October 31

October 31, 2008Volume 66, Issue 3

The Student Newspaper of West Lafayette Senior High School, West Lafayette, Indiana

Sharpen up your pencils and your arti sti c skills on page 5.

Play the Race To The Presi-dency board game on page 6-7

Find out more about the elusive Todd Rayman on page 12.

Mollie [email protected]

WADG Holds Mock Electi on During the October 28th lunch hour, students lined up in the cafeteria, anxiously awaiting their turn to...vote? Indeed, these stu-dents were waiting for a chance to cast their ballot to vote for their candidate of choice running for one of three major government positions: President, Governor, and Congressman. “It’s a great opportunity for kids to start thinking about being a citizen and what that means,” said Herr Studt, sponsor of the World Af-fairs Discussion Group, WADG. The election, held before school and during lunch, was formatted to give students a taste of how the voting process actually works. In order to be eligible to vote, a student had to register before the election and was required to show their student ID to the volunteers working the polls before voting. “We tried to set it up like a realis-tic polling station with voter iden-tifi cation checks and privacy [for the students while voting],” said junior Victor Gutwein, a member of WADG. Students responded well to the format WADG had set up. “It was fast and effi cient,” said

senior Adil Ghafoor. WADG’s realistic format and the enthusiasm of the registered students made for an excellent turnout, with 43% of the school

registered to vote and 64% of those registered students actually voting on election day; a higher turnout percentage-wise than the national election of 2004 of George W. Bush vs. John Kerry. One student was so eager to partici-pate that she went all the way home at lunch to get her student ID. While this mock election has no impact on the real one taking place on November 4th, it will hopefully have an impact on students who will be eligible to vote in the next few years. “My goal was to encourage... kids to realize that it’s important to vote,” said Herr Studt. Monica Kalwani, President

of WADG, agrees. “It will show them the importance of register-ing in advance and how it’s easy to miss the deadline and showing

them the importance of voting in the real election as well,” she said. Students agreed that the mock election provided them valuable experience. “I think [the mock election] will help people get ready to vote when they turn 18,” said sophomore Allen Chiu. Overall, the mock election was deemed a success by the student body and WADG. Now all stu-dents have to look forward to is November 4th, when the actual election results are announced. Regardless of who wins, students will now know what it takes to express their opinions when time comes for them to cast their of-fi cial ballots.

MOCK REGISTRATION: The rate of registrati on for the mock electi on fall to the percentages for the real electi on. Graph by Mollie Westbrook.

VOTING: Freshman Brian Anderson exercises his right to vote in the mock electi on. Photo by Darin Larimore.

Guest Columnists size up the candidates on page 4.

Check out what’s inside....

After nearly two years of planning and construction, the West Lafayette Education Foundation, with support from the School Board, fi nally unveiled the Global Learning Center this month in its latest effort to bring the highest level of technological capability and instructional enhancement to West Lafayette students and faculty. Initiated in early 2007, the project went through a careful and long-developing process to reach the launch of its construction in June of this year. According to Principal Larry Allen, “This is a program that was put together by the Education Foundation, an organization West Lafayette initiated with the State legislators to make possible for local schools to have an educational foundation as a part of its overall plan.” Kathleen Anderson, chairperson of the Foundation’s Projects’ Committee and member of the School Board, explains the initial steps taken in formulating the plan: “We had some preliminary meetings and came up with a list of long term and short term, high capital and small projects. We tried to narrow it down to some projects that we thought were feasible and needed. We thought that it was an opportunity that the students were missing.” Geared especially towards the foreign language classes, the computer lab is equipped with an advanced software system called “Genesis.” As technology specialist Zach Baiel explains, “Genesis, similar to VisionClient, can allow teachers to broadcast their screens to students. But now there’s also voice capability. Every station has a voice set. You can either raise your hands physically or there is a way to digitally raise your hand… Teachers can intercom straight to the students with the head sets on, or they can broadcast to the entire student body.” Genesis

Global Learning Center AstoundsForeign Language Students

page 2 october 31, 2008 volume 66, issue 3 news

By Yi [email protected]

also allows for one-on-one student communication, a feature French teacher Stephen Ohlhaut describes as working “perfectly well.” A state-of-the-art project also comes with heavy expenditures. According to Anderson, $198,000 were spent in total. The Education Foundation, as described by Allen, is “a vehicle to private funds,” including donations from alumni, businesses, corporations and individuals. Due to the magnitude of the expense, the already-limited Corporation

also accounted for part of the cost. Speaking on behalf of the Foundation, Anderson added, “We were very interested in making sure that the interests of the school corporation’s funds were not negatively impacted by helping to fi nance the Global Learning Center.” Despite its fi nancial communication, the fi nished lab has been praised by school administrators, teachers and students. “I’m really excited about using it and seeing how we can operate it through its maximum potential, to increase particularly spoken communication,” Ohlhaut commends. “It’s cool and up-to-date with the latest technology. It will defi nitely help us communicate better,” says Junior Crystal Johnson. “It’s a fun new way to converse with other students,” Junior Courtney Galbraith agrees. At the onset the project, according to Anderson, goals were set because, “We wanted to offer a twenty-fi rst century, multi-media, digital capability for world language instructions. We wanted it to be different from other classrooms.” Now, after its completion, Allen remarks, “The foundation has made a decision to make it work…and it works right here.”

By Madeleine [email protected]

West Lafayette High School currently has a school newspaper that has been around for many years. However the newspaper monopoly that the Scarlette holds on the school will soon be ending, as the Junior High plans to fi ll the gap in the Scarlette’s market. Under the guidance of Kathryn Eshelman, junior high student editors Amani Farooque and Neha Ramani began the daunting task of initiating this newspaper. The new junior high newspaper will be coming out monthly, which Eshelaman says may be a little ambitious but that it is good to have goals. The purpose for the paper is “…to create a newspaper so we don’t have to wait until high school and we have better chances of getting into the [real] newspaper,” states Amani Farooque. The newspaper’s staff state that they want to have many different types of stories, including student of the week biographies, features, and an art section that will include,

With continually fl uctuating energy prices, the movement to “go green” seems to be incessantly picking up speed. West Side’s own Environmen-tally Conscious Organization, as the name suggests, is constantly search-ing for ways to educate themselves on all things “green,” and last Wednes-day was no exception. After school on Wednesday, Octo-ber 22, ECO took a fi eld trip to visit the Orion Energy Group’s Benton County Wind Farm. The farm consists of about 54 turbines, with more planned for construction, 33 of which supply energy for Duke Energy. With each turbine standing 260 ft. in the air, the farm could potentially act as the sole energy provider for a 24 square mile radius. ECO made the trip with the help of sponsor Mrs. Warner as well as Earth Systems teacher Mr. Collins, who drove the small group in the mini bus. ECO President Becca Jones said it was important for the group to make the trip “To just create a better understanding of how wind energy works and to see the impressive number of how many turbines there are and to talk to the people there and just understand why they’re doing what they’re doing.” Recent developments by Duke Energy and other similarly motivated energy companies have begun investing serious time and money into the potential for exuberant amounts of wind energy from Indiana. In August 2006, Duke Energy purchased about 100 megawatts of electricity for 20 years from the Benton County Wind Farm. On the company’s website, Duke Energy Indiana President Jim Stanley is quoted as saying “Clean, carbon-free wind-generated energy is a good addic-tion to our power sources. The agreement [between the wind farm and Duke Energy] was the fi rst signifi cant, long-term purchase of wind power in Indiana. It’s also a boost to the local economy.” Jones adds, “I think everyone should go to the farm because it is amazing. You just have no idea how majestic [the turbines] are until you are standing right in front of one.”

ECO Has a Whirl of a Time at Nearby Wind Farm

New Jr. High Newspaper Prepares Students for theFutureBy Victor [email protected]

to many junior high students’ relief, comics. The newspaper will include a sports section, which will cut down the number of announcements fi rst period. Most of the responses from people with connections to the junior high have been positive. American History teacher Ann Harding thinks that, “Yes, it’s a good way for them to get practical experience in writing, and to let the students know what their peers are doing.” She also gave her advice to what the paper should include. “You need sports, human interests, and junior high activities.” Innon Sanders voiced his approval and recommended that the paper include “sports, and information about the teams” and “people writing about our school and our activities.” Overall, the junior high newspaper plans to get students involved in journalism early on while providing a medium to get the word out on the 7th and 8th grade news. “We’re trying to have something so that when we go to the Scarlette we will have more experience and it will be better,” says Amani Farooque.

Photo by Kyle Turco

Photo by Zarina Madan

page 3 october 31, 2008 OPINIONS volume 66, issue 3

Scenario: You are in an abandoned airplane, your pilot’s license hasn’t been renewed in ages, and your altitude is dropping at an alarming rate. Situations like this are not very common, unless you’re Harrison Ford and you’re fi lming Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (Also known as the worst Indiana Jones movie, until this year anyway. Now it’s up for debate.) Survival are slim. Lucky for you, there is still a chance. First, scan the plane for parachutes. If you are lucky enough to fi nd one, fi rst make sure it is

real, and not just a knapsack. We are trying to avoid the gruesome fate that has plagued so many of our favorite cartoon characters throughout the years. If it’s real, simply read the label placed conveniently on the right strap and let it rip. (It’s basically like reading a recipe, except this time if you mess up, instead of having soggy muffi ns, you die). If no chute is found, quickly survey the land around you. Estimate how long you have until impact and note any wooded, watery, or marshy areas beneath you. They key is to exit the plane at the lowest possible altitude, leaving enough real estate to safely avoid the ensuing explosion. Before you jump, think back to your physics days with Mr. Spencer. The greater surface area you produce, the slower your terminal velocity will be, meaning that you will hit the ground with less force. For example, a free faller in a

(Animals were not used in the testi ng

of the following procedure)

How to Survive:

cannonball position normally falls at about 200 miles per hour. In contrast, that same person reduces his/her speed to about 125 miles per hour when they are fully extended. For this reason, it is time to begin frantically searching for anything that could greatly increase your

surface area. Tarps, bed sheets, capes, and curtains will all come in very handy. Baggy shirts, umbrellas, and/or umbrella hats aren’t ideal (Every little bit helps). So, tarp or whatever grasped tightly in hand, calmly exit the plane. Spread out as much as possible to maximize surface area. The bugs in the teeth will not be pleasant; however, if this is your biggest problem, then you’re sitting pretty. If all of the above directions are followed, and you are one of the luckiest people on the face of the earth, you will hit the ground (hopefully in that marsh or bog that we spoke of earlier) gently and without any major trauma or bodily harm.

Scarlett e Staff Editor-in-ChiefAugusto Corvalan

News EditorMadeleine Bien

Opinions EditorAnne McDougall

Features EditorMargaret DuvallArts &Entertainment EditorYi Yang

Sports EditorNick King

Web EditorAndrew Burchill

Graphics EditorKyle Turco

PhotographerDarin Larimore

ReportersCraig TroemelAngel GruzeMarie ZhangZarina MadanVictor GutweinMollie WestbrookPeter ChenMarissa KoorsKevin AdamsElena HogeneschAndrew SokolchikSue Wang

Page DesignersDina YakubovaShalu MittalKirstyn SchaeferAlyeesha PuriMaryam NoureldinDebasree Ghosh

ArtistsGayatri NarayananMarie ZhangSunshine Gong

The Scarlette Editorial Policy Scarlette provides a limited forum for reader expression. Letters to the edi-tor must be received seven days prior to publication date in the box provided in the offi ce. Letters should be 250 words or less. Longer submissions may be considered as a guest column. All are subject to editing for content and length. Personal attacks and unfair attacks on businesses or unsigned letters will not be published. The editorial represents the views of majority of the staff. Views printed do not necessarily refl ect the opinions of the faculty, staff, or administration of the WLCSC.

Mission: The Scarlette strives to create a publication that is informative, entertain-ing, accurate, and professional. The mission of the Scarlette is to accurately, truthfully, and professionally report on events and issues that are of interest to the student body, entertain readers, and serve as a valuable archive of the happenings of the school.

Many great historical fi gures did not drive their cars to school: Alexander the Great, Cleopatra, a young Henry Ford. But in today’s society, automobiles are ubiquotous, and most teenagers cannot wait to drive to school. Yet as more and more authorities place the brunt of the blame on man’s actions, we at the Scarlette strongly encourage West Lafayette High School students to try to reduce their carbon footprint by not driving to school. Helping the enviroment is not the only benefi t derived from not driving to school. Under some insurance plans, if you do not drive to school or work, you can be classifi ed as a “habitual driver” and pay less per month for the same coverage.

There are many alternatives to driving to school. You could ride the bus, though they are often habituated by rowdy junior high kids. Walking is a feasible option, especially to the many students who live blocks from the school. If the school is not within walking distance, you could turn to bycicling, though try to stay out of the roads. Student drivers are not always friendly to cyclists. If you want to ride in style, you could sell your car and buy a Segway, instantly becoming the envy of all your friends. Even if you do not stop driving to school, be aware of your own pollution: carpool, take shortcuts, stay in for lunch. You will be in good company. After all, Leonardo Da Vinci didn’t drive.

Staff EditorialSmall steps for being enviromentally friendly

By Craig [email protected]

page 4 october 31, 2008 OPINIONS volume 66, issue 3 Guest Opinions: Electi on Showdown

10. He wants to teach kindergarteners about sex.

9. He promises tax cuts to 95% of Americans; over 30% don’t pay income taxes.

8. No fl ag pin!

7. Would lead a Democratic Congress that has an approval rating of 15%. (Bush is at 28%.)

6. “We like Mr. Obama, and we hope that he will win the elections,” Ahmed Yousef, political adviser for Islamic extremist group Hamas.

5. His female staffers earn 83 cents for every dollar male staffers make. (Secretary of the Senate pay information)

4. He missed 46% of votes in Congress.

3. Contrary to his belief, the surge in Iraq is working!

2. “I’ve now been to 57 states—I think one left to

go.”-Barack Obama at an Oregon rally.

1. You can vote for John McCain.

Top 10 Reasons Not to Vote For Obama

Top 10 Reasons Not to Vote for McCain

10. Sarah Palin thinks the Vice President should have more power than Cheney, thinks she has foreign policy experience because she can see Russia from her house, makes assault victims pay for rape kits, created the position of city administrator in Wasilla, increased the city’s debt by $20 million while she was mayor, never actually sold that jet on eBay, and was found guilty of a serious ethics violation.

9. America would never regain its standing in the world

8. John McCain thinks the Iraq war was a good idea.

7. He wants to overturn Roe v. Wade.

6. “On the transcendent issues, the most important issues of our day, I’ve been totally in agreement and support of President Bush.” –John McCain

5. He’ll continue Bush’s tax cuts for millionaires and nothing for Joe the Plumber.

4. John McCain keeps talking about Bill Ayers the washed-up terrorist because he doesn’t have answers on any of the real issues.

3. He doesn’t know how many houses he owns. (The correct answer is 7, and 13 cars.)

2. John McCain is older than both of Barack Obama’s parents, SPAM, Israel, Godzilla, zip codes, the peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich, and Sarah Palin’s home state.

1. My friends, a picture is worth a thousand words:

By Stewart BurnsBy Zoe Masters

Disclaimer: The above opinions are those of the guest columnists and do not necessarily refl ect the views of the Scarlette staff.

HUH?: Guest columnists Zoe Masters and Stewart Burns manage to repress their politi cal ideals.Photo by Alyeesha Puri.

Photo originally by Jim Bourg. Aquired from Roitt ers.

page 5 october 31, 2008 FEATURES volume 66, issue 3

Candy: The Heart of HalloweenMarissa [email protected]

Candy Corn: It’s the staple of the fall season, the cream of the candy crop. While not all too reminiscent of its namesake, it is a candy that is loved and hated by many. Its fans praise its mellowcream com-position and seasonal aesthetics, while skeptics often compare its sweetness to that of cough syrup.

SweeTarts: Reminiscent of lemons rather than candy, these little discs are enough to make lips pucker. Many enjoy this aptly-named candy, but be careful. These compact candies contain a respectable amount of citric acid—an incarnation of “less is more,” it seems.

Dum Dum Lollipops: Another common candy that peppers treat bags across the nation is the Dum

Dum, which comes in a variety of fl avors. While chocolate and bubble gum might not be so ap-petizing, blue raspberry and root beer more than make up for the losses. Though sticky and timely to consume, Dum Dums are classic treats that often appear in candy dishes long after the Hal-loween season has passed.

Tootsie Rolls: These iconic candies take more time to unwrap

than eat, and as such, they are often not worth the time of ingesting. Not only this, but their chocolaty scent and color are de-ceiving. They taste like watered-down chocolate at best and their chewabil-ity factor is off the charts. They will stick to your teeth

and pull those fi llings right out.

Fun-Sized Chocolate: Perhaps the true Halloween candy classics are the fun-sized versions of popular chocolate brands. Most often seen at this time of year, many people debate whether they are really as “fun” as their name claims. Portion control doesn’t have to start young, as many candy-giving adults seem to believe. Live a little; chuck the fun-sizes and give out the real thing.

Somewhere among Jack’s various displaced lanterns and the belfry’s bats lies the heart of Halloween. Its subtle pulse beckons, imploring people to don ridiculous costumes and brave the chilly October night. It’s the reason that plastic ghosts and pumpkins dapple front yards and that lines form on neighbors’ doorsteps. Candy. It’s the proverbial Holy Grail. Those fi ve little letters are enough to make the mouth water, but what actually constitutes a good piece of candy? Some dentists say sugar is sugar, but it is not so. The difference between a savory delight and a gob of saccharine goo is often indiscernible to the general public, but it is oh-so-obvious to the candy connoisseur.

SUGAR BUZZ: Some of us can’t get enough sugar come Halloween.Graphic by Sunshine Gong

page 6 october 31, 2008 volume 66, issue 3 features features october 31, 2008 volume 66, issue 3 page 7

S T A R T

SCANDAL! You are as-sociated with a terrorist and his involvement in ACORN.

-Obama, move backward 1 space.

Former Republican cabi-net member endorses Obama.

-Obama, move forward 2 spaces. -McCain, move backward 1 space.

Saturday Night Live invites you for a political sketch. Your popular-ity among young people increases.

Move forward 1 space.

You lose the fervor of your supporters when you don’t pick Hillary Clinton as your running mate.


You are endorsed by the enormously unpopular incumbent, President George Bush

-McCain, move backward 1 space.

You decide the economic crisis is more important than your campaign.

-McCain, lose a turn.

Your grandmother falls ill and you must put your campaign on hold to visit her.

-Obama, lose a turn.

People can’t tell the dif-ference between your VP candidate and Tina Fey


The public questions your experience.

-Obama, move backward 1 space.-McCain, move forward 2 spaces.

SCANDAL! The teen-age daughter of your VP candidate is pregnant.


Your old pastor hates America.


Your opponent says that rural folk “cling to their guns and religion.”

-McCain, move forward 1 space.-Obama, move backward 1 space.

You make a good impres-sion at a debate.

Move forward 1 space.

Your campaign spends $150,00 on your VP candidate’s wardrobe.


Both you and your VP candidate are accused of incessant rambling.


5,000 yard signs for your campaign are stolen by strong supporters of your opponent.

Move backward 1 spaces.

Gayatri [email protected]

Your VP candidate is in-terviewed by Katie Couric.

-Obama, move forward 1 space. -McCain, move backward 1 space.

Skip ahead on the Bridge to Nowhere.

Take the Bridge to No-where back.

You forget how many houses you own.


Throughout the 2008 presidenti al race, candidates have been under severe scruti ny. The press analyzes every move they make, and the public rarely misses an opportunity mock them. Here you, too can expeciernce all the excite-ment and carnage that is the Race to the Presidency.

Margaret [email protected]

Congratulations! You’ve become the leader of the free world. Your prize is an astronomical debt and an economic crisis!

E N D

1. Use a coin to determine how many spaces forward to go. Heads is 1; tails is 2.2. Only follow penalti es one ti me per turn.3. Remember, this is only a game. Don’t get too excited or take att acks personally. We love all our candidates!

Your party’s national convention is bigger and more fun than that of your opponent’s party.

-Obama, move forward 1 space. -McCain, move backward 1 space.

Shalu [email protected]

page 8 october 31, 2008 features volume 66, issue 3

Although many students here at West Side have already picked out their costumes for Halloween, there is always a group of students who fi gure that

a sudden epiphany will come to them on the day of Halloween. Now, a student could always make a quick run to Halloween USA and pick out a generic costume, like Dracula or Frankenstein, but what’s the fun in that? Half the fun of Halloween is collecting random items around your room or buying vintage clothes from Goodwill and creating a costume. So for those

short on ideas, here are some easy, original ideas that will make an impression.

Switch Roles:

Since cross-dressing is a big hit at costume parties, dressing up as your boyfriend/girlfriend will be twice as funny. Usually, you wouldn’t need to buy

any new clothes since their wardrobe is already available; with a little bit of makeup and a few essential accessories, you’ll look like the member of the opposite sex in no time. To really play the part, try talking, acting, and even walking like them.

Spin-off from the Original:

We all know many cliché costume ideas, (ghosts, superheroes, vampires, etc.), but what students can do is take a generic costume idea and diverge from it. For example, instead of going as a vampire, you could go as one of the Cullens, characters from the Twilight book series.

Timely Costumes:

When in doubt, do what Tina Fey would do. November 4 is right around the corner and this

Halloween is a perfect opportunity to dress up as one of the presidential/vice-presidential candidates, either for support or ridicule. Obviously, you would wear a suit for all four politicians but each one of them has distinguishable characteristics. If you wanted to dress up as John McCain, for example, you could put on a tag that says “Hello, my name is Maverick,” and refer to everyone by only their fi rst name and profession. For Barack Obama, you

could keep chanting “Yes, we can,” and mention “change” in every part of your conversation. As Sarah Palin, you could wear a Miss Alaska sash, create her signature hair-style, add glasses, and talk in a folksy, down-home accent. For Joe Biden, you can try convincing everyone that you see that President Franklin Roosevelt was seen giving a speech on TV during the Depression.

Students can also draw inspiration from something they are daily infl uenced by: the television. Famous TV characters, like J.D. and Turk from “Scrubs” or Dwight Schrute from “The Offi ce”, are instantly recognizable.

By Maryam [email protected]

How to Dress for Halloween in Style

AAARRRG!: Dina Yakubova poses in a pirate costume. Photo by Kirstyn Schaefer

SWISH AND FLICK: Dina Yakubova styles a witch’s costume. Photo by Kirstyn Schaefer

YOU BETCHA: Senator Sarah Palin has the signature style for this haloween season. Artwork by Gayatri Narayanan

VAMPIRE LAND: Become one of the Cullens and live forever as a vampire. Photo by Kirstyn Schaefer

page 9 october 31, 2008 SPORTS volume 66, issue 3

The other team just loses hope and cannot wait for the game to be over. A winning team cannot always put in a JV team early because players are limited to 5 quarters a week. Also, there is the idea of sportsmanship to consider. Where

is the line drawn in sportsmanship when your team is up by 21, 30, or 96? Or when

you, the winning team, look out on the fi eld and notice that you are still keeping your starters in, while the other team has already put in their JV? But is it good sportsmanship to run the clock, and take away or shorten a player’s career just because his team has played poorly? Although there are many arguments on both sides, I believe that the mercy rule should be installed in Indiana at a set point total so that a running clock can begin. Also, why not just extend the number of quarters that players are allowed to play, thus allowing the JV team to be put in earlier and play longer? Being on the losing side and continuing to get blown out is something no one wants.

By Nick [email protected]

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We put the junior varsity in. I can’t tell the kids to not play when we are up by 70 or more. This is just one of the many statements that I heard from coaches whose teams have won handily in contests around the state. The worst part is that the losing team has to continue to sit there as the clock stops on every play, as the chains move or a pass is incomplete. That is where a running clock comes in. For example, when a team is up by 40 or more, the clock should begin to run and never stop until four quarters have been played. This is because there should not be more time for a team to run up the score on the other team.

Acquiring sports injuries is a common occurence in all sports. It’s like the inevitable crumbling of a loaf of bread. Each little crumb needs to be cleaned up but they are very hard to get rid of, just like sports injuries. They are bound to happen and the most we can do is try to limit them. Every day poses new risks. Nobody wants to get hurt but they can’t prevent accidents from occurring on or off the fi eld. Cleats help you maintain a grip in grassy fi elds, but when such fi elds are destroyed by precipitation, the leg muscles are strained. Most common injuries are due to extra strain or overuse.Some accidents are more severe and last longer than a simple sprain, such as a tear in the muscle or a broken bone. These are usually caused by sudden impact and an awkward landing or extreme stress. Football player Andrew Wiese had a torn ACL because of this. This took him out for most of the season. As a senior, this can be devastating. Wiese says “It [the injury] was the worst thing ever and it has been a

long and hard road but you have to keep moving on.” Another big season-ending injury was that of senior Jessica Gwin. During sectionals she broke her jaw. This took her out for the season. Junior Francesca Shipsey, Gwin’s stand in, said,“Jess is an important leader on our team, she’s basically the spirit behind our team. It was really hard to play as a cohesive unit without her support when she was injured, It was a struggle to try to fi ll in her shoes and was basically impossible. Her infl uence on our team is immeasurable, and there was a challenge to not have her on the fi eld since the team this year is so close.” Injuries are tragic and should be avoided, so be careful and take preventive measures. Remember, always ice and stretch.

Sports Injuries Becoming More CommonBy Peter [email protected]

FOOTBALL SCAR: Seniot Andrew Wiese will permanently have this scar from his torn ACL. Photo by Debasree Ghosh

Insti tuti ng The Mercy Rule

Sports are to many students a release from the mundane; an opportunity to challenge themselves and to express their competitive nature without reprimand from peers or teachers. However, our school appears to be behind the curve on the sports of tomorrow. Below is a list of sports that should be added to West Side to invigorate students, leaving them more awake during class.

Lawn Darts: This game consists of two even teams throwing 12 inch darts in to a horizontal hoop lying on the ground. Originally, the darts where made with a weighted metal tip. After a series of skull fractures and deaths, especially in young children, true lawn darts were banned in the U.S. However, safety darts can still be found in such wonderful places as Wal-Mart.

Footbag (a.k.a. Hackeysack): Net Footbag is no longer limited to Bob Marley fans. A competitive sport since 1972, the game is played over a fi ve-foot high net, with the same knit ball that is used in garden-variety hackeysack. The International Footbag Players’ Association, Inc. says on their website that Footbag Net “combines the coordination of soccer, the court strategy of tennis, and the set-and-spike strategy of volleyball, all while using only the feet.” My You Tube research indicates that middle-aged men currently dominate footbag net but our West Siders could take it to a whole new level. Unicycle Hockey: The game is self-explanatory. The rules are essentially the same as regular hockey, except for the unicycles. Personally it is a lot more fun to watch people on unicycles smash each other into walls than people on skates.

sports october 31, 2008 volume 66, issue 3 page 10

By Elena [email protected]

Another bonus is that the sport co-ed. If you fi nd out your signifi cant other is a scumbag, challenge them to a game of unicycle hockey. I’ve heard it’s highly therapeutic.

Free Running: According to Wikipedia, Free Running is “a physical art in which participants (free runners) use the urban and rural areas to perform movements through its structures focused on freedom and beauty.” In actuality, it’s a lot cooler than that. Think Casino Royale’s opening chase scene. Free runners can run up walls, jump from building to building, and vaulting over obstacles using only their bodies. Now imagine our very own 007s catapulting themselves off every West Side surface.

Extreme Ironing: Perfect for adding excitement to chores, extreme ironing combines “the thrills of an extreme outdoor activity with the satisfaction of a well-pressed shirt” according to extremeironing.com. And yes, it was invented by the British. Athletes crawl through caves, traverse waterfalls, and climb mountains with their ironing boards on their back, in a quest to fi nd the most extreme place to press their shirts. People have ironed while skiing down slopes and kayaking through the ocean.

Obscure Sports:Sports That West Side Should Have

EXTREME IRONING: One of the many sports that West Side should consider having. Graphic by Gayatri Narayanan

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3450 State Road 38ELafayette Marketplace

Next to K-Mart449-1990

·Badminton·Speed Reading·Croquet·Sledding·Lawn Golfi ng·Polo/Water Polo·Tug of War

Other Sports That Should Be Off ered

·Men’s Volleyball·Frisbee Golf·Competitive Cup Stacking·Lacrosse·Ultimate Frisbee·Competitive Eat-ing·Chess

monotonous. The fi lm’s other main weaknesses are its alleged psychological insights, which never go deeper than conventional wisdom and are made with no subtlety whatsoever. Apparently the sole reason Bush did everything in his political career was his desire to escape his father’s and higher-achieving brother’s shadows. Viewers know this because they are told directly 10-20 times over the course of the fi lm. Stone explains the disasters of the Bush administration by portraying the president as merely a well-meaning buffoon manipulated by his advisers for their own malign purposes. While it is perhaps impossible to ever truly know Bush’s character, the answer is surely more complex than “He’s pretty stupid.” The shallowness ultimately becomes frustrating. W.’s best moments come when it most closely approaches outright satire. The standout scene is the most bitter and ironic: as Josh Brolin

page 11 october 31, 2008 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT volume 66, issue 3

In one of W.’s better scenes, Bush and his key advisers take a walk on the ranch while discussing the future Iraq invasion. Suddenly they stop and look around. “Did we miss a side route?” someone asks. Apparently unconcerned, Bush continues to lead the group down the same path. This metaphor, while obviously intended to refer to the mismanagement of the war, applies equally well to the movie. W. (directed by Oliver Stone, who, much like his interpretation of Bush, is somewhat overconfi dent in his talent) doesn’t seem to know in what direction it’s going or even what its purpose is. W. can’t decide whether it’s a psychological study of Bush the man, or a satire on the ignorance and incompetence of Bush the politician: in trying to cover everything, it covers nothing deeply enough to be satisfying. Much like the Bush administration constantly changed the rationale for the Iraq war (fi nding WMDs, then spreading democracy, then defeating terrorism...), W. constantly shifts focus. W. devotes about half its time to covering Bush’s early life in unoriginal biopic format. There’s nothing here that we haven’t heard again and again: Bush parties his way through college, fails in a succession of business ventures, and escapes all consequences thanks to his privileged background, though disappointing his parents. Then he turns his life around when he settles down with librarian Laura Welch, gets treated for alcoholism, and fi nds Jesus. The scenes depicting his youthful debauchery are entertaining at fi rst, but soon become

Misoverestimated

gives one of Bush’s actual speeches before the war, the scene cuts back and forth between the actor and actual news footage of politicians (including John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain) enthusiastically applauding the war-mongering rhetoric. The bite comes as a shock after more than an hour of relentless non-controversiality; also, unlike many other jokes, this one isn’t sledgehammered to death. Also suited to comedy are the performances of Richard Dreyfuss and Tony Jones, who successfully portray Dick Cheney and Karl Rove, respectively, as exuding permeating sliminess, yet don’t overdo it. W. holds potential to be a brilliant, surreal dark comedy, but instead it uneasily attempts to straddle satire and conventional fi lm. If the fi lm had been less realistic, it might, perhaps, have been more truthful on a deeper level. Overall, W. is an acceptably entertaining way to spend two hours; people who are bored and have nothing important to do for this length of time should see it. However, it would probably not stand up to rewatching and will not ultimately achieve lasting recognition.

By Anne McDougall

W. :

IS OUR PRESIDENT LEARNING?: Josh Brolin impersonates President Bush in this fall’s ancipated politi cal fi lm, W.

[email protected]

W. holds potenti al to be a brilliant dark comedy, but instead it uneas-ily att empts to straddle sati re and conventi onal fi lm.

Rodd Tayman is not a spelling error, but a name that can often be heard throughout the halls of West Lafayette High School. The nickname belongs to this week’s featured senior, Todd Rayman. So what is a day in the life of Todd like? “Well” he explains, “I wake up, eat a Special K Bar for breakfast, have a wonderful morning. After school I go to football practice, and then I go home.” Besides being a part of the football team, he is also a part of the wrestling team. Other sports he enjoys outside of school include snowboarding and

paintball. When asked about some of his favorite things, Todd says that he likes any kind of music, but specifi cally country. His favorite movie is Waterboy and his favorite food is shrimp. Although indecisive about his favorite place to hang out, he has a lot of friends to hang out with. One of his friends, senior Joe Flynn, is also on the wrestling team with Todd. He says, “Todd and I have been best friends since 5th grade.” Junior Hannah Reisman also commented on some of the funny and goofy things that Todd has done, which include cutting his hair into a mullet and dressing up

as Waldo from Where’s Waldo? She also exclaims that Todd is a “sexay” beast and requests for Todd to be her prom date. On what makes Todd fun to be around, Hannah Reisman states, “He’s just ridiculous.” Joe Flynn adds: “He’s just the Rodd.”Although undecided on where he is going for college, Todd says his goals in life are, “To be dominant in college and be successful.” As for words of advice on being cool, he says, “Make good decisions.” Athletic, goofy, and fun. Add a nice beard to the mix and you’ve got Todd Rayman, a pretty cool guy.

Todd Rayman Takes the FloorBy Marie [email protected]

“A blender because I like to dance.”

-Jake Weiss,freshman

“I would be a dishwash-er because they make life easier and everyone likes them.”

-Courtney Baxter, sophomore

“The sink-snake-sprayer thing. You’re so pow-erful but you get to go crazy!”

-Nicole Weckerlin, junior

“A rolling pin because I’d feel so powerful roll-ing over people.”

-Laura Trice, senior

“A paring knife. Util-ity.”

-Mr. Mullis, teacher

GOOFY STUNT: Todd poses on the football fi eld. Photo by Darin Larimore

Seriously Speaking... If you could be any kitchen object, what would you be and why?

page 12 october 31, 2008 STUDENT LIFE volume 66, issue 3

Dispatch from the Ninth Circle Comic by Gayatri Narayanan and Yi Yang

Quotes taken from Mr. Ambrose as he craft ed young minds

“Spitting gum into the drinking fountain is a senseless crime. It’s even more sense-less than murder. At least when someone kills someone else, there is normally a motive.”

“Who here likes to shop on the internet? I love it. NO HU-MAN CONTACT!”

“I heard the Jonas Brothers for the fi rst time this morning. I’m hooked.”

“There’s a better chance of dinosaurs re-turning to earth than of me going to Augusto’s birthday party.

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October 31