Issue4

A

the Should a fence be built along the border between the U.S. and Mexico?

A closer look at some well known people around AHS

NEWS BRIEFS Today’s Weather Scattered Showers High: 64

Low: 43

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ALL EYES ON THE ATOMS

GOOD FENCES, GOOD NEIGHBORS?

Today’s Lunch Cheese Sticks with Marinara Sauce Spicy Chicken Sandwich Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Yogurt with Pretzel

This Day in History 1938 — Nazis burn and loot temples and Jewish owned stores in what became known as the Night of Broken Glass.

1960 — John F. Kennedy is elected as the 34th and youngest President of the United States.

1989 — Borders between East and West Germany are opened, and the Berlin Wall is torn down the next day.

NEWS BRIEFS Senior attends Virginia Historical Society Scholars Forum

The theater department will present the well known production Dracula on Nov. 16, 17 and 18. The performance will be held at 7:30 p.m. in the auditorium on all three nights.

The theater department has been preparing for this play for approximately six weeks. Rehersals began as soon as “Class Acts” ended.

The lead actors in the play are junior Paul Mathis, senior Evan Milberg, sophomore Natalia Schwein, senior Ellen Beste and junior Eric Jurenas.

“It’s going to be very technically refined,” said Milberg. “We have some actors [in this show] that are good enough to win Cappie Awards.”

Immigration Survey

Opinion 8% No

Undecided 13%

43%

36%

Yes

No

The A-Blast conducted a survey to determine student’s opinions on whether or not a fence should be consturcted across 700 miles of the border between the United States and Mexico.

This survey was distributed on Nov. 2 during B, C and D lunch. Of 500 surveys distributed, 438 were completed and returned for inclusion in this graph.

TOUR DE WASHINGTON

The effects of global warming continue to become evident

The D.C. area is home to many popular bike trails

BY MICHELLE RISSE News Editor On Nov. 1, Cornerstone Church’s pews were filled with AHS students, parents, siblings, and members of the community to enjoy the AHS choir’s fall concert. The choir performed Carmina Burana with the Dietrich Bonhoeffer Gymnasium Choir from Epplehiem, Germany.

“Music is the language we share,” said junior Eric Jurenas. The AHS choral students enjoy having the German exchange students here to learn about the German culture.

“Having [the German students] here is an experience for them and for us. Interacting together and crossing cultural bounds is really exciting. I have never done anything like this before,” said Jurenas.

The concert featured members of all the AHS choirs, musicians, and soloists.

Carmina Burana included 25 movements and was about 60 minutes long.

“We chose Carmina because it is a

Top left: Guest soloist Stephen Coombs performed with the choral groups. Coombs sang the baritone part on several of the movements in the piece. Bottom left: AHS choral director Carleen Dixon conducts during the performance. Right: Seniors Elise Hyltoft and Fiona Agnew sing during Carmina Burana. Hyltoft and Agnew are both members of the “Annandale Singers” choral group.

NHS inducts 44 members Model U.N. conference begins today

BY EMILY SAMPLE AND DANIEL FISHMAN News Editor and Staff Writer

“National Honor Society is a big deal,” said senior National Honor Society President Helen Paterson, and it is getting bigger. The induction ceremony that inducted 44 new members was held in the auditorium on Oct. 30.

“I am extremely pleased with the new inductees because they are the brightest and most energetic group

Senior Yamen Hama speaks at the NHS induction ceremony. As NHS Vice President, Hama and the other officers were required to take part in the ceremony.

we’ve had yet,” said Cliff Hickman, advisor of the NHS. Hickman, wearing a NHS tie for the occasion, sat in the audience for the ceremony. The officer’s sported black gowns and NHS sashes to lend a more prestigious air to the ceremony.

The night opened with a performance by an orchestral quartet as current NHS members and families of inductees filled the auditorium. The NHS board members and officers took their seats on the stage. The board members included Augustine Twyman, John Ponton, Patrick Hughes, Joseph Valentino, Claudia Lemus, and Donna Erickson. The new inductees to the NHS marched down the isle and sat in the first four rows to the applause of the crowd and elegant, if programmed, music.

“A mind is a terrible thing to waste,” said Pamela Feil to open the ceremony as guest speaker, crediting it to the United Negro College Fund. She spoke about the necessity of honor and its role in student’s lives.

Senior Emily Vincent, Secretary, lit the NHS torch, a simple white candle, and spoke of the objectives the society wants to accomplish. Senior Yamen Hama, Vice President, lit the “scholarship” candle and spoke of the honor and responsibility of being in the NHS. Tony Chung, Historian of the society, lit the candle of “service” and spoke about various deeds that the society performs around the AHS and Annandale

Senior Model United Nations President Kelsey Grant has been holding meetings with the Model U.N. club to prepare for the clubʼs trip to UVA. Model U.N. will leave today to attend the UVA national conference.

“National Honor Society” continued on page 5

Andrew Hurst visits AHS

BY JOSEPH HONG Staff Writer

Democrat spoke to students in Clausen Hall on Nov. 3

BY KRISTA SILANO Managing Editor Andrew Hurst, the Democratic candidate for the 11th District House of Representatives seat, visited AHS during R1 flex on Nov. 3. Hurst was running against Republican incumbent Tom Davis.

Throughout his visit, Hurst spoke about his personal life and experiences with his first political campaign, and also answered students’ questions.

After a brief introduction by AHS government teacher Greg Commons, Hurst started off with some background information.

“I live in Springfield with my wife, Elizabeth. I have three kids. They’re nine, eight and three: Emma, John, and Henry,” said Hurst, as he explained to the students about his personal life.

Hurst was born on the New Jersey shore, “where Bruce Springsteen’s from,” “Andrew Hurst” continued on page 5

MARGARET CROWLEY

Theater department prepares to perform Dracula

ITʼS GETTING HOT IN HERE

German and AHS students perform famous choral work

BEN HENDRICKSON

Senior Grover Mewborn was chosen as one of 20 students statewide, three students in Fairfax County, who were selected as the 2006 Wyndham B. Blanton Scholars. This prestigious award is given by the Virginia Historical Society.

To apply for this honor, students had to be enrolled in either a U.S. history or a government class. The student also was required to submit a research paper on a selected topic, two letters of recommendation and a completed application form.

Mewborn participated in a scholars forum in Richmond held by the society. At this two day forum, students were given the opportunity to meet with nationally renowned history scholars. The days were spent by holding a series of lectures and seminars.

This year, the guest scholar at the event was David McCullough, author of the book 1776. This book was a two-time winner of the National Book Award and a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize.

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10-11

Chorus takes on Carmina

“Chorus” continued on page 5

Mewborn

703-642-4229

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2006

PHOTOS BY ALYSSA NAVARRETE

3

700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003

ALYSSA NAVARRETE

VOLUME #52 ISSUE 4

ANNANDALE HIGH SCHOOL

Democratic candidate Andrew Hurst, of Springfield, visited AHS during R1 flex on Nov. 3. Hurst, spoke to students in Clausen Hall on issues ranging from the War in Iraq to healthcare to immigration.

The Model United Nations club, sponsored by Jonathan York, is an activity felicitous for many students. According to York, it is an exact replica of the genuine United Nations.

The students involved in the club activities write various position papers and debate issues such as world health, nuclear disarmament, and social humanity.

The purpose of the club is to “teach [students] about international relations,” said York. Additionally, writing and speaking skills, which are fundamentals in the club, are honed during conferences.

“I think it’s a great club that can really open up people’s mind to what is going on in the world,” said senior Kelsey Grant, one of the three presidents of the Model U.N. Grant, who was not very good at speaking her freshman year, feels confident in public speaking after three years in the club.

“We have great presidents and some great students,” said York. However, he wishes to see “more freshman involvement” as the year progresses. Furthermore, Grant, who saw the increase in membership size since last year, would like to “be able adjust the club to its new size.”

Grant also mentioned that her favorite aspect of the club is the trips.

“It’s great to be at a college campus with your friends.”

The Model United Nations Club will embark on a trip to the University of Virginia on Nov. 9, and will return on Nov. 12. AHS will represent Italy and Vietnam, competing along approximately about 12,000 other high school students. Out of 40 students in the club, 25 students of the Model U.N. have signed up to go. Students appeared especially genial at the club meeting on Oct. 30, as the day of the trip was the primary topic of discussion.

However, with each trip that the club takes, students “Model U.N.” continued on page 5

Behind the rumors Dear Students and Staff of Annandale High School, No doubt you have heard something about the Friday the 13th rumors and how they began with a roleplaying game. As an administrator of the website, I would like to apologize for the fear they may have caused and I believe it is your right to know the whole story; I also wish to defend our website from some of the negative publicity it has been receiving. The rumors began as a simple inside joke relating directly to one of the major plotlines from our online interactive roleplaying community known as “Roachia.”

According to this plotline, a mutant emoticon created by a Dr. Minako Yasu in the year 2352 A.F. (After Fourm, reffering to after the forum’s creation date) and traveled back through time. Known as “the übercon,” this powerful three-eyed, buck-toothed, bunny eared smiley face grew to be enourmous and had supernatural powers. It’s goal was to travel back through time and kill any and all deities to make the world a secular society.

The original rumors, as known to Roachia members who attend Annandale, were that the übercon would come toAnnandale and brainwash the students to use as minions in it’s fight against the gods. The color yellow, or standing in the center of a blessed circle of brown processed sugar, were the only ways to protect an individual from the übercon’s power. The set date for its arrival was Friday the 13th. With that, the message began to spread, we did indeed have the slight hope that nonmembers would show interest and perhaps join our society.

Unfortunatly, beyond our control, these rumors did mutate into more terrible things. As with a group of children playing “telephone,” the message that the people eventually heard was very different from the begining one. Shootings, stabbings were somehow thrown into the mix and what people heard began getting scarier and scarier. Somehow the color yellow remained the “way to protect yourself” from whatever harm the rumors spoke of.

I speak for all members of Roachia when I apologize for the scare that was caused by these sad rumors. Roachia is an online, comical interactive story with no mal intent.

I give you my word that I will be offering free hugs until the end of the school year to further demonstrate our peaceful intentions.

Ads with devious intent

BY LUCAS HIGGINS Staff Writer Bob Ehrlich stands on Dolores Avenue in Arbutus, Maryland. Behind him are picture-perfect houses, complete with hanging plants, mini-vans, andAmerican flags.

Ehrlich begins describing how much this little road means to him; it is where he grew up. Ehrlich conveys to us his love of little league baseball, cookouts, Maryland crabs and especially football. He also loves his grandparents, apparently. How sweet.

What Ehrlich fails to mention during this almost unbearable 30-second campaign ad is how he feels about taxes, or abortion, or anything else that has any relevance to Maryland’s future. Instead he rails on about how much he values his—well, values. He does not quite communicate to us what exactly those values are, but we know they sure must be important. Golly, Ehrlich seems like a swell guy, huh?

It was the same story in elections all across the country.

Now, Ehrlich was in a gubernatorial race, not a senatorial race, so all this seems a little more excusable for him. When it is something local, as a gubernatorial election is, maybe values should be a major part of the equation. But surely they should not entirely take the place of issues altogether?

Senate races, however, are an entirely different animal.

The Senate impacts the future of the entire country, not just one state. This was a particularly intense year because of how close Democrats are to regaining control.

The election in New Jersey was being described as “too close to call,” which was being heard in many senatorial races across the nation. Challenger Tom Kean Jr. was constantly telling anyone within earshot that incumbent Robert Menendez is under federal criminal investigation.

(Kean did not seem to have any gripes with his opponent’s stance on the issues. He may have, but I would not be able

Issue 3, Oct. 18 corrections Joseph Ingbergs’ name was mispelled on pages 1 and 8 in the story “PSAT’s administered.”

Sibtain Razas’ name was mispelled on page 3 on the rail.

Meredith Rutherfords’name was mispelled on page 7 in the story “Too much homework .”

Elise Miles’ name was mispelled on page 7 in the story “Too much homework.”

Mary Berminghams’ name was mispelled on page 9 in the story “Student athletes accomodate academics.”

The photo in the story “Golf’s season ends” on page 16 was taken by Josh Miller.

to tell because it was something that was so rarely touched upon.) He just seems content with talking about the fact that Menendez is under federal criminal investigation.

But the race that gets the credit for being the most ridiculous is the one that took place in our own lovely state.

Anyone even semi-politically-conscious living in this state knew about our two mud-slinging options for the senate.

We had chauvinist James Webb, the challenger, and racial bigot George Allen, the incumbent.

The biggest focal points in this campaign were, of course, the sexist statements written by James Webb when he was in the Navy back in 1979, and the accusations against George Allen, claiming that he frequently used the “N-word” when he was younger and that he sported a noose and the confederate flag in his law office.

After that, Allen was also caught on tape using a racial slur towards a young member of Webb’s campaign. Both candidates tried to lie and dance their way out of trouble after these ugly little vote-killers surfaced.

The moral of the story? Many politicians are lying, discriminating scum. It’s no secret that political leaders are not the awesome, super-virtuous men they pretend to be.

All this slander and attack of the opponent’s morals has been going on for a long time, but it gets worse and worse every election. It may have something to do with the fact that the two major parties are beginning to look exactly alike. It’s evident that the two major parties are losing members. More and more people are considering themselves independent. There is nothing wrong with that, but if political leaders want to continue to have the ability to classify voters then something needs to change.

What both parties realize, but do not seem to want to face, is that they need each other to survive. With the Republican Party almost having lost the public’s trust entirely, and the Democratic Party being viewed and represented as weak, the most common complaint you

Bob Erhlich, running for the governor of Maryland, has joined other candidates from both parties in using irrelevant ads.

hear from today’s voters is that neither candidate is a good option. All of this accumulates to something much more than just public frustration. It threatens our two-party system as a whole. Which may not be so bad, maybe it is time for some change.system as a whole. Which may not be so bad, maybe it is time for some change. author’s e-mail: lucas.higgins@thea-blast.org

Is Jon Stewart considered a political force?

BY GREG YOUNG Staff Writer Hardball with Chris Matthews, The O’Reilly Factor with Bill O’Reilly, and The NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams are all commonly regarded as shows where viewers can receive legitimate news about the comings and goings in the United States. However, with the elections now over, it is time to debate whether or not The Daily Show with Jon Stewart now deserves inclusion in that list.

The Daily Show, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, has been providing its viewers with a comedic interpretation of the news.

Often, The Daily Show sheds a different light on the most talked about issue of the night: sometimes a speech by President Bush (who Stewart often portrays in an unflattering way); other times a blunder by a major politician.

Also, like most other major news shows, The Daily Show uses correspondents to give a more in-depth look on the issue.

However, unlike the other news shows, The Daily Show uses the correspondents to provide a view on the comedy of a situation and is designed to parody “real” correspondents.

Amazingly, in a recent study by In-

been one of the most prominently watched news sources among younger people. For the 2004 Presidential elections, the PEW research department found that 21% of viewers ages 18-29 use The Daily Show as their primary news source.

This is not surprising news for one main reason: younger viewers are more likely to become bored, and need to be constantly entertained through a television program.

The Daily Show, unlike most Jon Stewart is shown parodying one of his favornews shows, is entertaining and ite targets, George W. Bush. capable of keeping a younger viewer constantly entertained. diana professor Julia R. Fox, The Daily Recently, Bill O’Reilly railed against Show contains as much substance as other, seemingly more credible news The Daily Show, saying “manyAmericans sources such as the CBS Evening News have no clue what is going on because they are getting their getting their news from and Hardball.

The major difference, Fox cited, was the Jon Stewart.”

However, unlike Bill O’Reilly (more filler in between the substance. Most news shows, when not showing their substance, commonly referred to by prominent media try to provide relevant analysis of the news. analysts as Bill O’Lielly) said in his pathetThe Daily Show, however, provides the ic excuse for a news program (The O’Reilly viewer with comedy instead of analysis. Factor,) Jon Stewart’s viewers have been The result is a show with just as much proven to be more informed about the news but which is much easier and more events in the upcoming elections than the viewers in any other news show. fun to watch for most people.

The study, performed by the National Not coincidently, The Daily Show has

MAking the GrAde

Thank you, Jules Ismail (aka The Roachy Jay) Freshman

Nov. 9, 2006

WWW.SACBEE.COM

Letter to the Editor

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Pole dancing kit for kids removed from site

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Tesco, one of the largest grocery homeshopping services in the world has been forced to remove a product from its “toys and games” section on its website. The product was a miniature pole dancing kit for kids. Ms. Gallimore of Cheshire, 33, discovered the product while she was shopping on the website. Tesco was forced to remove the product after it was accused of “destroying the children’s innocence.” The kit came complete with chrome pole, leg strap, and fake money.

John Kerry makes joke, no one laughs

D F F

On Oct. 31, Senator John Kerry made a joke to California students that that those unable to navigate the county’s education system “get stuck in Iraq.” His “joke” offended many Americans and Kerry later apologized for his comment on his website.

Diabetic refused insulin by airport staff Tui Peter Russell of New Zealand was not allowed to bring his insulin on board his flight by the staff of Air New Zealand at the check in desk.

Midway through the flight Russell had an attack and fell into a coma. Upon landing Russell was taken to a hospital and remained there for two weeks.

Are you a jelleybelly?

In Winter Haven, Florida Chief of police Paul Goward sent an email to the officers under his control with the subject line “Are you a jellleybelly?” The email was advising the officers against eating fatty foods and drinking alcohol. The email went on further to say “we didn’t hire you unfit and we don’t want you working unfit.” Goward later resigned after receiving an assault of complaints deeming the email “offensive.”

WWW.LISAREIN.COM

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EDITORIALS

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Annenberg Election Survey, showed that not only were the viewers of The Daily Show more informed on major electoral issues than other comedy shows, they were more informed than the viewers of any major news show.

If you connect the dots, the survey may show a positive sign for the future of America. If the viewers of The Daily Show are truly more informed of electoral issues than in any other show, it shows that the youth of America is becoming more informed and may be more willing to be politically active.

One must look at the big picture while analyzing Jon Stewart. If not for him, it is likely that younger voters would not know anything about politics.

Most likely, people like Stewart will continue to operate in the fringes of society, because there will always be places for them in America. author’s e-mail: greg.young@theablast.org

t Annandale High School 4700 Medford Dr. Annandale, Virginia 22003

Vol. 53 No. 4 Nov. 9, 2006

(703)642-4229 email: thea-blast@thea-blast.org fax: (703)642-4299

Editors in Chief, Print: Alyssa Navarrete David Sherman Editor in Chief, Online: Erick Vu

Photography Editor:

Managing Editor: Krista Silano Copy Editor: Tim Yuskavage Online Editor: Bryan Krzywicki Design Editor: Matt Camilli Kevin Leach Graphics Editor: Adam Kasdorf Circulation Manager: Kyle Knoche

Sports Xtra Editors:

Margaret Crowley Julianne Simpson Sports Editors: Avery Adcock Greg Rosenstein Jeff Dean Matt Johnson In-Depth Editors: Paul Mathis Chrissy Osipchak

Weekend Editors: Kate McCormack Tim Shadyac Online Staff: Amy Steinbuechler Ad Manager: Amy Stevens Marisa Tordella Academics Editors: Michael Craig Matt Camilli Cason Kynes CJ Sidener Taylor Hobson Emily Vincent Videographers/Editors: Gus Nielson Spanish Consultant: Antonio Rivadinera Drew Wildes Staff Writers/Photographers: Ben Hendrickson Bud Ireland, Daniel Fishman, Arts Editors: Lyndsay Jacobs Rachael Burnett, Ebony Chambers, Charlie Laura Simpson Winters, Lucas Higgins, Lea Nicherson, Cultures Editors: Vanessa Cerro Meredith Rutherford, Julie Tumasz Waliha Gani Brandon Williams, Greg Young, Nathalie Editorials Editors: Shriya Adhikary Cladera Carrera, Claire Bui, Nicole Swiger, Mohamad Elbarasse Aya Saed, Caroline Merz, Cristian Roldan, Laith Abu-Taleb Entertainment: Layluma Hotaki Adviser: Alan Weintraut Jenny Jacobs Health Editors: Becca Grimsley Sarah Waiter Trophy Class News Editors: Michelle Risse Pacemaker CSPA Virginia High Emily Sample National Scholastic Silver Crown School People Editors: Julie Baker Press Association 2005-2006 2004-2005 Lindsey Downen 2004-2005 The A-Blast is an award winning newspaper that strives to inform, educate and entertain the student body and community. Published every three weeks, The A-Blast will not print any material that is obscene or libelous; or that which substantially disrupts the school day, or invades an individual’s right to privacy. The A-Blast is an independent, open forum for discussion that is printed at the Springfield Plant of The Washington Post. Signed letters to the editor of 250 words or less may be submitted to room 262 or mailed ot the school. The A-Blast reserves the right to refuse advertisements. All submissions become property of The A-Blast, Copyright, 2006.

EDITORIALS

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Nov. 9, 2006

A lack of participation Opinion

By Shriya Adhikary

So what’s the deal with these special events anyways?

Does it ever seem to anyone that our school is lacking in things to do and activities to participate in? I sometimes wonder why we our school does not do things like Friday night dances and fun carnival fairs. And I’m sure everyone has at least once felt a lack of school spirit among the students. And don’t tell me you didn’t try to blame it on the school’s administration. I know I felt this way until a couple of days ago when I received some surprising information.

To find the answers to my musings, I interviewed the Director of Student Activities, Angelo Hilios, who told me that the school creates programs and events based on what the students bring to them. Whatever special events the different clubs or individual students themselves propose is looked over by Hilios and the administrative team. If the activity pertains to all the rules and regulations of the school and is approved by principal John Ponton, then we are allowed to schedule these exclusive days and events are added to the schedule.

So essentially, the students are responsible for the amount of school spirit we show and the number of special things we prepare.

What do you think about the contruction of the border fence along the U.S.-Mexico border?

The fact is, we are so focused on our own issues and All of the classes built movie themed floats for the Homecoming Parade.

Opinion

By Tim Yuskavage

Obama and Clinton both unlikely candidates for 2008 If one were to ask a random person who the Democratic candidate for the 2008 presidential election would be, I would venture to say that he or she would respond with either Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton.

Both are reasonable answers; Hillary, the wife of Bill, certainly has name recognition to her credit, and is usually in the specter of public debate. Barack, the junior senator from Illinois, is a handsome, relatively young politician who recently made the rounds on “Meet The Press,” the cover of Time magazine and, yes, “Oprah.” Sounds like two excellent choices to take over the White House in 2008, right?

The truth is, if those two are the best the Democrats have to offer, expect four more years of Republican control in 2008.

Mr. Obama, the media’s recent darling boy, is most likely a fine man. As for being the leader of the free world, that is a different issue. Serving on the Illinois State Senate, two years in the U.S. Senate and a pretty face is not what I would call political qualification. He has no significant voting record, no landmark legislation to his name, nothing for the public to judge his qualifications by. The man, for a lack of better terms, is simply inexperienced. Perhaps 2012 will lend a better chance for him, but as for now, for all that is said of him, he is a political nymph who will have to earn political respect.

Hillary, on the other hand, is certainly well known,

Barack Obama has been named as a possible candidate for the 2008 presidental elections.

she is certainly talked about, and people without a doubt have opinions of her. It is for these reasons why a presidential run for her would be fruitless. The electorate in 2000 voted out the Clinton political apparatus, and as much as many people dislike Bush, just as many share the same feeling for the Clinton clan. For all the issues of Bush being a divider, Hillary would, whether intentional or not, divide much of the country just the same. Her flaw is that she has made herself visible enough that most everyone in the nation already has made his or her decision on how he or she feels about Hillary Clinton. Her reputation would simply make it far too difficult to present her to the American people as a presidential candidate.

Finally, there is one more, rather cynical fact about these two potential candidates. Many of us think thatAmerica is progressive, which on the whole it is. Old predjuces are not as prevalent as they once were, but the facts are still the facts: In its history, the United States has produced a grand total of one Catholic president, zero women presidents and

“I think it is wrong. Not all immigrants are bad people and most of them are just trying to have a better life.”

problems that we forget to enjoy the good things and wonderful moments. Yet, we complain daily about our tedious and monotonous lives that need juicing up.

So step up to the plate, tackle the problem and, liven things up.You only get this chance, this opportunity during your four years here. Why not make it a memory to last?

—Eder Perez senior “It’s not too big of a deal. I think we should let the immigrants come.”

author’s email: shriya.adhikary@thea-blast.org

—Mark Spicer freshman

Democrats need new approach for 2008 Tim’s Take

WWW.WIZBANGBLOG.COM

Shriya Says

How many times have you heard someone in the hallway complain that Homecoming “sucked so much” or that spirit week had “some horrible themes?” I’ve even heard people blame the school for the lack of people that attended the football games. And sadly enough, often, I participated in denouncing our school for its faults.

However, it was not even a direct criticism of the school, the teachers or the staff, we just did not know who to blame for the lack of activities we thought we had.

And it is not even that we do not have activities and events at our school. Homecoming week and the dance was just a couple of weeks ago and many other activities are to follow.

For the month of November alone, we are scheduled to have a Stomp on Violence week, a Chorus concert that incorporates exchange students from Germany, the fall play is set to be performed, and of course Friday night football games are around this time of the year. Still, we feel a shortcoming in school functions.

But now we know to whom we should direct the blame.

Ourselves. If it is up to us as students to propose and plan special events, then what are we waiting for? Here is our chance to get away from all of the academic struggles of the daily routine and step out of the ordinary. It is as easy as talking to Hilios about the things you want to plan.

It is the time of year when the leaves work their magic and the smell of cider fills the air. Holidays and special moments are just around the corner, with Halloween taking the lead. But how many of us saw any spirit on Oct. 31?

I barely saw people dress up, yet Halloween is one of the most popular days of the year. Wouldn’t it be interesting if we had a contest for the best Halloween costume? Imagine the enthusiasm and energy that contest would generate.

We could have activities like that for all sorts of holidays.

Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah, and Eid are all holidays that students at our school celebrate. It would be great if we had functions that all students could participate in and learn from about these special days.

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zero minority presidents.

The rest, you ask? White male Protestants. All our Vice-Presidents? White men. Our Speakers of the House?

All White men. You get the point.

As far as our society has come, the Washington scene is still just as old fashioned as it has always been.

The simple truth of the matter is that our country is not ready for either a black president or a woman president.

It would be more conceivable for women and minorities to work their way up the political ladder, as is happening now.

As more and more high public offices are held by minorities and women (Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice,Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez), the more the public will become comfortable with them holding office, which eventually might reach the Oval Office. But that is more realistic at this point for 2028, not 2008.

So now that I’ve told the Democrats whom not to run, you’re probably wondering if anyone would be approved to run for president. Looking back to recent history, the answer is simple.

The last two Democratic presidents have come from neither California, nor New England nor Illinois, but from the South. Red state country! Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton have shown that moderate Southern Democrats do stand a chance in the National Elections. If the Democrats were smart, they would do everything they could to get Mark Warner to decide to get back in the campaign.

Outside of him, John Edwards, Wesley Clark? Any of them stand a better chance than the usual New England Democrat who comes across as elite and out of touch with the American people. But the formula is simple. Run a Southern moderate Democrat, and the odds of victory are higher.

The Democratic Party has a golden chance to win the 2008 President Election. Unfortunately, it has had golden opportunities and failed before. Only by picking the correct candidates can it put one of its own in the Oval Office in 2008. By going with either Barack Obama or Hilary Clinton, the chances of success for the Democrats will go down significantly.

“I think the fence is all right. It controls the immigration issue.”

—Azeem Saleem junior

“I think there should be more officers stationed along the fence.

There’s less of a chance that illegal immigrants will get over that way.”

—Florianne Efantis sophomore “I think they should build it and get the illegal immigrants out of the U.S. ”

—Ava Blennerhassett sophomore

“The fence is not going to help because eventually America is going to realize that we need the immigrants.”

author’s email: tim.yuskavage@thea-blast.org

Fencing in our nation’s problems Mo’s

Mindset Opinion

By Mohamad Elbarasse

On Oct. 26, President Bush signed into law the Secure Fence Act, which approved the construction of a 700-mile long fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The law, which demonstrates the Republican Party’s standpoint on illegal immigration, will prove to be a key lynchpin

in the Republican platform come election time in 2008.

The construction of a fence will not solve the United States’ problems with illegal immigrants; they will still be working and living in the U.S. illegally.

All that the president is doing is trapping them in. The fence would be 700 miles long, built along a nearly 2,000-mile border which leaves roughly 1300 miles of treacherous un-fenced land left for the crossing.

Herein lies one of the minor problems of the construction of this fence. Those 1,300 miles of unfenced border are parts of the most dangerous paths immigrants could take to get into the U.S. Now immigrants will pay more for

President Bush has approved an act that will allow the construction of a fence along the dotted gray line.

human smuggling and perhaps find new paths into the United States.

It has been proven that walls don’t work. The Berlin Wall and the Wall of China were both built for the purposes of either keeping people in or keeping them out. And through time both have failed their original purpose.

The Berlin Wall has been torn down and the Great Wall is no longer used for defensive purposes. If the fence along the border is constructed it will surely meet the same fate as many of the other barriers in history.

Instead of trying to find new ways to get the immigrants out of the U.S., the President has approved a law that will prevent more from coming in. We should be looking at why the immigrants are fighting so hard to get into the U.S. Instead of spending $6 billion on building a fence that will inevitably prove to be moot, that money should be spent resurrecting the economies of Mexico and other South American nations.

We have to start looking at the root of the problem, not just the problem itself.

During the 1994 Mexican Peso Crisis the poverty level shot up to 50%. The poverty level has declined since then and was last recorded at 17.6% in 2004.

The decrease in the poverty level was partially due to the intervention of Mexican government welfare programs, but mainly due to remittances sent from relatives from the U.S. As more and more Mexicans found themselves unemployed, they looked to

the border for hope—and so began the migration of Mexican immigrants into the U.S. Yes, the ones who crossed the border illegally were at fault, but they were doing a lesser evil for a greater good. Immigrants would send money that they earned in the U.S. back to their families.

Remittances sent from the U.S. were the key reason that pulled Mexico out of its depression.

The taxpayers’ money should not be spent on a lost cause, such as the Secure Fence Act. The $6 billion should be spent on rehabilitating the economies of Mexico and other South American countries that have a great number of illegal immigrants in the United States.

If immigrants have jobs and opportunities for work in their own countries, then there would be no reason for them to come to the U.S. illegally.

If in the course of a decade or two the countries are brought back to life, immigrants would hopefully return to their rightful countries and live and prosper there.

How diplomatic is it to watch neighboring countries suffer from a horrible economy and severe levels of poverty? We need to stop trying to keep people from surviving and start finding new ways to improve their living. author’s email mohamad.elbarasse@thea-blast.org

—Brad Grabo junior “I think it’s a terrible idea. The U.S. population growth would decrease with the lack of immigrants..”

— Yamen Hama senior

“I think it’s phase one of securing the border. there’s a lot more issues that need to be resolved.”

—Brandon Cooley Assistant Principal

Join the Young Democrats

Not sure which side you’re on?

Then join the Young Democrats. The club meets every Wednesday after school in room 153. Meetings consist of planning events for the year, including participating in community festivals and volunteer activities.

If you have any questions, see Ms. Richardson in room 153.

Stomp on Violence week

Next week, AHS will be conducting its annual Stomp on Violence week. This week is dedicated to informing students about the destruction of bullying and gang violence.

Wrestling team rakes leaves to raise money

On Nov. 11 the wrestling team will be raking leaves around the AHS community. this fundraiser will attempt to raise money to buy new uniforms and equiptment for the wrestling program.

The wrestling program will supply the rakes and the trash bags. However people who choose to participate in the fundraiser will be responsible for the disposal of the leaves.

Prices for raking range from approximately $40 to $80, depending on the size of the yard. People who are interested in participating in this fundraiser should contact wrestling coach Keith Shoulders at 703-642-4177 or via email at Keith.Shoulders@fcps.edu.

Military Fair held

Every year the military fair comes to AHS and gives students an opportunity to see what other choices they have besides going to college. The fair usually attracts many students who do not know what they want to do after high school, as well as those that do, and this year was no different.

According to career center specialist Robin Roth, between 200 and 250 students attended the Military Fair during R7 and W8 flex on Thursday, October 26.

There were several different military branches represented, including; the Marines, theArmy, the Navy, the Coast Guard Academy, and the ROTC. “I plan on joining the military after high school,” said junior Mina Phan. Several students here at AHS, who have already joined the Marines, are encouraging their friends to join as well. Representatives at the fair gave out pamphlets, pencils, pens, key chains, posters, water bottles, bumper stickers, and t-shirts with the each branch’s logo on it in an attempt to advertise. Videos advertising each branch were also shown to motivate students.

Many military recruiters were more than willing to offer students information about their individual branch.

“We want to give information about the Coast Guard Academy,” said Lieutenant Junior Nothrop. “We want them to receive enough information so that they feel ready to make the right decision for themselves, whether it is joining us at the academy of continuing onto college.”

Recruiters were trying everything they can to get students to consider joining the military by giving them free things.

They want to inform students about the benefits of joining, such as being able to go to college and being able to get a job in almost any field they want.

“1…2…3…” Sergeant James Thyden of the Marines barked out as students tried to do twenty pull-ups on the pull up bar to receive a t-shirt.

The branch that appeared to receive the most attention had to be the Marine Corp. The Corp decided to stop doing push-ups and bring in a pull-up bar to make the Fair a little more exciting.

“Anyone that can do 20 pull-ups, will receive a t-shirt,” said Sergeant Thyden as he tried to encourage students to try and push themselves to accomplish something a lot of them did not think that they were capable of.

“It was pretty easy until I got to the last ten seconds,” said senior Stephanie Gonzalez, one of the few girls that actually received a t-shirt.

“It’s not as easy as it looks, it requires a lot of arm strength,” said sophomore Hans Barredu.

Many students were up for the challenge but very few of them received a t-shirt. In order to participate, students had to sign up to receive information about the Marines.

The Military Fair gives students the opportunity to see what else is out there for them besides college. The purpose of the Military Fair was to inform students about the numerous opportunities available to them. The Fair makes information available for students to give to their parents in order for them to know what can be expected by joining the military.

—Ebony Chambers Staff Writer

Nov. 9, 2006

Car crashes affect teenagers

BY CLAIRE BUI Staff Writer

“I thought I was done. I saw my life flash before my eyes, it all just happened in slow motion,” said senior Will Wade, as he looked back on the night of Homecoming.

On Oct. 21, while many students were happlily dawning their finest attire, snapping photos, and taking part in other pre-homecoming festivities, a bewildered Wade stood by the remains of his neighbors’ car. The 2003 royal blue 350Z BMW, which he had borrowed from a family friend, was now totaled.

Wade was making his way to dinner with his date and passenger, fellow AHS senior Rachel Naverrete, when he got lost on 95 South. He turned around onto Alban Road, going towards Washington on 95 North, and was on the highway for nearly a mile when another car had cut him off. In attempt to avoid it, Wade swerved but lost control of the car, abruptly hitting a cement median. The BMW spun out, doing a complete 360 turn. Both airbags deployed.

A few of Wade and Naverette’s close friends were following them in a separate car behind, and saw the whole incident happen.

“Will’s car started to swerve and tilted sideways all of a sudden. We saw them hit the jersey wall divider head on. Their car bounced off spinning and hit again. There was debris all over the road after,” said senior Allie Bagot. “It was the scariest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. We all thought we had just watched our friends die.”

Fortunately, both the driver and passenger were wearing seatbelts. Wade was not hurt in the accident. Naverette sustained minor injuries but was cleared and released after being examined by paramedics at the scene.

“I was shocked. I remember looking over at Rachel after it happened and seeing if she was okay. Thank God she was,” said Will.

Senior Lisa Ottenheimer, another observer, was awestruck as she witnessed the The 350Z BMW senior Will Wade was driving after his collison on Oct. 21. Neither Wade or near death of her two close friends.

Navarrete were seriously injured in the accident. “Never think that it canʼt happen to you,” “Everybody in the car started screaming and crying. After the accident I jumped said Wade. out of the car that I was in and ran across the street as I called the police. The imtions of driving in his classes. pact [of the crash] was so severe. All of us are so thankful that they walked away okay,” “We’ve talked more and more about aggressive driving. When you speed you have said Ottenheimer. less time to react, and the faster you go, the more extensive the risk of personally injurWhen Virginia State Police arrived at the scene, Wade was ticketed on account of ing yourself or damaging the vehicle will be,” said Hughes. reckless driving and the inability to maintain the vehicle. He is scheduled to appear in Despite all of the chaos, neither of the seniors let the accident damper their last court on Dec. 28. homecoming of high school. Wade and Naverette were collected and in good spirits as Though Wade’s insurance will not cover for damages made to the car, the owner of they went on to attend dinner at the Paradiso Italian Restaurant in Alexandria, and the BMW is making a claim, which will then transfer to his insurance and will be paid. enjoyed the dance and Homecoming festivities.

Crashes such as these are most likely to happen among teenagers than any other “I didn’t cry or anything.

I just wanted everyone around me to know that I was okay age group, according a AAA Foundation, a organization for traffic safety, survey taken and to calm down. I really just wanted to make the most of my night and go to my sein 2005. From 1995 through 2004, crashes involving 15, 16, and 17-year-old drivers nior year Homecoming,” Naverrete stated. “I actually had a lot of fun. I was pretty sore claimed the lives of 30,917 people nationwide. Twelve thousand, four hundred thirteen for parts of it, but being sore was really not a big deal considering how bad it could have of these occurred in single vehicle crashes involving only the vehicle operated by the been. I’m just thankful for everything and all of my friends who were so supportive.” teenage driver.

After it happened, I learned that I need to take life more cautiously and always be Patrick Hughes, a drivers education teacher at AHS, stresses the risks and implicacareful,” said Wade. “Never think that it can’t happen to you.”

COURTESY OF WILL WADE

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School in media spotlight due to arrests of Orchestra director and former AP

BY DAVID SHERMAN Co-Editor in Chief

Police arrested and charged Kregg Bertram Stovner with taking indecent liberties with a child by a person in a custodial or supervisory relationship on Oct. 19.

Stovner, 49, has been the music teacher and orchestra instructor at AHS since the beginning of last year.

He also teaches at Ravensworth Elementary School.

AHS placed Stovner on paid leave when administrators learned of the allegations, but then placed him on leave without pay after he was charged.

“Honestly, I really wasn’t shocked when I heard about [the arrest],” said senior Lizzie Murray, who plays the violin in the AHS orchestra. “I felt awkward in the class because he always seemed a little creepy.

I just never really felt comfortable there.”

Principal John Ponton addressed the AHS faculty about the situation in a staff meeting after school on Oct. 19. Ponton sent a letter home after school on Oct. 20 and an e-mail to the 600 members of FCPS Stovner “Keep in Touch,” an e-mail service used by the Parents, Teachers and Students Association (PTSA).

“I still don’t believe the rumors are true,” said senior Graham Prosch. “I can’t picture Mr. Stovner doing such an inappropriate thing. He’s quirky, but a very nice guy who genuinely cares about the orchestra and his students.”

Stovner faces up to five years in jail and a fine of $2,500.

In addition to Stovner,AHS has been in the spotlight of the media recently for another incident involving a former assistant principal.

Shawn Hearn, a former AHS assistant principal from 2003 to 2005, was arrested along with a student on Oct. 25, during a scuffle inside the school. Hearn was the acting Principal of Eastern Senior High School in Washington, D.C. Hearn, 35, and student Kenneth Holsey, 18, were charged with misdemeanor simple assualts, said police.

Both were issued a citation and released without needing medical attention.

Police said that a fight broke out between two students on the first floor of the school around 10:15 a.m.

Other students, including those on other floors, ran into the halls to see the fight.

Hearn, who also served as an assistant principal at James Madison High School during the 2005-2006 school year, was on the third floor, trying to get students to return to their classrooms when he grabbed two male students, said police. A third student, who was later identified as Holsey, then jumped on Hearn. Police officers assigned to the school as security arrived on the third floor to break up the fight and arrested Hearn and Holsey.

In an interview with The Washington Post, Hearn stated that it was “not true at all” that he had assaulted a student. Hearn said that he was attempting to get the students to disperse, and that “yes, we were physically moving students.”

Investigators are trying to determine whether Hearn struck Holsey, and if so, whether it was in self-defense.

Hearn was involved in a previous scuffle on Aug. 31 that resulted in another student requiring stitches for a head injury, police records show.

Hearn was attempting to order junior Marquete Harris, 17, into his office to suspend him for skipping Hearn school. Harris became irrate and tried to run. As Hearn tried to restrain him, the two fell to the floor.

Harris had a slight cut on the right side of his head and was sent to the school nurse. He returned home without bandages and was still bleeding. Harris’s aunt, Virginia E. Williams, took him to Children’s Hospital, where he received two stitches and was treated for a bruised shoulder. The hospital urged Williams to file a police report.

The scuffle took place on the fourth day of classes.

Williams said Hearn offered to pay the medical bills.

The incident was ruled an accident, and no charges were filed.

Hearn was placed on administrative leave and reassigned to the school system’s central office after the Oct. 25 incident, according to Robert C. Rice, special assistant to Superintendent Clifford B. Janey. Two retired principals, Willie Lamb and Richard Bachman, have taken over for Hearn at Eastern Senior High.

Marine Corp Marathon

BY CASON KYNES Academics Editor

“I love to run. I’ve loved to run for many years,” said Stratton Shartel, an AHS Government teacher who participated in the 31st annual Marine Corps Marathon on Oct. 29. A love of running is certainly a desirable trait for anyone who attempts the grueling 26.22-mile race.

The Marine Corps Marathon had the highest number of participants this year with over 32,000 racers, and around 150,000 spectators spread along the course. This record setting turnout made this race the 4th largest annual marathon in the United States.

To Shartel, a two-time participant in the event, the Marine Corps Marathon is more than just a race. He is a member of the St. Jude’s Heroes, a nation-wide group of athletes who compete in sporting events to raise money for children battling cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

“My main motivation was to help those kids,” said Shartel who raised over $1,000 to go toward St. Jude’s Children’s Research hospital.

The Marine Corps Marathon was founded in 1976 by Colonel Jim Fowler in an attempt to promote community goodwill and to showcase the Marine Corps after it had lost much of its prestige due to the Vietnam War. “The thing that stood out most were the family members who have lost family or friends in Iraq, who ran while wearing shirts that said ‘Running in Memory Of’ with a picture of their loved one. That made the biggest impression on me. It gave me more inspiration,” said Shartel.

This year’s course was a new one. The starting line was in Arlington, Virginia. The runners made their way through Rosslyn, down the George Washington Parkway, into Georgetown, past the Kennedy Center, through the Washington Mall, by a number of monuments, then past the Pentagon. The finish line was at the Marine Corps War Memorial.

The majority of those who ran in the race were not competing for first place. Instead, like Shartel, they were striving to reach personal goals.

“One of my goals is always just to finish. My other goal was to break five hours, and I did… just barely,” said Shartel.

Orchestra holds masquerade concert Despite loss of Stovner, annual concert is put on to retain sence of normalcy

BY EBONY CHAMBERS Staff Writer Despite the arrest of Orchestra director Kregg Stovner on Oct. 19, the orchestra still pressed on and continued with their concert in order to retain a sence of normalcy among the orchestra on Oct. 23.

“The auditorium was nicely decorated, and the balloons were really cool too,” said freshman Desmond Lee. “AMasquerade Pops Concert” was the theme of the concert on Thursday, October 23. There were streamers and over 100 balloons set up in the auditorium by the Orchestra Boosters and parents, not to mention the fog machine, which was used during orchestra’s performance.

The auditorium was filled with family and friends, there to support the orchestra, along with AHS faculty and students.

Since the theme of the concert was a “Masquerade concert”, friends and family were there dressed in costumes to show their love and support for the orchestra and the music

program. The costumes varied from pirates to princesses to football players to super heroes. The orchestra gave out to awards for the best costume and the winners were senior, C.J Sidener with a costume that consisted of a baby on the back of an old lady, and senior Sarah Bracken who was dressed as the phantom of the opera.

The orchestra played a total of ten different pieces, all of which were Halloween themed. Conducted by guest conductor Marci Swift, the orchesta teacher at Holmes Middle School. The AHS Combined Orchestra performed selections from the Phantom of the Opera; The Chronicles of Narnia; The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe; Waltz of the Goblins; Harry the Spider; Goblin Feast; and Gargoyles. The Chamber, Artiste, and Symphonic Orchestras performed Rockin’ Halloween and The Addams Family Theme. The Chamber and Artiste Orchestras performed Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.

“My favorite piece was probably, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest,” said sophomore Karen Meek, a member of AHS orchestra.

“It was fun,” said Marci Swift, she added that she enjoyed working with the students because they made her job easier. “All I had to do was come to the rehearsals and stand their,” said Swift jokingly. “The students were very professional and very well prepared,” said Marci Swift.

“It was kind of frustrating, but we managed to get through it,” said senior Jon Mroz. “Free Stovner!”

NICOLE SWIGER

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Principal John Ponton greets the costumed guests to the orchestra masquerade concert. Everyone was asked to wear costumes to support the Halloween theme.

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International Carmina is really cool.”

The German culture and the America culture differ greatly, and the students are learning how to interact with each other and experiencing the cultural differences first hand.

“The concerts here [in the U.S.] are much bigger. That makes it more exciting,” said Herold. “Because the concerts are bigger than what I am used to, I have to listen more closely to the other voices around me,” she said. The students were able to merge the cultural and language gap and perform beautifully together.

Perhaps the biggest cultural shock has come from the AHS students.

“The [German] students come here and its seems like they all speak perfect English. I know that I can’t speak another language fluently,” said sophomore Michael Pion.

Even though language and characteristics differ between the students, teenage similarities bridge the gap.

“I think it’s cool that [the German students] all greet each other with the ‘ghetto’ handshake. I didn’t know that other countries knew about that.”

NEWS BRIEFS Youth speak outs held

Students are invited to attend mettings with local government officials. The meetings are held by the Fairfax County Youth Survey Communications Team, who hope to connect teens and their governments.

The meetings will be held at two locations: James Lee Community Center on Nov. 15, from 4:30-6:30p.m. and The Net Teen Center on Nov. 16, from 4-5 p.m.

ALYSSA NAVARRETE

“Chorus” from page 1 beautiful piece and it is different from anything we have done in previous years,” said choral director Carleen Dixon.

“Carmina is an exciting major work for chorus and orchestra, and one of the most popular classical compositions of the 20th Century.” The concert included over 180 singers, guest instrumentalists, and three soloists.

“We have been preparing for the concert for about two months,” said senior Peter Flint. “It’s really exciting to have the [Dietrich Bonhoeffer Gymnasium] choir with us. It’s exciting to meet new people from a different country. I love seeing the different techniques they use to rehearse.”

Participating in this choral exchange program is more than just a musical exchange.

“It is also a cultural and personal exchange. The students really form strong friendships that continue throughout the years,” said Dixon.

Coming to America and performing with the AHS choir is a new experience for the German students.

“I have traveled to other countries before. I have been to France, Russia, and England, but I have never done an exchange program like this before,” said German exchange student Sarah Herold. “Being part of something like this

PTSA Meeting Tonight

There will be a PTSA meeting tonight in Clausen Hall from 7 to 9 p.m. All are welcome.

Intramural Tennis

Sophomores Jenny Ibarra, Caroline Dunleave, and Marie Benevidez sing Carmina Burana. The song includes 25 movements, and lasts about 60 minutes.

Intramural Tennis is being held every Wednesday from 2:15 p.m. to 4 p.m. outside on the tennis courts. Intramural tennis is open to anyone interested. Students wanting to participate are asked to bring tennis shoes, a tennis raquet, and water.

If you have any questions, contact Coach Kishiyama.

NHS welcomes members

SGA Clothing Drive to be held

The SGA will hold a clothing drive the week of Nov. 13 through the 17. Boxes will be placed in the cafeteria. The drive will be a competiton between the classes, with different boxes for each class. The SGA is looking for new or gently used clothing, preferably winter clothes. Donations will go to the Salvation Army.

MRAGARET CROWLEY

“National Honor Society” from page 1 community. Senior Brendan Fields, Treasurer, lit the “leadership” candle and spoke of being role models. Finally, senior Derrick Best, parliamentarian, lit the candle representing “character” and talked about the pride and dedication to the program.

After the speeches, all the inductees were called up to walk right to left across the stage, signing their name, shaking the board members hands, receiving their certificate of induction, and a medal pin.

When asked why they were joining the NHS, students responded in various ways.

“It looks good on my college application,” said sophomore inductee Imran Macmillan. Many students agreed, including sophomore Amy Mai, “I like to help the community, and it helps me get into college.”

To conclude the ceremony, all NHS members recited the pledge of the NHS and were given “congratulations” from the NHS sponsor, Hickman. Cake Paterson and soda were served afterwards as refreshments. In the refreshment area, Ponton was handing out bumper stickers and taking pictures with students.

This year there was only one induction unlike the past years.

“It’s so the senior inductees have to actually do something, and can participate earlier in the year,” said Paterson.

Also there are more sophomores and juniors in the group of inductees this year.

Another change was the inclusion of the current members in the ceremony, making attendance mandatory for the first time.

“The NHS is a big community,” said Paterson. “We want the new inductees to feel welcome.”

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Democratic candidate Andrew Hurst talks to students during R1 flex in Clausen Hall on Nov. 3. Hurst discussed his personal life, professional career and his experiences with his first ever run for office. Hurst ran against Republican incumbent Tom Davis.

Hurst speaks to students “Andrew Hurst” from page 1 he told the audience. He moved to this area to attend Georgetown Law School. Currently, Hurst works as an attorney and has been involved in investigations and prosecutions of national significance. His clients have included associates of Bill Clinton, defending against independent counsel Ken Starr and his deputies.

Hurst has been active in Northern Virginia politics for years, despite this being the first time he had run for office. He has been a sustaining member of the Mount Vernon Democratic Committee and the Fairfax Democratic Committee. He was the youngest member on the National Finance Committee of Senator John Edwards’ 2004 Presidential Campaign.

Hurst continues to support Edwards and his work as director of the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Hurst made it evident to the audience that Edwards has been an influential person in his life.

“I met [Edwards] through a client in my firm at a reception,” said Hurst during the assembly. “He really inspired me. He had ideas and beliefs that I believed in, and he was a fired up guy about them. So I went and joined his National Finance team, and helped out there.”

Students took the opportunity of having Hurst at their school to ask him several questions about pressing issues in Congress and the United States in general. Questions were asked about

the War in Iraq, healthcare, immigration, the budget deficit, and the gay marriage amendment to the constitution.

Senior David Sherman opened up the question and answer session with a question on what Hurst believes should be done about the war.

“This Congress, in my mind, has not done its job in dealing with this war,” said Hurst. “No one really probed or tested the President’s plan to go into war because of the supposed WMDs. Anyone who did was said to be giving comfort to the enemy.And it turns out that those people who questioned the President were right.”

Senior Kelsey Grant later asked what about Hurst’s opinions for the 700-mile long wall for the Mexico/United States border.

“There’s no question that we have to do something about our borders, but immigration is not the end of the world here,” said Hurst. He went on to explain that the illegal immigrants can not be put in jail as some members of Congress have proposed, as there just is not enough room. Hurst feels that illegal immigrants within the U.S. should pay some sort of fine, and that once they become legal they should be involved as can be within their communities, their politics, and the country as a whole.

Although Hurst consented that Davis had been better at bringing in campaign funds, Hurst feels that he has a much better stance on the issues.

“I do have less resources than him,” said Hurst. “But I have a lot more passion.”

Green Atoms clean up and recycle around AHS

BY ALYSSA NAVARETTE Co-Editor in Chief Homework, quizzes, tests and essays. At AHS, paper is used frequently for various assignments. However, it seems that no one gives a second thought to paper once they are done with it. For this reason, the Green Atoms Environmental Club has decided to implement a recycling program at AHS. The club began when history teacher Holly VanDervoort and French teacher Joelle Rudney realized thatAHS was overlooking their ability to recycle mixed paper. Every classroom throughout the building is equipped with blue recycling bins. However, they are not commonly used, and are almost never emptied.

“It’s a very important issue that is not represented here,” said VanDervoort. “Recycling is not represented here and we want students to have the experience of taking action and becoming more ecologically responsible.”

The Green Atoms, which began this year, is already in

full swing.Approximately 15 students have become members, officers have been elected, the recycling program is well underway, and the club participated in an event to plant trees and help remove invasive species.

The club has several areas that they focus on. According to VanDervoort, these areas include global warming, recycling, reducing, reusing, beautification of the planet and environmental awareness.

“We need to take care of our school community and the environment around us,” said senior vice president of the Green Atoms Nina Kim. “Currently we’re recycling all paper products, and we’re planning to do more in the future.

The Green Atoms are hoping that the new recycling program will be a success. Once the recycling of paper products is up and running, the club hopes to begin recycling cans and plastic products.

According to Kim, the collection of cans and bottles will begin in the cafeteria, and then eventually spread throughout the school.

“We’re hoping to bring in some guest speakers later this year,” said VanDervoort. “We also really want to plan something for earth week. We’re hoping this will get more kids to join because we do fun activities that make the world a better place.”Additionally, VanDervoort hopes that the club will be able to visit a recycling plant this year.

As the club continues to grow, they are hoping to combine with other clubs on some projects.

“We’re going to help Key Club with a gardening project at a homeless shelter,” said VanDervoort.

“We may be joining up with the Interact Club on some projects,” Kim added.

Overall, the Green Atoms are looking to have a successful and environmentally friendly year.

“Students need to take action and this can help to shape their future,” said VanDervoort. “We want to expose students to issues they might not get in their classrooms and we hope to make environmental issues more of a part of our school.”

Model UN travels to attend conference at UVA “Model UN” rom page 1 going on these trips are required to write position papers for the country they are representing. This is often the students’ least favorite aspect of the club.

Position papers were due yesterday for all students attending the UVA conference. These papers, though often considered tedious, can serve as a essential tool when debating at the conferences.

Twenty members of the Model UN will leave today for the conference at UVA. They will travel by bus, and stay

at a hotel which as adjacent to the UVA campus. Going on these “field trips” helps members to practice their skills with students from around the country.

“I’m really excited about the UVA conference,” said senior Model UN member Rachel Navarrete. “I have not been to the UVA conference since sophomore year, and it is always really educational and fun.”

During the conference, students are expected to attend meetings and sessions with their assigned committee. By the end of the trip, committees are expected to reach some

sort of resolution. After the sessions come to a close, an award ceremony is held to honor outstanding delegates.

Although Grant hopes to win a gavel (the award for best delegate) or some other type of honor, as presidents of the past have, her main concern will be her classmates.

“I’m going to be making sure all the delegates are taken care of and know what they’re doing,” said Grant. With a tightly knit community like this, it is not stunning to see that the Model U.N. is such a success, and that it will become bigger in the near future.

Band holds concert for local church

The AHS symphonic band will hold a fall concert for St. John’s United Methodist Church’s 50th Anniversary tonight.

The band will be performing six pieces for the concert. The concert will feature organist Dr. Kitty Yang. Dr. Yang will accompany the band during the finale, The Organ Symphony. The concert begins at 7:30 p.m.

Ethically Speaking Ethics Advice

By Layluma Hotaki

Dear Student Ethics Council, My friends, who I like and am nice to, constantly are snobs to me and treat me badly. I don’t appreciate it at all. What should I do?

Sincerely, Worried Atom Dear Worried Atom, I am sorry to hear that you feel your friends aren’t treating you correctly. If you don’t feel like you could talk to them, which would be my first piece of advice, you could talk to a trusted person. Although, like I said, I believe talking to them about it first would be a good idea. Of course only if you felt you could tell them in trust and they wouldn’t tease you about it further. Put this into consideration and choose your words carefully so that you don’t offend them.

Sincerely, The SEC Dear Student Ethics Council, The other day I heard a girl talking about another girl behind their back. They said really mean things about her and spoke about the way she dressed, and her hair, etc. I felt really bad, but I didn’t know the girl they were talking about so I didn’t feel like I was in any position to say anything. Usually, if I knew the person, I would stick up for them. What should I have done in this case?

Sincerely, Upset with Gossip Dear Upset, I understand where you are coming from. It’s hard to hear people talk about others behind their backs. If it makes you uncomfortable, you have one of two choices. You could speak up about it and ask them in a calm manner, or you could choose to ignore it. In my opinion, and ethically speaking, I think speaking up about it would cause more fuel for the girls, especially considering this is high school.

You could have a trusted teacher speak to them about how it can hurt even others when you backtalk about students.

Sincerely, The SEC If you have an ethical dilemma and would like advice on how to handle the situation, submit your questions to layluma.hotaki@thea-blast.org. All submissions will be confidential.

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Nov. 9, 2006

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8 Atoms who matter

PEOPLE You’ve seen them in the halls, here are the stories behind

The faces of the...

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Nov. 9, 2006

We surveyed 200 students during lunches and found the people...

Most Likely to Make You Laugh Unlike the other students who were nominated, senior Teddy Langel is not surprised.

“Hey, if the shoe fits, wear it,” Langel said, confident of his comical behavior.

—Teddy Langel senior “I’m funny because I’m just Shakia.

Maybe because I’m goofy too, but I don’t know who would nominate me for it,” senior Shakia Branch said in a very serious tone.

—Shakia Branch senior “I really don’t know why I was nominated.

People around me just laugh,” said Junior Jesse Scally. “No,” said his friend, Junior Zach Sells, “It’s because he acts like Don Vito.”

—Jesse Scally junior

Junior Dana Whitlock believes that she is naturally funny and can always make people laugh.

“I’m funny so I make people laugh that’s all,” said Whitlock.

—Dana Whitlock junor Sophomore Smith Norton “makes people laugh because of all of his random facial expressions” said sophomore Bella Ibrahim.

Chris Fitz, Bryan Krzywicki, Graham Prosch, Adam Wirdzek, and Will Wade are part of a rotation of spirited seniors that come out every Friday night, rain or shine, to cheer on the Atoms.

They’ve got spirit, yes they do, they’ve got spirit, how ‘bout you?

BY NATHALIE CLADERA-CARRERA Staff Writer Every Friday, as you walk into the stadium seats at a football game, there are those certain tell-tale signs that you are at an AHS football game: the lights, the restless football players, the cheerleaders...and the ATOMS boys. We all know them: the boys who paint the letters of our mascot on their chests and scream along with all the rest of the fans. They yell the cheers, they yell at the referees, and they yell for another football victory.

Q: Do you enjoy what you do every time you go to the games?

A: “Yes absolutely, because we keep the spirit of the people up whether we win or not, and we represent the spirit in every AHS student,” said John Derickson.

Q: How did painting your chests get started and what are some of the reasons why all of you decided to be part of it?

A: “I stared it when I was a junior and later a friend of mine began to get me interested in it,” said Derickson. “When I was freshman I saw them and since then I began the initiation to this tradition. We were tested by the seniors from last year,” said William Wade and Chris Fitz.

Q: What is one of all of your most memorable moments together at the games?

A: “When our friends from the football team notice us and they support us too, just as the same,” said Wade. “When one of us fell out the rail during a game that was funny and embarrassing I would say,” said Fitz. One moment that really stood out was when one reporter took a picture of us when we had mispelled GO ATOMS and he wrote about it, in the Washington Post Fairfax section,” said Derickson.

Q: What type of reactions do you get from people at the games and what’s the weirdest reaction you can remember?

Although people around her find her very humorous, Sophomore Laura Burton denies actually being funny. “I just make people laugh because I’m hyper and really loud all the time,” said Burton.

—Laura Burton sophomore

When told that she was nominated as the freshman girl most likely to make people laugh, appropriately, she began laughing. “I make people laugh,” said Mann, “because I say random stuff to make people happy. Plus I act stupid.”

—Natasha Mann freshman Complied by Lea Nickerson and Julie Tumasz

Q: How do you feel when you lose a game?

A: “We share the same emotions that the players feel, because we’re a piece of the heart of AHS and the Annandale community. They’re like our brothers because we stand by them all the time,” said Fitz and Wade. “When we won the championship last year, it was a great moment because the louder you are the better,” said Derickson.

Q: Do you always go to every single game of the ATOMS? A: “Absolutely, come rain or shine we will be there and we have never missed a game because we motivate them and seeing people’s happy faces makes it really worth it,” said Wade. “We would never let the fans down,” said Fitz.

Q: How would you describe your ‘job’ as the heart of every ATOMS game?

A: “We bleed red and white all the time,” said Derickson.

Q: How do you celebrate with the ATOMS whenever we win games?

A: “We celebrate by doing dumb things, but we have fun being with our friends from the football team and we share their every joyful, exciting feeling. We have a great time,” said Fitz.

Q: How do you plan to pass on your ‘tradition’ and legacy of the ATOMS Boys?

A: “Mostly the tradition gets passed down by the people who get interested in it and ask the previous people,” said Derickson. Although we willingly ask to be part of it, we are looking for someone to step-up to the plate,” said Wade.

Mohamed: living with Polio

The Life Beyond Cafeteria Walls

BY LUCAS HIGGINS Staff Writer

BY MEREDITH RUTHERFORD Staff Writer When you walk into the lunchroom, you are met with inviting smells of warm pizza and fresh cookies. As you sit down with your friends you are pleasantly surprised and grateful to see the table, chairs, and floor around you very clean. A friendly lunch-lady walks by, smiling, as she collects the trash. Martha Alfaro is constantly cheerful as she keeps the eating areas in the cafeteria clean. Most students do not realize how much work goes into keeping the cafeteria clean and getting food for all four lunches.

Q: Where did you come from?

A: I am from El Salvador. I came to the United States in 1987. I have a wonderful job and three kids here. My youngest son goes to Robinson High School.

Q: How long have you worked at AHS? A: I have worked as a lunch lady for five years. I worked in training at Robinson and then I worked at Carson Middle School for two years. I transferred to Annandale and have worked here for the remaining three years.

—Smith Norton sophomore

A: “I think that we are the spirit of the people and so, we are the crazy ones that jump and run around – trying to lift the spirits of the ATOMS up (despite anything ). Our ‘job’ really fits and identify us,” said Fitz and Wade.

Q: What is your favorite part about your job?

A: I like working in the cafeteria in the lunchtime. I love seeing students sit at a clean table. I think of my three kids and how I would want everything to be clean for them. I would hate to see kids sitting in a dirty seat or getting things on their clothes.

Q: What is your least favorite part?

A:I do not like it when other cleaners do not pay attention or clean up accidents. I always look for accidents and spills and I immediately clean them up so no one gets hurt.

Q: Do you get a chance to interact with the students?

A:I say “Hi.” I don’t have time to talk because I work so hard and there is so much to do.

The story behind the well-known van

Senior Fatah Mohamed, one of the most recognizable students at Annandale, has lived with polio for the better part of his life, he does not ask for your sympathy. Mohamed describes his own unique perspective of high school.

Q: How long have you had Polio?

A: “Well, I’m 18 now so I guess it’s been since I was three.

Wow, that15 years!” (Laughs) Q: Describe the experience of living with Polio?

A: “I’m not able to play different sports, basketball and football and stuff. But other than that, it’s okay. I’m constantly learning to live with it. Since I’ve never really been without it, I don’t really have anything to compare it to. There’s nothing to miss for me. I think it would be a lot better if people didn’t feel any pity for me or whatever. No pity or charity. I can take care of myself.”

Q: Do you ever feel frustration from it?

A: “Not really. It doesn’t frustrate me at all. It’s God’s work, so I can’t really fight it. I know in my head what I’m able to do and not able to do, so there’d be no sense in being frustrated by it.”

Q: What do you plan on doing after you get out of high school?

A: “I’ll probably be going to Old Dominion or Virginia Commonwealth. I haven’t really decided what I want to do after that. I have faith in myself and I know I’m going to be something.”

Zuniga’s past, cancer and future

BY LUCAS HIGGINS Staff Writer

BY MERIDETH RUTHERFORD Staff Writer Around Annandale, you might be surprised to see a large white van with the words “Jesus loves you’”clearly depicted on the sides. It has become known as the “Jesus Van” among all the students . Senior Ollie Henderson and his family have owned the testimonial truck for 11 years.

Q:How long have you owned your “Jesus Van?” A:“We have had it since 1995. We owned two more before this one.”

Q:What made you and your family buy such a noticeable vehicle?

A: “My dad works as a volunteer in D.C. He is a part of a ministry called Jesus House that helps the homeless downtown. As a part of the ministry he wanted to drive the van so that the people would recognize the organization and know what it stands for.”

Q:What type of work does Jesus House do?

A: “Jesus House helps to feed the homeless year round and do extra stuff for holidays. For Christmas my dad gives out presents and food, and on Thanksgiving he gives turkeys and other items. I go with him all the time and I really enjoy helping the people.”

Q:Do people ask you about the van and has anyone ever taken offense to it?

A: “I do get a lot of comments and sometimes people get mad. Our van has been egged before and our first van was set on fire.”

Q:Why is there Indian feathers painted on the side as well?

A: “My family has Indian heritage and we have lots of pride in our heritage, so we added that to the side of the van.”

Dr. Fred Zuniga, one of the most beloved teachers at AHS is always smiling. Easily described as “jolly,” Dr. Zuniga has been at Annandale for 12 years, and has made friends out of an almost innumerable amount of students.

Q:How did you first find about your cancer, and how would you describe the overall experience?

A:“In the summer, I was shaving one day and I noticed this tumor. It was cancer. It’s the third time I’ve had cancer. I had to take an original four days off for surgery and then I’m taking 8 weeks for radiation to get rid of what the doctors call, ‘lingering microscopic cancer cells.’ I don’t feel frustration because I’ve been blessed to have so many supportive people around me…and my students have been wonderful. They energize me.”

Q:What did you do before teaching?

A:“After college, I went into the navy for 20 years. I flew F4 jets as a navigator in the Vietnam War and I was a Naval Intelligence officer and war planner.

Q:Why did you decide to go into teaching after the Navy?

A:“I come from a family of teachers. I used to love working with my mom when she was teaching when I was a kid.

I love working on clubs and activities. I enjoy working with students outside of the class. Besides, my son and daughter are both grown up now and this allows me to still work with kids.”

Q:How is public school different now from when you were in school?

A:“Kids are a lot more advanced now. I was taking calculus in college, and kids now are taking it in high school. You guys are learning more, earlier. I think high school is a lot harder, now.”

Q:How long do you plan on teaching and why?

A:“I want to teach as long as I can. I’m 60 years old, but I will do this as long as possible.

I love it. I love the wide variety of social studies courses and the student age groups. I just love the diversity.”

Nov. 9, 2006

HEALTH

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Problems with piercings

BY LEA NICKERSON Staff Writer Body piercing is a popular trend among both men and women of all different ages.

Many areas of the body are used for piercing including, the most popular location, the ears.

Most of the time, an earlobe piercing heals without any problems. However, piercing other areas of the ear and other parts of the body, creates a wound that is harder to clean, takes longer to heal, and is more likely to become infected than earlobe piercing.

Other popular sites include the mouth and tongue, nose, eyebrow, navel, and genital area. Each body piercing site has its own normal healing time and its own set of potential problems.

At first, a body-piercing site may be slightly swollen. Infection from a piercing of the mouth or lips may cause speech, chewing, or swallowing problems or swelling of the throat. Infection of the mouth or lips may cause speech, chewing, or swal-

PHOTOS BY LEA NICKERSON

lowing problems or swelling that can block the throat.

Tongue rings and lip rings may also cause chipping or cracking of the teeth.

Another risky situation occurs among naval piercings. They take up to one year to completely heal and are in a area where they can get caught on clothing and linens causing a constant irritation that will delay healing. This constant irritation can delay healing. Sophomore Leslie Burns said, “After I got my lip pierced, it was really swollen but it went down by itself.”

Burns has many body-piercings including a on her belly button, ears, nose, and lip. Taking care of a piercing all depends on where it is located.

“For a lip you really only have to watch what you stick in your mouth and for my nose I just clean it daily,” said Burns.

“When I got my belly button pierced, it got a little infected so I washed it out with salt water but I didn’t remove it. It only hurt a little.”

You can reverse a body piercing fairly easily by removing the jewellery, which allows the hole to close.

If you are looking to get pierced, it is less likely to become infected after being pierced at a parlor or store than it is if you perform the act at home. Piercing parlors are required to use sterile tools such as piercing guns which will help to decrease the risk of bacteria entering through the punctured hole. In addition, someone who is licensed to pierce is less likely to accidentally hit a

Top Left: Sophomore Leslie Burns shows off her once infected bellybutton piercing.

Burns washed it with salt water to progress the healing. Bottom Left: Sophomore Roque Alvarezʼs pierced ear is slighty infected. He frequently sprays it with sea salt. Above: Junior Jennifer Valdrez experienced no infections with her lip piercing because of the daily routine she established when she first got the piercing. Valdrez cleans her piercing once in the morning and once at night.

NYC Ban on Trans fat The New York City Board of Health held its first public hearing on a proposal to ban the city’s 20,000 restaurants from using ingredients that contain artificial trans fat, the artery-clogging substance also known as partially hydrogenated oil.

KFC is one of the many restaurants to stop frying it’s foods in such unhealthy oils.

Artificially made trans fat is known to cause Coronary Heart Disease, cancers, obesity, diabetes and liver dysfunction.

Source: www.ft.com

Halloween Statistics Up LEA NICKERSON

Future piercers beware: many dangers lie ahead

nerve, especially with tongue rings. Piercing a nerve on your tongue could kill taste buds, cause your tongue to lose the ability to feel and even possibly kill the entire front part leaving it discolored.

A person is most likely to get an infection after being pierced in the mouth or nose area due to a high amount of germs located in those areas. According to www.WEBMD.com, an online source for the public to find medical information, if you answer yes to any of the following questions about an area that has been pierced, you should consult a doctor. “Do you have any signs of an allergic reaction?

Do you have swelling at the site of a body piercing? Do you have any signs of an infection after having a body piercing? Do you need a tetanus shot? Do you have a body piercing that is not healing? Have you had symptoms of another illness in the several months since having a body piercing?”

In order to help prevent an infection, it is important for people to check what type of metal their body piercing jewelry is made of.

It is usually made of either stainless steel, gold, niobium, titanium, or alloys. Surgical

“I keep my smile radiant and beautiful by smiling and laughing everyday.”

Jane Rabinovitz, sophomore.

All dentists would agree that water is a wonderful way to help strengthen one’s teeth. Water contains fluoride that helps teeth stay strong and fight against plaque buildup.

People in the 21st century trying to get that “movie-star smile” often use whitening techniques. There are three popular types, the first one being Crest White Strips. This rewards the consumer with a slight color change that lasts a long time and does not damage the teeth. The second product is the custom fitting trays that hold the whitening solution against one’s teeth. It takes about three to four weeks to see the results but it lasts for a very long period of time. The last way to achieve the perfect white smile is to use the laser or zoom whitening method.

This method shows an immediate color change but can make the teeth very sensitive. One’s teeth usually return back to their original color within one year.

Some people still may not be convinced as to why it is so important to take care of their teeth. Not only does a lack of dental hygiene cause bad breath, cavities and discolored teeth, but it also can cause very serious diseases. Periodontal Gum Disease has been found to have a direct link to heart disease. An infection in the mouth sends germs and bacteria to the blood stream, which makes its way to the heart. Other oral diseases can cause cancer that may spread throughout the body.

Dental hygiene is important for all aspects of life and therefore should be taken very seriously. Eating right, flossing, brushing, and biannual visits to the dentist will help one win that “movie star smile!”

BY JULIE TUMASZ Staff Writer You feel something slimy trickling down your face, and then you taste blood.

You frantically search your mind; did your bump your nose on something? Why is your nose bleeding?! You could have Spontaneous Epistaxis. Don’t worry, your not going to die of this. It’s just a case of random spontaneous nosebleeds.

Many students have experienced nosebleeds from an injury to the nose. However, spontaneous nosebleeds can startle a person because of the amount of bleeding and the absence of an apparent cause.

Tracy Shakespeare, one of AHS’s clinic nurses, said, “Spontaneous nosebleeds happen on their own usually as a result of excessive blowing of the nose, allergies or colds.”

Shira Fisher, another AHS nurse, said “Random nosebleeds can also occur when the student has a genetic disposition.”

Fisher used to work at an elementary school where she knew one child that had that rare disposition from their family. The nurses couldn’t name any students that had frequent spontaneous nosebleeds because of privacy reasons with the school.

Junior Kin Ngan Hoang shares what it’s like to have Spontaneous Epistaxis.

Additionally, she believes that she has a lot of nosebleeds because it runs in her family. “My sister has such a problem with her nose veins. If anyone touches the veins on her nose, usually a nosebleed will start,” said Hoang.

Hoang’s nosebleeds usually occur “just before school.” “I’ll wake up on a winter morning and my nose will start bleeding,” said Hoang.

Many students have started to see the similarity between dry weather and random bleeds. “Winter weather brings no humidity, which dries out noses. It also makes lots of colds and viruses that affect sinuses and the upper respiratory systems,” Fisher said.

Winter is a dangerous time for noses.

What can anyone do to stop tons of noses around the school from bursting blood?

Shakespeare concludes that there is “no cure” for the spontaneous nosebleeds but you can decrease the chance of receiving one. Both nurses recommend putting Vase-

•Consumers are expected to spend $4.69 billion on candy this Halloween

•The average consumer spent $48.48 on Halloween last year. This includes costumes, decorations, and candy.

stainless steel is a type of metal that rarely causes allergic skin reactions; however, not all stainless steel products are nickel-free and would therefore not prevent irritation.

Often, gold and silver are combined with other types of metals such as nickel to improve the product. However, this type of “costume” jewelry is deceiving and has other types of metal inside. For example, there may be nickel inside gold or silver plated jewelry which will cause break outs for people who are sensitive to nickel.

If you do become infected, there are some easy ways to treat it. Rinsing with nonprescription oral cleansers such as mouth or the application of surface cleansers is recommended to prevent infection after having an oral piercing. After an ear infection, freshman Roque Alvarez, recommended “spraying it with sea salt.”

If the infection does not improve or becomes worse, it is highly recommended to take out the piercing and consult a doctor.

•This year, 85.3 % of 18-24 year olds say they plan to celebrate (up from 66.8 % in 2005).

Source: National Confectioners Association and National Retail Federation

Don’t throw out those pumpkin seeds!

After you carve your pumpkin, what’s left? A messy pile of seeds and goop.

Surprisingly, baked pumpkin seeds are a healthy and tasty treat. Here’s a quick recipe: Step 1: Seperate the seeds from the goop, wash them off and then dry them.

line on a cue tip and moisturizing your nose.

Fisher also avidly suggested, “Not to pick your nose.” She complains that kids don’t realize how it dries it out and spreads tons of disease.

Senior Kelly Scrivener believes that she has found another reason for her spontaneous nosebleeds. “In middle school, I used to get nosebleeds a lot…weirdly usually it was during algebra. I would be taking a test and suddenly I would get a bloody nose,” said Scrivener. “It was because I was thinking so hard that my brain cells were exploding!”

Scrivener remembers that the clinic would always make her lean forward to make her bleeding stop.

“Nosebleeds really suck,” said junior Kat Reach. “This one time, my pastor was talking up front and started to bleed. A lot of us just thought it was a religious thing like Jesus had made him do it. Turns out he had Ebola Virus.”

Senior Linda Nsiah, an avid bleeder, said that she sometimes gets bloody noses when she leaves her heater on all night in the winter. “Bloody noses can be really irritating. One occasion, I was at a wedding and the blood stained my dress. It was devastating! I had to hold my head back during the entire wedding,” said Nsiah FCPS policy is against holding your head back to stop the bleeding.

“The FCPS way to stop bleeding includes having the student sit down and put pressure on the nose with gauze,” said Fisher. Students who tilt their head back have a chance of the blood going back into their throat.

Just remember during the winter months if you get a random nosebleed, not to panic. It’s probably just the weather and maybe you’ve picked your nose once to often.

Step 2: Heat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 3: Spray a cooking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Put the seeds on it and sprinkle them with salt for flavor.

Step 4: Bake the seeds in the oven for 10 to 20 minutes or until brown and slightly crispy, turning once.

Step 5: Let cool and enjoy!

Source: www.eHow.com

Fast Facts about the Body •The lifespan of an eyelash is approximatley 150 days.

•It is not possible to tickle yourself.

The cerebellum, a part of the brain, warns the rest of the brain that you are about to tickle yourself. Since your brain knows this, it ignores the resulting sensation.

•The first known contraceptive was crocodile dung, used by Egyptians in 2000 B.C. •A blink lasts approximately 0.3 seconds.

•It is impossible to sneeze with your eyes open.

•Ninety percent of the population has an innie belly button •The average adult has approximately six pounds of skin.

•The reason why your nose gets runny when you are crying is because the tears from the eyes drain into the nose.

WWW.FAMILYDOCTOR.ORG

In a world where people stress beauty and perfect features, teeth are a very important part of a person’s appearance.

People are constantly trying to find new makeup products and cleansers to improve their looks. While hair, nails, and clothing may be a different issue, a gorgeous smile starts with simple dental hygiene.

Doctor Joseph P. Grieco knows the importance of taking care of one’s teeth. He has been a dentist for 25 years and loves his profession. “I enjoy being a dentist because I love helping people look nicer and feel nicer,” said Grieco.

He imparts his wisdom to his patients on how significant it is to brush and floss, especially after meals. Food particles get trapped in the teeth, which causes plaque to build up. The plaque then traps more food and bacteria, eventually breaking down the tissue that connects to the tooth.

Brushing twice a day and flossing once a day can help remove the unwanted particles and plaque.

There are lots of flosses on the market but one of the most recommended by dentists is WLGor’s Glide. Glide floss is effective because it is a single strand of gortex, rather than tiny fibers that fray.

A useful toothbrush should have soft bristles and rounded ends in order to gently clean the teeth and gums. Oral B, Colgate, and Crest all make good toothbrushes that have proven to be effective.

High school and college students have been found to have some of the worst dental hygiene problems in the last few years.

Tooth decay is recurring in teenagers and young adults. In most cases, this is because of the high amount of sugar that students intake.

Soda is one of the worst beverages one can drink because it contains lots of sugar and phosphoric acid.

“Drinking soda is like flushing your teeth with sugar and acid,” said Grieco.

Other beverages that cause tooth decay and other dental problems are frappaccinos, and sports and energy drinks like Gatorade.

MEREDITH RUTHERFORD

BY MEREDITH RUTHERFORD Staff Writer

on a regular basis

•Candy sales in America are on the rise: 2005 sales were $2.1 billion.

That was u p 2.5 % from 2004

•73.4% of consumers will hand out candy

Sophomore Leslie Burns has her nose, belly button, and lip pierced. Burns experienced infections with both the belly button and lip piercing, prompting her to remove them, but only to get them peirced again after the long healing process.

Good dental habits Got a nose bleed?

Students experience affect your future random nose bleeds Your dental habits now can affect your health in the future

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•To lose one pound of fat, a person has to burn approximately 3,500 calories.

•The “funny bone” is not a bone. It’s the spot where the ulnar nerve touches the humerus.

Source: www.amusingfacts.com

Apply pressure to the spot marked “pinch here” on your own nose to stop nose bleeds. This pinching will help the blood to clot faster and in turn, stop the nose bleed.

SPORTS XTRA

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Moe Alafrangy trains to be like the next Bruce Lee

Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon DO

BY EBONY CHAMBERS Staff Writer

Enshin Karate

Phone: (703)-618-5425 Address: 5414-B Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22151 Background: Enshin Karate is a nation wide string of schools that was founded

by Kancho Ninomiya in 1988. Ninomiya created his own style of karate named the Sabaki method. Enshin Karate offers classes for both adults and children and also offer after school transportation for children whose parents work.

Jeff Smith Karate

Phone: (703) 750-3999 Address: 6920 Braddock Rd. Annandale, VA 22003 Background: The karate center is based upon the beliefs of Jeff Smith who has been doing martial arts for 40 years. It strongly believes in the teachings of self discipline and confidence. A beginning trial for $10 includes a semi-private lesson and two regular lessons.

Phone:(703)321-0300 Address: 5230-B Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22151 Background: The Mountain Kim Martial Arts studio has been in Northern Virginia for 31 years. The main teaching is in Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, Judo and Gumdo. It offers a summer camp and additional a 4 week trial of Hapkido for $135. The Mountain Kim Martial Art site (www.mtkim.com) offers a two week trial for only $49.

COURTESY OF MONHAMED ALAFRANGY

to use it to protect himself and the ones he loves.

Alafrangy has won two gold medals at the U.S. National Tae Kwon Do championship in Minnesota as well as many other trophies in different local tournaments.

Martial arts teaches different principles and skills needed in life. “I have learned how to respect myself and others by always being courteous and humble,” said Alfrangy. The life lessons that the students learn at their martial art centers are often overshadowed by

Loch learns from Rhee’s principles to show good sportsmanship, winning and losing with a good attitude.

The foundation of Jhoon Rhee Tae Junior Eric Loch has been practicing Kwon Do is its self-defense value. The Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do for about three studio is very careful to teach students years and is a black belt and has a job that Tae Kwon Do is not to be used outside teaching Tae Kwon Do. He loves martial the studio in any manner other than true self-defense. The result is a self-confident arts and tries to practice every weekday.

The emphasis of Jhoon Rhee Tae student, who does not need to bully or Kwon Do is establishing discipline in your show-off to others.

Most importantly, Jhoon Rhee Tae child through the fundamental Martial Arts training principles of attention and Kwon Do is good, clean fun. You will meet many new friends, participate in respect. Attention, standing perfun-filled activities, and burn-off fectly upright while listening to that extra energy. the instructor, respect, bowing to Although he has never used all higher ranking students and inmartial arts in real life, Loch has structors and addressing them as showed his friends a couple of Sir/Ma’am, are developed through movies that he has learned. mental focus and physiology.

“Discipline is one of the main Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do principles that I’ve learned, along builds confidence and character with respect, self-motivation, by providing you with the ability leadership abilities and goal-setto control your body, to stand up to ting,” said Loch. ”Good manners, negative peer pressure and other good habits, self-control, and a intimidating situations. good attitude are also needed in The movements involved in the order to be patient and to master Jhoon Rhee curriculum develop the arts.” muscle and hand-eye coordination “At first it was just a hobby, and increase strength and flexibiljust something I always wanted ity, which is very important. The to do, but it is not a hobby anymore, Martial Arts Ballet training, the Junior Eric Loch holds a display of Martial Arts forms and trophy after a now it is a major part of my life,” techniques to music, also develops competition said Loch. “It has changed the way I think and act in school and around concentration and timing.

Jhoon Rhee Tae Kwon Do also my family and friends. I’m also doing betinvolves free-style competition such as ter in school and I have met better people sparring. This helps to develop a sense who are my true friends.” of sportsmanship in a controlled and competitive situation. Students also play some games in class that work on their interactive skills as well as provide an outlet

BY EBONY CHAMBERS Staff Writer

Yerick finds an oasis at local dojo down upon because most of the instructors are males, and it is set pretty much like a hierarachy. The best part, however, The times of the karate masters have is most people don’t expect much from me, departed. No more Bruce Lee and Chuck so they’re always amazed.”

Yerick has recently been awarded Norris to come and grace the scenes with thier profound fighting skills and remark- the Grand Champ Award at the Battle able battles. We are in a time where new of USA. She says the title has been the most recent and most people want to come and valuable title. “It takes a grace the scene, and they good and well disciplined do not resemble the origifighter to compete on this nals. This new breed is ...I have learned how level, and it feels good that made up of women . With to control my self and I can be noticed to be apart over 40 different fighting discipline myself... of it,” said Yerick. styles and new times, Knowing how dethere is no way this can—MiyakoYerick manding and skillful one not happen. junior has to be, it is evident that One of the forerunYerick has become a noners of this breed is junior Miyako Yerick. This rising star has been ticeable prospect in the art of hapmundo. practicing martial arts for 11 1⁄2 years. Although Yerick has explained that she Yerick has been doing martial arts since has not had to use her training in any realshe was 5 with her 9-year-old sister. Their life situations, she did say, “ Rather than parents first put in her and her older sis- using my training, I have learned how to ter, so they would learn to defend them- control my self and discipline myself to selves. Its seems like her mother has been be confident, so I can avoid unpleasant right so far, because Yerick is now a 3rd situations.”

Yerick is not training at this moment degree black belt, and seems to have no while volleyball season is active, but once ambitions to quit anytime soon.

Yerick practices a form of arts called it is done, she will be training and teaching hapmundo. Hapmundo incorporates classes three times a week. This is proof of punching, kicking, locking, grappling, how hard she works. Yerick will keep gopressure points and throwing techniques. ing and going until she meets an obstacle It is a difficult form but very important unable to be attained. to know. When asked about the ups and downs of being a female in the sport, Yerick said, “The worst thing is being looked

BY BRANDON WILLIAMS Staff Writer

Mountain Kim Martial Arts

Flying High

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Mohamed Alafrangy shows off the martial art skills that he learned from his 8 1/2 years practicing Tae Kwon Do. Alfrangy has been able to showcase his amazing skills not only at his local karate school, but also at the U.S. National Tae Kwon Do championships where he has won two gold medals.

the physical results, despite the life lessons being more important to the school.

“Martial arts have made me a better person in general and has/is changing my views on many different topics and situations that I must overcome,” said Alfrangy.

Andia-Claurce learns values from karate sixth-degree black belt and an instructor at Karate International of Raleigh.

Lucero trains two days a week on Karate, a traditional Japanese form Tuesdays and Thursdays for three hours of unarmed combat, is a martial art con- at Yang’s Kung Fu School in Alexandria. sisting of weaponless techniques, such She currently holds an orange belt.

“Karate requires a great amount as striking with hands, elbows, knees or feet to overcome the opponent. This sport, strength and technique, but it also dewhich originated in Asia, literally trans- pends on mental focus and discipline,” lates to “empty hands” and is becoming said Andia-Claurce. “Since I’ve started this martial art, I’ve gained a lot more increasingly popular all over the world.

Sophomore Lucero Andia-Claurce self-control and have also become more has only been practicing karate for three flexible. I think these skills will open a lot more doors for me months, but she has alin the future in a variready found a personal ety of different fields.” benefit from the martial Tsuki (punching), art. uchi (striking), keri (kick“I decided to try someing), and uke (blocking), thing new. I like karate are the fundamental because it allows me to karate techniques. While work out and exercise. there are a number of It’s really enjoyable different methods, most and fun, and it also is of them rely on this same a form of self defense,” Lucero Andia-Claurce basic idea; the point of Andia-Claurce stated. impact. This is reduced to some As students pass through the ranks taking grading examinations, small, usually bony area of a Karatekas’ they are awarded with different colored hand or foot, and the force of their atbelts. The standard belt color ranks in the tack is focused on this point. Karatekas order of white, yellow, orange, green, blue, strengthen their hands and feet so they brown, and finally to black. A karateka’s can perform these techniques without rate of progress depends on a number of seriously hurting themselves.

According to experts from the USA factors. A karateka who comes to class two or three times a week can progress Karate Federation, students can easily learn to carry out these basic movements to green belt in four months.

“After this point, it takes longer to in a little more than two months, but peradvance. A strong athlete who comes fection in these skills may take a lifetime. to class four or five times a week might Therefore, students must employ maximake it to a black belt in 18 months. mum effort and concentration to their But for the average student, it takes at performance and practice regularly. least three years,” said Kathy Olevsky, a

BY CLAIRE BUI Staff Writer

Ortiz kicks his way into national setting

BY BUD IRELAND Staff Writer “Martial arts have saved me many times,” said senior Robert Ortiz Ateca, “when people find out that I am a martial artist they leave me alone.”

Ortiz has been taking karate for about 10 years. He practices at World Champions Center, which is managed

by Jeff Smith karate. Robert has been attending martial arts for about 10 years. He recently got his second-degree black belt with a gold stripe. That means that he went through seven belts to get his black belt. During his free time, Ortiz is an instructor of karate.

Art karate is a sport that consists of concentration, flexibility and stamina.

The fundamental karate of hold however like grappling, joint manipulations, locks, restraints and throws. These are divisions that are complete with art, sport and self-defense training. People that do karate are usually fearlessness, virtue, and leadership.

“I try to practice every day at home,” Ortiz said. His reason why he likes to take karate is because “It lets me express myself and helps me to focus and learn disciplines through a karate art form.”

During the off-season, Ortiz usually tries to enter several tournaments. Ortiz has won a lot tournaments, he usually places either first, second or third.

“The tournaments that I enter into are

COURTESY OF ROBERT ORTIZ

Phone: (702)-204-0040 Address: 8426-b Lee Highway Fairfax, VA 22031 Background: The CMAI was created in 1987. The CMAI offers Chin Na Self Defense, Shaolin Boxing, Kung Fu, Contemporay Wu shu, Self Defense (rape prevention), Kickboxing, Ta Chi, Xing Yi, Ba Gua & Liu He Ba Fa, Qi Gong Meditation & Excercise and Reiki. Kung

WWW.HAPMUDO.COM

Yong Sung Lee Studios

Have you ever watched a Jet Li movie where he twirls and kicks? Or seen Bruce Lee punching and flipping? That is what senior Mohamed (Moe) Alafrangy is currently practicing in his martial arts classes.

“I am training in all that ‘cool stuff’ you see on TV such as twirling and flipping while you’re kicking,” said Alafrangy.

Alafrangy is a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Tae Kwon Do, which can be spelled as taekwondo or “taekwon-do’” is a hard hitting martial art originating in Korea. A mixture of Chinese, Japanese and traditional Korean fighting styles, Tae Kwon Do has become the world’s most commonly practiced martial art. It is also the national sport of Korea as well as an Olympic sporting event. There are various types of Tae Kwon Do that people practice.

Tae Kwon Do is a two thousand year old martial art form that originated in Korea. It is based on the premise that every person has the instinct to defend himself or herself against a sudden attack. As a result of this basic instinct, the origins of Tae Kwon Do date back to the earliest days of humanity on earth.

There are sixteen important principles of Tae Kwon Do. They are patience, discipline, concentration, modesty, respect, confidence, mediation, courage, justice, peace, victory, honor, trust, and loyalty. They also believe that you should “train the mind and body,” and that “I trust you, respect you and will help you.”

Alafrangy has been practicing martial arts for 8 and 1/2 years and loves it. “I have never used it because I haven’t gotten in a real fight,” said Alfrangy. Although he has never used martial arts in real life, he is willing

COURTESY OF ERIC LOCH

Phone: (703)-642-5000 Address: 4317 Ravensworth Rd. Annandale, VA 22003 Background:For $99 one can get 4 weks of tae kwon DO (2 classes per week) or 4 weeks of kickboxing classes with an unlimited amount of classes per week

Chinese Martial Arts Institute

Nov. 9, 2006

Martial arts mayhem

Martial Arts studios around Annandale

Phone: (703)-964-8880 Address: 4201 John Marr Dr. Annandale, VA 22003 Background: The Yong Sung Lee Studios have been open in Washington for 18 years. The studio in Annandale is especially focused on the development of children. The studio offers 12 types of martial arts including; Jujitsu, Judo, Kung Fu and Taw Kwon Do.

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Robrt Ortiz displays his flexibility and power through a kick at his karate studio

school, local and national competitions. In national tournaments I’ve been ranked and qualified as a finalist which is hard to do in my division of martial arts,” said Ortiz. There are many awards that are given for outstanding performance as a fighter. The awards are best fighter, best essay, and outstanding student award only for black belt exams.

“I take martial arts because I love it and it lets me express myself through an art form,” said Ortiz.

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The community comes out for the...

PHOTO

Julianne Simpson

Annandale Parade

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The 21st Annual Annadale Parade took place on Saturday morning Oct. 28 from 10-12. The path of the march began at the Annadale United Methodist Church on Colmbia Pike and ended at the Safeway supermarket on Little River Turnpike. Hundreds throughout the community came to watch and enjoy local businesses, schools, clubs, and various organizations.

Margsret Crowley

The Democratic float featuring Democratic signs and logos for Jim Webb and Andrew Hurst received cheering and applause from some of the crowd. The Republican truck covered with signs and bumper stickers in support of Congressman Tom Davis and Senator George Allen followed. Democratic Congressional candidate David Hurst, and Democratic candidate for Senate Jim Webb and Congressman Tom Davis all marched in the parade.

Julianne Simpson

A Filipino dance group makes its way down the parade route. Their colorful outfits made its a crowd favorite.

The Annandale Chmaber of Commerce sponsored the annual parade.

A large portion of the community came out to support the various groups marching in the parade.

Julianne Simpson

Annandale history teacher Mary Ann Richardson, Deborah Sherman, and Democratic Congressional candidate David Hurst discuss plans for the course of the parade.

The Annandale Marching Atoms took part in the parade, preforming different songs along the route.

A young boy eagerly awaits the oppurtunity to collect more candy.

Margsret Crowley

Two young boys in their Superman costumes happily make their way down the parade route.

Margsret Crowley

Julianne Simpson

Julianne Simpson

Annandale students Graham Prosch and David Sherman, dressed as the donkey, talk to a young boy. Both marched in the parade along side the Democratic float with other young Democrats from Annandale.

A mom persuades her son to put the candy he just got into a bag for later enjoyment.

These ecstatic Boy Scouts made their way down the street cheering and throwing candy.

Julianne Simpson

The Annandale Boys and Girls Club drove its way down the parade route. A group of young athletes followed behind the car and threw out candy and fliers.

Margsret Crowley

Old-fashioned cars were a higlight of the parade. They were part of the Lions Club which sent these cars down the parade route.

Julianne Simpson Kat Reach and Michelle Mock discuss marching plans with fellow Young Democrats. The AHS Young Republicans also came to the parade to march in support of Congressman Tom Davis and Senator George Allen.

Julianne Simpson

A line of vehicles makes its way down the parade route. Popeyes and Burger King were among the many restaurants who advertised in the parade.

Julianne Simpson Numerous Fairfax County Police came in support of the parade to keep order and mingle with the community. The parade started with four police on motorcycles followed by an ambulance and fire truck. They were admired by the younger crowd, some dressed as firemen and officers for Halloween.

Julianne Simpson

Julianne Simpson

St. Michael始s Catholic School was one of many local schools which marched in the parade. Here, Brownie Troop 2981 represents their school and throws candy to the crowd.

Julianne Simpson

FCPS Chairman Ilrpong Moon rides in a 1969 convertible Mustang from the National Capital Region Mustang Club and waves happily at the crowd with his son dressed as Darth Vader

Julianne Simpson

Margsret Crowley

All three squads from the Annandale Cheerleading team came to march and cheer in the parade. They followed the band and threw candy to the crowd.

A father videotapes the parade as his son anxiously waits for more candy and the rest of the people in the parade to walk by.

INTERNATIONAL

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Nov. 9, 2006

Students express their opinions on the concept of arranged marriages

BY AYA SAED Staff writer

“I think it is a bad choice because that is not who you want to be with, and you are not going to be happy.”

—Andrea Valdez freshmen

“I am against that because I think that you should be able to decide who you want to marry. ”

—Edward Imperati sophmore

“I think arranged marriages are wrong because both the groom and the bride need to be comfortable with each other.”

—Mohammed Garada junior “I think it is wrong because when you fall in love, it should be from your heart not from someone’s desicion.”

—Lola Akerele senior

To many students, the idea of arranged marriages brings to mind an image of a forced union and unhappy couples caught in the middle of it. While some students at AHS believe differently. An arranged marriage is often seen as a union between two people, and is negotiated by the parents. It does not always lead to an unhappy divorce and is not always forced upon the couple.

Sophmore Humma Mahmood is already engaged through an arrangement by her parents. It was arranged when she was first born.

“They [my parents] arranged it when I was just a baby.

I can not believe people would do something like that,” she said. Mahmood finds the arrangement very unfair, and has already said that she will not get married to her groom when she turns 18, which is when her parents want the marriage to occur.

“I barley know him, he lives all the way in Pakistan, how can I get married to someone that I never had a conversation with?” said Mahmood.

In many cultures, an arranged marriage is part of the tradition. Parents who take their son or daughter’s marriage into their own hands have often had an arranged marriage themselves. One of the reasons arranged marriages happen is because parents fear that the community will look at them negatively if their child is not married by a certain age.

The specifics of arranged marriages vary; depending on if one is Hindu, Muslim or another religion.

“My parents are always saying how it is good for me,

and how it is going to make me happy in the end. What I don’t understand is why can’t I just make my own decisions,” said senior Aarzoo Usamni.

“I’m getting an arranged marriage, and I think it is going to turn out okay in the end. My parents know what they are doing, they are not going to just pick any random guy in the street, but someone that is qualified,” said senior Fatima Khan.

Many families, especially in third world countries, decide to get an arranged marriage for their children in order to secure a happy marriage for them. This sort of tradition occurs in some parts of Africa, the Middle East or Asia.

Sophomore Ria Arashad is also getting an arranged marriage. “My parents are planning on getting an arranged marriage for me by the time Iam 25. But even though it will be arranged, I will have the choice to get to know the guy and see for myself wheather if I like him,” said Arshad.

The religious and spiritual aspect of arranged marriage can play a large role in finding a “suitable” spouse.

Numerology, more commonly known as a horscope, is often used in Indian culture to predict the fruitfulness of a particular match.

However some students view arranged marriages differently.“It’s not fair. I mean, I’m not getting an arranged marriage, but it would feel horrible if the whole family is pressuring you to marry someone that you barley know.

Especially if they live in the U.S., and they are surrounded by freedoms and free will, ” said junior Roger Smith.

Many people in countries like the U.S. and Britain find arranged marriages appalling.Although many in Western countries object to the practice, arranged marriages are still very popular, in fact, 95% of all current Indian marriages are arranged.

This is because many people in Western nations strongly believe in the freedom to do what you want, while arranged marriages usually contradict that belief.

“My neighbor is getting an arranged marriage, and she is always complaining. But I know people that have arranged marriages and now they are happy, as long as they

—Jennifer Carey English teacher

Statistics on the War in Iraq as of October 2006 Military •Total killed: 3,050 •U.S. Military: 2,811 •Insurgents • killed 7,251 •863 suicide bombers U.S. spending on Iraq war •spent and approved: $505 billion of U.S. taxpayers’ funds Journalists •Killed: 45 •Killed by U.S. forces: 14

are allowed to get divorced if it doesn’t work out. Arranged marriages are not that bad. They could end up very happy,” said senior Sahar Girnache.

Usamni is also getting an arranged marriage. “My parents are forcing me to marry a guy in Afghanistan. It is not really fair, even though I got to talk to him a couple of times, I want a chance on my own to find the person that I will spend the rest of my life with,” said Usamni.

Many arranged marriages occur between two people from the same family. This is supposed to unite families and was originally made to as a way to unite upper class families.

“I can’t even get a divorce if it doesn’t work out. I’m not being pessimistic, but I have to face the truth,”said Usmani.

“I think its kind of stupid, because its based on your parent’s will,” said sophmore Sean Huynh, “It gets worse, because in some cultures, you can’t even get a divorce.”

Bush proposes U.S.-Mexican border Student voice their opinions the on the new fence between Mexico and U.S. borders

BY VANESSA CERRO International editor On October 26, President Bush signed a bill known as Fence Law HR60601. This bill states that a 700-mile fence should be built across the border. The fence will use the highest technology to help stop illegal immigration. To do this, there will be fences, lights, roads, sensors, and other high tech equipment.

Over all, this project will cost $1.2 billion, which is only the down payment. The construction of the fence brings different opinions. “We take this responsibility seriously. We’re modernizing the southern border of the United States so we can assure the American people we are doing our job of securing the border,” said President Bush.

Mexican President Vicente Fox opposes the idea. He considers the fence to be “shameful” and compare it to the Berlin Wall.

In addition, this new border threatened many Hispanics protests began around the nation.

Students at AHS also have various opinions about the bill, which approves placing a fence in between both countries.

“My perspective on that is that it is good, but also bad. First, it is good because there will not be all these arguments and controversies on having illegal immigrants coming in,” said junior Maria Camargo. “It is also bad because it will be harder for people to come over, and for people who have a rough life, it will be harder for them to come over and try and give a new opportunity for their kids. But I also think it is unfair that they do not wait in line. But also you have to consider the fact that it is supposedly only going to take a couple of months to get your green card, but it has been taking years for a person to get a green card,” said Camargo.

To other AHS students, the construction of a new and improved fence is the right way to put an end to illegal immigration.

“I think that it will not stop people from coming over the border, but I think it is a step in the right direction,” said junior Eric Bridge.

In three years, the fence is planned to cover at least 370 miles of the 700 miles in total.

“I don’t think that is right; I think we should be a united world. We should all live in peace. I think you should control the amount coming in, but still let people come in

“I think if arranged marriages are part of your culture, then you should just go with it.”

Sophomore Ria Arshad will get an arranged marriage by the time she is 25, but she will have the choice to decide on her own whether she likes him or not.

because people are smart. They are going to find a way if they are smart,” said freshman Rose Broberg.

Over the past year our nation has been strongly shaped by the voice of Hispanics, coming together as one, and voicing their opinions on one of the most difficult issues in the United States. This issue involves a majority of the U.S. population because the government is looking for a solution to the illegal immigration. The issue of the Mexican and U.S. border affects many Hispanics who come to the United States illegally.

The Mexican and US. borders are crossed not only by Mexicans, but by people from other Hispanic countries trying to get into the United States illegally. Yearly, the border dividing the U.S. and Mexico has 350 million people cross it legally. The border is approximately two thousand miles long, crossing urban areas, rural and desert areas.

The issue of immigration came ahead in 2005. AHS students became more aware of the issue of illegal immigration. The issue started with laws that were passed to try to find a solution to the illegal immigration issue in the U.S. Many laws began stating that if a person helps, assists, or encourages anyone to come in the U.S. illegally, they would

JAMES REYES

What is your perspective on marriages arranged by parents?

WALIIHA GANI

Marriage before love

The beach in Tijuana at the border of U.S and Mexico is divided by a fence. The entire border consist of 2000 miles, and is one of the busiest borders in the world. The border allows 300 million people to cross it every year, along with 90 million cars.

Iraqi Civilians •Casualties: maxium 50,022 •Minimum: 45,061

War in Iraq still losing support

Iraqi Unemployment rate: •27% to 60% •Average daily hours Iraqi homes have electricity: 11.2 •Average daily hours Baghdad homes have electricity: 5.1 •Number of Iraqi homes connnected to sewer systems: 37% •Number of Iraqi homes with piped water: 78%

As the conflict in Iraq loses support from the White House, students express their own views on the war

UNITED STATES FEDERAL GOVERMENT

sources: www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/iraq_ body_count_project www.Iraqbodycount.org/database/

The U.S invasion began in March 2003.

The war has killed 655,000 Iraqi civilians mostly woman and children.

With the violence increasing in Baghdad, the monthly death toll among U.S. soldiers is alarmingly high, President Bush’s current approval ratings below 40 percent, and support for the war has continued to dwindle. This October has been the deadliest month of the war for the U.S. troops in combat since 2005. As next month’s election come near, Bush and the Republicans have begun to reconsider U.S.’s Iraq strategy.

On going dissatisfaction about the current situation in Iraq has arisen lately in the White House with Bush also stating in a press conference that he himself is not satisfied.

AHS students have many views on on the three- year long conflict in Iraq.

“My views on the war are the same they were as in the beginning three years ago,” said senior Sahar Chaudary.

The Bush administration did not come up with a concrete plan after Saddam was captured. We went into the war with emotions, not reasons. After 9/11 we were all just surprised and shook and wanted revenge. Without actually thinking, the leader of the country took the nation into a miserable, pointless war,” said Chaudary.

“The war in Iraq from the beginning was and is a crazy, useless idea. We went to war from the fear of “weapons of mass destruction,” only to find none, and then decided to bring down the dictator of the country, only to put another one, Bush, in control. The war has achieved nothing, but the deaths of many innocent livs, American and Iraqis. I agree that Saddam was an evil tyrant and demolished

UUNITED STATES FEDERAL GOVERMENT

BY WALIHA GANI International Editor

Iraqis Views on the war: •Strongly opposed to presence of coalition troops: 82% •Number of Iraqis who believe coalition forces are responsible for any improvemnet of security: less than 1% •Number of Iraqis without confidence in multi-national forces: 72%

because the Iraqis are starting all over, so to start a government fresh hand causes rage and violence,” said Herring.

However, sophmore Emily Koppelman believes the war to be a failure from the start. “The war in Iraq sucks because good Americans are dying, and it could have been avoided. When he decided to go into war, he did not and still does not have a strategy plan,”

American soldiers drive by burning oil fields. Since the U.S. invasion of Iraq, many oil fields have been demolished. Oil production is running at 16% less than what it was before the war.

his country, but he was definitely better than the current condition of Iraq,” said sophomore Nancy Roberts.

Junior Jennifer Patton strongly agrees with Chaudary and Roberts. “At this point, the war is unnecessary. We need to get our troops out because we tried to enforce a government that they [the Iraqis] needed help in creating, but we have not achieved in creating a stable government and both sides are dying, so it is time to get out now.”

On the other hand, sophomore Peter Herring is an advocate of the war.

“The war in Iraq was needed. Saddam was an evil dictator. He killed his own people, and Bush made the right decision to go into war. Of course there is going to be trouble in the government

said Koppelman.

The Iraq war, also known as “Operation Iraqi Freedom” by the U.S. Military began with the 2003 invasion of Iraq on March 20, 2003. The war has cost the lives of 655,000 Iraqis and 2,811 total deaths for the U.S. armed forces as compiled by the Iraq Body Count project, which aims to record civilian deaths resulting from the 2003 invasion of Iraq and occupation.

As support for the war dwindles, only future events and decisions by the government will answer of what will be done about the situation.

ARTS

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Nov. 9, 2006

Hirshhorn Art Museum Seven Artists show off their sculptures in “The Uncertainty of Object and Ideas”, A recent exhibit at the Hirshhorn Museum in Washington D.C.

15 Gallery Corner

“Almost the exact feeling” a sculpture made by American artist Mindy Shapero who is not only a sculptor, but an artist and writer. Shapero is inspired by mythological narratives such as fairy tales and gothic nightmares.

SMOTHSONIAN HISHHORN MUSEUM

SMITHSONIAN HIRSHHORN MUSEUM

A collection of artwork from various art classes at AHS.

Franz West born in Austria shows an alternative way to modern art. West uses color, and rough surface forms to create an interesting piece. West tries to take the invisible and make it visible through his sculptures.

Abstract art attracts many at a piece for a very long time and then read the description only to determine that what the artist saw and what they saw was very different. “[The exhibit] is very captivating, something you An open mind is the only thing you need to enter the Hirshhorn Museum ofArt on IndependenceAv- don’t see everyday,” the woman said. She is from enue in Washington, D.C. Its newest exhibit, which the D.C. area and visits the museum often to view opened Oct. 26, displays everyday objects combined the new exhibits.

There are nine sculptors whose works are diswith unique ideas to create a thought-provoking played in the exhibit, each of whom is considered to environment for visitors to mingle through.

“The Uncertainty of Objects and Ideas” is the be assemblagist. The art of assemblage is the use name of the exhibit that opened this Thursday to of random household items assembled together to the public. A security guard said that there have form art in the creator’s eyes.

Isa Genzken, a German sculptor, tries to capture been “quite a bit” of visitors of all ages and backthe tension between growth and ruin. Her works are grounds.

The museum is constructed in a circular shape, composed of plastic baby dolls, stuffed dolls, charter making it convenient for visitors to make their stickers and chandeliers. Franz West, another fearounds on each floor, giving them the opportunity tured artist, creates artwork that visitors can wear, pick up, and sit upon. His sculpture in the exhibition to see everything.

Art displayed in the exhibit is not typical paint “asserts that art can and should, be risky, contradicon canvas. These art forms use household objects tory, and even unstable, incorporating strategies of chance and humor so that such as baby dolls, pool toys, the work can remain open bubble wrap, and stickers. and unpredictable”(Exhibit Artist Charles Long, creator Brochure). of Agnes Martin Kippen- Sometimes you just have Other artists, fasciberger, uses paraphanalia nated by theories of scienfound from a riverbed by his to stop and look at it from tific notions and biological house, including shopping or natural phenomena and carts, plastic items and beer different angles...it is simply subconscious states of mind cans. He then adds plaster to unbelievable take these ideas and form create his artwork.

—ExhibitSecurityGuard “thought models.” Björn Many observers, when Dahlem is the artist of one of questioned, were not sure the largest creations in the of what they saw in the art entire exhibit, Black Hole. or could not understand the He uses discarded items such as a child’s life vest, artist’s thought process.

What may seem cheery and fun, is in fact not at an iron, plastic chairs, pots and pans, wood panels all. The actual idea behind the art is the emptiness, and fluorescent lights protruding from a “burst.”

The black hole is described as “a machine to acpointlessness, it is created because there is nothing cess the environment and constantly reshape our else to be done.

“The work refuses to make a decipherable point consciousness of the world. It is not a reality itself; because it’s saying that the whole idea of ‘decipher- it is a collective state of mind.

Mindy Shapiro, another featured artist, uses the ing,’ even of a ‘point,’ is unavailable today,” reports sense of sight and finds it a central role in a narrative Blake Gopnik, Washington Post writer.

The title of the exhibition evokes questions she has been writing. The use of rainbows, light, without answers, where single-meanings do not and air creates a theme in which vision is related to bother the natural world and a psychological tend to exist.

The curator for the Hirshhorn,Anne Ellegood, in state.

Other artists whos works are in the exhibit her catalogue essay speaks of “a feeling that beliefs and meaning are continuously unmoored and in are Andrea Cohen, Charles Long and Rachel flux.” She explains how her artists’works “embrace Harrison.

On opening day, several featured artists were an uncertainty of meaning, multiple meanings, and present to discuss and comment on their art. The meanings in flux.”

The many security guards that work there see event began at noon and it attracted many new comthe changes in the exhibits and educate themselves ers. Though the art is strange, it keeps the visitor on their surroundings, being able to elicit the imagi- intrigued and continually has them pondering over nation of those who may be struggling. They asked the meaning of the art.

Students can view the exhibit from October 26 that their names not be used.

“The sculpture is telling you something. Some- to January 7. The museum is located at the corner times you just have to stop and look at it from dif- of Independence Avenue and Seventh Street SW ferent angles…it is simply unbelievable,” the front in Washington D.C. Hishhorn Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and is open daily. Students can security guard explained.

“What do you see in it? What image can you contact the museum for information through phone take with you? How do you feel when you look at at (202) 633-1000. it?” said a nearby guard to confused visitors. Many found these questions helpful.

A younger couple in their early twenties stared

This piece was completed by sophomore Corinne Reinert, currently inArt 2. The drawing was an assignment in which she was told to draw a self-portrait. It took her 2 days to complete and she feels that the drawing portrays her inside appearance.

SMITHSONIAN HIRSHHORN MUSEUM

BY CAROLNE MERZ staff writer

“

German sculptor Isa Genzken bright exuberent sculptures instantly caught the eye of observers who were looking at the exhibit.

Genzkenʼs favorite object of choice in her sculptures was a chair, her placement of it in her art pieces brought new meaning to a chair.

“You think your looking at one thing but you’re really looking at something else.” said artist Crystal Cregge. This drawing is a selfportrait that took 6-7 hours for Cregge to complete. She titled it “Reflection” because she used to mirrors in order to draw her own reflection.

SMITHSONIAN HIRSHHORN MUSEUM

”

This abstract sculpture was created by an American artist Andrea Cohen. She uses her Chinese and Japanese landscapes as her inspiraion. To create her sculptures she uses natural and synthetic materials. All of her sculptures are freestanding, human-scale, and auntonomous objects.

Senior Morri Sands recently completed this drawing for her art class. “I included music and a mask in the spirit of Halloween and my love for music,” said Sands.

She sketched the drawing with pencil and finished the piece in about one hour.

Pictured above is artist Evan Hollowayʼs Non-aclchemical trasmutuation model. Hollowayʼs sculptures are typically elegant and sometimes strange which are all inspired by music and color.

SMITHSONIAN HIRSHHORN MUSEUM

SMITHSONIAN HIRSHHORN MUSEUM

Carlos Garcia, currently a senior in Art 2, finished this piece Oct. 31. “My teacher told us to draw whatever we wanted, so I chose to draw graffitti because it is one of my favorite things to draw,” said Garcia. It took Garcia one class to start and finish the drawing.

Bjorn Dhalem a German sculpture uses everyday materials in his sculptures. This large sized sculpture “Black Hole” shows Dhalemʼs understanding of reality is usually “a collective state of mind.”

SPORTS

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Nov. 9, 2006

Hockey finishes season

End of Season Records Field Hockey: 11-7

The Atoms came out strong in district play, finishing the season with a record of 5-2 . They lost in the final patriot district championship vs. Lake Braddock with a scrore of 1-0. The highlight of their season was winning the Alblemarle tournament in Charolettsville, Va.

Volleyball: 6-9

This season was a rebuilding one. The atoms went 5-3 in pre-season play.

As district games came so did their close losses. The atoms went 1-7 in regular district play. The atoms were ousted form the tournament with a loss against West Springfield.

The Atoms end their regular season with a record of 11-7, but fall to Marshall in the playoffs in a close 0-1 game on Oct. 26

BY RACHAEL BURNETT Staff Writer For the past three months, the AHS field hockey team has been striving to win all their games and make it to the district championship game.

“I think our team really rose to the occasion and played really well for the championship. If there was more time in the game then we would be definently won,” said sophomore Tanya Bellingham.

While playing on the new field (baseball field) the girls were more in tune to their surroundings and their goal was reached after winning their semi-final game against T.C Williams (2-1) as they advanced to the championship game against district

Cross County:

Golf: 0-9

The Atoms went through a rebuilding season this year. Not only were they faced with a younger team, but faced very tough opponents in the regular season. Nick Twomey made is to regionals and led the team throughout the year.

“

”

COURTESY OF GREGORY VINCENT

This season the atoms ended up not sending anyone to regionals but it didn’t reflect the effort all season. The more intense practices and running schedules forced the Atoms to improve.Senior Hannah Tubb really stepped it up, along with juniors Matt Ashford and Danny Wirdzek. The team hopes to improve for winter track.

rivals, the Lake Braddock Bruins. This year’s district final featured a rematch between the Bruins and theAtoms. At this championship game attendance was outstanding with a lot of supporting friends and family. The Lady Atoms dominated the whole game and set up many more scoring opportunities that included a goal that was unfortunately called back. But after having a late start from behind, they had a disappointing 0-1 loss.

The team that dominated did not win, and they were disappointed in the outcome. “ We really thought we were going to do better, but we learn from our mistakes,” said freshman Maggie Bermingham.

In the first round of regionals Our success this season is Annandale played Marshall High School and came up short again with a 2-3 loss in due to the leadership of all overtime. The Atoms scored first and played well throughout the game using the skills our seven seniors and teamwork that they had practiced all year. However they did not win the coin —Cindy Hook toss and could not pick up another goal in Field Hockey Coach overtime and ended their season with a record of 11-7.

This year the Lady Atoms were represented well in the District, with seniors Jenny Jacobs (midfielder), Krista Silano (midfielder) and junior Mary Bermingham (forward) making the first team all-district, seniors Margaret Crowley (forward) and Julianne Simpson (defender) made second team all-district, and senior Emily Vincent (midfielder) and the only freshman to qualify from any school Maggie Bermingham (defender) who was all-district honorable mention.With all the hard work the girls have put in this season includingf ive practices a week and their Saturday morning and two a day practices before school started their goals were all satisfied.

It is unfortunate that all the seniors have to leave because they were a large contribution and proportion to the team. They will defiantly be greatly missed, but with hopes of the up -and- coming girls on junior varsity they hope the varisty team can accomplish next year what they didn’t this year “Our success this season is due to the leadership of all seven of our seniors in forming a real team that worked and played together so well all season. Every player brought their best to practices and games,came ready to listen and learn together, and sacrificed individual stuffin favor of team. It has been a real privilege to coach these great girls!” said Coach Cindy Hook.

Freshman Maggie Bermingham looks to break away from a South County defender. The Atoms beat South County with a score of 1-0 but lost to Lake Braddock in the Patriot District championship.

Volleyball ends playoffs without an ace

Football: 2-4-1 “I am happy at what we accomplished as a team overall. There were a lot of game that we could have won this year but came really close . ”

Volleyball loses to West Springfield in first round of Patriot District tournament —Kyung Choi junior Field Hockey: 3-4-4 “The team played reclosely together and bonded throughout the season. Linda Rayassi and Amy Steinbuechler lead us throughout the season.

—Isabelle Ibrahim sophomore Volleyball: 12-2 “Our season went really well this year. We were the Patriot District Champions. Our title really prepares us for next year and the season. We really bonded and it showed.”

—Tammy Pham junior

Game Shots

BY MARISSA TORDELLA Staff Writer The Atoms varsity volleyball season came to end on Tuesday when the Atoms fell to West Springfield during the first round of district playoffs, ending their season with six wins and ten losses. The Atoms were seeded seventh for playoffs and ended the game 0-3. Even though the Atoms were the lower seed they did not let the Spartans, the number two seed, off with an easy win.

Juniors Katie Janssen and Jenna McRae led the team with 10 kills each. In addition junior Miyako Yerick had 15 assists with the help of junior KatieAlvarez who added 10. Co-captain Lucia Schaefer led the team with a 100% serving average and 1.80 passing average. Schaefer said the team “played hard and there’s a lot of potential for next year.” Including Schaefer there were six seniors who played their last game on Tuesday.

The Atoms started the season off well and were able to improve all throughout the season. Sophomore Erica Anderson said, “the team worked really hard and it is unfortunate that we did not receive more recognition for our hard work. We really worked hard in practices but in the end we weren’t able to capitalize on our hard work in the really close games.”

An injury to co-captain Madeleine Mejean, the setter, caused some set backs, but other teammates were able to step up. The injury occurred at the beginning of the season, but judging from their beginning record, the Atoms were able to not let that big of a thing slow them down. Juniors Katie Alvarez and Miyako Yerick divided

the responsibility of setting between them and were able to help the Atoms play their best. In addition, a strong starting line-up led the Atoms and helped the girls develop a strong sense of team unity. Even though their record was not favorable Schaefer said, “The team was still able to play with a lot of heart.”

One of the keys to the Atoms’ success earlier in the season was their tough offense that left many of their non-district opponents stumped. Many games came down to 1-0 looses but the Atoms are not letting their final record hold them back.

Not including Lee they lost all of their district games by only three and a half points.

Some of the volleyball players were recognized for their skills by other teams around the district. Senior Lucia Schaefer was awarded Second TeamAll-District and junior Katie Janssen earned Honorable Mention.

Even though only two players received All-District awards, Coach Tooke said, “Every varsity player made a strong commitment to the team and helped us compete at the best possible level.”

The goal for the team this year was to win the district, and not doing so was a disappointment to the team. Even though they did not reach their overall goal the Atoms were still able to improve dramatically throughout the season. Coach Tooke said that the team made “great strides this season” and is looking forward to next season because of the talented JV and Freshman teams who both finished their seasons 12-2. “I hope to help Annandale win its first volleyball bannernext season,” said Tooke.

Even though ending their season without a Patriot District Championship was a disappointment the Atoms are optimistic about their standing next year. They will have a strong group of senior leaders that hope to lead the team to victory.

COURTESY OF LIFETOUCH

JV Sports

Junior Miyako Yerick sets a ball for sophomore Erika Anderson. The Atoms lost the game to West Potomac 0-3.

COURTESY OF GREGORY VINCENT

The Rundown: A preview of winter sports Boys Basketball: 8-10 last year

Player’s Outlook: “I think we are going to be pretty good this season, but we lost a lot of important people last year. We will also have a new coach so it will be a new experience. The new players will really have to step it up in order for us to be successful.”

Sophomore Tanya Bellingham dribbles down the field.

COURTESY OF LIFETOUCH

Senior R.J. Pearson

Dive

Junior Jenna McRae spikes the ball over the net.

Junior Mari Pack

Girls Basketball:10-6 last year

Key Players: R.J. Pearson, Junior Jenna McRae Tim Shadyac

Player’s Outlook: “We have a new dive coach this year ( Shawn Pitt) and I think he is going to bring a lot to the team. There is a lot of people trying out this year and I think we are going to get even better with all of the new people. I think we will be better than ever.”

Swim

Player’s Outlook: “We are really excited about our new coach this year, but you never know what to expect when you have a new coach. We are really working on improving and we are conditioning throughout the week to get ready. There are also a lot of new freshmen that are working really hard to make the Senior Megan Price team better.”

Key Players: Jenna McRae, Denay Woods, Kelly Muchmore

Wrestling: 5-6 last year

Track

Player’s Outlook: “We were pretty successful last year, but this year I think that we will be even better. The key to our success this year will be making sure that everyone stays healthy.

Making weight causes many to be unhealthy, but if we eat right then everything will be okay. We also have a lot of younger wrestlers Key Players: Mari Pack, Senior James Godbout that are going to need to step Junior Ryan Schaedel Melissa Chiappane it up.”

ALL RUNDOWN PICTURES TAKEN BY AVERY ADCOCK

Key Players: James Godbout, Oscar Santos, Sam Clark

Player’s Outlook: “Swimming is always such a fun season. We always have a lot of new freshmen trying out and that creates depth for the team. I really think with all of our senior leadership this year we will have a fantastic season.”

Key Players: Rachael Burnett, Megan Price, Alyssa, Navarrete, Amy Fleming, Chris Fitz, Nick Alvarez

Player’s Outlook: “We are better prepared than we were last year. I think the distance team will be expecially good this year. There will also be a new sprinting coach this year, so our sprinting as a whole is really going to improve. We have a lot of people that we can count on to come through in a crunch.”

Key Players: Matt Ashford, Scott Plunket, Charles Simpson

SPORTS

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Nov. 9, 2006

ANNANDALE: 21 LEE : 6 Nov. 3, 2006 AHS (6-3, 6-1) 0 7 LHS (5-4, 4-2) 0 0

7 0

7 6

Sports

How they scored: A- Pearson 8 yard run (kick good) A- Zambrana 25 yard interception (kick good) L- Cameron (kick failed) A- Johnson 39 yard pass from Cartagena (kick good)

Spotlight Sports Column

Compiled By Greg Rosenstein

MAGGIE BERMINGHAM

AHS Rushing Leaders: Cartagena: 19-107 Pearson: 9-72, TD Passing Leader: Cartagena: 3-6-54. TD Receiving Leader: Johnson: 2-44, TD PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAN WAHL

Year: Freshman Sport: Varsity Field Hockey Note: Was only freshman on Varsity team that was Patriot District runnerup. Earned Honorable MentionAll- District for the season.

Player Quote: “My dad pushed me to improve ,” Bermingham said. “I just wanted to get better.”

NICK CHUONG

Senior running back R.J. Pearson rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown on just nine carries. “Iʼm just glad we can bring the championship back to AHS,” said Pearson. The victory earned the Atoms a spot in the Northern Region playoffs.

Atoms win district title

BY GREG ROSENSTEIN Sports Editor

On paper, the match-up for the Atoms tomorrow against Oakton carries little significance. But on the field, to the Atoms, a win over the Concord District opponent could help with momentum and add the confidence they need going into the Northern Region playoffs. “It is still a big game for us,” said senior quarterback Nate Cartagena. “We still want to beat Oakton.”

But the scene was a lot different last Friday night, when the implications for the Atoms were clear: win, and become Patriot District Champions for the second year in a row; lose, and they’re out.

The defense of a championship is much different than winning it for the first time.

For an entire year, you have what everyone else wants. You are what everyone else wants to be. Teams circle their calendars for a chance to dethrone you. And on an extremely cold and windy night last Friday

against Lee, it appears theAtoms would not have it any other way.

The first quarter was a defensive stalemate between the two Patriot District leaders. On just the fifth play of the game, Lee’s senior quarterback Chris Oterson was hit hard by junior defensive end Eric Cabellos and senior linebacker Andrew Lewis and went down with a hurt ankle. “I just wanted a sack,” said Lewis. “The next thing I know [Eric] Cabellos and I have him down on the ground.” Oterson was taken off on a stretcher and did not return to the game. As the first 12 minutes came to an end, it appeared heavy momentum was going to be given to the team to score first. And senior Robert Pearson was up to the task.

Midway through the second quarter, Pearson broke free up the middle for a 45yard gain. His long run set up the first score of the game a few plays later, in which he took the ball into the end zone from eight yards out. “That was the key play of the game that really helped our confidence,”

said senior linebacker James Velasquez.

The Atoms entered halftime with a seven point advantage.

The third quarter was more of a defensive battle between both teams. But this time, with the ball deep on Lee’s side of the field a few minutes in, the defending Patriot District Champions took advantage. Lee’s backup quarterback Kelly Fitzgerald threw an inaccurate pass that senior defensive back J.P. Zambrana grabbed in midair and took 21 yards to the end zone to provide a 14-point lead. “I was just in the right place at the right time,” said Zambrana. “I just wanted to get to get a score for the team. It was definitely a momentum boost.”

In the final quarter of the biggest game of the season, the Atoms needed to get an offensive attack to solidify their chances of repeating. Despite a 12-yard run by Lee running back Brandon Cameron (the extra point failed due to a botched snap), reigning Patriot District Player-of-the-Year Nate Cartagena threw a 39-yard touchdown

pass to a wide open junior Matt Johnson to make the score 21-6. In addition to his pass, Cartagena ran for 107 yards on 19 attempts.

A final defensive stop in the Atoms red zone with less than a minute remaining sent a tingle up the spine of each member of the near-capacity crowd. As the fans counted aloud the final ten seconds, the Atoms accomplished what they set out to at the beginning of the season: a second consecutive Patriot District Championship and spot in the Northern Region playoffs.

“Last year we came into the season knowing we ‘want’ to win the district, but this year we came into the season knowing we ‘will’ win the district,” said Cartagena. “It’s a great feeling.”

“We expected to beat Lee,” said senior running back and linebacker Andrew Lewis. “We’re not losing anymore this season.”

Cross Country finished The cross country season came to a close on October 26, at the Patriot District meet in Burke Lake Park.

As the season progressed, the team bonded together and demonstrated steady progress.

“We improved a lot throughout the season” said junior Danny Wirdzek.

“We worked hard throughout the year and our times were much improved,” said junior Ryan Schaedel.

The workouts were also more intense as the season progressed.

“We always have difficult practices,” said Schaedel.

However, theAtoms struggled at districts and several members were not present at the meet. The team placed last in the eight-team meet. “Half of us did really well,” said Wirdzek. “However, others

Extra Point Sports Column

By Greg Rosenstein In the movie The Sandlot, Benny, the soft-spoken neighborhood baseball star, has a dream where Babe Ruth advises him on life. Babe says, “Remember kid, there’s heroes and there’s legends. Heroes get remembered, but legends never die.” This idea perfectly fits the life of former Boston Celtics head coach and executive Arnold “Red” Auerbach, who passed away on Oct. 28 of a heart attack.

He coached the Boston Celtics to nine NBA championships, eight consecutive, in 16 years. He led the team to ten Eastern Division titles. He was the first coach in history to achieve 1,000 victories. As President and General Manager, he won 16 NBA championships.

And he was the greatest basketball mind who ever lived. Period.

After short head coaching tenures with the now-defunct Washington Capitols (not the hockey team) and the TriCities Blackhawks, Red took the helm of Boston in 1955.

Prior to his hire, the Celtics were a dreadful 89 and 147 after their first four seasons in existence. ButAuerbach changed that. His winning attitude and hard-nose approach to the game took the Celts from being one of the worst teams in the league at the time to the greatest franchise in the

JAMES VELASQUEZ

Year: Senior Sport: Varsity Football Statistic: Stepped in at running back against T.C. Williams on Oct. 27. Rushed for 67 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Atoms defeat the Titans 42-6.

Player Quote: “The harder you work in practice, the better you play in games,” said Velasquez. “I just wanted to help my team win.”

Year: Senior Sport: Varsity Volleyball Note: Co-captain of team successfully served 94.8 % of the time and dug 144 spikes on the season. Efforts earned Schaefer 2nd team All-District.

Coach’s Quote: “When her co-captain Madeleine Mejean went down with an ankle injury, she picked up the slack on the court,” said coach Sam Tooke. “ Aggressive passing, consistent hitting and serving, and on-court leadership made this a great season for Lucia.

She was the heart of the team.”

and have more runners place.

As Harris talked about the upcoming season, he mentioned the importance of the summer conditioning programs. “We need to improve on our summer conditioning, otherwise we will not perform well in our first few meets,” he said.

Next year, the team is suggesting that its members go to programs such as the Blue Ridge Running Camp, where runners can spend a week preparing for the upcoming season.

On the girl’s side, the team was lead by senior Hannah Tubb, who was the top girl runner on the team. Harris also mentioned Tubb as one of the team’s most improved runners, along with sophomore Rebecca Grimsley.

Senior Teddy Langel continues to run after school, even after the Cross Country season concluded. “We did okay this season,” said Head Coach Phil Harris. “Our goal is to do a lot better next year.”

A legend that will never be forgotten The

Year: Freshman Sport: Freshman Football Statistic: Defensive back blocked a T.C. Williams kick with less than two minutes remaining in the game.

The defensive stop allowed theAtoms to win the by a score of 13-12.

Player Quote: “The coaches really motivated me to play well,” said Chuong. “Blocking the kick was the best feeling I’ve ever had. “I was going crazy.”

LUCIA SCHAEFER

GREG ROSENSTEIN

BY GREG YOUNG Staff Writer

didn’t perform at their best.”

The overall prognosis by head coach Phil Harris was also disappointing. “We did ok, but didn’t perform up to my expectations,” said Harris. “We also had a problem with attendance, as several members of the team did not show up to districts.”

For the year, Harris also seemed relatively unhappy with the team’s performance. “We performed about as well as last year,” he said. (In the 2005 season, the team also finished in last place at districts.)

Next season, the team hopes to improve on its last place finish.

“We have a lot of potential for next year because of the youth of our team,” said Wirdzek.

The Atoms return several key runners, including juniors Matt Ashford and Brad Grabo and freshman Charles Simpson.

Also, they will hope to be more competitive in meets next year

17

history of basketball.

But the reason Red was the best, better than Phil Jackson, Pat Riley, Red Holtzman, Chuck Daly or any other head coach, was the fact that he was everything to the franchise. Auerbach was the Boston Celtics director of basketball operations, general manager, team president and head scout. Is that humanly possible? Nowadays, each team has multiple assistant coaches, a dozen high-up executives, and advanced scouting specifically for the high school, college, and international game.

Among the many things that Red was known for, was his eye for talent. As general manager he drafted stars John Havliceck, Kevin McHale, Dave Boston Celtic Great, Red Auerbach, Cowens, Danny passed away on Oct. 28. He was 89 Ainge, Jo Jo White, years old.

Reggie Lewis, Len Bias (who died of cocaine overdose less than 48 hours after being drafted) and arguably the best player of all-time, Larry Bird. He also traded for Bill Russell, Robert Parrish, and Bill Walton.

Auerbach was a pioneer in diversifying the thenprimarily white NBA. In 1950 he chose Chuck Cooper of Duquesne University, the first black player to ever be selected in the NBA Draft. In the 1963-1964 season, Auerbach made the Celtics the first team to start an all black squad with Bill Russell, K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, Tom Sanders and Willie Naulls. He also made Bill Russell the first black head coach in NBA history in 1966.

Auerbach was also famous for his unique personality.

Late in games when he thought his team had already won, he would pull out a celebratory cigar and start smoking it on the bench as a sign of victory. While coaching, he would smoke between eight to ten cigars a day. (Think I’m lying?

Google his name and at least 90% of the images that come up show Red with a cigar in his hand.)

He was so passionate about the game that sometimes his temper would get the best of him. For example in 1984 in Denver, he was asked to coach an old-timers game during All-Star Weekend. He was so upset with the official’s calls that he was ejected for arguing.

Another interesting tale is that Pat Riley, former head coach of the LosAngeles Lakers from 1981 to 1989, accused Red of turning up the heat in the Boston Garden each time they came to town. “The Lakers used to complain how hot it was in the Garden, that it wasn’t air-conditioned. I said to them, ‘Hey, I don’t blame you for complaining, because the half-a-court we play on is air-conditioned.’

What Vince Lombardi is to the city of Green Bay, Red Auerbach is to Boston.

This can be seen through a true story involving Red at Legal Seafoods in the city. While sitting down at the table he pulls out a cigar and starts smoking in the restaurant.

A waitress comes over to the table and asks him to please put the cigar away because the restaurant prohibits it. Red told her to look at the menu again. It read, “No cigar or pipe smoking…except for Red Auerbach.”

But one thing remains clear. Whether enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame or a restaurant menu, Red Auerbach will forever be remembered.

greg.rosenstein@thea-blast.org

LINDA RAYASSE

Year: Sophomore Sport: JV Field Hockey Note: Was one of the top players on team that went 3-4-4 on the season. Recognized by her teammates as a true leader.

Coach’s Quote: “I just really like field hockey,” said Rayasse. Everyone gets along well and it made the season a lot of fun.”

Additional reporting by C.J. Sidener, Marisa Tordella, and Caroline Merz

Atomic Athletics The records of JV Sports around AHS

JV Field Hockey

3-4-4 JV Football

2-4-1 JV Volleyball

12-2 All sports records taken from www.annandaleatoms.com

18 Do you think that celebrities entering the fashion world have an advantage?

“Yes, cause everyone knows them.”

ENTERTAINMENT

“Yes, because people look up to them as role models, so they always do positive things.”

—Tsedeye Daniel sophomore

Nov. 9, 2006

Students sport celebrity styles can help a line in some cases, but not in most. “Every celebrity comes out with a line,” said Huff, “they try to be successful They’re seen everywhere; jet-setting with it and it’s just like, it’s already been from Miami to New York to Los Angelas done, but with certain people it helps.” An example that and back again, on tabHuff gives of loids and red carpets, in success is newspapers and in clubs, Mary-Kate and now they are makI can’t buy things because and Ashley ing their way into the Olsen. closets and wardrobes of they have a person’s name “The Olsen AHS students. twins targeted Senior Allie Bagot on it. young girls bought two fitted tee because they shirts, knowing from —RadiatTefera knew that they the beginning that they senior would be able were designed by Gwen to market to Stefani, lead singer of them and they band No Doubt and have made so solo artist. “I bought one of them because it had lyrics from a much money because of it,” said Huff.

Although Huff doesn’t go seeking out song I liked and a mustang on it,” said Bagot, who owns a Mustang. The other the designs and fashions of celebrities she shirt that she bought is yellow and has a is not going to criticize a good garment cupcake on it with the phrases “cute as a when she finds one. While shopping one cupcake” and “fatal attraction to cuteness” day, Huff came across a blue sweater and fell in love with it, she later discovered written on it.

The growing trend in which celebrities that it was designed by celebrity party and entertainers utilize their celebrity girl, Nicole Ritchie. “It is so cool, I love it. status to influence the public has spread It has an ice cream cone on one side and a cloud with rain and the back has bleach among students.

Erin Huff thinks that celebrities’ fame stains,” said Huff.

BY JENNY JACOBS Entertainment Editor

“

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—Michael Armstrong freshman

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Many celebrities are jumping on the fashion bandwagon in addition to Ritchie. Gwen Stefani, the Olsen twins all have released lines that are being strutted down the halls ofAHS. Jessica Alba has started designing baby clothing to match what stylish parents wear. Jessica Simpson has designed a footwear line. Beyonce and Mariah Carey both decided to take their diva status into the fashion world, Carey with an underwear line and Beyonce with a couture line that her mom is helping to design.

Female celebrities aren’t the only ones venturing into the fashion world.

In 1998 Sean “P. Diddy” Combs released his clothing line Sean John and has since made millions. Other rappers have followed suit including Jay-Z, Eminem and Nelly. All can be purchased in department stores and seen around the AHS community.

Senior Radiat Tefera claims that using fame as a marketing technique isn’t working for celebrities.

“For me I don’t buy things because it has a person’s name on it, I buy things because I like them.” However, Tefera did buy a perfume that was made by J-Lo, but it was strictly because she “liked the smell.”

Senior Allie Bagot wears a shirt that was designed by Gwen Stefani. Bagot owns another t-shirt designed by Stefani that has a mustang logo on it.

Frazen gets it right in The Corrections

“Yeah, they already know what’s cool and people look up to them, so they can set trends.”

Paul on Prose

—Nick Bush junior

“Yes, because they are already well known to the public”

—Caitlin Callahan senior

“They have every advantage, they have personal trainers, wardrobe consultants, and all the money in the world.”

—Tracy Shakespeare School Nurse

Book Review

By Paul Mathis

For days after finishing the 592 pages of The Corrections by Jonathan Frazen (paperback, 2002), winner of the National Book Award and a Pulitzer Prize Finalist, the images of Frazen’s portrait of a broken family haunted my thoughts and feelings.

Frazen’s portrayal of the Lambert family is that incisive and dead on. His story centers on trying to find the place of the American family in today’s new and ominous age, and his ability in crafting such a story reaches towards the epitome of the struggle of keeping such a family together.

The Enid Lambert wants to have one last Christmas dinner. Alfred, her husband, is suffering from Parkinson’s disease; all of her children are advancing in their professions and running their own lives and have not been home together in years; so Enid feels that she needs to have one last semblance of a family gathering, one last time (Frazen

ADVENTURES OF BREW

alludes) to be the same only family of the close-knit era of the 1950’s and 60’s. However, as Frazen spends his novel exploring the lives of Enid, her husband, and their three children, Gary, Chip and Denise, it becomes clear that getting together for a Christmas dinner is nearly impossible, or at least a lot more difficult than everyone thinks.

Gary, a manager’s manager at CenTrust, cannot control his own family life and nearly losses his mind fighting his way through the jungle of American suburbia. Chip, a college professor, struggles as he tries to fit his academic life to world realities. Denise, a famous chef, finds herself in the middle of a clash between husband and wife, one of whom is her manager. All of the children lose their jobs, each struggling in different ways to live up to what most all Americans struggle to live up to: to be wealthy, have a nice house, build a family and a future. To be normal; to live the American Dream.

What makes Frazen’s novel so powerful is its ability to capture in essence the state of American suburbia today.

What was once considered to be perfect from the outside is now full of holes; everyday American households are deluged with news of war and world conflicts; every American bookshelf is filled with self-help and how-to references; Prozac and Ritalin cover American counters as families fight with what have now become household diseases: depression, attention deficit disorder. The American household is falling apart as we fall more and more into a globalized age; an age where information flows in

BEN HENDRICKSON & DREW WILDES

Reporting done by Advertising Manager Amy Stevens

Newest CD Releases

The Fray rocks D.A.R John Legend Once Again Oct 24

Smile Empty Soul Vultures Oct. 24

Keith Urban Love, Pain and the Whole Crazy Thing Nov. 7

Sugarland Enjoy the Ride Nov. 7

BY EMILY SAMPLE AND JENNY JACOBS News and Entertainment Editors Ah, the J section of D.A.R. Constitution Hall.

Almost as far away from the stage as you can get, but K might be a little bit worse. The point of the night, though, didn’t center on the seats, but rather the miniscule figures singing on the stage.

The night began, like most concerts, with an opening band. The Feeling was on their way home to London, D.A.R. being their last performance in the States. The Feeling create, well, quite a good feeling. Their lyrics were catchy, allowing the crowd to join in the songs ,even though most of us had no idea who they were. The group was up-beat and complementary of The Fray—exactly what you want in an opening band. As they left the stage, the crowd screamed and clapped as though the concert was then over.

The house lights came on and the roadies filled the stage, uncovering The Fray’s equipment, including a drum set with the tell tale light bulb covering the bass drum. The center piece—a mini grand piano—was the most prominent accessory.

The crowd—mostly giddy high school girls—meandered in and out of the auditorium as the set up continued. Outside the auditorium tee shirts advertising The Feeling and The Fray were sold at $25 a pop, with other accessories ranging in price. We admit we succumbed to the cliché, and bought tee shirts. Both black, both utilize our money for free band advertisement. Oh, well.

As 9 o’ clock came and went, the crowd—and we—were getting anxious for the concert to start.

Then suddenly, without warning, the lights went out. A chord was struck somewhere in the darkness, and strobe lights flashed from the back of the stage, growing brighter with each strum.

When the lights finally grew to a level where the crowd could see the outlines of the band, they started into “She Is,” also the first song on their

album. The crowd, of course, went wild. What else would they do? Those on the floor where all standing, and even in the balcony several groups of overexcited—or intoxicated—teens jumped up to sway with the music.

After several songs, mostly those that haven’t made it to the radio, the band introduced a new song. Lead singer Isaac Slade apologized that it wasn’t quite finished but played it anyway. The crowd lapped it up, but it honestly wasn’t as good as many on their album. After several more of the less popular songs Slade introduced their “MVP” of the night—guitarist and support vocal Joe King’s 4-year-old daughter. She led the crowd in her song “Flip Flop ‘n’ Fly” which included her pointing to a body part and the crowd chanting back “Flip Flop ‘n’ Nose!” or whatever, excitedly.

After this episode, the band played the crowd favorite, “Over My Head” to deafening teenage girl screams. From the J section, hundreds of little LCD screens could be seen popping open on the floor, indicating both digital cameras and the illegal recording of the concert on people’s cell phones.

After the climactic finish the band disappeared and the lights dimmed, but not with out loud disagreement from the hordes. The lights finally came back on as King started in on “How to Save A Life.” This was definitely the crowd favorite. Everyone was on their feet, singing along with full lung capacity.

At the end of the song, the house lights came back on and the seats emptied. Exhilarated and now exhausted, we walked back to our cars—pushing our way through the crowd of fans who had waited until after the concert to buy their band paraphernalia.

Cold air rushed out the doors and we approached our cars, the experience, though memorable, was over.

endless rivers; an age were teenagers kill themselves over standardized test scores.

Frazen is able to capture all of this with biting and sardonic humor, as well as stylistic power. His characters come off as sad and pathetic, but at the same time can be laughed at. Sometimes Frazen’s style seems uncreative (for instance, asAlfred tries to deal with Parkinson’s disease and his inability to use the bathroom, he has a ten page fight with a flying turd) or somewhat trite. He often assumes the writing styles of other modern authors, such as Kurt Vonnegut, and this is sometimes obvious.

But believe it or not, this epic family drama is also a page-turner.

The expository first 150 pages are deceiving in their dryness, but the novel soon picks up.

Frazen delivers a portrait that has been needed for a very long time. In today’s America, this book should not, can not, be overlooked.

ENTERTAINMENT

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Nov. 9, 2006

Myspace, or Facebook?

BY LAYLUMA HOTAKI Entertainment Editor We have all heard of the popular websites, and most of us probably have one, another or both. Do the names Myspace and Facebook ring a bell to anyone?

Many people have opposing views about these websites that help to maintain relationships and friendships with others from the past or present. Some love Myspace because it is free and it works wonders on reconnecting kids, parents, colleagues, and teachers.

Junior Brooke Barlow likes Myspace because “you can talk to people that you can’t normally talk to on a regular basis.”

Myspace also has many other features and the creator, known as Tom, is currently working on adding more. Features include “Myspace IM” in which a person can receive an instant message when they get a new comment, message, or friend request. Entertainment features include music, movies, books, comedy, horoscopes and more.

Usually every day the website is updated with a new “Myspace Featured Artist” which can be a popular band, or a band that no one has ever heard of. It has been known that some bands have gained popularity because of their publicity on Myspace.

Users of Myspace have a way of commenting on

one another’s profiles, pictures, web log entries, among others. You can download graphics onto your page and personalize them with songs, pictures, and details about your personality.

“My mom says the computer, AIM, and Myspace are my number one distraction,” said Barlow. “It’s definitely a waste of time, but I don’t mind.”

For English teacher Meghan Jones, Myspace or any other form of web log is not something she wants.

“I would never get a Myspace account because I do not

want to reconnect with my old friends from high school,” said Jones. “I also don’t want my students requesting me [as their friends].”

Others prefer Facebook over Myspace. Senior Rose Bingham is new to Facebook and said she likes it much better than Myspace.

“I like it because more college people do it and you can stay in touch with them,” said Bingham. “The groups for Facebook are active and you can post pictures on them unlike Myspace. On Myspace they’re unnecessary.”

Facebook first started out as a way for college students to interact with each other and help with homework, assignments, tests and such. Now it is used by a majority of high school students as well, and is used as a means of communication. It is like Myspace in a sense that you can post on a person’s “wall” and send messages to other members.

There are not as many features on Facebook, but they do have a “News Feed” section. It is a list of activities that friends on your list have done. For example, “John Smith has posted a comment on Sara Doe’s wall.” Other things that are posted are people’s birthdays, and a “mini feed,” which is a list of all the actions you have taken in the past.

A person can choose to create a Myspace or Facebook depending on what they feel best suits their needs, or choose not to create one at all. However, they are becoming quite popular nationwide.

Which form of Internet blogging service do you use and why?

19 Editor’s Pick

The latest album by Lil Wayne called Tha Carter is a fast-paced mix of R&B beats and explicit lyrics. However, this album is considered weak compared to The Documentary.

The editor’s song of choice for this album is “Who Wanna.”

Horoscopes Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb.18)

This month your energy will shift towards focusing on friends, teammates, the Internet, and how to connect with others on a global level.

Connect with those who are not always there.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

It is your chance to take action. Before, you were in the role of the student. Now you are in the role of activist or leader. Put what you’ve learned into action.

“I like Myspace because it’s fun. You get to meet new people, new girls.

It’s a page all about yourself.

“I think Myspace is better than any other website because it is what everyone else uses.”

“I like Myspace because a lot more people have it. Instead of saying ‘Can I have your number?’ people say ‘Can I have your Myspace name?’”

“Myspace is all right. You get to chat with other people, but I don’t go on it that much. It’s only fun when you’re bored.”

“I think it’s a waste of time to sit and create a site, post pictures, and write messages. It’s an invasion of privacy because everyone can see it.”

—Hasib Iqbal freshman

—Billy Godbout sophomore

—Jackie Argueta junior

—Fadilu Mustafa senior

—Evelyn Hsia teacher

COMPILED BY LAYLUMA HOTAKI

Aries (March 21-April19)

It’s a boy, a real one Not so ‘Fergalicious’ track, entitled “Belt.” Bemis uses his belt as a metaphor for his own creative genius, which he constantly and unapologetically acknowledges throughout the album.

Say Anything loves to hate. They hate Another gem is what looks like is going relationships, hate the hypocritical music to be the second single, “Spidersong.” Like industry, and hate themselves. Lead sing- “Alive,” it is extremely catchy. However it er, guitarist, bassist, and songwriter Max is not the same sex-driven, made-for-MTVBemis is managing to pull off these tired song that “Alive” is. “Spidersong” is much old themes in a brand new way. Almost all more meaningful and will have a greater of the songs of their J Records debut album impact on the listener that can relate to are equipped with an upbeat tempo and what Bemis is saying. introspective, self-effacing lyrics.

However, the other three aforementioned songs have absolutely nothing on the track that finish off the album. “Admit It!!!” is six minutes long, but does not feel like it. Three of the verses are spoken by Bemis, the first two being directed against an unnamed scene kid who thinks he’s superior to everyone else. Bemis deliberately shows off his vocabulary and creative ability during these, expelling sentences such as, “Despite your pseudo-Bohemian appearance and vaguely leftist doctrine of beliefs…”

Say Anything released their CD, “..is After Bemis seems to be done attacka Real Boy,” in August of 2004. ing this poor hipster, he turns the fight The one song that does not follow a on himself. Admitting he spends hours similar route to the others is “Alive With in front of the mirror and that the only the Glory of Love,” which happens to be the reason he’s worried about the outcome of first single. “Alive” is a ridiculously catchy the album is because it will determine the four-and-a-half minute tribute to public, amount of sex he will get in the future. But after hearing all three verses in sequence um…affection.

There are a few spoken word interludes and paying more attention to the chorus, before and after songs and the result is dif- you realize that Bemis was talking about ferent from just about every other time a himself the entire time, he’s only changed the point of view. band has tried to do something So if you consider the themes other than perform songs on a reSay Anyand look of the band, you can cord: it’s endearing. By the end of thing the album, Max Bemis is someone ... is a Real technically classify them as “emo.”

But do not let that scare you away. you will want to meet, know, and Boy “Admit It!!!” is one of the smartest become best friends with. songs I have ever heard. Do yourSomething else that Say Anyself a favor and buy this album, so thing does well is use a song that you can make your own judgment picks you up and celebrates your on a band so extremely original, individualism, which is something they could end up redefining their that’s rare in an industry that is doing nothing but producing pop singers, “emo” genre of music. Say Anything might have bands, and rappers that are nothing but just saved “emo,” which before them, was never this much fun. carbon copies of each other. author’s e-mail: lucas.higgins@theaOne of the best songs on the album, and they are all good, is the starting blast.org.

BY LUCAS HIGGINS Staff Writer

A

Sudoku

Your romantic and business partnerships will be of interest to you in the upcoming weeks. You should focus on making these partnerships and relationships work.

A great deal of positive energy is beginning to pour into areas of your life that have not had too much lately.

This will help you make a name for yourself. Expect some adventures.

“But I ain’t promiscuous/ And if you was suspicious/ All that [stuff] is fictitious/ I blow kisses.”

Fergie, from the Black-Eyed Peas, has Ah, Fergie. Who do you think you’re released a new album, The Dutchess. fooling? I suspect only yourself. But “Fergalicious” and “London Bridge.” Love enough about how she dances…

She has now broken from her band, ‘em or hate ‘em, you’ve found yourself The Black Eyed Peas, to produce The humming ‘em unexpectedly. I know I Dutchess. No, I didn’t spell it wrong. Ei- have. Neither have terribly good lyrics, ther she did and played it off very well, or per se, but both have such an obnoxiously it’s a play off her nickname, Fergie, which memorable beat that you just can’t help but like it! she shares with the Duchess of As to a terrible song, “PedesYork, Sarah Ferguson.

Fergie tal” probably takes the cake, with The album was entirely proThe “Velvet” not far behind. Neither duced by fellow Black Eyed Peas Dutchess show a supreme vocal performember Will.I.Am, who also mance, range, or lyrical merit makes several guest appearances on Fergie’s part. I have nothing on the album. The Dutchess is left to say about them really, they a 14-track album that shows of are not worth listening to—plain every facet of Fergie’s vocal ability. and simple.

Some are very good, others simply Now I feel forced to mention track catchy, and a few just leave me wondernumber eight. If you have attended a ing – why?

One of the better songs is “Finally.” football game this year, you’ve heard The last song on the album, it seems it—and I don’t mean from the dance like a whopping eight minutes long, but team. You may even hum it. If you’re in there is a bonus track entitled “Maybe We the marching band you know it by heart.

Can Take A Ride” (which is not nearly as “Here I Come” is a song that your parents good) attached. “Finally” is sung entirely probably know as well, as it is simply the in a ballad style. The melody is rather Temptations “Get Ready” with rap tracks pathetic, a simple Disney-esc, fairy tale, by Will.I.Am laid on top.

This album is difficult to classify, as piano line that travels up and down the every track has its own personality and keyboard showing off her range.

But the lyrics are deeper than most of style. There is something for everyone her other tracks. The song sheds inspira- on this album, especially if you’re looking tion on an album otherwise devoted to sex, for female empowerment. Fergie? Sure, singing “Finally got out of my own way/ she’s not bad. Delicious? Parts of it were.

I’ve finally started living for today/ I finally Fergalicious? I wouldn’t go so far as callknow that I needed to grow/ And finally ing Webster’s with the addition. The name know that/ Finally now my destiny can won’t be around for long.

Download this: Fergalicious, Finally, begin.” While the lyrics seem repetitive, in her raspy, pleading voice she alters each and All That I Got author’s e-mail: emily.sample@thealine enough to make it work.

Now, a catchy song. It’s a tie between blast.org.

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medium

WWW.DAILYSUDOKU.COM

WWW.DAILYSUDOKU.COM

Taurus (April 20-May18)

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Fill in the blank spaces in the grid so that every vertical column, every horizontal row and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9, without repeating any. There is really only one solution to each puzzle.

This puzzle is based upon reasoning and logic. It does not require any arithmetic.

easy

You have some recent trust issues to deal with. It could be romantic or financial.

Either way, you are the one who is expected to negotiate a peace treaty.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)

You have a pile of wonderful, fun, and playful energy in your creative arts, romance, and luxury sector.

Laugh a little and open your mind to new and exciting ideas.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)

Most of the time, you are right in there with everyone else. But there is an overriding theme where you cloud up and rain all over everyone’s parade. Figure out why this happens.

Virgo (Aug. 23- Sept. 22)

You have the gift of gab this month and can inspire, motivate, and entertain just about everyone you know. As the month ends, you will be presented with lots of love and fun.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

It will be difficult for you to think about anything other then your personal wealth.

You are blessed with brilliant ideas and plenty of energy to implement these ideas.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

As if you were not already dynamic, seductive, and magnetic enough, you can expect things to get almost comical as your personal power just gets bigger and bigger.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

You will have a bit of a mental health at a “clean slate” type event just before the month ends. Clean out the cobwebs of your mind, it is your turn to be the superstar!

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Your calendar is packed with social events. You are able to mix business with pleasure and accomplish all kinds of wonderful oppurtunities this month.

Later, you will be able to reconnect with your spirituality.

20 Where’s your favorite place to bike and why?

“I like to bike in the woods behind my house because no one’s there and I’m all by myself.”

WEEKEND

You don’t have to travel far for a good bike trail away from the hectic bustle of traffic

Mount Vernon Staff Writer

“Sometimes I bike at Lake Accotink, because I like the snack bar and the dam by the bike paths.”

—Monica Athey freshman

“I like to bike around Audrey Moore Rec Center because I enjoy the atmosphere and everyone is doing sports.”

Nov. 9, 2006

Cycle through Washington

BY CLAIRE BUI

—Sibtain Raza freshman

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The Mount Vernon Trail is one of the oldest trails in the metropolitan Virginia area and is a popular site for recreational goers. At 18.5 miles long, the path is located along the Potomac River, paralleling the George Washington Memorial Parkway. Following the shoreline from Theodore Roosevelt Island (near the Lincoln Memorial), the paved trail leads to George Washington’s 500-acre estate located at Mount Vernon.

The southern portion of the trail runs through parts of Arlington and Alexandria, while the northern portion has scenic views of Washington, D.C. Cyclists and runners are able to view and take part in a variety of activities, such as visiting the monuments downtown or stopping by Old Town, observing the Arlington National Cemetery or watching planes take off and land

RockCreek Trail

at Regan National Airport from Gravelly Point, a popular picnicking area. In some spots, the trail is narrow and winding, as are a few of the bridge crossings.

The majority of the path is flat, but travelers may come to a few occasional rolling hills. The final stretch of trail has one particular incline that may prove challenging, but once you’re over the hill, you can cruise right to George Washington’s estate.

BY CLAIRE BUI

Staff Writer Maryland’s Rock Creek Trail winds 16 miles long from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. to Lake Needwood Park, just a few miles away from Rockville. The trail is a collection of paved, multi-use paths though Montgomery County, MD, and is an scenic oasis from the business districts in the metropolitan area.

C&O

BY CLAIRE BUI

Staff Writer

W&OD

—Martin Miller sophomore

BY CLAIRE BUI

Staff Writer

Upcoming Concerts GOD IRON Friday, November 10 Black Cat AMERICAN FREEDOM FESTIVAL Friday, November 10 DAR Constitution Hall DETROIT COBRAS Sunday, November 12 Black Cat +44 Monday, Nobember 13 9:30 Club IMOGEN HEAP Monday, November 13 9:30 Club SILVERSTEIN Saturday, November 18 9:30 Club SMOKEY ROBINSON Friday, November 18 DAR Constitution Hall DASHBOARD CONFESSIONAL Saturday, November 18 Cole Field House OK GO Sunday, November 19 9;30 Club HOT TUNA Acoustic and Electric Sunday, November 19 Birchmere REEL BIG FISH Sunday, November 26 9:30 Club

HOOBASTANK Wednesday, November 29 9:30 Club BELLYDANCE SUPERSTARS Wednesday, November 29 Birchmere

Local Mountain Biking

Not all mountain biking is out of reach, there are biking trails behind Lake Accotink in North Springfield, and AudreyMoore Rec.Center

Accotink Trails

Wakefield Trails

BY CHARLIE WINTERS

Staff Writer

BY CHARLIE WINTERS

see how well you really know how to ride.”

Whatever kind of rider, the trails atAudrey Moore Recreational Center are a good place to test your skill and have fun.

The mountain bike trails at Audrey Moore Recreational Center are great for beginners and more adept riders alike.

They consist of one main track beginning at the recreational center with many stems branching off into the woods.

“The trails aren’t too bad,” says senior rider Rodrigo Costas. “They’re pretty basic trails for the most part, but then there are pretty tough ones, too.” Recently the Audrey Moore Rec. Center has added man-made sections added to trails. “Its Senior Graham Prosch rides along a creek, running through the cool that they have some Wakefield Trails man-made terrain”, said Eric Sobel. “It let’s you

Chow Down Restaurant Guide

By Kate McCormack and Tim Shadyac When you are looking for a change in your typical meal, think Rabieng. Its authentic Thai food can spice up your lunch or dinner options.

Upon entering the restaurant you might think the décor is rather bland, with typical booths and tables, but the food will quickly change your mind. The main dining tables are at ground level, but upon request customers can eat upstairs in a more private loft, which can be used for parties and other large groups.

The menu at Rabieng has something to offer for everyone. Dishes vary from seafood, to poultry, to pork, to beef, and even to vegetarian dishes like tofu and eggplant.

All of these dishes are served with white rice.

While many people feel that Thai food is just another version of Chinese food, Rabieng shows their customers the differences in their styles. Fresh seafood is popular, catfish is served daily, and dishes such as soft shell crabs are commonly specials when it is the right season.

Another difference between Thai food and Chinese food is the extra spice added in Thai food, which is made evident on the menu through the number of peppers shown next to each dish’s name. This scale shows how

Staff Writer

of Lake Accotink. He enjoys the scenery throughout the trail. “The sounds of flowing creek water, and the rustling leaves calm me after a long day at school. Biking is a way for me to calm myself down after a rough day of school,” said Prosch.

AHS students prove that local mountain biking is just as good as mountain biking anywhere else. Trails can be found anywhere, the trail can only be as good as the rider makes it.

Want an easy, scenic ride on a wide dirt trail that circumnavigates a forested lake?

You got it: the main loop trail is 3.75 miles long, virtually flat, and a sheer delight to ride. It’s also a great warm-up for miles of unmarked single-track trails that delight hammerheads.

As you ride the main loop you will see the hardpacked dirt trails plunging into the woods in all directions. Riders say it’s single-track heaven, with short, steep hills, lots of gnarly tree roots, and lots of “up-and-downs.”

Senior Eric Sobel goes to the trails at Lake Accotink often, saying “[The Accotink Trails] are great trails that are pretty easy. The best part is the whole bunch of trails leading off randomly into the woods. You can always find a sweet jump or something.”

Senior Graham Prosch also enjoys Trails have jumps for more experienced mountain biking through the trails Accotink riders, which most people do not even notice

TIM SHADYAC

—Angelo Hilios Director of Student Activities

the use of bikes instead of cars because bikes are better for the environment, safer, and even quicker in some cases.

The multi-use path is operated by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority and was designated a National Recreation Trail by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 1987.

hot your dish will be, and customers can order dishes with different spice than recommended on the menu.

The service made the trip to Rabieng even more enjoyable. The servers greet you on arrival, and drinks come quickly. Also appetizers and entrees come speedily and in the right amount of time.

Rabieng is not an incredibly fancy restaurant, but it is suitable for an enjoyable meal on a Friday or Saturday night. Its prices, ranging between $11 and $20 ,make it a nice step up from the boring local restaurants. Rabieng’s location in Falls Church is easily accessible, and hardly ever will there be a wait to be seated.

Rabieng was started by the same owners of nearby Duangrat’s Thai restaurant. It was made as the simpler and more affordable version. From the outside Rabieng is not eye-catching and would be easy to pass by, however, Rabieng offers a variety of dishes such as chicken basil and shrimp and chicken friend rice. the inside is nicely attractive.

The tabletops are tile and pale For more information on Rabieng go to watercolors cover the walls on the www.dungrats.com. lower level, while 5878 Leesburg Pike full murals cover Falls Church, VA 22041 the walls on the 703.671.4222 upstairs level.

Meals are also Food: served on bamRabiengʼs location makes good Thai boo placemats to food accessible for high schoolers. further the Thai Service: theme.

Rabieng is a fantastic option for local Thai dining at reasonable prices with a great atmosphere.

Decor: TIM SHADYAC

“In parks because you have off roads straight roads and no traffic. I also like to bike Mount Vernon to Washington.

There’s nice scenery and you can get a cup of coffee in Old Town.’

area of Purcellville, VA. Along the way, W&OD passes areas like Falls Church and Leesburg, and urban centers such as Reston and Herndon. Because of the trail’s popularity, it can be crowded on some days, mostly on the weekends.

However, the trail is also a way for commuters to get to and from offices during the work week. These paths promote

The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal and Towpath (C&O) is a bike trail that stretches 184 miles from Georgetown in Washington, DC to Cumberland, Maryland. Located along the north bank of the Potomac River, the 12foot-wide C&O Canal is one of the nations most historic and scenic cycling paths. Over time, the majority of the canal has been drained of water and reclaimed by trees, which line the trail.

While most of the path is nearly flat, the C&O trail still has a wide range of surfaces to greet riders, including packed gravel, sand, wooden boards, and sections of dirt littered with rocks and roots. This fall, the trail has become radiant with the color of changing leaves. Campgrounds are available every 3 to 6 miles along the bike path. Bike rentals are available from Brunswick, MD (near Harpers Ferry, West Virginia) where riders can pick up their bikes and ride directly to the C&O Canal and Towpath.

TIM SHADYAC

—Sebastian Valenzuela senior

The 100-foot-wide Washington & Old Dominion Trail (W&OD) has been called “the skinniest park in Virginia,” but it also is the one of the longest parks, stretching 45 miles. There is paved asphalt for recreational activities such as walking, running, bicycling and skating.

Additionally, the path includes a parallel crushed stone and dirt bridle horse path that is 32 miles long. The W&OD Trail was built upon the former Washington & Old Dominion Railroad, and begins in the Shirlington area of Arlington County, ending in the rural

TIM SHADYAC

“I like the bike trails in Vienna, there are some next to this shop where I go and rent bikes with friends for the afternoon.”

Even though the area is mostly urbanized, most of the trail follows a wooded course along the Rock Creek stream valley, providing for a traffic free route between hustle and bustle in Rockville and Bethesda/Silver Spring.

The northern section trails Beach Drive (on-road from Broad Branch Rd. to the Maryland line), while the southern section follows a narrow path and passes several places of interest, such as the National Zoo. The National Park Service closes Beach Drive on weekends and holidays to motor vehicles. As a result however, the trail is often horded by cyclists, in-line skaters and joggers who take advantage of the closed roads, and can make some parts of the trail a bit congested.

out of 4 stars