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R The Rostrum

Tired of hearing of the same usual winter sports? Check out the spread to read about curling, cross country skiing and sledding.

Page 4-5

March 27, 2009 VOLUME II ISSUE 6 DEXTER HIGH SCHOOL 2200 N. PARKER ROAD DEXTER, MI 48130

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“Caress me Downâ€? by Sublime “Real chill song for when I get in my mood. And it helps out with EspaĂąol.â€?

Dan Flowers Staff writer

Mike Szymusiak staff writer

“Sweetness�

by Jimmy Eat World “One of this band’s best songs.The chorus is awesome.�

Jake Larosa U-page editor

“Watching the Wheels�

by Matisyahu “This reggae sound makes for a great cover of a classic.�

Max Berry Staff writer

In the days following the latest Squall release, junior Ross Chamberlain has a lot of free time. Like many other staff members, Chamberlain uses this down time to enjoy the classic game of Tetris. “I like Tetris because it’s a game with a simple concept, but it’s still very challenging,� Chamberlain said during a recent game. “I started playing when I joined the Squall and have been hooked ever since.�

Few video games have with stood the test of time.

Almost everything that was first released on a Nintendo cartridge has been replaced over the years by a new game.

Temco Bowl was later replaced by the Madden series. Paper Boy evolved into a plethora of racing/driving games, first Driver and then Grand Theft Auto.

However, even though Tetris was released over 25 years ago, it is more popular than ever.

According to atarihq.com, Tetris was developed in 1985 by Alexey Pazhitnov in Moscow and was in the US before 1990.

The idea of arranging falling shapes consisting of four blocks into a solid formation on the bottom of the

screen is something that seems to appeal to people of all ages. Due to it’s distinct challenge, the game has gathered a loyal following. “I enjoy the thrill that Tetris gives me,� junior Alex Dobbs said. “It’s a way for me to compete with my friends for who can get the high score. The only person to beat my high score of 193 lines is (junior) Kyle Oberle. That was a pretty gut-wrenching moment for me.�

There are multiple outlets for playing Tetris, however Freetetris.org is the site of choice for many advanced players. On days when Squall staff members have down time, there are often more than 10 players on Freetetris.

While many students enjoy Tetris skills, some aren’t as fortunate. “I’m always trying to get better at Tetris,� junior Aaron Gilman said. “But it’s hard to do sometimes because many of the better players tease me while I’m playing. It seems like when ever the blocks are falling, Jim Carey’s ‘Most annoying sound in the world’ is screeching through my head.�

For most Tetris players there’s no end is sight. “I am going to continue training,� Dobbs said. “Nothing is going to stop my quest for greatness.�

5FBDIFST PCTFTTFE XJUI h h Max Berry staff writer

“Lucid Dreams�

by Franz Ferdinand “This band is awesome and always kicking out cool jams.�

Valentino Argiero Designer “Blame It (On the Alcohol)�

by Jamie Foxx Feat. T-Pain “I’m embarassed to say I almost love it. It’s just catchy.�

Morgan Quist Advertising manager

trends

As the clock ticks toward 9 o’clock, math teacher Dewey Scott rushes to his chair, fumbling the remote in excitement. Tonight is not just any Sunday night. Tonight is the season premiere of the popular FOX network show “24,� which normally airs Monday nights.

Scott flips the channel to FOX, as social studies teacher Cory Bergen and math teacher Randy Swoverland eagerly await the start of the season. “Mr. Bergen, (Mr.) Swoverland) and I get really into it,� Scott said. “We usually get together for the season premieres and finales, and in some of the more exciting episodes I sometimes call Bergen at the commercials to discuss what’s going on.� “24� is one of the more popular shows on TV, and its unique storytelling style helps capture the attention of fans. “I first watched it because the premise looked interesting,� Scott said. “I have always been a fan of cop shows like ‘The Shield,’ so when I watched ‘24,’ I was hooked from episode one.�

The premise of the show is basic: A national crisis arises, and counter-terrorism agent Jack Bauer (played

by Kiefer Sutherland) finds a way to save the world. He accomplishes his mission within 24 hours after the story starts; the season consists of exactly 24 1-hour long episodes in which events occur in real-time. The plot is often complicated by plot twists which keep viewers coming back.

Fox Network/MCT Campus

“The writers always keep you guessing what is going to happen next,� Bergen said. “But you gotta watch it Monday.�

Perhaps the favorite pastime of “24� fans is talking really loud about it on Tuesday with other fans so that everyone else hears but doesn’t know what is being discussed. “Jack Bauer is really the best part,� Bergen said. “He is one of the greatest TV heroes of all time. We all think he is a great character.�

The Rostrum

get involved

J'-635; Sarah Moir staff writer

The fund raiser that has reached over 5 million students is coming to Dexter. iFlurtz, a match making fund raiser, is a questionnaire that matches students based on their compatibility with others in the school.

The questions on the survey range from favorite genre in music to what celebrity students would want to room with.

Students’ answers to the 36-question survey determine who their best match is in the school. Once the surveys are sent in to the company, they are put through machines to determine matches.

The week following Valentine’s Day, students with $2 in hand could purchase their compatibility results in the school store at lunch.

The results showed best matches percentagewise and includes a category for matches in students’ grade and another category for those who may be younger or older.

The other categories include: Ridiculously Opposite, Best Friend, Astro Matches, Mystery Matches, Celebrity Matches, Vitals, Humorscope, Jibba Jabba and Fortune.

Student council adviser Deborah Marsh and the council decided to use the iFlurtz fund raiser as a way to raise money for the school.

“I was sent an e-mail about fund raisers, and this seemed the most interesting in terms of match making,” Marsh said.

According to the Academy Awards, iFlurtz has the Best Printout in a Match making Fund raiser.

The company is also named one of the best fund raisers for schools in North America.

“I brought the idea to the student council and we got a packet of information on it,” Marsh said.

Marsh said she thinks around 1,000 students filled out the surveys that were passed out to fifth hour teachers.

“I’ve heard most students say it’s a cool idea, but, of course, they’ll be some that make fun of it,” Marsh said.

Dexter sophomore Tessa Biallas thinks the fund raiser is a good idea.

“I’m excited to see who my best match is going to be, especially if it’s somebody really random that I don’t talk to that much,” she said.

Biallas, like many other students, was eager to get the survey.

“I thought our class wasn’t going to get the surveys because I heard a lot of the classes already filled theirs out,” Biallas said.

Biallas says she doesn’t think she’s going to follow through with her compatibility results, but finds the survey fun any ways.

The surveys that reached Dexter on Feb. 17 were quickly sold during lunch.

“I thought the results were really interesting, but not that accurate because my brother was my number one match. I was creeped out, but I still thought it was kind of funny,” Biallas said.

Biallas, like many other students, would like to participate next year to see how their matches change over a year.

She wishes that everyone filled out the survey honestly but figures not everyone did. Since many students didn’t fill their answers out seriously, Biallas thinks that her results aren’t as accurate as they should be.

The iFlurtz fund raiser has seemingly made an impact on the school and its students.

Hoping the fund raiser does return next year, Biallas says that the response has been mostly positive.

She said, “It feels good knowing my friends and I helped raise money for the school, but still got something in return.”

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Friday, February 27, 2009

QSFWJFX Kurt Miller staff writer

Equestrian: This program has a strong tradition of success. A sport for horse lovers. The team’s season is during the fall.

Mens water polo: The mens water polo team made the state tournament for the first time this year. Their season is during the fall. “We’re always looking for new people to join the program,” junior Jesse Claflin said. This is an up and coming program to get involved with.

Womens water polo: The womens water polo team lost many key players due to graduation last year. They are looking for many people to step up and fill empty roles. Currently they are doing preseason conditioning. Their season is in the spring.

Dance team: The dance team currently has a temporary coach, former student Ashley Clark. They have separate teams during the football season and basketball seasons. The winter season is coming to an end but practices for next season start in the summer. Boys and girls are both encouraged to join the team.

Lacrosse: This is a program looking to become a varsity sport. Their season is in the spring. They practice on the field next to the teachers’ parking lot. The team is coached by Bill Kahn, and they are always looking for more people to join.

Rugby: The Dexter Devils are going into season number five this year. If you are up for a new and exciting sport, the team would be happy to have you join. They practice at Mill Creek and Creekside; games are played at Wylie, but the team is trying to play a game on the football field this year. “Talk to me if you want to join (the team),” senior Steve Merz said.

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the spread

The Rostrum

The Rostrum

Who sa id you can’t enjoy

Nic Miller staff writer

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n below zero days, don’t be surprised to catch a glimpse of a blurry shadow trekking his way along Hudson Mills or any other local trials. Chances are its senior Jason Bishop cross country skiing.

“Some of the coldest days are what makes the sport fun. Besides, once you get going it really isn’t all that bad,” Bishop who has cross country skied on days when it is negative eight degrees, said.

Bishop said he enjoys the sport because it offers him an additional way to exercise as if running, mountain biking and rock climbing were not enough.

“Cross country skiers are in world class shape and are some of the fittest athletes in the world,” Bishop said. “The few that (cross country ski professionally) are in such incredible shape.”

First introduced to the sport by his parents at around age six, Bishop has come to enjoy the sport, going out to a few of the various trials one or two times a week.

Some trails he is particularly fond of include Peach Mountain, Potawatomi Trails and Hudson Mills.

Bishop said cross country skiing ranks among his favorites because, “Sometimes it is just nice to be alone and enjoy nature,” he said. “Also, a lot of the stuff that is difficult to run on, you are able to ski on, in the winter, with the snow covering it.”

Also, Bishop said cross country skiing helped him stay active during the nine months he was out with a stress-induced knee alignment injury from intensive cross country training last year.

Bishop said, “Cross country skiing helped a lot last year; It helped to keep me fit when I was injured because there was no impact, minimizing the stress on my knee.”

Cross country skiing ranks among his favorites because, “Sometimes it is just nice to be alone and enjoy nature,” he said. “Also, a lot of the stuff that is difficult to run on, you are able to ski on, in the winter, with the snow covering it.”

Winter?

Illustrations by Gabe Altomare

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now hits the face of Junior Kelsey Hart as she sleds down hill with one goal in mind: to have as much fun as possible.

Hart said she goes sledding with her friends a lot, normally at Vet’s Hill.

Hart also said she goes sledding at Loch Alpine’s Cardiac Hill, but Vet’s Hill is the most popular of the two, especially for those who go during the night.

“Sledding always gives me a good laugh,” Hart said. “It’s the thing to do when you’re bored and you wanna go out with your friends, so you gather up some sleds and hit up Vets Hill.”

For others, it’s just being outside that makes them like sledding so much.

When walking through the hall on a slow Monday morning, many students tell stories about their crazy weekend sledding.

“In eighth grade, I was sledding down Cardiac Hill

and didn’t jump off in time, and I went into the river,” Hart said.

According to Hart some sleds are better than others for speed or to stop before a river.

“The best sleds are by far toboggan,” she said.

“They are way faster when you’re on a good toboggan run.”

For students whose goal is to gain top speed, there is a simple way to fly according to learnalittle.com.

“Before you go sledding, wax the areas of your sled that come in contact with snow,” The web site suggests. “Waxing will make your sled ultra smooth so that you and your sled will fly over the snow.”

Some students’ goals, however, are to just reach the bottom of the hill alive.

“My friends went down Vet’s Hill on a picnic table once,” Hart said. “I was scared for their lives, but they were OK after.”

Students such as Hart also sled in their own back yards.

“Last Christmas my friends and I made a sledding hill in my back yard. It was a huge jump,” she said.

“We hosed it down and went down it for days.”

Hart said she enjoys going sledding with her friends because they help each other go downhill as fast as possible.

“While going downhill at a breakneck speed is lots of fun, it is important that you do it safely,” learnalittle.com states. “Most of the (safety) tips are common sense, but sometimes common sense is not so common.”

Like many students Hart said she can never get tired of sledding. “I usually have a huge smile on my face when I sled even with the snow blowing against it,” Hart said. “The thrill drives me to keep doing it not give up even if the run sucks.”

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the spread

t’s the middle of the winter, and the forecast predicts snow storms. For some this means they’re going to have to be careful driving home, but for English teacher Zach Lindke and freshman Owen Eisenlord, this means fresh snow for snowboarding.

“I started when I was about 18 years old,” Lindke said. “I use to work for an outdoor store, and I would get free passes to the mountain and gear so I use to go pretty much every day.”

Although Lindke and Eisenlord have a big difference in age, they both say they find many of the same things enjoyable in the sport. “My favorite memories of snowboarding are when I take trips with my friends and family. I have fun riding with my friends, and it’s always fun to go up with my dad and brother,” Eisenlord said.” They’re also fun because when you take trips, it’s all about snowboarding. You don’t worry about anything else, and you get a lot of snowboarding in.”

Eisenlord and Lindke say taking trips to different mountains can be a fun part of snowboarding. “ One of my best memories snowboarding was in my sophomore year of college,” Lindke said. “Me and a couple of my friends went to Lake Tahoe. There was a huge winter storm, and it was the first time I had ever gone snow boarding in real powder. We had a lot of fun.”

But Eisenlord and Lindke do take snowboarding differently in some ways. Eisenlord enters competitions and has even made it to nationals. “ I like competing because when I compete against the others it shows me what they can do that I can’t and what I need to work on and get better at, and because it’s fun to try and win,” he said.

Regardless, Eisenlord and Lindke have found different ways to enjoy snowboarding, but they both have similar reasons for enjoying it. “ Snow boarding is my favorite thing to do,” Eisenlord said. “ I am going to do it for as long as I can.”

very year the hockey team makes a trip to Gaylord to start its hockey season. However, hockey is not always what the team looks forward to most. They play a traditional Canadian sport: curling.

And players such as junior Matt Stirling, now a team veteran who has attended Gaylord for his second year, this trip to go curling is taken seriously by the team. “ Well, the place we go to play is about an hour away from our hotel in the middle of nowhere,” he said. “We decided teams before we left. With the people we had we figured out that there were four teams of eight, mainly teams of kids and a couple of parents and coaches It’s a pretty cool set up. They have two courts. There are scoreboards. We didn’t play full games. We played what they call legs once

down and back.”

Curling is a game that is based on how close a player gets his/her stones to the target at the other end. Each person has two sweepers who brush the ice to determine the speed of the stone. If one person has the closest two, then they get two points. The scores vary on how many more stones a player can get closer than their best.

When the team goes to curl, it’s a chance for the guys to hang out outside of hockey. “I thought it was fun. It’s funny to watch the rookies try it because it’s funny to watch them wipe out,” Stirling said.

Goaltender Tony Ceccolini summed up the curling experience. He said, “ I really like when we go curling up in Gaylord. It’s a fun thing to do when we’re up at the tournament. It’s a good thing to do to relax.”

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The Rostrum

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The Rostrum

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XJUI +BLF -BSPTB In the wake of the recent iFlurtz quiz we all took, many students thought the questions didn’t address some key personality traits.

Fret not, for the uPage is at the rescue with our revised questions to help you find that special someone:

3. Your childhood dream was to become: O a trophy wife O a pregnant teen O a meth lab assistant O a child with a dream

1. You’re trapped in a closet with the cast of “Friends�. Your first instinct is to: O Take a cyanide capsule O Hit on Jennifer Aniston O Drop a live grenade in Matthew Perry’s hands O Create a spin off series with Joey

Nichole Minzy staff writer

4. A passerby would refer to you as: O a slut kitten O offensive to all five senses O grotesque O straight up ghetto

2. Who is your ideal college roommate?

O Gary Coleman O Queen Latifah O Connor Johnston O The Jackson Five

5. Your typical day consists of: O listening to emo music and writing dark poetry O smoking cigs in the parking lot before school O making out with your girlfriend/boyfriend in the most inconvenient places O huffing glue while playing Mario Kart 64

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A. No, but I see dead people.

Q. What is your favorite brand of dip?

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Q. Do you tell your daughter this?

Q. What do you have against Disney movies?

A. They manipulate and indoctrinate the minds of youth every day. Not everyone is a princess.

A. No, she is a princess.

Q. Did you at least cry during “Bambi�?

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A. Who’s Bambi?

Q. What would you do with your life if you weren’t a teacher?

A. Protest Disney.

Q. Would you rather be stuck in a lion’s cage or be at Dexter High School for the rest of you life?

A. Lion’s cage. I like big cats.

Q. Have your ever had to break up any fights in your room?

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A. Yeah, several. One resulted in my desk being chipped.

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The Rostrum

old squall

10

things not to do on a date Robert Kuzon past staff writer

1 Schedule two at once. Let me tell you, this does not go over well. If you attempt this, the chances of you going to a hospital on that given night increase 10 fold. An array of injuries could occur such as: stab wound, soldering iron to the face, decapitation, internal bleeding due to blunt object brutality, severe burns and shrapnel injuries. It’s not worth it.

6 Bring your cult along for the ride. There is nothing like taking the old cult bus on your date.

Who doesn’t love a bus full of satanic, suicidal, orgy lovers, let alone going on a date with one of them. If you are into that kind of stuff, then that is your choice. I advise against

2 Do not try to move in after you have just had some sort of meal together. Nobody wants to see a cheesy Doritos mouth that smells like a mixture of cheese, coffee and garlic. It is possible that an injury could occur here as well, although less severe.

A slap to the face or a swift knee to the testicles is what I would expect.

it.

7

Be a scientologist. Although the date is not the real problem.

The real problem is that you are a scientologist.

3 Singing the French National Anthem. You do not impress anybody with this. In fact, you are doing the opposite. You are convincing people that you have a high rating on the douschometer.

8 Listen to Creed. If at anytime during the date Creed is playing, whether it be in the background or not, it is not going to end well. Creed is the girliest, corniest, lamest, most inconceivably bad group of musicians to ever grace the face of the earth. They are just plain awful, and they drag down anybody who listens to them. Basically, they are in the same category as Avril Levigne and Paris Hilton.

4 Go to a NASCAR event. I mean, I guess you could if you never want to see this person again. This is a good alternative to murder. Just take your date to a race at the Michigan Speedway, and they will never bother you again. Best of all, it is legal. So if you ever need to get rid of anybody and don’t mind spending an afternoon with some drunken red necks and inhaling 14 years worth of second hand smoke (Marlboro Reds) in mere hours, this is the place for you.

9 Strike them.

10 Be Conor Daining. There is nothing worse than being a short, fat, Irish kid with pale white skin, little sense of style, glasses, braces, curly red hair and freckles. It is a fatal disease commonly known as being ginger. It affects millions around the globe. The best way around having a ginger kid is marrying a person of Asian decent; they don’t carry the ginger gene.

5 Wear cowboy boots. If you wear cowboy boots, you are just setting yourself up for rejection.

Q and A with Robert Kuzon by Stephanie Wolyniak Q: What made you want to join the Squall staff?

non-profit organization called Athgo as well.

Q: Any advice for future or current Squallers?

A: I joined the Squall because I enjoyed writing first of all, but also it was a good way to get involved with the school and to have your opinion be heard.

Q: Has the Squall helped prepare you for anything you’re involved in now?

A: Keep it fun, make sure things don’t get too serious. Students spend their entire time at school concentrating on work, but The Squall is a good way to bring a little fun to the school and to keep kids involved.

Q: What inspired your many stories?

A: Definitely. Right now I am a sophomore at the University of Dayton, and I am actually a journalism major. I am also semi-involved working as a part-time journalism intern for a

A: I was mostly a columnist, so the majority of my stories came from something that I had either seen or heard. I drew a lot of my

material from my personal life, using funny situations that happened to myself or close friends as well.

Q: Have you always liked writing? Have you always enjoyed writing funny pieces?

A: Yeah, writing has always been one of my stronger qualities, so writing on The Squall was more fun for me than work. As for as the humor, I don’t really know. I wrote some serious pieces while I was on staff, but it seemed like everything I would think of, serious or not, would eventually turn into a humor piece.

Editor’s Note: This issue’s “Throwback” page features the November, 2004 issue of The Squall. This story is exactly as it was printed in the past issue, errors and all. Enjoy.

Scott Crompton, editor-in-chief