Tanorexia Tanorexia Tanorexia Tanorexia

Guitar Hero 3
p5
Soccer Boys Sweet 16
p6
Most Overrated Movies
p9
Peace Pipe Chatter
Novemeber 16, 2007
Vol. 93, Edition 4
Tanorexia
Tanorexia
Tanorexia
Tanorexia
When tanning is taken to the extreme
p 8
Cover Page
Students show their
Thanksgiving spirit
More teens are switching to sunless tannings and some
might be going too far. For story see page 8.
Cover designed by Brittany Pendry.
School Board Update
By Jessica Pieszchala/
Editor-in-Chief
Construction progress and academic
progress became the center of attention at
the School Board meeting Nov. 1.
First, they presented a general update
about the new school.
Richard Och from Turner Construction
said, “We’re making very good, very visible
progress; your site is greening up very
nicely.”
As for the inside of the building, painting
is taking place in some areas, and roofing is
being completed in others.
“By the middle of November, or
Thanksgiving, we plan to be watertight,”
said Och.
Also, a strong topic at the meeting was
the AYP discrepancies. AYP (or Annual
Yearly Progress) is a part of the No Child
Left Behind Act, where schools must be
meeting regular progress evaluations to
show their improvement.
However, according to the results, MCHS
has passed their evaluation, even though
the percentages were not up to code. For
a school to meet standards for this year’s
evaluation, at least 55% of the students
tested must pass the standardized tests.
MCHS students received 59.7% passing
percentage in reading; however, in math,
only 52.4% of the students passed, which
disqualifies MCHS from achieving AYP
standards. Despite this discrepancy, MCHS
still achieved passing status.
Principal Robert Williams said, “We are
working with the state in regards to coding;
there are some discrepancies there.”
The School Board said they are hoping
for a proper report by the next meeting.
Peace Pipe Chatter
Minooka Community High School
301 S. Wabena Avenue
Minooka, IL 60447
(815) 467-2140 Voicemail: ext. 264
[email protected]
Editors-in-Chief:
Jessica Pieszchala
Brittany Pendry
Jeff Beguin
School News:
D.J. Valera
Front Page Editors:
Britney Pendry
Advertising Manager:
Eric Reynolds
2 Designed by Jeff Beguin
Arts & Entertainment Editors:
Kristi Lawrence
Iman Bradley
Zach Nabor
Photo Editors:
Sam Menne
Jacki Kaluzny
Amanda Alexander
Lauren Keers
Angela Mateo
Ryan Miller
Features:
Christa Jenkins
Sarah Silverman
Sam Kelley
Sports Editors:
Tommy Stokke
Mike Noe
News Editors:
Brittany Pendry
A few Thanksgiving stories always put children into the holiday spirit. For school,
a group of 5 juniors and seniors went to the Minooka elementary school to read
holiday stories to the children. They read 2 stories to a total of 6 classes of 1st
graders. Photo taken by PPC Photographer Lauren Keers.
PPC Chatter Room
Managing Editors: Sam Kelley
Lauren Keers
Opinions: Megan McEvilly
News: Amanda Alexander
School News: Sam Menne
Features: Ryan Miller
Arts & Entertainment: Ryan Kelley
Sports: Carissa Weyer
Advisors:
Mr. Matt Thomas,
Ms. Laura Erion
Copy Editors:
Eric Reynolds
Megan McEvilly
Sarah Silverman
Carissa Weyer
Journalism 1:
Susan Bahret
Kaitlynn Barker
Sarah Delaney
Breanne Downey
Michael Horath
Amanda James
Eric Klank
Morgan McMurtry
Cassie O’Malley
Chris Rolnicki
Taylor Roop
Jackie Schmidt
Sarah Stropus
David Tibble
Sydney Trepel
Submission Policy:
The Peace Pipe Chatter strongly encourages suggestions and/
or responses to material printed on its pages. Letters to the Editor
should be submitted to Mr. Thomas’s mailbox or to a Peace Pipe
Chatter editor.
While submission does not guarantee publication, PPC staff
members will do their best to respond to all admissions. Submissions will not be returned. All submissions are subject to editing
and will not be printed if they are considered to be inappropriate. They must be signed but may be printed anonymously upon
request.
1 1 . 1 6 . 0 7
What Hunters Really Do
By Ryan Miller /
Chatter Room
Features Editor
Hunting is an age-old tradition
that many people, including myself, have enjoyed for centuries.
Waking up early in the morning
and breathing the fresh morning
air is something that I look forward to every hunt.
A lot of people misunderstand
what hunters and the sport really
does for the environment. Truth
is, hunters know the environment
better than anybody else because
good hunters actually go out and
observe the land and quarry that
they hunt. Through legislative
programs designed to channel
funds back into the conservation
process, hunters have restored
populations of deer, elk, antelope,
turkeys and ducks to record numbers according to an NRA conservationist poll in 2001.
Often camouflaged from the
public eye, the efforts of hunters
as conservationists over the last
century have restored America’s
game populations and enhanced
the habitat of numerous wildlife
species. No other group has come
close to sportsmen in contributing
the volunteer hours and funding
necessary to make such an impact
on wildlife conservation.
Hunting is scientific proof that it
is the most effective and humane
way of controlling animal population. If it were not for hunters
By Angela Mateo /
PPC Photo Editor
11.16.07
and organizations that promote
hunting, such as the NRA, National Rifle Association, then there
would be an overpopulation of
animals, which would result in
starvation, overcrowding, and
possibly the spread of diseases.
having seasons helps control the
species population of each animal.
Poll of Species
Recovery
ing gear. The current fee for hunting all species in Illinois is around
$7.00. For people 65 and older it is
one third of the original price.
One of the threats to hunting
has been clear cutting forests
and prairies for new buildings,
Hunters help save species from
extinction by placing limits on
how many animals you can take
each hunt. For example, you can
only hunt one deer a day, you can
hunt a limit of two Canadian geese
a day, and you can hunt a total of
four drakes (male ducks) and two
hens (female ducks) every duck
hunt. By putting limits on how
many animals you can hunt and
Through over 10,000 clubs and
organizations such as the NRA,
Ducks Unlimited, and Safari Club
International, sportsmen contribute an additional $300 million
each year to wildlife conservation
activities. Hunters and fishermen
fund nearly 75% of the annual income for all 50 state conservation
agencies through license fees and
excise taxes on firearms and hunt-
houses, and apartments. Because
of the expanding industrial lifestyle, animals such as coyote,
deer, and quail are dying due to
lack of food and shelter or getting
hit by a car.
Another threat to the sport is animal rights groups. Animal rights
groups, such as PETA and HSUS
have also threatened the tradition
of hunting as well. They claim that
:
g
n
i
t
n
u
H
Whether
you’re
out with
Vice President Dick
Cheney or just
out with
a friend, hunt- ing is a very
dangerous sport.
What is the appeal of hunting exactly? Is it the thrill of senselessly
murdering a vulnerable animal?
Editorials
How
about the
control over
something completely and utterly helpless?
I understand that in order for
the ecosystem to function without
being overpopulated, hunting is
necessary. That being said, explain
poaching. Why kill out of season?
For the mere pleasure of watching a defenseless animal suffer?
It appears that is indeed the case.
P
PC
shooting animals for sport is cruel.
If hunting were not around, animals would overpopulate which
would result in starvation and
there would be more probability
of a new disease. If a quick, painless bullet to the chest isn’t better
than a long life of suffering or the
possibility of getting hit by a car,
what is?
Also, studies, according to the
NRA, have shown that kids who
are taught to hunt and respect firearms and wildlife are less likely to
become engaged in criminal activity, and hunting is safer than a host
of activities that kids regularly engage in, such as swimming, football, and bicycling.
Not only does hunting help the
human environment, but it also
provides food. For nearly a decade, hunters have provided thousands of pounds of game meat
through donation programs, such
as Hunters Sharing the Harvest
and Hunters for the Hungry.
Hunting can not only help save
our environment, it can also help
the future of youth, being taught
gun safety. Hunting organizations
fight for our right to hunt in Washington, D.C. everyday against
these extremist organizations so
that we can still have our right to
hunt.
In order for hunting to survive,
we must remain united and ensure
that our friends and families know
how hunting saves the environment.
the most dangerous game
If people did not find eliminating animals entertaining, then
the population would not demand
“amusing” videogames such as
Duck Hunt and Deer Hunter.
Another act I am unable to comprehend is the display of “trophies.” I can only imagine what is
going through the hunter’s mind
after the execution. “Now that I’ve
slaughtered this powerless animal,
I’m going to decapitate it and put
the head in my living room for
all to see.” Lovely. The last time
I checked, trophies flaunt some
kind of great accomplishment.
Using the head of an animal as
ornamentation can only mean that
the hunter takes immense pride in
butchering an animal.
When hunting, not only is the
animal in danger, but so is the
hunter. According to the International Hunter Education Association, every one in three hunters
will suffer from some kind of fall
during his or her career. Also, before going out to slay an innocent
creature, the University of Michigan Health System advises taking
a trip to the doctor. The condition
of the hunter’s health is vital. It is
not unlikely for a hunter to experience a heart attack while in the
process of hunting, especially during extremely cold weather. If the
hunter has not been physically active during the rest of the year, the
strenuous act of hunting combined
with an overwhelming adrenaline
rush can be fatal.
Kill an animal and take the
chance of getting injured in the
process? Oh, how the love of hunting astonishes me.
Designed by Angela Mateo
3
PP
C
News
BIGFOOT
Another sighting of the ‘urban legend’
by
Zachary Nabor / PPC A&E Editor
Tall, walks on two legs, and is covered
with fur. Who does this description bring to
mind? Well, it should bring the illustrious
ape Bigfoot.
Since about the 1840s people have
reported Bigfoot sightings around the world
(predominately in the Pacific Northwest).
But since the mid 80’s people have been
dismissing his existence. However, thanks
to Rick Jacobs, the legend is receiving
exposure again.
In Allegheny
National
Forest
of
Pennsylvania,
hunter Rick Jacobs and friends got a possible
picture of Bigfoot, using an automatic
camera used to take photographs of deer.
It is thought to be a young Bigfoot
(some call him Littlefoot), a member of
the Pennsylvania game commission states
that it could be “a bear with a severe case
of mange.” Due to the fact that in the past
three years there have been three Bigfoot
sightings, which is more reported sightings
than any other three years/decade. This may
MRSA
Staph Infections Create Panic
by
Kristi Lawrence / PPC A&E Editor
As many people have heard,
Methicilin-Resistant
Staph
Aureus
(MRSA) is making headlines around the
world. There have been numerous cases
of MRSA in our local community. One
known case affected a Joliet West high
school student, along with other known
cases from Wilmington, Coal City, Troy
Middle School, and now GAVC.
“Staph infection is a very serious thing.
It is very dangerous and should be taken
very seriously, so [be aware] of it,” said
Dan Vogrin, sophomore.
The most common cause of staph
infections is a bacterium called
Staphylococcus aureus that frequently
live on your skin or in your nose. It can
cause a range of illnesses like acne, boils
and abscesses, to more serious and lifethreatening diseases such as pneumonia,
meningitis and Toxic Shock Syndrome,
according to earthclinic.com
Staph infections that have become
resistant to commonly used antibiotic
treatments are called MRSA. MRSA
has become endemic in hospitals since
that 1990’s. MRSA is spread through
human-to-human contact. MRSA is a
skin condition that looks like an infected
pimple. Many people may confuse MRSA
for a spider bite that can worsen with
symptoms of redness, warming, swelling,
pain, and discharge.
“I think that everyone should [be
4
Designed by Jessica Pieszchala
aware] of it, so people can catch it before
it’s too late,” said Jon VanAsdlen, senior.
“I think that it’s so random how all of
a sudden this disease appears and is now
considered deadly. I just hope it doesn’t
get too out of hand,” said junior Stephanie
Muirhead.
Everyone should be well aware of
MRSA by now, and there are many ways
that you can help prevent contracting it,
according to Ms. Karen Aldworth, nurse.
1.Washing your hands with soap and
water. Remember, anti-bacterial gels
and sprays do not replace soap and
water.
2. Keep any cuts or scrapes covered
with a band-aid.
3. Take your PE/sports clothing home
after each use and wash them in hot
water. Do not share towels, clothes or
personal items.
4. If you use anti-bacterial gels or
sprays, wash your hands every 4 times
of using the spray gel.
“Following basic good hygiene will
keep you healthy and help prevent the
spread of viral and bacterial infections,”
said Aldworth.
There have been many sanitation
programs made available by the
Grundy County and Will County Health
Departments and the Center for Disease
Control, along with community awareness.
MRSA should be taken seriously and get
treatment as soon as possible to help limit
the spread of MRSA.
be an actual case of a legitimate Bigfoot
sighting, or unless people are just trying
harder to keep the Bigfoot legend going.
Otis said, “I knows Bigfoot is real, and I aim
on catching him.”
Besides the current sighting there have
been one each year since 2005. This is odd
because there have been fifteen publicized
sightings since 1840 and nearly 30% of the
sightings have been in the since 1995.
In 2005, ferry operator Bobby Clarke
filmed Bigfoot on the Nelson River in
Manitoba. In 2006, Shaylane Beatty saw
Bigfoot
on
the side of the road
while driving through Saskatchewan.
When several people went back they found
brown hair and footprints.
Why would someone try to disprove
Bigfoot’s existence? Bigfoot is an icon of the
magic of the wilderness. He is a substantial
Canadian tourist attraction (according to
bigfootencounters.com), and he has been
featured in several films. Whether Bigfoot is
real or not, he is a legend that doesn’t need
proof to keep people curious.
Gap hires 10-year-olds
to work in factories
by
Megan McEvilly / PPC Copy Editor
In India, Gap Inc. was found to have a
sweatshop with kids as young as 10 years
old to make clothes for the company.
According to CNN.com, Gap
President Marka Hansen
stated, “We strictly
prohibit the use of
child labor. Gap
has a history
of addressing
challenges
like
this
head-on,
and our
approach
to
this
situation
will be no
exception.”
T h e
first
report
appeared
in
Britain’s Observer
newspaper.
The
Observer spoke to kids
as young as 10 who had said
that they were working up to 16 hours a day
for no pay. The newspaper reported that the
workplace’s hallways were so repulsive that
they were flowing with excrement from a
flooded toilet.
According to CNN.com, a 10 year-old
boy’s parents sold him to the company, so
that they would not have to work on the
farms. Another 12-year-old boy told The
Observer that he worked from dawn until 1
a.m., and felt very sick due to his lack of
sleep. However, if any of the children cried,
they would face gruesome punishments
such as being hit with a rubber pipe.
Also, sometimes an oily
cloth would be stuffed in
their mouths if they
misbehaved.
Hansen said
she does not
want to close
any factories
in India in
response
to
the
allegations
because
it
would
deprive
those working
in
proper
conditions
of
their income.
“I don’t think kids
should go through that.
They shouldn’t hire little kids
to work,” stated junior Sarah Diedrich.
The Gap was accused of similar practices
in 2000, when a documentary uncovered
young girls producing Gap products at a
Cambodian factory.
“It makes me realize how good we have
it,” stated junior Drake Roketa.
“It makes me
realize how good we
have it”
-Drake Roketa,
junior
11.16.07
School News PPC
by Iman
Bradley / PPC A&E Editor
Mr. David Belden, social studies, published a book on the history of Grundy
County. This book includes postcards of
historical places from local repositories. Now Belden has his own
column in The Joliet Herald News every
week.
Bel
den
’s p
ost
car
Belden
came up with the
idea. While being interviewed by Herald News Columnist Suzanne Baker, he came to
her with the idea and she was interested.
“Rather than postcards being in the book,
I thought that it would be a good idea to be
in the Herald”, said Belden.
Along with him came senior, Ashley
Bishop.
Bishop designed the column. The column
includes a postcard, the history, and the time
frame of the place. Also, to give him credit,
it tells you about the author, and how his
dh
students help him published local postcard
books. His students scanned all the pictures.
In class, they also wrote all the history of
and the time frame of the postcard.
On Oct. 21, the column was a postcard
on the Union Station. It was built on May
25, 1908 by Adam Groth & Co. The card
dates from about 1907-1914. The following week, the column was a postcard of the
Boston Store. The store was destroyed by
fire on April 26, 1908. This postcard is from
1907-1914.
Next year, Post Card Series: Joliet
comes out. It will be out toward
the end of May. This book
features nearly 250
postcards from
Joliet
and Will
County. The
Column will always
be in color and will also
include postcards on Grundy and
Will County. It appears weekly in the
Sunday paper in the Arts & Entertainment
section.
isto
ry h
its
the
Her
ald
new food, new cravings
by Christa Jenkins /
PPC Features Editor
Minooka seems to have construction that
will never stop. It is constantly growing, and
there is now a greater inflation of businesses,
more things to do, and a greater opportunity
of for job positions. The main road, Ridge,
is full of construction with all the new restaurants coming up, but is it really worth it?
If you have an appetite for well-known
restaurants, fast food, and tasty treats, then it
is. Or maybe work, the local restaurants and
fast food places are hiring for job positions
in the kitchen and management. Either way
your stomach, or your pocket will enjoy.
Right behind the Minooka McDonald’s, a
plaza of different food places and restaurants
are coming up. If you are looking for that
Italian cuisine featuring their famous pizza
there is an Aurelio’s. If you are looking for a
sweet treat to cure your sweet tooth, there is
also a Dunkin Donuts and Baskin Robbins,
right in the same plaza.
Senior Dawaun Johnson said, “I’m really
looking forward to Dunkin Donuts, it rocks
my socks!”
Another noted restaurant for pizza is
Giordano’s coming up soon right around
11.16.07
Jewel Osco, and even a Taco Bell.
“I’m really looking forward to the Giordano’s coming up; I’m definitely looking
for a new job when it comes up,” said Sam
Ghouleh, senior. The town becoming larger
is definitely a reason people can find jobs
with the food places.
“I like that Minooka is coming up; things
are more convenient. It’s not like we will
have to drive all the way to Joliet for everything as before,” said senior Cara Esters.
Although the town is becoming a more
convenient and an entertaining place for its
local residents, there are some that miss the
small town atmosphere.
A senior that would like to remain anonymous said, “ It [growing Minooka] really
goes both ways. I guess it’s nice that places
are closer, but at the same time it’s sad that
the small town is really just turning into
something else.”
The restaurants and fast food places are
either on thier way to finishing by next
week, but majority of them hope to be up
by the end of the month. As for now, there
are positions ready for hiring/ training. Look
out for the coming of Minooka already in
process, so save up money to catch a bite at
these restaurants nearby.
A helping hand
by Lauren Keers /
PPC Photographer
Most children at nine years old live a
pretty simple lifestyle where they don’t
have to worry about much. For Mykaela Kargle, daughter of MCHS English teacher Mr. Mike Kargle, her days
aren’t as easy as they would be for other
kids. Ever since she fell into a diabetic
coma at age five, she has to take 10 or
more finger pokes a day to check her
glucose readings and four to six insulin
shots, depending on the readings.
To make her life simpler, her family
has decided to raise money for a trained
diabetes alert dog to help out. The dog
can detect both high and low blood
sugar levels, and although the seizures
cannot be stopped, the dog can detect
when she is going to have one before
comedian to put on an adults-only show.
The show was held at the Fountains of
Minooka on Oct. 27.
“We had raffles, a silent auction, and
a comedy show. It was a great time for
a wonderful cause - to help out a little
girl,” said Burchett.
Along with the comedian, there were
23 baskets that were raffled off for a
$50 value or more, and there was also
a silent auction that became a huge success as well.
Ms. Cathy Knapp contributed right
away. She and the REACH class had
a bake sale where they sold out numerous times to contribute money for Mykaela.
The fundraiser was a huge success,
furthermore, the money raised there is
going towards helping other kids just
like Mykaela.
“It is amazing how people
of a community will come
together to help a uniform
cause,” said Short..
it occurs.
However, for the family to be able to
purchase one of these dogs, they have to
raise $7,500.
The whole community of Minooka wants to put forth a helping hand.
MCHS is hosting a movie night tonight,
Nov. 16th at 7 p.m. for $5 per student.
“It is amazing how people of a community will come together to help a
uniform cause. People who have never
even met the Kargle family are going all
out to help Mykaela lead a normal life.
Honestly, before this I had no idea the
severity of some diabetes cases. I have
seen what she goes through in a ‘normal’ day, and it’s not fair to her or her
family. I feel honored to be able to be
part of such an act of generosity,” said
Zac Short, senior.
Once word got around MCHS about
the life-saving dog, fellow English
teacher Ms. Janel Burchett contacted a
Mykaela and her family are working
with the Wish Upon a Star foundation,
which grants wishes for children with
life-threatening illnesses.
The Wish Upon a Star foundation
donated the entire $7,500 for the dog
and the rest of the cash will be used to
donate on behalf of Mykaela, because
they currently have enough to donate
to someone else to pay for their entire
dog.
The Kargle family is working with
Heaven Scent Paws to see if Mykaela
can donate to kids, and to also see if
they can be relatively close by so that
they can go and meet them and donate
personally.
Mykaela and her family are so grateful to everyone in the community that
has contributed, for all the families that
helped donate, and would especially
like to thank Burchett and Knapp for all
the help they have done for them.
Designed by D.J. Valera
5
PP
C
Features
Sweet 16
Boys Soccer Celebrates Historic Season
By Tommy Stokke /
PPC Sports Editor
They came. They saw. They conquered.
One word can describe the MCHS boys’
varsity soccer season: historic. They knew
their goals. More importantly they understood what they had to do to reach their
goals. While the team hit a few bumps in
the road, nothing could stop them from becoming the best team in school history.
Early Expectations
The season came in and there were high
expectations all around the locker room.
“We wanted to win our conference first.
We thought we could win our regional and
our ultimate goal was to get to Bridgeview,
the super sectional match,” said senior
Ryan Zarley.
The Indians adopted the battle cry of
“champions on three” to break the huddle.
It was clear what the main focus would be.
Coming off a crushing loss to LincolnWay Central the previous year in the regional final, the team knew what they had
to do to get back there and advance even
further. It all began with the team.
“The biggest key to our season was going to be playing as a team. We didn’t have
any star players this year. Last year we had
Tanner Hudson and Jordan Parcel. However, we had a lot of holes. This year everyone
knew their role, and we didn’t have many
weaknesses,” said head coach Jason Boe.
Finding Their Identity
The Indians stumbled out of the gate.
Trading wins and losses for the first four
games left the boys with a 2-2 record and
wondering if they were the team they wanted to be.
“We were feeling some apprehension.
We were questioning, ‘Are we the team we
thought we could be?’ However, we beat
a good Lockport team and a good Aurora
East school,” Boe said. “We had some injuries early and were left wondering if we
were good enough to fight through the injuries. The team just rallied behind each other
and got things going.”
The team, however, focused at the task
at hand and was going to face the conference part of their schedule. Goal No. 1: win
conference. It wasn’t to start 4-0. It was to
6
Designed by Jacqueline Kaluzny
come out on top of the
conference.
The cry stayed the
same. “Champions on
three.
Celebrating their 16 historic victories are (top from left) Jim Kelly, Jose Lopez ,
Ryan O’Rourke, Andrew Pieczynski, Stephen Michaels, Tyler Seddon, Kory Seddon, Andy Harvey: (middle row) Nick Mancini, Will Harvey, Jake Popek, Jordan
Carbeara, John Ephraim, Tommaso Raimondi, Coach Boe: (bottom row) Ryan
Zarley, Matt Fishbeck, Ben Carresia, Ismael Hernandez, and Miguel Garcia. Picture by Iman Bradley.
”We could beat
anyone”
ference with Minooka. This game would
decide the conference champion.
Plainfield Central would go on to take
home the conference title with a 3-2 victory
in double overtime. Many teams would
hang their head and dwell at the sight of
losing such a close match in such a big
game. However you wouldn’t know that
this team lost by their reaction. Instead of
getting down on themselves, they used this
game to fuel the fire.
“After the way we played, we knew we
The goal seemed very reachable after
beating Plainfield North and then two convincing victories over Plainfield South and
rival Morris. They suffered a defeat to Geneva but bounced back strong and shut out
Oswego East 2-0. Conference was in sight.
It grew louder. “Champions on three.”
Next on the schedule was Plainfield
Central. Central was at the top of the con-
could beat anyone,” said
senior goalkeeper Jordan Cabrera.
“We weren’t really
sure where we stood.
We had played some
weaker opponents, and
this would be a real test. We played a great
team and played them great,” added Boe.
The next goal was to win regionals.
The team earned a No. 3 seed and the goal
looked that much closer.
“Sweet 16” continued
on page 13.
11.16.07
Meet the Students
by D.J. Valera /
PPC School News Editor
Name: Brett Hasler
Year: Freshman
Hometown: Minooka
Favorite Movie: Norbit, it’s hilarious
Favorite Food: Pizza because I’m
Italian
Favorite Music: Hip Hop and Rap
Favorite Class: World Cultures because
Ms. Sanford is awesome
Jr. High: Minooka Junior High School
Interesting Fact: On the soccer team,
speech team, and will join track in the
spring
Plans after High School: Go to NIU
and study meteorology
This is the first of a continuing
series of student profiles. The
students were chosen at random
in an effort to showcase the
entire student body.
Name: Huy Nguyen
Year: Sophomore
Hometown: San Jose
Favorite Movie: 300, it’s sick.
Favorite Food: Mexican food
Favorite Music: R&B
Favorite Class: Resource since I
don’t do anything in there
Jr. High: Minooka Junior High
School
Interesting Fact: I’m “sexsay.”
Plans after High School:
College
P
Features PC
Name: Michael Anderson
Year: Junior
Hometown: Shorewood
Favorite Movie:The Machinist
Favorite Food: Fast food, nice
and quick
Favorite Music: Alternative,
love it.
Favorite Class: Resource since
I sleep in there
Jr. High: Minooka Junior High
School
Interesting Fact: None
Name: Antoinette Severino
Year: Senior
Hometown: Oak Lawn
Favorite Movie: Half-Baked
Favorite Food: Pizza
Favorite Music: Rap and Hip
Hop
Favorite Class: Child
Development
Jr. High: McGugan for 6th and
7th, Simmons for 8th
Interesting Fact: Can’t cook.
Plans after High School: Dental
Hygienist
Thanksgiving without turkey?
How do vegetarians survive Thanksgiving?
by Sarah Silverman /
PPC Features Editor
Thanksgiving without turkey,
is that even possible? Can vegetarians, and better yet vegans,
even celebrate Thanksgiving?
“I can’t even imagine Thanksgiving without turkey. What is
there to eat if you’re not going to
eat turkey? That’s what Thanksgiving is - turkey,” said Samantha
Claysen, junior.
There are many things that can
be substituted in place of meat
11.16.07
and animal products to fit the eating habits of vegetarians or vegans.
Being the main course, turkey
is the hardest thing to substitute;
however, Tofurkey is an option
as a main course. Tofurkey is a
100% vegan roast made out of
tofu and wheat gluten stuffed
with a brown rice stuffing and accompanied by a side mushroom
gravy. The mushroom gravy contains more Tofurkey, mushrooms
and a variety of seasonings, oils,
and thickeners.
Senior Samantha Menne said,
“I’m eating Tofurkey on Thanksgiving and I’m excited! Tofurkey is freaking delicious! Plus, it
comes with a plastic wishbone!”
As for sides, there are many
recipes that can be followed to
create a completely vegan-friendly Thanksgiving. Two options for
stuffing are making old-fashioned
potato-bread stuffing or making
sourdough stuffing with pine nuts
and raisins.
“Being a vegetarian is hard
during the holidays, but I end up
eating tofu or a soy burger instead
of the traditional turkey,” said
Kate Thomas, junior.
Other sides that are animal
free are wine and honey-glazed
Brussels sprouts, baked sweet
potatoes and apples, maple and
tarragon sweet potatoes, scalloped corn, glazed baked onions,
cranberry-apple relish, and cranberry chutney. There are also the
traditional sides that vegetarians
can eat; such as, mashed potatoes,
the warm Thanksgiving rolls, and
the very popular green-bean cas-
serole.
Junior Juli Puoci said, “This
is the first Thanksgiving that I’ve
been a vegetarian. There are plenty of companies that make products that taste like meat, a well
known one is Boca. Most of my
family supports my decision, and
I hope Thanksgiving will be just
as nice as it normally is.”
It is very possible to survive,
and even enjoy, Thanksgiving
without eating any meat or animal
products. All you have to do is be
willing to make substitutions.
Designed by Sarah Silverman
7
PP
C
by
Features
Sam Kelley / PPC Features Editor
“As a joke, [my family] calls me
cancer.”
Megan McEvilly, junior, laughs as she
admits to her addiction to tanning. McEvilly
openly admits that she is “tanorexic.”
“[Tanning] makes me feel better about
myself, and I feel like it gives me more selfesteem. It also gives me more confidence,”
stated McEvilly.
McEvilly started tanning at age 15
because some of her friends were tanning.
She also had a strong urge to be tan. She
did not tan indoors in summer, but tanned
outside each day. In September of this year,
she started tanning again for Homecoming,
and now she goes whenever she gets the
chance.
“I kept going after homecoming because
I felt like I was extremely white. I did not
feel like I was dark enough at all. I bought
the monthly package while I was tanning
for homecoming, but I have not bought it
since because it is too expensive. If it were
not so expensive, I would still be tanning
by the month. With the monthly package,
I would go about four times a week. Now
I only go once or twice a week, but I feel
really light. I feel like I don’t go enough,”
McEvilly admitted.
McEvilly says that she is aware of the
health risks, and that she is concerned about
them to a certain extent. “My uncle died
from skin cancer, and he was in the sun
almost 24/7. It’s a real eye-opener for me,
but I’m not going everyday like I used to. I
Tan-orexia
Dangerous turn
from funto addiction
the
just don’t want to get cancer just because I provides intense UV rays, and being exposed
to those rays often is obviously harmful. A
wanted to be tan.”
Contrary to McEvilly’s beliefs, some dark tan is actually evidence of damaged
find it impossible to become “tanorexic.” skin.
In her article, Boyles surveys 385 students,
Skeptics do not think an addiction to sunless
both male and
tanning
can
female, to further
d e v e l o p .
ey igns of ddiction
understand
However,
“tanorexia.” She
new scientific
that females
research
is
-Feeling guilty about tanning found
were more likely
challenging
to admit to the
these arguments.
of
According
to -Feeling the need to cut down symptoms
this disease. In
an article by
on tanning
addition to this
Salynn Boyles
statistic, another
published
on
article published
March 17 of
-Being annoyed by tanning
on WebMd.com
this year on
critics
by Daniel J.
We b M D . c o m ,
DeNoon explains
there is such
the effects of
an
addiction.
Sunless tanning -Thinking about tanning first indoor tanning,
and
describes
is a severely
thing in the morning
a
possible
dangerous
-suggested by Dr. Robin L. Hornung
addiction.
action if abused.
From
this
A tanning bed
article, medical
researcher Mandeep Kaur explained the
details of research that was conducted using
naltrexone, a drug that prevents the skin
from producing a chemical that it normally
would produce during tanning. The drugs
were given to a group of frequent tanners
and to a group of non-frequent tanners.
The results proved that an addiction is
possible, with four of the frequent tanners
reporting withdrawal symptoms similar to
that of a drug addict. In fact, not one of the
non-frequent tanners admitted to having
any withdrawal symptoms whatsoever.
“I don’t think it is a side effect of
naltrexone. I think it is a physiological
withdrawal from tanning,” Kaur stated to
DeNoon.
However, tanning can have some
positive effects, too. Skin produces Vitamin
D, and UV light creates Vitamin D faster.
Vitamin D is necessary for bone health,
and also helps fight against cancer. Also,
tanning
releases endorphins in the skin,
Out of the 27 students that admited to tanning, 24 had used a bed, six had spray tanned, and 16
which
are
hormones that create the feeling
stated that they would tan by either means. Photo taken by PPC Photographer Lauren Keers.
8
Designed by Sam Kelley
K
S
A
:
of happiness and relaxation. Endorphins
are also released during running, which
is known as the “runner’s high.” New
evidence supports that there is such a thing
as a “tanner’s high” as well. In DeNoon’s
article, skin cancer patients admitted to
tanning too much, even with their diagnosed
disease, as the endorphins produced from
UV light made them feel “relaxed.”
Ultimate Tan’s owner Anna Love agreed
that tanning is an endorphin releaser.
“Tanning makes people feel happy. In
actuality, it’s better to indoor tan because
it is more controlled. When you’re outside
tanning, you can’t be sure how much sun you
are going to get. The tanning beds in salons
have time limits, so you know exactly how
much you are getting,” Love stated.
Ultimate Tan, as well as any other
tanning salon in the state of Illinois, must
require a minor’s release for anyone under
the age of 18. A parent must sign this form
before a minor can tan, and anyone under
the age of 14 cannot tan at all. In addition to
the minor’s policy, the beds have time limits
and levels. Level one is the lowest level,
and allows for 20 minutes of tanning. This
level is usually for beginners, or for those
who are fair-skinned. Level two allows for
15 minutes of tanning, and level three allows
only 12. Level three allows the most UV
light, making a tanner see results quicker
than the other two levels. Another state law
does not allow one person to tan more than
once in 24 hours.
When asked about the health risks,
Love stated that tanning alone cannot give
a person skin cancer. “To get skin cancer
from tanning, you have to already have it. I
have taken safe tanning classes as a business
owner, and I know for a fact that tanning
cannot cause skin cancer. It can accelerate
the symptoms, but only if you already
have skin cancer.” Love also agreed that
it is possible to get hooked on tanning, and
advised that tanners be smart.
“You have to be smart about tanning,
especially if you feel that you are becoming
addicted. Only you can control how long
you remain in the bed, and how often you
visit the bed,” she stated.
How does the statistics and dangers of
tanning relate to MCHS? A survey including
75 students shows that the students of
MCHS are affected by sunless tanning,
with 27 students admitting to using either
spray tanning or a tanning bed. Of those
27, two were male and 25 were female. All
27 students were aware of the health risks
associated with tanning, and 18 agreed that
“Tanorexia”
continued on pg. 13
11.16.07
Arts & Entertainment PPC
by
Jessica Pieszchala /
Editor in Chief
Throughout the decades, movies
have been made and become
legendary. From The Godfather
to The Breakfast Club, movies
have influenced our life greatly.
However, what about the movies
that have over-influenced us? In
my opinion, with the agreements
of others, these are the five most
overrated movies that exist.
5. Donnie Darko
Sure,
this
somewhat
psychological thriller does capture
the interest of any viewer that
watches it, but that does not warrant
it to be everyone’s favorite movie.
The interesting actions of Donnie
(Jake Gyllenhaal) do make very
little sense until the end. However,
Frank the bunny has become an
icon among teenagers that love
this movie. Frank is nothing more
than a psycho in a costume, and
therefore does not deserve the
Carissa Weyer /
PPC Copy Editor
by
The jolliest time of year is coming
up really quickly, and the perfect
way to get you in a jolly mood is
to see the newest holiday movies
coming to theatres.
Fred Claus was released
on Nov. 9, and is rated PG for
mild language and some crude
humor. It is about a man named
Fred Claus (Vince Vaughn) who
11.16.07
Overrated Movies
attention he receieves.
“I think Donnie Darko tries too
hard to be different when it’s really
just the same,” said Mike Kashuda,
junior.
4. The Notebook
This movie, based on the
bestselling book by Nicholas
Sparks (also the author of A Walk to
Remember), is a classic chick flick.
It follows the story of a teenage
boy and girl that fall in love, get
separated, and love makes its way
through into making everything
right. The concept of a teenage
love making it through everything
could be the reason this is almost
every teenage girl’s favorite movie
ever. In my personal opinion, this
movie should only be cracked
out post-breakup with the Ben &
Jerry’s. However, some people
think it should barely ever be
brought out.
“[The Notebook] is something
I watch when nothing else is on,”
said senior Katie Latta.
3. Garden State
This indie love story, written
by, directed by, and starring Zach
Braff, follows the story of Andrew
Largeman (Braff), when he returns
to his hometown in New Jersey for
the first time in years. This goes
through his course of events in
which he finds a new girl, an old
friend, and eventually, himself.
Though the concept of finding
yourself is intriguing, watching it in
a movie is slow and uninteresting,
which is why it makes no sense
that many kids label it was their
favorite movie.
“Garden State was alright…
It really wasn’t that great,” said
Jessica Hampton, senior.
characters are displayed as being
different and outcasts, which is
something very few can relate to.
Most of the time, people mimicked
their style as a joke, and looked
just as ridiculous.
“I think Napoleon Dynamite is
overrated. Too many shirts were
made about it,” said Hampton.
2. Napoleon Dynamite
This movie captured thousands
of teenagers in 2004, with its
generally plotless story and
captivatingly different characters.
The plot is based from Napoleon
(Jon Heder) going after a girl
and helping his friend become
class president. All of the main
1. Nightmare Before Christmas
Though this movie came out almost
fifteen years ago, it still captivates
teenagers all across the United
States. In fact, as of October 19,
2007, it was put back into theaters
for IMAX. This movie follows Jack
Skellington through his adventures
in trying to make Halloween Town
celebrate Christmas instead. The
characters Jack and Sally have
become an icon of teenage couples
for many years. The concept of a
cartoon/stop-motion movie based
from skeletons received so much
success that it inspired the 2005
stop-motion film The Corpse
Bride. Both of these movies were
merchandised with everything
under one condition: if he came to
the North Pole to work in Santaís
toy shop to earn the money that he
needed. The only problem: Fred
is far from being elf material, and
could end up causing the happiest
day of the year to collapse and
become the worst day of the year.
Christmas in Wonderland also
started in theatres on Nov. 9. It is
rated PG for rude language. This
giving holiday film is about a
father and his three children who
go to the mall for some Christmas
shopping, and come across some
counterfeit cash. They set out to
look for the crooks, and wake up
on Christmas morning to find that
Santa Claus is real.
This Christmas is coming to
theatres Nov. 27 and is not yet
rated. This loving, drama filled,
seasonal flick is about all of the
Whitfield’s siblings coming home
for the holidays for the first time
in years, bringing a lot of extra
Upcoming Holiday Movies
has been living his life in his
brother’s shadow. He could never
live up to the example that his
perfect brother Nicholas (Paul
Giamatti) set, no matter how hard
he tried. Nicholas grew up known
by everyone to be very giving,
while Fred on the other hand,
became the exact opposite: a man
who ran out of luck and money.
Fred went to his brother seeking
him for his help, and Nicholas
agreed to help his brother, but only
from figurines to bedroom
sets. However, many teenagers
are forgetting a simple fact: it’s a
children’s movie, not a goth icon.
There is no reason to make your
entire wardrobe have Jack and
Sally’s faces on it.
“I think Nightmare Before
Christmas was very overrated. I
just don’t see what’s so great about
it,” said senior Lizzy Burns.
Although there are hundreds of
movies that everyone thinks are
overrated, from Borat to the new
Saw IV, it is sure that people
need to calm down. They’re only
movies.
“I hate Borat. Everybody
overuses all the quotes and they
take it too far,” said Stephanie
Muirhead, junior.
So the next time you want to buy
that movie sweatshirt and pajamas,
remember, it’s just a movie, and
there will be another one you love
in a month or two.
baggage with them. Many secrets
are unraveled and family ties are
put to the test. While their lives are
converging, they all find a way to
come together, and find the true
meaning of what a family is all
about.
Check out local theatres to get
yourself in the holiday spirit with
these fun filled, warm, loving,
movies to bring you and your
family together for the pre-holiday
season.
Designed by Kristi Lawrence
9
PP
C
Arts & Entertainment
Rock out with Guitar Hero 3
by
Amanda Alexander/
CR News Editor
“For a lot of people, food, good music,
hanging out in the basement, would not be
the complete without Guitar Hero,” stated
sophomore Dan Vogrin
Guitar hero for Play station 2 and XBOX
360 creates all the sensations of being a big
time rock star. Including 30 of the greatest
rock anthems and varieties of music to play
along too. Examples including, Welcome
To the Jungle, Rock And Roll All Nite and
When We Were Young.
“I like the games so much because I
am musically challenged, I actually have a
chance to play something other than the air
guitar,” stated freshman Sean Macko.
With the huge success of the big time
selling Guitar Hero, Guitar Hero II followed
behind, and now Guitar Hero III was recently
put on shelves Friday Oct. the 26th.
With more songs, wireless controllers,
and radiant colors, Guitar Hero III
already has made a huge impact, with the
short amount of time on the market.
Sophomores, Andrea Carlson and Nick Derango rocking out to Guitar Hero.
Photo taken by PPC Photo Editor Jacki Kaluzny.
“My dad and I waited in line after school
and we picked it up, I played it practically
all night long; I love it,” stated freshman
Colby Banting.
Kids, teens, and even adults are obsessed
with this new kind of video game all over
the world. Is there a specific reason?
“It’s a different kind of game that breaks
away from the typical game controller,”
stated junior Mike Kashuda.
“It has really good music. It’s so
addicting; you just can’t stop playing,”
added junior Sarah Svobda.
“ Even my older brother plays it, and he’s
so good he can play it behind his back,”
stated junior Patty Esparza
Last, but not least, senior Jon Van Asdlen,
added, “It’s hilarious when we all play it and
compete.”
Overall the Guitar Hero Games are taking
over and getting better each edition.
“Chuck,”a new series on NBC
by Brittany Pendry /
PPC Editor-in-Chief
Charles Bartowski, a.k.a. Chuck. Not
exactly a name that would strike fear in
any enemy, foreign or domestic. However,
the newly underrated, yet highly acclaimed
NBC show “Chuck” should put fear in all
of its viewers because it is just that good.
What could possibly be better than an action
comedy about a computer geek turned spy?
Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi), a
computer geek for the Nerd Herd at Buy
More, hit a rough patch when his best
friend Bryce Larkin (Matthew Bomer) got
him kicked out of Stanford University and
stole his girlfriend. But, that was four years
ago, and now even though he is still living
with his sister (Sarah Lancaster) and his
sister’s boyfriend, Captain Awesome (Ryan
McPartlin), he has decided to try and move
on.
That is, of course, until he receives an
e-mail one night from the one and only
Bryce. Not knowing any better, Chuck
opens the e-mail and in an instant thousands
of images flow onto his computer screen.
Bryce was a spy who downloaded all of
the government’s secrets onto his phone and
was murdered during the process of sending
that e-mail to Chuck, which ultimately got
10
Designed by Iman Bradley
B u t ,
transported
everyone
into
Chuck’s
knows you
brain.
Now,
can’t have
with all of the
a
show
government’s
without
secrets in his
a
love
head, he is not
interest, or
only a threat to
a comical
every criminal
best friend.
in the world,
Lucky for
but he is also a
viewers,
major target.
“Chuck”
Now,
the
has both.
government has
I t ’ s
sent neurotic
evident
Major
John
f r o m
Casey (Adam
the very
Baldwin)
of
the
National
beginning
that Sarah
S e c u r i t y
and Chuck
Agency
and
have
a
the CIA’s top
thing for
agent, blonde
each other.
bombshell
Viewers can watch Chuck on www.nbc.com. Photo
However,
Sarah Walker
neither one is
( Y v o n n e taken by PPC Photo Editor Angela Mateo.
willing to act
Strahovski),
to
on it. Sarah
protect him. The
three have teamed up to fight against La won’t because she knows how dangerous
Ciudad, and all of the other goons ready to any type of emotional feelings in this line of
duty is, and Chuck won’t because he thinks
kill Chuck.
she is way out of his league.
As for the best friend, Morgan (Joshua
Gomez) adds a highly entertaining twist to
the story, mainly because he has no idea that
his best friend is the government’s newest
secret spy. And, he also does not want to
accept the fact that his best friend has a new
girlfriend (Chuck and Sarah have to pretend
their dating to fool Chuck’s friends and
family).
The amusement does not stop there.
Chuck still has to go in everyday and work
at the Buy More, where he is battling against
another co-worker for assistant manager.
From fight scenes to awkward dinners,
which accumulate from Chuck’s flash
visions of the government documents,
he can get many misinterpreted visions.
Once he saw an image of Sarah allegedly
poisoning people at a dinner table, so he
wouldn’t allow anyone to eat the dinner that
she brought.
“Chuck” is by far one of the most
entertaining shows on television right now.
Not only is it action packed and hilarious,
watching a “nerd” try and outsmart other
government agents is highly entertaining.
It might not be as drama filled as “Grey’s
Anatomy” or “Heroes,” but if you want a
good laugh, sit down and watch “Chuck” on
Monday nights at 7 p.m. on NBC.
11.16.07
P
Arts & Entertainment PC
How do you play sudoku? The Starting Line/
By Eric Reynolds / Copy Editor
If you’re not one of the many Americans that are
self-proclaimed Sudoku pros that go rifling through
your newspaper every morning looking for the latest
puzzle, then this article is for you.
So you are still confused as to how to complete one
of those tricky foreign brain teasers? Maybe some
Sudoku history will help to expand your knowledge
of the game.
Sudoku puzzles are actually a special case of
Latin Squares; any solution to a Sudoku puzzle is a
Latin square. Sudoku imposes the additional restriction that 3x3 subgroups must also contain the digits
1-9 (in the standard version). Dell Magazines first
published this particular type of puzzle in the late
1970s. The name given by Dell to these puzzles was
Number Place, as they are still called by this company today. Dell took Euler’s Latin Square concept
and applied it to a 9x9 grid with the addition of nine
3x3 sub-grids, or boxes, each containing all numbers
1 1 . 1 6 . 0 7
from 1 to 9.
So, the Sudoku concept was not invented in Japan
as many people may believe, but the name Sudoku
was. In 1984 Nikoli, Japan’s leading puzzle creating company, discovered Dell’s Number Place and
decided to present them to their Japanese puzzle
fans. The puzzles, which were first named Suuji Wa
Dokushin Ni Kagiru (“the numbers must be single”
or “the numbers must occur only once”) quickly
became popular. In 1986, after some important improvements were added, mainly by making symmetrical patterns and reducing the number of given
clues, Sudoku became one of the best-selling puzzles
in Japan. Realizing that the only problem with the
Sudoku puzzles was their long name, Kaji Maki, the
president of Nikoli, abbreviated it to Sudoku – (Su
= number, digit; Doku = single, unmarried). Today
there are more than 600.000 copies of Sudoku magazines published solely in Japan every month.
During all that time, hardly anyone in America
knew or paid
any
attention
to the Sudoku
puzzles.
The rules are
as follows: 1.
Fill the grid so
that the numbers 1 through
9 appear in
each row. 2.
Fill the grid so
that the numbers 1 through
9 appear in each
column. 3. Fill
the grid so that
the numbers 1
through 9 appear in each 3x3
box. 4. A complete
Sudoku
puzzle contains
the
numbers
1 through 9 in
every row, column, and 3x3
box.
If you still
have
doubts
about completing a Sudoku
puzzle, maybe
you should just
stick to crosswords
and
search ‘n finds.
Paramore Concert
By Ryan Kelley / Chatter
Room A & E Editor
The Starting Line/Paramore
concert in Chicago. What could
be better?
Before stopping to get food before the concert, I never thought
that I would meet The Starting
Line in a CVS Pharmacy, and I
never imagined they would be as
nice as they were. That was the
best start-off to a concert of alltime.
After waiting in a line of thousands of people, getting into the
Congress Theater was unbelievable. It was filled with fans, free
items being given away, band
merch tables, and beverages. It is
such a great feeling to walk into
a concert and see people that are
obsessed with the same band as
you.
After buying a shirt, it was
time to continue on through the
Congress Theater, and as everyone walked into the next part of
the theater, the opening band had
started to play, which was a band
called Set Your Goals, a pop punk
band based out of San Francisco
who were dressed up as 70’s
band Kiss, since the concert occurred a day before Halloween.
Set Your Goals finished up their
set, as numbers of people waited
anxiously to see the next band,
The Starting Line. It took about
twenty minutes, and The Starting
Line came on stage as the crowd
roared and screamed the band
members’ names out. You could
tell that they loved playing Chicago, as it was easy to see them
using every ounce of their energy to entertain the crowd. They
played songs such as “Up & Go,”
“Best of Me,” “A Goodnight’s
Sleep,” “Hello Houston,” “Surprise, Surprise,” “Stay Where I
Can See You,” “Ready,” “Bedroom Talk,” “Direction,” “Birds,”
“Hurry,” “21,” and “Island.” All
the fans seemed really happy after the set ended, as The Starting
Line played an equal amount of
songs from each albums, as most
people did not like the new album
“Direction”, The Starting Line
did not play much of it, as most
bands would do when they make
a new album and go on tour.
After The Starting Line was
finished, they showed up by their
merch table, where they hung
out with fans. Once again, I got
to meet them, and they remembered meeting me and my friends
at the CVS Pharmacy before the
concert. They are a great group of
guys, and it is great that a band
is willing to spend time with their
fans after being exhausted and
sweaty from playing a show.
The next band up was “Paramore”, who was also headlining the tour. They are a pop-rock
band from Franklin, Tennessee,
and have something different than
most rock bands. Their singer is a
girl, named Hayley Williams, but
she is a perfect fit for the band,
and they obviously have a lot of
talent if they are headlining a tour
all around the country. Paramore
hit the stage with songs from new
album “Riot”, and their old debut
album “All We Know Is Falling”.
The band was phenomenal, and
got the crowd moving a lot. After
they got done playing, the crowd
began chanting the classical “one
more song” chant. After about 2
minutes, the band ran on stage
with their instruments, dressed
up in their Halloween costumes.
The crowd roared as they came
out, asking the crowd if they
should play one more song, or
two more songs. Of course the
crowd screamed out for two more
songs, and that is what Paramore
did. After Paramore finished the
crowd cheered and cheered for
about 3 straight minutes, as the
crowd had obviously been satisfied with the set they had played.
The Starting Line and Paramore
had made the concert a favorite
for all the fans that came to the
Congress Theater on Oct. 30.
Designed by Zach Nabor 11
PP
C Interactive
Try A Sudoku Puzzle!
Gobble,
Gobble,
Gobble...
Go to peacepipechatter.com for the answers
InterestingThanksgiving Facts
Turkeys spend the night in trees.
They fly to their roosts around
sunset.
A spooked turkey can run at
speeds up to 20 miles per hour.
They can also burst into flight approaching speeds between 50-55
mph in a matter of seconds.
Only the tom turkey gobbles. The
hen makes clucking noises. A
tom’s gobble can be heard a mile
away.
Turkeys can drown if they look
up when it is raining.
The best time to see a turkey is
on a warm clear day or in a light
rain.
Turkeys have heart attacks.
When the Air Force was conducting test runs and breaking the
sound barrier, fields of turkeys
would drop dead.
Benjamin Franklin wanted the
turkey to be the official bird of
the United States but eventually
lost out to the bald eagle.
In 2004 the total turkey production in the United States was 263
million turkeys.
Facts from http://www.thanksgivingworld.com/turkeyfacts.
What is the only word
(besides “I”), that when
CAPITALIZED, looks
the same from the front,
back, above and below?
Dark with white markings, And smooth like a
rock.
Where learning occurs,
I help convey thought.
What am I?
Before the walk, there
is a mill, after the walk
a key.
What Am I?
Milwaukee.
When written out in
words, they are in alphabetical order.
NOON
A volcano.
If you spell them backwards they are all names
of people.
Footsteps.
12 Designed by Lauren Keers
My thunder rolls beneath me, my lightning
flares above.
I dust the crust, and
when I bust, all I touch
will I shove.
What am I?
8549176320
Sleep.
What is it the more
you take, the more you
leave behind?
Grievous and rendezvous.
gem nave yak
nomad
ailed map asset
lien
What’s the pattern to
these numbers?
I weaken all men for
hours each day. I show
you strange visions
while you are away. I
take you by night, by
day take you back,
none suffer
o have me, but do from
my lack. What am I?
A blackboard/
chalkboard.
What do all of these
words have in common?
There are four words in
the English language
that end in “vous”.
Mischievous and nervous are 2, what are
the other two?
The 2 Jokers in a deck of
cards!
Tease
!
n
i
a
r
B
Your
I am the only set of
twins in a family of thirteen quadruplets, what
am I?
Facts from
http://people.cornell.edu/pages/bs16/brain_t-s.htm
Word Of The Week:
Zenith- The peak, the
highest point
11.16.07
“Tanorexia” continued from page 8
tanorexiaî is a possible addiction.
Of the same group of tanners, 11
admitted to tanning within the last
month, and 19 admitted to tanning
3 times or less per week. 24 of the
tanners used a bed, 6 spray tanned,
and 16 of the tanners said they
would tan be either means. 24
tan to look good, eight tan to feel
good, and 9 stated that they do not
particularly like tanning, but do so
look good and dark.
Out of the 27 students who
admitted to sunless tanning, 23 do
not tan on the highest level when
they tan. Five stated they have
tanned on the highest level, but not
for the longest amount of time, and
only five tan on the highest level
for the longest amount of time.
13 tanners admitted to paying
monthly for tanning.
Out of the 10 male and 38 female
students who did not sunless tan
before, only 35 were aware of
the health risks. A surprising 30
students think that ìtanorexiaî is
possible. Eleven students said they
“Champions on
three”
The goal was only one step
away following a dominating
performance over Rich Central
8-0. The only obstacle in the way
was Joliet Township, whom the
Indians beat earlier 2-1. With the
team rolling on all cylinders, they
brought home the first regional
title in school history with a final
score of 3-1, thanks in large part to
two goals and an assist by senior
Jim Kelly.
They were champions
But were they done? Not at all.
While the team was waiting
for the rematch against LincolnWay Central, the Knights had been
upset by Andrew. This led to a
boost in confidence and Minooka
knew they were the team to beat.
The Indians defeated Andrew
in the sectional final by the final
score of 2-0. Champions once
again and the team had reached
Bridgeview and the sweet 16. A
date with Lemont was set at Toyota
Park, home of the Chicago Fire.
With this win they would advance
11.16.07
would consider sunless tanning,
and ten students said they might
consider it.
ìI think that sunless tanning
is so stupid. In my opinion, you
are pretty enough the way you
are,î said sophomore Chanteil
Ulatowski.
ìA lot of people think that they
have to go tanning to be attractive.
Personally, I donít really like tan
girls. I like girls with lighter skin,î
stated one male who wished to
remain anonymous.
How does one know if they
are ìtanorexic?î According to
the researcher Dr. Robin L.
Hornung, who partook in Boylesí
survey article, the following four
questions can help determine an
addiction to tanning:
Have you ever felt you ought to
cut down on tanning?
Have people annoyed you by
criticizing your tanning?
Have you ever felt bad or guilty
about your tanning?
Have you ever thought about
tanning first thing in the morning?
Also, going tanning more than
four times a week, and constantly
tanning on the highest level for the
longest amount of time are both
telltale signs. Another common
symptom is feeling like you are
too white, or that you are not dark
enough, similar to how an anorexic
feels that he or she is not skinny
enough.
There you have it, from a
ìtanorexicî point of view. The
ìtanorexiaî fable is not one to be
fooled with, as medical research
is finding that it is possible to
develop a tanning addiction. In
fact, ìtanorexiaî is a common
topic at MCHS, whose facebook
network hosts at least two groups
dedicated to sunless tanning. One
thing to remember is that sunless
tanning is not overly harmful if
used correctly.
Medical personnel and tanning
salon owners alike agree that you
must be safe when tanning, either
indoors or out.
P
Jump PC
Texas hasnít spent a whole
lot of money the past few years
leaving them with a big bank
account.
The
fact
that Texas has
finished with
poor records
the past few
years
and
that
Seattle
has made an
improvement in their game,
might just motivate them enough
to try Rodriguez at shortstop
again. There is a reason why
Alex Rodriguez is the top free
agent in all of MLB at this time.
After having an unbelievable
2007 season, batting .314, hitting
54 homeruns, and a career high
156 RBIís, itís hard to believe
that the Yankees are going to just
let Rodriguez enter free agency
and not go after him. But it was
his decision to leave New York in
the first place.
ìItís a really
hard place to
play in because
all the fans are
really critical,î
said Freshman
Sean Macko.
A-Rod is a
career .306 hitter and has had
10 straight seasons with at least
100 RBIís. It will probably be
a few months before we figure
out w hat uniform the American
League Hank Aaron award
winner will be wearing in 2008,
but whoever it is, it will be well
worth whatever they pay for him
in the long run..
“Free Agent”
continued from
page 14
“Sweet 16” continued from page 6
to state.
However, it was not meant to
be. The Indians fell 2-0.
“Lemont is a good team, but we
certainly didnít play our best. We
were back on our heels,” explained
senior Nick Mancini.
Best team in history
While the Indians ended up
falling in the end, they advanced
father and won more games (16)
than any team in school history.
With that, rose the standards of
Minooka soccer.
While the offense had plenty
of publicity after scoring the
most goals in team history, led by
Kellyís 27 goals, the defense was
the ingredient that led the team
down the stretch.
Early on our defense wasnít
clicking, but I told the guys all
along that if we win in the playoffs
it will be because of the defense,î
Boe stated.
The defense did step up and
allowed only two goals in the
playoffs leading up to the super
sectional game.
This year’s team truly defined
what a team is.
The core of the team was started
early. Many of the players have
been together since age 7. They
were playing with each other for
so long that they built chemistry
together. They werenít broken
up in high school. They stayed
together and stayed close. Whether
it was the number one guy on the
depth chart of the last one off the
bench, everyone wanted each other
to succeed.
Boe said, “There were no breaks
in the chain from the best player to
the last player.”
This team didnít get the publicity
early either, including from this
paper.In an area dominated by
football coverage, soccer rarely
makes the front page of any sports
section.
A team this great flew under the
radar. But the team did their job
and won games. And slowly but
surely as the season went on more
and more fans came to witness.
The super sectional game was full
of parents and students taking an
hour drive to see hisory.
One of a kind
Teams like this donít come
around too often. They are all
about the ìwe. “It ís not ìI scored
2 goals and had three assists and
thatís why I won my game today.î
It was ìWe helped each other to get
our goal and our goal was to get to
Bridgeview.”
This team doesnít have the Kobe
Bryant. There isnít a player on this
team who complained about not
getting the ball enough. There isnít
a Terrell Owensí, a player all about
his ego, on this team either.
This season is just the next
season of improving records.
The team finished 7-14 in 2004,
followed by a 7-7-2 record in
2005. 2006 was at an ultimate low
with a 4-18 record. The team took
their bumps and put together a
nice run and finished 145-1 in 2007. This yearís
team closed the season at
16-5-2.
As Coach Boe puts
it, “A great team doesnít take 12
great individuals, it takes a team
willing to do their job and roll up
the sleeves and thatís what this
team had.”
A new era of Minooka soccer
has begun. The first ever regional
and sectional championships were
won. They had the most wins in
school history. People will know
Minooka soccer and realize the
kind of program it has become.
The thing Iíll miss most is
just being with the guys,î said
Mancini.
MCHS will miss this team, too.
They have set the bar high where
the goal here is ìraising the barî.
Everything is now in place. The
future looks bright for Minooka
soccer behind the leadership of
their head coach who brings out
the best in his players. And he
knows what is happening.
This is a program that can find
success, and everyone is buzzing
about it.
Designed by Jeff Beguin 13
PP
C
Sports
A-Rod Sits as Most Valuable Free Agent
By Mike Noe /
PPC SportsEditor
Picture this, you are sitting on your couch
watching the Boston Red Sox play the
Colorado Rockies in game four of the World
Series. Then all the sudden a breaking news
flash pops up on the screen, saying that Alex
Rodriguez has opted out of his contract.
Unless you’re a New York Yankees fan,
you jump up off your seat in excitement
picturing what it will be like to see A-Rod
in your favorite team’s uniform. N obody
really knows what team he will play for, but
there are a few speculations.
The fact of the matter is that A-Rod just
might be the best overall player in Major
League Baseball. Being the best means that
there is going to be a hefty price to pay, $30
million a year for 10 years to be exact.
“That shouldn’t happen, it’s too much for
one person,” said Jeremy Lakoskey, junior.
There are only a handful of teams that can
handle such a ridiculously large contract.
The only question now is, which team is
most willing to write the check.
“I think that he will go to the Angels
because they have a lot of money to spend,”
said Tim Meyer, sophomore.
That is true that the Angels do have a lot
of money to spend, which is why they are on
the top of the list to get A-Rod, but Angels
owner Arte Moreno has said he is not
interested in using up all the money on one
player. Although, this was before his loss to
the World Series Champion Boston Red Sox
in the ALDS, so
he may change
his mind.
Speaking
of the World
C h a m p s ,
Boston is also
a possibility for
Rodriguez. He
came out and
said that Boston
is his number
one
choice
to sign with.
Even
though
Boston has third
basemen Mike Lowell, the World Series
MVP, Lowell could test the free agent
market, which would leave a big hole at
third-base. Who better to replace Lowell than
Rodriguez? If Lowell decides to stay with
Boston, which he probably will, Rodriguez
could take Julio Lugo’s spot at shortstop.
Lugo only batted .237 in the regular season,
and Rodriguez was a former 2-time Gold
Glove winner at SS.
Next on the list is the Chicago Cubs. The
Cubs could very well pick up Rodriguez but
the only problem is his contract size. A-Rods
request of $300 million might just be too
much for the
Cubs to pay
for one player,
especially after
adding
the
$126 million
contract
for
A l f o n s o
Soriano.
“That’s
too much, you
don’t
need
that
much
money,” stated
Alex
Hank,
freshman.
Rodriguez also may not like the idea that the
Cubs ownership up in the air.
Now it’s the Chicago White Sox’s turn.
The Sox have a small chance of adding
A-Rod. They could do it, but they would
have to release other key players in order
to fit the contract. But who knows, with
“I think that he will
go to the Angels
because they have a lot
of money to spend.”
-Tim Meyer,
sophomore
their disappointing 2007 season, General
Manager Kenny Williams may be willing to
make exceptions.
The San Francisco Giants are also in the
hunt to retrieve Rodriguez from everyone’s
grip. They will probably be looking for a big
name player to replace Barry Bonds who
also has filed for free agency. Rodriguez
might literally replace Bonds because
A-Rod is predicted to beat Bonds’s home
run record. A-Rod has 518 home runs in
14 seasons, while Bonds only had 445 in as
many years. Additionally, the Giants could
handle Rodriguez’s contract.
Even the Seattle Mariners could pick up
Rodriguez’s contract. After having a great
2007 compared to the few prior years, they
may be looking to add an impact player
to get them the top of the division again.
Rodriguez would probably be just enough
to put the Mariners above the Angels, and
make them a force to reckon with in the
playoffs.
The Texas Rangers just saved $22 million
when A-Rods opted out.
“Free Agent” Continued
on page 13.
NCAA Basketball Season Tips Off
By Jeff Beguin / PPC Editor-in-Chief
It’s getting to be that special time of
year. Thanksgiving is around the corner, the
college football regular season is closing,
the NFL is turning its gears into the second
half of the season, and ESPN analysts
everywhere are salivating over every pass
Tom Brady throws. Still, this time of the
year most importantly signifies that the
NCAA Men’s Basketball season is prepared
to launch off, and Dick Vital is about to,
again, become an everyday name for about
the next five months. This year’s thrill ride,
known as NCAA basketball, has much in
store for its nation-wide fan base.
Coming in at this year’s preseason No. 1
are the defending ACC Champs, the North
Carolina Tar Heels. After a trip to the Elite
Eight, the Tar Heels are returning with Player
of the Year candidate, Tyler Hansbrough, as
well as starting point guard Tywon Lawson.
14
Designed by Mike Noe
The Tar Heels look to have a deep roster
despite losses of Brandon Wright and
Reyshawn Terry from last season. Expect the
Tar Heels to be a physical team that will run
the floor, play hard-nose defense, and when
needed, pound the ball into Hansbrough for
easy points.
After being defeated in last year’s national
championship game, the UCLA Bruins are
charging into this year’s season with a No. 2
preseason ranking and the preseason nod to
win the Pac 10 Conference. The Bruins are
returning with junior guards Daren Collison
and Josh Shipp. They also bring back senior
center Lorenzo Mata, and have brought in
the nation’s best overall recruit in center,
Kevin Love. The Bruins are coming off of
two consecutive seasons with Final Four
appearances, and have a healthy balance of
offense with a very stingy defense. Likely
the loss of Aaron Affalo will hurt the Bruins
scoring game, but with plenty of returning
talent, this appears to be a veteran team that
will be a tough game in the later part of the
season.
Other teams cracking the top five include
the Memphis Tigers, and the extremely
athletic and talented Kansas Jayhawks at
Nos. 3 and 4 respectively. The Jayhawks
are returning with two junior guards in
Mario Cahlemrs and Brandon Rush who
look to be among major competitors for
Player of the Year. Kansas also comes into
the season with four incoming freshmen.
Knowing Bill Self’s recruiting techniques;
one of these players is bound to be a star,
and the Jayhawks should be a very solid
team during tournament time.
Finishing out the top 10, the ESPN poll
ranks Georgetown, Louisville, Tennessee,
Michigan State, Indiana, and Washington
State in order from 5th to 10th.
However, an intriguing team ranks in at
No. 11 that may be a “Dark Horse” come
tournament time. The Duke Blue Devils
arereturning with Greg Paulus, John Scheyer,
DeMarcus Nelson, Gerald Henderson,
and Lance Thomas who a year ago all
showed promise, but lacked experience.
Now the team comes in with a better
sense of leadership and team chemistry to
elevate from their last year’s disappointing
tournament play. The Blue Devils look to
have the talent and weapons necessary for
winning basketball, and they certainly have
the coaching, but do they have enough of
the intangibles like on the floor leadership,
and clutch performances that are vital in
winning games? This is the question that
will determine the Blue Devils’ season.
Regardless of what the preseason rankings
say, when it comes down to it, predictions
are still only predictions. Throw whatever
cliché you prefer here, but the fact is, it’s not
where you start it’s where you finish.
1 1 . 1 6 . 0 7
So Long Seniors
P
Sports PC
Seniors end fall sports season
Jeff Beguin / PPC Editor-inChief
Now that the fall sports’
seasons at MCHS have come
to a close, it means that an
enormous portion of MCHS
seniors are saying their final
farewell to a sport that they
have spent the previous four
years of their lives dedicating
their time and bodies to.
Whether it was their last race,
their last football game, their last
soccer match, or their last golf
tournament, the final fall season
at MCHS has ended for the entire
senior class, and that is something
worth looking back on.
The boys’ varsity soccer team
had an unbelievable year in 2007,
and awhile they sported a roster
jam-packed with seniors, some of
them are going onto play at college,
while others have competed in their
the guys and I have gotten really
close with all of them,” said senior
Nick Mancini.
Though soccer is probably still
going to be apart of many of their
lives, not being on the team
with the same guys is going
to be a major change.
“I’ve got a real bond
with everyone on the team
because it’s been four years
with the same guys on the
same team, and we have
been really good friends,”
said senior Ryan Zarley.
After going 16-5-2 on the
season, this year’s soccer team was
able to enjoy the feeling of success
on more than one occasion.
“My most missed memory
is going to be team parties, and
celebrating
with
everyone after
a victory,” said
senior
Mike
Ornelas.
While there
are plenty of
moments worth
recollecting
from the boys’
soccer season,
at the same time,
other teams have
put
together
some remarkable
seasons of their
own.
Take the boys
and girls cross
country teams.
Both were able to
not only advance
onto sectionals,
but the boys
team
missed
going to state by
one spot, while
the girls finished
two
away.
Though
the
seniors making
up the team were
few, their impact
on the team is far
greater than their
number, and no
doubt
“I’m going to miss all the
girls and just being apart
of a team with them,” said
senior Lizzie Jones.
11.16.07
final game. Regardless of what
their futures hold, this last season
was obviously an extraordinary
one for all of them.
“This year was really special
because it was the last year with
their presence will be missed
next year.
“I’m going to miss seeing my
teammates everyday.
They’ve
been my best friends for the last
three years,” said senior Megan
Olin.
Coached by Kevin Gummerson,
the cross country squad has been
known to be a tight knit group.
“I’ll always remember throwing
Gummerson’s 30th birthday party,”
said senior Kylie Plese.
The boy’s squad finished ten
points out of advancing onto state,
and with only one senior leaving
from the varsity squad, they should
be back to compete next season.
Still, it’s hard to explain the loss of
even one personality from a team,
and the persona that one person
can bring to the table. No doubt
the team has big shoes to fill in
replacing even the one leader they
are losing.
“For me, I won’t ever forget the
trips to the Grizzly Den with the
guys, and I know they’ll miss me
as much as I’ll miss them,” said
senior Brian Papp.
As for the volleyball squad, their
season ended in a heart-breaking
loss at the regional championship
game. The girls gave a great
showing this year, and made their
presence known throughout the
entire area. Their performance
in this previous year looks to be a
new trend with an excellent group
of juniors returning next season.
“I’m going to miss all the girls
and just being apart of a team with
them,” said senior Lizzie Jones.
The football team finished their
season with a 3-6 record, after
having preseason expectations of
much more. Still, two close games
against Oswego East and Plainfield
South that went the other way both
combined to mean the Indians not
finishing with a winning record,
and not receiving a postseason
bid. No matter how they finished,
these seniors still have invested a
minimum of two years of physical
exertion and hard work, and it is
endeavors like those that make the
games so distinctive.
“I’ll always remember running
on the field before the home games
while the packed crowd cheers us
on,” said senior C.J. Kelly.
The girls’ tennis team as well
turned out a quality season, and
while their team record was below
their potential, some individuals
and doubles teams thrived
throughout the year. Specifically,
number one doubles team, made
up of seniors, Tayler Layfield and
“I’ll always
remember running on the field
before home
games while the
packed crowd
cheers us on,”
said senior CJ
Kelly.
Michelle Pillars, finished one win
away from advancing on to state.
“One thing I will really miss
about the team is the girls. We’ve
become such close friends, I
cherish every moment I had with
them, and I can’t believe it’s all
over,” said Layfield.
Last but not least, the boys
and girls golf teams have both
contributed successful seasons
to the MCHS résumé. As for the
seniors, golf is a sport that they
can play for years in the future,
just not at the same competitive
level as they have in high school
for the last four.
“I’m going to miss all the
competitions and tournaments,
and just competing,” said senior
Mallory Carr.
A year from now, these seniors
will be in all different places, but
the memories of their high school
teammates and competitions can
always being reminisced upon.
Designed by Tommy Stokke 15
PP
C
Sports
Varsity wrestling looks
to keep tradition
Jacki Kaluzny /
PPC Photo Editor
by
Winning. That’s what these boys
know best. After a tremendously
successful season last year, the
Minooka varsity wrestling team is
back for another round.
Last year as a team, they took
the conference, regional, and
sectional championships. At state,
they made it to the Elite Eight and
four out of their 10 qualifiers placed
in the top six. After losing a lot of
strong seniors due to graduation,
the Indians will have to step it up
to make up for the loss. “I’m
very excited for this season,” said
head coach Mr. Bernie Ruettiger.
“It’s going to be a challenge when
you lose that many starters and
you try to stay on top.”
Returning qualifiers, juniors
Brian Bokoski and Marcus Rangel,
and senior Nick Bain, are ready to
bring back the heat this season.
“I’m a senior this year,” said
Nick Bain, “and I’m going to work
my butt off day in and day out to
make sure I end up on that podium
at the end of the season.”
Their first meet of the season
was yesterday at Glenbard North
with Batavia. Glenbard is ranked
first or second in the state and was
Minooka’s first big challenge of
the season.
“If we work hard enough, we
can come out on top,” said junior
Brian Bokoski.
As for state this year, the Indians
have all the talent and strength to
take it all, but have to build as a
team if they want to make it there.
“If the kids come in with the
attitude that we are the team to
beat and if they believe in one
another,” said Ruettiger, “team
success will follow and we will
go to state.”
Boys’ basketball kicks
off vs Faculty
by Sam Menne /
Chatter Room School News
Editor
Another basketball season has
come, and with it, the traditional
Meet the Indians night. At this
event, the boys’ varsity basketball
team scrimmages and then plays a
faculty team.
This year the faculty team
includes Mr. Matheson, science,
Mr. Undesser, Spanish, Mr. Harding, physical education, and Mr.
Marino, social studies, as well as
many other faculty members.
“It would be pretty sad if our
16
basketball team lost to the faculty,
I think the varsity team will win,
but those freshmen will lose
because they are freshmen,” said
Marino. “We just hope we do not
hurt or embarrass ourselves; winning is not an object.”
“The faculty team better bring
enough Bengay for the game,”
said junior Tom Stokke member
of the basketball team.
Meet the Indians Night takes
place on Nov. 16 at 7 p.m. in the
large gym. So if you are looking
for an inexpensive way to hang
out with friends, watch some
basketball, and see some of your
Designed by Tommy Stokke
MCHS Scoreboard
Upcoming Events
Wrestling
November 24
10 am
Lockport
with
Marist
@ Lockport
December 1
9 am
Yorkville
with
Joliet
@ Yorkville
Boys Basketball
Boys Bowling
November 17
12 pm
Rockford Guilford Invite
Cherry Bowl Lanes
November 23
9 am
Plainfield South Invitational
Town & Country Lanes
November 19
7:30 pm
Ottawa Tournament
vs. Ottawa
November 20
7:30 pm
Ottawa Tournament
vs. Pontiac
November 21
7 pm
Ottawa Tournament
vs. Plainfield South
Girls Basketball
November 19
6:30 pm
Waubonsie Valley Invite
vs. Conant
November 21
7:30 pm
Waubonsie Valley Invite
@ West Aurora
November 23
11:30 am
Waubonsie Valley Invite
vs. Waubonsie
@ W. Aurora
Girls Bowling
November 24
9 am
Plainfield Invitational
Town & Country Lanes
November 24
11:30 am
Waubonsie Valley Invite
vs Naperville North
@Waubonsie
December 8
9 am
Plainfield North Strikefest
Town & Country Lanes
November 23
3 pm
Ottawa Tournament
vs. Sullivan
11.16.07