The Host Tells a Deeper Story
September 15, 2008
Meyer, the author of the sensational Twilight series, has struck again, this time with a science fiction thriller titled The Host that has a distinctly different flavor from her past novels.
Premise of a Promise
September 15, 2008
Promises mean nothing without a pen and paper anymore.
Gone are the days of genuine honesty and commitment, as we now habitually sign away, cheapening our own words with the written, unbreakable proof the we made a promise. The movement has even reached the halls of Neuqua Valley, where athletes must sign a pledge to stay out of trouble, maintain good grades, and not use steroids. While all of these signatures are a good way of reminding yourself of the commitment you are making, they can also be equally damaging by replacing trust with obligation.
In almost every business deal or transaction made, the pens come out to seal the deal and affirm payment or to assume liability. However, in the world we live in today, such precautions nee Read more
Hold Your Horses, Parking is Different this Year
September 15, 2008
Parking at Neuqua Valley had always been a long tedious process. Assigned spots were given based on a lottery, and tickets were issued if a car was not in its assigned spot. But this year the policy has changed. Basically, senior and junior drivers apply for spots and obtain a permit. It is a first come first served system, so the earlier you come the better your spot. Read more
Hooked on Celeb Life
September 15, 2008
England has its royalty, Spain has soccer, and America’s most prized possessions are…Hollywood celebrities. There are the actors and musicians whose work and exciting lives deserve some attention, but then there are some celebrities who do not do much of anything. For instance, Paris Hilton’s primary job is to go to clubs and spend an unbelievable amount of money, yet she is considered an A-list celebrity. Millions of dollars are spent everyday by magazines to get that perfect picture of a celebrity doing a deed that could possibly make or break his or her reputation. Americans, of course, encourage the trend by buying the magazines packed with juicy gossip. Media moguls defend themselves, claiming that they are only responding to public demand. Sometimes it seems like a real-life soap opera; everyone seems to know who cheated with whom and who checked into rehab. It is odd that Americans are so quick to make fun of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, but they have no problem with coming home everyday exceedingly eager to watch the ever popular TMZ and discover the latest gossip. Read more
Summer Homework Heat
September 15, 2008
Summer was once a time to enjoy the sun, lounge at the pool, and relax until the next school year; yet it is not so carefree anymore. Now, summer is a time to finish all of the assignments students have acquired before school starts again. The necessity of all this work is an unanswered question to students and the assignments become worries lingering in the subconscious as summer vacation carries on. Read more
No Snakes in SLJ’s Newest Flick, Lakeview Terrace
September 15, 2008
An uptight police officer (Samuel L. Jackson), who is the self-appointed watchdog of his neighborhood, strongly disapproves of the interracial newlyweds (Patrick Wilson, Kerry Washington) who just moved in next door. A very stern, single father, this tightly wound LAPD police officer has appointed himself as the sole member of the neighborhood watch. As the movie progresses, he becomes increasingly hostile towards the bewildered pair, by going to great lengths to force them out of their home in order to “clean up the neighborhood.” Events take a tragic turn when the couple decides to fight back…. Read more
Drinking Under 21
September 15, 2008
“Enough is enough” seems to be the general consensus amongst college officials regarding their problems with the dangerous combination of alcohol and students on campus. Binge drinking has become such a problem at colleges that Amethyst Initiative, a group of university presidents and chancellors, decided to make a public statement in order to debate the current drinking age law. These higher officials are hoping to spark the attention of politicians in their proposition to consider changing the nationwide drinking age to eighteen. Read more
Looking for Alaska
September 15, 2008
Looking for Alaska, by new young adult writer, John Green, is a work of realistic fiction that has already earned the Printz Award, and is currently on the Abraham Lincoln Book List. Read more
Jack’s Mannequin Plays a Heartfelt New Tune
September 15, 2008
The sophomore album is an ominous phrase that causes even the most self-assured of musicians to break out into a sweat. Perhaps an artist’s breakout album had only been a success because it simply was exactly what its audience wanted to hear at the right time. Maybe had considered this to be the case for front man Andrew McMahon when Jack’s Mannequin’s pop Beach Boys-influenced Everything in Transit, released in 2006, was such a success. The CD proved to be a coming-of-age story, and a single person cannot write too many of those. For Andrew McMahon, however, good writing material was not hard to find.
Read more
Instant Replay Makes Baseball Like TiVo for Umps
September 15, 2008
The National Football League started using it in 1986, the National Hockey League in 1991, and the National Basketball Association in 2002. Now in 2008, Major League Baseball has instituted the use of instant replay. With about eighteen disputed home run calls this season, instant replay for home runs debuted on August 28th when the Chicago Cubs played the Philadelphia Phillies, Texas Rangers played the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, and the Minnesota Twins played the Oakland Athletics. Although available, replay was not required for the home runs hit out of Chicago’s own Wrigley Field and Angel Stadium in Anaheim. The following day, all of the remaining major league parks ushered in the new technology. Read more
