Auto Show Zooms in on Detroit B12 S T O N E Y
Your eyes, your ears,
Your Voice
C R E E K
THE
SOURCE
Volume 9 Issue 6
January 31 , 2012
575 Tienken Road, Rochester Hills, MI 48306
Name that DIA Artist
Play along with Language Students Answers and Story pg. A3
Preparation pays off for BPA by Kristie Robinson Lifestyles Team
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cene: 45 Stoney Creek High School students compete at the Business Professionals of America (BPA) Regionals competition at Baker College in Auburn Hills. It is Jan. 13, and they are prepared, an adjective they had to work to earn, according to junior Emmie Ashwell. “It was a lot of work. You had to put in a lot of effort, and get your stuff done before your event and make sure you were well prepared to present in front of judges,” Ashwell Said. But she and 44 others have received the support of Business teachers Thomas Mavis and Suzanne Kuhn. The months of November,
1.
December, and early January consisted of teachers giving helping hands to the competitors. “[I was] trying to get them started, then [I was] seeing where they’re at and monitor where they are at, and then show me the presentation, give critiques and kind of help them with the topics,” said Kuhn. All of this has put them on a bus going to a prestigious competition where there were 8 schools that competed. We had over 400 kids that were there. If you’re top 5 for an individual event, you move on to States. If you’re a team, it’s top 2 teams, according to Mavis. The prepping for the event continued through the bus ride. For Ashwell, she “was a little nervous but not enough to let it control what [she] was doing,” Ashwell said, and
Planning: Seniors Thomas Sassorossi and Dominique Zuelch prepare for their presentation. The team had many state qualifiers. (photo by Kristie Robinson)
(see page 2)
t e r c e S
Toprity week n Cha a L P e l t BAt 3
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Mr Bliss Wants You For the Battle of Charity Week
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4.
HQ
For information on how to get involved contact student counsel in room E166.
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The first phase of battle is the dodgeball tournament on Feb. 1. For more information contact Charlie Ruiz.
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The second phase of the battle plan is penny wars from Feb. 6-10. For more information contact Justin Huber.
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On Feb. 9 Jail and Bail will conclude the battle of Charity week. For details Contact Jack Wesley.
HQ
Sadies theme reinvigorates charity week by Courtney Bourgoin Lifestyles Team Besides both taking place on the week of Feb.11, there’s something more significant spirit and charity week have in common this year. Honor. When junior Grant Norstrom pitched the Sadies “army strong” theme last school year, hesitant student council members voted against it. A military- themed dance- a tough sell for 1,800 teenagers who anticipate a worry-free night of loud music and dancing. But this year, the timing is perfect. With the war in Iraq ending, the theme makes complete sense. “We have people dying for our safety and free-
dom.” Norstrom said, “They sacrifice so much so we can live the way we do.” For junior student council member Will Sheehy, the theme is significant too. But for himthe army is a little more personal. The junior’s dad has served in the army for 23 years and now is a colonel. “I really respect what my Dad does for this country,” Sheehy said. “He’s a role model, and it’s a really cool thing.” Col.Sheehy hasservedinbothIraqandAfghanistan. Student council looks to have fun with the theme, creating life-like interpretations of army life students will see as they enter the dance. Former student Jeff Lapine, currently serving in Afghanistan, knows there’s nothing easy and glorious about the actual life of a soldier who’s
served in the Middle East. “Out of the 6 months Jeff was in Afghanistan, Jeff only was able to shower twice,” Lapine’s mother Barb Zarantenello said. Whether Lapine is deployed to dangerous war zones or doing charity work in countries throughout the world, the family is proud of him and all the work he does on behalf of the country. “We are so proud of Jeff and everything he’s doing.” Zarantenello said, “It’s so nice to hear the school is acknowledging the troops.” Senior Barry Powell can relate to the theme in his own way. The senior plans on enlisting in the army directly after high school. “I want the chance to do something important with my life,” Powell said. (see page 2)
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they think” Matthew said. “We sometimes feel like we don’t get half the funding we deserve.” The money was originally (continued from p. 1) supposed to be donated to The message student soldiers still in Afghanistan council wants the rest of the and ones leaving Iraq. With school to recognize is just how the recent death of the schools important it is F r e n c h for Americans t e a c h e r to support their S u s a n troops. Jarrell, Substitute s t u d e n t security guard, c o u n c i l M a t t h e w decided served in the the money Iraq war from would be of 20092011 great benefit as a 31 Bravo, to the Jarrell an American family. The m i l i t a r y week gives policeman. students junior Marley “The war the chance Watson is such a to unite controversial topic in America,” and honor both Madame and Matthew said, “it’s hard to American troops, according to get so much money for such a junior Marley Watson. pricey project.” “We’re all in this together,” But, he wants Americans to Watson said. “Whether we know one thing. agree with the war or not, this “We’re out there for is our country and we should Americans, regardless of what support everyone who lives here and fights for it.”
Sadies
“ country ...this is
our and we should support everyone who lives here and fights for it.
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BPA
(continued from p. 1) focused on what [she] was going to say.” Senior Bryan Igwe took the ride as a good opportunity to continue preparing for the competition, as well, and “was thinking about being prepared for if any mistakes or surprises happen,” Igwe said. And the bus stops at destination Baker College, the students and chaperones shuffling out of the vehicle and striding into the challenge of “the three schools in Rochester. A lot of the other schools we compete against are in Macomb County, and then Troy Athens is new,” said Kuhn. This challenge greets them as soon as they walk in the doors of the building. Though generally very organized, “it’s a scramble the first hour, because [Mavis and I] are proctors for the competition so we kind of have to leave 40 kids sitting with one chaperone,” Kuhn
said, and “when we arrived, the kids kind of funneled to where they’re supposed to be,” Mavis said. When seating is arranged, competitors as well as teachers are settled, and the judges are ready to see the talent, the competing begins. The nerves are switched on and the anticipation, the excitement drives the students as well as the teachers. Mavis and Kuhn know the effort their students have put into this, “and you really just want to see them get rewarded for that,” because “when their name is called at the end of the day, you can see the excitement on their face,” Mavis said. At the end of the day, the excitement could be seen on the faces of 29 Stoney Creek students. They go home, knowing that the States competition awaits them.
New gym class faces unexpected challenges by Matt Pitlock Editor-in-Chief Rochester Community students follow the same basic curriculum of five required classes without exception. Math, science, English, social studies, and gym. Students in are forced to find room for two semesters physical education. No exceptions. Every semester is a mad scramble to rearrange schedules, drop classes, trade hours and no one ever seems to find time to put gym class on his or her schedule cards. This scheduling circus often forces students to drop classes that they may have wanted to take. “I wanted to take more AP classes as a junior, but I had to wait until I had room in my schedule,” senior Andrew Boe said. “It was really annoying, because I didn’t want to take too many hard classes this year.” Boe is one of many seniors suffering from gym class induced schedule stress. In order to put an end to this epidemic RCS has developed the Credit Advancement Plan for Group Wellness, Which will be completed independently at home and in class on the weekends. According the registration packet all health related curriculum will take place online and all physical education related curriculum will take place in the gym on Sundays for three hours. This course had its first class on Jan. 15 and will continue until March 25 According to councilor Paul Carlin the class was meant to help students who want to open up their schedule for other classes. “Our community has always held physical education as a priority, but we want students to have the opportunity to take classes they enjoy along with the graduation requirements.” Carlin said. Carlin, along with other councilors, has been pushing for other out of school options
for physical education the pastfew years now. The district experimented with zero and seventh hour classes to add extra schedule space, but they never became popular. Along with adding extra hours the district experimented with a solely online course in health, but many people in the district felt that health needed to be taught in person. “We tried to use a health class via online correspondence,” Carlin said. “The district was allowing it for a period of time, but they decided to make a change.” Eventually a compromise was met with the Group Wellness Credit Advancement Plan. That everyone can agree will successfully provide physical education while maintaining schedule flexibility. “You’re still getting the major components,” Carlin said. “Basically you’re getting creative with how the hours of activity are provided.” Many believe this class is too little too late, because seniors and juniors have already filled out their schedules Secretary Anne Rawa thinks that this class would have been better as individual wellness, the sophomore and freshman class. “The students who need this class are sophomores and freshman,” Rawa said, “Most juniors and seniors have all their gym credits, and are ready to graduate.” She is a supporter of the class, but thinks it would’ve have been better if it was open to freshmen and sophomores. Boe agrees with rawa. “Most seniors I know can’t take this class because they have already changed their schedules,” Boe said. It is Carlins opinion that this class will gain popularity in the future for one reason. “Our society today is driven by convenience.” Carlin Said.
January 31, 2012
SCHOOL
Off the Record (now 20% cooler)
with
Grey Buxton
My Little Pony—a show most people assume is watched by five year old girls. Turns out, that’s not quite it at all. While the intended audience of little girls still watches its belvoved Twilight Sparkles and Rainbow Dashes cavorting in the magical world of Ponyville, those little girls aren’t only ones. Welcome the bronies, and junior Grey Buxton is one of them. That’s right. He’s a guy. And he loves My Little Pony. According to Urban Dictionary a brony refers to “13-30 year old male fans of the 2010 reboot of the show My Little Pony.” It’s real, people. At a loss for words? Don’t be. These guys aren’t weirdoes. In fact, Buxton is pretty normal. He’s quite possibly one of the nicest most outgoing guys you’ll ever meet, in all honesty. So what if he loves ponies? Aren’t guilty pleasures human nature? So without further ado, it’s time to get to the bottom of this brony business, and find out what it means to love those little ponies. Source: Confession time: How long have you been a Brony? Buxton: A little bit over year now. Source: What was it that drew you into the magical world of ponies? Buxton: The internet in general got me into it. A year ago my house completely burned down. I lost everything I owned, everything was gone. The only thing I could find comfort in during those sad times was the computer, gymnastics, and friends in general. One thing that got me hooked was the whole craze of My Little Pony. At first you see it and it’s like, “Oh, this is a little girl’s show.” Then you see all these guys watching it and you’re like, “Okay, I’ll try it out.” So you try it out and you realize, “Oh, wow, this show is good.” At first it sucks but you keep watching it and watching it and watching it and suddenly all of a sudden it’s just been four hours of nonstop ponies.
(photo by Claire Efting)
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Then you see all these guys watching it and you’re like, ‘Okay, I’ll try it out.’
Source: What is the attraction? Isn’t it intended for… five year old girls? Buxton: It’s intended for little girls, but just like Spongebob there are subliminal messages in it. There’s this one joke about a pony, her name is Pinky Pie, and a baby dragon named Spike. Spike is exhausted and he falls into the punch bowl and Pinky starts laughing and says, “Well, it looks like the punch has been spiked!” Source: Well, yeah, I guess kids aren’t going to get that. Buxton: No, and adults can cue in on it. That’s why the creator Lauren Faust worked with the people who did Powerpuff Girls, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, Dexter’s Laboratory—all these outstanding shows and you can find a little bit of adult humor in all of them. It’s just this show was so surprising will all the bright colors. The drawings are so unique and so colorful. You don’t see anything like it in any other show. It’s one of those shows that just pops out. It’s hard to explain, but the voices, the humor, the overall attitude is overwhelming and joyful. It’s awesome.
Source: Have you met a lot of other Bronies in the school? Buxton: Surprisingly, yeah. I’ve gotten some of my friends hooked on it. There’s a few here and there, but I don’t know them well. Source: Do you have a favorite pony? Buxton: I do have a favorite pony. Her name is Twilight Sparkle. Source: So do your non brony friends judge you? Can they not fathom the world of ponies? Buxton: Yeah, incredibly. There is a huge prejudice there. Some of them think I’m gay or something, which, I’m completely heterosexual. But it’s just, they don’t understand it. People don’t give stuff a chance. They judge it too quickly. Source: They’re probably afraid of what people will think of them—a lot of people are afraid to admit to who they are. Buxton: Exactly! But I don’t care what people think of me. There’s a motto in the show, and other Bronies celebrate with it. It’s “If something is offending you but doesn’t actually harm you, just love and tolerate it.”
Fun Facts about This Guy • Buxton has watched every episode of my little pony.s • His favorite pony is Twilight Sparkle • He is a diver • His house burnt down a year ago • He is learning how to make animations
Source: Do you recruit other Bronies to the herd? Buxton: Somewhat, yeah. If someone starts talking about stuff they’re interested in, I’ll casually say that I watch it, and see what their reaction is. If they’re like, “Okay, that’s cool,” then I won’t say anything. If they’re questionable about it then I’ll talk about it a little bit. If they’re really off about it, then I’ll back off. Source: Are you addicted to it? Buxton: I’m extremely addicted to it! Very much so.
(Compiled by Danielle Linihan)
Race Rochester Indoor Kart Racing 153 East Tienken Road Rochester Hills, MI (248) 656-RACE reservations@racerochester.com
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January 31, 2012
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Spanish and French Classes take field trip to the DIA Name that DIA Artist Answers (continued from page 1)
1. Pablo Picasso Woman Seated in an Armchair, 1923
2. William Adolphe Bouguereau The Nut Gatherers, 1882
3. Claude Monet Gladioli, 1876
4. Diego Rivera
Detroit Industry, 1932-33
(photos used by permission of the Detroit Institute of Art)
by Christiana Tanner School Editor
Spanish teacher Julie Gibson will be taking a few level four French and Spanish classes on a trip sponsored by Target to the Detroit Institute of Art on February 15. Gibson started planning the field trip when she saw information about Target sponsored field trips on DIA.org, the institute’s website. According to the website, Target and the DIA worked together to provide admission and/or transportation costs for 8,000 students “due to the overwhelming interest and need for field trip assistance.” Gibson submitted an application for the program and was accepted, meaning that transportation and admission for the trip are funded and students need only provide for their own lunch. Gibson is excited for the
Nervous Notes
opportunity this provides for Spanish students. “This is a great opportunity to view and appreciate several pieces of Spanish Art as well as the amazing murals done by Mexican Artist Diego Rivera,” Gibson said. The trip also ties in with the school theme this year, Made In Detroit. The DIA’s collection contains pieces from prehistory through the 21st century and is among the the top six collections in the United States. It has been “ a beacon of culture for the Detroit area for well over a century,” according to the website.
“I have very fond memories of growing up and visiting for field trips, with family when they would come into town, and for the special exhibits,” Gibson said. Spanish student junior
“memories
Diego Rivera’s impression of Detroit,” Gotko said. The DIA also boasts a few French pieces of art, including work by Edward Degas and Claude Monet. “I’m especially excited to see some stuff by Degas,” French student junior Alexis Smith said. “I’ve never been to the DIA before so it will be nice to see everything.” The sponsorship provides self-guided visits only, so although most of the trip will be guided by teachers, students will have the opportunity to go through the museum on their own. “I would like to see the students take the opportunity to enjoy all of the art and gain a greater appreciation for the culture,” Gibson said.
I have very fond of growing up and visiting [the DIA] for field trips
Gibson remembers the DIA as part of her childhood in the Metro Detroit area.
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Teacher Julie Gibson Audrey Gotko is excited to see Diego Rivera’s mural, Detroit Industry. “The trip will give me the opportunity to see the influence of Spanish art in America and
Choir and Band prepare for Solo and Ensemble by Charlotte Spehn School Team Talking with her close friends, sophomore Alaina Matthews forgets about the million butterflies occupying her stomach. Although she has sung in front of people a hundred times before, the Solo and Ensemble judges always make her nervous. This year the Chippewa Valley High School in Clinton Township is hosting the event on Jan. 27 and 28. This is Matthews second time at this festival, and as her friends bid their good byes and head to their rooms, her nerves are back. She reads and rereads the notes, imprinting them into her in her head. She opens her water bottle once again and drinks. Matthews walks up to a table busy with other students and adults helping each one. An adult spots Matthews and after writing down her name and number, hands her a map showing where her room is and where to wait to warm up. A while later, Matthews is found with her pianist, who gives her some tips about her songs. They do warm ups to wake up Matthews’ voice. Now it is time to perform. She has been practicing for months. Singing to herself and
others, getting pointers and tips along the way. All leading up to the moment when she entertains the judges with her voice. “When I perform, I pretend I’m the only one in the room,” Matthews said. The Solo and Ensemble Festival is considered to be a very intense competition by the band and choir students
“perform When I
, I pretend I’m the only one in the room.
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Sophomore Alaina Matthews throughout the district. “It’s a little hectic with everyone trying to get their music situated and such, but there’s also that excitement you get from everyone around you,” Matthews said. The band festival takes place on Feb. 4. Sophomore Erica Marshall is performing a flute
trio with two other sophomores, Emily Glaser and Kaitlyn Whitefoot, to a song called “Allemande”. Marshall attended this event last year, and is very nervous about performing. “I’m worried I’ll mess up and the girls will get mad at me,” Marshall said. “We also have to play that song in front of Mr. Kausch [the band teacher] for our final exam grade.” Senior Kayvon KashaniGaravi is also attending the Solo Ensemble Festival. “It’s stressful, definitely. For choir, you have two pieces you need to learn but they have to vary in style. I have two slow songs, but one is in German and one is in English,” KashaniGaravi said. Some students, including Kashani-Garavi, get the opportunity to work with teachers to help improve their pitch and tone. “[Mr. Ulrich] picks songs for me that would suit my voice. Some kids aren’t as lucky as me to have a teacher to work with,” Kashani-Garavi said. Although all the students agree this day is very hectic and stressful, this festival continues to help singers develop their voice. “All the judges are very helpful, paying attention to the slightest detail,” Kashani-Garavi said, “while I just blank out and go for it. I can’t wait.”
Belting it out: The women of Chorale practice with the accompianist Traci Bartell. Chorale students worked with Bartell on their Solo and Ensemble pieces. (photo by Kira Bucksbaum)
Notes on Solo & Ensemble
131
Choir Students Attending Festival
90
Band Students Attending Festival 16
Districts in Michigan Competing
2
Songs Students Need to Learn
One act play returns for another showing by David Hanna School Team
The Makeup Man: Professional makeup artist Robert D. Maverick applies makeup to sophomore Chase Heinemann. Maverick attended Western Michigan University and has done makeup for actors in famous movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean. (photo by Kira Bucksbaum)
The Theatre Club returns for another performance in the one act play called “Paper or Plastic?” The one act play is a performance that the theatre club puts on each year. The play is approximately 40 minutes long. The lead role is played by freshman Anna Birmingham. The play is directed by senior Kayvon Kashani-Garavi and the play will take place on Feb. 2. The play follows a young girl named Sarah, played by Birmingham, who is hired at a grocery store and finds all of the workers and customers there a bit strange. Each year, the club enters the Love Fest competition where one act plays from around the state compete against each other, according to Birmingham. Birmingham was very excited when she found out she was the lead role in the short play. This is a first for the young Theatre Club member. “I worked very hard and
practiced day and night to land a role like this in the play. Not many people can say that they were the lead role in a school play.” Birmingham said. Production for the play is
“people
Not many can say that they were the lead role in a school play.
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Freshman Anna Birmingham not very extensive since it is only one act long. KashaniGaravi, a veteran member in the Theatre Club, is the lead director for the play and enjoys the yearly one act plays that the club puts on for the school. “These plays are always fun,” Kashani-Garavi said. “They aren’t long like all the other performances, but everyone
who participates in it and even the audience always enjoys seeing the play.” In a new addition to the play, the club has hired Makeup Artist, Robert D. Maverick, a Michigan native. Maverick is a two time Emmy Award nominee and has done makeup for actors in movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean and National Treasure 2. Kashani-Garavi works on directing the other members of the play while junior Angela Kim prepares for her role, Regina, who plays a cashier that works with Birmingham’s character Sarah. “My character is sort of snobby towards everyone she works with and that’s why I enjoy the role.” Kim said. Kim enjoys the Theatre Club and hopes to follow in KashaniGaravi’s footsteps in hopes of becoming a student director by next year. “One act plays are like a way of showing what we [Theatre Club] can put on for an audience in just 40 minutes.” Kim said.
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January 31, 2012
SPORTS The
Call
Chemistry: is it the missing link? Chemistry: the stat that you cannot record on paper. It is the bond between players, the friendship on the court, and the key to a successful team. After a disappointing 0-10 start to the boys’ varsity basketball season, many are
Racing against her opponent: Sophomore Lauren Voss races to help teammate Maria Zandi recover the ball. Voss and the team fought valiantly with help of the new freshmen additions, but lost 53-48. (Photo By Darian Roseman)
Freshmen Movin’ On Up Underclassmen make Varsity
by Darian Roseman School Team
A
s the girls race up and down the court, the orange ball flies between the players. Freshman Carly Harvey passes the ball out of a tight spot back to the point guard, senior captain Gabby Yurik. Yurik passes it right back and Harvey lets the shot fly towards Stoney’s basket and the ball swishes into the net. Harvey chipped in four points to the Cougar win over the Troy Colts on Jan. 20. This winter season, the 7-4 girls varsity basketball team has two new freshmen teammates. Freshmen Maria Zandi and Carly Harvey both skipped the freshman and junior varsity teams due to their exceptional basketball skills. Both girls played on their middle school basketball teams, but being on varsity in high school has changed their outlook on the game. “Varsity basketball is very
competitive and a big step up from middle school basketball,” said Harvey. The two freshmen have helped the varsity record this year, Harvey averages four points a game and Zandi adds a strong dribbler to the team. “The two freshmen are doing very well for us. It is a big adjustment for them coming from middle school but they work extremely hard and are great additions to our team,” Head Varsity Coach Brad Crighton said about the freshmen adjusting to the team. Zandi’s lack of experience poses many challenges that the more experienced players help her to overcome. Under the leadership of Yurik, the two freshmen have helped to improve their 2011 record to a current 7-5. “Being on the Varsity forces me to work a lot harder and push myself to be the best I can be,” said Zandi.
Zandi plays a guard which often requires a lot of ballhandling and dribbling as she protects the ball and adds to varsity wins. Practices are like minigames each day of the week in during the season. Harvey works to improve her playing while also strengthening the team overall. “I always give 100% in everything I do, but playing with girls older and more experienced than me has been a challenge,” Harvey said about what the practices and games are like. Although Zandi is a strong first-year varsity player, her goal is to be one of the team’s many leaders. “This year my goal to achieve on Varsity is to be a leader. Yes, I am a freshman, but in years to come, if I don’t learn to be a leader now, I won’t be a good one later.”
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Junior Ben Temrowski
Fighting to get open: Freshman Maria Zandi waits for an open space in order to get the ball. Zandi had many assists in the game against the Wolves.
From Out Of the Blue
New athletes make impact on boys swim Matt Houghton Sports Team
It is not often that a rookie athlete can compete at the varsity level. A varsity sports team usually consists of veteran athletes. But for swimmer Danny Olthof and diver Grey Buxton, this is not the case. Olthof, a freshman swimmer who competes at the varsity level, is one of the youngest members on the boy’s swim team. His drive is the key to his success. Olthof lets his coach know every practice that despite his age, he can compete with the best of them. “I really try to push myself at practice and attempt to swim with the upperclassmen to get faster,” said Olthof. Although Olthof may be a rookie to the high school competition, he is a veteran to the sport in other ways. Before this year, Olthof has been swimming for eight years on his club team, Liquid Lightning. “I’ve swam with a lot of club teams. It is all year round and it really helped me get ready for the high school swim season,” Olthof said. Buxton, one of the divers on the boy’s varsity team, also excels despite his lack of experience. Although Buxton is a junior,
it is only his first year diving for the team. His previous career as a gymnast has helped him prepare for the dive team. “Before this, I didn’t really train at all. I just focused on flipping and twisting off the trampoline whenever I was at gymnastics practice,” Buxton said. Buxton is a team player who has high expectations for his squad. “We are going to make it all the way to Leagues as strong as ever. We won’t let anyone get in our way. And for me, I just expect to do my best and cheer on my team in the proudest and roughest times,” Buxton said. When two young athletes are teamed up with older swimmers, there is naturally going to be some amount of harmless teasing on the team. “Most of the upperclassmen give them a hard time during practices. They know the young kids and first years when they see them,” said junior swimmer Nick Marn. But friendly jokes on the team are a good way to build chemistry amongst the squad. “[The upperclassmen] pretty much pick on me every single day,” said Olthof, “It is just tradition and you just have to know they don’t actually mean it.”
In the Zone: Freshman flyer Danny Olthof glides through the water in pursuit to take first place. Olthof and his team came away with the win in this meet against West Bloomfield High School. (Photo by Nick Cruz) Jokes, however, do not continue come practice time. Before practice, the boys stretch and prepare for their workouts. While the coach writes the times and distances
“
Growing up I played ball with a lot of guys. But as the years went on, more and more kids I knew started getting cut.
on the board for the team to see, the guys concentrate on what they are about to do. “We know our expectations for this year. We have to just show up, work hard, and
execute properly and we should come out on top,” Olthof said. “I know what I’m against and that is my motivation to keep going and compete better.”
looking for answers as to why they are having such a rough start. The coaching is there, the athletes are legit, and the players hustle plenty. Perhaps, it comes down to just one thing: the team chemistry. The team is made up of players from every grade. There are three seniors, six juniors, two sophomores, and even one freshman. Having players from different grades isn’t necessarily problematic, but sometimes it can do more harm than good. The senior class grew up playing basketball with the senior class, the junior class grew up playing with the junior class, and sometimes it’s hard getting used to playing with new teammates. “Growing up I played ball with a lot of guys. But as the years went on, more and more kids I knew started getting cut,” said junior guard Ben Temrowski. Temrowski’s freshman year, the only year all players are required to be the same age, his team went 12-8. How is it that now, eight games into the season, they have already lost the same number of games they lost in the whole season two years ago? An essential part of winning is to play like a team. To play like a team requires team chemistry, and that takes time. With 12 games left, they have to soon find that strength to come together as a team. Coach Steve Norgrove told rochesterpatch. com, that ultimately his goal is to win the district championship and that is still a reachable goal. With 12 games left in the season, the team’s talent and experienced coaching can guide them to fulfill their expectations. Although some may look at this as a bad start, the boys’ varsity basketball team has a long season to prove to everyone that they can connect with one another and come out on top.
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January 31 , 2012
SPORTS
Nothin’ But Net Brunson’s Battle Stats
Students and staff compete in the Intramural Basketball League by Reed Cao
illon
Thunder” D Mark “Vanilla )
Height: 6’ 3”
(28” at bir th
Wingspan: 7’
(after yoga st
retching)
s (“Gravity is
inche Vertical leap: 3 ith.”) don’t mess w
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tage: 100%
Shooting percen
orn
: from bir th (b
ball experience Years of basket 8 yrs.
in Indiana) 4
Mark “Va ni
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Sports Editor The two teams stepped into the gym, both ready to play their first game of the intramural basketball season, both wanting to start their seasons off with a win. The seven teams of the intramural basketball league played their first game on Jan. 4 at Hart Middle School. These games were played in the main and auxiliary gyms at 7 pm. Over the course of a ten game regular season, each team is scheduled to play every other team in the intramural basketball league, according to the basketball schedule sheet. All teams will then participate in a two-round elimination playoff. The winning team will earn an executive lunch for their team. The league is the idea of principal L a r r y Goralski and is run by teacher Alex De Santis. De Santis, who played in every game last year, oversees the league while also playing on Ol’ School, Senior a team that consists of Stoney Creek and Hart staff members. Because the rest of the teams consist of students, there is a special competition between the teachers’ team and the students’ team. “You’d be surprised [with the competition] out there,” DeSantis said. “Of course we respect each other, but we’re still guys just trying to win basketball games.”
Students feel the same way about this special competition. Senior Mike Dillon is the captain of Team Dillon and his father, teacher Mark Dillon, is on Ol’ School, so Mike is under constant pressure to beat him. Still, he feels that he has an edge on the teachers’ team “We are definitely going to dominate those old men,” Mike said. “They won’t even know what’s coming.” While there is a lot of competition between the teams, the atmosphere is still very friendly. “[The atmosphere] is really laid back. Everybody knows everybody so kids are just showing up to play basketball,” De Stantis said. “It’s not like anybody’s getting angry or anything.” Many students decided to play in the basketball league because it offered them a chance to play in a tournament with friends. Senior Harman Singh, a member of Team Eli, decided to play because senior Eli Nasr – his friend – asked him to. He really likes to play in this tournament because he does not need to try out for a team or practice daily. “Kids are really busy and sometimes don’t have the time Mike Dillon to commit to a team,” Singh said. “[The Intramural Basketball] League allows us to play organized basketball without that commitment.” In the end, the seven teams will square off in the playoffs for a shot at glory. These playoff games will be played on Feb 22 and Feb 29, in the Hart main gym at 7 pm, and will determine the champion of the Intramural Basketball League.
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Girls competitive cheer working towards MHSAA championship by Soumith Inturi Online Editor “C-O-U-G-A-R-S” The cheer echoes throughout the auxiliary gym as the girls cheer team practices to conquer the MHSAA tournament in February. The Districts competition takes place on Feb. 18, the Regionals is on Feb. 25, and the Finals, at the state level, are on Mar. 2. The location is yet to be announced. After winning the MHSAA State Championship for competitive cheerleading in 2010, the team is looking to replicate that feat this year. They are looking forward to a favorable season and are aiming for another decisive victory to prove to themselves and to the other teams, that any team has a chance at winning the coveted trophy. The girls cheer team was encouraged by the championship win and have realized that it is not some faroff dream, but a tangible goal that they can work toward. ”We have had the best start to a season in the history of Stoney,” coach Tricia Williams said. “Our material is completed and being performed with high
execution.” At the Oakland Athletic Association (OAA) Red Division Meet at Troy Athens High School on Dec. 16, the competitive cheer team placed second to Rochester High School and also placed second at the OAA Red Division Meet at Lake Orion High School on Jan. 11. The team came in first at the Seventh Annual Cougar Spirit Invitational on Jan. 15. “This team, like any successful team, is not motivated by winning,” Williams said. “This team is focused on how good we can get ourselves to be. They realize that our success and our limits are determined only by what we decided they are.” According to Williams, the Rochester area has by far the deepest field of competitive cheer talent of any area of the state. “This year Rochester and Rochester Adams have really stepped up to the plate and have proven to be very strong competitors,” Williams said. “But it is still very early and I wouldn’t count any team out yet.” The cheer team expects big competition to come from Adams and Rochester. According to
michigancompetitivecheer. com, Rochester High School is currently ranked first in the MHSAA Division 1 with Stoney Creek ranked eighth. Adams is slightly above Stoney Creek with seventh place. “There are other teams that we should still watch out for, but I think out of all of them, Rochester [High School] might be the one to watch out for the most,” senior Kelsey Roseman said. Every day the team sets a goal to be better than the day before and to do its best in every practice so that its best continuously gets better and better. The cheer team sets goals ranging from performing a tumble properly to winning the next competition. “For now, we’re just setting short-term goals and working one step at a time to get to the championships,” senior Carly Pascaretta said. The cheer team truly hopes to conquer this season and win the MHSAA Finals to bring home another championship. “I expect nothing less than their best,” Williams said. “And with our choreography and talent this year, I believe their best will be unbeatable.”
Varsity Boys Swim and Dive Stoney Creek Cougars vs. Rochester Falcons January 5, 6:30 p.m. Rochester High School swimming pool Final score: Cougars 94, Falcons 92 The Stoney Creek boys swim and dive team waited as the last event was about to start. The announcers had only previously stated that the Rochester High School swim and dive team lead the Stoney team by 4 points. It would all come down to the last race, the 400 yard relay. The Cougars needed to take at least second and third place to pull ahead of the Falcons for the win. At the buzzer, the swimmers dived in. The swimmers,
Spirited for victory: Competitive cheer team gets ready to perform for the audience and the judges at the Seventh Annual Cougar Spirit Invitational on Jan. 15 at Stoney Creek. The lady Cougars later came first in the invitational. (Photo by Charlotte Spehn)
30 the last
Seconds
with a four man relay in each lane, sprinted a 100 yard freestyle. Even though the Rochester swimmers took first place, the Cougars took second and third place. The announcement of the final results then followed. The announcer stated the scores and the Cougars won 94 to 92. The Stoney Creek swim and dive team then exploded in cheers as they pulled through with a victory over the home-town rival. (compiled by Reed Cao)
Cougar Roar: The boys varsity swim team celebrates their victory over Rochester. The Cougars beat the Falcons 94-92. (Photo by Nick Cruz)
A6 SOURCE
THE
January 31, 2012
In Memory Of Susan Jarrell
IN MEMORIAM
1966-2012
(Photo illustration by Nick Cruz)
by Courtney Bourgoin
Lifestyles Team
F
rench teacher Susan Jarrell never failed to wear a smile every time she sighed “tu es tard,” or “c’est bon,” . She laughed all the time, even when her students were a little too hyped up. But if there’s one thing everyone who had the chance of having Madame Jarrell knew it was that above anything… she cared. “She showed devotion and sincere interest in each one of us,” sophomore Chase Heinemann said. For Heinemann and many other French students, Jarrell was more than a happy face they saw for an hour a day, she was a friend. Junior Harrison Bach, also in Jarrell’s sixth hour, bonded with Jarrell over the summer trip students had the opportunity to take to Quebec. “I remember the one time Madame was mad at me on the trip, she was at my hotel room door laughing,” Bach said. “She was the nicest person ever. She never raised her voice.” Junior Marley Watson also attended the Quebec trip and had plans of traveling to France with Jarrell and two other French students this summer. “The trip obviously won’t be the same,” Watson said. “But we’re planning to enjoy the 15 days we’re there and learn French in memory of her.” Along with her students, many staff members got to know Jarrell and became close with her in the short two year time she taught at Stoney. With most students in Spanish, teacher Bethany Dunning
spent time with Jarrell working on making the German and French classes special for the select number of students who took the class. “We both knew how important the relationships were with our students because we both have the same kids year after year,” Dunning said. Students assure that Jarrell made the best French experience possible for them. Able to enjoy French proverb journals every Monday, listening activities every Thursday and French music Fridays, students recall Jarrell making the experience amusing as well as beneficial. “Every Friday when we listened to music videos, Madame would sing along and dance,” Heinemann said. “She was always so happy to be teaching us the language she loved most. Watson, who got the longest experience with Jarrell being in the fourth level class, had the chance to speak in memory of her at the hockey game against Rochester United, a game dedicated to Jarrell. “I’ll miss your smile Madame,” Watson said. “French won’t be the same without you.” Adams teacher Robin Weiten who’s known Jarrell for years also spoke on her behalf. “Jarrell taught us lessons of French, friendship and love.” In her brief time teaching at Stoney, Jarrell left a mark on the school which students and staff can only honor. She taught students more than language. She educated them on life lessons and noble morals. She left a legacy that will never be forgotten and a happy-go-lucky attitude that students and staff will miss. “At the end of the day, I really just miss my friend,” Dunning said.
Charities for Madame Jarrell Bowl-a-thon February 9th, 2012, 6:30 p.m. Avon North Hill Lanes Contact Matt Hougton (248) 875 2305 Charity Week Feb. 6- Feb. 11 Bracelets (R.I.P Madame Jarrell) Contact Christina McAllister (248) 416 0815 Music ensemble Motif concert Friday January January 27th, 2012, 8 p.m. Adams High School Tickets- Adult: $15 Student: $10 Individual Donations can be brought to Mr.Goralski Already Donated Big Green Gig $1,000 Lemonade Stand $150 Varsity Cheerleading competition $1,000 Rochester United v Stoney Hockey Game $900
THE SOURCE
&
Opinion
Lifestyles
January 31, 2012
drop the
BASS Hands in the Air: Students jump up and down to the music of Zeds Dead. It was a great night, and everyone made it out unharmed, for the most part. (photo by Christina Leininger)
Teens Rave: The Dubstep Craze
by Christina Leininger / Courtney Bourgoin Opinion Editor / Lifestyles Team
J
unior Christina Trecapelli’s long blonde tresses, weaved through rainbow-colored beads, look like something out of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. Dolphins leap above the crowd, only revealing they’re plastic and inflated as they move closer. Trecapelli’s neon eye shadow matches brightly colored bracelets that shake with every arm thrust. Each bass pound, whimsical outfit, and neon spotlight feeds the adrenalin of a teenage wonderland.
The Scene Trecapelli was one of a group of students who gathered at the Royal Oak Music Theatre for the Global Dub Festival Nov. 24. The festival featured artists Benga, MiMOSA, Ana Sia, ISHE, and—the reason most showed up –Zeds Dead. Senior Marcello Molteni explains the concerts appeal. “It’s different than going to sit down at The Palace and listen to a guy play his guitar. It’s more interactive,” Molteni said. Because the concert was solely general admission, those attending had no choice but to interact. This involved a mosh pit of mostly teens flailing around and bumping into each other. The crowd looked deranged. There was little regard for personal space as juddering arms defied boundaries. A seizure would have gone undetected. Bodies thrashed and contorted in harmony with the surge of beats boom-
ing out of the speakers at an eardrum-shattering volume. “Everyone’s just happy to be there and you all go hard together,” sophomore Marina Bader said. And hard they went. “At the Zeds Dead concert, I got punched and then spit on,” Molteni recalls. “It was all in the fun of it though.”
The Music According to Udubstep. com, “…dubstep is a new form of electronic music that combines heavy bass with samples, synthesizer, keyboard, turntables and hard-hitting drum tracks.” While the genre originated in South London, it has become increasingly popular in America, merging into the mainstream. You could say dubstep is to music what Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Can is to art. Both defy expectations. Both stray from the norm. When the Pop Art first debuted, the public’s response varied. While many embraced the new concept, some critics thrust their nose up in the air, adamant that such a thing not arn the title “art.” Similarly, critics argue the tasteless noise known as dubstep is not “real” music. Despite what critics say, the new genre’s fans are infatuated with the stuff. There is, however, some discrepancy over the genre’s credibility. Molteni argues that dubstep is respectable. “It’s really difficult to make even though it’s, for the most part, computerized. I’d consider it a legitimate genre of music.” Trecapelli feels differently. “I really don’t think it takes talent. You just need to have the right equipment. If you have the right equipment, you can do it. I think it’s just something to
dance to and have fun.” Differences aside, both enjoy letting lose at dubstep events.
The Paraphernalia
Not everyone feels the need to adorn themselves in objects that flash, glow, and sparkle. “I don’t really bring glow accessories, I just kind of do dub. You know, shake my hands around, jump up and down,” Molteni said. Still, he does put on one piece of apparel that is somewhat out of the ordinary. “I always wear tall socks. Vibrant socks. Bright colors.”
You know the routine that cast-members of “Jersey Shore” undergo in preparation for a night out at the club? Well, teens attending dubstep concerts have their own version of “T-Shirt Time.” “I wear bright colored, crazy clothes that you cannot The Drugs wear every day…I like to stand out and express myself,” said “[The role of drugs is] huge, Trecapelli. HUGE,” Molteni said. “A lot Bader gives a similar ac- of dubstep kids are really incount. fluenced “You by mindwear, like, expanding crazy coldrugs… and ored stuff, euphoria… and some and psypeople chedelia.” p a i n t Ecstasy t h e m and other selves beclub drugs cause [at give these the show] concerts the they turn controverall the sial nicklights on name that and you could make Junior Christina any parent glow,” Trecapelli c r i n g e — said Bader.” raves. Anything goes at the con“The label ‘rave’ makes it certs, be it a furry brown bear sound like it’s a really bad, suit, or a sequin bikini, or, if drug infested area,” Trecapelyou’re really strapped for ideas, li said, “but all it really is, is sporting just a bra is also ac- just people getting together ceptable. Either way, standing and having a good time.” out is a difficult feat to achieve. Trecapelli, Bader and MolGlow accessories are a fa- teni can agree on one thing— vorite among dubstep kids. drugs are not what’s luring They pile on glowing rings, them to the dubstep concerts. gloves, wigs and hats to help “It’s the atmosphere and just how form a crowd of lights, a large everyone’s so nice,” Trecapelli part of what makes the dubstep said. “There’s no mean people.” atmosphere so magical. One factor that contrib“I bring my own glow utes to this extremely sticks and I really like wearing friendly crowd, however, is bracelets, but I prefer the glow 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamgloves,” said Trecapelli. phetamine (MDMA), oth-
“
The ‘rave’ makes it sound like it’s a really bad, drug infested area...
”
erwise known as Ecstasy. According to dancesafe.org, “The effect that makes MDMA different from other drugs is that it increases a sense of empathy, or the sensation of understanding and accepting others.” Occasionally, dubsteppers under the influence may become a little too friendly. “You have to be careful of those people that try to be your friend,” cautions Bader. Molteni also exhibits caution saying, “I try and stick with my group of friends and not the sketch-balls that normally go to the concerts,” Molteni said. But teens attending the concerts are definitely entering an atmosphere fitting the name “La La Land.” If in doubt about experimenting with drugs, one glance around at a rave should set you straight. The lone thirtysomething-year-old dubstep enthusiast in the corner, with the maniacal eyes and gaunt face, partaking in some whacked-out version of the “Cha Cha Slide” was a teen once, deciding if he should experiment with drugs. “Experimenting with drugs has its ups and downs. There’s a lot of chance for abuse, no doubt,” said Molteni. However, one of the many “downs” is death. According to dancesafe.org, “There have been some deaths associated with MDMA. Usually…a result of heatstroke from dancing for long periods of time in hot clubs without replenishing lost body fluids.” That is only one of the risks. Even if a drug user stays hydrated, there is no saying the drugs he or she consumes are pure. Dancesafe.org states, “Much of what is sold as ‘ecstasy’ on the black market actually contains other drugs, some of which can be more dangerous…” One popular artist is try-
ing to tackle the drug problem that is endangering many of his fans. On his blog, Lorin Ashton, otherwise known as Bassnectar, addresses his audience in an attempt to educate fans about drugs, which he has dealt with first hand. The artist makes the case that a healthy body and mind are essential to living a high-quality life. “I have seen many people’s lives destroyed by drug abuse. For me personally, life is just too short and precious to take unnecessary risks, plus I have learned to love and prefer a strong, clear mind over anything else.” Ashton’s message resonates with some dub-steppers. “I definitely don’t think it’s important to be on drugs to listen to music,” Bader said. Every time she attends a rave, Trecapelli is Alice caught in Burton’s world of drugs, dancing and dubstep.
B2 SOURCE
THE
January 31, 2012
SCHOOL Upcoming Local Concerts
School Team
I
n today’s world, the internet is used for almost everything. However, the internet is a major department for tickets, anywhere and everywhere. Whether Eminem concert or that Alive In Standby performance, cheap tickets are hard to come by. With the right website and venue, tickets are cheaper and easier to find than ever. A few simple tricks can be used to bargain for the best ticket price. First, start by looking at the major ticketing site. This gives an idea of the biggest ticket range that is found for a specific concert/artist. After this has been achieved, tune into radio stations to listen whether any concert tickets are up for grabs, if so try to win those tickets! Most of the time, radio stations don’t give away the tickets that are most likely to be the most interesting. If those tickets are won, remember to be polite even if the concert is not what was desired. If the radio stations don’t bring tickets, then start to search a specific band name or a specific venue. This narrows the process down to the smaller, less popular ticketing sites.
According to S-article.com, the owner of these web pages purchases the tickets directly to the owner of the concert event venue in bulk so they are able to achieve the tickets with great discounts. Many small ticketing site often sell tickets at a cheaper price than major sites due to the fact that the smaller sites look to sell out all of the tickets as a bulk rather than individually. However, when purchases tickets, avoid major ticketing sites like Stubhub.com at all costs, unless it is the last resort. Small ticketing sites such as venue sites like thecrofoot.com, offer cheaper tickets due to the fact that the concert space rented is not as large as an arena/stadium. Many small ticketing sites are out there for both the business’ and the consumer’s benefit. One gets profit faster with lower prices, and the other saves money while finding a concert worth going to. However it is hard to find a website where tickets by big shot musicians are lower than sixty dollars at the cheapest. Sometimes major sites such as Livenation match prices with small sites in order to gain profit. This scenario isn’t always reality, so plot to have a fallback plan when prices are sky-high for whatever popular artist is coming to town.
FEB. 20 The Palace
FEB. 25
rn ko
Halen
How to Get Tickets by Darian Roseman
The Filmore
Van
antebellum The Palace
MAR. 3 Royal Oak Music Theater
Skream &Benga
The Source Annual Short Story and Poetry Contest Official Entry Form
“
6th Hr. Teacher: (Second Semester)
Type of Entry: Michael T. Scullen Attorney at Law
The
Ting Tings
APRIL 9
St. Andrews Hall
The Palace
bruce APRIL 12 The Palace
Submission Rules Open to all students Students may enter unlimited submissions
Turn in submissions to Room C285 (Mrs. Martin’s room)
Judging Criteria Entries will be judged anonymously by The Source editors.
Scullen Law Offices, PLLC
Poetry Short Story
First, second, and third places will be awarded in each category. Winners will be notified in their sixth hour. Winning entries will be published in March.
900 Wilshire Drive Suite 202 Troy, Michigan 48084 248.519.2450 telephone 248.650.3580 private fax
Entries due March 2, 2012!
mscullen@scullenlaw.com www.scullenlaw.com
Dakota
Royal Oak Music Theater
Trove
DO NOT put your name on the short story or poem
Title:
(Circle One)
MAR. 9
One entry form per submission
Name: Grade:
addiction
MAR. N I 14-17 V W A A lady GEGR Treasure D
ZEDs DEAD
MAR. 9
The Filmore
Jane’s
FEB. 23
Royal Oak Music Theater
with Omar LinX
FEB. 24
Disney on Ice Presents:
Crazy Cheap:
. . . s t n e l Pres
o o h c S High
Three nights only!
February 9th, 10th, and 11th Dakota High School Auditorium 21051 21 Mile Rd, Macomb, MI 48044 All Shows start promply at 7 p.m.
For more information visit www.dakotamusical.com
Entries are judged on: creativity, quality of writing, and conventions. Entries that do not place first, second or third will not be returned.
THE
January 31, 2012
SOURCE
LIFESTYLES
B3
Un momento di canto
Heart and Soul: A man plays his trumpet for his audience, the streets of Detroit, as the crowd from the Detroit Opera House’s Le nozze di Figaro walks by. The brassy notes bounced off of buildings and echoed down the streets. (photo by Lindsey Scullen)
From dummy to diva, student sings at the Opera House by Lindsey Scullen Managing Content Editor
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Opera Singers United: These opera singers smile and cry together. They just finished an emotional method acting session. (photo courtesy of Brenda Belohoubek)
tto Secondo: I’m sitting in one of those folding chairs once again. Emily is singing “Je veux vivre,” or “Juliet’s Waltz.” Now she’s finished and baritone Daniel Washington, acclaimed opera singer and voice professor at the University of Michigan, will work with her. “That was really quite good, but this song is about getting ready for a date with Romeo, your true love! Show that! Make it real!” In his passion, he tells accompanist Matt Kulbacki to begin the song again. He tells Emily
l ee ed Kn play
tto Primo: When I walk in tenor Carsten Bossleman and soprano Jennifer Suragiat are sleeping on their mats. Sopranos Natalie Doran and Emily Kolenda are laughing, as they always are, this time about something seemingly related to past boyfriends. Mezzo-soprano Ameilia Daigle is sitting cross-legged meditating, and the rest of us are setting down our things and unrolling our mats. Personal trainer Ann Dwyer walks in. Immediately everyone calms down, wakes up, or sits down on a mat. The workout is at first relaxing, then difficult, then hilarious. We all have the workout bands stretched out around our feet. But it seems opera singers are deficient in the art of using workout bands. Baritone Zach Elmassian gasps. His band is the first to kill the silence when it snaps. Mezzo-soprano Maureen Thomas screeches. She pulls so hard on her band that her momentum slowly rolls her backward. Soprano Lydia Graf laughs. Apparently someone farted. On that note, it’s time to dance. Shoes come off. Lights dim. Ann’s raw Indie music sounds. We all migrate across the room, retreating to our personal spaces on the ground, our bare feet pattering against the wood floor. We close our eyes and each curl into a ball. “Become as small as you can be,” Ann’s now featureless voice whispers from somewhere far away. “Become the primal version of yourself. Let your bodies and minds grow into the music.” Suddenly all is silent. Somewhere someone’s legs twitch. Someone’s fingers curl. Someone goes limp. Music. Slowly arms extend across the ground and I’m laying on my back. My eyelids peel back from my eyes, unhurried. Carsten stands not far from me, his arms extended toward the muted lights. I feel like I’ve trespassed on something personal, something imperfect, something beautiful. The music quickens. Our bodies unfold, grow, and move with the melody. It feels natural, unforced. Embarrassment doesn’t exist. Neither does discomfort. The music stops. No one moves. We just look at each other, truly seeing for the first time. Simultaneously everyone smiles and braces himself or herself for the reality of the world. “That’s what life is supposed to be like,” Amelia said.
ob y,
P
reludio: Taking the Madison Avenue exit, we’re off of I-75 and driving down John R Street. It’s July 25 and I’ve got my Opera for Dummies book, recently rented from the Rochester Hills Public Library, sitting on my lap, and I’m cramming. I’m looking at the chapter titled “Ten Great Opera Jokes.” With a nervous chuckle, I skim the chapter with genuine hope that it will help me fit in with the opera masters I am about to meet. It didn’t. Soon I’m standing in front of the Detroit Opera House’s Stage Door, my mom flanking my left side. It’s 9:55 a.m. and I have five minutes before the Michigan Opera Theatre’s Opera Camp starts. With a feigned-calm breath, I open the door and walk in. The security guard asks us to sign in and then buzzes us backstage. Doors, hallways, more doors, more hallways, and a staircase. Brianna DeSantis, a soprano at the University of Windsor, is in the stairwell. “Opera Camp?” she asks. I nod. “Do you know where we’re supposed to go?” she asks again with a timid smile. I reply that I have no idea but that we may as well try up. A puff of lucky air surprises our faces as the door opens to 12 people sitting around round tables, staring at us. They smile. A woman enters the room. She wears an exceptional yet humble dress, large square glasses, and carries a bag. “Hello!” she says in her lovely, resonant voice. She is mezzo-contralto Candace De Lattre, acclaimed opera singer. Upon her request, we follow her into the adjacent room, a high-ceilinged and beautifullymirrored rehearsal hall. We sit in the aligned folding chairs stationed in front of the long, satiny black curtain. Wishing to not be that kid in high school whose mom follows her through Opera Camp (though surely that would have been nerveeasing), I feel obligated to boot my mom out the door with a smile and a reassuring nod. Let Opera Camp begin.
what Do T e t o u r w by n u m th) f u t u re R a Be e a h ms for s t He will hold. to e t ey e M iva ian e Va Warm up, a pt f B r stand len : Mon c , o d i e c make up, dress up, t y b a y , playe u s n, in to the side d by Brenda Beloho urte and it’s time to sing. t o h c i s and sing. to scene of The Medium. (pho Carsten looks at us, Taking Em-
ily’s place, he embodies Juliet. Mouthing along to Emily’s voice, he runs up to the piano, puts his hands on the top and declares his love for Juliet through his face, his movements. He’s finished and we applaud, stunned. Emily again takes her place. The music begins. “Feel something!” the professor yells. “Use the mirror!” She’s in front of the mirror, impulsively fixing her hair, her dress. The high note is coming and she spins around in preparation, tilts her head toward the heavens, opens her mouth, and lets love spill out in that glorious note. Emily’s turn is over, and it’s my turn to sing for Daniel Washington’s wife, contalto Nadine Asher Washington, acclaimed opera singer and voice professor at Oakland University.
F
inale: The second I walk into the freshlyadorned-for-the-recital rehearsal hall, Emily is there holding a box of ginger cookies under my nose. “Ginger’s good for our voices,” she says grinning. “Have one, two... or ten.” I grab about five. As we arrange our gowns in the dressing room, my mom calls. She happens to be in Italy on an anniversary trip with my dad. I put the phone up to my ear. “We’re on the streets of Rome,” she says. “Listen.” Opera. Someone is singing opera on the streets of Rome. I call Brianna and soprano Grace Quinsey over and we listen. We decide that this is
smiles, and he’s gone. “Hello, my name is Carsten Bosselman and today I will be singing...” Our ears are all pressed against the door waiting to hear the opening song of our recital at The Detroit Opera House.
A
ncora: It’s Aug. 7. Warm up, make up, dress up, curtain up. From opposite sides of the stage, Jennifer and I smile and nod at each other. Then we enter. Mozart begins weaving his web of music through Matt’s fingers on the piano. I’m Marcellina, singing on the Detroit Opera House’s main stage. From Opera for Dummies to here, to this peek into what I hope will be my future. I look over at Susana and she snarls at me. “Via resti servita, Madama brillante,” I sing, snarling right on back.
Returning to the Scene: Senior Lindsey Scullen returns to the Detroit Opera House to see Le nozze di Figaro. She sang a duet from this opera during her Opera Camp. (photo courtesy of Hayley Raska)
B4SOURCE The Skinny on Diet Drinks
January 31, 2012
THE
LIFESTYLES
(Photo by Brooke Meharg)
Zero calorie drinks have negative effects by Brooke Meharg Lifestyles Team
S
ophomore Emma Grimes tips her head back and gulps down a crisp, sweet drink. The flavor is more than agreeable and the liquid that trickles down her throat satisfies her thirst… but what she really likes is that the drink is zero calories, not to mention the added vitamins. And bugs. That’s right, like all ingredient lists on beverage items, SoBe Lifewater’s Yumberry Pomegranate ingredient list contains several words not universally known,
one of which is cochineal. Cochineal is a bug that is used as a red dye called cochineal extract, according to The Health Gazette. Sobe uses this dye in order to maintain their zero calorie label and natural ingredients. By preserving the zero calorie labels, companies risk grossing their customers out. “It makes me think of bugs swimming in it,” junior Isabella Lee said. This upsetting picture is probably why Sobe Lifewater tries to keep the bug dye under cover. It doesn’t matter that it is perfectly harmless, unless you’re allergic to
the substance. To many people, the idea of eating or drinking bugs is repulsive. It makes people puke and that is never a pretty sight. The negative effects of Sobe Lifewater may not seem extreme to some people. After all, it’s only bugs, and it doesn’t really cause harm to the body. However, other negative calorie drinks, such as diet pop, rank the highest in negative physical effects. “Is it really leading me to obesity?” sophomore Claudia Kassouf asked. The truth… yes. Diet pop has two distinct pathways that lead straight to obesity according to Fitday. “[There is a] recent
study [that says] diet soda creates obesity,” Law and AP Government teacher Michael Bennion said. “[People] feel like they can eat more… splurge.” Diet pop drinkers often believe that they can eat more because they are saving calories. In the end, they usually end up eating more calories than they would have if they hadn’t believed they had saved some on diet pop. According to Fitday, another theory explains how the syrupy taste of pop signals our digestive system that some calories have come visiting. When these visitors don’t appear, our body decides to take action.
Our hunger is triggered, calories rush through the doorway to our stomach, and the body is satisfied. It doesn’t care that you’ve just over scheduled yourself with calories. Diet pop also shares quite a few negative effects with non-diet pop. It helps destroy the enamel on our teeth until it no longer exists, according to Fitday. Then there is the fact that pop takes the calcium away from our bones, also according to Fitday. To most people, these effects seem minimal. It’s just a couple little facts and a few bugs. But, hey, if you can drink bugs without a grimace, go for it.
Behind the Words
The effects of diet pop ingredients hiding behind unusual words. -Phosphoric acid: takes calcium from the bones to balance the ratio of calcium to phosphorous. -Calcium Disodium EDTA: may cause muscle cramping -Potassium Benzoate: never passes through the body -Caramel Color: may cause cancer (Sources: examiner.com, Center for Science in the Public Interest, Family Education, Livestong)
(Compiled by Brooke Meharg)
THE
January 31, 2012
SOURCE
LIFESTYLES
Hookah horrors
B5
Brunson’s Battle Stats
The age old practice is making a big comeback, and a dangerous one at that.
Hookah smokers unaware of health risks by Danielle Linihan School Team
S
enior Mandy Doherty knew she was doing it illegally—she just didn’t know it was bad for her, too. “I did it a couple of times with my boyfriend and his friends,” Doherty, whose name has been changed, said. “I was 16 at the time, and you have to be 18, but they didn’t really check ID. They just let me in. I was pretty surprised, because I definitely look underage.” Doherty wasn’t clubbing, drinking, or having sex. Rather, she was smoking hookah. And like many people, she didn’t understand exactly what it was. She knew that the legal age to smoke hookah was 18, as is any other tobacco product, but that was it. There are numerous misconceptions about hookah, one of them being that it’s nothing more than flavored water, the other being that it’s perfectly safe. Both are dead wrong. Hookah is specially percent made
Smoking statistics
More than 90 of hookah smokers think cigarette smoking is more addictive
An estimated 200 to 300 hookah bars and cafes currently operate in more than two thirds of the United States
tobacco that passes through a water pipe and is then drawn through a rubber hose to a mouth piece, according to an article by M.D. Richard D. Hurt from the Mayo Clinic Online. While it may seem harmless, like any tobacco product, it isn’t. The Center for Disease Control writes that “a typical one hour long hookah smoking session involves inhaling 100-200 times the volume of smoke inhaled from a single cigarette.” This is serious. It’s more than just a “fun way to pass time.” Not only can hookah smokers become addicted to the nicotine, but it’s up to 200 times worse for the smoker. In other words, hookah kills. Doherty discovered afterwards how dangerous it was, and it shocked her to find out how little most people know. “I wanted to do it for my eighteenth birthday,” Doherty said. “I figured a bunch of us would just go out and smoke hookah. Then someone told me what it really was, and I was pretty disturbed. I thought it was just flavored water. I remember a teacher telling me that. I guess even they don’t know what it is.” Senior Allison West, whose name has been changed, was another of the deceived. But she didn’t stop smoking it after the first time. West has lost track of the number of times she smoked hookah over the years. “I regret it,” West said. “I didn’t
A study of hookah smokers found that nicotine and cotinine increased up to 250 percent after a typical 40 to 45 minute smoking session
think anything of it. I just thought, ‘Hey, this is fun!’ and I kept doing it. I’ve got friends who are addicted to it. It’s sad because I know they can’t stop. They don’t know how.” Nicotine addiction isn’t even the worst part of it. Hookah smoking can cause lung, oral, and bladder cancers as well as lead to heart disease and clogged arteries according to cdc.gov. It is by no means a safe alternative to cigarettes. “It’s one of those things that just aren’t really talked about,” West said. “If you ask 100 people what they think hookah is you’d get 100 different answers.” So why isn’t it being talked about? Sex, drugs, and alcohol have all been covered either in health class or school wide speeches. Where does hookah fit in? “Most people don’t say that they smoked Hookah,” West said. “It’s not like smoking weed, which everyone talks about. Smoking hookah is just… smoking. People don’t think it’s bad, so they don’t talk about it.” Senior Meredith White knows the magnitude of what many smokers are doing to their bodies. While she vows never to smoke it, a lot of her close friends have. “I know a lot of my friends have smoked it, and it’s terrible,” White said. “It’s disgusting. The fact that people would want to do that to their bodies knowingly scares me. You should never smoke anything, especially if you don’t know what it really is.”
More than just a pipe: Myths that hookah is harmlesss lead many students to believe it’s safe according to the Center for Disease Controll. Studies have shown that hookah is 200 times worse than smoking a cigarette, and even more likely to cause cancer. (photo by Nick Cruz)
Source: American Lung Association
Health Secretary Limits Birth Control Options by Michael Martinez Lifestyles Team Because the government has never taken citizens’ health lightly. On Dec. 8, they may have done so. Last December, the “Plan B” emergency contraceptive pill was prohibited from being purchased without prescriptions by girls under 17. Women’s rights groups nationwide are in an uproar. “What about safe sex?” they ask. The “Plan B” pill, or morning-after pill as it’s sometimes known, is a women’s contraception device designed to be taken after sex. The pill uses a chemical called progestin, according to the Planned Parenthood website, and prevents a woman’s ovulation, meaning there are no eggs to receive sperm in the first place, thus no pregnancy. With varying degrees of effectiveness, this allows the pill to be taken after the fact. The question now, is who should be able to use it? Since 2009, the pill was only purchasable by women 18 and over, until new legislation made it purchasable by those 17 and over. The Food and
Drug Administration planned Conservative and liberal groups necessary for everyone of legislation to make the pill are grasping at the excuse to consent to access “Plan available for purchase to girls fight, using women’s health as B,” in order to ensure safe under 17 as well, but was a gentle scapegoat for political intercourse. “If people are having overridden by Health and maneuvers leading up to the consistent sex, it’s good to have Human Services Secretary 2012 elections. The effects of the Services just in case.” Kathleen Sebelius. Young men’s opinion on Sebelius is a respected cog Secretary’s actions are not of the Obama grandfather limited to the griping adults— available contraception might clock, so the move has been the Stoney Creek’s own student differ from women’s, who have subject of vast controversy over population is brimming with to personally deal with the issues of many topics, r a p e , not the least pregnancy, of which a n d is political There are so different moral, abortion. implications S o m e on an election ethical, legal, and religious on it students like drawing ever senior Marie so nearer. Counselor Paul Carlin McCormick After her w e r e decision, complacent about the new Sebelius has become the subject of intense scrutiny. 16 and 17 year-olds. Many policy. “No, I don’t think they’re Organizations advocating safe find themselves now facing a sex and contraception use argue mandate from the President’s overstepping their bounds, that the beneficial pill could be administrative staff on what because under a certain age used by minors to positively protection they can and cannot [kids] think they can do impact the rate of unwanted buy to ensure their sexual anything; they don’t think of the extremes of what can happen,” health. pregnancies. Senior Andrew Bismack McCormick said. The worlds of politics, She was, however, science, medical research, argues that limiting who of pharmaceuticals, parenthood consenting age can buy the pill also in favor of emergency contraception in general, noting organizations, and even church is an overreach. “I don’t think it’s anyone’s “if you are going to get yourself have been drawn into the “Plan B” gravity well. Progressive business that you can say what in that situation, it’s better to be women’s groups, such as the [people] can use, this product smart about it. McCormick’s views are not Center for Reproductive Rights, or that product.” Bismack thought it was totally representative of the are fighting for their cause.
“
many
beliefs
”
.
female student body, however. Many students disagreed with the Obama administration’s decision to limit the pill to only those teenagers they deemed would need it. “I don’t think they should be able to dictate who can take the pill,” said 16 year-old junior Sarah Olechowski. “If anything, it should be the parents’ decision.” Some showed concern at the possibility of students treating sex differently. With such a forgiving contraceptive, sex might be thought of, and performed, too lightly. Extraneous to the student body, counselor Paul Carlin tentatively worried about students overusing “Plan B.” “The main issue is a lot of these people are using things like [the ‘Plan B’ pill] as a primary source of contraception,” said Carlin. “It’s not [primary contraception]. It’s dealing with it afterwards.” Senior Liz Karney suggested limiting emergency contraceptive use to true emergencies, like rape, and that otherwise, the pill was unnecessary. “Other than [rape], sex is their own choice.”
SEX FACTS METHODS OF WOMEN IN U.S. WHO USE CONTRACEPTION
28% Sterilization Pill Condom Vasectomy
27% 16% 10%
Percentage of
54%
teen women relying on pills Percentage of
23%
teen women relying on condoms Likelihood of becoming a teen
2x
mother if having sex without contraception
(Compiled by Michael Martinez) Source: Guttmacher Institute
B6SOURCE
THE
January 31, 2012
LIFESTYLES
The All American Muslim causes controversy by Kira Bucksbaum Lifestyles Team As senior Kayvon Kashani-Gharavi explains his opinion of the American view on Islam, eavesdroppers uneasily look away. Eyes shift as people look down, nervously getting back to their work. Several people seem uncomfortable, clearly displaying the controversy of the topic. Islam is a minority religion in America, and has recently held lots of negative connotations and false assumptions. Now, the media is making an effort to clear up misconceptions. The show All American Muslim, produced by TLC, displays average Muslim Americans living their daily lives. It follows multiple families and portrays their struggles as Muslims in America, according to Samina Ali of the Huffington Post. “It’s basically about people who are Muslim and are trying to cope with the American culture,” senior
Kayvon Kashani-Gharavi said. “I think the show is a good thing,” senior Forrest Hamood said, “it’ll help people understand the culture better.” But not everyone thinks the show All American Muslim is beneficial. Lowe’s, the hardware company, decided mid December to pull all of their advertising from being played during the show. The Florida Family Association is also loudly protesting, claiming that it is trying to portray Muslims as something they’re not. “It’s just ignorant of them,” Hamood said. Kashani-Gharavi agrees. “People think that Islam is just a bunch of crazy people, or people being terrorists,” he said, “and that’s just not true.” So why is a show with good intentions surrounded by so much controversy? “America is terrorism sensitive right now,” Hamood said, “especially after 9/11.” While the tragedy of 9/11
was caused by a small group of extremists, it has led to increasing prejudices against the Muslim population in America. “No matter where you go, there will be extremists,” Kashani-Gharavi said, “and people assume that Islamic extremists represent the whole culture.” These are the prejudices that All American Muslim has been working to defeat, and in many ways it has been successful. The Huffington Post claims that the reviews of the show have been mostly positive, and lots of fans of the show are raving about the progressive light it shines on Muslim culture. The Lowe’s Corporation may not be supportive, but many people feel that it is an important milestone for Muslims in America. “There are so many misconceptions and prejudices,” KashaniGharavi said, “and to have a show like this to teach people what the religion and the culture is about is really important.”
? m a l s I What’s “‘
. According to Kayvon..
“Islam, Christianity, and Judaism aren’t really that different. In fact, they all stem from the same basic religion. In Islam, the sacred text is the Koran, which is very similar to the Bible and the Torah.” (Compiled by Kira Bucksbaum)
A home split across oceans American-Iranian family lives through difficulties by Lindsey Scullen Managing Content Editor
Chowing Down: A little Kayvon sits down to a meal in
Iran. The family ate an Iranian specialty. (Photo courtesy of Linda Kashani-Gharavi)
Fun in the Trunk: Kayvon, his brother, and his cousins ride on an Iranian highway back-of-the-truck style. Kayvon was not yet of age to be drafted by the military. (Photo courtesy of Linda Kashani-Gharavi)
Student Connects With Iranian Roots Who is he?
He’s Mark Hosseni, an American citizen of Iranian decent.
His background?
His Iranian father came to America for education and met his American mother.
Has he ever been to Iran? No, he has an aunt, an uncle, and three cousins he’s never met.
What is his family’s culture like?
Though much of his Iranian family also lives in America, the generous and honorable Iranian culture plays a part in the way they live. “They would do anything for their guests... If they could pick you up and carry you to the table for dinner, they would,” Hosseni said.
What about family traditions?
According to Hosseni, two of his aunts were married in his home as Iranians are traditionally married in the home of one of the bride’s relatives. (Compiled by Lindsey Scullen)
“You don’t eat no meat? You don’t eat no meat? That’s okay, I make lamb.” Sugar cube in mouth, tea in hand, laughter in ears, I’m sitting around a long table. I haven’t lifted a finger. I’m the guest. “Will you stay for dinner? You have to stay. Have you eaten?” “Oh no, I don’t want to impo-” But the conversation and laughter is contagious and, smiling, I know you have to stay, I want to stay. “Our family is exactly like the one in My Big Fat Greek Wedding,” senior Kayvon KashaniGharavi said laughing. “My dad thinks that everything originates in Iran.” While it may be hard to prove that everything originates in Iran, the Iranian passports and old exit permits leave no doubt that this family did. Kayvon’s father Saudegh Kashani-Gharavi grew up in Iran and came to the United States to earn an education in 1978. But, putting a snag in his plan, an Iranian revolution broke out in 1979 making it too dangerous for him to return. To make matters worse, the United States broke ties with Iran in 1980. However, it was not all bad news for Mr. Kashani-Gharavi. In fact, by the genuine happiness that exudes from his kitchen table, it’s hard to know that such difficult events make up his history at all. According to Kayvon’s uncle Sina Kashani-Gharavi, Mr. Kashani-Gharavi came to the United States “desperately seeking Linda [Kayvon’s mom]” whom he married and started his halfIranian, half-American family with. But according to Kayvon and family, being half-Iranian and half-American is complicated at times for a few different reasons. The first is the difficulty of travel, the second is the mandatory draft in Iran, and the third is the U.S. - Iranian political relations. “Iran is one of those countries where it’s hard for u s to protect you,” is Mr. Kashani-Gharavi’s interpretation of the United State’s stance on travel to Iran. Because of the countries’ poor relationship, travel from the United States to Iran is fairly unpre(Photo by Lindsey Scullen)
dictable and keeps many families from returning. However, the Kashani-Gharavis’ travel history have no bumps in the road thanks to their careful planning and executing. Last year, however, Kayvon could not return to Iran. True as it is that Kayvon and his three older siblings are dualcitizens of the United States and Iran, according to the Bureau of Consular Affairs in the U.S. Department of State, “the Iranian government does not recognize dual nationality and will treat U.S. - Iranian dual nationals solely as Iranian citizens subject to Iranian laws.” One such Iranian law is the mandatory draft of boys over 16 years of age who have not enrolled in a university. Therefore, Kayvon could potentially be drafted. But as an Americanized Iranian, the draft presents perplexing possibilities, ones that mother Linda Kashani-Gharavi is not comfortable with. “He doesn’t even speak farsi... we don’t know what would happen in a situation like that,” Mrs. Kashani-Gharavi said of the mandatory draft applying to Kayvon. “It would be awful for any of my boys. It’s not going to be beneficial for the government and it would be very difficult for them.” According to Mr. KashaniGharavi, it would have been safe for Kayvon to return to Iran for up to three months. However, the trip was scheduled over the Iranian New Year, which falls on March 21, making it dangerous for Kayvon to go because of complicated loop holes related to the draft in Iranian law. Loop holes like these are the ones the family is always wary of. But as Kayvon has plans of attending Oakland University in the fall, he, like his brothers, will soon be exempted from the mandatory draft and will again be able to return to Iran. And yet the complications of being half-Iranian and half-American continue from day to day just living in the United States, according to Kayvon. With the United State’s sanctions against Iran come mixed feelings and even terror from Iranian citizens in the United States. “We heard Mitt Romney say t h a t
his first day in office he is going to bomb Iran,” Kayvon said. “Having to hear that is really scary... to think about my family there...” While the Iranian and American governments have their differences, the Iranian people’s opinion of America generally does not align with those of their government. This alone makes the tension between countries t h a t m u c h m o r e frustrating for Kayvon and his family. “Whenever people understand that I’m from the U.S., they say ‘Are you from America?’ They say it in Farsi and it’s always quiet. And I say yes. ‘I have a brother and he lives in New York...’” Mrs. Kashani-Gharavi said smiling, remembering a past trip to Iran. But right then Mr. Kashani-Gharavi’s voice draws the attention to the other side of the table. “Give me a word, any word, and I show you that the root of that word is from Iran.” Everyone is laughing and Kayvon is saying that instead of windex like in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, it’s garlic that heals everything. Agreeing, Mr. KashaniGharavi said, “You know, I was watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and at the end of the movie, at the end of the credits, I saw a name and he was from Iran... so there you go.”
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THE
January 31, 2012
SOURCE
LIFESTYLES
Iraq pull out affects students
by Soojin Chun
Lifestyles Editor Nine years. That’s the amount of time spent on foreign lands until the last of our American soldiers could land safely back on American soil, as this year’s countdown on New Year’s Eve signaled the official end of the Iraq War. The promise of such action was made in 2008, during Barack Obama’s campaign for the presidency. The promise was kept when he announced in 2009 that a withdrawal process would be initiated. The process neared its end on Oct. 21, according to CBS News, when Obama ensured that the soldiers “will definitely be home for the holidays.” Now that the soldiers are back, it goes without saying that new complications have arisen.
During the two year Sheehy, whose father is a withdrawal process, about manager at a tank plant in 50,000 troops stayed behind Iraq, has a similar view on to train Iraqi soldiers and the pullout. protect military personnel, “I think it’s good to pull according the men out to New of Iraq only Y o r k if the job’s Times. completely Withdone. With all out those the men that t r o o p s have died, we to train should finish the next the job,” generation Sheehy said. of Iraqi According soldiers, to Sheehy, m a n y finishing the suspect job means t h e i r staying in military Iraq until Junior forces will the country Rachel Braden is completely weaken in a short stablized. period of time, and the However, Sheehy adds government’s powers will that he still is “extremely dwindle, according to Wall happy for all the families Street Journal. getting their loved ones Junior back,” Will
“ moment
You know, that
when, even if it’s only for a few seconds,
everything
in the world is perfect again.
”
demonstrating the common view of most American citizens. Especially for those whose fathers or sons were overseas, many are willing to put aside such negative effects of the pullout momentarily to welcome back their family members, according to Junior Rachel Braden, whose father served in Iraq. “I feel their hope, pride, and pretty much every other emotion in the book,” Braden said. While members of the military and their families may worry about loose ends in Iraq, there’s no doubt about how they feel having their loved ones back. “You see your loved one walking off the bus. You see them, run to them, and hug them. We all shared that same moment. You know, that moment when, even if it’s only for a few seconds, everything in the world is perfect again,” Braden said.
Iraq War Timeline
Dec.13 2003
Saddam Hussain captured after eluding the U.S. army for 9 months
B7
Apr. 3
2003
President Bush announces the start of the Iraq War; Saddam Hussain’s rule crumbles within hours
Jun. 28
2004
Sep. 7 2004
The amount of military deaths in Iraq surpass the 1000 mark
American authorities transfer formal sovereignty of Iraq to its new leaders
Jan. 30
2005
Apr. 22 2006
Maliki nominated as Prime Minister and becomes Iraq’s first leader for a full term goverment
r e v O n r o f o s n a e Oc ion s n Te
Iraqis turn out in great numbers to vote in the country’s first free election in 50 years
Dec. 30
2006
Saddam Hussain is hanged
Aug. 31 2009
Obama declares end to combat operations in Iraq
Sep. 21
2011
Oct. 21 2011
Obama calls U.S. troops home from Iraq by year’s end
(Photo by Kira Bucksbaum)
Defense Secretary proposes plan to keep 3000 trainers in Iraq for Iraqi soldiers
Dec. 15
2011
War in Iraq officially ends
(Compiled from the New York Times)
(Photo courtesy of Google Earth)
B8 SOURCE
THE
January 31, 2012
SCHOOL Ice Sculpture Facts Displayed at a room temperature of 70 degrees fahrenheit not exposed to wind or direct sunlight, they could last 4-8 hours. An ice sculpture presentation can range in weight from 1 pound to 50,000 pounds The more time spent circulating the water during the freezing process plus using the best quality water makes for a clear block of ice.
Twinkling through out the town: The lights shine through the carving of a Radio Flyer wagon. The ice sculptures amazed many last year at the Fire and Ice festival (used with permission of Edward John Photography )
Winter excitement brought about by Claire Efting Sports Team Little ice crystals flung into the air as a blade slipped into a block of frozen water last winter at the Fire and Ice Festival. After being postponed due to the weather, Oakland County, Oakland County Parks, the City of Rochester and Downtown Rochester will the Festival on Feb. 24- 26. It will be the fifth year ice sculptures decked Main Street and people gather to celebrate winter. Braving out the cold last year, sophomore Kailey DiLorenzo was rewarded with warm memories. “The festivals have always been so much fun” DiLorenzo said, “It’s a great time to get out and enjoy the season.”
This year, on Friday and Saturday night will witness a fireworks display. Sophomore Nicole Kowalchick recalled the fireworks from last year, especially the colors bursting on the dark sky. “It reminded me of the fourth of July,” she said, “except there was snow.” There will also be opportunities for people to learn how to snowboard down the hill this year. Demonstrations, clinics and competitions will available for snowboarders as well. “When I found out that they were going to be having snowboarding lessons I was thrilled,” Dilorenzo said “It’s so great that
everyone has the opportunity to either learn how to snowboard or improve their skills, like me.” To Freshman Austin Robbins, the most interesting event of last year was
t h e d o g sleds. “How m a n y times in life do you get t h e
opportunity to be pulled by an actual team of sled dogs?” Robbins said “I didn’t actually go on it, but everyone that did seemed like they were having a lot of fun.” On Saturday only, snow shoeing and cross country skiing will be available. This year however, throughout the weekend there will be an available outdoor ice skating rink. Like last year many will get a chance to dust off their pair of skates and set foot on the rink. But the favorite part of the festival is always the ice sculptures which Kowalchick enjoyed last year the most, “The ice sculptures never cease to amaze me,” She said, “the lights are all turned back on and it makes the ice so much more pretty.”
However, making the sculptures so amazing isn’t an easy task. According to the Global Ice Company, it takes three days to freeze a block of ice prior to carving, then, generally, the carving takes about two to three hours. The big bright lights will not be turned on due to the change of date. Downtown Rochester’s website stated the winter festival will be unlike any other in the Metro Detroit area, Kowalchick agrees. “The fire and ice festival is a perfect event for all ages really.” Kowalchick said “For one, it’s free, and for another when you’re living in Michigan, it’s one of those occasions that shows just how fun winter can be.”
There are three types of ice that can be used in sculpting: basic canned ice, crystal clear ice blocks, naturally made ice (From the elements on our planet).
(compiled by Claire Efting) (Source: to Ice Impressions)
ALLIED
Agent for Allied Van Lines
Morse Moving & Storage
April Morse Milner
27651 Heldebrandt Road; Suite 100 Romulus, Michigan 48175 Email: amilner@morsemoving.com Office: (734) 484-1717 x2681 Fax: (734) 485-8748
Regional Manager
Cell: (313) 595-2614
www.morsemoving.com
Whatever moves you...
relax.
we carry the
load.
THE
January 31, 2012
SOURCE
LIFESTYLES in the Halls
“I’ll see you
all at my intervention.”
“It’ll be you, me, and your cat on a dinner date. Classy.”
“Stop being
such a gypsy.”
Chivalry: Should guys walk around with swords and shields?
“Your calculator is not your friend.”
“I’d hate being a girl. I’d have to like, match outfits.”
“What’s up
with ‘Mac and Cheese?’ Who’s Mac?”
“What’s so
green about the big gig? Are they recycled instruments?”
“If the
world ended tomorrow, I’ll remember this conversation. And know that I’m a physic.”
“I can’t be
funny. I’m actually Satan.”
“Piracy makes the world go around. Like... oxygen.”
Sorry gentlemen, but none of us are knights nowadays. We may think ourSports Team selves tough and manly, but compared to Chivalry. The respect for women, ninth century knights, we look like girls. We could technically bring chivalry the courteous things men do for them, the act of being loyal towards them. Is it back and relate it to women, but it would dead? Yes, because that’s not what chiv- require more than most men are capable alry actually is. So with the Sadies dance of. Step 1: Learn to ride a horse, joust, approaching, being chivalrous may be and swordfight. harder than most Step 2: Buy metal chainguys think. mail, spaulders, grieves, and The literal defileg plates. nition of chivalry is, The rules and Step 3: In full armor, esaccording to dictioncort a woman to dinner on ary.com, “the sum customs of your horse. In full armor, open of the ideal qualifidoors for her. In full armor, eat cations of a knight, . dinner with her. In full armor, including courtesy, pay the bill. Don’t forget your generosity, valor, sword and shield. and dexterity in Defintion of Not only would this be arms, the rules and chivalry physically impossible for alcustoms of Medieval most the entire male populaknighthood.” The word itself comes from the An- tion, try finding a restaurant in Rochglo-French word chevalerie, meaning ester that will let your park your horse horsemanship. Does that sound like any- and enter the place with full armor and a thing to do with opening doors for wom- sword. Not a feasible feat. Are men to blame for the death of en, and buying them dinner, chocolates, chivalry then? Probably. Guess it’s time and flowers? Not at all. Chivalry was a code between knights, to bring the Dark Ages back, it would be medieval warriors and horseman. Chiv- a shame to let such a noble word go to alry was the principles of knighthood, waste. So strap up for Sadies gentlemen, the rules which one had to live by to be it’s going to cost more than we thought. a true knight.
“Medieval
designed like a prison. Irony at its finest.”
(Compiled by Blake Adams)
”
by Danielle Blessing Lifestyles Team When girls think of chivalry, many of us might picture a charming knight on a silky white horse. Although this fantasy will never be likely to happen in our lifetime, respectful behavior towards women is a fantasy that could and should become reality. “Chivalry” is the courteous behavior of a man, shown to a woman. It is not, however, dressing up as a medieval knight, riding on a trustful steed, or carrying a jousting stick, for any boy who flinches when he hears the word “chivalry.” But respect is hard to come by these days. What about that girl behind you as you walk through the door? Would guys be as likely to slam the door in her face if it were Megan Fox or J-Lo? Not likely. It’s more likely that guys would be trampling each other to open the door for either one of these ladies. Or what about that clumsy girl walking down the hall who trips and falls and all of her possessions go flying across the floor (and yes, I do consider myself to be in this category). You can’t possibly tell me, or any other female, that none of this matters. Sophomore Tori Phelps said that she believed chivalry is dying, because of
the equality of today’s society. “As men and women are beginning to become equal to one another in the workplace and society, the amount of kindness that men show to females is less,” Phelps said. Equality is an important part of American society, and should not be abolished. However, equality does not mean practicing the belief to the point where girls are being disrespected. “How often do guys hold doors open for us?” Phelps said. “It’s mainly just friends.” Sophomore Olivia Favor gave the same reason as to why the prospect of chivalry is “dying,” but added a twist. “Guys don’t show as much special treatment towards women as they used to,” she said. This does not mean we expect you to literally carry us away into the sunset… no matter how nice that would be. “I think [chivalry] is important to a certain degree…because people should be respectful of each other all the time,” Favor said. Phelps agreed that chivalry was important in today’s society, even though people don’t often recognize it as being so. Although many things have changed since the 1600’s, chivalry is one thing that should stay equivalent—knight in shining armor or not.
Scrabbling For Words is easy as A B C Word Game Captures the Hearts of Smart Device Users by Rachel Shutter Lifestyles Team Everyone is hooked on it. A more appropriate word for some students would be addicted. And kids are doing it everywhere; At home, at work, in the car, in
How To Play: This word game is played by two parties or “friends.” Each player gets a certain amount of letters. Then the players play off of each other on a game board. It’s like the classic game of Scrabble without the tediousness of having to bring out the dictionary and losing all those little wood letters.
the bathroom, and even during class. What are these students doing? Why, they are playing a word game called “Words with Friends,” of course. Want to get better? Want to learn how to cheat and get a better score? Don’t even know how to play? Well, here’s how:
How To Cheat: Need some help figuring out words to play? There’s an App for that. Here’s how: -Go to your phone or iPod and open the App store: Only for Apple products. Sorry Android users. -Search “Cheats with Words”: It’s 99 cents. -Wait for download: Thank goodness for 4G speed! -Open App: It will automatically find words for you that correspond to your game. -Win: let the App do it for you.
How to Be A WWF Pro: Want to dominate the playing board? Be envied by your friends when you score 45 points on a triple word with the letters “Inertia.” -Become a vocab genius: Try to remember all of those vocab lists from English class. -Have a strategy: Know how and where to play the words. Make sure to get high point letters on multiple point word, and letter spaces. -An online dictionary, anyone? : It’s a great to help you see if your word is an actual word. -Stay one step ahead: Make sure that the person you’re playing won’t have a way of scoring high points by not setting up an opportunity to land on multiple
W I T H O F R I E ND S D S 4
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Stay in the know: Keep practicing with these tips and you will be guaranteed a top spot in the world of Words with Friends. The more games that you play, the more that you win, and there are more bragging rights that are awarded to you. Make sure that you play with everyone you know. Challenge your friends, challenge your siblings, challenge your parents. Heck, challenge your grandma. Just keep on playing you Scrabble nerds.
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word or letter score tiles. -Use “Q”, “Z” and “J”: The hardest letters to use in the game. And, not coincidentally the highest point letters. -Don’t be weary of the vocab monster: When it’s not a word, no points get deducted. -Power of Communication: There is conveniently a chat room in the game. You can brag about your 50 point word right when you play it now. -Brainpower boost: According to Medical Word Search’s website, word games can help with the prevention of neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s at an early age.
PlayStation pushes new technology by Rakesh Reddy Sports Team Throughout the years, additions to the handheld gaming market have been sensational, offering new ways to play and enjoy games, but few have come close to offering a console quality experience like the Sony PS Vita. A quad core processor has been all the hype lately with its, well four cores. Each core breaks up the work given to it by the system, making the Vita extremely efficient. The Vita, being the only portable gaming system to run a quad core processor, is raising the bar for other devices. Besides the processor, the Vita’s other features are pretty cool too. Having a rear touch pad, two cameras, a six axis motion sensor, and builtin GPS truly makes the Vita a wonder machine. The Vita’s cameras aren’t up to par but get the job done. Both the front and back cameras have a measly 1.3 mega pixel resolution and take terrible pictures. Luckily, the cameras were manufactured with a different
motive in mind: Augmented Reality Games. Gamers should get a real kick out of seeing their living room being destroyed by little stick fighters. Yeah that’s right. Imagine regenerating actual objects into the virtual world of video games. The Six Axis motion system further allows tilt controls like an iPhone while the rear touch pad allows touch controls from the back of the system. This keeps everything on one body making Vita feel like an actual controller. You can even crush digital monsters between your fingers by tapping the back panel and touch screen at the same time. Must cost a fortune right? For now yes. However, Forbes magazine stated that the Vita’s slow launch in Japan may cause an early price drop. “Sony will likely be forced to cut the price of the PS Vita from 24’000 yen (300 dollars) to below 20’000 yen (260 dollars) very soon,” said Forbes. While not cheap at 260 dollars, it’s not expensive either for a brand new system. Unfortunately, the Vita isn’t all perfect. The main problem stems from the inclusion
of apps that do basic functions. For example, you can share pictures to Facebook or Flickr on a smartphone by simply pressing the “Share” button, but, in the Vita’s case, you would have to open up a separate messaging App just to send the picture. This is also true for content management, GPS, and friend connectivity. You can never truly multi task when you have to quit the app you’re in to do something else. Fortunately, this is one of the Vita’s only flaws and is easily fixable in future software updates. “What this basically adds up to is a handheld gaming device …that’s comparable to a 360 or PS3 and all the control methods of a tablet and the 3DS combined. And that’s pretty bloody good in anybody’s book,” said NowGamer.com.
Rating:
Vans shoes
HOT
The Girl With The Dragon
5 o’clock shadow
Tattoo
The Hotness Matrix
Hair feathers
Fake tanning
Starbucks Blonde Nuero Drinks
NOT
NEW
“Our school is
Girls Guys Say Say
by Blake Adams
knighthood
Chivalry: Should girls be doted on hand and foot by men today?
OLD
OVERHEARD
B9
Resolutions Sparkling Uggs
B10 SOURCE
THE
January 31, 2012
OPINION
Signs of the Times
Occupy Movement reaches Birmingham
by Christina Leininger Opinion Editor
T
he bold beat pulsating out of the hand drum is America’s angry heart. Soon, other drums join in and the beat grows louder, more intense. Civilians passing by in their cars jam their hands down to sound off their horns, adding ferocity to the ruckus spreading through the quiet and orderly streets of Birmingham, Michigan. The American government has displeased its boss (we the people) and a reprimand is in order. That is where the Occupy Movement comes into play. On Dec. 17, a group of protesters assembled in Birmingham’s Martha Baldwin Park to participate in the farreaching Occupy Movement. The movement, which began Sept. 17, 2011 in Manhattan, New York, has inspired people across the United States to occupy other cities. According to Occupywallst. org, the movement “…aims to
fight back against the richest one percent of people that are writing the rules of an unfair global economy that is
I wish “ that there’d
be more redistribution of the wealth, and for congress to represent what people want,
”
Guisinger foreclosing on our future.” Although many dismiss the protestors as bothersome troublemakers who have too much time on their hands, the protestors are publicly
expressing the sentiment held by a large fraction of our country. According to Huffingtonpost.com, “More than one-third of the country supports the Wall Street protests, and even more – 58 percent – say they are furious about America’s politics.” Evidently, the public is discontent with how our government is operating. “I think our political system is being corrupted by money,” said the organizer of Occupy Birmingham, Gerry Doelle, “and that causes so many problems. Special interests get their way, while the public as a whole suffers. We’ve become a congress attuned to special interest, but not to the nation as a whole.” America certainly has evolved into something quite different from the America that existed at the time the Constitution was written. According to Nytimes.com, “…inequality has been growing for three decades, driven by both
Picket Up: Protesters assemble outside of Marth Baldwin Park. They played hand drums and held up signs as cars passed by. (Photo by Courtney Bourgoin) economic and political forces. Globalization created larger markets for those with scarce talents but hurt less educated workers by pitting them against cheap foreign labor.” All of these factors— globalization, advances in technology, and the decline of unions—have landed our country right where it is today. This is apparently, not where we want to be. So what is the solution? Occupy Birmingham Protester Bill Guisinger knows
what he would like to see happen. “I wish that there’d be more redistribution of the wealth, and for congress to represent what people want,”Guisinger said. But it is not that simple. In fact, it is very complex. There is no quick and easy fix. According to Nytimes. com, Emmanuel Saez, of the University of California, Berkeley wrote in an e-mail, “The inequality problem is not going away and won’t until
drastic policy changes are made (as happened during the New Deal).” While it may appear as though protests like Occupy Wall Street and Occupy Birmingham are not accomplishing anything— they are. The protests are getting the public’s attention and starting a chain reaction. Even on Twitter, hashtags like #OccupyWallStreet and #1percentproblems are growing in popularity. Our nation is talking. Now our government just needs to listen.
Off to the GOP candidates compete for the republican nomination Races:
It’s primary season, and republicans candidates from across the country are butting heads in order to become ‘America’s Next Top Republican Candidate’. Since many upperclassmen are or will be of voting age this election year, here are the candidates and their political views. Senior Joseph Seeley, a well(art by Danielle Linihan) (compiled by Alexandra Zurkan) known conservative, also weighs-in on his thoughts about the candidates.
“OU
] T
THE SCOOP
[
NAME
Newt Gingrich
EXPERIENCE
Former Speaker of the House
Texas governor
FISCAL POLICY
Supports a small government, supplyside economics, making the Bush taxcuts permanent, and reducing corporate tax.
Former Massachusetts governor
Supports reduced spending and business tax-cuts. Proposes a “Cut, Balance, and Grow” plan.
Supports a long term tax and budget reform. Wants to revamp unemployment.
Supports a free market economy and Bush tax cuts.
FOREIGN POLICY
Supports budget cuts like the elimination of the income tax, the IRS, the Federal Reserve, as well as reduced military spending.
Supports a covert war on nuclear efforts in Iran, including assassination of scientists, and more military spending to keep the U.S. military larger than China’s.
Supports Israel because of his faith, and believes the US should do whatever need be to keep Iran away from nuclear weapons.
Supports acts to counter Iran’s nuclear efforts, using military action if required.
Opposes action in Iran or Israel; wants to bring soldiers home and stop foreign wars.
Supports American intervention in the Middle East and military action against Iran.
HEALTH CARE
Doesn’t like Obamacare. Instead proposes a “Patient Power” plan.
Opposes Obamacare, but supports state-led initiatives. Believes the best way to improve health care is to stimulate job creation.
Massachusetts health care plan that he proposed was the basis for Obamacare, but he supports repealing Obamacare
Acknowledges flaws in system, wants a health care reform, but also to repeal Obamacare.
SEELEY SAYS
“He has a good fiscal track record under Clinton, but I think he is not as likable personally as Romney.”
“I don’t think people want another Texan president, so whether or not I agree with him is irrelevant.”
“I think he is the most electable… for Moderates, he comes across as more appealing.”
“Unfortunately, the moment he opens his mouth about foreign policy, isolationism, you realize it doesn’t coincide with reality.”
THE SEELEY OF APROVAL
x4
x2
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x3
Rick Perry
Mitt Romney
Ron Paul Congressman from Texas
Rick Santorum Former Pennsylvania senator
Strongly wants to repeal Obamacare.
WEB SITE
“Santorum is so stereotypical, overly Christian, overly emphasized on morals. No comment.”
THE
January 31, 2012
SOURCE
NUMB3RS Bronies
108 million Page views on equestridaily.com
1.1 Million
GRRR! Alright Marky Mark- Mark Wahlberg thought he could have prevented the terrorist attacks on 9/11 had he been on one of the planes. Come on Marky Mark, show some respect! Time to Face the Inevitable- All Facebook profiles will switch to the new “time-line” style within the next few weeks... and Facebook creepers will have a way easier time creeping. Colonization of the Moon?- By the end of his second term Newt Gingrich hopes to put a space station on the mood. Save the moon!
PRRR
BY THE
GRRR
OPINION
THE STAFF
PRRR! Shout-Out Detroit!- President Obama gave Detroit some positive shout-outs at his State of the Union Address. He also brought GM plant manager Alicia Boler-Davis as a guest. Jesus Sighting in Detroit- “Remembrant and the Face of Jesus,” an exhibit featuring Rembrant van Rinj’s paintings, is at the Detroit Institute of Art until Feb. 12. Fresh Prince of Detroit- The Detroit Tigers signed Prince Fielder to a $214 million, nine year contract.
THE EDITORIAL
Youtube views on “Equestria Girls,” Hasbro’s ponyfied parody of Katy Perry’s “California Gurls.”
41
Aired episodes of “My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic” so far
Plan B
72 9.1 Hours you have to take Plan B
Billions of dollars teen childbearing costs taxpayers per year.
218,000
Obama Administration makes a senseless ruling regarding emergency contraception Start counting on plan A, because for many adolescent females Plan B is no longer an option. A teenage boy walks into a drugstore and buys a box of condoms. Unfortunately, the eager young chap does a slapdash job of securing the condom and impregnates a girl. Now, potentially, this girl could simply make a trip to the drugstore and purchase a pill. A single pill. With one small pill, the girl can take control of her body and undue a careless boy’s blunder. Problem solved. Except, because of an imprudent decision made by the Obama Administration, the Plan B pill is unavailable to girls under age 17 without a prescription. On Dec. 7, Secretary of Health and Human Services, Kathleen Sebelius, disregarded the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recommendation, and decided that the Plan B pill will only be available over the counter to girls age 17 and up. Younger girls must obtain a prescription. According to WSJ.com, “The debate over Plan B is in many ways a proxy for broader social issues such as abortion and parental notification.” However, Plan B is not an abortion pill; it will not terminate an existing
pregnancy. The FDA explains, “Plan B acts primarily by stopping the release of an egg from the ovary (ovulation). It may prevent the union of sperm and egg (fertilization).” Plan B acts similarly to other birth control pills containing the synthetic hormone levonorgestrel. The issue surfaced when Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., the manufacturer of Plan B, requested to have the drug made readily available to all ages. According to WSJ.com, “Teva submitted two studies to support approval of its application to fully lift prescription requirements for Plan B.” The studies considered such things as the ability of adolescent girls to understand and follow the instructions printed on the drug’s label. According to freep.com, FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg said in a statement, “I agree with the center that there is adequate and reasonable, well-supported and science-based evidence that Plan B One-Step is safe and effective and should be approved
for nonprescription use for all females of child-bearing potential.” So with science on its side, why has the contraception been put out of reach for so many adolescent females? It is very likely that political motives drove the decision. According to WSJ.com, “Allowing girls under age 17 to buy the $50 pill over the counter could have saddled the Obama administration with a political target as the 2012 presidential campaign moves into full swing.” Making Plan B accessible to adolescent girls without a prescription would surely have infuriated many republicans. Still, this is an interesting move, considering republican votes certainly are not what landed President Obama in office to begin with. Now he has undoubtedly turned away many democratic supporters as well. A teenage girl walks into a drug store. She anxiously approaches the pharmacy counter with a look of desperation on her face. After the pharmacist denies her what she came for, the girl, embarrassed, leaves the store. She feels hopeless.
Teen Births in Michigan between 1991 and 2004
17
Age you must be to purchase Plan B without a prescription.
50
Typical cost of Plan B contraception.
END OF THE WORLD
“A girl should have the right to prevent pregnancy if she is in that situation.” Freshman Tessy Nuculaj
Days until the Mayan baktun ending
200 Celebrities believe in the 2012 prophecy... approximately
0
Amount of scientific proof that 2012 marks the end
(complied by Lindsey Scullen)
Sources: www.December212012. net, CBCNews, WSJ. com, Freep.com, and Equestridaily.com
Freshman Meghan Glaser
Plan B should be sold Staff Vote: to all females without a perscription.
“Aren’t you allowed to be having sex when you’re sixteen? So you should probably be able to buy Plan B when you are sixteen.” Junior Mitch Krust
“Girls should have the choice to decide whether or not they want to have a child.” Senior Lindsey Diamond
Managing Content Editor Three hundred and twenty five days. The end of the world will come. It’s time to worry. According to CBCNews, German librarian Ernst Forstemann deciphered a “long-count” calendar belonging to the Maya, an ancient civilization that originated in Mexico and Central America in the late 1800s. “Forstemann interpreted a scene on the last page as symbolizing world destruction,” according to CBCNews. Though Forstemann did not himself connect the dots, this interpreted scene corresponded to “a baktun ending in 2012, an epoch-like period for the Maya...” Based on this information, prophecies of world-destruction have been made for Dec. 21, 2012. If I told you that you had 325 days to live, what would you do? You’d freak out like you’ve never freaked out before. Then what? You’d get over it and you’d have 320 days. And then? “I would do everything on my bucket list,” junior Graham Key said. Example?
“Something impulsive that I wouldn’t normally do... like run into a hospital and yell ‘I have czars!’ and see if I can escape,” Key said. For some, the “bucket list” is slightly less elaborate, yet no less meaningful. “I would make sure that I had no regrets by the time I was done,” junior Devon Guinn said. And now I’m telling you with all of the ethical appeal a fairly bright senior in high school can muster, that your world is ending and that your days are numbered. You will die. Soon it will be February and you’ll have 300 days. You’ll find that you have shades of Key in you. Knowing that you’ll be kicking the bucket in 300 days, you’ll take extra spring break-like trips to Mexico, you’ll yell things in hospitals (the old people will smile), you’ll kiss a stranger, you’ll dive from an airplane and pull the parachute a little later than you would have before, you’ll let your heart race... you’ll have the most fun you’ve ever had. You’ll really live. You’ll have 210 days left at the start of May. Senioritis? Nope, just the end of the world. You won’t worry about money, college, or test scores. You’ll soak up as much and whatever kind of knowledge you can and
Editor-in-Chief: Matt Pitlock Managing Content Editor: Lindsey Scullen Managing Design Editor: Nick Cruz School Editor: Christiana Tanner School Team: David Hanna Danielle Linihan Darian Roseman Charlotte Spehn Opinion Editor: Christina Leininger Opinion Team: Alexandra Zurkan Lifestyles Editor: Soojin Chun Lifestyles Team: Danielle Blessing Courtney Bourgoin Kira Bucksbaum Michael Martinez Brooke Meharg Kristie Robinson Rachel Shutter Sports Editor: Reed Cao Sports Team: Blake Adams Claire Efting Matt Houghton Rakesh Reddy Online Editor: Soumith Inturi Adviser: Gayle Martin
THE POLICY We, the Stoney Creek Source Staff, produce this publication to accomplish the following goals: The Source will serve as a means of communication between students, teachers, and members of the community. We will respect all opinions and present them in an unbiased manner. The Source will inform and entertain readers and address trends and issues important to its audience. Although we are a student publication produced by the Writing for a Publication class, we will strive to make The Source accurate and truthful and to adhere to all strandards of professional journalism. We recognize and respect the privileges given to us under the First Amendment, including the freedom of speech and of the press. The Source is a forum of student expression and we, the students of the staff, have the editorial authority to make our own content decisions. We will provide a sounding board for the student body and the community; therefore, the opinions expressed in by-lines opinion articles and letters should not be considered to be the opinions of the entire newspaper staff, the advisor, the school administration, or the student body as a whole.
Agree: 71% (17)
Undecided: 21% (5)
CONTACT
Disagree: 8% (2)
How to live the last 325 days before the 2012 end of the world prediction by Lindsey Scullen
325
“I don’t agree with the age restriction because something could happen like rape.”
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want to. You won’t gear your life, your last May ever, towards a job you don’t really think you’ll like because of the promise that it’ll make a lot of money. It won’t matter. You won’t fill your entire schedule with homework and scholarship applications and “extra curriculars.” You’ll do what makes you happy. Time flies by. Life flies away. It’ll be September and you’ll have 85 days. Things will seem more important to you. You’ll kiss your mom in front of your friends without a second thought. They may laugh and raise their eyebrows out of habit, but who cares? They’ll all be dead soon anyway. So will you. They’ll probably all kiss their moms next time, too. You’ll have 22 days left to live in December. Then you’ll have 21, then 20, 19, 18… you’ll have forgotten to worry about the stupid things in life… 17, 16, 15… who cares about reputation?... 14… you’ll have had the best kind of fun… 13, 12… you’ll have loved like your life depended on it… 11… you’ll have no regrets… 10, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two… and then there’ll be one day left. And then zero. Approximately one hundred and fifty five thousand people will die. However, it will haveabsolutely nothing to do
with any prophecy of world destruction. According to the CIA World Fact Book, approximately 155,000 people die every day. Oops... “It’s all complete nonsense,” Maya scholar David Stuart said of the Maya civilization’s supposed “prediction” of the end of the world. There has been no such prediction. According to CBCNews, while a librarian interpreted a picture to mean the end of the world, scholars don’t believe it. Explaining a concept that CBCNews covers in detail, Guinn said, “The Mayan Calendar just resets like a clock, it doesn’t just end, it resets.” But I never lied to you. I made eye contact with 139 people today. Yes, I counted. Call me lame if you want. But what if I die in two days? That’s 278 more times to look into another person’s eyes. That’s it. Our days are numbered, and some day, maybe tomorrow, maybe in 325 more days, or maybe in 75 more years, we will all die. So here I am telling you, with all the ethical appeal a fairly bright senior in high school can muster, to stop worrying, to live a little, to love a lot.
LETTER POLICY: Letters to the editor and guest articles and art may be submitted to Mrs. Gayle Martin in Room C285. All letters, articles, and art must be signed. Names may be withheld upon request. The Source Stoney Creek 575 Tienken Rd. Roch. Hills, 48306 E-mail: gmartin@ rochester.k12.mi.us
MEMBERS
National Scholastic Press Association Michigan Interscholastic Press Association
B12 SOURCE BREAKING DOWN THE CONCEPT THE
January 31, 2012
LIFESTYLES
21% Ford
The 2012 North American International Auto Show unveiled a new wave of concept cars to the public. Concept cars aren’t there to be sold, but always seem to attract the most attention. So what’s the point if people can’t buy them? The Source takes a closer look. The chart below displays the percentage of makes of Stoney Creek cars. The makes of each car in all four parking lots were tallied and analyzed.
21% of students and staff use a Ford
13% Jeep 13% Chevy 8% Dodge 6% Pontiac 5% Chrysler
The 2012 Chevy TRU 140S. (Photo by Nick Cruz)
4% - Saturn 4% - Honda
3% - Buick 3% - GMC 3% - Toyota 3% - Mercury 4% - Volkswagon and Mazda 8%
The 2012 BMW i8 Concept Car. Even with an acceleration of 0-100 mph in less than five seconds, this car gets at between 40.4 to 56.5 mpg. (Photo by Nick Cruz)
Approx. 1% each: Cadillac, Oldsmobile, SAAB, Hyundai, Subaru, BMW, KIA, Nissan
2%
Less than 1% each: Audi, Hummer, Lincoln, Infiniti, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Plymouth, Trofeo, Mini, Porsche, DSM
The 2011 Infiniti Etherea Concept. With a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine and 245 horsepower, this car lives up to its sports car label. But for an Infiniti first, it’s a front wheel drive. (Photo by Nick Cruz) (Compiled by Matt Pitlock and Nick Cruz)
by Matt Pitlock / Nick Cruz Editor-in-Chief / Managing Design Editor
F
ifty different hues of glossy paint shimmer in the warehouse spotlight. Every inch of every car, every detail, cleaned and planned to perfection. Every angle of every car perfectly placed on every stage, every color matched to every presentation. Party Rock Anthem blared by the KIA stage, Volkswagen played an extremely large and high-definition video of Olympic sports. The companies were all competing with each other on one stage: The 2012 North American International Auto Show. “Much like many things in life, first impressions are the most important,” Photographer Jim Frenak said. “Each manufacturer that launches a new car at the show is trying to get the most media attention possible.” During the 2012 North American International Auto Show, car companies debuted their concept cars. But they’re not only there to look cool. The main purpose of a concept car is to get a general feel of what the public likes, whether they should go in that direction for production or not. “Concept cars often times have no engine, have no working parts in it,” CAD Teacher Ms. Davis said. “It’s just a shell that you can actually sit in, but there’s nothing actually going on in there.”
If the general public likes the idea of the car, the company will set into motion the production of the car, starting with some production models of what they made. “It’s not so much practicality, but how the car makes you feel by looking at it,” Senior Adam Sobilo said. Concept cars are not built for safety or production, they must be modified before they are mass produced or even tested. “Then they’ll test them, out at GM proving grounds or Ford proving grounds or something,” Davis said. “They all have tracks where they can test the cars.” Car companies will continue to test and modify the cars until they’re able to be mass produced. Some concept cars, like the Toyota Prius back in the mid-2000s, make it all the way to production and start trends for other companies. Companies started making smaller cars, smaller hatchback-type cars, and hybrids. Sobilo’s not a fan of the Prius, though. He’s got a different appeal for concept cars. “You can tell, just way out there, [look at] the Lamborghini: you look at those, and you go, ‘wow, that car is awesome. It probably goes super fast,’” Sobilo said. “It makes you excited. And a lot of the more basic cars…Well tou look at a Toyota Prius…and you’re like… kay…it’s a Toyota Prius.”