The Viper Vibe - Volume 14 Issue 1 by The Viper Vibe

vol

.1 4, iss u

t oc 14 .â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;

Fall Sports Ebola concerns Goodbye Robin Williams

HERE WE GO AGAIN Felix Varela Sr. High School * 15255 S.W. 96 St., Miami, FL 33196

Hits and misses

n i t e l l bu rd a o b

Guardians of the Galaxy never has such an underrated comic been such a blockbuster hit! Can’t wait for the next one. Morning traffic outside Varela. Parents, why not park your car and hold your senior high school child’s hand all the way to their classroom. Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor Who - well done!

Robin Williams and Richard Attenborough pass away. Thank you for making our lives a little better. Varela gets new Promethean boards. It’s about time the teachers caught up to the students with technology. Is it getting hot in here, or is it just us? Can someone say, “Fix the AC.”

View p oints F rom th e E d itors

the editor says: we are still here Summer is over and you know what that means? That’s right; another issue of The Viper Vibe is out. I know everybody misses those 10 weeks of rest and relaxation, but it’s time to get back to class and hit the books. Thankfully, we at The Viper Vibe are here to keep you informed. Whether we are covering a school sporting event, reporting on current events happening around or in school, or just complain-

ing about terrible filmmakers making terrible films, (Don’t act like you aren’t guilty Michael Bay and Jonathan Liebesman) you can always count on us to get you the stories you want and need to hear. Let’s make this a great year guys. #SeriouslyBayJustStopIt Cj Salcedo Editor-In-Chief

safety at the cost of We Say: student freedom

The fourth amendment of the United States Constitution states: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” We as Americans are granted the right to privacy. The government shouldn’t be allowed to listen to our phone calls, read our e-mails or check our social media updates. Unfortunately, things aren’t so black and white anymore. Now, we are all being watched somehow by “big brother” himself. That’s not even the scariest part. The part that is really concerning is the fact the American people are okay with it. Every day, the basic rights of every citizen are compromised and people have accepted it. Miami-Dade’s new pilot program for random drug testing would target students involved in any extracurricular activities from sports to drama to journalism. After hearing about Superintendent Alberto Carvalho’s plan earlier this year, we at The Viper Vibe decided to tackle the issue of privacy in this editorial. Originally, we were going to talk about how wrong we feel these tests would be – which they are. They are an invasion of privacy and go against the fourth amend-

ment. So, going in to do more research, we decided to interview fellow students and staff. What we found was a little scarier than the testing itself. We found out that the majority of students are okay with the testing, the most popular answers being, “I’m not doing drugs, so I have nothing to hide,” or “It’s only an issue if you’re on drugs.” This was very frightening. Nobody felt this new program infringed on any basic rights that Americans had. Given that most students were unconcerned with giving up bodily fluids since they weren’t taking drugs, we also asked them if they felt the government should be allowed to read their emails and texts. Surprisingly, most of the students didn’t want the government prying into their personal lives. They didn’t even realize that there is very little difference between the two. Don’t get us wrong, we believe in safety, especially in the post 9/11 world we live in. The only question is, at what cost? To get on an airplane, first we go through metal detectors, then we take off our shoes, then we go through a body scanner (or pat down). What’s next, taking blood to check for Ebola? This is a country built on the freedom and rights of its citizens. Today it may be drug tests; tomorrow it could 24-hour in home surveillance, and frankly, both sound pretty scary.

The government shouldn’t be allowed to listen to our phone calls, read our emails or check our social media updates.

Talk to us: thevipervibe@gmail.com

Your thoughts may be featured in the next issue of the Viper Vibe!

volume 14 October ‘14 Editorial Board EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Cj Salcedo Jr. EDITOR David Murray

Staffers Bianca Cao Jordan Cline Alec Di Lella Danielle Malkin Veronica Martely Zachary Traylor

Adviser

Elizabeth Cardenas

Editorial Policy The Viper Vibe is the student newspaper of Felix Varela Senior High (15255 SW 96 St. Miami, FL, 33196). It is an open forum for student expression. The opinions expressed in the publication do not reflect the official opinions or policies of the school. The Viper Vibe welcomes letters to the editor, but requires that they be signed and reserves the right to reject, edit and condense letters. The staff and advisor can be contacted at 305-752-7900 or thevipervibe@gmail.com

Ads The Viper Vibe solicits advertising but reserves the right to reject any material deemed obscene as to minors, defamatory or materially and substantially disruptive of school activities.

th evip er vib e@ gmail.c om 3

News A ro u n d V arel a By Jordan Cline Staff Reporter @jstyles82297

Construction Woes

The Media Center was updated over the past few months. The new space will be called Viper Central and will cater to students’ technology needs. photos by T. Daley and E. Cardenas

Finishing off the 2013-2014 school year, the students were expecting many changes to occur to the campus over the summer. When the 2014-2015 school year opened, very little had been completed as promised. In August, the Media Center was bare and had undergone only a paint job and the installation of some Promethean Boards. However, it is finally reaching completion with new carpets and furniture. Principal Nery Fins created a contest whereby students sent in names for the new Media Center and the whole school voted on their favorite. Sometime in November, there will be a grand reopening of the renamed Viper Central. While there are fewer actual computers, the Media Center is undergoing a huge technological change. Students can “check out” books through the Internet and there will be some new computers in the reference section. Media Specialist Aggie Pagan may even be able to help students with their devices’ batteries. “There will be new charging stations,” Pagan said. “But they’re not here yet.” This ties in with the district’s new Bring Your Own Device policy and its technology initiative. Every classroom in Varela now has a Smartboard or a Promethean Board. Many teachers took

Professional Development courses to learn how to use this new technology in their instruction.

“Ms. Escobar’s accident left the students without a voice, since she has had such an influence on all of us and there really isn’t anyone who understands the program as well as she does .”

Freshmen also benefited from the push for electronic devices. They were offered tablets to use in their classes. This trend will continue in the future with the goal that every student at Varela will have a tablet. While it sounds like free give-aways, parents are required to sign permission forms taking responsibility for broken or lost tablets, and the tablets must be returned to the school at the end of each year. While technology has gotten a boost here at Varela, the air conditioning has gotten worse. While some rooms feel like freezers, others require fans just to keep cool. The Veterinary Academy has been hit the hardest. Kennels, new floors and

shallow pools have been added, but there are no animals to use them. The program’s lead teacher, Ms. Yleana Escobar, was in a severe car accident two weeks prior to the opening of school impairing her left arm and ankle. She has undergone numerous surgeries and has been moved from hospital to hospital. “Although all the changes were done with good intentions, I felt that they were put to waste; we no longer have any of the dogs that we originally had. Those dogs are what put Varela’s Veterinary Academy on the map. To add to that, Ms. Escobar’s accident left the students without a voice, since she has had such an influence on all of us and there really isn’t anyone who understands the program as well as she does and no one can run the program like her,” said senior Vet student Ashley Montoya. Escobar is not expected to come back to Varela until right before Winter Break. Until then, students are being taught by substitutes and senior academy members. According to the General Obligation Bond Project proposed by Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and approved by Miami-Dade County voters, Varela will receive over $1.7 million for construction and renovations. The question is: When will all these projects be completed.

IN MEMORIUM

Sergio Arcelalinde

“Once a Viper, always a Viper” The Vet Academy was outfitted with new kennels, floors, and outdoor spaces. Unfortunately, they stand empty because the lead teacher was injured over the summer in a car accident. photos by E. Cardenas

N ew s Aro u n d M iami

Random student drug testing coming to a school near you “The drama department’s best interest is to have these tests. My extracurStaff Reporter ricular is dependent on teamwork, a joselynmartinez90@yahoo.com student who is not in their top shape Miami-Dade Public Schools will have whether it be mentally or physically can affect the department as a whole” said a brand new test for this school year junior Liliana Fonte who participates in but this assessment does not calibrate both Troup 6162 and Quill and Scroll. a child’s learning capabilities, instead it “If athletes are on drugs they would analyzes the body for any type of harm- not be able to perform. Not only will ful substance. they be failing on their teammates but “This pilot program will provide an on themselves, since they’re using an additional safety net against the use of enhancing drug instead of their own performance-enhancing drugs by our strength. These tests will help my team youth,” said Superintendent Alberto and especially keep them safe,” said Carvalho in a press release. senior softball player Gabrielle Cubela. High school athletes will have to go Not all students are completely on through the new pilot program that the board with Miami Dade’s potential test. county has established for their alleged “I don’t agree [with the testing] safety, a random drug test; but they’re because it invades privacy and someone not the only guinea pigs who will be can’t just assume someone else does used for this examination. Students that are part of any type of drugs based on looks or impressions,” activities that represent their school will said junior band member Christopher Pereda. also be required to take these random The sports and activities departdrug tests in order to participate. ments have no more information on the Many students see this new policy new program than what’s being reas a positive thing and have no uneasiness or disapproval of the pilot program. ported on. Athletic Director Lisa Spinosa

By Joselyn Martinez

photo with permission FreeDigitalPhotos.net/ Photokanok

explained that no official paperwork has been given to her and that the last real drug test only happened a few years ago. That was only for steroids. WSVN Channel 7 reported that this new program will cost the District over $73,000 for the first year.

Clubs celebrate Spirit Week with competition This year’s Spirit Week led up to the homecoming game against the Belen Jesuit Preparatory Wolverines. Along with a banner decorated cafeteria, students decked out in costumes each day from tacky tourists to teacher twins. On Tuesday, October 14, over 20 clubs met on Varela’s tennis court after school to battle it out in the school’s annual Club Chaos. There were six games, including a

Jell-O slurping contest and a marshmallow toss. “My favorite part of Club Chaos was the singing of the Alma Mater. I thought Ebony did the best,” said junior French Club member Alexia Ponce de Leon. The winner of the games, Mu Alpha Theta the mathematics honors society, was announced at Viper Vamp.

Students prepare to run in Head to Head at Club Chaos. photo by E. Cardenas

Students compete in the Jell-O slurp contest at Club Chaos. photo by E. Cardenas

th evip er vib e@ gmail.c om 5

News A ro u n d t h e W or l d

Americans concerned over spread of Ebola By Cj Salcedo

Editor-in-chief @cj_fett_salcedo Try turning on the TV or going online without hearing or reading the word Ebola. Even if you don’t know what Ebola is or what it does, there’s a good chance the majority of the population has heard of it. Now, the specifics are a different story. Basically, it is a rare and deadly disease caused by infection with one of the Ebola virus strains. Found in African countries, the disease was discovered in 1976 near the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Symptoms of the disease include fever, severe headaches, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, and some unexplained bruising/ bleeding. There is no known cure, but according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) “Recovery from Ebola depends on good supportive clinical care and the patient’s

immune response. People who recover from Ebola infection develop antibodies that last for at least 10 years. “ The question is, how does this affect the United States? Well, in October alone, three reported cases of Ebola have been documented here in the states. Thomas Eric Duncan was the first Ebola patient diagnosed here in the United States; however, he contracted the disease in Liberia where he had been working. He died on October 8. The second and third cases were Nina Pham and Amber Vinson, both nurses who had direct contact with Duncan. It is important to remember that Ebola is not airborne. It cannot be caught except by direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. According to Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post, “Yes, we should ask tough questions of public officials. Yes, we should be concerned over how the disease is spreading and how fast. But

Ebola report

NUMBER OF EBOLA CASES AND DEATHS as of Oct. 11 Country / State / Province

Probable/ suspected Confirmed

A Guinea

B Liberia

C Sierra Leone Nigeria

Congo

F Senegal

Cases

253

1,097

Deaths

180

598

Cases

3,133

943

Deaths

1,244

1,072

Cases

357

2,593

Deaths

177

753

Cases

Deaths

Cases

Deaths

N/A

Cases

Deaths

0 2

U.S.A.

Cases

-Texas

Deaths

Spain

Cases

-Madrid

Deaths

AFRICA

Total of confirmed and probable/suspected

778 deaths 1,350 cases 2,316 deaths 4,076 cases 930 deaths 2,950 cases 8 deaths 20 cases 43 deaths 71 cases

1 case 1 death 2 cases

1 case

U N I T E D S TAT E S OF AMERICA

S PA I N

A C

H B

D E

Countries in current outbreak Countries with past outbreaks

States with cases

Graphic: Staff Source: World Health Organization, Reuters

freaking out and declaring the sky is falling over every misstep or new case? No. That only makes the situation worse.” Just because the student

Provinces with cases

next to you sneezes, doesn’t mean Varela should be quarantined. While it’s not a major issue in the US just yet, it’s still important to be alert about it.

Tensions rise in the Middle East with ISIS rebels ISIS, othBy Zachary Traylor erwise known as and Cj Salcedo

Staff Reporter and EIC Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, is an extremist state in Iraq. Active since April 2013, the group has set out to commit several acts of terror against other nations for the goal of establishing an Islamic State, or Caliphate, where Syria and Iraq are today. In May, ISIS started to kidnap Kurdish school boys in Syria. Their intent was to turn them into future Isis members. In addition to violence within their own population, ISIS has been abducting journalists and foreign aid workers and beheading them on the Internet. So, what does this social studies lesson have to do with the United States? Well, aside from the beheading of an American journalist and our constant fight against terror, there is still a

t h ev i p er vi b e @ g mai l. com

possible chance of a compromise in our security, especially in the post-9/11 society in which we Americans live. But why should we, here in Miami, be concerned with violence taking place half a world away? If we don’t want to get beheaded, then we simply don’t travel to the Middle East. Well, apparently, we shouldn’t be traveling to Oklahoma either. In September, a man recently fired from his job (and trying to convert co-workers to Islam), attacked a couple of women at the workplace and beheaded one of them. And in October a 19-year-old man was arrested trying to leave the U.S. to go and join ISIS. According the Daily Mail in Britain, there are about 12 U.S. citizens currently fighting for ISIS in Syria right now and more than 100 have attempted to leave the U.S. to join ISIS.

Lifestyle E nter tain ment

By Danielle Malkin

Flowers and memorabilia are piled on Robin Williams Hollywood Walk of Fame star in Los Angeles on Aug. 12, a day after he was found dead from an apparent suicide. photo with permission Los Angeles Times/MCT

Staff Reporter IG:@_candidani

Robin Williams: behind the laughter Even famous celebrities suffer from crippling depression Like any intelligent reporter, I did my research before beginning to write this article: Factual information, statistics, quotes and anecdotes all used to wrap our readers around the topic of Robin Williams’ life and unfortunate death, as well as depression and suicide. But life is about more than a quantitative report; rather something to be measured by the moments that make us laugh and take our breath away. So I put myself in the audience, a member of the peanut gallery of Williams’ final stand up show in 2010 thanks to YouTube; in only 2 minutes, I’d begun laughing at political jabs and raunchy responses towards a packed house in Washington D.C. There appeared to be so much laughter surrounding this man not only in theaters of comedy but in the iconic roles we remember; this generation will never forget the Genie in Aladdin’s lamp. Did drugs and alcohol whisk away our favorite nanny and housekeeper in San Francisco? Or did depression force the museum’s Theodore Roosevelt to ride into the next

life? So how does this life, appearing to be so full of joy, get taken away by something as dark and destructive as suicide? It’s unfortunate to report that depression and an ongoing addiction to drugs and alcohol influenced the death of Williams this past August. He carried the façade of laughter and joy, a masquerade of vocal imitations and wondrous wit to disguise the deep issue of depression and substance abuse. Before the birth of his first son, Williams used cocaine. In 2003, he began to drink again and admitted himself for alcohol rehabilitation three years later. Although he could not maintain sobriety, he never returned to cocaine. Just this year, Robin Williams checked into rehabilitation in Minnesota for “treatment related to his alcoholism.” His life was plagued by depression and drug abuse, but all we saw was the joy and merriment, a character who made us laugh until our abdomens burned and eyes watered. But this story doesn’t belong strictly in Hollywood.

Too many people in our society take Oscar winning roles in masking the depression in their lives, turning to substance abuse in hope to pull the curtain over their problems and conceal the situation from the outside. Twenty percent of teenagers will suffer from depression before adulthood and it is the third leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 24. Drugs, alcohol and selfabuse are no help to the latter fact; stress of school, society and our peers make it that much harder to hope to keep a smiling face and laugh-

ing bravado. But there is no excuse to not search for help. There is a silent nobility and badge of courage in looking for help or finding help for those too scared or weak to look for it themselves. Hotlines do not bait for your call but there will always be someone on the other side willing to help. See a counselor in your school. Talk to a trusted adult. Find someone to help you help yourself. The problem is so much closer to home than you know. It could be your neighbor, your cousin, your best friend. It could be your mother. It could be you.

“You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I’ll guarantee you’ll win…Don’t be afraid to find help. There is no excuse not to seize the day.” (Patch Adams)

The following hotlines are open 24 hours for help on their respective subjects: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800)-273-TALK or (800) 273-8255 National Runaway Safeline: (800)-RUNAWAY or (800) 786-2929 National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.: (800)-NCA-CALL or (800) 622-2255 The National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-SAFE or (800) 799-7233

th evip er vib e@ gmail.c om 7

L i f est y le E nt er tai n m ent

A walk through Taken Marvel Studios delivers all share the same lead actor Review By Bianco Cao another mega-hit who still can’t do a decent Staff Reporter biancacao6265@gmail.com

Based on Lawrence Block’s bestselling series of mystery novels, A Walk Among The Tombstones stars Liam Neeson as Mathew Scudder, a retired detective and a recovering alcoholic. He is haunted by regrets of an accidental shoot-out that involved the death of a helpless little girl. Scudder becomes involved in a string of kidnappings, targeting the families of the city’s most dangerous drug dealers. The film, although well put together, had some rough patches in its plot. A lot of scenes seemed random and very graphic. They are just thrown in there with no explanation for them. Another let down of the film was that it had the same basic plot of Taken. Surprisingly enough, these movies

American accent. The movie also tries hard to make him this “tough guy” and all that does is make him a cocky, predictable and slightly annoying character. The tension between the characters rises, not because of the story, but because of Neeson’s forceful attitude. The makeup and special effects were pretty amazing, other than being filled with offensive scenes depicting graphic torture and appalling mutilation of women. One scene shows a child being shot, and the bullet hole was no simple dab of makeup, but a work of art. Every movie has its wobbly plots, but A Walk Among The Tombstones was difficult to understand and enjoy. If you are a Neeson fan, then by all means, watch this thriller. If not, just wait for it to come out for rental.

This summer, Disney opened up the Marvel universe by releasing a movie based on a lesser known comic called Guardians of The Galaxy. Who could have known that a talking raccoon, a giant humanoid tree, that guy from Parks and Recreation, the blue chick from Avatar and some other guy, would make as big a splash (if not bigger) than The Avengers. Adventurer/ professional treasure hunter/thief Peter Quill finds himself the target of an unrelenting, intergalactic bounty hunt after he steals a mysterious orb. Little did he know that the orb was being sought after by a powerful villain named Ronan who was willing to sacrifice planets in order to get it. In order to avoid allowing the orb to land in Ronan’s hands Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of misfits and felons which include Rocket (a gun- toting raccoon), Groot (a tree-like humanoid), Gamora (daughter of inter-galactic baddie Thanos), and Drax (a man who seeks vengeance against Ronan). The five of them band together to become protectors of the orb and Guardians of the Galaxy. The film was directed by James Gunn who also wrote the screenplay along with Nicole Perlman. The cast includes Chris Pratt as Quill (Star Lord), Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradly Cooper as Rocket, and Lee Pace as Ronan the Accuser. The liveliness of the cast really brings the movie to life; however, it was Pratt that brought the Guardians of the Galaxy’s cast to attention.

Nonetheless, each cast member owned their character and had immense chemistry with one another causing Guardians of the Galaxy to be an exhilarating delight. Guardians of the Galaxy is an exciting, incredibly entertaining and a frequently funny sci-fi film. It is clear that Guardians is another definite winner from Marvel. The film is insanely its own thing; it possesses an intimate sense of humor and a wonderful diverse cast.

Review By Veronica Martely Staff Reporter @Vero_Nikkie

On top of great acting and writing, there was a great soundtrack. From David Bowie to the Jackson 5, the music was a throwback to the 70s featuring songs like “Hooked on a Feeling,” “Escape (The Pina Colada Song),” and “Spirit in the Sky.” This film has been the most fun I have had in a movie theater in a very long time. Like The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy is right up there when it comes to delivering every single drop of action and fun the audience is looking for in a superhero film. photo courtesy of Marvel Studios

Lifesty le

E nter tain ment

Fall Out Boy plays to huge crowd Review By Alec Di lella During the summer of 2013, I

attended a Fall Out Boy concert. Staff Reporter Surprisingly enough, even having @alecdilella been a lead guitar player in multiple bands for over four years, it was my first concert. I was excited because I grew up in Fall Out Boy’s time of growth and popularity and expected to hear the punk rock style I loved so much. This sound and style was present in many other groups at the time, including Paramore and Green Day. I enjoyed the concert more than I could’ve imagined, so, naturally, I was equally excited to attend Fall Out Boy and Paramore’s Monumentour concert at the Cruzan Amphitheatre this past summer. As I entered the amphitheatre parking lot on July 25, I realized how different this concert was going to be from the other Fall Out Boy and Paramore concerts I had been to in the previous year. Hundreds of cars in the parking lot foreshadowed the inevitable thousands of people. I had never seen so many people in one place before. It was so packed that I realized it wouldn’t be anything like the other concerts… there would not be that small-town, small-band feel. It was going to be hectic. And it

was. It was somewhat irritating to have to muscle my way through fans, but that’s not what I came for. I came for the music, and not long after I sat down, it started. I can’t say I liked this concert better than the others because the sheer amount of people disconnected me from the bands themselves, but I enjoyed my time nonetheless. They played all their popular songs and even their newer songs that can be heard frequently on the radio. It was a crazy night but honestly, I had a pretty great time. The one thing both Fall Out Boy and Paramore know how to do best seems to be perform, because all of their performances have top notch visual effects and pyrotechnics.

Everything is more than alright for Weezer

It’s been 18 years since Weezer released Pinkerton back in 1996. Often regarded as the band’s best album, and one of the best albums of the 90s, the band has struggled to find the same success, releasing some hits like Weezer (Green Album) and some disappointments such as Make Believe. Thankfully, Weezer’s latest effort, Everything Will Be Alright in the End brings one of the century’s greatest acts back from a threeyear rest.

den Car h p r ose by J Write w e t i s e u Rev G

Popping in the album for the first time, listeners are greeted with the sound of a mother consoling her frightened child with the words “everything will be alright in the end,” and continue with the opening track, “Ain’t Got Nobody.” Dealing with loneliness and loss, and in true Weezer fashion, is done with an upbeat tone and paves the way for the central sound of the album. It’s truly a callback for fans of Weezer’s debut album Weezer (Blue Album) and Weezer (Green Album), with heavy riffs, pretty fun solos and River Cuomos’ highpitched vocals. Lyrically, it’s Cuomos’ best work, and every song is a gem. His trademark wit, matched with themes of love, fatherhood and music, mixed with a whole lot of self-deprecation are all presented here excellently. Certain songs do stand out. ”Back in the Shack,” a semi-autobiographical piece, tells the story of a band trying hard to release new material and get down to their roots. Pretty appropriate, since the song certainly blends elements of punk and alternative rock, similar to their past works.

Review By Cj Salcedo Editor-in-chief @cj_fett_Salcedo “Da Vinci,” a ballad to a woman who is so unbelievable that “even Da Vinci, could not paint” her is a little more lighthearted than “Back to the Shack” but it still has that Weezer charm and humor sprinkled all over it, with lyrics like, “Stephen Hawking can’t explain you/ Rosetta Stone could not translate you” and “I couldn’t put it in a novel/ I wrote a page, but it was awful/ Now I just want to sing your gospel.” “Eulogy for a Rock Band” is pretty self-explanatory, telling all listeners to raise their glasses to the “rock band that we loved the most” and even though “Words come and go” people are still going to be singing these songs that are being put out. So, even after 20 years of releasing music, Weezer shows no signs of slowing down. Everything Will Be Alright In the End, proves that the band won’t be going anywhere anytime soon, and frankly, that’s something I could get used to hearing.

Prior to attending, I had heard many stories as to how much of an entertaining experience a Panic! At The Disco concert is. Upon actually seeing it for myself, it was an exhilarating and lively show. There are artists and bands whose talents can be singled out as just sounding good live or just looking spectacular on stage. It’s rare to see acts that are both, which is what makes a Panic! At The Disco concert so refreshing. Lead singer Brendon Urie can deliver a strong vocal performance, but the stage show electronics prove they really do know how to get a standing ovation.

photos courtesy of Live Nation, Universal Republic and Fueled by Ramen

th evip er vib e@ gmail.c om 7

S por t s Out s i d e V arel a

fall sports Cross Country

The team is currently performing in the GMAC’s and will enter Districts on Oct. 30. The top runners this year for Varela are seniors Arthur Carbonell and Elijah Muniz. Neysa Parham was one of the top female runners at the Junior Orange Bowl Invitational.

Swimming

The team starts Districts on Oct. 22 at Ransom Everglades Aquatic Center, hoping to make States. South Dade, Killian and Coral Park are the teams they are proud of defeating this year. Top swimmers are seniors Adrian Elkind and Sebastian Torres and sophomore George Lubian. “We had a great season and we feel that we achieved a lot this year,” said team captain Elkind.

Girls Volleyball

So far with a district record of 5-7 and an overall record of 8-7, the team looks forward to their last three games of the season. They will be playing Krop, Terra and Braddock. Key players this year were sophomore Tiffany Bolanos-Frazie, senior Valeria Ruiz and junior Claudia Campero. “We tried and wanted to make districts but that didn’t happen. With the new coach we have, it took us a while to get use to his new coaching style,” said Ruiz.

Football

The team so far holds a record of 3-3 with a district record of 1-1. Key players this year are seniors QB Justin Vargas and WR Andrew Williams and junior Linebacker/Tight End Ricky Matos. “We beat undefeated Sunset and gave a good try against reigning champions South Dade,” said Head Coach Carlos Mollinedo. On Friday, Oct. 17, the Vipers played Belen in the Homecoming Game. In the first half of the game, it looked good for a Varela win; however, in the fourth quarter Belen came back with two touchdowns in less than two minutes. The score ended with a Belen victory 34-27.

Outsid e Varela S p or ts

Philadelphia Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz, left, puts out the Miami Marlins’ Casey McGehee during the fourth inning in Philadelphia on Friday, Sept. 12. photo with permission Philadelphia Daily News/MCT

MLB says goodbye to Jeter and hello to Series Denver Broncos linebacker Nate Irving stops San Francisco 49ers run Derek Jeter enjoyed his 20th and final season with the ning back Frank Gore for no gain during the first quarter on Sunday, Oct. New York Yankees this year. 19, in Denver. photo with permission Colorado Springs Gazette/MCT According to bleacherreport.com, Jeter said, “I never said I couldn’t play anymore, I’m just calling it a career after this season. Sometimes things come a little bit easier, but you’ve got to continue to battle. It’s a game of adjustments. You just have to continue to make those adjustments.” Halfway into the NFL season and a lot of teams are look The Yankees set a record of 84-78, but would fall short to ing great so far such as the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos the Baltimore Orioles eliminating them from the playoffs. and Carolina Panthers. The pre-season showed who is ready The Miami Marlins improved this season from last year and prepared for the long hall. One of the most dominant but did not clinch a playoff berth. They set their overall record teams was the San Francisco 49ers; however, every year they at 77-85 and placed 4th in their division. The Marlins would fall short of making history with their team. go on to give outfielder Giancarlo Stanton a long-term by David Murray Last year they fell short to the Seahawks with a score deal. Section Editor of 23-17. According to Comcast and Sports.net, when Marlins President David Samson told ESPN, “We Quarterback Colin Kapnernick was asked about the @HeyyDavidd hope that he believes in us and believes in Miami.” Seahawks, he said, “I think this team, and all of us, ESPN was predicting that the Los Angeles Angels would don’t take the approach of talking about it. We want to go out be one of the two teams that made it to the finals this year. But on the field and handle our business that way, go about it that they would fall short to the Kansas City Royals in a final score way. We get to see them twice this year.” Fans can’t wait to see of 4-0 for the American League Series. They finished their this two rival teams face-off. season with a record of 98-64, being one of the best teams this There are many predictions of teams people think will go season. This has been a frustrating season for the Angel’s Josh all the way this year. Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, New EngHamilton. He had a disappointing regular-season batting line land Patriots, 49ers, and Broncos are all possible candidates in 240 games since signing a big five-year, $125 million free for the Super Bowl. agent contract with Anaheim in December 2012. Our Miami Dolphins so far hold a record of 3-3 being 3rd In the World Series now, the Royals are facing off against place in their conference. “We’ve got to play more zone, more the San Francisco Giants, with each team winning one game. man, we’ve got to throw it deep more; run more screens, all

Fall football heats up

those type of things,” said Head Coach Joe Philbin to ESPN. Philbin feels the team will come back a lot better and different once they fix these few issues.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill gets squeezed between Kansas City Chiefs Husain Abdullah and Dontari Poe as Tannehill moves the ball to help setup a field goal at the end of the second quarter on Sunday, Sept. 21, Miami. photo with permission Miami Herald/MCT

The Kansas City Royals’ Billy Butler (16) is forced out at second by San Francisco Giants second baseman Joe Panik in the second inning in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday, Oct. 21, in Kansas City. photo with permission Kansas City Star/MCT

Crotalus $70

Yearbooks now on sale! Bring cash to room 208 or use a debit/credit card online at www.yearbookforever.com ($2.00 service fee for online orders)

Take home memories of your year Junior Ring Ceremony DVD $20 Video Yearbook $25

Graduation Video $35 Order your video today in room 200K