Friday, April 30, 2010
Crazy Weekend
I cannot believe the awful planning that has gone on for this weekend. There are what, 7 proms this weekend? And Berkshire convention. The restaurants are going to be insanely busy!
MONDAY THE THIRD OF MAY & PROM
Is my birthday. I just wanted the Lance staff and our seven followers to know that.
Hopefully, if Mr. Schmeckpeper's warnings are not neglected, the conception date of my child is not two days prior.
HAVE FUN! BE SAFE!
Graphics Editor- Julius Fredrick
oil spill
Oil spills are really upsetting. Industry is hurt, but much more important it destroys the already fragile environment. Nothing is more depressing than a baby seal that drowned in oil.
Sam
Softball Player Turned Baseball Player
In the sports section today, there is an interesting article about a girl at Northwest, Paige Hulne, who is playing with the varsity baseball team this spring. It must take a lot of courage to play with the boys! For her efforts, I applaud her. The article says that she was looking for a way to stay in shape for softball and asked if she could workout with the baseball team. Later on, the coach figured out that he didn't have enough people to play and so he called the NSAA to see if she was eligible and SHE WAS!
PROM!!!
Today all of the teachers I encountered said make good choices. Are they implying that high school students go wild on the night of prom? Chad Schmeckpeper even told his class to not come back with STDs and babies! Needless to say, his students were shocked.
Walgreens Shooter
I do believe Harry James McCullough had a right to walk in there in a scary situation and shoot the robber. The two kids should have not been robbing the place anyways. Five bullets is a little to much to unload in a body, so maybe there was a hint of anger. The boy's family will be sad, yes. But they should have been there to stop him from doing such a crime. We can not just put the blame on Harry for trying to dissolve a situation.
Burgers
So I couldn't help but notice the delicious looking burger on the front page of the Living section of the OWH...could somehow they have possibly read my story?.....hmm
Oil Spill
Hopefully this oil spill doesn't affect the food industries in the Gulf Coast. If the fish are affected by this spill, this would hurt everyone everywhere. We might eat infected fish (nasty!) and the fish industry might be hurt by this. Save the fish!!
Golf
In the varsity golf tournament on Thursday, our very own Ian Holmes shot a 76 and tied for tenth against the best competition in a tournament this year. The team turned in an overall score of 322, which is the best this year and, for that matter, the last several as well. As for yours truly... let's just say Ian beat me.
Charlie Ziegenbein Varsity Golf Beat Writer
Oil Spill in the Gulf
A large oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico has exploded and spilled hundreds of thousands of gallons of oil into the Gulf. This could prove to be the greatest ecological disaster in decades. The environment in the Gulf is very delicate. Many areas are just beginning to come back to life. This oil spill threatens to ruin all the efforts this nation has made in that area to restoring the environment.
Sam Raybine
Big News
News is fairly slow this week. This is one of the best things to be thankful for...it means that nothing horrible or terrifying is going on. The front page story is a feel-good. Harry James McCullough III prevented a drugstore robbery. People should take this ordinary man's story and apply it to their life. We should do a Lance story on do-gooders at Westside High School instead of the things we need to fix.
new hospital
Next month, a new hospital in Bellevue will open. The new hospital will provide cancer and diabetes care, along with maternity, surgical and rehab services. Not only that, the new medical center uses natural resources and energy-efficient machines as a way to "go green". Yay!
Opinion
Bob Nelson wrote a great column about the Walgreens shooting and how handguns and weapons are good and bad for society. He is a heck of a columnist and his column should not be missed.
-Ian
Walgreens Shooter
Everyone needs to calm down about the Walgreens shooting. Yes, it's awful, and I feel bad for everyone involved. But there are other things going on in this city and this country that deserve some space in the paper. What about the Arizona Illegal Immigration Bill? Or the Oil Spill? Yes the Walgreens shooting deserves attention, but not an article on the front page and the front page of the Midlands.
Shelby Pieper
PROM!!!!
TOMORROW IS PROM!! EVERYONE SHOULD GOO!!! ITS GOING TO BE THE BOMB!!!
The end of the year is creeping closer and closer, one indicator of this- PROM! It's time to party it up in honor of making it almost all the way through another full year.
Julie Dworak, News Editor
mmm new burger!
mmm...I am so pleased with the front page of living section. Sometimes I feel like I have visited every food venue in Omaha. I absolutely love it when I find a new place to eat, one of my favorite activities. Burgers are probably in the top 5 of my favorite food choices, so when the the article introduced Tropics Bar and Grill with a mouth-watering picture of the humongous double cheeseburger, I was thrilled!
I know where I am going to eat this weekend!
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Journalism Banquet Tonight
Get excited everyone! I heard there's going to be the same Cheesecake from last year. EEEEEEE!
Splits!
I really like the story about Mary Skaggs and her ability to do the splits. I think it's awesome that she's 90, yet is still flexible. I wish the World Herald did more stories on people like this, I find people with unusual hobbies/skills intriguing!
Is This Seriously a Story?
What has this world come to? Does the article about Mary Skaggs, who has a passion for doing the splits, really count as journalism? Sure, it's super funny, but it must have been a really slow news day because when else would a story about a woman who can still do the splits at 90 be considered good enough to be on the front of the Midlands section? Plus, the second, third, fourth and fifth paragraphs all begin with the word "she". Great job, World Herald. Keep entertaining us!
eenie meenie minie moe
Yesterday I heard Justin Bieber singing for the first time in the song Eenie Meenie Minie Moe Lover. Can't say I am sad to not have heard him before. I was surprised to hear the song change from Sean Kingston to what I thought was a girl, however it was not a girl, but lo and behold the infamous Justin Bieber! He sings about dancing with a girl, but he doesn't even sound old enough to be talking with girls. Don't little boys his age still believe girls have cooties?
Mary Skaggs
What a lady! Now we know when we run out of stories for politics, just call up and old lady and tell her to do the splits. Who would have known it would bring out such a reaction. This is way better then the chocolate covered bacon. Way to step it up Midlands.
Deadly Force
Harry J. McCullough got a misdemeanor for killing 18-year-old Marquail Thomas on, Monday April 28. Charged for killing him with an illegally concealed weapon during an attempted robbery that is. Thomas and his 17-year-old accomplice, Angelo Douglas, were using a short shot gun to rob the 601 Northwest Radial St. Walgreen's. When a women was help at gunpoint from the back McCullough decided to take action. Since both his life and those of the other customers were endangered he will not get charged for the slaying. Scandalously enough I agree his force was justified. I wish we would all wear our guns in holsters like a wild west movie, but people do have the right to protect themselves, this is the perfect example. I'm all for carrying, just not concealed.
Parliament Gets Rowdy
The parliament in Ukraine became violent after a controversial bill was passed. Eggs and smoke bombs were thrown in the chamber as angry crowds attempted to riot outside. It won't be long before Congress starts this.
-Ian
Benson shooting
An 18 year old was shot and killed at a Benson Walgreens Monday night. The 18 year old victim was actually planning to rob the store, and when Harry McCullough and the other customers felt threatened, he shot. The 18 year old was shot and killed, and McCullough was only charged for carrying a concealed weapon. The police determined it was self-defense.
WOAH GRANDMA!
I would have to say that the dominant photo on the front page in the Midlands is quite disturbing. I realize the article is about a 90 year old woman who still loves doing the splits, but come on. I'm sure a picture of her on the ground doing the splits would still be somewhat odd, but on a stop sign? She looks like a 90-year old stripper. If your going to have an old lady doing the splits the least you could do is take away the stripper pole.
Prostesting in New Jersey
Students took to the streets as New Jersey's Gov. Christopher Christie announced school budget cuts. It all began with Facebook. An 18-year old created a Facebook event; 18,000 people accepted creating one of the largest local protests in New Jersey history. They walked out in the middle of school disrupting standardized testing. They help up signs and yelled out against the budget cuts. The budget cuts would reduce aid to over 600 districts by about 5%. Five percent may not sound like a lot, but 1% of our district's budget amounts to all of our laptops. So think what 5% could do.
Obama Visits Iowa
Obama visited Iowa on Tuesday to speak in a town hall-style meeting. The topic of discussion was criticism of Senate Republicans who blocked proposed legislation to tighten regulation of the financial system. I was about to ask why Obama usually visits Iowa instead of Nebraska, but I don't think that topic would sit that well with the Republican die-hards.
Papillion Woman
I think it's awesome that the 90 year old woman can still do the splits. Some people say the key to living longer is to keep doing what you've been doing all your life. This lady has been doing the spits since she was 5, and today she's still going strong. We should all follow her example and stay active as long as we can (even if we can't do the splits).
Shelby Pieper
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Girls Soccer
Congrats to the girls soccer team for winning their game vs. Papillion La-Vista South last night in a shoot-out! The girls won 4-3, and are currently ranked 7th by the NSAA point system. Next up is the Westside Tournament, April 29th- May 1st. Go support the girls in some of their final regular season games!
In-Depth Troubles
The Omaha North High School newspaper, the North Star, has been pulled by the administration due to inappropriate content. The inappropriate content includes a step-by-step analysis of how to put on a condom. The student's journalism teacher gave the OK for the issue. It's controversial, but not offensive.
Music therapy aids in healing
In the 13th century, Islamic intellect Abu Nasr al-Farabi's treatise on music described its positive effects on the soul. In the 17th century, Robert Burton's treatise on melancholy stated music as a way to lift the mood. And in 1944, Michigan State University launched the first undergraduate program in music therapy. Music has been proven to aid mental and physical health. It can improve moods, get stroke patients to talk, help straighten out children with behavioral disorders, and calm nerves.
Omaha North
Step-by-step photos of how to put a condom on.. Not the best thing to put in the In-depth section. Hopefully everyone realizes that this wasn't a good thing to put in the school newspaper. I think this actually was good that the publication was stopped of that issue, just think of the ruckus this would've caused at North.
New Coach
There will be a new face for Creighton University basketball. Dana Altman, after 16 years of being the head coach, is leaving Nebraska to seek employment elsewhere. In his place will be Greg McDermott. Both of my parents went to Creighton, so I have essentially grown up with Altman as a coach. It will be interesting to see how the dynamics of the basketball program change, if they change.
On a side note, the article "Coaching carousel spins quickly" is very well written with a good lead.
Arizona
Immigrants are protesting against Arizona senators that are preaching for more control over the border. John McCain was on KETV this morning saying that border control needs to be more strict on keeping the illegals out. I agree with him, it's not fair to those immigrants who waited decades to become legal citizens to see others getting away with hoping the border and taking Americans' jobs scot-free.
Removing Principals
What I don't understand is how the Obama administration would want to remove a principle from a school they have come to love. De Ann Currin has been a principle at Elliott Elementary School for 17 years. It doesn't seem fair to the students or kids who have previously gone there. If she is doing a fine job I say let her stay and finish out her time at the Elementary. Obama or his administration should not be the ones to tell her when she can or can not leave. Seems to me that some people are taking their power way to far.
Music to our Hospitals
I think it's safe to say that many of us probably don't know how it feels to be in and out of hospital, facing surgery after surgery. But there are so many kids who do. Thankfully I have heard more and more stories of nurses, doctors and the community reaching out to make patients feel at home and at ease. This woman takes time out of her day to lift the spirits of hospital patients. And stories such as these are becoming more and more familiar. Our children's hospital has also been undergoing a huge renovation, part of which is aimed at making kids feel more comfortable on their visits to the hospital.
So, I think we owe some thanks to the doctors, nurses and the Omaha community. For making these patients hospital stay a little easier.
That's Bomb Kid!.. But Now You're in Juvie.
Around eight p.m. last night officers were called to investigate an explosion at a home in south-west Omaha. Apparently an as of yet unidentified fourteen year-old boy and 76 year-old Johnna Zych suffered "superficial" injuries.
The bomb squad was called (we have a bomb squad?!) and diffused (hehe) the situation. The teen was sentenced to the Douglas County Youth Center under the legal term Manufacturing an Explosive Device. All I know is that they didn't teach us how to manufacture an explosive device in arts and crafts when I was in middle school... Crafty freaking kids.
Graphics Editor- Julius Fredrick
Omaha North's Newspaper
Sure, there is such a thing as freedom of the press. But it seems like Omaha North took it way too far. Some of the topics discussed in their In-Depth section don't even seem like they count as journalism. The topic of the In-Depth section itself wasn't the issue, in my opinion. The issue was that they reported it in a way that was truly not appropriate. We're lucky that Pat Hutchings doesn't have to approve all of our issues; however, I doubt that The Lance would ever take the subject of sex this far.
North High School
The journalism teacher and students showed a lot of bravery by covering an in-depth section on teen sex. Although perhaps they should have considered interviewing parents or students who were pro-abstinence, that was not their angle. The articles seemed informative and although controversial, necessary. As newspaper students we are suppose to report issues that are the most relevant to our audience, and these taboo topics are certainly relevant.
North High School
It's awesome that North High School wrote about a controversial topic that they thought mattered to their school. However, it does seem like it was a little over the top, and no stories from the abstinence were included. The principle might've allowed the issue to be distributed if the in-depth had been done in a more fair and balanced manner. Next time a newspaper staff wants to write about something like this, they should be extremely careful and check with an administrator before they go to all that work only to have the issue pulled.
Shelby Pieper
Freedom of the Principal
Omaha Public Schools spokeswoman Luanne Nelson can say anything she chooses, except maybe "FIRE!" in a public place and "I am going to Kill the President." North High School's newspaper does not have the same liberty. Principal Gene Hanynes's reason?
"There were inappropriate items in that edition, especially for a high school," Hanynes said in an interview with the Omaha World Herald.
He was probably right, from what I can collect of the description by the World Herald of the North Star indepth. The step-by-step how-to on condoms was probably too much, but then a paper has never been pulled for supporting abstinence.
Way to stir controversy Omaha North!
North's paper was pulled because of a four-page in-depth section on sex. The main photo was of a guy reaching to unclamp some girl's bra. The article featured issues such as the districts pro-abstinence approach to teaching, masturbation, and sex drive. The headline titled, "Life of the Sheets. Everyone has hormones, but learning how to control them is what matters." Personally, I am surprised their instructor approved this spread. And if she did, then I think it's fine to run the issue. However, the principal saw the paper before it was distributed and deemed it "inappropriate." I completely and totally think this is SILLY. We have classes that openly talk about sex. Our society is so open that what was "inappropriate" 20 years ago could be talked about at breakfast today. So why can't North run that issue principal, why? They may have taken it a bit too far, but that's life...
Monday, April 26, 2010
Tony Fulton
I don't think the Treasurer position should be eliminated. Someone needs to run the states' budget so we don't get into debt. And, I think Tony Fulton would be a great person for the position.
Shelby Pieper
Tornado
I'm an thankful that the tornado on friday never surfaced in the Omaha area. Needless to say that Yazoo City, Mississippi was not so lucky. Lets keep the 10 people who were killed in our thoughts, and the others injured as well.
Iraq Crisis
The situation in Iraq continues to worsen. A candidate was disqualified because he was once a member of Sadaam Hussein's party. This of course caused more tension. And it caused delays to set up their government. Honestly, what in the world is going to happen once U.S. troops pull out? They are already having trouble with their government with us there...so what about once we are gone?
NO MORE DMV HELL
Gov. Dave Heineman announced Monday that Nebraskans can now update their licenses online through the DMV. No longer do we absolutely have to go wait for hours at the Department of Motor Vehicles, we have an option to do it in the comfort of our home. To be eligible for renewing your license online, you must have the same name and address as your old license. No more dealing with rude, impatient DMV workers! :)
Yay Flannel Shirts!
I personally love the "What we are Wearing" column in the Living section. I might just really love it today because Flannel shirts are my absolute favorite trend right now. I'm not a big fashion person, but these shirts are GREAT! They are comfortable yet still fashionable. It can't get any better than that.
But the hilarious part of the column is when they address "who is doing it?" Then they list rapper Lupe Fiasco, Mary-Kate Olsen, Nicole Richie and Eva Longoria...hmmm along with EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD!
I just love flannel shirts!
Altman
He had a good run here at Creighton, but I think everyone knew his time had run out. We're now trying to Greg Mcdermott former coach of Iowa State? If I'm thinking clearly, I remember Iowa State to be in the lower half of the Big XII for the strength of their basketball program. He went 59-68 over four seasons at Iowa St, so hopefully this guy is better in person than he seems on paper.
Keyboard Class
Many students at Omaha South High School choose to take the elective of keyboarding. The performing arts magnet has a piano lab, allowing for students to practice during and after schools. Since 87% of the students qualify for free or reduced lunch prices, according to the Omaha World Herald, the piano lab comes to great use: most students don't have the equipment to practice at home and they do not have private teachers.
Guilty
I unfortunately am guilty of thinking westside is better than other schools, that we have things other schools can't compete with. We are privileged enough to have laptops, but that doesn't mean that other schools don't have cool things too. One example of my newfound jealousy of another school is Omaha South High's piano program. On the front page of the Omaha World Herald today, the school has a class for 90 students total who get the opportunity to study music. Supah fly!
Awww babies.
The picture on the front page of the midlands is adorable. The little baby zipped inside her daddy's jacket is just too precious. To top it off the baby's mouth is gripping the side of the jacket, all I have to say is CUTE! It reminds me of why I love babies so much. Happy Monday in honor of babies everywhere!
Julie Dworak, News Editor
Army of the Future
In today's paper, there is a front page article about how army training is being redesigned. This reminded me of something else that I read. It (the other article) basically stated that in 20 or 30 years, the United States will no longer be a world power. The article attributed this loss of power to the skyrocketing obesity rates, claiming that if everyone is obese, then we will not be able to build a sufficient army. Also, the photo that goes with the World Herald article looks surreal. There's something very strange about it.
Bye Bye Birdie
Creighton Bluejays Coach Dana Altman always reminded me of a true-blue bluejay. He stalked the sidelines squawking calls. Now he is moving to Oregon, and Greg McDermott may be comming to Omaha. Two days after Altman unofficially announced his move a long-term contract was offered to Iowa State's coach, but he is still considering. Personally I like basketball games for the food and the fun, not the competition, but I hope Athletic Director Bruce Rasmussen does not rush into the wrong coach.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
I thought there would be pandas...
So this guy, Dennis Pate, is the executive director and CEO at the Henry Doorly Zoo. And it turns out he wants to make a lot of changes to the zoo, like putting animals in more natural habitats (ok I like that), having a high school there (wait.... what?) and not having pandas. NO PANDAS?? No, I was really looking forward to seeing pandas! Who does this guy think he is? I'm mad.
Friday, April 23, 2010
The Scientist
I read about this interesting new movie that will be screening at the Dundee Theater for at least a week called The Scientist. I can't remember much about it, other than it's based on a true story about a scientist whose family is killed in a tragic accident. That part doesn't sound so great, but the rest of the movie focuses on some kind of discovery that this scientist made. It was filmed in Council Bluffs – I think that someone should go and see it and let me know if it's any good.
Peace Walks
In the area of East Jerusalem where the Palestinians were planning on building their capital, the Israelis have just announced they will instead build 1,600 houses on the same land. This stalled peace talk. But what doesn't stall Israel-Palestinian peace talks? They've been stalled for the past 50 years.
Shoe Shapes Body
New technologies have enabled companies to produce shoes that may in fact tone up the body while walking. Earth Exer Walk, NGR, Skechers, Cogent, SpringBoost, MBT and Reebok are among the many companies creating shoes that are comfortable, stylish, and good for the body. Prices for a pair of these toning shoes range from $70 all the way up to $250.
Money Makeover
A few years ago I recieved the recent $5 bill. I thought it was counterfeit. Now Benjamin is the only thing left from the origional $100 bill. Now an orange pot-like structure sits almost on his shoulder, to the left of the large orange 100 stampted in the bottom righthand corner. The rest of it is almost purple tinted, blue, and green. The back looks ironically like the back of a penny. However, apparently this is in an effort to beat conterfeit, by making it look so fake no one would expect it to be real.
Plastic Surgery
The lincoln is on the Five dollar bill. He has also had three plastic surgeries since the original photo has been place. I read this article on yahoo. His beard has shortened, and his nose and eyebrows have been reduced. Why can't we honor our president instead of manipulating his appearance.
Breakfast
Cereal, one of America's favorite breakfast foods, has the ability to be unhealthy. Some of the most popular brands contain surprising amounts of fat. Kellogg's Raisin Bran, General Mills Chocolate Chex, Gerneral Mills Chex Multi-Bran, Kellogg's Smart Start Original Antioxidants and Quaker Oatmeal Express are among the most unhealthy choices for cereal.
$100 bill
The $20, $50, $10, and $5 have all been redesigned. There isn't a statement as to why our currency is changing. This divine bill sparkles and creates a number of 100's on a blue strip that runs vertically near Ben Franklin. Now all it needs to do is dance.
Severe Weather
The World Herald is predicting some severe weather coming Friday. I personally, can't wait. I tend to enjoy a good thunderstorm which is perfectly accented with lightening bolts. Here's to severe weather!
-Ian
OKC
I'm very proud of the Oklahoma City Thunder for beating the Lakers last night. The win shows that they deserve to be in the playoffs just as much as the next team. Hopefully they can win the next game and tie up the series.
Shelby Pieper
The Losers
Has anyone seen this new movie? It got a horrible review in the Living section, which labeled it as 98 minutes of "boring and predictable action."
I'm not sure how I feel about the new $100 bill. It looks neat but I'm old-fashioned when it comes to money, aka stick with the green. Purely green paper money is a trademark of America, as almost every other country has colored currencies. However, the new design is eye-catching. It's very cool how it would be very difficult to counterfeit money. It's amazing what scientists can do to catch the bad guys.
New Benjamins
So now I guess I have to make bank with new $100 bills. It's a creative and exciting idea to make the numbers bigger on the back so everyone can see them. It would be awesome if the government would send out a test $100 bill out to everyone in the USA, just as a "stimulus package".
The "lone" protestant
Once Supreme Court Justice John Stevens steps down, he will leave the court without a protestant for the first time. The remainder of the Justices are either Catholic or Jewish. Quite frankly I can't see how this is news at all. Perhaps the fact that Justice Stevens is leaving would be news, and it certainly is, but the fact that we're not gonna have a protestant in the Supreme Court is hardly an issue. I'm mentally preparing for the long summer of filibustering and attack ads Obama is sure to face, the ideological majority of the court is the last thing on my mind. It's muckraking like this that's eroding the news industry away. Seems like it's a slow news day for the World Herald.
Sam Raybine
SUH!
Ndamukong Suh. I felt bad for not knowing much about him and his place in the NFL Draft. I was reading about it in the paper and decided to ask my dad more about it. My dad and brothers were both outraged about my lack of knowledge on this Nebraskan hero. After about 20 minutes of them explaining to me how absolutely wonderful this guy was, I was actually impressed. I mean good for us. Nebraska has always had great support and amazing fans, and it's nice to really have something to be proud of after all of that support. So, way to go Suh!
SUH!!!!!!
So Ndamukong Suh was picked second in the first round draft of the NFL. He was acquired by the Detroit Lions. Congrats Suh. He definitely deserved it. And he has already pledged to give 2.6 million dollars back to the University of Nebraska. That is real gratitude.
New $100 bill
I will be accepting my grad money in the new $100 bills this year. They look sweet! :)
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Earth Day
Tomorrow is the 40th anniversary of Earth Day. Did you know, Earth Day was started due to an incident in 1969 when sparks from railroad tracks flew into a river in Ohio and it literally caught on fire because there was so much pollution? Now, Earth Day is the largest non-religious holiday on the planet. Let's celebrate our Earth!
Football in TD Ameritrade Park
Are you serious? In the northeast corner of the football field, the players have no sideline room. What happens if the player is running full speed toward the sideline? Does this just make it basically arena football in that little corner of the field? And think about the fans, some may this is good and some may say it's terrible to be this close to the action.
Spray Paint
I saw a couple of UNO students spray painting big cardboard boxes. I didn't understand what they were doing until I read about UNO students raising awareness for homelessness. Students decided to stay overnight in boxes by crossroads mall. They learned just how difficult life could be if you were homeless. The fraternities and sororities did this to raise money for the seventh Just Can It drive and proceeds go to the Salvation Army.
Living in a Parking Lot
The project that some UNO students have undertaken this week is very interesting: they are raising awareness for the homeless by putting themselves in the same situation that a homeless person might face. Their "homeless conditions" include sleeping outdoors (in the parking lot) at Crossroads Mall, in what appear to be humungous cardboard boxes. In my opinion, it's a very creative way to bring attention to the issue of homelessness! However, it's not likely that a homeless person would even have a humungous cardboard box to sleep in.
Homelessness awareness
A group of UNO fraternity and sorority members is raising awareness of homelessness by camping out in the parking lot of Crossroad's Mall. They're not just camping out, though; they're living out of boxes. With Omaha having a large number of homeless people, and most of the privileged Omahans oblivious to the problem, it's great to see youth making a difference. Hopefully the boxes will get some people thinking.
American Idiot Cast Recording
The Original Broadway Recording of American Idiot on Broadway was released Tuesday. It was a wild goose chase to find the CD at any local store, but yesterday, Border's got a few copies in. WOW. I did see the musical, so I admit that I am invested in the music. However, this album is something everyone can enjoy. It takes Green Day's original album to a whole new level. Plus, there's a song frontman Billie Joe Armstrong wrote when he was 19 to his soon-to-be wife that has never been recorded before.
This album is magic. Buy it. Listen to it. Listen to it again. Love it!
The Battle Continues
The 2009 Census reports a tie. Women now are just as likely to complete college and earn advanced degrees. This is related to the increase in women going into the medical and law field. I personally think this is perfect. Rather than be better or worse it's nice just to be equal. Next step, equal pay in the workforce.
Brains on Display
For the first time Omaha is hosting the U.S. National Academic Decathlon (aka the brain convention). Brains of varying performance levels (As, Bs, and a few Cs) and even some brains from across the seas will be culminating at the Holiday Inn convention center (aptly renamed "Militaire le Cerveau") at 3321 S. 72nd St.
"I certainly hope that security is in greater force this year," said participant Jimmy Neutron, "Dexter will never be forgotten after those zombies carried him away and devoured his brain."
Graphics Editor- Julius Fredrick
Slim Down Security
Retired military officers are calling for healthier school lunches because too many American teens are too fat to fight Iraq. This is a national security threat. And someone should inform the officers that kids eat outside of school in a more furious and unhealthy fashion. One Navy Admiral basically said that if we don't turn around our child obesity rates by 2030 we will have no chance of any successful military operations because we will have too few physically fit soldiers.
Women vs. Men
Women now have roughly the same amount of education as men. So why isn't pay the same in the work place? If a woman has the same education as a man and does the same quality of work, then both should be paid the same wage. It's been decades since the women's movement, so America needs to step it up and finally get women the same paycheck as their male coworkers.
Shelby Pieper
saving is super!
A Kansas City shopper went to SuperTarget. She got $260 worth of groceries and only paid $32.62- after all the coupons! She saves about 40% of her grocery bill each time. The amount of coupon cutters have increased 23% since 2008. What an easy way to save money. Time consuming yes, but very worthy of your time.
Extreme Couponing.
The front of the Living Section today features a women, Brandie Mavrich, who frequently saves hundreds of dollars in coupons. On a recent trip for Mavrich to SuperTarget her total was $260, before she whipped out her coupons. After all the coupons were counted her new total was $32.62. Yes, you read that right, barely over 30 dollars. Mavrich's coupons saved her almost $230!!! That's crazy!!
Julie Dworak, News Editor
U.S women now match men in education, but not in pay
The good news is that women are as likely to have a college degree as men. I mean that's a step up. Sadly, women still don't match men in pay; we earn 80.2% of what men make. It should surprise and anger me, but it doesn't. This is just an unfortunate fact of life.
P.S. Does anyone want to skip school on friday with me to watch the Academic Decathlon?
Box Life
20 students from UNO are spending this week living in cardboard boxes in the Crossroads parking lot. The event is designed to raise awareness about homelessness and support the Just Can It drive to donate food to the Salvation Army. Everyone involved in the project is committed to spending all their free time away from their homes, although they do leave for class and work. One of Westside's own, Michael Crabb, is photo-featured crawling out of his cardboard home.
Battle of the Sexes
Even in the twenty-first century, nineteenth century practices are still being utilized. Though women have matched and even succeeded men in education, many still do not receive equal pay for it. 20% of women receive less pay than a man doing the same job. As a man, I am as frustrated as women. Quite frankly it just makes men look bad when they won't let people receive equal pay just because of their gender.
Sam Raybine
academic decathlon
For the first time ever, the U.S Academic Decathlon national meet will be held in Omaha. More than 300 high school students with grades ranging from straight A's to straight C's will be competing against each other, and learning at the same time. This competition takes place at the Holiday Inn on 72nd, and runs from Thursday through Saturday.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Omaha's UFL Team
In the second to last page in the sports section, there was an ad. It had you pick the team name of the new UFL team coming to Omaha. The choices were Mustangs, Stags, Spirit or you could send in your own name that you thought of. Seriously Omaha? We should get some good names like we used to have, like the Bugeaters!
Baby Boomers Go Gaga Over Youth
I know my mom wouldn't even consider ordering the senior special at a restaurant - though she's entering her fifth decade, she tells everyone she stopped having birthdays the day she turned 39. Now that the baby boomers have neared the dreaded gates of seniority, they're rearing their heads in fear. Deemed 'baby boomers' because they were born post World War II in the throes of jubilance, they have always had sway over society because of their prevalence in the population. Will they now get a new euphemism for 'elderly' too?
Don't Get Picked Second!
Although former Husker Suh doesn't care whether or not he gets picked first in the draft, I certainly hope that he doesn't get picked second, because if he were, he would be playing for the Detroit Lions. As I reported yesterday, Detroit is one of the most DANGEROUS cities in the world! Hopefully, he won't be forced to live there. Maybe he will get traded if he does get picked second; I don't really know that much about trading.
Suh
Sam Bradford is going to be the first pick in the NFL draft because the silly St. Louis Rams need a quarterback. I am sad because I want former Husker Ndamukong Suh to gain more national attention. He already lost the Heisman and I don't want him to lose the biggest contest of all: the NFL draft. Go SUHHHHHHHH!
OMG, OMG you guys
Hey, Legally Blonde the Musical is going to be opening at the Orpheum a week from today. I kind of want to see it, because I've heard all the songs but never seen the actual musical. And I watched that show on MTV awhile back, when they did the search for the next Elle Woods. Yeah. Sorry if you don't like this movie/musical, but I consider it a classic.
mischievous octopus
In New Zealand a man fights for his camera with an octopus. The camera was rolling as the fight dragged on because neither of the two would give in. The octopus actually got amusement from this and finally opted for the spear gun instead. The video of this chase has become a world wide phenomenon. Check it out on Yahoo.com
"Senior" Label Needs a Change
I think it's awesome that the label of "senior" and "senior citizen" is facing some opposition. I've never liked the sound of those words as a label for a group of people. It makes those over the age of 60 sound incapable of doing anything but sitting in a home for other seniors and playing cards all day. But today, that isn't true. A large portion of the population is over the age of 60, and a lot of them haven't even retired yet. People should respect their elders, and calling them senior citizens is not the way to do it.
Shelby Pieper
Worst Front Page Ever
The stories were about Senior people, and how they are supposed to get even older, spring allergies and common colds, the 200 year old mystery of Merriweather Lewis' death, and the week old story of the volcano erupting in Iceland. Honestly, how can someone call this a paper, where there is no news on the front page? The only, and I mean ONLY, thing that saved the front page was the picture of Ndamukong Suh on the top left corner. "SUHHHHHHHH!"
Charlie Ziegenbein Sports Editor
Hairy women: Are they creepy or cool?
I've decided that traditions STINK! Some are cute like opening presents on Christmas morning or feasting on Thanksgiving. But others live on until one day someone daringly breaks tradition and the whole world IMPLODES. So what if an actress doesn't shave for the Golden Globes? What's the big deal? Why is it that girl must shave every FREAKING day or they are scrutinized by the public. Not shaving is hardly newsworthy. Unless we are talking about America, then the whole world must know. So ladies...break the tradition! Don't shave for a week or month and if anyone comments, so what?
Hay Fever
Last night my two-year-old bichon, Luey, rolled around on the couch, snout down. His snorting and huffing installed a sense of dread. It was comming, hay fever. The sneezing, itching, throat tickling annoyance that plauges Spring. If you're hesitant to take Claritin and other medications to alliviate the symptoms I have a tip. The best natural solution to itchy throat is a shot of lemon juice. The more concentrated the longer it will help. Enjoy nature, naturally!
Poetry Out Loud
A student from Brownell-Talbot is heading to Washington D.C. to perform in a Poetry-out-Loud contest. It's so cool that a student from our area won both the state and regional level. Did any of you go to that poetry slam several years ago here at Westside? It involved two professional poets who...battled? It was like educated rapping, totally awesome.
ash clouds everywhere
Europe has had some trouble this week decided whether or not it's safe to fly. A volcanic eruption caused numerous ash clouds that spread for miles making it tricky for pilots to see where a safe landing is. Airports are filled with people waiting — some spending numerous nights there because they can't afford a hotel — to go home.
seniors
The front page story of the World Herald about seniors reminded me of a story. When I was little, I took piano lessons after hours at a old people learn to play the organ store. They totally had the euphemism thing down, all of the brochures referred to people as 95-years-young and whatnot. I get the fears about your own mortality, but I don't think changing a few words is going to keep you young/ keep you from dying.
Sorry
Sam
Winning Score
Not that anyone other than me really cares, but Millard West's Colin Craft shot 65 at Champions Run yesterday to win the Prep Invite by 2. He even shot 30 on the front nine...this is an incredible score, but again, I'm probably the only one who cares
-Ian
Meriwether Lewis
the National Park Service, after a 2008 approval, has reversed course and rejected the family's request to leave Meriwether Lewis' remains. They are being exhumed to determine the cause of his death in 1809. This seems rather odd to me, it was 1809 who cares why he died? We can't do anything about it now, just let him rest in peace! Power to the deceased people.
Julie Dworak, News Editor
GENE LEAHY MALL
Finally, there's an art project being constructed to fix areas of downtown, starting with the Gene Leahy Mall. The broken wooden benches are going to be replaced with artistic steel benches, and hopefully the project called Take a Seat will excel to help eliminate the graffiti as well.
The Demise of Meriwether Lewis
The decedents of Meriwether Lewis are trying to convince the National Park Service to allow them to dig up their ancestors remains to determine how their ancestor died. Allow me settle the matter once and for all. Meriwether Lewis was a manic depressant and struggled with alcoholism and financial debts. The fact is that he committed suicide. Read a book and they'll all say the same thing. Besides, who cares? William Clark is way cooler.
Sam Raybine
Monday, April 19, 2010
Ben Roethlisberger
The world is awaiting the announcement from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Ben Roethlisberger's punishment for being accused of sexual harassment. Although the charges were dropped and Ben Roethlisberger claims he did nothing wrong he will still most likely be suspended.
Mitch Gettman- Lance Bonding?
Word on the street says that Mitch Gettman's show on Friday at the Waiting Room Lounge was quite good. I was unable to attend due to unforeseen circumstances, but visited his website to see if he will be performing soon. Gettman will be opening at the Slowdown on April 30th; is this a possibility for one last Lance bonding? Remember, if you are 17 or younger, you need to get a notarized form with your parent's permission to be admitted to the show.
Skinny Dad
Eddie Gazillo, who use to weigh way over 200 pounds has lost so much that he is down to 156. Eddie made a name for himself by being a high school varsity football coach, but now you can catch him on the weight watcher commercials. He definitely showed us that we can achieve anything we put our mind to.
Digital Literacy
As a student in the Westside School district, I am all for putting computers in the hands of kids. It helps when writing papers, looking up homework after a sick day and communicating with teachers among a wide array of other things. But school districts, such as Council Bluffs public schools, need to be careful when handing out these laptops. As proven at Westside Middle School, students under the age of 12 or 13 aren't ready to handle the computers. Schools need to be careful when deciding the terms of laptop programs.
Shelby Pieper
Fixing Old Market roads
During the summer, the city will be fixing the broken roads in the old market. They will be straightening the roads, and re-filling them, if needed. This will help have a smoother ride when cruising through the Old Market.
volcanic ash
The volcanic ash that is grounding flights all across Europe is a huge, if somewhat pretty, nightmare. Apparently its the end of British spring break as well. At least the kids have a good excuse for not getting back in time for school?
Sam
Tech-Savvy KId a Little TOO Optimistic
According to the Omaha-World Herald, eighth-grader Alyssa Thompson unashamedly proclaimed "She could catch up on homework and check assignments even if she's sick and has to stay home." This of course, is under the pre-tense of receiving a school-issued laptop. I'll chalk it up to naivety this time, but as we all know (ahem! westisders) nobody in their right mind does homework on a sick day, REGARDLESS of the technology at hand.
Graphics Editor- Julius Fredrick
Omaha World Herald
Okay so on the front page of the headlines reads: City retirees told health benefits are too costly, might change. The the first sentence of that story is the city of Omaha had told its retirees that their health benefits are becoming too costly and may be changed. These two sentences are way too similar and it makes it seem like they didn't spend any time coming up with a headline or lead into the story. This makes me wonder if the Omaha World Herald staff makes pro/con lists after a couple issues. If they do that should be put into the con section because it's sloppy.
Shaken Baby
Yesterday's paper told a story about a girl who was shaken as an infant by her father. Like other shaken baby cases, she suffered brain damage. However, unlike others, she died at age 19 from being shaken. The article was well written — it talked about her life and the case holding her father accountable for killings her. With shaken baby syndrome affecting more and more infants each year, hopefully articles like this will help spread awareness and, ultimately, save lives.
Cuidad Juarez, Mexico
This city, population 1.3 million, has already had 686 homicides this year. That makes it the most dangerous city in the world, apart from war zones, and it's just near us on the Mexican/American border. Such an astounding number of homicides makes this city virtually unlivable. Residents don't go out at night and don't even answer their phones to unknown numbers to avoid extortion. I had no idea. This is startling, most definitely.
Delay Disapointing
Friday, April 9 I was having breakfast in Phoenix, AZ watching a newstation. The branch of CNN was discussing Spirit Airline's new policy to charge a maximum of $45 for carry-on baggage. It was rather boring. It was still boring when I read about it again this afternoon, Monday, April 19, but I was disapointed. Why was there over a week time lapse between the report by CNN in Arizona and the Omaha World Herald on the same story? Was it considered unimportant, or simply neglected? Regardless I expect a faster response than this, and hopefully will get it in the future.
Most DANGEROUS Cities
I was reading the article in today's paper about Juarez, Mexico and how it has taken on the name Murder City because of its explosion of homicides related to drug cartels and it reminded me of the list of the most dangerous cities in the world (according to CNN) that I heard on the radio last week. TWO United States cities were on the list: Detroit and New Orleans. Also on the list was Juarez, Caracas (Venezuela), Karachi (Pakistan), Cape Town (South Africa), Moscow (Russia), Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo), and Beirut (Lebanon).
Resumes
With a competitive job market comes the desire for one to buff his resume in order to keep up with the rest of society. However, certain cliches may be deadly if found by employers on the resume. Phrases such as "results oriented professional," "excellent team player," "superior communication skills" and "savvy business professional" are overused and deadly.
One-to-One Computer Program
Council Bluffs Community Schools are trying to get portable computing devices for each of their students grades 3-12. I think this is great, but don't you think third grade is a little to young to carry a computer around everyday? These kids probably think it's a great idea, but they don't have the responsibility to carry these around and take care of them. Hopefully they will work something out.
19 year old dies
As a two-month old defenseless baby, Christina Welch was shaken by her father. Not only did he shake her as a way to make her stop crying, he covered her mouth to stop her from breathing. This abuse that took place almost two decades ago came back to Mike Welch, who is now being convicted of murder of his 19 year-old daughter, who died March 15, 2006. I'm glad he's going back to prison, how can you harm something that doesn't have the strength or desire to harm you?
Way back when...
According to the Omaha World Herald the Council Bluffs school district is moving towards a one-to-one computer program, similar to what we have. I was thinking about how much our program has an impact on my life. I can't imagine switching to a school that doesn't have laptops, I don't think I would know how to function! Can you remember the days when we didn't use computers for almost everything we do at school? My memories of that time are rapidly fading...
Health Care.
I am very sick of reading about health care. On the top of the front page today it says, "Questions about health care?" I think if you have questions at this point in the game you are obviously too lazy to find the answers. Plus chances are if you have questions, you don't even read the newspaper, because if you did you would not have question due to the fact that there is something about health care almost every day. That is all.
Julie Dworak, News Editor
Lawless Juarez
The situation in the boarder city of Juarez in Mexico is worsening. People are afraid to go out at night, and at stop lights nobody looks at other cars for fear of annoying a gang member. The city is probably the most dangerous city outside of a war zone in the world. Those who are able have long left, leaving as many as 30,000 abandoned houses in the city. An average of 7 people are murdered every day. The reason behind this violence is the attempted crackdown of the drug and narcotic cartels operating in the city by regular Mexican soldiers. Tough break Juarez.
Sam Raybine
Friday, April 16, 2010
Technology without an identity
The ipad has reached sales of over 300,000! This is quite ridiculous. Here are some questions I have for the "ingenious" middle aged inventors.
What in the world is it?
Can it even print?
Does it have an identity?
What's so unique about an obese ipod touch?
What was was going through your mind when you named you it the ipad?
Was you wife on her period?
To conclude, the ipad is USELESS and has a silly name. Apple you have failed yet again. Go back to the drawing board and try again.
Snake in the toilet!
I just read the story about a woman who found a snake on top of her toilet seat in a La-Vista hotel. Then Brian told us all a story about when he saw a snake come out of an outdoor toilet. Does this CONCERN anyone else or are you all just freaky snake lovers?
New NASA Goals
Last night, I saw a story about new plans for NASA on ABC World News. Barack Obama is setting his sights on a new goal: Mars. Famed astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrich are divided on the issue. Armstrong doesn't support Obama's plans while Aldrich stands behind them. On one hand, we have been to the moon many times, but on the other, I'm sure that we don't know everything there is to know about that glorious white orb. On the whole though, I do agree that Mars should be our next focus.
Mitch Gettman Concert Tonight!
Mitch Gettman is performing tonight at The Waiting Room in downtown Benson. If you don't know who Gettman is, then you obviously are not in Westside journalism. The concert begins at 9 p.m. Be there.
2 Schools Become Magnets
Omaha Northwest High School and Nathan Hale Middle School are both becoming magnet schools- Northwest will focus on pre-law, government and international diplomacy and Hale will focus on leadership and social justice. Hurray for OPS!
If Health Care Was Not Enough
By twisting the Congressional arm of our government Obama helped get the Health Care Bill passed, the first universal health care in American history. Now Obama is re-tooling NASA, not for another trip to the moon as the Bush administration had planned, but for a flight to Mars. In 2035, hopefully. At first I found this commical, but I realized it's just typical Obama. Instead of revisiting the moon, he's moving forward, to Mars.
Are you stressed?
Stress consumes American lives, and sometimes, it is physically apparent that someone is tense. Tweaked muscles, eye twitching, cavities, rashes, nausea, sleepiness, forgetfulness, confusion and ragged cuticles are all signs of stress. People should avoid stressful situations so they don't experience these symptoms.
Stop the Spank
According to US News, spanking children under the age of 3 increases the probability of them become bullies at age 5. Studies show increased screaming, bullying, fighting, and teasing in kids at the age of five when they have been spanked continually prior to reaching that age. Moreover, mothers are more likely to experience depression and stress as a result of spanking their children. Thus, parents should focus on rewarding their kids for kid behavior and punishing them without physical contact. As long as parents are consistent with time outs and other routines, children should flourish into respectable individuals.
UFL Team
Omaha will be getting a UFL team to play in the new baseball stadium. I'm not sure what to think. If it's good for Omaha, I'm for it, but will people actually go and see it? Maybe the UFL will develop into something like the minor leagues for baseball or the nationwide tour for golf and will eventually send players to the Bigs. But who knows, it could flop.
-Ian
Snake Story
Alright, this story about the python is sort of weird. First off, why's there a python in Nebraska? Second, why's it located inside of a toilet? Now my final question, when they took it away, they handed it over to the Nebraska Humane Society, they handed it over in a pillowcase. A pillowcase?! Why a pillowcase? I don't get it!
More Drinks to Golfers? I don't think so.
It wasn't long ago that an Omaha woman killed her best friend in a golf cart accident. The cause of the accident? Alcohol. Now Mayor Suttle wants to make more alcohol available at golf courses to increase revenue. I'm all for keeping golf courses open and finding more ways to bring in money. But giving people more opportunity to get drunk and drive golf carts? I am not in favor of that.
Shelby Pieper
homeless homes
There's a $6 million project coming about planned by Christian Worship Center Ministries. The plan is to build a two-building complex, one building containing 26 housing apartments for homeless veterans, and the other having 14 apartments for other homeless individuals. Christian Worship Center Ministries would provide services for the residents, and will probably be needing some volunteers... hint hint to undergraduates.
Pardon his intrusion!
A woman at a La Vista hotel room was shocked when she entered her room and discovered a 3 foot python curled up on the toilet lid. That is probably the scariest thing I've ever heard. I really want to know how the snake ended up in the hotel. If I were her, I would definitely demand a refund.
RIP Benjamin Hooks
Civil rights leader Benjamin Hooks, died Thursday in Memphis at the age of 85. Hooks was the NAACP's executive director since 1977. By that time, the NAACP was facing some serious issues with debt and membership. By the time he stepped down in 1992, he had revitalized the NAACP back into prominence. Nicely done Benjamin, it's a real shame you're dead.
Sam Raybine
Tea Party Protests Revival
Ardent activists hold hundreds of Tax Day protests and present a 10-point policy plan for the movement. Thousands of conservatives rallied Thursday on street corners and state houses across the nation to blast a tax system they deem too progressive and an administration they say has allowed socialism to creep into American life. In California a 12-year-old girl was found carrying a sign saying her share of the national debt was now more that $160,000. That's horrible! Despite that, the picture on top of page 4A is hysterical!
Julie Dworak, News Editor
A fire! But nothing really happened...
This morning I was watching the news, and there was a story about a house that caught fire. However the fire was only on the deck and didn't spread into the house, everyone was home and they all are alive including pets, and they can continue living in their house because they only got some smoke damage.
I feel like it's been a slow news kind of week.
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Bacon Galore
Fried bacon? Chocolate covered bacon? Bacon jam? Nasty. But an interesting read nonetheless. I enjoyed the article very much; it was funny and entertaining. I don't think I could handle anything more than just plain bacon. What's next? Bacon ice cream? I'm sure that exists somewhere. I also loved the large graphics and good use of white space on the page. I think we should do a interesting story on odd foods or weird restaurants for the rage section next issue. And when I say weird...I mean very weird. Obviously they would have to be local but I am sure we will be able to find something in the Omaha area that would suffice. I think the readers would really enjoy the issue and it's something we've never done before.
Obama Mama
I am really impressed with Michelle Obama so far in her husband's presidency. She has been so active, it seems to me more than past presidential ladies. The photos from her visit to Haiti are precious!
Emerging From Behind the Chinese Curtain
So, I just got back early Tuesday from China and I feel like I have just emerged from behind a curtain. I didn't have any form of news while I was there; what little news was available was tainted by propaganda and in Chinese. But it was shocking to return and learn that the world moved on even though I was unaware! It is terrible that a plane crashed killing 95 people, including the Polish president.
Kids, Dragons, and Movies
The recent box office sucess of How to Train Your Dragon reminded me of another movie, Quest for Camelot. Though the dragons in the movie were just as funny as I remember them, even better was the soundtrack by Journey. So if you're looking for an easy light laugh rent either one and enjoy.
Lincoln Pot
Apparently, Lincoln has been growing a lot of pot. Thirteen different houses have been raided and 8,000 marijuana plants have been seized. Wow, a lot has been going on in Lincoln, and going on under the radar. Police are finally getting smarter and learning how to bust people and where it's located at.
apocalyptic food
Should we fear it or not? Bacon with Chocolate, corn cobs with mayonnaise tap of chili powder, and yes even ramen noodles with peanut butter. The answer, we should not be fearful of these radical foods, but we should embrace our inner imagination an except the fact that one must try something to be more knowledgeable in that category. My exception was mashed potatoes with peas and soy sauce.
Tuskers!
So apparently Nebraska may become the home of a pro-football team. But their mascot is a Tusker. I was not sure what a tusker was so I researched it. According to the dictionary, A tusker is:"Any mammal with prominent tusks." In the case of the Florida Tuskers, a Tusker is a boar.
Bills That Affect the Masses
One of the new bills that will (according to the World Herald) "affect the masses" is the texting while driving ban. However, the article notes that a person must be caught doing something else wrong first. To me, this sounds ridiculous! People are killed every year due to texting and driving. If it can cause fatal accidents, a person should be able to be pulled over for the sole offense of texting while driving.
Chocobacon
The picture that accompanies the story in the Living section in todays World-Herald story about chocolate covered bacon had only one word that can describe it: filthy. Downright filthy. Or: Redneck's Delight. That's right, Chocobacon may be popular around nascar tracks or cousin Bobby's Tennessee cabin, but in Omaha, Nebraska, or anywhere near me for that matter, you will never find anything resembling Chocobacon.
Charlie Ziegenbein Food Connoisseur
A New Delicacy
While bacon dipped in chocolate may not sound delicious initially, students at the Metropolitan Community College make this treat along with bacon brittle. The sweet and salty combination gives it a unique flavor, surprising many of its tasters. Moreover, chocolate-covered bacon is one of many treats that is now incorporating bacon including doughnuts and ice cream. It may sound strange, but its becoming a trend.
Black Sunday/Black Pokemon
Black Sunday... The notoriety of this day is only surpassed by the amount of dust that came whirling into southern Nebraska 75 years ago, giving the the term "Dust Bowl" a worthy occupant.
On a lighter note, but still partially black, Pokemon Black and White versions are set to be released in Japan in fall on the Nintendo DS. This comes as a surprise to many who had felt the fifth generation of Pokemon games would be reserved for Nintendo's next handheld (name temporary) the 3DS, as no two Pokemon generations have been released on the same system. (The DS being home to the fourth and now fairly soon fifth generation)
Graphics Editor- Julius Fredrick
Closing Time
If the governor signs the bill, bars will be able to serve alcohol until 2 a.m. instead of 1 a.m. Right now, Nebraska is the only state to close their bars as early as 1 a.m. However, this does not effect me at all.
Chinese Earthquake
An earthquake with a 7.1 magnitude struck China in the Qinghai Province on the Tibetan Plateau. The quake killed at least 400 people, injured 10,000 and buried many others under debris. In certain regions, 90% of homes collapsed due to the poor quality of which they had been constructed. Tough break Qinghai Province.
Judy Meisel, a Holocaust survivor, visited WMS and gave a different message then most Holocaust survivors. She wanted two things in life, and that was to make it through strong, and learn not to hate. Meisel has a documentary film 'Tak for Alt: Survival of the Human Spirit.' She has already made five trips around NE and plans to still see Burke High.
2010 session's winners and losers
I'm excited to hear of the Nebraska Legislature's support for wind energy development. This resource is almost always available in many locations and it is a very clean, environment-friendly method of energy production.
Huskers
Who's excited for the Spring Game this weekend for the huskers? Is anyone going? Will Collins have a big game again like last year and maybe come into a higher role on the team? What are your thoughts?
-Ian
Abortion Battle
Nebraska's first of their kind abortion bills are controversial, but also pave the way for other states to make similar laws as well Nebraska to propose other abortion related bills. These measures, I think, are much needed. I'm proud of the Nebraska legislature and the Governor for standing up for what they and many Nebraskans believe in. Our government is ready to fight any opposition, and I think these bills will hold up in any court. Hopefully these laws can stay in place, help reduce abortion and keep women healthy and safe.
Shelby Pieper
Abortion Bill
Whatever your feelings about abortion may be, the states new bill is idiotic. It is certain to be taken to court, and then declared unconstitutional due to decades of precedent. Nebraska will have spend upwards of 1 million dollars to defend to bill in court, for a measure sure to be defeated, in a year of large budget deficits. Way to go unicameral.
Sam
Earthquake in Western China
Hundreds were found dead in Western China because of an earthquake that hit at 7:49 a.m. in the Qinghai Province. The earthquake had a magnitude of 7.1; at least 400 were reported dead and 10,000 injured. 90% of the homes in the county collapsed because of their poor quality. Lately mother nature has been extremely mean and this needs to stop! On the plus side there were at least 32 survivors pulled out from the debris.
Holocaust Speaker
Yesterday, Westside Middle School got the opportunity to listen to Judy Meisel, a Holocaust survivor. She spoke about how she not only survived they camp, but she survived without learning to hate. She's 81 now, and she travels the country to preach about resisting hatred. Hopefully her speeches hit the audiences hard enough before there's no Holocaust survivors left.
Bacon and Chocolate
A new food trend is dipping strips of bacon in chocolate. I haven't personally tried this concoction, but my initial reaction was "ew". Upon further reading this article, the writer mentioned that bacon could also be combined with ice cream, doughnuts, brownies, cookies and pies, not to mention candied bacon cubes. I am a fan of french fries dipped in vanilla soft serve and am aware that salty and sweet can be a good combo, but think I will stick to just plain bacon for breakfast. Or any meal.
Bacon + Chocolate = ?
Chocolate-covered bacon does not quite sound appetizing to me, but hey people will eat anything. It does sound like the most unhealthy combination known to man. Way to take something greasy and fatty and mix it with something very sugary.
Julie Dworak, News Editor
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Glee
A Nebraska native, Mikah Meyer, is trying out for the nationwide call for new Glee actors. Glee is returning today, April 13. Best of luck to Meyer!
Prom
Prom is suppose to be a fairy tale, isn't it? So why not try to avoid confrontation with your teachers and administrators by wearing a long puffy cinderella type dress. The style these days is to wear short dresses like someone would to homecoming or winter formal. We are torn in between either having our fairy tale come true or what the fashion world is telling us to wear. Its a hard decision and when schools put so many restrictions on the dress code, it only makes the decision harder. The truth is, have fun and wear what you think looks best. Just hope that it meets the standards of the chaperones and your night isn't ruin by being sent home.
The Impossibility of dealing with stress
Stress is a difficult thing to deal with, I feel. A.P. tests cause them, and so do finals. In the final few weeks of school, here are some tips for you: avoid stressful situations, set realistic goals and priorities, and figure out what is most important to you. Of course none of this applies to anyone because a., stressful situations are unavoidable. B., you can't set your own goals in this sort of environment. And c., it doesn't matter what is important to me, it only matters what is important to a COLLEGE, right??
Prom Dresses
That would be terrible being sent home because your prom dress doesn't meet school standards. I understand that rules are rules but if you were sent home, I feel sorry for you. Maybe next time make sure your dress is "appropriate" for the dance.
What you missed
You may not have seen it, but this weekend the world herald ran an interesting article on the man who guarded Sadaam. Good read.
http://www.omaha.com/article/20100411/NEWS01/704119899#guarding-a-tyrant
-Ian
Westside Soccer
There were a few great photos in the sports section of the girls varsity team. A great story about Westside's Metro Conference Victory accompanied the photos and I'm glad the girls are getting some attention for their big win! Keep it up, Warriors.
-Cara Wilwerding, editor-in-chief.
Roy Helu Jr.
Yes, any avid Cornhusker football fan knows that last year, the team played with a lot of injuries, be it Zac Lee with an elbow problem, or highly touted runningback Roy Helu with, well, every sort of problem you could imagine. He suffered from shoulder problems, turf toe, a sprained ankle, brusitis in his knee, and he still managed to reach the thousand yard mark for the season. Pretty impressive if I must say so myself, and the journalists are saying that he is back and looking healthy again. In mid-season form already, they are saying. But wait, doesn't this sound familiar? Just 12 months ago, at the beginning of last season's spring practices, everyone was talking about how the injury problems that had plagued his young career at NU were finally gone. The problem was that things didn't go as planned. Helu missed the spring game with an ankle problem, and missed much of last season with other injuries. Will this year be any different? We will see.
Charlie Ziegenbein Sports Editor
Keep It Modest
It's hard to find a modest dress for any school dance. These days dresses are getting shorter and necklines are going lower. In the past, Prom dresses usually didn't cause a problem as most students wore long dresses. However, as the trend shifts towards shorts dresses for Prom, there is more of a concern. Students at Westside have been sporting more shorter Prom dresses over the past few years. Hopefully this year there will be no problem with rear ends hanging out or dresses falling down. Keep it clean Westside.
Shelby Pieper
Yay
If you look on the front page of the Sports section, you can see some of my teammates. Yesterday we won the Metro Tournament for girls soccer. As the article said, I guess we've come a long way from our 3-0 loss against Millard North. However, the season's hardly over, and we're looking to go all the way.
Sam Raybine, Polish President's death may help party
In an unfortunate turn of events, a polish plane crashed in Russia on Saturday, killing 96 people including the president Lech Kaczynski, his family, and many other high profile military and civilian leaders. Now, Poles are mourning his death, even though it was likely that he would have lost the upcoming presidential elections. The wave of sympathy for Lech Kaczynski could help the Law and Justice group, and if his brother Jaroslaw runs, it is likely he would win. Tough break Poland.
Adhesives
Well, the sandcastle worm beats us again. For thousands of years this animal has been producing adhesives that work underwater, something humans still can't do. But we are making progress. The navy is testing adhesives on animal bones and tissues hoping that this will work. They want to imitate the sandcastle worm's glue to make it more effective on the human body so that it can be utilized to repair tissues. Good luck!
Glee!
Glee returns tonight! And in the Glee spirit, there is a Nebraska native who has made it through the first round of Glee auditions. Mikah Meyer could be a new cast member on an upcoming season. However, Jenny thinks he looks too much like Mr. Schuster. In my opinion, that could work in his favor He could be like, his lost son he never knew about. Or his brother. Possibilities!
Conan is Back!
Conan O'Brien is back, but this time his late night show will be aired on...TBS? Somehow, I feel like his show might get good ratings at first, but on a channel like TBS, they will plummet eventually. Maybe I'm wrong and I just don't know that many people who watch TBS, but this kind of sounds like what happened to Project Runway when it moved to Lifetime.
Tech Students
Lawn mowers are becoming a big project at Burke High School. Students interested in becoming mechanics have a chance to work side-by-side with teachers and learn about small engines. The students that participate in this lawn mower tune up are awarded with pizza, donuts, bananas and extra credit. They're charging $25 for mower tune ups, depending on what it needs through Saturday.
Conan O'Brien is back!
After being fired by NBC, the former Tonight Show host, Conan O'Brien, signed a five year deal with TBS for a new late-night talk show that will air Mondays through Thursdays at 10 p.m. Central time. The show starts in November and make sure to tune in!
Monday, April 12, 2010
Golf
No I'm not a big golf fan, but I did grow up with my dad, and therefore I know who Phil Mickelson is. I think its great that he was able to put aside his family issues (his wife having breast cancer)
and he continued to play... He not only continued but won the Masters Tournament for the third time! If that isn't dedication then I don't know what is.
Congrats Phil
Date Night
I was going to post about Tiger, but I looked at the other blogs and I think we have that covered–he had a scandal, he got fourth, and he was mad....
In other news, I went to date night the other day and it was hilarious. Maybe a little inappropriate for school, but so funny! I would advise others to see it. It's worth the $8-10.
Graphic Design
There was a sweet graphic font used on the front page of the Living section of the Omaha World-Herald. The letters were created from musical notes. Check it out.
Gun Violence Must End
In the past month there have been 4 homicides. Add to that the other shootings that have only injured people and the numbers are staggering. What has gotten in to Omaha? Gang members and other citizens seem to be picking up guns more than ever before. Why? Some people link it to a gang related shooting back in December outside a basketball game. Or maybe people keep shooting because not everyone is getting caught. Police need to step it up and more efforts need to be made to stop gang violence.
Shelby Pieper
Victorian Dog House
In the Living section of the OWH there is an article about how some dog owners build extravagant houses in the their backyards for their pets. One dog owner built a $20,000 house with a surrounding fence including tv, plumbing, and other things for her three dogs.
Let's get this straight people, dogs are animals. They do not watch tv. They lick their butts and crap in our yards. I'm certain that a dog wouldn't appreciate a house for itself any more than a ham roast. I don't get it when people spend this ridiculous amount of money for pet houses...I like my dog too, and as much as I would like him to watch my tv and do the dishes, he is still a dog. Sometimes people forget that pets arn't people.
Poor Tiger
I hope everyone was pulling for Tiger to win the Masters yesterday. It would have been great to see him finish first in his first event back. Too bad, he finished fourth, but that's still pretty good for his first event back from his personal troubles. Hopefully he gets his career back.
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Masters
I come from a line of golf enthusiasts. They are not good and they cannot teach the scoring to me, but they can keep the radio going for the title. What I learned about golf instead was that Tiger Wood's five months off were just the calm before the storm of stories. I heard of almost no one else, and not much of it had to do with golf. Sure, on the surface it was all scorecards, but always related to his stint in rehab. All of it was a measure of how the scandal and time off hurt his game. I feel for Phil Mickelson, the champion, because he will be completely exclipsed by Woods just like the sport itself. It would be nice if now at least everyone would move on.
Tiger Falls Short
Tiger Woods fell just short in his attempt to win his fifth Masters after taking five months off. Based on his interview after the final round, he didn't seem very happy. However, I agree with him that people are making too big of a deal over his commitment to a better attitude on the golf course. He entered to win and he didn't get it done; many times, his play looked sloppy on the course and that's what costed him. People shouldn't expect him to not be frustrated with himself when he knows he can play better.
Poland is damned
The president of Poland and his wife died along with hundreds of other people on board of the plane that crashed in a forest. The pilot was advised of the unsafe weather conditions (fog) but attempted to land regardless. The Poland people consider their land damned now because of this horrific ending.
Friday, April 2, 2010
3D Craziness
Early reviews of Clash of the Titans have stated that is the hardest 3D film to watch to date. If 3D movies continue to become more and more difficult to watch, could the trend enter a downward spiral? Probably not because there is a lot of money to be made in 3D movies. However, it is something to think about.
Artist reaches out to fallen heroes
A professional artist of 40 years recently closed down his art gallery to take on a new project - doing drawings of members of the military killed in battle. He does portraits for free, using photographs provided by family members. Reagan, 62, believed he would've been retired by now, but has continued to draw for the greater good. He says portraits transcend politics and war itself.
Spring Break
Spring break should be a nice time to relax, and enjoy a week without school. Not me! the ACT's are scheduled for the next saturday. I would like to know who schedules them and why they put it on a saturday. Oh and we are all lucky that the school day is not getting any longer, we are practically getting out when its dark.
-Madeleine Werthman
Harsh Punishment for Marijuana
If Nebraska wants to make the punishment for marijuana usage the same as MIP, then I say go for it. To a certain extent, marijuana and alcohol are the same. They are both illegal (well alcohol for us and marijuana for everyone). They are both harmful and shouldn't be done before driving. They are also used among many teens so if we need harsher punishments to restrict both of them, that's a-okay with me.
Future of Education
I'm starting to get a little bit concerned about America's future, considering that we don't rank among the top countries when it comes to subjects like math and science. I don't know if more time in the classroom will solve all of our education woes, but something definitely needs to be done if we are going to have an educated population in the future!
iPad
I disagree with naysayers that say the iPad will die out. The iPad has already revolutionized the entire computer world. It has made history and changed the way people use media and read books and newspapers. The iPad is coming this Saturday, and it is GOING to blow your socks off. The expected consumers purchases of the iPad are already far more than those that were for the iPhone. Get ready, the revolution in coming...in fact it's already here.
This Week
This week was busy for students at school. With show choir auditions, dance team tryouts, and colleges sending out those final letters of acceptance, students deserve a break. Unfortunately, teachers are piling on homework for Spring break. Who finds this fair? NOT ME!
idk ipad
I think this excitement will soon die. I give Apple 2 months before people start complaining. Usually when something really big and awesome comes out, the company is under pressure to get the product out but it isn't out efficiently. If I ever get one, I'm going to wait until I know that all the 'iffy' stuff is said and fixed. Of course, by the time that happens, there will be something cooler out.
Tea Party Express
The Tea Party movement, founded on the conservative notion of limiting government, has been getting a lot of press attention lately. But what has caught my eye is this: A singer from Waco, Texas calls himself "Polatik" and raps lyrics like, "Limited government is our only solution, our only foundation should be our Constitution."
Pumped about iPad?
Who is excited about the release of the iPad? Who is going to get one? I am intrigued, but I want to try one out before I jump to anything. I think it will be a big seller.
REVIEW: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/01/technology/personaltech/01pogue.html?ex=1285732800&en=ec9490deaa7ed446&ei=5087&WT.mc_id=TE-D-I-NYT-MOD-MOD-M143-ROS-0410-HDR&WT.mc_ev=click
-Ian
Living Section
On the front page they did a review on a Zum Biergarten, which is a german restaurant located in Bellevue. The only reason I read this article is because of the picture of the Black Forest cake. I am suddenly very hungry now, and I want to visit this place!
Close call for girl, a lesson for family
Check out the front of the Midlands today.
a. What was this girl doing climbing out the 15-feet high window?
b. What kind of parent puts a screen-less window in a position where it's easy for a small child to lean out and fall?
c. How did she only get bumps and bruises from that fall?!? That's resilience.
More School
I don't think it is necessary for the school to lengthen our hours. We are in school enough. If they give us more school we won't have enough time for homework.
Area code
Soon we are going to have to dial the area code before every single call, even local calls. I know some people are going to be mad about this, but I don't think it's a big deal. I usually call people on my cell phone, and all the numbers are already put in with the area code. People shouldn't freak, it's not going to be that big of a change.
T3A P@RTY
Yesterday, at Zorinsky Lake there was a gathering of 1,200 individuals. The reason? The Tea Party. You may be thinking of the Boston Tea Party, but this event was something quite different than dumping boxes of tea bags into a lake. The Tea Party Express is a national tour of key note speakers and passionate individuals that provide dialogue on Conservative ideals. One said, "Limited government is our only solution, our only foundation should be our constitution."
I think it's an interesting tactic. Although I may not agree with everything these individuals are saying, there's something to be said about campaigning when elections are far away. Too often we focus on the candidates during campaigning. Here's an example of a group of people campaigning for a set of ideas.
Too Much Blood Thinner
A 2-year old girl (Almariah Duque) was believed to have died due to an overdose of heparin, a blood thinner. It's horrible to think that too much blood thinner administered as a mistake can bring such an early end to a little life. On a lighter note, SPRING BREAK IS T-MINUS 6 HOURS AWAY!!!
Julie Dworak, News Editor
tea party express
1,200 gathered at Zorinsky Lake Thursday on that glorious, sunny day. The Tea Party Express holds rallies to encourage change against Obama, and any of his supporters working in the government. The most recent outrage was the health care bill. This group is neither democratic nor republican, they just stand for what they believe, which in this case is against Obama's plans for America.
402
The new 10-digit dialing for local calls is no big deal. When I put numbers into my cell phone contacts, I always include the 402 area code. People have no reason to complain. If it bothers you so much to dial 402, don't make any phone calls.
Shelby Pieper
Copy Editor
Yesterday
The Westside Girls Soccer team was in the paper, if you didn't catch it. The World Herald was doing an update on the weather. Only a little more than a month ago we were attempting the shovel the field that was covered by at least 1 foot of snow and ice. And now, it's more than 60 degrees each night. I love it. It's perfect for Spring sports season and upcoming Spring Break.
Jenny Shehan
Editor-in-Chief
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Cribs?
Apparently, a news station was filming at Westside today for their own version of "Cribs". The station got footage of the welding facility and various students' senior projects.
Offensive Texting
Second offense, under an approved bill Wednesday Mar. 31. In real terms that means police cannot pull over soley for texting, but can be charged if it is paired with a first offense, like speeding. Considering the number of people that speed it is safe to assume this bill will just be additional fluff to driving restrictions. Way to waste time legislature.
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