Ebola concerns

Goodbye Robin Williams

Fall Sports

vol. 14, issue 1 // oct. ‘14

HERE WE GO AGAINFelix Varela Sr. High School * 15255 S.W. 96 St., Miami, FL 33196

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Guardians of the Galaxy - never has such an under-rated comic been such a blockbuster hit! Can’t wait for the next one.

Is it getting hot in here, or is it just us? Can someone say, “Fix the AC.”

Peter Capaldi as the new Doctor Who - well done!

Robin Williams and Rich-ard Attenborough pass away. Thank you for making our lives a little better.

Varela gets new Pro-methean boards. It’s about time the teachers caught up to the stu-dents with technology.

Morning traffic outside Varela. Parents, why not park your car and hold your senior high school child’s hand all the way to their classroom.

t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m 3

V i e w p o i n t s F r o m t h e E d i t o r s

the editor says: we are still here

volume 14October ‘14

Editorial BoardEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Cj Salcedo

Jr. EDITORDavid Murray

StaffersBianca Cao

Jordan ClineAlec Di Lella

Danielle MalkinVeronica MartelyZachary Traylor

AdviserElizabeth Cardenas

Editorial PolicyThe Viper Vibe is the student newspaper of Felix Varela Senior High (15255 SW 96 St. Miami, FL, 33196). It is an open forum for student expression. The opinions expressed in the publication do not reflect the official opinions or policies of the school. The Viper Vibe welcomes letters to the editor, but requires that they be signed and reserves the right to reject, edit and condense letters. The staff and advisor can be contacted at 305-752-7900 or thevipervibe@gmail.com

AdsThe Viper Vibe solicits advertising but reserves the right to reject any material deemed obscene as to minors, defamatory or materi-ally and substantially disruptive of school activities.Talk to us: thevipervibe@gmail.com

Your thoughts may be featured in the next is-sue of the Viper Vibe!

Summer is over and you know what that means? That’s right; another issue of The Vi-per Vibe is out. I know everybody misses those 10 weeks of rest and relaxation, but it’s time to get back to class and hit the books. Thank-fully, we at The Viper Vibe are here to keep you informed. Whether we are covering a school sport-ing event, reporting on current events hap-pening around or in school, or just complain-

ing about terrible filmmakers making terrible films, (Don’t act like you aren’t guilty Michael Bay and Jonathan Liebesman) you can always count on us to get you the stories you want and need to hear. Let’s make this a great year guys.#SeriouslyBayJustStopIt

Cj SalcedoEditor-In-Chief

safety at the cost of student freedom

We Say:

The fourth amendment of the United States Constitution states:

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describ-ing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

We as Americans are granted the right to privacy. The government shouldn’t be allowed to listen to our phone calls, read our e-mails or check our social media updates. Unfortu-nately, things aren’t so black and white anymore. Now, we are all being watched somehow by “big brother” himself.

That’s not even the scariest part. The part that is really concerning is the fact the American people are okay with it. Every day, the basic rights of every citizen are compro-mised and people have accepted it.

Miami-Dade’s new pilot program for ran-dom drug testing would target students in-volved in any extracurricular activities from sports to drama to journalism. After hearing about Superintendent Alberto Carvalho’s plan earlier this year, we at The Viper Vibe decided to tackle the issue of privacy in this editorial. Originally, we were going to talk about how wrong we feel these tests would be – which they are. They are an invasion of privacy and go against the fourth amend-

ment. So, going in to do more research, we decided to interview fellow students and staff. What we found was a little scarier than the testing itself.

We found out that the majority of students are okay with the testing, the most popular answers being, “I’m not doing drugs, so I have nothing to hide,” or “It’s only an is-sue if you’re on drugs.”

This was very frightening. Nobody felt this new program infringed on any basic rights that Americans had. Given that most stu-dents were unconcerned with giving up bodily fluids since they weren’t taking drugs, we also asked them if they felt

the government should be allowed to read their emails and texts. Surprisingly, most of the students didn’t want the government prying into their personal lives. They didn’t even realize that there is very little difference between the two.

Don’t get us wrong, we believe in safety, especially in the post 9/11 world we live in. The only question is, at what cost? To get on an airplane, first we go through metal detectors, then we take off our shoes, then we go through a body scanner (or pat down). What’s next, taking blood to check for Ebola? This is a country built on the freedom and rights of its citizens. Today it may be drug tests; tomorrow it could 24-hour in home surveillance, and frankly, both sound pretty scary.

The government shouldn’t be allowed to listen to our phone calls, read our e-mails or check our social media updates.

N e w s A r o u n d V a r e l a

IN MEMORIUMSergio Arcelalinde

“Once a Viper, always a Viper”

Finishing off the 2013-2014 school year, the students were expecting many changes to occur to the campus over the summer. When the 2014-2015 school year opened, very little had been com-pleted as promised. In August, the Media Center was bare and had undergone only a paint job and the installation of some Promethe-an Boards. However, it is finally reach-ing completion with new carpets and furniture. Principal Nery Fins created a contest whereby students sent in names for the new Media Center and the whole school voted on their favorite. Sometime in November, there will be a grand re-opening of the renamed Viper Central. While there are fewer actual com-puters, the Media Center is undergoing a huge technological change. Students can “check out” books through the Internet and there will be some new computers in the reference section. Me-dia Specialist Aggie Pagan may even be able to help students with their devices’ batteries. “There will be new charging sta-tions,” Pagan said. “But they’re not here yet.” This ties in with the district’s new Bring Your Own Device policy and its technology initiative. Every classroom in Varela now has a Smartboard or a Promethean Board. Many teachers took

Professional Development courses to learn how to use this new technology in their instruction.

Freshmen also benefited from the push for electronic devices. They were of-fered tablets to use in their classes. This trend will continue in the future with the goal that every student at Varela will have a tablet. While it sounds like free give-aways, parents are required to sign permission forms taking responsibil-ity for broken or lost tablets, and the tablets must be returned to the school at the end of each year. While technology has gotten a boost here at Varela, the air conditioning has gotten worse. While some rooms feel like freezers, others require fans just to keep cool. The Veterinary Academy has been hit the hardest. Kennels, new floors and

shallow pools have been added, but there are no animals to use them. The program’s lead teacher, Ms. Yleana Es-cobar, was in a severe car accident two weeks prior to the opening of school im-pairing her left arm and ankle. She has undergone numerous surgeries and has been moved from hospital to hospital. “Although all the changes were done with good intentions, I felt that they were put to waste; we no longer have any of the dogs that we originally had. Those dogs are what put Varela’s Vet-erinary Academy on the map. To add to that, Ms. Escobar’s accident left the stu-dents without a voice, since she has had such an influence on all of us and there really isn’t anyone who understands the program as well as she does and no one can run the program like her,” said senior Vet student Ashley Montoya. Escobar is not expected to come back to Varela until right before Winter Break. Until then, students are being taught by substitutes and senior acad-emy members. According to the General Obligation Bond Project proposed by Superinten-dent Alberto Carvalho and approved by Miami-Dade County voters, Varela will receive over $1.7 million for construc-tion and renovations. The question is: When will all these projects be com-pleted.

By Jordan ClineStaff Reporter@jstyles82297 Construction Woes

“Ms. Escobar’s accident left the students without a voice, since she has had such an influence on all of us and there really isn’t anyone who under-stands the program as well as she does .”

The Media Center was updated over the past few months. The new space will be called Viper Central and will cater to stu-dents’ technology needs. photos by T. Daley and E. Cardenas

The Vet Academy was outfitted with new kennels, floors, and outdoor spaces. Unfortunately, they stand empty because the lead teacher was injured over the summer in a car accident. photos by E. Cardenas

N e w s A r o u n d M i a m i

Miami-Dade Public Schools will have a brand new test for this school year but this assessment does not calibrate a child’s learning capabilities, instead it analyzes the body for any type of harm-ful substance. “This pilot program will provide an additional safety net against the use of performance-enhancing drugs by our youth,” said Superintendent Alberto Carvalho in a press release. High school athletes will have to go through the new pilot program that the county has established for their alleged safety, a random drug test; but they’re not the only guinea pigs who will be used for this examination. Students that are part of any type of activities that represent their school will also be required to take these random drug tests in order to participate. Many students see this new policy as a positive thing and have no uneasi-ness or disapproval of the pilot program.

“The drama department’s best inter-est is to have these tests. My extracur-ricular is dependent on teamwork, a student who is not in their top shape whether it be mentally or physically can affect the department as a whole” said junior Liliana Fonte who participates in both Troup 6162 and Quill and Scroll. “If athletes are on drugs they would not be able to perform. Not only will they be failing on their teammates but on themselves, since they’re using an enhancing drug instead of their own strength. These tests will help my team and especially keep them safe,” said senior softball player Gabrielle Cubela. Not all students are completely on board with Miami Dade’s potential test. “I don’t agree [with the testing] because it invades privacy and someone can’t just assume someone else does drugs based on looks or impressions,” said junior band member Christopher Pereda. The sports and activities depart-ments have no more information on the new program than what’s being re-ported on. Athletic Director Lisa Spinosa

explained that no official paperwork has been given to her and that the last real drug test only happened a few years ago. That was only for steroids. WSVN Channel 7 reported that this new program will cost the District over $73,000 for the first year.

Random student drug testing coming to a school near you

By Joselyn MartinezStaff Reporter

joselynmartinez90@yahoo.com

photo with permission FreeDigitalPhotos.net/Photokanok

t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m 5

Clubs celebrate Spirit Week with competition This year’s Spirit Week led up to the homecoming game against the Belen Jesuit Preparatory Wolver-ines. Along with a banner decorated cafeteria, students decked out in cos-tumes each day from tacky tourists to teacher twins. On Tuesday, October 14, over 20 clubs met on Varela’s tennis court after school to battle it out in the school’s annual Club Chaos. There were six games, including a

Jell-O slurping contest and a marsh-mallow toss. “My favorite part of Club Chaos was the singing of the Alma Mater. I thought Ebony did the best,” said junior French Club member Alexia Ponce de Leon. The winner of the games, Mu Alpha Theta the mathematics hon-ors society, was announced at Viper Vamp.

Students compete in the Jell-O slurp con-test at Club Chaos.photo by E. Cardenas

Students prepare to run in Head to Head at Club Chaos. photo by E. Cardenas

By Zachary Traylorand Cj Salcedo

Staff Reporter and EIC

N e w s A r o u n d t h e W o r l d

6 t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m

Tensions rise in the Middle East with ISIS rebels

Americans concerned over spread of Ebola

S PA I N

Provinces with cases

Ebola report

DB

A

C

E

F

Countriesin current outbreakCountrieswith pastoutbreaks

A F R I C A U N I T E D S TAT E S O F A M E R I C A

Graphic: StaffSource: World Health Organization, Reuters

A

B

C

D

E

NUMBER OF EBOLA CASES AND DEATHS as of Oct. 11

Cases

Deaths

Cases

Deaths

Cases

Deaths

Cases

Deaths

Cases

Deaths

Cases

Deaths

Cases

Deaths

Cases

Deaths

253

180

3,133

1,244

357

177

1

1

41

N/A

0

0

0

0

0

0

1,097

598

943

1,072

2,593

753

19

7

30

43

1

0

2

1

1

0

Guinea

Liberia

Sierra

Confirmed Total of confirmed and probable/suspected

Country / State / Province

Probable/suspected

1,350 cases

778 deaths

4,076 cases

2,316 deaths

2,950 cases

71 cases

930 deathsLeone

Congo

Nigeria

20 cases

8 deaths

43 deaths

F

G

H

1 case

2 cases

1 case

Senegal

U.S.A.

© 2014 MCT

States with cases

G

-Texas

Spain-Madrid

H

1 death

By Cj SalcedoEditor-in-chief

@cj_fett_salcedo

Try turning on the TV or going online without hearing or reading the word Ebola. Even if you don’t know what Ebola is or what it does, there’s a good chance the ma-jority of the population has heard of it. Now, the specifics are a different story. Basically, it is a rare and deadly disease caused by in-fection with one of the Ebola virus strains. Found in African coun-tries, the disease was discov-ered in 1976 near the Demo-cratic Republic of the Congo. Symptoms of the disease include fever, severe head-aches, weakness, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, and some unexplained bruising/bleeding. There is no known cure, but according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) “Recovery from Ebola depends on good supportive clinical care and the patient’s

immune response. People who recover from Ebola infec-tion develop antibodies that last for at least 10 years. “ The question is, how does this affect the United States? Well, in October alone, three reported cases of Ebola have been documented here in the states. Thomas Eric Duncan was the first Ebola patient diagnosed here in the United States; however, he con-tracted the disease in Liberia where he had been work-ing. He died on October 8. The second and third cases were Nina Pham and Amber Vinson, both nurses who had direct contact with Duncan. It is important to remem-ber that Ebola is not airborne. It cannot be caught except by direct contact with the bodily fluids of an infected person. According to Jonathan Capehart of the Washington Post, “Yes, we should ask tough questions of public of-ficials. Yes, we should be con-cerned over how the disease is spreading and how fast. But

freaking out and declaring the sky is falling over every misstep or new case? No. That only makes the situation worse.” Just because the student

next to you sneezes, doesn’t mean Varela should be quarantined. While it’s not a major issue in the US just yet, it’s still important to be alert about it.

ISIS, oth-erwise known as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, is an ex-

tremist state in Iraq. Active since April 2013, the group has set out to commit several acts of terror against other nations for the goal of establishing an Islamic State, or Caliphate, where Syria and Iraq are today. In May, ISIS started to kidnap Kurdish school boys in Syria. Their intent was to turn them into future Isis members. In addition to violence within their own population, ISIS has been abducting journalists and foreign aid workers and beheading them on the Internet. So, what does this social stud-ies lesson have to do with the United States? Well, aside from the beheading of an American journalist and our con-stant fight against terror, there is still a

possible chance of a compromise in our security, especially in the post-9/11 society in which we Americans live. But why should we, here in Miami, be concerned with violence taking place half a world away? If we don’t want to get beheaded, then we simply don’t travel to the Middle East. Well, apparently, we shouldn’t be traveling to Oklahoma either. In Sep-tember, a man recently fired from his job (and trying to convert co-workers to Islam), attacked a couple of women at the workplace and beheaded one of them. And in October a 19-year-old man was arrested trying to leave the U.S. to go and join ISIS. According the Daily Mail in Britain, there are about 12 U.S. citizens current-ly fighting for ISIS in Syria right now and more than 100 have attempted to leave the U.S. to join ISIS.

L i f e s t y l e E n t e r t a i n m e n t

t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m 7

Flowers and memorabilia are piled on Robin Williams Hollywood Walk of Fame star in Los Angeles on Aug. 12, a day after he was found dead from an apparent suicide. photo with permission Los Angeles Times/MCT

Like any intelligent reporter, I did my research before beginning to write this article: Factual informa-tion, statistics, quotes and anecdotes all used to wrap our readers around the topic of Robin Williams’ life and unfortunate death, as well as depression and suicide. But life is about more than a quantitative report; rather something to be measured by the moments that make us laugh and take our breath away. So I put myself in the audience, a member of the peanut gallery of Williams’ final stand up show in 2010 thanks to YouTube; in only 2 minutes, I’d begun laughing at political jabs and raunchy responses towards a packed house in Washington D.C. There appeared to be so much laughter surrounding this man not only in theaters of comedy but in the iconic roles we remember; this gen-eration will never forget the Genie in Aladdin’s lamp. Did drugs and alcohol whisk away our favorite nan-ny and housekeeper in San Francisco? Or did depression force the museum’s Theodore Roosevelt to ride into the next

life? So how does this life, appearing to be so full of joy, get taken away by something as dark and destructive as suicide? It’s unfortunate to report that depression and an ongo-ing addiction to drugs and al-cohol influenced the death of Williams this past August. He carried the façade of laughter and joy, a masquerade of vo-cal imitations and wondrous wit to disguise the deep issue of depression and substance abuse. Before the birth of his first son, Williams used cocaine. In 2003, he began to drink again and admitted himself for alcohol rehabilita-tion three years later. Al-though he could not maintain sobriety, he never returned to cocaine. Just this year, Robin Williams checked into rehabilitation in Minnesota for “treatment related to his alcoholism.” His life was plagued by depression and drug abuse, but all we saw was the joy and merriment, a character who made us laugh until our abdomens burned and eyes watered. But this story doesn’t belong strictly in Hol-lywood.

Robin Williams: behind the laughterEven famous celebrities suffer from crippling depression

The following hotlines are open 24 hours for help on their respective subjects:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: (800)-273-TALK or (800) 273-8255

National Runaway Safeline: (800)-RUNAWAY or (800) 786-2929

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.: (800)-NCA-CALL or (800) 622-2255

The National Domestic Violence Hotline: (800) 799-SAFE or (800) 799-7233

Too many people in our society take Oscar winning roles in masking the depres-sion in their lives, turning to substance abuse in hope to pull the curtain over their problems and conceal the situation from the outside. Twenty percent of teenagers will suffer from depression before adulthood and it is the third leading cause of death for people between the ages of 15 and 24. Drugs, alcohol and self-abuse are no help to the latter fact; stress of school, society and our peers make it that much harder to hope to keep a smiling face and laugh-

ing bravado. But there is no excuse to not search for help. There is a silent nobility and badge of courage in looking for help or finding help for those too scared or weak to look for it themselves. Hotlines do not bait for your call but there will always be someone on the other side willing to help. See a coun-selor in your school. Talk to a trusted adult. Find someone to help you help yourself. The problem is so much clos-er to home than you know. It could be your neighbor, your cousin, your best friend. It could be your mother. It could be you.

“You treat a disease, you win, you lose. You treat a person, I’ll guarantee you’ll win…Don’t be afraid to find help. There is no excuse not to seize the day.” (Patch Adams)

By Danielle MalkinStaff ReporterIG:@_candidani

Review By Veronica MartelyStaff Reporter@Vero_Nikkie

L i f e s t y l e E n t e r t a i n m e n t

This summer, Disney opened up the Marvel universe by re-leasing a movie based on a lesser known comic called Guardians of The Galaxy. Who could have known that a talking raccoon, a giant humanoid tree, that guy from Parks and Recreation, the blue chick from Avatar and some other guy, would make as big a splash (if not bigger) than The Avengers. Adventurer/professional treasure hunter/thief Peter Quill finds himself the target of an unrelent-ing, intergalactic boun-ty hunt after he steals a mysterious orb. Little did he know that the orb was being sought after by a powerful villain named Ronan who was willing to sacrifice planets in order to get it. In order to avoid allow-ing the orb to land in Ronan’s hands Quill is forced into an uneasy truce with a quartet of misfits and felons which include Rocket (a gun- toting raccoon), Groot (a tree-like humanoid), Gamora (daugh-ter of inter-galactic baddie Thanos), and Drax (a man who seeks vengeance against Ronan). The five of them band together to become protectors of the orb and Guardians of the Galaxy. The film was directed by James Gunn who also wrote the screenplay along with Nicole Perlman. The cast includes Chris Pratt as Quill (Star Lord), Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax the Destroyer, Vin Diesel as Groot, Bradly Cooper as Rocket, and Lee Pace as Ronan the Accuser. The liveliness of the cast really brings the movie to life; however, it was Pratt that brought the Guardians of the Galaxy’s cast to attention.

Nonetheless, each cast mem-ber owned their character and had immense chemistry with one another causing Guard-ians of the Galaxy to be an exhilarating delight. Guardians of the Galaxy is an exciting, incredibly entertaining and a frequently funny sci-fi film. It is clear that Guardians is another definite winner from Marvel. The film is insanely its own thing; it possesses an intimate sense of humor and a wonderful diverse cast.

On top of great acting and writing, there was a great soundtrack. From David Bow-ie to the Jackson 5, the music was a throwback to the 70s featuring songs like “Hooked on a Feeling,” “Escape (The Pina Colada Song),” and “Spirit in the Sky.” This film has been the most fun I have had in a movie theater in a very long time. Like The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy is right up there when it comes to delivering every single drop of action and fun the audience is look-ing for in a superhero film.

Marvel Studios delivers another mega-hitReview By Bianco Cao

Staff Reporterbiancacao6265@gmail.com

Based on Lawrence Block’s bestselling series of mystery novels, A Walk Among The Tombstones stars Liam Neeson as Mathew Scudder, a retired detective and a recovering alcoholic. He is haunted by regrets of an accidental shoot-out that involved the death of a helpless little girl. Scudder becomes involved in a string of kidnappings, targeting the families of the city’s most dangerous drug dealers. The film, although well put together, had some rough patches in its plot. A lot of scenes seemed random and very graphic. They are just thrown in there with no explanation for them. Another let down of the film was that it had the same basic plot of Taken. Surpris-ingly enough, these movies

all share the same lead actor who still can’t do a decent American accent. The movie also tries hard to make him this “tough guy” and all that does is make him a cocky, predictable and slightly an-noying character. The tension between the characters rises, not because of the story, but because of Neeson’s forceful attitude. The makeup and special effects were pretty amazing, other than being filled with offensive scenes depicting graphic torture and appalling mutilation of women. One scene shows a child being shot, and the bullet hole was no simple dab of makeup, but a work of art. Every movie has its wob-bly plots, but A Walk Among The Tombstones was difficult to understand and enjoy. If you are a Neeson fan, then by all means, watch this thriller. If not, just wait for it to come out for rental.

A walk through Taken

photo courtesy of Marvel Studios

L i f e s t y l e E n t e r t a i n m e n t

During the summer of 2013, I attended a Fall Out Boy concert. Surprisingly enough, even having been a lead guitar player in mul-

tiple bands for over four years, it was my first concert. I was excited because I grew up in Fall Out Boy’s time of growth and popularity and expected to hear the punk rock style I loved so much. This sound and style was present in many other groups at the time, including Paramore and Green Day. I enjoyed the concert more than I could’ve imagined, so, naturally, I was equally excited to attend Fall Out Boy and Paramore’s Monumentour concert at the Cruzan Amphithe-atre this past summer. As I entered the amphitheatre parking lot on July 25, I realized how different this concert was going to be from the other Fall Out Boy and Paramore concerts I had been to in the previous year. Hundreds of cars in the parking lot foreshadowed the in-evitable thousands of people. I had never seen so many people in one place before. It was so packed that I realized it wouldn’t be anything like the other concerts… there would not be that small-town, small-band feel. It was going to be hectic. And it

was. It was somewhat irri-tating to have to muscle my way through fans, but that’s not what I came for. I came for the music, and not long after I sat down, it started. I can’t say I liked this concert better than the others because the sheer amount of people discon-nected me from the bands themselves, but I enjoyed my time nonetheless. They played all their popular songs and even their newer songs that can be heard frequently on the radio. It was a crazy night but honestly, I had a pretty great time. The one thing both Fall Out Boy and Paramore know how to do best seems to be perform, because all of their performanc-es have top notch visual effects and pyrotechnics.

Fall Out Boy plays to huge crowdReview By Alec Di lella

Staff Reporter@alecdilella

It’s been 18 years since Weezer released Pinkerton back in 1996. Often regarded as the band’s best album, and one of the best albums of the 90s, the band has struggled to find the same success, releasing some hits like Weezer (Green Album) and some disappoint-ments such as Make Believe. Thankfully, Weezer’s latest effort, Everything Will Be Alright in the End brings one of the cen-tury’s greatest acts back from a three-year rest.

Popping in the album for the first time, listeners are greeted with the sound of a mother consoling her fright-ened child with the words “everything will be alright in the end,” and con-tinue with the opening track, “Ain’t Got Nobody.” Dealing with loneliness and loss, and in true Weezer fashion, is done with an upbeat tone and paves the way for the central sound of the album. It’s truly a callback for fans of Weezer’s debut album Weezer (Blue Album) and Weezer (Green Album), with heavy riffs, pretty fun solos and River Cuomos’ high-pitched vocals. Lyrically, it’s Cuomos’ best work, and every song is a gem. His trademark wit, matched with themes of love, father-hood and music, mixed with a whole lot of self-deprecation are all presented here excellently. Certain songs do stand out. ”Back in the Shack,” a semi-autobiographical piece, tells the story of a band trying hard to release new material and get down to their roots. Pretty appropriate, since the song certainly blends elements of punk and alternative rock, similar to their past works.

“Da Vinci,” a ballad to a woman who is so unbelievable that “even Da Vinci, could not paint” her is a little more light-hearted than “Back to the Shack” but it still has that Weezer charm and humor sprinkled all over it, with lyrics like, “Stephen Hawking can’t explain you/ Rosetta Stone could not translate you” and “I couldn’t put it in a novel/ I wrote a page, but it was awful/ Now I just want to sing your gospel.” “Eulogy for a Rock Band” is pretty self-explanatory, telling all listeners to raise their glasses to the “rock band that we loved the most” and even though “Words come and go” people are still going to be singing these songs that are being put out. So, even after 20 years of releasing music, Weezer shows no signs of slowing down. Everything Will Be Alright In the End, proves that the band won’t be going anywhere anytime soon, and frankly, that’s something I could get used to hearing.

Everything is more than alright for WeezerReview By Cj SalcedoEditor-in-chief@cj_fett_Salcedo

Prior to attending, I had heard many stories as to how much of an entertaining experience a Panic! At The Disco concert is. Upon actually seeing it for myself, it was an exhilarating and lively show. There are artists and bands whose talents can be singled out as just sounding good live or just looking spectacular on stage. It’s rare to see acts that are both, which is what makes a Panic! At The Disco concert so refresh-ing. Lead singer Brendon Urie can deliver a strong vocal performance, but the stage show electronics prove they really do know how to get a standing ovation.Review by Joseph Cardenas

Guest Writer

photos courtesy of Live Nation, Universal Republic and Fueled by Ramen t h e v i p e r v i b e @ g m a i l . c o m 7

fall sports S p o r t s O u t s i d e V a r e l a

FootballThe team so far holds a record of 3-3 with a district record of 1-1. Key players this year are seniors QB Justin Vargas and WR Andrew Williams and junior Line-backer/Tight End Ricky Matos. “We beat undefeated Sunset and gave a good try against reigning champions South Dade,” said Head Coach Carlos Mollinedo. On Friday, Oct. 17, the Vipers played Belen in the Homecoming Game. In the first half of the game, it looked good for a Varela win; however, in the fourth quarter Belen came back with two touchdowns in less than two minutes. The score ended with a Belen victory 34-27.

Girls VolleyballSo far with a district record of 5-7 and an overall record of 8-7, the team looks forward to their last three games of the season. They will be playing Krop, Terra and Braddock. Key players this year were sophomore Tiffany Bolanos-Frazie, senior Valeria Ruiz and junior Claudia Campero. “We tried and wanted to make districts but that didn’t happen. With the new coach we have, it took us a while to get use to his new coaching style,” said Ruiz.

SwimmingThe team starts Districts on Oct. 22 at Ransom Everglades Aquatic Center, hop-ing to make States. South Dade, Killian and Coral Park are the teams they are proud of defeating this year. Top swimmers are se-niors Adrian Elkind and Sebastian Torres and sophomore George Lubian. “We had a great season and we feel that we achieved a lot this year,” said team captain Elkind.

Cross CountryThe team is currently performing in the GMAC’s and will enter Districts on Oct. 30. The top runners this year for Varela are seniors Arthur Carbonell and Elijah Muniz. Neysa Parham was one of the top female runners at the Junior Orange Bowl Invitational.

O u t s i d e V a r e l a S p o r t s

Derek Jeter enjoyed his 20th and final season with the New York Yankees this year. According to bleacherreport.com, Jeter said, “I never said I couldn’t play anymore, I’m just calling it a career after this season. Sometimes things come a little bit easier, but you’ve got to continue to battle. It’s a game of adjustments. You just have to continue to make those adjustments.” The Yankees set a record of 84-78, but would fall short to the Baltimore Orioles eliminating them from the playoffs. The Miami Marlins improved this season from last year but did not clinch a playoff berth. They set their overall record at 77-85 and placed 4th in their division. The Marlins would go on to give outfielder Giancarlo Stanton a long-term deal. Marlins President David Samson told ESPN, “We hope that he believes in us and believes in Miami.” ESPN was predicting that the Los Angeles Angels would be one of the two teams that made it to the finals this year. But they would fall short to the Kansas City Royals in a final score of 4-0 for the American League Series. They finished their season with a record of 98-64, being one of the best teams this season. This has been a frustrating season for the Angel’s Josh Hamilton. He had a disappointing regular-season batting line in 240 games since signing a big five-year, $125 million free agent contract with Anaheim in December 2012. In the World Series now, the Royals are facing off against the San Francisco Giants, with each team winning one game.

by David MurraySection Editor@HeyyDavidd

MLB says goodbye to Jeter and hello to Series

Fall football heats up

Philadelphia Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz, left, puts out the Miami Mar-lins’ Casey McGehee during the fourth inning in Philadelphia on Friday, Sept. 12. photo with permission Philadelphia Daily News/MCT

The Kansas City Royals’ Billy Butler (16) is forced out at second by San Francisco Giants second baseman Joe Panik in the second inning in Game 1 of the World Series on Tuesday, Oct. 21, in Kansas City. photo with permission Kansas City Star/MCT

Miami Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill gets squeezed between Kansas City Chiefs Husain Abdullah and Dontari Poe as Tannehill moves the ball to help setup a field goal at the end of the second quarter on Sunday, Sept. 21, Miami. photo with permission Miami Herald/MCT

Halfway into the NFL season and a lot of teams are look-ing great so far such as the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and Carolina Panthers. The pre-season showed who is ready and prepared for the long hall. One of the most dominant teams was the San Francisco 49ers; however, every year they

fall short of making history with their team. Last year they fell short to the Seahawks with a score of 23-17. According to Comcast and Sports.net, when Quarterback Colin Kapnernick was asked about the Seahawks, he said, “I think this team, and all of us,

don’t take the approach of talking about it. We want to go out on the field and handle our business that way, go about it that way. We get to see them twice this year.” Fans can’t wait to see this two rival teams face-off. There are many predictions of teams people think will go all the way this year. Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, New Eng-land Patriots, 49ers, and Broncos are all possible candidates for the Super Bowl. Our Miami Dolphins so far hold a record of 3-3 being 3rd place in their conference. “We’ve got to play more zone, more man, we’ve got to throw it deep more; run more screens, all those type of things,” said Head Coach Joe Philbin to ESPN. Philbin feels the team will come back a lot better and dif-ferent once they fix these few issues.

Denver Broncos linebacker Nate Irving stops San Francisco 49ers run-ning back Frank Gore for no gain during the first quarter on Sunday, Oct. 19, in Denver. photo with permission Colorado Springs Gazette/MCT

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