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VIEWER
Mounds View
http://mvviewer.org Friday, May 11, 2012
INSIDE
Volume 59
2011-2012
Issue 11
<editor@mvviewer.org>
MV’s 5 - Finger Discount Thefts of electronics at school on the rise by Maximillian Wang news editor
The life of Mounds View custodians
Baking at Mounds View
Changes to next year’s dance schedule
Senior baseball captain Matt Herringshaw was at morning practice one day; one of the last things he expected was to have his iPhone 4S stolen. “I didn’t think any of the baseball guys would take anything, and it was early in the morning, so it’s not like there were those types of people around anyways,” said Herringshaw. Herringshaw had left his phone on top of his backpack, which was only about 15 feet away from where he and his teammates were sitting. As he was getting ready to leave, another student told the coach he had seen someone steal Herringshaw’s phone. Herringshaw reported the theft to Deputy Tim Gulden, but it wasn’t until Herringshaw started telling his classmates in physics about the theft later that day that he found a suspect. “I was telling the story to someone in my physics class, and someone else was sort of listening in and he turned around and was like, ‘oh you got your phone stolen?’ and I was like ‘yeah,’” said Herringshaw. His classmate quickly identified a suspect based on the description Herringshaw had gotten from the witness and agreed to help Herringshaw. “After class we were walking down the hallway, and he spotted the kid, so I was like, ‘all right, go talk to him, tell him you want to buy the phone from him or something,’” said Herringshaw. The classmate returned with bad news. “He was like, ‘well, the kid already sold it,’” said Herringshaw. “Within two and a half hours the kid had already sold my phone to someone else in the school.” According to Herringshaw, his iPhone
was sold for a mere $20. However, after Herringshaw reported the suspect’s name to Gulden, he quickly got his phone back. According to Herringshaw, the suspect, who is a minor, has been charged by the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Department and will be standing trial in a few weeks. He has denied all charges. Experiences like Herringshaw’s case have become much more of a common occurrence at Mounds View. In fact, Herringshaw is one of the lucky ones; he had his property returned within just a few hours. Many have had to wait much longer. Hannah Yan, 12, had her iPod stolen late last year.
The thieves are also becoming more bold. Whereas most thefts before occurred in locker rooms when no one was around, many thefts this year have occurred with the owners just a few feet away. There have been a number of cases where iPods were stolen while students were just walking down the hallways. “They [the thieves] just took it [the iPod] straight out of the backpack,” said Gulden. Largely, the thieves are out to make a profit from their crime; many have been re-selling the stolen electronics to other students, just like in Herringshaw’s case. Most thefts this year have occurred in the boys’ and girls’ locker rooms. “We’ve gone to the locker rooms in the morning and have seen all the lockers opened up,” said Gulden. A number of thieves have been caught. Generally, first-time offenders are sent to the To Reevaluate Yourself (TRY) program for a few days. There usually are no legal actions taken against them. Thieves that have been caught stealing more than once are usually punished under the juvenile court system. The administration’s advice to students has been simply to make sure their devices are either locked up or “on your person.” Placing items in a backpack that’s within photo by Ben Kaiser arm’s reach may not even be enough to deter Protect yourself, don’t leave valuables thieves from stealing the items from right under students’ noses. unsecured. “I was in the Commons getting a drink of water, and when I reached for my iPod in my backpack, it wasn’t there. I know it didn’t just fall out, so I reported it to Officer Gulden, who added it to the list, but I’ve never seen it again,” said Yan. According to Gulden, thefts are occurring almost on a weekly basis now.
Read the full article @ mvviewer.org
Facelift for Bucher, Turtle Lake parks by Sasha Safonov staff reporter Shoreview and Ramsey County each have started separate projects to renovate community parks. Both these projects aim to make the parks more attractive to the public, as well as maintain worn down buildings. The city of Shoreview has plans to renovate Bucher Park, which are set to be completed this fall. The construction is expected to take two to three months. The renovations are part of the Capital Improvement Plan, which “identifies specific projects over a 5-year period, including replacement of existing assets, possible expansion or improvements to existing systems, and proposed additions,” according to the Capital Improvement Planning report prepared by the Department of Finance. Renovations will total about $340,000, with $70,000 to $90,000 directed at the playground in Bucher Park, the rest going primarily towards the two baseball fields and the soccer field. Other suggested changes include paving trails, adding a picnic shelter, opening up views of the lake, removing invasive species, and planting native ones. The renovations have been heavily influenced by input from the community.
“We move from park to park identified by the staff,” said Schwerm. An open house regarding Bucher Park was held on April 30. Schwerm is also available for contact via his e-mail, tschwerm@shoreviewmn.gov. Input is still valuable as proposed concept plans are set to be completed in late May. The renovators have contacted The North Suburban Soccer Association and the Shoreview Youth Area Association to discuss how the baseball fields and soccer fields should be renovated. Ramsey County has also started renovations of Turtle Lake Park. This project is a full park redevelopment that includes additional trail connection and improvement of existing buildings, such as the addition of a “750-foot restroom building and a 2,000-square foot picnic shelter,” according to The Shoreview Press. “The age of the buildings were in a state that they needed to be repaired,” said Scott Yonke, director of planning development in Ramsey County Park. The park is currently closed due to the renovations, which are expected to be completed mid-August. The total renovation cost will be around $900,000. These are not the first parks to be renovated. Two years ago, Sitzer Park underwent the same
sort of transformation, making it look more modern. The restoration of aging parks of many people’s childhoods is a needed change in terms of both serviceability and additions. “This [Bucher] Park is pretty old. It’s been the same ever since I was little. Bucher is a major place for baseball and soccer and deserves to be improved,” said Chance Carnahan, 10.
2editorials op T 10
May 11, 2012
staff e ditoria
l
Prom checklist: Dress: $250
Worst Ways to Ask Someone to Prom
10 8 6 4 2
Txt mssge
Tuxedo rental: $140
9
Make a meme
Flowers: $50
Bathroom stall graffiti Your mom asks for you
7
Party bus: $70/person
5
Tickets: $75
Re-enact Carrie Anything involving NASCAR
Keshav Mangalick does an interpretive dance
3
Pig Latin Rap over “Rack City” Tattoo “PROM” on your forehead
2011-2012 Viewer Editors
1
Editor-in-Chief Ryan Dictator Slechta Managing Editor John Panda Ke News Maximillian Wang Editorials Alyssa Belsito Features Nimmy Koshy Tristan Gustafson Spread John Knopf Mali Bacig Variety Alvin Ma Reviews Akshay Patke Sports Camry Kelly Alx Wald Design Megan Ruan Business Manager/Online Editor Erika Batiz Photographers Youngjun Willnot Park Adviser Martha Rush
Staff
- Tristan Aschittino, David Gonzalez, Allison Hare, Selin Kurtoglu, David Liu, Nathaniel Nikoi, Peter Olson, Alexander Safanov, Adam Toninato, Matthew Voges, Mikaela Warner, Joy Xie
Dinner: $100
Hair: $50
Prom not worth the price You can do a lot with $1,000: You could buy five 16GB iPhones or two iPads, a round-trip flight to L.A., or a night at a school dance. According to The News Observer, the average cost of an American prom this year is a whopping $1,087. While the price of Mounds View’s prom falls below this national average, it is still significant. The guys have to rent the tux, buy the $75 tickets, get flowers, and pay for dinner; the total can really add up. And the ladies have hair, makeup, nails, tanning, shoes, jewelry, flowers, garter, and, last but not least, the dress. For some, dresses alone can go well beyond $700! As if this weren’t enough, there is the limo or party bus, and an after party and other expenses that all cost money. Now, not to say prom won’t be one of the most memorable nights of high school, but how much is the going rate for a memory these days? The media has drilled it in our mind that prom, especially senior year, is meant to be as close to a fairytale as it can get. However, some Mounds View students have decided to stay
home and pocket the money instead. The ridiculous price tag is taking away memories to which every high schooler should be entitled. For some of the students who have to pay for prom out of pocket, the night is just not worth it. The tickets alone end up costing more than 10 hours of work at minimum wage. Those who don’t quite have enough time to balance a parttime job and school can kiss the mere idea of prom night goodbye. Some alternatives could reduce the cost so that more of the student body can afford to go. The Metropolitan is a beautiful facility, and probably worth every penny we pay, but a local community center would satisfy our needs just as well. When the Shoreview Community Center is all decorated it looks just as beautiful as any other dance hall. It also provides the students a fresh new atmosphere for a school dance. After the hours of dancing it is inevitable that a pack of teenagers will get hungry. The Junior Class Officers kept that in mind while planning the big dance
by providing D’Amico’s fancy desserts. Free food to high schoolers is good enough; the mini cakes don’t have to be the best in the state. Costco could satisfy the sweet tooth just fine. Then there is everything society has taught us is necessary for a perfect night. For the ladies it is near impossible to find “the perfect dress” for under $100. The night is all about the gown. The Grand March is pretty much a fashion show for people to whisper to the person next to them “that dress is so glamorous,” or “that is the ugliest thing I have ever seen.” The guys have a tux they have to rent. What is wrong with a simple suit? A lot of guys own a suit already, but there is some unsaid dress code that guys must wear a tux to prom. The renting of the tux can end up being around $175 of unnecessary expenditures. A couple is not even fully dressed for the dance yet and the total is already well above $100 per person. After buying the $75 tickets, there is another thing to charge to the card: transportation.
Whether party bus or limo, it can cost more than $100 an hour, and most groups need the vehicle for seven hours! Now, if a big group all splits the ride, it can end up being around $30 per couple, but oftentimes the more people the more “prama,” so most end up paying $100 per couple. Groups can drive themselves and save $100, but then there’s the worry about driving past state curfew and the large groups in cars, not to mention parking fees. There is no doubt that prom is something to look forward to; it is only for upperclassmen and is one of the most prestigious nights of high school, but the high cost could be left behind. With not all students being in a financial state to drop three- to four-digit numbers in one night, there should be some serious cutbacks to make it so the entire student body has more of an opportunity to go. It is a school dance, not a wedding.
11 Editors Agree, 3 Editors Disagree
Viewer Mission Statement The Viewer is published by the student editors at: Mounds View High School 1900 Lake Valentine Rd Arden Hills, Minnesota Sauk Centre Publishing
1. To publish news, information and opinion articles for and about student, faculty and administration activities, interests and policies. 2. To maintain high ethical standards with regard to fairness, personal and legal rights, responsibilities and accuracy. 3. To provide a forum for free and responsible expression of student opinion and present well-balanced, locally researched coverage of issues of broader student interest. 4. To strive for a high level of competency in the technical aspect of writing, including grammar, spelling, clarity, and precision. 5. To welcome diversity and increase the scope and depth of our coverage in order to heighten mutual understanding and awareness throughout our entire school community. Articles and letters to the editor appearing on the editorials pages represent solely the opinions of the writers and do not represent in any way the viewpoint of Viewer, our advertisers, Mounds View High School or its staff. The editors of the Viewer welcome and encourage the publication of all viewpoints.
Corrections from the 4/13/12 issue: None.
May 11, 2012
editorials3 Prom Night Safety
Lingua Latina
photo courtesy of MCT Campus
Mounds View should incorporate Latin into its course options by Matt Voges staff reporter While Mounds View looks to the future for new courses, the school fails to look at the past for guidance. Until recently, Latin was the mark of an educated person, but in the vast majority of modern public schools has been left for dead. Mounds View needs to resurrect this dying language for the sake of its students’ academic futures. Despite Latin’s exceptionally low rate of fluent speakers, and its only official use being found in the Roman Catholic Church and declarations from the Holy See, there are a plethora of reasons it ought to be studied. The most obvious is the acquired ability of the student to read Lucretius, Cicero, Horace, and Virgil— among others—in their original state rather than by way of second-hand translation. Aside from the substantial amount of English that can be gleaned from knowledge of Latin vocabulary and prefixes—15-50 percent of our language depending on the source—the method of language itself is to be more readily understood with Latin studies. Latin operates in such a way that one must comprehend a great many aspects of
Editor opinions What your Viewer editors think of various issues.
grammatical terminology to form even the simplest sentence. The writer must understand the various noun cases and the way various words interact in a way more technically demanding than other modern languages. The Latin student begins to connect the singular genitive endings to the English “’s” and his/ her eyes are opened to the way different words affect one another. Thus, with the study of Latin follows an understanding of linguistic elements and their function in any and all modern languages. If there is one language that can complement the study of most any Indo-European language, it is Latin. A similar level of inflection is found in Russian; the verbs are formed similarly in Spanish; and the vocabulary between Latin and most western languages is intimately connected. This is not to mention the fact that our alphabet is officially a Latin alphabet. Studying Latin is beneficial not only in its relevance to English students, but for the understanding it gives to students seeking a multi-lingual future. To say that no one speaks Latin, that it is a “dead” language, is an insubstantial argument in itself. Languages that stem directly from Latin
include Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Romanian. These languages are ripe with Latin cognates and grammatical structure. Besides these languages, a great many others also have Latin influences (but are not directly descended from Latin itself), such as English and German. Another important side of Latin in the modern day is in the sciences. Medical diction like “Rigor mortis,” “alar,” and “cerebrum” are all Latin derivatives. New species are typically given a scientific name that harkens from Greek or Latin, as with “Canis lupus.” The field of law is essentially Latin based—the Roman Empire pioneered the threebranch system of government that we use in the United States—which is reflected in words like “alibi” (coming from the Latin word for “at another place”). As Latin still proves its prevalence in the fields of higher intellect, colleges seek it. Matthew Potts, Admissions Counselor for the University of Notre Dame is quoted as saying, “Students taking Latin are typically scholarly. They pursue academic study in the purest sense, they are not simply fulfilling a requirement.” But Latin’s benefit may show up again on
a transcript. A study by the Educational Testing Service shows that the average Latin student has markedly superior SAT scores than students of other languages. With Latin an evidently beneficial supplement to the Mounds View School District, I recommend the following course of action: The teaching of Latin should begin in the seventh grade and commence through high school in the form of both a Hybrid and traditional classroom setting. It will not be compulsory for high school students, but will rather be offered as a foreign language elective similar to Spanish. If funding is a problem, I recommend Latin replace German because German countries have a high rate of English speakers—56 and 58 percent in Germany and Austria respectively, according to Wikipedia—and the worldwide German-speaking population is less than one third of the Spanish-speaking population, according to www2.ignatius.edu. There is no excuse for Mounds View students to be restricted from a language that could help them in so many facets of academics. Latin has the potential to enrich Mounds View just as it enriched the Roman Empire 2000 years ago.
“‘Fantastic Baby’ is easily the best track released in the past few months. VIP4lyffe”
“We should not have endless busy work in classes. Mounds View should be more focused on actual learning.”
“I love John Ke so much that I’m going to follow him for the next four years. #GoGophers”
- Panda Ke Managing editor
-Akshay Patke Reviews editor
- Tristan Gustafson Features editor
Prom night is one of the most exciting events in your life. But beyond the glamour and anticipation of that special night, remember to act responsibly. Please don’t make alcohol a part of your plans. Not only is underage drinking against the law, it can also lead to serious injury or worse. Statistics show that Prom-Graduation season the months of April, May and June - is the most dangerous time for teens. One-third of the alcoholrelated traffic fatalities involving teens each year occur during those months. You have a bright future ahead of you. Make sure your prom memories are good memories. Celebrate… enjoy… have fun… and stay safe. SEE YOU AT THE PROM AND HOPEFULLY NOT AFTER… Deputy Tim Gulden 651-621-7123 Tim.Gulden@ moundsviewschools.org
Cop’s
C
or er n
“I don’t want the citizenry’s tax dollars to go towards a stadium I will never use. No stadium!” -Max Wang News editor
4features
JAZZ BAND MEMBERS
May 11, 2012
From left to right Conor Kennedy, 12, lead tenor saxophone for Jazz Won Jeremy Dahl, 12, lead trombone for Jazz Won Mitchell Van Laar, 11, lead trumpet for Jazz Won
Alec Mitchell, 12, lead drummer for Jazz Won Peter Goggin, 9, lead alto saxophone for Jazz Too Grace Pratt, 10, lead tenor saxophone for Jazz Too photos by Ben Kaiser
More than just brass: Mounds View Jazz Band by David Liu staff repoter Jazz has always been an influential aspect of American music. The smooth melodies have been accentuated by many great American legends like Louis Armstrong and George Gershwin. In the 1920s it dominated the music scene, especially in smoky downtown bars and large swing halls. Mounds View High School continues the spirit of this iconic style with its own jazz scene. The Mounds View Jazz program is a combination of two jazz bands, Jazz Won and Jazz Too. Placement for jazz band is by tryout; it is open to any musician who fits the makeup of the band. Mounds View Jazz Band is considered a hybrid class; the group meets twice a week at 6:30 a.m. to rehearse. But this early time does not deter its members. “It’s definitely worth it,” said Mitch Van Laar, 11. “[Jazz band] has given me so many opportunities.” Jazz band provides students with a performance program as well as a learning experience. “[The jazz band] is really big band jazz and big band music,” said Philip Richardson, band director. “We also study different types of jazz and composers.” Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th
century in black communities in the southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with Jazz and the Swing Era. This type of ensemble consists of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments. Richardson likes to make sure that a variety of the big band styles are represented. “We’ll play latin, ballads, uptempo swing, jazz rock, fusion, transcription, and other jazz arrangements,” said Richardson. Not only is this music is enjoyable for the audience, but also for the musicians themselves. “The music we play, it’s a very fun type of music,” said Brian Long, 10. But the jazz band is not only about the music, but also the people that play. Some of the students got an early start to playing jazz while in middle school and then continued on with their jazz careers. “In eighth grade I just joined [jazz band],” said Jeremy Dahl, 12, “and I never quit.” A common aspect of jazz is features and solos. Often times, these spotlight performances come in the form of improvisation, which is very popular with jazz musicians. “[When improvising] you can just be who you are and play whatever
goes through your head,” said Van Laar. This freedom of expression gives jazz its own sort of atmosphere and style. Often this variety and deviation from the classical band style is what attracts students to jazz band. “Jazz is a pretty imprecise art. You learn by playing around.” said Evan Reimer, 12. “A lot of times you just have to sit in your room and just play through things and see what sounds good.” “Other band music has to be very paper specific,” said Long. “In jazz, you have to play what feels
right, it is not specific to what is set on the sheet music.” The close-knit group and personal attention are also attributes that draw students to the jazz program. “Jazz is more focused on small group and it’s much more individual based,” said Reimer. In the end, the jazz band received raving reviews from its audiences and its musicians. “It has been a positive experience.” said Reimer. “It has had a great impact on my high school experience.”
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May 11, 2012
Meet THE
5 features
CUSTODIANS
M
ounds View is a fairly clean school, a fact we tend to take for granted. How often do students actually think about or appreciate those who keep this building clean? Not often enough, if purposely clogged toilets are anything to go by. This is just one of the many difficulties the custodians must deal with on a daily basis. Custodians generally receive very little gratitude from the student body and are branded as grumpy or unfriendly. Despite this perception, the custodians here like to be kind to kids and are willing to help whenever they can. “I enjoy kids truthfully. Always loved talking with them. I also love working with the teachers and administration,” said Tom Kleinendorst, the substitute head custodian. The eight Mounds View custodians have an immense workload. Two shifts of three men and one shift of two make up the force that readies the school for use each day. Each custodian cleans a section of about 30 classrooms, four or five bathrooms, and all hallways and stairs in their section. The A shift (or day shift) starts when it’s still dark at 6 a.m., but most arrive around 5:30. It ends at 2:30 p.m. The B-shift, or evening shift, starts off when A ends and lasts until 11. Right from there, the C-shift, called the “graveyard shift,” picks up and doesn’t end until A begins again.
by Tristan Aschittino and Nathaniel Nikoi
The men behind the mop
For 20 years, Kleinendorst has cared for the district’s schools. He is personable and fun to talk to, and enjoys his work. “I’ve always enjoyed working with kids. I figure, if I’m pleasant with the kids [opening doors when his shift is done and other things], they’ll be pleasant with me.” Jake Doncits, a custodial floater for the “B-league,” has worked in MV schools for five years. Doncits has a very relaxed personality and an “almost anything goes” kind of outlook in life. He tries to enjoy his job as much as he can because he feels people take their job a little too seriously and need to take some time to enjoy life. One time when he was on
the job at an elementary school, he had a loathsome encounter with a student in the bathroom. “There was just fecal matter all over, all over, and the kid was almost as dirty as the bathroom. It’s like he was painting with it. He was just having fun in the bathroom,” said Doncits. Another memorable experience was at Irondale, when the sprinklers went off and flooded the basements. “It was a tidal wave, man. It’s insane, how much water comes out of those things,” said Doncits. Brian Larson is another “B-league” custodian who has been working in the district for 20 years. Larson hates it when kids plug up the toilet because it adds an extra task on top of his already overwhelming
Trashin’ the school
Students would be surprised to discover the amount custodians do every night. Each custodian is assigned to his own area: four to five bathrooms and approximately 30 rooms, in addition to bordering hallways. Larson’s average work day goes something like this: organizing the kitchen, “trashin’” (removing trash), checking the boiler room, sweeping and scrubbing the hallways, locking up the school, setting up for events, tearing down after events-even chasing out wild animals. Animals end up in the school a lot more often than students think. One time, mice were dragging candy from people’s
duties. Before becoming a custodian, Larson was an East Coast construction worker, and also worked at a truck part shop. Like other custodians, Larson likes to be friendly. “I like dealing with kids and some of the staff - getting to know people,” said Larson. Rob Baker has been working as a custodian for six years. He is always willing and happy to be able to help students whenever he can. Baker is a hard worker and enjoys the consistency of his work. Before becoming a custodian though, he was a project engineer, a managing engineer, a drafter, and a furniture builder.
lunches into a large hole. Kleinendorst, who is responsible for dealing with the animals, placed candy wrappers into the large hole, and then proceeded to patch it up. On the bright side, the FloorScrubbers are as fun to ride as they look. The machines, which look like Zambonis and cost $11,000 to $12,000, are driven by every custodian. “This is our first new one. This new one is a little faster and you have to be careful taking corners because we’ve slid those things sideways,” said Kleinendorst. Baker did not quite agree with the others. “It’s like cutting the grass.
It’s fun the first time, but after that, it’s still cutting the grass. Really boring.” The general vibe among custodians is an overall satisfaction. “This is a great place to work,” said Kleinendorst.
A ‘clean’ & present danger The life of a custodian in the workplace is not all fun and FloorScrubber riding, however. Aside from the workload, the job can be dangerous. Reggie Larson, the head custodian, was driving a plow through the school grounds last winter, when he ran over a solid object, Kleinendorst said. The plow was moving rapidly, and the solid object stopped it dead in its tracks. His head hit the windshield with enough force to break his neck. He has been off duty ever since and Kleinendorst has taken up Larson’s responsibilities for the time being. He is planning to return. Custodians face other dangers as well. The school’s elevator shafts flood at times and it is the custodians’ responsibility to go to the “pit of the elevator shaft with pumps” when it floods and prop the elevator up with two by fours so it does not fall down on
top of them. When the fire alarm sounds (even when it’s not a drill), the custodians must remain in the building and scour the halls for the source and take care of it if it’s manageable. If there were ever a major fire, the lives of custodians would be at risk. There are other smaller dangers, according to Kleinendorst. They work with many chemicals that are of industrial-grade and very strong, so rubber gloves are a necessity. An industrial, strong soap called Workout is the favorite cleaning supply of the custodial majority. The real danger of chemicals is allergies. Due to the number of them, there are many possibilities for an allergic reaction.
Tastes like success Students and staff alike embrace baking
The science of baking by Graham Wright guest writer Baking is not an art. It can be artfully done, but at its core baking is pure culinary science. As such, if it is practiced as a science, the results will astound baker, tinker, tailor, and candlestick maker alike. Therefore, it is very difficult to distill the entirety of baking knowledge into a single digest article (pardon the pun), but I believe that the top three ideas that can set anyone’s breads, pastries, or pies, on a steady course for greatness - remember, food can become truly legendary - are a careful attention to the following: 1. Ingredients: primarily the flour you are going to use. 2. Leavening: how you plan to turn dough into bread, or cake. 3. Heat: how you intend to apply it, and under what conditions. Great bread is born in cool winter climates, from wheat sown in the shadow of the summer harvest, hardened by winter’s frost, and reaped in the early spring. By contrast, light elegant layer cakes owe it all to the summer sun, long days, and warm nights, with plenty of cool water to drink. This is because different varieties of wheat contain
Baking: M
different amounts of protein, the tissue-building molecules that are relatively rare in plants. Proteins are molecules with a very specific shape that make them sticky at a molecular level, and so can trap other substances in intricate molecular webs of protein strands. The only difference between bread and jello is that bread uses gluten, while jello uses gelatin; and bread traps carbon dioxide in the web while jello traps water! Don’t like bread? Butter a slice of jello! Just don’t try to toast it… How can you tell the differences among your flours’ protein contents? Do some research, look on the label, or go online. On the whole, bread flour contains the most protein, and cake flour the least; but different manufacturers use different wheat varieties, so you need to think about what you want your final product to be like, and match the flour accordingly. The higher the gluten content, the denser, chewier, and smaller the crumb will be. The lower the gluten content of the flour, the lighter and fluffier the baked outcome. However, before you try baking a loaf of bread with cake flour, remember that you need to trap a lot of gases, and for that you need a large, strong protein web. But why not experiment? This is a science after all! What is the difference between
baking soda and baking powder, and when do you use yeast? The answer is whenever you want to leaven, or lighten, your product. Any warmblooded chemist will tell you density is a ratio of mass (or weight, let’s be real) to volume of a substance, and the bigger the volume, the lower the density. Leavening is the act of changing your dough volume to decrease its density and lighten the texture. This can be achieved through biochemical fermentation (using yeast) or chemical action to produce carbon dioxide. This gas is then trapped in the protein web and expands as heated, producing a light, fluffy texture. Breads use yeast, but yeast can be used wherever it can feed on sugars, and where a slightly tangy flavor is preferential; however, baking soda can only be used with acidic ingredients. Otherwise it will produce very little gas. Baking powder is a mixture of baking soda and a solid acid (usually tartaric acid), and can be used in all baking situations. Importantly, baking powder deteriorates over time so it needs to be fresh to be active. Unsure if your baking powder is good? Add a teaspoon to warm water. Iif you don’t see bubbles, it won’t leaven. Simple as that! Lastly, preheat your oven. Gas or electric - it doesn’t matter; and the longer it is heated the better,
y b b o h a t s u j ore than
especially if such heating occurs at very high temperatures. You see, it is the walls of the oven that do the cooking, not the hot air in the oven, and to get the walls warm requires significant time and heat. I have been known to set my oven on the cleaning cycle for an hour or more before baking a pizza. With the oven scorching itself clean at over 500 degrees, I can guarantee that the walls within are as hot as they can get, and once the oven lets me open the door I can set the thermometer to 450 and bake great pizza. Ultimately, electric ovens are far superior to gas, as the heating is much more consistent, but we don’t all get this option. I have even lined the base of my gas oven with fire bricks just to produce a more even heating. This, along with setting oven thermometers on every rack to accurately measure the temperature in different zones, and the results are excellent. Baking is a science, and you should experiment with the best chemistry lab in your house. Don’t be afraid to try recipes and make substitutions of your own. Just hypothesize about the results, and keep a log of your trials so that you don’t make the same mistakes twice. Have fun, and if you’re looking for advice stop by room 202 - I’m full of it!
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ffin · 2 ¼ cup of millers bran · 2 cups of light vanilla soy milk · 2 large eg gs at room temperature · 1/3 cup of canola oil · 1/3 cup of no-sugar-added applesauce · ½ cup of crushed pineap ple · 2 scoops of protein pow der · 2 cups of whole wheat pa stry flour
1. Mix millers bran with vanilla light soy Place in refriger milk. Ensure th ator over night. e bran is wet. 2. Preheat oven to 36 5F 3. Take out wet miller s bran and mix 1/3 cup of appl with 2 eggs, 1/ esauce, ½ cup 3 cup of canola crushed pineap oil, protein powder. ple, and 2 scoo Mix until combi ps of ned, but do no t over mix. 4. Now add to this mix ture the flour, baking soda, sa brown sugar, ba lt, cinnamon, gr king powder, ated carrot, rais walnuts. ins, and choppe d 5. Grease 12 muffin cu ps and bake for minutes more. 20 minutes. Th en turn for 15
nilla Cupcakes
Try these!
1½ cups all-purpose flour 1 cup granulated sugar 1½ tsp baking powder ½ tsp table salt 8 Tbs unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperture
• • • •
recipe provided by
Graham Wright
Cupcakes with Meg an
½ cup sour cream 1 large egg, room temperature 2 large egg yolks, room temperature 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
djust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees F. standard muffin/cupcake tin with paper or foil liners.
hisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in bowl anding mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Add butter, sour m, egg and egg yolks, and vanilla; beat at medium speed until th and satiny, about 30 seconds. Scrape down sides of bowl rubber spatula and mix by hand until smooth and no flour ets remain.
Mix the necessary ingredients. Set the oven to 350 degrees.
vide batter evenly among cups of prepared tin. Bake until cuptops are pale gold and toothpick or skewer inserted into center s out clean, 20 to 24 minutes. Remove the cupcakes from nd transfer to wire rack; cool cupcakes to room temperature e frosting.
nilla Frosting 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), room temperature
• •
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract 1 lb. powdered sugar
Keep an eye on the cupcakes. Don’t overcook them.
sing the wire whisk attachment of your stand mixer, whip the r on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, stopping to scrape the once or twice.
educe the speed to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. all of the powdered sugar is incorporated, increase the speed to um-high and add the vanilla, mixing until incorporated. Whip at um-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping owl as needed.
Decorate the cupcakes.
recipe provided by Megan Ruan
The finished product!
8variety
May 11, 2012
Changing the world of music Howler, an indie rock band from Minneapolis, was signed to a major label last winter and is headed for fame. by Aaron Hammerly guest writer One year ago, Jordan Gatesmith started a little side project called Howler. He was able to record an EP, entitled This One’s Different. at the local label So-TM, which his main band Total Babe was on. Howler tooled around the Twin Cities playing small clubs and bars. At one show in particular, a writer for music blog Pitchfork and British music magazine NME stopped by and was in awe at what he heard and saw. He sent their EP to Geoff Travis, owner and founder of Rough Trade Records based in London. Travis was excited with what he heard and decided to sign them. So, in one year Howler has gotten signed to a label, opened for The Vaccines and played shows literally all across the world, including England, France, Japan, and Brazil. If you had the chance to ask Gatesmith a year ago what he would be doing now, he would never have said that one of his bands was going to get signed to the legendary label Rough Trade, which has signed bands such as The Smiths, The Libertines, and The Strokes. Not only did his band get picked up by a label months into their career, but Gatesmith was also one of the youngest signees in the history of the label. At the age of 17, Gatesmith joined the band Total Babe, led by local musician Clara Salyer, and they quickly caught the eye of many local music critics. They were able to make a name for themselves, not only for their infectious pop songs, but because of their young age. Howler’s beginning was unique in today’s music industry. It was started as a side project rather than deliberately forming to get noticed.
photo courtesy of Wikipedia.org
“I was starting another band pretty much every three days,” said Gatesmith, “I was making a lot of electronic music.” He laughed as he listed off a number of bands that he started, such as Gay Animals and A-Cups. There were so many that he didn’t even get into describing all of them. At the time of all this, Gatesmith had just finished up his freshman year at Augsburg College in Minneapolis, where he was studying English. He
was a couple weeks into summer vacation, living in his parents’ basement and sleeping in like any teenager does. Their drummer, Brent Mayes, kept trying to reach him to tell him the news. “Brent, he kept calling me. I kept just hanging up on him,” said Gatesmith, “Finally he got a hold of me and he told me to check the Howler email. I was like ‘what’?” Finding an email from Geoff Travis saying he wanted to sign them was probably the last thing he had in mind. “I was really frightened,” chuckled Gatesmith. “I just kind of walked back and forth in my basement. He said a lot of really nice things and compared us to a lot of really cool bands like The Strokes and The Libertines.” Howler’s debut album, America Give Up, was just released on January and has been receiving very good reviews. Howler just finished up playing a few shows at SXSW and seemed to turn a lot of heads there. In the summer, Howler will do festivals in Europe and Asia, and they recently announced that they will be playing at Rock the Garden in June. In between all of this, they are already thinking about the second album, despite the fact that they just debuted. “I’ve already started working on songs for the second album.” Gatesmith said, “My goal is to get a new album out every year.” For any music fan, Howler is one of those bands that you will want to keep an eye on over the next year. They could be one of the next big indie bands such as The Strokes, The Libertines, or Vaccines. But, no matter what happens, they’re still young and talented musicians and can easily make a name for themselves in whatever they do.
Remember the Flea Market by Selin Kurtoglu staff reporter Attention all fun seekers who don’t mind some sun and aren’t afraid of a little dust: the Alamo Flea Market is calling. After months of cold weather that didn’t allow for even a quick stint in the park, we are reaching a time when staying out all day actually seems quite nice. And what better way to spend that day than at an outdoor flea market? The annual Alamo Flea Market is held at 1519 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis on May 19 and 20, right in front of a local antique shop called Antiquified. Flea markets are basically a bunch of yard sales, with designated places and times, and many participants. Most of the time, the products are very used and cheap, and the eclecticness of the entire market makes the Alamo a unique
photo courtesy of alamosq.wordpress.com
shopping experience. The Alamo Flea Market will have vendors from all over the Twin Cities, selling their knickknacks and vintage clothing. There is a chance you’ll stumble upon an old lady selling all of her kitchen appliances from the 1950s and a very good chance you’ll uncover an awesome vintage hat or a beautiful, one-of-a-kind art piece. According to exploreminnesota.com, “the Alamo Flea Market presents the opportunity to find vintage clothes, jewelry, artwork, vintage bikes, collectible comic books and postcards, tools, furniture, CDs, records, little odds and ends, and much more!” While you can’t always count on finding a perfect, mint condition Revolver record, when you do stumble upon one, you’ll know it was worth the dirty hands and the itchy eyes.
May 11, 2012
9 reviews
Get ready for summer! Summer 2012 is shaping up to be one of the best summers for the film industry in recent years. Viewer compiled a list of the top six must-see blockbusters of summer 2012. The Dark Knight Rises
Brave
June 22, 2012
Director: Christopher Nolan Starring: Christian Bale, Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Hathaway
Pixar Animation Studios Directors: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman Starring: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly and Emma Thompson
July 20, 2012
Bane, Batplanes, and Anne Hathaway in tight-fitting leather. The Dark Knight Rises has all you can ask for in a summer movie. This Christopher Nolan-helmed production is set to be the last in the epic Batman trilogy. Set eight years after the last film, The Dark Knight Rises sees the return of Batman to Gotham to stop the hulking, diabolical Bane. A wanted man, Bruce Wayne must evade the police in addition to battling gangsters, villains, and his own inner demons. New to the cast are Tom Hardy as Bane, a massive bodybuilder with the calculating mind of a chess player, and Anne Hathaway as the seductive, mysterious Catwoman. This is certainly by far the most anticipated movie of the summer and may turn out to be the best.
Move over Katniss Everdeen: there’s another archer heroine in the game. Brave, Pixar’s first film to feature a female protagonist, tells the story of Princess Merida (voiced by Kelly Macdonald), an independent spirit in the oppressive male-dominated world of Medieval Scotland. However, her rebelliousness accidentally causes her to be cursed and chaos to descend upon the kingdom. Using her strength, determination, and skill with the bow, Merida heads out to save her people before it is too late. Pixar’s 13th movie is directed by Mark Andrews, the “right hand man” of The Incredibles director Brad Bird. Pixar movies always promise a good time and odds are this one will hit the mark.
Rock Of Ages
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter
June 15, 2012 Directors: Adam Shankman Starring: Tom Cruise, Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta When was the last time an ’80s movie actually had good music? Well, Rock of Ages aims to change that. This musical love story set in the ’80s will have many iconic hits from the era of rock and roll. On top of that, it has some of the biggest names in Hollywood, including Malin Akerman, Alec Baldwin, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Russell Brand, Mary J. Blige, and most notably Tom Cruise. All actors in this rocking musical had to go through four months of vocal training to make sure that their voices sound as good as they should. Director Adam Shankman has been working diligently to transfer over the award-winning Broadway play to the big screen, making Rock of Ages a mustsee this summer. photos courtesy of imdb.com
June 22, 2012
Rufus Sewell
Directors: Timur Bekmambetov Starring: Benjamin Walker,
If Rambo was combined with Twilight, that might come close to the general idea of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. This odd combination brought to the big screen by director Timur Bekmambetov and producer Tim Burton might be cheesy, but will be too awesome to pass up. Bekmambetov, known for other famous movies such as WANTED, is known for his expertise in slowmo action, and Burton is known for well...making movies great! With a special effects budget that rivals Avatar, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter should be quite riveting. The plot is simple, yet so simple that the audience will focus on what will make this movie great: the special effects, the vampires, the axe fight scenes, and the overall idea of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.
Ted
July 13, 2012 Director: Seth McFarlane Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis From the mind of the creator of Family Guy, Seth McFarlane, comes Ted, the story of John (Mark Wahlberg) and his teddy bear that comes to life as a result of a childhood wish. Although at first it sounds like a heart-warming kid’s movie,Ted is the quite the opposite. Ted is the classic lazy best friend; he mooches off of John, gets him to do all sorts of crazy things, and lives a carefree life. When Ted’s vulgar slacker lifestyle comes in the way of John embracing his relationship with the girl of his dreams, Lori, John tries to set Ted on the right track. Hilarity ensues as Ted tries to become a productive member of society. Just like Family Guy, the pure ridiculousness of the plot could make Ted a comedy classic. If executed correctly, the premise of this movie is comedy gold. Disclaimer: This film is rated R (Under 17 requires a parental guardian) for crude and sexual content, pervasive language and some drug material.
The Amazing Spider-Man July 3, 2012
Director: Marc Webb Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Rhys With innovative indie director Marc Webb directing, the Spider-Man reboot will not only be worth watching, but it will change the world’s view of Spider-Man. Just as he did with the romantic comedy, 500 Days In Summer, Webb will present another classic story in an new and creative way. Unlike the 2002 Spider-Man film, The Amazing Spider-Man follows the origin story of Spider-Man in the comic book series of the same name. This movie focuses on Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) trying to unravel the mystery of his past and win the heart of his high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). Both these goals bring him face-to-face with his dad’s former partner, Dr. Connors, whose alter ego is the villainous Lizard. The movie takes a darker, more serious take on the story of Spider-Man. With Andrew Garfield’s powerful acting, Peter Parker is transformed from an awkward Tobey Maguire into a cooler, more mysterious protagonist. Aside from the plot, Webb is experimenting with 3D effects; taking it past its commercial value in an attempt to create a whole new world of film techniques. With its talented cast and crew, The Amazing Spider-Man will mostly likely be a blockbuster worth-watching. previews by David Gonzalez-Dysinger, Akshay Patke, and Adam Toninato
10sports
May 11, 2012
Causing a Ruckus Mounds View’s rugby is one of the best teams in the state
by Alx Wald
staff reporter In the American family of sports, football is king: The NFL gets all the media attention; Super Bowl Sunday has nearly become a national holiday; and apparently its commissioner can even come to town and force the Legislature to change its agenda. Yet, sometimes forgotten in the midst of all this attention is football’s wild-spirited step-sister, rugby. Rugby is a physical game, even when compared to football; it even includes a legal play that is appropriately titled “the maul.” (See Rugby 101) Football players wear pads and helmets designed to protect themselves from injury; rugby players wear nothing but their uniforms. In a professional “Rugby League,” play does not stop when a player gets injured. Often team doctors will be running onto the field tending to a fallen player while the game is still going on around them. While rugby is a high contact game, it also requires as much finesse and stamina as soccer. Games consist of two 40-minute non-stop halves. Players must sprint to avoid being tackled by a
defender, and then be able to change directions on a dime, or a hurl a quick but accurate underhand pass to a teammate. Rugby is one of the most physically taxing sports to play, and difficult to be good at, but, of course, has been dominated by Mounds View. Since its inception nine years ago, the Mounds View Rugby Club has been arguably the best high school club in the state. Over that span it has won six state championships and played in the Midwest Regional qualifiers all nine years. The club has had countless all-state and Minnesota Select-side players come through its ranks, and even had six players go on to play for the US national team, where they competed against other countries from across the globe. The Minnesota Youth Rugby league consists of three leagues. Boys Tier 1 (U19), Boys Tier 2 (U19), and Boys JV (U17). Tier 1 consists of 8 of the most established clubs in the state, including Edina, Minnetonka, Duluth, and Mounds View. These eight teams compete during the regular season and postseason tournament to determine the state champion. Tier 2 consists of 12 less competitive
teams who compete amongst themselves for their own state championship. Senior Captain Richard Carlson believes this year will be no exception. “We lost some seniors but we have a lot of good returning players, including the always dynamic and versatile Louwagie twins,” said Carlson, “One advantage we have this year is our team speed is a lot better across the board, meaning we have a lot more options of what we can do coming out of scrums and rucks.” Carlson, who has played multiple sports throughout his lifetime, claims rugby is the most fun and exhilarating of all sports. “Mounds View Rugby is one of the best in the state, and it’s not too late to join, practices are Mondays and Wednesdays at North Oaks field,” he said. “All you have to do is show up!”
Rugby 101 Teams usually consist of 15 players, although some amateur leagues feature 7-on-7.
Similar to a touchdown, players compete simultaneously to carry the ball across the dead ball lines, also called try lines, in order to score a try. One try is worth five points.
Scrum - A scrum usually occurs after a team commits a minor penalty. In this play, 8 players from each form a huddle by interlocking arms and engaging with the other team. The ball is dropped in between the two teams and the goal is to move the ball back without using your hands to a player in the back of the scrum who is allowed to pick it up.
After a try is scored a team has a chance to kick a two point conversion, where the ball must be kicked between the goal posts from the 20 yard line and from the position on the field where the try was scored. Ruck - A ruck occurs after a tackle and the player with the ball must release the ball upon contact on the ground. After that the ball is live and fair game for each team, unless a ruck is formed. In a ruck one or more offensive players step over the down man and the ball. Once a ruck is formed the only way for the defense to get the ball is to push the ruck back over the ball.
The ball may be drop kicked through the goal posts at anytime for three points.
information compiled by Alx Wald
sports11
May 11, 2012
More than just a signature
“The only concern for myself was making sure I could fit the academic requirements to get into the school. I am a little concerned [about the rigor of the school]. But, they have very good academic advisors who help the athletes out. I will get the best education in the country.”
by Peter Cole staff reporter Every year, some athletes cap off their college search process by signing a document called a Letter of Intent. When an athlete signs the document, they commit to attending and playing their sport at the college of their choice, marking the end of the recruiting process. However, there are certain criteria that must be followed. A student-athlete who signs a National Letter of Intent is obligated to attend that college for one academic year. In return, the college, who accepts the studentathlete’s National Letter of Intent, is required to give admittance, and a scholarship if applicable, for one academic year if he meets NCAA requirements. Once the student-athlete signs a National Letter of Intent with a particular college, it is in violation of NCAA rules for any other college to continue their pursuit in recruiting that player. According to the NCAA, the National Letter of Intent has “many advantages to both prospective studentathletes and participating educational institutions,” noting that signing a letter protects student-athletes from recurring recruiting pressure from other institutions, and ensures that those players solidify their scholarship. Furthermore, the NCAA explains that emphasizing a commitment to an educational institution aids studentathletes in honing in on educational obligations, and thus, is advantageous to both the player and the college.
-Maddie Peake Princeton University ’16
“I signed to Westmont because I loved the school, the people, the coaches, and location. It’s tough to beat 70 degrees and sunny year round and a campus right on the beach.”
-Matt Herringshaw Westmont College ’16
“I think I’ve prepared myself pretty well for college tennis in the past few years. I’m nervous about making the line-up, if anything, but I’m looking forward to the challenge. This summer will be very important for preparing me for college. I will be playing tennis almost everyday, alongside conditioning on the track and trying to go to yoga as much as possible. I also plan on playing in many tournaments in order to prepare me for the matches I will face in college.”
-Melanie Yates Gonzaga University ’16
Athlete of the Issue
Max Knutson
Junior
Max Knutson, 11, first made varsity baseball as a sophomore. His athleticism in the outfield, ability to shut down opposing teams from the mound, and powerful bat have earned him scholarship offers from many D1 baseball programs including Nebraska, to which he has already given a verbal commitment. Knutson’s commitment to
and success in baseball has made him this edition’s athlete of the issue. Q: What are your goals for this baseball season? A: My goal is just to help the team win in any way I can. Our goal is to win our section and conference and hopefully win state too. Q: Who has had the biggest influence on your
life so far? A: Definitely my parents. They’re always encouraging me and taught me everything I know. Q: What are your career goals? A: I want to play college baseball Division I somewhere. I’ve verbally committed to Nebraska so hopefully that works out. After that, of course, I want to get drafted and play in the
majors. That’s every baseball players’ dream. Q: What is your biggest baseball accomplishment? A: Being invited to tryout for Team USA this summer in North Carolina.
information compiled by Alx Wald
12gallery
May 11, 2012
As social networking plays an ever larger role in the lives of high school students, sites like YouTube can be used to powerful effect by Allison Hare staff reporter YouTube, a website that allows users to upload, view, and share videos, has allowed more and more students at Mounds View to start making their own channels and videos to share with the world. Selena LeGarde, 11, says she first started her account as a joke with her friend, Erin Towle, 11. “One day we were just sitting around and we said, ‘Hey! Let’s make a YouTube channel,’” she said. “We decided to call ourselves the Prairie Dogs. Erin and I are really talented singers, so we make videos of us singing and playing guitar. But they’re kind of a joke.”
Other students have started channels for school related reasons, but YouTube then grew to be something more. Peter Ingraham, 12, says he first made an account to upload a video project for math. “I started with a video for calculus that I made with some friends, ‘General Calculus,’” he said. “This led to other videos being made on the channel, mostly school related. And now, just about anything goes on my channel, from mashups of popular songs to simple prom asking videos. I have a wide variety. Eventually, I plan on making a channel devoted to beats.” Later, Ingraham and Jack Wang, 10, made a channel called “Panda Poetz” devoted to rap music videos. “Jack and I wanted a rap group
Jenna Marbles shares her matterof-fact, hilarious take on commonplace happenings, accompanied by her adorable pet dogs. She has a cool, casual demeanor that, combined with a radiant beauty, makes for an amusing persona that attracts millions of hits on each video.
just to embarrass ourselves,” he said. “So we recorded a song... made a video... and needed a YouTube channel to post it on.” Some YouTubers with enormous viewerships, like Jenna Marbles, Ryan Higa, or KevJumba, have reached the elusive title of “YouTube celebrity.” However, the process of becoming a YouTube celebrity is very competitive, with millions of views needed to attain such a status. Students at Mounds View, therefore, remain dubious over the potential of becoming so-called YouTube celebrities themselves. “We are definitely trying to become YouTube celebrities because we’re so talented,” said LeGarde with a laugh. “I think that [being a YouTube celebrity] is in the back of the mind of any YouTuber’s head,” said Ingraham. “But will I become one? Probably not.” As more and more people have been joining YouTube, Ingraham feels lasting connections can be made on the site. “YouTube is becoming a social network,” he said. “The connections you make there can impact your life forever.”
What’s your favorite YouTube channel? *152 students were polled
Music How-to Cooking Comedy Tutoring Sports Other information compiled by Alx Wald
Millions of YouTube users create their own video blogs every day. Here are some of the most subscribed-to channels on the web:
A demonstration of man’s ability to construct truly monstrous conglomerations of food. Harley Morenstein, his friends, and the occasional YouTube celebrity make a humorous montage of the feast’s recipe and then proceed to consume more calories than most people have in a week. Brutal, random editing add the humor to this cocktail of masculinity.
With a quirky, satirical sort of humor, Ryan Higa is the second most subscribed to channel on YouTube. The success of Higa’s videos is due to a refreshing, homemade quality brought from his humble beginnings in Hawaii to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas where he currently studies film. Higa epitomizes what YouTube truly is--a place for rising stars and those with a great deal to give the world on a tight budget. information compiled by Matthew Voges