Bear Facts 25¢

Volume 2 Number 2 November 2011 1200 Dallas Ave, Mena, Arkansas 71953

The

A PUBLICATION OF MENA HIGH SCHOOL

See pg. 2 for the editorials.

Catch up on sports - pgs. 6-7.

Save $1.00 at Wendy’s - pg. 7.

Grease slicks into the fast lane!by Taylor Betz

In the Mena High School Performing Arts Center, the stage is being set for a juggernaut of a musical. The deadline creeps in as dances are being composed, voices are being raised and performances are being crafted. Of course this intensity doesn’t quite match the silliness of dudes gleefully chanting poppy-numbers about cars and gals and such. Regardless, the elaborate production, under the guiding hands of ‘Drama’ Kropp, is coming together just in time for the late November show dates.

The tension to maintain the attention to detail that would be required of such a production in such a short time mirrors the classical, yet typical, rushed-to-perfection plays of Broadway. It’s the drama of putting on a drama that fuels these performers and artists to be in the spotlight not a second late. Don’t let the hard work fool you, there’s still

fun aplenty for its stars and crew. “I enjoy it more than I loathe it; it’s actually pretty fun at times,” said principle actress Ayla Powell, who’ll play female lead Sandy Dumbrowski. In this case, all work and no play just isn’t the way.

Holly Lewis, who plays Jan, declared, “The audience will always be clapping!” Taylor Betz, a student in the Theatre Arts II class who’s been doing minor work for the play, said, “It’s tough work, but someone has got to do it.” Yes indeed, all members are putting their best feet forward. Said feet are working their way to Nov. 20, featuring a 2:30 p.m. performance, and Nov. 21, featuring a 7:00 p.m. performance at the Mena High School Performing Arts Center, when the public will get to finally see iconic musical yet again brought to life with spectacle. Be there for an extravagant show that all will be talking about.

THE MENA LADYCATS pose for a snapshot shortly after claiming their titles as District and Conference champs. (photo courtesy of Madi Ralls)

Ladycat volleyballers take titlesby Hana Hunter

Completing the season as district and conference co-champions, the Ladycats are ecstatic with their season’s overall results as well as their state run.

The Ladycats were given an enthusiastic send-off Oct. 24 as students and fans surrounded their well-decorated bus and cheered them on their way to the state tournament at Valley View, held Oct. 25-Oct. 29. Many people lined the infamous bus loop as the Ladycats waved goodbye and readied themselves for the five-hour drive to northeastern Arkansas.

The first game, held Oct. 25, made it clear that Brookland was no match for Mena and the Ladycats defeated them, 3-0. Mena brought what it used at the beginning and finished with a bang. Winning the first match 25-19, the Ladycats subsequently won the next two sets as well, 25-21 and 25-23. Sophomores Natalie Rose and Maegan Kent led the team with kills; Rose with 11, and

Kent with 5. Senior Hannah Knittig had 6 blocks and 4 kills.

Advancing to the second round of the 4A State Volleyball Tournament, Mena played Pulaski Academy Oct. 26. The Ladycats endured their first loss of the tournament, 0-3, which completely eliminated them from the bracket. Although defeated, “The Ladycats played great throughout the overall season and had an awesome experience competing at state,” as junior Lindsey Thacker, 25, stated afterwards.

Senior Madi Ralls added, “State was a blast, and I’m very proud of my underclass teammates, such as Susan Bissell and Lindsey Thacker, and I’m sure they’ll make great leaders.”

Players, as well as fans, were overjoyed at how far the Mena Ladycat volleyball team went. With 5 seniors graduating this year, Coach Heather Clark will have many spots available for the 2012 Ladycat varsity team. Overall, it’s easy to say the Mena Ladycat volleyball season was nothing shy of successful.

MHS STUDENTS REHEARSE for the upcoming Grease performances. (photo by Deedra Hooker)

Page 2 November 2011The Bear Facts - Editorials

Advertising rates are $10 per column inch. For advertising or subscription information, address all correspondence to Bear Facts, Mena High School, 1200 Dallas Ave, Mena, Arkansas 71953.

The Bear Facts, a publication of Mena High School, is pub-lished monthly October through May by MHS journalism students and is printed by the Mena Star. The Bear Facts is a member of the Arkansas Scholastic Press Association, the American Scho-lastic Press Association, and the Southern Interscholastic Press Association. Editorials and letters to the editor refl ect the views of the authors and do not necessarily refl ect those of the staff or school. All letters must be signed, and all published letters will include the author’s name.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Taylor Hale; FEATURE PAGE EDITOR: Kimmi Hanners; EDITORIAL COLUMNIST: Ayla Powell; SPORTS EDITOR: Hana Hunter; PHOTO/GRAPHICS EDITOR: Emily O’Rear; ADVERTISING MANAGER: Lake Ashley; LAYOUT MANAGER: Kim Erickson; CLUBS/ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR: Taylor Betz; CIRCULATION MANAGER: Viet Nguyen; PAGE DESIGN by Digital Communications students:

Monique Chelius, Carolyn Cobb, Brenden Daniels, Brittney Duvak, Bryan Ernst, Nathaniel Faught, April Ganster, Sydney Hebert, Nathan Hinson, Alyssa Looney, Ryan Lowery, Megan Moon, Gage Runion, Dakota Schaffer, BJ Schuller, Nathan Smallwood, Greg Spalding, Olivia Stafford, Kayla Stone, Jamie Thacker, Trent Vaught, Austin Williams, Mariya Zagulova; ADVISER: Lisa Schuller

Which one’s the song title, and which one’s the band name?by Ayla Powell

Maroon 5? Finger Eleven? Massive Attack? Orange Range? Rucka Rucka Ali? Lady Gaga? The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus? Has anyone besides me noticed that band names have steadily progressed into madness as time has marched on? Such names usually have strange and extremely specifi c origins that many a rabid fan can recite as easily as a nursery rhyme. The trend goes as far back as Lynyrd Skynyrd. The story goes, to my knowledge, that the band members were all sitting around during a practice, talking about their coach in high school, Coach Skinner. They started goofi ng off with the name, eventually hashing it into the now famous band many of us have come to love. I, personally, have trouble with the nonsensical names, not because I don’t enjoy their individuality, but because I often times will fi nd myself in a conversation about contemporary music and be totally lost. Strange names have been around for awhile, but they seem to have hit a culmination in our present time. Many names are just broken phrases that don’t make sense: The Academy Is, Forever the Sickest Kids, etc. It’s so strange and bewildering to decipher what’s the band’s name and what’s the name of the song. Like a crossword, it can keep me there for several minutes. Or hours. I suppose it’s a matter of personal taste. I really do love weird band names, but I can’t help but think it’s some kind of fad, which instantly kills my interest in it. Trends are fi ne, but music is supposed to be expressive, soul-baring, beautiful—not something you grumble about and collect a paycheck for or do just because everyone else is doing it. That’s boring! Go home and check some of your favorite bands’ names, or recite them off the top of your head. Does it sound like you’re jabbering nonsense? Or not? Either way, it’s should still be music. Choose wisely.

What is music to you? All of my life, I have been surrounded by music; almost everyone has. Have you ever stopped to think how music affects your daily life? Imagine a football game without a band, a long drive without singing to the radio, or even a clothing store with no music in the background. Have you ever been mad and then listened to your favorite song? It’s nearly impossible to stay mad. Music is such a huge part of everything we do, yet it seems to be overlooked in many ways. Concerts are by far my favorite form of entertainment. Ever. There is no way to explain the feeling of being in a room and having music so electrifi ed that it runs through my veins. Most people go see their favorite musician at a huge arena where there is no personal attachment to the show outside the high price ticket, and STILL they don’t get a chance to really feel moved by what is happening in front of them. I understand wanting to see a really famous person perform; sometimes there is no way around going to a venue like that, but everyone should take the chance, at least once in their lives, to go to a smaller, more personal show. Find an unknown band, grow to love their music, then see them perform. There is nothing more rewarding than to watch such passion laid out on a stage. Giving listeners the ability to relate to the lyrics of a song is crucial to a musician. Think about it; Taylor Swift is one of the biggest artists of our time, and the reason for her success is the fact that fans can relate to her music. Whatever we’re dealing with at the time is what chooses our favorite song. Am I right? When we go to sleep or study, we usually don’t listen to dancing music. When we’re happy or if the weather is nice, usually our music is selected to make our mood match. I’ve even done exercises in theatre arts where I’ve closed my eyes and listened to certain music tracks and recorded what the song made me think of. Listening to music can make a massive difference in how the day goes. Personally, I think everyone should look at music as a beautiful and inspiring gift. Without it, we would live in a completely different world.

November 2011 Page 3The Bear Facts - Features

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Our key to successAs our bodies sleep, our minds unravel the future by Kimmi Hanners

For centuries, oneirologists, people who study dreams, have been on the search for the deep, unknown meanings of what society dreams about. Many become puzzled over the interpretations of their dreams.

A dream is as simple as a sequence of images that appears involuntarily in the mind of someone sleeping. In fact, scientists studied the physical side of dreaming and found some quite fascinating results. During dream sleep, the body goes through a few important changes. The level of adrenaline increases, as does blood pressure and heart rate. From these observations, scientists have concluded that dreaming could be thought of in many ways as a higher state of consciousness than when one is awake. For this reason, dreams often involve a mixture of real and imaginary characters and places. They are successions of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that occur while sleeping, or as some say, while awake. This is known as daydreaming, which actually reflects one’s wishes, hopes, and true desires. Most take daydreaming and dreaming for granted, but the fact is that both could be the key to success. While sleeping, most believe they are recapturing the day’s events, yet they are actually planning out their futures.

The subconscious mind is one of the most remarkable body mechanisms when in the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) state of sleeping, which lasts only twenty percent of the night for adults and even more for infants and toddlers. REM sleep is extremely vital for one’s learning pattern. Without this kind of sleep, a person cannot recapture his or her day’s events properly or even learn correctly. This is why the younger generation experiences longer periods of REM. Infants and toddlers must remember simple actions like counting numbers and speaking English, while adults already have such actions processed in their memories. While sleeping, one’s day’s events are remembered through dreams, and wishes of the future are revealed as well.

Some cultures believe such, but others do attempt to prove otherwise. In many cultures, people interpret the meanings of dreams. Egyptians looked for symbols, while other cultures, like the Tibetan culture, believed dreams reflect on the previous day’s events and desires for the future. The ancient Greeks and Romans believed that dreams were messages from their gods or deceased family members. No matter what one culture may believe, we all have dreams. Considering the average person will have at least 150,000 dreams throughout his or her lifetime, people could really get something from what they dream about.

Whether a person is dreaming about dinosaurs or death, dreams have meanings. Dreams are ultimately reflections of what one is going through, has gone through, or wishes to go through. Junior Ayla Powell said, “Once I had a dream that my mom was mad at me because I had escaped from school in a helicopter. In reality, the next day, I got in trouble for getting out of class too early for band contests.” This quote relates to the fact that Powell got in trouble the next day by not her mom, but by Vice-Principal Shane Torix. A person can dream of an experience and never experience it in reality, possibly revealing a deep, hidden meaning.

Junior Kim Erickson said, “One time I had this dream that I was riding in a mini-van with some of my friends. It was nighttime, and we were driving over a small hill, soon revealing a small car driving toward us. It came over the hill and swerved madly into the ditch. In real life the next day, four of my friends, one of my friend’s moms and I were driving in a mini-van. We had just dropped one of my friends at their house, who had been riding with us. After this, we continued driving and came upon a little hill. Ironically, just like my dream, we witnessed two cars almost collide. Instead, one of the cars swerved into the ditch, recapping my dream of the night before.” This is not only another dream that reveals the future, but is so similar, it could make one second guess how to interpret dreams and their crazy meanings.

A deceased Native American Sioux named Tashunka Witco, also known as Crazy Horse, once said, “Never forget your dreams.”

Today, not a lot of people live by this quote, but the truth is that dreams could be the hidden key to unlocking one’s future and true desires. “Keep your dreams alive. Understand to achieve anything requires faith and belief in yourself, vision, hard work, determination, and dedication. Remember all things are possible for those who believe,” said three-time Olympic champion, Gail Devers.

MHS students share their strangest dreamsLake Ashley I dreamt of a red-eyed, purple werewolf standing outside my window.April Castro I had a dream that a creepy man whose face was half-burned was

stalking me.Ashli Foster I dreamt of being in a magical, sundae land.Chris Gibson My friend and I got chased in the woods by a mutated animal, and

we came upon an abandoned building.Corey Howard I had a dream that multi-colored gummy bears were chasing me.Hana Hunter I dreamt of being held hostage and rescued by my parents who shot

mustard and ketchup out of guns.Katie Mitchell I was sitting in a pool with diseased llamas, and I learned that if they

licked you, you’d become one too. Roho Salguero I got attacked by monkeys and climbed up a tree with a one-eyed

man.Amanda Wiggins The Statue of Liberty turned to life and tried to take over the presidency

but got depressed because she couldn’t fit into the Oval Office.

Page 4 November 2011The Bear Facts - News

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Annual food drive takes place at Mena High Schoolby Taylor Hale

The fourth annual Feed the World food drive is well under way, and the competition between classes is heating up. Julie Gordon’s World History classes are collecting canned food items for a local pantry, which will be used to assemble Thanksgiving food baskets.

The students from each class section have posted signs around the school to increase their class’s can count. According to Gordon, the signs have done well.

The food drive was introduced by Gordon at Waldron High School, and she enticed students each year with a competition to beat the Bulldog’s record of 500 cans. Another side competition is to beat the previous year’s record, and so far,

the seniors have collected the most. When asked about the effect of the food drive on students, Gordon stated, “This is a good way to learn how to do a service project and how to get people involved.”

Students have responded well to the food drive; Gordon’s second period class even stated, “We’re doing something good, and that makes us feel good.” The history students look to a quote by Mother Teresa, “If you can’t feed 100 people, then just feed one,” as their motto.

Another positive competition Gordon has brought to the school is the annual ‘Penny Wars,’ which gives students a chance to raise money for a good cause.

Overall, Gordon’s Feed the World food drive has been an exciting challenge for the students.

JULIE GORDON’S HISTORY class shows off their canned goods for the Feed the World food drive. (photo by Taylor Hale)

Band begins the road to sweepstakesby Emily O’Rear

The Mena High School Marching Band traveled to Ft. Smith on Nov. 8.to participate in the Region VIII Marching Contest. They returned with a rating of one, which sets them on the right track for obtaining a sweepstakes honor.

“I was so excited that I started crying because I’d been worrying about it so much. I was so scared that we might not get it for my senior year, and then we did, and I was just so happy,” said senior Addie Bush.

The band will perform at Sightreading and Concert Assessment March 13-15. If the band receives a one in this contest they will receive a sweepstakes honor.

“The way I prepare mentally and physically is just to relax, I know what I need to do and I know that I can do it,” said senior Morgan Lacoste.

Now that the football season is over, the band begins preparation for the 2011-2012 concert season. They have begun practice for their Christmas concert, which will be held in the performing arts center on Dec. 13. Once the Christmas concert is over, the band will travel to All Region as well.

Not everybody eats turkeyby Lake Ashley

Citizens in the United States tend to use the fourth Thursday of every November to gather with their families and enjoy a big homemade meal, usually involving turkey as the main dish. However, this is not the case in most countries. Cultures around the world celebrate Thanksgiving in their own way. In China, there is the celebration of the August Moon, also known as the Women Festival. It falls on the 15 day of the eighth lunar month of their calendar year. The Chinese believe that the moon is at its peak during this time of the year. On this night, couples speak of their love to each other. During this holiday, the Chinese give gifts of moon cakes to their families and friends. Korea celebrates Chu-Sok, meaning, ‘fall evening,’ every year on August 15. The holiday begins the night before at sunset. The celebration continues for three days after the sun sets. A dish called songpyon,

made of rice, beans, sesame seeds and chestnuts is made on this holiday, and families gather underneath the moonlight to honor their ancestors. The Kadazan Harvest is recognized in Malaysia in the month of May to thank their favorite rice god. Malaysians make tapai, a homemade rice wine specifically for this holiday, distributing it to the locals dressed in traditional clothing for the holiday. Carnivals are also an important feature for this celebration. Foreign exchange student from Vietnam, Viet Nguyen, said, “We have Mid-Autumn Festival as Thanksgiving. We wear long dress and turban to celebrate on this holiday. On that day we also have spring rolls for our meal and moon cakes for dessert.” There are many more thanksgivings around the world; these are just some of the more prevalent ones. It goes to show that almost everyone in the world is thankful for something that they have.

November 2011 Page 5The Bear Facts - News

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Modern dance takes the lead in the 21st century by Viet Nguyen

Some people are learning how to dance; some people are born to dance. However it happens, they are still known as dancers.

According to Wikipedia, modern dance is a dance form developed in the early 20th century. In the early 1900s, European and American dancers started to rebel against the rigid constraints of classical ballet. Instead of following the classical ballet technique, costume, and shoes, these modern dancers focus on creative self-expression rather than on technical virtuosity. Modern dance, in opposition to ballet, is the deliberate use of gravity. Whereas classical ballet dancers strive to be light and airy on their feet, modern dancers often use their body weight to enhance movement. Modern dance is a more relaxed, free style of dance in which choreographers use emotions and moods to design their own steps.

With the inspiration of modern dance, we are now having many kinds of dance. Break dancing, popping, locking, jugging, and free style dancing have moved to the forefront. To

let all the dancers from all over the world have a chance to show the world what they can do, groups used their money to organize some competitions like the TV show So You Think You Can Dance (SYTYCD), American Best Dance Crew (ABDC), and Dancing With The Stars.

Although the United States is the originator of modern dance, not all the best dancers come from this country. Africa and Asia are known for talented dancers. In dance competitions around the world, many champions are Asian and African. For example, the dance crew called the Jabbawockeez, which won the first season of ABDC, is comprised of six Asian members out of a seven member troop. The important thing is not where a dancer is from, it’s how good the dancer is in respect to dancers.

Some people think that one will never have a successful life when choosing dancing, but that is not the case. Polk County Lioness Board of Directors member Candace Hodges Riner, a combination and baton twirling dancer, was Miss Majorette Queen of Arkansas 1999, and Miss Majorette of Arkansas 2000. She has won a lot of prizes for her dancing career and also placed in the top 20 at the 1999 Junior Olympics. She studied dancing in college and now owns a dance studio called Dream Spinners with 56 students currently enrolled. Her students learn basic ballet, beginner to advanced, lyrical and jazz dance fundamentals, baton whirling and rhythmic gymnastics. She said, “Dance is a very natural human expression of joy and deeply felt emotions.” She’s now a successful businesswoman and lives with her husband Andy in a house at Hatfield.

Modern dance will definitely take a further step in the future!

Mena High School Choir begins the year on the right noteby Emily O’Rear

The Mena High School Spotlight Singers and the Bearcat Chorus traveled to All-Region Choir tryouts on Oct. 8. When they arrived back at school that night, eight members had qualified for state tryouts, and 13 members had made the All-Region Choir or were alternates. “When I found out that I made All-Region and qualified for State, I was excited but scared at the same time. Now I have to learn a whole bunch of music, but I’m still really happy about it,” said senior Emily Badgett.

The All-Region Choir members are Emily Badgett, Soprano 1 chair 2; Zack Fijman, Bass 2 chair 13; Lucas Head, Bass 1 chair 4; Ryan Lowery, Bass 1 chair 8; Amber Lane, Alto 2 chair 4; Heather Madison, Alto 2 chair 24; Emily O’Rear, Soprano 2 chair 10; Aussie Stroud, Soprano 1 chair 10; Kassidy Summer, Soprano 2 chair 13;

Amanda Wiggins, Soprano 1 chair 45; Sasha Zavala, Soprano 1 chair 25; and the alternates are Cody Edwards and Lauryn Madison. These talented young people traveled to Lake Hamilton on Nov. 19 for the All-Region Concert and Clinic.

The All-State qualifiers are Badgett, Fijman, O’Rear, Head, Lane, Lowry, Stroud, and Summer. They will travel to Arkadelphia on Feb.3 for the All-State tryouts. “I was excited with a big fist pump in the air. It was the first time I made All-Region. I am still happy and excited,” said Junior Ryan Lowery. To qualify for state tryouts, students need to make a chair between 1 and 13. To make either the mixed chorus or the girls choir, students need to make a chair between 14 and 45 for each section.

The Mena High School Choir can now prepare for their Christmas concert on Thurs., Dec. 1. The choir concert will feature Chris Romero as the Grinch.

THE ALL-REGION choir qualifiers make Mena High School proud. (staff photo)

Page 6 November 2011The Bear Facts - Sports

JUNIOR JOHN BALLENTINE leaps for the touchdown during the game against Subiaco Oct.28. (photo by Kimmi Hanners)

Bearcat football season terminates at p layoffs by Hana Hunter

Competing against the number one ranked team in the 4-4A conference Oct. 21, the Bearcats were defeated by Pottsville, 69-42. Mena realized they’d have to start with everything they had and finish with as few mistakes as possible. With the score comparable to that of a basketball game, Mena couldn’t quite stop Pottsville’s offense, although the Bearcats scored numerous times as well. Fortunately, the Bearcats’ mental strength prevailed, knowing two games were yet to come in the season.

Hosting Subiaco Oct. 28 during Mena’s senior night, the Bearcats completely dominated, 62-7. It was clear Mena’s offense had ramped up, which just so happened to be at the most crucial time of the season: the state playoff progression. Mena played an exceptional game, staying strong in both offense and defense. From the first two minutes to the last quarter, Mena was all about scoring. The Bearcats possessed a 5-4 record following this victory.

Traveling to Booneville Nov. 4 for the Bearcats’ last scheduled game, Mena

unfortunately lost with a score of 43-32. Bradley Crawford, #11, ran in the opening kickoff for a touchdown and scored once more later on. Malachi McGee, Landon Thacker, and Austin Warren all chipped in as well. Even with many fans from Mena to help support, the Bearcats still couldn’t shake Booneville.

With an overall season record of 5-5, the Bearcats were hosted by Prairie Grove in the first round of playoffs. “Playoffs are all about elimination and determination,” senior Thacker states, “You’re either in, or you’re out. Our motto this year is FSU (fearlessness, speed, and unity), and that’s exactly what we’ll bring.”

Before playing Prairie Grove, junior Crawford expressed his anxiousness, “Class rings would be nice.”

Although Mena was defeated 27-43, the Bearcats played at the best of their ability Nov. 11. Mena fans raged with disappointment as the game ended, unhappy with Prairie Grove’s sportsmanship and a few of the ref’s calls. For many graduating seniors, this was the last opportunity to play as a Mena Bearcat. Unfortunately this marked the end of the 2011 Bearcat football season.

Vanessa Parnell is Mena’s cross country contenderby Hana Hunter

Sophomore Vanessa Parnell of Mena High School recently placed second in the 4A division at the State Cross Country Tournament. Completing the 3.2 mile race behind just one other competitor, Parnell’s award is one that has hours of practice and determination behind it.

Parnell has won an abundance of specific track titles including placing at state. Vanessa recorded her longest completed race as 5k (3.2mi.). Notably, she’s broken a couple records, both 1600m races during her track season last year, one at Booneville and the other at Mineral Springs.

Vanessa participates in many long distance runs, strengthening endurance level with each run. Practicing for an upcoming event, she focuses on weight and core strengthening but not on an everyday basis like running. Keeping her speed and endurance abilities at the utmost level, she must practice year round, unlike other sports requiring a few weeks of practice prior to competition. Parnell goes on to explain

that during training she has run up to 10 consecutive miles.

Coaches are a big factor in cross country and before Vanessa enrolled at Mena, Coach Keith Willsey of Acorn High School was the person responsible for inserting the desire to run into Vanessa’s life. He was and still is highly respected in Vanessa’s eyes. After transferring to the Mena School District last year, both Vanessa and her dad conjured up the plan of her father becoming a volunteer cross country coach. Doing this was the only way to bring the sport back to Mena.

Vanessa’s been involved in cross country since 7th grade, and her desire to run is strong. She states, “I love it because it’s a challenge to meet my own expectations and try hard to compete against other runners at the best of my ability. It’s the greatest adrenaline rush, and ever since I started running, it’s been my passion. ”

Parnell’s aspirations for the future include attending college. She hopes for both a track and cross country scholarship and dreams of making something of herself.

Mena High School Bowling Schedule2011- 2012 Matches

Acorn, Cossatot River, Mena December 3, 2011 9:30 a.m.Acorn, Cossatot River, Mena December 10, 2011 12:30 p.m.Acorn, Cossatot River, Mena December 17, 2011 10:00 a.m.Acorn, Cossatot River, Mena January 7, 2012 10:00 a.m.Acorn, Cossatot River, Mena January 14, 2012 10:00 a.m.Acorn, Cossatot River, Mena January 21, 2012 10:00 a.m.Acorn, Cossatot River, Mena January 28, 2012 10:00 a.m.Acorn, Cossatot River, Mountain Pine, Mena February 4, 2012 10:00 a.m.District tournament in Fort Smith February 9, 2012 State tournament in Conway, Arkansas February 15, 20124A & 5A West district tournament in Hot Springs February 10, 20124A & 5A State tournament in Cabot Arkansas February 17, 2012

November 2011 Page 7The Bear Facts - Sports

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Mena Bearcat and Ladycat Basketball2011-2012

Date Opponent Time TeamsNov. 7-12 OBU Tournament TBA 2Nov. 15 @ Lake Hamilton 5:00 1,2,3,4Nov. 17 DeQueen 5:00 1,2, JVNov. 19 @ Greenwood 10:00 4, 7th Nov. 22 Kirby 5:00 1,2,JVNov. 29 @ Greenwood 5:00 1,2,JVDec. 2 & 3 Mena-First National Bank Classic TBA 1,2Dec. 5-10 Magnet Cove Tournamet TBA 1,2*Dec 6 @ Subiaco 5:30 1,3,5Dec 10 @ Booneville 10:00 4, 8th G*Dec. 16 @ Dover 5:30 1,2,4Dec. 20-22 Danville Tournament TBA 1,2*Jan. 3 Clarksville 4:30 1,2,5,6*Jan. 6 Pottsville 4:30 1,2,5,6Jan 7 Waldron 10:00 4, 8th, 7th G*Jan. 10 @ Booneville 5:30 1,2,3*Jan. 13 @ Dardanelle 5:30 1,2,5,6*Jan. 17 Waldron 5:30 1,2,3*Jan. 20 Dover 4:30 1,2,5,6*Jan. 24 Subiaco 5:30 1,3,5*Jan. 27 @ Clarksville 4:30 1,2,5,6Jan. 28 Greenwood 10:00 4, 8th *Jan. 31 Booneville 5:30 1,2,4*Feb. 3 Dardanelle 4:30 1,2,5,6*Feb. 7 @ Waldron 5:30 1,2,4*Feb. 10 @ Pottsville 5:00 1,2,3Feb. 13-18 @ Waldron – District Tournament TBA 1,2

* Conference Games1 – Varsity Boys 3 – JV Boys-“B” games 5 – Jr Boys2 – Varsity Girls 4 – JV Girls-“B” games 6 – Jr Girls

Basketball season bounces into actionby Emily O’Rear

The distinct sound of shoes squeaking across the floor and balls bouncing up and down signal the Mena High School Bearcats and Ladycats beginning practice in preparation for the 2011-2012 season.

“They are extremely hard workers, very coachable, and [they have] quickness and speed,” said Ladycat Coach Heather Clark on the strengths of this year’s team. Bearcat Coach Bobby Tedder said of his team, “They work really well together, and they know that our success will come from their hard work, and they play smart together.”

The teams began their season when the varsity girls played in the Ouachita Baptist University Tournament at OBU Nov. 7-12 and the varsity boys played at Lake Hamilton on Nov. 15.

“We lost 4 seniors last year, so we are a very young team,” said Clark when asked how the team had changed since last season.

“We don’t have the size that we had last year, but that isn’t always a negative. With these guys we are going to be able to do a lot more as far as how we attack and how we spread the fl oor offensively,” stated Tedder. Tedder has been coaching at Mena High School for eight years. “I grew up playing basketball, and I’ve played it for as long as I can remember. I love the sport and the competition. We coaches try to make a positive difference,” said Tedder.

“I’ve loved volleyball and basketball since the third grade. I never found another sport like them,” said Clark, who has been a coach at Mena for nine years. The girls have fi ve players returning this season and nine new players, while the boys have 11 players returning and fi ve new players.

The girls and boys alike are looking forward to a great season.

BOWLING TEAM MEMBERS Lucas Head and Melissa Gamble anticipate a great season ahead. (photo by Emily O’Rear)

Mena High bowling team

MHS bowling is aiming for strikes!by Kim Erickson

The Mena Bearcats, as well as the Ladycats, are looking forward to a great season of bowling. Mena High School bowling teams start off fresh and prepared with several students attending the meeting beginning the season. Practice is every Thurs. afternoon until 6 p.m. at the Pine Bowl. Games begin in Dec. and continue through Feb. The team will have around 10 tri matches in which they will bowl against Acorn and Van-Cove. The fi rst game will be Sat., Dec. 3 at 10 a.m. at the Pine Bowl.

Last year the Ladycats struggled because of low player numbers. Last year there were only 7 team members. At the fi rst

practice of 2011, there were 9 Ladycats and several more expected to be on the team. Several Bearcats are returning from last year. Couch Karlene Hooker stated, “I am expecting good things from the newcomers as well as the returning Bearcats.”

Coach Hooker stated, “I believe we will be in good shape. By the third game we will have a sense of who is going to be able to help us in the regional and hopefully state tournaments in February.”

With only a couple practices put in, the bowling team feels confi dent in team members. The bowling team is setting goals to knock strikes on the scoreboards and to do well at regional and state competitions.

Page 8 November 2011The Bear Facts - Reviews

Music Review

Bad as Me is as good as can be with Waits at the helmby Taylor Betz

Taking a seven year pause, Tom Waits returns to croon and shout his idiosyncratic imagery with his eccentric rasp at its harshest. Waits was inducted into the Rock n’Roll Hall of Fame this year, a good enough reason to return from the bluesy mechanical woodworks his music resides in. Though the question lies in whether or not his crunchy drums, speaker-blowing saxophone/harmonica combo, and aggressive singing may have finally produced a chaotic mess of music. Opening with “Chicago,” Waits dreams of the change this town will bring him. This is something found in a song-book lost decades ago; something straight out of the Depression era, its simplistic subject matter is only reinforced with its blues harp blasting outro in which Tom calls out to his audience, “All aboard! All board!” like the mad man conductor he is. On “Everyone’s Talking at the Same Time,” Waits slowly gets out his words with such a sly style one would think seduction was at hand. Don’t let the warm ringing piano fool you, when it comes to Waits, it’s mostly about the dark, jazzy grind. That said, one of his most romantic pieces, “Kiss Me,” is on full display, and it’s tenderness comes as a shocker

considering it follows, “Bad as Me.” The eponymous title track is the centerpiece of sleazy insanity, in which, “you’re the nail in the cross, you’re the fly in my beer, you’re the key that got lost!” is just among the many replies Tom delivers to himself, a man with just devils on his shoulder. With that line noted, one can get a good grasp of the lyrical content. Waits introduces us to less mystical imagery than in previous works and amps up the blue-collar flavor mixed with hints of religious iconography. It’s certainly a scene that works wonders with his unique score. What might be more captivating than how wonderful of a work this proves to be, is how Waits can remain true to this fixed-instrument based music and still find ways to twist it into admirable oddities. He started this sort of quirky sound on the 1990 album Bone Machine and has been riding it out with various variations and twisting it into numerous new niches. The album’s finale, “New Year’s Eve,” a sort of dusty-bar number that goes out with a patron-filled crowd singing along, is an ending reminiscent to, “That Feel,” again from the aforementioned Bone Machine. Other tracks vaguely resemble previous Waits efforts, but there is a great sense that he has refined said works. Even if at times Waits is putting his foot forward in the same direction, he’s still moving none-the-less, and it would appear that he’s moving into the better direction. In the end, who can fault him for that?

Book review

Bliss pushes the threshold o f r i g h t a n d w r o n gby Lake Ashley

Have you ever wanted power? Not just any power, though; the power to get control over those who you see fitting. What if that power required a payment? A blood payment.

This is just the kind of trouble that Bliss Inthemorningdew gets into when her parents drop her off at her grandmother’s house during the 1960s. Bliss is a hippie living on a commune with her parents. When Bliss’s grandmother puts her into a private school for high school age students called Crestview, Bliss begins to hear what she calls the blood voice. The voice tells her to do things which she almost always refuses to do. Then, in an attempt to make a friend, Bliss reaches out to the outcast of the school, a girl her age named Sandy. Sandy is practically an anarchist, a rebel against society. They get along great, though

something about Sandy picks at Bliss. To her, Sandy seems to be a little too dark and angry for her taste. Bliss realizes that there is a connection between Sandy and the blood voice. When Sandy shows Bliss the power of blood magic, Bliss realizes she must make a choice; but her number one priority isn’t to find out how blood magic is done. It’s to find out whom the magic is to be used on.

This is an ominously creepy story that will test the boundaries of right and wrong in anyone’s mind. Filled with actions based on values, romance, and revenge, the book Bliss by Lauren Myracle shows us just how far some people will go to get what they want. This story defies normal writing, as the characters do and say some of the things we both do and don’t want to do, and almost always ends up bad. It’s definitely good read for horror fans.

Movie Review

P u s s i n B o o t s j u s t bare ly f i l l s i t s shoesby Taylor Betz

Our fe l ine f r iend entered our worldplaying second-fiddle to Shrek in that character’s second film, and continued supporting him via his scene-stealing charm, eventually cumulating in an over-usage that would seem to string the character out on his last life. Obviously, this is not what the folk at DreamWorks Animation thought and decided to reward him with his own spin-off. Despite all the potential to be entirely void of anything new to say, Puss in Boots isn’t bad.

I tend to go into films with as clear of a conscience as can, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t weary of this pussycat. Puss in Boots opens with the same kind of fairytale satire on which the Shrek films depended, and not until the action started kicking in did the film find its voice. The action sequences are choreographed well enough, and the humor finds its own fitting. It’s never truly refreshing, but it’s certainly not the watered-down dribble that killed the Shrek franchise. Antonio Banderas’s vocal performance is pure charisma; he zips through the one-liners with a genuine sense of effort. It’s nice that he isn’t just phoning it in, as with most of the cast. Puss in Boots

features classic fairy-tale characters mixed-and-matched here. The plot itself centers on Puss and friends attempting to stop a pair of outlaws from acquiring an ancient item that spells doom for the land, a basic but workable story.

It’s certainly not as annoyingly over-stuffed as the material from which it spawned, and the overall feel of the film is rather light. It stays in the standard hour and a half run-length for an animated film; it’s actually a rather breezy flick, and it’s certainly graceful with its time. There are certainly chuckles along the way, but one of the big appeals lies in its visual flair. DreamWorks Animation has always been a solid alternative to Pixar, but it would seem they’re actually getting up there with their rival. There’s some gorgeous scenery, and character detail matches the performances well.

Even if it’s not going to knock your socks off, Puss in Boots is notable for Antonio Banderas’s always fun delivery, some good laughs, and a half-way decent plot. Above all, some remarkable animation is used to compose some thrilling sequences. At the end of the day, I felt like I got more than I asked for and for that I’m thankful.