SWANKY

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letter from the editors Dear readers,

People think swanky is a dead word. This is ridiculous. Swanky means, according to the dictionary: classy, ritzy, elegant, or ostentatious. That’s what our magazine is, obviously. Our magazine hasn’t been around for a long time, but we have the same level of awesomeness that magazines like Entertainment Weekly and Ok! Weekly have. Our magazine goes beyond the raw material. We get all the details, so you know the whole thing. This magazine is all about bringing you the freshest, most relevant information that pertains to you. We’re just trying to keep it awesome. Spread the love!

Alison, callie, sena and meredith

Contents 1 2 3 5 7 9 11

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Again.......?

Eight Best Places in Austin Tell Me How You Really Feel Lost The Craziest Girl at LASA Why Were They In Jail?

Buildings Your New Favorite Movie Cell Phones Top 5 Things Not To Do As A Freshman Say Whaaaaat?

Music Craze Kesha: Unveiled Styles of LASA! Degrassi: Behind the Scenes What’s Coming Your Way This Summer?

The Editors

Do I have to go this time, too?

By: Sena E.

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he arena was filled with nine year olds. She was trampled and stomped on by 3rd graders as they tried to sing in tune with their new teen idol. Anastasia felt trapped with her nachos, which was the only thing she had to keep herself occupied. Justin Bieber’s song, “Baby” was blaring on the speakers as the children danced and jumped around. Everything was happening so fast, the kids becoming just a blur. Anastasia was in this horrific situation because her mom had once again made her to go to another concert with her little sister.

Preteen idols are on the rise and many older students are being forced to chaperone their younger siblings to their concerts and performances. Anastasia S. is one such student that has had to recently accompany her sister to a Justin Bieber Concert at The Rodeo.

She isn’t very happy about having to go since there are a lot of other choices of performances that would fit her age group and she says that she “would find much more entertaining.”

Almost a fourth of the millions of concerts in the United States are arranged to entertain a younger audience.

Most parents like to include all of their children in activities they do as a family, and that usually includes the concerts they go to. Many teenagers are forced

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Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, and Justin Bieber (left to right) having fun. into going to children’s concerts with their siblings and it’s just unfair that their voices aren’t being heard. When Freshman Anastasia S. found out she would have to go to Justin Bieber’s concert because of her sister, she freaked out.

“I was screaming at my mom a lot.” She said, “I was pretty much expecting [the concert] to suck, because Justin Bieber sucks.”

This wasn’t the first time that Anastasia would be forced to go to a Disney-based concert. She had enough experience to know how this concert would both start and end. She had gone to Demi Lovato, the Jonas Brothers, and even Selena Gomez concerts, multiple times.

She says the reason to why she doesn’t enjoy these concerts is “because it’s Disney, and Disney is whack”. When later asked to comment on what ‘’whack’’ could be referring to, she had this to say, “It would have to take the place of ‘appalling’ or ‘ridiculous in nature’, something a long those lines.”

When parents are buying tickets for once in a life time concerts, they should be asking all of their children for each of their opinions. According to Anastasia, she would’ve much rather gone to see Paramour and she “would have had fun”, which was another band playing that same night.

The anger builds up and after several concerts like these, and Anastasia has gotten a little more violent. She said, as she had to listen to her sister scream in her ear the lyrics of the songs, “I kind of wanted to kill her right on the spot.”

Going to so many concerts for little kids has really affected Anastasia’s way of thinking. She says that she wouldn’t even step near the souvenirs being sold because she just wanted to forget her entire experience at Justin’s concert.

PHOTOS BY: SELENA-MANIA.BLOGSPOT.COM, SODAHEAD.COM , KASTUM.COM, JISCDIGITALMEDIA.AC.UK, AQUEOUS-SUN-TEXTURES.DEVIANTART.COM, & SENA E.

Again...

Eight Best Places In Austin The best places to be in Austin revealed.

By: Alison S.

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The top place to be in Austin according to SAWNKY would definitely be Barton Spring Pool.

This is a very hot attraction in Austin, though it’s not a true pool it get a whole lot of attraction and never is empty except maybe on a cold winter day. People of Austin have been going to this pool since well forever. It is the largest natural swimming pool in the United States located within an urban area, setting Austin apart from other metropolitan cities. Barton Springs is Austin’s soul and sums up everything that Austin stands for. A chilly swimming hole, the center of a political and environmental debate, a meeting place.

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The fifth best place in Austin is Zilker Park.

It is named after its benefactor Andrew Jackson Zilker, who donated the land to the city in 1917. It was developed into the park during the Great Depression in the 1930’s. The park serves as a hub for many recreational activities and the hike and bike trail around Lady Bird Lake, both of which run next to the park. The park was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on 1997. Some of the events that occur in Zilker are: The Kite festival, ACL or Austin City Limits, Rugby tournament, Zilker Gardens Festival, and the Zilker Park Tree Lighting and Trail of Lights.

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The second best place to be in Austin is The Domain , it is a up class place that is very clean and warm welcoming anyone and everyone in with open arms. The Domain is very popular and has a Christmas tree lighting. The Domain is bringing the best of Austin to one single, urban location. It offers impeccable restaurants and luxury shops anchored by Neiman Marcus, Macy’s and Dillard’s. And in keeping with the Austin spirit, you’ll find it all in a pedestrian-friendly, open-air lifestyle center. You would definitely have a great time any day at the Domain.

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The sixth best place to be in Austin is Magnolia Cafe. It’s bohemian, but clean and comfortable, brightly painted and calm, even though it’s loud and packed. Musicians, actors, artists, couples, students and families put their names on the list and wait--they’ve done this before and know it’s worth it. The menu offers home-style food in large portions to satisfy vegetarians and omnivores: Fish tacos in voodoo spices in creamy Southwestern tartar sauce, barbecue chicken enchiladas and huge salads loaded with veggies.

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The third best place to be in Austin is Hey Cupcake! There are many different types of cupcakes but that’s no the shocker about the store... it’s a trailer! Not the most modern thing to hit the Austin streets but it has been doing very well since it started.

It fits right in with the unique way of Austin, people here just don’t seem to like the norm and love to be different hence the saying “Keep Austin weird”.

Hey Cupcake! Definitely fits in with the norm of Austin. If you ever are in Austin definitely stop by the trailer and buy a gourmet cupcake, enjoy it in a lawn chair.

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The seventh best place to be in Austin is Shlitterbahn.

Shlitterbahn is a family-owned, family-friendly park offers FREE parking, FREE tubes, FREE life jackets, and allows you to bring your own picnic (no glass or alcohol please).

Bring the whole family and see why Schlitterbahn Water Park Resort has been voted the best water park anywhere! Schlitterbahn Water Park Resort in New Braunfels has over 3 miles of tubing adventures, 7 children’s water playgrounds,17 water slides, the world’s first surfing machine, and 3 uphill water coasters spread over 65 acres of fun!

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The fourth best place to be in Austin is Lake Travis or Ladybird lake . It’s truly a beautiful place to be with trees lining the edge of the lake. With it’s crystal clear aquamarine water, Lake Travis naturally attracts water sport enthusiasts. From multi class sailboat and windsurfing regattas to competition ski boat, cruisers, cigarettes and mansionlike houseboats, Lake Travis maintains the marina facilities, public parks, boat ramp access and glorious hot summer weather making it a destination summer resort for outdoor enthusiasts from around the state and the country.

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The eight best place in Austin is Home Slice.

This place is an independent neighborhood pizza joint serving authentic NYstyle pizza—by the pie or by the slice—to nice people like you.

There is a great takeout menu.

An independent neighborhood pizza joint serving authentic NY-style pizza—by the pie or by the slice—to nice people like you. We offer our home made, hand tossed, bona fide pies for either dine in or carry out. Living in South Austin gave the couple a front row seat as South Congress blossomed into a bustling strip, which seemed like the perfect locale for Home Slice. So when the opportunity presented itself, they grabbed a location. Home Slice from dream to reality.

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tell

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you really

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------------------------------------------- “Y’all act stuck up. Like this girl right here.”

“Excuse me! You stole my glasses! If I stole your glasses, you would be upset too!”

“Not no three dollar glasses!”

This conversation between a LASA student and an LBJ student outlines the tension we feel daily. Why is it there?

My story is addressing the tension between LBJ students and LASA students. Why do they hate us so? My story is important because, if anyone else is like me, people are wondering what we did to deserve their hate. It just seems like they don’t have a reason for not liking us. In my notes, Arlan said he thought we were stuck up. Andrew said we got more stuff than LBJ students did.

Andrew G. says, “Y’all get a lot more cooler stuff than we do.”

LASA has Robotics, multiple foreign language choices (“We don’t even have Japanese class! All we got is Spanish!”), and hands-on classes.

“Y’all act like y’all better than everybody,” says LBJ freshman, Arlan B. He says they get in trouble for just walking around the LASA halls during class. However, maybe people shouldn’t be wandering around in the halls during class, any-

LBJ Jaguars. The split is cool, but it’s weird having two schools on one campus.”

"Y'all act like y'all better than everybody!"

HOW MORE PEOPLE FEEL

way.

It seems that everyone would be okay if the schools were to become one. Sena E. thinks the LBJ students are hilarious. She says that it is because they “sing when they walk.” She would love to have a merged school, so she could be around them all day.

And although “they can be really mean sometimes,” because “they just mess with you for no reason,” LASA freshman Jaquice H. says, “I like some of them.” She also thinks that if the schools merged, “it would be very different.” Jair also thinks that a merged school would be nice.

LBJ and LASA used to be all one school. The classes were mixed, as well as the administration. In 2007, LASA was recognized as its own school. It’s just on the same campus as LBJ. LBJ and LASA do share UIL activities, though. And no one is treated differently because of the school they go to. Jair plays baseball, which has students from both schools. He says, “It’s all the same.” And Arlan plays football, and he does swimming and wrestling. When asked if anyone was treated differently, he just said, “Nah.”

Longtime English teacher at LBJ, Mr. Rials, says, “The school before the split was a nice setup… The students were all

“I think they’re GREAT. They’re so sweet, and super hilarious. They keep the school fresh.” -Sierra A., LASA freshman “I don’t feel nothing about them. LASA kids? I mean, some of the are cool... I like the soccer kids. I wouldn’t say there’s nothing wrong WITH y’all. If that’s what you’re asking..” -Marlon O. LBJ junior “They’re cool. They’re good at singing, they can rap.

And they’re pretty gangster.” -Prasaad M., LASA freshman “I really don’t got a problem with them.. I really don’t.”

-Juan R., LBJ sophomore “I think they’re funny. School would be boring without them. LASA kids just aren’t that fun.” -Mo Q., LASA freshman

-------------------------------------------By: The Meredith R.

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OST The revolution begins here. The show lost is finally ending... Is this good or bad?

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By: Alison S.

W

hen you watch a show, you expect drama and something to keep you interested but is there such thing as too much drama? Can you eventually become overwhelmed with drama? When that time comes you may think to your self, “Is this really worth it?” This is exactly what I said when watching “Lost”. It has a very interesting and intriguing story and attracts many people, but what happens when you become lost in all of the material? The answer is: You get pissed off.

Though the show is confusing, I can see how some people may seem to think that this is a horrible description of the show. I think that the show is terribly confusing.

After a long day of school I don’t need to be stressed any more. The people who think that this show is so easy to understand are the people who have all the time in the world to do whatever they please or the people who are updated with the world and have TiVo’s and can record anything and every thing. Is this my fault? Because I don’t currently own a TiVo and still have to record things on VHS? Does this mean that I have to be punished by having to sit there, confused and tired, after a long day? I don’t think that “Lost” is a “point blank” type of show and I know that it’s not supposed to be. But really? That confusing?

Chill with the level of complication.”Lost” is overwhelming and is to confusing for the average American to keep up with.

The show “Lost” is just down right confusing! I’m watching the shows, even the review of the shows and seasons! What the heck is going on? I’m extremely confused, I’ve tried and tried and yet I fail over and over again. I keep hearing in the back of my mind “I get knocked down. But I get up again. They’re never going to keep me down.”Suddenly, I came up with the great idea: “Why don’t I just Boycott the show “Lost”? I don’t need to conform to their stupid inconsiderate ways.

As soon as I begin to give up my attempt to figure this entire thing out, my mother comes by and says “Did you see this week’s episode? Wow, this is going to get interesting!” My mind slowly explodes as I turn my head to say “No, mother, I have not seen the episode.” Why does everything have to be

so complicated? Every time I begin to understand something happens and everything changes! For instance, when they were going back and forward through time I was extremely confused!

In the beginning, everything was simple. The only reason why we were going through time was to get a full idea of who is who, and who is lying about them selves, and also who is a traitor. And what happened to the dinosaur?

Every once in a while they decide to put a pre-show review of the past episodes to kind of catch everyone up. You’d think that would help out, right? But no! It just makes everything a little bit more confusing. So I am proposing that we tear“Lost” down!

Make them feel our pain of not knowing what is going on. I know that there are people who have all the time in the world to watch whatever they want, can sit there and obsess over a show until they have dissected it so much that there is no more to do with it but watch every other year as some old tradition. But not everyone has that time, so I am writing this to the people who are also frustrated and tired of this abasement.

So basically, all I am asking is for everyone to boycott the classic and popular show “Lost” because we need to fight back!

We must revolt! Stand up against the oppression. I hope you will stand by me and fight the man. We will stand up and tell them that NO we will no longer sit there and watch the television show “Lost”.

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t s e i z a r c the a s a l t a l gir e S.

By: Calli

to d started e n a d o o t she s the lif ment in ed where o p p m o l t a s ic e e!” a typ aquic ot, Jaquic the classroom. J eeded oil. This is b o r e h t ears “Do ke she n g. She w d across e li

in ll p h e t u y y e n h z a it e d do nd fre Mered

nyone an hinges a a d o he’s so a t . h n lk o e a t h t or es ill ecause s b t s ju , move lik shman Jaquice H y person who w now fre should k , funn e g n in o o y r g t of LASA e v u e o that is a very omeone s is Jaquice d n a rson. wants nique pe u a h c what she u ing and s entertain

When asked to describe herself, she said what people usually say about her, ““Jaquice you’re crazy” I’ve had a couple of those throughout my life… some good, some bad.”

Jaquice decided to come to LASA after seeing the presentation at her school.

“Wellllll… see, funny story, LASA actually came to my school, right? And we was in the library and I wasn’t even supposed to be there. I snuck out of class because I didn’t know where everybody was going. I was like “I wanna go too” so I sneak in there and I was sitting down and they just start talking about everything and I was like, “Please, who wants to go that whack school??” Later on I was like “Man, they have all these clubs… they have a cake club, what??

Okay, so I think I might go there” and I got one of their little forms.”

Now that she’s here at LASA, Jaquice feels like people are free to do whatever here and she likes the school, even though there’s lots of hard work.

“It’s a very chill school. I mean, I like the fact that there’s not a lot

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of peer pressure on anything. If you want to come to school in pajamas, which they do... you can come to school in pajamas. I just think I didn’t take it serious enough when I first got there, that’s probably why I failed the first semester, almost all my classes! It’s definitely something you have to dedicate a lot of work to.”

There are some classes that Jaquice does not like, some because of the work and some because of the teacher, depending on the day.

“Well, I don’t like biology because it’s hard, but I don’t like [one of my classes] because don’t like the teacher. And I want her to know that. No, I do like her because she said she likes my blue jacket and that saved her. I liked her that day.

Usually, she’s on my bad side.”

At her last school, the thing she didn’t like was after school. One day she was in Spanish tutoring when she heard someone was bullying her brother, so she stomped all over the school, threatening everyone. Eventually they threw her out of the school!

“It was already after school and it was just for the day, so they kicked me out and they told me to go home, but I was like NO! I’m not going home! And so I was like beating on the windows and then my mama came and she pulled up and just goes “get in the car. You have to control yourself sometimes” But Jaquice’s moments with her mom aren’t all serious like that. When Jaquice went to a quinceanera with her family they all had fun and acted crazy, just like Jaquice does.

“And we danced the whole night. We had dinner and the mariachi band was going around the tables doing songs and they got to our table, which was the only black table, and my

cousin, he’s a grown male, went way overboard while they were playing like AIYAIYAIYAI! And clapping his hands. They stayed at our table for like five songs when they played everyone else one! I think it was because we were the only ones that were dancing like the whole time. We were really into it and everybody was looking at us, laughing! I think we stayed until like one.”

Jaquice’s crazy might be inherited, but she denies that it comes from her mom’s side.

“It’s definitely not from my mama. Cause she, most of the time, cannot stand me. Always saying, “get away from me” “stop touching me!” All that! Maybe it’s from my daddy. I think if anything, it’s going to be from him.”

Her dad doesn’t only bring out Jaquice’s personality, her future plans depend on him too.

“Right now, my plan is going to law school. My mama said I can’t do that because I don’t ever read things a lot. But she’s just a hater. I think I was in fourth grade and I told my daddy I would go to law school and I’m still just running on that.”

Jaquice doesn’t just have plans for school and a job; she’s definitely going to be having fun. She adds her Jaquice flavor to everything, making a joke about a famous quote from the book The Color Purple.

“I’m going to be AT THE CLUB. Cause, soon as I turn 21, maybe even before I turn 18, I’m going to be drinking that HARD LIQUOR. Cause I done had a hard life. All my life I had to fight and Harpo beat me and I had to kill him dead.”

So in the future if you see a girl with a bright blue jacket doing to robot and just generally being loud, you can say “Jaquice.

You’re crazy.” And you can know that it’s most definitely true.

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PHOTOS: BY CALLIE S.

Jaquice does the robot and the wave!

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jail??

See if you can guess the names and reasons for incarceration! Answers on the next page!

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1. Akon, in jail for throwing a person off of the stage during a concert, 2. Pitbull, in jail for a DUI charge, 3. Enimiem, in jail for pistol-whipping a man that kissed his wife, 4. Jay-Z, in jail for stabbing his producer, 5. 50 Cent, in jail for drug possession, 6. Lil Wayne, in jail for gun and drug possession, 7. T.I., in jail for illegally buying machine guns and silencers, 8. R. Kelly, in jail for child porn, 9. Vanilla Ice, in jail for beating his wife, 10. Lyfe Jennings, in jail for arson, 11. Soulja Boy, in jail for running from the police, 12. Ne-yo, in jail for shooting someone at a concert, 13. Tupac, in jail for raping three women, 14. Snoop Dogg, in jail for gun and drug possession.

Lil’ Wayne, Tupac, Snoop Dogg. These are just a few respect. Their friends will also be able to catch up with rappers among the group that have a criminal record or them when they all get out. jail ties to their names. That’s because there are many rapGangs are also a good influence on them. Many people pers nowadays that have extremely strong gang ties and join gangs to be protected, because something in the outextremely long criminal records. Tupac was killed because side world might be threatening to them. Many just feel of his gang affiliation. Lil Wayne is about to go to jail for lonely and want to be part of a group. Some people are a year for illegal gun possession. Snoop Dogg has very just bored and are looking for excitement. They can find strong gang ties with the Crip gang. Many people think all of these things in a gang. People find acceptance. They this is something to look down on. But why?? Gangs teach find others who want them. They have people who will you things that some people never learn: respect, loyalty, look out for them, cover for them, and be their family. If family values, and sooo much more. they get in trouble with the law, or have family issues, they

I think that gangs and jail teach people how to will have a backbone in their gang, so they can get through live correctly. These people learn all sorts of virtues that it easily. This is positive for them because their self-esteem they would not have picked up otherwise. The rappers will rise and they will be less tempted to kill themselves. will always have a This is support team begood, hind them in their because gangs. then, they

Of course, can make there are the peomore good By: Meredith R. ple who say that music for these rappers are us to listen a terrible example to. Winfor children, teens, or even adults. I strongly disagree with win situation! these people. They are obviously just ignorant of the facts

There are many issues in the world, so we don’t of the matter. Many people come out of jail as much better need more problems running around the streets without people. Many people just don’t realize how positive the a care in the world. Jail and gangs keep the rappers under changes can be with these rappers. control. Now, they can focus on their music and enterGoing to jail is very beneficial to rappers and their fans. tainment and get their minds off of killing and mugging.

The rappers learn SO MUCH while there. They have time Maybe, since they have friends in gangs, we could actuto make new friends, or “homies”, as they say, and they ally have more rappers in the world. The rappers could learn loyalty. This is because if an inmate sees someone introduce their friends to their record companies and in prison do something wrong, they won’t go behind they could all be famous. So gangs actually have multiple them and tell the guards. They are going to stay loyal to benefits! their fellow inmates or they will be punished by them.

So as you can see, rappers are actually adding When they get out of jail, they will have more friends and value to their lives by doing these “bad” things. Hopefully, stronger ties to the community. This means the reformed if you were one of those that looked down on criminals in will have less of an urge to go knock over a jewelry store Hollywood, you think differently now. So the next rapper or shoot someone. Also, while in prison, they learn respect you see, don’t shy away or act like they’re Satan’s spawn. for authority. If someone talks back to a guard with a gun, Look at them with at least a little respect. After all, they’re it probably isn’t going to go over too well. So after a couple people, just like you. And the next time someone talks of times, they will probably learn their lesson and follow trash about a rapper in jail, use some of these arguments. orders. This will be beneficial to them once they get out, It’s okay to not like rap, but don’t dislike the rapper. That’s too. If a cop stops them for speeding, for example, they ridiculous. Meredith out. will need to be able to speak to the cop with the utmost

Let’s Look at the Bright Side

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A Black-Out Poem...

By: Sena E.

never never been outside she stood

along

overwhelmed inspirational different

opportunities

selected

gained

go out

ready to live

got

faces never been out

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up yourself

walked around

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the

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on

PHOTOS BY: FLICKR.COM, & SENA E.

by the scene

expanded

Your New Favorite Movie By: Callie S.

PHOTOS FROM: http://sarahpalintruthsquad.wordpress.com, http://meetinthelobby.com, http://lugalasso.wordpress.com

Someone pulls a gun on you.

You: Make a joke about it

Pull out your gun

Get shot and die

Something heavy is about to fall off a shelf. You:

You’re in a building that’s about to blow up. You:

The person you love is dying in front of you. You:

Do a ninja flip Trip over and run away something and just as some end up getting drug dealers hit by a pie from bust into the somewhere room with guns

Borat You like comedies and this is a very funny movie! You will be trying to speak with that accent for the next year.

Run away just in time as things explode all around you

Don’t escape and die in the fiery explosion

Die Hard

You like action movies and these movies have lots of guns and explosions and bad guys doing bad stuff.

Make a hilarious joke about it

Have to tell them something important but they die first

My Sister’s Keeper

You like horribly depressing movies where everyone has a terminal disease and are poor. This movie is so sad, you’ll love it.

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By: Callie S.

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he teacher stands at the front of the class explaining an assignment or giving a lecture meanwhile a kid at the back of the class glows with the blue of a screen while checking out the inside of his hoodie. The teacher’s eyes land on the kid and he looks up and away all casual. But he can’t hide the phone in his hand. The teacher takes it up and locks it in a drawer. Class is disrupted and there’s no getting back on topic now.

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Teachers and administrators may say that phones are distracting and that they could be used to cheat on tests, but how do we know that kids would be distracted if they could have their phones out, since we don’t allow phones in class? Maybe if we took away the thrill of doing something wrong, people wouldn’t cheat with their phones. If the teachers and administrators let us have phones for a while, maybe we would work harder and pay attention. If cheating is a problem, teachers could just take up students’ phones during tests and keep them at the front of the room and then give the phones back after the test is finished. I say, if we want to make class a better place to learn with fewer distractions, the teachers and administrators should allow cell phones in class.

Cell phones would make any classroom much more efficient and phones in class will make everybody happier. According to an article in the New Haven Register, more and more schools are lifting the ban on cell phones and other technologies and class and using them in the curriculum. Some schools even allow students to take tests on an iPhone if students own one. There are tons of different ways that technology like cell phones can enrich a lesson, like texting yourself the class notes, or listening to music while you work so you can stay concentrated.

Even if cell phones are banned at a school, like at LASA, students will still use them. Many kids text other students during class just because they know they aren’t supposed to. If we were allowed to have cell phones in class, maybe fewer kids would actually use them then they do now. Taking the risk and wrongness out of texting in class might make some students less likely to do it. Using cell phones in iPods

in class would increase positive attitudes, maybe decrease the level of distraction and they can make a lesson in class more fun and technologically advanced.

Cell phones in the class room won’t only just make learning more fun; it will actually improve the quality of the lessons and teach us more. According to an article in BusinessWeek Online by Cathie Norris and Elliot Soloway, even if there are computers in the classroom, there’s only one IT person for every 800 students, teachers and faculty so if there’s a problem with the computers you’re just out of luck. If every kid had an internet cell phone there are tons of awesome new things we could do in class to connect with us more than just memorizing something on paper or writing definitions.

Students now have grown up using cell phones and they’re something we can understand easily. It’s wasteful for the administrators to not acknowledge and utilize this in the curriculum. Students could use the translator applications on our phones or they could take notes on their cell phones and text them to themselves or a friend. If teachers would incorporate cell phones into their lessons, I know that I would learn better and understand the material more.

So, next time you see a teacher bust a kid for using his phone in class, think about how life would be different if we could actually have phones and iPods in class. There would be less interruption, the teachers could focus on their teaching and not have to constantly be on the look out for phones and you could actually have fun while learning. Maybe if enough kids bring up the idea to their administrators and teachers, cell phones and iPods could find a place in our schools.

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PHOTO OF ALISON S. BY CALLIE S.

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Cell phones would make any classroom much more efficient and phones in class will make everybody happier.

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say whaaaaat?

By: Meredith R.

Radio stations are playing more and more rap.

And the songs are awesome, but what do some of the words mean??? We were curious, so we went and got the answers from Arlan B. Here’s what we came up with.

So you listen to rap music a lot?

YES. Who is your favorite rap artist?

rapper word

translation

Fam

family, friends

Shawty

girl

Player

someone who dates or sleeps with more than one person

Make it Rain

throw a lot of money around

Fly

cool, or awesome

Dime

a girl who rates as a 10, attractive girl.

Wack

crazy

Trippin’

overreacting or being mad

Live

awesome, or exciting

Crunk

to be really exciting or fun

Do you use these words in daily conversation?

Yes, I do, fam.

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PHOTOS BY MEREDITH R.

Lil’ Wayne

Top 5 Things NOT To Do As A LASA Freshman

BY: CALLIE S.

If you see a tall, grown up looking person, do not assume they are a teacher.

Unless you know for sure they are a teacher, I would just try to find it on your own because kids will either completely embarrass you for asking or tell you the wrong way.

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4

LASA has some very weird people here, you probably aren’t the weirdest.

LASA people are very chill and accepting so don’t be afraid to be yourself, unless you’re ridiculous then you should just be quiet.

3

Do not try to be cool with the upperclassmen.

They do not want to be bothered by freshman. You aren’t going to be as cool as them, quit trying. You just look like a poser. You can be a cool senior when you are actually a senior.

Enjoy being a freshman while you can!

Don’t try to understand how the halls work.

This school is shaped so weird, you will never be able to understand it. Don’t try. It’s basically a circle, you can just walk forward and eventually you’ll find it.

Also, don’t call it the uterus. That’s just weird.

Don’t be super shy the whole year.

5

Don’t worry about too much yet.

You still have a lot of time before you have to worry about colleges and jobs, so don’t stress too much about it now. Just keep your grades up and don’t feel dumb because you’re not already in Calculus as a freshman. swanky

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PHOTOS BY CALLIE S.

1

Don’t ask for directions unless it’s legit.

he music industry is trying to make things more available to their customers, but they are falling into the deep dark hole of people not paying for the music. In a society where 95 per cent of music downloads are unauthorized, with no payment to artists and producers it is hard for the music industry to profit. The young customers are the main ones doing the damage. They have a state of mind similar to Freshman Sena E. thinking: “A lot of things are illegal” and it doesn’t matter because laws are consistently broken.

Teenagers all around are joining the craze of downloading their music illegally. With the ignorance of not knowing who they’re affecting they seem to ignore why this is such a serious deal. Students of LASA seem to realize the problem but some don’t see the damage of their actions.

Callie Slaughter a freshman says “I don’t buy a lot of music because I don’t have a lot of music and most of the music I get; I get from CD’s or illegally”

Callie like most doesn’t seem to care about the effect she has on the world. Knowing that it’s possible to get away with something like this seems to be all that she and others need to hear.

Sena E. says “Uhm, I don’t think it matters.

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Music Craze creators and producers are going to be effected financially. “I don’t personally think that it’s not okay to download music illegally”, Mo says with a strong tone.

We are living in a society where the majority of people think that it’s okay to download music illegally. There is little hope for those who do pay for their music and the people who need to profit off of the music.

Callie and Sena represent the majority of the “customers” of the music industry. Not paying for their music and not caring about the causes for their actions.

Meredith and Mo represent the true customers of the music industry. Meredith being one who pays but understands the temptations If they don’t want to buy I think its okay” leading one to not paying for the music and Mo one that pays and thinks

This is a fact for most that download music. The there should a punishment for the actions of the inconsiderate majority customers do not see directly who they are affecting, but of music listeners. someone is defiantly affected every time music is down“When you download music illegally you’re taking money away from like loaded illegally. People no longer seem to care about un- the small people who have worked on making that, then they’re starving enforced laws. The music industry and artist creating the artist.” Mo says. music are being effected by the actions of young customers Most people would be extremely happy to hear that they no like Callie and Sena. longer had to pay for their music; others wouldn’t care because they

Those who do seem to care are being out weighed already don’t. The ones who proudly pay for their music are being greatly by those who don’t. Some like Meredith Rials are still do- outweighed by their fellow customers who don’t pay for their music. ing the correct thing by not downloading music illegally.

There is simply no way for the music industry to completely stop this Meredith is a proud paying customer of the music industry craze because with the expansion of technology it’s becoming impossible and is aware of those who don’t pay. to control anything.

“The majority of people don’t pay”

The idea of having a small punishment fee seems more and Meredith understands that it’s the right thing to buy your more reasonable. The only problem is: that might not completely rid the music, but understands why people do it illegally “Because, music industry of the problem. People will always try to find a way out. why would you pay for music when you can get it for free?” “I would get it somewhere else” says Callie shrugging her shoulders.

She says this with a defeated tone. Which is perfectly understandable, we see wrong things being done but can not change the actions of those around us.

Mo Quin a freshman at LASA is another proud buyer of her music. Mo seems to believe that it is not acceptable for one to download music knowing that the

By: Alison S.

swanky

PHOTOS BY ALISON S.

BOTTOM LINE : Illegal Downloading Is Stealing

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Kesha: Unveiled By: Sena E.

D

on’t be a little b*tch with your ers make it pretty obvious that it’s not her voice. chit chat; Just show me where The techno sounds are blasting and her actual your d*ck’s at”. These are the voice is being stretched in every way imaginable, lyrics to the number 11 song in reaching all the high notes, and not forgetting the Top 40 Mainstream airplay any of the high notes. No one realizes that she records. Kesha is a horrible role has no talent, and if they do, not enough of these model, encourages our youth to be trashy and em- people are making a stand which is how it gets barrasses herself and our generation. She sings to the billboards. If she doesn’t have a good about partying and enough voice that drinking, and this she can sing with If artists like her make it big, is whose image we naturally, maybe see as role models. o t h e r b a d i n f l u e n c e s a r e b e i n g she shouldn’t be a When everyone is singer. In her live being encouraged e n c o u r a g e d . performance, she by her loud and seemed to forget boisterous character, it gives you a look on what her lyrics and sounded like someone screaming our future might look like, because of people that and slurring at the microphone, out of tune. The have a bigger voice with the fact that she doesn’t know what she’s doing has media, like her, teaching us no trouble standing out. She even tried crashing what she’s learned from her Owl City’s concert and was taken off the stage by party-nonstop life. Only a few security. of the good role models are able to actually get attention Also, take a look at the way she’s been dressing, because of singers like her since it’s hard not to be shocked. Kesha wears ripped the media is looking more into up shirts and shorts, everywhere she goes. The singers that get themselves into nicer the place, the trashier her wardrobe gets, trouble rather than the ones take the red carpet for example, where she that just sing and live normal, decided to show off her usual garb. Lady Gaga safe lives. Everyone needs to has had an interesting sense of style, but she has realize that the artist singing been classy about it. It seems like Kesha has been the number one song of Amer- trying to duplicate Gaga’s, Britney Spear’s, and ica is all auto-tuned, can’t ac- even Katy Perry’s style plus a couple other artists, tually sing, and is encouraging but just isn’t succeeding by walking around in our youth to party all day long. torn shirts. Of course, what more can we expect from someone that dropped out of high school at I do realize that the songs she the age of 17 in hopes of becoming famous? has in her album are a lot of fun to dance to and sing along Lastly, listening to Kesha’s whole album while with. They’re very fast paced multitasking, people wouldn’t even realize that and about things that young each song is different. All of her songs sound people want. When they see a exactly the same, usually just about a different singer that’s living this fun life party. The only thing that changes is pretty much that she’s singing about, it not only entertains the lyrics. The music is still being auto tuned them but also encourages them. The songs are and the robotic voice is still there, pretty much catchy and there’s no doubting that. But she’s replacing her. “Blah Blah Blah” and “Tik Tok” is only had one album go number one and, I think just two of the many that sound as if they could we should work to keep it that way. be combined and still sound just fine together.

The rhythm may change up a bit, but that’s the Kesha’s entire album, “Animal”, has been fixed in only change you’re able to really notice. Buying hopes of making it perfect to where the music is the whole album and promoting her just isn’t fast and able to overlap without interfering with worth listening to the same thing over and over what’s left of the song. I realize that pretty much again. all artists use auto-tune to fix their voice up a bit every now and then in a song, but for her, it’s Kesha is getting more and more famous every the whole song and the recording studio managweek as her album is selling out in stores. If art-

“

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PHOTOS BY: JUSTJARED.BUZZNET.COM, & SENA E.

”

continued...

ists like her make it big, other bad influences are being encouraged by seeing someone like Kesha get famous and thinking to get attention they have to do the same and be ‘hardcore’. More singers are going to decide that to get the attention of younger listeners; they need to sing more about drinking, partying, and the rest of the things Kesha adds into her lyrics since that is what got Kesha to the top. The trusted music reviewing web site, Drowned in Sound, reports, “Ke$ha is coming to rot the minds and livers of our fair nation’s youth.” Later, Miami News

Times called Kesha an “electro-rap poser”. The Musictionary also reported that Kesha’s “Vocal performances (are) so weak that one wonders what she had to do to get signed to a record label in the first place” and “ ‘Animal’ is such a poor package that I almost feel sorry for Kesha”. Stopping role models like her from emerging would not only stop other beginning artists from choosing influences like these to sing about, but it would also give a chance to those who sing about things that aren’t going to get us arrested every night.

What does the school think ?

We put a poll on our web site swankyzine. blogspot.com and within minutes we had results! Most of LASA High School didn’t seem to know who this Kesha was. For every 7 people, that was familiar with her ‘work’, 4 of them said they did NOT (that is the majority).

Go on our web site now and see the blog for your self.

Do You Like Kesha ?

23% 47% 30%

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Max H.

STYLES OF LASA!

From the livestrong shirt to the short shorts, you can obviously tell that Sierra is a hard core sports fan, a stylish one too! Not the typical sweat suit.

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By: Alison S.

Max’s posture and outfit just screams “I don’t care”! But it works for him, if you know Max it would be very hard to imagine him in anything else. Extremely rebellious.

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Sierra A.

Mimi S.

Mimi is a trendy girl.

The cute skirt and the nice and simple shit is very trendy and it looks very classy but still simple.

Albert with his plain clothing and regular blue jeans is very casual but still very nice and simple looking. The overall look is very simple and casual.

Mo Q.

Mo has very nice blouses and the shorts are extremely complimentary to the top. The color of the two items blends very well. She is very fashionable.

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PHOTOS BY ALISON S.

Albert N.

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Raeneisha is also extremely sportive and her rolled up jeans tell you that, the clean white and blue shoes show that she is very conscious of her look. The blue on beige is also a simple but nice aspect.

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Raeneisha C.

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Degrassi: Behind The Scenes ~~~~~~~~~ By: Meredith R.

Marco Del Rossi No Longer There

Marco is amazing. In the beginning of the show, he was struggling with his sexuality. He came out to his dad on stage during a play. He dated his friend, Paige Michelchuk’s brother for quite a while. Eventually, he realized that Dylan was not a nice guy, so they broke up. Later in the show, he developed a gambling problem. He used The Dot to host poker parties to make more and more money. Eventually, he lost it all and learned his lesson.

JT Yorke No Longer There JT led a very dramatic life. He went out with a girl named Liberty, who he got pregnant. She gave the baby up for adoption and she and JT broke up. In the sixth season, JT got stabbed to death because he went out with a girl from a rival school. That was pretty much the end of JT’s story.

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Holly J. Sinclair

Manny Santos

Still There

Still There

The little sister of the elusive Heather Sinclair, Holly J is pretty much the queen bee. She has the hottest boyfriends, hangs out with the coolest kids, and has the perfect life. But not really. Her family went into debt and almost lost their house and the guy shes in love with already has a girlfriend. Someone even made an Anti-Holly J group! She’s slowly regaining her popularity, but it’ll take some time.

In the early days of the show, Manny decided she was going to be “cool”. She went out with a guy named Craig for a while. She got pregnant and had an abortion. Later on, she got drunk and let a guy film her taking her shirt off. The guy emailed the video around school. Then she faked an engagement to Jay Hogart so she would have more freedom. They worked for a while, but eventually ended it.

Spinner Mason

Emma Nelson

KC Guthrie

Still There

Still There

Still There

Spinner was expelled early in the show for bullying Rick. He eventually got back in.

Later, he got testicular cancer. He battled it for a while and eventually got over it. He graduated from Degrassi, and applied to the Police Academy. He didn’t make it, and then he got turned down when he proposed to Jane.

Emma went out with a guy named Sean in the beginning of the show. He found out about her messing around with Jay in the ravine. So then she went out with Peter. She became anorexic and when she was back with Sean, she had a pregnancy scare. She’s at college.

He went out with Clare for a while, but broke up with her to go out with Jenny. The basketball coach tried to get him to sleep with a prostitute, which caused him to bring a gun to school. He didn’t shoot anyone, he just had the gun.

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Jimmy Brooks

Rick Murray

No Longer There

No Longer There

Jimmy was a popular kid. He was the basketball star and he had a gorgeous girlfriend. Then came Rick.

He thought Jimmy publicly embarrassed him, so he brought a gun to school and shot Jimmy. Jimmy had to be in a wheelchair. He went out with Ellie, then Ashley, and now he goes out with Trina. Trina convinced Jimmy to go to Amsterdam to get stem cell surgery to try to walk again.

Rick was a messed up little boy. He put a girl into a coma by pushing her into a rock. He finally turned his life around at Degrassi by being in the Scholastic Decathalon, but someone set it up so that when he won, paint and feathers would fall and cover him. He was super humiliated. He thought Jimmy was behind it, and then he brought a gun to school. He shot Jimmy in the back. When he was about to shoot Emma, Sean shot him.

Darcy Edwards

Jay Hogart

Clare Edwards

No Longer There

No Longer There

Still there

Darcy is supposedly the good church girl.

Only not. She posted sexy pictures on the internet for money, and eventually had a stalker show up at her house. Later, she got raped at a party. She then went crazy and tried to kill herself. Now she lives in Africa.

Jay liked to have sex with girls in the ravine. He eventually got over that and got “engaged” to Manny. But he fell in love with her. They tried to make it work, but eventually broke up. Once he was done with Manny, he wasn’t really in the show anymore.

Clare is Darcy’s little sister. She was originally in the show when Darcy was being stalked, but now she goes to Degrassi. She started as a misfit who wore a uniform to school everyday. Then she met KC. He made her realize that it’s okay to care what people think of you. Aww! But they broke up.

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What’s Coming Your Way This Summer?

By: Sena E.

February 19th - March 20th

Pisces

You will be feeling a lot more attached to things that you’re familiar with this summer! Try to get out of your comfort zone and give others some extra time and attention.

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You’ll be paying a lot more attention to your work & health these few months! You should consider doing some community service to full fill both of these new ambitions.

Scorpio

Cancer

Leo Oct. 23rd - Nov. 21st

December 22nd - Jan. 19th Jan. 20th - February 18th You should secure your ties and spend some time with your family before anything else this summer! No matter where you go, you should always have a secure place to return and come home to.

March 21st - April 19th

This summer is bringing in a lot of new friends for you. Be open and start being yourself! Try not to boss everyone around so much, because not everyone will want to stick around.

You will be very busy with lots of ‘little’ things this summer! Remember to stay on top of it all and don’t overwork yourself!

Listen and communicate lots.

April 20th - May 20th

It seems like you will be a little more secretive this summer. You will also be finding a lot of new resources and will recognize more darker aspects of your life.

PHOTOS BY: Sena E.

Sagittarius

This summer is bringing in a lot of new creativity and playful vibes! Take on a new hobby and pay attention to the moments you spend with others.

You will be making a lot of negotiations and compromises this summer!

A new relationship could be on its way.

Happy Birthday Leo! This summer, you will be feeling very adventurous and you have become tired of the same old routines everyday! You will gain a new perspective and try many new things.

Aquarius

Nov. 22nd - Dec. 21st

Sept. 23rd - Oct. 22nd

July 23rd - August 22nd

Taurus

Virgo

It looks like you’re going to be very active this summer. You should not only keep up with everything, but also take a breath and relax, it is summer after all!

Happy Birthday Cancer! You have an exciting summer coming your way! Try setting your goals before getting too lazy. You will be making a lot of new connections and this networking will pay off.

Libra

Aug. 23rd - Sept. 22nd

June 21st - July 22nd

Capricorn

Gemini

Happy Birthday Gemini! You will be having many new ideas and inspirations this summer! Try playing with children, especially other people’s, to see different point of view to keep your ideas progressive and original.

Aries

May 21st - June 20th

the editors Meredith is the loudest, most outgoing person there is. She scored a 100% extrovert on the personality quiz, which is practically impossible.

She has a tiny dog and the best trampoline ever.

She loves Lil Wayne.

Like, really really loves Lil Wayne. She loves to dance, anytime and anywhere. Her favorite TV shows are Bones, Glee, Modern Family and The Big Bang Theory.

Alison is a very outgoing and different person. She is very in touch with her culture and takes pride in the fact that she is multiracial. Alison is very concerned with her style.

She enjoys listening to Nevershoutnever, she wen t to their concert and was very happy to see Chrisopher Drew preform live.

Alison is a typical student at LASA and takes pride in knowing she does all of her homework.

meredith r. alison s.

Sena is TURKISH. And she is like, legitimately Turkish. She actually speaks Turkish and used to live in Istanbul. She’s got a super quiet voice, but she’s really assertive.

She just moved here from Houston, so she’s not quite up to date on how to speak properly. For example, she says tutorials, instead of tutoring. But overall, she’s pretty cool.

sena e.

Callie is a freshman at LASA. She’s pretty much the coolest person you’ll ever meet. She likes German Shepherds, which are the best dogs ever, and she plays lacrosse. Her favorite band is NeverShoutNever, and she missed the opportunity to go to the SXSW concert.

Just don’t even bring it up. She loves Homeslice Pizza, and almost literally jumps on any chance to go. That’s just about it.

callie s.

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