VOLUME 69 ISSUE 2
TUESDAY NOVEMBER 5, 2013
In This Issue... Closed for Business: The 2013 Government Shut Down...1 NaNoWriMo............................................................................1 Guess Who: Westover Faculty...............................................2 15 Confessions from My Time at Westover.........................2 Varsity Volleyball Turning Point...........................................2 #Trends.....................................................................................3 iheartfroyo................................................................................3 Westover Girls in the Wilderness..........................................4 Horoscopes...............................................................................5 Letter from the Editors...........................................................5 Wick Staff..................................................................................5 Wick-er of the Month.............................................................5
Closed for Business: The 2013 Government Shut Down When one hears the phrase “government shut down”, I am certain images of flaming buildings and midnight raids pop into the heads of many a concerned citizen. People may assume that the government shut down is merely the preface to the United States’ spiral into a dystopian society, one that bears a striking resemblance to that of Orwell’s 1984. Believe it or not, this would not be the first time the United States government has posted a “closed for business” sign in its window. Prior to the 2013 government shut down (lasting 16 days), the United States government has been shut down seventeen times. The most common cause of the shutdowns? A little thing called a funding gap, in which the government fails to pass legislation funding any projects or agencies run by the government. This question of funding government programs does not end at moving a few dollars and cents around: we’re talking about millions, billions of dollars in federal funding! During a shutdown, national parks and monuments are closed, and “non-essential” government employees are laid off from work. Veteran’s hospitals stay open, but many government departments close their doors until an agreement is reached. It is often a question of whether or not the government shut down is helping America in the long run, or merely straining an already persisting problem (in this case the ballooning national debt). How the government decides to spend its money depends largely on party politics and the ever-present question of morality and its place in the government. For example, there were six government shutdowns between Gerald Ford’s and Jimmy Carter’s administrations, each lasting anywhere between eight and eighteen days. The issue at the heart
Learn more about Courtney and Emily’s adventures in Washington and Alaska on page 4!
of these shutdowns was funding for abortions, and as a result the Health department was most deeply affected by the shutdowns. The most recent shut down (from October 1st to October 16th, 2013) was also pertaining to healthcare, specifically funding for the Affordable Health Care Act, which would provide healthcare to uninsured Americans. Party politics were crucial in this shut down. The House Republicans (who currently control the House of Representatives) did not want to fund the Affordable Health Care Act, using the current national debt as backing for their argument. The Democrats, however (who currently control the Senate), pushed strongly for funding for the act. Both of these stances are not surprising as they both speak to the political ideologies of the respective parties. In the end, Congress decided they would raise the debt ceiling in order to fund the Affordable Healthcare Act, a victory for Senate Democrats. The government shut down has its clear supporters and opponents, and while many may view the shut down as an assault on the American public, there are some that defend the shut down in the spirit of Thomas Jefferson’s belief that a little rebellion is necessary to sustain a successful democratic society. “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants”, but the question remains how much blood should be shed before it goes too far. Sources: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0774721. html -Lauren Danielowski ‘14
NaNoWriMo It’s that time of year again. The time when all the trees start to lose their leaves and the flowers droop and lose their petal: a time when writers from all over the globe to write about the beautiful month of November. November is known to many as the month of Thanksgiving or the starting of the end of the year. However, to Chris Baty, the founder of NaNoWriMo, November is the start of a winter wonderland. Chris Baty, whom some of you may have heard of, is the founder of a competition known simply as NaNoWriMo or otherwise known as The National Novel Writing Month. Each participant of the NaNoWriMo competition is asked to write fifty thousand words of pure imagination. Throughout the month of November, the NaNoWriMo organizes forums for the anxious, concerned, and skilled participants. Along with forums for writers to chat on, the NaNoWriMo provides each participant with an account on she can view her daily progress. Winners of the NaNoWriMo receive special codes to gain writing software at discounted prices as well as free gifts from yearly sponsors. Next time you feel the urge to cozy up with a warm blanket amid the cold November air, I encourage you to think of joining the NaNoWriMo competition. Clearly this writing competition takes determination, work ethic, and willpower; however, the few who successfully complete this daunting writing task are the true faces of perseverance. -Rachel Yerks ‘16