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Friday, Jan. 27, 2017
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Volume 57 Edition 15
‘Know Your Constitution’ takes 10 Cedar Falls finalists The Cedar Falls schools have been attending the “Know Your Constitution” conference for many years. Kevin Kuker, U.S. history teacher at Holmes Junior High, has attended the conference for four years, and each year he has taken at least one student to Des Moines. In his first few years, very few students in his classes were finalists, so he was driving down one or two. This year 10 students made it in, and four were driven down by Kuker, and three were driven down by the Peet history teacher. Kuker was also fortunate enough this year to have one of his students, Devin O’Loughlin, selected for the educational trip to Washington, D.C. The “Know Your Constitution” contest tests one’s skills on navigating through the U.S. Constitution and how to apply outside knowledge in a well typed essay. To be eligible to be a finalist and attend the luncheon in Des Moines, students had to complete 50 multiple choice, open book questions and write a 200-1,000 word essay on an assigned topic related to the constitution.
One hundred out of the 1,000 students entered were selected as finalists from districts all around Iowa. Ten percent of those students were from the Cedar Falls district. Many schools arrived early to the luncheon to listen in to the question and answer portion of the conference. “My favorite part of the awards luncheon has grown to be the special information session prior to the luncheon. It’s neat to see and hear the award finalists break down and analyze the various components of the essay topic they were to write about,” Kuker said. During this question and answer portion, a board member broke down the essay and offered open ended questions for the students to add their input. Finalists and teachers enjoy the question and answer portion because it educates them on things they could add to their essay to improve it and make it more unique. “It’s pretty interesting to see how the same amendments, laws and historical facts can be interpreted in complete opposite ways. During the Q&A, points are also brought up that
I may have never considered. It provides a holistic view of the essay prompt,” finalist Aastha Chandra said. One of the favored part of the luncheon was the actual meal (three courses!) and the key-note speaker. When the finalists walked into the room, there were plump salads, three different salad dressings and bread decorated on the table. Also on the table was cheesecake, which was incredibly hard not to nibble on until after the main course. “I loved the food. I know it sounds silly, but the mashed potatoes at the luncheon were amazing,” O’Loughlin said. In between the feasting, teachers and finalists listened to a federal judge talk about her experience with the Constitution and how programs like these are dying down. “I also enjoyed hearing Judge Goodgame Ebinger speak about her occupation and its importance,” O’Loughlin said. The Iowa State Bar Association is trying to dip students’ toes in the civic careers as well give them amazing opportunities. “I’m most pleased that
the Iowa State Bar Association, Young Lawyer’s Division is so passionate about helping to get students to want to pursue civics-based educational opportunities,” Kuker said. Programs like these are recommended by teachers and students because they are a great learning experience and introduce students to a civics courrier. “I would recommend all students to take a part in the program due to the sheer fact that the Constitution is extremely applicable to many people’s lives at some time or another. Gaining an understanding of the document at an early age can only help in that regard then” Kuker said. Chandra, who has attended this luncheon two times before and this year had her essay displayed with few others, is another who values the Constitution for its importance. “Though I don’t plan to pursue law, the conference has definitely provided me with more insight on how it works. I enjoy how each year, the essay prompts cover controversial topics so that we can expand our knowledge on current issues.”
The closing part of the luncheon is the highlight of the conference. “I love seeing the faces of Washington, D.C., trip winners when their names are announced — they are so shocked, it’s adorable. It was especially exciting this year to have Devin selected for the trip,” Chandra said. Every year five students along with their teacher are randomly selected to attend an all-inclusive five day trip in Washington, D.C. Minutes before the five finalists were called, Cedar Falls finalists calculated and figured out that out of their 10 finalists, each had a five percent chance to go to Washington, D.C. As it turned out, one was picked. O’Loughlin was one out of the five picked to attend the week long D.C. trip. “I was so surprised, I started shaking and couldn’t stop. After the end of the luncheon, all of the people who got picked to go to D.C. took a picture for the newspapers, and I couldn’t even properly smile, I was freaking out that much. I was and still am so excited,” O’Loughlin said. By Staff Writer Sophia
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FTC robotics places 13th at Rockwell Collins competition
With fear in their eyes, FTC robotics team 6420 watched as their robot’s main power core blew out last Saturday. It was the league championship at Peet Junior High, arguably the most important meet of the season, when this robotics team lost connection with their robot and qualifying for a spot in the super qualifier matches in Johnston, Iowa, seemed in doubt. The team placed 13 of 25 for regular matches, but then team 6420 learned it had won the Rockwell Collins Innovate Award, which is given to a team that is creative, has a unique design and is an all around efficient team. This award allowed the advancement to the next level. “They had a really unique setup for their robot,” said Carmen McIntyre, a mentor for a sister robotics team to 6420. “They incorporated certain aspects to their design that many teams chose not to add, which ended up advancing them to the next level of competition.” Drive team junior Josh Borwick from 6420 feared for the outcome of the event when their robot suddenly lost all connection in the second to last match. Luckily, McIntyre’s team lended a vital accessory to 6420, following the First Robotics motto: gracious professionalism.
Casey McIntyre Photo
Team FTC had a little power source problem with this robot at the league championship on Saturday, Jan. 21 at Peet Junior High. “We ended up recovering and finished the rest of our matches just fine,” Borwick said. “We moved on to the next round, which is huge.” Borwick admitted this is not the first time their robot has had an issue during
the season. “Things wouldn’t work, so we were pretty inconsistent. After we 3D printed a lot of new parts, we became much more consistent.” Despite these inconsistencies, the team has made tremendous progress.
The game is played by shooting balls, called particles, into a center or corner vortex, and pushing buttons to light a beacon. There is also a large yoga ball, called a cap ball, which can be lifted for extra points. Team 6420 used a unique elevator system in their robot, which shot the particles accurately into the center. “We are one of few teams that can shoot into the center goal,” Borwick said. “That is something we are super happy about.” Agreeing with Borwick, McIntyre reflected on 6420’s skills. “They were amazing at shooting the particles into the center vortex,” McIntyre said. “If they can keep that up, I think they have a high chance of doing well at the super qualifier matches.” Borwick went on to explain the regrets 6420 possessed. “We worked hard,” Borwick said. “However, we always could’ve worked harder.” Disagreeing with Borwick, McIntyre said she thinks 6420 always gives their all. “It’s evident that they work extremely hard,” McIntyre said. “Every member seems to be super dedicated.” By Staff Writer Casey
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NEWS HI-LINE Millions of marchers use weekend event to ensure their voices, political issues will not be marginalized “Show me what a democracy looks like!” one woman shouts. “This is what a democracy looks like!” a crowd of over 75,000 passionate people who won’t let their voices go unheard, shout back. Signs are up in the air and fury and drive is displayed on individual faces as they march forward to the capitol to the beat of their determined minds. State Street in Madison, Wisc., was packed full of dads, moms, teens and children of all different nationalities and sexual orientations who were all trying to get their voices heard in what is going to become a changed nation. Cops who had been outside for hours were scattered around the streets making sure the scene stayed non-violent and under control. “The lines have been this thick for an hour and a half,” one said. “There is probably over 100,000 people here.” People who marched on Jan. 21 wanted a change in the results of the elections. They weren’t going to stand for the outcome, and they were willing to work for it. According to an article in Business Insider, “More than a million protesters marched in cities in the US and around the world, making it one of the largest one-day protests in American history.” People marched to show their support and belief in equality for all groups including immigrants, those with disabilities, people of color and sexual minorities as well as the fact
Friday, Jan. 27, 2017
Sophia Schillinger Photo
The day after President Donald Trump was inaugurated, over two million citizens around the globe, including the 75,000 in Madison, Wisc., marched to send him messages to respect many of the ideals they feel will be threatened by his policies. that they don’t support Trump. “Today is about showing solidarity around the country. Today is about recognizing how many people are behind the sort of movements we are representing today. My personal opinion is not much change will happen from today. There is a lot more work that needs to be done coming out of this. The future is not simply something that is going to happen to us. It’s something we all have to take responsibility for, so today we show how many of us who are willing to stand up and take
that responsibility, to be part of the future,” said Nick Schmitz, a marcher in Madison. While Schmitz marched, he held a sign in one hand that said “Smash the Patriarchy” and his daughter’s hand in the other. He explained that he was marching for his daughter’s future, that he was worried for it. People will do anything to get their voice heard, whether it’s hiding behind a phone and/ or computer screen and posting hateful tweets about our new president or marching in a peaceful protest in Madison
or Washington, D.C. “I think it’s important to voice your opinions, your political opinions, your beliefs. That’s the whole point of democracy. It’s the most American thing you can do, is question your government. If you are not happy about something, act, get loud, organize in a positive, peaceful fashion,” said Lieth Thronson, another marcher in Madison. All marchers had different reasons for marching. Some were marching for “No budget cuts to educational and social
services!” according to the Socialist Alternative paper. “I’ve been a feminist for 50 years, seriously, and I have been in protests all throughout that time, and I just want people to know that the government is taking away a lot of the rights we have fought hard for. And [Scott] Walker, our governor, has already done that. I am a retired teacher, and I was here for the protest back in 2011 when he took away all of our unions, and it’s just not right,” said Julie Chamberlain, a marcher in Madison. Some citizens were marching to unify the country “because we need to let our new president know that he can’t just be for white straight men who are Christian, that he needs to be for everybody,” said Brittany Johnson. Some were marching to prove a point to the new president. “I am hoping that Trump will realize that the popularity that is in his head, isn’t the popularity that is out here,” said Larry Gaboda, a marcher in Madison. And some were marching to get their ideas heard. “Maybe people will go and try to do things about money and politics, voter suppression laws, gerrymandering and the electoral college being kind of based on slavery,” said Ann Kunitz, a marcher in Madison. No matter what the cause of the marching, one this was clear, they are not going away. By Staff Writer Sophia
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Arts community shining light on diversity “There’s a light in the darkness of everybody’s life.” This lyric from “Rocky Horror Show” rang true after the last dress rehearsal on Jan. 19. Waterloo Community Playhouse, where the “Rocky Horror Show” is currently showing, was a participant in The Ghostlight Project. The Ghostlight Project is a national movement in the theater/arts community that alludes to the light left on stage to shine a light in the dark theater. The movement took place last Thursday, Jan. 19 at 5:30 p.m. in every time zone. Artists, allies and anyone who stands up for marginalized voices gathered after the performance, to shine
See video from the event on hiline.cfschools.org a flashlight or light from their phones into the sky, showing solidarity with anyone who needs solace in this time of darkness. The night before the inauguration was strategically chosen by the movement because a lot of people had been feeling hopeless and needed the solidarity to give them hope. Along with lighting up the sky, participants filled out a sheet that said, “ I AM (insert noun or adjective here) I FIGHT FOR (insert cause here).” Greg Holt, director of “Rocky Horror Show” and instigator of the event at the playhouse, then
collected everyone’s sheet that they had filled out at the event, and he has since posted them in the aisles of the theater. Artists around the world have participated in the act, some on the Broadway and West End level, others in their own rural communities, like Waterloo Community Playhouse. No matter what end of the political spectrum they fall on, The Ghostlight Project is a gesture from those in the theater and arts to show “There’s a shining star, no matter what or who you are.” By Staff Writer Albie
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Albie Nicol Photo
Shelby Davis at the Waterloo Community Playhouse performance of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” was one of many participating the The Ghostlight Project.
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Friday, Jan. 27, 2017
Making the Grade This year marks the second year of Cedar Falls High School’s plan to transition from percent based grading to learning based grading. The school is amidst a four year plan. Composition and Rhetoric, French III and Advanced Math IV classes are all piloting the new grading method this semester. While percent based grading is based on a composition of different percentages from various assignments, quizzes and assessments, learning based grading measures a student’s capabilities through their proficiency on well-defined course objectives using a numbered scale. A student’s proficiency is measured on a four point scale: four being the highest score that a student can receive and one being the lowest. A composition of the different numbers a student receives is then translated into a letter grade. The new grading method was first introduced because students’ percent compositions were not accurately representing what they were learning in class. Principal Jason Wedgbury said,
“There were a lot of different things all piled into that percentage and we often pretend that percentages are really precise when in reality it may not be the best reflecton of a student’s learning. Now we are trying to identify what’s essential.” Many students showed concern for the new transition, but Wedgbury assured that there wouldn’t be too much of a difference. “I don’t think there should be much concern. How you formulate the grade may look a little bit different, but at the end of the day you still get a grade for each course, the grade goes on your transcript, and all of your grades go toward calculating your GPA. Those things don’t change,” Wedgbury said. Eric Rosburg, one of the leaders in facilitating the new transition, agreed that the changes wouldn’t be super significant. “It’s honestly not all that dissimilar from what you’ve had in your math courses in the past. Just instead of a five point scale, it’s a four point scale,” Rosburg said. “As much as I know about this, I would be excited as a student because it would be very clear as to how I could get
Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) are options for juniors and seniors with acceptable ACT/SAT and or GPA. Freshmen and sophomores can take the classes if they are identified as talented and gifted. PSEO classes are college courses offered to high school students for college credit with minimal fees. Classes may not be taken if there is a comparable course at the high school. University of Iowa sophomore Daphne Becker utilized the opportunity of taking PSEO classes in high school, and this allowed Becker to become a sophomore during her first year of college. Becker took courses in philosophy and women’s studies. Becker said, “Taking college classes in high school allowed me to have a broader world view and surprises me every day by the fact that I still find myself using the information learned then still today.” For some students, PSEO classes are a good way to challenge themselves, make more time for different classes in college and save money. Counselor Amy Denholm said, “Students taking advantage of the opportunity must be academically ready and quite responsible; they are college students and expected to meet the same
requirements as any other college student in the class.” PSEO classes are challenging and they push you become a better student in any class. Senior Karen Sell is currently taking criminology at UNI on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Sell said, “Taking a PSEO class demands maturity because you basically go to class for taking notes and hearing what will be on the test. You do the readings outside of class, you learn the stuff outside of class on your own and the professor is there to hammer out the information that might be too difficult for you and to tell you what’s on the test. Don’t slack behind because your reading assignment is done for the week. There is always more to do.” Cedar Falls High School on average has about 20-30 students taking the classes each semester. Students may take one or multiple PSEO classes. Students can get additional information from daily announcements, Schoology posts and informational meetings. Meetings are traditionally in April and November. Those with any questions should see counselor Amy Denholm. By Staff Writer Lily
Dozens of students taking advantage of free tuition for university courses
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Three high school courses piloting standards-based assessments
the grade that I want to achieve. Clarity is what we want, so that’s pretty exciting.” There are some differences. “One of the bigger things that I would say is that you won’t earn as many daily points for completing homework, but you have to understand the connection: if you’re not doing the things to prepare, you’re not going to do as well on the assessments. So homework has to be a capacity that says I do it for the preparation and for the learning and not just for the points. That’s probably one of the biggest changes,” Wedgbury said. “I think it’s good training for college, though, because when you go to college you may have a semester test and a final. They don’t grade all of your homework in college, and if you don’t do your homework, you’re really going to struggle on those big assessments.” “Overall, the outcomes are going to be more clear. The teachers will tell you: this is the level of performance you need to demonstrate in order to earn the grade that you are seeking, so that part is actually going to be more clear.” Math teacher Josh Wilkinson is one of the teachers piloting the new grading
Scripting a Victory
method this semester. He described how he thought students should best address the change. “I think clarity is going to be the biggest issue. I told my students, if you don’t understand what you’re looking at in the grade book and you don’t understand how your grade is being put together, then ask a question because I would hope that moving in this direction it becomes much more clear about what students need to do to earn certain grades. If students don’t know how to get an A, then that’s an issue of me as a teacher that I need to make sure that I am clear as to say what my expectations are. I think that communication just needs to be going both ways,” Wilkinson said. “We’re a pilot team, we’re going to figure out what works well and what doesn’t work, so I think it’s just important to have patience and to know that there might be some bumps in the road, but as long as we communicate well, there shouldn’t be much apprehension in terms of this process because the process is meant to help the students.” By Staff Writer Clare
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Vanessa Kime
Senior Emily Fishel, senior Adison Pace and junior Julia Corbett line up their reader’s theater script at a practice before last week’s district speech contest. Their piece entitled “This is a Test” was one of seven others to advance to the state competition in Dubuque on Feb. 4.
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Racing Through Life Friday, Jan. 27, 2017
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For five decades, man has developed successful track record with cars “Just a poor guy trying to race.” Donald “Fuzzy” Liddell raced cars from 1974-1981, and without a high school diploma and one welding class at Hawkeye Community College, Fuzzy Liddell made a big name for himself in the racing world. “I just loved fast cars, going fast and not getting in trouble for it,” Liddell said. Before racing, Liddell worked at Joe’s Auto Repair and Kmart auto center, but he had always wanted to race. “I loved cars. I was always workin’ on ’em, and I loved it.” When he was 17 years old, he started racing and, boy, was he good. At one point in the start of his career, the people than ran the races at Tunis Speedway in Waterloo on Sunday nights stopped Liddell from racing. “Guess I was winning so much,” he laughed. “So, I took my red car and just painted it white, went back and won some more.” In 1976 Liddell had 27 feature wins in one season. “It’s a natural high, makes you feel good.” Liddell was unbeatable in ’76, many referred to him as the “king of the roadrunners.”
Liddell and others, Scott Braun and Jeff Aikey, both graduated from Cedar Falls High School, raced at Tunis Speedway as well as in Independence, Webster City and Marshalltown. The guys also raced in Nebraska, Missouri, Indiana, Wisconsin and Virginia. “We were all over the place.” Liddell won the mid season and season championship. He also participated and won a big ⅝ mile race in Minnesota, where he built his own car to race. Through all his racing days, his parents were always involved whether it was driving him to the away races or watching him every Sunday race at Tunis. “I messed up the rear end and didn’t have the money to buy a new one. Then one day I walked in the garage where my car was, and my dad had bought a rear end for it. Yeah, that was neat.” Liddell also had other supporters such as his wife, MaryAnn and his three daughters Tonya, Melanie and Shelly. Regarding why he picked his race car number, 27, Liddell chose it because one of his favorite race car drivers had 72,
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Donald “Fuzzy” Liddell left Cedar Falls High School early and followed his dreams to become a legendary race car driver. so he switched it around plus his middle daughter, Melanie, was born Nov. 27. “I just liked it, had to stick with it.” He has made long lasting friendships with other racers such as Braun and Aikey but also Corey Dripps, Kurt Martin and Jack Mitchell. But like all throughout life, some good things must have an ending. “It just got too expensive. It was too much with the girls,”
Liddell said. After stopping in 1981, Liddell helped other drivers by being their lead mechanic in order for them win like Jeff Aikey and Corey Dripps. With his background in racing and working on cars, Liddell started an at home auto repair in 1984 and opened his now shop “Fuzzy’s Auto Repair” in 1986. At 59 years old, he has become a very successful business and repairman within the Cedar Valley.
“It was lots of fun. I was all about the racing back in the day.” In today’s society everyone believes in order to achieve success and follow tradition, a person needs to graduate high school and college to obtain a good job. Fuzzy Liddell cut his school goals short to follow his dream of racing. In the end he became a successful businessman and a local race legend. By Staff Writer Tehya
conductor, Weston Noble. After graduating high school in 1955, Lucille was offered scholarships to go to University of Madison for voice, but she instead chose to go to University of Platteville. There she studied elementary education for three years and earned her diploma. A little more than a week after graduating from Platteville, Lucille was married to a man by the name of Earl Hintzman. The two had starting dating a few years before, after meeting at a mutual friend’s surprise party. Lucille described their dating relationship as one that didn’t really include much dating. “Mostly, he just took me to church on Sundays,” she said with a laugh, “but that was OK.You need to choose your boyfriends carefully. You can meet a guy that tells you he loves you every 10 minutes, but it’s how he acts and how he respects you that is so important.”
In the early years of their marriage, the two moved back and forth between Fenamore and Montfort, Wisc., Lucille teaching in various schools and Earl working as an engineer. Later, in January of 1973, Earl was offered a job with John Deere and they moved to Waterloo. Lucille and Earl raised their two children in a small house on Alemeda Street in Waterloo. Lucille was a stay at home mom, but after her boys went to school she began teaching for Hawkeye, working at both River Hills and Friendship Village. Looking back at her life, Lucille described how blessed she’s been. “I see over and over and over how God has been present in my life. My faith has been my strength. And we don’t have time to talk about all of the people that were placed in my life. So many blessings that I never would
have thought. Wonderful experiences. Wonderful privileges. I look back at how naive I was, and I just realize that there were always people there to pick up the pieces and help me.” Ultimately her life has taught her not to give up and to keep looking toward the future. “I say set goals. Set several goals. Set some goals for tomorrow. If you don’t have a short term goal, like for today or tomorrow, you won’t get anything done. You’ll never get any place, so set an achievable goal for today or tomorrow or maybe next week. Then set some higher goals, for long term. Set some goals that you might not ever reach because it’ll stretch you. And something else, I think choose your friends because the people that you run with, that will establish your reputation. That will establish what you make of yourself.”
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SENIOR SAYS Results elusive without settting goals Lucille Hintzman loves to talk, and boy, is she good at doing it. A member of Landmark Commons in Waterloo, the 80-year-old Friendship Village resident always has a story to tell. Born the oldest of 11 children, Lucille was raised by her mother and father. Her family moved around a great deal throughout her childhood, residing in countless places, ranging from a two car garage to a basement in the side of a hill to a simple house on Cherry Street. From an early age, Lucille knew what it was like to experience poverty, and she understood the importance of undertaking responsibility. “We moved four times in one town during my schooling days, and by the time I was 16 I had done a lot of different things to earn money. From that time on, I was entirely responsible for my own finances,
Lucille Hintzman and that’s really when I started making my own clothes,” Lucille said. Despite difficulties at home, Lucille was a good student. A member of the National Honor Society, she was an avid vocalist and partook in the choir and glee club at her high school. She was even given the opportunity to sing under the instruction of renowned Luther
By Staff Writer Clare
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Formal Friday For many Fridays mark the beginning of the weekend and a chance to relax and let loose from the pressure expectations of the working week, but for senior Noah Wolf, it’s a chance to celebrate outwardly with his finest formal wear. “I started doing Formal Friday midway through seventh grade. There was one other student at my school that did it, I wasn’t the one to start it. It began in March, after ‘Cabaret’ happened. I was in formal clothes for the dress rehearsals of ‘Cabaret,’ and the acts that I was in and I realized that I liked looking nice. I enjoyed dressing up. After that, I decided to start participating in Formal Friday, and here we are. I enjoy looking nice. That’s not just on Fridays. I like to look decent every day. I never wear sweatpants to school, always jeans, khakis or dress pants. On Fridays, it’s nice to put on a shirt and tie and come to school looking nice. Plus, it kind of breaks up the week, and gives Friday an extra way to be special.” According to senior Sara Hoy, her Fridays benefit from Wolf’s decisions. “Formal Friday inspires me
to also put extra effort into my day. If Noah can muster up the energy to wear formal attire on Friday, (statistically the longest day of the school week), then there’s no reason for me to be anything short of presentable any other day of the week.” People generally care what others think, but this is not true of Wolf. “I get a lot of weird looks on Fridays, and that’s alright. There’s plenty of people that tell me I look nice, and plenty that give my crap for doing it. Makes no difference to me. If people think I’m classy for wearing formal clothes on Friday, great. People can think what they want. I’d rather people think I’m classy than not classy, so that’s a positive.” Hoy said along Wolf’s classy side, “I’m a fan because I think it’s a great way to add some fun, something different, to an otherwise regular ol’ high school week. It always makes me smile, and even more so when other people participate.” With fans looking forward to this, Wolf said he’s surprised that
Flying an airplane is a dream captured by many girls and boys at young ages. Though as many of us get older, our answers to, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” changes substantially. Senior Justin Gray has held the desire of being a pilot since he has been able to talk. Not only does has he dreamt of this as a career, Gray has continuously made strong strides into fulfilling his dream while still in high school. Gray said, “I was pretty young when I knew that I wanted to be a pilot. There was no one event that transpired to make me decide to become a pilot. I just knew it was a right fit.” With travel as a major interest point for Gray, flying to destinations has boosted his passion and drove him further into the network of aviation. “My family and I traveled a bit, and I always looked forward to the next time we would fly somewhere. Any travel experiences I experienced have skyrocketed my passion. I love meeting people such as pilots or student pilots as well.” Despite his current young age of 18, Gray gained his first flying experience while in junior high.
“My first experience flying an airplane happened when I was 12. My dad’s friend took me up for a long plane ride, and I was hooked with the idea of becoming a pilot. Since then I have had many experiences, all of which are helping me reach my final goal.” Cheering on the sidelines, Gray’s family continues to offer immense support to him as he pursues his passion of flying. “My parents never question when or where I fly. They trust me to make it home safely no matter how long it takes. I have taken all of my family flying, so they put a lot of trust into what I do. Without their support, I wouldn’t get to take these steps towards my future career.” Currently Gray is working alongside the industry to take steps further into aviation. “I currently work for Livingston Aviation and American Eagle Waterloo. I work with private airplanes as well as American Airlines systems and operations at Waterloo. I enjoy having a job that allows me to be around what I love.” In the future, Gray plans to continue work in the aviation industry as he strides for his long-term goals. “My long-term aviation goal is
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Since seventh grade, senior shares his fanciest face for week’s end “it hasn’t really caught on. I’ve had people say that they’re going to do Formal Friday, and sometimes someone will wear a nice dress or something for a Friday, but no one else is doing it consistently like I am.Tradition has never been an particularly important value of mine, but Formal Friday is a fun tradition that I enjoy doing, so I keep up with it. I don’t do it because it’s a tradition of mine. It’s become a tradition of mine because I enjoy it.” Obviously, Wolf isn’t in it for the recognition, but that doesn’t make them go away. He said, “The only different treatment I’ve noticed are compliments. People are much more complimentary of my clothes when I’m in formal attire than in my normal clothes, which is understandable. I don’t get any special treatment of any other kind, at least that I’ve noticed.” Regarding what Wolf’s wardrobe choices say about him, Hoy responds with, “I think it says that he cares about himself and those around him. He puts in the extra effort to be presentable and goes the extra mile, which takes a
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Senior Noah Wolf loves to dress up on Fridays. good deal of motivation instead of just taking a cop out. Thank you,
Noah.”
By Staff Writer Claire
Since he was 12 years old, senior has followed his dream of flying
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Senior Justin Gray loves to pursue his dreams of piloting every chance he gets. to fly for an airline. I don’t have a particular one I’m desperate to fly for. I’d also be interested in flying for the Air National Guard or reserves at some point in my life.” As for aspiring pilots and aircraft workers, Gray offers advice
for taking the first strides into the industry. “Don’t let money or time inhibit your flying. I devote as much time at the airport as possible, or spending time earning money to fly. Also, making friends outside
of school is a great advantage. Aviation is a small, yet global community, and lifelong friends in the aviation community are not made in high school.” By Staff Writer Maddie
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Writer’s Workshop
Creating intriguing settings can be key to revealing your story’s characters
If you’re a writer struggling with filling a page, this article is definitely for you. As an aspiring writer myself, I constantly grapple with the need for action in my writing. I’ve never paused and thought about it, but whenever I fill a page, I tend to look back. You know what I see? I see lots of action, lots of travel. What I don’t see is any setting. Of course, there’s a small sense of where the characters are whenever the story requires it, but there aren’t any true place-setting paragraphs. I’ve read many a book, and all of those have placed me in the story itself. How? By filling pages upon pages with descriptions of what surrounds the characters. Setting is one of the most important things in writ-
ing, right up there next to character description. If you want to fill those pages with beautiful imagery, just keep on reading. •Does the scene take place inside or out? This could affect the weather, the temperature, or whether or not there’s wildlife around. •Is the space light or dark? You could use the lighting to make some characters invisible to others, a critical point in some scenes. •Is the space large or small? Within a larger space, sounds can echo, which can sometimes be deleterious to characters trying to be quiet. •How does it affect the characters’ movements, thoughts and interactions? If it’s a cramped, dark area, you could have characters comment on
the dim lighting or the restrictive confines. •How are the characters positioned in the space? The characters don’t all have to be seated at a circular table, so to speak. One or two could be having a separate conversation near the door, ready to bolt if necessary. •How do they perceive the space differently? Not all characters are created equally. Some could be used to wideopen spaces, while others prefer claustrophobic areas. •How does the space create or resolve conflict? For example, perhaps a character is standing on another’s foot, unaware of the other’s discomfort. •What objects are representative of the space? If an intricately carved wooden table is in
Follow these steps to maximize your musical inspirations Music artists like Sia, Adele and Ed Sheeran are all known for their outstanding voices, but there is more to their talent than you think. These three artists are rare because they write their own music and express their emotions through the art form of songwriting. Although there is no specific “process” to songwriting, there are strategies to know beforehand to make songwriting easier. Step One: Become Inspired The best way to start songwriting is to get inspired by other artists’ music. “Listen to a lot of music, find out what you like. A lot of people write songs that sound like the artists they listen to, the people who influence them,” said Matt Rigdon, a Cedar Falls-based guitarist, songwriter and guitar teacher for 20 years. Step two: Write Lyrics or Create a Melody Writing lyrics seems like a hard thing to do, but but it can flow from poetry, emotions, an inspiring person or a moment in life. The structure of a typical song lyrics consists of Intro/Verse/Chorus/Verse/Chorus/Bridge/Chorus. “It depends on the mood. I get inspired by happenings in the day, things I’m thinking about,” Rigdon said. Melodies, which could also be the first step in songwriting, can be inspired by a number of things too. For example, the rhythms of a train have inspired many blues songs.
Quick Tips for Songwriting: •Make a melody on an online software or play on any instrument to accompany yourself. •Find out what genre of music you want your song to be classified in. •If you’re stuck on trying to write lyrics, write down your thoughts or something that is going on around you. •Ideas come at the weirdest moments, like in the shower or when you are about to fall asleep, so don’t expect to just be able to write down lyrics and have a hit. Songwriting takes time. Songwriter Justin Hurwitz detailed the creative process behind the La La Land hit “City of Stars” in Variety magazine: “I was just composing it from an emotional place and thinking about the tone. I would say the tone is hopeful, but melancholy at the same time. And it kind of goes back-and-forth between cadencing in major and cadencing in minor because I think that’s kind of what the song is about. You have these great moments and then you have these less great moments in life and in Los Angeles, and we see it happen in the story.” Step Three: Finding Out What Key Your Song is in and Create a Chord Progression
When you find out what key a song is in, this helps discover what other chords can be compatible with the rest of the song. This is the idea of chord progression. Rigdon said the easiest key to write in is Eminor, which has chords or notes that are compatible with others. For example, Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer” is in E-minor. Step Four: Name Your Song Naming a song you wrote yourself solidifies the whole experience. It’s something that was made from scratch and is another way to express yourself. The name of your song might not even be related to the lyrics, but makes it whole. For example, the Beatles’ song “A Day In the Life” does not have those words in the lyrics, but instead it gives additional meaning to the song. Step Five: Perform and Revise: At the end of the process a songwriter should perform the song to make sure it is what was imagined. Expect to make revisions, which will either simplify your song or make it more complicated for the listener. “It has to apply to the listener more than yourself sometimes, but some songwriters get away with writing something that nobody will like. They just write for themselves and say ‘If no one likes it I don’t care,’ which sometimes helps them be successBy Staff Writer Sabine
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the center of the room, chances are that it’s a meeting area of some kind. •What themes are represented by the space? A funeral will have a rather somber tone to it, while an upbeat party is quite the opposite. •What role does the space play in the story? It could be the future death-site for an important character, unknown to the reader at the time. •What do the characters hear, smell, taste, touch, see or feel? A forest could have an earthy smell; a feast could be filled with many different tastes and sights. •List some words that describe the space. You can use this later to plug in specific feelings within your characters, and by extension, your readers.
•How do these influence the scene? If the ground is covered in fog, characters may be more cautious, for fear of tripping on roots. •What limitations does the space cause? If the area has a low ceiling, taller characters may have to stoop to walk around, causing discomfort. •What liberties does the space provide? If a bed is in the area and a character is tired, then the bed is welcome. These questions can be useful when you need to really bring your stories to life, and in doing so, make your readers want even more. I hope this article helped in your endeavors, since it’s sincerely helped in my own. By Staff Writer Ethan
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Bullet Journals useful tool for achieving ambitions As papers fall out of my notebook onto the messy floor, I wish for a pathway to an organized life. Could I keep a calendar on my phone? Could I write down my assignments in a planner? Where do I write down my goals and aspirations? As I reach for my papers, a lightbulb illuminates over my head. I’ve heard of a solution: Bullet Journaling. Bullet Journaling is a notebook system which organizes thoughts, goals, assignments and anything else imaginable. Similar to a planner, a bullet journal displays a unique page-by-page layout perfect for planning. So, what’s the catch? You create the layout. The process begins with a journal, blank and untouched. With a variety of pens and supplies, one draws titles and labels that dedicate each page to a certain ray of tasks. Examining my bullet journal, I fill in the blank that reads, “Name.” I swipe to the next blank page and begin decorating, adding stickers and washi tape. With a black pen, I title the page, “Notes to self.” Following this page, I begin my January spread. This location hosts a yearly calendar, monthly calendar, daily schedule and assignments. All of my thoughts, plans and assignments are now all in one journal. The biggest perk about the bullet journal as opposed to a regular planner, is the flexibility that comes with the opportunity to create a personalized layout. If an assignment is finished or you mistakenly spelled a word wrong, a page may be ripped out instead of being scribbled over, which is much more visually pleasing. A bullet journal can be any design you want it to be, while holding all of life’s collections. By Staff Writer Casey
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Behind the Lens Finally, the day arrived after being cancelled because of an early out, and the ninth grade art students at Holmes Junior High got to see the animals they painted for a project they did in the middle of the first semester. On Thursday, Jan. 19 a bus came to pick up the small class and take them on a 10 minute drive to the Cedar Bend Humane Society, and they all agreed it was worth the trip. “The animals there were so cute,” freshman Haley Williams said. “I’m sure most of us students wanted to take a pet,
Friday, Jan. 27, 2017
Freshman art students finally meet fuzzy foci of their painting projects
All Photos by Haley Williams or five, home with us. When we all first walked in, there was a nice lady who greeted us all and gave us a tour of CBHS. After the tour, we were set
loose into the world of animals. Of course, most people chose the cats at first. Overall, this was the best day in this school year. We all had so much fun.”
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Cedar Falls play debut draws attentio Background Information
title? A: “Uncommon Sense” is a phrase that sort of captures in a broad sense what it could mean to be "autistic." People on the autism spectrum tend to view the world very uniquely, and thus we might interact and respond to it differently. While our actions and reactions might not inherently seem "normal," they are just as valid and real.
“Uncommon Sense” was a play put on at the Gallagher Bluedorn on Jan. 21 and Jan. 22 by a company called the Tectonic Theater Project. The Tectonic Theater Project has done incredibly true stories and brought them to life with their multimedia imagery and sounds. “Uncommon Sense” took a look into what it means to have autism and how these people think. On the outside autism seems strange, but on the inside, it’s beautiful what autistic minds can do.
The Play Told By Our Community
“Uncommon Sense” follows the stories of five individuals living on the autism spectrum. All of these characters are based off of real people from the Cedar Valley who live with autism every single day of their life. Like snowflakes, no two people with autism are the same. They have different conditions and ways of thinking and going about their lives just like everybody else. An actor of the play, Andrew Duff, was diagnosed with autism at the age of two. In a radio interview, Duff said, “I get to play somebody who's autism is on the outside very different than mine, but there are elements that I’ve discovered throughout these workshops and these rehearsals that are more in common than one would see.”
Beyond the Script
The Tectonic Theater Project does a lot of multimedia storytelling through sounds and imagery. What many may not know is that autism is very much a sensory condition, so those who came to the play who had never experienced autism first hand actually got to see inside the autistic world. Even for those who know or love someone with autism, this play wowed audiences with the incredible feelings and intensity of it all. Not only did the audience get to see the character's stories through dialogue, but they also got to witness their thoughts, feelings and sensations through the amazing technology this company used. For more information about the play “Uncommon Sense” go to https:// uni.edu/uncommon-sense or http:// www.gbpac.com.
Inside Experience
An actor in the play, Andrew Duff, responds to questions from the play as well as autism. Q: What was the inspiration to start this play? A; Andy and Anushka, the director and writers, had autism enter their personal life. Upon this happening, they became very curious as to what autism
Andrew Duff (right) is an actor from the play, “Uncommon Sense.” actually is, and where it fits within communities. They spent a very long time researching and meeting with people, and over time they started to take what they've compiled and created scenes from them. As time went on, it became clear that the work that was developing was much more than a narrative of a few families, but a narrative of a state of being. Q: What is the play about and what does it include? A: “Uncommon Sense,” in a sentence, is a piece about autism and the people it affects. However, you can't really fit it all into a sentence. It's an experience of sensory profiles, an exploration of social dynamics when how one socializes is different, an inside look at how a family might fall or rise when confronted with hardship, even some instances of love and how someone with autism tackles that mountain. Like the spectrum itself, it's an extremely broad show, and through these different characters and moments, we hope the audience can start to see autism differently, no matter what perspective they've held initially. Q: What do you expect as a reaction from your audience? A: I really don't know! I've been working with Tectonic Theater Project on this piece for so long that I feel like I have even more of a bias then I should. That being said, I truly do think people will enjoy “Uncommon Sense.” It has a lot of your traditional theater elements we love; comedy, romance, drama, but there's so much more. The set is a piece of art within itself; I don't want to spoil anything, but let's just say that some aspects of it remind me of a large puzzle :) The sound design and projections both add another layer to the experience, constantly challenging and informing the audience to what's happening on stage. All of the actors have really taken the time to examine autism from a
new lens, and Andy and Anushka have worked very closely with each actor in order to develop their characters and how they behave. Above all, I think (and hope) that everyone who sees this play has their perception of autism both represented and challenged, with the end goal being that everybody learns something and has such a great time doing it that they want to come back again and again to keep learning and discovering. Q:How do you think the multimedia aspect of the play will enhance it? A; Autism is very often categorized as a social disorder, and while that is accurate, it's important to remember that the sensory profiles of each person on the spectrum are unique. For example, some people on the spectrum are very sensitive to light, to the point where certain lights, such as fluorescents, can be overwhelming and painful. Others might be soothed or stressed by noise, such as a passing car or rippling water. As the actors play out our reactions, the multimedia aspects will serve as a brief glimpse into what they might be seeing, hearing, experiencing. This way, the audience isn't left completely in the dark, but rather able to understand and sympathize with what the characters are going through. Q: How long did this play take to get ready for opening night? A: I honestly couldn't give an exact timeline! Andy and Anushka have been working on this for years, and I've been involved in numerous workshops and readings, both on and off campus. For this opening night show, we've spent a few weeks in NYC rehearsing and discovering new elements, and even now in tech we continue to discover. It’s been a long road, and we're not at the end of it yet, but opening night will be a culmination of years of work. Q: Could you please explain the
Q: What will this play reveal about people with autism that we may not know? A: I think “Uncommon Sense” will allow everybody to walk away with new information and perspectives. Whether it’s learning more about how somebody who is nonverbal communicates, or how a young adult on the spectrum deals with everyday stresses, I strongly believe there is something to gain for everyone. What I do think everyone will learn is that autism is more broad than its clinical definition, and that for as different as people on the spectrum might be, there are also places to connect and relate as well. Q: How have this play and the journey of being a part of creating it made you feel. What was going through your head or what surprised you? A: From the very first time I met Andy, the entire project was ambitious and bold. The idea of exploring autism not only with such depth, but to have faith in the audience to take their experience and come to their own conclusions, was both thrilling and terrifying. The world of autism in this day and age seems like it’s more complicated and polarizing than ever. “Uncommon Sense,” more than other portrayals of the spectrum in the arts, doesn't aim to side with one perspective or one "type of autism." Instead, Andy and Anushka aim to share the stories and perspectives they've acquired over years of discovery and open up the world to furthering the discussion on what autism is, what it means, and how we as a community should perceive it. As somebody on the autism spectrum, I couldn't be more thrilled to be a part of it.
T h e S p e c t r u m Project
T h e Spectrum Project is a locally run program that lets children on the spectrum jump into drama and music. The project started in 2015 with a grant from UNI and was based off a similar program
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on to wide range of life with autism run at Ball State University called The Prism Project. The Spectrum Project begins rehearsals in January and works until their performance in April. The final show will be at the Bengtson Auditorium at UNI on April 2 at 2 p.m. Kevin Droe, The Spectrum Project coordinator, gave insight into what this program really does and who all it affects. “Our program provides a music, movement, drama and art opportunity for children with differing abilities. Each performer is partnered with a college ‘buddy’ who together rehearse for a show in April. Buddies come from the University of Northern Iowa, Allen College and Hawkeye Community College. Performers come from all over the Cedar Valley,” Droe said. Since the autism spectrum ranges so widely, Droe explained how they accommodate to each participant's needs. “Our staff and buddies are very patient and very enthusiastic to work with the performers. That alone makes for a wonderful experience for most children. Our performers with autism can have special enthusiasms or interests, and we try to showcase those for the public,” Droe said, “The best thing about autism is that it demonstrates how different each of us are. Each person with autism is as different as you and me. No two people have the same wants, needs, interests, loves, etc.. It’s no different for people with autism. They’re no different than anyone else, and that is what we hope to communicate in our shows.” Not only does this program leave an imprint on the children, but it also affects the adults and “buddies” who help out with the program. “Although our performers have a great time and learn to perform a show on a stage, the biggest change comes from the buddies and staff who get to work with the performers. We make the biggest change. Some buddies enter our program not sure about how to interact with people with disabilities, and they leave which a whole new perspective that these performers can do many things they didn’t think they could do. The saddest part comes after the show when buddies say goodbye to their performer. They formed a bond with a person they never thought they would. It’s a beautiful thing. It’s a place for everyone,” Droe said.
Talking to a Professional
Dr. Paul Conditt, a psychologist for his self-operated Conditt Psychological Services, explained what it is that he
Autism isn’t a processing error, it’s a different operating system.
Dr. Paul Conditt does and his ideas on autism. “Autism is a neuro-developmental condition that affects each person differently. The autism spectrum is wide, and there’s a common saying that explains, ‘If you’ve seen one person on the spectrum, you’ve seen one.’ The overall prevalence rate is 1/68 children, with 1/42 boys having it. However, these numbers are rising. About 80 percent of all people on the spectrum are male. That means for the approximately 1,000 students at CFHS, about 15-20 are probably on the spectrum,” Conditt said. “Nearly all people with autism have difficulty reading social cues. They may misinterpret people, and their thinking tends to be overly concrete and literal. When they are interested in something, they can dive quite deeply into the subject and remember amazing details. Some have learning difficulties while others do quite well in school,” Conditt said. Conditt has been working on a sensory integration gym for the past year and hopes to open it in the spring of 2018. “The sensory gym will be named The Sensational Place. It will have a large gym with different types of equipment that gives people opportunities for sensory stimulation. It will have different types of swings, a ball pit, a zip line and hopefully a climbing wall. It will have a quiet room and a separate waiting room for parents who may just want to read and not have to worry about their children getting into trouble,” Conditt said. “Engaging in certain types of activities, such as swinging, climbing or using a scooter while on your stomach, engages different sensory systems. We’re finding that when children and teens can engage regularly in such activities, they tend to be calmer, more focused and happier. Most autistic melt-downs occur because the person is over-stim-
The Sensational Place, a sensory integration gym for autistic kids. ulated with both sensory and social information. They can’t process it correctly, so they either melt down or shut down. Having a sensory lifestyle, where they get the necessary input and activity, can help with that,” Conditt said.
Sensory Toys
Sensory Toys are toys or items that children on the spectrum like to have in hand or play with because it may soothe or relax them. Here are a few examples: • Anything that you can drop • Anything that can spin • Anything that squishes or has gel • Anything with a different texture (fur, velcro, etc.) • Anything that vibrates • Beads and string • Rice • Koosh Balls • Liquid Timers • Colorful Lights or imagery
Student Thoughts
Erin Buchholz, a Peet eighth grader, was cheering at a boys basketball game against Bunger when she witnessed a heartwarming story where a child on the spectrum took his shot. “At the first boys basketball game playing Bunger there was a kid on the other team. He acted different than his teammates. He has autism. He never really got the ball, and he was overlooked. When he got the ball, the Peet team just stayed out of his way, and he made a basket and when he made
a basket, the crowd went wild. His team, his coach and his mom were all so proud of him. Kids with autism are most of the time overlooked, ignored and classified as weird, but I believe that should change. That you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, and just because someone is different than you that doesn't mean that they are weird or someone you shouldn't be around. That just means that that's one more reason to love them because underneath everything on the outside, we're all human on the inside, and that will never change,” Buchholz said. Senior Abbie Lund had some strong feelings about how Cedar Falls goes about children with disabilities. “I think that people with autism and other disabilities in Cedar Falls need to be included more in classes. I wish they weren't confined to that one hallway in the basement. I really believe that people with disability need to be included with other kids that don't have a disability, for the better of the person with a disability, and the better of the students that don't as well. All of us need more interaction with each other. We are not different, and I think that Cedar Falls schools do an insufficient job of relaying that to their students. We are all people who learn at school, and it doesn't make sense to me that people with disability have to learn away from everyone in that dim hallway,” Lund said. By Staff Writer Alayna
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Following these signs, you’ll be to find familiar constellations in night skies
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Have you ever wondered how to find some of the many constellations in the night sky? Do you want to know the best times to view those constellations? This guide will help you locate 15 of the many beautiful groups of stars in the sky.
Aquarius is faint and often hard to see, but can be best viewed in October. Although this constellation is one of the larger and well known ones, it can be hard to spot. It doesn’t have any bright stars or defining features. One thing is for sure, you wouldn’t find this constellation in a city, you would need to find a place with little to no light to catch a glimpse of it.
Aquila is best viewed in September or late summer, in the lines of the milky way band. To view this you should look towards the southern sky in late summer.
Cygnus
Cassiopeia is best viewed in November. Note that this constellation looks like a slightly disheveled “W” and is formed by five bright stars.
Pisces can be seen the best in November. Like Aquarius, you’ll need to be in a dark enough place to find this constellation. It looks like a large “V” with an “O” on the end of one of the points.
can be seen the best in September. This constellation looks like a cross, the brightest star in the sky being the very top of said cross.
Lyra is best seen in August. This constellation looks like a lopsided square or a parallelogram with a tail to a bright star. Note that this constellation is small, and is almost directly overhead.
Aries can be best viewed in December. This constellation is formed by four, sometimes five stars.
Gemini is best viewed in February. The constellation can look like a rough “U“ shape, or can look like two people holding hands.
Leo can be seen the best in April. Some suggest that it looks like a backward question mark, but it can also have the appearance of a computer mouse.
Taurus can be seen the best in January. This constellation looks like a “K” or a “V” with two extra tails. Scorpius
is viewed the best in July. This constellation is made up of many bright stars and can be easily spotted in the night sky. Although it is supposed be seen as a scorpion, it can also be seen as a shrimp.
Ursa Major is seen the best in April. This constellation can be found if you first find the Big Dipper and from there find the few other stars making up the constellation making it look like an animal.
Canis Major can be seen the best in February. One way to find the start of it is to find the brightest star in the night sky. One thing to note is that this constellation looks somewhat like a stick figure without a head and tends to show up near dawn.
Orion is best viewed in January. This constellation is visible around the world, making it the most famous. The three bright and close together stars making up the “belt” are the easiest part to find.
Ursa Minor can be viewed the best in June. This constellation contains the North Star and is famous for doing so. Ursa Minor looks like an upside down Big Dipper, or better known as the Little Dipper. By Staff Writer Skylar
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Fans of these eight tunes will find plenty to discover from artists offering covers
For many years, covers have been a touchy subject for music fans. Many are scared that covers will ruin the original taste of a song. It’s true, covers are risky, especially when an artist covers a truly great song, and covers that rival the original are few and far between. However, when executed perfectly, a cover can bring new light on the original song, resulting in greater appreciation of the original artist and an exhibit of artistic talent from the artist that covers it because it takes loads of talent to cover a song well. It is obvious that covers can never top certain original songs, but covers that are done well can be appreciated in a different way than the original because they take on the style of a new artist while keeping the lyrics and melodies of the original songs. While covers can be a sensitive topic for any music lover and give anxiety to fans of artists who get covered, they can give a great new spin on your favorite song and compliment the original sound. Here are a list of covers that rival or are even better than the original. Catfish and the Bottlemen “Black Skinhead” (Kanye West)
Ball Park Music “Diane Young” (Vampire Weekend)
Arctic Monkeys “Hold On We’re Going Home” (Drake)
Julia Jacklin “Someday” (The Strokes)
San Cisco “Get Lucky” (Daft Punk feat. Pharrell)
Flume featuring Vince Staples, Kucka, Ngaiire and Vera Blue “My Boo” (Ghost Town DJ’s)
The Lennings “You’re the One That I Want” (John Travolta & Olivia Newton John, Grease)
James Bay “If I Ain’t Got You” (Alicia Keys)
This is another cover where your preference in music would dictate the rivalry of the original hip-hop song versus the Welsh rock band’s semi-acoustic rendition. Despite whether or not you prefer the original to the cover, it is undisputable that the musical genius of Catfish and the Bottlemen is portrayed by their ability to mash three songs from different genres, like the Yeezus hit, The Black Keys’ “Howlin’ For You,” and Kasabian’s “Shoot the Runner.” Bluesy, distorted, acoustic guitar along with powerful, hollow drums and the unbelievably smooth and debonair vocals of frontman Van McCann take this song into another world. The way the tracks are stitched together is seamless, and the verses that West presents as raps are sung with a grungy twinge by the indie-rocker to give a much more raw sound. I am a Kanye fan. I am also a Catfish and the Bottlemen fan, and this thunderous cover was amazing in the most unexpected way by mashing genres that should generally never be allowed together.
English rock band Arctic Monkeys covered Drake’s hit, and it was anything but disappointing. With fantastic and unnervingly-catchy stick-tapping and snare drum beat leading the bubbly guitar, plucky bass and smooth vocals throughout the song, frontman Alex Turner turns the hip-hop hit into an invincibly cool and rock punctuated song. The obvious difference in style is something that would make this cover unexpected or even make one hesitant to listen; however, Turner’s voice is perfect for the track, and the mood of the cover is much more alluring with the signature grooving rock sound of the wildly popular English four-piece.
The young Australian indie band brought a much more youthful and fresh sound to the techno dance hit. The song starts out slowly, incorporating electric guitar strums and a bongo rhythm that quickly pick up in the chorus to a quick and nonchalant drum beat. With a contrasting style to the original, this cover is enjoyable in different ways. If you prefer synthetic beats and techno influence, the original probably holds the top spot. However, if those who prefer more indie and rock influenced music should give this awesome cover a try.
The Lennings brought their own indie-inspired sound to flip the 1978 hit from Grease 180 degrees. In my opinion, the acoustic rendition is much better than the hit musical song, and it’s almost like The Lennings’ cover is the original, while the original was ruined by the TV entertainment industry. The cover is much more practically “listenable” and smooth and perfect for relaxing. The Lennings bring their own indie vibe to the previously pop tune with soft fluid vocals and guitars that slacken the uptight riffs of the original.
“Diane Young” is one of my favorite tracks of all time, so naturally, I was a person who was very hesitant to appreciate this cover. However, Aussie group Ball Park Music was able to keep the energy of the original tune, while also adding their own youthful style as something that could be classified as pleasant, artistic, organized and foot-tapping racket. The cover is jiving, fresh and not as smooth, and has less jazz influence than the original. Vampire Weekend frontman Ezra Koenig’s quirky voice distortion, fast paced groove, head-bobbing guitar and saxophone are replaced with a much more raw keyboard, bass and tambourine in the cover, giving off a more grunge sound, rather than the original pumped up rocker sound that landed the original track as No. 11 on Time’s Best Songs of 2013. While I would probably never say this cover is truly better than the original, it certainly gives it a run for it’s money and helps to compliment the original hit tune even more, and the fact that someone else can bring their own style to this song without ruining it is great to see.
This is a song that I hold near and dear to my heart, so for me to have to enjoy a cover of this song would take a great artist. I had never heard of Aussie singer/ songwriter Julia Jacklin prior to this cover, but she and her band tackle the cover with grace and a sound that can only be described as “wistful.” Jacklin slows down the sound of the original with a steady drum beat and muted guitar for a nostalgic sound. Jacklin’s feathery guitar and longing, tremulous vocals bring out the emotional core of the rock hit, and it is perfectly paired with a male harmony of her drummer. While no cover could top the original sound of The Strokes’ “Someday,” Jacklin is the only artist I have listened to that has come close.
Recorded live for Australian radio show Triple J, this cover is a perfect example of a cover that is unquestionably better than the original. The 1995 track finds a new purpose as Flume adds a much more bright and sophisticated sound using electronic drums and cascading melodies. The sound perfectly contrast the romance of Staple’s fresh and laid back verses, and the chorus of cool harmonies from the group of ladies helps bring the piece together to a song that should be included on everyone’s playlists.
Plucky guitar riffs and soulful vocals are what makes this cover worth the listen. The English singer/songwriter lends a husky and more rock styled cover of the R&B hit, giving it an edge that is unparalleled to the original. The guitar puts a perfect spin on the song, and full vocals from Bay give the chorus a new depth, making it much more heavy and indie-influenced than the Alicia Keys record. By Staff Writer Elise
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Too many stories overloaded with fancy but neglect lessons for exploring today
“Utopia” is a word that within itself is impossible to achieve. This word’s definition is often cited as a majestic, beautiful future time where humanity has solved all of life’s problems, containing but not limited to war, hunger, disease, racism, sexism and terrible pop music. In this coming period everyone is able to be as jolly and loving as possible, life is fantastic and despair is nonexistent. The majority of people who are familiar with this word, though, do not know the origin. In 1516, a man named Sir Thomas More created the word for a novel about a fictional perfect island in the Atlantic Ocean, simply titled “Utopia.” He created the word from the greek words meaning “not” and meaning “place,” translating to No Place. Even within the word itself, it already is impossible. The only way to properly explain it is as No Place, a mystical point in time that will forever be out of reach of us until there is no one left to chase after it anymore. The mere idea of a utopian society, though, has unsurprisingly driven many different figures to try and create this future land of paradise. The most notable name of modern times who attempted this was a man named Adolf Hitler. That did not go well. This is just one example of many that shows the true fate that so called “utopian societies” end up succumbing to. The polar opposite of the utopia, the dystopia. People have been obsessed with ideas of a dystopian world ever since 1726 when “Travels into Several Remote Nations of the World. In Four Parts. By Lemuel Gulliver, First a Surgeon, and then a Captain of Several Ships” (more commonly known as “Gulliver’s Travels”) by Jonathan Swift was published. With its unique writing style it was able to show
a ridiculous world of chaos and disorder, having rather large parallels to the real world’s absurdness. This started off an extraordinary sub-genre of art focussed on taking issues within society at the time of the certain art form being created and expanding the problems to extreme heights in a fictional future where these faults will ruin a portion or all of how we live our lives. One was able to comment on what they saw in the world by reflecting on it from a future perspective where ideas possibly only gaining attraction when the work was created were then responsible for the absolute failure of humanity. Incredible novels such as “1984” by George Orwell about the dangers of totalitarianism and the idea of thought crime and “Brave New World” by Aldous Huxley about society being taken over with sex, drugs, consumerism and the idea that if too much useless information is flooded out, no one will ever focus on the important news necessary to know were created using this technique. Many more incredible works such as “A Clockwork Orange” by Anthony Burgess, “Fahrenheit 451” by Ray Bradbury and “The Trial” by Franz Kafka reveal the fantastic criticism that can be made using this extraordinary technique, but a worrying trend has begun within dystopian fiction. The main problem with it now is that the motives for writing have changed. While in the past it was created as a way of critiquing the dangerous things creeping up that could lead to a disturbing future, now a dystopia is used for entertainment. This goes along with a theme noticeable throughout recent years which is that it is now “cool” to be opressed. Having the man squash you down (whether this is actually happening or not) means that you’re a victim who deserves pity and
needs help in fighting back against the oppressive government, with anyone rejecting that being demonized by these “victims.” These people make it infinitely more difficult to fight back against real oppression when everyone is screaming “I’m oppressed” every few seconds. This has worked its way into literature as the once incredible artform of the dystopian novel now consists of a book targeted to rebellious young adults who will eat up stories like this about a future that usually makes absolutely no sense in how we actually get from here to there as any discussion of actual problems facing society are usually extremely and insultingly obvious, the few that are included, as any intelligent discussion is taking a backseat to the story of a poor teenager who is incredibly relatable (because they are made to be bland in a way that you can personify yourself into their role) who now needs to fight against the dictatorship (because that is the only bad thing these people can think of to critique) in a revolution that never plays out anything like how any revolution has ever occurred. It is an exact, boring formula at this point that produces bland and forgettable stories as it tries to trick you into thinking that it’s a social commentary when really it’s just a story about a teen kid fighting the power that just happens to be set in the future because that sells. Like previously stated, there is little to no indication in any sort of a probable way to how society got to the low that is shown in these books, which disconnects the reader from making any further connections to present day as the whole point is that this novel is supposed to show what the future might be like. How can anyone believe that when the core idea of the new civilization makes no sense? The little commentary these books
supply are almost always just about fascist dictatorships because everyone hates fascism in America, so it is the easiest to critique. Questions of individuality are as well constantly brought up to fit the reader demographic of teens “discovering themselves,” which is done in predictable patterns where it is obvious the teen by the end will learn that it is good to go against injustice, even if the majority are for it, the easiest message ever to communicate to a person. In the end these books try to make it look like they are warning people of what the future might hold for the generations to come, but really are just instruction manuals to teach teenagers how to live out their fantasies of going against authority without actually talking about what to go against them for in real life. These books could be brilliant ways to show young people the true problems facing our world today (and God knows there’s no lack of source material there), but instead decide on something that will please the general public just enough to get a movie deal. It’s depressing that this is what we have let happen to such a unique art form. Maybe one day someone will wake up and say “There certainly are a lot of problems out there, maybe I should show the effects these might have” and then go on to write the next “1984,” but until then, it is important to remember that we are the next generation, and we collectively will be in charge of maintaining art very soon, as well as the rest of the planet. We will be left with this in our hands, so let’s try to do our best at rebuilding whatever has been broken so that the generations soon after are not going through their own real dystopia from the ashes we have left behind. By Staff Writer Jackson
Another new movie of 2017 that is expected to premier this year is a film that has brought much excitement and anticipation for its arrival. Many people who have seen the trailer for the family friendly movie, “A Dog’s Purpose,” were brought to tears by the storyline and the automatic connection you feel between the main canine character, Bailey, and his owner. The movie is based on the book, “A Dog’s Purpose,” by W. Bruce Cameron and is about the life of Bailey, who is led through a long process involving reincarnation as various breeds of dogs, where along the way, he discovers what his purpose as a pet is. “A Dog’s Purpose” was a movie that was a must-see for audiences that wanted to watch something filled with emotion and satisfy their love for dogs onscreen, but a few days after the release, a video recorded on the set of the movie by TMZ made many people save their money for another film. The movie has been receiving lots of backlash from the video as it shows disturbing footage of a German shepard being forced into rushing water, which is used in
one of the scenes for the movie. In the video it exhibits the German shepherd, who is named Hercules, and his trainer sitting at the edge of the pool that is coursing with rushing water. The video clearly shows the trainer nudging Hercules toward the edge of the pool to get the German shepherd to jump in, but the dog shows clear signs of restraint. Instead of relenting, the trainer takes Hercules by the collar and forcibly lowers the dog into the water, but Hercules still refuses to get in and attempts to climb back up despite the trainer’s coercion. In another clip, Hercules is in the water, but with the force of the turbulents recreating a river, Hercules is submerged under water and handlers rush to the animal’s aid.
PETA has called for a boycott against the movie production and requests for director Lasse Hallstrom and producer Gavin Polone to pledge to never use animals in films again. And while Polone is an animal rights activist, he believes that the situation was a mischaracterization of how filming the scene with Hercules really was. The scene had been run through many times before, but the dog only started acting up when they switched sides of the pools from where the German shepherd had been practicing the scene multiple times before. But if that is the case, then why not just switch back to the side that the dog was more comfortable with? Why resort to force and put the animal in harm’s way? Also, on set there was a monitor from the
American Humane Association whose job is to make sure that the animals on set are safe and treated correctly, but since the video recorded by TMZ was taken a little over a year ago, it is now in speculation as to why no report was filed. I believe that even if Hercules had been comfortable with jumping into the turbulent water before, it is still no excuse for the trainer to use force and essentially abuse the dog by forcing the dog into the water when it clearly did not want to. Animals are living beings, and should be treated with the same respect a person would expect. Although “A Dog’s Purpose” sounds like a fun family movie to watch but also cry to, it’d be hard for me to watch a film knowing that in the process of making this movie, an animal was mistreated and nobody cared to do anything about it until the video of the abuse occurring was released for the public to see. The good news that has come out of the situation, though, is that Hercules is good and healthy. By Staff Writer Jade
KLIEWER
New animal adventure film violates real dog’s purpose
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ENTERTAINMENT HI-LINE Dungeons & Dragons making comeback among those seeking old school quests for adventure Friday, Jan. 27, 2017
“Roll for initiative!” the dungeon master bellows. The players scramble for their 20 sided dice and begin their rolls. The wood elf ranger rolls a natural 20 and cheers in joy. The dark elf warlock rolls a 17 and the tiefling paladin rolls a seven. However, the dragonborn barbarian rolls a one and cries in pain. This is your typical combat encounter in the tabletop role playing game Dungeons & Dragons. Dungeons & Dragons (or DnD) has been around since 1974 and has lain the groundwork for all RPGs today. From the nuclear wastelands of “Fallout” to the scifiction backdrop of “Mass Effect,” they can all trace their roots back to DnD. Even “Call of Duty” has a leveling system that can trace it’s roots to DnD. However, many people who try DnD are put off by the many die and rules that the game has, but these rules are quite easy to grasp after you do the research. First thing people have to do is to create a character to play throughout the game . This process involves choosing a race and class. There are nine base races to pick from, each with their own lore and benefits. Dwarves are a short and hardy race of mountain folk. Elves are the tall and cultured people of the woodlands; however, there are elves that live underground in a place called the underdark called drow
Tiefling. Courtesy of DnD Wizards of the Coast or dark elves. The curious yet practical halflings who are known to be very lucky. The humans are versatile at just about everything. The monstrous dragonborn are humanoid dragons who are very proud of their people. The joyful Gnomes love to tinker with items. The half-elves share the best of the humans and elves, but you don’t have to be half-human if you don’t want to. The brutal tribal half-orcs are shunned into living in the wilderness or city slums. The tieflings have red skin and
horns which can be traced to the demonic blood coursing through their veins. Don’t worry too much about which race will fit your play style because there are always exceptions. For example, you can be a tiefling who fights for good and strives to serve her holy god, or you can play as a evil gnome who does sick experiments with the dead. Your race, however, is only one part of the puzzle. The next step is choosing one of the 12 base classes that will define the gameplay experience. The barbarian class is the hardiest class and charges into a fight with a battle rage. Bards use music to help allies in battle and are the jacks of all trades in terms of skills. The clerics are priests who are some of the best healers in the game. Druids are people who wield the power of nature and can turn into animals. Fighters are masters of combat and are great for anyone who wants to play as a warrior. Monks use martial arts and the power of the soul to beat their enemies into a bloody pulp. Being a paladin makes you a holy crusader who is bound by an oath. Rangers are masters of the bow and harness the magic of nature. The rogue uses stealth to gain the upper hand. Sorcerers are mages who harness their power from an ancient bloodline. The warlock uses magic that they gained from deals with an unholy deity, and wiz-
ards are the masters of magic who seek knowledge. If you think all of these races and classes are boring, don’t fret, for there are homebrew races and classes that the community has made, which can fit any play style. Also, if you are feeling adventurous you can make your own homebrew. Most of the information here can be found in the player’s handbook, which you can buy or find online. However, if you are someone who likes creating stories rather than playing, then being a dungeon master (or DM) may be better for you. The DM creates and dictates everything the players encounter. Whether that be the lore of the world or the boss fights players will have to encounter. Being a DM can be a very rewarding experience because you are also fighting for the enemies that the players encounter. However, taking up of title of DM takes up a lot of time and effort, so it is also advised to have knowledge of the game beforehand. Lastly, whether you are are a DM or player, you will have to do your homework about the rules. However, after this you will be playing like a pro. Have fun in DnD and always remember to roll for perception. By Staff Writer Alex
TEMPLETON
Some ‘silly’ game titles actually deliver satisfying gameplay
Sometimes a gamer looks at the title of a game and says “That game looks stupid;” sometimes a game that may look bad on the surface is unexpectedly fun. Here are five Nintendo games for which this is true. game is its combo of two popuin many aspects; however, games small stories from each story conThe first game is “Bakugan some from online. Once in the game, your Miis will lar game concepts. However, this are not without their flaws. nect, it still makes the game amazBattle Brawlers.” This is the first of four games from the series of Bakugan that were made when Bakugan was popular. What makes people turn away from these games is because when you read the description of the game, it involves a lot of stylus movement and blowing into the ds/3ds microphone. These are the most annoying thing to do on this system, and putting them both in one game is bound to get it hate. However, some are protected by what the game is. When you first look, the game looks like crap, but if you’ve seen the show it’s based on, the game is amazingly fun, as you’re not paying attention to the controls, but the story. The key to looking past the crappy controls of a game is its story, and this game is a game that does its story well. The next game on this list would be “Tomodachi Life.” This is a very odd game that very few people talk about nowadays. In simple, you have an island you own, and you’re like a god of sorts to the people you put on it. To put someone in the game, you have to scan your Miis from your 3ds, or scan
live in the apartment building and rely on you for food, clothes and other things. When it comes what to actual do daily or even hourly, sometimes you check to see if anyone has a problem. This could be anything from them wanting new clothes, to making friends with someone, to liking someone. A lot of people dislike this game because of how weird it is, but it’s a nice sims game, and if you connect with your Miis, you’ll honestly be sad if they break up, or joyless if they get together with someone. Anything can happen in this game, so if you’re into random, pick this game up. The third pick for this list is “Rune Factory 4.” These games are a mix of farm sims and role playing games (RPGs). This sounds like an odd mix, but these games, especially this one, do it well. The farming is not needed but does assist you, and you honestly don’t need to do the RPG concept either, just that’s the main point of the story. The main selling point of this
game is not without its flaws. The days pass very quickly, and unless you pause your game, they’ll continue to flow if you leave your game
on. Another downside of this game is that it takes forever to do some dungeons, but then the bosses are very anti-climatic. Despite this, overall this game is amazing, and although the title seems odd at first glance, it is amazing. Fourth on this list is “Animal Crossing.” This game is amazing
The game’s clock is based on real world time, so if you have work, school or basically anything during the time of something, you’ll miss it. While you can “cheat” this system and mess with the 3ds clock, this usually comes with dire consequences. In the game itself, you’re a villager, or in the most recent game, the mayor, of a small village of animals. You make friends with them, build up your house and live your life as anyone would in a small town. This game is loved by all, but with no storyline, the game can get boring to some quickly. While this game is not for everyone, it is an amazing pick. The final game on this list is
“The Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Series.” A lot of people
when they see “Ace Attorney” think that the game will be stupid, boring or too realistic. Honestly, it’s the opposite of all these. To begin with, the story of these games is unforgettable. Although there is no core story, and rather
ing. To point out some flaws, you really have to think, and sometimes the things you must present are really odd and you would never think of. While this is a flaw, it’s also a plus. This is because you have to think. It is rare for a game to make you think this much, if not in general. A lot of puzzle games are pretty straightforward, but some are very clever. Whatever the least likely thing you can think of, is likely the thing you must do. One other thing this game does well is that it punishes you for not saving often. If you don’t save often and fail a trial, you’re kicked back to your last save, but with few if any flaws, this game is amazing and unexpectedly. Like with people, games are more than just their titles. Look past the titles and the controls, and you could find gold. Sometimes games start off slow, but usually slow-starting games build up into something amazing. Sometimes games with crappy controls have amazing stories. In general, it’s all in the eye of the beholder. By Staff Writer Noah
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Our View
The Right Price
Prom dress sale will offer deals while raising funds for worthy cause Prom. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of the well known word is: “a formal dance for high school students usually held at the end of the school year.” However, the popular teen tradition of moving (at least trying to, considering the almost suffocating amount of people surrounding oneself) to modern music blasting from the surrounding speakers in a poorly lit, albeit, usually well decorated room, is so much more than just a “dance” to many. The beloved custom means the (long awaited) end of high school to the graduating upperclassmen, a night to remember for the underclassmen, and a huge amount of stress for everybody involved. This is usually caused by trying to figure out many variables that contribute to how well one thinks their night will go. Corsages, transportation, photos, parents, friends, food, make up, hair and, of course, the search for the perfect outfit. Some people even plan months in advance for an amazing night out. Lucky for those planning on attending prom this year, Student Senate is holding an event this Saturday that may just solve your clothing worries without breaking your bank account, and months ahead of schedule. In collaboration with UNI, the Dresses for Dance Marathon event will be on Jan. 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. They will be collecting formal dresses, shoes and/or accessories at 9:30 a.m. to be sold throughout the day. If one has any questions regarding donations, please contact Liz Fitzgerald at development@unidancemarathon. com. The sale will be held in the band room where dressing rooms will be set up for anyone who wants to try things on and shop around. The best thing about said event is the fact that every penny will be donated to the Dance Marathon to help children battling life threatening illnesses and diseases at the University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital in Iowa City. If there are any questions about the event, please feel free to ask members of Student Senate, counselor Erin Gardener or to refer to the posters distributed throughout the school. We highly encourage all to attend the sale or to donate items. The event will not only greatly aid the Dance Marathon and in turn the kids at the Children’s Hospital, but also bring a smile to anyone who finds fantastic formal wear for such low prices. Will you find your dream dress and feel like Cinderella? Or will you be granting someone’s outfit related wish like the fairy godmother? Swing by on Saturday to find out.
Contact Us The Tiger Hi-Line is a weekly publication of the journalism classes at Cedar Falls High School, 1015 Division Street, Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613. Our website is www.hiline.cfschools.org. The Hi-Line is distributed to CFHS students on Fridays to read during their third period classes. Columns and letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Hi-Line staff or Cedar Falls Schools. The Hi-Line editorial is presented weekly in the editorial labeled Our View, and it is the view of the majority of the editors listed below. Reader opinions on any topic are welcome and should be sent to The Tiger Hi-Line staff or delivered to room 208. All letters must be signed. Letters must be submitted by 3 p.m. on Monday for publication in the following Friday edition. Letters may not exceed 300 words and may be edited to meet space limitations. Writers should include their contact information for verification. Editor-in-Chief: Tana Gam-Ad Opinion Editor: Brennan Kohls Staff: Macen Adams, Beau Anderson, Jibreel Bailey, Lily Becker, Ben Boezinger, Cassidy Christopher, Logan Cole, Noah Dexter, Vipsa Dodiya, Alexis Dowden, Noah Forker, Halie Frahm, Kyandra Gillum, Emma Graening, Ethan Gunnuscio, Cody Hood, Jubilee Joyce, Yoon Ki, Jackson Kliewer, Mercede Kraabel, Olivia Kress, Elise Leasure, Sabine Martin, Luke Mattingly, Kate Mauss, Casey McIntyre, MacKenzie Michael, Kate Middleton, Jack Moody, Andrew Nickey, Albie Nicol, Maddie Palmersheim, Jade Pham, Skylar Promer, Claire Rolinger, Claire Sabino, Kim Salmon, Madison Schaefer, Sohia Schillinger, Lillian Schmid, Mallorie Sckerl, Sydney See, Lexi Sheeley, Emmey Sherbon, Colin Shultz, Lilah Skaar, Sam Spratt, Mia Stark, Brayden Stotser, Alex Templeton, Tehya Tournier, Matthew Walsh, Haley Williams, Alayna Yates
Tiger
Friday, Jan. 27, 2017
“Heritage is not only what flows in your blood, but it’s also what radiates in your heart. ”
HI-LINE
DNA search may lead to surprising discoveries regarding previously hidden multi-ethnic identities Growing up Irish, I have been surrounded with traditional foods, faith and language my whole life. Saturdays are when my family eats shepherd’s pie, a potato dish with cooked meat and peas. Sundays bring prayer, a reflection of my Christian faith. The weekdays bring books, lined with old slang. This all took a turn when I discovered my ancestry, and found I am not nearly as Irish as my family previously assumed. Nervousness stirring in my stomach, I logged onto ancestry. com after a long six week wait. My DNA had been processing the entire time, and when I was able to see the results, hands shaking, I typed the wrong password not once, but two times. On the third attempt, my phone screen loaded to the home page. There they were, my DNA results. Click. Fifty seven percent Great Britain. Click. Twenty three percent Western European. Click. Twenty percent Other? Click. West Asia. Where’s Ireland? In a small category titled “trace region of Europe,” I read, “Four
Casey’s DNA Search Results
percent Irish.” My body filled with the shock of finding out I am less of what I thought I was, and more of what I never thought I’d be: West Asian. After digging longer, I discovered the country of Syria in my blood. This is a country stereotyped for violence, war and refugees, and, interestingly, I am a part
of it at heart. “Mom!” I yell loudly from my bedroom. Steps pounded quickly against the stairs and into my bedroom. “Yes?” my mom asked. “Look,” I said, sliding her my phone. “Syria.” “Where’s the Irish?” she asked. I paused for a moment, and reflected. She’s right. Where is the Irish? How could my family have thought we were something for so long and never known otherwise? How did we not know we were West Asian? “Four percent,” I responded. “Only four.” Despite the lack of Irish blood in my body, my family still eats shepherd’s pie. We still go to church on Sundays, as well as everything else we used to do. Although I feel a new connection to Syria, I still feel Irish in my roots. This proves a difficult concept to understand: Heritage is not only what flows in your blood, but it’s also what radiates in your heart. By Staff Writer Casey
MCINTYRE
Senate bill to limit texting does not go far enough Texting and driving is a deadly combination. This year the lawmakers in Des Moines have introduced Senate Study Bill 1002 to address the issue, but it still lacks teeth. The current law makes it illegal to text behind the wheel, but a police officer can’t stop an adult driver for doing that. A traffic stop would have to be for another offense, such as weaving within the lane or running a red light. Or even causing an accident. The Senate Study Bill 1002 is “An Act relating to the use of electronic communication devices to write, send, or read text messages while driving as a primary offense,” but as written, it would still make it easy for offenders to lie their way out of a citation. Drivers who are pulled over could simply say they were not really texting; they were checking their GPS or some other untruth. But even if it was true that they were checking their GPS, they should not be. Distracted driving kills. What Iowa needs is a law requiring hands off cell phones for all uses while driving. The data of the past years shows how ineffective that law has been. In 2015, 14 fatalities and more than 600 injuries were attributed to distracted driving involving a handheld device, according to the Iowa Department of Transpor-
tation. In June 2016 the total number of traffic deaths were brought to 170 people, the DOT reports. That increased 30 deaths from the fiveyear average of 140. Back in 2014, Laura Maurer, a 40-year-old mother from Brooklyn, Iowa, caused one of the 22 traffic deaths recorded 2014. On to get a payment from a client, she texted the client to let her know she was on her way. A couple of minutes passed. Her phone dinged with a message. She drove. Her phone dinged again. She drove. Her phone dinged a third time. She reached over to the phone in the console, opened the message and scanned it. Maurer looked up, and there sat Marvin Beck sitting in a small tractor pulling a tiller. As she slammed on the brakes
and swerved to land in a ditch … it was too late. Beck plunged to his death through the windshield and dived head first into the ditch. Maurer was sentenced 14 days in jail and 200 community service hours. The data spoke loudly to Gov. Terry Branstad. During his Condition of the State message he spoke about a letter he received from the parents of a 21-year-old Riceville woman who was hit and killed while bicycling by a driver who allegedly was texting. Branstad said, “I ask all Iowans to join the Iowa law enforcement community, first responders, the League of Cities, all of our major cell phone carriers, the insurance industry and the medical community in demanding real change in the laws for distracted and impaired drivers.” I am all for the strengthening of the Senate Study Bill 1002, but still am not quite sold. Holding a phone and driving is a deadly combination. If lawmakers are serious about saving lives on Iowa roads, they won’t replace one toothless law with another unenforceable law that’s bound to be broken multiple times. By Staff Writer Jibreel
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HI-LINE
Friday, Jan. 27, 2017
Black & Or Shades of Gray?
Right-leaning groups call attention to overreaction at recent vet’s events Last Friday, Donald J. Trump was sworn in as the 45th President of the United States. In his speech he spoke of uniting together and bringing jobs back. Of course liberal Democrats compared the speech to Adolf Hitler speeches and declared Trump a Nazi. After Trump completed his swearing in process, the so called “protesters” then began to destroy vehicles and break things. A Gold Star family was berated and assaulted by protesters on their way into the Medal of Honor recipients tribute during the Veterans Inaugural Ball. Amy Looney, whose husband Navy SEAL Lieutenant Brendan Looney was killed in 2010, and Ryan Manion, whose brother Marine 1st Lieutenant Travis Manion was killed in 2007, were walking in, and “protesters” shoved them and drew over their shirts with permanent markers. The protesters shouted obscenities at the people who know the true meaning behind the sacrifice that allows their freedom of speech. We have seen the true face of the supposed “tolerant” left throughout the whole election cycle, but not even in this manner. On Friday two members of the United States Air Force, Staff Sgt. David Stefaniak
and Major Dan Holland, were attempting to get through a security checkpoint to see the inauguration but were blocked by protesters chanting: “This checkpoint is closed!” They eventually did make it in, but had to work around all the protesters. After Trump completed the swearing in, liberal rioters began to light things on fire and destroy property. Apparently by throwing rocks through a Starbucks window, that will suddenly cause President Trump to resign. They still will not accept Donald Trump as president. Maybe I’m remembering wrong, but I believe a week before election day, Hillary Clinton said now-President Trump not accepting the results was “horrifying.” All of her supporters went after Trump on social media and elsewhere. Now that it’s Trump in office, suddenly he’s “not their president.” Last time I checked, if you’re an American citizen, and you live in America, Donald J. Trump is your president. Wanting President Trump to fail is like being on a ship and wanting the Captain to sink it. We’re all on the same boat here. Let’s give him a chance. By Opinion Editor Brennan
KOHLS
Releasing Russian files on Trump shows breach in ethical reporting
On Jan. 10, 10 days before the inauguration of Donald Trump, Buzzfeed News published a dossier full of scathing and ferocious allegations about the current president. This 35-page document included some incredibly serious and vitriolic accusations about relations between President Trump and Russia. The problem? None of these claims were verified. This document has been floating throughout various media outlets and government hands since at least October, and none of the media outlets that saw it thought it was worth publishing. As Clare Malone, senior political editor at FiveThirtyEight, said, “Under the circumstances — a number of unverifiable and not-yet-verified allegations in a document rife with errors — no, I don’t think Buzzfeed should have published. I think it’s journalistic malpractice to have done so.” And she’s absolutely right. Buzzfeed’s Editor-in-Chief Ben Smith reasoned that he did it to let the American public decide for themselves, but ultimately, that’s not the role of journalism. Ethical journalism is supposed to report facts and
truth, and the things described in this dossier can’t be described as any of that. Unverified, unconfirmed rumors shouldn’t be reported by anyone claiming to be an ethical journalist or a credible news outlet, and after this publication, Buzzfeed News and their staff should not be considered ethical nor credible. Readers of any news should be able to trust it as being factual, and publishing something which isn’t factual, even while specifying that it’s unverified, clouds journalistic media with doubt in the mind of the reader. Margaret Sullivan, media columnist at the Washington Post, wrote, “In an era when trust in the media is already in the gutter, this does absolutely nothing to help. But even that isn’t the core point, which is far simpler: It’s never been acceptable to publish rumor and innuendo.” While the accusations in the published dossier were scathing, they were nothing more than rumor and innuendo without being verified by a credible source. By Staff Writer Noah
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Left-leaning groups call attention to overreaction at recent film festival Hugely popular Youtuber Shane Dawson attended an event at the Sundance Film Festival on the evening of Jan. 23 that was hosted by Tomi Lahren, a conservative Republican, but he was injured and kicked out of the event just for holding hands with his boyfriend. Lahren said that they were kicked out because they were intentionally creating a scene at the event that was hosted for films made by veterans organizations. She claimed that she was trying take a picture with them when Dawson and his boyfriend stepped in front of her and started kissing. Lahren said, “They were not there to support the event,” and that, “They were there to instigate and make a spectacle to advance whatever political message they placed above common courtesy for our veteran event.” Dawson explained his side of the story through many tweets. “@TomiLahren had just kicked me
out for not being straight. Security threw me out for holding hands with a man, and they tried to break my leg.” To add to all of the confusion, a Youtuber that goes by the name of Keemstar stated that Lahren had mistaken Dawson for other troublemakers at the military event, and after everything, all guests that were part of the LGBT community were removed from the event, which is horrible. Both parties have made up with each other and are on better terms, but there is a moral that comes out of all of this. It’s 2017, and whether you like someone or not, no one should ever be treated the way that Dawson was. Intimacy and hand holding isn’t illegal, and neither is being a part of the LGBT community. That is not the world we live in any more. Get with the program. By Staff Writer Mia
DEXTER
Repeal of Affordable Care Act would be a tragic mistake An open letter to those fighting to repeal the Affordable Care Act, Did you know many of the people who are pleading with legislators to save the ACA/Obamacare are actually pleading for their lives? Though the act is not perfect, it has saved many people’s lives due to its override of the pre-existing conditions clause and lack of yearly or lifetime caps on treatment. Before the act was passed insurers could deny any citizen with a pre-existing condition (ranging anywhere from high blood pressure to rare genetic diseases) health coverage and life saving treatment based upon the fact they had said condition. For those who required expensive treatments (like chemotherapy and radiation) before the act was passed, they only had limited coverage per year and lifetime amounts due to caps, or an allotted amount of money per case from insurance companies. The ACA overrides the blatant ableism of the pre-existing conditions clause and allows citizens to stay on their guardian’s insurance until the age of 26, no longer making healthcare a privilege for the healthy and able-bodied, but also giving coverage to those who need it most.
The lack of caps assure that all people are guaranteed treatment regardless of pre-existing or economic circumstance. This is especially pertinent considering that the cost of branded on patent prescription drugs has increased by at least 14.77 percent in the last year. Specialty drugs that are used to treat rare or complex conditions, which already carry tremendous price tags, saw an increase of at least 9.21 percent according to the health care evaluation company Truveris. As a new era of governmental administration begins and this new administration begins to evaluate the ACA, the citizens of America with pre-existing conditions, chronic illness and disability ask that legislators and those fighting for repeal keep these aspects of the act that do work. Even if the Affordable Care Act itself is dismantled, please keep these two things in their essence. An amendment or abridgment of the Americans with Disabilities Act that would protect these communities, and it would also give them the first and foremost of the unalienable rights mentioned in the Declaration of Independence: life. By Staff Writer Halie
FRAHM
16 Becker in running for Coach of Year SPORTS
Each year the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) recognizes one boys and one girls cross country coach from each state. Out of the coaches chosen, one will get the honor to be selected as national high school coach of the year. CFHS men’s cross country coach Troy Becker is one of the top eight finalists to be selected for this award. He has been coaching for 22 years and has sent the men’s team to state every year since he has started coaching at Cedar Falls High School. Assistant coach Jeff Hartman recognizes Becker’s great ability to connect with the kids: “Coach Becker is
Friday, Jan. 27, 2017
the best coach I’ve ever worked with. He cares about kids, is a great motivator and is very passionate about cross country.” Hartman said. This passion is displayed in the athletes that Becker has coached, as junior Will Burken described regarding makes Becker such a great coach. “There are 65 people on the cross country team. Most coaches seem to forget about the slower people, but Becker cares about every single person on the team,” Burken said. Another junior Parker Strauss agreed. “Becker is a great role model and makes us better people and athletes,” Strauss said. Coach Troy Becker has led the boys
cross country team to countless victories, and his passion for the sport has never died down over the years. Regarding who he would thank for this honorable nomination, Becker said, “The contributions over the years from co-coach Jeff Hartman have been critical in our success and positive culture. I simply can’t express my appreciation enough for all he has done.” Along with Hartman, Becker said this would not be possible without, “Our athletes, parents, and coaches have all made contributions and put in hard work which has helped us have some positive success over the years.” By Staff Writer Rachel
SCHMID
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Coach Troy Becker National Finalist for Cross Country Coach of the Year
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Logan Cole Photo
The Tiger swim team has members from other towns.
Junior Tanner Doyle
Pooling their efforts with team members from other towns, team readies for State As the men’s swimmers take their last practice laps around the pool at Holmes Junior High this season, they are also sharing in team building that extends far beyond the Cedar Falls city limits. With Cedar Falls representatives, the Tiger swim team includes two freshmen, three sophomores, two junior and three senior athletes from Waverly, Oelwein and Independence. Coach Joe Brown said, “It’s great to share the love of the sport with more athletes, especially when you know you are offering them an opportunity that they would not have otherwise.” Cedar Falls senior Tanner Holden shared that same opinion. “I think having people from other schools makes us stronger as a whole and get us to meet more people from different places,” he said. The Waverly perspective treads the same water. “It’s a great way to meet many different people. Swimming is something I enjoying to keep in shape. I really hope that we can grow as team and individuals,” said Gryphen Ackerson, a Waverly senior that swims with the Cedar Falls men’s swim team.
The men’s swim team is made up of about 12 varsity swimmers. Half of them are from out of town schools. Coach Scott Bohlmann said, “Without our out of town swimmers, the team would be out six varsity swimmers, including at least three potential state qualifiers.” Even though this team has been doing well this year, Brown said, “The hardest part about having traveling athletes is that they aren’t available for morning workouts.” They swim every morning and lift in the morning too. “This is a big part of the sport, and it is tough to feel like we have different expectations for our athletes,” Brown said. He added that the goal for this season is for all the swimmers to hit “their peak performances at the last meet of the season. Also, qualify as a many athletes to swim at State and to finish as high as possible at State.” The team’s regular season is done and now they go on to district meets on Saturday, Feb. 4 in Fort Dodge and State is Saturday, Feb. 11 in Marshalltown. By Staff Writer Kaylee
OLSON
Senior Brock Weidenbacher
Senior Night Senior Bryce Pilcher
The men’s wrestling team triumphed at their final home meet on Thursday, Jan. 19 vs. Waterloo East. Photos by John Dunlop
Senior Gabe Penrith