Dec 2010

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royalnews

Vol. IX Issue 3 - Prince George High School - 7801 Laurel Spring Rd - Prince George, VA

Check out the . d e trnwoirm Christmas c Tree Lighting.

23875 - www.trnwired.com - 12.10.2010

Cuffed by Limewire: Filesharing Abuse p. 21

Senior Raul Rivera figuratively shows a plausible result from illegally downloading music.

Limewire was shut down because of improper usage of the filesharing site. Photo by Alison Brown.

Distractions on the Road p.8

Inside Macy’s Holiday Preparation p.11

New drugs have Healthy, Hunger-Free negative effects p. 5 Kid Act passes p. 9

Petition for the arts p. 15

K-2 is a new drug craze that is popular on the east coast. Eight states have already made the drug illegal, but Virginia has not. The federal government has plans to make the drug illegal nationally.

Senior Joey Shelton exercise his first amendment rights and starts a petition. The intent of the petition was to prevent the walls from being painted over in the art room.

Dec. 2 marks the beginning of a new standard of nutritional values in public schools. The bill will update nutrition and make healthier breakfast and lunch choices available to all students.

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Opinions&Editorials three cheers for donations

the RoyalNews

O

Editor-in-Chief Jami Davis

Business Manager Janai Cunningham

Managing Editor Colby Eliades

Adviser

Chris Waugaman

Professional affiliations & awards Columbia Scholastic Press Associations Gold Medalist 2010 Columbia Scholastic Press Associations Crown Winner 2010 Virginia High School Association Trophy Class 2010 SIPA All Southern 2009

The Royal News, PGHS

7801 Laurel Spring Road Prince George, Virginia 23875 804-733-2720 The Royal News is printed at The Progress-Index in Petersburg, Virginia

Teachers donate money two or three Friday’s a month and 100% of the money goes to the following charities:

Sept./Oct.

-Postage for packages sent to troops - Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Fund -Macy’s Shop for a Cause

Nov.

-PG Elf Helpers -St. Jude’s Walk for Childhood Cancer -United Way

Legal essence creates controversy Editorial

ur mission as the school newspaper for Prince George High School is to provide a form of media that represents all aspects of student life. The goal is to present factual accounts of newsworthy events in a timely manner. Our publication will be informative, entertaining and reflective of the student body’s opinions. It is the desire of the staff to reach every student and tell as many of their stories as possible.

We invite your commentary: The Royal News Opinion page is a forum for public discussion and shall be open to all students. The Royal News will print as many letters as space will allow. The Royal News reserves the right not to print a letter. The Royal News publishes a wide variety of opinions. Send letters to: Letters to the Editor, The Royal News, PGHS, 7801 Laurel Spring Road, Prince George, Virginia 23875, or bring them to room A6, or e-mail them to cwaugaman@pgs.k12.va.us We reserve the right to edit for clarity, brevity, accuracy, legality, spelling and grammar.

Please include your name, address and phone number. Anonymous letters will not be considered for publication. 500 word maximum. Please submit letters to the editors by January 14th for the upcoming issue.

Section Editors Mariah Blystone: News/Online EditorKim Carneal: Op/Ed- Malikah Williams: Features- Ciara Ward: Ampersand-Jessica Marshall: A&E- Wayne Epps: Sports-Colby Eliades: Double Truck- Alison Brown: Photo/ Front Page Editor- Gabby Whittington: Ads Manager- Jake McQuiggan: CirculationSarah Moats: Editorial Cartoonist- Olivia Tritschler: Online Editor- Rachel Waymack: News- Rachel Youmans: Copy Editor Writers Kourtney Galvin-Rachel Karns-Gall Mandy Lockhart-Maggie Smith-Michael Winn-Jessica Demas-Kimberly EdmondsBest-Emily Gray-Kevin Harris-Unique Larry-Carson Stout-Michelle Williams-Rachel Williams-Tasia Faulcon-Amanda MajewskiRidhi Patel-Cassie Smith-Elizabeth Nerdig

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relatively new synthetic drug has found its way into gas stations and convenience stores in certain states across America. The new legal drug is often referred to as K2, Spice, Blaze and many other more common “brand names.” The drug is made of a synthetic THC product sprayed on a mixture of different herbs and organic materials.

Synthetic marijuana has become an issue as it can have harmful effects on its users. Reported side effects include hallucinations, burning in the throat and lungs, heart palpitations, and possibly death. K2 is being blamed for the death of at least one person, due to suicide shortly after using the drug according to an article on AOLnews. com. According to the same article, poison-control centers have been contacted hundreds of times involving this legal drug, and emergency rooms have been flooded with hundreds of

patients affected by K2’s negative side effects.

Since the drug isn’t manufactured from a centralized source, users gamble with the content of their synthetic marijuana. The inability to know what exactly users are putting into their bodies makes the drug more dangerous.

The long-term effects of this product are a mystery. Synthetic THC is a relatively new discovery, and no tests or trials have been conducted to assess the long term effects that usage of the drug has on humans.

One reason users are often drawn to use synthetic marijuana is that it is very difficult to target in urine tests.

Therefore, users feel they can still get a high, without the legal consequences.

However, these products are often much more potent that natural marijuana, and the actual drug is completely synthetic and unnatural.

Source: http://www.aolnews.com/article/synthetic-marijuana-explained-quickfacts-about-k2/19551091

$6000-$8000 raised per year

Question of the month Do you think PGHS puts in enough effort to raise money for charity?

Vote yes or no at trnwired. com. Next issue the results will be posted along with a new question of the month.

d. e r i w n tr om c

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Pro/Con: Are Macs the better choice over buying a PC?

The proposition here is that Macs are better than PCs. The ongoing battle between which type of computer is the most reliable has come up quite often in discussion. PCs and Macs provide different ways to do the same thing but people form their preferences.

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n the world we live in today there are new computers coming out every year. Two of the best known are Mac and PC. After some people start using Mac, they don’t like using PCs. They are very simple to use.

The Mac has a sleek and clean look to it that I like.

They are thin and weigh almost nothing. They have different accessories, wireless keyboards, mouse, and a new trackpad that makes it feel like you are naturally scrolling pages or flipping through a book.

If anything happens to the product, Mac has a good service. If the computer crashes or breaks all you have to do is go to an Apple store and someone will fix it or get a new computer, instead of having to go to Geek Squad and paying for it to get fixed. Their service is easy, fast and Ridhi patel Mariah blystone very friendly.

Mac is the best computer to get if you want to use OS X. It is a operating system that is the world’s most advanced system. repair access With Mac you can use OS X plus Windows. It helps that OS X gets almost no viruses so you know that your Mac is virus free.

“If your Mac crashes or It has different programs that you can get without having breaks all you have to do to worry about the computer slowing down. You can get simple it go to an Apple store and things like Microsoft Office and Yahoo Messenger. It is also good someone will help you fix for mainstream hardware using USB or Fire Wire, along with it, instead of having to go other thing that can’t be used on most computers.

Macs do not save everything on the hard drive so you don’t to Geek Squad and paying have to delete anything off of it. One company, unlike the PC, a lot of money there.” makes the memory. It is more stable overall. It is faster to start or shutdown the computer or to open a program like Microsoft Word. It comes with an application that helps you, like iPhoto, lack of experience iMovie, or Garage Band. They are no 30 day trials like you would “If you have never used get on PC so you can make as much of a movie as you want using iMovie. Clearly, Mac provides everything you could possibly want a Mac before I can in a computer, making it the smarter choice. guarantee you will be It is easier to use a Mac if you have a iPhone, iTouch, iPods, confused.” or iPad. They are more compatible with Macs then they are with PC. iTunes works better and faster with Macs than they would on a normal PC. It is very clear Mac is the better choice over PC.

PRO

Con

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o you want to start a conflict in the technological world? Then ask one simple question, PC or Mac? The PC and Mac debate has been an issue for around twenty-five years. Commercials are on the air portraying PC as out of date and Mac as the cool new guy in town. Either way you look at it they both have their ups and downs. I believe PC is superior.

Money is always an issue with technology. Macs are generally more expensive. But either way there is no denying PC are less expensive. A 250 GB new Macbook is $999.00 with a similar sized screen 640 GB PC Inspiron 15 at $399.99.

Macs are developed and distributed by Apple. They are sold in certain retail stores but they are not as widely sold as PCs are.

PCs can be found in all electronic stores, office stores, and even Wal-mart.

Mac use Macintosh Operating Systems and can also use Windows. PCs use several forms of Windows and Linux.

In certain college majors you need specific programs for your classes. At the University of Mississippi sciences courses require a program that only works on PCs. Also at Virginia Tech, engineering classes have a program that is preferably used on PCs. If you have never used a Mac before I can guarantee you will be confused. The menu options are located at the bottom of the screen with icons only. You can choose which applications to have on the desktop. If the program you want is not on the screen, you have to go looking for it. Another confusing aspect is the mouse. Macs mice do not allow you to right click like PCs do.

It may seem like a small thing, but you do not realize how much you do it until you use a Mac. No matter what, people will always have their preferences.

The debate will never be solved. PCs have been around a little longer than Macs and tradition proves they are the better choice.

California newspaper shows flaw in salary system of teachers

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he idea of basing teachers’ salaries on their students’

test scores has been a hot topic.

Supporters see it as an easy method Rachel youmans to make teachers improve grades across the country; opponents see it as

a way to penalize teachers unfortunate enough to get a bad group of kids. Most teachers unions strongly disapprove of the idea, so merit-based salaries have been executed only in select school districts.

Then the Los Angeles Times decided to stir up the issue.

The LA Times spent about a year examining the standardized test scores of about 470 elementary schools and 6,000 teachers in the Los Angeles area

to determine their “effectiveness.” This summer they posted their findings online for the world to see.

Parents can look online, see the “effectiveness” of their child’s teacher, and request to have their kids moved to another class. It will make sure the “effective” teachers keep the smartest kids, while the “least effective” are stuck with the rest of the students.

This comes back to the issue of merit-based pay. The relatively small

issue of standardized test scores has been escalated to the point that it determines the class a person will teach.

What keeps classes from being unfairly unbalanced in abilities? A teacher cannot do anything to improve scores in a class of kids who don’t want to learn.

The LA Times has done us a favor by showing everybody the flaws in meritbased salaries. Hopefully we can look at this incident and learn from it.

Ads

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page 4 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

Happy Holidays from SGA!!

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Phone: 804.447.3993 Fax: 755.535.5776

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Synthetic marijuana poses big threat

News

Briefs

There is currently an art display of black and white photography by Art III and Art IV students in the LMC. Basketball season tickets are on sale for $20 in B-1 from Mr. Hettinger. They can be used to get into all 10 home games.

The University of Virginia’s Society of Women Engineers is holding a High School Visitation Weekend Feb. 26 and 27. The cost is $35 and an application is required.

S

Jami Davis trn editor-in-chief

ynthetic marijuana is now being thought of as dangerous, and is subject to being banned. The product is often referred to as “K2”, “Blaze”, “Spice” and other names, depending on the manufacturer.

The product originated when scientists created a synthetic version of the THC found in marijuana, in hopes of finding an avenue to produce therapeutic drugs. Two of the drugs commonly found in synthetic marijuana products are HU210 and JWH-018, laboratory made chemicals produced to mimic the effects of THC. Synthetic drugs draw users in because they have not yet been isolated in urinebased drug test. Drug users get a high, while not facing the legal consequences.

However, the drugs may have more dangerous consequences than a run in with the law.

“Synthetic drugs are chemicals that people are putting into their bodies. Many chemicals react in harmful ways when put in your system. The FDA does not test these products. People who use synthetic drugs are at great risk, just to get high,” Officer Butch Pearson said.

Synthetic marijuana is sold in packages, usually about three grams in size, and can be expensive. Manufacturers advertise these products as “incense” or “herbal blends” “not for human consumption”.

“Herbal blends” found in synthetic marijuana include “dwarf skullcap”, “Indian warrior”, “honeyweed”, “beach bean” and others.

Negative effects of using synthetic marijuana are only known on a short term scale. Long term effects are completely unknown, and no testing has yet been done to determine them.

Short term effects of synthetic marijuana include burning of the throat and lungs, hallucination, unusual heart beat, nausea and in some cases, death. The side effects of using synthetic marijuana have been responsible for hundreds of calls to poison control centers and hospitalizations in individual states alone.

Legislation in some states is being worked on to illegalize these substances and minimize damage to human lives.

“Laws are being passed now to stop the sale of these drugs. My concern is the health risk and long term effects,” Pearson said.

Information gathered from: http://www.aolnews.com/surge-desk/article/ synthetic-marijuana-explained-quick-factsabout-k2/19551091 http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/realdangers-of-fake-pot-synthetic-marijuanause-985608.html?page=2 http://alcoholism.about.com/od/ tipsforparents/a/legal_bud.htm

Baseball winter conditioning will be held on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 3 to 5pm starting Dec. 6 The 4-H club is sponsoring a trip to see the Washington Wizards vs. the Golden State Warriors on March 2nd. The cost is $57 and the trip is on a first come first serve basis.

AP students need to return their signed fee letters to Mrs. Anderson in A30 or to their AP teachers.

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Media students learn, gain recognition

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Malikah Williams trn editor

rom November 11th through the 14th five Peerage staff members, two TRN staff members, the yearbook advisor Alison Heath, and the newspaper advisor Chris Waugaman attended the Journalism Education Association/National Scholastic Press Association (JEA/NSPA) Convention. The Convention was held in Kansas City, Missouri.

The convention is focused toward students involved in various media fields. This Convention was held in order to improve the skills of media students, allow them to exchange different ideas with other media students in the country, and to give the students an opportunity to have their publications judged.

Alison Heath Yearbook advisor What is the JEA/NSPA Convention?

“It [JEA/NSPA] is an opportunity for journalism students to come together and celebrate a common interest.”

What was the best part of the convention?

“My favorite memory was when my Yearbook students came out of a session and they were so excited with what they learned. I could not hear what they were saying because they were all talking at once.”

How do you think it will help your students?

“I think they came back excited with new ideas. I think they like knowing other students share their same interests.”

FREE STUFF AT CONVENTION

Junior Olivia Tritschler Senior Aidan O’Hare TRN staff member Peerage staff member What awards did the TRN staff win?

“The main award we won was 3rd place for online web site [trnwired.org]. I am extremely proud; the web site is kind of my work and my co-editor’s Mariah Blystone.”

What does this award mean?

“It directly shows the work from the rest of the staff this year, and all the hard work that has been put into stories, interviews, sound slides and I really do think we deserved this award because our web site has come a long way from just last year .”

How was the convention overall?

“The experience is definitely a great thing to have; you get to see a place you have not been before with friends. It is so unlike most things students get to do and it is so worth the money.”

What was your impression of the convention?

“The convention was really exciting, we learned a lot of new ideas.”

What did you learn at the convention?

“The different sessions and classes we took were informative on what we should and should not do in the yearbook.”

What was your favorite part of the convention?

“It was cool to hang out and take classes with people who have the same passions as us and to interact with and get ideas from other schools.”

After the $319 for the trip, the spending money, and the food money people might think that what you pay for is all you get. But sometimes the best part are the things you don’t have to pay for:

3. Interview with a cab driver- Apart from the cost of the cab ride we got an interview with a cab driver, in which we discovered that cab drivers can get fired for driving people around in circles to run up the bill.

1. Pens & Pencils- Even though the trade show was part of the trip cost, the items that the colleges and publishers brought were nice to get.

4. Mason Jar- At Three Little Pigs Restaurant, if you get a barbeque sundae you get a free mason jar with your meal.

2. Fashion Tips- We learned that a belt, a coat, and closed toed shoes are a great thing for Kansas City in November because it might start raining like a monsoon.

5. Memories- When you go to a conference, no matter where you go, you get memories that you never will forget.

- By Kris Harrison

A taste of Kansas City

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i t h only three days a contingent c omp o s e d of seven students, two advisors, and one chaperone made their way through down- Victor Bullock town Kansas City, Missouri. Their mission: to sample as much mid-western barbeque as possible.

Though they were pressed on time, with classes all day, they still managed to sample three different styles.

On Thursday (11/11/10), the group made their way to the Crayola Factory, and in the Crayola Factory was a small eatery called Three Little Pigs. Sophomore Kris Harrison proved to be one of the bravest in the group choosing to buy a Barbeque Sundae. At first our server pulled out a mason jar and filled it about a third full of cole slaw, nothing seemed wrong with that, but then he threw in some beans with a nice layer of barbeque on top. Lastly to make the sundae complete he stuck a pickle right in the middle of it all. .

Afterwards we decided to have a nice sit down lunch at Jack Stack Barbeque. As soon as we walked in we were greeted by a giant bull head mounted to the wall, which added a nice touch to the room. Ms. Heath ordered the burnt ends, which just like their name implies, had a bit of a crunch on the outside but were juicy and moist on the inside. Jumping into the menu blindly, I tried out the cheesy corn. Unfortunately I read the menu wrong and thought it was cheesy macaroni. But even with the miscommunication, melted cheese on corn actually turned out to be a tasty combination.

What set lunch at Gates Barbeque apart from the rest was that it was more of a fast food restaurant than a sit down eatery. The lady behind the counter shocked me when she called out every persons order without messing up or stumbling. After receiving our 40 oz. drinks, we sat at our tables and dug into our meals. Gates Barbeque proved to be a nice place to eat if you’re going out on your lunch break but if you’re in the mood for barbeque that is slow cooked try out one of the other restaurants.

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New class created to accommodate overflow

Buddy Darby teaches students from crowded Algebra II, Geometry classes Rachel Karns-Gall trn writer

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n extra math class has been added to the math department. Buddy Darby was selected to teach a regular Algebra II class during second block.

A sudden influx of students dropping out of IB Algebra II and Geometry classes created the need for this class. There was an inability to fit their schedules to other math courses.

“We had entirely too many people scheduled for Algebra II classes, so the administration in conjunction with Holly Boyd, MYP/IB program coordinator, decided that we could offer an additional

regular Algebra II section, and that is what we did,” director of guidance William Havard said.

There are about 23 students in Darby’s regular Algebra II class. With this many students asking for a change of classes, it would mean that other math classes would have been approaching numbers close to 40.

“You can see what would happen if we didn’t have a Mr. Darby section, we would have had in excess of 30 approaching 40 students in the other 2 Algebra II classes,” Havard said.

Although Darby never volunteered, the guidance office and administration gave him time to contemplate teaching the class. He was later willing to take on the class.

“It’s not so bad having another class. I’m accustomed to teaching math, and it was in one of my free periods. I got the class because it fit my schedule best,” Darby said.

Darby started teaching the new class on Nov 20th, a late start for a class.

There wasn’t a long process when selecting the teacher for the class.

“Mr. Darby is always our first choice to teach a math class. Not only is he a smart man, but he is a great teacher,” Havard said.

Students also agree that Darby is a good alternative to their past teachers, and hope that the class will improve their grades.

“I feel like his class is more relaxed, and he makes sure you understand it. I did not like my old teacher’s pace, and I was almost failing. I‘d never had a ‘D’ before,” sophomore Jordan Thompson said.

Some students saw immediate change in their grades, and are grateful for the change of pace the alternative class offers.

“I liked the switch because Mr. Darby at the high school is a lot better at teaching in my perspective, and luckily I only switched classes once. Now, in his class, I have an ‘A’,” freshmen Chandler Shirer said.

Despite some student concerns, Darby is not intimidated by the late start of the course. He thinks it will all work out for the best in the end, even with the odds somewhat against the course.

Buddy Darby teaches his new 2nd block Algebra II class. The class was created to deal with struggling students and classes with numbers close to forty.

Photo By Alison Brown.

“It’s not so bad for me. It may be more difficult for the kids, but I was ready to go and got right into the work, which probably helped them as well, ” Darby said.

Havard also feels that the class will be an overall good change for the school, making room for the extra students and addressing their issues with other levels of math.

“I think it represents a good opportunity for the students that were having issues in the MYP/IB or honors Algebra II, for them to have a chance to leave the classes in which they were having issues, and to be able to drop a level and take regular Algebra II. Otherwise, we couldn’t have accommodated them,” Havard said.

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Student accidents draw attention to driver distractions Teen wrecks cause questioning of maturity, age requirements Jessica Marshall trn editor

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arious distractions can cause a teen driver to become unfocused. Senior Erin Ford has experienced firsthand how being distracted while driving can

leed to accidents.

“I was riding with Megan Flanders, she was driving. As we were going around a turn she was looking down and wasn’t turning the wheel. I said ‘Megan’ and when she looked up she turned the wheel. She over corrected and sent the car in the other direction into the trees,” Ford said “The front and the back of the car had hit the trees. A couple of the tires were gone and the front bumper was in a tree.”

This scenario is what parents fear when they hesitate to hand over a license to their child, the last thing a parent wants is to get a call saying their child has been in an accident.

“When issuing licenses, I hand it to parents because I can only certify that a student has met all driver’s ed requirements,” Driver’s Ed teacher Lisa McDaniels said.

“But a parent has to grant permission for them to drive, so I stress the point about putting the license in the parent’s hands” Parents and teachers alike have many motives for why they are cautious to give a teen their license. The reasons range from inexperience, to distractions by phones and iPods, and even to different weather conditions.

“I’m always worried about my daughter getting into a crash. It’s about knowing that your kid has had enough practice to react to whatever is out there,” McDaniels said.

“I don’t think a lot of it has to do with a child not being prepared but the ‘what ifs’. ” Teens are taught the risks of driving

while distracted in their Driver’s Education class. For students who have experienced a car crash, such as senior Megan Tate, they can identify firsthand what can distract a driver.

“Simple distractions. I realized that anything can happen. It only takes one second to make a mistake and sometimes there really isn’t anything you can do to correct your mistakes,” Tate said.

A major distraction of teenage drivers is texting. Even though texting while driving is illegal for all ages, this does not keep teens from engaging anyway.

“Texting is a distraction whether you are driving, walking in a parking lot, or in a classroom because you are not paying attention to your surroundings. It’s a major distraction with our youth and [when] added with inexperience it does cause major problems,” McDaniels said.

Another factor against teen drivers is that they are not technically considered good drivers. The legal definition of a good driver is anyone who has had five or more years experience behind the wheel. Thinking one is a good driver is a characteristic that can led to accidents.

“Students do have a false sense of skills. Within six months of obtaining a license, they become very complacent, which means some of the skills and things that we

have taught them disappear because they feel that have they been driving and are okay,” McDaniels said.

A study done by www.after-car-accidents.com asserts that one factor that causes accidents among teens is the fact that they are immature and cannot handle the responsibility. Proposals from certain states, including Virginia, were considering rising the age of obtaining a license to eighteen.

“Lots of days I think it should be [changed] because I see a lot of immature teenagers in school and the responsibility factor is something that is a major concern of mine,” McDaniels said. “When I hear of more and more accidents because of kids doing things then I sway towards yes.”

Students have varying viewpoints on the issue of changing the age requirement.

“I couldn’t do everything I do if it was not for my car and license. So no, I do not think they should raise the age to 18,” Tate said. “Teenagers drive to school, work, to friends’ houses, the movies, and any extracurricular activities.”

Some teens argue that lack of experience would be present no matter the age at which licenses are issued.

“I still don’t agree because all that is doing is pushing the age of most common car accidents to 18-20, instead of 16-18.

There is inexperience [with] driving regard-

Senior Megan Flanders and senior Erin Ford demostrate driving distractions. Ford and Flanders were involved in a crash when Flanders was driving distracted.

Photo by Kourtney Galvin. less of age,” senior Michael King said.

All distractions set aside, hazardous driving conditions also pose a threat to teen drivers in the winter months. Being inexperienced, young drivers need to pay careful attention to the weather and roads.

“Drivers definitely need to be aware of slippery roads and ice. I use to live in Alaska, and that was something new drivers needed to be aware of,” Tate said, “Even though Virginia doesn’t get a lot of snow and icy roads, we still need to be cautious.”

Being in an accident is something that no student wants to experience. Crashes caused by distractions among teens can be avoided, only if the teen sets their mind to it.

“Put everything aside. Put in a CD or make a playlist on your iPod so you aren’t tempted to constantly change the song. Put your cell away,” Ford said. “If you’re running late, just be late instead of driving like a mad man.”

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Congress passes Healthy, Hunger-Free Kid Act

School food standards expected to change after thirty years Cassie Smith trn writer

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he Healthy, Hunger-Free Kid Act was passed on December 2nd, 2010. 4.5 billions dollars was set aside to give schools money for lunches. It also set forth a standard for nutritional values in the schools.

Not only does the bill update nutrition but it also makes breakfasts and lunches readily available to all students.

The bill is the first of its kind in thirty years. It is expected to be signed into law by President Obama.

The bill includes “farm-to-cafeteria” programs. It will provide more nutrition and help the local community.

Certain students bring their lunches to avoid the food they are offered in the school cafeteria.

“I bring my lunch when I have a chance,” sophomore Elizabeth Hopkins said. “The school food does taste good but it is so unhealthy and after an hour of eating it, I feel sick.”

The school lunch seems to cause concern. Some do not see there is any kind of health value in them.

“I feel that the sandwiches are either under cooked or overcooked. There is little to no healthy food,” sophomore Kierra Lanier said.

Food usually consists of three main items: chicken, fries, juice and/or milk. Some students want more diversity.

“I bought lunch the first week of school, but I started to notice that the food was the same every day. I like variety in my choices,” sophomore Ashley Wilkes said.

Students are often become uninterested in the same types of foods.

“There are not a lot of options at lunch. There is salad, cheese pizza, or

sides. It would be nice to see something simple like a grilled cheese sandwich.

Having salads every day can get pretty boring,” junior Helen Kendall said.

In health and physical education classes, students are taught to make healthy food choices.

“Prince George High School needs to rethink the lunch menu. They enforce Physical education classes and exercise, yet they feed us chicken nuggets and greasy fries every day,” sophomore Kayla Crookshanks said.

Knowing what nutrients are needed, students can decide to eat the food or not.

“The school food is the unhealthiest food in my opinion. We are always told to eat healthy but eating school food is not teaching us good habits,” sophomore Katelynn Fowler said.

Not only do the chicken nuggets,

sandwiches, cheeseburgers, and fries seem to be a problem, but vegetarian students do not have many options.

“The food is not very good. I am a vegetarian and it is very hard to order lunch at school. Even the salads have meat on them,” sophomore Taylor Carpenter said.

Regardless to what many people may think, vegetarian diets can easily meet all of the recommendations for nutrients. They can obtain protein mainly by plant-based foods.

Some are beans, nuts, and soy products (tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers), milk products and possibly eggs instead of meats.

Menu changes could take place to please the vegetarian students and meet their nutritional needs. They could offer veggie burgers, salads made to where students choose the toppings, and vari-

Junior Kavon Edwards and junior Jamari George go through the lunch line during D-block lunch. If the signing of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kid Act occurs, foods being served in school will be different and offer more nutrition.

Photo by Alison Brown. ous types of fresh fruits.

In the next school year the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kid Act will be in affect if signed by Obama. The issues of variety and nutrition will be addressed and solved in the bill.

The bill provides free and reduced lunches to a larger percentage of students. This mean all students will receiver better nutrition, local produce, and close to no junk food.

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FEATURES

Seniors feel crunch of college application deadlines December is time for students applying to college to meet important deadlines Amanda Majewski trn writer

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ver y year the new class of seniors experiences the stressful, agonizing, and exciting process of applying to colleges. December is crunch time and the deadlines to submit college applications are coming fast.

Most four- year colleges require the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores for admission.

“The college board recommends that a student should take the SAT at least twice, once in the spring of a student’s junior year and once in the fall of a student’s senior year,” SAT teacher Karen Rhodes said.

Students should take the SAT more than once. It allows for a better outcome and more of a chance that they will improve within the tests of their junior and senior year.

“I took the SAT twice and the SAT II Subject Test once. I am taking the SAT for the last time on December 4th,” senior Hope Song said.

Wise students do not apply to just one college, but several colleges.

“A student should apply to two to four colleges,” guidance counselor Nancy Odom said.

There is no guarantee that a student will get into the college of his or her dreams. A back-up plan is necessary.

“I have not applied to all of them yet, but I plan to apply to seven colleges,” Song said.

Seniors with set priorities, for choosing the colleges to submit applications to, are not putting all their hopes on just one college acceptance.

“I chose the colleges I applied to based on academics, my chance of acceptance, location, and the cost,” Song said.

Completing the application packet can be time consuming. Some parts require

more effort and energy than others.

“Writing the essay and remembering what you have done in the last four years is the hardest part of the application process,” Odom said.

For some seniors this means staring at a blank page trying to figure out where to start and what to do.

“Essays are a pain in the butt,” Song said. “My life would be a little easier if all colleges used a common application.”

When a college’s admissions officers read an essay, it is a way to better understand the applicant’s personality. It is the one piece of the application package that a senior has complete control over.

“Be honest, put your best foot forward, and always let your English teacher proof it,” Odom said.

Another part of the application package is the letter of recommendation.

Recommendations are needed from the high school guidance counselor and one other person.

“I take about 40 to 45 minutes to do a letter because I really like to personalize it,” Odom said.

The guidance counselor should have as much important information about you as possible to write a recommendation.

“Mr. Havard has helped me out a lot and has gotten to know me through working with me on all my questions about the application process,” Song said.

The other person can be a teacher, a boss, or co-worker at a volunteer job, but it has to be someone who really is able to highlight the applicants unique personality, talents, abilities, and community activities outside of school.

Applicants need to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) by January 1st. This is a government form that verifies income from the previous years in determining financial need. To understand more about the FAFSA and how to fill out the form, there will be a meeting at PGHS in the auditorium, Wednesday, January 12th at 7:00 p.m. hosted by Tara Bauman with a special guest speaker.

Applicants should always be aware of the time constraints.

“Deadlines are very important, it is better to be three days early than ten minutes late,” Odom said.

Senior Hope Song mails off applications to college. She demonstrates the relief felt by students once they finally mail off their applications on time.

Photo by Gabrielle Whittington.

Features

Holiday season retail Olivia Tritschler trn editor When does Macy’s start preparing for the Christmas shopping?

“We planned for Christmas a full year ago. Just three or four weeks ago we went to meetings for fall 2011 and the spring line for 2011 is finished.”

What changes are made within the store for Christmas shopping?

“We hire sixteen more employees plus more people for the visuals and decorations and unloading trucks.

There are also meetings planned for merchandising.”

How many sales does Macy’s have leading up to Christmas?

“There are two or three different events a week starting in the middle of November continuing to the end of December.”

Is the After Christmas sale as big of a hit as before Christmas sales?

“The After Christmas sale is always big and tremendous and seasonal items are rid of quickly. We need to sell a lot this year to make up for the snow from last year.”

Do shoppers still come in on Christmas Eve? “Christmas Eve is the fifth largest day in December and the day after Christmas is the sixth. From 7 am to 6 p.m. on Christmas Eve we are packed.”

Vice President General Manager of Macy’s Colonial Heights Gary Robertson.

the

page 11 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

frenzy begins What is most strenuous about the Christmas season?

“The additional hours. Management works ten to eleven hours a day, six to seven days a week. Also keeping the associates focused on selling.”

What is your role as manager?

“I keep everyone focused, and going in the right direction. We go by magic starting with M for meet and greet, A for assisting, and ending with C for celebrating the purchase. I also deal with operations, standards, and budgets.”

features

the

page 12 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

The Salvation Army continues to provide assistance Faith based program raises funds to help during hardships Kourney Galvin trn writer

S

tanding in the cold everyday during the holidays is the devoted personnel of the Salvation Army. The Salvation Army is not an actual army. It is an organization and evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church established in London in 1865. This organization collects money and volunteers to help with the many different programs to help people in their difficult times.

“The Salvation Army is a God gifted organization of a group of dedicated, faithful people who’s main purpose is to help others in times of hardship,” Salvation Army volunteer James Smith said.

Fighting Human Trafficking, Disaster Relief, Christmas Charity and Elderly Services are only some of the projects the Salvation Army is committed to.

“More than 30 million people received help from The Salvation Army in 2008,” as stated on the Salvation Army web page.

Many people who join the Salvation Army do so out of selflessness and the belief that they have to repay for the good life that God has given them.

“God has been very good to me. He has blessed me in many ways, and I have been very blessed and very fortunate,” Smith said.

Students also donate their time to help other with the Salvation Army.

“I volunteered with the Salvation Army because I am a part of the Male Protégé Program at Virginia State University and it is one of my duties I have to complete before the program ends,” junior Ricky Gaines said.

The work of the Salvation Army not

only helps the people in need but also the people helping out.

“I am inspired by the way they help people because they people that do need help take time out of their busy schedules to help others who are less fortunate,” Gaines said.

The red bucket has become one of the trademarks of the Salvation Army and it is very important to the organization.

“The purpose of the bucket fundraiser is to help pay for families to eat during the holidays,” Gaines said.

It is the Salvation Army’s policy not to give out information on families who have needed help from the Salvation Army in the past but they were able to share small details on situations that they have helped out with in the past. From large misfortunes such as families having a tree destroy their homes, or as small as getting your General Educational Development(GED) the Salvation Army offers help.

The family of a student in our school needed help from the Salvation Army when his older sister was born. His mother and fa-

ther needed items, like a crib and food for their newborn. The Salvation Army u n f or t u n at e l y could not help the couple with their newborn.

“I do not think they think less of the Salvation Army, that they did the best that they could do,” junior Chris Kobelt said.

Many people stand out in front of many convenient stores such as, James Smith, collecting money for the needs of others, not knowing how the day will progress in the weather or how much donation will be in the red donation bin, but they still do it.

“If someone doesn’t donate, I don’t get upset,” Smith said. “This program is based on free will giving, and not everyone can give. God will continue to bless them.”

S alvation Army Facts

The Salvation Army was started by William Booth in 1865.

1874-the organization had 1,000 volunteers and 42 evangelists serving under “The Christian Mission”.

1878- The name was changed to “The Salvation Army”.

1886- The Salvation Army was given a special endorsement

by President Grover Cleveland.

The Salvation Army’s mission is “to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.”

The Salvation Army operates 1,400 family thrift stores.

Source: http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/

features

the

page 13 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

Teachers, students experience different relations Family ties in school pose challenges for parents, children

What was it like to teach in the same school as your kids?

Michelle Williams trn writer

A

student walks into school at the beginning of the day, ready to face the work ahead of them, but one thing most students do not think of is their parent being there. This is something that students such as sophomore Nathan Britt and junior Alexis Taylor encounter every day.

These students and their parents lead normal lives just like everyone else does, just with a parent at the school.

“It can be weird sometimes with them around,” sophomore Nathan Britt said.

Nelson Britt, US History and Government teacher, and Speech teacher Lisa Britt are Nathan’s parents.

“It certainly makes it more difficult to tell stories about him to my students because everybody knows him,” Nelson Britt said.

“So it is not as much fun.”

Other than it being a bit strange or awkward, having a parent who teaches at the school is not as bad as many students think.

“I guess my parents are a mixed blessing because they know all of my teachers.”

Nathan Britt said. “This can be good or bad, depending on the situation.”

Parents also have problems to face when regarding their child at the school.

“You have to deal with the teachers you work with, so it may be awkward at times,” Nelson Britt said.

Having your parent at your school is actually a positive thing sometimes as well, according to both the student and parent.

“We know all of his teachers,” Nelson Britt said. “We do not have to pick him up from Moore or Clements anymore, which is a good thing.”

“I can not really say I like them being there, but it is not the worst thing in the world,” said Nathan Britt.

Kim Bailey “It was really wonderful for me to be part of their lives and to know their friends.

Not many parents get that opportunity to see their kids in school, and I had that opportunity.”

Roy York “I taught my kids in my class and treated them like everyone else. I kind of enjoyed it. The benefit for them was not riding the bus.”

Nelson Britt, Lisa Britt, and sophomore Nathan Britt (top to bottom) share the work and learning environment on a daily basis. As teachers, the Britt’s, have held back from making their son the subject in class discussions.

Photo by Alison Brown.

Junior Christel Theune also has a parent that works at the school. Her mom, Julianne Theune, is a Chemistry and Introduction to Health and Medical Science teacher. She has been working at the school for the past two years.

“It is nice that we can drive together so we can get that extra time to talk together and know what’s going on in her day,“ Julianne Theune said.

It can be beneficial to the students, in the case of an issue that another student would have to call home about.

“It is easier if I need something from her, like money or a permission slip, then I can get it,” Christel Theune said.

“It is nice having my mom at school because if I forget something that is due she’s there,” junior Alexis Taylor said.

Taylor’s mom is the Instructional Tech-

nological Resource Teacher, Stephanie Poe. “Having her here makes us closer because usually at the end of the day I have a lot to tell her and I don’t have to wait to tell her,” Taylor said.

As a parent, knowing their child’s teachers can effect their academic performance.

“It is nice that she is here and because her teachers will let me know if there are any problems in the classroom,” Julianne Theune said. “It is just easier to keep up on things.”

“It has it’s ups and downs, but I tend to get in trouble for little things because the teachers know me,“ Christel Theune said.

There are mixed views on one’s parent teaching at their school, but mostly it is a positive thing.

“I love having my mom at school,” Taylor said. “It’s so nice and it makes us that much closer.”

Lisa McDaniels “Well, my daughter hated it. I did not have a problem with it because I knew where she was and that she was out of trouble.”

Mickey Roberts “I thought it was pretty neat. It made things easier, as in getting to school.

Having a daughter in my class was very unique and it was special for me to coach my two sons.”

features

the

page 14 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

DECA students prepare for district competition Students practice business scenarios to demonstrate expertise, training Unique Larry trn writer

T

he nationally recognized organization, DECA (Association of Marketing), is having another heart pounding competition to determine which school has the best competitors in the region. The competition will be held between the schools of Prince George, Hopewell, Petersburg, Dinwiddie, and Colonial Heights.

DECA is an organization that focuses on getting students prepared for college, helping them become community oriented, and making them experienced leaders.

DECA is a part of the top ten organizations listed by the United States Department of Education as a Career and Technical Student organization.

“DECA is a club where you get to interact with different schools and learn different things about marketing,” junior Ciarra Taylor said.

DECA has more than 6,000 chapters, 180,000 members and more than 13,000 members in Virginia alone. Juniors Ciarra Taylor and Marissa Coles and sophomore Dominique Walker are just three of the members participating in the competition this month.

Walker wanted to explore the wonders of something other than athletics and found out about DECA and thought it was a wonderful opportunity for him to further his knowledge about business.

“I thought it was something different that I could get involved in other than sports,” Walker said.

Taylor is participating for her first year in the competition with high hopes to compete and go to state.

“When I first learned about DECA,

I thought of it as the club that always goes on field trips,” Taylor said. “I joined DECA because I thought it would be a good experience for me to learn more about marketing.”

There are three ways to win the competition overall. A student can get the best role plays (2), he or she can get the best score on the test, he or she can win from a combo of both but if he or she is a new student they are only required to do one role play and one competitive event and the test is not needed.

“A role play is a scene you are given and you have to explain the best process for the plan in the scene,” Taylor said.

Before the big competition Kim Beales, DECA Advisor, is giving every member plenty of opportunities to try to stimulate their minds with as much information as possible during ETEH and during their realistic practices after school on

the 6th, 7th and 8th of December. During their studying, they must all try to grasp as much data as possible due to the fact that some have an extremely challenging test that is about 100 questions long.

“This is great experience for them [DECA members] because this is what is happening in real life,” Beales said.

Walker admits to still being a bit anxious about how well he will do this year in sports marketing. Although last year he came in second in the selling event, there are also multiple ways to prepare for the competition.

“I’m kind of nervous because now I have to compete in a different event,” Walker said.

DECA not only prepares students for competitions but also real life situations.

“It opens up many learning opportunities for your life,” Coles said.

Although the students have differ-

Juniors Ciarra Taylor and Brittney Kilpatrick practice proper business greeting for competition. They demonstrate the importance of a good initial meeting.

Photo by Gabrielle Whittington. ent internal emotions, most members have high hopes for our school and the competition. “I think we have a chance,” Walker said. “Hopefully we do better than last year.”

While the club focuses on business and entrepreneurial skills, it also instill major life values.

“DECA is more than just going on field trips, having fun, and getting out of school,” Taylor said. “There is hard work that comes with it and learning more about marketing in the different areas.”

Features

the

page 15 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

the Right to Petition Jami Davis trn editor-in-chief What made you think about starting a petition?

Well, that’s how it works in the government. You get the people together and a grassroots effort usually works.

Senior Joey Shelton exercises his First Amendment rights

First Amendment Facts for students Do high school students have First Amendment rights?

What was your goal in starting the petition?

I was working to keep the walls from being painted over [in Ms. Eliades art room] to preserve the art work from students a long time ago.

Yes. As the United States Supreme Court said in 1969, “It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional right to freedom of speech at the schoolhouse gate.”

How many names did you end up with for the petition?

437, seven of which were teachers.

What about the Hazelwood decision?

How did you go about approaching people?

I would just go to them and say “Do you know the art room murals in Ms. Pierce’s classroom?”And if they did, they would sign, after I told them what was going on. If they didn’t then I would show them pictures I had printed out.

Hazelwood school District V. Kuhlmeir, the 1988 U.S. Supreme Court decision, gave public high school officials greater authority to censor some school-sponsored student publications if the choose to do so.

Did you ask for any type of permission to start the petition?

I didn’t really ask for permission, but after about 170 signatures maybe, I had to go to Ms. Smallwood and talk to her, and tell her it was in the works.

What reaction did you get from the administration?

They were open towards it for the most part, but when it got to a certain point they were like, “But we did give her permission a while back.”

Did you have any direct conversation with Ms. Eliades?

I talked to her a few times.

What was the end result that you were looking for?

I was looking for them to at least be preserved for a set amount of time.

How do you feel about the process of petitioning?

It’s again, how the government works. If people are going to bring about change, or not bring about change, that’s the way to do it.

Would you ever create a petition again?

If given the opportunity, yes. Even though it didn’t work this time we got it to the SGA meeting and we got endorsement, so it was obviously something that had a fighting chance.

Why did you go to the SGA? They represent the voice of the student body, so going

to them and having the entire voice of the student body endorsing it would look better to administration.

Do you think students have an opportunity to make a change in policy in schools?

Yes, they can definitely make change in policy as long as it is reasonable and not something completely outrageous.

What is Tinker?

Tinker v. Des Monies Independent Community School District was a 1969 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that established school administrators could restrict student speech if they can demonstrate a substantial risk of material disruption to educational activities or invasion of the rights of others.

What other cases have involved student petitions?

In Aug. 2007 the First Amendment rights of four Tennessee high school football players were not infringed when they were kicked off the team after petitioning against the coach, a three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled.

The Jefferson County High School athletes circulated a petition among their fellow players to pressure the school to replace coach Marty Euverard. The players intended to deliver the petition to school principal Dale Schneitman at the end of the season.

All information can be found at: http://splc.org

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page 16 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

F

familiar holiday of Christmas.

Not only do Catholics celebrate this holiday, but other denominations do so as well.

However, some denominations may celebrate it differently.

The history of Jesus’ birth can be found in the bible in scriptures Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 2:1-20. No one knows for sure what day Christ was born.

Biblical information gives us many clues of when Christ was born and says that it was the day of December 25th.

Christmas’ true meaning is about the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem in a manger to his mother and father: his father being Joseph and his mother, the Virgin Mary. Christmas is known as the incarnation, meaning “in the flesh.” Jesus, in Catholics’ opinions, is the external, all-powerful, and allknowing creator came to earth in the flesh.

“Catholics believe it [Eucharist] is the actual Body and Blood of Christ, [it is] not symbolic,” Feliciano said.

Christmas is a very important time for Catholics.

It is not all about the gifts and

presents, but spending time with family and knowing the true meaning of Christmas.

During this time of year, Catholics have an Evening Mass; during this time, children and adults put on plays and/or pageants to represent Jesus’ birth, or the nativity.

“We worship God and read from the Old Testament, letters from St. Paul, and then the Gospel,” Feliciano said.

Next they have what is call the liturgy and prayer.

During this time the core of the Catholics gather to give praise to the anniversary of Jesus’ birth and pray together as part of the celebration. Catholics also use this time to give and exchange gifts to one another as a form of celebration. They also bake and share food with one another, giving them time to celebrate.

Knowing the meaning behind what one is celebrating helps one appreciate even more.

How the tra Catholic faith those of Jew during the holi

Catholicism

or Esaud “Danny” Feliciano, Christmas morning is like any

other. Like many boys and girls on Christmas morning, running and eager to see what is under the Christmas tree, they open presents and gifts and spend time with loved ones.

But for Danny, a member of the Catholic Church, he celebrates a bit differently.

“Just like most families, we set up the Christmas tree, open gifts, etc. But we emphasize the nativity and Jesus Christ and say prayers during Advent,” Feliciano said.

Catholicism formed in the beginning of the second century and Catholics believe that Christ is the Son of God. Catholics believe that if one does something in ignorance they will not be held accountable unto the Lord.

Catholics believe that in God’s eyes those who love him and truly desire to do his will are related in some way to the church, which his son founded, and can be saved.

Catholics celebrate the

Kimberly Edmonds-Best trn writer

Difference Decem

Senio

“Just like most familie

Christmas trees, open we emphasize the na Christ and say prayers

Rabbi Dennis BeckBerman

“In lighting the can

the inner spark o all which longs t messianic age of

the

page 17 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

es During mber:

aditions of differ from wish faith iday season.

or Esaud "Danny" Feliciano

ndles we try to rekindle of holy light inside us to shine forth in the love, peace and joy.”

The candle holder itself is called the Menorah and is sometimes called the Chanukiah, it holds nine candles, one for each night, plus the Shammus, or servant candle, which is at a different height than the rest. The menorah, according to the Rabbi, “symbolizes the light of the messiah.”

“In lighting the candles we try to rekindle the inner spark of holy light inside us all which longs to shine forth in the messianic age of love, peace and joy,” Beck-Berman said.

The tradition is that on the first night, the first candle is set to the far right and the Shammus candle is lit, and the three blessings are recited.

The three blessings are the L’hadlik Ner, which is a common prayer to recite over the candles, the She-Asah Nisim, a prayer thanking God for performing his miracles for our past ancestors at this time, and the third one is the Shehekhianu, which is also a common prayer thanking God for allowing us all to reach this time of year.

The general procedure after reciting the blessings is to light the first candle, and the Shammus is placed back in its holder. The candles are allowed to burn out all the way on their own after a minimum time of a half hour. Every night another candle is added from the left to the right, and the candles are then lit from left to right, because you pay honor to the newer thing first.

On the eighth night, all nine candles, including the eight Chanukkah candles and the Shammus, are to have been completely lit and burned out.

“The third blessing is only said the first time you light candles,” Beck-Berman said.

With this, the Jewish religion of Judaism is quite different from most traditional ‘Christmas’ celebrations in its many aspects of the menorah and candle lighting, along with the fact that there is no Christmas tree with presents underneath. With Hanukkah falling on December 2nd this year, it is quite a number of days off from the regular Christmas holiday on the 25th.

Judaism

es, we set up the n gifts, etc. But ativity and Jesus s during Advent.”

M

any other religions and cultures celebrate the holidays differently from the traditional Christmas celebration. One of the largest of these religions is Judaism in which they celebrate the popular holiday, Hanukkah or the ‘Festival of Lights’. One may be familiar with some of the other Jewish holidays such as Yom Kippur, Sukkot, Passover, Shavu’ot, or Rosh Hashanah.

Another name used for Hanukkah is Chanukkah, both being the same eight day long festival that starts on the twenty-fifth day of the Jewish month, Kislev, and celebrates the commemorating of the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem in 165 BC. “The largest symbol of Hanukkah is the lighting of the candles,” Petersburg’s Congregation Brith Achim’s Rabbi, Dennis Beck-Berman said. “The candles are very important in that their light proclaims that miracles do happen.”

Michael Winn trn writer

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page 21 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

Popular filesharing site shut down

Students look for new ways to obtain music legally, free Emily Gray trn writer

L

imewire, a popular filesharing network, recently shut down due to copyright infringement. After a four-year legal battle with the United States Music Industry, U.S. Judge Kimba Wood, from a federal district court in New York, ordered the shutdown Oct. 27.

Limewire launched in 2000 by Mark Gorton. The network allowed users to engage in filesharing.

“I used Limewire because it was free, I just think it’s stupid to pay for something on iTunes if I can get it somewhere else for free,” sophomore Matt Jones said.

Most users of Limewire uploaded and downloaded copyrighted materials. Copyright is a document that grants exclusive rights to publish and sell certain works, whether those works are

literary, musical, or artistic.

Copyright infringement is the direct violation of the rights secured by a copyright and the Acceptable Use Policy, which are a set of rules applied by an owner or manager of a network, website, or large computer system that places restrictions in the ways the network may be used.

On average, there is a $6,000 fine when engaging in uploading or downloading copyrighted music. Last year, a whole group of students from Virginia got arrested for illegally using Limewire to download copyrighted music.

“They tend to go more harshly on teenagers with the fines. They decide that the teens are intentionally distributing the music, so the teens get fined and they go after their parents, which is called vicarious law,” Stephanie Poe said.

When downloading or uploading copyrighted material illegally, one will risk legal action.

Punishments may range from warnings and the removal of the reference used to receiving a fine, going up to millions of dollars. Depending on how severe the act is, one may even receive jail time.

“We do not think of it as stealing, but it’s not different than walking into FYE and stealing a CD without paying. You just stole their music,” Poe said.

At least 20% of the population used the popular sharing site. Those who answered a recent survey were questioned about their use of Limewire. 40% of students surveyed said that

Senior Raul Rivera demonstrates the entanglement one could receive from illegally downloading music. Users of Limewire were charged up to $6,000 if caught abusing copyright.

Photo by Alison Brown. they used Limewire, and of those 40%, most answered that they were unaffected by the shutdown, and that Frostwire was the best alternative.

Frostwire was developed in 2005 by Limewire users who were concerned over rumors that Limewire might be placing licensing restrictions on filesharing.

“I used Frostwire for the first time the other day and it’s just like Limewire and I think I’ll just use it from now on because it’s also free,” Jones said.

Limewire itself is completely legal, however distributing copyrighted materials is illegal. On their website, Limewire clearly warned users not to share or download copyright protected items.

The website also states to only use Limewire to publish and distribute one’s own work.

There is also a warning that some files shared may infect one’s computer, for it has been said that Limewire can give one’s computer a virus “We have to realize that this will happen to all filesharing sites, “ senior Raul Rivera said.

Limewire Website Notice : ATTENTION: Limewire is under a court order dated October 26, 2010 to stop distributing the Limewire software.

Limewire LLC, its directors and officers, are taking all steps to comply with the injuction. We have very recently become aware of unauthorized applications on the internet purporting to use the Limewire name. We demand that all persons using the Limewire software, name, or trademark in order to upload or download copyrighted works in any manner cease and desist from doing so. We further remind you that the unauthorized uploading and downloading of copyrighted works is illegal.

According to Limewire.com

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A&E

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page 23 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

World of 3D Theater, home entertainment offered in different dimension Jessica Demas trn writer

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ov i e g o ers sit on the edge of their seats, mouths opened wide while the images appear to come right off the screen. Some reach out their hands trying to touch as their fascination increases. Every image becomes more and more life-like as the movie goes on.

Movies are beginning to jump on the chance of converting into a 3- dimensional experience. With increase demand, audiences want to see movies really come to life on the big screen. Movie releases recently have tried to follow the fad since it’s a fairly easy process.

A 3-D movie is created by taking two cameras used for each eye and recording the same movie but in different colors. These recordings are combined when the 3-D glasses are put on. It’s an optical allusion that seems to be enticing people around the world.

“Some crowds are into the movie when it’s 3-D,” said Junior Anthony Jackson, “They want to see all the stuff come to life.

There is always a higher turn out rate for 3-D when both 2-D and 3-D are offered.”

Piranha, a newly released 3-D movie, had a profit of $71 million and 95% of that came from their 3-D version. Other movies like, Alice in Wonderland and Step it Up 2 both had higher 3-D profits, topping well over 70%.

“They bring in higher profits because the 3-D movies cost more anyways,” said Jackson, “I’ve been working at Regal Cinema for a year and 3-D movies often bring in a larger crowd.”

Costing a few dollars more, it’s no wonder that 3-D movies are ahead of 2-D movies, racketing in over $51.1 million more a year. Its more time consuming to make 3-D movies but producers find it beneficial to their profits as well as movie goers’ experiences.

The first 3-D movie ever created was called The Power of Love, which stunned audiences all over America, but the fad didn’t start until the release of House of Wax in 2005 which kicked off a whole new era of movie innovations.

One of the more popular rated movies in 3-D was James Cameron’s Avatar, it was also one of the longest movies ever created.

The movie help set the bar for not only 3-D movies, but animated movies as well.

“I can’t watch 3-D movies for more than 30 minutes without getting a massive head-ache, especially Avatar.” Junior Ashley Gilliam said, “It’s just not fun. I’ll stick with 2-D, thanks.”

Soon after the movie was released, people would complain of minor headaches and pains. 3-D movies also come with some consequences. Doctors believe this is a common problem due to the constant strain on the eyes over a long period of time, referred to as “3-D fatigue”.

The craze doesn’t stop at the theatres,

With a 3D televison, images, such as Senior Angela Giraud running with the ball, appear to come out of the screen.

The concept of making movies in 3D first developed in the 1950s.

Image created by Emily Gray. but is now slowly converting into the home as well with the release of the 3-D television.

Panasonic sells more than 90% of all 3-D televisions ever created. Out of the 300,000 televisions, Panasonic sold 270,000 units.

The 3-D takeover isn’t just a fad, but a guide line into future technologies, like 4-D movies. People have high hopes for 4-D movies that incorporate not only sight but smell and touch as well.

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page 24 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

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A&E

Gamer’s Corner

the

page 25 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

Kinect vs. Move vs. Wii

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he holidays are arriving and naturally you want the best additions for your game consoles. Well I just happen to have them reviewed right here in one nifty little segment, just for you, random individual reader! Enjoy!

Let’s start out with the newest attraction to the Xbox 360: the Garrett Albright Kinect. Kinect is just a camera system that hooks up to your Xbox and TV and literally scans you into games.

Fascinating, right? Sadly, no, not for long.

Playing anything on the Kinect quickly becomes less and less amusing because of the simplicity of it all. The game play is fun while it lasts, and the motion capture

technology works really well. But none of the games available have a lasting effect of more than an hour and you’ll quickly grow tired of playing various random mini games with your virtual pet tiger.

Get one for $150.

Sony’s latest development for its Playstation 3 is the Playstation Move. To me though, I dub it: the “Wii for PS3” due

Kinect for Xbox 360 Best Buy: $149.00 (Kinect only) Target: $199.99 (Kinect with Dance Central Value Bundle) Walmart:$249.00 (Kinect with choice of two games)

to the similarity the two have. But while they both play similar, the Move has more disadvantages. The most prominent: you have to synch the controllers before everything you do in a game for the Move. Synching involves going through 4 different motions with your arms while holding the dual remotes, which quickly became tedious and greatly took

Nintendo Wii Best Buy: $199.99 (Wii with Wii Sports and Sport Resort and Wii Remote Plus) Target: $199.99 (Wii with Sport Resort) Walmart: $188.00 (Wii with Wii Sports)

away from actually playing the games. I can only hope this will be changed with future games due to how well the Move actually plays. The synching issue may be a burden, but the Move will (hopefully) eventually stand out. I’d definitely recommend getting the Move bundle for just $99.

Last is the long established Nintendo Wii. From its launch, the Wii has captivated gamers with its “point and play” gaming from its remotes. Now, with the new Motion Plus accessory, movements registered by the Wii are even more accurate, ensuring better game play, which is a huge plus for the Wii considering the lineup of games available. With such depth of really good and fun to play games, coupled with the original motion technology, all in a $200 price tag, the Wii is really the best buy for all ages and levels of gaming.

PlayStation Move Best Buy: $99.99 (Move Bundle) Target: $99.99 (Start the Party Bundle) Walmart: $99.54 (Move Bundle)

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page 26 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

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SPORTS

the

page 27 - royalnews - 5.21.2010

Senior speaks on indoor track season Adam Roberson reveals details of rigorous training Mandy Lockhart trn writer

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weat rolls, shoes thud, and hearts pound as the indoor track team warms up for practice.

The indoor track team participates in home meets that lead up to the districts meet. The members of the team are able to practice making the qualifying times at these home meets to become competitors in the district meet.

“A bulk of the meets will be hosted

by Prince George, our indoor track team will even be hosting districts this year at Arthur Ashe,” said assistant track coach Levi Owens. “Most of the meets haven’t been scheduled yet, but some dates are in the works.”

Adam Roberson knows all of the in and out’s of being a member of the indoor track team: what to eat, how to exercise, having the proper motivation and inspiration, as well as preparing for the meets.

Conditioning can be a challenge both mentally and physically to get through without either inspiration or motivation.

A good rock song personally inspires Roberson, while Roberson himself motivates others.

“He’s always uplifting, he’s a good leader, and he’s always pushing me to run harder,” freshman Evan Mitchell said.

For Roberson, the hardest part about conditioning is the interval ladders.

“Basically you begin with a 400 meter run (which is equivalent to one lap around the track), then you move on to a 600 meter run, and lastly an 800 meter run. The hard part about it is once you go up the ladder, you have to come back down it,” Roberson said.

Roberson usually participates in either the one-mile or two- mile run

during competition races.

“The best way to prep myself before a race is to eat a banana, concentrate on the task ahead, keep myself level, stretch, and do a one to two mile warm up jog,” he said.

The key to being a successful student and indoor track team member is staying healthy and focused. When it comes to merging the two together, “You just have to get it all done. It’s difficult, but not impossible; I’ve proven that,” said Roberson.

For Roberson, his final indoor track season while in high school is bittersweet.

“I feel complete. It’s sad that it’s my last indoor season, but at the same time I feel good that I’ve accomplished something during my high school years.”

Even though it is his last year, Roberson is still feeling enthusiastic and positive about the upcoming competitions.

Senior Adam Roberson trains during track practice on Tuesday, Dec. 7. The Royals prepared for their meet on Wednesday, Dec. 8.

Photo by Wayne Epps, Jr. “So far this season, the team has been looking really strong and has improved a lot overall since last year.”

Moving out of high school and moving on to college, Roberson says he still plans on running. “Even if it’s not on a team, I’m going to keep running.”

To be on the indoor track team, you need to be truly inspired to keep running. Roberson says the words that he remembers while he is running are “never settle for anything less than your absolute best.”

Money Game

R

ecently, a coach being fired in college football reminded me just how important winning, and money, are to schools. Randy Shannon, the head football coach at the University of Miami, was sent packing with a 2822 overall Wayne Epps, Jr. record in his four years at the school.

Despite Shannon’s major contributions to Miami football off the field apparently he was not doing good enough. Miami football had a bad reputation as far as player conduct, but in Shannon’s tenure, there was only one player arrest.

Also, the team is in the top ten in the country in player graduation rate.

But winning drives the boat.

And with winning comes big money.

Last season, the Bowl Championship Series, which puts on the major bowl games in college football, divided up $142.5 million from its bowl games among the conferences.

The ACC, Big East, Big 12, and Pac 10 conferences all received $17.7 million each. But all of the conferences aforementioned automatically qualify to send one team to a BCS bowl, so the conferences that send an extra team get a $4.5 million bonus. Last season, this was the SEC and Big Ten, which received $22.2 million each.

Shannon never made a BCS bowl at Miami. I know that Miami is hungry to be in one. Their conference, the ACC, would receive extra money if they participated in a BCS bowl, and therefore, so would they.

Money, especially with the recent economic downturn, has to be important for any institution.

It seems like everywhere, including Prince George, has been experiencing cutbacks and a bonus would definitely be appealing.

the

page 28 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

Players discuss travel soccer experiences

SPORTS

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hesterfield United is a local soccer team that plays against teams around Virginia and some of North Carolina. They have several different age groups for players. Prince George currently has six players on the team, including juniors Logan Browning, Andre Nix, and Tyler Mace. They answered these questions for us: we usually play tournaments on weekends.”

Rachel Williams trn writer

Q. Where do your other players come from?

Q. How has the team affected your daily life?

Mace: “Some of our players come from L.C Bird and [Thomas] Dale, but Prince George definitely makes up the majority of the team.”

Browning: “Homework is hard to do with all the weekend tournaments, I also miss out on my ‘lady time.’”

Nix: “I’ve missed a lot of practices because I’ve had homework to do.”

Nix: “We also have a player from Brazil, and one from the Middle East, we’re a multi-cultural team.”

Q. How do your parents feel about the team? Do they support it?

Q. What positions do you play for the team?

Nix: “I mostly play defense.”

Mace: “My parents don’t really complain about taking me to all of the events, although they can’t wait for me to get my license.”

Browning: “I play either midfield or forward.”

Q. How do the players get along?

Browning: “My parents enjoy coming to my tournaments, but they want me to get my license as soon as possible to take myself back and forth to practices.”

Q. How often does the team practice?

Mace: “We practice every Tuesday and Thursday, and

Browning: “We get into a lot of arguments.”

Juniors Tyler Mace (right) and Logan Browning (left) participate in a game for travel soccer team Chesterfield United. Several Royals played on the team. Contributed photo.

Mace: “I think I’m one of the most aggressive players.

That’s usually what starts the arguments”

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the

page 29 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

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page 30 - royalnews - 12.10.2010

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SPORTS

the

page 31 - royalnews - 12.10.2010 Sophomore Zakiya Saunders attempts to pass the ball against Douglas Freeman on Thursday Dec. 2. The Lady Royals lost 40-31. Photo by Kevin Harris.

Royals take fifth at Fort Lee Tourney

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Kevin Harris trn writer he girls basketball team practices hard, drill to drill, preparing for the season.

All of the hard work leads up to the first official game, and there is no turning

back from there.

On Thursday December 2, the Lady Royals tipped off the season at the MacLaughlin Center for the Fort Lee TipOff Girls Basketball Tournament.

The first game of the tournament was also the first of the season for the Royals.

To prepare the team for a tournament to start the season, head coach Billy Gray said, “Get in as many practices as you can and work on fundamentals.”

The Lady Royals are a veteran team led by several seniors.

“We have a lot of returning 2 or 3 players,” Gray said.

For senior Rosie Robinson, the strength of the team is, “We all know each other and are all a family.”

“We are good at working together,” junior Courtney Johnson said.

Though the games will be the first of the year for the team, it does not necessarily mean that winning will set the tone for the rest of the year.

“It will just be the tournament.

There is not a lot of time to prepare,” Gray said. “It will give us early games for

learning.”

So on December 2, the Royals began play against Douglas Freeman. Despite being led by sophomore Zakiya Saunders’s 16 points, the Royals fell short 40-31.

The next night they played the Appomattox Regional Governors School.

Looking for redemption, the Lady Royals were once again led by Saunders as she put in a double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Junior Danielle Hannuksela also added 10 points and 5 rebounds. The team rebounded from their opening night loss and won 47-32.

They then found themselves in the fifth-place game against Central District foe Dinwiddie. Saunders for a second consecutive night achieved a doubledouble, with 12 points and 10 assists. She also pulled down 6 rebounds. Saunders was not the only one to score in double figures as senior Diana Owens and sophomore DaZhane Myler both supplied ten points as the Royals once again won, this time a 64-45 victory over the Generals to claim fifth place in the tournament.

No matter win or lose, the Lady Royals were able to get something out of every game.

“Every loss is a win because you get a learning experience out of it,” Saunders said.

The tournament also prepares the team for the rest of the season ahead.

“You get to see how we play together and you get to know how each other plays,” Hannuksela said.

The Royals came out of the tournament with a 2-1 record. They hope to keep rolling through their competition as the season moves forward.

Girls Basketball Upcoming Schedule: Tuesday 12-14 at Colonial Heights Thursday 12-16 at Meadowbrook Friday 12-17 at Midlothian Tuesday 12-28 Prince George Christmas Classic Wednesday 12-29 Prince George Christmas Classic Tuesday 1-4 vs. Thomas Dale Thursday 1-6 at Petersburg Friday 1-7 at Meadowbrook Monday 1-10 at w

SENIOR SPOTLIGHT Quenton McDougal

Boys Basketball

How long have you played basketball?

“Ever since I was about 12 when I played recreation.”

What inspired you?

“My cousins inspired me, just because they gave me a basketball and told me to stop playing soccer. Michael Jordan also inspired me a lot.”

How do you train outside of school?

“As much as possible, 3 days a week of weight lifting and I try shots everyday.”

What do you do before a game to prepare yourself?

“I listen to my iPod try to get focused.”

What do you enjoy most about playing basketball?

“The competitiveness.”

When was your best game?

“Last year against Colonial Heights, because it was my highest scoring game of the season with 25 points.”

Do you plan on continuing basketball in college?

“Yeah, I want to play for anyone who needs me.”

Sports

briefs

Wrestling finished 10th with a team score of 70 in the Colonial Heights Kickoff Classic on Saturday, Dec. 4

Girls Basketball finished 5th in the Fort Lee Tip-Off Tournament with a 64-45 win over Dinwiddie on Saturday, Dec. 4

Wrestlers rely on themselves

A

Boys Basketball defeated Maggie Walker Governor’s School 86-50 on Monday, Dec. 6 Missed the Powderpuff game? Check out a recap and photo gallery on trnwired.com

Wayne Epps, Jr. trn editor

wrestler steps on the mat; it is just them and an opponent, toe-to-toe. There are no teammates to help them defeat the opponent. The difference between winning and losing rests on their back alone.

Wrestlers can compete in fourteen weight classes from 103 pounds to 275 pounds. Matches consist of three, two minute periods of one on one competition between two wrestlers. A match may end early if one competitor pins the other before time is up. When a wrestler wins an individual bout, he or she earns six points for their school. The school with the most points at the end wins the competition.

The one- =on-one competition that wrestling offers is something that wrestlers take seriously. “[Wrestling] is a big one-on-one sport, it lets you test yourself as a person,” senior Adam Robertson said.

In comparison to a team sport, wrestling forces a participant to put a win or loss in their own hands each time that they compete.

This pressure can serve as motivation.

“It puts more stress on me, but it makes me do better, “ senior John Honaker said. “It makes me think what I’ve got to do because I can’t rely on other people, and it gets me motivated to do better.”

Wrestling has a mental aspect that is crucial to its success. Though it may look completely physical, it is not.

“It is not just a physical game, you have to intimidate your opponent, you have to be able to think fast on a fly in case you get into a bad situation, and you have to be mentally ready that you can beat anybody out there,” said Zach Relford, sophomore wrestling captain.

“It’s a little bit of a chess game in your mind. You can’t just go out there and not know what you’re doing even if you’re strong,” Robertson said.

To be ready to step up and take on opponents and to stay in a certain weight class, wrestlers train hard and the coaches try to encourage them to eat healthy. However, wrestlers do not lose significant amounts of weight to make a weight class.

“We just try to encourage them to eat healthier and sometimes less amounts, like try to cut out all the french fries and all that fatty-type foods,” said wrestling coach David Emory. “Generally, I’m one of those coaches where we don’t try to cut too much weight. There’s some coaches that try to have their kids cut like close to twenty pounds to make a weight. I don’t do that.”

To help the wrestlers get a leg up on the opposition, the coaches try to go over with them things that can help to keep them out of certain situations based on tendencies that they know certain opponents have in a match. Also in preparation, coaches go over things that they want each wrestler to do in the matches. Individual wrestlers have their own ways of getting ready as well.

“I don’t really specifically prepare for most opponents... I either work really hard on one certain aspect, whether possibly they might be good on top or bottom, But, mostly I just work fundamentals and practice that,” junior Andraey Pompey said.

With the one-on-one battles that wrestlers fight and the training that they go through, wrestling is both a challenge and a good way of staying healthy.

“Wrestling is actually one of the most physically demanding sports in the world.

And it keeps me healthy because it keeps me in better shape than any other sport,” Relford said.

Junior Brandon Willoughby (top) and Senior Kedrick Sousa (bottom) work on drills during wrestling practice on Mon. Nov. 22. The team has been practicing since Nov. 15. Photo by Wayne Epps, Jr.