Linn-Mar Life - Linn-Mar Community School District

Linn-Mar High School
LIFE
Marion, Iowa
May 2013
Evans, Jenks lead Linn-Mar’s stellar performance at Drake Relays
It was a banner weekend for
Linn-Mar athletes at the 2013 Drake
Relays with Junior Josh Evans and
Freshman Stephanie Jenks leading the
way. Both athletes returned home highly
decorated and additional Linn-Mar relay
teams and individuals performed
spectacularly as well.
Evans also won the prestigious
Robert Kramme award and was named
the outstanding performer for the boys
division of the 104 th Drake Relays.
According to the Des Moines Register,
“Evans, a near-unanimous winner,
recorded a 1,600-meter performance
that brought sold-out Drake Stadium to
its feet for one of its biggest ovations of
the weekend. Evans set a torrid pace in
the race to finish in 4:10.86, the fastest
time in Iowa boys’ high school history.”
Evans broke a record that had stood
for 34 years and managed to shave six
seconds off his personal best in the
event. Evans also ran a 1:55.9 anchor
leg in the sprint medley relay to give the
Lions the win in that event in a time of
3:31.31. Perrion Scott, Tim Wolfe and
Chase Grabau rounded out the
foursome. As if two titles weren’t
enough, Evans also finished a close
second in the 3200 meter race, barely
being edged out at the end.
Freshman Stephanie Jenks won the
women’s 3000 meter race on Thursday
with a time of 4:35.22 before also
capturing the title on Saturday in the 1500
in 4 minutes, 35.22 seconds, eclipsing
her previous best time by five seconds.
Also winning at Drake was the 800
meter relay team of Austin Flieder,
Tristan Freese, Tim Wolfe and Perrion
Scott in a time of 1:28.81.
Other Linn-Mar relay teams and
individuals also performed well. The
boys’ 4x100 meter team finished second
with a time of 42.78, the Shuttle Hurdle
Relay team place third in a time of
57.54, the 4x800 meter relay team
finished fifth in a time of 8:00.41 seconds
and the 4x400 meter relays team finished
eighth with a time of 3:26.83. Tanner
Rathje placed seventh in the 1600 meter
race with a time of 4:22.79.
The girl’s 4x800 team finished fourth
in a time of 9:28.76.
Photos used with permission by Greg Harrison
Day of Silence promotes safe schools for all students
On April 19, Linn-Mar students, with
the help and support of Linn-Mar’s GayStraight Alliance (GSA) Spectrum,
participated in the National Day of
Silence to call attention to “the silencing
effect of anti-LGBT bullying and
harassment in schools.”
According to the GLSEN website,
the Day of Silence, started in 1996, has
become “the single largest student-led
action towards creating safer schools
for all, regardless of sexual orientation,
gender identity or gender expression.”
“I was very happy with the
outcome,” says Senior Matt Shankles.
“There were 200 plus participants and
too many supporters to count. The first
time anyone did Day of Silence at LinnMar; there were 5-10 people who
participated.”
“Other than being Spectrum’s
biggest event of the year, the Day of
Silence is important because it allows
straight allies to show support to anyone
who may feel the need to keep quiet
about their sexual and/or gender
orientation,” said Shankles.
Nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students experience harassment at school.
Slurs such as faggot, dyke and “that’s so gay” are commonplace in school
Over 8,000 middle and high schools have participated in the Day of Silence
Over 4,000 Gay-Straight Alliances (GSA) are registered with GLSEN
The first GSA was created by a straight student over 20 years ago.
The Day of Silence is an opportunity for students to work toward improving school
climate for all students.
--information derived from Harris Interactive Study and GSLEN webpage
2
May
Matt Standerski’s life revolves around dance
By Annie Stevenson
If you see Matthew Standerski in
the halls, he is a person who stands out
to you because he has a really cool style.
He is a person that you just know works
very hard at anything he wants and
won’t let anything stop him or get in the
way of his dreams. He loves his family
and friends with all his heart, and is
addicted to Instagram.
How would you describe yourself?
Very outgoing and helpful
What do you think other people
think of you?
That I have nice style
What are some things you would like
to change about yourself?
Nothing
What is it like being openly gay?
It’s a lot easier because you are not
keeping a secret or anything.
How did you feel coming out to your
friends and family?
It was scary, very scary. The first person
I told, I was like shaking, because I was
like, “‘I don’t know how to do this!’ It’s
very hard to say ‘I’m gay.’ It is
something that takes a long time to
come to terms with.
How did they react?
Accepting. Everyone. They know that
I was the same Matthew I was seconds
before I told them.
Do you feel like people treat you
differently because you are gay?
I think girls feel a lot more comfortable
around me, they don’t have to worry
about as much. They will have
sleepovers with me.
How did you feel coming out to your
friends and family?
I have two sisters, an older sister and a
younger sister, and we’re very close.
We fight, its nothing big. We still love
each other.
Is family important to you?
Family is very important to me. Family
comes first.
What is one thing you like most
about high school?
Freedom. It’s not like, ‘can’t do this,
can’t do that.’ You get treated as more
of an adult
What classes do you enjoy this
year?
I’m really enjoying my French class and
U.S. History class
What is one of your pet peeves?
When people lay on my pillow or use
my blankets in anyway.
What are some of your bad habits?
Not getting enough sleep. I go to bed
way to late when I should be going to
bed by a decent time.
What is your proudest moment?
A couple of weeks ago I got an award
and got accepted in a dance program in
New York for two weeks in the summer.
What do you do on an average
weekend?
Dance. Go to dance, hang out with
dance friends, hang out with school
friends, hang out with family, and listen
to music. The stereotypical teenage
dancer.
What activities are you involved in?
Which one is your favorite? Why?
Dance, because it’s the only thing I do.
I love it more than life.
How old were you when you started
dancing?
I started six years ago when I was eight.
I saw how much fun my sisters had and
I was like ‘I want to have that much
fun’ and fell in love with it.
How much do you dance a week?
I dance 20 hours a week. Probably more,
not counting dancing in my room
What do you like most about
dancing? Why?
No matter how good or how bad of a
day it is, you can get any emotion out
through dancing. You feel alive. I feel
like I can do anything I want, and it just
lets any stress, happiness, or regret out.
Anything that is inside me, it just gets
let out.
What is your favorite style of
dance? Why?
Modern because it’s easier to let your
emotions out than a simple ballet.
Do you have a job?
Kind of, not really. I assist dance
classes, that’s it.
Who do you consider to be your best
friend? What qualities make them
your best friend?
Danni Cobb. I can tell her anything and
she always has my back. Such a great
person. I love her to the moon and back.
We can keep each happy. We know
everything about each other. Best
friends.
Do you have a favorite vacation you
took? Describe it.
The vacation I took over Christmas
break. I went to Hawaii. It was
paradise. It smelled nice there. The food
and the fish were really fresh, and the
pineapple beat out any good pineapple
there is.
If you had one day to live what would
you do?
I would go to New York City and dance,
even if it was in the middle of Time
Square.
Are you planning on going to
college? Where?
Yes I am. Not sure where yet. There
are a lot of places I am considering. I
would like to go to the University of
Michigan or anywhere else that has a
great dance program.
Where do you see yourself in ten
years?
In ten years I will be 25. I see myself
dancing because that’s all I want to do
with my life. And I will follow through
no matter what happens
If you were to be remembered for
one thing what would you want it to
be?
Helping people. I want to make a dent
in the world. I want to know that I made
a difference.
How would you parent your kids
differently from your parents?
I wouldn’t. I have the greatest parents
in the world and I want to parent my
kids exactly the same way.
If you could meet anyone dead or
alive, who would it be?
If it was someone alive, it would
probably be Beyonce and if it were
someone no longer with us, it would be
my grandma
What are you most afraid of?
1. The dark
2. Spiders
3. Snakes
4. Abandonment
5. My dreams not coming true
What is one thing most people
wouldn’t know about you?
I am royalty. I am related to Russian
Royalty back in the day when they still
had kings and such.
If you had one superpower what
would it be?
To dance perfectly, or to fly
His favorite…
Movie
Les Miserables
TV Show
Glee
Book
Harry Potter
Sports team University of Michigan
Singer
Beyonce
Song
My Heart Will Go On
by Celine Dion
Actor
Game
App
Class
Emma Stone
Candy land
Instagram
History
“Matt has always been someone I
can count on. He’s so loyal and
supportive. I couldn’t ask for anything
more out of him. Not to mention the fact
that he never fails to inspire me through
his dreams and goals as a dancer. His
dedication is unlike any other 15- yearold that I’ve ever met,” said Sophomore
Rachel Wirth. “When he knows what
he wants, he’s not afraid of what he has
to do to get what he desires. He’s so
driven and focused. He makes me want
to push myself at the same levels he
does. He is the most genuine person I’ve
ever met. He knows how to lift
someone’s sprits during their darkest
hour. He loves his friends and family
with all his heart and I couldn’t be
happier that I can call him one of my
best friends.”
Should the penny be retired?
By Cooper Martin
What is the worth of a penny lying
on the ground? One cent, right? Well
the answer isn’t quite that easy. There
are a few ways to talk about worth. In
the case of the penny lying on the ground
you could say it’s worth one cent, its
face value, or you could say it’s worth
1.26 cents, the price that the U.S. mint
pays to manufacture the penny. That’s
a .26 cent loss per penny. This seems
like an insignificant amount, but when
you consider that the U.S. mint makes
7.4 billion pennies annually it really adds
up. In fact it adds up to 19.2 million
dollars wasted annually.
Another way of thinking about the
worth of the penny on the ground is to
decide whether it is even worth your
time to pick it up? Well, unless you can
pick it up in 6.15 seconds it isn’t worth
your time. In other words, the time it
takes you to pick up that penny is lower
than the national minimum wage.
Pennies are worthless. Even worse
than that, they are costly to our nation
and even to us as individuals. It is
estimated that people wait in line an
extra 2.4 hours annually handling pennies
or waiting for someone who is handling
pennies. All that time and money could
be better spent. America needs to do
away with the penny.
What would be the problem of
getting rid of the penny? People who
support keeping the penny say that
rounding (up sales from a penny) would
make people spend more money each
time they buy a product or a service.
This isn’t exactly true as research has
shown that over a period of time, the
number of times a price is rounded up
and the number of times it’s rounded
down almost always even out so a
consumer would spend the same amount
of money over the long run. Even if you
do get charged a little more on a
transaction, it’s only two or three cents
more and most people would lose track
of those extra two or three pennies
anyway.
The penny, although it has a rich
history in this country, serves no
practical purpose in today’s society. It
is a waste of time and money in more
ways than one, and should be put out of
production. Pennies do not hold a true
value in today’s society and are more
of a hindrance than they are helpful.
“If Abraham Lincoln were alive
today, he would say: ‘Why is my face
on a coin that is worth 1/2 of what a
penny was worth when I was
President?’” said John Green.
May
3
An ongoing fight: Which is better, cats or dogs?
By Paige Rohrich
There is one question that catapults
people into large arguments. It even
ruins relationships. The question?
“What is better, cats or dogs?”
While lovers of each animal go to
great lengths to insist that their favorite
is superior, there is evidence that one is
better, at least biologically, than the other.
According to an article on
parade.com called The Battle of Cats
vs. Dogs, there are a few different
aspects to look at when determining
which animal is better biologically.
One of them includes sense of smell,
where the dog overpowers the cat with
around 150 million to 300 million scent
receptors, completely out-numbering
cats 45 million to 80 million.
Cats, however, have the advantage
of lifespan. The average lifespan of an
indoor cat ranges from 13-14 years
according to the ASPCA website, while
a dog has around an 11 year lifespan.
So far, the score is tied.
But what about hunting? Dogs are
obviously the better hunters; they are
used to hunting game all the time, right?
Wrong.
Cats are superior when it comes to
hunting, compared to regular
domesticated dogs that have not been
bred or trained for hunting. Animal
behaviorist Monique Udell states, “Some
dogs will chase squirrels all day long,
but if they do get one cornered, they
often won’t know what to do with it.
Cats will almost always go in for the
kill.”
Cats also have great nighttime vision,
putting them at the top in terms of
A River Runs Through It...
Heavy rains on an April day cause Indian Creek to rise and flood the old Armstrong Field.
British television shows catch on in America
By Sofi Shannon
America is still in the midst of a
“British Invasion,” but this time, it’s with
television. T.V. shows such as Sherlock,
Doctor Who, and Top Gear have started
to take over the American pop culture
scene, and it’s not only these shows
either.
Doctor Who is one of the BBC’s
most popular shows, and it’s been airing
since 1963. The show is about a man
called The Doctor, and he’s a time
traveler, or a time lord. He travels around
in a blue Police phone box called the
T.A.R.D.I.S (Time And Relative
Dimension In Space), saving the people
of Earth from the other aliens living in
space, and he is the last time lord left,
since all of his kind were killed. The
show keeps itself alive by making The
Doctor have regenerations, which
means he dies and pops back up as a
new person, but with all the same
memories.
The show has
become so popular
in America, that
stores like Hot
Topic have started
selling
show
merchandise.
Doctor Who even
sprouted its own
spin-off series,
called Torchwood.
When Torchwood
ended in Britain,
they transferred British television series are becoming more popular
the main actor over in the United States with shows such as Sherlock, Dr.
to America, and Who and Top Gear.
Starz channel invested in the project and show, let them race a car around a track,
called it Torchwood: Miracle Day. and put their name and time on a huge
Although these shows that have been list to see who has got the fastest racing
adapted for an American audience are time. Although Top Gear merchandise
slightly less popular, they still have a good isn’t as popular, you can still find some
amount of viewers.
even in our local shops at the mall.
It’s not just Science Fiction that’s
“I watch BBC shows because I feel
popular across the pond; cars are cool they have a bigger and better plotline
too. BBC’s than most American shows. I feel
show Top Gear American shows are more fantastical
is incredibly than anything,” says Emily Chiavetta,
popular. It’s a junior. That seems to be the reason that
show about most people are watching BBC shows.
some guys who That, and the increasingly gorgeous
drive around actors such as David Tennant of Doctor
different cars, Who, Benedict Cumberbatch of
have races, Sherlock, and John Barrowman of
even build their Torchwood.
own cars. Then,
If you’ve never tuned into a British
they invite TV show, you might want to give it a
celebrities to try. People find they enjoy these shows
come on the more than they thought they would.
hunting.
Dogs are smarter, however.
”The average dog can learn 165
words,” says animal behaviorist Stanley
Coren in The Battle of Cats vs. Dogs.
“Cats can learn something in the vicinity
of 35 words.”
To put this in perspective, 165 words
is close the vocabulary capacity of a
two-year-old human.
Dogs also understand object
permanence. Object permanence, as
defined by simplypsychology.org, is
knowing an object exists even if it is not
in sight. While cats do understand this
as well, the article states, they aren’t as
knowledgeable about where the object
will appear from.
Tied once again.
Dogs do have one thing that puts them
ahead. They’re generally harder
working than cats.
According to the American Kennel
Club, there are over 150 registered dog
breeds. Some are bred for hunting, such
as the Labrador Retriever, some for
herding, like the Border Collie, and
others for domestic pets, such as the
Bulldog. With so many breeds, the dog
has a lot of different jobs available.
The final score? Three to two,
advantage dogs.
While dogs prevail at this time, there
is continuing research on cat behavior,
which is lacking because of a cat’s
independent and relatively reserved
nature.
With that said, which pet do you think
is the superior?
Among most high school students at
Linn-Mar that were interviewed, dogs
reigned supreme.
“They’re nicer,” said Kayla Schill,
junior.
Junior Joelle Johnson agreed. “They
are a lot easier to play with.”
”Who ever heard of an attack cat?
Dogs are better,” said Tyler AyalaPagan, junior.
Some people are on the fence about
the choice.
“It depends on my mood,” said
Sophomore Madi Riley, “If I’m happy
and energetic I would rather be with an
animal who is too, like a dog. But if I’m
being lazy and quiet I would rather be
with a cat.”
“I’m allergic to both,” said Saylyn
Tharp-sun, junior, “but if I had to choose
one it would be dogs. They’re more
loyal.”
There are a few who do like cats,
however.
Junior Lea Docterman said “I like
that cats are more independent creatures
than dogs.”
”Cats are fuzzy, they meow, and
they’re better to cuddle with,” said
Austin Delaney, Junior. “I slept with
three cats last night.”
4
May
Johnston excels on the track and in the classroom
By Rachel Perry
Sophomore Sydney Johnston is a
multi-talented athlete while also
maintaining a great academic career.
She can also be just a little bit crazy.
Favorite food: Pasta, because it’s super
delicious.
Favorite song: I really like country in
general!
Favorite movie: She’s the Man with
Amanda Bynes and Channing Tatum;
they’re two of my favorite actors.
Favorite book: I love the Harry Potter
series; it’s by far the best one out there.
Favorite sport: Cross country because
I love everyone in it!
Favorite restaurant: Tings at the
moment but it changes a lot.
What activities are you involved
with? How long have you done each?
I’ve done XC and track for four years,
Student Council and FBLA for two.
What’s your favorite thing about
running?
My favorite track is definitely the one
and only Drake stadium. The best feeling
ever is probably the first step on the
track. Overall though, my favorite thing
about track and XC is my team, they
rock and are some of the funniest,
craziest people I HAVE EVER MET.
What’s your favorite thing to do in
your free time?
Dance parties, Netflix, and eating with
my friends.
What’s the craziest thing you’ve
ever done?
I was at cross country camp at
Wartburg college and was laying on the
sidewalk in a Tasmanian devil costume
and a counselor came and stood over
me and told everyone to return to their
rooms because he was going to call the
cops because he thought I was a
hobo.....that was a hard one to explain
to the counselor...whoops.
How would you describe yourself?
Loud, weird, obnoxious, talkative.
Who are the five people you spend
the most time with?
Bella Feller, Alice, Danielle Cook,
Maddie Saville, and Rylie Frese. They
are insane....ly fun.
What’s your favorite thing about
yourself? Least?
I really hate how I am a perfectionist, it
really bugs me.....my favorite thing
about myself would probably be my dog.
What makes you the happiest?
When I’m with my friends and food.
What is your family like? Who are
you closest to?
My family is me times seven, including
my dog. I’m close to my older sister
Megan who’s in college and my little
sister Olivia, who’s a freshman. It gets
pretty crazy at my house but it’s always
a good time.
What are your pet peeves?
Cheating for sure. If you do the work I
think you should get the grade!
If you could do ANYTHING for one
day what would you do?
Have me and all my friends spend the
day at the beach in Cape May, New
Jersey! It’s super cool, at least was
before all the hurricane stuff out there.
And the boardwalk at night is one of
my favorite places to go.
What was the BEST day of your life
and why?
I have a lot but one of my favorite was
the day we figured out we qualified for
state in the 4x8. I screamed in the middle
of the school and got told to be quiet but
I couldn’t hold it in because we got the
very last spot.
What was the best year of your life?
8th grade. I had the best teachers and
my friends and I basically did whatever
and messed around all the time in class.
What do you want to be when you
grow up?
I really want to help design medicine,
so something with chemistry sounds
really interesting to me!
Where do you want to be in ten
years?
I hope to be out of my house and
working. But I guess who knows what
will happen!
What is your worst fear and why?
Spiders, I have this odd fear they are
going to take over the world. I don’t
know why but I think they are scary
and creepy.
What words do you live by?
The Golden Rule and the phrase “Live
like you’re dying.”
What are the best personality traits
a person can have?
I think if people are funny, fun to be
around, dependable, and nice to
others.
Relationship status?
Waiting for Griffin Brennecke.
What do you worry about the most?
Probably school, running, and trying to
park my car. I am an awful parker.
What’s the one most important thing
in your life?
My family and friends, I seriously don’t
know what I would do without them.
Who do you look up to the most?
I really look up to my older sister. She
goes to Iowa State and I don’t get to
see her much. She’s super funny and
we even have the same birthday!
What is your favorite memory?
Probably all the summer campouts in
my backyard with my friends, they are
the funniest things of my life.
What has been the most significant
moment in your life?
I moved in 6th grade from Des Moines.
I don’t really know where I’d be if I
hadn’t have done that.....
When was the last time you cried?
In all reality I cried the other day
because I thought there was no way I
could finish my homework. I am a pretty
big baby!
What is your biggest dream/goal
you want to accomplish?
I would give almost anything to make it
to Nike Cross Nationals in Portland,
Oregon. It’s a dorky cross country thing,
but it is a huge dream of mine.
Parlor City location convenient to Linn-Mar
By Anne Stevenson
A new Parlor City location opened
across from the high school on February
13th, 2013 with winter hours from 11am
to 9 pm. While Parlor City’s original
location only had outside seating, they
now have indoor seating for 40, so people
can enjoy their sandwiches and ice
cream options no matter the weather.
Parlor City’s most popular items are
their 50 different shake and malt flavors.
They also have “The Freez” which is
ice cream and candy blended together.
According to Owner Angela Hoyt,
their best kept secret is their Pizza Fries,
“We are the only one to have them in
town! They are similar to a bread stick,
served with marinara and really
yummy!! You’ll have to try some to
believe it!”
The Parlor City Company has been
working with the City of Marion on this
location for over a year and the
company broke ground last
September. They had to appear in front
of the City Council, the Board of
Adjustments, and Planning and Zoning
to allow for a drive thru at this location.
The Parlor City menu has low prices
with the most expensive ice cream
product coming in at $4.67. They serve
everything from cones and cups to
novelties, shakes, malts, smoothies and
many more options. They also have a
lunch and dinner menu, serving food
such as hamburgers, hotdogs, BBQ
sandwiches, walking tacos, French fries
and onion rings.
Along with the location across from
our school, Parlor City also opened
another new location on 42nd street in
Cedar Rapids. That location is only open
seasonal hours (March –November),
however, whereas the Parlor
City on 29th Avenue is open
year-round.
Parlor City also caters.
You can rent
a chest freezer with your
choice of novelties (such as
chocolate chip sandwiches
or barrel bars) or Freezes
for your next party.
The address is:
955 29th Avenue Suite A
Marion, Iowa 52302
Across from Linn-Mar
High School
Gogg signs letter of intent
Senior Derek Gogg signs a letter of intent to play basketball at
Dordt College this coming fall.
5
May
Many teens say that facebook has lost its “cool” factor
By Drew McGovern
Over the past two years, social
networking sites such as Twitter and
Instagram have gained serious traction.
However, Facebook has not, especially
among teen users. According to an
article in The Verge, Facebook has lost
its “cool” factor. The article questions
several teens who say that Instagram
and Tumblr are sites that seem more
about sharing and communicating, unlike
Facebook, which is more about yourself.
Facebook’s Director of Product even
left the company because his son’s best
friend and other friends said it wasn’t
cool anymore. So why is Facebook losing
so much traction in the social networking
realm? Let’s take a look.
Along with the rise of Instagram,
Twitter, and Tumblr, there are many
other factors that play into its downfall.
One significant reason is that many
parents have started to join Facebook.
This allows them to watch over their son
or daughter’s life, and keep track on their
every move. However, sites like Twitter
and Instagram can be harder to figure
out, deterring parents away from the
site.
Linn-Mar Senior Kile Bean
commented on his experience with the
site. “I decided to delete my Facebook
entirely. Every time I posted something
my parents would make a comment, and
it just became too much. Now I only
use Twitter and Instagram because they
can keep me entertained.”
Many people also complain that they
have too many friends on the site, and
constantly see useless posts about
people they barely know. This leads to
random people complaining the whole
time on your Newsfeeds, making users
feel irritated. This is a problem on
Facebook more than on other sites
because you have to be friends with
someone if you accept them. This
differs from other sites where you can
actually have them follow you, without
having to follow them back if you’re not
as interested in them.
Linn-Mar Senior Emily Soyer echoed
this problem. “Half of the people who
post on my Facebook feed I don’t even
recognize. Most of them are people I
don’t even know. So now I pretty much
exclusively use Instagram and Twitter.”
In addition, Facebook has had
problems with privacy recently. The
settings become incredibly confusing
according to an article run by The LA
Times. Many users find they are able to
view practically all of the photos of a
complete stranger. However, on other
sites like Twitter, there is a simple on
and off switch for privacy settings. This
makes things nice and easy for users,
and keeps creeps away from their
profiles.
“I mainly just use the site to wish
people a Happy Birthday. I feel like that
is really the only thing Facebook is good
for,” said Linn-Mar Senior Derik Gogg.
So is there any hope for Facebook to
make a comeback? Probably not.
Facebook has already lost its reputation
among teenagers, and it’s hard to repair
the reputation of something that is seen
as uncool by the nation’s youth. Even
Facebook’s stock was a colossal
disaster, sending investors into a frenzy.
Most likely, Faceboook will slowly
evolve into a site exclusively for the older
generations, with the youth only
periodically using it to wish someone
they don’t know a Happy Birthday.
Whether it is a bulldog riding a skateboard or the latest video of Pys
doing Gangnam Style, YouTube offers people the ability to broadcast
themselves and provides viewers with endless amounts of entertainment. YouTube and Instagram are quickly overtaking facebook’s popularity among teens.
Diabetes: an often misunderstood disease that affects many
By Paige Rohrich
Diabetes is a misunderstood disease,
especially among young adults. The
Internet, memes, and simple lack of
knowledge have created the assumption
that diabetes is caused only by eating
too much sugar or by just eating too
much in general.
According to the American Diabetes
Association, Diabetes mellitus, most
commonly referred to as just diabetes,
is “a group of diseases characterized by
high blood glucose levels that result from
defects in the body’s ability to produce
and/or use insulin.”
There are three types of diabetes.
They include Type 1 diabetes, Type 2
diabetes, and Gestational diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common,
and the type that most people think of
when they hear of the disease. Type 2
is mostly genetic. Your risk of developing
this type increases with bad diet,
overeating, and low activity.
Gestational diabetes, according to
PubMed Health, is the development of
diabetes in an expecting mother. This is
caused by the blockage of insulin by
pregnancy hormones, and can be a
common occurrence among pregnant
women.
Type 1 diabetes, previously called
juvenile diabetes, is where the body does
not produce insulin. This is usually
diagnosed among children.
Joelle Johnson, a junior at Linn-Mar
high school, was 10 when she was
diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
“I didn’t really know how to feel, I
didn’t know what it was. I was just
trying to figure out if it was a good thing
or a bad thing or something I could get
rid of,” said Joelle.
”My mom was crying, so I cried too.
I pretty much copied what she did when
I was younger.”
Since someone with Type 1 diabetes
is not able to produce insulin, they must
manually inject it.
There are three different ways to
inject insulin: the pen, the pump, and the
shot.
”I use the shot, but I’ve tried all three.
The pen wouldn’t get in deep enough
and the pump made me feel
claustrophobic in a way. I don’t like
having something attached to me all the
time,” Joelle said.
The pump delivers insulin through
tubing and a needle, called a site, which
is connected to the body all the time.
The user can press a button to have
insulin sent through the tubes and into
the body.
The pen, according to Joelle, is a
premeasured amount of insulin in a
container that resembles a pen. When
the insulin is needed, the cap is taken
off and the needle poked into the skin.
There are three separate places that
diabetics can take insulin. Joelle prefers
injecting into her arm, but her stomach
is easier to do when she has to do it
herself. The third place is in the leg.
Insulin must be injected before any
meal and most snacks that have a high
sugar content. If insulin is not injected,
the blood sugar will rise, resulting in high
blood sugar.
“I can tell when I’m high (blood
sugar) because I have stomach aches,”
says Joelle.
Oppositely, if the body does not have
enough sugar, a diabetic will have low
blood sugar.
“When I’m low, I get shaky, my brain
kind of stops. I don’t think. I apparently
stick my tongue out and move it around.”
Joelle’s normal blood sugar range is
around 80-180, while someone without
diabetes generally starts with 70 but
doesn’t top 140 milligrams per deciliter
according to an article written by
Edward S. Horton, M.D.
“It really just depends on the person,
the type of diabetes, and the doctor,”
says Joelle.
How does someone know if they’re
high or low if they don’t have any
physical symptoms?
There are machines, called meters,
which test the sugar content
in the blood. They are small
and portable since a diabetic
must test often. The meter
itself is carried in the same
case with testing strips and a
finger
pricker.
To test, the person will
insert a new test strip into an
opening at the top of the
meter. Next, they’ll put a new needle
into the finger pricker, prick their finger,
and then push the blood through the
pricked opening. Then, they simply
place the blood-drawn finger next to the
strip to soak up the blood, and then wait
for the meter to read it.
Joelle says Diabetes does not affect
any activities that she is able to do.
“I can do pretty much everything but
I’ll have to like stop doing things from
time to time to check [my blood sugar],”
says Joelle.
As of now, there is no cure for
diabetes. Many organizations are
working hard to provide funding toward
finding a cure. One of the most famous
organizations is the Juvenile Diabetes
Research Center, which advocates
finding the cure for type 1 diabetes
among children, teens and adults.
Through many different events,
JDRF raises money for research in
order to find cure.
To find more information on type 1
diabetes, JDRF, and progress on a cure,
you can visit www.jdrf.org.
6
May
“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter” --e.e.cummings
By Annie Stevenson
Whether it is giggling at your friend’s
funny joke, or watching a funny
television show, laughter is everywhere
and there is no more common sound. It
may seem obvious why we laugh; it’s
to show that we think something is
funny and hilarious. But listen to those
around you. Listen when you go to a
comedy at the movie theatre. Everyone
has a slightly different laugh and nobody
laughs exactly like you do or exactly
when you do. But why do we make
these unconscious gasping and grunting
noises when we hear a good joke? Is
laughing really healthy for you? And why
do we sometimes seem to not be able
to control laughing at inappropriate
times?
Scientists and researchers don’t
know a lot about which specific brain
mechanisms are responsible for
laughter. However they do know that
laughter is triggered by many sensations
and thoughts, and that laughter activates
many parts of the body. When someone
laughs, the body alters facial expressions
and makes sounds. While someone
laughs, the muscles of the arms, legs
and trunk are involved. Laughter also
requires modification in the pattern of
breathing. Children laugh a lot more
than adults. On average, a child laughs
300 times a day compared to an average
adult who laughs on average 20 times a
day.
In 2005, researchers at the
University of Maryland Medical Center
reported a link between laughter and
healthy function of the blood vessels.
Laughter is known to dilate of inner
lining of blood vessels and increase blood
flow. Laughter has also been shown to
lead to reductions in stress hormones.
When laughing, the brain releases
endorphins that can relieve some
physical pain. Laughing also increases
the number of antibody producing cells
and improves T-cell effectiveness in the
immune system.
Have you ever laughed at one of
your friends when they fell down the
stairs, or laughed when your teacher was
lecturing?
Laughter
occurs
unconsciously. You cannot control it.
Laughter provides powerful, insights into
our unconscious. It simply bubbles up
from within us in certain situations. We
all have laughed at times when we
weren’t suppose to.
“Once, I was at Wednesday youth
group and everyone was sharing their
good and bad things from that week,”
sophomore Alexis Gorman said. “I
wasn’t paying attention when the leader
said her aunt died; I burst out laughing
at something else.”
“Whenever someone in my class
farts I always laugh,” said Olivia Garcia,
sophomore.
Sophomore Bobby Charlton said,
“One time when my sister fell down the
stairs I started laughing.”
“In eighth grade a girl face planted
in the hallway and I laughed so hard I
was crying. She was crying too,”
Sophomore Abby McGowan said.
“I was in French class and we
started new vocabulary that day. My
teacher gave us a new vocabulary list
and we started repeating them to her in
French,” said Emma Miller, sophomore.
“She said ‘a shower’ and the whole class
replied with the French word ‘une
douche.’ She kept repeating ‘une
douche’ and I burst out laughing.
Whether you are in class, or
someone fell down in the middle of the
hallway, here are some tips to stop your
laughter at inappropriate times from
ehow.com.
1. Remind yourself where you are at
the moment and why you should not be
laughing.
2. Check other people around you. If
there is somebody else who is laughing
and people are giving them dagger looks,
then you should try to excuse yourself
from the area. Go to a restroom and
laugh out loud in there.
3. Try to remember any depressing or
sad story from the newspaper or from
the TV news you watched last night.
4. Pinch yourself or bite your
inner cheek and tongue gently.
5. Hold your breath when you know you
are about to burst out. But be careful
about this because it could backfire and
cause you to laugh more loudly if you
do lose it.
6. Get out of the room and pretend
you’re coughing. That is, if you really
can’t contain the laughter and the
situation is extremely serious.
7. Count from 1 to 10. If that doesn’t
work on the first try, count again and
again. You can also do this backwards.
8. Take long and deep breaths through
your nose.
“News of the Weird” website full of wacky and fun information
by Emily Chiavetta
What do paedophobia, filing a lawsuit
against a dead person, and a telepathic
rapist all have in common? They were
all in the news within the past two
weeks! Not on your average news
station though. KCRG wouldn’t bother
to run a story on a middle-aged woman
who robbed a man of $14 and a 12 pack
of cold beers. This was only significant
because this was her 66th incarceration
in only her county’s jail! News networks
have a habit of only reporting on the
most brutal crimes, or on the most
prominent events in our culture. But the
online news database, “News of the
Weird,” covers about everything else.
”News of the Weird” began in the
1970’s when Chuck Shepherd created
the website on a whim. He was in
Washington D.C. hanging out with his
‘buds’ talking about how boring life was
and they began stockpiling articles and
feature stories that they thought were
odd, and soon after, they began a
magazine. It began to circulate and soon
had subscribers all over the country as
people heard about their quest to show
how un-boring life really was. Over the
next few years, Shepherd moved to
Florida, and then California and finally
settled down in 1988 when “News of
the Weird” was officially syndicated by
Universal Press Syndicate. Currently,
“News of the Weird” is printed in over
250 different newspapers! In 2009,
“News of the Weird” merged with two
other ‘weird news’ websites and they
are now known as Weird Universe.
People are allowed to submit
occurrences to “News of the Weird,”
because that much news can’t be found
by just one person. There is a tab on the
website that walks people through
sending in their story tips and
suggestions. The only requirements are
that the news is new (more recent than
three months old), that it is not a personal
story, and that it actually is weird.
Shepherd has actually had to make a
separate tab on his site solely for
discerning what isn’t weird anymore. As
of recently, there were 66 items on the
‘NO LONGER WEIRD’ page. Some
of the more tame items were “7) Family
thinks that [the deceased] is dead, but
he is not and attends his own funeral.”
No matter how many times a story like
that pops up, it’s still weird! Definitely
one of the stranger items on the list was
“22) DUI tickets for ‘driving’ a bicycle
(or horse or riding lawn mower or etc.)”.
Generally punitive actions are taken for
DUI’s only if on a motor vehicle, but
apparently a special exception was
made in these cases.
Chuck Shepherd has authored five
books including the aptly named “News
of the Weird”, “More “News of the
Weird”” and “Beyond “News of the
Weird”. His two most recent books,
“America’s Least Competent
Criminals” and “The Concrete Enema
and Other “News of the Weird”
Classics,” were released in 1993 and
1996 accordingly.
One list that is known for being part
of the “News of the Weird” online news
forum is the List of Wayne’s. Not just
an innocent logging of people with the
name Wayne, but specifically it has to
be the middle name of a convicted/
proven guilty murderer. That may sound
like a miniscule list, but rest assured,
there are over 200 names on the list and
counting! The two top states where
these dangerous Wayne’s reside are
North Carolina (14 Wayne’s), Virginia
(19 Wayne’s), and Texas (a whopping
53 murderous Wayne’s!). An example
of this would be notorious serial killer
John Wayne Gacy who abducted and
murdered teenage boys and then buried
their bodies in his basement crawl space.
Whether you are bored, looking to
find something specific, or just looking
to see what the mainstream news
stations were too embarrassed to print
or talk about, you can find it on “News
of the Weird”! In the list of “News of
the Weird” columns you can find
anything from mustache implants to
‘Mega-Brothel’s, to a person disguised
as a car seat in order to smuggle them
into Spain to the perfect phone for the
Japanese philanderer. Almost anything
can be found on Chuck Shepherd’s
online “News of the Weird”. Although
the subject matter is frivolous and
anything but serious, “News of the
Weird” is a wacky news source that will
never bore you!
7
May
Independent artists foregoing traditional labels, still achieving success
By Paige Rohrich
Indie music is any music that is
created and produced by independent
artists on an independent, if any, record
label.
Independent record labels are most
labels that are not funded by any of the
major record labels. Currently, the major
record labels include Sony, Warner, and
the Universal Music Group, as stated
by the Association of Independent
Music.
But what makes an artist an
‘independent’ artist? An ‘unsigned’ artist
is someone who generally produces and
distributes their music without the
financial help of a major record label.
This is why many Indie artists post their
music online for free; it gets their music
out to a larger audience. Popular sites
for music distribution include Nimbit and
Tunecore which are free sites, but
iTunes, Spotify, and Napster are used
as well.
While Indie music is regarded as an
obscure genre, many famous artists are
considered independent. The band Nine
Inch Nails began as a signed artist, but
after a disagreement with their label’s
parent label, they have since released
their music independently on their own
website (www.nin.com).
Other independent artists include
Marilyn Manson, Mumford and Sons,
Noah and the Whale, Fun, and Arcade
Fire.
So what does Indie music sound like?
Junior Joelle Johnson says, “It’s like a
modern folk sound.”
Indie music isn’t one genre and
doesn’t necessarily have one type of
sound. Indie rock is usually the general
sound that most people think of when
asked about Indie music, but there are
many different sub-genres connected
with Indie. Some of the more popular
ones include Indie rock, Indie electronica
(Indietronica), and Indie pop.
Most Indie artists are considered
Indie rock, since the term describes
People, and Two Door Cinema Club
are all examples of bands in the
Indietronica genre.
Indie music contains a wide range
of sounds and artists, and is not limited
to one genre. Since many Indie artists
post their music online and for free, it
gets spread around and becomes
popular among a targeted audience.
Streaming and sharing music is a fast
growing trend on the internet today,
giving up and coming Indie artists an
advantage.
Below: Mumford and Sons unique
style has won over fans of all ages.
Above: The indie group Fun! has
enjoyed recent success, scoring
chart topping singles.
most of the Indie music out there. Indie
rock generally uses guitar, bass, drums,
keyboard, and vocals. Mumford and
Sons is an example of a predominantly
Indie rock band.
Indie pop is what one would expect
pop music to sound like with vocals,
guitar, bass, and drums. Fun. is an
example of a relevant Indie pop group.
Indie electronica, more commonly
called Indietronica, is a mixture of
electronic influences, pop, and rock.
This will usually be the futuristicsounding music. MGMT, Foster the
Senior Recognition
Night
Thursday, May 23
7:00 pm
Graduation
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Cedar Rapids Ice Arena
1:00 pm
Left: Indie group Foster the
People scored a mega hit with
their single Pumped Up Kicks
Consider the aftermath before you get inked
By Sofi Shannon
Tattoos are an art form, and like most
art forms, they have a fan base and a
hate group. Some tattoos are stupid, yes,
but a lot of them are gorgeous works of
art that just happen to be permanently
attached to someone’s body.
But then there’s the age old question:
What will tattoos look like when you’re
older? A lot of people think they’ll look
stupid when your skin starts wrinkling,
but most old folk with tattoos look pretty
bada$$. Sure, getting your face tattooed
on your back like Steve-o might look a
little stupid, but does that tattoo look good
at any age?
The biggest thing about tattoos is that
you should think before getting one.
Don’t just take a day to decide on the
tattoo you want, take a few months or
even years, because you don’t want to
regret it down the road, and laser
removal surgery is very painful and
expensive. Think about how the tattoo
will look when you’re 50 or 60, and if
you still want it then, go for it.
Tattoos should be personal. Don’t go
off and get a big flower tattoo or a
‘tramp stamp’ just because it’s the cool
thing to do and all your friends are doing
it. When people make impulsive
decisions like this, they usually end up
regretting it. Tattoos take a lot of time,
a lot of care, and a lot of money. Don’t
go wasting all that just because your
friends thought it would be cool to do.
Another thing to think about, besides
what to get tattooed, is what career you
want to go into. Surprisingly, most
careers will let you have tattoos. In
more professional careers, you might
have to cover them up, which can be
done by wearing long sleeves and pants,
or by using make up. As long as the
tattoo you’re getting isn’t vulgar, most
workplaces won’t care, which is the
opposite of what parents and some adults
might teach you.
Plenty of people are in a professional
business setting with full sleeve tattoos,
(this is when someone covers their whole
arm or leg in tattoos.) They still get jobs,
they still get promotions, but sometimes
they will have to cover their artwork up.
Now, thought should also be given to
where you would like to get a tattoo.
Legs, arms, back, chest, and stomach
are easily covered up by normal
workplace clothes, and are easy to hide
if you need to. The neck, foot, and face
are the most difficult to hide. It’s
common knowledge that if you want to
work anywhere besides a tattoo parlor
or the circus, you should not get a tattoo
on your face.
If you get a tattoo, you will most
likely at some point get insulted because
of it. If you can’t deal with that, you
probably shouldn’t get a tattoo. Some
people view tattoos as trashy and
disgusting. Some people view tattoos as
beautiful art works. You’re going to meet
both these types of people all your life,
so prepare yourself for some comments
and criticisms on your tattoo if you
choose to get one.
The biggest mistake you can make
when getting a tattoo is getting a
boyfriend or girlfriend’s name tattooed
on you. The tattoo that most people get
removed or re-covered is always the
name of a significant other that they are
no longer with. Realistically, this tattoo
is just a stupid idea, and you really
shouldn’t do it, or even think about doing
it. Just don’t.
Another huge mistake is not looking
into multiple tattoo parlors. You always
want to make sure to first look at the
tattoos that an artist has already done
to make sure their style is what you
want. Then, after making a consultation
appointment, look at the shop. Is it
clean? Do they use different, clean
needles on each customer? If you can’t
tell, ask them. A good tattoo parlor will
unpackage their needles and ink right
in front of you when you’re getting your
tattoo, so that you know it’s sterile and
safe.
In the long run, you might think tattoos
are super cool right now, but you might
not like them later. Take the time to think
about it, and then go and get one if that’s
what you decide. Think a lot about the
parlor you want to go to as well. If
people tell you your tattoo is trashy and
stupid, either ignore it or insult them right
back. Tattoos are your decision and
they’ll probably still look pretty cool
when you’re rolling around in your
wheelchair at 80.
May
8
Nervous about going off to college? Relax, that’s normal
“I was miserable when I first went
to college. I missed my mom terribly. I
missed my dog and my friends; I even
missed sleeping in my own bed.
Everything at college felt so foreign. I
was so used to the routine I had settled
into and was comfortable with at home
that all the newness of college really
threw me for a loop. What made things
worse was that everyone else around
me seemed to be having the time of their
lives. I thought, ‘what’s wrong with
ME?’” –Dee Wesbrook, English teacher
EVERYONE IS DIFFERENT
Despite the fact that everyone
always seems so ready to get out of high
school and “start their life” of new found
freedom in college, a Barron’s magazine
poll indicated that nearly 89 percent of
high school seniors said the were
“somewhat fearful” heading into their
new college environment. Nearly half
said that the fear they felt had manifested
itself into physical symptoms such as
loss of sleep, upset stomach and
elevated levels of anxiety.
Relax. Feeling fearful of attending
college is completely normal.
“I’d be a little worried about a
student who didn’t feel just a little bit
fearful of such a big life change,” says
Psychologist Jonathan Jones. Anxiety is
a normal reaction to change. It’s how
you handle the anxiety that determines
how successful you will be in adapting
to your new environment. The most
important thing to remember is that you
are not alone. Despite the way it may
seem, countless other students are
feeling exactly the same way.”
So what do college bound students
worry about most? According to Mary
Kay Shanley and Julia Johnston, authors
of Survival Secrets of College Students,
the top fears are: being smart enough,
liking roommates, making friends,
missing home, navigating the party
scene, having sex, covering costs and
being safe.
Let’s have a closer look at some of
those worries.
AM I SMART ENOUGH?
If you were accepted into college, you
are probably smart enough. The
difference between those who do well
and those who flunk out, more often
comes down to effort and responsible
study habits. Many times there is an
adjustment period where students need
to figure out how to handle the increased
reading load, and time management
becomes majorly important. Students
can enhance their chances of doing well
by staying engaged in the class work,
by asking questions in class and by
asking for help when it is needed. Don’t
be afraid to approach your professors,
but know what you want and realize that
their job is not to be your friend, but to
guide and advise you. Be your own
advocate for your education. Don’t wait
for or expect a teacher to seek you out;
you must go to them. Professors are
notorious for not coddling students,
which can be a shock to students who
liked their hand to be help during
assignments high school.
WILL I LIKE MY ROOMMATE?
The key words here are compromise and
respect. Don’t go in expecting you will
be best friends and you won’t be
disappointed. Be respectful of your
roommate’s possessions, study habits
and sleeping patterns and expect this to
be reciprocated. Establish a dialogue or
set of ground rules early on to let each
other know what is and what is not
acceptable in the room. Make sure to
include the topics of drug and alcohol
use, boyfriends/girlfriends spending time
in the room, quiet time and sleeping
expectations, etc. Do not tolerate an
unpleasant situation and just assume
things will get better. Talk to your RA if
you feel the situation needs to be
addressed by a higher authority.
MAKING FRIENDS
This is a common worry and even those
students who had a ton of friends in high
school wonder if they will fit in. Be
yourself. Be genuine. Be outgoing and
don’t wait for others to come to you.
The more you put yourself out there,
the easier it will be to start new
friendships. Consider hosting a game
night in your room or getting involved in
intramural sports or dorm counsel.
Meeting friends leads to evolving
friendships. The good news is that
improvements in technology have
lessened the chances that you will lose
contact with your old friends. Facebook,
Skype, texting and Twitter can keep you
in the know and give you a valuable
lifeline to those who know you best.
HOMESICK MUCH?
As much as you want to bust out and
enjoy your new found freedom, there
will be days that you just want the
comfort of home. Whether it is the
advice you used to get from Mom or
Dad, the warmth of your bed, a home
cooked meal or even bickering with a
pesky sibling, there are many things you
might find that you actually miss about
home. This usually dissipates over time.
Do not be afraid to admit you are
homesick; this is not a sign of weakness.
Be careful not to go home every
weekend just because you are lonely. If
you are never on campus on weekends,
you miss out on a huge social aspect of
school and a prime opportunity to meet
new people.
THE PARTYING SCENE
You are no longer under the rules of your
parents and it is time to cut loose, right?
Just remember that you are paying a lot
of money to get an education, which
should definitely come first. Partying is
fine, in moderation. Be wary of devoting
too much time to partying (or to
recovering from partying) that you lose
sight as to the real reason you are on
campus. Also remember that drug and
alcohol use can lead to poor decisions
that can affect your future in negative
ways. It is also important to note that
both men and women should be wary
of accepting drinks from strangers or
from leaving drinks unattended at parties
or in bars.
SEXUAL ACTIVITY
Just like in high school, there will be
people who engage in sexual activity
and those who don’t. Not everybody in
college is having sex, despite what you
may hear, see or read. A random hookup may seem like a good idea at the
time, but they are often regretted the
morning after. Inebriation should not be
an excuse for sexual activity. Best
advice: remember what you learned in
high school: abstinence is the only
foolproof way to prevent pregnancy and
safe sex can help reduce the chances
of becoming pregnant and lessen the risk
of sexually transmitted diseases.
HOW MUCH IS THIS
GOING TO COST ME?
Simple answer? A lot. College costs are
skyrocketing which makes it even more
important for students to take their
education seriously and to plan wisely.
Getting out of college in four years is
doable for many students with careful
planning. Meet with academic advisers,
make use of study hours and study
sessions and actually attend class. On
campus jobs are often available and can
help defray costs or at least provide
some book money. Investigate book buyback programs and consider buying used
books or renting books online.
WILL I BE SAFE ON CAMPUS?
Obviously, there is no college campus
that can absolutely guarantee your
safety but there are actions and
precautions you can take to make your
college stay as safe as possible. Here
are some guidelines from Survival
Secrets for College Students.
Do not put your drink down in a
social situation and do not accept drinks
from people you do not know.
Establish a buddy system when at
parties and bars so someone always has
your back.
Always lock your dorm room, your
car, and all personal items.
Program your campus security
phone number into your phone the first
day on campus and don’t be afraid to
use it.
Trust your gut instinct. If you feel
threatened, take action.
Tips for packing for college
No first college experience would be
complete without the ever-famous
“What to Pack” list. For years,
freshmen students have been lugging
essentials to their dorm rooms in an
effort to be prepared for whatever
situation arises and to make their “home
away from home” just a little bit more
“homey.” Too often, they take way
too much, so here’s the lowdown on
what you will and will most likely NOT
need to pack.
First off, let’s discuss the biggest
question: will you need a car at school?
For most freshmen who will find
themselves living in the dorms, the
answer is probably no. College
campuses are designed to be
accessible without a vehicle. Most
classes will be within walking distance
and if they aren’t, buses should be
available to get students to and from
their destinations. Having a car can
actually be a pain because parking is
limited and most often; overnight
parking is scarce and located very far
away.
So what will you need?
Dress
Dress for the weather and dress for
comfort. Realize that very few college
students dress up on a daily basis.
Sweatpants, tee shirts, jeans and
sweatshirts will become your best
friends. Good walking shoes are a must.
Girls, if you try to wear high heels to
class, you will regret it.
Take along one or two dressy
outfits and shoes for more formal
affairs.
Workout clothes are a good idea as
exercise can keep you fit and reduce
stress.
Slippers for hanging out in the
residence halls and flip flops for the
shower will come in handy. A bathrobe
is a must!
Winter weather clothing will
probably be necessary depending on
your climate but you don’t necessarily
need to take it on your first trip to
college. Plan to make a run home in
early November for winter gear.
For your dorm room
According to multiple websites and
past college students, here is a
suggested list for dorm room
necessities.
Comforter/bedspread, Pillow, bed
linens, clothes hangers, small
assortment of glasses, plates, bowls for
snack foods. Plastic containers for
storage of light snacks, detergent, etc.
Headphones (so your music doesn’t
bother your roommate), MP3 player or
iPod/cell phone, Cell phone and
charger, Power strip, Desk/bed lamp
Alarm clock, TV/DVD player, Stereo,
Fan, Hair dryer, Small refrigerator/
microwave, Paper products (plates,
glasses, paper towels, etc.), Scissors,
safety pins, small sewing kit, Message
board, Towels/Wash clothes
Miscellaneous
Soap, Shampoo, Personal hygiene
needs, Shower caddy, Laundry basket/
bag, Dishwashing detergent, Roll of
quarters for laundry, Band-aids and
other cold medicines, allergy relief, first
aid supplies
School stuff
All of this will most likely be available
on campus, but it is often cheaper to
buy at the local Target or Wal-Mart
Computer/laptop, Blank CD’s or jump
drives, Paper, Writing utensils,
Dictionary/Thesaurus, Backpack,
Calculator, Day-planner, Tape recorder
Nice to have on-hand
Debit or money card/credit card,
Umbrella, Key ring, Flashlight, Camera
Batteries, Recreation equipment,
(Frisbee, basketball, etc.), Snacks
What NOT to bring
Contact your campus housing
department for a list of items that are
not allowed. Many times the following
are not allowed or frowned upon:
Hot plates, toasters, toaster ovens
Air conditioners, Extension cords,
Candles, Pets, Waterbeds, Nails or
picture hangers, expensive or
sentimental heirlooms.
You are most likely going to be
living with a roommate so check with
them to avoid bringing duplicates of
items that will only take up more room
and rob you of much needed space.
May
Guys and Dolls
9
10
May
Belin invests time and talent into the game of soccer
Nick Lee
Let’s meet Jared Belin.
What is your favorite past time?
I would say that I have started a ritual
ever since high school that everyday
right after school I will take a nice hour
nap. It helps me recover from the
various activities at school and it reenergizes me to get projects or
homework done.
What type of sports do you enjoy?
Well anyone who has talked to me for
three seconds know I am a huge soccer
guy. I just love everything about the
game and it gives me an excuse, so to
speak, to let off some steam.
Where do you want to go to college?
Haven’t really thought about college
even though I am a junior. I hope to go
out of state but I don’t really know yet.
What is your favorite food?
Shrimp. I don’t know why, it’s just good
on the old taste buds.
What is your favorite movie?
Gotta be the whole Die Hard series
because they are all unbelievably
amazingly awesome. He always gets
screwed at the beginning but gets
unscrewed by kicking the crap out of
the bad guys. Teaches you very good
life skills in that aspect.
What is your least favorite subject
in school?
Science and math are equally hated in
my eyes. Could not stand biology as a
sophomore but glad I have met all the
requirements for science but math is just
annoying because you will never use it
in the real world unlike what all the
teachers say.
What do you hate the most?
I hate waking up in the morning, it is
just the worst feeling anyone can deal
with and everyday I have to fight myself
to get out of bed.
Where do you see yourself in 20
years?
I am not a big fan on looking in the future;
whatever happens in the present is what
will set me up for the future. Ask me
that question in 20 years and I will know.
Do you like Iowa?
Not really. Coming from Denver,
Colorado where you have so many
options on what you can do, Iowa sucks.
The people are fine but God help me if I
have to live here the rest of my life.
Where did you go to elementary
school? Did you like it there?
I went to two different elementary
schools because I moved here from
Denver in third grade. In Denver I went
to a school called Willow Creek. A lot
of good memories there and the food
was much better. Here in Iowa I
attended Indian Creek and it was okay
but I always thought it was funny that
the two schools both had creeks.
What is one of your favorite
memories?
The summer after eighth grade, I broke
my leg right but the World Cup was on
in the summer so I had an excuse to sit
on the couch downstairs and watch it
constantly. My parents secretly got tired
of me asking for things but I took full
advantage of that opportunity. Also,
everyone at Excelsior came to visit me
and bring me all this food (which was
good).
What are you involved in?
Soccer takes up most my time because
I am in both school and club but other
than that I really do not do much.
What are your pet peeves?
When someone fakes an injury or tries
to act hurt. I have never understood
that. If you are hurt, you are hurt but do
not make a huge deal about it.
What do you want to study after high
school?
Have not really thought about that but it
is probably going to be something in
social studies, like sociology or
government because I have always
been fascinated by them and I always
get good grades in that subject in school.
If you could live anywhere in the
world, where would you live?
Either Holland or Belgium, those would
be the coolest places ever if I get the
chance. Their taxes are reasonable over
there and the government is in mayhem.
Also they have great talent soccer-wise
so it would be cool to see them play.
What do you consider yourself to be
good at?
I never like this question because I hate
to brag about myself. I like to think I am
good at soccer since I invest so much
time and effort into it.
What do you love the most?
Of course I love soccer, but also I love
my iPod because of my music and apps
that I have on there. That is about all I
can think of.
What kind of movies do you like?
I am a sucker for the hardcore, action
packed movies. Hate chick-flicks, they
always end up making me cry and I feel
like a girl. So I watch the action movies
so I can feel like a man again.
Twitter, facebook, or instagram?
Twitter hands down. facebook has
turned into old people social network
and I have never had an Instagram
because I do not see the point of taking
a picture and adding weird colors.
What do you think about high
school?
Never a big fan of high school because
adults treat you like a kid and expect
you to act like an adult. Also, it seems
like whatever decision you make is a
lose-lose, so I cannot wait for college.
What is your favorite type of candy?
Skittles man, feels great tasting the
rainbow. Also I have had this tradition
of eating some Skittles before a soccer
game so it is basically my good luck
charm.
What is your favorite fast food
place?
Subway all day, and not just because
the guy’s name is also Jared but I love
the food and every time I am at a
tournament we always have to get
Subway.
What kind of stuff do you do in the
summer?
Besides the recurring theme of soccer
I like to relax and get my tan on. And of
course, gotta hang out with the bros and
lady bros!
What’s the coolest place you’ve
ever been to?
When I was two or three my dad’s job
took us all the way across the pond to
England. Although I cannot remember
anything about England my parents tell
me that it was always raining and they
loved soccer, which I attribute to where
I get my love for soccer.
Do you like playing video games? If
so, what types do you play?
First off, let me just say that if you are
truly a dude, you have to like video
games. So yes, I do like playing video
games and I play anything from FIFA
13 to zombies to about any RPG game
out there on the interweb.
Fake relationships through social media lead to problems for many
By: Madison Riley
Recently Notre Dame linebacker
Manti Te’o was a victim of ‘catfishing’,
a term commonly used to refer to
relationships maintained through a fake
persona through social media. Te’o
said he had no idea the relationship was
a hoax, proving just how easy it is to
be tricked online. The danger with
online dating or chat rooms is that there
is no way to know if who you are
talking to is the real deal or not.
Another hoax occurred in Florida,
where 50 men, aged 19 to 60, were
arrested for traveling to meet a minor
for sex, and for soliciting a minor for
sex; if these people are convicted, they
will eventually end up on probation and
they will not be allowed to be in contact
with children. These child sex
predators pretended to be teens online
when in reality they were teachers,
businessmen, students and tourists.
In today’s world teens are
constantly online, or on their phones
communicating with others and taking
the risk every day of falling into situations
similar to Te’o’s, or the children targeted
by the Floridian men. Not everyone
realizes just how easy it is for someone
else to pick up the phone and send a
phony text, or meet someone online who
isn’t who they say they are. Even though
it is more of a risk, many teens say that
they would rather text than make phone
calls.
To be safe on the internet might
seem like common sense, or an obvious
thing to some people, but Chris Duque,
a police detective from Honolulu who
has studied online predators said, “It’s
easy to be duped online, very easy. The
thing with the Internet is your five senses
are somewhat limited and what you see
online may not be what you’re really
going to get.”
Your senses really are limited on the
internet. You can’t see the person you’re
talking to, you can’t hear them, touch
them, or have any validation that who
you think you are talking to and who
you are actually talking to is the same
person. The only sense you’re left with
is common sense. Is this person
definitely who I think it is? Is someone
going to be able to use this relationship
against me? And ultimately, does this
behavior put me in any danger, no matter
how minimal?
There are a lot of alternatives to risky
internet activity. For starters, don’t put
information like your phone number on
Facebook or Twitter or similar websites.
Doing so makes you vulnerable to
pedophiles and other undesirable people.
Be aware of the potential negative side
effects. Providing your phone number
makes it easy for people to contact you,
figure out where you live, and possibly
track down your movements via their
technology skills. Instead of going ahead
and putting your number on the World
Wide Web for all to see, simply leave
those boxes blank.
“If you go online, you’re often
vulnerable because the perpetrators will
know there’s something dysfunctional
about you emotionally and
psychologically, and they’ll prey on
that,” said Duque.
Talking to strangers online is a risk
that you should be very, very cautious
about. Be sure not to share too much
information and think about contacting
those you meet online in person as
well, just to make sure the relationship
is valid. Online predators do exist and
the less you give them to run with the
better.
Another alternative to leaving
people to contact you through the
internet or by phone is meeting them
in person. Of course do not meet up
with someone you don’t actually
know, but sometimes instead of only
instant messaging, or texting your
friends, hang out in person. You can
get a lot more said and have a more
memorable time than you would by just
typing words. One more perk to getting
away from online or text message
relationships is being more sociable,
and you are less likely to be targeted
as a victim for online perpetrators.
11
May
Oliver Covarrubias has a unique personality and many talents
By Paige Rohrich
I turn the corner and up onto the
small platform where the seating is at
Coffeesmith’s, I see Oliver Covarrubias
sitting with his leather jacket on, legs
crossed, and a newspaper spread out in
front of his face. As I sit down and ask
about the newspaper, Oliver folds it up
with a smirk.
“I can’t get on the internet here,” he
says “this was the next best thing.”
How would you describe
yourself?
Oliver: “A shock artist without art.
You can walk up to people and scream
‘f@#*’ really loud if you’re casual about
it run away really fast. You can get away
with anything that way.”
What do you do in your free
time?
Oliver: “Complain about Chem, tweet,
write, and yell at my brother to get out
of my room. He’ll come into my room
and spank himself then run out, but I
can’t prove it, so I just punch him. Then
I get in trouble for punching him.”
What kind of stuff do you write?
Oliver: “I’m kind of a nerd, so
science fiction. Or a 1920’s crime novel
mixed with Lord of the Rings.”
What kind of extracurricular
activities are you involved in?
Oliver: “I’m in Mulan, thespians,
orchestra, and the musical. And by the
musical I mean the pit.”
What is the pit like?
Oliver: “It’s dark. You walk in and
realize this is where happiness goes to
die.”
So why do you do it?
Oliver: “It’s fun to complain about.”
When did you start to play the
violin?
Oliver: “About the same time I got
my cat. I wanna say third grade. [It was
an] ego thing. Everyone looked at the
violins. It’s like, the violins are where
it’s at. I think at a young age I thought I
was gonna get some but I didn’t know
how that worked yet, so I felt like I would
get something, but I was too young to
know what.”
So you chose the violin because
you thought you would get some?
Oliver: “But I was too young to know
so I didn’t know what I was gonna get,
I just knew it was gonna be something
good.”
You’re fluent in both English and
Spanish, which one do you prefer?
Oliver: “English has more satisfying
profanity, but Spanish is more bada$$.”
What are some not-well-known
facts about you?
Oliver: “They’re not well known for
a reason. Oh, I don’t have a middle
name. Most people don’t know that”
What is your favorite thing in the
world?
Oliver: “Stuff that offends people, but
makes them think. That and girls. If I
had to choose between the two, I don’t
think I’d be able to choose.”
Where were you born?
Oliver: “El Paso, Texas. Literally
five minutes from Mexico. It takes like
five minutes to get to Mexico, but like
three hours to get back into the US. So
if you ever go to Mexico and come back,
pee before you leave.”
Where is your favorite place in
the entire world?
Oliver: “The Internet.”
What kind of food do you like?
Oliver: “Meaty, salty, greasy food. I
can’t handle sweet food.”
What do you consider “sweet”?
Oliver: “Like I eat one piece of cake
and I’m just like ‘eh this isn’t cutting
it.’”
Would you rather travel with no
set destination, or have a plan as to
where you’re going?
Oliver: “I’m going to take the third
option and say a set destination with no
plan. It seems that if you don’t have a
destination it falls to sh@#, and if you
have a plan it falls to sh@#it.”
What kind of music do you listen
to?
Oliver: “A mix between Johnny
Cash, electronic, dubstep, but mostly
Marilyn Manson. Lots of Marilyn
Manson.”
What song could you listen to
over and over?
Oliver: “Heart Shaped Glasses or
1996 or Cake and Sodomy.”
All by Marilyn Manson?
Oliver: “Of course.”
What are some things you want
to do before you die?
Oliver: “Run for a political office,
fight crime, finish writing a book. In no
particular order.”
Cats or dogs?
Oliver: “Cats.”
What are you most excited for in
life?
Oliver: “I’m not excited for anything.
I’m kind of a pessimist. I fear everything.
It’s like, people are like ‘Yay Florida trip’
and I’m like I still need to pay some of
that money yet. It’s like people are like
“Yay summer” and I’m like I need to
pass these classes first.”
What can you not leave home
without?
Oliver: “My leather jacket, iPod,
wallet, phone.”
Why the leather jacket?
Oliver: “It has a lot of pockets for
everything. Plus I can hide stuff like my
Marilyn Manson CDs in them.”
How do you feel about almost
being a senior?
Oliver: “It’s scary. I’ll have a time
limit to get my sh*% together, but I know
I won’t.”
What inspires you?
Oliver: “Literally anything. I wrote
a 42 page book off of a Facebook post
one time.”
What is your ideal career?
Oliver: “Gonzo-style journalism,
lawyering, or psychology. The type of
psychology that allows you to prescribe
medicine.”
So Psychiatry?
Oliver: “Yea, that.”
What are the best qualities a
person can have?
Oliver: “[When they are]
Understanding and willing to listen.
Listening to people does a lot in the long
run.”
If you could spend an hour with
anyone, fake or real, dead or alive,
who would it be and why?
After thinking for a bit, Oliver reaches
into his jacket, pulls out a coin, and does
a coin flip. It ends up as heads.
“You, because you’re cool and
Marilyn Manson scares me a bit.”
Which is more economical: diesel or gas engines?
By Keegan Pree
In today’s economy, travel is a huge
concern due to the constant change in
fuel prices. Daily driving has become a
hassle and loading up the kids into the
SUV to take a vacation is like throwing
your money in a fire. Average MPG
(miles per gallon) of the American
automobile in 2012 was about 23. Not
good when gas prices approach $4.00 a
gallon and diesel climbs even higher.
What can we do about it though? We
can’t just get rid of vehicles, so we need
to ask ourselves, what’s efficient, what
will last, and what fits your daily life.
Diesel or gasoline?
Diesel is the fuel choice for the
majority of America’s industrial
transportation, but what about as a daily
driver? Diesel is finally coming into its
own in the U.S. in 2012. Approximately
2.6 percent of all light vehicles were
powered by a diesel engine which has a
decent effect on fuel economy, but these
numbers are predicted to increase. This
figure is miniscule, however, when
compared to European countries which
boast over 50 percent of their
automobiles being diesel powered with
an average fuel economy of nearly 50
mpg! If we had more diesel cars here
in the states, a lot more people would
be able to travel which, in return, would
help businesses and most likely state
revenues. However, diesel is one of the
largest contributors to environmental
pollution worldwide. Diesel emissions
are responsible for the pollution of air,
water, and soil as well as global climate
change. There are programs out there
that have been effective in reducing
diesel fleet emissions by reducing sulfur
and aromatic content. These programs
have resulted in great improvements all
across the entire diesel industry, and
promise more improvements with
control in the future.
There are obviously many pros to
diesel to counteract the cons. Although
diesel vehicles, especially trucks and
SUV’s, are quite harmful initially on the
wallet with higher sticker prices, they
are almost guaranteed to run a lifetime.
A new Chevy Duramax can cost over
$40,000 and a Ford Powerstroke isn’t
far behind, but these trucks are huge
and still can get over 25 MPG while
harnessing over 390 horsepower and
765 pounds of torque to get any job done
. Now imagine a car, coming in at a
fraction of the weight but easily doubling
the MPG. This is the reality of diesel
power.
Consider this sampling of vehicles off
of craigslist showing the potential value
and lifespan of a diesel versus gas
vehicle:
Diesel
1992 Chevy 6.5 202k/$4000
1999 Lincoln Town Car 212/$3200
1995 Ford 7.3 211k/$7500
1994 Chevy 6.5 220k/$8000
The list for diesel vehicles went on
and on but there was only one listing for
a gas powered vehicle that exceeded
200k miles and still held a value of over
$3,000.
Gas engines simply don’t last as long
and fuel burns a lot faster due to the
alcohol content in gasoline, making them,
in some cases, less efficient than diesel.
Smaller gas burning vehicles are much
different than SUVs or trucks because
of the obvious weight difference and
engine size. In a car (assuming it’s not
a sports car) there is typically a four
cylinder motor or a small six cylinder.
The fewer cylinders, the fewer spark
plugs igniting fuel, providing decent gas
mileage. Nowadays, hybrid technology
and E85 Ethanol fuel cars are pretty
efficient. A hybrid car, depending on the
model, will usually run up to 25 MPH
on only battery power before converting
power into the small gas engine. E85 is
simply a cheap fuel with higher alcohol
percentage. Ethanol itself is alcohol and
the fuel type is basically alcohol and
glucose converted into carbon dioxide
(C6H12O6 ‡2 C2H5OH+ 2 CO2 + heat)
Cars able to use this form of gasoline
cost less at the pump and have special
modifications to cycle the fuel through
the engine efficiently. There are
downfalls to gas engines compared to
diesel engines, such as engine life. Gas
engines are intended for 200,000 miles
of regular maintenance before any
major engine work needs to be done
while diesel engines can run for 500,000
miles if well maintained. This is true
because a diesel engine is simply built
to last and be stronger because of the
nature of the engine. Diesel trucks are
heavy duty so their engine must be too.
In a diesel vehicle, ignition occurs when
the fuel and air are compressed,
generating heat and creating a much
greater explosion with less alcohol.
Because of this, the engine has to be
built to withstand the abuse. Gas engine
ignition is caused by spark plugs with
an air, fuel, and spark setting off a much
small explosion so the engine is built
weaker and lighter. So when you’re
driving your big GMC Denali or V10
F350 pickup on a gas engine, all that
weight and engine size makes gas burn
a lot faster. With all these reasons, you
can see why many people would like to
see an increase in the number of diesel
vehicles on the road.
May
12
Michelle Obama wonderful role model for women, cut her some slack
By Addi Martin
Ever since Michelle Obama’s face
appeared on screen at the Oscars to
announce best picture, many people
have been up in arms about how she is
“too far in the spotlight.” According to
USA Today, even her smallest move can
now spark a national conversation. Some
people argue that our nation’s first lady
has become more of a celebrity than a
political figure.
Mrs. Obama is responsible for many
positive issues. You can see her on
Disney Channel and Nickelodeon
promoting healthy eating and activity for
kids. Everyone knows that obesity in
children has become nothing short of an
epidemic in this country, with roughly one
third of children from ages 2-19
reportedly over weight. This means that
23 million kids are heading down the
road to obesity. Anyone doing anything
to lower this number, in my mind, is a
hero. Yes, the first lady may be on the
TV a lot more than most of us are used
to, but she’s also talking to kids about
making better life choices for
themselves. Everyone always says “the
children are our future.” She’s trying to
make a positive change within this
“future” for the United States, and that’s
really all we can ask for.
First ladies of the past are still known
today, so it’s no secret that they are in
the public eye just as much as their
husbands. Jacqueline Kennedy is still
known today for her style, fashion, and
charisma. Everyone still knows who
Eleanor Roosevelt is today and how
important she was to her husband’s
presidency, and she was First Lady
exactly 80 years ago. Being well known
as the first lady can be beneficial to the
President’s reputation. While I can’t tell
you if Mrs. Kennedy or Mrs. Roosevelt
were in the public as much as Mrs.
Obama is, know that they were enough
in the public eye that I am able to
remember them off the top of my head.
They were humanitarians and were
charming, intelligent and elegant women
all combined, making it hard to stay
hidden. Heck, a past first lady even ran
to be the first female President of the
United States, and is still connected to
the White House to this day.
There has been a lot of buzz about
Michelle Obama’s appearance at the
Academy Awards, and yes, I was most
definitely surprised to see her too.
However, if you think about it, it wasn’t
like she forced her way onto the list. It
was the idea of a big Obama supporter,
Harvey Weinstein, pled his request to
the Academy. Many were still not
amused by her surprise. Even some of
her biggest fans didn’t like it. Richard
Brady, from The New Yorker wrote, “...
Though I am a great admirer of the First
Lady, I found her appearance to open
the best picture envelope, accompanied
by the gold braided honor guard behind
her, wildly inappropriate in its affirmation
of the hard power behind the soft powerthe connection of real politics to the
EDITORIALS
representational politics of the movies
and the peculiar and long standing
symbiosis of Hollywood and
Washington.” In reply to this, I say that
yes, there are peculiar similarities
between Hollywood and Washington,
but yet, if it is “long standing” then people
are already aware of this relationship.
Therefore, why hide it? Being present
at one of the most watched award shows
of the year is a silly thing for a public
figure to turn down.
Michelle Obama has made very
positive impacts on our country. So what
if she’s in the public eye? If we think
about some of the other role models we
have out there, I think she is more suited
as someone to look up to. I think we
should give Mrs. Obama a little slack.
First lady Michelle Obama recently caught flack for being too “visible
in the public eye.” Critics say that Obama announcing the Best Picture
Oscar was thrusting her into the spotlight in an unacceptable manner.
Some people feel she should be less celebrity and more political figure.
Obesity becoming a huge problem in America
By Rachel Perry
Obesity is a huge (literally and
figuratively) problem in our society.
Americans as a group are much
fatter than they should be and it is
causing problems for everyone. We
are the wealthiest country in the
world; shouldn’t we also be the
healthiest? Instead we are sitting
watching TV while eating our Big
Macs and drinking a 72 oz Coke.
Obesity should not be a problem in
America, and something needs to be
done. Americans need to be educated
on the importance of being a healthy
weight, and also shown ways to get
there. Parents need to help their
children to establish good habits that
will help them to grow to be a new,
healthy generation. Obesity is an
issue that should be viewed as in total
control of the individual, not the
government. Something needs to be
done to end the “obesity epidemic.”
More than one third of US adults
are obese, and 17 percent of children
are as well. Not just overweight, but
obese. As in so overweight that the
condition severely affects their health.
Letting yourself become obese is like
putting a ticking time bomb on
yourself: eventually you will be ill or
even die from obesity related illness
or disease. Obesity leads to heart
disease, diabetes, cancers, high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, stroke,
heart attack, respiratory problems,
liver and gallbladder disease, and a
host of other diseases. Heart disease
is the number one leading cause of
death in the United States. While not
everyone who has heart disease is
obese, it certainly increases your
chance of getting the disease. And
obesity is one hundred percent
preventable and avoidable. So why
allow yourself to become obese and
increase your risk for so many
different diseases?
Health risks aren’t the only bad
side of obesity. The medical and work
expenses have taken quite a toll on
our economy. Obese workers cost
their employers an extra $11.7 billion
EDITORIALS
dollars compared to normal weight
workers. This comes from money lost
to missed work days, restricted activity,
and value of lost income caused by
premature death by obese workers. The
medical expenses are even more
staggering-$147 billion dollars is spent
in the United States alone! That’s one
fourth of America’s medical expenses
due to obesity, which again, is completely
preventable.
A big question is why? Why are
Americans so fat? The common culprits
are the rise of fast food and the lack of
exercise. Americans are busier than they
used to be with work and activities and
sometimes there just isn’t enough time
to prepare a healthy meal. So they end
up stopping by McDonald’s and getting
20 chicken nuggets, a large fry, and a
48 oz soda. Don’t get me wrong, fast
food is great. It’s just that if it becomes
your main source of nutrients, then it
has become a problem. Another
contributor to the obesity epidemic is the
fact that Americans have become
sedentary. We drive everywhere instead
of walking, and spend a majority of our
time plopped on a couch. All the time
spent not being active ends up as more
pounds on our bodies. Fast food and loss
of active lifestyles have contributed to
our nation’s fatness. Doesn’t it seem
wrong that there are millions of people
starving around the world, while our
problem is that we’re too fat?
One argument some people pose
is that some people can’t help being
overweight. This is true for people
suffering from a medical condition that
causes them to gain weight (like
diabetes or thyroid disease.) These
aren’t the people who need to be as
concerned about losing weight.
Another argument is that obesity is
completely genetic, but this isn’t true.
While your genes can predispose you
to being bigger, BBC.com states that
things like lifestyle, behavior and
environment are much more important
factors in your weight. The bottom line
is that weight and health are in each
person’s control.
Obesity is a big problem, but it is
totally preventable. What we need is
more education about being a healthy
weight, but even more importantly, we
need to provide people with
information on the importance of
eating healthy and getting enough
physical activity. We as a society need
to provide a way for America to be
healthy and end the obesity epidemic
before additional problems occur.
Fast food consumption and the lack of exercise have been cited as
causes for the growing number of kids in America who are becoming
obese. The Healthy Kids Act hopes to help curb the problem.
EDITORIALS
EDITORIALS
13
EDITORIALS
May
EDITORIALS
EDITORIALS
EDITORIALS
Assault weapons ban needed
By Drew McGovern
The U.S Government has
acknowledged guns ever since the
Second Amendment was put into the Bill
of Rights. Back when this Amendment
was passed, most guns could fire only
three rounds a minute, according Jock
Bergeron of eHow.com. However times
have changed, and so have guns. Semiautomatic assault rifles can now fire as
fast as the finger can pull, leading some
to believe new gun laws are needed. The
Federal Assault Weapons Ban was put
into place from 1994 to 2004. The
legislation limited magazine sizes to only
ten rounds and put out a list of all guns
by name that were prohibited under the
law. In addition, several guns used in
recent shootings, including those of
congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and
the movie theater shooting in Aurora,
Colorado would have been illegal under
the ban. In both of these cases, the
weapons used in the shootings would
have been banned, and the shooting
could have been possibly prevented.
Many political leaders want to revise
and reinstate the Federal Assault
Weapons Ban due to the recent
tragedies such as Sandy Hook
Elementary and others that have claimed
many innocent lives. This measure is a
commonsense approach, and needs to
be acted upon so more lives are not lost.
Gabrielle Giffords was shot on
January 8, 2011, seven years after the
expiration of the Federal Assault
Weapons Ban. During the event, six
victims were shot and fourteen more
were injured. Among the victims killed
was a nine- year old girl, with a whole
life ahead of her. Jared Lee Loughner,
the killer, used a nine mm, Glock nineteen.
This gun features thirty rounds of
ammunition in an average magazine,
making it easy for Loughner to hit many
civilians in a short period of time
according to CNN. The AWB limits
magazine sizes to no more that ten
rounds, which would have limited
Loughner in the shooting, causing him
to re-load much more often.
Daniel Vice, senior attorney at the
Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence,
echoed these assertions. Vice said, “It
would have drastically reduced the
number of shots he got off before he
had to pause, unload and reload — and
he could have been stopped.”
It only takes a second for a
bystander to see the perpetrator
reloading, and then jump on the suspect
and end the whole debacle. Based on
the knowledge from this event, the
Assault Weapons Ban needs to be
reinstated.
Aurora Colorado was also the sight
of mass murder and bloodshed,
occurring on July 20, 2012. The
perpetrator, James Holmes, used
multiple weapons, including a Smith &
Wesson M&P15. The latter is a semiautomatic rifle featuring a one hundred
round drum magazine, much more than
the ten round limit the Assault Weapons
Ban allows. Holmes was able to spray
a mass array of bullets in just a matter
of minutes, injuring fifty-eight and killing
twelve others, according to the Brady
Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
According to Lee Summit police officer
John Easley, most guns take seven to
ten seconds to reload. If Holmes had to
reload a ten round magazine in about
the same time as estimated by Easley,
this would add almost a minute and a
half in time, time enough for the police
to respond and stop the shooting earlier.
Overwhelmingly, the evidence shows
the deadly consequences of allowing
civilians to own assault weapons with
high capacity magazines.
Not only is their situational evidence
to support the reinstatement of ban, but
statistical evidence also supports this
position. Before the Federal Assault
Weapons Ban was first enacted, assault
weapons made up 5 percent of gun
related crime. However, as the ban ran
its course, the assault weapons steadily
declined to 1.61 percent once the ten year ban had expired. This equates to a
66 percent drop in assault weapons
traced to crime over that period. This
alone shows the benefits of the
legislation and the effectiveness of it
also. If the Federal Assault Weapons
Ban had not been in place, an additional
61,000 estimated weapons would have
been traced to crimes over just the ten year period from 1994 to 2004 according
to the Brady Center to Prevent Gun
Violence. Another example of the
Assault Weapons Ban effectiveness can
be noted in Virginia. After a slight
increase, high capacity magazines seized
by Virginia police dropped significantly,
all the way until 2005 when the ban
expired according to the Washington
Post. All in all, this overwhelming
statistical evidence needs to be
considered by Washington politicians,
and acted upon to help make the
increasingly dangerous streets of
America safe again.
Linn-Mar Senior Akhil Uddandam
weighed on the issue and said, “I think
we need to get these high powered
weapons out of the hands of everyday
Americans. It puts too many innocent
lives at risk.”
Although the ban has had much
success, critical opinions still reign down
on the legislation. For example, many
politicians think the assault weapons ban
is an infringement on citizens’ rights to
bear arms. According to the second
amendment, “A well regulated Militia,
being necessary to the security of a free
State, the right of the people to keep and
bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”
Although amendment does guarantee
citizens’ rights to own a gun, it doesn’t
say the citizens must own a certain type
of gun. Because this ban does not take
away arms completely, the Second
Just a few assault weapons available for sale at a recent gun show
Amendment is still kept intact. Another assault weapons were used in the latter
critical position on the ban was that it crime. Many have also related this
allowed copycats and minimally altered shooting to the likes of Gabrielle Giffords,
guns to be produced and sold. Gun who was killed with a similar weapon.
producers did this by perhaps changing All of the gunman in the preceding
a grip or a sight on a gun, then renaming crimes used semi-automatic, high
it to take it off the prohibited list capacity guns to kill several innocent
according to the Coalition to stop Gun civilians in a short period of time. In the
Violence. This is a valid point and a Aurora and Giffords shootings alone,
significant flaw in the AWB that should eighteen people were killed and seventybe looked at if the law is renewed. If two more were injured. These statistics
this loophole is closed, an even greater show that America’s assault weapons
number of deadly weapons can be taken laws are just not cutting it, and need
off the streets. Although the Federal revision. The Federal Assault Weapons
Assault Weapons Ban does have some Ban was effective in the past, and needs
flaws, revision can be used to help lower to be reinstated to help curb mass
future crime rates and keep the deadliest shootings and gun violence. Now is the
weapons in America off the streets. time to get our collective act together,
Assault weapons have become a hot and crack down on the unreasonable
button issue over the past months with selling and purchasing of assault
the recent shooting in Aurora, Colorado, weapons by the general public, before
and even Sandy Hook, even though no more innocent lives are lost.
Healthy Kids Act reduces choices
By Drew McGovern
School lunch needs to return to a
more choice-friendly environment.
A few years back, the al la carte
menu at Linn-Mar High School was
abundant with choices. Items ranged
from granola bars to brownies, however
now these choices have been severely
limited. Only foods meeting a specific
nutritional standard are now allowed for
selection due to the Healthy Kids Act.
In addition, several extremely popular
items such as soft pretzels have been
taken off the menu. These decisions by
the government have resulted in a
backlash from students, causing fewer
of them to even eat at school. This, in
turn, results in wasted food and much
of it being thrown away. If there were
options the students actually enjoyed,
there would be much less wasted food.
Also, students wouldn’t have to go home
hungry because they could find anything
they wanted to eat. All of these
problems can be solved by providing
more choices to students, instead of just
the extremely healthy choices. This
doesn’t mean healthy choices can’t be
available for lunch also, just that there
must be more variety provided to the
students even if not all of it is healthy.
Those against adding a more diverse
menu argue these changes would help
contribute to America’s obesity issues.
This is a valid point; however simply
eating a healthier lunch at school is not
enough to change America’s obesity
issues. Instead, kids will most likely go
home and overeat with unhealthier foods
because they didn’t eat much at school
due to the small selection. Also,
opponents say it is the moral thing to do,
providing only healthy choices for teens.
On the other hand, having the
government choose what we can eat is
wrong in many people’s eyes. People
should be able to live the lifestyle they
choose, even if it may not be in their
best interest.
Senior Kile Bean said, “ Freshman
year lunch was the best, we had a bunch
of choices. I always felt full at the end
of the day. Since they changed it though,
I feel like I have to go home in order to
find something I like.”
Overall, school lunch needs to go
back to its previous format, to make sure
kids have a choice in what they eat and
to limit wasted food. With most students
crying for their old food back, it seems
logical to give the people what they
want. The helpless attempt by the school
to change the students’ eating habits is
not worth it. The opposition says offering
only healthy food keeps America
healthy, however eating one healthy
meal at school is not going to change
the habits of a nation. In the end, school
lunch needs to be returned to its previous
state before more kids go hungry from
the limited options.
14
May
Nick Lee dabbles in filmmaking, excels in band
By Jared Belin
Nick Lee may look like just your
average high school teenager, but when
you get to know him, he is much more
than that. He is an up and coming
filmmaker and heavily involved in band
at Linn-Mar High School. He is nice
and friendly to everyone he meets and
his attitude is always upbeat and
positive. This German tackled the United
States and has come out of it with a
better knowledge of culture in this
extremely different world in which we
live. You would be hard pressed to find
a high school student who has gone
through the same experiences that Nick
Lee has.
What are some of your favorite
hobbies?
Skateboarding, filmmaking, and playing
soccer. I guess lurking the internet too.
Where did you grow up?
I was born in Germany. I lived there for
about eight years until my dad got a job
at Rockwell in Iowa. I loved it there,
the people were really nice and the
breaks were way longer.
How do you want to be remembered
by people?
Just as a good guy. Knowing that some
people think you’re mean or anything
of the sort just kind of makes me uneasy.
That being said, if someone deserves to
get told off then I’ll do that. I’m not a
pushover by any stretch of the
imagination.
What is your favorite movie?
I don’t have a favorite movie since I
watch them so much, but if I had to make
a list it would go: Lord of the Rings
Trilogy, Requiem For A Dream, Cloud
Atlas, Moon, Fight Club, Donnie Darko,
There Will Be Blood, and a lot more.
What is your worst memory as a
child?
One time at my grandparents house in
Germany I was swimming in a kiddie
pool and cut my knee on a piece of glass.
The size of the gash in my knee was
pretty massive and blood was
everywhere. I ended up having to get
stitches.
Do you have any siblings?
Yes, I have two sisters. One is nineteen
and the other is twenty-one. They both
go to college in Pennsylvania.
How would you describe your
family? I’d say my family is pretty
relaxed about everything.
Where do you want to go to college?
I’m currently looking at Arts colleges in
Chicago. I really want to get into the
filmmaking business when I grow up.
What is your best memory?
One of my best memories was the
summer of fifth grade going into sixth
grade. I hung out with my friends like
everyday and just did everything we
possibly could. Played video games,
explored, pretty much the average thing
a soon-to-be sixth grader would do. I
just remembered not having to worry
about anything, which was nice.
What do you think is the biggest
thing you have overcome in life?
Moving from one country to another and
being thrown a completely new
language to learn. I was going to be a
fourth grader when I moved from
Germany to America, so being talked
to in a foreign language by everyone
around wasn’t very fun.
What would you do if you won a
million dollars?
Save it. Then recklessly spend it when
the time feels right.
What is your favorite sport?
Soccer, for sure. I like the simplicity of
it and it’s a very easy game to pick up.
What would you do in your perfect
day? I would hang out with my friends,
eat a bunch of good food, and watch
movies.
Do you have a hidden talent?
I’m pretty decent at skateboarding. I’m
not sure if that can be considered as
“hidden,” but I don’t think someone that
does not know me would suspect that I
could jump a flight of stairs on my board.
What are your favorite classes?
Any English classes. I like to write a lot,
I find it to be a lot easier than crunching
numbers.
What are your political views?
I’m not really that big into politics, but if
I had to label myself something I’d say
I’m more of a Democrat.
Are you a morning person or a night
person? Night person. In the mornings
I have zero energy and always feel really
sick to my stomach.
If you got one superpower what
would it be?
Invisibility. That just helps out with every
situation imaginable.
Do you have a role model?
I would probably have to say my dad.
He’s a really hard worker and knows a
lot about everything.
Is there a cause you deeply believe
in? Not really. I mean I think it’s
ridiculous that gay marriage is still
frowned upon.
If you could travel anywhere, where
would it be?
Fiji. That place looks incredible, like
Heaven on earth.
Do you have any fears or phobias?
Public speaking has always been the
biggest for me. I guess just making a
fool of myself is the main reason I’m
afraid of it.
Have you ever been arrested?
Nope, I’ve got a clean record.
What are your biggest pet peeves?
When people chew with their mouths
open and when people don’t flush the
toilet after they’re done.
What were the greatest years of
your life so far?
Freshman year and this current year.
Reading opens new horizons
By Griffin Neal
Most people consider the term
“artist” in a misleading light, imagining
primarily purveyors of visual arts. In
reality, how far the scope of “Art”
stretches is still debated. You’ve
admired art every time you’ve enjoyed
a movie or song, regardless of its
intellectual capacity. Literature is the
most accessible medium of art that’s
making money today. You might not be
able to compose music or play an
instrument, you probably don’t have a
million-dollar movie budget, and you
might not have the science of visual
art under your belt. However, you
already speak English. A capable
grasp on your language is all that’s
required to write. You don’t become a
better instrumentalist by listening to
Metallica, and your budget only
dwindles when you go to see a movie,
but by reading the works of others and
exposing yourself to the language, you
will find yourself with a steadier grip
on your prose.
You’ll not often find yourself in a
situation that hinges on your directorial,
performance, or painting abilities, but if
you intend to pursue any variety of
academia, your language will be under
constant scrutiny. A large base of lingual
stimulus is unmatched by any other kind
of education when it comes to
sharpening your pen.
Prose has been the medium of choice
for intellectual discourse for thousands
of years. If you want a taste of older
ideas, you have a few options; if you’re
an art or music enthusiast you may find
the far past rich in enlightening ideas,
but these mediums are downright
abstract when it comes to everyday life.
Again, on the literary side, you’re
presented with a 3,000-year continuum
of commentary on how people should
live their lives, how they should achieve
personal success, and what life is all
about. Reading, unlike any other form
of entertainment, can, has, and will
always change the way people look at
the world around them.
According to the National Literacy
Trust’s 2006 research overview ,
reading for pleasure has a fantastic
number of benefits, including improving
“general knowledge … a better
understanding of other cultures … and
insight into human nature and decisionmaking.” Reading has been shown to
“promote or enhance social skills in
children … and to combat feelings of
loneliness in adults.”
Some people think that many kids
just don’t like reading, and there’s no
use in trying to read if you just don’t
enjoy it. That same research overview
provides the insight that the more you
read, the more you come to like it.
There’s a reason why they really try
and sell you on reading when you’re
young. No time is too late, though, so
why not start now? Pick up a book and
explore life. Reading is an avenue that
can open new horizons.
Students help with blood drive
15
May
McKenna Scott stays busy in various school activities
By Annie Stevenson
McKenna Scott is the type of girl
that is known for being nice to everyone
and always making people laugh, even
when she doesn’t mean to. You might
see her down on the volleyball court or
front and center at a band concert as
first flute. While we were at Java Creek
Café she had no problem trying to decide
what to order; a frozen hot chocolate.
What do you like to get at Java
Creek?
I always get a frozen hot chocolate.
How would you describe yourself?
I see myself as friendly and caring.
How do you think other people see
you?
They see me as nice. I hope.
What are some things you would
like to change about yourself?
Well, I am very uncoordinated so if I
could change one thing about myself I
would want to be more coordinated.
How many siblings do you have?
What kinds of relationships do you
have with each other?
I have three younger siblings. They are
Hannah, who is 14; Carter who is nine;
and Chase, my baby brother, who is
three. I would say we have a really good
relationship and we get along really well.
Is family important to you?
Yes. Family is very important to me. I
have a really big family. I have a lot of
cousins and I like all my cousins so it is
fun when we all get together.
What is it like having a baby
brother?
It’s really fun having a baby brother. It
is really cute when he learns new words
and stuff and watching him say what
he just learned is really fun.
What do you like the most about
high school?
I like all the freedom you have when
you are in high school. You get to choose
which classes you want to take. You
also have more freedom to hang out
with your friends more. I feel like my
parents give me more freedom to go
places. However, with more freedom
there is also more responsibility.
What are some of your bad habits?
Cracking my knuckles. People say I
crack my knuckles a lot.
What do you do on an average
weekend?
On an average weekend I would hang
out with friends, watch movies, go to
church, and go out to lunch on Sundays
with my family after we go to church.
What activities are you involved in?
I am in band, volleyball, Key Club,
SODA, Student Ambassadors and
Student Council.
What do you play in band?
I’m first chair flute in Symphonic band.
What position are you in volleyball?
Middle hitter
Do you have a job?
Not at the moment. I don’t know where
I would want to work. I am thinking of
applying at Target or at Java Creek or
someplace. I am thinking about it
though.
Who do you consider to be your
best friend and what qualities do
they have that makes them your
best friend?
Right now I consider Ella Pankuk
(sophomore) to be my best friend. I have
a lot of classes with her and we have
been hanging out a lot to study. Ella and
I have a lot of similarities and we like
the same things. We have a lot to talk
about. I like most of the same things as
all of my friends.
Do you have a bucket list?
Yes. I don’t have an official list, but I
have things I think of and I want to do
sometime. When I think of something
I’m like, “This would be fun to do with
my friends this summer,” and don’t write
it down. I cannot remember some of the
things I have thought of though.
If you had only one day to live, what
would you do with it?
I guess I would just see all the people I
love and tell them I love them.
Are you planning on going to
college? Where?
Yes I am planning on definitely going to
college but I don’t know where exactly,
and I don’t know what for yet.
Do you think you want to get out of
Iowa?
I don’t know yet. I know I don’t want
to go somewhere that close (like
Kirkwood) and live at home. I wouldn’t
mind staying in Iowa but farther away.
I don’t know.
Where do you see yourself in ten
years?
Hmmm. At 26 I see myself in college
or getting out of college getting a good
education and going towards getting a
good job.
Do you want to get married and have
a family?
Yes I want to get married and have
children. I think three is a nice number
of children to have. There is a high
chance of me having twins because both
of my parents were twins.
How would you parent your children
differently than your parents?
I see my parents as really good parents
so I would parent my children very
similarly.
Do you have any plans for the
future?
Right now I want to be an eye doctor. I
want to start a family and be an eye
doctor. I think being an eye doctor
sounds fun.
If you could meet one person dead
or alive who would it be?
Justin Bieber. I just think it would be
really fun to meet him.
How do you relax?
I just enjoy watching movies to relax.
When was the last time you cried?
I cry a lot during sad movies. I cry every
time when I watch The Last Song.
Do you sing in the car?
Yes. Always.
How would you describe a potential
boyfriend?
He has to be taller than me. He also
has to be nice, funny, and attractive.
The perfect date?
It doesn’t matter to me. As long I am
doing something fun with a person that
I like, its fun.
What is the one thing you couldn’t
live without?
The internet. It’s not like I use it all the
time and are addicted to it, but I am just
so used to it that it would be hard without
it.
What is one person that you know
you can trust?
My friends. They are my friends
because I know that I can trust them
and tell them anything.
What is the most important thing in
your life?
I know that my family loves me and will
always be there for me when I need
them.
If you had one superpower what
would it be?
To be invisible. I would like to listen in
on people’s conversations without them
knowing. Also I think it would be funny
to scare people.
Sophomore Madi Riley said,
“McKenna is an amazing friend, she is
extremely important to me and is always
there when you need her. She can be
hilarious when she wants to be, and even
when she doesn’t mean to be.”
McKenna’s Favorites:
Color: Purple
Movie: Pitch Perfect and The Lucky
One
Actor: Zac Efron
TV Show: Pretty Little Liars
Book: The Summer I Turned Pretty
series
Sports team: Vikings
Restaurant: Buffalo Wild Wings
Food: Oreos
Singer: Justin Bieber
Song: Any song by Justin Bieber
Game: Apples to Apples
App: Twitter
Class: Spanish or English
Teacher (of all time): Sra. Malmut,
eighth grade Spanish teacher
BBCOR bats now used in H.S.
changing the game of baseball
By Jack Strellner
Aluminum bats being used before
2012 had so much pop that it was almost
dangerous how hard you could hit the
ball. You would see balls hit off the end
or handle of the bat, that would end up
carrying to the outfield for a hit. If you
hit a ball off the end or handle of a
wooden bat you either hit a weak ground
ball or a weak pop out in the infield. High
school and college baseball found a
happy medium. They now use a bat that
doesn’t cause the ball to jump off the
bat like a trampoline, and that doesn’t
break like a wooden bat is known to do
if a player hits the ball badly.
College and high school competitive
baseball now uses a bat that is defined
as BBCOR. The BBCOR bat is an
aluminum bat that is designed to
deaden the trampoline effect when a
ball comes off the bat, which is meant
to lower the speed of batted balls to
make the game safer for fielders, and
most of all, the pitcher.
“The kids that adjust to the new
bats and realize they’re not going to
hit the ball out of the park will do better
than those kids with big long swings”
says Cathedral Baseball coach Bob
Weier. “But they know that they want
to get the sweet part of the bat on the
ball. The team that can move runners
over with the bunt, hit and run, and steal
will be much more successful this
spring,” said Weier.
2011 was the first year that this rule
was put into effect. Homerun numbers
and baseball game scoring totals
definitely decreased from previous
years. Baseball was always thought to
be more of a pitching and defensive
game, and back in the day, this was
true. Games were commonly won 2-1
and 1-0 with pitching battles down to
the bottom of the 9th inning. My dad, a
former coach at Muscatine Junior
College, always said, “Pitching and
defense wins games.” Before this
new bat, games were commonly cut
short because of the 10 run rule after
five innings of play. Ten runs could be
scored in a hurry with the bats that
were being used.
Last year, being a junior baseball
player at Linn-Mar, I got to experience
BBCOR bats first hand. It definitely
took some getting used to, because the
ball definitely didn’t carry as far as it
did in previous years. When you feel
like you just hit a double in the gap, it
commonly ended up that an outfielder
could hold you to a single.
Senior Austin Stroschein sees
benefits to using the new bats.
“There’s definitely a big difference
in the pop between these bats and the
old ones, but being a pitcher and
wanting to pitch at the college level, it
benefits me.”
Senior outfielder and cleanup hitter
for Linn Mar, says, “BBCOR bats have
definitely changed the game. The
sound of the bat is different so the
fielders have to get used to the way
the ball comes off the bat. I drove the
ball more with the old bats and hit more
balls out of the park, but I agree with
the new rule.”
The BBCOR bats are something
new and different to high school and
college baseball and will take some
time to get used to, but they will end
up positively affecting the game of
baseball. Although some hitters
preferred the way the ball would pop
off the old bats, the new bats will be
used in the future so players will have
to adapt.
16
May
Trying to sleep in a sleep-deprived world
By Addi Martin
As high school students with full
schedules, getting eight or more hours
of sleep a night is a laughable goal. With
after-school activities, early sessions,
and pounds of homework, only 15
percent of students reported getting 8
hours of sleep per night, according to
sleepfooundation.org.
This lack of sleep is causing all sort of
biological mix-ups in our bodies, including
things like weight gain and more acne.
Now, you may believe that you’ve
fooled your body into thinking it only
needs a few hours of sleep, but the only
thing being fooled is you. MSN.com says
that when a person gets to the point of
sleep deprivation, mental performance
declines, making it impossible for a
person to judge how tired they really are.
So what’s causing this recent lack of
sleep in Americans? There are many
reasons behind this according to
Webmd.com. Technology is a big factor.
I’m sure we’re all guilty of lying in bed
at night looking at our phones, texting or
browsing Twitter or Instagram, or even
online shopping, into the late hours of
the night. The artificial light given off
by phones, laptops, and other electronics,
close to bedtime decreases the release
of melatonin in the brain, a chemical that
we need to help us sleep, says the
Huffington Post. This may seem a little
extreme to our technology dependant
world, but turning off your phone, iPod,
and TV at least an hour before you plan
to “hit the hay” can increase your ability
to fall asleep faster, and stay asleep.
Other reasons, such as a hectic
lifestyle, can make it harder to find a
solution for our lack of sleep. Naps are
a good way to makeup for lost sleep
overnight, but even then you can wake
up still tired, or even drowsier than you
were before you went to sleep. Dr. Clete
A. Kushida, the medical director of
Stanford Sleep Medicine Center, has a
few tips on how to take the right kind of
nap that will keep you awake and feeling
refreshed instead of more tired. Tip
number one, don’t take naps after dark
since this tricks your body’s personal
clock into thinking you’re going to sleep
for the night. Tip two, drinking caffeine
right before you plan to nap can actually
help. A sleep study in England found that
the nap clears the brain of a chemical
called adenosine that is a partner to
melatonin in helping you to fall asleep,
and the short nap gives the coffee or
energy drink just enough time to really
kick in. Tip three says that if you’re going
to take a nap, a 10 to 20 minute catnap
is your best bet. Sleeping any longer
might cause your body to slip into REM
sleep, which, when interrupted, leaves
us with that groggy, more-tired-thanbefore feeling. The technical term for
this feeling is called sleep inertia. (Which
makes sense since “a body at rest tends
to stay at rest.”) It is also recommended
that the severely sleep deprived keep
their naps at a short and sweet 10
minutes, since they are more likely to
go into REM sleep faster than those that
are only somewhat sleepy. The fourth
tip is helpful for some, but not for all. If
you really need sleep, try going to bed
earlier, instead of waking up later. It’s
necessary to have a regular sleep
schedule, but going to bed earlier is
much easier on your natural clock than
staying up late and waking up late.
During the teenage years, sleep tends
to be pushed to the backburner behind
activities, school, homework and a social
life, but as these studies have shown,
lacking in sleep can affect all of these
aspects of your life. The less sleep you
get, the grumpier you are, and the less
likely your friends or significant other
will want to talk to you. If you’re in a
sport or musical activity, having no sleep
does more harm on your performance
than staying up late to get extra practice.
And everyone knows that when you’re
tired, it’s nearly impossible to stay awake
during class, especially the boring ones.
Do yourself a favor. Get some sleep.
Ande all about being an individual
By Sydney Schmidt
If you were to see Linn-Mar Junior
Fiameta Ande walking the halls, you’d
think of her as just a normal 16-yearold, making her way through high school
in the easiest ways possible. If you took
the time to sit down with her like I did,
you’d come to the realization that she is
nothing like anyone else at this school.
She’s all about being her own individual
and there are so many different and
unique things about her. She’s definitely
one of a kind.
“Whenever I’m having a bad day, I
call Fiameta. No matter what, she’s
completely honest and gives realistic
advice. She’s extremely nice and an
awesome person. I love being around
her,” said Keenan Peterson, junior.
From show choir, to music tastes, to
even being from Africa, there’s so much
more to the “normal” Fiameta Ande than
you’d realize.
What’s your biggest pet peeve?
Hyper people mostly. I tend to compare
them to Yorkie’s a lot.
Proudest moment so far?
I think my proudest moment so far would
be making the varsity show choir, 10th
St. Edition. We have a lot of great
performers and dancers this year so it’ll
be really exciting.
If you were given only three months
to live, how would you spend them?
I’d travel as much as possible. I’d love
to go to Oregon. I know, sounds odd but
they have a lot of awesome, different
people there. Sweden would be fun, and
also Egypt.
Subjects you enjoy the most?
I love English. I actually enjoy writing
and reading. I also enjoy psychology.
I plan to major in psychology.
What’s your favorite sport?
Basketball. I wasn’t the greatest, I
played for five years and enjoyed it while
I was in it.
What types of movies do you like
and what’s your favorite?
Comedies mostly. I love being able to
laugh. My favorite movie would have
to be Kevin Hart: Laugh at my Pain. I
am looking forward to seeing the new
Great Gatsby movie here in May!
What music types are you most
interested in?
Blues, Jazz, R&B, and Neo-Soul. Etta
James is a favorite artist of mine.
What are your political views?
My views side more with the Democrat.
What do you do for fun?
I don’t do very much, but if I do, I like
to hang out with my friends, or just be
with my family. I have a lot of show
choir events on Saturdays so it’s hard
to do a lot.
What do you consider your favorite
vacation?
When I went to Africa in 2002. I met a
lot of my mom’s side of the family and
just got to be with them for awhile. One
thing I remember is eating a lot and
trying new foods. We went to many zoos
and did a lot of walking. I was really
young but it was really fun to be with
people new.
What did you do this summer?
I went to a six week African American
studies program at Mt. Mercy that lasted
from 8a.m.-noon every weekday. We
learned a lot about the African American
history and even took a trip to Atlanta,
Georgia with the group. While we were
there, we went to a ton of plays,
museums, and took college tours of
historical black colleges and universities.
I learned so much and will remember
that experience forever.
How would you describe yourself?
I’d say I am caring, funny, and I feel
like I’m fun to be around.
What do you look for in a guy?
He’s got to be a good time, ambitious,
mature, friendly, and has to be easy to
talk to. Really, just someone I can be
myself around.
What’s your favorite type of food?
Favorite restaurant?
I love Italian foods, pastas mostly.
Chinese food is good also, oh yeah
WANTONS! I love wantons from
Pagoda Express. You can scratch out
all the other foods I listed, wantons are
the greatest things ever. Tings Red
Lantern would have to be my favorite
restaurant, though.
Do you work at all?
I don’t have a job right now. I’ve applied
at Office Max, Walgreens, and Old
Navy . I plan on getting a job this
summer, but my
main job is being a student.
What’s your favorite TV show?
I dont watch T.V too often. I do enjoy
that extreme couponing show on
TLC. Mostly any sort of comedy series
I’ll watch.
Do you like to read?
Yes, I love to read. Mostly biographies.
The most recent book I’ve read though
was The Genius in all of Us by David
Shenk it really stood out to me, I enjoyed
reading that book. His views of on
education gave me a different way of
thinking. His emphasis on discipline, not
giftedness is vital to greatness.
What time of the day do you like the
most? I love night time. The best TV
shows are always on at night. Also I
love sleeping!
Do you know what your name
means? Fiameta means little fire in
Italian. I wouldn’t ever want to change
my name, it’s unique and I like it.
Who do you consider your best
friend? Kennedy Japenga, Noopur
Inani, and Atlanta Madie, from Illinois.
I’m really close with those girls and
they’re so funny and supportive. They
care a lot about me and always have
my back.
If you could be anyone for one day,
who would you choose and why?
Levi the cat, probably. He gets to lie
around all day long and just really enjoys
his life.
Where’s your favorite place to shop
for clothes?
Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, Asos, TJ
Maxx, anywhere with clothes I like
really.
Do you enjoy coming to school?
Yeah, I actually do. I love seeing my
friends every day, and some of the
classes are even fun. I mostly like going
to Choir and English.
Are you more of a healthy or
unhealthy eater?
I’m not strictly a healthy eater. I just
enjoy food whatever type it may be.
If you had a time machine, would
you go forward or backwards and
where would you go?
I would honestly just go back to middle
school into freshman year. I’d be more
carefree and enjoy being a kid while it
lasted. I wouldn’t try to grow up so fast.
Who’s your favorite celebrity?
Kevin Hart for sure. He’s been through
so much as a child and can take his
lower points in life and make them
funny. His goal is to make others laugh.
Are you big in social networking?
Follow me on twitter: FiZZYFE ;) I
mostly just get on twitter to follow funny
people and friends. I wouldn’t call
myself obsessed. I just tweet what’s on
my mind. I use Facebook and Instagram.
How many siblings do you have and
what’s your relationship with them?
I have four siblings. Yobel, 20, is a
college student at UNI. Then there’s
Andrew, he’s a freshman here at LM.
I’m closest with Andrew because we
are the closest in age. Next is Eritrea,
she’s in 7th grade and goes to Oak
Ridge. Tsehaitu, 5th grader and goes to
Echo Hill Elementary. Mostly I’m just
close with the boys out of the four
because they’re closer in age.
Would you rather travel to the beach
or to a big city?
Definitely the beach. I love how mellow
and relaxing it is on them. Most the
people are laid back while at the beach
and that’s part of my personality.
Although I do enjoy a fast-paced
lifestyle, I’m more about the peaceful
places and being able to keep to myself.