Issue 1 -- September 10, 2014.pub

A new year of
RCDS sports
begins ...
meet the new
doctor Who,
peter capaldi ...
page 2
ACADEMIC BOWL
TO appear on
RSU-TV ...
page 3
page 4
Published biweekly by and for the Upper School students of Riverfield Country Day School in Tulsa, Oklahoma
The Commons
“journalism is
literature in a hurry…”
jane goodall
I hope you all enjoyed the
electronic and arcade splendors
of Game Night last Friday. But
before you put up your agenda,
pack your sunscreen, and prepare for tomorrow’s Campout, I
wanted to let you in on the plans
for next week.
visits riverfield
By nick hartman
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
O
Nick: Thank you for taking the time to meet with us. Given
our cultural and biological similarity to chimpanzees, what
would you say have been the biggest revelations we have
learned about our own race by watching theirs?
Dr. Goodall: Humility. We are simply not as different from
the other animals as we used to think. I think that has been the
most important lesson, and it can then be trickled down to all
these other amazing animals.
N: In an interview with Bill Moyers in 2009, you discussed
how the focus of your attention has become helping the next
generation to become better environmental stewards than the
previous one. What more do you think needs to be done to
inspire and prepare us to finally solve the crises caused by
generations of environmental neglect?
Dr. G: It’s very easy. We just have to grow Roots & Shoots
farther and farther so that young people get to learn about the
problems that they don’t already know. They don’t understand. They’ve heard the wrong things. They hear there is no
such thing as climate change, or it’s a natural cycle. They are
told all sorts of wrong things by big corporations, so we need
to make sure they know what is actually happening and what
they can do about it.
N: In your books and interviews, I often see the theme of
Dame Goodall (center) is joined by her friend, Mrs. Pam O’Halloran-Blevins, who teaches Middle School Science at Riverfield,
and The Commons’ Nick Hartman. Goodall visited the Roots &
Shoots class after speaking to the faculty and students on September 3.
PHOTO BY PATRICIA DICKEY
hope surface. What gives you the most hope for the future
survival of chimpanzees and the environment in general?
Dr. G: The fact that nature is very resilient. Once we give it
time, and perhaps some help, even devastated areas can recover to some extent. Animal species can be brought back
from the very brink of extinction. I wrote a whole book about
it called “Hope for Animals and Their World” ... and I have
hope because of the energy and commitment of young people.
N: What is the greatest piece of advice you would like to give
my generation?
Dr. G: Not to forget that every single day, you make an impact. And you get to choose what sort of impact you’re going
to make.
N: What are you most proud of?
Dr. G: I suppose I’m most proud of helping a lot of people
understand the true nature of animals … and of starting Roots
& Shoots.
N: What do you most regret?
Dr. G: That I don’t have enough time left to live, to do all the
things I’d like to do.
N: What are your future plans?
Dr. G: Well, I’ll carry on doing what I’m doing until I die.
Up until then, I want to grow Roots & Shoots and fight for the
environment for my own great-grandchildren and everybody
else.
N: Thank you, Dr. Goodall.
U.S. attacks ISIS with coordinated airstrikes
By William Genesen
NEWS EDITOR
Recently Iraq has been under
attack from a terrorist group
called ISIS. ISIS stands as one
of the most dangerous Jihadist
groups in the world, being rivaled only by Al-Qaeda. ISIS
has been so extreme in their
public executions and barbaric
tactics that even Al-Qaeda
doesn’t want to be connected to
them.
Over the past year or two
ISIS has gained control of key
sections of Syria, and now they
have seized areas in Iraq. On
August 8, the U.S. decided it
was time to step in. The U.S.
has attacked ISIS with coordinated airstrikes on their strongholds.
Many Americans are worried about the U.S. getting involved in this conflict because
they fear it will lead to another
war with troops on the ground.
ThECOMMONS is published biweekly during the
school year by the Upper School Newspaper class at Riverfield Country Day School, 2433 W. 61st Street, Tulsa,
Oklahoma 74132. The staff reserves the right to edit any
article or letter submitted for publication. Send all submissions to the Editor-in-Chief at [email protected].
All opinions expressed are those of the individual writers
and do not reflect positions of the staff, adviser, or school
administration. Newspaper Adviser: Mrs. Patricia Dickey.
—Anonymous
‘Winwin
week’ is
Coming up
Noted primatologist
n Wednesday, September 3, we were all privileged to meet Dr. Jane Goodall, the world’s foremost expert on chimpanzees and the founder of
the international Roots & Shoots program. Dame
Goodall visited the Riverfield campus again, ten
years after her first visit, to promote environmental awareness among young people. The Commons was generously granted the following exclusive interview.
SEPTEMBER 10, 2014
But President Obama clearly
stated that the U.S. will not put
any troops on the ground, but
instead will use coordinated
airstrikes to keep ISIS from
moving forward, to force them
to retreat eventually, and possibly to eradicate them completely.
Since the airstrikes have
started, the U.S. has already
taken out many key targets and
killed multiple high-ranking
militants. The airstrikes are be-
ginning to hurt ISIS and put
them on the defensive. Unfortunately, because of this they yet
again showed their extremist
ways by releasing a video of the
beheading of American reporter
James Foley. At the end of the
video, they claimed that if the
U.S. does not stop the airstrikes,
they will publicly execute another American reporter.
The whole world is attentively waiting to see what will
happen next.
FALL 2014 STAFF
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ...................... Nick Hartman
MANAGING EDITOR.................. James Morley
ADVERTISING MANAGER ........ Kip Derryberry
NEWS EDITOR........................... William Genesen
SPORTS EDITOR ....................... Zeke Clark
REVIEWS EDITOR ..................... Addison Standley
FEATURES EDITOR .................. Julia Kraus
OPINIONS EDITOR .................... Alex Milton
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR.......... Altug Delen
through
Emma’s
EYES
By Emma Keely
Your newly-elected representatives have been essential in
planning next week’s OSSAA
WinWin Week. Last year,
thanks to everyone involved, we
raised nearly $3,000 for cancer
research!
It is hard to forget last year’s
Powder Puff football game
spectacle, but in case you
missed it, here are some of the
highlights. Unfortunately for
this year’s senior and sophomore girls, we got our butts
kicked 36-12. And who could
possibly forget the half-time
show provided by our very own
male cheerleading squad?
We can expect our up-andcoming WinWin Week to be
very similar to last year, but
lavender is this year’s color.
Lavender is the designated color
that represents all forms of cancer. So, in accordance with our
purpose of benefiting cancer
research at OU’s Stephenson
Cancer Center, the t-shirts are
lavender. Be sure to order one,
because never again will there
be a purple Riverfield shirt.
Though it is highly anticipated, the Powder Puff game will
not be the first sporting event
next week where lavender will
be worn. On Tuesday night, the
Volleyball team hosts a game in
which they will sport fabulously
fashionable lavender bands.
The posters have been posted, the coaches are ready to
coach, and the sign-ups have
been signed. I expect I’ll see
you there!
VOLUME IX ISSUE 1
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2014
PHOTOGRAPHY ........................ Ragan Auxter
COLUMNISTS ............................ Maddie Cadieux
.................................................... Zack Davenport
.................................................... Bailey Gower
.................................................... Emma Keely
.................................................... Max Musick
NEWSPAPER ADVISER ............ Mrs. Patricia Dickey
The COMMONS
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
SPORTS / OPINIONS 2
NEW SEASON of NFL KICKS OFF
BY WILLIAM GENESEN
STAFF WRITER
For football fans, this is
the most exciting time of the
year. The preseason is now
over, and we can start speculating about which teams are
looking good going into the
regular season.
The defending national
champions, the Seattle Seahawks, are starting out the
season in the No. 1 position.
They are still considered the
team to beat.
The Denver Broncos are
starting the season with the
No. 2 ranking, followed by the
New England Patriots, the San
Francisco 49ers, and the New
Orleans Saints.
If your team was not mentioned, no need to worry. After
the first week, the standings are
likely to change. Anything can
happen in the NFL on any given
day, which makes it hard to predict what’s going to happen.
Because of last year’s finish,
we can say that the Seahawks
are definitely the team to watch.
They have both an explosive
offense and what seems to be an
impenetrable defense, which
will make them tough to beat.
But there are many other
teams in the NFL that possess
these same qualities, so honestly, anything could happen.
It is really only a matter of a
few games that can change the
outcome of an entire season.
That unpredictability is one of
the main reasons the NFL is so
exciting to watch.
So with that, we are just
going to have to take a seat
and watch everything unfold.
It’s going to be a season to
remember with so many potential championship teams
competing for the ultimate
prize: the Super Bowl.
CLASSIFIEDS — BUY IT, SELL IT, LOVE IT!
for sale
shout outs
PC GAMES
Unopened games at below market
rates: Bioshock 2, Portal 2, The
Walking Dead GOTY Edition, Left 4
Dead 2.
—Nick Hartman
U.S. STUDENTS
Here’s to another great year off and
running… Thank you for being the
most fantastical students ever!
—Mrs. Jacobs
Meet me for quick purchase, but buy
fast. Premium FEDORAS selling
like hotcakes!
—Riley Brown
Ben Violett, you are a beautiful
person. You shall fly like an eagle.
—Charlie H.
Congrats to Tater Pugh, who came
in 1st among 2A varsity boys at last
Saturday’s XC meet!
wanted
High school From a
freshman’s viewpoint
BY ALEX MILTON
OPINIONS EDITOR
After only two weeks, high
school already seems a lot different from middle school.
When I was in Riverfield’s
Middle School, the Upper
School seemed like it would be
a lot harder. I thought I would
have absolutely no free time. As
it turns out, it is definitely different from middle school, but
not in the ways I expected.
We do get more homework,
but it seems to be balanced out
by getting six free periods we
can use as study halls every
week. We can also go to the
Learning Center after school as
long as there are still teachers
on the second floor.
Now that our grades matter a
lot more, it is more important
for us to stay caught up with our
work, to take notes, and to
check RenWeb and our school
email often.
Our classes use more technology than in middle school
because everyone now has laptops with them. Using our laptops for notes can help keep us
organized and ready to study for
quizzes and tests.
Now that we have nearly all
of our classes in the Upper
School building, we don’t have
to spend most of our passing
periods walking from building
to building.
At lunchtime, after we are
finished eating, we are able to
go upstairs to the Learning Center and get more homework
done if we feel like being productive.
With the new market in the
cafeteria, we can choose what
we eat if we don’t take our
lunches while still having the
option of regular school lunches.
High school may be a leap,
but it is a leap in a better direction towards success.
WANT AN AD?
Contact Kip Derryberry at [email protected]. 25 word max.
Free to students and faculty. $5 for
businesses.
A new year of sports at RCDS
BY ZEKE CLARK
SPORTS EDITOR
It’s crazy to think that the
2014-2015 school year is already well underway, but with
the start of school comes the
start of another year of Riverfield sports.
Each and every year we
have a steady increase of participants in every sport, and this
year we hope for the same. Returning students have a pretty
good understanding of what we
have to offer. But the newer
students might not, so I am going to explain what sports we
have, and a little bit about them.
Participation in Riverfield
athletics has always been a big
focus of this school, so if something sounds interesting, go try
it out!
The FALL SPORTS we
offer are Cross Country (for
both boys and girls), and Junior
High Volleyball (for girls only.)
These two sports have grown in
popularity here over the past
few years. Both sports will give
you great opportunities to stay
in shape and compete against
other schools.
Both of these teams have
new coaches this year. The
Cross Country team is coached
by Mr. Parks, and the Volleyball
team is coached by Mr. Breig.
Both coaches are looking forward to improving the skills of
each team member.
Both of these sports are already mid-season, so if you’re
thinking about joining, it might
be tough. Maybe you could
think about joining next year?
These two sports are strong
points in Riverfield athletics,
and a great way to kick off a
new year in Riverfield sports.
WINTER SPORTS we
offer focus on Basketball. There
are Varsity Boys and Varsity
Tater Pugh, Angelo Ramirez, Campbell Boulanger, Chris Bogle, Eric
Haake, Aaron Reid, and James Morley are this year’s Varsity Boys
Cross Country team, shown here at last Saturday’s meet at Henryetta.
PHOTO BY ANNAHLYN PUGH
Girls teams, as well as Junior
Varsity (JV) for both. The Varsity Boys are coached by Mr.
Bogle, who is assisted by Mr.
Zinn. Mr. Zinn coaches the JV
Boys. The Varsity Girls have
Mrs. Stack for their coach, and
she also helps out with the JV.
Last year both of the Varsity
teams had very successful seasons, and this year they are
looking to take another step
forward. Both teams participated in several different summer
leagues to get in shape and
ready for this year’s season.
They played extremely well
against some good teams. If you
are interested in joining the
team, make sure you contact
Mr. Bogle or Mrs. Stack
A.S.A.P. Practices start soon.
SPRING SPORTS at
Riverfield are Soccer Tennis,
and Golf. As of right now, there
is no Varsity Girls soccer team,
but if there are quite a few girls
interested, we could start one.
The Varsity Boys team is
coached by Mr. Schwarz, and he
has really done a great job.
Tennis will be offered for
both boys and girls again, and it
is coached by Mr. Clark.
Varsity Boys and Girls Golf
is coached by Mr. Bogle. Golf
has always been one of Riverfield’s most prized sports, and
I’m sure they are going to have
another great year.
It’s hard to believe that we
are already planning a full year
of sports. Winter and spring
might seem like a long way off,
but they are really not. The
school year always flies by. So
if you are interested in joining
one or more of these sports,
contact the coach(es) soon.
Many students use the Learning Center during free periods, study halls,
PHOTO BY ALTUG DELEN
and during their lunch hour.
New students find
Riverfield different
BY ALEX MILTON
OPINIONS EDITOR
Now that school is in session, most people have a feel
for how this year will go.
There are many students
who are new to Riverfield’s
Upper School this year. For
many of them, RCDS is very
different from their previous
school.
Of course, Riverfield is
different from most schools in
several important ways. One
of the first differences people
notice is the number of animals we have on our campus.
We are also known for
being environmentally conscious and involved with nature. Our focus on helping the
environment teaches us to be
aware of how important it is to
take care of our planet and life
around us.
Some people know us for
our unique teaching techniques
that help make everyone’s
learning experience better.
Class sizes here are smaller to
make sure everyone gets the
attention they need.
For still others, Riverfield
is a school known for its very
artistic students.
To new students, Riverfield can be a unique experience. It is important to help
new students feel at home. If
someone is sitting alone at
lunch or doesn’t know anyone
in their classes, it is important
that the rest of us help them
get to know the other members
of their Riverfield family.
We are a very welcoming
and diverse community.
Riverfield is a place where
people can feel accepted and
proud to be a Raven.
As new sophomore Julia
Kraus says, “Riverfield is a
learning environment where
being passionate about what
you learn is encouraged.”
The COMMONS
A&E / reviews
LINDA-MAR’s burgers
are our new favorite
We were approached by a
Riverfield teacher last year who
told us we needed to try a burger place named “Linda-Mar,”
and that the food was even better than Arnold’s. Now, Arnold’s has been a favorite of
ours for years. Obviously, we
had to put this to the test.
The restaurant began in the
’70s when Jerry McCutcheon
wanted to keep the legacy of
burger joints alive in his family.
Ever since, the ownership has
passed among his brothers who
continue to manage it to this
day. The joint was recently featured on the TV special, “Hamburger America.”
When you walk up to the
hamburger stand, the smell of
fresh grease and well-cooked
meat greets you and definitely
makes up for the small and
somewhat rundown interior.
There were only about five tables, but somehow that was a
good sign to us.
The restaurant is known for
its Westside Burger, a double
with cheese served on Texas
TWO
THUMBS
UP?
By Zack Davenport
& Bailey Gower
toast. Zack took it on while Bailey tried the double with cheese
and bacon to see how a “normal
burger” compared.
Within seconds of biting
into the perfectly seared burger
dripping with grease and melted
cheese, one thing was clear: the
burgers were definitely more
flavorful than their rival, Arnold’s. Bailey’s burger featured
applewood smoked bacon,
which gave it a much heartier
taste. Zack commented that the
Texas toast fit his burger perfectly. It was well buttered and
toasted, adding a nice crispiness. We both agreed that the
crinkle-cut fries, served in abundance alongside the burgers,
were well seasoned and the perfect complement.
Although the
restaurant appears
to be somewhat of
a hole-in-the-wall
burger joint, the
wait staff was focused and friendly.
In the end we
concluded that if
you want a great,
classic milkshake,
go to Arnolds. But
if you want an oldfashioned hearty
burger, head down
Bailey and Zack stand outside the ordinary lookthe road to Lindaing hamburger joint at 1615 W. 51st Street.
Mar.
PHOTO BY ELORA WYMORE
Classic GaME REVIEW:
‘Legend of dragoon’
BY ADDISON STANLEY
REVIEWS EDITOR
The original Playstation’s
lasted from 1994 to about
2000. It was responsible for
some of the most acclaimed
titles of the 20th century, such
as “Suikoden,” several “Final
Fantasys,” and “Wild Arms.”
But one title managed to
slip under most consumers’
radar. “Legend of Dragoon”
(2000) was heavily overlooked
as the PS2 came to fruition,
yet it has managed to create a
cult following and is now regarded as one of the best PS1
titles. Does it still hold up?
The game takes place in
Endiness, a land rife with civil
war, bandits, and dragons.
You play as Dart, a mercenary
who finds his hometown burnt
to the ground and his childhood friend kidnapped. When
he goes to rescue her, he becomes involved with the troubles of Endiness, and eventually the fate of the world itself.
wear your blue rcds shirt
on Wed. for all-school pic!
3
‘SNOWpIERCER’ is smart, original
The climate in the film
world today rarely allows a
film like “Snowpiercer” to see
a worldwide release, and that
it was able to do so is a miracle.
Based on a French graphic
novel, the movie was directed
by Bong Joon-ho, a Korean
known for films that have
been widely acclaimed but
have seen limited releases.
“Snowpiercer” is the rare oddity that was able to make it,
and the film doesn’t disappoint. It is without a doubt the
most original film I’ve seen in
a long time.
It is 2031, 17 years after
the onset of a worldwide ice
age caused by an attempt to
stop global warming. Before
the world froze over, the last
remnants of humanity boarded
MoVIE
Night
By Addison Standley
a massive train that perpetually
moves around the earth.
It was not long before a class
system was introduced, with the
upper class taking residence in
the front of the train and the
poor forced into the back. Curtis
(Chris Evans) decides to stage a
rebellion and force his way to
the front to kill the mysterious
overseer of the train, Wilford,
and take control.
The film explores many
complex themes and ideas such
as the machinations and failures
of revolutions and class struggle. The fact that these ideas
are explored in a summer action movie is amazing.
Chris Evans is great and
nearly unrecognizable as Curtis, creating a complex, believable, and likable protagonist.
The rest of the cast is surprisingly diverse, and they’re all
great as well. The film is superbly shot and directed, with
an action scene involving the
train partway through the
movie being a standout moment of nail-biting tension.
If you want a film that’s
smart, well written, and most
important, original, then I can't
recommend “Snowpiercer”
enough. We need more films
like this. (Rated R. If you are
under 17, see this with a parent or guardian, as I did.)
GAME PREVIEW: ‘Silent HILLS’
BY KIP DERRYBERRY
STAFF WRITER
A few weeks ago, a mysterious demo for an unknown game
was released for the Playstation
4. It was a horror game, and the
demo was called “P.T,” standing for “Playable Teaser.” Once
completed, it revealed a trailer
for an upcoming game called
“Silent Hills.”
Despite the franchise’s recent problems, many believe
this is the series’ chance to redeem itself. The game director
is the same as for the famed
Metal Gear franchise, Hideo
Kojima. Guillermo del Toro, a
famed film producer/director, is
also directly involved with the
game, as well as highly famous
television actor Norman
Reedus, who plays the main
character.
Kojima Productions will be
making the game, giving Kojima a chance to use his new Fox
Engine. This engine has been
used on both “Metal Gear Solid
V: Ground Zeroes” and its sequel, “The Phantom Pain,”
which is yet to be released.
Del Toro has been involved
with countless films: “Pacific
Rim,” the “Hellboy” films,
“Blade,” and even “The Hobbit”
films. He is another director of
the new game. He has much
experience with horror, and this
experience should give him
strength in “Silent Hills.”
Norman Reedus is extremely
popular for the character he
plays, Daryl Dixon in “The
Walking Dead.” He is a very
talented actor, but he has not
had many other memorable
roles. Could “Silent Hills” be
Reedus’ next step towards more
widespread acclaim?
The “Silent Hill” franchise
has taken a couple of hits lately
with “Silent Hill: Downpour”
having very clunky combat
which ruined the game, and
“Silent Hill: Book of Memories” being more like a Diablo
spinoff than a horror game.
However, based on the P.T.
demo, there are high hopes for
what’s to come.
Now here’s the question:
Can Kojima, del Toro, and
Reedus do “Silent Hill” right?
What do you think?
Capaldi: The new doctor who
BYJULIA KRAUS
The story is only slightly
above average, and it devolves
into complete absurdity by the
third disc. Thankfully, the
characters are interesting, diverse, and likable enough to
keep you engaged with the
narrative.
It’s the gameplay that
makes “Legend of Dragoon”
truly stand out. During turnbased battles, the game makes
use of timed button presses.
You have to time your button
press to a symbol on the
screen whenever the character’s weapon is about to hit the
enemy. This lets you unlock
combos called “Additions,”
where you have to hit the button several times in a row with
complete accuracy to do maximum damage. This makes the
game extremely fun and engaging and keeps you constantly focused while playing.
Overall, “Legend of Dragoon” is not a perfect game,
but it’s a classic title that every RPG fan should try.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
STAFF WRITER
Peter Capaldi is the twelfth
and current actor to play the
role of The Doctor in the cult
BBC-TV sci-fi show, “Doctor
Who.”
Taking over Twitter, fans
and critics alike were vocal
and split in their opinion of the
new Doctor.
According to Michael Hogan of London’s The Telegraph, “Capaldi crackles with
fierce intelligence ... Peter
Capaldi is a veritable elder
statesman and a throwback to
Doctor Who’s roots.”
Other viewers thought
more along the lines of AA
Gill, the critic at The Sunday
Times’ TV review, who said
Capaldi’s portrayal was “not
unlike Richard Dawkins, madly science-fictive and theophobic, with selective amnesia and
vague formless feelings of
charity.”
Capaldi was an interesting
choice for the Doctor on sever-
al counts. For one, he is 25
on Twitter, “I loved Peter Capalyears the previous actor’s
di in his first episode as The
(Matt Smith’s) senior. He also Doctor, I just didn’t like the epiplays the role without all of
sode.” Possibly, mixed reviews
the high energy action and
shouldn’t be directed at Capaldi,
goofiness his predecessors
but at the episode itself.
were known for,
taking a quieter,
more dramatic approach.
This looks to
have been noted
and appreciated by
critics.
According to
Eric Deggans on
NPR’s Morning
Edition, Capaldi’s
portrayal seems “a
little darker and
more impatient
than previous versions -- perfect for
an age where even
comic book champions are more antihero than hero.”
So maybe the
problem isn’t a
darker Doctor. Ac- Clearly, local stores are hyped for the new
cording to one fan
season of this show.
PHOTO BY RAGAN AUXTER
The COMMONS
Features
Escape from the
dark ages original fiction
By Maddie cadieux
GUEST COLUMNIST
Previously … Our story
began with a castle under siege
and its prince, Lander, in distress. After ordering a squire to
save him and following him to
save the squire’s brother, Caspar, they escape into the forest.
While in the forest, Lander
catches the squire performing
witchcraft to heal his brother.
The squire then reveals that
she is in fact a woman named
Arabella, and Prince Lander is
now her hostage.
As they travel across the
land, they meet many old
friends including the gypsy
Caltha and her brother Ralf,
new friends including the runaway prince and princess Duncan and Aileen, and the head
of a criminal organization,
Basilia.
Meeting new obstacles and
enemies at every turn, not to
mention dealing with the romantic tension between
Arabella and Lander begin to
trust one another.
FILE ILLUSTRATION BY CLAIRE WHITE
Lander and Arabella, it seems
as though they will never
reach their destination.
As they finally arrive at the
home of the wizard Merlin,
they are ambushed by the
same knights that attacked
Lander’s castle. The leader of
these knights, Edgar, had been
a spy in Lander’s kingdom. He
had pretended to be a knight.
In fact, he was the knight who
had trained Arabella and Caspar.
Edgar reveals that Arabella
and Caspar are actually the
missing prince and princess of
their kingdom. He also tells
Lander that he is now the sole
survivor of his royal family.
In order to take over Arabella and Caspar’s kingdom,
Edgar demands that Arabella
marry him. Though she vehemently refuses at first, she
agrees when he threatens Caspar. Edgar then orders the others taken to the dungeons.
While in the dungeon,
Lander learns that Arabella
and her brother ran away from
their kingdom when they were
younger and were then raised
by Merlin.
Lander comes up with an
idea, and Merlin agrees to
help. At the quickly arranged
wedding ceremony, Arabella
feels something sharp and cold
materialize under her armor.
She pulls out her sword and
quickly puts it to Edgar’s
neck. As the wedding guests
run away, she demands to
know where her friends are …
Continued in the next issue!
Tarot cards have an
interesting history
BY JULIA KRAUS
FEATURES EDITOR
Although tarot cards are
typically used as a fortune telling instrument today, these
cards have a long and justly
disputed history.
Their beginning has been
documented as beginning in the
14th century with the Islamic
invasion of North Africa, Spain,
and Sicily. At that time and still
in France, tarot is viewed as just
a card game, “similar to modern
-day bridge,” according to the
website Collector’s Weekly.
They were also used in playful
poem writing and children’s
storytelling games.
Finding a home in the Italian nobility, wealthy aristocrats
would commission ornate decks
to be painted with intricate patterns and gold plated.
With a rising popularity
among the general public, cards
began to commonly feature
symbolic patterns of both Christian and pagan traditions. They
took on a more narrative form,
which made it easier to relate to
people’s lives.
As recently as the middle of
the 18th century, the tarot took
on the air of mysticism for
which it is so widely known
today. Interestingly enough,
according to Caitlín Matthews, a
teacher of cartomancy
(divination with cards), before
the 18th century the imagery on
these cards was accessible to a
much broader population.
All of this does beg the
question: Could the rise of spiritual meaning surrounding the
tarot have been aided by the
increased obscurity of its symbolism and the requirement for
assisted interpretation?
According to artist and
graphic designer Bill Wolf, “the
subjects took on more and more
esoteric meaning.” This led to
the need for a more experienced
interpreter and guide, much like
the Dungeon Master in some
modern Role Playing Games.
Thus, there is always the
possibility that in the modernday, a tarot reader plays the
same part — just to a far greater
extreme.
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
COMING UP IN OUR NEXT ISSUE ON SEPTEMBER 26 —
Ninja turtles, redskins(?), the future of media …
4
FALL CAMPOUT REMINDER!
All 9th through 12th graders will leave TOMORROW MORNING, September 11, and travel to War Eagle
Campground near Tahlequah for two days of floating the Illinois River and various fun activities. We
leave Riverfield on charter buses at 8:30, so don’t be late! This is a longstanding tradition, and the best
opportunity of the year to get to know Riverfield people. So pack tonight, and be here bright and early!
New vending machines a big hit
BY JAMES MORLEY
STAFF WRITER
A new snack bar or “minimart” was added to the Upper
School kitchen this fall. The
snack bar was installed and is
run by Imperial.
By all reports, it is certainly
an upgrade from last year’s
vending machines. You have
choices of candy, drinks, sandwiches, chips, and you can even
purchase universal ear buds!
This snack bar also requires no
faculty to run it, so it is open
and available for students and
faculty at all times.
This snack bar is one of the
first of its kind to be installed at
a school. So far this system
seems to be doing well. But the
snacks and drinks are only half
of the reason for its success.
It is fast, convenient, and it
fits our varied schedules. Most
of the time, students and faculty
can get their food and drinks,
pay, and leave within two
minutes. This new system uses a
self-checkout terminal instead
of a cashier, allowing the school
to pay less money because no
cashier is involved.
All Upper School students
were given a “market card” to
set up their Imperial accounts.
Once an account is set up, you
can add cash or credit to your
account at any time, and the
card can be used to purchase
any merchandise in the “store.”
In fact, you don’t even need
the card after you set up your
new account. You can scan your
thumbprint and put it into the
system. Then you can check out
just by putting your thumb on
the terminal’s scanner.
Overall this new snack bar is
a great addition to the Upper
School and is one of the many
things that make our school
unique.
The terminal helps make the new
market fast and convenient.
PHOTO BY ALTUG DELEN
iPhone 6 release rumors true?
BY JAMes MORLEY
STAFF WRITER
Apple’s newest phone —
the iPhone 6 — was officially
announced yesterday, September 9. Preordering starts on
Friday, and they will go on
sale on September 19.
Two new iPhones will be
offered, both with a significant
expansion of the screen size.
The first will have a 4.7” diagonal screen. The second model, the iPhone 6 Plus, will have
a 5.5” diagonal screen.
The screens will have
sharper resolution than previous models. Screens on
iPhones have always tended to
scratch and crack very easily.
One drop could shatter your
screen, and laying your phone
upside down could give it a
flesh wound.
Apple is using a new type of
screen in the iPhone 6 and 6
Plus called the “ion-strengthened” or “sapphire” screen.
Named after one of the hardest
naturally-occurring minerals,
the new screens will be virtually
scratchproof, although they may
still crack.
The new iPhones have
adopted the iPad mini and iPad
Air design with rounded edges.
The cameras on the new
phones are also improved, now
offering 8 megapixel images.
The new iPhones will offer
up to 128GB of storage. What
would you do with 128GB of
storage? I have no idea.
The new phones will have
the new A8 chip, which means
faster performance and longer
battery life. Apple says it can
handle high-end gaming
graphics and developers have
already started creating games
for the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus.
But most importantly, the
new iPhones will introduce
iOS 8 to the public, bringing
many new features.
Overall, this is a great step
up for Apple and will allow it
to continue competing well
with other devices.
Academic bowl team on RSU-TV!
Riverfield's Varsity Academic Bowl team will appear on RSU-TV's "I Want Answers.” Catch it on cable
channels 35.1 and 35.2 later this year or with Vimeo online. Panel members shown above include Elora
Wymore, Bailey Gower, Zack Davenport, and Ethan Landis (not shown are Sam Brander and team captain
Nick Hartman.)
PHOTO COURTESY RSU-TV STAFF