The Patriot February 2009, Issue 4, Vol 44

The John Carroll School 703 E. Churchville Rd. Bel Air, MD 21014

Volume 44. Issue 4. February2009

INSIDE

New electronic eyes watch students’ every move throughout campus

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The Life of Father Riepe Emily Burdeshaw

Photo-Design Editor

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6

Exchange students contrast Spanish culture to culture in the States

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Exercise strain affects the future well-being of teenage bodies

ather Charles K. Riepe, second principal, first president and former presiding chaplain of John Carroll, passed away in his sleep on February 7. Most of the students at John Carroll did not know him personally, but for many others he was recognized by the memories of his earlier life – his vibrancy, and his great faith.

Many don’t know about the young, vivacious Fr. Riepe. He was very present in the lives of his students.

“Anyone could walk in and talk to him when he was here,” Mr. Bernard Mullin said. His three main interests concerning JC were academics, athletics and spirituality.

As principal of JC, he had “good instincts [when hiring teachers]” and “he left them alone, never secondguessing his decision,” Mullin said.

Also, Fr. Riepe was present at the school when it transitioned from coinstitutional to co-educational. Co-institutional meant that, though JC had both young men and women, they did not attend classes together and only interacted at lunch.

Earlier in Fr. Riepe’s tenure at JC,

there were class masses and the student participation in them was very high. “The whole atmosphere was electric liturgically when he came,” Mullin said. “One thing that attracted me to this school was the alertness of the students to liturgical worship.

I think he was largely responsible for that.”

Mrs. Patti Murphy-Dohn, who knew Fr. Riepe for over 35 years, said that he was “like a member of [her] family, and that she ‘was one of his confidants.”

Concerning Fr. Riepe’s view of the students, Murphy-Dohn said, “He frequently worried about young people He was concerned that so many are not going to church and receiving the sacraments. One of his greatest joys was celebrating the sacraments with students at JC over the years.”

Indeed, he did raise Catholic spiritual awareness in the school community. Student and teacher retreats were held in Fr. Riepe’s home, as well as a student Mass on Sunday nights.

Through the 1960’s and 1970’s, he lead a Christmas eve midnight Mass for the faculty and their families.

Continued on page 3

News 2i to The Patriot

The John Carroll School 703 Churchville Road Bel Air, MD 21014 Volume 44, Issue 3, February 2009

Editor in Chief: Natalie Shaw Managing Editors: Daniel Gallen Melissa Vinton News Editor: Niki Muse Features Editors: Katie Clarke Faith Reilly Editorials Editors: Kaitlin Bobbin Ashley Powers In-Depth Editors: Evan Conley William Schultz Entertainment Editors: Michelle Cvach Dave Hatem Sports Editors: Katelynn Colgain Elly Dannenfelser Copy Editors: Kate Froehlich Leah Goss Amanda Nguyen Nick Temple Photo - Design Editors: Emily Burdeshaw Megan Chlada Kristen Novak Katie O’Hara Staff: Mark Apicella Morgan Seiler Business Manager: Rebecca O’Brien Moderator: Mr. Ionescu The Patriot is a publication of The John Carroll School.

The views and opinions expressed in The Patriot are not necessarily the views of the Board or Administration of The John Carroll School.

The editorial staff invites and greatly appreciated comments from readers on any issue.

Please email us at jcpatriot@gmail.com or visit our website: www.johncarroll.org

Volume 44 . Number 4 . February 2009

The Patriot

Stutman shares truth on illict drugs Kristen Novak

Photo-Design Editor

H

ey man, there’s a white fed out here named Stutman buying drugs. Watch out.” In this instance, undercover DEA agent Bob Stutman is buying illegal narcotics from an African-American dealer who was just released from 22 years in jail for murder. Stutman responded, “No [expletive deleted] man.” The dealer proceeded to put the heroin in Stutman’s hands.

For Stutman this type of deal happened on a daily basis. He responded to this incident as an extremely well-trained DEA agent would and said it was the most frightened he has ever been. “At that time, I thought he was going to pull out a thirty-eight and shoot me,” said Stutman.

Stutman worked as a special agent with the Drug Enforcement Administration, or DEA, for 25 years and spent seven of those working undercover. In 1985, he became head of the largest field office, in New York City, where he remained until retiring in 1990.

Today, Stutman travels to various schools around the nation to share his insights into the world of illict drugs.

“In my perspective, teens enjoy hearing what I say because I follow three absolute rules,” he said, “I do not preach to them. I am absolutely honest with them. And I know more than they do about drugs.”

During his presentation, Stutman showed students their lack of knowledge: according to Stutman, 85% of “shrooms” seized in the state of Maryland are nothing more

Former DEA agent Bob Stutman responds openly to questions from freshmen and sophomore students on Feb. 20. Stutman’s grade-wide presentations encouraged many students to return for small-group sessions. (Photo by Kristen Novak.) than store-bought mushrooms treated with LSD. This, Stutman said, is an economic choice- a dealer may pay upwards of $2 to import real mushrooms, while a hit of acid costs only 11 cents.

Even though LSD isn’t addictive, it can cause horrifying night terrors and flashbacks.

During his presentation, Stutman had everyone close their eyes for ten seconds, in order to simulate such an “acid flashback.”

When he told the students to open them again, he said: “Now imagine driving on [Interstate] 95 during those ten seconds, without any knowledge of what is going on

around you.”

Doctors cannot determine what causes these flashbacks from LSD, but for some users, they can occur throughout a lifetime. Other than LSD, Stutman said that “alcohol, pharmaceuticals and grass are the most popular drugs of choice by teens, respectively.”

After years of watching people throw away their family, money, and possessions, Stutman admits moments where he was tempted to try them himself. “I’d like to find out what there is about [cocaine] that makes these men want to give up their kids and family,” Stutman said.

Stutman was most tempted to try this drug when he led the team that seized eight tons of cocaine from Antonio Gacha, the number two man in the Medellin Cartel.

Gacha had a $500,000 contract on Stutman’s life for two years.

Although Stutman was lucky enough to escape Gacha’s death warrant, his best friend, a fellow DEA agent and lawyer was killed while working undercover, buying drugs from a racist dealer.

Despite dealing with drug lords, murderers, and users, Stutman said, “To sum up my job in one word it would be meaningful; DEA is a very macho job.”

Security cameras install safety Natalie Shaw

Editor in Chief

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ice Principal Gayle McAdams pursued the trespasser out the front doors and around the side of the building. The man had entered the school building claiming to be searching for a payphone, but continued to wander around campus even when told repeatedly to leave.

McAdams recalls last year’s incident with a thoughtful air, saying, “It would have been nice to have [the security system] in place to track him on the cameras instead of on foot.”

The security system he is talking about is new, installed over Christmas break thanks largely to a grant from the Maryland Branch of the Department of Homeland Security. Two years ago, a member of the Harford Country Sheriff’s Department came to talk about this grant

specifically for private schools.

McAdams applied for the grant, but JC did not receive any funding that first year.

That changed a year later when the school qualified for a “fair chunk of change,” as McAdams puts it, to install some sort of security system by 2010. The system now in place consists of 16 cameras located inside and outside of the actual school building as well as a swipe card system and “buzz-in” feature for the front door. Principal Paul Barker said, “Every point of entrance into the school building is now monitored.”

This monitoring can take place live from a computer screen in the office, but recorded information can be retrieved through an access code over the Internet. Minutes, hours, even days after a specific time passes, anyone with the code can go back and retrieve footage.

The program enables viewers to

zoom in on specific frames, pulling up license plates and catching “students who choose to excuse themselves from campus” while noting the exact time of their departure,” said Barker.

However, the new system is not just to catch rule-breakers. Its main intent is safety. “We can lock every door in the building with a keystroke,” Barker said. “We’ve got to figure out the details yet, but a number of people will have the ability to turn locks on and off,” McAdams said. While this feature would be most useful in the case of an emergency, the doors will be locked after 8 a.m. each day.

Students will have to buzz in to the office for entrance, but teachers will have swipe cards that grant them access, while the system keeps track of who swipes in when.

“In a perfect world, you wouldn’t have to worry about all

this,” said Barker.

McAdams added that it was “not a feeling that we were unsafe, but that the world and community are not as safe as they have been” that prompted the installation.

“We’ve long had concerns on how to make campus safer,” said Barker, “We’re not as secure as we could be.”

McAdams agreed, saying, “Once or twice a year we have incidents where we say, ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if we had a way to check up [on things]?’” He feels that the new security system will help with this “checking up” and keep campus more secure as we move into the future.

3i News

Volume 44 . Number 4 . February 2009

The Patriot

Father Riepe fondly Obama’s capabilities tested remembered Copy Editor Nick Temple

“When we would go to chapel before football games, he would Not only was he a strong Catho- hand out little pieces of paper that lic presence in the school, but he had a prayer on it, and we’d all say had an international impact through it as he did. At the end, in caps, it his book, “Living the Christian would say ‘Fire us up Lord, and Seasons.” Fr. Riepe’s mentor was establish us as men,’ which we’d Joseph Jungaunn, whose book, always kind of yell. I’m pretty sure “The Mass of the Roman Rite,” he he liked that part, and we did too. helped to revise. It detailed the li- He had a good sense of humor, turgical changes made during Vati- too.” can II under Pope John XXIII. It is Father had a very close relationa book that has been translated into ship within the school community. dozens of languages and is used He was close to the McGuirk and for reference Murphyworld-wide.

Dohn famiFr. Riepe lies.

He He wanted us to be honstudied litknew Ed urgy and was Miller, Rusest with ourselves, and ordained in sian teacher never give up. And he Austria. For a at JC, and didn’t like Curley- he time, he was Mullin, a the head of guidance always wanted us to beat the office of counselor, the Friars. liturgy for the very well.

Archdioceses He loved - Dave Pons of Baltimore. his dogs and But, “teachalways had ing young a black lab. people was the highlight,” said Dagger, his current pet, was FaMurphy-Dohn. ther’s faithful friend until the end.

He started as the chaplain at JC He has been taken in by a neighand then became the second prin- boring family. cipal. He later became the first When asked for his favorite president and continued as such, memory of Fr. Riepe, Miller said, returning to the school once a “Besides giving me my job at JC, week, even after the bishop asked forty years ago, there are many him to become the pastor of The fond memories of Charles K. Cathedral of Mary, Our Queen. Reipe, Charlie, as we affectionateHe resigned from his position as ly called him, but, out of respect, president in the late 70s. not to his face.”

He served at St. Sebastian’s “Charlie Reipe was a hands on School, an all boys Catholic high person. His presence was felt evschool in Massachusetts from erywhere. It wasn’t unusual to see 1980 to 1990 and then returned to a student pulled into his office just Maryland to become the chaplain to have a friendly chat, to find out at Johns Hopkins around 2000. how things were going.”

After his term there, he returned to “Unannounced, he would drop JC as the athletic chaplain. in on a teacher just to get a feel for Fr. Riepe held team chapels be- the mood of the class...I always fore football and lacrosse games, felt that he was genuinely interin order to get the players fired up ested and cared. I think the feeling with the spirit of God. was shared by all,” Miller fondly “He always stressed sportsman- stated. ship, always wanted us to play our “One of Fr. Riepe’s most outhardest, and play fair, not to cheat, standing attributes was his genand give it our all. He wanted us erosity. Generosity of time when to be honest with ourselves, and students needed to talk, generosity never give up. And he didn’t like of kindness when there was a need Curley – he always wanted us to and generosity of treasure when beat the Friars,” junior Dave Pons he was committed to a project or a said. cause,” said Murphy-Dohn.

As far as football, senior Sammy Von Paris elaborated, saying, ‘Fr. Riepe’ from page 1

“

,,

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he economy’s in the toilet, we’re fighting two wars, relations with Russia are freezing up again and Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez is picking fights.

What’s a president to do?

That question, on the minds of millions of Americans, is undoubtedly the biggest question for new U.S. President Barack Obama and his administration. The first 100 days of any new administration has served as the benchmark for the ability of every president since Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal rode into D.C. on the heels of the Great Recession.

The challenges facing this new president may be just as daunting as those Roosevelt himself faced some seventy years ago.

For many, including U.S. Government teacher Brian Powell, the economic meltdown, “without a doubt,” is priority number one for the new administration. In light of

perpetually grim financial news, President Obama has proposed a nearly $1 trillion “economic stimulus package,” which, utilizing a combination of government spending and tax cuts for most Americans, hopes to help ailing markets rebound.

In his first few days in office, Obama has already issued an executive order calling for the closure of the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center in Cuba, ended the Mexico City Policy banning federal funding to groups which provide abortion services in foreign countries, raised federal fuel-economy standards and ended “enhanced” interrogation tactics used by the CIA. Obama has thus far delivered on many of his campaign trail promises and is riding a wave of goodwill- with a 65% approval ratingas he puts his outlined agenda into place.

Most commentators and pundits expect Obama to focus on economic matters, but Obama himself has promised to deliver a speech

in the capital of a major Islamic nation before the 100-day mark arrives.

For his part, Powell “would like to see some health-care reform” in the early stages of Obama’s administration but is concerned by recent developments regarding tax problems with several of Obama’s cabinet appointees, in light of Tom Daschle’s withdrawal, following the revelation that he failed to pay more than $100,000 in taxes.

“He shouldn’t have gone to his defense,” Powell said, adding that it makes him “question [Obama’s] character.”

The early days of the Obama White House suggest a long road ahead. Political controversy, partisan rancor and international crises all lie in the path of America’s new leader and the first 100 days will say a lot about the new president.

Even the man himself reminds us: “The first hundred days is going to be important, but it’s probably going to be the first thousand days that makes the difference.”

PETA pushes fish protection William Schultz

In-Depth Editor

S

ave the Sea Kittens!” This new campaign from PETA, or People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has been in effect since last October, but is only now starting to gain awareness.

“Sea kittens” are fish. PETA, as a part of its campaign to stop commercial and recreational fishing, hopes to direct people toward a totally different view of “sea kitten hunting” by changing the name fish to something “cuter.”

According to the Save the Sea Kittens website: “…fish need to fire their PR guy [right now]…

And we’re going to start by retiring the old name for good… Who could possibly want to put a hook through a sea kitten?”

PETA appeared serious about the issue when they defended this idea on the anti-fishing website they run called FishingHurts, where the name change is encouraged.

PETA co-founder Ingrid Newkirk said in an interview to Time Magazine last November that, “we may do silly things sometimes, but we always have a serious point.”

However, it is possible that the issue is not simply a matter of PETA being “silly” to raise awareness of ecological danger.

The problem is that the “sea kittens” campaign is aimed, not at rational adults, but towards children, who would not know any better than to seriously connect cats and fish.

The website for this Save the Sea Kittens campaign “did not appear to be environmentally serious,” said biology teacher John Low. He commented that at first, it appeared to be an ad for toys: “you can buy t-shirts, create your own sea kitten… it reminded me of Toys-R-Us.” But what is the reaction to this among regular, unbiased JC students?

Freshman Emily Shackleford’s

Wilshire is an animated creation made on peta.com to help soften the image of fish. PETA is pushing to rename fish as ‘sea kittens’. first thought was “are you kidding me?”

Fellow freshman Meghan Joseph agreed, and added the phrase “epic fail.” Both agreed that the campaign was ridiculous, and that no one would take PETA seriously if they took a cause so far.

Beyond seeming childish, saving the “sea kittens” is debatable on other levels.

Some individuals who maintain the credibility of fishing may describe this campaign as a sort of propaganda.

“Looking at this [website],” Low continued, “children are all it’s marketed towards.”

PETA’s campaign overtly focuses on the youth of America through a number of efforts. PETA’s Ashley Byrne is touring the country talking to grade schools that serve fish in the cafeteria.

PETA also publishes a comic book called “Your Daddy Kills Sea Kittens.” The comic aims to “[set its] sights on dads who are teach-

ing their kids to abuse animals,” or in other words, fish, according to the FishingHurts website.

Freshman Liz Kelly, like the other students, agreed with Low that the campaign and website seemed unnecessary and aimed towards children. If this is the general consensus among youth, the group PETA tries the most to reach, saving the “sea kittens” may not be going as planned.

Low said that he is very sensitive to environmental issues, especially over-fishing, but combating an environmental issue through something so trivial is “another story [altogether].”

He also said that the only biological connection fish and cats share is that “cats eat fish,” insisting that humans have more in common with bears.

“Bringing attention to environmental issues is good, but naming fish ‘sea kittens’ is going overboard,” Low added. “If it’s the attention they wanted, they got it.”

Features 4i to

Volume 44 . Number 4 . February 2009

The Patriot

Amanda Nguyen

Staff Writer

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enior nior year comes quickly and students ents can decide for themselves the classes they hey want to take. Sure, religion’s a must and English can’t be bypassed, but whatt about the rest? Which academic electives are worth taking?

Marine Biology

Senior Jack Lutrell said,“Mr. Hughes is a pretty unique teacher. The best part of the class would probably be the movies.”

“Being able to learn about all the different types of life forms in the ocean and watching a lot of good movies and going on a fun, but cold trip to Assateague are what make the class great. Also, Mr. Hughes is a really fun teacher and has a good way of teaching the material. It counts as an academic elective, which is good, and with the papers and activities, it would be an easy class to pass,” said senior Rachael Marks.

Economics

According to Mr. Hollin, the ec economic class gives students “an intro introduction to basic economic thought and how ho it relates to the world they live in in.”” T The curriculum covers fundamental concepts like supply and demand, as well as a number of life-applicable topics. Hollin emphasizes that economics is “a great class for any senior. We talk about credit and how to properly manage it, investing in stocks and bonds, and job hunting skills.”

Senior Blaine Greig said, “The atmosphere in Mr. Hollin’s class is laid back, but you learn a lot at the same time and there is a lot of open talk, so you can put your opinion in.”

Senior Sean Donohue said, “The best part is probably having Mr. Hollin as a teacher; he’s a fun teacher. Also, it’s one of the few classes that you will definitely find a use for later in life.”

AP Government

“I would recommend this class to people if they were interested in and followed politics. We learn about the structure of the government and how it works, but we also talk a lot about what is going on currently.

My favorite part of the class is the discussions,” says senior Rachel Borkoski.

Chesapeake

Senior Tyler Condon says that the best part of the Chesapeake Bay class is “definitely learning more about the Chesapeake Bay watershed. I have always been fascinated by the Chesapeake Bay and Mr. Hughes has always been one of my favorite teachers. It is a unique class that will teach you all about the most famous watershed that we live so close too.” This class presents a unique opportunity to study something as close to home as the Chesapeake Bay.

Leah Goss

Copy Editor

Physics

Though physics is a controversial class, frustrating many students and challenging most of them, Mr. Brennen manages to wrap both education and entertainment into his infamous physics class.

Greig thinks that “the best part about physics is Mr. Brennen. He’s a cool guy, a great teacher, and he’s hilarious. He tries to scare you about how hard the class is, but I think he’s just trying to get your attention and most of the time you don’t even realize you’re learning.

Similarly, senior Julia Ryczak said that she “looks forward to going to the class to see who Mr. Brennen will tease because it’s pretty funny. It’s also completely different from Biology and Chemistry. You will probably have to take a physics class in college and, by taking it now, you have a head start on all those who didn’t take it.”

Bucket List Mr. Hollin

Emily Burdeshaw

Q:

Photo-Design Editor t

Q:

What were you like in high school?

A:

A:

I was really into organizing people, I guess. Whether it was school spirit stuff or whatever. It was one of the things I really loved about high school. I had a lot of friends in a lot of different groups.

Q:

What did you do for fun in high school?

A:

I loved sports of any kind, so definitely sports.

Hanging out with friends, like senior year when we were on the senior bench we’d always get yelled at, mostly by Mr. Scholl.

Q:

What do you do for enjoyment nowadays?

A:

I’d have to say just hanging out with my family and going on trips with my wife and the girls. Whether its short trips like to Port Discovery or you know, nearby stuff, like the zoo.

Every summer we go on a vacation across the country.

(photo by Emily Burdeshaw)

Q:

Where do you get your energy from?

A:

Number one, God. Obviously my goal and desire is to be, in whatever I do, giving glory to His Name. So, when I work, I want to work for the Lord. I don’t want to work for man or man’s approval or anything like that.”

Ok...One, you know I’m taking Spanish with Mr. Maynard...It’s something that I have wanted to do for a while and Mr. Maynard and I have always talked about doing it. So in my free mods, I take his Spanish I class. I think it’s a great skill to have. He’s a good friend... And there’s a bunch of cool people in the class and the freshmen and the one senior, Manuela.

Once a month, I do prison ministry. I go to the Harford County detention center and we spend time with prisoners. We share the Gospel with them. We pray with them, we talk with them.

Just a bunch of different stuff.

What else? I love red wine and the Ultimate Fighting Championship. I like singing loud at church. I lived in the Solomon Islands for two years for the Peace Corps. My wife and I did Peace Corps together. So when my wife and I got married, we lived on this tropical island for two years and helped make a curriculum for a school there for kids that were forced out of the school system. It was like a remote tropical island.

In-Depth Editor

D

EATH! Not only is it an awesome word that catches your attention, but it is also something that we’ve all thought of at least once in our lives. Once we accept that we’re going to die, the next question writes itself. What would I do if I knew I was going to die? What must I absolutely accomplish before I kick the bucket?

So in order to jumpstart your thinking, the Patriot Staff has compiled a list, supplied by fellow students and faculty. Rest assured, you’ll wish you had tried at least some of them.

- “Climb up to a mountain where there’s not enough oxygen for light to refract, and it’s totally black.”

(Brent Fox, 12) -“Go to every pro football stadium in the country.”

(Mr. Johnson) - “Go to Switzerland and learn how to yodel.” (Mrs. Fisher) -“Jump off the top of King Da Ka.” (Jen Kelly, 9) -“Eat my weight in pretzels.” (Katy Sheward, 11) -“Write letters to everyone, telling them exactly how I feel.” (Charlotte Hagerman, 11) - “Take over the world… I could do it.” (Emily Keitheley, 12)

JC’s List-

What is something unique about you that few know? What about, like, a really off the wall interest or something?

Evan Conley

5 Features Polar Plunge raises millions Volume 44 . Number 4 . February 2009

The Patriot

ice so that eleven thousand people could jump in. These people ranged from young children to the elderly, and from radio show hosts to members of the Baltimore Ravens. Radio station 98 Rock

jumping into the near freezing water.

The largest group plunges occurred at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. However, there is a title called the “Super Plunger.” These dedicat-

nor Martin O’Malley.

Among these famous supporters were average citizens such as Cheryl and Jason from Columbia. wo girls stared out the win“This is our third year and by far dow of the bus at a man the coldest weather,” said Cheryl. running down “The water the street, his was definitely breath visible way colder than in the cold. it has ever been,” “It’s too cold added Jason. to go running,” Their inspirahe said tion? “Well, it “I agree. It is all for a good is, however, cause. We have perfect weathfun and it helps er to go swimthe community,” ming,” the one said Jason. of the girls re“Yeah, so it’s plied as one of a little cold. But the many buses I mean, once you left the Naval get out and bunAcademy for dled up, it’s not the short drive really a big deal,” over to Sandy said Cheryl.

Point State Being veterans Park. of the Polar Bear On Sat- Thousands gather at Sandy Point State Park for the Polar Bear Plunge. The event Plunge does give urday, January raises money for the Maryland Special Olympics. (photo by Katie O’Hara) them an advan24, the Marytage over those land State Police who decided to hosted their 13th annual Polar Bear hosted the majority of the event ed souls pledged to jump in ev- participate for the first time this Plunge. This fund raiser is held in and broadcast the entire plunge on ery hour, on the hour into the 33 year. Their advice is to “bring a order to raise money for the Mary- their radio station. With 98 Rock, degree Bay. Baltimore Ravens bathrobe down to the water with land Special Olympics. This year, there were multiple sponsors such players Joe Flacco, Adam Terry, you! It’s so much easier than over $2.5 million were raised. as Comcast, Carnival Cruises, and and Jason Brown took the Super walking through the throngs of The high that Saturday was 37 Monster. There were stands litter- Plunge, along with multiple radio people to find all your stuff. Plus, degrees. The Chesapeake Bay ing the area, giving away free gifts personalities, former Governor the less time to let the wind blow had been cleared of a thin layer of as an added bonus for those people Robert Ehrlich and current Gover- on you, the better.”

Katie O’Hara

Photo-Design Editor tr

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You: The Owner’s Manual Nick Temple

Copy Editor

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wenty-one grams.

That, according to Dr. Duncan MacDougall, is the weight of the human soul. Around the turn of the 19th century, the good doctor conducted a series of experiments in which he put dying patients on a scale and recorded the change in weight at the moment of death.

Now, if you’re decapitated you’ll lose an extra 8 pounds on top of that.

The human body is a pretty disgusting thing, when you really think about it, and there are some really twisted facts that come attached to it. As the owner of one of these poorly-lubricated machines, we here at The Temple believe you really should flip through the appendix in your owner’s manual and learn some of the less-commonly known factoids about the creature known as You. For example: look at your forearm. Pick an area, about one square inch. In that inch, there’s about a full twenty feet of blood vessels.

Trust me, they’re there. There are also about 32 million bacteria on that patch of skin. Go ahead, wash your hands; I’m not going anywhere.

Remember the first time you heard that the divot in your upper lip just below your nose was called a philitrum? A major milestone in your life, I’m sure. But what they forgot to mention was that the ancient Greeks considered that ohso-sexy little patch of skin a major erogenous zone. It’s pretty durable too: the average sneeze exceeds 100mph.

Your kneecaps could only be eleven years old- in fact, you were born without them, and they may not have developed until you were six years old. Your heart’s been on duty since day one and has probably beaten something like 625 million times since the day you were born.

Now when you finally get around to losing those twenty-one grams, it may seem like a big deal, but that isn’t much when you consider the 105 pounds of skin the average human being loses over a lifetime. The strangest fact of all, though, is that you started out as a single cell: every human being spent about thirty minutes as one, solitary cell.

Remember that the next time you start to get cocky.

And don’t forget you heard it here first.

Features 6i to

Volume 44 . Number 4 . February 2009

The Patriot

España

photo by: Faith Reilly photo by: Faith Reilly

Faith Reilly

Features Editor

Music: In the country popular for flamenco, the Spaniards have a deep love for their own music and dancing.

Consequently, most teens primarily listen to Spanish musicians and rappers, but American music is still well known. Jesse McCartney, Beyonce, Green Day, and 50 Cent are some of the most popular American artists.

TV/Movies: The popular shows in Spain are actually American shows with Spanish voice-overs. The most popular shows include “House,” MTV’s “The Hills”, “Cold Case,” and “CSI.” They also have Disney Channel. While I was there, the Spanish version of “Saturday Night Live” premiered, complete with the classic cowbell skit but with Spanish actors and dialogue. The Spanish version of “Big Brother” is wildly popular as well. Most popular movies in Spain tend to be recently released American movies that have been translated into Spanish. Popular films in theaters while I was in Spain were the “Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “Bride Wars.”

Food: There is an abundance of American food found intermixed with the traditional Spanish dishes.

McDonald’s restaurants are all over Spain, but are much nicer and most have two floors, offering patrons beautiful views of the cobblestone streets. Kentucky Fried Chicken can also be found in Madrid . American food is even present in the Spanish homes.

French fries are a very common side dish at comida, the largest meal of the day. Also in packed lunches, many American snack brands can be seen such as Lays, Ripples, Cheetos, and Doritos, but ham-flavored chips are extremely popular. Dulces, or candy, is very popular, and Kit- Kats can be seen in every candy store.

The Features section of The Patriot went on the Spanish exchange to Toledo this past month and brought back new knowledge about another country, culture, and its people.

photo by: Candace Freeman

JC students sample Spanish cuisine, culture Melissa Vinton

Managing Editor

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wondrous aroma filled the kitchen. The stovetop simmered as the final portion of the meal was being cooked, which was already as large as an all-you-can-eat buffet.

The typical Spanish day consists of four meals spread out over the day. Beginning with a light breakfast in the morning, followed by “la comida” at lunchtime, the biggest meal of the day; “la merienda,” a snack eaten right before dinner; and “la cena” (a late dinner).

The breakfast is typically a

cup of café con leche (coffee with milk) and a pastry.

La comida is eaten around threethirty and consists of two to three courses. Meat is the main course of the meal, usually preceded by soup or salad. Chorizo, a form of spicy sausage, paella, rice with seafood or chicken, and ham are just a few of the most popular traditional Spanish dishes.

“I think the Spanish food is the best because it is more elaborate,” says Infantes senior Elena Martin.

Dinner in Spain is smaller than American dinners and is served around ten at night.

Bread is important in Spain because it is eaten not only with ham

and cheese, but it is used to mop up sauces. Every day, a family of four eats three loaves of bread.

The ironic thing is that Spaniards think Americans eat massive amounts of food.

The culture in Spain is just as unique as the food. “Las sevillanas’ and bull fighting are unique to our culture,” says junior Infantes student Cristina Rosique.

The “sevillana” is an “exciting type of dance” that is performed at parties, says Rosique and “flamenco” is a folk art that consists of both dance and music.

The music and dancing are just half of the art in Spanish culture.

The other half consists of the art

museums of Spain.

“Right now there is a lot of modern art, but painters like Greco and Picasso have really made art important in Spain,” says Rosique.

Goya and Velazquez have paintings that attract tourists to museums like “El Museo del Prado.”

Martin said, “[Art made] the culture of Spain unique from other countries.”

What makes a country unique is not only the people, but the history. The experience immersed me in one of the richest cultures in the world, one which, when contrasted with the modernity of America, taught me the value of exploring one’s culture.

rooms instead of the students.

In the middle of the day, the students have a short break called “recreo”. Spaniards don’t eat a large lunch like Americans do.

When they arrive home at about 3:15, the entire family sits down to a very filling three course meal called “comida.”

Mrs. Jane Michael, JC’s Spanish teacher, said, “In general, there’s a lot more communication between people in Spain. They eat meals together. I think I do more talking with my family in Spain than I do at home.”

Most students begin studying or watching TV with the rest of the family after comida.

Spanish students receive homework just like we do here, but they generally take a few more classes.

Laura Rey, a sophomore exchange student from Infantes,

takes ten classes and says most students her age at Infantes do the same.

Many students, including Rey, elect to take English classes outside of Infantes, including students who participated in this year’s exchange.

The classes at Infantes aren’t as tailored to individual students; students are more responsible for their education here because teachers aren’t as involved. If a student fails, they don’t go to summer school; instead they simply repeat the entire grade again.

Sports are also important to the typical Spanish student, but organized teams are set up very differently. Students in Spain play on club teams and popular club sports in Spain tend to be soccer, volleyball, and swimming.

“I wish [Infantes] was more like JC. Our school is so boring but all

the [kids] at JC get to take art and music and play sports together, too,” said Rey. Later at night, families spend time together just as they did during comida. After dinner, at about nine, family members watch TV together until about midnight when they go to bed. “Having dinner so late at night is the weirdest thing for us. It’s just very odd for us to eat at that hour,” said Michael.

When asked what the most noticeable difference between Spanish and American life, Rey said, “Everything is soo far away. Here we usually live in apartments near school..

You must drivee everywhere!”

Spanish life compares with American living Katie Clarke

Features Editor

I

ts 8:15 a.m., and my Spanish mom knocks on my door softly and quietly enters my room whispering, “¡Buenos días Katie!” my wakeup call for school. I lay in bed for a few more minutes thinking about how glorious it is to wake up in Spain at the same time I would normally be starting my first class back in Bel Air. By the time JC is almost finished its first class, the Spanish students are casually strolling into school at nine.

Not only are the students a few minutes late every day, but even the teachers don’t show up on time.

Most students walk to school but others ride the public bus or are driven by their parents. The impossibly small, winding streets of Toledo are one reason students aren’t permitted to drive until they are 18.

At Colegio Infantes, the Spanish school in Toledo that participates in the exchange with JC, classes last about an hour and teachers move between class-

photo by: Katie Clarke

7 Entertainment

Volume 44 . Number 4 . February 2009

The Patriot

Dave Hatem

Entertainment Editor

I

f you can discount the fact that the Jonas Brothers got nominated for one and Lil’ Wayne won several, the Grammys are perhaps the biggest award a musician can hope to win. This year’s Grammys featured spectacular performances from Coldplay and Radiohead, among others. The Grammys contained many upsets, at least for me, so here’s my commentary on this year’s rock and alternative Grammys.

Best Solo Rock Performance Winner: “Gravity” by John Mayer Who Should Have Won: “Girls in Their Summer Clothes” by Bruce Springsteen. Springsteen’s charmingly melancholy ode to aging is unpretentious, catchy, and unlike Mayer’s “Gravity,” actually a rock song. This was one of the biggest disappointments of the night in my opinion. Long live the Boss.

Other Nominees: “I Saw Her Standing There” by Paul McCartney, “Rise” by Eddie Vedder, and “No Hidden Path” by Neil Young.

Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocals Winner: “Sex on Fire” by Kings of Leon Who Should Have Won: “Long Road Out of Eden” by The Eagles.

Maybe it’s just because I’m more of a classic rock kind of guy, but “LROoE’s” guitar solo and solid vocals more than make up for the song’s half-baked social commentary. Besides, “Sex on Fire” is catchy, but doesn’t contain the phenomenal pacing and harmonization of “LROoE.” Other nominees: “Rock n’ Roll Train” by AC/DC, “Violet Hill”

by Coldplay, “House of Cards” by Radiohead Best Hard Rock Performance Winner: “Wax Simulacra” by The Mars Volta Who Should Have Won: “Wax Simulacra” by The Mars Volta. The Mars Volta’s unconventional song structure and vocals and in-your-

face stage presence gave hard rock a good kick in the pants this year. Also, it doesn’t hurt to have competition like Motley Crue, Disturbed, and Rob Zombie.

Best Metal Performance Winner: “My Apocalypse” by Metallica Who Should Have Won: “Nostradamus” by Judas Priest. Well actually, “The Day That Never Comes” by Metallica should have won. I would have to say that “Death Magnetic” is hands-down the best metal album of the year, but I don’t understand how they chose the worst song on the album to get nominated.

Other nominees: “Psychosocial” by Slipknot, “Under My Thumb” by Ministry, “Heroes of Our Time” by Dragonforce.

Best Rock Instrumental Performance Winner: “Peaches En Regalia”

by Zappa Who Should Have Won: “Peaches En Regalia” by Zappa.

This year featured a very solid lineup, but Zappa came out on top. “Peaches En Regalia” shows

the technical expertise and excellent song structure, proving it deserved the award.

Other Nominees: “Suicide and Redemption” by Metallica, “34 Ghosts I-IV” by Nine Inch Nails, “Hope” by Rush, and “Castellorizon” by David Gilmour.

Best Rock Song Winner: “Girls in Their Summer Clothes” by Bruce Springsteen Who Should Have Won: Bruce, hands down. Springsteen’s new hit rises head and shoulders above the rest, considering it is actually a rock song (I’m looking at you, Death Cab for Cutie).

Other Nominees: “House of Cards” by Radiohead, “I Will Posses Your Heart” by Death Cab For Cutie, “Sex On Fire” by Kings of Leon, and “Violet Hill” by Coldplay.

Best Rock Album Winner: “Viva La Vida” by Coldplay Who Should Have Won: “Death Magnetic” by Metallica.

For starters, Coldplay has admitted that they are not even a rock band.

Metallica’s album represented an

escape from mediocrity for them, but unfortunately got lost among trash like Coldplay.

Other Nominees: “Rock N Roll Jesus” by Kid Rock, “Only

By The Night” by Kings of Leon, and “Consolers of the Lonely” by The Raconteurs.

Best Alternative Album Winner: “In Rainbows” by Radiohead Who Should Have Won: “Modern Guilt” by Beck. “Modern Guilt” demonstrates beck’s full musical range, but Radiohead doesn’t break any new ground.

Beck’s innovation should not have been ignored.

Other Nominees: “Narrow Stairs” by Death Cab for Cutie, “Evil Urges” by My Morning Jacket, and “The Odd Couple”

by Gnarls Barkley.

Dan Briggs dreams big for music department Dan Briggs, music department chair, conducts the pit orchestra during a recent rehearsal for the spring musical, “Bye Bye Birdie.”

Briggs has brought a vigor and vibrancy unseen in recent years to JC’s music program during his brief tenure and hopes to continue to make his department more successful and competitive in years to come. (photo by Morgan Seiler) Daniel Gallen

Managing Editor

W

hat they’re doing transcends sitting and staring at a piece of music,” said Dan Briggs, music department chair.

The music department is an anomaly among the JC population. No other organization cuts as large a piece of the pie out of the population as the music department, which includes roughly 228 students or approximately 28% of the student body. Briggs enjoys the large numbers of students, saying, “Low numbers limit possibilities.”

One of these students is sophomore Patrick St. Clair. “I feel that it’s a good group,” St. Clair said.

“People can come here and feel welcome.” St. Clair credits Briggs

with instilling in him an appreciation for music, through an opportunity he probably would not have been able to get at another school.

“It was either here or Joppatowne,” the sophomore said, “and if I went to Joppatowne I probably would have been like, ‘Whatever,’ about music and quit, but Mr. Briggs makes it fun. I’ll probably minor in music in college.”

Another way the music department varies from the rest of the school is that Briggs describes himself as a follower of “constructivist theory,” a teaching style “driven by students with [the teacher] as the primary guide.” Briggs said that many of the innovations in the music department are the inspiration of the students.

A prime example of this “constructivist theory” is Bella Voce,

the a’cappella group.

Before Briggs arrived for the 2006-2007 school year, no a’cappella group was in existence. At one point, a group of students broached the idea to him. The result was Bella Voce, which made its debut during the following school year.

Briggs said, “I pick [activities] to stimulate the kids musically.”

Besides the co-curricular activities of band, chorus, and orchestra, the music department boasts several extra-curricular activities including Bella Voce, jazz band, and indoor drumline. These allow the students to do “something they love” and advance themselves.

St. Clair said his favorite ensembles were jazz band and indoor drumline, and that Briggs has great control and makes things fun.

Among the students hoping to advance themselves further is senior Dan Vaughan. Vaughan agrees with St. Clair’s sentiment that the music department has provided him with more opportunities than he would have gotten elsewhere.

“It’s given me a lot of experience and allowed me to be in so many ensembles,” Vaughan said. He calls these opportunities “diversity” and feels like he would not have gotten these opportunities at the other local schools.

Vaughan hopes to become a music teacher, specializing in percussion, and is considering the University of Maryland, Indiana University, Ohio State University, and Towson University for college and music education.

Senior Rachel Weinberg agrees that Briggs has encouraged other students to have careers in music.

“I’m not going to pursue music personally in college, but I feel [the music department] instills a

love of music [in students] that will last them the rest of their lives,” she said.

Briggs feels the department is unique because there are “opportunities to anyone who is interested.”

Even though it could be perceived as the “crazy left side” because of the separation from the academic wing and athletic offices, there are “no walls around the music department.” Briggs said that anyone who has even a remote interest in the music department can spend time within the music department on off mods in the chorus room.

The music department continues to rise as Briggs continues to strive for his overall vision. That

vision is self-described as “ultraidealistic,” and entails every student being somehow involved with music.

He realizes that this may not be totally feasible, but continues to hope for a new home for the department, more opportunities for travel, and chances to immerse in music outside of the United States.

Despite all these other happenings, Briggs knows what his true priorities are. “At the end of the day, if students know a little bit more about music when they leave the wing, that is the ultimate goal.”

In-Depth 8i to

Volume 44 . Number 4 . February 2009

The Patriot

Teens shoulder responsibility for sexual choices William Schultz

In-Depth Editor

A

ccording to the National Center for Health Statistics, 47% of high school students have sex before they graduate. That’s nearly an even split between sexual activity and abstinence.

For JC senior Laurie (name changed for confidentiality), this stage of growing up has already come to pass.

“Yes,” she said, “I have had sex. I chose to because I was with someone I was in love with at the time. It didn’t work out, but I don’t regret my decision because I really was in love.” She could speak for around half of the teenagers in the country, according to statistics.

Psychologist David Walsh said that teenagers naturally develop an interest and curiosity in sex as they get older. This sexual maturity is one of the steps to adulthood.

What concerns most adults more than anything is that they do not really know what teenagers are up to, or how they are handling this new maturity.

School nurse Laura Frank stated that the policy at JC is teaching abstinence-only education, and “how [abstinence] can be a positive.”

Religion teacher Joshua Laws enlightened further, and said that “I think at a Catholic

school we have to do our best to represent views of the church and evangelize.”

As far as his own opinion goes, he continued that “if you ask any married person, they’ll tell you that real communication happens in the act of sexual intercourse, and that depth of sharing is uncalled for when not given its due.”

But how do JC students feel about sexuality?

When asked whether she hears much from students or is asked for advice from students about sex, Nurse Frank responded that: “I’ve expected it, but honestly no. [I’m] kind of surprised it hasn’t [happened].”

Teenagers presumably talk about sex to each other. It seems teens are only shy about talking about sex to adults.

After all, they’re not shy about sex itself: by age 19 and 20, after high school, the 47% statistic changes to 70%, according to the medical publication Vital Health Statistics.

Furthermore, about half of all teenagers ages 15 to 19 have had oral sex according to the Center for Disease control. For 18 and 19 year olds, that percentage increases to 70% as well.

What bothers adults who write about the issue on websites such as Family Education and Suite101 is the worry that teens are being irresponsible about sexual activity and that they view sex immaturely.

Among the 23 random students asked, there

was around an even split. Half did view premarital sex as a negative thing; predominately underclassmen, with nine of those in favor of abstinence being freshman or sophomores.

They felt it was best to avoid it, or else called it “stupid.”

On the other hand, the second half did view sex as an acceptable thing. One male senior, simply said that they “have absolutely no problem with [sex].”

Other students neutral towards the idea of premarital sex went further and stated that as long as the participants stay safe, make sure they are ready and do not have sex with people that they don’t know, it can be acceptable.

In summary, similar to what an anonymous senior girl said, they believe that “if you’re in a serious relationship and you’re safe there’s nothing wrong.” Not one student advocated unprotected, random sex or multiple partners.

Even so, a freshman asked in the hallway laughed the idea of not waiting off and said that “that’s ridiculous, sex should come during marriage. It’s just out of place before…

Most of them are probably lying.” He has half the country, and possibly a significant part of the school, with him.

Maybe for good reason: one in four teens who have unprotected sex contract an STD according to The Alan Guttmacher Institute.

Opinions aside, statistics back up that teenagers who choose not to wait attempt to be responsible. Nearly all sexually active teenagers (98% according to National Health Statistics) have used at least one method of birth control.

Between 75% and 80% of teens used contraceptives their first time and a third of them even doubled up.

They also understand that, when in doubt, waiting is the best choice of action.

As a perfect example, ple, Laurie said that: “[Abstiinence is] well grounded.

Some people make the wrong choices about sex and get themselves in trouble. I do think that, for most people, it’s safer and probably bly a more mature decision to wait.””

But she also holds thatt the choice and responsibility still rests with the individual, and most would teens would agree.

Laws did as well. He said that “as a teacher, we can only show people the options.” The rest is up to teenagers.

Sexuality pervades pop Nick Temple

Copy Editor

F

ifty years ago, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnez slept in separate beds on “I Love Lucy.” Today, “Desperate Housewives,” a television show about middle-aged women who have on-screen sex with not only their hus husbands, but also numerous erous other men, consistently ranks high in the Nielsen en Ratings.

Sex sells. Itt moves products, draws onlookers, sparks controversy, y, and draws comments. From a cloistered society of pious ous prudes to a nation that keeps afloat a nearly $14 billion pornography aphy industry year after year, sex iin A American culi l ture has rapidly taken on a role at the forefront of society.

According to the Parents Television Council, as many as one in seven network shows today contain depictions of sexual intercourse and some 60% of parents are “very” concerned about the amount of sexual content to be found in the mass media today. One study has shown that one hour’s worth

of music videos alone contains nearly one hundred “sexual situations.”

The effect of this sex-saturated society on its youth is less readily apparent.

According to the Broadcast Education Association, “understanding the media’s role in such behavior is crucial, given the public health risks associated although, “only with sex,” altho small handa sm ful of studies fu hhave… exaamined the media’s influence on sexual outcomes.”

“I think our culture sexually driven,” is far too sexua said senior Tony Marzullo.

“I definitely think tthat the media puts stress on sexuall activity.” He di holds that too much sexuality “is not a problem in the media right now,” but said that any increase in sexual content would be problematic.

“I don’t think it has an impact on their attitudes,” Marzullo said, “but it makes [teens] more sexually aware.”

The media is “very focused” on sex, agreed junior Betsy Toskes, who believes that “it’s a problem.” “It

cheape said. “ should body a makes sex]… but it ceptab Scie sure t forms es tow sexual teens morall As preval tioning openn Ameri planne to Web But teen s the m Nation Pregna vironm fortab answe open enoug

9 In-Depth

Volume 44 . Number 4 . February 2009

The Patriot

Sex education causes huge turnoff Evan Conley

In-Depth Editor

O

n January 30th, at Stevenson High School in Chicago, Illinois, the school newspaper, The Statesman published a sexuallycentered In-Depth section entitled ‘hooking up.’ The school board was disgusted, and many parents objected. When release day came, though, not a single copy remained.

A clear example of a simple fact. Teens want to know about sex. The messages we receive, however, are mixed. Our school and multiple world religions preach abstinence and chastity, the media pushes a Nikeesque ‘just do it’ message, and our parents’ views fall somewhere in between the two.

Enter sex education. This course is intended to help adolescents deal with their constantly raging hormones and urges.

The question is how much that actually helps.

According to Stats.com, our country’s teen pregnancy rate, while having dropped in recent years, is still more than twice that of other developed countries. Sex education is not constant

p culture

ens sex for [teenagers],” ],” Toskes “It makes it look like something mething it dn’t be: ‘you have sex with someand it doesn’t mean anything’… thi ’ It s [teens] more comfortable [with … it’s not necessarily a bad thing, makes perverts a little more acble.” entific surveys suggest that expoo sex on television and in other of media can change teens’ stancwards “pre-, extra- and non-marital l relations,” said the BEA, leading to “[view] such situations as less ly wrong.” spicy content becomes more lent with each day, many are quesg the risks involved with such ness about sexuality as 800,000 ican teenagers go through an uned pregnancy each year, according bMD. t the ultimate responsibility for exuality lies with the parents, not media, said Ingirid Sanden of the nal Campaign to Prevent Teen ancy: “You have to create an enment where your kids feel comle coming to you when they need ersand that means keeping things from the time your kids are old gh to understand.”

from place to place; in fact, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, in most states the curriculum is left up to individual school districts, with only minor (if any) guidelines as to what to teach.

Of the two most prominent forms of sex education, the first discussed here is our school’s own doctrine: abstinence only, which makes up about one-third of our countries’ programs, according to the Washington Post. The basic idea behind this is that the only truly effective way of preventing STDs and pregnancy is to remain chaste until marriage.

Scientifically, this is completely accurate.

Abstinence is the only 100% effective means of prevention. As far as influencing consciousness, however, students interviewed found the effectiveness of Harford County’s programs mixed at best.

Senior Chloe Ey was first exposed to an abstinenceonly program at St. Steven’s school, and found it ineffective. The class consisted of “taking the girls aside during recess about three times” and talking about “what sex was” and “bodily functions.” The overall result? A “boring” class where she “didn’t pay much attention.” Ey eventually “based (her) philosophy off of other religions, and more contemporary things.”

A similar response came from freshman Scott

Novak, who attended an abstinence only program at Our Lady of Grace. While the program there was “more scientific,” it still included a “faith program” based on “the Catholic views of abstinence.”

Despite the program, Novak commented that he “doesn’t really hold the Catholic views” and thinks that “Christianity is too controlling in that area of people’s lives.”

Of course, not everyone found abstinence programs ineffective. Junior Maggie Vierheller took a class at St. Margaret’s, which focused on “how children are conceived” and “didn’t really talk about birth control.” Now she firmly believes that “you should definitely wait until marriage to have sex.”

Abstinence is not the only branch of sex education out there, though. Students found the other side of the coin, those programs of Harford County that teach birth-control and protection, also questionable.

Freshman Evan Steere attended a program at Harford Day school which taught that “abstinence is the key” to 100% prevention, but that “birth control should be used if that doesn’t apply.” “[The program] didn’t influence me much,” says Steere. He believes “abstinence is best until the legal age.”

Senior Kayla Curry found her education

program at Ridgely Middle “ridiculously funny.” Her program met “four times a week for one trimester and included pictures and videos,” they even set out a bowl of condoms once for the guys.” She commented that the program was “not necessary… people know enough already from school.”

The general impression is, then, that the programs named had limited influence on teen opinions. As Curry said “(The programs) might just make them want to do it more… people will do what they want to do.”

Then what to do? Unfortunately, there’s no consensus on that either. The Washington Post points out that in Sweden, there’s a single governmental standard of teaching protection and prevention, and that their pregnancy rates are less than ours. The British Medical Journal suggests programs with “less emphasis on anatomy and scare tactics” and that focuses “on negotiation skills in sexual relationships and communication.”

And who’s to say that nationwide abstinence won’t work? With so many different opinions and solutions, no wonder adolescence is so confusing.

Entertainment 10i to

Volume 44 . Number 4 . February 2009

The Patriot

‘Uninvited’ lacks tension, atmosphere of original Dave Hatem

‘Fame’ fails to bring fortune, satisfaction

hether it’s forgetting your math homework or leaving your lunch money at home, there are a bunch of little things that can put a damper on your mood. I would readily put your mother being blown up by your father’s psychotic mistress in that category.

Needless to say, the heroine in Cold Spring Pictures’ “The Uninvited” probably isn’t in a very good mood.

to seek vengeance for her death.

Banks’ character presents the first problem with this movie.

Whenever her character was on screen, I could only think of her previous comedic roles in “StepBrothers”, “Zach and Miri Make a Porno,” and “Scrubs.”

She just can’t create the aggressive, predatory nature intended for her character.

Even the scene where she reveals her murderous intentions to Anna feels like a very minor confrontation, with little underlying

Also, the setting in “Uninvited” was not as atmospheric as the original.

With the exception of the ending and one particular scene overlooking the sea, the lighting failed to create anything other than a comfortable, inviting home.

The screenplay also felt very mild. This may have been due to an attempt to keep the film rated PG-13, but the most satisfying part of the original is when the tension built throughout finally culminated in something gruesome.

The film opens with the protagonist, Anna Rydell (Emily Browning) undergoing therapy in a mental institution following a failed suicide attempt.

Shortly after the film’s opening, Anna is discharged and sent home.

At home, she is confronted by her father’s girlfriend, Rachael (Elizabeth Banks) and her sister, Alex (Ariel Kebell), who informs her that Rachael has moved in to their home and is trying to dispose of family mementos of her biological mother, who was killed in a fire.

Things go from bad to worse when Anna starts having visions of her dead mother, who demands her

tension.

In this respect, “The Uninvited” could have taken a page from the playbook of “A Tale of Two Sisters,” on which “Uninvited” is based.

The remake just isn’t able to capture the incredible discomfort and uneasiness of the pseudomother daughter relationship that was present in the original.

The creepy atmospheres and hair raising cinematography of the original is not as flushed out as in the “Tale of Two Sisters”.

The movie feels as if its just going through the motions.

There’s very little that makes the viewer think twice about anything presented in front of them.

This version fails to deliver on even the miniscule amount of tension it manages to create.

“Uninvited” is pretty much what you would expect to see in your average, run-of-the-mill PG-13 rated horror movie.

If you’re looking for anything more than a weekend diversion featuring some basic jump out and get you shocks, stay in and rent the original.

Entertainment Editorr

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Dave Hatem

Entertainment Editorr

Other Games

Managing Editor

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eel Big Fish’s newest album “Fame, Fortune, and Fornication” is an interesting piece of work, to say the least. The band selected ten songs by nine different artists to cover and release as their latest studio album. From just one listen, there are three obvious conclusions that can be drawn about this album: it won’t bring fame, it won’t bring fortune, and there is no way it could bring fornication.

There is no continuity within the album at all. Albums are supposed to present an overall concept to tell a story or display something to be listened to as a piece of art.

Instead, “Fame, Fortune, and Fornication” is ten songs thrown haphazardly together leaving nothing for the listener to draw from. The album is designed for the songs to be listened to individually, not as a whole.

The album commences with Poison’s “Nothing But A Good Time.” The energy behind the music is fantastic, hitting the listener with the full ska flavor with the intensity of the horn section and the pounding of the drums. The guitar chords shift smoothly from light and offbeat during the verse to deep and grunge during the chorus.

But that brings out another flaw in the album. Reel Big Fish attempts to capture this energy in every single song on “Fame, Fortune, and Fornication,” making it repetitive after the first listen. They attempt to keep the speedometer at one hundred miles per hour throughout most of the album.

This touches on a point addressed earlier in this review.

Albums are supposed to have a precise juxtaposition of songs that create atmosphere. Long ballads are mixed in with short intense bursts of song, each track sounding as if it belongs in that spot on the album. If “Fame, Fortune, and Fornication” was listened to on shuffle, the album would feel exactly the same as it does when listened to straight through.

After six songs of pedal-to-themetal, the album’s tone shifts distinctly for track seven, Tom Petty’s “Won’t Back Down,” and the rest of the album is remotely subdued from that point forward. The band pays tribute to their ska roots with “Monkey Man” by Toots and the Maytals and Desmond Dekker’s “Keep A Cool Head.” The covers of these three songs are the best songs on the album, with a legitimate, laid-back ska feel.

It’s just a shame that this couldn’t have been sustained throughout the entire album, instead of trying to continue the energy from the first Poison track.

The album closes with a second Poison tune, “Talk Dirty To Me.” Guest vocalist Tatiana DeMaria from TAT says at the end of the song, “I’m sorry, I’m just not good at it. OK, these are kind of horrible. Please don’t use them. I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”

At this point, she might as well be talking about the album.

1.5 out of 5

Don’t miss these hot new titles

T

om Clancy’s “Hawx”- In Tom Clancy’s newest intellectual property, Ubisoft hopes to challenge the hold “Ace Combat” has on flight combat games with a aerial assault of their own.

This new title utilizes a special flight assistance system that can be toggled on and off, allowing newer players to adjust to the game’s learning curve while still giving

R

2 out of 5

Daniel Gallen

esident Evil 5”- Capcom’s latest installment in the classic series is looking to improve on the revolutionary gameplay of the previous installment and bring the zombie genre back to the forefront. “RE5” will feature co-op gameplay offline and online, a first for the series, and, for once, the computer-controlled ally is actually helpful, giving the player health and ammo when badly needed. This installment hopes to create a more panicked sense of chaos as opposed to the last installment’s creepier, darker mood. Gamers across America will find out on its March 13 release.

veteran players the aerial freedom that they crave.

In addition, players are treated to a story from Clancy himself involving an ex-U.S. pilot fighting against the homeland in a conflict over Brazil.

“Hawx” also promises a lot of customization, which allows the player to be able to design his or her very own custom flying death

“Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena”- Starbreeze’s sequel to what is widely considered the best movie-licensed game of all time, “Chronicles of Riddick: Escape From Butcher’s Bay,” is looking to be one of 2009’s earliest sleeper hits. Containing a re-mastered version of the original, alongside a new adventure, those who did not play the first installment won’t miss. The gameplay focuses mostly on stealth, but it also makes the sequences where you are heavily armed that much more special and entertaining. Look for “Chronicles of Riddick” when it is released April 7.

machine.

Also, the extensive multiplayer mode that is featured in other Tom Clancy titles will be present in “Hawx”.

Expect extensive co-op multiplayer as well as a multitude of versus modes.

We’ll see if it can stand on its own in the multiplayer department alongside such games as “Call of

Duty 5”, “Gears of War 2”, and “Halo 3.”

The fact that it has the Tom Clancy seal of approval can only help this game to sell copies.

With the challenging and dynamic missions that have, over time, become a trademark in Tom Clancy games, “Hawx” promises thrills and entertainment when it is released March 3.

“Section 8”- Although SouthPeak Games has not exactly had the best track record on the Xbox 360, with mediocre titles (“Two Worlds” and “Monster Madness”) their newest game promises ambitious new twists in multiplayer gaming. It lets the player control where he or she spawns, get vehicles on demand, and complete objectives in a dynamic gameworld which can turn the battle around completely. “Section 8” drops in late 2009.

11 Editorials

Volume 44 . Number 4 . February 2009

The Patriot

Kaitlin Bobbin Ashley Powers

Editorials Editors

R

emember back in middle school when you decorated little paper bags with little hearts and cupids on them? And remember how everyone had little Snoopy or Scooby-Doo Valentines and little candy hearts and little heartshaped lollipops? And

how they would put them in the little paper bag taped to the edge of your desk?

Yeah, so do we.

And we miss it. We like it a lot better than sitting at home watching “A Walk to Remember” with your mom, moping over the fact that you’re single, and eating your feelings in the form of popcorn.

While we hope that you’re not sitting at home with your mom because you actually do have a valen-

tine, we know you’re probably sitting at some lame restaurant with that box of gross heart-shaped chocolates that no one has any interest in eating cause no one knows exactly what is inside of them and you’re contemplating whether or not you can just throw them away and get away with it.

What happened to the good old days, when everyone gave everyone else little valentines boxes of candy hearts on February 14th?

When if you liked someone, and we mean really liked someone, you shyly gave them a flower or a special box of Valentine’s Nerds that you saved just for them?

Why can’t everything be that simple and innocent again? Valentine’s Day is not about thinking you’re head-overheels-in love at age 16 or giving some elaborately thought-out gift that really has no meaning, but will ultimately define your relationship.

Honestly, we prefer the Snoopy Valentines.

So next year, think some more about what Valentine’s Day really means to you, and think before you buy that box of chocolates of suspect quality for $20 at Walgreens.

Because we’re pretty sure that in about two days it will be in a dumpster.

JC goes Big Brother Dave Hatem

Entertainment Editor I see them stalking me whenever I walk down the hall, staring, unblinking, as I enter the school.

Look up and you too will see John Carroll’s newest electronic spies. Over fifteen new cameras have been installed throughout the school, with a cost of $12,000.

It’s a shame that the school has so blatantly stated that they no longer trust the student body, but it’s an even bigger shame that they think that $12,000 in cameras is going to stop every crime at John Carroll.

What the administration seems to be forgetting is that people will always do what they want, regardless of the consequences.

Likewise, if John Carroll wants to prevent crime, they must address the attitude of the criminal.

Threats of punishment only go so far.

For instance, the boy’s locker room bathroom was vandalized, and three wrestlers’ wallets were stolen, while another wrestler’s belongings were thrown into the running showers. Surveillance cameras are useless to prevent crime in the locker rooms and bathrooms, because it would constitute a violation of privacy and it’s illegal. This incident occurred

after school the day of the installation of the cameras, January 22.

It is also known that several drug deals and hookups have occurred in the locker rooms and bathrooms.

This is a clear sign that people, especially teenagers, are going to do stupid things, regardless of the electronically monitored noose that hangs above their heads.

The only way to stop crime anywhere is to address the issues that cause people to commit crimes, not by increasing the ways they can be caught.

I realize that this is a very strenuous and difficult thing to accomplish, especially with teenagers who may be fueled by a sense of selfishness or rebellion, but it is the only way to stop crime on our campus.

There will be no crime prevention that will come out of this $12,000 boondoggle, just a strained relationship between the student body and the administration.

The vast majority of the student body has committed no wrongdoing and do not deserve to be watched constantly without their consent.

Honestly, with this outward display of lack of trust, I don’t see how the administration can hope to have a healthy relationship with the student body.

Editors claim homework hinders more than helps Kaitlin Bobbin Ashley Powers

Editorials Editors

A

s we stare at our math homework late one night, we are aware that our eyes are glazing over and our young lives are slipping away. All for what?

Quite frankly, we’re tired of hearing that hours of homework will teach us good study habits or really enforce the material. We don’t think teachers realize the workload we really have. All homework does is give us headaches and writer’s cramp. We can’t even retain any information as we’re too busy trying to just get it done so we can grab the few hours of sleep left in the night.

According to Alfie Kohn, the au-

thor of many books concerning the education of children, including “THE HOMEWORK MYTH: Why Our Kids Get Too Much of a Bad Thing,” and known lecturer, the positive effects of homework are “largely mythical.” The correlation between whether or not kids do homework and their level of achievement on the high school level is weak at best, and for middle and elementary school students it’s practically nonexistent.

Now, are we really the only ones that saw this coming? Honestly, if 48 minutes to an hour and 14 minutes is not enough time to get a point across, then maybe it’s not our problem.

Teachers should learn how to take advantage of that time so they don’t have to assign so much homework that we end up teaching ourselves the concept. Teachers should also

be mindful of the workload we get in other classes; your class is not the only class we take! And we really hope that you don’t think homework is all there is to life as a teenager. We WOULD like to see the light of day, every once in a while.

Now we realize that homework is not going away, and going over what we did in class can untangle a problem we had difficulties with, but can we be reasonable?

We think our problems could be solved by a little empathy and planning ahead from our teachers. If they assigned tests and homework at the beginning of each week, students could easily plan and manage their workload. The sympathy comes in when the students have too much to handle and are allowed to occasionally compromise with the teachers.

Colleges like to see that students are well rounded, and most of us want to be well rounded. We want to get good grades and be able to participate in extracurricular activities.

Sorry, we don’t think that’s too much to ask, especially when colleges expect to see it all on our transcripts.

We don’t want to choose between homework and extracurricular activities.

So as we stare blankly at our math book, all we can see is that the almost non-existent positive effects of homework definitely aren’t worth missing out on life. Think about it.

Maybe, just maybe, if we weren’t so exhausted from endless hours of homework we could stay awake in class. And maybe, we wouldn’t be so bitter about coming to school.

☺Mini-Editorials

Editorials tells it like it is.

Every month. We won’t let you down.

☺

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How many hours a night do JC students spend on homework?

0: 5% Less than 2: 54% 2-4: 39% 4 or more: 2%

Kaitlin Bobbin and Ashley Powers

Editorials Editors

☺

We love it when the cafe Does JC really think that The Pinnacle is now accepting There is one reason we has vegetarian options having an assembly to submissions.

We think that you don’t like the Patriot besides a salad. Salads show the seniors a few only should submit your creative Raffl e, and it’s because it’s are great and all, but slightly accurate numbers work, no matter how lame, almost impossible to sell there are only so many will discourage anyone from because we love the Pinnacle. your whole book of tickets times you can eat a using drugs or alcohol? It’s Though we feel sorry for them, to anyone.

The only way to ever get out of head of lettuce and some carrots. We’re completely ineffective, and no one’s going to stop just because we saw a few numbers. You because theywork in a closet. We think they should uniform is if you or your parents buy the vegetarians, not rabbits. know, we could have done something worth- have a bigger room to exercise their creative abili- whole book of tickets. Is it possible to be a ties. But we digress, submit your stuff, we’d like to little more reasonable? while with that time. Like take a nap.

We’ve been thinking, and see it. doesn’t it really suck when However, Bob Stutman We love being out of uniThere is a clear lack of comsomeone holds the door for was a very effective speakform, whenever possible. munication within the SAC. you despite the fact that er, and his talk was a nice Thus we are very fond of The back to school dance is you’re three miles away, change from the usual, the Patriot Raffle, which actually not in March, it’s in forcing you to sprint in order lame and boring talks that allows us to be out of February. Surprise! We’re to relieve them from the door? Yeah, so do we. basically just say “Don’t also a bit sensing a lack of creativity when it uniform for two weeksIt’s almost as bad as when people don’t hold the do it.” He actually captured our attention comes to naming dances. So, we just got back to which is always a beautiful thing. door for you, allowing it to conveniently slam and we enjoyed his talk. school...again... surprise? in your face.

☺

Editorials 12i to

Should exams be before or after Christmas?

PRO

:by Daniel Gallen

Christmas break comes as a welcome change for me.

The three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are never-ending, as teachers try to cram in vast amounts of work before our two week holiday, while the stress of the holiday season bears down on us students.

The worst thing about the weeks leading up to the break is that the teachers actually trust us with one very important thing: to remember vital information we will need upon our return for exams, a rather daunting task.

Volume 44 . Number 4 . February 2009

How could they easily remedy this problem? Exams before Christmas.

Those three words create a new, more flexible schedule for teachers and students alike.

After Christmas break, students would no longer have to cram during the mad dash that comes with that one week to recover, relearn and review the lessons of the previous five months. Instead, the three weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas could be used to review.

Instead of having teachers praying for their students to remember everything over the two weeks during Christmas, they would only have to worry about the five-to-six day break over Thanksgiving. And again, they would have three weeks to review, instead of one. Course work would still be relatively fresh in the students’ minds.

Teachers could also profit from such a change by avoiding that last-minute crush of papers during exam week, many of which are major semester-end term papers.

The teachers then have to grade these on top of the exams, with which they are already swamped. With pre-Christmas exams, teachers would get the two week Christmas break to do a very thorough job of grading instead of haphazardly assigning grades to papers they have barely read.

Having exams before Christmas will allow students to focus all of their energy before the Christmas break on exams and all of their energy after the break on projects and other important assignments. The students can divide and conquer their studies instead of spending the last nights before exams torn over whether to study for exams or do their assignments.

Exam grades would improve along with second quarter grades. The pressure of getting assignments done would be alleviated, along with the stress of studying for exams.

Students could enjoy their Christmas breaks without worry.

CON

The Patriot

:by Kaitlin Bobbin

It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Champagne for toasting, marshmallows for roasting, caroling out in the snow, and 20 percent of my semester grade- wait, WHAT? The last thing I want is more stress to add to the Christmas season with pre-break midterm exams.

I look at everyone who claims they wish exams were before Christmas break and wonder, “What could they possibly be thinking?”

It seems like a good idea to get the exams out of the way and start the New Year with a fresh slate. It’s easy to say that after we’ve come back completely refreshed from a holiday break. But think about how you feel before break comes around.

My brain is fried by that time of the year.

I can only imagine what sort of dim-witted essays would make it into my blue books due to my perpetual lack of sleep and stress overload. Although we take exams after two weeks of not studying, I still believe we’re fully capable of picking up where we left off. Besides, if you’re really motivated, you can study over break.

Imagine spending all night doing homework and finding yourself needing to cram at 3 in the morning for your huge test tomorrow. You’re not going to do well. Exams are a long term version of that. I don’t see how we can be expected to do well on exams after we’re burnt out from two quarters of school without even a minute’s respite.

Even if you don’t study over break, it’s a chance to let the information sink in while you relax and prepare your mind for the difficult task of exams that is before you.

No one wants to take an exam, before or after Christmas break, but for 20 percent of our grade, why shouldn’t we be as prepared as possible?

Do you think exams should be before or after Christmas?

“Before because then you don’t forget it over break.”

-Matt Gianelli ‘09

“Before so I don’t have to worry about it.”

-Molly McComiskey ‘10

“After because you have the whole break to study and compose yourself.”

-Pat St. Clair ‘11

“After because you can have more time to study and be prepared.”

- Connor Dunn ‘12

Leave the ‘friending’ to actual friends Staff Editorial

Patriot Staff

R

ecently, many JC students with Facebook accounts have received a friend request from someone named “John Carroll Campus Ministry.”

We’re really not sure what word to use to describe how we feel about JC’s latest foray into our private lives: Annoyed? Disturbed?

Creeped out?

Although recently the group has been taken down from Facbook, the fact remains that JC made an attempt to be on Facebook, and the idea is still out there.

We are, however, quite sure that this is not something we support. Facebook is a social networking site designed to, in the words of their motto, “[help] you connect and share with the people in your life.”

Let us say it again. Facebook is a SOCIAL NETWORKING site. It is not a place for schools to stalk their students. While the profile for “John Carroll Campus Ministry” is not necessarily anything that the students are worried about in and of itself, we are concerned what this could mean for the future.

Will JC start opening multiple profiles on Facebook? Will they branch out into MySpace? Students worry that JC will try to look

into students’ profiles, and although we hope and don’t really believe that JC would take the time to hack into a student’s Facebook profile, it is possible if they wanted to.

Students need some space when it comes to their lives outside of school. They don’t need their school principal or campus minister showing up at their parties and other events with their friends – and they don’t need them on Facebook either.

It’s one thing to “friend” a former teacher after graduation in order to keep in touch, but having an actual group inside of JC trying to friend students is slightly disturbing.

Please, JC, leave Facebook to the students.

The Chief Speaks Natalie Shaw

Farewell to the QPA

L

ately, I have been looking back over my four years of high school, asking myself what I have learned, reexamining memories I have collected.

One of the clearest memories I have revolves around my first report card of freshman year. The big mystery to my classmates and I was not the grade we had next to each subject, but rather, the number at the top of the paper – something called a QPA. We would soon learn that the QPA, or Quality Point Average, determines class rank and that the higher level courses one took, the better chance we had at an elevated QPA. While that may be the case, I clearly remember upperclassmen complaining that, on the QPA scale, an 82 in an Advanced Placement class received the same points as a 90 in a regular class, but that, in terms of GPA, the grade was still a B, worth 3.2 on JC’s GPA scale.

A “B” that colleges would never see as an “A.” The QPA seems fair at first glance, but it cannot be considered just toward students in the long run. When seniors apply to colleges and for scholarships, the two big numbers are the GPA and the SAT scores. I do realize that an explanation of the QPA and the QPA scale are sent with our transcripts, but I cannot help but wonder if admissions officials even take the time to look over those papers.

When colleges are receiving thousands of applications each year, a quick glance at the numbers might be the determining factor between the accepted and the wait-list piles.

In order to prevent such a situation from occurring, JC should strongly consider abandoning their complicated QPA system and replacing it with a 5.0 scale where students taking a “Level 3” course would still earn recognition for taking on a challenge.

Colleges often ask for a weighted and an un-weighted GPA. That weighted GPA (using the 5.0 and 4.0 scales simultaneously) would be the determinant of class rank, while the un-weighted GPA, the pure number grade in each subject should determine academic honors.

Public schools often use a 5.0 scale. Why deprive our students of the same chances at college as students in those and other private schools by having such a unique system that forces colleges to read more to discover the full story of a student’s grades?

Changing to a 5.0 scale for AP classes would equalize our chances at college admission as well as simplify class rank and honors calculations for the guidance department.

13 Editorials

Volume 44 . Number 4 . February 2009

The Patriot

Gateway crash leaves students reeling

Katelynn Colgain

Sports Editor

W

hen the class of 2010 entered high school for the first day all the way back in August of 2006, we were ecstatic to be the first class with our own personal laptops to use both in school and at home. This

new system seemed worth the extra money our parents were spending for us to come to this school.

It went pretty well for the first two years.

But now, Gateway is completely gone and when our laptops break, we just have to deal with it. The only positive that came out of this is that “MPC bought the business side

of Gateway and Acer bought the consumer side,” said tech staff member Joe Vitucci.

All that extra money our parents have spent over the past three years in “technology fees” hasn’t necessarily gone down the drain because the school is now buying consumer parts from Acer. But teachers don’t even make us use our laptops in class so it

almost seems like a waste. I don’t bother bringing it to school every day any more, considering the fact that it weighs a ton. I’ve used my computer in two classes this year, and even then, only on occasion.

When the laptops do break, it’s a long process because they can’t just be sent off; they have to be manually fixed through the tech lab. Luckily for the freshmen, their laptops are from Lenovo and the least of their problems are the battery tabs.

The worst part of all is that the warranties and insurance the school had with Gateway is gone. John Carroll does not plan to sign with another company, but rather to deal with the current laptop issues themselves.

Getting rid of the laptops altogether would not break my heart. If we got rid of the laptops, it would be a major reduction in our parents’ money and the school’s money.

The junior laptops seem to be in pretty good shape, and the tech staff is working hard to fix the laptops themselves, since it’s very expensive to send them off somewhere with our economic downturn. The school has hopes that our laptops will last another year and they won’t need to buy new ones. Although getting rid of the laptops seems to be the most efficient solution, the school would rather just deal with it for the next two years.

After all, former president George W. Bush’s 2005 inauguration only cost a whopping $42.3 million, according to the New York Daily News. That is a spectacular waste of money in its own right; it is around the price of building an in-ground swimming pool half the size of Rhode Island.

Instead, we had a speech.

Even being a historic election and the first African American president ever, does history make an additional $100 million an acceptable price tag for a speech?

For $150 million, if so motivated, a person could buy around 90 average private islands from Private Islands Online, assuming that many were for sale. So why not just run the election on YouTube and buy most of the

Philippines instead, assuming that the island nation was for sale with similar pricing?

Sadly, $150 million isn’t even the only problem: Barack’s inauguration price may not be unheard of after all.

That $42.3 million figure for Bush does not include security, personnel or transportation like Obama’s reportedly did. Add around another $100 million to get the real cost. $140 million is somewhat closer, but remains 100,000 Blackberry Curves below the pre-estimate of Obama’s inauguration. …Hold on… Pre-estimate?

Yes, this gets even more complex.

The actual cost of Obama’s ceremony has not been revealed. The New York Daily News ball-parked the figure a few days be-

fore the inauguration, saying it “could approach $160 million.” Oh, ok then.

Shortly after, British newspaper The Daily Mail claimed that the price had been $162 million, but revealed no source at all. MSNBC picked up on the questionable number, liberal groups jumped to defense/counterattack, and here we are.

Not only are we spending insane amounts of money on these televised, “exciting” speeches, we cannot even hear any straight talking about the actual price. Instead, we hear “estimates” used by politicians or pundits to attack each other.

So, facts should not be ammunition, and for the next election I propose we just buy 500 Ferraris instead.

Inauguration costs mystify students William Shultz

In-Depth Editor

A

s we all know, Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States on Tuesday, January 20. I’m sure you do, since every person in school had to sit in the gym and watch the reportedly $150 million dollar inauguration ceremony.

Wait… $150 million dollars? The main point of an inauguration is taking the presidential oath. I’m fairly certain I could look up the text of the oath while I write this and say it for free. In fact, I just did. That much expense is far from necessary.

Eliminating embargo helps Cuban people Nick Temple

Copy Editor

O

n the night JFK signed an executive order ending all trade between U.S. and Cuban interests, he purchased 1,200 cigars for his own personal use. On that night, February 7, 1962, Kennedy enacted a longstanding U.S. policy that has served only to threaten the livelihood of the Cuban people and should be eliminated within President Obama’s first 100 days.

For the half-century since, the U.S. government has maintained the strictest, longest-lasting trade embargo in modern history. It is currently illegal for U.S. citizens to trade with Cuba in any way, and those in violation of the embargo (yes, even those with Cuban-made cigars at home) could

face up to ten years in prison. Under current U.S. policy, even Kennedy could have been jailed for having Cuban cigars in the White House.

It’s been fifty years since the embargo was put into place and to what avail? The goal was to cripple Fidel Castro’s Cuban economy and bring democracy to the island nation just 90 miles south of Miami. But in reality, the embargo has only made his socialist “utopia” stronger.

With the United States’ continued refusal to trade with Cuba, Castro’s government has a scapegoat for any shortages or problems within the nation: “The evil capitalists hate our people and our government is free of blame.” Although Fidel has stepped downnominally the goal of the embargo- he has been replaced by his brother Raul, and the

Cuban government is as healthy as ever.

It isn’t the Cuban government that has been hurt by this embargo, but the Cuban people. In enforcing this barbaric policy, we have lengthened the misery of the long-suffering Cuban people, limited their ability to live a decent lifestyle, and yet done almost nothing to seriously damage the state-controlled Cuban economy.

The people, however, regularly experience shortages of food, medicine, and even soap, which often leads to malnutrition and disease outbreaks amongst the Cuban population. It is nothing short of a human rights violation to maintain this policy of economic discrimination. The Cuban people are not responsible for the fact that they live under a communist government.

While we refuse to trade with the Cuban

communists, the “good” communists in charge of China— who have a far more disgraceful human rights record— are one of our closest trading partners. And we maintain the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, and Camp X-Ray, on the island itself, so while we won’t trade or have diplomatic relations with the nation, we will detain foreign nationals indefinitely within its borders.

With President Obama’s recent inauguration, the tone towards Cuba may be changing. One of his first actions upon assuming office was to order the closing of the detention center at Gitmo within one year, and on the campaign trail, he suggested that he may order an end to the embargo. Only time will tell, however, if this near-criminal policy will come to an end and the Cuban people will be offered hope for a better future.

Sports 14i to

Volume 44 . Number 4 . February 2009

The Patriot

Varsity basketball surpasses Calvert Hall on Senior Day

(Top) Senior Wyatt Smith pulls up for a jumpshot, despite the amount of pressure from his Calvert Hall opponents. (Bottom) Sophomore Malcom McMillan plays tough defense on his Calvert Hall opponent as they move down the court in an attempt to put some points on the scoreboard. (Photos by Megan Chlada)

(Top right corner) JC students and parents fill the stands to support their varsity basketball team. (Above) Senior Raphael Jordan quickly passes his Cardinal opponent as he dribbles down the court to score. (Right) Senior Isaiah Philmore fights to tip the ball to his fellow Patriots in the tip-off at the beginning of the game. (Photos by Megan Chlada)

of the Month

Eric Hart

S

enior Eric Hart is about to cap off his fourth year of varsity wrestling with victories in over 150 matches and hopes to continue his success in the MIAA Championships and the State Tournament. “I thought that getting 150 wins was a big accomplishment, but the wins mean nothing if I don’t win MIAA’s and States,” said Hart. Hart has been wrestling since he was in seventh grade and continues to wrestle year round for different club teams. For the rest of the season, Hart has set specific goals for himself. His first goal is to finish first at the MIAA Championships and second are his hopes of placing high enough to become an All-American at National Preps. During his four years at JC, Hart played varsity soccer his freshman and sophomore years and, was the kicker for the varsity football team in his junior and senior years. Hart plans on either wrestling or kicking for a college football team.

J

Emily Raymonda

unior Emily Raymonda, a varsity swimmer for three years, started swimming six years ago and currently swims year round for the Harford Hurricanes. Raymonda usually swims three events in each meet: the 100 meter freestyle, 200 meter freestyle, and the 100 meter backstroke.

Raymonda had a solid finish to this year’s season, finishing fourth in the 100 meter freestyle and eighth in the 100 meter backstroke at championships. She also helped capture a third place finish for the team’s 400 meter freestyle relay. Raymonda’s favorite memory from this year’s swimming season was the training trip, which was in Florida.

The trip allowed the team to go to a training facility and also abled them to work together to improve as an overall team. “The team did amazing this year! We got second at championships and we won many of our meets. I’m so proud of everyone,” said Raymonda.

15 Sports

Volume 44 . Number 4 . February 2009

The Patriot

Overtime

with Daniel Gallen

Faith Reilly

Features Editor

C

limbing the stairs into the huge bus, I am greeted

by Spanish chatter and the buzz of excitement for the pride of Spain, Real Madrid soccer. Who can blame them as Real Madrid was named by FIFA as the most successful soccer club of the 20th century? They have won a record thirty-one La Liga (the league in which the team plays) titles, seventeen Spanish Cups, a record nine European Cups, and two UEFA Cups.

Settling down on the large coach bus reserved for the club members, I curiously watch hundreds file onto the bus completely clad head to toe in Real Madrid gear.

After the whole bus exchanges their greetings, they began to harass the bus driver to change the radio channel to the station dedicated to Real Madrid coverage showing their intense passion for their team and this sport. This experience made the importance of soccer in Spain seem real for me.

Finally, as we stepped out into the frigid cold, I caught my first glimpse of Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, one of the most famous stadiums in the world.

Santiago Bernabeu Staduim was named “elite” by the Union of

European Football Associations, which is the highest honor a soccer stadium can receive in Europe.

It has been the home of the 1982 World Cup and several European Cup finals with a capacity of holding up to 80,000 people.

This stadium towers in the skyline of Madrid and its blinding lights can be seen from miles away.

Even outside the stadium was a hub of activity, as more street vendors than I had ever seen were selling “bocadillos,” or sandwiches, popcorn, and the most popular item, Real Madrid scarves. Almost every man was dressed in a Real Madrid jersey and a scarf while the women were dressed nicer, showing a great respect for this team.

We found our seats in the fourth row of the stadium, and the beauty of the field and the stadium inside was heart wrenching. Looking up made it seem as if this stadium would swallow me whole, and gazing around was literally exhausting for my eyes.

The blinding lights set the stage for these players who are treated as gods, while the field looked as if a green carpet had been rolled out for these stars to showcase their abilities. The players finally took the field to roars of applause and cheers as they began their warmup.

The team took a lap around the field and I could see the faces of some of the best players in the world as they jogged by our seats.

My exchange student, Paola, screamed out to Raoul, the team captain, “Faith has come all the way from America to see you!”

He turned around halfway and acknowledged us with a small smile before sprinting off with the rest of the team.

The other team, Deportivo, ran out onto the field amidst boos. Half an hour later, the starting whistle blew but I was not ready for the sights I would see.

The ball was kicked 40 and 50 feet from one of the best goalkeepers in the world, players jumped three feet up in the air to battle for the ball, and one section of spectators that sat behind the Real Madrid goal sang in support of their team all 90 minutes of the game, especially at a late first half goal headed in by Raul, the team’s captain.

Compared to a typical Ravens game, the spirit at the Real Madrid game was much more infectious which made the game even more exciting. During every single play fans were on their feet, yelling and cheering for their team where at the typical American sporting event the fans are more spectators than an integral part of the game.

from 2004-2005. He came to JC last year as the JV head coach, and was promoted to varsity head coach after a year because, according to Dukes, Farrell is “soft spoken, but very knowledgeable about the game, a teacher.”

The coaching change was met with enthusiasm by the team. “It is a refreshing change to the program. A lot of us felt as if the program needed a new staff,” said senior Brooks Pastorius.

Sophomore Ryan Kirby believes that “the [old] coaches did not demand the commitment that the team needed. We need coaches who are going to reinforce what they say, and we have that this year.”

The changes to the program have already made a difference.

The team began weight training for the season in November, and members of the team have been playing in summer and fall baseball leagues. “They [the coaches] have been setting us up to be successful this year. They are doing a great job preparing us for the season with workouts and practices. They run their practices and workouts so that you are always working on part of your game and you are never wasting time,” said Kirby.

The mental focus of the team has been adjusted as well. “I see a lot more organization, and we have a more determined, serious attitude,” said senior Ryan Young.

“The coaches don’t like a lot of goofing off and they want people who are dedicated and serious

about the game. They know a lot about the game and know when it is time to get serious,” said Pastorius.

The off-season has led members of the team to develop high expectations. “No doubt in my mind we are going 18-0 this year,” said Young.

Senior Christian Wolfe shares his fellow senior’s optimism.

“With the return of All-MIAA performer Christian Wolfe and the other senior captains, they will guide us to victory and destroy the opponents,” said Wolfe.

Pastorius was much more grounded in his expectations for the 2009 season, saying confidently, “I believe our team this year will have more success than we did last year.

Alex Dietrich, a freshman at Stevenson University, is very competitive in the sport of Taekwondo.

“When I’m training and I tell myself that I can’t do a trick, I mess up more often,” said Dietrich.

Most athletes take different approaches to getting “in the zone” for a performance. For some, bringing home a trophy or an award becomes a form of motivation. Dietrich said, “What pushes me is to see others trying hard.”

Sophomore Katie Flagg, on the

other hand, said that her motivation comes from her coach yelling at her.

The way a coach treats his or her athletes can have an extreme affect on a performance. “I think that the coach has to be in between. If they are too nice, they are just a push over, but if they are too mean, then everyone will hate them,” said Flagg.

Pressure coming from the thrill of competition can be beneficial to an athlete. “I think I do better

in competition versus practice because of the pressure to do well.

When I am pressured, I feel like I should do better,” said Flagg The mindset of an athlete is not the only factor influencing performance. Though competitors may tell themselves that they can win, sometimes physical problems affect how they act. “It has a lot to do with the mindset, but things like how tired your muscles are, or if you’re sick play into it as well,” says Dietrich.

Get over it

A

The goal end of the field of the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium begins to fill up before the game. The game was very spirited with people singing through the entire game, and it ended in a Real Madrid win. (photo by Faith Reilly) The game ended 1-0 with a Real Madrid win. This single game gave me the opportunity to witness the passion of the Spanish people for their team, soccer, city and their country.

Baseball coach hopes for successful start Kate Froehlich

Copy Editor

A

fter a disappointing 5-11 season in 2008, Athletic Director Larry Dukes decided to take the varsity baseball team in a new direction by promoting previous JV head coach Brian Farrell to the varsity coaching position.

Farrell played high school baseball at Perry Hall, and was drafted by the Kansas City Royals at age 19. Dukes, a teammate of Farrell at Perry Hall, said, “He [Farrell] was a phenomenal pitcher, one of the best in the area, and we were pretty certain he’d be in the major leagues at some point.”

After a stint in the minor leagues, Farrell began coaching at Emmorton Recreation Center in 1992, then coached at C. Milton Wright

Play with a smart mentality Michelle Cvach

Entertainment Editor

I

can’t do it.”

This phrase can be heard from athletes worldwide, almost every day. In doubting their abilities, athletes prevent themselves from performing to their fullest potential.

The performance of an athlete is depends greatly on the athlete’s mindset. By convincing yourself that you are capable of winning, your performance can improve with both motivation and the desire to succeed.

s the NFL Playoffs descended upon Baltimore this January, there was a common refrain amongst Ravens fans: “This is our year.”

Ravens fans felt this was their year, with the first rookie head coach and rookie quarterback combination to win two playoff games. They had a coach who was getting the most out of a team that was 5-11 only a year before. Derrick Mason was a warrior, playing through countless injuries. Ray Lewis and the rest of the defense were revitalized.

It was actually Pittsburgh’s year.

With their exciting 27-23 victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers cemented themselves as the team of destiny in the NFL. The franchise added another chapter to its storied history as the victory gave them six Super Bowl victories, the most in league history.

The destiny of Ben Roethlisberger returning to the big game and redeeming himself from his performance in Super Bowl XL and the Steelers’ devastating defense trumped a resurgent Kurt Warner, an All-Universe performance from Larry Fitzgerald, and a no-name defense that had found itself in the playoffs.

All while the Ravens and other “teams of destiny” watched from home.

I am not purposefully calling out Ravens fans; the fans of any team could think it was their year.

Philadelphia Eagles fans had Donovan McNabb’s resurgence from an embarrassing benching.

The Atlanta Falcons were in a similar situation to Baltimore with a rookie head coach and quarterback combination, rebounding from the Michael Vick debacle.

The Miami Dolphins had a hip new offense and Bill Parcells calling the shots. But it was not to be.

The point is for fans not to get in this type of thinking. It creates a sense of entitlement. Fans think they have a right to go to the Super Bowl and even a right to win because of (fill in applicable reasons).

If it worked this way, each team would receive a Lombardi Trophy before the season started and the season would be pointless to play.

This type of thinking makes it impossible for fans to accept losses, leading them to search for anything to take the blame, usually the referees. However, it could be the fact that your team got flat-out outplayed and didn’t bring their ‘A’ game.

Just because the stars might seem aligned to you, doesn’t mean they are. Fans don’t deserve anything based on circumstance.

Sports 16i to

Volume 44 . Number 4 . February 2009

The Patriot

Attention athletes: tips to avoid injury Katelynn Colgain

Sports Editor

F

or senior Brad Viers, running had always been a vital part of his life. From the time he started, it became an obsession that drove him to be the best that he could. During his junior year, while captain and number one runner on the men’s cross country team, however, his legs started to hurt. No amount of rest or treatment could alleviate the pain. After countless doctors, he finally discovered he was running with a disease he didn’t know he had.

Popliteal Artery Entrapment Syndrome is a disease that deals with the muscles in the legs taking up too much room. The muscle pushes up against the artery and decreases the blood flow from the knee to the rest of the leg.

Viers has had two surgeries since he found out about his muscle disorder. “They removed unnecessary muscle and moved the necessary muscle to allow more efficient space for blood flow to

my knee,” said Viers.

It is going to take Viers two years to get back to where he was with running, but he can begin running carefully again in mid-April. “I have to be extremely careful not to get hurt again. If it wasn’t worth it, I wouldn’t have gone through all this stuff,” explained Viers.

Many high school athletes find themselves in the very same boat as Viers. The constant growth and change in a teenage body can make it very easy for athletes to get hurt.

Another high school athlete who has a similar issue to Viers is senior Jen Zoltoski. She suffers from a disease called Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome in her lower legs. “When I would run, my muscles would swell too large for the fascia, which encases your muscles so no blood pumped there and I was in lots of pain, but only when running,” said Zoltoski.

Zoltoski found out her problem after going to the doctor and explaining the symptoms she was having. She had an MRI and X-

Ray done to rule out other things and then she had a pressure test done where she ran on a treadmill for as long as her pain would allow her. Afterwards, four needles were stuck in each compartment of her leg. Once the doctor realized how much higher her pressure was than the average person, she was diagnosed with the disease.

On July 1, Zoltoski had her first surgery on her right leg, and on July 22, the second procedure was done on her left leg. “I had all four compartments released where basically they put a slit in my fascia so my muscle could expand when exercising,” said Zoltoski.

Zoltoski began playing soccer three months after her surgeries, but was very weak from the procedures. “I regret trying to come back so quickly because I had pain, so I eased up and now I am about seven months post operation, training full force for lacrosse,” explained Zoltoski.

Viers and Zoltoski are merely two examples of high school athletes suffering through major inju-

ries. So many athletes have experiences similar to them and have to have surgeries done.

An article called “Teen Health,” from the Nemours Foundation, writes, “You may be tempted to ignore that aching in your wrist or the soreness in your knees, but always remember that just because an injury isn’t dramatic doesn’t mean it’s unimportant or will go away on its own. If left untreated, a chronic injury will get worse overtime.”

The most common types of sports injuries are fractures, sprains, and Osgood-Schlatter, which is a condition where the growth plate is overloaded. Sprain-type injuries are called acute traumatic injuries.

Injuries like Osgood-Schlatter, tendinitis, and stress fractures are called chronic injuries. Spraintype injuries heal in a brief period of time, while stress fractures take long periods of times, ranging from weeks to months.

The most dangerous high school sport is football. According to the article “Science Daily,” published

in the August issue of “The American Journal of Sports Medicine,” “Four out of every 1,000 high school football exposures resulted in an injury, while eight out of every 1,000 collegiate football exposures resulted in an injury.” Those numbers are an extremely high rate and paint a distinct picture of the dangers involved in football.

Like Viers’ case, athletes that have little pains at first ignore it. What they don’t know is that it could be a very serious injury and continuous exercise will only make it worse. When the pain persists, the athlete should see a doctor and rest the area where they are having problems.

Although injuries are unfortunately common for high school athletes, they can be avoided in two different ways. Trainers say that the first way to avoid an injury is training properly and the second is to listen to your body. Your body knows its aches and pains, and lets you know when it’s time to take a break.