toni made a huge change in her career and started to focus more on acting. Today the former popstar chooses to remain behind the scenes as she choreographs dances for Vegas shows. The Baha Men are still joined today, making this their thirty-fifth consecutive year together. Their new album “Ride With Me” was reccently released on October 9, 2015. Gotye vanished from the public eye after the success from his song died down around 2013. He does not appear to be working on music at the moment.
Answer Key:
561.510.0519 NIKKIJAZZYSWEETS@GMAIL.COM
October2015
To
DIY for
source: http://www.freestockphotos.biz/
Halloween Edition
You can make some cool Halloween props from super cheap materials. Take a look at these angel wings and devil horns made only from paper products! Claudia Laukien Halloween is right around the corner, but being the busy Suncoast students we are, there is not a Design Editor lot of time to prepare. And if you are anything like me, you just have to have a cool costume! A cool,
semi-selfmade, cheap costume! I think that covers all the requirements. A lot of costumes are pretty simple to create with your existing wardrobe and just need a few extra props. So, to give you some ideas, here are two Halloween classics: an angel and a devil.
Angel Wings
Devil Horns
Make some rustling, textured wings from paper plates! Below, find a list of materials. It is very likely that you already have a lot of them!
Going for a devil costume? I say go big or go home. Below, find a list of materials for easy and cheap devil horns. You probably already have a lot of them!
Materials: 33 paper plates Scissors Hot glue gun with glue Old ribbon or string
Materials: Old cardboard box Red paint Glue Ruler Old String
photos by Claudia Laukien
October2015
Lifestyle16
What DoesYour Program SayAbout You?
If your program was a horoscope, how would it define you? Blake Mello Staff Writer
CS
IB IB Students tend to be hard working, determined individuals. With the hard work that these students put in, it is no wonder that they are hard headed and do not like to be wrong. These students usually struggle balancing their time between sports and academics. These students also tend to be a very stressed out group in their junior and senior year. IB students are major procrastinators and this causes a maximum amount of all-nighters, especially in their upper classmen years.
CS Students, are a witty group of students. This group of students tends to be very critical and nitpicky, not only with themselves and their own work, but the actions of others as well. CS students tend not to be as social as the other programs, but where they lack social interaction, they make-up with good study habits. These students are not particularly big on procrastination, school work almost always comes first. If you ever have a computer problem, find a CS student.
MSE MSE Students are a group of very no-nonsense. This particular group of students hates to be wrong and will always commit to their cause. Procrastination is also very big in the Math Science and Engineering program, so all-nighters are common, especially from physics homework. These students are not the most social group, but they believe that grades always come before social outings. MSE students are always the ones to go to when struggling in math.
IIT IIT Students are a group of artistic and creative students. Procrastination plays a major roll in an IIT students’ life. This artistic group of students tend to be more care-free and relaxed than the other program. In many cases they will choose a social outing over doing their homework. IIT students, like IB students tend to be more athletic than those in MSE and CS, as a result, you will see more of these students taking gym as an elective in their upper-classman years.
YOUR FUTURE
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BELLE GLADE | BOCA RATON | L AKE WORTH | PALM BEACH GARDENS
October2015
Lifestyle17
This photo is of the caramel, which is a double fudge brownie with ice cream on top covered in chocolate and caramel syrup.
West Palm Beach has a cool burger bar with a Florida State University theme. Charlie Burgess Grease Burger Bar, Staff Writer
is a college football styled pub, that is an ideal choice for anyone looking for a great sports bar to watch the games and enjoy delicious food. They offer a variety of burger choices letting you design the burger that is perfect for you. Starting with your first bite of greasy perfection, you realize why this burger bar is called “Grease.” The menu offers a variety of
choices when you are trying to plan the meal you want, ranging from burgers to salads, all of which you are allowed to customized to your perference. The only draw back is that sides are not included in the price of the meal but the black and bleu tater tots and beer battered onion rings are large and phenomenal. They also have a wonderful happy hour each day with a long list of milkshakes, sodas, and ales.
This pitcure is of the “The Grease Beast”, which is made of two bacon grilled chesse buns, with french fries and onion rings stacked high in-between the buns, and finally in the middle is the burger.
Sides: COLE SLAW ..................................................................$2.25 RUSSET POTATO FRIES........................Sm $2.25 Lrg. $2.95 SWEET POTATO FRIES .........................Sm $2.25 Lrg. $2.95 FRESH CUT ONION RINGS...................Sm $2.25 Lrg. $2.95 STEAMED BROCCOLI.................................................. $3.25 HESS’ TATER TOTS with Sriracha Mayonnaise...............$3.25 WARM BBQ SPICED POTATO CHIPS with Blue Cheese Dip .. .....................................................................................$3.95 BLACK AND BLUE TATER TOTS ..................................$5.25 CHEESE FRIES...............................................................$5.25 FIRE FRIES .................................................................. $5.25 TRUFFLED PARMESAN FRIES......................................$9.25
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October2015
Rumor
has it..
Remember that game Alexis August telephone you used to play as Copy Editor a kid? Well high school is like
one giant game of telephone. People are going to gossip and spread rumors - whether there is truth to them or not - it’s a right of passage in high school. I’m not going to lie I do it all the time. I hear some tea and I tell people what I heard, not even worrying about whether it’s true or not. People are going to believe what they hear and not question it 99 percent of the time. Remember the burn book from “Mean Girls”? It’s like that, but not as extreme. If you’re lucky (that was total sarcasm by the way), there will be one thing everyone has heard about you. You walk down the halls asking yourself, “does she know? Did he hear about it? Why are they looking at me for so long? Or is it all in my head?” There is always going to be that incident you hoped everyone would forget about, but they still bring it up in every roasting session. Now thanks to this one incident, you have gained a reputation. Maybe you got sloppy drunk at a party and everyone saw on snapchat and now you’re the “party girl.” Perhaps, you did something with a guy who could not be trusted and now you’re “easy.” Or maybe you’re known for exposing girls and now you’re the school “jerk.” Now, when your name is mentioned people automatically associate you with that incident thinking to themselves, “oh that’s the girl who…” or “wait, isn’t that the guy that..” But here’s the beauty of high school: you probably won’t see most of these people ever again after you graduate. They are going to be irrelevant to you. In ten years, you won’t remember half of their names. When I was little, my mom always told me to remember, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Our generation cannot seem to follow this motto. They are weak and too soft, too easily offended. Someone calls a girl a nasty word and you find her crying in the bathroom contemplating her life. I’m not saying don’t cry or get offended, but I am saying never let other people’s opinion of you affect your self-esteem. You should be your favorite person and you should love yourself no matter what people say about you. Now I am not saying don’t spread rumors about people, because that is a completely unreasonable thing to ask from high schoolers, but I am saying if you hear a rumor about yourself, take it with a grain of salt. Even if people are talking about you now, the best part is you will soon be old news. Just like in the game telephone, the rumor will circulate, then that round will be over and there will be a new rumor.
PA R T O N E : T H E R E P U B L I C A N S
The Good The Bad The Ugly The Republican Party: You know their names, not their stories Say what you want about him, but Donald Trump knows how to take what he has and use it to his advantage. While many of the other Republican candidates are working hard to make a name for themselves, the name “Trump” was already fairly well-known. Trump is taking that fame and making sure to continuously reinforce his “brand” throughout the campaign, so no one forgets about him or any of his accolades. And whether or not you agree with his views, you cannot argue that the man is passionate. However, this so-called conservative has spent years supporting democrats like Harry Reid, Hillary Clinton and Charles Schumer. When he’s not doing that, he’s busy bashing other countries like Mexico (“some of them are good people, I assume”) and China. He plans to build a large wall to improve immmigration and he also wants Mexico to pay for this wall he plans on building, which he thinks will be efficient because “he says so.” Making it seem like Trump is not a fan of immigration. Interestingly enough, two of his three wives are immigrants. And then it gets ugly: The majority of America got a glimpse of his misogyny after the first presidential debate. Trump said in an interview about the moderator, Megyn Kelly, that she “had blood coming out of her whatever.” He later tweeted, “the bimbo is back in town,” refering to the same woman. Trump felt that Kelly was being rude to him because she was asking him questions he could not answer. Rosie O’Donnell has also been called a “true loser,” a “real loser,” a “total loser,” and “dumb.” These are just a few examples of women that have been personally victimized by this presidential c a n d i d a t e .
Ameenah Rashid Lifestyle Editor
Opinons19
Opinions
78% of students said they would rather vote for
BUSH
TRUMP
of students said they would rather vote for
*Data collected by conducting a survey out of a total of 50 students
Jeb Bush has not held Yana Rankine office for 12 years- so News and Opinions from leaving the Florida Editor governor’s office- to living
a lavish life on the sidelines-to jumping straight up to the GOP candidate list is a bit of a stretch. A lot of things have happened over these years. As a presidential candidate, especially going into presidential debates, it’s vital to understand the nuances of all issues, whether it be economic, political or social. In reponse to Martin O’Malley’s statement that “all lives matter,” according to thinkprogress.org, on July 23, 2015, in New Hampshire, Bush stated “If [O’Malley] believes that white lives matter, which I hope he does, then he shouldn’t apologize to a group that seemed to disagree with it.” With this statment, I truly saw how ill-informed he was about this issue. Saying “all lives matter,” (and not apologizing for it), further supports evidence of the belittlement of the treatment in the Black community, using that defensive response to overshadow their issue. Saying “black lives matter” does not state that only that race matters, but their rights and justice should not be forgotten and overlooked when compared to the general population. Thus, to say the least, Bush definitely may not get the minority vote-nor the equality vote, for that matter. The #blacklivesmatter movement is definitely not a hot topic amongst GOP candidates-rarely discussed at all; however, Bush sure did have his say in it by not understanding the movement. Although, after his private discussion with Black Lives Matter activists, his campaign released a statement saying, “Governor Bush’s goal is to unite Americans, not divide them.” Just weeks earlier he stated, “You see what happens in Baltimore and Ferguson... You see people becoming so despondent they take actions that are horrific,” and by stating this, it shows how obtuse he was in understanding the true basis of the movement. Not acknowledging the purpose of the movement is to protest against the poor treatment towards their community, and that violence comes
Tune in next issue for PART TWO: THE DEMOCRATS
22%
from both sides. Therefore, to say that his knowledge surrounding social issues in America is limited is an overstatement itself. Additionally, we have already had our fair share of the Bush family in our government. As if the George’s didn’t already cause enough havoc to our country, such as George H.W. augmenting an additional one trillion dollars to our national debt by the end his term, and let’s not forget George W. sending us into the needless Iraqi war. They all have, not only held a high position in office, but also have somehow managed to completely drain our federal monies. That’s right Jeb, we didn’t forget about your sorry excuse of an “education” policy. The concept behind implementing the Florida Comprehensive Accountability Test program, during Bush’s term as Florida governor might have seemed practical in theory to him, but in reality, according to the Washington Post, it “collapsed over the years as the integrity of the test scores were questioned repeatedly by school districts.” But hey, Jeb’s not that bad! He could be worse- he could be Trump.
Men May Have Feelings
Making an
Appearance
Teacher dress code represents professionalism and respect in the line of work. Simrun Waghray If you have been waiting for a fight at Suncoast, then Maria Fahmy you are out of luck, my friend. Staff Writers Among cheating, plagiarizing,
and skipping class, the main infraction addressed at Suncoast is dress code. However, students getting dress code violations is overrated so, allow us to talk about teachers. Teachers should have a dress code because wearing appropriate attire sets a good example for the students. Many students look up to their teachers and see them as their role models. A teacher’s appearance is a very important aspect of being a sufficient mentor. “I think that your presentation and the way you look definitely says a lot about what you do and who you are,” Spanish teacher, Ms. Flores said. Furthermore, if teachers do have a dress code, then they will appear more qualified in front of their students. When teachers look more professional, it shows how much they care about what they are teaching. In our society the way you look shows the amount of respect you give to the person you are communicating with. For example, when people have an interview, they usually dress up nicely and appropriately to respect their interviewer. The same goes for teachers. Most students, of course, appreciate their teachers no matter what they are wearing; however, when a teacher dresses professionally, the students will more likely return that respect and appreciate their teachers. Research shows that your alertness is affected by what you wear. “Dressing casually could cause an employee to feel less focused and alert,” says Dr. Karen Pine, professor of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire and fashion psychologist. If teachers had dress code, then t h e r e would be a sense of uniformity around the school.
In today’s society, Asyjah Dudley Staff Writer there is an immense
amount of support for the acceptance of women’s body image. However, there seems to be a lack of representation of men admitting to having body image issues. Men are constantly portrayed as being strong, masculine, and, “supposedly,” do not care about or stress over their flaws in the same manner that women tend to. In social media, there is a collective appreciation for the acceptance of all body types of women. From trending topics, such as “Free the Nipple,” to celebrity Chrissy Teigen posting a once deemed taboo image of her stretch marks. After a while, I noticed the men not posting pictures or voicing their opinions on topics typically supported by feminists. Both men and women can have stretch marks, it all depends on the elasticity of one’s skin, and how your body wants to develop. Yet, when scrolling through my Tumblr feed, I rarely ever came across an image of a male with stretch marks. To discover the stigma behind this, I decided to conduct a survey. The survey consisted of questions aimed towards body image, and the factors that could possibly affect it. My hypothesis was that females would be more open of discussing image issues opposed to males. When collecting the surveys from the students, I noticed two boys exchanging responses with each other and erasing their answers. They were turning the survey into something more humorous by responding with quite overconfident comments in the margins “I’m sexy”or “I’m cute either way.”
History Teacher
Mathematics Teacher
Ms. Martin
Being a man in today’s society is not what it is cracked up to be. Men, too, are affected by unattainable body standards.
Photos by: Maria Fahmy
Mr. Clark Photos by: Asyjah Dudley
Leaving me to question why some younger males were unable to express themselves even though other boys in the same environment were able to be truthful and honest about their issues. I concluded that some men fear being stigmatized and as an effect, they refuse to voice their opinions or personal issues. Believe it or not, men too have outrageous standards to fulfill, whether it is to be tall, or to have bulging biceps in order to be deemed attractive. Or that they should fear admitting their insecurities because there is an immense lack of men and women who fight whole-heartedly for equality of both sexes. Though feminism is defined as the support of equality between men and women, how many men can actually say they do not feel attacked by feminist posts online or feeling as if they are less of a man because they don’t look the part? What should a man or woman truly look like? The answers should be the same: there is no exact answer. Especially when taking in consideration of modern times where drag queens/kings, transgenders, gender fluids, and intersex people are able to express themselves vocally and more importantly, physically. All bodies should be appreciated equally, and the body appreciation of women has made a tremendously positive impact on society, but we should remember to include the male population without ridiculing them and or excluding them from the discussions. Everyone should have the equal opportunity to love themselves and not worry about stereotypical stigmas affecting how they view themselves and others.
Opinions21
Ignorance is not bliss Cultural ignorance is a much deeper issue than what many of us may think. If I had a dollar for every time somebody asked Eda Kutsal Staff Writer me, “do you eat dog?” I would be a thousand
times richer than I am now -and I’m not the only one. We all become victims of cultural ignorance at one point in our lives, whether it be through stereotyping or cultural appropriation. Now, you may be thinking, “It can’t be THAT bad.” You’re right, it’s worse. Here are a few of my favorites:
“Is that red dot on your forehead a target?” Yes, people DO ask this question. And for the sake of this tragedy - it is a bindi. Originating from the Hindu culture, it is commonly worn by married women or to symbolize good luck. However, it is important to recognize that the bindi has a lot of significance to the women who wear it in South Asia and by wearing it just for the sake of looking cute, you are disrespecting millions of people in the process.
“You’re dressed up as Pocahontas? That’s so racist!” For starters, dressing up as someone or something does not make you racist. Although, painting your face different colors in order to match that character does.
“Wait, you got an 86 on the math test? Aren’t Asians supposed to be really smart?” It seems as though all Asians are portrayed as super geniuses, whether it be in TV shows, movies, or even at school. Although, as a fellow Asian, I’ll be the first to admit that not all Asians are smart. Unfortunately, the size of your eyes does not determine the grade you’ll be getting on that stats test next week.
“Wow! You moved here from Egypt, that’s so cool! Do you ride a camel to school?” This may come as a surprise, but people in Egypt don’t have to ride camels everywhere as you may think. Fun fact: They use cars- just like us! For many, it looks like their ideas of Egyptian life are stuck in the time period of pharaohs and pyramids, where in reality, Egypt is actually a highly developed country. As ridiculous as it may seem, there are people who truly don’t know a thing about any culture but their own. We live in a country filled with a myriad of different races and cultures, yet we do not bother to go as far as to learn another language or verse ourselves on the basics of different culture. Ignorance is not and never will be bliss.
Horoscopes: Accurate or Entertainment? Are horoscopes actually accurate and reliable, or have they become a form of entertainment? Marisa Hart Whether it is going Staff Writer through horoscope posts on
social media, or even looking at them in the newspaper, I always find it to be interesting to compare myself to what my sign is supposed to be like. Even though there are many times I can easily relate to my horoscope, I only find the similarities to be coincidental. Yet, there are some times when horoscopes are almost freakishly correct, leading me to question: how accurate are horoscopes? Horoscopes are predictions, or statements, based on someone’s personality and are considered to be created based off of influences from celestial beings. Horoscopes originate from the study of astrology and have been studied for thousands of years.
There are many people who closely follow
photo by: en.wikipedia.org
their horoscopes and believe their star sign determines their fate. Today,
horoscopes have become part of pop culture on social media, where accounts upload horoscopes daily. Frequently these social media accounts post horoscopes that are meant to be taken as a joke such as “The Zodiac Signs as Different Apps.” There are also horoscopes that are meant to be taken seriously, such as horoscopes that are posted in the newspaper. When it comes down to it, celestial beings cannot determine how someone acts. Though it is amusing when your horoscope almost exactly describes you, everyone is responsible for their own actions. The possible influence from celestial beings should not determine how people act. Horoscopes are used for entertainment and are sometimes coincidentally accurate.
October2015
Opinions22 A Response to Harper Lee’s New Book Alex Levine This summer the Staff Writer anticipated sequel by
Go Set a Reviewer
highly Harper Lee, “Go Set a Watchman,” was released. The book, set around twenty years after the events of her original book, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” from the onset provided fodder for reviewers hungry to criticize. Whether it be Dave Lewis of the L.A. Times or Maureen Corrigan of NPR, Alexandra Petri of the Washington Post or Colette Bancroft from the Tampa Bay Times, or one of many other reviewers, for lack of a better term, the book was scoffed at in reviews around the country. As for the reasons why, the general tone is that the book has a malformed plot, a monotonous tone, and a general sort of rambling pattern with dialogues inter-looped through it. Actually, they are right; by no means was this Harper Lee’s best work and the many faults of the book cut into the underlying entertainment value of it. It does not help that Atticus Finch, one of the main characters of the “To Kill a Mockingbird,” switches from fighting to represent a black man in court to joining a White Citizen’s Council in the new book. In fact, almost everything from “To Kill a Mockingbird” is turned on its head, and for this and the books other faults, it would seem by the general reaction among fans and reviewers alike that Harper Lee is now no longer the great author she was just a year ago. Harper Lee should not be punished for “Go Set a Watchman,” though. Her name should not be
R e b o o t
smudged and her legacy should not be doubted. I would not mind so much if those reviewers attacking the book were criticizing a fully edited, life work of a novel for having the characteristics of an unedited first draft; that just means it must be a bad book. Attacking an unedited first draft because it has the hallmarks of an unedited first draft does not seem fair, though. When I agree with the reviewers that the book does have many faults, I am telling the truth about its value as a book; but it is not a book, it is an unedited manuscript, and when you consider this, it is actually rather good. For fans of the original book, too, they have to realize that “Go Set a Watchman” is not “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and its differences are something that should be enjoyed, not discarded; they should not complain because of them. Harper Lee worked hard to complete something I really consider to have much greater depth than “To Kill a Mockingbird,” something that demonstrates race relations far better than was ever possible in that first book of hers. The fact that she is now doubted as a great author because of “Go Set a Watchman” is truly terrible. Those reviewers who came to criticize “Go Set a Watchman” really are backwards; it is something for Harper Lee to be applauded and respected for and it is something that 60 years ago Harper Lee put effort into. Now, I know that the book as a novel isn’t up to the par that wa remember of Harper Lee, but that really is irrelevant for me. In the end, “Go Set a Watchman” is something that I respect, and that is all I need to worry about.
( - c a l y s p e )
Does Hollywood need to take break from the reboot craze?
2015: the year that made me realize ahead of its time, and went unnoticed. Also, if creative that Hollywood is running out of ideas. writing and exceptional effects were put in into reboots, They are now producing more reboots regardless of their genre, they would be appealing to the than ever in the past. There is a significant difference audience and critics alike. between remakes and reboots, though. A remake is a reReboots should be taken with a grain of salt. Sometimes telling of the same story with a few changes to accommodate they are good, decent, or bad - it is all based on the writers, our time and culture, however a reboot starts off in the producers, directors, and the actors/actresses involved with same arc of the original movie, but takes a simple twist thus the film. In my opinion, it is either best to have the director creating a new arc of its own. of the original film be the consultant to the reboot, bringing Reboots are good at grabbing our attention, because back some original cast members to have a cameo, have we are nostalgic about that movie series better writers to create more inventive specifically. Reboots usually have a “Fantastic Four is so twists to the original story, or refrain from successful box gross, making an easy mediocre that its title creating one in the first place, (*cough* profit for Hollywood. This trend has been seems like a violation of “Fantastic Four” *cough* *cough*). ongoing for years, but never reached the However, reboots show us that Hollywood truth in advertising laws.” is running out of creative ideas, and shows breaking point until this year. Now, they are making reboots on series Steve Persall that they are basically plagiarizing original that actually do not deserve them. Horror ideas. The main problem of reboots movies fall under this category, because of how the effects though is that the fans of the original compare the reboot on the original were practical rather than CGI. The gore to the original. Yes, I understand the nostalgia factor, but effect was so lifelike in the “Slasher” era of horror movies there is a reason why it is a reboot. Reboots are meant to which, caused the MPAA to give the movies the infamous give us a new light on how the story of the series could take, X-rating. The horror reboots now utilize cheap CGI effects, basically branching off the original story. If you compare jump scares, and try to market to teens with social media the original to anything entertainment wise, it has to be and the PG-13 rating. a remake. Reboots can add flavor to the audience’s movie Every now and then, a reboot shines as it brings watching experience, but when it is saturated to the brim, something and new and revolutionary to the audience. we might as well not go to the movies. These movies are reboots to movie titles that are rather Source: http://www.metacritic.com/movie/fantastic-four-2015
Jimmie Smith Staff Writer
October2015
Interactive23
Can You Spot the Differences? There are six changes in the second photo. Can you find them all?
Find the answer key at the bottom of Page 14.
October2015
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