Colonial Forge High School The Talon

550 Courthouse Rd., Stafford, VA 22554 cfhstalon@gmail.com Volume 11, Issue 6

2011 Event Draws a Successful Turnout

Learn and Serve Day of Service

Concussions in High School Sports

Forge Goes Green

How to Avoid Malware

PG 12

PG 10

PG 6

PG 4

Courtney Penzo (‘12) gathers cotton candy.

April 21, 2011

News 2

The TalonColonial Forge High School 550 Courthouse Road Stafford, VA 22554

(540) - 658 - 6115cfhstalon@gmail.com

Editor in Chief Lauren Rogers

Senior

Managing EditorsJohn Schwartz

Senior

Caitlin RussellSenior

Editors

Tarah PortlandEntertainment

Junior

Natalee RomboughPhotography

Senior

Stephanie DeVauxOpinions

Junior

Shelby BallFeatures

Sophomore

Kathleen NameyNewsJunior

Grace PhillipsSportsSenior

StaffNaoko Branker, Kayla Boyer, Ashley Bruner, Mary-Margaret Bruner, Liza Contreras, Allie

Cox,Kyle Doescher, Ashleigh Dye, Katie Garrison, Scott Gates, Jeremy Granderson,

Christian Hawks, Alex Hottle, Zachary Johnson, Manuel Lemus,

Kevin Leyh, Donovan Moore, Christopher Morehead, Ricardo Morrison, Megan Niewold, Sean

O’Neill, Taylor Ross, Chanea Rutland, Hannah Somers, Kristen Steele, Leekeisha Stover, Susan Taah, Emmily Upshaw, Joe Vargo,

Kyra Youngblood

The Talon is the official student newspaper of Colonial Forge High School. All articles are student-written. Views expressed are those of the student writers and editors, and are not necessarily shared by the administration or staff of Colonial Forge. The staff strives to uphold the highest journalistic ethics and standards. Unsigned editorials represent the majority of the editorial board. The Talon is printed monthly by Narrow Passage Press. Letters to the editor are welcome and should be submitted to Room 301 or e-mailed to c f h s t a l o n @ g m a i l . c o m .

The Talon April 21, 2011

The Forensics Team had their final two day competition on April 8th and 9th in Madison County for the National Forensics League. “The National Forensics League is an honor society that forensics and debate members can join,” said forensics coach Mrs. Lane. Most students who are in the league must meet certain requirements, memberships help recognize their talents in competition and earn them scholarships. Each student earns points by winning 6th place or higher in a competition, they must earn 25 points in order to join the league. Once they have joined the league they are entered into different levels to earn more points. “This is an outside League not directly associated with the school system,” said Lane. This competition was completely different than what the Forensics students had

ever experienced. A usual competition would last only a few hours in a day with about 15 minutes rest time between rounds. At the Madison competition they competed for 2 days and had 3 to 4 hours between rounds due to a new computer program and a new district chair. “This competition was the most disorganized competition in my forensics career and sadly my last,” said Dillon Perera (‘11). James Wooten (’11), Brian Trail (’12), and Catherine Darling (’12) all made it to semi-finals while Sarah Hinterleitner (’11) and captain, Dillon, competed together in the duo piece, Sure Thing by David Ives, which placed 4th out of 17. More than half the forensics students who competed are current seniors and left the league satisfied with earning the awards they received.

Liza ContrerasReporter

Forensics team finds success at National Forensics League

Earth Day this year falls on Friday, April 22nd, and Forge students are finding new ways to get involved with the environment. Whether being outside more, or changing light bulbs, its actually pretty easy to be more eco-friendly. As technology grows, students can do more to be eco-friendly. Mr. Heller, advisor of the Environmental Club says there are many easy ways to be more involved with the environment, “Take shorter showers, unplug chargers, or use a power strip.” Mr. Heller also states that a lot of these things are not only eco-friendly, but pocket-friendly as well. “Its easy, and a lot of times its not very expensive. It will actually lower some of your bills,” Mr. Heller says, “Turn thermostats a few degrees warmer in the summer, and a few degrees colder in the winter. You won’t notice the difference, but it will actually save you a lot of money.” In fact, just

filling up your tires with more air can not only help the environment, but it can also prevent your engine from working too hard. “The harder your tires are, the better,” Mr. Heller says.

Maren Hunsberger, co-president of the Environmental Club, gives students advice, “Check for leaks, and fix them. Change the light bulbs, and plant a garden and grow your own organic food.” Doing simple things can save the environment. Maren also says its good to spend time outdoors, “Be outside more, connect with your surroundings; go for a run, plant something, just experience it.”

The Environmental Club and the Interact club will be participated in the Rappahannock River-Clean up, on April 16th. The Environmental Club will also be selling t-shirts and water bottles.

Taylor RossReporter

Environmental Club Embraces Earth Day

1. Adjust your thermostat down two degrees in the winter and up two degrees in the winter. This could save you up to $200 a year.

2. Shorten your showers and avoid filling a bathtub. This could save you $100 a year.

3. Inflate your tires more. This will cause less friction, in return less work for your engine. This will also improve your mileage by 3%.

4. Buy fresh food, not frozen. Frozen food uses 10 times more energy to produce.

5. Use Tupperware, not plastic bags.

6. Unplug chargers and electronics when they are not in use. Buy a power strip to plug chargers into, then you can just hit the on/off switch. This could save you $256 a year.

7. Plant a tree. Trees save 2,000 lbs of carbon dioxide.

8. Air dry your clothes. This could save you $75 a year.

9. Eat less red meat. Methane is the 2nd most significant greenhouse gas and cows are one of the greatest methane emitters; their grassy diet and multiple stomachs cause them to produce methane, which they exhale when they breathe.

10. Carpool when possible! Bike when possible! Walk when possible!

Top 10 Environmentally Friendly Things to do in Honor of Earth

Day 2011:

J. D. Lewis (‘11), Dillon Perera (‘11), Sarah Hinterleitner(‘11), Catherine Darling(‘12), Brian Trail (‘12), and James Wooten (‘11) pose for the camera after the Forensics Competition on April 8th and 9th.

Katie GarrisonReporter

News3The Talon April 21, 2011

Having to juggle school, homework, friends, family, and work, high school students clearly have enough to worry about. But paying so much attention to everything else, we often take for granted something that not everyone has the luxury to forget: our health. Every year, thousands of men, women, and children are diagnosed with cancer. While a cure for this devastating disease is still being researched, various organizations devote their time and efforts to raise money in the meantime. As May approaches, so does the American Cancer Society’s signature fundraising event of the year: Relay for Life. This giant fundraising opportunity welcomes teams across the nation to sign up and participate in an overnight event, taking a chance to celebrate those

who have beaten the disease, and fight back for those who have not. According to the guidelines set up by the American Cancer Society, a team is made up of anywhere from eight to fifteen people who share a passion and commitment to raise money throughout the year. This year, two teams emerge for Colonial Forge High School in order to take a stand against cancer: the Forge Fighters and the CFHS Eagles. The Forge Fighters are sponsored by the Leo Club, and plan on making a repeat appearance at the Relay for Life this year. After getting a feel for what the event was all about last year, team captain Heather Penzo (’12) has big plans this time around. “Our goal is to raise $3000 this year and we’re just over half way. We’ve grown a lot this year

but I just want to get cancer awareness out most of all.” While the Leo Club gears up for the Relay, DECA also prepares to join the cause. DECA’s Relay team, the CFHS Eagles, is headed by the club’s sponsor, Mr. Tucker. DECA members are signing up for the team and preparing to join in on all the festivities that the Relay for Life offers. Yet despite all of the fun that comes along with this event, Tucker voices one major goal for the year: to raise money and give students the opportunity to give back to the community. Although sending two separate teams, Colonial Forge is coming together for one cause. This May’s Relay for Life will be filled with Forge students determined to find a cure and beat cancer once and for all.

Stephanie DeVauxOpinion Editor

Eagles Take a Stand Against Cancer

Music notes, instruments, and eager students are a few things that the Colonial Forge band and orchestra teacher, Mr. Cauley, sees every day at school. Mr. Cauley teaches the Concert Orchestra, Chamber Sinfonia, Percussion Ensemble and Jazz Workshop. He also teaches Symphonic and Concert Band along side Mr. Coston. Having been rated superior ten years in a row, the Colonial Forge band practices diligently every day to be the best band that they can be. Mr. Cauley is looking for high standards, “I don’t like average. I want everybody to do their best.” Other than his classes that he teaches you could find him in the afternoon with sax ensemble or the marching band. Everyone dreams of having a super power like reading minds or flying abilities, but band teacher Mr. Cauley wants the ability to make all of his students have no voices.

“I would make them not able to talk, only their instruments. That would be the one sound they can make.” said. Mr. Cauley. Then beginning to teach at an early age he realized that teaching is what he wanted to do as a profession. I’ve always been teaching since I was seventeen,” said Mr. Cauley. What makes him different from other people teaching you? “I have experience in outside music, I was a playing musician. I have played, not just taught,” said Mr. Cauley. He’s not only helping from a teacher’s point of view but a musicians. If you don’t know Mr. Cauley how would you expect him to be described as? “What am I known for? Being awesome!” he laughs. “I’ve always loved music, ever since I can remember” said Mr. Cauley. At Colonial Forge, the Band, Orchestra, Jazz, and other music provides Mr. Cauley music eight hours a day, five days a week.

A Day of the Life of Mr. CauleyAllie CoxReporter

Mr. Cauley is one of the new band teachers at Forge this year.

News 4The Talon April 21, 2011

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Hitting the High Notes Walking

down the hall, she blends in with the crowd; but on stage, she stands out like the star that she is.

Elena Flores (12) has been classicly trained in singing opera since she was seven years old.

“I never did really [realize I had a voice for opera.] I just sang whatever was put in front of me and one day I realized I was singing opera, haha.” Being an opera singer doesn’t come easy. Elena trains intensely with Christine Stanley and takes three chorus classes under the instruction of Barbara Perry. Elena has had many past experiences with opera. “I was in Dream of the Pacific with the Washington National Opera, at the Kennedy Center when I was 12 as part of a summer program I did there. And I’ve done shows [at Riverside] since I was 10, including The Little Princess, Goldilocks, Pinnochio, Alice in Wonderland, Big Bad Musical, to name a few.” After graduation, Elena is going to attend the Shenandoah University for a Bachelors in Music Preformance in general, “Which is lots of opera studies.” she explains. “It will take 4 years, unless I go for my masters which will be an additional 4 years.” Even though she has her work cut out for her, Elena stays grounded in her hopes and dreams as to where opera will take her. “I’ve always hoped to make it as a performer, anywhere really, would make me happy, but I also wouldn’t mind coaching those with the same dream, or even composing.”

Natalee RomboughPhoto Editor

Every year, Forge hosts Learn and Serve’s Day of Service which allows people to participate in projects that benefit the community. This year’s Day of Service took place on April 9th from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and showcased different Learn and Serve projects from every high school Learn and Serve in our school district. Along with all of the high school Learn and Serves, the Agents of Change program from the middle schools in our district participated in the event. There was a decent crowd compared the Days of Service in years past. Those that came enjoyed participating in projects that benefited the community such as seniors Drew Wilson and Dustin Schmidtknecht’s project, creating cat toys

from toilet paper rolls for the SPCA.

Another major project taken on by the students of Forge Learn and Serve was the recycling project sponsored by Chick-fil-A and Best Buy. Those that brought recyclables received a Chick-fil-A buy one get one free coupon. Those that recycled an electronic device were awarded with a variety of items including a shirt and bag courtesy of Best Buy and the opportunity to win a free Chick-fil-A chicken nugget tray. The project was very successful, on Day of Service they received four week’s worth of recycled electronics that Best Buy customers bring to their store according to the Best Buy representatives. This year’s Day of Service did not allow monetary donations to

projects unlike in past years. The reasoning behind this somewhat controversial rule was that Day of Service was advertised as a free event. In previous years, there were donation boxes in which people could donate to organizations. Since these donation boxes were no longer allowed this year’s projects focused on creating items for organizations rather than just donating money to them.

Stafford High School Learn and Serve’s major project found a way around the new rule. The project allowed participants to make origami cranes out magazine pages. Forge Learn and Serve had a similar project that allowed people to make cranes using different colored paper. For every crane made, two dollars were donated by the Bezos

Family Foundation to Architecture for Humanity’s reconstruction efforts in Japan. There were also activities that took place outside. Participants in the 5k run and quarter mile fun run braved the cold, rainy morning and made it a huge success despite the poor conditions. Senior Brooke Tavel’s walk for St. Jude’s Children Hospital also took place on the track and raised money for cancer research. Overall, Learn and Serve pulled off yet another successful Day of Service. With hands on projects and entertaining activities such as face painting and an inflatable obstacle course, there was always something for people to do.

Learn and Serve Participate in Day of Service

Kyle DoescherReporter

Kiersten Esser (‘11) works the Best Buy booth at this year’s Day of Service

Entertainment5The Talon April 21, 2011

Imagine walking down the red carpet, lights and cameras flashing everywhere. People are calling out your name, begging for your autograph. It seems like the whole world is crowded around you, and only you. This is the life that everyone dreams of; this is the life of a celebrity. Although the hallways of Colonial Forge seem a distant place from this world of glamour, some Forge students have had a glance of life in the spotlight. Brandon McConnell (’11) shares a close family tie; Steve Caballero, a famous skateboarder, is his cousin. Caballero has been a part of the skateboarding scene for almost four decades now, ripping up skate parks since the late seventies. McConnell, telling about their relationship, says, “The first time I met him was at my Grandpa’s funeral. He seemed cool, but I don’t get to see him a lot. He’s all the way out in California.” An even closer relation links a select three Forge students into the world of politics. Lauren (’12), Christine (’14), and David (’14) Reinaman all have a unique connection to a well-regarded Virginia celebrity: Governor Bob McDonnell. Having the special privilege of calling him

Uncle Bob, the Reinaman siblings get to share some of the moments in the spotlight. Lauren says, “One time, we got to be in a motorcade and the state police shut down I-95 and the beltway until we passed by. It was pretty cool. Plus we got to spend New Year’s Eve at the mansion; we go whenever there is a party or something, which means there is automatically going to be awesome food made by the chef.” However not all of us are lucky enough to find fame growing from our family tree. It’s more probable that

you have seen a celebrity walking down the street, touched their hand during a concert, or even had the chance to meet one face-to-face. These run-ins with fame are far more common, yet for the students at Colonial Forge, not any less exciting. Attending a sports event may be one of the simplest ways to spot a celebrity. Brian Crowely (’12) says “I’ve seen famous basketball players and coaches leaving stadiums. I was only a couple feet away from them.” Gabby Meyers (’12) had a

Stephanie DeVauxOpinion Editor

Stephanie DeVauxOpinion Editor

The Celebrity Connection

similar experience. She says, “I met Snoop Dog’s uncle. He offered us tickets to his show, it was really cool.” Despite its seemingly frequent nature, meeting a celebrity is certainly not an everyday experience, and is not something that everyone gets to enjoy. If you have never had the chance to brush up against fame, have no fear. After all, that’s what television is for.

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RJ Berger, every one's beloved nerd, is back better than ever for a new season. Since we last left RJ last season he gave up the chance to be with his dream girl, Jenny Swanson, and instead went to the aid of his childhood friend Lily Miran. Viewers have high expectations this year to see if the show can deliver a solid season and top last year’s. Fans are also eager to see if RJ can snatch up his dream girl. Cedric Singleton (13) is an avid watcher and says “I really hope RJ can get Jenny. He’s the typical underdog we all want to see succeed. I just love the show.” Hopefully this season will give us all laughs and keep us on our chairs waiting for more. One fan who is enjoying the new episodes is Ethan Thomas (13) who says, “So far I can’t complain much. It’s making me laugh and it was cool that they got Vinny (from Jersey Shore) as a guest star. I can’t wait for the season to progress.” The show combines acting with cartoon animation, for example when RJ has a mental scenario it goes into cartoon mode.

The animation segment resembles other animation styles such as Rugrats, Dragon Ball Z, and Disney. This is a good strategy to keep viewers entertained mainly because the show has a young audience and teens like cartoons. The Hard Times of RJ Berger has been an instant hit on MTV since it first aired. On June 6, 2010 the show generated 2.6 million views on it’s debut. Ever since then the show has been on a roll gaining popularity. And so far it has been MTV’s most viewed show around the age groups of 12-34. The show is on Mondays at 10 o clock, I recommend people reading this to watch the show. It’s a show about everyday high school life that we all can relate too. We can also learn something from it, to break down these stereotypical cliques we have going on in our school. RJ Berger, a “nerd”, is winning the heart of Jenny Swanson which is the typical attractive, popular cheer leader. The show is breaking down stereotypes and isn’t judging a book by its cover, which is pretty cool.

RJ Berger Returns for a New Season

Lauren (‘12), Christine (‘14) and David (‘14) Reinaman pose with their uncle, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell.

Entertainment 6The Talon April 21, 2011

Many students at Colonial Forge use computers regularly and don’t know what they would do if it crashed. Besides the obvious ways of using restore cd’s or taking it to a computer store if your computer was to crash, here are some tips to help avoid a costly situation. First off, to avoid malware you have to know where they come from. Crackers make these malicious scripts and distribute them by adding them to websites, email attachments, and illegitimate programs. Usually the point of malware is to steal sensitive information such as credit cards, passwords, and addresses or to get you to buy something. An example of a malware that tries to get your money would be the notorious free virus scan websites. “Your computer has been infected!” These words are usually what you will come across when you click on a link surfing the Internet. Countless of times people believe this and download the fake-antivirus thinking it

will get rid of their viruses when it fact it will install a Trojan and a backdoor for other viruses to enter your computer. These are almost unavoidable on the Internet, but things to remember would be that just simply going to the website typically

won’t do anything to your computer until you download the file. Now to get off the website, the cracker will make it so you simply cannot close the tab or browser window. So the simplest way to get off the website would be to open task manager (ctrl

+ alt + del) and end task on Internet Explorer. Another notorious way viruses can be installed on your computer is through “Drive-by” websites. Depending how well made the website is made you may not even notice the virus

Chris HawksReporter

Expansion of Malware: Tips on how to avoid or remove annoyancebeing downloaded on your computer, but the majority of these websites will crash the browser while downloading. If your browser crashes unexpectedly when loading a website it might be trying to download unwanted software. Ways you can look out for these sites would be to look for the .php extension because php coding is designed for the quickest loading of files on a web-page than any other coding language. However Norton hosts Safeweb (http://safeweb.norton.com/), which automatically looks up websites and evaluates them for security threats. This website is extremely useful for searching links to make sure the site is safe. The last major ways viruses can weed their way into your system would be through downloading music, games, programs, sharing flash-drives, and using a public network. Malicious script writers often want their virus to be spread rapidly, so they look at these options since they

know these popular things that people do on their computer. A perfect example for viruses spreading would be the ASDF virus which infected the majority of school computers through use of flash-drives earlier this year. Ways to catch these viruses would be to install a anti-malware product such as Norton, Webroot, Malwarebytes, or the free Microsoft Secruity Essentials program. After installing an anti-malware program, remember to save the file you download and virus scan it before you open it. A thing to note is Mac users can get viruses; they aren’t impervious like many people believe. They are just less susceptible to viruses because of the preloaded operating system’s security and the registry is not well known to other people. So Mac and Windows users alike should remember to regularly scan their computers for viruses about once a week.

If you know Panda Bear (A.K.A. Noah Lennox), than you know to expect repetitive loops, obscure samples and Noah Lennox’s harmonized vocals. His latest effort, Tomboy, is no exception; his second full length album since 2007’s Person Pitch. In the time between Person Pitch and Tomboy, Lennox has found a cohesive sound. Tomboy sounds like a complete album rather than the collage of songs on Person Pitch. There is an audible surfer rock influence on Tomboy. The Beach Boys came to mind while I listened to Tomboy, but Lennox has his own definitive style that stands out on this album.

Each track on Tomboy usually features some kind of looped instrument whether it be guitar, synthesizers or sample. The beats are basic and the tempo stays at an

easy walking pace with a few songs working their way up to a light jog. The repetition on Tomboy is what makes the album so mesmerizing and the simplicity is what makes it so intimate. I was entranced by tracks like “Afterburner”, which bludgeoned the same rhythms for 6 minutes to point of hypnosis. This isn’t progressive music where the songs change dynamically. Each song plays out on Tomboy like a motif or musical theme. Despite the repetition, the album doesn’t get old.

Throughout Tomboy, Lennox has placed strange samples and sound effects that are scattered

throughout the mix. Samples of faint voices can be heard on the opening track, “You Can Count on Me.” The

track “Slow Motion” features a sample that sounds like a huge cable being cut and flailing around. I often

Joe VargoReporter

Panda Bear’s New Album, Tomboy, for the Open Mindedwondered what exactly I was hearing as indescribable noises bounce around in the mix. This alone is enough to keep the listener entertained but Lennox continues to mix things up. The tracks “Benfica”, “Drone”, and “Scheherezade” have very little instrumentation besides swirling keyboards and synth pads. This gives the listener a break from the repetition and makes the album feel like a fully realized work.

Over all the instrumentation are Noah Lennox’s soaring vocals. Lennox layers his vocals to create warm vocal harmonies. The vocals are also drenched in effects and filter that delay, reverb and echo. There’s hardly a moment where Lennox’s voice is left without some kind of alteration. Personally, I enjoyed the effects on the vocals but some may find it annoying to hear the lyrics

echo throughout the album. Tomboy will likely

be a polarizing album because what makes it so appealing is also what might deter some from enjoying it. The songs themselves never actually grow or evolve, they mostly stay the same tempo and volume. The repetitive nature of Tomboy might annoy the more impatient listeners. The heavy effects on the vocals and instruments could be outside a more conservative listener’s comfort zone. But it’s the combination of all these things that make Tomboy such a great and refreshing album. Dive into the mesmerizing sounds of Tomboy with an open mind. Highly recommended.

Entertainment7The Talon April 21, 2011

Insidious: Refreshing, terrifying addition to horror genre I don’t like scary

movies. I’ve only seen two in my life, Insidious, and Paranormal Activity 2. After watching the former, I can safely say that I never plan to see another scary movie. Ever. In fact, I didn’t want to see Insidious in the first place, I was forced with a choice to either watch it or sit out in the cold for an hour and a half. After watching the movie, however, I think I would have preferred to stay out in the cold.

That’s not to say the movie was bad. Sure, the plot was all over the place, especially during the second half of the movie, but the scares were genuinely scary. The widely distributed tag line “It’s not the house that’s haunted” describes the plot almost perfectly-Dalton, a young boy, is in a

weird coma where he’s not necessarily awake and not necessarily asleep, he’s just there.

The first half of the movie is definitely its strong point-ghosts get more and more rambunctious as

Dalton’s condition remains steady, with the most obnoxious visitor being a demon who leaves bloody hand-prints on Dalton’s sheets and inserts himself into the nightmares of those close to Dalton. After

John SchwartzManaging Editor

Dalton’s room is torn apart by the demon, the family decides to get professional help. This is where things start to go downhill.

Suddenly we’re told that there’s a lady, Elise, who can not only see this

demon, but interact with him through a spiritual gas-mask. She also explains to us that the reason Dalton isn’t waking up is because he can astral project, and a demon is keeping him from his body. Right... so what can they do?

Well, Dalton’s in luck, because it turns out his Dad can astral project as well! Apparently, he was really good at it when he was little, but, somehow, he forgot all about it. Conveniently he can go into ‘The Further,’ where Dalton is being held, and bring him back home. Which he does, but the writer’s couldn’t resist putting in a little twist there at the end, to keep the question of a sequel alive.

I can give Insidious credit for doing one thing right-the characters did everything logically, at

least for the first part of the movie. When things at their first house get exceptionally crazy- (people appearing in the baby’s room and attacking the mother) they move out of the supposedly haunted house-a choice that most horror movie characters seem to overlook. No luck, however, as it’s Dalton that’s haunted, not the house.

All in all, Insidious is good for a few eye-popping scares, and not much else. If you’re looking to get the absolute molasses scared out of you, I would highly recommend it. Otherwise, skip this for something else.

I remember the exact date and location I bought the Strokes third album, First Impressions of Earth. It was January 3rd, 2006 at the Borders on 610. I remember in the weeks leading up to the album’s release I had played Is This It? and Room on Fire so frequently in the car that I had scratched the discs. It all seemed so perfect that a band I had just fell in love with would be releasing their first new album in three years. Though FIOE was nothing compared to Is This It?, the album which credited them with “saving rock and roll”, it still meant a lot to me. It not only revolutionized the music I started to listen to, but me as a person. I idolized their cool. I wanted to dress like them, act like them, play music like them, everything. I owe a lot to them and that album, for better or for worse. One five year hiatus later, full of side projects, rehabilitation, and settling down with their newly established families, the Strokes are back with Angles, their fourth studio

album. Again, the Strokes fall short of their drastically high expectation, but it is a step in the right direction from their last effort. The recording method was the biggest change for the group. Four of the members recorded, mixed, and produced their parts at guitarist Albert Hammond Jr.’s upstate New York home. Lead singer Julian Casablancas stayed home in New York City and recorded his parts at Electric Lady Studios and sent them to the rest of the group electronically. This method is polar opposite from their other records. Julian would write all the parts to all of the songs, sometimes keeping his bandmates cooped up in the studio for hours as he searched for the right snare drum sound. In the early going there was little resentment of Julian and his obsessive tendencies as they conceded that he often had the best ideas. However, during the hiatus, all but guitarist Nick Valensi quickly up and recorded their own material or were parts of side-projects, making it

clear that there was discord within the band sonically and personally. The discord within the band comes through their songs on the latest record. Many of the songs sound fragmented, guitars come and go freely, leaving listeners without the catchy hooks their accustomed to getting from their New York hipsters. The album as a whole is disjointed as well. “Games” recalls the sounds of the 1980s, incorporating synthesizers and other electronic sounds not typical of the strictly guitar and drums group. The latter half of the album is almost unlistenable. Casablancas deprecates himself frequently in his lyrics, which is typical. However, paired against such slow, monotonous guitars, it gets down right depressing. But there are tracks on here which remind us why the Strokes have such high expectations. The album’s first single “Under Cover of Darkness” retains their patent sound with a funky flair on the verse. The album’s halfway point, “Taken For A Fool”, is the

standout. The guitars of Albert and Nick duel with each other, creating the hooks listeners crave. The album’s production is cleaner and on the rare occasion when the band is in harmony with one another, the songs really bring it. The Strokes know their niche. They know where they succeed. Angles is an experiment with their sound in some regards, attempting to broaden their sonic horizons.

Perhaps it requires a less-than-phenomenal journey to realize where it is you belong. I bought Angles the day it was released, March 22nd, at a Target. I didn’t try to go to the Borders since it was going out of business. I had been playing some of the first two albums to get pumped, but the purchase wasn’t nearly the event it had been five years ago. The brief excitement I had

Drew LanzafamaReporter

The Strokes Craft Album From a New Angle

when I picked up the cool looking package was dashed when I got in line behind what I took to be a recently divorced man, buying groceries at three o’clock in the afternoon. In a way, this moment was perfect too. Maybe the Strokes too should have cut their losses to retain whatever glory still shrouds the band.

Features 8The Talon April 21, 2011

Ladies and Gentlemen, I saw you at prom and you embarrassed yourselves. Everyone knew the basics of buying a dress, renting a tux, doing your hair, making sure you didn’t smell… but once you got to prom, then what? You completely made a fool out of yourself, and unfortunately your date. The rules were written in bold letters on a neon sheet of paper, posted on fusion, and the announcements for weeks, yet you still failed. I give the prom an A, but you all an F.

The Formal and Rules of PromInFormal

Megan NiewoldReporter

Ties cannot be worn around the head, as they are to be worn properly throughout the entire dance. Yeah, I know you’re thinking “what? I looked so cool man!” but no, you did not look cool. In fact it was the very definition of being un-cool. Not to mention pictures were taken at prom; now you will be that kid in the yearbook with his tie around his head, and you will be known that way forever. Good job, I’m sure you want to share that memory with your future wife and kids! Happy senior prom to you.

Formal pantsuits may be worn (Ladies) I suppose I always knew this rule was

around but…did anyone wear a pantsuit? No really, I’m being serious, I want to know: Can anyone tell me who wore a pantsuit to prom…and why? I get it, you wanted to be “different,” well I wanted to be different too, but I wore a short dress and my hair down; I did not under any circumstances wear a pantsuit to prom; and you shouldn’t have either.

Middle school students may not attend high school dances Dear Cradle Robbers, if you’re dating a middle school student: stay away from me. This rule shouldn’t even have to be included, but I suppose some people find that whole awkward stage of braces, poofy hair, and idiotic humor attractive…the majority of high school students do not. If you were that person who wanted to bring your pee-wee date along, I guess you made other plans. Did you attend the middle school formal instead?

Do NOT dance “inappropriately” There’s being classy, and there’s being tasteless. If

you wanted to look classy, grinding on your boyfriend was not the way to achieve that. The Expo Center has never been a strip club, but you almost had me fooled by the way you were dancing.

Rule Number One

Rule Number Two

Rule Number Four

Rule Number Five

Jackets may be removed after entering the prom

This rule can really go either way. If you wore a serious James Bond tux to prom, then I feel your pain right about now, you should have known the unwritten rule: do not take off your jacket. I know it was hot and dancing with that smokin’ girl is what you had been waiting for all year and you’re thinking “if I had kept my jacket on, I would have been all sweaty.” I guess you had two choices in your situation, wear a lot of deodorant to prevent sweat or take off your jacket and reveal that pink polka dotted vest and matching bow tie. If you wore a dress shirt and a tie, it’s totally fine that you let loose and took your jacket off; but you can also feel free to laugh at the kid in the tux who took his jacket off too.

Rule Number Three

Features9The Talon April 21, 2011

I have this best friend that I really like, but if he and I started dating all my friends would make fun of me. What should I do?! ---JustFriends87

Advice: Listen. In high school you’re going to make so many friends in different classes, who play different sports, who all do different things and you’re going to be close to every single one of them. And if they are truly your close friends, they won’t make fun of you for the guys you like. So that being said, don’t make your decisions about the guys you like or want to date based off of the opinions of your friends. Because it’s your life, and it should only consist of your opinions.

I’ve always acted like I didn’t like this one girl I know, but only

because I’m usually really nervous around her. But I actually do have a lot of feelings for her. How should I tell her? ---N3rvousWr3ck477Advice: Well for starters, don’t begin any relationship by acting as if you dislike the other person. If it’s not clearly playful “fighting,” then might push her away from you. But for you, since it’s too late, I would start doing nice things for her. Ask her if she wants to go see a movie, or go out to lunch. Then she will start to see your more sensitive side and be more inclined to reciprocate those feelings. If you make it clear that you like her, she’ll start to forgive you for what you’ve done in the past. After you have done a few sweet things, just open up to her and be completely honest about how you feel. Honesty really is the best policy.

So I was walking down the hall and someone pushed me. I don’t know if it’s bullying or not. How do I tell the difference? ---emotionallyunstable01

Advice: If the push was really aggressive, and in an abusive manner, then I would consider it bullying; especially if it was in that way and you two were the only two in the hallway. However, if it was a full hallway, like in between classes, then I wouldn’t take it as personally. If you knew the person as one of your friends, I wouldn’t over think the push. It was most likely just a playful shove just to get your attention. If you don’t know the person, he or she might have been bumped by another which ended up bumping into you. Remember, there are over 2,000 kids roaming the halls

in between classes so there’s not much space for anyone. However, if this continues to happen, you can always set up an appointment with guidance so you and your peer can work things out.

I’m a senior and I’m about to leave my friends and family to leave for college; this is really hard for me, I don’t want to hurt anyone by moving on with my life. Any advice? ---MovingOn86

Advice: You’re a senior. You have to realize that you have to move on with your life regardless of the consequences. By the time you graduate, you’re going to be old enough to start learning how to live on your own and your parents won’t hold you back; if anything, they’re going to be there every step of the way to root you on. Besides your

family, your friends are the next closest thing to you and they are expected to do the same: root you on. If they are truly your friends, they wouldn’t be hurt or hold you back from growing up and witnessing new experiences. Talk to them about it, tell them that you will always have some sort of connection with them, and won’t be leaving them forever; same with your family. They are always a road trip or phone-call away!

My friends ditched me to go to another school’s prom, which I can’t go to. Should I confront them about it or let it go? ---Oneistheloneliest number

Advice: Well this really depends. If your friends made plans with you way ahead of time for that specific night, but then all

of a sudden they up and decide to go to prom at a different school without warning you enough time in advance so you cannot make different plans, then yes, confront them. That’s not fair to you to be left alone spontaneously when you were about to have a great night with your friends. However, if they did tell you about it way in advance, then I would just let them go, because going there over spending a night with you means there is an obvious meaning to why it is much more important to them. Thus, you should support them if it is important to your friends, and just make different plans.

Sammi Says: Want Advice? See What Sammi Says

Want Sammi’s Advice? Send an email to CFHSTalon@gmail.com

Caitlin RussellManaging Editor Mary Margaret and Ashley Bruner

Reporters

The Fears of Moving On to College

Every year in Richmond, hundreds of people gather for the four days of fun and friends appropriately named Best Friends Day. When it started it started in 2002, it was a mere group of 40 kids gathered to celebrate their friendship and the end of summer. Best Friends Day is held at Hadad’s Lake every year in late August. In the beginning, it lasted for only one day but over the last nine years, has expanded to a four day mega festival. Not only does Best Friends Day play host to bands ranging from the ever-popular Minor Threat to the less well-known Magrudergrind, it features many different things to do like rollerskating and a field

day. In order to keep it starving-artist and college student friendly, the event coordinators keep the prices relatively low. Tickets for Friday night’s Pg. 99 and Strike Anywhere show at the Canal Club are already on sale and can be purchased for $20 online or $25 the day of the show. In general, the prices will stay within the $20 to $30 range and may be as low as $10. All shows are cash-only the day of, though, so make sure to bust open the piggy bank. If you lack a car or simply don’t want to fight Richmond traffic, no worries. To Bottom and Back, a Richmond-based free bus service is partnering with

Best Friends Day, Mojos and 821 Cafe to provide free transportation. Best Friend’s Day even offers parents’ the security of knowing their teen will be alcohol-free for the weekend, as Best Friends Day gives wristbands to those who are of the legal drinking age. Although much of the event is held outside, pets are not allowed. So be sure to leave Fido at home. Best Friend’s Day is the perfect summer festival for teenagers on a budget and offers four days of nonstop fun. So, get your best friend, get your tickets, and get ready for Best Friend’s Day 10, August 18-21, 2011.

Best Friends Day Festival Held in RichmondHave you ever

felt that tingly feeling in your fingers and toes...the kind that makes your hands shake and go numb? I can remember this anxiety creeping up my back like ivy snaking up a brick wall. I can recall feeling the dead weight of the envelope in my hands, heavy being a good sign. Or the clicking of the mouse as I scrolled down to see the decision that had been made. “Dear Caitlin, Congratulations on your acceptance to.....”.

That one word, those fifteen letters, a combination of 9 consonants and 6 vowels. It sets off a spree of jumping, dancing, hugging, and kissing my mother (and yes, perhaps the floor as well). I felt grounded and confident in that one flawless moment.

There is nothing to stop the excitement and pure ecstasy that comes with hearing back from a long-awaited college decision.

I can recall vividly pulling those almost-all-nighters, finishing an eight-page poetry paper at four in the morning with a stiff neck and droopy eyes. I always used to think 2 a.m.

was an appropriate bedtime for sleepovers chock full of chick-flicks, Sour-Patch kids, and popcorn.

Everything that I’ve worked so hard for throughout high school is summed up in one yes-or-no decision, and I was granted the “Y-E-S.”

Once this emotional high has faded, another fear has bloomed from a Petri dish of old anxieties. There are the real ones: How am I going to pay for this school? Will my classes be more difficult than what I am taking now? And then there are the more irrational ones: Will I be able to function without my mom? Will I be stuck with an awful roommate?

Ask any handful of seniors and you are bound to come across at least one with these antsy future college jitters.

“I hope I can pass the classes in all honesty. I hear it’s pretty hard,” said Drew Lanzafama (‘11) about attending the academically rigorous in-state school, William & Mary, in the fall.

Shannon Strong (‘11), who was accepted into the Tisch School of the Arts

for film at NYU shared some pretty legitimate fears about attending a school in the Big Apple. “I’m hoping I can keep up with everyone there. It’ll be intense. Luckily, film is all about collaboration, not just competition,” she said, “Plus, I’m afraid of getting lost in the city. I’m not really good with directions.”

Colleen Wade (‘11) is preparing to cope with the nearly 700 mile distance from college to home in Stafford since she is planning on attending Notre Dame in the fall. “I’m slightly worried about the distance, but since I get fall break, Thanksgiving break, Christmas break, spring break, and an Easter break, I think I will still see my family a good bit,” she said.

Although most of our fears are understandable, they can be overcome with preparation and a realization that we are starting a new chapter in our lives. Graduating and possibly entering college in the fall is a huge step in our lives; and taking the reins and becoming more independent are crucial elements in conquering these anxieties.

Features 10The Talon April 21, 2011

FORGEgoesGREEN

As people turn toward energy efficiency and replenish able resources in an attempt to make reparations for the abuse and molestation of beautiful resources, students at Colonial Forge have decided that the time for change to enter the door. Over very few months Forge has made a radical change in support of the environment. With the hallways full of posters boasting “Reuse, Reduce, Recycle”, bathroom flyers encouraging the proper disposal of chips into a blue bin, and signs encouraging a recycling rivalry with Brooke Point; the school is booming with propaganda. The best part is, it’s working. A lot of the reform that has taken place at Forge has come from the hard work of Mr. Heller. A lot of Mr. Heller’s inspiration comes from right at home: “I have kids and I want them to have a good life on this planet.” Mr. Heller is the head of the environmental club and has been really encouraging his students to observe environmental awareness. Mr. Heller expressed pleasure at the eco friendly changes that have been taking place at Colonial Forge but also shared his dream for the expansion of what’s happening at our school. “There needs to be more. It should start from elementary school because by the time you get to high school, you’re already set on the way you behave. That’s why it’s hard for most high school kids to begin recycling. If kids are already trained in elementary school, it won’t be difficult to promote the same values to them in high school. It’s hard for these kids to recycle but they’re trying.” Students at Colonial Forge have to stay aware of new developments in environmental dangers and little things that can make a difference. “There’s nothing worse than ignorance,” says Mr. Heller. “Spitting out

gum on the ground, tossing cigarette butts out of your car window onto the road, not recycling when you know you can, that kind of ignorance is dangerous for the environment.” Students and teachers at Forge have been working hard year round to promote environmental awareness. “Earth is the only planet we have left,” says Denny Ingram. “We really need to take care of it.” Mr. Heller has been instrumental in the reform that has taken place at our school. Not only does he encourage students, he also lives a lifestyle that’s beneficial to our dying environment. ‘I try to be very conscious about what I do,” says the environmental club leader. “I have water barrels at home to catch rain water. I also ride my bike to school. It saves the environment and keeps me in shape. I teach my kids to be conscious about the environment too by having them turn off lights and stuff like that.” Mr. Heller is an awesome example of how to live a conscious life. It takes time and effort but with support from our classmates and faculty, students at Forge are becoming greener every day.

Susan Taah and Kelsey MayReporters

Mr. Heller’s Green Tips

1. Recycle anything with a recycling sign on it.2. Unplug your cell phone charges and any other electronics you’re not using. You may not actually be charging your phone but it’s still using up energy while it’s plugged in.3. Turn off lights when you’re not using them, don’t waste water.4. Old cell phones, chip bags. You get money for that kind of stuff.

Cardboard and paperboardJunk mail

Magazines and catalogsNewspapers and glossy inserts

Notebook paper and memo pads

Cereal boxesPhone books

Printer/copy paper all colorsFolders

TransparenciesSheet Protectors

Laminating Material (No paper on it)

Plastic CD/DVD CasesTra�c Cones

Plastic Utensils (Clean)Milk & Juice Cartons

(Empty)Aluminum Foil (Clean)

Bubble WrapZip Lock Bags

Aluminum cansGlass bottlesPlastic #1-7

WHAT GOES

IN

Features11The Talon April 21, 2011

We’ve all heard the saying reduce, reuse, recycle and we’ve had the latter two drilled into our head since our elementary school days, but in our consumer society “reduce” is not exactly on the top of our priority lists. When we wait to take some sort of action until the “reuse” or “recycle” stages, though, it’s too late to stop resources from being used and materials from being produced. Recycling especially, though it is still a much better alternative than just throwing materials in the trash, requires large amounts of fossil fuels--nonrenewable resources--to operate the plant and

machinery that work to recycle the materials that have already been used. One thing I’ve always noticed is the amount of pointless paper mail that shows up at my house every day. Why on earth would I need a ten page packet instructing me on how to most efficiently sign up for a credit card? Especially when the packet is accompanied by letters--a whole sheet of paper, giant white envelope, postage stamp, fuel for processing--to remind me about the impossible-to-ignore packet for the next three days. First incredibly ironic part of all of this: the

word efficient. How is a packet sent to what is, I’m sure, thousands of people regarding one tiny little plastic card efficient? Can you imagine if those thousands of sheets of paper had never been placed in my mailbox, never required gasoline to be distributed by the local mail service, fuel to process at the post office, adhesive to seal the envelopes, paper to make the envelopes, fuel to cut the pieces of paper into the exact size needed at a paper processing plant, gasoline to transport the trees to the plant for processing, gasoline to power the machinery needed to chop

the trees down, plus the trees themselves that were taken to make the paper. One piece of junk-mail. I mean, besides the fact that the mountains of pointless paper remain stacked on my kitchen counter for weeks, it’s incredibly wasteful and can, thankfully, all be reversed with a simple step such as going to ecocycle.com and spending all of five minutes entering information that will take your home address off send list of many companies that are the most notorious for junk mail. Okay, so I understand that sometimes it’s practically impossible to stop companies from blindly following

what they see as sources of income and livelihood, but there are still plenty of things people can do to reduce their use of materials. For instance, do you really need a bag for those two Gatorades? You can’t carry them? That one plastic bag takes anywhere from 500-1000 years to decompose. Even if you really do buy too much to carry, as is often the case when it comes to grocery shopping (or late night runs to 7-11 when you’re writing a ten page paper), reusable bags are the answer. Reusable bags can be bought at practically any grocery store but even a bag from home will do.

Speaking of buying, why do we do it so much? We have been conditioned to believe that the definition of necessity reaches far past the food-water-shelter trilogy that seemed to be a perfectly good means of subsistence in previous centuries. We’ve put all of our resources into goods that now have to be reused or recycled at a lower quality. We are degrading our environment with our over-consumption. Our mindset needs to change from buying more for status to buying less for survival.

Use Less, Not Useless: Ways to Be Environmentally AwareHannah SomersReporter

Portal 2, the latest game released by Valve Software, is as amazing as all the hype surrounding it has built it up to be. That’s not to say that the game doesn’t come with its fair share of problems, but Portal 2 is already being hailed by multiple outlets as game of the year, only 4 months in. When Portal was first released in a pack with Valve’s Orange Box release in 2007, nobody was quite sure what to make of it. Here was a short, six hour game introducing a new mechanic that was getting rave reviews. The simple concept-shooting two portals to connect two previously unconnected spots in space-created opportunities for incredible mind-bending puzzles and violent acrobatics that made even veteran gamers sick to their stomach, as they attempted to aim portals while hurtling through the air, dodging turret fire and avoiding deadly pits of murky water. After being awarded nearly 70 accolades at the end of the year, including at least 7 Game of the Year awards and even a best game of all time award, eyes were turned eagerly to where the game was going in its second release, and all was revealed yesterday as Portal

2 was being popped into X-Box 360s, PlayStation 3s and PCs. Players return to take the role of Chell, the protagonist in the first game, as they once again find themselves under the control of GLaDOS’s degenerated facility at Aperture Science. Valve takes us through the first few levels of the last game, but adds undergrowth and signs of deterioration to spice things up. Valve takes this opportunity to introduce us to the new mechanics in the game, including manipulable laser beams (‘Thermal Discouragement Beams’), refraction cubes (‘Weighted Pivot Cubes’), and launchpads (‘Aerial Faith Plates’). After the first act, Valve introduces us to more mechanics, including ‘Repulsion Gel’ which launches you into the air, and ‘Propulsion Gel,’ which makes you move faster. These, along with multiple other mechanics, take the already mind bending puzzles that we were made familiar with in the first game and throw in new twists that make the puzzles frustratingly intriguing. The second game also introduces co-op mode, in which you and a friend (or a random person you are paired up with) take the roles of Peabody and Atlas

in order to solve puzzles designed for two sets of portals, which can only mean hours of performing trial and error with inevitably lots, and lots, of death. Valve makes their puzzles appear difficult, but once you perform the task and move on to the next chamber you realize how simple they actually are, without feeling too much like an idiot. It’s an amazing ability that was introduced in the first game and has only been further refined in the current game. The real challenges, surprisingly, are the puzzles that are performed out of the test chambers in the workings of Aperture Science but usually you are accompanied by one of the game’s characters who offer advice after continued failed attempts. Don’t worry though, the checkpoints are frequent and death is not as punishing as it was in the first game, which can be a pro or a con depending on how hardcore of a gamer you are. Portal 2 doesn’t excel in all areas however. The sequel, who’s parent was renowned for showing the story rather than telling, seems to have regressed on that point. The amount of scenes in which you are unable to do anything but watch a character talking

to you, or doing something without needing your help are noticeably increased in this game, which can cause for some frustrating moments when the game-play is so addicting all you want to do is once again regain that feeling of crossing the threshold into the next puzzle. Also, for a release that’s advertised as a

Portal 2 Meets and Destroys All ExpectationsJohn SchwartzManaging Editor

puzzle game, Portal 2 spends a lot of time making you do not-puzzles, redirecting laser beams to destroy things or having you attempt to pluck things out of the air before they are incinerated. All in all, Portal 2 is an excellent game that takes fans of the first game and gives them more of the same, while improving on

a lot of points that made the first game so excellent. However, their attempt to continue the story can sometimes stall the game-play and make certain moments in the game seem stale and unexciting. This game is a definite buy, especially if you have a friend to go through the co-op mode with. Good luck.

Sports 12The Talon April 21, 2011

Have you ever had a hard hit to the head? There is a possibility that if you did, a concussion could have been sustained from the incident. Contact sports have become more violent, with many more significant injuries occurring than ever before. This is especially true in high school sports, where the “big hit” is often sought among many athletes participating in sports such as football and lacrosse. A concussion is a traumatic brain injury, that can result in the temporary loss of consciousness, as well as frequent dizziness, headaches, and nausea. Many people who get them don’t even realize they just had a concussion, and just try to shrug it off like it was nothing. This is why they are extremely dangerous, because once the initial damage is done, you can permanently injure yourself if you continue to play.

Zach Shannon (‘13) said “After I got hit, I stood up and almost fell back down because I felt so dizzy, but it never occurred to me that I had just had a concussion.”

It has also been proven that depression is a possible long term symptom of having a concussion.

Sean O’NeillReporter

Evidence suggests that many retired NFL players who have sustained concussions during their individual careers have reported experiencing depression-like symptoms. Other than depression, not much is known about any other long term effects, because scientists have a

hard time ‘connecting the dots’ between the period of time someone has had a concussion, and the time possible long term symptoms that are reported twenty, thirty sometimes even forty years after. Dallas Driver (‘12) sustained his concussion while playing basketball.

He said “I was feeling really dizzy, I couldn’t see anything for a minute, and I couldn’t walk straight either.” These are all initial symptoms that give a pretty strong validation that you have just sustained a concussion. In most cases, early symptoms like these usually disappear after a week or two

maximum. Zach Shannon said “I had headaches that went away within a couple days, but they were really painful. They were throbbing and it wasn’t a good situation.” Symptoms vary widely among victims, with a headache being the most common. The best way to remedy such a harmful

injury is to get as much rest as you can. The more rest you receive right after your injury, the quicker your road to recovery will be. As concussions continue to become more of a concern in the scientific and sports community, more research is being done to ensure that concussion tests are as accurate as possible. It is usually pretty easy to tell when someone has a concussion, because they seem really confused and unaware of whats going on. Brandon Bailey (‘12) who has sustained two concussions throughout his life, one in middle school playing football and one just recently playing lacrosse, said, “The medical personnel at the game almost knew right away that I had a concussion. I was just so out of it and slow to answer any questions they asked me.” As with any serious issue, being educated about concussions and knowing what to expect is one of the most important ways to be prepared for one. It can happen to anyone, but will you be ready if you sustain a concussion yourself?

Head Injuries Become More Common on the Field

Zach Shannon (‘13) sustained a concussion in a football game with friends.

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