Is ADD a new fad? - Lewis Central Community Schools
Transcription
Is ADD a new fad? - Lewis Central Community Schools
inside: RAMROD! A Deadly Comedy Coming Near You! - Page 6 October 2006 - Page 6 Is A DD a new fad? New Year, New Shows - Page 2 - Page 5 Haunted Houses to Shake-Up Your Weekend Abducted Teen Saved by... Heroes Arise in Cell Phone?! Midst of Gunfire Lewis Central High School Issue 2 - Page 7 Upcomi ng Even ts Oct o ber 28: ACT 29: James Blunt @ Qwest Center, 7:30 pm No vember 1: Early Dismissal 3-4: Arsenic and Old Lace @ LC Auditorium, 7:30 pm 4: State Cheer Competition @ Des Moines 9: End of 1st Trimester 9: Toby Keith Concert @ Qwest Center 10-13: No School! 15: Early Dismissal 22: Early Dismissal 22-24: Thanksgiving Break 26: Panic! At the Disco Concert @ MAC, 7 pm out about the story. MarVictoria Means had his mother and com- Points. ian Fischer, one of the girls Copy Editor mon-law wife buying and It is unknown why an who was fatally wounded, bringing him supplies to Amber Alert was not isWe are all exposed to asked to be shot in hopes that hide from the authorities. sued for the girl. Accord- violence. We are surrounded Roberts would let the others His mother, Ginger Nell ing to Wikipedia.org, the by it. Violence is rampant in go. “Shoot me and leave the Amanda Goeser Cobb, has since been following must be true in video games, movies, and other ones loose,” 13 year-old Ads Editor arrested, as well as order to issue an Amber television shows. We can’t Fischer said. If your parents his common-law wife, Alert: open a newspaper or surf the The schoolhouse has been haven’t quite bought Cynthia Hall. 1. “Law enforce- internet without seeing some torn down, no longer standing into the idea of adding Cobb would get ment must confirm that sort of violence. One form as a sad memorial for these text messaging to your the items to Hall, who an abduction has taken of violence that affects us is young, innocent lives. In its cell phone, or buying a would leave them for place. school shootings. In the last place is now an empty field, cell phone all together, Filyaw to get from this abduction may just an abandoned be enough to convince vehicle near the them. bunker. A fourteen-year“She is really old girl in Texas was lucky she got it abducted by Vinson [the text message] Filyaw, a 36 year-old out and got any man who had an arrest service,” said juwarrant out for him for nior Mike Dillon. sexual assault on a 12 Police caught year-old. He was hid- up with Filyaw ing in a system of bun- Sunday morning kers near his home. and he is being Relating to this held without bond case, he was charged in the county jail. with kidnapping and To go along with raping the young girl. the other charges, Filyaw, dressed in a he faces possesshirt with the image of sion of an incenphoto by Victoria Means sheriff’s badge on it, diary device, or Knocking down the competition, Jordan Quick perfects his form at the prelimiabducted the girl as she something that nary Special Olympics. was walking home from can easily catch her school bus stop. fire, and impersonating 2. The child must month we have been bom- a place of somber silence He had been hold- an officer. (All of the be at risk of serious injury barded by news stories cov- where five young girl’s lives ing her in an under- above information can or death. ering shootings all over the were taken. These girls will ground bunker for ten be found at abcnews. 3. There must be United States. not be forgotten by family or days, until she was able go.com) sufficient descriptive inRecently in George- friends. to get to the f o r m a t i o n town, Pennsylvania, ten Another school shooting s u s p e c t ’s of child, Amish schoolgirls, rang- which has trumped the news cell phone captor, or ing from ages 7 to 13, were channels in recent weeks took to send her c a p t o r ’ s attending school on October place on September 29 in Camom a text vehicle to 2nd when a man named zenovia, Wisconsin. Principal message issue an Charles Carl Roberts IV took John Klang, 49, was shot that read: alert. them hostage in school and three times with a pistol in “Hi mom. 4. shot all of them. He then took the main entrance of the high I’m in a The child his own life. Five of the girls school. He then wrestled the hole across must be 17 were fatally wounded, while pistol away from the shooter, from Charm years old or five more remain under con- Eric Hainstock. This fifteen Hill where younger.” stant care. Roberts was a deep- year old boy brought a gun the big C e l l ly troubled man. In his suicide to school because he was, trucks go phones pro- note he confessed to molesting reportedly, angry about being in and out. vide instant two relatives nearly 20 years disciplined for having tobacco There’s a help where ago and also lamented about on school grounds. Less than bomb. Call an Amber his first-born daughter who a week later the students repolice.” Alert some- lived for less than a half an turned with commemorating “That’s times can’t. hour. shirts. They called Principal why God The idea of This incident brought Klang “their hero.” photo by Josh Stroeher m a d e a text mes- on great suffering for theAmish Tragedies occur at unDemonstrating his superior texting skills, senior phones! sage saving community. The heartbroken known times and unknown Chris Williams communicates with his friends and No one exsomeone in families of four slain girls laid places. They are a part of life. family through his cell phone. pected her such a way their daughters to rest on Thurs- As we can learn from comto be in a bunker eight “It [an Amber Alert] is quite an idea. This new day, October 5. The final girl munities that have dealt with feet down,” said fresh- maybe would’ve helped technology makes for a was buried the next day. For a school shootings or other disasman David Carr. them find her in the bun- happy ending to a not so while, the event was shrouded ters, life moves on. The country The suspect, Filyaw, ker,” said freshman Tyler happy story. in secrecy, but as time has of America, though wounded, ‘Holy’ Words Create Chaos Pope Benedict XVI isn’t afraid to voice his controversial opinions Jay Sturm Reporter In a university lecture on September 12, Pope Benedict XVI quoted a fourteenth century Byzantine Emperor: “Show me just what Muhammad brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached.” The Pope later said he did not believe the words he had quoted. He said he meant for his speech to promote a conversation with the Islam community. “If you call someone’s religion evil and inhumane that’s probably not the best way to promote conversation,” senior John Power says, “If I said something to that extent about someone’s religion in school, they would probably attack me.” The speech sparked two violent protests as Muslims around the world regarded the Pope’s remarks as an insult to Islam and Muhammad. On the West Bank in the Gaza Strip, firebombs were thrown and bullets were shot at three churches. Protests erupted in Indonesia, across Saylasia and in the Middle East. In Iraq, demonstrators carrying black flags burned an image of the Pope. (New York Times) Sister Leonella, age 65, and her bodyguard were murdered by two gunmen near a hospital Sunday, September 17. She had finished nursing school for trainee medics; as she was leaving the clinic, the two men fatally shot her in the back. It is not known whether the Pope’s speech directly caused this attack or not. Senior Fina Lyons gives her opinion about the Pope’s choice of words: “It sounds like he’s judging; he should be more down to earth and understanding since he’s the Pope.” She also added, “The Pope shouldn’t be judging because it’s against his religion and he should definitely think before he speaks.” In response to the statements made by the Pope, many angry Italian Catholics are concerned. There is a complicated debate in Italy about the Pope’s message. “In a statement issued first on his behalf and then twice in person, the Pontiff expressed deep regret” for the offense that had been taken. (The Economist Sept 23rd, 2006) Very few in the Islamic world seem content with this hasty apology. progressed more has come will move on. World News Victoria Means and Jay Sturm Copy Editor and Reporter Smoking Ban Finally Takes Action in Omaha A city-wide policy finally has some action put to it. Restaurants and stores can no longer allow smoking within their facility. An Indonesian Tree with Mystical Powers One tree in Indonesia was protected by police after several youth attacked it to prove that it held no mystical powers. This landmark is over 100 years old and will now be protected by all authorities. New Perspectives on the Government in Afghanistan Bill Frist, a top Republican senator, says that the time has come to realize that the war cannot be won militarily, and that the Taliban should be invited into the Afghan government. Opinion Page 2 October 2006 Scientology: Cult vs. Religion Religion, by definition according to Webster’s dictionary, is a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe, especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually inAmanda Berg volving devotional and ritual observances, and often containing a moral code Reporter governing the conduct of human affairs. Most bona fide religions can be supported historically. For instance, the Koran and the Bible can be historically supported by Roman, Greek, and Egyptian literature and archeology. In fact, the Koran and the Bible are almost the same stories but are told from entirely different perspectives. Anyone can make a religion, but sometimes it crosses the line and that’s when it becomes a cult. Scientology is one religion that crossed the line. The main belief in scientology has to do with aliens. Xenu is an alien ruler of the “Galactic Confederacy,” who, 75 million years ago, brought billions of happy little people to Earth in a happy little spacecraft, stacked them on volcanoes and blew them up with hydrogen bombs. Yay! Their souls then fused together and stuck to the bodies of the living like parasites, and continue to wreak chaos and havoc today. One of the less oblivious flaws with this theory is that scientists have placed the age of the universe to be around 33 - 56 million years old. 75 – 33 = 42. hmm…. The problems with Scientology reach far beyond their belief of creation though. I further this point with the fact that in “auditing” sessions, something much like psychiatry, unlicensed people perform hypnotherapy on individuals. Scientology nearly avoided being sued for malpractice by stating it was a “religious ritual.” According to former members Jon Atack, Steven Girardi, and Jesse Prince, “The Church used information obtained in auditing sessions against [them].” A claim like this would be actionable as extortion, blackmail or harassment within most legal jurisdictions. However, no such claim has to date been legally confirmed against Scientology based solely upon use or revelation of auditing records. They also were forced to release a statement that the E-meter, used in auditing sessions to measure your electrical emissions, alone is useless. In fact, this so called religion is so out of whack I don’t even know where to start. Scientology also believes that birth is a trauma for the infant and not the laboring mother, so certain words should not be said during birth or it will mess up the baby. Scientology even claims that breast feeding is a huge No-No. I’d like to point that if women were not meant to breast feed, THEYWOULDN’T PRODUCE MILK! Instead, followers insist the infant should be given a special Barley formula consisting of barley water, homogenized milk, and corn syrup or honey. Ask any pediatrician and they’ll tell you that this mixture could kill infants fewer than twelve months old and lacks special nutrients found in breast milk. You’d think an all knowing “religion” would know that. The most despicable belief that scientology has is that anything that happens to you… you’ve willed it to happen to you. That means if a little girl is molested she let it happen. A man gets cancer because he willed it so. If you’re raped it’s because you wanted it. I am very disturbed by this and you should be as well. No one WANTS to be molested, get cancer, or be raped. Far more disturbing things surface when you look at Scientology’s war on psychiatry that started in 1969. Scientology’s founder, Hubbard, goes as far to tell his followers, “We want at least one bad mark on every psychiatrist in England; a murder, an assault, or a rape or more than one. Our war has been forced to become ‘To take over absolutely the field of mental healing on this planet in all forms.” Hubbard claims in a 1982 bulletin, “Pain and sex (supposedly invented eons ago by psychiatrists) are the ‘Invented tools’ of degradation… (Psychiatrists) have been on the [time] track a long time and are the sole cause of decline in this universe.” He then claims that they, the psychiatrists, helped Xenu kill all those poor people 75 million years ago and must pay. Does anyone remember Charles Manson’s philosophy (or cult) called “Air-Trees-Water-Animals” also known as theA.T.W.A.? His “religion” got a lot of criticism too, especially after all those messy little murders. What I’m getting at here is just because someone calls something a religion doesn’t make it one. Their bible is based on a science-fiction novel, you can’t talk during the birth of a baby, breast feeding is some kind of carnal sin, if you’re raped it’s because you wanted to be, followers are hypnotized during auditing, scientology cannot historically prove any of its text, and it’s okay to kill, rape, or maim psychiatrists. Clearly, Scientology is a cult. Religion: belief, spirituality, morality, theology, and ethical standard. That’s the definition Webster’s dictionary gives me. Scientology has all of these; a belief system, a moral Damien Croghan standard, and a standard of ethics. Most people just know Reporter about scientology via its famous follower, Tom Cruise, but few know what the religion is. Scientologists believe in a system of reincarnation. Much like the Hindu concept, reincarnation is the cycle of life, death, and rebirth of the thetan, scientology’s equivalent to the soul. However, scientology does drift slightly away from Hinduism; they believe that we were not only people, animals, and other such things in past lives, but also extraterrestrial life forms. Yes, scientologists believe in aliens, and so do many other people out there, some not necessarily scientologists. Like most religions, scientology believes that people have an existence beyond the body. Thus, they believe in an afterlife, like most mainstream religions. At least in this aspect, scientology can agree with Christianity, Buddhism, and others. Unlike those mentioned, scientology doesn’t mention an exact afterlife theory, nor does it mention an exact ‘God’ theory. Yes, scientologists do believe in God, also known as the Supreme Being, but unlike many, their religion does not require the worship of it. Instead, it takes a different approach; the individual becomes enlightened and realizes the truth for themselves. That means that they’ve put the average person on a higher level, stating that people are smart enough to figure it out. And as for an explanation of God’s actions on Earth, the Church of Scientology’s official website states “scientologists take the maxim quite to heart that God helps those who help themselves.” Translation; the more you try to better yourself, the more you are rewarded. Kind of like karma; what goes around, comes around. Now, this is where scientology gets a little out of whack for most: their creation myth. According to scientology, an alien named Xenu came to earth 75 million years ago, carrying billions of people aboard spacecrafts. He landed the people next to volcanoes, which were blown up by hydrogen bombs. The result was that the dead people’s thetans were left behind and re-incarnated into modern-day people. This is the part where many start to ridicule scientology, and an episode of South Park might come in mind to some. But if we were to ridicule all religions because of their over-the-top creation myths, then nearly every religion would be deemed absurd. And to be fair, there are many other odd creation myths: Charles Darwin’s Theory of Evolution and the Big Bang Theory are just two. Also, they have a moral standard that defies the norm of our society; the detoxification from all drugs. That means no drugs, prescribed or otherwise. This may seem bizarre to most, considering that most Americans pop Tylenol like M&M’s, but down to its core it can be a good thing. It’s taken to an extreme in scientology, and other religions have similar ideals that go against the modern ethics of the medical community. For example, Jehovah’s Witnesses are against the use of blood transfusions, believing that blood is sacred and should stay in the body. Does disagreeing with contemporary medical breakthroughs make either religion’s beliefs illegitimate? Now, I can understand how scientology would be considered farfetched to many, but so can any other religion if you haven’t been exposed to it. Just because some aren’t familiar with the religion doesn’t make it any less of a religion. Extremist scientologists do some things that many frown upon, but so do any other religious extremists. Some extremist Muslims become members of Al Qaeda, but that doesn’t mean that all Muslims do. Some extremist Christians victimize abortion clinic patients, but that doesn’t mean that all Christians do so. Scientology, just like every other religion, shouldn’t be judged by their extremist followers. The Church of Scientology deserves the recognition of being considered a religion, not a cult. Diagnosing the World With An Excuse Victoria Means Copy Editor A widespread disorder, a common joke, a mother’s fear, and a schoolteacher’s nightmare; Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is an ordinary, household word. We see it all the time, it surrounds us everyday… maybe it is in our homes or sitting next to us in school, maybe it rides the bus with us each morning or shops next to us in the mall. Chances are we all could name at least five people who have this common disorder. But, is it really that prevalent? Does this disorder truly exist, or is it more an issue of responsibility as an individual? Webster describes ADD as “a disorder that can bring about distractibility, forgetfulness, and disorganization.” Let us reflect upon ourselves for a moment. Are you always on task, do you remember every little thing, and do you feel that every aspect of your life is organized? More than likely, you answered “no” to most of those questions. Does that mean you suffer from ADD? The answer to that is probably not. Most health professionals, doctors, and educators do believe that ADD, and its partner ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), are valid medical conditions. They also agree that these disorders are being wildly over diagnosed. I, also, believe that ADD is a legitimate problem in schools and homes in our culture. However, how can it be that ten years ago this diagnosis was rarely even thought of when a child misbehaved? If this is such an epidemic, then why is it surfacing now? Why has it only been prevalent in the last ten years? I can tell you why. In the name of being politically correct we no longer allow discipline. Spankings, restrictions, and punishments in the home are a thing of the past. These staples of ten years ago have gone out with stretch pants. In school, children no longer accept authority because that is what is learned in their growing up years. We want our children these days to make their own mistakes even if it hurts them. Boundaries were created to help and not to harm, we hear that all too often, but that doesn’t change the truth of it. Children need discipline. The Wire Staff Editor-In-Chief.......................Jennifer Ettinger Assistant Editor...........................Kristin Coppa Design Editor.........................Courtney Dusing Photography Editor........................Sara Grimes Ads Editors..............................Amanda Goeser Copy Editor...............................Victoria Means Cartoonists.........Amanda Berg, Blake Johnson Reporters...............................Damien Croghan, Maria Jones, Kayla Palma, Hayley Perrin, Josh Stroeher, Jay Sturm and Tedi Swanson Humans are creatures of habit, and with that comes a need for routine and established limitations. Even if you disagree, that doesn’t make it false. Another fact that surrounds ADD is that is gives an excuse for bad behavior. I state, once again, that in rare cases attention deficit disorder is a real problem. Nevertheless, the three major symptoms of this disorder are impulsiveness, inattention, and hyperactivity, and we are all guilty of those at times. The imperfections of being a human need to be harnessed and disciplined, not written away on medical forms and doctors’ notes. Self-discipline, in the case of older children and teens, is a core need. It is a necessity to survive day to day life in the world of high school and careers. Merely explaining away bad behavior and inability to perform at high standards is unacceptable. Disciplining yourself is a calling and a goal. American writer, Grenville Kleiser says, “By constant self-discipline and self-control, you can develop greatness of character. continued on page 4 as ‘ADD’... The Internet: Friend or Foe? Hayley Perrin Reporter A lonely, young 16-yearold girl who is neglected and often picked on has trouble finding that special someone. She has asked out several guys but has never actually been on a real date. This girl decides to take a different approach, one that many of her peers have tried successfully. All of her friends found steady boyfriends by using the internet. On the first attempt, she meets a seemingly nice guy herself, but what she doesn’t know CAN hurt her. The unfortunate truth is that internet is taking over the lives of teens across the nation. People don’t just get online for research anymore. Among other things, the internet is used for shopping, playing video games, previewing movies, watching television clips, or chatting with friends and relatives. Amazingly, online courses are becoming available for college students as well. Some even use it as a superficial dating device. All these things make the internet sound like an awesome, 21st century luxury. You can do Editorial Policy The Wire is the official Lewis Central student newspaper and is distributed free of cost to students. The opinions expressed in this publication reflect those of the student writers and not Lewis Central administration, faculty, or its advisor. The Wire is published seven times throughout the school year by the Suburban Times in Papillion, Nebraska. The purpose of The Wire is to: * inform students of current and relevant events * interpret and analyze complex events and issues that affect students * serve as a forum for discussion of controversial issues Letters to the Editor: The Wire staff strongly encourages responses to articles appearing in the newspaper. Letters may be submitted to room 401 or emailed to [email protected]. The letters must be signed, legible, and concise. The staff reserves the right to edit letters for length, grammar, and punctuation. These letters should also be free of profanity, vularity, or words with undesirable meanings. Advertising: Advertising will be sold at $25 for a 2 x 2.5 space or $50 for 4.5 x 4 space. Information can be obtained by calling 366-8220. Ask for Mary Langille. Or by e-mail: [email protected] just about anything without ever leaving the house or your chair. It is so convenient, all you need to do is sit down at your computer, click on an icon, type in a website, and explore. The down side of this is you never really know what you’re getting into. With a click of a button, you could be downloading a virus or chatting with a serial killer who wants you as his next victim. This dangerous place may seem like lots of fun with prizes and free giveaways. However, many times you are asked to give some of your information in return. It seems reasonable, but on the other end could be someone who doesn’t want to give you your prizes… they just want to get a hold of that information. Depending on what you disclose, they may be able to steal your identity, find out where you live, or send you that dreaded junk mail. The biggest problem is that too many people use the internet so religiously they wouldn’t know what to do without it. I’ve witnessed the influence kids have on their parents and many adults have fallen to this same addiction. My own mom uses the internet more than I do. While the internet has expanded and evolved into a multipurpose tool that is both useful and resourceful, some aspects end in less than desirable consequences. Use the internet wisely and beware of the many dangers that lurk behind the cyberspace corners. Do not let it control your every move. It is okay to take the extra twelve steps to the phone if you need to talk to someone, and going to the mall to buy the perfect dress for the upcoming school dance will not kill you. Finally, for your benefit, do not rely on sites like match.com to provide you with the love of your life. The choices you make today will affect your future tomorrow. Return Back to Childhood The strangest things make people happy. Businessmen can stare at a chart for hours, and then suddenly burst out in a fit of uncontained laughter, only to compose themselves seconds later. Chefs are happy when they are lavished with praising reviews and even happier when their motherin-law chokes on a crab leg. Teachers are happy when kids begin to learn, their eyes bright and cheeks flushed. Mothers are happy when the Jennifer Ettinger Editor-in-Chief washing machine doesn’t sound like a rocket moments from takeoff. Opera stars are pleased when they only succeed in shattering one person’s ear drum, and mechanics are ecstatic when a naïve customer doesn’t know quite what’s wrong with their shuttering vehicle. But children… children’s happiness is something altogether different, something so pure and unrestrained it is beyond our understanding. There’s something so charming about a child at play. Their games are so complicated even the dog is confused, but they are utterly satisfied with their imaginary world. When I was nine I wanted to ski, and I sat for hours in front of the TV, hungrily soaking up each race of the Winter Olympics. The athletes would race down the hill, flowing effortlessly over the purest snow I had ever seen. I would stand, my eyes never leaving the screen, and imitate each shift, each stroke, each victory pump of the arm. My mother just shook her head when I skied around the living room and mentioned that perhaps racing would be a bit easier outside. Delighted at the idea, I strapped on my roller blades and prepared myself for the biggest race of my life. With two rather tattered umbrellas in hand and a lopsided bike helmet, I scoffed at my knee pads. Real skiers needed no such protection. With one last look in the mirror, I grabbed my sunglasses and positioned myself at the top of my driveway. “After only two minutes in the business, young Jennifer Ettinger has risen to the top, and isn’t about to stop,” the announcer boomed. “Her mere presence makes the other skiers tremble. Here they are, taking position at the top of the hill. Jennifer tightens her grip on her poles, shifting comfortably into the starting stance. Three… two… one… and they’re off, Jennifer quickly taking the lead, her eyes bright, hair flying in the wind. Trouble ahead folks; an unexpected bump in the swirling snow throws the champ off balance and the prodigy totters…” A flying umbrella, knees leaving their mark on the cruel concrete, and screeching roller blades ended my career as a professional skier. I glanced back at my driveway, absolutely mortified at my horrific fall. I took off my scarred helmet and attempted to lift myself from the ground, but instead caught a glimpse of skinless knees dripping blood onto my steep driveway. Immediately, I began to wail. Not only was I in the worst pain I could ever remember experiencing, but I had undoubtedly lost the race. My mother wouldn’t let me into the house even after I had scaled the stairs, in roller blades no less. She was sure I would stain the carpet with blood, so she shut the door in my face. She returned eternities later with bandages, and I was soon riding the slopes once more. Pain and joy aren’t like that once you hit thirteen. Our emotions seem to dull with time, saving us from the sorrows, but robbing us of true happiness. If only I could capture the feeling I had rushing down that hill one more time. If only my stories still consisted of a cowboy, a dog, and a Ninja Turtle. If only we could be children again. Sports October 2006 Athletes of the Issue Kelsey photo by Sara Grimes Schomburg Name: Kelsey Schomburg Grade: 12 Sport: Swimming Level: Varsity How long have you been doing this: My first meet was when I was 3, so 14 years. Why do you do this: I’ve made the best friends I could ask for and I just can’t imagine myself not doing it. This seasons main goal: I would like to qualify for state in both my events, 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle. What separates this season from the last: I am a year older, obviously, which makes me try even harder because I know this is my last chance. Even though we have lost some good swimmers, we should still do good at the same level. What is your most memorable moment: We get up at 4:45 AM for morning practice, it’s like the middle of the night. So when we got there we aren’t exactly the most talkative group. We put our suits on and sweatshirts over that, cause it’s cold, then go out to the pool. No one looked at each other and our hoods were up. We were just sitting there trying to delay getting in the water as much as possible. All of a sudden the radio turns and starts blaring “We Are Family!” Me and Shanna still laugh about it at almost every morning practice. photo by Sara Grimes Buck photo by Sara Grimes Morris Name: Buck Morris Grade: 12 Sport: Football Level: Varsity How long have you been doing this: 7th grade Why do you do this: It’s fun What is your main goal: To win What separates this season from the last: I’m a senior now, there are more expectations. What is your most memorable moment: Roll out translated by Damon Coyle: “Coach told me to ‘roll out’ during a play and I literally did a roll.” photo by Sara Grimes As the Dust Settles... ‘District 8 becomes more competitive’ Josh Stroeher Reporter After week five of prep football the playing field was split into two groups. Being as blunt as possible, it was the strong versus the weak, an age-old battle between the teams that are going somewhere this year and the teams whose fire will fizzle short of state competition. The teams that stand amongst the great this year are the Harlan Community Cyclones, the Carroll Tigers and the Lewis Central Titans. However, week six would set two undefeated teams against each other and bring the teams closer together in win/loss ratios. The two indomitable teams that would battle on October sixth were the Harlan Cyclones and the Lewis Central Titans. Unfortunately, the Titans came up short in one of the best games this year falling to the Harlan cyclones by 21 points+, who kept their streak of 44 wins “It was a great game, I am sure there were mistakes made on both sides of the ball that could’ve swayed the game,” said Harlan Head Coach Curt Bladt, “LC has improved greatly and we hope to play them again later in the season.” Lewis Central now stands at 5-1 and hosts Perry this Friday. LC looks forward to winning their next three games and going to the playoffs to hopefully meet Harlan again in the playoffs. “Perry should be an easy win, but then again you never know,” said junior receiver Justin Kathrens, “hopefully we’ll do well our next three weeks and go to state, I really want us to play Harlan again, but it’s all up to us.” The next three weeks for LC football include Perry, Glenwood and Carroll. The team that they believe poses the greatest threat is Carroll, who currently stand at 6-0, Perry and Glenwood should be warm-up games with only one being a district match-up. “Carroll will be a tough game, just like Harlan, but we need to regroup and come out there fighting,” said senior defensive end, Alex Royce. So, after six weeks the Titans stand at 5-1 with only two undefeated teams left in District 8 football. The next three weeks can very well determine the state championships this year and after a tough loss the Titans are still in the running. Many people at Lewis Central can’t wait until the Titans meet the Cyclones again for another showdown. Go Ramrod! love us and some people hate us. It causes competition between the student body to see It’s Friday night and who can show the most school you’ve just arrived at another spirit for LC.” Junior Morgan Wolff Lewis Central football game. You make your way through the joined Ramrod for a little difstands and finally reach a seat, ferent reason. “I joined Ramrod to be only to find yourself surrounded by many people dressed in blue around friends and eat great and orange attire. “Blue and food. After all they do have the orange?” you think to yourself. best food ever, and my favor“Those aren’t LC’s colors,” ite part about being a member and you’re right, they’re not. is inviting people to chill out Those people dressed in blue after the game when we’re all and orange and being as loud exhausted from screaming our as possible are an elite group lungs out!” There of LC is one fanatics thing that known sets each simply member as Team of this Ramrod. g r o u p A f a p a r t ter being from each created other: on September photo by Sara Grimes their nick22, 2005, Ramrod Tailgaiting is a high-quality expe- n a m e s . when for- rience equipped with grills, couches, food, E a c h member mer se- drinks and enough fun for everyone! of the nior Nick Coleman randomly yelled team has received a nickname “Ramrod,” these select few die somehow and there are some hard fans having been working pretty interesting stories beto improve the school spirit of hind each one! “I got my nickname, the all the students at LC. “We love to go crazy at Mascot, from the team last games, grill out and basically year,” said Danielsen. “If I have an awesome time,” said had to guess why they gave junior Goodmond Danielsen. me that name, I would guess “Together, we decided that we it’s because I work so hard to had a common goal of becom- promote Ramrod and what it ing a new wave of LC fans that stands for. I’m not afraid to go crazy when the time calls would never cease to exist.” So far, they have done just for it. Besides, have you ever that. Before each game, the 32 met anybody as loud as me? members of Team Ramrod get I can be at my loudest, and together to do, what else, tail- our crowd just won’t be loud gate. The tailgating involves enough. That just makes me many things but the best part get way louder!” One person’s nickname about it just might be the came from a certain part of food. “We grill,” said Danielsen. their body. “I have the nickname G “I think we just might have the best brats, dogs and burgers Raffe because my neck is really long,” said Wolff. “It makes around!” Along with the many grill- me look similar to a giraffe. outs they hold, Team Ramrod’s It’s a sweet animal with a ghetmain goal is to get everyone to face!” Senior member Jordan pumped up at the games. Although those are their main Bockert may just have the sim“responsibilities,” each mem- plest answer to why they call ber of the team has his/her fa- him “The Lazer.” “Because I’m a quick vorite part! “My favorite part of being shooter!” he said. Thanks to all the members a member of Team Ramrod is definitely just the fact that we of Team Ramrod for your help cause so much controversy,” in promoting school spirit. said Danielsen. “Some people RAMROD! Kayla Palma Reporter Page 3 The Forgotten: JV Sports leyball team this season. They’re holding a strong 9-6-2 record including tournament play. The JV team works along side the varsity and occasionally with the freshmen at practice. “My favorite drill is ‘Snickers’ [a fast-paced continuous play drill which led by Coach Ankenbauer, is finishing off the season on the right foot. Cross Country is different from football and Behind our favorite varsity team, volleyball in several ways. is a group of athletes who are always Both the boys and girls run togethgoing the extra mile to get to be in that er. “The fact that we all practice togethvarsity match-up. They are the ones er and get to know each other makes us giving their all to get the team ready for like one big family,” said junior Amber their oppoForbes. nents. A t Football Cross CounThe JV try meets, football team individual are has been placed, and working hard then those all this season. come together While their for a team record is 2-3, score. Coach Koes“Our top ter sees more. finishers for “We’ve JV boys are won more usually Nate games this Dreager, Jayear than cob Power, the last three photo by Sara Grimes David Ebke, combined,” Down, Set, Hike! Denver Lohnes gets ready to pass the ball to his JV team- and Keenan said football mates. Working just as hard as the varsity players, the JV team endured L i n d s a y . coach Steve grueling practices to help better themselves in their sport. For girls it is Koester. usually Jaci T h e Clinkenbeard, captains change for each game, but involves all aspects of the game],” said Joanna Drummey, and Connie Smith. several players have been playing a sophomore Kayla Bergantzel. It depends on whether or not they are little more varsity. Koester named Alex The team loves to have fun running varsity or JV,” said Coach AnRocha, Kyle Mohr, Brady Wells, Jeff together, but can kick it up a notch kenbauer. He goes on to say, “As far Jorgensen, and D.J. Gnader. when they need to. as team placing goes, boys have been The team has worked through “One of our harder games above average this year compared to games against some of their biggest was against Red Oak,” said Coach past seasons, and girls have been about rivals. Coach Koester said, “You’d Berkenpas. The JV team has a small- average or a little below.” always like to beat Harlan and Saint er number of girls this year, which As the season is winding Albert, and you never want to lose to has required a lot of teamwork. down, the team is getting ready for Glenwood.” The team has grown quite the bigger meets of the season. The varsity football team has close. Junior captains Allie “Our team is pretty laid back, an impressive 5-1 record, but it Frost and Sydnie Dennis lead but when we have to, we work couldn’t be done without the ju- juniors Rachel Schultz, Jamie hard. We don’t really have a cernior varsity players at practice. Swisher, Kailin Bellows, and tain rival, we just RUN!” said ju“It’s hard for JV during practice. Amanda Goeser, as well as sopho- nior Connie Smith. All they get to work on is opponents’ mores Moryssa Prichard, Kayla “Use the hill!” as they say at plays against varsity and don’t have Bergantzel, Kelsey Tech, Sammi meets! much time to practice our own plays to Wilson, Aleesha Cox, and Ariel While the fall sports use in games,” said Coach Koester. Bowman. Sophomore Kristin season is winding down, we’d Keep it up, guys! Waters is their hardworking man- like to tell all golfers, swimager. Volleyball mers, runners, and football and Let’s finish this season strongly! volleyball players to represent Working through injury and the blue and white. Make the Cross Country illness has been the name of the games for the junior varsity volThe JV Cross Country team, Titans proud! Amanda Goeser Reporter Got Sports? a small preview to upcoming events Oct. 27th - Varsity Football at Carroll Oct. 23-26- Volleyball districts Oct. 30-Nov. 2- Volleyball Regionals Oct. 28- Girls Swimming Districts Oct. 28- State Cross Country Nov. 1- First round for Football Nov. 21- Girls Basketball at AL Nov. 28- Girls Basketball vs. TJ at Home Nov. 30- Wrestling vs. Shenendoah/Clarinda Home Nov. 30- Boys Swimming Home Dec. 1- Girls Basketball vs. Clarinda Home Dec. 1- Boys Basketball at Clarinda Dec. 5- Boys Basketball vs. Creston Home Feature Page 4 To Infinity and Beyond! Amanda Goeser Ads Editor Ladies, take note from Anousheh Ansari, to prove that space, the “Final Frontier”, is within reach, even if NASA isn’t a career path you’ve considered. The first female space tourist, Iranian American Anousheh Ansari, made her way up to the International Space Station just last month. Not only is she the first woman space tourist; she is also the first Iranian in space all together. Anousheh has trained for the past six months to fulfill this childhood dream. “I’d pay a lot of money if I wouldn’t die,” said freshman Mackenzie Means. She took off from Kazakhstan for a ten-day voyage with both an American and Russian. These astronauts will be in space for the next six months and Anousheh has returned with another shuttle, as planned, on their way back down to earth after a week and a half. Not allowed to mention the cost by contract, it is estimated she paid about the same amount as the first three [male] tourists, more than a whopping 20 million dollars. So just where does a person get $20 million for a vacation like this? Acquiring millions of dollars starts with a dream and it can’t just happen over night. Anousheh left Iran at the young age of sixteen, with the support of her family to pursue her interest in the sciences. Arriving in America, she knew merely a Top Ten few lines of English from “The Sound of Music.” She taught herself English and earned a university degree within a few years. Anousheh went to work at MCI, where she was making $26,000 a year. She soon met the man that would become her husband at MCI. It didn’t take them long to quit their jobs, cash in retirement, and run up their credit cards to start a telecommunications company. By 2000, they had sold this company to another, Sonus Networks Inc., for more than (get this) a half a billion dollars. Fortune magazine estimated her personal wealth at $180 million. Shortly after this, stock in Sonus hit the bottom and Anousheh was sued for insider trading. To this, she had no comment. (Information found on cnn.com). She returned to Earth at the beginning of October after conducting three experiments for the European Space Agency and photographing the Earth. “It was wonderful to be able to see where I was born and where I lived and grew up from the station,” Anousheh told reporters. She said that her experience has motivated her to “campaign for peace and the preservation of the natural world.” While space tourism seems to be a rather distant idea, it is here and something to get excited about. Junior Becky Lane summed it all up, “It’s the first woman [tourist] in space!” (Information found on http://www.haveeru.com.mv /?page=engdetails&id=8803) Amanda Goeser and Kayla Palma Ads Editor and Reporter According to 118 students and 2 teachers, these are their favorite Disney movies. Some of them are from way back, and some from a few years ago! 10. Mulan 9. Cinderella 8. Pocahontas 7. Incredibles 6. TIE: Fox and the Hound Beauty and the Beast 5. The Little Mermaid 4. TIE: Toy Story Monsters Inc. 3. Finding Nemo 2. Aladdin and #1 is... Did You Know... Aerosmith’s “Dude Looks Like a Lady” was written about Vince Neil of Motley Crue. More people die from eating sharks then from being eaten by them. This is due to a poison in shark meat. October 2006 An office desk has 400 times more bacteria than a toilet. A single chocolate chip gives enough energy to a human being to walk 150 feet. Gaining Weight? Sleep More! Kristin Coppa Assistant Editor Almost everyone has tried to knock a few pounds of their body. For some, it was easy and for others, it was difficult. People on diets normally think exercise and eating less is the key losing weight. Have you ever thought that your sleeping habits may be the solution? As Madelyn Fernstrom Ph.D., CNS says, people who sleep less than six hours a night have a higher body mass index than those who sleep eight hours a night. In fact, people who slept less than eight hours a day had more body fat than those who slept longer. In some cases, when people are tired they figure food can be the cure to keep their body energized, like the snack right before bed. Usually, when people are tired they choose high calorie foods rather than a healthy snack. Senior Kelli Cochrane agrees, “It does affect you because late at night, mostly on the weekends, people always go and get fast food, especially if they’re bored.” That common snack that people have before bedtime also influences you to eat more than you should and to chose high calorie foods. “A lot of people have “their bedtime snack” hoping it will make them fall asleep easier, but in reality the food they choose might keep them up at night or, if they have their snack every night, make them gain weight,” says sophomore Abbey Edwards. Madelyn Fernstrom Ph.D., CNS reported sleeping eight hours a night is easier said than done. These guidelines will help you get caught up with your lack of sleep and lose weight: • Don’t use high calorie foods to “wake you up!” Naps that are less than 30 minutes will give you that boost of energy that you’ve been craving. • Always try to set a regular schedule. Even though students are very busy these days, eating three to four meals a day and getting at least seven hours of sleep will help with setting a regular schedule. Sleep is very important, so do it while you can! • If you’re stressed out, do something about it. Go on a walk with some friends or by yourself and increase the amount of exercise in your life. Getting seven or eight hours of sleep a night is very important. It will give that boost of energy and weight loss that we all sometimes want and need. The bottom line is, getting more sleep can make a big difference. ‘ADD’ continued from page 2... As I mentioned earlier in this article, professionals do recognize ADD as a valid and serious disorder, yet treatment is extensively disputed. The most common treatment of ADD is distribution of a drug known as Ritalin. This drug is a stimulant, however it does not double activity, but it cancels out the energy the body creates, cutting energy flow in half. Ritalin is a narcotic and has a high chance of addiction. Immunity is also an issue. Your body becomes used to it and it is no longer is effective. The answer to this problem is to treat this disorder with more hands-on approaches, instead of throwing drugs at each child that glances out the window during school. The first line of therapy, according to Zachor, an ADD researcher, is to intervene in the classrooms. Give the children other methods of learning outside of the typical routine, and help the move their bodies in association with learning. The second line of therapy is behavioral management, which is a kind way of saying discipline. That inescapable “d-word” that haunts each parent is generally the answer to most school and home-related problems. The last resort to solving behavioral problems is a drug, such as Ritalin or its sister drugs Dexedrine or Dextrostat. In closing, ADD is a plaguing problem sweeping youth today. It is a “fad” diagnosis that is applied to many behavioral problems. It is much easier for parents and students to recognize a genetic disorder rather than a lack of discipline or of parenting skills. Waking up and realizing that ADD is not the all inclusive, super disorder that can write away our problems is a necessity in order to continue on with life. This diagnosis does not get rid of our problems. It may solve the problem today, but it actually heightens our problems of tomorrow. We must not allow the youth of today to think that medicines and therapies can solve our problems. We, as a united youth, must realize that we have to be disciplined, responsible, and able to accept that we create and solve our own problems in life. We can no longer rely on the myth that it is not our fault. Pay attention to life, and become your own warden. This is a challenge, each and every one of you, to take responsibility for yourselves. (www.add. about.com www.environment. averagehttp://mean.uab.com) Feature October 2006 Page 5 A Surefire Way to Make Your Halloween Experience the Best it Can Be Tedi Swanson Reporter October 31st, All Hallows Eve, otherwise known as Halloween. Everyone is familiar with the holiday. It’s the one day out of the year, other than homecoming week, when you can dress up as whatever you want and get a reward for doing so. Candy! The holiday is soon approaching, so what can you do to get yourself in the mood for Halloween? That answer is simple. Watch scary movies. Some movies, such as Halloween are even based around the holiday. Watching horror films will give you that eerie sense and leave goose bumps on your skin. The Exorcist has been considered the number one scary movie on several top ten lists; the psychological drama is one that is worth catching. If you’re not brave enough to watch the movies alone, view them in large groups. “Scary movies make you cautious of what you do at night and just get you in that mood. I can’t stand to be outside my house at night anymore because of all the movies I’ve seen,” says senior Allison Johnson. If you’re too scared to go outside at night after watching the horrific scenes of the movie, large group viewings are definitely for you. Walking outside in groups will keep you safe from the mass murderer that came straight off the screen. You should also try watching ABC Family’s 13 Nights of Halloween. The annual tradition makes several movies and show such as Scariest Places on Earth available for viewing. Its convenience makes it worth watching! It just may possess you! Go to Haunted Houses and Pumpkin Patches. Feeling your heart beat racing and the hair on the back of your neck stand up is always enjoyable, after it’s over. Experiencing these thrillers is great for the season! “It’s always fun to get the crap scared out of you to get you in the mood for Halloween – haunted houses do that,” says junior Amberly Proctor. Being chased by a clown with a chain saw is the perfect way to get you freaked out and ready to have a blast. Some of the more popular Haunted Houses around here are Mystery Manor and Shadow’s Edge. Take a look at the article by Hayley Perrin and pick and choose the best ones for you. Haunted Houses may give you a good scare, but another option is Pumpkin Patches. They’re the best place to pick out the PERFECT pumpkin for carving and normally provide several Halloween activities. Sure, they may be tailored to little kids, but that doesn’t mean big kids won’t have fun, too! I would definitely check them out. Have Halloween parties and jam out to Halloweeny tunes! Dancing to songs such as The Monster Mash brings out the Halloween spirit in you. The costume wearing at these parties helps you come up with good ideas for your costume on the actual holiday. Take your mouth along for the ride and enjoy some Halloween treats, as well. “You get to dress in your costumes and eat a lot of candy and sugar. Then you’re so hyped up that you’re ready for more candy,” says senior Sara Triplett The amount of candy you eat will have you craving more by the end of the night. These cravings can easily be satisfied on Halloween, once again getting you prepared for your trickor-treating adventures. Halloween parties are a great way to get you ready. Once the night approaches and you prepare your costume to the fullest extent, no one will be quite as prepared as you. After doing all of these things to get you in the mind set, Halloween night is sure to be worthwhile. If you’re still in need of the Halloweeny feel and would like some comedy thrown in with the horror, check out the fall play Arsenic and Old Lace being performed November 3rd and 4th. “It’ll close your Halloween door and give you the last thriller for the season,” says junior Goodie Danielson. Trick-Or-Treat! Sc ar e Yoursel f Silly With T hese It’s that time of year again… Halloween. The night for fright and trick-or-treating is just around the corner. Get ready to grab your costumes and bags of candy; prepare for Jack-o-lanterns set on porches to light the way. Kids will be running around like crazed animals from door to door with their buckets of treats in hand. It was the last day in October. The wind had a cold chill to it. It was a clear, moonlit night. “BOO!” “AHHH!” “HA! I got you!!” The boys walked home from their trick-or-treating adventure thinking of what their costumes would be next year. “I want to be a vampire and suck your blood.” “Hey, boys, how was the trickor-treating tonight?” asked their mother. “It was great, we can’t wait ‘till next year.” “Hold on you two, I think you guys are getting too old for that now.” And that was that. The two boys never went trick-or-treating again. “You’re too old for that.” This is the excuse that many parents will use. Sophomore Alli Mingus doesn’t buy that. “Everyone should get to go trick or treating. There shouldn’t be an age limit,” she says. Many think that way, but do some irresponsible kids ruin it for everyone? Taylor Basch, a sophomore, says that the trick-or-treating should be for the younger kids as the older kids can go to Halloween parties. And that is what many of our LC students do. Well, that, and go to as many haunted houses as they can. Mystery Manor, Shadows Edge and Scary Acres are the three most popular places to go. See reviews in this section. The trick-or-treaters get to have a lot of fun, but what do those who pass out the candy do for fun while their waiting for the kids? Sophomore Caitlin Carlson said, “I just wait and eat the extra candy if the kids are going to be so slow.” The kids may not be slow; there just aren’t as many kids out trick-or-treating as there was a few years ago. Parents have been very cautious for the past few years; the many scares of trick-or-treating have finally gotten to them. Many horrifying stories have been told from past holidays that have almost stopped the entire trick-or-treating part of Halloween. Razors in the candy, drugged candy, and kidnapping are what are feared by today’s parents. Should that really stop the parentals from letting their kids go trick-or-treating? What was ever wrong with parental chaperones? You just need some supervision for the younger kids and you’re good to go. Grab the candy, the costumes, and head out the door to start you night of fun. Whatever you are doing for Halloween, be sure to be safe, take care of your costumes and do Halloween your style. iridescent specks on my floor and bed. My alarm clock went off. Flashes of red light danced. Lights like the ones you see when you hear a siren. I turned it off. When I did, it sent a little shock through my body. I stood there for a moment, but only for a moment. 2 ½ hrs till I’m worm food. The radio blared in my car as the soft rain played tag on my windshield. My headlights cut through the fog sharp as a knife. I turned them off. The fog had vanished. I watched the street lights turn off one by one like dominoes. Their tall shadows stretched across the road. They tried to grab me as I passed. Trying to keep me from pressing forward. Like guardian angels. I passed under the via dock. Lines of graffiti were a blur. I gripped the wheel tighter as I made a quick right. There were blocks of chain link fence that followed the road into downtown. I wondered what they were trying to keep out. 2 hrs till I meet my maker. “Just go in.” I thrust the key into the lock with no avail. I found another and tried my luck again. The metal was cold in my hand. I watched my breath float above my head as I shivered in the morning air. The sun had disappeared behind a cloud. “damn it.” My keys slipped out my hands and landed in the puddle at my feet. It was black and even as I drew closer. I couldn’t see my forlorn keys. I reached to where I thought they had landed. I moved my hand back and forth searching for them. I brushed against something warm. I froze. “Aaahhh” a strong force pulled my down. I could feel my circulation stopping. In a blink of an eye I was trying to keep from being pulled in. My free hand grasped at broken asphalt, gravel, anything. I could feel the blood on my hand as it sliced across broken glass on the ground. Then it let go. I pulled myself up onto the side of the building. My left hand was a deep purple. I ran to the front of the office to wait for someone else to arrive. 1hr & 15 minutes till lights Maria Jones Reporter Boolicious Hau nte d Houses Hayley Perrin and Maria Jones Reporters Halloween is almost here. Are you ready? Some may still enjoy trick-or-treating, but those of us looking for a more thrilling way to spend the evening probably prefer haunted housing. The problem is finding a good one so it is not a total waste of time and money. Mystery Manor: Mystery Manor helps raise money for the Prevent Blindness Nebraska foundation and your charity is appreciated. Kim Shillito, executive director for Prevent Blindness Nebraska, said that profits from the manor will help with screenings and operations. They bring in a potential $10,000 for the program. To show your support, you can buy a Mystery Manor Haunted Theatre Comic Book for only $3. The Shadows Edge: Haunt is one of the scariest places to go this Halloween. Things to be found in this creepy place are tight hallways in complete darkness and small rooms with horrors popping out from the walls and windows. Faintly lit arrows and voices screaming at you are the only things to lead the way. If you do get scared and need an early exit there is said to be an exit in each room. You just need to ask the actors to get you there. Located at 716 N. 18th Street in Omaha; cost is $10/person Walk through the home of William and Greta Hall in this interactive tour led by the monsters within. Do exactly what they ask and nobody gets hurt… maybe. Be aware of camouflaged creatures, statues that spring to life, and worst yet ‘friendly’ demons who may turn their back on you. You can find safety as you flee from the evil on the ‘Slide of Doom.’ Bobo (the killer clown), the night stalker, the ape man, and other ‘Freak Show’ members will greet you upon entrance to the manor and bid you farewell on the way out. If you’re lucky, they may even escort you to your car. This isn’t highly terrifying but is great fun. Note: Mystery Manor is not claustrophobic friendly or intended for those prone to motion sickness. Proceed at your own will! Located at 3457 S. 84th Street in Omaha (in Mangelsen’s parking lot); cost is $10/person Don’t be deceived by the fact that it is in a parking lot. This frightening attraction gives you more scare for your money. From the angry Santa to the too-happy-to-be-sane stalker clowns, expect surprises around every corner. Guys chase you with chainsaws, portraits reveal the faces of monsters, and blood from slaughtered animals splatters the walls in room after room. Lines tend to be long so come early. If you can’t, do not worry. There is a live band that plays for you as you wait in line. But with a band called ‘Wake the Dead,’ is their purpose for your entertainment or to drown out the sound of screams. Find out for yourself. Haunt: Located at 73rd and Blondo in Omaha; cost is $11/person Haunted Hollow: Located at 120th and Giles Road in Omaha; cost is $12/person- good for one trip through haunted house, everything else you can go through as many times as you want. Are you a total baby? Do you hate going to scary places with your friends? If so this is the best place for you to go and have a good time. Haunted Hollow is more of a recreational place than a house of screams (but you do need to watch out for guys carrying chainsaws and machetes). Haunted Hollow has a trail/obstacle course, a barn maze, and a small haunted house. Other fun features include an outdoor movie theater, a bonfire, the most adorable café and gift shop. So as you can tell this is not a place for those looking for a good scare, but a fun place to go and spend an evening. out… Everyone from the office had arrived. Kit offered to buy me some coffee after she inquired about my bandaged hand. “Scrap booking accident.” I told her. We left through the front door; I insisted. 1hr till I meet my childhood dog Lucky… I offered to pay as the clerk rang up our mocha lattes and crumb cake. She smiled, “That’ll be $6.66.” I thru a pack of cinnamon mints on the counter and smiled. “You forgot something.” She smiled again and rang up the mints. “$7.23.” 45 minutes till show time… My computer screen flashed at me. I remembered what the old lady digging in trash had told me as I came back with my latte. Said I shouldn’t be here. The dead can’t stay with the living. I laughed. She threw a empty Starbucks container at me. It missed and landed at my feet. I kicked it into the sewer drain. I snapped back. Thousands of pop ups threatened to overrun my computer. I killed them without hesitation. 35 minutes till the candle burns out… I rocked back in forth in my chair humming a TV jingle I had heard last night. 34 minutes till death do us part… The power went out. I opened a drawer in my desk. There were murmurs all around me. My hand found the flashlight I’d been reaching for. Click. No light came out. I threw it down. 32 minutes left. Nobody said anything. It was if they had all disappeared. I took in a deep breath and started to count one, two, three… 15 minutes till The air was damp. I kept hearing sounds all around me. Things were moving. I brought my knees to my chest and rocked back in forth in my chair. “Everyone went to go find out why the lights were out. That’s it, their here somewhere.” I said that over and over as the sounds grew louder. 10 minutes The sounds were on our floor now. I could hear computers being smashed. I felt papers fly past my face. I crawled under my desk. 2 minutes I had been found. I knew it was in front of me. “I don’t want to go back.” I moved back further under my desk. A felt a warmth like nothing I’d ever felt before. I was quickly dragged out form under the desk. I sobbed. 1 minute I began to sink into the floor. It felt like I was being crushed from all sides. “No” “The dead cannot linger among the living” “I’m not dead! I’m not dead!” “You died in your sleep. ” “How--” “Heart failure,” I was completely engulfed by the floor now. “Runs in your family you know.” “I’m not dead” I sobbed. “Just let go. It’ll all be okay” Everything had stopped. The noise, the pain, the fear. I let go. A Spooktacular Horror Story That’s to Die For Amanda Berg Reporter For some people it is impossible to accept death. But it is inevitable and to fight it only causes more grief. That is where our story begins with a young up and coming ads director Amelia Moore. 4hrs till eternal sleep… It was like any other day. I remember waking up and being tired. I felt dead. Hah. I rolled over threw the empty bottle of chardonnay on the floor. I got out of my bed and looked out the window staring at the grey outline of dawn. The fog was so thick I bet a peeping Tom could have been staring right back at me. I reached for my medication. All gone. I’ll have to call the pharmacy and get a refill. 3hrs & 5 minutes till damnation. The light began to cut through about the time I got out of the shower. First through the fog, then through my light catcher, and finally resting on my face. The light danced in multitudes of Activities Page 6 A Hilarious Thriller, a Chilling Comedy:This Play Will Leave You Gasping Tedi Swanson Reporter “I push. You pull.” A foreign accent instructs its listener, beginning to shove a dead body through a window. What’s the story behind the death? Why are the men attempting to sneak it into an unsuspecting house? The answers to these questions are somewhere inside of this year’s fall play, Arsenic and Old Lace. Arsenic and Old Lace is definitely a crowd pleaser. Mixing comedy with murder and throwing in a little bit of plastic surgery gone wrong, the characters of the show will leave the audience laughing… or cringing in their seats. “This show is going to make you bust a gut and scare you to pieces. It mixes together two strong acting styles, thriller/mystery and comedy,” says junior Caleb Housley. Mixing such opposing acting styles may be a challenge, but the students chosen for the roles are capable of pulling it off and leaving many plans on how to get students interested, the directing team has already started the audience stunned. Stunning the audience isn’t only a skill of the actors; preparing things for publicity and may have a few special effects up their sleeves. the production team backing them up has their own ways of astonishing the viewers. With “Well, I can’t give away too much, but what I can tell you is we’re having more than just seeing and hearing things. We’re attempting to make it like a 3D or 4D experience. The Wire Staff is Overworked! B e ing overworked and being a reporter do not go hand in hand. For example, being overworked means being stressed. Being stressed leads to writer’s block. Writer’s block makes writing articles a lot harder than it normally would be. Damien Croghan It’ll pretty much rock,” said senior David Ebke. Making the show have multiple dimensions is definitely something unique to the Arsenic and Old Lace team, but what else about this show makes it distinctive from others? During the show, there are built-in “Team Days” where the team spends time together doing something other than rehearsing. “The team days are really good for the people involved with the play. It keeps us as one team instead of splitting up into four or five different groups,” said freshman Holly Nicolosi. One unified team along with some sweet special effects, throw in a little bit of comedy and a dash of horror and you’ve got this year’s fall play, Arsenic and Old Lace. After running for 1,444 performances on Broadway, this show definitely has potential to leave you craving more. Get your tickets early for the performances on November 4th and 5th! The goal is to have a full auditorium! Wake up. School. Play practice. Homework. Sleep. Wake up. School. Play practice. Sleep. The routine is the same every day, never leaving enough hours to get everything done. Being a senior, researching colleges and filling out applications is important. I need to figure out where I’m going after high school is over, but high school keeps me so busy that I don’t have time to get any of that done. Calculus has taken over my life; I spend a lot of my time each night struggling through the homework and hoping that I somehow grasp how to do the problems. Not to mention the chores I need to do around the house. There’s never time for anything. Tedi Swanson Sports, homework, plays, chores, how much stuff can our students take? As the youngest child in the family, I get the leftover rides and the leftover time for sports. I like being active. My favorite sports are basketball and track. But of course my older brother, well, is my older brother. He believes that no one, besides him, should be able to participate in the sports and activities that he has been in. Even if he hasn’t been in a sport, to him I still shouldn’t be allowed to be in even those sports. The activities that are off limits: basketball, track, cross country, band, and oh, get this one, dodgeball. We’re not allowed to be good at dodgeball in gym class. As a result of this abuse, I am not in any activities, so that should give me the time to get my homework done. But no, I do the chores; I clean the house, and try not to kill my lazy brothers. Homework comes close to last in my home life, because it’s simply not as important as everything else. But I try to keep my grades up; they are usually Bs if I’m really lucky. It would really help if the homework wasn’t so heavy, but it’s only what would help almost every student, so we know it’s impossible. Aah! How does life keep going when you are so busy that it seems like sleep is a frivolous way to spend your time? Every weeknight is filled with practice or a game. Then there is homework and when it starts getting late, you have to start deciding which homework you’re going to do first and hope you stay awake long enough to finish it all. I always used to long for the weekend, until I got a job. That only adds to my schedule. But, I love my crazy busy life and can’t imagine it any other way! Amanda Goeser October 2006 Fine Arts Seniors of the Issue: Amber Barr photo by John Petri Involved in... 1. Dance Team • A member all four years of high school 2. Chamber Choir 3. Lewis Corporation • Involved for two years After high school, Amber is applying for the a Universal Dance Association Instructor position where she will be teaching at high school summer school dance camps. She is considering the University of Kansas or the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her possible majors are business management or journalism. She is planning to audition for the university’s dance team and will probably minor in dance. Brad Bass Maria Jones Tailgating photo by Josh Stroeher HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT DISCOUNT! Homecoming Headquarters • Book Your Updo Today! 928 Valley View Drive Council Bluffs, IA 712-256-9233 TWO WEEKS OF 15 UNLIMITED$ TANNING 98* *Must present valid high school student I.D. card. Level 1 Beds Only. Not valid with any other offer. 14 & 15 years of age must have parental consent. See store for details. Expires 10/31/06. T-0668 15th & Cornhusker - Bellevue 78th & Cass - Omaha 168th & Q - Millard 28th & Capehart - Bellevue 96th & Q - Omaha 84th & Giles - La Vista 42nd & Dodge - Omaha 110th & Maple - Omaha 7th & Broadway - Council Bluffs 144th & W. Center - Omaha Need a Quick Tan? Try our UV FREE InstaBronze! No Appointment Tanning •Open 7 Days a Week • www.ashleylynnstanning.com Hey LC Studen ts! Ha ve you tried this new salon? Sto p in and gi ve us a try! Involved in... 1. Lewis Corporation Band • Involved all four years! 2. Chamber Choir • Joined choir merely because Mr. Huth gave him a cookie. • Made All-State last year. After high school, Brad wants to go to college and study something to do with computers. October 2006 Entertainment Page 7 TV Turns Over a New Leaf With These New Fall Shows “Enchated Arms” as if it were their last. John Lithgow and Heather Burns bring Twenty Good Years to life on October 11th at 8:30 p.m. on NBC. Kristin Coppa Assistant Editor Fall is the time for changes to be made and new television shows to watch. The weather is getting colder, so kick up those feet on your lazy boy chair, grab a bowl of popcorn and a coke and relax as the new fall television show lineup on NBC comes to a T.V. near you. We have all seen comedy shows and movies in the past, but there has never been a show about the hard work and dedication put into making a television show. “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” a drama packed sitcom, is supposed to represent life behind the scenes of a comedy sitcom somewhat like “Saturday Night Live.” Starring in “Studio 60” is Matthew Perry as Matt Albie who is a senior writer for the television series “Studio 60.” Along with Matthew Perry are actors Bradley Whitford, Timothy Busfield, D.L. Hughley, Steven Weber, Amanda Peet, Sarah Paulson, and Nate Corddry. The show will air every Monday night at 10 p.m. on NBC and last for one hour. “The truth is, nothing is guaranteed… so don’t be afraid. Be alive.” Sarah Dessen’s novel, “The Truth About Forever,” emphasizes the importance of living life and appreciating what it can give you. As soon as main character Macy Queen watched her father die the day after Christmas, she and her life drastically changed. All of a sudden Macy could only see “The Face” around her. The Face is what people put on when the only thing they can say is “I’m sorry,” since all they are thinking is “poor Macy.” Her relatives, teachers, and even friends were masked with The Face; therefore, Macy felt the only person she could trust was herself. Drawing into herself and focusing on what she could do for her widowed mother, Macy went through the next few years of high school with a new goal: to be perfect. When the pressure from her workaholic mother and flawless “kind of” boyfriend got to be too much, Macy lashed out of her comfort zone and landed a job in a chaotic catering company. Wish (the company) introduced her to a motley group of teens who became determined to loosen Macy up. Kristy and Monica (also known as Monotone) are sisters who show Macy that you don’t have to be exactly like the ones you love. Kristy is boisterous and friendly teen who dresses in outrageous clothing and looks for a “nice guy” to date. Monotone is sloth-like and barely speaks, but Kristy always seems to know what’s going on with Monotone on the inside. Blake Johnson Cartoonist Another television show that tells all the drama and comedy that actually goes on behind the curtain is airing this fall as well. “30 Rock” stars Tina Fey, who wrote the comedy film of “Mean Girls.” She plays Liz Lemon, the head writer of “The Girlie Show,” a fictional television show. I guess you could say anything can happen on the set of this new fall comedy also starring Alec Baldwin and Tracy Morgan.“30 Rock” will premiere on October 11th at 8 p.m. on NBC. A story of a small town and the love they have for football, “Friday Night Lights” is directed and written by Peter Berg and Brian Grazer. This drama filled show focuses on the town of Dillon, Texas. Starring in this new amazing series are Kyle Chandler, Scott Porter, Gaius Charles, Taylor Kitsch, Connie Britton, Zach Gilford, and Minka Kelly. “Friday Night Lights” will air on October 3rd at 8 p.m. on NBC. Returning to the television screen again is the “The Biggest Loser,” which will take place on the beach and will air on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m. on NBC. “Deal or No Deal,” one of America’s favorite game shows, will now appear on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays, each at different times on NBC. Why wouldn’t you want to watch beautiful women, a bald host and people going crazy over money? Everyone loves a good story about friends and their differences. “Twenty Good Years” is a brand spankin’ new comedy of two best friends who finally realize that they won’t live forever. These two bud’s have a hard time agreeing except that they have twenty good years left to live. They decide that they should live every day If you like movies about superheroes then you will love this new television series. “Heroes” is a story of incredible people who thought they were normal. With their special powers they will be able to save the lives of others or help those in need. This show aired on September 25th at 9 p.m. on NBC. This fall, NBC’s new television shows will premiere. So far the new television series are off to a good start. There are plenty of shows to keep you satisfied, so kick back and relax this fall and let the new fall sitcoms entertain you. “The Truth About Forever” Strikes Close to Home Courtney Dusing Design Editor Enchants Players Brothers Bert and Wes illustrate to Macy how a family that has gone through a tragedy can still have faith in life and one another. Bert is the youngest and the one everyone picks on, but is completely determined to be himself. Wes is an ex-“bad kid” turned artist. He woos Macy all summer until both of their “onhold” relationships are back, staring them in the face. As Macy lives in the Wish world at night, during the day she is stuck with her “on-hold” boyfriend, Jason’s, previous stuffy library job and tending to her mother’s housing development tribulations. Macy’s older sister Caroline enters the picture with an objective to help the family move on after their father’s death. Caroline was a “wild child” throughout high school and pushes Macy to continue being happy and living life with the Wish crowd, while their mother demands the “perfect” Macy back. With Wish on her side, Macy pushes through her barrier into a world of taking chances, facing fears, and telling the truth. She opens her heart and mind to learning how to live life to the fullest and not worry about what could go wrong. That is… until Jason comes back and wants to discuss the break in their relationship. Macy has the chance to go back to a life of simplicity. A life planned out to the second. She wouldn’t have to worry about anything… forever. Or she could live a life of chances. Failures and successes at every decision she’d make. Knowing that she could be the one in charge… forever. The themes of this book are what make me love it. Reading material that reminds me that imperfections make a person who they are and makes me want to live each day as if it is my last always gets a thumbs-up. Although the themes are wonderful and well written into the story, the plot is kind of sporadic. Wish and it’s employees are well developed, but the interaction between Macy and her mother seems out of place and awkward at times. Bringing in passionate Caroline helps show the real stiffness and routine that her mother forces upon Macy. Overall, I think the book is great for high schoolers and creates questions that most teens don’t think about. Teens usually think they have it figured out until someone shoves another “what if” in their face. This story may help us realize that no one knows everything so all we can do is take it as it comes. When we reach a crossroads, remember what Kristy would say, “For any one of us our forever could end in an hour, or a hundred years from now. You can never know for sure, so you’d better make every second count.” What will Macy do? Better yet, what will you do? Enchanted Arms is the first and only Japanese role playing game on the 360 (not counting a certain god-awful MMO). It’s gotten mediocre reviews from pretty much everyone, but I decided to pick it up anyway due to my biting need to play a new RPG. After playing it for a while, a couple things came into my mind: o Beggars can’t be choosers. o What is everyone whining about? This game rules. That’s right: Enchanted Arms is awesome. I mean, one of the main characters (early in the game, anyway) is an exceptionally flamboyant transsexual that fights with a saxophone. If that doesn’t immediately sway you, then the game itself will. The battle system is completely tactics based, but there’s also a Dragon Quest-ish out-of-battle / exploration part complete with towns and NPCs (unlike most tactics games where it’s just a constant battle with the occasional pub or shop thrown in). So, it’s odd that the main complaint of reviewers is that it’s “nothing new.” It is. Sure, it takes a bit from other games, but it combines those parts into something unique and enjoyable. And who cares if it has been done before? You don’t see the entire country of Japan doing anything but nearly exploding with excitement any time a new Dragon Quest is announced, even though the gameplay of the eighth game is barely different than that of the first. I guess the phrase “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it,” sums up what I’m trying to say. There are a couple bad parts that stick out, though – the English voice acting is absolutely terrible, which is a shame considering it has some of the best dialogue I’ve ever seen in a game. A good solution to this is to just put Japanese voices on so you can’t even tell if the voice acting’s bad or not. Another thing that bugged me was how weird the characters look. I’m not talking about their costumes, of course (it’s a JRPG; I think crazy costumes are a prerequisite), but the faces. They look like they’re made out of plastic, and their mouths don’t move too realistically. It’s not that big of a problem, and I think the beautiful, albeit shiny (why do all 360 games have to be so shiny?) environments make up for it. Overall, I’d say it’s definitely worth buying if you’re looking for a good, long-lasting RPG for the 360, and don’t mind some slightly used (but still in good condition) gameplay elements. Good: character development / personality, environments, battle system, and dialogue. Bad: character graphics, voice acting, and it isn’t very innovative. Rating: 9.0 Band of the Issue Name: The Heroic Members: Matt Spitznagle-Lead Guitar/Piano Chris Loftus-Vocals Josh Tiffey-Rhythm Guitar Eric Hayes-Bass Guitar Ross Jones-Drums Genre: Punk/Post-Hardcore Myspace: www.myspace.com/theheroic1 Inspirations: Linkin Park, Avenged Sevenfold Upcoming Shows: Oct. 21- Rebels Oct. 28-Regal Lanes Oct. 29-The Rock Oct. 31-Council Bluffs Skatepark Although the band has only been together for a short time they have already played a few shows and have an entire month planned out by performing four times in the next three weeks. In the future they plan on playing National shows and hope to be signed soon. *And Remember You Can Always Check Out Each Bands Music on Their Personal Myspace Pages* New Evanescence CD Blows Critics Away Damien Croghan Reporter It’s been three years since Evanescence released a new CD, but the wait’s been well worth it. The Open Door is very different from most bands’ second albums; it’s better than the first, and doesn’t get boring after many plays on your iPod. A m y Lee’s famous operatic vocals get revamped and enhanced. The synergy of metal guitar, piano, and classic-sounding instrumental openings give the bands old style a fresh touch. To simply put it, it’s amazing! The lyrics stay bittersweet, and cover subjects that hit home for many. Relationships gone bad, depression, not feeling accepted and losing control are all things anyone can relate to, so I think this album is accessible to a wide range of people. Those that enjoyed Evanescence’s debut album will enjoy this one as much, if not more so. And for those who haven’t experienced the miracle that is this CD, then buy a copy and decide for yourself. Listening to this CD allows you to feel the emotions poured into every track. It’s dark but beautiful, not drifting away from what people expected while blowing critics away at the same time. If you weren’t a fan of Evanescence before, you should be now. B e s t t r a c k s : Sweet Sacrifice, Lacr y m o s a , and Call Me When You’re Sober (despite being overplayed on MTV and the radio). If you liked this CD, you’ll like: Lacuna Coil, Nightwish. Student Life Page 8 October 2006 Undercover Editor and the Secret Staff by Blake Johnson Bond Girl Balooza! Match each actress to her James Bond movie. Bring your answers to room 401, and you will receive a prize from Mrs. Langille! Izabella Scorupco • The World is Not Enough • Casino Royale • Golden Eye • Die Another Day • Tomorrow Never Dies Halle Berry Eva Green Sophie Marceau Michelle Yeoh Who is your favorite James Bond character? “Goldfinger because basically it’s the only video I’ve seen.” - senior Natalie Jacoby “Q because he’s brilliant and he makes all of Bond’s cool gadgets.” - sophomore Matt Wolf “James Bond, he’s a supercool spy.” - freshman Bridget Hall “I like James Bond. He’s smart, gets to drive nice cars, and always gets the girls.” - junior Nick Kempton photos by Sara Grimes and Josh Stroeher