Volume 44. Issue 2. November 2008

The John Carroll School 703 E. Churchville Rd. Bel Air, MD 21014

INSIDE

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Faith ReillyFeatures Editor

How do JC’s traditions compare to

those of cross county rivals?

Article continued on Page 6

Senior Keith Sneddon’s heart sank as he realized his MC duties at Pep Rally were only two days

away, and he was up that fabled river without a paddle.Sneddon, who was in charge of pep rally this year,

was shocked as the entertainment he had originally planned for pep rally completely fell through when two classmates, Ethan Reese and Eric Hart, backed out of his WWE wrestling proposal.

“I was scrambling to come up with ideas,” Sneddon said, “I wanted to do a dodge ball tournament, but the administration didn’t think that was a good idea after what happened at Powder Puff, so I just asked the foot-ball players what they wanted me to say and ran with that.”

Sneddon and many others in the SAC worked long hours to plan a successful Spirit Week. Their efforts led some to view it as a success, but others had more nega-tive feelings.

SAC moderator Rodney Johnson said, “This year’s spirit week was a train wreck of biblical proportions. Many individuals didn’t enjoy Spirit Week the way that it is intended. I think that divisive elements of the week distracted from the very spirit of Spirit Week.”

So what can we learn from this spirit week to make it better in the future, and what can we learn from other schools in the area who have developed deep traditions for powder puff, pep rally and homecoming? Do other schools face the same challenges we do?

C. Milton Wright senior class council member Adam Smith said, “Our whole spirit week is really class-orient-ed until the Homecoming game. We absolutely hate the other classes with a passion until then.” Fallston High School and CMW both have a competition between the classes to receive the coveted “Spirit Stick” that is awarded to the class with the most percentage participa-tion in the dress days during the week.

Mike Olaya, a former JC student who transferred to CMW, said, “By the end of the spirit week at CMW, the student body was much more spirited than at JC. There’s much more freedom given to the students here. For ex-ample, face paint is allowed.”

Students pinch pennies in economic crunch

In-Depth dives into cyberspace

Staff takes a closer look at the halls of JC

Please see Editorials Page 13

News 2i to Volume 44 . Number 2 . November 2008

The Patriot

Juniors petition to change masqueradeKatie O’HaraPhoto-Design Editor

All I can say is that I, myself, was shocked that masquer-

ade won,” said Jeremy Griffith, junior class president. After the announcement that the theme for Junior Ring Dance 2009 will be Masquerade, many of the juniors voiced their outrage. The class of 2010 decided to send out a petition to change the theme to rave in re-sponse to the outcome.

However, it seems contradicto-ry that it is the junior class sending out a petition to change what the junior class decided.

Each year, the junior class gets the privilege of choosing the theme for their junior ring dance in the spring, under the eyes of their class moderators Gregory Kachur and Frances Houston.

“I don’t pick the theme, the ju-niors do. I just need the details so that I can present it to the parents who help decorate,” said Kachur.

“The masquerade theme gives a more finite idea on decorations,”

said Griffith, “and parents are the ones who decorate. I believe that the decision for masquerade should be kept and is, all in all, a better idea. The decorations for rave would pretty much be lights and more lights.”

This controversy over the theme and decorations may be because out of almost 200 students in the junior class, only 180 ballots were collected. This means that “either twenty juniors were absent, or they just didn’t vote,” said Griffith.

Kate FroehlichCopy Editor

Counterfeit retail uncovered

New York street corners are lined with sketchy vendors

selling fake Rolexes and Louis Vuitton purses. However, coun-terfeit apparel, shoes, and acces-sories can be found in malls across America.

Local flea markets sell them and give buyers an impression that the merchandise is authentic. They are becoming even more accessible and common through websites like eBay, where anyone can buy or sell items. EBay sellers have gone to great lengths to make their goods look authentic, including making fake receipts and slips of authenticity.

Ten percent of the world’s trade, or $500 billion a year, involves counterfeit items, according to a Business Week article on the matter. Footwear, namely sneak-ers, clothing, sports jerseys, and consumer electronics are the most commonly counterfeited items.

However, some counterfeits can become dangerous. Business Week said that batteries are com-monly counterfeited items, can cause fires and even burns. Pre-scription medicine, when not au-thentic, can have heightened side effects caused by inappropriate or precarious ingredients and incor-rect dosage instructions.

Knockoff accessories are more common than counterfeits. Knock-offs are imitations of designer goods with slight changes in ap-

pearance from the individuals. Counterfeits are imitations inten-tionally designed to market as the real thing.

Knockoffs’ main selling point is that they are cheaper and look very similar to the original design-er items.

Junior Rachel Wilson said, “I don’t want to pay over $100 for Ray-Bans when I can get exact look-a-likes from a New York street vendor for $5.”

Others, like junior Niki Hatzi-dimitriou, are able to sidestep the entire issue, “I don’t really care about designer clothes so I don’t care about knock-offs either. I like H&M and Forever 21.”

An idea that accompanies buy-ing certain materials is that it is cooler to own the real thing than knockoffs. Senior Patrick Colgan said, “I buy designer clothes be-cause I like wearing what’s in style and I’m a trendsetter, so naturally I

would buy designer.”For some, buying designer of-

fers a sense of accomplishment. Junior Molly McComiskey said, “[I buy] designer because I like saving my money and buying ex-pensive things with it.”

The decision to buy designer is truly a matter of opinion. Freshman T’Keyah Lisbon said, “I prefer the designer stuff. You can’t always tell the difference from fake and real, but I just like the real stuff.”

The PatriotThe John Carroll School703 Churchville Road

Bel Air, MD 21014Volume 44, Issue 2,

November 2008

Editor in Chief:Natalie Shaw

Managing Editors:Daniel GallenMelissa Vinton

News Editor:Niki Muse

Features Editors:Katie ClarkeFaith Reilly

Editorials Editors:Kaitlin BobbinAshley Powers

In-Depth Editors:Evan ConleyWilliam Schultz

Entertainment Edi-tors:Michelle CvachDave Hatem

Sports Editors:Katelynn ColgainElly Dannenfelser

Copy Editors:Kate FroehlichLeah GossNick Temple

Photo - Design Edi-tors:Emily BurdeshawMegan ChladaKristen NovakKatie O’Hara

Staff:Amanda NguyenMorgan Seiler

Contributing Writ-ers:Ryan Selvy Maggie Cassidy

Business Manager:Rebecca O’Brien

Moderator:Mr. Ionescu

The Patriot is a publica-tion of The John Carroll

School. The views and opinions expressed in The Patriot are not necessarily the

views of the Board or Ad-ministration of The John

Carroll School.

The editorial staff invites and greatly appreciated

comments from readers on any issue.

Please email us atjcpatriot@gmail.com or

visit our website: www.johncarroll.org

Vendors in New York City sell knockoff purses of large name brands like Coach, Dooney & Burke, and Louis Vuitton. Knockoffs are sold at prices ranging from 25 to 75 dollars per purse. (Photo by Kristen Novak.)

He also stated that he believes that the discrepancy may be, in part, due to the fact that many stu-dents did not vote. Of the twenty students unaccounted for he said, “If you didn’t vote it shows that you either do not care or that you think the whole thing is a joke and cannot take it seriously.”

Junior Bri Reese said, “I’m glad they are putting out a petition. I really wanted rave to win, and it seemed like most of the class did, too.”

Kachur responded that, “of course a lot of the class wanted rave. But masquerade won only by one vote; 111 did not want rave, and 110 did.”

However, Kachur said that there is still time for the junior class to change their decision, “we have our first meeting in the first week of December. They have until Thanksgiving to give me the fi-nal verdict.” Nevertheless, if the class wants a change in theme, Mr. Kachur says he will, “support and help Jeremy in any way. The class just has to talk to them.”

Colorful masks may serve as decoration for the dance. Masquerade was initially selected as the theme for Junior ring dance. (Photo by Katie O’Hara)

3i NewsVolume 44 . Number 2 . November 2008

The Patriot

Marijuana truths, myths revealed

We hear about the econo-my every day from our

teachers and parents. Why should students care? “My stocks are tak-ing a tumble,” said ’08 JC graduate Andrew Kearney who has invested in stocks for some extra cash.

The economy does not only af-fect parents and teachers in the community. Parents are not the only ones paying bills. Whenever students want to buy something, they must pay the price.

The value of the U.S. dollar is steadily declining when it once dominated other currencies of countries across seas. Due to trade deficits, debt ratios and the battle of recession, many hesitate to in-vest in the stock market. The lack of consumer confidence from all of these factors contributes to the devaluation of the dollar.

“Obviously there is a trickle down effect at work when you look at the economy,” said economics teacher Jake Hollin. He explains that everything is connected in

some way or another. For many of our upperclassmen,

jobs and car costs are constantly on the mind. Since consumer spending is decreasing, the service required to produce a surplus of supplies for customers is not nec-essary.

It is difficult to find a job that is able to cover all car expenses. There is always something new wrong with the car and it always needs tune-ups. Senior Brad Vi-ers said, “About half of my money goes to paying my gas alone.”

What about JC’s increasing tuition? The tuition is directly af-fected by the stocks just like the rest of society. As Hollin said, the trickledown effect applies to all of society.

“Obviously a recession means consumer spending is stifled and people are less likely to spend fi-nances on certain items. But the board does work hard to determine tuition every year and to make sure that we are competitive with other schools and in the market place,” Hollin said.

With each year comes differ-

ent factors that contribute to the change in the economy. Take for instance, the election of Barack Obama. From biased news sta-tions, people hear that stock is re-ally going to suffer because of this election.

Hollin said, “So far we haven’t really seen it but it is still extremely early and most of your more savvy investors are going to wait for the

first six months in any new admin-istration to see what the priorities are and of course how Congress will work with them.”

People have to understand that when stocks hit bottom, the only way to go is up. This is the way for the system to step back, regroup, and rebuild.

“It is understandable why many people are feeling a bit uneasy about the current market situa-tion. But rather than panic about market fluctuations, it is helpful to maintain a long-term view of your investment strategy. History has proven over more than 100 years that the long-term gains of the market far outweigh the losses,” said Hollin.

Economy equals emergencyMegan Chlada Photo-Design Editor

AIDS cured by bone marrow

Michelle CvachEntertainment Editor

Ancient pyramids continue to be unearthed in the

sands of Saqqara, Egypt. The most recent discovery is thought to date back 4,300 years, according to an article from Comcast.net. The major monument is dedicated to Queen Sesheshet, mother of the founder of the 6th Egyptian Dy-nasty, which lasted from 2323 to 2150 B.C.E.

From the 16-foot high limestone memorial that was detected under the sand, scientists can piece to-gether how they think the pyramid might have looked like histori-cally. It marks the 12th time that a pyramidal structure has been dis-covered at the Saqqara site.

In a particular AIDS case, a 42-year-old man was declared

cured of the disease 20 months af-ter a bone marrow transplant sur-gery. This fatal illness claims over two million lives a year, according to Discovery Health, and over 33 million people have been infected worldwide.

Bone marrow transplants are usually utilized in the medical field as procedures for leukemia, but scientists caution that this rare miracle is a one time only effect. Nevertheless, the medical break-through has inspired further in-terest in the field of gene therapy research.

NASA’s Cassini space craft has located a unique aurora

surrounding the polar caps of Sat-urn, according to NASA’s website. Auroras occur where particles rap-idly collide in a planet’s magne-tosphere, or magnetically charged atmosphere. This aurora is unusual because the surface area coverage is huge and ever changing, as op-posed to the smaller, consistent, glowing rings of Jupiter.

According to Cassini’s magne-tometer team, this new information leads scientists to believe that there is something powerful in Saturn’s magnetosphere and the planet’s in-teraction with solar wind.

Queen’s burial ground exposed

Northern lights crown Saturn

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Mark is an average teen-ager who lives a typical

teenage life. He wakes up every morning, goes to school during the week, and works on the weekends. He hangs out with his friends in his free time. On the surface, your average teen.

But at least once a day, every day, Mark smokes marijuana.

Mark claims that he cannot function properly in some situa-tions unless he is high and admits that he has developed an addiction to the drug. His name has been changed to protect his identity.

Even though he smokes the drug regularly, Mark doesn’t know much of the science behind it. Marijuana is an illegal sub-stance which goes by many differ-ent pseudonyms: pot, weed, grass, bud, ganja, reefer, mary jane, and many more, and is produced us-ing the cannabis hemp plant. The drug can either be smoked or used in foods.

A common myth among teenag-ers is that weed is less dangerous than cigarettes because it is less addictive than tobacco. In reality, marijuana is even more danger-ous, as it contains four times as many cancer-causing chemicals as a cigarette.

“The problem is that people don’t realize that marijuana is not made in a controlled environment. The product could be laced with anything and it could be deadly,” said Laura Frank, school nurse.

When smoking marijuana, teenagers experience a fast heart rate, bloodshot eyes, and ‘cot-ton mouth,’ another name for dry mouth.

When the drug is smoked to a great extent over a long period of time, the user becomes a ‘burn-out,’ which is someone who is usually unaware of what is going on around them, and occasionally seems inattentive and dull.

After smoking pot, the effects remain in action for up to three days after smoking, and the resi-due of the drug can be detected in

body tissue and urine for up to four weeks after smoking. The effects of smoking pot carry over into all aspects of daily life.

According to the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, driv-ing experiments show that while driving ‘stoned,’ it becomes harder for drivers to react to sudden, un-expected events and that they have difficulty staying in their lanes when maneuvering around curves and maintaining an appropriate speed.

“Judgments do, in fact, become altered when driving,” said Frank, “Weed slows down reaction time, making it more difficult to judge things.”

Mark has gotten better at op-erating while sober because he currently is seeking help with his problem, and acknowledged that it would have been impossible to overcome this without the help of his friends.

Mark’s advice for those of you hoping to stay drug-free: “Don’t talk to any teenagers and just re-frain yourself from any social con-tact.”

Peer pressure isn’t the only fac-tor, however, as the depiction of the drug in movies and on television is far from accurate. “[Television shows with marijuana being used] show it being fun, and portray it as a good time, but they don’t show the realistic dangers of what weed does to you,” said Frank.

School nurse Laura Frank says, “Weed slows down reaction time, mak-ing it more difficult to judge things...[Television doesn’t] show the realis-tic dangers.”

Features 4i to Volume 44 . Number 2 . November 2008

The Patriot

Students combat homework overload

Turkey is missing from a vegetar-ian’s dinner table. Herbivores explore alternate options for main courses at Thanksgiving dinner. (photo by Katie O’Hara)

Amanda NguyenStaff Writer

It’s been a few years now, but some of us still remember the

big controversy when it was re-vealed that Thomas Jefferson had carried on an affair and may have fathered at least one child with his slave, Sally Hemmings.

The good-ol’-days we so often hear about when politicians were honest and caring, a very nice thought, but seems far removed from reality. As election season comes to a close, Barack Obama heads for the White House and Americans look back at the nasti-ness spewed on the campaign trail and long for the happy days of yes-teryear, it’s high time to consider the scandals and misdeeds we so often overlook.

Benjamin Franklin, that vener-ated American statesman, did not get along with his son. So much so, that when William was captured and held as a prisoner of war, Ben decided to let him spend two years imprisoned. On an unrelated note, William was literally a bastard: he was Ben Franklin’s illegitimate love child.

Although Ben was never a pres-ident, John Quincy Adams, whose name also appears amongst the signers of the Declaration, was our sixth. He was also a highly con-trolling father. J.Q. Adams was so utterly disappointed in sons John and George that he considered both the Harvard students to be utter failures. John’s actions led his wayward son to throw himself into Long Island Sound, where he promptly drowned.

On another unrelated note, George had fathered an illegitimate child with one of his servants.

Now that we’ve elected our first African-American president, it seems worth mentioning our first gay president: James Buchanan. Although all the evidence is cir-cumstantial, Buchanan may very well have been the only homo-sexual to hold this nation’s highest office, a notion held by such noted historians as James Loewen and Paul Boller. As the nation’s only president to never marry, Buch-anan raised quite a few eyebrows while in office, especially because he lived alone with Alabama sena-tor William Rufus King.

On an unrelated note, there were no illegitimate children involved in this story.

So the next time someone tells you about how wonderful politics used to be, remember that people never change and politicians are no exception. And don’t forget that you heard it here first.

Students spend their nights slaving away, attempting to

do all of their homework before the next school day comes. After six hours of sitting in a classroom, they get to spend even more time doing school work. The daily goal is the same; try to accomplish the impossible and finish the ridicu-lous amount of homework.

“There is way too much,” says senior Jack van Roden, “If I am focused and start doing my home-work immediately when I get home and don’t get distracted, then I get done at about 10:30.” However, it is safe to say that com-pleting homework without getting distracted at all is completely out of the question.

Seniors have it the worst. “I am getting more homework then I have ever had and with college, se-nior project, and everything else,” says senior Rachael Marks.

Senior Amy Grem says, “I spend four hours a day on home-work and on some days I have to stay up really late in order to do all of it. I think that teachers shouldn’t give us so much work, especially when the majority of students do sports or work after school. A lot of times they seem to forget that

we have other classes giving us a lot of homework too.”

However seniors are not the only ones who are suffering from this homework overload. Junior Jenny Barlow spends “at least three hours on homework, and that’s if I don’t have all of my classes the next day. It definitely takes up a chunk of my life.”

“Sometimes teachers have tests on the same day, then that swamps me even more because I have to study for multiple tests and do homework,” says junior Sara Weskalnies, “Also, when I have to finish reading a book on a spe-cific night, that really weighs me down.”

Sophomore Monica Molina says that “there’s so much and it’s very stressful because when I think I’m done, I really have more to do.”

On the other hand, some feel a sense of accomplishment and suc-cess. “I’m happy when I get my work done,” said Molina.

Sophomore Liz Johnson “hates homework” but she is on the fence about it, “My goal is to get into a good college and if that means spending more than four hours on homework so be it, cramped hands and legs aside.”

Although guidance counselor Carrie Siemsen agrees with the students’ complaints of the bom-

bardment of homework, saying that “it’s very overwhelming,” she also said that “free mods are de-signed for work; the workload that is given by teachers is to teach stu-dents to schedule time very wisely after school.”

“I always try to do as much work as I can in school, on my breaks at work, or during week-ends when I’m not working,” said Grem, “but I’m still overwhelmed with work.”

But what happens when students hardly have any free mods during the day? “Give blocks of time for each subject, be very organized and diligent,” suggests Siemsen.

During the week, students sit in class focusing all of their strength on trying to stay awake and soak in as many words possible from the teacher’s lesson, hoping they will be able to complete their home-

work. Many students agree with senior Meghan McAdorey, “It gets so overwhelming, it’s so much to get done in so little time.”

Students can plan ahead and work on future assignments in-stead of waiting until the night before. Let teachers know ahead of time when you will be swamped with assignments or other events so you can get work early.

Be organized! Treat your plan-ner as though it is your Bible, be-cause it holds all of your assign-ments Don’t take on more after school and leisure activities when you know you already have too much on your plate.

Designate certain time blocks for each subject, than prioritize. Obviously, homework that is due the next day should gain top status and be sure to allot enough time to study for upcoming tests.

The vegetarian Tu r k e y

Uncle Ed’s in the kitchen, his arm halfway inside a raw turkey packing

it full with seasoned stuffing. Aunt Frannie is bent over a cold ham, rubbing it down with a honey glaze. Though not a glamor-ous sight, this is the Thanksgiving reality for most American families.

But what about the vegetarians of the world? As we celebrate the holiday lov-ingly dubbed “Turkey Day,” what are her-bivores to do? Sure, there are the mashed potatoes and the pumpkin pie, but where’s the main course?

For those who find the idea of an animal with its legs still intact sitting on their din-ner table repulsive, there’s an important part of the holiday meal missing.

Junior Hannah Close, a vegetarian for two years, is put in this position every year. As the only vegetarian in her family, she is surrounded by the aromas of turkey and ham, but left to enjoy the other “classics.” As everyone else feasts on the variety of savory meats and casseroles, Close turns to the exciting flavors of gravy-less mashed potatoes, everyday salads, and grocery store bakery bread.

Though not bothered or mad about the amount of meat eaten on Thanksgiving, Close is still on her own to find interesting recipes fit for the holiday table. The con-cepts of meat substitutes and tofu are intro-duced as realistic options, tasting “better than the actual meat,” said Close.

Instead of one of the 46 million Thanks-

giving turkeys, vegetarians can explore the world of “tofurky.” Whereas the carnivores of America sink their teeth into the flesh of what Ben Franklin referred to as a respectable “bird of courage,” her-bivores can enjoy the humane version: a block of tofu molded into the shape of the holiday symbol.

Though the tofurky has not yet involved into a turkey shaped product, it is an actual product that can be found in select health food stores. In-

stead, the tofurky is a rounded loaf of seitan and organic tofu, packed with its own stuffing, sealed tightly in plastic wrap, and packaged in a cardboard box.

Though its presentation may not be as ap-pealing as a real turkey, the tofurky boasts a remarkable likeness to the real thing. Produc-ers even claim that the “meat” slices at a 45 degree angle, like actual meat and unlike other imitation products.

This suggestion opens a world of possibili-ties for vegetarians. Though a fake turkey may be a stretch, it’s worth a try for those with lim-ited options.

This vegetarian Thanksgiving has the pos-sibility to entice all people, whether a vegetar-ian or just someone disgusted by the idea of gutting, stuffing, and carving a turkey. It be-comes either a plausible option for these peo-ple or a dare for meat-eaters. “I bet you aren’t man enough to even try the ‘tofurky,’” may become a tradition for years to come.

Who ever said that the focus of a holiday meal had to be meat anyway? Instead of a bird in the center of the table, the historically accu-rate cornucopia could suffice. Even a stuffed pumpkin would present a unique dish of the same quality as a dressed turkey.

And even if your family isn’t especially courageous, there still remains the more “nor-mal” options than choosing the “tofurky”. Substitute vegetable stock for chicken or tur-key stock. Forget the extravagant additives that only offer a slightly more interesting presentation, a less healthy dish, and a turn-off for vegetarians. Like Close, “I’m not go-ing to force my beliefs onto others,” but why have reservations about subtly encouraging a change in tradition.

perspective on ThanksgivingD a y?

Leah GossCopy Editor

Temple of Knowledge

Those good old days- Nick Temple -

5 FeaturesVolume 44 . Number 2 . November 2008

The Patriot

Mr. Appleby teaches three different levels of math to upperclassmen. (photo by Katie O’Hara)

Q & A with... Mr. Appleby

Q: Is it true you sit on the roof to watch JC football games?

A: Yes, one of the things I volunteer for here is I do the videos for all the varsity and junior varsity football games and I have been do-ing so for many years now, about 35 years. It’s one of the things that make me feel like I’m part of the program. Overall, it’s a positive thing for the coaches and players to be able to pick up on little mis-takes from the game tapes. For me, it’s an outward sign I do to support the team, something for someone else without getting paid.

Q: How long have you been teaching and what is your favorite thing about being a teacher?

A: I’ve been teaching here for 38 years and I taught for three and a half years at the Naval Acad-emy Preparatory School. I still get a thrill out of teaching a les-son which the students understand yet the topic is difficult and I an-ticipate the difficulty. It’s a natural high for me.

Q: What is something stu-dents today wouldn’t know about you?

A: Well, I was senior class moderator for 28 years, 14 of which I worked with Mrs. Michael. I kind of miss that. Variety show was very rewarding, almost as re-warding as teaching. You would go from raw talent to a show that was actually entertaining for the audience, and they liked it. Even-tually it was time to let someone else do it; you can’t do everything yourself.

Q: You have an interesting collection of Mr. Potato Heads. How did your collection start?

A: There is a poster on my board that came from a senior class variety show and it was supposed to be a portrait of me. I asked if I could have it to put in my class-room after the show. People began to refer to it as ‘Mr. Potato Head’ and I gradually kept receiving a few more Mr. Potato Head figures each year. I haven’t purchased any of them myself, but students, par-ents, and faculty members give them to me all the time. I take it as a compliment. It’s a fun thing. The fact that I have them all around the room as decoration makes the room different. If people didn’t care, they wouldn’t [send me the figures]. I consider it an honor.

Q: Have students ever taken the Potato Heads before?

A: Yes, one year one of them was stolen and some seniors held it for ransom. From time to time, they would send me body parts with a message. It was quite gruesome if you think about it. I had to do different things to get it back. It was funny because even-tually it got to be ‘Everyone gets a 100 on the next test’ which I ob-viously couldn’t do. At that point I had to stop playing. In the end, the valedictorian of the class took the potato head on stage with him during his speech and mentioned ‘Mr. Potato Head’s vacation to Idaho.’ After that, it was returned, but it was really funny.

KEY:

R- Right clockwiseU- Up clockwiseL- Left clockwiseF- Front clockwiseD- Down clockwiseRi- Right counter clockwiseUi- Up counter clockwiseLi- Left counter clockwiseFi- Front counter clockwiseDi- Down counter clockwise

Who would have guessed that people could be-

come so frustrated and puzzled by a harmless device that can fit in the palm of your hand? The Erno Ru-bik magic puzzle cube, also known as a Rubik’s cube, has challenged even the most intelligent people since its release in 1980.

If you have ever been perplexed by this six sided mechanism, I am here to help. The Rubik’s cube is solved by a series of mathemati-cal algorithms. An algorithm is any sequence that, when repeated enough times, will cause the cube to return back to its original posi-tion.

When holding the cube, the side facing you is called the ‘front.’ Opposite this side is the ‘back.’ The top of the cube is called ‘up’ and the bottom is called ‘down.’ The right side is called ‘right’ and the left side is called ‘left.’

When doing a maneuver that is not followed by ‘inverted,’ you turn that specific side of the cube clockwise. When you are doing a move followed by ‘inverted.’ you turn that specific side of the cube counter clockwise. The inverted term is abbreviated by ‘i.’

The algorithms you will need to know are listed below.

Are you ready to begin? To make this process easier, we will start with the green side on top. This means that the piece in the very center of that side of the cube needs to be green.

STEP 1: You need to get the ‘cross’ on the

top of the cube. Make sure the col-ors on the legs of the cross match

up with the colors in the center of the adja-cent side. If these two colors are switched use the algorithm: Fi

U Li Ui to achieve the cross.

STEP 2: Now you need to get the top corner pieces matched up with the appropriate side. Once you get the appropriate cube in the correct corner (even if it isn’t fac-ing the right way) use the algo-rithm: Ri Di R D. After this step is fully complete, the first layer

of the cube is finally finished. Turn your cube upside down so the blue layer is now on top.

STEP 3: Now that you have your cube with the first layer down, you need to get the middle layer solved. Hold the cube with the yellow bottom layer facing you, and twist the top so that you form the yellow ‘t’. Notice that the cube that completes the ‘t’ has yel-low on the front face and orange on the up face. In order to get this cube so that yellow is on the yel-low side and orange is on the or-ange side, use the algorithm: U R Ui Ri Ui Fi U F. If you need to get a cube on the opposite face, in-verse this algorithm, forming: Ui

Li U L U F Ui Fi. After completing this, and solving the middle layer, you are close to being finished!

STEP 4: Now you will either having a straight blue line going through the center of the up layer, or you will have an ‘L’ shape. Turn the cube so that the ‘L’ is in the upper left hand corner of the up layer. Repeat the algorithm: F R U Ri Ui Fi, either once or twice until you have the ‘blue cross on the up layer. When you get the blue cross, just as you did for the green cross, you must now get the colors to match up with the centers colors of the right, left, back, and front faces of the cube. This can be done by

twisting the top of the cube, and repeating the algorithm: R U Ri U R U U Ri, until it is achieved.

STEP 5: Almost done! Look at the corner pieces. Make sure the edges of the corner pieces match the color in the center cube of the adjacent sides. DO NOT TURN THE TOP LAYER TO FIX THIS! Use the algorithm: U R Ui Li U Ri Ui L. Keep repeating this until you have them not necessarily facing the correct way, but at least in the right spot. Ready to finish it? Start with your first corner using the al-gorithm: Ri Di R D. It may look like your messing up the cube, but trust me, you are not. Once you get your first corner in the right place, twist only the top layer Ui, and repeat until all the corners are in place. You, my friend, have just solved your first Rubik’s cube.

George Appleby, one of the most experienced and re-

vered teachers here, is known for his quirky sense of humor. A stu-dent favorite, Mr. Appleby teaches his classes with varying methods interjected with hilarious math jokes aimed at his students. With over 40 years of teaching experi-ence, Mr. Appleby brings more than just equations to his students.

Q: Which of them is your favorite, if you had to pick, and why?

A: I like Darth Tater. A stu-dent whose family I hadn’t seen in about five years sent him to me because they saw him and thought of me. Because I like him so much, I have him up so high on top of the clock. It puts him out of a grab-able reach.

How To: Solve a Rubik’s cubeSolve a rubik’s cube

?? ?

Michelle CvachEntertainment Editor

Katie ClarkeFeatures Editor

Features 6i to Volume 44 . Number 2 . November 2008

The Patriot

After 34 years of teaching art, Bruno Baran, the

newest addition to the Fine Arts department, has a few strategies up his sleeve. “Be a lifelong learner. Try to learn something new every day,” Baran says. Art may be his chosen medium, but teaching is his passion.

“I wanted to be a teacher since the seventh grade. That’s when I actually sold my first painting,” said Baran. He un-derstands, however, that all his students are not born to be art-ists. “I want to instill a love and a passion for artwork in my stu-dents even if they’re not artists. It’s the people who appreciate and love it that create the mu-seums and galleries. I do have quite a few artists in my classes though,” Baran said.

Baran has his own distinct preference in art, even though he appreciates many various styles. “I’m a landscape realist painter, not an abstract painter at all,” Baran said, “I belong to the Mid-Atlantic Plein Air Painters Association, too.” The organi-zation’s website states that it is a group that “honors the tradition of fine art that finds beauty in the truth of Nature.” The group

is dedicated to the art of outside painting.

Baran’s inspiration is Leon-ardo da Vinci. “He’s been my mentor since I was nine. He was a true renaissance man. Da Vinci was way before his time,” explained Baran. In past years,

Baran has worked at Perry Hall Elementary and Lansdowne High. In 1976, when he gradu-ated from Maryland Institute College of Art, better known as MICA, he was one of two teach-ers hired by Baltimore County that year. Now he teaches Intro

to Drawing, Painting, and Ce-ramics II.

Baran realizes that high school students are faced with hundreds of potentially life-altering decisions in addition to the mounds of homework they are assigned. He said, “You’re going to make mistakes, but don’t make the mistakes that are going to change your life.” His college years took place during the “crazy times” of the early seventies.

An important factor in his decision to come and work here was how impressed he was with the school’s technology. “I saw art teacher under employment opportunities on the website and I said, ‘Okay God, I got the mes-sage,’” said Baran. Teaching at a Catholic school is important to him. He said, “I should’ve done this years ago. It’s been a whole new opening.”

When Baran decided to ap-ply for the position here, he was offered a contract to teach AP Art History and Yearbook at Ye-shiva Rambam School in Park Heights. “The school limited the use of Christian artwork, which is a huge component of art history. There was no nudity allowed either, which excludes great pieces like the David,” said Baran.

t e a c h e r Profile Mr. Baran

Katie ClarkeFeatures Editor

(photo by Katie Clarke)

Different floor and department personalities shine throughEmily BurdeshawPhoto-Design Editor

JC is home for at least seven hours a day. Even as a fresh-

man, you have probably recog-nized the diverse personalities of the school.

The main office is that big, scary place where people go as they ei-ther a) need to visit the nurse, b) late and need a pass, or c) in big trouble and receiving punishment.

Next, the music department, home to a family so tight-knit, you couldn’t cut them apart with the edge of a cymbal.The hallway constantly has loud, beautiful mu-sic pouring forth, accompanied by much laughter.

The senior benches, upper gym, and cafe form the “chill area.” The gym serves to burn off energy, while the cafe is a social whirl-wind. Senior bench is a place of relaxation and fun, where seniors can connect with one another out-side the classroom.

The second floor of our academ-ic wing consists of science class-rooms and labs sprinkled with the occasional foreign language class. Mr. Low calls it the “hall of knowledge,” the floor on which “you actually do stuff.”

Our first floor is the quietest and

the best-smelling (no formalde-hyde or foreign foods), and home to the heaviest courses, where students are found taking copious amounts of notes in math and Eng-lish classes.

However, the creativity in the nearby art wing seems to have seeped into this floor’s teachers’ teaching methods…

Mr. Ward uses cars and planes to demonstrate solving distance problems, while Mrs. Willan has a not-really-but-kinda-sorta-math related project due every quarter. Mr. Appleby creates endless ways to hold his classes’ attention (Mr. Potato Head, anyone?).

The English department, nor-mally quiet in contrast, is occa-sionally punctuated by the Hamat-sa dance, a rousing military trial, or appearance of a Shakespearean character wandering the hall.

But even the first floor possess-es its own special smells, hidden back in the art wing.

When entering the gallery, straight-ahead, you will smell the wondrous odor of oil paint and Terpenoid.

Traveling down the right wing, you will find the Pacificus room, abundant with Apple computers, and the darkroom, scented with developing chemicals.

To your left, you will find the home of the Patriot and the digital studio, which usually welcomes you with a combination of guitar riffs and music.

While returning from where you entered, you will pass by the Pin-nacle room, home of your annual literary art magazine. Head up a few flights of stairs.

Welcome to the third floor or, as Mr. Maynard calls it, “Club Men.” Their mayor is “Doc Gallen,” and cuts are made as to who can teach on this floor.

The third floor is home to the (in)famous clapping battles, often started by Doc G’s social justice classes. One class starts clapping, acting as a catalyst, and other classes, prompt start clapping too. Mr. Laws’ section 04 even con-ducted an attack on Doc G’s sec-tion 08.

During mod changes, you can hear Mr. Johnson greeting dozens of students he has baptized with personal nicknames. It is rumored that you can’t graduate without one of them.

Those are the main areas of our beloved school. Our personalities often match the places we gravitate towards; the same is true for the different sections of our school.

Continued from the front page

Powder PuffPowder Puff has been the high-

light and one of the greatest tra-ditions of JC Spirit Week. “Pow-der Puff definitely isn’t as big at CMW,” said Olaya, “The games are held after school and you have to pay so most people don’t go.”

Obviously, this year there were some issues between classes at JC this year, which have become a major concern for the admin-istration. “Some people’s judg-ment as to how they celebrate has been suspect,” said Principal Paul Barker, “The students’ celebration of being a junior or senior over [being part of] the school is a bad thing.”At CMW, there were ma-jor issues as well where the junior class threatened to throw tennis balls dipped in paint at the seniors, so the seniors brought tennis rack-ets into school to bat them away.

Pep RallyAnother essential aspect of

Spirit Week is an energizing pep rally. “Compared to JC, I could see CMW’s pep rally was much more organized: all teams were orga-nized in the center of the gym, the music connected with the teams, and everyone worked together,” said Olaya.

Pep rallies at most other schools in the area honors all teams, not just the football team and cheerlead-ers. When asked about his feelings on the pep rally, Sneddon said, “I think it went okay. We probably could’ve had much more involve-ment, but it just didn’t happen.”

At both CMW and Fallston, homecoming court is announced at the pep rally. At these larger schools, the pep rallies also incor-porate games for the entertainment of the audience. Kelsey Jakubiak, a junior at Fallston, said, “We had Olympic competitions because of the summer Olympics this year. They had the soccer team against field hockey and football versus the band.” At CMW, there was a “pie the principal” contest.

Homecoming CourtAt other schools, the Homecom-

ing Court is a bigger deal. A biog-raphy of the student is announced at the game as well as colleges he or she might attend. At CMW, different clubs make floats for a parade that is held on the day of Homecoming. Smith said, “This year, they rented jeeps so the court could ride around school.”

Final ThoughtsBarker said, “I want a spirited

Spirit Week that shows people are proud to be Patriots. I want one that promotes pride in the school and pride in their classmates’ many accomplishments.”

From a student’s perspective, Sneddon said, “I would say we need to assign people who are committed to making this week a success and have plans in place weeks ahead of time and stick to them.”

Additional reporting by Kristen Novak and Natalie Shaw.

7 EntertainmentVolume 44 . Number 2 . November 2008

The Patriot

Fall in line for ‘Fallout’

In 2006, when TV on the Ra-dio released their third full-

length album, “Return to Cookie Mountain,” critics and listeners immediately thrust the band into the national spotlight.

SPIN Magazine rated it as the number one album of 2006, while Pitchfork Media bolstered the album’s credentials, ranking it number two on their “Top 50 Al-bums of 2006.” Uber-critic Robert Christgau gave “Return to Cookie Mountain” an A-, while “Roll-ing Stone” rated it 4.5 stars out of five.

With expectations like these, is there any way the band’s newest album, “Dear Science,” can sat-isfy fans?

Surprisingly, yes. And satisfy it does.

The album begins with “Halfway Home,” a song marked by a pound-ing bass line and the resonation of relentless drums against Tunde Adebimpe’s vocals. Adebimpe’s voice seems quiet and sincere for the verses of the song compared to the choruses where it explodes out of its shell. The rest of the album’s tracks follow a similar trend. Adebimpe and the rest of the band really know where to “kick out the jams,” to quote the legendary De-troit-rock group MC5. The third track, “Dancing Choose,” is the best evidence of this as the band’s ska roots shine through with a full horns section. Besides the inten-sity of Adebimpe’s vocals, the song’s lyrical content provides lis-teners with a powerful experience and is one of the deepest tracks on the album.

The abstract lyrics are said by critics to be about the lack of cre-ativity in today’s society and how people are more inclined to fol-low others into what they think is creative rather than choosing their own direction, by saying that the main character in the song “gets

his best ideas from a newspaper stand; from his boots to his pants to his comments and his rants.” Af-ter this, the speaker has his simple response, “Now I’m no mad man, but that’s insanity.” Through the lyrics, the song provides an inter-esting theme that provides ample food for analysis and pondering for the average person in a short, 2:56 package.

The crowning achievement of this album is track six, “Family Tree,” written by Adebimpe and featuring a string quartet. “Fam-ily Tree” centers on a forbidden romance between two individuals. The romance takes on vibe remi-niscent of “Romeo and Juliet,” as the division between them is caused by religious or racial ten-sions. The lovers rebel and run off to be married, sticking it to their parents in the line, “They don’t know what we could be.”

Over time, however, unseen and unknown circumstances compel the couple to return home, where one of them is killed by the speak-er’s parents. Adebimpe solemnly sings, “There’s the garden grave and a place they’ve saved for you/I’ll fall by your side.” Despite the fact that the lovers are separated for the moment, the speaker knows the two will be joined in death.

“Dear Science” provides a win-dow through which to glance into the heart of the creative process of TV on the Radio. The elements of ska, post-punk, jazz, blues, soul and electronica are out in full force in the album. It allows for extreme interpretation by the listener, caus-ing one to think about and con-nect to the lyrics. The delivery of Adebimpe is flawless, while Kyp Malone, David Andrew Sitek, Ja-leel Bunton and Gerard Smith ef-fectively round out the lineup.

If you are looking for something with amazing instrumentation and deep lyrics, put in “Dear Science,” lie down, close your eyes and let the music flow.

‘TV’ time for music fans Daniel GallenManaging Editor

Leave school with-1. out them if they come out to your car late. It’s not like they are paying for your car or gas.

Blare music that 2. they hate when they are with you. Then when they put on their iPod so they can’t hear your mu-sic, put on a song they like.

When they are 3. grounded, throw a big party at your house and taunt them as they are

stuck sitting in their room with nothing to do.

Lock them out of 4. the house. This is especially entertain-ing when it is cold outside.

Shower them in 5. kindness and make them feel guilty for annoying you.

When they yell at 6. you for something youdid wrong, just keep saying, and “You are so cute when you’re mad.” They will get even madder at you each time you say this.

Completely ignore 7. them. They hate it.

Call them immature 8. and stupid.

Start speaking to 9. them in a language they don’t know, adding their name to the sentence, but only say nice things such as hello, how are you (insert name here).

Set their clock for-10. ward an hour while they are sleeping. It’s not your fault if they are late for school.

Nick TempleCopy Editor

There is something fascinat-ing about the end of the

world, where the remnants of hu-manity are forgotten in the rav-ages of nature. Man has always wondered and mythologized the end of the world. Now, you can not only see, hear, or read about the end, but you can walk through the wasteland: an irradiated desert crawling with mutants, land mines and even vampires.

Welcome to “Fallout 3,” the lat-est title from Bethesda Softworks, a wild romp through the ghastly ruins of Washington, D.C. in the not nearly distant-enough future. Coming from the same people who brought you “The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion,” “Fallout” manages to stand up to expectations and even surpass its now-legendary predecessor.

In the game, you take control of a protagonist following his father’s trail out of the underground shelter Vault 101 into the nuclear wastes armed only with your wits, a pis-tol, and a fistful of ammunition. You’ll need to think quickly, fight dirty, and find a better gun to sur-vive for long, because the wastes are not empty: Super Mutants, mutated animals, rabid dogs, and a full chorus of raiders are waiting to prey on your unwitting charac-ter across an expansive landscape

and a detailed storyline.The story is beautifully written,

compelling and, at times, disturb-ing (you are in a nuclear wasteland full of mutated monsters, after all, and the game takes every op-portunity to remind you), and the graphics are gorgeous: just as deep and even more sharply drawn than those in “Oblivion,” with an added moodiness not often seen outside of the cinema screen. The scenery, of course, is dominated by rubble, but is never monotonous, and more than a few notable landmarks make an appearance, including the Washington Monument and the Capitol – both ruined.

For all the wonderful things to be said about the graphics and plot, “Fallout’s” game play is where the real magic lives. “‘Oblivion’ with guns,” has been the most oft-uti-lized comparison, and is a fair as-sessment. Thankfully, wasting the baddies is far from a chore, largely because of the so-called VAT Sys-tem, a brand-new targeting system

somewhere between real-time and turn-based combat, keeps the ac-tion fresh.

You’ll need a weapon, and there are plenty to be found in the game world. The player can use every-thing from a baseball bat to a mini-nuke launcher to a board with a nail in it and can even create their own weapons by combining oth-ers, an addition that helps keep the game’s inventory system fresh.

The power of your weapons in combat, however, is the least of your worries. Radiation has seeped into every health item, and even healing yourself can lead to radiation sickness quite quickly; a thoroughly unpleasant experience, to say the least, which can be crip-pling, blinding and just downright miserable. Balancing health and “rads” can quickly become an ob-session, on par only with choosing your next “perk” (think plasmids, a la “Bioshock”).

“Fallout 3” is, of course, far from perfect. “Fallout’s” protagonist re-mains silent and the conversation system could use some serious work. The third-person perspec-tive is a really nice attempt, but the camera is horrible (consider it a blessing that the first-person HUD and view are quite agreeable).

Overall, “Fallout 3” is a strong return for a phenomenal developer and a fantastic series. Xbox own-ers should snap it up before the next nuclear holocaust.

Michelle CvachEntertainment Editor

Photo courtesy of National Nuclear Security Administration / Nevada Site Office

In-Depth 8i to Volume 44 . Number 2 . November 2008

The Patriot

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Fakebook | Don’t Check the Internet!!

http://www.fakebook.com/profile.php?76432zx324=pro

Online picture posting remains problematic

Last year, the administration received some anonymous

emails. These emails, containing pic-tures of students drinking and smok-ing while posing for a camera, were all taken at parties or at home.

Now, it is one thing for students to take these pictures, but the concerned parents found them on the social net-working website Facebook.

The school took disciplinary ac-tion. Some of the students met with the administration and were suspend-ed from athletic activities. However, these pictures were taken during stu-dents’ spare time. Is the school really in the habit of searching for these things?

“No,” Dean of Students Mr. Vier-heller said. Since this was something the students did off campus, no direct punishments were given. The whole thing was handled through Team Up for a low penalty.

“When we receive information on dangerous behavior we feel obligated to help protect the students,” he con-tinued. “When pictures are posted, because of Photoshop, editing and manipulation can be very harming and damaging. Students should use their best possible judgment when posting anything.”

Guidance counselor Mrs. Heflin-Shupe said, “Colleges and business-es do look at Facebook and MyS-pace accounts of their applicants. They care enough to fire or reject you if they don’t like what they see. Not all look, but we don’t have lists

of which do or don’t.” Pictures of binge drinking or sexual activity do not enhance a potential student or employee’s résumé.

Senior Meghan McAdorey says that this prospect “really doesn’t bother me, because people shouldn’t put up pictures like that anyway.”

Junior Cameron Russell agrees, and thinks, “The pictures may not be the school’s business, but it is still bad to put things like that on-line.”

They are all backed up by Kaplan Test Prep and Admissions. Jeff Ol-son, executive director of research, said that Kaplan surveyed 2,300 ad-missions officers from the top 500 schools in the country, assembled by U.S. News & World Report and Barron’s Profiles of American Col-leges.

According to the study, one in ten admission officers said that they or associates check social networking sites to look at applicants. Of those that reviewed sites, 37% put nega-tive marks for the pages. Since they look at many applicants, the officers are not forgiving. Two to five re-viewers from every one of those in-terviewed schools would turn down all of their applicants.

This means that if a school like Harvard, with 19,000 applicants a year, checked internet pages, around 7600 students a year would be turned down just because of what was found.

Worse, with more selective medi-

cal and law schools one in seven of the 152 schools in-terviewed said that they re-view Internet pages.

Even past college, pictures of illicit activity can cause problems. Katie Koestner, who visited two years ago to give a speech about the Inter-net, said that companies can and do save old Facebook pages. Everything we do on-line is open to the public and is not private.

As Mrs. Heflin-Shupe concluded, “taking the risk is not worth the risk.”

Mr. Vierheller commented that it is “not our policy to go looking for this sort of thing. But if we hear about it we follow up.” Something like the event last year could very well happen again. The school is concerned for stu-dents’ futures and wants to make sure parents know this dangerous behavior is taking place.

Senior Sean Cooper doesn’t necessarily agree with policing, but said, “I be-lieve they have the right be-cause we signed the form.”

When students sign the handbook, they agree to up-hold certain ideals. If they spread around online that they don’t, the administra-tion can, and will, react.

These pictures were discovered on the social networking site Facebook. All depict JC students consuming alcohol and were taken within the past year.

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Needing to do her reading assign-ment, senior Kayla Curry hurried

to the library, hoping to save herself from imminent failure and embarrassment by accessing Spark Notes. She breathed a sigh of relief at seeing an open terminal in the library. She quickly logged on, only to have her faith cruelly punished: “This site is blocked by the SonicWALL Content Filter Service. Reason for re-striction: Administrative Custom List settings.” Unable to access the site, she was doomed.

Curry is just one of the many stu-dents disgruntled by the school’s Son-icWALL filter. “Some websites we need are blocked,” she says. “Spark Notes is blocked, and any [other] book-summa-rizing sites are too.”

Senior Felipe Creighton agreed that “blocking (sites) like Spark Notes is dumb,” but also admitted that “schools have to have [the SonicWALL filter].”

Spark Notes is not the only site be-ing blocked that is infuriating students. Junior Mike Reil did not include Spark Notes as one of his complaints but said that the blocking “makes it difficult to get pictures for assignments” and that “sites that could have information are blocked for weird reasons.”

He also condemns the “inappropriate blocking of band sites” and the tempo-rary blockage of YouTube, pointing out

8:10:56:SonicWALL traps students

9 In-DepthVolume 44 . Number 2 . November 2008

The Patriot

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UTube - Internet Pop Culture

Five years ago, no one knew what a YouTube was. A

handful of Harvard students had heard of Facebook, but few yet called it home. MySpace was a baby. The first lolcat had yet to be born. Tay Zonday hadn’t written “Chocolate Rain.” Rick Astley was largely forgotten.

But there was a fifteen-year-old New Yorker in his bedroom with an internet connection, an obses-sion with Japanese anime and his mother’s credit card. And thus, on October 1, 2003, 4chan.org was born.

Never been to 4chan? Not a surprise, but you may be surprised to learn that lolcats, “Chocolate Rain,” and the now-infamous rickroll have all crawled out of the sludge on 4chan’s “random” board (known to users as “/b/”) to create some of the most prolific in-ternet memes ever. Even if you’ve never heard of it, you’ve undoubt-edly encountered the results of its wide-reaching influence.

4chan is just the tip of the user-generated iceberg, the new frontier of the art world, territory populated by sites ranging from DeviantArt to YouTube to New-grounds where you are the creator of the world’s new idea of art.

As the information age comes into its own and the world moves into cyberspace, websites such as MySpace, Wikipedia, Digg, Flickr and so many others are be-coming some of the most widely used exits on the information su-perhighway. In fact, three out of the top five websites (MySpace, YouTube and Facebook) in the United States today are user-gen-erated.

Just three short years ago, the term “user-generated content” had barely entered the lexicon. Only a year later, “TIME Magazine” named the millions of anonymous contributors to these websites its person of the year.

“I think [the internet],” said sophomore Richie Truitt, “has improved art. People feel more comfortable expressing them-selves.” Truitt uses websites such as YouTube and Wikipedia “every day” and feels that the internet has allowed more people to put their work before the public and has

made it easier to keep in touch with friends.

“You don’t have to wait to see things you want to see… it’s a lot easier to communicate,” agreed fellow sophomore David Scharfe. Scharfe, although not a regular YouTube user, is certain that “eighty to ninety percent” of the student body has an account on at least one user-centered website. “I’m not sure,” said Scharfe, “but I think [the user-generated internet] will become more popular because it’s easier to use... but I don’t think it will be as informative… some of it won’t even be true.”

“Facts will be stretched and altered on each website,” said se-nior Sophia Lambros. Lambros emphasized that the internet will water down information, but feels that the internet “expands your horizons. The amount of music I listen to and the art I see has greatly increased.”

The rise of mass-culture art has been brief, but meteoric, from a few technological back-waters to a massive collective of ideas exchanged at the speed of light. As a truly global com-munity becomes more and more of a reality, the people behind some of the most important cul-tural phenomena look less like Hollywood insiders and more like Joe the Plumber.

Most of the internet, however, is still dominated by more tradi-tional websites operated by paid staffers. Google and Yahoo hold the top spots in web traffic and AOL, EBay and other commer-cial sites dominate the list of the top 100 websites in the U.S.

User-generated content has yet to become the dominant force on the World Wide Web, but it is gaining ground with each and every day.

4chan.org still ranks outside of the top thousand most vis-ited websites, but ‘moot,’ its anonymous originator, remains the most powerful web entre-preneur. Although his real iden-tity remains uncertain, his mad world has impacted the entire Web, and, in the process, the en-tire world.

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Needing to do her reading assign-ment, senior Kayla Curry hurried

to the library, hoping to save herself from imminent failure and embarrassment by accessing Spark Notes. She breathed a sigh of relief at seeing an open terminal in the library. She quickly logged on, only to have her faith cruelly punished: “This site is blocked by the SonicWALL Content Filter Service. Reason for re-striction: Administrative Custom List settings.” Unable to access the site, she was doomed.

Curry is just one of the many stu-dents disgruntled by the school’s Son-icWALL filter. “Some websites we need are blocked,” she says. “Spark Notes is blocked, and any [other] book-summa-rizing sites are too.”

Senior Felipe Creighton agreed that “blocking (sites) like Spark Notes is dumb,” but also admitted that “schools have to have [the SonicWALL filter].”

Spark Notes is not the only site be-ing blocked that is infuriating students. Junior Mike Reil did not include Spark Notes as one of his complaints but said that the blocking “makes it difficult to get pictures for assignments” and that “sites that could have information are blocked for weird reasons.”

He also condemns the “inappropriate blocking of band sites” and the tempo-rary blockage of YouTube, pointing out

that the internet provides “most of our en-tertainment on off mods.”

Some students even question the school’s choice of sites to allow.

Senior Danielle Valdivia said, “a ce-ramic site with a woman kneeling com-pletely naked is allowed.”

It’s clear that there’s a conflict, but what is there to do about it? When we curse the SonicWALL filter, who are we supposed to complain to?

Enter Mr. Greg Russell. This man, also known as a guitar player in music minis-try, has control over what is blocked by the filter and what is allowed.

But not as much control as one might think. SonicWALL isn’t a school-made program. Rather, it’s manufactured and maintained by the SonicWALL Compa-ny.

Russell said, “There are about fifty categories to choose from. I can choose which categories of sites to block, but how certain websites fall into categories is beyond my control.” This explains the blocking of some sites that could actually be helpful.

However, as both Spark Notes and the now infamous YouTube block of ’08 show, the administration can, and does, block specific websites.

These decisions, according to Russell, are made by “the tech committee, librar-ians, and teacher input.” When asked

about the YouTube block, Russell said it was based on a request from a few teachers and other faculty to block the site. The ban was lifted when “teachers said that they were using it in class.”

Russell says that the decision to block a site is based, primarily, on one question: “Is the site related to your educational growth at John Carroll?” When asked about wheth-er the filter could be repealed, Rus-sell said, “It would be great if we didn’t need them (filters). Unfortu-nately, not everyone can handle the responsibility.”

So if you want to see Spark Notes unblocked (it is listed as “Adminis-trative Custom list setting,” meaning that it is a conscious decision by the school), put together an argument, garner some teacher support, and go for it! Just be sure to name Evan Conley as the writer who opened your eyes and inspired you. You’re welcome.

8:10:56:SonicWALL traps students

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Entertainment 10ito Volume 44 . Number 2 . November 2008

The Patriot

We’ve all heard the phrase “Money is the root of all

evil,” but is this true in regard to one of the few escapes from the pressures of a modern teenager’s life?

Is money the root of all bad mu-sic? With more and more artists going main-stream, I can’t help but wonder if they are selling out by changing their original style in order to be accepted more by the average fan.

When artists sell out, not only do they destroy their credibility, but they betray their original fans. They give up to the ability to cre-ate an important and lasting mes-sage with their music

“The world is all about profit nowadays,” said freshman Maria Edwards, “A lot of artists are only in music to make money.”

When bands create music solely for profit, they devalue music as a means of creative expression. What is left may be catchy and fun to listen to, but ultimately lacks any genuine meaning or expres-sion.

Freshman Connor Dunn be-lieves that the perfect example of this can be found in modern hip-hop music, “The music has gone from a lot of rap and free styling to a more hip-hop feel, just so the art-ists can make more money.” To-day’s hip-hop artists are just part of the musical phenomena known as selling out.

However, not all students fault

the bands for selling out“I really can’t be upset with any

bands or artists that sell out. If I were offered the kind of money they get, I would sell out too. Any-one you hear on the radio sold out just because of the money,” said senior Will Nagle.

Dunn was less sympathetic, saying, “Artists these days are just getting money to be popular and becoming popular just to get money. It’s sad really.”

In the end, it’s the fans that suf-fer. Teens that listen to artists that sell out feel let down by the musi-cians they once admired.

Is making music that sounds generic really worth making more money if it damages your credib-lity?

Even artists who ignore the money factor and refuse to sell out, can have momentous results.

Hardcore punk musician Ian MacKaye is credited with starting an entire lifestyle movement with one heartfelt, forty-two second song. His song, “Straight Edge,” started the straight edge move-ment, a punk sub-genre that was strong in the 1980’s.

There is no limit to what musi-cians can accomplish if they write music from their heart. When art-ists make music for the money, the results are often atrocious.

Although it looks like money may not be the root of all bad mu-sic, it certainly accounts for what makes good musicians bad. It is far better for musicians to stay true to their craft.

Dave HatemEntertainment Editor‘The Dark Knight’ is re-

leased in stores on Blu-ray

and DVD.

Method Man and Redman play at club Sonar in Baltimore

Saving Abel plays at the Re-cher Theatre in Towson

Relax, open presents, and just have a Merry Christmas in general

Enjoy the arrival of 2009 with loved ones!

Volume 44 . Number 2 . November 2008

The Patriot 11 Editorials

When news leaked about the punishment given to the perpe-trator at the Powder Puff game, comparisons were made to the punishment of those involved in the hazing. No matter what the rumors have said, the fact remains that the perpetrator is not in school and those in-volved in the hazing still are.

Although we do not know all of the facts surrounding the events that took place, we are concerned with society’s view of harassment versus violence. Athletes may view harassment as “the norm” because it hap-pens all the time in the locker room. But how does this justify the embarrassment and occa-sional emotional trauma the victim suffers?

Hasn’t JC taught us that the two are equally evil? We didn’t have Morality class for nothing. Freshman year, we all learned about how our decisions affect people and the thought process-es that go into the decisions we make.

Harassment, no matter how a student reacts to it, is just as bad as punching someone in the

face. However, there was more alarm over the violence than the harassment. Impromptu assem-blies were held in the days fol-lowing the violence, where as the hazing registered as a much smaller blip on the radar. Is our student body, through their ac-tions, indirectly condoning the hazing by having minimal reac-tion?

Violence shows itself in an isolated incident, or two, every year, but harassment is an on-going issue. Harassment is not a decision made in an instant; it is one that is premeditated.

The frequency of hazing has desensitized the student body, making them view the harass-ment as “the norm.” The events that took place in the locker room, whatever they may be, have happened several times. We are not saying that the at-tacker should or shouldn’t have received the punishment he did; we’re just wondering why the hazers are still in school.

So maybe our spirit was dampened by the fight that took place during Spirit Week, but think of the spirit of a student being hazed. How is that less important?

October 23, 2008Dear Editor:This year, the administration changed the John Carroll service policy. The overall

requirement for 60 service hours for graduation still stands. As the article in the Octo-ber 2008 edition of The Patriot indicates, there has been some confusion surrounding the change. This letter is intended to clarify our position.

The two changes that impact students are: 1) the removal of the requirement for at least 10 of the 60 hours to be in the form of direct service; and 2) the creation of a 2-for-1 incentive for students to seek out direct service.

Our goal is to foster a disposition towards service that will enable students, in the words of our mission statement, “to serve responsibly in shaping a more just and com-passionate global society.” We believe that direct service to the poor and marginalized constitutes the most powerful and authentic service students can perform.

So, if that’s the case, why change the policy? In allowing students to decide whether or not their 60 hours will include direct service we are seeking to move students from a compliance mentality to one where the decision to take on this more demanding service is freely given.

Our hope is that by incentivizing direct service and providing multiple opportuni-ties for it, students will, in the words of our school philosophy, develop “the attitudes, values, knowledge, and skills to empower them to accept their obligations as human beings to contribute actively, intelligently and responsibly for a better world.”

The change is not without risk. Our wish is that students, attracted by the incentive, have a transformational experience and choose to do even more direct service. On the other hand, it is possible that the incentive is not sufficient and students will shy away from the effort needed to initiate direct service. We plan to monitor student service hours. If we see a significant downturn in direct service and do not achieve our pur-pose, we will have to consider a different strategy for 2009-2010.

In his letter to the community earlier this week President Richard O’Hara wrote of the call we have to “represent and foster higher principles … to stand for what is ex-ceptional and noble in life.” When students embrace service, especially direct service, they take that stand.

Sincerely,Paul G. BarkerPrincipal

From the time many of us were in kindergarten, we were taught how to meticulously fill in bubbles with a #2 pencil. Those bubbles have measured successes and fail-ures and, in public school, they can even determine whether or not a student graduates.

Those bubbles form the ba-sis of the SATs – the biggest test a teenager will take in his or her high school years. The SATs are supposed to measure a person’s mental capabilities, their “scho-lastic aptitude.” But they are not accurate.

Sitting in room 319 for the sec-ond SAT in a row, I heard students around me declaring that this was their third time taking the test (not counting the two full-length prac-tice tests they had taken in prep class).

How much will this practice raise their scores? And this test shows a college… what exactly?

This person looked great on pa-per, but now they are failing col-lege classes…how can that be?

They were not showing what they knew when they took the SATs, they were showing that they knew enough tricks to test well.

On the other hand, students who actually know how to do those math problems and analyze read-ing passages can freeze.

In fact, a recent ABC News report presented research that showed only a 20 percent cor-relation between SAT scores and freshman GPAs.

Besides the ridiculous amount of pressure on students to do well on standardized tests, the tests themselves set up almost certain failure. Because of the new writ-ing section – which some colleges do not even use – the test is almost five hours long with the hardest questions at the end.

It is a marathon that even the brightest students can bomb. There must be a better way for colleges to get a genuine glimpse of their future scholars. Interviews should be the main requirement, SATs an option. The interview gives col-leges the chance to see the whole person.

Standardized tests, in contrast, show inaccuracies. They can make high-quality students who are poor test-takers look horrible and make lazy students, but good test-takers, look phenomenal.

Shouldn’t the real person count for more than the numbers on his transcript?

Letter to the editor:On Service Policy at John Carroll

WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR!

All Letters must be •signed!

No anonymous •letters will be accepted!

Drop them off in •the Patriot room, rm. 122, or email them to jcpatriot@gmail.com!

...And justice for all?Staff EditorialPatriot Staff

SATs: worth it?-Natalie Shaw-

Editorials 12i to Volume 44 . Number 2 . November 2008

The Patriot

<Sweaters. Winter is coming and it is time to put on your fabulous, stylish, attractive John Carroll School uniform sweater lest you freeze to death while imprisoned in an

icebox…ahem…third floor classroom. In other sweater related news, we spot-ted Mr. Laws wearing a sweater knit by his mom. We love it. It gives us that fuzzy, domestic, fresh, warm-home-made- apple-pie- feeling. You know? We just love sweaters. And pie.

<Orange Juice. Seriously. It’s the only reason we get up in the morning.

=Editorials are not morning people. It’s no fun listening to biographies of saints or alumni we don’t know or care about in the morning announcements. Don’t try to educate us before 8:14. Even at that time it’s not a good idea.

=All of the sudden love has bloomed all around us. We just don’t get it. Since when did November become ask-someone-out-month? It makes editorials want to puke a

little. What’s next? Is December going to be break-your-lover’s-heart-right-before-Christmas-to-avoid-gift-buying month? Just you wait my friend.

<Two times each year, the jazz band is locked in the music wing for 12 hours straight. This lock-in is probably the most epic 12 hours of a jazz band member’s life. Who

would have thought that way too much caffeine and midnight practices make for a better jazz band?

= <Mini-Editorials Editorials tells it like it is. Every month. We won’t let you down.

=

The Orangina they sell in the cafeteria. 2% pulp. 12% juice. 86% gross. It’s an insult to our favorite citrus beverage.

<Homecoming this year was fabulous. We all slipped on the money on the floor, but it was a nice idea anyway. The music was dance-worthy and the chaperones weren’t too lame. Overall, a thumbs up.

Getting rid of class color day on Friday of spirit week is an ultimate thumbs down. We’re big fans of class spirit, so let us show a little. It’s not like the seniors wore green anyway… Two words: epic fail.

=

Harmonicas. Go learn to play one. Did you know that it’s a law for children in Belgium to take harmonica lessons in pri-mary school? Just think about all that culture you’re missing out on.

<Why are the Juniors protesting against the ring dance theme? You know, the first thing WE would do if we were rebelling against the junior class authority is create a Facebook

group. Everyone knows how effective that is. Come on, just get over it.

=

It took two years to arrive at November 4th. Two long years of squabbling, name-calling, incivil-ity and division, with a third act appearance by a plumber, to reach Election Day and send Barack Obama, the junior senator from Il-linois, to the White House on Janu-ary 20th.

But that day has finally come, and passed.

The American people have spo-ken and they have chosen decisive-ly to make Obama our next presi-dent. That doesn’t mean you have to like it.

For some 46% of Americans and, according to a recent survey, 60% of JC students, McCain’s defeat was a personal one, a harsh reality that came as a slap in the face.

While nearly 100,000 Obama supporters crowded Grant Park in Chicago to watch as our first Afri-can-American president accepted his office, the defeated McCain spoke to a small crowd of support-ers in Arizona’s Biltmore Hotel, ending his race for the presidency with dignity and a pledge “to do all in [his] power to help [Obama] lead us through the many challenges we face.”

“It’s natural, tonight,” he said, “to feel some disappointment. But

tomorrow, we must move beyond it and work together to get our coun-try moving again.” We live in a red county, in a blue state, in a now-blue nation, but if we have even the slightest faith in America, the American system and the Ameri-can people, we owe it both to our-selves and to our nation to put our full faith in our next president.

We may not approve of his poli-cies, or have let go of all concerns about his presidency, but we must put those behind us. Tomorrow has arrived and we must take McCain’s advice and “work together to get our country moving again.”

Only a small percentage of JC students hoped to see this man elected, but it is now our respon-sibility, our duty as American citi-zens to accept him as our leader and back him with all our hearts.

Barack Obama is a good man, just as John McCain is a good man; Joe Biden is a good man, and George W. Bush is a good man. All of our leaders, from the Dion Guthries and Martin O’Malleys to the Nancy Pelosis and Joe Lie-bermans, are essentially good people who believe in doing what they think is best for the future of America.

Even if you disagree with him on every major issue under the sun, Barack Obama deserves, at the

very least, your respect and a clean slate when he enters office.

The American people have de-cided with whom their best inter-ests rest and have sent that man to Washington. Senator McCain, even in defeat, has enough faith in our nation to congratulate our duly elected leader and pledge his sup-port for him.

Shouldn’t we have the dignity and faith to do the same?

Does Obama have all the an-swers? No. No one does. But he has enough answers for the Ameri-can people to believe in him.

Your faith may not lie in Pres-ident-elect Obama, but even so it should lie in the judgment of your fellow Americans. The decision has been made, quite clearly, and there’s no way to second-guess that choice.

Rather, we must accept it, and move on. Tomorrow waits for no man, but Americans have never asked it to wait. We have always been a country to make history, not watch happen.

Now history is watching all of us. I hope, for the sake of our country, our “one nation under God,” that we can move beyond the partisanship and into a “More Perfect Union,” the Union we owe to ourselves, our countrymen and our posterity.

Nick TempleStaff Writer

Barack Obama holds a press conference in Chicago, Illinois, on Friday, November 7, 2008. (Photo Credit: Zbigniew Bzdak/Chicago Tribune/MCT)

JC Mock Election

Obama deserves our support

Kaitlin Bobbin and Ashley PowersEditorials Editors

Poll of ten homerooms from September 2008. Margin of error +/- 4%.

Other: 11%

Obama: 29%

McCain: 60%

Volume 44 . Number 2 . November 2008

The Patriot 13 Editorials

Spirit Week and Homecoming: the events that freshmen were antici-

pating since school began. You could feel the fun in the air on the first day. The se-niors and juniors already had their hall-ways decked out, while the freshmen had no idea that we were allowed a hallway to decorate in white.

However, we made the most of Spirit Week by going all out with our ward-robes, not caring what upperclassmen might think.

After school on Wednesday, some freshmen crossed a few lines with the up-perclassmen. The ones in question trashed the senior hallway by writing “12” all over the senior windows.

The vandalism continued, as they ven-tured into the junior hallway and painted “Freshmen” and “2012” on one window. I found it amusing that my classmates showed that much pride, even if it upset the upperclassmen.

Then came one of the best days of all: Class Color Day. The upperclassmen were having a field day, tagging us with tape and paper. People wanted to tag us so badly that I saw a senior chasing one freshman in the cafeteria.

We were made fun of for being fresh-man and wearing white, but we expected it. People made fun of the phrase on our t-shirts, “I Put the Fresh in Freshman,” but we didn’t care.

There was a lot of class pride in the stands at the Powder Puff game, and af-terwards a large number of freshmen said that they would love to participate in Powder Puff when we become juniors and seniors.

We tried to show school spirit by wear-ing war paint, but we got in trouble. Even that couldn’t dampen our spirits. We were too excited for homecoming.

-Maggie Cassidy, class of 2012

Have you heard of the class

of 2011? The class of red?

Where have they gone?

To your surprise, we’re still here,

and we never left. We just man-

aged to stay out of all the drama of

spirit week.Like a punch in the face, this

year’s spirit week will be a hard

memory for anyone to forget. From

the vandalism of hallways, to the

attacks on rival classes, I witnessed

many of the high and low points of

the entire week. If I could describe

it in one word it would be disaster.

While it started out perfectly

fine, the rivalry between classes

got out of control. Juniors attacked

seniors, seniors attacked juniors,

and it seemed like everyone had a

strong hatred towards the freshmen.

And then there was us: the sopho-

mores. We sat on the sidelines of it

all and watched as everyone tore

each other’s hearts out.

Without anything to do, we were

forced to observe. Being insignifi-

cant can actually be entertaining.

The fact that physical assault

came out of a powder puff game is

nothing short of pathetic, and per-

sonally, I lost so much respect for a

portion of the senior class that day.

To think they take pride in what

happened is disgusting beyond

words. Taunting the junior after

he had been assaulted and chant-

ing the attacker’s name during the

pep rally is only small proof of how

cruel a class can be.

Freshmen were out of control;

attacking seniors when they came

into the school only three months

ago. We weren’t stupid enough to

do that when we were freshmen,

what makes the class of 2012 that

naive? As for the juniors, maybe some-

one should remind them that cars

are expensive. By attacking senior

cars, people are attacking students’

families too. Paint jobs and repairs

aren’t cheap, so the next time they

decide to duct tape and paint cars;

ask them if they have a few hun-

dred dollars lying around.

Of course, who am I to talk trash

on all of these classes? What do I

know about their backgrounds, their

explanations, or their thoughts?

Well, I’m a member of the class of

2011, and I’ve been watching.

-Ryan Selvy, class of 2011

I finally made it. I’m a senior. I

get to wear green on Friday of

spirit week. I get to chant the winning

score of the powder puff game at the

juniors at pep rally. And I can finally

assert seniority and decorate a hall-

way that no one dares to trash.

It’s my senior year, my time

to be on top of the school, my time to

“run this” and my time to crush the

juniors in powder puff.

Why is it then, that class

color day was NOT on Friday for

the pep rally? Instead we got school

spirit day. Yippeeay! Really, there’s a

reason I don’t cheer lead. There are

few things that will get me peppy,

and a lame “pep” rally just doesn’t

cut it, JC. And why is it that the pep

rally was monitored like Alcatraz?

Why can’t I scream “twenty-seven”

…oh, excuse me, “twenty-zero” at

the juniors? What is with this school

and killing class spirit?!

Okay, so we were still al-

lowed to decorate our hallways. Ex-

cept, certain freshman seem to think

that being in the school for a couple

of months gives them the right to tag

the senior hallway.

Excuse me? Senior year is a time to celebrate.

Show our green pride. Sure, we like

our school. We don’t mind wearing

black and gold, but we want to show

pride in our class, because we’ve fi-

nally made it; we’re seniors.

Senior year is supposed to be the

best year of them all. It’s all about se-

niority and class pride. Why do I feel

like it’s been taken away from me?

Oh right. That’s because it has

been. Thanks for the memories.

-Ashley Powers, class of 2009

‘09Hello junior year, it’s

about time. I’ve survived freshman and sophomore year by think-ing of the glorious promise of the year of blue. And as quickly as my year started, I feel like it was ripped out from under me.

The pep rally was, to say the least, disappointing. Where were the activities? Where was the rivalry? Where was the class spir-it? Where was the, well… pep?

Maybe there wasn’t much energy because the school turned spirit week into school unity week.

Pardon me for not jump-ing on that bandwagon.

Junior/senior rivalry is a tradition. Even if it’s not the most significant part of your JC career, it’s some-thing you look forward to as an underclassman. We can’t ask for any one class to end the rivalry and take from them what the classes that came before got to ex-

perience. Even if the administration

decides that nothing good comes from powder puff, is it really going to try to get the class of 2011 to step up, stop tradition, and bring en-ergy into school unity? It’s not fair for any class, but if that’s the change the admin-istration is looking for, it’s not going to be easy.

There are ominous ru-mors about the future of powder-puff always being thrown around: Will there even be a game next year? As far as what happened at the game this year…unfor-tunate, yes, but everyone’s responsibility? I don’t think so.

Am I the only one that thinks we already have school unity? You can see it in the student turn-out at athletic events, on the cars sporting JC bumper stick-ers, and on the sweatshirts you see everywhere you go.

Can’t we have powder-puff? Just one day of class

spirit and unity? Although we were rivals for powder-puff, I’m still going to have my senior friends. And I will still have my sopho-more friends when we face each other next year.

Spirit week doesn’t need to be wiped out completely. People just need to keep some perspective.

The way I see it, it brings the junior class together and the senior class togeth-er just as much as it drives the two apart.

As far as physical vio-lence goes, there will al-ways be a few kids that re-fuse to be appropriate, but do we want them? Do we slowly block out every con-troversial event out of fear that there will be someone out of control? Should we let one incident be the de-mise of pirit weeks?

I certainly hope not.

-Kaitlin Bobbin, class of 2010

Spirit Week: the good, the bad, and the horrendous paint stains. Here, each class airs their paint-splattered laundry.

Sports 14i to Volume 44 . Number 2 . November 2008

The Patriot

Call him corrupt. Call him se-nile. Call him an old fool. Call him any of the above, but Bud Selig, commissioner of Major League Baseball, has finally gotten some-thing right.

Continually maligned for his handling of the steroid scandal, Selig can now point to the 2008 World Series between the Phila-delphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays as one of his greatest ac-complishments on the sport’s big-gest stage. Selig had two teams positively affected by the revenue sharing plan put in place prior to the 2001 season.

The revenue sharing plan divert-ed money from teams that make the big bucks like the Yankees and the Mets to teams in smaller mar-kets such as Tampa Bay and the Minnesota. The main idea behind the revenue sharing was to allow teams to enter the sweepstakes for signing big name free agents.

However, Selig’s preconceived notion that the money would be used on big name free agents was dead wrong.

In the past, teams such as Flor-ida and Tampa Bay were used as de facto farm systems by the richer teams, with the poorer teams sell-ing off all their stars to richer teams in exchange for younger players. Young stars including Florida’s Josh Beckett or Kansas City’s Car-los Beltran blossomed into stars in their small market, but their value eventually made them unafford-able for their club, causing them to be gobbled up by the larger market teams.

The Yankees acquired such an inflated payroll by pilfering play-ers off other rosters and signing the young players to large contracts their old teams could not afford. It appeared that Selig was trying to let other teams do the same.

This year, the Rays entered the picture and bucked the trend of winning no more than 70 games in one season. They had never finished above fourth place in the American League East, often re-ferred to as the toughest division in baseball.

The team succeeded by using the additional revenue received from the revenue sharing plan to sign young players to long contract extensions. The Rays have put to-gether a core for future contention by doing this.

I have not always been a fan of Selig’s policies. He bungled the steroid scandal and has had questionable motives in some of his decisions. That being said, it’s about time he got something right. Although some viewed the 2008 World Series as a failure, for a baseball fan, it was pure gold.

Basketball faces leadership crisisAfter so many years of playing

basketball, senior Cori Gray, who has been playing since her fresh-man year, and junior Alex Mez-zanotte, who joined the varsity team in her sophomore year, have finally lost the passion for one of the three varsity sports they play. “I went to some of the open gym practices and realized I just didn’t have fun with it anymore,” said Gray.

Alex Mezzanotte also has the same feelings towards the sport. “I decided not to play because of the situation I would be in. Part of it is slightly personal, but I real-ize that if I would’ve played on the team, I wouldn’t have been happy and not only would I have brought myself down, but also the team,” said Mezzanotte.

The common feeling among ob-servers is that the loss of talent and leadership that comes with Gray and Mezzanotte quitting the bas-ketball team will have a negative effect on the season. Junior Jenny Barlow and senior Mia Puopolo, however, do not feel this way.

“People will just have to step up and be leaders now that Cori isn’t playing anymore,” said Barlow of the absence of Gray’s leadership.

“Cori is an excellent athlete, but she didn’t want to be here and so her leaving was probably for the best,” said Mezzanotte.

Gray defends her decision by saying, “It’s a very time-consum-

(From left to right) Jenny Barlow, Tiffany Smith, and Miranda Ripken run one of the team’s passing plays during practice. The team practices on improving their skills each practice. (Photo by Megan Chlada)

Katelynn ColgainSports Editor

Full Count

ing season and I didn’t want to spend three months of my senior year doing something I didn’t like.” She believes the team will do very well this year and that coach John Cooney will have them working hard.

Cooney became the varsity girls’ coach last year and made many changes to the team. The practices became a lot harder, but the team members felt that it was a fun season and good learning ex-perience.

There is no input from Coach Cooney on this issue, as proven by his choosing to not respond to the emails sent about the leaving of Gray and Mezzanotte.

Barlow and Puopolo are among the eight returning varsity players, three JV players, and two freshmen trying out for the var-sity team. “The team is a lot better than it was two years ago and the individual talent should make for a good team this year,” said senior Mia Puopolo.

Last year, the team finished 8-11 in Cooney’s first season as head coach, an improvement from the 5-16 record in the year before Cooney’s arrival. The coach has helped revamp the program and set it on an improving path in the IAAM “B” Conference.

The varsity team has lost a lot

of excellent players from last year, but the underclassmen trying out for the team will have an impact. “Across the board, every player is very talented,” said Gray.

“They are all good and it’s go-ing to be a hard decision on who to keep because everyone did well during tryouts,” said Barlow. Four-teen girls tried out, but only 11 or 12 will actually make the team.

This basketball team is not just a team that sets out to win; its a fam-ily of girls who along tremendous-ly well both on and off the court. “Everyone on the team is great and they are so easy going and easy to talk to,” said Mezzanotte.

Daniel Gallen

Overtime with

15 SportsVolume 44 . Number 2 . November 2008

The Patriot

Student ProfileAlex Van Dusen

Many students think the world of sports is closed off to those who may not be the best athletes. However, junior Alex Van Dusen is able to enter that world by work-ing as a football team manager.

She has been managing the team since her freshman year after finding out about the posi-tion through the morning an-

nouncements. “It sounded like a lot of fun, so I just went to find out more about the position,” said Van Dusen.

As the manager, Van Dusen has many responsibilities during prac-tices and games. She fills up the water bottles and makes sure there is enough for every player. She

cleans and folds the jerseys, tapes up the players, and does whatever else is needed of her.

Alex managed the JV team dur-ing her freshman and sophomore year, but during her sophomore

year also helped out varsity. This year, Van Dusen is the main manager of the varsity team.

“Being the manager is not all fun and games, but the team is a good group of guys and the new

coach has made this a fun year,” said Van Dusen.

Her favorite managing activ-ity is just being out on the field in the middle of all the action. “Even though it’s a lot more hectic this year, it’s still so much fun,” said Van Dusen.

Katelynn ColgainSports Editor

Coach ProfileTony Martin

Elly DannenfelserSports Editor

Men’s varsity basketball coach, Tony Martin, has been coaching in the sport for 22 years. In his third year at JC, 2007-2008, he pushed the team to go 20-12 in the MIAA “A” Con-ference and up to a #16 ranking in the Digital-Sports Top 20.

They played tough teams with outstanding players, such as Mt. St. Joe’s, St. Frances, and Towson Catholic. Martin attended the University of Maryland and played basket-ball prior to that at the recreation, travel, and AAU levels. Also prior to coming to JC, Mar-tin coached at Archbishop Spal-ding where he coached former

UConn star and Memphis Griz-zlies forward Rudy Gay.

At JC, Martin is the summer sports program coordinator and in addition to coaching the varsity team, instructs at camps and clin-

ics during the off season.

He is enter-ing his fourth season coach-ing the team.

After the 2009 season, Martin will have helped be-tween 12 and 16 players receive scholarships to play basketball

in college. Mar-tin has many plans for the basket-ball program. “I want to represent the best the school has to offer both academically and athletically, providing a source of pride for the faculty and student body,” said Martin.

Men’s Swimming

Wrestling

Men’s Basketball

Cheerleading

The men’s swimming team has five returning athletes. With eight new people trying out for the team, Coach Larry Dukes will have a chance to try new events with the team, including a trip to Florida to workout at a college-level facility for four days. St. Paul’s and St. Mary’s will pose the biggest competition for the team. The team now practices at the Arena Club and will have home meets at the Bel Air Athletic Club.

The wrestling team has 24 returning athletes. The team has added a new coach this year, former University of Maryland wrestler and JC gradu-ate wrestler Dean Roberts. Coach Keith Watson plans to keep the team focused on getting the new athletes up to speed. He also expects to improve upon last year’s fifth place finish at the state meet. Mt. St. Joe’s, McDonough, and DeMatha pose the toughest contest of the year.

The men’s basketball team is returning this year to the MIAA “A” Conference with nine re-turning players. Coach Tony Martin feels that the “A” Conference is considered among the top five leagues in the country, he feels that every game will be a real challenge. St. Frances Academy is a favorite to win the league. Martin feels that this year’s team is the most experienced team he has had, so he thinks that they will be able to progress faster during practices. The team has goals for the season, but Martin feels that the team’s focus is to “play hard, play together and play smart.”

The varsity cheerleading squad comes into the 2008-2009 season as returning Maryland Inde-pendent Schools champions for the eighth straight year. Eighteen of the cheerleaders from last year’s squad will return for this season. Sandy Seufert will coach the varsity team and the team competes in three competitions during the season: the Christ-mas Classic, Maryland Independent Schools, and Reach the Beach. They will have to look out for IND and Mercy, the teams that have been runners-up at the Maryland Independent Schools competi-tion in the past.

The men’s indoor track team will be returning with a large team, which includes 15 athletes. All of the returning runners ran JV in the team’s league meets last year and scored well in the championships. Most of them will move up to varsity this year. Coach Rob Torres feels that this should allow the team be more respected in one of the toughest leagues in the area. The team will double its numbers, with 15 more peo-ple coming out for the team. The team is also coached by Mike Monaghan, and JC alum Jess Monaghan. The toughest competition for the team will come against Curley, Mt. St. Joe, and Gilman. Torres feels that along with these three teams, there are at least three or four additional teams that could pose as threats.

The women’s indoor track team has 20 returning athletes in addition to 15 to 20 new athletes. Since there is no indoor facility, the team will be practic-ing outside on the track from November to January. Last year’s team was near the top of the league on varsity, finishing fourth in the championships, and Torres thinks that they will finish strong again. “We lost some great athletes to graduation, but we have a load of talent coming back,” said Torres. The tough-est competition will come against reigning champion McDonogh and runner-up Seton Keough.

Men’s Indoor Track

(From L-R) Mike Greig, Ben Pickett, Ian Richardson and Daniel Gallen lead a pack of runners around the track. The team has to practice outside because the school does not have a indoor facility. (photo by Melissa Vinton)

Senior Ryan McQuaid pulls up to shoot a jump shot from three point range. The team practices for hours to im-prove upon their shooting skills and their defensive play. (photo by Megan Chlada)

The women’s swimming team lost only three swimmers from last year’s team with 12 new peo-ple coming out for the team. The women’s team will be joining the men’s team for a training trip to Florida. The toughest match for the women’s team this year will be against Severn. Like the men’s team, they are moving practices to the Arena Club and will use the Bel Air Athletic Club for their home pool for meets.

Women’s Indoor Track

Women’s Swimming

The Patriot takes a glance at the fast-paced world of winter athletics

For information on Women’s Basketball turn to page 14.

Sports 16i to Volume 44 . Number 2 . November 2008

The Patriot

The JC football team ran out onto the St. Paul’s field and began their calis-thenics. As the Patriots set

up for their opening drive, something

was different. The quarterback that

had been playing since the end of the

2007 season was no-where in sight.

Starting at the position was junior Stephen St. Clair. The former start-ing quarterback, senior captain Sammy von Paris, stood among the rest of his teammates on the

sideline, scanning the field and holding his right hand covered in a cast.

Von Paris’ football ca-reer seemed to be almost perfect. His team was play-ing the best it had in years

and he was a major factor in this success.

During a game against Archbishop Spalding on Oct. 3, von Paris hit the hel-met of one of Spalding’s defenders, and he felt his

hand crack against the forse of the hit. “I was pretty mad because I thought I’d be out for the season,” said von Paris.

Von Paris was able to play in the next game at St. Paul’s after being treated by doctors. “I was able to keep playing be-cause I put a cast on and then put a foam cover on it,” said von Paris, “The doctors said playing would increase the possibili-ties of re-breaking it, but wearing the cast would help.”

He took over at starting linebacker, a position he had played prior to taking the starting quarterback job.

Although the injury could have ended von Paris’ final high school football sea-son, he managed to remain optimistic.

“This injury only made me switch po-sitions, but it did not make football less fun or anything,” said von Paris, “It just made me learn one more job.”

“Sammy is a great leader, so we were at first devastated hearing the news of his hand,” said head coach Keith Rawlings, “We still had him as a captain and feel it has worked well for everyone.”

Losing the starting quarterback may have been a disaster for some teams, but the Patriots were able to continue their successful season. “The team really stepped up and Stephen St. Clair has done a great job replacing Sammy,” said Rawl-ings.

After losing his first career start at quarterback 37-14 to St. Paul’s, St. Clair had a breakout performance against St. Vincent Pallotti the next start.

The junior rushed for two touchdowns, threw for another touchdown and finished off the game with an interception for an-other score.

He had a total of 142 rushing yards with just 13 carries for an average of 10.9 yards per carry. The Patriots overpowered the host Panthers by a final of 41-8.

St. Clair’s standout performance of the season occurred the next week against Boys’ Latin.

He ran the ball for a 65-yard touch-down, passed for 45 yards, including a 13-yard scoring pass to sophomore wide receiver D.J. Owens, returned an inter-ception 40 yards for a touchdown and had a 72-yard punt return for a touchdown. St. Clair continued his stellar play on defense, recording nine stops, two pass break-ups, and contributing an interception.

In the 60-28 victory, von Paris contin-ued to show his value to the team with 76 yards on the ground and two touchdowns. He displayed defensive prowess with a game-high 16 tackles.

St. Clair’s performance on the field has not gone unnoticed. He was awarded the DigitalSports Baltimore Metro Athlete of the Week for the week of October 20 after his performance against Boys’ Latin.

He carried the team to within one win of the championship, but the Patriots were eliminated from contention on the last day of the season with a 35-0 defeat to Archbishop Curley.

“Great teams have a team approach, and our players stuck together through this and supported one another,” said Rawlings. “We are very thankful Sammy was able to play with a broken hand and did not miss his senior year.”

“From this experience, I learned that life can change a lot in a little bit of time. I learned to do everything like it’s your last chance you have,” said von Paris.

Junior running back steps up

College Bound Athletes

of the Month

Senior Trevor Reddell started playing volleyball when he entered high school, feeling that is was not very hard to make the team at that point. “Our football team was awful my freshman year, so I decid-ed to try out for volleyball,” said Reddell. He feels that the highlight of the season was hitting the players on the opposite teams in the face nine times over the season, although counted the season as a whole as “okay.” “My favorite memory was Jeff Graham almost breaking some kid’s nose when he hit him in the face,” said Reddell. He is also a member of the rugby team. Reddell plans to continue his volleyball career at Stevenson.

Freshman Elisa Rehak was one of two freshmen on the 2008 varsity ten-nis team. She has been playing the sport for five years. Rehak said that tennis is a fun, fast-paced sport, and helps with hand eye coordination. Rehak feels that she improved this year. “I moved from number three doubles up to number one doubles during the season,” said Rehak. She said that she was a little intimidated being a freshman on varsity because Re-hak and her doubles partner, Mollyann Pais, would have to play juniors and se-niors who had more match experience. “It was a good challenge to play older kids and it was exciting,” said Rehak.

Elissa RehakTennis

Trever ReddellVolleyball

(From left to right) Katie Kirazoglou, Jenn Zol-toski, Brittany Dashiell, Cori Gray, Megan Chlada, and Holly Webb have all signed lacrosse schol-arships. (Pho-to by Kristen Novak)

Melissa VintonManaging Editor

(From left to right) Erick

Smith, Isaiah Philmore, and

RaphaelJor-dan have also

all signed to go to school

on basketball scholarships.

(Photo by Megan

Chlada)

Basketball and lacrosse players recieve scholarships