M the MENTOR
Nov. 13, 2012
Manhattan High School, Manhattan, Kan.
‘Succeed’ succeeds
Select students get election experience Kayla Dieker Copy Editor Liz Logback Features Editor Tre Fuentes Staff Writer A group of 15 Manhattan High students got a first-hand look at how elections work after volunteering at polling locations around Riley County on Nov. 6. As election judges, the students checked IDs, verified address information and helped escort voters to the booths where they explained how the voting worked. Volunteers had to arrive at their voting location by 5:45 a.m. Despite the early morning, volunteers saw many benefits from spending the day as an Election Judge. Senior Austin Canady spent his day at First Lutheran Church. Despite wanting to vote and not being able to because of his age, he still
saw the positive effects of his actually work on Election Day. their phones or the Internet service. “It looks good on a They also had to pass a test all day. However, a $100 inresume because it shows you care about the community,” Canady said. Senior Taylor Bonnette also spent Nov. 6 as an Election Judge. She found that the day was a good learning experience. “I think a lot of high schoolers should give it a try. There is a lot I have learned about the entire process of politics and such work, it’s pretty interesting,” Bonnette said. Junior Jerry Sextro learned about the opportunity to volunteer through social studies teacher Karen Curtin. “[She] had a sign-up list in her class for anyone that On Nov. 6, 15 students volunteered to work at the polling locations around wanted to volunteer to Riley County. Senior Austin Canady helps out during the polling process. be a part of this,” Sextro Kaitlin Wichmann, Photographer said. Volunteers had to undergo on the rules to be accepted. centive helped ease the strict a four-hour training session While at the polling place, rules of volunteering. two weeks prior to the elec- they had strict rules to follow, tion before they were able to and couldn’t have access to
Clu b Notes Earth Club
The Earth Club has been struggling to get a date on the calendar for the annual Earth Breakfast but now members have several dates to choose from. The dates that have all been approved for the breakfast are Nov. 15, 29 and Dec. 13. The club will vote on the date in their meeting tomorrow. They were originally planning on having a lunch on Oct. 18 but were forced to push it back due to the college fair being on the same day. Club president Nick Donohoue said that fundraising is the second priority. “I’m happy to spread the word of Earth Club, since we’ve been a fairly inactive group and we want to show that we are still here,” he said. The money they do make from selling cinnamon rolls at the breakfast will be donated to the Interpersonal Skills class to buy mulch to plant
their own garden. Whichever date is chosen for the breakfast, it will run from 7 a.m. to the beginning of school. -- Connor Bliss Scholars Bowl The Manhattan High School academic decathlon team, Scholars Bowl, returned with both a win and a loss last week. In preparation for this first week of competition for the season, the team had been practicing on Mondays and Tuesdays. They even took advantage of time spent traveling to the competition to practice their skills. “From the moment they got in the van they were quizzing each other,” assistant coach Regina Harden said. Last Tuesday the Varsity team went to Hayden High School, where they competed against 14 other schools. The team tied for second in pool play but lost the tiebreaker and did not advance further. “We
missed it by 4 points. [They] are off-the-charts smart,” Harden said. Their second meet was on Thursday at Wamego High School, and the J.V. team placed first. They beat Junction City 50-35 in the semifinal match and beat Seaman 70-30 in the championship. The team has two meets this Thursday. Varsity will compete at Wamego and J.V. at Abilene. -- Jultih Perry
Science Olympiad
The Manhattan High School Science Olympiad team traveled to Shawnee Mission South on Saturday to compete in the areas of physics, earth science, biology and chemistry. This was their first meet, and was looked at as an optimistic start to their season of competition. “The competition was a very good start and it was a great opportunity for the students to compare themselves with the competition,” cosponsor Dick Nelson said.
Fifteen students competed, some for the first time. “Being it my first meet, was a great learning experience. My goal for the next meet is to be more ready and prepare more,” junior Sriramana Sankar said. The results of the competition have not been released yet. But regardless of the outcome it was an opportunity for new members and idea of what to expect and returning members to gain experience. “This year being my second year, it was a great experience. The competition helped the new teammates what to expect at Science Olympiad meets,” senior Praveen Ramaswamy said. -- Maddie Ross
Medical Explorers
The school musical occupied many students over the past couple of weeks, but the Medical Explorers had a regular meeting last Thursday with Michael Newcomer, who specializes in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Volume 100 issue 10
FFA helps students step up on leadership Derrek Williams and Nastajja Rivera staff writers
Seniors Da’Merius Ford and Mariah Messmer embrace during a “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” scene in Monday’s matinee show. See pages four and five for more in-depth coverage. Jordan Morris, Photographer
News
Manhattan High School’s FFA chapter woke up at two in the morning on Wednesday Oct 25 to leave for a national conference in Indianapolis. They left to go to the Kansas City International Airport to fly to Memphis, Tenn., to then catch another flight to Indianapolis. Once in Indianapolis they ate lunch at Olive Garden, later that night they went to Brantley Gilbert and The Band Perry concert on Wednesday night. On Thursday they held a food packaging rally for everyone at the convention and they had a goal of packaging one million meals. “For people or children that needed the food that included rice, powdered vitamins, dried vegetables and some sort of oats,” junior Megan Lundin said. “The girls in our group packaged food while the guys lifted and kept the food pack-
age supplies in order.” The goal was met with a total of 1,005,048 meals packaged. On Friday the group was entertained when they went to a hypnotist show and then after the show they went to a seminar about helping them learn to lead others and the speaker was very inspirational for the members. ‘’It helped me step up on leadership and I was able to bring stuff back to make the community better,” senior Ryan Williams said. One of the inspirational speakers was Josh Bleill. Bleill is a retired United States Marine corps who served are country in Iraq in 2006 where he lost both of his legs. After coming back he decided to become a inspirational speaker. “He said to us don’t give up on what you want to do, Sky is the limit and follow your dreams,” Lundin said. Then on Saturday they left Indianapolis and returned back to Manhattan at five in the afternoon.
NHS conducts annual Scavenger Hunt fundraiser Seth Runyan Staff Writer The Manhattan High School National Honors Society will conduct its annual Scavenger Hunt tonight. The NHS Scavenger Hunt isn’t like those that most people take part of. Instead of searching for certain objects or locations, the members go around 13 neighborhoods in Manhattan asking for canned food donations. When the night is done, NHS counts up how much food they gathered and then take it to Flint Hills Breadbasket. “I think it brings us closer as a club because it is less supervised than most activities and we help the less fortunate,” senior Patrick Zenk said. Zenk is in his third year as part of NHS and his first year as vice-president of the chapter. The club meets in the Little Theatre and divides into Newcomer spoke about his life in college and about his time in medical school in a question and answer session. He also described his profession and balancing out work and family life. Some of the students said they hadn’t thought much about OB/GYN prior to his lecture, but they still had questions for Newcomer about his speciality. “People were very fascinated with his life and profession,” senior and club president Mohana Chakrabarti said. “His presentation was very open and much more personal.” -- John Rockey
Engineering Club
Engineering Club held their election of officers yesterday in D-203. Members of the interest group elected David Jordan president, Allan Cabanatuan and Nick Hodges as co-vice presidents, Allison Kinsley as secretary and Michael Alem as treasurer. Their hope is that electing officers will be a great responsibility for the students in the
groups of four to five people. The hunt is mandatory for all members, and those who do not make it need a written excuse. Once all the groups return from their “hunt,” whichever group has the most food gets a first place prize. “Last year we gave the winners a chocolate prize,” MHS teacher and club director Regina Harden said. “This year I’m looking to give the winners movie tickets since that is liked very much.” Harden looks for this event to help the members realize the importance of helping others in the community. “It’s great that they give back to the community. The less fortunate can become desperate during the holidays with the cold weather,” Harden said. With last year ending with nearly 2,000 pounds of food, Zenk is optimistic about beating last year’s record. See “Scavenger” on page 7 group. “I am very excited to elect officers. By doing so we can activate a way to recruit more members for the engineering interest groups,” Engineering Club sponsor Charles Mamolo said. The next step for the interest group is to become more consistent. With electing new officers Mamolo hopes to make Engineering Club into a club at Manhattan High School instead of an interest group. The next meeting will be held sometime after Thanksgiving break and in early December. -- Dheepthi Perumal
Computer Programming
Computer programming skills seem to run in the family for sophomore Reid Erdwien. His brother Max, who graduated last year, took first place in the advanced division of the computer programming contest at Kansas State University in 2011, along with his See “Clubs” on page 7
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Nov. 13, 2012
the MENTOR
T hink before you speak Naomi Mcclendon
entertainment editor
The problem is an ongoing one, one that will probably never stop. But last week, with all the election crap going on, the problem was more prevalent than usual. The problem is that the majority of people don’t think before they speak. I know it sounds silly and elementary, but on the Wednesday after the election, MHS’s floors were slick with vomit, due to all the falsehoods and ignorance people were throwing up. It’s okay to have an opinion, and it’s okay to voice that opinion -- in fact, it’s great that people want to voice their opinions. But it’s important not to get opinions confused with facts, to educate ourselves before developing ideas and to think before we speak. The root of a lot of fighting and arguing is the refusal
to accept the differences between facts and opinions. In case it’s unclear, here are the definitions of fact and opinion: Fact noun: A thing that is indisputably the case. Information used as evidence or as part of a report or news article. Opinion noun: 1. A view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge 2. a personal view, attitude, or appraisal. Now that it’s clear what the difference between facts and opinions are, it’s important to understand something else: facts can be used as evidence for a case, and can be (politely) forced unto people who are unaware of them, whereas opinions cannot be used as evidence for a case, and cannot be forced unto people who are unaware of them. For example, it’s acceptable, when in a discussion, to say that Obama did in fact win the popular vote or that 56 percent of Americans favor the legalization of marijuana. It is not acceptable, on the other hand, to say that God hates what our country has done. It’s okay to have an opinion, but it’s not okay to treat it as a fact.
As humans, we hate to be wrong. And we like to argue. And we are willing to go to almost any extent to prove ourselves right -- cheating, lying, fighting. But for some reason, we refuse to go to the extent of educating ourselves or obtaining actual evidence to prove ourselves right. There are only two possible explanations for our refusal of education -- laziness or stupidity. Luckily, both of these problems can be solved -- and very easily. Laziness is something we have to choose to fix. And it’s as simple as just getting up and doing something. Stupidity is almost as easily solved, especially with a world of information at our fingertips. If we want to progress as a generation or a society, it’s important to fill ourselves with information and then develop our own opinions, rather than just believing whatever we hear. It’s shocking and disgusting how many ideas fall short when they’re attacked with facts. More important than everything I’ve suggested thus far is thinking before we speak. Even if we’re uneducated and strongly opinionated, we still have one more chance at be-
ing somewhat-decent people. Thinking before speaking benefits two different groups -- the speaker and the listener. Thinking about what is coming out of our mouths before letting it out saves us from looking stupid and from getting into trouble. More importantly though, our words affect the world around us. And here, I’m not talking about politics or opinions, but rather a respect for other people and their feelings. Being thoughtful and controlling our tongues is the only thing that can truly create peace, on a small scale and on a large one. Being accepting, understanding and open-minded are the solution to all problems and can easily be accomplished by accepting the difference between facts and opinions and by educating ourselves. Let’s be honest. We’re all teenagers, and no matter how much news we watch or how many articles we read, we don’t know everything. In fact, we hardly know anything. So instead of spreading hate and ignorance, we should improve our world by being understanding and educated. But hey, that’s just like, my opinion, man.
Learning ancestral history a responsibility Sarah Shi
news editor
In geometry class we all learned lines were just straight arrows that pointed in opposite directions and never stopped. Your ancestral timeline is quite similar in a way that you can look back on your solid line of ancestral lineage and still look forward on your
ambiguous line of future generations. But what good is it to know who or where your roots once sprouted from if it doesn’t affect how you live now? It might sound cliché, but I say the past always plays a part in the present and future. Your genes, the ones you’ve inherited from your parents, don’t just determine your genetic makeup; they tell you important information about yourselves. Genetic disorders such as Down syndrome, cystic fibrosis and a few select cancers originate from the human genome that dates back to the individual’s genetic family history.
Knowing your ancestral medical history has its benefits as well. Those who have a family history of an illness can allow room for an accurate prediction of what might come in later years. According to http://genealogy.about.com/ od/health_history/a/medical. htm, studies show that over 40 percent of the population is at increased genetic risk for a common disease such as cancer, diabetes or heart disease. By knowing your risk, you can make informed decisions toward prevention and daily actions that can affect your health. Families have many factors in common, including their genes, environment,
Holiday loses all meaning when family is absent Julianne Harkness
staff writer
I see turkey in all of our futures. Thanksgiving is right around the corner, people. Most people this time of year are prepping big meals to share with all of their family, both immediate and extended. But for military families like mine, we have no family in this state. So normal traditions do not apply or work for us. Ever since I moved away from my extended family the holidays seem less cheerful. Traditions less meaningful. When away from family there is no point to the old family ways. It’s not like anyone is going to notice if we don’t sit
point. So instead of food fights and friendly family conversation we kind of just watched movies and stuffed our faces. I do miss the regular big family traditions that we had back in Washington state -the whole Thanksgiving Day of football, and the big family dinners while going around saying what we are thankful for. All things that left a great memory. But with my family’s current smaller traditions it brings a new light to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Ever since I came to Kansas I have come to the conclusion that “Turkey Day” is completely pointless without family, mainly because, well, it just isn’t a real holiday without the family part, but also because the meaning of it has changed significantly over the generations. Nowadays the meaning of Turkey Day seems to be the whole “one day a year you can gorge yourself until you feel sick and talk about what you are grateful for” thing, not
Question of the Week
What’s your least favorite thing about Thanksgiving? “Having all the leftovers for the next week.” - Madison Long, junior “When there’s not enough butter.” - Wyatt Charlson, senior “Cranberry sauce is icky.” - Francie Knackendoffel, sophomore “Extended family.” - Matthew Ball, sophomore “I don’t like how I’m giving thanks for things I have when I don’t even have what I want for Christmas.” - Logan Sutton, senior “Having olives in the stuffing.” - April Zapata, junior “Not getting presents.” - Ethan Hemmert, freshman “The death of so many innocent turkeys.” - Nathan McClendon, freshman “The fact that you have to eat leftovers for the next four days.” - Maddie Volk, senior “Dealing with my crazy family.” - Michelle Ribble, junior
“Not having enough room.” - Emily Cady, junior “That all the stores are closed.” - Fatoumata Faburay, freshman “Yams. Gross.” - Miranda Dooley, senior “Feeling fat after eating.” - Eli Herrera, junior “The car ride.” - Baili Rowe, sophomore “I don’t think there’s anything bad about it.” - Danny Aramouni, sophomore “Only having two days off from school.” - Henry de Noble, junior “The turkey hangover.” - Michaela Braun, junior “Cleaning the dishes afterwards.” - Tyler Belin, junior “Being forced to see relatives that don’t talk to me.” - Nic Fry, freshman “Why my grandpa eats all of the chicken before dinner.” - Michael Tesene, freshman
and lifestyle. By tracing these factors back to your older generations, they can give clues to medical conditions that may run in a family. Learning about your family’s pedigree can also teach you about the visible inherited traits that are passed on in family members. For example, you might wonder why one of your uncles has dimples like you but both of your parents don’t. But on the more serious side, learning about your ancestors is something you should take into consideration, especially since your health could eventually depend on it.
T hanksgiving no longer what it used to be down and eat a giant turkey as a family. I mean don’t get me wrong, we still participate in the eating on Thanksgiving, but not a turkey or ham. My mom started our own tradition a couple years ago. She goes and gets food from either Dillons, HyVee or even makes a significantly smaller amount of food and we sit around the table talking. We even started a family food fight at the table in previous years that kind of just stuck. We make our traditions work for our situation. The other downside to being military is the fact that my dad isn’t always here for the holidays. Last year he was deployed around Thanksgiving and Christmas. It made everything even less cheery for my family. Having that one person missing on a day that is there to spend time with the family was a major bummer. Yes, we could have participated in the events around town and on post for families like ours, but we didn’t see the
Opinions
what Thanksgiving was about when the holiday got started. According to about.com, Thanksgiving started back in the 1621 and that it was about the Pilgrims and Native Americans celebrating an amazing harvest. Later on Sarah Josepha Hale, the writer of the nursery rhyme “Mary had a Little Lamb,” pressed for Thanksgiving to be made a national holiday leading up to the Civil War to infuse hope and belief to the nation and constitution. How the holiday went from bringing hope and celebrating a great harvest to stuffing your face I have no idea. When looking at the way society has changed this over time it makes it look even more pointless. Yes, students appreciate the three days off during the week for the holiday, and the time spent with family is a great way to play catch up, but because Thanksgiving doesn’t mean what it used to, especially when you are not with your family.
Halsey Camera, cartoonist
the Mentor staff
editor in chief/opinions -Ben Shields news editor -Sarah Shi entertainment editor -Naomi McClendon sports editor -Nick Bandy features editor -Liz Logback trending co-editors Connor Bliss Maddie Ross photo editor -Kaitlin Wichmann copy editor -Kayla Dieker multimedia editor - Dheepthi Perumal business manager - Jerry Sextro adviser -Kristy Nyp
writers/photographers: Tre Fuentes Julianne Harkness Chris Klug Tristan Knott Michael Melgares Jordan Morris Julith Perry John Rockey Seth Runyan Derrek Williams Blake Wewer cartoonist - Halsey Camera circulation - Kristyn Baker Leonard Castilow David Clinkinbeard Patrick Falcone Caorey Garrison Sam LeFleur Kasey Morris Mallory Morris Kendall Oatney Emma Rowley Austin Tatum Seth Wagner
The Mentor is published each Tuesday that school is in session at Manhattan High School, 2100 Poyntz Ave. Manhattan, Kan. Telephone (785) 587-2114. More than 1,500 Mentors are printed each week and distributed free of charge to all faculty members and students. MHS journalists are members of the Scholastic Press Association. The Mentor is an open forum that accepts contributions from the public. E-mail us at mhsmentor@ gmail.com.
the MENTOR Color guard offers visual to performing arts
Nov. 13, 2012
Features Liz Logback Features Editor
The Friday night lights shine brightly and the whoops and cheers from the crowd ring loudly through Bishop stadium as the football team makes their way into the locker room. The halftime buzzer has rung and the show that will proceed for the remaining 15 minutes usually doesn’t trump the longing urge spectators feel for a hotdog; that is until they see brightly colored flags waving through the air and rifles being spun in all directions. Many refer to the girls spinning and tossing the flags as the “flag girls” or the “flaggers,” making the work that goes into the color guard’s halftime performance often overlooked. Section leader senior Samantha Hillstock had played her clarinet for years and had always planned on being in marching band. When high school rolled around though she decided to tuck away the instrument and learn to spin and twirl objects to add a visual effect for the marching band. “I really enjoy performing in marching band. Marching with a clarinet just doesn’t compare [to color guard.]” Hillstock said. The color guard’s performance gives the audience a scene to watch that goes along with the music the band is playing. This year,
Monday evening, they commit to a two hour practice. During that time they run through their routines with an audio recording of the band and practice spinning the props. They have to learn to listen to the beat of the music and stay in time with the band. Making sure the flag doesn’t wrap around the pole, and getting used to moving with a flying or spinning object are also things that must be rehearsed. Its important the girls get their routine practically perfect. “If you mess up, everyone knows,” Stewart said. The color guard season is slowly wrapping up. They performed a couple of weeks ago at the Fort Hays State Senior section leaders Samantha Hillstock and Naomi McClendan perform as a part of color guard Festival and received a number 1 rating. in the Veteran’s Day parade last Friday. Jordan Morris, photographer They also marched in the Veterans Day parade last Friday. the color guard used themed visual to what the band is In addition, Freshman After a few more performances objects to match the “Home doing,” Hillstock said. Nikita Wint joined to get out of with the band, the season will of the Brave” show the band Freshman Sarah Stewart Spanish. Whatever the reason come to a close. Some of the performed. Everything from joined color guard for different for joining, despite early girls will pick up instruments oars for the Navy theme song reasons. morning rehearsals,sometimes to play during second semester to propellers for the Air Force “I’m not coordinated. I can’t dropping a prop, and the in concert band and others were spun, tossed and twirled. walk with an instrument,” she difficulty of spinning a rifle, the will wait for next year to roll “We’re the pretty picture. The said. girls agree it’s worth it. Every around.
Last Friday, many Manhattan High students participated in the Veterans Day parade. The parade featured military, elementary kids, bands and patriotic floats. Above left: Freshmen wave their flags in support of vertern troops. Above right: The MHS dance team performs in front of the marching band. Bottom right: Senior Adam Hagedorn beats the bass drum in the drum line. Jordan Morris, photographer
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Coming to the United States! Kaitlin Wichmann Photo Editor Iceland is far from the icy wonderland that many Americans might expect. The weather is actually very similar to the weather here, except not as extreme. Coming from the capital of Iceland, Reykjavik, senior Thora Omarsdottir looked forward to that and the overall experience of a new country. “I wanted to be an exchange student because I don’t know what I want to do in the future, so this year gives me more time to think about
it,” Omarsdottir said. “I chose America because I wanted to speak English. The best part is being able to say that I’m in America.” Omarsdottir lives with the Day family. She now has two sisters compared to her two brothers back in Iceland. In her free time here Omarsdottir took part as a chorus member in this year’s musical. When she lived in Iceland she worked in a bar called Esja. In Iceland the drinking age is 20. “There’s definitely a lot of differences. When I wake up I can look out and see the sea everyday,” Omarsdottir said. “I miss the sea here. It also doesn’t get very dark in the summer.” Along with the sea, Omarsdottir also misses, as expected, her family and friends back in Reykjavik. “The scariest part about coming here was being away from my friends and family. I miss them a lot.” Visiting America this year isn’t a first for Omarsdottir. “I’d been to the U.S. twice before coming this year,” Omarsdottir said. “Two years ago I came to Boston and last year I went to Minneapolis to visit the Mall of America. It was really big and a lot of fun.”
IQ academy student partakes in musical Students of the month: Kaitlin Wichmann Photo Editor Many students could only dream about having a school day that is flexible around their own schedule. For junior Anneliese Spence, that dream is reality. Spence is taking her fifth year through IQ Academy. She went to a public grade school in Wamego but then came to Manhattan and began online schooling. “I enjoy being home schooled,” Spence said. “I also like Manhattan better because there are a lot more people.” Being home schooled definitely has some perks, such as being able to have time when you want time. “I have a lot more time to do things like hobbies that I want to do,” Spence said. Spence spends her free time weight lifting locally, juggling around the town and slack lining in the park. “I really got into weight lifting two years ago,” Spence
said. “I got geared towards power lifting with some guys at our gym. I’m now more into the power lifting side of things and its something I would like to continue. In college I would like to do kinesiology and be a trainer for teams, if I don’t end up doing physics of some sort.” To be successful in online schooling requires a certain type of person who is dedicated to their work. Spence has a routine that she uses each day to keep her on track. “First I’ll get up and, depending on which course I have the most work in, I’ll work on that course first,” she said. “So I’ll get up and spend about four hours reading my coursework and taking notes and then I’ll eat lunch, go train and come home and do whatever it is I need to do. And then I do about two more hours of school work and depending on if I’ve got all my work for my classes read for that day then I’ll just continue
to work on the assignments in the order of the length that they take for the rest of the week. Occasionally I’ll read all of my class and do as much of the course work as I can for that day. So I’ll kind of block each day and focus on one course.” Although Spence’s life might seem unparallel to most MHS students, her actual online schooling isn’t that different from traditional classes. “I take six courses online right now, and next semester I’m taking seven,” Spence said. “Right now I’m taking physics, German, English, American Government, music appreciation and algebra. I would really like to take another physics course.” A common question to homeschoolers is whether they get bored or feel like they are missing out on a real high school. Spence recently took part in the MHS fall musical, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.
“I do get bored sometimes, that’s the only downside I guess to being at home,” Spence said. “You don’t have a big group of people to be around you all the time but I do so much theater locally at the Manhattan Arts Center and now with the high school that it’s more I’m in control of when I’m bored. You just find ways to fill your times. I make friends through theater.” For Spence, online schooling is worth it. “I can get my work done in a lot less time because I’m not restricted to being in a school building and come here and then have homework afterwards,” she said. “I can work on a course at my own pace. Each week each course has a one hour session with the teacher and they give a presentation on it, but other than that you just have to read the work and do it yourself which I really like because my success or failure is completely put on myself, which I find preferable.”
Optimist:
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Rotary:
Jacob Holloway Sophie Wang
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Nov. 13, 2012
the MENTOR
Entertainment
PLOT How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” is a satire with elements of romantic comedy that had its first Broadway run in 1950. The main character, J. Pierrepont Finch, rises from a window-washer to a high-powered executive in a short amount of time by following a handbook of which the musical named after. As he learns more and more about the business world, he soon is forced to become a part of the backstabbing, doubledealing and dirty politics of the office.
CHARACTERS J. Pierrepont Finch An ambitious young window washer who rises to the top of the business food chain with the help of the book “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” Finch uses the book along with his charm and quick-wittedness to climb his way from window washer, to mailroom worker to chairman of the World Wide Wicket Company.
Rosemary Pilkington A secretary at the World Wide Wicket Company whose goals are more romance-based than they are business. Pilkington falls headover-heels in love with Finch and is determined to marry him.
how to succeed
IN BUSINESS
WITHOUT
really Trying
J.B. Biggley The “big boss” of the World Wide Wicket Company. Biggley is a ruthless and hardnosed president who has a secret soft spot for knitting, the Grand Old Ivy groundhogs and his mistress Hedy LaRue
Hedy LaRue A beautiful, young and dim-witted young woman who gets a job at the World Wide Wicket Company because of her relationship to Biggley. LaRue’s presence causes chaos and distraction among all the men at the company.
Bud Frump Biggley’s obnoxious, whiny and widely-disliked nephew who works at the company. Frump is constantly trying to advance his career through his family connections, but is always turned down.
Smitty “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” wrapped up a four-show run last week, an exhausting time of year for the actors, who went on little sleep and a regular school schedule while performing the nearly-three-hour show Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday evenings. With a timely storyline, the show satirized big business politics and roles, particularly females, in the workplace. Drama department head and director of “How to Succeed,” Linda Uthoff, predicted many would walk away surprised at the talent some students showed, as the production provided casting opportunities for several performers to grow and practice their acting skills in ways previous shows had not. And indeed, senior Aaron Cole right away noted several characterizations he was particularly impressed with. “I really appreciated how Claire Freeby stepped outside of what seems to be her comfort zone for her character,” Cole said. “She was so great. And I like the way Tyler Cochran interacts with Nicholas Donohoue. He played a stereotypical CEO, I think. I had
no idea he could sing and act. I was really surprised.” Cast members unanimously agree that juggling life with the show is problem every year. But one additional obstacle this show offered was that many Manhattan High School students were unfamiliar with it. “[‘How to Succeed’] doesn’t sell itself like ‘Phantom of the Opera’ did,” Uthoff said. “Yet it’s a show worth doing, and not just because of the timeliness with corporate greed and Wall Street. I laugh every night when Da’Merius says ‘tell the White House, look out!’” Uthoff discussed the growth opportunity the musical gives students every year and how rewarding it is as a director. “The biggest thrill I get is seeing students do things they didn’t know they could do,” she said. “All it takes to be a good musical theatre person is to be smart and to have good musical skills and to have good listening skills. It’s fun to see those people discover things about themselves. I also love to see what the first audience teaches the cast. It’s one thing for me or Mr. Pape or Mr. Easterday to say, ‘that’s so funny.’ It’s another for the audience to actually laugh at
something.” Senior Summer Senn, cast as Miss Jones, was especially impressed with Donohoue, who played the lazy nephew of J.B. Biggley, Bud Frump, in a Jerry Lewis-esque style. “He is just unbelievably talented in singing and acting and dancing,” Senn said. “He is so dedicated and absolutely fearless. He’s perfection.” Technical workers backstage were slightly understaffed this year. To make up for the shortage, several MHS alums came to assist: Luke Strammel heading set construction, Drew Horten handling choreography and Daniel Myers-Bowman on sound (which, according G.W. Clift of “The Mercury,” was in the best form in years for Rezac Auditorium). Uthoff is proud of the work she and the cast/crew did and of the positive response it generated from audiences. “It’s a quality show,” she said. “I think people will remember how powerful the men’s numbers were and some of the funny stuff and how dated it was in terms of the ‘60s. [The cast learned] how to solve problems together.”
A secretary at the World Wide Wicket Company and Pikington’s best friend. Smitty’s dry, cynical sense of humor and unhindered bluntness keep things running smoothly.
Bert Bratt Biggley’s Personnel Manager. Bratt’s skill is not so much in management, but rather in doing what it takes to succeed—agreeing with Biggley.
Claire Freeby: Having a lead role in a Manhattan High School musical is a notoriously difficult amount of work. But in addition to the usual workload of line memorization, getting tech work hours done and pulling together costumes, one cast member had an even heavier burden to carry. Claire Freeby is a member of the Latter-Day Saints, or Mormon, church. She played a very central character, Hedy LeRue, in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Try-
ing.” LeRue is a very flamboyant, ditzy character who rises in the business world solely because of her sex appeal, possessing no real sense for business at all. Freeby gave a performance that provided a great deal of the comic aspect of the show, capturing the audience with her Judy Hollidayesque interpretation. Though being cast in this role was most definitely a big achievement, Freeby came close to turning it down. “[Taking the part] was re-
ally difficult,” she said. “I was thinking about trading roles with Summer [Senn, cast as Ms. Jones]. I prayed a lot about it. Talking with Mrs. Uthoff helped a lot and made me understand we could makes changes that would make me less uncomfortable.” Linda Uthoff, drama department head and director of “How to Succeed,” was able to make alterations to LaRue’s character without changing the tone of the part. She was made a lot more oblivious to
the MENTOR
Entertainment
Nov. 13, 2012
5
Directors and Staff President in Charge of Stage Direction and Concept Linda Uthoff
DANCING Ilana Budenosky, Carly Tracz, Sharon Wilson, Susie Willie, Faith Janicki, and Kennnedy Felice show off their “Paris Originals.” Photo by Jordan Morris “We had a really great choreographer this year, and even though there were so many dynamics that went into all of the numbers, he made it fun and easy for the cast to pick up,” junior Macy Lanceta said. Dance numbers for “How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying” were choreographed by Manhattan
High alum Drew Horton, who played Nathan Detroit in the MHS musical “Guys and Dolls” in 2001. “It wasn’t too difficult,” senior Anna Brokesh said of learning the dance choreography. “Drew, our choreographer, did a really good job of teaching us our dances and made everything understand-
able so we picked things up quickly.” “He went over all the moves multiple times over, so if you didn’t get it on the first try, you had other chances to learn it,” junior Kendra Truitt said. “It also helped that you were learning it with tons of other people. We could all help each other.”
Vice President in Charge of Orchestration Steve Easterday Vice President in Charge of Singing Chad Pape Vice President in Charge of Costumes Peggy Riley Vice President in Charge of Choreography Drew Horton Vice President in Charge of Lighting Jacob Herald
Singing
MAIN CAST Senior Joy Spickelmier brings down the house in vocal rehearsal. Jordan Morris, photographer For the first three weeks of rehearsal, the cast was completely dedicated to learning the chorus songs with choir director, Chad Pape, and its pianist, running the songs repeatedly until they could do all the parts memorized with the accompaniment. “We basically just sat in big circles and went through the
music over and over,” junior Claire Naranjo said. “Then we put our knowledge to the test by learning the dances. Learning the dances helps you memorize the songs more, because each little section of words goes with a different dance step,” Naranjo said. After they had coordinated the dance steps to the music
numbers, “we had more time to rehearse and clean up the appearance of the dances for the chorus numbers,” Brokesh said. To learn the songs, they sat in sections of sopranos, altos, bass and tenors and practiced singing their sections apart and then together.
Da’Merius Ford as Finch “I like Finch. I think he’s really spazzy. It’s fun to play something you’re not -- to be sneaky and manipulative. My favorite scene is the board room scene, where Finch just makes things up. It cracks me up how all of the men
just go along with the silly things I say.”
Mariah Messmer as Pilkington “I don’t really know if I like her. She’s not like me in a lot of ways… she’s kind of annoying. It’s kind of fun, though, being someone you’re not.”
Tyler Cochran as Biggley
ORCHESTRA Taylor Smith, Lauren Fischer and Nathan McClendon play in the pit orchestra. The orchestra students who participated in the musical were in for ride. They received their last pieces of music just two days before opening night on Wednesday, which “definitely caused some stress,” junior Josie Rosell said. When orchestra director Steve Easterday got ahold of the sheet music for the musical, he noticed that some
instruments music were not matched up correctly. “I just decided to rewrite the different scores myself which probably wasn’t a very good idea given the time,” Easterday said. “But the kids knew that it would take time to rewrite 32 songs for 12 different instruments.” “The hardest part about being in the pit was fighting the urge to turn around when
Jordan Morris, photographer they’re so close to you on stage,” junior Sammi Greiger said. The orchestra students practiced first separately from the actors and then a few weeks in joined them during rehearsals. “We wrote the line the actors say right before we start playing at the top of our music so we know when to begin,” Greiger said.
Character contrasts personal beliefs the fact that her looks were the integral part of her success and doesn’t appear to purposely use her sexuality as an asset. Many jokes in the original script were removed. Freeby had to reconcile her decision to play the role with her personal beliefs. “The Church of Latter-Day Saints has standards, but they are very personal,” she said. “We have standards of modesty. It’s something that shows respect for yourself and to others. We don’t want to be-
come insensitive to [men] by dressing too provocatively. We want to keep a standard that we won’t stoop down. As the world stoops lower, the Mormon church has had to rise up.” As the show went on, the stress of the situation lessened fairly quickly. “The show was lots of fun. I thought [the role] was a lot worse than it actually is,” Freeby said. “My parents were supportive of whatever I wanted to do.”
Freeby is aware of the fact that many people who see the musical will, after the show, inevitably discuss with their friends that a Mormon was playing the character with sex appeal. “People who know me know I’m very active in my faith and try to be the best I can be. I’m very proud of my standards. People will see me and know that’s not me, that it’s not Claire Freeby. They’ll know it’s acting.”
“I’m not an actor. It’s good that I have my character because I don’t really have to act. He’s loud, I’m loud. He’s also on top of the world, bossing people around. That’s fun to play.”
Claire Freeby as L a R u e
“She’s really out there. She doesn’t care what people think, which isn’t like me, so it’s fun to let loose. What’s hard about my character is her voice. It’s so high all the time. It hurts.”
Nick Donohoue as Frump
“I like playing my character, but he’s a terrible individual. It is fun, though, to jump around and act like a spaz. My favorite part is my solo dance number. I got to make it up and just go wild.”
Ilana Budenosky as
Smitty
“I think I’d wanna hang out with her. She’s pretty ridiculous... or at least I choose to make her ridiculous, and that’s really fun. I get to be silly and annoying and gossipy. She’s not very serious. Some of the lines are so cheesy that I just kind of hated myself for saying them.”
Coverage by Ben Shields, Naomi McClendon, and Sarah Shi
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Nov. 13, 2012
the MENTOR
Sports
Winter conditioning prepares teams John Rockey staff writer Much athletic success can be traced back to determination and planning ahead to make athletes the best at what they do. Conditioning before the season starts shows commitment to the team and helps athletes to push themselves from the beginning to the end of their match.
Manhattan High School winter athletes have spent recent weeks conditioning on their own and as a team in hopes of succeeding in their sport this winter. Many of the wrestlers who don’t participate in fall sports go on to condition for the upcoming season on their own and with their teammates. “We’re getting better than everyone else,” sophomore
wrestler Eric Sanchez said. Wrestlers will run, lift, work on their agility and stretch out in an effort to be ready for the coming season and practices. “We hope they can be in as good of shape as possible, because if they get fatigued, injuries occur,” wrestling coach Chad Lindsley said. There is a lot for the team to strive for after winning the State Championship last sea-
son. Many wrestlers will use this as a strong motivator in what they do out on the mat and elsewhere in life to succeed. “You train by whose pushing you,” wrestling coach Robert Gonzales said. “All good wrestlers have different motivations to help them perform.” Members of the basketball team are all getting together
for the team conditioning that comes before their season. They have conditioned together three times a week and participated in open gym twice a week all together. Some may run on their own but they’re encouraged to condition as a team. “They need to show that they’re sacrificing for their teammates,” basketball coach Tim Brooks said. “You got
to push yourselves every day we’re out there.” Basketball is a much more team-emphasised sport, and everyone must devote time to building up a mutual respect for one another. “Since we’ve been together four years, it’s great to have fun and get better as a team,” senior Blake Seville said.
Rowing challenges athletes KSU ranked #1 Julianne Harkness Staff Writer Rowing: a sport in Manhattan that some students may not know exists. But to the 21 Manhattan High School boys and girls on the local rowing team, rowing is a beloved sport. “I did it freshman year because my sister decided to do it. I didn’t do it last year and I missed it so I signed up to do it this year,” junior Bryce Rincon said. “There is nothing like it.” Rowing is one of the more physically challenging sports that there is. “You get a lot of exercise. It’s really physical. You end up using every muscle in your body,” junior Nathan Waldron said. When it comes to practice the rowing team means business. “We practice our rowing out on the lake, Tuttle, or on really cold days we use erg, [rowing machine],” Waldron said. “We run and do a lot of cardio as well.” Rowing competitions are a significant distance and compete for time. “They start each boat 10 seconds apart,” Rincon said. “At first I thought they
were more of a relay,” Waldron said. “But they are more of a timed thing. Our first regattas were 5k meters, where you had to go the length in a certain amount of time. You just push yourself through and the best time wins. I thought the boats raced next to each other but they don’t.” The rowing team isn’t just for the students. Parents of rowers and past and present rowers help out as well. “Kevin Coffey’s parents donated two four-person boats and they got us all new uniforms this year,” Rincon said. Coffey, who died a couple of years ago in an accident, was a member of the team. Members of the rowing team make a considerable commitment when they join this extracurricular activity. “It’s really convenient because you can join at any time,” Waldron said. “I would definitely recommend the rowing team to others,” Rincon said. “Stay committed to it. It’s a year-long sport; yes we do have students who leave for other sports in the winter and spring. It’s really good to get involved in it.”
Above: Junior Zane Reeves works out on the rowing machine at practice. Using the machine is one of the ways outside of the water the rowers can improve.
Blake Wewer Staff Writer No. 2 Kansas State survived a trip to Fort Worth, Texas, on Saturday, defeating Texas Christian University 23-10 to remain undefeated and become the new No. 1 in the BCS. Heisman hopeful Collin Klein, who was doubtful heading into Saturday’s game due to undisclosed injuries from last week’s game, led the Wildcat offense with 145 passing yards on 12-of-21 and an interception. Klein also had 50 rushing yards on 15 attempts topped with two touchdowns. The Wildcats defense remained strong in a defensive battle, not allowing a touchdown until 47 seconds were left in the game. Their only other points came off of a 35-yard field goal by Jaden Oberkrom with 6:59 left on the clock. TCU managed to produce very little on offense with only 96 rushing yards on 33 attempts, and 178 pass-
ing yards with a pick. Special teams also had a defining role in the game, with TCU scrapping together a total of -5 return yards, and a muffed punt by Deanté Gray, compared to K-State’s 90. K-State’s win didn’t come without a price, though, as both wide receiver Tyler Lockett and safety Ty Zimmerman had to leave the game due to injuries; coach Bill Snyder declined to comment on their status. The jewel was hidden, though, for the top-ranked Alabama team lost earlier that night to Texas A&M, allowing K-State to earn its first No. 1 ranking in the BCS ever. Its highest previous ranking was No. 2, which they held this year and in 1998. Their next game is against Baylor this Saturday, Nov. 17, in Waco, Texas. If K-State wins its last two games against Baylor and Texas, it looks likely that they will advance to the national championship game.
Athlete of the Week
Below: The team poses for their team photo of both boys and girls. Spencer Cubie, photographer
Runners battle through cold Chris Klug staff writer It was 25 degrees in Sioux Falls, S.D. when nine of Manhattan High’s dedicated cross country runners ran in Nike Regionals, Sunday morning at Yankton Park. With runners from all around the Midwest and over 2,000 high schoolers running, the 10 degree wind-chill didn’t keep the Manhattan runners from putting out their best effort. However, the weather did have an effect on the team, in many different ways. “We had to warm up later than we usually do so that we could stay warm before the race,” sophomore Isaiah Koppes said. “It’s [also] definitely easier to run with lighter clothing, but that wasn’t an option today.” Along with the weather conditions, the Yankton Park course was very unique. The mostly flat course included four man-made hills that they called ‘whoop-dee-doos’ and hay bales that the runners had to hurdle over. Weather and the difficult course not only affected how the team was able to warm up and dress, it also had an effect on the runners’ overall times. “All of our times were a little down from where they usually are,” junior Chris Mel-
gares said. On the boys side, he finished 41st overall with a 16:42.4 time, his brother sophomore Michael Melgares finished 106th with a 17:25.23 time, senior James Leblow finished 109th at a 17:25.50 time, Koppes was 147th at a 17:51.20 time, junior Nick Bandy was 151st with a 17:54.56 time, sophomore Isaac Blankenau was 170th with a 18:11.14 time and senior Cale Benne finished 195th with a time of 18:42.80. Two girls also made the trip and competed. Junior Alaina Schroeder didn’t complete the course and senior Emily Vannatta finished in 212th place with a time of 21:39.73 in the girls championship race. “I was especially impressed with how tough she (Vannatta) competed in the wild windy and cold conditions since the race distance was 5k. Kansas girls usually compete at the 4k distance,” Susan Melgares, MHS Cross Country coach, said. After a successful meet, the young MHS team looks to reach new heights and next year. “This year one of our main goals [this season] was to win State. We didn’t do that but now is the time to get closer to that goal for next season,” Koppes said.
Volleyball season continues Michael Melgares staff writer
Manhattan High School volleyball is officially over, which means it’s time for the Jets season to get started. The Jets are a traveling-offseason volleyball team made up of players from many different schools. Organized by head coach Lori Martini, the first tryouts were held on Saturday and players have been competing for their spot on the team. However, with little rest after the recent fall volleyball season, it has been a tough transition into offseason ball. “It’s busy because you don’t really get that much time off. I mean you get like a month off, and then you go straight into Jets volleyball, which is way more competitive,” sophomore Matty Mahan said. There is no doubting the difficulty in a transition such as this. However, there are more challenges presented by participating as a member of the Jets team. “I think club is a lot harder because you play tournaments and have four to eight games in a day and there are less practices,” former player Aubrey Jung said. Although there are challenges that come along with trying out and playing as a member of this team, the ath-
letes have been training and preparing to meet these challenges, especially by attending the open gyms held by Martini. “I’ve been lifting weights a lot to get in better shape. We have open gyms that you go to for Jets,” Mahan said. Playing on a team as competitive as this requires a surplus of commitment and dedication. It is a very competitive group of players, but along with it comes a plethora of fun experiences. “I think you play with people from all around,” Mahan said. “Traveling is fun, too, because you go to Omaha and Kansas City a lot.” The Jets volleyball team allows for people from different schools to come together and get to play the game they all enjoy. “I am looking to teach the game to prepare the girls for a higher level,” Martini said. “Trying to expose them to a faster offense and being prepared defensively for the demands at a higher level.” With their first tournament coming up on Dec. 17, they look to start the season off with a spike. Martini remains positive about the season. “It’s hard to tell how good we will be but we were impressed at the level of play at this point,” she said.
Wesley Garibay Seth Runyan staff writer In his second year on the Manhattan Rowing Team. Garibay is on the stroke seat, which is arguably one of the most important positions on the boat. Garibay keeps the pace of all the rowers and with the team’s successful record this year, he has clearly shown he has what it takes to be the MHS Mentor Athlete of the Week.
Q:
When did you start rowing and why?
sixth and one we placed first.
Q:
What positions are there in rowing and which one is yours?
A:
There are four positions, or rowers, plus a coxson. I sit at the very front of the boat, which is the stroke seat, so I set the pace.
Q:
What is your favorite meal before a regatta?
A:
The whole team gets together and the parents make really good pasta.
Do you plan on conA: I started rowing at the Q: tinuing rowing after high beginning of my sophomore year. At club sign-up day they had the rowing machines so I tried it and liked it.
Q: How is the rowing team doing?
A: We’ve had three regattas. Two of them we placed
school?
A: I would like to. K-State
has a very big team that is really active. I would like to row for them if possible.
News From “Clubs” on page 1 partner David Meierer. This year it was Reid who competed in the contest on Nov. 1, along with partner Duncan Clotfelter. Although they didn’t bring home first place like Max and Meierer, it was big for Reid to go to the competition. “I felt okay while competing,” Reid said. They were just one of the three teams Manhattan High School sent to the contest, with two being advanced and one being a beginners team. In addition, there were individual competitions, and senior Ian Miller placed 12th out of 40 in his category. “There are five rounds and each round you get you get a problem and write the solution to it,” Miller said. In this contest participants are not able to use any electronics. The competitors only have 30 minutes to complete the problem for the first five rounds. The last round is about 40-45 minutes. In order to place students were scored based on completion of the problem and the timing. -- Nastajja Rivera
the MENTOR
Mock election aims to make youth engaged citizens for the future Maddie Ross Trending Co-Editor
Student Council
Paracord Bracelets: Student Council members met first hour Wednesday, Nov. 7, and during this meeting they learned how to make paracord bracelets, to sell at a future fundraiser benefiting a charity to be chosen by the group. Hot Chocolate: The sophomore Student Council will sell hot chocolate in the commons from 7-7:45 a.m. each morning through Friday. Proceeds benefit the sophomore class. -- Maddie Ross
A total of 150 students submitted their votes at the StuCo Mock Presidential Elections on Nov.6. Kaitlin Wichmann, Photographer
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With it being his second Scavenger Hunt, Zenk also has a goal of ending his last hunt as the winning group. “[NHS] has affected my responsibilities and also my aspect of life,” Zenk said.
If you preordered a 2012 Blue M yearbook, you must pick it up from C107 by the end of this month or it will be resold. Senior photos and senior PDA ads are due by Dec. 21. Email them to mhsbluem@gmail. com or bring photos and ad payments to C107.
While registered voters all over the nation were hitting the polls on Nov. 6, Student Council helped host the Kids Voting Kansas mock election at Manhattan High School during both lunches. Kids Voting Kansas is affiliated with the Kids Voting USA organization, whose mission is “to secure a future of democracy by preparing youth engaged citizens.” “I feel it’s important for students to respond to the duties of citizenship and the opportunity to consider choices,” MHS organizer Karen Curtin, social studies teacher, said. Over a million total votes were cast across the country I would double check that figure. It is probably greater than one million., and 48,000 again, I think more than 48k people in KS voted. of those belonged to Kansas. Although participation was high among the country and state, only 168 voters hit the polls of Manhattan High School. “I was disappointed in the
participation. We could’ve done a better job of publicizing it,” Curtin said. The results of the Kids Voting USA election truly mimicked those of the real election with President Barack Obama taking victory with 653,175 votes. In contrast to the actual election Obama also won the state of Kansas in Kids Voting Kansas, receiving 26,880 votes. Students at MHS also swayed in favor of the president, with him pulling out a 85 to 65 vote lead. The students who did vote felt it was important. “It gives us as students the opportunity to be more politically aware and involved,” junior Katherine Culbertson said. The election process varied from the real thing, but organizers tried their best to make it realistic in a sense. “I felt the voting experience was similar but in a limited way,” Curtin said.
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From “Scavenger” on page 1
Corrections: Due to a Mentor error, the following was left out of the Oct. 30, 2012, edition on the features page in the Coming to America story: me,” she said. The citation of 5,000 people was also incorrect. It should have been 50,000 people. The November Event Calendar graphic on the front page of the Nov. 6, 2012, edition should have been attributed to Julianne Harkness, a staff writer.
Nov. 13, 2012
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the MENTOR
Nov. 13, 2012
Trending
November Movie Preview
“Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2”
“Life of Pi”
“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey”
I have managed to keep my distance from “Twilight” and their “vegetarian,” Volvo-owning vampires for four years now. This new iteration won’t be luring my cash into the theatres but does seem to have an interesting premise -- an all out war between the Cullens and the Volturi over Edward’s (Robert Pattinson) and Bella’s (Kristen Stewart) daughter Renesmee (Mackenzie Foy). Maybe vampire war won’t be that bad after all. (Nov. 16)
The award winning novel by Yaan Martel is being thrown onto the silver screen. Suraj Sharma will be playing the role of Pi. Usually I wouldn’t point out a name like Sharma since no ones ever heard of him but that’s exactly why I’m pointing him out. This will be his acting debut and to jump from nothing to a big budget Hollywood movie is very impressive and makes me think he can go on to do more. (Nov. 21)
If there's any movie I’m excited for this fall it’s “The Hobbit.” I can’t wait to see the shire and Gandalf again; it’ll be like a family reunion. I’m glad Peter Jackson was given the reigns again but also disappointed that he has chosen to divide the story into three different movies. But what worries me most of all is that Jackson is adding original material to the second and third movies. More Middle Earth, but will it be good Middle Earth? (Dec. 14)
“Jack Reacher”
“Django Unchained”
The premise of Tom Cruise as a homicide detective with the morals of Batman, except he is willing to kill, sounds more badass than James Bond and John McClane combined. “Yippee kay yay!” But the movie looks more psychological than Cruise’s previous action flicks. Can “Jack Reacher” stand the expectation that names like Cruise bring to movies? (Dec. 21)
“Django Unchained” is the incredibly violent Christmas gift from Quentin Tarantino that I want in my stocking. We’ve already got a badass Tom Cruise this fall but a revolver-wielding Jamie Foxx trying to free his wife from the clutches of Calvin Candie played by Leonardo DiCaprio -- what more can I ask for? (Dec. 25) Photos courtesy of accesshollywood.com, lifeofpimovie.com, thehobbit.com, jackreachermovie.com, unchainedmovie.com
Connor Bliss Trending co-Editor
Julianne’s Hits and Misses
T he many faces of Rod Stewart Ben Shields
Miss: The new iPad Mini. Apple has enough products.
editor-in-chief
Hit: “Halo 4” has come out and it’s time to play the fourth game of the most epic game series created.
Miss: Obama is in for another Term. Really, America?
Photo courtesy of abcnews. com
Photo courtesy of packers.com
Hit: Green Bay Packers beat the Arizona Cardinals on Nov. 4. Rest up, boys. We need another win against the Detroit Lions on Nov. 18.
Hit: November 10 was the United States Marine Corps 237th Birthday of defending our beautiful Nation. Way to go USMC!
Miss: Some people here at MHS do not appreciate the Hits and Misses column.
Rod Stewart is the only rocker that appeals to me, my mom and my grandpa. He has rocked with the Faces, made middle-aged women swoon and now spends his timing covering standards like “Stardust” and “Fly Me to the Moon.” His evolution from highly respected rock musician to an adult contemporary, Manilow-esque Vegas performer has been derided as a series of horrible decisions by nearly all rock critics. But it has also made him one of the most successful pop artists ever -- 200 million records sold, by the last estimate. Though a household name, most only associate him with “Maggie Mae,” a signature blond, spiky hairdo and 50something female fans. While obviously still an immense talent to us Rod freaks, it has become harder and harder to take him seriously as a musician, which is only the fault of Stewart himself (no one forced
‘Halo 4’ brings new features to old series Tristan Knott Staff Writer Last Tuesday, “Halo 4” hit the shelves with many gamers eager to purchase. Selling 3.1 million copies within the first 24 hours, the game took off with a great start. Compared to “Halo 3,” which sold roughly 5.2 million copies two weeks after its release, “Halo 4” still has more than enough time to surpass its predecessor. However, with 343 Industries now in control, many gamers have questioned whether 343 would be able to successfully live up to the
standards that many gamers have grown accustomed to with Bungie. Overall, satisfaction ratings have been above what was expected, with many gamers pleased of how 343 produced the game. One of the most important parts of this game was the campaign, and while building it, 343 focused on what made the other “Halo” storylines such a success and stuck with it. 343 definitely brought these features back into “Halo 4,” leaving gamers quite satisfied with the campaign. As for the multiplayer sense, 343 has completely rewired its inner workings. With
all new game types, including Dominion, Regicide and Flood, these games bring a different feel to the original “Halo” multiplayer. In Dominion, two teams battle across a map to control three bases, in addition to this, players are able to build stationed auto-turrets to defend their bases. In Regicide, players take on a free-for-all sense with a bounty, as the player with the highest score is the King, and players try to kill the king to gain his bounty. 343 introduced many different features to the pre-existing game types as well, such as ordnance
drops in Infinity Slayer and brand new armor abilities. But one new feature to the “Halo 4” multiplayer has gamers raving, and that is the cooperative Spartan Ops; a 50episode, 10-week cooperative game type, designed to take the place of “Halo: Reach’s” firefight. Every week, five episodes are released, and in each episode there is a mission to accomplish. As more of these missions are completed on legendary, unlockable armor and footage of the “Halo” universe is gained.
him to write “Da Ya Think I’m Sexy?”). Why trade in the “Every Picture Tells a Story” Rod for the “Blondes Have More Fun” Rod? His career is ever a rock ‘n’ roll mystery -- until now. It suddenly all makes sense on page 25 of “Rod: The Autobiography.” He describes his process of trying to win over girls as an 18 year old, taking them to fancy neighborhoods and stopping when they reached a house with lots of cars parked in the driveway. Feigning dismay, he would sigh in disappointment that his dad “had businesspeople over” and inform his love interest they would have to go someplace else. According to Rod, fooling girls into believing a life of riches guaranteed a sexual encounter later in the evening. The mindset behind this is surely the same that went into writing all of his cheesiest songs that strayed from his rock roots. That said, discounting Stewart’s career as a pop artist would be a mistake. “Maggie Mae” is a classic piece of genre transcendence and is still one of the finest pop-rock recordings ever, and “Hot Legs” comes damn close. The section on his friendship with Elton John is im-
mensely fun to read. Two of pop music’s biggest hoots had a predictably hilarious friendship; their nicknames for each other were Sharon and Phyllis. A shame these two silver foxes never collaborated on a real project -- the stories in this book, including one about a trip to Africa (Elton insisted on bringing his diamonds with him, even on the safaris), almost fill that void. The smartest thing ever said about Rod Stewart is probably by Rob Sheffield. “There are three stages of a man’s life,” he mused on Julie Klausner’s “How Was Your Week” podcast. “The first stage, he thinks Rod Stewart is lame. The second stage, he thinks Rod Stewart is cool. The third stage, he realizes he IS Rod Stewart.” Gentleman, we are all that poor London kid tricking pretty girls into thinking we live in mansions, and we have Rod to give us a voice. Not Joey Ramone, not Morrissey, not Bob Dylan. Rod Stewart. The only difference is he was given the most moving, sexiest rock voice ever. Some guys just have all the luck.
We a t h e r F o r e c a s t Eli Redeker Guest Writer Tuesday: It’s a hard, it’s a hard, it’s a hard, and it’s a Hard Rain, that’s gonna fall. Wednesday: Nice enough, if you keep in mind that you’re gonna die. Thursday: Cloudy, with a chance of meatballs Friday: Hazy over Washington and Colorado. Saturday: James Bond falls from sky. Sunday: Flurries. I’m serious. Monday: McFlurries; delicious. Graphic by Maddie Ross