January '09 Issue
Feb 1, 2009 20:44:38 GMT -5
Post by Principal Vale on Feb 1, 2009 20:44:38 GMT -5
The Chatters
Editor's Note
Editor's Note
Welcome back to all the students for the start of the second half of our school year. It's not only a new chance to make resolutions but a new chance to make the most of our last few months. So all of us at the paper hope that you make the most of it and enjoy this issue of the paper.
Evelynne Snow
Editor
Fashion Section
For this fashion article, I decided to go with advices for the month to come, and not the ones that have passed! As you all probably know, yet another dance is being planned within the walls of the Academy, and you'll all have guessed what for - Valentine's Day, obviously. Now ladies, it'll be time to dress up and pull out your best look, because if you don't have a date yet, it's the perfect day to find it. The regular dress code for Valentine Day's dress usually revolves around three simple, but sometimes hard to work with colors - red, pink and white. Now, if you think you look like a tomato in a red dress but you don't want to play bride wannabe in a white one, don't worry, there are easy alternatives. Remember that fashion isn't all about what already is in a store that you dig out your credit card for, but also what you can create yourself - creativity doesn't only have to be used at school! And if you'd rather not try your hand at sewing, there are easy ways of accessorizing that'll give your outfit a completely new and original style.
Now, the basics are simple. If you're gonna accessorize, you need to know how to do just enough, without over doing it. That also involves the dress you're actually wearing - if has a flower pattern, don't go and add anything, you'll just look silly. Remember ladies, less is more, and you can be surprised at what a plain looking dress can sometimes do to you. Also remember that colors can offer a lot more possibilities than you could expect! Soft pink not your color? Go for fuschia, what looks overly bright on the rack might look just right for you. Don't be scared to try and experience, the dresses you discard won't cost you anything but a better understanding of what fits you and what doesn't. And also, the first rule of shopping - do not lose faith. Dressing up is hard, for any girl - size has nothing to do with it. Even if you have what is said to be the single perfect body shape, it doesn't mean that every single dress in the store will look right for you. Just because this dress makes your butt look bigger and that other one make you seem shapeless, it doesn't mean the tenth you'll try on won't surprise you. Finding a dress is not something that can be done in five minutes, so don't pressure yourself and don't bring yourself down. What you don't find in one shop, you'll find in another, it's as simple as that.
Knowing your body type and what goes along with it is also a very important part of shopping for the perfect dress. Got the curves? Show it off - there's nothing wrong with a nice fitted dress, as long as you feel comfortable in it. Fitted doesn't mean whorish, nor does it mean enormous cleavage or extremely short length. Also, fitted doesn't mean looking like a second skin - it's supposed to embrace your body shapes in a way that'll bring out your best assets and hide your flaws. Remember that a dress that's too tight, no matter how much it might show off your small waist, big boobs or curvy butt, is never flattering. If your tummy needs a bit of concealing, go for an empire waist. Lucky you, they're in style! By bringing the attention to your upper torso and letting the dress flow out to hide what you want to hide, nobody will notice those bad aspects you might be worried about. Got a nice, flat stomach and a well sized torso, but hips that force you to walk in a room sideways? A-line skirts is the best choice, and it'll give you a very classic and stylish look if you know how to work it!
Also remember. The number one person who needs to think you look amazingly gorgeous and confident is you. Feel it, and they'll see it. Don't put a formless dress to hide your body if you're ashamed or some aspects, and don't try to show it off more either to try and bring attention to yourself. Go with a style that screams you, something that looks like it was made for you. I hope you've enjoyed those few shopping tips, and I look forward to seeing what you'll bring forward to me on the Valentine Day's dance!
E.C.
Sport Section
La-La-La-Love. It’s that time again, rolling around towards Valentine’s Day and it’s a good feeling to know one is loved. I hope that many of you have significant other, and if you don’t that’s all gravy you’ll find someone soon. The Valentine’s Dance is coming soon, make sure you scope out some hotties there. And yes, I know what you’re thinking, isn’t this the sports sections? Why the hell is he writing about love? Get on with the brawn and bashing and the tackling and the hitting. The muscle and the strength and the sweat and the triumph. Unfortunately – or maybe not – I’m not really writing about a technical sport – in the sense that it’s not in any sports book or considered one. And I’m so sorry that I’m going to have to disappoint all the male population, but hopefully you’ll find some insight to this article. But I promise to come back with a kickass sport for next month’s article – and by kickass I mean ass-kicking, so don’t lose your faith in me now guys. For this article, I’ve decided to take a different approach and view things in a completely different perspective. Love…as a sport. No, guys, not The Love of Sports. Love…as a sport. Say it with me now. Love…as a sport. There you go, you got it(even if you didn’t say it aloud because you’re angry with my lack of a sports article, I know you read it so I win)!
Anyway, as you all know, love is not easy. Ever. It’s tiring and sometimes saddening. But even though it’s hard and brings so many hardships, love is the most amazing feeling in the world. By far, it’s greater than any victory in any field, lane, rink, ring, or mat I’ve ever known. It feels good to the soul and triumphs over any loss the heart has experienced. There are obstacles – just like opposing teams without the brute force of bloody noses or physical bruises – that we have to overcome to feel it. We make mistakes and bad errors of judgment, just like a misplacement of the foot or lack of strength behind kicking a ball –or an opponent. We often do things on whim when we think it’s right, say like deciding to run the length of a football field yourself when you know you’ve got it, or breaking up with a person when you think it’s for their own good. When we experience the loss of the game –or something good – the feeling is….indescribable, but I’m going to try my best to describe it anyway. One there’s anger, at yourself, and your team – we’ll say the team with love is the heart and the mind – you feel like you let yourself down, not to mention your coach – or your love – and there’s barely anything that can calm you from that anger until you deal with it yourself. There’s sadness or depression, a period of feeling sorry for yourself and pitying yourself that takes coaching and practice – a little help from your very persistent and sometimes shrimpy friends. And then when that parts over, you accept your loss and figure out how you’re going to fix it, and you get so pumped that it’s hard to wait until you have that chance to conquer again.
Your heart pumps at so much speed when you get nervous and that’s when the doubt sets in. What if it’s too late, that I sucked so bad the first time there won’t be another win? But you have your coaches –friends and your significant other – who keep that mindset from taking over, and you continue to work towards that win. And then comes the big chance, the deciding factor. You get jittery and nervous and everything seems to be pumping at speeds to make you pass out, but you’ve got to get through it. And once you’re there, standing on that field or in front of that person, nothing else seems to matter but the victory you know you’re about to accomplish. And you do it, and you do it well. When that victory is set in stone and you win that trophy – or in love’s case you win your heart back – the feeling of triumph and amazement swirls around you and inside of you at speeds that could break the sound barrier and you feel like you’re floating on top of the world. That nothing can bring you down. And you know that even in the hard times that will come you’ll have your team – your amazing friends and your amazing partner – to keep you balanced. You know that love – whether it’s friendship or the deepest connection you’ll ever feel with one other person – will always prevail. And that’s the sweetest victory known to man. To love with your whole heart someone and know that in return that person’s heart is bursting with love for you. I am so thankful that I have that. It’s the sweetest victory known to man. You know who you are, I love you.
So, yes, this is probably the sappiest article I’ll ever write, and I expect a huge amount of crap from my friends and my teammates, but I don’t care. This article was meant to help those of you who don’t know love and who can’t seem to keep it. Some of us hide from it for fear of getting hurt, some of us hide it for fear of consequences, and some of us fine hurtful ways to ruin it. Some of us try to push away from love we already have, knowing deep down inside that it’s pointless and that we should just embrace it. And to end this article, I say to thee, that love is the best feeling in the world, don’t hide from it, and if you feel it don’t push away from it. The end result will be so incredibly rewarding.
E.E.
Dance Section
This month, I have decided to bring you information on a subject that is often discussed as to whether it can really be considered as a sport, in spite of its highly demanding routines and strong need of good training. Obviously, I wouldn't want to take away talk of sports for my fellow writer Elijah Emerson, who takes great care of the Sports column, and the article I chose to ponder on is also strongly filled with dancing and aerobic movements - cheerleading.
I can already see some of you lifting your nose at it, but it only shows how unwell this sport is known among most people, who mostly consider it to be cheering and shaking pompoms. There is a lot to cheerleading, and it can even be seen as a full contact sports - it actually is considered as such in some states, namely Winsconsin, after seeing what kind of serious injuries a fall can result in. The simplest description of cheerleading is the following: it is a sport that makes use of organized routines that contains elements such as dancing, tumbling, jumps and stunts, mostly to direct a crowd to cheer on a sports team at various events, or to compete in cheerleading competitions. Cheerleading, to this day, counts an estimated of 1.5 millions participants from allstar cheerleading in the United States alone, not including the millions more from smaller rate squads in highschool, college or little league levels. Though strongly American, the sport has spread over the last decade - due to exposure coming from movies such as Bring It On, which has increased the rate of participants within our country itself - to include some 100,000 more participants among other world countries, such as France, Australia, China, Japan, New Zealand and a few more.
Interestingly enough, cheerleading started as an all-male activity, making its debut in collegial level squads around 1898 (years during which most women didn't complete very elaborate studies, explaining the lack of female presence) when a student from University of Minnesota, Johnny Campbell, directed a crowd in cheering their team at a sports event, though the idea had already been brought up by a Princeton graduate named Thomas Peebles a few years back. November 2nd of 1898 marks the official birth date of cheerleading organizations - and for history's sakes, the University of Minnesota still, to this day, uses the very first cheer it had ever heard. The presence of women started in the year of 1923, and by this time, gymnastics, tumbling and megaphones were also included in the practice. In our year, it is estimated that 97% of participants for cheerleading related activities are overall female, but in a collegiate level, male population still makes up for 50% of teams.
There are several types of teams in cheerleading, the most known probably beeing highschool related - in this type, two major aspects show out - the school spirit portion, and the competition. Cheerleading is a year round sport when it comes to highschool, starting out with try outs in the spring, all year round practices, cheering at sports events in the fall and winter, and then of course the competitions. There is also the youth league/athletic associate type of teams, which is usually the same basics as any other sports team within a city. Finally, there are the All-Star squads, which began to emerge in the early 1980s, making up teams which had no association to sporting events and whose main goal was to compete.
Like any other physical activity, cheerleading can obviously be dangerous. Most of those injuries, resulting from falls, have caused some states from banning certain stunts that involve more risk, such as tosses and launches, or pyramid formations higher than two levels. The most common related injuries from cheerleading accidents include back injuries, sprained ankles, head injuries (sometimes concussions), broken arms, elbow injuries and knee injuries. The number of cheerleaders suffering from broken bones, concussions and sprains has increased by over 100 percents between the years 1990 and 2002, and in 2001, there were some 25,000 hospital visits reported for cheerleading injuries dealing with the shoulder, ankle, head or neck. Some more tragic injuries are also existant within even highschool level cheerleading - not long ago, a 17 year old girl became a comatose quadriplegic as a result of a fall to the ground. Another girl, 18 years old, suffered a fractured back and neck after hitting the ground. More tragically, the death of a 20 year old cheerleader was reported from a kick in the chest at a cheerleading competition. This was also the case of a young girl of merely 14 who ruptured her spleen after landing on her stomach whilst practicing an airborne spin.
In spite of its more dangerous aspect, cheerleading remains a very popular sports - it has seen many known celebrities take part in it, namely actresses Sally Field, Meryl Streep, Sandra Bullock, Halle Berry and Reese Whiterspoon, and even some of our country leaders such as George W. Bush, Dwight D. Eisenhower (whose name has been given to the boys' dorm building within this very school) and Franklin D. Roosevelt. I hope these little facts have enlightened you more about cheerleading, and what an extreme work it demands from all its participants. Til next time!
T.S.
Play of the Month
For this month’s ‘Play of the Month’, I’ve decided to go a different way. This month’s play is not a Broadway Musical, but a straight comical play. This play is not very well known, but one day I really hope that it will be. The play is ‘Cotton Girls’ by Scott Tobin. The title is kind of a throw off. It has nothing to do with cotton at all. Well, not the kind of cotton I bet you’re thinking of.
The play starts out with a dark stage. You hear a teenage girl’s voice saying, “I hate it when they stop you on top. I hate it up here. I hate it when they do this…” The lights then come up, and you see three girls around the age of eighteen sitting on top of a Ferris wheel. The girl on the right has a huge yellow happy face balloon tied onto her wrist, the girl in the middle has a beautiful white bow in her hair, and the girl on the left has a stick of cotton candy in her hand. These three things, the balloon, bow, and cotton candy are very important to remember. The three girls are celebrating their high school graduation night at a Country Fair.
The play then continues with the girl in the middle, Berry (the nervous/theatrical one), says how much she hates being stuck at the top of a Ferris wheel. The girl on the right, Miss (the shy/nervous/very religious one), tells Berry that the ride will be moving again in just a minute. The girl on the left, Colleen(the outspoken/kid-at-heart one), tells the other two girls to shut up, because the ride will start up again soon. After Berry complains some more than she hates being stuck on top of the Ferris wheel and that she’s now extremely nauseous, Colleen offers Berry some of her cotton candy in a very mocking way.
The three soon start to fight about what to do when they get to bottom of the ride. Berry wants to get down, Colleen wants to continue the ride, and Miss is stuck in the middle, not knowing which side to take. Finally, Colleen looks down to see that the ride is not just stopping to let someone on, but it is stuck. She tells the other two girls that she sees a man with a tool box, and Berry starts to have a panic attack. Miss tells Berry, who was the lead in every school play, to sing something from a play to help calm her nerves. When the singing doesn’t help, Colleen suggests that Miss, who is really into English, to recite one of her many poems. After she recites it, Colleen makes fun of it and takes a huge bite of her cotton candy.
It does not take long for Miss to start up a new conversation. She asks Berry what she is going to do once she gets into drama school. Quietly, Berry tells her that she will not being going to drama school, because her parents do not want theater to take over her life. Miss does not understand why Berry’s parents wouldn’t want their daughter to go for her dream, when Miss’ parents are encouraging her to become a writer. As the two girls quarrel about college, they both look over at Colleen who was being very quiet. Colleen admits that she has no idea what she wants to go to college for, and this shocks the other two greatly. Silently, Miss pulls off a piece of Colleen’s cotton candy.
After a while passes, the three best friends are growing very bored. So, Colleen suggests that they play a game to pass the time. Miss and Berry agree, and they start to play ‘Going on a Picnic.’ The game starts out fine, until Colleen freaks the other two out by using words that relate to how scared they are being stuck on top of the Ferris wheel. Miss and Colleen get into a huge argument, and stop talking to each other. Berry tries to make light of the situation by singing, but it just tics Colleen and Miss off more.
A while passes, and Berry just cannot stand the silence anymore. She starts talking about how she knows just what her boyfriend, Mark, is getting her for a graduation present. This makes the other two start to talk, questioning what it is. Berry tells them both it’s an engagement ring, and neither one of them believe her. Colleen makes a comment to Berry and Miss saying, “Markie doesn’t want to marry her. He’s just taking her on a ride because of what she gives him.” Miss does not understand what Colleen means, and forces Berry to admit that she’s had sex with Mark forty-three times and has never told Miss about it. The second that she admits this, the white bow she was wearing falls out of her hair.
However, it does not take long for Berry and Colleen to get shy little Miss to admit that she beat up an underclassman just got laughing at her falling. Once this dirty little secret slips out, her sunshine balloon suddenly unties from her wrist and floats away into the sky. Needing something to do, Miss grabs the cotton candy out of Colleen’s hands and starts to eat it. She eats the cotton candy until there is only one bite left.
After what seems like days to the three best friends, Miss looks over to see that the guy with the tool box is walking away. She tells the other two, and Berry is thrilled to be finally getting off. Colleen however, acts like she is very excited, but is really disappointed. Right before the ride picks up again, and slowly takes off the last bit of cotton candy and sticks it into her mouth. The stick falls out of her hands, and down to the ground. As the ride starts to “move” all three girls look at each other and Berry asks, “Can we go on again?”
This play was unbelievable. I had to go and see it twice to notice all of the symbolism in it. Every time one of them grows up, their symbol of their childhood disappears. Colleen was the last one to grow up, because she is just a kid at heart. I really think that you should all go and see ‘Cotton Girls’ by Scott Tobin! It was amazing! Until next time!
A.D.
Comic Strip
So I decided to try a new style and did that one in about ten minutes (cause the editor changed her mind on the due date, not my fault I always do stuff last minute anyway).
I will get you Milo Parker.
Mediums Used: Sheet of paper, pencil. That's right.
A.B.
Featured Photograph
Taken in New York City, New York, United States
CD Critique
Surprisingly enough, I was interested enough to actually sit my ass down and write another article for this stupointless newspaper. A little because I'm approved for an uber cool rating system. Mainly because all of you are lacking in the music department, incompetent is more like it. All of you and your emo bands and fake indie crap. You think you know, but you have no idea. And that is why I am here, to teach you losers a few pointers on good music, because it’s obvious that you’re not going to take the initiative to do it on your own. That’s cool, be lazy, I figure that’s what this section of the paper is for anyway. So for starters, I thought I’d give you guys the definition of ‘good music.’ Sit back and enjoy the show kiddos. And here…we…go…
good mu⋅sic (gŏŏd myōō'zĭk)
–noun
1. “tones or sounds occurring in single line (melody) or multiple lines (harmony)” that does not suck.
- a. By suck, it is meant as, does not create sounds similar to nails scratching down the side of a blackboard, or dragging of Styrofoam down a ragged street.
- b. Noise - usually including instruments and sometimes vocals - that makes you want to stab in your eardrums. This noise is not ear-candy.
- c. Usually people who feed off the fame of a famous sibling and think that they sound just as amazing as said sibling, when usually they suck.
- d. Songs in which you can’t actually hear the vocals because they’re badly mixed on machines and toyed with. e.g. Kanye West. Used in a sentence: Ugh, I wish that tard Kanye West would shut the hell up, what’s the point in singing if all we hear are machines screwing with your voice to make it better?
- e. Any songs that have lyrics that make no sense and/or can’t relate to the audience. Sure, some have to be interpreted, but those are different, in a clever, genius sort of way. e.g. Fall Out Boy. Used in a sentence: “Wtf did he just say, god, he sounds okay, but I don’t understand a damn word he’s saying, screw it.”
See: AC/DC, The Beatles, Heart, Paramore, Linkin Park, Disturbed, Evanescence, etc…etc..
2. Music that I list in my articles.
- a. see: Mackenzie friggin’Baker.
Anyway, a band that I am attuned to right now are a group of guys from London – most of the good bands and artists originate from here. With the exception of that new chick Estelle who puts shame to Londoners everywhere. And go figure, she hangs out with Kanye West – and they call themselves the Klaxons. Interestingly enough, their band name was started from text in ‘The Futurist Manifesto’ by Italian poet Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, which launched an art movement called “futurism” in 20th century Italy. A little history one-oh-one for you guys. They list music legends such as The Supremes and Madonna as their influence and it strikes me odd that they should leave out The Beatles. Listening to a couple of their songs – I don’t appreciate them all – I’m reminded of the Beatles, mainly because of the guitar parts and the vocals. It’s modernized a great deal and I suppose a lot of losers won’t hear the Beatles-mondernized transition, but with all the “Ooooos,” mixed vocal parts, and frequent lyrical and melodic repetition, i’m convinced the Beatles should be listed as an influence. But hey, whatever floats their futuris, contradictory -their music sounds classic like the beatles, but they're named after something have to do with the future. The two songs I recommened for you all to add “Golden Skans” and “Magick” to your i-pods – all of which are inferior to mine.
Rating:
Now, since Valentine’s Day is rolling around the corner – who gives a s…crap – I’ve selected one of my all-time favorite bands, just because their name is something associated with the day. ‘Heart’ formed in the 70’s by two sisters, Nancy and Ann Wilson was one of the first female rock bands, showing the men and the world that women could rock it out just as hot, if not better- as men. Their songs touch on love, heartbreak and everything in between, and have lyrical connections with almost everyone. They sold millions of records, had 21 top 40 hits, and sold out arenas worldwide all while defining women as a leading contender in the rock culture. Their music, though written years before all of us were created, break the age barrier and still relate to people our ages. It’s what makes their music so profound, that even through decades of difference, discovery and change, their music still rings true to this day. With killer vocals and awesome instruments, the Wilson sisters made their mark on the world and on hearts – don’t quote me on this, or I’ll kill you – for decades and will continue to do so forever.
Rating:
In conclusion, dorks, losers and nerds alike, get your heads out of your…clouds, and search for music that defines who we are as a generation and sounds amazing to the ears. Not that junk you guys listen to, rap music – not all of which is bad as I have come to realize from rap gurus such as T.I. – that only boasts about death and “repping” where one’s from and killing, emo bands who’s lyrics make absolutely no sense and therefore shouldn’t have a connection to the human soul, etc…etc… Sucky Valentine’s Day to you all, and to all…a good night. Mack out!
Honorable mention: 'The Almost', who ALMOST made it into this article.
Rating:
M.B.
Book Critique
In honor of the first African-American president, who is the obvious epitome of a paradox, I have chosen a book that represents the struggles of the African-American race and trials it had to overcome. Martin Luther King once had a dream, and on January 20th, there is no doubt that he was celebrating, tears running down his shining face as he watched from the heavens above as the 44th president, the first African-American president, was sworn in; demolishing racial barriers and traditional settings. Making not only his race proud, not only his country, but numerous countries around the world. Even ones who are having troubling times and issues. The struggle to get to the top of this racial ladder we’ve all battled at one point in our lives stems back to our ancestors, even the smallest gesture like sitting on a bus and refusing to give up a seat, to larger triumphs like leading a resistance of protestors in multiple civil rights movements. I am so proud to say that I was alive when such a thing occurred. The tears and blood of our ancestors, staining steps and forever mangled in our earth led the path to such a conquering victory; the leader of today, was led by the leaders of our past, and sets the lead for our hopeful future.
The Secret Life of Bees, a novel set in the south in 1964, is a coming-of-age story about the gift of love forming lives and transcending racism and segregation do to the color of skin. Sue Monk Kidd addresses so many fundamental points about life – the essence of love, the difficulty of healing emotional and mental wounds, loss, betrayal – along with woes of that time period – racial segregation, authoritative intimidation, etc...It’s a story of struggle and the need to find one’s self in troubling times. Lily Owens is a fourteen-year-old Caucasian woman growing up on a South Carolina peach farm without the love of a mother and a wretched, revolting excuse for a father. He’s harsh and neglectful towards Lily, who spends the entirety of her life longing for a mother who died mysteriously when Lily was only a four. T.Ray, her father, belittles Lily and makes her believe that she is responsible for the death of her mother; that as a beautiful toddler she was the sole perpetrator in her mother’s accidental death. The role Kidd gives him, makes him one of the best antagonists that I’ve read about. Simply because you can’t help but hate everything about him; he’s oppressive, cruel and neglectful towards his daughter.
Rosaleen is Lily’s nanny, and she also acts as a stand in mother for the girl. She is fierce-hearted and often fierce, confident, and tough. The true essence of a strong, African-American woman. One day, when Lily and Rosaleen are in town, she insults three of the most hateful racists in town, earning her a beating, a ticket to jail, another beating – which is granted by another racist police officer while she’s in jail – and a trip to the hospital. Lily’s father is called to pick her up and when home they get into an argument , and Lily decides it’s time for her to leave. So she frees Rosaleen from the hospital, she would not have been safe after her release from the hospital, and they set off to Tiburon, South Carolina – a place Lily thinks she’ll learn more about her mother. There she meets a trio of African-American sisters –August, May and June – who are beekeepers and make honey and sell it. August allows Rosaleen and Lily to stay after Lily tells her she’s an orphan, as long as Lily helps with the business and Rosaleen helps around the house. They teach her a profusion of values and for the first time, Lily begins to feel at home while staying with them. Unfortunately, one of the sister’s, June, feels contempt for Lily because she’s white. Eventually she grows to like her, and Lily finds the courage to tell August that she was never an orphan, and finds out that the woman already knew. It turns out, that Lily’s mother, Deborah, had stayed in that house after leaving her father once in the past.
Lily ends up falling in love with another of August’s helpers, Zach an African-American boy. Of course, she’s confused about her feelings because for one, she’d never known love before, and two because in that particular time period being with a colored person, was just as bad as being one. So she wasn’t sure of what she should think or do. Somewhere along the road, Zach ends up in jail, and he…well you didn’t really think I’d continue on with this story, did you? I’ve told you the basis so now I’m going to keep the result of that and much more a secret, just so you’ll read the book. But I will tell you that there is a death. So, in finishing up my article for this month, this is a wonderful story about love –hooray for Valentine’s Day –, and how trying love was between interracial couples back in those times. It also flows along with my writing this article to show how we’ve overcome so many obstacles. Now it’s not uncommon to see interracial couples, and there is no pressure for one. It just goes to show, that with a little perseverance anything can be accomplished or overstepped. But where do we go from here? How many more boundaries and obstacles can we abolish? Together our country can do anything, even in the toughest of times.
Speaking of couples, I wish everyone – single or not – a very happy, and loving Valentine’s Day. There’s someone for everyone, question is if you’re looking in the right place.
K.C.
Interview of the Month
This month's interview features freshman play columnist Alexis Donovan who now stands as youngest member on the paper staff.
Interviewer: Hello Alexis, glad to see you made it.
Alexis: Why, hello there Milo. I'm glad to be here.
Interviewer: Of course you are. Anyway, it's about halfway through your first year at the Academy how are you liking it?
Alexis: I absolutely love it here. I knew I would, though. I only ever heard amazing things about this school.
Interviewer: Well the school is pretty great. What is it you like best about the school? The night life? The wild (or not so wild really) parties? The fact that it's a long way away from home?
Alexis: Hmm, that's a hard question. I think my favorite thing about this school would have to be all the opportunities it offers. From the astonishing talent classes to the great people that you will meet. I've only been here for a few months, but I've already met people who I now consider my best friends!
Interviewer: Well that's cause some people here, like me for instance, just rock.
Alexis: That is true...Some people here, like you (I suppose), really do just rock.
Interviewer: Glad that you agree. Now how does it feel to now be the youngest member on the paper staff?
Alexis: Am I really the youngest?
Interviewer: You are really the youngest, Roxanne left the staff so that makes you the only freshman.
Alexis: Aww! Roxanne left? That sucks! Oh...yeah. Umm, I like being on the paper staff. I see a lot of plays, so I'm happy to write about them. So many people read this newspaper, so it's cool to know that some people actually read what I write.
Interviewer: Well since you're in my interview everyone is going to read what you said, this is their favorite part of the paper, but I guess I'm going to wrap it up about now. Do you have anything else to add?
Alexis: I think the gossip section is everyone's favorite...
Interviewer: Fuck the gossip section, no one likes it anyway it just makes people's lives hell. Anything that's true to add? Last chance to do so.
Alexis: Oh please, I bet you can't wait to see how many times you're in it. Aaand, nope! I'm done. Thanks for the interview, Milo!!
Interviewer: Sure, I love reading about how much crap people can think up. Thanks for your time Alexis.
Movie Critique
A new year starts, and many new movies are coming on their way. Will 2009 bring us a great movie year or will it be just average? Well, let's take a look and try to figure out. I was roaming on the net not too long ago and I came across a list tastefully titled 'The 50 Biggest Movies of 2009'. Whether those movies are truly to be 'big', we'll only find out in time, but until then, let's take a look at that list and the movies that have caught my interest.
Starting off with number forty seven is Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian. With the success of the first of those movies, it's no wonder that yet another time someone has fallen into the appeal of sequels, and let us hope it will not follow the tradition of sucking. If we're lucky, the great cast selection (most of which are actors from the first movies who accept to return for the second) will save the lack of original plot they seem to be basing this sequel on. Robin Williams can pretty much do miracles, right?
Next on the list, ranking at number forty three, is Knowing, a drama thriller starring Nicholas Cage, in which a newly found piece of paper containing merely numbers if believed to hold every single distaster to have hit the earth. Whether the man is paranoid or there is truly a premonitory code to these numbers, we'll only find out by watching the movie, but I have to say this one have me very excited. Nicholas Cage's work is usually pretty good, let's hope this time will be no exception to the rule.
Number thirty three brings us yet another attempt to the popular 'book stories come to life' plot that have been a hit in the last few years, with Inkheart, a movie starring both Brendan Fraser, who seems to be becoming quite the favorite in the kiddie-friendly action department, and Andy Serkis, best known for his work as Gollum from the Lord of the Rings trilogy. I'll say, just for that last name, the movie might be worth seeing - anything with Andy's facial expression tends to be a crack up.
Moving onto number twenty seven, which has me feeling a bit undecided - a remake of the famous thriller The Birds from the famous Alfred Hitchcock. Very few informations are given as to now about the movie, and so it is impossible to know whether the director who has decided to tackle such a masterpiece will be likely to succeed, helped along with casted actress Naomi Watts and rumors of George Clooney. Now, are remakes ever good? That's yours to decide, but that one is gonna be a tough job.
Number eighteen brings us The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, movie based on the 1921 short story of the same title. Now, it is in most of our experiences that movies based on books are rarely satisfying, but there is hope yet for this one - especially seeing as a short story has much less information to fit in than a whole novel, and it does look rather promising.
For all of you Tim Burton fans out there, number fifteen should sustain you until his next movie comes out - Coraline, by Henry Selick (director for both Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach) is strongly inspired on his fellow director's works, and might just give you a new favorite in the gothic fantasy animation department. Starring young (well, not so young anymore) Dakota Fanning as lead role, that movie is definitely a must see for the year of 2009.
Number nine bring up the long awaited future-war part of the Terminator series with Terminator Salvation and hopefully, it might just make up for the crap that was the third movie - or let us hope so. Sadly enough, Arnold Schwarzenegger, or the one we now fondly call the Governator, was said to be too busy governing California to pick up his famous role of the terminator, and the role will so be given to Roland Kickinger, with fellow cast members Anton Yelchin, Sam Worthington and Helena Bonham-Carter.
Fifth position brings us a prequel that has had Marvel fans standing on their tip toes for a few years now, X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Taking place seventeen years before the action of the very first movie of the trilogy, this movie will introduce to us the real story behind out favorite clawed character, bringing along quite a few favorites among the comics fanatics, such as the character of Gambit. Look out for that one, might be the last of the series.
Finally, last but not least, at the very first position of this fifty movies list, is of course Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, hitting the screens in July. The sixth movie of this insanely popular series will probably be the most awaited movie of the year, and it is no wonder it is number one on the list. Let us hope it'll live up to the standarts of the book, and that Emma Watson has taken acting lessons over the summer - ever wonder why you practically only see her from the back in the last movies? Don't wonder anymore.
This concludes the list of highly expected movies for the year to come. Stay tuned, and save up your money, because this might just be a pretty big year.
A.D.
Recipe of the Month
Hey people, so Roxanne had gone off the papers so I'm forced to write this column cause apparently our editor can't do even that much. Either way, I figured that since it's winter and all that I might as well give a recipe for something warm or whatever, and the easier solution was... yep, hot chocolate. Now there are some much more interesting recipes than those I'm about to show (a bit stronger if you get my drift) but I'm not actually allowed to hand out that kind of a recipe, so you'll just have to deal with the two I found.
So the first is a creamy hot chocolate, pretty basic, but apparently it's good (no, I haven't tried them out. anyone own cooking facilities, let me know, cause I really don't even see the point of this column seeing as nobody can really even cook).
For this recipe you're gonna need
1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 cup of white sugar
1 pinch of salt
1/3 cup of boiling water
3 1/2 cups of milk
3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1/2 cup of half-and-half cream
So what you do is you pretty much mix in together the cocoa, sugar and salt, then you pour it in the boiling water and let it boil a bit while stiring and keep stiring for about 2 minutes or so. After that put in the milk and make sure it's hot but not boiling anymore. Take it off the stove and add the vanilla extract, pour it in four mugs and then add the cream to each to cool it down so you can actually drink it. Voila.
Now for the second recipe, something a bit more special, a Mexican hot chocolate or so they call it.
In this recipe you'll need
3 tablespoons of instant hot chocolate mix
1 tablespoon of chocolate syrup
1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1 pinch of chili powder
1/4 cup of milk
3/4 cup of boiling water
So that one is pretty simple, you just mix in together the first four ingredients, then you pour in the milk, and then the boiling water and you stir. That's it.
So have fun and whatever.
A.B.
Gossip Section
Finally after two extremely long months, we're all able to sit back and check out both what we've missed and what's currently going on.
In the month of December we discovered quite a few things about our fellow classmates.
For instance it'd seem that a certain junior photographer isn't quite so sure about his relationship with the junior artist we've all seen him practically attached to. Though maybe it's just a bit of brotherly love to break his nose...
Speaking of said brother, his practices with freshman Cassandra Preston seem to be heating up a bit. But we're sure that they're just getting into their roles... or their pants.
Plus there seems to be a bit of blurring between some lines and a senior photographer. Now, now, dear I'm sure that's not something allowed in the handbook... though I'm sure you'd know best about now.
Of course a few new couples seemed to pop up right before the Holidays as well.
Both of the Donovan
There's word of sophomore Kaylee Reynolds and senior Maxwell Taylor have been seen getting a bit cozy together. Nice to see another relationship that won't last past the end of the school year.
Sophomores Jelline Autums and Jared Greene have also been spotted together, not that surprising though, the guy moves through girls faster than clothes.
And surprise, surprise, there's even word that our very own editor is finally stepping into a social life as did the musician that caught her eye and though with how much experience both of them have, it'll be a miracle if anything is accomplished before the end of the year.
And for those of you who were gone over break you missed the short-lived break ups of two of the more well known couples.
First there was the break up of Elijah Emerson and Roxanne Ellison that actually lasted through the break even though it'd appear that Elijah almost didn't. Kind of makes you wonder why the guy didn't just pick up a phone and dial. Somehow they got back together now and are prancing about like they intend to be the next Addison and Connor, ring and all.
Then there was the break up of Milo Parker and Taylor Smith, yes we'd all been expecting it. No one is quite sure of that reasoning but the senior was seen going on a drinking binge the days after. Sorry ladies, but they made up and word is that he even got some in one of the dance rooms. No worries though, it probably won't be long before they break up again.
It seems that potential couple Bretton Ferguson and Kimberly Nolan are off before they've even really gotten started, the two of them haven't been seen together even as friends. Looks like Ms. Nolan has scared off the only guy that would give her a second look.
Eliana Conti seems to have finally moved on from the senior blonde that she'd kept wishing over for the past year and isn't going that far off course from it. The ever bitchy Mackenzie Baker seems to have captured... well something. Does the girl just like the idea of being with a demon?
With the start of a new year we actually gained a couple of sophomores coming in half way. And each of them seems to have a connection to our two favorite not-quite-as-innocent freshmen. And it seems that the two of them have made some pretty interesting new years resolutions.
The two of them were spotted in a well known store downtown that isn't supposed to sell to minors. Now, now girls how would your ministers feel if they knew you were planning on getting some?
And while it's pretty sure that Roxanne is only planning to give it up to her steady boyfriend, we're all beginning to have doubts about her best friend. With a drop of the innocence charade including church goings, new clothes, new friends and random visits to the guys dorms we'd advice Mr. Steele to keep an eye on his girl because it seems he might have more than one source of competition.
And a pretty messed up group seems to be forming when it comes to love problems. As we all know seniors Tyler Hale and Holly Edwards aren't any strangers but now that they've both respectively gotten with Brea Wilson and Kristina Silvia we'd have thought they'd have stayed away from one another. Afraid that we were wrong though because it didn't stop a little broom closet action. Always knew the two of them had class.
Don't feel too bad for Brea though because she seems to be getting pretty wrapped up in senior David Simms, guess it'll all work out in the end. Well... as long as Kristina doesn't mind sharing.