Central Times - Glencoe District 35

Central Times
Volume 4 No. 3
Central Times Staff
Charlie A.
Josh B.
Will C.
Matt C.
Bob H.
Kelvin H.
Shelby J.
Jonathan K.
Dylan K.
Matthew K.
Eric K.
Alex L.
Ben L.
Emma M.
Spencer M.
Will N.
Erik P.
Celeste P.
Rebecca R.
Emma R.
Brian R.
Tyler S.
Becki S.
Jeremy S.
Charlie S.
Jessica S.
Allison S.
Ilanah T.
Jonathan T.
William T.
Hayden W.
Christian V. K.
Margot Y.
Faculty Advisor:
Ms. Melamed
Red Ribbon Week
By: Rebecca R.
Central School has a Red Ribbon Week every year to
teach kids that drugs are bad for your mind and your
body. Central has students dress up in different ways
that represent why you shouldn’t do drugs. On Monday students dressed in
sweats (being drug free is no sweat!), on Tuesday students wore a hat (put a
cap on drugs!), on Wednesday students wore their favorite team shirt (team
up against drugs), on Thursday students dressed in blue (drugs give you the
blues) and on Friday students wore mismatched clothes (drugs and I don’t
mix). The advisory with the most participation wins a party. The snowflake
members also made posters.
But how did Red Ribbon week start? It all started with a man named
Enrique Camarena. He grew up in a dirt floored house and dreamed to one
day make a difference. Camarena worked hard to go through college and then
served in the Marines. He decided to become a police officer and then joined
the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. His mom didn’t want him to go.
He told her he went to make a difference. He was sent undercover to
Mexico to investigate a major drug cartel that
involved Mexican army officers, police and the
government. On Feb. 7, 1985 five men shoved
him into a car and drove away. He was later
found dead and had been tortured by drug
criminals. In his honor a California
Congressman and Camarena’s friends
and family members wore red ribbons. Then
more community groups decided that the
last week of October they would wear red
ribbons as a symbol of a drug-free
pledge. The first national campaign was in
1988. Red Ribbon week is now the oldest
and
largest drug prevention program in the
United States.
Single Gender Schools?
By: Emma R. and Charlie S.
The Statistics:
boys in coed classes: 37% scored proficient
girls in coed classes: 59% scored proficient
girls in single-sex classes: 75% scored proficient
boys in single-sex classes: 86% scored proficient”
Information provided by: Dr. Leonard Sax, executive director of NASSPE
PROS:
-Studies have shown that girls and
boys receive better grades when they
are in a single sex class
-Many teachers believe that their
children focus more when they are in
a single sex class
CONS:
-It costs a lot of money to go to a
single sex (private) school
-It does not prepare students for the
real world because in the world it is
not separated by sex
Overall, many teachers at Central think that having single gender classes is not a good idea.
They believe that going to a single gender school does not prepare you for the real world,
where gender is not separated and girls and boys must learn to cooperate, and compete.
Some Central Opinions
Mr. Young-There is not enough information to determine whether it is better to have a single
gender class. I think that it is better for boys to go to a single gender school because boys
usually tend to have more ADD.
Ms. Bailey-In Junior High having single gender classes is a good idea. Otherwise, as you get
older being separated is not a good idea.
Mrs. Geier-No, but being separated in advisory is a good idea.
Mrs. Alsberg-It is not a good idea because it is not realistic in the real world.
Ms. Melamed-It took girls a long time to get an equal education. Now I think school can help
boys and girls learn how to work together.
Emma and Charlie-It isn’t a good idea because gender is never going to be separated in real
life.
Opinion
A Moment of Silence
By: Tyler S. and Ben L.
According to Illinois state law, a moment of silence at the opening of every day in the public schools
used to be optional. However, last week the Illinois legislature modified the law from “may” to “shall
observe a brief period of silence.” Legislators voted to override Governor Rod Blagojevich’s veto to
pass the law. Controversy struck when complaints were expressed stating that the real purpose of
forcing silence throughout schools is to encourage children to pray. I [Ben] believe that this is
unnecessary. There is a reason that church is separated from state. They should not be mixed. If
kids want to pray, they can pray in many other places, but not in public school. People have different
beliefs on religion, and being forced to pray can be uncomfortable for some. On the other hand,
some people think that it is important to reflect on everything that they have. It is a time to take a
break and relax. It is a very debatable issue. What do you think?
Interview with Mr. Couturier:
By: Margot Y. and Jessy S.
We interviewed Mr. C. because he is involved in helping Central School students to become
more ecologically aware and the school to be more “green.”
Q: What do you wish to accomplish for
the environment at Central School?
A: Mr. C would like the school to become
“far more green.” Some ways that Mr.C
finds that we could accomplish this is by
recycling, using less energy, and by
composting. Finally he thinks that we
should recognize that “it is ok to be
inconvenienced,” so that we can make
our environment healthier.
Q: How are you planning to make these
changes?
A: We should start by better educating the
students about the problems of global
warming and the solutions and getting the
students involved.
Q: What do you feel our world needs to
change to
make our environment
healthier?
A: He believes that we should accept that
we need alternative fuel and “to stop
caving into car companies.”
Q: Do you feel the students are doing their
part in helping our environment?
A: He feels many of the students “are
buying into its problems” and starting to
recycle and compost. He noticed “the
tipping point last year” when most of his
students believed in global warming
because of how much evidence there is.
In years past the beliefs were usually
“split down the middle.”
Q: What do you do everyday for the
environment?
A: He uses Blackboard (an online homework
system) to save paper, saving at least 100
sheets of paper for each assignment. Also he
uses scantron tests, so he can save paper by
reusing the test book throughout the day. At
the moment, he is working on banning water
bottles at Central School and selling Spartan
reusable water bottles, so the amount of
disposable bottles bought is reduced. He is also
trying to get a composter for our school and
solar panels on the roof.
Q: What do you want the system of
recycling to be at Central School?
A:
He feels Central School should
continue recycling as much as possible:
water bottles and paper, use reusable
lunch bags, use less paper and reduce our
use of energy!
Q: Is there any extra information you would like
the school to know?
A: He feels the school “should be a model for
the entire community,” which will eventually
lead to home.
The school needs to act
responsibly by doing their part for the
environment in order for the children to act the
same way. One important fact to know is that
23% of the polar ice cap that is melting is the
size of Texas. It acts as the worlds air
conditioner. When the ice caps melt, the world
will become much warmer.
Q: What do you suggest the students do
at home?
A: He suggests students recycle, reuse,
switch light bulbs, be less wasteful.
Also, reusing towels and lunch bags
makes a significant difference.
Q: What is your major goal?
A: Mr. C’s major goal is to turn our school into
a place that is completely carbon neutral, which
means not adding any new carbon into the
atmosphere.
Halloween 07
By: Will N. and Alex L.
This year, at Central, there is the Halloween Hoopla, sponsored by the Glencoe Junior
High Project and a Costume Contest sponsored by the 8th grade executive cabinet. You
can compete for the scariest, funniest, most creative, best group, and best overall
costumes. Remember, students can only enter in one category and costumes must follow
school rules. The contest will be judged in Misner on Halloween, by the teachers.
Beyond Glencoe, there are many
haunted houses in the Chicago
area. You can find ideas at
HauntedHouseChicago.com
One place to check out is the
Skokie Scream Scene Haunted
House (www.screamscene.com/)
You can also visit the
Statesville Haunted Prison
(www.statesville.org/).
But beware, these scary places
are not recommended for kids
younger than the age of 10. And
you definitely will be scared.
Also, for the first time the Daley Plaza in Chicago will become the Haunted Village at
Pumpkin Plaza with Ghostly Games 2007. You can see the Midnight Circus , including
a Human Pyramid, tightwire, acrobatic juggling,aerial acrobatics and other events
Thursday through Sunday.
Harold the milk man at Central
By Matt K. and Erik P
As some of you know this year we have a new
milk man in the lunchroom. The custodian who used
to take care of the milk at lunch was Harold. He was
really great with the students. Even though I knew him
for only a half of one quarter we became friends. But
last Monday Harold was not there. The man there said
Harold was going to work at West or South School.
The new guy is supposed to be good also. Let’s hope
so. But I will never forget my good friend Harold. He
was nice to the students and we all will miss him.
Do you recognize this
logo?
How about this one?
This first design for the Chicago
Olympic logo was not allowed by the
Olympic committee
The (Almost)
Hopefully, now you do, because
this second design is now the
official Chicago Olympic’s logo.
Chicago 2016 Olympic Games
The thought of
our city hosting
the Olympics
By: Spencer M.
As you should very well know, Chicago is the official applicant from the United States to host
the 2016 Summer Olympics. Chicago beat out Los Angeles, who have already hosted the
games twice, and San Francisco to get the chance. Now, Chicago has to go up against Madrid,
Spain, Tokyo, Japan, and Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, which just hosted a successful Pan American
Games. Many people are making Chicago out to be the front runner, but we are somewhat
behind the other cities. The final voting will take place on October 2, 2009 at the
International Olympic Committee’s headquarters in Copenhagen, Denmark. It would be the
first time the United States has hosted the Summer Olympics since the 1996 Atlanta Summer
Games.
The recent Chicago Marathon has caused a controversy. Many people think because the
Marathon was a crisis, the same thing will happen at the Olympics. The Chicago Sun-Times
wrote an article about the Marathon. It said that Chicago should not only be proud about the
buildings and geographic location of the city, but also its people. There were many instances
of people helping complete strangers during the marathon. One runner was taken by a
spectator to a store and the spectator bought him two water bottles, and he was a complete
stranger. The runner claims that he would have ended up in the hospital had that person not
helped. We should not only be proud of the city but also of our hospitable people.
One major problem Chicago is facing is the financial aspect of the Games. Chicago is
struggling to find how to pay for the Olympics. The estimated price tag on the Olympics in
Chicago is $5 billion. Many people also think handling the traffic will be a major problem.
As you can see, there are many problems the city will have to overcome if it wants to
host the Olympics. But, there are many positive attributes of our city, including being voted
the best sports city on August 1, 2006 by The Sporting News. Regardless of whether we get
the Olympics, we should be very proud of the city of Chicago.
Are You Killing
the Earth?
By: Rebecca R.
The PlayPumps are a new mechanism that
is being used in Africa to provide a place
where kids can play on a merry-go-round
and also pump clean water. Water-related
diseases are the main cause of death in
Africa. Two out of every five Africans do
not have access to to clean drinking water.
Today, there are about 700 PlayPumps
bringing safe water to about one million
people in sub-Saharan Africa. Roundabout
Out Door is the manufacture of the
PlayPumps. They hope to have 4,000
PlayPumps installed by 2010 giving clean
water to 10 million people in 10 different
African countries. While the PlayPumps
are providing clean water, children are
playing on them and also staying in school
longer instead of spending time dragging
pots of water in their communities.
Women also benefit from the PlayPump
because they don’t have to carry big
containers of water a long way either and
have less injuries. After the PlayPump is
installed, it is commercially paid to keep on
going because people pay to have
advertising on it and that helps maintain it
each year. These PlayPumps will help
many people, and hopefully bring better
health to people in Africa.
Here in Glencoe, West School is
planning on raising money to buy a
PlayPump for an African community.
West will be selling t-shirts for the 50th
anniversary of the school and that money
will go toward buying and installing a
PlayPump. They hope to raise $15,000 by
the end of the year which will pay for the
full purchase.
By: Margot Y.
Do you ever think the world is
getting warmer, colder, and weirder?
Well,you may be experiencing global
warming. Global warming is when carbon
dioxide and other gasses warm the
surface of the earth and trap heat. This
can cause the weather to change dramatically on the planet. The
cause of this horrific change is pollution by human beings. If we
walked more, polluted less, recycled, used florescent bulbs, and
conserved energy, the environment would be much healthier.
Some scientists believe that if we do not change our
actions in 25 years, the deaths attributed to global warming could
double to 300,000 people a year. I will probably be alive then
and I know I do not want to experience people dying because of
our filthy habits. Along with that outcome, some scientists predict
the Arctic ice will melt by the summer of 2050. Not only are the
glaciers beautiful, but if they melt, they will flood the cities and kill
thousands of people, along with the animals living in its habitat.
For example, the polar bears will become extinct. They already
are dying because their habitat, the ice, is disappearing. Polar
bears need the ice to rest and cannot keep swimming their whole
life. They will drown.
Also, have you noticed the many horrible hurricanes
lately? Well, some scientists believe the strength of recent
hurricanes is a result of global warming. In the last 30 years the
number of hurricanes rated 4 or 5 have almost doubled. Other
natural disasters like droughts and fires could become worse as
well. And if you think it is only polar bears that will be extinct by
2050, well you are completely wrong. There will be more than a
million species extinct. And do not think we have a long wait until
our world is disrupted because animals and plants are already
responding. Consider how warm the summers are now, and
then imagine how it could be in ten years. The heat causes many
deadly conditions and the dramatic changes of weather could
become much worse. Sicknesses can accrue from global
warming, for example malaria has spread to higher altitudes.
If you do not believe that global warming is happening
then you are ignoring all the science of global warming. The
percentage of scientists who say global warming is true is now in
the high 90’s.
Some ways that you can help reduce global warming is
by reducing your garbage and car pooling more places. You can
take busses more, which are environmentally healthy because
they transport many people efficiently. Some cities have also
started using hybrid buses, including Chicago. Just by recycling
you are already making a difference. Grab a box from your
garage and there is your new recycling bin! And purchasing
florescent bulbs can help because although they may cost more,
they last longer. Turn lights off when you are not in the room and
do not keep the water running unnecessarily. For more ideas on
what you can do to save our environment go to Al Gore’s
Inconvenient Truth web site, at www. climatecrisis.com.
There you will find many great suggestions to help with
our environment. Most of the facts in this article are from
the web site. So what are you waiting for?
Does School Start too Early?
By: Ilanah T.
Is 8:20 too early for school to start? Often first period classes are the
hardest because students need to wake up and try to pay attention in
class. However, when you are tired it is hard to concentrate. Students
need nine to eleven hours of sleep a night. But, with homework it is
hard to get to bed early. When we are forced to wake up this early we
almost never get enough sleep. But the real problem is that even with
enough sleep, teenagers do not work well in the early morning. Most
teenagers bodies naturally want to stay up later and get up later in the
morning. Many studies have shown that if school started a little later,
students would be able to concentrate better. Professor Russel Foster
said that teens would be able to achieve more if they were able to start
school in the afternoon. The Oxford University neuroscientist said that
teenage students start their school days grumpy because they follow
different sleep patterns than adults do. This makes them more alert, or
awake, in the afternoon.
Also, when kids are forced to wake up this early, there is less motivation to do well in
school. "It is cruel to impose a cultural pattern on teenagers that makes them underachieve,"
says Professor Foster. A school in Wilton, Connecticut changed their starting times for middle
and high school and it had an impressive impact. Schools that switched their starting times have
experienced better test scores and reduced rates of depression. Teachers saw a positive
change in students behavior and attitude. However, there are problems with that too because
school would also end later, which might be a problem for after school activities. But what
studies are saying is that it is better for teenager’s body clocks if school started later.
Early Diagnosis for Alzheimer’s
By: Hayden W.
Tests have just been developed to enable doctors to diagnosis
Alzheimer’s disease about six or seven years early. Alzheimer’s is a
disease which affects the brain of almost 1 in 8 adults over age 65. It
causes people to lose their memory, and eventually, it becomes
fatal. The new blood test will work by looking at 18 proteins in the
brain. If a person has an abundance of those proteins, then 95% of
the time they have Alzheimer’s disease. If a person does not have a lot of those proteins, then
83% of the time they do not have the disease. Alzheimer’s continues to grow worse and worse
the longer a person has it, until they can hardly remember anything, even family members.
The people who have it need extreme care, and often live in nursing homes in the late stages
of the disease. Alzheimer’s is a disease that is bad for the people who have it and their
families, because they are unable to remember their family members and the people who
take care of them. Hopefully, these blood tests will help considerably with Alzheimer’s and
help families all across the world deal with the disease.
Ipods in school??
By: Shelby J.
Most kids these days almost all have ipods. Ipods can be
used for many different things besides just listening to
music. Today students in college are able to download
lectures from their teachers onto ipods, though most middle
schools and high school ban ipods from school use for
many reasons. They think that ipods make kids unsocial, less
attentive in class and may be able to cheat on tests with
them. School’s think that ipods aren't things that should be
used in school but only outside when your are just relaxing
or walking home. Hopefully (this writer’s opinion) in the
near future they will realize that ipods do help kids studey,
help some kids concentrate and should be allowed in
school.
Dies The Fire
Reviewed by: Will T.
Dies The Fire is a science fiction story
by S.M. Stirling. It is a story about the
current world collapsed. I won’t spoil it
but it is a story of when a world wide
change happens. The drastic change is
that everything electronic, or that
uses gasoline and guns suddenly stop
working.
It doesn't have what you
think it would have.
Instead of peace in this new world, there is chaos. For example when
everything stops working, many people die and the people who survive
the mass deaths, begin looting and looking for food. Some move to the
countryside and others resort to cannibalism.
Think about it,
everything stops working so all the cities in the world are pretty much
dead. I recommend this book, for everyone twelve and over because it
contains some harsh language and a lot of gore.
Nobel Prize
Committee
Recognizes Gore
Al Gore, former Vice President, and presidential
candidate, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize Friday,
October 12, 2007. “I will accept this award on behalf of
all the people that have been working so long and so hard
to try to get the message out about this planetary
emergency,” said Gore. As you can see, Gore credits this
to he and his coworkers who have been working to stop
global warming. The Norwegian Nobel Committee
explained that global warming “may induce large-scale
migration and lead to greater competition for the Earth’s
resources.” That is why the global warming issue was
appropriate for the Peace prize. They think that Al Gore
making the world aware of global warming will help
everybody. Al Gore also won an Academy Award for his
Bobwon
H. for best
film “An Inconvenient Truth.”By:
That
documentary.
By: Bob H.
MARRIOT...
HILTON...
By Kelvin H.
Have you ever been to a luxurious hotel, like Renaissance
or Marriot? Maybe even something special in Las Vegas?
Trust me, nothing you’ve ever been to equals the
breathtaking views of this hotel. It’s not made of the
same stuff as a usual hotel is; it’s made of ice. Everything
is made of ice; beds, cups, chandeliers, etc. Yes, this is the
Aurora Ice Hotel in Fairbanks, Alaska! It was a good place
to situate the hotel due to the temperatures there. It’s
made of 14,000 tons of snow and ice, and if it started
melting, it would be disastrous. It’s only open during the
winter, so the temperature is cold enough and it doesn’t
repel customers with fear. For your stay, you get a parka
and boots to wear, but the price is $842 for 2 nights
(customers who are brave enough to sleep there only!),
and $15 for a day pass (for the cautious you get a tour).
The question is... Do you dare?
ICE HOTEL?!
Pushing Daisies
The Modern Day Fairy Tale- with a Twist.
Reviewed by: Becki S.
The show takes
place in present
A
day with a pie
maker named
Ned ( Lee Pace).
Ned can bring
the dead back to
life, but if he
touches them a
second time,
they die again;
permanently.
When the Pie Hole, Ned’s restaurant, was near closing he is
caught accidentally using his unique gift by detective Emerson
Cod (Chi McBride). In return for keeping his secret Detective
Cod forces Ned to help him identify killers by using his gift.
Ned has to bring the dead back to life and ask them who their
killer is, in the span of one minute. If he keeps them alive longer
than 60 seconds; someone near them drops dead. Detective
Emerson and Ned’s scheme was working like clockwork. Touch
them, find out the killer, touch them again, and then collect the
reward. Ned’s business was booming thanks to all the reward
money, but he felt very awkward touching anybody, especially
his waitress Olive Snook (Kristin Chenoweth). Her love for Ned
keeps her trying to win his affection, but because of his gift he
refuses to get close to anyone, even his dog, Digby, who he
brought back to life. All this changes when Ned’s first kiss
Charlotte “Chuck” Charles (played by Anna Friel) is murdered
and Ned needs to bring her to life to find her killer. She was the
first girl he loved, and he doesn’t have the heart to kill her. So
instead of Chuck ending up six feet under again, the funeral
director dies. Now, Ned cannot touch Chuck again or she’ll die.
But Chuck refuses to leave until she finds out who killed her, so
she becomes the third partner in their PI business. The pilot
ends with Chuck, Ned, and Detective Emerson solving a
murder together, showing that a beautiful business has begun.
This show is a fantastic break from reality. The
characters are wonderfully funny and
seem so real. The narrator, Jim Dale,
givesa setup that makes you believe
that this place of death and life, is real,
but still beautiful. The sad subject
could mean a depressing and
sarcastic show, but the cast keeps
it light. They honor life instead of grieve death, making the
even most gruesome death seem comical. I recommend this
show to everyone, even kids, because the values and positivity
that this show projects is something everyone could die for.
She’s Got the Best of
Both Worlds
By: Allison S.
Hannah
Montana’s
Miley Cyrus is
getting ready for
her 56-city
concert tour,
starting
Thursday.
Recently at
Ticketmaster, it
has been the
most desired
event to get tickets for. It has even beaten out
Bruce Springsteen, the Chicago Bears, and the
Ringling Bros. and Barnum and Bailey Circus.
Miley Cyrus became famous from the hit TV
series Hannah Montana on the Disney Channel.
In this show, Cyrus plays a normal high school
girl who lives a secret life as a pop star, Hannah
Montana. Miley’s dad, country star Billy Ray
Cyrus, also stars in this series as Miley’s dad.
Billy Ray Cyrus is not at all concerned that his
daughter is growing up too quickly. At 14, she
is still afraid of fireworks and plays practical
jokes on the people she tours with. She still
has her role models, such as Hilary Duff and
Kelly Clarkson. For Miley, though, the highlight
of the tour will be eating in restaurants. “We
go to Cracker Barrel, which is my favorite, and
Long John Silver’s,” she says. “I don’t eat meat,
but I love their fish and their hush puppies. I’ll
eat eight buckets.” Miley will have no problem
keeping herself in shape during the tour.
During it, she will perform as both herself and
Hannah Montana. The tour is called Hannah
Montana and Miley Cyrus: Best of Both
Worlds. The Jonas Brothers are touring with
her. Also coming along
are Billy Ray’s brother,
Mick, who is her tour
manager, Miley’s mom,
Tish, her sister, Noah,
who is six,Miley’s grandmother, Loretta, and two
of the family’s five dogs.
Miley is very excited for
her tour, so buy your
tickets today.
The Red Jumpsuits
Apparatus!
By: Shelby J.
The Red Jumpsuit
Apparatus is a band that
came from Jacksonville,
Florida. They formed in
2003. The name The Red
Jumpsuit Apparatus has
no meaning whatsoever;
they just chose a name
and stuck with it. The band is made up of
Ronnie Winter ( lead vocalist), Elias Reidy
(lead guitarist), Duke Kitchens (guitarist),
Jon Wilkes ( drummer), and Joey Westwood
(bassist). So far they have released three
albums in America. Two of their most
popular songs are Face Down and Your
Guardian Angel. These two songs have two
different meanings, in fact they are
completely opposite of each other. Face
Down is a song about abuse whileYour
Guardian Angel is a song about falling in love.
The group is trying to get their message
across America through their music.
By: Christian v.K.
Lollapalooza is a music festival, held in
Chicago where many good bands play.
Bands and artists such as Red Hot Chili
Peppers, Kanye West, Jane’s Addiction,
and many more modern artists have
played Lollapalooza, including Pearl Jam
last year. Old bands such as Iggy Pop and
the Stooges, Sex Pistols, Public Enemy,
and many more older bands were the
first to play Lollapalooza. This event
happens every year in the summertime,
and is hosted by radio station Q101,
(101.1), a very popular station in
Chicago. If you’re into the music that is
popular this time period, go see your
favorite artists and bands play at this
festival. The festival has been around
since 1991, and is the biggest music
festival in Chicago. So what have you got
to lose - buy your tickets today! This year
it will be on August 1-3 in Grant Park
Family Guy is an animated show about a family in Quahog,
Rhode Island. I think it is so funny because it has mature
humor! It is original and different because Peter Griffin,
the father, is so dumb! Seth MacFarlane writes it and
created it with David Zuckerman.
LOIS!
CHRIS
Reviewed by: Jonathan T.
Stewie is Lois and Peter’s infant
son who has a British accent.
The Gigantic Thing
1917
By: Will C.
Captain Acrylimide received a call on his
radio.
This was
unexpected, as
acrylimide, a known carcinogen, was
becoming rather unpopular lately,
especially among health conscious
groups. But this was a big job, and
Captain A was happy to oblige. The
gigantic thing had just been stolen from
the containment facility. This was such a
big deal that the President didn’t even
have to announce it to the public. The
public had already been informed.
Actually they hadn’t been informed.
They just knew.
Somehow.
The Gigantic thing had been
created in 1982, and its true identity
had never been revealed. After the
Soviet Union’s demise in ‘91, the Thing
became not much more than a
conspiracy theory. But it was very real.
And very missing. And very wanted. And
very colorful.
The Ninjas were sent directly
from the White House to attempt to
recapture the thing. Captain Acrylimide
followed close behind with his delicious
armed minions who looked like sausage
links. “Very interesting,” noted the
president, who was a yam that came
from France.
The plot thickened as the
Ninja’s discovered that it had been
stolen by Pirates. Not just any pirates.
GOLD pirates! Who wanted MORE gold.
The gigantic thing was not made out of
gold, it was actually made out out of
cubic zirconium. So the pirates threw it
into the ocean. And nobody found it.
Ever. The End.
Actually it was not The End, as a
new gigantic thing was made. As some
may be wondering, no, the Gigantic
thing served no purpose whatsoever.
But the government still recreated it.
Now it’s the end.
The End.
C
R
E
A
T
I
V
E
W
R
I
T
I
N
G
By: Jeremy S.
A crisp, cool autumn
breeze blew through
a small girl’s blonde
hair. She smiled
sweetly as she
passed one of her
neighbors, Lady Iris. The Lady rode on her
white horse, Snicket. Feeding him an apple,
Iris clambered onto Snicket’s saddle, and
went off down a path through the West
Haven Woods. Deciding to take a shortcut
through the woods to get to her cottage by
the sea, the girl crossed the cobblestone
street and followed Lady Iris. and Snicket.
The girl tripped over a small
gravestone entitled Armada Sean, 1917.
Twenty years old, the girl thought. A group of
men dressed in black surrounded a hole in
the ground, a little bit farther up the path. The
girl took a side path, passing by Lady Iris ’s
horse Snicket who was laying on his side.
Snicket’s eyes were open, mouth
closed, fur all messy. Lady Iris took off her
hat as she ran towards her horse.
…five months later…
Lady Iris’s eye were filled to the brim with
salty tears. Still she had been crying all this
time since Snicket was injured.
“Ma’am,” the girl said, as she brought
out a pile of fresh sandwiches and a pitcher
of iced water. “What exactly happened to --”
Lady Iris cut her off.
“Child,” the woman said, taking a silk
napkin and wiping her face, clearing her face
of those horrible tears. “Carmelita, many
rumors have spread from the doctors and
the Protection of Various Animals Squad.”
Carmelita picked up a picture of the
horse, Snicket. Many tear stains drowned out
the original colors of the picture. The paper
was torn and crumpled.
“Now it’s time for you to go,” Lady Iris
said. “Carmelita, thank you for stopping by.”
The girl walked out of the cottage, and
fished out her bike from a hydrangea bush.
Carmelita rode down the street, towards her
house by Blueberry Fields.
Photoshop by:
Emma M.
and Celeste P.
Happy Halloween
By Margot Y. and Jessy S.
Ghostly figures creeping down the street.
Witches cackling,
With their bubbling pots,
Potions erupting
into Frankenstein figures,
Vampires skipping door to door.
The clock has struck 5
Children are running
The gooey candy sitting lonely in bowls.
Grabbed rapidly from their homes
The creamy delight
Oozing into their mouths
Now it is trick or treat night.
NONSENSE POEMS!
By: Matt C.
The rodents made crazy talk
The fireworks trumpeted like an
elephant in the Monday newspaper
in the tornado and bowls spread
crows sounded like an angry poodle
out like flying eagles.
my dog burst into a Halloween candy bar
The king was eaten by a dinosaur
and the magnets made an exploding house
on a trip to Jurassic Park when
turn into a screaming rocket engine.
nirvana stepped up and started eating the cattle
When Bob started a harmonica solo
and James Bond ate caviar while parachuting
and Anakin Skywalker turned into a minimal
and ate 14 hamburgers.
Which Game is Best?
Bubble Trouble vs.
Bubble Struggle 2
Reviewed by Josh B.
Many kids liked Bubble
Trouble last year. This year
Bubble Struggle 2 has become
known and it is even better.
Once you die three times you
go back to the main page and
if you click “single player” to
play again, you can start from
whichever you have finished or
been to. You can do this over
and over again. Or you can
try to stay alive mode and
that is fun too. If you are
with a friend you might as well
play two player mode. In
single player and two player
modes, after a certain amount
of levels the bubbles can only
be popped when there is a
small piece of it in the middle
of the bubble which is blurry.
There are even non circle
figures in the game. Also, in
this game there are more
levels than Bubble Trouble.
Alien
Disorder
Reviewed by: Jon K.
and Charlie A.
This is the best game
ever. You can find it on the
Mini Clip website. The
object of the game is to
defeat all the aliens (also
known as gleamishes) and
to save the universe. Every
level has its own difficulty.
Some levels were easy,
and
some
were
hard.
Sometimes it was dark or
really bright. We think the
best weapon was the ray
gun,
and
the
best
secondary weapon was the
“ticky ”bomb. Our favorite
alien was the “galloping
gleamish” We named them
this because they hop
really high, and we like the
name gleamish. We give
this game five out of five
stars. This game is very
fun and exhilarating
Bubble
Trouble
Reviewed by: Jon K.
and Charlie A.
This
game
is
exhilarating and fun.
Trying to dodge the
bubbles while trying
to pop them is so
intense. It’s a great
game with twentytwo levels of fun.
The last level is the
hardest because you
start with a huge
bubble,
and every
time you pop, it
splits
into
three
other bubbles and so
on.
It is basically
impossible.
Throughout
the
game you can get
shields
or
special
“power ups.” Being
timed is the most
stressful part.
We
give this game four
and a half out of five
stars. It is one of the
best
games
ever
made, besides Alien
Disorder.
VS.
World Series 07
By Alex L. and Will N.
We think that in the Rockies versus Red Sox
World Series, the Red Sox will crush a young
Rockies team. Even though the Rockies are the
hottest team in baseball, they come from the
bad National League. We think Boston will beat
them in the fifth game of a seven game series.
The MVP of the 2007 World Series will be Josh
Beckett, Boston’s ace. This would be Beckett’s
second World Series MVP. That is our
prediction for the 2007 World Series.
Time to Face the Truth- The Patriots are UnstoppableWho, Why, and How
By: Tyler S.
Quarterback Tom Brady of the Patriots has a lot to smile about these days.
The New England Patriots have rolled over each of their opponents in the
1st three weeks in the NFL. At first, the Patriots slaughtered the Jets, and
off season pick up, Randy Moss had 183 receiving yards. But people said,
Well, it’s just the Jets, right? Wrong. Sunday night football. Chargers.
LaDanian Tomlinson. 38-14. And that was the game that washed away
all doubts about the Pats. Moss posted another 100+ yard game, Brady threw for nearly 300 yards,
and the defense played as normal. Shutdown. In week 3, they demolished Buffalo 38-7. Brady threw
for 311 yards and Moss had yet another 100 yard game.
It’s time to face the truth that is undeniable. The Lombardi Trophy, once again, will fall in the
hands of the Patriots. Tom Brady, who many view as the best quarterback in the league, has been in
this position before. After all, he does have three shiny rings. The surprise of the team is the
incredible play of receiver Randy Moss. Four years ago, Moss was a star for the Vikings, but
disappeared with the Raiders. The Patriots had undoubtedly the best off season of any team. They
signed Moss, receiver Donte’ Stallworth, and defensive machine, Adalius Thomas. Not only do the
Patriots have a virtually unstoppable offense, they have possibly the best defense in the league. The
core is lead by Adalius Thomas, Vince Wilfork and Richard Seymour. The only question is, will Randy
Moss be able to behave and keep out of trouble. If he does that, Bill Belichick will lead the Pats to
their 4th Super Bowl in 7 years. Many wondered how the Patriots did so well. The answer is simple.
Get the ball to your receivers. Don’t make stupid mistakes. Work in the running game, and value
teamwork. Although the Patriots have several additions to their roster, they have been playing like
they have been playing with each other for a decade.
Poised veterans, classic quarterback, hard-nosed defense-- It’s no wonder that Arizona will be
filled with red, white, and blue clad fans February 3rd.
2007-2008 NBA Preview
Atlantic:
Toronto Raptors: 49-33
Boston Celtics: 45-37
New Jersey Nets: 39-43
New York Knicks: 33-49
Philadelphia 76ers: 31-51
Division Races:
Central:
Chicago Bulls: 51-31
Detroit Pistons: 50-32
Cleveland Cavaliers: 47-35
Indiana Pacers: 38-44
Milwaukee Bucks: 32-50
Northwest:
Denver Nuggets: 49-33
Utah Jazz: 48-34
Seattle SuperSonics: 41-41
Portland Trail Blazers: 35-47
Minnesota Timberwolves: 32-50
1. Chicago Bulls
2. Detroit Pistons
3. Toronto Raptors
4. Miami Heat
5. Cleveland Cavaliers
6. Boston Celtics
7. Washington Wizards
8. Atlanta Hawks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Dallas Mavericks
San Antonio Spurs
Phoenix Suns
Denver Nuggets
Utah Jazz
Golden State Warriors
Houston Rockets
Los Angeles Clippers
By Hayden W.,
Bob H., and Ben L.
Southeast:
Miami Heat: 48-34
Washington Wizards: 45-37
Atlanta Hawks: 40-42
Orlando Magic: 37-45
Charlotte Bobcats: 33-49
Division Races:
Pacific:
Phoenix Suns: 49-33
Golden State Warriors: 48-34
Los Angeles Clippers: 41-41
Los Angeles Lakers: 39-43
Sacramento Kings: 34-48
Southwest:
Dallas Mavericks: 54-28
San Antonio Spurs: 51-31
Houston Rockets: 47-35
New Orleans Hornets:37-45
Memphis Grizzlies: 35-47
Playoffs:
1. Bulls over 8. Hawks
Bulls over Cavs
5. Cavs over 4. Heat
Pistons over Bulls
3. Raptors over 6. Celtics
Pistons over Raptors
2. Pistons over 7. Wizards
1. Mavs over 8. Clippers
Mavs over Jazz
5. Jazz over 4. Nuggets
Mavs over Spurs
3. Suns over 6. Warriors
Spurs over Suns
2. Spurs over 7. Rockets
The Pistons great defense will
overpower the Mavericks offense. The
over
in six games Pistons perimeter shooting with
Billups, Hamilton, Prince, and Wallace
will be minimized by the Mavs’
backcourt defense in Jason Terry and
Awards:
Devin Harris.
MVP: Chris Bosh, FC, Toronto Raptors
Coach of the Year: Flip Saunders, Detroit Pistons
Rookie of the Year: Brandan Wright, F,
Charlotte Bobcats out of North Carolina
Sixth Man of the Year: Jerry Stackhouse,
G/F, Dallas Mavericks
Our Top 25
2007- 2008 NCAA Basketball Preview
1. North Carolina
2. UCLA
3. Kansas
4. Memphis
5. Tennessee
6. Indiana
7. Louisville
8. Georgetown
9. USC
10. Marquette
11. Arizona
12. Michigan State
13. Washington State
14. Kansas State
15. NC State
16. Texas
17. Virginia
18. Duke
19. Stanford
20. Syracuse
21. Oregon
22. Alabama
23. UConn
24. Southern Illinois
25. Butler
By: Bob H. and Hayden W.
Top Freshman:
1. Kevin Love, UCLA
2. Derrick Rose, Memphis
3. O.J. Mayo, USC
4. Michael Beasley, Kansas State
5. Eric Gordon, Indiana
James Naismith Ballot
1. Tyler Hansbrough, C, North Carolina
2. Brandon Rush, G, Kansas
3. Chris Lofton, G, Tennessee
4. Sean Singletary, G, Virginia
5. D.J. White, C, Indiana
2007-08 NHL Preview
By: Eric K.
W-L-OT
Atlantic Division:
New Jersey Devils: 50-23-9
Pittsburgh Penguins: 45-26-11
New York Islanders: 42-30-10
New York Rangers: 40-30-12
Philadelphia Flyers: 35-35-12
Central Division:
Chicago Blackhawks: 50-25-7
Detroit Red Wings: 49-27-6
St. Louis Blues: 45-30-7
Nashville Predators: 42-37-3
Columbus Blue Jackets: 40-35-7
Northeast Division:
Ottawa Senators: 49-22-11
Northwest Division:
Calgary Flames: 49-28-5
Montreal Canadians: 48-25-9
Minnesota Wild: 45-32-5
Boston Bruins: 43-35-4
Colorado Avalanche 42-39-1
Toronto Maple Leafs: 40-35-7
Vancouver Canucks: 40-40-2
Buffalo Sabres: 35-40-7
Edmonton Oilers: 35-40-7
Southeast Division:
Tampa Bay Lightning: 55-25-2
Carolina Hurricanes: 49-29-4
Florida Panthers: 45-35-2
Washington Capitals: 40-30-12
Atlanta Thrashers: 30-45-7
Pacific Division:
Dallas Stars: 48-27-7
San Jose Sharks: 45-35-2
Anaheim Ducks: 42-35-5
Los Angeles Kings: 41-39-2
Phoenix Coyotes: 35-47-0
MYSTERY PHOTOS!
By: Emma and Charlie
A:Where is this painting located?
C:Where is this painting located?
B:Where is this picture located?
D:Where is this sign located?
E:Whose room is this?
G:Where is this picture located?
F:Where is this banner located?
H:Where is this poster located?
A: The hallway to the art room---B: Next to the band room-- C: The hall way to Misner-D: The girls locker room near the lunch room-- E: Mr. Viator-- F: The hallway to Misner-G: In the library--H: Across from the health room