december 2007 issue by Sycamore High School

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the

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RS? AS ANNOUNCE INSPIRATIONS WHO ARE YOUR Saget. prefer both. Kelsey: Bob good, but I Bob Saget’s N TO? Nate: Yeah, USUALLY LISTE YOU DO C Haw! MUSI t country. YeeWHAT KIND OF ything...excep Kelsey: Ever Yee-Haw! RS? Nate: Country. BE ANNOUNCE YOU TWO TO ion, furreal. IFIES pass g QUAL T r-thu WHA cing is our inne Kelsey:Announ , truth Nate: Truth ST? FAVORITE ARTI John. WHAT IS YOUR and r, Bjorn, Kelsey: Pete ing Lips Nate: The Flam ’S BATTLE? FAV IN THIS YEAR n, mad love. d WHO’S YOUR love Gill Gree they were calle Green! Mad Kelsey: Gill used to think n because I Now I just like Gree Gill : rite disease. Nate that’s my favo Gangrene and thier music. ? BEEN IN A BAND HAVE YOU EVER of the Beatles? Yeah. Ever hear

FRIDAY December 14, 2007 Volume LVIV Issue V 7400 Cornell Road Cincinnati, Ohio 45242 513 686. 1770 ext. 3089

New on goaves.org

Senior Night Class of 2008: get ready for some fun! Senior Night at Dave and Buster’s will take place on Thursday, January 17 from 9 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. Tickets were sold this week. All students must ride the bus to Dave and Buster’s.

Winter Choral Concert The Winter Choral Concert, featuring all sorts of holiday music, took place on Thursday, December 13. If you missed out on this event, you can check out photos at goaves.org.

Last call for yearbooks This is the last call for students who want to order their 20072008 yearbooks for $60. On January 1, prices will rise to $65. The final deadline for yearbook orders is February 28. Order forms can be found at the front office or online at goaves.org.

2-3 4-6 fun&games 7 8 diversity feature 9-15 16-26 a&e sports 28-38 calendar 39 40 spotlight

inside

news opinion

OLATE~CODE 4 AWKWARD CHOCTH BANDEENS OF LE BATTRUN RUN KIDSE~GIL L GR ~ YA KU

LOVE TO ROCK? Tonight is the much-anticipated event of the year, Battle of the Bands. Be sure to check out the mini-mag included in this issue to find out more about the five student bands and details about the exciting event.

JENNIFER LEE

editor-in-chief

Course Registration

Winter Formal will occur on January 26, 2008 at the high school, starting at 9 p.m. and ending at 12 a.m. Tickets will be on sale the week of the dance for $25 each. Girls, remember that it’s your turn to ask the guys this time.

December 14

Neighboring high school under scrutiny for seizure of cell phones

First semester exam schedules are now posted on goaves.org. In addition, students may now visit the website to check for updates on school delays and cancellations due to winter weather.

Winter Formal

Issue V

Violation of students’ rights?

newsbytes

Class registration for the 20082009 school year begins online in January. Check out the course planners for information on new curriculum and courses.

TONIGHT

Vol. LVII

JACKIE PITTMAN, 12, STUDENT Council President, and Priya Patel, 12, leader of the committee of charitable causes, paint a sign to advertise Dunks For Diabetes. The event will take place during a regular varsity basketball game on January 25, 2008. Proceeds from sales will go to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

photo by alexa fogler

Dunks for Diabetes:

photo by alexa fogler

Student Council plans basketball game fundraiser for foundation ALEXA FOGLER

associate editor

tudent Council’s committee of charitable causes, led by Priya Patel, 12, is planning a charity basketball game to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) for January 25. Similar to Volleyball for the Cure, Dunks for Diabetes will take place at a regularly scheduled varsity boys basketball game with pregame and halftime events to benefit the foundation. Patel and her committee decided to organize the event for JDRF because it focuses on curing a disease that affects so many people in the school and community. “We wanted to go with a charity that would benefit people close to Sycamore, and since there are a few students at our high school with diabetes this organization was good,” said Patel. To help raise money, Student Council will sell t-shirts and wristbands in the weeks

before the event that say “max life”—the motto of the foundation. All proceeds from these sales plus $5 from every $8 game ticket will go directly to the cause. To draw in a crowd, there will be a half court shoot-out contest during halftime for a free pizza. There will also be a raffle and food from popular restaurants. Besides Dunks for Diabetes, the week of January 21 is going to be “very exciting and full of events,” said Patel. Since it is the week of Winter Formal, there is a pep rally on the day of the game. There will also be a class coin-collecting challenge to raise money for JDRF. The winning class will receive a free breakfast. “Everyone has been working so hard to make this event as successful as possible,” said Elise Gelwicks, 10, Student Council publicity manager. “We are all really excited and hope the we can really help out JDRF.”

At Mason High School, students are thinking twice before texting on their cell phones in class. Their extra precautions stem from recent investigations of several students’ cell phones for evidence of illegal activity. “People at our school are now worried that their phones will be searched if taken,” said John Kang, 10, Mason High School student. The incident occurred when several students were caught using cell phones during school hours, violating school policy. The students’ nervous reactions to their phone confiscations prompted administrators to search the content of the phones. Sure enough, they discovered evidence of illegal activity in the devices. Despite the school’s success in uncovering illegal student activity, their actions have raised quite a few eyebrows in the school, local, and national community, inciting questions regarding constitutionality and invasion of students’ rights. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) recently sent a letter to Mason Principal Dave Allen, citing complaints from students and parents. The organization warned that seizing cell phones and reading personal messages is “poor policy and unconstitutional.” The ACLU has also mentioned that legal action is not out of bounds if the school does not change its procedures. “[The school’s actions are] curtailing the students’ free speech rights by instilling fear in them that any text message they send or receive may be read by the school,” said Jeffrey Gamso, legal director for ACLU of Ohio, to The Cincinnati Post. Though their actions have provoked concerns, the district administrators feel that they are justified in investigating the contents of the students’ phones. While the school was unavailable for contact, school spokesperson Tracey Carson has claimed to various news sources that the school has the right to search cell phones to protect the safety of students, and that every

>> CELL PHONES: PAGE 3

U.S. News publishes high school rankings

Sycamore receives ‘Silver,’ ranking system questioned CASEY MANNING a&e chief

When asked to describe what makes the best high school, are college readiness and AP tests the factors that come to mind? If so, then you are in agreement with U.S. News and World Report magazine, who has just released their list of the “Top 100 High Schools in America.” Claiming to have improved upon Newsweek’s list, the new list not only considers how many students take AP tests, but also the number of students who pass these tests (though this is a very small percentage of their rating system), and the ambiguous “college-readiness” factor. By this system, Sycamore High School was not included in the Top 100. The high school instead was labeled as a “Silver Medal” school, a category in which 405 schools placed. “I don’t know that the rankings are based on, but I hope that we can achieve the top ranking in the future,” said Jordan D’Souza, 12.

The rating system does not discriminate between public and private schools. With a different funding system as well as a different student base, public and private are like apples and oranges. Also, many of the public schools on the list have admissions tests. As a public school with no admission requirements, Sycamore was at a disadvantage. With achievement scores above the state and national averages (minority students and all), the highest number of National Merit Semi-Finalists in Ohio, 72 sports teams and 48 clubs, and 42 languages spoken among our students, some question whether the ranking is accurate. “I think the rankings are interesting, but I don’t think people should blindly trust these things,” said Kimiya Kaluba, 11. “You have to attend a school, or at least consider more factors than they do to accurately pick which one’s the best.”

photos by jeremy mcdaniel

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Sam Benson, 10, sings “Superman” by Five for Fighting and accompanies himself on the piano, delighting the audience with his musical talents. Ayaka Matsui, 12, plays an electric instrument in the high school electric ensemble, See 1. Divya Indrakanti, 11, dances a contemporary Indian routine. Held on December 7, the Variety Show was a huge hit and displayed the talents of many students. Some of the popular acts included the Sycamore Boy Band, who danced to various NSync songs, the Flyerettes Dance Team, who danced to a Dreamgirls medley, Code 4, who played “Summer of ‘69,” and the a capella group MAGIC, who sang “Seasons of Love” from the musical Rent. “It was really fun to perform and see other people perform too,” said Indrakanti.

news

Lakota East play scheduled to be performed

12.14.07

Ten Little Indians causes much controversy RASHMI BORAH

diversity chief

fter over a week of tense news reports, Lakota East High School was finally cleared to put on its production of the play Ten Little Indians. The Lakota East High School News Site stated that the play, scheduled for December 13 and 14, will still occur, according to Superintendent Mike Taylor. The play will be performed under the alternative title And Then There Were None. The controversy started when NAACP activist Gary Hines filed a claim stating that this play, with the original title Ten Little N------s, had insensitive historical context. “We never told them to cancel the play; we just gave them the historical context,” said Hines to FOX News. This play, which was originally a novel by Agatha Christie, displayed a number of murders that some perceived as genocide. This interpretation has caused much concern as well. “The play’s history, we learned quickly, still has the power to offend, even now,” said Jon Weidlich, a school district spokesman, to FOX News. “There was really a lot of emotion around it, around our staff, around some students, around some people in the community.” After extensive media reports, Lakota East High School decided to make revisions and to continue with the production of the play. The students and staff are aware that continuing the play production is still rather controversial. Lakota officials decided to cancel the play after Hines and other officials agreed that the play had a “derogatory racial slur,” according to WCPO News. However, not everyone agreed with Hines about the play’s controversial content, and some felt that the complaints were unnecessary. Joan Powell of the Lakota Board of Education stated to The Cincinnati Enquirer that Hines has had a record of filing such complaints against the school, and that this was just another example. Complaints had been filed from as far back as 2002. Regardless of the controversy of these past weeks, Lakota East High School’s decision to continue the performance of the play at Lakota East High School is supported by many members of the community. According to FOX News, the superintendent thanked Hines for bringing the issue to their attention in his announcement about the restoration of the play.

image by sanya dosani

controversy concerning the racial slurs and violence of the play initially led to its cancellation. Lakota East school officials have since delcared that the play will be held on December 13 and 14 as planned. It will now be performed under the title And Then There Were None.

Changing requirements Sports instead of gym? JANE CHERNYAK staff writer

ON NOVEMBER 15, the students involved in Sycamore High School World Affairs Council (SHWAC) ventured to a Model UN held at the University of Dayton. The students participated in a mock-day in the life of the typical Model UN representative. Vicky Kim, 10, is shown here actively participating. Drafting resolutions and solving problems in groups are key fundamentals of the Model UN process. They left before first bell started, and arrived back to the high school at 4 p.m. “It was a great learning experience,” said Kim. “My favorite part of the day was lunch, although the caucuses were goodfor meeting people. I’m definitely going back next year and hope a lot of other people do, too. It’s fascinating learning how United Nations really is run.”

Fit For life, Outdoor Recreation, and Lifetime Sports are only a few of the gym classes that the high school offers. With so many options available, it is difficult to imagine the high school experience without them. However, some Cincinnati schools have decided to allow students to substitute physical education with team sports. St. Bernard-Elmwood Place and Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy are some of the first schools to offer this option. They believe that it will free up students’ schedules for additional academic classes or study halls. “I think this is a really good idea,” said Deena Schwen, 12. “So many students would be eligible and they could fit in more classes they want to take into their schedule.” Schools also hope that this option encourages students to get involved in sports and learn teamwork skills. This new substitution option can allow more classes and new opportunities for a student, but will it cost them the lifelong skills that PE teaches? A student who participates in at least two full-seasons of interscholastic athletics, marching band, or cheerleading will be excused from the half unit physical education requirement. HowStudents must then complete a half credit, or 60 hours, of study in another

area to compensate. “PE classes are kind of outdated anyway; being able to substitute sports for them would be fair with all time and energy and dedication that goes into them,” said Debra Lipson, 12. Although this sounds like a dream come true for some, others are critical. With all the obesity among children today, opponents of the new program say that obesity will increase and students will not gain the knowledge of healthy eating habits and fitness. They believe that there is no substitute for the physical education curriculum. Last year, the board of trustees for St. Ursula Academy reviewed the substitution policy, but did not pass it. They believe that with all the growing health concerns that there is a need for a PE class requirement. The high school used to have an “athletic option” program which allowed extra quartercredit hours to be eliminated if students participated in athletics. Sycamore also used to offer gym exemption with two or more seasons of a sport, but this program was cancelled in 2003. Now, the administration is considering reinstating the policy. “Playing sports takes up a lot of time,” said Anna Habib, 12. “Allowing students to get credit for them would be a really nice reward.”

news

12.14.07

CELL PHONES: SEARCHES RAISE QUESTIONS

CONT. FROM FRONT

case has exposed significant information. “In every single one of those cases... we found implications of drug use or a weapon or something else students shouldn’t be doing,” said Carson to WCPO News. The district has made clear that phones are confiscated only when used in violation of school policy and investigations conducted only when students behave suspiciously. Sycamore also maintains this policy; phones are not to be used during school hours and will be confiscated if this policy is violated. In addition, the Board Policy claims that the “right to inspect students’ school lockers or articles carried upon their persons...is inherent in the authority granted boards.” “Unless there is suspicion of criminal activity or a direct violation of the student code of conduct we should refrain from viewing phone logs,” said Principal Chris Davis. “We do not practice random searches of phones [at Sycamore] without reasonable suspicion of a greater offense.” The incident at Mason reflects the growing number of occurrences involving high school students and cell phones. As teenagers are getting more and more technologically oriented, teachers and administrators are struggling to find middle ground. “Administrators are called upon daily to interpret the law and walk a fine line between preserving students’ rights and preserving the safety of [the] school,” said Davis. “It’s a tough job.”

nvestigating declined value of U.S. dollar mpact of decrease felt at home, worldwide

JACOB KATZ staff writer

On September 20, a momentous event occurred in the world of finance: the Canadian dollar, which only five years ago was valued at just below 62 American cents, reached parity with the U.S. dollar. This occurrence not only signifies the recent growth of the Canadian economy, but also the declining value of the U.S. dollar. Traditionally, some countries have kept U.S. dollars as reserves to bolster the value of their general currency and to act as a fallback in case the general currency collapses. Now that the Euro has established itself as a stable currency, many of these countries are trading in their stashes of dollars for Euros, often in enormous quantities, causing inflation and thus depreciation. The U.S. dollar’s drop in value serves as incentive to make even more countries stock up on Euros and cash in on their dollars, thus dropping its value even more. A weaker dollar means that foreign goods and raw materials become more expensive. Take this hypothetical situation: if the exchange rate of the Japanese yen to the U.S. dollar is 100 yen to a dollar, a given car would sell for 1,000,000 yen in Japan and $10,000 in the U.S. Now, if the value of the dollar falls to the point that only 90 yen equals a dollar, then the car, which still sells for 1,000,000 yen in Japan, now sells for $11,111 in the U.S. One of the major items that will substantially rise in cost is oil. Gas costs will continue to skyrocket given the conditions. Electronic costs, many of which are made in Japan, will also escalate. Of course, a falling dollar is not necessarily a bad phenomenon. A weak dollar is appealing to tourists, whose money would go farther in the U.S., which is beneficial to those cities and regions where tourism is lucrative. A weak currency is also attractive to foreign investors, who can purchase greater shares for less money. Former President Ronald Reagan, who battled inflation while in office in the 1980s, once said that “inflation is as violent as a mugger, as frightening as an armed robber and as deadly as a hit man.” There is no simple solution to this problem. But purchasing American goods instead of foreign goods will save Americans money, and at the same time is an investment in the American economy. It is a small and simple thing to do, and after all, it is for a good cause.

image by amy gordon

photo by staff

MR. RANDY LOTHROP’S third bell Pre-Calculus class puts the finishing touches on a snowman they built after this season’s first snowfall. The snowfall on the night of December 4 stirred hopes that school would be closed the following day. However, the Central Office and maintenance staff determined that roads and sidewalks were safe enough to keep school open.

Q&A with Dr. Keith Kelly, Assistant Superintendent Administrator explains snow day decision process KORTNI SCOTT staff writer

Q. What does it take to have a snow day? A. The most important issue surrounding snow days is the safety of the students and staff. When making the

decision we consider a number of factors: the conditions of the roads, whether or not our fleet of buses can run, the weather forecast (hour to hour monitoring), parking lot readiness, school entranceway readiness, the safety of students driving to school, timing (delayed start, full day closure-related to forecast), parents’ ability to make arrangements for their children, etc.

Q. When is it determined that there is going to be a snow day? A. Timing is a critical issue and not something we can always control. A snow storm that hits at five in the morning, for example, presents a different set of problems than one that began the night before.

Q. What determines when school will be back in session? A. We keep school open if the roads are in good shape; buses can run; parking lots and sidewalks are clear; the weather has subsided to manageable conditions; and students, staff, and parents can drive safely to school.

Q. How many snow days do we actually have? A. Technically there is no such day as a snow day. The state of Ohio calls them “calamity days.” There are five

such days that can be used for problems such as snow. [Last February on the 13, 14, and 15, schools were closed because of an ice storm and power outages.]

Q. How does the automated call system really work? A. During the winter months we are on constant watch. When a storm is predicted by the National Weather

Service, the Superintendent and I talk every hour throughout the entire night. We monitor storm movements on the internet so that we have the latest information. My head maintenance person and I begin traveling the roads about 3 a.m. to check road conditions. We are in communication with road crews from the cities of Blue Ash and Montgomery as well as law enforcement throughout the night. At about 4 a.m. I talk with superintendents from other surrounding school districts to find out what they are thinking about doing (stay open or close). Our custodians and maintenance crews also begin plowing parking lots, salting and shoveling sidewalks [at] about 3 am depending on the conditions. We attempt to make the decision to stay open, delay or close no later than 5:30 a.m. (of course weather conditions determine this). Once we (team decision) make a decision, I call the TV and radio stations and the Superintendent activates the Safe School phone calling system that leaves a message at the home phones of students and staff.

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YOUR AD COULD BE HERE Contact Cheralyn Jardine at (513) 686-1770 ext. 3089 or e-mail jardinec@sycamoreschools.org.

opinion

politically

12.14.07

incorrect

Advantage: Thompson Flat tax back in limelight DAVID DANNENBERG opinion chief

The words “flat tax” have become almost synonymous with the dissimilar-sounding words “train wreck” and “joke.” Steve Forbes, perhaps the most notable proponent of the flat tax, exemplified this better than anyone else, as his lasting impact on the 1996 presidential election was almost equivalent to the impact he would have made had he not run at all for the Republican nomination. The only difference between the two was the amount of money Forbes lost by actually running (over $37 million out of his own pocket). Now, the previously not-awaited tax system has reentered the political arena, introduced this time by Republican Fred Thompson, who envisions himself as a sensible, compromising candidate with Reagan’s ideals. Recently, Thompson has proposed a voluntary flat tax to replace the current tax code. That is, one can choose to pay either the flat tax or the income tax if the proposal were to become law. The voluntary proposal is nothing short of brilliant; by making the tax an optional alternative, he has forced members of Congress to choose one of two options: either vote for the flat tax, which, at its worst, is a win-win solution, or do not vote for the flat tax and look like a tool that benefits from loopholes for the wealthy- in perhaps more ways than one. However, the resilience of the proposal in Congress is not the only advantage Thompson has. Remember that the U.S. tax code is currently over 60,000 pages long (as if you ever knew), and that all three branches of government spend countless hours reviewing the technicalities, legislation, and legalities. The massive bipartisan support for the recent FairTax proposal, which would completely overhaul the current tax system and replace it with a national sales tax consisting of a mere 120 pages of legal documentation, has indicated that America is ready for some level of change in the current tax code. While some may view the FairTax as too immediate and radical, Thompson’s plan offers a sort of compromise, enhanced immensely by the fact that the change would be optional. The flat tax proposal is not actually a flat tax in the truest sense- it has two rates (10 percent and 25 percent) instead of one. Nevertheless, this would greatly simplify tax payments for those who wish to have them simplified. For those who actually look forward to April 15, the current tax code, with all of its complexities and loopholes, would remain an option.

the

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staff editorial

n light of recent events occurring at Mason High School concerning cell phone privacy, students here are appalled and frightened by the prospect of what this could mean for our school. These acts were an infringement upon students’ rights under the first amendment, and are downright intrusive. A student’s cell phone is a student’s (or their parents’) property, and due to its nature, can contain very personal information. If administrators are allowed access to this information, what will be next? Filtering students’ emails sent from district computers? Listening in on outgoing phone calls from the building? While administrators should enforce the cell phone policy that they have instated, violating a student’s text messages is akin to searching through a backpack or locker, which is normally done only if there is adequate reasoning to suspect illegal activity. Personal problems not affecting a student at school should be left to deal with by the student and their family. Parents, being the legal guardians, are responsible for their students’ out-of-school activities—not administrators. Therefore, administrators should not act on pure suspicion as a reason to invade a student’s personal life. If our administration adopts into their cell phone policy a clause that would allow administrators to look through a student’s cell phone, it would not only dissatisfy students, but it would create a lack of trust between students and staff. It would deepen the hierarchy, discouraging the friendly relationship between faculty and students that is necessary to maintain a quality school.

discussion is not included in this definition. The Sycamore Leaf operates as an open forum for the healthy, robust exchange of ideas. Opinions expressed in the editorials are those of the Sycamore Leaf staff. Letters to the editor are encouraged. All letters must be signed. The letters, not to exceed 300 words, may be edited for clarity, spelling, and grammar. Letters may be placed in Mrs. Jardine’s mailbox, dropped off in Room 115, or e-mailed to: sycamoreleaf@gmail.com The Sycamore Leaf reserves the right to decide not to cover a death based on relevance, timeliness, and circumstances decided on by the editorial board. In cases that the editorial board decides not to cover a death, letters to the editor in regard to that death will be printed. The Sycamore Leaf’s complete editorial policies can be found at http://goaves. sycamoreschools.org

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What is your opinion on the authority of the school administrators in searching students’ confiscated phones for illegal activity?

Students should obey the student policy, but they should just get a slap on the wrist if their phone is taken... they should not be persecuted for things that are on their phone. - Alyssa Kelly, 10 I think that [the administration] should have the right to take the phone if it’s a distraction, but they should only have the right to go through the phone if there is an issue or because of a threat. - Leslie Touassi, 12 Without official authority, like the police, the administration shouldn’t be allowed to do that. - Advait Redkar, 9 Editor-in-chief: Jennifer Lee Associate editor: Alexa Fogler Managing editor: Kate Moore Business managers: Mary Ann Jiang & Gabirose Keeton

Sycamore High School 7400 Cornell Road Cincinnati, OH 45242

Mission Statement: The Sycamore Leaf, the official newspaper of Sycamore High School, serves as an educational tool in the training of student journalists to provide information and editorial leadership concerning school, national, and world issues, to provide a public forum for the exchange of ideas and viewpoints, and to give coverage to newsworthy events directly related to the diverse school population. Editorial Policy: Although students work under the guidance of a professional faculty member, the content is ultimately determined by the student staff and should reflect all areas of student interest, including topics about which there may be dissent and controversy. Students cannot publish material that is obscene, libelous, or will cause “a substantial disruption of the educational process.” Content that may stimulate heated debate or

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Maria Marballi J.D. Macejko Matthew Mendelsohn Adam Merz Emily Mondro Liz Naugher Jake Newton Frank Pan David Pyles Kavya Reddy Vanessa Roland Evan Romansky Mark Rubeo Matthew Scheer Kortini Scott Brynn Sharp Matthew Slovin Brandon Sosna Jeremy Spiegel Amy Streeter Garrett Steinbuch Michela Tindera Jack Wang Hong Liang Yu

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Photographer Jeremy McDaniel Adviser Cheralyn Jardine About us Professional memberships: •Columbia Scholastic Press Association. •Great Lakes Interscholastic Press Association. •Journalism Association of Ohio Schools. • Journalism Education Association. •National Scholastic High School Press Association. •Ohio Professional Writers (National Federation of Women Writers). •Quill & Scroll International Journalism Honorary.

opinion

12.14.07

‘Rounding third and heading for home’ Home: new, better place for Ol’ Lefthander BRANDON SOSNA

staff writer

here is no doubt in anyone’s mind that Joe Nuxhall was and will always be remembered as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, Cincinnati Reds radio broadcaster of all time. On Monday, December 4, the 2008 Ford Frick Award ballot was finalized. The award was voted on by 122,505 fans via baseballhall.org. This prestigious award is handed out annually by the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum for excellence in baseball broadcasting. Nuxie received 82,304 fan votes, the most ever by a single candidate in the five years of the online voting. Nuxhall’s destiny now lies in the hands of the Frick Committee: 14 living award winners, including 2000 winner Marty Brennaman, and six broadcast historians/columnists. The results will be announced on February 19. As great as he was at his job, what made him extraordinary was his seemingly endless generosity and will to give. There is no better way to explain this than to go by the numbers. Ten thousand former players, friends, and members of the community were expected to show up at Fairfield High School on Tuesday, November 20, to honor the legend. There was no exact count made, but the numbers can be analyzed. Five hundred people were in line for the visitation hours before the doors were to be opened. The line consistently numbered 2,000 throughout the entire day, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., until it was finally cut off. Whether he was donating money to charities, working with his fund, or helping those in need, Nuxhall always put his personal interests far behind that of others. Some people may think of athletes as heroes, favorite actors as role models, or even superheroes as idols, but Nuxie was a hero, a role model, and an idol and he will forever be remembered for it. “Joe was a larger-than-life figure, a John Wayne type of figure,” said Brennaman, Joe’s broadcast partner for three decades, in an interview. There is something about helping people that can make you happy. When you do so much for so many people, whether you always get recognized for it or not, you always have that proud feeling about you. Joe was no different. He lived his life to the fullest. “You talk about getting his money’s worth. He got his money’s worth, and got no change. I mean, no change,” said a smiling Brennaman, who has countless memories with Nuxhall. “Marty and Joe,” the iconic name for tandem that every Reds fan knows. However, for Brennaman, there was more emotion that day than there was smiling. It was the same for the thousands who showed up to remember and honor the

epic hero. The term epic hero is typically reserved for the likes of Odysseus, Achilles, and Hercules, among others. An epic hero is a figure of imposing stature, national importance, and of legendary significance. A person whose actions consist of deeds of great valor or requiring superhuman courage. Some may call comparing one man to the likes of the aforementioned heroes fanatical; however, Joe Nuxhall was more than just a man. He was of imposing stature, everybody knows him. There is no doubt he is legend, just take it from former Reds’ first baseman Sean Casey, who said the very same thing about Nuxie. His actions consisted of valor, as he was brave himself and brave for others. It takes superhuman courage to make such an impact on so many people. His national importance is greater than the naked eye can see. When one of his many societies and charities helps one person, it also helps their family and their friends. Through this, Joe has touched the hearts of millions. Growing up, going to bed in the sixth inning of a baseball game, the only thing I could do was turn on the radio and listen to Marty and Joe. There was no better feeling then to hear Marty’s voice quiver with excitement as a ball was cranked high and deep, and to hear Joe in the background yelling: “get out ball, get out!” I don’t have the memories that most people have of the lefthander. When he died, I was truly saddened. But I did not realize how spectacular a man he truly was until I listened to the sports radio shows that evening. The lines were flooded. Not with callers wanting to talk about the battle between West Virginia and the Cincinnati Bearcats, or the Ohio State Buckeyes showdown with Michigan. All the listeners wanted were to share their respects with the world. It was at that point that I realized who he really was. I thought of Nuxie as a radio broadcaster, who unfortunately I was barely able listen to in my young age. Now, I understand that being a radio broadcaster was his part time job. His full time job was helping those in need, being the man that everyone came to love. There are many reasons why everyone loves the ‘Ol Lefthander, too many at that. Everyone knew him. Everyone got along with him. No one better than Marty Brennaman himself. As for why, Marty had this to say: “I think it was because we were both left-handers.” Joe Nuxhall is forever gone, but before he went he touched the hearts of everyone. And to all who knew his name, he will never be forgotten.

Not so jolly:

‘Ho Ho Ho’ is ‘No No No’ for Australian Santas WILL JOHNSTON sports chief

I love the holidays. Between the free time available in the midst of a busy year, seeing friends and family, and the natural excitement in the air, the month of December through New Years is easily the best season in existence. No matter which of the myriad of religions that celebrate a holiday in these weeks you subscribe to, it is always a time of joy for a large number of people across the globe. However, it seems that no matter what the circumstances are these days, someone has to tarnish a celebratory event with a measure of over-censorship in order to avoid offending somebody. The latest example is this: Santas in Australia have reportedly been warned to abandon the traditional greeting of “Ho Ho Ho” in favor of “Ha Ha Ha” because the saying was feared to be offensive to women. The phrase was decided to be far too perilously similar to the slang term referring to prostitutes, in addition to the possibly scaring young children. Now, censorship can be a good thing: if someone if doing something that is seriously offensive to others, then they should have to pipe down. While freedom of speech is great, libel, slander and inciting discord is not. In this case, absolutely none of these things are applicable, and the entire situation is com-

pletely ridiculous. This is a prime example of overzealous company officials going too far to avoid offending anyone and being sued. I do not blame them for thinking this way; we do in fact live in a world where if some idiot spills coffee on themselves and there is no warning label, they can take legal action for it. But this is just going too far. “Ho Ho Ho” is a saying that has been in existence for decades and is meant to express festive cheer. The saying is symbolic of a holiday icon that is held dear by millions across the world. It is not meant in any way to be offensive to women (or anyone else for that matter), nor does it intimidate anyone in the slightest. If you believe either of these assertions are true, than I suggest you get a reality check. It is ludicrous that this is even an issue. Some things should be sacred, and this includes the holidays. However, it seems that we have reached a point where this is not the case, and it is a sad statement about the nature of our society that this is even a problem. What is next? Concerned mothers saying that Jewish children should not play with dreidels because they are similar to dice, which could lead to a gambling addiction? Believe me if this ever becomes an issue in the United States, then I will have one thing to say…: “Oh Canada! Oh Canada!…”

all photos courtesy of enquirer.com

JOE NUXHALL (JULY 30, 1928 – November 15, 2007) was the youngest player ever to appear in a modern major league game. However, he is most known for his kindness. Top to bottom: Nuxhall pitching at age 15, broadcasting with parter Marty Brennaman, and with wife Donzetta Nuxhall and memorial at the Great American Ballpark.

Which headphones fit you?

J.D. MACEJKO staff writer

EARBUDS- very practical and relatively inexpensive. Convenient for those last minute backpack scrambles. Not the best frequency response and no sound isolation (noise cancelation)

AROUND THE NECK (more commonly known as “Street” ear phones- these are perfect for working out because they do not fall off of your head. These have slightly better sound quality because they can fit larger speakers into the slightly larger package. Although not as easily stored as the ear buds, they are very portable.

FULL SIZED- these provide the best sound quality for the least amount of money. They have the most room for even bigger speakers and even better bass and sound overall. Although the best choice for true “audiophiles,” these can’t provide the portability and convenience that the smaller headphones can.

ECH ( “Ear Canal Headphones”)- take the pros of all of the headphones listed above. The ECHs form to your ear canal to seal out outside sound and create a sterile sound environment. The result is very precise sound that has full bass, midrange and treble that fits into a small size. They rarely fall out because of the snug fit. Most come with multiple ear tips for different ear sizes. These are my pick for value and quality.

all photos by j.d. macejko

opinion

12.14.07

Exams cause stress in December, January

Pro Con: Moving exam schedule to before break PRO From colleges to high schools, exams are held in varying times. The current schedule of the school places exams two weeks after winter break. Would they be better before?

RASHMI BORAH diversity chief

mmediately after seventh bell on December 21, I should be going home to begin two weeks of relaxation. Studying for my midterms should not be included in this. But alas, we all have our midterms eight days after returning to school. Instead of catching up on two quarter’s worth of missed sleep, a good portion of the high school population must use this “break” to study. Depending on the rigor of the class, some need to study for many hours. Is this what winter break was meant for? The current system, unfortunately, ensures that students may not have a real break until that last week in March. Even though consistent hard work is important for students, breaks are needed, as well. In addition, with a two-week break, most students are unable to reach teachers if they have question over materials, since a number of teachers teach part of a unit before break and then finish the unit after break. During that time period, students forget what was taught before break and teacher need to use time to review upon return,

ADAM MERZ

and then prepare for the midterm review, as well. From the perspective of the teachers, grading one hundred-something lengthy exams in the period of a few days is not an enjoyable task. Second quarter grades must be turned in almost immediately after the end of exams. Even though some exams are done through Scan-Tron, the exams involving an essay, such as English midterms, take hours to grade. If exams were before winter break, teachers would be able to grade exams prior to break, and then have two weeks to finish grading any exams left over, leaving teachers fresh to begin new material upon the start of second semester, right after winter break. I do not know about all students, but I am sure many would like to enjoy a winter break free from midterm stress. After working tremendously hard for two quarters, everyone deserves what the current system does not allow: a good, long, break.

image by melodie jeng

CON

EXAMS BEGIN ONE week after winter break. This allows students to study and review over break. However, some believe having exams before break would be less stressful for all.

ELIZABETH HOOPES staff writer

Exams are quite possibly the most stressful part of the school year. Studying everything that you have learned for the past semester is not what everyone wants to do during winter break, but the solution is not to move exams to before winter break. During the month of December, teachers have to hurry to teach the rest of the first semester’s curriculum and review for exams. If exams were moved to before winter break, teachers would then have a week less of the month to do all of these things. Less review time would also likely lead to lower exam scores, which could have a negative effect on students’ overall grades. Perhaps one of the biggest reasons why leaving exams after winter break is to give students more time to study. After winter

break, there is usually about a week before exams so, students have the option of studying for exams over break. If students do not have time or do not want to study over break, they do not have to because there is still a week left before exams. Another reason that exams should be after winter break is that winter break gives students more time to relax. The first semester can be stressful and most students need some time off to give their brain a rest before having three days of tests. With all of these things in mind, leaving exams after winter break is clearly the best choice because it makes things easier for teachers, gives students more time to study, and also gives students time to relax.

omputers place of frustration with blocked sites ensorship in school revisited

staff writer

There are many things that pester and annoy the average student during a normal day at school. These pet-peeves include everything from the distance they have to walk from class to their locker to the obnoxious rules that are in place in the library that prohibit anyone from quietly doing their homework and listening to music. However, there is one pestilence that plagues nearly every student consistently, every time they embark upon a quest to find information, photographs and other resources to help them complete scholastic endeavors in a reasonable amount of time. That horrific demon is known as censorship, and on a school computer, it usually comes with a blue header and a white background. It is known as the SurfControl. The dreaded SurfControl, a well known screen that frequently shows up when a student is attempting to scrounge for information to write essays, complete homework, or add a couple images to a PowerPoint presentation to give it that professional zing (or even a slightly less than professional zing). While it is not prudent for students to be permitted free and limitless roaming across the cyber-universe, it has become apparent that the tyrants who control this undeniable force have gone too far. Perhaps a three strike system should be in place for people who violate rules set in place. “The faculty has made a mistake by totally blocking everyone out. Until an offense has been made, that person shouldn’t be penalized,” said Adam Samuels, 11. There is a fine line between protecting students from the malicious content that can be found on the Internet, and inhibiting or restricting the learning process. This line is ultimately and forever crossed the minute any student is attempting to complete an assignment

and cannot do so in a reasonable amount of time. This can be due to the fact that the majority of the sites that possess this information are blocked because they contain information that will ultimately corrupt the student’s and institutionalization will be necessary for the majority of the rest of his or her life. “I think that censorship is a ridiculous thing to begin with. I agree certain levels of it are necessary in a school environment; however, the level that is in place is overkill. We don’t live in communist Russia,” said Ben Sirkin, 12. The Internet is an immensely powerful tool that can be useful in an infinite number of ways. The free flow between its users and the internet in order to lift the hampering effects that it has on the educational process and return it to its original state where it helps students facilitate the learning process in every manor possible rather than hampering students with the drawbacks and the nuisances that go hand in hand with using any school computer. Spoon-feeding children with restrictions up until the time they are legal adults does not do them any good. Often, conversations that take place in the backs of school buses are many times more explicative than ones that take place in some R-rated movies. Teaching children responsibility should be the goal of schools, especially when it comes to the use of the Internet. The censorship in place to protect students will NEVER be perfect; it will never completely protect students from every bad thing that is out on the Internet. Even if the school were to deem a site inappropriate, it is possible for a student to bypass the preventative measures in place, especially if the student is tries forcibly to gain access to the website. “I think that the school has the right to censor certain

things online, but if kids really want to go to a site they’ll find away to get around it,” said Ashleigh Karnell, 9. The school should stop throwing money down the drain by paying people to censor the internet, and start paying to teach students and teachers responsibility. Censoring the free and limitless use of the Internet is not a road that our society wants to go down. Censorship in itself is a form of autocracy that can become abused very easily. China is infamous for its use of censorship outside of its broad boarders. Not just involving the Internet, but print, television, pamphlets, and many other forms of communication. If a Chinese citizen were to publicize any of the true happenings that occurred at Tiananmen Square, it is very likely that in a short time his family and friends would never see nor hear from him ever again. This is not only prevalent in China, but also Algeria, Australia, Belarus, Bhutan Cuba, France, Germany, India, Iran, Israel, Malaysia, Pakistan, The Philippines, Portugal, Samoa, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, North Korea, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, The UK, and most importantly here at home in the grand old U.S. of A. While the censorship may not be as extreme as it is in China, it still infringes on free speech in many cases and defeats the whole purpose of the Internet being in existence in the first place. The saying: “Ignorance is bliss” may be true in many cases, but ignorance is also something that stupidity thrives off of. By promoting the free and unrestricted use of the Internet, we as a society are not only battling the ignorance that plagues many people, but additionally helping to defeat the tyranny that encumbers us all.

fun&games

12.14.07

J UMBLE

JILL COHEN a&e chief

Unscramble the letters, then write one in each box to form common words.

OAOCC IDETBEM CELRUTU KLAWFOESN TRSSEPNE CTEOILSS Now, take each circled letter and rearrange to answer this question:

Sudoku ROB FRIEDMAN

Fun

grid form

fun&games chief

Fill in each box so that every row, column, and box has the numbers 1-9. Make sure that there are no repeats!

If Santa Claus and Mrs. Claus had a child, what would he be called? “

”

diversity

12.14.07

Indian students form club Plan for organization approved by administration ROBERT JUNGERWIRTH

diversity chief

magine a room filled with a myriad of people, from Caucasians, African-Americans, Hispanics, and more, all learning about the Indian culture. A group of Indian students has united and decided to create an Indian Club so as to spread their ethnic customs. The administration has already approved Indian Club, and a teacher sponsor has been found. In about one week, Indian Club is planning to have its first meeting. At the first meeting, the support for the club will be gauged, board members will be set, and a structure will be solidified. It was planned that the Variety Show on Friday, December 7 would give students a view of some aspects of Indian culture in order to accumulate a large members for the following week’s meeting.

“I wanted to start Indian Club not only to add to the diversity in our school, but also to allow people to gain interest in a different culture,” said Divya Indrakanti, 11. Plans for the club’s meetings include eating traditional Indian cuisine, watching Bollywood movies, dancing in Indian styles, and listening to Indian music. “We’re planning to get food from places like my dad’s restaurant, Hi Bombay,” said Anupreet Lekhi, 11. Of course, the club is open for any student to join, not just those with an Indian background or upbringing. “It’s going to be amazing,” said Deepthi Nalluri, 11. As of now, the founders and supporters of the club anticipate to continue it next year as long as there is enough backing from the student body.

Stay tuned for an announcement of the first meeting of Indian Club. The meeting will be held within the next week.

photo by robert jungerwirth

CLUB PRESIDENT DIVYA Indrakanti, 11, and Samy Sekar, 12, talk about their plans for the club meetings. So far, the first meeting has not taken place, but they have gotten approval from the administration to start it. They have many ideas for the club incorporating music, cuisine, dance, and more.

feature

12.14.07

Avoid Cabin Fever

Cincinnati provides various winter activities

MELODIE JENG

opinion chief

emperatures are dropping quickly, yet the area of Cincinnati has much to offer. Here are some activities to try this winter:

Enjoy performances, art

With Battle of the Bands, many of the school’s bands will soon be giving various shows around town. This is also the time for annual shows such as the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, which returns to the U.S. Bank Arena on December 28. Their Christmas show fuses rock and classical music. Tickets start at $38. At the Aronoff Center, the Cincinnati Ballet continues to put on The Nutcracker, which began in 1974. The show runs from December 19-29 with tickets starting at $21.

Check out holiday lights

Do not forget the lights! Nearby in Sharon Woods, Holiday in Lights features over 100 lighted figures. It starts at 6 p.m. every day and ends at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 p.m. Friday and

Saturday. Admission is $12 per car. In addition, the widely You-Tubed Christmas Lights video featuring the previously mentioned Trans-Siberian Orchestra can be found at the Christmas in Lights exhibit in Heritage Oak Park. This year, the 15-minute display features approximately 65,000 lights alongside a video. More lighting spectaculars can be found around town.

Go skiing, boarding

For those who like to be active, or at least attempt it, take a trip to Perfect North Slopes in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. Skiing and snowboarding provide a time of bonding, exercising, and for the beginner, falling. Eight hour lift tickets are $43 and rentals are $22. The slopes also offer season passes, combination passes, and tubing. Be sure to bring snacks, wear layers, and have a parent sign the waiver.

Cheer on Cyclones

Tickets to see the Bengals live are completely sold out, so why not check out

the Cyclones? Cincinnati’s professional hockey team plays several times a week with tickets starting at low prices. The season has begun with a winning record and will continue until early April. The next home games take place tonight at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. against the Johnstown Chiefs at the U.S. Bank Arena. If hockey is not of interest, college football and basketball games are also a widely hyped-up event and good source for gifts such as team apparel.

How close are Romeo and Juliet? page 11

Visit Yellow Springs

Opening eyes to growing danger of air pollution page 13

The gift buying craze is on. Forget Clifton and visit Yellow Springs, home to Antioch College and a welcoming community. The village, approximately an hour north of Cincinnati, features many shops and restaurants, along with nature preserves and parks. The area thrives on openness to people and the shops express their individual designers. At Yellow Springs, it is guaranteed that one will find a unique gift, and more.

Why?

all images by sharon wagner

staff writer

“Because I left my math homework at home, which sucks.” Josh Goldman, 10 “Because my mother said so.” Annie Roessler, 11

“Shut up and keep swimming.” Becca Muskat, 11 “That’s just the way the cookie crumbles.” Erica Wittkugel, 11

“Ask not WHY this happened but HOW I can make it better.” Bridget Handkins, 11 “Because that’s the way uh-huh, uh-huh I like it uh-huh uh-huh.” Valerie Rozzo, 12

“Why not? That’s the answer.” Andrew Spellman, 11

“Why? is actually a REALLY good band from Oakland, CA.” Lizy LeBlond, 11

“There is no one answer.” Justin Kirschner, 10

“Don’t ask questions, just get in the car.” Tom Seiple, 11

“Because you never know what you’re gonna get.” Allie Coleman, 12

“Because the voices in my head said so.” Christina Noland, 12

“Because I want a Rice Krispie treat.” Jordan Chen, 10 “Why what?” or “Banana.” Chris Hall, 9 “Because I like to eat!!!” Joel Su, 12 “Because the true gratification of doing something resides in the action itself? Honestly... I don’t know.” Jason Kao, 12

(513) 936-FITT 9380 Montgomery Road, Suite 208 in the new Montgomery Gateway Building Historic Montgomery’s premier, private, personal training studio

offering a free, no-obligation complete training session to try us out

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Financial Planner

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Save the birds, prevent oil spills page 15

Retirement Plans Estate Plans Education Funding Life Insurance Home Mortgage

this month in feature

staff writer

HILIGHTS

LEAH BURGIN & DAPHNE HSU

feature

12.14.07

“Hair is a lot more about looking natural”

ESCHERICHIA COLI, COMMONLY known as E. coli, magnified 10,000 times, looks relatively harmless. However, E. coli can cause dieseases such as gastroenteritis or urinary tract infections. All bacteria can grow in moist, watery places, allowing them to live almost anywhere. While washing hands regularly is a good way to reduce illnesses caused by bacteria, excessive use of anti-bacterial soap could elimate the harmless germs that compete with the larger and deadlier germs. If dangerous germs have no competition, they can easily spread throughout the body, and cause illness.

This season’s tips for stylish hair BRITTANY ARGYRIOU

staff writer

Natural beauty is in for this season’s hair trends. Jazzing up your hair with things such as simple hair clips or headbands studded with rhinestones makes it look great with a simple outfit. Bold colors also bring out the locks of people with darkly colored hair and lighter pastel shades bring out the tresses of people with lighter shades of hair.

Luscious curls

For girls that crave curls, here are some pointers: when getting out of the shower, get a good amount of gel and run it through your hair. Also, while following this process and drying your hair with a hair dryer, use differentsized circular brushes to add light waves and curls. While finishing this process use different sizes of curling irons to show different lengths of curls. Then run your fingers through hair and lightly spray hair with hairspray.

Sassy straight

For others that have curly hair and strive for straight, sleek hair, run calming crèmes through your hair when getting out of the shower to prevent frizzing. “Everyone with straight hair likes

their hair curly and everyone with curly hair wants it to be straight!” said Ashton Miller, 10. For damaged hair, use hair serums and do not use a straightener every day. If one cannot live with out a straightener, try straightening it wet and using hairspray to hold the straightness in your hair. “Hair trends are putting a lot more emphasis on volume rather than the cut,” said Tamar Wiener, 11. For adding a more natural flow and definition to the length of your hair, helpful hints are to use mouse, styling gels, and hair waxes. All of these products add texture to hair and thickness to different styles. “Hair is a lot more about looking natural. The ‘tousled’ look is very popular,” said Wiener. Messy thrown-up pony tails and buns with hair clips are for a casual, every-day school kind of look. It is a look that is not too simple, but not too boring; this is because the actual messy look of loose pony tails lets strands of hair hang off in front of the face which adds more detail to hair. These tricks and simple helpful hints can help girls style their hair for this season.

Germaphobia: LIBBY HENNING

feature chief

magine what it would be like to be able to see all of the germs that usually cannot be seen by the naked eye. It would probably be a frightening experience. Mysophobia, or “germaphobia,” as it is most often referred to, is the fear of germs, known scientifically as bacteria. With the world full of disease and debilitating illnesses, some ask, are germs such an unreasonable thing to fear? With the MRSA super bug all over the media, people are wondering if taking up germaphobic habits and tendencies is really a

picture courtesy of en.wikipedia.org

Realistic caution or paranoia?

bad idea. “I have germaphobia sometimes; the staph thing scares the heck out of me,” said Michelle Johnson, 11. Whereas it is always a good idea to wash hands before eating or after using the restrooms, it is probably not good to wash them after touching anything and everything. “Probably like most people, I tend to only think about germs when I’m sick or someone else is sick, otherwise I don’t usually worry about germs too much,” said Sarah Schneider, 11. There are germs that live all

over everyone, inside and out, and without them the human race would quickly become extinct. “I don’t think I’m a germaphobe; I just don’t like germs,” said Kimiya Kaluba, 11. Humans need certain germs to survive, and exposing children to some germs can help them build immune systems protect them from some illnesses they may contract later in life. If someone is constantly on the lookout for germs and does all they can to keep them away, the one time they do get a bug could be their last.

Downtown Cincinnati Fountain Square Ice Skating lights up with winter holiday activities Festive events, lasting memories

KAVYA REDDY spotlight chief

Tired of the same old warm cookies and hot chocolate next to the fireplace? Hope to add some new traditions to the holiday season? Well, take a ride downtown to Fountain Square where many wondrous activities dominate the downtown area. Downtown Cincinnati swings into holiday mode with the Downtown Dazzle. Watch the prominent rappelling Santa that swings down the side of the 525 Vine Building to Macy’s rooftop. “I love seeing giant Christmas tree and the Santa Claus. They make my Christmas season,” said Evan Lind, 11. The wide selection of local choirs and strolling entertainers lightens the atmosphere. Every Saturday in December, choirs will perform at 6 p.m., followed by Santa at 6:30 p.m. After these events, the city will put on fireworks. Finally, story time with Mrs. Claus commences on the first floor of Macy’s. Virtually any department store will have singers belting out holiday music at various times during weekends in December. See the city in a dazzle of holiday fun and lights with free carriage rides offering a tour of

downtown. Rides run from noon to 5 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday in December. They board at Macy’s Celebration Station at Fifth and Vine streets. The Holly Jolly Downtown Trolley runs from noon to 5 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday in December. This free trolley ride boards in front of the Westin Hotel, located on East Fifth Street. The Round Town Trolley is also up and running a route connecting Fourth and Fifth streets, Vine, Central Parkways, and Sycamore during lunch hours. It can also be ridden on Fridays in December from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. “I love that the Trolley is running again because even though it seems corny and weird, it’s so much fun if you ride with your friends,” said Bianca Patel, 10. The area also consists of the some of the city’s finest dining places. Some include: Boi Na Braza, JeanRo Bistro, Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse, McCormick and Schmick’s, Universal Grille, Morton’s the Steakhouse and Palamino. “During the holiday season, I love to go down to Fountain Square and go ice skating because everything is so festive,” said Margo Rosner, 12.

Where:

Fountain Square Intersection of Fifth and Vine Streets

When:

Usually from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.; however, times are subject to change due to weather or special events.

Cost: $2 for admission, $2 for skate rental (concessions and lockers are available) For more information, including questions about private rental and groups, visit www. myfountainsquare. com/icerink

feature 12.14.07

How well do they know each other? ‘Romeo and Juliet’ thespians test their wit LEAH BURGIN staff writer

Will Kiley on Aimee Morton

X X X X

What was her first production? Romeo and Juliet Real answer: Candy Cane Lane When is her birthday? July 4, 1776 Real answer: May 24, 1990 What is her dream role? Juliet of course Real answer: Hope Cladwell from Urinetown

X X

What was his first production? Rumors Real answer: Cinderella When is his birthday? December 24, 1980 Real answer: April 9, 1991

What is her favorite Disney movie? She hates Disney. In all honesty, she can’t stand anything to do with children. Real answer: That’s the hardest question ever because I love somany! Some of my top Disney movies are Aladdin, The Little Mer maid, and Beauty and the Beast

What is his favorite vegetable? He loves vegetables! His favorite is green beans! Real answer: Corn

X X X

If she could change her name, what would it be? Herbert Real answer: I like my name so I would keep it

X X X

How many pets has she had? None. The only thing she hates more than children is animals. Real answer: Four, not counting the many fish that died after one day What was her first concert? She doesn’t attend concerts. Real answer: High School Musical, I’m such a dork Who is her favorite teacher? Mr. Whapham Real answer: Mr. Lothrop! I love circalege! It pumps me up!

0% correct

X X X X X X

What is his favorite Disney movie? The Little Mermaid Real answer: The Lion King In his opinion, which of Shakespeare’s plays is the best? Hamlet Real answer: Othello If he could change his name, what would it be? Herbert Real answer: I wouldn’t change my name, but I would add a III at the end

feature chief

staff writer

Verdier scrapes the snow and ice off of her 1990 Dodge Grand Caravan.

all images by libby henning

Q. How did you come across this automobile? A. My mom bought it when she found out she was pregnant with me, so we’ve had it forever.

Q. What problems do you have with your ride? A. It makes weird noises, the seatbelts don’t unbuckle easily, the

windows don’t roll down, there is no A/C, the heat doesn’t always warm up very fast, the horn only works 50 percent of the time so you have to hit it to make it work, the clock does not work and whenever you turn, the car tilts. Verdier lovingly or spitefully refers to her heap as a “boat”.

What was his first concert? Backstreet Boys Real answer: Elton John Who is his favorite teacher? Mrs. Carlisle Real answer: Mrs. Nimeskern

0% correct

What to do when boredom eventually strikes GABIROSE KEETON business manager

Q&A with Kerry Verdier, 11 on her 1990 Dodge Grand Caravan LIBBY HENNING SAM CLEARY

How many pets has he had? Zero, he hates animals. Real answer: 3

Snow day frenzy excites students It is that time of year again when Jack Frost stirs from his slumber and prepares to paint his pretty white picture upon the streets. Mornings suddenly turn into moments of hopeful anticipation when students wake up and run to the nearest television, anxiously waiting to see their school’s name flash across the screen. They cross their fingers and wish for the two words that ensure no school for one day: SNOW DAY! Snow days are gifts that cause much joy; however, sometimes students do not know what to do on these splendidly white days. So let this serve as a guide to ensure that the phrase “I’m bored” will never be heard again. Sleeping in is always a good option when given a snow day. Whether it be going back to bed after watching the television, or not having to wake up until 11 a.m., getting those extra hours of sleep is always a plus. After taking the morning off, there is nothing better to do than go frolic outside in the snow. Gathering friends to go sledding is always enjoyable, but Perfect North also provides skiing and tubing. These are two activities that fill a day with excitement. “When it snows, I love to go outside and make snow angels,” said Anne Fiorenza, 12. Once one has tired of the cold and is ready to call it a day, there are still some things to do. Rich hot chocolate topped with marshmallows quickly warms every extremity of the

Heap of the month

What is his dream role? Belle from Beauty and the Beast Real answer: Sweeny Todd

What is her favorite vegetable? Vegetables? Real answer: asparagus

In her opinion, which of Shakespeare’s plays is the best? She thinks they are all horrible Real answer: A Midsummer Nights Dream

body and is a good way to finish off the afternoon. Lighting a fire in the fire place and cuddling up with a good book is another simple way to take the night easy. Or one can turn on a good old Alfred Hitchcock movie and enjoy how past movie makers made horror films. “If I don’t play in the snow, I like to watch movies while drinking a nice cup of hot chocolate,” said Jenna Samuels, 11. Board games also prove to be a pleasurable way to settle down. Whether it is a single man game or a family ordeal, board games can become quite competitive. For an enticing strategy game, try the game of Monopoly. If that is not one’s cup of tea, Candyland can be more relaxing. One snow day does not mean no school forever, so do not forget to complete any homework that may be due the next day. Also, snow days can drain a lot of energy, so getting to bed early, if possible, can be very helpful for the next school day. “I don’t necessarily feel bored on snow days,” said Daniella Cos, 11, “I mean there is always that math homework you didn’t complete the night before.” The phrase “I’m bored” should be abolished from all vocabulary when a snow day rolls around, because now there is no excuse to have nothing to do. However, having nothing to do sometimes can be as much of a gift as the snow day itself.

Q. What are some mishaps that you have had with your ride? A. The most recent was last Sunday, when I came out of my

neighborhood and it started revving really loudly. It started making noises like there was a bucket stuck under the car and wouldn’t go faster than 15 mph. My dad told me it has happened several times and it’s normal.

Q. Any funny stories you would like to share? A. On a rainy day, I was driving my friend home and couldn’t see

out the windows because they were so fogged up. Even though she had a fence running along her driveway and cars parked in the street, I still managed to somehow back out. I have yet to find out why my defroster wasn’t working! Verdier adores her matching steering wheel cover and floor mats. Both of which have pink and purple hearts on them.

Q. Do you love your ride? A. My car is so difficult to drive, that if you can drive it you can drive just about anything!

Q. What do your friends think? A. “It’s always a new adventure when I get in Kerry’s car. I feel like I need a harness and duct tape,” said Jessica Walling, 11. “With every sharp turn in Kerry’s car, I can only think of my death in a firey car crash,” said Noel Ripberger, 10.

feature

12.14.07

Welcome to the SHS commons

LIKE A SALAD separated into different bowls, is the issue of racism in a community. But something is wrong with this picture. If SHS’ cafeteria were used to illustrate how a community is divided, this would be one’s guide. image by mary ann jiang

“Racism” may not always be accurate

Alternative meaning to acts of animosity MARY ANN JIANG

business manager

istinctions are a defining part of society. From the Marxist point of view, class systems are the driving force behind nearly all conflicts in history. Religious disagreements have fueled age-old battles, which Americans are now finding themselves being dragged into. In the Jungle Jim’s of high school campuses, SHS is packed with diversity that expands continuously. Yet, as in history, differences in race and culture are incontrovertibly a source of unease and separation. Moreover, they often spur isolation or racism. One can hardly find a more disturbing slur than “racist.” Between individuals, it is an easy way to place irrevocable shame on whoever is accused. The gunpowder that returns to the accuser is relief and the definitive win in a heated interaction. Because racism is most commonly institutionalized or simply developed by culture, the frequent reaction to this social acid is that walls are erected and the taboo steadily builds. An ugly shadow casts itself over many relationships and public situations. However, situations still occur when racism is asserted by a person, often a minority, and directed to cause sympathy or justify some feelings of alienation. Indeed the ‘bullied outsider’ card is often drawn to combat isolation, yet it is not always the case.

prejudice, but their intentions are entirely opposite. For example, some students are annoyed when asked the question, “Can you speak Indian?” because in addition to the eighteen official languages native to the country of India, there are 200 recognized as “mother tongues,” according to adaniel.tripod.com.

Costume quarrel

Recently, the Jackson Five, who decided to give tribute to the King of Pop and his family for Senior Halloween, were asked to remove their black-colored paint. Students questioned the necessity of this action. In fact, some were bothered by permissibility of black students with white body paint. Many do not know the unambiguous difference between painting one’s skin black and painting one’s skin white. In the past, black paint was applied to actors in order to depict them upon the stage. The false pretense that was asserted was that black slaves were glad to be in bondage; or the actor deliberately played the role of a buffoon-like character. “I wasn’t upset with the administration, I was upset that select people do not understand that it was simply a costume. The point of a costume is to be something you’re not. I feel that a school of such diversity and acceptance should recognize this,” said Kevin Steiner, 12. But can all actions that strike up racial agitation be labeled as racism? Oftentimes, the true conflict arises from a lack of awareness, and no deliberate bigotry.

Withheld thought

Instances of plain ignorance arise but are mislabeled. The majority (of race) usually takes a hit for being “racist,” but the difficulties in cooperation can stop short of racism. Its causes are debated, but it is true that ignorance breeds insensitivity and tension. For example, a student who has been a victim of prejudice in the past, especially at a young age, may interpret a comment as racism, when in fact, the comment directed at another of the same race may feel unaffected. The nature of the unwelcome comment could easily have been a lack of familiarity with connotations of the message. One’s lack of knowledge with institutions or sensitivities of a race can be perceived as

De·fined [di fin ed] (adj.):

Ignorance:

Community clean-up

If it does anything, SHS’s open diversity underscores the obvious observation that within this school is a concentration of variety, especially pertaining to race. However, in spite of the symbolic, colorful flags, racism dies hard. In order to make a dent in this issue, try to is reconsider a situation or someone’s character before making a judgment. Cooperation can come through turning inconsideration into understanding.

Student demographics

By percentages

2.2 4.0 7.6 10.6 75.0 0.6

Hispanic

Multiracial African American

Asian/Pacific Islander Caucasian Unaccounted for

Information from goaves.org

Different causes, interpretations of racial prejudice

Racism:

Fear:

Unpleasant feeling, concern of anxiety or apprehension caused by presence or anticipation of danger or something that threatens to bring about bad results

Lack of knowledge or education

Prejudice or animosity against other races

Unawareness of something, often important

Belief that people of different races have different qualities, abilities; some are inherently superior or inferior

Self-interest:

Resentment:

Pride:

Placing of one’s own needs or desires before those of others

Aggrieved feelings caused by a sense of having been badly treated

Haughty attitude shown by somebody who believes, often unjustifiably, that he or she is better than others

Frightening ideas, thoughts, or other entities

Definitions from MSN Encarta

feature

10.25.07

] G IN

N R A

A Polluted Planet

“ “ “ “ “ “ “

Thank God men cannot fly, and lay waste the sky as well as the earth.

- Henry David Thoreau

photo by google.com Location: Los Angeles, California Description: Cars move through the crowded streets of one of the world’s most polluted cities. Los Angeles is home to an immense population, a large percentage of which own cars. The pollution created from SUVs like the Ford Expedition (center) continue to destroy the ozone.

When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world. - John Muir

population SAM CLEARY staff writer

ou see that pale, blue dot? That’s us. Everything that has ever happened in all of human history has happened on that pixel... it’s our only home. And that is what is at stake, our ability to live on planet Earth, to have a future as a civilization,” said Al Gore in 2006, during a presentation of his film An Inconvenient Truth. In all honesty, the inconvenient truth here is that, only one fourth of teen students will read past this first paragraphwhich ends right now. To say that the above quotation is a flamboyant overstatement is by any means, reasonable. What it is not, however, is a lie. Pollution is not a lie. In actuality, the relevant urgency of global pollution, an idea that for many years sat laden with insignificance, is finally hitting people. These words are not meant for dismal lecture; only to counsel the few who have yet to see: something must be done.

There’s so much Breathe deep pollution continues to stand as one of pollution in the air now theAirgreatest dangers to the life of our planet. that if it weren’t for From the dawn of the industrial revolution to these early years of the twenty-first century, our lungs there’d be toxins, chemical pathogens and expended fossil fuels have tainted the atmospheric cirno place to put it all. - Robert Orben

photo by google.com Location: China Description: A small fishing shack overlooks the ruins of a freshwater river. Increased toxins within the air directly affected the aquatic ecosystem below, killing thousands of pounds of fish and vegetation. The quality of the atmosphere does not only destroy the air, but also water.

Understanding the laws of nature does not mean that we are immune to their operations. - David Gerrold

The control man has secured over nature has far outrun his control over himself.

photo by google.com Location: Northern California Description: Forest fires such as the one above, and the larger, more recently occuring ones in the western states contribute to natural, yet still detrimental, pollution. Not only do these fires destroy lives, but they destroy the environment.

- Ernest Jones

culation of the steadily deteriorating ozone. Everything from controlled experiments to forest fires greatly influences the life expectancy of Planet Earth. Naturally, a common misconception about air pollution is its inability to effect the current generation directly. Unfortunately, human naivety can only reach so far. Recent studies by the World Health Organization indicate that an average of 2.4 million people die each year as a direct result of insufficient air quality. Surpassing any other pollutant on earth is the excess burning of nonrenewable resources. In black and white, the smog over Los Angeles and the melting of the ice caps is influenced greatly by automobile dependency and the expenditure of other fossil fuels. To date, the biggest culprit of motor vehicle pollution is the SUV. According to the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency), the average miles per gallon for SUVs in America is a shocking 18 mpg. “It just wows me that anyone can be so ignorant. After looking at the mpg on any of these SUVs, I’m almost disgusted when I see all of these moms driving around in their Hummers and their Escalades with only one kid in the back seat,” said Chris Culin, 10.

...The serenity of nature - nothing is safe from the idiot marks of man’s passing.

‘A global warning’

While some refuse to recognize its looming presence, global warming is more real than ever before. Though pollution has decreased minutely in recent years, in the last century alone, the earth’s average air temperature has risen 1.33 ± .32°F. Scientists predict mean temperatures up to 11.5°F higher at the end of the 21st century. Though the numbers are miniscule in comparison to modern mathematics, the idea must be acknowledged that the world remains an equilibristic proportion that must be kept in balance. Students in Mrs. Huff’s Environmental Science classes took an online survey about resource expenditure. Most students discovered that if everyone lived like they did, Earth’s population would need an average of three planets to survive*. “If people keep on living like they do, we won’t be here for much longer,” Lindsay Fisher, 11. An accumulation of pollution in our planet’s atmosphere can be accredited primarily to what environmentalists have for years called, “The Greenhouse Effect”. The theory expresses a central idea that the pollutants expended on the earth’s surface as well as radiation and heat in the form of solar energy circulate within the atmosphere, but do not filter out through the ozone layer. The generality of the theory is that most of what comes in stays in. The existence of the greenhouse effect has led scientists to speculate that within a relatively small margin of time, (thousands of years), the planet will no longer be fit to support life.

Can it be stopped?

The most frequent question asked at the realization of the [above] facts and figures is: Can it be stopped? Truthfully, scientists do not know. The scientific community challenges, attacks, and argues over every idea proposed in the past thousand years. This one is no different. While some specialists say that the deterioration of our earths atmospheric air supply is imminent, others argue that it can be stopped or slowed. Either way, the Earth’s reliance upon human care is as vibrant as ever. The choices we make will directly affect upon the kind of world our children, or even our children’s children will grow up in. Will they be able to play in the snow? Swim in the ocean? Climb a tree? In the end, it all comes down to us.

* America’s Most Polluted Cities *according to Time Magazine

- Albert Einstein

photo by google.com

Fresno, CA

Description: Hovering in space, a satellite image captures the truth. A deep haze blankets nearly the entire eastern half of the globe, from Britain to the islands of Japan. Asia is currently home to almost every one of the cities on the “Ten Most Polluted Cities” list.

Pittsburgh, PA

Location: Somewhere over Asia

Bakersfield, CA

photo by google.com

We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive.

Los Angeles, CA

- Loudon Wainwright

feature

12.14.07

Happy Thanksg---- wait, gotta g shop!

Black Friday: crazy retail tradition ELLEAN ZHANG staff writer

ith only 11 more days until Christmas, the winter holiday shopping rampage, having “officially” begun on Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), is coming to its apex. Although Black Friday typically only accounts for 10 percent of overall holiday sales, with the Saturday before Christmas being the most profitable day of the year, it ranks among the Top Ten in terms of volume of consumer traffic. Businesses everywhere offered discounts earlier this year, recognizing a potentially tumultuous year in sales due to the ever-surging prices of gas, food, and other economic obstacles that the typical middle/lower-income shoppers are dealing with. Despite this anticipated bump in the road, many franchises saw lines up to four times longer than those of the previous year. “My parents stood around waiting outside the store from 2 a.m.-5 a.m., when they opened, solely for the purpose of getting a plasma TV that was 50 percent off,” said Annie Xie, 10. Black Friday also witnessed a surprising influx of “international shoppers” who sought to use their advantage over the weakening American dollar. According to border security, nine out of ten people driving into the United States from Canada on the morning of Black Friday were eager shoppers. The sea of consumers was enticed by cutting-edge sales and “to-die-for” discounts, as well as doorbuster prizes and other deals. But why were retailers willing to sell products for such enormously low prices? Some consider this a win-win situation because retailers were ultimately aiming to hook in eager customers, drawing them away from competing franchises. The close-out prices and deals simply acted as fly paper to attract and catch the masses.

4 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Friday ONLY! 4:00 a.m.

Crowds of early shoppers gather and wait around in lines outside, as if they were waiting to board their favorite ride at Kings Island.

Origins

Traced back to the 1970s, Black Friday was used by businessmen as a reference to the beginning of high profits being raked in, changing their bookkeeping records from losses (denoted in red pen), to profits (indicated in black pen). Hence, the business term “in the black” is used when turning in a profit. However, Michael Brim, a spokesperson for the Black Friday Ads Website, also claims a lesser-known explanation for the label as an allusion to the largest wildfire in the history of Australia, which happened exactly a year before the name became commonly used. “America adopted this day, the fourth Friday of every November, out of respect for the Australians,” said Brim. “It used to be that a portion of many stores’ profits went to help the Australian relief efforts. It has since become an American tradition.” Regardless of which explanation is more accurate, businesses prepare heavily in the weeks prior to this day with anticipation: sending out ads, scheduling workers’ shifts, restocking merchandise, etc. On top of the hustle and bustle of preparations, the consequences of not performing well puts even greater pressure on companies to score sales. For most businesses, the performance of this one day is especially crucial because it sets the pace for the rest of its holiday profits. When businesses do rake in the money, the term “Black Friday” has even become known as “Green Friday,” with no reference to tree-saving, but instead the experience of cash-collecting.

Is black the new green?

Despite the caffienated crowds of shoppers everywhere, not everyone is so stoked about the annual shopping extravaganza. “Black Friday supports consumerism and materialism, which is a key aspect in our country‘s inefficiency. We tend to use and want more than we need, which leads to the unnecessary wasting of energy,” said Samy Sekar, 12. It is true that many people who are seduced by Black Friday deals often end up buying more than they need, or even intended to buy in the first place. The whole atmosphere of Black Friday simply evokes highly impulsive instincts in shoppers, which for some, adds to the thrill of buying...and buying. Often times, consumers are likely to buy items that resembled what they were looking for—since such items are usually the ones marked down. But, after being dissatisfied, they may still find themselves later buying what they originally craved.

(FROM LEFT TO right) 1. A security guard keeps an eye out on the people while standing by boxes of free Panera bagels. 2. One woman reviews doorbuster sales while waiting outside. This way, she will be ready to tackle what she wants inside. 3. Employees standing near the door prepare themselves for the rush of consumers who are about to enter.

5:00 a.m. 8:00 a.m.

12:00 p.m.

“ “

all images by ellean zhang

(from left to right) 1. People, tired of the long wait, finally begin to enter the store happily. 2. One woman rests on a bench with her hefty load of bags, after a morning of rigorous shopping. 3. At last, after a morning of chaotic shopping, many thoroughly tired head right back to bed.

Others choose to shun Black Friday for reasons that question the whole nation’s morals and its values. “I think it’s stupid. Thanksgiving is all about being with the family and being thankful for what you already have and have been blessed with. But Black Friday fuels materialism and some who get caught up in it may lose the meaning of this holiday,” said Katie Bitzer, 10.

Buy Nothing Day

The day after Thanksgiving (yes, the same day as Black Friday in the United States, though internationally, this was November 24, 2007), is observed as Buy Nothing Day by at least 40 countries around the world. Their motto: shop less, live more. This group of environmentalists, social activists and concerned citizens realize that one day of fasting from consumption may not make much of a difference in the vast global economy. Nevertheless, they proceed to act in such a way because they aim at a different lifestyle, and the slightest effort to change means that there is hope.

Forget Macy’s. I went to the Micro Center Mall and bought enough discount computer parts to make Bill Gates envious - Paolo Gabriel, 11 I don’t like shopping. - Alejandro Celli, 12

feature

pilling devastation 12.14.07

hips carrying oil pose threat to wildlife

KIMBERLY BERNIE staff writer

il has been a necessity throughout the world for many years. Our environment has suffered deeply as a result of the seemingly neverending demand for it. As seen through the recent spill in San Francisco, California, oil spills are becoming more prominent throughout the world. As a result, wildlife suffers the often deadly consequences. “I have family who lives in California and I know that the oil spill was a devastating event for them,” said Anna Stone, 12. These spills have the capability of threatening multiple species throughout the world. image courtesy of ddluk.com

Cause of oil spills

Equipment malfunctions are known to cause many oil spills. If equipment breaks down, it is possible that a ship may get stuck on shallow land. A hole can then form in the tanker, resulting in a leak. However, a majority of spills occur because of human error. Careless actions by illegal dumpers are prominent throughout the world. They dispose of waste into the ocean only because they do not want to pay the costs of properly decomposing their waste. “Oil spills are usually avoidable, because often companies ignore significant damages to the tanker, which eventually leads to an oil spill,” said Tamir Haddad, 12. Another factor that contributes to oil spills is natural disasters. Catastrophes such as hurricanes can lead to oil tankers turning over, leading to oil leaks.

Effects on environment

There are a plethora of consequences that transpire when an oil spill occurs. Various animals’ lives are potentially threatened because of the toxicity of the substance. Birds can easily die from spills if their feathers become contaminated by the oil. Perhaps the most obvious consequence of oil spills is the threat that they pose to marine life. Spills are responsible for a large portion of killer whales becoming endangered. Their blowholes can become clogged with oil, resulting in death. “Most things that hurt the environment are at least somehow beneficial to the human race. Oil spills are a waste of an important energy source and incredibly dangerous for marine life,”said Samantha Sekar, 12. Also, organisms such as plankton and larval fish die when a spill occurs. This can potentially shatter an ecosystem because without the plankton, many other creatures die.

photo courtesy of wikipedia

TWO BIRDS AMONG many are killed becuase of an oil spill. Some die because they are poisioned by the substance. Others die because they are too dense to fly away from predators.

Prevention

Since oil spills are becoming more prominent, Congress has decided to take action. They passed the Ocean Pollution Act (OPA) in 1990. The OPA includes emergency response plans for all owners of tankers. They must have a thorough plan for what they will do in case of a spill. The law also states that it is mandatory that all ships in the United States have a double hull by 2015. If the boats spill, the owners have to pay $1,200 for every ton. The government is also responsible for helping to clean up if a spill should occur. Also, the Coast Guard must show knowledge of areas where ships can travel without risk of sinking. Despite the destruction that can result from oil spills, there are many preventive measures that can be taken. The future looks bright as society continues to learn from mistakes made, and hopefully someday we will not have to worry nearly as much about wildlife suffering from our faults.

photo courtesy of thinkquest.org

A SHIP SINKS in the ocean during a voyage. Although there are times when the captain may not be able to escape such an incident, these accidents can frequently be avoided. People have been known to make careless mistakes that have caused disastrous spills.

Timeline of major oil spills 1989- Prince William Sound, Alaska: Tanker Exxon Valdez hit an undersea reef. This resulted in more than 10 million gallons of oil spilled, being the worst oil spill in U.S. history. 2000- Mississippi River, South of New Orleans: Oil tanker lost power and ran aground leaving 567,000 of oil behind. 2005- New Orleans, LA: Due to Hurricane Katrina it was estimated that around seven million gallons of oil spilled into the ocean. Sources that contributed were: pipelines, storage tanks, and industrial plants. 2006- Ilyich, Russia: A Russian freighter sank near the Black Sea due to a storm. It was estimated that around 30,000 birds died. It is possible that as many as 10 others ships sank leaving behind around 1.3 million gallons of oil.

photo courtesy greenpeace.org

A WORKER TENDS to an oiled bird. Many people volunteer their time after a spill occurs in order to help save animals. However, cleaning the animals can be tedious, and many end up dying.

2007- San Francisco, CA: A South Korean cargo ship hit a tower that helps to support the San Francisco Bay Bridge. 58,000 gallons of oil spilled, making it the worst oil spill in more than 10 years.

a&e

12.14.07

arts and entertainment

popular CULTURE Tim & Johnny:

Following infamous duo through years of film

New a cappella ensemble gives back to community

MAGIC M EMILY MONDRO staff writer

AGIC, a new community a cappella group, was introduced this year by Michaela Mondro, 12 and Danielle Culin, 12. This There was never a better pair small choir of nine members is a continuain the history of cult classics than tion of an old a cappella group, Madrigal, Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. The next installment of their dark, which was a student-directed ensemble at the school in past years. twisted, often creepy, but always hopeful films is coming to theaters But when Madrigal was going to be directed by the choir teachers, Mondro and Culin decided to form MAGIC on December 24. (Madrigal A cappella Group Is Continued). Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber “Since Madrigal had been student run in the past we of Fleet Street adds an unexpected wanted to keep it that way,” said Culin. element to the silly-macabre Many members from last year’s Madrigal and some nature. new members auditioned to form the ensemble. This In honor of this highly year’s members are Mondro (director); Culin (director); anticipated release, it is only fitting that a timeline of the works Abby Evans, 11; Bear Wilfong, 12; Frank Bakes, 12; Noa of this duo is offered so that others Belillti, 11; Lauren Kley, 11; Josh Goldman, 10; and Zack Steele, 10. may be awed by their genius. “MAGIC choir is a very fun way to be involved with the Edward Scissorhands community. I love rehearsing and spending time with the (1992) members,” said Mondro. This movie was the original So far the ensemble has performed the National Ancollision of Burton and Depp, them at several school and community sporting events beginning their long-lasting this year, the school variety show, and the Holiday Jubilee friendship. concert at the Freedom Center this past Saturday. Edward paints the perfect picture MAGIC will also be caroling around the community of the flaws of the ideal suburbia to raise money for Toys for Tots. They will be singing at and the well-intentioned, but Harper’s Point Kroger and Montgomery Starbuck’s on ultimately hurtful reality of December 15, 18, 20, 21, and 22. human nature. Edward, played by The ensemble rehearses twice a week at the members’ Depp, tends to creep out the faint houses. They have currently been working on holiday of heart, but is revealed to be a songs. truly innocent and lovable loner. MAGIC plans to continue the group in years to come. Ed Wood (1994) New members will be auditioning in the summer to fill Ed Wood is often overlooked. the spots of four graduating seniors. Anyone interested What few seem to know is that it should look for information in the summer. is actually based on a real person: “We think this is a new activity that students will be Edward D. Wood, Jr., known as very interested in the future,” said Culin. the worst director of all time. Wood, played by Depp, is an unsuccessful, nearly broke writer/ director who cross-dresses in his spare time and leads a rocky relationship with his actress girlfriend, the lead in all of his tasteless 50s sci-fi movies. Still, Ed remains optimistic and lands a decent break when he befriends the then-unemployed horror star Bela Lugosi.

SHARON WAGNER feature chief

ROCK BAND

New era dawns for music simulation games (page 23)

CROWD CONTROL

Stay safe while enjoying local concerts (page 21) WRITE

S GUIL D STRIK ES images

picture by jeremy mcdaniel

Performing in a choral concert, Michaela Mondro, 12 showcases her singing skills. In response to Madrigal no longer being student-run, she helped start MAGIC, a new a cappella group. They sing at both school and community events.

Corpse Bride (2005)

Combining the animation style of Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas with a romantic tale of love, sacrifice, a Puritan-like life and a Vegas-like afterlife, this is a cute, memorable story. Depp is the voice of Victor, a soft-spoken guy in love with a living girl who finds himself in an engagement with a dead one. Beyond the story, the breathtaking stop-animation creates a magical effect between the detail of CGI and touchable reality of clay models. Pick any two opposing worlds; this film will include both.

by jill c

SEEING DOUBLE

ohen

Why the Hollywood strike is hurting TV lineups (page 18)

Cincinnati hotspots:

Hyde Park Square Upscale shopping, cheap dining DAPHNE HSU

Sleepy Hollow (1999)

Appealing to the dark romantic in all of us, Sleepy Hollow is a new take on the classic ghost story of the headless horseman with more than a hint of black humor. The conflict involves the timeless collision of myth and science, portrayed mostly in Depp’s character. He arrives in the colonial town of Sleepy Hollow to investigate three decapitations and gets caught up in a romance along the way. Anyone can guess where the plot might lead, but twists and turns create a chilling, atmospheric murder mystery/love story that is anything but predictable.

look ahead: this month in a&e

staff writer

pictures courtesy wexarts.org

William Wegman’s ART is often easily recognized by his portrayal of dogs in human situations. His latest exhibit is making its final stop in Columbus. “Funney/Strange” is free and will be open until December 30.

‘Funney/Strange’ artistic legend: William Wegman NOA BELILLTI staff writer

“It’s funny and it’s strange!” said Mr. Peter Griga, photography teacher. With live bands, trendy stores, diverse restaurants, and a whole lot of flavor, High Street on the Ohio State Campus in Columbus always has much to offer visitors. This month it includes “Funney/Strange,” a new exhibit by artist William Wegman. His work is very distinctive: it often features Weimaraner dogs costumed as humans. “I never really look at what’s going on in Columbus, but William Wegman’s exhibit was very cool. My favorite was the gallery of his collages,” said Courtland Love, 11. Anyone who watched Sesame Street may remember his work from their childhood, when William Wegman and his big Weimaraner dogs entertained little children by playing dress-up and singing the alphabet. “I remember him! I loved Sesame Street when I was little; I watched it all the time. Those grey dogs were my favorite part!” said Daniella Cos, 11. From now until December 30, his worldrenowned work, which dates from the 1960s to the present, is on display at the Wexner

Center in Columbus. This is the tour’s last stop. The event is free. “We are thrilled to present an artist of Wegman’s multifarious creative genius and we see this exhibition as a major cultural opportunity for Columbus and the region,” said Sherri Geldin, Wexner Center Director, to The Columbus Dispatch. Wegman has toured across the world, appearing on Saturday Night Live, Nickelodeon, and at countless film and art festivals. He has mastered many different medias and captivated diverse audiences. “Although known for his witty and deliciously deadpan photographs of Weimaraners in a manner of wacky guise, Wegman has also created an impressive body and equally clever and innovative work in video, painting, collage, and more. We believe that visitors of all ages and backgrounds will find this exhibition to be a delight,” said Geldin. Whether students are going up to Columbus on a whim or to check out the country’s largest campus, their visit would be enriched by a visit to High Street and Wegman’s “Funney/Strange” exhibit.

Mark Twain is believed to have said, “When the end of the world comes, I want to be in Cincinnati because it's always twenty years behind the times.” Although many Cincinnatians mare share this sentiment, it does not apply to Hyde Park Square. Located between Erie Avenue and Edwards Road, the Square is two blocks of old apartment buildings and independently-owned shops and restaurants. The peaceful landscape is dotted with towering trees, and the old-fashioned houses on the edge of the Square evoke a feeling of an early twentieth-century small town. Kilgour Fountain, donated in 1900, stands as the centerpiece. The landscaping may induce a nostalgic feel, but the present comes rushing back as soon as visitors enter the shops. Hyde Park Square is one of the premiere shopping areas in Cincinnati, and for good reason. Small boutiques are filled with the latest in women’s fashion. Specialty shops boast a wide array of local art and seasonal handmade crafts, like hand strung jewelry and knitted scarves. Notable stores include Alligator Purse, a boutique featuring American and European clothing and accessories, whose owners travel to New York and Los Angeles to handpick merchandise; Originalities, which sells the handiwork of over 100 local artists; and Poême, a retail store specializing in stationery, handmade paper, and other gift

>> HOTSPOTS: PAGE 17

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WENJUN ZHANG

As weather cools down,

Orchestra heats up JOE MACHERET, 11 PERFORMS at the Senior Spotlight concert. This year’s winter concert, held on Wednesday, featured “Rock My Bach” as the finale piece. A new feature was the choreographing of that piece, which wowed the crowd.

image by casey manning

HOTSPOTS: HYDE PARK CONT. FROM PAGE 16

items. But visitors, be warned: although the Square may be a great place to go for holiday shopping, the prices for the gifts do not come cheap. Many of the clothing stores carry upscale apparel and brand names. Art, authentic jewelry, and handmade goods automatically come with a big price tag. The same cannot be said about the prices in the motley collection of restaurants in the Square, including Teller’s, a bank-turned-restaurant serving international cuisine to a young professional crowd, and The Echo, whose menu specializes in home cooking and offers breakfast all day. Whatever the restaurant, diners can expect moderate prices and a wide variety of food. For dessert after lunch or dinner, Graeter’s Ice Cream is just down the road on Erie Avenue and is open until 10:45 p.m. Other than shops and eateries, local farmers congregate in Hyde Park Square every Sunday from June to October to sell their produce in a Farmers’ Market. A local art show, one of the largest in the Tri-State, is also held every October in the square. Twain may have been right in many regards about Cincinnati, but with modern shops and community events, Hyde Park Square is undeniably up-to-date.

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No Country For Old Men

SAM CLEARY staff writer

No Country for Old Men blew me away. It blew critics away. Modern society feeds upon certain aspects of entertainment, especially when it comes to movies. The everyday individual is entertained by relentless violence, provocative cursing, and further elements that feed the mind’s desire to witness the grotesque ultimatums of our darkest nightmares. In reality, however, these factors simply tear the purpose of thoughtful galvanization from the definition of a “film.” Very scarcely does a movie arise that stimulates both aspects of mental pleasure: racy entertainment and piquing of intellect. No Country for Old Men does just that. “…A rare instance of great American filmmakers taking on a great American book and winning,” said critic Gary Thompson of the Philadelphia Daily News. No Country, directed by Oscar-Winning brothers Joel and Ethan Coen, (Fargo, The Big Lebowski, O Brother Where Art Thou) follows a simple yet brilliant American tale based directly off the novel by Cormac McCarthy, acclaimed author and recent winner of the 2007 Pulitzer Prize. The story follows the likes of Anton Chigurh, (Javier Bardem) a sinister psychopath who indulges himself in a life of reckless killing. It sounds like a typical

Hollywood crowd-pleaser, but the film proves itself to be anything but. “When my friend convinced me to go to this movie I expected nothing compared to what my eyes witnessed in that theater. I think the movie is definitely Oscar-worthy”, said Chris Culin, 10. In an incident of rare and befuddling proportions, the lowly outdoorsman, Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin), finds a bundle of money when he stumbles across a drug deal gone wrong in the Texan desert. It is not his cash, and now there is hell to pay. Chigurh is out for blood, called upon to track down a resourceful Moss and retrieve the lost money. Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones), the local sheriff, attempts to find Chigurh before the madman gets to his prey. “Minutes fly by, leaving behind some unsettling notions about the bloody, absurd intransigence of fate and the noble futility of human efforts to master it,” said A.O. Scott of the New York Times. Cormac McCarthy teams with the Coen brothers to beautifully sculpt an microcosm of the American dream, man’s will to live and the corrupting seduction of wealth. No Country for Old Men is a mesmerizing mosaic of character development that portrays the harsh, sometimes violent struggle between good and the imminent presence of evil. images by casey manning

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nspiration: this theme is what drives and defines the winter orchestra concert. This concert is unique in that it brings all the orchestras from grades 5-12 and displays their progress and hard work in one culminating concert. Beginner musicians get firsthand exposure to the high school orchestra and a chance to work with “the big kids.” “I really love winter orchestra concerts because I get a chance to interact with these awesome fifth and sixth graders and they’re so cute,” said Lizzy Wei, 12. “We get to help them tune their instruments.” The fifth graders led off the performance, playing “Twinkle, Twinkle,” “Jingle Bells,” and “Ode to Joy.” Sixth graders performed “Canon in D.” “Our 5th and 6th graders are really talented and have much potential,” said Mr. David Smarelli, orchestra director. “They did really well at the concert.” The junior high continued with “Build Me Up Buttercup,” “Hornpipe,” “Cheerful Earful,” and “Highbridge Way.” The high school orchestra finished with “The Monte Csardas,” “The Nanes Symphony,” and “Nocturne.” “We played pretty well,” said Bill Pan, 12. “This was my last winter concert, so I’ll really miss it.” The finale piece was “Rock My Bach,” and it featured the Sycamore Electric Ensemble, who took center stage with their electric violins, violas, and cellos. This is the crowning piece that brings together all nine grades. Everybody who is in orchestra plays this piece. “We stand in the aisles and play,” said Pan. “We even had choreography this year. It was cool.” This finale demonstrates the overall message of orchestra: no matter what the age, skill level, or instrument, everyone can cherish music and play it with vigor. Orchestra helps students add music into their lives and enjoy an essential element of life. “I love music,” said Wei. “I wouldn’t know what to do without it.”

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Hollywood screenplay writers and their supporters protest outside of Hollywood studios. The writers argue that they deserve a share in the profits derived from internet sales of their shows and movies.

The length of the strike has not been determined, as the two sides are still unable to complete a deal. This will have a huge affect on TV and movie schedules for students.

Hollywood strike disrupts students’ schedule

TV, movie cancellations create uncertainty JEREMY SPIEGEL

staff writer

t is 9 p.m. on a weeknight. A student has finished his homework. Now, he is ready to watch his favorite show. However, when he turns on the television, he discovers that it is only a rerun. In fact, all of the shows on TV are showing reruns. Sounds like a horror movie, right? No. Actually, this situation will soon be faced by many students every night. On November 5, all Hollywood movie and TV show writers went on strike. Although it will take a while to notice any differences, they will eventually start to show in the TV and movie schedules. The screenplay writers demand a share of the profits every time a movie or episode is downloaded off the internet. Although that may not seem like much money, the writers are convinced that the internet will prove profitable, and they want to earn their share of the money. “It’s a shame that the writers, who are more important than the producers, don’t get enough respect or money from their shows and movies,” said Christina Jolley, 11.

TV reruns fill airwaves

At first, all TV shows will appear to be fine. However, by the end of the year, the most popular TV shows will run out of already scripted episodes, and they will have to resort to showing reruns. Many shows have already been hit hard. For example, The Office had to cancel its season because star Steve

Carell refused to show up to the set to support the writers. Others will simply wait and finish showing all of their completed episodes before showing reruns. “When The Office was cancelled, I was really disappointed,” said Kevin Sheff, 11. Mid-season shows, like the popular 24, will not start until they are sure that they can get through a season uninterrupted. For 24, this means that its January start time will be pushed back indefinitely. “I couldn’t believe it when I heard that 24 was pushed back. It is my favorite show, and I was looking forward to season 7 in January. Now, I’m going to have to wait longer,” said John Stucker, 11. Most of the networks will try to salvage the strike by showing reality shows. Many new reality shows are being created, while existing ones such as American Idol and Survivor will continue to run. “It’s going to be more boring without all the TV shows showing new episodes, but at least there’s still reality TV to keep me interested,” said Gus Klofta, 11.

Future looks dismal for movies

For movies, the outlook looks even more bleak. All movies currently in production will be released as scheduled. However, no writers are working on scripts, which means that there will be very few movies released in a few years. Movies in the writing stages will most likely be delayed a year, and will not come out until 2010.

Writing a movie script, especially for a high-budget film, takes no less than a year and a half. Writers refused to rush the scripts for new movies, meaning that the projects are on hold until the strike is resolved. Eagerly awaited sequels, such as Transformers 2 and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, have been pushed back due to the striking writers. For these movies, and many others, the entire movie production is uncertain. “I had been looking forward to seeing Transformers 2 since the first one came out, but I guess I’m going to have to wait,” said Jordan Evans, 9. Although the two sides have recently talked to the media for the first time, they both insist that they are no closer to agreeing to a deal. The writers are still looking to make a more profitable investment from internet and DVD sales, something studios are hesitant about. For now, it looks as if this strike will continue for a while, and the near future of the entertainment industry is uncertain. “I think it’s extremely selfish of the writers and producers to rob us, the fans, of our favorite shows and movies to make a little more money,” said Klofta. For the time being, it looks as if students will have to learn to adjust to this change in their TV schedules and movie choices.

Timeline of Hollywood Strike July 16: Formal negotiations begin between the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Alliance Of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).

October 25: The WGA dismisses the newest proposal from the AMPTP, claiming it is “a minor adjustment to major rollbacks.”

October 19: WGA members agree to call a strike if necessary once their contract expires at the end of October.

November 2: WGA leaders call for a strike to begin midnight on November 5, unless the two sides can agree to a deal.

October 31: Two hours before the contract expires, the two sides break off talks of an extension.

November 5: At midnight, the strike begins. WGA members begin picketing in New York and Los Angeles.

November 4: The two sides meet for the final time before the strike is scheduled to begin. After 12 hours, the sides stop talking.

November 26: The two sides meet for the first time since the strike began, providing hope for the future.

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lternatives for those interested in cartoons JAKE NEWTON

staff writer

omputer animation is one of the amazing technological advances children and adults alike can enjoy. Not only does it provide entertainment, it also provokes the question: “How did they do that?” The following previews are from only a portion of the movies during 2007.

Meet the Robinsons

Lewis, an orphan, imagines finding a family. He is a brilliant child who invents gadgets that always, in some way, go wrong. His quest for family takes a wild turn when a random stranger named Wilbur Robinson takes him into the world of the future where anything and everything is possible. In the future he meets the Robinsons, a quirky family eventually taking him further in his quest for family. “I loved this movie. It was a little confusing at first, but it had a great ending,” said Laura Birkhead, 9.

Shrek the Third

After Shrek and Princess Fiona’s wedding, Shrek is faced with the reality of being next in line for the throne. Unless Shrek can find a suitable replacement to be King of Far Far Away, this green ogre could be stuck with the job. The most promising candidate is Fiona’s cousin Artie, an underachieving Medieval High School student, who proves to be more of a challenge than even fathomed. “I thought it was a good comedy. I liked how they brought Shrek’s kids to the series. The ideas and things that happen in the movie are really clever,” said Ruthie Myers, 9.

“

Ratatouille

Remy dreams of becoming a great chef despite the fact that his family

disapproves and the obvious: he is a rat. Remy goes to the city of Paris and finds himself living beneath a restaurant made famous by a culinary legend. Remy forms a friendship with a dish boy, which leads to the discovery of Remy’s phenomenal talent at cooking. A deal is made which sets in motion a chain of events that will turn the culinary world upside down. “Ratatouille was a great movie. It was funny, and I thought it was one of the better animated movies that have come out in a while,” said John Stucker, 11.

Bee Movie

Barry B. Benson, fresh out of college, rebels against the “norm,” honey-making. He then ventures out of the hive and into the real world. When a woman by the name of Vanessa saves him from near death he thanks her, breaking the one cardinal rule of the bee world: no talking to humans. To his dismay, he finds humans are eating the bee’s honey products and have been doing this for centuries. Vanessa and Barry team up to sue the human race for stealing from bees. “It sounds interesting; talking bees are something you don’t experience in everyday life. I’m going to wait until it comes out on DVD, and I’ll rent it,” said Sarah Moore, 10.

Beowulf

This animated adaptation of an Old English epic is about a young warrior named Beowulf. Beowulf travels to a neighboring kingdom to defeat the horrid monster Grendel. Due to the death of her son, Beowulf must face Grendel’s ruthless mother who is out to get Beowulf. “Beowulf seems like it would be awesome because it is full of action and it has Angelina Jolie in it,” said Bryan Summerlin, 10.

I am Ripper. Tearer. Slasher. Gouger. I am the teeth in the darkness, the talons in the night. Mine is strength and lust and power! I am Beowulf!

TINY IS A dinosaur from Meet the Robinsons. This movie is the 46 Walt Disney picture. Tiny, although not so tiny, is the family pet in this film.

all images by jake newton

-Beowulf

Timeline of animated movies during 2007 This year has brought a wide variety of animated movies and genres. The humorous tone was seen in movies like Meet the Robinsons, Surf’s Up, and Shrek the Third. This year also brought a new genre: action animation. The action genre of animation is shown in Beowulf, a movie adapted from an Old English heroic epic poem.

Date Released: March 23, 2007

Date Released: May 18, 2007

Date Released: June 29, 2007

Date Released: July 27, 2007

Date Released: November 2, 2007

Date Released: November 16, 2007

Total amount made:

$321 million

$205.9 million

$183 million

$93.8 million

$58.7 million

$97.8 million

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THEN NOW

all images courtesy of google.com

ABOVE LEFT TO right are Nintendo’s Super Nintendo and Nintendo’s Wii. Super Nintendo was released in 1991 and was very popular. Now Nintendo’s most recent release, the Wii, is even more popular with a wide selection of games to choose from and much more capabilities that go along with the system.

Changes to game consoles DAVID PYLES

Old vs. new Unrealistic to life-like

staff writer

he first video game dates back to 1970 when the first coin operated arcade game, Computer Science, was released. Ever since the drastic changes in technology many companies have out-done themselves every year with creative consoles and the games to go along with them. In the past 15 years video games have evolved into amazing worlds of fictional characters, realistic sports games, and many others. The amount of graphics and skills to make them has grown to a point where the objects in the games look almost life like. “Game consoles have gone from a classical enjoyment to an arms race,” said Jake Soled, 10. Now let us take a long into the past, present, and future of three of the most dominant video game system empires of all time. Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft.

Nintendo

Nintendo’s business dates back to 1889, when it was a playing card company, but really took off in 1989 when they released the legendary Game Boy. With a LCD screen, black and white game play and great sound, many people went through great measures to buy their own. Over 100 million devices were sold, as it was said to be one of the best creations in years. In 1991 Super Nintendo was introduced. It

came out with better graphics, gameplay, and stereo sound, however it did not sell as many copies as Game Boy. With disappointing sales Nintendo had to come up with something that would revolutionize video games. Nintendo 64, released in 1996, topped the sales of Game Boy and reached a peak with graphics. The legendary 3D feature was used to the best of its abilities and became an instant legend. Some popular games included Super Mario Bros., Mario Kart, and Super Smash Bros. as well as many others. Five years pasted when Nintendo struck again with another game system called the Nintendo GameCube. It was known for the eight-centimeter optical discs instead of the original game cartridges. November 2006 the Nintendo Wii came out. The Wii utilizes what is known as a “sensor bar” which detects motion and orientation. This wireless remote is capable of playing almost anything with the motion of your hands..

Sony

In December 1994, Sony released the PlayStation and had a record sale of over 100 million consoles sold. It was known for one of the first entertainment systems that used CDs to operate the system. In 1999 Sony came out with PlayStation’s successor, the PlayStation 2. It had even greater graphics and came manufactured with its own DVD drive so

people could watch movies with it. “PlayStation 2 is a very unique system: you can watch movies, listen to music, and play games on it ,” said Kyle Templeman, 10. November 2006, PlayStation 3 came out with its own hard drive built in and graphics to the highest quality. Up to seven controllers connect to the console through Bluetooth and have tilt-sensing capabilities. This revolutionized games systems in the sense of upgrading all aspects of interaction in video games.

Microsoft

Microsoft released their first home entertainment system in November 2001 called Xbox. With its legendary Xbox Live that came with it, Xbox became one of the most wanted systems in the world. It was the first system ever to manufacture the hard drive straight into the console to save parts of games and music. It is more like a computer but is considered a console. A big part of its success was the Halo franchise that sold millions of copies. Four years later in November 2005, Microsoft came with the Xbox 360. The wireless controllers, HD-DVD players, and 20GB of memory made it popular as it still today serves as a powerful system with hundreds of games. “Xbox 360 has awesome graphics and I play it all of the time,” said Brian Koesters, 11.

1989

Sony: PlayStation

1994

1991

Nintendo: Super Nintendo

Sony: PlayStation 2

1999

1996

Nintendo: Nintendo 64

Nintendo: GameCube

2001

Microsoft: Xbox

2001

2005

Sony: PlayStation 3

Microsoft: Xbox 360

- Andy Crusham, 11

I have a Wii and it is very fun to play with all of my friends. - DJ Donnellon, 11

I used to play PlaySation 2 all the time until I got a Xbox 360. - Sam Pyles, 9

I like the music feature for the Xbox 360 so I can listen to it while I play. - Zac Zielinski, 10

BELOW ARE TWO of Microsoft’s only game consoles to be released. The Xbox was released first in 2001. Four years after the Xbox came out, the Xbox 360 was released which was smaller and capable of holding more memory.

Years Consoles Released Nintendo: Game Boy

“ ““ “

I am amazed how rapidly growing video games consoles are revolutionizing modern American life.

2006

Nintendo: Nintendo Wii

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CONCERT H SURVIVAL

SHARON WAGNER

Create memories, not injuries

staff writer

onestly, there is nothing quite like the thrill of being pushed, stepped on, fallen on, and finally being shoved into the front row—five feet away from the greatest band ever—and hearing that song that always makes your day played by its creators at full blast. No iPod, music video, or stateof-the-art surround sound system can deliver that rush. A rock concert is an essential adventure for all fans, and if one has not already had a taste of this addictive past time, then safety concerns should not hold anyone

back from participating. The easiest way to stay safe at a concert is to go with a trusted companion. The buddy system is always reliable. Make sure everyone who does not have a cell phone is with someone who does, and exchange numbers beforehand in case of separation. One of the most important parts about enjoying a concert is not letting the scene be intimidating. The crowd at a concert will vary greatly according to the venue, the day of the week, and especially the type of music. Do not be surprised to find an older, more experienced crowd in small

The Mad Hatter

620 Scott St. Covington, KY 41011 www.madhatterclub.com info@madhatterclub.com Phone: 859-291-2233

Schedule

Rob Zombie

Saturday,12/15, 8p.m.

Killswitch Engage Saturday, 1/12, 7:30p.m.

As I Lay Dying (pictured) Wednesday, 1/30, 7p.m.

Tesla Sunday, 3/2, 8p.m.

Conveniently located in the middle of Covington’s nightlife and in close proximity to Newport on the Levee, The Mad Hatter is the place to go for

small, intimate rock concerts in northern Kentucky. It often hosts local events, as well as a wide variety of national acts, ranging from huge tours such as

Fat Tour 2008, featuring NOFX and No Use For a Name, to more obscure performers, who tend to become big after their first stop... Coincidence or not?

Bogarts

One of the most popular venues for rock bands coming through the tri-state area, it has been thriving since, well, forever. It gets its charm from the small size and having bathrooms located

underneath the stage. Since the smoking ban went into effect, it has become a favorite for a new range of people. However, parking can be expensive and

difficult to find. Also keep in mind that it is not in the best part of town, so take safety precautions. There is also a bar area and optional seating in the back.

clubs and a lot of ten-year-olds with their moms at arenas. When attending a new venue, make sure to talk to someone who has been there or at least look it up online. Know about seating arrangements, and remember that they do not just apply to arenas; some places will have chairs available in the back on a second level. It is also helpful to know what kind of refreshments a venue offers, or if there is a bar there—a crowd is more likely to get out of hand when alcohol is available. The same applies to smoking policies for venues outside of Cincinnati.

Schedule

Acacia Strain

Wednesday, 12/16, 6:30 p.m.

Echoes of Eternity Sunday, 1/13, 7p.m.

Tiger Army (pictured, right) Saturday, 2/2, 8p.m.

NOFX (pictured, left) Thrusday, 3/6, p.m.

2621 Vine Street Cincinnati, OH 45219 www.bogarts.com bogarts@livenation.com Charge by phone: 513-562-4949 Day of show info: 513-872-8801 all all images images by by sharon sharon wagner wagner

Schedule

Fall Brawl Round 1

Out of Exile, Seconds Fall, The Garden, Downtown Drive, Me Versus Us Saturday, 12/15, doors TBA

Punk the Halls Tour

Stellar Kart (pictured, left), Eleventyseven (pictured, right) Sunday, 12/22, doors TBA

The Underground 1140 Smiley Avenue Cincinnati, OH 45240 www.theug.com info@theug.com Phone: 513-825-8200

The Underground is the safest place for any concert in the area, aside from the unlikely risk of falling over the balcony on the second floor of seat-

ing. With a teen-youth-grouphang-out feel, the venue holds many Christian events, though anyone can enjoy a non-denominational show held there.

Expect to see fellow students on stage! Refreshments are available and vistors must show their high school ID or have special permission to gain entry.

feature

12.14.07

Bands of America competitions offer marching band experiences of lifetime Band competes in Youngstown, St. Louis BOAs

AMY STREETER staff writer

photo by jeremy mcdaniel

Harrison Steinbuch, 12 is a member of the award-winning marching band. This year they competed in many contests such as the OMEA and BOA. At these various competitions, the band received many prestigious awards.

s with any organization that has to perform in the fall, there is a summer camp that helps students prepare. For the marching band, the camp happens two weeks before school starts. This year members of the band had to learn 94 spots on the field called sets. With temperatures reaching from 95 to 100 degrees the band managed to get all 94 sets of the show memorized and on the field before August 23. This year, though, everyone but the freshman had something on their minds: making finals at Bands of America (BOA). Last year was the first time in history the marching band made finals at a BOA competition, which was held in Youngstown, Ohio. The work in the hot sun is necessary to qualify for a successful season. Band members did not get to perform because of bad weather. This year, high hopes were set because members knew they could make it in the top ten. The marching band would perform at Youngstown and again qualify for finals only this time members would be able to perform. The band placed third out of ten. After the performance the ten bands that made finals lined up and headed out to the field together. Here, the scores and placement are announced. The band came in tenth but members were happy to just have the experience they were denied last year. After all scores and placements, announced bands are told to break ranks and talk with other band members from different bands. This was the first time for the marching band, while other bands were used to making finals, so to them it was not as big of a deal.

“We were the first timers standing on that field with nine other bands. [It] was a great experience. Now it is something the band will always talk about,” said Travis Sayre, 11. This season, the band also participated in a new competition called BOA Super Regional which would be held in St. Louis, Missouri. On October 19 the band left at 5 p.m. to go on a six-hour drive to St. Louis. When they arrived at the hotel it was midnight. Members had to get up around 5 a.m. on Saturday because performance time was 8:15 a.m. The morning was cold and the sun was just coming up when the band arrived at St. Louis’s Edward Jones Dome. Everyone was still a little sleepy, but the adrenaline was slowly kicking in. Again, the band was doing something it had never done before and members knew that in order to do well, they needed to get focused. Considering that a 1:30 performance had to be at the Ready Line at 8:15 a.m., members did the best show they could do for such an early hour. After the show, the band headed over to a park underneath the Arch, or Gateway to the West. Here other bands were also present and soon games of frisbee and football began as one band was against another as if they were best friends. After a while the band headed back to watch other bands perform and wait for awards. Though the band did not do so well, the experience was what really mattered to many of the members. “Both shows were all right but most importantly I had a lot of fun,” said Charlie Mannion, 11. Making finals and traveling to St. Louis is part of the rewarding and all-consuming experience of playing with the marching band.

How the marching band is scored Awards OMEA (Ohio Music Education Association)

Competes in class AA the largest class Seven judges have 300 points to work with total Each band gets rated on performance rating one being superior to five being poor Awards can be given for music, marching/maneuvering, general effect, percussion, auxiliary, grand champion (band with the most points)

BOA (Bands of America)

Competes in class AAA the largest class 30 bands compete only 10 make finals and perform in the evening 7 judges each have 20 points to work with a total of 100 points

MSBA (Mid State Band Association)

Competes in open class Five judges each have 20 points to work with Two separate judges judge percussion and guard performance

Kings (Mid States)- pre-lims: Best General Effect, visual, music and first place in class

Roger Bacon (Mid State)- pre-lims: first over all Finals: second place, best percussion, and best music

Tipp City (OMEA)- Reserved grand Champions, best general effect and a superior rating

Youngstown (BOA)- pre-lims: 8th place with a score of 76.4. The band went on to finals and got to perform.

Mason (Mid State)- best music, best percussion, Grand Champions! OMEA State- recieved a superior rating (1 rating)

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Guitar Hero in eclipse MATT SCHEER

staff writer

Rock Band seizes spotlight

ver the past few years, video games have taken a significant turn into the world of music. With the release of Guitar Hero by Red Octane, gamers have been introduced to the world of music simulation through their favorite gaming platform. On November 20th, a new standard in the world of musicallybased video games was set, and it was set high. Harmonix Music Systems and MTV Games released the 2007 videogame phenomenon, Rock Band. The functionality of Rock Band will be similar to that of Guitar Hero or Dance Dance Revolution, in that the user will be required to complete a command as a symbol or object passes through a certain point on the screen. Games with this type of game-play are dime-a-dozen these days with the many versions of Dance Dance Revolution, and guitar hero, Takio Drum Master, and many others. This chain of monotony has been broken with the release of Rock Band, and the world of music video games will never be the same. Rock Band utilizes all the instruments in a modern-day band, all in one game. The game includes a drum set, a guitar which can be used for both guitar and bass guitar parts, and a microphone. It is an entire band all in one game. The game is rated T for Teen for lyrics, and is available on XBOX 360, Playstation 3, and on December 11th, 2007, it was released for Playstation 2. The game is available in either special edition, or just the software for each system. The special edition of Rock Band includes all of the instruments and the software to play the game. The software comes alone, therefore the instruments will have to be purchased separately. The Rock Band tour bus is currently traveling across the nation and stopping in select cities to have the Rock Band bands perform songs on the game for an audience using the game equipment. The bands are not famous, but are small-name amateur bands. The idea of an amateur bands performing songs using a video game on a strage seems like it would be absurd and the attendance would be less than desired, but the tour has actually been going very well. They have an enormus stock of the hard-to-find game, drawing in a large crowd, and once the crowd is there, they stay to enjoy the non-traditional concert experience for free.

all images by matt scheer

ROCK BAND CAN be purchased with only the software without the instruments. Ths makes it easier in the fact that it is priced much lower than the special edition at $59.99 and it allows someone to have the game on theirsystem of choice, and borrow their friends instruments to play that game.

ALONG WITH THE tracks list above on the newly released Rock Band game, Harmonix plans to release songs on its website that can be downloaded for the game through the USB port on XBOX 360 and Playstation 3. The tracks will be released in sets of 3 each week and a batch of 27 songs is expected to be released by the end of 2007. The bands that will be featured in the first batch of songs include Metallica, Black Sabbath, The Police, Queens of the Stone Age, and many more.

Shred the Strings The guitar in Rock Band is modeled after the legendary Fender Stratocaster. In Guitar Hero, the player was limited to 5 colored buttons at the end of the fret board. In Rock Band, the user will be allowed to utilize 5 buttons at the end of the fret board, and 5 more buttons at the other end of the fret board, to be used for tapping, a guitar technique that does not require strumming the strings. The buttons are not colored, but are underlined by a color to help the user coordinate the button in the game. The guitar also includes a five-way FX switch, letting the user switch between normal, wah-wah, flange, chorus, and echo effects. The guitar is also used for the bass guitar parts in the game, and it available in wired or wireless.

THE SPECIAL EDITION of Rockband features all of the instruments required to get the full experience of this new music-gaming phenomenon. The game is becoming very hard to find with the upcoming holiday season. It is priced at $169.99, a miniscule price to pay for the greatest gaming experience of 2007.

Hit the Skins The drum set is made up of four circular pads, built to take a beating. They are color-coded around the edges and are built to be played with real drumsticks (included in package). The bass drum pedal is build also like an authentic bass drum pedal. It is weighted to resemble the resistance of a real bass drum pedal, giving the user the most genuine experience of being a drummer in a rock band. The drum set all includes a joypad with buttons and a directional pad for easy navigation through menus. Bass Drum Pedal

Drum Pads

CHANT THE LYRICS The microphone is styled, and weighted just like a real microphone. The microphone recognizes voice and rates the user in real time by pitch, rhythm, and phoneme detection. The microphone can also be used for tambourine and cowbell notes when tapped against the userâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hand or body. A microphone stand is also available for those who wish to play an instrument at the same time.

Authentic Microphone Weight

a&e

12.14.07

Personal pronoun

ting handwriting: slant, baseline Upward baseline slant- optimism, feeling of being loved, excitement, joy

Moderate right slant (example to left)- ability to express opinions, extroverted, confident, affectionate

When doing a handwriting analysis, the personal pronoun â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;? is the most important indication of personality because it is the only letter that refers to the writer himself.

Extreme right slant- impulsive, very expressive, low frustration tolerance Downward baseline slant- pessimism, fatigue, discouragement, possibly ill

Moderate left slant- reflective, self-contained, very picky, difficulty in expressing emotion

Arched slant- the writer initiates projects but may not always follow through with them

Extreme left slant (example to left)- possibly defensive, fear of future and rejection

han wri ing

Straight line- mature, clear and concise, aware of own value

Plain, printed- likes simple things, straightforward, can signify intelligence

Bowed stroke- takes the easy way out, is passive

show talkativeness and sensitivity Tall and narrow- idealistic, dignified (if stem retraced)

Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are read for work ethic, ambition, and goals High vs. low bar- the higher your bar, the higher your goals; high bar is long-range planner, low is obedient and self-doubting

Full loop- sensitive, misinterpret others actions as attacking

Long vs. short bar- long bars indicate enthusiasm; short means desire for control or underachiever

Open oval- talks about self

Left vs. right cross- left crossers are procrastinators; right crossers are fast thinkers, perhaps irritatable, and impulsive Upward vs. downward slanted bar- up slant means optimism, down slanters can be neagtive and determined

Short stem- humble, independent worker

Lower loop- tenacity

Emphasis in upper zoneconceptual, imaginative, sees self as beyond the ordinary

No upper loop- forms own opinions

Mr. Bill Ignatz, Chemistry teacher

Emphasis in lower zoneconcerned with material goods or has lots of energy

For more information: Instant Handwriting Analysis by Ruth Gardner Handwriting Analysis: Putting it to Work for You by Andrea McNichol

Star T- sense of responsibility

Middle stroke does not reach bar- unconcerned with image

Indicates sense of humor

Brain Writing by Irene B. Levitt Handwriting Analysis by Karen Kristin Amend

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12.14.07

Unfinished humpdishonest

Rounded- analytic thinker, gentle, works with hands

Left hook- repression

Bottom loops- worries about others

Closed at top- closed, maybe secretive Knotted on rightnot totally honest with others

Extra loop- accident prone, under mental strain

Pointy- quick-tempered, critical fault finder

Open at top- talkative, honest

Other factors effect

N’s and M’s are read for responsibility and communication

Covered- you sell yourself short or overestimate yourself

O’s and A’s can explain honesty

H w to a al ze SANYA DOSANI & ALEXA FOGLER

news chief

associate editor

rom self-confidence to bad taste, handwriting can reveal a lot about an individual. It reflects feelings and thoughts that may otherwise go unnoticed. Some dedicate their whole lives to analyzing personality from a sample of handwriting while others find it an interesting hobby. “My friend told me about handwriting analysis and I just thought, whatever,” said Mrs. Beth LeBlanc, English teacher. “But I started to look at my students’ handwriting and found that it really matched what I had been reading.” But analyzing handwriting, also known as graphology, is not just a hobby. Companies hire professional graphologists to learn more about potential employees. Some traits they look for are firm, sudden endings, which indicate decisiveness; no letter slant, which signifies sensibility; and little space between words, which

How it works

shows leadership. In the May 3, 1985 edition of The Wall Street Journal the president of a Paris bank said, “even if I think a person will be good, I won’t take him if our graphologist advises against it.” He also said that at least 80 percent of France’s major companies use graphology in hiring. Not just for professional uses, handwriting analysis gives LeBlanc more insight into her students’ lives. “Once I had a boy whose dad died suddenly of a heart attack,” said LeBlanc. “He was a kid who never talked about feelings, but his handwriting started to show signs of depression and I was able to talk to him and set him up with a counselor.” Though graphology does have its practical uses, it is not an exact science. “I don’t look at it like x plus y equals z,” said LeBlanc. “You can’t say that just because a student writes a certain way that a student is a certain way, but it is a good tool.”

To analyze someone’s handwriting, just ask them to write “This is a sample of the way I normally write. I would like to know what my handwriting tells about me” on unlined white paper. We asked two well-known teachers to provide us with samples of their handwriting to put this technique to the test.

D’s

Y’s and G’s indicate attitude toward basic drives and money Open loop- unfulfilled about money and relationships

Arc- irresponsible with relationships and possessions

Small loop- selective of friends

Large loop- friendly, imaginitive, physically active

“Greek”- fluid thinker, good at English

Straight- independent, determined, can be stubborn

Mrs. Chris Allen, English teacher

Pointy tops- works with mind, bright thinker

Broad loop- direct, outspoken, willing to communicate

Angular beginning stroke- analytical Middle stroke does not reach bar- unconcerned with image

First stroke highercurious, critical

a&e

12.14.07

Personal pronoun

ting handwriting: slant, baseline Upward baseline slant- optimism, feeling of being loved, excitement, joy

Moderate right slant (example to left)- ability to express opinions, extroverted, confident, affectionate

When doing a handwriting analysis, the personal pronoun â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;? is the most important indication of personality because it is the only letter that refers to the writer himself.

Extreme right slant- impulsive, very expressive, low frustration tolerance Downward baseline slant- pessimism, fatigue, discouragement, possibly ill

Moderate left slant- reflective, self-contained, very picky, difficulty in expressing emotion

Arched slant- the writer initiates projects but may not always follow through with them

Extreme left slant (example to left)- possibly defensive, fear of future and rejection

han wri ing

Straight line- mature, clear and concise, aware of own value

Plain, printed- likes simple things, straightforward, can signify intelligence

Bowed stroke- takes the easy way out, is passive

show talkativeness and sensitivity Tall and narrow- idealistic, dignified (if stem retraced)

Tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are read for work ethic, ambition, and goals High vs. low bar- the higher your bar, the higher your goals; high bar is long-range planner, low is obedient and self-doubting

Full loop- sensitive, misinterpret others actions as attacking

Long vs. short bar- long bars indicate enthusiasm; short means desire for control or underachiever

Open oval- talks about self

Short stem- humble, independent worker

Lower loop- tenacity

Emphasis in upper zoneconceptual, imaginative, sees self as beyond the ordinary

No upper loop- forms own opinions

Mr. Bill Ignatz, Chemistry teacher

Emphasis in lower zoneconcerned with material goods or has lots of energy

For more information: Instant Handwriting Analysis by Ruth Gardner Handwriting Analysis: Putting it to Work for You by Andrea McNichol

Star T- sense of responsibility

Middle stroke does not reach bar- unconcerned with image

Indicates sense of humor

Brain Writing by Irene B. Levitt Handwriting Analysis by Karen Kristin Amend

a&e

12.14.07

iPod IPOD AND ZUNE goes head to head just as any other products between Apple Inc and Microsoft. Both companies already transformed and upgraded their mp3 with new features and design. Expectations are high as to what the companies will come up next.

Apple

Microsoft

iPod, Zune battle it out

JACK WANG

staff writer

“

usic is life - a saying proclaimed by billions of people worldwide. It is literally true. Nowadays, with the incorporation of new technologies, people can enjoy all of their favorite songs anytime, anywhere.

iPod packs tunes up

I own a 30Gig iPod Classic and I love it. It’s so smooth and is practically my baby. - Alyssa Martin, 12

New iPod Classic

• Screen: 2.6” (diagonal) • Size: 2.4” x 4.1” (w x h) • Storage: Up to 20,000

songs, or 25,000 pictures, or 100 hours of video • Battery: Music - 30 hours Video - 5 hours • Support games • Extras: calender, clock • Language: supports 21

In the past six years, the iPod, created and marketed by Apple, has been dominating the field of portable media players. It was launched in October 2001 and became an instant hit. As of now, 119 million units have been sold. Arrival of the iPods transformed the way people access music. iPods store up to 160GB of music and other digital data, so they are able to pack 40,000 songs in the pocket at once. The extra baggage of CDs is never needed again. Not everyone is tech savvy with the idea of how many songs an iPod can hold, but its clean-cut, suave design is what captures many customers’ heart. “They are cute and very colorful,” said Hannah Belfeld, 9. All of the models include a rectangular body, with the exception of the screenless iPod shuffle. On the top of that, a circular touch sensor wheel is used for navigation. “It’s easy to use, the screen of it just makes it easier,” said Jeremy Duck, 9. Since the iPod’s launch, Apple has renewed and improved the original prototype and expanded it into five other models. They consist of iPod classic, mini, nano, shuffle, and touch, giving customers options that suit their taste. However, as close as iPods come to being perfect, they are still flawed. Multiple shortcomings included frozen screens and spontaneously short battery life. “They break and malfunction a lot. For example, the screen on my iPod freezes up all the time,” said Ali Kahn, 11.

Even though iPods have weaknesses, people are seen with white plugs in their ears across the globe.

Time to get in the ‘Zune’

Five years after Apple launched iPod, Microsoft decided to develop its own digital audio player, and to take it up a notch. The Zune plays music, pictures, videos, and receives FM radio. One might ask, “Well, isn’t it just a wannabe iPod made by Microsoft?” Not exactly. Zune has its own special features that make its users stand out from all the “podheads.” What really gives an edge to Zune is that Wi-Fi is built in, enabling it to wirelessly share songs with other Zune users. Plus, new Zune firmware enables the device to sync with computers directly. “First off, I like the graphics of Zune. And it also has a bigger view screen than the iPod, not to mention it has radio,” said Michael Evers, 12. The music players come in four colors (black, green, pink, and red). The old 30 GB model resembles an iPod, but the new Zunes have replaced the circular navigation pads with touch screens. Even with its ability to transfer songs with other Zunes wirelessly, it has its limitations. For example, the songs transmitted are only allowed to play for three days and three times. Hopefully, Microsoft will remove the limitation in the near future. Since its launch in December 2006, the sales ranked into mediocrity and even plummeted in February but started to rise dramatically in May. With the new Zunes released in November, iPods are in for another challenge. “I own an iPod, but it seems like everyone is in on the big craze. I’m over it, I’d like to try something new,” said Becca Tsevat, 12. Whatever the case may be, everyone can agree that music devices have come a long way since the first portable cassette players.

“

iPods are alright. Zune is much more attractive to me. I think I’ve found the one.

- David Chen, 11

New Zune 80GB

• Screen: 3.2”(diagonal) • Size: 2.4” x 4.25” (w x h) • Storage: Up to 20,000

songs, or 25,000 pictures, or 250 hours of video • Battery: Music - 30 hours Video - 4 hours • Built in FM Radio • Wireless transfer and sync • Language: supports 3

advertisement 12.14.07

sports

28 Question of the Month

12.14.07

Nadia Khan

Who will win the BCS National Championship: #1 OSU or #2 LSU?

Will Johnston

As scared as I am that Ohio State will get shown up by another SEC team in the national title game, I have to put my faith in the Buckeyes to pull this one out. Yes, the SEC was the toughest conference this season, but the Buckeyes did all they could, and it wasn’t their fault that the Big Ten was so bad. But with the man in the sweater vest on your side, anything is possible.

Ben Estes

OSU. It’s simple: the Buckeyes get in trouble when opposing teams spread out the field and have a very mobile quarterback. LSU, however, runs a more traditional offense and Flynn/Perrilloux are good, but are not Tebow/Williams. Playing against a conventional offense, OSU dominates. It will be a close game, but the Buckeyes will make enough plays on offense to get revenge.

Boys basketball team downs Mason in overtime JARED KAMRASS

Begins conference play with good prospects

sports editor

o kick off conference play, the boys basketball team welcomed the Mason Comets to their home gym as part of the iWireless Channel 9 Tour. The Aviators, led by third year coach Mr. Stan Kaniecki, tried to take advantage of the home court advantage. “We just have to do what we do, go out and play as well as we can, and not let the other team in the game,” said Stephen Raithel, 11. With a raucous home crowd behind them, they jumped out early in a low scoring affair and took an 11-6 lead after the first quarter. A close second quarter saw the Comets draw PREPARING TO BEGIN a game is the varsity hockey team. They have started the season well, with only two losses to powerhouses Moeller and Talawanda. They look to continue their success.

coming up in sports.

Take a look at what is

*stats as of December 6, 2007

New coach, new fan base for varsity hockey opinion chief

all photos by jeremy mcdaniel

on deck

Rob Friedman

Sycamore managed to prevent Mason from retaking the lead but when the final horn sounded, the two teams found themselves deadlocked at a 36-36 tie. In overtime, Steve Hull, 11 dominated as the team outscored Mason 13-3. Hull led all scorers and finished with 16 points in his 23 minutes. Brett Simek, 11 contributed ten points and eight rebounds in 30 minutes of playing time. DeAnte Johnson, 12 chipped in ten as well. The Aviators will take on rival Princeton tonight at 7:30 p.m.

Team looks to continue explosive start

Ohio State will win. Jim Tressel took last year personally and will not let it happen again. The team will be locked in and take on an “us against the world” mentallity. Over 50 days of preparation will help the Bucks. LSU is good but the Buckeyes match up well with them. It will be a hard-nosed fight, but the Buckeyes will prevail, 28-24.

There is no doubt that in such a strange season, where six #2 ranked teams lost, the BCS national championship game will be an interesting one. With Les Miles announcing that he will stay at LSU and with Glenn Dorsey returning to the defense, this team is set to edgeout another championship. It will be a close game, but I think the Tigers will edge-out a victory.

closer as they scored ten in the frame, but the Aviators held them off and took a 19-16 lead into the locker room at the half. “I had an adrenaline rush as they seemed to control the first half,” said Sam Pyles, 9. Mason came out on a tear to start the third quarter and thoroughly dominated the varsity team in every facet as the team could only muster a measly one point in the quarter to Mason’s ten. With all the momentum on their side, the Comets were nursing a 26-20 lead as the fourth quarter began. The Aviators came out motivated as the final quarter began and regained the lead.

DAVID DANNENBERG

Jared Kamrass

I see LSU winning. No, it won’t be a blowout like last year; Jim Tressel and co. won’t let that happen again. It won’t be because of the supposed huge speed advantage the SEC has over the Big 10 either. The Tigers will prevail because with a finally healthy defense, they will shut down the Buckeyes, and will make enough plays on offense to pull out a victory in what should be a great game.

THE VARSITY BOYS basketball team huddles before their game against the Mason Comets. They needed all the energy they could get to beat the Comets in overtime. The momentous victory came at a great time after the team had lost to Elder on opening night.

As students saw an enormous improvement in the varsity football team last year, they are now witnessing a similar occurance with the hockey team this year. No longer will the student body be satisfied with an even (.500) win percentage, a goal that has barely eluded the collective grasp of the hockey team season after season. As of December 6, the team is 8-2-1, with close losses only to powerhouses Moeller and Talawanda. With new coach Greg Ashton at the helm, the team is looking better than ever. Ashton emphasizes the type of discipline and detail that one would envision being limited to intensive training camps and professional seminars. “He brings a lot of experience to the program and has a plan for success,” said Captain Danny Dukart, 12. The team has also benefited greatly from the addition of Assistant Captain Nick Hegyesi, 12, who brings years of experience from playing on AAA teams. “We made some serious acquisitions in the off-season, gaining five players with a lot of experience, plus the new head coach,” said Andy Graves, 12. The five new players are Hegyesi, Scott Owen, 9, Drew Tappan, 11,

Check out page 29 to see how the girls basketball teams have done and what they hope to achieve.

>>29

Sam Wocks, 10, and Jeff Wolkoff, 9. Coach Ashton is known for being defensively minded; he has said that the key to beating the northern Ohio teams is to maintain a good defense. However, the best defense is a good offense, as evidenced by the fact that the Aves scored a chart-topping 70 goals in their first eight games. However, the team’s defensive talent is often just as effective as their offense, with Assistant Captain Dan Ashton, 10, one of the smartest players in the league, leading the defense. By keeping the puck on their opponent’s side of the ice, the Aves maintain constant pressure on their opponent, relentlessly grinding them down until the clock runs out. By using this strategy, it looks as if the Aves will continue their explosive start throughout the rest of the season, and could certainly have a very successful postseason. The Aves’ home games are held at Sports Plus, which graciously upgraded them to a larger arena with more seating at the beginning of the new season. “The hockey team is amazing,” said Arjan Hura, 12. “Everyone should come watch the games.”

Roll ahead to page 33 to see how the boys and girls bowling teams have begun their seasons.

>>33

“If you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying.” Check out page 34 to find out about how cheating is tarnishing sports.

>>34

29 sports Losses hit varsity team hard Full 12.14.07

Opponents continue to outperform

Court

KATE MOORE

managing editor

Give me the NCAA any day

he basketball season has been a rough one for the Lady Aves. Despite two non-GMC victories, the varsity girls post a 0-3 record. After losing the second game of the season, the ladies suffered two additional defeats and are looking to pull out of their slump as the competition picks up. “I am proud of our effort up to this point. Past role players are learning to take on more responsibility as the team starters,” said Ms. Paula Hayden, varsity coach. An initial win over Seton was unfortunately not a preview of things to come. Though they enjoyed success at the away match, winning 41-34, the roles reversed when it came time to face off against Mason a week later. Despite a valiant struggle, the team lost 45-38. “The team has been faced with adversity right from the start,” said Hayden. The ladies bounced back to win the following non-GMC match, bringing their overall record to 2-1. Each team member put forth the effort and contributed to the 44-32 victory over Milford. “The team is competing and improving in every game,” said Hayden. “As we grow together I expect to upset a few teams.” The ladies dominated the scoreboard up to the fourth quarter, when Milford outscored them 10-5. Abbey Cooper, 11 led the scoring with 12 points. Other contributors were Joanna Lin, 12 and Maureen Cron, 11, with eight points each. Cron also had nine rebounds, and Aly Riedel, 11, had five. The team lost 63-39 during the second GMC game against Oak Hills. The ladies were outperformed during the start and finish. Oak Hills outscored them 19-7 during the first quarter and 6-18 during the fourth. The ladies stepped up in the middle, but Oak Hills matched their efforts, making it impossible for the team to gain an advantage. “We have had a tough stretch these past two weeks competing against some top teams in the state,” said Hayden. Cooper proved to be the leader yet again, contributing 11 points. Cron proved her merit as well, contributing 11 points and five rebounds. Bringing the GMC record to 0-3 was the loss to Princeton, 52-43. Despite a strong effort in the first quarter, the ladies were outscored in the following three. Cooper, Cron, and Lin continued to carry the team along with Mia Obiekwe, 11. Cooper had 17 points while Cron, Lin, and Obiekwe had five each. “We lost a heart breaker to Princeton [but] kept it close despite many turnovers,” said Hayden. “As long as the team never surrenders, each outing will be a success.”

Lady Aves versus

Thunderhawks Come support the girls basketball teams as they take on Lakota East

Freshman girls 11:00 a.m.

Junior varsity girls 12:30 p.m.

Varsity girls

2:00 p.m.

12/15 @ HOME

JARED KAMRASS sports editor

joanna lin, 12 is a returning varsity member. Coach Paula Hayden praises her players for rising to the challenge and becoming team leaders. The varsity team is currently ranked 9 in the GMC.

Successful start matched by defeat Freshmen girls basketball struggles to maintain momentum KATE MOORE

managing editor

Despite a strong start, the freshman girls have struggled against several mighty opponents. Their current overall record is 2-2, and their GMC record is 1-2. The ladies dominated Seton in their first game of the season, pulling ahead 19-0 by the end of the first quarter. Many of the players showcased their talent throughout the game. Jackie Weber, 9, scored 14 points and had 10 rebounds. Mallory Condron, 9, followed with 12 points and four steals. Marisa Merk, Emily Mills, Carolyn Raithel, and Michele McDonald, all 9, also contributed to the score. Although Seton stepped up its game in the second quarter, the girls proved victorious, winning 44-24. Team effort was key to this success, with Grace Hulett, Paige Meiser, Megan Wittenberg, Michelle Herlihy, and Katelyn Crone, all 9, working together for 10 rebounds and five steals. The following home game left the Lady Aves scrambling for a win over Mason. Although they were behind 10-1 at the end of the first quarter, the girls managed to concentrate their efforts and scraped up a narrow victory for their GMC win, 25-23.

“It took until the second half for the girls to wake up, score some points, and improve their defense,” said Coach Stefany Reedy. The struggle continued when the team faced off against Oak Hills, losing 58-25. “In the early morning contest, the Lady Aves were still asleep for most of the first and second half,” said Reedy. This crushing defeat was reflective of unimpressive performance. The team was out-rebounded 33-14 and allowed 28 turnovers. “Not too many games are won with those kinds of statistics,” said Reedy. Things did not improve when they played Princeton. Performance in the first half was respectable; however, the girls only managed to get 10 points on the board during the second half, while Princeton put up 22. Mills proved to be a key scorer with her season high of 11 points. By the final buzzer, Princeton came out on top, 41-28. Tomorrow’s match against Lakota East will give the team a chance to redeem itself. A midday game combined with the home advantage should give the ladies a chance at success.

Thanksgiving is great, isn’t it? We sit around, eat turkey, and watch football for four days straight. Does it get any better than that? The traditional NFL games on Thanksgiving were great but the real excitement came as USC trounced Arizona State later that night. The highlight of the long weekend was easily the Friday night after Thanksgiving, when Arkansas defeated #1 LSU in triple OT. Rewind a few weeks. Two undefeated teams, New England and Indianapolis, met in what was being called one of the NFL’s biggest games ever. The Patriots prevailed, but at the end of the day, the win was only good for taking a step further in clinching home field advantage. Indianapolis’ season was not over. Imagine if the loser of that game had lost all hope of going to the Super Bowl. What if Indianapolis’ season had been crushed in that one game? How much more important would that game have been? This is just one of the numerous examples proving that College Football is more captivating and entertaining than the NFL. It starts with each regular season. Each week in College Football is important. For example, Michigan lost its title hopes in the first week of the season. In the NFL, almost no one remembers who lost in the first week, largely because it does not matter come week 17. For top teams, the last weeks do not matter as teams will routinely rest their regulars after clinching a playoff spot. College teams are not afforded such a luxury, serving to benefit the fans as the season actually becomes more important in the last week of the season whereas the NFL has just one or two games that affect the playoff landscape in week 17. Take LSU. They were number one and a week from their conference championship game (to which they had already clinched a berth). In the NFL this game would mean nothing as the team would have nothing to lose. Well, this one did matter and the Tigers were shocked in triple OT by the Razorbacks. This is perhaps the most important trait characterizing the NCAA game as more entertaining. The others have been tirelessly paraded in front us of from fans and media: the players have more passion for the game, the rivalries are more intense, the fans more rabid, the tradition stronger. These are all true, and very important to the identity of College Football. But amidst all the BCS controversy in this year as well as years past, it is necessary to point out that the college game’s greatest strength is in fact its schedule.

sports

12.14.07

View from the Stands

Sean Taylor story tragedy no matter his past BEN ESTES sports editor

When the news first broke that Sean Taylor, the ultra-talented and promising young safety for the Washington Redskins, had been shot, I admit that my initial reaction involved a smirk. I had vague memories of Taylor running into trouble in the past and I knew he played at the University of Miami (“Thug U”). In my head I had characterized him as a thug, as someone who might be in jail if it were not for his playing football. So considering that my only knowledge of the incident was that Taylor had been shot, I was not surprised and passed it off as “thuggery,” as cold as that sounds. And then the details came out. Taylor had been sleeping in his home with his girlfriend and 18month-old daughter when a robber broke in and mercilessly shot him. Taylor was not out roaming the streets in the late hours; he was quietly resting in his own home. The media encountered a dilemma when they tried to write and talk about the case: the death of a complicated athlete. Should they canonize him, portraying him as a reborn soul since the birth of his child, having tried to clean up his life? Or should they focus on the negative aspects of his past, the DUI arrest in 2004, the charges of aggravated assault and battery in 2005, and the numerous violations of NFL “sportsmanship” rules? Most of the media chose the former after Taylor died early on November 28. ESPN radio host Colin Cowherd chose the latter the day before, blasting the athlete while he was still fighting for his life. Ironically, the same day that Taylor passed away, ESPN began their “Jimmy V Week,” a period of fund-raising for cancer research in the memory of legendary former North Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano, who met his tragic and life-ending battle with the disease in a courageous and inspiring manner. In the same week, America came into contact with the deaths of figures at the complete opposite ends of the sympathy spectrum. Following Valvano’s heartwarming speech at the 1993 ESPYS, he has been looked upon only positively in the public eye. The simple fact is both approaches to the Sean Taylor situation are faulty. It is true that he had evils in his past, but that does not mean he deserved such harsh treatment; similarly, he should not have been posthumously glorified as a sort of saint when he was not. Instead of focusing on one aspect of Taylor, his entire story should have been reported. I am especially critical of those who have spoken negatively about him. Doubtless these same people have sung the praises of Valvano, ignoring his troubles. Hypocrisy is all too prevalent in the media today. But these people need to realize that the situation is still sad. Even if some of Taylor’s past actions do not warrant a lot of compassion, he was an innocent victim, and the death of an innocent is always heartbreaking.

JUNIOR ANNIE ROESSLER dives during a meet. The team is anticipating a solid season, with numerous returnees and first-time athletes.

photo by jeremy mcdaniel

Diving team springs into action against St. Xavier Squad opens season with defeat in first match WILL JOHNSTON

sports chief

fter weeks of arduous practice for the diving team, the squad had their first match of the season on Thursday, November 29. The team competed against GCL foe St. Xavier and distant foe Seton. Unfortunately for the team“It didn’t really go so well,” said Annie Roessler, 11. Varsity was defeated soundly in the match, with some athletes not competing. The result was undoubtedly disappointing for the team, for they had spent numerous hours honing their skills in preparation. Practices for the squad are scheduled somewhat abnormally in comparison to

other school sports: they typically run from either 8:45 to 10:00 p.m. or 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. depending on the night. Practices are commonly delayed this late due to swimming events that run prior to this time. Perfunctory tasks for diving athletes mainly consist of perfecting their individual dives for match competition, as well as conditioning to stay in top form. Sundays typically have a special meaning for divers: it is a day when coaches assist them in trampoline work to perfect their form in dives. Despite the irregular hours and difficult preparation, members of the team are nonetheless enthusiastic about the team. “Diving is a really unique sport and

does require lot of practice. But, I love my teammates and the sport,” said Roessler. Other members of this year’s squad are Alex DiMasso, 10, Jenna Ruff, 10, Matt DiMasso, 12, Brittany Rhone, 10, Becca Roessler, 9, and Christen Corcoran, 11. All meets are done in conjunction with the varsity swimming team, meaning that by publication Diving will have competed against Worthington on December 7, at Invitationals at Ohio State the next day, followed by Moeller on the eleventh. Next up for the team will be Milford on December 15, with Elder and Turpin following on the eighteenth.

Cheerleaders ‘paint the gym and school with green and gold spirit’ JILL COHEN a&e chief

REBECCA MCLOUTH,12, cheers with Emile Hunter, 11, during the Varsity Basketball game against Mason. The cheerleaders not only encourage school spirit, but aid the community through charity projects. photo by jeremy mcdaniel

When I say “green,” you say “gold!” Spirited as always, the cheerleaders have begun their basketball season with a runningback-handspring start. The girls are currently preparing for their fifth basketball game tonight, against Princeton at home. “In just a short couple of weeks, the girls have been working hard-harder than any other squad I have worked with,” said head varsity coach Nicole Kloez, who oversees all squads. When varsity and junior cheer at their respective basketball games, both squads are to get the crowd involved and excited. To accomplish this, the girls reworked both the fight song and chant, including adding identifiable words and motions. “Our main focus and goal is to paint the gym and school with green and gold spirit,” said Kloez. Each squad practices for two hours every week. Both consist of six members, many of whom are new to the sport. Cheering for varsity are Emile

Hunter, 11, Rebecca McLouth, 12, Rachel Pittman, 11, Rebekah Pittman, 11, Rachel SenefeldNaber, 11 and Laurie Taragano, 12. Junior varsity members are Nicole Kendrick, 9, Whitney Listo, 9, Kelsey Malof, 9, Ruthie Myers, 9, Lily Schwartz, 9, and Alexis Walker, 10. “All of the girls on varsity used to play other sports, so this is something different for us all. We’ve been working well together,” said Taragano. Outside of basketball games, the girls are working on a community service project: this month, they are decorating cookies and delivering them to nursing homes within the community to spread holiday cheer. “We are proud to be Aviators, and we want to share our Aviator spirit with our community,” said Kloez. Already in the middle of their season, both the varsity and junior varsity cheerleaders are working hard to keep up everyone’s “green and gold spirit.”

sports

12.14.07

SYCAMORE SWIMMERS JASON Kao, 12, and Chris Culin, 10, in action from last season. Kao is a veteran team member and will look to provide senior leadership in the Aves’ championship campaign this year. Culin, though a sophomore, will be counted on to provide solid production for the team. Sycamore has won the last 12 GMC Championships and 13 of the last fourteen. Kao and Colin Hanner, 12, are returning All-GMC Second Team members in individual events: the 100 Yard Breaststroke and 500 Yard Freestyle, respectively.

Swimming towards state title meet:

all images by jeremy mcdaniel

Mens swim team looks to claim GMC championship MATT MENDELSOHN

sports editor

As the fall season has come to a close, it means that the winter sports are just around the corner. So with the beginning of this new season, the Aves’ most prominent program starts up once again-swimming. Due to the amount of recognition the team has earned for years, this team has a lot to look up to and have the personnel to fulfill those expectations. With an Olympic swimmer as an alumnus and 12 consecutive GMC championships to their credit, a small but very experienced team of swimmers looks forward to capturing their 13th straight championship and the

individual goals of reaching state. Varsity team members include several returning seniors in Colin Hanner, 12, Jason Kao, 12, and Jamie Dowdall, 12. They are also joined by juniors John Hancher, 11, Michael Elder, 11 and Scott Wright, 11; sophomores Ben Keefe, 10, Chris Culin, 10, and Nick Fry, 10, and the freshmen: Steven Winkler, 9, Daniel Brook, 9, Jose Cerda, 9, Manuel Gutierrez, 9, and Matt Schram, 9. “Though we lost a couple of key seniors, all the hard work put in, especially by the underclassmen, should aid us in reaching our goals, individually and as a

team,” said Hancher. Despite the fact that the squad lost two very good swimmers from last season, several returning members from last year’s squad qualified for state in not only the relay but individually, providing very high hopes for this season. Those members include Hanner in the 200 medley relay and the 400 freestyle relay; Hancher in the 400 freestyle relay, and Kao in the 200 medley relay and the 100 breastroke. Although the rest of the GMC has not put up much of a fight versus the Aves, a new competitor in the form of the Mason

Comets joins the GMC this season as they will be replacing the Milford Eagles, and is a challenger that hopes to put a dent in the Sycamore’s armor. The first meet of the season began on November 29, as a meeting with nationally-ranked St. Xavier ensued. Though the Aves lost by a score of 147-137, the great effort that the team members put forth nevertheless proves that the Aves are ready to compete for another championship. Hancher and Keefe each won two events, with Hancher winning the 100 fly and 100 back, and Keefe winning the 200 IM

and the 100 free. Kao added a win in the 200 free, but St. X squeaked out enough wins to edge the Aves. The action-packed season becomes even crazier on February 1, as the GMC championships begin for the boys. That is followed by sectionals, districts, and hopefully state for many of this season’s swimmers. “Our swim team looks very promising this year because of the influx of talent from the freshman class and returning members,” said Kao. “Hopefully the talent and hard work can help us achieve our goals this season.”

Lady Aves swimmers ready to continue legacy of winning SAM CLEARY staff writer

A SWIMMER SWIMS the butterfly in a meet from last year. The girls swimming team hopes to continue the success of years past with hard work and determination.

Along with the chill of winter and the peak of the NFL season comes one of Sycamore’s most predominant legacies: Lady Aviator Swimming. The girls kick-started their practice routine in the past month, and have begun to train vigorously, preparing for the fast approaching season. Sycamore head coach Dr. Dan Carl returned after a long off-season, as well as assistant coach, Mark Dowdall. Both coaches and athletes are anxiously anticipating the upcoming year and the drive and motivation is shown quite evidently upon observing after-school practices. “We all want to do really well this yearthere’s no doubt about it. And honestly, I have no predictions of anything but success for this year’s team,” said Alex Norris, 10. Norris and other team standouts, such as Erica Kao, 12 and Shannon Conners, 11, have shown a compelling determination to win and grasp victory. A perfect example of how hard work pays off was demonstrated at St. Xavier High

School. The girls showed their true colors as, event after event, the girls jumped in and out of the water, lighting the pool on fire. “We practiced hard and we came out with some strong times. Now we know what we have to work on and we can move forward,” said Lindsay Fisher, 11. Though it was evident from the stands that the girls were, indeed, a bit rusty, the times and finishes that continued to stream in were quite respectable for the first meet of the season. Both fans and parents cheered the girls on as Jenna Tameris, 11, Katie Yaroma, 11, and Ellean Zhang, 11 all came up with wins and admirable performances. Also contributing to the team were swimmers Catherine Tate, 9, Lauren Huber, 10, and Brianna Conners, 10. Over all, everyone on the team pitched in to make the first meet a very revealing success. “The girls have a lot to work on- we all do- but their swimming on Thursday really showed what they will be capable of later on in the season,” said Jason Kao, 12.

sports

12.14.07

Chess team bounces back from Mason loss Members still have high hopes of claiming GMC crown

ABOVE: SUKHADA KULKARNI, 10 chats with her Oak Hills opponent before beginning the chess team’s seventh game of the season. The match had been rescheduled from the day before due to inclement weather. LEFT: GAUTAM NAGENDRA, 11, makes his move in the match. He leads the chess team as the first board. The team looks to win the GMC title by going undefeated for the rest of the season, which will not be an easy feat, after losing to Mason. “We aren’t giving up anytime soon,” said Nagendra.

NADIA KHAN

sports chief

he chess team has started their season successfully—with one minor glitch. The team has lost only once so far, at the hands of their new rivals in the GMC: Mason. “This was very disappointing because it ended a coaching streak of 63 matches without a loss for me,” said Dr. Keith Brackenridge, chess coach. “The streak stretched back to January, 2004 and encompassed three full seasons and parts of two others.” So, while the loss to Mason looked to be a downside to the season, the chess team quickly bounced back to defeat Hamilton 4-1, improving their record to 4-1 after having also defeated Lakota East, Princeton, and Colerain earlier on in the season. “We feared our chance to win the GMC outright had been lost because Mason was undefeated and we were then a whole game behind them with only one more

chance to play them,” said Brackenridge. However, a fortunate turn of events would prove to rebuild the team’s hopes of claiming the GMC crown. Mason, who was one game ahead of the team, lost to Lakota East. Thus, Mason and Sycamore were tied once again for first place in the GMC. The team improved their record furthermore with an odd victory over Middletown. The Middies, with the worst record in the GMC (0-8-0) did not even show up for the match on December 3, which resulted in an automatic forfeit by the Middies, giving Sycamore the win without the team having to even play one board. “It was a really weird match; I don’t think it’s ever happened before, which is kind of cool, but at the same time, the team went all the way out there, and they just didn’t show up, which is kind of disrespectful,” said Harini Venkitarama, 12.

On Thursday, December 6, the chess team defeated Oak Hills at home, after the match had been rescheduled from the previous day due to inclement weather. The team won 4-1 to improve their record to 6-1-0, as Mason also downed Colerain in a tight match, winning it 3-2. With a 6-1 record overall, and with 15 members on their team this year, the chess team is still on top of the conference, along with Mason. They have high hopes of winning the GMC despite the loss early on in the season. “I definitely think we can still win the GMC because we have so much talent, and we really want this, so we aren’t giving up anytime soon,” said Gautam Nagendra, 11. The chess team has often been the best GMC team that this school has had, but with many other teams improving recently, they look to join the success of those teams rather than working from behind to pick up the slack, as they had in years past.

‘We have our own specialties and strengths’

Varsity quiz team off to winning start ROB FRIEDMAN fun&games chief

The quiz team season has officially begun, and the season has started off rather well. The players are optimistic about their upcoming season and have already placed well in their first tournament. The quiz team is coached by Mr. Mel Hoffert and Mr. Ken Clark; who are both in their fourth year of coaching. The varsity team consists of seniors Justin Butler, Rohan Chaudhary, Sanjay Choudhury, Mark Dapkins, Rob Friedman, Mark Szymczak, and Tom Zajdel. All members except Butler have previous quiz team experience. Their first competition took place on November 17 at Amelia High School. The team went 7-0, winning all of their matches and qualifying for the regional level of the state tournament in the spring. “I’m really happy with our tournament. The fact that we were able to place into the state tournament before the season started is great,” said Dapkins. Every match day, the varsity team plays two matches with a total of three rounds in each. The first round in every match is called the category round, which contains ten

categories. In each category, there are three questions: one for each team, followed by a toss-up question in which the answering team is determined by the first team to hit their buzzer. The second round is called the alphabet round. In this round, each team has five minutes to confer amongst themselves in order to answer 20 questions which must all start with the same letter. The final round, called the lightning round, consists of 20 questions which are read to both teams; the first team to hit their buzzer has the first opportunity to answer. “Every round is important. We each have our own specialties and strengths, so we try to capitalize on them by dividing up who plays what rounds,” said Chaudhary. Though the team participated in the Amelia tournament, their season officially began December 5 with a match against Lakota West. Upcoming home matches will be played against Lakota East on December 12, Middletown on January 9, Oak Hills on January 23, and then Colerain on February 6. “We’re anxiously looking forward to the start of the season at Lakota West,” said Clark.

CONCENTRATING REALLY HARD is Sanjay Choudhury, 12 of the varsity quiz team consisting of all seniors. The team looks to continue their successful start to the season and maybe winning the GMC.

all images by nadia khan

sports

12.14.07

JON BYRD, 10, prepares to pass off the ball in a game against Mason. The JV team has had a rough start to their season, opening up 0-2.

JV basketball struggles early

DJ DONNELLON, 11, PREPARES to bowl for the varsity squad. This year’s team features numerous returning players, including several talented seniors. Bowling appears poised for an excellent season.

MATT SLOVIN

staff writer

Bowling gets ready to roll

Returning players give hope for promising season DAVID PYLES

staff writer

he varsity boys bowling season is underway. They have recently been practicing very hard as their first match nears. With a great bowling program in place, they seek to have a successful season. Led by Coach Brad Walker, the team should be the best since the team started three years ago. “I am very excited to see how good the team will be this year,” said Andy Crusham, 11. With the team led by senior captain Nick Schmidt, 12 as well as Ben Seltzer, 12, Stephen Carnes, 12, and Mike Nadel, 12, bowling seems to be destined for a successful season. Having four seniors, four juniors, and one sophomore, the team has a very strong possibility of having many all-league players. However, this will only be possible for them to achieve through hard work and practice. “I have never seen a match in person before, but now that I have heard how good we are, I just might go to a couple this season,” said Sam Pyles, 9.

Unlike last year, when the team was 5-9, they look to win many matches and hopefully finish with a winning record. With this year’s talent, is possible for the team to finish top in the GMC. “Our team is very strong and will win many matches this season,” said DJ Donnellon, 11. A major stress that the team undergoes every season is intense pressure. When they can handle the immense strain in the matches, success is achieved much easier. In many sports, this can play a factor. Overcoming it is an obvious advantage. As the first matches of the season near, it will be very entertaining to watch this team. By the time of publication, the squad will have played at Lakota East on December 10, followed by Mason the day after. Next on deck for bowling will be Colerain on December 17 and Lakota West on December 19. There is no doubt they have talent, it is whether they can prove what they are capable of what they are capable.

Girls bowling looks to improve on last season

Hope to compete well in tough GMC BEN ESTES

sports editor

Coming off of a disappointing 2006-07 campaign which saw a 3-10 record and eighth-place finish in the GMC, it appears that the only way to go is up for the Girls’ Bowling team in 2007-08. The squad held tryouts in early November in preparation for the upcoming season. Top returning players include Hannah Myers, 12, Devon Feagans, 12, Abbie Haas, 12, and Alex Barrett, 12. “[They] should…add promise to are (sic) season,” said Mr. Brad Walker, Head Coach. The top returning athlete is senior Lauren Lynn, a SecondTeam All-GMC selection last season. Lynn averaged a score of 154, good for fifteenth in the conference, including a high mark of 203.

Barrett managed to have the 41st best average in the league, Myers the 59th, Feagans the 77th, and Haas the 79th. The junior class will hope to add to the team’s success as well. Katelyn Hutson and Mary Lynn Phillips appear to be the top 11th graders this year. “[They] should also contribute big,” said Walker. The Aviators will face stiff competition from perennial power Oak Hills as well as Fairfield and Princeton in the always-tough Greater Miami Conference. While Coach Walker says there is no doubt that the team will be better than last season, he also “…would be happy with a .500 season.”

SENIOR HANNAH MYERS is one returning member of the Girls Varsity bowling team. Seniors such as Myers will lead a talented team this season. all photos by jeremy mcdaniel

A sophomore-laden junior varsity basketball squad began regular season play recently. The first two games have not gone as well as the team would have hoped. “Lack of execution and patience on offense is the reason we have gotten off to a tough start,” said Josh Samuels, 11, forward. The opening game of the season was not a friendly one for JV, as they traveled to Elder to face the difficult Panthers. Elder prevailed by a score of 40-28. “The team wasn’t able to win at Elder, but hopefully they can turn it around,” said Erik Johnson, 9. Later in that same week, JV welcomed the Mason Comets, and once again found a disappointing result: the Comets rolled to a victory. However, in the varsity game later that evening, it was Sycamore that won, 49-39, in an overtime thriller. One reason for JV’s lack of early season success is a very low shooting percentage. The shots just have not been falling thus far. “Shot selection needs to improve,” said Samuels. Next up for the junior varsity team will be a couple of GMC road tests against Oak Hills, followed by the Hamilton Big Blue. After that come three big home games against Princeton, Middletown, and a non-league showdown against Anderson. It is a long season, and this inexperienced JV squad can still right the ship and gather some wins.

trong outlook for wrestling

eniors to lead experienced pack

NATE DEMEER

staff writer

This year, there is a lot of senior support for the varsity wrestling team. Conditioning is over, but walk-ons are still being accepted. The team is very strong, especially in the upper middle weight class, anchored by a trio of experienced seniors. Joey Alemango, 12, (152), Terrance Boggs, 12, (160), and Tony McClure, 12, (171) make for a quite intimidating trio of terror in the middle to upper weight class. They will debut this Saturday, at Elder, for a dual meet. At the lower bracket, Travis Donovan, 11, (103) is injured, and his spot does not appear readily able to be filled. “They are a hard working group,” said Coach Greg Cole. “The freshmen participate in the varsity practice - this gives them conditioning that is not often found in other sports,” said Cole. Don Herrington, 12, Alemango, Boggs, and McClure (all well experienced seniors) are the captains this year. Matt Baronowski, 12, and Boris Chen, 12 are also leaders within the team. They add motivation, and increase the intensity of the practices and training as a whole. As there are none that can fill the upper classes, this team will not fare well at matches, due to the amount of spots they will have to forfeit. Tournament wise, however, the forecast is quiet good. “We have to forfeit the heaviest weight classes in dual meets and this will make it hard to win. [So] we will be a better tournament team than dual meet team,” said Head Coach Jason Staggs. “This may be the hardest working team I’ve ever coached,” said Staggs of the varsity group as a whole. So what is the forecast? A chance of a supersonic blast, with the anticipated side effect of crumbling opponents.

sports

12.14.07

‘ I f y o u a i n’ t c h e a t i n g , y o u a i n’ t t r y i n g ’ G ai ni ng t h e com petitive ad vantage in s por t s BRANDON SOSNA

f you ain’t cheating, you ain’t trying. We might as well put the “TM” sign following that statement, because it appears to have become the trademark of sports. Cheating has tarnished the once respected idea of fair play. Cheating has put the importance of gamesmanship far ahead of the value of sportsmanship. These immoral and unjust ideas are sending a dreadful message to the people, especially our youth: cheaters win, “good guys” lose. Cheating has become more than players loading up on steroids. Why Barry Bonds, who is currently on trial facing multiple charges, and steroids are the first thought that comes to mind when the word cheating is brought up in conversation is something I do not understand. Why not Danny Almonte faking a birth certificate to pitch with kids two years younger than him in the 2001 Little League World Series? Or Rosie Ruiz, who joined the 1980 Boston Marathon during the final one-half mile? How about in 1994, when Tonya Harding, with the assistance of a hit man and her husband, had her figure skating opponent Nancy Kerrigan clubbed in the knee? Cheating is bigger than steroids. Cheating is about gaining the competitive advantage. Put aside the fact that players are using steroids. Using steroids is no different than changing a birth certificate, or winning a marathon without any sign of sweat on their forehead. What do these scandals have in common? In each, the person or persons involved are trying to give themselves a competitive advantage. They are trying to find a way to turn the level playing field heavily into their favor. They are trying to find a way to put themselves on top. They are doing anything they can to win.

Do whatever it takes to win

That is the driving force behind cheaters. When Diego Maradona gave Argentina the lead in a quarterfinal soccer game in the 1986 World Cup, he used not his head or his foot to put the ball into the back of the net, but “the hand of God,” as he called it. Maradona later said the hand was not of God, but of his own. Obviously it was illegal, but he won his team the game, and later the entire World Cup. Remember when Southern Methodist University was a powerhouse in the game of collegiate football? Probably not. In 1987, when they were a perennial powerhouse, they met the “death penalty.” The only thing that died, however, was an esteemed program. As it turned out, SMU boosters had paid players an approximated total of $61,000 as part of a major scandal that rocked the college world. The worst part of this all is that SMU was on probation at the time of this scandal and lied to NCAA officials. Their purpose: to get the best high school prospects to their university. Sammy Sosa and Albert Belle sure knew how to cork bats. Unfortunately, they did not think through the plan where they cover up

Taking out the dirty laundry images by cafepress.com

MANY T-SHIRT MANUFACTURERS have taken advantage of such cheating scandals. The T-shirts give fans a chance to show their displeasure with major athletes and coaches.

their bat-corking. Sosa, on the Cubs at the time, used the excuse that the corked bat was used for batting practice and was not meant to be used during games. Belle on the other hand had all of his bats corked so his only defense was putting the bat of his teammate in his locker. The only problem with that ingenious plan was the bat had his teammate’s name engraved in it.

What’s the line?

images by sports illustrated

I find cheating pointless. Many teams, players, and refs cheat. Because of all this the teams everyone loves have not been able to play their game the way they were taught to play the game. - Jenlain Coyle, 9

Frauds exposed in four of the biggest non-drug related scandals of all time

Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan

Drug related incidents

When one thinks about steroids and other performance enhancing drugs, what other purpose is there than to give oneself personal success? During the 1988 Olympics, Canadian Ben Johnson set the world record in the 100 meter dash. Afterwards, he tested positive for steroids. After his reinstatement and stripping of his world title, Johnson returned to running only to fail a testosterone test in 1993, earning himself the ultimate prize: a lifetime ban. Marion Jones recently joined that club as well. Major League Baseball has suffered tremendously from the use of steroids. Mark McGuire, Rafael Palmeiro, Jason Giambi, and Jose Canseco, the list goes on. To this day more and more names are being released to the public, and even more are on the way. It is truly saddening that any time a player hits 50 home runs someone from somewhere is questioning whether that player is legitimate. Unfortunately, that is what this has come to.

Cheating ruins the integrity of the game. It makes winning not as special and important if you cheat. - Adam Reinhart, 9

Danny Almonte

Cheating in sports takes away from the significant athletic achievements of others. Clean athletes are sometimes overshadowed by cheaters. - Matt Slovin, 10 Cheating is the worst possible thing an athlete can do. [He or she] loses all respect and no one appreciates them anymore. - Emily Cohen, 10

The year that was

2007 was an especially tough year for the sports world. A major betting scandal involving NBA referee Tim Donaghy rocked the league. New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick put his track record on the line, as well as his numerous Super Bowl rings, in the “Spy Gate” scandal. Tour De France winner Floyd Landis was stripped of his title after he tested positive. In Major League Baseball, more names have been released, including St. Louis Cardinals phenom Rick Ankiel, whose Roy Hobbs-like story had all the natural taken out of it. The bottom line is that cheating, as erroneous as it is, has become part of the game. Many people are against cheating, but when it comes down to NFL Sundays, those same people could not care less if their team was filming their opponents’ signals. The score on the scoreboard is ultimately the lone factor that counts. The step up in the win column, or the drop in the loss column, is far more important than sportsmanship. The evolution of gamesmanship has finally ruined sports as we know it. No game will ever be the same again. In our world today, our people, especially our youth, are being taught horrible lessons. In our society doing what is right does not always count above doing what is considered cool. One would think sports would shed some light on the importance of integrity and sportsmanship. Unfortunately it is doing more of the opposite.

“

Fraudulous four

Sammy Sosa and Albert Belle

I think cheating is very bad in the first place. If someone cheated it could affect the other teams’ chances for the playoffs and even a championship. - Corbin Hom, 11 It’s only cheating if you get caught. - Trevor Lothrop, 12

Diego Maradana

Competition is supposed to be a battle between two even sides. Cheating is like if in Roman Wars, one guy draws a sword and the other pulls out a gun. There’s supposed to be a level playing field. - Coach Greg Cole, wrestling Cheating in sports has made me not want to watch the Olympics or even professional sports anymore. I only like to watch college sports now. - Mrs. Beth LeBlanc, English

“

staff writer

I think integrity is really important and that it’s especially important for the game. As a coach, I try and perpetuate that to my players. I don’t think there’s any place in sports for that type of conduct. - Coach Chris Shrimpton , baseball

sports Athletes Achieving Greatness

12.14.07

TIGER WOODS WATCHES his drive during the Fed Ex Cup, which has become the new “playoffs,” for golf. Tiger finished first in the piont standings, winning the first ever Fed Ex Cup.

Both past and present

BEN DHIMAN

staff writer

Trophy Case

2 3 4 British U.S. Open Championships Championships

PGA Championshiops

Tiger’s Closet

2005

2002

2001

1997

erfection is defined as an unsurpassable degree of accuracy or excellence in a particular art. The specification of perfection in the world of sports is nearly impossible, and rarely heard of. Looking through the thousands of years sports have existed, there seems to be only a few names that come about when considering a perfect athlete two of which are Tiger Woods and Muhammad Ali. They play different sports, live different lifestyles, and have different attitudes, but both have been able to reach the top. Their great differences are paralleled by unbelievable similarities. We are currently witnessing an athlete who looks flawlessness in the eye and attacks it full throttle. Ever since he was a boy, Woods has been striving to be the best, winning tournaments as a youth, and through college. Now on the international setting, winning an astounding 61 PGA tour events, and 13 major championships, Woods has won just about every golf trophy out there. His ability to control the leader board throughout any event allows him to succeed in any event. Earning just over an approximate $100 million this past year from winnings and endorsements puts him at an unbeatable level. His very presence on the course causes his opponents, time after time, to crumble beneath him. It seems almost a curse for those who must play with him on a Sunday. His dominance and intimidation give him an opportunistic edge. “Tiger Woods seems almost unbeatable on most Sundays, when he is anywhere near the lead,” said Ivan Cornell, 10. His excellence is the product of an intense work ethic and mental strength. Working out in the off-season three to five times a week, while playing round after round contributes to his prosperity. Putting for four hours straight on a hot summer afternoon would be punishment for just about anyone, with the exception of Woods. This relentlessness supported him in winning this years new Fed-Ex Cup, and the first ever play-offs in golf. Although he rested during the first week of the play-offs, and coming in second the following weekend, Woods went on a two week wining streak propelling him to the top of the leader board. Woods represents a degree of perfection in the current day, applying technology, skill, work ethic, and excellence thrusting him to be the number one golfer in the world, and perhaps history.

Home to four prestigious Green Jackets won at the Master’s

Ali: punch by punch

all images by ben dhiman

Knocking out competition

“Float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, your hands can’t hit what your eyes can’t see,” said Muhammad Ali to Sonny Liston before an upcoming fight between the two. Ali’s unbelievable achievements in sports can be described as nothing short of a legendary mark on history. Ali was an athlete who managed to fight not only any boxer in the world, but the court system, racism, and religious tolerance. His astonishing efforts in the ring brought a phenomenal 56 wins, five losses, and zero draws. “When I consider the best athlete in the world, the name of Muhammad Ali appears, right away,” said Alex Schatz, 10. Most famous for his brawls with Liston, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman, Ali was able to retain gold medal after gold medal, and heavyweight championship after heavyweight championship. Ali’s in-the-ring-tactics included intense foot speed and agility combined with blazing quick jabs to the face, jarring his opponents. Standing six foot three inches, Ali used a revolutionary new pose for boxing, letting his hands hang low, away from his face. His speed, strength, endurance, and toughness served him only five losses, none of which came from a knockout. Not only were his in-the-ring-tactics, new, but his showboat mentality was a cutting edge mind-set, as well. His constant taunts, and ranting speeches concerning upcoming matches, were subject to entertainment for the media, but, in addition, vital tools to get into the opponents head. Comments by Ali, such as, “It’ll be a chilla, and a killa, and a thrilla, when I get the gorilla in Manila,” which references to an upcoming fight against Frazier in Manila, were used to psych out opponents, and serve as attention grabbers to fill stadiums, and create pre-match hype over the fight. Ali struggled with off the ring controversy in aspects of his life, such as his association with Malcolm X, and converting to Islam, as well as his neglect to join the army, when requested in the draft. Ali’s racy, but realistic take on life, religion, and boxing made him more memorable than any other boxer in history. He was able to talk a big game, and then exhibit it in the ring. His dominance is portrayed in his record at 56-5-0, just

in his professional career. He was able to win countless gold medals at the Olympics, as well as, boxing titles in WBA/WBC heavy weight division, and NABF heavyweight titles. Ali’s dominance in boxing matched up with Tiger Woods’s dominance in golf, can be looked at in various angles. It is fair to say that boxing and golf are in opposite spectrums of sports, and that there is an enormous difference in sports past and present. Ali, himself, represents a new era in sports for all of those athletes who love to brag, and also demonstrates a dominant force of the past. Though there are vast differences between the two great athletes, in terms of personality, religion, sports, and life style, both share one point in common. This point is the paramount of all sports and of all careers in general; to become the culmination of the most spectacular, the most dominant, and closest to perfection, to become the greatest. Both Woods and Ali share a similar set of guidelines when facing any kind of adversity, from a two hundred and fifty pound giant, or the eighteenth hole at Augusta, both these athletes refuse to buckle in any high-pressure situation.

WBA/WBC Heavy Weight Titles

NABF Heavy Weight Titles

56-5-0 Pro Record

sports

Taking home gold:

12.14.07

Which NBA team will win championship? GARRETT STEINBUCH

staff writer

Western Conference Eastern Conference Poll: Atlantic Division Which team will win NBA Finals? Northwest Division The Boston Celtics are going back to the glory days of the “Big Three,” Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish. Now, they have made some serious transactions to create the “New Big Three,” Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. Already five and a half games up on the second place team, Toronto Raptors. Boston should clean up the competition in this division. “I’m not a huge fan of the NBA because college basketball helps my coaching and players,” said Stan Kaniecki, varsity head coach.

The Utah Jazz and Denver Nuggets are just one and a half games apart from each other. Denver’s Carmelo Anthony, and Allen Iverson have been a superb duo for the Nuggets, and Utah’s Carlos Boozer, has been keeping strong in leading his team. “Utah is going all the way!” said Andrew Jensen, 10.

Pacific Division

The Golden State Warriors started the season in last place. Baron Davis’ squad needs to pick up to have the stellar performance they showed in the playoffs last year by shocking Dallas. Of course, the Phoenix Suns, led by Steve Nash, are in the lead of the division. “I’m not really a huge NBA fan. But I can say, Go Lakers!” said Ahmad Saleh, 11.

Central Division

The always great Central Division rivalry, Cleveland Cavaliers and Detroit Pistons, clash once again. LeBron James is looking to lead the Cavs to the NBA Finals again if the team can shutdown the Pistons. Detroit’s Richard Hamilton, needs to stop the Cleveland squad to possibly go on to the finals regaining their title as champions, for the first time since 2005.

Southwest Division

Southeast Division

The surprising Orlando Magic has made “magic” by starting the season on top of their division. Team captain, Dwight Howard, brings life to Orlando, and should continue to with the help of Jameer Nelson, and Rashard Lewis. The disappointing Miami Heat are dead last and need to get their act together to make the playoffs.

photo by Jake Newton, John Robinson, and Garrett Steinbuch

This division is the division that teams should be most afraid of, going to four of the last five NBA Finals. The sting from superstar, Chris Paul, and his unpredictable New Orleans Hornets are surprising everyone. The San Antonio Spurs’ Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobli, and Tony Parker, are trying for the franchise’s first ever back-to-back title after beating Cleveland last year in the finals. The Mavericks and last year’s MVP award winner, Dirk Nowitzki, are working hard on not getting disappointed in the playoffs again like they did last year.

photo by yahoo.com

YAO MING (left) and Tracy McGrady (right) of the Houston Rockets go up for the rebound against Monta Ellis (center) of the Golden State Warriors. Both Ming and McGrady were looking for an NBA Finals Trophy before being teamates. It was destiny that they found each other playing for the same team. “Let’s go win one big guy,” was the first words that McGrady said to Ming.

photo by allstarposter.com

THE FAMOUS TRIO from the 2003 NBA Draft has sprouted into the best in the league. Carmelo Anthony (15), Dwayne Wade (3), and LeBron James (23), stand together in a photoshoot. Since 2003, the three of them have become great friends.

photo by yahoo.com

BOSTON CELTICS’ KEVIN Garnett (5) drives for the basket against Los Angeles Lakers’ Ronny Turiaf (center), during a game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Bostons has a new force called the new “Big Three,” consisting of Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. The three of them helped out the team to start out the season 8-0. It was the first time Boston won their first eight games since the 1972-73 season.

sports

12.14.07

Buckeyes number one as bowl season arrives MATT SLOVIN

staff writer

s the holiday season rolls around, college football fans everywhere are excited for the 32 remaining games that they will be treated to. The first bowl will be the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl on December 20th, which is sure to make viewers wish for a playoff system to decide the national champion, which will be crowned on January 7th in the BCS title game. Last years’ bowl slate was an exciting one. The hotly-contested match up between the Oklahoma Sooners and Boise State was an absolute thriller that was decided on the Broncos’ gutsy 2-point conversion “Statue of Liberty” call that was successful. This led to many so-called experts being forced to eat crow for questioning Boise State’s ability to play with the BCS big boys. A big topic of local interest is the presence of the 9-3 Cincinnati Bearcats in the Papajohns.com Bowl. Many members of the Bearcat Nation find it ridiculous that a team that has a chance to win 10 games is traveling to Birmingham, Alabama to play in the bowl game with the lowest payout of them all. Also, the Ohio State Buckeyes will once again be playing in the BCS National Championship, and they will be hoping for a better result than last season when the Bucks were trounced by the Florida Gators (see below). It should be a great bowl season with great matchups, and non-BCS schools trying to prove that they belong.

2007-08 Bowl Predictions San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl San Diego, California December 20th, 2007, 9 p.m., ESPN Navy vs. Utah Look for Navy’s rushing attack to ruin Utah’s run for its’ seventh straight bowl victory.

R&L Carriers New Orleans Bowl New Orleans, Louisiana December 21st, 2007, 8 p.m., ESPN2 Memphis vs. Florida Atlantic Memphis, led by quarterback Martin Hankins, finished the season on a hot streak, and the Tigers should get another victory in New Orleans. PapaJohns.com Bowl Birmingham, Alabama December 22nd, 2007, 1 p.m., ESPN2 Southern Mississippi vs. Cincinnati The previously mentioned Bearcats will come out fired up here, determined to prove themselves as worthy. Ben Mauk, is coming off of a strong regular season at the reigns of the Cincy offense. Expect UC’s defense to have a big game in a winning effort. New Mexico Bowl Albuquerque, New Mexico December 22nd, 2007, 4:30 p.m., ESPN Nevada vs. New Mexico New Mexico has looked impressive at home this season, and with a home game here, looks to win another. Inexperience of Wolf Pack quarterback Colin Kaepernick may also be a factor. Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl Las Vegas, Nevada December 22nd, 2007, 8 p.m., ESPN UCLA vs. BYU The Cougars of Brigham Young are on a nine-game winning streak and will be ready to avenge a regular season loss to the Bruins. Sheraton Hawaii Bowl Honolulu, Hawaii December 23rd, 2007, 8 p.m., ESPN Boise State vs. East Carolina After failing to return to a BCS bowl this season, the Broncos, with Ian Johnson, should defeat ECU, which failed to claim the Conference USA championship. Motor City Bowl Detroit, Michigan December 26th, 2007, 7:30 p.m., ESPN Purdue vs. Central Michigan Purdue, after struggling mightily down the stretch, will have a rough time containing the Chippewa offense that helped win the MAC championship. Pacific Life Holiday Bowl San Diego California December 27th, 2007, 8 p.m., ESPN Arizona State vs. Texas The Longhorns’ struggling defense will allow the Arizona State offense to come up big in what should be a great game. Champs Sports Bowl Orlando, Florida December 28th, 2007, 5 p.m., ESPN Boston College vs. Michigan State Eagles’ quarterback Matt Ryan has emerged as a leader and his squad will be angry after a loss to Virginia Tech in the ACC Championship. Michigan State finished eighth in the Big Ten and will be no match for Boston College. Texas Bowl Houston, Texas December 28th, 2007, 8 p.m., NFL Houston vs. TCU TCU was very disappointing this season, as big-time preseason hopes quickly disappeared. The Horned Frogs had to win their last two games to even become bowl-eligible. Anthony Aldridge, running back for Houston, should be a difference-maker here.

photo courtesy of cleveland.com

OHIO STATE RUNNING back Beanie Wells accumulated 222 yards rushing against the Capital One Bowl-bound Michigan Wolverines this season. Wells, a sophomore for the Bucks, hopes to find similar success in the BCS National Championship Game against the LSU Tigers. The Buckeyes are trying to avenge an embarassing loss in last season’s championship against the Florida Gators, who will be playing Michigan.

Emerald Bowl San Francisco, California December 28th, 2007, 8:30 p.m., ESPN Maryland vs. Oregon State The Beavers finished third in a very strong Pac-10 conference. However, they have a tough matchup against Maryland, which has defeated two top-10 teams this season. Yvenson Bernard has had a stellar rushing year for Oregon State.

Meineke Car Care Bowl Charlotte, North Carolina December 29th, 2007, 1 p.m., ESPN Connecticut vs. Wake Forest Connecticut has been a pleasant surprise this season, finishing tied atop the Big East standings, along with West Virginia. Although, Wake Forest is playing close to home, the Huskies should pull it out. AutoZone Liberty Bowl Memphis, Tennessee December 29th, 2007, 4:30 p.m., ESPN Central Florida vs. Mississippi State This game may not jump out at you as a thriller, but don’t miss this opportunity to watch Kevin Smith, a junior running back for UCF, who currently leads the nation in rushing yards. The Bulldogs will have their hands full trying to stop him. Alamo Bowl San Antonio, Texas December 29th, 2007, 8 p.m., ESPN Penn State vs. Texas A&M Anthony Morelli had an excellent regular season for the Nittany Lions. Texas A&M will be led by interim head coach Gary Darnell. Give the nod to 8-4 Penn State here. Petro Sun Independence Bowl Shreveport, Louisiana December 30th, 2007, 8 p.m., ESPN Alabama vs. Colorado Both of these team’s have had roller coaster-like seasons. The Crimson Tide looked impressive in a victory over Tennessee, but also suffered an embarassing loss to Louisiana Monroe. Colorado defeated Oklahoma, but also has given up some high point totals. Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl Fort Worth, Texas December 31st, 2007, 12:30 p.m., ESPN California vs. Air Force Many will say that momentum can play a huge role in football, and that may be the story in this one. Cal started hot but lost six of the past seven games. Air Force has won six of the last seven. Brut Sun Bowl El Paso, Texas December 31st, 2007, 2 p.m., CBS South Florida vs. Oregon So far, the loss of star quarterback Dennis Dixon to a severe injury has meant nothing but losses for the Ducks. The offense may struggle here against South Florida. Humanitarian Bowl Boise, Idaho December 31st, 2007, 2 p.m., ESPN2 Georgia Tech vs. Fresno State Georgia Tech has played sound defense this season and stopping Fresno running back Ryan Matthews is a key to this game. Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl Nashville, Tennessee December 31st, 2007, 4 p.m., ESPN Kentucky vs. Florida State Andre Woodson has shown that he has the agility to win big games. He has a tough task in Florida State’s defense, but the Wildcats should win in Nashville for the second straight year. Insight Bowl Tempe, Arizona December 31st, 2007, 6 p.m., NFL Indiana vs. Oklahoma State Oklahoma State’s defense has had a rough season, and taking the snaps across the line of scrimmage will be Kellen Lewis. That may be reason enough to ensure the Hoosiers a victory in their first bowl game in 14 years. Chick-fil-A Bowl Atlanta, Georgia December 31st, 2007, 7:30 p.m., ESPN Clemson vs. Auburn Cullen Harper has led Clemson’s attack to a great year. Auburn’s defense will put up a fight, but expect Clemson to win the Battle of the Tigers. Outback Bowl Tampa, Florida January 1st, 2008, 11 a.m., ESPN Wisconsin vs. Tennessee The Vols, who are coming off a loss to LSU in the SEC Championship, are led by quarterback Erik Ainge. Look for Rocky Top to defeat Wisconsin.

AT&T Cotton Bowl Dallas, Texas January 1st, 2008, 11:30 a.m., FOX Missouri vs. Arkansas Houston Nutt recently left his post as head coach of Arkansas and it will be interesting to see how the Razorbacks respond without him. Chase Daniel is a high-impact player and he will be joined in the game with fellow Heisman hopeful Darren McFadden. Gator Bowl Jacksonville, Florida January 1st, 2008, 1 p.m., CBS Texas Tech vs. Virginia This game will be a huge test for the Cavaliers’ defense which will need to stop the Red Raiders’ high-flying offense. Al Groh, head coach, will likely have his team ready for the challenge. Capital One Bowl Orlando, Florida January 1st, 2008, 1 p.m., ABC Michigan vs. Florida It has been a disappointing season for the Wolverines, after opening the season with a loss to Applachian State. Head coach Lloyd Carr, will be retiring after this game. Although Michigan will be playing with emotion, expect Tim Tebow and the Gators to be too much to handle. Rose Bowl Pasadena, California January 1st, 2008, 4:30 p.m., ABC Illinois vs. Southern Cal Illini quarterback Juice Williams can make a lot of guys miss. Just ask Ohio State. But the Trojans are on a hot streak, winning their last four and defending its’ Rose Bowl victory from last season seems likely. Sugar Bowl New Orleans, Louisiana January 1st, 2008, 8:30 p.m., FOX Hawaii vs. Georgia As much as last season’s Boise State bowl victory makes one want to pick the WAC team here, Georgia fell just short of the National Championship and should defeat the unbeaten Warriors. Fiesta Bowl Glendale, Arizona January 2nd, 2008, 8 p.m., FOX Oklahoma vs. West Virginia The Mountaineers played poorly under pressure against Pittsburgh in a game that needed to be won to make the BCS Championship. However, Steve Slaton and Pat White highlight an explosive backfield that should beat the Sooners. Orange Bowl Miami, Florida January 3rd, 2008, 8 p.m., FOX Virginia Tech vs. Kansas Virginia Tech will come out hungry to make amends for an earlier ugly loss to LSU. Kansas has a solid offense, but the Hokie defense should limit the damage. International Bowl Toronto, Canada January 5th, 2008, 12 p.m., ESPN2 Rutgers vs. Ball State Ray Rice should have a huge day rushing for the Scarlet Knights. Strong play on the defensive side of the ball will likely lead to a win in Canada over the Cardinals. GMAC Bowl Mobile, Alabama January 6th, 2008, 8 p.m., ESPN Bowling Green vs. Tulsa Both of these teams love to throw the football. Tulsa quarterback Paul Smith has thrown for a miraculous 4,753 yards this season. The Falcons have a good chance if they can shutdown the passing attack, but that is much easier said than done. BCS Championship Game New Orleans, Louisiana January 7th, 2008, 8 p.m., FOX LSU vs. Ohio State After losing to Arkansas it the last game of the regular season, LSU managed to sneak back into the BCS top two. The Buckeyes have been a defensive power this season. The scarlet and gray has been visible through the hallways at full force this season. Unfortuantly for OSU fans, Tiger quarterbacks Matt Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux are exactly the type of mobile QB’s that they have had trouble stopping all year.

sports

12.14.07

image by google.com

image by yahoo.com

LEFT, STANFORD CARDINAL receiver Mark Bradford, 4, leaps over USC defender Mozique McCurtis, 9, to catch the winning touchdown against the Trojans. The Cardinal were 40 point underdogs to the #1 ranked Trojans and came away with a 24-23 victory. Right, Appalachian State running back Kevin Richardson quiets the Michigan crowd after his team triumphed to a 34-32 upset over #5 ranked Michigan.

Topsy-turvy season rocks college football Upset-riddled season has fans glued to television sets

EVAN ROMANSKY

staff writer

Timeline of 2007 season

veryone loves the upset in college football. It is one of the greatest joys of watching the sport. Not usually a common affair, this year the upset in college football has become as routine as doing homework. It has raised the question, why do fans love the upset? It could be because of what happens everytime that clock strikes 00:00. People love to see the players run onto the field like they just won the lottery, or to see the coaches being hoisted onto the players shoulders in a shot of adrenaline. The goal posts are then yanked down by the exuberant fans and for once, people feel the thrill the players are experiencing. Most fans know the small school is not supposed to beat the big school. Most programs schedule the small school early in the season to simply give them a pounding to get their confidence up. But what happens when that small program has more fight in them than people thought? For example, Michigan played Division 1-AA Appalachian State. Remember this? Michigan was supposed to breeze past them. It was not even supposed to be close. Everyone knew they had taken them lightly. Why should they not take them lightly? No 1-AA team could ever beat the #5 team in the country. Can they? Appalachian State strolled into the Big House with a message: do not underestimate us. Michigan just shrugged it off, thinking they knew who the superior team was. By the 4th quarter, they realized it was not them. Appalachian State shocked the Wolverines with a 34-32 win. The Big House turned into #18 South Florida beats #5 West Virginia

the quiet house as the fans were left drowning in their own silence. The only sounds were the faint, shrieking cheers of the 1,000 or so Appalachian State fans, engulfed in their own astonishment. This magnitude of major upsets that have taken place this season have left players looking for answers, and fans looking towards basketball season.

Surprise teams

Fans have been taken by surprise from the success that the #8 Kansas Jayhawks have experienced. Usually a basketball school, rock-chalk-jayhawk has been heard ringing throughout the nation behind their 11-1 football team. Coach of the year winner, Mark Mangino, has been a fan favorite throughout the season. “I don’t think anyone thought the fighting Mangino’s would be this good,” said Josh Samuels, 11. Big 12 North rival #7 Missouri, not usually a football powerhouse, has soared to prominence at 11-2 and was #1 in the polls for the first time since 1960. The #10 ranked Hawai’i Rainbow Warriors have strolled through the season 12-0 and have earned a trip to the Sugar Bowl against Georgia for the first time in school history.

Rocky road to top

This season has been as unpredictable as listening to Rush Limbaugh on the radio. It is never known what is going to happen next. The #2 spot in the nation has acted as a black hole to most who occupy it. The problem has been that teams have gotten too caught up in their high ranking. They then get sucked in by their ego and when they are spit back out they have lost to Stanford beats #1 USC 24-23 on a touchdown pass with :57 seconds left

#7 Texas loses 41-21 to unranked Kansas State

September 28

September 29

a team they should beat nine out of ten times. According to the USA Today Top 25 poll, this season, there was a different #2 team seven times in fourteen weeks. There have also been five different #1 teams. At least one Top 10 team has lost in every week of this college football season, including week five where exactly half of the Top 10 lost. The most mind-boggling stat of this year has been that thirteen Top 5 teams have lost to unranked opponents. Three of these teams (Ohio State, LSU, and USC) were number one teams at the time. #2 West Virginia headed into the Backyard Brawl against 4-7 rival Pittsburgh. They knew it was one win and they were in the National Championship. Yet the curse continued for the #2 ranked teams as the Mountaineers were stunned 13-9 by the resilient Panthers. As a result of this Ohio State traded in their roses for a hot cup of jumbalaya and a plane ticket to New Orleans for the National Championship. On paper, it looks like a sure thing. The offense is better, the defense is better, it looks like a blowout. But going by what it says on paper, issues out a major flaw. It cannot say who wants it more. It does not tell anyone who has the most heart. Fans should not be too surprised by these upsets. These teams work as hard, train as hard, and play as hard as any other team. It just depends on when they get their opportunity. They see the target on the back of a team like Michigan or Oklahoma. And when that Saturday rolls around and they get their shot at that target… bullseye. The perfect upset.

Oregon State beats #2 California 31-28

October 13

October 6

#1 Ohio State loses to Illinois 28-21

By the numbers Top 5 teams that have lost to unranked opponents

Points USC was favored over Stanford before losing 24-23

Division 1-A teams that have lost to Division 1-AA teams

Times the #2 team has changed

11-13 21-3

#3 Oklahoma falls to Texas Tech 34-27

November 10

Combined record of preseason #20 Nebraska and pre-season #8 Louisville

Combined record of both #1 Missouri and #5 Kansas, who were both unranked to start the season

3-9

Record of traditional power house Notre Dame, the worst record in school history

Years since Missouri was ranked #1 before rising to the top spot in week 14

November 17

#2 West Virginia loses 13-9 to Pittsburgh

December 1

Key

September 1 #5 Michigan loses 34-32 to Division 1-AA Applachian State

September 29 #3 Oklahoma falls 24-21 to unranked Colorado

September 29 Auburn beats #4 Florida 20-17 on a game winning field goal

October 13 #7 ranked Kentucky beats #1 LSU 43-37 in tripleovertime

November 3 #2 Boston College loses to Florida State 27-17

November 15 Arizona beats #2 Oregon 34-24

November 23 #1 LSU loses to Arkansas 50-48 in tripleovertime

Bold- represents Top 5 team at time of upset Italic- represents unranked team at time of upset

calendar J a n u a r y ‘08

12.14.07 KAVYA REDDY calendar chief

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

Friday

10 Varsity Men’s Basketball vs. Lakota East at 7:30 p.m.

15 Exams 1st Bell 2nd Bell

16 Exams 5th Bell

No School: Martin Luther King Jr. Day

17 Exams 6th Bell 7th Bell

24 Varsity Men’s Swimming vs. Lakota East and West

Saturday

Varsity Women’s Swimming, Larry Lyons Invitational at 1 p.m.

Xavier Muskateers Basketball vs. Virgina Cavaliers at Cintas Center 9 p.m.

11 Wicked at Proctor and Gamble Hall, Arnoff Center 8 p.m.

18 No School: Teachers Records Day

25 Varsity Hockey vs. Gahanna at 7:30 p.m.

12 Cincinnati Women’s Basketball vs. Villanova Wildcats at US Bank Arena 7 p.m.

19 Varsity Women’s Basketball vs. Oak Hills

26 Winter Formal

*all sports events are at home

spotlight

S 40

12.14.07

peaking with Alex Spivak enior discusses photography, pachyderms

MICHELA TINDERA spotlight editor

Q&A

SPIVAK SHOWS THE many sides of his colorful personality in the pictures below. From popping out behind doors to to pondering the meaning of life on tables in the photo room, Spivak always proves himself to be the life of the party.

with Alex Spivak, 12

Q. What are three words you would use to describe yourself? A. Electronic, supersonic, pneumonic. Q. What are your interests inside and outside of school?

A. I love photography, playing World of Warcraft (Level 7 Priest thank you very much), and collecting horse hair.

Q. Coke or Pepsi? A. They are both the same toxic sludge. Q. What are your best/worst qualities? A. I’ll take potpourri for $200 Alex. Wait

what? Exactly. There is an underlying meaning to this somewhere, but I just can’t seem to find it.

Q. If you could be any animal what would Q. Who are the people closest to you? you be? A. My family and Jake LaRoche, 9. He’s A. A pachyderm. For those of you who do King of the Impossible.

Q. If someone went into your room right now what would they find that best describes your personality?

A. Lots of weird electronic media such as

not know what a pachyderm is, then look it up. My time is too precious to waste on explaining things.

Q. What would be your superpower of choice? A. To have the hair in both my nostrils

movies, games, and music. I am an electronic person therefore I have electronic magically disappear with the snap of my fingers. And if I snapped them twice then things, if you catch my drift. the hair would be transported to someone else’s nostrils, but only the left nostril. The What are some of the most recently right nostril would then be filled with Kraft played songs on your ipod? Mayonnaise. “Through the Fire and Flames” Who is your favorite teacher and why? Dragonforce, “Read My Mind”- The Killers, “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” - Marvin Mr. Peiter Griga because he is the Gaye, “Shut Up and Sleep With Me” - Sin only teacher that I know of that jumps out With Sebastian of closets when you least expect it. Do you have any pet peeves? Any nicknames? People who breathe. In some Southern American countries

Q. A.

Q. Q. A. A. I have been called names like Alex Alex Bo Q. If you could be any character in Harry Balex and Rinaldo the Magnifico. Potter who would you be? A. I don’t read satanic books, but if I were Q. What is your most embarrassing to be a character from Star Wars I would be Hermi Odle, one of Jabba the Hut’s most trusted henchmen.

moment?

A. Any time when my pants fall down

becomes my most embarrassing moment.

FAVORITES Food

Blood of the finest Liberian goat

Movie

American Psycho. What other movie is there that combines the greatness of Christian Bale, serial killers, and returning video tapes?

TV Show Star Trek The Next Generation. (greatest show of all time). If you think otherwise, get out.

Book

How to Eat An Aardvark in 8 Days

Color

Macaroni and Brick Blue

image by

michela tin

dera

all photos by melodie jeng