Home for the holidays

I am going back home for Christmas break! This is the first time in four years I will spend the holiday with my family in Korea. Although I went home during summer, I couldn't spend any holidays with my parents because there are no holidays during that time.

Humans are social beings that require close relationships with other people. As they live in this world, people make various groups. Among those, the closest relationship would be their family. That is why people say, "Blood is thicker than water." Especially in my culture, the relationship with family is one of the most important aspects in our life. We have to visit our parents and grandparents to show our respect. When they are old, we have to take care of them. As the youngest child in my whole family, it is my job to please my grandparents. Since I did not visit them for years, I felt bad for it.

When North Korea attacked South Korea a month ago, I was really depressed. I started worrying about my family. What if something happens to my family? Shouldn't I have to visit my grandparents often since they are so old?

So when I got this chance to go to home, I was so excited. If I was an American, who express their feelings well, then I would almost cry because I was so happy. The thing I am most looking forward to is talking--talking to my family and friends and sharing all the news. After that, I will eat Korean homemade food. I will meet my friends and visit all the places I want to go. Also, I will feel the warmth in my country since Chicago is freezing cold.

If anyone wants to come with me, you are more than welcome to.

By Yoha Lee

Firchau Day a Success

December 11 marked a day to remember: Westminster Christian’s first ever Firchau day.

The event, planned by the Pep Club, took place throughout all 5 of the games. Posters of Firchau covered the school while Firchau masks swept the stands; every fan in attendance was in for a night to remember.

Each game had its own special Firchau half time challenge in which 3 selected crowd members came up to compete. The half time events included Firchau trivia and pin the mustache on Firchau. Third place was awarded the famed starlight mints, proven to give energy and passed out to each of the varsity players before every game. Second place winners were given a glasses, nose, and mustache combo accessory. And the winner of every event received the $10 iTunes gift card.

The attendees of the games were encouraged to dress up like the Westminster coach. The most popular Firchau accessory was, of course, the legendary mustache. The top three finalists for best Firchau look alike were: Coach Flickenger (who nobly shaved off his own beard to create his own Firchau mustache), Taylor Battle, and Esther Kim. School spirit was in the air as Pep Club led chants of Firchau’s most famous quotes, including: “Jiminy Christmas!”, “Boy am I hot!”, and “I wouldn’t want to be in a foxhole with you!” In addition, special Firchau inspired cheers took place during the time outs.

All in all, Pep Club set the stage for true school spirit while honoring one of the school’s most renowned coaches.

By Ellie Fink 

Bergdahl's capture

In June of 2009, US soldier Bowe Bergdahl was captured by eight armed members of the Taliban. Recently, a video was released showing Bergdahl alive dressed in Afghan clothing. As of now, no one knows where he is. He appears to be thinner and covered in bruises in the video, showing that these Taliban members have mistreated him. They gave themselves away to the world as a terrorist group.

These guys better watch their backs. They think they’re all sneaky and cool because they have an American soldier, but they will regret it when we find them. It really hurts to think that someone would actually steal and torture an innocent person. I hope Bergdahl is still alive when they find him, his family deserves to sleep in peace.

By Kelly Beecher

A cheerleader’s perspective

A lot has been accomplished within the past two months for the cheer squad, which has many new additions from last year.

The first game the cheerleaders cheered at this season was the boys’ season opener in the Thanksgiving tournament. The stunts were great, and included basket tosses, twist-downs, and extensions. Personally, I’ve learned many new cheers and was excited to watch the squad's perfect our dance routine. Some of my favorite cheers are "Rock and Roll" and "Now We’re Ahead."

On Friday, Dec. 3, we cheered for our first away game at Rockford Christian. At first we were really psyched, but then we found out they also had cheerleaders, and became a little nervous. We tried to push aside our nervousness, and we got through the first half successfully. At half-time we were delighted to hear that the Rockford Christian Cheerleaders had snacks for us. After that we were no longer nervous.

In recent weeks we have finalized some new stunts. One of our new stunts includes a one man, which is when one base holds a flyer. Another is a full-liberty. This is when we go into an extension, and the flyer is on one foot and the other is held up, by the knee. Other stunts that we’ve perfected include twist downs, extensions and sweeps. We are planning to go to competition at the end of February. Till then, come watch us while we cheer at basketball games.

                        By: Ashley Kivikoski

Winter Pick Me Up

What is the thing that everyone wants when it starts to get cold out? Hot chocolate, of course! There are lots of different types of hot chocolate. Here is a recipe for my favorite gourmet version.

Ingredients: 

One half teaspoon of vanilla

Two scoops of Ghirardelli hot cocoa

One cup of milk

One candy cane

Put the vanilla and hot cocoa in the cup, heat up the milk and pour it over the cocoa and vanilla.  Then stir it with the candy cane and let it melt. There you have it-- a sweet, smooth, and festive hot chocolate.  Try it out and I hope you enjoy it on a cold day.

By Claire Kuda

Palin has followers

 How long would you wait in line to meet a celebrity? What about a politician? Or would you stake out to meet a political celebrity? A 66 year old man waited 17 ½ hours in line to greet Sarah Palin in Cincinnati. David Richardson is an elderly man who believes in Sarah Palin, enough to wait in line for countless hours to have her sign his book and tell her how much she means to him and America.

“I think she’s behind the single biggest change in politics and political discussion in the United States," said Richardson. “She’s inspired so many others to run for office at the local level, from city councils to township commissions,” Richardson added. “As those people begin to take office, it’s going to transform this country. And it’s all going to be because of her.”

Sarah Palin said she feels humbled by the experience of having so many people supporting her at such events. David obviously shows no concern for the fact that Palin is a woman, and he strongly supports what she’s moving toward. A man who grew up in a generation when women were not typically considered as “Equals” he sees this as a chance for history to mold itself. A woman is standing her ground and making an impact as we saw with the Tea-Party movement. Keep in mind that he was not alone in this line. Many people are backing up the Palin movement, and we’ll soon see how things turn out with Presidential candidates coming out for the 2012 elections.

By Anais Tabor

"High School Superstar"

"High School Superstar"

All around the nation there are high school athletes competing in various sports.  Some of these athletes are considered "superstars" or "celebrities" around the school, in the community, or in some circumstances the nation.  However, most of these gifted players don't play for their team or school.  I find that these "superstars" are just looking to put on a show and boost their own statistics.  I have personally witnessed a couple of these players in action. 

 I watched a student at the state finals 2 years ago play.  He was, of course, a highly talented player dunking and making several moves on offense to get his points.  However, he didn't hustle and played lazy for the most part.  This game was the state championship game too.  One would think since this was his last game of the year he would go all out and leave it on the floor.  This was not the case, however, and his team lost by around 6 points.  So maybe if this "star" left his ego at home and played for his team they could’ve won the state championship. 

 Another example that I recently witnessed was the play of a student from East Aurora.  He is a top recruit and player out of Illinois who has committed to the University of Connecticut.  I was expecting great things from his play.  He of course put on a show with his skills. The first example that he wanted a "show" and not a good team game was when he had an alleyoop dunk in the first half.  He proceeded to hang on the rim twist around and do a chin-up; of course he got a technical foul.  He's lucky he is a star player and not a regular one because the coach would’ve chewed him out.  Countless times during the game he would taunt the South Elgin fans making signals, like pretending to smoke.  The last example that really ticked me off was when his team was up by around 30 in the 4th quarter and his coach took him out.  He had 34 points and played a solid game statistically even though he didn't play much defense or with any hustle or passion for the game.  While on the bench he proceeded to get mad at his coach for taking him out.  He did this the rest of the game and didn't even cheer on his own teammates.  This is a clear sign that he clearly doesn't play for his team, just himself. 

Though these two players are highly skilled and will have good careers the "superstars" of the high school world have lessons to learn.  They need to respect the game and people who have played before them.  They need to play and act like a team, play with passion, and work hard.  They need to stop acting like "superstars" and act and play with the team.  This is how a true player plays.

By Andrew Mason

The best of Android and PSP

Playstation is making yet another gaming system, only this time you can make calls on it! The Sony Ericsson Zeus Playstation Phone, also called Zeuz Z1, will soon make its way on to the technology scene. It will have apps, just like the iPhone, plus an actual Playstation option. It's all touch screen until you turn it on its side and slide up to find the same buttons you would on a Playstation remote. Some people are calling it a PSP Go with a talking facility. It has  512MB of RAM and 1GB of storage. There's also a camera, which is 5 megapixels, and has a four inch screen. It is called Zeus because its creators' intend on it setting standard for ultimate gaming devices.

            By: Becky Welc

Update on Korea

On Nov. 23, North Korea suddenly bombed Yeonpyeong Island and killed two South Korean marines and two civilian construction workers. The attack was the first one on land since the Korean War, which ended in 1953. This attack also marked the first civilian deaths in an assault since the bombing of a South Korean airliner in 1987. According to the town hall, 44 islanders and marines were wounded in the attack, while 25 homes were completely destroyed and 78 more were damaged.

Most residents of the island fled to the South Korean mainland. Many of them are afraid of another attack and said that they will not go back to their home.

For nearly 60 years, North and South Korea have faced each other across one of the world's most heavily armed borders, since there was never a peace treaty signed. People say that one reason for bombing the South is to help North Korean's succession for a third generation. Even South Korea's intelligence chief has said that North Korea will likely attack South Korea again in order to bolster the handover of power from Kim Jong-il to his youngest son.

Many South Koreans are mad at the government for its response to the attack. South Korea's defense minister has resigned after facing criticism that the government responded weakly to North Korea's artillery attack when the South Korean soldiers responded to the attack by firing 80 shells back across the border.

This problem is difficult to figure out. The government is stuck in a dilemma because they want to demonstrate its resolve against North Korea while at the same time preventing war.

By Yoha Lee

Christmas Traditions

There is a great tradition in my family and I believe in many other families as well; putting up the Christmas tree the day after Thanksgiving. 

Every year after we have stuffed ourselves for the second day with stuffing and turkey, we get our tree and put it up.  My mom puts the twinkling lights on the inside of the tree, and I take over from there.  I wrap the tree with some more lights, non-twinkling ones, and put the ornaments on. 

There’s a theme to my styling every year.  This year I chose to use red and gold ornaments and some angel ornaments that we have had for years.  We usually make hot chocolate, put on some Christmas music and light a fire in the fire place to get into the Christmas spirit. 

So when you're putting up your tree, remember that it can be a great time for family.

By Claire Kuda

Time to take the test of the semester

 It is the season to be jolly, thankful, and, worst of all, stressed. Before all the sleep, play, and presents there are the dreaded finals. As the first snow begins to fall, students are anticipating the upcoming major event of the semester. Legs are shaking; nails are being bitten. The stress is building as the December days pass by. Study guides are made along with flash cards, practice tests, study partners, and end of the chapter reviews.

However, people find ways to keep themselves calm. Some like getting a good amount of sleep, while others like making sure they eat right. At times, people simply like lying around. Other ways of dealing with stress are listening to music, taking a walk, chatting with friends, watching fish in an aquarium, playing with pets, drawing pictures or coloring, dancing, praying, watching snow fall, pampering oneself, prioritizing, making a schedule, and many more.

The difficulty levels of dealing with stress are harder for some than others. For instance, students have been known to clean their room like there’s no tomorrow. Others push themselves harder in their sports’ games and practices. Also, some of the stressed people attempt to cook everything they can.

There is no way to avoid finals, but there are always ways to stay calm and relaxed. It helps to start studying ahead of time and to study little by little every night before you go to bed. Actually, it is proven that if you study or read something right before you go to bed, you can recall that information better.

Remember to take everything a step at a time, you can always ask for help, and it is fun to step in fresh snow to get your mind off of finals!

By Becky Welc

Actor Kills Mom with Samurai Sword

Michael Brea had minor roles in the ABC television show “Ugly Betty” and the movie “Step Up 3D.”  However,  he is  now achieving more fame,  but not from more television shows or movies. Recently he was charged with the of killing his mother with a samurai sword inside their apartment on Nov. 23, 2010, in Prospect Heights.

            Brea told the police that he had seen the devil in his mother.  According to police, he killed his mother shouting “sinner,” “repent,” and neighbors say they heard him yelling, “You never accepted Jesus.”

            However, neighbors are upset with the police about this particular situation.  They say the police waited about an hour before entering their apartment.  One neighbor said that he could hear her groaning, but she was not dead.  He also said that if police would have entered right away, Michael Brea’s mother, Yannick Brea, would have still been alive today. 

            According to friends and neighbors, Brea was a friendly man with no known history of mental illness.  However, Brea has been arrested for murder and is getting psychiatric treatment at Kings County Hospital. 

By: Elizabeth Farwell

"You Can't Take it With You" a Success

Dec. 4 was the opening night of the high school play, “You Can’t Take it With You.” 

This play is a comedy is about a young couple, recently engaged, who come from very different families. Alice Sycamore, played by Allison Sleeting, lives in a home whose family's social structure is far from normal, while Tony Kirby, played by Bryce McAuliffe, is part of a high class, structured, business family.

The pivotal part of the play was the dinner shared between the two families. This is when the drastic differences between the two families is brought out directly for the audience. The list of fiascoes starts with the Kirby family arriving on the wrong day. From then on, the night continues into a spiral of madness.

The play is high energy and rarely encounters a dull moment. The long line of somewhat random characters keeps the audience on their toes. The entire cast delivered a successful performance that provided the audience with a fulfilling comedic experience. Thank you to everyone who supported the cast by coming to the show and congratulations to everyone involved in the production!

By: Ellie Fink

The Forgotten Prince

With the media’s current infatuation with Prince William and his engagement to Kate Middleton, it seems as though the little brother, Harry, has been pushed aside. Well, I think it’s time he was given some attention!

Prince Henry Charles Albert David of Wales is third in the line of succession to the throne of 16 different countries, though primarily to the United Kingdom. He is the son of Prince Charles and the late Princess Diana, and was born on Dec. 21, 1984.

He attended Eton College where he studied geography and art. After graduation, he spent a year in Australia where he worked on a cattle ranch and competed in polo and rugby. He also spent time in the African nation of Lesotho, working with orphans and producing a documentary known as The Forgotten Kingdom. He is responsible for the creation of Sentebale - a charity to aid children orphaned by HIV/AIDS based in Losotho. 

After his time abroad in 2005, the young prince returned home and enlisted in the Royal Military Academy. While in Afghanistan, Harry had called in United States Air Force air strikes, helped Gurkha troops repel an attack from Taliban insurgents, and performed patrol duty in hostile areas. In 2008 he was decorated with the Operational Service Medal for Afghanistan.

Harry’s recent desire has been to fly military helicopters in the Army Air Corps, just as his brother, father and uncle did, and he was presented with his wings in early 2010. Clearly “His Royal Highness Henry of Wales” is worthy of more attention than he receives. At the young age of twenty-six, the prince has accomplished more than some do in an entire lifetime.

By: Anne Lehan

Yoha loves Brad Pitt

Age is just a number for actor Brad Pitt who was born in December 1963, making him 46 years old now. Although he is old, he is still active and doing a lot of work.

After being raised in the Midwest, Pitt moved to Los Angeles, two weeks before earning his degree. After working odd jobs, he landed his first starring role in the 1994 movie, Interview with the Vampire acting alongside Tom Cruise. In 1999 he furthered his acting career in the movies, Seven, 12 Monkeys and finally, Fight Club. Through these movies he became popular and still impresses many people with his acting.

Appearance is also very important to Brad Pitt and has been described as one of the world's most attractive men. He was selected as the "most attractive" man alive twice by People magazine. In the movie Fight Club and Troy, Pitt worked out to look strong. He took lessons in boxing, taekwondo, and grappling. Of course, people praised him for his work and physique.

Along with his acting career and flawless appearances, Pitt owns a production company named Plan B Entertainment. He is busy with acting and producing movies, being a hard worker, and continues to be the most attractive movie star in the world!

By Yoha Lee

Pull up your pants!

Pull Up Your Pants

Johnson was Black Friday shopping wearing saggy pants. While shopping Johnson faced ridicule from other shoppers, who decided to do something about this unwanted sight. The security guard approached Johnson and told him to pull up his pants, which he did. But, when the security guard saw Mario later in the checkout line, his pants were once again low.

As soon as Mario was reproached, the tensions rose. Profanity was shouted and fingers were pointed. The police arrested Mario Johnson at 5:30 a.m. He is now being charged with indecent exposure and disorderly conduct and is being held on a $500 bond in Shelby County Jail.

By Anais Tabor“Looking like a fool with your pants on the ground,” ---- This famous quote from an American Idol hopeful can also be applied to Black Friday Wal-Mart shopper, Mario Johnson, in Memphis, Tenn., who was arrested for indecent exposure. 

Comic book fun

One of the easiest and most popular ways to spend free time is reading comic books. With detailed description and interesting stories, comics will show you a new world.

Japan is well known for their huge comic market. Their comics,  called Manga, and animations not only earn a lot of money from other countries but also help create a good image of Japan.

There are hundreds of different comic books in the market. Here are some famous Manga:

"Bleach": This is about adventure of Ichigo, a soul reaper. He tries to defend people from evil spirits. Right now he is working on controlling his power and saving his friend. The series is not done yet and has unreleased issues.

"D. Gray - Man": A handsome boy, Allen Walker, becomes an Exorcist, and destroys Akuma, monsters. With his special left eye, he can distinguish between normal people and Akuma. One of his duties is to find Innocence, and fight against the Noah family. But people find out that 14th Noah has a connection with Allen. This series also is not finished yet.

"Case Closed": Also known as Meitantei Conan, this comic is a famous detective series. One day, Conan was attacked by strangers and became a little kid. Since he cannot speak in public as a kid, he decided to stay close to his friend's father, a private investigator. He helps solve criminal cases and helps people through the investigator.

"Dragon Ball": Although it is an old comic book, many people still love it. It is a story of Son Goku training his fighting skills and searching for seven dragon balls, which are known for answering one's wish. There are over 40 issues in this popular series.

"One Piece": This is the best-selling comic book in Japan. Recently the 60th volume was released and over two million copies were sold within a week. It tells of the adventures Monkey D. Luffy and his pirates have. Monkey D. Luffy is exploring the ocean and searching for the treasure, One Piece, so that he can be a Pirate King.

By Yoha Lee