The Prep March 15, 2017

Loyola Academy Jesuit College Preparatory School

The Loyola Academy Prep Wednesday, March 15, 2017 A.M.D.G.

Volume J Issue VII

www.goramblers.org

Musical Urinetown is Number One Jake Jalloway Junior Writer It is that time of the year again for Loyola’s theater department to put on their annual musical. This year’s production is Urinetown: The Musical. The story follows the rebellious Bobby Strong (a dashing twenty-something who works as the assistant custodian for the town’s local amenity) as he sees the shape and state of his town, and becomes sympathetic with his fellow citizens as he begins to question this so-called “privilege to pee.”

America has been facing a 20 year long drought, and in an effort to conserve what is left of the water supply the government votes to outlaw private bathrooms, and privatize the bathroom industry. In other words, in order to use the bathroom, one must use the public restroom and pay a hefty tax each time they choose to relieve themselves, sending almost everyone into extreme poverty throughout the country. Those who fail to comply with the laws are exiled to the mysterious city that the country has come to know as “Urinetown.”

Along the way, Bobby Strong (played by freshman Logan Aldrich) meets a charming young lady by the name of Hope Cladwell (played by senior Helen Krizmen), and they quickly fall in love with each other.

Bobby then begins a revolution in an effort to protect the basic human dignity of being able to use the bathroom without having to pay taxes each time one does.

The play is a very well

What’s Inside?

The people of Urinetown, led by rebel Bobby Strong, played by Logan Aldrich, protest against the government’s restrictions on their right to use water and the restroom. This musical satire is sure to delight the Loyola community.

Photo Courtesy Nina Wetoska

written satire involving elements of basic human rights, privatization, greed, and monopolizing corporations. After a country is facing major economic decline, and an overwhelming depression, a large corporation decides to take over and use those who are suffering to their advantage. There are politicians who are being paid off to allow the companies to be unregulated, and make as many rules as they see fit. The play then follows the element of denying those who are on the bottom of our society their basic human rights (such as being able to use the bathroom). If we keep allowing those on the top of our society to take advantage of the poor and those who are struggling facing poverty, they will keep pushing and infringing further and further on their human rights. And eventually, they will be forced to pay

absurd taxes to use the bathroom, and most won’t be able to afford to use it, resulting in mass poverty and the disrespect of other humans. The show poses the audience with this question of “How much of our humanity are we going to allow those in power to deny us before we stand up and say enough is enough?”

When asked why she thinks the poor allowed for themselves to be abused to the extent they face in the first place, junior Elena Kittle-Kamp (Josephine Strong) stated “I think that the people in the country allowed the situation to become that dire because the poor people were promised that all these laws and different taxes would solve the crisis at hand and it didn’t, so by the time that they realized that the problem needed a different solution it was too late. I think the rich people in the story saw a problem and

exploited it, which happens constantly now, i.e. people who share pictures of starving children in poorer countries but don’t do anything to help them. I really don’t think there was much the citizens could have done to prevent the situation. As the saying goes, desperate times call for desperate measures and people were so afraid of dying that they jumped to the extreme.”

The musical also shows what happens when those revolting become violent, and lust for vengeance. Senior Emma Skowron (Little Becky) says “I think we want to feel in control of our lives and wanting to kill someone out of vengeance is the rebel’s way of doing it, even if it’s not the best way to go about it. For me, I see it as symbolic of how oppression can really take over people’s lives, and how the oppressors have complete control over issues

that aren’t close enough to their hearts for them to fully understand the pain and struggle those who are being oppressed are going through.”

Overall, the show is extremely witty, and has a large satirical basis. Junior Tessa Volpe (Mrs. Millennium) says “By seeing Urinetown, the audience will grasp an understanding of what our world could turn out to be if we aren’t careful with how we use our natural resources.”

Audiences certainly enjoyed themselves opening weekend. You still have a chance to enjoy the Loyola’s production of Urinetown this coming weekend, March 17, 18, and 19. Tickets are available at www.seatyoueself.biz/goramblers.

Immigration Policy page 3

French Elections page 4

New Planets page 5

Spring Training page 7

2

The Prep Editor-in-Chief Charlie Power Thomas Murphy Moderator Ms. Katie Klein

EDITORIALS

Loyola Academy’s Oldest Organization Founded September 20, 1912

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

THE

Prep

1100 Laramie, Wilmette, Illinois 60091 Phone: 847-256-1100

A Letter from the Editor A common thread in recent conversations with my fellow editor Charlie Power has been the difficult choice students face about how they approach their studies. We agree that there is a definite tendency for students to think about their classes in terms of hollow grades rather than as opportunities for learning. We too often focus on grades and fail to appreciate that each of our classes presents a unique opportunity to explore something new. This unfortunate reality seems to have consumed high school academics and is one we must try to avoid.

No student passes through Loyola without at some point having to choose whether to do only what is necessary to get a grade or to work past the grade towards a true understanding of the subject matter. Teachers are understandably frustrated as students develop a habit of memorization without comprehension. This pattern is found across the curriculum - in memorized math formulas, theological terms, essay formats, scientific processes - students always find a way to memorize without learning, to get a respectable grade and move on.

Colleges do nothing to help the situation, as a student’s “numbers” are an important component of a college application. Parents expect high grades but are less concerned with what we actually learned.

And then, of course, we put pressure on ourselves. There are too many classes I’ve taken at Loyola that I didn’t think I’d enjoy and used simply as a means to an end, and now I regret not giving them a chance to change my mind. The only thing I cared about was receiving an A and getting out. In talking with other seniors over the past few months, I find that I am not alone. Top students in my class have remarked that they “missed the point” of many courses at Loyola because they decided to focus on the grade with little concern for the lesson.

The truth is that when we approach our classes as chores to get past with a decent grade, rather than as opportunities to learn, we are “missing the point.” There is a higher purpose to a liberal arts education that is lost when academic achievement is reduced to grade percentiles. We, especially as students at a Jesuit institution, must use our education to become forces for good. Our time in high school supplies us with a strong foundation for serving others and improving our world. To understand a lesson is to appreciate an element of society and become better prepared for the challenges we will face beyond graduation.

I know that it is easy for me to look back at the past four years and tell younger students to worry less about grades and more about learning. I have already been admitted to college.

But I still hope you consider my advice. Challenge yourself to get the most out of every class, even if the class makes you fall asleep at your desk - you might wake up to something interesting one day. If you recognize each class as an opportunity to expand your mind, everything else - grades, free time, etc. - will fall in place. The product will be a better student and citizen.

AMDG Thomas Murphy

Contributors Jake Jalloway, Neil Gorman, Mitchell Deligio, Emily Deyvor, Chiamaka Osuji, Martin Susanto, Erin Santacrosse, Riley Harwood, Brady Reichert, Madeleine Quackenbush, and Kelly Reichert

Notes in the News

By Editor-in-Chief Charlie Power

“We don’t win anymore” was a rallying cry during President Trump’s campaign, and now that he is in office, we have begun to see what the promise to Make America Great Again means in practice. The administration has begun drafting its first budget, and one of the notable headlines was the proposal to increase military spending by $54 billion.

The U.S. currently spends anywhere from about $520 to $600 billion (depending on how the numbers are counted) to fund the Department of Defense, and this tally excludes the billions spent on Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs. Another of Trump’s slogans was to cut “waste, fraud, and abuse,” and the Pentagon budget would be a smart place to start. The military-industrial complex is alive and well, full of special interests and Congressmen who lobby for equipment that the Pentagon itself did not ask for.

This is not to say that we need a wholesale reduction in the military, for even though there is plenty of waste, there are plenty areas that need more investment, such as cybersecurity. But the reason Trump’s proposal is so misguided is how he plans to fund it and the fundamental lack of understanding it reveals. To keep the proposed military increase revenue neutral, Trump wants to cut funds from other programs, including for diplomacy and foreign aid. If implemented, the State Department budget would be cut 30% and contributions to UN and other humanitarian organizations 40%.

Trump seems to think that hard power, more troops, ships and planes, is the only way that America can secure its interests. But we already spend plenty in this category, and even those in the military realize that the key to U.S. influence abroad is the relationships and goodwill we cultivate through diplomacy, which after all aims to prevent wars. And at a time when the Pentagon has called climate change the “biggest longterm security threat,” Trump wants to slash the EPA budget by 25%.

We have a chronic shortage of disinvestment in bolstering our “soft power,” and in an unstable world it would be shortsighted to limit our options. The sentiment is perhaps bested summed up by Trump’s Secretary of Defense, General Mattis, who told members of Congress in 2013, “If you don’t fund the state department fully, then I need to buy more ammunition.”

The Prep

Current Events

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

3

Trump Immigration Policy is ICE Cold Neil Gorman Junior Writer Since Donald Trump’s inauguration in January, the new President has taken many actions to enforce immigration laws on undocumented Mexican immigrants.

On the sixth day of his presidency, Trump signed an executive order to begin construction on the infamous wall along the U.SMexican border. Although the order was signed, no real construction has begun for the wall at this point.

On the same day, he also signed an order to withhold funding from “sanctuary cities” until they turn over illegal immigrants for deportations. Alleged “sanctuary cities” are those, including Chicago, who have indicated they will not use their local law enforcement agencies to help Immigrations and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agents with deportations.

Two weeks later another order was signed by Trump, this one aimed at allowing law enforcement agencies to formulate new strategies to reduce crimes committed by illegal immigrants, which is being overseen by recently embattled Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Trump’s last immigration order gave (ICE) the ability to conduct more frequent raids to detain and deport undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. These raids are being conducted throughout the country, and all detained immigrants, with a criminal record or not, are being deported.

While Trump claims the focus for these raids is on detaining the immigrants who have committed criminal offenses, the ICE raids have been detaining all those who are found to be undocumented. This has been a point of controversy since the raids have started.

Many argue that undocumented immigrants without

Trump campaigned on a promise to strengthen US borders and control immigration. His early executive orders are keeping those promises, although he has been silent on the fate of “dreamers.”

Photo Courtesy AP

a criminal record shouldn’t be deported, while others say that simply entering the country illegally is reason enough to be deported. While in past years undocumented immigrants have only been deported if they have committed serious offenses, Trump’s order now states that any crime committed by un-

documented immigrants is enough to be deported. An offense as small as a speeding ticket is enough for law enforcement to detain immigrants and deport them.

Considering how far reaching Trump’s orders seem to be, it is interesting to note that he has not taken action to deport Dreamers, those who en-

tered the country illegally

go online and chase for clicks. Many others have simply shuttered their operations. The net result: there is a surplus of information but a shortage of thought.

This is not an ode to The New York Times or Wall Street Journal, but a recognition that the spigots regulating the stream of information have burst, and a chaotic torrent has taken their place.

Traditional outlets do not have any sort of divine right over 21st century organizations such as Buzzfeed to report and cover news stories, but since the Internet is almost infinitely accessible, anybody in the town square now has a megaphone to voice his or her opinion.

This, again, is deceptive.

Strong democracies depend on robust public debate, but because we increasingly live our lives in the digital space, we tend to insulate ourselves.

By only following what we “like,” blocking ideas that challenge us, we have succeeded in creating our own virtual realities— real reality be damned. Likewise, anybody can author an article or create a video promoting their own agenda, and facts

often fall by the wayside as we circulate this misinformation amongst like-minded friends. What’s more, algorithms in many social media sites push content similar to what the user has already “liked.” The harmful implication here is that we now see stories and posts that we are already predisposed to agree with, further confirming our preconceptions about the world, and so a vicious cycle begins.

Carried to its logical end, this atomization shatters the town square into millions of tiny shards, destroying any hope for a common narrative and crippling democracy.

This problem is burgeoning, but its effects are already visible. Our political discourse morphed beyond healthy disagreement into fundamental disagreements on the value of institutions that underpin the system itself.

Unfortunately, this is not unique to our country; the Brexit referendum and the rise of populism and ultranationalism across Europe have exposed fault lines on issues such as globalization, immigration, and national identity so emo-

tionally charged that a fact based debate becomes virtually impossible. The adverse self-selection that social media gives us the tools to perform only feeds into the hysteria. This crisis will not be solved with one policy, program, or law. It will be an uphill battle, but we must find a way forward, for the freedom of our collective consciousness is at stake.

The front lines are in education; too many lack critical thinking abilities and we cannot hope for any social or political consensus without significant philosophical debate and challenge of precepts in the formative years.

Whether it is seeking out others who do not share the same cultural experiences or perhaps visiting a website with opposing political beliefs, we have a duty to both ourselves and society at large to counter this self-fulfilling prophecy of tribalization.

The new forms of media are neither inherently good nor evil, but they do what they were designed to do.

It is up to us to avoid being trapped in our own bubbles.

as a children. While Trump had vowed to dismantle the Dreamers program created by Obama in 2012, he has not yet taken action to end the program as of yet.

Time will tell whether or not Trump will continue to allow the program to exist.

A Word about the Press from the Press Charlie Power Editor-in-Chief Amidst the breakneck pace of technological development, it is nearly impossible to maintain perspective on the costs and benefits of our “advancements.” Information is now more accessible than ever, and the proliferation of smartphones has allowed billions of people to instantly communicate for the first time in our collective history.

At surface level, this is a profoundly positive development: knowledge has

been uncaged from the ivory tower and is more readily accessible. But the unintended consequence of this is that the traditional gatekeepers of society, reputable newspapers and broadcast organizations, are struggling to adapt. Information now comes from myriad different directions, and consumers are inundated. Likewise, as the supply curve has drastically shifted right, the merciless laws of economics are enforced: the bottom has fallen out on the revenues of traditional publications.

Surviving media operations

Sean Spicer is the White House’s outlet to the media in a time when the traditional press and media are under new attacks.

Photo Courtesy AP

4

The Prep

Current Events

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Marine Le Pen Surges on Populist Tide Charlie Power Editor-in-Chief After the June 2016 Brexit vote and the election of Donald Trump, there is a sense that all bets are off for the upcoming election in France. The parallels are strikingly similar to our politics, front-runner Marine Le Pen of the National Front is probably best described as a polished Trump, for although she eschews bombastic rhetoric, behind the facade is a call to cut off immigration, reverse globalization, and leave the European Union (EU); in short, to restore the past glory of France. Her most likely opponent is Emmanuel Macron, a liberal in the classical sense who is a promoter of the EU, free trade, and immigration.

The exit of France from the EU would most likely permanently cripple the project, marking another win for Russia and Vladimir Putin. Borrowing a page from an earlier playbook, Putin’s cronies appear to be working covertly to tip the scales; a Russian bank has loaned money to National Front and Mr. Macron’s campaign has suffered debilitating hacking attacks. The

election is in two months, and polls show Ms. Le Pen trailing, but then again, the polls predicted the United Kingdom would vote Remain and Hillary Clinton would be the 45th President.

Brexit, Trump and now Le Pen are intricately in-

ideals of liberty, secularism, rule of law, and yes, facts, all of which compose the doctrine of liberalism.

From the ashes of World War II arose institutions such as NATO and EU, and with America as the linchpin, prosperity flowed

in this foundation, and public’s justifiable backlash has culminated in the rise of illiberal forces buoying Brexit, Trump, and Le Pen. The fever will break, for any coherent, nonpartisan analysis of policy proposals stemming in the wake of

tertwined; opportunists who have harnessed rising nationalism and protectionism. This is a doctrine, embodied by Steve Bannon in Trump’s administration, that threatens to destroy the philosophical identity of the West, centered on the Enlightenment

through the advancement of democracy and the opening of markets. After the fall of the Soviet Union, it seemed this liberal openness had proved superior, and it enjoyed unchallenged ideological triumph for more than 20 years. The 2007 housing crisis revealed cracks

this upheaval are nonsensical, revealing a disdain for economic and social realities that will undoubtedly make the collective populations of Britain, the U.S. and France worse off. Voters will eventually realize that calls to reverse globalization and scapegoat im-

migrants are misguided and will seek new alternatives.

This may offer some consolation, but it still leaves two pressing questions. In the long term, what political figures or movements will emerge and provide solutions that embrace the West’s tradition of openness? Pragmatic liberal groups will have an opening once people tire of insulation; the challenge is to convince voters to renew their faith in their institutions while making necessary tweaks to address the reality that some have been left behind. The more short term and immediate concern is how much damage Brexit, Trump, and Le Pen will inflict on their respective nations, for some mistakes are irreversible and have long term ramifications. If Mr. Macron defeats Ms. Le Pen, it would be a welcome reversal of recent trends, but regardless, liberals in the minority throughout the West must focus on readying policies and messaging for their next opportunity.

The West is having somewhat of an identity crisis, and the proper approach is to use the Enlightenment ideals of the past to confront the challenges we face today.

then placed into plants to provide, for example, better crops and resistance to bugs. While many think that GMOs are unreliable or not safe, that may not be true.

GMOs are organisms worth putting into our crops and foods due to the fact that the studies showing negative effects are inconclusive and provide better crop yields.

Everyone drinks milk. A common liquid put into cereal or baking ingredients and a healthy thing to have increase bone strength and preventing diseases. To provide a higher production of milk, the hormone IGF-I, an insulin like growth, is put into the milk, where the cows drink it, then the body responds to it and higher rates of milk occurs. While The American Cancer Society believes that IGF-I is

linked to cancer however, “later studies have failed to confirm these reports or have found weaker relationships” (Haspel). Making the threat of GMOs in milk not true.

Milk, however, is just one example. Take meat that is grass fed as opposed to being grain fed. Like milk, grass fed beef has higher omega three levels (fatty acids), whether or not organic or conventional meat can be contaminated, results to cooking, regardless if it had a single GMO in it.

Milk and meat with GMOs in the end do not provide life threatening contamination and are safe to use.

While the matter of milk and meat has been covered, crops being injected with GMOs are next on passing the safe or not test. GMOs are worth putting into our

crops because they provide better yields. Anti-GMO users believe that when they are sprayed onto the crops it makes the crops more toxic.

Of course, any extreme use of anything provides dire results. Different chemicals being put on these crops provide different types of toxicities. The extreme use of chemicals only come into play when a scientific error occurs incorrectly measuring the amounts that is being sprayed. This can result in different bugs eating the plants or superweeds growing, destroying the already good crop. Specific types of crops, like soybean, cotton and corn were showing better crop yield results to farmers.

Yes, GMOs may be terrible if not used correctly.

An appropriate amount however, can provide prom-

ising crops. GMOs are safe to use. Ranging from organic foods being injected with hormones to increase production and correct measurements to put on crops.

GMOs are safe. There may come a time where all the food in the world is depleted, a truly harsh reality to face, but it can happen.

Science is an ongoing endeavor, it succeeds and it fails. When it does fail, scientists fix the mistake, adapt and keep going. There may be several things that are invalid in GMOs, but when the time comes to create better healthier foods, where all our options our gone, we humans already have solution that has been tested for a long time. Might as well continue working on GMOs to provide a perfect solution.

Just as England and America before it, France now faces its own decision on the course of its future. Will its election follow in the footsteps of America by electing Marine Le Pen, whose views bear a striking similarity to President Trump?

Photo Courtesy AP

GMOs - An Acronym Worth Saving

Mitchell Deligio Senior Writer The year is 2040, the year when all of the Earth resources have finally dried up. Mass hysteria occurs, food riots begin, and countries are reduced to waging war for any source of food.

How did we get here? Could there have been something to prevent this catastrophic event? What happens in the next twenty-three years may be unclear, but one organism can prevent such horrors from happening – genetically modified organisms.

GMOs are the result of a laboratory process where genes from the DNA of one species are extracted and artificially forced into the genes of an unrelated plant or animal. These genes that are being taken out are

Current Events

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

The Prep

5

A Hop, Skip, and Forty Light Years Away The system of exoplanets is known as TRAPPIST-1, named after the telescope in Chile that initially discovered three of the planets. Soon after, these discoveries were confirmed by several other telescopes, including the Spitzer which discovered five additional planets. The significance of these planets originates from the fact that they are roughly similar in size NASA’s recent discovery of seven new earth-like planets once again begs the question if we are alone in and density to the Earth. the universe. Based on these findings, the exciting answer may be “no.”

These two similar quanPhoto Courtesy AP tities lead scientists to soon to ponder the possi- mately 40 light-years away infer that the planets must Martin Susanto bilities of alternate life out from Earth, signifying that consist of rocks and minerFreshman Writer there. This is where NASA an object traveling at the als similar to Earth-bound Conditions One of the largest myster- comes into play, enlighten- speed of light would take counterparts.

40 years to reach the solar ing and strengthening the such as these allow more ies constantly being chalbank of common knowlsystem.

While currently studies to be performed on lenged is to what extent human beings can reach in edge. Recently, NASA’s too far beyond our trans- alternate life-supporting enorder to survive. With long Spitzer Telescope discov- portation capabilities, the vironments, which can lead term yet inevitable issues ered a single-star solar sys- discovery of a possible life- to potential technological of limited natural resources tem surrounded by seven sustaining system brings advancements in both daily and an exponentially grow- planets, all of which have humans closer to answering life and otherwise. While ing population, the human potential to sustain life. the age-old question “are the system in theory holds race may find the need quite These planets are approxi- we alone in this universe?” similar conditions to Earth,

there are many major differences that contrast with the local solar system. All seven planets are closer to the star than Mercury is to the sun, yet remain at an appropriate temperature for life. This is due to the central star being classified as a super-cool white dwarf, which sits at a temperature around 4,400 °F compared to the sun’s up to 20 million °F. These planets also are close enough in proximity to each other than an observer watching the sky on one planet may be able to make out outlines of the terrain of the adjacent planet.

Overall, the discovery of the solar system TRAPPIST-1 has the potential to lead discovery in alternate habitats and even fast transport. While the system is currently not accessible by current technology, the information there has the possibility to answer one of humanity’s greatest questions: Are we alone in this universe?

Anti-Semitism Plagues the Nation Emily Devyor Sophomore Writer

For the past few weeks, many Jewish centers have been vandalized and threatened with bomb scares.

Since January, there have been around 100 calls threatening Jewish centers and a Jewish cemetery in New York and St. Louis even had people damage tombstones by pushing them over. There has been one arrest made by the NYPD after they found a man who was connected to at least eight calls made, including a call to the New York Anti-defamation league, which helps fight against bigotry and antiSemitism across the world.

Many of the calls made to the Jewish community centers are hard to trace because it is a person speaking, and not an automated, robotic voice. In the latest wave of threats, though, robotic voices were used. The inconsistency makes it harder to connect these crimes though, and not knowing

which of the two to expect, the calls can’t be tracked fast enough to pinpoint where they’re coming from.

Recently though, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has lifted a privacy ruling for Jewish centers and their communications providers that will allow blocked numbers that can’t be seen by people who pick up the phone to be traced. This is an important step in tracking down threats because police couldn’t see the phone number and large companies could not give out that information to anyone for tracking purposes.

There have been so many threats made to community centers that without lifting this ban, it would take a lot longer to find any suspects.

Even though there haven’t been bombs found in any of the community centers that were threatened, it is still important that each and every call is investigated.

Because there have been so many bomb threats and vandalizing of community centers, the FBI and the Civil Rights division of the

justice department have still must be done to root out Jewish. She has said that the gotten involved and are hate and prejudice and evil.” things happening to Jewish looking into all of these casWhile it is good that community centers are teres as a possible civil rights Trump finally released a violations. Many people statement, many are saying rible and something needs are hoping that these waves that it is too little, too late to be done to stop these of threats will stop and are and that actions should’ve waves of bomb threats, yet looking to the Trump adbeen taken when the first she too hasn’t done anything ministration for answers. attacks started and not to help aid the community Many are criticizing the administration because two months after the fact. centers as of yet. Overall, Another person in the President Trump has only there have been over eighty addressed the destruction of Trump administration who gravestones that happened hasn’t been vocal is Trump’s bomb threats made in at in Philadelphia in late Feb- daughter, Ivanka, who is least twenty-eight states. ruary and not all of the earlier threats, which have been going on since January.

In his statement President Trump said, “The anti-Semitic threats targeting our Jewish community and community centers are horrible and are painful and a very sad A man mourns at a desecrated tombstone in a Jewish cemetery. Hate crimes against the Jewish community are on the rise in recent weeks. reminder of Photo Courtesy AP the work that

6

The Prep

Fun & Games

The March Prep Challenge

This month, we thought we’d mix it up. No numbers this time, just some good old spatial reasoning. Be the first to correctly solve the puzzles and bring to Ms. Klein in the English office to win a prize.

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

Happy Birthday To...

Seniors Brian Callum and Jan Szczupak

If you see these Ramblers in the hallway, be sure to wish them a Happy Birthday!

If you could be any Who is your favorfruit, what would ite singer? you be?

What is your favorite book?

Are you a dog or cat person?

Have you ever been on TV?

Raspberry

Ed Sheeran

Wuthering Heights

Dog

No

Apple

Taylor Swift

Harry Potter

Dog

Yes - at the St. Patrick’s Day Parade

Mango

Bruno Mars

And Then There Were None

Dog

No

Peach

Anthony Keidis

Into the Wild

Dog

No

Kiwi

Stevie Wonder

1984

Dog

No

Lucija Bebek ‘20

Ellen Naughton ‘19

Ardit Mishra ‘18

Jessica Davies ‘17

Ms. Harrington

The Prep

Entertainment

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

7

Chicago Cubs Try to Go “Bat-to-Bat” Erin Santacrose Senior Writer Although the Cubs may have entered both the 2015 and 2016 seasons as World Series favorites and faced the pressure of living up to that expectation, this year they face another challenge.

As World Series Champions, the Cubs are now looking towards becoming the first team since the Yankees in their 1998-2000 win-streak to win consecutive World Series titles.

With such a stacked lineup, the Cubs are going to have to deal with the pressures of achieving their full potential, a goal that would add another level of joy to the hearts of Chicagoans.

Although fans may expect to defend the championship, repeating a title is not even close to a guarantee.

In Mesa, Arizona, Maddon begins sorting out how

he will fill the line-up – a difficult task with such a talented roster. He also needs to decide how he will fill the holes of Cubs who have left the friendly confines for greener pastures with other

clubs, such as Dexter Fowler and Arnoldis Chapman.

All the Cubbies are putting in the work in the warm desert weather in order to gain those prime spots, and also to become bet-

ter, more reliable players.

Good things seem to be happening to those that are really grinding this offseason. Jason Heyward, who faced a dry-hitting spell last season that continued into Spring Training (going 0-15 to start the spring), unveiled his re-worked batting style in the 13-10 win over the Angels the first week of March. Heyward set the scene early with a solohomerun and then hit a double later in the game. He gave the loyal fans down in Heyward finally hits his way out of a slump in an explosive spring training game Mesa someagainst the Angels. The Cubs will need all their players performing at their best thing to cheer to defend their World Series Title.

Photo Courtesy AP about, and boy

were they excited to see such a strong fielder finally contribute to the offense.

Centerfield prospect Albert Almora, Jr. also seems to really be hitting it off – sorry for the pun. He hit a grand slam on Sunday in a 9-9 tie against the Rangers.

Also, for all those Rizzomaniacs who were worried about his lower back soreness and his four-game absence, he will be returning (thank goodness).

With so many players in a single game in Spring Training, it’s hard to tell who the for sure starters be as of right now. But, it is safe to say the favorites from last year (Rizzo, Bryant, Russell, Zobrist, Baez) will all still be in the field opening day comes April.

Let’s get excited Cubs fans – summer is nearing.

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard Riley Harwood LA News Editor Jimi Hendrix once explained, “people get so hung up on the names of things…bands, albums are about the music not about this other stuff.” This statement comes easily from a man who played in The Jimi Hendrix Experience. While names are surely superficial parts of making music, seldom have monikers so accurately matched artistic expression as in the case of King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard’s new album Flying Microtonal Banana.

Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard may be the Land Down Under’s most prolific modern band.

Since forming in 2010 and releasing the first record in 2012, KGATLW has pumped out an astonishing nine albums. Indeed, finding the Lizard Wizard is much like finding a new nine season show on Netflix over winter break and never leaving the house again.

Some highlights of the band’s discography include the four ten minute and ten

second Quarters (each song being a quarter of the album), the all acoustic Paper Mâché Dream Balloon, and in 2016 Nonagon Infinity where each song bleeds into the next with the ninth track bleeding into the first to create an “infinite nonagon.”

Flying Microtonal Banana carries on the lineage of thematic releases. The first of five albums promised for 2017, the newest installment of King Gizzard’s catalogue features the use of microtones: very small intervals of sound that differ from the traditional western semitone halfsteps. The inclusion of this eastern sound began when Frontman Stu Mackenzie received a custom-made microtuned guitar as a gift and the rest of the band members had their instruments outfitted accordingly.

The opening three tracks, “Rattlesnake,” “Melting,” and “Open Water,” all begin with the sound of wind and carry on for six to seven minutes of pure psychedelia. “Rattlesnake,” the opening track, employs the mass repetition of the word “rattlesnake.” In fact, Stu

Mackenzie repeats the word 52 times with a couple of short versus intermittent.

After the tripping triptych of the opening three, Flying Microtonal Banana saunters on to more easily digestible tracks such as “Sleep Drifter,” “Billabong Valley,” and “Nuclear Fusion.”

“Sleep Drifter” accurately portrays the struggle to stay awake that students often feel on a night filled with homework and impending tests. In a manner that rivals the storytelling prowess of Bob Dylan, “Billabong Valley” details the story of outlaw Mad Dog Morgan.

The album finally rounds out with a title track, “Flying Microtonal Banana” that perfectly amalgamates the preceding eight tracks.

While lyrics about the issue of pollution in Beijing encapsulated in “Doom City,” microtuning foreign to western ears, and a range of tempos should add up to a cacophonic experience, Microtonal Flying Banana is actually a fantastic motley of familiar sounds from alternative to krautrock to psychedelia. The production on Flying Microtonal

Banana is incredibly vast — each track creates its own unique and expansive soundscape. This is accomplished masterfully through the mixing of the album’s guitar sections, which are treated with a healthy amount of reverb and given plenty of room to breathe within each instrumental. This lets their groovy sound blossom outward to envelop each track rather than overwhelm it. The bops throughout are reminiscent of everyone from

Frank Zappa to The Doors.

In an age where artists release half-baked albums fueled by studio executives who choose which songs will be hits, King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard’s quest to create a series of truly original albums is nothing short of noble. Maybe the name and antics are just a gimmick. Decide for yourself Saturday, April 8 at the Metro when the zany Aussies come to Chicago.

The latest modern band to hit American shores from Australia is King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Their new sound can be experienced on their latest album, Flying Microtonal Banana.

Photo Courtesy AP

8 The Prep

Wednesday, March 15, 2017

JOIN US!

Do you want to write the latest news for The Prep?

Then join our staff now!

Talk to Ms. Klein in the English office or email her at kklein@loy.org

UPCOMING SPORTS EVENTS Wednesday, March 15 Boys Water Polo @ St. Rita @ 6:00

Thursday, March 16 Girls Soccer @ Trinity @ 4:45 Girls LAX vs. Fenwick @ 6:00

Friday, March 17 Softball vs. Taft @ 4:45 Girls Water Polo @ New Trier @ 6:00

Saturday, March 18 Baseball vs. St. Patrick @ 10:00 and Noon Girls Soccer vs. St. Charles North @ 2:00

Sunday, March 19 Boys Track and Field CCL Championships @ University of Chicago Girls Track and Field GCAC Championship @ University of Chicago Boys Water Polo vs. DeSmet Jesuit @ 10:30

Monday, March 20 Baseball @ Highland Park @ 4:30 Girls Water Polo vs. Mother McAuley @ 6:00 Boys Water Polo @ Brother Rice @ 6:30

Tuesday, March 21 Boys Tennis @ Mount Carmel @ 4:00 Girls LAX @ Montini @ 4:45 and 6:15 Boys Volleyball vs. Niles West @ 6:00 Girls Soccer @ Evanston @ 6:30

Sports Swim and Dive Makes Waves compete at the Niles North Sectional where After a very successthey showful Men’s Swimming and cased their Diving season, Loyola was depth. The honored to send six swim- 4 0 0 - y a r d mers and divers to the state f r e e - s t y l e finals the last weekend of relay team, February at New Trier High i n c l u d i n g School. Looking back, the senior Dan season was surrounded by M c G o w a n , many distinguished accom- f r e s h m a n plishments, including an Luke Mauer, inspirational victory over senior GuenFenwick on January 20 ther and juwhere Chris Canning broke nior Tommy his on six-dive team record! Barr, locked Their roll continued, and in third place in early February the team and quali- Chris Canning executes a difficult dive on his became MCAC conference fied to comway to a third place finish at State.

Photo Courtesy The Year champions. Chris Canning pete at state and Alex O’Toole clinched finals.

Guenther also in this sectional with a score second and third place, re- qualified for the 200 IM that would have won every spectively, for spectacular (individual medley of other sectional state-wide. diving. Adding to the suc- breaststroke, backstroke, After years of dedication cess, team captain Nathan- butterfly, and freestyle) and and hard work, plunging iel Guenther won confer- the 100 breaststroke, setting into the pool in the early ence champion in the 200 a school record in the 100. morning darkness while IM. The team finished first Mauer, whose dad Erik most people are asleep to in a 13-team event, and Mauer set swimming repractice, these teammates Guenther was then honored cords for Loyola in 1989, advanced to the finals at with the Lawless Award. qualified for state in the New Trier the last weekThis award, created in hon- 100 and 200 free events. end of February to battle for or of Fenwick’s first foot- McGowan, acknowledged State. Chris Canning shined ball and basketball coach, for being a team motivain diving, making it to the honors an outstanding ath- tor, qualified for state in the finals. Chris not only made lete or coach in his/her sport 500 free and 200 free. Chris it to finals, he finished third who demonstrates Lawless’ Canning and Alex O’Toole’s in state for diving. He has a own indomitable spirit. diving successes also qualiremarkable record, as this is By mid-February this fied to compete at the state talented team went on to finals. Canning came in third his fourth time finishing in the top four in the state. As a freshman Canning was one of only two freshmen who ever finished in the top five in state over the last twenty years, and now he finishes his high school career as the most successful diver in the program. University of Michigan is looking forward to having him on the board! What a season!

Congratulations to the Swimming and Diving Team for hard work and distinguishing sucTeam captain Nathaniel Guenther races through the butterfly cesses that set new restroke of his first place 200 IM. Photo Courtesy The Year cords for Loyola Academy.

Brady Riechert Sophomore Writer