Issue4 by AHS Publications

the 3

700 Medford Dr. Annandale, VA 22003

Mostly Sunny High: 49

Low: 25

LUNCHTODAY

Creating an IB World

Diploma candidates balance stress, life

Turkey Hot Dog on Bun, Veggie Taco Hot Pocket, Chicken Fillet on Bun, Deli Line, Pizza Line, PB&J Sandwich, Salads, Yogurt w/ Pretzel

A heavy workload limits social options, but for most, IB is worth it BY PAUL MATHIS Co-Editor in Chief

PAUL MATHIS

NEWSBRIEFS Thefts occur after hours in locker rooms Two thefts occured recently after school hours in sports locker rooms. In both cases, students left their property unsecured. The AHS security staff requests that all students limit the amount of valuables that they bring to school, and that what valuables are brought to school, e.g. iPods, are secured in lockers at all times. If any students have information regarding thefts that may have happened in the school, please report that information to the main office.

Entertainment tests out Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock

Auto tech students work on engines and the facets of cars daily

Lethal injections: cruel and unsual punishment or necessray criminal deterrent?

WEATHERTODAY

TAKING A TEST STRUM

DOWN UNDER DA HOOD

DEADLY COCKTAIL

With high access to alcohol in high schools, students and parents question the drinking age

10-11

EARLIER INITIATION?

703-642-4229

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2007

Senior IB Diploma Candidate Amy Fleming said the diploma is okay “If youʼre used to all of the stress and packed scheduling.”

Amy Fleming, a senior IB Diploma Candidate, stared down at her red and white assignment notebook as the bell ending school rang overhead. She was daunted by the amount of homework that was listed before her. Not only did she have essays, problem sets and presentations to

prepare for tomorrow, but she had a series of long-term projects that she had to continue to work on: her IB Extended Essay, her higher level history Historical Investigation, her higher level English Individual Oral Commentary, even an IB math portfolio. On top of her listed assignments, Fleming couldn’t help but recall the myriad array of collegerelated initiation assignments she still had to complete; she had to wade through applications, the remnants of SATs and standardized testing, all the while holding her various leadership positions. This is the lifestyle of a Diploma Candidate. “There’s just a lot of stuff you have to do,”

Series Pt. II

Election day showdown Young Dems and GOPs face off as voting nears

Winnie the Pooh to open on Tuesday

Shugoll Research, headed by Mark A. Shugoll, father of Lianne Shugoll of the AHS class of ‘06, was named one of the 2007 BCA Ten Best Companies Supporting the Arts in America. Since 1988 Shugoll Research has donated over $2 million in services to arts organizations across the U.S. including Artspeak! The Business Committe for the Arts, Inc. (BCA) was founded in 1967 by David Rockefeller to bring business and the arts together. Since then, business support for the arts has grown from $22 million in 1967 to $3.31 billion today.

GPA Survey What do you expect your GPA will be for first quarter?

34% 29% 23%

9% 5% 01.0

1.0- 2.0- 3.0- 3.52.0 3.0 3.5 4.0

This survey was distributed on Oct. 31 during C and D lunch. Of 500 surveys distributed, 410 were completed and returned.

PAUL MATHIS

Chef’s dinner to be held

Shugoll Research named top world corp.

“IB” continued on page 5

Golf helps AHS orgs First school-wide fundraiser benefits programs BY LOGAN MILLER Staff Writer

The AHS Theatre Departement will premire the children’s show “Winnie the Pooh” on Tuesday, Nov. 7. The production is the department’s second student directed show this year, following the student led shorts “Class Acts.”

AHS culinary arts classes are holding the third annual Chef’s Dinner Fundraiser. Four industry chefs will work with students all day and night on Nov. 13 to prepare a five course menu. Please email Chef Christine Gloninger if you would like a reservation. the price is $35 per person.

she said. “You stress about it a lot. It’s hard because there are all of these things you have to remember: you have to make sure you do your CAS hours, your homework; you have to keep track of all of these different essays and projects. And you have stuff to do outside of school on top of that. If you’re used to all of the stress and packed scheduling, then IB is okay. But I don’t think all this stuff needs to be thrown at you, at least not teenagers.”

Kat Reach, president of Young Democrats, places a campaign sign for Ray Morrough on a Little River Turnpike median.

BY MOHAMAD ELBARASSE Co-Editor in Chief November is here and that can only mean one thing: elections. The debates, the campaigns and most noticeably, the signs. A colorful rainbow of red, blue and the occasional green, purple, and orange signs is distracting drivers everywhere. Tina Hone, Tessie Wilson, and Ray Morrogh subliminally become the most recognizable names in Northern Virginia homes. Student clubs around the school have been working hard to broadcast their views to the public about the candidates that they believe should win in the coming election. The Young Democrats and the Young Republicans have been the most active in recruiting students to become involved in politics. The two clubs have held weekly meetings to discuss plans of what to do to prepare for the local elections and the presidential primaries.

“I’ve enrolled theYoung Republicans onto the Fred Thompson team, the Rudy Giuliani team, and we are in touch with Supervisor Republican candidate Vellie Dietrich Hall,” said President of theYoung Republicans senior Sierra Peralta. “We are most eager to promote Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani’s campaigns and to volunteer in the primary election.” “We have been phone-banking, canvassing and passing out literature as well as putting up signs,” said senior and President of the Young Democrats Kat Reach, “and we have all been reading up [on candidates].” As these two groups prepare for the elections and primaries, it is interesting to take a look into what drives these students to be so politically active, even when some are not even old enough to vote. “It is easy to be a liberal, but it is difficult to stand up for your beliefs in a liberal community,” said junior Bella Ibrahim, vice president and active member of the Young Republicans. “Election” continued on page 5

Twenty-five Annandale High School students, alumni, and benefactors dedicated their time and money to support the PTSA and other school organizations by participating in the first annual AHS Golf-a-Thon. The Golf-a-Thon, organized by AHS parent Keri Vu and held on Monday, Nov. 5, was devoted to raising profits for organizations and teams of golfers’ choices associated with AHS. The goal was to raise at least $200 pledges for each student, and $300 pledges for each adult. Golfers played a fast paced 50-hole round of Novak speed golf at Penderbrook Golf Club in Fairfax, VA. The golfers started around 11:30 and took through dusk to complete their rounds. “We were out there all day,” said sophomore Stephen Novak who participated in the Golf-a-Thon. “It was worth it because we had a great time supporting our school.” Half of his pledge will go to next year’s Golf team, hopefully paying for rounds, range balls, and its future trip to Cacapon Resort, WV. Sophomore Jeremy Gillcash said “it went well and was a great way to raise money for my school.” Golfers attended the Monday event with spirits high, knowing that they were playing for their school organizations and teams.

Choral concert interprets Rutter Requiem BY NATHALIE SPITA News Editor The melodious voices of the AHS choir filled the chapel at the Word of Life Academy during the annual fall concert on Tuesday Oct. 30. So captivating was the performance that the audience could only sit and admire the incredible talent of the choir members. The program began with solos from the top students. Senior soprano Amy Fleming performed Gia il sole dal Gange by Alessandro Scarlatti. Fleming gave the concert a good start with

her strong voice and confident stage presence. She was followed by senior tenor Paul Mathis, who performed Beau Soir by Claude Debussy and continued the excellence. Freshman soprano Anne Hruskoci sang Ave Maria by Franz Abt, which made the audience ponder on whether she was only a freshman. Junior mezzo-soprano Hanna Navarrete performed Habanera by George Bizet. Navarrete’s confidence and promising voice continued to uphold expectations. Senior baritone Eric Jurenas performed Love Bade Me Welcome by R. Vaughan Williams, sophomore soprano Pamela Eggerton sang

Care Selve by G.F. Handel, and junior soprano Whitney Akridge performed O Mio Babbino Caro by Giocomo futhering the display of incredible talent. Senior tenor Derick Elmore’s performance of Amiamo by Gaetano Donizetti could not have been a better end to the solo portion of the concert, it was truly the cherry on top. “The soloists add a personal touch to the concert,” said senior Amber McCoy. Following the expertly performed solos, the over 120 members of the AHS chorus assembled on stage to continue the show. “Chorus” continued on page 5

NATHALIE SPITA

VOLUME #54 ISSUE 4

ANNANDALE HIGH SCHOOL

Eric Jurenas sang the solo number “Love Bade me Welcome” by Ralph Williams.

EDITORIALS A Impartial trial obstructs justice

No apocalyptic thinking The editorial in the last issue discussed how French President Nicholas Sarkozy is attempting to destabilize the Middle East. But rather than looking to France for peace, why hasn’t the world looked to Austria? As an individual of Austrian descent, I feel compelled to draw attention to the foreign policy of Austria. Heinz Fischere, Austria’s president, might not wield the most power in world politics, but he has proved that he has good ideas about how best to strive towards world peace. And as a head of state he can speak up and be heard, criticizing the frightening apocalyptic visions of select political actors and their actions. In a briefing he held on October 11, Fischere set out his views on Austrian President Heinz how to Fischere achieve peace in the Middle East, something that he fears will not happen anytime soon. As far as Fischere is concerned, the Iranian nuclear issue is not a simple matter to be approached by simplistic policies. According to Fischere, Iran ought to be told that the international community cannot tolerate its gaining access to nuclear weapons. In the same breath, Tehran should be offered security guarantees and economic incentives for cooperation. Austria incidentally plays host to the world’s nuclear watchdog, the International Agency for Atomic Energy (IAEA). For Fischere, world peace is predicated on a stable and prosperous Africa as much as a stable and peaceful Middle East. The Austrian president endorsed the scheduled convocation of a European Union-Africa summit in Lisbon in November. Fischere stated that he does not agree with the view of some European leaders who want to delay the already overdue summit lest Robert Mugabe, leader of Zimbabwe boycotted by Britain over his nationalization of the assets of former British colonialists, attend.

BY AMINA MOHAMED Editorials Editor The debate over the unfairness of American justice re-opened during the case five Cubans. On August 20 in a courtroom in Atlanta, Georgia, the appeal of five Cuban men was heard. The hearing was not the first nor, undoubtedly, will it be the last in this case that has brought to the forefront some of the best and worst qualities of American justice. The case is about prosecuting people who were seeking to use violence against people and interests in the U.S. The fact that the U.S. is willing to use its ordinary courts to punish people it claims to be criminals cannot but be applauded. It is for this reason that courts exist.Acountry’s judicial system is supposed to provide an independent, impartial, and fair forum for determining if the laws of the country have been broken. The case of the “Cuban Five” stands out not only because of when it started, but also because, like some of the other examples, it has been reviewed and condemned as proof that the justice system is broken. This is a case with a long and complicated history. It concerns five men: Antonio Rodriguez, René Sehwerert, Fernando Llort, Gerardo Nordelo and Ramón Salazar. While the first two are American citizens and the other three are Cuban citizens, all of them were residents of the U.S. They were arrested in September 1998 in Florida,

September 1998

June 2001

The Cuban Five are arrested The five men are convicted

August 9, 2005

An appellate court overturned the conviction and ordered a new trail

August 20, 2007

The twelve-judge panel reinstates the original convictions

ban Five” argued that the process had been so flawed that the court should take the unusual step of reopening the case and ordering a new trial at a neutral site. In the days before the hearing, dozens of judges, lawyers and leading rights activists from around the world converged on Atlanta to support the call for a new trial. All of these people firmly believed that justice was not upheld. This case points out the double standard in trying the Cuban Five for attempting to prevent acts of terrorism against their government, while releasing people like Luis Posada, who the Cuban government claims has carried out acts of terrorism against Cuba. Perhaps the U.S. judges deciding the appeal of the Cuban Five must ask themselves how the rule of law really applies. amina.mohamed@thea-blast.org

It appears that a new cold war is brewing, though it will not be the same BY AMINA MOHAMED Editorials Editor

MAking the GrAde

Preparing for the next time

SOURCE:WWW.CSPAN.EDU

Timeline of the “Cuban Five” Trials

Will they side with NATO or Shanghai?

As if the world did not have enough problems, it seems that it now has to peer into a crystal ball over a question that conjures up the thoughts of a tension-fraught political era, the causes and consequences of which remain contentious to this day. Now that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) has become a political and military reality, and now that NATO has stretched to most of the world’s regional borders, should not governments, particularly those of the Third World, begin to consider formulating a new foreign policy? Should they not start thinking about which international camp to side with: the Russian-led Eastern one or the U.S.-led Western one? This is not as easy or straightforward a choice as some might imagine. Just as occurred in the Cold War era, both camps have aligned themselves on an ideological basis. However, the ideological battle line for any impending confrontation will have nothing to do with communism versus capitalism. It is also clear that the two sides have passed that preparatory phase towards a new international confrontation. Recent developments, such as Russia’s reversion to that familiar Cold War ploy of sending its nuclear missilecarrying warplanes over NATO bases, leave little doubt that President Vladimir Putin intends to keep true to the pledges he has made over the past seven years. --Deborah Huchhulter The Russian president has pledged to revive Moscow’s freshman global status in a way that would ensure that his country

Yes, fires are a part of life in California. No, that’s no excuse for bad zoning, sprawl and a lack of preparedness. For a disaster as predictable as this week’s wildfires, there was far too little of the kind of long-term readiness required to prevent or minimize the worst of the damage. At the federal level, millions of dollars have been cut from fire protection for communities abutting wilderness, money that could have been used, for example, to clear brush. President Bush’s offer of aid was swift and appreciated, but solace is less helpful than preventing devastation in the first place. The state of California has moved sluggishly to fulfill the recommendations of a blue-ribbon committee that called four years ago for 150 new fire engines, with a corresponding increase in firefighters. But then, exactly how much outside help do locals deserve when they operate fire protection on the cheap? Southern California is stoking a cycle of fire destruction. Cities cheering for new revenue support housing projects on untouched open space without taking into account whether the region has enough water and power for them. Zoning changes must reflect present realities and must serve to protect, not exploit. The state cannot sustain new housing projects where there is no additional water, power or fire protection for them. We’re already stuck with the many tracts that never should have been developed, but it’s wrong for taxpayers statewide to shoulder the costs of these mistakes. --Aya Saed In-Depth Editor

and while none of the men resisted arrest, they were all denied bail and access to their lawyers while they were questioned and pressured to confess, leading to solitary confinement for two years. During this time, the government subsequently declared all 20,000 documents it had taken from the defendants to be secret, which prevented the defense from having full access to their own documents. When the trial finally started the defendants did receive, a jury trial, but it was in Miami, Florida. It has the highest number of Cuban dissidents and the de facto seat of the movement to overthrow the current government of Cuba. The climate of bias and prejudice against the accused in Miami persisted and helped to portray the accused as guilty. The government argued that the Cuban Five were all members of the “La Red Avispa”, or the “The Wasp Network”, that was allegedly a terrorist cell intending to harm the U.S. The defendants claimed that they were acting on behalf of the Cuban government to protect its national security. Yet, the prosecution argued that they were involved in unauthorized covert activities. In June 2001, the five men were convicted on 26 counts connected to acts against the security of the United States, including being unregistered foreign agents, espionage and conspiracy to obtain military secrets. The Cuban Five appealed the guilty verdict and the sentences, and a three- judge panel of the Court ofAppeals in the Eleventh Circuit Court of Georgia, overturned the convictions and sentences of the “Cuban Five” and ordered a new trial. Nonetheless, the decision of the court was appealed to a 12-judge panel of the same Court of Appeals, where they reinstated the original convictions. On August 20, 2007, the case again came before the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. Lawyers for the “Cu-

COURTESY WWW.IMG.SLATE.COM

Letters to the Editor

The case of the Cuban Five reveals the politicization and undermining of U.S. law

Nov. 7, 2007

President Vladimir Putin addresses the delegates during the Security Conference in Munich, Germany

would never have to serve as the “shoeshine boy” to Western politicians again. Moreover, he vowed that in order to achieve these objectives he would not stop short of igniting a second cold war, using the same means and strategies to which the Soviet Union had resorted. In short, Russia will at all costs prevent the West from fencing it off behind rings of military and political barbed wire. Over the past seven years, Russia has patiently and steadfastly recuperated what it lost under former president Boris Yeltsin, through the meteoric rise of Putin. The world has watched Putin suddenly throw down the gauntlet before the West in his famous speech before the security conference in Munich in February 2007. At the next, Russian military aircraft breached Britain’s

Shakira goes back to school

Superstar Shakira took a break from touring this summer in favor of beefing up her intellect. The Columbian singer enrolled in a course at UCLA, titled ‘Introduction to Western Civilization: Ancient Civilizations from Prehistory to Circa A.D. 843. “She looked like just an ordinary student,” course lecturer Robert Cleve said. Cleve also added that she was an active participant in discussions and often stayed after class to discuss course materials with him.

Facebook embarrasses French government

The embarrassing Facebook entries of the children of the French government’s ministers have been released for public viewing. The French Prime Minister, François Fillon, has learned along with the rest of the world that his son is a member of the group titled “I am too proud of my poo,” whose 93 members debate about the 15 different varieties of poop.

VA Tech siren broadcasts fake danger warning

When testing the Virginia Tech campus emergency broadcast system early last week, a glitch in the siren accidentally broadcast a message telling people to seek shelter immediately. Only when the siren stopped several moments later was it announced that the message was not true. The alert siren equipment was installed onto campus last year prior to the shootings but had not been tested since the incident.

Journalist films man committing suicide

A video reporter has been charged with abetting suicide after he persuaded a man to drink rat poison on camera. The journalist was aware that the man had been depressed after losing a property case in court and convinced the man to commit suicide to bring attention to his court case. The reporter claims to have been “in search of an exclusive.” The suicide attempt was unsuccessful.

airspace. Then it conducted joint military exercises with the other six SCO countries, officially inaugurating a new Russianled military alliance that includes China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, and that India, Iran and Pakistan appear to be interested in joining. On the other side, all indications point to the resolve to prolong a unipolar order and to perpetuate the U.S. control of the helm. It is obvious that Western nations have busily combined their efforts towards another policy of military, political, and economic containment. They are stirring up trouble in all the countries that neighbor Russia and are building military bases in Eastern European countries that have recently joined NATO. The world has returned to the kind of situation Henry Kissinger likes best: a scramble for a new balance of power. Nevertheless, there is a significant difference this time. During the Cold War, the world was divided into three ideological/political spheres: the capitalist camp, the Marxist-socialist camp and the non-aligned camp. Kissinger has stated that, “as reasonable as the nonaligned movement might appear to almost everyone today, the Americans at the time denounced it vehemently.” Today, given that the capitalist-socialist dichotomy no longer exists, the groundwork is being laid for a new political/ideological antithesis. The battle line will be drawn between “democracies” and “dictatorships,” with the U.S. championing the former and Russia and China championing the latter, plus all “anti-democratic” countries and those that are still straddling the fence. Yet, will this Cold War witness the formation of an organization of non-aligned nations, which is to say, nations opposed to both democracy and dictatorship.

amina.mohamed@thea-blast.org

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

Vol. 54 No. 4 Nov. 7, 2007

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

Editors In Chief: Mohamad Elbarasse Paul Mathis

Webmasters: Erik Vu Matt Camilli

Managing Editor: Sarah Waiter News Editors: Kelly McGarey Nathalie Spita

Graphics Editor: Adam Kasdorf Video Editor In Chief: Gus Nielsen Videographers/Editors: Amy Steinbuechler, Michael Craig and Evan McGurrin

Editorials Editors: Amina Mohamed Lara Coulter

Photography Editors: Matt Johnson Laura Simpson

In-Depth Editors: Shriya Adhikary Aya Saed

Copy Editor: Kyle Knoche Ad Manager: Meredith Rutherford Circulation Manager: Kyle Knoche Spanish Consultant: Antonio Rivadinera Adviser: Alan Weintraut

Sports Editors: Walter Smith Greg Young Sports Xtra Editors: Lyndsay Jacobs Marisa Tordella People Editor: Waliha Gani Sarah Shami Weekend Editors: Claire Bui Caroline Merz International Editors: Annika Jessen Bewketu Tamir

Online Staff: Stacey Irwin Staff Writers/Photographers: Laith Abu-Taleb, Tanya Bellingham, Daniel Fishman, Drew Flowers, Brad Grabo, Joseph Ingberg, Logan Miller, Scott Plunkett, Katherine Reach, Adeel Shams, Charlie Simpson, Jerry Solomon and Jonah Williams

Entertainment Editors: Avery Adcock Jeff Dean Health Editors: Vanessa Cerro Rachael Burnett Academics Editors: Laura Ambrosio Jackie Silva

Trophy Class Pacemaker Virginia High National Scholastic Arts Editor: Nena Buck School Press Association 2005-2006 2005-2006 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 to the school. The A-Blast reserves the right to refuse advertisements. All submissions become property of The A-Blast, Copyright, 2007. CSPA Silver Crown 2004-2005

EDITORIALS Tanner’s faux pas is forgivable A

Oct. 16, 2007

The discussion at the congressional panel was so centered on Tanner’s comments that it slipped everyone’s mind that the reason this congressional panel was scheduled months in advance was not because the Democrats foretold Tanner’s slip of tongue, but rather to discuss how effectively the reauthorization of the Voting RightsAct was being implemented. Left-wing newspapers across the nation jumped on the news and took the offensive against Tanner’s statements. The Washington Post utilized Dana Milbank to bring out the pleasure in seeing a Republican squirm in discomfort and agony while being questioned by the Democratic sub-committee. While The Washington Times quickly defended TanOpinion ner, pointing out the true reason the panel was held and how that was so blatantly ignored. It also cited Tanner’s By Mohamad Elbarasse four decades of service in the voting rights division of the Justice Department. Could it be that an employee of the Justice Department Stop the presses. Call the politically correct police. Throw the Orville Redenbacher’s in the microwave, grab has been a racist all along? Or could it be that a public figure does not really know his way with words? Now a can of Coke and get ready for one hell of a show. Tonight’s feature presentation: Chief of the Justice that would be a first. Between the back and forth among Democrats and Department’s voting rights division, John Tanner, tries Republicans, it is amazing that anything in this country to save his job. Tanner appeared before a congressional panel on Oct. is actually accomplished. Instead of finding solutions to 30 and was bombarded with insinuations of racism from problems, political parties act as watchdogs, which is understandable, but it tends to create Democrats and received little demore unnecessary problems. fense from Republicans. Political parties in the U.S. alTanner made a “clumsy low almost anyone to find a voice statement” when he said that Are we really benefitting from somewhere in politics. But political “minorities don’t become elderly polarization has become such a the way white people do; they die nitpicking . . . when someone large part of political culture that first.” Tanner tried defending the made a mistake? it tends to impede the purpose of statement he made when he was government. explaining a new Georgia law that Government officials should not requires photo identification when choose sides and play “who has the citizens register to vote. bigger team” to decide which legSome officials believe that islation passes and which do not. requiring photo ID could cause Excuse my optimism, but politicians should be uniting problems for elderly minorities and hence Tanner’s stateto create a more perfect union, to protect our rights and ment. our property.

John Tanner’s slip of tongue is blown out of proportion

Mo’s

Mindset

“

”

Famous Forgiven Slip Ups “I’m not against the blacks and a lot of the good blacks will attest to that.” - Evan Mecham, then governor of AZ

With his gay tendencies out of the box, Larry Craig sparks debate on our true perception of homosexuality BY LARA COULTER Editorials Editor In light of his recent bout with the law, Senator Larry Craig’s invitation to the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC)’s approaching fundraiser vacation in Sea Island, Georgia, has been withdrawn. Senate Republican political operatives must be trembling in their leather Loakes because Craig shows determination and promise to make an appearance at the 9-11 event. Craig had originally RSVP’d that he would be attending the event in December, despite brazen opposition from Senator John Ensign of Nevada. Ensign, who conveniently is chairman of the NRSC, has been the leading force in the wave of criticism that has crushed Craig since his arrest in August. Why this sudden abandonment of Craig by the Republican Senate? He is certainly not the first Republican to be faced with a scandal of a sexual nature, and will not be the last. It was just last year that Congressman Mark Foley was discovered to have sent sexually explicit messages to teenage male congressional pages. Rather than expose him, Republican leaders inexplicably instead chose to cover up the allegations for nearly a year. Could it have been an attempt to protect the tarnishing of the Republican Party’s reputation? Another example Republican scandal is that of the young Louisiana Senator David Vitter earlier this year, who admitted to what he called “a serious sin” after it was discovered that his phone number contained a record of calls to an escort service alleged to be a prostitution ring. There was hardly an uproar following Vitter’s expo-

Larry Craigʼs mug shot following his arrest in August after soliciting to an undercover police officer for sex in an airport bathroom.

BY JONAH WILLIAMS Staff Writer By the age of 18, United States citizens are legal adults as mandated by the Constitution, entitling them the right to get married, join the U.S. armed forces, fly a plane, participate in elections by casting their vote, and being tried in courts as clear-thinking and fully responsible adults. Yet despite the overload of responsibilities and rights that come in hand with being an 18 year old U.S. citizen, drinking alcohol still remains forbidden by law. Many people remain unaware of who actually determines the minimum drinking age. While there is a nationwide agreement of the drinking age limit of 21 and over, the decision of the legal drinking age is actually a responsibility designated to each individual state. So then why is 21 the uniform drinking age nationwide? It is because of the meddling federal government. The government is threatening the states with removing 10 percent of their federal funding for interstate highways if they do not comply with the mandate to have a minimum drinking age of 21. This sounds like a relatively small amount of money for states to sacrifice but in actuality, it is estimated at 50 million dollars for most states. States are so dependent on this money that they are unable to refuse the government mandate. Some people argue that the high drinking age has had a positive effect on the youth, citing that there was a decline in alcohol-related fatalities due to having a higher

Alcohol Laws In American History 1619 Virginia passes a law disallowing “binge drinking” and the act of being visibly drunk. 1697 New York law prevents saloons from opening for business on Sundays. 1735 The first statewide probibition occurs in Georgia. It was a complete failure and lasted only seven years. 1851 Maine attempts a statewide prohibition and is sucessful. Several states follow by example. 1890 National Prohibition Party gains a seat in the House of Representatives. 1913 Interstate Liquor Act is passed, making it ilegal to mail alchohol to dry states. 1919 8th Amendment is ratified and all drinks with over 40% alcohol content are considered con traband. Later, the Volstead Act banns all alcohol. 1933 The Prohibition Amendent is repealed. drinking age. Today, however, it has been shown that the decline in fatalities is in actuality a combintion of several different sources One contributer is The National Minimum Drinking Age Act, passed in 1984. This act not only raised the drinking age to 21, but also included a crackdown on drunk driving by law enforcement and increased penalties for DUIs. The Act, along with the development of airbags and an increase in the number of people wearing seatbelts were the real causes of the decline in the number of deaths related to alcohol.

“No, because letting teens drink will cause more DUI car accidents.”

—Carrie Vergel de Dios freshman

“They X-rayed my head and found nothing.” - Jerome “Dizzy” Dean “You are invited to take advantage of the chamber maid.” - from a guest directory at a Japanese hotel in 1991 ”My fellow Americans, I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.” - Ronald Reagan, about to speak on a radio broadcast and unaware that the micro phone was already on

But are we really benefiting from the nitpicking and the increased attention to the slightest connotations of words used? Of course Tanner’s case is on the extreme end of the spectrum, but it really is as simple as that. He misspoke, he admitted to it, he apologized, let us move on. Tanner should not lose his job over the statements he made. I usually would not come to the defense of a Republican or rather, someone who said something that sounded as bad as what Tanner said, but putting all preset animosity aside, the man just made a mistake.

“Yes, because if teens are allowed to drink, then less teens will choose to drink because it isn’t forbidden.”

—Ann Marie Weiner freshman “Yeah, because 18 year olds are mature enough to drink by that age.”

—Jasmine BrownJones sophomore

mohamad.elbarasse@thea-blast.org

crimes against humans due to sexual orientation as hate crimes. In response to his anti-gay voting record, the Human Rights Campaign has consequently given Craig a low rating of “zero” in each of the last three Congresses. How could a person be so hypocritical? Is it a lack of self-respect that has caused Craig to posses a strong anti-gay front and, meanwhile, hit on other men in a restroom stall? The saddest part of this whole ordeal is that Craig possessed such an immense amount of fear and selfloathing about his homosexuality that he felt he must mask his desires and express them only when he could remain anonymous. Craig’s need to mask his sexuality comes from the very homophobia his political career thrived on. Hopefully Larry Craig’s struggle with the law and with his own identity brings to light more than just speculation of whether the Republican party’s reputation in in danger. This should instead be a sign that clearly, gays and lesbians are not living in equality with the rest of America. If there was complete equality for gays, then gay men such as Craig would not feel the need to resort to hidden signals and anonymity when searching for intimacy. Men and women are able to flirt freely with each other in public without the consequence of assault or embarrassment that many gay people admit they’d fear if they were to do the same. Until homosexuals are given the same treatment given to heterosexual couples such as the right to marry each other, adopt children without opposition, and the freedom to flirt and show affection in public without the possibility of repercusion, we wil continue to see men such as Craig living secret lives masked by a heterosexual lifestyle and homophobic lies. lara.coulter@thea-blast.org

To booze, or not to booze; that is the question A misguided drinking age wreaks havoc on youths’ perception of safe drinking

Do you think 18 year olds should be legally allowed to drink alcohol?

”Wingfield goes back to the wall. He hits his head on the wall and it rolls off! It’s rolling all the way back to second base! This a terrible thing for the Padres!” - Jerry Coleman, Padres radio announcer

Craig takes a “wide stance” against gays sure and confession by the Republican senate. Perhaps a lack of criticism from the Republican party had to do with the heterosexual, and therefore, acceptable nature of the crime. Of course, a large source of criticism differing Craig from other misbehaving Republicans is his strong anti-homosexual stand that completely counteracts his recently exposed gay tendencies. Throughout his political career, Craig has shown an unwavering nature of opposing all laws that could possibly secure any rights to homosexuals. Occuring just in his run in Congress, Craig has shown support towards a Constitutional amendment banning gay and lesbian marriage, he has voted against a bill that would have made job discrimination based on sexual preference illegal, and he has opposed classifying

Therefore, the argument that a higher drinking age was the sole cause of this decline is not valid. The United States has the single highest drinking age in the world; and yet, we also have one of the highest alcohol related fatality rates among our youths. This is a sign. As a society, we are not educating our youth to drink responsibly. Efforts to make changes are coming from numerous sides. Several organizations have, including the National Youth Rights Association, are fully supporting the lowering of the drinking age. Huge strides are also being made by one individual named Michael Mikkelsen, who has been waging a campaign in Missouri to lower the drinking age from 21 to 18. He has begun a petition that will require 131,181 signatures to put the question on the ballot. The reality of the matter is that no amount of legislation prohibiting people between the ages of 18-21 from drinking will actually stop them. The real consequence of the high drinking age is that people under 21 years of age are being forced to hide their drinking are drinking unsupervised. This promotes dangerous behaviors and makes it nearly impossibly for parents to encourage responsible drinking habits. Parents have a choice of whether to let their children drink unsupervised and break the law, or forbid their children from drinking which simply forces children to drink in unmonitored and unsafe environments. Teenagers are going to experiment, laws or no laws. It is time for the government to accept this fact and make it legal so that the youth can learn healthy drinking habits in a safe monitored environment rather then drinking unsupervised in someone’s basement when their parents are out of town. jonah.williams@thea-blast.org

“Yes, because 18 year olds are a legal adult. If you are responsible enough to vote, you’re responsible enough to drink.”

—Lucas Cochran junior “No. If the drinking age was lowered, it would only make the percentage of crashes higher than they already are.”

—Maurice Duhart junior “I do not advocate lowering the drinking age, just as I do not think that 18 year olds should be allowed into the army.”

—Donald Harris science teacher

Drinking age is justified - to a point The truth of the matter is not thatAmerican youths are not being given the opportunity to learn safe drinking habits. Youths are simply not being entrusted with the privilege of drinking legally by the government because at no point have teenagers shown the maturity and responsibility to earn drinking privileges. After a string of alcohol-related car accidents resulting in numerous fatalities, a reputation for reckless binge-drinking, and an already proven disregard for the law by thier ignorance of the current legal drinking age, teenagers have proven that the drinking age limit of 21 is completely plausible and justified. The drinking age’s main intentions are actually meant to protect the teenagers who so strongly oppose it. Teenagers are extremely susceptible to becoming alcoholics. Their bodies are not yet fullly developed, and are vulnerable to aquiring addictions to drugs and alcohol more easily than if they were say, 21. Teenagers should be learning how to enjoy themselves without the presence of alcohol. This is a time in thier life when they are developing thier own sense of what it means to lead a healthy lifestyle. And to lead a healthy lifestyle means learning to live with the absense of alcohol. However, if the privilege of alcohol is denied to teenagers, then why are they meanwhile plagued with the threat of being drafted? Why should teenagers fight and risk thier life for a government that refuses to grant them their right to drink alcohol? Yet the argument is not that teenagers should be allowed to drink alcohol because they can join the army. The point of argument is instead, that in keeping the current drinking age, the age to join the army should also be raised to 21. The draft age and the age to join the army should come hand in hand with the legal drinking age. If teenagers can leave the country, fight for thier country, and die for thier country, then they should be allowed the right to enjoy themselves in whatever way they choose, alcohol or not. - Lara Coulter Editorials Editor

4 NEWS BRIEFS

NEWS A Orchestra delivers a sweet treat t

Nov. 7, 2007

The group gave audiences the chills in first performance

The Black Culture Awareness Association will hold a sock drive during R1 classes from Monday Oct. 29 until Friday Nov. 9. The class that collects the most clean, white socks will win breakfast at the Bistro. All socks will be donated to The Central Mission, the oldest homeless shelter in Washington D.C.

Fall sports banquet to be held

The annual fall sports banquet will take place on Wednesday, Nov. 14. It will start at 6:00 p.m. in the cafeteria. All those who participated in a fall sport are encouraged to attend. All attendees are asked to bring a dish. The fee is $1 for each athlete, and $2 for others accompanying them. After dinner, students will proceed to Clausen hall for awards and team introductions.

Band to hold benefit concert

The AHS symphonic band will hold a concert in the auditorium on Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium. A donation of at least $5 will be requested at the door. The event will benefit the construction of a living memorial in honor of the late Mary Karen Read. This tribute will be a landscaped garden on the corner Read of Braddock Road and Wakefield Chapel Road. The band is working with Sharon Boliva of the Board of Supervisors to make this project a success. Any additional money will go towards the Mary Read Scholarship fund that was established by the band last year.

The word “Halloween“ is often thought to be synonymous with candy, black cats, and witches. But in the Annandale auditorium on Oct. 25th, music was on the mind. The AHS orchestra performed their first concert of the year that Thursday night with great success while establishing a benchmark for future concerts and competitions. The concert was Halloween-themed which, upon entering the auditorium, was immediately apparent. The hall received a spooky makeover with orange and black balloons, streamers, lighting, decorative cobwebs, and a few unusually costumed performers. Orchestra director Stephanie Lewis stood before the audience in a black-robed witch costume, which she wore throughout the show. Other students performed in costumes ranging from black cats to ninjas to Mario. The music itself was also Halloween-themed with piece titles including “Goblin Feast,” “Phantom of the Opera,” and “Waltz of the Goblins.” “The concert began with slower, simpler pieces performed by the entire orchestra, and progressed to more difficult pieces such as “Pirates of the Caribbean”, played by more experienced musicians in the artiste and chambre divisions. Although the concert received much praise and was pulled off very successfully, the orchestra may be experiencing some problems. While not lacking in talent, the orchestra is in need of musicians to play certain instruments. Cello players especially have been in short supply, requiring several musicians to work especially hard to supply the necessary talent. Cellist Anthony Slimp successfully filled this gap by playing pieces for both artiste and chambre orchestra. Former violinist Henry Ngo decided to switch to cello to help provide the needed musical talent. Drawing on his

Senior violinist Karen Meek performs in the Oct. 27 orchestra Halloween concert.

nearly seven years of violin experience, in just six weeks of practice, he was able to play the cello in challenging artiste pieces for the orchestra during the concert. “I usually practice an hour or more per day,” says artiste cellist Bum Hee Lee who is excited for the coming competitions. During these competitions, students play in front of a panel of judges and will receive either a “superior,” “excellent,” or “good” rating. Over the past few years AHS, has received a superior

BY JOE PANTHER Staff Writer

Third varsity math meet to be held

NHS announces new members

The following students were inducted into the Annandale Chapter of the National Honors Society on Oct. 29. They were selected for their demonstration of leadership, character, and community service.All members are also required to maintain a GPA of at least 3.5. Adams, Ricky Afzal. Alvena Al-Suqi, Susan Arevalo, Claudia Argueta, Jacqueline Avary, Alex Batra, Mehak Bermingham, Maggie Calderon, Katya Campbell, Victoria-Chan, Vivian Chau, Emily Deible, Victoria Dinh, Nicholas Duong, Son Kim Flint, Elizabeth Gani, Wahlia Gokturk, Adem Guevara, Daniela Gull. Sabaa Hartley, John Holcombe, Elizabeth Ibrahim, Isabel Jessen, Annika Keller, Cassidy Kim, Stephen Lazar, Micheal Le, Que Le, Trung Lee, Desmond Lim, Sangmi Matthews, David McCarthy, August McGarey, Kelly McKinney, Sean McLeLand, Claire Medmin, Helen Merz, Caroline Nair, Bhadru Nair, Deepu Ngo, Henry Oakes, Jennifer O’Neil, Tim Perel, Benjamin Phung, Jenny Rawat, Akanksh Ruiz, Stuart Spita, Nathalie Stadulis, Hope Takele, Rebecca Tamir, Bewketu Tamir, Tigist To, Daniel Venkat, Aishwar Whitmyre, Emma Wilkins, Samantha Wilson, Ben

Head drum major Jenni Patton brings the AHS marching bandʼs performance on Oct. 20 to a close.

Marching band breaks streak After nine consecutive years as a VA honor band, 2007’s states fails to earn title BY KELLY MCGAREY News Editor After a long, eventful autumn, the Marching Atom’s season has come to an end. Following their summer instructional retreat, the organization performed at four football games and five competitions, which culminated in the annual Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors state marching competition. At this event, the band earned a rating of “excellent”, which is the equivalent of a two. Despite this rating, the second best possible, many were disappointed. After nine year of getting a “superior rating,” a one in numerical value, the less than perfect score took AHS out of the running to be one of the year’s Virginia Honor Bands. Band members had varying takes on the season’s progression and ending. Many blamed the youth of the group, while others saw the day of performance and group attitude as factors. “We did OK. People should have stepped up to help more. The freshmen could have done a little better, but we’ll defi-

nitely do better next year,” said freshman David Gordon, a first-time marcher and new addition to the group. Sophomore Alex Johnson also offered his opinion, saying,“ We were at a disadvantage because we were mostly rookies. Still, we were not bad, just below our standard.” “Not enough people cared because they were new to it, and just couldn’t comprehend the importance of the season,” said junior Daniel Fishman. Assistant drum major Kate Salpini also commented on the season, adding, “The season’s been fun and energetic, but not as focused. [However], we’ve come a long way since band camp.” Jack Elgin, director of bands at AHS, also gave his take on the performance saying, “An excellent is not a bad rating, but if a one is your standard, you shoot for that. We didn’t hit our standard performance that night.” He also seemed to agree with the general consensus among the band members that the youth of the group and the day of the performance were factors in the final outcome. In explaining the actual grades given, he said, “The music and general effect scores were all As. The Marching and technical work were the issues.” Still, he seemed to view the situation in a positive light saying, “Though this was not the way we wanted to finish the season, we can learn from this moment. In education, every moment needs to be a teachable moment… We need to make the best of a bad situation, and learn from it… It’s the life lessons that you get from it that are important.”

The DECA association left for the Sunshine State bright and earlu on Saturday, Oct. 27. The students met at Dulles airport to depart for Orlando. For a small fee of $570 dollars the students got to experience the academic trip of a lifetime. Thirty marketing students that are involved in DECA went on the trip under the supervision of marketing teachers Jessica Raynor, Kyle Graumann, and Pam Gravitte. “We were not attending a competition, it was a curriculum related field trip,” said marketing teacher Pam Gravitte. While staying at the Disney All-Star Sports Resort, the students participated in tours of the studios for academic purposes at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. One night they had the luxury of eating at the NASCAR Sports Grille while viewing a marketing presentation. The Students also had Donnovan McNabb some free time. they went to MGM Studios on Saturday, attended the Halloween horror night at Universal Studios on Sunday night, and went to Disney’s Magic Kingdom, and the Epcot Center on Monday. While touring MGM Studios the marketing students got to watch Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb film a commercial with Snow White and Mickey Mouse. After McNabb finished filming, the students and chaperones got to meet him and take pictures with him, and one student Senior Frank Romero, got his autograph. “Even though I like the Ravens,” said Romero, “I’m still happy I was fortunate enough to get McNabb’s autograph, who was on the cover of Madden 2006.” “I wish we could have stayed longer.” said junior Marcus Mavlian. “I think everyone had a good time, and the learning experience was great. I got to hang with my classmates and meet McNabb, we got to see a parade and Halloween night was awesome. I love Orlando, it was nice and warm down there while everyone else in Virginia was freezing their butts off.”

NHS membership increases After a rigorous application process, 57 students were accepted and inducted BY DREW FLOWERS Staff Writer After weeks of anxiously waiting for their notification of acceptance, 57 scholarly students were inducted into the National Honor Society on Monday Oct. 29. The esteemed organization, which is one of AHS’s most prosperous clubs, is a recognition program for students who show great achievement in NHS’s four pillars: scholarship/aca demics, service, leadership, and character. The organization’s goals are to do community service, to teach leadership to its members so that they can lead others, to provide leadership to the school as a whole, to encourage and challenge the members to be the best academic students they can be, and finally, to build good character in the students. Twice a year, NHS inducts the best students that apply for membership. In order to be considered for induction, each applicant must provide a written essay, two to three teacher recommendations, their high school activity record, and have a GPA of 3.5 or higher. The written essays are usually center on topics that highlights how a student has

MELISSA BOYLE

The third varsity math meet of the the year will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 14 in the Cafeteria. It will start promptly at 2:00 p.m. All those enrolled in Algebra II Honors or higher are welcome to attend. A Math Honors Society meeting to follow immeadiately.

rating the majority of the time and an excellent rating on only a few occasions. The orchestra hopes to carry on this success this year and in the future. Based on the success of this initial concert, and the expectations for improvement, success seems to be a very attainable goal for the orchestra.

DECA heads to Florida COURTESY OF KAREN EPLEY

BCAA to hold sock drive

MELISSA BOYLE

BY CHARLES SIMPSON Staff Writer

A new NHS member receives her certficate from AHS principal John Ponton. The AHS Chapter of the National Honors Society welcomed 57 new members on Oct. 29.

showed good character. Applications were to be turned in by the first week of October. Most of the applicants found out if they were accepted into NHS on or around Oct. 16, two weeks later. Of the 84 total applications (including: 41 sophomores, 24 juniors, and 19 seniors) that were sent in for examination, only 57 were accepted. “I was really excited [when I found out that I was ac-

cepted], because I wasn’t sure if I was going to get in or not,” said sophomore Jennifer Oakes, a newly inducted NHS member. “I was glad and a bit relieved [that I was accepted], because being in NHS looks good for college,” said senior David Matthews. The induction ceremony began with the procession of the club officers, already existing members, and the inductees. Once inside, the inductees along with their parents were welcomed by the Cliff Hickman, who is NHS’s adult sponsor and coordinator, the NHS officers, andAHS Principal, John Ponton. After their introduction, Jonathan York, a social studies teacher atAHS, was introduced as “Teacher of the Year” for 2007. York gave a speech that praised every one of the inductees, their parents and their teachers for all of their hard work and dedication. He also gave this fall’s induction class some words of wisdom, and advice that they are encouraged to use throughout their lives. After the inspirational speech, the NHS officers lit the four candles of NHS, which symbolize the four pillars the NHS stands by and follows. The symbolic lighting of each candle, was accompanied by a brief explanation of that important characteristic and how it applies to NHS, and how members can use it in their lives. Finally, to conclude the ceremony, each individual inductee was called up on stage and presented a pin and certificate of membership. On the certificate, was the NHS pledge that every newly inducted member read afterwards.

NEWS

Nov. 7, 2007

Students cope with stress

Candidates’ Daily Schedules Senior Wafa Khadroui’s daily routine 3 a.m.- wake up, read for 2hrs for pleasure 5 a.m.- go to the mosque 6 a.m.- run piano scales 6:30 a.m.- leave for school 2 p.m.- go home or stay after school or go to piano until 5p.m. 7 p.m.- go to the hospital to work at job 10 p.m.- go home 10-12 a.m.- do homework 12- 3 a.m.- sleep Senior Trung Le’s daily routine 5:30-6 :30 p.m.- wake up, shower, leave for school 2 p.m.- go home or stay after school till about 3:30 p.m. 2-5 p.m.- nap 5 p.m.- go online 7 p.m. start homework 11 p.m.- 12 a.m.- stop homework if I dont slack off 3 a.m. - latest stay up

“Being an IB Diploma Candidate means that you’re working toward a long-term goal. The classes, the extracurricular and the workload may be hard, but in the end you look at the world with a different perspective; you at the world with the knowledge/wisdom that you can change.”

Time to get your cheer on this winter!

For students interested in participating in winter cheer, there will be an informational meeting on Wed. Nov. 7 at 2:30p.m. in the upsatirs gym.

Volunteers needed for school recyling

Volunteer classes and their teachers needed for picking up recyling papers on Monday or Tuesday during one flex period. For more information see Joelle Rudney.

Parent of AHS student places fifth in MarineCorps Marathon

Martha Merz, mother of senior Caroline Merz placed fifth in the 32nd annual Marine-Coprs Marathon on Saturday Oct. 29 in the D.C. area. She ran 2:56:41 in a 26.2 miles race.

AHS wrestling team to hold fundraiser

Need your yard raked? On Saturday, November 17 the AHS wrestling team will come rake your leaves for a donation. For more information contact Keith Sholders

“Being a IB Diploma Candidate means being competitive internationally and breaking the streotype of the dumb American. The workload is defintely hard and you have to sacrifice a lot to succeed, but the overall experience of becoming a better global citizen is defintely worth it. However, IB is not for slackers, you have to be a

Arielle Ballicki

Trung Le

Rahiba Noor KATIE JANSSEN

Being an IB Diploma Candidate means...

NEWS BRIEFS

ing on a heavy workload and a series of onuses. Each candidate holds his or her own reason for participating in the program. For instance, many chose to be a part of the program because they sought to be challenged. YanizeAnez, senior Diploma Candidate, agrees. “I took regular classes when I first came to AHS,” she said. “I was getting straight A’s, so my teacher told me that I had to do IB. But I also wanted to break through the “Spanish” stereotype. I didn’t want to just be doing alright in my classes, I wanted to be doing really well; I didn’t want people to think that I was just going to sit around and get pregnant.” Fernando Castro, a senior Diploma Candidate, was persuaded into participating in the Diploma after the Senior Jeremy Hsu, Peter Epley, and Angela Siler focus intensly while taking a IB Topics benefits of the program were test for teacher Mary Richardson. Richardsonʼs classroom is famous for her walls being elucidated by IB Coordinator covered with all different types of covers from magazines throughout the years. Erin Albright. that I could do it.” “When I was a freshman, I was taking easy classes and Once each Diploma Candidate became involved in the getting really good grades; that was the life,” he said. “Mrs. program, they had to reshape and reform how they manAlbright met up with me one day though, and my mom aged their times and theiCandidate lifestyle. Most had to was there with me at the time, and she gave this really make some sacrifice in the form of a social life, relaxation impassioned speech that convinced me to do the Diploma. time, or sleep. In the long run, I was able to see that there were going to “You have to sacrifice a lot, but it is different for every be advantages to doing the Diploma. Mr. Ponton helped by person,” said Fleming. “What you sacrifice depends a lot telling me to stick with the Diploma, even when it might on what you have to do before IB plays out in your life. For seem to get hard.” instance, I swim and swam five hours at the pool every “I came to AHS as an international student,” said day, and have to do all of my homework after that. But Akansha Rawat, a senior Diploma Candidate who just if you’re someone else, then you might have more time recently experiencedAmerican education for the first time. to do stuff.” “It seemed that the whole purpose of IB was to build an “I always get home at around 2, and I pass out every day international perspective, and, growing up with that, that at four,” said Wattanna Savanh, a senior Diploma Candiis what I wanted. So I thought I should do it. I took some date. “Seriously, most of the time I don’t want to, but I just regular classes at first, but it seemed like in regular classes pass out. I wake up at around 7, and I realize I have to do it was always ‘U.S., U.S., U.S.’” my homework. So I do homework until about 11. I have Other students chose to participate in the Diploma about 2-3 hours of homework every night.” Program for more personal reasons, facilitated by the Most Diploma Candidates realize that they must begin challenge of IB classes and the benefits of the Diploma, to manage their time efficiently in order to be successful. as they sought to prove their academic prowess to those The managing of time often allows candidates the chance around them. to still participate in a series of activities. “I do three varsity “I had a teacher in eighth grade that told me that I sports, take tae kwon doe, and do soccer outside of school,” couldn’t do IB, and that told me that I was going to fail said Janssen. “I still manage to get to sleep anywhere from if I tried taking IB classes,” said Almas Nadri, a senior 12-3 a.m. But basically the only thing that really changed Diploma Candidate. “I think it was because by that time when IB classes started to kick in is that I didn’t waste I had only been in the U.S. for three years. She told me time doing things. If you don’t waste time, then it’s all that IB was only for smart kids. So then I knew I had to really manageable.” do the IB Diploma, just to show her, and everyone else, PAUL MATHIS

“IB” continued from page 1 A heavy workload is not something senior IB Diploma Candidates aren’t used to. All 28 of them must take 6 IB courses by the end of their senior year, which means a total of 10-12 classes. By now, most Diploma Candidates have completed 6 or 7 classes, and are embarking on the remaining amount. Being a Diploma Candidate extends beyond classes, though. Candidates also must completed a 4,000 word Extended Essay on a topic of their choice, as well as 150 documented hours of creative activity, recreational action, and service to their communities. Sometimes the sheer amount that must be completed forces candidates to wheedle their way out of responsibilities. “IB makes you BS way too much,” said senior Diploma Candidate Mohammad Mian. “You get way too many assignments, so you start to find your way out by just doing what you have to, and not doing your best on everything. I do all of my assignments just to get them done. I’m not working as efficiently as I used to because I have no time to concentrate.” However, as most candidates are enduring the various duties that are placed upon them, they still see the many benefits that are being reaped. “The IB Diploma Program builds confidence,” said Katie Janssen, a senior Diploma Candidate. “You know that you can do things that you didn’t know you could do before. People accept you a lot more in the classroom, and so you feel more confident about sharing your ideas and what you’ve learned.” Before candidates even chose to participate in the IB Diploma Program, they realized that they would be tak

“Being an IB Diploma Candidate is being confident, is knowing the world around you, and most of all is being ready to face the challenges of the entirety of real life.”

AHS Mentors needed!

Mohamad Mian “IB tests your limits. Limits which you may never be able to find in a lifetime. Take IB not only to challenge yourself, but to find out who you really are.”

AHS chorus goes above and beyond Indeed the chorus delivered a performance worthy of an Oscar. The members of the chorus including Senior Daniel Kwon couldn’t believe their deliverance. “Blend and dynamic controls were well done, we went above and beyond,” said Kwon. The different classes of the chorus began working on the piece two weeks into the school year and rehearsed until the night of the concert. All the chorus members didn’t sing together until the rehearsal the day before the performance. There was no sign throughout the concert that exhibited the little time the choir had as a whole. “Our intonation and our voices blended extremely well. Overall I felt that we had an Derick Elmore amazing performance,” said sophomore Jenny Tenor Miller. “The chorus was How long have you been part of the AHS choral always looking at the department? director which is a I have been part of the AHS chorus for four years since sign of a good chorus,” 9th grade and have been in chorus since 6th grade. said senior Nicole Randolph. Randolph How do you think you and the chorus preformed was among the many that night? in the audience who felt the fortitude of their I was very pleased with my performance and got a lot of compliments. I also feel that performance and the strength in the singthe Requiem went amazingly well. Seeing as we pulled it all ers’ voices. “They went together that night. There was above and beyond,” honestly times when I forgot said Randolph. we were a high school choir. “I really appreciated the commitment How much time did it take to of the individual singprepare for this concert? ers, to see that they were so emotionally For my solo it took about one involved in the music month and the actual concert was amazing,” said took about two months. Dixon.

Chorus Q&A

The Mentor Works program at AHS has grown unexpectedly and is need of mentors. Time commitment os 1 or 2 flex periods a month and a monthly meeting after school. If interested or for more information contact Lisa Foliaco or Rebecca Lockard via email at Lisa.Foliaco@fcps.edu or Rebecca.Lockard@fcps.edu.

For your planner! TODAY

• Collaboration Day • NHS meeting in Clausen Hall (7:20 a.m.) • Childrenʼs show dress rehersal (2 to 7 p.m.) in • Science Honor Society Inductions Clausen Hall (2:30 to 5:30 p.m.)

Thursday

• Childrenʼs show dress rehersal (2 to 7 p.m.)

MOHAMAD ELBARASSE

“Chorus concert” continued from page 1 Chorus director Carleen Dixon led the students in a seven movement Requiem that was accompanied by a six piece instrumental ensemble. The Requiem consisted of Requiem Aeternam, Out of the Deep, Pie Jesu, Sanctus, Agnus Dei, The Lord is my Shepherd, and Lux Aeterna. This college level piece was performed with great expertise. “We did the same work five years ago and this year was better,” said Dixon. The performance of the chorus was one such as in the Scala in Milan, Italy. “The instrumentalists didn’t believe it was a high school choir,” said Dixon.

History teachers Andrew Suddarth, Fred Zuniga and sophomore Irving Henderson listen while members dicuss future events and projects during the Young Republicans meeting.

Students influenced by political activity “Elections” continued from page 1 “I did not get involved with politics until the eighth or ninth grade when school demanded a lot of my dedication,” said Peralta, “as I got more into books and into current events, I developed my own stance politically and started to gather my own opinons about global issues.” Although young, students who belong to these clubs are still committed to the views of their parties. “Taxes . . . are completely necessary to create the programs we need to try to fix the problems evident in our nation,” said Reach regarding taxation and the implementation of tax payers money. “Economically, I am fiscally conservative. I believe everyone should get to keep what they earn and those that choose not to earn what they need don’t deserve it,” said Peralta, “I firmly think that high taxes to benefit illegal aliens and those that choose not to work is an absurd concept.” “I think it is very important for students to get involved in politics,” said Mary Ann Richardson sponsor of the Young Democrats, “When I was in the fourth grade I was passing out leaflets.” Many students who have recently

turned 18, take voting for granted. Voting at the age of 18 was something that came after years of disenfranchisement of soldiers being sent off to war, but not being able to vote. The 26th Amendment changed all that when it was ratified in 1971. “The first time I voted was after the 26th Amendment was passed,” said Richardson, “I believe it is very healthy to be exposed to politics.”The Yong Democrats and the Young Republicans have been prevalent in the Annandale Community. The Young Democrats helped the Democrats in the Annandale Parade and constructed a float for the Homecoming Parade in early October. “We are planning for a debate between the Young Democrats and the Young Republicans in the spring,” said Ibrahim, “It does not always have to be fighting.” The Young Republicans also plan on holding a “Bowling Night” between the opposing groups to encourage dialogue.

Friday

• Childrenʼs sh ow pe rium (7:00p.m.) rformance in Audito-

Saturday

• Childrenʼs sh ow performan ce in Auditorium (1:00 p.m . an •Practice ACT/S d 7:00 p.m.) AT in classroo ms (8:00 a.m.)

Mon. Nov.

• SGA canned 12 food drive conti nues throughout the we •Heritage Night ek meeting in Cla usen Hall (2:00 p.m.)

Tues. Nov. 13

• Publications Speaker in Clausen Hall (1st/ 2nd flex) • FCA weekly huddles in Band Room (6:50 a.m.) orium • Symphonic Band concert in Audit (7:00 p.m.)

Wed. Nov. 14

• Health Screening in upstairs gym (7:20 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.) (2 to • Varsity Math/MHS meet in cafeteria 4 p.m.) • FBLA in Clausen Hall (2 to 4 p.m.)

•Fall sports ba nquet in Cafeteri a/Auditorium (6:00 p.m.) • Finnacial Aid workshops in Library (7:00 p.m.)

Thurs. Nov

. 15 • VMEA Hono rs Choir • Health Scree ning in upstairs gym (7:20 a.m. to 2:0 0 p.m.)

Fri. Nov. 16

• VMEA Hono rs Choir

Drive with us!

Nov. 7, 2007

ARTS

AHS’s growing talent

In the Area Upcoming exhibits and shows in the D.C. area.

Students display art for the Annandale community to view

“I like to think the community is interested in these art works, and that the arts are important to the community,” said Buzzell. “That is why we try to have art works outside the school as well.” There are still going to be displays from different art levels and Trost plans to go back to two-dimensional works after finishing clay in Art 1. The department plans to expand the displays throughout the community as the year progresses. “We can actually look through the community, and libraries throughout the community but I have to get a space from them and work with the libraries to allow us to display our artwork,” Trost said. “I certainly would be willing to take it to anywhere so people can look at the students’ work.” Sophomore Devante Mosley participated in this art show. “It is about trying to express ourselves in an artwork,” Mosley said. “I drew a portrait of me with a couple of symbols on my face.” Mosley’s picture was a very complicated and detailed view of himself. “It is full of imaginative stuff, it represents my imaginations and values,” he said. “To put it in short the left side represents my desire and the right side represents peace, beauty, and death.” “[When I see my work done] I look back on how I was thinking it would be when I was working on it,” said Mosley, “It gives me new ideas for my next project.” The shows shared what talented Annandale students have to offer to the community as young artists. “When people comment on my work it makes me do more of what I like to do,” said Mosley, very exited with the idea of displaying more of his art pieces around the school. “ I am going to do a more complicated and different piece for my next work,” he said. The Art National Honor Society will be having many shows throughout the school year. “The group is diverse with many students, and each student has his or her own talent,” said Stevens.

ANSEL ADAMS View the vast serenity of the nature photography that he’s most famous for. Now through January 27, 2008

“The Tetons - Snake River” Wyoming, 1942. Photograph by Ansel Adams

Above: “IAmaDreamer” by Devante Mosley, one of the many vibrant chalk drawings on display in Clausen Hall. Here, the viewers can get a glimpse of the artists most inner and or outter self perspective. In addition, the artists cleverly provides information they want others to know about themselves

National Gallery of Art (D.C.): BAROQUE WOODCUT The magnificent artwork from various artists of classic pieces from the Baroque era. October 28, 2007 - March 30, 2008 LET THE WORLD IN: PRINTS BY ROBERT RAUSCHENBER FROM THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART ABD RELATED COL LECTIONS October 28, 2007 - March 30, 2008 National Museum of Women in Arts (D.C.): WACK! ART AND THE FEMI NIST REVOLUTION From 1965 - 1980 experience the post-war development and impact of feminism. Now through December 16, 2007

JENNY PHUNG

For the past two weeks Clausen Hall has been decorated with artwork from students in the AHS arts program. Currently Clausen Hall has 24 pictures on display and many others in the art gallery, the room commonly known as the copy room. “We have Art 1 class’s work hanging in Clausen Hall,” said Photography teacher Meredith Stevens. “There is also a show at the Annandale Center. It is going to be an ongoing show of student works.” Many students have wondered what these pictures represent. The art displayed in the art gallery and in Clausen Hall allowed students to describe their identities. “They can do pictures on their inner self and outer self; some resemblance to their likes or dislikes, also things they want students to know about them,” said Art teacher Carol Trost. Trost’s class has been hanging many of their identity pictures in the designated areas. These pictures are among the many that the art department will be displaying this year. These pictures have been placed on the wall with written text that describes the work and the artist’s ideas. The art display in the AHS Center is about the community, and it contains photos that portray AHS. “As long as we do two-dimensional works, I will hang them in Clausen Hall for students and theAnnandale community to view the talents of these students,” said Trost. “Right now we are working on clay which is three-dimensional, so that can’t go in there.” The National Art Society also plans to display the artwork from other classes such as photography and different art levels. Welcoming every one in the community to look through this artwork and discover how talented the student artists are. “I think that the community needs to see the talent of our students,” said Trost. The students have stretched their imagination to complete these works of art.

Corcoran Gallery of Art (D.C.): ANNIE LEIBOVITZ A Photographer’s Life 1990-2005 Now through January 13, 2008

DEVANTE MOSLEY

BY TIGIST TAMIR Staff Writer

Art work on display

TIGIST TAMIR

Above: “Remember the Atoms” photograph by senior Jenny Phung on display in the Annandale Center; The the photos were about portraying the Annadale community and AHS.

AMERICAN INDIAN POT TERY FROM THE COLLEC TION The Native American tradition that evolved from the 19th century and continues to impact cultures t oday. Now through February 17, 2008

“What does photography mean to you?” “ It means something I can use to capture my feelings. It helps me visualize the world in my own way.”

Left: Art teacher Carol Trost intructs her Art I students about the three-dimentional artwork they are currently working on;

Supporters of the AHS Golf-A-Thon

—Cassie Manahl junior “It’s a creative process in which one can express their sense of self.”

— Benyam Hagos senior

“Doing whatever you need to get that shot. Every snapshot has its own meaning.”

—Jenny Schwarz senior “It’s more than a meaning, it’s a way of life it’s everything from the camera to the darkroom.”

—Erin Huff senior “To me, photography is life. It is how I express myself, how I want others to portray their vision of the world. It allows me to see the world and express my view.”

— Meredith Stevens Photography Teacher

8 Antenna Yearbook Reminders t

Nov. 7, 2007

Senior activities and senior ad purchases are due by Nov. 15. antennasenioractivities@gmail.com.. Please E-mail activities to antennasenioractivities@gmail.com do not send multiple emails.

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paul mathis

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Paullie, Pa lie, I know we didn't rreally talk much before A-Blast A-Bl but I'm really g glad I jo joined. I know I was distracting during deadlines but di distrac it was fun. Here's looking at you kid. Lonely in the Lab, Mo

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Mo, Even though sometimes you steal my food and don't think about my feelings, I still love you, man. Working on A-Blast with you this year was one of the best times of my life; I hope we keep in touch. Best, Paul

Costs for a senior ad range from $50-$400 If you have not purchased a yearbook, log onto www.buyayearbook.com. If you have already purchased one, please pay your invoices as soon as possible to ensure that your yearbook will be ordered.

ACADEMICS

Nov. 7, 2007

Face-off: SAT vs. ACT

Registration Information and Test Dates

Most AHS students still prefer the SAT even though the ACT is becoming more popular For many students, time is winding down to make the decision for what college admissions test they are going to take. The SAT? TheACT? Both? It is important to evaluate the key differences and discover what each test is all about before making a decision. The SAT originally stood for the Scholastic Aptitude Test. This is no longer true because it was realized that a test where one could easily be coached didn’t apply to the word aptitude and was changed in 1947. The ACT, which stands for American College Testing, was introduced in 1959. The College Board selects the names of these tests. Nearly all colleges accept both the SAT and the ACT. There is a great geographic divide between the two tests. The SAT is mainly taken by colleges on the East and West Coasts in states like California, New York, and Virginia. The ACT is generally dominant for schools in the Midwest and South. The region of the college determines what test is more widely accepted. Other details of the tests are not readily apparent and are not necessarily the easiest to figure out. To acquire a better understanding of the SAT, high schools around the country offer the PSAT, but barely any material is provided to prepare for the ACT. At AHS all students, excluding seniors, recently took the PSAT. It gave students a chance to uncover the mysteries of the test. The PSAT provides a feel for the timed sections, the variety of questions asked and how the SAT is put together without having to worry about a score. Also by taking the PSAT, juniors can become eligible to qualify for National Merit Scholarships. The PSAT is an accurate account of what is expected to be on the actual SAT. Another way to prepare for the SAT or the ACT is to enroll in preparatory classes. They give participants practice tests, individual assistance in areas where they struggle and most guarantee higher test results. A number of studies indicate that prep classes for the SAT can raise a student’s score by 150 points or more on the test’s 2400-point scale. Prep classes cover all the areas of the test, so when the exam date comes there are no surprises. “Prep classes can help students with [test taking] strategies or help students that do not take standardized tests well,” said Robin Roth, the AHS Career Center Specialist. The classes are designed to improve the student’s chances of succeeding and benefit them in the long run. In order to find which test is best to take, students need to recognize what his or her strengths and weaknesses are on each test. “I have already taken both of them more than once and found that I did better on the ACT,” said senior Emily Ainsworth. If a student is better in math and science, the ACT is a more appropriate test. However, if one excels in writing and other components of English, then the SAT is probably the better option. This is because the SAT consists of three critical reading sections that focus on vocabulary and reading comprehension as well as an essay. The ACT has only one section about English grammar and an optional essay. The SAT has three math sections that test up to the Algebra II level. The ACT tests math up to the Trigonometry level. Also the ACT contains a science reasoning section while the SAT leaves out science all together. The math section of the SAT consists of 54 grid-in answer and multiple choice questions. There are two, 25 minute sections and one 20 minute section. The critical reading section of the SAT includes two, 25 minute sections and one, 20 minute section. There are a total of 67 critical reading questions. The writing section of the SAT has one 25 minute, one 10 minute section, and a 25 minute essay. There are 49 grammar questions in the writing section. The SAT also includes an experimental section that test makers use, but it is not scored. On the ACT there is a 45 minute English section with 75 multiple choice questions. The math section is composed of 60 questions allowing 60 minutes. The reading and science sections of the ACT are both 35 minutes long with 40 multiple choice questions. The ACT

LAURA AMBROSIO

BY LAURA AMBROSIO Academics Editor

Senior Darcy Scott and Junior Harkiran Panesar review for the ACT and SAT by taking practice tests in the library.

optional writing section adds 30 minutes to the testing time. In total the SAT is made up of 10 sections while the ACT has only four. Even though the structure of these tests is very different, the time it takes to complete them is not. The SAT takes about 3 hours and 45 minutes and the ACT takes about 3 hours and 25 minutes. Consequently, the scoring processes of the SAT and ACT are also different. On the SAT there is a penalty for wrong answers while on the ACT there is not. On the SAT students can score anywhere between 200 and 800 on each section making the highest possible combined score 2400. The ACT takes the average composite score for each subject, which ranges between 1 and 36. “I think these college admissions tests are good to a certain extent, but your score doesn’t necessarily prove your academic ability,” said Ainsworth. Every time a student takes the SAT all the scores will be sent to the colleges where they apply, but the ACT allows students to choose which scores they want colleges to see. “I actually advise students to take both, so they can find out if they do better on one than the other,” said Roth. This is the best way to determine which test students should take. If a student knows which test provides them with the highest score, then the student can spend time preparing for it and make it their focus. Doing well on these admissions tests can open doors into your college future, but colleges do not only look at SAT and ACT scores. They take into account many other factors. They look at the applicant’s accumulative GPA throughout high school, teacher recommendations and essays. Colleges also want to see that students are involved in extracurricular activities and community service. It is also important for them to know that the applicant will work hard and do well in college level courses. These college entrance exams provide them with a scope of a student’s academic achievement. With more and more schools accepting both the SAT and the ACT, it is important to be able to decide which test to focus on. It is never too early to begin thinking about the future, so start taking the steps now. The road to college doesn’t have to be a frantic and confusing one. When the basics are understood these tests aren’t very intimidating.

2007-2008 SAT -Registration deadline: Oct. 2 Test date: Nov. 3 -Registration deadline: Oct. 30 Test date: Dec. 1 -Registration deadline: Dec. 26 Test date: Jan 26 -Registration deadline: Jan. 29 Test date: March 1 -Registration deadline: April 1 Test date: May 3 2007-2008 ACT -Registration deadline: Nov. 2 Test date: Dec. 8 -Registration deadline: Jan. 4 Test date: Feb. 9 -Registration deadline: March 7 Test date: April 12

What test do you plan on taking, the SAT or ACT and why? “The SAT, because more colleges accept the SAT than the ACT”

---Arun Kumar senior

TheLoad

“SAT because I don’t really know much about the ACT and we’ve been learning about the SAT for two years.”

Students reflect on their homework loads and how they handle their responsibilities through time management.

How many hours do you spend on homework ? “I spend about three or four hours doing homework each night.” Does homework keep you from participating in other activities? “Yes, it does sometimes. I barely have time to do anything else. Sometimes the homework does get overwhleming and interferes with my other activities at home.” What is your favorite time to complete homework? “I like doing my homework in the evening because I feel more relaxed and I can concentrate better.” —Maha Shah freshman

How many hours do you spend on homework? “I usually spend around three hours on homework.” Does homework get in the way of your other activities? “Sometimes my homework load keeps me from my activities like MSA, football, and basketball.” What is your favorite time to complete homework? “Right when I get home because I don’t feel like doing it later.” What class gives you the most homework this year? “I get the most homework in English.”

How many hours do you spend on homework? “When I do my homework it takes me about two hours.” Do you believe homework takes too much time from your day? “Yes because it takes away from the time I should be relaxing and stuff.” What is your favorite time to complete homework? “I barely do my homework because I never feel like doing it. So I don’t really have a favorite time.”

How many hours do you spend on homework? “I spend about an hour doing my homework.” What is your favorite time to complete homework? “I like to complete my homework in class, so that I am free later.” What class gives you the most homework this year? “IB Math Studies gives me the most work.” Do you believe homework takes too much time from your day? “No, because my teachers don’t assign that much.”

—Malikah Zakhmi sophmore

—Cesar Cotrina junior

—Ahria Sorbi senior

—Jennifer Richardson junior “The SAT because my mom is making me take it.”

—Jesse Kruse senior

“SAT because it’s easier and most of my friends have taken it already so I know what it is about .”

What’s the point of homework? Some find homework to be beneficial while others find it worthless The controversial topic of homework has always made students wonder how it truly facilitates their learning process or if this time consuming activity is all in vain. Some researchers have stated the fact that homework is not an important factor of academic success. If anything, it only improves reading skills and, of course, the immense amount of work takes up a significant amount of time. Harris Cooper, a professor at Duke University, conducted a study that proved high school students who spend more than two hours a night on completing homework assignments receive no educational benefit. Teachers tend to defend the idea that homework is the key ingredient to success. Different opinions and theories about the purpose of homework caused researchers to discover many problems brought on by this issue. In the 1930s, children’s health problems such as tuberculosis were partially blamed on homework. With the everlasting confusion on whether this method of teaching is useful or not, students continue to struggle with this challenge that has existed for more than a century. On the other hand, this academic requirement is thought to teach students a life lesson on the importance of responsibility, organization and time management skills. Educators

PAUL MATHIS

BY JACKIE SILVA Academics Editor

Navila Rashid packs her IB Higher Level homework into her already stuffed backpack.

believe that homework offers students the chance to select priorities and focus on a schedule. It also prepares them for the strict courses and heavy workload given in college. “My goal is to make sure the work a student is doing is really helping them learn the material rather than doing busy work,” said Andrew Suddarth, a World History II teacher. “It’s not that I don’t know the material, it’s just that teachers are pretty much making me do the same thing I did in class but on my own time and I don’t think that’s fair,” said

sophomore Anna Walker. Students have their own preferences when it comes to applying strategies while doing homework. It becomes more effective if students develop personal ways of doing their work because it makes them feel more comfortable when completing the assignments. “On the rare occasion when I do my homework, I like to listen to music because it helps me focus on the work instead of paying attention to everything else around me,” said Walker. The amount of homework given to students each night varies for every class. However, most teachers assign at least one major project per quarter, a quiz or test per week and daily homework. “If you see the material once you may or may not remember it, so you need to keep using and reviewing the material,” said Suddarth, who sees homework as a continuation of what was presented in class. In order to see homework as something useful rather than just a waste of time, teachers suggest a few basic ideas to keep in mind throughout this process. Taking notes during class is fundamental as they might be helpful when practicing the material at home. Establishing an appropriate environment where there will be no distractions and keeping a homework calendar or agenda are important for students to successfully complete homework. “I think homework is beneficial because it can reinforce skill and it provides an opportunity for students to discover new information,” said Scott Hambrick, a Psychology and Government teacher. Even though recent studies show that homework is not necessarily the key element to mastering material, its still included in the curriculum. Students continue to demonstrate effort into the work and hope to attain academic success.

---Roque Alverez junior

“SAT. It’s the most common test. Everyone has heard of the SAT.”

—Kelsey Blanco senior

“ SAT, because it seems like I hear more about it and there are more prep classes”

—Jennifer Ibarra junior

Lipton ice tea which you would think has barely any caffeine in it has 50mg in the drink. It has more caffeine in it than the Coca-Cola flavors.

“How do you think colds spread so quickly?” “People go around eating off each other and sharing food.”

—Nick Chuong sophomore

“During this season is when people are getting sick and then they don’t wash their hands.”

—Jaclyn Mohlmann junior

“People don’t wash their hands after using the bathroom.”

—Chris Santamaria senior

RACHAEL BURNETT

Freshman Anna Smith drinks a Red Bull energy drink before her 4:45 a.m. swim practice.

FULL THROTLE

Breakdown by the Bottle Calories: 140 Sugar: 31g Sodium: 40mg

Sugar: 27g Sodium: 180mg

How often do you drink them? : Twice a week -Salinna So sophomore

—Jorge Zeball freshman

“

”

Sodium: 290mg

Why do you drink energy drinks? : They taste good and helps me wake up before school starts.

How often do you drink them? : Probably not every day but 3-4 times a week.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, simply know as MSRA now accounts for 94,000 serious infections a year with nearly 19,000 deaths annually, and now this could overtake AIDS as a killer in the U.S. Have you ever had a hordeolum? If you have ever had a stye then yes and you have also had a mild staph infection to the eyelid. The scary thing is many of us might have had Staphylococcus aureus (commonly known as “staph”) at least once in our life time because it has been among us for generations. Some of these milder cases include a boil, or just infections to your hair follicles, infected pimples, and tissue right below your skin which can expand into a more serious case. Over 25 percent of healthy people may carry staph because of the many forms of it and most times is not a problem. However the one that is most feared today is CA-MRSA, mainly because it does I think that it is plain gross. not answer well to antibiotics. People need to be more “I heard it was really bad, and hope that it does not have an effect on our careful and clean. school. I think that people need to take more showers and wash their hands a lot more often,” said junior John —KateBermingham Mcerlean. “Now after hearing about freshman this when I have to wear my leg brace all day long I am going to wash it more often.” One of the worst factors could possibly be that it travels just by skin-to-skin contact. It lives in the nose and on skin, cloths, and other surfaces. It is said that MRSA can survive up to eight weeks outside the human body. “It is really scary. I got a cut on my finger and the first thing I thought of was the possibility of having that staph infection,” said freshman Ben Wolfenstein. There have been some recent cases of MRSA in the region involving students, and these students had been apart of sports teams. Now athletic trainers along with athletic staff are in charge of knowing how to prevent these diseases. Not only are the trainers going to talk about the common diseases, but also educate about MRSAat the athlete meetings before each season. This is an effort in trying to keep not only athletes informed, but all other students. The school’s custodian staff is working together with Fairfax County to keep all schools cleaned and to help protect against MRSA. The schools are cleaned on a regular basis which is So next time if you happen to get a stye, make sure you keep an eye on it. No pun intended.

Sugar: 39g

What is your favorite energy drink? : Red Bull

Why do you drink energy drinks? : They taste good and it gets me hyped up.

RACHAEL BURNETT Health Editor

Sodium: 70mg

Caffeine: 80 mg (8.5 oz)

What is your favorite energy drink? : Monster

Staving off staph

Sugar: 29g

Calories: 160

Calories: 100

Caffeine: 160 mg (16 oz)

—Rachael Gallogly sophmore

How often do you drink them? : 2-3 of them a week. —Jonathan Salas junior

Calories: 100

Caffeine: 144 mg (16 oz)

Caffeine: 160 mg (16 oz)

What is your favorite energy drink? : Monster Why do you drink energy drinks? : To stay awake if I stay up to late at night. How often do you drink them? : Not very often, like 2-3 every week cause my mom doesnt like me to have them.

Why do you drink energy drinks? : To get pumped up and ready to play football.

“People are dirty, and don’t know how to keep clean.”

—Kathleen Dion english teacher

Everyone has one of those days where they just feel miserable. Senior David Waiter has those days but he usually goes to a local convenience store and gets his favorite energy drink, Monster. “The moment it touches my mouth it makes me hyper and I get this tingling feeling in my arms and fingers,” said Waiter. “I love energy drinks, they turn me on,” said Waiter. Many students at AHS, like Waiter, love energy drinks because they provide a quick and easy way for students to wake themselves up. However there are a number of students who do not enjoy these drinks. “I don’t really like energy drinks because they don’t taste that good and they make me ‘crash’ really hard after I have one,” said senior Mike Moya. The thing about energy drinks is that they affect different people in different ways. One person could have a number of drinks in one day and not feel any of the negative side effects. “One day I had six energy drinks and I didn’t crash or anything, but I was really wired,” said Waiter. Some people may have only one drink and then “crash” really hard. “After I have an energy drink I am charged for about 15 minutes, and then I just crash really hard.” This is one of the reasons that AHS and other schools in VA have placed a ban on energy drinks in their schools. “I don’t touch them,” said Health teacher Gabriel Romano. “Some of those drinks contain Ephedra: a diet supplement which if too much of it is consumed you can overdose and die.” The ban on energy drinks is not only at AHS but at all FCPS schools and a number of other school districts across the nation. In Fairfax County the FCPS Risk Management office dropped the ban on energy drinks due to the dangerous effects caused by many of them. All energy drinks contain large amounts of caffeine and some with levels high enough to cause an upset stomach and other gastrointestinal distress. They can also cause heart palpitations, irritability, nervousness, and insomnia. “One time I chugged a Jolt and my heart started racing,” said senior Mike Reel. “And if I had one right now; I would go insane.” “I don’t think the ban is necessary, said Moya. “I don’t see what is so harmful about them and even though I don’t like them, I think they could help other kids who are effected differently by them.” The fact of the matter is that some of these drinks can be extremely harmful. One drink called Red Dawn will not only give you a great boost of energy when you hit the field, but it will also land you a trip to the emergency room. This drink is so dangerous that if it is used past its recommended dosage the effects it has on your brain can kill you. On the athletic field athletes are not allowed to drink energy drinks, not just because of the ban but because of the supplements. “It’s like taking steroids, it’s cheating basically,” said Athletic Director Angelo Hilios. Drinking energy drinks during the season is grounds for suspension. It is like taking steroids because of the way energy drinks affect your body, as well as being dangerous in the first place. So whether you’re drinking a Monster, a Red Bull, or any other energy drink make sure you think twice about what you are putting into your body.

What is your favorite energy drink? : Monster

—Nathan Seeto freshman

“Because of all the students having cooties .”

BY TIMMY REYNOLDS Videograpeher

RED BULL

Coca-Cola Blak has the most caffeine out of all the Coca-Cola flavors, which has 46mg of caffeine in it.

Students down energy drinks to stay awake for class or prepare for sports

ROCKSTAR

The double shot, a popular drink at starbucks for its large amount of caffeine. The drink has 180mg of caffeine in it.

Nov. 7, 2007

Caffeine poses threat

MONSTER

Other caffeine substitute drinks students love

Energy Earful

HEALTH

PHOTO

Nov. 7, 2007

Fixin’ Up the Fast Lane

Top: Junior Mike Lllamas carefully pours oil into the car engine. Middle Left:Chris Wingfield works on pumping up a flat tire with air. It is one of the many services the students do for the general public and faculty. Middle Right: Greasy hands are often a byproduct of the tough work the students do. Bottom: The students spend some of their time on computers researching what type of car parts needed for the car they are working on.

13 What is your favorite part of auto-tech? “My favorite part is working on the cars and fixing up the tires.”

Everyday some AHS students are busily handling autmobiles and helping run a full service auto shop. Auto-tech is a class where students get the opportunity to learn how to repair everyday car problems. AHS is home to one of the largest automotive programs in the country, with over 190 students and two teachers who teach six out of eight periods . The students repair cars for the faculty and the general public in order to earn a profit. There is a $25 service fee and the customer pays retail for parts. The program earns a profit off of the auto parts that the customer pays for. “Even if we charge $90 for the entire package, when we only spent $50 on the repair, a normal auto shop would charge $100 extra per hour,” said teacher Joe DeSio. The warranty on the repair is five minutes or five miles, whichever comes first, which is basically no warranty because it is a student run shop. DeSio has been teaching in the county for 22 years and teaches Auto Tech one, two, and three.

—Seth Ellingson sophomore “I really like working on the cars and learning how to fix new things.”

—Hocque Figueroa junior

“My favorite part of auto tech is Mr. DeSio. He is the only reason I come to school every day.”

—Julio Bazan junior

“I love the fact that Mr. DeSio is the best teacher at AHS.”

TANYA BELLINGHAM

—Henry Mejia junior

“I love seeing the light come on in the kids heads when they understand what I’m saying. But, 2 o’clock, when the students are gone, is a close second.”

Under the hood

LAURA SIMPSON

TANYA BELLINGHAM

LAURA SIMPSON

TANYA BELLINGHAM

—Joe DeSio auto-tech teacher

Pablo Cassio works underneath a car with an electric screwdriver. The most important rule in the class is that the students must wear their safety glasses when near any type of tool that is being used or any type of repair that is being done.

Two students work under the car on the engine, to change the oil of the car. One of the rules in the autoshop is that the students must clean up before the end of every class. There is a set of mops and buckets that are used everyday.

LAURA SIMPSON

The students work together fixing a car part.

LAURA SIMPSON LAURA SIMPSON

Above: The auto-shop has a room full of auto tools for open use by the students to work on a certain part of the cars. Right: The students spend most of their time working underneath the cars. The cars are held up so the students can stand under them rather then slide under them.

Junior Carl Stavenjord works outside of the “classroom” and removes the license plates off the car of a recent customer. DeSio hleps his students measure off how much oil the car needs.

All photos by Laura Simpson TANYA BELLINGHAM

INTERNATIONAL

Nov. 7, 2007

Pakistan’s exploding politics

How do you feel about women be- Students share their coming increasingly opinions on the Prime returning active in politics ? Minister Bhutto B S S Y

HARA

HAMI

“I think it’s cool, women have been on the lower end of the social scale forever. It’s amazing to see them finally gaining power.”

—Ndidi Obasi freshman “I think that a man is better than a woman. A woman gets more stressed than a man. A man worries about a lot less things than a woman.”

—Kate Strijova sophomore “I think it’s a bad idea, becuase women make too much of a deal about them being women and not enough about the actual politics. ”

—Nate Kaegi junior “I think it is fine because women are capable of leading a country just as well as men.”

—Jesse Kruse senior “I think it is great, finally women are thinking of holding some of the top positions in government.”

Senior Fareeha Haq was glued to the live footage broadcasted on several Pakistani news stations, watching footage of the bombing near former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto’s caravan in Karachi. She expressed her concern for the many loved ones who live close to the area. “ I couldn’t stop watching it. The footage was really eye opening because you could see the bodies and it was like I could almost feel the chaos. It was really surreal because some of my family lives close to the area and I kept hoping and praying that no one that I knew was affected by it. Thankfully no one was,” said Haq. Haq was among one of the many AHS students monitoring the news coverage of the bombing from home. “It was really awful; I got to see the footage on Pakistani news. It was really sad, there were dead bodies all over the place, and so much blood,” said sophomore Summia Farooq. The former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was following a rally in support of her return when two immensely destructive bombs detonated near the front of the vehicle. The bombs killed 146 people and wounded 250. “It’s (the bombing and the clamor surrounding the bombing) is pointless because she shouldn’t have even been there to begin with. She was safe from harm because she was inside her armored car, unfortunately her supporters did not receive such protection. She was warned by law enforcement officials not to parade at night, yet she still did it to attract attention,” said senior Hina Ghaffari. Other AHS students hope that these recent problems within the government don’t affect everyday life in Pakistan. “ I hope things will be fine when I go back this winter break,” said junior Hassan Spall. Senior Misha Yasar watched the internet footage of rescue workers and injured people. She was shocked by the recent events especiallysince things were going so well. “ I was surprised, I did not think anything was going to happen this time especially because things seemed to be going so well after her arrival,” said Misha Yasar. Yasar an avid supporter of Bhutto asserts that she still has hope, “ I still believe that Pakistan will be able to survive this calamity as it has before. I think Bhutto is a step in the right direction,” said junior Summer Aleem. Not all have such an optimistic outlook to her return, “Pakistan is and always has been a very divided society

SHARA SAHMI

Staff writer

Senior Fareeha Haq expresses her stong opinionson the political turmoil in Pakistan.

and has no agreement on political processes. It seems that a return of any political figure would not even begin to help the depth and extent of many of the problems that are associated with the country,” said social studies teacherJohn Hawes “She is another step in the direction to turn Pakistan in to a more westernized state, which is not wrong in itself but the way (she) is doing it is wrong. I don’t agree with her policies, especially the fact that she would be willing to let troops into the country and the fact that she wants to collaborate with President Musharraf” said Ghaffari. Much of the paranoia that is associated with Pakistani politics is well deserved. Benazir Bhutto, the daughter of the first Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who was hanged by Gen. Mohammed Zia ul-Haq’s regime in 1979 on charges of murder, is the first female Prime Minister of a Muslim Country, she has held the position for two separate terms. But her office was taken away due to allegations of corruption. After two years of serving as the Prime Minister she faced charges of corruption and failure

Students reacts to lurid situation in Iran BY BEWKETU TAMIR AND STACEY IRWIN International Editor and Staff Writer

—Bonnie Vinning English Teacher

World News

MELISSA BOYLE

EUROPE A Russian man named Alexander Pichuskin has been convicted of killin g 48 people and attempting to murder 3 others. Also known as the “chessboard killer,” Pichuskin’s goal was to kill 64 people, one for each square on the chessboard. His killed his latest victims by beating them with a hammer, and then inserting vodka bottles into their smashed heads. He never attempted to hide any of the bodies. Pichuskin claimed that his first murder was “like first love, unforgettable.” Student Response: “It is not humane to kill people in general, because nobody deserves to die for nothing.”

to control ethnic violence. Returning from two years of political exile she took an oath for her second term as Prime Minister in 1993, once again her term was unsuccessful as she was dismissed amid accusations of nepotism and undermining the justice system. On October 5, 2007 Pres. Gen. Pervez Musharraf confirmed that Bhutto won’t be tried for the crime she was accused of. The bill dropped all charges against Bhutto including amassing properties and overseas bank accounts and during her two terms as prime minister. Other charges against her husband — including several of murder — are also expected to be dropped under the order signed by Musharraf . The future of Pakistan remains uncertain for many. “I’m not sure I want to go back after what happened…it’d be very sad to see Pakistan in the state that it is now. I remember when I went there recently . There was so much hope for a better future and political stability. Now I just don’t know what will come to the country,” said senior Yasar.

Senior Judy Elahi shares her views about the current situation in Iran. Many student student believes that the act of the President Mohanoud Ahmadinejad, “I think that Ahmadinehad has some radical views, but we should not forget to recognize that Gypsies and Homosexual were toutured and killed,” Elahi.

“I do not trust it,” said history teacher Joel Jepson. This is the way most AHS students and teachers feel about the Iranian government. “It is provocative, it has been proven that they are supplying terrorist groups,” said Jepson. The United States government now has to worry about the substantial evidence that is found about Iran. The Iranian Quad force supplies lethal weapons that are being used on US soldiers by Iraqi insurgents.According to the Department of Treasury, the Quad Force is the Iranian government’s primary instrument for providing lethal support for the Taliban. Iran is predominantly a Shiite nation, which is known for supporting the Shiite militia, where Shiite and Sunni Muslims were at odds in recent years. The U.S. accused the Quad Force of being a part of the chaos that has been occurring in the Middle East, but now the accusations are substantial and have more detailed evidence. The United States recently imposed additional sanctions on Iran. President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad strongly disagreed with the sanctions. The US “cannot check the progress of the Iranian nation,” saidAhmadinejad according to the official IRNA news agency.

“I think it is appropriate that the Iranian government is sanctioned for the time being, but this is not a permanent solution,” said Jepson addressing the dangerous situation that Iran is facing. “He [President Ahmadinejad] is outlandish, he is a caricature of himself, provocative, and denies the Holocaust. He is very hostile regarding the balance of power in Middle East,” said Jepson about the Iranian president. “ I adore the people of Iran, it is a shame that our government does not get along with theirs,” said Jepson. Senior Rahiba Noor agrees that Iran needs a change in order to get along with their neighbors and the rest of the world. “I think the Iranian government is isolated, and that it’s mainly based on the fact that they are not willing to cooperate with the US and the UN regarding their atomic weapon production, along with the fact that their government is an oligarchy,” said Noor. Viewed as an oppressive government in the eyes of many nations, the Iranian government still continues to invest in its nuclear weapon program. “It has been proven that they are trying to build a nuclear weapons program,” said Jepson. “I think the Iranian government is not right, their actions are not benefiting the people,” said senior Daniel Kwon about the government in general. He also believes that the spread of

nuclear weapons could lead to major conflict, “I think it is important to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, because it causes conflict among the two nations.” Additionally, President Ahmadinejad has been denying the existence of the Holocaust, “I think [president Ahmadinejad] needs to get his facts straight, he should be accepting what has happened regardless of whether he agrees with it or not, the Holocaust is written down in history, I believe the president is stubborn, and only wants his way,” said Kwon. “I think the government is ludicrous, because of the way they treat their people, and the execution of people is wrong,” said senior Judy Elahi who is half Iranian. She agrees that the sanctions imposed on the government can make a difference for the oppressed people of Iran and the Middle East as a whole, “I think the sanction on the Iranian government is good, because it is helping Iranian people, and [the] Middle East.” Most of the world agrees that the Iranian leader is completely ignorant of the Holocaust, “I think that Ahmadinejad has some very radical views, but we should not forget to recognize that Gypsies and Homosexuals were tortured and killed” said Elahi. Rectifying the problems of Iran is not going to be easy, but it is necessary to begin the process.

––Chley Marquez junior

AFRICA In Tanzania, a new ambulance business has begun that has saved many lives of women and children. They have two vehicles on call, one specifically dedicated to childbirth cases. These ambulances travel up to 932 miles per week. The farthest radio call station is 93 miles away from the ambulance station. The ambulances travel terrains that include muddy and dirt roads. There is no medical equipment that is to be permanently installed, but rather a specific medical kit dependent on the emergency. The value of this service is 100,000 dollars, but it is an essential service that links the hospital to its people. Student Resopse: “ I think spending the money is definitely worth it because if it saves lives, they should go for it.” ––Jon Molina junior

ADANECH DEBELI Junior I was born in Ethiopia, but I lived in Kenya for most of my life. I was two when I left Ethiopia because they had many political problems there, so my parents wanted to leave the country. I’ve been living here for about four years, five in March. It’s amazing in Kenya, and the country is very beautiful. I had a good life there living in the capital of Kenya, Nairobi. The city is more technologically advanced than the rest of the country, so it is not too different from America. I came to America for education and a better life. In Kenya they teach you well, but

the work is much harder. Schools here are a lot easier than what I was used to before I moved here. Even though you go to a public school there, you still have to pay for your education. The only hard thing about moving to America was learning English, but even that was not too difficult because I already knew some English. We already had some family in America so that made moving much easier. It was really difficult for me to meet new people. I was shy and scared that they couldn’t understand my English. I’m still shy now, but I try to be more social. For children, life in Kenya was easy, but for parents it was harder because they were always worrying. There, if you’re going out, you have to bring your identification or else they put you in jail because they think that you escaped your country and came here illegally.

ALLAHA ABDUL-JAMIL Junior I’m originally from Afghanistan, but when I was two-years- old I moved to Uzbekistan. There was a war going on in Afghanistan, and my dad was working in Uzbekistan, so we just moved there, and lived there for about 13 years. I don’t remember much about the war since I was so young, but my parents told me so much about it. In 2004, I came to America and went to live in Nebraska because my family had a friend there. After a year-in-2005we came to Virginia. I missed my family

and friends from school a lot. I still talk to my cousins and some of my friends. Life is very different here compared to in Uzbekistan. The language was very hard to learn. Because I came from a different environment, I was put in ESOL, but I spoke little English which I learned in Uzbekistan. I knew some grammar, but I couldn’t speak fluently, but as time passed I learned more. Life was great in Uzbekistan. There were a lot of other Afghan families there. You went to school six days a week, and there were about 16 different subjects to learn. In one day you learn five or six subjects. It was hard getting used to the time; when it’s day there, it’s night there, so I used to sleep during the day in America. It’s nice here, but I still miss my home. I’m excited because we might go to Afghanistan next summer. Interviews compiled by Beelan Yonas

Nov. 7, 2007

Fantastic

SPORTS XTRA

Redskins Rundown

AHS’s top fall athletes

Carlos Rogers out for the season with knee injury In the disappointing loss to the New England Patriots, the Redskins lost more than the game. Cornerback Carlos Rogers suffered an injury to the ligaments in his knee that will most likely end his season. Rogers was diagnosed with two tears, one in his MCL and one in his ACL. The injury Rogers will require extensive knee surgery. that will keep Rogers out for the season. Rogers sustained the injury when he was blocked on a short pass to Patriot’s runningback Kevin Faulk. Fred Smoot is expected to replace Rogers even though he has missed three games this season due to his own injuries. Smoot was signed to the Reskins this year as a free agent but has played for the Redskins since 2001 when he was a second round draft pick.

Jenna t t o c t S t e McRae Plunk

What/Who inspires you to perform well? To play well, win for the team and to make my coaches proud. What was the hardest part of your season? The beginning of the season and the first couple of games of working together. We began to flow more as the season progressed. What was your favorite part of your season? The end of the district games and the district tournament because we were very close to winning. How long have you been playing volleyball? All four years of high school. JV my freshman year and varsity for the rest. Do you play out of school? No. Are you going to continue playing after high school? No. I am playing basketball. Did you expect to be named the best player on your team? No. We have so many good players and so many people contribute to the team.

m a h g n i l l e B a y Tan

Who/what inspires you to perform well? My grandfather use to play for Ireland when he was my age and I thought that was really cool. It also makes my grandmother and mom really happy to see that it is in the genes. What was the hardest part of your season? At the beginning of the season we were not working as a team, but now we are really close. What was your favorite part of the season? I would have to say Albemarle. We did the secret mission and jumped into the pool with our spandex and sports bars on. How long have you been playing field hockey? I have been playing for four years. I did three years of high school and a little league for Oakton when I was in the 8th grade. Do you play out of school? This year I am going to try out for this one team called Rampage. And I will be traveling with two different teams this year. Are you going to continue to play after high school? I have emailed coaches that I plan to, but we will see at festival. Did you expect to be named the best player on your team? No. I just tried my hardest and I guess my hard work paid off.

Cason Kynes

What/who inspires you to perform well? I have always looked up to my dad and also my brothers. I have always watched them play. What was the hardest part of your season? We lost a lot of the key players in the senior class like Jesse Kruse, who injured his knee. What was your favorite part of the season? When we played Lee on their Homecoming. We had the winning touchdown and beat them on their Homecoming! How long have you been playing football? Since the 8th grade. Do you play outside of school? No Are you going to continue playing after high school? Possibly. Depends on how next season goes. Did you expect to be named the best player on your team? Football is a team sport.

What/who inspires you to perform well? No one really inspires me to run. My brother and dad ran. What was the hardest part of your season? Over the summer, because it took up a lot of my time. What was your favorite part of your season? The meets we go to and districts and regionals. How long have you been running cross-country? Since the summer before 9th grade. Do you run out of school? In the summer, I do. Are you going to continue crosscountry after high school? If it helps me get into college, then maybe. Did you expect to be named the best runner on your team? Not really. There are a lot of good people that are improving everyday.

Because of the injury to Rogers the Redskins will decide between signing free agents or moving players from the Smoot pratice squad to the active roster. This season Rogers has made 25 tackles and one interception. Over the course of his career with the Redskins, Rogers has made 150 tackles and four interceptioned. Rogers also scored his first touchdown against the Detriot Lions in week 4. He intercepted Jon Kitna and returned it 61 yards for a touchdown. Rogers was signed to the Redskins in 2005. He was a first round draft pick out of Auburn where he played defensive back.

Gus Nielsen What/who inspires you to perform well? It is really my own drive that inspires me to do so well. My favorite professional golfer is Jim Furyk, because he has a goofy swing, but he makes it work like I do. What was the hardest part of your season? Districts, because I didn’t perform as well as I hoped to, but I’m still glad how the season went. What was your favorite part of your season? Winning our first match in two years. We beat TC Williams. We ended up winning by four strokes. How long have you been golfing? I have been consistently golfing since the seventh grade, but I’ve played around with putters since I was a little kid. Do you golf out of school? There are not any golfing leagues to golf with but I do go play with my friends or my dad sometimes. Are you going to continue playing after high school? Yes. Wherever I go to college I plan on playing on their club golf team. Did you expect to be named the best player on your team? Yes. Over the summer I got a job at a golf course and I worked really hard at the range, on the course and on the putting greens so I could be the number one player.

Gangsta or good guy? BY LOGAN MILLER staff writer Thugs in the NFL: does it really matter? Sean Taylor’s recent scandals have stirred up controversy around whether the NFL cares about having convicts in their league. It seems to me like these crimes are very common in professional sports but is as big of a deal as people are making it seem.Although these crimes violate NFL policy, if everyone were perfect, what would professional sports be toAmerica, and what controversy would the media have start? Sean Taylor grew up in a rough neighborhood, and lived a very harsh childhood. He’s gotten into trouble his entire life, so does spitting in an opponents face, or being charged with a DUI mean anything different? The NFL has taken no action to change his behavior, so why should he not continue to do what he has beendoing? I put the blame for Taylor’s criminal ties on the NFL commissioner for not punishing Taylor after his first run-in with the law. The NFL should constantly be watching Taylor to make sure he’s not getting into trouble. Taylor‘s controversies are attracting people to watch sports reports and games involving him. Controversy gets people interested in the sport and gives then an incentive to watch the games. Problems like these happen in all professional sports. Athletes are constantly being involved in situations like shootings or drug deals, etc, and the NFL makes itself sound bad by releasing information like this to the media. They need to handle these situations on their own to show that they have a grip on their players. Hopefully Taylor has learned from his mistakes, and in the eyes of Redskins fans, Taylor is still worth the millions of dollars they are paying him.

Who is your favorite Redskins player and why?

“Sean Taylor and LaRon Landry cause they knock the crap out of people.”

—Adnan Jannoun freshman “Sean Taylor because he’s hot on and off the field.”

—Rebecca Melendez sophomore

“Clinton Portis cause he has great speed, agility, and self determination.”

—Henry Mejia junior

BY MICHAEL CRAIG videographer Sean Taylor is one of the best safeties in the NFL. He constantly makes big plays that change the outcome of important games. He’s the kind of player that steps up to the plate and does his job when his fellow teammates need him. Taylor is one of the most prominent players on his team and a part ofone of the most dynamic set of defensive backs in the entire league. I’m sure that Sean Taylor is not a horrible person, but his reputation speaks for itself. In the past, Taylor has been ejected from a game for spitting in the face of Buccaneers running back Michael Pittman. Off the field he has been he has been accused in three cases of assault foe threatening three other people with a gun in a confrontation over an all terrain vechicle. He also faces a misdemeanor battery charge. The idea that Taylor was in the wrong place at the wrong time for all of these offenses is out of the question. He puts himself in these situations and he needs to face the music and change the direction of his criminal past. However, the fact that Sean Taylor is a violent person is the reason why he’s so good at his job. In order for a person to be that hard of a hitter and tackler he needs to have a violent mindest. As soon as Sean Taylor walks on to the football field, he is head-hunting. I think that Sean Taylor will not change his ways because if he did he would not be as aggressive on the football field. Fans don’t want him to be able to control himself because they want to see big hits. They want to see Taylor run wild just like he does in his personal life.

“Cooley cause he takes care of business.”

—Thomas Beckett senior

“Jon Jansen because he’s been with the Redskins for the longest of any the current Redskins ,and before he was injured he always gave his best. He also likes to hunt and fish.”

—James York history teacher - Compiled by Tanya Bellingham and Amy Stevens

Atoms’ Season In Review Aug. 8 vs McLean Result: 33-7 Win Highlights: In the first game of the season, the Atoms dominated the game , punishing the Highlanders on the ground. In the game, RB Jordan Anderson had a 68 yard interception return for a touchdown and ran for a 2 yard score.

Sept. 7 vs. Oakton Result: 35-20 Win Highlights: Before this game, the Atoms had been dominated by the Cougars in the last two years. However, the running attack was very effective and Cason Kynes threw 3 TD passes, including a 92 yard bomb to TE Eric Cabellos that helped lead the Atoms to their first victory over Oakton since 1994.

Sept. 14 at Chantilly Result: 0-49 Loss Highlights: In this wake up game for the Atoms, the Chantilly Chargers scored on their first possesion and never looked back. The shutout defeat was their first of the season and began a three game losing streak for the Atoms.

Sept. 20 vs. T.C. Result: 3-21 Loss Highlights: In their opening game in Patriot District play, the Atoms gave up 21 points in the second half after having a 3-0 lead on the Titans. For AHS, Kynes ran for 103 yards and threw for 92.

Sept. 28 at W.S. Result: 41-54 Loss

Swimming for the gold Junior Rachael Burnett works early and often in her preparation for the U.S. Olympic Trials BY GREG YOUNG AND WALTER SMITH Sports Editors It is four a.m. on a Monday and most high school students are sleeping soundly in bed. But not every high school student is a state champion swimmer. Junior Rachael Burnett is at practice, putting in a hard 5000 -7500 yards of swimming and concentrating on her upcoming meet. Her practices at the George Mason University swimming facility are no joke; she swims up to eight workouts every week, a total of almost 20 hours of swimming time. Weekend practices are even harder, with practices lasting over two hours, plus another hour of dry land training. Dry land training includes medicine ball work, weight lifting, and cardio work such as running. With all this hard work, swimming is an integral part in Burnett’s life. Her parents were the ones who got her involved in swimming. “Both of my parents like the water. They love the pool and really enjoy swimming,” said Burnett. Her parents are not the only ones motivating her. Burnett has set some high goals and is also pushed by her Potomac Valley Swim club coach. Steve Ercolano, a coach for her team, the Potomac Marlins, coaches and motivates Burnett to improve. “Steve is very strict, but he can make practice fun,” said Burnett. Among her goals, she hopes to make national cuts, swim on a Division one swim team and qualify for Olympic Trials in 2008. “It [swimming] is something that will help me get into and pay for college,” said Burnett. Several Division One schools are recruiting her, including University of Tennessee at Knoxville, Florida State University, and University of Southern California. While looking at colleges, Burnett keeps busy with high school swimming. She has swum for the Atoms her first two years of high school and plans to swim the next two years. “It’s [high school swimming] a different atmosphere. It may not be as competitive, but I love it because I’m swim-

ming with school friends and teammates,” said Burnett. “My favorite high school swimming experience was traveling to States last year in Virginia Beach. Winning States in the 500 free was great.” But among other personal swimming goals, Burnett has goals for the Atoms. “I hope that the girls 400 freestyle relay can make states this year,” said Burnett. The 400 yard freestyle relay includes four swimmers, each swimming 100 yards, or four laps. Although the relay team is not set yet, possible swimmers include junior Annika Jessen, freshman Anna Smith, sophomore Maggie Craig, and senior Amy Fleming. Although the high school swim and dive season is right around the corner, Potomac Valley Swimming has already begun and Burnett swam her first meet in October. There she swam four events and had personal best times in the 200 yard breaststroke and the 100 yard freestyle. The October Open was a meet that helped swimmers get back into the indoor racing atmosphere after the summer break and took place at Lee District Recreation Center from Oct. 19 -21. Her next meet is much more important. The Toyota Grand Prix Rachael Burnett relaxes in the Wakefield Chapel pools. “I canʼt wait to in Minneapolis, Minnesota will be Junior get out there and compete at the Olypmic trials,” said Burnett. her first major meet of the season. She will be swimming her best seven ward to competing with some of the best in the country. events at the four-day long meet at the University of Min- She thinks that this meet will give her a good feel for nesota. Among these events are the 100, 200, 500, and how much she has improved and what she still needs 1000 yard freestyle. Burnett will also swim the 200 yard to work on. backstroke, 200 yard individual medley, and 400 yard “I can’t wait to get out there,” said Burnett. individual medley. Swimmers at this meet are the best in the country, with competitors including the 2004 Olympic author’s e-mail: walter.smith@thea-blast.org gold medalist Michael Phelps. Burnett has swum with Olympic athletes before, as she has raced world record holder Kate Ziegler. Burnett hopes to do well in this meet and looks for-

Boys cross country finish at regionals

Highlights: The Atoms dropped to 0-2 in the Patriot District in this shootout loss to West Springfield. In the game, the two teams combined for 911 yards of total offense, including 260 yards of rushing for the Atoms. However, Kynes threw an interception late and the Spartans rode that to victory.

Result: 42-19 Win Highlights: In their Homecoming game, theAtoms finished the second half strong against Hayfield, with Matt Johnson and Jeff Dean both catching TD passes. Also, Aaron Byrd recovered a key fumble late, securing the game for the Atoms.

Oct. 12 at Lee

Highlights: Against Lake Braddock, the Atoms only trailed by a point at halftime. However, after it downpoured in the third quarter the crowd mostly left and the Atoms were outscored by 23 points. In the game, Kynes threw and ran for a TD.

Oct. 29 at West. Pot. Result: 6-20 Loss Highlights: In a game that was delayed after a large rainstorm hit the area and played Friday, the Atoms had a fake punt called back on a questionable penatly. Kynes scored the Atoms sole TD on a one yard TD run in the second quarter.

Nov. 2 at S.C. Result: 16-35 Loss Highlights: In their final game of the season, the Atoms fell to South County. Kynes threw 2 TD passes, one to senior Eric Cabellos, but they were too little to late. Senior Jeff Dean also added 4 catches for 74 yards in his final high school game.

Sophomore Charles SImpson prepares for the Nothern Region Championships at Burke Lake Park. Simpson was one of the six runners who competed at the race for AHS.

Volleyball ends with first round defeat Atoms fall in 5 sets to West Potomac despite homefield advantage, finish 8-11 BY SCOTT PLUNKETT Staff Writer The Atoms varsity volleyball team lost their second straight match to the West Potomac Wolverines in a closely contested 2-3 match, ending their season. The Atoms walked onto the court looking to avenge their previous 2-3 loss to the West Potomac Wolverines. Starting the game intensely, they cruised through game one to win 25-13. The Wolverines started to bounce back in game two, but after staying tied from 16-16 to 24-24 the Atoms broke away to win 26-24. The third seeded Atoms tournament hopes looked promising in their first home district game in years. Game three started similarly to game two, but the Wolverines won several pivotal points towards the end of the game and eventually got the 25-23 win. The Atoms were still playing with confidence in the match having a 2-1 game lead over the Wolverines. After falling behind early in game four, the Atoms made a comeback and pulled within two points before losing the game 20-25. The match was going to be decided by a 15-point game five. In the deciding game, the Wolverines played hard while the Atoms crumbled and got out to a 12-7 lead, putting the Wolverines within three points of victory. The Atoms called a timeout and came out with a renewed sense of teamwork. They won six out of the next seven points, and with a perfectly placed hit by junior outside hitter Ava Blennerhasset, tied the game at 13-13. The game was coming down to its final points and could go either way. The Wolverines won the next point

WALTER SMITH

Result: 13-37 Loss

RACHEAL BURNETT

Result: 10-7 Win

Oct. 19 vs. L.B.

“It’s been my first year and it’s been strong,” said senior Dylan Volk, one of the runners who competed in the Regionals Meet. “We have strong runners and The Atoms cross country team competed last it makes us a solid group.” The girls varsity cross country team competed in weekend against the best runners from the region. The boys team participated at the competition and the Patriot District Meet, but was unable to move some of the runners improved dramatically from on to Regionals. Coach Harris was still pleased with the past race at the Patriot District Meet. Junior the overall outcome of their season. “The girls competition is tough in the [Patriot] Scott Plunkett, ranked 32 in the Region going into district,” said Coach Harris. the race, shaved seven seconds and Harris is hopeful next year that both finished 28. Senior Tim Hepburn also the girls and the boys varsity teams showed significant improvement, dropwill continue their improvement. Only ping 20 seconds from last week. Burke four varsity runners will be lost due to Lake was the sight for both the Districts graduation. All of the girls will be returnMeet and the Regionals Meet. ing except for senior Lien Vu. Seniors Tim The boys team, after finishing last Hepburn, Matt Ashford, and Dylan Volk place the year before, qualified for the will be the three runners leaving the Regionals Meet. Phil Harris, head coach Dylan Volk boys. Expectations are still high. of theAHS Cross Country team, was exCoach Harris noted that the girls tremely pleased. “Improvement was phenomenal,” said Coach will be great next year. Because only one runner is leaving and the freshmen girls, along with other Harris. “I can’t say enough about Scott Plunkett.” Coach Harris was also very happy with the rest key runners, will be returning, the future of the of the boys team, mentioning the advancements team looks bright. “Both teams [could] go to Regionals and the boys of sophomore Charles Simpson, sophomore Yohan Calcuttawalla, and first year XC runner sophomore team could be the district champs,” said Coach Harris of his expectations for next year. Michael Ejigu. Coach Harris also stressed the fact that the author’s e-mail: walter.smith@thea-blast.org team, which qualified for Regionals this year, was essentially the same team which finished last in the Patriot District last year. BY WALTER SMITH Sports Editor

Oct. 5 vs. Hayfield

Highlights: In a tight game throughout, the Atoms were able to hold the Lancers to only 1 TD. The Atoms scored on a 2 yard run by John Copenhaver and a 26 yard field goal by Matt Johnson. Lee had a late chance to tie the game, but their 47 yard field goal fell short.

Nov. 7, 2007

BILL BURNETT

SPORTS

The AHS volleyball seniors line up with their parents during the teams senior night against South County. The Atoms defeated the Stallions but lost in the opening round to West Potomac.

on a strong spike to the back left corner and were one point away from another upset of the Atoms. “When the ball came over the net, everything was in slow motion,” said senior middle hitter Katie Janssen. “When I was getting set for the last point all I could think about is what happened if I missed the hit.” Janssen hit the ball over but it was met and well hit by a Wolverine and a long rally ensued. Both teams flawlessly set up chances to score but the other always found a way to keep the ball up and the point alive, until the Wolverines hit it to an empty spot on the Atoms side

and sealed their comeback victory. “We played down to the other team’s level instead of our own,” said Janssen. “This season still went well, there were moments when we truly played like a team that, in my history on the volleyball team, we’ve never had before.” It was announced that senior outside hitter Jenna McRae earned 1st Team All-District honors and junior middle and outside hitter Erica Anderson earned 2nd Team All-District honors. The team finished with a record of 8-11.

SPORTS

Nov. 7, 2007

Atoms end with loss As the clock wound down on another Atoms football season, there was a palpable feeling of disappointment in the air. The Atoms, who at the start of the season showed much promise with early season wins against McLean and Oakton, the latter of which has knocked off prominent local high school teams such as Robinson and Centreville, had finished the season on a three game losing streak to drop themselves out of playoff contention. After losing to the South County Stallions, the Atoms finished the season at 4-6, with only a 2-5 record against Patriot District competition after losing only one game in the last two years to their Patriot District rivals. “It is really tough to continue to be successful in the Patriot District after winning it for two years in a row,” said assistant coach Jeremiah Davis. “It’s more that when you win a lot, other teams start to focus on you more and it’s tough.” “We started out well, but we just couldn’t make enough plays we needed to win,” said senior Mike Moya. “In the end, it just wasn’t our year.” In their finale, theAtoms lost to South County, 35-16. In the game, the Atoms fell down by 14 points after only seven plays run by the South County offense, and were down 35-3 after 3 quarters of play. The score was only made respectable with two late touchdowns. To worsen

FH falls in first round BY WALTER SMITH Sports Editor The Atoms lost to the T.C. Williams Titans in the first round of the District playoffs, ending the season for theAtoms. TheAtoms finished the year at 7-8-2, with a 4-4 record in the Patriot District. Junior Meredith Rutherford scored the first goal for the Atoms, leading them to a 1-0 start. The Titans scored later in the first half and both teams went into the second half tied. The Atoms were unable to score in the second half and allowed a goal, making the final score 2-1. This eliminated the Atoms from the playoffs and ended their season. Despite the opening round loss, the Atoms’ players still felt positive after a 7-8-2 season. “I feel like we worked really hard,” said junior Linda Rayasse, “but that we couldn’t pull it together enough to go farther into Districts.” Laura Burton Although theAtoms’season ended, several players were awarded with All-District honors. First Team All-District players from AHS were junior Marisa Tordella and senior Mary Bermingham. Second Team All-District players were junior Annie Weiser and senior Tiffanie Le, while juniors Amy Steinbuechler and Tanya Bellingham received Honorable Mention. Tordella and Bermingham also received All-Region honors, with Bermingham making first team and Tordella making Second Team. Tordella was also named on the All-Tournament Team. The All-Tournament Team is made up of one player from each high school in the district, making Tordella one of eight players to receive the honor. AHS was the host of the district semifinals’and championship game. Lake Braddock and South County won the semifinal games against T.C. Williams and West Springfield with identical scores of 2-1 on Oct. 22. The next evening, the Bruins faced off against the Stallions. The Bruins won the game 3-0, becoming the Patriot District champion. The Atoms are loooking foward to next year, despite the fact that they are losing several key players, including senior captains Tiffanie Le, Caroline Merz, and Tanya Bermingham. “We are losing some major players next year,” said Rayasse. “However, if we play well and work hard, we should be ok.”

ATOMS ATHLETICS A wrap up of the AHS JV and freshman sports

Freshman Football Head Coach: William Maglisceau Record: 3-3

Stevens

BECCA CLAYTON

BY GREG YOUNG Sports Editor

the loss, the Stallions were able to qualify for the playoffs with the victory when Herndon defeated Oakton, 35-34. For the Atoms, junior QB Cason Kynes had a decent game, throwing 2 TD passes, one to junior Daniel Ejigu and another to senior Eric Cabellos to close out the game. Senior Jeff Dean added 74 yards on 4 catches. Going into the game, the Atoms knew that they had no hope of making the playoffs after falling to West Potomac last Monday, by a 20-6 score. However, the Atoms were hoping to put on a respectable showing in their final game and finish with a .500 record. “It would have been nice to win, because it was the last time a lot of us seniors will get the chance to play football,” said Moya. One of the common themes throughout the season was the rash of injuries that plagued the Atoms throughout the season. TheAtoms lost their entire starting linebackers unit this season, as well as junior Jordan Anderson, who left the team for undisclosed reasons. If one wants to see the effect that the injuries at linebacker had on the team, all they need to do is look at the points given up by the Atoms throughout the season. In their first two games, where the Atoms were relatively healthy, the Atoms gave up a total of 23 points to Oakton and McLean. Over their next two games, in which theAtoms lost junior John McErlen along with other players, the Atoms gave up 70 points. “It’s sad to see seniors, like [Jessie] Kruse miss the second half of the season due to injuries,” said Kynes. “Plus, to lose all of your starters at LB is really tough to recover from.” “It is kind of surreal to realize that I’m going to never play high school football

Junior QB Cason Kynes moves around in the pocket against South County. The Atoms lost against the Stallions 35-16. In the game, Kynes threw 2 TD passes, one to senior Eric Cabellos and another to junior Daniel Ejigu.

again,” said senior Jessie Kruse. “It’s just really disappointing; I can’t ever play what I love. I’ve played since I was 11, and it feels like something is missing.” Another problem, according to a few of the players, was the lack of clear leadership on the team this year. “There wasn’t a ton of leadership on the team this year,” said junior Victor Njomo. “Last year, we had people like Antawn [Broxton] to guide us, but that is not the case as much this year.” Before the South County loss, the Atoms played a game the previous Monday against West Potomac. The game was played on Monday due to the inclement

weather that hit the area that Friday and Saturday. “The rainouts in the Lake Braddock and West Potomac games have really hurt us,” said Davis. “The fan turnout is critical to our team, and people didn’t really come to our game on Monday.” Overall, the Atoms are looking forward to next season. Because of injuries, younger players had to step up into bigger roles, something that should boost play in the upcoming seasons. “We’ve come a long way this season,” said Davis. “We are very young, and young players have stepped up into some big roles this year.”

Four Football players suffer knee injuries BY GREG YOUNG Sports Editor This year, theAtoms have lost several key players to knee injuries, including seniors Jessie Kruse and Matt Johnson, as well as junior John McErlean. Johnson and Kruse have extremely similar injuries; they both have sprained MCLs. Kruse’s injury forced him to miss the final half of the season, while Johnson only missed the final two games of the AHS season. All three players who suffered knee injuries will recover in time to play for the boys lacrosse team, and Kruse will also be recovered by the wrestling season. “Knee injuries, in general, are not that uncommon, especially with football players,” said trainer Alison Lane. “The players are at a higher risk when they are tackled.” An MCL injury requires different types of rehab based on the injury. Generally, for an MCL sprain, the athlete needs to keep the leg immobilized for at least 1 week. Afterwards, the player needs to work on strengthening the leg by lifting different padded weights. Generally, the entire process takes about a month. “I have had a history with these types of injuries,” said Kruse. “I tore myACL, MCL, and Minicus during my sophomore year. After rehabbing it, I simply re-injured the MCL this year. However, I think I will be back for wrestling and lacrosse this year.” Luckily, there are several ways that athletes can reduce their chances of suffering painful and serious knee injuries. “You have to maintain strengthening and have good overall conditioning,” said Lane. “You can also work on your skills and it can help prevent predisposing you to injury.”

GREG YOUNG

AHS loses 3 straight to close season with a 4-6 record

Senior Jesse Kruse works on his knee during rehab. Kruse re-injured his MCL and will be out for the rest of the football season. “It is kind of surreal to believe that football is all over for me,” said Kruse

After 43 years, Navy beats Irish The

Final Word Sports Column

By Greg Young

After Navy’s 46-44 win over Notre Dame, I thought that I surely had been dreaming. How could Navy, who hadn’t beaten Notre Dame in 43 years, possibly beat a team as loaded with talented players and blue-chip prospects as the Fighting Irish? However, as I saw the joyous Midshipmen celebrate, avenging 43 years of humiliation, anguish, and embarrassment at the hands of Notre Dame, I saw a scene that transcended the game of football. For these Midshipmen were not mere football players, these players were trueAmerican heroes in every sense of the word. Think about this victory in context for a minute. These players will not go on to the NFL; they will probably never play football again after their 4 years at the service academy. Rather, they will be serving this country in the US Navy,

possibly being sent to a war zone such as Iraq or Afghanistan. Let’s look at one story that personifies the differences that these two college teams share. When the Navy kicker, Joey Bullen, hit a 44 yard FG to beat Duke, his company officer rewarded him by allowing him to sleep in 20 minutes. With most college athletes, sleeping in isn’t a problem, as often the best college football players are babied through the easiest classes to maintain playing eligibility. For Navy, however, players that do not go to class simply are not wanted or needed. In the end, football is a mere game, an attractive spectacle to amuse us from other, more important things in life. When one watches the NavalAcademy play, they can see this firsthand. These players are happy to even play football! Sometimes, you hear an overzealous football analyst talk about how football is everything, or even dare say that winning is everything. Even Vince Lombardi famously said that “winning isn’t everything, it is the only thing.” Ordinarily, I have a lot of respect for Lombardi, as he is one of the greatest coaches of all time. However, he is dead wrong. For Navy, the fact that they are even playing a football game is a victory in itself. Obviously, winning carries some

significance, as everyone that plays any sport would like to win. But compared to serving our country overseas, winning a collegiate football game seems rather trivial. In fact, whenever Navy even plays a football game, there is a constant sense of pride, respect, and tradition that is missing at other college football games. For with Navy, there will never be any mocking or disrespect of other teams, no matter what the score of the game. Naval Academy players will never do a “jersey flash”, or commit selfish, Terrell Owens-like behavior, because they realize that they are a part of something greater, something more important then themselves. As one watched the football game, they could see the heart Navy displayed. Throughout the game, they would never let the bad plays get to them. When Notre Dame converted a fouth down and 16 in the game, it appeared that Navy would be crushed. After Notre Dame eventually tied the game with three minutes left to play, it appeared that all hope was lost. However, something funny happened:

Navy simply kept playing their style of football, refusing to let their misfortunes get to them. With some teams, the fact that Notre Dame had come back to tie the game, after trailing by seven points with 4 minutes remaining would have devastated them. However, Navy continued to fight. Through three overtimes, these teams battled back and forth. When it appeared that Notre Dame would win in the second OT, Navy battled back with a 32 yard field goal of their own. And, in the end, Navy deservingly ended their 43 years of futility. Remarkably, the last time that Navy defeated Notre Dame was in the days of the Kennedy administration and the days when Roger Staubach was the quarterback for Navy. As Navy celebrated, one could see the years of epic history between these two teams reflected on the field. So, as you watch the Naval Academy play, don’t merely watch to see who wins and loses. Because Navy’s accomplishments aren’t solely in their performances on the gridiron, they are a combination of heart, determination, and bravery to serve our country. author e-mail: greg.young@theablast.org

Key Players: Yari Mizouri, Bob Stevens, Jorge Zeballos

Players Outlook: “The season has gone well for us,” said Stevens. “Our offense has come alive this year and our defense has stopped a lot of people. However, we could have come out stronger in the first half of the season. If we had come out stronger, we would have had a better record.”

JV Football Head Coach: Marshall Jefferson Record: 3-2

McQueen

Key Players: Ricky Adams, August McCarthy, Nick Choung, Donnie McQueen

Player Outlook: “The season went well,” said McQueen. “We had a lot of injuries, but we have pulled through alright. We have a really solid defense, an offense that can rarely be stopped.”

Freshman Field Hockey Head Coach: Geordy Fister Record: 5-3-3

George

Key Players: Aaron George, Brenna O’Neal, Ndidi Obasi

Players Outlook: “The season was really fun,” said George. “At first, we would pass the ball just to get it away from us. But over time, the stickhandling got much better and our communication improved.”

JV Field Hockey Head Coach: Katie Stribling Record: 5-3-1

Richardson

Key Players: Madaline Irwin, Kelly Del Signore, Jenny Richardson

Players Outlook: “The season went well,” said Richardson. “We worked very well as a team, and responded well to each other. We definetly improved our passing which led to increased fast breaks.”

Freshman Volleyball Head Coach: Rick Dunetz Record: 6-6

Herring

Key Players: Grace Franjie, Diana Herring, Lady Salazar, Allison Warth

Players Outlook: “Communication off and on the court could have been much better this year,” said Herring. “We needed to call for the ball more and needed to improve on knowing our positions.

JV Volleyball Head Coach: Jason Ruppert Record: 7-7

Swiger

Key Players: Amanda Krause, Aby Diop, Ashley Swiger, Bethany Mountgomery

Players Outlook: “We did pretty badly compared to last year,” said Swiger. “We did not work well together as a team, and some people detracted from the overall quality of the team this year. Our offense was bad, and our spikes didn’t reach the net. All records taken courtesy of www.annandaleatoms.com

18 Steve Carrel Does anyone remember where Steve Carrel came from? What were his early works? Carrel seems to have leaped from NBC’s The Office, just four seasons young, to a star status that exceeds that of many lasting celebrities. While he was on The Daily Show for five years, Carrel’s real claim to fame is his lead-character role on The Office as Michael Scott. Since his debut on The Office in 2005, Carrel has starred in immensely popular films such as The 40 Year Old Virgin and Little Miss Sunshine, and shows no sign of slowing down. As The Office’s popularity skyrockets, so too will the career of this popular comedic actor. —Reporting by Gus Nielsen

New Album Releases Nov. 6 I-Empire—Angels and Airwaves American Gangstar— Jay-Z 10,000 Days—Saga Nov. 13

Saga

Taking Chances—Celine Dion The Black and White Album—The Hives The Mirror—Ja Rule As I am—Alicia Keys

Alicia Keys

Nov. 20 Brooklyn’s Don Diva—Foxy Brown (TBA)—Lenny Kravitz The American Lenny Kravitz Dream—Mike Jones Her Name is Nicole—Nicole Scherzinger Shelter from the

Nicole Scherzinger Ash—Seal

Six Organs of Admittance—System Jordin Sparks—Jordin Sparks Frank—Amy Whinehouse

New Movie Premieres Nov. 2 AMERICAN GANGSTER— Russel Crowe and Denzel Washington star as a drug kingpin and the detective who tries to bring him down MARTIAN CHILD—John Cusak stars as a single dad who adopts a child BEE MOVIE—Jerry Seinfeld wrote the script to this comedy about a bee DARFUR NOW—Don Cheadle’s documentary on the Darfur conflict Nov. 9 LIONS FOR LAMB—A film about the politics and humanity of war. FRED CLAUS— The troublesome brother (Vince Vaughn) of Santa Claus returns to the North Pole Nov. 16 BEOWULF— The epic poem about a man who must save a town becomes an animated movie MARGOT AT THE WEDDING—A family comedy springs from a sister’s wedding

ENTERTAINMENT

Nov. 7, 2007

Dan fails to portray real life The

Dean’s List Movie Review

By Jeff Dean I made a fatal mistake this past weekend. I saw a movie that scared me to death just days before Halloween. It was the worse kind of scare. I was set up, an unsuspecting victim of this film’s terror. What’s even worse is that I did not see Saw IV, I was disturbed by the romantic comedy Dan in Real Life. It was perturbing to see such an amiable film falter in its final moments. The film, which claims to be real, failed to capture and connect the emotional reality of life. It tried to be funny and cute and emotionally captivating, all at the same time. Dan in Real Life follows widower and newspaper columnist Dan Burns (Steve Carrel) as he and his three Steve Carrel and Juliette Binoche flirt in a quaint New England book store, which leads to a far from comfortable home girls visit family in New England. Dan arrives in a bitter environment at Dan Burnʼs (Carrel) annual family reunion when he learns she is his brotherʼs girlfriend. tug of a war with his two older teenage daughters. While in this struggle, he meets Marie (Juliette Binoche) at one also in Chocolat (2000) and The English Patient (1996), cannot control his own children and must all learn from of the many quaint New England buildings in the film. successfully plays the apple of any 40-year old widower’s their behavior, which throughout the film is portrayed as Dan goes home claiming to have met someone, eye. Although, she was too old to be cast realisti- silly makes your head throb. only to realize that this someone is his brother’s While you are still trying to root for this once enjoyable cally as both the younger Mitch (Dane Cook) and (Dane Cook) girlfriend. Dan in Real Dan’s love interest. film to finish well, the film refocuses on the fact that Dan Marie charms the rest of the family, but this Life The movie disappointingly tries to make is a widow, which had hardly even been mentioned in the only seems like taunting in Dan’s miserable eyes. Dane Cook an actor, and does not utilize the film at all. And two wrongs don not make a right, as just Stuck in the role of single father, potential lover, comedic energy that has made him famous. as the film had failed to set up the ending, it also failed to brother and son, Dan begins to act abnormal. Brittany Robertson, who plays Dan’s young resolve the problems. Dan must try to figure out how best to accomI would recommend watching the first three quarters teenage daughter, succeeds in playing an anmodate all these roles into one. of the film to see the warm and funny movie that you had noyingly love stricken girl. The film provides an assortment of laughs All of these performances succeeded in car- hoped for and then leave, knowing that you are better off as advertised, ranging from bitter comments from Steve rying the first three quarters of the sweet and touching ignorant by not knowing the ending. I give Dan in Real Carrel to classic family funnies. The acting in the earlier film, but could not successfully portray all of the emotional Life a disappointing C+ for failure to finish what could’ portions of the film is very good. Steve Carrel surprisingly subplots. The non-existent realism of the irony that an ad- havebeen a good film. excels in this role as a father, which is a whole new type of Dan in Real Life is rated PG-13 for innuendo. vice columnist, who likes his brother’s girlfriend, and who acting from his usual comedies. Juliette Binoche, who was

C+

Rock on with Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock New features allow players to pull off more “hammer-ons, shredding and ripping” than ever before BY OMAR MAYASSI Staff Writer Guitar Hero I and II made a huge mark on the gaming world, but with the release of Guitar Hero III the whole gaming world is flipping around with excitement. This game is not like any other because it features great songs and a new way to play a game, with a guitar. The game, including a wireless guitar, stickers and a wireless adapter, will be $100 and it came out for X-Box 360, Ps3, Ps2, and the Wii. Whats all the noise about, all the discussion? What is everyone talking about? Senior David Waiter said, “It’s Guitar Hero dude. It’s only the greatest game to ever come out for my X-Box 360, and I haven’t put it down yet.” There are many more just like Waiter who are crazy about this game, and when sophomore Jennifer Oakes was asked why everyone is so crazy she said, “people are so crazy about it because they loved Guitar Hero I and II; this game is

going to be a classic.” “All the new features, playing online, and the new battle modes pump me up. These all add to the uniqueness of the game,” said marketing teacher Kyle Grauman. When it was released on Oct. 28 people like Waiter and Oakes breathed a sigh of relief. Area stores like Best Buy, Target, and Circuit City only received 12 game bundles each. The rush was on, and soon it was a race to see who would get to the store first. “I didn’t need to wait, I reserved my copy by paying $5 at Best Buy,” said Waiter. “I was so excited when I held it in my arms, I felt so cool, and thinking of playing it made me even more excited,” Senior David Waiter concentrates on getting down the notes to the latest edition of Guitar Hero.

said Waiter. Many teens, like Waiter, more entertaining. The game includes several play this game non-stop, and different hidden characters, such will not put it down until they beat the next level, get the new- Guitar Hero as Elroy, who is supposed to be est song, or get the secret III: Legends Elvis, the king of Rock ‘n’ Roll. “I like Elroy (Elvis) because I am a characters. of Rock big fan of his songs, his hair, and What Guitar Hero the way he dresses,” said Oakes. III has done that its Elroy is just one of the few secret predecessors have not characters that Guitar Hero III is the online feature has in store for its fans. and battle mode. “Well, if The extensive set list for you’re stuck at home with nothing to, do you can play with Guitar Hero III includes Bloc Party, AFI, other people who [also] have Flyleaf, The Killers, and several other hisnothing to do,” said Grau- toric rock groups. The epic tracks make man. He said this feature the game challenging to play, but it also enhances the makes it even more fun. “Knowing that Bloc Party’s song “Heliability of the game copter” was on this game made me want to and allows it buy it even more because I love them, they to extend its epic are my favorite band,” said David Waiter. This game will be in competition with chords into new terRock Band, which puts an interesting ritory. Senior Daniel Ejigu said, “It’s twist on Guitar Hero. This game not really cool because it’s different only allows you to play notes using an from any other thing the game actually guitar, but it also gives players has had before, and this makes the chance to play bass, drums, and even multiplayer much better.” The sing. Rock Band needs four players to new battle mode allows play- play the game. It is obvious that Guitar Hero III will ers playing Guitar Hero III to experience a whole new type of go down as a classic to die-hard rippers multiplayer. Battle mode has like Waiter and Oakes, but the rest of the several features, including a chal- public will probably want to decide until lenge and different other modes, the $100 price tag comes down. which makes multiplayer much

The Aeneid does justice to Vergil’s classic Paul on Prose

him the freedom that most poets do not have: he can capture Vergil’s statements nearly word for word, or at least statement for statement in meaning, not having to conform to a specific meter or tempo and thus stretching or shortening statements, thus potentially losing original content. This is clear in nearly all books of West’s translation, but probably most overtly in the highly contested Book XII, where every nuance of description of Vergil in his depiction of the massacre of Turnus under Aeneas is freBook Review quently taken into account. West never slips in what is conveyed, and high school Latin students would love the By Paul Mathis fact that West separates the words in his phrases just as the ancient poet himself. There is no doubt that West’s own classic The new publishing of David West’s translation of the Aeneid by Penguin Classics presents a re-release of the has been packaged in an effective and very greatest translation of the epic poem since modern English readable manner. West provides a brief but translations have been in the making. West’s prose cap- poignant history of Vergil and the Aeneid, tures the force and fluidity of Vergil’s verse, coupled with though West definitely shows his bias in the issue over the true intention of the Aeneid its poetic delicacy morphed into prosaic form. Afew interesting addendums, such as West’s revamped when he states in the introduction that Vergil introduction and a detailed appendix make reading the “left instructions that the Aeneid was to be burned….it is therefore clear that Aeneid more readily understandable as well as Virgil wrote and wrote acceptably enjoyable; but most importantly, Penguin Classics is thrusting into the forefront the age-old epic that The Aeneid in praise of his patron, the ruler of Rome.” has nearly faded from modern venues, allowing West also provides in his the ancient inspection into human to live on. introduction a snapshot of each West’s translation has been inspected for book of the Aeneid, highlighting decades, ever since its official release in 1990. key events and situations, and Numerous scholars have criticized the fact that sometimes their resulting controit is in prosaic form, claiming that Vergil’s masversies in the scholarly world. Coupled with a terpiece can hardly be done justice if it is not in detailed appendix, including a complete family tree of the its native structure. However, there is no question that West’s approach Julian Race. West’s outline makes navigating the Aeneid is by far one of the most effective if not the most effective relatively easy, which appeals to the student studying the approach to interpreting the Aeneid. West’s prose allows epic, or simply the interested reader. But the most important facet of Penguin’s re-publish-

A+

ing of West’s translation is the effect that it will and should have on the reading populous. By placing the Aeneid back into the public eye, Penguin Classics and West himself are preserving, if just for another five years, interest in one of the most trenchant investigations into human nation deriving from the ancient world. Though the Aeneid sells more copies every year than the books of most novelists, one has to look only to the American high school that the epic is becoming rarer. Few academic classes, outside Latin classes or those devoted to the Classics, even approach the Aeneid (though many still gobble up the Oddyssey and the Iliad). Latin classes are on the decline nationally as well. In AHS alone, IB Latin classes went from 2 separate classes to one in the last two years, and just this year the number of Latin teachers at AHS fell from 2 to 1. The literary world, and even society as a whole, would be at a loss if it could no longer experience the fortitude of Aeneas as he surmounts the stone crag in Carthage, overlooking his distraught men, about to issue his “forsan” speech. If readers across the globe were bereft of Dido’s love-filled maelstrom occurring when Aeneas leaves her to defeat Latium, then surely we all would be bereft of something significant. Penguin Classics is obviously trying to counteract this, and is doing so in no better fashion in utilizing West’s translation. West’s Aeneid ends, “The limbs of Turnus were dissolved in cold and his life left him with a groan, fleeing in anger down to the shades.” Thankfully for him, the Aeneid, at least for now, will not follow suit.

ENTERTAINMENT Showdown: New York vs. Tila A

Nov. 7, 2007

to make Flavor Flav look boring. Even though both shows lack depth there is no denying that the colorful characters are quite comical. Despite the fact that it seems like it is New York’s tenth try at finding the perfect combination between gangster and company executive, viewers just cannot get enough of her outrageously amusing behavior. The real character to see is not even New York or Tila, it is New York’s mom, Sister Patterson. Not only does she seem New York and Sister Patterson. medicated the entire time, she also hates almost every one of New York’s suitors, which makes for great T.V. The men are forced to do crazy tasks in order to win New York’s heart, amidst the brawls about stolen flowers. The more Sister Patterson the more drama, which inevitably means more comedy. The question is which one of these divas is more fun to watch? There is no question in my mind that the answer is the infamous New York. After she debuted on Flavor of Love it was only a matter of time until she got her own show.

BY AVERY ADCOCK Entertainment Editor After VH1’s Flavor Flav and Rock Of Love, you probably were thinking there is no way for a reality show to be more ridiculous and obnoxious while being incredibly entertaining at the same time. VH1’s I Love New York 2 and MTV’s A Shot At Love with Tila Tequila both give us another reason to put down that pencil and pick up that remote. I Love New York 2 is a twisted love quest filled with crazy moms, slimy men, but only one “Midget Mac.” At first glance, A Shot At Love with Tila Tequila seems to be like any other dating reality show. However, there is a catch. Tila, a self-proclaimed bisexual, cannot decide if she likes men or women more, but she is determined to find out. At first Tila invites a host of lesbians hoping to score “a shot at love” with the model-actress. Then the obnoxious men show up also believing the mansion and Tila are all theirs. The only problem is, they do now know about each other. The first episode was filled with twists and turns with every change of scene. When Tila tells the men and women that she is bisexual the cat fights really start. Unsurprisingly, the men were not disappointed that they would be living in a houseful of lesbians. Both shows have just as much drama as any other reality show; however, both stand alone for two simple reasons: Tila and New York. For once the seeker of love is actually the character viewers are more interested in. Both Tila and New York have Midget Mac enough personality and spice

Despite the fact that Flav left her twice and she did not end up giving “Chance” a chance, Tiffany “New York” Polland cannot be touched in the eyes of reality star fanatics. Tila is a new breed of reality star but New York’s “old school” flavor leaves Tila in the dust. New York is crazy but at moments she seems like she is really looking for love. There is no doubt that you will be laughing hysterically after an episode of I Love New York. Tila does not really seem to be looking for love at all. It seems that all she is looking for is more air time. Even though Tila says that she likes both men and women the same it does not seem that is true. On the show she barely pays any attention to the guys. There are also many clues that she cares more about her modeling career than the show. The cast on A Shot At Love With Tila Tequila are all only on the show to get their five seconds of fame. The guys on I love New York 2 really all want New York as their own. It could be the diva’s personality or the undeniable attitude that draws so many viewers in, but whatever it is York is great to watch.

Horoscopes

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb.18)

The problem that is standing in your way will soon be cleared. Use this time to explore what you truly want. Bad fortune will come if you don’t try to improve yourself.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)

People are starting to see your compassionate side. Your social schedule will be packed the entire month. Make time for those who really matter to you.

Aries (March 21-April19)

You’ve been worrying about the inner thoughts of others lately. Imagine yourself in their shoes instead of criticizing.

Taurus (April 20-May18)

New Tila Taquila

Watch I Love New York 2 Mondays

You have been having a lot of fun lately but now is the time to settle down and concentrate. You will be rewarded for your studies.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Who is your favorite reality show vixen, New York or Tila Tequila?

Use your imagination to have a good time. Relax with friends or take a stroll in the park. Don’t worry about the little things.

Cancer (June 21-July 22) “I like Tila Tequila because New York can’t keep her breasts in her shirt and she wears too much makeup. I don’t think New York is serious or there would not be a second season. New York is the most annoying person on T.V.

“I like Tila Taquila more because she looks better so I would rather watch her than New York. She also has a better repuation and has a better body than New York.”

—Nick Bush senior

—Emily Shultis senior

“I like Tila Tequila more because she is one hundred times hotter than New York. She’s also not as dramatic. Tila doesn’t flaunt her purchased parts, and her eyelashes are real. She is more natural.”

“I love New York because I’m not into the whole bisexual concept. NewYork in my opinion is more down to Earth and Tila is more into the celebrity aspect. She was actually looking for love on Flavor Flav.”

—Leslie Burns junior

—Tori Deible sophomore

“I like Tila more because she is hot. I think New York is a loser and fat and ugly. She also gets around. I like that Tila is very friendly.”

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22) —Jake Barnes freshman

Saw IV fails with a dull blade Ave’s Favs Entertainment Review

By Avery Adcock The morbid torture scenes in Saw IV did not even come close to the agony I felt after sitting through the fourth installment of the horror series. Despite the fact that the plot simply entails grotesque torture scenes, at least the other movies made sense. One thing is for sure; “Jigsaw” will not be able to find his way out of this one. Instead of scaring the audience, viewers laughed at the lack of creativity and plot. The screenplay was poor and none of the torture scenes looked

the slightest bit believable. The Saw movies are the kind of films that you tell yourself not to watch but cannot help sneaking a peek. However, Saw IV would make any viewer never want to turn back again. Always premiering on Halloween weekend, the Saw movies aim to make your skin crawl as you imagine the most sinister of torture acts actually happening to you. In every movie before this one the plot was simple. People who did not seem to appreciate life were all brought to an abandoned warehouse where they had to complete a series of gruesome tasks in order to stay alive. Whether it is digging a key out of someone’s head, letting someone freeze to death, or sawing off a limb, every person must complete these tasks in order to live. In every one of the previous films people die along the way as detectives try to track down the “Jigsaw” killer. In Saw IV all the captured from the previous movies that have apparently been trapped for six months collide in the last minutes without warning. I wondered how these people had been trapped in a cold, cement, room for months. Needless to say, that is not the only part that is slightly unrealistic. Between the flashbacks and real-life murder games even the biggest Saw fanatics would be perplexed. The biggest problem with Saw IV was that the entire movie was basically about the capture and torture of the detectives fighting to stop the murders. It was a lot better of a plot when the people getting tortured were different than the people trying to track down the killer, as it was in the first three movies. Every single scene in the movie foreshadowed the next. I could basically tell you the remainder of the movie in the first five minutes. The other most recognizable problem is that “Jigsaw” is not alive in Saw IV.

Your creative juices are really flowing this month and you will soon reap the benefits. Good fortune is on its way.

You feel like you’ve been working forever. Therapy is on the way in the form of a relaxing weekend. Spend this time with great friends and listen to what they really have to say.

Virgo (Aug. 23- Sept. 22)

Your gossiping may lead to some trouble this month. Try not to spread what you truely don’t know is true or false.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

The torture scences in Saw IV really were not that impressive. The scalping and weird tortures devices did not really make any sense. Saw II premiered with $31.7 mil and Saw III with $33.6 mil. Saw IV continued the success with $32.1 mil. on Halloween weekend. The only reason that any of these movies gross any revenue is that America is obsessed with sick and twisted horror films. The previous Saw films were entertaining because there were a series of twists and turns that the audience was eager to understand. In the end the audience was always surprised, however that was not the case in the latest installment. The fact that another person Saw IV takes over “Jigsaw’s” job is really played out. Yet again another person takes over the job of the serial killer so I guess that means there will be another horiffic Saw movie to terrify millions.

“Jigsaw” is the serial killer in Saw IV.

The numbers seven and three will be your lucky numbers this month. Being spontaneous is a good thing for you this month, as it will lead to an unexpected discovery.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Your confidence will be known this month. Don’t be afraid to stand out. Your bold actions will suprise others and may even allow a special someone to take notice.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Getting a good night’s sleep will jump start your mind this month. This will give you a chance to get ahead.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

Sudoku

You have been slacking off this month but that will soon change. Complete the tasks that you need to in order to have a good time with friends.

medium

WWW.DAILYSUDOKU.COM

easy

WWW.DAILYSUDOKU.COM

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.

What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend? “I like to hang out with my friends, go to movies, and play basketball.” —Brittney Terry freshman

Fun ideas for you and your friends that...

—Daren Lopez sophomore

Many students rant and complain about the weekend activities in Annandale, or lack thereof. While more nightly happenings exist here, in this town of 55,000 than in, say, Tenney, Minnesota (population: 7), kids still feel restless with their 56 school-free hours each weekend. Judging from the heart of our city, it appears that the only activities to do in

Annandale are eat and shop at thrift stores. Therefore, students often opt to congregate in parent-free homes and enjoy the company of other kids who, too, have nothing else to do. However, exciting alternatives to the stereotypical high school haunts do exist. Instead of having to go out, gather a group of friends and do something that doesn’t confine you merely to

—Get a random girl’s signature

—Propose to an employee at McDonald’s

—Fill your car up with 50 cents worth of gas (must keep receipt) —Find a “No Dumping” sign —Use a really bad pick-up line on a friend’s sibling

—Cameron Schlarman senior

“I like to spend time with my kids and look at basketball films with my son who coaches teams.” —PhillipHarris technology teacher

Upcoming Concerts

Deborah Harry

Tues., Nov. 13 9:30 Club 10 p.m, Price: $35

—Take a picture with a person over 85 (picture must feature their I.D.)

Hawthorne Heights

Coheed and Cambria 7 p.m. Price: $28

Materials: Group of people for two teams, paper, pen, camera and car (optional) Directions: For an activity to scratch that competitive itch, gather a group of friends together to compete in a fun and friendly scavenger hunt. Before leaving on the adventure, break off into two teams (size does not matter, but the more the merrier). Establish a list ahead of time of the locations to go and tasks to complete. These should be both fun and daring. The purpose is to push people to go beyond their comfort levels at a safe level; it adds thrill and excitement as well as an opportunity to bond with people. If a camera is available, require each team to take a picture of each item on the list that they complete. This will limit the number of arguments and debates after the game is completed. If not, have witnesses sign off next to each task on the list. Cars are not required to partake in a scavenger hunt although it will open doors to new possibilities and ideas for locations and tasks. If a car is not available, setting up the game in your neighborhood or within walking distance will do the job as well.

Materials: A group of friends, board games Directions: Board games are no longer limited to just elementary kids or family nights! Gather a group of friends together, pop some popcorn and have a board game night. In order to make the night run smoothly, clear a space so you will have room to move around and lay the boards. Determine the number of guests you are going to invitie based on the amount of room you have available. Have each guest bring their favorite game so you have a variety to choose from. Play for fun or keep track of the winner of each game. At the end of the night, tally the scores and have an overall winner. Vary the types of games. Challenge each other with trivia, race through Chutes and Ladders, bargain your way through Monopoly, and grow up with Life. POPULAR CHOICES: —Trivial Pursuit —Jenga —Life —Risk —Rummikub —Scattegories —Taboo

Restaurant Guide

By Claire Bui and Caroline Merz For a festive, Caribbean-style meal, Mango Mike’s has just the right atmosphere.Apopular attraction, the upbeat eatery draws lots of people for special events like Reggae Tuesdays and Latin Nights on Thursdays, where DJs spin, and crowds of patrons gather on the dance floor. Located right off of Duke Street in Alexandria, Mango Mike’s is an ideal choice for casual get-togethers or the start of an evening on the town. Mike’s imports palm trees and tons of white sand every year to complement its flowering hibiscus bushes and flowing waterfalls on its outdoor patio. Inside, the restaurant is decorated with bright colors, wood carvings, paintings, and coral-shaped walls. A 600-gallon fish tank is filled with blue fish, orange fish, suckerfish, and miniature sharks, adding to the virtual vacation-like impression that gives customers something to watch while they eat. Owner Mike Anderson, who also founded Alexandria’s Shooter McGee’s and owns Ramparts and Simply Fish, discovered his passion for the Caribbean on a trip there in the 1970s. An avid windsurfer, he visits exotic spots such asAruba and Margarita Food: Island at least twice a year, bringing back new Service: ideas for Mango Mike’s. Decor: After a recent excursion to the Dominical out of 4 stars Republic, Anderson

Have a potluck dinner Materials: Group of friends, a house or park, food, a movie (optional) Directions: Everyone will encounter a Saturday night where there is nothing going on, there is no money to go to the movies, and eating out just seems like too much of a hassle. Bring the movies, friends, and food all home by hosting a Potluck. The word ‘Potluck’is defined as a communal meal to which people bring food to share. Potlucks are easy because they can be thrown together at the last minute. The day of, make phone calls to friends, inviting them and asking them to bring a dish or beverage to share. This will ensure enough food and it will provide guests with a variety of different flavors. As guests arrive, enjoy food and each other’s company, and later into the evening provide a movie. This will tie in all elements of a whatwould-be Saturday night out, but in the comfort of your own home, and for free.

“

Potlucks are fun because you get to enjoy the cultural diffusion of foods.

—Charades —Twister —Imagine If —Worst Case Scenario —Clue —Candyland —Sorry!

Dane Cook

Sat Nov. 24 9:30 Club 6 p.m. Price: $20

”

—MeaganHarlowe senior

Enjoy a board game night

What’s On Fri. Nov. 16 Verizon Center 7:30 p.m. Price: $30-100

Trilogy Night

—Take a picture with someone you’ve never met before

—Find three street signs that start with the letter “B”

“I like going to church and playing music.”

Host a traditional movie night!

We had a scavenger hunt for my friend’s birthday and made her find her presents.

—Survey 6 people about their favorite shampoo

—Romina Sejas junior

parties, or require you to spend money. By keeping an open mind to new activities, a fun evening will no doubt lie ahead; one that you might even be able to tell your parents about. Check out these ideas; they require minimal organization and provide great entertainment for all parties involved.

“

ideas

—Ring the bell at Fuddruckers “Seeing movies with my friends and going out to eat.”

Nov. 7, 2007

Don’t break the bank Scavenger Hunt

“Hanging out with friends, going to the mall, and watching movies.”

Sun., Nov. 25 9:30 Club

”

—TessiePaul senior decided he wants to build a hut of eucalyptus leaves and straw on the restaurant’s wooden deck. “If [the eucalyptus huts] can stand up to hurricanes, they should stand up to winter in Alexandria,” Anderson said. But décor and festiveness is where we draw the line. During our Friday night visit to Mango Mike’s, we were sourly greeted by hostesses at the front desk. The service was slow, though Mike’s is generally busy on the weekends and they seemed to be understaffed on this particular day. Delivered to us was the salmon, which was mediocre in taste. It was deep-fried, bland in flavor, and would been better had it had some kind of sauce on it. Still, the kitchen offers other choices, sending out crabmeat quesadillas, Jamaican Jerk Chicken, beefsteak fajitas, mahi-mahi, gumbo, and other exotic temptations. There’s a new $5 raw bar menu, lobster night for only $12.95 every Tuesday and fresh fish FedExed from Hawaii every Friday morning ready to be served throughout the weekend. Mike’s also offers a Steel Drum Brunch Buffet on Sundays, featuring the entertainment of Michael George from Trinidad. For $14.95 and $6.95, adults and children can enjoy omelettes, pasta, waffles, eggs and bacon, to their heart’s content. The food here is predictable, and the prices are affordable, with main courses averaging to about $9.00. For those who are health cautious, be warned. The selection lacks vegetarian options and many of the entrees are fried. If you’re hoping to dine nutritiously, Mango Mike’s is not a recommended destination. Nevertheless, it’s the only Caribbean themed restaurant in town and offers an enjoyable atmosphere. Mike’s is open Mon. – Fri. 4 p.m. to 2 a.m.; Sat. 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m.; and Sun. 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Location: 4580 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22304 (703) 370-3800

• Stars Wars • Lord of the Rings • Harry Potter • Indiana Jones • The Matrix

Sleepover Party

• Grease • Bring It On • Spice World • Sixteen Candles • 10 Things I Hate About You

Oldies But Goodies

• Gone With the Wind • The Wizard of Oz • Chitty Chitty Bang Bang • Breakfast at Tiffany’s

Guys’ Night In

• Old School • 300 • Fight Club • Dude, Where’s My Car?

CLAIRE BUI

WEEKEND

Top: Mango Mikeʼs is a caribbean inspired restaurant and bar located in Alexandria, VA. Bottom: Palm trees and sand are imported every year to decorate the venue. Inside, patrons enjoy drinks at the bar.