by Ryan Hennigan
Earth Day is fast approaching and less than a week away. Most students in PHS are familiar with the term “global warming”. However, rather than taking direct action PHS will go on vacation and maybe even add an Earth Day specialty meal on their lunch menu.
It is of grave importance for PHS and everyone in general to take a stand on global warming; an Earth Day should not be needed to inspire action as it should be an everyday battle to save our planet. It is true that PHS holds school activities such as the Recycling Club. However, this may be far too little, too late for such a drastic problem occurring in our world right now.
The evidence is right in everyone’s back yards. Most teachers in PHS can remember back to times when Pembroke was completely covered in blankets of snow even in April. As recent as only three years ago, PHS was out of school a whole week due to a blizzard. This year as well as the previous, PHS only had one snow day for the whole year. It certainly seems that there is less and less snow every year.
Behind the physical evidence, the scientific evidence also backs the need for action now. Just since 1970, average winter temperatures in New England have risen 4.4 degrees. This has caused spring to start a whole week or two earlier. The IPCC has speculated this number to rise up to another 11.5 degrees over the next 50 years.
Most people know that global warming, in all probability, will contribute to a rise in sea levels, specie extinctions, and extreme weather events. However, more people could become won over for the cause if they heard that mosquitoes are one of the creatures that most highly benefit from the warming climate as they are multiplying in greater numbers and spreading more disease.
PHS desperately needs to make a stand on the issue. Posters and other forms of propaganda need to be created to send the message across to everybody. Students need to be informed on what they can do to help. Assemblies need to be held to let students know that they can do simple things such as drive less or raise their voices on the issue to raise awareness and create a positive change.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
The Pembroke Express wins readers with the inaugural issue
By Mary Polleys
The Pembroke community can welcome a new paper to circulation. The Pembroke Express sent out its inaugural issue last Friday April 11. Free for the first two weeks, the Express is a weekly newspaper that, like the Mariner, lands in your mailbox every Friday afternoon.
Unlike the Mariner however, the Express offers a look inside Pembroke High School and its academic activities, featuring a spread about Mr. Battista’s economics class and their silent auction in the first issue. It also covers sports with many large pictures and chooses an athlete of the month. The Express has chosen to include many graphics, large pictures, and feature stories as well as covering politics, and all news pertaining to the community. Making themselves more of a magazine, as opposed to just trying to cover straight news, makes them more of a value as a weekly paper, not unlike the Sentinel, our monthly publication.
Another piece that is of interest is the police log, which after three semesters of journalism, I’d never seen before, and many of my classmates had not either, but apparently is one of the most popular places for residents to look to see what’s been going on around town.
The Express is also offering up opportunities to young newshounds who want to write and take photos. With the journalism program growing in size and the Sentinel improving each month, it’s good for students to have other outlets especially after they’ve already taken editorial journalism.
So far, the Express has been quick to cover events, and take tips they get from students, teachers, and other community members about events taking place.
Also, the competition between the Mariner/Reporter and the Express will keep both papers on their toes, covering as much as they can, especially involving students, to keep selling subscriptions.
The Express strives to be the towns “community newspaper” and after their first issue are off to a good start. With the inaugural issue, however, it gives you the impression that it’s free every week, but it’s only for the first two weeks, then either you’ll stop receiving it or if you’ve filled out the subscription card, will continue receiving it for a price. The Express is run by a company called the Clipper Press, and is out to make a profit, like any other business.
The Pembroke community can welcome a new paper to circulation. The Pembroke Express sent out its inaugural issue last Friday April 11. Free for the first two weeks, the Express is a weekly newspaper that, like the Mariner, lands in your mailbox every Friday afternoon.
Unlike the Mariner however, the Express offers a look inside Pembroke High School and its academic activities, featuring a spread about Mr. Battista’s economics class and their silent auction in the first issue. It also covers sports with many large pictures and chooses an athlete of the month. The Express has chosen to include many graphics, large pictures, and feature stories as well as covering politics, and all news pertaining to the community. Making themselves more of a magazine, as opposed to just trying to cover straight news, makes them more of a value as a weekly paper, not unlike the Sentinel, our monthly publication.
Another piece that is of interest is the police log, which after three semesters of journalism, I’d never seen before, and many of my classmates had not either, but apparently is one of the most popular places for residents to look to see what’s been going on around town.
The Express is also offering up opportunities to young newshounds who want to write and take photos. With the journalism program growing in size and the Sentinel improving each month, it’s good for students to have other outlets especially after they’ve already taken editorial journalism.
So far, the Express has been quick to cover events, and take tips they get from students, teachers, and other community members about events taking place.
Also, the competition between the Mariner/Reporter and the Express will keep both papers on their toes, covering as much as they can, especially involving students, to keep selling subscriptions.
The Express strives to be the towns “community newspaper” and after their first issue are off to a good start. With the inaugural issue, however, it gives you the impression that it’s free every week, but it’s only for the first two weeks, then either you’ll stop receiving it or if you’ve filled out the subscription card, will continue receiving it for a price. The Express is run by a company called the Clipper Press, and is out to make a profit, like any other business.
Friday, April 18, 2008
The bad side of vacation
by Lauren Mulkern
When you decide to play for a high school sport, you have decided to make a large commitment to the coaches, team, and sport. This commitment is even greater if you play for a Varsity sport.
I am a junior in high school and I have participated in seven seasons of Varsity play. I am currently participating in my eighth which is softball. April Vacation always falls in the middle of this season. The past two years, I have not even thought about going away during this week because I am aware that games will be played during it.
However, this year Pembroke High School offered a trip to Spain during this week. I could not give this up. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I couldn’t bring myself to give it up.
When I thought about how this would affect my softball team, I figured I would miss a maximum of two games and would not have to sit. This is because in the past, people have not had to sit when they went on school sponsored trips.
I realize why I would have to sit and respect that decision.
What I don’t understand is why we have games during vacation. The school realizes we need a break to relax and unwind. However, the athletes do not get a break and have to suffer consequences when participating in school events.
I think that games should not be scheduled over vacation. Therefore, athletes can still relax and enjoy some time off. Also, coaches should be consistent on the consequences that the athletes will face.
Hopefully this situation will be solved for future athletes who have to make the decision whether or not they should go on vacation.
When you decide to play for a high school sport, you have decided to make a large commitment to the coaches, team, and sport. This commitment is even greater if you play for a Varsity sport.
I am a junior in high school and I have participated in seven seasons of Varsity play. I am currently participating in my eighth which is softball. April Vacation always falls in the middle of this season. The past two years, I have not even thought about going away during this week because I am aware that games will be played during it.
However, this year Pembroke High School offered a trip to Spain during this week. I could not give this up. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and I couldn’t bring myself to give it up.
When I thought about how this would affect my softball team, I figured I would miss a maximum of two games and would not have to sit. This is because in the past, people have not had to sit when they went on school sponsored trips.
I realize why I would have to sit and respect that decision.
What I don’t understand is why we have games during vacation. The school realizes we need a break to relax and unwind. However, the athletes do not get a break and have to suffer consequences when participating in school events.
I think that games should not be scheduled over vacation. Therefore, athletes can still relax and enjoy some time off. Also, coaches should be consistent on the consequences that the athletes will face.
Hopefully this situation will be solved for future athletes who have to make the decision whether or not they should go on vacation.
Say TTYL to texting; parents turn to extreme measures to curb messaging
by Kim Pham
Entering the dark room, a nervous Michela Parmeggiani sat down at the commanding oak table. An imposing male figure was seated across from her, watching the beads of perspiration form on her face. He thrusted towards Michela a lengthy contract, which she read at jumpy speeds. Quickly, the twelve-year-old signed her name and returned the “Cellphone Usage Contract” back to her stern father; the Stoughton girl had agreed to terms that “I, Michela Parmeggiani, do promise to limit my cell phone use...NO TEXT MESSAGING IS ALLOWED ON THIS PHONE!...I, like, so totally agree.”
With soaring phone bills, parents are coming to unreasonable terms to control their kids' text messaging. Punishments range from long groundations to the actual revoking of the cell phone. For Michela Parmeggiani, her father took matters into his own hands when she sent her family's phone bill $220 higher than usual, using 1022 extra calling minutes and more than 200 text messages. He drew up a contract that would cut out text messaging and restrict her phone conversations.
However seemingly common Michela's case is nowadays, there was no need to write out a formal agreement. For young people, texting has become the equivalent of passing a note or whispering in someone's ear; the 'anywhere, anytime' type of communication has become this generation's way of keeping touch with one another. We shouldn't be punished for wanting to stay in the know of current affairs and gossip within the community.
Because of the instantaneousness of the text, cell phones have become a key item socially, especially in high school and college. Through texting, kids are able to constantly communicate, whether they are sitting in class, bored at work, or shopping at the mall. The text's straightforwardness appeals to the fast-paced world teens live in; instead of wasting time on the formalities of an oft-cumbersome phone call, we avoid it altogether by just jabbing several keys and pressing 'Send.'
Every once in awhile, news surfaces about the teens who rack up hundreds of dollars through these harmless messages. Upon receiving the phone bill, parents are dismayed and angered by extravagant charges, but every conceivable solution seems impossible. Depriving their child of communication is unthinkable, but paying nearly a thousand dollars is ridiculous as well. For Michela, her dad turned to a ridiculous written agreement that would keep his daughter in line over her excessive text messaging.
However, there are other available solutions that can easily keep teens' texting in control without the need for an official contract. For starters, parents should remind their teens to check their cell phone usage. Most carriers allow a way for users to review the number of text messages they have sent or how many minutes they have used online or through the phone. But if teens just can't break the habit, parents should look into text/picture message plans; they allow bundles of messages to be purchased (500, 1000, unlimited, etc.) for a set amount of money. T-Mobile subscribers can even sign up for a plan where, once the teen reaches a calling or message limit, the phone cannot be used (unless for 911 or to other T-Mobile users). Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T offer similar programs.
But if all else fails, don't resort to ludicrous contracts. Michela's texting might have gone a little overboard, but there was no need to draw up a formal contract and have her sign it.
Now if you'll excuse me, I just got a text message that I need to answer.
Entering the dark room, a nervous Michela Parmeggiani sat down at the commanding oak table. An imposing male figure was seated across from her, watching the beads of perspiration form on her face. He thrusted towards Michela a lengthy contract, which she read at jumpy speeds. Quickly, the twelve-year-old signed her name and returned the “Cellphone Usage Contract” back to her stern father; the Stoughton girl had agreed to terms that “I, Michela Parmeggiani, do promise to limit my cell phone use...NO TEXT MESSAGING IS ALLOWED ON THIS PHONE!...I, like, so totally agree.”
With soaring phone bills, parents are coming to unreasonable terms to control their kids' text messaging. Punishments range from long groundations to the actual revoking of the cell phone. For Michela Parmeggiani, her father took matters into his own hands when she sent her family's phone bill $220 higher than usual, using 1022 extra calling minutes and more than 200 text messages. He drew up a contract that would cut out text messaging and restrict her phone conversations.
However seemingly common Michela's case is nowadays, there was no need to write out a formal agreement. For young people, texting has become the equivalent of passing a note or whispering in someone's ear; the 'anywhere, anytime' type of communication has become this generation's way of keeping touch with one another. We shouldn't be punished for wanting to stay in the know of current affairs and gossip within the community.
Because of the instantaneousness of the text, cell phones have become a key item socially, especially in high school and college. Through texting, kids are able to constantly communicate, whether they are sitting in class, bored at work, or shopping at the mall. The text's straightforwardness appeals to the fast-paced world teens live in; instead of wasting time on the formalities of an oft-cumbersome phone call, we avoid it altogether by just jabbing several keys and pressing 'Send.'
Every once in awhile, news surfaces about the teens who rack up hundreds of dollars through these harmless messages. Upon receiving the phone bill, parents are dismayed and angered by extravagant charges, but every conceivable solution seems impossible. Depriving their child of communication is unthinkable, but paying nearly a thousand dollars is ridiculous as well. For Michela, her dad turned to a ridiculous written agreement that would keep his daughter in line over her excessive text messaging.
However, there are other available solutions that can easily keep teens' texting in control without the need for an official contract. For starters, parents should remind their teens to check their cell phone usage. Most carriers allow a way for users to review the number of text messages they have sent or how many minutes they have used online or through the phone. But if teens just can't break the habit, parents should look into text/picture message plans; they allow bundles of messages to be purchased (500, 1000, unlimited, etc.) for a set amount of money. T-Mobile subscribers can even sign up for a plan where, once the teen reaches a calling or message limit, the phone cannot be used (unless for 911 or to other T-Mobile users). Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T offer similar programs.
But if all else fails, don't resort to ludicrous contracts. Michela's texting might have gone a little overboard, but there was no need to draw up a formal contract and have her sign it.
Now if you'll excuse me, I just got a text message that I need to answer.
Learning from a last lecture
by Ryan Grindle
“What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance?” In many universities, professors have been asked to give hypothetical last lectures. Seven months ago, on September 18, 2007, Professor Randy Pausch was asked by Carnegie Mellon University to give one of these hypothetical lectures. Ironically, only a few weeks later, Pausch was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.
Faced with only months to live, Pausch decided to go through with what was supposed to be a hypothetical situation. The lecture, titled “How to achieve your childhood dreams” has become known worldwide over the past few months. This one speech has now taught millions of people virtues of life that he believes everybody must hold true to. In a self-written article in Parade Magazine, Pausch points out seven aspects of his life that he found to be most important: dream big, ask for what you want, dare to take a risk, look for the best in everybody, make time for what matters, and let kids be themselves. He also says that nobody should ever give up, and t hat the brick walls that can hold us back “let us prove how badly we want things”.
These merits only ask that every person follows his/her heart and look on the bright side of life. His words act as inspiration for others who learned “If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself, the dreams will come to you”.
“What wisdom would we impart to the world if we knew it was our last chance?” In many universities, professors have been asked to give hypothetical last lectures. Seven months ago, on September 18, 2007, Professor Randy Pausch was asked by Carnegie Mellon University to give one of these hypothetical lectures. Ironically, only a few weeks later, Pausch was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer.
Faced with only months to live, Pausch decided to go through with what was supposed to be a hypothetical situation. The lecture, titled “How to achieve your childhood dreams” has become known worldwide over the past few months. This one speech has now taught millions of people virtues of life that he believes everybody must hold true to. In a self-written article in Parade Magazine, Pausch points out seven aspects of his life that he found to be most important: dream big, ask for what you want, dare to take a risk, look for the best in everybody, make time for what matters, and let kids be themselves. He also says that nobody should ever give up, and t hat the brick walls that can hold us back “let us prove how badly we want things”.
These merits only ask that every person follows his/her heart and look on the bright side of life. His words act as inspiration for others who learned “If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself, the dreams will come to you”.
Enough is enough
by Nicholas Papadopolous
Wednesday, April 16, the price for a barrel of crude oil was raised to record high of $114. The price raise is a combination of the U.S. dollar getting weaker, the supply of crude oil decreasing, and the oil businessmen getting greedier.
Yesterday, when I went to fill up my gas tank, it cost me $3.24 per gallon. I don’t know how I am expected to pay for gas anymore. Everyday, I am driving to Magoun field for baseball, my job for work, and my friend’s house for fun. It seems that I am steadily draining my money away with each passing mile.
Having varsity baseball six days a week makes it tough to work. So recently, I have only been able to log 10 hours a week at a maximum. At $10 per hour, that gives me about $100 to spend per week. I have to take $50 dollars out per week for gas, and that leaves me with $50 to spend for a whole week.
I think that our grand country should start either selling electric cars at an affordable price, or mandate that car manufacturers sell cars with about a 40 mpg engine. Otherwise, I feel that cars may be a rarity to anybody other than upper-class citizens.
Also, I believe oil businessmen who are billionaires should stop making such a profit on oil. After you have so much money that you can’t spend it all, what is the drive that makes you demand more and more?
It seems as though my generation is being punished for other generations’ problems. Perhaps when our generation is older, we will be able to find alternative energy sources and not use nature’s fossil fuels like the generation before us.
Wednesday, April 16, the price for a barrel of crude oil was raised to record high of $114. The price raise is a combination of the U.S. dollar getting weaker, the supply of crude oil decreasing, and the oil businessmen getting greedier.
Yesterday, when I went to fill up my gas tank, it cost me $3.24 per gallon. I don’t know how I am expected to pay for gas anymore. Everyday, I am driving to Magoun field for baseball, my job for work, and my friend’s house for fun. It seems that I am steadily draining my money away with each passing mile.
Having varsity baseball six days a week makes it tough to work. So recently, I have only been able to log 10 hours a week at a maximum. At $10 per hour, that gives me about $100 to spend per week. I have to take $50 dollars out per week for gas, and that leaves me with $50 to spend for a whole week.
I think that our grand country should start either selling electric cars at an affordable price, or mandate that car manufacturers sell cars with about a 40 mpg engine. Otherwise, I feel that cars may be a rarity to anybody other than upper-class citizens.
Also, I believe oil businessmen who are billionaires should stop making such a profit on oil. After you have so much money that you can’t spend it all, what is the drive that makes you demand more and more?
It seems as though my generation is being punished for other generations’ problems. Perhaps when our generation is older, we will be able to find alternative energy sources and not use nature’s fossil fuels like the generation before us.
Horrific video of eight teens beating on a fellow classmate
Sam Hooper
Recently, a horrific video of eight teens beating on a fellow classmate appeared on YouTube. The Lakeland, Florida teens faced kidnapping and misdemeanor battery charges for the violent beating. The state attorney's office has said the six girls and two boys will be tried as adults. One of the accused, Mercedes Nichols, was bailed out by employees of the “Dr. Phil” television show over the weekend. The show admitted that they paid $30,000 to a Florida Court so they girl could appear on the show about the beatings. Is that necessary? Two of the eight teens still remain behind bars facing numerous charges. Dr. Phil bailed out an accused criminal. Most can say that Dr. Phil McGraw is usually in the hot seat about certain issues because he takes them TOO far. For instance, McGraw planned a show about troubled pop star, Britney Spears this year after he was criticized for confronting her at a Los Angeles hospital. So bailing a teen thug out of jail is not the first embarrassing incident for Dr. Phil.
McGraw was unable to interview the ringleader of the teen beaters because he violated the company’s policy but the girl wouldn’t have been able to do an interview with the show anyway, until the case was over. I don’t understand how producers from the Dr. Phil show would go out of their way and pay $30,000 to interview a teen criminal. There are so many other interesting people in the world that did now just get accused for almost beating a girl to death. Apparently, the teens beat their classmate until she was knocked out and then proceeded to beat her after she woke up and that was when they began filming. The victim, an honor student and cheerleader says a fight on MySpace lead to the beat down. Her father says she will never go back to public school, they will home school her instead. I don’t blame them. The girl was beating so bad she was knocked unconscious over a fight on MySpace. Two males -- one adult and one minor -- were also charged for allegedly acting as lookouts during the beating.
The sheriff's office said after the attack, three of the teens forced her into a vehicle and drove her to another location, where she was told she would be given a worse beating if she called police. I can’t believe that teenage girls would lower themselves because of so called “trash talk” that was posted on the cheerleaders MySpace.
The victims mother was reported saying, "It is disgusting that the attackers find it funny and want to post something on the Internet showing someone nearly beaten to death.”
"When they were in a holding cell, they were all laughing," Sherriff Grady Judd says. "One of the teens arrested, who is a cheerleader, asked, 'Does this mean I'm going to miss cheerleading practice tomorrow?' The others were cutting up and said, 'It looks like we won't be going to the beach this weekend.”
Violent hazing, violent bullying, domestic violence, peer group violence; all of these are things that are now discussed and analyzed in ways they never were before. It makes you wonder what kind of upbringing the teen beaters had. I have no sympathy for them. YouTube and MySpace have nothing do to with the vile act. These websites should be commended for the exposure of these young criminals.
Recently, a horrific video of eight teens beating on a fellow classmate appeared on YouTube. The Lakeland, Florida teens faced kidnapping and misdemeanor battery charges for the violent beating. The state attorney's office has said the six girls and two boys will be tried as adults. One of the accused, Mercedes Nichols, was bailed out by employees of the “Dr. Phil” television show over the weekend. The show admitted that they paid $30,000 to a Florida Court so they girl could appear on the show about the beatings. Is that necessary? Two of the eight teens still remain behind bars facing numerous charges. Dr. Phil bailed out an accused criminal. Most can say that Dr. Phil McGraw is usually in the hot seat about certain issues because he takes them TOO far. For instance, McGraw planned a show about troubled pop star, Britney Spears this year after he was criticized for confronting her at a Los Angeles hospital. So bailing a teen thug out of jail is not the first embarrassing incident for Dr. Phil.
McGraw was unable to interview the ringleader of the teen beaters because he violated the company’s policy but the girl wouldn’t have been able to do an interview with the show anyway, until the case was over. I don’t understand how producers from the Dr. Phil show would go out of their way and pay $30,000 to interview a teen criminal. There are so many other interesting people in the world that did now just get accused for almost beating a girl to death. Apparently, the teens beat their classmate until she was knocked out and then proceeded to beat her after she woke up and that was when they began filming. The victim, an honor student and cheerleader says a fight on MySpace lead to the beat down. Her father says she will never go back to public school, they will home school her instead. I don’t blame them. The girl was beating so bad she was knocked unconscious over a fight on MySpace. Two males -- one adult and one minor -- were also charged for allegedly acting as lookouts during the beating.
The sheriff's office said after the attack, three of the teens forced her into a vehicle and drove her to another location, where she was told she would be given a worse beating if she called police. I can’t believe that teenage girls would lower themselves because of so called “trash talk” that was posted on the cheerleaders MySpace.
The victims mother was reported saying, "It is disgusting that the attackers find it funny and want to post something on the Internet showing someone nearly beaten to death.”
"When they were in a holding cell, they were all laughing," Sherriff Grady Judd says. "One of the teens arrested, who is a cheerleader, asked, 'Does this mean I'm going to miss cheerleading practice tomorrow?' The others were cutting up and said, 'It looks like we won't be going to the beach this weekend.”
Violent hazing, violent bullying, domestic violence, peer group violence; all of these are things that are now discussed and analyzed in ways they never were before. It makes you wonder what kind of upbringing the teen beaters had. I have no sympathy for them. YouTube and MySpace have nothing do to with the vile act. These websites should be commended for the exposure of these young criminals.
Detective withholds information about dead teen
by Celine Chahine
As the Ramsey’s wait for any news on the where about of their missing daughter, tears rolling down their anxious and saddened faces, prepared to hear the words, ‘we found your daughter…she is dead’.
These are the words that the Ramsey family didn’t hear until over 2 years of their daughter’s body discovery. In February of 2006, Amber Ramsey from Trenton, New Jersey, was reported missing. That same month detective Edgar Rios found her dead body along with identification. Detective Rios didn’t inform the parents that their daughter was dead until last month, over 2 years later. She allegedly died of a drug overdose. Detective Rios is charged with 28 violations and has been removed from the homicide unit.
People like Rios should realize that failure to follow procedures, results in serious consequences. It is illegal and wrong to withhold information like that from a loved one. By doing this you are keeping the parents up at night worrying and wondering where their child is. Although they will be deeply saddened, they need to know the truth and the truth shouldn’t be kept from them. Detective Rios should have given the parents peace of mind by informing them that their daughter is dead, the day he found her body.
As the Ramsey’s wait for any news on the where about of their missing daughter, tears rolling down their anxious and saddened faces, prepared to hear the words, ‘we found your daughter…she is dead’.
These are the words that the Ramsey family didn’t hear until over 2 years of their daughter’s body discovery. In February of 2006, Amber Ramsey from Trenton, New Jersey, was reported missing. That same month detective Edgar Rios found her dead body along with identification. Detective Rios didn’t inform the parents that their daughter was dead until last month, over 2 years later. She allegedly died of a drug overdose. Detective Rios is charged with 28 violations and has been removed from the homicide unit.
People like Rios should realize that failure to follow procedures, results in serious consequences. It is illegal and wrong to withhold information like that from a loved one. By doing this you are keeping the parents up at night worrying and wondering where their child is. Although they will be deeply saddened, they need to know the truth and the truth shouldn’t be kept from them. Detective Rios should have given the parents peace of mind by informing them that their daughter is dead, the day he found her body.
Yankee Stadium cultivated open for planted Red Sox’s Jersey
by Lauren Hanley
“Tear down the house built by Ruth, “commanded George Steinbrenner. “I don’t believe in curses.” He continued to boast.
A year later he commands in an anxious tone, “Tear open that concrete. Someone has buried a red sox’s jersey in attempt to curse the Yankees. “
Call it what you want, a flip-flop, ironic, hypocrite, fearful, karma obsessed, or cowardly decision; I deem this entire situation absolutely hysterical.
Last Saturday, New York concrete workers spent hours tearing through the third-base line of a practically finished stadium in search for a planted David Ortiz jersey. Gino Castignoli deposited the shirt under 2 feet of concrete last year, in hope to place a curse over the Yankees and dam then to disastrous seasons.
Lonn Trost, the Yankee’s Chief Operating Officer, told the press that criminal charges against Castignoli could possibly be pursued. The Yankee’s are claiming that Castignoli breached a contract between his employing companies.
These are ridiculous accusations. Castignoli did not do anything malicious or harmful to anyone. He should be applauded for his true faithfulness to the Red Sox instead of being faced with criminal charges. The Yankees have no sense of humor and are merely taking there anger about their inconsistent playing out on him.
Gino Castignoli may be considered a delinquent among Yankee fans, but in Boston he is considered a Red Sox’s martyr. Therefore, all hell will break loose if charges against Castignoli are pursed. A riot of crazed Red Rox fans will march into the courthouse and revolt against the law.
I am hoping that the resurrection of Ortiz’s shirt with also restore his game. David Ortiz has been in a deep slump lately, so I am anticipating the almighty return of Big Papi by the symbolic uncovering of his uniform. The jersey was dug up on Saterday and Ortiz hit two runs this past Monday.
In all seriousness, I wonder what will happen to Ortiz’s garb. I expect the Yankee administration will take possession of it and sell it on E-bay to pay off Alex Rodriguez or Jeter’s contract.
(The jersey was given to the Red Sox as a goodwill geture by the Yankees and has been placed on auction with proceeds to benefit the Jimmy Fund of the Dana Farber Pediatirc Cancer institute. The high bid for the shirt was $5000 at press time.)
“Tear down the house built by Ruth, “commanded George Steinbrenner. “I don’t believe in curses.” He continued to boast.
A year later he commands in an anxious tone, “Tear open that concrete. Someone has buried a red sox’s jersey in attempt to curse the Yankees. “
Call it what you want, a flip-flop, ironic, hypocrite, fearful, karma obsessed, or cowardly decision; I deem this entire situation absolutely hysterical.
Last Saturday, New York concrete workers spent hours tearing through the third-base line of a practically finished stadium in search for a planted David Ortiz jersey. Gino Castignoli deposited the shirt under 2 feet of concrete last year, in hope to place a curse over the Yankees and dam then to disastrous seasons.
Lonn Trost, the Yankee’s Chief Operating Officer, told the press that criminal charges against Castignoli could possibly be pursued. The Yankee’s are claiming that Castignoli breached a contract between his employing companies.
These are ridiculous accusations. Castignoli did not do anything malicious or harmful to anyone. He should be applauded for his true faithfulness to the Red Sox instead of being faced with criminal charges. The Yankees have no sense of humor and are merely taking there anger about their inconsistent playing out on him.
Gino Castignoli may be considered a delinquent among Yankee fans, but in Boston he is considered a Red Sox’s martyr. Therefore, all hell will break loose if charges against Castignoli are pursed. A riot of crazed Red Rox fans will march into the courthouse and revolt against the law.
I am hoping that the resurrection of Ortiz’s shirt with also restore his game. David Ortiz has been in a deep slump lately, so I am anticipating the almighty return of Big Papi by the symbolic uncovering of his uniform. The jersey was dug up on Saterday and Ortiz hit two runs this past Monday.
In all seriousness, I wonder what will happen to Ortiz’s garb. I expect the Yankee administration will take possession of it and sell it on E-bay to pay off Alex Rodriguez or Jeter’s contract.
(The jersey was given to the Red Sox as a goodwill geture by the Yankees and has been placed on auction with proceeds to benefit the Jimmy Fund of the Dana Farber Pediatirc Cancer institute. The high bid for the shirt was $5000 at press time.)
School Store
by Patrick Ross
Who would have thought it would have been this successful? It started from a small little fridge with almost no snacks at all, and became our own mini seven eleven. It didn’t take long for the change to occur. Kids in school love the store and began going from day one. All of the profit has helped make it what it is now. They have everything you could want in there. Chips, granola bars, cookies, coffee, vitamin water, energy drinks, waters, even clothes, you name it and they will probably have it.
It is run by the kids that are enrolled in the class Marketing. Mrs. Shultz is the teacher and she allows certain kids to run it every day. The purpose of it was not only to supply us with food and drinks, but also to teach her students more on the subject of business and marketing. Other students walk up to the fourth floor store whenever they get the chance. It is an awesome thing since they closed down the food vending machine until lunch time.
If you are ever hungry or thirsty before lunch rolls around it usually gives you a place to go because it is almost always open. Honestly it is even a place to hang out for a few minutes if you want a break from class. This is because it is our friends running the store and it’s a good sized room to hang for a little bit before going back to class. The school store even offers Pembroke titans clothing. Bottom line, the school store was a complete success. It is now a favorite spot for all students to go and get some grub. I doubt anyone though it would be as big as it is today.
Who would have thought it would have been this successful? It started from a small little fridge with almost no snacks at all, and became our own mini seven eleven. It didn’t take long for the change to occur. Kids in school love the store and began going from day one. All of the profit has helped make it what it is now. They have everything you could want in there. Chips, granola bars, cookies, coffee, vitamin water, energy drinks, waters, even clothes, you name it and they will probably have it.
It is run by the kids that are enrolled in the class Marketing. Mrs. Shultz is the teacher and she allows certain kids to run it every day. The purpose of it was not only to supply us with food and drinks, but also to teach her students more on the subject of business and marketing. Other students walk up to the fourth floor store whenever they get the chance. It is an awesome thing since they closed down the food vending machine until lunch time.
If you are ever hungry or thirsty before lunch rolls around it usually gives you a place to go because it is almost always open. Honestly it is even a place to hang out for a few minutes if you want a break from class. This is because it is our friends running the store and it’s a good sized room to hang for a little bit before going back to class. The school store even offers Pembroke titans clothing. Bottom line, the school store was a complete success. It is now a favorite spot for all students to go and get some grub. I doubt anyone though it would be as big as it is today.
The Pembroke Express wins readers with the inaugural issue
By Mary Polleys
The Pembroke community can welcome a new paper to circulation. The Pembroke Express sent out its inaugural issue last Friday April 11. Free for the first two weeks, the Express is a weekly newspaper that, like the Mariner, lands in your mailbox every Friday afternoon.
Unlike the Mariner however, the Express offers a look inside Pembroke High School and its academic activities, featuring a spread about Mr. Battista’s economics class and their silent auction in the first issue. It also covers sports with many large pictures and chooses an athlete of the month. The Express has chosen to include many graphics, large pictures, and feature stories as well as covering politics, and all news pertaining to the community. Making themselves more of a magazine, as opposed to just trying to cover straight news, makes them more of a value as a weekly paper, not unlike the Sentinel, our monthly publication.
Another piece that is of interest is the police log, which after three semesters of journalism, I’d never seen before, and many of my classmates had not either, but apparently is one of the most popular places for residents to look to see what’s been going on around town.
The Express is also offering up opportunities to young newshounds who want to write and take photos. With the journalism program growing in size and the Sentinel improving each month, it’s good for students to have other outlets especially after they’ve already taken editorial journalism.
So far, the Express has been quick to cover events, and take tips they get from students, teachers, and other community members about events taking place.
Also, the competition between the Mariner/Reporter and the Express will keep both papers on their toes, covering as much as they can, especially involving students, to keep selling subscriptions.
The Express strives to be the towns “community newspaper” and after their first issue are off to a good start. With the inaugural issue, however, it gives you the impression that it’s free every week, but it’s only for the first two weeks, then either you’ll stop receiving it or if you’ve filled out the subscription card, will continue receiving it for a price. The Express is run by a company called the Clipper Press, and is out to make a profit, like any other business.
The Pembroke community can welcome a new paper to circulation. The Pembroke Express sent out its inaugural issue last Friday April 11. Free for the first two weeks, the Express is a weekly newspaper that, like the Mariner, lands in your mailbox every Friday afternoon.
Unlike the Mariner however, the Express offers a look inside Pembroke High School and its academic activities, featuring a spread about Mr. Battista’s economics class and their silent auction in the first issue. It also covers sports with many large pictures and chooses an athlete of the month. The Express has chosen to include many graphics, large pictures, and feature stories as well as covering politics, and all news pertaining to the community. Making themselves more of a magazine, as opposed to just trying to cover straight news, makes them more of a value as a weekly paper, not unlike the Sentinel, our monthly publication.
Another piece that is of interest is the police log, which after three semesters of journalism, I’d never seen before, and many of my classmates had not either, but apparently is one of the most popular places for residents to look to see what’s been going on around town.
The Express is also offering up opportunities to young newshounds who want to write and take photos. With the journalism program growing in size and the Sentinel improving each month, it’s good for students to have other outlets especially after they’ve already taken editorial journalism.
So far, the Express has been quick to cover events, and take tips they get from students, teachers, and other community members about events taking place.
Also, the competition between the Mariner/Reporter and the Express will keep both papers on their toes, covering as much as they can, especially involving students, to keep selling subscriptions.
The Express strives to be the towns “community newspaper” and after their first issue are off to a good start. With the inaugural issue, however, it gives you the impression that it’s free every week, but it’s only for the first two weeks, then either you’ll stop receiving it or if you’ve filled out the subscription card, will continue receiving it for a price. The Express is run by a company called the Clipper Press, and is out to make a profit, like any other business.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
You have to learn the value of a dollar
by Chris Holland
Every kid all around the United States has heard from his or her mom and dad, “You have to learn the value of dollar.” But now, the value of the dollar in the United States is way worse then it used to be so now everyone has to “learn the value of a dollar” again.
Recently, the economic system of the United States is in decline and the value of a dollar has gone down. Even talks of taking the penny and the nickel out of circulation have surfaced. But really, what has happened the mighty United States of America?
In foreign countries, such as Canada and the European countries, the currency is now catching up to that of the currency in the United States. At one point, not too many years ago, the United States was far ahead of almost every other country in the world in terms of how much the currency was actually worth.
This drop in the value of a dollar could foreshadow the fate of the once all powerful country. As the value of the dollar has dropped, so could the respect of the United States in the world.
With new countries coming to power in the world, such as Japan, China, United Kingdom, France and Spain, the United States could some day be in utter decline. The economy in Europe is twice as good as the economy in the present day United States.
If this is a sign of things to come for the United States, we could be in for a rough century, or more.
Every kid all around the United States has heard from his or her mom and dad, “You have to learn the value of dollar.” But now, the value of the dollar in the United States is way worse then it used to be so now everyone has to “learn the value of a dollar” again.
Recently, the economic system of the United States is in decline and the value of a dollar has gone down. Even talks of taking the penny and the nickel out of circulation have surfaced. But really, what has happened the mighty United States of America?
In foreign countries, such as Canada and the European countries, the currency is now catching up to that of the currency in the United States. At one point, not too many years ago, the United States was far ahead of almost every other country in the world in terms of how much the currency was actually worth.
This drop in the value of a dollar could foreshadow the fate of the once all powerful country. As the value of the dollar has dropped, so could the respect of the United States in the world.
With new countries coming to power in the world, such as Japan, China, United Kingdom, France and Spain, the United States could some day be in utter decline. The economy in Europe is twice as good as the economy in the present day United States.
If this is a sign of things to come for the United States, we could be in for a rough century, or more.
Skip Aluisy works in a small town to make a big difference
by Lauren Hanley
It is four in the morning, the sun will not rise for another few hours, and the gas gage is bellow empty. Despite the dark and gloomy dawn, Skip Aluisy is wide-wake and avidly navigating his way around the town of Pembroke, in order to pick up a group of teenagers and depart for the Pine Street Inn. Skip continues to drive, praying that he will make it to the first open gas station, for nothing, not even an empty gas tank will deviate him from the day's mission.
Swarms of people file into the Pine Street cafeteria, all from different walks of life but universally craving a warm breakfast and safe place to eat. With his hair net on and apron fastened tight, no man is better suited for this job than Skip Aluisy. Greeting each person with his ear to ear smile and benevolent heart, he has made it his duty to feed and enliven the hunger stricken crowd.
As Mohammed Ali once said, “Service to others is the payment you make for your space here on earth.”
As Skip Aluisy says, “Volunteering is the right thing to do.”
As Skip Aluisy says, “Volunteering is the right thing to do.”
Skip is a regular volunteer at Pine Street Inn, visiting several times a month. In addition to his hectic work and family schedule, which includes being the president of an international metal trading company, father to four children, and husband, he is a volunteer coach for both the Pembroke Girls Youth basketball and Ultimate Frisbee teams.
“My dad is very thoughtful. He is a terrific coach and has been doing a great job for three years,” said Jane Edwards, Skip’s daughter and youth basketball player.
Furthermore, he is a very active member of St. Andrew’s Parish of Hanover. He will be attending an upcoming mission trip to Mississippi, where he and other volunteers will be working with Katrina victims to help reconstruct their homes and lives.
Pastor Beth of St. Andrew’s Church, described Skip Aluisy as a “bundle of positive energy. He is a can-do-guy and really wants to see others succeed. Skip is always helping out around the church, never looking for anything in return.”
“I have been volunteering ever since I was a young teenager. Growing up, I was taught to give back to the community. It is very important to start good habits early in life. These are the habits that you want to carry with you as an adult,” said Skip.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, about 60.8 million people have volunteered through or for an organization at least once between September 2006 and September 2007. This is a 0.5 percent decrease in the volunteer rate and which follows a decline of 2.1 percentage points from the previous year.
Also according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people at the age 35 to 54 are most likely to volunteer, at 30.3 percent. On the other hand, the volunteer rate for teens showed the largest decline in the year ending in September 2007.
Skip Aluisy is working to reverse this statistic, by successfully establishing a sense of urgency among teens to volunteer. To illustrate, he makes several trips to Pine Street with gathered groups of young adults. Furthermore, he has helped fund and organize mission trips for people to gain global awareness and encounter life altering experiences.
Last summer, by Skip’s efforts a group was organized and funded to volunteer with Katrina victims.
Berkeley Hall, volunteer and sophomore at Pembroke High School, said, “Skip is a generous and noble man. Without him his help, this trip may not have happened.”
“The most gratifying part is planting seeds in others and seeing them grow into compassionate people. To see my children volunteer on their own is especially rewarding. This is what makes me very happy,” said the small town hero, Skip Aluisy.
“My dad is very thoughtful. He is a terrific coach and has been doing a great job for three years,” said Jane Edwards, Skip’s daughter and youth basketball player.
Furthermore, he is a very active member of St. Andrew’s Parish of Hanover. He will be attending an upcoming mission trip to Mississippi, where he and other volunteers will be working with Katrina victims to help reconstruct their homes and lives.
Pastor Beth of St. Andrew’s Church, described Skip Aluisy as a “bundle of positive energy. He is a can-do-guy and really wants to see others succeed. Skip is always helping out around the church, never looking for anything in return.”
“I have been volunteering ever since I was a young teenager. Growing up, I was taught to give back to the community. It is very important to start good habits early in life. These are the habits that you want to carry with you as an adult,” said Skip.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor, about 60.8 million people have volunteered through or for an organization at least once between September 2006 and September 2007. This is a 0.5 percent decrease in the volunteer rate and which follows a decline of 2.1 percentage points from the previous year.
Also according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, people at the age 35 to 54 are most likely to volunteer, at 30.3 percent. On the other hand, the volunteer rate for teens showed the largest decline in the year ending in September 2007.
Skip Aluisy is working to reverse this statistic, by successfully establishing a sense of urgency among teens to volunteer. To illustrate, he makes several trips to Pine Street with gathered groups of young adults. Furthermore, he has helped fund and organize mission trips for people to gain global awareness and encounter life altering experiences.
Last summer, by Skip’s efforts a group was organized and funded to volunteer with Katrina victims.
Berkeley Hall, volunteer and sophomore at Pembroke High School, said, “Skip is a generous and noble man. Without him his help, this trip may not have happened.”
“The most gratifying part is planting seeds in others and seeing them grow into compassionate people. To see my children volunteer on their own is especially rewarding. This is what makes me very happy,” said the small town hero, Skip Aluisy.
“Poster girl… for obesity?”
by Sam Hooper
Chloe Marshall, a British plus-size model made headlines when she beat out 23 other contestants to be crowned Miss Surrey last month. In July, she will compete for the crown of Miss England. Marshall is 5’10, 176 lbs and a size 16 has been praised for her plus size figure by being called the “ambassador for curves.”
But not everyone is praising Marshall for her size. Former Miss England, Monica Grenfell lambastes Marshall for what she calls “a shocking lack of self-control.” She believes that Marshall is not an example of a beautiful larger lady but a poster girl for diabetes, over-eating, strokes and heart attacks.
I think that plus-size woman should be proud of their figure. It gives hope to girls that may not have the smallest waist and boosts their self esteem. Not every model should have to be a size 0. Regular everyday woman are rarely a size 0. Models should be all shapes and sizes because that is what young girls can relate to. So many girls develop eating disorders because of the pressure that society puts on young stars to be thin. We flip through gossip magazines daily that show unflattering pictures of stars in bathing suits. Recently, Jennifer Love Hewitt, who is a size 2, was called “fat” in a magazine. She was outraged about the statement because she, along with people all over the United States, believes that her body is healthy and normal. The average size for a woman in the United States is actually a size 14.
Monica Grenfell recently said, “Levels of bulimia are actually falling. Instead our high streets are packed with young girls -- just like Chloe -- with 'muffin tops' of fat spilling over their jeans.”
Our high streets are actually packed with woman of all shapes and sizes as well as different races. If the streets were full of woman of the same size, everyone would look the same.
Chloe Marshall, a British plus-size model made headlines when she beat out 23 other contestants to be crowned Miss Surrey last month. In July, she will compete for the crown of Miss England. Marshall is 5’10, 176 lbs and a size 16 has been praised for her plus size figure by being called the “ambassador for curves.”
But not everyone is praising Marshall for her size. Former Miss England, Monica Grenfell lambastes Marshall for what she calls “a shocking lack of self-control.” She believes that Marshall is not an example of a beautiful larger lady but a poster girl for diabetes, over-eating, strokes and heart attacks.
I think that plus-size woman should be proud of their figure. It gives hope to girls that may not have the smallest waist and boosts their self esteem. Not every model should have to be a size 0. Regular everyday woman are rarely a size 0. Models should be all shapes and sizes because that is what young girls can relate to. So many girls develop eating disorders because of the pressure that society puts on young stars to be thin. We flip through gossip magazines daily that show unflattering pictures of stars in bathing suits. Recently, Jennifer Love Hewitt, who is a size 2, was called “fat” in a magazine. She was outraged about the statement because she, along with people all over the United States, believes that her body is healthy and normal. The average size for a woman in the United States is actually a size 14.
Monica Grenfell recently said, “Levels of bulimia are actually falling. Instead our high streets are packed with young girls -- just like Chloe -- with 'muffin tops' of fat spilling over their jeans.”
Our high streets are actually packed with woman of all shapes and sizes as well as different races. If the streets were full of woman of the same size, everyone would look the same.
Maggie & Montel: two peas in an MS pod
by Mary Polleys
It's an inservice day, and Maggie Wandell finds herself sitting on the couch watching daytime television. It is two years after Maggie was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a disease that attacks the central nervous system, and she is watching Montel, hosted by Montel Williams, who is also afflicted with the disease. Both of them are perfectly fine, leading their own lives, and overcoming the disease everyday, but Maggie and her family were not always sure about what would happen.
"I was immediately upset because my parents were," Wandell said about when she first was diagnosed. The disease and its effects were completely unknown to her, and she felt "confused, frustrated, and scared" about her condition and her future.
Maggie and Montel are a part of the approximately 400,000 Americans and 2.5 million people worldwide that have MS. Every week about 200 people are diagnosed.
When Maggie was diagnosed in her sophomore year, it was a shock for not only her and her parents, but also her 4 siblings, including 3 younger sisters. "They were told all this information but they didn't really understand what it all meant. Their main concern was whether or not I would be able to play and hang out with them still," Maggie said.
Today Maggie is hugely involved in school, being President of Best Buddies, Executive President of the student council, and a member of the National Honor Society. Clearly, MS has not stopped her from maintaining a busy schedule and her friends agree that almost nothing has changed since her diagnosis.
"It hasn’t changed our friendship at all. She’s still the same friend, she just has to go to the hospital on Fridays sometimes" said friend Conner Winn who has known Maggie since the pair was 5.
On a daily basis, Maggie has to give herself a 20mg injection of a medication called Copaxone. "It's not that bad. Sometimes it gets a little red, but really it just feels like a bee-sting." It's miles better than the previous injections she used to have to take, Avenox, which had significantly bigger needles that were injected in the leg and had more severe side effects, mostly fatigue. Maggie was one of the rare patients (about 1 in 1,000) with whom the medication didn't work, which prompted the switch.
In general, living with the disease was an obstacle that had to be overcome by Maggie and has prompted the entire Wandell family to become aware of the disease and turned them into research supporters.
Still, MS is a serious condition and when the symptoms arise, there are serious ramifications. When Maggie relapses, "the worst is the extreme fatigue, but also my eyes get blurry, and my legs feel numb. I have to go to the hospital when it happens," she said. Depending on the type of MS a person has, the symptoms are more or less permanent and can be more serious such as including partial or complete paralysis as well as loss of balance and muscle coordination making walking difficult, slurred speech, tremors, stiffness, and bladder problems.
Wandell has a remarkably positive outlook about living with MS. "There are worse things in the world. That's been my motto. There are starving children in Africa, so it's really not that bad," she said. She is leading 'Maggie's Crew' in the walk for MS at Plymouth High School for the second year on the morning of April 13.
It's an inservice day, and Maggie Wandell finds herself sitting on the couch watching daytime television. It is two years after Maggie was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, a disease that attacks the central nervous system, and she is watching Montel, hosted by Montel Williams, who is also afflicted with the disease. Both of them are perfectly fine, leading their own lives, and overcoming the disease everyday, but Maggie and her family were not always sure about what would happen.
"I was immediately upset because my parents were," Wandell said about when she first was diagnosed. The disease and its effects were completely unknown to her, and she felt "confused, frustrated, and scared" about her condition and her future.
Maggie and Montel are a part of the approximately 400,000 Americans and 2.5 million people worldwide that have MS. Every week about 200 people are diagnosed.
When Maggie was diagnosed in her sophomore year, it was a shock for not only her and her parents, but also her 4 siblings, including 3 younger sisters. "They were told all this information but they didn't really understand what it all meant. Their main concern was whether or not I would be able to play and hang out with them still," Maggie said.
Today Maggie is hugely involved in school, being President of Best Buddies, Executive President of the student council, and a member of the National Honor Society. Clearly, MS has not stopped her from maintaining a busy schedule and her friends agree that almost nothing has changed since her diagnosis.
"It hasn’t changed our friendship at all. She’s still the same friend, she just has to go to the hospital on Fridays sometimes" said friend Conner Winn who has known Maggie since the pair was 5.
On a daily basis, Maggie has to give herself a 20mg injection of a medication called Copaxone. "It's not that bad. Sometimes it gets a little red, but really it just feels like a bee-sting." It's miles better than the previous injections she used to have to take, Avenox, which had significantly bigger needles that were injected in the leg and had more severe side effects, mostly fatigue. Maggie was one of the rare patients (about 1 in 1,000) with whom the medication didn't work, which prompted the switch.
In general, living with the disease was an obstacle that had to be overcome by Maggie and has prompted the entire Wandell family to become aware of the disease and turned them into research supporters.
Still, MS is a serious condition and when the symptoms arise, there are serious ramifications. When Maggie relapses, "the worst is the extreme fatigue, but also my eyes get blurry, and my legs feel numb. I have to go to the hospital when it happens," she said. Depending on the type of MS a person has, the symptoms are more or less permanent and can be more serious such as including partial or complete paralysis as well as loss of balance and muscle coordination making walking difficult, slurred speech, tremors, stiffness, and bladder problems.
Wandell has a remarkably positive outlook about living with MS. "There are worse things in the world. That's been my motto. There are starving children in Africa, so it's really not that bad," she said. She is leading 'Maggie's Crew' in the walk for MS at Plymouth High School for the second year on the morning of April 13.
Lessons learned from the NAVY to the classroom
by Nicholas Papadopolous
James O’Donnell went from jumping off cliffs to teaching about the physics behind it in no time.
“I had always wanted to join the U.S. NAVY”, said James O’Donnell, “I lived near the ocean and I loved the sea.”
James O’Donnell planned his whole life around a career in the U.S. NAVY. He wanted to be a pilot, but his dreams were shot down. He served from 1966 to 1967, and he would have served longer, but during flight training, O’Donnell was jumping off of a cliff and he landed awkwardly and hurt his leg. He was discharged with a disability, and he had to make a decision on what to do next.
“Physics teachers are few and far between, so I found a job at Stoughton”, said O’Donnell.
Soon after his injury, O’Donnell got a job teaching at Stoughton High. Once the school year ended, he went back to graduate school and got his decree. O’Donnell then went back to teaching, but this time he taught at Brockton High. While there, he coached the girl’s track and field team and won eight state championships. After thirty years of coaching and teaching, O’Donnell decided to retire, but the retirement was short-lived.
A friend of O’Donnell’s told him that Pembroke High was looking for a physics teacher. So, O’Donnell and Principal Ruth Lynch talked, and now O’Donnell is currently one of the two physics teachers at Pembroke High School.
Students at Pembroke High have learned from his unique teaching style. Coming from the NAVY where the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct are expected, students didn’t know what to expect from O’Donnell.
“Maybe [serving in the U.S. NAVY] affected my teaching, it definitely did initially, but I don’t think it does anymore”, said O’Donnell.
“I think he’s lightened up as the years gone along”, said junior Bobby Owen, a student of O’Donnell’s, “at first he was strict about stupid things, like drinks and stuff, but he’s lightened up lately.
“Just do the work” is a phrase commonly used by O’Donnell in the classroom. This is a different style of teaching than most other teachers at Pembroke who help the students work to the answers.
“He expects a lot from us”, said senior John Procter, a student of O’Donnell’s, “and physics is one of the hardest classes offered [at Pembroke].”
As proof of the difficulty of physics, according to edline.net, the class average for O’Donnell’s period 3 CP1 physics class is a 52%. But anybody who can succeed in O’Donnell’s physics class has an understanding of physics and a possible future in physics.
James O’Donnell went from jumping off cliffs to teaching about the physics behind it in no time.
“I had always wanted to join the U.S. NAVY”, said James O’Donnell, “I lived near the ocean and I loved the sea.”
James O’Donnell planned his whole life around a career in the U.S. NAVY. He wanted to be a pilot, but his dreams were shot down. He served from 1966 to 1967, and he would have served longer, but during flight training, O’Donnell was jumping off of a cliff and he landed awkwardly and hurt his leg. He was discharged with a disability, and he had to make a decision on what to do next.
“Physics teachers are few and far between, so I found a job at Stoughton”, said O’Donnell.
Soon after his injury, O’Donnell got a job teaching at Stoughton High. Once the school year ended, he went back to graduate school and got his decree. O’Donnell then went back to teaching, but this time he taught at Brockton High. While there, he coached the girl’s track and field team and won eight state championships. After thirty years of coaching and teaching, O’Donnell decided to retire, but the retirement was short-lived.
A friend of O’Donnell’s told him that Pembroke High was looking for a physics teacher. So, O’Donnell and Principal Ruth Lynch talked, and now O’Donnell is currently one of the two physics teachers at Pembroke High School.
Students at Pembroke High have learned from his unique teaching style. Coming from the NAVY where the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct are expected, students didn’t know what to expect from O’Donnell.
“Maybe [serving in the U.S. NAVY] affected my teaching, it definitely did initially, but I don’t think it does anymore”, said O’Donnell.
“I think he’s lightened up as the years gone along”, said junior Bobby Owen, a student of O’Donnell’s, “at first he was strict about stupid things, like drinks and stuff, but he’s lightened up lately.
“Just do the work” is a phrase commonly used by O’Donnell in the classroom. This is a different style of teaching than most other teachers at Pembroke who help the students work to the answers.
“He expects a lot from us”, said senior John Procter, a student of O’Donnell’s, “and physics is one of the hardest classes offered [at Pembroke].”
As proof of the difficulty of physics, according to edline.net, the class average for O’Donnell’s period 3 CP1 physics class is a 52%. But anybody who can succeed in O’Donnell’s physics class has an understanding of physics and a possible future in physics.
Inspiration challenges odds of abuse for the mentally challenged
by Kim Rizzitano
Some call Yanca Marie Rizzitano Marie, but to one lucky man, he now calls her mom. “Marie” Rizzitano became the legal guardian to Scott Cameron, a mentally challenged man, to take him out of the neglecting home of his alcoholic sister. Marie, a mother of seven, had always been described as having “a heart of gold”. She felt that “becoming Scott’s legal guardian was the right thing to for him”.
Marie met Scott through her daughter Veronica, also mentally challenged, at Veronica’s small part time job which Scott also worked at. Marie acquired the friendship of Scotts aging father Walter after Veronica and Scott quickly became friends.
After Walter died, Scott went to live with his twin sister who neglected him and took his government checks to fix her addiction. Marie, seeing the desperate situation, took action and took custody from Scott’s sister.
“I couldn’t leave him in a situation like that. It was unfair to him. Scott was not being properly taken care of,” said Marie.
“It’s her nature. When we were kids, she was caregiver to all of the kids in the neighborhood. She even ran a free daycare for the neighborhood kids. She has this cheaper by the dozen mentality. What’s one more to her? And she was always taking in stray animals whether it was a bird with a broken wing or an orphaned baby raccoon too,” said her son, Francis Rizzitano.
Unfortunately, neglect and abuse of the mentally challenged happens everyday and there are not enough people like Marie. The abuse rate of the mentally disabled is as high as ever and topped in 1995 when it was reported that more than 90 percent of all mentally impaired people would receive physical or sexual abuse sometime in their life. As reported in 2003 by R. Goldman, mentally challenged people are more likely to be abused because they are so dependent of their caregivers.
Mentally challenged children are especially vulnerable to neglect and abuse. In a study conducted in 2005, psychologist, Dick Sobsey found that children with mental disabilities are three times more likely to be abused than adults. This same study found that there have been 1,130 homicides of the mentally impaired over the last couple years. Most of the murders have been committed by the caregivers of the person.
This distressing fact displays the need for organizations like Camp Quinebaug, a camp that teaches mentally challenged children important lessons through agriculture. This process in which the children work in gardens is called horticultural therapy. Many of the children who participate in the camp come from broken homes and abusive situations. Bodil Anya, a horticultural therapist that works at the camp, works with the kids to better them physically and mentally.
People like Marie and organizations help better the lives of the mentally impaired and give the nation a hopeful outlook for this difficult situation.
Some call Yanca Marie Rizzitano Marie, but to one lucky man, he now calls her mom. “Marie” Rizzitano became the legal guardian to Scott Cameron, a mentally challenged man, to take him out of the neglecting home of his alcoholic sister. Marie, a mother of seven, had always been described as having “a heart of gold”. She felt that “becoming Scott’s legal guardian was the right thing to for him”.
Marie met Scott through her daughter Veronica, also mentally challenged, at Veronica’s small part time job which Scott also worked at. Marie acquired the friendship of Scotts aging father Walter after Veronica and Scott quickly became friends.
After Walter died, Scott went to live with his twin sister who neglected him and took his government checks to fix her addiction. Marie, seeing the desperate situation, took action and took custody from Scott’s sister.
“I couldn’t leave him in a situation like that. It was unfair to him. Scott was not being properly taken care of,” said Marie.
“It’s her nature. When we were kids, she was caregiver to all of the kids in the neighborhood. She even ran a free daycare for the neighborhood kids. She has this cheaper by the dozen mentality. What’s one more to her? And she was always taking in stray animals whether it was a bird with a broken wing or an orphaned baby raccoon too,” said her son, Francis Rizzitano.
Unfortunately, neglect and abuse of the mentally challenged happens everyday and there are not enough people like Marie. The abuse rate of the mentally disabled is as high as ever and topped in 1995 when it was reported that more than 90 percent of all mentally impaired people would receive physical or sexual abuse sometime in their life. As reported in 2003 by R. Goldman, mentally challenged people are more likely to be abused because they are so dependent of their caregivers.
Mentally challenged children are especially vulnerable to neglect and abuse. In a study conducted in 2005, psychologist, Dick Sobsey found that children with mental disabilities are three times more likely to be abused than adults. This same study found that there have been 1,130 homicides of the mentally impaired over the last couple years. Most of the murders have been committed by the caregivers of the person.
This distressing fact displays the need for organizations like Camp Quinebaug, a camp that teaches mentally challenged children important lessons through agriculture. This process in which the children work in gardens is called horticultural therapy. Many of the children who participate in the camp come from broken homes and abusive situations. Bodil Anya, a horticultural therapist that works at the camp, works with the kids to better them physically and mentally.
People like Marie and organizations help better the lives of the mentally impaired and give the nation a hopeful outlook for this difficult situation.
The hope beyond the pain;Norwell girl prospers despite difficult divorce
by Kim Pham
On a beautiful summer afternoon in sunny California, a young girl tugged at her father's pant leg. With wide green eyes, she asked her daddy if he would come to her birthday pool party later that week. With a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face, Seamus Dempsey promised his precious little girl he would. But when that day finally came, he never showed up. Little did that young girl know, but her daddy was oceans away; Seamus had fled home to his native country of Ireland.
That young girl is now Katie Dempsey, a sophomore at Norwell High School. Like thousands of other children throughout the country, her father left her and her younger brother, Jack. Katie's parents divorced when she was five years old, but it took much longer for her to fully grasp what had occured.
“At first, I didn't understand he had left or how long he would be gone. It wasn't until I was about ten when I realized the situation that my parents were divorced,” she said.
Despite growing up without a father figure, Katie still pushed forward with her life. Her mother, Christine North, is a business attorney with practices in San Francisco and here in the South Shore. Because of her fast-paced career, she is constantly traveling; while Christine was out of town, Katie took on the responsibility of watching over Jack when they were younger.
“When my mom wasn't with us, I felt that I had a sibling duty to protect him and take care of him,” Katie said humbly.
Although she regrets not having her father around during her childhood years, Katie is thankful to have her mother with whom she has a deeply loving and strong tie.
“[The divorce] gives me an appreciation for what she does, because I know she's doing two jobs as both parents...we have a deeper relationship,” Katie said.
Christine feels lucky to have such an understanding daughter and is optimistic about how Katie will go on to succeed.
“Despite all the things beyond her control that Katie has had to deal with, I believe that it gave her a greater outlook on life. I hope that she can take everything she's been through and learn from it so that she can give herself a healthy and happy life,” Christine said.
However, the odds are seemingly against Katie. Children from divorced families are more likely to have academic and social problems, says Robert Hughes, professor and extension specialist in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Ohio State University. These children are more likely to be aggressive and get in trouble with school authorities or the police. Because of this, they are more likely to have low self-esteem and depression, leading to difficulties in getting along with siblings and peers. Children who grow up in divorced families are also more likely to engage in delinquent activities, to get involved in early sexual activity, and to experiment with illegal drugs.
Katie, however, is the exception in that frightening trend. She remains resilient, thriving on her increased responsibility and the challenges she faces as a child of divorce. Even though her family has moved a total of three times (most recently to Norwell, where she currently attends Norwell High), Katie continues to shine despite the emotional strain and hardships she has endured. She is consistently a Honor Roll student and runs track during all three seasons (cross country in the fall). Katie hopes to follow in her mother's footsteps and enroll at Georgetown University in the fall of 2010 when she graduates high school. It is no doubt a difficult goal, but for such a strong and determined girl, it will seem like nothing.
And as for Seamus, he is still an entire ocean away in Ireland. Katie sees him about every six months or so - “if I'm lucky,” she says with a dry, humorless laugh.
“I'll talk to him maybe once a month, it differs from month to month,” Katie said.
Although she is very rarely able to have a chance to communicate with her dad, Katie still feels like she can move on from the pain and grow as a person.
“I mean of course, I will never forget all the things he's done and how he's changed my life. But as much as I probably should hold it against him, I don't really. As I get older, it becomes easier to deal with and I'll learn how to eventually build a relationship with him again,” she said.
Despite having to cope with the absence of her father, Katie tries not to harbor too much resentment towards him.
“I've suffered a lot because of him,” she said of her rough childhood. “But everyone deserves a second chance.”
On a beautiful summer afternoon in sunny California, a young girl tugged at her father's pant leg. With wide green eyes, she asked her daddy if he would come to her birthday pool party later that week. With a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his face, Seamus Dempsey promised his precious little girl he would. But when that day finally came, he never showed up. Little did that young girl know, but her daddy was oceans away; Seamus had fled home to his native country of Ireland.
That young girl is now Katie Dempsey, a sophomore at Norwell High School. Like thousands of other children throughout the country, her father left her and her younger brother, Jack. Katie's parents divorced when she was five years old, but it took much longer for her to fully grasp what had occured.
“At first, I didn't understand he had left or how long he would be gone. It wasn't until I was about ten when I realized the situation that my parents were divorced,” she said.
Despite growing up without a father figure, Katie still pushed forward with her life. Her mother, Christine North, is a business attorney with practices in San Francisco and here in the South Shore. Because of her fast-paced career, she is constantly traveling; while Christine was out of town, Katie took on the responsibility of watching over Jack when they were younger.
“When my mom wasn't with us, I felt that I had a sibling duty to protect him and take care of him,” Katie said humbly.
Although she regrets not having her father around during her childhood years, Katie is thankful to have her mother with whom she has a deeply loving and strong tie.
“[The divorce] gives me an appreciation for what she does, because I know she's doing two jobs as both parents...we have a deeper relationship,” Katie said.
Christine feels lucky to have such an understanding daughter and is optimistic about how Katie will go on to succeed.
“Despite all the things beyond her control that Katie has had to deal with, I believe that it gave her a greater outlook on life. I hope that she can take everything she's been through and learn from it so that she can give herself a healthy and happy life,” Christine said.
However, the odds are seemingly against Katie. Children from divorced families are more likely to have academic and social problems, says Robert Hughes, professor and extension specialist in the Department of Human Development and Family Science at Ohio State University. These children are more likely to be aggressive and get in trouble with school authorities or the police. Because of this, they are more likely to have low self-esteem and depression, leading to difficulties in getting along with siblings and peers. Children who grow up in divorced families are also more likely to engage in delinquent activities, to get involved in early sexual activity, and to experiment with illegal drugs.
Katie, however, is the exception in that frightening trend. She remains resilient, thriving on her increased responsibility and the challenges she faces as a child of divorce. Even though her family has moved a total of three times (most recently to Norwell, where she currently attends Norwell High), Katie continues to shine despite the emotional strain and hardships she has endured. She is consistently a Honor Roll student and runs track during all three seasons (cross country in the fall). Katie hopes to follow in her mother's footsteps and enroll at Georgetown University in the fall of 2010 when she graduates high school. It is no doubt a difficult goal, but for such a strong and determined girl, it will seem like nothing.
And as for Seamus, he is still an entire ocean away in Ireland. Katie sees him about every six months or so - “if I'm lucky,” she says with a dry, humorless laugh.
“I'll talk to him maybe once a month, it differs from month to month,” Katie said.
Although she is very rarely able to have a chance to communicate with her dad, Katie still feels like she can move on from the pain and grow as a person.
“I mean of course, I will never forget all the things he's done and how he's changed my life. But as much as I probably should hold it against him, I don't really. As I get older, it becomes easier to deal with and I'll learn how to eventually build a relationship with him again,” she said.
Despite having to cope with the absence of her father, Katie tries not to harbor too much resentment towards him.
“I've suffered a lot because of him,” she said of her rough childhood. “But everyone deserves a second chance.”
Lebanese immigrant succeeds through life’s privations
by Celine Chahine
The snowstorm was harsh and brutal, determined to go to work and make the needed money, he keeps walking, from Quincy to Boston.
Joseph Chahine, a 20 year old immigrant from Lebanon, came to America alone, without any money or knowledge of the English language. At first Chahine lived with his older sister, he also got a job at the Howard Johnson hotel in Boston as a janitor. Since he had no car and lived in poverty, he had to walk to work everyday from Quincy to Boston, risking his life from shootings, muggings and brutal weather conditions. Everyday he would work late shifts and he was always tired. Without any breaks, he barely got by and was lucky to have a house.
“For someone who didn’t know how to speak English, cook, wash his clothes, and didn’t know American culture, life in America was very hard. I lived clueless and poor for many years.” Said Joseph Chahine, now 52 years old.
Joseph lived like this for over five years until his life finally started to brighten. He became the manager of the Sheraton and the Colonnade hotels in Boston. Eventually he bought his own house and a few other houses to sell for rent and make a little extra cash while working full time as a hotel manager.
Finally, when Chahine felt like he could support a family, he went back to Lebanon to find a wife. He found a young woman named Rita Auon and married her and brought her to America to raise a family.
“I was very happy and excited to go to America. Things in Lebanon weren’t too great and it definitely wasn’t safe enough to raise a family there. Although I couldn’t speak English at first, I eventually learned; even though I left all of my family in Lebanon, I wasn’t lonely for long because we made a new one with five children.” said Rita Chahine.
Joseph Chahine started making huge progress after that. He ended up owning a dozen houses that are either up for sale or rent. He is currently living happily in Pembroke with his big family of 7. He quit his manager jobs in Boston because it was inconvenient, so he now owns Phoenician Liquors in Plymouth.
The snowstorm was harsh and brutal, determined to go to work and make the needed money, he keeps walking, from Quincy to Boston.
Joseph Chahine, a 20 year old immigrant from Lebanon, came to America alone, without any money or knowledge of the English language. At first Chahine lived with his older sister, he also got a job at the Howard Johnson hotel in Boston as a janitor. Since he had no car and lived in poverty, he had to walk to work everyday from Quincy to Boston, risking his life from shootings, muggings and brutal weather conditions. Everyday he would work late shifts and he was always tired. Without any breaks, he barely got by and was lucky to have a house.
“For someone who didn’t know how to speak English, cook, wash his clothes, and didn’t know American culture, life in America was very hard. I lived clueless and poor for many years.” Said Joseph Chahine, now 52 years old.
Joseph lived like this for over five years until his life finally started to brighten. He became the manager of the Sheraton and the Colonnade hotels in Boston. Eventually he bought his own house and a few other houses to sell for rent and make a little extra cash while working full time as a hotel manager.
Finally, when Chahine felt like he could support a family, he went back to Lebanon to find a wife. He found a young woman named Rita Auon and married her and brought her to America to raise a family.
“I was very happy and excited to go to America. Things in Lebanon weren’t too great and it definitely wasn’t safe enough to raise a family there. Although I couldn’t speak English at first, I eventually learned; even though I left all of my family in Lebanon, I wasn’t lonely for long because we made a new one with five children.” said Rita Chahine.
Joseph Chahine started making huge progress after that. He ended up owning a dozen houses that are either up for sale or rent. He is currently living happily in Pembroke with his big family of 7. He quit his manager jobs in Boston because it was inconvenient, so he now owns Phoenician Liquors in Plymouth.
Buckner forgiven
by Ryan Grindle
“So the winning run is at second base, with two outs, three and two to Mookie Wilson. Little roller up along first; BEHIND THE BAG! It gets through Buckner! Here comes Knight and the Mets win it!”. This quote, said by legendary broadcaster Vin Scully, had haunted Red Sox Nation for years. That fateful night, on October 25 of 1986, Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner misplayed a routine ground ball hit in Game 6 of the World Series. After the game, Buckner was run out of town, all the way to Idaho.
Tuesday afternoon, during the Red Sox home opener, the fans were able to see legends from the Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins, and New England Patriots before the 2007 Red Sox received their World Series rings. After all of this, something unexpected happened. Behind the plate stood Boston hero Dwight Evans, receiving many cheers from the crowd. After his introduction, another familiar face was seen walking from left field to the pitcher’s mound. That day, one that celebrated champions of the city, the city also forgave a man who had not shown his face in town for eleven years.
As soon as his name was announced, the Fenway Faithful gave Bill Buckner a long deserved standing ovation; coming twenty years, and two championships later. Trying to hold back his tears, Buckner wound up and threw a perfect strike to his former teammate.
When all is said and done, this moment not only represents a time to forgive, but also a time to forget. With two World Series Championships in the last five seasons, there is no longer any remorse for guys like Buckner, who tried their best but made one crucial mistake. When the fans saw him walking out to the mound, not a single one of them booed him.
This acted as a turning point for Sox fans, who have now put the “Curse of the Bambino” in the very back of their memories. Every person asked about what they thought about the whole thing had the same response, saying it was time to move on from those memories and give back for five minutes to a guy who had given those people his best effort for five years.
“So the winning run is at second base, with two outs, three and two to Mookie Wilson. Little roller up along first; BEHIND THE BAG! It gets through Buckner! Here comes Knight and the Mets win it!”. This quote, said by legendary broadcaster Vin Scully, had haunted Red Sox Nation for years. That fateful night, on October 25 of 1986, Boston Red Sox first baseman Bill Buckner misplayed a routine ground ball hit in Game 6 of the World Series. After the game, Buckner was run out of town, all the way to Idaho.
Tuesday afternoon, during the Red Sox home opener, the fans were able to see legends from the Boston Celtics, Boston Bruins, and New England Patriots before the 2007 Red Sox received their World Series rings. After all of this, something unexpected happened. Behind the plate stood Boston hero Dwight Evans, receiving many cheers from the crowd. After his introduction, another familiar face was seen walking from left field to the pitcher’s mound. That day, one that celebrated champions of the city, the city also forgave a man who had not shown his face in town for eleven years.
As soon as his name was announced, the Fenway Faithful gave Bill Buckner a long deserved standing ovation; coming twenty years, and two championships later. Trying to hold back his tears, Buckner wound up and threw a perfect strike to his former teammate.
When all is said and done, this moment not only represents a time to forgive, but also a time to forget. With two World Series Championships in the last five seasons, there is no longer any remorse for guys like Buckner, who tried their best but made one crucial mistake. When the fans saw him walking out to the mound, not a single one of them booed him.
This acted as a turning point for Sox fans, who have now put the “Curse of the Bambino” in the very back of their memories. Every person asked about what they thought about the whole thing had the same response, saying it was time to move on from those memories and give back for five minutes to a guy who had given those people his best effort for five years.
Softball
by Lauren Mulkern
The Pembroke High School varsity softball team is off to a rocky start. After ending the season last year with a 5-15 record, all they could do was look forward to the next year. Unfortunately, they lost the first two games to start the season. This included Martha’s Vineyard, and Hingham.
Martha’s Vineyard was a tough season opener seeing how the team had to travel in a bus and ferry just to reach the field. They had to wipe off some extra dust that had accumulated during the off season and this was portrayed while playing. After a tough loss, the girls arrived on the Hingham field. Hoping to get a win out of the game, the girls were very excited. However, the first inning was the toughest and they gave up five runs. This was a large amount of runs to try to beat. Luckily, the team did not let the first inning get to them and they followed it with six solid innings. The only thing that hurt them was the five runs in the first inning. Around five people hit doubles throughout the game at very necessary times. When the runs were counted up in the end, Pembroke Titans came short by one run.
Coach Pina encourages the team by telling them that they have a great chance at making the tournament. Coach Pina believes “this is the strongest infield Pembroke High has had”. This is a pretty big thing to say because it means that the infield must be pretty solid.
The Pembroke High School varsity softball team is off to a rocky start. After ending the season last year with a 5-15 record, all they could do was look forward to the next year. Unfortunately, they lost the first two games to start the season. This included Martha’s Vineyard, and Hingham.
Martha’s Vineyard was a tough season opener seeing how the team had to travel in a bus and ferry just to reach the field. They had to wipe off some extra dust that had accumulated during the off season and this was portrayed while playing. After a tough loss, the girls arrived on the Hingham field. Hoping to get a win out of the game, the girls were very excited. However, the first inning was the toughest and they gave up five runs. This was a large amount of runs to try to beat. Luckily, the team did not let the first inning get to them and they followed it with six solid innings. The only thing that hurt them was the five runs in the first inning. Around five people hit doubles throughout the game at very necessary times. When the runs were counted up in the end, Pembroke Titans came short by one run.
Coach Pina encourages the team by telling them that they have a great chance at making the tournament. Coach Pina believes “this is the strongest infield Pembroke High has had”. This is a pretty big thing to say because it means that the infield must be pretty solid.
Employee chases down robber
by Pat Ross
On the hottest day of the summer of 2001, a man walks into Churchill’s Lounge, A bar and cigar shop, he looks slightly shady but no one seems to care. He walks over to the cigar section and looks around not saying a word.
“Can I help you?” said Raymond Haley, a 50 year old employee. The man looked out of the corner of his eye. He seemed to be a younger man, in his late teens. Then he made a quick gesture towards some cigar cases and turned and ran right out the door. 50 year old Raymond Haley chased after him. He was right behind the criminal, easily keeping up with him because of his good shape.
“Raymond is probably the most in shape grandpa you could ever find,” said his wife Mary Ruiter. Then a quick turn into an alleyway didn’t throw him off a bit, he even started gaining ground.
“I think the kid was amazed that I was always behind him when he kept looking back,” said Ray himself.
“We played on a softball team together he’s the oldest guy on the team, and our fastest runner. So when he told me all this I wasn’t even surprised. It’s just something crazy Ray would do,” said friend Mike Colby. The chase continued further down the alley, after a few more minutes Raymond reached at the robber and took him down to the ground. They wrestled around for a minute but Mr. Haley pinned him down and called for some assistance.
“I knew I would get him the whole time,” said Raymond. Soon after the police showed up and took the man and shook Raymond’s hand.
“They [the police] told me they had it all on tape and I didn’t get what they meant. But I guess there was cameras set up in the alley that taped the whole thing. I went and watched it and though it was pretty cool,” said Haley.
“Ray told me all about it, and was dying to show me the tape after he saw it,” said Mary Ruiter. It turned out the robber tried to get away with more than a thousand dollars in cigars and other merchandize. He was charged with one count of larceny. From 1990 to 2002, 18% of felony convictions in the 75 largest counties were for violent offenses, including 7% for assault and 6% for robbery. (According to the U.S. Department of Justice)
Raymond now is the owner of Quincy Auto Driving School. He has a wife, stepdaughter and step son, and three grandchildren. He lives with his wife in Quincy, Massachusetts.
“The kid just picked the wrong place to rob, because I’m pretty damn fast,” Ray said with a smile and slight chuckle.
On the hottest day of the summer of 2001, a man walks into Churchill’s Lounge, A bar and cigar shop, he looks slightly shady but no one seems to care. He walks over to the cigar section and looks around not saying a word.
“Can I help you?” said Raymond Haley, a 50 year old employee. The man looked out of the corner of his eye. He seemed to be a younger man, in his late teens. Then he made a quick gesture towards some cigar cases and turned and ran right out the door. 50 year old Raymond Haley chased after him. He was right behind the criminal, easily keeping up with him because of his good shape.
“Raymond is probably the most in shape grandpa you could ever find,” said his wife Mary Ruiter. Then a quick turn into an alleyway didn’t throw him off a bit, he even started gaining ground.
“I think the kid was amazed that I was always behind him when he kept looking back,” said Ray himself.
“We played on a softball team together he’s the oldest guy on the team, and our fastest runner. So when he told me all this I wasn’t even surprised. It’s just something crazy Ray would do,” said friend Mike Colby. The chase continued further down the alley, after a few more minutes Raymond reached at the robber and took him down to the ground. They wrestled around for a minute but Mr. Haley pinned him down and called for some assistance.
“I knew I would get him the whole time,” said Raymond. Soon after the police showed up and took the man and shook Raymond’s hand.
“They [the police] told me they had it all on tape and I didn’t get what they meant. But I guess there was cameras set up in the alley that taped the whole thing. I went and watched it and though it was pretty cool,” said Haley.
“Ray told me all about it, and was dying to show me the tape after he saw it,” said Mary Ruiter. It turned out the robber tried to get away with more than a thousand dollars in cigars and other merchandize. He was charged with one count of larceny. From 1990 to 2002, 18% of felony convictions in the 75 largest counties were for violent offenses, including 7% for assault and 6% for robbery. (According to the U.S. Department of Justice)
Raymond now is the owner of Quincy Auto Driving School. He has a wife, stepdaughter and step son, and three grandchildren. He lives with his wife in Quincy, Massachusetts.
“The kid just picked the wrong place to rob, because I’m pretty damn fast,” Ray said with a smile and slight chuckle.
Adoption is a good option
by Rachael Crovo
Ashley Gardiner, now 14 was adopted at the age of nine months. Ashley was adopted in Paraguay by Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, of Pembroke Ma.
Ashley’s biological parents kept her for a few months but just could not handle having a child, they then put her in an adoption facility in Paraguay.
Ashley got adopted because Ashley’s mom had and still has health issues that prevent her from having children. If Mrs. Gardiner had gotten pregnant it would be a huge risk to her life and the child’s life. Also Ashley’s parents wanted more than one child.
The adoption was made official on July 4, 1993, and that was the day Ashley became truly a part of the Gardiner family.
Now, Ashley and her sister, get along like normal siblings, they have their fights, but they can be very close.
“One day when I was twelve, I was watching television, the Maury show or whatever it was called, and it was about finding adopted people biological mother’s and father’s. Every person that was on the show ended up getting reunited with their biological family members. After I saw that show, I couldn’t help but not to think that I could maybe find my biological parents. The idea of finding my real parents still weighs on my mind today, and I’m not sure what I would do if I ever had the chance to meet my biological parents. So many questions come to mind, when I imagine that I am meeting them for the first time. One specific question that comes to mind is , what would our relationship be after I met them, would we keep in touch or would we go our separate ways?” said Ashley Gardiner.
Ashley Gardiner, now 14 was adopted at the age of nine months. Ashley was adopted in Paraguay by Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, of Pembroke Ma.
Ashley’s biological parents kept her for a few months but just could not handle having a child, they then put her in an adoption facility in Paraguay.
Ashley got adopted because Ashley’s mom had and still has health issues that prevent her from having children. If Mrs. Gardiner had gotten pregnant it would be a huge risk to her life and the child’s life. Also Ashley’s parents wanted more than one child.
The adoption was made official on July 4, 1993, and that was the day Ashley became truly a part of the Gardiner family.
Now, Ashley and her sister, get along like normal siblings, they have their fights, but they can be very close.
“One day when I was twelve, I was watching television, the Maury show or whatever it was called, and it was about finding adopted people biological mother’s and father’s. Every person that was on the show ended up getting reunited with their biological family members. After I saw that show, I couldn’t help but not to think that I could maybe find my biological parents. The idea of finding my real parents still weighs on my mind today, and I’m not sure what I would do if I ever had the chance to meet my biological parents. So many questions come to mind, when I imagine that I am meeting them for the first time. One specific question that comes to mind is , what would our relationship be after I met them, would we keep in touch or would we go our separate ways?” said Ashley Gardiner.
A Helping Hand
by Ryan Hennigan
Community service is not about stacking up one’s college application or resume. It is not about doing things so that one might be proud or arrogant about it; and it certainly should not be done expecting a reward or praise. Neither should it be looked upon as a chore. Community service is supposed to happen when people genuinely want to help others and build a stronger community out of their own generous hearts.
It would be a difficult task to find someone who better exemplifies this virtue in PHS than senior, Elise Verkade. Her four years of high school have been spent endlessly dedicated to bettering our society one step at a time.
Elise’s most dazzling service to the community, to choose from many, came when she donated 18 inches of her hair in her sophomore year to Locks for Love. Locks for Love is an organization that takes donations of hair and makes wigs mostly for children with cancer. They only ask for a ten inch donation, but Elise saw it fit to receive a buzz cut. She had 80 people sponsor her per inch that she had cut. In addition to the Locks for Love donation, she raised $1,500 from her sponsors; all of which she donated to St. Jude’s hospital for cancer research for children.
Elise gets her influence from an additional source: the Non-Denominational Unitarian Universalist Youth Group Church she is a member of in the First Parish of Norwell.
“The ideas that the church expresses are very influential to me. I have been so lucky to have all these people in our community that treat me so good, that I just want to give back to them as best as I can,” said Elise.
Elise is involved in a couple other major community service programs. One of them is part of her National Honors Society senior service project; in which, along with her partner Alexa Teevens, she is cleaning up all the trails in the woods, making maps for them, and giving the maps to the Town Recreational Center so they can use them for things such as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts activities. She also works at the Crossroads for Kids in the summer. She works as Camp Wing in Duxbury as a counselor, but prior to this, all her experience there was community service in which she monitored and held activities for the kids at the summer camp.
Students at PHS are required to do 40 hours of community service by graduation. Mandatory community service for graduation became popular after a study was done in 1994 to prove that, 85% of the time, students who maintain a weekly community service record are most likely to succeed and have a higher grade point average than those who do none at all.
A true helper and example-setter for the community never stops. Her goal for the future is to join Big Brothers, Big Sisters; a group that matches adults with children to help the children reach their potential and a group that Elise has already unsuccessfully tried to join, but she has to wait until she is 21 to be a mentor.
Community service is not about stacking up one’s college application or resume. It is not about doing things so that one might be proud or arrogant about it; and it certainly should not be done expecting a reward or praise. Neither should it be looked upon as a chore. Community service is supposed to happen when people genuinely want to help others and build a stronger community out of their own generous hearts.
It would be a difficult task to find someone who better exemplifies this virtue in PHS than senior, Elise Verkade. Her four years of high school have been spent endlessly dedicated to bettering our society one step at a time.
Elise’s most dazzling service to the community, to choose from many, came when she donated 18 inches of her hair in her sophomore year to Locks for Love. Locks for Love is an organization that takes donations of hair and makes wigs mostly for children with cancer. They only ask for a ten inch donation, but Elise saw it fit to receive a buzz cut. She had 80 people sponsor her per inch that she had cut. In addition to the Locks for Love donation, she raised $1,500 from her sponsors; all of which she donated to St. Jude’s hospital for cancer research for children.
Elise gets her influence from an additional source: the Non-Denominational Unitarian Universalist Youth Group Church she is a member of in the First Parish of Norwell.
“The ideas that the church expresses are very influential to me. I have been so lucky to have all these people in our community that treat me so good, that I just want to give back to them as best as I can,” said Elise.
Elise is involved in a couple other major community service programs. One of them is part of her National Honors Society senior service project; in which, along with her partner Alexa Teevens, she is cleaning up all the trails in the woods, making maps for them, and giving the maps to the Town Recreational Center so they can use them for things such as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts activities. She also works at the Crossroads for Kids in the summer. She works as Camp Wing in Duxbury as a counselor, but prior to this, all her experience there was community service in which she monitored and held activities for the kids at the summer camp.
Students at PHS are required to do 40 hours of community service by graduation. Mandatory community service for graduation became popular after a study was done in 1994 to prove that, 85% of the time, students who maintain a weekly community service record are most likely to succeed and have a higher grade point average than those who do none at all.
A true helper and example-setter for the community never stops. Her goal for the future is to join Big Brothers, Big Sisters; a group that matches adults with children to help the children reach their potential and a group that Elise has already unsuccessfully tried to join, but she has to wait until she is 21 to be a mentor.
Six months pregnant transgender man shocks America
by Samantha Hooper
On April 3rd, Oprah aired an episode about a transgender man who is six months pregnant. The transgender man whose name is Thomas Beanie has always wanted a child and considers it a miracle. Beanie, 34 who was born a woman decided to become a man 10 years ago. He underwent breast surgery to remove glands and flatten his chest and also took testosterone treatments. Beanie told Oprah that he did not to do anything with my reproductive organs because I wanted to have a child one day.
Nancy, Beanies wife as well as a former lesbian told the talk show host that she inseminated him with a syringe using sperm purchased from a bank. Nancy and Thomas have been married for five years. They have two daughters from Nancy’s previous marriage. She told Oprah that the couple’s roles will not change after the baby is born. Beanie stopped taking testosterone two years ago and his hormone levels are normal.
Beanie said,” It’s not a male or female desire to have a child. It’s a human desire.”
How do you suppose the child will treated after it is born? Winfrey called the development “a new definition of what diversity means for everybody.” Most people were shocked, confused and slightly disturbed about Beanie’s pregnancy. This “miracle” as Beanie calls it, is one of the most shocking stories in many years. I can only imagine what will be happening ten years from now.
On April 3rd, Oprah aired an episode about a transgender man who is six months pregnant. The transgender man whose name is Thomas Beanie has always wanted a child and considers it a miracle. Beanie, 34 who was born a woman decided to become a man 10 years ago. He underwent breast surgery to remove glands and flatten his chest and also took testosterone treatments. Beanie told Oprah that he did not to do anything with my reproductive organs because I wanted to have a child one day.
Nancy, Beanies wife as well as a former lesbian told the talk show host that she inseminated him with a syringe using sperm purchased from a bank. Nancy and Thomas have been married for five years. They have two daughters from Nancy’s previous marriage. She told Oprah that the couple’s roles will not change after the baby is born. Beanie stopped taking testosterone two years ago and his hormone levels are normal.
Beanie said,” It’s not a male or female desire to have a child. It’s a human desire.”
How do you suppose the child will treated after it is born? Winfrey called the development “a new definition of what diversity means for everybody.” Most people were shocked, confused and slightly disturbed about Beanie’s pregnancy. This “miracle” as Beanie calls it, is one of the most shocking stories in many years. I can only imagine what will be happening ten years from now.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Pregnant men in Pembroke??
Ryan Hennigan
It always seems to be in obscure places like Oregon where things like men getting pregnant happen. As most know by now, Thomas Beatie, a married man who used to be a women before a sex change, has become pregnant through artificial insemination.
One can only imagine the complete chaos an event like this occurring in Pembroke would cause. Enough negative hype has been casted by the gossip created by this issue alone. If this happened in Pembroke, it would greatly affect and disturb the community.
On a national scale, the issue is being perceived as a celebration of human rights and a story of a couple overcoming prejudice and oppression. The doctors refused to allow the man to become pregnant due to concerns over health and religious beliefs, but Mr. Beatie turned to home insemination. However, if the event were local in the Pembroke area, the perception would most be much more negative.
In reality, Pembroke is largely a town of white Catholic or Protestant citizens. By nature, the citizens are rather narrow-minded in their views, turning away from ideas that don't appeal to their traditional Christian beliefs.
Generally, homosexuality is not an accepted idea in Pembroke; especially among the youth at Pembroke High School.
"I hate gay people," bluntly said a senior.
Students that "come out of the closet" at PHS are looked upon with shame and are shunned by others or verbally harassed. This is why students that realize their homosexuality in their high school years often do not confess it to others until later in their lives.
Although the man is married to a woman, Mr. Beatie was born a woman and is, therefore, a lesbian by nature. This fact alone would inspire discriminatory speech and abuse in Pembroke. Most residents would not even want a couple like Mr. Beatie and his wife to be their neighbors.
Furthermore, based on their religious beliefs, the people of Pembroke would be highly against sex changes and artificial insemination (in addition to homosexuality). Christians believe that God created humans in his vision; and therefore a person's natural state of being should not be tampered with.
As sad as it is, there are only two simple solutions to this issue. Either Pembroke as a whole changes its narrow-minded views, or pregnant men stay far far away from Pembroke. With Pembroke having a lack of diversity and being so set on its traditional values, it is unlikely that people such as pregnant men would be welcomed in Pembroke any time soon. The best course of action to create acceptance for people like Mr. Beatie at PHS would be for an organization such as the Gay/Straight Alliance Club to take large measures such as large demonstrations for the benefit of homosexual acceptance.
It always seems to be in obscure places like Oregon where things like men getting pregnant happen. As most know by now, Thomas Beatie, a married man who used to be a women before a sex change, has become pregnant through artificial insemination.
One can only imagine the complete chaos an event like this occurring in Pembroke would cause. Enough negative hype has been casted by the gossip created by this issue alone. If this happened in Pembroke, it would greatly affect and disturb the community.
On a national scale, the issue is being perceived as a celebration of human rights and a story of a couple overcoming prejudice and oppression. The doctors refused to allow the man to become pregnant due to concerns over health and religious beliefs, but Mr. Beatie turned to home insemination. However, if the event were local in the Pembroke area, the perception would most be much more negative.
In reality, Pembroke is largely a town of white Catholic or Protestant citizens. By nature, the citizens are rather narrow-minded in their views, turning away from ideas that don't appeal to their traditional Christian beliefs.
Generally, homosexuality is not an accepted idea in Pembroke; especially among the youth at Pembroke High School.
"I hate gay people," bluntly said a senior.
Students that "come out of the closet" at PHS are looked upon with shame and are shunned by others or verbally harassed. This is why students that realize their homosexuality in their high school years often do not confess it to others until later in their lives.
Although the man is married to a woman, Mr. Beatie was born a woman and is, therefore, a lesbian by nature. This fact alone would inspire discriminatory speech and abuse in Pembroke. Most residents would not even want a couple like Mr. Beatie and his wife to be their neighbors.
Furthermore, based on their religious beliefs, the people of Pembroke would be highly against sex changes and artificial insemination (in addition to homosexuality). Christians believe that God created humans in his vision; and therefore a person's natural state of being should not be tampered with.
As sad as it is, there are only two simple solutions to this issue. Either Pembroke as a whole changes its narrow-minded views, or pregnant men stay far far away from Pembroke. With Pembroke having a lack of diversity and being so set on its traditional values, it is unlikely that people such as pregnant men would be welcomed in Pembroke any time soon. The best course of action to create acceptance for people like Mr. Beatie at PHS would be for an organization such as the Gay/Straight Alliance Club to take large measures such as large demonstrations for the benefit of homosexual acceptance.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Society needs a change
Celine Chahine
Today, the world is no longer a problem free, perfect and safe place. Society is getting unbearably worse and children are beginning to have corrupt thoughts at unusually early ages.
In Georgia, a group of third grade special education students plotted to kill their teacher, the plot was learned by officials on March 28. The plot was taken by police as a serious threat and it was also known that the students brought in weapons such as a broken knife, tape, handcuffs and other things that were planned to be used. The students even appointed roles, one would shut off the lights, one would kill the teacher and one would clean up the mess.
If the students weren’t interrupted then there could’ve been an attempted murder from a group of third graders. That’s kids that are only 8 to 9 years of age! A crime as big as murder shouldn’t even start phasing in a child’s mind, it is quite obvious that some parent, guardian or adult gave the ringleader of the young group of third graders such violent thoughts. If the ideas are not from an adult, then they are possibly from a movie, song or videogame.
The adults of this society need to realize that it is vital for a child to have good influences in life, because the mind develops at an early age. If society succeeds in this task, then the children of our day can be raised into good adults for the upcoming future.
Today, the world is no longer a problem free, perfect and safe place. Society is getting unbearably worse and children are beginning to have corrupt thoughts at unusually early ages.
In Georgia, a group of third grade special education students plotted to kill their teacher, the plot was learned by officials on March 28. The plot was taken by police as a serious threat and it was also known that the students brought in weapons such as a broken knife, tape, handcuffs and other things that were planned to be used. The students even appointed roles, one would shut off the lights, one would kill the teacher and one would clean up the mess.
If the students weren’t interrupted then there could’ve been an attempted murder from a group of third graders. That’s kids that are only 8 to 9 years of age! A crime as big as murder shouldn’t even start phasing in a child’s mind, it is quite obvious that some parent, guardian or adult gave the ringleader of the young group of third graders such violent thoughts. If the ideas are not from an adult, then they are possibly from a movie, song or videogame.
The adults of this society need to realize that it is vital for a child to have good influences in life, because the mind develops at an early age. If society succeeds in this task, then the children of our day can be raised into good adults for the upcoming future.
Butting heads over budget
Kim Rizzitano
There has been a conflict of opinion among Pembroke committee members concerning the school systems budget. While the advisory committee suggests a budget number of 26.02 million dollars, the town administrator, Edwin Throne, has recommended a smaller amount of spending of 25.63 million dollars. Superintendent, Frank Hackett, however, has outweighed both suggestions and put forth 26.86 million dollars.
On Monday night, March 31, the conflicting sides came together to figure out how to close the gap between the budget propositions. The committee members, town administrator, and the superintendent had to figure out how to compromise 840,000 dollars, which was the amount differing, ultimately, between their suggestions.
On April 22 the recommendations will be presented at the town meeting. However, the committee believes they will have a better idea of a budget once the application deadline for vocational schools has past. In, addition, new athletic teams such as freshman soccer teams, a junior varsity lacrosse teams, and an individual Pembroke girl’s hockey team have been thrown out as possibilities.
Budget has been a constant concern in Pembroke and on whether it has been spent well or to the students’ benefit. Controversy arose over the new Steinway piano bought for the music department with money from the budget. Many members of the town of Pembroke felt it was a waste of money while others thought it was an opportunity for music students to enhance their skills. Groups with contrasting opinions point out that the sports department is constantly receiving new gear and this is one of few of the music department’s purchases.
As reported in the Boston Globe, Eileen Hutchinson, a committee member, said, “I don’t know if we’re supporting the other areas as well as we should be,” when the question of funding more sports teams was proposed.
Nevertheless, the budget will be decided by the committee after much deliberation.
There has been a conflict of opinion among Pembroke committee members concerning the school systems budget. While the advisory committee suggests a budget number of 26.02 million dollars, the town administrator, Edwin Throne, has recommended a smaller amount of spending of 25.63 million dollars. Superintendent, Frank Hackett, however, has outweighed both suggestions and put forth 26.86 million dollars.
On Monday night, March 31, the conflicting sides came together to figure out how to close the gap between the budget propositions. The committee members, town administrator, and the superintendent had to figure out how to compromise 840,000 dollars, which was the amount differing, ultimately, between their suggestions.
On April 22 the recommendations will be presented at the town meeting. However, the committee believes they will have a better idea of a budget once the application deadline for vocational schools has past. In, addition, new athletic teams such as freshman soccer teams, a junior varsity lacrosse teams, and an individual Pembroke girl’s hockey team have been thrown out as possibilities.
Budget has been a constant concern in Pembroke and on whether it has been spent well or to the students’ benefit. Controversy arose over the new Steinway piano bought for the music department with money from the budget. Many members of the town of Pembroke felt it was a waste of money while others thought it was an opportunity for music students to enhance their skills. Groups with contrasting opinions point out that the sports department is constantly receiving new gear and this is one of few of the music department’s purchases.
As reported in the Boston Globe, Eileen Hutchinson, a committee member, said, “I don’t know if we’re supporting the other areas as well as we should be,” when the question of funding more sports teams was proposed.
Nevertheless, the budget will be decided by the committee after much deliberation.
Terrifying Trucks
Lauren Mulkern
As a driver, I was always scared to drive past trucks. After learning in Drivers Ed the large blind spots they have, I never want to be anywhere nears the trucks on the road. It is a very scary situation when you are trying to get somewhere and you encounter a truck on the road.
On Friday March 29, 2008, a fuel tanker was cut off by another vehicle. This truck was transporting 9,500 gallons of gasoline and 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel. The trailer and tanker separated which resulted in the tanker rolling of the highway and exploding. While seeing the pictures of this accident, I noticed a huge black cloud as a result. When I turned on the news and saw these pictures, I automatically thought of 9/11. There was so much smoke and fire that I had no idea what was going on.
When I found out that it was one single truck that led to this, I was terrified. I could have been there and been injured. I feel like something like this could happen any day to anyone.
I think it should be illegal to cut off trucks, especially ones that are transporting fuel. I really have no idea how we could prevent this type of thing happening. It is such an unfortunate accident that it could happen right in Pembroke. That is why the only thing I can think of is to not cut off trucks. This way they won’t have to make any quick and drastic moves. Therefore, no accidents can happen.
Trucks may not seem as dangerous to you as they really are. Just look at this accident.
As a driver, I was always scared to drive past trucks. After learning in Drivers Ed the large blind spots they have, I never want to be anywhere nears the trucks on the road. It is a very scary situation when you are trying to get somewhere and you encounter a truck on the road.
On Friday March 29, 2008, a fuel tanker was cut off by another vehicle. This truck was transporting 9,500 gallons of gasoline and 1,000 gallons of diesel fuel. The trailer and tanker separated which resulted in the tanker rolling of the highway and exploding. While seeing the pictures of this accident, I noticed a huge black cloud as a result. When I turned on the news and saw these pictures, I automatically thought of 9/11. There was so much smoke and fire that I had no idea what was going on.
When I found out that it was one single truck that led to this, I was terrified. I could have been there and been injured. I feel like something like this could happen any day to anyone.
I think it should be illegal to cut off trucks, especially ones that are transporting fuel. I really have no idea how we could prevent this type of thing happening. It is such an unfortunate accident that it could happen right in Pembroke. That is why the only thing I can think of is to not cut off trucks. This way they won’t have to make any quick and drastic moves. Therefore, no accidents can happen.
Trucks may not seem as dangerous to you as they really are. Just look at this accident.
LeBron James; unnecessary controversy
Kim Pham
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James is known for his dominating play on the court, exhibiting exceptional offensive play and solid upper body strength. But the basketball superstar has taken on a new challenge; modeling for Vogue.
For their April issue, the uber trendy magazine had James grace its' cover alongside international bombshell Gisele Bundchen. He joins the ranks of Richard Gere and George Clooney, the only other men to have done so in the influential fashion magazine's history. And more notably, James is the first black man to adorn Vogue's front.
But amidst all the cheer and admiration, controversy still managed to plague James' debut as a cover model. The photo depicts a gorilla-like James dribbling a basketball and clutching the tiny Bundchen around the waist, posed mid-scream. In the eyes of many critics, Vogue is seemingly perpetuating the racial stereotype of a dangerous, reckless black male. Magazine analysts and columnists nationwide decry the image as deliberately provocative and memorable for all the wrong reasons. James' “King Kong” Vogue cover is just another representation of aggressive and threatening black sports figures, something that “reinforces the criminalization of black men,”said Damion Thomas, professor in the Department of Kinesiology at University of Maryland.
No offense, Professor, but are you (expletive) kidding me?!
There is absolutely no racist overtone to the cover; it is simply a showcase of the contrast between a powerful, masculine strength (James) and a gentle, feminine beauty (Bundchen). Race shouldn't even be in the equation, as Vogue is just trying to set the backdrop for their Shape Issue, which will give readers the “Secrets of the Best Bodies [from] the World's Top Models and Star Athletes.”
This notion that white athletes are generally portrayed as smiling or laughing while black sports figures are given a beastly vibe is utterly absurd. These posed pictures are merely an expression of their athletic personality. People are delving much too deeply by accusing the magazine of exhibiting racial stereotypes in their covers. In the Vogue cover, James is just demonstrating his game face; nothing more, nothing less.
Political correctness is getting out of hand, with people censoring and condemning anything that can be perceived as even remotely hurtful to the public. This ridiculous hypersensitivity to race is slowly stifling artistic expression and it needs to be stopped!
Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James is known for his dominating play on the court, exhibiting exceptional offensive play and solid upper body strength. But the basketball superstar has taken on a new challenge; modeling for Vogue.
For their April issue, the uber trendy magazine had James grace its' cover alongside international bombshell Gisele Bundchen. He joins the ranks of Richard Gere and George Clooney, the only other men to have done so in the influential fashion magazine's history. And more notably, James is the first black man to adorn Vogue's front.
But amidst all the cheer and admiration, controversy still managed to plague James' debut as a cover model. The photo depicts a gorilla-like James dribbling a basketball and clutching the tiny Bundchen around the waist, posed mid-scream. In the eyes of many critics, Vogue is seemingly perpetuating the racial stereotype of a dangerous, reckless black male. Magazine analysts and columnists nationwide decry the image as deliberately provocative and memorable for all the wrong reasons. James' “King Kong” Vogue cover is just another representation of aggressive and threatening black sports figures, something that “reinforces the criminalization of black men,”said Damion Thomas, professor in the Department of Kinesiology at University of Maryland.
No offense, Professor, but are you (expletive) kidding me?!
There is absolutely no racist overtone to the cover; it is simply a showcase of the contrast between a powerful, masculine strength (James) and a gentle, feminine beauty (Bundchen). Race shouldn't even be in the equation, as Vogue is just trying to set the backdrop for their Shape Issue, which will give readers the “Secrets of the Best Bodies [from] the World's Top Models and Star Athletes.”
This notion that white athletes are generally portrayed as smiling or laughing while black sports figures are given a beastly vibe is utterly absurd. These posed pictures are merely an expression of their athletic personality. People are delving much too deeply by accusing the magazine of exhibiting racial stereotypes in their covers. In the Vogue cover, James is just demonstrating his game face; nothing more, nothing less.
Political correctness is getting out of hand, with people censoring and condemning anything that can be perceived as even remotely hurtful to the public. This ridiculous hypersensitivity to race is slowly stifling artistic expression and it needs to be stopped!
The children are the future, Say hello to steak knives
Lauren Hanley
“Sit down Harry. If you stand on the chair one more time, you are in big trouble,” said the elementary school teacher, interrupted by the recess bell. The little children fled in excitement to play on the jungle gym and scamper in the crisp spring air, all but nine. Theses nine elementary students are not going to play with the other children, for they have a mission to prepare and execute the upcoming morning.
Last week allegations spurred controversy among Waycross, Georgia residents and authorities, when third-graders plotted to knock out, handcuff, and stab their teacher. Psychiatry experts claim that it is unlikely for children at such a young age to sincerely intend to fatally hurt anyone. But the crystal paperweight, steak knife, steel handcuffs, and other malicious items brought in by third-graders, incited shock and fear within neighbors of the school.
According to MSN news April 1 issue, Dr. Louis Kraus, a child psychiatry expert at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said “I doubt they would have actually attacked. Children that age are certainly imaginative and capable of creating elaborate games. The reality is it is highly unlikely they would have been successful at this," Kraus said. "Even if it had begun, it's unclear whether they actually would have followed through with it."
Police claim that the third-graders at Waycross Center Elementary School were provoked by the teacher’s strict discipline towards her students. The authorities said nine students were involved, but prosecutors are looking for juvenile charges against only three of them.
I can not believe that children so young would have the motif and anger to plot the murder of their teacher. The entire school should be examined so authorities can uncover why its environment incited such evil from little children. Also, the children need to see a phyciatrist and get help. All these children are mentally insane for wanting to inflict grave danger on an innocent being. This event is a sign and cry for compassion within school systems. Teachers need to be more empathetic towards their students and work to establish a relationship.
In regards to prosecution charges, the students should get the bare minimum sentences because they clearly do not know what they are doing and are not thinking straight.
People are always saying that our children are our future. Well if the future means attacking others with steak knives, then tomorrow does not look so good. We all need to come together and take a second look at our children to see if we are raising them with morals and virtue.
“Sit down Harry. If you stand on the chair one more time, you are in big trouble,” said the elementary school teacher, interrupted by the recess bell. The little children fled in excitement to play on the jungle gym and scamper in the crisp spring air, all but nine. Theses nine elementary students are not going to play with the other children, for they have a mission to prepare and execute the upcoming morning.
Last week allegations spurred controversy among Waycross, Georgia residents and authorities, when third-graders plotted to knock out, handcuff, and stab their teacher. Psychiatry experts claim that it is unlikely for children at such a young age to sincerely intend to fatally hurt anyone. But the crystal paperweight, steak knife, steel handcuffs, and other malicious items brought in by third-graders, incited shock and fear within neighbors of the school.
According to MSN news April 1 issue, Dr. Louis Kraus, a child psychiatry expert at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, said “I doubt they would have actually attacked. Children that age are certainly imaginative and capable of creating elaborate games. The reality is it is highly unlikely they would have been successful at this," Kraus said. "Even if it had begun, it's unclear whether they actually would have followed through with it."
Police claim that the third-graders at Waycross Center Elementary School were provoked by the teacher’s strict discipline towards her students. The authorities said nine students were involved, but prosecutors are looking for juvenile charges against only three of them.
I can not believe that children so young would have the motif and anger to plot the murder of their teacher. The entire school should be examined so authorities can uncover why its environment incited such evil from little children. Also, the children need to see a phyciatrist and get help. All these children are mentally insane for wanting to inflict grave danger on an innocent being. This event is a sign and cry for compassion within school systems. Teachers need to be more empathetic towards their students and work to establish a relationship.
In regards to prosecution charges, the students should get the bare minimum sentences because they clearly do not know what they are doing and are not thinking straight.
People are always saying that our children are our future. Well if the future means attacking others with steak knives, then tomorrow does not look so good. We all need to come together and take a second look at our children to see if we are raising them with morals and virtue.
Censorship in school
Chris Holland
Everyday, kids are looking for information for projects, essays, etc. Everyday, the websites that will provide the best information, the students find blocked. Even there is the occasional spare time for students, they can’t access their sources of entertainment, such as harmless games and fantasy sports.
The school claims that whatever they block is for the good of the learning environment. However, how is not allowing students to look at their fantasy sports leagues for all of five minutes going to better the school’s learning environment?
As a student, the day is stressful enough between all of the class-work, homework, essays, projects, tests, and quizzes assigned in various classes. A few minutes of relaxation wouldn’t hurt the way that the school runs. In fact, it would help the students to concentrate better in their classes if they aren’t completely stressed out.
The school has to allow some of these sites for students to visit during the course of the day. If the sites are damaging the school, they should be allowed. Games that are graphic and inappropriate for school should be blocked. Although, there is nothing wrong with games like Heli Attack and Mini Putt and those are blocked from student use.
When it comes to educational websites, such as those used for homework and projects, some of those are even blocked. These websites have an educational purpose, and the school is cutting them off from students. This does more damage to the learning environment then anything does. There is no possible way that a school can benefit from blocking educational sites.
Granted, the school can be a little lenient but it’s not enough. With only news and research sites available in the school at most times, the school has to give the students a little more wiggle room.
Everyday, kids are looking for information for projects, essays, etc. Everyday, the websites that will provide the best information, the students find blocked. Even there is the occasional spare time for students, they can’t access their sources of entertainment, such as harmless games and fantasy sports.
The school claims that whatever they block is for the good of the learning environment. However, how is not allowing students to look at their fantasy sports leagues for all of five minutes going to better the school’s learning environment?
As a student, the day is stressful enough between all of the class-work, homework, essays, projects, tests, and quizzes assigned in various classes. A few minutes of relaxation wouldn’t hurt the way that the school runs. In fact, it would help the students to concentrate better in their classes if they aren’t completely stressed out.
The school has to allow some of these sites for students to visit during the course of the day. If the sites are damaging the school, they should be allowed. Games that are graphic and inappropriate for school should be blocked. Although, there is nothing wrong with games like Heli Attack and Mini Putt and those are blocked from student use.
When it comes to educational websites, such as those used for homework and projects, some of those are even blocked. These websites have an educational purpose, and the school is cutting them off from students. This does more damage to the learning environment then anything does. There is no possible way that a school can benefit from blocking educational sites.
Granted, the school can be a little lenient but it’s not enough. With only news and research sites available in the school at most times, the school has to give the students a little more wiggle room.
Budget Solutions
Nicholas Papadopolous
Pembroke is going to need a lot of ovens.
Pembroke Schools Superintendent Frank Hackett said that “Bake Sales” would be the solution to the ever expanding Pembroke Schools budget. The budget is hardly an issue to joke about. With taxpayers having to dish out more and more to keep the schools running, changes will need to be made.
The school budget increased this year to $25.12 million, but the school has already overspent and they have used $26.67 million of taxpayer’s dollars. Some of the new expenses include $35,000 for a pre-kindergarten teacher, $55,000 toward the REACH program for autistic children, and $55,000 for a piano.
According to one town resident dubbed “going broke in P-Broke” on wikedlocal.com, “tax rate is paying back 55 million in schoo construction bond debt with about 9 million being payed down this year, when this is all paid off they are going to try to get a new town hall and police station”
Other commenters on wikedlocal.com have complained that there tax dollars are not improving the town, saying that the town is becoming more of a “ghetto”. Some of their complaints spawn from the recent break-ins around Pembroke, and others complain about people leaving the town because of the high tax rates.
Superintendent Hackett had some serious answers about how he would battle the expanding budget. Hackett said that Pembroke will apply for grants and raise the price of vocational tuition. However, Hackett said that he would not raise the price of athletic fees, bus fees or kindergarden tuition.
The school committee met to discuss the budget again on Tuesday, March 25, and Hackett and administrators hoped to be able to meet the town’s budget figure. But, nothing was decided in that meeting.
Pembroke is going to need a lot of ovens.
Pembroke Schools Superintendent Frank Hackett said that “Bake Sales” would be the solution to the ever expanding Pembroke Schools budget. The budget is hardly an issue to joke about. With taxpayers having to dish out more and more to keep the schools running, changes will need to be made.
The school budget increased this year to $25.12 million, but the school has already overspent and they have used $26.67 million of taxpayer’s dollars. Some of the new expenses include $35,000 for a pre-kindergarten teacher, $55,000 toward the REACH program for autistic children, and $55,000 for a piano.
According to one town resident dubbed “going broke in P-Broke” on wikedlocal.com, “tax rate is paying back 55 million in schoo construction bond debt with about 9 million being payed down this year, when this is all paid off they are going to try to get a new town hall and police station”
Other commenters on wikedlocal.com have complained that there tax dollars are not improving the town, saying that the town is becoming more of a “ghetto”. Some of their complaints spawn from the recent break-ins around Pembroke, and others complain about people leaving the town because of the high tax rates.
Superintendent Hackett had some serious answers about how he would battle the expanding budget. Hackett said that Pembroke will apply for grants and raise the price of vocational tuition. However, Hackett said that he would not raise the price of athletic fees, bus fees or kindergarden tuition.
The school committee met to discuss the budget again on Tuesday, March 25, and Hackett and administrators hoped to be able to meet the town’s budget figure. But, nothing was decided in that meeting.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
What are we rich?
Patrick Ross
Prom is next Friday, April 11, and it will be an extremely special time in each junior’s life. But the cost for everything is outrageous; a limo for 500 dollars, a tuxedo for 150, dresses for hundreds of dollars, and tickets for 65, not to mention if your going to buy your dates which makes it 130. Now another bump in the prices has taken place. Ticket prices have gone up due to a deadline that has no meaning at all. Prices were 65 dollars per ticket before March 28, but anytime after were 70 dollars for tickets. The increase may be minor but if you buying your dates ticket it is an extra ten bucks that someone may not have.
There is literally no reason for this change. They already have the tickets so why charge even more for kids to go? It is hard enough for most kids to go with all the other money requirements. Some kids may not have the money until the week after it has changed because of numerous reasons. Maybe there check from work didn’t come yet, maybe there waiting on their parents for money, there’s also the chance that they literally don’t have the money for financial reasons, and they simply could have forgot. So why punish kids for things they can not really control? They have no explanation for it.
A solution; just keep the prices how they are, plain and simple. Although they are already high, we all rather them be as low as they possibly can be. Of course tickets are only going to be sold for another week, so the chance for this to happen is doubtful. I guess we will just have to suck it up and pay up.
Prom is next Friday, April 11, and it will be an extremely special time in each junior’s life. But the cost for everything is outrageous; a limo for 500 dollars, a tuxedo for 150, dresses for hundreds of dollars, and tickets for 65, not to mention if your going to buy your dates which makes it 130. Now another bump in the prices has taken place. Ticket prices have gone up due to a deadline that has no meaning at all. Prices were 65 dollars per ticket before March 28, but anytime after were 70 dollars for tickets. The increase may be minor but if you buying your dates ticket it is an extra ten bucks that someone may not have.
There is literally no reason for this change. They already have the tickets so why charge even more for kids to go? It is hard enough for most kids to go with all the other money requirements. Some kids may not have the money until the week after it has changed because of numerous reasons. Maybe there check from work didn’t come yet, maybe there waiting on their parents for money, there’s also the chance that they literally don’t have the money for financial reasons, and they simply could have forgot. So why punish kids for things they can not really control? They have no explanation for it.
A solution; just keep the prices how they are, plain and simple. Although they are already high, we all rather them be as low as they possibly can be. Of course tickets are only going to be sold for another week, so the chance for this to happen is doubtful. I guess we will just have to suck it up and pay up.
Olympic Controversy
Ryan Grindle
Over the past few weeks, some events have occurred that may jeopardize the Beijing Summer Olympics, set to begin on August 8.
For years, there has been continuous conflict in Tibet, where many under Chinese rule have sought national independence. In recent weeks, escalated conflict has severely damaged the image of China, causing some countries to express their political disagreement.
Even more recently, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has found that the air in Beijing is so polluted that it could threaten the health of some of the distance runners. Along with that, the stadium that will act as the center of the games is still a construction site. These incidents, along with the longstanding political image of China, have made this year’s Olympic site very controversial.
The amazing thing about all of this is that these issues are just making headlines four months before the games begin. The decision to make Beijing the host of the Summer Olympics was made two years ago. Yet despite that, many countries are contemplating whether the IOC’s choice was a good one.
I have nothing against the Olympics ever being in Beijing, but the timing is not very good this year. At the moment, it does not seem like a resolution in Tibet is likely any time soon, but these other concerns can be fixed with time. The Chinese government is saying that the amount of air pollution is on the decline and is much better than it was five years ago. The stadium, which is supposed to have state of the art facilities, are on pace to be finished in time, but something could go wrong.
The IOC should have made the decision to hold off on putting the Olympics in Beijing, and instead swapped its spot with London, which hosts the games in 2012. This would have given the Chinese more time to prepare.
Right now, it’s too late to change plans, so all that’s left is to see, and hope that everything goes off without a hitch.
Over the past few weeks, some events have occurred that may jeopardize the Beijing Summer Olympics, set to begin on August 8.
For years, there has been continuous conflict in Tibet, where many under Chinese rule have sought national independence. In recent weeks, escalated conflict has severely damaged the image of China, causing some countries to express their political disagreement.
Even more recently, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has found that the air in Beijing is so polluted that it could threaten the health of some of the distance runners. Along with that, the stadium that will act as the center of the games is still a construction site. These incidents, along with the longstanding political image of China, have made this year’s Olympic site very controversial.
The amazing thing about all of this is that these issues are just making headlines four months before the games begin. The decision to make Beijing the host of the Summer Olympics was made two years ago. Yet despite that, many countries are contemplating whether the IOC’s choice was a good one.
I have nothing against the Olympics ever being in Beijing, but the timing is not very good this year. At the moment, it does not seem like a resolution in Tibet is likely any time soon, but these other concerns can be fixed with time. The Chinese government is saying that the amount of air pollution is on the decline and is much better than it was five years ago. The stadium, which is supposed to have state of the art facilities, are on pace to be finished in time, but something could go wrong.
The IOC should have made the decision to hold off on putting the Olympics in Beijing, and instead swapped its spot with London, which hosts the games in 2012. This would have given the Chinese more time to prepare.
Right now, it’s too late to change plans, so all that’s left is to see, and hope that everything goes off without a hitch.
One word: Genius.
Mary Polleys
Best way to mess with the town authorities and the school administration in one swoop? Dustin Zebro killed two birds with one stone when he staged the ultimate teen drinking party.
The cops thought they had hit the jackpot when they crashed the Zebro residence in Wausau, Wisconsin to find a keg, red party cups, cars lining the street, and crowds of underage kids milling about. However, when they attempted a bust, all they found was some good wholesome fun and cups full of root beer.
The lucky police officers who were made an example of by the Wisconsin teens, even made several students take breath tests, all of whom easily passed.
Reportedly, Zebro held the root beer kegger to poke fun at the school, who had suspended his friends from athletics for pictures depicting them drinking from red party cups.
Zebro, and other students involved, have been made heroes on YouTube by similarly minded students who think the school should have less to do with their lives outside of school.
A similar issue has arisen here at Pembroke High School, with the enactment of the new MIAA chemical health rule and students have already felt the heat.
Would a root beer kegger prove the same point here in Pembroke? A point being made is also that even though police and school officials think that students in town are all up to no good, it’s not always the case.
What Zebro did with his classmates was brilliant, and it gives the adult population that teens are more clever than they think we are. It’s up to students like Zebro to keep the school in line when it comes to student rights, and that fact that the video has gained such popularity on you-tube shows that the majority of students feel that their rights are being threatened.
Best way to mess with the town authorities and the school administration in one swoop? Dustin Zebro killed two birds with one stone when he staged the ultimate teen drinking party.
The cops thought they had hit the jackpot when they crashed the Zebro residence in Wausau, Wisconsin to find a keg, red party cups, cars lining the street, and crowds of underage kids milling about. However, when they attempted a bust, all they found was some good wholesome fun and cups full of root beer.
The lucky police officers who were made an example of by the Wisconsin teens, even made several students take breath tests, all of whom easily passed.
Reportedly, Zebro held the root beer kegger to poke fun at the school, who had suspended his friends from athletics for pictures depicting them drinking from red party cups.
Zebro, and other students involved, have been made heroes on YouTube by similarly minded students who think the school should have less to do with their lives outside of school.
A similar issue has arisen here at Pembroke High School, with the enactment of the new MIAA chemical health rule and students have already felt the heat.
Would a root beer kegger prove the same point here in Pembroke? A point being made is also that even though police and school officials think that students in town are all up to no good, it’s not always the case.
What Zebro did with his classmates was brilliant, and it gives the adult population that teens are more clever than they think we are. It’s up to students like Zebro to keep the school in line when it comes to student rights, and that fact that the video has gained such popularity on you-tube shows that the majority of students feel that their rights are being threatened.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
While you were out
Rachael Crovo
During the journalism convention in New York, Mr.Turley’s period seven class was left with tons of work to do, and no Mr. Turley. Luckily Mr.Bullock substituted for Mr.Turley while he and the rest of our class were in New York for three days. During the three day span when the class was in New York City, myself and about five other classmates had to decide the theme of the April issue, collect story ideas,(which we came up with about fifteen. GO US!) and we attempted to layout the newspaper pages. We ended up doing just fine on our own.
Our substitute teacher Mr.Bullock was awesome. He is definitely my favorite substitute. Mr.Bullock is a chill, laid-back guy he basically let us do whatever we wanted, and whatever we needed to do. He also helped us come up with story ideas.
When the rest of the class was in New York City, the six of us had the most chill, laid-back class I have ever had.
During the journalism convention in New York, Mr.Turley’s period seven class was left with tons of work to do, and no Mr. Turley. Luckily Mr.Bullock substituted for Mr.Turley while he and the rest of our class were in New York for three days. During the three day span when the class was in New York City, myself and about five other classmates had to decide the theme of the April issue, collect story ideas,(which we came up with about fifteen. GO US!) and we attempted to layout the newspaper pages. We ended up doing just fine on our own.
Our substitute teacher Mr.Bullock was awesome. He is definitely my favorite substitute. Mr.Bullock is a chill, laid-back guy he basically let us do whatever we wanted, and whatever we needed to do. He also helped us come up with story ideas.
When the rest of the class was in New York City, the six of us had the most chill, laid-back class I have ever had.
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