news briefs ....

tuesday, february 11, 2009 volume 21, issue 5

Buy localInaugural memoir

Making weightA look into the lives of wrestlers as they attempt to stay healthy while cutting weight. p. 11

A glance at the importance of supporting local businesses, keeping money local and embracing the local culture.pp. 6-7

Junior Andrew Sagers sheds light on Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration. He attended with the organization People to People. p. 4

As more and more students begin to enter college and other professional programs, high schools, such as this one, are beginning to place a greater emphasis on programs and classes that will aid students in their college studies. One such program is an engineering program, a set of specific classes over four years that would better prepare the student to study engineering in college. The program would consist of four classes to be taken over a student’s high school years. Freshmen would enter the program and take “Principles of Engineering,” as sophomores, they would take “Introduction to Engineering and Design.” Juniors would study “Digital Electronics,” while seniors would take “Civil Engineering and Architecture.” The first course would be taught by science teacher Jeff Siewert, the second by technology teacher Mark Goodrich. At this point, no staff has been assigned to instruct the final two courses. “If (the program) is approved, the first course, Principles of Engineering, would be available in the fall of 2009, followed by Introduction to Engineering and Design in 2010. The final two courses, Digital Electronics and Civil Engineering, would be available in 2011,” said Curriculum Director Lowell Ernst. All grade levels can participate, but the program will

be designed to be took one course per year for each year in high school. Students will also receive college credit, through Iowa State University, although they must keep a “B” average in the class, and additionally pass a certification test. The program, although specifically targeted at those wanting to be engineers, could be of great help to all students. “The program is officially targeted toward 80% of the student body. It prepares students to become efficient problem solvers and logical thinkers. These are skills in high demand in businesses and industry. Students can move from these courses into programs that prepare them for high tech careers. (The high school) sees this as a way to offer rigorous programming at an early level of high school that moves students to additional challenging courses,” said Ernst. While the goal is to have these classes ready at the start of the ‘09-’10 school year, obstacles, including funding and up-to-date technology, are still holding back implication of the program. Additional staff may also be needed after the first two years. “Funding is the main obstacle that exists,” said Ernst. “We have been approved a $50,000 grant from the Iowa

Department of Economic Development, Des Moines Area Community College and the Kim Family Foundation. The rest of the money will come from a coalition of businesses that has Pella Corporation at the hub. Private funding is the only way to make this work.” However, in a time of recession, funding from the businesses may not happen; if the money for the program cannot be obtained, the program could be delayed. Additionally, the school needs to make sure that the technology infrastructure will be able to support the many demands of the classes. Still, Ernst is optimistic that the program will happen and be available for incoming students. The program could even help draw additional students to the school, as it is offered at only 70 high schools statewide. “Our high school has a reputation for excellence, and we want to maintain that by offering up-to-date programs that align with the job market. (The program) will increase the students’ exposure to promising careers in math and science, while helping them see the relevance of technology in society,” said Ernst.

  

!"District Speech was held in Ottumwa Jan. 24. Five groups advanced to state with “I” ratings. The teams competed at state in Pella Feb. 7. Complete coverage will appear in the March Pelladium.

!"The Central College Honor

Band was held Jan. 29. Participants included freshmen Amanda Lauritsen and Jessica Salpor, sophomores Sarah Ferguson and Jon Jaarsma, juniors Hannah Axt, Erin Van Hal, Emily Gates, Lisa Vander Meiden, Stephanie Jensen and

Alex Maasdam, and, seniors Stewart Beyer, Nick Wills and Mollie Kingma.

!"AcaPella show choir received a “I” rating at state contest Feb. 2. Dutch Divas received a “II.”

!"Central College’s Singfest Vocal Festival will be held at Central

College Feb. 12. Participants include sophomores Lynae Toom, Luke Vande Haar and Callie Deaton, juniors Maggie-Anne Landon, Morgan Anderson, Drew Senn, Mackenzie Van Zante and Emily Lyng, and, seniors

Hannah Maakestad, Carley De Jong, Josh Dale and Hannah Harthoorn.

!"Parent-Teacher Conferences will be held Feb. 19 at the high school.

Winter weather affects school activity Midwest winters are notorious for running the gamut from freezing rains to polar snowstorms. Residents have no choice but to comply with the weather, in a true display of ecological possibilism. School functions are just as susceptible to nature’s limitations. Severe weather conditions abridged the choir’s plans while selected students were attending the Dorian Honor festival at Luther College Jan. 11. The group decided to return to Pella early, fearing the snow which had begun to fall in northern Iowa would create dangerous road conditions. “Between Decorah and Cedar Rapids we were wondering, ‘Can we really make it home?’” said Choir Director Michelle Chaplin, who drove the students. “We stopped at a gas station to get (some opinions) on the weather, and even the truck drivers weren’t confident. Our minds were made up when we saw the flashing sign over the road that said ‘Blizzard Conditions.’” The group resorted to spending the night in Cedar Rapids hotel, and proceeded to continue home the following morning. When heavy snowfall or ice cover impedes the safe operation of bus services, administrators must surrender. Although, Schools have adapted to harsh winter weather with the renowned “snow day.”

Freeing them from the daily grind, snow days have created their own unique place within the emotions of students. “I love snow days because as soon as I wake up I see that we don’t have school, and I just go back to sleep. Sleep is good,” said sophomore Mitchell Van Zante. However, students who enjoy those few relaxing days in winter have to endure making them up consecutively in the summer. Iowa Code 2001 section 279.10 states that “school shall continue for at least one hundred eighty days” in order to complete a legal scholastic year. However, seniors, who finish their schooling May 20, are exempt from this code given that the number of snow days stays with in reasonable parameters. “I really like snow days,” said senior Carley De Jong, “but I really don’t want to get so many that (the seniors) have to come back to school…still, I like to make fun of (underclassmen) because they have to make them up.” This year’s snow days have so far totaled three and the last day of school is calculated to be June 2. More snow is looming, however. DryDay.com, an online long-term weather forecast service predicts at least eight more days in the next month where chances of precipitation rank above a 50 percent risk.

THAT’S ENTERTAINMENT. Junior Alex Maasdam plays his soprano saxophone during Excellence in Electives Night Jan. 23. Seventeen teachers and their students

by Ben Muller

Engineering program to be implemented next year

Life2

812 University641-628-5285

www.central.edu

2.11.09

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Iowa

United States

Local According to kniakrls.com, the Pella library has noticed an increase in usage as the economy has slowed. According to Pella Public Library Director Wendy Street, they’ve seen about a 10 to 12 percent increase over the past couple of months. Street describes this as a dramatic jump in a short period of time. Over 18,000 items were checked out at the Pella Public Library in December compared to over 15,000 items checked out during the same month in 2007. “It’s good that people are starting to use the library again,” said sophomore Ryan Lanke.

State According to the “Des Moines Register” Iowa’s homeless count has dropped 66 percent between 2005 and 2007. National Alliance to End Homelessness estimated only 2,734 people were homeless in Iowa in 2007 compared to the 8,130 people estimated in 2005. The Corporate for Supportive Housing suggests the decreased amount of homelessness stems from the large amount of low-income units that have been created over the past five years. Alliance officials cautioned that a weakening economy could quickly undo the improved numbers. “Knowing that some people who were formerly

homeless now have a home is reassuring and comforting. I’m happy to hear that the number of homeless people is decreasing, and more people are finding places to live,” said freshman Katie Sunderman.

National According to CNN.com, President Barack Obama is using the Internet to communicate directly with Americans in a way that was unknown to former presidents. Obama used social-networking sites during his campaign, and Americans can expect a president who reaches out to citizens for input. Transition officials hope to transform Obama’s Web operation, and electronic list of supporters into a 21st-century tool to help accomplish his many goals as president. Since last November’s election, Obama has wasted no time taking on online communications. In recent weeks he has taped weekly video addresses and posted them to “YouTube,” where most have been viewed hundreds of thousands of times. “I think it’s cool that Obama is the first president to use this new way of communicating with the United States citizens,” said junior Whitney Pavlat.

JointheFaculty Advisor: Cathy Hones

Sponsor: Robin HammannPresident: Josh Borgerding

Vice President: Jakub MartisovitzSecretary: Marcus Haustein

How to Join: Attend a scheduled meeting

I had been planning on joining the Science Club since senior Josh Borgerding !rst established it earlier this school year. However, my busy schedule and faulty memory prohibited me from attending until the third meeting, held Jan. 14. On the agenda for the meeting was the election of group o"cials. It was a highly competitive election, but I was immediately elected secretary to the club. I knew at that moment that I was in the right place. #e meeting carried on for about another 45 minutes. We discussed what we were going to do for Excellence in Electives night, as well as plans for future activities. #e !rst activity we planned would be a “junk box” day. We would gather a bunch of random objects that could be useful in constructing some type of machine. On the day of the competition, we would split into two teams and have our advisor, Robin Hammann, tell us what to make. One item, for example, could be a catapult. Aside from the junk box day, we also talked about possible !eld trip opportunities, competitions and even science movie nights. I'm looking forward to participating in all of the activities, but the movie nights got me especially excited. My experience in the Science Club has been a good one thus far, and I expect that it will continue to be enjoyable. I would encourage anyone who has a serious interest in the sciences to join, no matter what grade. #e Science Club may be a group full of nerds, but we de!nitely know how to have a good time in our nerdy delights. For more information on the Science Club, you may contact Mrs. Hammann, Josh Borgerding, myself or anyone else who you know is a member.

SLIME! “Making slime with the Science Club [at Excellence in Electives Night] was definitely a highlight of the night. If saxophone master Alex Maasdam joined forces with the Science

by Ben Mueller

Plans for a new industrial technology course are underway for the 2009-10 school year. The course, Construction Trades, will teach students the skills, concepts and processes for being a construction worker. “In the future they will be looking at buying houses or even building one. This way they can have some background in knowing what it will take,” said Industrial Technology teacher Mark Goodrich. The class will be offered for juniors and seniors in a two block period format taught by Goodrich. In order for this all to happen, there needs to be more time in the day. So five pre-existing classes will be dropped. They are cabinetmaking, industrial processing, introduction to computer modeling, computer modeling and architecture and advanced computer modeling. “Enrollment in a lot of the class were similar. We, for example, are dropping cabinetmaking because it is applied in construction trades,” said Goodrich. The course is teaming up with Habitat for Humanity, and together will assist each other in their efforts. Habitat for Humanity will be providing the building site, materials, home design and as needed, construction site supervision. “I think there is a need in the community for the students to learn construction aspects. It is important to learn how to use power tools and work with their hands, even if they don’t go into it as a career. It is important for the students to learn a trade so that they can have some independence and be ‘handy,’ not just men but women also,” said Goodrich.

! We’ve all gone to the various competitions out of town to cheer for school activities, but come Feb. 21, a new opportunity to show support is about to become tradition. Pella’s show choirs, AcaPella and Dutch Divas will host the very first Dutch Masters Invitational. This new competition is a primary example of history being made in the Pella High school district. The closest event to such a competition locally has been hosting State Speech Contest. How big is this event exactly? Twenty-four show choirs will perform that day, including Pella’s three exhibition shows, AcaPella, Dutch Divas and the middle school show choir. The choir participants alone will make the total of attendees soar to almost 1,000. Add in some 1,000 or so spectators to the sport, a few hundred helping parents and all the directors and judges, and well over 2,500 people are expected. To put this into perspective: 13 boxes containing literally hundreds of trophies were delivered in preparation for the event. The grand champions will strut away with a four

The largest competition AcaPella has attended outside of Pella? Twenty-two choirs total.

Pella hosts first-evershow choir invitational

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Joining with Habitat for Humanity ...

Pella

Construction trades coursescheduled for 2009-10

As millions of Americans gathered around their television sets to watch the inauguration of Barack Obama as the United States 44th president Jan. 20, the Dan Vroom family of Pella found a special interest in the festivities occurring in Washington D.C. During a visit to Pella on July 4 2007, President Obama and his family were guests of the Vrooms for a few hours. The four members of the Obama family, along with Secret Service agents, traveled together around Iowa, campaigning for Obama to become the Democratic nominee. As Independence Day approached, which happened to coincide with the birthday of their eldest daughter, Malia, the Obamas decided that they would settle down for the day in a house similar to the ‘Norman Rockwell’ architecture of their Chicago home. With the help of Heather’s sister, Abby, the Marion County Obama chair, they stayed at the Vroom’s home, which she shares with husband Dan and their three kids. After being informed three days before the arrival, Heather and Dan prepared for their guests.

“It came as a surprise; I couldn’t believe they were going to stay with us. My sister said that they just wanted a traditional home to stay in; I guess ours was it. We didn’t know what to expect,” said Heather.

Preparation for the Obamas was just as stressful as the actual visit. Secret service members proceeded to come and search endlessly for any believed threat that could harm the Obamas. With all of them in botton-down suits and black ties, it looked as though the Vrooms were under federal investigation. “We had a lot of agents here, even before they came. They did not leave a corner of the house unchecked. I remember one of the agents spilled something on his shirt, so they had him go to Walmart for a new one. I came into the kitchen to see the agent ironing the shirt, I was shocked. Our ironing board was upstairs in our room, in the back of the closet, behind tons of stuff. I asked him where he found it, and he said that they had done this enough times to know where people normally store their stuff,” said Heather. The Obamas arrived around mid-morning in their RV. They were all introduced, and then both families gathered in the living room. From there, the adults talked about their children, home life, and local schools. Not once did the conversation lead to politics. “We were just amazed at how normal they were. Both of them just seemed to be focused on the kids and stuff like that. They were really family-oriented,” said Dan.

Heather also gave her initial impression of Obama during their visit. “It was never about him; the entire time he just seemed interested in our family. They were very down-to-earth. When the girls asked to go outside to jump on the trampoline, Michelle said sure and didn’t think twice,” added Heather. According to the Vrooms, the Obama girls had a great time during their stay. Apart from the trampoline, all of the kids went into the RV and watched the “Wizard of Oz.” Malia and Sasha both found the local bakery cookies to be their favorite snack of the day, and they especially enjoyed playing wih the Vroom’s dog. Around 2:30 p.m., the Obamas got back into their RV and left. Now, looking back, the Vrooms can hardly believe they actually got to spend the time with the First Family. “It is strange to see him on TV, because he was just some guy

that was at our house, and now he is the President. It is just very strange,” said Hayden Vroom, eight-year-old son of Dan and Heather. “It is just incredible to believe that he is the President. Barack and Michelle just seemed so normal and low key. It is so hard to believe that they are in the White House, serving as the President and First Lady,” said Heather.

Lifepage editorandrea huffman 3 2.11.09

Eat: “El Charro is my favorite place to eat; I love Mexican food. Their chicken fingers are the best”Shop: “Maurice’s because they have cool clothes. Shirts are my favorite to get there because they are really cute.”Be inside school: “I like going to Mr.

Siewert’s room for class because he is really funny and makes physics easy.”Be outside school: “I like hanging out with my friends at Smokey Row. They have good food, and it’s a neat

place to talk.”Thing about self: “My singing voice, I just wish that I could express myself to others. God has given me a gift, but I need His help to share it.”

com)

My Pella top5Kirsten Lambert

Vrooms host Obama, First Family

“Paddle Captain”, one of many student bands, is comprised of Juniors Ben Muller, Mark Van Dusseldorp, and Monique Meck. To listen to “Paddle Captain’s” music, visit their page on Myspace. Pelladium: How did it all start?Muller: “I had friends that goofed around, and we decided to try to start a band. We attempted to write, but it never worked out. Then I started to get to know Mark [Van Dusseldorp], and I thought that he could make it more professional, but when that project didn’t go anywhere, we started doing acoustic, just the two of us.”Pelladium: Why did you name the band “Paddle Captain?”Van Dusseldorp: “It’s kind of a long story. The term

whitewater rafting, and in the raft, the person in front is called the paddle captain and he is the guide.” Muller: “This means that not only is the paddle captain a leader of the crew, but he also is right along side the rest of them in their work.”

Pelladium: Why did you to decide to add another member to the band?Muller: “Mark and I wanted to expand the band and add some layer to it. We thought about the drums and bass, but it fell through. So, we decided that Monique [Meck] would fit in the personality of the band, and the cello ended up working well with the acoustics.”Meck: “I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to grow as a musician while creating the kind of music I like to listen to and at the same time, have fun with some of my friends.”Pelladium: How would you describe your music?

Muller: “Its hard to decide-acoustic/indie/folk rock, although many fans have told me that the vocals sound popish.”Meck: “I would have to say acoustic pop.”Pelladium: What is your favorite song you have written? Why?Muller: “We are working on a new song entitled ‘Backstabbing Kin,’ and I enjoy it because all of our parts blend very well together,” Van Dusseldorp: “Backstabbing Kin’ because it has a different sound from the rest of our stuff, it’s new and sounds good with Monique.”Pelladium: What are your future plans

as a band?Muller: “Recording has opened up doors for us to play in bigger cities, such as Des Moines and Ames. We also hope to record again as we are always writing new music and adding new sound, like Monique’s cello.”

Paddle Captain rows into Pella music scene

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Photo by Madison Vander Well

page editorcaitlin simpson4 2.11.09

Cooking With Caitlin

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It’s that time of year when love is, once again, in the air. Whether cooking a romantic dinner for two or just having a group party, I would recommend making this “Simply Delicious Strawberry Cake” by Paula Deen. Not only is this cake delicious, but it is pink and has a springy taste. To make this cake, preheat the oven to 350° and lightly grease two round 9-inch cake pans. Then, in a large bowl, combine the cake mix and gelatin. Once combined, add the pureed strawberries, the eggs, oil and water to the cake/gelatin mixture. Beat together with an electric mixer on medium speed until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the two cake pans and bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes cleanly out of the middle of the cake. While the cake is baking in the oven, beat the butter and cream cheese together with an electric mixer on medium until creamy. Then beat in ! cup strawberry puree and extract. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and then beat until smooth. One the cake is done cooking, let cool for 10 minutes and then spread the frosting in between the layers of cake as well as around and on top of the cake. Garnish with fresh strawberries.

Ingredients:Cake:1 18.25 oz. box white cake mix1 3 oz. box strawberry flavored instant gelatin1 10 oz. package frozen strawberries in syrup, pureed4 eggs1/2 cup vegetable oil

On Jan 20, the people of America witnessed one of the defining moments of the decade, if not the century: the inauguration of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. I had the honor and privilege of attending this historic event in person and seeing history firsthand. The morning of the inauguration, I left at four in the morning and arrived at the Washington Mall at approximately five in the morning. Even at such an early time in the morning, both the ticketed and unticketed areas began filling up, a testimate to the events about to unfold. While my own personal anticipation was sky-high during the first hour I was at the Mall, it quickly turned into a deep-seated yearning for President Obama to get on with it. The following seven hours were some of the most miserable of my life as I slowly lost feeling in my feet, hands and other extremities despite the numerous hours of preparation I took to avoid frostbite. Anticipation filled the air as the time ticked by. All throughout the section I was in, people were singing and chanting Obama’s name in anticipation of his appearance, even though it was hours before he was scheduled to appear. After an excruciating six-hour wait, the politicians began to arrive. Governors, senators, representatives, vice-presidents and presidents of old filled the Capitol. As they took their seats, the presence of Vice-President-elect Joe Biden and President-Elect Obama was announced, sending the crowd into a frenzy. They chanted Obama’s name and sang such songs like “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough,” filling the air with millions of voices. The long hours of waiting melted away from my mind as the moment I had been waiting for finally arrived. A combination of hope, interest and a bit of excitement coursed through my body as Obama and Chief Justice Roberts went through the process of swearing in. As Obama took the podium after being sworn in, the crowd descended into dead silence, unlike any I have heard out of a crowd of two million people. What followed was a moment of pure eloquence as the President delivered a speech I will never forget. It touched on everything: the war, the economy, race and the need for the nation to be united. The most poignant point he made was his call for a new age of American responsibility and a new age of each citizen doing his or her part for his or her community, state and nation. As I listened I could not help but feel a renewed hope for the future of our nation, despite the mountain of problems we as a people are faced with today. I will not lie: I shed a tear at the hope that in the near future America will once again be able to return to its place as a land that upholds its ancient principles of freedom, liberty and a safe haven for all. Through 20-degree weather, seven hours of standing and the sure crush of humanity, the inauguration will forever remain one of the greatest moments I have ever been a part of. To see two million plus people united together in one moment of hope isn’t something I can or ever will forget. While the Obama era has only just begun, it’s impossible to have attended the inauguration and not be optimistic towards the future of our great country.

SHOT. Junior Amanda Keefer gets ready to shoot a basket while seniors Courtney Whitten and Harini Puliadi look on at the Simpon College basketball camp Jan 27. At the camp, different stations were set up that would test different skills, including shooting, jumping and running. At the end of the day, the group showed school spirit through a cheer, danced the “Cha-Cha Slide,” and won a trophy for best effort. “I had fun helping Amanda with different tasks, including shooting a basketball. Basically, we did sit ups, push ups, jump roping, ball handling, shooting and other things like that. I though it was a fun experience to help everyone out,” said Whitten.

HOPE. American flags wave as President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden get inaugurated Jan. 20. More than two million people attended, filling all available room in the mall and on the streets. “This photo does not acurately portray the sheer crush of humanity that was present at the inauguration,” said junior Andrew

!

Favorite Valentine’s Day

memory

Super Bowlcommercials were ...

Favoritewinter drink

FreshmanJake Wassenaar

“When I got my first cell phone.”

“Classic hot chocolate.”

SeniorSam Richardson

“Cappucino.”

“Turtle Steamer.”

“Hilarious.”

“Awesome in 3-D!”

Favoritechildhoodcartoon

“Gulla Gulla Island.”

“The Road Runner.”

SecretaryCharma VanderWert

Sophomore Ciera Kooyman

“Making Valentine’s bags.”

“Not too bad.”

“Thunder Cats.”

“Being surprised with dinner and

flowers.”“Flavored lattes.” “The Flinstones.”

“Stupid this year.”

“When my dad and stepmom got

married.”

“A waste of time.”“Hot chocolate.”

“Bugs Bunny.”

“Having parties in elementary school.”

Frosting:1/4 cup butter, softened1 package cream cheese, softened1 10 oz. package frozeen strawberries in syrup, pureed1/2 tsp. strawberry extract7 cups powdered sugar

Sagers witnesses history,attends inauguration

JuniorJared Gerber

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page editorjosh dale 52.11.09 A&E

Mock Trial loses members

Jazz I maintains excellence tradition

Dale, De Jong lead show choir into new season AcaPella sings, “Start it up, turn it on. Hey, hey, say what?” to open their set. Start it up and turn it on is exactly what the show choir has done so far. The group kicked off their season with a bang Jan. 24 at the Dallas Center-Grimes Show Choir Invitational. AcaPella, along with Dutch Divas, made the trip to their first competition of 2009 and cleaned the house. The junior varsity Dutch Divas placed first in the Prep Group class, and varsity AcaPella placed first in 3A, earning a caption for best guys choir. The two groups both made the night show, consisting of only five of the 13 show choirs in competition earlier in the day. In the end, Dutch Divas received fifth place overall, and AcaPella took home the Grand Champion trophy. There is more to the story, though. “To promote student leadership, I selected two head captains, [seniors] Josh Dale and Carley De Jong, to be in charge of all captains this year. It gives a title to a role that needs to be filled.The two also act as assistant directors for Dutch Divas. I feel it is important that students take on a sense of ownership of the group that they are a part of,” explained Choir Director Michelle Chaplin.

“It requires a lot of dedication in and out of school. We spend so much time relearning moves to the music in order to reteach everything to the rest of the group. We also need to know how to be very patient and take control of the group,” said De Jong, who has been in choir since sixth grade, and show choir since freshman year. AcaPella has come a long way since the two head captains’ first exposure to show choir. “It hasn’t been easy; dedication level throughout all the different grades has really progressed since I started show choir my freshman year. We’ve grown together as a family and have become a very talented, high class choir,” said Dale, who has been in each group equally as long with De Jong. Dale and De Jong are joined by numerous other captains, including seniors Matthew Davids, Dan Haws, Katie Henry, Caitlin Simpson, Aemelia Tripp and Nick Wills, juniors Morgan Anderson, Sydney Doty, Jared Gerber, Jon Klein, Maggie Landon, Emily Lyng, Jakub Martisovits, Olivia Schouten, Drew Senn and Mackenzie VanZante and sophomores Ben Palmer and Rachel Wiley.

The arrival of the new year brings excitement and changes for many. For the mock trial program this year, a large change occurred. For the first time in many years, only one mock trial team will be competing at the regional competition early March in hopes to compete at state March 25. Many previous members of the program started mock trial in middle school and decided not to compete this year for a multitude of reasons. “I decided not to do mock trial this year because the majority of my teammates graduated, and our coach retired. It just wouldn’t be the same without all of them,” said junior Aaron Mason. Mason has competed in mock trial at the regional level since sixth grade and has competed at state four times. He has received many awards including ‘Outstanding Witness’ at the state level. “I didn’t feel like we were given enough time this year to prepare for mock trial. Many people didn’t even know about the sign up,” said junior Monique Meck. Meck has participated in mock trial for

six years and competed at state three times. She has received awards at the regional level. “We all decided we didn’t really have enough time this year to participate, and the case wasn’t very interesting. Next year I hope to get together our old awesome team and have Connie Viesselman be our coach, like the good old days in middle school. Then our team is going to rock regionals and go on to state,” said junior Caitlin Mock. Mock has participated in mock trial for five years and advanced to state three times. She has received ‘honorable mention’ awards multiple times throughout her career. The mock trial team that will be competing at the regional competition is composed mainly of freshmen. The team has plans to be assisted by attorney Lori Koop. Many previous members of mock trial plan to participate next year, including Mock and Meck.

The members of Pella Jazz Band I woke up Jan. 17 to another cold winter morning to make the trip to Winterset for their annual rating at State Contest. Coming off a first place finish at the SCIBA Jazz Festival in Waukee, Jazz I started anew, adding two fresh songs, “Big Dipper” and “On Green Dolphin Street” to “’Round Midnight,” the ballad carried over from SCIBA. The 21 jazz band students were given only nine practices to learn and perfect the two new songs and touch up their ballad. “We had to practice a lot outside of school, and stay tuned in to every rehearsal to really stay on top of things,” said freshman Alex Ropes. “It was important that we took Mr. Pentico’s criticism maturely and responded appropriately.” Soloists at State Contest included seniors Stewart Beyer and Tom Butler and juniors Alex Maasdam, Aaron Mason, Mark Van Dusseldorp and Todd Wegter. “I love to solo because it allows the soloist to rock out to different types of songs, and we are able to play what we feel like playing instead of a fixed note structure,” said Wegter. The jazz band received their 28th consecutive superior division “I” rating in jazz band performance. The group also received a perfect, 100/100 ballot for sight reading, which has not been accomplished by Jazz I for seven years. “The amount of literature we place in front of the students throughout the year really benefits the students in the sight reading aspect of State Contest,” said Director Jason Pentico. “I feel the perfect score reinforces the importance that musicians need to be good readers, and it really supports the emphasis we place in our department of good education, not just sounding good,” Pentico added. “Jazz is going really well so far. I mean, there’s always room for improvement, but I think the season has been a success so far. I feel we are keeping up with the tradition that has been set before us,” said Lopez.

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Senior Tom Butler is an example of musical talent that runs through the school each year. Butler has been involved in a large number of musical a c t i v i t i e s in, and out of school t h r o u g h o u t the past four years and does not plan on quitting anytime soon. Butler spends his time playing piano and trombone for the school, and guitar in his free time.

“I first became interested in music when I was eight years old and my parents bought me an electric keyboard for my birthday.” said Butler. “Coming into high school I pretty much hated the trombone but Mr. Pentico has really inspired me over the years to improve and learn to enjoy it.”

Butler is currently involved with playing the piano for Jazz I and the trombone for

symphonic band.“My entire

experience with the Pella music program has been great. We put a lot of work into Jazz I, and the past two years it has really shown as we’ve made it to the night show at the Iowa Jazz Championships.

We won’t find out until April 1, but so far the band has been shaping up really well, and we hope to make it for the third year in a row.” said senior Tom Butler.

Butler plans to further his excellence in the musical field at Bethel University next year, and he hopes to see you at upcoming Jazz I performances.

Music brings passion to Butler

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In-Depth page editordevon o’brien

cameron downing 76 2.11.09

W elcome to the Age of the Big. We’re surrounded by a big globalized economy, big media monopolies, big wars

against big concepts, big banks too big to fail. In small-town America, the Age of the Big has replaced our local businesses with big corporations. According to Wal-Mart Watch, an anti-Wal-Mart organization, Wal-Mart has caused 555 grocery stores, 298 hardware stores, 293 building suppliers, 161 variety shops, 158 women’s stores and 115 pharmacies to close their doors in Iowa alone. How does this happen? It’s simple, really. Wal-Mart and other big corporate stores have the financial power to purchase products in bulk, enabling them to receive special deals on items local businesses have to pay substantially more for. Big corporate stores can then use the extra revenue to lower prices, running local stores out of business. (Wal-Mart’s 2003

sales, according to Economic Apartheid in America, make the corporation “the 20th-largest economy in the world . . . larger than the economies of 188 countries.” And they’re competing against the family down the street. Suddenly, rolling back prices doesn’t seem so happy and yellow.) You don’t have to be Alan Greenspan to understand the economic consequences of losing local businesses. But there’s a cultural aspect, too. America has phenomenal amounts of diversity. This diversity, however, is being increasingly hidden, shown in less important ways than it was before the Age of the Big. When the hulking Wal-Mart superstore entered Pella a few years back, our town stood its ground, telling the corporation, Yes, you can set up shop here, but there’s a catch: There has to be a Dutch front. This is today’s diversity, virtually unnoticeable, attached

to multinational corporations, completely superficial. Local businesses have the capacity to be unique; they’re owned by people who live in the community, appreciate the local culture, often have personal relationships with the clientele. Big corporate stores are the opposite, selling the same products, but with no appreciation for the concept of local culture, and without personal elements. From the cashier’s manners to the greeter’s choice words, it’s all impersonal, corporately micromanaged, lacking in authentic human contact.

We’re left with a choice. We can shop at big corporate stores, forgetting we ever had local cultures, or we can support local businesses, keeping our local economies viable.

This is the Real Culture War.

54.3% of students and staff said their families shop at local grocery stores.18.6% said they shop locally for sporting

equipment.38.6% people said they do most of their

shopping in Pella.65.7% people support Pella restaurants

more than any others.*70 surveyed

Q: What stores do you shop in locally and what attracts you to these stores?

A: “Most of my local shopping takes place at restaurants. I’m a big fan of George’s and

Oriental Express. I like these places because they have great food and friendly service. I also

occasionally shop at Thistles, when the girlfriend needs some lovin’.”

-Senior Luke Elzinga

A: “I do a lot of shopping at Hy-Vee and Wal-Mart because I get groceries for my family

often. However, my splurge is definitely on Embellish and coffee at Smokey Row.”

-Senior Mollie Kingma

A: “I get a lot of my food at Smokey Row, and if I’m looking to have fun with friends I will

go to the movie theater. When I shop for food, I go to Fareway for the cheap prices.”

-Junior Ben Caldwell

A: “Franklin St. Clothing. It’s really the only place in town that you can find good Pella

(High School) clothes.”

-Freshman Paul Anderson

A: “Besides Fareway and Wal-Mart, I shop at the bakery. I have a five-year-old, and he likes

decorated cookies.”

-Associate Jill Roberts

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In the current economic situation in America, making choices about shopping can be hard. Pella businesses range from small boutiques and stores to national chain stores and many people travel to Des Moines to do their shopping. How does this factor into the small businesses here? Silver Lining is a fairly new local store; it opened in April of 2008 and is owned by Lorie Melhus. They have various items of home décor and Melhus says things have been going well. “Business has gone really well, I don’t feel like I’m in competition with chain stores because we are in a small town and all the boutiques have such a niche,” said Melhus. However, at the Cornerstone, a women’s clothing store, things have been a little bit different. Julie Mueller, part owner of the Cornerstone with Karrie Harkema said that things have been difficult especially with the economic situation of our country, but they too do not feel competition from chain stores. “I think our store is unique. We offer items that you can’t find in a mall…I would also say our customer service is more one-on-one; we have people that have been working here for a long time,” said Mueller. Both owners agree that Pella is a great town to own a small local business in, and they reap the benefits of being here. “Pella has a unique tone to satisfy the consumer, we are more welcoming,” said Melhus. “Pella has a lot of benefits, we are a college town, we attract a lot of tourists, and we get business from the outlying communities,” added Mueller.

+Shopping locally provides a more unique product that can’t be found at a chain store.+Supporting local businesses will help towns to keep their unique style and flavor.- Local businesses often charge more for a similar product because they do not buy in bulk.+When shopping locally, the local economy is being supported rather than building up already multimillion-dollar companies.+Local businesses provide a tighter community and are more likely to contribute to local causes.- Local stores have a more limited selection of product than chain stores

+Local farmers often provide a fresher product.-Chain stores usually offer special deals, sales or memberships whereas local stores have fewer deals.+ Local business don’t do as much importing, therefore pollution from transportation is reduced. +According to KCWI, every dollar spent locally has three times the impact on the local community as a dollar spent at a national chain.

Before the times of mega stores and super bargain shopping, there stood the local businesses. These local businesses helped lay the foundation for Pella to become the commercial town that it now is. Not only have these businesses supported many school activities and events, but also community groups and programs. With Des Moines only an hour away, Pella’s shops are in constant competition against metropolitan businesses for the commerce of local consumers. Contrary to popular belief, Des Moines isn’t the only place to find many options and great deals on everything from household appliances to cars. Businesses even offer price matching and can often order items, so consumers can get exactly what they want and a great deal. “What we will do is match any advertised price because need to realize that they can save money and still shop locally. We do a lot of special orders, although we also have a lot to sell on the floor. We also service all appliances so if they continue to shop here, we can serve them in the future,” said Robyn Van Berkum, co-owner of Van Berkum Appliance.

show choir and the booster club. They even give teams chances to fundraise within their doors. Supporting these businesses also means

“Pizza Ranch lets us bus tables and collect tips to help raise money for sports teams like soccer, and we get free food at the end, which

What can be done to give back to the businesses that help so much in supporting all of us? Shop locally. Most things that can be bought from Des Moines are available to purchase here. Also, once gas expenses are figured, how much is really saved by shopping there? Shop locally to support these business owners, help everyone by boosting our economy and help the businesses to continue to support our community in numerous ways. “Local businesses employ local people, pay local taxes, and are sensitive to our community quality-of-life issues. Local business people usually support other local businesses and are more likely to donate time, talent and money to support local charities and school activities. Their profits are reinvested right here for the betterment of our own community rather than being shipped off somewhere else,” said Pella Chamber of Commerce board President David Greving.

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Opinion page editorranier worstell8

Staff Editorial Editorial Cartoon

Co-Editors: Will Harris, Marcus HausteinCopy Editor: Michael SupleeDesign Editor: Cameron DowningPage Editors: Nicholas Birkel, Josh Borgerding, Cameron Downing, Clarke Hammes, Will Harris, Marcus Haustein, Andrea Huffman, Amanda Laverman, Devon O’Brien, Caroline Philips, Andrew Sagers, Caitlin Simpson, Josh Van Ee, Ranier WorstellPhotographers: Josh Dale, Tyler NeffCartoonists: Michael Ge, Eric Moore, Ranier WorstellBusiness Manager, Associate: Josh Borgerding, Megan CardReporters: Morgan Anderson, Liz Core, Tyler Elliott, Michael Ge, Caleb Klyn, Nathan Kooker, Telan Paulson, Addie Smith, Kelsey Van TasellAdviser: Ann VisserPhoto Adviser: Jeff BokhovenEditorial Board: Mary DeVries, Cameron Downing, Greg Ellingson, Will Harris, Marcus Haustein, Dak Rasmussen

The Pelladium is a monthly tabloid produced by the high school journalism department to serve

as an informative, educational and entertaining communications media and to provide an open

Editors are welcome and encouraged. These letters must be signed and should, in no way, be libelous, irresponsible or obscene. Letters must have verified facts and should deal with issues. The Pelladium reserves the right to edit grammatical errors, libelous content or length due to the space limitations. Letters may be brought to Room 201 or sent to Pella Community High School, Box 486, Pella, IA 50219.

in a fair and truthful manner. The Pelladium will function in accord with all applicable laws, both in regard to the rights and restrictions of journalism.

the individual writer and not necessarily those of the Pella Community High School Administration or the Pella Community Schools Board of Education. The Pelladium will make retractions in the event of errors made in the content of printed stories. Retractions will be printed in the issue immediately

Pelladium is a member of the Iowa High School Press Association.

2.11.09

Alt. News][Airline jet makes emergency

landing in Hudson River According to the “Wall Street Journal,” a miracle happened on the Hudson River Jan. 15.When US Airways flight 1549 made an emergency landing five minutes after take-off due to a flock of birds stopping both engines from operation. All 155 passengers on the plane survived thanks to Capt. Chelsey B. Sullenberger. All aboard waited for emergency crews on the wing of plane, with some wading in 36 degree water up to their knees.

“At first I was a little freaked out because my uncle is a pilot for that airline. But when I found out that it wasn’t him, I thought that it was still really unfortunate for that to happen and was glad that nobody was injured. I hope that they can find some way to prevent this in the future.”

-Freshman Maddy Scholten

“I think that the survival of all the passengers was a miracle. God was there, and He took care of all those people. Flying is a risky thing, and this shows that you should always trust God, and be wary when you fly.”

-Senior Liz VanGorp

“The crash was pretty surprising. Usually when you hear about plane crashes you hear about the death count and how much damage it caused. It was pretty good to hear that everyone one ended up living and that there was no damage done to people not even on the plane. It was a miracle that it landed in the Hudson and not in some city type area.”

-Junior Nolan Chiles

A special election held Jan. 22 in Nashville, Tenn., rejected the proposition to make English the city’s official language. It was proposed by a city councilman, but the mayor and other city officials and group leaders strongly opposed it. If accepted, the bill would have prevented government workers from communicating in languages other than English. The man who proposed it, Eric Crafton, said that making English the official language of Nashville would save the city $100,000 in translation costs and other similar expenses. Once again, I am surprised that there are actually people out there who want this kind of proposition to go through. Do they not realize where the United States came from, and do they not value culture? Just as a reminder, our great country was founded by immigrants; not all of them spoke English, and there comes an age when it can be too difficult to try learning a second language. For a time, the United States was seen as a place of cultural mixing and acceptance. As of late, however, it seems that one must meet certain ethnic prerequisites in order to be accepted. Some of the things people will do to make a quick buck these days make me sick, whether it be squishing the small-town business owner or squandering some of the few remaining cultural values the United States has held onto. Culture should be something that is cherished, and language often plays a large role. People all over the world are learning the English language in addition to their native tongue, but I would go out on a limb to say that there are many Americans who only know, and want to know, one. It’s a sad step to take, but it’s difficult to change when students aren’t even introduced to language classes until they are 15 years old. It’s funny that the whole point of the proposal was to save the city money, but the very existence of it ended up costing money. The special election for the bill cost the Nashville tax-payers $350,000. In my opinion, Mr. Crafton and his colleagues from the “ProEnglish” lobbying group should have to come up with that money out of pocket to pay for their idiocy. I commend the people of Nashville for voting against this proposal. In a country that is slowly trading away its identity to the highest bidder, you stand your ground as a cultural mixing pot and a city with open arms, something that can be hard to come by.

As our economy further plummets into the depths of a recession, consumers seek haven in the low prices and impersonal relations of big business. The Pelladium staff discourages such behavior, because local commerce is an interaction which strengthens the community and bonds its people. Money invested locally is not lost, but stays within our grasp. The effects of financial gifts from local businesses are evident as Pella’s churches, schools and organizations continue to process daily. Thanks to these businesses, enough monetary support is poured into this very publication for it to independently function as the years pass. The beautiful thing about it all is that when needy groups ask for additional assistance, local business will infallibly provide. From a social standpoint, shopping within the boundaries of Pella is a form of fellowship amongst its citizens. As a staff, we encourage you to get to know your butcher, your dentist or your chef. Our bets are that you don’t just let some imported, expressionless face give you a haircut. Personalization in business has successfully reached the realm of barber shops and hair salons, where notions of economic exchange almost disappear amidst friendly relationships. We can analyze business in general, and it all comes down to incentive. Every privately owned shop you can find in our town operates, in one way or another, for the better of the people. This is a service big corporations just cannot provide, for it is a service limited by finite size. Even if they put their heads together, Sam Walton and Ronald McDonald probably still could not pinpoint Pella on their territorial map. It is not this staff ’s objective to urge you to venture to the bakery every time your four year-old sibling hungers for Oreos, but rather to analyze your options as a consumer. Put some pride into your dollar bills and consider not where they are going, but where they will be headed after that.

The staff voted 28-1 in favor of this editorial.

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Correction In the February edition of “The Pelladium,” the article on page two entitled “Lagging economy hits home” contained a number of errors. It was incorrectly reported that Pella Corporation laid-off 9,000 employees across the country. The Corporation actually reduced 3,900 employees to a four-day work week during the winter season. This includes manufacturing and logistics team members at sites like those in Pella. Krafka Harkema was also misquoted as saying, “With the current state of the housing market, demand for our goods has been low.” Instead, she said, “America is clearly in some challenging economic times. Ours is a cyclical business, directly tied to construction activity. Additionally, Pella Corporation Corporate Public Relations Manager Kathy Krafka Harkema was incorrectly referred to as Marketing Communications Specialist Krafka-Harkema. The Pelladium regrets the errors.

Each one of us experiences responsibility. For some, it can become a sense of pride or purpose; others disregard it and drift through life, never taking on the challenge, and never directly disappointing others. What is it that separates these people? Could the end result be traced to the molecular construct or the phenotypic assembly? Unfortunately, there is little research exploring these points at this time. An individual’s response to responsibility can be graded based on that individual’s personal background. Every person has a history that helps to shape the decision-making process. It is the continual flow of events and ideas that allows an individual to make a seemingly informed reaction to responsibility. Upon examination of responsibility, some people would divide the western world into two general classes: those who rise to their challenges, and those who do not. The preconceptions associated with these primeval sets often disadvantage those

who shy from responsibility. We place judgments; we develop theorems in an attempt to better describe their situations. Nobody wishes to act in this matter, but this characteristic expresses our deep seeded disappointment. People, in general, all have equal Promethean meaning and value, but the societal and industrial value between two people can be gauged significantly different. Often, when we look at beings that neglect responsibility, we imagine all of the possible outcomes that could come to fruition if they would only apply themselves. Imagine a world where everyone shared equally great contributions to the worlds of science and industry. Perhaps, the idea of world hunger would be collecting dust in this day. Although this seems an impossible proposition, we must not forget the value of a single person. Every individual has the potential to act in

an extraordinary manner. Potential has nothing to do with upbringing or the number of foundational gifts that have been granted.

What can be done to reach this utopian society? Is it simply a dream and like most dreams must be abandoned because of a lack of resources? I do not believe in baseless dreams or impossibilities. It is the iconoclasts themselves who must open the gates for humanity to flow through. With the world’s assistance, personal foundations can be made. All anyone ever needs is encouragement and a sense of purpose. Someday, we should know a world where responsibility is always met full stride; I will cross my fingers just in case.

If you had a horrible, deep, dark secret, how many people would you trust with it? It’s likely that you only have one or two. Some people don’t even have one. Do you know why that is? It’s because society is in decline. People are losing their ability to be people. As completely contradictory as it sounds, it’s true. First of all, technology allows people to avoid that awkward, time-consuming process of making friends. If you’re a fan of “Good Charlotte” and nobody you know likes them, then you just find a “Good Charlotte” forum, and you’ll be greeted by dozens of fans. There’s no need to try and deal with people who have different opinions; everyone feels the same way you do! The problem here is that it prevents the development of any sort of people skills. This leads to problems in the real world. Because people are no longer used to having to deal with annoying, stupid people, it makes the times that you do have to deal with them that much worse. The fact of the matter is, you don’t have nearly enough annoying people in your life. You may be asking, “How is this a problem?” But the reality is that this creates problems with trust. People only want friends

who have exactly the same views and opinions as you, which, let’s face it, almost never happens. People, invariably, have conflicting world views, and it’s simply a fact of life. Many people think that people in the past had fewer problems to deal with. This is a fallacy, however. They had the same problems. Do you know what the difference between them and us is? They were better at dealing with their problems. They didn’t live in some magical time where personal problems were non-existent; they just knew not to sweat the small stuff, because they knew that they had to focus on the big things. If people today tried that, they’d likely be overwhelmed. People are social creatures. It’s written in our genes to interact with people, and when that instinct doesn’t get developed, it creates problems later in life. People seek acceptance as soon as possible, often at the expense of personal growth. You can’t just hide in a small group of friends. It’s unhealthy in every way. Not only does it make you feel unhappy and worthless, it literally

makes you worth less. When you quickly make superficial friends with anonymous people, you’re not getting anything done. You’ve taken away the building blocks for true friendship. Shared experiences and

emotional bonding are what really bring people together. Even having an argument can be beneficial. Believe me when I say that nothing is more satisfying than making friends. It’s true of anything that people do. For example, do you think you’d feel prouder of tending a virtual garden in a video game, or getting outside and growing the garden yourself, and seeing the fruits of your labor? Few things are more satisfying than the real “dirt under your fingernails” feeling of actually doing something. So, go outside, meet some people, and start building a life.

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9page editornicholas colin birkel

invariably, have conflicting world views.

People,

COUNTERPOINT

Josh Borgerding’s Postulates(jb.pelladium@gmail.com)

2.11.09

Ranier Worstell’s Tesselations(rw.pelladium@gmail.com)

Hamas: The Receiver

of Extreme Justice, Pain

POINTIsrael: The Bringer of 

Supreme Justice, Pain  Even though the new year has come, some things never change, such as the renewed conflict between Israel and Islamic militant groups. While some may say that Israel acted in a rash manner and should not have resorted to violence, there truly was no other way for the country to act. Like most things pertaining to the conflict in the Middle East, the origin of the air strikes is contested. Evidence suggests that on Dec. 27, Israeli forces began launching ground offensives and air strikes against areas in the Gaza Strip controlled by the radical Islamic group Hamas in retaliation against violence for rocket strikes fired by Hamas. What followed was a storm of violence answered by violence. Hamas launched rockets from Lebanon while Israel continued air, land and water offensives that even involved shelling on U.N. owned embassies, warehouses and schools, resulting in over 900 casualties. Even though violence should be avoided when dealing with international relations Israel was justified in its use of force against Hamas. The first and most obvious reason that Israel is entitled to airstrikes is the fact that Hamas launched an unprovoked attack on the nation’s civilians. When a nation’s people are being killed it’s the duty of a nation to take any means necessary to ensure their protection and survival. Ever since its conception the goal of Hamas has been to destroy the nation of Israel and to set up a Palestinian nation in its place. While providing a nation for an ethnic group that has been forced out of what they see as their traditional homeland is a noble cause, the means of which Hamas has tried to achieve their goals is deplorable and otherwise just plain wrong. Due to the fact that peace, love and non-violence have never triumphed against tanks, rockets and religious fanaticism Israel’s government is both behooved and obligated to answer violence with violence in order to protect the interests of its people. While it would be best for all parties involved to put aside their differences and just share the land, this will most likely sadl never come to pass due to a combination of religious differences and human nature. The only real solution that is reasonable for the world at large is for radical groups to either willingly disband or be forcefully eradicated. So in one sense the recent attack on Hamas could be seen as a duty to stop the hate, violence and prejudice that Hamas preaches by, unfortunately, using violence as well. While the practice of quelling violence and violence compromises pacifistic values that the world holds in high regards, the current situation calls for nothing less than that. Saying that force is never the answer to solving differences between nations is all well and good, but it is an entirely different story when your nation is under the gun of nearly the entire population of radical Islamic extremists who don’t recognize your right to exist.

!e recent 22 day attack on the Gaza strip in response to a barrage of rocket "re from Hamas militants has caused some heated discussion on whether or not Israel has been justi"ed in their military actions.

Although it’s hard to argue that Israel is justi"ed in keeping its people safe, I think they are hard pressed to refute a widespread international opinion that the attack was, to say the least, over-the-top. In less than a month, Israel has managed to kill around 1,100 Palestinians, and some reports claim that up to 350 of these deaths have been children. Many times more have been left injured and homeless. Meanwhile, since the rocket attacks began, only 13 Israeli casualties have been reported, 10 of which were military targets.

Not only are the numbers alarming, but so are the reports of humanitarian issues ranging from the use of banned and experimental weapons to making it di#cult, if not impossible in some cases for humanitarian aid to reach the civilian population. A population that was already largely without clean water or electricity.

Without a doubt the most disturbing fact about the current situation is the amount of civilian casualities. Hundreds of innocent bystanders with no connection to the con$ict other than the fact that they live near Hamas controlled areas have been killed during the airstrikes. While killing your country’s enemies in war is all well and good, needlessly involving civilians and then persisting in attacking areas where they live is unexcusable. You "ght the people who are killing you, not the people trying to live through another day out on the war torn streets of Israel.

I realize that this is an old con$ict, and it’s not my decision to decide who is in the right. What I question is the reckless tendencies that took place in the invasion. With over 40 percent of the casualties women and children, the international community needs to give Israel an ultimatum on what it can and can’t do if there is need for future con$icts with Palestinian political or militant groups. We can almost be certain that these con$icts will arise again, and we need to be more prepared to lay down restrictions on the severity in which Israel carries out its o%enses.

ever needs is encouragement and a sense of purpose.

All anyone

Reviews page editorjosh borgerding10 2.11.09

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UK band Glasvegas has finally made their debut in the US with a newly released self-titled album. The band is a relative unknown in America but harbors large acclaim in its native Glasgow. As I began listening to their first few tracks, I could definitely tell why they’ve become so popular; they don’t sound like any other band out there today. If I had to make an attempt at describing their sound, I would call it “Snow Patrol crossed with Muse.” At least, that’s what they’re like melodically. Lyrically, it’s all one big happy collision of ideas. If you took Conor Oberst of Bright Eyes fame and took him on a trip through Wonderland, you might end up with something similar to the lyrics of Glasvegas. That still doesn’t explain why there’s a whole song about an ice cream truck. The one huge, glaring problem I have with this album is that every song sounds similar. Listening to the whole album in order, I wouldn’t have been able to tell where one song ended and another began if it hadn’t been for the handy track display on my CD player. A few songs stood out from the rest, however. “Geraldine” was one of their more lively, heartfelt tracks, and the weird song “Ice Cream Truck” never ceases to confuse me. Overall, the album is a fairly solid, with its own strengths and weaknesses. for example, I occasionally doubt whether or not the singer is actually singing in English. It’s a great concept, but the novelty of the band gets old about halfway through the album.

Listen: Glasvegas

Go: OtleyWatch: Frost/Nixon

Play: Chrono Trigger “The new remake on the Nintendo DS platform comes nearly 13 years after the original game was introduced on the Super Nintendo. “Chrono Trigger” makes use of the Nintendo DS’s touch pad in clever ways such as incorporating it into combat and conversations windows. Anyone can play the game, which features real time combat and cut-scenes with great graphics. The developer Square-Enix has done a great job in using colorful sprites and incorporating them into the scenery and characters. “Chrono Trigger” is set in an alternative universe. A young man named Chrono wakes up in the year 1000 to find that his town is hosting the annual millennial fair. Chrono’s friend Lucca and his father show up with a time machine. As it should, the machine creates a paradox. Ch.rono and his friends travel in time and discover that in 1999 A.D. the world ends. The characters set out on an epic journey to save everyone and travel from post-apocalyptic Earth, to 65 million B.C.

plotline make “Chrono Trigger” engaging. Chrono and his friends deliver in every aspect of the game and offer extensive replay value. 14 different endings and many quests keep the player on his toes. This remake of “Chrono Trigger” is timeless and should be sampled

“We’re gonna burn those motherf***ers!” says Richard Nixon -- a little heard phrase spoken by the former President of the United States. Unfortunately, the sad truth has to be made known. It’s the biggest negative aspect of the entire movie: one of the best scenes never actually happened. !e "lm’s about a series of televised interviews that British talk show host David Frost conducted with former President Richard Nixon. It was the "rst interview Nixon had participated in since he resigned the presidency, and it was a huge deal for the American people, given Nixon’s questionable actions that took place while he was in o#ce. “Frost/Nixon” details the events of those interviews. !e night before their last interview, Nixon placed a call to David Frost, and proceeded to rant about how he was looked down upon by the American people and how he made mistakes throughout his Presidency. It was one of the best scenes of the "lm, featuring wonderful writing and a great, Oscar-nominated performance by Frank Langella, and it never even happened. So why do I bring up the most negative part of the "lm right at the beginning of the review? Because everything else in the "lm is great. I think, if possible and done right, historical fact is above all more important and entertaining than a fabrication of the truth. Usually, altering the truth is really only done to enhance drama in a "lm--nothing more. If something did not happen, then it should not be featured in a "lm that is supposed to be based on historical fact. Nonetheless, Ron Howard’s given us a spellbinding "lm that keeps viewers hooked throughout its runtime. I highly recommend it, and give it an eight out of ten.

The car’s engine lulled back to sleep. Where was it? Nathan [Kooker] referenced the map, and told me that Otley was still ahead of us. He was afraid that we both had both inconveniently, and the tiny town had been lost to the snow covered fields. Thankfully, this had not happened. When we arrived, a strange sensation mixed with the air we breathed. We could never claim to see across an entire town before. What were we to do in this place? I wanted to claim it as my own, but was disappointed to find that we had failed to come equipped with a flag of our own. Instead, we timed ourselves driving down main street at the suggested speed limit. 35 seconds… respectable. That’s longer than it took us to read the town’s Wikipedia page. This jaunt cleansed our minds, and we pulled over to take our first steps into true rural Iowa. Otley seemed like a genuine community. Buildings were architecturally humble, provided a homey and non-competitive feel. Nathan noted that he could easily differentiate Otley from Pella by air quality alone. Most importantly, the town seemed family-friendly. The nonexistant police department seemed to be doing its job. We felt comfortable enough to park in the handicap space at the post office. The people were friendly. The three that we encountered during our half-hour stay cordially returned our waves and smiles. We were pleased with our time spent in Otley, Iowa. As we returned home in silence, musing over our venturous experience, we determined that it would definitely be our place of choice for future leisurely outings.

page editorsjosh van eeclarke hammes 112.11.09

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High school athletics are competitive, and to be the best, sacrifices need to be made. From a wrestler’s perspective, this road to the top has to do primarily with weight, and how much they need to add or gain to be at their best.

Throughout the wrestling season, wrestlers have been dedicating their nutrition to make weight. For those who don’t speak wrestler lingo, making weight is a term meaning to attain a specific weight, which will classify a wrestler into a certain weight class. The weight class a wrestler is put into may determine how a wrestler’s season will go; it may even decide between competing in the state tournament to sitting on the sidelines. In a wrestler’s mentality, weight is the end-all, be-all.

“Weight is everything. I mean, you need to learn how to wrestle, too, but weight determines who you go against, and really what chances you have to win. Maintaining your weight is probably one of the most important part of wrestling,” said freshman Jared Alcorn, about a 140 weight class varsity wrestler.

With weight being a heavy factor in a wrester’s life, a wrestler must put their body through numerous methods to achieve their goal.

“We have a two-hour work out every day, after school. They are usually pretty intense, so that keeps us in shape. I try to go running during my lunch hour sometimes, just another way to try to keep healthy, too. Usually before a big meet, I try not to drink water before hand, because that can really cause you to gain a lot of extra weight. I just drink Gatorade or something like that. Sometimes I worry about not making weight, so I may not eat the night before a meet, but that is just a precaution. I can always eat after

they weigh me in anyway,” said Alcorn.If a wrestler wants to lose weight through

these means, when will they know how much weight is enough? Joe Burch, JV/varsity head wrestling coach, wants to put an end to the numerous rumors surrounding the extremes of making weight. As a former high school and college wrestler, Burch knows the ins and outs of how to lose weight but maintain a healthy lifestyle.

“My job as coach is to make sure my wrestlers are healthy. With the ones who are losing a lot of weight, I make sure to talk to

them as much as possible. They know that I expect them to eat well, and that they stay at a reasonable weight. We exercise with intensity, too, but each one of my wrestlers knows their limits, and if they need to stop or take a break, they have the right to do so. We do not ‘over-do’ anything, the

wrestlers just work hard and are dedicated to their sport,” said Burch.

To make sure that a wrestler does not bring harm to themselves through extreme measures, the Iowa High School Athletic Association provides each participating school a list of assessments that need to be done during the season. For example, there are several hydration assessments that could be performed using the urine color chart, reagant lithus strips, or refractometer. The guidelines repeatedly associate the wrestling staff ’s responsibility is to have these assessments accomplished. The student’s health is always the first priority to the sport itself.

“These kids are very dedicated to what they do, and they all push themselves to be their best. They deserve a lot of credit for the sacrifices they make, especially at Christmas and Thanksgiving,” said Burch.

Wrestlers strive to succeed, struggle to make weight

Junior Brent Smith is currently involved in his third year of varsity wrestling. Smith made state his freshman year, and now wrestles at the 135 lb. weight class. “Our team has come a long way this year, as our incoming freshmen have really stepped up. I am really excited to see how the year ends up, and we hope to send at least three people on to the state tournament,” said Smith.

Junior Jordyn VandeLune is currently starting for her second year of varsity basketball. VandeLune has been involved in school basketball for the past five years, and plays the post position. “So far we have surprised a lot of people, as we have beaten numerous good teams already. We work hard every day in practice to continually get better, so we can ready ourselves for the post-season,” said VandeLune.

Senior Steven Overbergen, right, has been involved with basketball for the past six years and is currently involved in his last season. Overbergen is the leading scorer for the Dutch; he has started as a guard for the past two years. “We really hope to become better as a team continually. I hope our team can pull together at the right time to get past some tough competition as we make our way to the state tournament,” said Overbergen.

Jock Talk

At the end of this year, Mike Vint, head girls’ basketball coach and school counselor, is retiring. His retirement has started a long and very particular course of action in choosing a new head girls’ basketball coach. “An ad has been placed in both the Des Moines Register and the local papers to get the message out, and over the next few months, I will be receiving many applications submitted from people around the area. I will then call and interview each one individually, and I then make a recommendation. Ultimately, it is up to [Superintendent] Mark Wittmer and the school board, but it will take awhile to find

a new candidate,” said Athletic Director Bill VanHorn. So far, four people have submitted their interests in being the next coach of the varsity Lady Dutch. The advertising process started three weeks ago.

missed, as the transition will most likely be tough from this year to the next. I think whoever gets the job will do a just fine, but it will most likely change our team identity. It will be totally different, but will work itself out in the end,” said sophomore Lindsay Bentzinger.

Search begins for Vint’s replacement

THE CHAMP! Junior Brent Smith takes down his opponent in the meet against South Tama. Smith was the

“These kids are very dedicated to what they do, and they all push themselves to do their best.”

CoachJoe Burch

!"##$%&'()*+(

page editorandrew sagers12 2.11.09Mental Hug

!"#$% !""#$%&'#(

How To: Get Youself A Valentine

It may be short notice, but getting a Valentine is easily attained if you follow our five easy steps.

1. First, you have got to figure out who you want to become your sweetheart. Make sure you make the necessary precautions before just simply picking someone for their looks. For instance, don’t pick someone with bad body odor or who laughs like a hyena.

2. To prepare yourself for the chase, you’ve got to do your research. Get yourself a notebook and pen and start taking notes from the romance kings: romance flicks. We recommend the classics: Gone with the Wind, The Notebook, Sleepless in Seattle or The Godfather.

3. Once you have cupid arrow pointed at your special someone, you’ve got to woo them. To do this, buy them stuff. And we mean, lots of stuff. You can go for the classic roses and candy, or switch it up by buying an acre of land on the moon (now for sale for $19.95…seriously).

4. If the hoards of stuff doesn’t make them fall for you, it’s time to learn the language of love, Latin. It is, after all, the epitome of romance languages. However, it can be pretty tough to learn. So, go with the similar alternative, Pig Latin.

5. If none of this works, step up your game. Forget being a romantic, it’s time to get desperate. Bombard your valentine with love notes and cheesy poems. They’ll give in eventually, if you’re annoying enough.

Top Ten: How To Impress The Ladies1.

Nelson or anything.2. 3. Take creatine; all the cool kids are doing it (seriously)…and you are cool, right?4. Tell her she’s beautiful, but you’ve seen better. You don’t want to go all

Stage Five (clinger) on her.5. Somehow convince your lady-friend that you are, in fact, best friends with Jake

Meyer and Grant Naschke.6. 7. Get some legit kicks; I hear the Reebok Insta’ Pump Furies get the job done.8. Do not say words like perhaps, hence or fairy. It’s just not boyfriend material.9. 10.

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dropping boogers.

and Angel said yes. Actually, she said, “So I hear I won Hang-Out Time.” (Hang-Out

Birthday; we decided to treat him by taking him to Taco John’s. But, right before the Big Date, brought to you by Taco John’s The Fresh Taste of

John’s, we sat out in the parking lot for near 30 minutes. Trembling. Sweating. Nervously laughing. But we got over that, too. We convinced each other it was safe to enter. Then, as we approached the door, we saw Angel. And we ran from our Taco John’s The Fresh Taste of

having family over (“Lots of family,” claimed Nick). But, thing was, Hope wasn’t there. Apparently she got The Jitters, too. Angel made up

Jitters. Again.But then, with a startlingly sudden movement, Angel threw down a shot of Taco

Morally Problematic Moments, we allowed her to suffer alone, as we dumped our Super

Breakfast Burrito in Town.

! !