Pickles

Pickles are a great and an extremely healthy snack.  They are low in saturated fat and very low in cholesterol.  It is also a good source of Vitamin A, iron, potassium, manganese, and a very good source of dietary fiber, Vitamin K and calcium. 

Pickles are simply cucumbers soaked in vinegar and other spices and flavors.  Pickles can be eaten plain with the delicious flavors of either the original dill pickle, or the sweet bread-and-butter pickle. 

Pickles can be bought in chips, chunks, gherkins, halves, lengthwise slices (for sandwiches), salad cubes, relish, spears, sticks, and whole.  Pickles are served in many different forms.  Many people simply enjoy their pickles whole; others like them on their sandwiches and burgers. Still, others prefer pickles in appetizers mixed with other foods. Any of these ways will help you enjoy the original and healthy food. 

Americans consume about 9 pounds of pickles each year, and 67 percent of all Americans eat pickles.  Over 100,000 acres in America are devoted to growing pickle cucumbers.  They are grown in 30 different states, primarily in California, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, North and South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin.

By Wil Woodhouse

The Annoyance of Cats

Cats are pets that many American families own, but why would anyone want them?

There are many reason cat owners say that they “love” their fluffy little animals.  They claim that their cats are the cutest, most adorable, and most fun animals ever.  However, house cats of any sort are the most annoying creature ever created. 

One reason cats are just absolutely awful is that they smell bad.  They just strut around human’s houses without ever bathing themselves. 

A second reason that cats are despicable is because they shed their long, fluffy, and smelly hair all over their owner’s houses, cars, and wherever they go. 

The third reason cats are the worst creature created is that cats think that they are gods.  For whatever reason, these disgusting creatures feel that they are better than everyone else and that they are entitled to whatever they please. 

Cats pay no attention to anyone else and do not think about anyone or anything but themselves and making sure they are fed.

By Wil Woodhouse

There's Still Hope for Netflix

If you have never experienced the brilliance that is Netflix, you must have been living under a rock for the past few years.

Netflix is a popular service that allows you to watch all of your favorite movies and TV shows anytime you want from your TV or computer. However, this summer, Netflix decided to make one tragic error. The service lost around one million subscribers when it announced that it was raising its prices from $9.99 a month to $15.99 for both DVD rentals and instant streaming ($7.99 each). The event has frustrated even Netflix’s most loyal fans. Many people have either split their plan to only include either DVD rentals or instant streaming or have just canceled their service altogether.

However, Netflix continues to assure customers who are still holding on that the increase is ultimately for the best. Previously, Netflix did not have many popular DVDs available for instant streaming; they all had to be ordered, one at a time. Now, due to the price increase, Netflix claims that they will be able to license a larger variety of DVDs for instant streaming and improve their services.

For those of us still clinging to our dreams of watching our favorite shows and movies whenever we want, there is hope. Although Netflix now has 24 million subscribers instead of 25 million, it does not look like they will be going out of business anytime soon.

By Alexis Brenner

Haircuts

What happens when your hair is getting a little too long? You get a haircut. All people get different types of haircuts. Haircuts are different priorities for people. Some people really love getting their haircut, while others don’t. It’s just a matter of personal preference. Some people spend a lot on haircuts, some people don’t. Where you go to get your haircut is up to you. You can go to a fancy salon, or you can go to the neighborhood barber down the road. Different people like different haircuts. Some popular haircuts include afros, bangs, beehives, blowouts, bob cut (for the gals), bouffant, braid, bun, buzz cut, caesar cut, chon mage, and my personal favorite, the comb over. Any barber can handle most of these styles. Good luck with your next haircut!

By Jimmy Chapman

 

Duncan Rocks

Duncan Rocks is a youtube show that I find quite enjoyable.  The show is in a vlog type format, in which a moustached ginger “talks about some topics,” which is the catchprhase of the show.  But other than that, the show does not follow any sort of set content.  One time he will have a guest on his show or he will be interviewing people on the street about the iphone 4 release; it is always a surprise. 

When he's not out interviewing people, he's talking about video games or movies or whatever is happening in the news, all from the comfort of his parents' home. 

While my descripton of the show does not do it justice, I don’t really care 'cause no one's gonne read this anyway. 

By Bryce McAuliffe

Drive

"Drive" is really good.  In case you live under a rock, "Drive" is Ryan Gosling's most recent movie.  It follows the life a man who leads a double life: stunt driver by day, getaway driver by night. 

 It is a very intense film with lots of really cool dialogue and even cooler actions and stuff.  It was well shot and everyone was on point.  It was one of the best films ive seen this year.

Id give this film 8 leather scorpion jackets out of 10.

By Bryce McAuliffe

The Perfect Drink for any Season and Reason

Caramel Frappes from McDonalds are drinks that are not only for summer, but also for fall and winter, plus they are the best cold coffee drinks around.

The rich caramel and coffee blend satisfies your taste buds with every sip. The coldness from the crushed up ice adds to its delicious chilling, mouthwatering taste. To top it all off, whip cream with caramel sauce fills the drink from top to bottom.

During the summer, this drink can be carried around at any event and at any time. During the winter, this caramel delight is the perfect coffee, caramel, or desert craving that you can have at night or in the morning.

Now, if you don’t like caramel, there is always the option of mocha. I personally believe that caramel is the best because the caramel mixes well and lowers the intensity of the coffee taste. The mocha keeps the intensity of the coffee taste and although it is good, it is not as well balanced as the caramel frappe.

The caramel frappe is by far my favorite coffee drink and always will be. I highly recommend this mouthwatering caramel drink to everyone, you won’t be disappointed.

By Mallory Richardson

My Family

I live in a family that consists of five people: three children with two parents. I am the middle child,  with one older brother and one younger sister. It's an ordinary life.

Now, with every family there are the two siblings that get along the best and in my family, that’s me and Chris. He and I tend to team up against our strict and sometimes unfair parents. We are the siblings that people should fear; we can take down anyone that gets in our way. We are the perfect pair.

Our younger sister sometimes gets jealous of my brother and my inseparable friendship. Don’t get me wrong; we do try to include her but we all know the youngest doesn’t always get along with the older siblings. When I was younger I used to despise my brother; he was obnoxious, his friends were obnoxious, his games were obnoxious, and everything about him was obnoxious. However, as we both matured, we weren’t just siblings anymore; we were friends. To this day we do a lot together, tell each other most everything and we’re on our way to ruling the world because no one can overcome the two of us.

By Rachel Fugiel

Mind Reading

Reading the thoughts of others can be as simple as understanding eye movements in particular directions.

Looking in the upper-left direction signifies a person is visually constructing images in their mind. Looking in the upper-right direction means a visual recollection is in process. If you notice someone's eyes directed in the left direction, they are imagining (creating) a sound in their mind. But, if they look to the right, they are simply having an auditory recollection, usually a specific sound.

A person will look to the lower-left when remembering a smell, taste, feeling, and anything else besides image or sound. In order to determine if someone is "talking to themselves" inside of their head, you will notice their eyes directed in the lower-right direction. These eye movements can help you to determine internal dialogue or if they are trying to remember something. They can even be used to detect lies!

Better yet, now that you know, you can utilize these tactics to disguise your own thoughts. Yes, you can manipulate how others read your thoughts.

By: Alison Howey

Exotic Animals Killed in Ohio Town

Just two days ago, 62-year-old Terry Thompson released 56 animals from his wildlife preserve in Zanesville, Ohio before taking his own life.

Tigers, monkeys, wolves, bears, and leopards roamed the streets for hours. The entire town shut down while authorities tried to capture the dangerous animals. Many of them had to be killed; only a few
survived. The event terrified the citizens of Zanesville but no one was injured, although the town sheriff reported that there were several "very close calls."

Still, this was an incredibly tragic event. Not only was a human life lost, but the lives of endangered
animals were needlessly wasted. Several Bengal tigers, which are nearly extinct, were shot and killed. This event raised an important question to everyone's minds: should there be stricter limitations on
exotic animal ownership? Many are crying out against the nearly non-existent laws in Ohio.

Authorities promise that regulations will be passed very soon. Hopefully a catastrophe such as this will never occur again.

By Alexis Brenner

Colin and Wil

Colin and Wil are cousins as well as best friends. They do just about everything together: go to class together, hang out together, gossip together, and laugh together.  

Most people look at them as the same person because of how alike they are. However, they do have some differences.

The first difference between these two is Wil's obsession with animals. He spends hours on the Internet looking up different sorts of animals. He talks about animals and shares interesting facts with the people around him, whereas Colin is more of a shoe guy, I'm pretty sure I've never seen him in the same pair of shoes because he owns so many. He also loves shopping for new shoes and enjoys looking at the various colors and types.

So, even though many people look at Colin and Wil as the same person, seeing as they have a lot in common, they actually have many different interests and think about different things. They’re both awesome, but they are not the same person.

By Rachel Fugiel

Ryan on Upcoming World Series

The World Series is approaching fast and the Texas Rangers will soon take on the St. Louis Cardinals.

After a very high scoring NLCS, the Cardinals defeated the Brewers at Miller Park 12 to 6. Jason Motte had two saves and a 0.00 ERA in the NLCS.  Maintaining a perfect ERA in a playoff series is very hard to do.

However, Texas also hit their way into the fall classic. Nelson Cruz the ALCS MVP, hit a record-breaking 6 home runs in the ALCS, sending the Rangers to their second consecutive World Series appearance. The Texas pitching, if you look at the numbers, is not a very solid rotation.  However, if you watched the ALCS you would likely think less.

The World Series is going to be exciting; the St. Louis stars Albert Pujols, Lance Berkman, and Matt Holiday were not that explosive on the offensive side of the game. Rafeal Furcal, David Freese, and Jon Jay really stepped up. David Freese was rewarded the NLCS MVP.

If you asked me who I thought the better MVP was, I would have to say Nelson Cruz over Freese because Cruz broke a homerun record hitting six in the ALCS alone. Freese did do well---don't get me wrong---but Cruz outdid him.

Will the Texas Rangers hitters over power the solid Cardinals pitching rotation? Tune in to the Fox network on Wednesday as game 1 of the World Series kicks off.

Andrew Ryan

Kobe Bryant Far Overrated

The Los Angeles Lakers so-called “star” as of right now, is Kobe Bryant.

He was drafted directly out of high school in the 1996 NBA Draft as the 13^th overall pick. Bryant immediately became a fan favorite when he won the 1997 Slam Dunk Contest.

You can simply not overlook the fact that Kobe has been one of the sport’s highest-scoring players throughout his career in the NBA. Many people say he is the “greatest in the game.” However, he doesn’t always display the traits to be called the “best” in the NBA. Stats have shown that Kobe Bryant tends to choke when it comes to playoff time.

During the years 2000-2002 when the Lakers won the NBA finals three years in a row, Kobe the “star,” was not the one leading the team as a “star” player would be expected to. His points per game and assists per game dropped significantly once playoff hit.

To say the least, Kobe Bryant is not all he is cracked up to be. 

By: Wil Woodhouse

Kobe Bryant, the Greatest Player in the NBA

Kobe Bryant, drafted straight out of Lower Merion High School, was only the sixth player to get drafted right from high school.  Bryant was only eighteen during his rookie season, making him at the time the youngest player ever.  During his rookie season, his playing time was pretty limited, but as the season progressed he got more and more playing time and he ended the season averaging 15.5 minutes a game.   Kobe Bryant also won the Slam Dunk competition his rookie season and became the youngest player to do so at the age of eighteen. 

During the ‘98-‘99 year was when Bryant really started to emerge as an elite player in the NBA.  The next three years, however, definitely made a statement that Bryant and the Lakers are the best in the NBA by winning the next three NBA championships. 

On Jan. 22, 2006, Kobe set his career high for points in a game by dropping eighty-one on the Toronto Raptors and leading the Lakers to victory.  After losing to the Boston Celtics in the 07’ finals, Kobe and the Lakers came out and won the Championship back to back and in doing so, gave Kobe his fifth ring. 

Kobe was recently ranked the 7th of the top ten NBA players and along with his five championships. Kobe Bryant is without a doubt one of the best players who has ever lived. 

 By: Colin Brandon

C'mon Coaches Let's Get It Under Control

Whether it be due to the nature of its physicality, intensity, or because it’s a game of angry 300 pound men hitting one another; football is one of the most rough and exciting games around.

With this excitement brings about a clash- prone environment. At any moment, one of the players could get mad and start a fight with a member of the opposing team. It is possible that, with the exception of hockey, football brings about more fights than any other sport.

However, last week brought about a different kind of fight, between opposing coaches. Coaches Jim Schwartz, from the Detroit Lions, and  Jim Harbaugh, of the San Francisco 49ers were both got caught up in the game and ended up squaring off. Both teams are working towards division championships and playoff appearances, the lions being undefeated, and the 49ers with only one loss. It came down to the last play and San Francisco won.

Coach Harbaugh, full of excitement jumping up and down, ran out onto the field to greet Coach Schwartz. He gave him what appeared to be a bit too aggressive of a hand shake and slap on the back and then walked away. Coach Schwartz, infuriated at the etiquette of Harbaugh began to chase him down the field, yelling obscenities at him. One thing led to another and players were prying the two coaches away from one another.

The NFL made their statement saying that coaches in this league are to be held to an ever higher standard than players and these two particular coaches will be delt with harshly, which is yet to be sentenced.

By Dylan Scully

A Day Without Gwen

I experienced the worst day of my life on Friday, Oct. 14, 2011.

I woke up just like any other day believing it was going to be a great day just like any other. I ate breakfast, got my bags ready, and went to school. I went through the first couple of periods perfectly fine, then third hour rolled around. It was then that I discovered a dreadful thing! Gwendolyn Payne was not at school!

I immediately thought to myself, “Has the world come to an end?” “Will I ever see her again?” “Will life ever be the same?” I was lost. I did not know what to do without my friend. Still, I began to think that everything was going to be ok; surely she would be back soon. Then, seventh period came and reality set in, Gwen really was not in school.  At this rate I might have an official mental breakdown. I felt so blue; I nearly sat in the corner to weep. I had no one to annoy, to creep, or frustrate with my half witted remarks. Oh, just to hear her tell me that I am all about myself.

Still, somehow I made it to the end of the day and through the weekend. Worried that I would not see Gwen again, Monday rolled around. Walking into school, much to my surprise I saw my long lost friend. Life was back to normal. I never want to experience another Friday, Oct. 14, 2011 again. 

By Kevin Elder

Abduction!

"Abduction" is the newest film Taylor Lautner has starred in.  This movie is incredible!  I loved every second of it; there was never a dull moment.  From the moment the film began, I knew it was going to be a winner. 

It starts with an intense action sequence where Taylor Lautner is riding on the hood of his friend’s truck as he’s racing down a hill.  The movie is filmed with memorable quotable lines like one from Taylor when he’s warning his girlfriend about staying with him: “suddenly people close to me are dying…” 

This was the first full length film from writer Shawn Christensen and it made quite a first impression.  I am looking forward to watch many more of his movies.  Some viewer comments are:

“If you loved the Bourne trilogy then you’ll love Abduction.”

“If you enjoy the comedic acting style of Ben Stiller then this is the film for you!!”

I give this film 7 half eaten bologna sandwiches out of 15, and one rotten apple. 

By: Bryce McAuliffe

Pringles

Pringles are making a huge comeback. Recently, my friends and I enjoyed a can of sour cream and onion Pingles.

The sour cream and onion Pringles come in the lime green cylinder. The cylinder packaging may be a ton of fun, but it also serves a purpose. The cylinder provides protection from the elements. It allows the crispy chips to stay in tact and save flavor. Pringles have been named the worlds most durable chip by Forbes magazine for this reason alone.

Pringles are the chip of choice for missionaries or really any traveler who is carrying food overseas. They can rely on the durable cylinder to keep their snack safe and fresh during their journeys.

Another reason Pringles are great is because you can put them into your mouth and look like a duck. Who wouldn't want to do this? A brilliant marketing strategy towards kids has proved nothing but success for Pringles.

Pringles mission is "Make every moment pop with a taste of the unexpected." They more than succeed with this mission of theirs.  Whenever Pringles are present, you can be darn sure that the moment will pop.  Whether you're a world traveler, or an elementary school student just looking for a snack, Pringles are the snack for you.

By: Jimmy Chapman

Alex Goot

Today, I will talk about an another YouTube star, Alex Goot.

Alex Goot is a popular YouTube star, just like Boyce Avenue. He goes on tours by himself and is currently on tour with Boyce Avenue.  He does covers of popular songs and posts the videos on YouTube, just like Boyce Avenue. Alex plays a lot of instruments such as the piano, drums, and guitar.  His songs or covers of songs are on Itunes.

If you go to his website, gootmusic.com, you will find all of his tour dates. You can get T-Shirts, bracelets, and albums on his site. Alex Goot is a fine musician and is very talented.

By: Charlie Ji

The Albino Gorilla

Snowflake, the one and only “white gorilla” ever known to the human race, was found in 1966 by ape specialist, Jordi Sabater Pi.  

He was first seen in the equatorial forest of Nko.  Snowflake was a Western Lowland Gorilla and after being captured at about age two, was sent to the Barcelona Zoo in Spanish Guinea.  While at the zoo, Snowflake was the father of 22 baby gorillas, but only 6 of them made it to adulthood, 3 male and 3 female. 

The great white gorilla suffered from skin cancer which was most likely related to his albinism.  The average wild gorilla lives to about 25 years of age; Snowflake, however, was about 40 years old when he died. 

Sadly, in November of 2003, Snowflake was euthanized.  He will always be remembered and loved by many people as the one and only “white gorilla.”

Wil Woodhouse

Adidas adiZero Rose 2

The highly anticipated adiZero Rose 2 has finally been released.  This shoe is what Derrick Rose and many others are going to wear for this season. 

The adiZero Derrick Rose 2 looks super stylish and has great traction, so when you make hard cuts to the hoop you will not be sliding all over the place.  This shoe also provides great ankle support even though it is a low top, and the ankle straps create a secure feeling for your foot and helps give you a stable base.  The sprintweb frames provides outstanding support and breathability so you can be more comfortable on the court. 

The best feature of the adiZero Rose 2 is probably the weight. The Rose 2 weighs in at just a little over twelve ounces, making it one of the lighter shoes that will be seen on the court this year. 

The setbacks to this shoe, however, are the lack of colors. As of right now, the only colors they have are red on white and red on black.  This lack of colors will greatly decrease the amount of shoes that are going to be sold because ballers that are not on a black or red team won’t purchase them because they will clash with their jerseys. 

Even with that being said, I still think that come this season many players will be wearing these kicks.
By: Colin Brandon

DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE (in modern language)

When peeps be bogus hatin on a crew that be reppin' they own turf they gotsta bounce on out the sitch. This be truth right her, you don't be dissin me n you get respect too. I aint gone let da man push me round no mo. You push me best believe im gone step up son. You get up on me, I will drop you where you stand foo. I gots my rights n i no em. That's erryday, belive. You can't do notin bout it. That's the way big JC intended, Respect. Thats the way it is, you got all up in ma business and now you best get out the way. That ain't me, you was bein bogus, n so you just do you, n imma do me. Get yo red coat back ova seas befo you get messed up, fo real. Make me mad, see what happens, you getta hide ya kids, hide ya wives, and hide ya husbands kus i be throwin down on erryone. You best not be talkin smack either or prepare to get done up.

We aint need yo, and we aint want yo. I was tellin yous and you aint listnin befo. We is done lettin you tell us what to do. We be good withoutchaya'll. So we gotsta split. We run this town now son. Money, Respect, Power, is in our hands now, and you aint got notin. We was one, now we is two. We can be cool bout this or we can knuckle up anytime, I will go ham all ova you. From dis you gotsta understand foo, its ova, aint no discussin left to do. We outtie.

Dylan Scully

How Ms. Shloss is a Genius

On Oct. 24, 2011, I saw Ms. Shloss rewriting the script for the middle school play, "Alice in the Wonderland." When I saw her writing, "Ms. Shloss is a genius," came up in my mind.

I think that Ms. Shloss is a genius. Who can rewrite the script for the play except for Ms. Shloss?! I don't think that anyone can do that except for her. I'd be so happy to read what she wrote.

When the date for the play is revealed, I'm definitely going. Ms. Shloss is directing the play, so everyone who reads this should go to the play, and listen carefully to the lines. Also, when the play is over, and Ms. Shloss comes up to give an announcement, everyone should stare at her just to creep her out.

By: Charlie Ji

We Have New World Series Champs

The St. Louis Cardinals shocked the world when they came back and won Game 6 of the 2011 World Series when St. Louis third baseman, David Freese, in the bottom of the 11th inning, hit a walk off homerun off  Texas reliever, Mark Lowe, sending the Series to Game 7 and possibly shift the momentum from the Rangers to the Cardinals.

In Game 7, Cardinals ace Chris Carpenter made the start with only three days rest after game 5 against Texas starter, CJ Wilson. In Game 7, the Rangers looked to have this game in the bag when they immediately got two runs in the top of the first off of Carpenter. Sadly, in the bottom of the inning, the Cards tied it up and ran with it the rest of the game.

After the game, the commissioner of baseball, Bud Selig, crowned the St. Louis native, David Freese, the World Series Most Valuable Player. Freese later won a local Little League field a new make over, thanks to the MLB's partnership with Chevy, and they also rewarded David with a brand new custom made 2012 Corvette.

The Texas Rangers, as well as the St. Louis Cardinals, most certainly did not play as a World Series contending team, making more than enough errors, both mentally and with their glove. 

Albert Pujols might not be a Cardinal as he goes up for free agency next year ,and what a way to be remembered, as Pujols hit three homeruns in Game 3 of the World Series in Arlington, Texas.  

What a World Series it was, and I can't wait for baseball next year!

 By: Andrew Ryan

Wedding woes

72 days after Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries wedding, Kim filed for a divorce.  Very few of their fans were surprised because tabloids have carried reports of the couples fights for weeks.

Kim said to E! news “I had hoped this marriage was forever, but sometimes things don’t work out as planned." Then she later said, "We remain friends and wish each other the best.”

Their wedding was broadcast on television and was watched by over 4.4 million people. Although some people said the wedding was a stunt, many believed it to be the most beautiful wedding they had ever seen.

Kim cited that they had irreconcilable differences, but some of her fans sensed a business decision.  Kim says that all the money she had received from her wedding will be given as gifts to the Dream Foundation.

Despite all the rumors of why she filed for divorce, we can't be sure of what went on in her household after the wedding. Her choice to separate from Kris is her decision and I hope that all the rumors will soon blow over.

By Rachel Fugiel

New stadium for Arizona baseball

It has been proven that it is nearly impossible for a baseball team to win a NCAA Superregional contest when on the road. The University of Arizona has made the playoffs 7 of the last 9 years. However, it has been hard for them to make it all the way to the College World Series because they are always on the road. Many times they have been the number one team in their Region, yet they could not host the Superregional contest precisely because their college stadium is sorely in need of updating.

Their present on campus stadium has been their primary home since 1967. While it is a beautiful field, the facilities have not been upgraded since it was built. The stadium’s restroom and concession areas are not able to accommodate the large crowds that attend such events. Further, the lighting is not conducive to televising the games in high definition.

In an effort to better the baseball program, the University of Arizona has made an agreement with the city of Tucson to move into a new facility. Hi Corbett, the former spring training complex for the Colorado Rockies and most recently, home to The Toro’s, a minor league team, is approximately five minutes off campus and will soon be home to the AU Wildcats. The new facility will have all the feel of being on campus with a little more room for fans. Coach Lopez expects that they will begin hosting Regionals and beyond as early as this upcoming season.

By Kevin Elder

Announcement Video

Recently, Westminster has implemented a new news program. Previously, the morning announcements have always been delivered by Austin Anderson via the walkies talkies during homeroom. Now, each morning they are filmed and sent out through e-mail.

This method has received nothing but rave review from students and staff. Not only does the video delivery spice things up a bit, but it also puts the time of viewing at the discretion of the homeroom teacher. Before video delivery, teachers were forced to either delay their homeroom festivities, or be interrupted by the announcements. Now, they have the choice to play the announcements at whatever time they find best.

In all, the new system is a great success!

By Jimmy Chapman

The happiest place on earth

Are you searching for a new and exciting vacation destination? Look no further! Denmark is the perfect place for you.

This gorgeous country has been ranked the happiest place on earth time and time again by hundreds of different programs. When you look at the facts, the reason is clear. On top of its breathtaking beauty, over eighty percent of its people are Protestant, they have a very high life expectancy, a ninety-nine percent literacy rate, and college is free! Who wouldn’t want to live there?

Danish people are recognized for their musicality. They are also extremely upbeat, energetic, genuinely kind, and extremely hardworking (but still know how to have fun).

As you can see, this is a fun-filled place that would fill any visitors with joy and awe. Next time you are planning a trip, pack your bags and hop on a plane to Denmark!

By Alexis Brenner

Rebekah Cassara

Even if you know Rebekah Cassara, I bet there are many things that would surprise you about her character.

Perhaps one of her most renowned traits is her incredible artistic ability. From drawing to sculpting, Rebekah can do it all! Aside from visual arts, she displays her art in her writing.

She has an incessant, contagious laugh and always has a smile on her face. She's such a wonderful social butterfly.

On top of all these magnificent characteristics, Rebekah Cassara is the most diligent student I have ever seen. She always leaps ahead with her homework and her studies. Her intelligence reflects her hard work and determined mind.

If you don't already know Rebekah, get to know her right now! She is such a great person to be friends with.

By Alison Howey

How To Be a Good Friend

If you’re reading this, lucky you! I’m going to help you become a really good friend to anyone you choose. Follow these few simple steps and everyone will befriend you in no time at all! You will be so popular, cats will hiss with jealousy!

Step 1: When you accomplish something, big or small, make sure you let everyone know how great you are for such an accomplishment! Remind everyone all throughout the day how great of a person you are, how grueling the task was (even if it wasn’t) and how much thanks and praise you deserve for completing the task. Everyone likes a successful person!

Step 2: When someone hurts, betrays, upsets, or just bores you, make sure you ignore them! Ignoring them will make them realize how much they miss you and how cruel or boring they have been to you. Only weird people talk about feelings and tell people what’s really the matter with them and talk about how to resolve things “maturely.”

Step 3: when you finally befriend this person, don’t be afraid to point out all their flaws and rub them in their faces. Really good friends don’t uplift someone they are close to; instead, they tell them what they need to improve because, let’s face it, they're probably a person that you can help become a little better with your great friend skills!

By Taylor DePola

The NBA Lockout is Affecting Us All

The NBA lockout is affecting all basketball fans and neither side can agree or come up with a solution. Both sides want more money, but the NBA is actually losing money, and so are fans. With no one to work at the games, people are becoming jobless and season ticket holders are not getting what they paid for and rightfully deserve all because of money!

So far, the players alone have lost about 350 million dollars according to nba.com. The NBA has cancelled all games through November 30^th, making a season look very short without a lot of excitement. This disagreement has made people bankrupt and has messed with people’s heads ,as people are thinking that the labor dispute will end, but then a party comes up with an outrageous solution or tries to scam the opposite party and things go all the way back to step number one.

NBA players are even thinking about signing with foreign teams if this dispute doesn't clear up soon. These players include Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, John Wall, Dwight Howard, and even the Miami big 3 (Dwayne Wade, Lebron James, and Chris Bosh).

As the lockout passes day 123, people are really starting to get angry that neither side can come to one conclusion. If the NBA loses stars like this, it could really damage the NBA, and the fans would no longer watch them play for NBA teams. After the recent NFL lockout, some fans have said things, such as NBA is doing it for attention.

When the dispute ends, hopefully the NBA will come back better and more popular than ever.

By: Andrew Ryan

College Football

Last weekend, Georgia Tech had an amazing upset against Clemson, ranked fifth in the nation.  Even though Tajh Boyd threw for 295 yards, Tevin Washington and the Yellow Jackets were just too much for the Tigers of Clemson to handle with Georgia Tech winning 31 to 17. 

Stanford was nearly upset on Saturday when the USC Trojans took them into triple overtime but lost in the end when the USC runningback fumbled the ball into the end zone and it was recovered by Stanford. 

There are still five undefeated teams in college football, which include LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma State, Stanford, and Boise State.  This upcoming weekend however, LSU and Alabama will be facing each other, making only four undefeated teams in college football, and hopefully this game will move Boise State up in the rankings so they can have a shot at the National Championship. 

Oklahoma State is scheduled to play Kansas State, who is ranked 14 in the nation.  This will probably be one of the toughest games of the season, and if they lose ,they will probably be out of the running for a national championship. 

Many people are in the running to win the Heisman this year, but the three most probable to win it are Andrew Luck, the quarterback for Stanford; Kellen Moore, the Boise State quarterback; and Trent Richardson, the running back at Alabama. 

By: Colin Brandon

The Human Centipede Review

One usually knows what they are going to be in store for when watching a scary movie on Halloween. They’re looking for some cheap scares, suspense, and maybe some gore.

This Halloween I had the opportunity to watch a movie I knew nothing about beforehand called “The Human Centipede.” I was suspecting that I would be in for some possible moments of disgust based upon the name and the reactions of those around me. However, what I viewed on that night was leaps and bound more disgusting than what I was expecting.

It is a movie about 3 people who, through an unfortunate series of events, become surgically connected, mouth to rear end, like a centipede, by a mad scientist (use your imagination). Furthermore, it makes no effort to censor any of its content, which includes images which should never be seen by anyone. The acts of the scientist in this film are sick and far beyond the limits of entertaining.

"The Human Centipede" goes out of its way to make sure that no one would enjoy this movie. I would suggest this film to only a select group of people - those who are looking to become surgeons, people who are feeling ill and looking for a means to vomit, and those who I do not like.

In all honesty, I imagine snuff films to be more pleasant to watch than The Human Centipede. View at your own risk.

Dylan Scully

The Creation of Google

The process of the creation of Google started in March of 1998.  Larry Page and Sergey Brin were both students at Stanford University and happened to be “partners” for a research project.  They were working on the Stanford Digital Library Project, also known as the “SDLB.” 

Sergey Brin immigrated to the United States from Russia at age 6.  He studied at the University of Maryland to earn an undergraduate degree, and soon after graduating, moved to Stanford University to acquire his PhD in computer science.  

Larry Page was born in Eastern Michigan. His father, Carl Page, had a PhD in computer science, so Larry, following in his father’s footsteps, was also interested in computers.  At the University of Michigan he received a Bachelor’s degree in science and computer engineering.  He later went to Stanford University where he met his partner Sergey Brin.

By Wil Woodhouse

How the Edge of the Wall is a Great Back Scratcher

Have you ever had a time when your back is so itchy but can't reach it with your arms? Well, I have a solution for you. When you are in a classroom, go to the place where the walls cross. Then, put your back on the wall and move left to right. You will find that you are scratching your back where it had itched.  You can scratch your back anywhere if you have walls. If you don't have any walls, but you have doors, you can scratch your back on the door!

However, there is a slight problem. You will probably look like a weirdo scratching your back on a wall or a door. But who cares?! I would probably just scratch my back and walk away like nothing happened.

By Charlie Ji

Justin Bieber

Justin Drew Bieber, born in Canada, is one of America’s most popular rising pop stars.

He was born on March 1, 1994, in Ontario. His first recognition was in 2008 when he was age 15; Scooter Braun saw one of his YouTube videos and soon became his manager.

Justin’s first single, "One Time," was released in 2009.  He has created many touching songs since then, and will continue to be a great song artist.

Guitar, piano, percussion, and trumpet are all instruments he has perfected over the years. In 2010, Bieber won the award Artist of the Year and has been nominated for numerous other awards throughout his young career.

 By: Wil Woodhouse

Lebron in the NFL

For almost a year now, a childish debate between NBA team owners and players has raged on. It is a fight over money, with neither side willing to budge an inch. The owners have threatened a lockout this season because no ending seems in sight.

With NBA players in search of jobs for the upcoming season, many have decided to play basketball overseas in Europe this year. However, all-star of the Miami Heat, Lebron James, has another idea in mind for what he might do. Last week, Lebron tweeted ESPN sports reporter, John Clayton, asking when the deadline is for NFL teams to sign free agents.

What appeared as a playful joke has actually become a possibility. The NBA is following through with part of their threat, cancelling the first 100 games of the season, and the rest of the season on hold indefinitely. With Lebron James being an all-state wide receiver in high school, some low caliber NFL teams see Lebron James as a cheap publicity stunt to draw out fans during a rough season.

This is not to say that Lebron James has no chance of success of NFL, but only time will tell. 

By: Dylan Scully

Selena Gomez

Selena Gomez was born on July 22, 1992, to her parents Mandy Dawn Teefey and Ricardo Joel Gomez.  She is best known for being on the television show "Wizards of Waverly Place" on the Disney Channel. 

She started her acting career at age seven when she played Gianna on "Barney and Friends."  She has been in many other movies, such as "Horton Hears a Who," "Ramona and Beezus," and "Monte Carlo." 

Her singing career took off in 2008 when she recorded a cover of the song "Cruella De Ville" that was put on "Disney Mania 6."  Since then, she has had many hit songs, such as “Year Without Rain,” “Who Says,” and “Love You like a Love Song.”

Even in her young age, she has become a very successful pop icon and actress.

By Colin Brandon

Taylor Depola's Goodies

Ladies and gentleman, fall has officially arrived. And lucky for us, the arrival of fall also means one more thing - we all can get a taste of Taylor Depola's now famous baked goods.

Last night, Taylor spent grueling hours over the oven in the kitchen. Her main entree this week was her pumpkin cupcakes. She may have been a bit tardy to school this morning, but as you will soon find out, it was completely worth it.

Now on to the cupcakes. Each cake snack was wrapped intricately in a snack wrap pack. Each bite (each cake only allowed for two) had a consistency characterized by a moist brownie fresh out the oven. The proportion of the frosting to cake was spot on. Crowds flocked, hopped, and jigged over, hoping to get a taste of her goodies. 

With every bite taken, I fell deeper and deeper into a magic fall leaf wonderland with visions of jack-o-lanterns and scarecrows dancing through my head as the pumpkin cupcake melted in my mouth. They weren't just pieces of cake with a dab of frosting; they were edible works of art.                                                   






That being said, our school can only hope that this continues as a tradition. A proper name for it could be “Taylor Depola’s Goodie of the Month.” For each month/season Illinois drags us through, there could be a baked treat to correlate with it.

By Jimmy Chapman

The greatest movie that never was--'Niles Islands'

This weekend I had the pleasure of watching "Niles Islands." This movie, released in 2011, features Arnold Schwarzenegger, Meryl Streep, Vin Diesel, and Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson.

The movie is a romantic comedy with a bit of a twist. Due to such a star-studded cast, the expectations were set very high. And it did not disappoint. The plot follows Meryl Streep (Cynthia Rodgers) and her husband Arnold Schwarzenegger (Edward Rodgers) on their Alpaca farm in Missouri, and their farm hands, the Rock (Arnold McGuffey) and Vin Diesel (Deon Sanders). They run into trouble when a group of marauders try to take over the farm.

Intense battle sequences initiate when Arnold and Deon fight off the cowboys using only their martial arts skills. The sad point of the movie is when Edward Rodgers passes away from his lifelong battle with claustrophobia. But things start looking up when Cynthia finds new hope in her farm hands, Arnold and Deon.

The movie ends with the three of them opening up their new grief counseling practice. All in all, I would give this movie an 8 out of 10 Chap points. I highly recommend taking your girlfriend, your kids, or your grandmother to this movie, because it promises to be a good time. 

By Jimmy Chapman

Cain's 999 Tax Plan

Herman Cain, one of the Republican candidates for president in this upcoming year’s election, is making a lot of noise. He has come out with a plan to help alleviate some of the unfair taxing in America. The name of his plan is called, well, you guessed it, “999.”

It was given this name simply because it would replace today’s current burdensome tax code with only a three part system. The three parts are made up of 9% flat tax on individuals, 9% flat tax on businesses, and 9% national retail sales tax. Just a short and simple alternative to today’s complicated tax plan.

This plan seems very attractive. Will it work? There is only speculation. At this point, this catch phrase plan is giving Cain a name to be remembered. Still, by proposing his plan, Cain shows imagination and courage. His idea is simple, bold, and attempts to be fair. Along with Cain’s genuine personality and people skills these types of ideas are what attract Grassroots voters to Cain giving him increased popularity in the GOP race.

By: Kevin Elder

Ryan on the ALCS

The ALCS is in session and getting right down to the point. The Texas Rangers are ahead 3 games to 2 on the Detriot Tigers. After last games performance, Justin Verlander proved his dominance yet again. Even though the Rangers have outstanding hitters and pretty good pitching, they really dropped the ball on Thursday night. Texas needs to win on Saturday to punch their spot in the clubs second consecutive World Series trip. Could the disappointment of last years World Series loss to the San Fransisco Giants who didn't even make the playoff cut this year haunt the Rangers and give them the motivation they need to become World Series champions? On the other side of the equation, the Detriot Tigers have had an outstanding season. However, in this ALCS they have really struggled against the Ranger hitters. Nelson Cruz has hit two grand slams in this series, one a game winning grandslam in game 2 and another in game 4 giving the Rangers a five run lead against the Tigers, both in extra innings. If you want to know if the Rangers will clinch, tune on Saturday and watch the Texas Rangers face against the Detroit Tigers in Texas. Derrick Holland will throw for Texas and Max Scherzer will be Detriot's starter. I would expect a good game from the Texas stars such as Nelson Cruz, Josh Hamilton, and Micheal Young and Detriot's key players Miguel Cabrerra, Austin Jackson, Alex Avila, and Magglio Ordonez.

Andrew Ryan

The Only Thing to Fear is Fear Itself

Do you have a strange phobia? How about an irrational fear? Well, I am here to say that you are not alone. Thousands of people all over the world suffer from one or more of the numerous bizarre phobias listed below. Enjoy this hilarious list of completely real fears:

Plutophobia- Fear of wealth.

Aulophobia- Fear of flutes.

Geniophobia- Fear of chins.

Barophobia- Fear of gravity.

Chirophobia- Fear of hands.

Papyrophobia- Fear of paper.

Prosophobia- Fear of progress.

Ephebiphobia- Fear of teenagers.

Epistemophobia- Fear of knowledge.

Euphobia- Fear of hearing good news.

Dextrophobia- Fear of objects at the right side of the body.

Hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia- Fear of long words.

Counterphobia- The preference by a phobic for fearful situations.

Phobophobia- Fear of phobias.

By Alexis Brenner

Progeria

Once in a blue moon, a baby is born with progeria, an extremely rare disease that is caused by a single genetic defect. This disease has devastating, life-altering effects. Children born with this disease usually have a life expectancy of about 13 years. Their bodies go throught the aging process within this short amount of time. They experience all the internal and external symptoms of aging.

External symptoms include physical changes in appearance, such as premature baldness, heart disease, thinning bones, and arthritis. Because this is such a rare disease, approximately only 48 people worldwide are diagnosed with this and are still living. But, interestingly enough, there is a currently a family with five children who have this rare, unfortunate disease.

By: Alison Howey

Acting appreciation

Acting appreciation is a class where we learn how to act. With our wonderful teacher Ms. Shloss, we learn how to sit, stand, walk, fall, and mime.  

Our group improvs consist of school kids getting attacked by an escaped zoo lion, skydiving, family photos gone wrong, soup kitchen disasters , bad customer service and even Elvis in the morning.

Games like mafia, the alphabet game and bus stop are always something to be anticipated. I find it interesting how we go to class with no idea of what we will be doing and somehow ideas just start coming out of nowhere. This class is fun and creative and always something to look forward to.

By Elisa Hill

Homecoming Themes

Homecoming is a time when the whole high school is brought together to celebrate the time of coming back to school. It’s a time everyone looks forward to, and a time where everyone goes crazy. The theme is one of the biggest parts of homecoming because it’s the way the school shows school spirit. Why is it then that every year the themes seem to get less and less exciting? Is it because people are running out of ideas? Is it because no one seems to care anymore?

Don’t get me wrong; I’m sure people put a lot of thought and effort into it, but that isn’t always enough to satisfy the whole student body. The past four years, the homecoming themes have seemed to become more and more pathetic, from Super Hero to Candy Land, and now, Through the Ages. It seems to me that every year it becomes harder and harder to enjoy homecoming because the themes aren’t fun anymore. I think what the school needs is someone who is creative and can come up with ideas that are entertaining and that make homecoming more fun instead of bringing it down. Homecoming is such a fun time during the year; it needs a theme that is also fun. I think this year has been one of the worst years for its homecoming theme because it was boring. People didn’t want to dress up or participate in activities because of the fact that the theme wasn’t enjoyable. All that I ask is that someone or something influences our next couple homecoming themes so that we can have a more exciting homecoming that is enjoyed by everyone.

By Rachel Fugiel

Fall

The fall season is one of the only things we Midwest dwellers can brag about. This may come as a surprise to you, but states like California and Florida never get to see the glorious change of seasons. When you look outside October through November, be sure to appreciate the beautiful leaf colors and dim lit afternoon skies.

One thing that is kind of depressing about this fall season for us is that it started so soon. All the leaves are already in their red color, which is the color that signifies, "I'm basically a second away from falling off this tree" Why is that so bad, you ask? Being honest, we can all admit that Illinois is a bland state and admitting that, we can also realize that the in-between transition period from winter to fall with cool weather, gray skies, and no leaves on trees is a time that is ultimately the most unattractive for Illinois.

So with all the leafs "leafing" us so early, it is logical to assume the ugly weeks are only a few days away! So enjoy the beautiful fall leaves while you can!

By Taylor DePola

Ryan on the MLB Playoffs

The playoffs are here!

One of the most depressing and crushing upsets in Boston history occured as well. The Red Sox gave up what was at one time a 8.5 games lead but came tumbling down when the Red Sox lost to the Baltimore Orioles, a team that people have never really looked at as a playoff contending team since the end of Cal Ripkin knocked the slumping Red Sox out of the playoffs.

Of course, people are disappointed in the Red Sox, but people are getting offended by how the Orioles celebrated after the game. Honestly, if you beat a team like the Boston Red Sox with a team like the Orioles you would celebrate too! 

We the Texas Rangers beat the Tampa Bay Devil Rays in four games. Last year AL MVP outfielder, Josh Hamilton, celebrated but not with the traditional wine but with ginger ale. It is his lifetime commitment to never drink or do drugs ever again. Hamilton left the stadium and went back to his hotel room when Ian Kinsler, Micheal Young, and Elvis Andrus with bottles of ginger ale and celebrated that way.

Will Hamilton and the Rangers celebrate with ginger ale and a World Series championship?

By Andrew Ryan