north scott spring lance

Abney spends winter break in ChinaF E B R U A RY 18, 2010

March 17 brings a lot of things to mind-leprechauns, four-leaf clovers, and lotsand lots of grizzly action! Here are fourmovies to get you in the action-packedspirit this St. Patrick's Day.

The Boondock Saints (1999) - Irishbrothers Conner and Murphy McManus(Sean Patrick Flanery and NormanReedus) enact vigilante payback upon thecriminals of Boston, Massachusetts afterbeing attacked by Russian mafia mem-bers. When bodies begin to pile up, theduo attracts the attention of FBI agent PaulSmeckler (William Defoe), who wants toend the brother's harsh methods of justice.Packed with over-the-top action, soakedwith blood, and Irish flair to boot, thismovie is excellent entertainment for theholiday. The Departed (2006) - LeonardoDiCaprio and Martin Scorsese team upagain in this tense crime drama about lies,deception, and the Irish mafia. Set inBoston, Massachusetts, the film centerson undercover officer Billy Costigan(DiCaprio) whose job is to infiltrate the

mob of Francis Costello (Jack Nicholson).Costello has had a mole of his own on thegood side of the law-Colin Sullivan (MattDamon). As both men try to gain eachother's trust, the stakes grow dangerouslyhigh.

! " ## $ % & '( ) #*$ +%,*$ -.

N S L A N C E . C O M Volume 70, Issue 3

Title IX: Can we

go further still?

by Kaitlin Heinen

page 22

After celebrating the holidays and setting

New Years resolutions, many people have

concerns with losing the weight they've put

on in the past year. Here are a few helpful

tips.

A good visual for losing weight is a three-

legged stool. Each leg-Exercise, Diet, and

Sleep-represent a part of what's going on

with your body. If you're not getting

enough of any of these three key “legs,”

the stool will fail, and you will not lose

weight.

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

by SKYLAR MOORE

by JAMESON SHANK

Fitness made easyby DAVID HARRINGTON

Four Best St. Paddy’s Day Movies

Unlike the majority of North Scott stu-dents, senior Ann Abney didn't spend herwinter vacation time lounging aroundsnacking on Christmas candy or over-whelmed with near-frightening amounts ofholiday programming. Instead, she board-ed a plane and took a 13-hour flight toChina to visit her sister, Maggie, anEnglish teacher living and working inHandan, China.

At first, I asked her a few lightheartedquestions-how was the food, the flight, thetoilets? According to Ann, the definite dif-ference between American Chinese andChinese Chinese was a lack of soy sauce.Before leaving, Ann expressed concernsabout xenophobes in has-mat suits onplanes due to swine-flu paranoia, and thechance that if she had even the slightestfever while on-board, she would not be letinto the country.

!" # #$ %& ' () #*$+%,*$- 0

St. Patrick!s Day tradition15

Street Smarts18-19

Title IX22

--{ NEWS

Top Ten3

Winter Olympics4

Fitness5

Hot vs. Not5

--{ FEATURES

NS Grad Interview6

Dress for Less8

Celebrate Cajun Style10

Mardi Gras recipes11

Abney in China12

Crossword 24

EDITOR:

SKYLAR MOORE

LAYOUT EDITOR:

JUSTIN ROBERTS

PHOTOGRAPHER:

TIM HAVENHILL

REPORTERS:

NATE CURLOTT

KAYLA HAMILTON

DAVID HARRINGTON

AISLINN MARTIN

GRAYSON SCHMIDT

JAMESON SHANK

AARON VINER

JONATHON ZROSTLIK

ADVISOR:

CAROLYN KECK

THE LANCE IS THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF NORTH SCOTT HIGH SCHOOL AND PUBLISHES FOUR ISSUES DURING

THE SCHOOL YEAR. OPINIONS EXPRESSED ARE THOSE OF THE INDIVIDUAL WRITERS AND DO NOT NECESSARILY REP-

RESENT THE VIEWS OF THE STAFF OR ADMINISTRATION. THE LANCE STRIVES FOR ACCURACY AND FAIRNESS, AND

IS A MEMBER OF THE IOWA HIGH SCHOOL PRESS ASSOCIATION. THE LANCE WELCOMES AND ACCEPTS LETTERS TO

THE EDITOR, BUT THEY MUST BE SIGNED AND ARE SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION FOR CLARITY AND LENGTH. LETTERS

MAY BE GIVEN TO MS. KECK OR EMAILED TO THE STAFF AT [email protected], OR WRITE TO

US AT 200 SOUTH FIRST STREET, ELDRIDGE, IOWA 52748.

--{ ENTERTAINMENT

St. Patrick!s Day Movies 16

Irish Slang16

FourClover-Day Soundtrack17

Leprechaun series17

--{ OPINION & PEOPLE

Energy: Hit or Miss?9

Symposium Cafe Review9

L4D2 Review14

Senior Spotlight20-21

Green Day opera14

Elves vs. Leprechauns15

Last chance to see rock star Conrad Birdie

(Travis Greve) in “Bye, Bye Birdie” this weekend.

Albert Peterson (Sean Lovellette) telling Angela Meyer that her problems are going to clear up if she

puts on a happy face.

Catch “Bye, Bye Birdie this weekend: Friday at 7pm, Saturday at 7pm and Sunday at 2pm.

This month in Top Ten: stolen ferrets,

mixed-up organs, Kermit the Frog and…pig

fat? Here's this month's ten weirdest sto-

ries from around the globe.

10. Two Holiday Inns in London, England

are offering something new to help their

customers sleep better at night: a bed

warming service. At customer request, a

s t a ff-member will climb into your bed, and

use a thermometer to measure when it is

an optimal 65 degrees Fahrenheit.

9. In Minneapolis, an urologist is no longer

allowed to perform operations after remov-

ing the wrong kidney from a patient.

Another incident involving the surgeon

occurred when a biopsy was performed on

a pancreas, rather than an intended kidney.

8. Looking for a new healthy treat? We l l ,

you won't find it with “Fat in Chocolate.” A

candy company in the Ukraine is manufac-

turing a piece of pure pig fat covered in

chocolate. The gooey treat is only a finger-

sized stick, but it still packs quite a fatten-

ing punch. What will they think of next?

7. The Boulder, Colorado Bomb Squad was

recently called to an area K-12 school hav-

ing received word of a possible bomb

threat. A lone duffel bag found in the

school's parking lot, was investigated by

the squad's remote controlled robot. Inside

the bag, was not a bomb, but a stuff e d

Kermit the Frog doll.

6. A 58-year-old German was caught in a

New Zealand airport with 44 geckoes

s t u ffed down his pants. Wildlife off i c i a l s

arrested the man, who was charged with

attempting to smuggle a protected species

out of the country. The person, who admit-

ted to trading protected animals, will spend

more than three months in jail and pay a

fine of $3,540.

5. In an ironic twist, a Pet Smart employee

was fired for bringing his dog to work. T h e

man was let go from his job due to sup-

posed “theft of services”. Working overtime

for his boss, the employee left his dog in

the store's animal daycare. A Pets Smart

representative defends the company's

decision saying the daycare is pay to use

o n l y.

4. A Roman Catholic Priest was arrested

for stealing a sofa cover and a tub of butter

from a Wal-Mart in Southern Illinois. T h e

priest also attempted to price switch a foam

mattress and was found carrying a stolen

laptop battery before being taken in by

authorities.

3. A 76-year-old man in Germany hated the

cold affecting his car so much he decided

to something about it. Placing a space

heater under the propped-up hood of his

c a r, the man went inside only to hear explo-

sions minutes later. The automobile (and

part of his house) caught on fire, ultimately

costing him more than $50,000 in repairs.

The man was unharmed.

2. As the new president of Croatia, Ivo

Josipovic has a lot on his plate to worry

about-especially what to do about all his

Facebook friends. He currently has 5,000

friends (the limit on Facebook) and has

7,000 more who want to be his "buddy. "

Josipovic says he's unaware how he'll

solve the problem, but he shouldn't worry.

He has plenty of friends to help him out.

1. A rather furry affair occurred recently

when Mexico City police saved 150 ferrets

taken by robbers. The creatures were

recovered following a high-speed chase

involving a band of well-armed coon-nap-

pers, who were thwarted by a pesky tree.

Two of the three assailants were arrested

and the ferrets were returned to their

o w n e r, unharmed.

Top Ten by JAMESON SHANK

The LANCE - FEBRUARY, 2010Pg #3

One of the London operated Holiday Innsfeaturing the bed warming service.

February marks a very low point in the

sport year. Football has wrapped up its

season, the NBA and NHL are in the mid-

dle of their seasons, and in NCAA

Basketball, teams are vying for conference

supremacy and position in the upcoming

NCAA tournament in March. However, this

year, there is something that will keep

many people occupied in this doldrums of

sports: the 2010 Winter Olympics in

Vancouver are in full swing.

Starting back on February 12 with the

Opening Ceremonies, the Wi n t e r

Olympics will run through February 28. If

you intend on watching (or have been

already), they are being aired on NBC and

all of its affiliated networks (USA, MSNBC,

and SYFY, among others).

The outlook is positive for the Americans

participating in the Olympics. The US

Men's and Women's hockey teams are

expected to earn medals this year, along

with the Olympic snowboarders, led by

Shaun White. The U.S. speed-skating

team, now sponsored by Stephen Colbert,

host of Comedy Central's “The Colbert

Report,” has many veterans looking to

take gold in Vancouver. Apollo Anton

Ohno, a short track specialist, may be able

to become the most decorated Wi n t e r

Olympian in American History by winning

just 2 more medals.

This year's Olympics has the potential to

be very prosperous for the United States,

so if you have nothing to do during this

boring part of the year, cheer on your

country and enjoy this once-every-4-year

sporting spectacle.

Wrestling is undoubtedly a noble sport.One that has been around for thousands ofyears; one that requires not only massiveamounts of physical strength and stamina,but also a high level of mental toughness.Wrestling thrives here at North Scott, andwe have a great tradition of hard workers(and state titles to show for it).

In spite of its glorious history, wrestlinghas also been known as a sport that push-es many of its participants to the brink ofwhat is physically possible-and sometimesbeyond. Some wrestlers have been knownto sacrifice their long-term health in orderto bring them success in the sport.

Wrestling competitors are broken intod i fferent weight classes, and since awrestler's weight directly effects whomthey will be competing against, it is com-mon for them to lose weight in order togain an advantage over their opponent.But if cutting weight is taken to theextreme, it can have effects comparable toan eating disorder. Measures taken to loseweight such as dehydration, excessiveexercise, starving, self-induced vomiting,laxatives, even spitting in a bottle all day toget rid of saliva weight are all just asunhealthy as they are gross.

When a wrestler becomes obsessedwith cutting weight at a fast pace, it cancause devastating damage to their mentaland physical health. According toWebmd.com, eating disorders can cause alack of energy, feelings of depression, anx-i e t y, and guilt, electrolyte imbalances,bone and tooth decay, as well as numer-ous unattractive effects to the person'sphysical appearance.

What is even more baffling is the factthat the population at large is not aware ofwhat goes on far too often in this sport-orworse yet, they don't care. When an aver-

age person hears about a wrestler drop-ping 7 pounds the week before their meet,they often see it as a sign of toughness.However, if those same people heard thatthe Silver Shakers went to the sameextremes as the wrestling them-and thatthey were fully condoned by their coach-itwould result in a huge controversy.

Thankfully, North Scott is cracking downon this problem. The coaches here are try-ing to change the way wrestlers thinkabout weight loss and the effects it has ontheir long-term health. Justin Dean, one ofNorth Scott's wrestling coaches, is quick topoint out the importance of health in theirprogram. “It is more important to us tohave healthy wrestlers that feel good than

to get everyone down to their lowest pos-sible weight class.”

This mentality is also echoed in the strictstandards set down by the state of Iowa.There are several regulations on minimumbody fat percentages, how fast weight canbe cut, and what methods can be used.For example, sauna suits, exercise geardesigned to dehydrate the body werebanned after several college wrestlersdied using them.

Hopefully, if more people are informedabout what is going on within the sport,they can encourage more healthy prac-tices, and watch our guys kill it at state.

Pinned Down: Wrestling and Weight Loss Obsessionby AISLINN MARTIN

2010 Winter Olympics Underway in Vancouverby AARON VINER

The LANCE - FEBRUARY 18, 2010Pg #4

NS wrestlers chill out after match.

After celebrating the holidays and settingNew Years resolutions, many people haveconcerns with losing the weight they've puton in the past year. Here are a few helpfultips.

A good visual for losing weight is a three-legged stool. Each leg-Exercise, Diet, andSleep-represent a part of what's going onwith your body. If you're not gettingenough of any of these three key “legs,”the stool will fail, and you will not loseweight.

Let's first address exercise. There aretwo types of exercise needed to get inshape: aerobic (which raises your heartrate) and anaerobic (which builds muscle).During your workout routine, it is importantto combine the two types of exercise. Forexample, Monday, We d n e s d a y, andF r i d a y, you could go running. T h e nTu e s d a y, T h u r s d a y, and Saturday, youcould lift weights and end the workout withsome sprints.

Diet-which is the most important leg-isn'tjust about eating fruits and vegetables.How many times you eat a day is just asimportant as eating a balanced diet. It'shealthier to eat 4-6 times a day, rather thanonly eating one or two meals. When youeat 4-6 times daily, your metabolism isconstantly kept running-and burning offexcess calories and fat. Eating severalsmall meals a day gives you energy, keepsyou full, and reduces binge eating. What about fast food? It's bad for you,

plain and simple. Although some choicesappear to be less greasy than others, eat-ing just one meal at Taco Bell orMcDonalds can knock out your allottedcalorie intake in just one sitting. If youabsolutely have to have fast food, gogrilled-it still isn't great, but it's better than

eating anything fried.

Lastly, there are liquid calories that also

need to be managed. Liquid calories are

beverages such as soda pop, energy

drinks, juice, and even milk. They contain

fats, sugars, and extra calories you can

avoid. While milk is high in calcium, it also

contains loads of fat-fat you don't want.

Besides, if you're eating balanced meals,

you can get calcium from other sources.

The best thing to pour down your throat is

water.

The final leg supporting your body is

sleep. Sleep is a key component of losing

weight and getting into shape. Without it,

your body will not respond to the healthy

changes you've made. Ideally, sleeping

eight to nine hours constitutes as a good

night of sleep. For some, this will be a

challenge, due to work, insomnia, or extra-

curriculars-whatever your excuse, just try

to get to bed at a reasonable time each

night. If you're struggling, take a nap when

you get home from school-just for half-

hour to an hour-and it will really help your

body out.

Lastly, make a plan-a plan with a goal

(one you can actually achieve), because it

is much easier for someone to achieve

weight-loss goals when they've actually

set some, and have a clear plan on how to

get there.

Fitness is as easy as one, two, threeby DAVID HARRINGTON

The LANCE - FEBRUARY 18,Pg #5

Tawni Detrent and Molly Smith demonstrate

the stool principle.

Hot-Cake Auction --Masks Mardi Gras -Wearing Green onSt. Patty!s Day -Standing atBasketball games

-Seeing the Swing -Show -Helping out Haiti

Not-Caked on makeup

-Christmas Lights in

March

-Getting Pinched

-Sitting in the back

-Being a no-show

-Being a Hater

When did you graduate North Scott?2004

Where did you go to college?I spent my first year following high schoolat Kirkwood in Iowa City. After that Imoved to Chicago to attend The IllinoisInstitute of Art, where I graduated in 2008.

What did you major in?My major was called Media Arts andAnimation, but that is just a fancy-pantsway of saying cartoons. I prefer to say thatI have a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in 'Toons,and some other junk too.

Where do you work?Technically, I'm self-employed, working asa freelancer for a few companies. Themajority of the work I do, though, is forCalabash Animation, a commercial anima-tion studio. They've worked a lot forGeneral Mills, and a few years back theyhad an Oscar nominated short film,“Stubble Trouble.” It lost to Pixar's “For theBirds.”

What sort of work do you do now?I create computer generated 3D elementsfor television commercials. Typically, CGbackgrounds and special effects. I fixedthe studio's kitchen sink once. I changeda few light bulbs when the other tall guywasn't there. Oh, and animate a lot of fly-ing cereal.

What are some of the most notable pro-jects you have worked on?I've worked on a number of Trix and LuckyCharms commercials. I've seen a coupleof them on TV. I get really excited andshout for everyone in the room to look atthe TV, but, since commercials are soshort, it's usually over before anyone does.

What do you recommend to peopleentering your field?I imagine the formula for success is aboutthe same for any career, work hard andcommit yourself. Drawing a lot is prettyimportant. Computers can't replace atrained hand and an experienced eye, ifanything they make it harder to createmost of the time. It's easy to get caught upin technical details and lose sight of thefinal product.

Do you have advice for graduatingNorth Scott students?Probably just the first sentence from theprevious question.

What are your goals for your career? To continue being able use art to support

myself and my future family. I don't want tohave to throw in the towel and get a jobwhere I have to wear a necktie. Nothingwrong with those necktie jobs, but I'veinvested pretty heavily in my education asan artist.

What would your dream job be?Something with a lot of job security, and ahealthy paycheck wouldn't hurt. I think itwould be pretty neato to work with a reallywell known property. Something fromDisney or a Looney Tune.

Where do you see yourself in fiveyears? Ten?Probably in Chicago still, doing about whatI do now. Maybe teaching a little on theside.

Did you consider any other jobs beforeyou decided on your career?Not really. In high school, I worked as a

movie store clerk for a while, before theSharps fired me from Movies To Go. If thewhole cartoon thing doesn't work out, Imay consider going back, with my hat inmy hand, and ask for my old job back.Probably not though.

What sort of hobbies did you have inhigh school? Did any of them influenceyour career choices?I drew pictures and clicked around on thecomputer a lot. I had no intention of pur-suing them as a career at the time, butthat's still, more or less, what I do all day.

What sort of activities were youinvolved with at the high school level? I didn't get involved in too much. I workedon the website and the yearbook for a littlewhile. I think I was assistant editor of thewebsite and layout editor of the yearbook.

Do you have any fond memories at

by SKYLAR MOORE


Interview With North Scott Graduate Tom MooreWhere could you be six years out of high school?

Artist and animator Thomas Moore in Rome, Italy


North Scott you'd like to share?I used to like watching the basketball teambeat (almost) everyone my junior andsenior year. Except those jerks atWaterloo East and Linn-Mar. What abunch of jerks.

Student question: Is there skin underthe clothes, or are the clothes part ofthe model?Hmm… Yes, no, and maybe. Dependingon the situation there may be a bodyunderneath the clothes, maybe if a char-acter changes outfits or if the clothes aresimulated. If it's not necessary to have abody underneath, then it makes sense notto waste time modeling one. One of thespots I worked on had CG characters, andthey had bodies beneath their clothing.

What programs do you use? What pro-grams do you recommend to begin-ners?First off, I feel I should note that a programis merely a tool; the real power lies in theartist controlling it. It's an expensive, com-plicated pencil. For 3D, I use Maya, andsometimes 3ds Max. Photoshop is theindustry standard for any kind of imageediting. I don't do much video stuff myself,but when I do I use After Effects, Premiereor Final Cut. There are bunches of othersout there; beginners should use whateverthey can get their hands on. These pro-grams tend to be pretty pricey, though theydo have student versions that are a bitcheaper, but the concepts behind them arethe same as cheaper or free alternatives.If someone learns how to model in a free3D software, like Blender, he should be

able to pick up modeling in Maya prettyquickly. Similar tools, just different namesin different places. But who needs a com-puter? Sculpting in clay would be greatexperience for learning to model digitally.

Are there any misconceptions you'dlike to clear up about 3D animation?What do people think about 3D animation?I'm a little out of touch now since most ofmy friends are other animation artists. Iguess that it's no easier, harder, better, orworse than 2D animation.

Link to online portfolio:http://www.thomas-moore.net

Top Left: “Casey” Photoshop. Top Right:General Mills cereal commercial still, cour-tesy of Calabash Animation. Right: “FordFocus” rendered in Maya. Above: “Face”rendered in Maya.


In the state of the current economy and

job market, more of us do what we can to

stretch our dollar, and often this means

making sacrifices. But that doesn't mean

that we shouldn't still have a good time.

School dances are one of these situations

where students often feel like they have to

choose between fun and their hard-earned

cash. If you have trouble getting the most

out of your dance dollar, use these tips and

see your savings go a long way and have

a great time!

Look to unexpected sources.

Department store clothes aren't cheap,

especially when it comes to dresses that

may only be worn once. Dresses from

stores like Von Maur, Younkers, and

Dillards don't often ring up for any less

than $60. So before the next dance you

attend, switch up your shopping destina-

tion and you may be surprised at the

results.

For example, Target and target.com both

have huge selections of stylish and color-

ful dresses, all ranging in price from $14-

$40. Walmart also has a good selection of

dance-ready dresses. Although Walmart

does not have as many dresses as Target,

their selections are much less expensive,

ranging from $12-$30.

If you want to stay at the mall, there are

several inexpensive stores that offer great

prices including Wet Seal and JCPenney.

Don't forget to check their websites if the

store seems a bit picked over.

Last but definitely not least: thrift stores

can offer great choices, although they

require a much more strenuous search. If

the standard Goodwill and Salvation Army

stops don't do it for you, try Ritzi Reruns on

Locust Street in Davenport, a consignment

shop which carries only the highest quality

used clothes.

Invest in Great Basics. This tip has to

do with saving money in the long run over

several dances, and can especially help

you underclassmen who still have many

dances left to attend! Think about it: if you

buy a pair of cheap shoes, they are most

likely not going to be good quality. This

would be fine if you only needed them

once, but everyone needs a good pair of

dress shoes. So instead of buying a new

pair of cheap shoes for every dance, invest

in a good pair of comfortable, versatile

shoes that you can wear over and over.

This goes for guys as well. For dances,

guys don't need much. As long as they

have a good pair of black or khaki pants

and a neutral button up and they're all set,

so make sure they last!

Borrow, Borrow, Borrow. It's a pretty

simple concept: if you don't have some-

thing, and you don't have the money to buy

it, you borrow it! I have friends who have

barely ever bought a dress because they

borrow them. I myself have also borrowed

accessories like shoes and jewelry from

friends and even my mom! Chances are,

people don't mind as long as you return

the item clean, undamaged, and in a time-

ly matter.

Whether you use all these tips or just

one, hopefully they help you save money.

Ending the night with some cash still left in

your pocket will make that dance even

more memorable.

More Fun, Better Look, Less Cash:Save Money Easily on School Dances

by AISLINN MARTIN

Seniors Skylar Moore and Justin Roberts at BC. Skylar!s dress was $5 from Good Will, the

belt however went for the inflated price of $10.

Photo by Tim Havenhill


by KELLY GOLLINGHORST

There has been a lot of gossip circulatingabout the Quad City's new teen club,Energy. Radio stations have been floodedfor weeks with advertisements trying toboost its popularity amongst teenagers.Lines stretched around the building onopening night, all waiting to get in, andconsidering the place was packed to max-capacity-a whopping 700 teens-some did-n't make the cut. Now, a few weeks later,the questions is not whether clubbers canget in without getting frostbite, but whetherEnergy is worth the ten dollar entry fee.

After shutting down a few times in pastyears, Energy has relocated to an old cardealership off of I-74 by Wal-Mart inDavenport. Inside the club, you will bechecked by a metal detector and will needto show club officials an ID that will identi-fy you as a teenager between the ages offourteen and nineteen.

The building itself is spacious and wellkept. On the walls walking in are signa-tures of people who had been therebefore. The dance floor is pretty spreadout. The “multi-level” part of the floor is justa stage towards that front that could holdup to fifteen people. The club serves ener-gy drinks (hence Energy) like Monster andcharge three dollars a can. They also sellsoda, candy, nachos-typical concessionstand food, and they're not as expensiveas a skeptic might think.

Bouncers are posted around the room in

case fights break out. The security won'tbother you unless you make them, so don'tworry.

The atmosphere overall is pretty fun. Inmy opinion, it is a great way to meet newpeople and get connected to otherschools. “You shouldn't go there if you arein a relationship. It wouldn't be as muchfun. It's much more fun if you go single,”says North Scott junior Joseph Polinchekwho checked out the club himself.“Overall, it's pretty fun if you make it be. I'drecommend going.”

To me, it was just a fun place to be. Kidswere dancing all over the place, eliminat-ing the fear that people are just standing

around. The atmosphere is very open andaccepting and everyone is there to meetother people for whatever the reason. Noone will judge you for being there, and withthe amount of people there on every givennight, it'd be easy to find someone todance with. Overall, I would recommendstopping by to check it out for yourself. Toget directions or find out about upcomingdeals, you can go to energyspot.com forinformation. We are only young once andthe theme of our generation is to go crazyand do whatever we want-which is a goodthing in this club.

Energy: Hitor Miss?

Teenagers live it up at hot new dance club Energy

It's unique. It's cozy. It's delicious. It'sSymposium Cafe.

Upon entering the restaurant, all guestsare immediately greeted by a friendly host-ess and shown to either a cushy andcomfy booth or a sturdy, lacquered hard-wood table. Then a knowledgeable mem-ber of the wait staff will tend to your everyneed for the rest of the night.

The Cafe's menu is rather large, consist-ing of all types of cuisine. They offer pas-tas, steaks, salads, gyros and a variety ofsandwiches. All of the food is made toorder and brought to guests piping hot andfull of flavor. While the quality of the food issurely five star, it is not directly reflected inthe prices. Larger entrees, such as NewYork steak and Atlantic salmon, range from$15-25 while dishes like Fettuccine Alfredoand the Turkey Bacon Swiss Melt are rea-sonably priced at $8-17.

Symposium also specializes in rich and

delectable desserts. A display case full ofdelicate cakes and chocolately browniesentice the guests as they walk in remindingthem to save room for dessert.

A unique atmosphere only adds to thedining experience. According to theSymposium Cafe website, their decor canbe described as, “Tuscan...with Frescanand Italianate artwork.” Large, beautifulmurals cover the walls depicting a varietyof Renaissance scenes and biblicalevents. A glowing fire burns bright everynight adding to the cozy ambiance. And tokeep the sports fans up-to-date, huge, flatscreen TVs hang above the extensive bar.

Since its opening a little over a year ago,Symposium Cafe has been inspected bythe Scott County Health Department onthree different occasions. The first timewas in February 2009 and resulted in threecritical violations. More recently, thedepartment checked back in on November

24, 2009 and it only got worse. This visitended with six critical violations. Someexamples of the critical problems includefood contact services not clean, PHF foodnot kept at the required 41 degrees, anddirect hand contact of ready-to-eat foodwhich in this case consisted of not wearinggloves when plating oranges. Thankfully,upon a reevaluation just over a month ago,the restaurant was cleared of all violations. Given these rather frightful health scares,

the amazing food and comfortable sur-roundings paired with outstanding servicegreatly outweigh these issues. I highly rec-ommend anyone and everyone to giveSymposium Cafe a try the next time theyare looking for a place to eat before adance or for a casual dinner after a moviewith friends.

Symposium Cafe offers unique dining experience at an affordable price

by KAYLA HAMILTON

For many, January and February areextremely dreary months. The weather isdepressing, and festivities of Christmasand New Years are over, leaving nothing tolook forward to but the mundane. Duringthis time, it may seem as if there is nothingto look forward to. Don't despair: there isone holiday that can take us out of ourpost-Christmas depression and give ussomething to celebrate-and that holiday isnone other than Mardi Gras.

While Mardi Gras is celebrated fanati-cally in New Orleans, in the rest of theUnited States, it is not. The reasons whyare debatable, but just because MardiGras is not as widespread as St. Patrick'sDay or Valentine's Day, that doesn't meanwe can't celebrate it. Look outside. Weneed more excitement-especially duringthe first two months of the year. What elseare we supposed to look forward to?Valentines Day? Wouldn't you ratherspend money eating and having a goodtime than on chocolates and flowers? Iknow I would. When was the last time youever heard of someone having aValentine's Day party (and it not beinglame), anyway?

During Mardi Gras, however, you'd behard-pressed to find anyone who's notthrowing a party in New Orleans-the entirecity comes together and parties. When myfamily lived in New Orleans, we really gotinto the spirit of the holiday. When wemoved away we tried (and still try) to cele-brate Mardi Gras by either throwing partiesor eating traditional New-Orleans-stylemeals. Obviously, the weather is much

better down south during this time of year,making it easier for them to have a paradeand all the festivities, but this doesn't meanthat we can't celebrate in the Midwest.Good food and a party are great no matterwhat the weather's like.

If there is one thing I have learned from

living in Iowa, it's that January andFebruary could use a lot more excitement.Even if for only one day, Mardi Gras givesus something to look forward to beforespring break; for one day out of these mis-erable winter months, lets live as theCajuns do.

Celebrate Mardi Gras Cajun Styleby GRAYSON SCHMIDT

by JUSTIN ROBERTS


Mardi Gras parade underway in New Orleans.

Disney Animation's Return: Out of Touch Technique or Perfected Formula?

For more than 70 years Disney has beenthe leader of animated family films basedupon numerous fairytales and folklore bothdomestic and foreign; however in the newage of 3D art and realistic special effects,has traditional pencil and paper becomeprimitive?

The latest of Disney's line is “ThePrincess and the Frog” and is looselybased upon the old Grimm tale of “TheFrog Prince.” It introduces a new Disneyprincess in the form of Tiana, a newPrince, Naveen, and a new Disney villain-voodoo practitioner Dr. Facilier. Tiana is ayoung African American woman who livesin 1920's New Orleans and works hard tomake her childhood dream become reality.The new Prince Naveen has been cut offfrom his royal parents because of his lazi-ness, so in order to avoid getting a job, hecomes stateside to find a wealthy bride. The film has many wonderfully animated

and colorful characters; from the hopeless-ly romantic lightning bug in love with a starto the alligator that wants to play in ashowboat band, all characters are uniqueand memorable. The dynamic chemistrybetween the two main characters is well-balanced (though often contrasting), mak-ing the film entertaining and highlighted bya down-to-earth and realistic relationshipbetween two people-even if they're shape-shifted frogs.With beautiful animation, great characters,and terrific pacing, Disney's “The Princessand the Frog” reminds us that while hardwork is important, we should never losesight of what makes us happy in the end.Disney has proven once again that thestyle they started with is just as fresh andmesmerizing as it was almost a centuryago.

Disney!s “Princess and the Frog”

by GRAYSON SCHMIDT


So now that you know all about Mardi Gras and what it standsfor, you're probably saying to yourself, "That sounds swell, buthow do I celebrate it?" The answer is very simple: eat. Okay,now that you know what you need to do, the next step is how todo it. For people who don't know what traditional Mardi Grasfood is, here are some recipes that'll be sure to make MardiGras a regular tradition for your family.

Cajun JambalayaIngredients:

12 medium shrimp, peeled, de-veined and chopped4 oz. chicken, diced1 tbsp Creole seasoning, recipe follows2 tbsps olive oil1/4 cup chopped onion1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper1/4 cup chopped celery2 tbsps chopped garlic1/2 cup chopped tomatoes3 bay leaves1 tsp Worcestershire sauce1 tsp hot sauce3/4-cup rice3 cups chicken stock5 oz. Andouille sausage, slicedSalt and pepper

Directions:1. In a bowl combine shrimp, chicken and Creole seasoning,

and work in seasoning. 2. In a large saucepan heat oil over high heat and fry onion,

pepper and celery for 3 minutes. 3. Add garlic, tomatoes, bay leaves, Worcestershire and hot

sauces. Stir in rice and slowly add broth. 4. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 15 minutes, stirring

occasionally, or until rice absorbs liquid and becomes tender.5. Add shrimp and chicken mixture and sausage. Cook for 10

minutes, or until meat is done. 6. Season to taste with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning.7. Serve.

Chicken & SausageGumboIngredients:

* 1 cup oil* 1 cup flour* 2 large

onions, chopped* 2 bell pep-

pers, chopped* 4 ribs celery,

chopped* 4 - 6 cloves

garlic, minced* 4 qrts chicken

stock* 2 bay leaves* 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, or to taste

* 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves* Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste* 1 large chicken (young hen preferred), cut into pieces* 2 pounds andouille or smoked sausage, cut into 1/2"

pieces* 1 bunch scallions (green onions), tops only, chopped* 2/3 cup fresh chopped parsley* Filé powder to taste

Directions:1. Season chicken with salt, pepper and Creole seasoning

and brown. Brown sausage; pour off fat and reserve meats.2. In a large pot heat oil and cook flour over medium to high

heat, stirring constantly, until the roux reaches a dark reddish-brown color for Cajun-style. To save time or prefer NewOrleans-style roux, cook it to a peanut-butter color.

3. Add vegetables and stir quickly and constantly for 4 min-utes.

4. Add stock, seasoning, chicken, and sausage. Bring to aboil; cook for one hour, skimming fat off top as needed.

5. Add chopped scallion tops and parsley; heat for 5 minutes. 6. Serve over rice.

Mini King Cake

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) can of “Grands” bis-

cuits

1/4 cup melted butter

1/4 cup sugar

1 tbsp cinnamon

A few spoonfuls of canned

cream cheese frosting

(optional)

Yellow, Purple, Green Sprinkles

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. After spraying a cookie

sheet with non-stick spray, open biscuits and lay them flat on

sheet. Press them into a giant rectangle.

2. Paint dough with butter, then mix sugar and cinnamon

together and sprinkle evenly over dough.

4. Lay babies somewhere on the dough.

5. Roll the dough up into a cylinder and pinch as tightly as

possible to seal. Shape the cylinder into a circle.

6. Bake for 35 minutes. Let cool slightly, then spoon icing

over top and let it fall down sides. Sprinkle sugar on top.

7. Serve after preparation.

Get in to the spirit of Mardi Gras with these recipes

Unlike the majority of North Scott stu-dents, senior Ann Abney didn't spend herwinter vacation time lounging aroundsnacking on Christmas candy or over-whelmed with near-frightening amounts ofholiday programming. Instead, she board-ed a plane and took a 13-hour flight toChina to visit her sister, Maggie, anEnglish teacher living and working inHandan, China.

At first, I asked her a few lightheartedquestions-how was the food, the flight, thetoilets? According to Ann, the definite dif-ference between American Chinese andChinese Chinese was a lack of soy sauce.Before leaving, Ann expressed concernsabout xenophobes in has-mat suits onplanes due to swine-flu paranoia, and thechance that if she had even the slightestfever while on-board, she would not be letinto the country. Luckily, after takingTylenol to drop her body temperature asprecaution, the flight in was fine; after theChristmas Bomber scare before her flightback, however, her orange juice was con-fiscated. Asian toilets-a bit of a wonder towesterners-were reportedly “clean, butweird.”

Adjusting to the environment in Handanwasn't easy for Ann. Before she left, sheconfided in me that she was apprehensiveof China-not because it is a communistcountry, not because it is literally on theother side of the world, but because it isdirty, and her actual experience was farworse than what she imagined. The high-ly publicized poor air quality troubling allmajor Chinese cities was the least of herworries, even though she told me that liv-ing there over time would turn a person'ssnot black. Although she commented that

black snow and black rain are a common-place in China, in the same vein of theblack snot aforementioned, she was not inthe country long enough to experience pol-lution's direct effects. More unsettling toher was the commonplace public spittingof Chinese people. “They believe mucusin the body is harmful,” she explained, butknowing that did little to comfort her.

While over there, Ann visited several cul-tural attractions, such as the world-famousTerra Cotta Warriors in Xian, TiananmenSquare, and the Hutongs, an old district inBeijing famous for narrow streets andancient buildings. Most of her time, how-ever, was spent in the classroom. On afew occasions, Ann actually taught her sis-ter's students, which to Ann, was probablyone the best parts of the trip. The studentswere vibrant and excited to learn-some-thing arguably lacking in A m e r i c a nschools. Reportedly, the students were allobsessed with Korean pop-juggernautSuper Junior, and in turn didn't know anyAmerican music. Ann fondly recallsattempting to teach the studentsBeyonce's “Single Ladies” dance with littlesuccess.

Counted amongst Ann's sister's stu-dents was a Chinese television and moviestar only known to Ann by his Americanname, Paul. In spite of his celebrity status,the students treat him like one of their own;Ann assumes they're just used to himbeing there. Ann will always rememberhim for being obsessed with her Winniethe Pooh teddy bear and tangoing to “FelizNavidad.”

Ann's sister's job hasn't always been funand games, however. “There are threethings you don't talk about in China,” Ann

explains. “Taiwan, Tibet, and TiananmenSquare.” One time, Maggie made the mis-take of referring to Taiwan as a country; inChina, Taiwan is anything but. “Had sheslipped up in front of the older children,they would have turned her in. They'reloyal.”

The Chinese government strictly pro-hibits teaching an American view onChinese affairs. If imported teachersmake a mistake, they face at the very leasta dock in pay; one colleague of Maggie'swas sent home. While Maggie was teach-ing the concept of Christmas to her stu-dents, another teacher monitored her to besure she didn't say anything wrong. Anncomments somewhat-hilariously that theadministration was “okay with the birth ofJesus.”

Classrooms in China are different thanin the United States. Instead of movingfrom class to class, students stay in oneroom all day and the teachers rotatebetween classes. The curriculum is gen-erally far more advanced than in Americanschools sciences; for example, Ann's sis-ter's Junior 3 (freshmen) level students aretaking Physics. Some of this advance-ment can be accredited to a lack of labo-ratory sciences in China, but most of it,

by SKYLAR MOORE


Tianamen Square, sight of the protests of

1989 - and later massacre.

Abney Pictured in Xi!ain.

Abney’s trip to China proved to be an experience

however, is likely caused by an ever-grow-

ing pressure for Chinese students to sur-

pass their peers on a world stage.

Kids are also punished for messy hand-

writing. “In a country where the slightest

smudge could change a world entirely,”

Ann explains. “Penmanship is key.”

All students also participate in “morning

exercises.” On Mondays, similarly to say-

ing the Pledge of Allegiance, students hail

Mao and raise the flag. All children are

dutiful and respectful during the ceremony;

disrespect is not tolerated. During the rest

of the week, they do T'ai Chi.

When asked her opinion on which one

was better, Chinese education or

American, she shrugged her shoulders.

“Schools [in China] aren't better or worse.

Just different.”

When grilled about her overall impres-

sion of the experience, she laughed. “It

was an experience. Not an experience I

would like to repeat, but an experience.”


Maggie!s Junior 1 (freshman) level Englis class. Holding Winnie the Pooh is Chinese

superstar Paul.

Morning T!ai Chi exercises in Handan.

What do you think of when you think “lep-rechaun?” Do you think of small, green-clad Irishman? Gold at the end of the rain-bow? So common, in fact, is the legend ofthe leprechaun that they have become thestereotype of Irish people themselves.Ironically, most of the stereotypes on lep-rechauns are wrong to begin with.

O r i g i n a l l y, leprechauns had variousappearances depending on where theywere found in Ireland. Samuel Lover, anexpert in folklore, described that troopingfairies were the ones who were supposedto be associated with green, whereas lep-rechauns were red coated, and also car-

ried a sword and a wand. Nothing in folk-lore points to their association with four-leaf clovers.

At their inception into Irish myth,Leprechauns were used in stories solelyfor the purpose of troublemaking.Leprechauns were originally a solitarycreature that had the occupations of shoe-makers. Many will recall the story “TheElves and the Shoemaker,” that clearlystates that elves make shoes, not lep-rechauns. Incidentally, there are severalsimilarities between the two.

Both mythic creatures are short, makeshoes, and have similar magic powers.The defining difference between the two

may be the fact that elves are not as tradi-tionally prone to excessive practical jokesas their leprechaun counterpart.

In Norse mythology, it was believed thatelves were not a race but a rank that couldbe attained after death, a rank higher thana spirit. Human kings and queens some-times were turned into gods after they hadbecome elves.Leprechauns and elves both may have

lost touch with their traditional roots, butthis doesn't change the long-reachingeffects they have had on culture world-wide.

Elves Vs. Leprechauns: Elfin magic or Leprechaun troubleby JON ZROSLIK


Rarely do sequels outdo their predeces-sors, but Left 4 Dead 2 (commonly abbre-viated as L4D2) outdoes the original inevery way. L4D2, sequel to last year'szombie apocalypse survival game thatredefined cooperative first-person shoot-ers, is no less than a success. The sequeltakes place around the same time as theprevious game except the location spansfrom southern Louisiana up to NewOrleans as four new survivors fight theirway to rescue.

All the new characters are locals of thearea who all have colorful dialogue anddynamic mood swings depending on whatis taking place in the game; for instance, agiven character will promote escape, anddepending on how the other players coop-erated with each other, their avatars willcommunicate with varied conversationsranging from congratulations to insults.

The Artificial Intelligence engine is thetrue star of the game; it can read howstressed the players are and how wellthey're playing and chooses not only whatenemies appear where but also regulatesthe generation of helpful items. Even thelayout of the level changes depending onplayer skill; each campaign, no matter howmany times played through, is a new andvaried experience. L4D2 contains fivenew campaigns (as opposed to the origi-nal's four) and makes use of many newenvironmental challenges such as blindingweather or being forced to move sluggish-ly through a swamp.

New to the game are throwable itemsand eight melee weapons (axes, skillets,guitars, etc.) and three new zombies, com-plete with new attacks thwarting allattempts as survival. These include theSpitter, who prevents progress by vomitingacidic saliva on the ground; the Jockey,

who jumps on players and controls theirmovements; and the Charger who…charges into and relentlessly slams play-ers into the ground.

L4D2 also boasts the Survival modeintroduced in a downloadable expansion ofthe first game, but also brings two newmodes for competitive and cooperativeplay: Scavenge and Realism. Scavengemakes use of certain sections of the cam-paigns where up to four survivors mustrace to collect gas cans and bring them toa generator or vehicle within a certain timewith an opposing team of zombies on theirtails. Realism isn't necessarily a newmode or even a difficulty setting; it playsthe same way as the main campaignsexcept there is less spare ammo, zombiestake longer to die from gunfire (other thanhead shots), and the helpful outlines ofother players and items that you can see

through walls are non-existent, creating amore “realistic” experience. L4D2 is a great sequel and upshots its pre-decessor in every way. Valve Corporation(the game designers) also has an expan-sion on the way that has the charactersfrom both games meet each other for anew campaign. While L4D2 invokes agood sense of camaraderie and team workcrucial to gameplay, the game only sup-ports two players on one Xbox 360, andthe PC version multiplayer is slow andlacks the stability of the console versiondue to modifiers players can manipulatewithin the game.

I give this game 4.5 severed hands outof 5 for awesome programming, great anddiverse gameplay and great to play withfriends-but only if you deal with the draw-backs of the multiplayer.

Should Left 4 Dead 2 be Left 2 Die?by JUSTIN ROBERTS

The survivors of Left 4 Dead 2, left to right: Nick, Rochelle, roach, and Ellis.

by KAYLA HAMILTON


With a history spanning from its origin inIreland, to a layover in the tiny island ofMontserrat, to a transplant into the UnitedStates, the practice of St. Patrick's Day isdifferent all around the world.

IRELANDThe birth of St. Patrick's Day was-as

everyone knows-in Ireland. The celebra-tion started roughly one thousand yearsago in order to remember the death ofIreland's patron saint, Saint Patrick. Bornin Britain sometime around 460 A.D. andtaken captive by Irishmen ransacking hisvillage at age 14, the saint lived as a slavefor six years. Influenced by the “voice ofGod” he claimed to have heard in hishead, he walked hundreds of miles to theIrish shore where he hailed a ship andreturned to his family. After returning toIreland as a bishop years later, he spear-headed several Christian efforts, whichcombined Irish practices with those ofChristians, such as the Celtic cross.Legend reveres him as driving all thesnakes from Ireland's shores and beingthe first to teach the Trinity with a sham-rock, or 3-leaf clover.

UNITED STATESThe first ever St. Patrick's day celebrat-

ed in the United States happened in 1737when the Irish Boston Society threw aparade commemorating their native tradi-tions. Over the years the holiday rose in

popularity, leading to George Washington(a General at the time) to give his Irishtroops the option of celebrating, as hebelieved it stood for their fight for freedom.At first, the “rowdy celebrations” portrayedthe Irish as uncontrollable drunks, but inthe years to come the holiday wasembraced as a political tool. After theGreat Potato Famine in 1845, many Irishhad immigrated to the United States andaccounted for a large portion of the votingbracket.

In modern times, St. Patty's day is cele-brated traditionally with parades (whichoriginated in the U.S.) and other custom-made festivities. Some cities in the U.S.(like Chicago) dye their rivers, fountains, orwaterways green for the day in remem-brance of the holiday. Beer, of course, isalso one of America's favored adaptationsfrom the Irish celebration.

MONTSERRATThe British-owned but Irish-settled

Caribbean island of Montserrat celebratesSt. Patrick's Day due to a slave uprisingthat occurred on March 17, 1798. Around1630, the first of the Irish arrived andAfrican slaves were brought to plant andharvest sugar cane. Soon, the slaves out-numbered the Irish, which in turn broughtrebellion. Slaves from every part of theisland planned the attack for the day theyknew the Irish would not be suspecting it:St. Patrick's Day. Word of the plan got out

and authorities soon tempered anythoughts of revolt. The inhabitants of theterritory (dubbed the “other Emerald Isle”)still celebrate the Irish Catholic traditionsas well as some of the traditions they cre-ated themselves. Green beer, shamrocks,and memories of the attempt to gain theirfreedom are what most people of thisisland will remember on St. Patrick's Day.

Today, in most countries green is worn toprotect against goblins. The mandatorypinch given to someone not wearing greenwas meant to remind non-conformers towear the proper attire. A four-leaf cloversignifies good luck to whoever wears it.The Blarney Stone located along theBlarney Castle in Blarney, Ireland, is a tra-dition coming from an old legend involvinga witch. It was said that an old woman casta spell over the stone to give a king theabilities to talk sweetly; kissers of the rockare said to receive this gift as well.

All in all, the St. Patrick's Day celebrat-ed today is a testament to the affects theIrish have had on the world. Affecting morethan a dozen countries, their influence canstill be seen in any country wearing greenon March 17. As far as traditions on thisday go, most countries follow the ones thatcome from the home of the leprechauns.

St. Patrick's Day: A Tradition Morphed and Forgotten

Green Day debuts ‘rock opera’by NATE CURLOTT

In 2004, the punk rock trio Green Dayreleased a heart pounding, powerful, anti-Bush album entitled “American Idiot” andtook the world by storm. The “rock-opera”has sold 14 million copies worldwide andhas won numerous awards, 2 of whichwere Grammy's. Since then the band hasbeen insanely busy, creating a new recordtopping album, “21st Century Breakdown”and a side project, “American Idiot: TheMusical.” Now before you roll your eyes atthe thought of an article about a happy-go-lucky all smiles sing along, think again.The musical, directed by Tony award win-ner Michael Mayer, follows the dark andaggressive storyline of the multi-platinumalbum and doesn't hold back in the leastbit.

The storyline follows the character ofJohnny (yes that's it, Johnny) as he makeshis way through the slums. Followers ofGreen Day will better know this characteras the Jesus of Suburbia. Along his way,ridden with drugs, rage, and sex, he meets

a handful of characters from the albumincluding (Saint) Jimmy andWhatsername. Throughout the story,Johnny battles thoughts of suicide anddepression, but before you put away thisinsanely depressing article, know thatthere is a light at the end of the tunnel.Along with the darker side of the show,

there is an underlying love story betweenJohnny and Whatsername, and this pro-vides a happier ending for the overall story.The band has been soaring on the charts

ever since the album release and the bandhas been looking for new chances toexpand and they finally found it. The show,which features all 13 tracks from“American Idiot” and a few songs from“21st Century Breakdown” opened inBerkeley, California in September of 2009,and not long after its successful opening,was granted a three-week extension. Now,according to Playbill.com, “the productionwill begin previews on Broadway March 24and open on April 20 at the St. JamesTheatre.”

With a Tony Award winning cast mem-bers, a Tony Award winning director, andGrammy Award winning music, AmericanIdiot: The Musical is sure to be a contenderfor the next Tony Awards and rave reviewsacross the board.

John Gallagher, Jr. as “Johnny” and Tony

Vincent as 1st. “Jimmy.”

March 17 brings a lot of things to mind-leprechauns, four-leaf clovers, and lotsand lots of grizzly action! Here are fourmovies to get you in the action-packedspirit this St. Patrick's Day.

The Boondock Saints (1999) - Irishbrothers Conner and Murphy McManus(Sean Patrick Flanery and NormanReedus) enact vigilante payback upon thecriminals of Boston, Massachusetts afterbeing attacked by Russian mafia mem-bers. When bodies begin to pile up, theduo attracts the attention of FBI agent PaulSmeckler (William Defoe), who wants toend the brother's harsh methods of justice.Packed with over-the-top action, soakedwith blood, and Irish flair to boot, thismovie is excellent entertainment for theholiday.

Gangs of New York (2002) - The year is1863. The setting is New York's mostnotorious slum Five Points. The story isrevenge. Directed by Martin Scorsese,Gangs of New York follows the lives of

Amsterdam Vallon (Leonardo DiCaprio)and several other Irish immigrants as theystand up against Nationalist Bill “TheButcher” Cutting. The film features astrong supporting cast including DanielDay-Lewis, Cameron Diaz, and John C.Reilly.

The Quiet Man (1952) - This classic, star-ing John Wayne, is a perfect pick for St.Patty's Day, as it showcases the beautifulIrish countryside. Wayne plays SeanThornton, a boxer who travels to his nativeIreland to claim his family's land. Thorntonfalls in love with a fiery Mary KateD a n a h e r, whose rowdy brother Wi l lDanaher becomes enemy to Sean. Thisfilm makes the list due to the long brawlbetween Sean and Will towards the end ofthe movie.

The Departed (2006) - Leonardo DiCaprioand Martin Scorsese team up again in thistense crime drama about lies, deception,and the Irish mafia. Set in Boston,Massachusetts, the film centers on under-cover officer Billy Costigan (DiCaprio)whose job is to infiltrate the mob of FrancisCostello (Jack Nicholson). Costello hashad a mole of his own on the good side ofthe law-Colin Sullivan (Matt Damon). Asboth men try to gain each other's trust, thestakes grow dangerously high.

4 Bad Ass

St. Patrick's

Day Movies

Irish Slangadds color toour lexicon

by JAMESON SHANKby SKYLAR MOORE


As a writer who has extensively uti-

lized an Irish accent within their work, I

found having a list of various Irish

terms on hand priceless. For those of

you who just want to color up your lan-

guage for Clover Day, here's a short list

of terms that are either Irish staples or

kind of funny.

Basics

Greetings - Howya?; How's it goin',

Sham?

Goodbyes - I'm off; God bless; Safe

home

Insults - One wit more and she'd be a

half-wit; He's gotta face like a

bad stretch of road; She's so

ugly the tide wouldn't take her

out; She's got beef on the heel

like a Mullingar heifer

Compliments - She'd make a cat turn

backwards; You're a gas

craic, altogether!; He's

as happy as a pig in shite

One-Word Wonders

poxy - lousy

flahulach - flamboyant

facin'/neckin' - making out

apache - joyrider

toaster - someone who is a bit weird

Don't Get Confused

Doing a line - Not snorting sneatchta

(pronounced snokh-ta, the Irish slang

for cocaine), but going out with some-

one.

Acting the maggot - playing/horsing

around

Artist - Someone collecting social secu-

rity

Motherless - Drunk

Leprechauns, princesses, rap stars, and

Las Vegas. Is this St. Patrick's Day? No,

it's just the Leprechaun series.

Originally the series had some good

starting points such as the main antago-

nist, the Leprechaun, who was on a mis-

sion to reclaim all of his gold when it was

stolen by a pair of kids from the end of the

rainbow. A four-leaf clover is the only way

to cancel its evil powers and then a person

has to burn the leprechaun to defeat it.

These all have become “green horror”

canon. However, that was precisely the

problem: the creators were seriously trying

to create a scary leprechaun.

What I really want to know is how the

Leprechaun keeps coming back to life

after he is killed in every movie. He's simi-

lar to a vampire in that way, I guess.

Another problem facing the series are the

near-braindead leads. The characters

never seem smart enough to get past a 3-

foot man dressed in green. Apparently

there really is something scary about lep-

rechauns (which there isn't) or the people

in these movies are complete xeno-

phobes.

The locations the movies are set in are

also ridiculous. Viewers can handle a bar,

an old farmhouse, or a retirement home,

but Las Vegas, space, and the hood?

These movies have actually gone from

what was meant to be scary to a long-run-

ning joke in the horror industry. For exam-

ple, in addition to his magic powers, the

leprechaun also utilizes a lightsaber in

“Leprechaun in Space.” Small, green,

wields a lightsaber… sounds like another

famous character from a space film, does-

n't it? “Leprechaun Back 2 tha Hood” actu-

ally made 3rd place in EW.com's worst 25

movie sequels of all time. It's almost as if

the screenwriters gave up on horror alto-

gether and just started throwing random

(and terrible) ideas on the table.

Then again, that's probably the one good

thing people can say about the series: it's

so bad that it makes you laugh. If the

series doesn't kill you, the characters will.

Drunken Lullabies - Flogging MolllyWhile any Flogging Molly song would

be a perfect accompaniment to your St.Patrick Day's festivities, “DrunkenLullabies” captures the essence of the Irishheart. With bittersweet lyrics longing forfreedom while drowned in stout, no cele-bration (both dry and wet alike) would becomplete without it.

Amazing Grace - Flatfoot 56Chicago-based Celtic-punk band Flatfoot

56's cover of the age-old hymnal belongs

on your iPod for three reasons. One, theIrish are notorious for their strongChristian-Catholic or Protestant-values.Two, combining bagpipes and upbeatpunk is never a bad idea. And, finally,three-a song with the power to make aroom full of dejected atheists throw theirarms around each other and “praise God”is awesome, in the truest sense of theword.

Johnny Jump Up - Gaelic StormCalifornia-based Celtic rock band Gaelic

Storm (who recently toured the Quad Cityarea)'s hit takes full advantage of the typi-cal storytelling element present in almostall memorable Irish songs. Instead ofspreading tales of enjoying gettingsmashed at a local pub, however, GaelicStorm shares a story about the darker sideof drinking. Depicting a night so bad thatthe chorus is “oh never, never, neveragain, if I live to a hundred or a hundredand ten,” “Johnny Jump Up” represents acommon ailment of the Irish working class:bad drink, and a worse hangover the nextmorning.

Whiskey For Me Tae - Mike Got SpikedSome may wonder why any school-

sanctioned publication would feature a listof songs glorifying the consumption ofalcohol; some may wonder why any publicschool-sanctioned publication would fea-ture a list of songs that strongly promote

Christianity. The answer is simple: notaste of Irish culture would be completewithout “a li'l Jaysus n' a pint o' stout.”Dublin-based rock quartet Mike GotSpiked's “Whiskey for me Tae” is yetanother stellar example of all that we loveabout the Irish. With a bit of a hard rockvibe, it's sure to please any tough guy orgal who wants to throw down with the bad-dest folk of the Emerald Isle.

Four Clover-Day Soundtrack Picksby SKYLAR MOORE

Leprechaun series so bad, it’s goodby JON ZROSLIK


Cover of 2002!s “Drunken Lullabies”Cover of 2004!s single “All You Need.”

STREET SMARTSTim Havenhill tests NSHS

students! and one staff member!s

knowledge of a random topic.

What is the Shamrock andMr. Hoffmiller: “The Shamrock is the mag-

ical ingredient in a milk

shake. It originated at

Mcdonald’s Playland.”

Corey Yost:

“Clover thing.

Scotland.”Jeorden Keeney, Emily

Fredericksen, Alex Rankin, and

Nolan Swanson:

“It’s a green leaf in the ground

and the little Leprechauns

invented it.”


where did it originate?

Travis Brown:

“3 leafed clover from

Ireland.”

Trent Petersen:

“Eight-headed dragon

that eats people who

smell like mint.”

Answer:

“Three Leaf Clover from

Ireland that St. Patrick used

as a symbol for the holy

trinity.


Ryan Potratz

How many siblings do you have? 1 sister

Favorite song? Party in the USA-Hannah Montana

Why do you deserve to be knownat North Scott? Cause I'm RyanPortratz

Favorite article of clothing? shoes

Favorite cartoon character?Spongebob Squarepants

Favorite show growing up? Rugrats

Peak moment in high school? Big N' Tasty

Most embarrassing moment?Pink backpack freshmen year

Activities at North Scott? procrastination

First high school crush? Ariel Fentress

Most admired person? Mrs. Soenkson

What do you typically do on Saturday nights? World of Warcraftwith a slice of cheese

Favorite movie? Cheech and Chong

Little known fact about yourself? I've eaten out of the garbage for amonth

Favorite restaurant in the Quad cities? The Davenport trash can

Olivia Hawley

How many siblings do you have? 2,Sam(15) and Sofia(10)

Favorite song? Pretty much anythingbut country

Why do you deserve to be known atNorth Scott? I am involved in almosteverything and I think seniors haveearned the spotlight. Me included.

Favorite article of clothing? A goodpair of jeans

Favorite cartoon character? Eeyoree

Favorite show growing up? Barney and Disney in general

Peak moment in high school? Essentially Ellington in New York City orbeing on the stage performing for speech, Lp, or band.

Most embarrassing moment? Too many to be embarrassing anymore

Activities at North Scott?Band, jazz band, lancer productions, nationalhonors society, Leo club, varsity tennis, NS Speech Team

First high school crush? Ryan VanDeCasteele

Most admired person? My parents. So people I guess.

What do you typically do on Saturday nights? Hang out with friends orfamily, read, practice instruments, watch movies, or catch up on sleep.

Favorite movie? Too many to choose just one

Little known fact about yourself? I am allergisc to blue Kool-Aid

Holly Nelson

How many siblings do you have? 3 sisters- Sara(19), Faith(10),Nora(unborn)

Favorite song? Fireflies- Owl City or Whatcha Say- Jason Derulo

Why do you deserve to be known at North Scott? I'm really involvedand love being around people

Favorite article of clothing? sweatshirts

Favorite cartoon character? Strawberry Shortcake

Favorite show growing up? Rugrats or Boy Meets World/Saved By theBell

Peak moment in high school? Homecoming court 2009

Most embarrassing moment? Cheer camp 2009- ripping out of a girlshair

Activities at North Scott? Cross country,cheerleading, basketball, track, softball,stud gov, fca, national honors society

First high school crush?Derek Storjohann

Most admired person?Deana Sorensen, Kathy Washam, JodiWilliams, and Karen Skaala

What do you typically do on Saturdaynights? Have near death experiences withBrooke and have Jake and Alex save us:

Favorite movie?The Holiday

Young Shreves

How many siblings do you have? 5-All brothers- Caleb (26), Eric(26), Andy (16), Mitch (15), Carson (6)

Favorite song? Zombie Nation!

Why do you deserve to be known at North Scott? I'm a boss!

Favorite article of clothing? None

Favorite cartoon character? Tommy Pickles (Rugrats)

Favorite show growing up? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Peak moment in high school? Homecoming court/dropping band

Most embarrassing moment?I“I'm Ron Burgundy?”

Activities at North Scott? Class…N'Stuff

First high school crush?AlexaAshcraft

Most admired person? My Mother

What do you typically do onSaturday nights?Bible Studies!

Favorite movie? Underworld (I-III)

Little known fact about yourself? I Icry in sad movies (sniffle)

Favorite restaurant in the Quadcities?Mongo Grill

Jake Garden

How many siblings do you have?One brother-Matthias

Favorite song? Pruit Igoe- PhillipGlass

Why do you deserve to be knownat North Scott? Astro Van

Favorite article of clothing? Silkbow tie and bowler hat

Favorite cartoon character? EvanStone

Favorite show growing up? Frasier

Peak moment in high school? Getting 75% naked at Mr. North Scott

Most embarrassing moment? Getting 75% naked at Mr. North Scott

Activities at North Scott? Theater and strength training with CoachStewart

First high school crush? Bella Swan

Most admired person? Sly of Sly and the Family Stone

What do you typically do on Saturday nights? In charge of youthchili cookoffs/enjoy a cool gingerale on my front porch

Favorite movie? Any Scorcese picture

Little known fact about yourself? Every second full moon of themonth I undergo a violent transformation into the yeti of the Himalayas

Favorite restaurant in the QC? Biaggi's or Fairyland

Whitney VanPelt

How many siblings do you have? 5,Harmoni- 12, Logen-8, Landon-6,Jaylnn- 6, and Carson- 2

Favorite song? 4 minutes by Madonnaand J.T.

Why do you deserve to be known atNorth Scott? I don't, but if I did I sup-pose my hair

Favorite article of clothing?Sweatshirts and scarfs

Favorite cartoon character? JohnnyBravo

Favorite show growing up? Rugrats

Peak moment in high school? Being a seductive puppy and tornado inthe Wiz

Most embarrassing moment? Wiping out in C hall

Activities at North Scott? Key club, Sadd/Jel, Golf

Most admired person? My grandparents and mom

What do you typically do on Saturday nights? Hang out with friends orwatch movies

Favorite movie? Peter Pan(with actual people), Transformers, Twilight

Little known fact about yourself? I'm allergic to hemp.

Matt Morris

How many siblings do you have? 2- Jake/14 and Mitch/19

Favorite song? The Assumption Song-Irrogant Worms

Why do you deserve to be known at North Scott? Beast Mode

Favorite article of clothing? Banana Hammock

Favorite cartoon character? Scooby-Doo

Favorite show growing up? Spongebob Squarepants

Peak moment in high school? High School Days

Most embarrassing moment?Freshman baseball tryouts

Activities at North Scott? Track, Cross Country

First high school crush?Destinie Hsu

Most admired person?Travis Pastrana

What do you typically do on Saturdaynights? Making Sunday morning worse

Favorite movie?Bio-Dome

Little known fact about yourself?Race stock cars at the local dirt track

Favorite restaurant in the QC?Buffalo Wild Wings

Jenna Gerard

How many siblings do you have? 2- Cole and Shawn

Favorite song? Satellite by Dave Matthews Band

Favorite article of clothing? Hoody

Favorite cartoon character? Snoopy

Favorite show growing up? Boy Meets World and Smart Guy

Peak moment in high school? Watching the football team becomeMAC champions our freshmen year

Activities at North Scott? Volleyball, basketball, track, national honorsociety, and student government

First high school crush? Derek Storjohann

Most admired person? My parents

What do you typically do onSaturday nights?Hang out withfriends and go on adventures

Favorite movie? Ferris Bueller's DayOff

Little known fact about yourself?

Favorite restaurant in theQC?Texas Roadhouse

The LANCE - February 18Pg #21

Why do we do the things we do? Thisphilosophical question is the basis of newthought (and therefore change) and can beapplied to any number of things. For now,I would like to apply it particularly to Varsitydoubleheaders.

Have you ever noticed that girls alwaysplay before boys? Why is that? Tradition,perhaps. Maybe the boys bring in moremoney. Or it's possible that people believethe boys' games are more exciting thanthe girls'. It's hard to say, however, I dohave a few reasons as to why the girlsshould not always play before the boys.

First of all, it is tradition that later gamesare more valued. Students are finishedwith after-school-extra-curricular activities;parents and other adult members of thecommunity are off work; the overall num-ber of spectators in attendance is enor-mous by the time of the later game-andevery player knows that a loud and sup-

porting crowd can make all the differencewhen it comes down to a close match.Shouldn't the girls be allowed to enjoy thatlarge fan base once in a while?

Consider the more normal scheduling ofgames. Usually if the girls are at home,the boys are away, and vice versa, and thesophomore team plays first, then varsity.This is just seniority playing its part here;eventually, the freshmen and sophomoreswill become juniors and seniors and enjoythe excitement of a larger fan base duringthe later game. But with varsity double-headers, age will not help the girls “even-tually” enjoy the later game. They wouldliterally have to become male.

This problem cannot be solved with time,but rather with action. Action was requiredof politically active women in the 1970s toget Title IX. Title IX is the reason girlstoday can play sports with same opportu-nity as boys. Before it, girls had to beg

coaches to let them play with boys. Andeven at that, girls were only allowed ontrack, tennis, or swimming teams-the sup-posedly more feminine sports. Gym class-es were separated by gender, too. Butthanks to Title IX, girls can play as manysports as the boys with just as much free-dom and choice.

Title IX would seem a simple enoughsolution for our current situation at hand,but I have one that is even simpler-alter-nating. One doubleheader, the girls playfirst, and then the next, the boys. Let'stake Title IX one step further and allow thegirls the same opportunity to be seen andappreciated. Spread the idea around.After all, the power of word is what passedTitle IX in the first place. So ask eachother, “Why do we do the things we do?”and even more importantly, “What can wedo to change things for the better?”

Title IX: Can we go further still?by KAITLIN HEINEN

The girls! varsity basketball team began theirfirst season in 1975 by taking second place inthe Mount St. Claire tourney. The girls thenwent on to beat Wilton before falling on the shortend to Pleasant Valley and Assumption. St.Mary!s became the next victim of the Lancers asLynn Schmidt scored a record 41 points. TheClinton girls came on to beat the Lancers, but

they ended their season mark at 4-4 by beating

Comanche in their last game. Coach Frank

Wood commented on the team as being a

“young team with great desire and hustle.”

(reprinted from 1975 Shield)


Above: Row 1 Linda Strobbe, Deb Bockwoldt, Cindy Cronkleton, Karen Hamann, Lynn Schmidt, Cindi

Strobbe, Pat Jones. Row 2 Coach Frank Wood, Deb Carstens, Gwen Tombers, Ila Jean Keppy, Lisa

Hamann, Doreen Knutson, Denise Art, Cindy Marten.

Left: Lynn Schmidt goes up for two.

Lancer girls in first year competition

The LANCE - FEBRUARY 18, 2010

Pg #23

n s o d d u h g n r n c y d ug e i r y a r y o b y n n a di i u r c e l t i c r y u n ue i f e e b d e n r o c a i bd m r n l l k c o r m a h s ll l a n t s a g g u y c c g io k l r i r i n r d l p e r ng c c y c l a d d a g h r a dr u i i c h g a l w a y p i ga l s t r u p g l a k g e n rc h e n o t s y e n r a l b sd e k d s c a b b a g e a o in n a n s y i p t g a l m w kh g n e k y e h m a l i e e rs k s e d b l c l d e c r r i

patrickceltic crossgreenshamrockblarney stoneluckgoldireland

claddaghleprechauncelticdruidgaelicrainbowmarchsnakes

st paddyemerald islecabbagegalwaycorned beefdanny boydublin

St. Patrick's Day Crossword

north scott spring lance

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